March 23, 2017
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A MATCH MADE IN CHINA
25 Years of the China-Israel Alliance
Pages 9, 10, 11, 13 & 39
Around the
Community
70 Above and Beyond at Bnos Bais Yaakov Annual Dinner
58
MAY Dinner – Shaping the Future, Today
pg
The Jewish King during World War II
14-15
Sharpening Your Seder Tools by Rabbi Gedaliah Oppen Page 79
48
Celebrating 45 Years at JCCRP Legislative Breakfast
– See page 3 & 29
SEASONS LAWRENCE
330 Central Avenue, Lawrence, NY 11559
pg
99
120
pg
78
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
now all you need
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Each detail matters. From the earth in which the vines take root to the corks that seal the bottles, nothing in winemaking can be overlooked. That’s why our viticulturist takes great care to prepare and monitor the soil where our grapes grow, to make sure our wine is perfect from the very start, from where every great wine has its humble beginning.
From the earth. tabor earth ad.indd 4
3/8/17 5:31 PM
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
Easy, Breezy. Lieber's coconut miLk ice cream
1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
1. 26 oz. Lieber's coconut milk, (chilled, 4 hours)
3. Whisk briskly or churn with an immersion blender.
2. 1 - 1 3/4 c Lieber's sugar
4. Refreeze and repeat every 30 minutes until creamy and completely frozen.
3. 2 t Lieber's vanilla extract
2. Freeze for 30 minutes.
Lieber's coconut milk is what makes this ice cream recipe smooth & scoopable.
!חג כשר ושמח Also try Lieber's organic coconut cream & light milk in your Pesach recipes this year!
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Dear Readers,
T
first sentence in this note to you. For the media, it’s all Trump, all the time. Are they so enamored with the president? We all know the opposite is true. One letter writer wrote TJH this week to ask the media to lay off the president for a bit. “Just let the country – and its citizens – breathe,” he wrote. I completely agree. Despite the media’s love for Obama, they never gave him as much attention. Sure, they went crazy when he sent out a selfie or drove a car around White House grounds with Jerry Seinfeld, but his name didn’t dominate headlines as much as his successor. If I was Obama sitting on my plush couch in my 8,200-square-foot Washington home right now, I’d be a little insulted. Why wasn’t I plastered across every person’s phone, computer and television all day and all night? A simple, yet tacky explanation is that despite the outrage that the media shows in trying to “expose” Trump for the imposter they say he is, it’s all ratings, all the time. Since the elections, these news stations’ ratings have jumped the roof. When Rachel Maddow waved Trump’s tax returns and enticed viewers to check them out on her show, her ratings jumped, drawing over 4 million people to that night’s broadcast – viewers who were promptly disappointed and refused to check back the next night, nosediving her ratings for the subsequent show. But she really loves Trump – although she’ll never let you know. During the Obama years her show was floundering. Her ratings in February 2016 were the highest since 2008. So you decide: does the media really “hate” Trump? Or do they love to hate him because they love their ratings so much?
alk about China nowadays and people start pronouncing the word with Trump’s interesting accent: Ch-i-i-i-na. He’s been pounding the theory into Americans’ minds that China is the U.S.’s biggest enemy when it comes to trade. According to the president, the Chinese will soon be taking over the world when it comes to commerce, and if America doesn’t watch out, we’ll be left in the dust. The president’s theory has many truths to it. And I respect his opinions when it comes to business. After all, as Rachel Maddow excitedly showed the nation last week, the president earned a whopping $150 million in 2005. So he must be doing something right and know something that many others wish they knew. Our feature article this week is on the Israel-China relationship. Israel, ever looking to expand its horizons, has been actively fostering business relationships with the Chinese. Their alliance has been ongoing formally for 25 years, although there were cases of a relationship before then. Their relationship is symbiotic – both sides are benefiting from the cooperation. Israel is always advancing in the technology industry and a relationship with Israel is strategic to quite a few Chinese goals of advancement. Increasingly, China – and Asia, in general – is becoming a more significant trade partner with Israel. Is Trump right? Is China, as indicated in its stronger relationship with Israel, forming alliances the world over? Should the U.S. be concerned, and if so, what can we do about it? All good questions to be answered but there is another point I’d like to raise as well. Turn on the radio in the morning and all you hear is Trump. Scroll through the news and his name blares from the headlines. Hey, he is even mentioned in the
Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana
Yitzy Halpern PUBLISHER
publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com
Yosef Feinerman MANAGING EDITOR
ads@fivetownsjewishhome.com
Shoshana Soroka EDITOR
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The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
8
COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll
8
Community Happenings
42
OpEd: Sharpening Your Seder Tools by Rabbi Gedaliah Oppen
78
NEWS Global
13 National
30
Odd-but-True Stories
38
ISRAEL
16
Israel News
25
Mmm...Chocolate by Rafi Sackville
96
A Match Made in China: 25 Years of the China-Israel Alliance 99
PEOPLE The Jewish King during World War II by Avi Heiligman
120
PARSHA Partners in Creation by Rav Moshe Weinberger
82
Rabbi Wein
84
TORAH THOUGHT We’re Gonna Build a Wall by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
86
The Wise Get Wiser by Eytan Kobre
88
JEWISH HISTORY Memoirs of a Forgotten Rabbi: The Troubled Life of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Ferber by Rav Pini Dunner 92 HEALTH & FITNESS A Week in the Holy Land by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn
108
Nutritionist: Fake News by Aliza Beer, MS RD
109
Dear Editor and Dr. Deb, I resonated with this article (“Does Tzaar Mean We Can’t Enjoy Purim,” March 9, 2017) and it is a timely one as well. Life is about balancing opposites, and Purim is a time that brings that out in many people. I recall many Purims as a single person. I asked G-d, “How can I be happy on this day that is supposed to be the most joyous when I have pain in my heart?” Purim was like salt for a wound – a wounded and hurting heart. It was ironic that I “should” feel not only happy but ecstatic! Yes, I was grateful that I wasn’t UNhappily married, nor an aguna. I was healthy and had many gifts and blessings. Yet this one issue of being painfully single took over, and the joy of Purim made me focus even more on my hurt. So, how did I resolve these diametrically-opposed feelings? I used that grief as a catalyst to fuel my prayers with even more passion! After all, Purim is when shamayim is open to my tefillot! So, I reasoned, Purim was the best day to pray for my soulmate, and that’s what I did. I turned lemons into lemonade. I sang even louder and with more feeling. I used the yeitzer hara against itself by turning sadness into tefilla! I acknowledged my true feelings of
sadness and used them to focus on outcomes: I envisioned what I wanted and prayed for that on that most auspicious day! It was very difficult to make the shift, and I felt proud of my self-discipline for overcoming and beating the yeitzer hara! B”H, I am happily married. My post-Purim blessing is this: Whatever is difficult in your life, may Hashem nudge it even a millimeter or more in a direction of positive resolution! And, Dr. Deb, I commend you for your resilience to create a new life – or move into its next phase – after your husband’s passing. May you have only smachot and nachas! Sincerely, Shoshana A. Flatbush Dear Editor, I commend Rabbi Brody on endeavoring to solve the teacher “crisis” in our yeshivos and schools. We are doing our children a disservice by not offering them stellar secular education in a yeshiva setting. As he points out, the teachings of science and math can only highlight Hashem’s wonderful, amazing world. All the best, Shlomo Kahn Continued on page 12
FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Perfect for Pesach: Blueberry Cobbler
110
LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW
104
Crisis Resolution by Chaim Homnick 122 Tips to Boost Your Leadership Self-Esteem by Rabbi Naphtali Hoff 124
86
From My Private Art Collection
126
Your Money
132
If You Can’t Control It by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS
134
HUMOR Centerfold
80
POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes
112
The Real World of Obamacare Repeal by Charles Krauthammer
119
CLASSIFIEDS
127
It’s spring! Do you plant flowers or vegetables in the springtime?
17
%
YES
83
%
NO
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Sale Dates: March 26th - 31st 2017
Weekly Passover Sale on Groceries Lieber’s Cottonseed Schmerling Chocolate Bars Oil All Varieties - 3.5 oz $ 89
96 oz $ 99
1
4
......................................................
Schwartz Potato Starch 24 oz $ 19
Lieber’s Almond Flour 14 oz $ 99
7
1
4.5 oz
99¢
Oneg or Haddar Chocolate Chips 9 oz
Lieber’s Applesauce
99¢
$
.................................................
.................................................
15 oz
Gefen Gal Gal Crackers 4.2 oz
299
4
299
Lieber’s Walnut or Vegetable Oil Sprays
$
.................................................
.................................................
Except Sugar-Free or Fat-Free - 16 oz
5
2/$
.................................................
Mikee Sriracha
2/$
Original or Unsweetened 46 oz/48 oz
5 oz
Lieber’s Salad Dressings
......................................................
Streit’s Matzo Ball Soup or Matzo Ball Mix
Unger’s Whole or Sliced Beets, Sliced Carrots, Whole Potatoes
Original Only - 18 oz
399
$
Regular or Light 32 oz $ 99
Glick’s or Lieber’s Macaroons 10 oz
5
2/$
2
.................................................
Wissotzky Teas
Domino Light or Dark Brown Sugar
Assorted - 20 Count
5
2/$
16 oz
5
5/$
.................................................
.................................................
Gourmet Glatt Viennese Crunch
Lieber’s BBQ Sauce Assorted - 18 oz
.................................................
.................................................
.................................................
24 oz
Striped Delight, Confetti - 5.5 oz
18 oz
4
1
$ 99
Gefen Marinara & Pasta Sauce
5
2/$
1499
$
Paskesz Mini Bits Cookies
Goddard’s Silver Polish Foam
699
$
459
$
Heavy Duty, Lemon, With Bleach - 32 oz
100 Count
1
.................................................
25 oz
.................................................
$ 99
1
$ 99
2/$
64 oz
.................................................
Fantastik Trigger
4 lb Bag
1
$ 79
1
Nature’s Own Apple Juice
Domino Sugar
12 oz
$ 99
......................................................
Glick’s or Unger’s Mayonnaise
Gefen Vanilla Sugar
Always Handy Vinyl Gloves
1
$ 99
.................................................
.................................................
Assorted - 23 oz
Lemon, Oxi, With Bleach, Gel with Bleach - 24 oz/28.6 oz
Soft Scrub Cleansers
Windex Trigger
2
$
99
299
$
Passover Dairy Friendship Cottage Cheese Assorted - 16 oz
Original or Calcium Only - 59 oz
5
2/$
349
$
......................................................
Mountain Fresh Milk Assorted - 64 oz $ 99
1
Tropicana Orange Juice
Ha’olam Shredded Cheese Except Reduced Fat - 8 oz
7.5 oz
2
$
Dannon Low Fat Yogurts
99
Assorted - 5.3 oz
1
2/$
5
2/$
.......................................
.......................................
......................................
.......................................
Muenster, Mozzarella, Smoked - 6 oz
Assorted - 64 oz
White or Red 8 oz
Assorted 16 oz 2/$
Miller’s Sliced Cheese Skim Plus Milk
5
2/$
new item! cholov yisroel
Tuv T’aam Vegetarian Liver
Gold’s Horseradish
3
$
99
Axelrod Sour Cream
4
3
2/$
Passover Frozen BenZ Parve Kishka
Of Tov Chicken Nuggets
Unger’s Coffee Whitener
Bodek Butternut Squash
Meal Mart Chopped Liver
Nuggets, Dinosaurs, Chick-licious 32 oz $ 99
16 oz
$
16 oz
$ 69
2/$
$
......................................................
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.......................................
.......................................
.......................................
13 oz
24 oz
Dairy or Parve Assorted - 56 oz
399
9
Noam Gefilte Fish
20 oz $ 99
7
sale on provisions! NOW 2 locations!
Bodek Mango Chunks Spring Valley 16 oz Blintzes
2/$
4
Hod Lavan Turkey Breast Slices Regular or Ultra Thin - 5 oz
Cedarhurst STORE HOURS
5
2/$
137 Spruce Street
1
Solomon’s Kishka 16 oz
399
$
(516) 569-2662
SUN -TUE: 7 AM-9 PM WED: 7 AM-11 PM THURS: 7 AM-12 AM FRIDAY 6:30 AM-2 HRS. BEFORE CANDLE LIGHTING
439
$
16 oz
7
12 oz
529
$
Woodmere STORE HOURS
399
Pardes Cauliflower Florets or Spinach
Mehadrin Ice Cream
699
439
$
$
Solomon’s Beef Franks
12 oz
Solomon’s Corned Beef & Pastrami 6 oz
499
$
1030 Railroad Avenue
(516) 295-6901
SUN - THURS: 7 AM-9 PM FRIDAY 7 AM UNTIL 2 HRS. BEFORE CANDLE LIGHTING
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
Sale Dates: March 26th - 31st 2017
Specials
9
$
99
Untrimmed
Boneless
1ST CUT BRISKET lb.
1049 lb.
$
849 lb. $ 29 9 lb.
Silver Tip Roast
...................
Shoulder London Broil
................... 2nd Cut
Corned Beef Deckle
$
$
................... ...................
939 lb.
$
.................. End Cut
1599 lb.
$
Veal Chops
Lamb Shanks
849 lb. $ 99 8 lb.
Breast of Veal
$
Small Kolichel
...................
8
69
lb.
1499 lb.
$
Veal Chops
Gala Apples
Sweet Honeydew
99¢ lb.
$
Macintosh Apples
FROZEN DUCK
CHICKEN CUTLETS $ 49 3 lb.
NECK OF VEAL ROAST
549 lb.
$
Missing Wing
Super Family Pack
Whole or Cut-Up Chicken Pullets
$
Ground White Chicken
$
239 lb.
In 1/4s or 1/8s ...................
499 lb.
Family Pack ................... White Meat
649 lb.
$
Turkey Roast
999 lb.
Navel Pastrami
$
Beef Stew
$
Ground Beef
$
................... Extra Lean
599 lb.
Family Pack ................... Neck & Skirt
479 lb.
Super Family Pack
Slicing Tomato
Bunch Carrots
79¢ lb.
$
Sunkist Oranges
Spanish Onions
Sweet Potatoes
Cello Mushrooms
99¢ lb.
8/$2
59¢ lb.
69¢ lb.
3/$4
Bartlett Pears
Pink Grapefruit
Granny Smith Apples
Del Monte Pineapples
Butternut Squash
99¢ lb.
6/$2
99¢ lb.
2/$5
69¢ lb.
Mini Peeled Carrots 1 lb Bag
2
99
ea.
1
29
99¢ ea.
ea.
order your shabbos platters early! General Tso’s Chicken $ 99 lb.
11
Baby Meat or Chicken Loaves $ 99 lb.
7
Baked Ziti
24 VARIETIES!
2 lb Package
7
$
Tamaneki Roll
99
Grilled Salmon with Broccoli & Sweet Potato $ 99
Mushroom Barley Soup Quart
Seared $ Dragon Roll
Giant Veggie $ Roll
Rainbow Roll
495
Chocolate Bobka
699ea.
Assorted Cheesecakes
$
1299ea.
$
595
3 Flower Bouquet
1099
$
Holland Tulips Bunch
1499
$
gourmetglattonline.com
1095
$
Spinach Kugel
399ea.
$
French Bread
1
$ 49 ea.
Salt-Free Bread $ 49 ea.
1
Mushroom Dip
299ea.
$
Roasted Pepper Dip
299ea.
$ Gerbera Daisies
1295
..........................................................
11
9
595
$
Sweet Kani $ Roll
Salmon Flounder Pinwheels $ 99 lb.
Salmon Steaks $ 99 lb.
Spicy Salmon Roll
..........................................................
9
449
$
495
$
Unusual Floral Arrangements
3499& up
$
/gourmetglatt
Cabbage Soup Quart
4
$
49 ea.
Diet Ratatouille Salad
599lb.
$
Red & White Cabbage Salad
599lb.
$
Marinara Pasta
499lb.
$
We reserve the right to limit quantities. No rain checks. Not responsible for typographical errors.
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Continued from 8
Dear Editor, While the op-ed in TJH this week states some reasons for the paucity of general studies teachers, I would like to add a few more, based on my experience as a high school English teacher in a religious girls school: 1) Teachers went for months without a paycheck. That created stress, made one feel devalued, and was not in accordance with halacha – the same principles upon which the school runs and the teachers exemplify. That is not integrity. I didn’t work for free. I had expenses. 2) Students and parents devalue the importance of a secular education. They pick up those attitudes from parents and other educators. To those people, I responded: every day you must write and do some form of math. And, since secular subjects were second rate, some students thought they could act second rate in class. 3) Teachers, themselves, sometimes have poor writing skills. If they don’t value proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation, why should their students? 4) It’s less of a hassle to give in to students’ objections than stand up for principles and standards. However, setting a standard of expecting effort and a reasonable skill level in writing is part of being a teacher and mentor. They had friends: They needed me to be their teacher. I told my students they will never know when they’ll need vocabulary, writing, and analytical skills and invited them to contact me in ten years after graduation and let me know how they are doing. And, if that did
not convince them, I told them they may represent all Orthodox Jews to someone who isn’t religious or Jewish. They need to speak and write properly and make a good impression for others as well as have pride in themselves. Boundaries and a sense of humor and a sense of mystique were my best “friends.” 5) Texting and autospell have replaced vital skills. I told my students they would lose points for sloppiness and it’s good to know how to write a formal letter as well as text. After six years of teaching, I left my position in favor of a full-time job in my other profession. I left as a changed person: mi’kol m’lamdai hiskalti – from all my students, I grew wise. And, for that, I thank my students and the principals who supported and advised me about navigating challenging situations. The biggest obstacle, from my side of the desk, was not being paid on time. Perhaps you can address that in a future article. Sincerely, A former teacher Dear Editor, Sometimes I wonder if the news is on repeat. Why won’t these people let the president do his job? If every court in the country decided to stop every executive order we’d be mired in political muck all day. Tell the Democrats that they should finally accept that Trump won the presidency in November. They had their turn for eight years. Just let the country – and its citizens – breathe. Roni Y.
Never compromise on great Gefilte Fish.
With Freund’s Gefilte there is no oil, no fillers, no potato starch or potatoes. Just the real stuff! With the highest standard in kashrus, you can enjoy the best with confidence. Try all 6 Freund’s Pesach Gefilte varieties. Ask your grocer for Freund’s.
Views expressed on the Letters to the Editor page do not necessarily reflect the views of The Jewish Home. Please send all correspondence to editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com.
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
The Week In News
The Power of Your Passport
Henley and Partners have released the 2017 Visa Restriction Index, which ranks passports in term of traveling power. The United States did better than last year but was still unable to outrank Germany and Sweden when it came to how many countries accept entrance of passengers carrying a U.S. passport. Germans are allowed to travel to 176 countries and the Swedes can go freely to 175 countries with their passport. Americans did pretty well – 174 countries allow them in without a visa. America’s third place spot is shared with Denmark, Finland, Italy and Spain. The VRI counts how many countries – of the 219 countries and territories that are recognized – one can enter visa-free. A perfect score would be 218. (No visa is needed for entering your own country.) The high number seen now amongst countries may be changing in the near future. Christian H. Kälin, chairman of Henley and Partners, feels that rankings may soon change more drastically than in the past. “We have witnessed several major events recently that are likely to have an impact on global mobility – including Brexit and the election of U.S. President Donald Trump. Both can be interpreted as steps toward restricting movement and creating barriers to entry,” Kälin noted. “Generally, visa requirements are a reflection of a country’s relationship with others, and take into account diplomatic relationships between countries, reciprocal visa arrangements, security risks, and the dangers of visa and immigration regulation violations,” he added.
Countries with the lowest scores – meaning, their passports open almost no doors into other countries – include Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria and Somalia.
CenterRight Wins in Netherlands
The votes have been cast and counted in the Dutch elections that have dominated headlines in Europe over the past few months. Much to people’s surprise – and for some, relief – Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s center-right VVD party ended up landing the most seats. Much of the press around the election has surrounded controversial anti-immigrant, anti-EU candidate Geert Wilders. Wilders had promised to “de-Islamize” the Netherlands should he win. Wilders’ Freedom party took 20 of the 150 parliamentary seats, coming in second to VVD’s 33 seats. Tied third place was the Christian Democrats (CDA) party and the liberal D66 party with 19 seats each. The Green-Left party also did well with 14 seats. The outcome for the Dutch elections may be quite telling as other EU members are holding elections in the near future and anti-immigration candidates have become more and more outspoken. The far right National Front party in France is likely to take a large percentage of the vote in next month’s election, and in Germany, the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) may win seats in parliament for the first time this coming September. Wilder did not take losing the election very well. He pledged that Prime Minister Rutte had “not seen the last of him,” and he will continue his political agenda until he sees Netherlands out of the EU, the closing of all mosques, and the Koran banned. Continued on page 16
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The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
The fire, according to experts, appears to have been started in the fuel storage area behind the ship’s boiler rooms. The fire grew so large that it reached temperatures of up to 1000 degrees Celsius. According to Molony, the temperatures that were reached affected the steel hull and made it 75 percent weaker. “The official Titanic inquiry branded [the sinking] as an act of G-d. This isn’t a simple story of colliding with an iceberg and sinking. It’s a perfect storm of extraordinary factors coming together: fire, ice and criminal negligence,” he said. J. Bruce Ismay, president of the company that built the Titanic, gave very clear instructions that none of the 2,500 passengers were to be told of the fire before setting sail. Over 1,500 of the passengers lost their lives when the Titanic sank en route to New York.
Happiness Around the World
Fire and Ice Combo Sank Titanic Everyone knows that the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic. What people do not know, according to a Titanic expert, is that
the real cause of the ship sinking was a huge fire that occurred onboard many days prior to the ship ever setting sail. Senan Molony, who has spent over 30 years examining and researching the Titanic, has studied photographs of the ship that were taken by the ship’s chief electrical engineer before it left the Belfast shipyard. The pictures, explain Mol-
ony, show that there were 30 footlong black marks on the right side of the front hull, right next to where the ship was struck and punctured by the iceberg. “We are looking at the exact area where the iceberg stuck, and we appear to have a weakness or damage to the hull in that specific place, before she even left Belfast,” Molony explained recently.
According to the annual World Happiness Report, Americans are getting sadder. Last year Americans ranked number 13th happiest nation in the world; this year we slipped to the 14th spot. Even more so, the happiness of Americans decreased by 5% in the last decade. Study co-author and economist Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University explained, “We’re becoming more and more mean spirited. And our government is becoming more and more corrupt. And inequality is rising.” He cited recent research and analysis he previously conducted on America’s declining happiness for the report. “It’s a long-term trend and conditions
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
are getting worse,” he warned. The new report, based on self-rankings, ranked Norway as the happiest country on Earth, despite its declining economy, proving that it takes more than money to be happy. Norwegians became significantly happier this last year; they moved up from spot number 4, and knocked Denmark off the number one slot. “It’s the human things that matter. If the riches make it harder to have frequent and trustworthy relationships between people, is it worth it?” asked John Helliwell, the lead author of the report and an economist at the University of British Columbia in Canada (ranked No. 7). “The material can stand in the way of the human.” Where do people have smiles plastered on their faces? Here are the five happiest countries in the world: 1. Norway 2. Denmark 3. Iceland 4. Switzerland 5. Finland Israel came in 11th on the list. At the bottom of the 155 countries listed is Central African Republic Burundi, Tanzania, Syria and Rwanda, all countries stricken by poverty, proving you need some money to be happy. The rankings are based on gross domestic product per person and healthy life expectancy with four factors from global surveys. In the surveys, people give scores from 1 to 10 on how much social support they feel they have if something goes wrong, their freedom to make their own life choices, their sense of how corrupt their society is and how generous they are.
Terror in Paris Airport Paris Orly Airport was the latest scene of terror when a man waving a gun at a French female soldier shouted, “I am here to die in the name of Allah ... There will be deaths.” Thankfully, before the terrorist was able to cause harm, two of the soldier’s companions fatally shot the attacker. The incident occurred Saturday morning in the South Terminal, and none of the soldiers or travelers were wounded. The terrorist, identified by Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins as Ziyed Ben Belgacem, is also accused of shooting a police officer earlier in the day when he stole the officer’s
weapon. The officer stropped Belgacem for speeding and driving with his headlights off. During the stop, he shot the officer and stole his gun. The officer suffered minor non-life threatening injuries. Belgacem has a prior history of criminal activity and had been in jail several times on charges of violence and theft. His longest stretch in prison was for five years in 2009. Belgacem was carrying a weapon and a can of gas in his rucksack when he approached the female soldier and grabbed her. He attempted to get her weapon but they struggled and then the other soldiers interceded. French Defense Minister JeanYves Le Drian commended the soldiers who responded so swiftly. They responded with “remarkable professionalism and self-control” to protect their colleague and the public, he said. The airport was quickly evacuated and an elite operations unit and bomb squad officers were rushed in to survey the scene. More than 450 officers were involved in the operation to secure the airport and search for evidence, France’s National Police said. More than 2,000 travelers’ itineraries were interrupted because of the event. President François Hollande took the opportunity to reiterate the importance of the ongoing national security operation, which has placed extra security forces at airports, train stations and other public places. “I want to salute the courage and the exceptional behavior of the security forces who managed to put away the individual and to do so in an extremely complex situation because this occurred in Orly Airport,” he said at a news conference. Paris Orly Airport is France’s second-busiest airport.
The “Bolivian Schindler” A new hero has been identified after rifling through mountains of old documents in a warehouse in La Paz, Bolivia. The papers have revealed the story of Mauricio Hochschild, a German immigrant and mining tycoon who may have helped over 9,000 Jews escape the Nazis in the late 1930s. Now being called the “Bolivian Schindler,” Hochschild left behind a trove of files, photographs, and docContinued on page 22
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uments proving his role in the mass rescue of his fellow Jews. In many cases, he paid for travel and initial accommodations out of his own pocket.
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Hochschild was born in Biblis, Germany, in 1881 and moved to Bolivia in 1921. He made a great fortune in the tin mining business and was eventually known as one of Bolivia’s three “Barons of Tin.” He eventually created deep and influential political contacts in the Bolivian government, contacts he would use to provide migrant visas to Jews fleeing Europe during the Nazis’ rise to power. The documents show that Hochschild placed some of the Jewish newcomers into his mining firm and also built schools for the children that came over to La Paz. One of the letters that was uncovered is from a child asking the Tin Baron to enlarge the school facility “in view of the number of children who are here and others who want to come.” What makes the story more surprising is that Hochschild has a very negative reputation in Bolivian history. He was known as the worst of the three “Barons of Tin” and was said to be uncharitable and short-tempered. He died in Paris in 1965.
The Richest of the Rich
$11 billion. Warren Buffet, another Forbes’ richest staple, also had an incredible year by adding $14.8 billion to his fortune and coming in at number two. Jeff Bezos of Amazon is the man of the year, earning the highest earner award by stashing away another $27.6 billion. He finally entered the elite of the elitist top three (last year he was number five) for the first time with his overwhelming fortune of $72.8 billion. Rounding out the top five is Amancio Ortega of Zara and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame. Zuckerberg moved up to number five with his earnings of $11.4 billion. He bumped Carlos Slim out of the top five to spot number six; this is the first time Slim hasn’t been in the top five since 2005. We think he’ll be okay, though, with a fortune of $59.5 billion. The country of origin of the majority of the 195 newcomers on the list was China with 76 people with overstuffed bank accounts. The U.S. contributed the next chunk with 25 billionaires. Newbies included founder of sportswear brand Patagonia Yvon Chouinard and Viking Cruise founder Torstein Hagen of Norway (happiest country in the world!). Fifteen of the newbies are women; all but one are from the Asia Pacific. These females join the other 212 already on the list, totaling 227 women billionaires. The majority of the billionaires are over 40, with just 56 under the age of 40-years-old. The U.S. is home to the most billionaires for another year with 565 billionaires calling America their home. China is close behind with 319 and Germany has the third-to-most with 114.
Russia to Investigate U.S. Media There are more billionaires in the world than ever before. In its annual richest people list, Forbes assembled a list of 2,043 individuals from across the globe – a record breaker. This year 233 people were added to the list, the most in 31 years. Collectively, the elite group’s wealth amounted to $7.67 trillion, another record breaker and an 18% increase. As expected, Bill Gates still holds the throne of richest man in the world with a net worth of $86 billion. Since last year’s release he earned another
American media operating in Russia are being called under investigation by the Russian parliament in response to what Russian officials say are attacks on Russian media groups in the U.S. The lower house of parliament, called the State Duma, is calling on its Committee on Information Policy, Information Technology, and Communications to audit Radio Liberty, the Voice of America, CNN and other U.S. media “for compliance of their activities with Russian legisla-
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
this sunday yeshivas mir yerushalayim bicentennial celebration March �6, ���� . כ''ח אדר תשע''ז bell works . holMdel, new jersey
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הגאון הרב אהרן חדש שליט''א משגיח הגאון הרב יצחק אזרחי שליט''א ראש ישיבה הגאון הרב נחמן לבוביץ שליט''א ראש ישיבה הגאון הרב בנימין קרלבך שליט''א ראש ישיבה
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tion.” The Voice of America is a federal news outlet while Radio Liberty is privately owned but funded with a grant from the U.S. Congress.
Member of Parliament Konstantin Zatulin is requesting the probe to fight what he calls a “repressive” move by the U.S. against RT News, a state-funded Russian news outlet. Zatulin claims to be responding to U.S. politicians that have moved “from words to deeds” after voicing concerns that Russian outlets have interfered with U.S. internal matters, including the presidential election. Zatulin is particularly upset with New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen who recently set in motion a RT News investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for possible violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). The senator recently quoted a report by the U.S.
Director of National Intelligence which concluded that RT News purposely arranged their affiliates to circumvent U.S. reporting and disclosure requirements under the FARA. “We have good reason to believe that RT News is coordinating with the Russian government to spread misinformation and undermine our democratic process,” Shaheen said. “The American public has a right to know if this is the case. RT News has made public statements boasting that it can dodge our laws with shell corporations, and it’s time for the Department of Justice to investigate.” The U.S. is going to investigate. Well, Russia will do some investigating of its own – and that’s not always pretty.
Stolen Van Goghs Returned to Museum On Tuesday, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam welcomed home two paintings by the Dutch master more than 14 years after they were
ripped off the museum’s wall in a nighttime heist. “They’re back,” said museum director Axel Rueger. He called their return one of the “most special days in the history of our museum.”
The paintings, the 1882 “View of the Sea at Scheveningen,” and 188485 work “Congregation leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen,” were discovered last year by Italian police investigating suspected Italian mobsters for cocaine trafficking. The mobsters didn’t have the paintings hanging on their walls at home. They were wrapped in cotton sheets, stuffed in a box, and hidden behind a wall in a bathroom in a farmhouse near Naples. Investigators contend the $20 million worth of assets seized in last
year’s raid are linked to two Camorra drug kingpins, Mario Cerrone and Raffaele Imperiale. According to Italy’s Interior Minister Angelino Alfano, the paintings were “considered among the artworks most searched for in the world, on the FBI’s list of the Top 10 art crimes.” “After years shrouded in darkness, they can now shine again,” Dutch Minister for Education, Culture and Science Jet Bussemaker said on Tuesday as an orange screen slid away to reveal the two paintings behind a glass wall. They are now back on display at the museum before being taken to its conservation studio for repair, although they suffered remarkably little damage as thieves who had clambered up a ladder and smashed a window to get into the museum in 2002 ripped them out of their frames and fled. “It is not only a miracle that the works have been recovered but it’s even more miraculous almost that they are in relatively unharmed condition,” Rueger noted. “The security, I can assure you, is of Triple-A quality now so I’m very confident that everything is safe in the museum,” he added.
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Healthiest Hearts Four Life Sentences for Terrorist
If you are trying to get your cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, or heart rate down, you may want to consider moving to the Bolivian Amazon. The Tsimane tribe have been analyzed and found to have the healthiest arteries ever documented. A new study has found that the average 80-year-old Tsimane person has the same vascular age as an American in their mid-fifties. The answer probably lies in the lifestyle of the Tsimane people. Their diet, unlike those who live in first world countries, is low in saturated fats and high in non-processed foods. Researchers have now suggested that the loss of subsistence diets and lifestyles could be considered a new risk factor for heart disease. The main risk factors now are age, smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity and diabetes. Professor Hillard Kaplan, the anthropologist from the University of New Mexico who authored the Tsimane research, suggests that some of the elements of their lifestyle may be transferable and may contribute to lowering heart disease worldwide. The study found that the Tsimane spend only 10 percent of their daytime being inactive, compared to 54 percent of the time in the industrial world. Their diet is mostly (72 percent) carbohydrate-based. They eat non-processed carbs with high fiber content, such as rice, plantain, corn, nuts and fruits. Protein – which comes from animal meat – makes up only 14 percent of their diet, and fat also makes up only 14 percent. Smoking is also almost non-existent among the Tsimane.
A West Bank military court has handed down four life sentences for a Palestinian terrorist who killed an American teenager, an Israeli man, and a Palestinian man in November 2015. Mohammed Abdel Basset al-Kharoub shot and killed Ezra Schwartz, 18, Yaakov Don, 51, and Shadi Arafa, 24, at the Etzion Junction in the West Bank in cold blood. The Ofer military court also ordered that he pay the victims’ families NIS 750,000 in compensation. Al-Kharoub was captured by Israeli security forces after he opened fire with an Uzi submachine gun while driving near Alon Shvut. After he had run out of ammunition, he rammed another car with his vehicle. Ezra Schwartz, from Sharon, Massachusetts, was spending the year in Israel in a Beit Shemesh yeshiva. He was on his way to deliver snacks to IDF soldiers in Efrat when he was killed. Yaakov Don was a longtime teacher and resident of Alon Shvut. Shadi Arafat was a Palestinian resident of Chevron.
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New Anti-Missile System Used
An incoming Syrian anti-aircraft missile was shot down by the IDF using the brand new Arrow defense battery last week. Early Friday morning, Israeli aircraft targeted several locations in Syria, “several anti-aircraft missiles were launched from Syria following the mission and IDF aerial defense systems intercepted one of the missiles,” the army said in a statement. The missiles were fired from eastern Syria by Bashar Assad’s military forces. They traveled over Jordan en route to Jerusalem when they were intercepted by the Arrow system. The Arrow is designed to take out intercontinental ballistic missiles outside of the atmosphere, not usually the surface-to-air missile that it took out. It is not clear why the Arrow system was used, but it is possible the target was misidentified as a more serious threat. The current version, known as Arrow 3, has been in development since 2008. The earliest versions of Arrow have been in place since the 1990s. The Arrow system is part of a multi-layered missile defense system that Israel has employed to fend off everything from short-range rocket threats out of Gaza to longrange missile threats from Iran. The famous Iron Dome is in place to intercept projectiles headed for populated areas and allows others to fall out of the sky in empty areas out of harm’s way.
commission’s website as well. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres asked for Khalaf to resign over the report, a result that did not come unexpectedly to Khalaf. “It was expected, naturally, that Israel and its allies would exercise immense pressure on the U.N. secretary general to distance himself from the report
and to ask for it to be withdrawn,” she charged in a press conference. The report was written by Richard Falk, a controversial “scholar” known for his outlandish criticism of Israel and the United States. After the 2013 Boston Bombing, Falk said that “the American global domination project is bound to generate all
kinds of resistance in the postcolonial world.” Falk has also repeatedly questioned what he refers to as the “official version of 9/11” and has many other conspiracy theories as to “what really happened” on the day when 2,996 were killed by terrorists who hijacked airplanes and turned them into weapons.
Funds for Charity Funneled to Hamas This week, the Shin Bet accused two Palestinians of diverting funds for the reconstruction of Gaza from Turkish charities to the Hamas terrorist group. The manager of the
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Gaza branch of the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA), Muhammad Murtaja, was arrested last month on suspicion that he was working on behalf of Hamas, the Shin Bet announced on Tuesday. Mehmet Kaya, the head of the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation, known by its acronym IHH, was also implicated in the Shin Bet investigation. Kaya has yet to be arrested.
“The egotistical Hamas terror organization has robbed funds that are meant for the needy of Gaza from international organizations. Hamas prospers at the expense of the residents of the Strip and uses donations meant for them to finance terror,” said Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, coordinator of government activities in the territories. According to the security agency, Murtaja took advantage of his position in TIKA in order to direct funds and resources away from “meaningful humanitarian projects” and toward Hamas’s military wing. Murtaja would replace the names of candidates eligible for humanitarian aid with the names of people who “were apparently Hamas military operatives and their families,” who then received money and benefits from TIKA. The leaders of Hamas – including Ismail Haniyeh – were aware of Murtaja’s scheme. Kaya used IHH money to “directly fund the activities of Hamas’s military wing” and helped to set up a training facility for Hamas’ naval commandos and to purchase materials for the facility. “This investigation shows the embezzlement methods used by Hamas against the international community and humanitarian aid organizations,” the Shin Bet said. This fraud “diverts money and resources that are meant for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and needy populations.” On Monday, Israel facilitated the transfer of NIS 300 million ($83 million) in cash from mostly Gulf states
to the Gaza Strip. The money, funds from Gulf countries and the European Union, is intended for the salaries of some 50,000 Palestinian Authority government employees in the Palestinian enclave. Israel has reportedly agreed to several such payments, including one last summer by Qatar of 113 million Saudi riyal ($31 million) for salaries. Over the past several years, government employees in Gaza have generally been receiving a third to half of their salaries, given how cashstrapped Hamas claimed it was after Egypt’s crackdown on tunnels in 2013. The salaries crisis is said to be one of the key reasons Hamas escalated tensions with Israel in the summer of 2014, leading to a full-blown war that claimed the lives of some 2,100 Palestinians and 73 Israelis.
Arab MK Heading to Jail
Basel Ghattas, a MK for the Balad party, has pleaded guilty to smuggling cellphones to Fatah-affiliated Palestinian prisoners in the Ketziot Prison. For his crimes, he will lose his Knesset seat and serve two years in jail. The Balad party is a member of the Joint List, a political alliance of four Arab-dominated parties in Israel. Ghattas said that he smuggled in the phones in order to draw attention to Palestinian prisoners being held under administrative detention by Israeli authorities. “I hope that the price that I pay will not be for nothing,” Ghattas told reporters. Security camera footage caught Bhatas attempting to smuggle in a phone to Walid Daka, who is serving a life sentence for killing 19-yearold soldier Moshe Tamam in 1984, and to Bassel Basra, who is serving a 15-year sentence for security offenses. The state prosecutor said that he
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
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would seek a fine in addition to the jail time and would block Ghattas from public service for seven years after his release.
Tour the Titanic – for $100K
For a small price – only $105,000 – Israelis can now explore the shipwrecked Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean. Israeli tour company Geographic Society and U.S. tour company Bluefish have teamed up to organize submarine expeditions for about 30 people to examine the wreckage from a depth of 3,800 meters. While under the sea, passengers will take part in gathering data, learn about the technology involved in taking an underwater trip, and par-
ticipate in other research tasks. The submarines are operated by the Moscow-based P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology. They are capable of holding four passengers at a time, and are the only non-government vessels that can go 4,000 meters deep. The journey to such depths takes about 90 minutes. After an hour and a half of complete darkness, the travelers will then cruise the bottom of the ocean for four hours and examine the wreckage and unusual sea-life that exists at such extreme depths. Sounds exciting – but is it worth the price?
High Stress: Losing Your Phone Whether we admit it or not, our smartphones rule our lives. A recent study revealed that people consider losing their phone to be a highly stressful life event.
A report by The Physiological Society asked 2,000 people to rate how stressful they found vital events. Obviously, tragic events such as the death of a loved one or falling seriously ill scored high as expected. Modern day concerns such as identity theft, commuter delays, and traveling also ranked as very stressful. The threat of a terror attack came 13th on the list of stressful events, and just one point below that was the loss of an iPhone or a similar device. People felt that being without their phones was more stressful than planning a wedding or moving. The old myth that women are faint of heart seems to be true. Women specifically reported higher levels of stress surrounding the death of a loved one, illness, or losing their smartphone. Dr Lucy Donaldson, Chair of The
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Physiological Society’s Policy Committee, said: “The modern world brings with it stresses we would not have imagined 50 years ago, such as social media and smartphones. It was striking that for every single event in this study, from money problems to Brexit, women reported greater stress levels than men. This could have a real impact on women’s health. While many people are aware of the effect of stress on mental wellbeing, it is also important to consider the impact on the body’s systems. Your brain, nervous and hormonal systems react to stress and it affects your heart, immune system and gastrointestinal system. When stress is prolonged, these effects on the whole body can result in illnesses such as ulcers or increased risk of heart attack.” Another pattern that emerged was that stress levels seem to increase with age. The elderly population tends to worry more about illness and imprisonment than younger people. The Physiological Society said the goal of the study was to spread awareness of the effect of stress on the body’s function. During stressful situations, the body prepares for action by releasing hormones into the
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The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
bloodstream, which affects the heart as well as digestive and immune systems. Frequent and prolonged stress can cause long term physiological problems in the body. Perhaps it’s time to do some deep breathing.
Hearings Held for Gorsuch
Meet Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, 49, an unfamiliar name to most Americans, although that may change if President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee gets approved by Congress. The former professor at Columbia University became infamous on campus for being outspoken about his conservative opinions. His mother, Anne Gorsuch Burford, served as the Environmental Protection Agency leader during the Reagan administration. Gorsuch currently serves as a federal appellate judge. The nomination to fill the U.S. Supreme Court seat vacated by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia was issued shortly after Trump took office, and confirmation hearings began on Monday. Generally, during Senate Judiciary Committee hearings, the nominee is questioned by both parties and is promoted by his supporting party. At the closing of confirmation hearings, the Committee votes on whether the nomination should go to the full Senate with a positive, negative or neutral report. Gorsuch is surprisingly being well-received by Democrats, who appreciate his calm demeanor, intellectual honesty, and listening ear. “He has modesty and humility alongside smarts,” said Yale University law professor Akhil Amar, who has advised Senate Democrats on judicial nominations in the past. He admits to not knowing Judge Gorsuch well but said: “That’s his reputation, and that’s what I think I see on the page when I read his opinions.” On Monday, during a 13-minute
address to Congress, Gorsuch said, “I will do all in my power to be a faithful servant of the Constitution and laws of this great nation.” “Long before we are Republicans or Democrats – we are Americans,” he said at one point. He also acknowledged fellow judges. “I want to thank my fellow judges across the country. Judging is sometimes a lonely and hard job. But I have seen how these men and women work with courage and collegiality, independence and integrity. Their work helps make the promises of our Constitution and laws real for us all.” Gorsuch also mentioned Justice Anthony Kennedy, who was his boss at one point. “He showed me that judges can disagree without being disagreeable,” he said. And he joked that Antonin Scalia was his ideological ally and sometimes his fishing partner too. “The justice fished with the enthusiasm of a New Yorker. He thought the harder you slapped the line on the water, somehow the more the fish would love it.” Gorsuch is expected to be confirmed as Supreme Court justice.
Yahoo Hackers Arrested
Back in January 2014 Yahoo faced a massive security breach when at least 500 million accounts were hacked. On Wednesday, the Department of Justice announced that four Russians were indicted in the hack. Two of the four accused of the infiltration were officers of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). The officers, identified as Igor Anatolyevich Sushchin, 43, and Dmitry Aleksandrovich Dokuchaev, 33, allegedly conspired with Russian national Alexsey Alexseyevich Belan, aka “Magg,” 29, and Karim Baratov, aka “Kay,” “Karim Taloverov” and “Karim Akehmet Tokbergenov,” 22, who is a resident of Canada. The stolen information was used to “obtain unauthorized access to the contents of accounts at Yahoo, Google and other webmail providers,
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Immigration Judges Reshuffled
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including accounts of Russian journalists, U.S. and Russian government officials and private-sector employees of financial, transportation and other companies,” the DOJ said in a statement. Names, email addresses, and passwords were seized. According to Yahoo’s statement, no financial infor-
mation was obtained. Dokuchaev, one of the officers, was arrested in a Russian sweep in December and accused of spying for the U.S., according to a lawyer representing another one of the hackers. A Justice Department official said the agency has not confirmed it is the same person and declined further comment
to CNN. Baratov, the Canadian, was arrested on Tuesday morning “without incident” in Ancaster, Ontario. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer publicly thanked U.S. authorities for the arrests, saying she was “very grateful” to the FBI and DOJ.
The next thing on the agenda for Trump’s immigration crackdown is temporarily relocating immigration judges from around the country to 12 cities in order to hasten the deportations of illegal immigrants who have been charged with crimes, according to the U.S. Justice Department. The administration is still reviewing the exact details of the move but it is said that targeted cities are New York; Los Angeles; Miami; New Orleans; San Francisco; Baltimore, Bloomington, Minnesota; El Paso, Texas; Harlingen, Texas; Imperial, California; Omaha, Nebraska; and Phoenix, Arizona. These cities all have high populations of illegal immigrants with criminal charges. Supposedly, the Department of Homeland Security requested the shuffling of the judges. More than half of the individuals involved in the 18,013 pending immigration cases that involve undocumented immigrants facing or convicted of criminal charges are from these cities, according to data provided by the Justice Department’s Executive Office of Immigration Review. More than 200 of those cases involve immigrants currently in prison. The others have either not yet been convicted or already served their sentence. Under an executive order signed by President Trump in January, illegal immigrants with pending criminal cases are regarded as priorities for deportation whether they have been found guilty or not. Under the Obama administration only illegals convicted of serious crimes were prioritized.
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
"THE WORLD IS ARTSCROLL'S CLASSROOM"
FROM
the author of Incredible
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Rabbi Yehoshua Liff’s 50 years of personal encounters with Gedolei Yisroel
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New from Rabbi Nachman Seltzer
AT HIS REBBI’S SIDE NEW!
He played under Rav Ruderman’s desk and noshed on the Rebbetzin’s cookies.
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Who was the “kleiner rav,” the short rabbi, whose blessing had such surprising, and wonderful, results?
He lent Rav Moshe Feinstein a dime for a payphone, and learned from that encounter a lesson for a lifetime.
Why did Rav Chaim Kanievsky shlita advise a questioner to buy a ground floor apartment?
He gave rides to Rav Chaim Shmulevitz, Rav Beinish Finkel, Rav Mordechai Gifter, and Rav Elyashiv — connecting with and learning from each one.
How did a pair of valuable tefilin bring a boy back to the Torah world?
He consulted with gedolim like Rav Shach, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Rav Shimon Schwab, and Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel.
Rabbi Yehoshua Liff, a master educator and the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Ner Yaakov, has, since his earliest childhood, connected with gedolim on a deep and personal level. In this memoir, penned by bestselling and beloved author Rabbi Nachman Seltzer, we will meet many of the greatest Torah personalities of the past half-century. RS ON AL WA RM AN D PE TH DOZE NS EN CO UN TE RS WI H LE AD ERS! OF GR EAT TO RA
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Food for Thought is one of the most popular columns in Yated Neeman, and deservedly so. The writing is engaging, the stories are unusual, and the inspiration is non-stop. Food for Thought gives us wholesome, nourishing fare — stories of emunah, kindness, leadership, and love for Torah. We meet some of Klal Yisrael’s greatest leaders as well as “regular” people, we are inspired by them, often shocked by the power of their determination or their goodness. Like a magnificent and nutritious meal, Food for Thought leaves us satisfied and healthy; a true treat for our hearts and minds.
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The dirahs. That’s what they call the tiny apartments off the narrow alleyways of Meah Shearim. This is where young men who’ve come to learn in Israeli yeshivahs sleep and cook and experience a life very different from the one they’ve known back home, in American or Canada or England or Australia. The heating rarely works, and the water pressure is weak, but the potency of life in the dirah is unmatched. The bachurim will live here for a year, maybe two; but really, a lifetime. Dov Haller’s gripping novel brings us the story of young men finding out who they are, and who they want to be. Real life is happening here, the challenges and struggles that we all know and recognize, the characters and contemporary situations we all identify with. In Rappaport 55 we’ll find laughter, suspense, and, most of all, penetrating truths about people and growth.
Meet Rav Chaim Kanievsky שליט״א, in this exciting new book for young people. While his classmates played at recess, he created a unique Gemara game for himself! He sent the gadol ha’dor, Rav Shach zt”l, a most amazing, and welcome, mishloach manos. He sat and learned even as war raged around him. He turned a trip to the zoo with his children into an unforgettable Torah tour.
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With hundreds of great true stories, A Gadol in Our Time: Stories about Rav Chaim Kanievsky takes you on an unforgettable journey right into Rav Chaim’s famous apartment in Bnei Brak.
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
9/11 Families Sue Saudi Arabia
On Monday, a lawsuit consolidating at least seven lawsuits suing the Saudi government for support and funding for the September 11th attacks was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. The lawsuit represents the families and estates of about 800 of the 2,996 people killed in the attacks. It alleges that the Saudi government helped pay for the operation through its alleged funding of al-Qaeda terrorist camps and its logistical support for the group’s transport of
weapons, people and money around the world. The suit, which doesn’t specify damages, alleges that the money and support were channeled through nine Saudi government-supported charities — including the Saudi Red Crescent Authority, part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Most of the allegations mirror accusations in the other lawsuits filed since September. This suit, though, alleges that officials in Saudi embassies helped some of the hijackers find homes and learn English so they could pass unnoticed in the United States. It also alleges that Saudi authorities even applied a secret code to the passports of al-Qaeda members to facilitate their international travel and that such codes were discovered on the passports of at least three of the 9/11 terrorists. The lawsuits against the Saudi government began rushing into the courts after September 28, 2016 when Congress overrode Obama’s veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA, which provided an exemption to the legal principle of sovereign immunity so families could take the Saudi gov-
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ernment to court. The Obama administration argued that providing the exemption would set a dangerous precedent, opening the door for other countries and their citizens to haul the United States into court.
Electronics to be Banned on Some Flights
If you’re traveling into the U.S. from Amman, Jordan, better check your laptop into your luggage. On Tuesday morning, the U.S. government barred passengers on nonstop, U.S.-bound flights from eight mostly Middle Eastern and North African countries from bringing laptops, tablets, electronic games and other
devices on board in carry-on bags. Passengers will be allowed to bring cellphones and smartphones onto the plane with them. The ban takes effect on Saturday. Officials said the decision was prompted by “evaluated intelligence” about ongoing potential threats to airplanes bound for the United States. The electronics ban affects flights from international airports in Amman, Jordan; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Cairo; Istanbul; Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Casablanca, Morocco; Doha, Qatar; and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. About 50 flights a day, all on foreign carriers, will be impacted. No U.S.based airlines have nonstop flights from those cities to the United States. With the order affecting flights from predominantly Muslim nations, the ban may invite comparisons to Trump’s orders barring travel from several Muslim-majority-nations, which has been blocked by courts. But the comparison has its limits. The travel ban was more severe, separating families and barring students from studying in the U.S. The laptop ban is more of an inconvenience and its stated reason is to protect the very travelers who are affected by it.
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The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
"THE WORLD IS ARTSCROLL'S CLASSROOM"
FROM
3 NEW PESACH TITLES
Surprise your guests. Surprise yourself. And make your food Perfect for Pesach!
Prepare for a journey … out of servitude … into emunah…
NEW H C PE SA OK!
s ipe
c 12e0e re r n-f
COOK
This is the night.
The Pesach book your children and grandchildren will love!
NEW ! FOR KIDS
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Adorable. Interactive. And just plain fun.
FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES
by Naomi Nachman In this debut cookbook, Naomi Nachman shares her popular recipes from over two decades of Pesach catering. Perfect for Pesach presents easy recipes that use innovative flavor combinations to create fabulous gourmet meals to enhance your holiday table. More than 125 fabulous dishes Vivid photos accompany every recipe Cooking Tips culled from Naomi’s years of professional experience Freezing Tips ensure ease of prep-ahead cooking Guides to basic ingredients and kitchen equipment 120 gluten-free recipes for year-round use
“
I want you to be as excited about cooking
for Pesach as I am. These recipes are so
delicious, your family and friends will be asking
”
for them all year long.
— Naomi
Stories and insights on the Haggadah by Rabbi Binyomin Pruzansky Rabbi Binyomin Pruzansky is a brilliant storyteller, and he uses that talent to bring the story of Yetziyas Mitzrayim into our stories — our lives, challenges, hopes, and accomplishments. And, especially, into our emunah, our faith. In addition to fascinating Torah insights, Rabbi Pruzansky offers story after story that highlights the emunah of the Jews, both famous personalities and simple people with rock-solid faith.
Can you find the ten pieces of chametz? by Helene Ribowsky and Rachel Zlotowitz illustrated by Elisheva Black In this unusual and totally charming book, children will join Ari and his family as they search for chametz all over the house. And what fun when the young readers gleefully spot the pieces of bread hidden in the pictures! With its clever rhyming lyrics and engaging illustrations, this is a wonderfully interactive book. It is sure to infuse our children with excitement for the Pesach holiday, as they play a unique “hide and seek” game — with ten pieces of bread.
PESACH COOKBOOKS A TASTE OF PESACH Yeshiva Me’on HaTorah
PASSOVER BY DESIGN by Susie Fishbein
PASSOVER MADE EASY by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek
ent together we walk Down to the basem talk. d, but still may not We’re very excite or on the toy chest dryer the on not It’s r, next to the … It’s on the new washe
Downstairs to the bedroom , we all tipto Though bab e in y is sleeping our search mus It’s not near t begin. the toys, it’s not in the crib It’s there on the dresser, next to the … 19
Available at your local Hebrew bookseller or at www.artscroll.com • 1-800-MESORAH (637-6724)
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Judge Refuses U.S. Clarification Request on Travel Order
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U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson has rejected the government’s request to clarify an order he gave to block President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban. The federal judge said that his original order was very clear and that the government is not allowed to ask for a distinction that officials did not make in earlier copies of the order. The temporary restraining order that Watson issued was in response to a lawsuit in Hawaii that concluded there was a “significant and unrebutted evidence of religious animus” behind President Trump’s recent travel order. The Justice Department asked the judge to clarify that the order only applies to a travel ban on six mostly Muslim countries and not a worldwide freeze on refugees coming into the U.S. President Trump has called the ruling in Hawaii an example of “unprecedented judicial overreach” and was clear he would take steps to have it appealed. More than half a dozen states are attempting to block the president’s order. Similar court cases are taking place in a federal courts in Washington State and Maryland. Seems like some people don’t want to let this president have his say.
Comey Comes to Congress FBI Director James Comey, who at this point is a familiar face when it comes to Washington controversies, appeared before a House Intelligence Committee on Monday to answer questions about all things related to Russia and wiretapping. In what many media pundits are gleefully calling the worst day of the young Trump presidency, Comey confirmed
that there is an FBI investigation into whether there was any collusion between the Russians and the Trump campaign, and, referring to Pres. Trump’s allegation via tweet several weeks ago that he was wiretapped by Obama, Comey noted that he has “no information that supports those tweets.”
After delivering his opening statement and disclosing that there is an active investigation, Mr. Comey clammed up and did not provide any additional details. Although Comey testified that there is no evidence suggesting that Russia in any way tampered with any votes, he posited that they waged an “influence campaign” to help Trump. He explained that Putin wanted Trump to win because the Russian president hates Hillary Clinton. President Trump waded into the hearing via tweet. “James Clapper and others stated that there is no evidence Potus colluded with Russia. This story is FAKE NEWS and everyone knows it!” Trump wrote shortly after 6:30 a.m., several hours before the hearing got underway. “The Democrats made up and pushed the Russian story as an excuse for running a terrible campaign. Big advantage in Electoral College & lost!” he added. Comey and National Security Agency Director Mike Rogers, who also testified at the hearing, both acknowledged that Russia has been trying to influence U.S. elections for many decades. Rogers noted that “I fully expect them to continue this level of activity because our sense is that they have come to the conclusion that it generated a positive outcome for them, in the sense that calling into question democratic process, for example, is one element of the strategy.” Republicans used the hearing to try to get information about the Mike Flynn fiasco. Retired General Mike Flynn was forced to resign as Trump’s National Security Advisor in early February after The New York Times and Washington Post reported
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The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
The ArtScroll Haggadah Checklist THE ARYEH FAMILY EDITION
THE REB MOSHE HAGGADAH
he Pesach Seder. The one night a year that Jews throughout the world relive and experience the Exodus from Egypt. It is the time when we infuse in ourselves and our children lessons of emunah, faith, and an immense appreciation for the kindness and love bestowed upon us by Hashem. The link to our future generations has always been our children. They are the center of attention throughout the Seder. From the asking of the mah nishtanah to the “hidden” afikoman, we strive to keep the children engaged and excited throughout the evening, as we transmit our story from one generation to the next. In this unique Haggadah commentary, Rabbi Nosson Muller, Menahel of Yeshiva Toras Emes in Brooklyn, and renowned and experienced educator, offers us the tools to make the Seder an unforgettable event and an exciting learning experience. With insightful explanations coupled with dozens of inspiring and meaningful stories and parables, Rabbi Muller gives us timely and practical chinuch messages and lessons — for ourselves, and to convey to our children. This Haggadah is bound to keep the children — and their parents — engaged and interested throughout the long night. On Seder night every parent becomes a teacher. Here is a master educator to show us how to do it right. The Seder lasts for a few hours — The Generation to Generation Haggadah will help us and our children hear its vital message resound throughout the year.
Cover: Silver cups courtesy Grand Sterling Silver, Brooklyn, NY; Zadok Silversmiths, Jerusalem; design: by Eli Kroen at ArtScroll Studios, Ltd. , Brooklyn, NY © 2015 Mesorah Publications, Ltd.
SPERO
Schottenstein Edition
by Rabbi Menachem Davis
ILLUSTRATED YOUTH HAGGADAH
4401 Second Avenue • Brooklyn, NY 11232 718/921-9000 • www.artscroll.com
MESORAH
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f,t bc lk hf v rntk hkt hf f,t bc lk h hf k ,t vn fhkt f ?, ofhslkta ypa vs rnt t u∏e’ z v ∫ublicat’ rnsoraª , t r n • Brooklyn, h NY 11232 tSecond t oh k r at tz of a vu rj urn ?,t ofh ta vhv zv rnt urn tz kt h hf nvu ucgv k rj4401 h Avenue 718/921-9000 • www.artscroll.com vh ejv jn oh vn hskt h hf ?o n lb th h z vn skt h hf u vsuc k RABBI rj tYAAKOV h vnWEHL's v vh ohe vn n l hf rn vu ? u ,s lbc l ypa rnt 's vhv f,t c lk f v rn 's v vhv ?of, gv n l hf v rntk um r vu jvu ofh bc vs tk r ofk gv kta nvu k rj vum u ?, ofhstah hvu tk r um r u ?, t o vn obc lk hvu rjn at ?ofk ,sg bc o t o r v j , f j hf ucg n tz n h hf he n l at tz kt hf v ?of n at z v hs fhb ta ?of lbc hy ,t v urn ?,tv vn lbc l v vs rntk vhv jvu , bc l ohyvn r 's v hvu ,t o lbc l ohy n rnkt 'sc of h hf ,t lkt panvzv lb th z v of kta ucg rj u ? sg kta pa ntk um r ?,t fhs kta pan tk v hkt ?,t ofh ah u of c lk hf v n r hbc o h hf v v n l ofk v v h hf nvu rjn at z vn kt h hf vu o rjn um r urn z vn skt hf ?, hsk tah hvu ntk fhk ?, n of bc l ,tzvn rn vh ohej lbc ohy rn 's v vh hej lbc at th h rn 's ? , tz v t 's hf v ?of rjn t urn tz v hbc oktah vs tk r vu ? vu , lkt pan tk r um r vu ? vu , lktaohypf vhvtk t z n r vum hvu ,t lbc th n r fh hf ucg jn of sg ah vu jn at ofk sg h an u v hf l nt r v l k v h o h n k k r at ?,t ofhs lkt f vh tk r t urn ?,t vn bc lk ,tz vn f vh hejv bc lk ohyp ,tz vn vhvvu a v v v n jn l ohy z vn kt 's h hf vu ?ojn lb th h z vn ofhbc tah v vs rntk u ?o u ,s tah anv vs rntk u u bc pa rn v v f, c l f v r g h u lkt nv tk um hv t kt hv nt ofhkhf ? ucgv rjn fk , v v f vh ohe cgv k v j o a u u t , l t n r u r n ah hf ohe rjn at ?,t fhsk h hf ?of rjn urn tz vnvn o bc l zv v rnt u ?of vu f kt s k k t k vh jvu lbc ohy z v t ' vh ,t lbc th vu ,s lk pa n r s v vu of l hf rntk hbc o ah h ucgv rjn ?of gv ta nv nt um ?, hsk kta vhv rj fh f vn k t r j k ,t vn h hf vu ohek rj rat z vn t 's h hf u ?o n lb t ur ?,tz n zv rnt hv jv n l ohy rn vum vh f,t c lk nt v vs k u ?o u , bc t of ta h uc rj f s lk pan k r ra u h h l b gv v n lb k ,t gv v tah vu o jn l t oh ?,tz skt c n o c l zv n hf hej bc l ypa vn fhb kta vsu rnt vhv vu kta nv ArtScroll Judaica Classics c h cgv k r u ? ,sg h h u lפסח k t oשל f f hהגדה vn jn l ofk v v f הגדה של פסח עם פירוש מלוקט מספר שפת אמת a h hkפירוש t u ?עם מלוקט מספר שפת אמת rn ,tz v ofh bc l ,tzvn The pesach haggadah k th b With Ideas and Insights of the SFAS EMES h n c o ta T h f f vh rntk fhkt h T vu ?of rjn v h ,t vu
by Rabbi Yechiel Spero
THE HAGGADAH WITH ANSWERS jxp ka vsdv
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n the last hundred years, few names have inspired as much reverence and respect as that of Maran Hagaon Harav Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz, the Chazon Ish. For most of his life, he succeeded in remaining anonymous — his classic Chazon Ish commentaries on the Talmud and Shulchan Aruch were unsigned — and he did not accept official positions. Yet, his exalted stature was too great to remain secret. When he settled in Bnei Brak, where he lived for the last twenty years of his life, the word spread, slowly at first and then irresistibly, that a gaon and tzaddik of historic proportions was in the Land. In the words of Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Ozer Grodzensky, “A lion has ascended from Bavel to Eretz Yisrael.” The Chazon Ish was the soul of Bnei Brak and one of the primary authorities for Torah-loving Jews in Israel and around the world. When Prime Minister David Ben Gurion wanted to understand the world-view of Torah Jews, he went to the Chazon Ish’s humble bungalow and came away awestruck. In this Haggadah, we find the richness of his wisdom, hashkafah, and halachah. Going through the vast store of the Chazon Ish’s writings and the literature about him, Rabbi Asher Bergman has compiled a commentary on the Haggadah and the gaon’s halachic rulings and customs regarding the Seder. The Chazon Ish Haggadah is a major new addition to the countless works that have been written about the Seder. Our era was blessed to have someone as great as the Chazon Ish in the forefront of some of the most tumultuous times in our history. Thanks to this Haggadah, we can have his presence to elevate and illuminate our Seder.
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VILNA GAON HAGGADAH 2/27/07 9:28:16 AM
by Rabbi Yosef Israel
With Ideas and insights of the
SFAS EMES
The Exodus from Egypt. Feel the captivity. Experience the triumph. The Yetzias Mitzrayim Haggadah ISBN-10 1-4226-0970-7 ISBN-13 978-1-4226-0970-5 10000
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THE YETZIAS MITZRAYIM HAGGADAH
CHAZON ISH HAGGADAH
Chazon Ish Haggadah-HC.indd 1
by Rabbi Yisrael Herczeg
he Haggadah tells us: “In every generation, it is one’s duty to regard himself as though he personally had gone out of Egypt.” As we sit around our sparkling Seder tables, thousands of miles and thousands of years separate us from our brethren suffering beneath the burning Egyptian sun; from our ancestors marching triumphantly out of slavery. How, then, can we fulfill the Haggadah’s words? How can we, like our ancestors, go out of Egypt? The Yetzias Mitzrayim Haggadah brings the Exodus to life by drawing upon the wisdom and words of the Sages. We see the slavery, the ten plagues, and the final Exodus through the eyes and ears of Chazal and later commentators. The Yetzias Mitzrayim Haggadah is based on more than 150 sources, from Midrash to Malbim, from the Zohar to Rambam to Rav Moshe Feinstein, and every entry adds to our understanding of the actual Pesach story. Designed for maximum impact at the Seder, the entries are short, graphic, and unusually detailed. As we move through our Seder we can envision the rigors of slavery, Pharaoh’s diabolical schemes, the miraculous plagues, the glorious redemption, and the unforgettable moment as the Jewish People cross the Sea. Based on the highly-successful Haggadah V’Aggadata, The Yetzias Mitzrayim Haggadah is a unique, innovative Haggadah that will enable us to experience the Exodus at our own Seder, just as we are meant to do.
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RAMBAN HAGGADAH
CLASSIC ARTSCROLL HAGGADAH
Compiled by Rabbi Dovid Grunbaum
by Rabbi Asher Bergman
by Rabbi Yosef Stern
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RAV SHLOMO ZALMAN HAGGADAH
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IN EVERY GENERATION
by Rabbi Yosef Stern 3/6/03
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by Rabbi Moshe Eisemann
by Rabbi Moshe Lieber / Rabbi Nosson Scherman
THE PESACH HAGGADAH:
SEPHARDIC HERITAGE HAGGADAH
Through the Prism of Experience and History
ABARBANEL הגדה זבח פסח HAGGADAH
F
ew people in recent times have had the impact of Rabbi Elazar Menachem Man Shach k"mz on the global “Torah world.” The revered Rosh Yeshivah of the famed Ponevezh Yeshivah in Bnei Brak, he was a leader renowned for his Torah wisdom, piercing insight and undaunted courage. But to the many with crushing personal problems who walked up the steps to his very simple apartment, nothing was more important than his compassion and sensitivity. Despite being burdened with unending communal responsibilities, he made time for everyone. His warm humanity was legendary; his genuine concern for every person was boundless. How the Rosh Yeshivah related to the throngs who sought his counsel, to his disciples and to his family, taught the lessons of a lifetime. Now many of those special qualities have been captured in The Rav Shach Haggadah. This work illuminates every segment of the Haggadah with his thoughts, stories, interpretations, comments and insights. Rav Shach was like a wellspring, always flowing with ideas and responses to questions and problems. Much of what he said was recorded by his family, students, and the multitudes who sought his guidance and comfort. The authors have culled this vast wealth of material and applied it to the Haggadah. The wisdom of Rav Shach glows on every page. His teachings, through word and example, come through with all the strength, humility, poignancy and warmth of the Rosh Yeshivah himself. Inspirational, readable, informative (and sometimes surprising!) this is one Haggadah you won’t put down when the Seder is over.
THE PASSOVER HAGGADAH WITH THE COMMENTARY OF DON ISAAC ABARBANEL
The Haggadah Treasury.HC
3/6/03
11:16 AM
GEDOLEI YISRAEL HAGGADAH
by Rabbi Shalom Meir Wallach
K
O
Treasury
The Haggadah
A SEDER COMPANION WITH INSIGHTS AND INTERPRETATIONS FOR INSPIRATION AND RETELLING
COVER: Haggadah, Rothschild Manuscript 24, Italy 1470; Courtesy, Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Tre’asury
I
n halachah and tradition, the Pesach Seder is a time when families gather to recount the glory, the wonder, and the splendor of the Pesach story, when ‘the more one tells about the Exodus from Egypt, the more praiseworthy he is.’ Numberless commentaries have been written on the Haggadah, embellishing countless Seder tables throughout the ages. The Haggadah Treasury is a collection of gems culled from this rich lode of inspiration, exegesis, and parable. Anthologized by Zeirei Agudah Israel, its purpose is to present every Jewish home with material suitable to every Seder, enriching to every family. Presented skillfully and concisely, each comment stands on its own, ready for easy reading and retelling. Not a commentary, but a collection of illuminating comments, The Haggadah Treasury aims to give each participant an opportunity to add spice and meaning to his own Seder. It is offered to the Jewish family with the prayer that the day will soon come when the miracles of the Exodus pale beside those of the promised final redemption when He will be One, and His Name, One.
ARTSCROLL
MESORAH
by Rabbi Eliezer Ginsburg
THE HAGGADAH TREASURY
by Rabbi Nosson Scherman
BO
הגדה של פסח מנחת אשר
TW
here are so many facets to Passover, the beloved holiday of liberation, and to the Seder which is central to it. It is a festival that engages our imagination and our yearning, both national and personal. Passover touches our hearts and our minds. Rav Asher Weiss’s commentary on the Haggadah is a brilliant tour de force by a phenomenal Torah scholar, a rosh yeshiva and world-renowned rav and orator. Rabbi Weiss is the author of Minchas Asher and is consulted by leading Torah authorities around the world. In this work he captures many of the qualities that make Passover unique. In a remarkable series of profound yet readable essays, Rabbi Weiss examines the ethical and philosophical underpinnings of liberation and miracles. We learn how to engrave the lessons of the exodus deep into our hearts. Rabbi Weiss possesses a vast encyclopedic knowledge of Jewish law and an unusual talent for clear explanation. A fascinating section on halachah outlines the holiday’s laws and customs, including their background, sources and definitive rulings. Finally, his commentary on the Haggadah text itself weaves together the wisdom of Torah scholars throughout the ages, melding their timeless understanding with a contemporary perspective on our lives. Rav Asher Weiss is a towering Torah giant with a worldwide reputation. Now we can avail ourselves of his encyclopedic knowledge, his eloquence and his insight, to enrich our own Seder table, our holiday, and our faith.
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RAV ASHER WEISS ON THE HAGGADAH by Rav Asher Weiss
the grossman edition
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by Rabbi David Feinstein
PESACH HOLIDAY SERIES by Rabbi Nosson Scherman and Rabbi Shimon Finkelman
THE LAWS OF YOM TOV by Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen
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THE
THE
by Rabbi David Cohen
T
he Haggadah never ceases to fascinate. The text has not changed for many centuries, but the insights still abound. This extraordinary new collection is one of the best examples of the Haggadah’s freshness. It brings together some of the finest comments of leaders and teachers who changed their world and ours, great men whose influence has not waned with the passing years. The names themselves tell the story. They span generations, eras, and continents. They gave strength to the old world and built the new. The Chofetz Chaim and the Netziv of Volozhin. Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman and Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin. Rabbi Shneur Kotler and Rabbi Gedaliah Schorr. Among them all,
they had tens of thousands of students and hundreds of thousands — no, millions e begin the Haggadah by inviting guests. What a privilege it would be if there — whose lives were and are enriched by them. All were Torah geniuses who were were a knock on the door and the greatest luminaries of the last hundred years leaders in difficult times, and for such people, the Haggadah and the lessons of the were to come in and sit at our Seder table! Here they are! Exodus were guideposts for life in any era. This Haggadah presents a magnificent panoply of gedolim, of great intellects, profound Their interpretations of the Haggadah are distinguished for the warmth, faith, thinkers, and master teachers. These are people who shaped our century and exemplified the grandeur of the Torah: incisiveness, and profundity that marked their authors as Torah leaders for well over a century. By finding lessons in the Haggadah, they spoke to their contem• The dynasty of Brisk — the Bais HaLevi, Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik, and Rabbi and to us. Because just as we must think of ourselves in every generaYitzchok Zev (Reb Velvel) Soloveitchik. Their method of learning capturedporaries the tion as if we were emerging from Egyptian slavery, so we must wrest ourselves world and raised Torah study to new heights. in every generation from the shackles that restrain our growth as Jews, in knowl• Rabbi Reuven Grozovsky — rosh yeshivah of Kaminetz and Torah Vodaath, edge, understanding, faith, and service. whose penetrating insight was unsurpassed, and who blazed a path in post-War The contents of this anthologized commentary have been carefully and judiAmerica. ciously • Rabbi Yechezkel Abramsky — prize student of R’ Chaim, brave Rav under the assembled by Rabbi Asher Bergman. The final product is a credit to him and a magnificent service to the entire community. Communists, chief dayan of the British Empire, and rosh yeshivah in Jerusalem. Invite these six Torah giants to your Seder, and let them help you add mean• Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner — rosh yeshivah of Mesivta Chaim Berlin, one of scinand flavor to your Seder, your Pesach, and your entire year. tillating intellect and prime interpreter of Maharal, whose discourses set ing new • Rabbi Yitzchok Yaakov Ruderman — pioneer in transplanting the classic Torah of the Lithuanian yeshivah world to America, in Yeshivah Ner Israel, Baltimore. photographs, left to right: • Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach — beloved posek and rosh yeshivahCover of Kol Top role row: R’ Elchonon Bunim Wasserman, R’ Yisrael Meir Kagan, Torah, Jerusalem, whose soft-spoken brilliance made him a magnet and R’ Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin. model for thousands.
Bottom row: R’ Yosef Chaim Shneur Kotler, R’ Zalman Sorotzkin,
Rabbi Asher Bergman, himself the grandson of one of our times, greatestR’Torah Gedaliah Schorr. giants, has outdone himself again. Like its predecessor, this book collects and presents Photo Credits: R’ Yosef Chaim Shneur Kotler, R’ Gedaliah Schorr: the wisdom of people whose thought and example inspire and invigorate countless Elite Photographers / Kalman Zeines Jews throughout the entire world. It will bring unbounded knowledge and pleasure to Cover design: By Eli Kroen at ArtScroll Studios, Brooklyn, NY everyone fortunate enough to make it part of his Seder or Pesach preparation. A masterpiece! BOOK THREE
T
The ArtScroll
HAGGADAH ROSHEI YESHIVAH OF THE
HAGGADAH THEOF ROSHEI YESHIVAH
W
heir very names inspire awe: Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer of Slutzk and Jerusalem; Rabbi Aharon Kotler of Kletzk and Lakewood; Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz of Mir and Jerusalem; Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky, the Steipler Gaon of Bnai Brak; Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky of Torah Vodaath; and ARTSCROLL Rabbi Moshe Feinstein of Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem! Cover photographs, left to right: Top row: R’ Yechezkel Abramsky, R’ Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik (Brisker Rav), Another year, another Haggadah. One often wonders what is left to say R’ Reuven Grozovsky. — but no one will ask that question about this monumental anthology. For Bottom row:FROM R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, R’ Yitzchok Yaakov Ruderman, R’ ILLUMINATING THOUGHTS the first time in English, this volume brings together the ideas and exposiYitzchok Hutner. MESORAH GREAT TORAH tions of six of the greatest luminaries of contemporary times, six revered and LEADERS Photo Credits: R’ Yitzchok Yaakov Ruderman: Morgan Studios; all others: M.D. Yarmish Archives. renowned roshei yeshivah, who, collectively, were the teachers and leaders Cover design: By Eli Kroen at ArtScroll Studios, Brooklyn, NY of tens, even hundreds of thousands of Jews, all over the world. First in Arzei HaLevanon, the Hebrew predecessor of this volume, and now ArtScroll® Mesorah Series here, their discourses on the Haggadah are collected and set forth with taste Published by and clarity. All of them were Torah geniuses, who saw lessons for today in the
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miracles of yesterday. To them, the Haggadah and the story of the Exodus ARTSCROLL were guideposts for life in every era. Their interpretations of the Haggadah are distinguished for depth, incisiveness, pure faith — and the profound depth that marked their authors as the Torah leaders of three generations. Their comments on the Haggadah are an all-embracing worldview base on the Torah and centuries of mesorah. Make these six roshei yeshivah your MESORAH Seder companions, and let them help you add meaning and flavor not only to the Seder night, but to all of Pesach — and all of the year!
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ILLUMINATING THOUGHTS FROM THIS CENTURY’S GREAT TORAH LEADERS
by Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin
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CHOL HAMOED
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By Yaffa Ganz
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THE ARTSCROLL CHILDREN’S HAGGADAH by Shmuel Blitz
2/27/07 9:34:24 AM
By Dovid Zucker and Rabbi Moshe Francis
here is excitement at the table. The children have taken their naps (or pretended to) and are carefully looking for the Afikoman’s hiding place. The littlest ones rise for the Mah Nishtanah, while the oldest ones glow with nachas. Generations are uniting at the Seder. Children ask and their parents tell them the story of Yetzias Mitzraim, the Exodus from Egypt; that is how the Torah formulated the commandment of the Seder. The Pesach Haggadah is based on the concept that parents must convey to their children the inspiring story of the great miracles of the Exodus. It is uniquely the book of continuity, the book of children, the book that represents parents building bridges from the world of the past to the building blocks of the Jewish future. This Haggadah will help make the Seder even better — even close to perfect. Shmuel Blitz, the popular children’s author, translates every word and explains the topics especially for young children. This Haggadah is filled with information, and Tova Katz has provided illustrations that are absolutely magnificent. The text and illustrations are carefully chosen with children in mind. With this Haggadah, every child will feel part of the Seder. It will elevate their Pesach — and yours, too. After all, the mitzvah of the Seder is to tell the story to the children, and with this Haggadah, the Seder will take on meaning to them as never before. (You may well find them teaching the Haggadah to you!) This is truly a lovely book and a valuable addition to your child’s library — and your own Seder. Don’t be without it!
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THE HAGGADAH OF THE ROSHEI YESHIVAH
by Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl
THE FESTIVALS IN HALACHAH
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Cover photographs, left to right: Top row: R’ Chaim Shmulevitz (M. D. Yarmish); R’ Isser Zalman Meltzer (National Orthodox Jewish Archives of Agudath Israel); R’ Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky, “The Steipler” (M. D. Yarmish). Bottom row: R’ Moshe Feinstein (Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem); R’ Aharon Kotler (Trainer Studio); R’ Yaakov Kamenetsky (Morgen Studios).
RAV NEBENZAHL HAGGADAH
“And it shall be that when your child will ask you …“ “And you shall tell your child on that day, saying…”
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BOOK TWO
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LAWS OF THE SEDER
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Tre’asury
A SEDER COMPANION WITH INSIGHTS AND INTERPRETATIONS FOR INSPIRATION AND RETELLING
3/6/01
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The Haggadah
MESORAH
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by Rabbi Yisrael Herczeg
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by Rabbi Yisroel Stein
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The Haggadah
הגדה זבח פסח
ABARBANEL HAGGADAH
D
on Yitzchak Abarbanel was a man who made his mark on Jewish scholarship and history. As finance minister to Ferdinand and Isabella in the Spain of Columbus and the Inquisition, he worked mightily to protect Jewish lives and interests in that historically hostile country. When the Jewish community was expelled, he led them out of the county in 1492, despite pleas from the king and queen that he accept a privileged status and remain at his post without compromising his Jewishness. But his enduring role in Jewish history lay in his writings. One of the earliest acharonim, he was a prolific scholar and interpreter. Abarbanel wrote one of the greatest and most extensive of all commentaries on the entire Scriptures, as well as on such other works as Pirkei Avos. One of his famous, treasured commentaries was on the Haggadah. In this adaptation, the reader studies the Haggadah as Abarbanel understood it. Utilizing his unique method of asking stimulating questions on which he focuses his commentary, Abarbanel combines the classic teachings of the Sages with his own insights, and presents them in such a way that they provide a clearer understanding of the turbulent times in which he lived. And on our times, as well. For just as the Torah is timeless, so it sheds light on every era and all conditions. This is one of the essential commentaries that clarifies every passage of the Haggadah and lets its illumination filter out to other areas of Torah and to the lives of its readers, in every country and age.
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by Rabbi Eli Mansour / Rabbi David Sutton
by Rabbi Berel Wein
by Rabbi Yoneh Weinrib
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Cover design: by Hershy Feuerwerker at ArtScroll Studios, Ltd. , Brooklyn, NY © 2003 Mesorah Publications, Ltd.
HAGGADAH ANTHOLOGY
ILLUMINATED HAGGADAH
LIGHTING UP THE NIGHT
by Rabbi Moshe Grylack
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by Rabbi Shalom Meir Wallach
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THE WASSERMAN EDITION
by Rabbi Joseph Elias
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he Pesach Seder is the time every year when — as we declare during the Hagaddah — we ourselves emerge from Egyptian slavery. Just as the event is timeless, so its manifestations should be studied and analyzed anew every year through the dual prisms of eternity and experience. For four generations, Sfas Emes has been described as “a mirror of the soul.” The work is based upon the Sabbath and Festival discourses of Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Alter of Gur, over a period of more than thirty years. Profound, scintillating, and pithy, it is incredibly rich in ideas. Great scholars marvel at it, saying that every time they review passages, even those they have seen many times before, they glean new insights. It has been aptly said that what one sees in Sfas Emes is a measure of one’s own spiritual station. But … the world of Sfas Emes has been closed to the vast majority of those who knock at its doors — because of a language barrier and the need for a road map through its complex and inspiring themes. Into this breach steps Rabbi Yosef Stern. His attempt to capture the essence of Sfas Emes’ thought on the themes of the Pesach Haggadah is a remarkable success. An exceptional Torah scholar and a student of Sfas Emes, Rabbi Stern has isolated the primary trails of thought from many hundreds of discourses and ties them together, topic by topic, into a commentary that is a joy to read, stimulating as well as informative. While the conceptualizations are his own, Rabbi Stern’s work has received the blessings of the Gerrer Rebbe שליט"אa noteworthy indication of the esteem in which the author is held. This work gives us a mirror by which to encounter ourselves. But it is more. It is an entry pass to the portals of some of the loftiest and most enlightening thought of the last century. Invite the ideas of Sfas Emes to your Seder — and give it a new dimension of richness.
SFAS EMES HAGGADAH
4/1/05 10:12:45 AM
Rav Shach Haggadah.HC
CHASSIDIC MASTERS HAGGADAH
with insights, halachic rulings and customs of
RABBI SHLOMO ZALMAN AUERBACH
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he Gra. The very name elicits feelings of awe as it conjures an image of towering Torah stature. From a small room in Vilna he shed illumination on every area of Torah. From halachah to kabbalah, Shulchan Aruch to Tanach, the Jewish people have been enriched by the Gaon of Vilna. Rabbeinu Avraham, his son and a major conduit for his teachings, amplifies his father’s ideas and brings them within the realm of our understanding. Schooled in his father’s method, Rabbeinu Avraham brings together all the streams of Torah knowledge to brighten the “night of redemption” with his Haggadah commentary the “Geulas Avraham.” These adaptations clarify and crystallize the major and minor themes of the Haggadah all the while exposing the reader to the very special derech of the Vilna Gaon. Eternal ideas with timeless applications will open your eyes and heart as you learn and relearn The Vilna Gaon Haggadah.
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הגדה זבח פסח
ISBN-10 0-89906-390-X ISBN-13 978-0-89906-390-4 90000
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by RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS
ABARBANEL HAGGADAH
BY
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הגדה של פסח עם פירוש מלוקט מספר שפת אמת
HAGGADAH
הגדה של פסח
VILNA GAON HAGGADAH
SFAS EMES
הגדה של פסח
ARTSCROLL
ELIAS
ARTSCROLL
A NEW AND GREATLY EXPANDED EDITION OF THE ACKNOWLEDGED CLASSIC
O
ne of the most beloved gedolim and leading poskim of our era, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach was revered by distinguished roshei yeshivah and rabbanim worldwide, and also by ordinary laymen and little children. A leader whose love for every Jew shone through in all of his teachings and practices, Rav Shlomo Zalman enriched all who had the merit to meet him. The original Hebrew version of this new masterpiece was enormously popular, especially in Israel, where so many people knew and revered him Reb Shlomo Zalman was born in Jerusalem and almost never left the Holy City. Although the world turned to him with halachic questions and he was the rosh yeshivah of Kol Torah, in his own neighborhood of Shaarei Chessed, he always deferred to the rav of the community. As great as he was in Torah, so was he great in humility. Now you, too, can become acquainted with this gadol through this outstanding compilation of his insights on the Haggadah and his halachic rulings regarding Pesach. A masterful blending of the notes and recollections of Rav Shlomo Zalman’s family and close disciples reveals his customs, halachic rulings and illuminating discussions of Aggadah. An inspirational wellspring of Torah thought, this volume details the rav’s approach to the season in law and custom from thirty days before Pesach through the last day of the festival. Rav Shomo Zalman’s explanations of the Haggadah will not only add depth to your Seder, they will enlighten you long after the Seder is over. And every year, as you reach for this Haggadah, you will experience the freshness of Rav Shlomo Zalman’s Torah life and renew your friendship with him once again.
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VILNA GAON
amban, or Nachmanides, is at the front rank of Torah commentators: leader of Spanish Jewry in the twelfth century, representative of the nation in historic debates with the Church fathers of Spain, pioneer in the restoration of Jerusalem’s almost extinct Jewish community, and — most of all, as the author of profound and premier commentaries on the Torah, Talmud, and other works. Ramban did not write on the Haggadah per se, but in the vast body of his writings, there is much that clarifies the themes of the Haggadah. Would it ever be brought together in the form of a continuous commentary? It remained for Yosef Israel to do so, and in this volume he does so magnificently. THE PASSOVER HAGGADAH WITH COMMENTARIES He has plumbed the entire corpus of the Ramban’s writings and THE VILNA GAON AND HIS SON R’ AVRAHAM extracted everything that pertains to the Haggadah. He does it seamlessly, so that the reader is hardly conscious of the fact that this is an anthology, rather than an original work. What is important is that here, for the first time, Ramban’s ideas on the Haggadah are available in one coherent, flowing whole. More works have been written on the Haggadah than on any other book in our literature — and for good reason. Every Seder is enriched by the presence of commentary after commentary, insight after insight. Now, thanks to the loving and thorough research of Yosef Israel, Ramban and his ideas move to the front rank of the genre.
With Ideas and Insights of the
ifku
הגדה של פסח
ISBN-10 1-57819-465-2 ISBN-13 978-1-57819-465-0 90000
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Haggadah
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ArtScroll Series®
RAMBAN HAGGADAH
R
הגדה של פסח
ince it first appeared nearly 25 years ago, the ArtScroll Haggadah by Rabbi Joseph Elias has been the most popular Haggadah of its kind, anywhere! With its broad variety of sources and excellent combination of thoroughness, reliability, accuracy, and good taste, it remains a staple of tens of thousands of Seder tables — and deservedly so! Now Rabbi Elias has produced the long-awaited new and expanded edition — with much new commentary on the second half of the Haggadah. Rabbi Elias has been known and revered for half a century as one of the Jewish community’s outstanding thinkers and educators. Among his students he was especially revered for the way he taught the Haggadah, presenting it with all its beauty and meaning. In his hands, the Haggadah became a sefer that speaks to all Jews, wherever they are. Indeed, This Haggadah fulfills the injunction that in every generation all Jews must view themselves as if they had emerged from Egypt. In his ArtScroll Haggadah, Rabbi Elias opens the doors of his classroom to tens of thousands of new and appreciative students. For all these years, the original Elias Haggadah was THE Haggadah for the Jewish home, and especially for everyone who wanted to set aside time to study and know the Haggadah. There are many other excellent Haggadahs, of course, but none better blends a clear elucidation of the text with the comments of the classic commentators across the centuries. Now, the magnificent Elias touch is expanded and refined even further. as a great Haggadah becomes bigger and better. Don’t miss it!
9 780899 063843
The
The Passover Haggadah with a commentary anthologized from the writings of Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman
the waSserman edıtıon
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MESORAH
by Rabbi Yaakov Wehl
The Judaica Imprint for Thoughtful People
by Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski M.D.
PASSOVER HAGGADAH / WITH TRANSLATION AND A NEW COMMENTARY BASED ON TALMUDIC, MIDRASHIC, AND RABBINIC SOURCES
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RABBI ABRAHAM J. TWERSKI, M.D.
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ISBN-10 0-89906-396-9 ISBN-13 978-0-89906-396-6 90000
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FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM HAGGADAH
The Pesach Haggadah with soulstirring stories and commentary
ArtScroll® Mesorah Series
T
he story of the Passover Haggadah is so familiar that nearly everyone who takes part in the Seder can recite it without a hitch. But, like all the Torah, the nuances of the Seder speak to different people in different ways. Passover is the story of freedom from the lash and chain and the exalted rise of a nation to the pinnacle of human achievement: the knowledge that the Divine Hand controls nature and the experience of Revelation at Sinai. However, not all pain is inflicted by the lash of a taskmaster and not all chains are clamped on by jailers. The Haggadah also addresses those who suffer from the slavery of an oppressive environment or, even more difficult, the sort of obsessive behavior that plagues many or most lives. The ultimate freedom is the ability to live constructively and happily; that is why the Sages of the Talmud teach that the truly free person is one who immerses himself in the Torah. In this volume, one of our generation’s most eminent interpreters of the Torah’s teachings regarding self-control and self-improvement uncovers the path to personal liberation in the timeless story of the Exodus. Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D., has an uncanny ability to know what troubles people and how to provide the balm for their hurt by combining the eternal wisdom of the Torah with the science of the mind. In this Haggadah, he takes each of us from the bondage of our personal “Egypts” to the promised land of self-fulfillment and joy in achieving our personal best.
9 780899 063966
9 781422 601068
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by Rabbi Yechiel Spero
THE HAGGADAH WITH ANSWERS
with a commentary illuminating the liberation of the spirit
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TOUCHED BY THE SEDER
n the familiar world of Haggadah literature, can there be something new under the sun? With every family’s Pesach shelf groaning under the weight of so many Haggadahs, can there be a new Haggadah that is materially different from the others? Or — in the parlance of Pesach — how is this Haggadah commentary different from every other Haggadah commentary? It is very different, very useful, and sure to be very popular and very widely consulted. Compiled by the noted Torah scholar, Rabbi Yaakov Wehl, this commentary is in question-and-answer form. It contains over two hundred questions on the Haggadah — the sort of questions that anyone might have asked, or wished he had asked. There is hardly a query on the Haggadah that is not included somewhere in this collection. The answers? They are drawn from the broad gamut of classic commentators, from their writings on the Torah, the Talmud, or the Haggadah. Virtually everything one could wish for is between the covers of this Haggadah. In its Hebrew version, Ki Yishal’cha Vin’cha, this commentary has had many printings and become a popular, standard text in America, Israel, and elsewhere. The English version is more than a mere translation. It takes the anthology of classic texts and explains them clearly and articulately. It sheds new light on many obscure parts of the Haggadah. This Haggadah will be a revelation even to accomplished scholars and veteran teachers. In it, Rabbi Wehl’s immense erudition and pedagogical skills are placed at the service of the broad Jewish public. It is a welcome service of great proportions.
The Passover Haggadah
ISBN-10 1-4226-0106-4 ISBN-13 978-1-4226-0106-8 90000
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HAGGADAH
The Family Haggadah Slipcased Set
Cover: Chazon Ish lithograph by Mrs. Mindy Greenspon
RAMBAN HAGGADAH jxp ka vsdv
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RAMBAN
The Family The Family Haggadah Haggadah Regular Edition Spanish Edition הגדה של פסח
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VILNA GAON HAGGADAH
THE FAMILY HAGGADAH
O
ne of ArtScroll/Mesorah’s favorite authors invites us to his Seder — and it’s sure to be an enjoyable, enlightening, and uplifting experience. Rabbi Yechiel Spero is the author of the very popular Touched by a Story series. He is a charismatic teacher and speaker — and this carries over to his writing. In addition, he has an extraordinary knack for choosing stories and ideas and presenting them with clarity and excitement. In this volume, Rabbi Spero teaches the Haggadah in his own inimitable manner. He presents classic ideas in addition to his own, and relates them to our own lives and era. And he flavors his commentary with beautiful stories, as only he can. The combination is a Seder plate piled high with Yom Tov treats for the mind and heart. The author comes to his task with outstanding qualifications. He is a conscientious classroom rebbi who actually teaches the Haggadah year after year, so he knows what works, motivates, and inspires. As an added plus, Touched by the Seder includes the classic ArtScroll translation and instructions, so that every participant understands what he or she is saying, what to do, and when to do it. Many very fine Haggadahs are available, but this one is unique. It will “touch” your Seder and every guest at your table. And you’ll want to read and enjoy it all through Pesach and even throughout the year.
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by Rabbi Nosson Scherman / Yitzchok Zev Scherman
by Rabbi Nosson Scherman / Rabbi Avie Gold
9 781422 615638
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The Soul of the Seder through stories and reflections
INTERLINEAR HAGGADAH
le Now availab in hardcover
by Rabbi Nosson Scherman / Rabbi Avie Gold
SPERO
ISBN-10 1-4226-1563-4 ISBN-13 978-1-4226-1563-8 90000
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Seif Edition
The Haggadah. It’s our story. Let’s make sure we tell it well.
eder night commemorates the greatest true story of all time — the night when Hashem, in His splendor, came down Himself, personally, to liberate His People, the Jews. It is the night of our miracles and our liberation. It’s the night of our stories. Rabbi Yechiel Spero — acclaimed educator, erudite Torah scholar, and, of course, gifted storyteller — tells some of those stories in this engaging new Haggadah that is certain to enhance our Sedarim. In his many bestselling books, Rabbi Spero does a masterful job of bringing Torah insights to life through unusual stories. Touched by Our Story includes his wide-ranging, stimulating commentary on the Haggadah and, of course, Rabbi Spero’s trademark true stories. The Four Sons come to life, in tales like that of the Rosh Yeshivah who played “jacks” with a youngster or the gadol ha’dor who insisted a yeshivah change its language to accommodate two students who genuinely wanted to learn. We hear what the Klausenberger Rebbe had to say at a Seder not long after his liberation, and are amazed at the connection between the plague of Frogs and the remarkable survival of two victims of a ghastly terror attack. Enlightening, engaging, and eye-opening, this is a Haggadah that will ensure a lively, meaningful, and enjoyable Seder for us, our guests, and — most important of all — our children, the next generation to tell the stories.
TWERSKI
Cover design: by Eli Kroen at ArtScroll Studios, Ltd., Brooklyn, NY © 2015 Mesorah Publications, Ltd.
by Our
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הגדה של פסח משעבוד לגאולה
הגדה של פסח
Touched Story
ECONOMIC ALLY PRICED HAGGADAH S FOR EVERYONE AT YOUR SEDER
THE ANSWER IS...
by Rabbi Chagai Vilosky
הגדה של פסח
ArtScroll® Mesorah Series
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MESORAH
by Rabbi Nosson Muller
Cover design: by Eli Kroen at ArtScroll Studios, Ltd. , Brooklyn, NY © 2006 Mesorah Publications, Ltd.
by Rabbi Dov Weller
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THE GENERATION TO GENERATION HAGGADAH
compiled by Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Shteinman
9 781422 614839
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Cover design by Shlomo Benzaquen, at ArtScroll Studios, Brooklyn, New York
RAV CHAIM KANIEVSKY HAGGADAH
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THE PANETH EDITION
ISBN-10 1-4226-1483-2 ISBN-13 978-1-4226-1483-9 90000
ISBN-10 1-4226-1565-0 ISBN-13 978-1-4226-1565-2 90000
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THE EISHES CHAYIL HAGGADAH
W
e’ve got the wine, the matzah, the stunning table settings. Now, all that’s missing to make the perfect Seder is… questions! Lots of questions! Chazal, the Jewish Sages, instructed that the story of the Exodus be told in question-and-answer style, reflecting the wording of the Torah’s commandment to relate the story, And it shall be when your son will ask you (Shemos 13:14). When a person asks a question, it shows that he is interested in hearing an answer, and he becomes an engaged participant in the discussion. The Pesach Haggadah: The Answer Is… generously fulfills this dictate, with over 1,000 answers to more than 300 questions! The Pesach Haggadah: The Answer Is… takes us through every facet of the Seder and the Passover story — the 4 sons, the 10 plagues, the unbelievable miracles of liberation, even the fascinating poem Chad Gadya that ends the Seder — by asking questions and offering answers. We see the Exodus through the eyes of luminaries such as Rambam and the Vilna Gaon, Rav Moshe Feinstein and the Belzer Rebbe, and literally hundreds more. Take a thoughtful question, give an intelligent and articulate answer, and you’ve got an interactive, dynamic and spirited experience. Multiply that by hundreds of questions and answers — and you have a Seder you will never forget.
Cover: Photo coutrtesy, Simcha Weinman Studios, 718/851-4962; Design: by Eli Kroen at ArtScroll Studios, Ltd. , Brooklyn, NY
Compiled by Rabbi Shalom Meir Wallach
TRANSLITERATED HAGGADAH
Here’s a Haggadah that makes a Seder interactive… and unforgettable
T
JUST A WEEK TO GO By Yeshara Gold Photos by Yaacov Harlap
Available at your local Hebrew bookseller or at www.artscroll.com • 1-800-MESORAH (637-6724)
38
MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
that his conversation with the Russian ambassador in December 2016, during the Trump transition, was being monitored. The issue was that Flynn lied to Vice President Pence and said that during that phone call he did not discuss sanctions of Russia, although he did, in fact, discuss the sanctions. Although he claimed that it was simply a case of bad memory, Mr. Trump asked him to resign. The phone call was monitored because it is routine for intelligence agencies to monitor foreign dignitaries’ calls. However, the law requires that the identity of any U.S. citizen “swept up” in these calls becomes classified and is required to be redacted. Yet, someone leaked to the media that Flynn was on the call and even provided a transcript of the call to the media. That is a federal crime. Comey and Rogers acknowledged that numerous Obama administration officials had access to that information and may have leaked it. Although Comey did not provide much information at the hearing, Washington heard the key word “investigation,” which in Washington speak means “even if nothing comes out of this, it is going to drag on for a really long time.”
The Nobit
On March 12, an obituary for Bob Eleveld was published in The Grand Rapids Press. Friends and family were shocked when they saw a photo of Bob peeking out from the obit pages. Bob, 80, is very much alive. Under his photo was a caption that read: “8/3/1936 – Not Yet.” Eleveld recently announced that in response to a dismal diagnosis from doctors, he decided to celebrate his life with friends and family and
scheduled his own memorial service – before his death. “Hel-’LO’! This is Bob Eleveld,” his obituary begins. “As I write this notice, I am still with you, although my doctors have informed me that this status will change in the near future. I have decided, however, to eschew the normal process of others celebrating my life after I die and, instead, would like to celebrate your lives with me.” He invited the “countless people who have influenced my life” to join him in the celebration. Come and “share a roast beef sandwich, some shrimp and a beer with – on me!” he urges. Eleveld’s “obit” is perhaps one of a kind. “Yes, this is unconventional, and yes some people think it’s a little weird,” Eleveld’s daughter, Kerry Eleveld, admitted. But she added that having an end-of-life party fits her father’s personality perfectly. “Long before he had cancer, he would always say, ‘Don’t throw a funeral for me. Have a party,’” she said. “This feels like the perfect way to honor my father, because it’s the way he wants to do it. It seems perfectly fitting.” She added, “We’re calling it the nobit.”
Green with Envy
Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but emeralds will make them green with envy. Next month, on April 25, the public will have the opportunity to own some of the most magnificent emeralds in the world. Guernsey’s auction house in New York will be putting the rare gems up for auction online. With more than 20 cut and raw stones and 13 spectacular pieces of jewelry, the rare emeralds on offer all come from a single collection that was compiled by emerald specialist Manuel Marcial de Gomar throughout his long career in the emerald industry. “Sought after for their rich color, regal history and identifiable look, emeralds are one of the most iconic gemstones in the jewelry industry,” Amanda Gizzi, a spokesperson for Jewelers of America, a New Yorkbased trade association, said. They are, interestingly, more rare than di-
amonds. Some of the gems on offer are from a collection of cut emeralds from the great Spanish shipwreck Nuestra Señora de Atocha, a galleon that sank off the Florida coast in 1622. The wreck is considered “the most valuable known shipwreck in history,” according to the catalog accompanying the sale, largely thanks to its numerous Muzo emeralds, which are prized for their deep, clear green color. When treasure hunter Mel Fisher set out to retrieve the galleon’s lost bounty in the 1980s, he hired Marcial to help him appraise the stones and jewels salvaged from the ship’s wreckage. Several of these stones, given to Marcial as payment for his work, are on offer in the Guernsey’s sale, and include the Nine Pillars of Andes, a group of nine rough stones totaling over 91 carats and carrying an estimated price of $2.5 million to $3.5 million, and the 4.39 carat Queen of the Sea, estimated to sell for $250,000 to $350,000. The 887-carat La Gloria gemstone, worth about $4-5 million, is also up for sale. It’s “one of the largest museum-quality emeralds in the world.” The Marcial de Gomar Star Emerald, the largest star emerald ever found – estimated to worth between $2-3 million – is notable for its double-sided cabochon, and one of only 11 star emeralds known to exist. It’s not just gemstones that are up for auction. The sale also features exquisite jewelry designed by Marcial. The Corona de Muzo, which features a 24.34-carat emerald from the wreck, includes smaller emeralds and diamonds (estimated to be worth $5-6 million). The Conquistadora, crafted of 889 diamonds and 35 emeralds, can be worn both as a necklace and as a tiara. Interested in some of these pieces? Although the auction is online, the gemstones can be viewed at the auction house until April 25. Sounds like a good place to head to on chol hamoed.
The Kid and 7 Carats Speaking of gemstones and places to head to on chol hamoed, if your kids like to dig and you’re interested in owning some more diamonds, head to the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. Just last week 14-yearold Kalel Langford hit pay dirt when
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
he unearthed a 7.44 carat diamond at the state park.
The gem was the seventh largest found since the park was established in 1972. How much is it worth? It’s not yet known. “It was just a few inches from a stream of water, with a bunch of other rocks that were about the same size,” Langford said. He named it “Superman’s Diamond” and will keep it as a souvenir of his serendipitous trip. The largest diamond ever discovered in the United States, the 40.23 carat “Uncle Sam,” was unearthed on the land in 1924. Start digging.
$10K for a Burger
Dubai is known for its over-thetop lifestyle and this week highlighted some of the extravagance. At the Eat Pink event in Dubai Mall on March 14, the Seven Emirates Burgerstack – made with aged cheddar, veal bacon, a saffron brioche burger bun with seven spices and burger sauce served alongside a milkshake – was sold for $10,000. The world’s most expensive burger was created by Pink Caravan ambassador Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Thani. Lest you think that people in Dubai have no concept of money, Asma Al Fahim, founder of a Dubai lifestyle magazine Villa 88, bought the burger, with the proceeds going for charity. “I have been an ambassador of Pink Caravan since the very beginning, and I am extremely honored to be here today,” Shaikh Al Thani
told Timeout Dubai. “Two years ago, we broke the world record by selling one burger for $7,000, and this year we wanted to top that.” Seven of Dubai’s top chefs including Mohamed Orfali from Fatafeat, Rief Othman of PLAY, named Restaurant of the Year at the Time Out Dubai Restaurant awards, as well as Colin Clauge from RUYA faced off at the event to surpass funds raised during the previous year. For those of you closer to home with a lot of cash to spend, the world’s most expensive burger on a restaurant menu is New York’s Serendipity 3’s Le Burger Extravagant, which is available all year-round for just $295. Kosher it’s not.
70th Birthday: 7 Marathons, 7 Continents, 7 Days Her name isn’t Forrest Gump but she just keeps on running. Chau Smith is 70-years-old and recently completed seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. With a hop, skip and a jump, Smith woke up in one city, ran a marathon and then boarded a plane to her next destination. The cities of Perth, Australia; Cairo; Amsterdam; Singapore; New York; Chile; and King George Island, Antarctica; felt the pounding of her feet. Smith is part of a travel group called Marathon Adventures and went the distance with nine other members. She took on the Triple 7 Quest as a way to celebrate her birthday.
Interestingly, according to Smith, her legal age is 67. When she was born in Vietnam, her mother went into hiding and her birth was not recorded for three years. The Triple 7 Quest was an extra special way to celebrate her real age. “As I approached my 70th birthday, I wondered what I could finish from my bucket list, so I decided to do
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the Triple 7 Quest,” Smith told HuffPost. Crossing this off her bucket list required massive amounts of preparation. Smith trained for eight months with a running coach, a physical therapist and a nutritionist to keep her in maximum shape. She worked on her pacing, so she would have stamina to complete the arduous trek. “It was never my intention to become a long distance runner, but the more I ran, the better I felt ... no matter how stressful my life has been or is running is the best therapy I’ve ever had,” Smith told HuffPost. “So, I’m hooked on running because I can clear my head and make better decisions.” Perhaps a new pair of sneakers would be a great birthday gift for this perfectly fit septuagenarian.
Cat Cologne
Love the smell of your cat? Wish you can smell her fur and other scents throughout the day? You can, thanks to a new fragrance released by Demeter Fragrance Library. The scent is called Kitten Fur and is manufactured to replicate the smell of the “PURRfect spot” just behind a kitten’s neck. “15 years in the making, we’ve captured the olfactory essence of warmth and comfort,” the company said. “Cat lover or not, this beautiful scent is sure to satisfy your curiosity!” The exclusive fragrance is available on Demeter Fragrance’s website in a variety of sizes and prices, ranging from a half-ounce cologne mini splash for $6 to a 4-ounce atmosphere diffuser oil for $25. Some of Demeter Fragrance’s other most popular scents include baby powder, gin and tonic, moon beam and cannabis flower. Sounds scent-sational.
Snake, the Masseuse
The hair salon is a place for relaxation and beauty. Go in for a haircut and come out looking like a new person. In Germany, however, one salon has an interesting way to get patrons to relax. Introducing Monty, a 13-year-old ball python who gives customers neck massages. According to Frank Doehlen, owner of the Haar Mode Team salon in Dresden, Monty began to give customers massages after Frank was inspired by a massage technique he witnessed on a recent trip to South Africa. Snakes don’t make you smile? Well, customers are clamoring for Monty’s special, slithering touch. Frank said he only schedules the snake massages two days a week – “only by appointment” – and brings his terrarium to the salon when he comes to work. Monty is four-feet-long and his body is 90 percent muscle. “I often have a tense neck as a chimney sweep. Monty’s powerful way has done a lot of work. I’ll be back!” customer Flora Magdalena enthused. Sure hope Monty is well-fed before he heads to work.
Noam sanctified his feet by running to the door; not to escape, but to sacrifice himself to save everyone else. Page 82
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Community
Talmidim at the Harriet Keilson Early Childhood Center of Yeshiva Darchei Torah prepare for Pesach
Magic Al at HALB Lev Chana
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he chanting for Magic Al grew louder and louder as the children of HALB Lev Chana Early Childhood Center eagerly waited for the hilarious antics of this muchloved performer. Laughter exploded from the SKA Auditorium where children and morot, dressed in a multitude of colorful costumes l’chvod Shushan Purim, enjoyed watching excited volunteers being called up to assist Magic Al as he produced magical bananas, a kissing dove, and a moving, talking drawing of Olaf. All were charmed with Magic Al’s gentle and warm humor. A lovely time was had by all.
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
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Rabbi Yaakov Bender being mechazek and inspiring the young men of Harmony Services, Kinor David, last week
Above and Beyond Bnos Bais Yaakov’s 23Rd Annual Dinner
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he BBY dinner simply went “Above and Beyond” everyone’s expectations. The Sands at Atlantic Beach was overflowing with grateful parents, dedicated faculty and the proud families and friends of all the worthy honorees. The draw of those being honored was irresistible. The principals of all divisions in BBY and TMM were lauded for their insistence on the highest academic standards and devotion to each individual talmidah. For any parent who has had a child under the care of Morah Yehudis Oppen, Morah Devorah Kurland, Morah Penina Neuberg, Mrs. Surela Koening, Mrs. Esther Kuessous, Mrs. Adina Mandel, Mrs. Ruchie Sokoloff
and Mrs. Chaya Gornish, this was a perfect opportunity to express their heartfelt hakaras hatov. This past Sunday evening was a chance for close to 600 people to pay tribute to the honorees, principals and school who all go “Above and Beyond” for each precious student. The dinner was emceed by Mr. Adam Goller. In consonance with the dinner policy of keeping the program succinct, a meaningful speech was delivered by BBY’s Executive Director, Rabbi Ephraim Blumenkrantz. His moments at the podium were filled with “passion and fire,” as he described the faculty and the philosophy behind every successful BBY student.
Guests of Honor Mr. and Mrs. Elie and Cindy Becker – devoted to family, Limud Torah, and communal chassadim – brought honor to BBY. Their acceptance of this award and their fourteen years of involvement in BBY speaks volumes about the relationship between the Beckers and BBY. Kesser Shem Tov Awardees Mr. and Mrs. Zalmy and Michelle Schiowitz do, in fact, wear the crown of a distinguished status in our community. They have earned that crown by being extraordinary friends to BBY and by their involvement in other institutions – all in the most unassuming ways. Parents of the Year Rabbi and Mrs. Baruch and Sarah Rivka Rothman
have shown us by example that one can be a community activist, in the public eye, as well as “below the radar” and family need not be secondary to their involvements. The Rothmans balance it all magnificently. The videos of the Honorees highlighted their accomplishments, their hakaras hatov to BBY/TMM, and the beautiful ways they are thought of in our community, and the segment describing the principals was emotional, touching, and poignant. May BBY/TMM go from strength to strength in Chinuch, Caring, and Connecting.
Pre-Pesach Night for Women: Inspiration and Boutique Understanding Emunah and Bitachon through a Personal Story of Tragedy and Triumph
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his coming Tuesday, March 28, the Gesher Early Childhood Center is proud to host an evening of Pesach preparation, spiritually and aesthetically, for the women and young ladies of our community. Over the last several years Gesher has had the opportunity to team with many talented educators and related service providers. Mrs. Kira Schuckman, an accomplished neighborhood speech therapist, has enhanced the
Gesher program in many ways. Besides for her high level of professionalism and her cheerful demeanor, she also inspires all who know her and her story. Many yeshivas and organizations have engaged Mrs. Schuckman to express her personal accounts and the lessons in bitachon that she is able to share. A penetrating episode will actually appear in the coming issue of Ami Magazine, presented by Rabbi Yoel Gold. Her story is a lesson in geulah and is a perfect tool to put
oneself into the proper mindset for Pesach. But, as we all know, Pesach preparations come in many forms. To complement the presentation Gesher will be offering other Pesach-related items. A makeup boutique, including many kosher for Pesach items, will be available by Mrs. Batya Wiesner. Mrs. Wiesner is a professional makeup artist, as well as a Gesher parent. Additionally, a jewelry boutique will be
presented by Topaz and Ruby. The event is arranged l’iluy nishmas Mrs. Schuckman’s mother, Leah bas Tzvi Hersh a”h. There is no fee to attend. Mrs. Schuckman has graciously offered to present in appreciation for the tremendous work that she sees being done by the Gesher administration and staff. For more information about this event or other events and services provided by Gesher please visit www. gesher-ecc.org.
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Around the Community
Rambam Alumni Join YU Semicha Celebration
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ambam Mesivta was proud be present and witness seven of its graduates being honored with semicha as part of Yeshiva University’s latest class of 130 newly ordained rabbis. The Rambam Musmachim were: Rabbi David Block, Rabbi Yaakov Grossman, Rabbi Dovi Hochbaum, Rabbi Yossi Jacobs, Rabbi Yair Menchel, Rabbi Gabi Weinberg, and Rabbi Eli Weisenfeld. Some of the group will lead communities, others will teach, and yet others will enter the fields of medicine, law, psychology, or business. According to Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, “Today’s event was truly a celebration for the Jewish community at large. We watched the next generation of young men begin the process
L-R: R’ Bergman, R’ Grossman, R’ Wiesenfeld, Dr. Borenstein, R’ Weinberg, R’ Hochbaum, R’ Menchel, R’ Jacobs, and R’ Friedman
of leadership for the benefit of all. In particular we have tremendous nachas from the Rambam graduates who we know will play an instrumental role in being mekadesh shem “hamayim.” The Rambam alumni were joined by Rabbi Sammy Bergman who teach-
es in Rambam, and Dr. Borenstein, parent of Rambam alumnus Yaacov Class of 2008. One of the highlights of the program was the presentation of a Sefer Torah to Rav Herschel Schachter, to recognize and thank him for 50 years
of harbotzas Torah to over 5,000 talmidim at Yeshiva University. The program was punctuated with inspirational video, music and celebratory dancing as the musmachim and their families joined the roshei yeshiva on this special occasion.
This Purim, OHEL Brought Happiness & Warmth to Hundreds
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urim at OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services started over a month ago at OHEL Bais Ezra’s Day Hab Programs. Together with their staff, OHEL individuals made and packaged almost one thousand mishloach manot. This was part of OHEL’s Gifts@Work Program, an initiative aimed at providing employment training and independent living skills to adults with disabilities. Purchasing mishloach manot from OHEL provided a helping hand to OHEL’s individuals, including them in the workforce and Jewish community at large. It was hard work, but everyone had a lot of fun!
Purim festivities started with a lively Pre-Purim party for individuals with mental illness who attend OHEL’s Kadimah PROS program. In a relaxed and fun environment, individuals socialized, enjoying great food and good conversation. The fun at OHEL Bais Ezra’s Day Hab programs continued with Purim lunches on Friday and Monday as everyone gathered together in costumes to share in the Purim joy. On Purim night, across many OHEL residences in Brooklyn and Long Island, the Megillah was read and residents celebrated the Purim miracles with their friends and families. We were finally ready for Purim Day!
The diversity of OHEL individuals served was reflected in the assortment of different Purim costumes seen. From penguins and clowns, to a bottle of mustard, OHEL’s individuals fulfilled all of Purim’s special mitzvot. Mishloach manot were delivered, matanot le’evyonim were given, and delicious Purim feasts were enjoyed with staff, families and friends. And the fun didn’t stop on Shushan Purim. While most people had already finished their delivery of mishloach manot and had started to clean for Pesach, OHEL’s Adult Mental Health program was just getting started with an amazing Purim party. This was no
slapdash affair – the food was a catered meal from a generous sponsor, with dancing, music and an OHEL trivia game. Awards and prizes were given out for best costume and best dancer as the night culminated in a sumptuous dessert. Says Yitz Ellman, OHEL’s Director of AMHS, “While we measure the progress our clients make via their goals on treatment plan, this Purim party is another area where progress is witnessed in action. It gives us tremendous nachas to see the relative ease within which clients are able to fully participate in this event. If you just walk into this party off the street, it feels just like any other Simcha...the way it should be.”
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
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JCCRP Legislative Breakfast: Celebrating 45 Years of Outstanding Service PHOTO CREDIT: HERSHEL BARON
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his past Sunday, over 500 people showed their staunch support for the Jewish Community Council of Rockaway Peninsula (JCCRP). The annual legislative breakfast, held Sunday morning, March 19th at the White Shul, was a roaring success. From high ranking politicians
to local community members and our very own clients who benefit from our services day in and day out, people from all walks of life came to express their appreciation and gratitude for the all-encompassing nature of the work done at the JCCRP. The breakfast opened up with the
MC of the event, Mordechai Zvi Dicker, JCCRP Board President, asking Rav Eytan Feiner to deliver the opening remarks. Aryeh Gibber, JCCRP Board Member, presented the Community Service Award to Seasons Supermarket. Aryeh praised Seasons and Mayer Gold. “Seasons as the growing
family of community supermarkets that provides the warmest kosher shopping experience. But Seasons is much more than a supermarket, it’s an integral member of the communities it serves – providing support, assistance and in-store giving opportunities to ensure the success of vital local orga-
• Focus on the complete person • Seminary Credits accepted in major • Stimulating and challenging courses universities that speak to the heart and mind • Extracurricular Programs under direction • Warm atmosphere with expert of Mrs. Yocheved Shonek mechanchim and mechanchos
In Memory of
Mrs. Rose Edelman
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
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Around the Community
nizations, such as the JCCRP. Whether it’s through Seasons-sponsored events, donations of food, time and supplies, hands-on employee volunteer opportunities or the support of individual staff efforts on behalf of various organizations, Seasons creates an atmosphere of giving and support and is the very definition of a good neighbor. It is for these reasons that it gives me great pleasure to present Seasons Supermarkets – a role model for all businesses – with this year’s JCCRP Community Service Award.” Yoni Dembitzer, JCCRP Vice President and Police Liaison, presented the Humanitarian Award to Officer Lynn Blanchette of the 101 Precinct here in Far Rockaway. Lynn joined Police Officer Campbell in the Community Affairs office where she now holds the title of Community Affairs Officer. Lynn was applauded for her courage and commitment to the community
as she has devoted herself to ensuring our safety. Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato presented her mother, Audrey I. Pheffer, with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato lauded her mother for everything she had done for the community. The Honorable Audrey Pheffer was our local assemblywoman serving the 23rd district from 1987 to 2011. Audrey ensured that the JCCRP and all local institutions received the necessary funding to support our community. The current JCCRP building was purchased with state funding that Audrey secured. The JCCRP and the community at large is eternally grateful for her support and friendship. Richard Altabe, JCCRP Chairman, announced the naming of the JCCRP Public Service Award in honor of Audrey Pheffer and then called on Devorah Pelman to present the new
award. Devorah Pelman, JCCRP CFO & Board Member, presented the newly named Audrey Pheffer Public Service Award to Dr. Camesha Grant. Dr. Grant, the Vice President for Community Connections and Reach with Food Bank for New York City, was praised for spearheading many more projects, initiatives and funding to the JCCRP and many other local institutions. Councilman Donovan Richards, Jr. presented The City Legislative Leadership Award to Councilmember Eric Ulrich of District 32. Eric was praised for his strong advocacy for Hurricane Sandy victims, delivering rapid relief and resources following the storm, and helping cut through the bureaucratic red tape on behalf of his constituents who are still struggling to rebuild their homes. Councilman Ulrich has always been a staunch supporter of the JCCRP and most recently increased funding to help support the
growing Kosher Client Choice Food Pantry. The Legislative Breakfast is one of the few occasions during the year in which the local Jewish community has the opportunity to come together and demonstrate our strength as a community to the elected officials, city and state agencies and other groups with whom we relate. This was an opportunity for us to thank individuals who have rendered services to the Jewish community. This event could not have taken place without the tireless efforts of Barbara Satt and the entire JCCRP team. We would like to thank those members of our community whose attendance and participation was the best advertisement for our community and a source of encouragement for the many individuals and institutions that work together with the JCCRP to make our community an even better place to live.
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Around the Community
Bais Tefila of Inwood to Host 8th Annual Dinner By Chaim Homnick
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ext Sunday, March 26, Bais Tefila of Inwood hosts its eighth annual dinner. The event will take place in the Inwood Country Club. The honorees are Avi and Sarah Wohlgelernter and Shaya and Effie Sussman; both couples are prominent
members of the shul who are being recognized for their significant contributions to the growth of the shul and the community at large. Inwood, one of the Five Towns, has put itself on the map with its dynamic growth over the last few years. Recently, the 100th frum family closed in Inwood and many families are eager to join the upstart community with its
sterling reputation as a welcoming kehilla of young, close-knit families. Bais Tefila of Inwood has been a driving force in Inwood’s overall growth as its membership has increased yearly since its inception. The shul started in a basement eight years ago with a handful of families and a vision. It has since grown into a vibrant shul under the leadership of its
esteemed Rav, Rabbi Pinchos Weinberger, and its board of motivated, passionate volunteers. Pinny Ackerman, the shul president, stated that, “BTI’s growth is a testament to the families who’ve been here from the beginning as well as to the new families who move in and immediately devote themselves to the klal. The Wohlgelernters and Sussmans epitomize the ethos of our shul and what we are trying to accomplish as a community.” For more info about Inwood or to participate in the dinner campaign go to inwoodshul.com.
PI Day was Perfect!
Malkie Derdik and Gabriella Herman
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ue to last week’s snow day, Pi Day 2017 was celebrated on Pi + 0.01, but a day late did not take the fun out of the celebration! In advance of the day, students at Shulamith were asked to memorize the digits of pi. Seventh grader Gabriella Herman came in first, with an impressive recitation of over 150 digits, while eighth grader Malkie Derdik was a close second. An interesting slideshow, presented by eighth graders Jenny Lifshitz and Priva Halpert, shared some facts about pi and Albert Einstein, whose birthday happens to be 3/14. Teachers got into the fun, participating in a math competition. Thanks to Mrs. Goldberg, Mrs. Markowitz, Morah Chana, and Morah Fishman for being good sports. The day ended on a sweet note thanks to Strausses’ bakery, who donated chocolate pies for all to enjoy.
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The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
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Exploring our Roots
Camp fun t c a ivities focus on ls social skilos and mid nt e developm
sensory fun
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Daily swim Nursery boys and girls Kindergarten girls Dates: June 28 - August 16
Morah D’vora Weinberg camp director D’vora’s art world / Ms Ed
347.446.6521 Campkiddieland@gmail.com
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his past Sunday, more than sixty third graders at Shulamith School for Girls participated in this year’s production of “Finding Our Roots: A Journey Home.” Written and directed by Rina C. Hirsch (Drama for Life!), the program integrates both Judaic and general studies curriculum into a multi-media production. The
program focuses on the “roots” of the girls and their ties to Eretz Yisrael. Students also presented their families with family trees and scrapbooks, with research done on their families and the countries they came from. Over thirty countries were represented in a magnificent montage about the students’ family roots.
Tess Kaylie A”H Memorial Yom Iyun
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ast Wednesday, the entire school of Har Torah participated in the Tess Kaylie Memorial Yom Iyun, in honor of Tess Kaylie’s yahrtzeit. The school day included special inter-grade learning and grade-appropriate activities, shiurim, and projects. In the evening, Mr. Harvey Kaylie – who along with his wife Gloria are Yeshiva Har Torah benefactors – came to address parents and middle school
students about his mother and about the endowment fund being dedicated in her legacy. After introductions by Sam Herskowitz, president, and Rabbi Menchel, menahel, and Mr. Kaylie’s remarks, the students joined with visitors from OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services to decorate and fill mishloach manot and then enjoyed singing and dancing together, along with Mr. Kaylie.
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
Pesach 5777 With Guide Rabbi Aryeh A. Leifert
Thursday April 13, 2017
What's a Green Line? HebrontoBetShemesh
Start the day at Ma'arat Hamachpela, open in its entirety
Special Discount for Lone Soldiers Cost includes armored transportation, guide, entry fees, tastings. Trip departs promptly at 8:15am from the Liberty Bell Parking Lot (behind the Sonol Gas Station) and returns approximately 6:00 pm
for the Jewish holiday. Leave Passover nosh at Beit Hashalom's Pina Chama for our soldiers. See the security room in Kiryat Arba and how One Israel Fund protects the communities. At Adora on the strategic Trans Judean highway; enjoy your own picnic lunch then tour the town. On to Beit Shemesh and the Israel Police Heritage Center. End the day with Passover apple cider and hard lemonade at Buster's Cider, open specially for One Israel Fund. Cost: $60 adult / $50 student learning in Israel (225/190 shekels)
FOR RESERVATIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION visit www.oneisraelfund.org/daytrips email to daytrips@oneisraelfund.org or call: In US: Ruthie Kohn 516.239.9202 x10 In Israel: Sarah Tacher 050-587-7710 *Itinerary subject to change due to security, weather and/or other considerations.
Building and Securing the Heartland of our Nation
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MAY Engineering Students Visit NY Rehabilitative Services
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esivta Ateres Yaakov boasts a host of different elective options for its talmidim. Among them is the very popular CIJE (Center for Initiates in Jewish Education) Engineering Program. Students in the two year course learn engineering concepts ranging from simple constructs to robotics. The course culminates each year at the CIJE Engineering Fair, which will be held at the New York Hilton. Last week, a group of MAY engineering students took a field trip to New York Rehabilitative Services, a Lawrence-based prosthetics and orthotics facility. Organized by the class’s instructor, Mr. Pinchas Fiber, an alumnus of MAY, students met with CPOs Michael Nadata and Emanuel Kashi, and Chief Engineer Michael Sperber. Mr. Nadata described the process of fab-
ricating prosthetic limbs and the amazing feeling of having “patients come to the office in wheelchairs and walk out after being fitted with their prosthetics.” Student witnessed the technology processes involved in creating a custom-fitted prosthetic limb: 3D scans, machining, mechanics, and testing. The incredible staff walked students through the office from location to location, explaining each and every step of the process, and demonstrating the digital scanning and fitting steps on a student volunteer. “These field trips help our students see firsthand how their engineering lessons relate to real-world challenges,” commented Assistant Principal Rabbi Yossi Bennett, who accompanied the class on the trip. “Students walked away feeling that this could be a
very viable field for them to pursue.” The Mesivta very much
Meah Brachos Winners
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hese boys were winners in the Meah Brachos contest. The boys kept track for two weeks of the 100 brachos they made daily with the charts on the meahbrachos. com site. Pictured here are Yeshiva Ketanah rebbeim Rabbi Eisikovic and Mordechai Cywiak, Dov Pultman, Jobe Silver, and Moshe Simai. DRS Rabbi Cooper’s and Rabbi Erlbaum’s class is also pictured. On a regular weekday a person recites 90 brachos from Shacharis, Mincha, and Maariv and can com-
plete the remaining 10 brachos between meals and personal needs. On Shabbos it is a little harder to complete the 100 brachos as you only recite 80 brachos between davening and all meals. The remaining 20 brachos can be completed with extra food and brachos from the Torah. The only day a person completes 100 brachos just from davening is Rosh Chodesh Iyar and Sivan. The boys received a raffle ticket for each day completed and two tickets for Shabbos.
appreciates New York Rehabilitative Services taking time out of their day to educate
their students and thank the entire staff for being so accommodating.
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The DRS Varsity Hockey team defeated Frisch in the championship game this past Sunday. The game marked the 13th consecutive year that a DRS hockey team has appeared in at least one hockey championship game.
Grand Opening of Bais Torah U’Tefilah West Hempstead
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ais Torah U’tefilah of West Hempstead opened its new doors this past Shabbos, and the results were memorable. Besides the large standing room only crowd that attended, the tefillos were truly inspiring. The singing and ruach which was in the air represented the heartfelt hakaros hatov which everyone had to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for helping make this day possible. Bais Torah U’tefilah (BTU) was established in November 2014 and has been operating out of the basement of Rabbi Uri and Rebbetzin Lesser since its inception. The shul was able to find a new building and completed renovations this past week. The move was inevitable as the fast growing
kehillah ran out of space in the basement quickly. More and more young couples have been looking for a place to settle and have made West Hempstead their home. West Hempstead is a very affordable community, with all the amenities needed, and has an “out of town” feeling as well. This has made the town very popular over the past number of years. Now with the opening of another shul, there are even more options and places to daven than before. The shul has been embraced by the local rabbanim, as was seen by their presence at the Kiddush after davening. Even Rabbi Yehuda Kelemer, Morah D’asra of YIWH, who is still recovering from his accident (early December) made sure to send
a letter of divrei bracha to be read on Shabbos. Rabbi Lesser spoke about the name of the shul, Bais Torah U’tefilah, and how now the kehillah has its own building to fulfill its name and create an environment filled with both Torah and tefillah, not just on Shabbos but also during the week. Already by Shabbos afternoon, numerous people were coming to learn in the new Bais Medrash. Bais Torah U’tefilah is a family-oriented shul. Over the past couple of years, even without the advantages of a building, they have managed to put together many programs for all. There is a vibrant N’shei of over 30 women, Shabbos afternoon groups for girls, and Avos U’banim in the
winter for the boys. The building will now give them more opportunities not just to enhance the davening and learning but to allow more programming for the youth as well. Bais Torah U’tefilah is a Nusach Sefard Shul, the only one in West Hempstead. This has made it a top choice for many both young and old who are more comfortable with that nusach. But what has made Bais Torah U’tefilah successful is its blend of both warmth and seriousness. This unique characteristic has given its congregants the platform to grow in ruchniyos while maintaining a family atmosphere for all.
Education Redefined: Teachers Become Students First
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s Shulamith High School for Girls grows and prepares to add an eleventh grade this fall, teachers from all over are learning: how do Shulamith HS teachers teach? Prospective new faculty sit in on classes before they even begin their interview process. SHS classrooms’ have been buzzing with visiting teachers all week. Shulamith High School knows that recruiting charismatic, creative and engaging teachers is important and they seek to hire the best in the field. Inspiring and motivating teens requires both talent and skill. They have approached teaching with the same sophistication and planning
that corporations would with any leadership training. They have developed an extensive training institute – from a summer induction program to weekly professional development meetings and individual teacher mentoring. In this way, faculty model academic growth to students by becoming lifelong learners themselves. Teachers participate in classes, workshops and other continuing education opportunities in order to stay at the forefront of the ever-changing educational landscape. New teachers receive ongoing mentoring through highly trained Shulamith veteran teachers through the Jewish New
Teachers Project. Teachers work with mentors and with one another to ideate, innovate and develop educational experiences for our students which inspire them to continually challenge themselves to explore new horizons. So inspired to learn, many teachers will attend summer courses to further their professional development growth including AP Institutes, The Broadway Teachers Workshop and the Hebrew University’s Legacy Teachers Heritage Institute. This week’s Parshat HaChodesh, Hashem tells Moshe, See First, Then Sanctify, teaching us that one must learn first and only then can teach and inspire others. Good teaching
starts first with good learning. What a lesson for us all.
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Around the Community PHOTO CREDIT: NAFTOLI GOLDGRAB
MAY Dinner – Shaping the Future, Today
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esivta Ateres Yaakov held its annual dinner this past Monday evening, March 20 at the Sands in Atlantic Beach. The Yeshiva celebrated with parents, alumni, and friends who came to pay tribute to an institution that encompasses a community high school, a yeshiva gedolah, a kollel, and a growing community kehillah. The honorees included Guests of honor Yakov & Nechama Goodstein, Parents of the Year Yankee & Tammy Hirsch, and Harbotzas Torah Awardee Rabbi Yehuda Horowitz. Attendees at the dinner also paid tribute to the memory of a dear friend and former co-president of the
Mesivta, Mr. Robbie Schonfeld, a”h. A scholarship fund was established at the dinner in Robbie’s memory, perpetuating his legacy and shem tov. The overflow crowd at this year’s dinner paid tribute to the Yeshiva’s mission of catering to the individuality of each talmid. It was noted frequently by the honorees that the rabbeim and faculty of Ateres Yaakov have a keen ability to help each talmid succeed and that support extends well beyond graduation, continuing throughout a talmid’s life. Ateres Yaakov is steadfast in its mission of educating its talmidim with a focus on their future beyond the Mesivta years. Each and every talmid is cultivated and
Yakov and Nechama Goodstein accepting the Guests of Honors Award
Rabbi Yehuda Horowitz, Mashgiach Ruchani, accepting the Harbotzas Torah Award
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Mrs. Judy Schonfeld receiving a commemorative plaque Yankee and Tammy Hirsch accepting the Parents of the Year Award
Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe, Menahel, addressing the crowd
MAY seniors together with Rabbi Bennett & Rabbi Rudansky
Purim Seudah for Israel’s Soldiers
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n the weeks leading up to the holiday of Purim, the students at the Samuel and Elizabeth Bass Golding HANC Elementary School in West Hempstead have been thinking about the brave soldiers in Israel. The children purchased scratch-off cards, with the proceeds going to pay for food that would provide a Purim seudah for soldiers in active duty in Israel. In this way, even the soldiers that could not go home for Purim were able to par-
take in a delicious Purim meal. Many soldiers throughout Israel benefitted from the HANC students’ fundraising. When they heard that yeshiva children from HANC on Long Island were thinking of them and provided for this holiday meal, their faces lit up! Giving the soldiers in Israel a chance to celebrate when they were so far from home gave the students at HANC a very good feeling that they can help Israel – even from this far away!
encouraged by the rabbeim and faculty to become a confident, capable, well-rounded ben Torah. The MAY dinner also focused on the progress of the Mesivta’s expansion project. As a flourishing, and growing community institution, Mesivta Ateres Yaakov has outgrown its present building. To accommodate the various classes, programs and activities, both within the school itself, as well as for the community at large, MAY is working to complete
an expansion to its current campus. Classrooms for the senior grades, a state-of-theart sports facility, advisement offices, an advanced computer lab, an off-street drop-off, and a student recreation lounge are among the facilities planned. The event was enhanced by the presence of many prominent rabbanim and community leaders. Many local public officials attended the event including Village of Cedarhurst mayor Benjamin Weinstock, Councilman Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos, Councilman Anthony P. D’Esposito, and Town of Hempstead administrator Avi Fertig. Mr. Mark Gold, president and an alumni parent, said, “Ateres Yaakov thanks all of those who attended, as well as the many who worked so hard to make the event a great success – especially the Dinner Chairmen Eli Eisenberger and Menachem Lieber.”
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Students Participate in Meaningful Trip to Albany
By Sarah Kopyto, grade 11
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he students in an AP Political Science class at HAFTR High School had the privilege of participating in a “Mission to Albany” on Wednesday, March 1. During this trip, students lobbied for greater funding for STEM education in nonpublic schools. The trip was organized by Teach NYS, a program dedicated to strengthening the nonpublic school community and ensuring that all children have the opportunity to receive a strong religious and secular education. HAFTR students boarded the coach bus at 7:30am and arrived in Albany four hours later at The Egg, a performing arts venue in Capitol Hill. The students were quickly ushered
into the auditorium, where many other yeshiva high school students from HANC, Flatbush, Shulamith, and more waited. The students heard presentations by a number of speakers, including Mr. Allen Fagin, executive vice president and CEO of the Orthodox Union, and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Mr. Fagin discussed the importance of the mission, and how our presence in Albany sends a strong message of our commitment to nonpublic schools. The New York governor then spoke about his dedication to the cause and denounced the sudden rise in anti-Semitism in America, noting his upcoming trip to Israel to talk about these issues with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Schools were then divided into
smaller groups for varying activities, with HAFTR heading to a tour of New York State Capitol. The first stop on the tour was the Senate Chamber, the upper house in the New York State Legislature; the Chamber consists of 63 members, sitting in a semi-circle, presided over by the President of the Chamber. The room itself is elaborately adorned with huge marble pillars, 24-karat gold lining, and carefully handcrafted designs. The next stop was the Assembly Chamber, the lower house in the New York State Legislature, which consists of 150 members, presided over by the Speaker of the Assembly. The room has a similar structure to the Senate, though the room is larger and is adorned with a huge chandelier. HAFTR students
then participated in a Kahoot activity, where they answered questions about Judaism. After lunch, the students were able to meet with Mr. John J. Flanagan, Temporary President of the New York State Senate, in his personal conference room. Here, students had the opportunity to ask the state senator questions regarding the difficulty of working together and compromise, and how he is doing all he can to make sure that nonpublic schools get what they need. After picking up dinner, students headed home, feeling exhausted but satisfied with the excitement and productivity of the trip. Everyone had a really great time, and we are looking forward to visiting Albany and Capitol Hill again sometime in the future.
Bot around a mat to find Shabbat pictures. We then created an algorithm (list of steps) with picture cards. BeeBot helps our young students with directional language, planning ahead, and sequencing. At HAFTR we are committed to bringing developmentally appropri-
ate STEM skills to even our youngest learners. We believe children should be prepared for the workplace of the future, and that workplace of the future will demand individuality, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.
Technology @ HAFTR Preschool
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AFTR has created a very special iPad lab for our preschool classes. Using Krayon Kiosks that hold four iPads each, the children work on apps that are selected for their educational value: numbers, letters, shapes, patterns, sequencing, and following directions just to name a few. More importantly, these apps are used to promote problem-solving skills. It is amazing to watch our littlest techies use their intuitive skills to figure out how to use a new app. Open ended apps like Doodle Buddy and Moma Art Lab support our youngest students creative side. Our littlest techies are encouraged to play and help each other. This is not only an important preschool skill but paves the way for collaboration in the workplace. We are very excited to begin our students’ path to computer literacy at the age of three! Our four-year-old classes are all
equipped with projectors and Apple TVs. Teachers are using this technology to introduce new letters with ABCMouse and movement activities with Go Noodle. Each class has its own iPads for students to use at center time. Our young techies are exploring educational apps for the alphabet, numbers, and creativity. A favorite app is Animal Flashcards which uses Augmented Reality technology to reinforce letter recognition. Our young students are even learning to use the camera to document their building skills in the block corner. In technology class our four-yearolds are learning computer science skills with the help of Bee-Bot, an adorable coding robot. Did you know Bee-Bot doesn’t speak English or Hebrew? He only knows the language of computers: code! Our little techies love playing with their first robots. Students press buttons to move Bee-
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
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A Week at Yeshiva of Central Queens
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n Friday, leading into Purim, the students of YCQ attended a grand Purim Carnival run by the grade 8 students and sponsored by the PTO, complete with rides, games, prizes, popcorn and cotton candy. Students and faculty in costumes filled the halls and gym with laughter and excitement while parent volunteers roamed the school handing out beautiful shaloch manot packages made entirely of Israeli products to all faculty. Several of the more advanced JHS boys have been working on Java, a more general computer language program in computer class. They are learning loops and logic combining
technology and math concepts. The STEM club-SET3 students learned about the molecular structure of polymers and the use of ratios in science by creating their own slime and bouncing balls. The grade 1 and 2 science classes have been learning about flowers and plants and how they grow. They learned about hypothesis by coming up with ideas as to what they “guess” will happen to their flowers if they color the water; the process of experimenting by using straws, some with pin holes, to understand the process of water being pulled up from the roots, to the stem and finally to the petals of the flower. The rest of the school is eagerly awaiting the start of spring.
Ezra Academy Mitzvot Project
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s Jewish people we are constantly performing mitzvot. Oftentimes we are unable to appreciate the depth of meaning incorporated in a mitzvah. This was the catalyst behind the recent assignment given to some of the students at Ezra Academy. Their rebbe, Rabbi Moshe Zucker, wanted to engrain into the students the importance of understanding what they were doing. He didn’t want them to just perform mitzvot via rote. The assignment was rather simple: choose any
mitzvah they want, research it and present it to the class. The students were quick to choose their mitzvah and eager to get started on their research. The students chose mitzvot that they are familiar with such as kashrut, tefillah and tefillin. The students shared their newly obtained knowledge with their classmates and also put together oak tags, display boards and PowerPoints to help present their assignment. A beautiful job was done by all the students.
SKA Marathoners: Running for a Cause
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SKA Team Shalva at the Jerusalem Winner Marathon
ver twenty students from the Stella K. Abraham High School for girls were among 30,000 participants this year in the Jerusalem Winner Marathon held on Friday, March 17. Running for SHALVA, an association dedicated to providing services for mentally and physically challenged children and their families, the SKA students encountered so much on their recent trip to Israel! “We felt so much achdut running with Jews from all over Israel and other countries,” said senior Rebecca Saffra. “We were so proud to raise money and run for Shalva, especially after seeing all the good that they do. All the chessed we did on this trip in addition to Shalva – packing food for Yad Eliezer and donating clothing to the baby gemach in Shaare Tzedek so that newborns would have outfits to go home in – made us feel so overjoyed that we were able to contribute. Seeing how the hospital stays within all halachic guidelines was an added bonus to our experience.” The four days were truly action packed! Mrs. Elisheva Kaminetsky, SKA’s Director of Religious Guidance, and Ms. Lisa Fogel, SKA Social Worker and Admissions Liaison,
both of whom accompanied the girls, arranged the outstanding chessed, spiritual and entertainment opportunities. Davening at the Kotel and Kever Rochel, hearing from Rav Gav Friedman and even riding Segways were among the other activities in which the girls took part. On both Shabbat and Sunday, the SKA students were honored to hear from three women whose lives were struck by tragedy: Mrs. Esther Wachsman, mother of kidnap and murder victim Nachshon Wachsman, Mrs. Racheli Frenkel and Mrs. Iris Ifrath, two of the mothers of the three boys who were kidnapped and killed in the summer of 2015, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Ifrath, spoke to the girls. While still mourning the loss of their sons, the mothers all conveyed to the awestruck students how they try to find positive aspects in their lives and how they have changed for the better. It was incredible for the students to see how these heroic women turned darkness into light and simcha. “I learned so many lessons to bring home,” shared 10th grader Zahava Graff. “Not only did I have fun, but I had an amazing and so inspiring time!”
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Rambam on the Road
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his past Shabbos six young men from Rambam Mesivta, together with Rabbi Yaacov Weisenberg, a Rambam Rebbe, traveled to Easton, Pennsylvania, to strengthen the small, local Jewish community. The local rabbi, Rabbi Isaac Yagod, an acquaintance of Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, the Rosh Mesivta of Rambam, reached out to Rabbi Friedman and asked him if some boys would be interested in coming to Easton to give chizuk to his kehillah. Rabbi Friedman turned to Rabbi Weisenberg who asked members of the Rambam Model Beis Din Team to join him for a Shabbaton in Pennsylvania. The boys quickly volunteered, and upon arrival were warmly welcomed by Rabbi Yagod and his family. The shul, which is located in the rabbi’s house, was filled to capacity, and Rabbi Yagod and community
L-R: Community member Yehuda Goldblatt, Avi Balsam, Gavriel Toplan, Pinny Verstandig, son of R’ Yagod, Ariel Blumstein, Moshe Orlofsky, R’ Yaacov Weisenberg, and R’ Isaac Yagod
members commented on how nice it was to see the shul filled with the vibrancy of youth. The boys were treated to delicious meals prepared by Rabbi Yagod, who also happens to be a gourmet cook. The rabbi regaled the boys with tales of his experiences of over twenty-five years in the pulpit rabbinate and his role as a mashgiach of many national brands. Local community members joined the meals which were filled with
zemiros, divrei Torah, and a spirit of camaraderie. Rabbi Yagod delivered a shiur on Shabbos afternoon on the halachic issues involved in drinking coffee in Starbucks, drawing on his vast experience in hashgacha. Motzei Shabbos, the boys enjoyed an outing to the local bowling alley and headed back to New York Sunday morning after minyan and a sumptuous breakfast. Rabbi Yagod summed up the
weekend in an email to Rabbi Friedman, saying, “Thank you for a most amazing, deeply inspiring Shabbos with your talmidim who nobly represented the finest in American Torah chinuch. Your good reputation will further spread far and wide and will result in great kavod Shamayim. An outsized measure of appreciation is due to Rabbi Weisenberg who really did a superb job in every way and was a real joy to have here!”
THIS LECTURE IS OPEN TO MEN & WOMEN
EMUNAH – COMMANDMENT OR CATALYST? Faith in Difficult Times RABBI YITZCHOK FINGERER
Rav of BJX Kehila and Kiruv Center
Torah Lecturer, author of“Judaism’s Answers to a Changing World” and the soon-to-be-released “Strengthen Your Emunah”
Sunday, March 28, 2017, the 28th of Adar, at 10 A.M. at Cong. Shaaray Tefilah – 25 Central Avenue THIS MONTH’S LECTURE IS BEING SPONSORED BY:
Mrs. Florence Wassner li”n Naava bas Yosef Menachem Mendel Dr. Josh and Shiffy Fox li”n Rochel Laya bas Reb Yeshaya Zalman To sponsor a lecture email jgulkowitz@yahoo.com or call Debbie at 516-239-0494 Please join us for a second shiur at 11:15 on PRACTICAL HALACHOS OF KASHERING A HOME AND KITCHEN given by RABBI URI ORLIAN, Rav of Congregation Shaaray Tefilah
B”H in our 28th year of unifying the women of our greater community!
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HALB Lev Chana Celebrates Literacy
Mesivta of Queens Welcomes New Principal of General Studies By Devorah Brody
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hat an amazing week that was! The HALB Lev Chana Early Childhood Center children celebrated Rosh Chodesh Adar, the 100th day of school, Read Across America/Dr. Seuss’ Birthday and pajama day with a visit by author Meish Goldish, daily themed dress-up with Dr. Seuss books, and a multitude of fun-filled activities – many of them literacy based – all in one week! Meish Goldish, author of over 400 fiction and non-fiction books for children, helped us celebrate our 100th day of school. Meish entertained our children with shared readings of several of his books, answered questions, explained how he came up with ideas for his books, and outlined the writing process from the glimmer of an idea (he gets his ideas from “everywhere”!) to the finished product. He recited his “100 is a Lot” rhyming poem, sang about opposites, and had the children and morot alike singing, clapping and stamping our feet to a medley of Purim songs. Meanwhile, our children were busy with sorting, counting, reading and writing 100 favorite words, eating,
exercising, and drawing self-portraits of themselves at 100. These were just a few highlights of this fantastic day. We can read sitting. We can read standing. We can read fast. We can read slow. And that’s just what our wonderful kindergarten children did as we joined children throughout the United States in a celebration and salute to reading. Our proud readers chose “Just Right” books, and with modeling and help from their teachers, they practiced and prepared how they would read their selection to our 3- and 4-year-old children. Spread out in each of our classrooms, our 3- and 4-yearolds cuddled with their special snuggly toy as they listened, entranced, to their kindergarten reading buddy. Special guest readers including therapists, specialty staff, Learning Center personnel and staff visited our classrooms to share their joy of reading their favorite books. Hooray for Literacy! As our beloved Dr. Seuss said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
esivta of Queens is pleased to announce the appointment of Rabbi Yosef Ziskind as principal of general studies. Rabbi Ziskind learned under Rav Binyamin Paler, zt”l, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Mekor Chaim. He then studied in the Mir Yeshiva in Yerushalayim, where he received smicha from the Rosh Hayeshiva, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, zt”l. He has a Master of Social Work degree from Long Island University, and is a graduate of Rabbi Yoel Kramer’s Merkaz for Teacher Training, and of Torah Umesorah’s Intensive Teacher Training Course. Rabbi Ziskind has been serving as a high School rebbe at Rambam Mesivta for the past eighteen years, where he teaches a full range of
limudei kodesh subjects. He is also guidance counselor and has additional administrative duties. He has wonderful rapport with his students, many of whom maintain contact with him even after they get married. He is professional, yet likable, organized and well thought out, and will be a tremendous asset to the students of Mesivta of Queens. Rabbi Ziskind will be working in collaboration with the Rosh Mesivta, Rabbi Gershon Brafman, and with Rabbi Ronem Dvash, the Menahel/9th grade Rebbe. Mesivta of Queens is located on Grand Avenue in the Maspeth section of Queens, and serves talmidim in Kew Gardens, Kew Gardens Hills, Far Rockaway, Five Towns and surrounding areas. The Mesivta provides quality chinuch and an exemplary general studies program. Talmidim are shown how to appreciate their own qualities and to develop a genuine simchas hachaim. They are taught independent-learning skills, acquire enthusiasm for Torah learning, and a desire to grow and achieve. Great emphasis is placed in fostering good middos and a sensitivity to the needs of others. For additional information about Mesivta of Queens to help you determine if this is the right yeshiva for your son, you are welcome to call 718-755-4358 or email rgb@mesivtaq.org.
At one point the Kaifeng Jews sadly posted their holy seforim in the city square and offered a reward for someone to translate them. No one could. Page 99
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Alumni Shabbaton at Touro’s Lander College for Men Builds Bonds
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ince graduating its first class in 2003, Touro’s Lander College for Men (LCM) has prided itself on building a strong community of men dedicated to Torah study and professional success. Its commitment to students goes well beyond their time at the university. Alumni are always welcome back at LCM for daily prayer and learning opportunities, encouraged to share their expertise at career panels for current students, and invited to alumni events that foster lifelong connections. The annual Shabbaton is another way LCM fosters community beyond the classroom. For many alumni, the Shabbaton is a way to reconnect with classmates and share the close-knit community they enjoyed during their undergraduate years with
their wives and children. “Since moving to New Jersey from Queens, I miss the regular connection I had with LCM,” said alumni board president Jordan Kaplan. “The Shabbaton is an opportunity to see old friends and deepen relationships … and even my wife looks forward to this weekend, as she has developed her own friendships with the spouses of my classmates.” More than 325 people attended this year’s Alumni Shabbaton, and the weekend offered something for everyone. Attendees enjoyed communal meals, davening and a variety of shiurim and divrei Torah. There was also a robust program for children and lectures geared specifically for women. The weekend is organized by alumni director Rabbi
Aryeh Young who takes pride in the family-oriented nature of the programming. “From the women’s shiur, to ‘Camp Lander’ for children, to a performance by the illusionist David Blatt, the weekend is full of inspiration, rejuvenation and reconnecting for all
who attend,” said Young. “I derive the greatest pleasure from seeing such large numbers of alumni return, reflecting their enduring commitment to Lander College for Men,” noted Dr. Moshe Sokol, Dean of Touro’s Lander College for Men.
“Many come with their wives, and with their children in tow, and share with me their professional successes and the impact of a Lander education on their religious lives. It makes all our hard work worthwhile.”
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“I
really want my children to be protected and safe when using their phones or tab-
lets.” “I really want to have fewer distractions on my phone and computer at work.” “My husband and I really want to be more responsible with our use of technology.” “I am in high school and know it is cool to be in control, but have no idea how to limit my phone to allow me to access just the stuff I need.” Do these questions sound familiar? Many of us in our community have struggled with questions like these in recent years with nowhere to turn for answers. Until now. With the creation of a groundbreaking new organization unique to our community, these needs can now be addressed locally, on your terms, in a realistic, personalized way. Creative. Effective. Practical. Empowering. Smart. SmartConnections has now opened. SmartConnections is a non-forprofit, grassroots organization that aims to create, enable, and sustain a paradigm shift in our community’s approach to responsible use of technology. Founded by a group of physicians, lawyers, accountants and businessmen from across the Five Towns and Far Rockaway, it recognizes the ubiquitous nature of technology as well as the challenges that come with it. The flagship location of the organization is a modern and cool, yet comfortable and inviting office located in Maple Plaza in Cedarhurst, between Central Avenue and Willow Avenue. It is staffed by knowledgeable, friendly technicians who provide practical, consumer-based guidance on means of responsible use of computers, laptops, tablets, gaming devices, and phones. As a local affiliate of the international Technology Awareness Group, the office’s technicians have access to their global resources as well as a broad array of customizable options to match you with the personalized tools and soft-
ware you need to stay productive and in control. While products offered by third parties often carry a nominal monthly or annual fee, all technical services and consultations are free of charge. Over a hundred families have been serviced in the month since the office first opened its doors. They all have expressed the sense of relief in knowing that they have taken steps they wished they could have taken but until now, did not know where to turn. The feeling of control, safety, and responsibility is what spouses, parents, and individuals have been looking for. “My teenage kids had smartphones and I had no idea how to protect them from the dangers of the internet. I am not tech savvy, and I felt a low level guilt all the time,” reported Dr. Gila Jedwab, a dentist who lives in the Five Towns. “Then I heard of SmartConnections, a newly opened office in the Maple Plaza where you can bring any of your devices and they will walk you through putting the proper filters on each one. It took a few weeks to finally get myself to go there. But when I did, it was an effortless and guided experience from the beginning. And there it was, finally! The honest conversation and practical advice I needed to address this problem. My 14-year-old son and I spent an hour with them putting filters on all the devices from our house that needed it. I left feeling like a new person with the right filter on the right device and am grateful for the sense of relief and freedom they restored to both me and my son. “As a parent there is no better feeling than protecting your kids. They are vulnerable in this new age of technology. I am tremendously grateful to the people of SmartConnections. “ “Undoubtedly, SmartConnections is a tremendous asset to our community,” says Rabbi Aaron Fleksher, Director of Educational Technology at HALB High Schools. “Filtering our homes and devices (and those of our children!) is something we all think about, but for a variety
of reasons, struggle in its execution. SmartConnections provides this service in a friendly and nonjudgmental way. They empower each family and individual to decide for themselves what is appropriate for them. They have made the concept of filtering devices very standard and “normal”.” In addition to consulting and initial installation, the office staff is available for follow up visits to adjust settings as needed. One of the major advantages of the local office is that customers feel secure with the understanding that if a particular option doesn’t work for them, they can simply return to adjust it or even replace it with a different option that may suit them better. “Customers who are initially hesitant to try one of the options feel relieved when they realize that this is not irreversible, and that they can return at any time for adjustments or even to try an entirely different option” says Yaakov Rabi, one of the evening technicians who has been amazed with the overwhelmingly positive feedback in the first month of operations. “Even teenagers who are very wary of anything that may affect their phone have been surprised by the array of options which allow them access to everything they need,” adds Avi Adler, a longtime resident of the Five Towns who serves as another technician in the office. The positive, practical, and refreshing tone of the office will hopefully shape a new attitude and perception toward this subject, which
in many places is taboo or simply ignored. It will encourage open conversation in a constructive and upbeat tone between friends, husband and wives, and parent and children. A new open and positive dialogue is already starting in many corners of our community. For those who don’t need internet connectivity, the office also sells Amazon Kindle Fires, phones with only talk/text and camera, and phones with only talk/text/email that are not internet capable. While there are plans to expand hours of operation, the office is currently staffed in the evenings Monday through Thursday as well as Sunday mornings. The office also is the base of the company Siyata, an independent computer repair and networking solutions business run by longtime local resident Adiel Lejbovitz, who also serves as SmartConnections lead technician. All are invited to visit the SmartConnections office or to make an appointment for an initial consultation to see what options are available to meet your needs. There is no cost, no commitment necessary, and no guilt involved. Let us help you leverage technology the way you really want to use it. For questions or to make any appointment, email info@smartconnectionsny.com, or visit their website at www.smartconnectionsny.com, or feel free to just drop in to their office.
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
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Around the Community Rabbi Y. Blinder Rabbi P. Weinberger Roshei Yeshiva
Rabbi A. Goldenberg Menahel Alumni תלמידי הישיבה
INVITES ALL TO JOIN TO
מור שיר חנוכת הבי ת ל “מז ”דוד
Many HAFTR students and alumni, along with Rabbi Nadelbach, participated in this year’s Jerusalem Marathon. All students raised money for different tzedakah organizations as the current HAFTR students participated with Team SHALVA. Tizku l’mitzvot!
The Central Service Initiative
A CHANUKAS HABAYIS Thursday . אור לד׳ ניסן. March 30th . 8:00 pm
Yeshiva Nishmas Hatorah 6 Franklin Place Woodmere NY
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he Yeshiva University High School for Girls “Central” Service Initiative (CSI) brings chessed activities to the forefront of our school experience as students forge and enhance bonds with one another by doing acts of kindness. Based on their preferences, each grade is divided into groups, each of which spends most of the day participating in a meaningful chessed activity. Students volunteer for the Break and Life Food Truck, a mobile soup kitchen; assemble food packages on behalf of Yachad and food packages for Kehillat Sephardim; visit patients at Mount Sinai Hospital in Brooklyn; make art projects with students at the Yachad Lower School; and bake for Holocaust survivors at the JCC in Canarsie. Kol hakavod to student chessed leaders Gitty Klein (‘17), Ronit Landsman (‘17), and Rebecca
Shmuel (‘17) for planning and executing all of the details. Following their return to school, students gather together for a lunch and debriefing session, with one representative of each group sharing her experiences. Heartwarming video clips, compiled by Mrs. Danielle Wyner, emphasize the power of ordinary people to make differences in the lives of others. The sophomores and juniors have already brought their CSI-inspired enthusiasm back to Central; the freshmen and seniors eagerly await their turns! Says Chessed Coordinator Ms. Laura Fruchter, “We hope this program gives our students a greater sensitivity toward those in need, makes them aware of different opportunities, and leaves them feeling motivated that they could make a difference in the world.”
Thank you to all our supporters for making this בית מדרשa reality. Nishmas Hatorah Kollel will be starting בע״הafter Pesach A few spots still open. For more information please call 917-414-1665
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TO OUR PARENTS, FRIENDS, AND SUPPORTERS
thank you
FOR MAKING THIS YEAR’S DINNER
BNOS BAIS YAAKOV
ABOVE AND BEYOND!
twenty third annual dinner
Mr. Yoily Edelstein, Mr. Moshe Mendlowitz, Mr. Adam Goller, Rabbi Ephraim Blumenkrantz, Mr. Elie Becker - Guest of Honor, Trustees - Mr. Mel Zachter, Mr. Sam Bergman and Mr. Moishe Hirth
mazdesign 718.471.6470
and
Mr. Adam Goller, Mr. Alon Goldberger, Mr. Richie Sinnreich, Mr. Phil Goldfeder, Rabbi Baruch Rothman - Parents of the Year Awardee, Rabbi Ephraim Blumenkrantz, Trustees - Mr. Mel Zachter, Mr. Sam Bergman and Mr. Moishe Hirth
chinuch caring connecting
Mr. Adam Goller, Rabbi Ephraim Blumenkrantz, Mr. Yitzy Schuss, Mr. Zalmy Schiowitz - Kesser Shem Tov Awardee, Trustees - Mr. Mel Zachter, Mr. Sam Bergman and Mr. Moishe Hirth
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Around the Community
Team HANC Joins the Team Shalva Jerusalem Marathon
HANC Students’ Stories Selected for Publication
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n Wednesday, March 15, a group of HANC students traveled to Israel for the annual Team HANC in the Team Shalva Jerusalem Marathon. Shalva, an organization for special needs children in Israel, has a team in the Jerusalem marathon, and this year a group of nine students from HANC, chaperoned by Director of Student Life Rabbi Daniel Mezei and his wife, Penina, raised over $40,000 to run for Shalva. The team arrived in Israel on Thursday night, and after getting a tour of the Shalva center, went to the
hotel before taking a trip to the Kotel. After a good night’s sleep, the students chose between the half marathon or the 10km race. Several alumni studying in Israel who volunteer at Shalva on a weekly basis joined the HANC Team on the race day. After a long and exhausting run, the student enjoyed a victory party back at the hotel, and then went off to Machane Yehuda for some Erev Shabbat shopping. The students enjoyed a restful Shabbat in Yerushalayim and a full day of activities on Sunday before flying back to the U.S.
arlier in the year, fifth grade students in Rabbi Elie Bashevkin’s Language Arts class of the Samuel and Elizabeth Bass Golding Elementary School in West Hempstead created beautiful compositions for the Grannie Annie Family Story Celebration. The Grannie Annie invites students in fourth through eighth grade, both in the United States and across the world, to write about something interesting they discovered from their family based on their interviews with older relatives. Each student submitted a family story for possible publication in the annual Grannie Annie Journal. After reading 522 stories submitted by students in nine states, as well as international students, Grannie Annie announced 38 winners. The thirty-eight stories
in “Grannie Annie Volume 12,” took place in twelve countries on five continents over a span of 136 years and include personal accounts of historic events as well as recollections of everyday activities. Congratulations to Tzipporah Wodinsky, Abigail Wunder, Katie Alper, and Keira Kahn on their stories’ acceptance for publication! This is the first year that students from HANC participated in the Grannie Annie writing contest. Their stories will be published in The Grannie Annie, Volume 12, published on The Grannie Annie website, and shared through social media. In addition, Katie, Keira, Tzipporah and Abigail will be honored at The Grannie Annie’s Family Stories Festival at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis on June 4!
Shevach Students, Staff, Alumnae, and their Families Help Spread the Spirit of Purim
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n Taanis Esther and on Purim itself Shevach students went in full Purim regalia to local nursing homes to deliver mishloach manos and infuse the residents with the spirit of Purim. On Thursday, March 9, Shevach students Shani Bennet, Tova Friedman, Elky Kassirer, Avigayil Landau, Chana Lavian, Rochel Pearlman, Shani Sommers, Tzipporah Schonfeld, and Batsheva Twersky spent an enjoyable afternoon at The Boulevard ALP. Avigayil and Batsheva were happy to share with us a glimpse into their rewarding experience. “We were so excited to be given the opportunity to go back and visit the senior residents, as we had fond memories of last year’s visit. Upon
speaking to them, we realized how much of an impact our visit actually made. Not only was it special for the residents to get visitors, their happiness was contagious, and we enjoyed their company as much as they appreciated ours. We loved making them smile and brightening their day. Our visit took them out of their daily routines, giving them a pleasant experience and a treat. They all got a kick out of our costumes, playing along and asking us jokingly what we were. We also enjoyed playing the piano and singing with the women. “Talking to each of the residents left us inspired. They all had something to share with us, whether it was a story from their past or a cute riddle to make us laugh. Many relayed
stories of hashgacha pratis they had experienced in their lives, which in fact opened up our eyes to the Yad Hashem in our daily lives. No matter where the residents came from, the same joy radiated on their faces when we wished them a happy Purim. We were so captivated by their company that before we knew it, we had been there almost two hours. It was hard for us to leave and take a pause from the newly built relationships. Upon leaving we all definitely agreed that we received so much more than we gave.” On Purim Day itself, thanks to Shevach staff member Mrs. Yali Rosenberg, who gave of her time on this very busy day, the residents of the Margaret Teitz Nursing and Re-
hab Center were delighted with the arrival of very special visitors. The adorably costumed Rosenberg children brought many smiles to everyone’s faces as they distributed mishloach manos and enthusiastically wished the residents a very happy Purim. In Kew Gardens, The Atria and The Homestead were both treated to a visit by Shevach alumna Mrs. Batzion (Massis) Brody and her family, who in their delightful costumes brought Purim cheer to all the residents. As Mrs. Brody stated, “I started coming here on Purim when I was a Shevach student, and I will not give it up! This is the true spirit of Purim that I hope to impart to my children.”
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Around the Community
How not to tear or rip is what the boys of Learn & Live got to learn and live this past Sunday. R’ Nachum Dinowitz presented the melacha of koreah (tearing), with some very “hand$ on” activities. The boys had lot$ of fun trying to tear or rip some cloth for a chance to win a $ coin. There were some “ripping” races as well. There was cheering for the boys racing and some of the boys left this week a $ richer (besides the learning, of course). This Sunday, will be “The Great Count.” For more information regarding L&L email us at learnandlivefr@gmail.com
Shulamith Visits Philadelphia
F R O M
O U R
VOICEMAILS
#33
It’s one bracha to get engaged. It’s a bonus bracha for the shidduch to proceed so smoothly and speedily that even the shadchan is amazed. Noa Naumberg, Chavi Feldman, Shayna Wasser, and Sabrina Graff visit the Liberty Bell
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t 7 a.m. on Thursday, March 16, sixty-one exuberant seventh graders of Shulamith Middle Division set out for a day of learning and fun in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At their first stop, the Franklin Institute, everyone enjoyed an informative and entertaining Live Liquid Air Show. After the show, the girls visited interactive exhibits about the human heart, the brain, the principles of gravity, and more. They also enjoyed socializing during lunch in the cafeteria. In addition to the Franklin Institute, the girls visited the famed Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, site of
the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Our tour guide, Mrs. Sheila Schwebel of Tourrific Travel, arranged a visit to Mikveh Israel, the oldest continually used synagogue in the United States. We were privileged to be addressed by the rav of the shul, Rabbi Gabbai, who shared both historic details and divrei Torah with us. The tour ended with a delicious dinner of pizza and French fries, and a chance to visit the gift shops in the Bourse. Our thanks to the chaperones: Mrs. Billet, Mrs. Steiner, Mrs. Markowitz, and parents of our students, Mrs. Eichler, Mrs. Schecter and Mrs. Weiss.
We credit this double blessing to Kollel Chatzos. L.P., Monsey
The Kollel Chatzos
Bais Hora'ah
Dayanim at every Kollel Chatzos Location are ready to answer your Question - in person or on the phone
להצלחת דוד משה בן שיינדל 'וכל משפ
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Around the Community
Limud Hamussar at Forefront as Lomdei Dirshu the World Over Take First Kinyan Chochma Mussar Test By Chaim Gold
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here were many thousands sitting with pen in hand and furrowed brows this past Friday and Sunday. They were in sitting locales across North America, Eretz Yisrael, Europe, South America, South Africa and Australia. They were taking a Dirshu test. What was unique, however, was that this test was not on Gemara, or halacha, but rather on mussar! They were taking the first test on “Kinyan Chochma,” Dirshu’s new mussar program, wherein a portion of the mussar classics are learned daily and Dirshu participants are tested monthly on the content. As with all Dirshu programs of accountable limud haTorah, stipends are given for excellent results. Perhaps the most momentous resolution to come out of Dirshu’s recent convention was the announcement at the Motzoei Shabbos keynote melava malka of a new program, the Kinyan Chochma mussar learning program. In a world gone wild, where there is so much poisonous influence on our middos and a toxic worldview from the outside world seeping into our world, at the behest of leading gedolim in both Eretz Yisrael and the Diaspora, Dirshu launched its new mussar learning program. The program consists of a daily dose of mussar from the mussar classics such as Tomer Devorah, Orchos Chaim L’Harosh, Orchos Tzadikim, Mesilas Yesharim and Rabbeinu Yonah. Mussar – The Antidote for the Yetzer Hara Indeed, numerous gedolei Yisrael addressed Dirshu testing sites and expressed their deep sense of joy that such a program has been established. HaGaon HaRav Meir Simcha
Auerbach, shlita, a son of the posek hador, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt”l, said that in truth the program is the fulfillment of a halacha brought in the Mishnah Berurah [112], “A person must set aside time to learn mussar sefarim every day… He who is greater than his friend has a greater yetzer hara and the antidote for the yetzer hara is the rebuke of mussar…” At a different testing site, HaGaon HaRav Avrohom Halberstam, shlita, a son of the Sanz-Klausenberger Rebbe, shlita, said, “Everyone knows that in yeshivo, learning mussar is an accepted part of the curriculum. For some reasons this is not the case in kollelim. People have this misconception that a kollel yungerman or a baal habayis is too old for this. On the contrary, at this point in life it is imperative to learn mussar! That is why Dirshu has done such an important service for Klal Yisrael by establishing the Kinyan Chochma program where mussar will be learned daily by all…” HaGaon HaRav Eliyahu Abba Shaul, Rosh Yeshivat Ohr L’Tzion, related that when it comes to middos it is impossible for a person to observe middos properly, such as refraining from speaking lashon hara and rechilus and not engaging in sinas chinam, without learning mussar daily. Thus it is a wonderful thing that Dirshu has undertaken a structured program promoting the learning of mussar with monthly tests on the material…” The Difference between Yaakov and Amalek The importance of devoting time to learning mussar was underscored by Dirshu’s Nasi, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, who recently delivered drashos in both Lakewood and Yerushalayim on this topic.
Rabbonim worldwide adressed the inauguration of the Kinyan Chochma Program
In Lakewood this past Shushan Purim, Rav Hofstedter participated in a siyum on Masechta Zevachim by Kollel Ohel Daniel, a night Kollel that learns with the Dirshu method of accountability taking monthly tests. At the siyum Rav Hofstedter related, “One of the six things that we are commanded to remember every day is what Amalek did to us. Why every day? Especially today when we don’t even know who Amalek is anymore?” Rav Hofstedter explained that when the Torah mentions that Amalek came to fight with the Bnei Yisrael it uses the word, ‘vayavo, Amalek came.’ “We see, however that when referring to Yaakov Avinu, the Torah uses the term ‘vayeitzei, he went out.’ Chazal learn from here that when a tzaddik leaves it makes an impact. Why does the Torah only make this point regarding Yaakov? We find that Avrohom and Yitzchok also left the places where they lived? “It is said specifically by Yaakov because Yaakov underwent a profound change. He underwent a transformation and did not return only as Yaakov but in addition as ‘Yisrael.’ After leaving his old life behind and being immersed in the learning at the yeshiva of Shem V’Ever, after his struggles with Lavan and with the Sar of Eisav, he became totally transformed. In a similar vein when Chazal say that
a person must exile himself to a makom Torah it means that if person wants to truly be successful in his learning he must leave behind all of the old things that hold him back. “Amalek, however, is the opposite. He doesn’t ‘leave,’ he only ‘comes.’ He never changes, he never lets himself see the hand of Hashem, he retains the same agenda. Amalek saw kriyas Yam Suf, but he didn’t change. He is always stuck in his old agenda. “If we want to change, if we do not want to be stuck in the old agenda that the yetzer hara constantly puts before us, we must learn mussar. Mussar makes us into ‘vayeitzei people.’ enabling us to leave the havlei Olam Hazeh, the worthless pursuit of the transient matters empowering us to focus on the eternal.” The Transformative Moment About a week earlier at the Tshechonover Yeshiva in Yerushalayim, Rav Hofstedter gave a comprehensive shmuess explaining why limud hamussar is imperative for any person who truly wants to grow in his avodas Hashem and his relationship to Hashem. “The Torah at the beginning of Parshas Beshalach states, ‘And it happened when Pharaoh sent out the people.’ Why did the Torah emphasize the fact that Pharaoh sent them? Did not Hashem take them out of Mitzrayim
by sending the plagues? The answer is that the Torah is telling us that from the perspective of the Bnei Yisrael it was Pharaoh who sent them out. Even though physically they had left Mitzrayim they were nevertheless still attached to him and their former role as slaves. It was still as if ‘Pharaoh’ sent them out. It was only at kriyas Yam Suf when the Torah tells us, ‘They feared Hashem and they believed in Hashem and Moshe his servant,’ that they underwent the transition from being Pharaoh’s slaves to Hashem’s servants! Therefore, it was only at Yam Suf that they attained the true level of yiras shomayim. “What mussar does, is, it severs all of us from our own Mitzrayim. We are slaves to our desires, to the borders imposed upon us by the yetzer hara. Learning mussar daily enables us to free ourselves from those bonds and to grow in yiras shomayim. “Indeed, the Orchos Tzaddikim in his introduction that we just learned in the Kinyan Chochma program writes that without middos tovos there can be no Torah and no yiras shomayim.” As Klal Yisroel begins month two of Kinyan Chochma, there is no question that the impact of the limud hamussar on so many thousands will serve as the catalyst for sustained, profound growth in all areas of avodas Hashem.
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
The Trustees, Executive Board, Administration and Staff of
Bnos Bais Yaakov and Tichon Meir Moshe High School express our heartfelt condolences to
Dr. Golda Gross on the petirah of her mother
Mrs. Marika Reichman v�g
She will always be remembered as a true Pillar of Chessed in the Kew Gardens Community. As a survivor of the inferno of the Holocaust, she went on to build a Chashuva family and saw many Pairos from her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, who follow in her footsteps in their acts of Chessed in their respective communities. She will be sorely missed by all who knew her .
ohkaurhu iuhm hkct rta lu,c of,t ojbh ouenv
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Op Ed
Sharpening Your Seder Tools Pesach Preparations By Rabbi Gedaliah Oppen
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story is told by my father of a poor, young man who found a job as a woodchopper. Eager to impress his boss on his first day of work with his new ax, he began chopping down tree after tree. At the end of his workday he counted close to one hundred felled trees. His boss, sensing his enthusiasm, expressed his gratitude and offered words of praise. Early the next morning, the young man once again went to the forest to resume his task. This time, however, he only managed to chop down seventy five trees. Brushing it off, he explained to his boss that he must have been tired and exhausted from the previous day’s work. The boss, recognizing the young lumberjack’s disappointment, told him not to worry and assured him that on the morrow he would get back on track. At the end of the following day, however, he managed to chop
only fifty trees, and the next day a mere thirty. Depressed and worried that he might lose his new job, with tears streaming down his face, he apologized profusely to his boss crying that he couldn’t understand what went wrong, and how in such a short time he went from chopping
you ever sharpen your ax? Learn, my young friend, that after each day’s work you must sharpen your ax. You can’t allow it to become dull or lose its edge. The ax must be sharpened to be effective.” Over the years, many parents have asked me how they can em-
What have you done to enhance your Pesach seder?
a hundred trees a day to thirty. After calming the young man, the boss, an experienced woodsman, asked, “With all this chopping, and with all the concentration on chopping the trees down, did
bellish their Pesach seder and make it more meaningful. And, as typical of rabbis, I respond with a question: “Did you sharpen your ax? What have you done to enhance your Pesach seder? Did you pur-
chase a new, insightful Haggadah? Did you prepare any fun and meaningful activities for your children and guests?” The halacha teaches that thirty days before a chag, one must start learning the halachot and preparing for the yom tov. In just a few weeks we will be iy”H sitting with our family and friends at the Pesach seder. Let us fill each seder night with enthusiasm, excitement, creativity and ingenuity. Let us strive to make certain that the tools of our seder – our voices and minds and spirits – are sharpened and sharp! Chag kasher v’samach.
Rabbi Gedaliah Oppen is the principal of Judaic Studies at HAFTR High School.
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MARCH 23,29, 2017 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 2015 | The Jewish Home
1.
TJH
Centerfold
You gotta be kidding A University of Kentucky basketball player was almost killed yesterday in a tragic horseback-riding accident. He fell from a horse and was nearly trampled to death. Luckily, the manager of the Wal-Mart came out and unplugged the horse.
March Madness Trivia Answers 1. According to Wallethub what are the odds of picking a perfect bracket? a. 1 in 43.5 billion b. 1 in 9 trillion c. 1 in 321.5 trillion d. 1 in 9.2 quintillion 2. In 1940 Indiana Hoosiers head coach Emmett “Branch” McCracken was the youngest head coach to win the NCAA championship. How old was he at the time? a. 31 b. 36 c. 41 d. 43 3. Which seeded team never won the NCAA championship? a. 3 seed b. 4 seed c. 5 seed d. 8 seed 4. How many teams competed in the first NCAA tournament in 1939? a. 8 b. 12 c. 14 d. 18
5. In 1985 Villanova beat Georgetown 66-64 in the NCAA championship game. Who was the starting center on Georgetown? a. David Robinson b. Patrick Ewing c. Hakeem Olajuwon d. Shaq 6. Which school’s 1991 team was knows as the “Fab Five”? a. Michigan College b. College of Michigan c. University of Michigan d. UCLA 7. With the Tar Heels trailing by one in the 1982 national championship game, this player knocked down a jumper from the left wing with 17 seconds left to give his team the victory: a. Michael Jordan b. Isiah Thomas c. Reggie Miller d. Mark Jackson
1. D-You have greater odds of winning the lotto, getting struck by lightning, and having a boa constrictor emerge through the pipes in your toilet all on the same day! 2. A 3. C 4. A 5. B 6. c 7. A
Scorecard 6-7 correct: You really know your NCAA basketball. You are the annoying dude who studies for a month before filling out his brackets. “Well, uh, I’m considering putting Villanova in the Final Four. What do you think?” “What do I think? Get a life! That’s what I think!” 3-5 correct: You will get to the Sweet Sixteen, but you won’t be cutting down any nets this year. 0-2 correct: You must be a 5 seed…can’t win anything.
The Jewish Home | MARCH 29, 23, 2015 2017 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER
College Sports Teams College sports teams oftentimes have some pretty weird names. Only one name on this list is made up. Can you spot it? Akron Zips
North Dakota Fighting Sioux
Alabama Crimson Tide
Purdue Boilermakers
Arizona State Sun Devils
Saint Louis Billikens
Campbell Fighting Camels
Southern Illinois Salukis
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
Stetson Hatters
Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens
TCU Horned Frogs
Evansville Purple Aces
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
Indiana Purdue University at Fort Wayne
University of California Irvine Anteaters
Mastodons Indiana State Sycamores
Virginia Tech Warriors Western Illinois Leathernecks
Iona Gaels
Niagara Purple Eagles
Answer: Virginia Tech Warriors
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Paige – 5 – Tar Heels Martin – 7 – Wildcats Michael – 12 – Syracuse
Kent State Golden Flashes
Riddle me this?
Answer to Riddle:
See answer to the right
Paige – 5 – Tar Heels Martin – 7 – Wildcats Michael – 12 – Syracuse
After the NCAA season, the Wildcats, the Tar Heels and Syracuse are in the first three positions. The captains are Michael, Martin and Paige. Here is what you know: - Syracuse won as many games as the Wildcats and Tar Heels combined. - Paige is not the captain of the Syracuse or Wildcats. - Michael’s team won twelve games. - The Wildcats won two more games than the Tar Heels. - Michael is not the captain of the Wildcats. Who is the captain of which team? How many games did each team win?
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From the Fire
Parshas Vayakhel-Pikudei Partners in Creation – Every Jew a Kohein By Rav Moshe Weinberger
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n halacha, the first thing a Jew does when he gets up in the morning is wash each of his hands three times, netilas yadayim. The Rashba maintains that the source for this halacha is in this week’s parsha (Shmos 40:30-32): “And you shall place the kiyor [wash basin] between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall place water into it for washing. And Moshe and Aharon shall wash their hands and feet from it…” We see from here that the Torah calls netilas yadayim “washing.” Chazal, on the other hand, call the kohanim’s use of the kiyor, “sanctifying the hands and feet” (see, e.g., Tamid 1:4). Chazal knew that the Torah’s description of netilas yadayim as “washing” could have been misunderstood to refer to a physical cleansing. They therefore made sure to dispel any mistake by calling it “sanctification.” Its purpose is not to remove impurity or dirt. Rather, netilas yadayim is a positive act, designed to sanctify the kohanim in preparation for their service in the Beis Hamikdash. But what is the connection between the kohanim’s netilas yadayim and a Jew doing netilas yadayim when he or she first wakes up in the morning? The Torah explains in this week’s
parsha that there were three steps involved in the kohanim’s inauguration to their service in the Mishkan: (1) immersion in the mikvah; (2) donning the garments of the kohanim; and (3) being anointed with oil (Shmos 30:1213). After they were first brought into service in the Mishkan, the kohanim’s preparation for each day’s service differed with respect to the third step on the list; sanctifying the hands and feet with the kiyor (ibid. 20-21) rather than being anointed with oil. We see therefore that the kohanim’s use of the kiyor to sanctify their hands and feet with water was
bam, Frankel edition, Bias Hamikdash 5:1, 9:1). Why is it so important for the kohanim to rededicate themselves to their service by sanctifying their hands and feet before each day’s service? Why is this a continuing obligation? Perhaps we can understand this by contemplating the corollary of the kohanim’s sanctification of their hands and feet – our mitzvah to do netilas yadayim every morning. Just before we wash in the morning, we say, “I acknowledge before You, living and enduring King, that You returned me my soul…” We see from these words
With our ten fingers, we are partners with Hashem in creating and rectifying the world around. an integral part of their service in the Beis Hamikdash. The pasuk even says that the obligation to sanctify their hands and feet was so critical that a kohein would be subject to the death penalty in the Heavenly court if he even entered the Beis Hamikdash without having washed (ibid.; Ram-
that a Jew is like a newborn child every single day. Hashem wants us to look at the world every day with fresh eyes. He wants us to see our family, friends, the Torah, our surroundings, and the world at large as if it was for the first time. This is reflected in the simple but
powerful words of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (2:6): “Because a person, when he rises from his bed in the morning, is like one newly formed to serve the Creator, he must sanctify and wash his hands using a vessel like a kohein who would sanctify his hands every day from the kiyor before his service.” Rav Ganzfried (author of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch) is teaching us that the reason we do netilas yadayim in the morning is in order to rededicate ourselves to a brand new service of G-d each day. And by comparing this service in our daily lives to the kohanim’s service, he is telling us that the world around us in which we service G-d is like the Beis Hamikdash! Every kitchen, office, campus, basement, or train in which we find ourselves each day is like the courtyard of the Beis Hamikdash to us. That is why we must approach those places with proper preparation, by doing netilas yadayim with a sober recognition of the gravity of the holy activities in which we are about to involve ourselves. Daily life has a purpose. The pasuk (Iyov 19:26) says, “In my flesh I see G-d.” How can we relate to this? We know that the seforim hakedoshim teach that Hashem cre-
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
ated and creates the world through ten attributes called sefiros. The Sefer Hayetzira (1:3) also teaches that the ten fingers of our hands, through which we fulfill the mitzvos, correspond to the ten sefiros. Putting aside what this means on a kabbalistic level, we can now understand why we must sanctify our hands every morning. With our ten fingers, we are partners with Hashem in creating and rectifying the world around us. We must look at everything, at shul, home, work, and on the street, and ask: What is missing here? What can I do to fix G-d’s world and make it better? Recognizing that I am like a kohein in the Beis Hamikdash in my daily life, I must sanctify my hands because I must use them to complete G-d’s creation of the world. I saw a beautiful explanation in the name of a bachur, a student at the Hesder Yeshivat Otniel, named Noam Apter. He asks why, of all the parts of the body, the kohanim had to wash their hands and feet. Answering his own question, he suggests that perhaps it was because of the two parts of the pasuk (Shmos 30:20): “When
they came to the Tent of Meeting… or when they approach the altar to serve…” He suggests that there are two ways that a person must prepare himself to serve Hashem. First is the aspect of “they came to the Tent of Meeting.” Sometimes it is difficult to even decide to go to the right place. Our feet must take us to where we are supposed to be – to the beis medrash, to shul, to work, or the like. We must ensure that our feet take us to the right environment. The kohanim’s obligation to sanctify their feet correspond to this aspect of Divine service. But Noam suggests that there is a second step. Once we are where we are supposed to be, we must “approach the altar to serve.” We must actually use our hands to carry out the service in that place. We must do our duty. That is the significance of the kohanim’s obligation to sanctify their hands. And who was Noam Apter? He was on kitchen duty in the dining room of Yeshivat Otniel on Shabbos night, December 27, 2002 with three other bochurim: Gavriel Hoter, Tzvi Ziemen, and Yehuda Bamberger. Two
terrorists with guns and body armor broke into the kitchen and began firing on the four bochurim in the kitchen. Noam realized that the terrorists were about to go from the kitchen into the main dining room where seventy bochurim were eating the Shabbos meal. Although he was carrying a gun, Noam used his last second of life, before the terrorists shot him, to close and lock the sliding door separating the kitchen from the dining room in order to give the bochurim time to hide or flee. Rather than use that second to escape or risk only stopping one of the terrorists with his gun, Noam locked himself into the kitchen with the terrorists so that he could save everyone else. Noam sanctified his feet by running to the door; not to escape, but to sacrifice himself to save everyone else. And Noam sanctified his hands by using them to lock himself in with the terrorists rather than retrieve his gun. Because of Noam’s holy service, IDF soldiers and other armed bochurim and rebbeim were able to eventually neutralize the terrorists.
Noam’s body was found in front of the locked door riddled with bullet holes, evidence of his sacrifice which prevented any deaths beyond the four bochurim in the kitchen. The Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Beni Kalmanzon, said that when he found Noam’s body in front of the door, he saw a serene look on the young man’s face. With G-d’s help, none of us will be called upon to dedicate our feet and hands to G-d’s service in the same way Noam did. May we instead merit to see ourselves as partners with Hashem in the creation and perfection of the world so that we may live in a way that sanctifies G-d’s name by dedicating our hands and feet to the service of G-d and the sanctification of His Name.
Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, is the founding Morah d’Asrah of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, NY, and has served as Mashpia in Yeshiva University since 2013.
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Torah Thought
Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei By Rabbi Berel Wein
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he Torah reading of the book of Shemot concludes this week with the reading of the total portion of Vayakhel and Pekudei. These two portions are a fitting conclusion to the long narrative describing the construction of the Tabernacle, the Mishkan. Every great project, whether physical or spiritual, is yet incomplete without an accounting being
given as to the investment, effort and cost relating to the project. One of the great principles of the Torah and of Jewish life generally is accountability – for behavior, speech, actions and even thoughts. The Talmud phrased it succinctly: “Human beings are always accountable and liable for their actions.” We have a concept in the Talmud that one can
be found not to be liable for actions caused by human negligence or mistakes by an earthly court but still be liable in the heavenly court, which judges all of our behavior. As human beings we hold ourselves to a far less stringent standard of behavior and liability. But Heavenly judgment, which knows our true capabilities and potential, holds us to its lofty standard of accountability. And we are witness to that in the accounting that Moshe submits to us in this week’s Torah reading, of the wealth accumulated and spent in this great
sensitive documents and information and all of this is justified by the idea that the public has a right to know everything about everybody at all times. In theory, transparency is a good and necessary component of a democratic republic. But the question arises as to whether there are any limits to this right to transparency. From the Torah itself it seems that in monetary matters and in accounting for the use of public funds, especially charity funds, there is no limit to the necessity for transparency and accountability. However, in matters of personal
The question arises as to whether there are any limits to this right to transparency.
construction project of the Mishkan. The project was enormous in scope and in cost. Yet Moshe was aware that one thousand measures of silver were not accounted for. He could not rest until he traced the missing silver – which was actually used for the hooks that held the curtains that constituted the hanging tapestries of the structure. One of the great demands of current politics that now engulfs us is the issue of transparency. We wish for transparency in government affairs, financial dealings and even in personal relationships. All governments are currently besieged by the leaking of
behavior and past actions of human beings, the Torah does impose limits on the need for revelation. The laws of evil speech and slander apply even when one speaks the truth about others. Then, the so-called right to know is severely curtailed. Such distinctions do not exist in the culture that currently surrounds us. Private information about people’s lives, which at one time was considered sacrosanct, is today visible to all on social media and through the hackers and leakers that abound in our world. Even transparency has to have its limits of decency and restraint. Shabbat shalom.
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The Observant Jew
We're Gonna Build a Wall By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
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ne of the most emotion-charged campaign platforms of the 2016 election cycle was the declaration by candidate Donald Trump that the U.S. should build a wall along its southern border as a way to stop illegal immigration. Perhaps ironically, the week of President Trump’s inauguration the Daf Yomi cycle began Bava Basra, which opens by saying that if two partners wish to divide a property, they should build a wall on the border. The aim to build the border wall in the U.S. took on much deeper meaning. For some it showed concern for U.S. safety. To others it seemed to underscore xenophobic feelings. Nobody really viewed it as just a wall, a collection of materials designed to demarcate a boundary which already existed. In Jewish life, we also have a concept of boundaries and lines we won’t cross. We are supposed to make sure we set up safeguards for the mitzvos, but interestingly, Chazal don’t suggest a wall. In Pirkei Avos, the Anshei K’nesses HaGedola are quoted as saying, “Make a fence around the Torah.” This refers to various rabbinic prohibitions designed to prevent us from transgressing Biblical ones. The question is: why do we build a fence? One can easily get over a fence (hence the idea of a border wall) and get to the other side. Why don’t they say we should build a wall? Concrete, four feet thick, with electrified barbed wire and laser beams to deter or destroy trespassers? If we want to really protect the Torah from being transgressed, shouldn’t we establish much
more rigorous standards for behavior? I’d like to suggest that the problem with building a wall is that it becomes the center of attention, and not what it was intended to protect. As long as we have a fence, meaning something similar to the prohibition which reminds us not to do what Hashem warned us against, we will focus on doing Hashem’s will. When the fence becomes a wall, however, our vision is impaired and we stop seeing the actual mitzvah. Just as the conversation in America turned to “Wall or no wall” instead of immigration, our focus becomes the barrier itself but we forget why it was erected to begin with. Take Pesach cleaning, for example. We don’t want to have chometz (leaven) in our homes. This could be easily
many people get angry when someone walks into a room they’ve already cleaned? In defense of this wall, they will transgress numerous other Biblical sins such as anger and hurtful words, in the process utilizing their egos which were supposed to be diminished as part of the Pesach preparations. Smartphones are another one. The reason they are so deadly is because of the access to so many horrible things, from inappropriate images to lashon hara on steroids. Of course, those same phones can also be used to spread Torah and kindness and do just as much good since zeh le’umas zeh asa Elokim – Hashem balances everything – so as bad as it can be, that’s how good it can be. Many rabbonim have decried
Our focus becomes the barrier itself but we forget why it was erected to begin with.
avoided by getting rid of our chometz as best we can and then making anything left null and void. Once you do that, you’re in the clear. But for many of us, cleaning for Pesach took priority and it turned into spring cleaning. Pesach started to be associated with the vilified “wall” of cleaning more so than with the purity and humility of not having chometz. How
the use of these devices, and that’s a valid approach to stopping the dangers. However, when the smartphone becomes the evil itself and we lose sight of what we’re supposed to be protecting, we’ve built a wall instead of Chazal’s fence. Instead of knowing that Hashem wants us to use our eyes and our speech for holy and good purposes, we only learn that somehow He
is against technology and this phone is some sort of an idol. When it becomes proper to speak lashon hara about or steal from someone because he or she has a smartphone (and not because he’s not listening to his rav), we’ve crossed a line we should not have crossed. When a community had a particularly heated public disagreement about an eiruv, one wise rabbi commented, “Carrying in this area is only a rabbinic prohibition, but the lashon hara is a Biblical one.” When people in another place wanted to stop an eiruv from being used, they vandalized it just before Shabbos. In order to prove their point, they were willing to cause chillul Shabbos by ensuring that according to no opinions had the sanctity of Shabbos been upheld. And it’s all because we put up a wall and couldn’t look beyond it. So, as we move forward, perhaps we can poke some holes in the walls. Not big ones that people could slip through, but just large enough that we can see through them to remember that we’re trying to do what Hashem wants from us on all fronts. Jonathan Gewirtz is an inspirational writer and speaker whose work has appeared in publications around the world. You can find him at www.facebook.com/RabbiGewirtz, and follow him on Instagram @RabbiGewirtz or Twitter @RabbiJGewirtz. He also operates JewishSpeechWriter.com, where you can order a custom-made speech for your next special occasion. Sign up for the Migdal Ohr, his weekly PDF Dvar Torah in English. E-mail info@JewishSpeechWriter. com and put Subscribe in the subject.
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Between the Lines
The Wise Get Wiser By Eytan Kobre
Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it. - Albert Einstein
A
n angel once appeared at a college faculty meeting telling the dean that, to repay his exemplary leadership, G-d would reward him with his choice of immense wealth, long life, or infinite wisdom. Without hesitating, the dean chose wisdom. “As you wish,” they angel chanted, disappearing in a cloud of smoke and a bolt of lightning. All eyes turned to the dean, who it seemed was now surrounded by a faint halo of light. After an awkward silence, one of his colleagues whispered, “Say something wise.” The dean shrugged his shoulders. “I should’ve taken the money.” The joke is humorous spin, of course, on an age-old choice made by Shlomo. When G-d offered Shlomo his choice of wisdom, wealth, or long life, Shlomo requested only wisdom (I Melachim 3:9), to which G-d responded, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches…I have given you a wise and understanding heart…and I have also given you that which you have not asked for, both
riches and honor” (I Melachim 3:1113). Shlomo merited wisdom because he desired wisdom, even more than wealth and long life. That is a recurring theme in the building of the Mishkan and the making of the Priestly Garments, when, time and again, G-d refers to granting wisdom to the wise. “The wise of heart who I have filled with the spirit of wisdom” (Shemos 28:3). “In the heart of the wise I have
all people because they have an insatiable thirst for wisdom (Rabbeinu Yona, Avos 4:1; Ohr Yahel, Vol. 3, pgs. 140-141). Only “if we seek it out as silver and search for it as for hidden treasure” will we attain wisdom (Mishlei 2:4-5). Wisdom, then, is a product of desiring wisdom (Pele Yo’etz, Chochma; Sichos Mussar, No. 59; Chochma U’Mussar, Vol. 2, pg. 306). To seek it, is to find it. R’ Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the
“It requires wisdom to understand wisdom: the music is nothing if the audience is deaf.”
placed wisdom” (Shemos 31:6). “And they made, Betzalel and Oholiav and all men of wise heart to whom G-d gave wisdom and knowledge” (Shemos 36:1; Tanchuma, Vayakhel 2; Ohr Yahel, Vol. 2, pgs. 71-75). Wisdom, it seems, is reserved for the wise. Indeed, “G-d gives wisdom only to those who have wisdom” (Berachos 55a; Daniel 2:21). “The beginning of wisdom is: get wisdom” (Mishlei 4:7). Wise people learn from
first Rebbe of Lubavitch, had an extensive library of sacred books and ancient texts. Among these was a rare manuscript, bearing this inscription: The ban of Rabbeinu Gershom concerning the secrecy of documents hereby is invoked – in This World and the Next. Well, it happened one day that a fire broke out in the Rebbe’s home, engulfing the library in flames and destroying all his holy books and
treasured manuscripts. When the fire was extinguished, the Rebbe summoned his son, R’ Dov Ber. “Did you ever open the secret manuscript?” “No,” his son answered firmly. “Never. Not once.” The Rebbe pressed further. “Maybe you were curious and opened it just once? Read a chapter or two? Can you recall anything from the manuscript? Even just a single passage would restore my spirits.” “But, Father, the ban of Rabbeinu Gershom was applied to that manuscript. Anyone who dared open it would be cursed in This World and the Next.” The Rebbe shook his head in disappointment. “And you didn’t think that the pursuit of new wisdom was worth the sacrifice?” The Rebbe wasn’t mourning the loss of the book itself; presumably, he had learned it already and could have transmitted its teachings to his son. He was disappointed over his son’s unwillingness to risk everything – and sacrifice everything, if necessary – in pursuit of new Divine wisdom. R’ Yosi bar Chalafta likened the matter to two individuals applying for a loan, one wealthy and the other poor. Unlike the poor applicant, the wealthy one could repay the loan Continued on page 90
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even if the loan monies were squandered. So, too, if G-d endowed fools with wisdom, they would squander it, whereas the wise would appreciate it, preserve it, and develop it further (Koheles Rabba 1; Tanchuma, Vayakhel 2). R’ Leib Chasman likened it to a child playing with a heap of pebbles that includes valuable gems – just as the child cannot be considered wealthy without knowing the value of the gems in the pile, so too only those who appreciate wisdom can truly be regarded as wise. Or, as writer and political commentator Walter Lippman put it, “It requires wisdom to understand wisdom: the music is nothing if the audience is deaf.” When his daughter reached marriageable age, the great R’ Eizel Charif traveled to the renowned Volozhin yeshiva in search of the best and brightest young Torah scholar as a match. R’ Eizel posed an impossibly difficult Gemara question, promising his daughter’s hand in marriage to the student who offered the truest
solution. All wanting to marry the daughter of the great R’ Eizel Charif, the students toiled round-theclock in search of an answer, but to no avail. None of the students could answer the question, and R’ Eizel left without a potential suitor. As he headed down the road that led away from the yeshiva, he heard shouting and running behind his carriage. R’ Eizel asked the driver to slow down, whereupon a student caught up to the carriage and, completely winded, blurted out, “Rabbi, the answer, the answer.” This piqued R’ Eizel’s interest. “Nu, do you have an answer?” “No, no,” the student replied, still out of breath. “But I must know. What is the answer?” R’ Eizel’s face lit up. “You! I choose you to marry my daughter!” It wasn’t necessary for the student to have conceived or found an answer; the overwhelming desire to learn the answer was enough. It is said that a young man once came to Socrates in pursuit of wis-
dom. Socrates led him through the streets, to the sea, and chest deep into water. “What is it that you want?” “Wisdom, great Socrates,” said the young man with a smile. Socrates grabbed his hands on the young man and pushed him under the water. After thirty seconds, Socrates let him up for air. “What do you want?” “Wisdom,” the young man gasped. So Socrates crunched him under again. This time, thirty seconds passed, then thirty-five seconds, then forty seconds. Socrates let him up. The young man was wheezing. “What do you want, young man?” Between heaving breaths, the young man insisted, “Wisdom, Socrates, wisdom!” So Socrates jammed him under again, this time for nearly a minute. “What do you want?” “Air!” the young man screeched. “I need air!” “Alas!” Socrates bellowed. “When you want wisdom as much as you
want to breathe, then you will have wisdom.” * * * Those who strive to attain wisdom seek out people, situations, and environments that will serve as conduits for wisdom. They don’t wait for wisdom to find them – they find it. They pursue it. They constantly seek new opportunities to access wisdom and add to their own. They find new lectures and books and study partners. They incorporate some new wisdom into their daily lives because “for the wise and those who seek wisdom, life without Torah learning is like death” (Rambam, Rotze’ach 7:1). They do all this because they know that only the wise get wiser.
Eytan Kobre is a writer, speaker, mediator, and attorney living in Kew Gardens Hills. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail eakobre@outlook.com.
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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Jewish History
Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Ferber In His Own Words PART I: MEMORIES OF MY YOUTH IN SLABODKA
The early rabbis of Kovno and Slabodka By Rabbi Pini Dunner
Part I
S
labodka, my place of birth, is an ancient town that existed before the neighboring city of Kovno. The first rabbis of Kovno were buried in the Jewish cemetery of Slabodka, as there was no Jewish cemetery in Kovno when they died. The great rabbis of Kovno were Rabbi Menachem Mendel, who studied under Rabbi Yaakov Maggid, the preacher of Novardok. There was also Rabbi Arye Leib Shapira, father of the four great brothers: Rabbi Raphael Shapira, who was the son-in-law of Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, the “Netziv” of Volozhin; Rabbi Levi “Trisker”; Rabbi Shmuel Moshe of Korschan, who later became chief rabbi of Bobroisk, replacing his brother Rabbi Raphael Shapira when he was appointed dean of the Volozhin yeshiva and chief rabbi of Volozhin; and Rabbi Avraham Chaim Shapira of Smargan. In 1896, I witnessed the exhumation of these early chief rabbis’ remains after the government seized the old Jewish cemetery in Slabodka. They were all reburied in the new Slabodka cemetery. At that time I also witnessed the reburial of Rabbi Yitzchak Meir, the former chief rabbi of Slabodka, who had passed away in 1890. I recall hearing from my es-
teemed teacher, Rabbi Hirschel, one of the teachers at Slabodka yeshiva, about a chief rabbi of Slabodka called Rabbi Shlomo, a great scholar who studied under Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin. He was constantly studying Torah and was known to be a great Torah scholar. Despite this, the other rabbis in Slabodka were frequently confounded by his halachic rulings, and could not
ities. So he asked Rabbi Shlomo why he refused to share his sources with the other rabbis in town, to which Rabbi Shlomo responded: “Let them work as hard as I do to come up with these rulings, and they will understand everything perfectly!” Rabbi Eliyahu Rogoler Another chief rabbi of Slabod-
I can still vividly recall his speeches – the captivating singsong of his delivery, the perfect diction, and his powerful voice.
work out what lay behind his conclusions. Whenever they asked him to explain himself, however, he refused to respond. One time Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin visited Slabodka, and the other local rabbis complained to him about the chief rabbi. They explained that they couldn’t make any sense of his rulings, and Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin promised to take it up with him. He spoke to Rabbi Shlomo and saw immediately that he was a towering intellect, and that all his halachic rulings were correct, firmly based on Talmudic sources and the early halachic author-
ka was the incredible sage and spiritual giant Rabbi Eliyahu Rogoler, son of Rabbi Yaakov of Neustadt. He wrote an approbation for the book “Turei Even” by the author of “Shaagat Arye” in around 1836, and signed it “Chief Rabbi of Villiampole,” which is another name for Slabodka, as it is surrounded by the Villia River. My teacher, Rabbi Hirsch, told me that Rabbi Eliyahu Rogoler once publicly declared that if anyone came to him knowing all six orders of Mishnah by heart, he would reveal kabbalistic secrets to them that would result in them being visited by an angel teacher
from Heaven, just as it happened with the author of the Shulchan Aruch, the Beit Yosef. After Slabodka Rabbi Eliyahu was chief rabbi of Kalish, and that community also witnessed him doing extraordinary things. But he very much regretted his move to Kalish, and wrote that his move to Kalish would result in an earlier death. He suffered terribly at the hands of the Hasidic community there, and he longed for his former position and home in Slabodka, where he had led a trouble-free life. In Slabodka he had presided over a number of devoted students who went on to become great rabbinic leaders in their own right. One of them was my own relative, Rabbi Mordechai Eliasberg, who would later be chief rabbi of Boisk. He was the son-in-law of my great-uncle, the wealthy philanthropist, Markil Kadishsohn of Kovno, who built and set up the wonderful learning center known as “Reb Markil’s Kloiz,” a beautiful building with a fantastic library, where special individuals sat all day and studied Torah, and it is still active to this day. Markil Kadishsohn was actually a devoted supporter of Rabbi Eliyahu Rogoler. Throughout the rabbi’s 14 years in Slabodka he was paid a salary of two rubles a week by the community, and Markil added a further two rubles a week throughout that time, and even after the rabbi left Slabod-
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Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor (18171896) was chief rabbi of Kovno, the town that neighbored Rabbi Ferber's hometown of Slabodka, from 1864 until his death in 1896
ka he continued to give him this amount. During his time in Kalish, Rabbi Rogoler was involved in an awful incident. The community owned a Torah scroll that was written by Rabbi Yehuda ben Nissan, author of the Beit Yehuda commentary on the Talmud, who had been chief rabbi of Kalish during the seventeenth century. The scroll was very fragile, and precious to the community, and they only used it once a year, on Yom Kippur. One year, on Yom Kippur, Rabbi Rogoler was called upon to say a blessing over that Torah scroll, but when he saw the scroll close up he declared it unfit for use, and the community was very upset. Soon afterwards the rabbi fell sick, and the community’s leaders saw this as a proof that he had offended the honor of their former chief rabbi, and this illness was his punishment. They demanded that Rabbi Rogoler send a quorum of men to pray at the late chief rabbi’s grave to ask for forgiveness for having insulted his honor. But Rabbi Rogoler stood his ground, and responded
that he would send a quorum to request that the late chief rabbi intercede on his behalf in Heaven, in the merit of having saved the community from using an unusable Torah scroll. And so it was, and his health improved. I heard later that thieves had rampaged through the town, broken into the synagogue, and torn that particular Torah scroll, which settled things once-andfor-all. Rabbi Yitzchak Meir of Slabodka Another chief rabbi of Slabodka was Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac, previously the rabbi of Lachowitz, and before him the chief rabbi was Rabbi Chanoch Henoch, who subsequently went blind. After them both, the chief rabbi of Slabodka was Rabbi Yitzchak Meir, previously the rabbi of Zaslav, who was known as the “illui” (genius) of Kreveh. I knew him – he was a tall man with an aristocratic bearing, and a long flowing beard. He had a wonderful personality, was extremely generous and kind, and he was also a fantastic public speaker. I
can still vividly recall his speeches – the captivating singsong of his delivery, the perfect diction, and his powerful voice. I heard from Rabbi Yosef Sharshevski that Rabbi Yitzchak Meir was born in Kreveh, where his father was a local medical expert... He became a student of the famed rabbi of Brisk, Rabbi Yeshua Leib Diskin, and I remember hearing that when he was gravely ill before he died he cried out, “Why would you want me? My teacher Rabbi Yehoshua Leib is much greater than I am!” Rabbi Yitzchak Meir’s brother, Rabbi Aron Rubin, was also a great scholar, and he stood in as rabbi of Slabodka for two years after his brother died and then became the rabbi of Ratnitz near Grodno. I heard later that a wealthy old woman ... left him her entire fortune when she died. Rabbi Yitzchak Meir’s untimely death In the month of Cheshvan 5651 (1890) Rabbi Yitzchak Meir became sick with kidney disease, and I recall that we gathered to pray for him. It was to no avail, and on the 11th of Cheshvan he passed away at the young age of 48 years old. I can still recall the thousands upon thousands of people from Kovno and Slabodka, and the entire surrounding area, who came to pay him their last respects. His coffin was brought into the big yard in front of the synagogue, and it was packed from end to end. The yard was so packed that it was not possible for the great rabbi, renowned leader of the Jewish world, Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor, who was chief rabbi of neighboring Kovno, to get close and eulogize him, as he was standing quite far away and there was no way for him to get through the crowds. Instead they hoisted a large table over people’s heads until it reached the spot where he was standing, and the community leaders lifted Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor up onto it so that he could deliver the eulogy.
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Two people stood alongside the rabbi on the table to keep him steady, as he was old and weak, and he delivered a heartrending eulogy in a tearful voice. He told the community not to appoint a new chief rabbi for at least two years, and instead they were to give the salary to Rabbi Yitzchak Meir’s widow, and also to put together a fund to marry off his children. Other eulogies were delivered by Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Hacohen, the itinerant preacher of Kovno; Rabbi Shabsi Marim, one of the rabbis in Slabodka; and Rabbi Binyamin Meisell, the chief rabbi of Paneman, who was a relative of the late rabbi. Due to the massive crowds, it was impossible to eulogize the rabbi inside the synagogue, so after they had brought the coffin into the synagogue they brought it back out to the yard and eulogized him there. I never saw such a large funeral, with the exception of the funeral for the greatest rabbinic leader of them all, Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor. For two years the rabbinic leadership position of Slabodka was filled temporarily by Rabbi Shabsi Marim alongside the late rabbi’s brother, Rabbi Aron Rubin – a very educated man and fantastic public speaker, whose speeches the community loved to hear. Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan helped the community raise money so that they could build a large house for Rabbi Yitzchak Meir’s widow, and they also married off his daughter to a flour trader, Gershon Opp, known as Reb Gershon Kalman’s, a decent man and the son of a community official. Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan came himself to perform the wedding. The widow’s eldest son was married off to the daughter of Rabbi Yaakov Meir Rogoler, and there was also another son, but I don’t know what happened to him. To be continued... Rabbi Pini Dunner is the Rav of Young Israel North Beverly Hills in California.
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Israel Today
Mmm...Chocolate! By Rafi Sackville
H
ave you ever rested a piece of chocolate on the top of your mouth and let it melt until there is a burst of flavor from its filling: the delightful discovery of delicious caramels, coffees and mints inside the smoothest milk pralines? Have you? If you’re a chocoholic like me and you are disciplined enough to not quickly chew and swallow each piece, then chocolate is one of life’s true pleasures. Here in Israel we are accustomed to the usual fare: the chocolate selections that adorn supermarket and grocery store shelves promise much but the probability of melting any of these common brands at the top of one’s palate is left wanting and there is not much left to do other than chew and swallow. Yes, yes. There is the occasional sweet rush when you crunch into chocolate covered wafers or the click when those little malt chocolate balls explode in your mouth, but compared to boutique brands one can buy in America, like Godiva and Lindt, the quality of mass produced chocolate doesn’t really pass muster. It’s like one type of chocolate is for a quick rush, the other for the sheer delight of surprise and quality. A little over an hour away from where we live in Ma’alot is Kibbutz Ein Zivan. The kibbutz is situated on the Golan Heights. Just inside the main gate to the right and up a short path is the entrance to De Karina, one of Israel’s boutique chocolate factories. It’s a chocoholic’s world of joy. The front door opens onto a small foyer which in turn leads directly into
the factory store and cafe. The shelves are stacked with chocolates of every type and size. There are bottles of liqueur, cardboard and tinned packages. It is a collection of original designs that can be quite overwhelming. I couldn’t have felt more at home. Behind the counter a woman was using a pair of tongs to carefully replenish the display case with individual pieces of chocolate. She was treating each piece like a delicate child. My first inclination was buy a caseload of goodies, sit down and promptly get sick. Yet we hadn’t driven that distance to buy chocolate alone. No, we were there for the tour of the factory and a workshop. I was looking forward to the tour. I was particularly excited to be to able to stick my head inside a vat of warm milk chocolate, or at least be able to use a rubber paddle to lick a barrel clean much in the way I do when Keren is baking cakes. We watched a brief movie of the history of the Argentinian Karina, who came to Israel and established the factory in 2006. It was all very stirring, full of patriotic passion and love of Israel. However, it was hard to concentrate, what with the smell of chocolate wafting into the room from behind us in the shop and to our left in the factory. Lior, our guide through the factory, spoke good English, although I cringed every time he’d say, “You can taste from the chocolates” or “You can’t taste from the chocolates.” I couldn’t restrain myself and tried to change his ways. He thanked me profusely, re-
peated my corrections thrice, and then immediately answered a young child’s question by saying, “No, you can’t taste from the chocolates.” Alas, my hopes were somewhat dashed when were then led into a hallway and behind a glass partition from where we could watch workers preparing chocolate from a distance. There was to be no gliding across the factory floor, not even the chance of a promise to wash my hands thoroughly before sticking them into a vat. Keren noticed my disappointment. “There, there, Rafi. We’ll get you some chocolate. I promise,” she said comfortingly. The highlight of the proceedings taking place in front of us was when one of the workers spread a huge dollop of milk chocolate onto a granite table, spread it thin and, once it had cooled, ran a huge spatula underneath it. It magically metamorphosed into a long row of mekupelet, that wavy, scrunched up chocolate bar I can eat five of in a sitting. He also gave a demonstration of how one forms the shell of pralines: he’d fill a piece of equipment that looked like a large ice tray with chocolate, then turn it upside-down and shake it until the contents emptied back into the vat. All that was left were rows of chocolate shells. We were whisked into the next room where we were sat at benches. There we took a workshop and the opportunity to design our own tasty delights. It proved to be more difficult than I expected. I made a slab of mixed chocolate and wrote the name “Keren”
across its middle. Each table had a collection of plastic dispensers containing different chocolate in liquid form. I picked up one that contained warm milk chocolate, took off the top, and was on the verge of squeezing a decent dose down my throat just as our workshop teacher warned us from doing just that. I guiltily looked across at him. He smiled at me like a teacher giving a reproachful look at a misbehaving child. After the workshop we were led back into the store, where we ordered a hot chocolate and a tornado. The latter is a cup of hot milk with two of those wavy chocolate bars sticking out of it like...well, like tornadoes: one milk, the other white chocolate. By the time we’d taken our drinks from the counter to the sitting area the tornadoes had melted into the wind, as it were. We purchased a bottle of chocolate liqueur and a box full of pralines, but not before trying a few more chocolates. The chocolate I had eaten and drunk had taken their toll on me: I was exhausted and felt as if I would not have to eat for another forty-eight hours. On the way home Keren tried, but didn’t succeed in stopping me from planning our next day trip. We’re on the lookout for more chocolate factories. There’s another in Tiberias. That’s where we’re going next. Rafi Sackville, formerly of Cedarhurst, teaches in Ort Maalot in Western Galil.
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A Match Made in China
25 Years of the China-Israel Alliance By Susan Schwamm
I
srael’s population is a mere 8 million; China is home to almost 1.4 billion people. Despite the disparities in number of people who call these countries home, Israel and China have steadily been working on growing their relationship. Just this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China to discuss technological cooperation between the two nations. “We have signed many agreements,” Netanyahu said, “but I think that your decision to announce a comprehensive innovation partnership between China and Israel is a tremendously important decision, certainly for us in Israel, and I believe through our cooperation, for China as well.” This is not the first time the prime minister visited the Chinese and is 25 years since the dawn of an initiative aimed at fostering trade between the two nations. Netanyahu continued, “We admire China’s capabilities, its position on the world stage and in history. We have always believed, as we dis-
cussed on my previous visit, that Israel can be a partner, a junior partner, but a perfect partner for China in the development of a variety of
peoples, but also I think for humanity as a whole.” He concluded, “I want to thank you, not only for the friendship you
“I believe this is a marriage made in heaven,” Netanyahu said at the beginning of the meeting. technologies that change the way we live, how long we live, how healthy we live, the water we drink, the food we eat, the milk that we drink – in every area.” Israel, which has been called the Startup Nation, is known for its strides in technology. “There are vast and rapid changes in technology, which Israel excels in that we believe that we could cooperate in,” Netanyahu explained. “We know that you have great scientists, great industrialists, great capabilities, and we think that by working together we can make the future better for our
have shown Israel, but for the important strides we are making to make the world a better place for all of us.” Netanyahu began his three day trip to China this week on Sunday, bringing along with him a group of businessmen and government leaders to sign deals during the visit. While meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in the Great Hall of People in Beijing, the two leaders agreed to accelerate negotiations regarding the establishment of a Free Trade Zone and the work of the special economic cooperation committee. The
two leaders also discussed a “fast track” for Israeli and Chinese investors to streamline the way to joint agreements and a direct air link between Shanghai and Tel Aviv. “We think there are only two such concentrations of technology in the world for the moment… We are eager to work with you. We’re going to sign with the government in the coming days a series of agreements on how we can pursue this cooperation, how we can help China in its plans and how China, of course, can enable us to participate in its great projects. But I believe this is a marriage made in heaven,” Netanyahu said at the beginning of the meeting.
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oday, there are approximately 2,500 Jews living in China – the majority of them, around 2,000, live in Beijing. Historians have noted that Jews first came to China sometime during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). At that time, during the Silk Road, Jews were well-suited to become involved in international trade. For one, many Jews were already merchants in their
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Jewish children in the Shanghai ghetto in 1944
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Lighting the menorah at the Great Wall of China
Jews of Kaifeng, late 19th century, early 20th century
hometowns. Additionally, because Jews speak a common language – Hebrew – Jews from Europe, Persia, India and the Middle East were able to converse and trade amongst themselves despite the language barriers that non-Jews faced. If Jews were trading within Europe and India at the time, China would be the next country with which to trade. A significant group of Jews – around 70 families – settled in the city of Kaifeng during the Song Dynasty. It is not known why they left their hometown or why they settled in China. The group was welcomed by the Song Emperor and was allowed to freely practice their faith. For at least eight or nine generations, they only gave their children Jewish names. They would only eat meat slaughtered by Jews and wouldn’t eat blood, pork and other non-kosher animals. During the Ming Dynasty, many Kaifeng Jews were given roles in the government. As their status grew, though, many of them turned to study Chinese texts and some of their Jewish learning was diminished. When the Yellow River dams flooded in 1642, the Golden Age of Kaifeng Jewry abruptly ended, as many lost their lives in the rushing waters. The community gradually lost itself within China as many of its members intermarried. In the 19th century, they no longer knew Hebrew and didn’t even know when Shabbos was. At one point the Kaifeng Jews sadly posted their holy seforim in the
city square and offered a reward for someone to translate them. No one could. In 1914, the site of their shul – where they had prayed for 700 years – was sold to a bishop. The history of the Jews of Shanghai is a bit more recent. As the port city of Shanghai opened to foreign trade in 1842, many Jews fleeing repression in Eastern Europe and particularly those escaping the Russian Tsar stumbled into Shanghai. The Ohel Moishe Synagogue was built in Shanghai in 1907. At the time, the population of Shanghai Jews grew
city grew to a population of approximately 25,000 – around 18,000 of those were Jewish refugees who came to the city from 1933 to 1941. When Japan captured Shanghai in 1937, the Jews suffered terribly and eventually migrated to the United States, Britain, Australia, and Israel after the war. Now, there are only a few Jews living in Shanghai. The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum reminds visitors of the city’s Jewish past. Beijing, the capital of China, is now home to around 2,000 Jews – in
China is Israel’s largest trading partner in Asia, with bilateral trade volume surpassing a whopping $11 billion.
to 700. The majority of those Jews – 400 of them – were Sephardim, hailing from Baghdad, Bombay and Cairo, including the wealthy Sassoon, Kadoorie, Hardoon, Ezra, Shamoon, and Baroukh families. The community in Shanghai grew as the Russian Revolution in 1917 pushed more Jews towards China. And then, in the 1930s and 1940s, as Jews raced to escape Hitler’s evil minions, some fled to Shanghai, a port city which did not require visas. Students of Mir Yeshiva and Slabodka found refuge in Shanghai and the
a city of 21.5 million. For the past few decades Jews from all over the world have been traveling to China to engage in commerce and pursue economic development. Judaism is not a state-recognized religion in China and freestanding religious buildings are not allowed. The Chabad shaliach, Rabbi Shimon Freundlich, came to Beijing in 2001. The shul is officially held in his home. There is a mikveh in Beijing and a Montessori school run by Rebbetzin Freundlich. Beijing’s first kosher restaurant, Dini’s, opened in March 2007.
T
here is little anti-Semitism in China. Some, like Professor James Ross, who teaches journalism at Northeastern University in Boston and was a Fulbright lecturer at Nanjing University, say that the Chinese are more ignorant or apathetic about Jews than anti-Semitic as many of them don’t have any contact with the Chosen Nation. Despite that, the Chinese seem to see Jews as being a smart people, a trait that they admire and wish to aspire to. In an interview with The Forward in 2016, Ross relates about his time spent in China: “I was taken aback by people’s admiration for me because I was Jewish. And their assumption that I was rich and smart because I am a Jew. I found that really awkward.” He added, “Now that everything is focused on getting rich and attaining power, there is not much to believe in, and the interest in Jewish people involves what Jews believe in, even though the Chinese cannot study what Jews believe in. So it is still a mystery to them. They feel that they want to be like Jews, but have no idea what Jews believe in.” The Chinese want to know the secret to Jews’ supposed success and are willing to look for it. Books that line Chinese bookstore shelves include ones with titles like The Secret of the Talmud: The Jewish Code of Wealth, The Eight Most Valuable Business Secrets of the Jewish, and Jewish People and Business: The Bible of How to Live Their Lives. These books aren’t necessarily written by Continued on page 102
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Jews or even spout Jewish tradition and wisdom. But the Chinese view the Jews as being successful and smart, two traits that they value, and books about Jewish wisdom fly off the shelves.
P
erhaps it is this stereotype that propels the Israel-China alliance to continue to grow. Israel sees China as another resource for expanding business relations, and the Chinese respect Israel’s great advances in numerous fields. Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion saw the opportunity in China years ago. In a 1953 essay on international relations titled, “Israel Among the Nations,” Ben-Gurion predicted that the United States and Russia would struggle over world leadership. He urged Israel to turn towards the Far East. “Once again,” he wrote, “two great and ancient nations – India and China – stride out into independence. Their weight in the scales of humanity is increasing and is likely to tip those scales more yet hereafter.” Ben-Gurion pointed out that Israel sits on the edge of Asia, a perfect spot to embrace both the East and West. Despite Ben-Gurion’s foresight in China becoming a world power, he never saw a relationship come to fruition. Communist China did not invite outside alliances under Chairman Mao, although Israel was the first Middle East country to extend diplomatic recognition to China in 1950. But then, when China aligned itself with the Muslim world at the UN in 1956, Ben-Gurion realized there was no practical reason to reach out to Beijing. In 1978 Deng Xiaoping ascended China’s leadership. He encouraged foreign investment and market reforms, steering the country away from Mao’s strict ideology. In 1979, Israeli-based business tycoon Shaul Eisenberg endeavored to take advantage of the opening of China’s shore to foreigners – the first forging of a relationship between Israel and China. (Eisenberg actually fled to Shanghai from Nazi Germany during the war.) He arranged for leaders of Israel’s defense industry to hold a meeting with their Chinese counterparts, leading to a number of lucrative arms deals. Not wanting to aggravate China’s Arab allies, the two nations kept the meeting and re-
President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
lationship under wraps. The United States, though, supported the fledging partnership, hoping to diminish Soviet power. It was President George H. W. Bush who brought Sino-Israel relations to the fore. In 1991, with the Soviets no longer sponsoring Arab states, the president convened the Madrid Peace Conference between Israel and the Arab world. When China saw that sitting down with the Israelis was condoned even by the Arabs, it brought its relationship with Israel out into the open. Diplomatic relations were formally established in 1992. Israel subsequently instituted a series of economic reforms in the 1990s that allowed bilateral trade to increase, and Chinese President Jiang Zemin eventually visited Israel in 2000. The fall of the Soviet Union was a boon and a hindrance for Sino-Israel relations. On the one hand, Israel no longer had to hide its interest in China. But on the other hand, the United States saw itself faced with the threat not of the Soviet Union but of China. Indeed, in 2000, the United States forced the Israeli government to cancel a $1 billion deal to sell China four Phalcon warning and surveillance systems. Diplomatic relations cooled for a while between Beijing and Tel Aviv but the Chinese are practical and pragmatic. They knew a relationship with Israel is too good to throw away over one bad deal. In fact, because of advances in the high-tech industry in Israel, the Sino-Israel alliance tightened and from 2000-2005 trade between Israel and China tripled. The financial crisis of 2008 brought economies around the globe to their knees. But with disaster comes opportunity, and China, in
2010, officially announced that it would be making innovation the new engine of its economy. Who better to partner with than the Startup Nation?
C
hinese companies began investing in Israeli companies and infrastructure. In 2008, a Chinese company was awarded the contract for digging the Carmel Tunnel in Haifa as well as part of the Red Line on Tel Aviv’s light rail project. Another Chinese company also won the tender to supply bridge cranes to the Haifa port. In 2013, following Netanyahu’s second diplomatic visit to Beijing in which he oversaw the signing of a $400 million trade agreement that was officially penned and signed by Israeli Finance Ministry Accountant-General Michal Abadi-Boiangiu and officials from China’s Finance Ministry, H.E. Gao Yanping, China’s Ambassador to Israel, wrote: “With the interdependence between countries deepening in the globalized world, China and Israel have a shared destiny. The closer our cooperation is, the more benefits will accrue for both our peoples, and the more contributions we will be able to make to regional stability, world peace and global prosperity.” In 2014, for the first time, Israel imported more goods from China than it did from the United States – $8.1 billion and $7.4 billion, respectively. In 2015, then-Economy Minister Naftali Bennett said, “Israel has made a strategic decision to diversify its commerce, so we’re moving to the East. I’m talking about China, Japan, India … and it’s working.” Today, 25 years after establishing formal relations with China, China is Israel’s largest trading partner
in Asia, with bilateral trade volume surpassing a whopping $11 billion. It’s not always about economic collaboration between the two countries. Back in 2011, SIGNAL – Sino-Israel Global Network & Academic Leadership, an institute dedicated to strengthening ties between the two nations – hosted the first-ever China-Israel Strategy and Security Symposium at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya. In 2011-12, SIGNAL established five Israel Studies programs at Chinese universities; even more exist today. And in 2013, the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology announced that it will launch a campus at Shantou University in Guangdong, China’s most populous province. Hundreds of scholarships have been set aside in Israel for Chinese undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students in the hope that more Chinese will study in Israel. Three years ago, Chinese magnate Li Ka-Shing, among China’s richest businessmen, donated $130 million to Technion Institute of Technology as part of a joint venture with Shantou University that will establish the Technion Guangdong Institute of Technology. The gift marked the first time a school from any other country was invited to establish an entirely new college based in China. Ground was broken on the project in China in December 2015. Economic alliances and academic collaboration are parts of a strong Sino-Israel relationship. Take a visit to the Holy Land and you will see that Chinese citizens are taking advantage of the friendly atmosphere between China and Israel. According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, 76,400 Chinese tourists visited Israel between January 2016 and November 2016 – a massive 60 percent increase from 2015 – making China its biggest growth market.
W
ho would have thought that a nation in which there are barely Jews would be one of Israel’s biggest trade partners? The Jews of Kaifeng, when they journeyed to China almost 2,000 years ago, could never have imagined that generations later Jews would once again be doing brisk business with the Chinese. But, as Netanyahu said this week, “This is a marriage made in heaven.”
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Dating Dialogue
What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters
Dear Navidaters,
I
My daughter is 26-years-old and has been dating for seven years already. can’t even tell you how many men she’s gone out with. It’s a crazy number. She’s terrific and I never would have thought that she would have a hard time meeting her bashert. There’s nothing unusual about her or our family that should be getting in the way. But I guess it could happen to anyone.
Recently, when she had lunch at her married friend’s house one Shabbos, she met a young man who was divorced and has a three-year-old son. For some reason, this young man really seemed to connect with her. When she talked about their conversations, it sounded as though they were on the same wavelength in so many ways and that the chemistry was there. I can’t even remember the last time she went out with someone and she came home feeling excited about the date. It was so great to see the twinkle in her eye and her attitude sounding excited rather than disappointed, which is what we’re used to hearing from her. She would like to go out with this young man and wants our blessings. (Yes – he has already asked her out on a date.) My husband and I are having a hard time giving her our blessings and encouragement to go out with this young man. Though the details that she heard surrounding the divorce did sound as though he was not responsible for what went wrong in the marriage, the bottom line is that our daughter is just 26 and I can’t imagine her marrying a divorced man with a child, no less! She is insistent that there is no one out there for her and this young man is everything she ever hoped for. Do you think we are wrong nixing this shidduch? Our fear is that she lets us persuade her not to go out with him and winds up single! I don’t know what we would do if that were to happen. On the other hand, it hurts us to think of her taking on so much responsibility at such a young age. By the way, the son does live with his mother, but spends every other weekend and once a week with his father. It’s definitely a game changer. What are your thoughts?
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 Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
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The Panel
The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.
W
hile I understand your concerns for your daughter and added responsibilities in such a situation, your opposition may be out of place and premature. Although this is a game changer, let her take the time to explore the relationship and its implications. Dating is a process; through it she will find out what he is like, how deep their connection is and whether she will want to be a stepmother. Separately and together, they should go for some counseling from trusted mentors, rabbis, and professionals if it looks like this shidduch is going somewhere. There are some therapists who have a lot of experience with second time dating and stepfamilies. Fear not. The two young people will want support and help fairly soon if their relationship progresses. He will want to be sure that a second marriage works out and that they have the tools to cope with the particulars and challenges of visitation, negotiating holidays and expenses. As you know when a marriage is over, the relationship continues forever because one doesn’t divorce one’s children. Your daughter will want to explore practical issues as well as feelings connected with child support, limited vacation options, mobility considerations, and a lot more. These considerations and fears will put the brakes on a rapid commitment. Your daughter has probably matured through the extensive dating in the past seven years and has probably developed a heightened sense of qualities she is looking for. If these are part of the package in this young man and the chemistry is there, let them date and see where it goes. Your opposition, while based on expectations you had for your daughter, will drive them together.
While they date, you can do some of your own homework and share it with your daughter at a time when she can hear it. Why not get support for yourself from a rabbi or counselor if this relationship begins to move forward? You will need it.
The Mother Sarah Schwartz Schreiber, P.A.
B
efore I address your qualms regarding Mr. Second Time Around, I ask you to put aside your pre-conceived notions of your fantasy son-in-law; whomever your daughter marries will never be that idealized Mr. Right. He may be shorter, more homely, less educated, less sophisticated, less religious, more religious, older, younger, and yes, even previously married. Most parents will say that no matter how perfect the in-law children seemed on paper, they turned out very differently. Often for the better, other times… It’s no wonder your daughter connected with this fellow. Having already been married, he is probably a) more mature, and b) less awkward than most guys your daughter has dated. He knows how to talk-thetalk/walk-the-walk of a responsible, married man. Quite refreshing, even exciting, to a young single woman who has dated dozens of disappointing single men. The good news here is, because of his past, he may be a more attentive husband. He may also be more discerning about evaluating a Life Partner. If your daughter is willing to go out with him, in spite of his baggage – a young son and exwife – give her the nod on two conditions. First, you must exercise extraordinary care in checking the young man’s background. Speak to his friends; speak to his neighbors.
Speak to his rabbi, either directly or through a reliable intermediary, regarding the circumstances of the split. Speak to people whose children have divorced and successfully remarried (not uncommon these days) so you and your husband can develop a positive mindset. Next, emphasize to your daughter that she takes things S-L-O-W-L-Y. Allow extra time for courtship. Allow extra time to connect with the young son Allow extra time to get comfortable with the idea of becoming the “Second Wife,” so she can tune out the inevitable naysayers. After you’ve done your homework and allowed your daughter the luxury of time, give her the green light and your blessings.
The Shadchan Michelle Mond
G
etting straight to it: Yes, it is wrong for parents of a 26-yearold adult daughter, who’s been in the raging waters we call “shidduchim” for seven years, to interfere now that she has finally found a wonderful man with whom she connects. From your letter, it sounds like you have investigated the circumstances surrounding the divorce and all seems to be checked out just fine without any red flags. Furthermore, there are no specific traits which seem to worry you about this man. Many women marry previously divorced men (and vice versa) and wind up having wonderful marriages. Sometimes, the first spouse was just not a fit. This doesn’t mean a wonderful fit isn’t out there for him and, in this case, that wonderful fit could very well be your daughter! As you mentioned, your daughter is not a girl with little dating experience. Rather, you describe your daughter
It’s important for her to find and speak to other young women who have married divorced men with children.
as having dated a countless number of men over the course of seven years. She knows to a great extent who is out there and how hard it is for her to find someone she connects with. If you agree that she is old enough to get married, then, in the same token, you should accept that she is old enough to decide who she will marry and whether to accept (and even embrace) the circumstances surrounding it. To augment a point to which you alluded, consider this: Coercing her into squandering this shidduch opportunity might be a cause for resentment if she remains single many years later and you’ll wish you hadn’t put her in this corner. My advice is to let your adult daughter make this decision without negative intervention, daven hard, and be happy and supportive of her ultimate decision. Much hatzlacha!
The Single Tova Wein
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hile it’s flattering to you and your husband that your daughter is still looking to you both for approval and your blessings, at her stage of life and with the years of experience behind her, it should ultimately be her decision regarding whether this man she recently met is worthy of pursuing a relationship with.
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
However, since she does trust you both to be voices of reason as she considers this novel opportunity, I think the best advice you can give her is as follows. It’s important for her to find and speak to other young women who have married divorced men with children. It doesn’t sound like much when a guy says that he is only responsible for taking care of his son every other weekend and one evening a week, but in reality, it’s so much more. Because his son is not living under his roof, he will no doubt be constantly thinking about
him, worrying about him, calling him, etc. And that’s what a devoted father should be doing. But it does takes a toll on a married couple, particularly a newly married couple. Money often becomes a big issue. He probably shells out money toward maintenance for his ex-wife and child support. This will certainly cut into the amount of money he is able to bring home to his “new family.” Often ex-wives are difficult. If two people were unable to get along when they were married, it’s not at all unusual
Pulling It All Together The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists
I
completely hear and validate all of your concerns. A divorced man comes with a pekalah. He has a child, which means he will always have to maintain a relationship with his exwife. That relationship will become part of your daughter’s life. And then, of course, there is the child whom your daughter will care for. Even the most amicable divorce comes with complications when a child is involved. The second layer of concern is whether your daughter understands the challenges that lie ahead. And more so…the third layer of concern: Will she be able to handle all of this responsibility? And then, somewhere inside is the feeling or idea that she is young enough to “deserve” to marry someone with a clean slate; someone who doesn’t come with this level of baggage. I hear you. I agree with all the panelists who advise you to allow your daughter to continue seeing this man. I believe your work now is three-fold. The first step is to consciously work on having more faith in your daughter.
Practice visualizing her as a strong, mature, confident woman who is up to the task of marrying a divorced man with a child. She is 26-years-old. She’s not a kid. There are 26-year-old women running companies, dealing with struggles with their own children, and, very much like your daughter, dating or married to men who were previously married. Your daughter is a grown woman who can handle this. See her this way and treat her this way. The second step is to prepare your daughter for the challenges that lie ahead…if she allows. As other panelists suggested, you will want to talk about the practical aspects of marrying a man with a child. Maintenance he pays to his ex-wife, vacations with and without the child, traveling, planning around the child, when she will be introduced to the ex-wife, talking about the importance of having a friendly relationship with the ex (if possible).
for them to be unable to get along after they are divorced. Often there is fighting and vindictive behavior. It’s not simple. And though all marriages require a great amount of work, marrying someone with this extra baggage makes it more complicated. Having said all this, that doesn’t mean I believe this relationship shouldn’t be given a shot – if your daughter does her homework and by talking to others who have chosen this path understands fully what she is about to take on. If she feels she can handle these added potential stressors, then by all means, give it a go. But she has to go into this relationship with her eyes wide open. And though you mentioned that from what you’ve heard, this young man was not responsible for the divorce, I would dig a little deeper,
And assuming you have done your research and all pans out well, the third step is for you to expand your view of him from “a young man who is divorced with a child” to “a young man for whom my daughter has developed strong feelings.” At some point, you will get to know him. I urge you to consider seeing him in his entirety. His divorce was a chapter in his life…not the entire book. Assuming he was not a “bad guy” to his exwife, he should not be defined by his divorce. Who knows? Maybe he is the healthiest guy in town. For those of us who take our relationships seriously and want to remain married, it can take a tremendous amount of strength to make the decision to leave a bad marriage. Leaving can be a sign of strength, not weakness. Whenever your worries creep in, pull out Step 1! I believe that will be your greatest weapon of defense against your concerns. Have faith in your daughter and in the job you did raising her. She is going to figure this out. And best of all, at least for the
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His divorce was a chapter in his life… not the entire book.
explore a bit further, so that you are confident that in fact he was the innocent victim in his doomed marriage and not the reverse. Again, after doing her due diligence and feeling confident that this is something she can confidently move forward with, then be supportive and encouraging. If it ends up in marriage, she’ll need that from you and your husband more than most!
time being, she has found someone who excites her after six years of dating. If you’re not comfortable joining the excitement bandwagon, I think it’s safe and OK for you to be cautiously optimistic. Good luck! Sincerely, 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.
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Dr. Deb
A Week in the Holy Land By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.
R
eporting from Israel. After an uneventful (thank G-d) flight Wednesday night with the requisite sleep deprivation, one of my sons and I arrived at Ben Gurion Airport and were picked up by another son with my grandson. Coming from New York, with its hills and mountains outside the city, the scenery was nevertheless impressive, gorgeous. My son and I settled in, gave everyone their gifts, and decided to walk off the stiffness that three inches of room between seats will cause. He was excited, having not been back to Eretz Yisroel since his gap year, ten years earlier, so he started taking pictures as we walked. But what struck me – with force – was the large number of children, some as young, it seemed, as seven, in groups of five or six playing, talking, and hanging out. There were boys on bikes, kids on rollerblades, and others just sitting around. They were quiet, not like American adolescents, but happy and busy. And not an adult anywhere. My son decided to pet a dog, smiling at a girl who looked about 11 and was holding his leash. Immediately, the dog started barking ferociously. It struck me that maybe this dog was trained for protection. Parents may feel safer letting children run on the street without them if they’ve got a fierce dog. A moment later a boy who could not have been more than five – six, tops – asked him the time. “Chamesh,” my son said, adding, “shevah esrei,” in case he only knew military time. The child repeated, “Chamesh,”
sighed at some timetable unknown to us and was left to rule the streets with the other children. Maybe that is one of the things that is holy about this Holy Land. Friday morning, after the kids were dropped off at school, my three sons, daughter-in-law, the nine-yearold with the tail end of strep, and I set out for the cemetery, a ten-minute drive away, for the hakamas hamatzeiva. Each son spoke beautifully about how their father, raised in a non-religious home, cared deeply
ed, dreams never lived. But one thing that we give to the world, one thing that lives on forever, no matter how poorly we seem to have managed our lives and our dreams, is our children and their children. So I said my tefillos, and whispered to my husband, “It really was all good.” Everything is tov that Hashem does for us but sometimes it’s hard to recognize that. Now, I saw it. “It really was.” Shabbos seemed like Shabbos
One thing that we give to the world, one thing that lives on forever, no matter how poorly we seem to have managed our lives and our dreams, is our children and their children.
about being certain their children had a strong religious education. Indeed, that was something my husband fought for, quite literally, against economic odds, as my children were growing up; it meant the world to both of us. And it struck me as they spoke, mentioning that not only are they frum today but have raised families of frum children, that that really means everything. In the end, what else can we offer about our lives? What can we compliment ourselves with? There were unfinished projects, plans never execut-
in Far Rockaway or Kew Gardens Hills except for the beautiful white stone and the magnificent rolling hills surrounding our walk to shul. We davened, ate lunch, my son retold the rabbi’s drash, and I headed to the Shabbos park with my threeyear old grandson, Asher – just like at “home” with a different child. First he slid down the slide and then we headed over to the swings. There weren’t that many available and two of them were held by non-swinging girls of about 12. Some people recognized Asher from gan and I intro-
duced myself as the savta. The young women were friends of my children, here. I inquired of the politics of the park: Why did no one interfere with the girls hogging – but not using – the swings? They explained that their Hebrew wasn’t good enough. Hmmm. We are not in America after all. I wanted so much to go over to the girls and just innocently ask them if they were having fun because they certainly did not look happy. Later on, my daughter-in law told me it would be better to discipline them in English because they would understand my tone. But I did not want to discipline them; I wanted to make them think. Oh, well. I did neither one. On motzei Shabbos, my children started to pack and I, of course, chipped in a little effort. We were working for a few hours and I did not hear a raised voice, a harsh tone, or a word of complaint, not one single time, even when the bookcase they were carrying down a winding flight of stairs cracked in their hands. “Don’t worry,” they told me. “It came from a deceased person who used to live in Chicago. I think it got a lot of use.” Then they giggled. The only person that seemed to be concerned was yours truly.
Dr. Deb Hirschhorn is a Marriage and Family Therapist. She can be reached at 646-54-DRDEB or by writing drdeb@ drdeb.com.
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Health & F tness
Nutritionist: Fake News? By Aliza Beer MS, RD
M
ost people are surprised to learn that there is a huge difference between a nutritionist and a registered dietitian. In the majority of countries, the term “dietitian” is legally protected. That means only people who’ve met the following education requirements can use the term. • At least 4 years of study from an accredited university • Coursework in human physiology, nutrition science, and other sciences such as biology and physics • A 900-1,200 hour supervised internship • A comprehensive examination given by the Commission on Dietetic Registration • Ongoing continued education
While the registered dietitian requirements are usually quite rigorous, the nutritionist requirements are pretty loose or practically non-existent. The term nutritionist is not legally protected or regulated, so anyone can advertise themselves as a nutritionist regardless of education and credentials. This means that almost anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. I have met physical trainers who call themselves nutritionists but have no real training. I have observed others with the certification CAI proclaiming themselves nutritionists. CAI stands for certified aerobics instructor! I met another person with a nutrition practice that had only taken a life coaching course. There are psychologists, social workers, counselors, and chiropractors that bestow upon themselves the
title of “nutritionist” with no real nutrition and science training at all. Only a registered dietitian and a doctor can prescribe nutrition to treat diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, celiac, IBS, and high blood pressure. It is acceptable for healthcare professionals to make nutrition recommendations. However, no healthcare professional receives as much formal education on nutrition and clinical experience as do registered dietitians, including physicians. In fact, many medical schools don’t provide
Because its outside the scope of professional practice for a dentist. On the other hand, we find it perfectly acceptable to listen to nutrition advice when personal trainers, or therapists, or life coaches provide it, even though these professionals are not licensed healthcare professionals, let alone registered dietitians. Would you ask your Pilates instructor to do your yearly taxes, or would you hire an accountant, preferably one that has a CPA? Even within the medical community, there are specialists whom we seek out for specific
Only a registered dietitian and a doctor can prescribe nutrition to treat diseases.
any formalized course in nutrition. I have personally seen many physicians as clients because they realize they are inadequately trained in nutrition to help themselves. It is very important for healthcare professionals and physical trainers to know when to refer patients to seek another clinician. For example, you probably wouldn’t ask your dentist for advice on how to lower your cholesterol. Even though your dentist has the legal authority to prescribe medications, and may actually know quite a bit about how to manage cholesterol imbalances, it would be inappropriate for him or her to write a prescription for a cholesterol-lowering drug. Why?
issues. You wouldn’t ask a gastroenterologist to treat the fungus on your toes, a cardiologist to diagnose a new questionable mole, or an ophthalmologist to treat frequent urination! The legal ramifications of inappropriate nutrition counseling can be staggering. In the 1999 case Capati vs Crunch Fitness, Anne Marie Capati, 37, died from a brain hemorrhage after a physical trainer gave her a list of herbal supplements to take despite knowing that she had high blood pressure that required medication. One product recommended and taken, Thermadrene, contained “20 mg of active ephedra and 80 mg of caffeine.” Ephedra, especially when taken in
combination with caffeine, has led to thousands of reports of adverse effects. The use of these substances by someone with hypertension, particularly when they are taking medication, is extremely risky. In this case, it led to death and a $320 million lawsuit. In summary, when seeking a nutritionist for weight loss, management of diabetes, celiac, high blood pressure, cholesterol, or even just reflux, it is important to research the person’s credentials and qualifications. Only look for an RD, a registered dietitian. If there is no RD after his or her name, then investigate exactly what their qualifications are and what the letters after their name truly represent. A master’s degree in nutrition would be an added bonus as well, but there are many therapists/trainers that call themselves nutritionists, and list MS after their names. That masters degree can be for counseling, physical ed, history, or any number of other specialties and not nutrition. As with any other professional service, strive for the most qualified individual. A registered dietitian is the most qualified in the field of nutrition. Research your options, you deserve the best.
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.
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Blueberry Cobbler pareve – freezer friendly yields 8 servings in 1 (9-inch) round pan or 8-10 ramekins This warm dessert is perfect comfort food any time of the year, from a summer afternoon to a winter evening. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a little extra indulgence.
INGREDIENTS Blueberry Base 3 pints (6 cups) blueberries ½ cup sugar ½ Tablespoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons potato starch juice of 1 lemon (about 3 Tablespoons)
Crumbs 2½ cups potato starch 1 cup sugar 1 egg
1 cup oil 2 cups ground almonds or nut of your choice
METHOD
1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 1 (9-inch) round pan or 8-10 ramekins.
2
Prepare the blueberry base: Combine blueberries, sugar, cinnamon, potato starch, and lemon juice in a bowl. Toss to coat evenly. Place mixture into prepared round pan or divide among prepared ramekins. Set aside.
3
Prepare the crumbs: Combine all crumb ingredients; mix with a fork until coarse crumbs form. Spread the mixture over fruit base in prepared pan or ramekins. To prevent spillage, don’t overfill pan(s).
4
Bake for 60 minutes for 9-inch pan and 45 minutes for ramekins, until the tops are golden brown and crisp.
Cook’s Tip
To take advantage of seasonal fruits, substitute 6 cups of fruit(s) of your choice, such as apples, peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, etc. in place of the blueberries.
Recipe reproduced from
PERFECT FOR PESACH by Naomi Nachman with permission from the copyright holders ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications, LTD.
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Notable Quotes “Say What?!”
The reason I don’t like the Patriots is they represent sustained excellence. As a Giants fan, that drives me crazy. - FBI Director James Comey during a lighter moment at a Congressional hearing when asked about the FBI’s role in finding Tom Brady’s Super Bowl winning jersey which was swiped from his locker
People are scared to hire me. – Saddam Hussein, of India, age 25, whose grandfather named him after the former Iraqi dictator, explaining in his name change application why he is seeking to change his name
There was an article today – it was reported that NFL owners don’t want to pick [Colin Kaepernick] up because they don’t want to get a nasty tweet from Donald Trump. I said, “If I remember that one I’m gonna report it to the people of Kentucky – because they like it when people actually stand for the American flag." - President Trump at a rally in Kentucky
Press Secretary Sean Spicer says that President Trump didn’t literally mean that President Obama wiretapped him. He also said Donald Trump didn’t literally mean for people to vote for him. That was not the idea. – Conan O’Brien
Thank u @israeliPM office for mincha minyan & @netanyahu for davening with me so that I could say Kaddish for my mother – Tweet by White House special envoy Jason Greenblatt after he met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for three hours last week
Today, President Trump had lunch with a Saudi prince. Trump told the Saudi prince, “We have a lot in common. My wife doesn’t leave the house, either.” - Conan O’Brien
An Oregon man led police on a 10mile, high-speed chase on Sunday in a stolen street sweeper truck. On the bright side, by the time he was arrested, his community service was done. – Seth Myers
I am ready to come out of the woods and to help shine a light on what is already happening around kitchen tables, at dinners like this, to help draw strength that will enable everybody to keep going. - Hillary Clinton joking during a St. Patrick’s Day speech to an Irish women’s group
I can’t tell you how many people have come up to me and asked, “Rabbi, which way to the buffet?” - David Letterman, who now has a long white beard, while presenting an award to his former band leader Paul Shaffer at a Chabad dinner
MORE QUOTES
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MARCH 23, 2017 | The Jewish Home
On Twitter yesterday Rachel Maddow wrote, “I have Trump’s tax returns, I will be revealing them on-air.” Of course everyone went nuts. This is how crazy he’s made us. We’re rushing to our TVs screaming, “Quick! Rachel Maddow’s about to show a 1040 form!” – Jimmy Kimmel
This report concludes, on the basis of overwhelming evidence, that Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid, and urges swift action to oppose and end it. - Conclusion of a report commissioned by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia about the IsraeliPalestinian conflict which was written by a Jordanian who is a vocal critic of Israel and a supporter of BDS
The United States stands with our ally Israel and will continue to oppose biased and anti-Israel actions across the UN system and around the world. The United States is outraged by the report. The United Nations secretariat was right to distance itself from this report, but it must go further and withdraw the report altogether. - U.S. United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, responding to the report
Today was Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s 84th birthday. I don’t know how she celebrated, but I hope it was carefully. – Seth Myers
He has no justification for his objection to having a small nation be part of NATO that is under assault from the Russians… The senator from Kentucky is now working for Vladimir Putin. - Sen John McCain (R-AZ) after Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) denied his request for unanimous consent to pass a treaty that would let the former Yugoslav republic of Montenegro into NATO
I think he makes a really, really strong case for term limits. I think maybe he’s past his prime; I think maybe he’s gotten a little bit unhinged. - Sen. Rand Paul, on MSNBC, responding to Sen. McCain
Russia may have trouble getting athletes to compete in the 2018 Olympics after their big doping scandal. People were confused. They were like, “You can rig an ELECTION, but not a urine test?” – Jimmy Fallon
Hel-“LO”! This is Bob Eleveld. As I write this notice, I am still with you, although my doctors have informed me that this status will change in the near future. I have decided, however, to eschew the normal process of others celebrating my life after I die and, instead, would like to celebrate your lives with me. I would like to invite those who are able to attend my “Celebration of Life” Open House on Saturday, March 18, from 1-3 PM at Thousand Oaks Golf Club. I’m planning on being there with you. I would like the opportunity to share a moment with all of the people who have touched my life in so many ways and to let you know how much you have meant to me. My loving partner, Michele; my children… grandchildren…and great-grandchildren…are at ease with the fact that we’re in the fourth quarter with no more Hail Mary passes. I recognize that the timing of this event may be a bit odd, considering that I will be with you for this Celebration of Life. Doing this brings me great joy. We’d be honored if you would drop in, say hi, share a glass of red and a laugh…You are my friends, my colleagues, my family – the people I would absolutely love to share a roast beef sandwich, some shrimp and a beer with – on me! … Please know that the end of my life is the ultimate “peanut item” in comparison to how much I have enjoyed my life with all of you. – From Robert Eleveld’s (age 80) “nobituary” in the Grand Rapids Press, inviting all of his friends to a “celebration of life,” after he was informed that he was terminally ill and his passing would be imminent
This is a test. - Sean Patrick Keoughan, of Roanoke, Virginia, as he was being arrested by Secret Service agents near the White House for stating that he had a bomb in his car
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Which one of these children needs Chai Lifeline? (Hint: They all do.) Chai Lifeline is renowned for the care and love it bestows on children fighting cancer. But that’s only the beginning. Chai Lifeline serves thousands of children with medical challenges that aren’t evident on the outside, everything from Crohns Disease to cystic fibrosis to heart disease and illnesses so rare only a handful of children have been diagnosed. And still, that’s only the beginning. Chai Lifeline includes siblings and parents, too, with programs geared towards the entire family. We care for more than 5,000 children and their families around the world and across the street. Chances are, you know them. They just don’t look sick.
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We gotta take care of all this stuff that comes out of the EPA that’s brainwashing our kids, that’s propaganda, things that aren’t true, allegations. - Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) on CNN explaining why it’s important to cut the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency
@realDonaldTrump You are actually a disgusting excuse of a President and we would love to have @BarackObama back, also you have tiny hands. - Tweet by McDonald’s twitter account, which the company says was hacked
El Chapo’s lawyers say that while in U.S. custody, his health is deteriorating. El Chapo has lost so much weight, he’s down two tunnel sizes. – Conan O’Brien
My job was to make all our Democratic candidates look good, and I worked closely with both campaigns to make that happen. But sending those emails was a mistake I will forever regret. - Donna Brazile, in a Time Magazine essay, acknowledging for the first time that she passed along potential topics to Hillary Clinton’s staff in advance of a CNN town hall during the primaries
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All my life ... I always did crazy things. When I was young in Vietnam, I was a stubborn kid. My family always never knew what I was going to do. I always showed them I can do it, just like boys. - 70-year-old Chau Smith who recently ran 7 marathons in 7 continents in 7 days, in an interview with CNN
President Trump released his proposed budget today. The title of the budget is “America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again.” Seems like maybe while they were cutting things, they could have cut a few words out of the title. - Jimmy Kimmel
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President Trump yesterday suggested that Chief of Staff Reince Priebus might someday run a car company. Oh my G-d, does Trump think his name is Prius? – Seth Myers
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Political Crossfire
The Real World of Obamacare Repeal By Charles Krauthammer
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he L-rd giveth and the L-rd taketh away, but for governments it’s not that easy. Once something is given – say, health insurance coverage to 20 million Americans – you take it away at your peril. This is true for any government benefit, but especially for health care. There’s a reason not one Western democracy with some system of national health care has ever abolished it. The genius of the left is to keep enlarging the entitlement state by creating new giveaways that are politically impossible to repeal. For 20 years, Republicans railed against the New Deal. Yet, when they came back into office in 1953, Eisenhower didn’t just keep Social Security, he expanded it. People hated Obamacare for its highhandedness, incompetence and cost. At the same time, its crafters took great care to create new beneficiaries and new expectations. Which makes repeal very complicated. The Congressional Budget Office projects that, under Paul Ryan’s Obamacare replacement bill, 24 million will lose insurance within 10 years, 14 million after the first year. Granted, the number is highly suspect. CBO projects 18 million covered by the Obamacare exchanges in 2018. But the number today is about 10 million. That means the CBO estimate of those losing coverage is already about 8 million too high. Nonetheless, there will be losers. And their stories will be plas-
tered wall to wall across the media as sure as night follows day. That scares GOP moderates. And yet the main resistance to Ryan comes from conservative members complaining that the bill is not ideologically pure enough. They mock it as Obamacare Lite. For example, Ryan wants to ease the pain by phasing out Medicaid expansion through 2020. The conservative Republican Study Committee wants it done next year. This is crazy. For the sake of two years’ savings, why would you risk a political crash landing? Moreover, the idea that you
insurance companies will go broke. So what do you do? Obamacare imposed a monetary fine if you didn’t sign up, for which the Ryan bill substitutes another mechanism, less heavy-handed but still government-mandated. The purists who insist upon entirely escaping the heavy hand of government are dreaming. The best you can hope for is to make it less intrusive and more rational, as in the Ryan plan’s block-granting Medicaid. Or instituting a more realistic age-rating system. Sixty-year-olds use six times as much health care
The best you can hope for is to make it less intrusive and more rational, as in the Ryan plan’s block-granting Medicaid.
can eradicate Obamacare root and branch is fanciful. For all its catastrophic flaws, Obamacare changed expectations. Does any Republican propose returning to a time when you can be denied health insurance because of a pre-existing condition? It’s not just Donald Trump who ran on retaining this new, yes, entitlement. Everyone did. But it’s very problematic. If people know that they can sign up for insurance after they get sick, the very idea of insurance is undermined. People won’t sign up when healthy and the
as 20-year-olds, yet Obamacare decreed, entirely arbitrarily, that the former could be charged insurance premiums no more than three times that of the latter. The GOP bill changes the ratio from 3-to-1 to 5-to-1. Premiums better reflecting risk constitute a major restoration of rationality. (It’s how life insurance works.) Under Obamacare, the young were unwilling to be swindled and refused to sign up. Without their support, the whole system is thus headed into a death spiral of
looming insolvency. Rationality, however, has a price. The CBO has already predicted a massive increase in premiums for 60-year-olds. That’s the headline. There is no free lunch. GOP hard-liners must accept that Americans have become accustomed to some new health care benefits, just as moderates have to brace themselves for stories about the inevitable losers in any reform. That’s the political price for fulfilling the seven-year promise of repealing and replacing Obamacare. Unless, of course, you go the full Machiavelli and throw it all back on the Democrats. How? Republicans could forget about meeting the arcane requirements of “reconciliation” legislation (which requires only 51 votes in the Senate) and send the Senate a replacement bill loaded up with everything conservative – including, tort reform and insurance competition across state lines. That would require 60 Senate votes. Let the Democrats filibuster it to death – and take the blame when repeal-and-replace fails, Obamacare carries on and then collapses under its own weight. Upside: You reap the backlash. Downside: You have to live with your conscience.
(c) 2017, The Washington Post Writers Group
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Forgotten Her es The Jewish King During World War II By Avi Heiligman
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WII produced many heroes and unbelievable situations. These stories include medics performing successful tracheotomies with nothing but a bayonet and a pen, to soldiers diving on live grenades and surviving. Next week’s article will deal with some of these incredible tales but for this week we’ll focus on a particular episode of a Jewish airman. (What is even more unbelievable to me is that as a history buff of Jewish war heroes I hadn’t heard about this guy until last week.) Sgt. Sydney Cohen had gotten lost, set his plane down on an island and unofficially accepted the surrender of the island’s garrison. In a humorous act, his mates nicknamed him the King of Lampedusa. Lampedusa is a small island off the coast of Sicily. It is only 20 square miles and has a population of 6,000, yet during WWII it was strategically located for an Allied invasion. The British and Americans had plans to invade Sicily in 1943, and an operation was set in motion to capture another nearby island. Operation Corkscrew was the mission to capture Panterelleria and other islands a month before Operation Husky. Husky was the big invasion of Sicily and these other islands had strategic garrisons with radar and artillery that could prove to be catastrophic to the Allies. Therefore, British troops captured Panterelleria and its Italian garrison and wanted Lampedusa as well.
95 men of the Coldstream Guards landed on Lampedusa on June 12, 1943. With assistance of HMS Lookout, the governor of the island officially surrendered to the commander of the landing detachment. However, there is another, albeit unofficial, account to the surrender. Sydney Cohen was born in London and was orphaned at a young age. He had been with the RAF for three years and was 22 when Operation Corkscrew took place. After hear-
landed on the island of Lampedusa. Their chances of becoming prisoners of war were high but they were prepared to fight before being captured. After landing they realized their chances of survival were slim if they fought so they were going to surrender to the garrison of over 4,000 Italian troops. Then the unthinkable happened. Several Italians rushed at them not with guns but with white flags! An Italian officer wearing a large plumed hat, shorts and high
Then the unthinkable happened. Several Italians rushed at them not with guns but with white flags!
ing that an air raid damaged his flat back home he was itching to get back at the Germans. Cohen was the pilot of a Fairy Swordfish biplane (some accounts have it as a Supermarine Walrus amphibious biplane) and was trying to fly back to his base in Malta when he became hopelessly lost. The plane’s compass wasn’t working properly and to make matters worse it was very low on fuel. Disoriented, Cohen saw a group of three islands in the distance and knew one of them was Lampedusa, which had a large runway. Realizing that they had little choice, Cohen and his crew, navigator Bill Tate and gunner Les Wright,
boots led a group of men waving white sheets to the plane. The Italians were fed up with the Fascist dictatorship and planned to surrender to the first Allied men they saw. It turned out that the garrison was sick of the daily air raids and wanted to stop fighting as soon as possible. As fate would have it, Cohen and his crew were there to accept the surrender. Sgt. Cohen said of the encounter, “A crowd of Italians came out to meet us and we put our hands up to surrender, but then we saw they were all waving white sheets and shouting: ‘No, no – we surrender!’” Cohen asked to see the com-
mander of the island and was taken to a bunker as another air raid was starting. The raid was comprised of 12 P-38 fighter bombers but swerved away once they saw the Allied markings of Cohen’s plane on the ground. As the ranking Allied officer, Sgt. Cohen was declared the commander of the island by the Italians, and it was written down on a scrap of paper. After refueling, the plane took off, and Cohen showed the surrender document to the Americans in Tunisia. Later that day the Coldstream Guards landed from the HMS Lookout and took the official surrender of the island. Sydney Cohen became an overnight celebrity and the press called him the King of Lampedusa. The story made its rounds and the Yiddish Theater in London created a play with the title being the same as his new nickname. A year later Cohen finally saw the play himself while on break in Haifa. Sadly, in 1946, he was flying across the Straits of Dover and crashed. The plane and his body were never found. It was a heartbreaking ending to a most wonderful story during a war that had many tragedies. While Sydney Cohen is not a household name today, his story once brought a smile to many long faces during the war. 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.
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Studying Sm
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Addressing the Issue of General Studies Teachers in Yeshivos By Chaim Homnick
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ast week’s TJH featured an Op Ed by Rabbi Moshe Brody in which he asserts that yeshivos face a shortage of qualified general education teachers. From his experience, he noted that the issue is particularly prevalent for boy’s yeshivos seeking capable male teachers for the afternoon. His proposed solution is to train yungerleit and rebbeim to teach secular studies. He declares this a win-win solution as schools will have teachers (and, as he stresses, these teachers are bnei Torah) and kollel members/rebbeim will have jobs and added income. He raised several extremely valid points and his offer to provide free training is admirable, but flooding schools with inexperienced, untrained, degree-less kollel members sounds like a recipe for exactly the mid-year crises he is purportedly attempting to avoid. His solution sounds like a great option for a select few kollel members and rebbeim who have strong secular studies skills, an interest in education, and a willingness to pursue advanced degrees as needed. However, it is not a panacea that can be applied across the board and reverse the trends he mentions. Not every well-meaning fellow in kollel is ready to face a classroom nor are they qualified to teach high-level subjects. Thus I would like to address the same topic in order to identify the issues that exist currently and to determine the potential solutions. Rabbi Brody attributes the shortage of good secular studies teachers to a confluence of factors including a decrease in Jewish public school teachers, a decrease in the availability of good non-Jewish teachers, and an inability for many
yeshivos to pay well considering the limited hours. In an article last month where I delineated various careers, I listed the following as the inherent reality of teaching that a student considering education must acknowledge: “Education is a field that has a bad reputation in some circles and it is true that the salaries often aren’t commensurate with the skill level of employees or the efforts they invest. A couple of scary facts for educators: firstly, educators are members of the field most likely to pursue a masters or doctorate and the least likely to see significant salary improvements as a result of their advanced degree(s). Secondly, studies have shown (with different numbers thrown around) that as other careers have become more common for women, fewer top female students have gone into education. Schools just aren’t generally competitive enough to attract top talent.” These problems are genuine and the declining quality of teachers is not a problem unique to yeshivos or even Jews. Salaries have stagnated and other careers have become more compelling. However, education can be an extremely rewarding field and the flexible schedule can enable teachers to have more family time and quality of life or to dabble in other ventures or opportunities. Rabbi Brody’s points are all valid. Nonetheless, he is really bundling several issues together and then trying to solve them with one broad stroke. Additionally, he doesn’t draw any distinctions for different types of schools or yeshivos. While some yeshivos may be happy to convert yungeleit into secular studies teachers to ensure it meets their budgetary and hashkafic needs, there
are numerous other schools in this community who either don’t face the same issues with hiring or who have different priorities entirely. Additionally, the conundrum of how kollel members can effectively support themselves and join the workforce or how rebbeim can augment their salaries are unrelated issues that are being shoehorned into the teacher shortage predicament in an attempt to kill two birds with one stone.
THE PROBLEMS Here are the various problems separated and analyzed: 1. Lack of Qualified Teachers Firstly, it is crucial that we acknowledge that this is a universal problem that is covered frequently. A basic google search finds articles from The New York Times, Forbes, US World and News and more all covering the pernicious effects of the teacher shortage and its corollary: the decline in the caliber of available teachers. Within the frum world, the shortage is definitely exacerbated by the next two issues (budgeting and the challenge of finding culturally compatible teachers who understand yeshiva students and the school’s needs). However, the reality everywhere is that teaching is a transient profession plagued by volatility and instability. Teachers frequently move from school to school or in and out of the profession as other opportunities arise. Contracts are year-to-year and schools reserve the same rights to move on from an underperforming teacher as the teacher has to move on to another opportunity. So keep in mind, if a school has strong secular studies overall, an occasional inability to find a good math teacher (or a chaotic race to fill a position mid-
year) does not mean that the school is inherently flawed or facing a crisis. 2. Budgeting / Scheduling The related issue is that many schools cannot afford to pay significant salaries for teachers due to lack of funds or simply the reality that the dual-curriculum schedule makes secular studies a half-day position by default. A non-Jewish school can hire a math teacher for the full day, keep their schedule full, and pay them accordingly. A yeshiva has to hire rebbeim and Judaic staff, fund almost the entire budget privately, and then hire a secular studies staff that will work only partial hours. This creates a tough dynamic that makes hiring top-quality teachers challenging. It also makes it nearly impossible to compete with public schools who offer full-time jobs, job security, and healthcare/pension benefits. 3. Cultural and Hashkafic Issues The other issue that Rabbi Brody alludes to is one that needs to be covered in its own article. Hashkafically, many schools do not do a good job of ensuring that the school’s ethos and pedagogic goals encapsulate both the morning studies and afternoon studies. There is an awkward dichotomy where the expectations are different in the morning and the afternoon. In schools like this, whether it’s malicious or inadvertent, the students pick up on the disparate messaging and rest assured, they know if they can get away with more in the afternoon or if they can push class discussions in questionable directions. This issue requires a lengthy discussion, but the solution isn’t putting kollel members in the classroom, especially if they are clearly underqualified as that will contribute to
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
any pre-existing vibes that the afternoon classes are taken for granted.
SOME SOLUTIONS
Some of these issues are easier to address and improve than others. And some schools have already implemented solutions and are hiring talented educators. One important factor is to understand the difference between different institutions. Some elite schools charge substantial tuition and spend big money on secular studies. Other schools are at the extreme opposite end of the spectrum Here are a few different ideas and proposals for addressing the aforementioned issues: 1. Full-time Secular Studies Staff One solution that schools have implemented (and many others should) is creating full-time positions for either several or all of their secular studies staff. This can be done by paying teachers to come in early and have preparation time or other roles they fill within the school. This serves the dual role of improving the quality of the classroom education as such teachers are far more prepared than their part-time counterparts in other schools who run from class to class with insufficient at-home preparation. If schools cannot afford to do this for all of their teachers, then they can at least identify a set number of positions and roles within the school where this is suitable and where it is worthwhile to invest in talented staff. Department heads, college advisors, curriculum directors, and extracurricular activities coordinators are good examples of positions that can be bundled with a full slate of classes to create a full-time position for a talented teacher. Having these higher-paying, steady positions improves the annual rate of returning teachers and brings a level of consistency and quality to the secular studies that can roll over to the part-timers as well. Additionally, these provide opportunities for good teachers to receive raises or better positions which incentivizes teachers to provide topnotch effort. For younger grades and especially out of town, many schools stagger classes so that some grades have Judaic studies in the morning and other grades have it in the afternoon.
This enables rebbeim, morahs, and secular studies teachers to all be fulltime hires and cover both morning and afternoon. This certainly makes the positions that are available more appealing and helps provide a level of stability as teachers are incentivized to stay. 2. Maintaining a Balanced Staff A good school that emphasizes secular studies knows how to find the right mix of veteran teachers, talented rookies, public school pros, and yes, even rebbeim with a passion for history. A balanced staff may have several Jewish teachers, some retired public school veterans, and even a lawyer or doctor with a passion for education and a willingness to devote a few hours per day to the classroom. By having a diverse staff, schools can also seek potential teachers from a variety of candidate pools. Local community members, public school teachers, retired lawyers, talented kollel members and other intelligent, caring individuals can be pursued for openings. This ties into the previous solution as well. By having department heads or people tasked with curriculum creation and implementation, schools can ensure that those experienced full-timers can work as a team with the other teachers on staff. That is a stark contrast to yeshivos where secular studies classes feature a nondescript stream of teachers arriving minutes before their periods and leaving immediately after them, with no interaction or dissemination of ideas between colleagues. 3. Prioritizing Secular Studies and Secular Teachers While it sounds simple, some schools fail miserably in this regard. The secular studies teachers feel like they don’t have the support or resources that they need or they feel
dispensable or underappreciated. Schools need to empower their afternoon teachers and show them that loyalty goes both ways. Like number one, this may require increased secular studies spending. But schools that prioritize afternoon studies and finding and keeping good teachers are the ones who suddenly don’t struggle to retain their talent. And oftentimes, it isn’t even about the money but rather the attitude and approach of the rabbis or deans who run the school. Schools that minimize the natural shift that can occur between the morning and the afternoon are in a better position to ensure the school’s academic goals and hashkafic goals are consistent throughout the day. When the administration creates an environment of working alongside their staff rather than irrespective of them, then teachers generally are more than willing to align themselves with the school’s views even if they don’t personally share them. Schools spend so much time devising plans to improve student learning and engagement but some schools forget how critical it is to promote teacher learning and engagement as well. Rabbi Brody’s initiative is immensely valuable, although it is more so for the group of kollel members and rebbeim who would make viable teachers than as an overarching answer to a wide-spread problem. There are people learning in kollel who intend to go to law school and others who are doing pre-med. Others plan on pursuing careers as rebbeim or in other Judaic fields. In nearly all of these cases a good degree (and other forms of training) is a valuable tool that will enhance their career prospects and potential earnings. Certainly, a career in education
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could be a great option for many others, but only if they will approach it with talent, passion and a desire to give back rather than as a fallback option that they are innately unsuited for. And that is why Rabbi Brody’s program is a superb service for those who are interested, but it is impossible to believe that that is going to drive enough people (talented people) into education when the above issues aren’t addressed. Making teaching positions more appealing to talented people of all walks of life has to be the goal; the goal cannot be simply finding people struggling to make ends meet who are desperate to supplement their incomes for a while and teaching them the rudiments of teaching. Ultimately, we are all on the same page when it comes to education. Parents, administrators and even the majority of students themselves want our yeshivos and our schools to have strong secular studies programs. Many of them already excel in numerous areas. By prioritizing the afternoon classes even more and implementing the aforementioned ideas, schools can eliminate many of their weaknesses and make their program more appealing for potential teachers. Education as a whole and our awareness of nuanced methodologies and pedagogic approaches specifically have improved exponentially in recent years. We left behind the era of teachers wielding sticks, so now it is time we extended teachers the carrot and provided sufficient incentive for smart, driven people to become teachers and stay teachers.
Chaim Homnick is the College Advisor at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov of Lawrence and also teaches 5 periods of Honors/AP English Literature. Chaim is the owner of Five Towns Tutoring (fivetownstutoring.com) as well as Machane Miami Day Camp of Florida (machanemiami.com). He scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and the LSAT and tutors both extensively. He has a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration as well as an MBA. For questions, comments, previous articles or tutoring, he can be reached directly at chomnick@ gmail.com.
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A Fulfilled L fe
Tips to Boost Your Leadership Self-Esteem By Rabbi Dr. Naphtali Hoff
"Even in the loneliest moments I have been there for myself.” - Sanober Khan
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sk the average person what it takes to be a great leader and you will surely hear a bevy of characteristics and qualities, such as visionary, communicator, motivator, and charismatic. Perhaps you will also hear such idealistic qualities such as humble, possessor of strong character, and servant of others. All of these relate to how a leader is perceived by others and how he relates to them. While these attributes unquestionably assist leaders in their work with their people, they will still under-deliver if they lack
one critical but often overlooked internal quality: self-esteem. Self-esteem is defined as the degree to which individuals feel comfortable with who they are, believe that they have inherent value as people, have the ability to demonstrate that value, and are confident in their ability to successfully achieve their own measure of success. It isn’t about being boastful, self-centered, or domineering. Rather, it’s about representing ourselves with quiet confidence, as an equal among equals, and leading others from a position of internal strength. Self-esteem is vital for leaders because it’s what gives them the courage to lead, to pursue success, and to be decisive. A leader with high self-esteem does not feel
threatened by others’ ideas, nor will they have a problem with hiring great people and empowering them to accomplish incredible things. Strong self-assurance makes the leader want to see the best in others and to help them succeed, knowing that others’ success is ultimately their own. He puts the organization first and is the most committed person in the building. A self-confident leader is more concerned about being part of something great and accomplishing the task than worrying over who will get what position or what recognition. In theory, leaders should be awash in self-esteem. Most have achieved great things professionally, prompting their advancements. Yet, for many leaders, self-respect is
actually a precious, hard-to-comeby commodity. Leaders lacking in self-esteem are weak internally and cannot confidently offer the guidance and direction people need without worrying about what others will think and say. They feel threatened by outside ideas and empowered employees, and will often try and hire people just a little below their ability so that nobody outperforms them. Sometimes their low self-regard will manifest with over-the-top aggressiveness and strong controlling behaviors. They become managers rather than leaders and try to gain respect and a sense of strength by insisting upon others’ conformity and compliance. Worse, leaders who lack in self-esteem come to question
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
their ability to cope with problems, and even doubt whether they are worthy of the position of leadership that they occupy. Certainly, this is no way by which to lead and in most cases will produce disappointing results for the leader and his organization. What can leaders with low self-esteem do to raise their feeling of self-worth and get the most out of themselves and those around them? 1. Recognize that you’re not alone – Self-doubt has afflicted even the greatest historical figures and leaders. While they may not admit it, many of the most outwardly confident leaders battle this same issue in private. You are in a larger crowd than you might think. 2. List your strengths – We all have strengths. This is particularly true for leaders, who have found their way up to the top of the corporate food chain. It is important to know what your strengths are and how they have helped you and will continue to assist you in achieving your goals. Keep the list handy when you start to feel “low.” 3. Name your weaknesses – Similarly, we all have weaknesses. There was no perfect leader ever in the history of man and you need not worry about being perfect, either. Once you know your strengths you can also be honest in listing your shortcomings and see how best to address or compensate for them. To this end, I suggest that you consider using a technique often used by coaches to help clients identify their fears, which is to name the concern and then determine the implications and worst-case scenarios. What exactly are you afraid of and what’s the worst that can happen should your fear be realized in the fullest? This helps people overcome their dread, which, until named, can grow into a substantial, even paralyzing force. Similarly, when we identify what we are weak at and give it a name, we can start to figure out how to best compensate for such weakness, such as by finding others who complement our strengths or by strengthening our own skills. 4. Consider your impact – Most people want, more than anything else, to be seen as a giver who made an impact. Take some time to list some of the things that you have
achieved, personally and for others. Think about how life would be different for those around you had you not been there for them. 5. Strengthen the things that you are good at – Once you have listed your strengths spend more of your time doing the work
fame said it this way: “Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” 9. Focus on solutions – Leaders who are solutions-oriented don’t have time or interest in playing
If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish
that aligns with them. This will help you optimize your performance and build from your strong suit. People around you will appreciate the good work that you do and you will start to feel more confident and comfortable in your role as leader. 6. Then seek to shore up other areas – Over time, invest time and resources to help you become stronger in other areas. This does not mean that you should aspire to become great across the board. It simply means that if you add to your toolkit, you will feel more capable, better informed, and less threatened by others. 7. Become more generous – Share freely of what you know with others. Let them learn from you and be inspired by you. Resist the temptation to hold your knowledge close to the vest, a strategy that you may have employed as you rose up the company ladder and sought personal recognition. As a leader, you can’t be in the business of keeping secrets, especially if you want your organization to grow. Moreover, by giving of your time and knowledge you will feel more closely associated with and more valuable to your team members and rise in esteem in their eyes. They will also become more loyal to you and what you seek to achieve. 8. Help raise others’ self-esteem – On a related point, the more that you see and share the positive in others, the more that you will identify similar qualities in yourself. You will also build a more positive work environment, one that you can be proud of. Sam Walton of Walmart
mind games or jockeying for position. Instead, they see challenges and opportunities and seek to leverage internal strengths to address them. By going after solutions, we rise above the mundane, self-centered considerations and stay focused on outcomes. 10. Realize that no one else can provide it – Self-esteem cannot be developed outside of us. No
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matter how many accolades we receive, we simply will not feel confident and fulfilled unless we learn how to develop such feelings from within. Think about how many leaders, entertainers, and others sought comfort in external stimulants or worse because all of the attention, praise and glory that they received was outside of themselves, leaving them with a gnawing, hollow feeling. Working on self-esteem is not simply another nice quality to add to your portfolio; it is the essence of who you are and what you do as a leader. Make consideration of your self-worth a regular part of your practice and work regularly to maintain high, healthy standards of your self-esteem.
Rabbi Naphtali Hoff is an executive coach and president of Impactful Coaching and Consulting. He can be reached at 212.470.6139 or at nhoff@impactful coaching.com.
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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
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From My Private Art Collection
World Renowed Artists with Disabilities By Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
France Henri Matisse lived from 18691954. He was a well-known collage artist who suffered from chronic illness and visual problems. His assistants helped him complete eye-catching artworks. This was accomplished by asking them to tape papers to a surface and then using a long stick with a drawing tool attached to complete the pictures. Pierre-Auguste Renoir lived from1841-1919. He suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and was confined to a wheelchair. His assistants also helped him complete eye-catching artworks. This was accomplished by asking them to attach paintbrushes to his arms so that he could continue to produce amazing paintings. Claude Monet lived from 18401926. He was a respected artist who
Claude Monet
suffered from cataracts. Despite this condition he persevered to create artworks. These artworks were created with mostly red paint. After undergoing surgery for the cataracts he was able to see much clearer and paint with other colors as well.
Holland Vincent Van Gogh lived from 1853-1890. He was not emotionally well and unfortunately spent much time in institutions for the mentally ill. During his lifetime he may have sold only one painting, but fame followed him after his death due to recognition of his magnificent creations and talents.
Italy Michelangelo Buonarotti lived from 1475-1564. He was an architect,
Henri Matisse
painter, and sculptor who produced fantastic artworks despite suffering from bipolar disorder. This was an incredible accomplishment. Leonardo Da Vinci lived from 1452-1519. He was an inventor, architect, artist, and musician who contributed greatly to the art scene despite dealing with ADHD and dyslexia. This was an extremely challenging journey for him.
Mexico Frida Kahlo lived from 19071954. She was an accomplished artist who was seriously hurt in a car accident and suffered from major back problems. The creative ability to do a self-portrait while confined to bedrest was achieved by placing a mirror under the canopy of her bed. This talented individual was capable of working
off the images that appeared in the mirror and to produce a self-portrait. As I continue to instruct adult studio art workshops for people with all kinds of challenges, I have found that the common denominator is a deep desire for them to share inner feelings through the venue of visual communication. They are all extremely motivated and quite an inspiration. Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg is a professional art educator, artist, and designer. She holds a Master of Arts: M.A. in Adult Learning (MA.AL) and published a thesis titled “Template for a Community-Based Adult Art Program.� Among her known artwork is a floral sculpture presented to Tipper Gore, Blair House, Washington, D.C. For workshops and lectures call (917) 886-7474 or email naominherzberg@gmail.com.
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Classifieds SERVICES Alternative Solutions Geriatric Care Management staff will assist you with: * Obtaining Medicaid and Pooled Income Trust * In-home Assessments, Individual and Family Counseling * Securing reliable home care assistance * Case and Care Management services Dr. S. Sasson, DSW, LCSW (718) 544- 0870 or (646) 284-6242 Struggling with Shalom Bayis? The Shalom Bayis Hotline 732-523-1112. Caring rabbanim answering your questions for free. So far very positive results BS’D! HAIR COURSE Learn how to wash & style hair & wigs Hair and wig cutting, wedding styling Private lessons or in a group Call Chaya 718-715-9009 SHALOM HANDYMAN Plumbing, heating, boiler, installation, sewer, locks, dryer vent cleaning and more… CALL 917-217-3676 Yoga & Licensed Massage Therapy Peaceful Presence Studio 436 Central Avenue, Cedarhurst Separate men/women Group/private sessions Gift Cards Available www. Peacefulpresence.com 516 -371 -3715 GERBER MOVING FULL SERVICE MOVING Packing Moving Supplies Local Long Distance Licensed Insured 1000’S Of Happy Customers Call Shalom 347-276-7422 PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER Innovative solutions to common organization complications. Will help you maintain an organized home. Closets, pantries, or any room. Call/text 917-703-7674 or email: NaomizEngel@gmail.com
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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 COMMERCIAL RE
COMMERCIAL RE
COMMERCIAL RE
CO-OP FOR SALE
SPECIAL “LIMITED” OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME OUR NEWEST ADDITION/LOCATION AT 487R CENTRAL AVENUE, CEDARHURST, NY 11516.
CEDARHURST: Spacious 6,600+/- Combined Office Spaces, 3,400SF Ground Floor & 3,200SF Lower Level W/4 Bathrooms, Kitchenette, On-Site Parking, Can Be Rented Individually, Great for Any Professional Use, For Lease... Call For More Details Broker (516) 792-6698
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Call/text now for complimentary market analysis of your residential or commercial property. 516-655-3636 Cheryl “Chedva” Slansky, MBA Licensed Associate RE Broker, RealtyConnect USA The #1 Real Estate Office 2015 FY by LIBN CEDARHURST: 4,567+/-Sf Professional Office Space W/Great Parking & Basement, Storage Available, Heart of the 5 Towns, Near LIRR Station, Convenient To All, CAN BE DIVIDED, For Lease … Call Ian for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com HEWLETT: 3,000 +/- SF Office Space in Beautiful End-Cap Suite with Plenty of On-Site Parking, For Lease…Call For More Details Broker (516) 792-6698
LYNBROOK: 2,000 +/- SF Space in Medical Strip, 4 Assigned Parking Spots, 2 Exam Rooms, Consult Office, Waiting Rm, 3 Bathrooms & Much More, For Lease… Call For More Details Broker (516) 792-6698 ROCKVILLE CENTRE: Prime Sunrise Hwy Location, 13000SF Lot with 10000SF Free Standing Bldg & 2 Partial Basements, Vacant Adjoining Lot Included, Retail/Office Use, For Sale …Call Lenny for More Details (516) 2953000 www.pugatch.com ROCKVILLE CENTRE Warehouse With Office 6,000 ft. available. Ideal Location. Walk to LIRR - Double Loading dock. 917-822-0499
INWOOD OFFICE SPACE LOWEST PRICES IN TOWN! 500-7000 Square feet gorgeous office space with WATERVIEW in Inwood! Lots of options. Tons of parking. WIll divide and customize space for your needs! Call 516-567-0100 CEDARHURST 500-3,500 +/- SF Beautiful, newly renovated space for rent. Ideal for Retail or Executive offices. Prime location. Convenient Parking. Call Sam @516-612-2433 or 718-747-8080
WOODMERE: PET FRIENDLY BLDG BEST BUY - Well Maintained 1 Bedroom Apt On 5th Floor in Elevator Bldg, Bright & Sunny, Eik, Washer/ Dryer in Basement, Close To All…$129K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
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Lovely 2BR Co-op, Elev, Renovated 1BR Apt, Eik, Spacious 3BR, 2BA 1st Flr 3BR, 2BA Col, 13,000SF Pets Ok, Near All..$165K Close To All..$1,995/mo Apt, 2 Porches..$349K Lot,CAC,SD#14..$599K
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4,200+/-SF Building W/Parking 8 Offices, Kitchen, Bullpen Area and Much More!!!
2,948+/- Mixed Use Bldg W/Parking & Basement Currently a Dental Office
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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 APT FOR SALE LAWRENCE. LARGE ONE BEDROOM APT. Close to train, underground parking, spacious living room/dining area. Motivated seller $118,000. Call 917-299-8082
APT FOR RENT WARM, LOVING, HEIMISHE PLAYGROUP IN FAR ROCKAWAY – AGES 2 ½ TO 4 – IS LOOKING FOR ASSISTANTS AND SUBSTITUTES. PLEASE CALL 516-371-6848 2 BEDROOM APT IN FAR ROCKAWAY Available furnished newly renovated basement apartment with high ceilings, airy and light Brand new kitchen and appliances. All rooms have split air conditioner. Full bathroom and WiFi . Please call Ricki 347-248-9160 $1400 + utilities
HELP WANTED Well known Preschool in Far Rockaway, seeking CERTIFIED SPECIAL ED TEACHER to substitute from March 15-April 10th Competitive salary, pleasant working conditions Email resume to scohen@oonourwaylc.org
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
BUSINESS OFFICE POSITION (Medicaid & HMO Billing) Nassau County Nursing Home, seeking bright individual for full-time position in business office. Willing to train. Individual must possess good organizational skills, be detail-oriented, and have assertive phone and writing skills. Email resume to HMOjobopp@gmail.com
ENTRY LEVEL FASHION POSITION! Showroom/ Office Assistant. Applicants must be proficient in Excel and ready to multitask. Email resume/ cover letter: designsbyleahi@gmail.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
Enthusiastic warm Queens Yeshiva is seeking teachers of 3rd and 4th grade as well as 8th grade algebra. Please call 917-742-8909 and and/or email resume to rlswia@aol.com. Real Estate Development and Investment company is looking for an experienced Investor Relation associate to raise capital for sponsor/ investor relationships. Compensation will be offered thru partnership/commission. Contact info@zreny.com 718-285-0941 Immediate (part time) opening for OT IN ESTABLISHED SPECIAL ED PRESCHOOL IN FAR ROCKAWAY. Contact jkaplan@onourwaylc.org
HELP WANTED Immediate openings for Middle School Language Arts Teacher and Limudei Kodesh Maternity substitute in Hebrew Academy of Long Beach - afternoons only. Resumes to ulubetski@halb.org Great summer job opportunity. Great pay, and overtime is available. Job description: • Field Service Technician for a Green Company - all products are safe and non-toxic. • All training provided. • Job available from May - September. • Fun and positive company, good pay. • Work for a professional company in a structured and progressive work environment. Qualifications: • Need to be physically fit able to lift 50 lbs. consistently • A valid and clean driver’s license. • Strong work ethic. • Good communication skills. • Able to work well without direct supervision. • Be responsible and courteous. • Ok with working indoors and outdoors in higher temperature conditions. For more information: Call: 516-206-1600 Email: serviceny@greenhomesolutions.com Make sure to reference the “Field Service Technician”.
The Jewish Home | MARCH 23, 2017
Classifieds HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
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.
Local F.T. Accounting Office Seeks P/T JR. ACCOUNTANT proficient in Q.B. knowledge of payroll tax, sales tax, business tax and individual taxes Qualified applicants should please e-mail resume to: 5towntaxoffice@gmail.com
LOCAL FRUM INSTITUTION SEEKS A SECRETARY TO WORK IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE FROM 9-2. Requirements: Tech-savvy, organized, efficient and personable on the phone. (Rudimentary familiarity with computer programming is a plus but not required.) Email resume and any correspondence to mhb345@gmail.com
SHIDDUCH DATING? NEED PLACES TO GO?
OVERNIGHT \WEEKEND COUNSELOR Responsible and exp’d staff to live in a beautiful group home & work 3 nights\week 7pm - 9am. Staff are not req’d to remain awake after 11pm. Staff are req’d to work two weekends per month. Free rent & food. Stipend given as well. Great for college girl. For additional info contact Frayde Yudkowsky at 732.948.4636 or fyudkowsky@evolvetreatment.com
MISC Check out Pegishaplace.com WIG GEMACH Everyone in our community deserves to look great! Donate used wigs and make a world of a difference. For appointments to see wigs or to donate, call Deena 845-304-6668
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Weekly Classifed Ads Up to 5 lines and/or 25 words 1 week ................ $20 $10 2 weeks .............. $35 $17.50 4 weeks .............. $60 $30 Email ads to: classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com Include valid credit card info
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Your
Money
Monkey Business By Allan Rolnick
I
n Roman mythology, the hero Hercules used his divine strength to smash through the mountain that used to be Atlas. This created the Straits of Gibraltar, linked the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and forged the famed Rock of Gibraltar. The so-called “rock” is an enormous limestone monolith, rising 1,398 feet nearly straight up from the sea, and making Gibraltar a key strategic crossroad. It’s also a natural paradise. It’s home to over 500 species of plants, as well as the famed Barbary macaques, which are the only wild monkeys living in all of Europe. Admiral George Rooke seized Gibraltar from Spain in 1704, and the Treaty of Utrecht ceded it to the British in 1713. But the treaty didn’t specify a border, and the Spaniards are still bitter bumblebees about the whole thing. Local legend holds that when the monkeys leave, so will the British. Winston Churchill took that legend seriously enough that during World War II, when the population had dwindled to just seven, he issued an order to keep the population at no less than 24. (More about the monkeys in a bit.) The territory today covers 2.6 square miles, including the Rock.
That’s barely a tenth the size of Manhattan. It’s a bustling port and popular tourist destination. But there’s little industry to speak of, and no agriculture at all. So how does a dinky little flyspeck of a state like that make a living? Well, there’s new money coming in from online bookies and casinos. And like many territories clinging to the remnants
tax standards and our own Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, which strong-arms foreign banks into identifying Americans with accounts topping $50,000. Gibraltar proudly calls itself a low-tax zone, and even sued a Spanish newspaper for calling it a “tax haven.” Still, the friendly tax regime has made Gibraltar home to 30,000
They’re more than happy to pickpocket ”tax” visitors of food and even items like hats, sunglasses, earrings, and wigs. Watch out! of the British empire, it’s become a tax shelter. Gibraltar has no VAT tax. No sales tax. No wealth tax. No tax on interest, dividends, or capital gains. No gift or estate tax. Personal rates are capped at 26.25%. There’s now a flat 10% tax on most corporations. Does that make for a true “tax haven”? Not necessarily – the government is proud to comply with OECD
people and 30,000 corporations. That’s quite a ratio! Data nerds will appreciate that Gibraltar has the second-highest number of “Big Four” accounting offices per capita (behind only the British Virgin Islands) and twelfth-highest number of banks. Conspiracy theorists will note that Mossack Fonseca, the law firm at the heart of last year’s Panama Papers revelations, kept an office
overlooking the harbor before closing it down in the wake of the story. Gibraltar even has some natural tax collectors. We’re talking about those macaques, who live in troops on the upper Rock. They share 99% of our DNA, which makes them curious and intelligent. And they have opposable thumbs, which makes them nimble and dexterous. They’re more than happy to pickpocket ”tax” visitors of food and even items like hats, sunglasses, earrings, and wigs. Watch out! You might think after reading all this that your next move should be to someplace like Gibraltar. In fact, the nonprofit Tax Justice Network ranks our own United States as the number three tax haven in the world. The reality is that you don’t need to move offshore to save money on taxes – you just need a proactive plan to make the most of legal opportunities here at home. So make sure you have that plan – and no monkeying around!
Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 yea rs in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.
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Life C ach
If You Can’t Control It, Maybe It’s Best to Believe in It! By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS
S
ometimes you just make a mess of things! And there you are, wishing there was a rewind button on life. In fact, you may get yourself stuck in the dream of a rewind button. You wallow in this concept and get mired in regret. Alternatively, you start longing for a fast forward button. You just want to see it all worked out and resolved. Ah, the dream of these concepts... To our dismay, life isn’t made with these mechanical features. Life is only made with a play button. But the good news is we have access to some other tools we can utilize. We cannot physically get out there and change time. Boo! But we can mentally kick in some controls. Yay?! One powerful one is “pause.” No, sorry, we don’t actually get to stop time! Yet, we can stop our paranoia about time. We can stop the destructive retroactive thinking or the anxious futuristic thinking. We can work to utilize a tool that many have at their beck and call, should they opt to use it. It’s called faith. Now don’t start thinking that this is too corny for you. How corny is pressing
buttons that don’t even exist?! Faith lets you permit yourself the luxury of feeling that anything that happened already is the way it was supposed to be. And that, moving forward, anything is capable of happening in the future. You need not be the victim of your worst fears!
buttons don’t work, even if you give them time, ‘cuz they were never installed. It’s not as if one day it’s just going to up and start working. Regrets, recrimination, beating up on yourself – it just never changes the past. You may ask, can reflecting be constructive in any way?
But it is certainly is more realistic than standing there futilely pressing rewind, rewind, rewind, fast forward, fast forward...
No one is saying this is always easy. But it is certainly is more realistic than standing there futilely pressing rewind, rewind, rewind, fast forward, fast forward... It just isn’t like the old doctor’s saying, “Take two aspirins and call me in the morning.” That kind of implied, “Let’s see if this will help, and let me know.” The rewind and fast forward
Sure, if you pause and tune into mistakes that you might have made for the purpose of learning to act differently in the future. And can fear, panic, or anxiety help catapult you into the future? Never happened! Though if you pause and access some positive or optimistic thinking, you can help get yourself there as a healthier
specimen. Certainly, I wish like the rest of you, I had those amazingly helpful control buttons. What mistakes I could undo! What anxiety I could avoid. But, instead, I’m working hard to heed my own advice. My actions of the past are my story – you might say her-story, so to speak, or more accurately known as “his-tory” as we call it. You cannot retroactively literally change your story, only your reaction to it can be refined. And how things ahead of us will play out, that’s part of the road trip of life, the tour every few takes together, the “fu-tour.” So, our best bet is to learn from our “history.” Then plan a different itinerary. And hopefully your “fu-tour” will look a lot bright-tour when you get there!
Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com
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