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— See page 5, 60 & 61 —
Around the Community Memorial Day Parade Unites Residents of the Five Towns
THEJEWISHHOME A PUBLICATION OF THE FIVE TOWNS & QUEENS COMMUNITY may 30 - june 5, 2013 | Distributed
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The Swirl of Controversy Behind Guantanamo Bay Page 72
Page 116
Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder Provides Encouragement to Tornado Ravaged Oklahoma Page 55
Project Nivneh Hosts an Evening of Thanks Page 64
Yehuda Uriel
Yeshiva of Far Rockaway Bochurim Celebrate the Third Chazara of their Mesechta Page 62
The Mender of Soles who Healed his own Soul Page 65
— See page 22 —
— See page 14 —
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T h e J e w i s h H o m e n MAY 30, 2013
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Answer the cAll. sundAy, june 2, 2013 | The SandS aTlanTic Beach Buffet dinner – 6:30pm Program – 8:15pm
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It is with a deep sense of pride an note as we appr d oach a very spec humility that we write you th is ial evening for our communit y. Achiezer’s first ever Evening of Rec community’s re sponse has been ognition Dinner is only days away, and the ov corner of the Fi ve Towns and Fa erwhelming. More than 800 people from ev r Rockaway ha ery ve already book ed reservations But more than . reservations, ad s, and hundreds Achiezer itself of people, we ne runs on somet hing much mor e powerful than ed you. money. Achiezer runs on Achdus. The four years since Achiezer’s inception have ible journey, w been an incred ith none more incredible than self. Through th the past year it e power of team work, our com the greatest od m ds, emerging m ore magnificent unity has overcome than ever before . Achiezer is priv ileged to stand at the epicente its community r of heroes, work al ongside so man that teamwork—to marvel at and facilitate it y other incredib s growth. And le organizations that is why our to not only rais upcoming even e funds, but to t ha unite our comm unity more than s been designed ever before. Whether you ar ea will show you ho breadwinner, professional, ho memaker, or re w you can get in tiree, this even displays has be volved. An asso t en created to sh owcase the man rtment of interactive, handsin our commun on y diverse oppo ity, while the br rtunities for Che ief, mostly vide community mem sed o-based progra bers just like yo m pays tribute u, who took th to e initiative and made a differen No matter the ce. neig night, we will al hborhood, shul affiliation, or backround, for l come together one on the basis of what the world stands: Olam Chesed Y iboneh.
Answer the cAll.
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B. Bender
To All of our N eig Bayswater/Fiv hbors and Friends in the F ar Rockaway/ e Towns and su rrounding Co mmunities, We need you.
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>>Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 >>Community Readers’ Poll. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Community Happenings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
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Odd-but-True Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Cover Story: The Swirl of Controversy Behind Guantanamo Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
>> Israel Israel News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 My Israel Home: Romance and Real Estate, a Heartwarming Story. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
>> People Yehuda Uriel: A Mender of Soles Who Healed his Own Soul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 The Saga of the USS Pueblo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 A World After This: The Story of Lola Lieber . . . . 102
>>Parsha The Shmuz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Memorial Day heralds the arrival of summer. Now we can officially wear white while we barbeque our steaks and burgers. My Memorial Day was spent with the family. We started off the weekend hosting an ice cream stand on our block. My son, daughter and nephew manned the stand and sampled all the toppings. It was sprinkles for lunch that day. As the ice cream melted, my husband rushed back and forth between the freezer and the table outside trying to keep the confection still frozen. Drips and all, the kids had a wonderful time. The next day, my children proudly waved their flags as they saluted those who marched in our Memorial Day parade. I only wish that more people attended the parade. We owe it to our soldiers and veterans to salute them for the work they did and to salute those who gave their all for this country. Many of us owe the United States Army a huge debt, as our grandparents were liberated by these heroic men sixty-eight years ago. There are many accounts of the kindness the American soldiers showed the survivors of the concentration camps. I am the granddaughter of a survivor of the Auschwitz, Plashau, and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps. I can only imagine the relief my grandmother felt when she saw the heroes coming to her rescue. Ever since we heard about the young senator from Illinois, Barack Obama, we have heard about his mission to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center. And yet, five years later, the prison is still open. Americans are divided on the issue of closing Guantanamo Bay. There are only 166 detainees there now, but these are no ordinary prisoners. They are alleged terrorists who don’t regret the actions that they have taken and don’t deny that they’ll try again to wreak havoc on the free world. Outspoken liberals wish to coddle these men, give them the freedoms and rights that all Americans enjoy. But do they deserve these freedoms if their only wish is to topple the democracy that espouses these values? This week, Shira Diamond explores these issue more deeply and gives readers a little more insight into the controversy of Guantanamo Bay. As always, we love to hear from our readers. Feel free to reach out to me at editor@fivetownsjewishhome. com. Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana
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Recipes: The Aussie Gourmet: Fish Quesadillas and Guacamole. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Travel: New Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
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Letters to Dear Editor, In a recent publication of The Jewish Home, one article contributor was praising the killing of a spider that a government official did in office. In addition, the contributor criticized PETA, the animal rights organization, saying that they are never pleased with anyone. My family is a dedicated reader of The Jewish Home for many years, and this article saddened me greatly. I was hoping that The Jewish Home encourages mitzvots, such as preserving a life instead of destroying it. Wasn’t King David saved by a spider? For further issues, I ask that The Jewish Home be more respectful of Hashem’s creatures. Laura Fleischer
Dear Editor, As I was reading Dr Deb’s article this week, I could not help but see how incorrect and close-minded her article is. I’d expect more from a woman with a PhD. Here is what is wrong with her article. Firstly, Amanda Berry was not taken captive because she was a runaway. She was taken because she took a ride with a stranger home from work and here is the excerpt: “The next year – on April 21, 2003, the eve of her 17th birthday – Berry experienced the same nightmare scenario. While walking home from her job at Burger King that night, she too took a ride from Castro on Lorain Avenue.” Secondly, she wasn’t kidnapped because she had an eyebrow piercing and listened to Eminem. That is not what made her a prime target for kidnapping. We don’t know what her relationship was with her parents and therefore can’t jump to conclusions as to whether she wasn’t given enough love. There are many people who are loved but can still choose to express themselves in different ways. If indeed the reason she was kid-
napped was because of the eyebrow piercing and the Eminem, which I don’t believe to be the case, then that wouldn’t begin to explain why Leiby Kletzky was abducted. He by no means had any piercing or even knew who Eminem was. He was 9 and I think it’s safe to say that his parents loved him dearly. He wasn’t a runaway, and he probably only heard Jewish music and yet he was kidnapped, only he didn’t come back alive so her premise has no basis whatsoever. I therefore find the article to be very offensive and very close-minded. I think she should think things through before she writes for a widely-read newspaper. A Reader
Dr. Deb Responds: I would like to thank the letter writer for her or his comments. Although it would have been nicer had he/she offered them using words that are less judgmental – such a hard thing to do for everyone – still, the points raised should be addressed. What I was trying to say is that kidnappers and in particular pedophiles do prey on children who are unsupervised. Research supports this. I said in the article that I was guessing that that was the case with Amanda Berry. She would not have had to take a ride from a stranger if a family member had picked her up. The eyebrow piercing and the music she liked are indicative of the fact that she did not feel herself part of the mainstream. This feeling is often the result of, again, lack of parental involvement or perhaps harsh involvement in a child’s life. No, she wasn’t kidnapped because of these things. Of course not. In the case of Leiby Kletzky, his parents were trying to give him appropriate responsibility and independence but he was marked as unsupervised. In these examples, all the pieces do fit
Views expressed on the Letters to the Editor page do not necessarily reflect the views of The Jewish Home Please send all correspondence to editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com
the Editor although in no case does it mean the child was unloved. Love, however, is not sufficient to raise a child. Love, supervision, care, involvement, respect, guidance, discipline – all to the right degree – are necessary. And then of course there is the part of Hashem’s Will over which we have no control. All we as parents can do is our best and perhaps learn some new things along the way so as to strive for maximum emotional and physical safety of our children.
Dear Editor, It’s very nice that you featured barbecue recipes for Memorial Day, but that is exactly what Memorial Day is not about, despite what everyone thinks. Having a barbecue without realizing what the holiday is about is the secular equivalent of eating a great Succos meal but not shaking the lulav and esrog. I heard a veteran who was a medic during the Korean War discuss his recollections. He said that the most common cries he would hear from dying fighters on the battlefield were “Oh my G-d,” “medic,” and “mommy.” This is a
common recollection of many veterans. In Flags of Our Fathers, which depicts the famous battle of Iwo Jima, it talks about how dying American soldiers would sometimes sing nursery rhymes because subconsciously, in their last moments on earth, they were like helpless little kids, yearning for comfort in their final moments. It would be great if we could say that such sacrifices are a thing of the past, but they are not. Since 9/11, over 3,000 troops have been killed. These are parents, children, brothers and sisters. We owe it to them to remember them. Despite my cynical opening sentence, I like your magazine and I think that you are generally well-balanced in your content. Perhaps next year you should feature an article about some of the local soldiers that were lost. It would be a great Kaddish Hashem if you featured the story of a family who lost a loved one, even if he/she wasn’t Jewish. It would provide invaluable insight and teach our kids what this weekend is really about. And, yes, it may even make the barbecue more meaningful, if done right. Stan F.
Readers Poll Compiled by Jannah Eichenbaum
Barbeque season is here! Which do you prefer: hot dogs or hamburgers? Hot dogs 32% Hamburgers 68%
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The Week
In News
is produced. “I would like to know ... once and for all if these bills are in fact scented, as I do detect a hint of maple when smelling the bill,” reads one email to the bank. One writer was upset that her currency is starting to lose its sweet scent. “The note ... lost its maple smell,” said one writer. “I strongly suggest the Bank increases the strength of the ... maple smell.” Ahhh, the sweet smell of money.
Global The Sweet Smell of Money
Counting one’s money is sweet, especially if you have a lot of it, but counting money in Canada has just gotten way sweeter. It seems that Canadian citizens insist that their new currency smells like maple syrup. The new plastic bills were released in November 2011 and although Canadians insist that they smell like the sticky liquid, the Bank of Canada has denied that there is any sweet sauce hidden in the bills. Some inquisitive citizens have asked the bank how the saccharine smell
Malawi Sells Presidential Jet for Quick Cash The country of Malawi is in the red. The African country’s luxurious presidential jet was sold for $15 million to raise cash for the impoverished nation. The jet was originally purchased by late leader Bingu wa Mutharika in 2009. Mutharika, who fled the economy on the brink of collapse after he picked a fight with donors whose support accounted for almost 40% of the budget, bought the jet for $22 million. At the time, he said that the plane matched his status
and was more economical than flying commercially. Britain, Malawi’s main bilateral donor, criticized the purchase and reduced its aid budget to Mutharika’s government by 3 million pounds because if it.
President Joyce Banda, who took office in last April after Mutharika died of a heart attack, made the sale of the jet a priority as she sought to repair the economic damage. Chintu Phiri, principal secretary in the office of the President and Cabinet, said that Virgin Islands company Bohnox Enterprise Ltd had outbid three other bidders for the 14-passenger Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft. “We have accepted their offer and we are waiting to hear from them,” Phiri said. The plane reportedly cost Malawi about $300,000 a year in maintenance and insurance. Banda has also cut her salary by 30%
and has pledged to sell off 35 Mercedes Benz cars used by her cabinet. Her early popularity has faded, however, due to an IMF-backed devaluation of the kwacha currency that caused inflation to spike to more than 35% a year. Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is among the world’s least-developed countries, with a low life expectancy and high infant mortality.
Criticism for Myanmar’s New Policy to Revive Two-Child Rule for Muslims Myanmar is primarily a Buddhist country, but two townships have the highest Muslim populations in the state. Buddhists in the country have concerns about a Muslim population explosion. As such, authorities are trying to revive a two-child limit on Muslim Rohingya families. This limit would not apply to Buddhist families and many are accusing the policy of encouraging the ethnic
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The Week cleansing that is prevalent in the country. Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Islamic leaders expressed dismay over these plans. “If true, this is against the law,” said Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. “It is discriminatory and also violates human rights,” she continued. This policy was in effect during past military rule. Details as to how it will be enforced now were not released. It would apply to two Rakhine townships that border Bangladesh and are about 95 percent Muslim. Nationwide, Muslims account for only about 4 percent of Myanmar’s roughly 60 million people. The order makes Myanmar perhaps the only country in the world to level such a restriction against a particular religious group, and is likely to bring further criticism that Muslims are being discriminated against in the Buddhist-majority country. Longstanding antipathy toward the Rohingya erupted last year into mob violence in which Rakhine Buddhists armed with machetes razed thousands of Muslim homes, leaving hundreds of people dead and forcing 125,000 to flee, mostly Muslims. Since the violence, the religious unrest has ex-
panded into a campaign against Muslim communities in other areas. Rakhine state spokesman Win Myaing said the policy was meant to stem population growth in the Muslim community, which a government-appointed commission last month identified as one of the causes of the sectarian violence. “This is the best way to control the population explosion which is a threat to our national identity. If no measure is taken to control the population, there is a danger of losing our own identity,” said National Affairs Minister for the Yangon Region Zaw Aye Maung, an ethnic Rakhine member of parliament. He said restricting the number of children in the poorer Muslim community will benefit them because smaller families are better able to feed, clothe and educate their children. “This restriction violates human rights,” said Nyunt Maung Shein, head of Myanmar’s Islamic Religious Affairs Council. “The authorities should be very cautious. If this is a step to ease tension between the communities, it will not produce the desired effect,” he added. Myanmar’s government does not include the Rohingya as one of its 135
In News recognized ethnic minorities. It considers them to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and denies them citizenship. But Bangladesh says the Rohingya have been living in Myanmar for centuries and should be recognized there as citizens. For years, the Rohingya in Myanmar have faced a variety of heavy-handed restrictions. They needed permission to travel outside their villages, couples were required to have permission to marry, and were then limited to having two children. Any offspring that exceeded the regulation were “blacklisted” and refused birth registrations, and denied the right to attend school, travel and marry.
Russia Terminates Deal with Syria
Russia’s relationship with Syria may be about to change. According to a senior Russian official, Russia has decided to cancel the deal to sell S-300 missiles to Syria. Just last week, Russia insisted that it would go ahead with selling S-300 advanced missile systems to Syria, despite a request by Israel to call off the deal. Speaking to the Lebanese-based Al-Mayadeen television, which is close to the Hezbollah terror group, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia is “committed to the agreements” signed with Syria regarding the advanced missiles and will “fully carry them out.” As he has said previously, Lavrov reiterated that Russia does not intend to sign new agreements with Syria for the sale of weapons, but explained that since the S-300 deal was signed before the outbreak of the civil war in Syria, Russia intends to carry it out as planned. “We have no intention of breaking international law,” Lavrov explained. “However, we do not want our reputation as reliable suppliers of weapons to be affected.” However, Russia grew increasingly concerned that the missiles may get into the wrong hands and used to attack civilian aircrafts in Israel, prompting the decision to actually terminate the deal.
“We are very much concerned about this; the large Russian community in Israel is a major factor in our attitude to Israel, and we will not let this happen,” the official said. In return for cancelling the deal, Russia expects Israel to refrain from further air strikes in Syria. Reportedly, the agreement to annul the deal was determined during a meeting recently between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Vladimir Putin. The official pointed out that Netanyahu, along with National Security Advisor Yaakov Amidror, explained during the meeting that if the S-300 missiles fall into the hands of groups that oppose Israel, planes taking off and landing in Ben Gurion Airport will be in the range of those missiles. He added that Russia’s main goal is to keep Syria as a single entity, noting that the Syrians are willing to come to an international peace conference to be held in Geneva next month without preconditions, but so far the rebels insist that President Bashar Al-Assad must resign. “It is not acceptable and we are waiting for the United States to solve this problem with the rebels,” the Russian official said. He also stressed that Russia has no plans to provide asylum to Assad in Moscow. “We’re not going to offer this to him,” he said. This is a rare show of solidarity from Russia for Israel.
Baby Rescued from Sewage Pipe in China
A newborn baby weighing just 6.2 pounds was rescued alive from a sewage pipe below a squat toilet in a residential building in eastern China. Residents heard the baby’s cries from a public restroom, and firefighters spent two hours delicately sawing off an L-shaped section of the pipe to free the baby. As of now, it is unclear how the beautiful newborn ended up there, but it is now recovering in a hospital. The child, named Baby No. 59, re-
British Soldier Brutally Attacked in London
The world has gone mad. It was an ordinary Wednesday for the victim, dressed in a military t-shirt embellished with the words “Help for Heroes” (a charity that helps military veterans). Lee Rigby, 25, was driving in broad daylight in his car on the streets of London. Suddenly, the soldier was struck by another vehicle driven by two men of Nigerian descent, which was later learned to be an intentional crash. When the victim got out of his car after the accident, the two vicious attackers butchered him in a violent, disgusting, and horrific manner. Instead of fleeing the scene, the two terrorists turned to witnesses to explain their distorted and psychotic reasoning. A witness, who identified himself only as James, said that the two men were simply standing by the victim’s body. Initially, James thought they were trying to help the man, but when he saw them holding butcher knives, he realized what was going on. “These two guys were crazed. They were just not there. They were just animals,” said James. Afterward, the men appeared to want to be filmed, with one of the attackers going over to a bus and asking people to
take photos of him. The man who caught the whole thing on film requested not to be identified; he was on his way to a job interview when he came upon the scene. The witness explains that he was walking by and one of the attackers approached him. When the terrorist saw that the pedestrian was visibly afraid, he said, “No, no, no, it’s cool. I just want to talk to you,” as he held up his hands that were coated with the victim’s blood. The murderer turned to the camera and apologized to women who had to witness the attack, then quickly added, “But in our lands our women have to see the same.” “You people will never be safe,” the killer said. “Remove your government. They don’t care about you. You think David Cameron is going to get caught in the street when we start busting our guns? ... Get rid of them. Tell them to bring our troops back so we can all live in peace.” “We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you until you leave us alone,” said one of the killers in a London accent to the unidentified passerby’s phone camera. “The only reasons we killed this man ... is because Muslims are dying daily,” he added, in the video. “This British soldier is an eye for an eye, a tooth for tooth.” The first emergency call about the assault came in at 2:20 p.m. local London time. At some point afterward (many witnesses claim at least 20 minutes later), police responded, including armed members of a firearms unit, even though British police typically don’t carry guns. Metropolitan Police Commander Simon Letchworth noted that “early reports” indicated the attackers had “weapons.” Metropolitan Police say they’re aware of reports that it took 30 minutes for police to arrive. The suspects rushed at the arriving officers before being shot by authorities. They were then were taken to separate London hospitals for treatment. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe later said the two had been arrested, though it wasn’t immediately clear if this happened at the hospitals or elsewhere. “We understand concern about the motivation, and we will work tirelessly to uncover why this occurred and who was responsible,” Hogan-Howe said, adding that his force’s counterterrorism unit will lead the investigation. “I understand people want answers, but I must stress we are in the early stages of investigations.”
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ceived many gifts from strangers who streamed to the hospital to shower the little one with diapers, milk, and baby clothes after watching the live broadcast of the rescue on TV. Some even offered to adopt the child. When the baby was rescued, he still had his placenta attached and his heart rate was low. Thankfully, he was in a general healthy condition. Many speculated that the baby was abandoned by its parents and then flushed down the toilet. Unfortunately, reports of children being abandoned in China are not unusual as the government imposes large fines on families that defy its one-child policy.
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The victim was later identified as Lee Rigby, a soldier who served in Afghanistan.
Slain British Soldier’s Family Speaks Out
The night before he was viciously murdered, Lee Rigby sent his mother Lyn a sweet text message. It said, “Goodnight mum. I hope you had a fantastic day today, because you are the most fantastic, one in a million mum that anyone could ever wish for. Thank you for supporting me all these years. You’re not just my mum, you’re my best friend. Goodnight and love you loads.” Lyn holds that text message close to
In News her broken heart, seeing it as Lee’s farewell. In a video released by the Rigby family, Lee’s stepfather wanted to return the farewell. “We would like to say goodnight, Lee,” he said, choking back tears. “Rest in peace, our fallen soldier. We love you loads and words could not describe how loved and sadly missed you will be.” Courtney and Amy, Lee’s younger sisters, wrote a message for the fallen soldier as well. “You fought for your country and did it well,” they wrote. “You will always be our hero; we are just upset you’ve left us so early. We love you Lee, goodnight.” Rigby reportedly was estranged from his wife Rebecca whom he married five years ago and is the mother of their two-year-old son Jack. Rebecca revealed to the press that the two were planning a reunion for the weekend to try and work things out. “I just want to say that I love Lee, I always will and I’m proud to be his wife,” she said. “He was due to come up this weekend so we could continue our future together as a family. He was a devoted father to our son Jack, and we’ll both miss him terribly.” Lee’s stepfather Ian read out a statement on behalf of the family, “What can we say about Lee, our hero? We are so, so proud of Lee. When Lee was born the family adored him, he was a precious gift given to us. Lee had a fiery temper when he was younger, I used to sit on him to calm him down till he got too big at 15, then he used to sit on me. Lee’s dream growing up was always to join the army which he succeeded in doing, he was dedicated and loved his job. Lee adored and cared a lot for his family, he was very much a family man, looking out for his wife, young son Jack, younger sisters, whom in turn they looked up to him, he always had a banter with them but would never ever let any harm come to them. He was over the moon being a dad and uncle, he adored them all.” Lee’s mother continued, “Lee was a man who loved people. He had many friends growing up in Middleton and on army duties all over the world. He believed life was for living and he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.” Absolutely heart-wrenching.
Two “Spies” Executed in Iran Iranian authorities have executed two men convicted of spying for Israel’s Mossad and the American CIA spy
agency, according to the country’s state radio. Mohammad Heidari, accused of passing security-related information and secrets to Mossad agents in exchange for money, and Kourosh Ahmadi, accused of gathering information for the CIA, were hanged at dawn. The sentence for their execution was handed down by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court and confirmed by the country’s Supreme Court. The report did not say when the pair was arrested or when their trial took place. Iran has in the past said it had successfully detected and dismantled spy networks operating inside the country. Tehran accuses Israel and the U.S. of spying on its vital interests, particularly its nuclear program, which the West suspects is aimed at producing an atomic weapon. Tehran denies the charge. Iran has blamed the assassinations of scientists associated with its disputed nuclear program on Western spy agencies, especially the Mossad. The United States has denied any role in the killings. Israel has not commented. Both Israel and the U.S. have not ruled out a military option against Iran’s nuclear facilities. Last month, Amnesty International reported that Iran had 314 officially confirmed executions in 2012, the second highest behind China. It is feared that the actual total is much higher.
American Tourist Attacked in Florence An American tourist underwent emergency surgery after being violently stabbed in the Italian city of Florence on Tuesday, a hospital doctor and media reports said. The 68-year-old was in front of the city’s famed Duomo cathedral listening to a street musician with his wife when someone tried to mug him and he fought back. The victim suffered knife wounds to a kidney and a lung. Armando Sarti, head of the emergency care department at the Santa Maria Nuova Hospital, said by phone on Wednesday that the man was recovering after an operation. “The patient underwent surgery overnight and his condition has now improved and ... seems to be stable, although it is too early to release him from intensive care,” he said. A hospital spokesman said that unfortunately the man’s kidney had to be removed during surgery. Local media reports in Florence said a 37-year-old Italian man from Bari was
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The Week arrested shortly after the mugging and remained in custody, although authorities did not confirm the arrest.
England Launches Counter-Terrorism Agency
David Cameron is determined to stop Muslim extremists. The prime minister of Britain is planning to create a new agency specifically to silence Islamic hate preachers accused of provok-
ing terrorist outrages such as the killing of soldier Lee Rigby. Extremists consider every venue to spread their “poison” including schools, colleges, prisons and mosques. The Tackling Extremism and Radicalization Task Force (TERFOR) will be made up of senior ministers, MI5, police and moderate religious leaders. The high-powered group will study a number of measures, including banning extremist clerics from being given public platforms to incite students, prisoners and other followers, and forcing mosque leaders to answer for “hate preachers.” It will also urge Muslim “whistleblowers” to report ministers who act as terrorists to the police. The launch of TERFOR signals a major overhaul of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy in the wake of the brutal murder of a British soldier on Wednesday. A senior Whitehall source said, “The PM is determined to challenge the poisonous narrative of extremist clerics and confront religious leaders who promote violence.”
In News Israel Investigation Proves IDF Didn’t Kill Palestinian Poster Child Thanks to the conspicuous presence of France 24 TV, twelve-year-old Mohammed al-Dura quickly became the poster child of the Palestinian struggle after allegedly being shot dead by Israeli soldiers in Gaza in 2000. Millions of viewers the world over mourned with al-Dura’s father, who in the video could be seen desperately trying to save his child. But inconsistencies quickly came to light, and much doubt was cast over the al-Dura affair, though that didn’t slow down the Palestinian propaganda machine. A commission recently appointed by the Israeli government to investigate al-Dura’s death came to the shocking
conclusion last week that the boy was not actually killed during the televised gun battle between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian terrorists. Forensics experts demonstrated that there is no evidence the boy had been, or even could have been, hit by Israeli bullets. In 2002, prominent German journalist Esther Schapira joined other international colleagues in openly questioning the France 24 narrative. In her documentary, “Three Bullets and a Dead Child – Who Shot Mohammed al-Dura,” Schapira came to the conclusion that the boy was actually hit by Palestinian gunmen. Also casting a cloud of doubt on the topic was a later media appearance by al-Dura’s father where he presented scars he claimed were the result of injuries sustained on that fateful day. But the Israeli doctor who had treated Mr. al-Dura immediately came forward and clarified that the man’s injuries had been sustained at a different time entirely and were the result of a beating by Hamas activists. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the new findings are significant
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Yeshiva Gedolah of the Five Towns vru,v ,ruxn vchah — Cordially invites the entire community to join us at our —
Eleventh Annual Woodmere Breakfast Honoring
Mr. Jeff Neuman Keser Shem Tov Award
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Sunday, June 16, 2013 | d”ga, zun, ’j | 9:15 AM At The Young Israel of Woodmere Saul Kaufmann Social Hall Rav Yitzchok Knobel Shlita ROSH KOLLEL
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because of how effectively this case was used to slander and vilify Israel. There is only one way to fight lies, said Netanyahu, and that is with the truth.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II said it candidly. On Saturday, the king said that extremism has “grown fat” off of the never ending conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. “Good faith talks must get going,” Abdullah said at the opening of a twoday meeting of the Geneva-based World Economic Forum on the shores of the Dead Sea. He referred to an Arab peace initiative that offers Arab recognition to Israel in exchange for land to Palestinians based on the 1967 borders. Abdullah maintains amiable ties with Israel under a peace treaty signed in 1994. He demanded a stop to Jewish settlement construction in territories claimed by the Palestinians for a future state. For years, the Palestinians have demanded an end to settlement construction before even agreeing to reconvene peace talks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that the negotiations be restarted without any prior conditions, a demand that has been supported by the U.S. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, after talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders last week, renewed that endorsement. Kerry said it was important “not to let settlements stand in the way of talks that could finally set borders as part of a peace agreement.” He added that the issue would be resolved by peace talks because each side would have clear boundaries for their two states. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas appealed to Israel in a separate speech to “make peace a reality” at the World Economic Forum. “There remains a window of opportunity for peace,” he
Nasrallah: If Syria Falls, Israel Wins
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah vowed “victory” in Syria, where members of his Lebanese Shiite movement are fighting alongside regular troops against rebels trying to topple the regime. “I say to all the honorable people, to the mujahedeen, to the heroes: I have always promised you a victory and now I pledge to you a new one,” he said at
a ceremony which marked the 13th anniversary of Israel’s military withdrawal from Lebanon. Nasrallah said Hezbollah would always stand by its allies in the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad, stressing that its own interests were at stake. “We will continue along the road... bear the responsibilities and the sacrifices,” he said in speech delivered live on a huge screen. “This battle is ours ... and I promise you victory,” he said. “We do not know what the enemy’s next move will be,” he added. “The resistance that defeated Israel in the Second Lebanon War has trained and it is ready for confrontation. We are protecting Lebanon and Palestine and Syria. Israel is threatening war every day and it has high preparedness. If Syria falls into the hands of the United States, Israel, or all of its vassals, the resistance will lose out and Israel will enter Lebanon and force its terms. If Syria falls to them, Palestine will be lost.” “Syria is the rear guard of the resistance [Hezbollah’s fight with Israel], its backbone, and the resistance cannot stay with its arms folded when its rear guard
is exposed. We are idiots if we do not act,” said Nasrallah who avoids appearing in public for security reasons. The intervention of hundreds of fighters of Hezbollah has given the regime the upper hand in Qusayr, a strategic central town in Syria across the border with Lebanon, which had been in rebel hands. Syrian forces launched an assault on Qusayr almost a week ago but are still meeting with fierce resistance from the rebels, for the town provides an important supply line for arms and volunteers from Lebanon. Qusayr is a key prize for Assad’s forces because of its strategic location between Damascus and the Mediterranean coast, the Alawite heartland of the embattled president’s regime. Nasrallah ruled out any alliance with the mostly Sunni Muslim rebels battling the Syrian regime. “Hezbollah cannot be in the same trench as the United States, Israel, the takfirist [radical Muslims]... who disembowel, behead and desecrate tombs,” he said of reports that Sunni rebels had vandalized the shrine of a venerated Shiite saint. Continued on page 24
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Jordan’s King Supports Israel’s “No Precondition” Request
said. “I invite the Israelis to make peace a reality on the ground.” He told the gathering that among his top priorities is ending Palestinian divisions, Jewish settlement activity, Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and freeing Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Separately, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told reporters that Palestinians are “fully supportive” of Kerry’s effort to resume negotiations. “None benefits more off the success of Secretary Kerry’s efforts than Palestinians and nobody loses more than Palestinians, if he fails,” Erekat said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. He questioned Israeli willingness to make peace. “The key ingredient here: Do we have an Israeli government that accepts two states?” he asked. “Every time the Israeli government is given a chance between settlements or peace, it has chosen settlements,” he said. “That’s the problem and that’s the hurdle and that’s what will derail the efforts — the continuation of settlement activities and the rejection of the Israeli government of a two state solution.” He said Palestinians wanted “deeds, not words” from the Israeli prime minister. The World Economic Forum is a gathering of 900 business and government leaders from 23 countries. They discuss diverse issues like Islam and governance and youth empowerment and job creation in the Mideast and North Africa.
In News
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The Week In News Syria Fails to Hack Haifa Water Supply It’s a good thing Israel has a stateof-the-art cyber security system. This week, Syrian web activists loyal to the regime of President Bashar Assad launched a failed cyber-attack on Haifa’s water supply system. Prof. Yitzhak Ben-Yisrael, chairman of the National Council for Research and Development, said that members of the Syrian Electronic Army tried to damage computers controlling the water system this month in response to air strikes on targets in Damascus, attributed by foreign sources to Israel. Ben-Yisrael established the National Cyber Bureau within the Prime Minister’s Office and was speaking at an event in Beersheba. He said that every minute, hundreds of online attacks occur on critical national infrastructure networks, such as electricity, the train system and the stock market. The professor cited the Kaspersky Web Security company as saying that every day sees the introduction of 200,000 new computer viruses.
Nazi Flag Flown Near Jerusalem
In case the world needs more proof of how the Palestinians view Jews, a mosque in Beit Omar has helped them out. Residents of the Arab town of Beit Omar located between Jerusalem and Hebron strung up a large Nazi flag adjacent to their local mosque in a clear message to the Jews living nearby. A resident of the nearby Jewish communities of the Etzion Bloc said the incident was very jarring. “I felt we were going back 75 years, losing our hold on the land,” he stated. “The Arabs no longer feel the need to hide their murderous intentions, announcing out loud that they wish to annihilate us.”
The Israeli army was notified about the Nazi flag and sent in a team to remove it. The Nazis and Adolf Hitler have long been idolized in much of Palestinian society. Hitler’s Mein Kampf remains one of the ten bestselling books in the Palestinian Authority-controlled territories today and has a local distributor. During World War II, the Palestinian leader in the Middle East, Haj Amin al-Husseini, was a close confidante of Hitler, and actively recruited fellow Muslims to the Nazi cause.
Knesset Law Prohibits Slander of IDF
The Knesset has approved a law prohibiting slander of IDF soldiers. MKs Yoni Chetboun, Yariv Levin, and Nachman Shai put forth the bill which has been dubbed the “Jenin, Jenin Bill” after the libelous documentary “Jenin, Jenin.” While the documentary was found to have contained lies, including accusations of murder, the soldiers accused were unable to file suit because no one individual soldier had been accused. Members of the Knesset are hoping to deter future libel by allowing soldiers to sue over false accusations even if they were not named individually. “IDF soldiers, like all citizens of Israel, deserve the natural right to defend their good name,” said Chetboun. “As someone who fought and served as a commander, I learned through experience how hard it is to deal with provocation. As a soldier, you don’t always know what to be more careful about – the rocks being thrown at you or the filmed provocation.” “The time has come to give IDF soldiers a voice… The current situation, in which soldiers are sitting ducks for unbridled verbal assaults and cannot respond, is intolerable, and seriously Continued on page 28
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The Week undermines soldiers’ motivation,” he warned. “This law will bring back a bit of the fighting spirit, the calm, and the motivation to focus on the mission.”
Birthright Receives $40M Donation
The Birthright Israel Foundation announced a new $40 million gift from Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson that continues their commitment to fund free, 10-day educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults between the ages of 18 and 26. The gift brings the Adelsons’ total donations to the program to $180 million. Dr. Miriam Adelson said, “Expos-
ing young Jews to Israel helps broaden their awareness and deepen their cultural identity. We are committed to the goal of all young Jewish adults having the opportunity to be inspired by their ancestral homeland.” Sheldon Adelson added, “As a proud American, I celebrate Israel’s commitment to liberty and democratic values. By supporting Birthright Israel, Miriam and I want to give young people not only an enjoyable experience, but also knowledge of Israeli society, and the desire to live for a cause larger than themselves.” Sheldon Adelson is the chairman and chief executive officer of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation. He also owns the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom. Adelson is listed as the 24th richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of $21.8 billion.
El AL Losing Money El Al Israel Airlines said its first-quarter net loss widened, hurt by a military conflict in the fourth quarter as
In News well as increased competition and higher operating costs. Israel’s flag carrier said last week that it had a quarterly net loss of $32.5 million, compared with a loss of $23.3 million a year ago.
summer of 2014. The destinations have yet to be determined. The airline is controlled by Knafaim Holdings with a 39% stake. Last month, the FIMI fund agreed to invest up to $75 million in El Al in return for up to 47% of the carrier. The deal is subject to the signing of a new labor agreement that is acceptable to FIMI, Israel’s largest private investment fund.
National Revenue rose to $431 million from $429.1 million. Revenue from passengers increased 2% while revenue from its cargo business fell 11.5%. Operating costs rose 1% to $393.1 million as its jet fuel expenses grew by 4.8%. El Al is implementing a plan to lower costs and reduce the size of its staff, Chief Executive Elyezer Shkedy said. In response to trends in global markets, El Al’s board has approved the start of short haul flights using four Boeing 737-800 jets beginning no later than the
The New Smoking? Most of us do it for much of the day. We have been practicing for many hours every day and by now have become very good at it. We do it in school, at shul , at work and at home. A new study has shown that sitting can be worse for our health than we thought. “Prolonged sitting is not what nature intended for us,” says Dr. Camelia Davtyan, clinical professor of medicine and director of women’s health at
the UCLA Comprehensive Health Program. “The chair is out to kill us,” says James Levine, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine.
Free Burgers For Hero The man who famously put down his Big Mac to help rescue three women kidnapped for a decade in an Ohio house will never have to pay for another burger in his hometown. Charles Ramsey has been promised free burgers for life at more than a dozen Cleveland-area restaurants. The restaurant where Ramsey worked as a dishwasher initially created a special burger in his honor, but eater-
ies in the city decided a larger tribute was due. Ramsey was called a hero after helping Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight break out of their captive’s house on May 6. He became famous for his colorful remarks to the media after the event and his comment about eating his McDonalds prior to the rescue.
Tour Company Markets Bronx as ‘Ghetto’ A company that promised sightseer tours to the Bronx that included a New York City “ghetto” has stopped the bus rides under protest from an outraged neighborhood. Real Bronx Tours, which took mostly European tourists from Manhattan to see life in the South Bronx “from a safe distance,” issued a statement this week saying it would immediately cease all tours there. Three times a week, the $45 ride took visitors past food-pantry lines, a housing project and a park that a guide described as a pickpocket hangout.
Tourists were told they’d get a look at the Bronx that reflects one of the darkest chapters of the city’s history, the 1970s and ‘80s, when the tour website said “this borough was notorious for drugs, gangs, crime and murders.” The Bronx lost hundreds of buildings to fires intentionally set by landlords to collect insurance money, hence the phrase, “the Bronx is burning.” But residents say the tours are a misrepresentation of the area where former Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor lived in as children. “Those days are over, the Bronx is being rebuilt, it’s rising again,” said Bronx resident and Grammy-nomi-
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Unfortunately, a good deal of data suggest that we’re off our rockers to spend so much time on our rockers — as well as the vast variety of other seats where we’re fond of parking ourselves. Here’s a sampling of what scientists have learned about the insidious nature of sitting. The human body was designed for walking, and people did a whole lot of that for millenniums. But lately, not so much. In general, scientists believe, Americans now sit for more than half of their waking hours. Sadly, the sitting position exerts forces on the body that it’s not built to accommodate, Davtyan says, and so, as comfy as it may seem, couch potato-hood can lead to a host of woes, including poor circulation and assorted aches and pains. We’re not using much energy when we’re sitting still, which is no doubt part of its appeal. But, of course, “not using much energy” is just another way of saying, “not burning many calories,” which is just another way of saying, “watch out for extra pounds.” “There is debate as to whether it is the chair or the knife and fork that have caused the increase in obesity rates,” Levine writes in a 2012 article. A person with a desk job may burn 300 calories a day at work, he reports, but that same person might burn 2,300 calories a day in a job that requires considerable physical effort. Sitting at your desk for hours on end can increase your chances of getting a promotion – but also diabetes and heart disease. A study published in the journal Diabetologia in November 2012 analyzed the results of 18 studies with a total of nearly 800,000 participants. When comparing people who spent the most time sitting with those who spent the least amount of time, researchers found increases in the risks of diabetes (112%), cardiovascular events (147%), death from cardiovascular causes (90%)
and death from all causes (49%). “Sitting is the new smoking,” says Anup Kanodia, a physician and researcher at the Center for Personalized Health Care at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. As evidence, he cites an Australian study published in October 2012 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that compared the two pastimes. Every hour of TV that people watch, presumably while sitting, cuts about 22 minutes from their life span, the study’s authors calculated. By contrast, it’s estimated that smokers shorten their lives by about 11 minutes per cigarette. How can this happen? Not only is sitting lousy at calorie burning, but it has been shown to suppress the production of an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, which is essential for turning bad cholesterol into good. Sitting can also lead to insulin resistance and, therefore, trouble metabolizing sugar. All these strikes against it help to explain, at least in part, its association with heart disease and diabetes. Is there any help out there? There are ways of outwitting our penchant for sitting. Levine has a treadmill at his desk that he strolls on all day long. He made his own, but many models are commercially available. Indeed, whole lines of furniture have been developed to facilitate what David Kahl calls “active sitting.” It can take a while for people to adjust to this new way of sitting, says Kahl, who owns the Ergo Depot in Portland, Oregon. “But in the end I haven’t had anybody say, ‘I can’t do it.’” There are simpler steps to take, too — for example, merely increasing the number of steps you take during the day. But can such small things really make a difference? A study published last year in Diabetes Care showed you could improve your glucose metabolism with a two-minute walk every 20 minutes. Get out those sneakers, New York!
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The Week nated musician Bobby Sanabria. Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and City Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito sent an open letter to the company owner, Michael Myers, saying they were “sickened by the despicable way” the borough was being portrayed to outsiders. “We strongly urge you to stop profiting off of a tour that misrepresents the Bronx as a haven for poverty and crime, while mocking everything from our landmarks to the less fortunate members of our community who are availing themselves of food assistance programs,” the letter read. I can think of better places to visit in New York.
Grandma Takes on Trump An 87-year-old woman who accuses Donald Trump of cheating her in a skyscraper condo deal is suing The Donald in a Chicago Court. Her attorney told Chicago jurors this week that he was personally repulsed by the “Apprentice”
star whom he said lied on the witness stand. The comments came during a sarcasm-filled closing argument at a trial that pits Jacqueline Goldberg against the billionaire real estate mogul-turned TV showman. His voice rising, attorney Shelly Kulwin portrayed the case as a battle between a powerful businessman and a woman who learned her values growing up during the Depression.
Trump, who lives in New York, wasn’t in court for the closings. But Kulwin projected a photograph of the beaming developer on a large courtroom screen. “The thought of my grandma being in the same room with that guy. Yuck!” said Kulwin. The judge told jurors to disregard the comment. Later, the attorney said Trump was motivated to cheat his client by a love for money.
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In News “It’s like his family, those dollars,” Kulwin said. Addressing jurors later that day, defense attorney Stephen Novack accused Kulwin of resorting to personal attacks on Trump out of desperation and a lack of evidence. Goldberg alleges Trump persuaded her to buy two condos at around $1 million apiece in Chicago’s glitzy Trump International Hotel & Tower by promising she would share in the building’s profits. But, Goldberg says, Trump reneged after she committed to the investment. “It’s called a bait and switch,” Kulwin told jurors. “Here’s the bait. Here’s the switch.” But Trump’s attorney described Goldberg as a detail-oriented investor who knew the contract that she signed stipulated Trump could cancel the profit-sharing offer as he saw fit. “She knows the drill,” he said. “Nobody put a gun to her head [to sign].” Since the contract gave Trump rights to change the profit-sharing offer, Novack said the onus was on Goldberg’s attorneys to prove Trump secretly plotted to defraud her before she even signed up to buy. “What do they call it? A bait and switch,” he said. “Switch is not enough. ... There is no evidence whatsoever of a secret plan.” In two days of sometimes combative testimony last week, Trump denied cheating Goldberg. And he told reporters outside court that he was the victim, not her. He declared, “She’s trying to rip me off.” Kulwin said Trump took the stand “to lie, evade and spout infomercials.” He also mocked Trump for telling jurors he never took notes of business meetings and so couldn’t say for sure when certain decisions were made and by whom. “People who don’t want to be found out don’t write things down. They’re not stupid,” he said. “And Donald Trump may be a lot of things, but he’s not stupid.” Kulwin told jurors Goldberg was seeking a total of $6 million in damages. Now the jurors have the chance to tell The Donald, “You’re fired!”
Man Dies Before He Could Confess to Murder The man shot by an FBI agent in Orlando, Florida, last week was “about to sign a statement” admitting to a role, along with Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, in an unsolved triple murder in Massachusetts
in 2011. Ibragim Todashev “just went crazy,” and pulled a knife during his interview with the FBI, said state and federal law enforcement officials briefed on the latest strange twist in the investigation of the Boston Marathon bombing. One official said an FBI agent was stabbed several times, although his injuries were described by the FBI as “nonlife threatening.” FBI agents and Massachusetts state police began to question Todashev after his name and phone number were recovered from the phone of the dead bombing suspect. Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in a shootout with police days after he and his younger brother, Dzhokhar, planted two bombs near the finish line at the Boston Marathon April 15, killing three and injuring more than 260 others. Dzhokhar was later captured and is in custody. Todashev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev both fought mixed martial arts in Boston’s Wai Kru gym, where one of the 2011 triple murder victims, Brendan Mess, also trained, according to a former fighter there and law enforcement officials. According to officials, Todashev was initially being questioned about his role in the marathon bombing when it emerged he had connections to the gruesome murder. There is no indication Todashev was tied to the bombing itself. In the wake of the bombing, detectives developed DNA evidence linking both Tamerlan Tsarnaev and his younger brother Dzhokhar to the triple murder scene. The murders took place on September 11, 2011, the ten-year anniversary of the al Qaeda terror attacks on New York and Washington. Also killed with Mess were Raffael Teken and Eric Weissman. A spokesperson for the Middlesex County district attorney, which is handling the triple murder investigation, declined to make any official statement.
Thousands Complete Boston Marathon Rosy Spraker was only a half-mile from the finish line of her seventh Boston Marathon when the bombs went off. She received her medal later in the mail at her Lorton, Virginia, home. But she couldn’t bring herself to wear it until Saturday, when she and thousands of other athletes joined victims of the blast to run and walk the last mile of the race. “Now I feel like I’ve earned my medal,” Spraker said beaming after she
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On April 15, explosions near the finish line killed three people and wounded more than 260. But forty days later, on May 25, about 3,000 runners and bombing victims gathered in light rain to run the final mile of the world’s oldest annual marathon, said Kathleen McGonagle, spokeswoman for those organizing the event known as OneRun. OneRun honors victims and emergency workers and allows runners to reclaim the final mile, McGonagle said. “For the runner that didn’t get the chance to finish the marathon, this is the
chance for them to experience the final mile that was taken away from them,” McGonagle said. For many runners, it was also a chance to heal from the events of that harrowing day. “It was very emotional to run down this street and see all the people cheering,” said OneRun organizer J. Alain Ferry, who was prevented from completing his ninth consecutive Boston Marathon in April. “There were a lot of tears,” Ferry said, clutching his 2013 marathon bib, with the number 22084. “And I can feel in my throat that there are going to be more. This was a scab for everyone that just was not healing.”
Swinging High over Texas They say everything is bigger in Texas and amusement rides are not going to be the first exception. The world’s tallest tower swing ride, which sends those foolhardy enough to get on-board a whopping 400 feet up in the air, was officially opened on Saturday at the Six
ilan is coming to NY june 2 to june 7
In News Flags Over Texas amusement park in Arlington.
The Texas SkyScreamer allows up to twenty-four riders to sit in open-air swings while spinning in a 124-foot circle at speeds up to 35mph. At its 40 story peak – and if the riders still have their eyes open – they can see not only Arlington, but also Dallas and Fort Worth. “We are thrilled to add the tallest swing ride in the world to our premier line up of rides and attractions,” said Steve Martindale, park president of Six Flags Over Texas. “It offers the most unique ride experience for an attraction of this kind, and also lives up to the Texas mantra that everything is bigger in the Lone Star state!” There are seven SkyScreamer rides located at theme parks throughout the U.S. but this latest one dwarfs the competition; the next tallest is in Georgia and is a mere 242 feet tall. Due to the far greater height though, riders are spun at a reduced speed of 35mph compared to the usual 43pmh. Oh, that makes it WAY less scary…
$190 Million for a Home in Greenwich
per. The house is a 13,519-square-foot, French-renaissance mansion with 12 bedrooms, seven full baths, two half baths, a library, solarium, wine cellar and an entire floor just for staff. Special features include 12-foot ceilings, multiple carved fireplaces and balconies, plus huge windows and glassed-in porches for taking in the panoramic Long Island Sound view. The property straddles 50 acres spread over two islands, and outdoor features include a 75-foot-pool with a spa and pool house, a grass tennis court, stone carriage house and guest cottage, plus abundant rolling lawns and gardens. Since being built in 1896, Copper Beech Farm has only known two owners. Harriet Lauder Greenway (whose father, George Lauder, joined Andrew Carnegie to create U.S. Steel) purchased the property in 1904 and lived there for 75 years. Current owner John Rudey, who made his money in timber, acquired the home in an off-market deal. According to Forbes, “The estate hasn’t been publicly listed for sale in more than a century.” Pricing Copper Beech Farm is part science, part optimism, and part experienced guess. Listing agent David Ogilvy of David Ogilvy and Associates and Christie’s International based his $190 million price on comparisons for the area, none of which come close in property size or amenities offered. “It’s one of these things where you cannot look and say, ‘It’s worth X,’ because there’s nothing like it,” Ogilvy said, adding that “the last 50-acre waterfront estate in Greenwich was sold and subdivided in 1954. However, appraisals top $200 million, especially if the land is subdivided.” And I thought the Five Towns was expensive.
Federal Investigators Consider Cause of Washington Bridge Collapse The priciest home in U.S. history has just gone on the market. The asking price? A mere $190 million. The property is called Copper Beech Farm and is much more than a single family home found in your local pa-
The trucker whose oversized load bumped the steel framework of a Washington State bridge just before it collapsed will be interviewed by investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board. The board was immediately at the scene working to determine the cause of the collapse. The accident sent
The semi-truck was traveling in the right lane of the four-lane bridge when it is believed to have hit a girder just before the collapse, according to John Batiste, Chief of the Washington State Patrol. The driver of the truck, William Scott, remained on the scene and has been cooperative, authorities said. “I spoke to him seconds after it happened. He was just horrified,” Cynthia Scott, the trucker’s wife, told the AP. “He gets safety awards, safety bonuses ... for doing all these checks, for hiring the right pilot cars and pole cars,” she said. Each day, more than 77,000 cars cross the bridge. The bridge, built in 1955, was not considered structurally deficient but was listed as “functionally obsolete” – a category indicating an outdated design, such as having narrow shoulders and low clearance underneath, according to a database compiled by the Federal Highway Administration. Federal records show it had a sufficiency rating of 57 out of 100, meaning it was in need of repairs. The bridge was inspected twice last year, most recently in November, and repairs were made, Peterson said. I sure hope the GWB is safe and sound.
Brooklyn Bridge Shut Down on Memorial Day On one of the most traffic plagued days of the year, the NYPD was forced to shut down traffic in both directions on the Brooklyn Bridge. The first call came in around 5:15 pm on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27. The closure was due to a suspicious vehicle. Within 45-minutes, the bomb squad arrived at the scene. Police were searching and eventual-
ly seized an abandoned SUV, a Dodge Durango, located in the middle of the Manhattan-bound span. The pedestrian walkway was also shut down in both directions. The SUV had no plates, nor did it have a vehicle identification number, according to Christopher Miller, a spokesman with the New York City Office of Emergency Management. The search caused traffic problems all over Lower Manhattan. For obvious reasons, the suspicious vehicle induced fear amongst New Yorkers. Authorities are constantly urging New Yorkers to be vigilant and to report suspicious objects to the police. “If you see something, say something,” has saved countless lives.
chael Graves Design Bells and Whistles Stainless Steel Tea Kettle looks like the brutal Nazi dictator, Adolph Hitler, ym”sh. Because of social media, the observation went viral and people have been commenting on the unfortunate teapot. One person tweeted, “Polly put the kettle on…trial for crimes against humanity.”
That’s Odd Pregnant Woman Dies, Gives Birth, and Comes Back to Life Erica Nigrelli, an English teacher at Elkins High School in Missouri City, Texas, collapsed in a co-worker’s classroom when she was 36 weeks pregnant. According to doctors, the expectant mom actually died, gave birth, and was resuscitated. When Erica Nigrelli’s heart stopped, her co-workers started CPR and used a defibrillator to try to jumpstart it again. They kept her alive until paramedics came and rushed her to the hospital. Doctors delivered baby Elayna by emergency caesarean section. It was technically a post-mortem delivery because Erica’s heart wasn’t beating. “There were two lives that were hanging in the balance the whole time,” an attending doctor said. Erica Nigrelli had an undetected heart defect, and the fact mom and baby are here today is a testament to her brave co-workers. After the birth, doctors installed a pacemaker in the 32-year-old. Three-month-old Elayna now weighs a whopping 9 pounds, and could be off oxygen as early as next week. A true miracle!
Hitler’s Pot A kettle at JC Penney has been accused of allegiance to the Nazi party. Some have been saying that the Mi-
Other items have been accused of looking like the Nazi leader including a house in Swansea and a gallery of fish and cats. We’ll let you decide for yourself.
Seniors Banned from Graduation because of Bugs It’s an unspoken tradition that high school seniors are allowed to leave with a bang. But these seniors made a little too much noise. This year’s seniors at East Carter High School in Grayson, Kentucky, came up with a prank that they thought was hilarious. The group of seniors released 10,000 crickets into the school’s hallways. But they didn’t get the response they intended. Instead of laughs, they got banned from graduation by the administration. Principal Larry Kiser says the critters were expensive to clean up and that’s part of the reason that the punishment is appropriate. But classmates, parents, and even the state senator feel that the consequence is too harsh. The principal said the critters were still hiding in nooks and crannies several days later, which meant exterminators had to Continued on page 36
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three people to the hospital with nonlife threatening injuries after a portion of an Interstate 5 highway bridge in Mount Vernon, Washington, collapsed on Thursday. The incident plunged two vehicles and a travel trailer into the icy water of the Skagit River, authorities said.
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SINGLE?
Next Tuesday is the day you have been waiting for! On Tuesday, 26th of Sivan (June 4th), the yortzeit of the holy Tana Rabbi Yonason Ben Uziel, the Great Tikkun HaRasha"sh will be conducted on behalf of any single person who wants to get married on at the holy gravesite in Amuka. Rabbi Yonason Ben Uziel's gravesite has been the place where singles whose marriage has been delayed for some reason seen open miracles for almost 2 , 0 0 0 years! The Great Tikkun —
also known as the "160 Silver Coins Tikkun" - breaks Ayin hora (evil eye) and all obstacles that have been keeping your soul-mate away from you, and made you lonely and unfulfilled until today! The Great Tikkun HaRasha"sh will, be'ezras Hashem, will be performed by the Tzadik and mekubal Admo"r Yisroel Pinto shlita, the Tzadik mekubal Hagaon Harav Shimon Amar shlit"a and the Tzadik mekubal Hagaon Harav Meir Karlibach shlit"a at the gravesite in four shifts for 24 hours straight. NOTICE: The coins from the four shifts of the Tikkun — 640 coins total - known as Wealth Coins will
be given away to registrants on a first-come, first-serve basis. In addition, the mekubalim will also prepare 48 Chessed Talisim that ensure Heavenly blessing of harmony in your marriage. The Chessed Talisim will be given away on a first-come, first-serve basis ONLY. Don’t delay! Every year, בחסד השם, hundreds of singles — many of whom had given up all hope of ever getting married — got married following the Great Tikkun. Now it’s YOUR turn! You have waited long enough. You have suffered long enough. Take the next step and call to register NOW.
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The Week In News be called in, incurring a big expense on the school. He added that the students would not receive their diplomas until they reimbursed the school a collective $600 to cover the costs of exterminators. In total, seven students involved in the prank were excluded from attending Saturday morning’s celebration. Not everyone thought the 10,000 crickets were a big deal. “It could be worse. What other kind of bugs are there?” one mom asked. “We’ve been to school with them since we were in diapers. It’s not fair to us to not have them there with us,” fellow senior Alissa Lawson said. Robin Webb, a state senator who attended the school, sided with the jokers. “Graduation is one of those lifetime milestones and these kids with no previous records of any sort, I think it’s a little overreaching,” he added. But Carter County School District is standing by its actions. “It is the stance of the Carter County School District that these actions, while meant to be a prank of sorts, are unacceptable,” a statement said. I’m sure that not being able to attend their graduation is really buggin’ them out.
graded out at 3.0 without the rip. Vincent Zurzolo, co-owner of ComicConnect, said, “It’s so hard for anyone to fathom that, in this day and age, you could still discover a comic book that nobody has known about because this book was in a wall of a house for more than 70 years. It’s pretty miraculous that it even survived and it’s only had one owner.” Please don’t see this as an invitation to start tearing up the walls of your home.
There’s Money in These Walls
If you were to visit the river Drina near the western Serbian town of Bajina Basta in Ireland, you would see a strange sight. In middle of the body of water is a large rock, and on the rock is a tiny house. The home was built in 1968 by a group of young men. Since they constructed it, the one bedroom dwelling has survived multiple floods and extreme winds, proving the small dwelling to be extraordinarily strong. An image of the home was National Geographic’s Photo of the Day last year.
While remodeling his newly purchased home in Elbow Lake, Minnesota, David Gonzalez noticed something unique about one of the old magazines that had been used as wall insulation. It was a copy of Action Comics No. 1 from 1938, the very first comic to feature the granddaddy of all superheroes, Superman. “I knew it was worth money,” Gonzales said. “But I had no idea how much.” With about three week left on the auction block, the highest bid now stands at $113,000. That’s $90K more than Gonzalez paid for the house. He purchased the home for $10,100. But the comic book is slightly damaged. Amid all the excitement upon discovery, his wife’s aunt grabbed the comic book; he grabbed it back and tore the back cover. Experts downgraded the comic book’s condition to a 1.5 on a 10-point scale. To put that in comic-book context, a 9.0-grade Action 1 fetched more than $2 million recently. “That was a $75,000 tear,” said Stephen Fishler, co-owner of ComicConnect, a New York City online auction house that is selling Gonzalez’s treasure. He says the comic book would have
Little House on the Rock
LEGO’s Mr. Gold is your Golden Ticket LEGO is attempting to bring back the excitement of Willy Wonka’s golden ticket. Individually numbered and mixed in randomly with LEGO’s other collectibles, Mr. Gold is gold-chromed from top hat to toes, except for his classy white gloves. To LEGO collectors, Mr. Gold is worth his weight in gold, no pun intended. To date, Mr. Gold figures have sold for up to $1,000 on eBay. Continued on page 40
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The Week Mr. Gold is part of LEGO’s tenth series of collectible minifigures, all of which ship in sealed packets so that buyers don’t know which of the range’s 17 figures they’re getting. “Minifig” fans have been known to buy them by the case in the hunt for particularly sought-after figures, helping turn the line into one of LEGO’s most successful products.
“We know that the LEGO minifigure has become almost as iconic as the classic 2x4 LEGO brick,” Michael Mc-
Nally, the Brand Relations Director of LEGO Systems Inc, revealed, “as it’s the hero whom every child – from the youngest builder to the oldest collector – can identify with and explore the LEGO worlds they create.” Your chances of purchasing Mr. Gold are still pretty high; only 409 of the 5,000 Gold mini figures have been found so far, according to a website run by LEGO where fortunate finders register their prized find. Some LEGO devotees don’t like the frenzy Mr. Gold is creating. “Why is LEGO doing this?” asks blog GimmeLego. “They must surely be aware that the chances of any of these figures ending up in the hands of children...are next to nil.” “And I’m struggling to believe that the LEGO company actually set out with the intention of lining the pockets of eBay scalpers. Which does beg the question of exactly what they’re trying to achieve by doing this...is it just good, old-fashioned greed and a desire to milk the Collectible Minifigure cash-cow for all it’s worth?” Sometimes toys are not just meant for kids.
In News American Tourists Rescued from Floating Iceberg
A group of American tourists were having a pleasant picnic when the iceberg they were sitting on broke off from land and began to drift away. The five tourists started floating away along with their folding chairs and table. The panicked picnickers were rescued by a small rescue boat from the ice slab floating atop the deathly frigid waters of the Fjallsárlón glacial lagoon in Iceland, five-and-a-half hours east of Reykhavik.
They are all safe and well. “The ice was solid when they got there, but when they set the table and chairs, the wind changed, and the next minute they were blown some 10-15 meters into the lagoon,” Hornafjörður rescue team volunteer Páll Sigurður Vignisson, who piloted the tourists to safety, said. “The scene was comical – they were sitting on the chairs around a table, on a piece of floating ice,” said Vignisson. “But the iceberg could have cracked or flipped over any minute, throwing them into very deep, almost frozen waters.” With its breathtaking glacial lagoons and volcanoes, Iceland is a highly prized tourist destination. Some 600,000 are expected to visit Iceland this year, double the local population. The tourists can sometimes be more eager than experienced, resulting in up to 20 serious cases annually requiring rescue squad intervention. “They don’t know the area nor how to drive over a river, and they don’t know how to behave if the car gets stuck,” said local RÚV reporter Björn Malmquist. “They often either get lost on foot or driving in the highlands.”
Small Businesses You Can’t Believe Exist
The history of commerce is marked by small businesses that provoked skepticism amongst experts. But consumers tend to embrace unusual concepts, and the entrepreneurs who believed in them, worked tirelessly over them, and took a risk have got the last laugh. CNBC.com presented 10 small businesses founded on unorthodox ideas. Some have proven track records of success, while others are still struggling just to stay open for business. Here are some of my favorites… Wiggles Dog Wigs was founded by Ruth Regina, a motion picture and television makeup artist of 50 years. She is also an eighth-generation wig maker, and she has brought this skill to bear with Wiggles Dog Wigs, a company that, as the name suggests, manufactures wigs for dogs. According to the company website, its history goes back two decades, when Regina’s niece asked for a wig for her basset hound. The classic house pets range from
to its website, the “something” can be a rare book, a reverse clock, a box of gourmet chocolates or any of several dozen other arbitrary possibilities. Hey, folks out there. Father’s Day is coming up.
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dogs to fish to an occasional snake but some households are determined to be eccentric; for them there is the company, My Pet Chicken. Their website sells chickens. By owning a chicken or rooster, customers can have an ongoing source of eggs. Sometimes, the cure for weeds can be worse than the disease. Apart from being expensive, some herbicides may contain dangerous chemicals that scientific studies have shown can cause cancer. The solution: goats. Goats love to eat weeds and have no harmful side effects. Luckily you can rent a goat to help solve the problem. The company, We Rent Goats will let you borrow a minimum of 100 creatures for the nominal fee of just $350 to $550 per acre. The website describes goats as “natural-born weed eaters” and describes their grazing as “an ecologically beneficial way to clear unwanted weeds or brush and promote the growth of native grasses.” Ever been at a total loss of what to buy your husband, mother, or co-worker for a gift? You should visit the SomethingStore, the perfect solution for gift giving. The company will send a gift of a random object for just $10. According
A Slice of Victory
A generous delivery of 30,000 pizzas to military personnel serving in Afghanistan made last summer has officially been named by Guinness World Records the world’s largest pizza delivery ever. The delivery was orchestrated by Pizza 4 Patriots, a nonprofit group founded by retired Air Force master sergeant
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When Vignisson reached the group, he said that the tourists were “not at all scared, pretty calm, laughing and joking about the whole thing, despite that they had been stuck floating for about an hour. They just didn’t realize the risks they were running. They thought they were doing something real cool.” Luckily, one of the group members acted quickly and jumped to shore just as the iceberg broke off and immediately called emergency services. If not, they would have been having their picnic in middle of the vast ocean. Vignisson said he hoped the incident would prompt authorities to put up signs saying “forbidden to have picnics here.” “If you think about it, it’s a totally crazy idea: ice behaves in an unpredictable way, you never know what may happen.” This gives the expression of “walking (or picnicking) on thin ice” a whole new meaning.
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Prime Location Historical Setting
Green Oasis Green parks and rural serenity are prized commodities in Yerushalayim’s city center. The Merom Yerushalayim complex contains 17,000m of green lawns and park space, 3 times the city norm. The sound of silence, just one more reason why Merom Yerushalayim is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
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The Week Mark Evans, to U.S. service members in Kandahar, Bagram and Camp Bastion. Evans told reporters that he is “completely pleased and overwhelmed” by the news. “The world record is secondary to taking care of our soldiers and sending them a slice of home,” he said. Pizza 4 Patriots has been delivering pizzas to troops for the last five years. As of February, Pizza 4 Patriots had de-
livered more than 122,000 pizzas to military personnel serving abroad since 2008. All deliveries were made with the help from private carrier DHL Express, which donates its services. Many of the pizzas are actually airdropped to troops in the field. Don’t mean to sound cheesy but I’m happy that our troops were able to have a taste of home.
In News Longest Ferris Wheel Ride Clinton Shepherd, 32, has finally stopped spinning. The operations manager at Chicago’s Navy Pier lakefront entertainment attraction spent last weekend riding a gondola on the Pier’s 15-story tall Ferris wheel in an effort to break the Guinness World Record for riding a fairground or theme park attraction the longest. “I didn’t just want to beat the previous record of 30 hours and 35 seconds, which was set last July by a guy in Canada; I wanted to shatter it,” Shepherd told NBC News. “Chicago was home to the world’s first Ferris wheel and the title should be here.” That Ferris wheel was built for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Shepherd boarded the Ferris wheel on Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. and got off on Sunday, 48 hours, eight minutes and 25 seconds later. In order to secure the world record, Shepherd had to be sure to follow a strict set of rules outlined in a booklet sent by the Guinness World Records organization. “I could take a five minute break every hour and they were keen that I not fall asleep,” said Shepherd. “So we had a video camera recording the whole time and volunteer timekeepers who noted down everything I was doing.” During the 384 spins on the wheel, Shepherd occasionally had visitors rid$ ing along in his gondola, which was outfitted with a TV, chandelier, cushions, curtains and table. Spectators could join Shepherd for a ride by making a donation to the USO. “It was little rough at about three in the morning, but the more I kept busy, the better,” said Shepherd, who admits that he was a little wobbly-legged at the end of the ride. “It did feel a little weird when I got off, but I was presented with my Guinness World Records certificate right away and then went to celebrate my best friend’s birthday. After that, I went home and completely crashed.” Shepherd’s adventure was followed closely by spectators at Navy Pier and by fans on Facebook and on Twitter. After it was all over, fan @Netters08 tweeted: “Awesome Clinton! Now someone get this man a ride home and a pillow!” Sure gives a whole new meaning to going for a spin.
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20th Annual Israel Day Concert to be Held in Central Park on Sunday, June 2nd Photo Credit: Barry Brown Studios
years, impacting every aspect of Jewish life in America and Israel. He and his wife were founders of Arutz Sheva and the National Jewish Outreach Program (NJOP). The concert/rally also salutes noted Jewish activists and philanthropists Dr. Manfred R. Lehmann z”l, who
Preparing for the 20th Annual Israel Day Concert/Rally in Central Park, Sunday, June 2, 2013, at Central Park’s Bandshell, a new location. The Concert/Rally, from 7:30-2:30PM, rain or shine, will once again be spearheaded by (L-R) Dr. Joseph Frager, long-time organizer, and Dr. Paul and Drora Brody, chairpersons. The beautiful Jerusalem tapestry was created by Women in Green. The star-studded concert features the themes of never dividing Jerusalem, not giving up any part of Yisrael HaShleima, and stopping Iran now!
the Re-unification of Jerusalem), from 2:30-7:30 PM, rain or shine, after the Salute to Israel Parade. There is free admission to this wonderful concert. Dr. Joseph Frager, long-time organizer, and Dr. Paul and Drora Brody, chairpersons, for the past eight years, have announced the concert’s themes: Israel and Jerusalem: ours, united, forever—never to be divided again, no further concessions of any part of the land of Israel, and stopping Iran now! The concert, which effectively is the largest rally of its kind in North America, possibly in the world, is sponsored by the Israel Concert-in-the-Park Committee, associated with Young Israel Chovevei Zion and the National Council of Young Israel and pays special tribute again this year to Carl Freyer z”l. Carl, together with his wife Sylvia, founded the concert in response to a call by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Chief Rabbi of Efrat, to mount some form of protest to the notorious 1993 Oslo accords. Mr. Freyer was a leader of the Nationalist camp and a supporter of numerous causes for many
was the event’s first chairman, and Rose and Reuben Mattus z”l of Haagen-Dazs fame. The guest speakers will be the eloquent MK Danny Danon, Deputy Defense Minister of Israel, and Ambassador John Bolton, an expert on the situation in Iran, and a staunch supporter of Israel. Special appearances will be made by leading political and religious leaders and by Jewish activists focusing on the event’s all-important themes. Exciting performers include a burst of musical and singing talent. The headliners are LIPA!, the masterful singer and showman, and EDON, who proudly wore his kippa as he achieved semi-finalist status on “America’s Got Talent,” a nationally televised contest viewed world-wide. Elron Zabatani of Jerusalem’s Old City will be accompanied by Shlomi Aharoni, directly from Israel, who is an alumnus of the Rabbinical IDF Orchestra & Choir. Jerry Markovitz, Sandy Shmuely and Dr. Meyer Abittan are very talented seasoned veterans who will be performing as well.
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25,000 people of all ages are expected at the 20th Annual Israel Day Concert in Central Park which will be held at Central Park’s Bandshell (a NEW location—enter at 5th Ave. & 72nd St) on Sunday, June 2nd (the 46th anniversary of the miracle of the Six-Day War and
Winner of the “Jewish Star” contest, Choni G. from Johannesburg, South Africa, will make his debut in Central Park. The Junior Division winner of the “Jewish Star,” Dovid Moskovits, will be performing again this year. Chaim Kiss, Izzy Kieffer and Heshy R. are all past performers at the Israel Day Concert who will be returning to join the festivities. Musical accompaniment will be provided by the incomparable Shloime Dachs Orchestra & Singers. Aveinu Shebashamayim and the theme from Exodus will be rendered by cardiologist Dr. Meyer Abittan, who always sings “with The multi-talented, long-time heart!” producer and director, Zvika Bornstein, will be the musical producer of the event. The renowned Nachum Segal will again emcee. Special thanks to Chaim Leibtag and Rabbi Binny Maryles of the National Council of Young Israel for their invaluable advice and guidance. Delicious, strictly kosher food and drinks will be available, supplied by famous Mendys. Bring your ruach, determination and Jewish pride, together with your family and your friends, to this massive concert/rally, so our voices will be heard around the world. Early arrival is strongly advised as there will be added security checks, and only one entry line to the Bandshell. For security reasons, no large backpacks or bags will be allowed into the concert. Photo ID is required for entry. Anyone interested in joining the sponsor/VIP list, contact 917-650-5623 immediately. For more information, go to www. IsraelDayConcert.com.
Green Oasis Prime Location
Historical Setting Merom Yerushalayim is located amongst preserved, historical buildings each with their own unique story. The combination of rural serenity and history on your doorstep is just one more reason why Merom Yerushalayim is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
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The Beauty of Living in America Students at the HANC Samuel & Elizabeth Bass Golding Early Childhood Center in West Hempstead had a busy week! Students at the ECC welcomed some very special visitors from the West Hempstead Fire department. The volunteer firemen and women spoke to the students about fire safety, and every child went home with a special fire safety goodie bag. We give a big “thank you” to the West Hempstead Fire Department for taking the time to come and visit and to talk to us about how to be safe. Students at the ECC also learned all about Memorial Day and that brave American soldiers keep us safe. The students also learned about how lucky they are to be Jewish boys and girls living in America.
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Lido Beach Synagogue to Honor Rabbi Daniel H. and Mimi Mehlman
betzin have touched and been involved in many lives over the years and we would love all of you to join with us as we honor them at our Forty Sixth Annual Dinner on Sunday evening June 16th, 2013. For more information, please feel free to call our synagogue office at 516-8899650
HAFTR Siyum Celebrated by Kindergarten & High School Students
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Lido Beach Synagogue, Lido Beach, New York, is proud to honor our Mora D’atra, Rabbi Daniel H. Mehlman and his Rebbetzin Mimi in recognition of their dedication and commitment and service of thirty-six years to our synagogue and our community. Rabbi Mehlman has truly been an inspirational force for the growth of our Synagogue and for the perpetuation of Torah true ideals. His skills as a teacher and as an orator have been exemplary. Through their warmth and friendliness and involvement, Rabbi Mehlman, with his Rebbetzin Mimi, has created, what we at the Lido Beach Synagogue are known as, the Lido Beach Synagogue family, bringing together all those who come through our doors as part of our family. We know that the Rabbi and Reb-
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HAFTR kindergarten and high school students joined together for a special siyum. Students in both divisions had been learning Pirkei Avot in the weeks leading up to Shavuot. Kindergarteners sang songs demonstrating their learning and then high school students invited them to join in a special breakfast. Kindergarten students had an opportunity to learn b’chavruta with their high school friends.
Thank you to all the Rabbeim and morot for facilitating this wonderful program.
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Special Two Day Sales Event for Nofei Israel in the Five Towns built for foreign residents. Ramat Givat Zeev is located northward of Jerusalem and offers many exclusive advantages for the perfect integration in the residents’ new homes while emphasizing the importance of building a homogeneous and warm community which includes a variety of educational institutions compatible to the residents’ mentality. In Ramat Givat Zeev, you’ll be able to choose between a variety of private home models, and luxury housing in exclusive apartment towers. The houses and apartments are being built with high international standards, high-end technical specifications, emphasizing environmental development, a variety of communal institutions, country club, decorative parks and playgrounds. Nofei Israel, known for its long proven experience in building new neighborhoods, presents a rare opportunity for the U.S. residents to fulfill their dream and to make the perfect and smooth Aliyah, where all the educational institutions they accustomed to are already in the neighborhood. All this in
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Following the great demand among the United States Orthodox residents: Ramat Givat Zeev neighborhood will hold a special sales event for the USA Orthodox concentration Hish Nofei Israel, which held in the past a number of successful sales events, is bringing its flagship project, Ramat Givat Zeev, for a special twoday sales event in Monsey and The Five Towns, and is launching the marketing of apartments in addition to the private homes. Ramat Givat Zeev is coming to the US: After several successful sales events in the US that were held by Nofei Israel, where hundreds of American residents have purchased many apartments, the company will come again for a special two days sales event in the USA. Following the increasing demand for the Ramat Givat Zeev neighborhood and in light of the many requests from American residents who wish to closely learn about the construction plans and the special community, Nofei Israel decided to comply with the public demand and will hold a special sales event. Following the announcement of the building of Ziv Hatorah Yeshiva with Rabbi Shmuel Brazil’s leadership, a great interest has occurred. Nofei Israel has built and marketed over 1500 units; now the company stands behind one of the biggest and most unique projects that were ever
a prestigious residential area, combined with rural and calm environment and in proximity to all the leading Torah centers in Jerusalem. The event will take place iy”H in two weeks in the Orthodox concentrations—Monsey and the Five Towns— and will include Nofei Israel’s best and advanced marketing team. In light of the high demand and expected load, in order to get the best service the company recommends scheduling your appointments in advance. Beyond the company’s flagship project, Ramat Givat Zeev, additional projects will be presented at the event, including the “Sarei Israel” project, located next to Romema neighborhood in Jerusalem and the luxury project “Jerusalem View” in Bayit Vegan.
Historical Setting Green Oasis
Prime Location Merom Yerushalayim is located in a unique and sought after location, just a stone’s throw from Geula and yet in an oasis of calm and serenity. The prize location, just one more reason why Meron Yerushalayim is a once in a lifetime opportunity
Orton-Gillingham Reading Grant Available For Children Ages 7-10 By L. Braun The Multi-Sensory Learning Center, a division of Ohr HaLimud, is proud to announce that once again they have secured the “Operation Read” Grant Program. They are looking for approximately 15 children, boys and girls, between the ages of 7 and 10 who are exhibiting delays in reading, writing and spelling. Children who are accepted into the program will receive specialized remediation in the Center’s after-school program at a very special rate. Call today for the application packet. The program takes place at the Center, which is located at the Ohr HaLimud Girls School, 1681 42nd Street, Brooklyn. Orton-Gillingham language therapists will be teaching the students. This method al-
lows the language therapist to focus on specific areas of reading and language development. Each child is put on the road to educational success in reading, writing, spelling, and language arts skills. Mrs. David, executive director, proudly shares the success of Ohr HaLimud’s Bais Yaakov Girls School, now in its 10th year. The school offers a complete Hebrew and English curriculum for girls who are falling behind because of an inability to grasp the process of reading and language when traditional methods are used. Yiddish is also taught in the one-on-one sessions for those students who require it. The school’s custom-made curriculum is based on a child’s age, grade level, IEP,
and current abilities. All minds are not alike, and these girls have to be taught in a manner which meets their unique educational needs. They expect most of their students will go back to a traditional school with the tools and the foundation for learning. In just ten short years, they have sent 53 children back to mainstream schools and on to high school programs. Success and self-esteem are their primary concern. They are now accepting applications for the 2013-2014 school year. Please call Mrs. David at 718-9720170 ext 101 or by e-mail info@ohrhalimud.org for information and applications.
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Around the Community Skill Building Through Teamwork Makes BYQ’s 8th Grade Winners! At Bais Yaakov of Queens, students love sports. Their gym is always filled with the sounds of excited students playing basketball, soccer, machanayim, kickball and so much more. During a student council meeting a few years ago, when junior high students met with Mrs. Sarah Bergman and Mrs. Karen Reisbaum, the general studies administrative team, students requested more gym time. Believing students learn in all settings, Mrs. Bergman created the BYQ Team Program. With funding from the Parent Association, Morah Chaviva Pfeiffer was hired to coach a series of team building sports activities. The objective was to have students learn about the value of each and every student; everyone is a part of a whole and every student is an integral part of the Bais Yaakov team. Building on this, the goal was to have students recognize how important each “whole” in their lives is important, whether it is their class, school, family, community or Klal. Teams were created, and the girls played basketball with one another. They had such fun and learned so much. The experience proved to be so positive, that when they requested another series, the school responded in kind. The PA readily offered to fund it, and Morah Pfeiffer was a willing partner to coach the girls, once again. An opportunity to share the girls’ enthusiasm about sports arrived when Torah Academy for Girls, TAG, was interested in having the 8th grade girls play machanayim with one another. BYQ’s students were eager, although there is no official machanayim
team. The team was chosen during gym class by Morah Pfeiffer. On the day of the game, the BYQ Machanayim Team traveled with the entire grade. Everyone wanted to participate, cheer and be a part of the ruach. TAG was the ultimate host. As visitors, BYQ was greeted and led to the magnificent gym. Both schools’ students filled the bleachers to watch and cheer. All of the students exemplified middos tovos and great sportsmanship. The BYQ team did an outstanding job of showing their finest middos and skills. The game was even more fun when they won! Morah Pfeiffer explained to the girls, “A team works together, with each member doing what she does best for the good of the team as a whole. No individual can do everything. You must trust each other and work together to accomplish your goal.” Mrs. Bergman’s objective for the BYQ Team Program, for the girls to realize and apply this lesson, which is true in life, was achieved. “None of us can do it all. We each need to do our best at what we can do. If we help one another, families, communities, and Klal Yisroel and do our part, together we make a whole. We depend on each other and of course put our trust in Hashem.” Congratulations to the machanayim team: Adina Finkel, Chavi Steinberg, Rivka Davidov, Bracha Book, Elisheva Marcus, Raizy Erlich, Adina Aminov, Menucha Kassirer, Yafit Kamel, Rena Rambod, Sara Tropper, Golda Taub, and Rivka Raizel Goldschein. All of the girls, from both schools, deserve much thanks for supporting and cheering their classmates.
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MACSanitas at SKA By Rikki Bulka SKA ‘13
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Can you be fashionable and modest at the same time? Yes! On Thursday, May 23, the auditorium at the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls was transformed into a live studio courtesy of MACS (Modesty Awareness Committee by Students). “How to be a MACSanista,” a special exciting program hosted by faculty member Mrs. Dena Kobre and 11th Grader Chavi Seidenfeld, helped inspire both the closets and hearts of the audience. First, we were taken on a virtual shopping trip with our favorite teacher MACSanistas, Mrs. Rochel Chafetz and Mrs. Elizabeth Rosenfeld. (Ms. Erica Chaimowitz joined us on video since she was on the school’s Berlin trip.) Afterwards, Mrs. Chafetz and Mrs. Rosenfeld enlightened us with their outlook on clothing, even allowing us the opportunity to check out their wardrobes! For the highlight of the program, Mrs. Carolina Yaghoubzadeh of Milan, Italy, shared her story of her entry into the
world of fashion and how she combines fashion and tznius in her designs. She even gave us a sneak peek at her new collection of modest clothing. (For more details, go to www.LevCollection.com.) To end the event, the MACS students presented their own outfits that they had put together with the help of local stores, Debbie’s Closet and FAME; our teacher MACSanistas helped to rearrange accessories to make each out both stylish and tzniusdik! This program would have been impossible without the guidance of Mrs. Elie Kaminetsky, Director of Religious Guidance at SKA, and Mrs. Dena Kobre, the assistance of Aliza Schwartzblatt in the office of Student Programming, and the kindness of neighborhood stores, Debbie’s Closet and Fame, and also Junee, who allowed us to film there. Much thanks also goes to Jorge Beinenfeld for producing an incredible video and of course, all of our MACS committee members and MACSanistas!
Heart Health for Persons with Diabetes At Mercy Medical Center on June 4th Mercy Medical Center continues to share the expertise of its physicians with the community. Mercy’s Diabetes Education Center, with the support of the RVC Lions Club, is pleased to present a free lecture on “Heart Health for Persons with Diabetes” to be presented at the hospital on Tuesday, June 4th at 7:30 p.m. The hour-long presentation will be given by Thierry Duchatellier, MD, Chief of Cardiology at Mercy, with more than 20 years of experience. Learn
how diabetes contributes to the risks of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke, and how to reduce these risks. Advance registration for the presentation is NOT required. It will be conducted in the employee dining room on the lower level of the hospital’s North Pavilion. Ample convenient free parking will be available. For travel directions or information, call 516-62MERCY.
The Young Israel of Long Beach participated in the annual City of Long Beach Memorial Day Parade. Rabbi Chaim Wakslak encouraged the members of the shul to march in the parade as a demonstration of their standing as good neighbors and community-minded citizens. As a result, a large contingency of the membership marched in the parade.
HANC 5th Grade State Fair The fifth grade students at HANC’s Samuel & Elizabeth Bass Golding Elementary School in West Hempstead brought the United States to life at the Fifth Grade State Fair! Students represented the states of Maine, Ohio, Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Texas, Tennessee, Florida and more! After learning about the United States of America as a whole, each student chose one U.S. state to learn about in-depth. Students learned about their state’s economy, agriculture, politics, landmarks, tourist attractions and natural wonders. At the Fifth Grade State Fair, the students had the opportunity to showcase everything they learned about their state, and they did it in high style! The students came to the fair dressed in their favorite team jerseys, ski parkas and “cheese hats.” The students’ display tables included food grown and/or made in each state, including blueberries (NJ), peaches (GA), chocolate (PA), Hawaiian punch (HI), cranberries (MA), popcorn (MN), iced tea (AZ), cheese crackers (WI), snow cones (UT) and cotton candy (TN). Displays also included goodies for the visiting parents, grandparents and students from other grades to have as souvenirs including key chains, pencils, seashells, state brochures and more. Thank you to the parents who came, chopped, blended and schlepped. All the State Fair visitors and presenters learned a lot and had a lot of fun!
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Kids of Courage Lawrence/Far Rockaway Shabbaton
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Recently, the Lawrence and Far Rockaway communities warmly opened its arms and homes to Kids of Cour-
age, a volunteer-based non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and young adults with serious medical diagnoses, for a weekend to remember. With over 70 campers and more than 130 volunteers, the Cour-
agers participated in their semi-annual Mega-Shabbaton, where they enjoyed the generous hospitality of 75 Lawrence and Far Rockaway host families. The large group davened a beautiful Carlebach-style Kabbalas Shabbos with Eitan Katz at the Bais Medrash of Harborview. Shacharis was at the White Shul in Far Rockaway, where the lavish meals were also held in the company of many neighborhood guests. The weekend was capped off with a grand Melave Malka and concert featuring singer Yehuda Green. Many thanks to the Nassau County Police Department who participated in an Erev Shabbos BBQ at the Wolfson residence featuring police horses, helicopters and rescue boats. Kids of Courage appreciates the generosity of the event’s corporate sponsors, Sharmel Caterers, Gourmet Glatt, Seasons and Dina Rogoff, as well as the dedication of the Renov, Rosenwald and
Stahler families, the community committee-members and the K.O.C. volunteer staff.
Next up on Kids of Courage’s itinerary? This year’s grand summer trip: a nine day adventure with 400 Couragers to Orlando, Florida. For more information or to make a donation, visit kidsoc.org.
Concert to Benefit Congregation Ohab Zedek of Belle Harbor As you know, Congregation Ohab Zedek of Belle Harbor was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy. The majestic shul building had its entire bottom floor, Beis Medrash, and social hall space destroyed by floodwaters. The damages are estimated to cost over one million dollars. This is in addition to the many families from the shul that are struggling with the terrible financial burden of their own property damage. We have completed our first phase of cleaning out the shul and distributing emergency funds to families in need. Baruch Hashem we are able to return to the main sanctuary and are in the process of repairing the bottom floor. However, we need your help to finance this reconstruction. We cannot do it alone. The children of Belle Harbor have organized a “Rebuild Belle Harbor Benefit Concert” to help us rebuild our shul. The concert will take place on Sunday, June 23rd. Please make every effort to attend and to bring your friends, children and grandchildren. In addition, if you would like to help us further by becoming a sponsor, the categories are as follows: Sar Elef: $1000 (Includes two $54 tickets)
Diamond: $720 (Includes two $54
tickets)
Platinum: $540 (Includes two $36 tickets) Gold: $360 (Includes two $36 tickets) Silver: $250 (Includes two $18 tickets) Bronze: $180 (Includes two $18 tickets) Please call 201-308-5580 or visit www.rebuildbelleharbor.com to purchase tickets. Thank you for your generosity and support.
Look for Photos for The Memorial Day Parade on Page 116
NEWS
Community
Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder Travels to Tornado Ravaged Oklahoma munity leaders and families. “Our community relied on the kindness of strangers from across the country in order to survive and I thought it was important to show Hakaros Hatov and return the favor,” said Assemblyman
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Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder, whose own district in Southern Queens and Rockaway was badly damaged during Hurricane Sandy, recently traveled to tornado ravaged Oklahoma to offer guidance and assistance to struggling com-
Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder thanked the Moore County Fire Department for their tireless efforts and for their heroism in the immediate aftermath of the tornado.
The assemblyman coordinated his efforts with Rabbi Ovadia Goldman of the Oklahoma City Chabad community center, who has been assisting victims and providing much needed relief.
Touring the devastated areas of Moore County with State representative Paul Wesselhoft whose district includes many of the communities destroyed by the tornado.
Phil Goldfeder. “I was able to pass on the lessons that I learned in the aftermath of Sandy and provide guidance and resources to my colleagues in the Oklaho-
ma House of Representatives as well as organizers of the many relief and distribution sites across the affected area.”
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We Service All Garage Doors Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder was invited to address the entire Oklahoma House of Representatives on the floor of their State house. He received multiple standing ovations during his remarks where he conveyed a message of thanks and hope and pledged full support until all the affected families were recovered.
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Former Prisoner of Zion Yosef Mendelevich Launches “Od Avinu Chai” Nationwide Educational Initiative in the Five Towns this Shabbos The Five Towns community is abuzz with preparations for Rabbi Yosef Mendelevich’s visit this coming Shabbos. The former Prisoner of Zion has a packed schedule with speaking engagements at three shuls and as the guest at a private reception. He also will be featured at a Motzai Shabbos book signing event. Rabbi Mendelevich will join Kabalas Shabbos davening at the Stahler residence, Erev Shabbos starting at 7:40 p.m. at 17 Beechwood Drive in Sutton Park. Men and women are invited. Shabbos morning, Rabbi Mendelevich will daven with the Shaaray Tefila congregation at 25 Central Avenue and will deliver the main drasha at 11 a.m. Shabbos afternoon, Rabbi Mendelevich will be at Congregation Beth Sholom at 390 Broadway and will be the guest speaker at Seuda Shlishit at 7:30 p.m.
The community will have an opportunity to personally meet the famed Prisoner of Zion Motzai Shabbos at Central Perk Café, 105 Cedarhurst Ave, where
Bending for the Sake of Shalom Shalom, peace, is the cornerstone of a happy, Jewish home. Our Sages teach us that strife is what causes the Heavenly Presence to distance itself from us, and peace is the cause of bringing it close. There is a thought that is shared by one of the rabbis of the Belz Chassidic dynasty. The pasuk teaches us, “kimayim hapanim lapanim kain lev ha’adam li’adam” — in the manner in which a face is reflected in the water, so too one heart reflects the heart of another man. Meaning, when one person radiates peace and calm, it affects the next person. The question is, why must water be used as the example of a reflection, what is wrong with a mirror? In order to look into a mirror, one stands straight and smiles, but to look into a stream, a lake or a river, one must first bend down and only then will he be able to see a reflection of himself. The lesson inherent in this teaching is that for one to see peace reflected in another, it may very well take bending. There might be effort required, but in the end it will be well worth it as one heart will reflect the next. Another thought that brings across this idea that effort is needed in the pursuit of peace is found in the wording of the traditional song sung on Friday
night, Shalom Aleichem, greeting the angels that accompany the men home from shul. The first stanza refers to the angels as “malachei hashareis,” angels of service, while the rest call them “malachei hashalom” angels of peace. In order for the angels to achieve the title of angels of peace, they first have to be angels of service, they are required to put in effort to achieve the peace and that determination to work is what gives them their subsequent name. (Rabbi Moshe Sherer, a”h). When we choose to put in effort for peace, our homes, friends, and most importantly, our marriage is what stands to gain the most. So while it may seem to take effort, the benefits will solely be reaped by us alone, making the pursuit of peace a most worthwhile endeavor. 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.
Rabbi Mendelevich will autograph copies of his recently published “Unbroken Spirit: A Heroic Story of Faith, Courage and Survival” (Gefen Publishing), the newly released English translation of his memoir in which the internationally renowned former Prisoner of Zion tells a compelling story of struggle and victory against the Soviet regime in his battle to keep Torah in the Gulag of prisons and labor camps in Communist Russia and emigrate to Israel. Rabbi Mendelevich will also take to the airwaves on WABC Radio’s Religion on the Line with Rabbi Potasnick, Sunday morning at 9:15 a.m. before joining with City officials in opening the Celebrate Israel Parade up Fifth Avenue. In 1970, at age 22, already a veteran of the Jewish underground, Rabbi Yosef Mendelevich made news around the world with a daring attempt to escape the Soviet Union with a group of Jews on a small civilian aircraft. Before the group could board the plane, the KGB arrested them all, resulting in the infamous Leningrad Trial which riveted international attention. The defendants exhibited great bravery in court, and the international uproar moderated two of the death sentences. Rabbi Mendelevich will share the incredible story of how he survived 11 years of the Gulag, resisting all attempts to squash his body and soul, and how he deepened his bitachon, emuna and yearning for Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Mendelevich’s courageous sacrifices paved the way for over a million Jews to leave Soviet Russia. “We are launching the Od Avinu
Chai Jewish Identity and Leadership Initiative with Rav Mendelevich to invigorate the young generation of American Jews,” says activist Gavriel Gozland. “Rabbi Mendelevich’s spiritual resilience is a powerful lesson for all Jews. Whether in full time Yeshivas, in day schools, or on college campuses, young Jews today face tough questions of identity and purpose. We must transmit spiritual strength to the younger generation, and there is no better ambassador and teacher than Rav Mendelevich,” says Gozland. For those who remember the Soviet Jewry movement days, Shlomo Carlebach’s Am Yisrael Chai song was the anthem, and today for Yosef Mendelevich, it carries even more meaning. His determination to keep mitzvot cost him dearly. The prison authorities forbade him from wearing his homemade kippah, threatening to deprive him of his already rare visiting privileges with his father. Nevertheless, he wouldn’t budge. Rabbi Mendelevich never saw his father again since the day he was incarcerated at age 22. It also conjures up the memory of when Mendelevich’s prison-mate, Natan Sharansky, was moved to a cell across from his, and Mendelevich would sing Hebrew messages to him. He recalls singing ‘Shabbat Shalom’ to his friend, who then answered ‘Avi met’ having been informed of his father’s death earlier that day. Adds Mendelevich, “The Soviets tried to crush us, but today more than ever, we say ‘Od Avinu Chai, our Father is still alive and the Jewish nation thrives.’ My story is not about Soviet Jewry; it’s about emuna –unwavering faith, and the incredible strength of the Jewish neshama.” Rabbi Mendelevich will address students in several yeshivas and day schools throughout New Jersey, Manhattan and the Five Towns during his upcoming 5-day trip to New York. “Educating young Jews about the beauty and majesty of Judaism is at the core of my being,” concludes Mendelevich. Adds Glenn Richter, former national coordinator of the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry: “Yosef Mendelevich is a genuine Jewish hero. Hearing him speak and reading his book is a huge inspiration to overcoming life’s obstacles, deepening Jewish identity and loving the Land of Israel.”
NEWS
Community
BBY’s In-House Authors Studies Principal (grades 1-4), invited Mrs. Sittner to speak about the creative process of writing her book, What Did Pinny Do: An Upsherin Story. Mrs. Sittner explained that a boy in her playgroup was the inspiration for this story. Her little student always had his hair flopping in his eyes and he was very frustrated by all the pins, clips, and ponytail holders that kept falling out of his silky hair. Finally, at 3-years-old he got his hair cut, and the little boy could play and run and jump and climb unencum-
bered by his long tresses. And thus the “Upsherin Story” was born. Mrs. Sittner also showed the girls the various stages of book production. She exhibited the galley proof which is the text of the book printed on one long sheet of paper with room for editorial comments. She described the job of the illustrator and explained how the pages get sewn together in a factory in China. Interestingly enough, Mrs. Sittner is not the only BBY parent to have authored a book. Last year, Mrs. Ilana Keilson
visited our girls to speak about her book, Here Comes Shabbos!. The book reflects the hustle and bustle involved in getting the house ready for Shabbos. It describes the feelings of excitement and warmth involved in Shabbos preparations. Mrs. Keilson told the BBY girls that her book was an eight year long project! From both women, our girls learned that you can achieve great things if you pursue your dream. BBY is very proud of Mrs. Sittner and Mrs. Keilson, and we hope their books sell millions of copies!
Kosher Summer Travel for Those Who’ve Seen It All By David Walles, KosherTravelers.com Think you’ve been everywhere that kosher travel can possibly take you? You’ll be surprised to discover some of the exotic destinations now on offer for discriminating kosher travelers. Watch out, Catskills. You’re about to go for a ride. 1. Tanzania and Zanzibar (June 10 - June 18) You read that right. In Tanzania, the game parks of the Northern Circuit contain some of the most spectacular concentrations of wildlife found in the world. It offers some of the most pristine yet easily accessible biospheres left on earth. Highlights include tree-climbing lions, buffalo, elephants, leopards, baboons, impala, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, ostriches and hippos in Lake Manyara National Park, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Zanzibar is one of the world’s most beautiful islands set like a jewel in tranquil coral waters. Its name evokes a romantic past. To the shores of these islands came Summerians, Assyrians, Hindus, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Arabians, Chinese, Malaysians, and the Portuguese, all sailing in on Monsoon winds. From these shores the great European explorers Burton, Speke, Livingstone, Krapf, Rebman, and Grant set out on their voyages of discovery into the East and Central African hinterland. Treat yourself this summer to this spectacular tour, complete with delicious kosher food and everything kosher travelers could wish for. 2. Kranska Gora, Slovenia (July 17 - August 7) Enjoy a glatt mehadrin vacation located in the picturesque town of Kranska Gora, Slovenia. The town is located
in the heart of the Alpine mountains on the border of Austria & Italy. From this ideal point, one can go out to numerous trips and hikes. You can choose between snowy mountain climbing by foot or by cable car and tour new destinations within Slovenia, Austria and Italy at your doorstep. While the getaway begins at a hotel located 900 meters above sea level, veteran guides are waiting to whisk you away to five high end daily trips, including Postojna Caves and Lake Bled in Slovenia; Drave River cruise and Klagenfurt in Austria; Gerlitzen Mountain and Malta Valley; Muhltal Glacier and Lake Millstatt; and the always-grand Venice in Italy. 3. South Bohemia, Czech Rebublic (July 18 - August 22) South Bohemia has a wonderfully preserved collection of historic sites – castles, palaces, abbeys, and historic towns set in beautiful countryside. Stay at a luxurious wellness hotel complex turned kosher and explore the area with our optional guided tours. South Bohemia is a dream paradise for holidays whether you decide to spend time sightseeing or relaxing. The countryside here offers endless possibilities for visiting places of natural beauty, as well as lots of historical monuments and great conditions for cycling and water sports. Include some charming historical cities into your program such as Prague, Pisek, Frymburk, Passau, Linz, Ceske Budejovice (Budweis), Lake Lipno and others. 4. Mystical Ireland (July 23 - August 1) Start off this luxury kosher tour with a visit to Dublin’s Synagogue and Jewish Museum, 18th-century streets of the Georgian Quarter and the Dublin Castle.
Next you’ll set off to the rolling green
nations in Europe. Its popularity stems
hills that typify the Irish countryside. Nowhere can you get a better cross-section of the best of Ireland’s historic monuments than in the Boyne Valley where you’ll find prehistoric tombs and the magic and mystery of Tara, ancient seat of the High Kings of Ireland. Tree-lined Griffith Avenue, the casino at Marino and the stately 12th-century Malahide Castle set amid 250 acres of parkland and gardens are features of Dublin’s northern coastline, while many other magical experiences – including a 19th-century folk park, a vast lunar landscape, the cliffs of Moher, the Famine Museum – await you at Wicklow, Limerick, Ballinasloe, Burren and much more.
from its magnificent natural locations, including glaciers and thermal springs, geysers (including the site “Geysir” from where this term is drawn) and volcanoes, snow-capped mountain peaks and expansive lava fields. But this country is also known for its remarkable history and attractive literature, valued traditions and appealing folklore. This is a special opportunity to tour one of the most unusual and exhilarating countries in the world. The best part of all this is that destinations like these are opening up and becoming more luxurious than ever before as my colleagues, and I bring new kosher travel experiences to the Jewish world.
5. Surprising Iceland (August 4-August 16) Iceland is an island country of glaciers, hot springs, geysers, active volcanoes and snow- capped peaks. Even though its name is associated with cold, it’s becoming one of the hottest desti-
Visit www.koshertravelers.com for the latest in kosher destinations, cruises, chag hotels and simcha celebrations in Israel.
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The author who recently came to speak to the BBY first and second graders has a personal connection to the school. She is a BBY parent, the Orah Day Camp Program Director, and the BBY “walk-a-thon lady.” It was so very exciting for the girls to realize that Mrs. Nechama Sittner had written a real book – the kind you can find in Judaic bookstores across the globe! (in America, Eretz Yisroel, Canada, Australia, and England – to be exact.) Miss Devorah Kurland, General
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For a daughter struggling at school... We are the best choice! “For the first time in her life our daughter is finally learning.” Mrs. R, Bklyn, NY “We sent a bright struggling student to
Ohr HaLimud. In just 2 years they sent us back a mature student who could read and learn on grade level.” Mrs. Z, Principal
“Sending her to school in Brooklyn was a hard decision, but the right one. She loves it there and now she’s reading much better.”
Around the Community Yeshiva of Far Rockaway Bochurim Celebrate the Third Chazara of their Mesechta Photo credits: Ivan Norman
In addition to the official siyum that Yeshiva of Far Rockaway bochurim participate in on the year’s mesechta in June, some bochurim organize their own siyum several times during the year on the chazara (a review) of the previous mesechtas. On Thursday night, May 23rd, a siyum was held for the 3rd chazara of Baba Metzia and 6th or more for mesechta Kiddushin (it was the ninth time for Tzvi Samuels). The siyum was sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. Robert Samuels on the yahrzeit of Dovid Aryeh Ben Yehoshua Wohl a”h.
Shalom Kanner Yisroel Munk Tzvi Yosef Samuels Yeshaya Shonek
The boys who participated in the siyum were: Gavriel Braun Dovid Braunschweig Nechemia Bornstein Eliyahu Eisenberg Netanel Goldstein The Rosh Yeshiva
Mrs. V, Far Rockaway, NY
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A complete multi-sensory Bais Yaakov program for girls ages 6-14
Dancing in celebration
Tzvi Samuels
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An Evening of Thanks By Tzippora Daneshrad On Sunday evening, May 26th, the Far Rockaway/Five Towns Community came together for an evening of recognition and hakaras hatov to all of the volunteers who dedicated their time and efforts to make Project Nivneh a reality. The event took place at the White Shul with a stunning dessert buffet catered by Sharmel Caterers and organized by Dina Rogoff. The program began with opening remarks by Batsheva Katz who elaborated on the power of giving and the master Kiddush Hashem demonstrated through Project Nivneh. Her welcome was followed by words of gratitude from Rebbitzen Hoberman of Long Beach who described her hurricane experience and the relief she received from Project Nivneh. Ettie Schoor, the Founder and Director of Nivneh, received a long lasting standing ovation as she ascended the podium. She addressed the audience and thanked each person for coming as every individual in the room was part of a historical event and a chessed organization of monumental proportions. Mrs. Schoor impressed upon everyone that we should not wait for another Sandy to reach out to someone who needs our help. Project Nivneh’s Partners in Sandy program is testimony to the fact that you can make a difference in someone’s
life and we should all continue doing so as she concluded her address by saying, “Be a partner, be a friend, make a difference!” The 400 attendees enjoyed a video featuring remarks from Nivneh families, partners, team leaders and committee heads. Mrs. Malka Fishman detailed her and her family’s experience before, during and after the storm. While they still have a long road ahead, she feels such gratitude from Project Nivneh and specifically her amazing Partner in Sandy, Golda Gross, for enabling her to have it made it this far and for providing her with the emotional support to continue. The inspiring video was filmed by Yoel Hecht with The Herman Brothers handling the editing and production. Mrs. Naomi Billauer, another Nivneh family, expressed her deep gratitude to Project Nivneh for being there from the very beginning anticipating their every need. They are thrilled to be able to move back home and will never forget the chessed they were able to witness firsthand. The Committee Heads were all smiles when they addressed the unique opportunity Project Nivneh allotted them—the toy committee, food committee, baby gear committee, warehouse heads, and the construction office
volunteers—which provided a glimpse into what occurred in the months following Hurricane Sandy. The atmosphere was enhanced with music by Baila Caller as feelings of achdus and ahavas chessed permeated the room. Participants of the event were truly inspired. Inspired by what people can do when they join efforts and inspired by the willingness and readiness of the 500 volunteers to join Project Nivneh. Above all, the night was for the families whose lives were impacted by Hurricane Sandy for rebuilding with such emunah and overcoming major challenges. Nivneh thanked the families for allowing them to help them and expressed much hoda’ah to Hashem for the siyata dishmaya enabling the project to succeed beyond all expectations. The feedback following the event was extremely positive. Attendees were truly inspired and expressed their thoughts and appreciation. “I just came from the Ninveh appreciation night…You provided us with what we needed in an expedited manner and just as importantly with emotional support. We are Baruch Hashem back in our homes and back to our regular routines. We will, however always remember you and the Ninveh organization.”
“Last night was truly inspirational and just a wonderful event.” “It was such a special evening. You are all truly wonderful.” We all hope and pray that the community will not be tested again and that the chessed and ahavas Yisroel witnessed after Sandy will stand in testimony to the achdus of Klal Yisroel and should help bring Moshiach bimhara v’yamenu. (L-R) Malka Fishman, Golda Gross, Kerr Light
(L-R) Ettie Schoor and Batsheva Katz
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Focus on People Josh Bains
A Mender of Soles Who Healed his Own Soul
D
riving along Doughty, it’s easy to miss the store with a sign that says, “Shoe Repair.” It hides a venerable cobbler’s dynasty, with deep roots in central Asia. Inside is Yehuda Uriel, his bright canaries, and a mass of equipment to enhance and resuscitate footwear. His tools follow the trail of the industrial revolution – medieval pliers, a metal shoe mold, an old Singer sewing machine and a great, green, eight-foot Landis shoe finisher with a stock of circular blades. The behemoth makes a racket shaving down a sole. But, take it away, and his shop wouldn’t look so different from his grandfather’s shoe repair stand in Balchash. Yehuda’s great-great-grandfather Moshe was a successful businessman in Uzbekistan. Ruben, Yehuda’s great-grandfather, inherited his father’s trading acumen and became a meat seller. It was such a good business that somebody offered to buy it for a basket of gold. Unfortunately, Ruben lost his store when the government confiscated it after the rise of Communism. He bought a donkey and became a transporter. Not satisfied, he bought a cow. In the morning, he sold cow’s milk, and used the donkey to haul merchandise in the afternoon. He could afford a big house in Uzbekistan that he used to accommodate Ashkenazi refugees during the war. Ruben was religious. He also fathered eighteen girls, and then, finally, a boy. “He always wanted boys, boys, boys,” says Yehuda, “until Hashem gave him a present.” Yehuda couldn’t agree more with his great-grandfather’s conduct. “My rebbe used to say, ‘Each baby brings you more parnassah. They’re all mazal. They open the way for you.’” Yehuda’s Ggandfather was named Zeyev, and he helped in his father’s transportation business. But in his era, life became harder. He served three years in Stalin’s army, and later used his inheritance to buy a used car. He became a taxi driver. He traveled to Balchash, a town in neighboring Kazakhstan, to make more profit, and during his rounds he would stop by the cobbler to watch him work. He learned by observation and finally opened his own shoe repair shop, becoming known for uncommon craftsmanship.
He had no storefront, just an outdoor stand. Then the local newspaper ran a spread about Zeyev – voted best cobbler in Balchash. They took his photograph. After the newspaper story, the mayor’s wife brought Zeyev her husband’s shoes. She liked his work and asked him why he was stuck with an outdoor stand. Under the Soviet Union, a craftsman needed authorization to get a store; he told her there was no real estate he could attain. She helped Zeyev to make an appointment with her husband, who was taken aback by the quality of Zeyev’s workmanship. He’d produced the most comfortable shoes the mayor had ever worn. The mayor arranged a shop for Zeyev, and the mayor’s wife would bring him shoes to fix every three or four months. Her name is Shulamit, and Yehuda says that today, the Kazakhstani mayor’s wife lives in Queens. As success increased, Zeyev’s Judaism was lost. His son Avrom spoke about growing up, traveling between his father’s shop in Balchash, Kazakstan, and their family home in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. He says life used to be good in these places, but there was no Jewish life. Under the Soviet regime, it was extremely difficult for Jews to remain observant. In Balchash, he made Kiddush on Friday night, and prayed every morning without tefillin. There was no shul, and only a couple of families were Jewish. Bris milah was performed out of sight, inside basements, and only close relatives were invited. At the age of fourteen, Avrom began learning the cobbler’s trade along with his brother Ruben, named for their grandfather. Prior to going into the army, Avrom married in Uzbekistan. When he was discharged, he stayed home for two weeks, and then traveled again to Balchash, where he opened a new shoe repair shop. His father had already retired, returning home to Samarkand, as the religious families and rabbanim were in Uzbekistan. Avrom worked far from his family and returned for Pesach. To get wine for the four cups at the seder, he would send it secretly from Kazakhstan inside a hot water bottle. Yehuda was born in Samarkand. “Life was okay,” he says. “It was Jewish, but without religion. Tajikan people would say, ‘Hey, you Jew, go back to Israel.’ So yahadut was there…when people call you a Jew, you keep your Judaism together.” His grandfather had one daughter who had already immigrated to America
“We came on Sunday. Then on Monday, my grandfather took my hand, and we went to the Beit HaKenesset.”
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Yehuda Uriel
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and invited them to follow. First Yehuda’s grandparents left for New York. Then, in 1993, after generations in central Asia, Avrom Uriel moved his family to America. They arrived on August 3rd, and took an apartment in Kew Gardens. “We came on Sunday. Then on Monday, my grandfather took my hand, and we went to the Beit HaKenesset.” It was there in Beis Aron, the shul of Rabbi Zeyev’s shoe repair stand, with his sons, Ruben and Avram, in Balchash, Kazakhstan Moshe Yoel Wolkin, where Yehuda had his bar mitzvah. Rav Wolkin helped him enter the Torah Academy, and the following year Rabbi Igal Haimoff, Rosh Yeshiva of Ohel Simcha, brought him to learn. “From that yeshiva I became religious,” says Yehuda. “My father also became religious in New York. He started keeping Shabbat after I did.” Today, Yehuda’s father works in downtown Manhattan, on 105 Broad Street. Like Yehuda’s shop, the sign says plainly: Shoe Repair. Yehuda worked in his father’s shop from 2002 until 2010. “It became a family business,” he says. “Then when I got married, and I needed to expand the family business, we separated.” He began looking for someone who wanted to sell a shoe repair shop. He found Tony in Inwood. Tony was sick, and his son told Yehuda that he wanted to sell his business. “I came the first day with my father. He checked the machines. One customer came in, and she brought four pairs of boots. My father said: ‘Take them. What are you waiting for?’ So on the first day I made sixty dollars from her deposit.” Tony ran his Inwood shop for three generations, and died a month after he sold it. “Interesting, he did everything on time,” says Yehuda. “He retired on time and he
died on time.” Yehuda is now the third cobbler on the premises, and the third generation of cobblers in his family. Among his skills, he is becoming an amateur social worker. As one of his customers told him: “You know, Yehuda, what I like about you is that you meet a person and right away become his friend.” “Last year I had a couple Avram with his shop in 1985, Balchash, Kazakhstan here fighting,” says Yehuda. “The husband wanted to save money and fix her jacket, but his wife wanted to buy a new jacket. It was only the handle of the zipper and it took me two minutes to fix. He said to me: You solved my shalom bayis problems.” “One woman came. She had trouble getting her daughter married. She said maybe you should be a shadchan here. I’ve taken some numbers, but being a shadchan is a very dangerous game. I haven’t set anyone up yet. I pray for them.” Yehuda lives in Kew Gardens with his wife and children. Business is slower now, as shoe repair seems to peak around Pesach. He has expanded to fixing bags and belts. When there is less to do, Yehuda learns Torah, and thinks about his customers. “During Sandy, the first day I came to feed my birds. The second day I came and there was no work. The third day I went to Sh’or Yoshuv. I saw a lot of people suffering. I have a policy that after thirty days, when people leave shoes, I donate them. I had two big bags. I donated them to Sh’or Yoshuv. I started helping out at the clothing racks. That’s a great feeling. You can learn a little bit and help people. They come help me in the store to give me parnassa. It’s midda keneged midda.”
“Life was okay,” he says. “It was Jewish, but without religion.”
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67 R’ Ben Tzion Shafier
Parshas Shelach sometimes.” At which point you say to yourself, why type of people is it that needs a public warning about something so basic to human decency? In Slabodka, Poland, in one of the central shuls in town, hung a sign with those words. This was the town that
“it,” then the child will be pulled towards doing it, even if he doesn’t want to, and even if he recognizes it as wrong. The need to belong, the desire to be accepted can be so strong that it can pull him in, almost against his will. In adults, peer pressure functions
Their goal was to launch a rebellion, a revolution against Hashem Himself. housed one of the most famous mussar yeshivas in pre-WWII Europe, yet they needed such a sign. And, so much like we now have signs that read, “It is forbidden to speak during davening,” they had a sign that read, “It is forbidden to punch your friend.” The reason was because the Jews in Slabodka lived amongst the gentiles of Poland. In a typical Polish house if the woman burnt the potatoes, the man of the house would promptly smack her right across her face. That was normal, expected behavior. While the Jews certainly were different, the surrounding culture affected them, it changed the way that they treated their own wives, and it changed the way they acted towards each other.
differently. It is rare to have a situation where the pull is that strong that a person knows something is wrong but does it anyway. Typically the influence of my friends changes the way that I view things. If the group that I identify with accepts this type of behavior, it becomes OK—this is what we do. I’m not saying it is right, I’m not saying that you will go to the front row of Gan Eden for it—it is just something that we do. This seems to be the answer to this Rashi. Calev knew the meraglim were wrong; he was certain of it. But he was also afraid—these were great men, men very strong in their opinions. They had reasons to believe in their position and Calev was afraid that they would influence him and he would begin to hear their position. For that reason he begged for mercy. “Hashem, I see things clearly, now. I understand them. Please don’t let
their views influence me. Please don’t let me lose this clarity of thought.” Even a man as great as Calev, dealing with an issue that could serve as a national rebellion against Hashem, was afraid of the influence that his peer group would have upon him and so he davened for help. This concept is very relevant to us. The society we live in, the neighborhood we choose, the shul we daven in, and the friends that we choose, affect us. They won’t make us do something that we know is wrong but they will influence us to view things differently. The change in attitude isn’t immediate, but if you meet a friend from the old days twenty years later and you took different paths in life, he moved to Eretz Yisrael and you to Brooklyn, while you still share many memories and attitudes, there are real differences in your priorities, attitudes and expectations that which is normal has changed, that which is acceptable has changed, you have been influenced for the good or the bad by the friends that you chose.
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The Effects of Peer Pressure We are much aware of the effects of peer pressure on children. Often more potent than the teaching of the home, and more impacting then the lessons taught in yeshiva, a child’s peer group will have a profound influence on him. Amongst children peer pressure can Just arrived! New tops in great colors! exert an almost magnetic, irresistible Conveniently Located in The Five Towns Area Open Daily, Evenings & Sundays force. If the Major Credit Cards Accepted group is doing
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ne of most tragic events in the history of our people was the sin of meraglim (spies). When we left Mitzraim, we were exalted and untouchable, feared by all the nations, respected by the world. Forty-nine days later, we gathered at the foot of Har Sinai to accept the Torah. The plan was for the Chosen People to then march right into Eretz Yisrael. Had the events transpired as planned, the conquest would have taken root so deeply that we never would have been thrown out – to this day, we would still be in our land. But all of this was to change. The course of our nation’s history, as well as that of humanity’s, was altered by the report of the spies. “The Land of Israel is occupied by giants. There are powerful nations living in fortified cities.” In the minds of the spies, if the Jewish nation were to attack we would have been slaughtered wholesale—man, woman and child. For that reason they attempted to turn the nation against the idea. They came back with fruit from the land to show that just as the produce is gigantic so too are the people. If we attack—we will be lost. Their goal was to launch a rebellion. Not simply a rebellion against Moshe as the leader, a revolution against Hashem Himself. The accusation was quite simple—Hashem is good, but not good enough. Rashi explains that Calev was aware of the deceit of the group and therefore, he alone went to Chevron, and laid down on the graves of the Avos, begging for mercy. “Hashem please protect me from being dragged into their scheme.” This Rashi is quite difficult to understand. Calev knew that the meraglim were wrong. He understood that they were rebelling against Hashem. Why did he need to beg for mercy—he recognized their error? Imagine that you were to walk into a shul and see a sign prominently placed that read, “It is forbidden to punch your friend with your fist.” You would be shocked. What type of barbarians are these people? And so, you walk over to the gabbai and ask him, “Why in the world do you need to have such a sign?” He answers you, “Well, sometimes things get a bit heated, and it isn’t that uncommon for a man to punch his friend. So we felt the sign would help,
Peer Pressure
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The Observant Jew Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
Man with a Plan
A
s I walked past a friend’s seat in shul one Sunday morning, I saw a little leather pouch that matched his tallis bag. On it was stitched the word, “tzedaka,” in Hebrew. I was impressed that he had a special bag for it, which would undoubtedly raise the esteem of giving charity in his eyes, but then I realized something else, too. I am a firm believer that when we see or hear things, they were sent our way by Hashem to teach us something or give us something to act upon. Well, a day or two before I saw the tzedaka pouch, I saw an interview with an author who wrote a book about how President Obama used psychology to win re-election. In getting out the vote, the author said, campaigners used very specific questions to ensure voters would actually turn out to vote. For example, they were asked, “What time do you think you will be voting?” “From where will you be coming?” and “What will you be doing before you go to vote?” What this achieved, he explained, was the creation of a plan in their minds. They were prepared for the schedule of events of the day, so when it happened, they were more likely to follow the plan and go out to vote. Without that, they would be more likely to get tied up, change their minds, or otherwise not make it to the polls. I thought about that when I saw the pouch. Whereas we might not have money at the ready when we go to daven, or we may have a larger denomination bill than we feel comfortable “breaking” to make change, or we may
even feel put upon and pressured to give and balk at the request, having a pouch with money prepared avoids those pitfalls and enables us to give with an open heart. The same psychology that experts used to motivate other people to go vote can be put to use ourselves to do the things we know deep down that we want to do. It’s not an entirely new concept to me either. In some circles, it’s called “visualization.” You imag-
it, you make it real enough to choose a course of action when things are calm, not later, when you’re under pressure and thinking and judgment are impaired. Say, for example, you have to go someplace where you are afraid you will see people who are not dressed properly. Of course, for most of us these days, that can be anywhere. You know that it will be a challenge to keep your eyes where they belong, so you plan ahead of
I’m not expecting anyone to put on a turban and rub a crystal ball.
ine yourself in a certain situation and think about how you will act, react, and choose to conduct yourself. I often do this when I’m driving, and I imagine a crazy driver coming out of nowhere and I figure out which way I will swerve should the need arise. Or if on a rollercoaster you imagine what you will do if the ride throws you, or you think about what you will do at a game if the ball flying over the first-baseman’s head comes straight at you, you’re visualizing and making a plan. Good for you! Chazal say, “Who is wise? He who sees the future.” Now, I’m not expecting anyone to put on a turban and rub a crystal ball. I’d like to point out that it doesn’t say, “One who knows the future.” Rather, it says the wise person is the one who “sees the future.” In other words, visualization. By “seeing”
time what you will do. I have seen people who clean their glasses when faced with this issue. Taking off their glasses obscures their view, and reminds them not to stray after their eyes and hearts when they put them back on. Or, perhaps you’re going to a family simcha and you KNOW your relative (through marriage, of course, a blood relation would NEVER get on your nerves like that) is going to make some snide comment. If you can’t simply ignore his or her remarks, plan ahead what you will do if and when it really happens. Imagine that he made the comment, and you feel that initial sting. Then you control yourself, rationalize that the remark was made out of foolishness, and when it happens for real, you can let it slide. It’s like a diet. If you know that going to a wedding starving means you’ll eat six plates from the smorgasbord, you plan ahead by eating a late lunch of healthy items (prepared ahead of time, and not something last-minute from a snack machine) so that when faced with temptation, you are already girded with strength. If you have a mitzvah to do, but you’re afraid you might get sidetracked, plan for it and know exactly how and when you will do it, like the fellow who
had the tzedaka pouch prepared. Having a plan will keep you from procrastinating. I have a daily chavrusa on the phone for five minutes. For a while, when I was busy, I would dismiss the alarm on my phone and that was that. I didn’t like that, so I told myself that every time I skipped learning with him I would give five dollars to tzedaka. I knew that would deter me, and by putting an action plan in place, I ensured that I don’t skip him simply because it’s inconvenient. We all have challenges in life, and things that we wish we would or would not do. By thinking of the obstacles ahead of time, though, we can overcome them much more by being prepared than by taking things as they come. In fact, if you think you might forget this advice, I have an idea for you. Cut it out, put it on the fridge, and plan to read through it at the beginning of each week when you start thinking about what you have on your schedule. And remember, no matter what you have to do, you’ll be a better man when you have a plan.
(Author’s note: I would have included women too, but it didn’t rhyme. Next time I’ll plan it better.) 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. 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 Subscribe in the subject. © 2013 by Jonathan Gewirtz. All rights reserved.
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This that book about old text linking martransaction was anriage and real estate other prime examhashgacha pratis, THE GATES OF REDEMPTION RE-OPENED! is the perfect introple of Divine ProvTuesday morning, following a joyful “Opening Day Event” my story just duction to a wonderidence: finding the and L”chaim meal in “Kollel Chatzos”, it was clear to all that ful story, in which perfect apartment became even more this very dwelling, whose walls is steeped in Torah and purity my partner Eliezer for our client while and has seen so many Jews’ prayers answered, is the most of a likely entry!” and I had the great picking up a child fortune to particifrom a play date! suitable home for the holy Chatzos establishment. pate. That was the end In February of a nice, feel-good ACHIEVING MIRACLES, HEALING, AND SUCCESS! 2012, our client Sara from New Jersey, story . . . or so we thought. 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We anticipated that it would be a lives. Assaf and my daughter Rena [met As you can see, “Kollel Chatzos” sticks to a continuous objective: challenge to find a spacious two-bed- when he came to fix the broken air conto Restore the Glory of the Past! We forge ahead with our strong room Nachlaot apartment that fit Sara’s ditioner and] were married shortly before particular requirements and budget. In Pesach! They are living in the apartment ambition to create “Chatzos Centers” – as our forefathers had preparation for our meeting with Sara, in Nachlaot, for now at least. If you ever done back home – everywhere! In every city that contains Jewish we reviewed material on literally hun- write that book about hashgacha pratis, souls! In every Jewish town there should be a source of Torah dreds of apartments for sale and distilled my story just became even more of a and Shmurah, the list down to five apartments to show likely entry!” where dedicated As real estate agents, we are essenher. Regrettably, our expectations were individuals should correct: there wasn’t even one Nachlaot tially matchmakers, and my particular be able to utilize apartment on the market that fit within focus – helping clients from abroad buy the night hours homes in Israel – is extremely meanSara’s buying parameters. Lo and behold, on the afternoon be- ingful and gratifying. However, I never for learning Torah, fore we were scheduled to meet Sara, my expected that our brokerage work would praying, and partner Eliezer was picking up his son put us in a position to help create the hopleading for the from a play date and the host’s mother liest match: the union of a husband and safety and welfare mentioned to him that they had a lovely wife. of Klal Yisroel! 80-square-meter, two-bedroom ground floor apartment in Nachlaot, and asked Gedaliah Borvick is the founder of My Israel Esteemed Kollel learners Shlit"a engrossed Congratulations! in studying through the night whether we might by chance have a cli- Home, a real estate agency focused on helpent who would be interested in purchas- ing people from abroad buy and sell homes in Israel. To sign up for his monthly market ing it. The Torah Centers of Kollel Chatzos: The following day we showed Sara updates, contact him at gborvick@gmail. CALL 24 HOURS TOLL FRE MONROE N.Y. 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Cover Story Shira Diamond
The detention center houses 166 detainees
I
t was one of the first promises President Barack Obama made when he was campaigning during the presidential election a little more than four years ago, and although he hasn’t followed through yet, he has renewed his dedication to closing the infamous prison at Guantanamo Bay. Just last week, the president announced that Guantanamo Bay is “a symbol around the world for an America that flouts the rule of law… I know the politics are hard,” he stated. “But history will cast a harsh judgment on this aspect of our fight against terrorism, and those of us who fail to end it.” Why was this such an important area for Obama that it was the first executive order he signed as president of the United States? What kind of prisoner does the facility hold and why it is the center of so much controversy? To some people, Guantanamo Bay represents the antithesis of what America stands for, it is the “island outside the law,” and for others it is the very reason we can walk freely and safely today.
the two contracting parties agree to the modification or abrogation of the stipulations of the agreement in regards to the lease to the United States of America… the stipulations of that agreement with regard to the naval station of Guantanamo shall continue in effect.” This basically means that Cuba, as well as the U.S., must agree to any termination agreement for the area. This has effectively left the two counties in disagreement for several decades already. Till this day the United States assumes jurisdiction over this area of the bay, and maintains control over it even as Cuba has ultimate sovereignty. That is not the only controversy surrounding Guantanamo Bay. There is also a detention center and prison in the area, where the United States keeps some of the most dangerous people in the world. And many people in the U.S. are furious that the facility remains open. The Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is located around the lower part of the bay. The base also has a detainment camp that was added in 2002 for people who are deemed a serious risk to the security of the The History of Guantanamo Bay United States. Currently there are 166 detainees in Guantanamo Bay is located on the southern end the prison. This country has struggled since then as of Cuba; it is a bay in the Guantanamo province. to what to ultimately do with these inmates. In PresiThe area is surrounded by large, steep hills that efdent Obama’s first campaign, he pledged to close this The controversy behind Guantanamo Bay has divided America fectively cut it off from the surrounding areas. Uncontroversial site, but his efforts were halted when der the Cuban-American treaty signed in 1903 by Congress refused to go along with him, effectively President Theodore Roosevelt, the bay was leased for 2,000 gold coins per year. A ending any GITMO talk for quite some time. But recently, Obama has re-pledged new lease was negotiated in 1934. However, in 1959, when a revolution triumphed his promise, saying a solution must be found. Pressure has increased as many of the in Cuba, the new government wanted to terminate the lease and wished to regain inmates have gone on a hunger strike to protest their circumstances. When prisoncontrol of the area. The United States did not comply with this, but did forbid its ers at the facility refuse to eat, they must have a feeding tube inserted down their soldiers from entering Cuban territory. This has been a source of constant fric- throats and into their stomachs in order to prevent them from dying. Extra doctors tion between the two countries, with Cuba insisting the area is illegally occupied were called in to assist with these procedures as such a large majority of the inmates and a violation of international law, that the treaty was forced upon them, and that are participating in the hunger strike. According to the inmates’ lawyer, the strike the U.S. uses the area to spy on its country. But the details of the lease signed in is said to have begun when the detainees’ Korans were searched, believed by the 1934 make it hard for Cuba to follow up on its charges. The lease states: “Until prisoners to be religious desecration. The lawyer said their personal items were also
those who demand its closure. Another important factor to take into account is the amount the U.S. pays for keeping the facility at Guantanamo Bay open. The costs are absolutely staggering, as the price of maintaining the facility is over $150 million a year. Each prisoner is said to cost about $900,000 annually. This is much more than it costs to maintain even the highest maximum security prison in the U.S., with those prisoners costing taxpayers $60,000 to $70,000 a year. Ken Gude, the chief of staff and vice president at the Liberal Center for American progress think tank, told Reuters, “That may be what finally gets us to close the prison. I mean, the costs are astronomical when you compare them to what it would cost to detain somebody in the U.S.” One of the reasons the detention center costs so much is because of its location in Cuba. What Obama Can Do Frosty relations between Cuba and the U.S. translates Prisoners on hunger strikes are force fed high protein drinks Although President Obama signed an execuinto all food and materials needed to maintain GITMO to ensure their survival tive order in the beginning of his first term, orderhaving to be shipped in from outside the country. The ing Guantanamo Bay to close its doors for good, that has not happened as of yet, controversy of GITMO continually comes up in Congress, where budget concerns mainly because Congress has been successful in preventing it from being carried are ensuring it remains a hot topic. Especially since the sequester has cut much out. Obama’s hands are not completely tied, though, and there are some actions he needed funding for many states, shutting down Guantanamo Bay is a high priority can take even without the consent of Congress, like stepping up negotiations with for some lawmakers. other countries and negotiating agreements to send the Recently, the UN human rights office condemned prisoners back to their home countries. One controthe forcing of feeding tubes as a form of human torversy associated with this is Yemen. There was a ban ture. “It is perceived as torture or inhumane treatment, on sending prisoners back to Yemen, as the country and it’s the case, it’s painful, then it is prohibited by promoted violence and they were not trusted to detain international law,” spokesman for the commissioner the prisoners and keep them from reentering the U.S. for Human rights Rupert Coville said Wednesday. The However, there is some talk about reopening negotiaUnited Nations is not exactly a sterling example of hutions with Yemen and their new government, with the man rights advocates, as many countries that stand on hopes that they will be more reliable and trustworthy. the human rights council violate the most basic rights of people every single day. Furthermore, the U.S. has But that remains to be seen. always decided their own fate with little consideration The current administration can also step up its for bodies like the UN. But those calling for GITMO’s evaluation process that evaluates prisoners for transclosure have added this to their evidence that it must be fer. There is also the idea that the United States should dismantled. build a super maximum security prison on U.S. soil for Whether Guantanamo Bay should be closed or stay these inmates. GITMO opposers believe the facility is anti-American, denying the very rights this country stands for. However, there is an open is a loaded question, one that probably doesn’t have a clear black and white opposing view that holds a lot of clout, as some believe there is no other choice but answer. There are many dangers associated with closing the detention center without safe and thought out ways of prosecuting and freeing the prisoners. There are to leave the prison open. also concerns that the constitution with which our country was founded is being violated, and the government must answer for that as well. A Much Bigger Dilemma It seems as though our president is on a mission to close Guantanamo Bay, but What many don’t realize is that what to do with Guantanamo Bay is a smaller question in a much larger dilemma. The U.S., and the world for that matter, is doesn’t have a viable plan to make that into a reality. The solution of what to do fighting against a relatively new enemy, terrorism. America must first concretize its with the prisoners who cause a big threat to our society has yet to be addressed with policy on what they do with terrorists who are too dangerous to release back into a competent and comprehensive solution. Politicians are also hesitant to make a society. It has to come up with a plan on how to ensure that the detainees who are move unless the new plans are one hundred percent foolproof, for if a released pristransferred also do not begin using violence again. It must come up with a viable so- oner from Guantanamo Bay were to ever G-d forbid commit an attack on innocent lution on detainees who are too dangerous to be released but cannot be prosecuted. people that would be a permanent stain on the current administration for eternity. President Obama needs to develop a practical resolution for terrorists captured in So for now, the detainment center at Guantanamo Bay remains the home for some the future and deal with them properly from the beginning. Many people feel un- of the most dangerous criminals in the world. comfortable with the idea of Guantanamo Bay. But what most people also don’t realize is that we feel generally safe every day because those charged in protecting us have tried to keep certain dangerous individuals confined. Terrorists are not people you just read about in a newspaper; they are alive and well and wish to cause great harm to citizens of the free world. They are people who have committed certain indefensible actions in order to land them in this infamous place, and until a better solution is found, many believe they must stay right where they are. Omar Deghayes is one of the released detainees who spent time in Guantanamo Bay. He was arrested in Pakistan in 2002. He was detained in Guantanamo Bay till his release in 2007. The Libyan citizen maintains that no charges were filed against him. He relates that when something major happened in prison, he would respond by going on a hunger strike, and he did so three times during his stay at GITMO. When asked about his hunger strikes and the reasons behind it, he says that the prisoners do this in order to express their anger in being stuck in the prison without rights. He said sometimes the guards come in and beat the inmates to try and get them to eat, but that only makes them angrier and more dedicated to not eating. Deghayes claims his was a case of mistaken identity, and that he just looked like someone else who was wanted for terrorist activities. Released prisoners have come out against the United States and its policies, adding even more fuel to the fire of
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confiscated. Opponents of GITMO decry this “force feeding” as one of the many unjust ways that America deals with the prisoners. They maintain that many of the prisoners are being held without a fair trial, without being charged with a crime, and without the chance to be represented by a lawyer. Although from the roughly 800 prisoners in the detention center only 166 prisoners remain, 46 of them are considered too dangerous to release but impossible to persecute, either from lack of enough evidence or because evidence was retrieved through torturous methods. There is a big concern that if many of them were released, there is a high probability they would resume violent activities toward the U.S. What should be done is a question that has been asked millions of times since Guantanamo Bay opened its doors.
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You Gotta be
Riddle
Kidding!
A Polish immigrant went to the DMV to apply for a driver’s license. First, of course, he had to take an eyesight test. The optician showed him a card with the letters. On the bottom row were these letters: C Z W I N O S T A C Z. “Can you read this?” the optician asked. “Read it?” replied the Polish man. “I know the guy!”
Ms. Smith was teaching math to her third grade class. To illustrate addition, she handed little Johnny 3 pencils. She then handed him another 3 pencils and asked him how many he had. Little Johnny proudly responded, “Seven!” Ms. Smith sees that Johnny is not the right boy for this demonstration, so she turns to Mark and hands him the pencils. Mark promptly says that he has six pencils. Thinking that maybe now Johnny gets it, she once again hands him 3 pencils then another 3 and asks him how many he has. Once again he replies, “Seven, Ms. Smith.” Johnny is right and Ms. Smith is wrong. Why?
Answers on next page
In ancient times, when a horse died, the rider dismounted and moved on. Here’s what corporate America would do if it was faced with that situation: 1. Buy a stronger whip. 2. Change riders. 3. Threaten the horse with termination. 4. Appoint a committee to study the horse. 5. Arrange to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses. 6. Lower the standards so that dead horses can be included. 7. Reclassify the dead horse as livingimpaired. 8. Change the form so that it reads: “This horse is not dead.”
9. Hire outside contractors to ride the dead horse. 10. Harness several dead horses together for increased speed. 11. Donate the dead horse to a recognized charity, thereby deducting its full original cost. 12. Provide additional funding to increase the horse’s performance. 13. Do a time management study to see if the lighter riders would improve productivity. 14. Declare that a dead horse has lower overhead and therefore performs better. 15. Promote the dead horse to a supervisory position.
2. The Teapot Dome scandal was once regarded as the “greatest and most sensational scandal in the history of American politics.” Which president did it involve? a. Warren G. Harding b. Herbert Hoover c. Martin Van Buren d. Chester Arthur
Answers 1. B & D—Removing an official from office requires two steps: (1) a formal accusation, or impeachment, by the House of Representatives, and (2) a trial and conviction by the Senate. Impeachment requires a majority vote of the House; conviction is more difficult, requiring a two-thirds vote by the Senate. Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives, but acquitted by the Senate. Richard Nixon resigned before he could be impeached. 2. A- The Teapot Dome Scandal took place in the early 1920s surrounding the secret leasing of federal oil reserves by the secretary of the interior, Albert Bacon Fall. After President Warren G. Harding transferred supervision of the naval oil reserve lands from the navy to the Department of the Interior in 1921, Fall secretly granted the Mammoth Oil Company exclusive rights to the Teapot Dome (Wyoming) reserves. In return for the leases, Fall received large cash gifts and no-interest “loans.” 3. On March 4, 1987, President Reagan delivered a speech from the Oval Office on the Iran-Contra affair. The Iran-Contra Affair was a clandestine action not approved of by the United States Congress. It began in 1985, when President Ronald Reagan’s administration supplied weapons to Iran — a sworn enemy — in the hopes of securing the release of American hostages held in Lebanon by Hezbollah terrorists loyal to the Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran’s leader. The U.S. took millions of dollars from the weapons sale and routed the money and guns to the right-wing “Contra” guerrillas in Nicaragua, who were the armed opponents of Nicaragua’s Communist government, getting around Congress’ refusal to provide the Contras with aid. After Independent Counsel Lawrence E. Walsh’s appointment in December 1986, 14 people were charged with criminal offenses in connection with Iran- Contra. 4. A. The Watergate scandal started when five burglars broke into the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in
3. “A few months ago I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me that’s true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not.” Which president said this, when “coming clean” about a scandal? a. Bill Clinton b. George W. Bush c. Ronald Reagan d. Jimmy Carter 4. While declaring his innocence over the Watergate scandal, President Nixon said the following: a. “I am not a crook.” b. “This is part of a vast left-wing conspiracy.”
Washington, DC in the middle of the night on June 17, 1972. At first, Nixon declared “I am not a crook,” but the investigation into the break-in exposed a trail of abuses that led up to the highest levels of the Nixon administration and ultimately to the president himself. Approximately two years after the break in, Nixon resigned. On the morning of August 9, 1974, the day following President Nixon’s televised resignation speech, White House Chief of Staff Alexander Haig presented a resignation letter to President Nixon to sign. The President’s resignation letter is addressed to the Secretary of State, in keeping with a law passed by Congress in 1792. The letter became effective when Secretary of State Henry Kissinger initialed it at 11:35 a.m.
5. The term “Whitewater” originated from the Whitewater Development Corporation, a company formed in 1978 by the Clintons and James B. and Susan McDougal to develop a 230-acre tract of remote mountain land at the confluence of the White River and Crooked Creek in Marion County. The two
GOT FUNNY? Let the Commissioner decide. Send your stuff to centerfold@fivetownsjewishhome.com
c. “This town is filled with hunters; it’s hunting season and I am the biggest target they got.” d. “This is politics as usual.” 5. What did the “Whitewater” scandal during the Clinton administration involve? a. It was a wine company that the Clintons invested in. b. Bill Clinton’s underlings broke into the Whitewater hotel to get information on Bob Dole during the 1996 election. c. It was a real estate project that went bad. d. The Clintons bribed Arkansas Attorney General, John Whitewater, to withhold until after the 1992 presidential elections a damaging report about Clinton’s tenure as Arkansas governor.
couples borrowed $203,000 from a bank to buy the land and make improvements. They hoped to sell lots for vacation homes and make a profit, but interest rates skyrocketed, the real-estate market plunged, and the couples lost most of their investment. McDougal, a political operative and friend of Clinton, acquired a bank and was represented by Hillary Clinton, who at the time worked as a lawyer at the Rose Law Firm. In 1992, the New York Times published an article which questioned whether the Clintons extended favors to the bank in exchange for campaign funds, whether the Clintons properly paid taxes on the Whitewater business, and whether McDougal might have illegally channeled money from the bank to the Whitewater project. The Whitewater controversy gained much drama on July 20, 1993, six months into Clinton’s presidency, when Vincent W. Foster Jr. died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Foster had worked closely with Hillary Clinton on the Whitewater project while they were both at the Rose Law Firm and had joined the Clintons in Washington as an advisor. While investigating the scandal, Congress subpoenaed Hillary’s billing records for the time she worked at the Rose Law Firm. However, the Clintons did not turn over those records because they said that “they were lost.” However, two years later, the Clintons announced that the records were found on a White House bookshelf. The records were turned over to Congress, but did not contain any information implicating Hillary. Wisdom Key 4-5 Correct: You know too much about scandals... By any chance is your nickname Bubba? 2-3 Correct: From Watergate to Whitewaters, you know a little bit about presidential scandals. You may find the Vitaminwater scandal interesting. (It took place during...you guessed it, the Vietnam War.) 0-1 Correct: You know nothing about scandals. Benghazi... What’s that? IRS scandal...just heard about that! Fast & Furious...isn’t that some film or something? Mr. President, we are on to you. Answer to riddle: Because Johnny had one pencil before they started the exercise.
1. Which of the following presidents were impeached? a. William McKinley b. Andrew Jackson c. Richard Nixon d. Bill Clinton
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Forgotten Heroes
Avi Heiligman
The Saga of the USS Pueblo
T
he Cold War (1945-1991) pitted the two ideologies of Communism and capitalism against one another. Although the two main countries involved, the U.S. and Russia, never actually met on the battlefield (hence the term “Cold” War), they each
originally a freight and passenger ship for the army and was called FP-344. A year later, the ship was manned by the Coast Guard to train civilians. After ten years, she was placed out of service, but in 1964, the ship was transferred to the navy as a light cargo ship. She was renamed the USS Pueblo after the county in Colorado, and in 1967, she was converted to an intelligence gathering or spy ship. It was a joint project between the navy and the NSA (National Security Agency), and the Pueblo was USS Pueblo in North Korea designated as supported other military campaigns the AGER-2 (Auxiliary General Enagainst the mother country. Some of vironmental Research). The ship was these “mini” wars included the Korean given state-of-the-art equipment that War, the Vietnam War and the Russian would be able to intercept enemy sigWar in Afghanistan in the 1980s. There nals. A special metal room called a sod were several other smaller incidents hut was installed and 33 onboard techthat were instigated by one of the coun- nicians used the equipment to do their tries. One of these included the capture research on enemy territory. of an American spy ship off the coast The Pueblo left its port in Japan on of North Korea in 1968. Along with the January 11, 1968. She immediately excapture of 82 sailors, a lot of sensitive perienced engine trouble but continued information was captured as well. on to Tsushima Strait where the ship The USS Pueblo was built during had orders to intercept Soviet signals. the massive military buildup in WWII The intelligence was more important and was launched in 1944. She was than the inherent dangers.
On the 20th, the American military Pueblo was in inwas fully aware of ternational waters the plight of the off North Korea and Pueblo but unfordetected a North tunately wasn’t in Korean submarine a position to do chaser that was withanything about the in 4,000 yards of the situation. Aircraft American ship. Two from land bases or days later, the North carriers were too attempted to assassifar away to make nate the South Korea difference. The an president but the ship’s crew was Pueblo wasn’t intold not to give up formed and the crew the ship unless it Commander Lloyd Bucher was questioning why they were being was absolutely necessary but no help shadowed by two fishing trawlers. came from nearby American forces and The next day, January 23, accord- all they could do was try to save their ing to U.S. accounts, the Pueblo was skins by giving up without firing a shot. about 16 miles off the North Korean When President Lyndon Johnson was coast and in international waters. The informed, there was little he could do. ship was approached by a North Kore- By the time he found out, the ship was an sub chaser and demanded to show already in Wonson and he was greatly her nationality. The Pueblo raised an worried about the fate of the 82 sailors American flag and attempted to maneu- in captivity. ver away. The Pueblo was much slower There are two sides of the story than the sub chaser and the three torpe- about why the North Koreans wanted do boats that joined the chase and soon to capture an American ship. Some exwere firing on the American ship. MiG- perts say that they wanted to prove their 21 fighter jets joined the battle that was worth within the Eastern Bloc states but completely one-sided. The ammunition in capturing the Pueblo actually damon the American ship was stored away aged their status. No one wanted a “hot” and in the two hours before she was war with the powerful American miliboarded, sailor Duane Hodges was killed by the sub chaser’s gun while he tried to destroy important documents. (Most of his shipmates didn’t do much to try to destroy any classified material.) The Americans stalled for time while they tried destroying the large piles of classified materials; howthe USS Pueblo off of San Diego in 1967 ever, by the time they were captured, only a small portion of it was destroyed and tary. Other experts say that the North most fell into North Korean hands. The Koreans were under pressure from the ship was boarded by Korean sailors, Soviets to capture code machines from and the Americans were blindfolded an American spy ship. The Russians and beaten while they were being led had secret messages (through CIA detowards the port of Wonson. High-rank- fector and traitor John Walker, whom ing North Korean officials boarded the the agency did not discover was a spy ship once they were in North Korean until 1985) but were unable to decode waters. them; now they were able to translate During the entire incident, the the codes with the assistance of the
isn’t fit to print in a family-friendly magazine). The rest of the crew also signed a confession under threat of torture. On December 23, 1968 after eleven months in captivity, they were freed and sent one by one over the “Bridge of No Return” into American ally, South Korea. Back in the States in time for the holidays, the crew and Commander Bucher were investigated for the incident. However, the Secretary of the Navy felt that they had suffered enough and no one was brought to court martial. Even though the crew
ships have ever been captured by enemy forces. One was the USS Wake by the Japanese at the opening of hostilities during WWII and the other was the Pueblo. These events are very rare and unfortunately for the U.S. they lost an important ship in a most embarrassing fashion especially for a world power. The incident did provide America with a valuable lesson on how to protect secret information.
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.
Crew photo after they were released
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The sailors being led into captivity
was released, the North Koreans kept the Pueblo and put her on public display. The U.S. Navy never decommissioned her, and the Pueblo remains the second oldest ship on the navy’s registry. In the 2000s, American diplomats tried unsuccessfully to return the ship to the U.S. but to no avail. In December 2012, a North Korean tour operator company noticed that the ship wasn’t at its moorings in Pyongyang and the ship is still missing. The North Korean government is keeping mum on its mysterious disappearance and current whereabouts. Since the War of 1812, only two
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Pueblo’s machines that were flown to the U.S.S.R. The Pueblo’s crew were taken to Pyongyang and then to POW camps and subjected to torture and hard labor. They were punished when the Koreans finally realized that in staged photos they were “giving the finger” to the Korean press and to their leaders. They got away with this for several months until their prison guards realized that this wasn’t the “Hawaiian good luck” salute that they were originally told. The Koreans wanted the staged photos to show the outside world that the sailors were being treated fairly. The captain of the ship, Commander Lloyd Bucher, went through a physiological torture process to make him confess that the Pueblo was spying in North Korean waters. They put him through mock firing squads, and he finally agreed to “confess” when they told him that his men were going to be executed in front of him. He wrote in his confession and policy statement, “I will never again be a party to any disgraceful act of aggression of this type.” There were also a subtle pun that Bucher added into in this letter that the North Koreans failed to catch (the phrase used
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Notable
Quotes
Compiled by Nate Davis
“Say What?” And a Chicago man has set a new Guinness Book world record for the longest Ferris wheel ride. He went 48 hours—48 hours straight—riding the Ferris wheel in Chicago’s Navy pier. In fact, the only way to go around and around in circles that many times is to read the official report on Benghazi. - Jay Leno Well, look at this. The White House has admitted that President Obama’s chief of staff had advanced warning the IRS was targeting conservative groups but never told the president. Well, President Obama says the first time he heard about the IRS scandal and the AP phone records scandal, first time he heard about it was from the media. See, that’s why President Obama holds press conferences: not to explain what’s going on, to find out what’s going on. - Jay Leno Shame on us. - Governor Andrew Cuomo , when asked about the possibility of Anthony Weiner being elected mayor
Let’s face facts: the American media is in an abusive relationship with Obama. They don’t quite know what to do.... Now, they might take a little thing here, a little respite and say, “Hey, what’s happening with Obama?” But they’re all going to cave in on that. You know, but they have to do it a little. They have to just express some exasperation. - Dennis Miller
Now, I’m a journalist. Obviously I have a bias here. But even if you side with this president over those of us in the media who challenge him in his administration, it is important to remember the precedent these actions set going forward, perhaps when it’s not your guy in the White House. - Jake Tapper on CNN, discussing the Obama administration spying on journalists
One obvious point, it is completely wrong to blame this killing on Islam but also wrong to draw a link between this murder and British foreign policy. - London Mayor Boris Johnson, the day after the London killings
We have sort of an Old MacDonald’s farm of scandals – here a scandal, there a scandal, everywhere a scandal. So, we’re not sure which scandal to even talk about. - Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) on Fox News discussing the White House scandals
I also appreciate that the hunger strikers are not trying to die. They’re trying to generate autonomy in the context of something that strips their humanity – something we certainly know about from the experience of American slavery. And that the language of before I would be a slave, I’d be buried in my grave and go home to my L-rd and be free. Just that idea of creating human freedom within the context of horrible human conditions. - MSNBC host Melissa HarrisPerry comparing Guantanamo Bay detainees to American slaves
I saw the film and we could see that he [the suspect] was being very courageous. - Exiled Muslim cleric Bakri Muhammed, who influenced one of the London murderer several years ago, in an interview with The Independent In Pennsylvania, a couple stabbed each other in an argument over who should win “American Idol.” At last we finally know why “American Idol” is losing so many viewers. They’re killing each other. - Conan O’Brien
Amtrak trains may soon have special cars where passengers can sit with their pets. Though it’ll be awkward when you try to talk to your cat and he just slips on his headphones. - Jimmy Fallon
White House officials insist that President Obama knew nothing about the IRS scandal until we all heard about it in the news last week. They said because there was an investigation under way, it would have been inappropriate to tell him. And besides, he was too busy not knowing anything about Benghazi. - Jay Leno
CBS has become the bestrated network among the 18-49 age group for the first time in 21 years. NBC is still No. 1 among pets whose owners left the TV on to keep them company. - Jimmy Fallon
Michelle Obama gave a commencement at a high school in Nashville. The first lady said about her husband, “I could take up a whole afternoon talking about his failures.” And today she was offered her own show on Fox News. - Jay Leno
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Best wishes to Senator John McCain in Syria today. If he doesn’t make it back, calling dibs on his office. - Senator Lindsey Graham joking about Senator McCain’s visit with Syrian rebels
These scandals at the White House are just getting worse. It turns out that President Obama’s chief of staff knew about the scandal at the IRS three weeks before the president found out. Obama was like, “Anything else you guys aren’t telling me?” And Joe Biden was like, “Uh . . . I broke the copier.” - Jimmy Fallon
Four women have qualified to race in this Sunday’s Indy 500. Yeah, four women going around and around in circles – or as that’s normally called, “The View.” - Jimmy Fallon Time to go: Holder OK’d Press Probe.- Headline on left-leaning blog, Huffington Post, calling for Attorney General Holder’s ouster [President Obama] surrounded himself with Satan...members of the Jewish community. - Louis Farrakhan speaking in Detroit with Congressman John Conyers (D-Detroit) in the audience
Come January 1st, when I am out of office, I will destroy your ... industry. - An angry Mayor Bloomberg to cab-fleet boss, Gene Friedman, who won a court battle against the city
Sí, se puede!...Yes we can! - Crowd in the Senate Judiciary Committee’s room when the committee passed the sweeping immigration bill, allowing it to now move on to the full Senate for a vote
The Easter egg roll with my kids. - Former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman, who denied ever discussing the IRS targeting of conservative groups with the White House, when asked during a Congressional hearing what were some of the reasons that he visited the White House 118 times in 2010 and 2011.
Collapse of bridge in WA underscores urgent need for infrastructure investments. Will latest falling structure prod Rs in Congress to act? - Former Obama advisor David Axelrod, tweeting the morning after the Washington bridge collapse
Ma’am, let me finish. Let me finish, ma’am. This part of free speech is you being able to speak but also you listening. And me being able to speak. All right. -President Obama responding to a Code Pink heckler during his speech on terrorism at the National Defense University
President Obama wisely avoided the phrase “mission accomplished” in his major speech last week about the “war on terror,” but columnists aren’t obliged to be so circumspect: It is time to declare victory and get on with our lives.....Was there really any meaningful connection between the Tsarnaev brothers’ bloody Boston rampage and international jihadism? It seems likely that an al-Qaeda website taught them how to build their pressure-cooker bombs, but what about the alienation they obviously felt? What about their mental health? Was jihad anything more than a label, an affinity-group logo like the Red Sox insignia on a baseball cap? - Eugene Robinson, Washington Post
The IRS has always been the face of intimidating and controlling big government. Now it’s the face of corrupt big government that actively attacks the people it is supposed to serve. This isn’t the change America was hoping for, Mr. President, but it certainly is transformative. - Sarah Palin The administration’s attempt to intimidate Fox News and its employees will not succeed and their excuses will stand neither the test of law, the test of decency, nor the test of time. We will not allow a climate of press intimidation, unseen since the McCarthy era, to frighten any of us away from the truth. - Fox News CEO Roger Ailes’ May 23 letter to Fox employees, after it was revealed that the Obama administration obtained warrants to tap several reporters’ phone lines
The president’s statement to labor in 2009 is simply not true for millions of workers. - Op-ed in The Hill by UFCW President Joe Hansen, detailing how the president mislead the unions about the true effects of Obamacare
It is not looking good for President Obama. Today, his teleprompter took the fifth. In fact, the White House has changed their slogan from, “Yes, we can” to “No, I can’t remember.” - Jay Leno
I’m asking each of you heads of state, would you please write a note to President Obama telling him it’s critical that I come back to Trinidad and Tobago and then visit each of your islands to stay for at least a couple of weeks? I would like very much to do that. - Joe Biden, joking during a meeting with leaders from more than a dozen Caribbean countries
You can’t tell Barack that the teleprompter’s down. The standing joke in the office is Barack’s learning to speak without a teleprompter; I’m learning to speak with one. - Vice President Joe Biden after asking that the teleprompter be taken down ahead of his remarks at a Jewish heritage event
T h e J eTw H oI SmHe HnO MME ay H Ei sJhE W n M3 0AY, 2013 2 4 , 2012
A college student in Georgia was worried that his parents would be mad at him for flunking English. So he tried to fake his own kidnapping. The parents figured it out when the ransom note said, “We has your son.” - Conan O’Brien
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In the Kitchen Naomi Nachman
G
rowing up in Sydney, Australia, we didn’t have too much choice about which restaurants to eat at. Of course we had a few falafel joints, Australian cuisine (which is meat pies), and even a traditional fish ‘n’ chips shop. No pizza shops, can you imagine?! So if you wanted Chinese, you made your own. If you
wanted Mexican, you made your own. I love international cuisine; Mexican is my favorite. Fish is always a challenge especially getting the children to eat it. This recipe does that. It takes the fun of eating Mexican food and making it a bit healthier. Note: If you want to use Pam instead of butter you can do the switch easily.
F ish Quesadillas
Preparation Season flounder with garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste) and sear on a well-oiled grill pan for a few minutes on each side until cooked through. Fish may break apart but that is okay. On one tortilla, spread salsa to cover the whole surface. Take a handful of cheese and spread over the salsa. Place fish over the cheese then cover with another plain tortilla, making a sandwich. On medium heat, melt some butter on a 9-inch sauté pan. Once butter has melted, place tortilla on it and cook for a few minutes on each side until the cheese has melted and the outside is slightly brown. Slice into wedges like a pizza. Serve with guacamole, sour cream or salsa.
Ingredients 1 pkg flour or corn tortilla 1 jar salsa (your favorite brand) 1 pkg shredded mozzarella cheese 2 pounds flounder Cumin powder Garlic powder Salt Pepper Butter
My Favorite Mexican Guaca mole Ingredients 3 avocados, peeled, pitted, and mashed 1 lime, juiced 1 teaspoon salt ½ cup diced onion 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 2 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional) Preparation In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.
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.
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In the Kitchen Eating Light This Summer Preparation Spread the mayonnaise and mustard on the toasted bread. Divide the turkey slices; top with tomato slices, avocado and romaine leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with cut up veggies and dip.
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Ingredients 4 boneless chicken breasts 1 tsp oil ¼ tsp salt, or to taste Black pepper, to taste 2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bitesized pieces ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved ½ red onion, diced 1 cup bread croutons 2 TBS garlic, crushed 1/2 cup mayonnaise 3 TBS olive oil 1 ½ tsp salt 2 TBS lemon juice ¼ tsp black pepper ½ tsp Dijon mustard Preparation Pound chicken until they are thin. Coat lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in pre-heated broiler or on grill until they are cooked through, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Set aside until cool. Once cool, cut into thin strips. Combine lettuce, tomato, and onion in bowl. Combine all dressing ingredients in a container or jar and shake thoroughly. Lightly coat the salad with the dressing. Add the croutons and chicken strips on top of salad.
Salmon Teriy aki and Pineapple Kabobs 1 TBS balsamic vinegar For the Garnish (optional): ½ peeled cucumber, chopped ½ red bell pepper, chopped Croutons Preparation In a blender or food processor, puree the watermelon, cucumber, pepper, shallot, and garlic. Add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and pulse once or twice more to blend. Transfer the soup to a pitcher or covered bowl and refrigerate until well-chilled, about 1 to 2 hours. Pour the chilled gazpacho into bowls or cups and serve with either the cucumber, pepper or croutons as garnish if desired.
The Classic Turkey, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich Ingredients 8 sliced whole wheat bread, lightly toasted 3 TBS light mayonnaise 3 TBS Dijon mustard 8 (1-ounce) slices turkey breast 2 tomatoes, sliced 8 romaine leaves 1 avocado, sliced, optional Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Watermelon Gazpacho Ingredients For the Soup: 5 cups cubed seedless watermelon ½ cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks ½ red bell pepper, cut into chunks 1 medium shallot, peeled and chopped 1 large clove garlic, chopped 2 TBS olive oil
Ingredients ½ cup soy sauce ¼ cup rice vinegar ¼ cup brown sugar 2 TBS garlic, crushed 2 TBS minced fresh ginger ¼ cup scallions, minced 2 TBS vegetable oil Pinch chili pepper flakes 1 lb salmon fillet, rinsed, cut into cubes 1 lb fresh pineapple, cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch chunks 2 scallions, cut into 1-inch segments 8 bamboo skewers
Preparation Soak skewers in water for at least 20 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Add the ginger, scallions, chili pepper flakes, and vegetable oil. Place the cubes of salmon in the bowl, coat completely with the marinade. It is best to use fresh salmon. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours. Remove salmon from marinade. Place marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil; simmer for 10 minutes, set aside. Thread salmon, pineapple, and scallion pieces on skewers. If using a grill, prepare grill for high, direct heat. Oil the grill grates. Place skewers on grill. Cover. If using an oven broiler, place on a rack on a broiling pan, so that the salmon pieces are 6 inches from the element. Turn after 2 to 4 minutes. Baste with reserved marinade. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes more, basting frequently, until salmon is just barely cooked through. Serve immediately on a bed of white rice.
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87 The Jewish Home n M ay 3 0 , 2013
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Politics Today
SPIN CLASS
Politics with Michael Fragin
Joe Lhota on Meet the Future Mayor Series >>> Scandals at the White House >>> Eric Holder and the AP >>>> Albany is not Backing Weiner >>> Who is Fred Dicker? >>> L.A.’s New Jewish Mayor The following are excerpts from the weekly on-line show, Spin Class: Politics with Michael Fragin. Listen weekly on Thursday nights on jmintheam.org.
Michael Fragin: Good evening everyone. Welcome to Spin Class. We are talking politics. I am Michael Fragin on the Nachum Segal Network. I want to welcome Joe Lhota to Spin Class. Joe Lhota is running for the Republican nomination, possibly a Conservative party nomination, for mayor of New York City. We are going to continue our Meet the Future Mayor series. Joe Lhota is also famously a former chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, also known as the MTA. Joe, welcome to Spin Class. Joe Lhota: Michael, pleased to be on your show. Michael Fragin: The big news of the week is on the Democratic side. And I know you are not running against him, but I have got to get out of the way. How do you feel about Anthony Weiner getting into the race at this point? Joe Lhota: I have said this before, Anthony and I have been friends for over 20 years now. Quite honestly, I think he has got great ideas sometimes. I know he’s got an enormous amount of energy, but he also can be very undisciplined. I think he is a wildcard in the Democratic primary and anything that causes chaos on the Democratic side is good thing for me. Michael Fragin: So, Joe, tell us for a second, how do you think Anthony Weiner will approach this race? I heard him in an interview, and he talked about how the Democrats need to be the party of ideas because if they are not the party of ideas, they are not going to win City Hall. You must believe that the ideas are actually with the Republican candidates in this case. Joe Lhota: Quite honestly, no matter where I go, I am always talking about new ideas, new ways to create jobs, new ways in which we can make the public school system better. We really have to focus on our public schools. Our kids deserve the finest possible education. I talk about the city budget. One of the things that never gets really talked about is how the city budget has literally doubled over the last 11 years while Mike Bloomberg has been mayor. And what’s really important to understand is that our taxes have gone up, as well as our fees and our fines. We have got to focus on ideas to make our government get out of
the way and allow our private sector to grow and our private sector to prosper. You asked me a question about where do I see Anthony going to be in this race. I think Anthony is going to try to run right down the middle. He is going to be a voice of moderation compared to all the left wing ideas that are coming out of all the rest of the candidates. Michael Fragin: So possibly, the Weiner primary voter is the kind of voter that you are looking to vote for you in the general election. Joe Lhota:Exactly right. Michael Fragin: Joe, John Catsimatidis talks about the fact that he has got a lot of money, so if he is going to win, he is the only Republican who can possibly win City Hall because it takes a lot of money, ala Mike Bloomberg. How does Joe Lhota surmount the substantial Democratic enrollment advantage that most prognosticators say, “Well, Mike Bloomberg can only do it because of the amount of money that he was able to spend?” Joe Lhota:This idea that John is putting out there that he is the only Republican that can win … I mean if you follow through with that logic, Ron Lauder would have been elected mayor in 1989, and we would have a different governor and a different senator in Connecticut and a different governor in California. The reality is this campaign is going to be run on ideas. It’s not about Democratic philosophies; it’s not about Republican philosophies. Who is going to keep us safe, who is going to educate our children, who is going to pick up our garbage and who is going to pick up our snow when it actually happens, those are the core issues that people focus on when they vote for somebody to be the next leader of New York. I have got the skills to do it; I have the leadership skills to do it and the vision to bring New York to continue all of the great things that have happened in New York over the last 20 years to bring it to the next level. Michael Fragin: You were a budget director before you became deputy mayor. Tell us about the pension time bomb. New York City is now paying more at this point for retired workers than they are paying for current workers. Joe Lhota: It’s a close number. It’s true with the police department. We are actually paying more for retired police officers than we offer the current police force. It is a violation of state law for the City
of New York to bring up pensions when they negotiate the collective bargaining agreements. The mayor does not provide the pensions. The pensions are given by the governor and the state legislature. I cannot tell you how many times I went to Albany lobbying them during the Giuliani administration. We warned them what would happen now, and quite honestly, it’s actually happening. We need to make sure that our new employees have what is called the private sector pension plan. This is a time bomb. It is not as big a time bomb as it is in the states like California or states like Illinois where their unfunded liability is substantial. I think the City of New York’s unfunded liability is in about the 90% range which is very, very high in comparison to other governments all around the country. But be that as it may, a significant portion of our budget goes to pay the retiree benefits. And by the way, the one retiree benefit that you haven’t pulled out is the unfunded liability for healthcare. New York City employees, when they retire, get free healthcare for the rest of their life. They don’t pay anything for it, and that burden – that’s an unfunded liability that is eight to 10 times the amount of unfunded liability that we have in our pension system. We need to start putting money away for these retiree benefits. Michael Fragin: Okay. Let’s go for a second to Jewish issues. There has been a perception out there that you had a slow start with regard to campaigning in the Jewish community, and I don’t know if that’s something that’s been spread by others, but there have been articles to that effect. Joe Lhota:It has been spread by others. I have made some tremendous relationships when I was deputy mayor with various different communities and community leaders, for example in Borough Park and in Williamsburg, people who work with all these budget directors and deputy mayors, I have been able to rekindle those relationships. Anybody who says that I am not making inroads in the Jewish community is saying that for their own self political reasons. Michael Fragin: The city council issued a nonbinding resolution calling on the state to mandate the public schools to allow religious groups to meet and congregate in the schools when the schools are not being used. Religious groups used these public schools for worship, and that was actually outlawed last year by the Bloomberg administration. Joe Lhota: I was outraged when the mayor tried
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Michael Fragin: How do you feel with regard to education reform? And I guess I will be more specific with regard to the question, particularly with regard to the Jewish and Catholic school communities. They are really in need of more government assistance, with things like security guards and nurses and all the things that the city could provide in many cases but doesn’t necessarily provide. And I know there was a bill a while ago with regard to allowing or mandate that school safety officers should also patrol non-public schools as well, which I think to me is a no-brainer. Joe Lhota:I agree with you. Senator Martin Golden from Bay Ridge actually had a bill put forward to make sure that the NYPD and the school safety officers would be available in parochial schools and yeshivas. The security of our children shouldn’t be distinguished between where they go to school. We should as a city make sure that everybody is properly safe and properly secure. In answer to the broader part of your question, yes, this has been going on in my life. I went to parochial schools in the Bronx when I was a young kid and I can remember there were issues about the fact that some textbooks that were not religious based would be paid by the state, bus services, nursing services, all of which have been cut back significantly. Making sure that there is proper health treatment, that’s not an issue that should make a distinction between a private school and a public school. It’s the responsibility of the state to make sure that children are inoculated, they have proper health regimens, that they have the proper textbooks. There has got to be a better way of understanding that it’s the responsibility of the state to make sure that our children are properly educated. I will fight to make sure that we get the ability to work not only with the public schools but also the private schools, the parochial schools, the religious schools because I think it’s very, very important. They are an important component to the education process, and always have been in the City of New York. Michael Fragin: Joe Lhota, Republican candidate for mayor, thank you for joining us on Spin Class as part of our Meet the Future Mayor Series,
and we wish you best of luck in the campaign. And I want to go to our next guest. Isaac Dovere is the White House editor at Politico. So Isaac, thanks for coming on Spin Class. Isaac Dovere: It’s great to be here. Michael Fragin: Okay. So let’s talk about the White House for a second, okay. Is the White House in panic mode at this point with regard to scandals and all kinds of issues going on? Isaac Dovere: I don’t think panic mode is the right word to describe what’s going on at this point. The scandals are obviously not good. The last two weeks are not the two weeks that the president or anyone in his administration would have chosen to have. But so far, there has not been any evidence or proof that the scandal can be rooted back to the White House on the IRS front or on the justice department, and the Benghazi situation which does have a connection much more clearly to the White House is one where the White House and the administration feels that they remain in a position of strength and justification.
“THE NEW YORK POST IN AND OF ITSELF IS, I THINK, THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PAPER FOR POLITICS IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.”
Michael Fragin: I accept the fact that panic might not be the right word for it. But I think we have to say that they are not dominating the news cycle as they may have thought. There is definitely a defensive posture going on. Let’s talk for a second about Eric Holder, and some are out there talking about the fact that Holder has become a little bit of an albatross. So give us some idea about where things are and how that can really happen. Isaac Dovere:Well, what we learned about the situation with the AP phone records is that in the search for the leaker about the situation in Yemen that the AP reporters were able to expose, the Justice Department pulled the phone records of the AP. Now the argument coming from the Justice Department essentially is that if they were looking for the leakers, then they needed to look to the people who were leaking were talking to, and they did that not only with the AP but also with the James Rosen, who is the reporter for Fox News, with some information that he had reported about North Korea. This has made journalists very uncomfortable, there is no doubt about it, and journalists have a say in what ends up in the news and that’s helped drive some of the coverage about this. But the situation with Holder is that the day after the story came out about the Justice Department actually looking into the AP phone records, Eric Holder came out and he said that he had been interviewed by the FBI in connection with that investigation into that national security leak and therefore had recused himself for the investigation into it, and the decision to look into the AP phone records had been made by the Deputy Attorney General. What we learned today,
though, is there is a report that is out that says that the order to investigate James Rosen, the Fox News reporter, actually was signed by Holder himself, according to this report that’s out now. So though Holder may not have had anything to do with the AP investigation per se, he’s certainly involved with the way the Justice Department has been pursuing this. Michael Fragin: What’s the perception of the mayoral race down in DC, particularly since a former Congressman is now jumping in? Isaac Dovere:The perception in DC is pretty similar to what the perception is in New York, which is that it hasn’t been that exciting of a race so far. And that means that people in DC are paying even less attention to it than they might otherwise since it is not a national race for all the attention that it gets and for all the attention that Mike Bloomberg gets and previous mayors have gotten nationally. So Anthony Weiner has helped get more people paying attention to the mayoral race both because it’s certainly an interesting story to see him in this race, and he also is someone who obviously has a lot of Washington connections. People in Washington were paying a lot of attention to Weiner in the midst of the scandal that took him down two years ago but also, before that, he was a very known character around Washington for all of the speeches that he would make on the House floor and always being in the media and giving interviews about all the things that he wanted to talk about. So that has helped focus a little bit more attention at least for the moment on the mayoral race down here. But there was a feeling in the positions of power about Weiner that they did not like him and that he hadn’t made friends, and in a situation like the one that he found himself in two years ago, you need friends, you need people to stand by you. And instead, what happened was that the Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Steve Israel who is high ranking in the House leadership but also has a New York connection, helped push Weiner towards resigning. They weren’t standing there in support of him and they sort of urged him towards the door. Michael Fragin: I saw is that Weiner’s ad man, Jim Margolis, who was an Obama ad man as well, he made this really passionately nice video for Weiner’s roll-out but apparently he did it as a volunteer; he did it for free. He doesn’t want to be on the campaign payroll. What do we make of that? Isaac Dovere: The fact that Margolis didn’t want to speaks perhaps to the fact that a lot of people have been avoiding Weiner’s campaign. A lot of people that he worked with in the past have not signed on professionally. He has not attracted a lot of staffers and you can see in the way the campaign has been going that there is perhaps a need for more people and more people with more experience. Michael Fragin: Huma, Weiner’s wife, a very important and vital and integral part of the Clinton universe, is she pushing him to run or she is begrudgingly going along? Isaac Dovere:Well, if you watch the launch video, at the end of it, when we hear his wife speaking, they are sitting together, and she speaks out and says that she really wants him to be the next mayor of New York, that New York needs him to be the mayor. It seems that she at least for the purposes of this video, the purposes of the campaign, is supportive of it. What
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to hide behind the First Amendment, saying it was a separation of church and state issue. I mean that’s the most misguided understanding of the United States Constitution I have ever heard in my life. Religious organizations, any organizations, for profit, not-forprofit who want to rent any part of our public schools after hours or on the weekends so long as it doesn’t interfere with the academic requirements of that school, they should be allowed to rent that facility. This idea that you can’t have religious services in public schools is the most absurd thing I have ever seen in my life. As you know, I am not Jewish but I have in fact attended religious services in public schools, both in New York as a young kid when my church was being built, we actually had services on Sunday in a public school; when I lived outside of New York, we actually went to services at a public school. I don’t understand the logic and the thinking behind it, especially when the fact that the religious organizations or any organizations are willing to pay rent to have that facility rented, which will help the schools in paying for better education for our children. It’s a win-win all way around. When I am the next mayor, I will revert what Mike Bloomberg has done. We won’t have to go to the state legislature to have a law.
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we know for sure though is that the Clinton family, with whom Huma is very close, and she was Hillary Clinton’s trusted close aide for years, is not supportive and is not enthusiastic about the way that Anthony Weiner has talked about Bill Clinton. And they somewhat tellingly, even for all the warm feelings they have towards Huma Abedin, are not endorsing anyone in the mayor’s race. Michael Fragin: Isaac Dovere, White House editor for Politico, thank you and we hope that you will come back in the very, very near future. We are on the line now with Dave Catalfamo of Park Strategies. He was the Communications Director for Governor George Pataki for quite a few years. Governor Cuomo seems to have been tripped up for what I imagine is almost the first time. He is so disciplined when talking to the press and then he gives an offhanded comment that it would be a shame if New Yorkers elected Anthony Weiner, and then of course he stepped back and said, “No, no, no I was just joking.” Dave Catalfamo:Yeah, I saw that. And it looked like he was in an editorial board meeting so perhaps he wasn’t thinking that the transcript would be produced and let out. But when you read the transcript, it doesn’t look like a joke, so it probably reflects more of his honest opinion. But I mean more importantly, I think for the race, he is not going to get involved and therefore I don’t know if that really has much of an impact. Michael Fragin: I sit here right now in a studio on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and I think you might know the assemblyman who represents the Lower East Side, it is Sheldon Silver, who is very well known in the Jewish community and the Orthodox Jewish community as well, and to many people is a stalwart of the community as well as obviously an Albany powerhouse. There is talk out there that Sheldon Silver might be in trouble at this point. I think of him as being a very adroit and astute politician. Dave Catalfamo: I think that’s probably a lot of wishful thinking on some people’s part. I don’t think that this scandal has a chance of taking him down. I think it probably has weakened him, at least temporarily. But I don’t think that either in the short term or the long term it’s going to endanger his leadership. I think first and foremost, there is no one to take his place, and always to replace a leader you need someone who can take their place. What matters in the assembly is the support of his conference, and it appears to me that he has that and I don’t think that’s going to change. Michael Fragin: I think by all accounts, Assemblyman Silver has served his constituency very, very well. He is certainly well-liked and well-respected amongst his members. Dave Catalfamo:Absolutely. And he is very attentive to their needs. And look, there is some school of thought that the speaker’s job and any speaker’s job is to take the barbs for the entire conference and to be able to protect the institution and protect the conference by being strong enough to actually take all the criticism that comes with putting the institution first. I think it’s important that he puts in place some real serious reforms and actually takes this matter further than they have in the past to make sure that these reforms are implemented so that we don’t see a repeat of this. But again, I think that’s an internal matter; I think that it’s incumbent upon him to do it for a lot
of good reasons and political reasons. But ultimately, at the end of the day, whether or not they do them or not, I don’t know if that will impact his leadership.
first governor that that relationship has changed. If you go back and you look at Governor Spitzer, he had the same relationship early on, if you look at Governor Pataki, he had the same relationship early on. So it’s actually a fairly well tried cycle where Fred falls in love and then he falls out of love.
Michael Fragin: Could the politicians in Albany kind of get any lower in the public perEric Garcetti, the new Jewish mayor of LA ception right now? Dave Catalfamo: Not withstanding all the sensationalism and not withMichael Fragin: So that’s pretty quick. And I standing the fact that there have been a number of leg- guess now he is feuding specifically with Josh Vlasislators who have run into trouble, and it’s going to to, right, who was the governor’s communications sound like a very Albany insider thing to say, but most director? of the legislators are honest and they are trying to do Dave Catalfamo:It sounds like it’s getting kind their job, and they are trying to represent their con- of personal between the two of them. But look, it’s a stituencies. I think the newer members of that body tough business and they are both smart, tough guys and some of the more serious ones have taken the sen- and at the end of the day, I think they will all work ate democrat leadership in a different direction, and I it out. think that’s positive. So I think a lot of it is little bit historical and I don’t actually expect to see the flood Michael Fragin: Dave Catalfamo of Park Strateof indictments coming down, I really don’t. I think gies, thanks for joining us here on Spin Class, and they would have come already. we hope to have you again in the very near future. I want to bring in Judith who is here in the studio Michael Fragin: I get the question every so of- and she is going to tell us a little bit about what’s ten from people: who is Fred Dicker. I read the New going on in LA. LA has recently elected a Jewish York Post but why does he seem to be the guy who mayor this week, and that makes three for three in kind of moves the press agenda in Albany? And the big cities: New York City, Chicago and Los Ansince you might have tussled with him at one point geles, all have Jewish mayors. or another, I want to get an idea of now he is tussling Judith: We have just elected our new mayor Eric with the Cuomo administration. Give us a rundown Garcetti. And it was an interesting race. A lot of peoon who Fred Dicker is and why is he his own Albany ple have been speaking about it just because it was institution. kind of difficult to differentiate between the two leftDave Catalfamo:He is a conservative columnist wing candidates. They were very left-wing to begin for the New York Post. The New York Post in and of with and a lot of people were talking about how there itself is I think in my view the most influential pa- was joke going around Wendy Greuel, Eric Garcetti. per for politics in the State of New York. And Fred People were calling them Wendy Garcetti and Eric is probably their most influential reporter, although Greuel because it’s little difficult. he reports less and less and writes his column more and more. I think because the paper is what it is that Michael Fragin: They have an open primary system. Everybody runs at a primary, and then if nobody gets 50%, there is a runoff. So you have two Democrats running against each other and a lot of people suggested that’s the way New York City should do things as well. Judith: Well this race was interesting for a couple of reasons. The first reason is because Hollywood was involved, and very rarely is Hollywood involved in such a local race. Usually, you see the movie stars and they are campaigning for Obama or something more national. But in this case, Hollywood was very involved and that’s because Garcetti is actually in charge of that district and Wendy Greuel, she had previous work experience in DreamWorks, which is a big employer out there. The Jewish community, especially the Orthodox Fred Dicker of the New York Post may just be community, tends to be a little more right-wing. So I the most influential reporter in politics in New York State can imagine that their perspective about all these such that’s obviously given Fred cache and he’s been able left-wing politicians being in charge of the city maybe to create relationships with governors that come in is not most optimistic. and use that to his advantage. On a number of issues, Garcetti is more to the left than Wendy Greuel. he’s certainly parted ways with Governor Cuomo and But it’s exciting to have a Jewish mayor. I think that’s created a fracture there and a level of concern on Fred’s part which has changed the way Michael Fragin: This is Spin Class. I want to that he has viewed the governor, and that gets born thank everybody for joining us, and we will be back out from his columns. But Governor Cuomo is not the next week to talk about politics.
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Doing it All
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y youngest son, when he was still living with us, shocked me by saying that there were no family dinners during the week when he was growing up. Here I was, the ba’alabusta to end all ba’alabustas, the person who would experiment with various recipes multiple times in her single years just to prepare for that wonderful day when she would get married, being told that she didn’t have family dinners. I checked with my husband who reminded me that the children had mishmar when I was in graduate school so that already took care of one or two meals during the week. But this wasn’t good enough for me. Suddenly, all those years that I had spent working so assiduously on my dissertation came into focus. For me, it had been all about my progress toward my personal goal, but what about being there for my children? When I started my doctorate, my youngest was only five. Worse yet, my husband didn’t know how to cook, wasn’t about to learn, and could live on pizza. Furthermore, he was a marshmallow when it came to discipline and didn’t keep the same watchful eye on homework that I would have had. “Don’t worry, Ima,” my son told me that eventful day, “I’m okay!” Well, that’s very nice to hear now that he is an adult, but still. . . . Did I do the right thing? This point was brought home to me when I read about the comments that billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones made at the University of Virginia in April. According to Jones, as soon as a woman bonds with her baby through nursing, she loses all focus on the stock market and how it’s functioning. It sounded to me like he was saying that the experience of nursing was so powerful that it would trivialize other issues. This brought back to me images of my second foray into grad school. I had already acquired a Master’s Degree and I was in a doctoral program. I was pregnant with my first child. I felt so much pressure to study that I would do so while nursing. So maybe Tudor was wrong. On the other hand, I missed my baby so much every day when I went off to school that I eventually quit school. So maybe Tudor was right. By the time I went back to grad school
for the last time, seven years had gone by and my children were older. They would be okay – or so I thought. They say that to support a family
alize that enshrining that mother-baby bond in a world of its own is an impossibility. What if there are other children? Surely, their needs are im-
Mothers must learn early on how to divide their attention in a way that honors the needs of each child. today requires two incomes because of inflation. The dollar doesn’t go as far and frum people all the more require the extra money just to cover yeshiva tuition – not to mention more food than the average American family. And then there is the issue of kochos (strengths). Since completing my doctorate and engaging in clinical practice, I seem to be getting the message that Hashem wanted me to do this work. It appears to be a gift and gifts should not be treated lightly. Surely, it can’t be that the only gift women are given is to be capable mothers and great at making challah. If they have other kochos, should they not be used? I, personally, prefer using women medical doctors, for example, and I’m thrilled if they are frum. All that notwithstanding, it would be wrong for women to deny their maternal instincts. (In fact, if these maternal instincts aren’t even there, I would say they probably had some difficulties in their own childhood which need to be worked out so as to free them from the pain that they must still be carrying.) At the moment when a woman is nursing her baby, that relationship should be everything to her. It’s a joy which she should partake of to the fullest; Hashem gave us delights and meant us to enjoy them. That is part of the simcha of living. Even as I write these words, I re-
portant too, and the love and warmth a mother feels toward these children as they demand a glass of milk or help with homework is no less than the love and warmth she feels towards her newest addition. Mothers must learn early on how to divide their attention in a way that honors the needs of each child so she has already mastered the art of focusing on many while making each one feel as if he is worthy of that focus. The fact that mothers must constantly be ready to shift focus does not make them great multitaskers. It has been often said that women are superior multitaskers to men. However, research shows that across genders, multitasking is associated with a decline in productivity. For example, Christine Rosen reported in the New Atlantis (http://faculty.winthrop.edu/ hinera/CRTW-Spring_2011/TheMythofMultitasking_Rosen.pdf), “Psychologist René Marois of Vanderbilt University . . . used fMRI to demonstrate the brain’s response to handling multiple tasks. Marois found evidence of a ‘response selection bottleneck’ that occurs when the brain is forced to respond to several stimuli at once. As a result, task-switching leads to time lost as the brain determines which task to perform.” This makes the argument moot as to whether women are better multi-taskers than men; both genders are not
served well by frequently having to switch their attention. The job does get done but at a cost of time, productivity, and possibly sanity. Yet, HaKodosh Baruch Hu intended for women to be faced with this dilemma: He has frequently blessed us with more than one child. That means that we are supposed to contend with the trials and tribulations of multi-tasking. Not only that but we are called an Ashes Chayil if we do commercial real estate (“she considers a field and purchases it”) and sell household goods (“a coat” and “a belt”) while taking great pains to feed and clothe our families. And she does the job well, too: Her husband and her children praise her for her accomplishments. How did she do that, anyway? Are we really supposed to do it all? I believe we are supposed to be able to do many things and do them well; nevertheless we are not expected to be perfect. As I often must say on Friday evening when I’ve lit candles and then realized that I forgot to turn on a certain light or turn another one off, only Hashem is perfect. We are not. Down here in this world, our objective is not to be perfect but to strive in the right direction. We will never attain it because we are not meant to and therefore should not beat ourselves up over not doing so. As it says in Pirkei Avos (2:21), “You are not required to complete the job but you aren’t free to minimize it.” The answer then seems to be to try our best to do what we are good at, what we love, and what will bring benefit to ourselves, our families, and our communities and that includes being a good parent as well as a good worker. None of us is perfect and we are not supposed to be.
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.
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How to Build a Healthier, Better BBQ
emorial Day marks the official start of summer, with many of us firing up the grill. Barbeques can be healthy and delicious or catastrophically caloric and fattening. You can easily indulge in some BBQ favorites without wrecking your diet, simply by adhering to the following guidelines. Burger Patty. A moderately-sized, 5 oz, all-beef patty can pack more than 400 calories and 15 grams of saturated fat, and that’s before the bun and toppings. Making the switch to extra lean beef (at least 93% lean) will drop those stats to 135 calories and 2.3 grams of saturated fat. Bison, ground turkey or chicken burgers are also excellent alternatives to beef and are much lower in fat and cholesterol. Chicken. It’s the best protein option at any BBQ and should be your first choice if available. Boneless, skinless chicken is ideal, but if it was grilled with the skin, please take it off before eating!
Steak. Look for lean cuts, and trim off any visible fats. Keep track of your red meats throughout the week; try to keep to a twice a week limit. Bun. Switching to a whole grain bun will boost the fiber content, but calorically will be about the same as white-flour buns. Try whole grain sandwich thins; they are about 100 calories, are usually parve, and round like a bun. I love the idea of nixing the bun altogether and just having the patty with salad or veggies, or using Portobello mushroom caps instead of a bun. Avoid the Dog.: A hot dog is one of the worst foods you could ever put into your body. Putting aside the cancer-causing nitrates, they are about 242 calories and 14.5 grams of fat EACH!
Nitrate-free turkey or chicken dogs are better options, but are usually still high in sodium. Sauces and Spreads. Mustard is low in calories, but ketchup may contain a lot of sugar, so look for lower sugar or sugar-free brands, and use them minimally. Same for any bbq sauces; use as little as possible. Veggies. Fill up on salad and grilled veggies and avoid the corn and potatoes. Think roasted peppers, or grilled onions, or zucchini. Coleslaw (drained) is a much better option than potato or corn salad. Downsize. Too much of a good thing is not good either. Watch your portion sizes; consider making 2 oz. sliders instead of burgers, and eat slowly. The
longer it takes you to eat that meal, the less you will eat in the long run. Barbeques can be a fun and nutritious way of celebrating the summer months, but have led many down the wrong path of high fat, high calories, and very high sodium eating. When hosting a BBQ make sure you have healthy options available for yourself and your guests, and when you are a guest at someone else’s then just choose the best option. Having a hot dog a couple of times a year is not tragic, but having one at every BBQ this season will be problematic on so many levels. Enjoy and have a great summer! Aliza Beer is a registered dietician with a Master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz Show. Aliza’s new line of prepared, healthy meals-to-go are available at Gourmet Glatt. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com.
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Aliza Beer MS, RD
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From My Private Art Collection
Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg
Some Creative Food For Thought
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sign of a talented artist of the past has always been their ability to simulate the feeling of texture into their original works of art. Many artists were able to create illusions of wood, glass, marble and other surfaces that were so real looking, that you would sincerely believe that the visual image was the real thing. Texture is important to study when trying to determine creative illusions of space. This was a very important formula that was needed in the olden days, especially in regards to architecture. These illusions were used many times in the creation of moldings, columns and ceilings of grand buildings. Today, the use of real texture, in and of itself has become a trend. Many artists will incorporate various types of materials into their paintings. These added textures will add a dimension to the art which is fascinating. For instance, objects such as nails, string,
It is important to remember that there really is no such a thing as right or wrong; only your opinion counts in how you assess your own creation. beads, sand, etc. are used together with the paints to create magnificent pieces of artwork. The feeling of the texture adds to the beauty of the works. Sculpture is combined with the paintings and merged into one piece. Collage work is a highly popular form of art. Textural pictures have become quite popular and fun to make. Mosaic work is extremely fulfilling as well. Students enjoy the vast amount of materials that are available. The materials do not necessarily have to be genuine. Many of the materials are made from synthetics. Students also enjoy working with fabrics, glass tiles, all
types of stones and cement. There are so many types of materials that can be used in combination with others that the “sky is the limit.” It is important to expose the students to a variety of materials, such as acrylic paints, watercolors, tempera paints, oil paints (at an older age, when they can work independently and are mature enough to properly care for the materials). Until then, watercolor, acrylic paints, charcoal and pastels will suffice. There are numerous possibilities. The thing to remember is that “Rome was not built in a day.” All of the experimentation over a period of time will only add to the quality of your work. The use of texture in artwork adds a dimension to the work that is hard to duplicate. Many unique surfaces can be created with ingenuity and design. There are numerous examples of ceramics, fabrics and other natural items that have been used for a multitude of design projects that should be explored. Go for a trip to a large Judaica store and you will become mesmerized by the caliber of artwork that is available right in our own backyard. There is so much out there today in the way of tie-dye, stitchery and batik. Various texture applications are used in the creation of almost all pieces of Judaica in metal, wood, glass and simulated copies made from resins, plastics and plaster of Paris. In the “olden days,” whatever they may be, artists such as Van Gogh used strokes that were exaggerated to create a feeling of emotions and sensations. In today’s world many artists use added texture in actual form to add excitement to a picture. The use of texture is a wonderful way to go when creating abstract
pieces of art work. It is important to take photographs of these works from many angles. Research, experimentation and much persistence are the key ingredients needed. Practice makes perfect and there really are no shortcuts. If you want to succeed, you cannot give up. My suggestion is to work on a piece for a while, stop, take a look at it from afar, stop and start again after a short break. It could be a few hours or a few days. It is important to look at something that you are work-
ing at a few times, with a break, before continuing. Become your own art critic. This will help you sharpen your own creative eye and awareness. It is important to remember that there really is no such a thing as right or wrong, only your opinion counts in how you assess your own creation. Of course, other’s opinions make you feel valued, but that has nothing to do with right or wrong. It is only their opinion. Work on developing confidence in your own abilities and most of all take pride in your new creative growth experiences. That is what really matters. 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.
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Room for Design Naftali Landau
Dress Up Your Ceilings I want to dress up my boring ceilings in my house. What are some ways I can achieve a nice aesthetically pleasing look on my ceilings? A.B. Your plain white ceiling might be very neutral and not obtrusive but can give your room and old and tired look. Your ceiling in the room can add so much style to your space and can very well be overlooked. Dressing up your ceiling is a great way to add interest to your room, and there are a few great ways to achieve that updated look. One way to really give some dressing up to your ceiling is to hang wallpaper there. Heavily embossed wallpaper can add an “Old World” look and feel to your room. Grass cloth and silk are becoming popular for ceiling coverings. Picking a design that complements your room will tie the whole room feel together. This treatment is great in a ding room or even a living room or den. Just be aware of how hard it will be to get that wallpaper off the ceiling should you want to later. Another way that really adds some pizazz to your ceiling is tin tiles. You can get them in real metal or in faux metal made from recycled paper with an adhesive backing or choose tongue and groove models which are easy to install. A popular choice in the metal is copper-colored and can give your ceiling an old vintage look while giving your whole room a fresh clean feel. Adding this type of ceiling in your kitchen can really tie in the existing metal in your kitchen and create a nice flowing design. An amazing idea to dress up a celling and give your room a whole new look is to do faux wooden beams across the ceiling. They’re made from polyurethane but look remarkably like wood because you never see them up close. Lightweight faux wood is about onethird the price of real lumber and is easily attached to the ceiling without any reinforcements. This look gives your room a whole new dimension because of the
fact that it protrudes so much from the ceiling giving off shadows and details on your ceiling. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t put beams on an 8-foot ceiling, as they will make the room feel too small but in a higher ceiling or even a cathedral ceiling it creates a remarkable look. Another idea that is popular in a lot of homes is medallions and appliques. These are standalone pieces of molding that can be attached directly to the celling to give a plain ceiling some detail. There is an array of styles and choices to choose from that range in sizes and diameter. You can choose from running some type of applique around the perimeter of your ceiling or placing a large oval or round medallion in the center of the room. You should reserve the round and oval medallions for the dining-room ceiling, and hang your chandelier from the middle so it looks framed. One last idea which is just a simple and easy way to dress up any room is crown molding. Using a detailed crown around the room is a great way to dress up any room. You can create a coffered ceiling with building boxes and adding crown molding in each square which creates a sophisticated look in a library or sitting room. Adorn the tops of your walls and the edges of the ceiling with ornate trim which creates a formal look, so it’s suited for a dining room. In summary, there are numerous ways to dress up any ceiling in your home. With each idea you create a different look and style which brings a beautiful and ascetic way to add interest to your plain ceiling. Good luck. Just a reminder: I am still offering 20% off on all orders to anyone unfortunately affected by the storm. Naftali Landau is owner and chief designer of Exclusive Cabinetry and Design and has been designing kitchens for the past 12 years. For questions or ideas for future articles, he can be reached at 917-468-7693 or at naftalilandau@gmail.com
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Lola's Story
Lola Lieber Schwartz
A World After This
A Memoir of Loss and Redemption Lola Lieber Schwartz is a world-renowned artist whose paintings have been exhibited in art galleries throughout the United States and are part of the Yad Vashem archives in Jerusalem. Most importantly, Lola is a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother to many. She has myriad friends and sees life in all its vibrancy and vitality. But life was not always easy. Lola was only sixteen-yearsold when Hitler ym”sh invaded Poland, and Lola was forced into hiding and spent years on the run with her husband, Mechel. Through six years of trying times, near
Chapter 15 Strange Interlude
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e were in a state of suspended disbelief. We had actually crossed out of Poland and therefore escaped the Reich’s territory. I wasn’t Lola any longer. I was a person named Lola, who looked pretty much like Lola, but I was someone else. Mechel and I were both deeply fatigued yet we tried to repress our feelings of despair. We did not discuss our dreams, which were often nightmares. We had survived, but there were images in our heads, portraits of our dead. It was a slow-motion movie, unreeling itself day after day and night after night in our brains. We had seen too much: too much murder, too much betrayal, too much loss – loss of place, of self, of Jewish identity. My love for Mechel had grown and deepened into a profound admiration and pride, more than the normal love of a wife for her husband. We were not just a devoted married couple; we had become true partners. He had maneuvered in a world of cunning and greed yet remained a moral and pure man. I had witnessed a few others who had done the same in our world; the Bobover Rebbe was one. Mechel wasn’t fearless. Neither was I. Nobody was fearless. Our souls were riddled with holes where the fear had pierced through us. We had become practical, pragmatic, and resourceful in order to survive and to help others survive. To be aware that you are afraid, you have to remember a life that did not contain fear. Mechel and I no longer remembered a time when we were not afraid of “them.” Were we happy in our escape? Not really. We were not unhappy with each other, but happiness was not even a
relevant concept. When we arrived in Kosice and were greeted by Mammiko’s brother, my uncle Beri, we permitted ourselves an overt expression of relief. We took our first deep breaths in a long time. The family in Munkach had sent Beri to Kosice. He had arrived a year earlier to attempt to save family members. Word had not reached us that he was doing this work. He had left his own family behind in Munkach and moved to the border town to do what he could for our extended family as well
starvation and brutality, Lola and her husband held onto their faith and values. It was Mechel’s words of encouragement, “There will be a world after this,” that helped them cling to the hope that there will be a life of light and joy waiting for them at the end. This is the story of Lola’s life—from her grandparents’ “enchanted garden” to meeting Eichmann ym”sh to making the Pesach seder for the Bobover Rebbe during the war—her words will take you back to a different world. same thing: “They are somewhere in Hungary and probably with the Bobover Rebbe.” I don’t know if I really believed them. I needed to believe them, so I pushed skepticism to the side of my brain. Rose was still with us as she didn’t have another place to stay. Mechel and my uncle had been discussing where we should head and their proposal was Budapest. Mechel initially thought it was too dangerous because he assumed we would have to cross the border from
Nobody was fearless. Our souls were riddled with holes where the fear had pierced through us.
as for others. He was part of a Jewish smuggling network, working against the fast clock of the Nazi extermination plan. It was a dangerous place for illegal immigrants. My uncle took care of us, although it was a risk for him to house us. He saw we needed rest and said we would make a decision later about what to do. Mechel and I would have to relocate, but we had no idea where we would go next. My brothers Ben and Tuli had crossed safely and had been taken by my uncle to Munkach. I convinced my uncle and Mechel that we should stay in Kosice for a bit longer because I was waiting for the arrival of my parents. They did not come. We did not know what had happened. Mechel and my uncle had heard a rumor but neither of them shared it with me. Their kind “deception” allowed me to be a young woman for a brief time. I was not exuberant or joyful, but I did feel relatively young again. Whenever anxiety about my parents threatened to overwhelm me, Mechel or my uncle would say the
Czechoslovakia into Hungary. Bloated by the land-grabbing opportunities of war, Hungary was not as it had been. At this point it was an enormous country. We had been in Hungarian-controlled territory the moment we cleared the mountain checkpoint and gotten past the Hussar guards. There was no dangerous border to cross between Kosice in Slovakia and Budapest. We would not be Hungarian Jews, however, but “aliens” and therefore subject to deportation. However, after Bochnia, it seemed like an opportunity to live in an earthly paradise. Dear Uncle Beri escorted us and Rose to Budapest. He gave us all some money. Here Rose’s life finally took a turn for the better. She met up with some friends who were going to Palestine and she decided to join them. I had known and been around Zionists my whole life and so her decision seemed like a sound one. I did not understand how difficult it would be to find safe passage to Palestine during the war. After much suffering and going through horrible ordeals,
she arrived in Palestine safely and in one piece. She had suffered enough in her life. Her decision was a good one, but it would be a long time before we knew of her triumphs. My uncle put us up in a lovely hotel in Budapest and notified distant cousins, who came to see us with fresh new clothing. It was the nicest place Mechel and I had ever been in as a couple, but it was far from a honeymoon. Although the setting was perfect, our mood was anything but romantic. We were still fraught by memories of the struggle and the ghostly whispers of voices we would never hear again. Now I was convinced my parents had perished, although I used all my energy to persuade myself they had crossed safely into Hungarian territory. This scenario seemed increasingly implausible, but I did not voice my suspicions about their fate. Nonetheless, Budapest was a most pleasant surprise. There was no ghetto into which Jews were herded. The anti-Jewish posters and placards that had been all over Krakow were not present in Budapest. Things seemed a little too normal to believe. In fact, what we did not know was that the Allies had been holding secret meetings with the Kallay government, and the Hungarians had therefore toned down their anti- Jewish rhetoric. There was a Jewish Quarter, but it was not a hole of misery and plague of death as Bochnia had been. We took our meals at a kosher restaurant in the large home of a Jewish family in the quarter. My uncle proposed a trip to us. He said, “Let’s go to Munkach for Shabbos.” I almost fainted. Back to the garden? Back to the gate that led to the delights of my youth and not a ghetto gate? He must be joking – but in those days there was no joking about anything. He was serious and we were going. Sever-
through the orchard. I had come back! I really was in the garden behind the gate of my childhood dreams. And I really was showing it all to my husband. Nevertheless things had changed tremendously and my joy was very brief. It was a strange interlude in my life. Once I had “come back to earth” I observed the reality of the situation. We tried to be happy, but underneath there was gnawing anxiety and realized
She was to remain in Munkach until he could send for her and provide proper visas for her entry into Palestine. In his absence, he asked his brother, Isaac, to keep an eye on her. This was a normal thing that was done in Jewish families. A brother was expected to keep his brother’s fiancée safe. Dearest Goldie got busy preparing a beautiful trousseau for herself. At long last, Goldie who made things for everyone else was
grief. Moishe was in Plaszow or some other place just as bad. Mammiko and Tattiko had not been located. And I observed that Goldie, once her happiness at seeing me had abated, was an empty shell of a woman. She was severely depressed and looked ill. Mechel was very worried about her from the moment he met her. Everyone was always just a little bit in love with Goldie. She had been engaged to a distant cousin, also named Moishe, who was an ardent Zionist. He preceded her to Palestine.
to have her own beautiful things for her new life as a married woman. Her Moishe did in fact obtain all the visas needed and she was on her way to Palestine and to the forefront of the Zionist movement to create a Jewish state. The whole town of Munkach came to say farewell to Goldie – who’d never made an enemy in her life. She would travel to the Romanian port town of Constanza and then take a ship to her destination. Much to her dismay, Isaac followed her and made such a fuss that
Continued next week
Lola wrote this book with the help of Alida Brill. A World After This was published in 2010 by Devora Publishing.
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Mechel and I would have to relocate but we had no idea where we would go next.
Goldie did not know what to do. Isaac claimed he had been secretly in love with her for years. If she left and married his brother, Moishe, Isaac said his life was not worth living. He would kill himself unless she would marry him. “I can’t live without you.” Unfortunately, Goldie was convinced he meant it and rather too obediently let him take her back to Munkach, to marry the wrong brother. The drama and stress of it was too much for Goldie and she fell quite ill back in Munkach. She was diagnosed with rheumatic fever. And then the worst trick of all was played on Goldie. Afraid that she was too fragile to be a proper wife and to bear children, the parents of Isaac (and of Moishe) forbade the marriage. Goldie, who wanted only one husband, had, without lifting a finger, acquired two suitors and ended up with no husband, no suitors, and no prospects. It filled me with anger and sorrow.
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al days, although it seemed far longer, after escaping from Bochnia I would return to my true home. Because the war had intervened, Mechel had never been there. I was hoping against hope that it had not been spoiled and ruined by all that had ensued. We arrived in Munkach to find my grandparents well and in rather robust shape for their age. Holding Goldie in my arms was a joy and comfort of unparalleled dimension. We both expressed our gratitude to Hashem, waves and waves of deepest appreciation that we should be together again. Ben and Tuli were indeed safe and living with my Uncle Hershel, who owned a textile business. Mechel adored Munkach and my relatives whom he had just met. He was in his element. He was the old Mechel, charming, playful, always saying just the right thing. He brought the light of the Shabbos candles into everyone’s heart. I gave him a tour of the house, which impressed and surprised him. He was probably thinking, “Well, my goodness, she hasn’t made it all up, after all.” He loved the garden. I showed him my favorite tree and how I used to climb it as a girl. I showed him the small cottage where the acrobat had lived. I took him into the gazebo, and
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Experienced piano teacher has slots open for the summer. Learn music theory, read music notes, play songs by ear and compose your own songs. Call or txt 646-573-7137 or email basyagralla@yahoo.com Certified Nurses Aid is available to care for your loved ones in your home Day or night. Very caring and loving. Reliable Excellent references Call Pat or Carmen at 516-661-8068 Certified Male Personal Trainer for men and boys only Available in your home or mine One on one training Special packages and rates Nutritional guidance also available Call Morde Gable 845-596-0350 Lifeguarding Courses available for Women and Girls ages 16 and up this summer (also right before the summer). Learn CPR and First aid as well. Shira LGI and WSI certified. Call or text 516-506-1732 or email Shiradahan@yahoo.com Girls voice lessons- and recording studio. Group or private available. Girls will learn proper breathing, extend their range and agility through vocal excercizes. Coaching and different techniques taught. Recording studio-record and come home with your own cd as part of the voice lessons. Shira call or text 516-506-1732 or email Shiradahan@yahoo.com. Swim Lessons WSI certified lifeguard with seven years’ experience. Private indoor pool and outdoor pool available All ages from infants to adults Call Shoshana: 516-776-2229 Got Math? Math Tutor - Experienced High School, Regents, SAT, AP, Geometry College, Calculus, Algebra, Trig, Stats, Excel Call Hillel @ (718)-471-9337 Email: soberhi@yahoo.com A Day Camp For Women? Yes! For more info or to register Please email cdurbach@gmail.com Only 10 spots per week, so reserve early I buy cars, real estate and any valuable items For quick cash contact me 718-749-2672 or email getcashfast13@yahoo.com
Exercise - Certified personal trainer with years of experience, giving a privet sessions at her studio. $40 for full hour. (availability at client home. lady's only) Please call Ruchi at 917-847-3888.
Home Improvements General Contractor Entire renovations of bathrooms, kitchens and basements Tiles, floors, expert Roof repair available Free estimates and reasonable rates Call 718-907-0618 or 917-865-5033 Skin Brilliance Laser Spa Professional sanitary and experienced laser hair removal services Right in the heart of KGH Affordable packages to meet your needs. By appointment only Call 718-801-3583
Experience Math Teacher Available To tutor all subjects, algebra, geometry, Math A, Math B, Calculus etc. Guaranteed improvement, first hour free Shomer Shabbat Call Yossi at 516-581-3930 Yiddish Home Study Program: The new book Yiddish in 10 Lessons along with 2 CD's has just been released to easily learn to read, write and speak the Yiddish language. Call Chaim at 516 924 7694 or www.conversationalyiddish,com You can also sign up to receive a Free Weekly Taste of Yiddish LEARN TO LEAD A BEAUTIFUL DAVENING Do you love davening for the amud? Do you sometimes wish you could lead the Tsibbur but lack the knowledge and confidence to pull it off? Call Yaakov 516-229-1948 Flordia Reliable Drivers Car and Van Service From Ft. Lauderdale and Miami airports, shopping malls By the hour, best price Call Ermiya 305-896-9717 Counseling 4 Success!
Relationships, school, work, parenting. Solution-Focused. Teens, adults, children. 20 yrs experience. Warm, understanding, supportive. Confidential. Affordable. Rabbi Perry Schafler LCSW-R (516) 428-8525 Mailplace4-counseling@yahoo.com
Mobile Websites Today 1 in 7 searches are from a mobile phone device Want your website especially designed for Smart Phones? Contact Alex, mobilemelon2@gmail.com
Can You Sell? Looking to make some extra cash?
On-The-Marc is hiring motivated part time sales people. Six to 8 hours a week with unlimited income potential. Must have/own car. For more information call Marc at 917-612-2300
Jewish Lower East Side Walking Tours given by licensed NYC tour guide specializing in the area. Once a bustling Jewish neighborhood with struggling immigrants. Come connect to your heritage and experience the gateway to “Di Goldneh Medinah”. Private, Group, School tours booking now. Appropriate for ages 10 and up. Call 516-652-4527
Voice Coach Now Available In Five Towns Do you love singing? Do you wish you could reach higher notes? Not get tired? Not get hoarse? Do you wish you had more power, depth and ring in your voice? The answer is Voice Coaching – You can develop and maintain your true vocal potential. Yaakov 516-229-1948
Struggling with Shalom Bayis? The Shalom Bayis Hotline 732-523-1112 Caring rabbanim answering your questions for free So far very positive results BS’D!
Real Estate for Sale
Bubby babysitter available Newborn and up Excellent references - Long hours Centrally located in Far Rockaway TLC 718-327-1932 Photos 4 your Simcha Professional Photography and Video We love what we do and it shows in our work! Competitively priced! Check out our website & specials. www.photos4yoursimcha.com or call Yaakov 718-868-1800 CUSTOM SUITS Expertly tailored hand made custom suits for men Hundreds of fabrics and styles We will come to your home or office day or night Design the suit you've always wanted From $649 Call 516-619-6264
Guaranteed cheapest prices on strollers Babysittin and baby gear! Babyjogger, Uppa, Stokke, Britax, g Bugaboo and more! Free next day shipping and no tax Available Call or text 443-208-8532, sthav@zment.com in Hair Course Learn how to wash and style hair and wigs Woodmer Hair and wig cutting, wedding styling Private lessons or in a group e Call Chaya 718-715-9009
Mon-Thurs 9:30-2:00 Experienced Certified Life Coach for Men only Call Chaim 516 924 7694
For more info please call Want Home cooked food for Shabbos Rochel Cohen 516-456-7184
without the Hassle???? Call Alex Idov, personal chef- serving Far Rockaway & Lawrence (678)644-6168 gematria613@aol.com Reasonable rates- Extensive menu options-References available Drop off Babysitting Available in Woodmere Mon-Thurs 9:30-2:00 For more info please call Rochel Cohen 516-456-7184
Lawrence - For sale by owner Co-op, large one bedroom, 1 1/2 bath, eat in kitchen, cent. A/C, double terrace, top floor, doorman, pool, garage, walk to town, temples, train. (516) 791-7000 For Sale / North Miami Beach Apt. One Bedroom Deluxe, First Floor, Gym, 2 Pools... Gated Community, Walking to all Shuls & Shopping Low Maintenance, Must be 55 or Older Call - 305-761-9323
TJH CLASSIFIEDS Post your Real Estate, Help Wanted, Services, Misc. Ads here every Thurs.
Weekly classified ads
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1 Week………………$20 - $10 2 Weeks……….……$35 - $17.50 4 Weeks…………….$60 - $30
Call or Text 443-929-4003 Or email ads to:
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Commercial R/E for Sale Would you rather PAY rent or COLLECT rent? Several 5T & vicinity properties available
($200-$300K range & RE taxes starting $7K/yr)
Far Rockaway. brand New Construction, 2fam house, Lrg 3BR, 2baths over 6BR, 3baths, Lrg LV/DR, C/A, drvway, huge bsmt. Walk to the beach. Only $765K. Call 718-643-7700
Teachers F/T General Studies PreK, 1st, 3rd, 4th Grades Co-ed progressive Brooklyn Day School Inspire students' hearts, minds & souls! Email jobs@mazeldayschool.com call 718-368-4490
Queens-Upper Ridgewood. Fresh Pond Rd./Forest Ave area. Professional space for rent. Ideal for medical office. 1st floor handicapped access, around 1000 sqf. Call R.E. Agent for more info @347-8065414/Edyta - Grimaldi Realty
Sales position available. Flexible hours, great commission, excellent communication skills needed, must have car. Please call 732-503-3760 if no answer leave message.
Cedarhurst – For sale by owner. 5 BR, 3.5 bath. Colonial on oversize lot. Hardwood flooring throughout. Beautiful Eat-in Chef’s Kitchen (Viking/Sub-Zero/Granite). Lrg LR & DR. Finished Basement. Central A/C. Walk to all. Move in Condition….$799k….917-685-0247
Office space available for rent in Lawrence by owner. Shared waiting room with other health related professionals. Utilities covered and internet access available. mymanagement360@yahoo.com
Bayswater- massive 2 family home in a great area, close to all the shuls, beautiful cabinets & granite counter tops, lots of bedrooms, all tiled bathrooms, hardwood flooring all through the house, fireplace, etc., needs tlc, very motivated seller, Asking 449k, Call Yitzchok 847-691-6397.
HOME BASED BUSINESS Looking for a reputable online business? Flexible hours, free training, great income and incentives, real support. Please visit www.selectfreedom.net to apply
Real Estate For Rent Apartment/House for Rent For the Summer Great location in Far Rockaway. Price negotiable Call 347-210-0299 or 347-210-0110 House for Rent in Lawrence near Far Rockaway. 4 spacious bedrooms including Master Suite w/ walk-in closet and Jacuzzi bath, 4 full bathrooms, finished basement, CAC, washer/dryer, kosher kitchen. Block with many children, walk to LIRR and shuls. Asking $4,200 a month. Call or text 516-302-7333. Beautiful 1 Bedroom Apt. for Rent Brand new granite kitchen, terrace, large rooms - Located in a two fam. private home for max. privacy Please call 718-544-1912 $1500 per month, available immediately INWOOD 1 Bedroom Apt for rent in Inwood. EIK, Fullbath, LR/DR, first floor, parking spot in front. $975. Please contact Avigail @ 718-954-0413 or silberman.avigail@yahoo.com For rent 2 bedroom apartment Far rockaway near BBY - Available NOW Kosher Kitchen New appliances Call 516-225-4558
Business Opportunity
Job Available Nursing Home in Far Rockaway Looking for P/T Executive Secretary. Monday – Thursday 1:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. Knowledge in Quick books. Fax resume to: 718-327-2880 For info call Paula Bokow 718-471-6000
Full time high level secretary position available at local yeshiva. Starting immediately. Compensation commensurate to experience. (Experience with DDC computer program major plus) Please email resume to yhalpern@shoryoshuv.org Position Available: Front desk/Receptionist/Office Manager Challenge Early Intervention Center F/T for Queens Office, mature, energetic, organized person with good computer skills and ability to multitask. Good compensation pkg. Applicant living in close proximity to office preferred. Fax Resume 718-261-3702 or email cara.challenge2@thejnet.com
Growing shul in Inwood, NY seeking responsible, dynamic male to spearhead youth dept activites with an emphasis on geshmak. Starting with Shabbos morning groups, the leader will organize and spearhead davening, learning, and play for children in the Shul with plenty of room for growth. Experience preferred and references required. Kindly submit qualified resumes in confidence to president@inwoodshul.com or fax to 516-813-4222. A wig salon in cedarhurst is looking to hire a full time shaitel macher with followers. (future potential partnership) Please send resume by email tresjolieboutique@hotmail.com
Seeking a full time administrative assistant for a busy roofing company. Hours are M-Th 9am - 4pm & Fri 9am 1pm. Skills must include: - The ability to multitask - Good phone skills -Basic bookkeeping - Proficient in MS Office - Proficient in Quickbooks Please email resume and salary requirements to info@islandexteriors.com or fax to 516 303 7664. Local restaurant looking for responsible experienced shomer shabbos night time manager email relerner1@hotmail.com
Boys Elementary School in the Far Rockaway / 5 Towns area seeks experienced and dynamic General Studies teachers for grades 1-5 and Junior High School SS, Sc, ELA and Math positions. Please email resume to educate128@gmail.com. Leaders in Online Jewish Marketing are hiring Sales Superstars. Do you fit the bill? Send your resume to sales@thejmg.com or call us @ 646-351-1808 x 111
Seeking Job Experienced P-3 Provider, with M.S. in Education and Permanent N.Y. State Teacher Certification- Available to work with students in all grades Mondays through Thursdays- mornings until 11 A.M. and anytime after 5:30 P.M.; and Sundays anytime
Please call Tsivia: 516-526-2385
Misc. Simone's Bridal located at 71-05 Main Street has many elegant wedding gowns by designers Maggie Sottero , Enzoani , Morilee and Allure Bridal look on their site to see if u like the gowns we carry most samples . Custom made gowns and mother of bride and sisters are all welcome. Please call for appt. 718-793-5989
Shaital gmach in Eretz Yisroel desperately needs shaitels. To be a part of this great mitzvah please call Peninia @ 347-6756526 Tizku L’mitzvos Lost white gold diamond bracelet/covered watch either at Kennedy Airport or in Boro Park. If found please call 347.578.4165
Due to expansion, Torah Academy for Girls in Far Rockaway, is seeking qualified, experienced and successful moros for our lower elementary and junion high school divisions for the September school term. Please fax resume to: 718-868-4612, att: Morah Drillman
New to market. 2 bedroom apt 1st floor.
Neilsen and Dinsmore area. Kosher kitchen $1450 available July 1st. Call 516-569-1150
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Ideal for S-M business owner/investor C. Slansky, MBA, Broker: 516-655-3636
Great Kosher Summer House Rental Long Beach NY- 4b 3b CAC EIK LR DR W/D WiFi, enclosed yard, parking. Near beach, shuls LIRR, 5T mailplace4-house@yahoo.com 516-428- 8525
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Men and women are encouraged to attend!
Annual Breakfast join us at the
One
cOmmunit
y, One GOal
Step at a time
to benefit
at the home of Shlomie & Malkie Scharf 384 Donmoor Road | Lawrence, NY
Sunday June 23rd 9:30 AM Featured Speaker: Rabbi Kenneth Hain
Committee Mr. & Mrs. David Aidelson Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Burg Mr. & Mrs. Akiba Cohen Dr. & Mrs. Steven Davidowitz Mr. & Mrs. Mendy Friedman Mr. & Mrs. Ron Friedman Mr. & Mrs. David Glickman Mr. & Mrs. Simcha D. Goldberg Mr. & Dr. Lance Hirt Mr. & Mrs. Murray Huberfeld Dr. & Mrs. Ernie Isaacson Dr. & Mrs. Yair Keilson Mr. & Mrs. David Kirschenbaum Mr. & Mrs. David Klein Mr. & Mrs. Mendy Klein Mr. & Mrs. Motty Klein Mr. & Mrs. Ephraim Kutner Mr. & Mrs. Yoni Kutner Dr. & Mrs. Steve Levine Mr. & Mrs. Menachem Lieber Mr. & Mrs. Moshe Majeski
Mr. & Mrs. Moshe Malek Mr. & Mrs. Eli Moskowitz Mr. & Mrs. Matis Nayman Mr. & Mrs. Ari Oliner Mr. & Mrs. Aroni Parnes Mr. & Mrs. Shlomo Reich Mr. & Dr. Yitzi Roz Mr. & Mrs. Robbie Satran Mr. & Mrs. Dovid Scharf Mr. & Mrs. Shmulie Schechter Mr. & Mrs. Yitzi Schuss Mr. & Mrs. Ushi Shafran Mr. & Mrs. Aron Solomon Mr. & Mrs. Naftali Solomon Mr. & Mrs. Abbie Spetner Mr. & Mrs. JJ Taub Mr. & Mrs. Ely Tendler Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Williams Mr. & Mrs. Dovi Wisnicki Mr. & Mrs. Charles Zrihen
CliniCal ServiCeS 24 Hour Support Line • Assessments/Referrals • Case Management • Crisis Intervention • Support Groups Community reSourCeS Community Education • Educational Enhancement Program • Job Placement Program • School Based Services youth ProgramS Holiday Retreats • The Lounge • Year Round Events
Our Mission 936 Broadway Woodmere, NY 11598
P: 516-371-3250 | F: 516-612-4515
info@madraigos.org | www.madraigos.org
Madraigos, a 501c-3 not-for-profit organization, offers a wide array of innovative services and programs geared towards helping teens and young adults overcome life’s everyday challenges one step at a time. Our goal is to provide all of our members with the necessary tools and skills to empower them to live a healthy lifestyle and become the leaders of tomorrow.
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18 years of non-stop commitment to the community
Serving Children with Special Needs and Their Families Evaluations for children ages birth-5 Center based programs for 2-5 year olds Full Day Integrated Classes • Small Classes – Full and Half Day • • • •
Special Education Speech Therapy Occupational Therapy Physical Therapy
Recipient of
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by NYC Dept. of Mental Health & Hygiene
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Music Specialist Yoga Specialist Computer Enrichment Modern Indoor/Outdoor Facility
718-868-2961
264 Beach 19th Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691
info@onourwaylc.org
At no cost to family
Licensed and Funded by NYS Department of Education & NYC Department of Education, EI – Program Funded by NYS DOH
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Susan Schwamm
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Leisure & Travel
From Sea to Shining Sea: New Mexico
W
hen you’re traveling to New Mexico, make sure to bring along some bottles of Evian—New Mexico is hot, hot and hot. And although the Rio Grande River runs the entire length of the state, the climate is so dry, three-fourths of the state’s roads are unpaved because they won’t wash away. Speaking of hot air, Albuquerque is the host of the world’s largest international hot air balloon fiesta held annually in October. And while you’re there, make sure to check out Las Cruces’ world’s largest enchilada that’s made every year on the first weekend of October at the Whole Enchilada Fiesta. Sounds like fun! Enchiladas can be made with many different types of fillings, but they are generally covered with a chili pepper sauce. Speaking of chili peppers, New Mexico has two designated state vegetables: the chili pepper and frijoles, also known as pinto beans. So it comes as no surprise that New Mexico also has an officially designated state question: “Red or green?” (referring to one’s preference for red or green chili peppers), which brings us back to the need to bring along lots of water when traveling to New Mexico. New Mexico is a beautiful state to live in and visit but it is still the sixth-least densely populated state in the nation. In fact, New Mexico has far more sheep and cattle than people; there are only about 12 people per square mile. Many snakes call New Mexico their home. If you’re interested in meeting these slinky creatures face-to-face, head on over to the American International Rattlesnake Museum in Albuquerque, where you can learn lots about these creepy critters and meet many live ones as well, including a rare albino rattlesnake. I won’t be joining you; snakes are not my favorite things. Another place I won’t be visiting,
although some of your teenage boys may love to visit, are the Carlsbad Caverns. Here tens of thousands of bats screech and fly throughout the caves. The largest chamber of Carlsbad Caverns is more than 10 football fields long and about 22 stories high. Imagine how many bats can squeeze in there! But New Mexico is not just about the weather and its slithery creatures. The leaves of the yucca plant, the state’s flower, can be used to make rope, basket and sandals. That would be a wonderful idea for a souvenir—hint, hint… Or, if you’re interested in making lots of friends, consider bringing back some items made of silver from this state. At Lake Valley, miners discovered silver in veins so pure that the metal could be sawed off in blocks for purification. A candelabra or two would be appreciated. Things You Won’t Want to Miss White Sands National Monument One of the world’s greatest natural wonders glistens in New Mexico. Waves of white gypsum sand engulf 275 square miles of the desert, creating the world’s largest gypsum dune-field. Because it is located in the heart of the Tularosa Basin, the gypsum is never washed away. The quartz-based sand crystals do not absorb the sun’s rays as other sands do and therefore children can frolic in the dunes even on very hot days during the summer. Children can also be seen “sledding” on the dunes in areas accessible by car. The park is located within the White Sands Missile Range and is sometimes closed when tests are conducted on the range. Make sure to check in advance to avoid the closures that take place almost twice a week.
The Aliens Have Landed In July 1947, it was reported that a “flying disk” crashed on a ranch 30 miles north of Roswell. But just the next day, the Roswell Army Air Field claimed that the item that crashed was a weather balloon and not a flying disk. Some say this was a cover up by the army for the mysterious visit from aliens to our planet. Indeed, strange things do occur in New Mexico, and if you visit in July, make sure to visit the Roswell UFO Festival. Whether or not aliens do exist, you will meet creatures that are strange, creepy and truly weird. Make sure to check out the Alien Costume Contest—it’s free of charge to enter and you never know! Acoma Pueblo If you’re looking to learn more about Native American culture, take the time to visit the Acoma Pueblo. The 70-mile drive from Albuquerque offers visitors spectacular views and breathtaking rock formations. A guided tour leads visitors around the ancient village atop of 367-foot sandstone bluff. You’d never know you’re still in the great U.S. of A. Ski the Slopes Most people don’t think of snow when they think of New Mexico. But the Land of Enchantment is the perfect place to bring the family to enjoy the sun and the snow! There are eight alpine and three Nordic ski areas dotted throughout the state that bring you the ultimate in breathtaking skiing and riding, snowmobiling, tubing and snowshoeing. Remember, the Rocky Mountains begin in New Mexico. You might as well start your skiing here too!
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Custom Closets designed to fit your space
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For Women Call: For Men Call:
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113 Shlomo Steiman, Esq.
More About Obtaining 501(c)(3) Tax Exempt Status
In light of everything we’ve recently seen in the news, why can the IRS ask such detailed questions and make it so hard to receive tax exempt status? The Attorney Responds: This question actually serves as a nice follow-up to a question from last December in which I attempted to highlight the main parts of the process that culminates in IRS tax exempt recognition. Although I won’t repeat everything I wrote in that article, I will try to briefly summarize the process of forming a New York State not for profit corporation, before explaining in more depth the IRS 1023 application process. But before doing so, let me directly answer your question. Through the numerous parts of Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, Congress exempted various types of organizations that it felt furthered the public good, or at least deserved not to be burdened by the yoke of taxation when carrying out their primary objective(s). These organizations run the gamut from civic leagues, social welfare organizations, and local associations of employees to business leagues, chambers of commerce, real estate boards, social and recreational clubs, as well as your typical religious, educational, charitable, scientific, and literary organizations. The lat-
ter types of organizations, which you would typically associate with a charity, are classified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code, and besides exempting the organizations from taxation on funds received, afford donors the opportunity to deduct the charitable contributions they make on their individual tax returns. As you can see, the tax exempt status, and especially the ability of donors to deduct their contributions, serve as an indirect form of support by our government of those entities. Therefore, it is not surprising that our government would want to ensure the legitimacy of these entities in both purpose and operations before approving that status so as not to further the interests of scammers or terrorists, or to approve exemptions for entities that do not meet the requisite criteria. Formation of Entity In order to obtain 501(c)(3) recognition, at least three individuals have to have joined together to form a New York State not for profit corporation for a charitable, educational, religious, scientific, literary, cultural or cruelty prevention (to children or animals) non-business purpose. A certificate of incorporation is then drafted and filed with New York’s Department of State. Once formed, the initial directors will get together (whether physically, by phone, or in writing) and adopt by-laws detailing the corporation’s rules of operation, choose directors and officers, and preferably adopt other best practices such as a Conflict of Interest Policy. The bylaws should include provisions that may also ease the obtaining of IRS 501(c)(3) recognition. If the corporation intends to solicit a significant amount of money or hire a professional fundraiser, it will also be required to register with the NYS Attorney General’s Charities Bureau. Finally, the corporation will need to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. IRS Form 1023 After all state corporate and solicitation requirements are met, the corpora-
tion (or really their attorney) will start preparing Form 1023 to apply for tax exempt status. The form should ideally be submitted during the initial year of formation, since doing so will preclude any potential issues that may arise concerning whether annual reporting requirements have been met. Nevertheless, this time-frame cannot always be achieved and submissions made within 27 months of formation (and in extenuating circumstances 36 months) will still qualify for retroactive recognition of 501(c)(3) status going back to the date of corporate formation. What that means is that following approval, all donations made since the corporation was formed would have been made retroactively to a recognized exempt entity. In New York State, the corporation would also apply for an exemption from corporate franchise tax. If the 27 month application time frame cannot be met, 501(c)(3) status, if granted, will usually only be from the application date. In practical terms, this may preclude donations made prior to obtaining IRS approval from being deductible on individual returns. Furthermore, since the corporation is not recognized as a 501(c)(3), it may theoretically be subject to taxation on the amount that revenues exceeded expenses for the prior years that it had been in existence. It would have to straighten out its tax situation, filing the appropriate returns and paying any taxes that may be due prior to being recognized as a 501(c)(3). Now that I have described the filing requirements, let me discuss some of the information that has to be provided on the 1023, as well as what follow up questions might be asked by IRS employees that you should be prepared to answer. In preparing your submission, you should be prepared to describe every facet of the not-for profit, including descriptions of the corporation’s activities, names of directors and their backgrounds, amounts paid to significant contractors, questions regarding corporate policies, and detailed financial data, including (projected) revenues and expenses for the current year and three preceding years or two succeeding years.
You should also be prepared to describe how funds will be raised and from what type(s) of donors, who works for the not for profit and if paid, what their compensation is, what is done to ensure every transaction between the corporation and its directors is done at arm’s length so that none of the directors benefit personally, who receives or is expected to receive benefits from the corporation, does the not for profit support any candidates in elections (which a 501(c)(3) should not do), or does it try to influence legislation, do you enter into joint ventures with other entities, and do you want to be classified as a public charity rather than a private foundation. The IRS might even come back to ask you about the contents of a proposed website which you have not even set up yet. As you see, the matter can be quite complex. That is why the entire formation and exemption recognition process is often handled by a tax attorney from the start. I would be happy to discuss your matter further to see how I can help. This article is published for informational purposes only. It is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein. Shlomo Steiman, a former Justice Department Auditor, is a Queens attorney with an office in Manhattan. His practice focuses on tax and non-profit organizations. He can be reached by phone at 917-838-5923 or by email at ssteiman@steimanlaw.com CNG Networking Group is an Orthodox Jewish networking group which meets in Queens and Long Island. The attorney subgroup of CNG has 8 members with various specialties: Trusts & Estates, Real Estate, Matrimonial, Criminal, Personal Injury, Trademarks/Copyright, Tax, Non-profits, Litigation. We welcome questions from readers on a wide range of legal matters. Please submit your legal questions to SchechterLaw@ gmail.com. While we do not provide specific legal advice, we hope to present readers with a greater understanding of the issues presented and potential means of resolving difficulties. No column is a substitute for competent legal advice. Please consult with the attorney of your choice concerning specific legal questions you may have.
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T
he articles I write are generalized to be relevant to as broad a base as possible, while fitting into the space constraints afforded this article. They are not all-inclusive, but are rather intended to educate you, the reader, about various tax issues that may be relevant to you or someone you know, and for which you may want to explore in more depth, possibly by consulting with a tax attorney. Therefore it comes as no surprise that following last month’s tax article (entitled, Am I a New Yorker and Do I Really Want to Be One?), I received an email questioning whether everything I included was enough to prove that somebody was not a New York resident, since merely not living in New York will not stop you from being a New Yorker for tax purposes unless you can also document that you established residency elsewhere. I concur and took that as a given. You raised a good follow-up question; I hope I have now made that even clearer. Now onto this week’s question.
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ast week, we talked about the IRS Criminal Investigation unit, which just released their Fiscal 2012 report. That report was filled with the sort of dry statistics you would expect from an IRS annual report: 5,125 total investigations launched, 202 crooked tax preparers indicted, 199 identity thieves sent to prison, and 64 months average time behind bars for money launderers. But the report also includes dozens of stories of tax cheats who really just should have known better — and some whose stories are so entertaining we just had to share them. Are you having a bad day? Well, be glad you’re not one of these people! • Michael Gerace owned Abbott Pizza in Buffalo, New York, where he cooked up delicious pizzas, calzones, and strombolis. He also cooked up a fake set of books for his accountant, shorting Uncle Sam about 500,000 pepperonis over three years. Now, instead of serving happy customers, Geraci is serving 21 months in prison. Here’s hoping the warden recognizes his talents and assigns him to the kitchen instead of the license plate shop! • Miguel Vasquez was a tax preparer in suburban Philadelphia. In 2008 and 2009, he prepared 1,654 fraudulent tax returns claiming fake deductions for fake business losses and applying for fraudulent refunds. Bad move, right? As if that wasn’t bad enough, he failed to report the income he earned from defrauding the government on his own tax return! Vasquez can look forward to 10 years in jail, plus a $1.6 million fine. • Evelyn Wells and her daughter Cassandra Dean recruited friends and family to file false tax returns using fabricated W-2s reporting fabricated employers and fabricated withholding amounts. Those co-conspirators then claimed very real cash refunds. Wells drew a year and a day in prison, while her daughter drew 21 months. We’re all for “family values.” But this hardly seems like the sort of activity you want to share with the kids! • Veronica Dale worked for a
company that serviced Medicaid beneficiaries, where she stole personal information. She and various co-conspirators used that information to file over 500 fraudulent returns and request $3,741,908 in tax refunds. Dale drew 334 months in prison and a $2.8 million fine. Identity theft has become a top target for IRS criminal investigators, but not everyone seems to have gotten that memo. • John Walshe owned Finzer Business Systems in Denver. From 2005 through 2007, he withheld $912,286 in income tax and FICA contributions from his employees’ paychecks, but “forgot” to send it to the IRS. (He also stole $18,853 in 401k contributions, but who’s counting?) Walshe was sentenced to 46 months in the hoosegow, where he’ll have a hard time earning enough to pay his $1.3 million fine. • Miguel Angel Trevino Morales and his brother Omar raised quarter horses at a farm in sleepy Lexington, Oklahoma (population 2,152). The farm turned out more than its fair share of winners, including one named Mr. Piloto who scored a million-dollar purse at Ruidoso Downs. But the farm also turned out horses with curious names like “Number One Cartel” and “Coronita Cartel.” It turns out (spoiler alert) that the brothers were laundering cash for Mexican narcotrafficantes. Associates bought horses at auction, sometimes paying with duffel bags of cash. Authorities indicted the Trevinos and seized over 400 horses worth $12 million. Look, we know you want to pay less tax. But you don’t have to risk time behind bars to do it. You just need the right plan. The Tax Code is so complicated that there are actually more ways to save legitimately than there are to cheat. So make sure you have a plan to save more tax and sleep well, too! 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.
Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS
Is it Memorial Day Weekend?
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et out your winter coats, rain gear, wind shield. The weekend was off to an erratic start—rain, blustering winds, possible snowstorm. Anyway you looked at it, definitely not a beach day! Saturday rolled around. Rain, wind, cold, finally late sun; still quite iffy on the beach weather. Sunday: cloudy but the sun did come out; unfortunately, it ting here staring out at that beautiful forgot to call for heat backup. day. Who knew our shade would be Ahhh, Monday, Memorial Day the only one missing? Couldn’t close itself showed up. Sun, glorious sun! it even if we wanted to. And some warmth, It’s the ultimate too. And there I was tease. At least there off to the airport on are no swimmers or my way to stormy, BBQ-ers camped out cold Chicago. In on the runway rubIt’s all systems fact, so stormy, my bing it in! “go” but the flight was delayed an Memorial Day hour even though the heralds the beginplane hasn’t plane was uniquely ning of summer fun. “gone” an inch. here and waiting. I’m not sure I’d call When they fithis fun! nally boarded us, I Though, with the had the pleasure of right attitude, maybe looking out the winyou could call it fundow at the gorgeous sunshine. And ny. Get on, get off, get up, sit down, looking and looking... The plane went bags up, bags down. Groundhog Day nowhere. It seemed the electric power all over again! Thankfully, I’ve got decided to take off. So we didn’t! No my trusty pedometer on registering A/C. every step I take. And with all the lift“Everyone off the plane.” We ing, I’m not even missing the gym. took our stuffed bags down from the Woah! We’re finally up. Look at overhead bins and started to deplane. me, I’m right up here, one with the “Wait A/C’s back on. Everyone return sun. I may not have made it to the to your seats.” About face. Reversals beach but I am getting a strong dose in progress. “Sorry, A/C’s back off of sunshine. No obstacles. Clear blue everyone back off the plane.” Schlep, skies. schlep, schlep…here we are back at There’s always a bright spot if you Gate D7. Maybe we are staying in NY can find it. I think we’re circling it after all. Beach blanket here I come! right now! “A/C’s is on – everyone re-plane.” Hope you had a wonderful MeSo I guess I’m off to rainy Chicago morial Day weekend and that a sunafter all. When you’re not meant to shine-filled summer is ahead for us catch the rays, you’re not meant to all! catch the rays. My flight was scheduled for 12:20. The wedding in Chicago is at 5:00. Rivki Rosenwald is a certified life coach It’s anyone’s guess if we’ll make it. and relationship counselor, as well as a ‘Cause it’s all systems “go” but the space design consultant. She can be conplane hasn’t “gone” an inch. tacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenIt’s 3:00 here in NY. I’m still sit- walds.com.
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Village of Lawrence Trustee Michael Fragin marching with his daughters Capt. Danny Gluck of the Nassau County Auxiliary Police’s 4th Precinct South Unit, which serves the Five Towns, Oceanside, Island Park, Pt. Lookout and Lido Beach, helped the HewlettWoodmere Memorial Day Parade organized by the Fire Departments, Business Association and Public School District with the closing off streets and security for the outstanding event. He is pictured here with Legislator Howard Kopel.
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Sale valid 6/2/13 thru 6/7/13. Cash & Carry only. We reserve the right to limit quanitities on sale items. Not responsible for typographical errors. While supplies last.
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YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO JOIN THE CELEBRATION OF OUR
Nineteenth Annual Siyum WHERE OVER 70 TALMIDIM WILL COMPLETE MESECHTA KESUVOS
חקת SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2013 12:00 PM YESHIVA OF FAR ROCKAWAY 802 HICKSVILLE ROAD FAR ROCKAWAY, NY 11691
MELOHN
GUEST SPEAKER
Rabbi Sholom Kamenetsky, Shilta Rosh HayeshivaYeshiva Gedolah of Philadelphia
ABAYA SAID: I DESERVE A REWARD BECAUSE WHEN I SEE A YOUNG SCHOLAR FINISH A MESECHTA I MAKE A YOM TOV FOR ALL TALMIDIM. (SHABBOS 118A)
PICTURES ARE FROM LAST YEARS SIYUM
Mazel Tov to the Following Mesaymim:
MESECHTA TAANIS:
Klein, Shmuel Koschitzki, Nossi Kramer, Yoel Laufer, Aryeh Lichtenstein, Shalom Lieberman, Yisroel Menachemov, Daniel Menashy, Binyomin Messner, Elchonon Messner, Yehoshua Messner, Yitzchok Metz, Raphael Munk, Yisroel Mushayev, Yosef Reich, Binyamin Rosenbaum, Gavriel Rube, Shmuel Samuels, Ariel
Gewirtz, Eli Ghoori, Chaim Yehuda Gold, Aryeh Leib Gold Yossi Goldstein, Netanel Goodman, Shimon Goodman, Yaakov Hillel Greenberg, Avrohom Greenberg, Meir Gross, Yaakov Grumet, Shlomo Grumet, Yosef Haller, Meir Henesch, Dovi Huttler, Aryeh Katz, Shimon Keilson, Dovid Klein, Daniel
Adler, Moshe Azerad, Daniel Bachrach, Yisroel Beniawski, Yisroel Berkowitz, Eliyahu Birnbaum, Aaron Borenstein, Nechmya Brown, Eliezer Braun, Gavriel Cohen, Simcha Devor, Zecharia Eisenberg, Eliyahu Engel, Asher Feldstein, Naftali Feller, Chaim Frank, Reuven Frankel, Yekusiel Friedman, Akiva
Biegelisen, Yakar Mermelstein, Ari Abramov, Yosef
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Samuels, Tzvi Setton, Avrohom Shonek, Yeshaya Shonek, Yisroel Meir Silverstein, Shimon Sittner, Aharon Eliyahu Sittner, Yechiel Slansky, Aronie Slansky, Eli Slansky, Tzachi Steier, Avrohom Stern, Binyamin Trachtenberg, Yosef Yitzchok Ullman, Avraham Eliyahu Wein, Shimon Yushuvayev, Emanuel Zacharowitz, Uri
Hollander, Yaakov Khaimov, Asher Levy, Yehuda
Rosenbaum, Binyomin Termechi, Yosef Toiv, Moshe Wolf, Nachum
THANK YOU TO ALL THE REBBEIM WHOSE EFFORTS MADE THIS POSSIBLE
Rabbi Nosson Greenberg Rabbi Chaim Shlomo Metz Rabbi Eli Braunstein
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THANK YOU TO ALL THE BOCHURIM WHO SAID SHIURIM FOR THE MESAIYMIM: Eli Gewirtz, Shimon Goodman, Yosef Grumet AND THE FOLLOWING NOSEI VNOSNIM: Rabbi Aaron Indig and Rabbi Avi Weller Rabbi Yechiel Perr Rosh Yeshiva
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