Five Towns Jewish Home 2-27-14 by The Jewish Home

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Israel’s Groom THE MIRACULOUS STORY OF IDF COMMANDER AHARON KAROV’S BRUSH WITH DEATH AND JOURNEY TO RECOVERY

PAGE 78

Celebrating Achievements at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov

PAGE 77

Hidden Sparks Helps Local Schools Achieve Advances in Education PAGE 59

Page 100

Chaos in Ukraine Page 12

Guess Who’s Back in Town?

Uncle Moishy

Fun Page – See pages 26 & 27 –

– See page 32 –

Page 90

T H E J E W I S H H O M E n FEBRUARY 27, 2014

3 T H E J E W I S H H O M E n FEBRUARY 27, 2014

hAVE fUN wITh Us thIS pURIM.

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THE JEWISH HOME n F E B R U A RY 2 7 , 2014

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Th is S

Chag HaSemikhah 5774

ha b

bo s!

Celebrating the Next Generation of Rabbinic Leaders

RIETS Chag HaSemikhah Community Shabbaton Please join us as we celebrate our community’s newest RIETS musmakhim

Shabbos Parshas Pekudei/Shabbos Shekalim

I February 28 – March 1, 2014

Roshei Yeshiva will join with musmakhim to celebrate this milestone with the entire community. Young Israel of Woodmere 859 Peninsula Boulevard, Woodmere

Irving Place Minyan 111 Irving Place, Woodmere

Congregation Beth Sholom 390 Broadway, Lawrence

• Friday pre-Maariv, Rabbi Menachem Penner, Acting Dean • Chumash shiur, 8:15 a.m., Rabbi Robby Charnoff, musmakh • Drasha, “The Mishkan, the Synagogue and the Jewish Home: Creating the Right Environment,” Rabbi Eliakim Koenigsberg, Rosh Yeshiva • Dvar Torah at 8:30 a.m. Ashkenaz minyan, Rabbi Eitan Lipstein, musmakh • Shiur following 5:25 p.m. mincha, Rabbi Hershel Schachter, Rosh Kollel and Rosh Yeshiva

• Drasha, Rabbi Robby Charnoff, musmakh • Shalosh Seudot, Rabbi Reuven Garrett, musmakh

• Drasha, Rabbi Menachem Penner, Acting Dean • Shalosh Seudot, Rabbi Avi Miller, Assistant Rabbi of Congregation Beth Sholom, musmakh

Congregation Aish Kodesh 894 Woodmere Place, Woodmere • Shabbos morning drasha, Rabbi Hershel Schachter, Rosh Kollel and Rosh Yeshiva • Shalosh Seudot, Rabbi Tzvi Wilbur, musmakh

Woodsburgh Minyan 850 Keene Lane, Woodsburgh • Shalosh Seudot, Rabbi Daniel Schwechter, musmakh

Bais Avrohom Zev 2 Rockaway Turnpike, Lawrence

Young Israel of Hewlett 1 Piermont Avenue, Hewlett

• Shalosh Seudot, “From Ta’anis Esther to Purim: A Natural Progression,” Rabbi Eliakim Koenigsberg, Rosh Yeshiva

• Shabbos shiur, 4:40 p.m., “A Brief History of Semikhah,” Rabbi Reuven Garrett, musmakh

Congregation Shaaray Tefilah 25 Central Avenue, Lawrence • Friday pre-Maariv, Rabbi Mayer Twersky, Rosh Yeshiva • Shalosh Seudot, Rabbi Etan Schnall, Rebbe, YU’s Stone Bais Medrash Program

Congregation Anshei Chesed 1170 William Street, Hewlett • Shalosh Seudot, “Zman Seudas Purim,” Rabbi Michael Finkelstein, musmakh

Congregation Kneseth Israel 728 Empire Avenue, Far Rockaway

Congregation Bais Ephraim Yitzchok 812 Peninsula Boulevard (Island Avenue), Woodmere

Beis Tefillah of North Woodmere 1000 Rosedale Avenue, North Woodmere

• Shabbos Shiur, 4:30 p.m., Rabbi Hershel Schachter, Rosh Kollel and Rosh Yeshiva

• Drasha, Rabbi Chesky Gewirtz, Rabbi of Beis Tefillah North Woodmere, musmakh

Bais Tefilah of Woodmere 409 Edward Avenue, Woodmere

Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst 8 Spruce Street, Cedarhurst

• Friday pre-Maariv, Rabbi Eliakim Koenigsberg, Rosh Yeshiva

• Drasha, main minyan, Rabbi Meyer Twersky, Rosh Yeshiva • Drasha, 8:30 a.m. minyan, Rabbi Yaakov Trump, Assistant Rabbi of YILC, musmakh • Shiur, after 8:30 a.m. minyan (approximately 10:50 a.m.), “Kriat Megilat Esther: Publicizing the Miracle of Purim as a Means of Internalizing Its Messages,” Rabbi David Weiss, musmakh • Shalosh Seudot, Rabbi Menachem Penner, Acting Dean

Bais Knesset North Woodmere 649 Hungry Harbor Road, North Woodmere • Drasha, Rabbi Steven Mermelstein, musmakh

• Friday pre-Maariv, Rabbi Shay Schachter, Assistant Rabbi of Kneseth Israel, musmakh • Chumash shiur, 8:30 a.m., Rabbi Etan Schnall, Rebbe, YU’s Stone Bais Medrash Program • Drasha, Rabbi Shay Schachter • Pre-Mincha shiur, 4:20 p.m., “Inyaney Purim,” Rabbi Mayer Twersky, Rosh Yeshiva • Shalosh Seudot, Rabbi Mayer Twersky Bais Medrash of Harborview 214 Harborview South, Lawrence • Friday pre-Maariv, Rabbi Etan Schnall, Rebbe, YU’s Stone Bais Medrash Program

RIETS is proud to honor more than 200 musmakhim, many of whom have strong connections to the Five Towns/Far Rockaway community. Rabbi Chaim Basch Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin Rabbi Daniel Bauer Rabbi Yosef Bronstein Rabbi Robert Charnoff Rabbi Etan Ehrenfeld Rabbi Yaakov Ehrenkranz Rabbi Michael Finkelstein

Rabbi Reuven Garrett Rabbi Tzvi Geffner Rabbi Steven Genachowski Rabbi Chesky Gewirtz Rabbi Maury Goldsmith Rabbi Noah Greenfield Rabbi Seth Grossman Rabbi Saul Haimoff

Rabbi Yaakov Hoffman Rabbi Reuven Lebovitz Rabbi Jesse Lempel Rabbi Darren Levin Rabbi Eitan Lipstein Rabbi Eytan London Rabbi Daniel Lowenstein Rabbi Steven Mermelstein

Rabbi Avi Miller Rabbi Ami Neuman Rabbi Brian Platt Rabbi Joshua Rosenfeld Rabbi Benjamin Samuels Rabbi Shay Schachter Rabbi Daniel Schwechter Rabbi Tzvi Selengut

Rabbi Yaakov Trump Rabbi Jonathan Weinberg Rabbi David Weiss Rabbi Tzvi Wilbur Rabbi Avraham Yablok

For more information about this community program, the Chag HaSemikhah or sponsorship opportunities, please email yulongisland@yu.edu.

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>>Letters to the Editor

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>>Community Readers’ Poll. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Community Happenings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

>> News National . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Odd-but-True Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

>> Israel Israel News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 My Israel Home: The Art of Negotiation. . . . . . . . 119 Op-Ed: A Time for Protest, by Larry Domnitch. . . 91

>> People Cover Story: Israel’s Groom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Conquering the Skies: The North American P-51 Mustang. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

>>Parsha The Shmuz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

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No Business Like Snow Business, y Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

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Friday, February 28 Parshas Pikudei Candle Lighting: 5:27 Shabbos Ends: 6:27 Rabbeinu Tam: 6:59

by Lori Boxer, Weight No More Diet Center. . . . . 108

>> Food & Leisure Recipes: Eggs: They’re Not Just for Breakfast. . . .110 Recipes: Aussie Gourmet: Crazy for Kale. . . . . . . . 114 Kosherology: Heavenly Hamantashen . . . . . . . . . 124

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Global . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Israelis are made of strong stock. They exhibit a bedrock of emunah and a strength in the face of adversity. They are willing to charge forward regardless of any setbacks they may have endured. This week, our community opened its arms to an Israeli hero who captured the hearts of Jews worldwide on his miraculous journey from desperation to recovery. Tzvi Dear was able to meet with former Commander Aharon Karov to hear his miraculous story. What is most salient about Aharon’s story is his indefatigable optimism in the face of darkness. Aharon symbolizes the beauty of the strength found in the Israeli culture. Just hours after his wedding, he led his unit to fight on a daring mission. His wife’s and his love for Israel and for the Jewish people was so strong that they felt it was his duty to join his brothers in arms. Israelis have a steel core that drives them to do what they feel is right with conviction. After the tragic events that followed and Aharon’s miraculous recovery, he was able to move on because of his inner strength and because of the encouragement of Jews worldwide. Jews from all walks of life were pained by their brother’s tragedy and reached out to him with their words and prayers. Slowly, Aharon regained the use of his limbs and eventually, he reached out to those who prayed so hard for his recovery by sharing his deep emunah and love for Israel and Hashem. Aharon’s story is inspiring and moving. It is the story of strength, of emunah, of healing, and of hope. On a lighter note, make sure your little ones take a look at our new Uncle Moishy fun page. He’s back in town and we can’t wait to feature fun with Uncle Moishy every week!

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F E B R U A RY 2 7 , 2014

Letters to Dear Editor, The phenomenon called Meir Schuster never failed to amaze me. I personally witnessed the seemingly fearless powerhouse at the Kotel, speaking with Jews from all walks of life. So many owe Rabbi Meir zt”l their spiritual life— many became frum through him and all who met him were left with a wonderful impression of what a Jew, and especially a frum Jew, is. I know that it was the deep caring he felt for others that pierced their Jewish souls. How lucky is he to have the zechus of doing so much for our nation! May he continue to be a meilitz yosher for us in his chair next to the kisei hakavod. Danny Weiss West Hempstead, NY Dear Editor, 60 years ago a tree was planted by Rabbi Dr. Armin H. Friedman, founder and menahel of the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach-Yeshivat Lev. The seeds were cultivated in Europe and the young sapling was rooted in a house on the west end of Long Beach. Thereafter, a location by the seashore was chosen where a tree of Torah learning would have room to grow and flourish. There was water, the magnificent Atlantic Ocean, and sunlight

as the sapling was nurtured by members of the Long Beach Jewish community. Over time, the tree blossomed and bore fruit, countless numbers of talmidim who are products of a HALB education. The tree has also branched out to include a preschool, Lev Chana, and two high schools, SKA and DRS located in the Five Towns. It is truly heartbreaking to hear that there are now plans to uproot this well-established institution from its foundation and leave our soil barren. In essence, tearing down the HALB building can be compared to cutting down a fruit tree which we are commanded by the Torah not to do (Devarim 20:19). The HALB building in Long Beach is more than just mortar and bricks and should not be demolished since it represents Rabbi Dr. Friedman’s remarkable and miraculous triumph over Nazism. It is a symbol of the survival of Jewish children and the continuing legacy of Torah teachings and values. On the eve of my HALB graduation, Rabbi Friedman walked out onto the front stairs of the building and solemnly stated that he remembered the hot August night when the Jews from the Lodz Ghetto arrived at Auschwitz. My father Harry Morgenstern z”l and his family had been part of

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the Editor this transport in August of 1944. For the past 50 years, HALB has resonated with the voices and laughter of Jewish children. On the other side of the ocean, 70 years ago, children were tormented and murdered because they were Jewish. Shuls and Torah institutions were burned and destroyed. It was Purim at its finest hour when the groundbreaking for Yeshivat Lev took place at 530 West Broadway as our beloved menahel planted a majestic fruit tree in our community. Liba Morgenstern Adler Dear Editor, Don’t forget to patronize your neighOver the years, we borhood diner. have seen the demise of many in our area. Diners have been part of my life from teenage years to today. Eating out is a periodic ritual with either friends or family. Portions are generous. Who never took a doggie bag home with leftovers to eat the next day? Between the customary soup, salad, rolls, coleslaw and pickles along with the main course – dinner could satisfy the heartiest appetite. Many times, we bagged our desserts to go. Neighborhoods all over Queens have seen changes over time. Many new

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immigrant groups sometimes favor their own ethnic foods and restaurants. Diners have also lost customers over time to numerous fast food restaurants. Many of their menus have expanded to also include breakfast items and a greater variety of items to select from for lunch or dinner. In difficult economic times, it is important to patronize your favorite local diner if you want to see them stay in businesses. I don’t mind occasionally paying a little more to help our local businesses survive. Don’t forget your cook and server at your favorite local neighborhood restaurant. My wife Wendy and I try to tip 20 percent against the total bill including taxes. If it is an odd amount, we round up to the next dollar. If we can afford to eat out, we can afford an extra dollar tip. When ordering takeout, we always leave a dollar or two for the waiter or cook. It is appreciated. Why not honor the fond memories we had at the diners which have come and gone by visiting your neighborhood diner? Here’s hoping that the remaining diners don’t go the way of the dinosaurs into permanent extinction. Sincerely, Larry Penner

Purim is in the air! What is your favorite hamantash filling? Apricot 24% Poppy 9% Prune 4% Raspberry 63%

Global The Sochi Summary

ty elevator shafts, wild dogs roaming the streets and upside down toilet seats made visitors feel right at home—in Russia. Looking forward to winter 2018 in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Mexico’s Biggest Drug Lord Arrested

The head of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán—who was widely considered the world’s most powerful drug lord –was nabbed by U.S. and Mexican authorities in a surprise raid on a seaside hotel-condominium tower in a bustling Mexican beach resort this week, authorities said. Guzmán’s life story has become

folklore in Mexico. Born into poverty in the small town of Badiraguato in Sinaloa, he initially survived by selling oranges. He joined a drug cartel in the 1980s. After the leader was arrested in 1989, the boyish-looking Guzmán took over operations in Sinaloa, ruthlessly rising through the ranks using local politicians to help control trafficking routes, and building sophisticated drug tunnels into the U.S. through Arizona. Guzmán was eventually captured and spent 20 years in prison. But, in 2001, he infamously escaped from a high-security prison in a laundry cart. His escape only served to raise his stature in the eyes of his followers. According to Forbes magazine, Guzmán had a fortune estimated at more than $1 billion. He was known as “Mexico’s Osama bin Laden” and had a $7 million bounty on his head. Guzmán went on to break a non-aggression pact reached by the top Mexican cartels, seizing control of smuggling routes and leading to bloodbaths in Tijuana and Ciudad Juárez, which became known as the murder capital of the world. He sent squads of assassins with names such as “The Black Ones”

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Now that the 2014 Winter Olympics are over, we will miss the curling, skating and frigid sports that provided us with so much entertainment. But what memories will we come away with from this year’s Winter Games? Team USA took home a nice amount of medals—9 gold and 28 in total. Sounds nice, right? But although we won the second most medals in total, we only came in fourth in the gold medal category. But guess which country took home the most gold? Unsurprisingly, it was Putin’s nation that came in

at number one with 13 gold medals and 33 medals in total. Russia was followed by Norway, with 11 gold and 26 in total, and Canada, with 10 gold and 25 in total. Aside from the sports at Sochi, many will remember news broadcaster Bob Costas’ eye problems. When most people suffer from eye infections, it doesn’t get international attention. But Costas’ red eyes forced him off the job and he was only able to cover the games for the last week at Sochi. USA’s men’s hockey team also made memorable headlines when they ended a preliminary-round game in a 3-2 victory against Russia. That, unfortunately did not last as the team ultimately lost the bronze to Finland. But it was nice to have Americans focus on hockey for just a few moments. As the host of the Winter Games, Russia certainly didn’t disappoint critics. The opening ceremony provided ample material for late night comedians as only four of the five Olympic rings lit up as snowflakes. Perhaps that was foreshadowing the chaos that tourists and Olympians had to endure. Unsafe drinking water, pillow shortages, emp-

In News

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The Week

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The Week and “The Ghosts” to wipe out rivals. They once left a note with some corpses reading: “Don’t forget that I am your real daddy. El Chapo.” Guzmán’s cartel is estimated to operate in over 1,000 cities in the United States alone. The Sinaloa cartel is so powerful in Chicago that Chicago’s Crime Commission titled Guzmán as Chicago’s Public Enemy No. 1. The last

person to hold that title was Al Capone. Grand juries in at least seven U.S. federal district courts have handed up indictments for Guzmán on a variety of charges, ranging from smuggling cocaine and heroin into the United States to participating in an ongoing criminal enterprise involving murder and racketeering. Although there have been calls for Guzmán’s extradition to the U.S.,

In News it is unlikely that Mexico will give up possession of their biggest catch in their war on the drug cartels. According to authorities, Guzmán hid in Mexico’s mountainous region and was protected by locals. But eventually he grew tired of living in the mountainous region and returned to the cities of Culiacan and Mazatlán. Within the city, he moved around several homes con-

nected by an elaborate network of tunnels also linked to the city’s sewage system. The doors of the seven homes were reinforced with steel which enabled Guzmán to escape via the tunnels before marines could break down the doors. Authorities arrested him without incident after learning his whereabouts and tracking him for five weeks before movContinued on page 16

Chaos in Ukraine—A Nation Battling for its Political Soul The Ukraine is not only physically situated between Russia and Europe, but it is also an integral country in the ever-present power struggle between Russia and Europe. As the second largest of the former Soviet Union countries, the Ukraine city of Sevastopol is the headquarters for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The Ukraine’s various economic industries, such as steel and agriculture, have also been vital for Russia’s economy. It

accept the fraudulent election results and took to the streets. For 17 days, millions of Ukrainians staged nationwide nonviolent protests. At the end, new elections were held—under the watchful eye of a mass of independent monitors—and the pro-western opposition leader, Viktor Yushchenko, won the presidency. This was seen as a major blow to the pro-Russian faction of Ukraine and a victory for the Ukrainian people. In 2010, after his five year term in office, President Yushchenko once again faced off against the pro-Russian Yanukovych. Burdened by billions of dollars in loans and gas disputes with Russia that have seen supplies cut twice in three years, President Yushchenko was now highly unpopular Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Yanukovych in December with his people. The is generally believed that a strong Russia result was that the pro-Russian Yanuallied with Ukraine gives Moscow confi- kovych won the election. This time the dence and strength, particularly in deal- election was deemed by all to be fair and ing with Europe, while a Russia without accurate. Ukraine is weak to its core. For Europe, After taking office in 2010, it quickUkraine is a vital transit state— roughly ly became apparent that President Ya25 percent of the European Union’s nat- nukovych was picking up right where ural gas comes from Russia, and 80 per- he left off in 2004—his cent of that gas travels through Ukraine. government was filled In a geopolitical sense, the tug-of-war with political corruption. over the Ukraine is seen as a power Yanukovych’s 40-yearstruggle between Russian and Western old son quickly became values. one of the richest people In the first 13 years after Ukraine bein Ukraine. Yanukovych came an independent country in 1991, once again showed that the oligarchic clans were dominant and he was more interestthe country was mired in corruption. ed in Russia’s approval In 2004, Ukrainians waged the Orange than in participating in Revolution when it became clear that the European Union. pro-Russian forces engaged in election In November fraud and handed the presidential elec- 2013, protests broke tions to then-Prime Minister Viktor Ya- out once again after nukovich. Yanukovich was known as Yanukovych’s government rejected a “Moscow’s Man,” and had twice been far-reaching accord with the European jailed for violent crimes in his youth. Union in favor of stronger ties with RusBut the Ukrainian people refused to sia. Thousands of people, outraged that

a long-standing aspiration for integration with Europe had been ditched overnight, poured into central Kiev for peaceful protests. They occupied Independence Square for over three months. Despite his efforts to crackdown on the protesters, Yanukovych was unable to disperse them. But the rumblings came to a head and erupted into violent chaos last week when police fired upon the crowd. Mayhem ensued resulting in the deaths of 82 people. The streets were filled with scenes of rioting, burning buildings, police bombings and rubber bullets that also left up to 500 people injured. In a televised statement on Saturday, Yanukovych said he had no intention of resigning or leaving Ukraine and denounced the protests as “a coup d’état.” He declared, “I am not planning to leave the country. I am the legitimate president, and I am not going to resign.” He said that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him that he had spoken with President Obama and promised that “we will negotiate.” Within a few hours of that address, though, the Ukrainian Par-

liament voted to immediately oust him from office. Although Yanukovych has not been seen for days, Ukraine’s acting govern-

ment issued a warrant on Monday for his arrest, accusing him of mass murder for the death of tens of protesters. Since his hastily departure, the Ukrainian people have gotten a glimpse into the way their corrupt leader lived. His 343-acre estate features a huge manmade lake on which floats a full size pirate galleon complete with a casino, banqueting hall and personalized bottles of vodka. His garage is filled with dozens of luxury cars, motorbikes and classic vehicles, and the grounds feature a private zoo with sheep, pigs and antelope. Financial documents found in Yanukovych’s abandoned residence included a receipt for $12 million in cash. Another invoice was for a payment of $10 million. Some $110,000 was spent on curtains in a room called the “knight’s hall.” Another $1.5 million was spent on plants. Wooden decor for a handful of rooms cost $2.3 million. Many have said that Yanukovych’s estate should be turned into a museum— to show the people what happens when leaders are corrupt. With Ukraine’s bloodiest week behind it, the country still must figure out how to move forward both politically and economically. The parliament has set May 25 as election day for a new president. Yet, if history is a guide, the mere fact that elections will be held does not mean that the country will have stability. Faced with mounting debt and domestic problems, the next leader will have his or her work cut out for them.

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The Week ing in on him. They were first tipped off to him by tracking the cellphone of his chief deputy, who was known to always be in his presence.

Germany Arrests 3 Auschwitz Guards and Closes in on Other Nazis

This week, Germany arrested three elderly former guards who served at Auschwitz during the Holocaust. The Nazis, ages 88, 92 and 94, all lived in the southwestern German state of

Baden-Wurttemberg. The arrests followed months of investigations by the country’s central war crimes investigation unit which has zeroed in on some two dozen still surviving guards. The three elderly men underwent medical tests and then faced a judge who confirmed their fitness to be detained in a prison hospital. The 94-year-old is understood to be Hans Koenig, who was known as a “bruiser” in Auschwitz due to his alleged love of cruelty for its own sake. Authorities stated that three female suspects are expected to be charged later this year. Among those are Gertrud Elli Schmid, 92, who was a “merciless” officer who whipped inmates. Her daughter said her mother’s memory is failing but admitted: “We know she had something to do with Auschwitz.” Female suspect number two is Gisela Schneider, 90, who now lives in an OAP home in northern Germany. At Auschwitz she was a harsh disciplinarian who beat prisoners and who was often in charge of the standing cells – small, dark rooms where up to 15 people at a time were crammed in for minor rule infractions. It was not uncommon to leave people in these rooms

In News for days on end, causing the death of some or all of those confined. Female number three is identified only as Charlotte S., 94, who served at the Ravensbrueck concentration camp for women near Berlin. A fanatical Nazi, she was a dog handler who walked around the camp with an Alsatian that was trained to bite inmates. One prisoner said after the war that “many did not survive the maulings.”

Taliban: No More Talks about Prisoner Exchange

Despite promising rumors that the Taliban would be entertaining a prisoner exchange with the United States for the release of captive Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl,

the Taliban announced on Sunday that they have suspended “mediation” with the United States—at least temporarily. The talks were the best chance for the soldier’s release since his capture in 2009. On Sunday, Afghanistan’s Taliban released a terse statement to The Associated Press where Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid blamed the “current complex political situation in the country” for the suspension. “The leadership of the Islamic Emirate has decided to suspend the process for some time due to the current complex political situation in the country,” the statement read. “The process will remain suspended without the exchange of the prisoners until our decision to resume.” Mujahed did not elaborate on what “political situation” in Afghanistan led to the suspension of talks or say when they might resume. Afghanistan is in the middle of a presidential campaign ahead of an April 5 election. Two-term President Hamid Karzai cannot run again for office under the Afghan constitution. A U.S. official with knowledge of the talks said the cause of the suspension was not the result of any issue be-

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The Week tween the United States and Taliban. He declined to elaborate and spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists. Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, was last seen in a video released in December, footage seen as “proof of life” demanded by the U.S. Bergdahl is believed to be held in the border regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He was to be exchanged for five senior Taliban prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay.

Saudis Ban Unveiled Females from Schools On Monday it was reported that female employees and visitors not wearing a face veil are banned from entering girls’ schools in Saudi Arabia. The report in the Saudi Gazette cited a pamphlet sent by education departments to school principals, in which male and female school guards are instructed to abide by Islamic rules, regulations and directives and moral principles. They should avoid anything that violates the honor of the profession, the pamphlet added.

Additionally, the education departments said no female employee or student should be allowed to leave school before the end of school hours unless they have a written permission from the female school principal. The identity cards of drivers who transport female students in private cars should be checked. Additionally, men should not be allowed to enter the schools except in special circumstances after checking by the female in-charge and after taking precautions to prevent mixing between genders. Saudi Arabia, which has a religious police enforcing Islamic Sharia law, has a far from stellar record on women’s rights, and women are forbidden from driving in the country. But recently, a campaign urged women in the country to defy the driving ban and some have even posted videos of themselves driving, eliciting encouragement from women around the world. Even so, women are trying to make

In News strides in the rigid kingdom. Last week it was announced that the Saudi Gazette had appointed a female editor, a first in the kingdom. The news of the first female newspaper editor in the kingdom followed an announcement about the first female lawyer in Saudi Arabia. Despite its violation of human rights, Saudi Arabia recently won a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, being one of several countries with questionable human rights records to win seats in this body.

Oldest Known Holocaust Survivor Dies at 110

On Sunday, Alice Herz-Sommer, who was believed to be the oldest known Holocaust survivor, died at the age of 110 in London. Amazingly, she defied the Nazis and then lived to a ripe old age, surrounded by family and the music she loved. Interestingly, her story of survival along with her devotion to her music, “The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved my Life,” is up for an Oscar this upcoming week. Born in Prague in 1903, Alice learned piano from her sister at only five-years-old. She was married to Leopold Sommer in 1931 and gave birth to their son in 1937, two years before the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia. “This was especially for Jews a very, very hard time. I didn’t mind, because I enjoyed to be a mother and I was full of enthusiasm about being a mother, so I didn’t mind so much,” she recalled. Jews were allowed to shop for only half an hour in the afternoon, by which time the shops were empty. Most Jewish families were forced to leave their family apartments and were crammed into one apartment with other families, but her family was allowed to keep its home. “We were poor, and we knew that they will send us away, and we knew already in this time that it was our end,” she said. In 1942, Alice’s 73-year-old mother was transported to Terezin, then a few

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camp. It was first performed in Prague but got only one other performance before he was interned. “Brundibar” became a showpiece for the camp, performed at least 55 times including once when Terezin, which had been extensively spruced up for the occasion, was inspected by a Red Cross delegation in June 1944. The Nazis used the performance as propaganda for their cause. The opera featured in a 1944 propaganda film which shows more than 40 young performers filling the small stage during the finale. After liberation, in 1949, Alice left Czechoslovakia to join her twin sister Mizzi in Jerusalem. She taught at the Jerusalem Conservatory until 1986, when she moved to London. Her son, who changed his first name to Raphael after the war, made a career as a concert cellist. He died in 2001.

Sectarian Violence Rocks Iraq

Are the French Saying Au Revoir to the Beret?

The beret is to France as baseball caps are to America. But the numbers are showing that the French may be “fini” with the iconic wool hats. In the 1980’s the country produced several million berets a year, but last year it produced just 160,000. Thirty beret-making factories have shrunk to two and now that the final two have merged, France is left with one beret-making factory.

Why are these beautiful chapeaus declining in the land of fashion and style? One of the reasons may be price. Berets imported from the Czech Republic, from India and from China sell for as little as two euros. Men’s berets made by the French Laulhere sell for at least 40 euros. Mark Saunders, head of sales for Laulhere, argues that price isn’t everything. “There are berets and there are berets,” he pointed out. When wet, he says, Laulhere berets remain sweet-smelling. Imported berets give off an objectionable aroma. If you don’t want to smell like a wet wool sock, he says, you will wear only the traditional French. But Geoffrey Colvin of Fortune magazine begs to differ. He points out that berets are just not fashionable for the younger generation anymore. “In northwestern Spain, berets are worn universally by farmers and old-timers in general, but not by younger men. That seems to me to be the bigger issue,” he said. Men’s hats of all sorts have practically become extinct, he says, except for baseball caps. Perhaps beret-makers would be wise

Were you inspired by the remarkable life of

Aaron Sholom Tepfer ? ‫ע“ה‬

Can you share your inspiration with the Jewish community? As Iraq continues to slip back into chaos, 49 people were killed last week in multiple bomb attacks. One of the car bombs targeted mosques in Bagdad’s predominantly Shi’ite district. The other attacks occurred in predominately Shi’ite neighborhoods as well. Many have concluded that the attacks are being carried about by Sunni Islamist insurgents who have been gaining ground in Iraq over the past year and who are fierce rivals of the Shi’ites. The attacks came a day after a series of explosions in the capital left at least 23 dead. Iraq is experiencing a resurgence in violence to levels unseen since the worst of the country’s sectarian bloodletting began to subside in 2007. The nation saw the highest death toll last year with 8,868 people killed, according to United Nations figures.

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F E B R U A RY 2 7 , 2014

months later to Treblinka, an extermination camp. “And I went with her of course till the last moment. This was the lowest point in my life. She was sent away. Till now I don’t know where she was, till now I don’t know when she died, nothing,” Alice recalled. “When I went home from bringing her to this place I remember I had to stop in the middle of the street and I listened to a voice, an inner voice: ‘Now, nobody can help you, not your husband, not your little child, not the doctor.’” From then on, she took refuge in the 24 Etudes of Frederic Chopin, a dauntingly difficult monument of the repertoire. She labored at them for up to eight hours a day. She recalled an awkward conversation on the night before her departure to concentration camp in 1943 with a Nazi who lived upstairs and called to say that he would miss her playing. She remembered him saying: “‘I hope you will come back. What I want to tell you is that I admire you, your playing, hours and hours, the patience and the beauty of the music.’” Other neighbors, she said, stopped by only to take whatever the family wasn’t able to bring to the camp. Alice and her family were sent to a concentration camp in the Czech city of Terezin. An estimated 140,000 Jews were sent to Terezin and 33,430 died there. About 88,000 were moved on to Auschwitz and other death camps, where most of them were killed. Interestingly, inmates were able to stage concerts in the camp and Alice frequently starred in these events. Alice and her son were among the fewer of the 20,000 inmates who were freed by the Soviets in 1945. Her husband died of typhus in Dachau. Ever an optimist, Alice said she remembers the concerts as the highlight for many in the depths of horror. “These concerts, the people are sitting there, old people, desolated and ill, and they came to the concerts and this music was for them our food. Music was our food. Through making music we were kept alive,” she once recalled. Survivors who remembered the concerts recalled that they brought them hope. “For that hour they were transported back to their homes and they could have hope.” The camp’s artistic side was a blessing; young Stephan, then 6, was recruited to play a sparrow in an opera. “My boy was full of enthusiasm,” Alice recalled. “I was so happy because I knew my little boy was happy there.” The opera was “Brundibar,” a 40-minute piece for children composed by Hans Krasa, a Czech who was also imprisoned in the

In News

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The Week to market these head covering to today’s pop stars and to concentrate on women, Colvin opines. Additionally, adding sequins or precious stones to the caps would help customize them for the customers. The French government is coming to the beret’s defense. President Francois Hollande has launched a campaign called “Made in France” to help Laulhere and other slumping companies that make products intrinsic to the French image. Hold onto your hats, Frenchmen, they may just came back into style.

Korea took over the bottom spot from Iran, whose rating rose from 9% to 12% this year. North Korea’s favorability has not exceeded 15% since 2002, consistently making it one of the lowest rated. But this is the first time since 2004 that it has been alone in last place. North Korea’s position at the bottom of the list is mainly attributable to a slight improvement in Americans’ opinions of Iran. Iran had been the worst-rated country since 2004. North Korea now immediately trails Afghanistan (14%), Syria (13%), and Iran (12%).

90% having a favorable opinion of our friends across the pond. Israel came in 7th, with 72% of Americans having a favorable opinion of it. Forty-five percent of Americans said they had a favorable perception of Egypt, and only 19% had a favorable opinion of the Palestinian Authority.

Jordanian Sheikh Declares “Palestine” to Be a Fabrication

Israel Netanyahu Visits Treatment Center for Syrian Victims

Americans Heart Israel, Hate North Korea Americans are opinionated and aren’t shy about expressing their views— especially about other countries. Unsurprisingly, according to a Gallup’s 2014 World Affairs poll, Americans rate North Korea the least favorably of 22 countries rated, with 11% having a favorable opinion of the country. North

In News

But Americans like our neighbor to the north. The poll found that 93% of Americans find Canada favorable, making it the highest rated country by Americans, followed by England, with Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited an Israeli Defense Force base in the Golan Heights which has served as a field hospital for those injured in the protracted Syrian civil war. “On the day when negotiations between the world powers and Iran open in Vienna, it is important that the world see the picture from this place,” said the Israeli leader. “A place that separates the good from the bad in the world. The good part is that Israel is saving the lives of victims of the daily massacre being carried out in Syria. These are the true colors of Israel.” “From here, all that is left to tell the world today is that although the negotiations began today between Iran and the world powers, Iran has done nothing to change its aggressive and harmful policies; Iran has not changed its cruel tone and continues to support Assad’s regime while he massacres his own people. These are the true colors of Iran. The world must not forget this,” clarified Netanyahu. Just as Netanyahu and senior Israeli officials were finishing up their tour of the Golan Heights, two mortar shells fell in the Golan from the direction of Syria. Although no injuries or damages have been reported, it appears that the bombs were misfired within Syria and ended up in the Golan Heights.

It is no secret that the Palestinian’s claim to Israel is based on fabricated history, but it is surprising who is now defending Israel’s position. In a Facebook posting by Sheikh Ahmed Aladoan of Amman, a member of Jordan’s wellknown Adwan tribe, he noted that there is no such place as “Palestine,” and provided references from the Koran to back up his assertion. He noted a passage in the Koran that says that the land was bequeathed to the Jews. The sheikh even went further and accused the Palestinians of killing children, the elderly and women, of using human shields, and of having not an ounce of mercy for even their own children. Obviously, the sheikh’s words caused a storm in the Arab media. The Adwan tribe issued a statement distancing itself from Sheikh Aladoan’s remarks. But the sheikh was not intimidated, and insisted he would continue to make his voice heard on these matters. Last year, Sheikh Aladoan visited Israel and spent time with the chief rabbi of Tsfat, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu. The sheikh informed Rabbi Eliyahu and his students that in the Koran, “There is no name ‘Palestine’ for this land, and therefore, the Arabs should not be fighting the Jews over control of this land.”

U.S. Killer Dies after Shootout with Israeli Special Forces In 1997, Samuel Sheinbein fled to Israel after murdering another man in Maryland. The case at the time sparked controversy after he successfully sought refuge from extradition. In 1999, Sheinbein was tried and sentenced to

But the end came swiftly for the coldhearted killer. This week, Israeli special forces raided the prison where Sheinbein was incarcerated after hearing reports that an inmate stole a gun. Sheinbein had stolen the weapon and then shot three guards, two of them seriously. According to a police spokesman, Sheinbein then barricaded himself inside the compound where a standoff ensued, with counter-terrorism units dispatched to the scene. He then opened fire again, wounding three more guards, before the forces shot him dead. Following the international controversy in 1997, Israel changed its laws to allow the extradition of Israeli citizens on condition that they are returned to Israel to serve any sentence imposed.

Palestinians Prefer Buying from the Kochol v’Lavan

Unfortunately, there has been support worldwide for the call for the boycott of Israeli products. Supposedly, activists believe that the boycott will

further the Palestinian cause. But interestingly, Palestinian Arabs are increasingly becoming major consumers of Israeli products. According to a survey, which was reported on by Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds, 70 percent of the Palestinian Authorities imports come from Israel. Israel does not restrict imports to the Palestinian-controlled areas, and Israeli goods sold there must compete with those imported from Europe and other Arab states. The reason Israeli products are doing so well is simply because Palestinian Arabs prefer them, several Palestinian merchants told the newspaper. For Palestinians, Israeli products are less expensive than European imports, but of much higher quality than cheaper Arab-made alternatives. This survey highlights the glaring misperceptions worldwide against the Israeli State. Advocates of the BDS movement would do themselves a favor to take a look at this recent poll.

Lebanese Say Israeli Air Raid Kills Militants

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Mr. & Mrs. Marcus Blumkin The Lebanese media reported on Monday that 21 Israeli warplanes have struck Hezbollah targets near the Lebanese-Syria border. “A number” of Hezbollah militants were killed in the airstrike, according to pan-Arab news channel Al Arabiya. The target was a “missile base,” Al Arabiya quoted the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as saying. The hits were reportedly near the Lebanese towns of Janta and Yahfoufa, and were carried out by multiple planes on multiple targets. According to the Lebanese newspaper Daily Star, IAF jets flew two bombing sorties against a Hezbollah post in the Nabi Sheet area on the border between Lebanon and Syria. A Lebanese security source was quoted by The Daily Star as saying that Janta is known to be a hotbed of Hezbollah recruitment and training. It is also con-

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24 years imprisonment for the slaying and dismemberment of 19-year-old Alfredo Enrique Tello Jr. Sheinbein was 17-years-old at the time of the murder and he could have faced life in prison if convicted in the United States. His extradition to Maryland was blocked after a yearlong battle between Israel and the United States over an Israeli law that prohibited it because his father was born in Israel and Sheinbein then qualified for Israeli citizenship.

In News

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The Week sidered a key stop on the route through which arms are smuggled between Lebanon and Syria. Thus far, the Israeli army has refused to comment on the reports. Additionally, Hezbollah denied the airstrike on their television network alManar. They said there had been “no raid on Lebanese territory,” reporting only the “strong presence of enemy planes over the area north of Bekaa” in eastern Lebanon. Foreign media reports have attributed five alleged Israeli air strikes on targets in Syria in 2013, reportedly to prevent the transfer of strategic arms to Hezbollah.

National New Law: DOD Must Purchase U.S. Made Flags The utmost symbol of pride for most Americans is the U.S. flag. Yet, many of them are not even made in America. Like many products purchased in America, they are made in the Red State of China. But now, under a new law signed as part of the 2014 appropriations bill, any flag purchased by the Defense De-

In News

partment is required to be 100 percent made in America. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., who wrote the legislation, said he did so for economic as well as symbolic reasons.

“I thought it was appalling our Department of Defense would have flags made in other countries,” Thompson told CBS San Francisco shortly after the legislation was signed into law on Wednesday. A similar bill requiring all government-purchased flags be made in the U.S. has repeatedly failed.

WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum: Silicon Valley’s Newest Billionaire The only thing more stunning than WhatsApp’s $19 billion price tag is the incredible journey of the messaging app’s CEO Jan Koum.

Koum, who is Jewish, grew up in a rural town in a house with no hot water or electricity outside Kiev in the Ukraine. He is the only child of a housewife and a construction manager. At 16, he and his mother immigrated to Silicon Valley in order to escape political unrest and anti-Semitism. Once in the U.S., Koum and his mother lived on food stamps. His father died in 1997, his mother in 2000. As a teenager, Koum taught himself computer programming. He did it by purchasing used books and returning them to the store when he was done with them. He enrolled in San Jose State University, but dropped out when he got a job at Yahoo as an infrastructure engineer. He was hired at Yahoo by Brian Acton. In 2007, Koum and Acton left Yahoo on the same day. In the summer of 2009, Facebook turned Acton down for a job. Like any other dejected interviewee, he used Twitter to express his glass half full

disappointment: “Facebook turned me down … looking forward to life’s next adventure.” But things turned around for him later that year. In 2009, Kuom and Acton started WhatsApp, which offers instant messaging without the fees that carriers often charge. It’s free for a year, 99 cents yearly after that, and does not show ads. WhatsApp has racked up 450 million users and is very popular overseas. Despite creating such a wild success, Kuom has shied away from the spotlight. He passes up television appearances and rarely gives interviews. His prestigious CEO title isn’t even listed on his social media accounts. On his LinkedIn profile, he lists himself as Whats Apps’s “QA Tester.” He previously said he was the company’s “Sr. Tweet Manager.” Koum owns 45% of WhatsApp, according to Forbes. That means that his share of the deal with Facebook is close to $7 billion. His humble beginnings appear to have instilled in him a strong work ethic and dislike for egotism; WhatsApp may be a global phenomenon but it has no sign at its office. “I can’t see a reason for there being a sign. It’s an ego boost,” the entrepreneur told Forbes. “We all know where we work.” As a symbolic measure, Koum insisted that the deal with Facebook be signed in front of the social services office where he and his mother collected their food stamps.

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American presidents work hard defending our country and providing American citizens with a quality way of life. But being the president of the most powerful nation on Earth has its perks, and many presidents have become wealthy (or even wealthier) after leaving the Oval Office. Every year, 24/7 Wall Street compiles a list of the nation’s wealthiest presidents. Interestingly, last year, the only living person to occupy the Oval Office to make the top ten list was former President Bill Clinton. His wife, Continued on page 28

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The Week former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, is the front-runner for the 2016 Democratic presidential ticket, according to most political pundits. Bill has made millions on lucrative book deals and more than $100 million on the speaking circuit. Secretary Clinton has recently begun to earn that kind of money as well. In all, the couple’s net worth is said to be around $55 million, making the Clintons one of the wealthiest presidential estates in history. I guess you can say it pays to be prez. But generally, at least recently, presidents make their money only after leaving the White House. President Barack Obama is not counted as one of the richest presidents. He currently receives a salary of $400,000 a year as president. The president’s annual income has actually dropped steadily since he entered office. In 2009, the president’s adjusted gross income was $5.5 million. That figure fell to less than $1 million in 2012. This is primarily due to a drop-off in revenue from his prior book deals. It is estimated that Obama’s net worth is around $7.5 million. So who were the richest presidents in our nation’s history? Here are the top

ten wealthiest commanders in chief to have occupied the White House. John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, came in tenth on the list with a net worth of $1 billion. He was born into wealth and his wife came from a wealthy family as well. Almost all of JFK’s income and property came from a trust shared with other family members. Bill Clinton came in at ninth on the list with a net worth of $55 million. The 42nd president didn’t inherit any wealth—he came from a poor family—but did earn substantial income from speaking and writing after leaving the White House. In fact, Clinton was paid $750,000 in 2011 for a speech in Hong Kong for Ericsson. The formidable FDR is the eighth wealthiest president. His net worth of $60 million came primarily from inheritance and through marriage. Herbert Hoover, the seventh wealthiest president, had a net worth of $75 million. Hoover was an orphan who was raised by his uncle. Ultimately, Hoover made his fortune in mining. Next on the list is LBJ. With a net worth of $98 million, the 36th president accumulated 1,500 acres in Texas and owned livestock and private aircraft.

In News James Madison was the fifth wealthiest president in our nation’s history. The fourth president had a net worth of $101 million and was the largest landowner in Orange County, Virginia. With a net worth of $119 million, Andrew Jackson was the fourth wealthiest president. Although he was considered to be “in touch” with the average American, he became one of the wealthiest presidents of the 1800s. Theodore Roosevelt came from a prominent family and received a sizable trust fund. The third wealthiest president had a net worth of $125 million. His 235-acre estate, Sagamore Hill, now sits on some of the most valuable real estate in Long Island. Thomas Jefferson, the second wealthiest president, received 3,000 acres of land from his father along with several dozen slaves. With a net worth of $212 million, the 3rd president’s estate was considered one of the architectural wonders of its time. George Washington was not only the first president of the United States. Comparatively, the Father of our Country was the wealthiest president of our nation with a net worth of $525 million. Washington’s Virginia planta-

tion, Mount Vernon, consisted of five separate farms on 8,000 acres of prime farmland run by more than 300 slaves. His wife, Martha, inherited significant property from her father. As president, Washington earned well more than subsequent presidents: his salary was 2% of the total U.S. budget in 1789.

Oh No de Blasio: Mayor’s Car Caught Speeding

In an episode of “do as I say, not as I do,” New York Mayor de Blasio is taking heat for violating many of the very traffic laws that he is placing renewed

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The Week emphasis on. Earlier last week, Mayor de Blasio announced a sweeping street-safety plan which included enforcing the city’s speed limit and making sure drivers obey traffic signs. “We’ve put a very bold plan before you, and we want the public to know we’re holding ourselves to this standard — and we intend to

achieve these goals,” he said at a press conference. Just two days after the press conference, de Blasio was caught riding in the front passenger seat of his Suburban which was going 15 MPH over the speed limit and which zipped through stop signs. In response to inquiries by report-

In News ers, de Blasio’s office issued a statement: “We believe public safety is everyone’s responsibility. We also recognize NYPD’s training and protocols, and refer questions related to security and transportation to them. With that in mind, Mayor de Blasio is firmly committed to the traffic safety policies outlined this week.”

The NYPD released a statement noting, “The security and transportation for the mayor are provided by the New York City Police Department. Police Department personnel assigned to the mayor’s Security Detail receive specialized training in driving based on maintaining security as well as safety.” The NYPD pointed out that under certain conditions the professional drivers of the NYPD may engage in driving tactics which are meant to protect the mayor and which may not conform to the rules of the road. Although this may be a plausible explanation at times, witnesses say that there were no other cars in the area and there was no reason the mayor’s vehicle could not have stopped before proceeding through the stop sign. So far the mayor seems to be doing well. He’s a great role model for our young drivers.

Man Wrongly Convicted for Werzberger Killing Gets $6.4 Million from NYC

David Ranta served 23 years in prison after he was convicted in 1991 of shooting Brooklyn Rabbi Chaskel Werzberger to death after a botched diamond robbery in Williamsburg. However, in March 2013, Ranta was cleared of the conviction and released from prison following a review by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office which cast doubt on witness testimony and concluded detectives had mishandled aspects of the investigation. One witness who identified Ranta as the killer said in a sworn statement that a detective had told him to “pick the one with the big nose” – Ranta – out of a police lineup. Less than two days after being released from prison, Ranta suffered a heart attack. He has been suffering from poor health since then. Although

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money can in no way buy back the years that he spent in jail, Ranta will now be able to live out his years with financial stability. According to lawyers involved in his case, Ranta settled his lawsuit against the City of New York for $6.4 million dollars.

Children have been humming the tunes from “The Sound of Music” for years. But the movie starring Julie Andrews was not just a happy fairytale. The story was based on the real-life events of the Von Trapp family who fled Nazi-occupied Austria. On Tuesday, Maria von Trapp, the last surviving member of the family and the second-eldest daughter, died at her home in Vermont. She was 99. Maria von Trapp was the last surviving member of the seven original Trapp Family Singers made famous in the movie. She was portrayed as Louisa in the 1959 Broadway musical and a 1965 film, which won the Oscar for best picture. Maria was the third child and second-oldest daughter of Austrian Naval Capt. Georg von Trapp and his first wife, Agathe Whitehead von Trapp. Their seven children were the basis for the singing family in the musical and film which told the story of an Austrian woman who married a widower with seven children and teaches them music. In 1938, the family escaped from Nazi-occupied Austria and performed concert tours throughout Europe and then on a three-month tour in America. The family settled in Vermont in the early 1940s and opened a ski lodge in Stowe. Von Trapp played accordion and taught Austrian dance with sister Rosmarie at the lodge. Maria remembered her childhood as one surrounded by music. “Father played the violin, accordion and mandolin. Mother played piano and violin,”

President Obama: Subpar

Congressman Truly Delivers

What can brown do for you? Well, if your UPS deliveryman is your congressman, he can do more than just deliver packages. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., has come up with one of the more creative ways to get to know his constituents: spend a day doing their jobs. Last Friday, while Congress was in recess for a district work period, the congressman donned a UPS uniform and helped deliver packages, often flying under the radar of residents in his Las Vegas district who didn’t notice him (until he said his name while handing over his delivery). The job training also afforded Horsford the opportunity to push for a top Democratic priority, an increase in the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour instead of the current $7.25. He lauded UPS, which pays its drivers an average of $32.50 an hour. Even entry-level truck loaders earn between $11 to $12 per hour, he said. “UPS stands as an example of a company that’s already doing great things,” Horsford said, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “And they do it because it’s good for their workforce. It’s good for the economy, but it’s also good for their customers.” The congressman didn’t slack off on the job. He arrived for his day of work at 8 a.m. and met with company officials and stretched before heading out on his route with a 16-year veteran named Mark Sidman. While Sidman drove, Horsford worked the handheld device to track deliveries along the route. According to the Review-Journal, Horsford was a fast learner. But the congressman bemoaned a rookie mistake. “I should have stretched more,” he said. There’s always next year.

with the PGA Tour, which was played just outside of Santa Monica over the weekend. The president, who is an avid golfer, is known to have a subpar golf game, but it is probably his politics not his golf game that is the target of the message.

Longest Serving Congressman to Retire

An anonymous artist in Santa Monica, California, really doesn’t think so highly of President Obama and has plastered posters with pictures of the president in various golf postures with the word “subpar” written on it. The images have been found on trashcans, in porta-potties, and on street benches. The appearance of the posters coincided

On Monday, Rep. John Dingell announced that he plans on retiring. But don’t think that this Michigan Democrat is slacking off. Dingell is the longest serving congressman in the nation. The congressman was elected when he was 29-years-old to his father’s seat

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Maria von Trapp Dies at 99

she recalled on a biography she posted on the family’s website. “I have fond memories of our grandmother playing the piano for us after meals.”

In News

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The Week in 1955 and has held it ever since. He has been a key player in some of the biggest liberal legislative victories of the past 60 years. “I don’t want people to be sorry for me. ... I don’t want to be going out feetfirst and I don’t want to do less than an adequate job,” said the 87-year-old Dingell, who cut a physically imposing figure in his prime but now uses a cane or motorized cart to get around the Capi-

tol. Some speculate that his 60-year-old wife, Debbie Dingell, may run for his seat. She repeatedly denied the rumor. In June, Dingell broke the record for the longest serving member of Congress held by the late Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, but his congressional experience goes back even further than his 1955 electoral win. As a congressional page in 1941, he watched firsthand as President Franklin D. Roosevelt called

In News on Congress to declare war on Japan in his “Day of Infamy” address. Dingell assembled a record that epitomized the power of the legislative branch of government. His longevity testifies to the formidable willpower of a man nicknamed “Big John” for his 6-foot-3 stature and his sometimes imperious demeanor. “John is one of the giants in American history,” said Republican consultant

and pollster Steve Mitchell. “There’s nothing like it.” Counting Dingell’s time as a page, the only person who rivaled the longevity of Dingell’s involvement in federal affairs was President John Quincy Adams, Mitchell said. Dingell said his “single most important” vote was for the 1964 Civil Rights Act that eliminated unequal voter registration requirements and outlawed racial segregation in schools, workplaces and public areas — a move he said almost cost him his seat. He also played a key role in the creation of the Medicare program in 1965, and wrote the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act and the 1973 Endangered Species Act. Dingell presided over the House when it passed Medicare, and he loaned the gavel he used that day in 1965 to Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the chamber’s approval of President Barack Obama’s federal health care overhaul in 2010. Dingell had introduced a universal health care coverage bill in each of his terms, and he said one of his proudest moments was sitting next to Obama as he signed the law. The congressman became known for sharply worded investigative letters dubbed “Dingell-grams” sent to agencies. If Dingell has a reputation for being hard-nosed, he also maintains the old congressional tradition of cordiality with colleagues, friend and foe. He lamented during his speech on Monday that Congress has grown deeply “rancorous” and “divided,” and has become “a disappointment” to him. That is not why he is leaving, he added, but it is time to “enjoy a little bit of peace and quiet.”

Working Even when Sick

According to a survey by NSF International, a public health and safety organization, if you’ve ever gone to work when you weren’t feeling well, you’re not alone. The survey found that at least one-quarter (26 percent) of American workers admits to going to work when they are sick. Although there are many reasons that people don’t stay home when they

Americans Don’t Believe Obama is Respected As the leader of the free world, we hope that the president of the United

States is respected in other world leaders’ eyes. But a recent Gallup poll shows that 53 percent of Americans don’t believe that President Obama is respected by world leaders; 41 percent believe he is respected abroad. Amazingly, when Obama took office in 2009, only 20 percent believed he wasn’t respected on the world stage—last year, the number went to 43 percent.

Interestingly, Obama’s “respectability perception” has been declining by Democrats and independents. Republicans have steadily believed that foreign leaders do not respect the president in the mid-70 percent range. Although Obama has reached a new low, it doesn’t rival former President George W. Bush’s numbers: in 2007,

only 21 percent of Americans believed he was respected by other world leaders. Ouch. What changed? Since the change seems to have to do more Americans’ perceptions of how world leaders view the U.S., not just other nations, Gallup suggests it could be related to “a series of tense moments in the past year between Obama and prominent foreign leaders,” which was largely the result of revelations that the National Security Agency was eavesdropping on other heads of state.

said in Dallas, Texas, on Thursday. “I mean I miss people I served with. I miss Air Force One. In eight years, they never lost my baggage.”

Bush: I Don’t Miss Being President

The former commander-in-chief made his comments while highlighting the Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative with Dr. Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Biden. He still holds a deep admiration for the country’s military men and women. “I do miss saluting men and women who volunteered to defend our nation during war,” he admitted. “Many are coming home and are preparing for new missions as civilians, and I intend to salute these men and women for the rest of my life.” Bush, who hosts an annual 100-kilometer mountain bike ride for wounded

For eight years, President George W. Bush ran the world’s most powerful country. But since leaving the White House, the former president has preferred to stay out of the limelight and spend time with his family. Asked about his years out of office, Bush candidly said, “A lot of people ask me, do I miss much about being president? The answer’s really no,” Bush

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don’t feel well, a majority of Americans indicate the major reason is because of workload. Many have deadlines or are afraid they will have too much work to make up if they take a sick day (42 percent), while nearly as many (37 percent) say that can’t afford to be sick and miss work. One of the more surprising results of the survey concerns how employees feel about co-workers coming into work sick. While 98 percent of Americans surveyed acknowledge that they do judge fellow co-workers who come in sick, their feelings aren’t generally negative. In fact, two-thirds (67 percent) of those surveyed consider sick co-workers to be hard workers, and only 16 percent feel that their colleagues who come to work sick are selfish or don’t care about the wellbeing of their co-workers. Achoo.

In News

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The Week vets and as well as a Warrior Open golf tournament, said he remains committed to ensuring veterans successfully transition to civilian life. “What most veterans want is to have their service understood and appreciated for what it is: A formative experience in their lives and a source of skills and values that prepare them to succeed in civilian lives,” Bush said. “Our veterans have defended the American people and now they want to experience the American dream.” He continued, “Veterans and employers both have a hard time translating military experience. That’s not surprising. You don’t see many job postings that say: ‘Wanted: Experience in hunting insurgents and terrorists. Willing to risk life for coworkers. What’s a veteran supposed to put down? ‘My last office was a Humvee?’” Bush also stressed the importance of dropping the word “disorder” from PTSD in order to “end the false stigma” affecting many veterans. “The problem with post-traumatic stress is not the condition itself. The problem is the stigma surrounding the condition,” Bush said. “As most doctors will tell you today, post-traumatic stress is not a disorder. Post-traumatic stress or PTS is an injury that can result from the experience of war, and like other injuries PTS is treatable.” The former president continued, “Veterans receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress are not damaged goods. They are not mentally shattered. They are people who got hurt defending their country and are now overcoming wounds,” he added. The former commander-in-chief said the Bush Institute, along with universities and employers, can help provide veterans with resources as they try to join the civilian workforce. “At the Bush Center, we believe it’s never too late to learn a new skill. Just ask Laura,” the president said referring to his wife. “I promise you, years ago she didn’t think she was marrying an oil painter,” he joked.

1 in 4 Americans Have More Credit Card Debt Than Savings A new survey from Bankrate.com finds that 28 percent of Americans say they owe more in credit card debt than they have in their emergency funds or savings accounts. That’s up from 24 percent last year. About 51 percent said

they have more in their emergency savings funds than they owe in credit card debt.

Bankrate.com found that Americans in their prime earning years—ages 30 to 64—were most likely to have more credit card debt than emergency savings. A word to the wise: stop swiping.

Don’t Laugh—There’s A Clown Shortage

While it might sound like a joke, Clowns of America International says a national clown shortage is no laughing matter. The Florida-based organization is the country’s largest trade organization for clowns. Clowns of America International President Glen Kohlberger told the New York Daily News that membership has plummeted since 2006. The U.S. is facing a shortage of face-painted jokesters due to attrition, Kohlberger said, with declining interest, higher standards and older clowns passing away. He also said that it is difficult getting the younger generation involved in clowning. Membership at the World Clown Association has dropped from about 3,500 to 2,500 since 2004. This raises an interesting question: does one need to be part of the World Clown Association to be considered a clown, because when I look around me all I see are a bunch of clowns?

In News Milk Has a New Life

Do you remember who won the famous duel against Alexander Hamilton on July 11, 1804? Most of us don’t remember the answer from history class; we know that Aaron Burr won the duel because of that celebrated “Got Milk?” commercial from years ago. Eating a peanut butter sandwich without a glass of milk is a no-no to many and those “Got Milk?” commercials made us smile. But now it’s time to wipe that milk mustache off your face. The Milk Processor Education Program is moving on from its nearly 20year national ad slogan “Got Milk?” to a new campaign called “Milk Life,” which aims to highlight milk’s nutritional benefits. It seems that Americans need to be reminded about the nutritional value of milk. The new campaign was kicked off on Monday. Everyday Americans, as opposed to celebrities, will be featured in the ads. In the old ads, famous faces sported milk mustaches proudly. Now, the leche won’t be on our faces. Did I hear you say, “Moo”?

Wisconsin National Guard Disgraces Fallen Soldiers

The Wisconsin National Guard has come under fire for photographs posted on social media by a funeral honor guard member. In one photograph, a

group of soldiers is seen joking around in front of what authorities say was an empty coffin draped with the American flag. The caption with that image reads, in part: “We put the FUN in funeral.” In another post, the soldier who put the pictures on the web is seen in uniform. The caption with that photo reads: “It’s so...cold out....WHY have a funeral outside?” The photos elicited a barrage of responses online, including one from a widow who wrote: “I wonder if my husband was treated with the dignity and respect he deserved. Did his honor guard make jokes about being at his service or complain about being there?” The soldier who posted the photos has been indefinitely suspended from the funeral honors detail pending an investigation into the matter. Officials also said that measures have been taken to assure the soldier’s safety, as she has been receiving death threats. I guess people really think her funeral would be fun.

Where Should the 99 Percent be Heading?

Ever since Mitt Romney campaigned for office, the term 99 percent has been found in many headlines and on many talk shows. The disparity between the haves and the have nots in the country feels like it has been widening. The rich seem to be getting richer and the poor seem to be spiraling into a life of debt and despair. Since 1979, the average income of the bottom 99 percent of U.S. taxpayers grew by 19%, while the average income of the top 1 percent grew more than 10 times as much—by 200.5%. “Obviously, we’ve known for more than a decade about these trends in rising top incomes nationally,” Mark Price, an economist, said. “What is affecting us as a nation is affecting all of us.” But don’t think that these disparities are equal in every state. For instance, Continued on page 40

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The Week the wealth gap in New York and Connecticut has reached Grand Canyon-size proportions (the wealthiest earn 40 times as much as the 99 percent in both states). But in a handful of states, the bottom earners are actually faring better than the super-rich — at least in terms of income growth. So where should the “99 percenters” be living? In Montana, New Mexico, Hawaii, Louisiana and Alaska, the 99 percent’s income actually rose in the years following the recession, while the 1 percent’s declined. It’s no coincidence that income gaps are smaller in states that aren’t exactly known for their booming business sectors. “Take New York state, which is the most unequal in terms of the gap between the 1 percent and the 99 percent, and that’s largely driven by the financial sector,” Price pointed out. “Part of what’s driving differences you see across states is the size of the financial sector and, of course, the relative concentration of top executives across the board.” It’s not just states that react differently. Cities within states show different trends. Recently, the Brookings

Institute found that large cities, for example, generally have higher income inequality compared to the rest of the country, while smaller cities tend to fare better in terms of wealth parity. In the 50 largest metro areas, the rich earn nearly 11 times as much as low-income households, while the national average is 9 times as much. In cities like Atlanta, San Francisco, and Miami, the richest households earn 15 times as much as their less-well-off counterparts. But hop over to smaller cities, with fewer big business hubs and more blue-collar jobs, and you’ll find households on more equal footing. A rich family in Arlington, Texas, earned just 7 times as much as a poor family in 2012. Virginia Beach, Va., had the lowest income gap of all, Brookings found, with the wealthiest households earning just 6 times as much as the poorest. Does that mean the grass is always greener where the income gap is smallest? Not exactly. States in the Midwest posted some of the biggest gains in 99 percent wealth in the years following the recession, but if you look just under the surface, you’ll find economies just

In News as susceptible to failure as any other. “There’s no question that that growth was driven most importantly by energy development, unemployment rates have been low and that’s helped boost incomes,” Price said. “But there’s great risk in a place like South or North Dakota. Once that energy boom goes away, all of that prosperity will go with it. Good times are followed by a bust.” If you’re part of the “99 percent” and are looking to move, consider these ten states when making the move. Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Hawaii, Wyoming, Washington, D.C., Oklahoma and South Dakota are great places to settle down. And the best place to call your home in the U.S.? North Dakota.

25 Children Paralyzed in CA Due to Illness At least 25 children in California have been sickened by a polio-like virus that is leaving them with paralyzed limbs. The cause of most of these cases are unknown and doctors are scratching their heads.

“What we’re seeing now is bad,” Keith Van Haren, a pediatric neurologist at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto, related. “The best-case scenario is complete loss of one limb, the worst is all four limbs, with respiratory insufficiency, as well. It’s like the old polio.” Symptoms include loss of the ability to move limbs, which leads to atrophy and causes muscles to shrivel. “They just dangle, like empty balloons,” the doctor added. The first known case appeared in Oakland in 2012, prompting health officials there to monitor case files, according to the report. Two more were recently discovered in the San Francisco Bay Area. According to Van Haren, the total number is “in the neighborhood

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The Week of 25,” all in California. “This is really very rare,” Van Haren said. “But we are asking any families who notice a sudden onset of weakness to see their doctors immediately.” Polio, an infectious disease that invades the nervous system and mainly affects young children, became one of the most dreaded diseases of the 20th century in the United States. There is no known cure for polio, which is “mainly spread by person-to-person contact and eating or drinking items contaminated with the feces of an infected person,” according to the Centers for Disease Control. A vaccination was developed in 1954 and a global push to eradicate the disease, launched in 1988, resulted in a sharp decline in polio cases. According to the World Health Organization, just 223 cases were reported in 2012. But in 2013, a polio outbreak in Syria resulted in more than 60 suspected cases. Officials blamed the outbreak on a lack of vaccinations in the war-torn country. Van Haren said additional tests confirmed the affected children in California “definitely do not have polio.” Still, the doctor is trying to get the word out to have others in other states come forward if they suffer from the mysterious symptoms.

Hagel: Army Needs to be Reduced

On Monday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called for the shrinking of the U.S. Army to its smallest size in decades. His announcement, which included other cuts, drew criticisms from many. The Army had already been preparing to shrink to 490,000 active-duty members from a wartime peak of 570,000. Hagel is proposing to cut it further to between 440,000 and 450,000. That would make it the smallest since just before the U.S. entered World War II. “We are repositioning to focus on the strategic challenges and opportunities that will define our future: new

In News technologies, new centers of power, and a world that is growing more volatile, more unpredictable, and in some instances more threatening to the United States,” Hagel said at a press conference at the Pentagon. He defended the proposed reductions in troop strength, as a trade-off for building up “technological superiority” and priorities like Special Operations Forces and “cyber resources.” But many didn’t agree with Hagel’s proposal. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, warned that the cuts would hurt military readiness. And he said the country is only in this position because the Obama administration and Congress will not seriously take on cuts to entitlements. “It’s all being sacrificed ... on the altar of entitlements. This president cannot take on mandatory spending, so all we’ve done in the Congress – and this president – is basically cut discretionary spending,” he told Fox News. The New York Times first reported on the proposed cuts. The changes reportedly would leave the military capable of waging war, but unable to carry out protracted occupations of foreign territory, as in Afghanistan and Iraq. Officials told the Times that Hagel’s plan has been endorsed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It calls for the Navy to maintain all 11 of its aircraft carriers currently in operation. However, the budget proposal mandates the elimination of the entire fleet of Air Force A-10 attack aircraft, as well as the retiring of the U-2 spy plane, a stalwart of Cold War operations. The budget plan does keep money for the F-35 warplane, a project which has been beset by delays and criticism over design flaws. Other characteristics of the budget will likely draw further ire from veterans groups and members of Congress. The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Hagel would recommend a limit on military pay raises, higher fees for health-care benefits, less generous housing allowances, and a one-year freeze on raises for top military brass. “This is a real uphill battle with Congress,” Mieke Eoyang, director of the National Security Program at Third Way, a centrist think tank in Washington, told the Journal. “G-d bless [Hagel] for trying to get a handle on these costs,” she said. “But in this political environment, in an election year, it’s going to be hard for members of Congress to accept anything that’s viewed as taking benefits away from troops.”

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That’s Odd

Richard Hudgins has cold feet—and I mean, really cold feet. The hairstylist from Kentucky has stopped wearing shoes since early December and is going barefoot for a full year to raise money for shoeless children a world away. The brave man has gone barefoot to work, to drop his daughter off at school, to shop and even to exercise at the gym.

shoes, or maybe they are still looking, or maybe the shoes are torn. Many of them are trying hard, and even some share shoes.” Hudgins isn’t the first person to go barefoot for charity. The Charlotte, N.C.-based nonprofit Samaritan’s Feet annually asks coaches, including University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari, to shed their footwear to raise awareness and funds for shoeless children around the world. Hudgins said he got the bare feet idea from Toms shoe company after it challenged customers to go a day without shoes. “I thought one day without shoes was a pretty cool idea, but I wanted to go big or go home, so I decided to do a year,” Hudgins said. The first day in early December was the hardest, and he even abandoned his barefoot workout at the gym and left when he saw the manager approaching. “It was kind of humiliating, I didn’t expect that at all,” he recalled said. When he got home, he told his fiancée he couldn’t go through with it. And then he saw that the website he set up had its first $5 donation. “That really inspired me and I said I’m going to

keep doing it, I’m going to keep going,” Hudgins said. He was allowed to use his gym sans shoes after he explained what he was doing, and said he has since been surprised at how many businesses don’t mind him walking in with no shoes. Hudgins says only one place, a sandwich shop, flatly refused to serve him. “You’d be surprised how many places don’t have those [no shoes] signs” Hudgins said. I’d like to walk a mile in his shoes— or maybe not.

Gimme a Break

Well, the word is out. The Candy King has been declared. According to Time magazine, the most influential candy bar of all time

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These Shoes Weren’t Meant for Walking

Hudgins has nearly made it through a brutal Kentucky winter that featured several days of snow, ice and single-digit temperatures. “You really do build a tolerance up,” Hudgins said while walking on snow on a recent day near his job near Louisville. “The ice isn’t so bad; it’s the snow, because the snow gets on the top of my feet.” There’s a method to Hudgins’ shoelessness. He wants to raise $25,000 in donations by year’s end and then take the money to Narok, Kenya, where children need uniforms and shoes to go to school. So far he has raised nearly $4,000. If he reaches his goal, it would buy durable shoes for more than 800 kids, said Elijah Ombati, a missionary from Kenya who has struck up a friendship with Hudgins. Ombati said many of the needy children are orphans and don’t have $20 or $30 for shoes. Ombati said shoes are necessary at schools for good hygiene and to protect the feet of children who walk far distances. “The need is high, and the need is growing day by day,” Ombati said. “Those who are from middle class families, they have [shoes], but those who are poor, maybe a friend gave them

In News

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The Week

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The Week is…the Kit Kat. What?? You may ask? What about the Hershey Bar or Snickers or even the Baby Ruth bar? What sets apart the crunchy chocolately bar from its sweet competitors? Well, believe it or not, there was a lot of thought that went into the Kit Kat crowning. First off, the Kit Kat was the first candy to be marketed around the concept of sharing. One for me, one for you. Secondly, it was one of the first candy bars to earn fans around the world. In fact, in Japan, fanciful Kit Kat flavors include edamame soybean, Shinshu apple,purple sweet potato, and matcha green tea. Other nations have their own unique flavors for the chocolate bar. Amazingly, the Kit Kat’s origins go all the way back to 1911—that’s long before Snickers (1930), 3 Musketeers (1932) and Baby Ruth (1921). (Hershey Bar, though, hit the market in 1900.) Last but not least, no one can quite forget that loopy jingle, “Gimme and Break,” that has been swirling around our heads since 1986. Yeah, we all know that song and we all know to break me off a piece of that Kit Kit Bar!

A Smashing Art Exhibit Maximo Caminero, 51, did what many of us have done in our lives—he broke a vase. The only difference be-

tween you and him is that the one that he broke was made by China’s Ai Weiwei and was worth $1million. The vase was part of an installation at the Perez Art Museum in Miami.

The vase breaker, who is himself an artist, says he did it in protest against favoritism for international rather than local art. He is now facing charges of criminal mischief, which carries a maximum sentence of five years. Oy “vase” mir.

In News fee beans have to be low-toxin for this newest cup of joe. He insists that drinking this java will keep up high levels of energy and help you lose weight. The caffeine in normal coffee, Asprey says, gives you an initial buzz, but in a while you’ll eventually crash. His low-toxin Bulletproof Coffee, on the other hand, contains MCT oil – a blend of coconut and palm oil – and has healthy fats that keep you going for hours. “It’s about how you feel two hours later,” Asprey said. “With normal coffee, you get a food craving and get tired two hours later. [Bulletproof coffee] doesn’t cause a 10:30 crash we’re used to. It gives you a huge boost over normal coffee.”

A Buttery Brew How do you like your coffee? Two Sweet ‘n Lows and skim milk? Or maybe you just like it black. Whatever is the case, if you didn’t answer “with butter,” then you are not on the latest coffee trend. According to Dave Asprey, creator of Bulletproof Coffee, the butter has to be unsalted and grass-fed, and the cof-

Asprey says MCT oil is digested faster than other fats, so it boosts energy and promotes weight loss. He says he adds it to his coffee to provide “laser focus.” “When you blend low-toxin coffee with butter and octane oil (MCT oil), the butter turns off some of your food cravings and provides things the brain needs,

including micronutrients,” he said. “It turns off inflammation in the brain.” Asprey insists on grass-fed, unsalted butter because “there are a lot of inflammatory ingredients in normal butter.” The same applies to much of the coffee sold in the U.S., which he says is filled with fungal toxins. Think this is crazy? The practice of putting a pat of butter in your morning drink isn’t new. For generations, Tibetans have made yak butter tea. In fact, Asprey came up with the idea of putting butter in his coffee after trying yak butter tea during a visit to Tibet three years ago. A health and fitness fanatic who had given up coffee, he’d found the perfect solution. “I wanted to drink coffee, and some days it didn’t make me feel good. I would get groggy,” he said. As for the taste, Asprey says, “It’s like the creamiest latte you’ve ever had.” Drinkers say it does taste a bit like a latte and devotees are 3 million strong. So is it true that drinking this type of joe can have such great benefits? “There’s no scientific evidence to support the idea that adding butter to coffee provides an extra energy boost or that it may help you lose weight,” says registered dietitian Tanya Zuckerbrot. “However, these claims may have some merit based on what we know about fat and digestion.” But butter is very high in saturated fat, and some health experts caution that it can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. And while this elixir will make you feel full, it’s worth noting that adding the recommended 2 tablespoons of butter to your coffee will also add about 200 calories. Maybe I can have the butter on the side…with a slice of toast.

Gas Selling for $1.98— in Manhattan

Looking for cheap gas to fill up your SUV? Well, this week you didn’t have

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The Week to travel to Saudi Arabia to fill up your guzzler; you could have just hopped across the bridge to Manhattan. As a promotional stunt for a new TV show in the city that never sleeps, Ewing Energies gas station on the West Side was selling gas for $1.98 a gallon—for one day only. Of course, with gas prices generally topping the $4 mark, motorists lined up for hours for a few gallons of fuel. As of midday, the line of waiting cars was two blocks long. (Sounds to me a little bit like New York after Hurricane Sandy.) In a video release, Ewing Energies head John Ross Ewing told viewers, “I’m an oil man—third generation Ewing. I make my fortune on supply and demand. You demand, I supply.” Surprisingly, he says that the price of gasoline is too high. As a member of the most powerful oil family (on TV) in America, he says, he is in a unique position to do something about it. “On February 24th,” he announced in the video, “Ewing Energies will open its flagship service station and drastically reduce gasoline prices.” Some people, he says, might call this undercutting the competition. Some might call it predatory pricing. “I just call it good business,” the fictional oil baron says. Good business or not, there was a limit of 26 gallons per person and per vehicle, and the promotion was only available until supplies last. We knew it was too good to be true.

No More Words

er and co-coordinator of the Saturday spelling bee. Sophia Hoffman, a fifth-grader at Highland Park Elementary School in the Kansas City suburb of Lee’s Summit, and Kush Sharma, a seventh-grader at Frontier School of Innovation in Kansas City, buzzed through the list of words provided by the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Then they ran through a list of about 20 additional words bee officials picked out of their Merriam-Webster’s 11th Edition during the lunch break. But bee officials decided not to pull more words from the dictionary because they worried one speller might get a tough word and the other a relatively easy one, which wouldn’t be fair. Plus, Thompson said, at “about 2 o’clock, I think we were all really tired.” Saturday’s competition went 66 rounds, she said, while last year’s bee ended after only 21. “Scherzo,” ‘‘fantoccini” and “intaglio” were among the words Kush correctly spelled in the late rounds, while Sophia nailed words such as “schadenfreude, “mahout” and “barukhzy.” Both of them missed what Kush said was the hardest word: a “French word; I have no idea how to pronounce it. It was a long word.” With the winner moving on to the national spelling bee in Washington, D.C., in May, both contestants were at the top of their game in the final rounds on Saturday, Thompson said. “Sophia and Kush’s eyes were just bright and glowing,” she said. “It was almost magical.” The contest will resume March 8 at an undetermined library site. These two will surely be busy bees until that time.

In News Robert McKevitt inserted a dollar in the vending machine, punched in the code for the candy, and watched it get stuck midair on the spiral hook. In his effort to release the candy, McKevitt inserted another dollar into the slot; no dice, his chocolate was still stuck. He banged and shook the machine; ditto. And so, according to state unemployment records, he took a more extreme action: the very hungry snacker drove an 8,000-pound forklift over, raised the machine two feet, then allegedly let it fall on the concrete floor— six times. Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam. Well, all that banging really got things going. McKevitt got three candy bars out of all that work. But he also got something else: a pink slip. Five days later he was fired. And that’s not all. In a December 16 hearing whose outcome only became public last month, McKevitt’s claim for unemployment benefits was turned down over what the judge called a purposeful disregard for his employer’s interests. But McKevitt is not taking the judge’s statement sitting down. He insists that the dropping part of his escapade is false; he says he shook the machine so hard it moved away from the wall, and he just needed the forklift to return it to its place. Adding insult to injury, McKevitt says he’s heard “they have all new vending machines” at the warehouse. What would you do for a Twix bar?

Anything to Evade the Police

What Would You do for a Twix? Ever thought there weren’t enough words in the English language? Over the weekend, only two out of 25 contestants were still standing after 19 rounds in a Missouri county annual spelling bee. Those two kids—11 and 13—battled it out for several hours and 47 rounds later until judges used up all available words. Yes, you heard right— they actually ran out of words to spell! The showdown had to be temporarily halted until the organizers found more words to use. “It was legendary,” said Mary Olive Thompson, a library outreach manag-

We all love our candy but are you ready to lose your job over it? Last fall, a really hungry guy from Spirit Lake, Iowa, decided he wanted to snack on a Twix while working at his warehouse job at Polaris Industries. So

Donnie Griffin, who had been charged with bank fraud, escaped from federal custody in Texas last year and was on the lam until last week when police tracked him to his apartment in a 20 story building in downtown Denver.

But when they came to arrest him, he seemed to engage the police in a real life game of chutes and ladders. “As we breached the door we noticed that the individual was scaling from his balcony on a sheet to the 19th floor, the floor below,” said U.S Marshall Kenneth Deal. Officers eventually tracked Griffin to the 17th floor where the only place he had left to go was down, down the trash chute, all the way to the first floor. “He must have been desperate to get the heck out of the building, that trash chute is terrible,” said Jeff Dams, who lives in the building. Griffin was taken to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries. The piece of trash is now in custody.

Inking His Journey

Some people keep pictures of their travels and some collect magnets. Bill Passman keeps a memento of his travels on his back…on a large world map tattooed between his shoulder blades. Passman, 59, who refers to himself as a “bohemian nomad, someone who acts and lives free of regard for conventional rules and practices,” colors in each country with a different hue once he has visited. The map currently has 60 different nations filled in, including from his most recent post documenting Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Finland and Russia. “I got the tattoo as a way to show my passion for travel,” he wrote on his blog. In 2013 the former lawyer said that he was not satisfied with just having the world on his shoulders. He related that he is considering having a compass tattooed as well along with one of his favorite travel quotes. “Haven’t decided which one,” he related. Better make the right decision. These things are permanent.

Bnos Malka Academy: 100 Days and Counting tant principal of kindergarten through 4th grade, explained, “We want to impress upon the girls the value of time and that so much can be accomplished and has been accomplished within the first 100 days.” The morning included age-appropriate games and activities like how many times someone can jump up and down in 100 seconds. You’d be surprised how athletic the students are! Everyone received cute pencils and stickers with the words “One Hundred Days Smarter” to commemorate the exciting day. The preschool also celebrated by making ten collages featuring the number 10 and reviewed basic number concepts. Mrs. Babad stressed, “By acknowledging this special day in our school calendar, we incorporate math, social science and team building into an ordinary school day, and present the students with another reason to be excited about learning. It is also a great way to look back and take stock of how far we have come this year at Bnos Malka Academy.” Unlike some politicians on their 100th day, the girls at Bnos Malka Academy can proudly point to their accomplishments and growth.

Debra Hirsch Joins Pugatch Realty Barry and Susan Pugatch are pleased to announce that Debra Hirsch has joined our company as a licensed associate broker at Pugatch Realty Corp. in Woodmere, N.Y. Debra has lived in this area for over twenty years and has raised five children here. She and her family attend Beth Shalom in Lawrence and her children were enrolled in the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaways (HAFTR) and Kulanu Torah Academy. Debra is very familiar with all aspects of living in the area. She has practiced law

in the area for a number of years, but now prefers to focus instead on real estate. Debra’s background in law will work to your benefit in smoothing over rough negotiations and helping buyers and sellers come to successful conclusions. Her understanding of the importance of good customer service, her belief in an ethical practice, and willingness to share her knowledge and expertise will assist you with your real estate needs. Call her today at 347-489-3977 or e-mail her at dhirsch@pugatch.com.

Community Shalhevet Sophomore to attend Math Ulpaniada at Michlalah Jerusalem College

Avital Weinberg, a 10th grade Honors student at Midreshet Shalhevet, has made it to the final round of the international math competition, Ulpaniada. Avital is one of twenty students worldwide to reach this final stage of the competition. The Ulpaniada is a problem-solving competition based on math skills and logical reasoning for Orthodox high school girls. Currently in its sixth year in Israel, this is the third year that the Ulpaniada has gone international. Avital is planning to join the other finalists for a week in Israel at Michlalah Jerusalem College where they will hold the final stage of the competition. Mr. Jeff Ganeles, Avital’s math teacher, remarked: “I am so excited for Avital. All of her hard

work and diligence has really paid off.” When Shalhevet’s principal, Mrs. Esther Eisenman, called Avital’s parents, tears of joy were streaming down their faces. “We are so proud of our Avital. She has always been so devoted to her schoolwork and we are ecstatic that she has reached this final level. We are so appreciate of Shalhevet for helping her achieve her greatest potential and allowing her this wonderful opportunity.” Avital herself was elated as well. “I’m thrilled to have made it this far in the competition and can’t wait to compete against the other girls in Israel.” Mrs. Eisenman and the entire Shalhevet are rooting for Avital and are confident that she will succeed!

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Politicians typically make bold promises prior to elections. An evaluation of their progress is often after 100 days in office. For years now, Bnos Malka Academy marks the 100th day of school with a very unique program. Each class participates in an activity that features the century number. Each class created their own 100 word stories. Some were inspired, some were silly, but all were creative. Each class was then challenged to use 100 shapes and create something interesting. The 4th grade proudly displayed their version of Yehoshua and Calev in Yericho. Mrs. Rivky Babad, the assis-

NEWS

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HANC Learns the Letter “Q”

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Nursery Aleph students in Morah Shani, Morah Laura and Morah Jennifer’s class at HANC’s Samuel & Elizabeth Bass Golding Early Childhood

Center learned about the letter “Q” and showed off their fine motor skills by painting in a “quirky” way using Q-tips instead of brushes.

My Spouse, My Friend By David Steiner, MD When many people get married they dream of gaining a partner in life as well as a spouse who can be their best friend. Sometimes, however, as time goes on and life gets busier, that element of friendship gets lost. It is vital that no matter how busy life gets we find the time to cultivate our friendship with our spouse. It happens sometimes that a couple is so busy managing the day-today that they don’t find time to cultivate their friendship. Years down the road when the children are married and both partners are retired they find it difficult to rekindle the friendship that they let slide all those years. Somehow we always manage to squeeze in the time to discuss what to do about the kid whose teacher called again and what to do about the broken washing machine or the overdue mortgage payment. While this definitely can count as conversation minutes it doesn’t count as friendship time. Friendship time has to be time in which we interact with our spouse as friends. We need to find the time or make the time to be a friend for our spouse. Friends share. They share hopes and dreams, disappointments and joys, fears and vulnerabilities. They cry together and they laugh together. Every couple must make it a priority to fit in a few minutes of “friend time” every day. One practical way to make sure that friendship time stays friendship-oriented is to make sure that there is a time set aside daily/biweekly/weekly to discuss the heavy issues (the kids, the home, the

bills, the issues…). This makes it easier to ignore everything else and just concentrate on being friends during friendship time. There are two very important parts of building a friendship with one’s spouse. The first is being a good friend and the second is sharing. Being a good friend necessitates practicing listening skills. Listen to your spouse; really listen the way you listened when you were dating, without allowing anything to distract you. Ignore the dishes, the telephone, the text coming in… and just listen. Share with your spouse; share your hopes and your dreams and your disappointments and fears… When you share it sets the tone for a friendship built on sharing and encourages your spouse do the same. Let us try this week to make a commitment to create friendship time with our spouse on a regular basis. May this small step towards strengthening the friendship part of our relationship with our spouse lead to a real increase in closeness in our marriage. 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 516430-5280 or email dsgarry@msn.com.

NEWS

Community Kosher Goals By Anna Hardcastle

Thanks to the Great Neck Park Dis- included kosher pizza from one of the trict Supervisors, Orthodox Jewish res- premier kosher pizza shops in Great idents of Great Neck and surrounding Neck. It is inspiring to see children areas are now able to participate in the from so many different walks of life and Great Neck Bruins Travel Hockey Team. backgrounds come together over the game they love to deWith the recent addition velop close friendships, of so many new team thanks to the tremenmembers this season, dous efforts and vision the team has moved of the Great Neck Park the Squirts home ice District. slot from Saturday to Isaac Greszes, the Sunday mornings. This team manager and a season, all home games volunteer coach for are on Sunday mornthe Great Neck Bruins ings at 6:15A.M. This Squirt team, said: “It is crucial change allows remarkable to see how Orthodox players to responsive and supportparticipate in the hockive the Great Neck Park ey program, a special District Deputy Superopportunity which has Players Charles Greszes & Jack Kosinski, two Jewish players on team intendent, Commissiontraditionally been unavailable to them due to their duties of ers and our Governor have been all season long in supporting the availability of religious observance. Charles Greszes, a Great Neck Park ice time to a more diverse Great Neck District resident and a 5th grade student resident base. The ice time at the Andrew of the North Shore Hebrew Academy, Stergiopoulos Ice Rink at Parkwood is is one of the players who has benefitted very precious, and it takes a lot of time greatly from the day change of games. and effort to accommodate all the difCharles is one of the starting defensemen ferent needs of the community. We are and high scorers of the team. Excited to fortunate to have such great leaders in have a chance to participate on the team our park district to make it all possible. for the game he loves so much, Charles Based on the successful year the Great said, “I am so happy I get to play hockey Neck Bruins Squirt team is having, the in my home town Great Neck and that I community hopes that we receive the do not have to miss any games anymore continued support of our Park District because of Shabbat. I am also happy that next year, and in the years to come, with I got to make so many new friends from the home ice on Sundays, so that all our different parts of Great Neck and that I children and the greater community have an equal opportunity to be a part of the get to play in my home rink.” In December, the team celebrated a Great Neck Bruins.” pot-luck team party at Parkwood, which

The Great Neck Bruins Squirts team celebrating a 7-2 win

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Camp HASC Marathon Runners Defeat Massive New York Snowstorm With Help from Queens Benefactor Camp HASC’s annual Fort Lauderdale marathon is a crucial fundraising event for the special needs children camp based in upstate New York. However this year’s event faced a unique challenge due to the massive blizzard that struck the area over the weekend. The entire team of 109 runners and staff members were on the verge of being snowed in, effectively costing the organization a tremendous amount of money in lost charitable donations. In stepped the dynamic duo of Eli Rowe, President and CEO of LionCage Shredding, and JetBlue Airlines, who together went above and beyond the call of duty and made sure that Team HASC would not have to cancel their marathon event on Sunday, February 16, 2014. Thanks to the tremendous efforts of Mr. Rowe and JetBlue, Team HASC was able to acquire a private flight from New York to Fort Lauderdale at the eleventh hour. Late Thursday night, Team HASC received a call from Eli Rowe informing them that their chartered flight for

Friday morning had been cancelled due to the weather. Not to be deterred, Eli Rowe along with Penina Zlata Wolff contacted various airlines, searching for any opportunity to help Team HASC get another flight for Sunday’s marathon. JetBlue Airlines answered the call and gladly stepped up to the plate. Mr. Rowe created a line of communication with JetBlue and a multitude of high ranking officials from both John F. Kennedy International Airport and the Transportation Security Administration. As midnight arrived, Team HASC began calling their runners to alert them to a private flight leaving JFK early Friday morning.

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In true charitable fashion, Eli Rowe and JetBlue Airlines spared no expense in making sure the entirety of Team HASC was accounted for, as nine runners had only three hours’ notice to make a separate flight. As an extra bonus, Team HASC faced no extra costs in chartering this private flight, again courtesy of JetBlue. With the money that was reimbursed from their canceled flights, Team HASC was not only able to cover the cost of the flight, but also generated a significant amount of funds that will be used towards the campers of Camp HASC. “I see it as something anyone would

have done. When given the chance to help children in my community, how could I turn my back? I am just glad that my efforts have helped Team HASC and the community achieve their goal,” stated Eli Rowe. “I have to also thank JetBlue for their tremendous help in making it all possible.“ Team HASC was equally excited about the contributions of JetBlue and Mr. Rowe. A company spokesperson stated, “We cannot begin to express our deepest gratitude and appreciation to Eli Rowe, JetBlue...for the outpouring of love and support to make Team HASC’s dream a reality.” Camp HASC is the award winning summer program of the Hebrew Academy for Special Children. Located in the scenic Catskill Mountains of upstate New York, Camp HASC provides over 300 children and adults with mental and/or physical challenges the opportunity to enjoy a seven-week sleep-away camp experience, just like many of their siblings and friends.

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THE LAWRENCE / FAR ROCKAWAY COMMUNITY KOLLEL

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KOLLEL AVREICHIM

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Representatives of the Far Rockaway/Five Towns community speak to Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos on Tuesday following a multifaceted agenda presentation at the Agudath Israel of America’s annual mission to Albany. Seen here: Rabbi Baruch Rothman of Yeshiva Darchei Torah; Agudah’s Lefkowitz Leadership Initiative (LLI) members Motty Hellman and Yoeli Edelstein; Pesach Osina; Michael Fragin, Village of Lawrence trustee; Rabbi Yehiel Kalish, Vice President for Development and State Relations for Agudath Israel

Jump for JUMP!

Midreshet Shalhevet took JUMP to a whole new level. Sunday evening, February 23, the Shalhevet NCSY JUMP team held a Zumba and jump rope fundraiser in memory of Phillip Bach a”h. Phillip Bach was a 27-yearold, Five Towns resident who passed away in November after succumbing to a lifelong illness of Familial Dysautonomia, otherwise known as FD. FD is a rare genetic neurological disorder that effects the sensory and autonomic nervous systems, causing life-threatening medical complications from birth. Phillip was a brother to Shalhevet alumnus Bayla Bach and the Shalhevet girls wanted to honor his memory. With the help of Raina and Inna from Studio Inna, the Shalhevet JUMP team consisting of Ava Korman, Tamar Beer, Malka Marmer, Bayla Eckhaus, Tali Roth, and JUMP mentor Malky Blisko put together a fun-filled night of Zumba, jump rope contests, and raffles. Tara Shimmel, an FD parent, began the evening by sharing what FD is and how the organization FD NOW helps her

and her family. The Rambam gym filled up quickly as over 100 women and girls took to the floor and danced the night away. Raina and Inna led an exciting and energetic class. Energy, enthusiasm and laughter resonated off the walls as everybody enjoyed dancing for a worthy cause. Following the high intensity Zumba workout, girls participated in a jump rope contest to see who could jump the most over a three minute span. Devora Chait, an eleventh grader at Shalhevet, displayed her athleticism and won first place. Devora received free classes to Studio Inna! The JUMP team successfully raised over $4,000 to benefit FD NOW. This money will help them continue their research in finding a cure. The Shalhevet JUMP team expresses their appreciation to all those who attended and donated to this important organization. They also thank Studio Inna and all of their gracious sponsors who helped make this night a huge success!

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Hidden Sparks Helps Local Schools Achieve Advances in Education of children, and helps me in my day-today teaching.” Hidden Sparks continues to remain at the forefront of advancing Jewish education by addressing the needs of diverse learners and day schools’ capacity to reach all students. Over 50 educators from Hidden Sparks participating schools from New York, New Jersey, Baltimore and Chicago recently gathered at the Hidden Spark’s Annual Coach Retreat at The Museum of Jewish Heritage to discuss new ways to reach and motivate students with all levels of ability. Teachers and principals from over 20

Dr. Rona Novick, Educational Director for Hidden Sparks, trains educators at the retreat

HANC College Guidance Visits Local Communities As part of the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County’s College Guidance Department’s new and innovative programming, parents of our high school junior class were invited to attend one of two college planning nights in local communities. On February 19th, Director of College Guidance Ms. Karen Sheff, and Assistant Director of College Guidance Mrs. Marisa Gelb hosted parents at the Young Israel of West Hempstead. On February 24th, a second event was held at the Mashadi Jewish Center of Great Neck. In a discussion led by Ms. Sheff and Mrs. Gelb, parents learned more about the SAT/ACT exams, subject tests, financial aid, scholarships, Naviance, application timelines, college visitations and more. These programs provided parents with critical informa-

tion regarding the college planning process and prompted conversations about their children’s academic futures. These events brought HANC’s College Guidance Department closer to home for HANC families, and they provide a unique approach to college planning that was well received by those in attendance. Riesterer’s Kosher Bakery generously donated cookies for the West Hempstead session while those who attended the Great Neck event were treated to a lovely spread provided by the Mashadi Jewish Center. Thank you to the West Hempstead and Great Neck communities for welcoming HANC into their local synagogues. HANC College Guidance looks forward to visiting additional communities in the future.

Jewish day schools gathered to brainstorm on inventive techniques for teaching children. This event furthers Hidden Spark’s mission to help Jewish educators discover, understand and support all of the students in their classrooms, especially those with learning difficulties. Aliza Scharf, a teacher and coach at Shulamith School for Girls, shared her reaction to the day: “I’m always impressed by any Hidden Sparks programming. Hidden Sparks is a gift to any school and I’ve been so happy to be a part of the Hidden Sparks family—a group of professionals who care about education and are there for the children. The retreat is an opportunity for a community of learners to share experiences, as well as get advice and feedback.” True to its name, Hidden Sparks aims to identify students whose potential has not yet been reached – in school and in life. Founded in New York just eight years ago with a pilot program in seven schools, Hidden Sparks now works in 33 schools in New York alone. Hidden Sparks is a recipient of the prestigious Covenant Foundation Signature grant, and four time recipient of the Slingshot Award, recognizing the 50 most innovative Jewish organizations. Last year, Hidden Sparks partnered with SHEMESH in Baltimore and REACH in Chicago and trained educators in Nashville, New Orleans, Tampa and Hollywood, Florida, to bring the program to those cities. The heart of Hidden Sparks is its coaching work with 76 coaches who are working with 161 teachers and impacting approximately 1,635 students. Since its inception, Hidden Sparks has trained 95 coaches, more than 1,000 teachers and has reached an estimated 11,000 students. Debbie Niderberg, Executive Director of Hidden Sparks, explains, “Teachers find the curriculum and approach so compelling because it provides them with immediate strategies to reach the challenging students and with a lens for understanding them. More than that, it provides a ‘habit of mind’ to look more deeply at what may be going on and to try to pinpoint the obstacle before jumping to conclusions and labeling students. We work to support both the student and teacher and to nurture maximally welcoming classrooms and schools.” According to Dr. Evelyn Gross, an administrator in the middle school at Shulamith who will be joining Hidden Spark’s inaugural Leadership Training

Aliza Scharf from Shulamith of Long Island and Barbara Deutsch from HANC at a recent Hidden Sparks Retreat

program, “Faculty members who have had the good fortune to collaborate with the Hidden Sparks internal and external coaches have reaped tremendous benefits. It has helped them look at their students through a variety of lenses in their attempt to understand each of their students’ diverse learning styles. Our teachers are learning to help students understand and capitalize on their cognitive strengths while they compensate for weaknesses.” Mrs. Rookie Billet, principal at the school, concurs, “Having Hidden Sparks coaches work with the teachers has been a boon to Shulamith. They have contributed to more dialogue, collaboration, and reflection on student learning.” Embarking on its first year of cultivating a leadership community amongst principals is core to Hidden Sparks ability to build capacity and long term sustainability within schools, according to Elizabeth Fox, Director of Education. She feels strongly that “establishing a culture of support from the top is required if change is to be effective and meet the learning and behavior needs of all students in a school. “ The success of the initial projects developed by Hidden Sparks has led to others that enhance and expand upon its mission. Hidden Sparks Without Walls program (HSWOW) continues to be a resource for educators and parents across the country by bringing free audio and online hour-long classes to educators and parents to enhance educators’ knowledge of the field of diverse learning and parents’ understanding of learning and behavior. Hidden Sparks funding comes from individuals, foundations, government and Jewish charities. To learn more about the webinars for parents or teachers, and other Hidden Sparks programs, log onto www.HiddenSparks.org.

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If you ask Joyce Schonbrun, Learning Center Director at Bnos Bais Yaakov of Far Rockaway, how partnering with Hidden Sparks has changed the learning environment at her school, she will tell you, “Teachers are achieving a new level of awareness and sensitivity towards the individual child, and looking at their individual qualities as part of the whole.” This sentiment is echoed by Malka, a teacher at the school and Hidden Sparks trained coach, “As teachers, there are things we have a sense of in the back of our heads, but Hidden Sparks training clarifies and builds on our understanding

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Parnassah Expo Launches “The Accelerator” to Help Innovative Businesses By: Shimmy Blum As the dates of March 25th and 26th are fast approaching, the 2014 Parnassah Expo, to be held at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center, is adding exciting new features to its already loaded array of promising business tools for those in every industry. Much of the latest buzz surrounds “The Accelerator” which offers ambitious businesspersons a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take their venture to an entirely new level. The Accelerator is a project of Parnassah Network’s venture capital services, and builds off the success of the successful business investment matchmaking at the 2013 expo.

Proprietors of any existing business can apply on the Parnassah Expo website (http://parnassahexpo.com/apply. php) for an opportunity to present their business’ details and vision for growth at The Accelerator’s prominent forum on the expo floor. Parnassah Network’s business professionals will select the seven applicants who will present their business to a team of savvy Wall Street investors, who are prepared to offer up to a $500,000 investment per business for a share of its equity, and help take it to the next level. More than just offering a priceless opportunity for those lucky business

owners, the Accelerator will offer an intriguing and educational spectacle for onlookers as well, as the investors will discuss the venture and make competing offers on the spot. Parnassah Network has also announced another unique opportunity, this one exclusively for expo exhibitors. Exhibitors wishing to compete for Parnassah Network’s “Most Innovative Business Award” can apply online and submit their details and innovative strong points. The exhibitor selected will be presented with this coveted award on the expo floor, offering an incredible amount of exposure and prestige.

“As exciting as the expo itself is shaping up to be,” Parnassah Network founder and director Reb Duvi Honig explains, “everything there is focused on helping secure the utmost success for attendees and exhibitors once they’ve left our doors.” For more information about the newest projects, or for general information about Parnassah Expo, please visit www.parnassahexpo.com or call 855-PAR-EXPO before it’s too late! Exhibition space is being reserved quickly, and attendee registration is now open.

CenterLight Steps Up to the Plate with Charitable Donation to Project Chaim The borough of Queens is home to the second largest population of Jewish elderly – many of whom are frail, homebound and live alone. Project Chaim was established in 2011 by the QJCC to fulfill our community’s moral obligation to these seniors who sacrificed so much to keep kosher but who now in their twilight years are impoverished, living hand-to-mouth and are cared for by non-Jewish home attendants. By providing Kosher Meals on Wheels to 140 seniors currently, these individuals are assured a substantial nutritious meal that is truly life-sustaining. CenterLight Health System, formerly Beth Abraham Family of Health Services, is committed to improving the quality of Life for all New Yorkers in need. Upon hearing that Project Chaim’s vital work was threatened by

lack of funds, Michael Fassler, CEO of CenterLight, took the initiative and bestowed the organization with a significant donation of $5,000. Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, a member of CenterLight, served as the backdrop for CenterLight’s beneficence as Mr. Fassler presented the check to Cynthia Zalisky of Project Chaim. Hopefully many others will follow Mr. Fassler’s lead as Project Chaim is in desperate straits and requires substantial funds to continue their operations. To help raise money for Project Chaim, the National Council of Young Israel, in conjunction with the QJCC, held a Pre-Purim Concert at Queens College this past Sunday. The event, featuring Avrohom Fried, Michoel Pruzanzky and the New York Boys Choir, was a smashing success.

PHOTO CREDIT: YAAKOV KATZ STUDIOS Yoel Lichstein, Executive Director of Margaret Tietz, looks on as Cynthia Zalisky, Executive Director of QJCC, receives a check from Michael Fassler, CEO of CenterLight

Amazing Concert at Kulanu Benefits All On Sunday evening, February 23, Kulanu hosted a benefit concert to fund weekend programs for young adults with special needs, kicking off our newest program: “S.O.S.—Saturday or Sunday.” An array of musical talent included singer and keyboard player, Michael Korins, a 20-year-old young man with autism whose musical genius has been honored nationally, followed by the Harmonides, an a cappella group from Rambam Mesivta in Lawrence. The night featured a performance

by Oneg Shemesh, whose cutting-edge music of Carlebach songs and those of his own composition wowed the crowd. The toe tapping and hand clapping quickly developed into rousing audience participation of dancing and singing. Kulanu’s S.O.S. Program is geared to young adults with special needs who will benefit from weekend socialization programs. For more information, please contact Jonathan Cooper at 516-569-3083 ext. 135 or at jonathanc@kulanukids.org.

Pictured from L-R are: Yaakov Feiner, David Zedner, Tani Martin, (Oneg Shemesh), Benjy Katan, Jacob Friedman, Moses Bibi, Yossi Zimilover. Not pictured: Evy Bear

NEWS

Community 8th Grade Visit Day at DRS

Rabbi Shaul Chill of the Young Israel was the presenter at the Navi shiur at the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst this past Motzei Shabbos. The shiur covered the first chapter of Sefer Yona.

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PHOTO CREDIT: IVAN H NORMAN

Rabbi Heshy Kleinman Visits Yeshiva of South Shore Last Wednesday, Yeshiva of South Shore had the great zechus to host Rabbi Heshy Kleinman, author of Praying with Fire and founder of the Ani Tefillah Foundation. Introductory remarks were given by Rabbi Chanina Hertzberg, the menahel, who told a powerful story about the Chazon Ish and the importance of tefillah. Rabbi Kleinman then addressed the boys from grades 4th through 8th and spoke about the power that each one of us possess to make a connection with the Ribono shel Olam through tefillah. He regaled the talmidim with inspirational stories of gedolim who taught us by their

example to daven for everything that we need, whether in ruchnius or gashmius. Most of all, the message that Rabbi Kleinman imparted was that prayer es-

tablishes a connection between us and Hashem. Afterwards, Rabbi Kleinman met

privately with the rebbes to brainstorm on how to further enhance the love and importance of tefillah in our children. Some of the suggestions will be implemented in the near future. Rabbi Kleinman’s weekly distribution of Tefilla Power worksheets to our 4th through 6th grade is also enjoyed by over 7,000 children nationwide. We benefit from the program weekly and now we had a chance to meet the designer of the program. Everyone, talmidim and rabbeim alike, was left inspired with a greater appreciation for tefillah.

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Last Wednesday, DRS hosted over 130 prospective eighth grade applicants from several different elementary schools for a visit to DRS and a chance to experience what it’s like to be a DRS student for a day. This year, DRS received its largest number of applicants in its history. Students from YCQ, HANC, Har Torah, South Shore, Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island, HAFTR, HALB, and several other elementary schools were warmly greeted at the doors of DRS by administrators and student leaders. After breakfast, each visiting student received a personal schedule. Throughout their day, the students sat in on gemara, halacha, math, social studies, and English classes that were personally geared towards the visitors. They also got a chance to enjoy some “recess” in DRS’s beautiful gym. Following a lunch catered by Carlos and Gabbys, the students moved to the gym

where they were treated to a taste of DRS’s extracurricular student activities, during which they participated in a multimedia trivia game challenging them in areas of gemara, Tanach, science, math, sports, English, Ivrit, and general knowledge. DRS is thrilled that the large number of applicants validates the comprehensive programs that DRS offers to its students. Following the great success of the program, DRS is looking forward to welcoming an outstanding group of freshmen next year.

Adar is in the Air! Check out Alex Idov’s unique hamantashen recipes on page 124

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PHOTO CREDIT: IRA THOMAS CREATIONS

HALB’s sixth grade girls bat mitzvah class celebrated on Sunday, February 23, with a breakfast with their parents and a singing performance. The bat mitzvah girls shared their experience of what becoming of bat mitzvah means to them and parents shared what they hope to teach their daughter one day about becoming a bat mitzvah. Each student made a project explaining the meaning of the name that their parents had chosen for them.

RCSP Conducts Successful Joint Operation with the NYPD to Address Car Break-Ins For the past three weeks, the RCSP (Rockaway Shomrim) and the NYPD 101st Police Precinct have worked closely in arranging all-night patrols to

combat the recent rash in car break-ins in the Far Rockaway and Bayswater areas. Rockaway Shomrim members assisted in making five arrests, providing a much needed respite to the crime spate and bring down the number of

incidents in the area thereby enhancing the quality of life of its inhabitants. Joint operations started every night at 12am and ended at 5:30am, peak time for car break-ins. The members of the conditions team of the 101st police precinct communicated with members of the Rockaway Shomrim via two-way radio for the duration of night patrols. This special assignment was in addition to the regular night patrols organized by the RCSP and its 24-hour response teams. The strong presence of RCSP and NYPD patrols during these hours helped bring down the occurrence of incidents significantly. Kudos goes out to the members of the RCSP for volunteering their time, absorbing the cost of gas and using their own cars. In addition to responding to calls dispatched through the RCSP 24-hour hotline, the RCSP volunteers patrol the neighborhood all night, dedicating invaluable time and resources while depriving themselves of sleep. The RCSP would like to express its gratitude to the Commanding Officer of the 101st Police Precinct, Deputy Inspector William Patrick Wynne, and Sargent Keith Gallagher for continuing to arrange extra manpower to patrol our

neighborhood after hours. Although the car break-in incidents have significantly decreased over the last few weeks, RCSP volunteers continue to work closely with and assist officers of the NYPD until the matter is under control. The RCSP has already begun planning the next joint patrol operation with the Commanding Officer’s office of the 101st Police Precinct. To receive weekly updates and safety tips, email securityalerts@rockawaypatrol.org and enter the phrase “Sign me up” in the Subject field. REMINDER: if you see anything suspicious call The 24 Hour RCSP Hotline- (917) RCSP-306 [Numerically (917) 727-7306]. The RCSP sends

weekly Security Alerts via emails. Should you be interested in receiving the weekly Security Alerts, please send an email to securityalerts@rockawaypatrol.org and enter the phrase “Sign me up” in the Subject field. The RCSP is in need of night patrol volunteers in Far Rockaway and Bayswater. Anyone interested in volunteering should email their name and cell phone number to dispatch@rockawaypatrol.org. Options to donate to the RCSP: www.fidelipay.com/RCSP; or via mail: Rockaway Citizen’s Safety Patrol, C/O A. Frankel, 774 Caffrey Avenue; Far Rockaway, NY 11691 (make check payable to RCSP).

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Community VBS, the Boys A Cappella Charity Event, is Back

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PHOTO CREDIT: IVAN H NORMAN

Tomchei Shabbos-Yad Yeshaya held their annual breakfast at the home of Ariel & Baruch Glaubach on Sunday. Pictured here are Moshe Lamm; Hyton Lightman, MD; Baruch Glaubach, host; Rabbi Zalman Wolowik, guest speaker; and Mr. Moshe Wolfson

Bais Yaakov of Queens Hosts Science Fair

The Bais Yaakov Annual Science Fair was a scientific phenomenon, but what else can we expect? When you add student inquiry, excellent guidance, continued mentorship and a quest for knowledge, your result is a fantastic Science Fair! At BYQ, the students begin the process of deep, scientific research in the sixth grade. The purpose of the program is to familiarize students with scientific research, starting with the scientific method. Mrs. Diane Gruber, their teacher, models the process for the students first, and then begins mentoring the students to research their interest of exploration. Their goal is to practice for the seventh grade’s Science Fair. The seventh grade students, already versed in scientific research, have Mrs. Hedvah Kessler, the seventh grade science teacher, and Mrs. Sharon Erlbaum, the Science Fair mentor, guide the girls through the process, again. The practice from the previous year, along with the students’ depth of scientific research combines with the guidance of their mentors to produce interesting and

thought-provoking studies. The Annual Science Fair at BYQ had scientific research projects displayed on rows of tables throughout the huge gym. The set up allowed for the visiting grandparents, parents, siblings and friends to peruse the eye-catching, scientific materials. The crowd of guests packed the room! Rabbi Mordechai Gewirtz welcomed the guests. Mrs. Karen Reisbaum thanked the students and guests and discussed the goal of the Science Fair, its learning process, and the fact that everyone is a winner. All of the girls deserve a yasher koach for their hard work. There was a wonderful spirit in the air as the girls stood next to their work to explain their research to inquiring guests. The students were well-versed in their work and articulated their studies with confidence and pride. When the winners were announced, everyone cheered! As it is always difficult to choose the Science Fair winners, the top prize winners will go on to the Inter-Yeshiva Science Congress in the spring.

At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 12th at TABC High School, V’ata Banim Shiru (VBS), the boys a cappella competition will return for its fourth year, once again raising money for the Koby Mandell Foundation. The choir competition was started in 2010 with the idea of putting together chesed, fun and music. The original competition was held in Congregation Beth Sholom of Lawrence with competing teams coming from DRS, MTA, SAR and Rambam Mesivta. The event included guest performances by the popular a cappella group, The Maccabeats and Eitan Katz with Yerachmiel Begun of the Miami Boys Choir sitting on the panel of judges. The program was created by Jacob Bernstein and Gaby Novick during their senior year at Rambam Mesivta. Bernstein noted that he had been involved in chesed projects since 4th grade. Chesed, Bernstein emphasized, is “one of the most successful things a child could do along with studying – leadership in chesed helps children recognize the responsibility they have for others which contributes to why the competition still exists today.” Novick has had a close relationship with the Koby Mandell Foundation since 2008 when he spent his summer with the Foundation’s “Camp Koby Experience in Israel.” “Gaby came to me a couple of years ago with the idea of having the competition as a way of raising money for our camp,” said Roy Angstreich, Executive Director of The Koby Mandell Foundation. “We were, and are, thrilled. Serving as a counselor at our Israeli camp has a tremendous

impact on the teens who work with our kids and we were honored that Gaby felt the importance of helping us provide the camp experience for even more kids. The competition not only raises funds for our camp but also raises awareness of the work that we do on behalf of the victims of terror. Our camp in Israel has about 400 kids.” The Koby Mandell Foundation helps families in Israel who have been affected by terrorism, providing therapeutic programs for bereaved mothers and now four summer camps in Northern Israel for children who have lost siblings to terrorism. Each summer they run a five and a half week program which brings about 50 high school teens from North America to serve as counselors in their camps. “I can’t believe we are already in our fourth year,” Novick said. “We have already raised thousands of dollars for the Foundation and created a really great program.” Novick says he hopes this program continues to expands each year with additional teams. Hosted by Avi Schwartz of West Orange NJ, the fourth annual VBS competition will include teams from JEC, MTA and Rambam Mesivta and a panel of all-star judges from the Maccabeats, Six13 and A.K.A. Pella.

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Bnos Bais Yaakov 20th Annual Dinner: Sunday, March 9th my rav and also one of my best friends. The rebbetzin is his perfect complement. She has a warm personality and women gravitate towards her. In her quiet way she’s assumed a real leadership position.” The Rabbinic Leadership Award is one that the Feuers richly deserve by virtue of their efforts and successes. BBY wishes them much hatzlacha in their positions and in fulfilling their dreams for their children and their kehilla.

viding a Torahdig home for their children, BBY is honored to present Dr. and Mrs. Kadar with the Parents of the Year Award. May Hakadosh Boruch Hu grant them much Yiddishe nachas from their cherished children. Rabbi and Mrs. Yanky Brazil Harbotzas Torah Award

Dr. and Mrs. Yaakov Kadar Parents of the Year Award

Rabbi and Mrs. Eliezer Feuer Rabbinic Leadership Award

A shul is a makom kadosh for davening, but it must also be a place that generates an excitement about Yiddishkeit. That is Rabbi Eliezer Feuer’s vision for the Young Israel of Bayswater, the shul he has led for the last nine years. And it is a vision that he has actualized. Under the Rav’s leadership, the shul has more than doubled its membership because of Rabbi Feuer’s enthusiasm and ability to forge relationships. As rebbitzen of the shul, Esti is involved with the women: helping to organize Neshei activities, arranging shiurim, hosting meals and onegs in her home, and just being her usual approachable and warm self. Esti is also the Assistant Pre-school Director of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, for which she is perfectly suited. As a long-time, popular pre-school morah, Rebbitzen Feuer’s love for children is legendary. The Feuers spend the summers in Camp Aguda where Rabbi Feuer is the Learning Director/Menahel of the learning program. So even in the summers, Rabbi Feuer has the opportunity to “light the fire” of Yiddishkeit. It is what their world is all about – giving to others with all their heart and soul, without ever compromising the truth of Torah. Mr. Hillel Adelman,president of the Young Israel of Bayswater, says it best. “In a world which is so confusing, it’s a breath of fresh air to have a real rav. He’s not afraid to make tough decisions. He’s

Dr. Yaakov Kadar is a pediatrician in Ezra Medical Center in Boro Park where he enjoys a warm relationship with his grateful patients. Even though his days are full, Yaakov makes sure to include two daily learning sedarim. Dr. Kadar also finds time to volunteer for Chaverim. On these calls, he is accompanied by some of his children, because Dr. Kadar knows that there is no better lesson in chessed for a child than watching the prominence it plays in a parent’s life. And somehow, even with the late night medical calls, Dr. Kadar is totally available for his children. Mrs. Liba Kadar has made that kind of availability her life’s work by being a stay-at-home mom. Indeed, the only “job” Liba has had for years is giving piano lessons. Lessons take place in the Kadar home – so even when she’s working, Liba is at home with her children. And this year, when little Yocheved was old enough for playgroup, Liba joined the experience with her by becoming the assistant teacher in Yocheved’s class. A few years ago, the Kadars experienced a significant medical crisis. In the many challenging months that followed, BBY rose to the occasion magnificently. Dr. and Mrs. Kadar recall that “we were sold on BBY from the very first minute… Rabbi Hiller’s warmth, the educational creativity, the challenging and comprehensive curriculum…but during our crisis, BBY was so magnificent that they actually became our extended family.” For their supreme dedication to pro-

Mr. & Mrs. Dov Perkal Community Service Award

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It is the mandate of every staff member in Bnos Bais Yaakov to educate and inspire their talmidos. This mandate is carried out in the classroom, at recess, during extra-curricular activities, and at lunch. Every lesson and every activity is a teachable moment. Our annual dinner will be held on March 9th, iy”H. It is an evening to celebrate the success of our children. The four couples being honored that evening beautifully represent the values and ideals with which we imbue our talmidos.

Rabbi Brazil is a rebbe in Sh’or Yoshuv where he gives shiurim all day long. But, his job is definitely not over when shiur is. Rabbi Brazil is available for his boys at all times of day or night to discuss anything at all. No wonder then, that he has been told by a grateful talmid, “You’re like my second father.” Rabbi Brazil describes his mission as “giving the boys a geshmak for learning and a sense of acceptance.” That is why the Brazils have the boys in their home for minyanim, Shabbos and yom tov meals, siyumim, for schmoozing, and for just enjoying the atmosphere. And, of course, that is where Rebbetzin Brazil shines her own special light. As the mother of two young children and a resource room teacher in Yeshiva Darchei Torah, Bluma could be expected to need a little time for herself in her own home. Instead, she cooks for Reb Yanky’s talmidim and offers the maternal wisdom that many of the boys seek. Together, the Brazils have created a place of warmth and acceptance in which the boys thrive. As a native Far Rockaway boy, Rabbi Brazil always knew that he would send his girls to BBY. Mrs. Brazil worked in BBY a few years ago and was so taken with the attention paid to each girl that she came to the same conclusion. Mrs. Brazil describes her daughter as essentially shy. She, therefore, expected Sara Laya’s first encounter with school to be disastrous. But to her delight, Sara Laya was immediately drawn in by her moros’ warmth and “she never looked back!” Rabbi and Mrs. Brazil are indeed Marbitzei Torah of the highest order. We wish them much continued success in their avodas hakodesh and much Yiddishe nachas from their kinderlach.

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Mr. Dov Perkal is the Executive Director of the SHMA Camps – Sternberg, Anna Heller, Mogen Avraham, and Avraham Chaim Heller. It is Dov’s contention that camp is a place where all kids can shine and it is his mission to ensure that camp is a safe and happy place for all children. To that end, Dov lavishes a lot of attention on the special needs programs with which he is also involved. Mrs. Allyson Perkal has a very definite sense of her priorities as a mother. Her main job is tending to the Perkal mishpacha’s needs, and when the children are at school, she works in the SHMA office. And somewhere in that routine, Allyson has found time to read to a homebound woman, cook for people who are unable to do so on their own, and host shiurim, shabbatonim, onegs, and parlor meetings for various organizations. Dov and Allyson are thrilled with the education that their girls receive in BBY. “The moros give over Yiddishkeit in such a warm and loving way and that’s what it’s all about for us. BBY pinpoints the strength of a child. Our daughters are all on different academic levels and the teachers manage to motivate and challenge each of them.” BBY is equally grateful to have the Perkals as parents in the school. They are committed to their children’s chinuch and they set a stellar example for us all about extending one’s self for others. As one admirer stated, “The Perkals look for the good and the good finds them.” May Dov and Allyson continue to shep Yiddishe nachas from their beautiful family and may klal Yisroel continue to benefit from their chessed and generosity of spirit. We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, March 9th at the Ateres Nechama Leba Simcha Hall as we pay tribute to these worthy couples.

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YLX Brings Excitement to Learning in the Five Towns and Far Rockaway YLX, the YID Learning Experience, is an exciting new program in the Five Towns/Far Rockaway community. Every Thursday night, a number of local yeshiva students converge in the basement at Bais Medrash Heichal Dovid in Lawrence to experience some good learning and good food and to get together with good people all in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. “The idea is to provide something a little different,” says founder Rabbi Aryeh Dachs, “an exciting learning experience [where] the boys can explore interesting topics, allowing them to experience Torah learning that is especially compelling and thought-provoking.” The night begins around an hour before the boys arrive. A few bochurim from Yeshivas Zichron Aryeh get together with Rabbi Elchonon Kuritsky to prepare the topic for the night. “The idea is to pick a short topic which we can cover in one night. It has to be interesting to really stimulate and challenge the guys... to get them excited about what they’re learning and excited about the Torah itself,” explains Rabbi Kuritsky. They have so far covered a wide array of topics and pieces ranging from lomdus to hashkafa and yahadus as well as some real thinkers or mishmar shailehs. As the bochurim/mentors

complete their preparation for the program, the boys start trickling in, grab some cholent and other food and huddle together with their friends. Rabbi Dachs points out, “This is another beneficial part of this whole program. The guys have a place to go just to hang out and enjoy. Regular, on-the-derech kids also deserve to chill.” After some time, the guys break up into smaller groups and they join their chavrusos from Zichron Aryeh to begin learning the topic of the night. There’s a lot of laughing and munching but as the night progresses the shmoozing, laughing and eating ebb and give way to animated learning, furrowed brows, heated arguments and passionate discussion. At around 11:00 the program ends, tables are cleared, cars are filled and the place is quiet. Rabbi Dachs explains how this program developed: “It really all just came together.” This past summer Rabbi Dachs and Rabbi Kuritsky brought a small group of bochurim to Baltimore for what was called BLX: the Baltimore Learning Experience, a nightly learning program for boys home for the summer. “It was structured similarly to what we’re doing here—good food followed by stimulating learning all in a relaxed environment. The response was

enormous. The kids really appreciated it. They loved the learning and the discussion and we felt we made a serious impact. A donor heard about what we were doing there and asked if we could start something local here. He felt that a lot of the mainstream kids today could become more passionate about Yiddishkeit and learning and that a program like this could provide them with some of the excitement that they’re lacking.” Rabbi Dachs and Rabbi Kuritsky explain that the philosophy of their pro-

gram is simple. “We believe very strongly in the dictum from Chazal, ‘Hameor shaba machzir lemutav’— the ‘light’ in it will cause a return for the better. We feel that exciting learning and conversation in a relaxed atmosphere can do a lot for guys. It can help them appreciate what we have and relate to the Torah and to its lifestyle.” The YLX program is slated to continue until the summer, and is open every Thursday night from 9:30 - 11:00 for high school boys in 10th - 12th grades.

Rambam JV Hockey Advances to the Semi-Finals Coming into the playoffs as the number one seeded team and Division Champions, Rambam Mesivta JV Hockey was already having a banner year. As they huddled together in the opening round of the playoffs against the Kushner Cobras, the energy they were exuding made it clear that they would not be content with just their regular season success. In a gym packed with the team’s fans, parents, grandparents, and fellow students, the Rambam Ravens took to the rink with a sense of mission. It was truly remarkable to see upperclassmen— seniors even—coming down with their faces painted cheering with wild enthusiasm for their younger peers. The crowd was also filled with teachers, administrators and Rebbeim, who vociferously urged

on the Ravens as they helped will the team to victory. After a hard-fought first period that ended with a zero/zero score, it was evident that once one team scored, the dam would burst and the game would be won. Thanks to the effort of the whole team, freshman Daniel Yizhaky scored the game’s first goal and, as predicted, the dam burst and Rambam emerged victorious with a 5-1 win. “Something that ninth grader Avi Orlow did truly impressed me,” shared Coach Avi Herschman himself a Rambam alumnus. “At our very first practice, we drilled on how to block a shot using your whole body and positioning yourself the correct way and Avi carried that action out to perfection last night.” At Rambam, the lessons learned in class apply to every

aspect of life…including sports. The idea that a coach recognizes and shares with his team the importance of practice, of chazara, of the idea that what happens the first day may impact the potential of a last day is a school that has a mentality where the coach is not just expected to teach hockey, he is expected to teach lessons for life. Good luck to the Ravens as they take on HAFTR next week in the Semi-Finals!

Too much snow this year? See what you can learn from it on page 95

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An Invitation for Parents of Current and Future Shulamith School for Girls Students Please join us for an informational meeting to learn about the plans to create one unified campus for Shulamith including our new high school. We look forward to your participation.

Members of the administration, board of directors and capital campaign committee will be sharing the exciting vision of the new campus and answer your questions.

MONDAY, MARCH 3

MONDAY, MARCH 10

West Hempstead

North Woodmere

TUESDAY, MARCH 4

TUESDAY, MARCH 11

For Families living in Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Far Rockaway, & Bayswater

Woodmere

Space is limited, To RSVP and to find out additional information including the locations and times of the meetings please write to, “Onecampus@Shulamith.org” or call 516-569-1713.

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Bais Yaakov of Queens Students’ Hands-On Dissection of the Heart The BYQ seventh grade biology students study the heart in depth. The culmination of the study is a lesson in the science lab where students dissect the hearts of various animals, including cows, goats, and mice. Mrs. Hedvah Kessler, the biology teacher, orchestrates the lesson and encourages everyone to participate. There was much excitement during this hands-on activity, as

girls were encouraged to feel and examine the specimens. At the beginning of the lab, some of the girls were squeamish, while others jumped right in! By the end of the lesson, everyone commented on the opportunity to participate in the lab. As the students exited the lab, groups of them commented, “I cannot believe we got to see and hold some real hearts!” All of the girls left with a feeling of awe as

they gained an appreciation for Hashem’s wonderful creations. This year’s specimens, many of which were brought in by the students, were outstanding in the variety and quality. There also was a heart with both enormous pink, spongy lungs attached. The students completed a detailed laboratory report demonstrating how effective the learning process had succeeded.

Glick’s Western Grill Sauces: A Must For Barbeques and Beyond

Traditional grill chefs have long known the secret power that is inherent in a high-quality bottle of grill sauce – it spells the difference between an ordinary cookout and one guests will talk about for months. Traditional kitchen chefs know how to harness the power of the grill sauce, even without the grill. Discover the difference a highly flavored sauce can make to any meal. Using a gourmet, taste-tested recipe, Glick’s Western Grill Sauces can singlehandedly transform any piece of meat into something beyond the ordinary. With its bold and zesty flavor, Glick’s Western Grill Sauce is not the average barbeque sauce. Use it in rubs, sauces, dressings and dips, and observe the transformation in your meal. Available in original, sweet and spicy, and sweet and mild flavors, there’s a bottle to please every palate. Gllick’s Finest carries an extensive line of high-quality food products, all under the hashgacha of OU and Hisachdus. Their premium product line includes canned good, barbeque sauces, natural fruit preserves, baking products such as pie crusts, oils and puddings, and staple groceries like peanut butter and salt, to name a few. Attractively packaged and always fresh and tasty, Glick’s products certainly have “quality you can taste.”

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REHAB with RESULTS Daily & Shabbos Minyanim

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We are proud to provide the Jewish Community with high quality Subacute Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care in a newly renovated and completely Kosher setting.

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Our team of therapists utilize the most advanced technology and proven techniques to achieve optimal outcomes.

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Around the Community Bnot Yaakov of Great Neck Pre-1A Blubber Glove Experiment Morah Ilana and Morah Maral’s Pre1-A at Bnot Yaakov examined the question of how animals adapt to the cold by trying it out on themselves with a “Blubber Glove”! Morah Ilana first set the stage for the experiment by having the girls explore how they themselves adapt to the cold weather. “What do we do when we go outside?” she asked them. “Do you go out in the cold wearing the same things you wear inside?” The students offered an array of responses demonstrating their understanding of people’s need to protect themselves from cold temperatures and how they go about doing so. She then transitioned from the girls’ understanding of their own human behavior to provoking their curiosity about animal adaptation, particularly animals that live in the arctic. “Do animals put on coats and hats and gloves to go out in the snow?” The girls laughed at the thought and understood that there must be another way animals protect themselves and adapt to their environments –but how? The girls also kept track of their thoughts, predictions, observations, conclusions and further questions on their “Lab Sheets” that they filled out as they went along. Each girl had her own “Lab Sheet” that she filled out with both words and pictures to keep track of her progress in the experiment. “We’re going to put our hands in this

bucket of ice and see what it feels like,” the Mmrahs told the girls. They had a fun time putting their hands in the ice bucket, and Morah Ilana timed them to give everyone a sense of how long they could actually keep their hands in that cold water! Then, she introduced the “Blubber

Glove”! “Since animals like seals, walruses or polar bears can’t put on coats and they actually live in freezing cold water, how can they keep warm?” Morah Ilana prodded them. She showed them the “Blubber Glove” she had made by putting Crisco shortening between two different rubber gloves and taping them together. “Let’s see what happens if you put this ‘glove’ on…” she challenged

the girls. So they did! Each girl put the glove on one hand and not the other and then put “both” hands into the ice again to observe the difference in feel between the two. They realized that the hand with the “Blubber Glove” was able to last a much longer time in the ice than the hand without the “Blubber Glove”. “The reason we put Crisco in the Blubber Glove is because Crisco is ‘fat’ and that’s exactly what animals have in them that makes them able to adapt to the cold. Animals have a layer of blubber just like this Blubber Glove does!” Morah Maral explained. The students timed themselves again using both hands, one that was able to stay in the ice for just a few seconds and the other, protected by the “Blubber Glove,” that was able to stay in the bucket for far longer. In Bnot Yaakov, curiosity is key and the foundation for further student examination. It’s only when we’re genuinely curious enough to ask questions that we’re interested enough to pursue answers. Morah Ilana and Morah Maral first took the time to explore and formulate questions with their class before embarking on predicting answers. Once the students understood the question, however, the experiment morphed into an organic process that also happened to be lots of fun!

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Yeshiva of South Shore to Celebrate 57 Years of Education

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Dr. and Mrs. Ranan Wolff, Parents of the Year

In celebration of 57 years of Torah education, the Yeshiva of South Shore will honor vibrant community leaders at their 57th Annual Banquet to be held on Sunday evening, March 2, at The White Shul, 728 Empire Ave, Far Rockaway, NY, according to dinner chairman Matthew Ostreicher. Dr. Ranan & Helen Wolff, Parents of the Year, are the devoted parents of five delightful children including Zev, a star sixth grader at YOSS. Ranan grew up in Chicago and studied at the Skokie Yeshiva under Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel Eichenstein with whom he keeps up a kesher to this day. An outstanding dentist with a thriving local practice, Ranan, together with his wife Helen (née Berman), are active in local chesed organizations. Helen coordinates the Avraham Yonah Reading Group, an organization named in memory of her father that assists homebound people in our community. With the support of community

Rabbi and Mrs. Eli Herzberg, Toras Chaim Award

leaders, the Wolffs raised funds to develop a drug, currently in use at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, designed to help treat neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer. The Wolffs truly epitomize a beautiful synergy of Torah, derech eretz and community. Rabbi Elchonon & Sara Herzberg, recipients of the Toras Chaim Award, have deep roots in our community where a love for Torah teaching and knowledge was imbued in their very essence. Rebbe Eli, as he is affectionately known to all his Pre-1A talmidim, is not only an alumnus of YOSS (1993), but he is continuing the chinuch mesorah of his parents, Rabbi Chanina, our menahel, and Rebbetzin Naomi Herzberg, the Director of Operations at Shulamith. Sara (née Freund), grew up locally (her brothers are YOSS alumni) in a home filled with a love for Torah and a passion for community chesed. They are the proud parents of Aliza and Yissachar Dov, a darling Pre-1A

Tom Locascio, Director of District Operations for Senate Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos, Government Leadership Award

student of ... Rebbe Eli! Mr. Zoli Honig, our Alumnus of the Year (2002), is an outstanding talmid of our Yeshiva who has made his mark as an extremely successful innovator and entrepreneur. A founder of Berrylicious, a frozen yogurt chain that now has six locations, Zoli expanded his creativity into the field of technology. Together with Moti Levy (YOSS alumnus 2001), he co-founded Chalkable, a web-based app store and learning management platform for schools which was recently acquired by STI. Together with his aishes chayil, Michelle (née Altabe), they are the proud parents of an adorable son, Levi. Mr. Thomas Locascio, recipient of the Government Leadership Award, is the Director of District Operations for Senate Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos. Tom is the “go-to guy” in New York State government affairs for our Yeshiva and countless other community organizations. His cogent advice and direction

Zoli Honig, Alumnus of the Year

together with his powerful voice in advocating for our community has helped to formulate plans of action that have proved to produce genuine results. There has been no issue too large or too small for which Tom lends his professional expertise and advocacy. From its founding in East New York 87 years ago and for 57 years on Long Island, Yeshiva Toras Chaim of South Shore has inculcated thousands of children and young men with Torah values and the leadership skills to enable the torch of Jewish leadership to pass to future generations. By attending our 57th Annual Banquet on Sunday March 2, 2014, you will assure the continuity of our pioneering Yeshiva as a vibrant Torah center for our community, our families and our children. For more information, please contact the Yeshiva at 516-374-7363 x 12 or at banquet@yoss.org.

The Flatbush Basketball League Week #10 Recap In the Jewish Home Division: Art World-29, China Glatt-21: In this low scoring game, the score was back and forth all the way down to the wire. At the end it was the now 3-7 Art World who pulled off their third win going into playoff week. Binyomin Parnes took over offensively as he led his team with 12 and Shaya Lichtfield had 6. China Glatt, now 5-5, will face Batampte Pickles in the playoffs next week. Quality Carpet-44, Batampte Pickles-41: Moshe Frank and Co. dominated with just three others players on his side. He finished the game with 17, while Chuli Herbst knocked in 12. This win gives Quality a 7-3 record going into the playoffs where they will face

Art World. Batampte’s Yosef Kapeta again led his team with 27 of 41 points. However, the quickness and agility of Quality kept them just short of another win. They now stand tied with China Glatt at the #2 seed with a 5-5 record. Shirt Stop-35, ITP-29: This game was close throughout, as the absence of Yehudah Oppenheim almost cost Shirt Stop the victory. Nissim Furer led Shirt Stop with 18 while Yitzi Weinberger had 8. Mordechai Cohen for ITP led with 20 of 29; however, Shirt Stop was too strong and quick for the Sefardi boys. ITP finishes the regular season with a 4-6 record and with face off with Perfect Collision next week in the playoffs, while Shirt Stop finishes their season

with an 8-2 record. Perfect Collsion-56, Pizza World-42: Perfect was up for most of the first half, as Pizza World struggled to control Dovid Reiser and Meir Rubinfeld’s fast breaks points. However, as the second half began and Pizza World was down by double digits, they went on a 22-7 run against Perfect Collision and brought the game within reach. However, it was a little too late for Pizza World to secure the victory. It was a valiant effort by Pizza World’s Eli Kremer (15 points) and Yitzi Waldman (13 points). Dovid Reiser and Meir Rubinfeld combined for 46 points to lead Perfect to a 6-4 record as they face ITP next week.

In the Jewish Connection Division: Ready to Roll does just that over Repairs on Wheels 60-51 Yaakov Ibragimov scores 28 and Eli Schlosser knocks down 13 to lead Ready. Dovid Sterns barrage of three pointers and Zevy Tepper got Repairs close at the end but fell short. These two teams will face each other in the first round of the playoffs as the second and third seeds. Nosh Express brings their amazing regular season to a 9-1 mark with a victory over Plaza Auto Leasing. Sendy Hammond, Shmuel Krywanowski and Aaron Lowenthal did most of the damage as these two teams meet next week in the playoffs.

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Rabbi Menashe of Great Neck Takes Part in an Emotional Mass Burial in India A sad and emotional event took place in Pune (Puna), India recently. Badly

The Ohel David Synagogue in India

burned Sifrei Torah were buried in the Jewish cemetery there. These Torah

scrolls were from the magnificent Ohel David Synagogue, which was built by the great philanthropist Sir David Sassoon and completed by his sons. Because of the synagogue’s striking red color, the local indigenous Indian population refers to it as “Lal Dewal” (the Red Temple). The actual fire took place several years ago. It was some time in 1991 when a fire destroyed the Hekhal (Aron Kodesh) of the Ohel David Synagogue. The fire department took some time to respond, by which time the Hekhal and several Sifrei Torah, many in solid silver cases, some almost certainly donated by the Sassoon families themselves, were entirely destroyed. Foul play was suspected by the community. It is believed that the perpetrator hid somewhere in the large premises of the synagogue until all the worshipers left and the synagogue was checked and locked. After the fire, it was discovered that a wide open window had been unlocked from the inside, from where it is believed the saboteur escaped. No

windows were broken and there had been no forced entry. F o r years, the cinders remained forgotten in sacks in one of the many rooms of the synagogue. R e c e n t l y, the caretakBurying the remains of the Sifrei Torah er of many years of the synagogue abruptly left. badly burned and charred remains of the The chairman and managing trustee of Sifrei Torah. the Sassoon Trusts in India, Mr. SoloMr. Sopher immediately contacted mon Sopher, then traveled to Pune from Rabbi Ya’aqob Menashe in New York Mumbai (Bombay) and made a shocking (Rabbi Menashe is closely connected discovery. Seven large sacks of what with the Sassoon Trusts), for advice on initially appeared to be charcoal were how to proceed according to the halastored in one of the rooms. Upon clos- cha. Since Rabbi Menashe was intender inspection, they were found to be the ing to travel to India with the Grand Rabbi Sinai Halberstam, it was decided that upon their arrival, they would all travel to Pune together and conduct an appropriate funeral, one that was befitting the holy scrolls. As planned, upon their arrival, a delegation traveled from Mumbai to Pune and, with deep emotion and sadness, conducted the funeral and buried the holy Sifrei Torah. The attendees were visibly moved. The perpetrator was never found. In fact, the police gave up and eventually even suggested that the fire may have been caused by a short circuit. The officials of the synagogue point out that the wiring and fuses of the synagogue are all on the other end of the building and that it was a far-fetched suggestion. What is more important, however, is that these scrolls of the Torah were finally buried with the honor due to them, in accordance with the halakha.

PHOTO CREDIT: IRA THOMAS CREATIONS

At the melava malka hosted by Chaim Stern in North Woodmere on behalf of the Bais Knesset of North Woodmere. Rav Avrohom Schorr of Khal Tiferes Yaakov of Brooklyn was hosted by the community as a guest for Shabbos.

Throughout the 1800’s as well of the first half of the 1900’s Iraqi Jews lived in Bombay, India in peace and prosperity. For an illuminating and richly detailed personal and historical account of their lives, read Rachel Manasseh’s book, Baghdadian Jews of Bombay: Their Life and Achievements, available at Amazon. com or at baghdadianjewsofbombay. com.

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Celebrating Achievements at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov

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Rabbi & Mrs. Benjamin Samson and Dr. &Mrs. Saul Bahn - Grandparents of the Year

Rabbi Yaffe, Menahel

Charles Reichman, MC

Mr. & Mrs. Jeremy Rogoff, Parents of the Year

Mr. Jonathan Farrell ESQ. (and Kallah), Guest of Honor

David English, Alumnus of the Year

Partial view of the crowd

Gan Chamesh Chosen to Pilot the Innovative Project TEAM Curriculum Gan Chamesh, Chabad’s early childhood program, was chosen as one of the 12 worldwide schools to pilot the Proj-

ect TEAM curriculum which stands for “Torah Approach to Emotional Awareness and Middos.” It is a revolutionary early childhood program that gives chil-

dren insight into their emotional world and provides them with the tools necessary to build strong friendships and empowers every child to make good choices. Through exciting puppet shows and the hands-on lessons that follow, children begin to understand the core identity of a Jewish child and his or her mission from Hashem. The proactive, step-by-step approach, gives every child the ability to succeed in improving their behavior and they experience countless victories each day. Project TEAM has helped the Gan Chamesh students become aware of their inner strengths and struggles, and it has given them the resources to overcome every challenge they face throughout the day with good middos and derech eretz. Morah Etel Hurwitz, a veteran teacher, has noted the amazing influence the program has had on her students: “Although I’ve always put a focus on the children’s social-emotional growth,

TEAM has given me the means to take it to the next level, so that I can give every child the tools needed to succeed. It has made a tremendous impact in my classroom,” she noted. Mrs. Chaya Krinsky, mother of 4-year-old Zelda from the Green Room, is thrilled with the implementation of the program. “Project TEAM is having a major impact on our 4-year-old. She is bursting with happiness at the end of the day, waiting to tell me about the different middos and concepts she has learned, all through friendly puppets and stories. The reinforcing notes that come along with an explanatory sheet for us parents has helped us to continue to instill these important concepts in our children throughout the week as

well. Our daughter uses phrases like ‘rock brain’ and ‘flexible thinker’ when working things out with siblings. It is incredible to see her fully understand such important concepts and see these incredible changes in her behavior at home,” said Mrs. Krinsky. All around, Project TEAM has had great success in Gan Chamesh helping the students make the classroom their home and the world a better place, one step at a time!

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Harmony X’s Three Sold-Out Performances Enthrall Audiences By Richard Altabe PHOTOS BY ESTHER MISHKOWITZ AND YOSSI KOHN

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For the past 22 years, Kol Rayus Productions has produced Harmony concerts that have enabled talented women and girls from across our community to express their artistic abilities. This year’s performance, however, was the most successful ever. The three performances at Lawrence High School’s beautiful auditorium were sold out weeks in advance. 2,400 women attended the shows to watch the over-400 talented performers shine onstage. DVDs of the performance are selling like hotcakes with over 300 DVDs sold to date. What made Harmony X such a success? On the production side, each per-

formance was the result of six months of hard work and practice by each performing group led by incredibly dedicated coordinators, choreographers and concert heads. Organizationally, Kol Rayus’ partnership with the TOVA Mentoring Network, its mentors and volunteer lay leaders, worked seamlessly because of the deep mutual respect and unbelievable cooperation between the two groups. Harmony also succeeded because of the backing of so many sponsors who made certain to provide the necessary funding to enable the production to run smoothly with all of the accessories and costumes necessary for a professionally run performance. In

short, Harmony succeeded because the hundreds of people from our community came together to support a worthy community cause like TOVA in a true spirit of achdus and harmony. Kudos goes to the leadership team of Harmony: Musical Director Karen Daitchman and Orchestral Director Kayli Joseph for producing the musical arrangements for the evening, Shelley Winkler and Ricki Molinsky who were the producers of the Yoeli Steinberg and Yehuda Klinkowitz show, and of course to Mrs facilities Mrs. Sara Weis who provided Batya Travis whose artistic direction and leadership inspired all of immeasurable assistance to the Harmony crew. We also want to thank the the performers to reach for the stars! Harmony thanks the staff of the members of the Rockaway Community Torah Academy for Girls for opening Safety Patrol who did an unbelievable its doors to rehearsals over the past six job of directing traffic and ensuring months and to the various locations that the safety of the attendees under difficult weather provided space conditions for the individSam Belsky ual rehearsals of SamBelsky. of some of our com deserves acts: Young Isaccolades for rael of Far Rockhis technologaway, Congregaical guidance tion Beth Sholom, in developing Studio Inna, and an online tickthe Black, Eleet sales system fant, Guttman, that enabled atReich, Pluckenik, tendees to purSudwerts and chase and print Wolfson famiR’ Richard Altabe and Yehuda Klinkowitz their tickets at home and for his artistic lies. design of this year’s Harmony poster A debt of gratitude also goes to Lawand logos. rence School District 15, its superintenGourmet Glatt was more than a dent, Dr. Gary Schall, and its Director of sponsor for Harmony. They embraced the show and helped to build the excitement in our community. Each night Gourmet Glatt surprised members of the audience with surprise gifts as random seat numbers were called out. Winners of the raffles were: Fruit Platter: Mrs. Lizzy

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Ross, Mrs. Rachel Salzberg and Mrs. Lani Zoldan. Bakery Platter: Daniella Halpern, Mrs. Lily Kreindler, Mrs. Esther Glick and Mrs. Daphne Stern. Sushi Platter: Mrs. Gila Henisch, Mrs. Riki Feintuch and Mrs. Faigy Bokow. Gourmet Glatt also sponsored a photo booth at each concert. Pictures can

be picked up at the Customer Service Counter in Gourmet Glatt. The TOVA mentoring network produced a new video that gave the attendees a new appreciation for the work of the TOVA mentors in our community. After 17 years in operation, TOVA mentors still provide a safe listening

ear to children and adolescents to over 100 children. As Rabbi Reisman said so beautifully in the video: “Brothers helping brothers, sisters helping sisters, isn’t this the dream of every parent? I suspect that it is also the dream of Hashem!” His statement underscored the theme of the evening—harmony and

achdus in the service of guiding our children. For those who missed the show, Harmony DVDs can be ordered online at www.tovamentoring.org for $25. For more information about the TOVA program, please call 516 295-0550 or visit our website.

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Zili Schneider and Kesher Yehudi – A One Woman Revolution By Tania Hammer If weather was a portent of a fundraiser on a Sunday morning, it would have been obvious to everyone that Zili Schneider’s Far Rockaway – Five Towns even would be a smashing success. On our first beautiful day after a long, snowy

zt’l, and for some this would seem like an outlandish challenge, but Zili grew up loving all her neighbors and used that platform to establish many long-lasting friendships all over the world. The first three chilonim she approached were

Pictured L-R: Shiffy Wohlgelerenter and her chavruta Netta Frank; hosts Tzvi and Shifri Pearl; Zili Schneider, President of Kesher Yehudi; Organizers Esther and Heshy Wein; Captain Gilad Olshteyn, Principal of Mechina Academy

winter, Shifri and Zvi Pearl opened their magnificent home to host Zili’s fundraiser. Esther and Heshy Wein orchestrated the event for their dear friend who works tirelessly for the klal. Zili, a media darling in Israel and a long time liaison between charedi (religious) and chiloni (secular)factions, was challenged some five years by ago by her friend and movie financer to get three chavrutot going between the charedi and chiloni camps. Zili is a ‘charedi’ woman, born and bred in Mea Shearim, next door neighbor to Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv

quite excited about the prospect of a conversation with a charedi. They were her doctor, nurse and cleaning lady at her GP’s office! She set about asking charedi women to learn with them, and to Zili’s credit, these first chavrutot are still flourishing! So her friend challenged her again, to find chavrutot for 80 people within the year. And something unprecedented happened: she found chavrutot for 1,800 people!!! Kesher Yehudi was born. With the blessings of Rav Elyashiv, Rav Shteineman and a few others, Zili went forth cultivating seedlings of change that

promote good will between the warring factions of charedi and chiloni groups. Her long-time confidant and mentor, Rav Elyashiv, warned her, “Educate, don’t proselytize.” In other words, don’t try to make chilonim ‘frum’. The purpose of Kesher Yehudi is to break down the walls of hatred between the two camps through the timeless lessons of the Torah as a way of life, not an indoctrination of halacha and rights and wrongs. He said through the example of the charedim, the chilonim will have a choice whether they would like to follow their lead or not. And surely the tide will turn towards peace through understanding, not through suppositions and rumors that led to the warring factions to begin with. Zili has been here many times – to visit with the Wein family, with her inlaws who used to live in Far Rockaway but also to fundraise. This time, however, she brought a ‘show and tell’! A chavruta pair came to speak about their journey together, and we saw firsthand how tow people with backgrounds so dissimilar that they might never have crossed paths, came to be the best of friends, almost finishing each other’s sentences. And a general in the IDF came to tell of his personal odyssey and how he came to Kesher Yehudi for his Mechina program at three of his schools. Shiffy Wohlgelerenter, a transplanted Far Rockaway resident and a 30-yearold mother of 4 living in the Old City, is a learned woman. Her husband’s family, kiruv experts in the States, are all for united forces of the chiloni and charedi camps and when Shiffy was approached to learn with a kibbutznik, she jumped at the idea. Netta Frank, born and bred in a chiloni kibbutz in the Golan, was a captain of her army platoon and led many campaigns in the Gaza Strip before and after the disengagement. Corralling young soldiers to action was her life and her job and she served her country – and our people – very well. Yet she had never been served a Shabbat meal, or served one herself, and until she was approached by Kesher Yehudi at Hebrew University where she was doing a BA in marketing, she never really considered Shabbat. Her family made Kiddush on Friday night, but she didn’t have to be there, and the TV was more entertaining. Kesher Yehudi partnered Shiffy and Netta about a year ago and the two never looked back. They learn machshava together but usually the conversation turns to life issues and

the sefer is closed and the discussion begins. Through this chavruta, Shiffy went from ‘that charedi woman’ to ‘Shiffy’ to ‘friend’. Shiffy threw a party for Netta’s chatan on her rooftop, and their friends were invited. It was an eye-opener into an otherwise closeted world for them. They all had fun and another wall came down for the warring factions. For Netta, the charedi camp was ‘primitive’ and ‘living in an ancient word,’ but after just a few conversations, Netta was able to see that living a Torah lifestyle with children at a Shabbat table the easy banter between Shiffy and her husband wasn’t something to be shunned, but something to celebrate. And Shiffy, ever curious about the IDF, learned so much about the army that keeps all of Israel and the Diaspora safe and has had a first-hand account of some of the campaigns Netta orchestrated. This give and take of their lifestyles has makes their relationship flourish. When Netta gets married in the summer, she will continue her chavruta, and knows now that her children will go to a school that teaches Torah, unlike her own education that was sorely lacking in anything to do with Torah. Gilad Olshtein, a secular Jew, is a major in the IDF and made a career in the army. For 18 years, he has been the principal of three different, concurrent Mechina programs in the Negev. These programs are for boys and girls posthigh school, before the army. They prepare the students for life. Some post-high school children travel, but his programs are very popular. They service 160 kids and it’s intensive. The program is from 8am till midnight, and they learn any number of different things, and leave with a survival ‘tool box’ of life skills, canvassed and ready for the army. They travel throughout Israel, visiting different communities. Every year, the kids are given a month to prepare their trip to Jerusalem. Because there is so much to see and do, he leaves it up to them to select the different sites they would like to visit. Three years ago, one group approached him with a winning Google search – the Kesher Yehudi program. They asked if they could have a chavruta with yeshiva students!!! Gilad said all the kids would have a chavruta, and called Zili who called around to the most prominent yeshivot and on the appointed day, 160 boys and girls were matched up with 160 yeshiva students. What was to be a cou-

the talmidei chachamim for keeping the country holy and talmidei chachamim have to respect the soldiers for keeping them safe. It’s a partnership.” I have a logo in my mind. It is two hands shaking. One is gloved in the army fatigues ubiquitous to Israel, and one is gloved in black and white. I don’t know how to draw, but to me, that’s what Zili

Community

is doing. She’s arranging these hands to shake in brotherly and sisterly love. In achdut and shleimut. One at a time. May it be Hashem’s will, through Zili and her partners, that a unified Eretz Yisrael be a home for all people, in peace. Tax deductible checks can be made out to Central Fund for Israel with Kesher Yehudi in the memo. Send them to

Marcus Brothers Textiles; Attn: Central Fund of Israel; 980 Ave of Americas; New York, NY 10018. Tania Hammer is a community activist and freelance writer for organizations. She can be reached at taniahammerinc@msn.com.

F E B R U A RY 2 7 , 2014

ple of hours of learning and discussion went on ‘ad alot hashachar’, until the morning! Zili and Gilad devised a new addition to the then 15-year-old program, chavrutot every two weeks and four major programs including a shabbaton. Some of the children had never been to a Shabbat. Gilad said that most of high school graduates don’t know the difference between kiddush and havdalla, and are totally lost in a bet knesset. From this experience, Gilad realized that the charedi – chiloni divide is a dire emergency, affecting the very thread that unites all Jews and was profoundly moved by the success of the first Kesher Yehudi addition. He saw that the students’ toolbox was incomplete without the fundamentals of Jewish life. All these things are part of his syllabus now. When a religious soldier tells his/her captain that it’s time for kabbalat Shabbat, not only will they know what that is, but will have a choice whether to attend or not! Gilad is now sending his little girl to a Torah school, he doesn’t want her toolbox to be lacking in the most basic, fundamental tenet of being Jewish – the Torah. In just five years, Zili is managing and maintaining no less than 4,000 chavrutot. Once they start, the only reason they stop is because either they aren’t Jewish, or they went off the derech long before and aren’t ready to come back. Yes, some ‘shidduchim’ are changed, but the numbers speak for themselves. The newest project is arranging chavrutot for mixed buildings in neighborhoods like Gilo, where the chareidim are moving in due to lack of space in other more popular Jerusalem neighborhoods. She had a meeting with Mayor Nir Barkat who is as left-wing as ever, but endeared himself to this novel approach to bring charedim and chilonim together. There is a long way to go. Understanding the different camps might be impossible on a national level, and conscious raising is part and parcel of the Zili Schneider mantra, but individually, she is a one woman revolution. She herself was brought up in a family where ‘chareidi, chiloni, dati, zioni,’ – name calling, was banned. “My mother said, we are either Jews or goyim, and we have to respect everyone.” The sentiment was echoed by all four speakers throughout the morning, that if things don’t change, there will be no Israel very soon. This for me is unthinkable. Yet for these residents of Israel who are living the real life, they see how it is the Jews who are tearing the country apart. Zili quoted Rav Elyashiv, “Israel needs its soldiers and its talmidei chachamim. Soldiers have to respect

NEWS

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LOCAL

Gesher Classrooms Continue to Impress “You can’t put it into words.” This was the reaction of a parent who recently came into Gesher to share in his child’s birthday party. “Everyone should have the chance to see how this classroom operates.” The Gesher Early Childhood Center takes pride in its commitment to create an ideal learning environment. Every project, lesson, and activity is interwoven into a scheme of multi-sensory planning. Another parent remarked, “I just love to walk into the classroom. All the kids look so happy, and you can see that each child is getting the attention that they need.” The Gesher model begins with a setting in which the children feel secure and confident. And it continues by generating a chain of success for each and every student. Last week, Gesher was visited by an Early Childhood Director from one of the local Yeshivas who had come to

observe a potential student. Her reaction was similar to the parents. She noted incredulously that clearly each child’s goals was constantly at the forefront as the lesson flowed.

Some of the recent activities at Gesher are examples of this model. The Nursery and Kindergarten are finishing their units on brachos. This was planned to coincide with the upcoming Purim, as the varieties of expected nosh reinforce the lessons learned. As a hands-on extension to learning the bracha of “Borei Pri Hagafen,” the children made their own grape juice from fresh grapes. As part of their Purim preparations, the Pre-1A had a special hat day in honor of Purim Katan. This highlighted the unusual two Adars that we have this year. It also helped build up excitement about the upcoming yom tov and encouraged the children to start planning creatively. This will lead into the Purim review where each child will create their own character face using only their imagination as a guide.

Guest Speakers at DRS This past week, DRS students received the distinct privilege of hearing from two very special guest speakers. On Sunday, DRS’s Beis Medrash was graced with the presence of HaRav Asher Weiss, shlita. Rav Weiss is one of the greatest poskim in our generation and serves in Eretz Yisroel as the posek for the IDF, Sharei Tzedek hospital, and many other important organizations. Rav Weiss is well-known for his ability to deliver lectures to all sects of Judaism on the most complex Torah topics, in a sweet, engaging, and understandable manner.

Rav Weiss spoke to the DRS talmidim about the importance of Torah study, and the central role that a yeshiva and Beis Medrash plays in the Jewish community. On Friday, students were visited by Ahron Karov. Ahron was an officer in the Israeli Army, who went back into service in Gaza just three days after his wedding. While on duty, Ahron was involved in a tragic explosion which left him with serious injuries. Despite permanent damage to his body, Ahron never gave up his dedication to his nation or to his values as a Jew.

NEWS

Community

HAFTR Honors Educational Leaders at School’s 36th Annual Dinner

(top row L-R) Cyndy Goldberg, Naomi Lip (bottom row L-R) Reuben Maron and Dr. Adam J. Lish

On Saturday evening, February 22, the community joined together to pay tribute to the school’s educational leaders at the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns’ 36th Annual Dinner. More than 570 people filled the Atlantic Beach Sands to honor these extraordinary women. Cyndy Goldberg, early childhood director; Joy Hammer, lower school principal; Rochelle Brand, middle school principal; and Naomi Lippman, high school principal, took the stage and accepted their honor by thanking those who make up the HAFTR Family—parents, staff, students, and alumni. The venue was filled with student artwork

created especially for this event to honor the school leaders. HAFTR also presented plaques to the school’s educators who have been a part of the HAFTR family for 25 years. A special video presentation which portrayed HAFTR’s parents, teachers, students, and alumni was shown to the audience. HAFTR is fortunate to have such extraordinary principals guiding our students from nursery school through twelfth grade. Together, the principals ensure that each student leaves HAFTR’s doors equipped with the knowledge to succeed as a modern Orthodox Jew in a modern world.

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SKA In and Out of the Classroom – Mrs. Hirsch’s 9th Grade English Class: Learning and Laughter The students in Mrs. Reva Hirsch’s Freshman English class in the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls had triple opportunities this month to expand their educational horizons and have fun at the same time! On Monday, February 3, the girls heard from Ms. Sally Klein, a social worker at New York University Hospital who works with people with Treacher-Collins Syndrome; she discussed the physical, psychological

and emotional impact of dealing with craniofacial deformities. Ms. Klein’s multi-dimensional talk gave the girls a real-life understanding of the book they were reading in school, Wonder, about a boy with facial deformities, and they got a glimpse of what lifelong challenges some people have to deal with. Taking tests are usually not considered to be an enjoyable experience but it certainly was when Mrs. Hirsch’s

students came to her home to take their exam on Thursday evening, February 6! The evening turned into a fun-filled bonding event with a lot of schmoozing and laughing. In another “out of the classroom experience,” Mrs. Hirsch and her English class took the Long Island Railroad on Thursday evening, February 11, and went to the city to see the Broadway adaptation of The Glass Menagerie. As

a prelude to the show, they stopped into Toys ‘R Us and rode the ferris wheel! The play was outstanding and the girls couldn’t get over how it mirrored the play they read in school. They were in awe watching the words they had learned in class come to life. It was a great way to combine education and entertainment!

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Fed up with Washington’s sluggish efforts on the economy, jobs and health insurance, Bruce Blakeman announced his candidacy for Congress for the seat of retiring Carolyn McCarthy. “From Iran to Obamacare this administration is spiraling out of control. Throwing Israel under the bus the way President Obama has is unacceptable.” Bruce is a familiar and popular figure in our community having served with distinction as the first presiding officer of the Nassau County legislature. Pictured with Bruce at the announcement are Congressman Peter King who has chaired Congress’ Homeland Security Committee and is a great friend of Israel, along with Uri Kaufman, Jack Brach, Avi Fertig, and Sara Yastrab.

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Over 100 students from schools all over Long Island were anxiously awaiting the results of three fast-paced rounds of trivia, teamwork, and knowledge that would declare the Champions of the 4th Annual Rambam College Bowl Challenge! The Rambam Varsity and JV teams were either in 1st place or 2nd place following the first two rounds, changing places with other schools in their respective divisions. When it was announced that the Rambam Mesivta JV College Bowl team won, their team cheered with joy as they applauded one another and their fellow competitors. Rambam Varsity also had a stellar day, winning the Runner-up Award in the

Varsity Division. The Rambam College Bowl teams have met with great success over the last few years thriving in a stimulating academic environment that fosters a love of learning and an analytical approach to Torah and secular subjects. Rambam is unique in creating additional competitions to supplement the regular Yeshiva Leagues in chess, poetry, and college bowl, always looking to give students extra opportunities to grow and shine. Next up, the Rambam Varsity will be participating in the United Cerebral Palsy of Nassau Trivia Challenge where they are currently the defending backto-back champions.

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Larry Domnitch

A Time for Protest Israel more than any economic boycott.” The pressure from the US administration is appalling. Also disheartening is the lack of reaction of American

Schools: what has your school done to react to the latest attempt to strongarm Israel? Members of Jewish organizations: has the leadership of your organization at least issued a statement in

WHY WOULD ANY NATION FACILITATE THE CREATION OF AN ENTITY IN ITS MIDST THAT IS DEDICATED TO ITS DESTRUCTION? Jewry. Where is the protest? Where is the outcry? Why are the streets of New York City so silent? Where is the Jewish voice in protest? The American public which largely backs Israel wants to see a public response by American Jews. They don’t approve of this kind

of treatment of a longtime valued ally. How about a march of ten thousand in protest?! How about even one thousand?! Awaken this giant, America, but no such public displays take place. Public protest would also awaken members of the Jewish community to speak out. Members of synagogues: have your rabbis and congregation leaders spoken out on behalf of Israel during these challenging days? Have they emphasized the right of the people of Israel to determine their own future? Students at Jewish Day

protest if it has not called for a public demonstration? Jewish Democratic members of congress: when are you going to speak out? Out of the ashes of centuries of Jew hatred, the Jews, with commitment and ingenuity, reestablished sovereignty upon their rightful ancestral homeland.

They then stood in its defense against invading armies and somehow managed to survive. When Arab armies continued to threaten, they fought back. When Arab-led boycotts isolated the Israelis, they persevered and eventually built a world class economy. While others recklessly destroyed and blew themselves up in buses and restaurants, they persevered and continued to build. While others tore down, they planted. Mr. Kerry and Mr. Obama you have placed the onus upon the wrong people. The Israelis have not initiated nor perpetuated the ongoing conflict. You have placed the shoe upon the wrong foot. American Jews, in these trying times, step forward and speak out! Tell this administration stop pressuring Israel.

F E B R U A RY 2 7 , 2014

t’s no secret that the American administration has recently been acting in cooperation with the EU and the UN to bulldoze an agenda upon Israel to facilitate the creation of a Palestinian State. Back in November, Secretary of State John Kerry warned Israel on its channel 2 TV network that there would be “chaos,” a “third intifada,” and the “increasing isolation of Israel” if “peace” talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority fail. Earlier this month, Kerry, at the Munich conference on security (Munich of all places), again warned that Israel might suffer more boycotts if the talks fail, “There are talks of boycotts and other kinds of things,” he added. The American message: follow the demands or face the music. Why would any nation facilitate the creation of an entity in its midst that is dedicated to its destruction? It would be like handing over Virginia to al Qaeda. What close ally would pressure another to achieve such an end? In the words of Secretary Kerry, “The consequences of failure are unacceptable to us.” And to Israel, the consequences of a PLO State would be a threat just miles from its urban centers. Veiled threats and tacit approval to anti-Israel boycotts has become the tact of the current administration. In the words of Israeli MP Tzipi Hotovely of Likud/Yisrael Beitenu, “Such an agreement would endanger

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Op-Ed

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You Gotta be

Riddle!

Kidding!

Two old men had been best friends for years. They are both in their early 90’s, when one of them suddenly falls deathly ill. His friend comes to visit him on his deathbed, and they’re reminiscing about their long friendship, when the dying man’s friend asks, “Listen, when you die, do me a favor. I want to know if there’s baseball in heaven.” The dying man said, “We’ve been friends for years; this I’ll do for you.” And then he dies. A couple of days later, his surviving friend is sleeping when he hears his friend’s voice. The voice says, “I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that there’s baseball in heaven.” “What’s the bad news?” “You’re pitching on Wednesday.”

One a hot, sunny day in July, a baseball pitcher set the record for the least amount of pitches thrown in a game. He pitched nine innings and there were no extra innings, and no balks. How many pitches did he throw?

Answer on next page

Kiner-isms For 50 years, Ralph Kiner—who passed away last month—broadcasted for the Mets. Here are some of his most memorable lines. • “On Father’s Day, we again wish you all happy birthday.” • ”Solo homers usually come with no one on base.” • “All of his saves have come in relief appearances.” • “If Casey Stengel were alive today, he’d be spinning in his grave.” • “All of the Mets road wins against the Dodgers this year occurred at Dodger Stadium.” • “The Hall of Fame ceremonies are on the thirty-first and thirty-second of July.” • “The Mets have gotten their leadoff batter on only once this inning.” • “There’s a lot of heredity in that family.” • “Tony Gwynn was named Player of the Year for April.” • “Sutton lost 13 games in a row without winning a ballgame.“ • “Hello, everybody. Welcome to Kiner’s Corner. This is....uh…I’m...uh, Ralph Kiner.”

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OLDE TYME BASEBALL TRIVIA

2. Ray Chapman was the only pro baseball player ever killed during a baseball game. How did it happen? a. He ran around the bases and had a heart attack b. He slid into home and his neck hit the catcher’s thigh, causing him to break his back and die shortly thereafter. c. He was hit by a pitch. d. He became dehydrated by the outfield sun and heat. 3. By what method was a base runner originally called out while running the bases? a. The baseball would be thrown at the runner and if it hit him he was out. b. If it took him more than 20 seconds to run between bases. c. If he didn’t touch the base with his right hand before the fielder of that base caught the ball.

d. If he didn’t jump on the base five times before the fielder touched the base. 4. Babe Ruth’s famous and controversial “called shot” took place during the third game of the 1932 World Series. Where did he perform the maneuver? a. Wrigley Field b. Ebbets Field c. Yankee Stadium d. Fenway Park 5. On July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig was honored in Yankee Stadium after it was disclosed that he had the deadly ALS disease. He stepped up to the podium and started his speech with the following: a. “Knowing what I now know about my health, I realize how little winning a baseball game really means.” b. “This is a very hard time for me, and I appreciate all your support.” c. “My fellow Yankee players, win it all this year for me.” d. “Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.” 6. Mickey Mantle and which other player who played with him, were known as the “M&M boys”? a. Bob Meusel b. Gil McDougald c. Bobby Murcer d. Roger Maris Answers: 1. D- Baseball evolved from other games such as English Rounders, cricket,

F E B R U A RY 2 7 , 2014

1. Who invented baseball? a. Bobby Base b. Benjamin Franklin c. Jamison Smith d. Alexander Cartwright

and American Town Ball. Alexander Cartwright is first credited with drawing up the rules of baseball in 1845. 2. C- On August 16, 1920, Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman was hit in the head with a spitball thrown by New York Yankee pitcher Carl Mays and killed. Chapman was a star shortstop and in the view of the Cleveland News, he was the “greatest shortstop, that is, considering all-around ability, batting, throwing, baserunning, bunting, fielding and ground covering ability, to mention nothing of his fight, spirit and conscientiousness, ever to wear a Cleveland uniform.” 3. B- The original rules allowed fielders to get runners out by throwing the ball at them. This was called “soaking the runner.” 4. A 5. D 6. D Scorecard: 5-6 correct: You are the Big Bambino! 3-4 correct: You know a bit about the old times… 0-2 correct: You are a real baseball historian…What’s your second favorite sport, genius?

G OT F

Answer to riddle: 25. 8 innings at one pitch per batter, then he gives up a solo homer in the bottom of the 9th to lose the game on his 25th pitch.

UNN

Y? Comm Let the ission er dec ide Send your s centerfo tuff to ld@five townsje wishho me.com

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F E B R U A RY 2 7 , 2014

The Shmuz

R’ Ben Tzion Shafier

Parshas Pikudei

Columbus Discovered America – Hashem Invented It “And they brought the Mishkan to Moshe, the tent and all of the vessels” — Shemos 39:33 When all the parts of the Mishkan had been fashioned, they were brought to Moshe, who actually stood the walls up and erected the Mishkan. Rashi explains that because of the massive weight of the materials, none of the people involved in forming the Mishkan were able to erect it, so they brought the materials to Moshe. Moshe was also unable to lift up the heavy walls, so Hashem said to him, “Go through the motions as if you are lifting them, and they will be lifted on their own.” The difficulty with this Rashi is that one posuk later (in 40:18) it says, “And Moshe erected the Mishkan.” Moshe is credited with actually putting up the Mishkan. Yet the Medrash tells us that not only didn’t he put it up, he wasn’t even physically capable of doing it. In what sense can the Torah consider that Moshe raised the Mishkan when it clearly wasn’t his action? Creative in Name, but not in Principle The answer to this question can be found by understanding any creative act of man. When a couple makes the conscious decision to have a baby, they use a system that Hashem put into place to bring forth a child. They don’t claim to be knowledgeable enough in biochemistry to synthesize the proteins needed for

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growth. They don’t allege to have sufficient understanding in physiology to weave the neuron pathways in the brain. And they certainly don’t contend that they are learned enough in pathology to create the immune system that develops within their fetus.

he takes home two packages of freshly baked cookies for his kids. His children love to brag about the delicious cookies their father makes. Frank’s kids are the envy of the entire first grade. Naturally, when the class is planning a bake sale, who do they ask for help with the reci-

IT’S ALL MIRACULOUS, AND MAN’S ROLE IS ALWAYS JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS. When we say they made the baby, we mean they used a pre-existing system that was set up with great wisdom and forethought. They pushed the button, and the gears and flywheels went into motion. Nine months later, out came a perfectly-formed, complex marvel called a human. They had the baby, but they didn’t create the baby. This is true of any creative act that a human engages in, whether it be a couple having a child, a farmer growing corn, or an entrepreneur creating an industry. We take pre-existing elements, use pre-formed systems, turn a switch, and take the credit for the result. In our minds’ eye, it is our effort that brought forth the product, but in reality, we did little but use the machinery already in place. An analogy to this would be: Frank the Cookie Baker Every day, when Frank leaves work,

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

pes? Frank! Unfortunately, Frank doesn’t know that much about baking cookies. You see, Frank works in a factory. Every morning exactly at 4:20 AM, Frank pushes the switch that starts the operation rolling, and exactly 35 minutes later, out comes the first batch of Stella D’oro Chocolate Fudge cookies. Frank didn’t create the process; he doesn’t even know which ingredients go into the mixture. He wouldn’t be able to tell you the different preservatives and flavorings that are used. He wouldn’t be able to explain to you the difference between radiant and convection heat and their effect on the crispness of the cookie. He certainly isn’t capable of creating the intricate system of conveyer belts, mixers, and feeder chain ovens needed to produce that cookie. His job is to flip the switch. The machine does the rest. When man harnesses a force of nature, we look at him with awe and reverence. What a brilliant thinker! He invented something that wasn’t! Inadvertently, we attribute the wisdom of the system to the one who harnessed it. This is a fallacy. It’s much like Columbus finding America. He discovered it, but he didn’t create it. When man taps into a powerful force in Hashem’s world, he has created nothing. He has uncovered some of the intricacies of the systems and machines that Hashem uses to run this world. Using systems, laws, principles, and entire machines already in place, man comes along and changes a gear. The effect may be sig-

nificant, but he created nothing. He discovered a bit of the elaborate machinery that Hashem brought forth in the six days of Creation. The difference between Moshe Rabbeinu and Us The answer to the question on Rashi seems to be that to Moshe Rabbeinu, any action that he engaged in was but flipping the switch. It is Hashem’s machine, and Hashem’s rules run that machine. If Hashem said that today in this situation, going through the motions is what will bring about the results – then it is just a different way of flipping the switch. When Moshe went through the motions of lifting the Mishkan, the action was still attributable to him because

Hashem said that in regards to that situation, this was the system that He set up. You wave your hands, and this will be the result. In that sense, Moshe used the system that Hashem put into place. It was no different than a farmer planting wheat or a couple having a child. It’s all miraculous, and man’s role is always just going through the motions. As such, this was how Moshe erected the Mishkan. He used Hashem’s machine to bring about the result. This understanding is pivotal in our understanding of Hashem’s involvement in the running of this world and focuses our perspective of our own involvement in this world. “The Shmuz”, an engaging and motivating Torah lecture that deals with real life issues is available for FREE at www.TheShmuz. com. The Shmuz on the Parsha Book, a compilation on all of Chumash is now available for purchase either in your local Sefarim store, or at the Shmuz.com

95 Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

No Business Like Snow Business

In fact, when my wife posted pictures of the snow on our deck on Facebook, one woman commented, “How beautiful!” OK, she lives in Florida so it doesn’t really count, but the point remains that you can see a good side to it if you try hard enough. So, there I was, one snowy afternoon, several weeks into the daily wintry mix, driving home from work and listening to a Torah CD. The topic turned to the bracha in Sheva Brachos of She’hakol bara l’chvodo, that everything is created for G-d’s honor. As I

looked along the edge of the road at the grimy piles of dull gray snow which had been plowed to the side and iced over, I thought, “How exactly is that snow showing ‘G-d’s honor’?” It was simply

the earthly distractions. I realized, “This was created for Hashem’s honor! It reminds us that all is not lost when we make mistakes. We only appear to be gray, but the black-

YOU CAN ACTUALLY LEARN TO LOVE THE SNOW OR SLEET OR WHATEVER ELSE HASHEM SENDS YOUR WAY.

dirty, polluted snow that was doing no one any good. It made me think of the phrase, “Pure as driven snow.” This snow had surely been driven upon, probably by thousands of cars, but pure? No way! I actually did research it and found that the “driven snow” they’re talking about is snow blown by the wind into drifts that has been untouched. That’s why it’s so pure. They weren’t talking about the blowback from an eighteen-wheeler following a salt truck in a blizzard. As I pondered this thought, I suddenly had an epiphany. I thought about the dirty snow. It wasn’t really dirty. True, the snow had mixed with the dirt and grease from the road, picked up pieces of asphalt perhaps, but it had not actually melded with the dirt. When the weather clears and warms up, the snow will melt and the dirt will settle back down onto the road. Rivulets of pure water will stream toward the storm drains from under these piles of frozen mess and head back to the rivers and oceans and the water cycle will begin again. That’s when it hit me. The Jews, too, are stuck in the muck, surrounded on all sides by people and situations that can tarnish us and coat us with filth. But it’s just a coating. The holy neshama of each Jew doesn’t change no matter how much dirt is piled on. Deep down, it remains pure, waiting to be freed from the negative influences of

ness never really becomes part of us; it only obscures the view of our sparkling, brilliant purity.” Along the road of life, things get messy. We might think we’re done for, too far gone, and simply changed into dull and dreary beings. That’s when the lesson of the snow comes forth, remind-

ing us that though we’ve been driven and trod upon, underneath we’re still pure and pristine. We can rid ourselves of the road grime, because it doesn’t change who we are deep down. 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 or sponsor the Migdal Ohr, his weekly PDF Dvar Torah in English, e-mail info@JewishSpeechWriter.com and put Subscribe or Sponsor in the subject. © 2014 by Jonathan Gewirtz. All rights reserved.

F E B R U A RY 2 7 , 2014

here’s an old expression, “Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it.” In the 19th century this was high humor because, of course, you can’t do anything about the weather. Well, for the longest time, I was determined not to talk about it. This winter in New York has been colder and had more snow than most years I can remember, and we’ve set some records. Through it all, though, I tried not to complain and when others lamented the constant precipitation I merely chalked it up to G-d’s will and smiled. I was confident that “MORE SNOW???” would not be a topic of conversation for me. Now, in truth, you can do something about the weather. The first way is by davening and asking G-d about it. It may or may not change based on your request, but you have at least done something about it. The other way is to happily accept what Hashem sends your way. It won’t make you have to shovel any less, but you will be less annoyed as you do. You can actually learn to love the snow or sleet or whatever else Hashem sends your way because it is Him who is sending it.

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The Observant Jew

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Rabbi's Musings [& Amusings]

n August 29, 1911, the Mona Lisa, Leonardo di Vinci’s most famous work, was stolen off the wall of the Louvre in Paris. For a week the museum was closed due to the investigation. Yet it remained a mystery until it was returned in December 1913. It had been stolen by Vencenzo Peruggia, a former employee of the museum who wanted to return the glory of Italians to Italy. It was fascinating that when the museum reopened after being closed for a week following the larceny, throngs of people came to stare at the spot where the Mona Lisa had been. In fact, during the first few days more people came to see the vacant spot where the painting had been than those who came to see the Mona Lisa before it was stolen. My mother used to have a magnet hanging on her refrigerator that read, “Housework is something you do that no one else notices, unless you don’t do it!” It seems to be a fact that we just don’t appreciate things until we no longer have them, or at least until there is a problem.

Appreciating What We Have WE JUST DON’T APPRECIATE THINGS UNTIL WE NO LONGER HAVE THEM. My Rebbe, Rabbi Berel Wein shlita, would relate a story about a young boy who did not speak. He grew from infant to toddler and beyond, but still he never uttered a word. His parents were beside themselves with worry. They took him to specialists and experts but still the boy said nothing. Then one morning at breakfast when the boy was fiveyears-old he looked up at his mother and said, “The oatmeal is cold!” The mother shrieked. “You can speak?” She immediately called her husband, all the grandpar-

ents, and neighbors to share with them the wonderful news. When she finally calmed down a bit she asked him, “If you were always able to speak, why didn’t you ever say anything until now?” The boy shrugged, “Until now the oatmeal wasn’t cold!” We all want things to go smoothly and to be blessed with peace of mind and serenity. But at times when situations are challenging, mistakes are made, or we lose things that we previously took for granted, it helps us appreciate what we have even more.

Rabbi Dani Staum

Thank G-d I have been privileged to type Stam Torah, my weekly Torah column, for over ten years (www.stamtoah.info), and disseminate it via the web. To be fair I do receive emails from friends and readers with compliments or feedback, which of course is always appreciated. But I never receive as many responses as when I make a mistake. I have concluded that it is a good idea to make a faux pas every now and then so that I know people are still reading. Sometimes it takes cold oatmeal before anyone says anything, and sometimes the Mona Lisa has to be stolen before we recognize its value.

Rabbi Dani Staum, LMSW, is the Rabbi of Kehillat New Hempstead, and Guidance Counselor/Rebbe at Yeshiva Bais Hachinuch & Ashar in Monsey, NY. He is the author of Stam Torah and can be reached at stamtorah@gmail.com. His website is www.stamtorah.info.

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REGAL

Mother of Pearl and Sterling Ataros

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THE JEW RY 2247, , 2012 2014 T HI ES H J EHWO IMSEH nH O MFEE BnR UMAAY

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Cover Story

Israel’s Groom

The Miraculous Story of IDF Commander Aharon Karov’s Brush with Death and Journey to Recovery

by Tzvi Dear

Aharon and his father, Rav Zeev Karov

When you meet with Aharon Karov you get the sense that you are in the presence of a young man whose life experience is unparalleled. His physical scars bear witness to the severe trauma that he has been through. Yet, when he talks about his experience, he focuses on the positive and on pushing forward. He exhibits a contagious excitement for Israel, Judaism and faith in Hashem. I was fortunate to speak with him personally on his recent trip to America. This is his inspirational story.

n December 2009, the dark clouds of war once again hovered over Israel. Ever since its withdrawal from Gaza, the now-Hamas controlled territory had become an oasis for terrorists, who freely lobbed katyusha rockets into Israeli cities, bringing everyday life to a grounding halt. Israel could no longer withstand the constant barrage, and it was decided that military action was the only option. Yet, unlike many previous wars which Israel had fought, this war would be different. It would be a guerilla war, fought from house to house, courtyard to courtyard. Israel quickly learned after its previous incursion into Lebanon that when it comes to guerilla warfare, even if you win, it comes at a deadly cost. But the Jewish State had no choice. The plan for the operation, called “Operation Cast Lead,” was that in the first stage of the mission, special forces would go into Gaza and penetrate house to house, clearing booby traps and ap-

prehending terrorists. Aharon Karov was going to be one of the first soldiers in. At the young age of 23, he was a commander in the elite paratroopers force Division 890, known as the Tzanchanim. He had excelled in the army and was prepared to lead his unit of 30 soldiers into Gaza. Aharon was not only equipped with the best training, but he also had a tool that Jewish soldiers have relied on for thousands of years: a deep faith in Hashem. Aharon’s father, Rav Ze’ev Karov, engrained in his son a love for Israel and a deep sense of emunah ever since he was a young child. As the Rosh Yeshiva of Keren Shomron, Aharon’s father penned a highly acclaimed sefer on emunah. With his army training and faith in Hashem, Aharon felt that he was prepared for the battle. For several days, Aharon and his unit were encamped outside of Gaza waiting for the orders to enter enemy territory. On Thursday morning, January 1st, they were still waiting for the invasion, which they knew would be imminent. But Aharon had something very important to attend that evening. At 8AM, his superior told him to take the rest of the day off to prepare for that event: a wedding…his wedding. Aharon and Tzivia were married on Thursday evening. The joyous celebration ended after 1AM. The next morning at 7AM, the newlywed received a phone call from his company commander, “Aharon, we are going into Gaza now. You don’t have to come, but I just need to know: are you coming or not?” Although Aharon was entitled to 10 days off in celebration of his wedding, he couldn’t fathom not leading his troops when they needed him most.

“As a commander, you live with the constant sense that your soldiers are in your hands and you want to be there for them,” Aharon told me. His new wife, who was guided by a parallel love and commitment to Israel, agreed and encouraged him to go back to his unit. Aharon notes how at his wedding under the chuppah, the words “Im eshkochech Yerushalayim” were sung. Although the timing was difficult, the mission of protecting Israel is so important, as evidenced by the fact that at Jewish weddings—which are seemingly unrelated to protecting Israel—we declare our commitment to that mission. By 9AM the new groom was with his unit in Gaza. The dangerous mission had begun. Aharon’s story made national headlines. The entire country was mesmerized and inspired at the level of commitment of this soldier to go fight mere hours after his wedding. The fact that Aharon was religious made this story

of the building up an outdoor staircase. Two of Aharon’s men were in formation a few feet behind him. As Aharon smashed the door open, he was flung into the air from the ensuing explosion. The door was booby-trapped and the home collapsed on top of Aharon. He lost consciousness in the blast. Thankfully, Aharon’s soldiers were able to extract him from the rubble. But the situation was dim. His head took the brunt of the explosion and his skull was shattered. He had lost a lot of blood and was not breathing. A paramedic on the scene proclaimed him dead. But then, he felt a faint pulse. The paramedic made a split second decision to cut a hole in Aharon’s throat and insert a tube for Aharon to breathe. A medivac arrived within minutes, and Aharon was transported to Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah. Upon Aharon’s arrival at the hospital, the doctors quickly determined that the situation was hopeless. He would

Despite the different ways Jews dress, talk and live, at the end of the day we are one nation that cares deeply for one another. even more of a kiddush Hashem. What happened next, though, made even bigger headlines. On the tenth day of the incursion, Aharon was given a command to secure an area that included six houses. Aharon and his troops went towards the first house and secured the area around it. They surveyed the home and noticed there was no live fire coming from it. The plan was for Aharon to bust open the door, which was on the second story

not make it through the night, they thought. They informed Aharon’s new wife and his family that he would not survive and that they should come to say their goodbyes. But then, the first in a series of miracles took place. Dr. Steve Jackson, who is a renowned neurosurgeon, overheard two nurses talking about the groom who was just brought in from Gaza and who was going to die. “It’s the groom; it’s the groom,” they said, referring to the

inspirational story they heard of a soldier so committed to his country that he went to fight just hours after celebrating his marriage. The nurses were saying that surgery was about to be performed on Aharon even though it would not save him, but would be good training for the new doctor who would be performing it. Dr. Jackson realized that the soldier they were discussing was the man who made headlines several days earlier for going to war just hours after his wedding, and he felt compelled to

“I had to look at the glass as half full and focus on the fact that I am alive.” do the surgery himself, despite the odds being stacked against success. As Aharon’s family gathered around their wounded husband and son, Dr. Jackson gravely informed them that the surgery would not save Aharon but that he was doing the surgery to give Aharon’s family “a few more hours with him.” He told Tzivia, Aharon’s new wife, “For somebody so dedicated to his country as your husband, I have to give 150%.” The surgery lasted 18 hours and Aharon miraculously made it through. The doctors then told Aharon’s fam-

was dismembered, and his stomach and upper left side of his body were completely crushed. He awoke to the devastating realization that for the rest of his life he would have to live in a hospital bed. But Aharon says that he was able to make it through those dark days because he felt the unity of klal Yisroel, as Jews of all types from all over the world davened for him. He received letters of support from ultra-Orthodox Jews, modern Jews, secular Jews—all Jews felt the urge to reach out to their brother in pain. Aharon also realized that instead of focusing on his injuries, he had to focus on the positive. “I had to look at the glass as half full and focus on the fact that I am alive,” he told me. “When I looked at the positive, I was able to push forward and begin my recovery.” Aharon says, “Everyone can look at things in their life and say, ‘This is no good, that Aharon ran the NYC Marathon last year is no good, etc.’ but if ily that there was a 95% chance that you look at the good things in your life he would die and a 5% chance that he then you are always moving forward would live in a vegetative state for the and growing.” rest of his life. Aharon’s recovery was long and Despite the apparent hopelessness painstaking. After 45 days he was fiof the situation, Jews all over Israel and nally able to eat baby food. But he still the world prayed for his recovery. was unable to move or talk. Eventually,

he took one step and then fainted from the effort. The next day he took several steps and fainted once again. The next day, he took 10 steps and fainted again. Eventually, he began walking, albeit in intense pain. When Aharon finally left the hospital, Dr. Jackson was so moved by Aharon’s recovery that he asked that some day when Aharon has a baby boy, he would like to be the mohel at his son’s bris.

recalls an incident that happened during his recovery. Eight months after the explosion, Aharon flew to Tuscon, Arizona, to a top skin graft doctor to undergo surgery to reconstruct his nose. When he awoke from the surgery, his father was sitting on the side of his bed and asked him how he felt. He told his father, “I feel pain on my forehead, my back,

oday, Aharon is in university and works for Panim el Panim, an organization which brings Jewish awareness to secular Israelis. Due to Aharon’s veteran status and his story, he is able to develop a strong rapport with other commanders. As such, he focuses on communicating with commanders and setting up Panim el Panim programs and Shabbtonim for their troops. Aharon says that there is a thirst among the troops for spirituality, even amongst those who are not interested in religion per se. Aharon recalls one incident recently in which he set up a Shabbaton on an army base. As part of the Shabbaton, a well-respected rabbi was the featured speaker. On Friday night, the commanding officer saw the rabbi and said, “Rabbi, no offense, but I am a kibbutznik. I don’t believe in the Torah, but if you want to give your class, go ahead.” The rabbi smiled and asked him to stay for just a few minutes. Sure enough, the commanding officer stayed for the whole class. Afterwards, the emotional commanding officer said to the rabbi, “Rabbi, I am ashamed to say, I really enjoyed that class…I never learned Torah before and I found your class to be so moving.” On Shabbos day—which is an off day for soldiers— the commanding officer made it mandatory for all of his troops to attend the rabbi’s class. After the weekend, the commanding officer called Aharon and asked him to arrange additional Shabbat programs for his unit. Aharon says that in working with the troops he sees how much they are yearning for an identity. Panim el Panim gives the troops an identity by bringing them meaningful information about Judaism. The rabbis that Aharon introduce to the soldiers have themselves all served in the army, which makes it easier for the soldiers to relate to them. Aharon says that one of the messages that resonates very much with soldiers is “achdut Yisrael”— Jewish unity. He points out how all types of Jews prayed for him and how despite the different ways Jews dress, talk and live, at the end of the day we are one nation who cares deeply for one another. To make his point about unity, Aharon

With his wife and baby daughter

my stomach, both arms and both legs. I came here for this doctor to give me a new nose, not to give me all of this pain.” His father responded, “Aharon, you have pain in all of those areas because it’s from all those areas that the doctor took skin to graft a new nose for you.” Aharon smiles and relates, “That incident taught me a lesson about unity: you take parts that are unrelated—from different areas and of a different make up—and bring them together to create something which is whole.” Aharon saw what Jewish unity did for him and he is committed to spreading that message of unity. After almost five years of intense rehabilitation, Aharon accomplished what is considered by many to be the ultimate physical feat: he ran the 2013 New York City marathon. (He completed the race in 4:14:31.) Although Aharon is proud of this accomplishment, he is most proud—and thankful—that today he and Tzivia have a beautiful family with a 3-year-old daughter and a son born in 2011, whose bris was performed by Dr. Jackson. Although it can be said that Aharon has come full circle, he still undergoes physical hardships because of his injuries. Yet, he is not bitter. In fact, he is optimistic and thankful that his experience has enabled him to see the beauty of Jewish unity and to give that over through his work with Panim el Panim. With the bright smile of a happy young man and with the confidence of an Israeli army commander, he sums up his attitude in two words: “Yallah, kadima!”

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Finally out of the coma, but months away from a full recovery

For 15 days Aharon’s life hung in the balance with his family and new wife keeping vigil at his bedside. Then the ultimate flicker of hope took place: Aharon blinked an eye. Word spread through the hospital and beyond that Aharon showed a sign of life. Those who were praying for him took it as a sign that they should pray even more fervently. And the tefillot worked, even though Aharon was far from out of the woods. Within a few days, he slowly regained consciousness. Aharon recalls that at the beginning he had no recollection of any events and was not even able to recognize members of his family. But slowly his memory came back. The story of Aharon’s survival captured the hearts of the entire country and figures such as Defense Minister Ehud Barak and then-opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu visited him in the hospital. Despite regaining consciousness, all of Aharon’s teeth had been knocked out, his nose was dislodged, his left eye

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MARCH 1

MARCH 2

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When a child is born or diagnosed with a serious illness, the entire family feels the pain. Chai Lifeline provides crucial emotional, social and financial help that enables the family to cope with the diagnosis, treatment and repercussions of life-threatening or lifelong pediatric illness.

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TJH Staff

The Secret to Getting Kids to Listen

n March 5, at the Food For Thought talk series at Cravingz Café, I’ll be speaking on this very topic. There’s lots to say about it. The secret to getting kids on “your” side is both simple and difficult. It’s simple to understand but sometimes difficult to execute. The secret is in the relationship. When you have the right relationship, kids want to make you proud of them and happy with them. When you have the right relationship, the amount of punishment needed is infinitesimally small. As an example, my father of blessed memory would only need a stern look and I would be so sad inside that I disappointed him. He never yelled at me; he never needed to. How does this come about and what can you do now to create it? There are four key ingredients in any mutually satisfying relationship: giving, valuing, respecting, and simcha.

Giving Parents mess this one up a lot. You shouldn’t give things. You have to give of yourself: Your ear, your time, your thoughts, probably in that order. My youngest granddaughter, about a year and a half old, thinks she’s talking to all of us. With a cheery smile, she starts going on and on with all the expressiveness of an orator. She looks at you as she “talks” and expects a response. The only problem is that she’s speaking gibberish! What do you do? Should we grownups dismiss her because she’s not yet talking? I wonder how many people would think it’s pointless to engage. Actually,

neuroscience research tells us that if we look back into her sweet eyes and respond and try to have a “conversation,” this develops her brain. How about that? So I look at her, smile, and say, “Yes, it does seem that way. I couldn’t agree with you more.” I don’t know what I agreed with but it doesn’t matter. She got heard; she was happy and so was I.

less, asking good questions to help them think is a wonderful gift. Michael, 10, came home from school a bit down and Marla, his mom, saw that right away. She gave him a snack and even the chocolate chip cookie didn’t brighten his spirits. That’s when she asked what’s wrong. Michael shrugged but after a while, he opened

THE SECRET TO GETTING KIDS ON “YOUR” SIDE IS BOTH SIMPLE AND DIFFICULT. Kal v’chomer if the child is already speaking, surely you should be listening. To him the observation or request was important. You don’t have to agree with it but you certainly have to show that you know what it was. Children also need time. Sometimes it’s just cuddle time; sometimes it’s story time. Sometimes you can build a structure together or draw together. You can take a walk together or just push a kid on the swing. The key is involvement. If you’re on your cellphone during any of these, you just cancelled out the benefit of being together because you weren’t mentally together. Now you will argue with me that you don’t have the time, so be clever about it. How can you combine two activities? For example, joking and talking with your child while you pick out clothes for the next day; discussing what foods you are buying while shopping in the grocery store; listening carefully to the tales of her day while serving and joining your child at dinner. All these are giving of your time—and yourself. There are times when your thoughts are wanted – and times when they are not. It’s important to hold back your own thoughts for as long as possible with older children so they can come up with their own answers. This helps them with critical thinking. Neverthe-

up. He explained that there was a new kid in the class who didn’t quite seem to fit in. This kid had befriended Michael (how does the odd one out recognize a kind heart?) and that was okay with Michael. However, other boys in the class started making remarks to him. The right level of involvement would be for Marla to care very much but see if she could subtly guide her son to making an intelligent decision rather than giving directives. “So, what did you do?” she asked. “I told them they weren’t nice,” Michael replied. Marla was very proud of Michael for being on the right side of ethics in this case, but before saying anything, she needed more information. “So, I’m guessing that didn’t make you feel better?” “Oh, it did!” Michael replied. “I

thought they ought to be ashamed of themselves. What kind of kids are they, anyhow?” At this point, he looked at his mother with his clear, brown eyes showing conviction and certainty. Clearly, he didn’t need her praise to know he had done the right thing. “So why are you down?” she queried. Michael shrugged his shoulders. “I thought they were better than that, that’s all,” he replied quietly. Marla breathed a sigh. Tears almost came to her eyes thinking what a fine, sensitive child her son was. She thanked Hashem for this gift. How should she answer him? “Some are, some aren’t,” she finally said. “If you just keep doing what you’re doing, the others may catch on eventually.” Her contribution was praise for the steps he had taken along with encouragement to continue being the person he was. She could see that he was leadership material. As for the reality he was facing, he would have to ponder that for himself. There was nothing she could say to change it. See you next Wednesday when I get into the remaining points on the list! 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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Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

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Notable

Quotes

Compiled by Nate Davis

“Say What?” Daniel Pearl’s story is reminder that individual accountability & reconciliation are required to break cycles of violence. - Tweet by U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power (Pearl was beheaded in Pakistan in 2002)

Immigration reform is important in our country … where are you going to get people to work to clean our hotel rooms or do our landscaping? - Florida’s 13th Congressional district Democratic candidate Alex Sink

Here in New York City we have so much snow that they’re running out of salt. So right this minute, sanitation workers are out on the street scraping pretzels. - David Letterman

I enjoyed watching some of you with your eyes on higher office size up the drapes – and each other. - President Obama drawing laughs while addressing the nation’s governors at the White House

What I worry about is this president and the White House seems to be waving the white flag of surrender…the Obama economy is now the minimum wage economy. I think we can do better than that. - Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., outside the White House, after the governor’s meeting with the president I don’t know what the heck was a reference to white flag when it comes to people making $404 a week. I mean, that’s the most insane statement I’ve ever heard, quite frankly. - Gov. Dannel Malloy, D-Conn., outside the White House responding to Gov. Jindal’s comments*

Well, I think success looks like at least seven million people having signed up by the end of March 2014. - Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on NBC in September 2013 First of all, seven million was not the administration’s [number]. That was a CBO, Congressional Budget Office, prediction when the bill was first signed. I’m not sure where they even got their numbers. - Ibid, when asked last week if she was disappointed that Obamacare didn’t reach the 7 million benchmark Of course, she was the one that said it, among others. You know, it’s an old rule, “Say the truth, it’s easier to memorize.” - Charles Krauthammer, responding to Secretary Sebelius’s claim

A lot of people ask me, you know, do I miss much about being president. The answer’s really no. I mean I miss the people I served with. I miss Air Force One. In eight years, they never lost my baggage. - Former President George W. Bush

We want the public to know that we are holding ourselves to this standard. - Mayor de Blasio at a press conference about safe driving two days before his car was witnessed speeding and blowing through stop signs.

This weekend is George Washington’s birthday. Washington had probably the hardest job of any other president because he had no predecessor to blame things on. He was out there all on his own. - David Letterman

In Florida, a 101-year-old man is planning to run for Congress. His slogan is, “Vote for me and then vote again in two months.” - Conan O’Brien

Yesterday New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was asked about the slow pace of his weight loss and said, quote, “Rome was not un-built in a day.” In fact, Christie and Rome have a lot in common: one was built by Julius Caesar, and the other was built by Little Caesar. - Jimmy Fallon

That’s why your insurance premiums have to go through the roof and your Obamacare tax is the same as Bill Gates’. So across the world, we’ll all be equal, dying of cancer, heart disease and diabetes as often as everyone else. - Ann Coulter What don’t you get about me not talking to you? - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to a Politico reporter who repeatedly tried talking to him when he was in Washington

Just understand him for what he is. This is the most naïve president in history. - Senator John McCain in a radio interview discussing President Obama’s foreign policy Time magazine has named the Kit Kat the most influential candy bar of all time. That’s the kind of hardhitting journalism that Time magazine is doing now. Be sure to read this week’s issue of “Candy Bar Weekly” for an in-depth analysis of the situation in the Ukraine. - Craig Ferguson

[Obama] He would much rather spend the money on food stamps than he would on a strong military or support for our troops. - Dick Cheney on Fox News, discussing cuts in military spending

Such a one-way journey poses a real risk to life, and that can never be justified in Islam. There is a possibility that an individual who travels to planet Mars may not be able to remain alive there and is more vulnerable to death. - Statement by the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment warning Muslims not to travel to Mars

If Barack Obama had been president instead of Ronald Reagan, I’d still be a citizen of the Soviet Union. - Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, who fled the Soviet Union for the U.S.

President Obama met with Mexico’s president…Obama had a message for Mexicans. He said, “If you like your fajitas, you can keep your fajitas.” - David Letterman

G-d told me to sit down, be quiet, and enjoy the peace… Can’t go wrong with G-d. - San Diego State running back Adam Muema explaining why he left the NFL Combine on Sunday without participating in the workouts

I told the president, next game, I’ve got him. I may be a white boy, but I can jump. - Joe Biden at an event celebrating Black History Month

A new study found that being lonely is actually worse for your health than being obese. You know, because if you’re obese at least it FEELS like there’s two of you. - Jimmy Fallon

The World Clown Association has announced that the number of clowns worldwide has dropped dramatically. The drop in clowns is mostly due to one fatal car accident. - Conan O’Brien

After 16 days of competition, the closing ceremony for the Winter Olympics is this Sunday. Vladimir Putin was like, “It has been fun time, and I’m sad to see everyone escape . . . I mean, get away . . . I mean, go home.” - Jimmy Fallon

Folks, the Winter Olympics are finally over. They’ve handed out all the medals and all the whippings. And the athletes are now leaving town before Vladimir Putin uses the Olympic flame to burn down Sochi for the insurance money. -Stephen Colbert

Well, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, young people can stay on their parents’ insurance until they are 26. But once they hit 26 – they’re on their own. And a lot of young people think they’re invincible. But the truth is, young people are knuckleheads. They’re the ones who are cooking for the first time and slice their finger open, they’re dancing on the bar stool. - Michelle Obama on The Tonight Show Drive High, Get a DUI. - A new anti-drunk driving campaign by the Colorado Department of Transportation

No. - National Security Adviser Susan Rice on “Meet the Press” when asked pointblank whether she has any regrets about misleading the public in the days after the Benghazi attack Throw on an explosive belt, wrap your face in a keffiyeh and grab an AK-47. Run towards the Wall at full speed, shouting, “Allahu Akbar!” When you hit the Wall, fall over and rub your head, muttering “D’oh!” in the style of Homer Simpson. Protest loudly about how the racist Zionist regime is impeding your freedom of movement. Hand out business cards with a link to your suicide video on YouTube. For good effect, have a friend drive over an ambulance laden with explosives; cry that it is unfair to stop the vehicle for inspection. - British philosophy student Eylon Aslan-Levy providing tips on combating “Israel Apartheid week” which many college campuses are participating in A team of military researchers is developing a pizza that can stay edible for three years. It’s been a weird couple of years for the military. One minute you’re hunting Osama bin Laden and the next you’re trying to outsmart Papa John. - Jimmy Fallon

Today the Russian hockey team lost and was knocked out of the Olympics. People in Russia haven’t been this depressed since last week. - Conan O’Brien

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The Winter Olympics wrapped up in Sochi last night. So goodbye, men in leotards. We’ll see you again in four years. - Jimmy Kimmel

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Health & Fitness Lori Boxer

Weight Control

A Manageable Athletic Challenge

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ou probably know from your own childhood, genetic makeup, early exexperience that diets don’t work. periences, relationships with significant How many of the following have people, financial status, and many other you tried? factors get you walking down a certain • Special foods provided for you at road. Trying to get to a different patha weight loss center way takes great effort. • Special foods delivered to your Consider: serious athletes make very home deliberate decisions about their sports. • Special food combinations at cer- They decide to get the right equipment. tain times of the day They seek out qualified instructors. They • Liquid diet, milkshakes, or pro- decide to train at high levels to achieve tein bars their goals. Elite athletes take this sev• Very low-fat diet eral steps further: They must decide to • High-protein and high-fat diet practice or train in a dedicated fashion, • Soup, soup, soup usually about four hours a day, nearly • Pills or injections every day. Clearly, no one’s body wants Diets are extreme measures. Going to work that hard, but these athletes are on them does not help you create a con- committed and they overcome any bisistent weight controller’s lifestyle. Can ological resistance in order to achieve you possibly learn their goal──which to live that lifestyle can be to see themby buying only cerselves standing on WEIGHT CONTROL tain prepared foods an Olympic pofor a few weeks, by dium with a gold MAY POSE ONE OF following a strange medal around their THE GREATEST regimen of comneck. bining only certain E s s e n t i a l l y, LIFELONG PERSONAL foods together, weight control is CHALLENGES THAT or by focusing on a major athletic only one type of challenge! AthANYONE CAN FACE. soup? You cannot. letes can, and do, There are no lasting become highly benefits from these skilled; and overquick fixes. They don’t work. They are weight people can, and do, lose weight extreme—and extremely misdirected. permanently. Persistence toward intenSerious weight controllers need serious sity and consistency makes change possolutions, not quick fixes and fads. sible. Weight loss books and products are usually described as easy to use and guaranteed to work. If you follow that Lori Boxer is the Director of Weight No Mologic to its conclusion, you think: well, reSM Diet Center. In addition to serving if I don’t lose weight quickly, easily and the Brooklyn, Long Island and New Jersey keep it off forever, I’m either bad or communities for 25 years, they also provide Skinny SkypeSM service to clients nationdumb. Weight control may pose one of the wide and to Israel, and offer customized greatest lifelong personal challenges Workforce Weight LossSM Programs for that anyone can face, but all personal businesses. For more information, please changes are challenging. We all follow call Rosalie Shatzman, Rana Frankel and certain paths in our lives as a result of Linda Franklin in their Cedarhurst office: many very powerful influences. Your 516.569.6400.

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In the Kitchen

Eggs: They’re Not Just for Breakfast PERFECT EGG DROP SOUP Ingredients 4 cups chicken broth 1/8 tsp ground ginger 2 TBS chopped fresh chives ¼ tsp salt 1 ½ TBS cornstarch 2 eggs 1 egg yolk Preparation Reserve ¾ cup of chicken broth, and pour

the rest into a large saucepan. Stir the salt, ginger and chives into the saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining broth and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk together using a fork. Drizzle egg a little at a time from the fork into the boiling broth mixture. Egg should cook immediately. Once the eggs have been dropped, stir in the cornstarch mixture gradually until the soup is the desired consistency.

FRIED EGG AND MUSHROOM SANDWICH Ingredients 4 tsp olive oil 1 cup thinly sliced shallots 1½ packages cremini mushrooms, sliced 2 TBS dry white wine or chicken broth ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper ¼ tsp kosher salt 8 tsp pesto 4 slices crusty bread ½ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese 4 large eggs 8 slices beefsteak tomato 3 TBS chopped fresh basil Preparation Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil and ⅔ cup shallots to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms

to the pan. Cook for 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add wine, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and salt to the skillet. Bring mixture to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove mushroom mixture from pan; keep warm. Return pan to medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining ⅓ cup shallot to the pan. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until browned and almost crispy. Remove shallots from pan; keep warm. Preheat broiler to high. Spread 2 teaspoons pesto over one side of each bread slice. Top each slice with about 2 tablespoons cheese. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts; keep warm. Return pan to medium heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Crack eggs into pan, and cook 4 minutes (until whites are set) or to desired level of doneness. Place eggs on top of sandwich. Serve warm. Continued on page 112

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Ingredients ¼ cup olive oil 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped 1 small yellow onion, chopped 5 cloves garlic, crushed and sliced 1 tsp ground cumin 1 TBS paprika 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained Kosher salt, to taste 6 eggs ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled 1 TBS chopped flat-leaf parsley Warm pitas, for serving Preparation Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-

THE PERFECT SCRAMBLED EGGS Ingredients 8 eggs ½ cup whole milk 2 TBS butter Salt and ground white pepper, to taste Preparation Crack the eggs into a glass mixing bowl and beat them until they turn a pale yellow color. Heat a heavy-bottomed nonstick sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Add the milk to the eggs and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Then, grab your whisk and whisk like crazy. If you’re not up for that, you can use an electric beater or stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whatever device you use, you’re trying to beat as much air as possible into

93 high heat. Add jalapeños and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes. Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with ½ cup water, reduce heat to mecdium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt. Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.

the eggs. When the butter in the pan is hot enough to make a drop of water hiss, pour in the eggs. Don’t stir! Let the eggs cook for up to a minute or until the bottom starts to set. With a heat-resistant rubber spatula, gently push one edge of the egg into the center of the pan, while tilting the pan to allow the still liquid egg to flow in underneath. Repeat with the other edges, until there’s no liquid left. Turn off the heat and continue gently stirring and turning the egg until all the uncooked parts become firm. Don’t break up the egg, though. Try to keep the curds as large as possible. If you’re adding any other ingredients, now’s the time to do it. Feel free to add in herbs, grated cheese or sautéed onions to your eggs. Transfer to a plate when the eggs are set but still moist and soft. Eggs are delicate, so they’ll continue to cook for a few moments after they’re on the plate.

MUSHROOM FRITTATA Ingredients 1 (8-ounce) package mushroom, including cremini, portabella and button mushrooms ½ cup shredded mozzarella 1 ½ tsp fresh thyme, chopped 3 large egg whites 2 large eggs Preparation Preheat broiler. Heat an 8-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add mushrooms

to pan; sauté 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Place mushrooms in a medium bowl; cool slightly. Wipe pan clean with paper towels. Combine mushrooms, cheese, thyme, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon salt, egg whites, and eggs in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Heat pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add mushroom mixture; cook, covered, for 3 minutes or until almost set. Broil 3 minutes or until egg is set. Cut into 4 wedges and serve warm.

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SHAKSHUKA

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In the Kitchen Naomi Nachman

Crazy for Kale Kale is the latest buzz word in trendy food. Over the last year we have been seeing kale recipes in cookbooks, restaurants and all over the food blogs. At first, I thought, “Yuk”; kale is so hard to chew and didn’t look very appetizing to buy in supermarkets. However it was becoming so overwhelmingly popular, I had to try it out for myself. I started to research and experiment with recipes. I found that kale is one of the super-foods packed with vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, calcium, vitamin B6, potassium, folate and much more. This made it a perfect food to eat this very cold winter to help keep our bodies healthy. Here are some pointers when working with kale. 1. Choose smooth lacinato kale for salads and curly kale for chips. Curly kale is fibrous and grassy tasting, so it’s not the best for salads. 2. Lacinato kale is also known as Tuscan kale, cavolo nero, or dinosaur kale (dino for short). In general, lacinato kale works better in salads. It’s a little bit sweeter and more delicate and edible, so you can use the whole leaf for salads. 3. Slice it thin and small, cutting out the rib from the center. 4. Rub it with a little oil: kale leaves have a natural waxy coating that is great for protecting them from rain. Unfortunately, it also protects them from salad dressing, which does not make for a delicious salad. Rubbing the leaves with oil before dressing them actually removes this waxy coating, so that the leaves better absorb the dressing. 5. Choose the right dressing: kale is a really sturdy green, so you can use a heavy sauce. Nut-based dressings work well. Or, choose a vinaigrette with a lot of acid that will break down the fibers in the kale and make it easier to chew. This is not a typical lettuce salad, so the kale won’t wilt as easily; that means you can use a little more dressing than usual. 6. Massage the kale: instead of just tossing the kale leaves in dressing with salad tongs, use your hands to really mix everything together and make sure you’ve coated every leaf. Literally massage the kale. I use latex gloves to massage in the dressing on the kale. The first thing I made with kales was kale chips. I served it one night for dinner with a dipping sauce. The family loved it! Yay, I was quite relieved.

Kale Chips Ingredients 1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried 2 tablespoons olive oil Sea salt, for sprinkling Preparation Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces. Lay leaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and toss with the olive oil and salt. Bake until crisp, turning the leaves halfway through, about 15-20 minutes. Watch for burning.

Sweet Potato Croutons Kale Salad with Miso Sesame Dressing and Sweet Potato Croutons Ingredients 1 bunch kale leaves Dressing 2 tablespoon brown miso paste (you can also use yellow or red miso) ¼ cup unprepared techina or 4 oz. hummus 6 TBS fresh lemon juice ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup water Preparation Place dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Ingredients 1 sweet potato, washed, peeled, and shaved very thin with a mandolin into rounds or with a vegetable peeler into long ribbons Canola oil Kosher salt, for seasoning Preparation Preheat oven to 400°F Mix shaved sweet potatoes gently with just enough oil to coat each piece in a very thin layer. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle evenly with a little bit of kosher salt. Place in the oven. Check after 10 minutes. You are looking for the potatoes to curl up slightly and have the texture and crunch of a potato chip. You may need to bake them for a few more minutes. Remove the tough center stems of the kale and wash the leaves well. Dry and then tear them into pieces. Place into a salad bowl and pour in the dressing. Massage dressing into the leaves. Do this at least two hours before serving. Garnish with salad with the potato croutons right before serving.

Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website,www.theaussiegourmet. com or at (516) 295-9669.

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Avi Heiligman

Conquering the Skies

back to base to refuel. The bombers would be vulnerable to the menacing German fighters that would ignore the bomber’s guns. The Mustang was created with the range and the firepower to protect the bombers all the way to the target and be able to return to base in one piece. It was able to outfight the best German and Japanese fighters in aerial dogfights and became a psychological weapon as well. At the outbreak of the war, the U.S. had the odd-looking P-39 Air Cobra and the P-40 Warhawk which was deemed obsolete. For an “obsolete” aircraft it proved to be the perfect plane to fight the Japanese in China and Burma as the “Flying Tigers” killed over 300 Japanese top fighters with a loss of only 12 pilots and a few dozen planes. However, P-51 with a bubble canopy these planes could not reach production lines went into a building Japan from the far-ranging Pacific basfrenzy to keep the skies in Allied hands. es, and when the P-51 was introduced, One fighter plane stands out as the top bombing raids with fighter escorts bein the war and many historians consider gan in 1944. it the best in the history of airplanes— The idea for the P-51 started in the North American P-51 Mustang. 1940 when the British needed fighters After a failed landing by the Canadi- to fight the Germans during the Battle ans at Dieppe, France, in 1942 the Allies of Britain. American factories were set realized that they would need another up to produce only American-designed two years to properly invade Nazi-held planes and the current ones weren’t Europe. Instead of just outbuilding good enough. The first prototype was Germany, a plan was introduced that completed on September 9, 1940—just would bomb the factories producing en- 102 days after the contract was signed. emy weapons. The U.S. had long range No other fighter had been designed and bombers—the B-17 Flying Fortress and built in such a short period of time, and the B-24 Liberator—which could reach after some necessary adjustments were the heart of Germany from their bases made, it was sent to the front lines. in England, North Africa and the Medi- Some inventors played with the design terranean. However, the best fighter that and a later version had added hydraulic was in the air force was the P-47 Thun- dive brakes to become the A-36 Apache derbolt (the “P” stands for pursuit and (its unofficial nickname was the Invadlater fighters used the designation “F”). er). It essentially was a P-51 that was The Thunderable to achieve bolt, a heavia straight dive ly armed and while dropping feared plane, bombs and was limited by became more its range. After effective than escorting the German dive bombers to the bombers which German borcould only dive An Israeli Mustang. This particular plane der, it would at angles and was downed during the Suez Crisis in 1956 have to head could be seen

coming in from miles away. Some versions of the Mustang had a bubble canopy enabling the pilot to have a clear view in all directions out of the cockpit. With six .50 caliber machine guns and excellent armor, the plane scored very high kill ratios against the enemy. Many pilots came back to base with planes riddled with bullets but somehow the Mustang was still able to fly and was back in the air in no time. In the spring of 1944, many of the bombing raids were in France to “soften” up the landings before D-Day. A German Me 109 tried to get at these bombers so P-51 pilot William Overstreet starting chasing it over the streets of Paris. In a desperate move, the Nazi dove through the Eiffel Tower. Overstreet, not realizing how dangerous a move this could have been, followed with his guns blazing and brought the enemy down. During the Battle of the Bulge, the German last ditch offensive in December 1944 that relied on surprise, the skies were too foggy or wet to fly. This was perfect for the Germans whose air force was a shadow of its once powerful organization and relied on tank power alone. The Allies knew that German tanks were near a small town 22 miles from a vital American supply depot. The only thing that could stop the tanks was fighter bombers but they couldn’t attack until they knew where the enemy was located. Mustangs were readied for the assignment to find the Germans but since it was such a perilous mission, the call went out for volunteers. Only two pilots came forward: Captain Richard Cassady and Lt. Abraham Jaffe, a Jewish pilot from the Bronx. In 1943, Mustangs and Invaders were sent to China to replace the Warhawks, and the Flying Tigers used them for the rest of the war. In the Pacific theater of operations, the Mustang was only needed for long range escort missions to the Japanese homelands. Since air bases close to Japan were captured late in the war, the biggest examples being Iwo Jima and Okinawa in early 1945, the Mustang was only introduced to the theater at that point. Three days into the battle, they flew from their base

in Belgium into a dense fog and headed to the frontlines. The flight was perilous because in order to see they had to fly 100 feet from the ground, very close to one another, through mountain passes and right above the best German tanks. Somehow, they located the Germans and made it back to base. With this vital information, P-47 Thunderbolts, also known as the tank-buster, destroyed over 125 German tanks and vehicles, thus protecting the American depot. After WWII, many of the planes remained in service and several found their way to Israel. A few Mustang pilots from the U.S. and England, both Jewish and gentile, created the Israeli Air Force with its backbone being the best plane ever built. The Mustangs that made it to Israel in 1948 were smuggled in illegally and stayed in use for about a decade afterwards. During the Suez crisis in 1956, a Mustang was reported-

Overstreet near his plane that flew through the Eiffel Tower

ly used to cut communication wires to Suez City with only the propellers. The Mustang was retired from American arsenals in1961 and the Dominican Air Force finally retired their last F-51 (the P was changed to F) in 1984. Many pilots have called it the most enjoyable plane to fly. Several examples are on display in museums worldwide and a few are still airworthy. Perhaps the Mustang will be remembered as the plane that saved the bombing missions over Europe that brought the Nazi regime to its knees. 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@

F E B R U A RY 2 7 , 2014

t the beginning of WWII, the United States was considered a world power but with the menacing militaries of Germany and Japan conquering major area of the world, the U.S. would need the hardware to back up the claim. Indeed, American military machines were top rate, especially their airplanes. At first, the Army Air Force only had one or two top of the line fighters and bombers. Manufacturers and

The North American P-51 Mustang

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Ask the Attorney

Roman Aminov, Esq.

Understanding Medicaid Trusts I have heard about Medicaid Trusts, but am not sure if I need one. Can you explain? The Attorney Responds: When it comes to long term care for seniors, our office recommends long term care insurance as the first choice. If that is not an option, planning for Medicaid becomes an important component of many families’ plans. While Medicaid allows seniors to own a home and still qualify for benefits, it is important to understand that Medicaid can impose a lien on the home if the senior is admitted to a nursing home. Additionally, Medicaid may collect against the estate after the senior passes away, regardless if they were receiving community or institutional Medicaid. It is therefore necessary to understand various planning strategies which allow seniors to obtain necessary benefits while protecting their assets for their heirs. One of the best techniques which attorneys use involves the transfer of the home into an irrevocable Medicaid trust, which will be discussed in this article. Benefits During Life The Medicaid trust involves trans-

ferring the home and other assets into an irrevocable trust which will then be managed by a trustee (or trustees) of your choice. The trustee can be a child, friend, sibling, or anyone you trust, ex-

cluding your spouse. A properly drafted trust entitles you to all of the benefits of ownership including: 1. The right to remain in the home as long as you and your spouse are alive. 2. The right to make the trust “income only” and collect any rent the property generates. 3. The ability to keep your existing STAR and Enhanced STAR property tax relief as long as you reside in the home.

4. The right to use the $250,000 (if single) or $500,000 (if married) capital gains tax exclusion if the home is sold during your life. If the home is sold during your life, a new home can be purchased for your benefit. You can also allow the assets in the trust be used for the benefit of your children, grandchildren, or other beneficiaries. It is important to make sure that the trust does not allow the trustee to give the principal directly to you or your spouse. The trust can also allow you a limited right to change your trustee if you are not happy with how they are performing. The trust also protects your beneficiaries from creditors. Instead of gifting your home outright, by placing it in trust, you are able to shelter it from the reach of your beneficiaries’ creditors. If one of your ultimate beneficiaries has a creditor which you wish to avoid, you can simply change your beneficiaries by using your limited power of appoint-

ment so that your assets don’t fall into unwanted hands. From a planning standpoint, transfers into a trust should be done sooner rather than later since Medicaid imposes a 5 year look-back for nursing home care. By transferring your assets into a trust, you start the five year look-back clock running if you were to ever need nursing home care. Benefits After Death After you and your spouse both pass away, the trust will distribute the assets as per your wishes. During your life, you can retain the right to change your beneficiaries by retaining a limited power of appointment. This power allows you to change the beneficiaries either by writing a will or by executing any other writing during your life which makes reference to the trust. This means that the creation and funding of the trust doesn’t spell the end of your control of the ultimate disposition of your assets. It also means that the home will be included in your estate when you pass, and will receive a step-up in tax basis. The step-up in basis saves your heirs from paying capital gains tax upon the immediate sale of the home. Additionally, the trust allows the home and other assets to avoid probate which saves unnecessary time and expense. By avoiding probate, you also avoid Medicaid estate recovery which is the government’s way of taking back the amount they paid for your care after you die. We hope this article has shed some light on the Medicaid planning trust and highlighted the benefits of thinking about one with your elder care lawyer. Any specific questions or situations should be discussed with a competent attorney. This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. No attorney client relationship is formed unless a signed retainer exists. Roman Aminov, Esq. is an estate lawyer concentrating in estate planning, elder law, and probate. He is also a Medicaid attorney experienced in the drafting of trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and health care proxies. For a free consultation, contact us at (347)766-2685 or at www.AminovLaw.com.

My Israel Home

ward to 2013: my client fell in love with an apartment and directed me to give the seller his asking price. I proceeded to explain to the client that the property was priced about 10% above market and that we should offer 13% below the asking price, leaving us room to negotiate up to the property’s market value. He gratefully agreed with my strategy and, after a few rounds of negotiations, we closed the deal very close to its market value – and saved my client over $100,000. In the United States, motivated home sellers usually attach an asking price of three to five percent – and in some markets up to ten percent – above the market value. In Israel, there is no unwritten rule how to price properties. Sometimes sellers price their property at their “take” price without taking into account any room for negotiation, and sometimes the apartment can be priced

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Our Specialty

Gedaliah Borvick

hirty years ago I had the good fortune of spending two years learning in yeshiva in Jerusalem’s Old City. One day, while walking through the Arab shuk, I observed an older American couple who were considering buying a pair of shearling slippers. Responding to their price inquiry, the Arab shopkeeper answered, “For you, $25!” Thereupon the husband whispered to his wife, “Let me handle these negotiations, Mildred; you have to bargain with them!” The man then turned to the shopkeeper and said, “$20 and not a penny more!” The Arab, barely able to conceal his glee, quickly accepted their offer. Having bargained with these local retailers and knowing the negotiation game, I was shocked that the older gentleman did not counter the shopkeeper with an offer of a dollar at most, and that the sales price did not end up at $5, $10 tops. After that experience, I understandably thought that American and Israeli negotiating cultures were very different. However, I was surprised to learn that Israeli and American cultures are actually considered relatively similar, as they both value directness and clarity in business negotiations. After giving this some thought, it made sense that Israel – a country molded by the many cultures of its diverse population – would incorporate western sensibilities and negotiations from its American and British immigrants. It is interesting to contrast the Israeli and Anglo cultures with the Japanese who prefer negotiating in an indirect manner and frown upon directness, which they consider aggressive and insulting. This reminds me of a remarkable experience I had about fifteen years ago, negotiating the sale of a Manhattan office building between an American seller and a Japanese buyer. When we finished the hour-long meeting, the seller believed we had a handshake on the deal, while in fact the Japanese purchaser had walked away from the deal. It was fascinating that both parties came out of the same meeting with totally opposite understandings of what had transpired. With that background, let’s fast for-

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at up to 20% above market. So how do you get the home that you want without being taken for a ride? The key is market knowledge. If you know the prices of similar properties in the vicinity that have recently closed, you are empowered to make prudent decisions. A good real estate agent can provide you with recent comparable sales to ensure that you are not overpaying for the property. Armed with market data and flanked with seasoned professionals protecting your interests, you can move forward with confidence and close the deal at the right price. Gedaliah Borvick is the founder of My Israel Home (www.myisraelhome.com), a real estate agency focused on helping people from abroad buy and sell homes in Israel. To sign up for his monthly market updates, contact him at gborvick@gmail.com.

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Contractor’s Corner Jason Kersh

Improving Your Home How to Ensure a Great Job

ontractor. The very word makes homeowners uneasy. They think of day laborers drinking from bottles concealed in paper bags during three-hour lunch breaks while laughing raucously. In their minds they see the picture of a job that, on completion, more closely resembles the “Before” than the “After.” It’s no secret that there are contractors looking to take advantage of anyone willing to hand them a deposit. Many more, though, want long-term relationships with happy customers who will supply references and future work. If you’re a contractor, you build those relationships by finding out what homeowners want, giving a fair price, delivering more than what you promise, and servicing what you sell. Homeowners, for their part, look for the friendly, trustworthy, and competent contractor. Here’s the bonus: Finding him means they know who to turn to the next time they need work done. But what homeowners often don’t realize is that, as in any strong and trusting relationship, they have responsibilities as well. I tell homeowners that there are five things they can do to ensure their project is enjoyable instead of exasperating. 1. Interview experts. Homeowners should speak with neighbors, relatives, and friends, or stop by a job in progress to get more information. They should check out the reputable magazines and websites that recommend contractors in their area and read comments, good or bad, on review sites. If the contractor’s vehicle is a beat-up minivan with crooked lettering made of electrical tape, the job probably won’t end well. 2. Respect the contractor’s time. When I set an appointment I let homeowners know that I’m punctual. If I’m going to be late, or for some reason can’t make it at all, I call as a courtesy. I ask the same in return. I don’t want to drive for an hour to find a note saying you had errands to run and could I please leave the estimate in the mailbox. 3. Know what you want. All too

often my initial conversation goes something like this: “Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner, what are you looking for in quality and aesthetics, and do you want to do the entire house (siding or windows) or just part of it?” Homeowner: “Isn’t it your job to tell us?” Me: “Actually, my job is to guide you based on what you’re looking for, not to tell you what to buy.” Prior to the arrival of the specialist, homeowners should take some time to discuss project goals and the look they want to achieve. 4. Price is only part of it. After a long day of work, no one is eager to spend two to three hours discussing their project. Homeowners may simply ask for the price up-front. Giving it to them is the worst thing you can do. It would be like asking three candidates for the same job how much they’d like to earn, then hiring the one who wants the least — you’ll get the least. Remind homeowners that this is their home, so if they’re considering several offers, they should make sure they know what the company is actually going to do. 5. Be prepared. Homeowners should make sure that both they and their home are ready when the crew comes. Valuables should be moved and stored, pictures taken down, and additional drop cloths laid on items they want protected. You may want to offer drinks and/or snacks, as well as a bathroom that the crew may use — a full stomach and an empty bladder make a happy worker. And if the crew is happy, the homeowner will be, too. Jason welcomes your comments and questions. Please submit your home remodeling questions to JKersch@majorhomes.com.

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At Merom Yerushalayim, there’s no downside to being in the middle of town because you’re on a secluded estate away from the hustle and bustle outside. So sometimes you can have your cake and eat it too, because this is really countryside living in the heart of Yerushalayim!

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Kosherology Alex Idov

Heavenly Hamantashen Classic Hamantashen Recipe

It’s Adar! You know what that means: time to make hamantashen!

makes 3 ½ dozen 3” cookies Ingredients ¾ cup oil 1 cup white granulated sugar eggs ¼ cup orange juice 4 ¾ cups sifted all-purpose flour tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp orange extract or liquor

Making hamantashen should be a fun experience. It sure was a lot of fun for me developing new recipes for hamantashen this year. Although it was a lot of work spending all day making them, it was well worth it. Lovingly formulated by the Kosherology team are three (that’s right three!) awesome hamantashen recipes for Purim: Chocolate-Orange, CranberrySage, and Candy Lover’s, all giving a twist to the traditional hamantash. Move over poppy seed and apricot fillings...

until well-blended. Add a little bit of the flour to thicken the mixture. Add orange juice slowly, alternating with the rest of the flour. Add vanilla and orange extract and beat until well combined. Roll out the dough (let it sit in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up if not firm enough to work with). See below to see how to make the rest of the recipe.

Preparation Preheat oven to 375°. Combine sifted flour and baking powder and set aside. In a mixer blend oil, sugar, and salt starting on low speed, gradually increasing speed to high, until creamed. Add eggs one at a time and continue beating

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Chocolate-Orange Hamantashen

I’m not really sure where you can go wrong with this one. Sweet cookie dough bedazzled by mini M&M’s and stuffed with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup...a chocolate candy lover’s hamantashen. Of course, you can play around with this recipe, adding your favorite candies, as your sweet tooth sees fit.

makes 3 ½ dozen 3” cookies Love Sabra? Then this is the hamantash for you.... it’s also the hamantash for you if you are a real chocolate lover, you know, the kind that loves real rich chocolate. Rich chocolaty dough filled with orange marmalade, these hamantashen are little chocolatecitrus pleasures...

Ingredients Classic Hamantashen recipe Mini m&m chocolates Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Preparation Prepare dough as noted above. Once dough is completed, press the m&m’s into the dough (by hand) until well-distributed. Place dough in refrigerator for one hour, or until firm enough to work with. When dough is firm, remove from refrigerator and roll out until dough is about 1/8” thick. Cut out the dough with a 3” round cookie cutter. Slightly trim the bottom of the peanut butter cup, so it will not sit too high over the cookie dough. Place the cut cookie dough rounds on a baking tray lined with baking paper and place a trimmed peanut butter cup in the center. Fold the dough around the cup to make a triangular

Ingredients ¾ cup oil 1 cup white granulated sugar eggs ¼ cup orange juice 3 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 ½ cup cocoa power tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp. orange extract or liquor Orange marmalade for filling shape, to make a “hamantash.” You can paint the inside edge of the dough with light egg wash if you need the folds to stick. Bake for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through baking. the chopped sage and beat until well incorporated into the dough. Place dough in refrigerator for one hour, or until firm enough to work with. When dough is firm enough to work with, remove from refrigerator roll out until dough is about 1/8” thick. Cut out the dough with a 3” round cookie cutter. Place the cut cookie dough rounds on a baking tray lined with baking paper and fill with a tablespoon of cranberry conserve in the center (you can add a little more if you like). Fold the dough around the filling to make a triangular shape, a “hamantash.” You can paint the inside edge of the dough with light egg wash if you need to keep the folds together. Bake for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through baking.

Fresh Cranberry Filling Cranberry-Sage Hamantashen For those who like to mix savory with sweet and be adventurous and daring with their desserts and cookies, then this is the hamantash for you...fresh sage incorporated into sweet cookie dough and filled with spiced cranberry conserve—a real culinary delight! Ingredients Classic Hamantashen recipe 1 bunch fresh sage, about 1/3 cup, finely chopped Cranberry conserve for filling (recipe below) Preparation Prepare dough as noted above. As a final step, add

Ingredients 1 12 oz. package fresh cranberries 1 ¾ cup white granulated sugar 1 ¼ water Rind of one naval orange ½ tsp ground cloves 1/3 cup currants (raisins) 1 cup canned pineapple tidbits ½ cup chopped pecans Preparation Bring water, sugar, and orange rind to a boil and continue to boil for about 10 minutes, until mixture is syrup-like. Add cranberries and currants and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until berries pop. Remove from heat and add pineapple and pecans. Pour into bowl and refrigerate overnight or until chilled.

Alex Idov is a kosher food blogger who runs the blog “Kosherology” and is a regular contributing food columnist to TJH. He is currently studying for his bachelor’s degree in Culinary Sustainability (food & agriculture). Please visit “Kosherology” at www.exploretheworldofkosher.com and find Kosherology” on Facebook.

Preparation Preheat oven to 375°. Combine sifted flour and baking powder and set aside. In a mixer, blend oil, sugar, and salt starting on low speed, gradually increasing speed to high, until creamed. Add eggs one at a time and continue beating until well-blended. Add a little bit of the flour to thicken the mixture. Add orange juice slowly, alternating with the rest of the flour and the cocoa powder. Add vanilla and orange extract and beat until well combined. Place dough in refrigerator for one hour, or until firm enough to work with. When dough is firm enough to work with, remove from refrigerator roll out until dough is about 1/8” thick. Cut out the dough with a 3” round cookie cutter. Place the cut cookie dough rounds on a baking tray lined with baking paper and fill with a TBS of orange marmalade in the center (you can add a little more if you like). Fold the dough around the filling to make a triangular shape, a “hamantash.” You can paint the inside edge of the dough with light egg wash if you need the folds to stick. Bake for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through baking.

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Candy Lover’s Hamantashen

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• Games & Recreations • Arts & Crafts • Pool Supplies • Kosher Food Service & Canteen

2014

1:00-8:00 pm • First Aid Supplies • Premium Incentives ...and much more!

T he Pa l ace ation Free transport onsey, Lakewood, M Williamsburg

› TO EXHIBIT 718.633.0733 › FREE TO ATTEND

www.jewishexpos.com/ campexpo or call 718.633.5646

Open to men & women

No strollers, babies or children under 16

780 McDonald Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11218

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