December 6, 2018
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TJH Sits Down with Mrs. Leah Rubashkin A Year after Her Husband’s Miraculous Release pg
88
68 Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam Makes History
Community Brings Joy with Toys for Chanukah
LARGER THAN LIFE
Remembering Dr. Richie Friedman
56
By Boruch Ber Bender pg
Passover Vacation Section Starts on page 103 PAGES 33 & 35
Charles Krauthammer: The Enduring Miracle of the American Constitution PAGE 12
Parshas Mikeitz 29 Kislev 5778 Candle Lighting Time 4:09 pm Sponsored by
See page 18
pg
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
Dear Readers,
I
the many years that they spent in Postville. Mrs. Rubashkin, in her interview with TJH this week, notes that the “Peaceful Postville” atmosphere that their town connotes belies the challenges that faced them throughout the years in Iowa. And through all those challenges, the Rubashkin family took their struggles and used them to connect to their Creator. A year ago, on Zos Chanukah, the Jewish world united in simcha. It was unbridled joy that brought Jews from every segment of the community into the streets that night to celebrate with their brothers. What a nachas for the Ribono Shel Olam to see His children unite in the happiness of their fellow Jew. Sometimes, though, we unite in pain as well. Last Motzei Shabbos, our community was plunged into sadness when we heard of the passing of Dr. Richie Friedman, a”h. Dr. Friedman was a person whose occupation was caring for others – whether as a physician or in his role in Hatzalah. His lifework was assisting those who needed help, alleviating people’s pain and easing their burdens. He had an indefatigable determination to lighten the load of his fellow Jew. Chessed imbued every moment of his day. This week, we lost a vital member of our community. We join with his family in their pain, as he shared in others’ pain for so many years. Yehi zichro baruch.
am sure that most of us can recall where we were when we heard the news of Reb Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin’s release a year ago. I remember I was in my basement, doing something on the computer, and someone posted it on my block’s WhatsApp chat. It came out of nowhere – for everyone, including Reb Sholom Mordechai and his family. In fact, his wife, Leah, says that she was in Brooklyn that day, unaware that monumental events were taking place hundreds of miles away in the White House. The yeshua sometimes comes when we least expect it. I know of someone who was childless for many years. After so many years without children, he had given up hope. But Hashem had other plans. When they had finally tucked their disappointments away and resigned themselves to their fate, they found out that they were expecting a child. They were expecting at a time when they least expected it. For the Rubashkin family, although the news of freedom came seemingly out of nowhere, throughout their ten-year ordeal the family seemed to know that a yeshua could be – would be – imminent. Their emunah in Hashem and their bitachon in His plan brought them to a place of being able to see His hand in all the events that swirled over the decade. He has a reason for bringing us to this point, they said, and He has the absolute means to bring us a yeshua when He knows it’s the right time. They firmly believed that the yeshua could happen k’heref ayin. These traits were characteristics that they honed through
Wishing you a wonderful week and a freilechen Chanukah, Shoshana
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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
8
COMMUNITY 8
Readers’ Poll Community Happenings
44
What Chanukah Means to Me: TJH Readers’ Submissions
S20
NEWS Global
12
National
29
Odd-but-True Stories
39
ISRAEL
S10
Israel News
24
Kids at Risk by Rafi Sackville
86
PEOPLE Larger than Life: Remembering Dr. Richie Friedman, z”l
78
TJH Speaks with Mrs. Leah Rubaskin
88
Modern-Day Soldiers Celebrate the Maccabees’ Victory by Avi Heiligman 114 PARSHA Rabbi Wein
S4
The Foundation of Torah Sheba’al Peh by Rav Moshe Weinberger
S8
JEWISH THOUGHT Soli Deo Gloria by Eytan Kobre
84
The Power of the Chanukah Lights by Rabbi Pesach Schmerling
S10
Illuminating the Depths by Yaakov Klein
S14
My Surviving Menorah by Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz
S18
Dear Editor, As we mourn the unfortunate and tragic passing of Dr. Richard Friedman, it is incumbent upon us to dwell for a moment on other similar tragedies that our community has dealt with. On Chol Hamoed Pesach we were awestruck at the loss of a choson and kallah, Yisroel Levin and Elisheva Kaplan. Only weeks ago, an accident on the Nassau Expressway took the life of Rabbi Naftali Rhodes. These are all local tragedies affecting our friends and neighbors. Can we just go on with our lives as normal, when these three families suffer and live the horror daily? What can we do? I am not knowledgeable enough nor foolish enough to suggest why these tragedies befell our community. These events, as all, are predestined by our Creator as part of His greater plan to bring Moshiach and the geulah. This is not my purpose. Every experience in life—our joys as well as our disappointments and setbacks—is aimed at helping to bring us closer to our ultimate purpose. Each is a wakeup call to arouse us to improve our relationship with Hashem. These three tragedies are sirens blasting a hallowing wail of
tears and grief, shouting out to each individual, each family, each shul, each neighborhood as well as the entire Five Towns community as one: uru yesheinim m’yishnaschem! Let us awaken from our slumber and ask ourselves, how can I improve? How can we improve? From the “observation deck” of my desk, I see and study the community, its beauty and its blemishes. The community organizations, the private gemachim, the unified interaction of all facets of the community all help make our neighborhood unique in the Metropolitan area, a magnet for so many looking to relocate. Yet we need to focus on our shortcomings as well. Many, if not all, are weaknesses in many communities. But let that motivate us to be the neighborhood that takes tragedy and transforms sorrow into growth. Let us become the beacon of light to other communities as to how, as a unified group, we have become a people of passion and growth. I am about to propose some of the questions that each of us should be asking ourselves. Take note and choose whatever strikes you as an Continued on page 10
HEALTH & FITNESS It’s a Myth that Narcissists Can’t Change by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn
96
Working and Driving with Caution by Dr. Hylton I. Lightman
98
8 Nights of Oil: How to Keep it Light by Aliza Beer, MS RD
100
FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Breakfast Latkes
102
LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW
92
Your Money
124
Gelt or Gifts? by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS
126
HUMOR Centerfold 82 Sushi Sensation by Jon Kranz
118 POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes
110 CLASSIFIEDS
104
The Enduring Miracle of the American Constitution by Charles Krauthammer 110 How a Saudi Family Feud Fueled Paranoia by David Ignatius 112 120
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
respect to your children and your extended families? Do you spend enough time with your spouse and children? Do you vacation in places that are age-appropriate for your children? Are they places that are consistent with the values which you and the yeshivos are trying to impart to your children? Re-evaluate and grow—and let our growth be a nechama for the families, and an aliyah for the neshamos of Nochum Tzvi ben Yitzchok Chaim Friedman, z”l, Elisheva Baysa bas Yechiel Efraim Kaplan, a”h, Yisroel ben Yeshaya Halevi Levin, z”l, and Naftali Matisyahu ben Dovid Yosef Rhodes, z”l. Rabbi Shmuel Strickman
Continued from page 8
area in which you should and could effect change in yourself, your shul, or your community—and make it your mission. Are you the parent you dreamt of being? Do you give your children your full attention? Do you show them real interest in what is important to them? Are you leaving it up to professionals to solve the challenges your children face, or are you seeking guidance so you can help your children grow? Are you too involved in your profession, your friends, the gym, the phone, or technology in general? Are you serious enough about your davening, Tehillim, Daf Yomi, shiurim, mitzvos, and personal growth? Are you too involved in volunteer work for very important causes? (Or, do you “need” to become involved so that your home responsibilities don’t become burdensome?) How much of your time is spent on the phone or online? Do you communicate love and
Dear Editor, One of the more intriguing columns in your paper is the “Navidators” column. I usually chuckle and wonder about some of the problems that appear each week. This week’s column was markedly different and extremely poignant. It reminds me of several aspects that I had to deal
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with in my own life. I feel that most of the panel responded correctly. The single had the best response emphasizing that people are too obsessed with perfection. In yeshiva, I learned that life is really about appreciating the “journey” far more than a goal. In fact, a significant pasuk about Yitzchak says, “The man became great. He became even greater until he was extremely great.” This verse teaches us that the goal in life is to achieve excellence, not perfection. The young girl demonstrates an understanding of this concept, and she should be lauded for that accomplishment, alone. I am disturbed by a particular comment made by the shadchan. While she does debate the pros and cons of whether the writer should mention her high school on the resume, she sides with the idea that she probably should include it because “honesty is the best policy.” The shadchan fails to distinguish between honesty and volunteering unnecessary information. I am not overly familiar with what is required on a shidduch resume, but I assume it has many similarities to a job resume. In both cases, one does not need to reveal every “truth” about themselves. Even when asked a question directly, one does not need to volunteer unrequested information. I learned an important expression that was repeated by my grandparents as well as several managers throughout my career: “Stupidity means repeating the same process that you already know doesn’t work, yet you expect different results.” The writer has clearly indicated that including her high school has been detrimental. So I think encouraging her to continue to do so is encouraging stupidity. In my opinion, there should not even be a debate. I think
that everyone on the panel can agree that her potential spouse will be marrying her, not her high school. This information is irrelevant to the big picture, and I don’t think it should be mentioned especially when doing so causes more damage. Finally, I’m “going out on a limb” here. I know two boys whom I think would adore this girl for what she is. I know that you need to keep her name anonymous, and I respect that. However, if the girl would be interested in meeting any of these two boys (I hope that the writer may be reading this letter), please have her contact me through the editor of this paper. Daniel Feldman Dear Editor, With all the inane diatribes and insipid wailing about the apocalyptic consequences of climate change, and not regarding it as the most cataclysmic and existential threat on the planet, I believe the only solution to an entirely fictitious problem that only exists in the quixotic minds of maniacal leftists is to revert back to the Stone Age. Sincerely, Rafi Metz Dear Editor, Chanukah is a time for celebration and at the same token a time for reflection. Every Chanukah we, the Korman family from Far Rockaway, reflect on our Chanukah miracle, our survival from carbon monoxide poisoning and make it our point to remind the community to please make sure you have working, non-expired carbon monoxide detectors in your home or are connected via your alarm company. May Hashem continue to show us miracles and protect us from all the “poisons” of this world. The Korman family
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The Week In News
Mexico’s New President
Left-wing radical Andrés Manuel López Obrador was sworn in as Mexico’s president on Saturday, marking an end to the freewheeling campaign that made Lopez Obrador Mexico’s first left-wing leader in seven decades. “We will carry out a peaceful and orderly but also deep and radical transformation,” the newly-sworn in leader told Congress, “because we will put an end to the corruption and impunity that are blocking Mexico’s rebirth.” The swearing-in ceremony was attended by dignitaries from all over the world, including United States Vice President Mike Pence, President Trump’s daughter Ivanka, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and England’s Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, popularly known as Amlo, reiterated his promise to live frugally, including his stated intention to sell Mexico’s presidential jet and lowering his salary by 60%. Amlo also stated that he won’t live in Mexico’s presidential palace and will only serve for one sixyear term. Running on an anti-corruption platform, Amlo won an overwhelming victory in January over incumbent Enrique Peña Nieto. Promising to reverse Mexico’s free-market economy, something he called “a disaster and a calamity,” the president swore that he would embark on a campaign to “transform Mexico.” “With a mandate from the people, today we begin the fourth trans-
formation of Mexico. It may sound pretentious or exaggerated but today is not only the start of a new government but a change of political regime,” said Amlo. Hitting back at warnings from Mexico’s business community that spoke of economic collapse resulting from his elections, Amlo said that the country’s economy would remain strong despite his intention to roll back the market’s neo-liberal provisions. “I commit, and I am a man of my word, that investments by national and international investors will be safe and I will create conditions for good returns,” the new leader vowed.
Yellow Vests’ Protests Turn Violent
France’s “Yellow Vests” protests showed no signs of ending as the increasingly-violent disturbances entered their fourth week. Named after the reflective vests worn by traffic police, the rallies started after French President Emmanuel Macron announced a new tax on diesel fuel. While Macron said that the tax was “vital for our environment,” many Frenchmen saw the increased surcharge as proof of his disconnect from ordinary citizens. On Tuesday, in a major concession by President Emmanuel Macron, France will suspend for six months the tax increase on gasoline and diesel fuel that had been slated for January, in an attempt to quell weeks of protests and rioting by the Yellow Vests movement. In Paris, demonstrations had turned violent over the weekend as the disturbances mushroomed from anger at the 30-cent tax increase to Macron’s overall pro-business policies. A poll by Kantar Public last month showed an overwhelming amount of the public wanted Macron gone, with 71% saying that he should
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
resign “immediately.” In Paris, protestors from both the far-left and far-right lit firecrackers, pelted police with rocks, and lit squad cars on fire. Over 133 people were injured in the mayhem over the weekend, including 23 police officers. Paris Police Prefect Michel Delpuech told reporters that more than a hundred cars were set ablaze, along with six apartment buildings. In Nice, hundreds of people burned tires while chanting “Macron, go home.” In Marseilles, demonstrators blocked traffic at a fuel depot, causing gridlock that stretched for dozens of kilometers. All French motorists are required by law to carry yellow roadside safety vests in their vehicles. Protesting drivers don their obligatory yellow vests and help to create roadblocks around France. The yellow vests are worn by all protesters, regardless of if they are driving or not. Observers say that the “urban warfare” has already started to impact France’s economy, as tourists flee the chaos during the usually lucrative holiday season. On Wednesday, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said that business had dropped as much as 30 percent since the vio-
lence began, with the hospitality industry being hit particularly hard. “The impact is severe and ongoing,” Le Maire said, warning that small shops and eateries risked total collapse if the street demonstrations continued. Macron, meanwhile, said that he would have zero tolerance towards rioters who had turned the capital into a war zone. “Those guilty of this violence don’t want change, they don’t want improvements, they want chaos. They betray the causes that they pretend to serve and which they manipulate,” Macron said. “They will be identified and brought to justice for their actions. I will always respect debate and I will always listen to the opposition, but I will never accept violence,” he asserted.
Cow Killings Lead to Chaos After beef and a few animal bones were found in a field in a village in India, at least 28 people set a police outpost on fire and killed a local police inspector. Another person also
died in the violence that ensued this week. Cow slaughter is banned in parts of predominantly Hindu India, including Uttar Pradesh. Cows are considered holy by Hindus.
Four people were arrested in northern India for their involvement in the attack. Twenty-eight people were included in the case filed in the incident, which took place on Monday near the city of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh state. Police are still looking for the main suspect, Yogesh Raj. While it was not clear if any hardline groups were behind the attack, Raj is alleged to be a member of right-wing Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a Hindu group that opposes cow slaughter and conversion of Hindus to Islam.
On Monday, the villagers blocked a road, demanding those responsible be arrested for slaughtering cows. When police asked them to lift the blockade, they attacked police, snatching ammunition and cell phones from policemen. The crowd also torched a police outpost, police jeeps and a few private vehicles during the violence. Opposition parties blamed the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for patronizing hardliners in the name of protecting cows.
U.S.-China Trade War Truce
Last Saturday, a temporary trade “truce” was struck between the U.S.
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Y E S H I VA O F FA R R O C K AWAY
Celebrating a
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MOLDING TALMIDIM BUILDING GENERATIONS
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future/RIETS Abraham Arbesfeld Kollel Yom Rishon and Millie Arbesfeld Midreshet Yom Rishon present
Chanukah SPARKS OF INSPIRATION
Sunday, December 9, 2018
and China, which President Donald Trump declared may “[go] down as one of the largest deals ever made.” The two-and-a-half hours of discussion at a dinner in Argentina between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping resulted in the U.S. agreeing to maintain tariffs on Chinese goods at 10%, rather than raising tariffs to 25%. China, in turn, agreed to keep the trade balance going by purchasing significant amounts of energy, agriculture, and other American goods. Negotiations, which have begun immediately, must conclude within 90 days. If a deal is not in fact reached during that timeframe, tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods will then rise to 25%. In response to U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, China had recently begun taxing U.S. products at particularly high rates. U.S. cars, for instance, were taxed at 40%, putting brands such as Ford and Tesla at a significant disadvantage amidst the Chinese market. In addition to cars, China had all but ceased from buying certain agricultural products, such as soybeans, from American farms. The truce will allow American farmers to once again sell their products to China, a relief for those in that industry.
praised by Qatar’s business and political elite, who said that OPEC was exploiting the wealthy Gulf nation. “This organization has become useless and adds nothing to us,” tweeted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani. “They are used only for purposes that are detrimental to our national interest.” The decision came shortly before a critical OPEC meeting on December 6 in Vienna in which member states will debate cutting oil production to offset plunging oil prices. Qatar had bucked other OPEC states and had decided to increase its output, infuriating its neighbors who are concerned about decreased revenues due to oversupply. Qatar’s decision also stemmed from its increasing isolation in the region, as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Egypt cut off diplomatic relations with Qatar last year over its pro-Iranian stance and support for terrorist groups such as Hamas.
Georgia’s First Female President
Shiur #1 9:30–10:30 a.m. Rabbi Meir Goldwicht Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS
How the Light of the Candles Gives Us Light for the Rest of the Year
Qatar Pulls out of OPEC
Shiur #2 10:30–11:30 a.m. Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS
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Amid rising tensions with its Arab neighbors, the nation of Qatar announced recently that it will pull out of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC. The decision was announced over the weekend by Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi. Qatar is the first Arab nation to ever quit OPEC, which is an umbrella organization representing the majority of the world’s oil producers. “The withdrawal decision reflects Qatar’s desire to focus its efforts on plans to develop and increase its natural gas production from 77 million tons per year to 110 million tons in the coming years,” said al-Kaabi at a Doha news conference. Al-Kaabi’s announcement was
The country of Georgia got its first-ever female president when Salome Zurabishvili defeated Grigol Vashadze last week. Zurabishvili’s Georgian Dream party won 52.92 percent of the vote in Georgia’s runoff, easily beating Vashadze’s 40.48%. Zurabishvili said that it was fitting that she was chosen as the nation’s first female leader, pointing to her party’s pro-Europe stance. “It feels great,” said the newly elected president following her victory. “It is now important to show that this country has chosen Europe. For that purpose, Georgians have elected a European woman president.” Many had seen the election as a referendum on Georgia’s pro-Europe slide, as the country attempts to join the European Union.
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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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The child of Georgian emigres, Zurabishvili had grown up in Paris and served as the France’s ambassador to the country in 2003. Her career in Georgian politics began when then-President Mikheil Saakashvili asked her to stay and direct Georgia’s Foreign Ministry after her term as ambassador ran out. A few months later, she was promoted to Georgia’s Foreign Ministry. Zurabishvili’s relations with her patron soon soured and she led demonstrations in 2005 calling on Saakashvili to resign. As president, she is expected to ask to join NATO and steer Georgia away from Russia’s sphere of influence.
Measles Cases Surge Globally
The measles is making a comeback around the world, says the
World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Measles cases around the world surged 31% from 2016 to 2017, according to a new report jointly published by the organizations. Measles outbreaks occurred in all regions, WHO said, because of gaps in vaccine coverage. There were an estimated 110,000 deaths due to measles in 2017. “Since 2016, measles incidence has increased globally and in five of the six WHO regions,” the report says, although this was in part because more countries reported on the virus. The Western Pacific Region, which includes countries such as Australia and Japan, was the only region to report a decrease in cases from 2016 to 2017. It’s also the only region to achieve and sustain 95% or greater coverage of the first dose of the measles vaccine since 2006. Measles, a viral illness, can be prevented through two doses of a vaccine. Measles vaccination prevented an estimated 21.1 million deaths from 2000 to 2017, according to the report. Vaccine coverage increased globally from an estimated 72% to 85%
from 2000 to 2017, according to the report, but that’s far short of the 95% needed to prevent outbreaks. Coverage for the first vaccine “has stagnated for nearly a decade,” the report said. Estimated coverage of the second dose of the measles vaccine increased globally from 15% in 2000 to 67% in 2017, the report said. As of July, endemic measles was re-established in Venezuela, leading to outbreaks in bordering countries; the region had been declared free of endemic measles in 2016. In 2017, the European Region declared “the reestablishment of endemic measles virus transmission in the Russian Federation and in Germany,” even though it had verified elimination in 37 other countries. “The measles resurgence in Europe has likely led to reestablished endemic measles in some EUR countries,” the report says. Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, said, “The increase in measles cases is deeply concerning, but not surprising. Complacency about the disease and the spread of falsehoods about the vaccine in Europe, a collapsing health system in Venezuela, and pockets of fragility
and low immunization coverage in Africa are combining to bring about a global resurgence of measles after years of progress. “Existing strategies need to change: more effort needs to go into increasing routine immunization coverage and strengthening health systems. Otherwise we will continue chasing one outbreak after another.”
Sri Lanka Leadership Tussle
Despite losing two no-confidence votes last month, Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has refused to step down from his post.
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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The prime minister is now appealing a court decision that temporarily bars him and his cabinet from carrying out official duties, amid a constitutional crisis that has left the island nation without effective leadership. Rajapaksa said he will take his appeal to the Supreme Court and will seek an order halting the decision. “We do not agree with the decision given by the Appeals Court as Constitutional matters are finally decided by the Supreme Court,” Rajapaksa said on Twitter. Judge Arjuna Obeyesekere said in his ruling that if Rajapaksa and his cabinet continued to hold office, it would cause “irreparable” damage. “Such damage would also have far reaching consequences to the whole country,” Obeyesekere said. Even though the decision would leave the nation without a functioning government, “allowing a set of persons who are not entitled in law to function as the prime minister or the cabinet of ministers or any other minister of government” would do far greater harm, he added. The ruling restrains Rajapaksa and his 48 ministers from holding office until the court has heard a petition by 122 lawmakers that challenges his claim to power. Rajapaksa and the cabinet members have until December 12 to prove to the court that they have authority to govern. Sri Lanka has been in crisis since October 26 when President Maithripala Sirisena ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed Rajapaksa – a two-time former president – to take his place. Sirisena then dissolved parliament and called for snap elections for January 5, a move that was temporarily halted by the country’s Supreme Court. The president and Rajapaksa have refused to recognize two separate motions of no confidence voted by parliament on November 14 and 16. Parliament is expected to debate another motion of no confidence against Rajapaksa this week. The motion, which requires the support of 113 out of 225 lawmakers, has been signed by seven members of ousted prime minister Wickremesinghe’s United National Front (UNF). The Tamil National Alliance has also declared that its 14 lawmakers will support the UNF. The political crisis is leaking into the financial markets. There are also concerns for more violence if the impasse continues. An early
flashpoint of the crisis came a day after the dissolution of parliament when the bodyguards of a deposed government minister opened fire on a crowd of protestors, killing one and injuring three others. The shooting occurred as crowds loyal to President Sirisena attempted to prevent the recently deposed petroleum minister Arjuna Ranatunga, a former Sri Lankan cricket captain, from entering a government building in the capital, Colombo.
Afghanistan’s Last Jew
A new report by the Times of Israel sheds a spotlight on 52-year-old Zabolon Simantov, the last remaining Jew in war-torn Afghanistan. Afghanistan once had a thriving Jewish population. With records of the Afghani Jewish community going back to the 7 th century, the number of the faithful dwindled continuously until there were only 5,000 left in 1948. The state of Afghanistan’s Jews made headlines after the U.S. invasion in 2001 when it was reported that the final two Jews remaining in the country were bitter enemies who refused to talk to each other. Zablon Simantov and Isaac Levy took turns ripping each other in the press in a bitter relationship so famous that it was made into a play titled “The Last Two Jews of Kabul.” Levy has since passed away, leaving Simantov the only one to represent the once-bustling community. Living in a decrepit building adjoining the old synagogue, Simnatov told the Times of Israel that the house of worship would have been long gone had he not protected it with his presence. “I stay to care for the synagogue,” said Simantov. “If I was not there, the land would have been already sold off.” Simantov moved to Kabul from his native Herat back in 1980, just as
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the Soviet Union invaded his country. Simantov’s wife and kids fled to Israel to escape the war, where they still live today. Their lonely father says that his family has completely cut off contact with him. “I went to Israel once for two months in 1998. After that, I used to talk to my daughters on the phone, but now my wife doesn’t let me talk to them anymore,” said Simantov.
Tepid Welcome for MBS at G-20
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman received a mixed response from world leaders that had convened for the G-20 summit in Argentina this week. The conference was Mohammed Bin Salman’s first appearance at an international forum since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The crown prince has faced persistent questions regarding his role in the assassination since the affair exploded in October. With protestors outside the official G-20 venue calling Bin-Salman an “assassin,” the Saudi leader was pointedly spurned by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had already ordered Germany to cut off arms sales to the desert kingdom over Bin Salman’s role in Khashoggi’s killing. However, the crown prince was seen chatting with other major world leaders, including United States President Donald Trump and French leader Emmanuel Macron. The French president later said that he urged Bin Salman to probe the journalist’s murder and pressed him to end his kingdom’s intervention in Yemen’s bloody civil war. “The Khashoggi case is serious, and I think the truth needs to be sought. I want investigations in Turkey and Saudi Arabia to continue to clarify the situation to the family and the international community,” said Macron.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan utilized the forum to attack Saudi Arabia for what he said was its lack of cooperation in his country’s probe of Khashoggi’s disappearance. “This is not an issue only for Turkey but for the whole world,” said Erdogan. “Our judicial and administrative bodies have not unfortunately received the required support from Saudi officials,” Erdogan added during a press conference. “The crown prince has stated that we cannot blame anyone unless the crime is proven. Well, we do know that 15 people have arrived in Istanbul in two separate aircraft and they have acted in a planned operation, as they themselves admitted. But now we see that they have decided to deny this, too.” Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri had come under growing internal pressure to ban the Saudi prince from participating in the conference. Prior to the G-20, Macri defended Saudi Arabia’s right to join the exclusive forum, telling reporters that “he is part of this community and is now in the country to participate starting tomorrow.” Mohammed Bin Salman has faced mounting questions over his involvement in the killing of Khashoggi. Recent damaging reports said that the Saudi national tasked with overseeing the journalist’s murder had sent 11 text messages to the crown prince in the hours preceding the assassination. The CIA also concluded in November that Bin Salman personally ordered the killing to silence Khashoggi’s anti-Saudi criticism.
Iran’s Fake News Campaign
A new report has found that Iran has been running a massive online effort to propagate fake news for years in order to promote its regional aims.
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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While Iran’s social engineering is well-known, experts are only beginning to recognize its breadth and scale. The Reuters investigation found that Iran had managed 70 websites in over 15 countries to systematically disseminate baseless stories that punished its enemies. The websites were highly professional and used advanced graphics. In order to build user engagement, the majority of the stories they published were accurate. The platforms did not commonly disclose their affiliation to Iran, and the connection to the Islamic Republic could only been seen by the virulent attacks it launched on Iran’s adversaries. However, Iran’s chain of websites had some similar characteristics. They all carried content, such as videos and articles, from the Tehran-based International Union of Virtual Media (IUVM). Twenty-one of the websites were also registered at IUVM, whose website says that the company’s purpose is “confronting with remarkable arrogance western governments and Zionism front activities.” Iran’s network of disinformation has been operating since 2012 and was only revealed last August following an investigation by Google’s parent company Alphabet along with an assortment of cyber security firms. Following the revelations in August, Facebook said that it had shuttered 82 pages after in an internal review found that they served as a front for Iranian propaganda. Yet the new findings show that Iran’s disinformation campaign dwarfed what was previously assumed about its efforts. Published in over 16 languages, the fake news reached hundreds of millions of people. Iran’s clever tactics enabled its proxy sites to penetrate highly insular societies such as Egypt, where news sites whose editorial line runs contrary to the regime are often shut down. Iran’s informational warfare came as no surprise to former CIA Director John Brennan, who said that the Islamic Republic had joined Russia in developing advanced informational warfare capabilities. “The Iranians are sophisticated cyber players,” Brennan noted. “There are elements of the Iranian intelligence services that are rather capable in terms of operating online.”
Israel Tackles Hezbollah Tunnels
This week, IDF troops headed to the north of the country to approach the issue of Hezbollah attack tunnels on the border between Israel and Lebanon. Hezbollah is believed to have an arsenal of over 100,000 rockets and missiles – larger than that of many European countries. On Tuesday, the military said it uncovered the “first of sure to be many” cross-border attack tunnels dug by Hezbollah, as part of Israel’s newly launched Operation Northern Shield. The tunnel was found south of the Israeli town of Metulla along the Lebanese border. The army said it was some 650 feet long, extending around 120 feet into Israeli territory. The tunnel was dug deeper and was taller than those built by Hamas in Gaza. It took over two years to excavate and contains electrical and communication lines as well as ventiliation. According to the IDF, the tunnel originated under a house in the Lebanese village of Kafr Kila. The tunnel was not yet operational and does not present an immediate threat to residents of the area. This was the first tunnel that the Israel Defense Forces has said it discovered as part of the operation. On Tuesday the IDF called up a small number of reservists, as it prepared for a potential retaliation by Hezbollah in response to the newly launched effort to find and destroy cross-border attack tunnels the military says the terror group dug into Israeli territory. Additional tanks, artillery cannons, and armored personnel carriers were also spotted on highways leading up to northern Israel. The Combat Engineering Corps
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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reservists were meant to assist in the counter-tunnel effort. The Air Force units were called up in order to provide additional manpower to Israel’s various air defense batteries. “At this time, having exposed the tunnel, IDF soldiers are conducting engineering and operational efforts before neutralizing it,” the army said in a statement. The Israeli military has refused to comment on how it plans to destroy the tunnel, with some speculating that the army will fill it with concrete in order to seal it off. In the past, the IDF has also used explosives to demolish tunnels. For now, the army’s activities are limited to the Israeli side of the Blue Line – the internationally recognized armistice line that acts as a de facto border between Israel and Lebanon. Even so, IDF Spokesperson Ronen Manelis has indicated that other tunnels may be destroyed within Lebanon as well. “We are prepared for all options, and the operation is only in its first day. The neutralizing of the tunnels will not necessarily take place within our territory,” he said. Defense analysts have warned that while Hezbollah is unlikely to
react so long as the IDF keeps its activities within Israel, the Iran-backed terror group may retaliate if the tunnel-busting effort crosses the border or results in deaths among its operatives. According to the IDF, approximately seven years ago Hezbollah created a special forces unit – known as the Radwan Unit – specifically tasked with crossing into Israel and causing as much mayhem and destruction as possible both for the sake of the damage to Israel itself and for the “symbolism” of having troops carry out attacks inside Israel. Last Friday, the Lebanese terror group issued a warning video to Israel apparently filled with satellite images and precise map locations of strategic sites in the Jewish state, with a message: “Attack and you will regret it.” The video was posted after an alleged Israeli airstrike on Iranian and Hezbollah targets in Syria the night before. A spokesperson for the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL, which is meant to enforce UN Resolution 1701, told The Times of Israel that it was aware of the reports that the IDF was launching Operation Northern Shield and was maintaining contact
with “all relevant interlocutors to ensure that the parties use the UNIFIL liaison and coordination mechanisms to maintain the continued calm and stability. “The situation in UNIFIL’s area of operation remains calm,” the spokesperson said, noting that the peacekeeping force has stepped up patrols in the area.
Females in Israel’s Navy
In a first, the IDF’s recent November draft class included five female combat soldiers who are destined to deploy on the Israeli Navy’s warships. The five soldiers will serve on the Sa’ar 5 corvettes and will transfer to the more modern Sa’ar 6 series after
ships are delivered to the navy’s shipyards in 2019. The new troops will make history, as they will be the first female conscripts to serve on the corvette series in Israel’s history. While female soldiers were previously deployed on the larger “Satil” missile boats, the smaller patrol and missile boats were previously the purview of men only. The female soldiers will go through basic training alongside their male counterparts in what is an IDF pilot program examining whether female troops can be fully integrated into roles that were previously reserved for men. “They will be operating some of the most advanced weapons systems that are used not only in Israel, but in the entire world,” said Lieutenant Colonel Avi Asker, who is in charge of running the navy’s training courses. “They are also serving at sea. This is not trivial.” The move comes as the IDF has significantly expanded the number of female combat soldiers in the military. In 2018, a record 1,050 female combat soldiers served in the army, up from only 500 in 2015. The military has added co-ed units in the infantry, artillery, and
Please Join us Sunday, December 30, 2018 כב' טבת תשע"ט
Keser Shem Tov Award
Rabbi and Mrs. Ilan and Masha Ginian
Amud Hachessed Award
Mr. and Mrs. Shuli and Pamela Halpert
Reception at 6:30 pm Dinner at 7:00 pm
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Mr. and Mrs. Aron Tzvi and Briendy Robinson
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HaRav Shmuel Kamenetsky שליט"א Rosh Yeshiva of Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia
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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
37th Annual Brunch for Women to benefit
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combat collection corps. In addition, the military says that a pilot program testing out the ability to integrate women into tank units was successful and is examining whether to add female troops into the combat engineering corps as well. The IDF says that it has accelerated its efforts to integrate women in combat roles due to manpower needs, pointing to the ebbing motivation of Israelis to enlist in combat units. The move has received broad pushback from the religious community, however, who worry about the modesty challenges the phenomenon causes to observant soldiers. Many Israelis also oppose the move for military reasons, pointing to the ordinate amount of injuries female combat soldiers have suffered from in recent years as well as the substandard performance of mixed units on combat deployments.
Airbnb Not for You and Me A group of 19 American Jews has filed a lawsuit against Airbnb after
the vacation rental giant removed Jewish-owned houses in Judea and Samaria from its website. The plaintiffs allege that Airbnb’s decision to delist only Jewish-owned properties violates U.S. housing laws banning faith-based discrimination.
Robert Tolchin, who is representing the group, told Reuters that “Airbnb has made a religion- and nationality-based decision about who can list. It decided in the United States, ‘We will not list for Jews in the West Bank.’ It should be equal access for all.” Airbnb said in response that “we don’t believe this lawsuit will succeed in court, but we know that people will disagree with our decision and appreciate their perspective.” The litigation is part of the back-
lash to Airbnb’s decision to boycott Jewish homes in Judea and Samaria. Airbnb had announced on November 19 that it would not list Jewish-owned properties in the West Bank. Deeming the region “disputed,” the property rental company added that it would examine its listings in other conflict-ridden areas such as the Western Sahara. The announcement set off outrage in both Israel and the United States. A slew of politicians and municipalities condemned the decision, including the City of Beverly Hills, who said Airbnb’s move is “antithetical to the values that we hold dear in Beverly Hills.” Florida’s Governor-elect Ron DeSantis said this past week that he was examining whether Airbnb ran afoul of Florida law forbidding boycotts against Israel. “They delisted all Jewish listings in the West Bank,” DeSantis noted. “They do not treat anybody else in the entire world like this. It’s only targeted to the Jewish community.” Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner also pledged to fight Airbnb for “its prejudicial policy against the Jewish state.” Ordering his state’s Investment Policy Board to look into withdrawing its holdings in the company, Rauner said that Airbnb’s decision to delist Jewish-owned properties was “highly disturbing.” “We are also looking into ways that we can exert pressure on Airbnb to end its prejudicial policy against the Jewish state,” said Rauner.
EU to Vote for UN Resolution Condemning Hamas
Following vigorous lobbying, the European Union (EU) has agreed to vote for a UN resolution condemning the Hamas terror group. The EU’s support increases the resolution’s chances of passing when the vote occurs this week. However,
it is still unclear whether the U.S. and Israel managed to rouse enough support for the resolution, which needs a simple majority of the General Assembly’s 195-member nations to pass. The EU only agreed to vote for the anti-Hamas resolution following marathon negotiations with the U.S. The EU demanded that the resolution include a paragraph calling for a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians “in accordance with international law, and bearing in mind relevant UN resolutions.” Despite urging by the EU, the resolution does not contain an explicit call for a Palestinian State. Titled “Activities of Hamas and Other Militant Groups in Gaza,” the resolution “condemns Hamas for repeatedly firing rockets into Israel and for inciting violence, thereby putting civilians at risk.” The declaration also demands that “Hamas and other militant actors including Palestinian Islamic Jihad cease all provocative actions and violent activity, including by using airborne incendiary devices,” referring to the incendiary kites that Hamas has utilized to torch Israel’s south. The resolution blasted Hamas for violating international law, “including in regards to the protection of the civilian population.” The declaration urged Hamas to undertake “tangible steps towards intra-Palestinian reconciliation,” including “concrete steps to reunite the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority and ensure its effective functioning in the Gaza Strip.” Hamas has been at odds with the rival Palestinian Authority and has refused to allow the PA to operate in the Gaza Strip since it took over the territory in 2007. The UN resolution concludes by condemning Hamas’ efforts to “construct military infrastructure, including tunnels to infiltrate Israel and equipment to launch rockets into civilian areas, when such resources could be used to address the critical needs of the civilian population.” Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon called on the international community to support the resolution during a debate on Thursday, noting the widespread anti-Israel bias the UN is known for. “Every year, the United Nations adopts at least 20 resolutions specifically to condemn Israel. Not a single one of these resolutions or any GA resolution at all has ever included Hamas,” said Danon. “But the international community has an opportu-
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
29
nity to take a moral stance and finally condemn Hamas. If the international community does not condemn Hamas, it is enabling a terrorist organization.”
29 Still Missing in CA Wildfires
The death toll from California’s deadly wildfires is thankfully turning out to be much lower than previously estimated. Since early November, large parts of California have been devastated by a series of massive wildfires. From Malibu to Orange Country, the runaway blazes left tens of thousands of people homeless and laid waste to the city of Paradise, which had a population of 27,000 before the fires started. At the height of the devastation, officials said that over 1,300 people were missing, making it potentially one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. However, updated figures show that the number of those killed in the blaze has not yet surpassed 100, as those unaccounted for have been rapidly turning up. By Monday, the Butte County Sheriff’s department put the death toll at 85 while it said that 11 people were still unaccounted for. The new figures are a sharp drop from the 1,200 missing the county reported only a week before. According to the Associated Press, the chaos resulting from the fires in addition to the inability for rescuers to access the burning rubble led many to erroneously report their friends and family missing. Many had fled to nearby areas without reporting their whereabouts, while others did not have a working cellphone. Often, loved ones failed to take their relatives off the “missing”
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list or added them back on despite them having been located. Amid mounting criticism, the Butte Country Sherriff’s Department insisted that it was doing its best to present the situation accurately. “We’ve interfaced with the Red Cross,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told the media. “Not only are they checking it, we double-check with them. That’s an ongoing process because people come in and they go out.”
Senior FB Exec Targeted Soros
Senior Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg’s story regarding the
tech giant’s targeting of Jewish billionaire George Soros continues to unravel as new reports say that Sandberg managed the probe into the controversial financier. According to a report by The New York Times, Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg had sent an email to a PR company the firm had retained, Definers Public Affairs, asking to look into Soros’ motivations for besmirching Facebook.
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
A War Hero and U.S. Leader Passes On
O
n Saturday night, George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st president of the United States and the father of the 43rd, passed away while surrounded by his family. His last words, said to his son, George W. Bush, were “I love you, too.” Bush Sr. was 94 years old. George H.W. Bush was the last veteran of World War II to serve as president of the U.S. He was the consummate public servant and statesman who helped to guide the nation out of the Cold War. Bush served as vice president for eight years and led the nation as commander-in-chief for one term. Bush was competitive, although his politeness and generosity made that competitiveness less sharp. He was capable at the negotiating tables and easily fit into the role of ambassador. As director of the CIA, Bush came in as an outsider to an “insider” agency; his engaging personality and listening ear helped to turn the agency around in the ‘70s. Bush was born in Massachusetts and grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut. His father became a Wall Street banker and was eventually a senator in the state. Bush’s mother was the daughter of a wealthy investment banker. Bush met his wife Barbara at a prep school party in 1941. When he turned 18, Bush enlisted in the Navy. Within a year, he received his wings and became one of the youngest pilots in the service. Sent to the Pacific, he flew torpedo bombers off the aircraft carrier San Jacinto. On September 2, 1944, Bush’s plane was hit by Japanese ground fire during a bombing run on Chichi Jima in the Bonin Islands in the western Pacific. He pressed the attack even though his plane was aflame. Bush bailed out over the ocean and was rescued by a submarine. His two crewmen were killed. The future president was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war, Bush went to Yale, where he was a member of Skull and Bones, the university’s storied secret society, and captain of the baseball team. Barbara took their baby son, George W., to the games. Following graduation, the family moved to Texas so Bush could go into the oil business. In 1964, Bush ran for U.S. Senate in Texas, yet was defeated by Democrat Ralph Yarborough. But two years later, in 1966, Bush was elected to Congress. It would be the first of two terms that he would spend in the House. In 1970, Bush ran again for Senate – at the behest of President Nixon – and once again lost. James A. Baker ran his ill-fated campaign; this was the start of a close and cherished friendship that helped shape policy and politics for decades. Eventually, Nixon named Bush ambassador to the United Nations. In 1973 and 1974, Bush served as chairman of the Republican National Committee during the waning days of the Watergate scandal that would result in Nixon’s resignation. After former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter (D) defeated Ford in the 1976 presidential election, Bush returned to private life and began preparing for his most audacious move yet: a run for president. During the 1980 primaries, Bush positioned himself as a moderate, pragmatic alternative to Reagan, and he derided as “voodoo economics” the former Cal-
ifornia governor’s vow to simultaneously cut taxes, boost defense spending and balance the budget. But he ultimately proved to be no match for Reagan, who won the nomination. Even so, Bush emerged as Reagan’s running mate at the Republican National Convention that year after a Reagan-Ford ticket was botched by party leaders. The Reagan-Bush ticket proved to be golden. The duo won in back-to-back landslides in 1980 and 1984. During those years, Bush maintained a low profile as Reagan’s V.P. That low profile turned out to be profitable for Bush; he was able to tell voters that he was “out of the loop” during Iran-contra and when decisions were made to sell military equipment to Tehran to release American hostages. Never fully accepted into the Reagan inner circle, Bush established some distance from his former boss in his 1988 Republican National Convention speech when he promised a “kinder, gentler nation.” Reagan’s wife, Nancy, was widely reported to have bristled, asking: “Kinder and gentler than whom?” A run against Michael Dukakis in 1988 for the presidency handed Bush 53 percent of the vote. He carried 40 states and received 426 electoral votes. He was the first sitting vice president elected to the nation’s highest office since Martin Van Buren succeeded Andrew Jackson in 1837. Bush came into office on January 20, 1989. During his term, the United States became the world’s remaining superpower – the Soviet Union collapsed; the Cold War ended. In 1990, Bush went so far as to proclaim a “new world order” that would be “free from the threat of terror, stronger in the pursuit of justice and more secure in the quest for peace – a world in which nations recognize the shared responsibility for freedom and justice. A world where the strong respect the rights of the weak.” Despite speeches on peace, Bush ordered an attack on Panama in 1989 to overthrow strongman Manuel Antonio Noriega. After Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in the summer of 1990, Bush put together a 30-nation coalition – backed by a UN mandate and including the Soviet Union and several Arab countries – that routed the Iraqi forces with unexpected ease in a ground war that lasted only 100 hours. But Bush decided to leave Hussein in power, a decision that would haunt him – and his son – for the rest of his life. Despite a 90 percent approval rating after the 1991 victory in the Persian Gulf, by the time the elections rolled around, Americans were looking for a change. The conservative wing of his party would not forgive him for breaking an ill-advised and cocky pledge: “Read my lips: No new taxes.” What cost him
among voters at large, however, was his inability to express a connection to and engagement with the struggles of ordinary Americans or a strategy for turning the economy around. Perhaps Bush failed to communicate his principles to the American people in the right way. “The vision thing,” as he called it, eluded him. “Some wanted me to deliver fireside chats to explain things, as Franklin D. Roosevelt had done,” he confided to his diary. “I am not good at that.” He was, he said, a “practical man,” who preferred “what’s real,” not “the airy and abstract.” As president, Bush negotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico, a measure that was ratified by the Senate in President Bill Clinton’s first term. He supported voluntary prayer in public schools and adoption rather than abortion. He also supported gun owners’ rights. “Let’s not take away the guns from innocent citizens,” he said in a speech. “Let’s get tougher on the criminals.” Faced with Democratic control of both houses of Congress, Bush followed what became known as his “veto strategy.” In all, he vetoed 44 bills. All but one were sustained. Bush Sr. cultivated certain relationships that his son, George W., inherited as president. Key among those were relationships with James A. Baker, Bill Cheney, and Colin Powell; Cheney became Bush 43rd’s vice president, and Powell was his secretary of state. In November 1992, as the country was grappling with a recession, Bush was defeated by a relative newcomer to the national scene, then-Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas, whose campaign took as its major theme, “It’s the economy, stupid.” In a three-way race that included independent candidate H. Ross Perot, Clinton received 43 percent of the vote, to Mr. Bush’s 38 percent and Perot’s 19 percent. Eight years later, in an ironic twist of events, the country was once again swearing a Bush into the White House – this time, George Walker Bush, Bush Sr.’s eldest son. Bush’s second son, Jeb Bush, served as governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for president in 2016. In 1988, Bush gave a list of the qualities he most cherished to Peggy Noonan, who wrote his speech accepting that year’s Republican presidential nomination. They were: “family, kids, grandkids, love, decency, honor, pride, tolerance, hope, kindness, loyalty, freedom, caring, heart, faith, service to country, fair (fair play), strength, healing, excellence.” Bush reminded the country of someone who was honest in his beliefs and proud to be an American. He was proud of his country and his children. He loved people and was engaging and charming amongst those who knew him. Bush was also a hunter, fisherman and dedicated jogger, who was known to run between holes on the golf course for extra exercise. He loved barbecue, horseshoes and country music. He told reporters that he had never liked broccoli and that because he was president he did not have to eat it. In recent years, Bush garnered headlines when he jumped out of a plane with a parachute for his 75th, 80th, 85th, and 90th birthdays. “Old guys can do neat things,” he said.
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Sandberg’s email came after Soros gave a speech last January to the World Economic Forum in Davos calling Facebook a “menace.” Following his tirade, Sandberg asked staff to find out if the wealthy financier stood to make money if Facebook stock collapsed. Facebook confirmed the report but stressed that Facebook had already looked into Soros when Sandberg sent the email. “We researched potential motivations behind George Soros’s criticism of Facebook in January 2018. Soros is a prominent investor and we looked into his investments and trading activity related to Facebook,” said the company. “That research was already underway when Sheryl sent an email asking if Mr. Soros had shorted Facebook’s stock. Sheryl never directed research on Freedom from Facebook. But, as she said before, she takes full responsibility for any activity that happened on her watch.” Sandberg has repeatedly changed her story since The New York Times reported earlier this month that Facebook had targeted Soros in an attempt to stop the flood of negative publicity the social media giant has suffered from the mogul. According to the report, Sandberg hired Definers Public Relations to tie the attacks to Soros, leading many to accuse the company of trafficking in anti-Semitic tropes. Facebook fired Definers following the expose, but Sandberg repeatedly denied that she was aware that her company was going after Soros. Only after contrary accounts appeared in the press did Sandberg admit that she played a senior role in Facebook’s cooperation with Definers and apologized for her role in the affair. “Over the past decade, I built a management system that relies on the teams to escalate issues if they are uncomfortable about any project, the value it will provide or the risks that it creates. That system failed here and I’m sorry I let you all down. I regret my own failure here,” Sandberg said last week in a statement.
U.S. Life Expectancy Dips Suicides and drug overdoses have caused U.S. life expectancy to
fall for the third consecutive year, according to a series of reports by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC found that the overall U.S. life expectancy dropped 0.1% to 78.6 years in 2017. Women continued to live longer than men, with female life expectancy remaining at 81.1 years, almost a half-decade longer than the male life expectancy of 76.2 years.
Pointing to the fact that 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2017, the CDC says that substance abuse is the biggest cause for the decrease. The 70,000 deaths were a 10 percent jump from 2016 and was the most amount of fatalities caused by overdoses in U.S. history. The data comes as the U.S. fights a raging opioid epidemic that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths over the past few years from oxycontin and heroin. In addition, the new narcotic fentanyl and similar substances killed 29,000 Americans in 2017 alone, an astonishing rise from the 3,100 fatalities fentanyl claimed in 2013. CDC Director Robert Redfield said that the findings should prompt the United States to step up the fight against drug abuse. “Life expectancy gives us a snapshot of the nation’s overall health, and these sobering statistics are a wakeup call that we are losing too many Americans, too early and too often, to conditions that are preventable,” said Redfield. Other than the jump in substance-abuse related deaths, the top ten reasons for death in the U.S. in 2017 remained identical to 2016. The biggest killers of Americans are heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, kidney disease, and suicide.
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FL Elections Official Suspended
Massive Data Breach at the Marriott
Broward County Elections Supervisor Brenda Snipes pledged to fight for her job after Governor Rick Scott suspended her for widespread irregularities in the recent midterm elections. Snipes had already announced on Friday that she would leave her post in January. She reversed her decision, however, after Scott abruptly removed her from her position on Saturday for her failure to properly oversee the most recent elections. Snipes alleged that she was being singled out unfairly for the recent recount and vowed that she would be “fighting this to the very end.” “We believe these actions are malicious,” said her attorney, Burnadette Norris-Weeks, who alleged that Snipes’ firing was “a malicious action that should not have happened.” Despite Snipes’ resignation a day earlier, Scott announced that he would remove her from her post for the multiple mishaps that left Florida red-faced. In his executive order replacing Snipes, Scott cited her “misfeasance, incompetence and neglect of duty” in misplacing 2,000 ballots during the midterm elections. Snipes had also improperly destroyed ballots in 2017. “After a series of inexcusable actions, it’s clear that there needs to be an immediate change in Broward County and taxpayers should no longer be burdened by paying a salary for a supervisor of elections who has already announced resignation,” Scott said. Snipes, who had served in the role since 2003, had become a lightning rod for criticism after both the Florida governor’s race and the senatorial race headed for a recount over discrepancies in Broward Country. Scott had emerged as a fierce critic of Snipes during the recount and alleged that her failure to properly oversee the elections “may be rampant fraud.”
The Marriott hotel giant announced last week that it was the victim of a massive data breach that exposed the personal details of more than 500 million guests. The data breach at Marriott and its affiliated company Starwood divulged a slew of customers’ sensitive details, including passport numbers, phone numbers, and credit card information. The breach also affected Marriott’s sister hospitality chains, including the Westin, St. Regis, and Sheraton hotels. While the Marriott only publicly disclosed the data leak in November, it admitted that the hack had been ongoing for over four years before it was discovered on September 4, 2018. In a terse statement, Marriott confirmed that “the company recently discovered that an unauthorized party had copied and encrypted information, and took steps towards removing it.” Marriott apologized to its customers and said that it would email those whose personal information was leaked. “We fell short of what our guests deserve and what we expect of ourselves,” said CEO Arne Sorenson. “We are doing everything we can to support our guests, and using lessons learned to be better moving forward.” The hotel empire says it is working in tandem with law enforcement to track down those responsible. Following Marriott’s announcement, the FBI warned customers to “take steps to monitor and safeguard their personally identifiable information and report any suspected instances of identity theft to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.” Experts say that the massive data breach is the second largest in history, after Yahoo divulged in 2017 that hackers stole data from 3 billion peo-
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ple on its website and affiliated platforms. Marriott and Starwood are now facing legal action over their failure to adequately protect the personal information of its customers, with New York, Maryland, and Pennsylvania opening investigations into the company’s conduct. Irate customers have already filed a class action lawsuit against Marriott for what plaintiffs say is the failure to “ensure the integrity of its servers and to properly safeguard consumers’ highly sensitive and confidential information.”
USMCA Replaces NAFTA
United States President Donald Trump announced this week that he
is formally pulling the U.S. out of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), fulfilling a major campaign promise to scrap the maligned trade agreement. “I will be formally terminating NAFTA shortly,” Trump said on Air Force One following the G-20 summit in Argentina. A new deal instead of NAFTA has been negotiated by the U.S. president with the United States’ neighbors to the north and south. Trump said that he was now giving Congress a chance to ratify the new trade deal he signed with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Friday. Known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the updated trade agreement needs to be ratified by Congress for it to take effect. “The terrible NAFTA will soon be gone. The USMCA will be fantastic for all!” tweeted the president before heading back to the United States. NAFTA’s charter allows countries to withdraw the treaty with a half year’s notice, giving the new, incoming Congress the responsibility of ratifying the USMCA to replace NAFTA.
“Just so you understand, when I do that, if for any reason we’re unable to make a deal because of Congress then Congress will have a choice” of going back to the negotiations table or returning to the preNAFTA rules, said Trump. First signed in 1994 by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, the much-maligned NAFTA guaranteed free trade between the three countries. While economists have praised the agreement as a boon to the U.S. economy, Trump and others allege that it caused U.S. manufacturing jobs to vanish from the States due to cheaper labor costs in Canada and Mexico. Observers say that Trump will have a long battle ahead of him, as the Democratic Party, which will have a majority in the House in January, has vowed to oppose the USMCA for its lack of labor laws and environmental regulation. “What isn’t in it yet is enough enforcement reassurances regarding workers, provisions that relate to workers and to the environment,” said House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi on Saturday.
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North Carolina State Board of Elections Chairman Andy Penry announced he would resign his post after Republicans said that his anti-Trump comments on social media precluded him from investigating allegations of voter fraud in his state. Penry acknowledged that his presence on the board would only taint the probe with allegations of political partisanship and said that his resignation is for “the best interest of the investigation.” “The investigation of criminal conduct and absentee voting fraud in the 2018 Republican primary and 2018 general election in Congressional District 9 is a matter of vital importance to our democracy,” Penry said in a statement to the press. “The investigation should be free of attempts at distraction and ob-
struction so that the truth can be revealed. I will not allow myself to be used as an instrument of distraction in this investigation.” Penry’s decision to resign comes amid a widening probe into voter fraud allegations in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District race. The state has refused to certify Republican Mark Harris’ slim victory amid claims that state officials ordered voters to turn over their absentee ballots prior to the elections on November 6. The state’s Democratic Party says that the election was marred by widespread voter fraud, pointing to irregularly high voter turnout in Bladen County, seen as a Harris stronghold. Amid rising allegations of voter fraud, North Carolina’s election board voted to probe “claims of numerous irregularities and concerted fraudulent activities” by a vote of 7-2. Republicans demanded that Penry, a Democrat, not oversee the investigation, pointing to his tweets bashing President Trump, the Republican Party, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz. Penry’s resignation was welcomed by Republicans, who said that any voter fraud probe overseen by Penry would be tainted with political partisanship. “My hope is that the next chairman will be fair-minded and keep the public more informed as to the confusion surrounding the Ninth Congressional District race,” wrote House Elections and Ethics Law Committee Chairman David R. Lewis. “These important investigations should continue as needed by the professional staff at the board, without interference or taint of partisanship by political appointees.”
Earthquakes Shake Alaska
The Alaskan city of Anchorage is struggling to recover after a major earthquake rattled the state’s largest
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
city over the weekend. Anchorage had been hit with a magnitude 7.0 earthquake on Friday. While the quake did not cause any fatalities, it destroyed roads, shook buildings, and ripped up power lines throughout southern Alaska. The jolt also caused a rare tsunami warning, which was rescinded by mid-afternoon. Governor Bill Walker issued a disaster declaration in what was Anchorage’s largest earthquake since 1964, Following the earthquake, Anchorage’s 300,000 residents struggled to recover as the area suffered from more than 230 aftershocks. The United States Geological Survey had warned Alaskans to be prepared for the aftershocks following the Friday earthquake but said that the magnitude of the tremors would drop with the passage of time. “According to our forecast, over the next 1 Week there is a 4 % chance of one or more aftershocks that are larger than magnitude 7.0. It is likely that there will be smaller earthquakes over the next 1 Week, with 20 to 2,200 magnitude 3 or higher aftershocks,” it said in a statement. “The number of aftershocks will drop off over time, but a large aftershock can increase the numbers again, temporarily,” it cautioned. Anchorage Municipal Manager Bill Falsey credited the city’s adherence to building codes for the lack of fatalities, adding that the results could have been much deadlier. “More than a dozen of the aftershocks have been greater than magnitude of 4 and five have been greater than a magnitude of 5,” said Falsey. “Every one of those in a normal course would have been a real ‘no kidding’ Alaska earthquake. So for a lot of people in town, this event has not ended,” he said. Officials put a priority on getting the state’s 200-mile Glenn Highway back to normal and restoring water and power supplies. Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowiz praised his city’s citizens for their steadfastness and cooperation in working to restore Alaska’s second largest city. “I think it says more about who we are than what we suffered,” said Berkowitz. “Anchorage is prepared for these kind of emergencies. ... People pulled together, we followed the plans that were in place, we looked after one another.” He added, “When people around the country and around the world
look at this, they’re going to say ‘we want to do things the Anchorage way’ because Anchorage did this right.”
Families of Iran Hostages Demand Answers
A new campaign by the families of U.S. citizens held by Iran calls on President Donald Trump to yank visas for top Iranian officials until their loved ones are returned home. Iran is currently holding four Americans who it claims were involved in espionage. Their families say that the charges are baseless and are frustrated with the U.S.’s failure to press the Islamic Republic for their release. Families of those imprisoned have already compiled a list of prominent Iranians living or studying in the U.S., including a close relative of President Hassan Rouhani. “[Stripping their visas] is the minimum the United States Government can do to stop this trend of hostage-taking that has been happening for 40 years,” said Nadim Zakka, whose father Nizar was arrested in 2015 after taking part in a Tehran conference. “They need to pay the price on a personal basis so that they would know that each action will affect them personally.” A friend of another one of the prisoners added that the families were bewildered why the Trump administration’s brinkmanship vis-avis Iran did not extend to the release of the U.S. residents imprisoned by the rogue state. “I’m at a loss why this administration would be so soft on the regime knowing full well it is these very senior officials targeting innocent Americans for persecution,” he told NBC News. “Surely the least we could do is deny their family members the benefits of living and working in our great country.”
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Everyone. YOUR MOTHER YOUR FATHER YOUR BROTHER YOUR SISTER YOUR FRIEND YOUR NEIGHBOR
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backgrounds in their top three (88% said it was very important).
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The biggest difference between the parties is among those who rate speaking English as very important to being an American. Sixty-two percent of Republicans believed speaking English was very important to being a “real American” compared to only 29% of Democrats and 44% of independents. Despite the belief that treating everyone equally makes a real American, most Americans think there’s still a lot of discrimination against certain groups. Fifty-eight percent said that Muslims experience a lot of discrimination living in the U.S. The least likely groups to experience discrimination, according to the poll, were white men (45%, virtually no discrimination), atheists (37%), and Christians (35%). Two-thirds of Americans said that it’s not okay to express feelings of hate in a public manner, including through social media, while the other quarter said it’s okay to do so. There aren’t large partisan divides on this issue, but young people were much more likely to feel it’s acceptable to express hate publicly (35% of those under 35 years old) compared to 28% of those 35-54, and 18% of those 5564 and 65 and over.
Alaska’s 1 Vote Election
sle ept ig h tb e ddi ng . c om
A “Real” American What does it mean to be a “real American”? According to most, it’s about treating people equally – and not really about apple pie. According to a Grinnell College poll released on Monday, 90% of respondents said that treating people equally is very important when it
comes to being a “real American,” followed by taking personal responsibility for one’s actions (88% said that was very important), accepting people of different racial backgrounds (81%), and supporting the U.S. Constitution (80%). The least important traits were being a Christian (55% said it was not important), having been born in America (49%), and having lived in America most of one’s life (45%).
Republicans and Democrats have different views on what makes a “real American,” however. The top three traits for Republicans include taking responsibility for one’s actions (94% very important), supporting the U.S. constitution (93%), and treating people equally (90%). Democrats agreed in seeing equal treatment and personal responsibility as very important traits, but included accepting people of different racial
Control of Alaska’s House for the next two years is hanging by a thread. Following a Friday recount, Republican Barton LeBon held a one-vote lead over Democrat Kathryn Dodge. Entering that recount, the candidates were in a dead heat with 2,661 votes each.
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
Knickers, a seven-year-old cow in Western Australia, is 6-feet, 4-inches tall and weighs a whopping 3,083 pounds
At the time, a mystery ballot marked for Dodge and found by an election worker at a Fairbanks voting precinct appeared likely to play a crucial role in determining the outcome, but that vote was tossed on Friday after election officials determined it belonged to a voter who had made a mistake and then submitted a new ballot. The stakes are high. If LeBon hangs on to win, Republicans would control the entire state government in The Last Frontier – the House, Senate, and governor’s mansion. If Dodge wins, parties would scramble to form a coalition majority in the House. The story is similar to that of Alaska House Democratic Speaker Bryce Edgmon, who won his tied 2006 primary by a coin toss before being elected to the statehouse later that year. It’s probable the contest will be determined by the courts – and may not be settled until early January. Dodge has five days to decide whether she will file a legal challenge to the outcome. The Democrat said she would “think on things” following the Friday recount, the Juneau Empire reported. Should the race remain tied after the recount and legal proceedings, the winner would be determined by a coin toss. “I’ve come too far to have a coin toss settle this,” LeBon said, according to the Associated Press. The situation is strikingly similar to a 2017 Virginia Statehouse race that was determined by drawing names out of a container in January. That contest also determined control of the Virginia House. Republican David Yancey was named the victor after his name was selected, giving Republicans a 51-49 majority in the statehouse.
7-Yr-Old Makes $22M
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Never. THURSDAY: 12 PM TUESDAY: 2 AM SHABBOS: 10 AM WEDNESDAY: 3 AM FRIDAY: 5 PM
Looking to buy a Chanukah present for your little one? Better ask Ryan. He’ll help you get the best toy for your precocious five-year-old or too-cool-for-school teen. Ryan, of Ryan Toysreview, is just seven-years-old but his bank account is far from slim. The toy reviewer loves trains and cars and builds cities with his Legos. Toys are his business, and business is so good that Forbes has named Ryan their highest paid YouTube performer of the year. Ryan’s short, simple videos that feature Ryan with toys and having fun have made him one of the most popular influencers online, with 17.3 million followers and a total of nearly 26 billion views since he (and his parents) launched his main channel, Ryan ToysReview, in March 2015. For Ryan, this means not only an endless stream of toys to play with but also a seemingly endless stream of money: he was this year’s highest-paid YouTube star, earning $22 million in the 12 months leading up to June 1, 2018, Forbes estimates. “I’m entertaining and I’m fun-
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ny,” Ryan recently said in an NBC interview, explaining the popularity that has led him to become a minimillionaire. Ryan is part of the YouTube trend of “unboxing,” in which content creators film themselves opening up toys, tech products and other consumer goods, explaining different features and, in Ryan’s case, screaming and giggling with enthusiastic delight as he does so. In his most popular video, he opens up giant eggs to find toys from Disney’s Cars and Paw Patrol; in another, he plays with a Thomas and Friends inflatable ball pit – creating the kind of mess that is most parents’ worst nightmare. But if he’s being paid to do it, well, there’s money there for someone to clean up the mess, I guess. Nearly all of his money, or about $21 million, comes from pre-roll advertising on his channels Ryan ToysReview and Ryan’s Family Review. When views go up, so do these automated ad dollars. With more views than anyone else on the list, it’s no surprise he claims the top spot. The remaining $1 million comes from sponsored posts. That dollar amount is low compared with the money earned from similar content by
other YouTubers on Forbes’ list—the result not only of how few deals Ryan (or his family) chooses to accept, but also the fact that his pint-size demographic isn’t exactly all that flush. When he’s not in front of the camera, Ryan’s taking his mini-mogul act behind the scenes. After signing with kid’s entertainment studio Pocket. watch last year, the deals began rolling in. In October, it was announced that content from his channel will be repackaged and distributed on Hulu and Amazon. In August, he launched Ryan’s World, a toy and apparel collection sold exclusively at Walmart. The line, which Ryan heavily promotes on his YouTube channel, features a variety of slimes and putties, Ryan action figures, T-shirts, toy cars, and more. “It’s so cool,” Ryan, who serves as creative director, said of seeing his face in the aisles of Walmart. While these deals didn’t affect his earnings this year, they will likely add millions next year. Because he is a minor, 15% of Ryan’s earnings are funneled into what’s called a Coogan account, which is protected until he becomes a legal adult. A good portion of the rest likely goes to paying managerial and production fees – and for all of those toys.
New Mexico Fiasco
If you want to get married in the nation’s capital, then you better not hail from New Mexico. The state boasts a population of around 2 million and is situated between Arizona and Texas but it’s not in the U.S. – or is it? A couple from New Mexico learned the hard way that Americans are not too good with geography when they applied for a marriage license in Washington, D.C. The clerk told the groom-to-be that they couldn’t accept “international driver’s licenses,” after checking twice with the supervisor if New Mexico was a legitimate state. The ignorant government worker also complimented Gavin Clarkson
on his English. Thankfully, Gavin and his wife were able to obtain their marriage license. The couple handled the snafu with a bit of humor, as did others waiting for their legal papers. “All the couples behind us waiting in line were laughing,” Gavin said. Director of media and public relations for D.C. Courts, Leah H. Gurowitz, apologized for her office’s ignorance. “We understand that a clerk in our Marriage Bureau made a mistake regarding New Mexico’s 106-year history as a state. We very much regret the error and the slight delay it caused a New Mexico resident in applying for a D.C. marriage license.”
Free Games! Here’s a great Chanukah gift for the sports fans in your lives. Last week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offered season ticket holders two complimentary tickets for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers. The team was forced to implement drastic measures after the team
Happy Chanukah Wishing you and your family happiness and prosperity during this joyous holiday and throughout the New Year.
FOR N EW Y ORK C ITY
Council Member Donovan Richards
Representing Far Rockaway, Bayswater, Edgemere, and Arverne
PAID FOR BY RICHARDS FOR NEW YORK
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
was victorious against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in front of the smallest crowd in the stadium within the past eight years. Turns out, fans don’t like to watch their team get butchered. Sunday’s win was the team’s second in just two months.
Per the Tampa Bay Times, the Buccaneers rank third-worst in the NFL in average attendance, sitting behind only the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Chargers, who play in a soccer stadium. For now, those two free tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis and have to be reserved. It’s up in the air if the same deal will apply to the remaining two home games. One way to fill the stadium, though, would be to start winning.
Vegans Watch their Mouths
Those who subscribe to a vegan lifestyle do not let meat, chicken, eggs, or other animal-produced products pass their lips. According to Shareena Hamzah from Swansea University in Wales, the prohibition on animal-related products does not just refer to food. Hamzah suggests that certain phrases that reference animals turn vegans’ stomachs. Perhaps, she opines, those phrases will eventually be phased out of the English language as vegans and those who don’t want to offend their sensitivities will refrain from using them in conversation. Consider the phrases, “bringing home the bacon” and “flogging a dead horse.” Perhaps animal-lovers would be offended by their use. Or take the phrases, “taking a bull by the horns” or “putting all one’s eggs in one bas-
ket.” Better use them now before they go the way of the dinosaur (whoops! Can’t say that one either!). Writing on the academic website The Conversation, Hamzah claims the growing influence of veganism will raise awareness of animal cruelty and put an end to meaty descriptions. “In today’s reality, meat is repeatedly the subject of much socially and politically charged discussion, including about how the demand for meat is contributing to climate change and environmental degradation,” she said. “Studies have indicated the negative effects of meat-eating on the human body. When concerns about animal welfare are added to the broth, the growth of vegetarianism and veganism threatens to dethrone meat from its position at the top of the food hierarchy,” she added. “The image of ‘killing two birds with one stone’ is, if anything, made more powerful by the animal-friendly alternative of ‘feeding two birds with one scone,’” she noted. PETA is right on her tail with this one. The animal-rights group has been pushing for “animal-friendly idioms” for some time, and has a list of suggestions people could use to avoid causing offense to vegans. Examples include “feeding a fed horse” instead of “beating a dead horse” and “taking the flowers by the thorns” instead of “taking the bull by the horns.” “While these phrases may seem harmless, they carry meaning and can send mixed signals to students about the relationship between humans and animals and can normalize abuse,” PETA writes. “Teaching students to use animal-friendly language can cultivate positive relationships between all beings and help end the epidemic of youth violence towards animals.” Hold your horses – this story really gets my goat.
Lost & Found – in NYC Grate
CommUnity THE ACHIEZER GALA
SUNDAY JANUARY 6, 2019 THE SANDS ATLANTIC BEACH DEDICATION OF THE EDITH LOWINGER A”H ACHIEZER VOLUNTEER NETWORK
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Dr. Martin Kessler Dr. Ari Hoschander
Partners, KH Plastic Surgery, P.C.
MAN OF THE YEAR
Michael H. Goldberg
Executive Director, Long Island Jewish Medical Center Northwell Health
YOUNG LEADERSHIP AWARD
Shalom & Leah Jaroslawicz
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@AchiezerFR_5T Fumbling your engagement proposal in front of a crowd is embarrassing. Losing the ring in the process is aggravating. Having the police
Dr. Azriel Hirschfeld
@Achiezer
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put out a BOLO for you, well, that’s a totally New York moment. Over the weekend, a couple from England were about to celebrate a huge event. On a visit to New York, John stepped out of a restaurant in Times Square, got down on one knee, and proceeded to propose to Daniella. But the proposal went awry when John fumbled the ring and it dropped down a subway grate. The duo could be seen on camera on their hands and knees peering into the grate, desperately searching for the ring. They called over police officers who tried to help, but to no avail – the ring was lost. Enter the NYPD and their soft hearts. Special-ops officers proceeded to go into the bowels of New York after the couple walked off and were able to locate the shiny bauble. But then the police officers had trouble finding the couple who did not leave their contact information with the officers. “WANTED for dropping his fiancée’s ring in Times Square! She said Yes- but he was so excited that he dropped the ring in a grate,” NYPD News tweeted Saturday. “Officers rescued it & would like to return it to the happy couple.” Thankfully, twitter did its job,
and John and Daniella were reunited with their ring. “So, so happy to have the ring back! G-d bless America!” John said. He also sent thanks to “so special little girl who gave my fiancé a big hug... So much love for New York City.” Sounds like they are truly grateful.
Dapper Delivery
The oldest takeout delivery driver in Britain is a mere 82-years-old. Brian Loughans has not missed a single shift since he started his job around two-and-a-half years ago. He works around 18 hours per week delivering delicious Indian food to
customers with a shirt and tie – and a smile. Mr. Loughans does things old school. He doesn’t use a GPS navigation system to find customers’ homes. Perhaps his time in the Royal Air Force has given him good sense of direction. Loughans used to deliver the Yellow Pages door to door and, several years ago, Kiplings restaurant asked him to deliver their flyers. The rest, as they say, is history. In recognition of his tireless work, Loughans was recently voted the best takeaway delivery driver in Britain. Funnyman David Walliams presented him with the coveted gong in front of a star-studded audience at the British Takeaway Awards ceremony in London last week. The judging panel commended Brian for his punctuality, reliability and cheerful attitude. “I believe I am probably the oldest person delivering Indian takeaways in the British Isles. People have asked how I do it but according to the medics I am 100% fit. I think the secret is not drinking or smoking,” the octogenarian said. Just a few months ago, Loughans drove a staggering 112 miles down to West Bromwich for a regular cus-
tomer. “I was a taxi driver for 40 years so I know my way around and when I was offered the work here I thought it might be a bit of fun. I enjoy going out and meeting people. It’s nice to have won but I don’t like having my name up in lights really, I’ve always been a little bit more quiet, I just do the things that need to be done,” he added. “I’m not so much into spicy food, but the customers like it. My favorite is the grilled chicken tikka and rice.” During last winter’s big Beast from the East freeze Brian, who drives his own car, came across a woman stranded in the snow with her young daughter. Their car had broken down and their phone was dead so Brian gave them a lift home. It was only as he was dropping them off he discovered it was the same address he was delivering to. The husband was initially angry that his food had taken so long to arrive – until he realized Brian had brought his wife and child home safely. “Brian leaves an impression with the customer, he is not just an ordinary delivery driver,” his boss said. “When Brian delivers you remember your delivery.”
Camp Derech South Africa Amazing 5-week adventure through South Africa with your friends in July 2019! Discover South Africa! ✓ Safari game drives ✓ River kayaking ✓ Humpback whales ✓ Extreme sports ✓ Ziplining tours ✓ Scuba diving ✓ Elephant and cheetah interactions ✓ Shabbat with different Jewish communities ✓ Much more! Email: derechsa@gmail.com Website: www.derechsa.com Instagram: derech_south_Africa
Facebook: @DerechSouthAfrica
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Around the
Community Inwood Group Heads to Israel
L
ast week, 15 members of Bais Tefila of Inwood along with the Rav, R’ Pinchus Weinberger, shlita, traveled to Eretz Yisroel to join the Mir Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah. The group spent a week immersed in learning in the Mir Yeshiva together with 250 other baal habatim from
across the USA. The kehilla has been going on the Yarchei Kallah for a number of years, and it is truly the highlight of the year for those who are able to make the trip. Each year the members return on a spiritual high and have no hesitation expressing that the trip is truly
a life-changing experience that they draw on throughout the year when back at work. This year was no different and was the largest group from the kehilla that has taken the trip. In addition to the daily Shacharis k’vasikin at the Kosel and the intense learning sedorim in the Mir Yeshiva, the group
was also zoche to visit Harav Gamliel Rabinowitz and the Gadol Hador Harav Chaim Kanievski, shlita, who gave the community their wishes for bracha and hatzlacha with the purchase of the new Bais Tefila building and completion of the Inwood mikvah.
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Around the Community
An Informative Evening with Madraigos
L
ast Wednesday evening, November 28, Madraigos presented an Informative Evening for parents of 8th and 9th graders at the home of Nosson and Miri Ginsbury in Lawrence. The evening was designed to impress upon parents the necessity of talking to their children about alcohol, vaping, and other substances in a way that is caring, helpful, and promotes a healthy parent-child relationship. The program began with the host, Nosson Ginsbury, welcoming the attendees and expressing his hakoras hatov to Rabbi Silver, Founder and Executive Vice-President, Madraigos, and the rest of the Madraigos staff for their valuable work. Introducing the Nassau County Police Commissioner, Patrick Ryder, was Rabbi Kenneth Hain, Congregation Beth Shalom. Rabbi Hain underscored the “fortunate convergence of Madraigos’ life-saving work and the leadership of Commissioner Ryder, whose passion is to make sure that
the next generation is safe, healthy and able to thrive in our complex world.” In a special address, Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder described the battle the police department is waging against the opioid epidemic. He discussed how police officers, together with emergency medical personnel, utilize various tools to get ahead of the situation. Based on
his experience, he also stressed the importance of parents having open communication with their children as a deterrent to substance abuse. The Commissioner expressed his appreciation to the Five Towns/Queens community, and especially Madraigos, for inviting him to speak on this topic. “It is always a pleasure to speak to the Jewish community as I know they respect law enforcement and they should know we respect all of them!” commented Commissioner Ryder. Rabbi Dr. Dovid Felt Ph.D., Director of School-Based Services, Madraigos, began his talk imploring parents to get to know their child and look out for changes in their habits, demeanor, general outlook, and especially their sleeping and eating patterns. Making these observations helps parents detect if, and when, their child is veering towards a path of substance use. Citing a number of studies, Rabbi Dr. Felt demonstrated the benefit of having a serious conversation with their child about substance use. It allows the parent to share their own worldview and hashkafa on the topic and opens lines of communication for further discussion as they grapple with questions or challenges they may face in the future. In a unique parent-child roleplay demonstration, Rabbi Dr. Felt gave helpful tips and suggestions for making the conversation effective despite typical teenage reactions and responses. He also shared strategies for how parents can prepare their children for difficult social situations and peer pressure. Rounding out the evening was a Question and Answer session with Madraigos staff. Parents were eager to understand the prevalence of sub-
stances in local schools and yeshivos and how children access substances and devices. Mrs. Mindi Werblowsky, Clinical Director, Madraigos, suggested that parents make a concerted effort to educate themselves about the substances being used in the local area, especially before they actually have critical conversations with their children. She said that parents need to know as much as they can – even more than their children know – so they can appropriately help and protect them from danger. Overall, the evening was a tremendous success. Parents were appreciative that they had the opportunity to get vital information in a relaxed environment. They felt comfortable sharing their concerns and asking questions in a way they have never had before. One parent said, “Thank you so much for providing a forum for parents to really learn about what our kids are dealing with on a daily basis. I now understand so much more about their challenges and most importantly, I’m coming away with clear, practical advice. So helpful!” Rabbi Dr. Felt said, “It was wonderful to see parents eager to grow and learn more about their personal role as a parent in these very difficult times. I am grateful we met a critical need for the community. Thank you to Nosson and Miri Ginsbury for graciously opening their home, making this program possible.” For more information, contact Rabbi Dr. Felt at 516-371-3250 ext.111 or email rdfelt@madraigos. org. Video recordings of the program are available on YouTube or by contacting the office.
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Around the Community
Achdut at DRS
A
CHDUT, the DRS Chapter of the National Honor Society, is affiliated with the National Association of Secondary Schools. On Monday night, DRS inducted 42 students into the Achdut chapter of the National Honor Society. These students were selected for admission on the basis of having a minimum of a 90 academic average, as well as middot befitting this esteemed honor. The induction ceremony began with words of welcome from both Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky, menahel of DRS, and Dr. Hillel Broder, principal of general studies. Pairs of inductees delivered short vignettes about famous Jewish personalities from Tanach as well as from the secular world who have also made tremendous contributions to society and who exemplify the middot and characteristics of ACHDUT: character, leadership, scholarship, service, persistence, integrity, compassion, courage, dignity, and vision. The pairs presented their famous personality to an audience of over 200 staff members, parents and relatives. An honorary award was delivered to Mrs. Lucia Brown, a long-time social studies teacher at DRS, who was honored for her many years of service to our yeshiva. Mrs. Brown is a special individual who possesses all of the qualities that were spoken about by our students.
A Splashing Reunion
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amp Dora Golding has been raising the bar every summer for over 90 years. This year, their Winter Reunion has followed suit. Every year campers look forward to the camp reunion, which in the past was located in a hall in the Five Towns. But this year, the camp took the reunion concept to a whole new level. This past Motzei Shabbos, eight coach buses transported over 400 campers to Great Wolf Lodge Indoor Waterpark for an unbelievable reunion trip! Old friends were quickly united, as campers enjoyed the water slides, lazy river, hot tubs and wave pool. Bunkmates sat together for a delicious pizza Melava Malka. After the waterpark, on the bus ride home, everyone enjoyed the camp video,
which was a journey down memory lane. The sounds of laughter and excited applause could be heard as the campers watched themselves having the greatest summer of their lives. The non-stop sports, fantastic trips, color war, zipline, boating, archery, go karts and swimming all made up the incredible summer of 2018. Campers used the bus ride to reunite with their friends and to discuss everything from school to the World Series. Upon arrival back home, friends reluctantly bid each other farewell, promising to stay in touch until camp begins next summer, reminding themselves that camp is less than eight months away. It was a special evening for everyone who attended.
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Elite Educators Learn about Avraham Avinu
AT HOME WITH HAFTR
E HAFTR
PARLOR MEETING LONG ISLAND Wednesday, Dec.12 7:30pm
QUEENS Monday, Dec.17 7:30pm
For more information & to RSVP please contact Lauren Appel 516.569.3370 Ext.110 • laappel@haftr.org Call us to schedule a tour!
www.haftr.org
very year the United States Department of Education recognizes Blue Ribbon schools for their academic excellence. The Department of Education recognizes approximately .002 (two tenths of one percent) of schools in America to be Blue Ribbon schools. Rambam Mesivta, which earned Blue Ribbon status in 2015, is the only independent yeshiva boys’ school in the country to have been awarded this distinction. The award is recognition of those select schools whose outstanding academic program ranks top in the nation. For the past three years, Rambam’s Rosh Mesivta, Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, was selected to speak at the Blue Ribbon conference which hosts hundreds of educators from across the country. The topic of his presentation this year was “learning to learn, questioning your question.” With input from soon-to-be Dr. Hillel Goldman, Rambam’s Associate Principal, and Rabbi Avi Hershman, Director of Israel Guidance, Rabbi Friedman focused on universal applications of Talmudic methodology. Among the many examples cited was the Chazal that explains how Avraham Avinu attempted to disabuse his father from idolatrous notions. Terach, Avraham’s father, believed in idols. His young son, Avraham, snuck into his father’s warehouse, smashed idols with an axe, and placed the axe in the hand of the one idol he didn’t destroy. When his father came to the warehouse, he incredulously asked what
happened. The response received from Avraham was that the one remaining idol had decapitated the others. Terach’s response was that he found Avraham’s answer ludicrous since “idols don’t have the ability to do anything.” Rabbi Friedman explained that Avraham’s approach was to debate others by demonstrating to them that the premises they assumed to be correct are, in fact, self-contradictory. Terach was thus given the opportunity to realize his mistaken assumption and hence, reject idolatry. In another part of the lecture, Rabbi Friedman made reference to Richard Thaler’s groundbreaking work in Behavioral Economics. Thaler, who bases his work on experimentation, demonstrated that there is an emotional attachment that each person holds towards their own possessions. For example, in an experiment conducted, college students who were given a coffee mug worth $2 would not part with it until someone paid them $5, far exceeding the actual value of the cup. A Talmudic dictum was then cited that refers to the fact that a person has an emotional attachment to his own possessions. The outcome of Rabbi Friedman’s talk was to impart the beauty and lessons of the Torah way of life and methodology. These efforts clearly met with success as the organizer of the conference sent a message saying, “Thank you so much for your willingness to share with other schools. Our attendees always talk about your presentation and the value is brings to helping more students!”
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MTA Freshmen Enjoy a Night in Yeshiva
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n Thursday, November 30, MTA freshmen enjoyed an incredible Night In Yeshiva with their rebbeim and senior mentors. The evening kicked off with pizza and a d’var Torah, then the real fun began! Freshmen and their senior mentors broke into groups and built boats out of cardboard boxes. Once the boats were constructed, they headed over to the Yeshiva University pool for a boat race to see which boats could float. Then they went on to Urban Air Trampoline Park for even more fun and excitement! Afterwards, they returned to yeshiva and made their own ice cream sundaes and played
sports before finally going to sleep. Everyone returned home the next morning after Shacharis, breakfast, and a d’var Torah. “Freshmen are still getting comfortable in their new high school environment,” said Director of Student Activities Elie Hirt. “Freshman Night In is the perfect way for talmidim to make new friends, bond together as a grade, learn from their senior mentors, and get to know their rebbeim better. Watching talmidim and rebbeim develop relationships as they bond over games of laser tag and sports is such an incredible experience.”
Israel Reunion for MSH Alumnae
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he much anticipated annual MSH Alumnae Israel reunion took place in Jerusalem. The MSH graduating Class of 2018 made their way to the restaurant from all over Israel, from nearby in Jerusalem and from as far away as Modiin. The girls were so excited to see each other and their Menahelet, Mrs. Esther Eisenman, and to share how much they have been learning already this year. Each girl was presented with
official MSH alumna swag and expressed their anticipation to wear it on their next tiyul. Everyone relished the convening of friends and sharing
their experiences in their own seminary. The nostalgia of our times at MSH was felt by everyone in attendance. A great time was had by all.
The girls are anticipating Director of Israel Guidance Mrs. Boord’s visit to Israel in a few months.
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A Bracha for Their Neshama
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AFTR Middle School held a special assembly last Wednesday to commemorate the shloshim of those killed in the recent Pittsburgh tragedy at the Tree of Life Synagogue. Students, under the guidance of Mrs. Nechama Landau, took it upon themselves to learn Mishna Masechet Brachot. In his opening remarks, Mr. Joshua Gold, HAFTR MS principal, commented, “I could not be more proud of your accomplishment. Not only did you take on special learning to honor their lives, but by doing so, you also committed to becoming better in your own lives. When you live a better and more righteous life that is informed by the learning you do in honor of those whose lives were taken, then their memory will be for a blessing.” Mrs. Landau spearheaded the learning and chessed project. She
shared that when switching the order of the letters in Mishna, we get the word neshama, which means soul. The students, assisted by Bat Ami Hila Nahari, decorated the word neshama with individual pictures drawn to depict different brachot.
Bais Yaakov of Queens STEM Exploration
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his week was “earth shattering” at Bais Yaakov of Queens as third graders examined earthquakes and the stability of structures. Their challenge was to build different structures and find the one that is most stable. Students became engineers as they planned, tested and reworked different ways to structure the blocks. The fourth grade continued building their robots. They learned the importance of revisiting their goal, rereading past steps, and reviewing their plan in order to move ahead
The artwork is displayed in the HAFTR Middle School hallway. In this very moving program, students Talia Muehlgay and Ami Dube reflected on their learning. Rabbi Yiroel Moshe Siff then led the entire middle school in a group bracha. By saying the
HAFTR HS Learning at Home
H and accomplish their goal. This life learning skill, seemingly natural, is relevant to reading, baking, cooking, and most daily activities. The girls discussed examples and offered their own ideas of utilizing these strategies. “When I go back to reading my book, I reread the last page to refresh my memory,” one girl said. They also spoke about the importance of working together and sharing responsibilities. These simple steps will, iy”H, enable them to collaborate successfully and meet any challenge.
words together, the students came together as a community, united in their efforts. Rabbi Siff then recited the Kel Maleh Rachamim, followed by the learning of last Mishna in Masechet Brachot and Kaddish led by Rabbi Eliezer Fuld.
AFTR High School faculty members took time after school hours to open their homes to both current and past students. Tenth grade students from HAFTR joined together for Friday night dinner at the home of their teacher, Mrs. Rachel Gerstley, in Woodmere. This special Shabbat dinner provided a wonderful opportunity for students to expand their classroom experience to the home setting. Spending a Shabbat meal together with friends, home cooked food, divrei Torah and singing provided a chance for students to bond informally. Mrs. Gerstley and her husband, Mr. David Gerstley, each spoke about relevant concepts from
the parsha. Referencing Yaakov’s dream, ideas such as climbing back up from a fall in life and the importance of getting to know yourself in order to get closer to Hashem were all discussed around the table. The unseasonal snowstorm in November did not stop the warmth felt by all involved. A group of HAFTR alumni gathered at the home of their former HAFTR morah, Mrs. Abi Gutttman, recently to enjoy a shiur from another HAFTR teacher, Rabbi Moshe Hubner. It was a special, wonderful gathering for the graduates to hear words of Torah, and to catch up with friends.
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JCCRP Chanukah Toy Drive: Community Coming Together
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he lights, Chanukah parties, jelly doughnuts, and good cheer...for most people, Chanukah is an exciting holiday, filled with family and friends, dreidels, great food, vacation, and, of course, toys! However, there are families in our very own community, maybe on your block, in your kids’ class, who
don’t share the same enthusiasm. Many families find themselves unable to buy gifts for their children, which is undeniably disheartening. Presents aren’t the point of Chanukah, but it makes a difference in a child’s life knowing that someone is thinking of him or her. The local families that we pass every day need
as much love and help as we can give them, and the community came together to help. This past Motzei Shabbos, kids and adults joined together to volunteer at the toy drive, preparing toy packages for over 500 children! “Feels great to help out other kids right before Chanukah and it’s fun too,” commented Yael, one of the many children volunteers. The Chanukah Toy Drive was the creation of Rochel Baron, a”h. Rochel was battling cancer and received many toys for her kids. However, while she suffered with her illness she still had the compassion to wonder why the children of sick moms were the ones to get the toys, and not the children of moms who couldn’t afford to buy any gifts for their kids. Rochel passed away erev Rosh Hashanah in 2012, but not before creating the Chanukah Toy Drive, giving to over 80 families and allowing over 200 kids to feel the joy of Chanukah. Six years later, the toy drive has grown to 150 families and over 500 kids! This year’s toy drive was dedicated l’ilui nishmas Dr. Hindy Kanarfogel, Hinda Leah, a”h, bas ybl”ch Menachem Mendel. Hindy was a beloved wife, mother and educator in our community. Her untimely passing has created an indescribable void amongst her family, friends, colleagues and community. It is certain that this chessed project has brought an aliyah to her special neshama. Moshe Brandsdorfer, the JCCRP’s executive director, expressed, “The toy drive demonstrates the
very essence of the Five Towns / Far Rockaway community. People from all walks of life and different backgrounds were on the giving and receiving end of the Toy Drive, which truly capturing the uniqueness of our community.” The JCCRP wishes to thank all the participating schools, shuls and businesses for collecting toys: BBY, BYAM, Congregation Beth Shalom, DRS, Gourmet Glatt, HAFTR, KolSave, Preminger Dentistry, Seasons, YOSS, YILC and YKLI. None of this would have been possible without the hard work of the toy drive committee: Sara Austein, Sharon Friedman, Rahely Fruchter, Lara Klein, Daphna Mishaan, Fraidy Osina, Devorah Pelman, Rebecca Richman, Tamar Samuels, Yael Schertz, Tamar Sharf, Rocky Stern and Lily Weichholz. They ran around during their busy days to set up drop off locations, collect toys, pack boxes and organize sponsors. Their outstanding work led to yet another amazing toy drive! At the pickup, Shoshana*, a single mother of four tearfully expressed, “My kids were smiling from ear to ear when I told them that I would be giving them presents this Chanukah. I can’t thank you enough, you guys are awesome.” For those who couldn’t make it to the stores, please contribute online at www.jccrp.org. 100% of donations goes toward the toy drive. For more information or to volunteer for future project, please email info@jccrp.org or call (718) 327-7755 x6113. *name changed for privacy
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
Chanukah
D E S I G N & C O N Q U E R : 5 1 6 . 9 8 7 . 8 8 5 3
isnt the only time for orah! Keep the light shining into the summer...
we welcome elisheva segelman and her 15 years of camp experience to the o r a h d ay c a m p f a m i ly !
CAMP DIRECTOR: LEEBA BRISK PROGRAM DIRECTOR: ELISHEVA SEGELMAN phone: 718.324.6724(ORAH) EMAIL: ORAHDAYCAMP@GMAIL.COM W E B S I T E : O R A H D A Y C A M P. C O M
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Around the Community
Get Connected Try the hearing aids that stream
directly from your phone!
Assemblywoman Nily Rozic celebrated Chanukah with constituents in Queens
Thanksgiving at YOSS
I Call 516-295-1300 to receive a complimentary hearing evaluation and try these devices for 45-days, RISK-FREE
n honor of Thanksgiving all YOSS elementary classes integrated STEM lessons into their lessons. In the fifth grade the boys were tasked with building weight-bearing structures using toothpicks and cranberries.
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HAFTR PreK and Kindergarten artists enjoyed designing their own coats of many colors just like Yosef wore in the parsha
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MTA Talmidim Interview World Renowned Holocaust Survivor Dov Landau
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TA talmidim who participated in last year’s Names, Not Numbers elective course were fortunate to meet Holocaust survivor Dov Landau on their trip to Poland. This year, Mr. Landau flew in from Israel to be interviewed by current seniors for their Names, Not Numbers documentary. He also shared his story with MTA’s entire junior and senior grades. Mr. Landau’s remarkable story of survival includes losing his entire family, performing harsh labor in five different concentration camps, the Death March, and saving the life of a little 8-year-old boy named Lulek in Buchenwald, who later became Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau. Mr. Landau’s story continues after the Holocaust in Israel, where he joined the army and was captured by Arabs on the same day that Israel declared independence. Mr. Landau was a Prisoner of War in Jordan for 11 months, until he was finally freed and returned to Israel, where he still resides. Mr. Landau kept the promise he made to his dying father to remain Jewish if he survived the Holocaust and has dedicated his life to sharing his story, part of which is documented in the movie “Exodus.” A renowned speaker and Holocaust expert, Mr. Landau presents at conferences and events across the globe, in addition to serving as a tour guide for groups visiting Poland and the concentration camps. MTA talmidim look forward to helping Mr. Landau spread his message of survival and hope through the Holocaust documentary they are creating.
OU’s Allen Fagin Appointed to New York Attorney General-Elect Letitia James Transition Committee
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llen Fagin, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union and the former chairman of Proskauer Rose LLP, has been appointed to the Transition Committee for New York’s Attorney General-Elect
Letitia James. The committee consists of 36 individuals who will help identify strong candidates for positions with, and establish policy recommendations for, the Attorney General’s Office. The Transition Committee is a diverse
Charles Krauthammer: The Enduring Miracle of the American Constitution Page 110
group of experts in law, academia and government hailing from areas throughout New York State. “I am honored to serve on Letitia James’ transition team,” said Allen Fagin. “It has been a privilege to work with her as New York City Public Advocate. We look forward to future collaboration as she assumes her new role of New York State Attorney General.” Founded in 1898, the Orthodox Union, (OU), serves as the voice of American Orthodox Jewry, with over
400 congregations in its synagogue network. As the umbrella organization for American Orthodox Jewry, the OU is at the forefront of advocacy work on both state and federal levels, outreach to Jewish teens and young professionals through NCSY and Birthright Israel/Israel Free Spirit trip organizer, and Yachad, the National Jewish Council for Disabilities, among many other divisions and programs. For more information, visit https:// www.ou.org/.
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Celebrating Chanukah SKA Style
Morah Shoshanna and Morah Yael’s Nursery Bet class at HANC ECC West Hempstead enjoyed crafting Chanukah projects
The Jewish Home wishes their dear friends, Michele and Gabriel Solomon, a hearty mazal tov on the birth of their daughter, Sofia Leah Solomon. A special mazal tov to big sister Remi. May the Solomon family have much simcha and nachas.
B’Gan’s Bold Innovation Doesn’t Disappoint
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ven before the eight days of Chanukah began, the students of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls were able to gain chizuk from a shiur on Thursday, November 29 by Mrs. Michal Horowitz on the miracle of Chanukah. Sponsored by SPARKS, SKA’s Torah lishma student initiative, Mrs. Horowitz’s words of achdut and appreciation were expressed in honor of Chanukah and a siyum on Trei Assar for learning done in memory of the kedoshim of Pittsburgh. Later that evening, SKA’s freshmen “lit up the night” on Thursday, November 29, in a pre-Chanukah party for the grade at the home of ninth grader Abby Katz. The true launch of Chanukah festivities at SKA began on early Monday morning, December 3! After davening and saying Hallel, the entire student body boarded several buses and had the opportunity to bond with their teachers and fellow classmates in a relaxed atmosphere, enjoying the hachnasot orchim of the SKA staff. Playing dreidel and other games, singing Chanukah songs and eating a delicious breakfast in their teachers’ homes was a wonderful way to commence the Chanukah week cel-
ebrations at SKA. Chanukah activities continued the next day with a “Glow in the Dark” Chanukah Chagiga and piping hot latkes. Wednesday at SKA was devoted to sharing the light of Chanukah, with chessed opportunities for each grade. While the seniors went to Gymnasia in Queens to entertain students there, ninth and tenth graders engaged IVDU and Otzar participants in yom tov projects in SKA. The eleventh graders had spent many days beforehand collecting clothing to be distributed in Israel and spent Wednesday preparing the incredible amount of contributions for shipment. Aromatic smells of chulent permeated the hallways of SKA on Thursday in preparation for a “Chulent Throwdown,” where students were able to taste the chulents of several faculty members and vote for the best one. The highlight of the week, SKA’s eagerly awaited Chanukah Auction with fierce bidding and funds raised going to tzedaka, was held on Friday, ending a week that was both creative and meaningful. It was a very freilichen Chanukah at SKA and an inspiring one too!
B
’gan, the undisputed leader of the kosher food industry, continues to dazzle and impress consumers everywhere with its never-ending quest for innovation. Every new B’gan product that appears on supermarket shelves makes a clear statement that highlights how this company and its products are light years ahead of the market. The latest products to earn the accolades of culinary experts, foodies and balabustes everywhere are the newest members of the B’gan Sweet Potato Fries line of products. The classic B’gan Sweet Potato Fries are an exclusive product that is not available from anyone else in the kosher market, and it’s hard to imagine that any other products can compete with their unique taste, flavor and consistency. But the two new flavors – Chipotle and Crispy Coated Sweet Potato Fries – are bursting
with flavor and zest, and are truly the perfect complement to the classic Sweet Potato Fries. Now chefs everywhere can mix it up a little and serve the three flavors interchangeably, bolstering lunch and dinner menus even further. B’gan’s unparalleled kashrus, quality, taste and variety is the reason kosher consumers simply love the brand and are loyal patrons of the company’s ever-growing line of tremendously delicious products. Visit a fine kosher supermarket near you and head on over to the freezer section to pick up a few bags of the new B’gan Chipotle and Crispy Coated Sweet Potato Fries. Spice up your kitchen with these bold new flavors! B’gan: Our Innovation Will Keep Those Compliments Coming Your Way!
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LMNOmarketing.com
WITH GRATITUDE TO הקב‘‘ה
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Spec ial C Supp HANUKA leme nt H
הנרות הללו קודש הם S4 S8
Rabbi Wein on Chanukah
The Foundation of Torah Sheba’al Peh by Rabbi Moshe Weinberger
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The Power of the Chanukah Lights By Rabbi Pesach Schmerling
Illuminating the Depths By Yaakov Klein
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My Surviving Menorah By Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz
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TJH Readers’ Chanukah Photo Essay
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Torah Thought
Parshas Miketz By Rabbi Berel Wein
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n this week’s Torah reading, we read of the dreams of the Pharaoh of Egypt. The Torah does not identify who this Pharaoh was. We know nothing about him; we know nothing as to how he became the Pharaoh. He is a complete mystery, yet he is the catalyst for everything that will happen. He will be the one who has Joseph released from prison. He is the one that will make Joseph the viceroy of Egypt. In that regard, and because of the dreams
that he had, the famine comes to the entire area of the Middle East and Joseph and his brothers enact the final drama of their relationship and of the building of the people of Israel. It is interesting to note that throughout the Bible there are characters who are central to the story but who are basically anonymous. We do not know who they are and why they act as they do. We do not know if they are aware of the central role that they
are playing in the history of civilization and of the Jewish people. From everything that we can read and understand, it seems that they are oblivious as to their role. They are behaving as ordinary human beings in what they think are ordinary circumstances and are unaware that somehow cosmic events are occurring because of them. The Pharaoh simply wants to have a bad dream interpreted. He is not interested and may not even know of the house of Jacob in the Land of Israel, nor of the fact that there is a young Hebrew that is a prisoner in one of his dungeons. All he wants is to have his anxieties relieved by having some sort of interpretation of his frightening dream. Here we have a glimpse into how Heaven, so to speak, interferes and
that he is the center of a drama that will remain cogent and important for thirty-seven hundred years. He is not aware as to what his true role in the matter is. So, he just acts as a normal human being. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy to see how quickly he raises Joseph. He could just have said, “Well, thank you for the interpretation of the dream.” He could have just, if he wanted to be magnanimous, freed Joseph from jail. But here, he elevates him. He makes him second in command of the Egyptian empire. He believes that Joseph is so talented and that the dream is so real that he must act in order to implement it. This, already, is the hand of Heaven. This points out to us how the divine will, so to speak, pushes human
They are behaving as ordinary human beings in what they think are ordinary circumstances and are unaware that somehow cosmic events are occuring because of them.
guides – without notice – the events of human beings and of civilization. This is the nature of human life. We always concentrate on the trees and most of the time we’re not even aware that there is a forest. What looks to us to be small and insignificant choices are really magnified because of their effect upon others and upon history. The pharaoh of Egypt does not realize
beings into behavior that is not quite logical, but that, in retrospect, is important, eventful, and meaningful. And that is really an important lesson that all of us should take to heart because there are no inconsequential actions of human beings. Everything that we do, everything that we say, counts and is recorded for good or for better. Shabbat shalom.
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Mr. & Mrs. dov & esther KarfunKel Guests of Honor
לע׳׳נ הר׳׳ר יחיאל מיכל בן הר׳׳ר ישראל יהודה ז׳׳ל in memory of His fatHer
r’ mecHel KarfunKel z”l
Mr. & Mrs. Meir & MalKa fried parents of tHe year
Mr. & Mrs. Pinny & taMar hesKiel younG leadersHip award
the darChei dinner שבט ז ‘ 13 2019 תשע‘‘ט January
at t H e y e s H i va
ישי ב ה דר כ י תור ה
harav shMuel & rebbetzin Chaya feldMan Harbotzas toraH award
yeshiva darChei torah 257 Beach 17th Street Far Rockaway, NY 11691 718.868.2300 ext. 301 dinner@darchei.org darchei.org/dinner
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
The Darchei alumnus ...is ripe and ready for the responsibilities of life.
Having been educated in an atmosphere where advancing in Bein Odom L’chaveiro is viewed as a path to achieving shleimus in Torah, Darchei talmidim emerge as fine lamdonim who are trained to look out for the best interests of others. That’s why Darchei alumni make great family men. And it’s why working with a Darchei alumnus - whether professionally or on behalf of the klal - is invariably a pleasant experience.
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The Darchei alumnus. What’s good for yenem.
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DECEMBER 6, 2015 2018 || The The Jewish Jewish Home Home OCTOBER 29,
From the Fire PHOTO CREDIT: SARA OBERLANDER, PICADILLY STUDIOS
Parshas MiketzChanukah The Foundation of Torah Sheba’al Peh By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf
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e see in the seforim that it is customary to connect the parshios of Yosef Hatzadik to Chanukah. I saw a teaching from Rav Pinchas Friedman, the Rosh Kollel of Belz, which he gave over at this time, which makes several amazing connections between Miketz and the yom tov of Chanukah. When Yosef’s brothers return to Egypt with Binyomin, Yosef invites them all to a seudah. The Torah then says (Bereishis 43:34), “And [Yosef] gave them portions, but Binyomin’s portion was five times greater than theirs.” Why does the Torah use the expression “chameish yados” to say “five times greater?” There are other words it could have used besides “yados,” which literally means “hands.” Rav Friedman brought down a Torah from the Kedushas Levi (Peirushei Agados) on this pasuk to explain that Yosef was planting the seeds for the ultimate victory of the Chashmoniam over the Greeks with this gift to Binyomin. The “chameish yados, the five “hands” correspond to the five deliverances of the Greeks into the “hands” of the Chashmonaim: “the mighty in the hands of the weak, the many in the hands of the few, the impure in the hands of the pure, the wicked in the hands of the righteous, and the willful sinners in the hands of those who study Your Torah.” The five ways in which the Greeks were delivered into our hands correspond to the five yados, extra
gifts Yosef gave Binyomin. Generally, Hashem sends His Divine influence to the Jewish people using His “right hand,” the side of mercy. He sends His Divine influence to the nations of the world using his “left hand,” the side of strict judgment. The Kedushas Levi also explains that Yosef gave these extra portions to Binyomin in particular to further strengthen the Jews’ ability to overcome the Greek oppressors. Binyomin’s name means “ben yamin,” the “right hand.” Yosef gave him additional gifts in order to strengthen the “right hand,” the Jewish people, to enable them to overcome the “left hand,” the nations of the world at the time of Chanukah. Yosef, however, gave Binyomin an extra gift another time as well. In parshas Vayigash, the pasuk (Bereishis 45:22) says, “[Yosef] gave each one changes of clothing, but he gave three hundred silver pieces and five changes of clothing to Binyomin.” Why did he give an additional gift of “five” to Binyomin? The Gemara in Megilla 16b explains: “Rabi Binyomin bar Yofes said: [Yosef] hinted to him that someone would come from him [Binyomin] who would come out from the king with five royal garments, as it says (Esther 8:15), ‘And Mordechai went out in the royal garments of [1] turquoise and [2] white with a [3] large gold crown and a [4] robe of fine linen and [5] purple.’” We therefore see that Yosef gave
Binyomin five gifts twice, one to set the stage for the five victories of the Chashmonaim over the Greeks in the events of Chanukah and the other corresponding to the five royal garments worn by Mordechai in the miracle of Purim. Why did Yosef hint to Binyomin about the yomim tovim of Chanukah and Purim? What is the connection between Binyomin and Chanukah and Purim? Each of the twelve months of the year correspond to one of the twelve Shevatim. According to the Arizal (although not the Zohar), the month in which Chanukah takes place, Kislev, corresponds to the tribe of Binyomin, about whom the Torah says (Devarim 33:12), “May Hashem’s beloved dwell securely by Him; He hovers over him all day long and rests between his shoulders,” an allusion to the fact that the primary parts of the Beis Hamikdash will dwell in Binyomin’s portion of Eretz Yisroel. The Beis Hamikdash would be re-inaugurated in the month of Kislev by the Chashmonaim after it had been defiled by the Greeks, as we say in Al Hanisim, “And after this, your children came into the Holy of Holies of Your house, cleansed Your Temple, purified the site of Your Holiness and kindled lights in the courtyards of Your Sanctuary.” They therefore cleansed Binyamin’s portion of Eretz Yisroel in the month of Binyomin,
Kislev. Binyomin is also connected to the yom tov of Purim because that miracle occurred through Mordechai, Binyomin’s descendant, which we know because the Megilla (2:5) calls Mordechai “Ish Yemini, a man [from the tribe of] Binyomin.” According to Rav Tzadok Hakohen in Pri Tzadik on Chanukah, Chanukah personifies the victory of the holiness of Torah she’ba’al peh, the Oral Torah, over the Greeks who attempted “to cause [the Jewish people] to forget Your Torah.” At the time of Chanukah, Oral Torah began to take shape as the Sages initiated the compilation of the Mishnayos. This was necessary to counterbalance the spread of Greek philosophy, Aristotle, y”sh, and the like which, on the side of evil, corresponded to the Oral Torah. That is why the miracle of Chanukah took place through the children of Aharon Hakohen. Moshe is the source of the Torah she’b’chtav, the written Torah because he received the Torah from G-d’s mouth at Sinai. Aharon, however, did not hear the Torah from Hashem directly. Aharon was the first person to learn Torah orally, from Moshe, so the kohanim were the initial step in the process of the Oral Torah. We can see this in the pasuk (Malachi 2:6-7), “The Torah of truth was in [the kohen’s] mouth ... the lips of the Kohen will guard wisdom, and seek Torah from his mouth.”
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The connection between Chanukah and the Oral Torah is also exemplified by the fact that there are 36 candles lit throughout Chanukah, which correspond to the 36 tractates of Mishna. Based on what we have said, we can also understand why Yaakov had to marry two sisters. According to the Me’or Einayim in Vayeitzei and the Baal Hatanya in Likutei Torah on Metzorah, as well as other tzaddikim, Yaakov married Leah, who corresponds to the Torah she’b’chtav, the written Torah, and he married Rochel, who corresponds to Torah she’ba’al peh, the Oral Torah. This is alluded to Lavan’s statement to Yaakov (Bereishis 29:26) that “it is not done in this place to give the younger one [Rochel] before the older one [Leah].” Leah, who corresponds to the written Torah is the older sister because the written Torah came first. Rochel, who corresponds to the Oral Torah, is the younger sister because the Oral Torah explains and expands upon the preexisting written Torah. Therefore, Lavan’s words can be interpreted to mean that one should not study the Oral Torah before he has something of a firm grasp on the written Torah. The yomim tovim of the written Torah, like Pesach and Sukkos, were therefore revealed first through Moshe Rabbeinu, who is a descendent of Leah, the older sister, who corresponds to the written Torah. The rabbinically instituted yomim tovim Chanukah and Purim, however, were revealed later in history, through Yosef and Binyomin, the children of Rochel, the younger sister, who corresponds to Torah she’ba’al peh, the Oral Torah. This is also why Rochel said to Yaakov (Bereishis 30:1), “Give me children, and if not, I – anochi – am dead.” In other words, Rochel was saying to Yaakov, “Give me Yosef and Binyomin, my children who will lay the foundation of the Oral Torah. If you do not, I, anochi, which stands for “anochi Hashem Elokecheh, I am the L-rd your G-d,” i.e., the whole written Torah, will not have any staying power without my children Yosef and Binyomin, the progenitors of the Torah she’ba’al peh, the Oral Torah.” We know that we will return
from exile in the merit of the prayers of Rochel who represents the Torah she’ba’al peh, the Oral Torah, as it says in the pasuk in Yirmiyahu 31:1416, “A cry is heard is Rama… Rochel
the yom tov is over. We may feel like the skinny and impoverished cows in Paroah’s dream, which remained just as pathetic as they were before even after eating the seven fat cows.
Yosef gave Binyomin five gifts twice, one to set the stage for the five victories of the Chashmonaim and the other corresponding to the five royal garments worn by Mordechai in the miracle of Purim.
cries for her children, she refuses to be comforted for her children for they are no more … you have hope says Hashem and your children will return to their borders.” And according to the Medrash (Vayikra Raba 7:3), “All of the exiles will only be brought back in the merit of Mishnayos,” i.e., the Oral Torah represented by Rochel. This connection between Yosef Hatzadik and the Oral Torah is also hinted at in the pasuk (Bereishis 41:42-43), “And Paroh removed the ring that was on his hand and placed it on Yosef’s hand and enclothed him in garments of linen, sheish ... and he caused him to ride on the second – ha’mishneh – royal chariot which belongs to him, lo. The garments of linen (“hsiehs,” which also means “six”) correspond to the six sections of the Mishnah, the second (“ha’mishneh,” which also means “Mishnah”) royal chariot corresponds to the Mishnayos, and the phrase “which belongs to him (“lo,” which has the numerical value of 36) alludes to the 36 candles of Chanukah, which is the yom tov of the Oral Torah. After finishing the preceding teaching from the Belzer Rosh Kollel, we may be left to wonder how we can retain the deep experience and Torah of Chanukah even after
We also consume a lot of holy ideas throughout Chanukah, but as soon
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as the yom tov is over, we may fear that we will go back to being exactly like we were before and that nothing we experienced will have made any lasting change in us. The answer is that we must eat more latkes. According to the Baal Hasulam, Rav Alshag, the word latke is connected to the Aramaic word lateh, meaning patch. The nations among whom we live have created many breaches in the walls of our lives, and we must create more latkes, more patches, to mend those breaches by learning more Torah she’ba’al peh, Mishnayos and Gemara. Iy”H, the Torah we learn should fill in everything we are missing and we should be zocheh to go up to Yerushalayim b’viyas go’el tzedek, b’mheira b’yameinu. Amen.
Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, is the founding Morah d’Asrah of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, NY, and serves as leader of the new mechina Emek HaMelech.
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Torah Thought
The Power of the Chanukah Lights By Rabbi Pesach Schmerling
O
ur Sages established the time to kindle the Chanukah lights after sunset (Talmud Shabbos 21b). One might suggest that the reason for this is due to the fact that during day time the light from a candle serves no purpose, as the Talmud states (Chulin 60b), “What is the effect of a candle at midday?” Upon further scrutiny, though, this explanation does not satisfy, as we find other candles being lit while it is still daytime, like the menorah in the Bais Hamikdash and the Shabbos candles. This compels us to limit the Talmud’s statement to its literal meaning, that, at midday specifically, the light from a candle has no effect, but that towards the end of the day, even before sunset, it surely is effective and recognizable. Why then are the Chanukah lights kindled specifically after sunset? This is especially puzzling considering that they are meant to commemorate the miracle which happened in connection with the menorah in the Bais Hamikdash which were lit by day! The era of the decrees of the Yevanim, the Greeks, was a time of spiritual sunset and darkening of the revelation of G-dliness in the world. They decreed to make the Jews “forget
Your Torah and violate the decrees of Your will,” to separate the Jewish people from Hashem and imbue them with Greek philosophy and their apostasy. This is the deeper aspect of their “defiling all the oil in the heichal, Temple” (Talmud Shabbos 21b) – they defiled the Jewish people, causing their connection to Hashem to be concealed. Of course they defiled the physical oil
would involve intellectual meditation and emotions of the heart but these were already “defiled” by the tumah of Yavan. The only way to overcome this situation was through the power of mesiras nefesh, which transcends reason and intellect. Even when one’s mind and heart are defiled with the tumah of Yavan, a Jew’s essence and core re-
Even when one’s mind and heart are defiled with the tumah of Yavan, a Jew’s essence and core remains eternally connected to Hashem.
in the Bais Hamikdash, but that was already a further manifestation of their defiling the minds and hearts of the Jewish people. In this state of spiritual defilement of the mind and of the heart, by being steeped in Greek philosophy, the Jews were unable to oppose and fight the Greeks, as the usual tactics of combat
mains eternally connected to Hashem, enabling mesiras nefesh, even if it goes against their reason and emotions. Matisyahu, the kohen gadol, awakened this essential core connection within the Jewish people, by imploring, “Whoever is unto G-d join me,” starting a war which defied logic and reason, based solely on the power of mesiras
nefesh. This is also symbolized by the miracle of finding a jug of oil which was sealed with the seal of the kohen gadol – nothing was able to stand up to the tumah of Yavan, except for the mesiras nefesh of the kohen gadol with which they overpowered the tumah and purified the Jewish people. This is also the reason why the Chanukah lights are kindled specifically after sunset, as this is the focal point of the miracle of Chanukah, and therefore also of the Chanukah lights – to illuminate the place of darkness and tumah, where the light of kedushah isn’t apparent, through the power of mesiras nefesh beyond reason. Today, in 2018, when spirituality seems to have given way to materialism, tap into the eternal flame burning within each and every Jew, and with that power illuminate yourself and the world at large. Photo credit: Misha Rodionov of Misha Fine Art Photography
Rabbi Pesach Schmerling is the director of Chabad of Far Rockaway, www.chabadfarrockaway.org.
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Moseif V’Holeich
ILLUMINATING THE DEPTHS By Yaakov Klein
W
hile each of our chagim brings a singular atmosphere which emerges from its own unique energy, I have always felt that there was something particularly special about the yom tov of Chanukah. The physical setting of the Jews here and now perfectly mirrors the Chanukah story and the messages it holds – light banishing darkness, miracles shattering nature, the warmth of Torah thawing the icy designs of our wicked enemies. The special spirit of this particular chag is magnified by the cold weather outside and the early onset of darkness this time of year which accentuates the light and warmth of
our Chanukah candles. It is almost as if from the day we turn back the clock, we can feel the spirit of Chanukah begin to beckon. Our tzaddikim teach that the way to ensure we get the most out our yomim tovim is by learning about them beforehand – not only the practical halachos to ensure that we know how to properly perform the mitzvos, but the inner dimension of those very laws; the deeper symbolism underlying our actions and the spiritual insight which manifests in the mitzvos hayom. In this essay, we are going to explore some of the deeper messages of this exalted chag, revealed to us by the pri-
mary disciple of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, Reb Nosson of Nemirov, in his magnum opus, Likutei Halachos (Hilchos Hashkamas Haboker, 4:16-19). The Gemara relates a disagreement between the schools of Shamai and Hillel regarding the proper way to light the menorah on the eight nights of Chanukah (Shabbos 21b). Beis Shamai is of the opinion that on first night of Chanukah, we light all eight candles. On each subsequent night, “pocheis v’holeich,” we light one less candle, until, on the final night of Chanukah, we light only one candle. Bais Hillel argues, based on the Talmudic principle that “maalin b’kodesh
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v’lo moridin, it is fitting to increase holiness, not decrease,” that the proper manner of lighting the menorah is just the opposite: on the first night we light one candle and then “moseif v’holeich,” we add one candle each night until finally, on the eighth night of Chanukah, we light all eight candles of the menorah. The halacha is in accordance with Bais Hillel – we add a candle each night as Chanukah proceeds. Friends, listen to the way Reb Nosson brilliantly penetrates to the depth of this Talmudic discord.
An Elevated Light Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches that just as the sicker the patient, the greater the doctor required to heal him, the same applies to spiritual ailments: a Jew who is very distant from Hashem can only be reached by the greatest tzaddik who knows how to transmit the deepest light of the Torah. The deeper the pit, the greater the beam necessary to illuminate the darkest depths (Likutei Moharan 30:2). Reb Nosson teaches that while all of yomim tovim render accessible the most exalted spiritual lights and present the opportunity for those lights to brighten the mundanity of our physical existence, the light of Chanukah is an expression of the great light to which Rebbe Nachman refers and derives from such a uniquely elevated place that it is able to illuminate the darkest situations and bring miraculous salvation in times of physical and spiritual hopelessness. This is the deeper meaning behind the halacha that the menorah must be lit specifically below ten tefachim (Shulchan Aruch 671:6), a level to which we are taught the Shechina never descends any other time of year (Succah 4b). The candles of the menorah embody the loftiest spiritual lights that are revealed on Chanukah – lights so elevated that they alone can illuminate the lowliest situations. Reb Nosson teaches that there is a fundamental dispute between the tzaddikim throughout the ages regarding our response to great spiritual revelations. One camp holds that the greater the light, the more we need to conceal it from the wicked, from those who are not worthy of experiencing such powerful spiritual illumination. The other camp is of the opinion that on the contrary; the more G-dliness a given medium in Judaism holds, the more we need to render it fit, by building proper vessels, for public consumption – particularly by the wicked who need this great light more than anyone else, like we learned above from Rebbe Nachman. They felt that it was proper to make use of these great moments and exalted Torah concepts to inspire those distant from our tradition and fan the flickering flames of their Jewishness. (It is proper to suggest that the most recent iteration of this age-old dispute – which goes back
to the Torah itself, as we shall see – was between the chassidim and their detractors. One of the calling cards of the chassidic movements was their willingness to translate the deepest Kabbalistic ideas into pseudo-psychological terms, bringing them down to the level of the simple Jew so that their lives might be illuminated by the spiritual grandeur of these lofty ideas. This is one of the reasons Rebbe Nachman of Breslov gave for his telling stories packed with Kabbalistic import and mystical symbolism. He felt that clothing the deepest depths of the Torah in this way would enable them to reach even simple Jews who wouldn’t be able to grasp these ideas otherwise (see Likutei Moharan 60:6). “The world tells stories to put people to sleep,” he said. “I tell stories to wake people up.” The non-chassidim protested this campaign fiercely, feeling that it
The miracle of the second night is greater than the first, the miracle of the third night is greater than the second; another night, and the candle was still burning!
was improper to provide access to the secrets of Torah to those who were not worthy.)
Hillel and Shamai Reb Nosson teaches that this is the deeper theme underlying the dispute between Bais Shamai and Bais Hillel regarding the manner in which to light the menorah throughout Chanukah. It is known that the many disagreements between Shamai and Hillel throughout Torah she’baal peh were a product of their opposing natures and the contrasting roots of their particular souls. Shamai’s soul was rooted in middas hadin, the divine trait of Strict-Judgment. The famous story of Shamai chasing away a would-be convert, whom he suspected of insincerity (Shabbos 31a), indicates this nature and his tendency toward “kapdanus l’sheim Shamayim,” unrelenting strictness on behalf of Hashem and the Torah. Indeed, in halachic disputes, Shamai almost al-
ways takes the stricter approach. Hillel’s nature was almost polar opposite to that of Shamai, his bar pelugta. The Gemara relates that when that same would-be convert came to Hillel, he drew him close with affectionate words and responded to his questions with patience and love. Hillel reflected the mode of Hashem’s interaction with the world that transcends the straight and narrow of middas hadin and reaches beyond what is at any given moment to what could be in the never-ending potentiality of a brighter future. This is why, in disputes with Shamai, Hillel most often takes a more lenient approach. Perhaps the starkest example of their contrasting natures and the most applicable to the current discussion is a teaching in Avos D’Rav Nosson (2:9) which states that whereas Bais Shamai held that one should only teach Torah to one who is wise and comes from a distinguished family, Bais Hillel was of the opinion that Torah should be taught to all, because “the Jewish nation knew many sinners who were drawn to Torah study and emerged tzaddikim, chassidim, and k’sheirim.” Here Reb Nosson of Nemirov says the deepest thing. He explains that the machlokes between the students of Shamai and the students of Hillel regarding the Chanukah candles is also an expression of their teachers’ variant focus. Both Hillel and Shamai agree that as the nights of Chanukah advance, the light of the miracle grows stronger – the miracle of the second night is greater than the first, the miracle of the third night is greater than the second; another night, and the candle was still burning! Says Bais Shamai: “pocheis v’holeich,” each night we light one less. The greater the light, the less we are showing to those who aren’t worthy of access to the joy of this spiritual illumination. As the miracle grows, we gradually conceal the light, lighting one less candle each light to prevent the holiness from being accessed by those unworthy. Bais Hillel, in accordance with the root of their teacher’s soul and the disposition it accorded him, holds just the opposite: “moseif v’holeich,” the greater the revelation of Hashem’s love through the miracle which grows with each successive night, the more we are showing to the whole world. Certainly, the proper vessels must be fashioned so that the blinding brilliance of the light does not overwhelm them, doing more harm than good, but it is the duty of the tzaddikim to utilize the highest revelations in Judaism to illuminate the dark lives of the wicked. The Talmudic principle Hillel utilized to support his opinion is “Maalin b’kodesh v’lo moridin.” While, on a literal level, this statement means “it is fitting to increase holiness, not decrease,” Reb Nosson reveals a deeper understanding: the basis for Hillel’s shitah is “Maalin b’ko-
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desh” – the higher one grows in his spirituality and closeness with Hashem, “v’lo moridin” – the more he must see to it that he isn’t pushing anyone else away. On the contrary, he must be sure to utilize his great insight to draw others up to his level, in the proper manner (see Likutei Moharan Tinyana 58). Reb Nosson teaches that this machlokes was the root of the dispute between Yosef HaTzaddik and his brothers. When the verse tells us that Yosef was “a youth, spending time with the children of Bilah and Zilpah” (Bereishis 37:2), the Torah is teaching us that he spent time with those Jews who weren’t of special yechus, drawing them close with words of Torah. When Rashi comments on this verse that Yosef “acted in the way of a youth,” he is referring to Yosef’s lowering himself to the level of the bnei hashefachos, couching the deepest ideas and loftiest lights in a manner accessible to them. The Shevatim, although they were tremendous tzaddikim in their own right, could not comprehend Yosef’s behavior and felt he was wrong to associate with these Jews of lowly stature. But Yosef shares the outlook of Hillel – his very name “Yosef” hints to the expression of their position: “moseif v’holeich”; the greater the light, the more we need to utilize it to illuminate
This Chanukah
the lives of those furthest from Hashem and His Torah. Ultimately, says Reb Nosson, the halacha is in accordance with Hillel.
A Yearly Experience You know friends, many people think that on Chanukah we are commemorating the miracle that Hashem did for our forefathers thousands of years ago. The chassidic masters teach that this simply isn’t the case. Chanukah isn’t a commemoration of a historic miracle; it is the yearly reexperiencing of the very same spiritual revelation that produced the original Chanukah miracle (see Kedushas Levi, Kedushos L’Chanukah 1 and Meor Einyaim, Yisro, “Isah”). This means that each year, when we kindle the Chanukah lights surrounded by our family in the warmth of our Jewish home, we are bringing down the miraculous spirit anew, giving us the ability to believe that on these exalted nights, miracles can happen for you and me, here, today, in the spiritual darkness of 2018. Chanukah brings to the world the ability for a Jew to break out of the negative constraints of his or her natural circumstances, be they physical, spiritual, psychological, intellectual, familial,
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or financial. And it is not despite our lowly state that the light of Chanukah reaches us. As Hillel revealed and Rebbe Nachman of Breslov taught, Hashem sends the loftiest spiritual lights to the world with the specific intention for them to shine upon the darkest depths with the tremendous power of their illumination. As the miraculous spirit of Chanukah deepens and broadens with each passing night, we light yet another candle, demonstrating the relevance that the growing spirit of Chanukah holds for you and I and the access even the lowest Jew in the world is granted, on the exalted days of Chanukah, to the greatest and most brilliant revelation of Hashem’s healing love and His undying belief in the potential of every single Jew. Wishing all Jews everywhere ah lichtigen Chanukah! Yaakov Klein is the author of Sparks from Berditchov and the upcoming Sunlight of Redemption (Feldheim). Originally from Far Rockaway, New York, Yaakov currently lives in Yerushalayim with his wife Shira and their son Shmuel, where he spends his time learning, writing, teaching, and producing music. Connect with Yaakov on Facebook for more inspirational content!
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DECEMBER29, 6, 2015 2018 || The The Jewish Jewish Home Home OCTOBER
My Surviving Menorah A Survivor’s Tale By Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz Sol Goldberg with his treasured menorah
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ol Goldberg, a Sheepshead Bay resident, is a client of Caring Professionals under its special survivor program. Caring Professionals provides many hours of home care to Sol and his wife through funding provided by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany through the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island which provides many services to the Goldbergs. These services allow them to stay home in comfort and independence. I met him at a recent Thanksgiving event, and he was willing to share his compelling story with our readers. Shlomo Zalman, as he was called, was born into a family of Gerrer chassidim in the town of Djunsko Volo, Poland. All the town’s Jews were devout Yidden. His grandfather owned a wholesale grocery business, and three generations lived comfortably in apartments above the retail store in the front; the wholesale division was in the back. Two days after the invasion of Poland, on Sunday, September 13, the Germans marched into Djunsko Volo. Although they only took 20 Jews at first, they destroyed the main town shul in the square and burned the sifrei Torah. The Nazis
appropriated fifty houses and took the Goldberg family home because it was spacious. They stomped on Sol’s tefillin when they came, perhaps suspecting that jewelry was hidden in the leather boxes. All four Goldberg families were relocated to an apartment in the town ghetto where each family had one room. Before the war, Djunsko Volo’s mayor was a customer of the family business. He bought the chemicals for his leather business from them. When the Nazis invaded, he made the Goldbergs the distributors of the biweekly potato rations for the Jews and gave them extra rations. After Shavuos, when news of the impending liquidation of the ghetto spread, the Goldbergs dug a hole in the ground and hid two bags of silver items. There they remained throughout the war. Sol, a 17-year-old, was sent to the Lodz ghetto where he was forced to perform hard labor in a factory that produced uniforms for German soldiers. From there, he was deported to Auschwitz for several months. When the Russians came closer, Sol was sent on a death march to another camp. After liberation, in July of 1945, Sol returned to Djunsko Volo with surviving friends. He sought his
family but found no one. There he learned of the fate of his parents and sisters from a local non-Jew. They had been shot into a mass grave. Sol said a heartbroken kaddish and decided to move on. There was no reason to stay. The local Poles had broken the windows of the lodging where they were staying and committed other acts of violence against the returning Jews who feared for their lives. Before leaving, Sol dug up his family treasures but could not take all the items with him; he would be traveling without papers. He took his mother’s silver pocketbook because it fit in his pocket. The rest he gave to his late brother-in-law’s relative who would bring them to a trusted Pole in nearby Lask. Sol and his wife, a survivor from Vilna whom he met after the war, made their way to one displaced persons camp after another. They spent over six years in Fernwald before heading to America. “My grandson once asked me why I didn’t go to Israel,” Sol related. “I was the sole survivor of my family. I couldn’t risk being killed in Israel during the wars and violence. I had an obligation to build a family that would continue our family’s name and traditions.”
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he Goldbergs have two sons and have several grandchildren. They have resided in their Sheepshead Bay apartment for 43 years. Mama’s silver pocketbook hangs in a frame on the living room wall. There are some photos of his parents and siblings because wedding photos were sent to family members in Israel when his sister got married before the war. In 1995, Sol heard that a delegation of American Jews planned to travel to Poland to deal with the government authorities in Lask. His fourth cousin was going along on the mission to prevent the erection of a building on the site of the cemetery in Lask. Sol asked his cousin to go to the woman to whom his family’s treasures were entrusted fifty years earlier to reclaim them on his behalf. “‘I sold them to eat,’ she said. ‘This is the last piece,’” she told Sol’s cousin. It was Zaide Leib Goldberg’s silver Chanukah menorah. For Sol, the restoration of the menorah is a visible reminder of the survival of the Goldberg family of Djunsko Volo, Poland, against all odds. “I want people to know my story, the story of families destroyed by wicked people, the near destruction of our people. There is no explanation for what happened. “But we need to remember.”
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
The Administration, Faculty And Students of Mesivta Ateres Yaakov The Ruth & Hyman Simon High School Join the community in mourning the passing of
Mrs. Ruth Simon, A”H The Matriarch of our yeshiva
whose support and encouragement in the yeshiva’s earliest years was an essential factor in its success. May her longstanding support for Torah and Jewish causes be a continued z’chus for her neshama.
.ה.ב.צ.נ.ת
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
What Chanukah Means to Me Here are some photos selected from readers’ submissions
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
FINAL STRETCH
HELP BRING THIS BEAUTIFUL BASTION OF CHINUCH TO THE FINISH LINE
BUILDING
CA M PA I G N
An opportunity for partnership!
This is a historic opportunity to partner
with Siach Yitzchak and earn a share in its perpetual impact on the future of Klal Yisroel!
For 39 years, Siach Yitzchok, under the leadership of its dedicated Menahel, Rav Dovid Sitnick, has been a dynamic chinuch anchor of our community. The Yeshiva’s pioneering chinuch achievements are part of the beautiful spectrum of the Five Towns/Far Rockaway community’s essence and identity.
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
-
ה ב נ י ן
ז ה
ה ש ל ם
Dedication Opportunities Cheshek Shlomo Building Dedication ........ $2,000,000 Junior High School Name .............................. $1,000,000 Early Childhood Learning Dedication ...... $1,000,000 Bais HaMedrash Name ..................... $360,000 Reserved Main Entrance ..................................................... $360,000 Dining Hall / Auditorium .................................. $360,000 Harav Shlomo Freifeld zt”l Memorial Wall ...... $250,000 Founders Wall in Main Lobby ..................... $250,000 Gymnasium .......................................................... $250,000 Aron Kodesh ........................................ $100,000 Reserved Kitchen ............................................................... $100,000 Classrooms (18) ................................... $50,000 8 Reserved Limudei Kodesh Conference Room .. $36,000 Reserved OT/PT Rooms (5) ................................ $25,000 2 Reserved Bais HaMedrash Menorah .................. $18,000 Reserved Yizkor Plaque (2) .................................................. $10,000 Mezuza at each Floor’s Entranceway (5) ............. $10,000 Mizrach Wall Decorative Panels (12) ..... $7,200 1 Reserved Otzar Haseforim Bookcase (6) ....................... $7,200 Bais HaMedrash Bookcase (18) .......... $7,200 1 Reserved Bais HaMedrash Window (12) .............. $5,400 7 Reserved Classroom Mezuzah (18) .................... $5,400 6 Reserved Pre-School Netilas Yadayim Stations (6) ... $5,400 1 Reserved Classroom Windows (18) ...................................... $3,600 Classroom Cubbies (18) .................... $2,500 2 Reserved Set of Table & 4 Chairs in BM (50) ..... $1,800 1 Reserved Water Fountain (8) ................................ $1,800 1 Reserved Mezuza (50) .............................................. $1,800 4 Reserved Classroom Clocks (18) .......................... $1,000 3 Reserved
For information on dedication and additional sponsorship opportunities please contact Rabbi Mordechai Stein at the Yeshiva office at 718.327.6247 ext.16 or mstein@siachyitzchok.org
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
Margaret Tietz Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is a voluntary, not-for-profit health care provider.
An integral part of the Jewish community for more than four decades, Margaret Tietz is proud to deliver unparalleled Subacute Rehabilitation, as well as Long-Term, Medically Complex and Hospice Care in our beautiful, comfortable and fully Kosher setting.
Margaret Tietz Nursing & Rehabilitation Center 164-11 Chapin Parkway, Jamaica Hills, NY 11432 718-298-7829 • www.TietzJewish.com Centrally located near the Queens communities of Kew Gardens Hills, Hillcrest & Jamaica Estates. Only 20 minutes from Brooklyn, Manhattan & the Five Towns.
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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בס׳ד
BAIS YAAKOV ATERES MIRIAM WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR HAKORAS HATOV TO:
YESHIVA DARCHEI TORAH
LED BY ITS ESTEEMED ROSH HAYESHIVA HORAV RABBI YAAKOV BENDER, SHLITA
OUR ESTEEMED BOARD OF DIRECTORS MOTTI FOX - PRESIDENT
OUR HARD-WORKING BUILDING COMMITTEE AND TO THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELPED US ALONG THE WAY.
„
וכל מי שעוסקים בצרכי ציבור ... באמונה הקב״ה ישלם שכרם
„
With Sincere Gratitude, RABBI NOSSON NEUMAN Menahel
MRS. LEAH ZYTMAN Principal
MR. AVRAHAM MAYER Executive Director
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
Around the Community
TAG held a successful parlor meeting in North Woodmere this past week hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Dovi Kohn to culminate the Two Weeks for TAG campaign. The event was graced by the presence of local rabbonim including Rabbi Shmuel Witkin and Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz, who was the guest speaker. TAG thanks the entire community for making this campaign a huge success.
Shira Campers Enjoy Dynamic Reunions
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his past week, Camp Shira hosted two awesome reunions for former and new campers. On Motzei Shabbos, the Senior and Extreme Divisions enjoyed a glowin-the-dark concert by Mrs. Devorah Schwartz. The first song performed was Camp Shira’s 2018 camp song, and it got the room rocking! The party was just getting started and the girls enjoyed the camp video, an ice cream bar, a raffle, and giveaways to top off an exciting night. On Sunday morning, Junior Division campers and their parents enjoyed a comedy Magic Show by Syltig, Master Magician. The adorable Juniors campers loved every second of the show and many of them got the chance to go on stage! The campers enjoyed taking pictures with their
parents at the photo booth and then getting their giveaways on the way out. The mothers even enjoyed the giveaways as each camper received a discount card for a $25 Wash and Set from Prestigio, who were partial sponsors of the concert. The reunion was also the last chance for parents to register their daughters at the early bird price to get the best girls’ camp around at the best possible price. Camp Shira is a girls’ camp in the heart of the Five Towns. The camp offers daily specialties, weekly trips/ shows, catered lunch, AC busing, fantastic staff, and so much more! For this summer, Camp Shira has added new features including two Water Parks on campus and a Go-Kart track. Camp Shira truly provides its
girls with a summer to sing about! Email campshirany@gmail.com or go to campshirany.com for more information or to register before camp closes out.
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
STOREWIDE
CHANUKAH SALE
BUY 1 GET 1
ALL
HATS • SUITS • COATS
SHOES • SHIRTS • & MORE!
456 Central Avenue, Cedarhurst NY 11516 | 516.791.1925 Sunday 11-6, Mon-Thurs 11-7, Friday 10:30-1:30 Sale ends 12/14/18. Second item must be equal or lesser value on like items only. Must mention ad. Not valid with any other offer, special, or discount. We are not responsible for typos. All prices are subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply.
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Around the Community The Hollander Early Childhood Center at Yeshiva of South Shore held its Pre-1A Father/Grandfather/Son Chanukah Workshop this week
Dr. Lightman and Mr. Benji Greenfield, with son Aryeh Greenfield and their grandson Menachemn Greenfield
Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky with three generations of South Shore boys, Dovid Slansky, Dov Slansky and Yosef Slansky
Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam Reaches Incredible Milestone
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his past Monday, on the first day of Chanukah, Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam made history as the school became the proud owners of its building on Heyson Road in Far Rockaway. What an exciting time for the BYAM family, as it moves into a new stage of developing this makom Torah. This momentous occasion was made possible with the help of many parents, friends, and supporters of BYAM. The selflessness of everyone involved will be an inspiration to all for many years to come, as the school continues its mission of raising bnos Yisroel. Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam was founded six and a half years ago by Rabbi
Nosson Neuman. As the Far Rockaway and Five Towns areas continued to expand and grow, the community schools had been stretched. Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam was formed at the behest of many local rabbonim and educational leaders to directly address that need. With a humble beginning of 31 students, BYAM is now on track to enroll close to 300 students for the 2019-2020 school year. This unprecedented growth is not a surprise, however, to everyone who knows Rabbi Nosson Neuman. His positivity and simchas hachaim, matched with his belief in every child, embody the school. As part of its mission statement, “Our Bais Yaakov is founded
on the abiding principle of creating a warm, nurturing, and fun environment for the students to succeed and be the best they can be, all within the exemplary vision of Sarah Schenirer.”
Mrs. Leah Zytman, menaheles, partners with Rabbi Neuman and executes the goal in mind. Her care and concern for every student, coupled with her prestigious accomplishments in the field of education and academia, make them the perfect team. Mrs. Zytman has engaged a superior teaching staff tasked with the holy endeavor of developing the future imahos of Klal Yisroel. The message of Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam has struck a chord with many families in the community. Those seeking a warm and academically challenging school, while at the same time not sacrificing their Torah standards of tzinius and ahavas Hashem, are now turning
to BYAM as their school of choice. A parent is quoted as saying, “We are so lucky to be a part of the BYAM family. We have been so pleased with the friends our daughter has made at BYAM, and have been even more impressed with the wonderful, Torahdige families that comprise our daughter’s class.” Now is the time to reflect upon the tremendous accomplishments of BYAM, while at the same time the school focuses its strength towards the future. BYAM is currently in the planning stages of upgrading the building to a state-of-the-art facility, ready to meet the growing needs of the Far Rockaway-Five Towns community. As one parent noted, “It is no coincidence that we closed on our building on the first day of Chanukah, as we connected the two meanings of the word Chanukah: inauguration and chinuch.” May Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam continue to go from strength to strength, and may we all continue to see tremendous Yiddishe nachas! If you would like to be part of this endeavor, and learn more about the school, please contact the office at 718-868-3232 or info@baisyaakovam.org.
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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
INSPIRING JEWS ... ONE BOOK AT A TIME
FROM
Magnificent Chanukah Gift! LARGE-FORMAT COFFEE-TABLE SIZE, WITH HUNDREDS OF STUNNING, FULL-COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS
The
Palace
on 5 Chazon Ish Street
the four corners of the earth, people F rom streamed into the humble home — the
By RABBI SHAI GRAUCHER
palace — of R’ AHARON LEIB SHTEINMAN ZT”L. Now, in this beautifully-designed, oversized, fullcolor book, you can visit this palace of simplicity and greatness. The Palace on 5 Chazon Ish Street features 104 magnificent double spreads, for the 104 years that R’ Aharon Leib graced this world. Each spread contains: 4A true and inspirational story about Rav Aharon Leib 4“Words of the Wise”: Lessons and quotes from R’ Aharon Leib himself 4“Gifts of Majesty”: Vignettes of R’ Aharon Leib’s greatness 4Many photographs, some of them rare and never published ationn vers versatio
ms Friday Night Custo
The Lost Letters „„יןיןƒ בƒ ¿ ֲחֲ ָחב ָבלל ַﬠַﬠלל„ּ¿ „ּ¿ ָ‡ָ ¿‡ב Woe Woefor forthose thosewho whoare arelost lost (Sanhedrin (Sanhedrin111a) 111a) The Theship shipmade madeits itsway waytotoEretz EretzYisrael Yisraelcarrying carryingpriceless priceless cargo. cargo.In Inthe theship’s ship’shold, hold,alongside alongsidegiant giantshipping shippingcontainers, containers, sat satseveral severalsmall smallboxes. boxes.These Theseboxes boxescarried carriedthe thebelongings belongings ofof Rav Rav Shteinman Shteinman that that remained remained inin Switzerland Switzerland after after he he moved movedtotoEretz EretzYisrael. Yisrael. He Hehad hadnot notbeen beenable abletototake takeall allhis hisbelongings belongingswith withhim him when whenhe heleft, left,so soRav RavMoshe MosheSoloveitchik Soloveitchiksaw sawtotoititthat thatthese these items items were were later later shipped shipped toto him. him. What What was was inin the the boxes? boxes? The The most most precious precious cargo cargo ofof all: all: notebooks notebooks containing containing his his chiddushei chiddusheiTorah Torahfrom fromthe thegood gooddays daysininBrisk Briskand andfrom from the the war war years; years; sefarim; sefarim; and and letters letters written written toto him him by byRav RavSimchah SimchahZelig ZeligRieger, Rieger,the thedayan dayanofofBrisk, Brisk, whose whosehome homeRav RavShteinman Shteinmanhad hadfrequented frequentedasasaa child childand andfrom fromwhom whomhe hehad hadheard heardmany manyhalachic halachic rulings rulings and and Torah Torah insights. insights. Rav Rav Shteinman Shteinman had had consulted consulted with with Rav Rav Simchah Simchah Zelig Zelig regularly, regularly, atat every every juncture, juncture, and and had had conducted conducted himself himself according accordingtotohis hisrulings. rulings. As As the the ship ship traversed traversed the the waves, waves, its its valuable valuable cargo cargo inched inchedcloser closerand andcloser closertotothe theport portofofJaffa, Jaffa,where whereititwould would be beunloaded. unloaded. But Butalas! alas!As Asthe theship shipapproached approachedthe theshore, shore,the theEgyptians Egyptians bombed bombedit.it.There Therewas wasaaterrible terribleexplosion, explosion,and andthe theship shipsank. sank. The Theprecious preciousboxes boxeswere werelost lostininthe thedepths depthsofofthe thesea, sea,never never totoreach reachtheir theirowner. owner. How Howmelancholy melancholywas wasRav RavShteinman Shteinmanover overthe theirreplaceable irreplaceable loss…. loss….
There There was was another another time time when when Rav Rav Shteinman’s Shteinman’s writings writings were werelost, lost,this thistime timetotoaafire. fire. One One day, day, Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Shteinman Shteinman smelled smelled smoke, smoke, and and she she hurried hurriedtotosee seewhere wherethe thefire firewas. was.To Toher hershock, shock,she shefound found Rav Rav Shteinman Shteinman burning burning some some letters. letters. When When she she asked asked what what he he was was doing, doing, he he answered answered that that these these were were letters letters ofof recommendation recommendationthat thathe hehad hadreceived receivedfrom fromthe theBrisker BriskerRav Rav zt”l zt”land andthe theSatmar SatmarRebbe Rebbezt”l. zt”l. “Why?” “Why?” she she cried cried out. out. “These “These are are precious, precious, rare rare letters! letters! Isn’t Isn’tititaashame shametotoburn burnthem?” them?” “They “They didn’t didn’t test test me me before before they they wrote wrote these these letters,” letters,” Rav RavShteinman Shteinmanexplained. explained.“I“Ididn’t didn’tdeserve deservethe theletters. letters.They They simply simply pitied pitied me me — — they they wanted wanted toto help help me me settle settle inin the the places I would find myself in, and that’s why they places I would find myself in, and that’s why theywrote wrotewhat what they wrote. I am afraid that after 120, when my children they wrote. I am afraid that after 120, when my childrenfind find these letters, they will make a big deal about them and wave these letters, they will make a big deal about them and wave them around as though they are genuine. Then, no one will them around as though they are genuine. Then, no one will be beable abletotodeny denythis. this.IIhave havetotoburn burnthe theletters letterstotoprevent preventthat that from fromhappening.” happening.” What Whatdid didthe theBrisker BriskerRav Ravreally reallythink thinkofofRav RavShteinman? Shteinman? Rav RavZeev ZeevEdelman Edelmanzt”l zt”lrelated relatedthat thateach eachtime timebefore beforeRav Rav Shteinman Shteinmanwould wouldcome cometotobe betested testedby bythe theBrisker BriskerRav, Rav,the the Rav Ravwould wouldsay, say,“The “Theiluy iluyAharon AharonLeib Leibisisgoing goingtotocome comesoon, soon, IIhave havetotoprepare preparewell.” well.” Another Another time, time, he he said, said, “Rav “Rav Aharon Aharon Leib Leib isis aa talmid talmid chacham. chacham.He’s He’smy mytalmid.” talmid.”
with with
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Shteinman.usua At the the bottom bottom wou eat. would for him and eat. homee for with wine at hom times,s, and cup of cup with ee time of wine ing at bit ush bit ush thre thre wait a waiting a k Kidd k salt Kidd salt was was in drin in the drin the fill dip then dip itit ld fill of of of the the page page the the signature signature ofinman and then would rdingg the an wou fish and of the accordin end of somee fish Shteinm sincee acco the end it, sinc Rav taste som Rav Shte At the to it, ld taste soup.. At would waterr to He He wou of wate of fleishigig soup Rav bit of Rav Chaim Chaim Ozer Ozer Grodzensky Grodzensky the fleish orderr ibutee of In orde add aa bit Attribut from the and add fruit.. 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36
Words Words ofof the the Wise Wise 72 72
From From Rav Rav Shteinman’s Shteinman’s will: will: “I“I request request that that II not not be be referred referred to to by by the the title title ‘tzaddik’ ‘tzaddik’ or or ‘yerei ‘yerei Shamayim,’ Shamayim,’ so so that thatIInot notbe bedisgraced disgracedasasaaresult resultininthe theWorld WorldofofTruth.” Truth.”
73 73
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
Around the Community
Club Hour at HANC HS
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Chanukah at Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam
n September, HANC High School hosted a club fair where students had the opportunity to sign up for various clubs. Students signed on for Debate, Torah Bowl, HANC Herald, Dance, Photography, Mock Trial, Chess, Photography, Drama, Chorus, Band, Israel Action, and Robotics, just to name a few. Astronomy and Stock Market are the newest clubs added to the Wednesday Club schedule rotation. This month, Club Hour at HANC High School has returned. Every Wednesday from Succot to Pesach, students meet with their faculty advisor and fellow committee members
to discuss, practice, and prepare for their upcoming meets and competitions. The clubs are divided between Wednesday, Week A, and Wednesday, Week B, so that students have the ability to get involved in multiple clubs. In addition to clubs, we offer an optional Beit Midrash session and labs in math, science, writing, and art. Students have enthusiastically embraced club hour and have utilized the time to learn new skills, and socialize with fellow students. We look forward to a productive and enriching club-hour program.
Allergy Awareness at HALB
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ALB students were privileged and excited to watch the allergy aware performance of Kyle Dine. Kyle Dine is a food allergy educator who created and delivered a powerful, fun and educational program on food allergies. Growing up with multiple food al-
lergies and experiencing life-threatening anaphylactic reactions, Kyle flips allergy awareness into a topic that kids are engaged in by using his authentic stories, songs, puppets! His live show empowered the children to all take allergies seriously and do their part to maintain an allergy-safe school.
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
Around the Community
Rabbi Jungreis with his students at Yeshiva Ketana of Queens
Meet and Greet for Gesher Moms
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his past Motzei Shabbos was a special evening for the mothers of Gesher students. Over the past several years, more and more involvement from the parent body has enriched the overall learning experience for the students and has enhanced the transition process for the parents. A parents’ committee was formed, recognizing the unique nature of parental connection for a school with only younger grades. One of the obvious areas of
association is simply getting to know the co-parents in any given class. As a kick-off, the committee created a Moms Night Out event. The evening was specifically designed to be an informal social gathering with colored nametags indicating which class each mother represented. A fun game was added to encourage additional associations. Gesher thanks Mrs. Rebecca Ettedgui, Mrs. Sarah Levine, Mrs. Yael Fischman, and Mrs. Sharon Shapiro
for their hard work and tasteful planning making this event so successful. The parents and staff were treated to a delicious buffet complete with sushi platters, exciting salads, pizza bites, and desserts. The fare was co-sponsored by Gourmet Glatt, Frankel’s Supermarket, Upper Crust, and Sushi Pie. Gesher extends its appreciation to these establishments for their continued support of many institutions in our community. Mrs. Levine briefly addressed
the assemblage. She described how excited she was to become a Gesher parent having been duly impressed by the administration and faculty. She added that in reality the experience has been even greater than she had anticipated and feels very fortunate that her child is in such capable hands. The meet and greet was very successful, with many parents expressing similar sentiments and feeling a greater sense of involvement.
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Around the Community
Shulamith Remembers 9/11 By Yael Szlafrok, Grade 8
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n Tuesday, November 27, the eighth grade in Shulamith embarked on a memorable trip to the 9/11 Memorial Museum. Students asked questions based on their prior knowledge and learned more about the events of 9/11 in workshops led by museum educators. The girls took a tour of the museum and analyzed artifacts, including a squeegee used in an innovative way to save lives and fire trucks of first responders who perished. After lunch in the Brookfield Place Mall, the group proceeded to
the One World Observatory where they enjoyed a 360-degree view of the five boroughs. Following the Observatory, the girls were privileged to hear from
Mr. Yaakov Morgenstern who shared stories about his beloved sister, Nancy, who lost her life in the terrorist attack of 9/11. It was very moving to hear about how Nancy embraced life
and was supremely committed to her Judaism, making a kiddush Hashem no matter where she traveled. The trip was an experience we will all remember forever.
Mesivta Yam Hatorah’s Eye Opening Open House
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am Hatorah held its Open House last Tuesday Night, November 27, showcasing the message of Yam Hatorah of actualizing every student’s success and how it is implemented on a daily basis, leaving the attending parents truly impressed. Rabbi Eliezer Feuer, the Morah D’asra of the Young Israel of Bayswater, opened the evening, describing the beauty of the Mesivta as someone who sees the inner working on a daily basis. The hanhala’s care and concern for each talmid allows the students to get to know their strengths and themselves. The Mesivta works on building the person from the inside and working off fundamentals to ensure a lasting internal commitment that is unfortunately often lacking. Rabbi Feuer exclaimed how it is beautiful to see the close interaction between the rabbeim and talmidim. Rabbi Avram Pollak, the menahel, passionately spoke about the mission of the Mesivta to actualize the success of its talmidim through relationship building, getting students to believe in themselves, and pushing students to strive beyond their comfort zone to master the material they are learning. Rabbi Pollak excitedly told over what had just occurred in two shiurim. Both shiurim recently completed a mastery program in which every boy presented a unit of
Gemara, Rashi, and Tosafos in front of the class, parents, and principals. Each student had to explain and defend what he was teaching. Most of the students said that they had never experienced learning to that level and, when it was over, there was an overwhelming sense of accomplishment in the school. Rabbi Pollak professed, “For a parent, rebbe, or principal, when students master and accomplish and are proud of their accomplishments, there is no greater nachas!” The S’gan Menahel, Rabbi Gamliel LaBrie, focused on the Mesivta’s belief system of the most ideal method of bringing about long-term commitment and lasting growth. We all want our kids to be principled and
have lasting commitment to avodas Hashem, however this only comes from one’s own personal choice. A person has a mind and neshama that can understand and internalize the loftiest concepts and refined perspectives, no matter how undeveloped. Chinuch isn’t about regulating a student’s decisions and choices for the desired outcome, but to nurture an appreciation and understanding that resonates within the person and then it will enable a lasting commitment. Rabbi Nachum Dinowitz, the general studies principal, talked directly to the students in attendance about the delicate balance that they were going to need to strike between a rich and healthy social and emotional life
and the academic rigors needed to succeed in high school. The staff at Yam Hatorah is dedicated to helping each and every student find their own personal balance and in making the right choices to achieve success. Following the presentations, the administration answered questions and prospective parents were invited to a “gallery walk,” where they could talk to current MYHT parents, individual rabbeim, and teachers regarding the framework of the classrooms and assignments. The night was informative and eye-opening for both parents and students. For more information, to apply or to schedule an interview, please visit yamhatorah.org or call the office directly at 718-471-7471.
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Around the Community
YOSS Boys Receive their First Siddur
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ast Tuesday, November 27, the first grade boys at Yeshiva of South Shore received their very first siddur. The boys came dressed for the occasion in white shirts and dark pants in anticipation for this very memorable occasion. Rabbi Kamenetzky, Rosh Yeshiva, and Rabbi Robinson, Associate Elementary Menahel, gave the talmidim
a bracha that their life-long journey should always be with their siddur in hand. Each boy then received his personalized siddur and was photographed for the occasion. The photos were developed on magnets, allowing for their parents to enjoy for years to come. Wishing our first grade talmidim hatzlacha! PHOTO CREDIT: NAFTOLI GOLDGRAB PHOTOGRAPHY
From the Files of the Medical Referral Department at Achiezer
“
My wife and I had no idea how we would afford insurance for our newborn baby daughter. When we turned to Achiezer, we were blown away by their chesed and the help they provided. I truly don’t know what we would have done without Mr. Yisrael Miller and the entire
Persistence Pays
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he couple came into our office clearly distraught. The husband had just been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and they were turning to Achiezer for guidance in choosing the best medical professional for their needs. Based on our extensive and ongoing research, Elke Rubin recommended that they reach out to a particular specialist. A short while later, the wife called the Achiezer office sounding anxious and dejected. She had called the
specialist’s office, but the secretary claimed the doctor was away – and furthermore, as his schedule was booked solid, she could not commit to giving them any appointment at all! First, a frightening diagnosis. Now, no way to access the doctor who might be able to help. It was almost more than she and her husband could handle. What’s more, this took place on a Friday morning. What kind of Shabbos would the family have? We felt their pain, and we
“Oh my goodness, I actually have tears in my eyes. This is
unbelievable. Achiezer’s generosity continues to amaze me! We would humbly accept this gift! We have 3 boys, ages 7, 5 and 2.”
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!”
“
Achiezer organization. Thank you so much!”
“When a family experiences a loss, whether public or private, the turmoil that they endure is so great; we felt it incumbent on us to form this special group to be there for our community members in their most immense time of need.” -Shalom Jaroslawicz Emergency Services Coordinator
made a decision that if nothing else, we would try to grant them the menucha of Shabbos. Our initial phone calls to the doctor were fruitless, but with much perseverance, we hit pay dirt. The doctor we
were trying to reach was indeed away from the office – about as far away as he could be. He was actually in Australia! About one hour before Shabbos, we succeeded in getting the specialist on the phone. We explained that while the man we were calling about did not require emergency care, if he could commit to accepting him as a patient, it would make a tremendous difference to the family’s emotional wellbeing. “Rabbi,” the doctor replied, “if you could be so persistent to track me down all the way in Australia just to ensure another person’s peace of mind, I’m on board.
I’ll see this man first thing Monday morning, before my scheduled roster of patients. Can’t say I won’t be tired, but I’ll be there!” When we reached the anxious couple to update them, they told us that we had literally given them back their Shabbos. It was as if we had lifted a veil of despair and replaced it with a helping hand of hope. Identifying details have been changed. Join us at our Gala on January 6, 2019 at the Sands Atlantic Beach. For more information, visit achiezer.org/ dinner or call 516.791.4444 ext. 113.
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
Around the Community
Francie Goldberg, Director of Admissions Family, with Six13 and Chanukah props
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ou may have heard them get a shout-out on the radio this week for their hit single “Bohemian Chanukah” but HANC Plainview Elementary School had Six13 live and in concert on Sunday, December 2.
“We really wanted to kick off
the holiday with a bang, and nothing gets people excited and in the holiday spirit more than music,” said Francie Goldberg, Director of Admissions and organizer of the concert. She added, “I knew they were going to be sought after this time of year so we booked them
in July. Right after people left the concert I got texts that people were talking about Six13 on the radio!” Six13 is an incredibly talented Jewish a Capella group. They have created the most amusing videos for all the Jewish holidays that can
be found on YouTube and were absolutely sensational on stage. They got the whole room clapping and singing along and even invited all the students on stage with them to dance during the finale. They truly made this year a very happy Chanukah for all who attended!
Out and About With Shulamith Middle Division
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ast Tuesday, the sixth grade students of Shulamith Middle Division traveled to the Museum of Natural History, where they enjoyed the world-famous dioramas of animals from around the world, and exhibits as diverse as ocean life, dinosaur fossils, and ancient peo-
ple and civilizations. Their favorite exhibit, hands down, was the interactive “Our Senses,” which allowed the girls to see the gifts Hashem has endowed us with in a whole new way. On the same day, the seventh graders went to the Museum of Jewish Heritage. The girls toured the
first two floors of the museum, viewing the collection of hundreds of artifacts from throughout Jewish history and stopping along the way to watch different videos. Docents asked the girls questions and many were eager to respond or share short stories of their own family history. On the
second floor, students learned more about what led to the Holocaust and some of the atrocities that occurred. Students came away with much knowledge and the message of how important it is to continue to learn and remember so that nothing like this ever happens again.
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Around the Community
Chanukah Parties Demand Celebratory Wines By Gabriel Geller, Royal Wine/Kedem
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inter has come early this year, with significant snowfalls on the East Coast already in mid-November. As far as wine is concerned, my immediate thoughts when I see snow is “time to take out the Port!” This year the snow also reminded me that Chanukah was around the corner. Every year I’m always asked which wines pair best with doughnuts and latkes. Chanukah, however, isn’t only about deep-fried traditional delicacies. It is a holiday on which we recite Al Hanissim for eight nights and days. It is a holiday on which we celebrate the extraordinary nissim that Hashem sends us all the time, and in particular those that He sent us over 2,000 years ago when the tiny army of the Maccabim defeated the great Greek army of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. It is therefore only natural that many parties are organized during Chanukah to celebrate the great chessed Hashem has granted the Jewish people. There are many meals and dishes that are served at such parties, from doughnuts and latkes, of course, to brisket, steaks, salads, sushi, chicken wings and whatnot. Here are a few wines that will enhance our Chanukah parties tremendously: Champagne des Barons Rothschild Brut: When someone says “party!” I always respond, “Champagne!” the ultimate celebratory wine par excellence. The Rothschild Champagne is a luxurious, mineral-driven Champagne with creamy lemon curd notes as well as hints of white stone fruits and classic notes of freshly baked bread. Sparkling wines in general and Champagne in particular also happen to be, in my humble opinion, the best wines to pair with deep fried foods such as latkes. The high acidity, the lemony notes and the vibrant bubbles cut through the oiliness creating an experience that you won’t forget! Stay tuned as a new Champagne from the Barons de Rothschild is coming out soon. Ramon Cardova Albariño 2017 is the newest and most exciting comer to the ever-growing selection of great
white wines. This one comes from the Rías Baixas region, located on the southwestern coast of Spain. Albariño is a rising star among white grape varieties. This wine is the second kosher wine of its kind to come to the market, following the introduction of the intriguing, innovative Herzog Special Reserve Albariño from California’s Edna Valley this past summer. The Ramon Cardova features a crispier, delightful profile with notes of lime and pear, as well as some herbaceous and saline undertones, showcasing the proximity of the vineyards to the Atlantic Ocean. If you’re planning on serving sushi for your Chanukah party this is a wine you must check out. Château Malmaison 2016 from the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation from the northern part of Bordeaux’s Left Bank is one of the estates owned and managed by the Rothschild family. The commitment of the Rothschilds to the highest standards of quality has once again been renewed with upgraded vineyards, technology and equipment, and it shows in this excellent wine. Beautifully balanced, with a velvety, elegant texture as well as notes of ripe red berries and a long, earthy finish. Truly great value from Bordeaux. The Malmaison will be great with grilled lamb chops. Jeff Morgan from Covenant Wines was always a globetrotter. He has lived in different parts of America but also in Europe, including a former career as a musician in France and Switzerland. No surprise there. Making wine is very akin to composing or playing music, as both a composer/musician and a winemaker must achieve balance and harmony in their creations. Jeff’s travels and his reconnecting bounds with his Jewish roots over the past 15 years have led him to fall in love with Eretz Yisrael. Just a few years ago he started making wine in Israel and launched Covenant Israel, in parallel with his award-winning Covenant wines from California’s Napa Valley and Sonoma which keep collecting high accolades from the Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. The Covenant Israel Blue C Adom 2016 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grown in the Golan Heights. This wine features Jeff Morgan’s signature of well-rounded, fruit-forward and balanced wines
with notes of black and blueberries as well as freshly cracked pepper, Israel’s roasted Mediterranean herbs and aromatic spices. Exactly what you need with a juicy, savory brisket on Shabbos Chanukah. Last but not least, the aforementioned Port, Porto Cordovero Ruby, will warm you up in delight on a cold, snowy day (or night). But its sweet
notes of blackberry jam, caramelized pecan nuts and dried figs will also complement scrumptious strawberry jelly or chocolate doughnuts like no other type of wine. And if you want to try something comparable from Israel, then give a try to the Zion Fortissimo or the Or Haganuz Har Sinai. Chanukah sameyach, l’chaim!
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DECEMBER 6,2015 2018||The TheJewish JewishHome Home OCTOBER 29,
Richie Larger than Life
Remembering
Dr. Richie Friedman, z”l
By Boruch Ber Bender
B
rokenhearted and devastated. There is no other way to describe it. Tragedy and loss are always painful. But there are some circumstances that are shocking, heartbreaking, and just impossible to fathom; I know that these are not only my feelings, but rather the feelings of so many in the Five Towns, NYC, and hundreds of Hatzalah members worldwide. Dr. Richie Friedman, z”l, was the ultimate helper. The ultimate giver. The ultimate community man. The ultimate friend. The ultimate family man. It was barely 72 hours ago when a community member needed medical advice at a late hour. He couldn’t reach anyone. There was one person who answered the phone when we rang. The same person who always answered. The same person who never said no. Our beloved Richie. Dr. Richie Friedman was an exceptional man – exceptionally capable and talented – and exceptionally dedicated to Klal Yisrael. This was true in so many ways, but of course, none more so than in
his role as medical director of Chevrah Hatzalah. An accomplished general surgeon, Dr. Friedman, fondly known as ES-72, bore the weighty respon-
“He was not only a doctor. He was extremely warm, sensitive and caring.” sibility for all branches of Hatzalah in NYC and was very involved with Catskills Hatzalah operations as well. At any time of day or night, Hatzalah
members could be found in his home, as he dispensed medication, reviewed protocol, and advised and directed. Shlomo Katz was a member of Dr. Friedman’s original medic-training class and has been a Hatzalah medic for over 21 years. When he speaks about Dr. Friedman, his words are heartfelt, and they echo the sentiments of so many of his fellow Hatzalah members “Richie, in a sense, went on every single Hatzalah call in New York, as we all operated under his license and supervision,” Shlomo said. “He cared about every Hatzalah member, and he cared to make sure every member was as qualified as could be to attend to every member of Klal Yisrael. “Richie cared about us professionally and personally. He took the time to drive up to the Catskills for my son’s bar mitzvah. He loved the camaraderie of Hatzalah, and he loved the idea that regular people could make a difference in other people’s lives.” Yidel Feig, coordinator for the Catskills Divi-
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
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At the Israeli Day Parade in 2012 with Avi Erbst, Raanan Zeidel, and Avi Siegel
Dr. Friedman with Akiva Tepper at the Israeli Day Parade
Richie and Nussi Josephy
At the Achiezer dinner 2017, L-R: Rafi Kurtz, Solomon Rosenberg, Dr. Friedman, and Boruch Ber Bender
At the most recent Achiezer dinner in 2018, L-R: Shlomo Katz, Boruch Ber Bender, Richie, Ben Gillig, Mayer Krengel and Michael Krengel
With David Gerber of Hatzalah
With Aaron Gutman
Dr. Friedman in Purim spirit with Yossi Farber and Meir Krengel
Dr. Friedman with Rabbi Spiegel of the Shteibel of Cedarhurst
sion of Hatzalah, spent countless hours with Dr. Friedman, both in person and over the phone. “What amazed me the most about Richie was that while he was a surgeon with a busy practice, all summer long, but whenever we had a serious concern, he was listening,” Yidel recalled. “He was constantly checking in with us of his own accord, and if we had a difficult decision to make, we knew he was available to guide us.” The responsibility any Hatzalah member carries is huge. Richie carried that responsibility a thousand-fold. It is hard to even contemplate what that means, but for Richie, it was simply what he did. “He was not only a doctor. He was extremely warm, sensitive and caring. He will be tremendously missed by everyone, but especially by those who knew him well,” shares Hatzalah dispatcher
Yidel Deutsch. Mr. Deutsch describes how once Dr. Friedman came to see him in the Catskills, shortly after arriving from the city for a much-needed vacation. While there, he received a call from a hospitalized patient who insisted on seeing Dr. Friedman. Mr. Deutsch looked on in amazement as Dr. Friedman got in his car, turned around, and headed straight back to the city. Ben Gillig, assistant vice president at Maimonides Medical Center and paramedic for Hatzalah of Far Rockaway/Lawrence, knows that this was not just an isolated case. “Dr. Friedman was a selfless person,” he said. “He always did chessed, both in his role as a surgeon and as medical director for Hatzalah, but it was never about getting a compliment or recognition. He was very selfless.”
Dr. Friedman actually performed numerous surgeries for those who were uninsured or underinsured, free of charge, literally saving lives of those who had nowhere else to turn. He also created the Heritage Program at Beth Israel Medical Center to ensure that Jewish patients would have where to turn for assistance. Dr. Friedman’s chessed encompassed so many areas. The Friedman home was always open, whether for a parlor meeting or any other need. With his wife Cheryl lovingly at his side, Richie never missed any community dinner or event. I’m deeply saddened when I think of upcoming events and how he simply won’t be in attendance. Richie was instrumental in gathering doctors to serve on Achiezer’s Medical Advisory Board. In addition, Achiezer staff literally spoke with him several times a week, without fail. He never
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DECEMBER29, 6, 2015 2018 || The The Jewish Jewish Home Home OCTOBER
Yoeli Deutsch with Richie at a wedding
At a Hatzalah CME training
With the Bobover Rebbe at a Bobover wedding two weeks ago
turned us down, no matter the need or the time. This is a sentiment repeated by all those who were privileged to know him. As much as he loved and was dedicated to others, Richie was beloved by all – no matter their affiliation. He grew up in Manhattan and eventually moved to the Five Towns, where he was an integral part of the community. His father was very close with Rav Shlomo Halberstam of Bobov, and he himself carried on this connection with the chassidus. His life experiences allowed him to cross all lines and relate to people from every stream of Yiddishkeit. Richie was a regular mispallel at Bais Medrash of Cedarhurst (known as “the Shteibel”) and maintained a close relationship with its Rebbe, Rabbi Dovid Spiegel.
Izzy Wasser, president of the Shteibel, spoke fondly of Richie and highlighted his sincerity and the high standard to which he clearly held himself. In fact, while Richie regularly attended the Mincha/Maariv minyan at the Shteibel, he would leave after Mincha and return for a later Maariv so that he could daven at the ideal time. “He had a love of Yiddishkeit and a love for every member of Klal Yisrael,” Mr. Wasser said of Richie. As Dr. Friedman was leaving shul this past Motzei Shabbos, a fellow mispallel offered him a ride but as it was not yet 72 minutes after shkiah, Dr. Friedman turned him down. Several minutes later, as he made his way home on foot, he was tragically struck by a car. His fellow Hatzalah members responded in seconds and did everything within their power to save him, but it was
not meant to be. The levaya was held on Sunday afternoon. The procession drove to Boro Park and stopped outside Bobov, where the aron was greeted by the Bobover Rebbe. Brief remarks were made by the Bobover Dayan. The levaya then continued on to Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway. Over 2,000 people attended, including hundreds of Hatzalah members from the tri-state area, to offer kavod acharon to a man who quietly and without fanfare dedicated himself to his people. In the words of Yidel Feig, “I don’t know if there is another person who was directly involved in so many lives being saved. The void he has left will be felt for a very long time.” Yehi zichro baruch.
e info@pickpurple.org w www.pickpurple.org We now accept clothing, shoes, accessories, linen and towels in usable condition
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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
SHUVU IN
s n w o T e Fiv
Highlights of the Shuvu Lawrence breakfast reception in memory of
Simcha Belsky ע׳׳ה ז״ל נ''י
שמחה בערל דוד בן אברהם משה
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DECEMBER29, 6, 2015 2018 || The The Jewish Jewish Home Home OCTOBER
TJH Dilly Dairy-ing Cows spend about 10 hours a day eating and 8 hours a day lying down. (Sign me up!) The average American consumes almost 25 gallons of milk a year ... that’s 400 glasses! (I personally spill the milk out once I’m done dipping the cookie) Milk remains fresh for 7-10 days after the expiration date if refrigerated at 35-40°F. (Thanks but no thanks.) It takes 12 pounds of whole milk to make one gallon of ice cream. (Who only eats one gallon of ice cream?) Around 300 varieties of cheese are sold in the U.S. Wisconsin produces more than 25 percent of those varieties. (And, to add insult to injury, Wisconsinites are known as “cheeseheads.”) Vanilla is the most popular ice cream flavor in the U.S. (It’s my favorite too…when it’s topped with Reese’s Pieces, hot fudge, mini peanut butter cups, cookie dough, crushed Oreos, and caramel.)
Centerfold “Eight” This Cool 9 x 9 + 7 = 88 98 x 9 + 6 = 888 987 x 9 + 5 = 8888 9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888 98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888 987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888 9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888 98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888
You gotta be kidding
Americans eat about 350 slices of pizza per second, or almost 3 billion pizzas per year. (I totally don’t believe that – I never ate more than 2 slices in one second!) It takes three cups of broccoli to equal the calcium in one cup of milk. (How about this—I won’t eat broccoli and I won’t drink milk!) Cows have an acute sense of smell and can smell something up to six miles away. (And they still refuse to put on deodorant!) Cows can go up stairs, but not down stairs. (I guess I’m not a cow then – I can go down stairs but not up stairs.)
Two cows are chatting over the fence between their fields. The first cow says, “I tell you, this Mad Cow Disease is really pretty scary. They say it’s spreading fast; I heard it hit some cows down on the Johnson Farm.” The other cow replies, “Nah, I ain’t worried. I’m a helicopter.”
The 6, 2015 2018 The Jewish Jewish Home Home || DECEMBER OCTOBER 29,
Round Pastry Trivia
b. Yum Yum Doughnuts c. Dunkin Donuts d. Krispy Kreme 3. Approximately how many doughnuts are eaten in the U.S. every year?
b. 98 c. 116 d. 257 5. Why are doughnuts made with a hole in them? a. Dunkin Donuts started the trend so that they can sell munchkins separately and everyone copied
7. The largest doughnut ever was made in Utica, NY, in 1993. How much did it weigh? a. 120 pounds b. 230 pounds c. 780 pounds d. 1.7 tons
d. It enables them to cook more evenly 6. Which U.S. city has the most doughnut shops per capita? a. The Five Towns (is that a city?) b. New York City c. Chicago d. Boston
Answers
1. D
a. Chris Donut Shoppe
a. 59
c. Because if they weren’t made with a hole in them the world would be perfect and we just can’t live in a perfect world
2. D
2. Which of the following doughnut shops has been around for the longest?
4. How many powdered doughnuts did my hero, Joey Chestnut, eat in 6 minutes at an eating competition this past summer?
3. D
d. Doughnut
d. 10 billion
4. D
c. Donutt
c. 640 million
b. It enables vendors to differentiate between doughnuts that have filling and those that don’t have filling
5. D
b. Donettes
b. 120 million
them
6. D
a. Donut
a. 77 million
7. D
1. What is the most common spelling for the delectable round pastry that we all love?
Glaze Key 6-7 correct: You are d’ best! 4-5 correct: Not bad...like a day-old doughnut from Dunkin Donuts - it’s great but not “oh my gosh” great. 1-3 correct: You have as much doughnut intelligence as a doughnut hole!
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OCTOBER 29, DECEMBER 6, 2015 2018 || The The Jewish Jewish Home Home
Between the Lines
Soli Deo Gloria By Eytan Kobre
I give all the glory to G-d. The glory goes up to Him and the blessings fall down on me. -Gabby Douglas
I
n 1683, John III Sobieski, king of Poland (and friend of the Jewish people, reputedly), saved central Europe from invading armies of Turks. Sobieski led a charge that broke the Turkish siege in what has become known as the Battle of Vienna, a decisive battle in European history. But perhaps as notable as the victory itself was Sobieski’s announcement of it, paraphrasing Julius Caesar’s famous words: “I came. I saw. G-d conquered.” In so declaring, Sobieski resisted mankind’s innate impulse to glorify human achievements as our own. At the tender age of 17, Yosef’s brothers decided to kill him, casting him into a deep pit of snakes and scorpions. Then Yosef was sold to a caravan of Arab merchants. Then Yosef was sold as a slave to Potiphar.
Then Potiphar’s wife leveled false accusations against Yosef. Then Yosef was thrust into an Egyptian prison, where he languished in prison for 12 years (Shemos Rabba 7:1; Pirkei d’Rebbi Eliezer, Chapter 39; Baal Haturim, Bereishis 39:20). And then, one day, salvation seemed to come from nowhere. Even more suddenly than he had been imprisoned, Yosef was liberated – at least for a moment. “I have heard it said about you,” Pharaoh told Yosef, “that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it” (Bereishis 41:15). Yosef’s life hinged on that very moment. All he had to do was nod in agreement with Pharaoh and his troubles would end. But Yosef did not do so. Instead, he shot back, “It is beyond me! G-d will answer about the welfare of Pharaoh!” (Bereishis 41:16 and Rashi/Seforno/Rashbam ad loc.). Yosef did not merely decline to take full credit for his impending interpretation; Yosef renounced any claim to any credit (Sichos Mussar, No. 22; Michtav M’Eliyahu, Vol. 3, pg. 242; Taam V’Daas, Bereishis 41:16). Giving the glory to G-d, explained the Alter of Kelm, earned Yosef so much respect that Pharaoh freed him from prison and made him viceroy of all Egypt.
The glory for our material successes, of course, belongs to G-d (Devarim 8:17; Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzva No. 91; I Divrei Hayamim 29:14; Avos 3:7). Yosef had long practiced that (Tanchuma, Vayeisheiv 8; Rashi, Bereishis 39:2). Moshe Rabbeinu, in contrast, erred while hitting the rock for water by implying that he (and Aharon) would produce the water, not G-d (Ramban, Bamidbar 20:10 [Rabbeinu Chananel]). It is a mistake to attribute material success to human capability rather than to G-d’s good grace. The same is true of our spiritual accomplishments. “Who praised Me before I gave him a soul? Who performed a circumcision before I gave him a male child? Who made a rooftop fence for me before I gave him a roof? Who made a mezuza for me before I gave him a house? Who made a sukkah for me before I gave him a place [to do so]? Who made a lulav for me before I gave him money [with which to purchase it]? Who made tzitzis for me before I gave him a tallis on which to place them? Who separated the corner of his field for me before I gave him a field? Who separated an offering for me before I gave him a silo? Who separated challah for me before I gave him dough?
Who separated a sacrifice for me before I gave him an animal?” (Vayikra Rabba 27:2). And if G-d deserves the glory even for our good deeds, then our reward is entirely gratuitous. “And to You, my G-d, is kindness, for You reward each man according to his deeds” (Tehillim 62:13). The Baal Shem Tov explains that reward for our good deeds is indeed G-d’s kindness, because all our actions are made possible only by the grace of G-d (Taam V’Daas, Shemos 21:27). To be sure, we use all the right buzzwords to suggest that we give glory to G-d, sprinkling our conversations with such high-minded terms as “b’ezras Hashem” and the like. But, cautioned the Maggid of Kelm (R’ Moshe Yitzchak), these catchphrases imply – perhaps unwittingly – that “we did it; G-d just helped” (Taam V’Daas, Shemos 21:27; see also Strive For Truth, Vol. 2). Rather than giving glory to G-d, these expressions do just the opposite. R’ Yaakov Galinsky once attended the wedding of an elderly man’s eleventh and youngest child (V’Higadita, Bereishis, pgs. 78-79). With the festivities in full swing, the host climbed a table and declared, “I have now married off 11 children – without
The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015 The Jewish Jewish Home Home || DECEMBER OCTOBER 29, 2015 The 6, 2018
G-d’s help!” It was as if the air had been vacuumed from the room. The music and dancing came to an abrupt halt. No one moved. Without G-d’s help?! The smiling host continued. “You heard right: without G-d’s help. ‘Help’ implies that I have done something and G-d ‘helped’ me. But I can say with certitude that, from the first of my children to get married to the last, it was all G-d.” A well-known “askan” once fell gravely ill, requiring risky surgery to save his life. Before the surgery, the askan visited many a rebbe to seek blessings for a successful procedure. After the surgery was indeed successful, the followers of each rebbe he had visited claimed that it was the blessing of their rebbe that had saved the man. A Satmar devotee asked the Satmar Rebbe which rebbe truly was responsible for the success. The Satmar Rebbe explained that, naturally, every
follower believed that it was their rebbe who was responsible. “But I’ll tell you a secret,” the Rebbe whispered. “It was really G-d.” Chanukah teaches us the same thing. Answering R’ Yosef Karo’s famous question (Why light the Menora for
ter how miraculous. But the Chashmonaim resisted this instinct; they gave the glory for the military to victory to G-d. Despite needing pure oil to last them for several days until more could be produced, the Chashmonaim, buoyed by their recognition of G-d as the source of the stunning
“But I’ll tell you a secret,” the Rebbe whispered. “It was really G-d.”
eight nights if enough oil had been found to last for one night? [Bais Yosef, Orach Chaim 670:1]), the Biala Rebbe (the Lahavas Dovid) explained that human tendency is to regard successes as our own, no mat-
victory, took the one jug of oil they found and used it all that very night. What we celebrate on the first night of Chanukah is not a miracle of burning oil but the complete and perfect belief that G-d is the source of all our
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achievements. (In fact, according to the Maharal (Ner Mitzva), the holiday of Chanukah was instituted primarily because of the miraculous military victory. Only because that victory could be mistaken as the product of human success did G-d perform the miracle of the oil.) J.S. Bach was arguably the most brilliant musical composer ever. But he never took credit for his brilliance. Instead, he closed each of his musical compositions with the same trademark signature: S.D.G. – or, Soli Deo Gloria – “to G-d alone be the glory.” So take a page from the playbook of Yosef and the Chashmonaim (or even Sobieski or Bach). Work, fight, strive. But give all the glory to G-d. Eytan Kobre is a writer, speaker, and attorney living in Kew Gardens Hills. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail eakobre@outlook.com.
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Israel Today
Kids at Risk By Rafi Sackville
B
ecause I deal with kids at risk in my professional capacity, it is necessary for me to visit their homes and speak with their parents or caregivers. By doing so, I not only get an overall picture of a student’s background, but I hopefully find partners with whom I can work; a good relationship with a parent is worth its weight in gold. One recent, calm Tuesday evening I drove across town and parked in front of a flight of 65 steep steps that led to three connected homes. I worked hard to put a spring in my step. It was as if weights had been tied to my feet. My heart was heavy as I reached the top of the staircase. These were no ordinary homes. Inside their walls groups of teenagers roam from room to room overseen by a few adults. There are no parents here. I step inside. My student, “M,” sees me. Embarrassed, she ducks into her bedroom. I find her counselor, who gently coaxes M outside. We sit on benches and begin to talk. M has not yet reached 16 years of age. She hasn’t been in contact with her father since her birth, and she’s been homeless since the age of 13, when she found herself on the street with a half empty suitcase. Since then, she has floated from home to home, sometimes guided by caring adults, sometimes not, and living in homes or institutions run by state welfare. She recently landed in the hostel in Ma’alot where she’s slowly finding her feet. Cautious by nature, it has taken her a while to build trust in me. Our initial meeting was akin to talking to a wall. She avoided eye contact, and when she
did look at me, I had the feeling I could see her looking across at just one more adult throwing all sorts of promises in her direction; promises that have never materialized. M has little patience for anything that is not concrete and pertinent to the “now” in her life. She is quick to recoil when criticized for the most trivial of things – even when the criticism is delivered quietly and with respect. Most glaring is the wariness she has of the world. She carries it like an overweight burden tied around her neck. On more than one occasion she has threatened to storm out of the hostel. There’s no point asking where’d she go or how she would land on her feet because she has the street smarts to survive. On my day off I received a frantic phone call from her. A teacher had yelled at her. I was driving back to Ma’alot from Haifa. I told her to wait for me at the school gate. We picked her up and drove to her to the local coffee shop, where she sat while Keren and I watched her mind wander everywhere but on us. Most importantly, M is a truly wonderful young girl who deserves more than her lot in life. The same can be said about the other young men and women in the hostel. M is not the only student in my new homeroom class living in difficult circumstances. P is one of the smartest and most intelligent girls in the 10th grade. Her grades tell another story. Had she attended junior high school regularly she wouldn’t be in my class. It didn’t take long for her bad habits to catch up to her once she reached high
school. I couldn’t understand why she was failing herself. And then I walked into her small apartment. In every room, sheets, blankets and clothes lay strewn on the back of furniture or on the floor. The living room was partly partitioned so another bed could be squeezed into the 50 square meters that houses seven people. P’s mother is an exuberant and happy woman, who sports less teeth than she was given, is a cleaner at a supermarket, but has very little to offer P. In a world where every teenager has a phone, P doesn’t. It’s not clear when her mother will see herself financially clear to buy her one, but it doesn’t look like anytime soon. I sing P’s praises, I encourage her, and paint a better future for her. Her mother agrees wholeheartedly and points to P’s brother who works long hours in a factory, where he ended up because he never completed high school. P sits on the side of the couch sipping a beverage from a paper cup. She is listening, but I can see her mind is elsewhere. She is easily sucked into the vortex of bad behavior. This is a girl who, given a chance in one of the Jewish schools in the Five Towns, would leave with high grades and an SAT score that would open any college door. I look across at her and then at her mother and pray that she doesn’t end up at the end of a broom and mop cleaning houses or supermarkets. The gist of this article is not to depress anyone. Since I began writing for The Jewish Home I have focused on minutiae of life here in Israel. As depressing as the two portraits I have
painted here sound, there is hope at the end of the road. I know that lots and lots of dominoes have to fall into place for these two girls to succeed in life – and that they can. I won’t speculate whether or not their chances of succeeding are good or bad. Instead I have to focus on what I, as a homeroom teacher, can do to make their lives easier. I’ve found a way to buy clothes for M, WhatsApp her half a dozen times a day, and am in constant contact with her counselor. And if we can wean P away from some of her bad habits, her chances of success will greatly increase. They are not the only extreme cases in my class. I could write a book about dysfunctional families, poverty, broken homes, latch-key kids, and lost opportunities. If you want a better idea of the world I live (and thrive happily) in, think about the following old, but pertinent analogy: can you imagine a doctor walking into his practice and having to see 19 different patients with 19 different symptoms and to treat them at exactly the same time? As I have in the past, let me remind you that in describing the minutiae of life, I naturally avoid writing about subjects like Middle East politics, anti-Semitism and the like. The notion that my colleagues and I can help make a difference in the lives of these wonderful girls leads me to view them like material in the hands of the creator. The work is endless, but will hopefully bear fruit.
Rafi Sackville, formerly of Cedarhurst, teaches in Ort Maalot in Western Galil.
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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ny of E o m m i st
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Si ts
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with Mrs. Lea
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By Susan Schwamm
Mrs. Rubashkin, a year ago, the Jewish world celebrated the miracle of Reb Sholom Mordechai’s miraculous freedom on Zos Chanukah. I understand that your husband got through the eight years in prison by learning Shaar Habitachon of the Chovos Halevavos. Tell me about that. Yes. He learned it hundreds of times. He would go to sleep every night saying it by heart. He has a small sefer; it was with him at every stop of the way. He told us all the time that when he walks out he’s going to have his Chovos Halevavos with him. What happened was he kept a small one in his locker. He has no idea why, but the morning of Zos Chanukah last year he took it out of his locker and put it in his tefillin bag. When he was yanked out of his cell that day, he didn’t know where he was going. They told him, “You’re changing your location.” So he ran back to his cell to get his tallis and tefillin, and that day the Chovos Halevavos was in his tallis bag, so he walked out with it – as he always said he would. When you look back at the tenyear ordeal, there must have
been certain instances of siyata dishmaya that perhaps then you weren’t able to see but you can see in hindsight. Well, it’s funny, because throughout the time we kept feeling like we’re living the Purim story – all this stuff is going on and it’s only when you look back at certain things you realize why they were happening. Different things happened that initially looked like they were really terrible, but they turned out to be the biggest bracha. For example, in the beginning, after they charged my husband, we went to court thinking that he’s going to be given bail and then we would prepare for the trial. And in turn, they denied him bail because he’s a de facto dual citizen – since he is a Jew, he can run to Israel, which, of course, was such a ridiculous thing to say. That’s a new anti-Semitic tagline. It’s infuriating, and it just shows you where their minds are that they could even say something like that. We were infuriated at the time, of course, because my husband was then thrown into jail. So that was a terrible thing.
But what happened from that terrible thing was that many Jews saw what was going on in northeast Iowa, and it brought the incident to national attention. The ADL wrote letters to Washington; we had all these different groups that wrote letters. We didn’t even realize while we were going through this what was going on behind the scenes and what was actually happening. People were beginning to realize that this is something that’s not just about one little family that’s having this shlacht hoise but it’s actually a movement, a mood in the country and we better put a stop to this. So when they thought they were hurting him by keeping him in jail actually fanned a flame, a fire, of Yidden really getting involved. So that was something tremendous and we, at the time, were devastated. In hindsight, though, we see how this galvanized the Jewish community to understand that this is not about this little Jew; it’s about a bigger picture. We all have frustrations in our lives and our minds tend to get wrapped up in them. For ten years, you faced a mammoth, daily, constant frustration.
How did you live your life? How did you go about your daily routine with such a looming aggravation? I’ve been speaking for the last eight and a half years since I came to New York for schools and for women’s groups. In giving over my story I like to convey the idea that although people go through maybe smaller challenges in the scope of challenges, each person’s challenge takes over them. Whatever it is, whether it’s parnassah or shalom bayis or children or shidduchim or whatever the situation, that kind of takes over your life. So the answer is applicable to everybody and it’s all the same answer – we have to understand that nothing is isolated; it’s all a grand picture of what your life is meant to be about. When we understand that things don’t happen randomly and that you were meant to go through this frustration for whatever reason and it’s there to bring something out of you, then you are giving it the proper perspective. That’s how we viewed our nisayon: we don’t really understand what’s going on; we don’t know why it’s happening; we’re not questioning Hashem but we know that Hashem does what’s
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018 The The Jewish Jewish Home Home || OCTOBER OCTOBER 29, 29, 2015 2015
Reb Sholom Mordechai and Jews from all stripes of life celebrating his miraculous freedom
best for us and there has to be something that Hashem wants from us in order to move out of this. Therefore, we focused on our avodah and finetuned what we’re doing in Yiddishkeit. And we realized that the more bitachon we put in Him, the easier this is going to be and the more it’s just going to resolve itself. So we really didn’t focus so much on the darkness but always tried to build up the light. That is also what Chanukah is, what it’s all about, or docheh harbei choshech. Were you busy with this ordeal all the time or were you able to occupy your mind with other things as well? Well, I didn’t really have much of a choice. I have a family; I had to do the dishes and the laundry. I didn’t have, like, a 9-5 job per se, but I did try to use the time to be mechazek other people and to learn. I found that to be a positive outlet and a zechus for my husband. Of course, we were busy a lot of times going to visit him, working out details with the lawyers, and all kinds of things like that. It was always about solving the situation. What else could we do to help it, either b’gashmiyus with the lawyers and all the hishtadlus we had to do, or with the ruchniyus and understanding that the more people who daven and the more people who do different things will add to the zechusim and lead to him being freed. You and your husband are now, in a sense, public figures.
What’s that like? People oftentimes ask me: did life get back to normal yet? And I say that I think this is the new normal. My husband views himself as a simple guy who tried to take what he learnt in the past and what he continues to learn and put it into practice. He encourages people to do the same – if you’re having this issue, know it’s from Hashem and know that Hashem has the ability to get you out of this
Reb Sholom Mordechai with his lawyer, Gary Apfel, and supporters
their nisyonos, and they need that strength. You must have met some amazing people along the way. Absolutely. A few weeks ago, we met a woman from England who nebach has the machalah. In London they gave up all hope for her and said that there’s nothing else they can do. A family member from Williamsburg brought her to America because he
“We really didn’t focus so much on the darkness but always tried to build up the light.” issue. You have to strengthen yourself in those learning things with an adult mind, not just relying on what you learnt in the past, and put yourself into a matzav where you really believe it’s going to happen. We just came back from a trip to Europe, a speaking tour – we were in Belgium and we were in Austria and we were in Italy – and it’s like he just came out yesterday. People are so excited to speak to him, to share something with him, whether it’s telling him about something they did in his zechus all of those years or just telling him how happy they are about his yeshua. It gives such strength to people because everybody’s going through
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found one place that can do an experimental treatment that will hopefully work. We met her a day before she was going in for tests to see if this treatment was helping. She was very anxious about it, obviously, and very nervous what the results would be. We discussed different things together with her, and my husband shared how the day before he was freed he got a piece of legal mail stating that he’s going to sit in jail another 18 years because they denied his last legal motion. He spoke about how he was able to respond to that because of all the learning that he’d done. At the time, he said, “OK, so the legal door is closed but Hashem has endless opportunities
and options available to Him. Let’s see what He’s going to do. He’s going to something for sure. It’s just a matter of how He’s going to do it.” And the very next day, he was released. He told her how, through his bitachon, he was able to override the hopelessness of the situation and believe that although the legal door is closed, Hashem will open another door. We had this conversation with her and I suggested to her that before the test maybe she should go and buy a dress for the seudas hoda’a that she will have someday soon – show Hashem that He’s going to do it for you and that you trust that it’s going to happen. The next day we got a call from her relatives and they told us that, baruch Hashem, the doctors were astounded that she made more progress and that they were very excited with the progress, and that, in fact, she went that morning and bought a dress for the seudas hoda’a. We’re seeing amazing things from just helping people to strengthen their bitachon that they could really see miracles happening. That’s amazing. One of the things as Yidden that we have to indoctrinate ourselves with is that we are not confined to tevah. The doctors could say something and in the secular world it could mean something but in our world it shouldn’t really mean the same thing because we know that Hashem could do anything. So as much as we insulate ourselves as far as trying to not have
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DECEMBER29, 6, 2015 2018 || The The Jewish Jewish Home Home OCTOBER
secular things influence our lives, it just happens because we’re living in this world and we really have to fight it to keep it out. It was an irrational reaction that my husband had that day. You would think that it’s impossible to put that to the side and really think that the yeshua is still going to happen, but we know that Hashem works middah kineged middah and when we’re able to go out of our bubble called tevah, called secularism, whatever you want to call it, then Hashem responds and says, “Wow, this guy is really with the program. He’s really living the life as a Yid and I’m going to show him how Yidden are higher than tevah and that nissim can happen to them.” In my husband’s case, it didn’t take too long. The next day he got out. I heard that when you got the call of your Reb Sholom Mordechai’s release your phone died right away in the car. Did you buy a car charger yet? Well, the funny thing was that it wasn’t the charger at all. On Zos Chanukah I spoke in two schools in Brooklyn, and I accidentally left my phone charger at home. So, after leaving the second school, I figured once I’d get over the George Washington Bridge, I would stop at a gas station and buy a charger because the battery was running really low. Anyway, while I was on the George Washington Bridge, the phone rings and it’s the lawyer. I had 1% battery on my phone, so I told him, “Gary, just make it fast because my phone’s going to die. I’m planning to get a charger right over the bridge so I’ll call you back if the phone dies.” He’s a gevaldige mensch, he’s like a brother in the family now, he’s so close to us. In any case, he gets all official and says, “Mrs. Rubashkin, where are you now?” I said, “Well I’m on the George Washington Bridge. Why? What’s going on?” He said, “Well, your husband is waiting in the warden’s office. The president has just signed a commutation and he’s free to go home. You’re to go straight up there – don’t stop in Monsey – just go straight up because you have to get there as soon as possible, they’re very anxious.”
A night of celebration
I said, “OK.” I couldn’t even hear the details of what was going on, the phone died. So I said, “Listen, I know he told me not to stop but I have to get a charger…” What was your emotion at that point? Were you shaking? I really wasn’t. It was a very interesting thing. One of the things the Chovos Halevovos says about bitachon is that it gives you menuchas hanefesh. Now, typically we look at this formula or this equation
You could lose it l’tov also… Right, right, and I wasn’t like that. So, I stopped to get the charger because I couldn’t hold myself back. And I’m standing by the counter to buy the charger and I see there are lottery tickets being sold. I said to myself, “Today I won the lottery. Maybe it’s my lucky day. I’ll buy a lottery ticket and see what happens.” I buy the lottery ticket, I buy the charger, I get back into the car, I put the charger in and I’m going and every couple of minutes I start hitting that
“I sang Hallel in the car and I said different kapitlach Tehillim that I knew baal peh and every once in a while I started screaming, ‘Hashem, you really did this! I can’t believe it!’” as if you’re going through something negative but you have bitachon you’ll have menuchas hanefesh. But it’s not just for negative feelings, it’s also for positive feelings. When I heard the news I was very excited – and I’ll tell you in a minute what went on there – but there was a certain menuchas hanefesh where I didn’t feel like I’m losing it or I can’t drive straight or it’s too much for me to handle. It was a really amazing feeling because a lot of times you would think typically…
button for my phone and it’s not going on. I’m getting so frustrated, this is crazy. I put the charger in a while ago, why is it not charging up? Then I realize that this phone just broke. It was just dead and never recharged and that was the end of it. So I said, “Gee, this is really unusual, it’s really weird.” I kept it in there the whole time thinking that maybe after 15-20 minutes it’ll start working again. But then I realized, no, Hashem wants something from me, this is beyond, this
is not normal. So I started thanking Hashem. I sang Hallel in the car and I said different kapitlach Tehillim that I knew baal peh and every once in a while I started screaming, “Hashem, you really did this! I can’t believe it!” I was very excited and that was how the drive went – it was like an hour and 20 minutes’ drive. My husband thought I was in Monsey so he couldn’t believe that I wasn’t there yet. “What’s going on? Why is she taking so long?” he thought. Finally I got there. In order to get to the facility you have to go up pretty high mountains, like 2 miles-long up the mountain, and on the bottom of the mountain there were a bunch of minivans. My kids are convinced that the frum community buys up all the minivans. When we’re driving and there’s a minivan they always want to see if it’s a frum person. I do the same thing. I see all these minivans and I’m like, this is weird. This is a time when the place is usually deserted. It’s not like a visiting day or anything. I roll down my window and I see that there are a bunch of chassidishe guys there. I say, “Hey, what are you guys doing here?” Because I wasn’t tuned into my phone I thought that our family is probably the only people who know about this although, meanwhile, it was like an hour later and the whole world knew about it. These guys lived very close to the facility and they wanted to be the first ones to greet him. They actually tried to get him out; they went up the hill and the officers were like, “Can we help you?” and they said, “We are here to pick up Rubashkin.” The officers were like, “No, you’re leaving this facility right now. Get off of our property. We only have permission to give him to a specific person and till that person comes we’re not letting him out.” So when they told me that, I said, “Wait right here, I’ll be right back.” I went up the hill and I got him and we came back down and they were there to dance with him and, of course, all this is videoed. Does this miracle still feel fresh to you? It’s interesting. Certain times it feels like it’s just normal; it’s like this
TheJewish JewishHome Home||DECEMBER OCTOBER 29, 2015 The 6, 2018
Photo credit Gifter Photos
is how it always was and just like that whole piece just got taken out of the equation, but because we do what we do, we’re constantly reliving it. I remember when we came home after those first couple of days and he was just sitting by the counter and having a coffee and I’m like, I don’t believe this! This is like wild! And then every yom tov or every new experience that we have is amazing. I mean, we’re going to celebrate Chanukah starting tomorrow night and he has not spent Chanukah with the entire family in 10 years! I assume that you going to have a special family Chanukah party? On Zos Chanukah there will be a very special communal event in Boro Park. The purpose of that is for everyone to really come together again as we all did during the ten years and to gather and celebrate as we did on Zos Chanukah when all of Klal Yisroel celebrated together. Will there also be a family gathering? Yes. On Shabbos Chanukah we’re going to get together with the whole family and my in-laws and my sisterin-laws and brother-in-laws. Here in Monsey? Yes, here. So you’re going to have your hands full. Yeah, we’re not doing it in this house because this house is too small but we rented one of the bigger houses in town and we have people taking different family members to help with the overflow. We’re going to be together to try to just soak in the big miracle that happened. Emunah, in a certain way, is easier to focus on in a challenging time. What about in the good times? Right. The truth is is that we tend to lump emunah and bitachon together. And really they’re very different situations. Emunah is something steady and always. Bitachon is when you’re going through a challenging time, that’s when you have to kick that in and really make that the forefront. But Hashem doesn’t give you a challenge unless He
Hugging his grandchildren after his release
gives you also the koach to deal with it. I remember telling Sholom Mordechai this as we were going through the trial, that we’ve been training for this for a long time. We have a special needs son and my husband was very challenged in the business. I used to laugh with him. The back of our house was a cornfield. We were like the last house in the town…so peaceful and so gorgeous, you could see for miles the checkerboards of fields and the silos
ecutioners, about the Holocaust how the German people could’ve stopped it and instead they collaborated with the Nazis. In a certain sense, that’s how we felt the people of Postville to be. The whole region was really benefitting from the plant and yet when this problem happened, nobody knew us. Maybe one or two people stood up and said, “What are you talking about? These are good people! These are people that we never had a problem with.
“My husband views himself as a simple guy who tried to take what he learnt in the past and what he continues to learn and put it into practice.” and it was so relaxing. So I used to say to him, “Peaceful Postville.” But this man never had one peaceful day there. Whether it was financial things, keeping that together, or whether it was problems within the USDA or there was a lot of government things on the plant because they were an official business that had food and there was a lot of EPA issues and there was a lot of stuff going on like environmental stories and food issues and things that had to be in check and unfortunately we saw a lot of anti-Semitism throughout the years that we were there…. There’s that book The Willing Ex-
They would give us the best price for our products. These are people that we could ‘handshake’ and that was the deal!” I don’t know if it was because we were Yidden, I don’t know whether it was because they were afraid of the government and their own situations. There’s a lot of things that play into it but we were living through a lot that whole time. My husband said the whole Tehillim every day for, I don’t know how many tens of, 15, 20 years…. He went through a lot and between those business situations and our personal life with our son and things going on, I felt like, OK,
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we’re going to get through this, we’re going to do what we always did, have that bitachon and reach out to Hashem through Tehillim or whatever and we’re going to get through this. It was never a question of “if,” it was a question of “when.” And of course, every denial and every disappointment was disappointing but we never let it get us down to the point that we were out for the count. We always picked ourselves up and went forward and tried the next thing that we could try. So in the good times, how does one work on their bitachon? In the good times you try to understand where everything is coming from. It’s interesting. I am coming from just speaking now and I was trying to explain to the women that a nisayon we typically look at as something really bad happening but when something really good happens it could also be a nisayon. Baruch Hashem, Hashem blessed the family with a bunch of kids. That’s a nisayon; it’s not so easy to have a bunch of kids. Or if a person wins the lottery or gets a great bonus, it’s not so easy to be all of a sudden an asheer and you have to figure out how life is going to be the same or different and not become stuck up and a different type of person now that you have money. There are different things that we go through. I think by learning and really understanding what life is all about, what it’s meant to be, how we’re supposed to use whatever we have to serve Hashem…we have to keep in that mindset and not get too excited with ourselves but to still keep that anavah and that bitul to Hashem to understand that everything is Him, whether it’s the tzaar or the simcha. Really – everything is Hashem. Whether it’s a bracha or chas v’shalom we’re going through a nisayon, realize that it’s all about serving Him and using whatever we get to serve Him with that. Mrs. Rubashkin, thank you for your time. I’m sure this Chanukah will have an extra-special simcha as you celebrate with your family all together for the first time in ten years.
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Dating Dialogue
What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters
Dear Navidaters,
My best friend Lisa was dating Yoel for about four months. Though they were moving in the right direction from the start and things were looking good, she really only confided in me about how very serious they were getting, that he was the most amazing guy she had ever met, and that she was expecting him to propose in the very near future.
Her parents obviously were in the loop but it was to me that Lisa would talk constantly about how much she loved Yoel, how he was everything she had ever dreamed of for a husband, and how excited she was about her future. It was also basically only to me that Lisa confided how very devastated she was when Yoel suddenly called things off, without really giving Lisa much of a good reason. And she was very devastated! She was also very embarrassed about what people would say, since most people were expecting to hear good news any minute. Quickly after they stopped dating, Lisa was set up with Baruch, who, frankly, she didn’t seem all that excited about from the start. I believe that if she had been set up with Baruch before ever meeting Yoel she never would have gone out with him for a second date. But because she felt so embarrassed over the breakup, she just kept dating Baruch – I think to prove to herself and everyone else that she was desirable! I’ve met Baruch and I don’t see them together at all. This seems to me to be the classic rebound situation, where Lisa just needs to get engaged to prove something. I’m concerned for Lisa because I think it’s a big mistake on her part and she’s getting serious with Baruch for all the wrong reasons. Should I tell Lisa what my fears are about her and Baruch and try to knock some sense into her head before she goes ahead and gets engaged to this guy, who really doesn’t seem right for her in the least? Or do I just step back, watch things play out, and hope for the best?
Disclaimer: This column is not intended to diagnose or otherwise conclude resolutions to any questions.
Our intention is not to offer any definitive
conclusions to any particular question, rather offer areas of exploration for the author and reader. Due to the nature of the column receiving only a short snapshot of an issue, without the benefit of an actual discussion, the panel’s role is to offer a range of possibilities. We hope to open up meaningful dialogue and individual exploration.
The 6, 2015 2018 The Jewish Jewish Home Home || DECEMBER OCTOBER 29,
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The Panel The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S. s a good friend who cares about Lisa, you can help her reflect on her vulnerabilities when she is on the rebound. But communication with respect is key. You can only facilitate her thinking things through. Knocking some sense into her head is not going to work. She needs to consider her current vulnerabilities and how Baruch is responding to them. What her long time priorities in dating have been and how Baruch’s strengths fit in with them is the issue. Is she her best self with him? What does she find appealing about him and why? Is she focusing on what he does for her or are her efforts about finding a partner right away? If you can help her focus on these things, great. It takes skill, tact, and real caring to do so without a lecture. Helping build her self-esteem is another thing you can try to do, reminding her of her accomplishments, successes and strengths could be very helpful. You might also suggest that she talk things over with a dating coach or a trusted mentor who went through the recent breakup with her. Your loyalty as a friend is valuable and important but remember that ultimately it’s her decision. She will be responsible for her own decision.
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The Mother Sarah Schwartz Schreiber, P.A. isa is bleeding and she needs a Band-Aid. That Band-Aid is (unsuspecting) Baruch. You called it right. Lisa in in the vortex of a “classic rebound” romance. She is needy and vulnerable and therefore rushing headlong into another relationship in order to
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mitigate the hurt, shame, and pain of a sudden breakup. This new relationship takes up the void left by the previous liaison and serves as a distraction from loss. Rather than working through the shock of Yoel’s sudden exit, Lisa is using Baruch to help validate her worth as an attractive, desirable young woman. Sort of unfair, don’t you think? Unfair to herself – as she’s never taken the time to absorb the lessons learned from her fateful fling with Yoel; unfair to Baruch – who may suffer his own pain when he realizes he’s being used as a Band-Aid. A s a self-proclaimed Best Friend, your mission is clear. You do not burn Yoel in effigy; you do not berate, besmirch or belittle Baruch. More helpful: make yourself available to your wounded friend. Become the listening ear and the warm heart she needs at this confusing crossroad in her life. Remind her how terrific she is and how she can take all the time she needs before she makes a life-altering decision. Finally, and you know where I’m going, bridge the subject of therapy. Be it MSW, PsyD, or psychologist, encourage Lisa to elicit the services of a qualified therapist. Only with professional guidance can Lisa properly confront the disappointment she silently endured and gain the insight and confidence she needs to embark on a healthier, brighter future.
The Shadchan Michelle Mond ou are in a very unique position and indeed have a tough dilemma ahead of you. You are the closest person to Lisa, her confidant. You know more intimate details into her personality and relationship. Anything you do or say has the potential to change an outcome. As such, you also have the tremendous
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responsibility to either speak up to your friend…or to withhold from speaking up. Each of these actions (or inactions) are not a simple matter and each can leave you with feelings of “should I have done something differently?” especially if the outcome was not what you had hoped for. Here are some points to help you in your decision: have you seen them interact together? Are you judging him on materialistic grounds or on a deeper level? In your letter, you give no examples of why the shidduch does not sit right with you besides the fact that “you don’t see it.” Perhaps she and Baruch are keeping their relationship under wraps, avoiding excited talk even with the closest of friends about future relationships, having learned her lesson that “ein ha’bracha
Reminding her of her accomplishments,
successes and strengths could be very helpful.
shorah ella b’davar hasamui min ha’ayin.” Reluctance to share in the excitement isn’t necessarily an alarm bell. Her lack of excitement might be natural. In a way, the dating experience is akin to a good cooking knife. It’s sharp and smooth at first, but
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use and reuse quickly dulls it. With Yoel she was outwardly excited, but that openness was quickly dulled by the trauma of being broken up with at the bottom of the ninth. Also, being polar opposites from Yoel is no contradiction either. I have met many happily married couples who claimed they were set up at exactly the right time because at a previous date they would not have been ready. Every person one dates teaches invaluable lessons that can help the dater assess what they are truly looking for. It could be after the Yoel situation she revamped what she was looking for. Bottom line: you are right to fear the “rebound situation,” however, it is truly rare for a person to get engaged to someone new just because someone had broken up with them. Most people are sensible enough to
realize that an engagement to marry someone is a lifelong commitment. Therefore, unless she seems unhappy or is not being treated right, consider the above perspectives before opening a can of worms. Nevertheless, while the points mentioned above might help give you perspective towards remaining silent, being her closest friend, you’re certainly in the position to discuss this with a mutual rav or mentor. But this is not a matter you should take in your hands alone. Much hatzlacha!
The Single Tova Wein eing a best friend is a big re-
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sponsibility, sometimes a scary one because occasionally it’s hard to know what your role should be. In particular – how honest you should be with your BFF, when the going gets rough. I like to ask myself how I would want my BFF to act toward me if the tables were turned and then go with that, since the fact that we are so close means we probably think alike in many areas. If I were in Lisa’s shoes, I would want my BFF to be honest with me. Of course, in a sensitive, kind, soothing way… I would want her to ask me the kind of questions that would enable me to be honest with myself and the choices I’m making, encourage me to be more thoughtful about the near-term and long-term ramifications of getting serious with Baruch. And so, as that as a guideline, my advice for you is to tenderly move toward a meaningful conver-
Reluctance to share in the excitement isn’t necessarily an alarm bell.
sation with Lisa and gently ask her the questions that seem so obvious to you but are questions she hasn’t had the courage to face on her own because it’s just so much easier for her to run with Baruch and not to have to deal with her feelings of rejection and shame. If Lisa gets defensive, drop the subject and hope for the best. Sometimes relationships that take off under the gloomiest circumstances actually work out. There may be a reason why Baruch came into Lisa’s life at just this moment.
Pulling It All Together The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists
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y answer will be short and sweet. There’s no easy way out of this one. You’re in a situation that so many men and women have been in before: if I don’t talk to her about my concerns, and things don’t work out, I won’t be able to forgive myself. If I do tell her my concerns, she may walk away from our friendship. The one piece that is missing for me (and if I missed it, my apologies) is that it seems like Lisa no longer confides in you. Why do you think that is? You’re the only one who truly knows your friend and would have the best insight into why she is not talking to you about her relationship with Baruch. It seems out of character for Lisa not to confide in you. Sometimes when people
are in trouble or feel in over their heads, they can isolate or stop sharing. I’ve been wrong before, and I may be wrong right now, but something is telling me that she isn’t talking because she isn’t happy. Though she may be the exception to the rule, generally speaking, people need some time to heal after an intense relationship has ended. They need to grieve, to mourn, and to process the loss. Generally speaking, the worst thing for someone to do is to jump into another relationship. These rebound relationships typically wind up causing both parties tremendous pain.
My advice to you comes in the form of a question: how will you best be able to sleep at night? Knowing that you said something, or keeping quiet to keep the peace? It’s a very personal decision. Should you decide to broach the subject with Lisa, approach her with sensitivity and curiosity. “Lisa, you know I love you and I only want your happiness. I have some concerns about how quickly you moved on after breaking up with Yoel. You don’t really talk to me about Baruch, the way you confided in me about Yoel. Would it be OK for us to talk about this? I love you and I’m concerned about you.” If she says yes, well, have at it. If she says no, there is your answer. I hope she will allow the two of you to have a real heartto-heart. If it turns out that she has feelings for Baruch and is not interested in your concerns, regardless of your opinion of him and the re-
lationship, it’s in your best interest to support your friend and her man if you don’t want to be on the outs. You’re a good friend to Lisa. You took the time to write in to a column in a newspaper. You’re coming from a good, sincere place. I hope Lisa can see that. She’s very blessed to have you as her BFF. All the best, Jennifer
Esther Mann, LCSW and Jennifer Mann, LCSW are licensed psychotherapists and dating and relationship coaches working with individuals, couples and families in private practice in Hewlett, NY. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 516.224.7779. Press 1 for Esther, 2 for Jennifer. Visit www.thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email thenavidaters@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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Dr. Deb
It’s a Myth that Narcissists Can’t Change By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.
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he prevailing wisdom is that if someone is a narcissist, they cannot change so you have to leave them. And you have total proof because your narcissist did not change. You ranted. You raved. You ignored. You threatened. And nothing, absolutely nothing, worked. So that’s your proof. Oh, and you went with your narcissist to therapy and the therapist even said to leave him or her. So you’re right. In most cases, the reason the narcissist doesn’t change is because they don’t want to make that effort, so they don’t. But if you understand the psychology of a narcissist, you will see that it is not quite so simple. There are narcissists who, when shown the beautiful way the world could look for them if they were to change, are willing to take the leap. But, hold up on that a moment. Let’s first get clear on what makes a narcissist in the first place: Little bratty children can be narcissists in the making, depending on whether Mom has the courage to punish or at least not give them toys and treats when they don’t deserve them. When moms are too tired to fight anymore, you’re in the kind of trouble that creates narcissists. So narcissists are people who are used to getting their own way. As kids, they raised a ruckus and got what they wanted because their parents were tired of the battles. But there is a huge, huge problem for this child when that happens. The child is just a child, remember.
So “getting their own way” means the kinds of things children want --- toys, treats, staying up, playing games, not going to school. And we all know that these things don’t make anyone happy for long. Including the children. Go to any elementary school and you will see that the happiest children have friends. And their friends like them because they’re kind and easygoing as well as fun. True, there are bullies who gather sycophants around them but this does not give them happiness because it’s built on shallow ground. The friendship is not real; it comes from the fear the other children have of being left out. These other children don’t have enough self-esteem to make real friends so they bask in the shadow of the bully. So the bully doesn’t count as a person who is genuinely happy. The child who was over-indulged and only knows to want “things” has no real clue as to how to make friends and be real in relationships. Speaking of being real, the biggest fear the narcissist has is of anyone – especially himself – discovering that they have nothing inside. They’re empty. And the reason is just as we said: they missed the opportunity in childhood to develop a real “self.” A child who is given discipline and requirements develops skills at listening, behaving, and doing. That child learns to “read” his parents and teachers. The child who is indulged learns none of this. They don’t know how to “be” in relationships. There’s no giving, no understanding, no “reading” of the
other person. There’s no joy in helping a friend out. There are no little secrets. The narcissist was basically deprived of a real childhood. And without these tools, that child grows up missing out on relating in an adult way to others. The narcissist, however, has learned to cover all this up – from himself or herself, especially. They cover it up by never, ever, for one moment, thinking about their feelings and certainly not about yours. They never were given the tools to do so, but in any case, the process would be too scary because then they would discover that there is nothing inside of them: no values, no principles, no ethics. Nothing. The emptiness would be terribly painful. But, as I said, they’ve learned to push away that emptiness. They don’t go near it. That is the reason why, without any intervention at all, your first conclusion – that they don’t want to change – would be correct. However, there are cases under which they must face their emptiness and do something about it: • they’ve gone to rehab for an addiction that they used to help not feel their emptiness. • they’ve suffered an unexpected blow in life such as losing a business or huge investment. • they actually do love their child or children and are about to lose them. • they love you and are about to lose you. Now, you might wonder how it is possible for them to love you or
their children. The answer to that is actually easy: they are empty, so to feel whole they need someone else in their life. That is why narcissists marry. If they were really okay to be alone, they wouldn’t. And that is the reason why your threats to leave are so scary to them: they will be stuck all alone with themselves. But this actually puts you in an excellent position to get them to start taking steps in the right direction. If they want you and they want the marriage, that gives you leverage. Leverage is a wonderful tool for you to use. Now, I agree, you’re fed up. When you say you are finished, you mean it. Of course you are! Under the old way, there would be no reason for you to try again. But now, you have me in the picture, and a whole, organized, comprehensive set of steps to get this narcissist on track to be a whole, giving, and happy human being. It is possible, however unlikely that seems to you now. If he/she wants you badly enough and will do the work, we can do big things! Dr. Deb is a Marriage & Family Therapist. Book a consultation with her to get clarity on the issues in your marriage and learn about her innovative program at: https:// drdeb.com/book. To book a call with Dr. Deb, go to her scheduler, https://drdeb. com/book, but if you want more information about her new program, please first watch the Masterclass on “Getting The Marriage You Want” at http://drdeb. com/myw-masterclass.
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Health & F tness
Walking and Driving with Caution By Hylton I. Lightman, MD, DCH (SA), FAAP
T
he tragic event on erev Chanukah which claimed the life of Dr. Richard Friedman, a”h, brings into 20/20 focus the importance of walking and driving safely. Whether your schedule brings you outdoors before dawn, at dusk, after dusk or during daylight hours, here are some safety guidelines. First, use sidewalks and off-walk paths. Preferably, they should be well lit, well-traveled areas. If there is no sidewalk and you must walk on the side of the road, choose the side where you are facing oncoming traffic. In North America, this is the left side of the road. This gives you the best chance to see traffic approaching closest to you and take evasive action when needed. Likewise, the driver will have a better chance of seeing you. This may be confusing because the opposite rule is true for cyclists, who cycle in the same direction as the traffic flow. Cross streets safely, please. Use extra caution. Drivers do not expect to see people walking at night. And don’t assume that drivers slow down for people in crossing areas during the day even when the walker is in the designated crosswalk with the collapsible “state law” signs. More on that later. Mommy is right: look both ways before crossing any street. At controlled intersections, it is wise to cross only when you have the pedestrian crossing light. Even then, drivers and bikers may have a green light to turn and won’t be expecting
you to be in the crosswalk. Make eye contact with any drivers who may be turning. Wave at the driver. Make sure he sees you. In an interaction between a vehicle and a walker, the walker can only lose. It can be tempting to jaywalk. Please don’t. It is a safety hazard. It’s possible to be blinded by the headlights of oncoming vehicles. Try to choose paths without frequent changes in lighting levels. Also, don’t stare into the headlights. Drop your eye level to just below the lights. There is safety in numbers. Try not to walk alone. Use the same route used by other walkers and runners. Avoid walking distracted. When it’s not Shabbos and your mobile phone is with you, the phone can be handy for the flashlight as well as the tracking mechanism. But are you really using it for the light or are you busy texting away? More on that later. Further, the acuteness of your night vision is lessened when you’ve been staring at a lighted screen. Since vehicles cannot see you well at night, you need to pay more attention to them. Also, avoid using headphones when walking. The shiur is life-altering; the music speaks to your soul. The bottom unaltering line is that headphones reduce your awareness of your surroundings. Pay attention please. Make sure your hands are free, unless you are carrying a flashlight. This way, you will be able to react if
someone approaches you. Wear reflective clothing and gear. Your clothing should have reflective strips in the front, back and down the sides. Alternatively, you can wear a bright vest with reflective patches that you can put on over the head. Anything you can do to raise your visibility can only help, especially when it’s dawn, dusk or night. The vest can be worn walking home from shul on Friday night or after Shabbos. Both walkers and drivers are guilty of being distracted. The phone, this little piece of invasive electronics encased in plastic box that can be as powerful as the desktop computer, is destroying people and lives. I’ll leave it to the TAG people (Technology Awareness Group) to give statistics. My observations are anecdotal. I am appalled by the lack of mindfulness that abounds. The U-turns. It’s challenging to navigate Central Avenue to begin with but the U-turns bring danger to a new level. No one is so busy that they do not have the extra 3-5 minutes to drive down to the next turn. Shop owners share stories about cars screeching down the Avenue. We’ve witnessed it on our residential streets. What’s the hurry? Whether it takes 2 or 12 minutes longer to get somewhere, it is certainly not worth the potential damage that comes with speeding. But the cell phone is above all else. I’ve witnessed grown adults crossing Central Avenue in and not in the crosswalk while texting away on their phones. Are they negotiating a
business deal? Handling a shidduch? Honestly, it’s irrelevant what’s engaging them. There are parents and babysitters pushing carriages while watching their phones. No comment. Drivers don’t see the green light when it’s time to go because they’ve been texting. That sets in motion the (understandable) reactions of impatience and tooting of car horns which then startle the perpetrator who set into motion in the first place the chain of reaction. Everyone needs to stop their self-absorbed behavior and heed more caution. G-d forbid they should harm themselves. But the same behavior can needlessly harm others and the results will reverberate forever. Dr. Friedman was a special man. A sincerely frum Jew. An outstanding physician. A loving husband, son, brother, father and grandfather. He was a kiddush Hashem in everything he did. In his zechus, let’s make a campaign for people to walk with reflective gear and/or vests. That people drive more cautiously. That people disengage from distraction and focus on what matters. To save one life is to save a world. As always, daven. Dr. Hylton I. Lightman is a pediatrician and Medical Director of Total Family Care of the 5 Towns and Rockaway PC. He can be reached at drlightman@totalfamilycaremd.com, on Instagram at Dr.Lightman_ or visit him on Facebook.
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
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Health & F tness
8 Nights of Oil: How to Keep it Light By Aliza Beer MS, RD
C
hanukah, the holiday meant to celebrate the miracle of oil, has somehow found its way into the deep fryer. Whether it’s the maze of jelly doughnuts or the piles of golden potato latkes, the trans-fats of this beautiful yom tov follow us from party to party. Trans-fats are one of the worst kinds of fats you can consume. They are made by partially hydrogenating oil, a term you may have heard before. This process allows the oil to have a longer shelf life, making them a perfect candidate for baked goods and store-bought snacks. Trans-fats are also found in many fried foods, especially those that have been deep fried. Aside from all the bad fats consumed, Chanukah parties can be detrimental to a good diet and can throw off weeks of progress. There’s nothing worse than coming off of a holiday high only to find you’ve gained a good five pounds or even ten, in some cases. Although the task may seem daunting, here are a couple of tips and yummy (and healthy, but we won’t tell your guests) Chanukah recipes so you can enjoy at this wonderful time and still stay on top of your game. Here’s the plan broken down into simple elements:
Pre-Chanukah • Have a partner and be in it together: Knowing someone else is going through the struggle of avoiding the hors d’oeuvres makes it easier. Find a close friend or a family member and decide together to stick with the healthy diets you’ve been maintaining thus far.
• Try gathering some healthy adaptions of Chanukah recipes: Have them ready at hand when the cravings strike. Below, you’ll find some of my favorites. • Keep a food journal: Even if it’s rough, noting your intake will help you keep track of how much you’re eating throughout the week. You will think twice before you put something into your mouth when you know you have to write it down.
Before the Parties • Eat throughout the day: Many people who know they’re having a big
in one sitting. It will use whatever it needs for the moment and the rest of it will be stored as fat. For Chanukah parties, do the opposite. Don’t skip meals; eat breakfast, lunch, a couple of healthy snacks like fruit, and stay hydrated. Keeping full will curb binging and maintain blood sugar levels. Going to a party on an empty stomach is a recipe for disaster. • Offer to bring a dish: Make something healthy. Therefore, if there are no healthy options, at least you’ve got your Baked Zucchini Latkes (recipe below) as a backup. Offer to make a vegetable crudité or salad. Plus, other guests will
When everyone’s plates are piled high with powdery doughnuts, enjoy fresh grapes, strawberries, and watermelon instead.
dinner or event at night will try to eat a little less throughout the day to “save room” or “save calories” for later, so to speak. That is actually one of the worst game plans. When you eat very little throughout the day, you slow down your metabolism and end up arriving much hungrier to the party, event, or dinner. So you are essentially giving a slow metabolism a big meal, and your body does not need so many calories
probably be grateful for your healthy addition amidst the greasy array.
During the Party • Choose wisely: Not all salads are created equal and one drenched in fattening dressing may not be the best option. Try looking for a veggie platter so you can moderate the amount of dip/ dressing or choose the salad option that looks the healthiest. Salads without
croutons or heavy mayo dressings are a good place to start. However, you are always better off with a salad, even a heavily dressed one, than any starchy/ oily kugels like potato, or noodle and cheese. So if the fattening salad is your best option as a side dish, go for it, but don’t pile it on your plate the way you would normally eat a salad. The same goes for the protein. Look for an option that’s not breaded or fried, such as choosing grilled chicken over schnitzel, or baked salmon over lasagna. If there are no healthy options, take small portions of the unhealthy ones. • Drink water: Avoid soda and other sugary beverages. They’ll just pack on extra calories. Water will keep you hydrated and also help curb your appetite. If water sounds boring, seltzer with or without natural fruit flavors works too. • Socialize instead of eating: You may feel the need to constantly have a plate in your hand. However, Chanukah parties are a time for family and friends to get together and celebrate the miracles. If you’re hosting, instead of focusing the party on the food, plan a game or activity. Set up some seating away from the food tables so that guests can socialize without have the chocolate chip cookies constantly calling them. If you are a guest, then nurse a cup of water, tea, or coffee in your hand and use this time to catch up with your friends/family. • Sample, don’t splurge: A sample of an indulgent food is not the same as binging on a plateful. Careful to only enjoy a taste – three bites should do the trick. One knows exactly what
The 6, 2015 2018 The Jewish Jewish Home Home || DECEMBER OCTOBER 29,
something tastes like after eating three bites of it. Also, allowing yourself a little bit of the dessert or doughnut will prevent you from feeling deprived or sorry for yourself. You will feel good that you enjoyed that treat and are still very much in control. Make sure not to fill up a plate of samples, and only choose one or two dishes that particularly stand out. • Enjoy fruit over dessert: Fruit is a great alternative to dessert. Most parties will have a fruit platter set out. When everyone’s plates are piled high with powdery doughnuts, enjoy fresh grapes, strawberries, and watermelon instead. If you are the hostess, then offer your guests a diet ice cream, like Halo Top, as a dessert option too.
Throughout the Week • Don’t forget about exercise: When life gets busy, our exercise regimens are usually the first to be cut out of the schedule. The week of Chanukah is perhaps one of the busiest of the year. Be mindful of exercising. Keeping up with it regularly will help keep your head in a healthy place. Exercise will make you more aware of your eating habits as well as burning off those extra calories. • Celebrate oil – without food: Here’s where things get creative. Olive oil is one of the most nourishing oils. Try a DIY spa treatment using the star of this yom tov. To combat dry, winter skin, add a few drops of olive oil to a relaxing, warm bath or mix the oil with brown sugar to create an invigorating body scrub. • Don’t turn a cheat doughnut into a cheat day: One splurge shouldn’t set off your whole day! It’s common for people to wreck their diets after eating one sugary food because the day is “already messed up.” Instead, get yourself back on track, don’t beat yourself up about what you ate, look forward, and continue making good choices from there on. The rest of the day’s healthy eating will balance it out.
Aliza Beer is a registered dietician with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer.
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Chanukah Recipes Healthy Alternatives SKINNY DOUGHNUTS
ZUCCHINI LATKES
Makes 12 and each doughnut is about 60 calories!
Makes 12 and each latke is about 40 calories!
Ingredients
Instructions
1 cup unbleached whole wheat flour, sifted ¼ cup Truvia Baking Blend Natural Sweetener* or any other sweetener 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp pure vanilla extract 2 egg whites 1 TBS butter, melted ½ cup + 2 TBS skim, soy, or almond milk Your favorite toppings like vanilla glaze (below), cinnamon, melted dark chocolate, or strawberries
Set oven to 350° F. Grease doughnut pan with baking spray. Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk egg whites, melted butter, milk, and vanilla. Stir wet and dry ingredients together. Fill doughnut pan until each is three-quarters full. Bake for 14-17 minutes. Doughnuts should be golden brown. An inserted toothpick should come out clean. Cool for 5-10 minutes. Tip donuts out onto a wire rack. Tap on back of pan if you have sticky ones. For vanilla glaze, mix ½ cup of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon milk and a splash of vanilla extract. Wet your fingers with a water and run it through the tops of the doughnut, then dip it in your choice of topping.
Ingredients 3 medium zucchini, shredded 1 small onion, grated 2 small garlic cloves, grated 1 large egg, whisked ½ cup whole wheat flour ½ cup dill, finely chopped (optional) 1 tsp salt, divided Ground black pepper, to taste Greek yogurt, for topping Cooking spray
Instructions Shred zucchini using a food processor/grater. Place shredded zucchini mixed with 1 tsp of salt in a colander over the sink and let sit for 10 minutes. Grate onion and garlic, and place in a medium bowl. Whisk in egg. Squeeze the liquid out of zucchini until it’s mostly dry. Add to the same bowl along with flour, optional dill, remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Set oven to 400°F, line 2 large baking sheets w it h p a r c h me nt p ap e r sprayed with cooking spray. Fill large ice cream scoop with batter, place batter on baking sheet, and flatten with the back of the scoop. Bake for 10-12 minutes, flip, and bake for another 1012 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot or cold topped with Greek yogurt. Wishing all of my clients and readers a freilichen Chanukah!
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In The K
tchen
Breakfast Latkes Yields 6 servings By Naomi Nachman
With Chanukah here, I’m already starting to play with latke recipes. The hardest part for me is peeling and shredding all the potatoes. So annoying! I tried using the @Oreida Shredded Hash Browns. What a fantastic hack. I feel like a bit of a cheater but who cares because it makes life much easier during Chanukah. It was so easy to use even my 10-year-old Leora made some of her own latkes. I wanted to make a breakfast latke to have Sunday morning, so I took my family’s love of shakshuka and put it on a latke. It was a huge hit. Ingredients 1 Ore-Ida Hash Brown package, partially defrosted 2 teaspoon kosher salt 4 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup flour ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ cup canola oil 2 cups marinara sauce ½ teaspoon cumin 6 sunny side up (fried) eggs
Preparation In a medium bowl, mix hash, salt, eggs, flour and garlic powder. Over medium-high heat add the canola oil to a pan till hot. Take a 1 cup dry measuring cup and fill it with the hash mixture. Then empty it into your hand and compress it tight, forming a 2-inch latke patty. Fry on both sides for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. You may need to lower the oil’s temperature if it gets too hot. Meanwhile, warm some marinara sauce with cumin in a small pot. Prepare six sunny side up eggs in another pot, and set aside. After the latke patties have cooked, place some marinara sauce on top and then place the fried egg on top of the sauce. Eat and enjoy immediately. Photo credit Melinda Strauss 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.
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”
One of the questions that came up today in my meeting with Nigerians in Poland was on the issue of whether I’ve been cloned or not. The ignorant rumors are not surprising – when I was away on medical vacation last year a lot of people hoped I was dead. - Tweet by Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, who has been valiantly fighting back against rampant rumors that he has died
It’s real me, I assure you. I will soon celebrate my 76th birthday and I will still go strong. - Ibid., at a townhall meeting
I want us to see that segregation [between Israelis and Palestinians] and how that has really harmed us being able to achieve real peace in that region. I don’t think AIPAC provides a real, fair lens into this issue. It’s onesided. They have these lavish trips to Israel, but they don’t show the side that I know is real, which is what’s happening to my grandmother and what’s happening to my family there. - Rep.-elect Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress and part of the new face of the Democrat Party, talking to the Intercept about a trip to the West Bank that she arranged for members of Congress
I personally support the BDS movement. - Ibid.
More than 2000 years ago, Jewish patriots (Maccabees) captured Jerusalem, purified the Holy Temple and rededicated it as a house of Jewish worship. The U.N. can’t vote away the facts: Jerusalem is the ancient and modern capital of Israel. Happy Chanukah from this blessed city! - Tweet by U.S. Ambassador David Friedman
It may be the most strangelytimed article in the history of moveable type. The New York Times has chosen the week before Hanukkah to publish a long article warning about the supposed health dangers of eating fried potatoes. The article, though, doesn’t mention the word “Hanukkah” or the latkes, or potato pancakes, often eaten to celebrate the Jewish holiday. It’s an article so clumsily timed it seems like a parody. Imagine the Times publishing an article warning about the health risks of turkey or pumpkin pie the week before Thanksgiving — but with no reference whatsoever to the impending holiday. – Ira Stoll, Algemeiner Journal, in an article which extends political correctness to potato latkes
MORE QUOTES
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
As a Black American, my understanding of action and solidarity action is rooted in our own tradition of struggle. As Black Americans resisted slavery, as well as Jim Crow laws that transformed us from a slave state to an apartheid state, we did so through multiple tactics and strategies. It is this array of tactics that I appeal to as I advocate for concrete action from all of us in this room… Solidarity from the international community demands that we embrace boycotts, divestment, and sanctions as a critical means by which to hold Israel accountable for its treatment of Palestinian people. - CNN Contributor Marc Lamont Hill in a speech at the U.N. last week, in which he urged the U.N. to replace Israel with a Palestinian state (CNN fired Hill after the speech)
Black resistance to American apartheid did not come purely through Gandhi and nonviolence. Rather, slave revolts and selfdefense and tactics otherwise divergent from Dr. King or Mahatma Gandhi were equally important to preserving safety and attaining freedom. We must allow – if we are to operate in true solidarity with Palestinian people – we must allow the Palestinian people the same range of opportunity and political possibility. If we are standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people, we must recognize the right of an occupied people to defend itself. We must prioritize peace. But we must not romanticize or fetishize it. We must advocate and promote nonviolence at every opportunity, but we cannot endorse a narrow politics of respectability that shames Palestinians for resisting, for refusing to do nothing in the fact of state violence and ethnic cleansing. - Ibid.
The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
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George H. W. Bush, a patrician New Englander whose presidency soared with the coalition victory over Iraq in Kuwait, but then plummeted in the throes of a weak economy that led voters to turn him out of office after a single term, has died. He was 94. - Tweet by the Associated Press, working in a few last partisan digs, while announcing the death of the 41 st president of the U.S.
The Associated Press, a biased, liberal fake news organization populated by rich and entitled employees, whose slanted and false coverage in favor of a progressive and socialist agenda soared with the Democratic Party it was always trying to please, but then plummeted with honest, hard-working, taxpaying Americans once they discovered it was a shameless propaganda operation, has died. It was 172. - Douglas MacKinnon, The Daily Caller
Michael Cohen asks judge for no Prison Time. You mean he can do all of the TERRIBLE, unrelated to Trump, things having to do with fraud, big loans, Taxis, etc., and not serve a long prison term? He makes up stories to get a GREAT & ALREADY reduced deal for himself, and get…....his wife and father-in-law (who has the money?) off Scott Free. He lied for this outcome and should, in my opinion, serve a full and complete sentence. – Tweet by President Trump about his former lawyer, turncoat Michael Cohen, who asked the judge for a light jail sentence since he is cooperating with Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller
MORE QUOTES
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
President Xi and I want this deal to happen, and it probably will. But if not, remember I am a Tariff Man… When people or countries come in to raid the great wealth of our Nation, I want them to pay for the privilege of doing so. It will always be the best way to max out our economic power. We are right now taking in $billions in Tariffs. MAKE AMERICA RICH AGAIN. - President Trump in a tweet directed at China
I just glanced down, and said this is it: I am going to fall to my death. It wasn’t my time, I was going to hold on as long as I possibly could. - Chris Gursky, of Florida, recalling on Fox News what it was like hanging onto a glider with his bare hands for almost four minutes as he flew 4,000 feet at 45 mph, nearly falling dozens of yards to the ground because he wasn’t properly harnessed
I believe I am probably the oldest person delivering Indian takeaways in the British Isles. People have asked how I do it but according to the medics I am 100% fit. I think the secret is not drinking or smoking. - Brian Loughans, age 82, who delivers takeout food in London, after being presented with an award at the British Takeaway Awards ceremony in London
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Political Crossfire
Charles Krauthammer: The Enduring Miracle of the American Constitution By Charles Krauthammer
This column is excerpted from Charles Krauthammer’s forthcoming posthumous book, “The Point of It All.” The book and column were edited by his son, Daniel Krauthammer.
I
n October 1981, when Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was assassinated, the networks ran over to Cairo and began covering the events all day and all night. The only thing I remember of all that coverage was a news anchor bringing in a Middle East expert and saying, “We’ve just looked at the Egyptian constitution, and our researchers tell us that the next in line for the presidency is the speaker of the parliament.” The Middle East expert burst out laughing. “Nobody in Egypt has read the constitution in 30 years,” he said. “No one knows it exists. And no one cares what’s in it.” Then he prompted, “Who’s the leader of the military?” The anchor answered, “Hosni Mubarak,” and the expert said, “He’s your next president.” Two things struck me about that. First, how naive we are about what constitutions are and what they mean around the world. And the second thing, the reason for the first, is how much reverence we have – in the United States and very few other countries – for this document. Many things are miraculous about the U.S. Constitution. The first is that, somehow, on this edge of the civilized world two and a half centuries ago, there could have been a collection of
such political geniuses as to have actually written it. The second miracle is the substance of it – the way that the founders, drawing from Locke and Montesquieu and the Greeks, created an extraordinary political apparatus that to this day still works and that has worked with incredible success for nearly a quarter of a millennium. But the third miracle, and the one that I think we appreciate the least, is the fact of the reverence that we have for it. This reverence is so deeply ingrained that we don’t even see it; we just think it’s in the air that we breathe. But it is extraordinarily rare. It exists in only a handful of countries. For almost all of the world, it is completely alien. Consider the oath of office that we take for granted. Whenever we bestow upon anyone the authority to wield the power of the state over free citizens, we make them swear to protect not the people, not the nation, not the flag, but the Constitution of the United States. A piece of paper. Of course, it stands for the pillars of the American experiment itself: the ideas, the structures, the philosophy that define a limited government with enumerated powers, whose mission is to preserve liberty and individual rights. This is a gift – that we intrinsically have this sense of reverence for the Constitution. And it’s important to remember that it is a gift from the past. It is not something that we can in any
way credit to ourselves. If anything, recent generations have allowed that kind of reverence to diminish, to bleed away over the decades, as we try – as it were – to adapt constitutionalism to modernity. What’s so remarkable is that constitutions are highly reactionary documents. The very essence of a constitution is to constrain the enthusiasms of a future that one cannot even see. In America, constitutionalism demands that even the most distant progeny swear allegiance to a past embodied in a document written in the late 1780s. If “tradition … is the democracy of the dead,” as G.K. Chesterton had it, then constitutionalism – which is ancient wisdom rendered into legal code – is the tyranny of the dead, the ultimate reach of the past into the future. And in America, it succeeded. The propagandist Lincoln Steffens famously said, upon visiting Bolshevik Russia shortly after the revolution: “I have seen the future, and it works.” American constitutionalism declares: “We have seen the past, and it works.” Paradoxically, for all the forward-looking, blue-sky, futuristic spirit of its people, the astonishing stability, majesty and success of the American experiment owe much to the inherent restraint and conservatism of its original constitutional blueprint. I’ve always had a sense that there is something providential about American history. And this is from somebody who isn’t exactly religious. But starting
with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution: here is a nation founded on the edge of civilization – a tiny colony, living on the outskirts of the civilized world – that at a time when it needed it miraculously produced the greatest generation of political thinkers in the history of the world. Then a century later, when it needed a Lincoln to save the republic, it found a Lincoln. In the first half of the 20th century, when it needed an FDR to get through the Depression and defeat fascism, it found him. In the second half, when it needed a Reagan to revive the country, he was there. This is not to say that we will always be able to find our way. I don’t see or expect or wait for the next great figure. But over the years we have seen extraordinary spontaneous popular reactions against government overreach and in support of constitutional principles, and they are further signs of hope. There is something about the American spirit – about the bedrock decency and common sense of the American – that seems to help us find our way, something about American history that redeems itself in a way that inspires all. I would summarize it by quoting my favorite pundit, Otto von Bismarck. He was not known for his punditry, but he is famously said to have said: “G-d looks after children, drunkards, idiots and the United States of America.” I think He still does. I hope He still does. (c) 2018, Washington Post Writers Group
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Political Crossfire
How a Saudi Family Feud Fueled Paranoia That Led to Khashoggi’s Murder By David Ignatius
B
ehind the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi lies a power struggle within the Saudi royal family that helped feed the paranoia and recklessness of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Eventually, this rage in the royal court led to the murder of a Washington Post journalist. The opening scenes of this family feud took place in January 2015 in a VIP hospital suite in Riyadh, as King Abdullah lay on his deathbed. According to a Saudi who was at the hospital at the time, Abdullah’s sons and courtiers briefly delayed informing his successor, King Salman, that the monarch had passed – perhaps hoping to control the court’s stash of money and sustain powerful positions for Abdullah’s wing of the family. In the years that followed, MBS, as Salman’s son is known, became increasingly anxious and aggressive toward those he considered enemies. Starting in the spring of 2017, a team of Saudi intelligence operatives, under the control of the royal court, began organizing kidnappings of dissidents abroad and at home, according to U.S. and Saudi experts. Detainees were held at covert sites. The Saudis used torture to make the captives talk. The United States has closely observed this internecine war. Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-inlaw and adviser, visited MBS in late October 2017 on a private trip; neither has disclosed details about the conversations, but it is possible they
discussed the royal family’s machinations. A week after Kushner’s visit, MBS arrested more than 200 Saudi princes and business leaders and held them at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh. Topping MBS’ enemies list in the Ritz-Carlton putsch was Prince Turki bin Abdullah, an ambitious son of the late king. The prince remains in captivity, and his top military aide, Maj. Gen. Ali al-Qahtani, died in custody after being held at the luxury hotel last year. The strangest episode in this story involved an attempt to kidnap Turki
On August 25, Obaid flew from Shanghai to Beijing to meet Silk Road executives. When his plane landed, he was arrested by Chinese intelligence officials and accused of financing a terrorist plot to disrupt the G-20 summit in Hangzhou the following month. After checking Obaid’s iPad and phone, the Chinese apparently realized they had made an error, and helped Obaid return safely to Shanghai. “Look, there’s been a mistake. ... You are stuck in a power play in your country between two powerful princes,” a Chinese official told Obaid,
In each case, the Saudis apparently wanted to silence a meddlesome critic.
bin Abdullah’s closest adviser, Saudi businessman Tarek Obaid, in Beijing in August 2016. Obaid was arranging Turki’s planned investment in a Chinese-led venture called the Silk Road Finance Corp. Bizarrely, after Obaid in early August criticized MBS’ plans for privatizing Saudi Aramco in the presence of Chinese executives, he received an urgent summons home from the royal court. Since the order didn’t come directly from the king, Turki advised Obaid to stay in China.
according to an account provided by knowledgeable Saudi and European sources. The Saudis were furious that Obaid had slipped their grasp. Gen. Yousuf bin Ali al-Idrissi, deputy head of Saudi intelligence, called Obaid in Shanghai and demanded that he come home on a Saudi plane sent to pick him up, according to a source briefed on the case. Obaid stayed in Shanghai under Chinese protection for another week and then flew to Switzerland on
Turki’s plane. MBS later ordered an investigation. Idrissi was fired as deputy chief of intelligence; he was replaced by Gen. Ahmed al-Assiri, a man the Saudis would later oust for alleged involvement in Khashoggi’s killing. Says Obaid: “There was clear abuse of power by incompetent thugs, but I don’t believe that the crown prince’s instructions were for these events to play out as they did.” Obaid remains in Switzerland. He’s under investigation there and in the United States on suspicion of improper payments from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund, known as 1MDB, to a company called PetroSaudi International, which was founded by Turki and Obaid. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing. The failed rendition of Obaid from China is eerily similar to the Khashoggi killing in Istanbul. In each case, the Saudis apparently wanted to silence a meddlesome critic. When initial contacts failed, they attempted an illegal covert operation under the direction of a deputy chief of intelligence with close links to the royal court, who was later fired. No hard evidence has emerged in either case documenting MBS’ role. Perhaps the biggest difference between the two cases is that Obaid is alive in a suburb of Geneva, while Khashoggi is dead and dismembered, the whereabouts of his body unknown. (c) 2018, Washington Post Writers Group
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
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DECEMBER29, 6, 2015 2018 || The The Jewish Jewish Home Home OCTOBER
Forgotten Her es
Modern Day Soldiers Celebrate the Maccabees’ Victory By Avi Heiligman
Y
ou’ve heard it many times before – a picture is worth a thousand words. Many stories of Chanukah miracles that took place since the original Chanukah during the time of the Second Beis Hamikdash have been told, and with the invention of photography in the 19th century Chanukahs of years’ past have been memorialized. During times of battle Jewish soldiers who end up on the front line still maintain a connection to the
Maccabees and have made sacrifices to light the menorah. Stories of soldiers celebrating Chanukah dating back all the way from the American Revolutionary War have found a way to bring light into the darkest of places. The earliest photo of soldiers celebrating Chanukah that this author has been able to locate dates back to 1916. It depicts Russian soldiers during World War I lighting the menorah.
This week, I bring to you a photo essay of Jewish soldiers celebrating Chanukah with their fellow soldiers since the time of World War I.
This is the earliest known image of Jewish soldiers lighting the menorah. It was taken on the Eastern front of World War I and depicts Jewish soldiers of the Russian Army on 1916.
A snapshot of American soldiers during World War I lighting the menorah. This was probably taken in 1917. It shows just a few of the approximate 225,000 Americans Jews who fought in the American military during World War I.
This is another photo of American Jewish soldiers in 1917. This one was taken in Camp Gordon, Georgia.
This is a postcard from Eretz Yisrael in 1917 comparing Yehudah HaMaccabee to British General Edmund Allenby. Just like Yehudah’s victorious campaign during the Second Beis Hamikdash drove away the invading Greek Army, Allenby’s British Army liberated Yerushalayim from the Turkish Army. Jewish soldiers from the Jewish Legion of the British Army fought and died alongside the British in driving the Turks from Eretz Yisrael.
Jewish volunteers of the British auxiliary territorial service celebrating Chanukah in Cairo, Egypt, 1942
Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@ gmail.com.
In the aftermath of the devastation of the Holocaust many Jews found themselves in DP camps. These two young survivors celebrated their first Chanukah with American Jewish GIs in Fuerstenfeldbruck, Germany, 1945
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
Photo taken in the South Pacific of Jewish servicemen celebrating Chanukah
This postcard was delivered to Jewish soldiers in the British Army during World War II. One-and-a-half million Jewish servicemen and women served in the Allied armies during the war. The British Army had 30,000 Jewish soldiers among its ranks with many coming from Eretz Yisrael.
Sailors of the U.S. Navy at a Chanukah party in 1952
A recent photo of IDF soldiers celebrating Chanukah
Jewish soldiers building a huge menorah with their chaplain, circa 1950
Special menorah lighting coordinated for 70 American Jewish service men and women in 2005. This picture was taken in 2005 at the former palace of Saadam Hussein in Al-Faw, Iraq, in front of a large menorah
33
This poster makes the connection between the Maccabees in the Chanukah story to soldiers in the IDF in 1948. Note that it depicts soldiers in the IDF wearing tefillin while davening
This image was taken in 1952 of American Jewish soldiers during the Korean War
Lighting the menorah at Ellsworth Air Force Base last year
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lighting the candles on the first night of Chanukah with IDF officers
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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Good Hum r
Sushi Sensation By Jon Kranz
T
here is something fishy going on in the Jewish world. At nearly every simcha and celebration, Jews are stuffing themselves to the gills with creatures that once had gills. We, of course, are talking about the sushi sensation sweeping the nation. It is washing over the Jewish community as Jews show their affinity for fins. Obviously, there is more to a simcha than sushi. Most Jewish celebrations also feature other fundamental fixtures like coat-room chaos, controversial table assignments, family photo fiascos and family members who may not be on speaking terms but who are on hora-dancing terms. Speaking of dancing, most Jewish celebrations these days have the ever-popular and sometimes annoying dance motivators. While dance motivators may sometimes be necessary at a Jewish event, eat motivators are never required. If anything, eat dissuaders should be used to curb buffoon-like buffet behavior and to prevent glaring and galling gluttony. Speaking of eating, the sushi bar certainly has become a main attraction. At the average wedding, the sushi bar often has better attendance than the chuppah ceremony. At bar mitzvahs, sushi bars are so ubiquitous and crowded that the event should be officially renamed the “Sushi Bar Mitzvah.” There is nothing particularly Jewish about sushi except for the consumption of room-temperature fish, which arguably is reminiscent of lox, sable, herring and gefilte fish. Sushi, however, is different because it is not cured, pickled, or otherwise manip-
ulated. Sushi, like an overly honest friend, is completely raw. That said, sushi arguably has a few similarities to classic Jewish seafood. Herring is served with toothpicks and sushi served with chopsticks. Gefilte fish is served with horseradish and sushi is served with wasabi. Lox is served with excessive and unnecessary carbs (bagels) and sushi is too (rice). “Sushi” is a Japanese word that literally means “marinated rice” but generally refers to thinly sliced fish served on a bed of rice. Technically, when the same fish is served without the rice, it is “sashimi,” and when it is
Jewish-themed rolls might include the: 1. Mechitza Roll (salmon and tuna separated by a wall of seaweed paper); 2. Challah Roll (braided and served in pairs); 3. Purim Roll (served with kosher sake until you can no longer tell the difference between salmon and tuna); 4. Eruv Roll (served with a string around it); 5. Aufruf Roll (served to the groom a week before his wedding); 6. Kiddush Roll (served on a platter with toothpicks and a pushy crowd
The Purim Roll is served with kosher sake until you can no longer tell the difference between salmon and tuna.
combined with other ingredients into a roll, it becomes “maki.” (Yes, when it is rolled and served to kids with macaroni and cheese, it becomes Wacky Maki.) Maki rolls are fun because of their colorful names like the Volcano Roll, Dragon Roll, and Rainbow Roll. For some reason, thus far Jews have not created Jewish-themed Maki rolls. One could argue that the time has come for sushi rolls such as the ThreeDay Yontif Roll, Rainy Day Sukkot Roll, and Machatanista Roll. Other
behind you elbowing for position); 7. Mezinka Roll (served only after you marry off all of your kids); 8. Chanukah Roll (served eight straight nights in front of a street-facing window); 9. David & Goliath Roll (served via slingshot); 10. Tuna Fish Sandwich Roll (served by your parents every time your family goes on vacation and there are no kosher restaurants in sight); 11. Matzah Roll (served when you
want to make this night different from all other nights); 12. Tu B’shvat Roll (served in a treehouse); 13. Meshuga Roll (served on toasted rye with coleslaw and Russian dressing); 14. Pachech Roll (served with a constant stream of complaints); 15. Hashkama Roll (served only at the crack of dawn); 16. Nudnik Roll (served with questions like “What’s your Adjusted Gross Income?” “Do you really think your toupee is not noticeable?” and “Is your cholent store-bought?”); 17. Etrog Roll (served in a small white cardboard box and wrapped in protective foam); 18. Chutzpah Roll (served with a little too much audacity); 19. Chelm Roll (raw rice served on a bed of cooked fish); and 20. Bubbie Roll (served with a mixture of love, care, and “Why aren’t you married yet?”). Sushi is meant to be eaten with chopsticks, utensils that are not really conducive to “essen and fressen.” Chopsticks require too much precision and effort and, for the uninitiated, impede mass consumption. For this reason, some Jews prefer eating sushi with a fork and knife or, if socially acceptable, a shovel and funnel. Final thought: If every day you seize the chance to eat fish from the Cyprinidae family, then you truly are putting the “carp” in carpe diem. Jon Kranz is an attorney living in Englewood, New Jersey. Send any comments, questions or insults to jkranz285@gmail. com.
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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APT FOR RENT
HELP WANTED
WOODMERE: BEST BUY Spacious 2BR Apartment, Washer/Dryer In Bldg, Elevator Bldg, Open Floor Plan, 1st Floor, Close To All...$199K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
CAHAL is seeking an afternoon woman Assistant Teacher for a Special Ed class in a girls' Far Rockaway yeshiva, and male morning Assistant Teachers for limudei Kodesh in 5-Towns yeshivas. Send resume to shira@cahal.org, or call 516-295-3666 for information.
FOR RENT BY OWNER NO BROKERAGE INVOLVED. Beautiful, spacious 3 bedroom 2 bathroom, 2nd floor apt. for rent. Newly renevated, brand new stainless steel appliances, washer-dryer hookup. Located in Far Rockaway near many shuls/yeshivas. Near LIRR. For all inquiries, please call (718)-327-7889.
CO-OP FOR SALE
Glatt Glatt
27 20n a 4 ,J 7-2 2019 1 Jan 17-27 JJan
Kosher Kosher Vacations
The Theperfect perfectway way to to vacation vacation Kosher Kosher
classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com text 443-929-4003
FAR ROCKAWAY: NEW LISTING Spacious & Updated 2BR, 2 Bathroom Apt on 1st Floor W/Terrace In Elevator Bldg, Parking, Doorman & Laundry Room On Premise...$350K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
HELP WANTED Assistants needed for elementary school, afternoon session. email fivetownseducators@gmail.com
CAHAL is seeking Substitute Teachers and Assistants for the school year. Contact Shira@cahal.org or call 516-295-3666 to be included on our list of Substitutes. HEBREW ACADEMY OF LONG BEACH, WOODMERE, NY IS SEEKING THE FOLLOWING Maternity Leave positions: Morah for grades 6-8 in Tanach and Halacha. Resumes to: Ulubetski@halb.org Seeking full time PHYSICAL THERAPIST for Special Education school located in Brooklyn. Experienced preferred. Competitive salary. Room for growth. resumes@yadyisroelschool.org
Low Cost Quality Insurance Our Specialty Free Consultation
Free Policy Evaluation
SPECIAL DISCOUNTED PROGRAMS FOR A SYNAGOUGE,YESHIVA, NURSING & ADULT HOME FACILITIES (SAVE UP TO 50% AND MORE)
Large Commercial Insurance Policies Life Insurance Disability Insurance Self Employed Health Insurance Long Term Care Insurance Rabbi S. M. Leiner, CLTC Licensed Independent Broker for all types of Insurance Call: 917-543-0497 - Leave a message Mail: Rabbi S. M. Leiner, CLTC P.O. Box # 7655 600 Franklin Ave. Ga Garden City, NY 11530
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
FIVE TOWNS YESHIVA HIGH SCHOOL seeks an energetic, responsible and innovative individual to serve as full-time bookkeeper, responsible for tuition/fee collections, accounts payable, Quickbooks accounting and InfoGrasp updates, banking, and vendor relations, and reporting. Must be reliable, detail oriented, able to work within tight deadlines, and proficient using Quickbooks, Excel, MS Word. Experience using InfoGrasp is a plus. Salary commensurate with experience and skillset. E-mail resume with salary history and references to mesivta18@yahoo.com
CATAPULT LEARNING Teachers, Title I Boro Park, Williamsburg and Flatbush Schools *College/Yeshiva Degree *Teaching experience required *Strong desire to help children learn *Small group instruction *Excellent organization skills Competitive salary Send resume to: Fax: (212) 480-3691 ~ Email: nyteachers@catapultlearning.com
F/T & P/T REGISTERED NURSE openings to work with adults who have developmental disabilities within residential settings in Brooklyn, Manhattan, or Long Island. Current NYS RN, min 2 years hospital experience. OHEL: 855-OHEL JOB, www.ohelfamily.org/careers ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT- FT LANDER COLLEGE KGH Must have BA, 2 yrs admin experience Strong MSO, org & comm skills Call: 718-820-4910 NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL CEDARHURST: FINANCIAL ADVISOR POSITION. Ideal candidate is self-motivated, hardworking, and entrepreneurial. No financial experience required, bachelor’s degree preferred. Contact Moshe.Alpert@nm.com 5 TOWNS BOYS YESHIVA SEEKING Elem Gen Ed Teachers. Excellent working environment and pay. Only lic/exp need apply. Email resume to yeshivalooking@gmail.com Due to continued growth, the Yeshiva of South Shore is seeking Elementary School Teachers. Cert/Exp required. Please forward resume to monika@yoss.org
Pugatch Realty Corp., in Woodmere, is looking to hire and train a select group of motivated Realtors. If you are looking to build a career in real estate, or looking to take your existing career to the next level, there is no better place to start that the #1 Real Estate Brokerage in the Five Towns… Call Today (516) 295-3000 x 128. All calls kept confidential. SEEKING ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR A HIGH SCHOOL. Hours: 10:00AM – 6:00PM Excellent computer skills a must. Please submit your resume with a cover letter to: yeshivafrontoffice19@gmail.com Seeking full time OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST for Special Education school located in Brooklyn. Experienced preferred. Competitive salary. Room for growth. resumes@yadyisroelschool.org DRIVER FOR QUEENS DRY CLEANER ROUTE. Options to drive Tuesday am/ Thursday pm. Also hours available Monday am , Tue am and pm, Wed am and pm and Friday pm. Must have own car. Use of company van part time. Competitive salary. Contact Marc for info 917-612-2300 SHULAMITH EARLY CHILDHOOD is looking to hire a full time teacher assistant for the current school year. Please email resume to earlychildhood@shulamith.org
HELP WANTED
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HELP WANTED
Mashgiach Touro University California, a rapidly growing university offering graduate programs in health sciences and education, has an excellent opportunity for a Mashgiach for Touro University California, Dinning & Catering Services Department on our Mare Island campus. The university is part of the Touro College and University System and is located on the northern tip of San Francisco Bay in Vallejo, California. Touro University California is an independent, non-profit Jewish-sponsored institution. It has 1,403 students in three graduate professional colleges (Osteopathic Medicine, Pharmacy, Education and Health Sciences). Why you should join our team? • 38 hour work week • Great work/life balance • TUC offers a welcoming campus and a positive, supportive culture • Solano County offers some of the lowest cost housing in the SF Bay Area POSITION DESCRIPTION: The Mashgiach will provide support to the Executive Chef, Chef de Cuisine, and Chef de Tournant as directed to support the operation of the campus cafes, including the preparation of food for daily dining guests as well as for all catering events. The Mashgiach’s role includes communicating with the Glatt Kosher food supervisor to ensure all products ordered and received meet Glatt Kosher standards. The Mashgiach will assist other Mashgiach in supervising the overall Kashrut in the kitchen, which includes being present in the kitchen while all meals are prepared and served and enforcing the Kashrut standards. REQUIRMENTS: • Knowledge of all matters relating to Kashrut compliance including vendor compliance, product receiving, storage, handling, processing, food preparation, and sales. • Knowledge of basic nutrition, food, food preparation, food handling, and sanitation is vital • Knowledge of the operation and care of a commercial kitchen and commercial kitchen equipment • Experience in large quantity food preparation and service. To view the full job description and apply, please visit: http://apptrkr.com/1342246
Life CAPTURE
I M A G E S LTD PHOTOGRAPHY I VIDEO
GABRIEL SOLOMON
GABE@LIFECAPTUREIMAGES.COM 516.499.9620 WWW.LIFECAPTUREIMAGES.COM
MISSION Touro University California provides graduate and professional educational excellence in the fields of Health Sciences, Public Health, and Education. The TUC learning experience is student-centered, enriched by focused research and scholarship, and prepares professionals for rewarding lives in service to others both locally and around the globe. VISION Touro University California - inspirational teaching and scholarship, transformative leadership, exemplary service.
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
Your
15
Money
Carrots Versus Sticks By Allan Rolnick, CPA
T
ake a look at our Internal Revenue Code. No, really, take a good look. (You can buy it on Amazon for just $161.89: two thick paperbacks totaling 4,968 pages. You even get free Prime shipping!) At first glance, it’s all about the revenue. For FY 2019, federal income taxes should hit nearly $1.7 trillion. Payroll taxes will top $1.2 trillion. Corporate taxes, $225 billion. And estate taxes will generate somewhere around $20 billion, depending on how many billionaires die (#dropinthebucket). But taxes aren’t just about the revenue. Washington loves to use taxes to accomplish goals they can’t legislate directly. This generally takes the form of “tax expenditures” – special deductions, credits, or other rules designed to benefit specific favored activities or taxpayers. The mortgage interest deduction may be the most famous of these carrots. For most people, homeownership is a cornerstone of the American Dream. But Congress would be hard-pressed to pass legislation requiring it or even directly rewarding it. (Buy a home! Get a free $5,000 Target gift card!) So instead, they use taxes to subsidize it. For 2018,
homeowners saved $68.1 billion by deducting mortgage interest on their taxes. But every so often, the government uses taxes as a stick … or at least they try to. Last week, the Wall Street Journal published an editorial blowing the whistle
to improve ‘business conditions … relating to an activity involving controlled substances (within the meaning of Schedule I and II of the Controlled Substances Act) which is prohibited by federal law.’ That means that to obtain tax-exempt status under any provision of the
If they can’t prohibit the speech directly, they can’t use the tax system to do it indirectly.
on one such effort that may violate the First Amendment. Specifically, it accuses the IRS of punishing nonprofit orga ni zat ions t hat advocate for legal marijuana: “The innocuously named Revenue Procedure 2018-5 contains a well-hidden provision enabling the Service to withhold tax-exempt status from organizations seeking
Internal Revenue Code’s Section 501 – whether as a charity, social-welfare advocacy group or other type of nonprofit – an organization may not advocate for altering the legal regime applicable to any Schedule I or II substance.” Bottom line, according to the authors: “The IRS seeks to control independent policy advocacy. That’s
something the federal government may not do.” If they can’t prohibit the speech directly, they can’t use the tax system to do it indirectly. Yes, “the devil’s lettuce” is still prohibited under federal law. But 33 states have passed laws legalizing it in some form or another. It says a lot that the buttoned-down stiffs at the Wall Street Journal could publish the same editorial as the stoners at High Times magazine. So why would the IRS choose to wield this particular stick? And is it really the IRS’s job to make those sorts of decisions anyway? Isn’t the IRS just supposed to be the government’s bill collector? As far as we’re concerned, we don’t care what motivates you more, carrots or sticks. We just want to make sure you get all the breaks the law allows. So make sure you have a plan so you can save some money to buy call the carrots or the sticks that you want.
Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 years in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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CHOOSE
ACHIEVEMENT FOR YOUR CHILD
Ensure your child’s ACADEMIC growth and SUCCESS in CAHAL's EXCLUSIVE individualized, LANGUAGE-BASED program, learning MAINSTREAM curriculum with EXPERIENCED Rebbeim and teachers, in classes INTEGRATED in our community YESHIVAS.
BBY BYAM HAFTR haLB HANC MAY C 12 LASSES SHULAMITH SIACH TAG YDT YKLI YOSS CAHAL@CAHAL.ORG (516)295-3666
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Life C ach
Gelt or Guilt? By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., MFT, CLC
C
hanukah gelt or Chanukah guilt, that is the question. Somehow, we’ve trained ourselves to give gifts for this holiday. And it wouldn’t be so bad if it was just a one-day holiday. But the true Chanukah miracle is that we make it through eight days. I found it easy when my kids liked candy bars. Oh, make no mistake, they
still like candy bars. However, they don’t accept them as gifts anymore. The lists and requests get longer and more costly. And what exactly do the gifts have to do with the holiday anyway? Let me tell you a bit about the etiology. There is a Rambam that says, “The Greeks stuck their hands into our money.” Couldn’t it just say they took our money? But there’s a message
there: they wanted to get involved and influence our use of our money. Kind of like sticking one’s nose into someone else’s business. The Greeks wanted us to use our money for material pursuits, not spiritual or purposeful ones. After all, they weren’t trying to get rid of the Jews; they were just trying to get rid of their Jewish values. They didn’t want us taking our wealth and using it for spiritual purposes like giving money to charity, building shuls, making brissim, celebrating Shabbos. They wanted us to be spending it only on becoming more involved in the physical world.
our children you can choose how you will use your money. You can elevate it by giving a tenth to charity or you can even use the whole thing for higher purposes. But either way, you can give your money a greater meaning. So why give gifts to our kids? Shouldn’t we just be giving gelt? Maybe we are trying to use our money in a more purposeful way. We are sharing our joy by conveying to our kids that we are so happy that Jewish values have survived and that we are glad we have preserved the right to use our money for higher purposes, such as letting our kids know how much they mean to us rather than, for instance,
The true gift of this holiday is having our children around us.
In fact, during the war, they touched all the jugs of oil in the Bais Hamikdash. They were trying to make their point. They were saying oil is oil. It will still burn even if it’s defiled. They didn’t want holy attributes given to it. Therefore, finding one undefiled jug became one of the great miracles and messages of the holiday. In tribute to the fact that we have preserved our right to elevate our material possessions, there became a tradition to give money – gelt – to our children. Through it we are saying to
going on an all-expense paid cruise – which is almost as much as we seem to be spending on gifts! The true gift of this holiday is having our children around us; these precious jewels in our lives. And having the opportunity to spread the light of Jewish values, especially family closeness, with all the world around us! Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@ rosenwalds.com.
The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 6, 2018
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DECEMBER 6, 2018 | The Jewish Home
in all of g in ic r p y a Best everyd g Island! n o L & s n e e Brooklyn, Qu
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1
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2/$
7.05 oz
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1
$ 79 10/12 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese Bar
1
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8
$ 99 28.8 oz Chicken Cutlets Untrimmed
3
$ 79 LB
California Delight Mushrooms
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2
$ 99 10 Pack 9” Plastic Plates
3
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11
Assorted
$ 99 5 LB $ 49 64 oz Emerald Farms 4 Way Mixed Vegetables
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$ 49 2.5 LB Boneless Rib Eye Roast
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$ 99 LB
String Beans
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$ 49 LB
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Dried Mango Strips
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$ 99 10 oz
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Keilim Mikveh on Premises | Pre-Shabbos Buffet Every Thursday & Friday!
Savings Plaza | 11 Lawrence Lane, Lawrence, NY | (516) 371-6200 | info@kolsavemarket.com | /kolsavemarket Hours: Sunday-Tuesday: 9am-7pm | Wednesday: 9am-10pm | Thursday: 9am-11pm | Friday: 8am-till 2 hours before Shabbos We reserve the right to limit quantities. No rain checks. Not responsible for typographical errors.