Five Towns Jewish Home - 2-2-17 by The Jewish Home

February 2, 2017

Distributed weekly in the Five Towns, Long Island, Queens & Brooklyn

Your Favorite Five Towns Family Newspaper

An Activist President A Look into President Trump’s First Ten Days – and All His Executive Orders pg 87

Pages 9, 10, 11, 13 & 37

Around the

Community

Survivors Join in #WeRemember Campaign

Remembering Robbie Schonfeld a”h

Local Officials Join in Support for RNSP

The Snowflakes that Cried Wolf by Nate Davis Page 91

Starts on Page 103 – See page 3

SEASONS LAWRENCE

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A “Shabbos of Kodesh HaKadoshim” at Dirshu’s 20th Anniversary International Convention

Midreshet Shalhevet Girls Team with Google Robotics

PESACH VACATION SECTION

118

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

PESACH 2017

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The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

‫בס”ד‬

Far rockaway Lawrence A Continuing Torah Partnership

Thi s Shabbos of Chizuk ! s o b b a h S February 3-4, 2017 ‫שבת קודש פרשת בא‬ •

With the Roshei haYeshiva of Beth MedRash Govoha

HaGaon HaRav aRyeH HaGaon HaRav Malkiel kotleR ‫ שליט”א‬DoviD ScHuStal ‫שליט”א‬ ‫מנחה וקבלת שבת‬

BAiS MeDRASh heichel DoviD RAv MoRDechAi SteRN ‫שליט”א‬ 215 Central Avenue • 5:00 pm

‫סעודת ליל שבת‬

MR. & MRS. YitZchok Steg

‫עונג שבת‬

MR. & MRS. NoSSi FeiNeR 243 Juniper Circle East • 8:00 pm Mezamrim: Daniel Alon, Chaim Tobaly

‫שחרית‬

BAiS MeDRASh oF lAwReNce RAv DoviD FoRDShAM ‫שליט”א‬ 48 Lawrence Ave. • 8:40 am

‫מוסף‬

AguDAS AchiM RAv eliShA hoRowitZ ‫שליט”א‬ 200 Broadway

‫סעודת שבת‬

MR. & MRS. MoShe BANe

‫שיעור‬

BAiS MeDRASh oF hARBoRview RAv YehoShuA kAliSch ‫שליט”א‬ 218 Harborview South • 3:45 pm

‫מנחה וסעודה שלישית‬

ShAARei teFillAh RAv uRi oRliAN ‫שליט”א‬ 25 Central Ave. • 4:50 pm

‫אבות ובנים‬

YeShivA ShoR YoShuv RAv NAFtAli JAegeR ‫שליט”א‬ Rosh Yeshiva

1 Cedar Lawn Ave. 7:15 pm

‫אכסניא‬

MR. & MRS. ASheR SchooR

‫דברי חיזוק‬

chANichei hAYeShivoS 525 Reads Lane • 4:40 pm

‫מנחה וקבלת שבת‬

kehilAS BAiS YiSRoel RAv eliShA SANDleR ‫שליט”א‬ 1215-1225 Caffrey Ave. • 5:00 pm

‫עונג שבת‬

MR. & MRS. ASheR SchooR 529 Cedar Hill Rd. • 8:00 pm Mezamrim: Moshe Hamel, Daniel Waldman

‫שחרית‬

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‫מוסף‬

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‫סעודת שבת‬

MR. & MRS. MoShe BlooM

‫שיעור‬

coNgRegAtioN keNeSSeS YiSRoel RAv eYtAN FeiNeR ‫שליט”א‬ 728 Empire Ave. • 3:45 pm

‫מנחה וסעודה שלישית‬

AguDAh oF loNg iSlAND RAv MeiR BRAuNSteiN ‫שליט”א‬ 1121 Sage St. • 4:45 pm

‫אבות ובנים‬

khAl ZichRoN MoShe Dov RAv AARoN SteiN ‫שליט”א‬ 613 Beach 9th St. • 7:10 pm kollel AvReichiM RAv leiBel RAND ‫ שליט”א‬RoSH KoLLEL 1204 Beach 12th St. • 7:15 pm

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FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Dear Readers,

said clings to its “guns or religion” – was on the edge. It eventually swung to Trump’s camp and voted Republican in the presidential election. Standing in the building where the Founding Fathers debated and shaped our Declaration of Independence and Constitution, it was clear that a democracy does not need to be calm or of one voice. During the time of independence, Delaware and Georgia had very different needs but working together they created a compromise that satisfied all. We all have our opinions and our differences – and that’s OK. In fact, a democracy needs opposing sides. It needs some groups to push and some groups to pull back. Think about all the great strides we’ve taken since 1776. When George Washington was president, women, blacks, and 18-year-olds weren’t able to vote. Years later, alcohol was prohibited and then a few years after that it was again declared legal. Throughout our short history, our country has been shaped and molded – and we have become better for that. Our feature story this week is about President Trump and his first few days in office. The country seems to be wrapped in divisiveness – some protesting anything the commander-in-chief proclaims and others itching to heal the nation from this year’s elections. But this is only a short chapter in our nation’s history. Add the pro-Trumpers and the anti-Trumpers to a whole list of opposing groups in the saga called America. Together we write our country’s history.

his past week my children were on vacation. It’s a different mode than school mode. Aside for sleeping late – although my younger ones still get up early, no matter what’s happening – there’s a lot less structure. That means there’s a lot more creativity. When there’s “nothing to do” they somehow manage to pull out paper, markers, glue and glitter to create art projects. I’ve gotten many love notes from my kids over the past few days. And who doesn’t love that? We took the family away for a few days this week, and I noticed that different people have different approaches to museums. Growing up, my father, who is an environmental chemist, was like a tour guide. He would stop at every exhibit to show us how it worked and give us the background on the concept displayed. Other people would sometimes listen in as he explained how “interesting” it all is. But most people are not like that. The Franklin Institute is a huge museum, stocked with so many exhibits and presentations. Most people breeze through each room, take stock of a few interesting items, and then move on. On our visit there this week I wanted to read about these items and learn more. But going with kids doesn’t always afford you the time to do so. Think they’ll want to come back when they’re older and more patient? Undoubtedly they’ll end up in more exciting places. A trip to Philadelphia wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. I hadn’t been to Independence Hall for many years but its symbolism became more acute on this trip. During this past year’s election, Pennsylvania – the state Obama famously

Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern PUBLISHER

publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Yosef Feinerman MANAGING EDITOR

ads@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Shoshana Soroka EDITOR

editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Nate Davis Editorial Assistant Nechama Wein Copy Editor Rachel Bergida Berish Edelman Mati Jacobovits Design & Production Gabe Solomon Distribution & Logistics P.O. BOX 266 Lawrence, NY 11559 Phone | 516-734-0858 Fax | 516-734-0857 Classifieds: Deadline Mondays 5PM classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com text 443-929-4003 The Jewish Home is an independent weekly magazine. Opinions expressed by writers are not neces sarily the opinions of the publisher or editor. The Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within. The Jewish Home contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly.

Shabbos Zemanim

Weekly Weather | February 3 – February 9

Friday, February 3 Parshas Bo 3

Candle Lighting: 4:57 pm Shabbos Ends: 6:00 pm Rabbeinu Tam: 6:29 pm Sponsored by

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The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

‫ישיבה דרך‬ ‫א‬ ‫י‬ ‫ת‬ ‫ע’’ש מרן רבי אברהם יפה’ן זצ’’ ן‬ ‫ל‬ Yeshiva of Far Rockaway

Annual Dinner

Motzoei Shabbos Parshas Beshalach February 11, 2017 Tu B'shvat 5777 At the Yeshiva Campus 802 Hicksville Road Far Rockaway, New York

Journal Ad Deadline THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2017

To Submit your Ad Please contact the Yeshiva at F: (718) 327-7600 . E: dinner@yofr.org

DR. & MRS. EFRAYIM NUDMAN Guests of Honor

RABBI & MRS. TUVIA SILVERSTEIN Esteemed Parent Awardees

Mr. Moshe Majeski

Mr. Chaim Hershkovich

Dinner Chairman

Journal Chairman

Dr. Yitzchak Braunschweig Mr. Nesanel Feller Mr. Motti Fox Mr. Charles Harary Mr. Dov Warman Dinner Committee

Mr. Yossi Deutsch Alumni Committee Chairman

Mr. Shmuel Backenroth Mr. Pinchas Vogel Mr. Daniel Wolfson Alumni Committee

RABBI & MRS. MOSHE SHONEK Marbitzei Torah Awardees

Yeshiva of Far Rockaway 802 Hicksville Road Far Rockaway, NY 11691 P: (718) 327-7600 F: (718) 327-1430 E: dinner@yofr.org W: www.yofr.org Yaakov & Ilana Melohn campus in memory of Reb Yosef Melohn z’’l

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll

Community Happenings

NEWS

120

Global

National

Odd-but-True Stories

An Activist President by Nachum Soroka

ISRAEL Israel News

22 84

My Israel Home: Mitzpe Ramon: Not Just a Resort Town PEOPLE Robbie Schonfeld a”h: A Community’s Sheloshim Tribute by Alan Jay Gerber Captured Generals by Avi Heiligman

122

PARSHA Rabbi Wein

Dear Editor, I think it’s a little crazy that The Jewish Home, a New York publication, published a “Florida Dining Guide” in its midwinter issue. We have become a society where it’s de rigueur to head to Florida with the family over vacation. That’s crazy. The trip costs thousands of dollars and for what? So your family can take off their coats and eat in restaurants packed with hundreds of other New Yorkers for three days? We need to stop the insanity. We need to lower the bar. We need to understand that a family trip can be something small and still be fun. It’s about spending time together. Not about spending tons of money to keep up with the Friedmans. A Reader

JEWISH THOUGHT It’s Cold Outside by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

The Will to Believe (Or at Least to Not be an Atheist) by Eytan Kobre

Make America Great Again? by Rabbi YY Rubinstein

HEALTH & FITNESS The Real Reason Marriages Get Rocky, Part III by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn 94 Breakfast – Make the Right Choice by Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN If Mama Ain’t Happy, Then No One is Happy: The Pediatrician and Postpartum Depression Screenings by Dr. Hylton I Lightman

Dear Editor, To the dear mother who is concerned that her son Abie is a “shopper” and can’t seem to settle down and appreciate his date for who she is, I believe you have serious cause for concern. In my experience, I have seen many young

men – and young women – who are the “best guys/girls” around. And they date and date and are amazing at getting their dates to fall in love with them – until they drop them because the next girl/ guy is calling and who knows if that next one will be smarter/prettier/richer/funner, etc. Eventually, life catches up with them and they are still single at middle age, still holding onto their illusion of being the “best guy/girl” and still thinking that the next date will be smarter/prettier/richer/funner. Stop your son in his tracks. I’m sure he is a “great guy” but make sure he focuses on the woman he is dating and hide all the resumes in a locked drawer. In life, if we always look for the next best thing, we’ll never be happy. Sincerely, Anne G.

Dear Editor, I voted for Trump. But I am not necessarily a Trump supporter. I couldn’t bear another four years of Continued on page 12

100

FOOD & LEISURE Winning Super Bowl Recipes

102

The Aussie Gourmet: Tu B’Shvat Round-Up

104

LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW Return of the Mad Hatters by Yael Klein

91 106

Your Money

132

I Need a Vacation from Politics by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

134

HUMOR

102

Centerfold

Hebrew Huddle by Jon Kranz

120

Uncle Moishy Fun Page

126

POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

108

Trump’s Foreign Policy Revolution by Charles Krauthammer

116

The Snowflakes that Cried Wolf by Nate Davis

118

CLASSIFIEDS

127

Who do you think will win this year’s Super Bowl?

Patriots

Falcons

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Sale Dates: February 5th - 10th 2017

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(No Singles) All Flavors - 8 Pack

Gourmet Glatt Tu B’shvat Platter

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Bertolli Olive Oil

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Classico, Extra Virgin, Extra Light 51 oz

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YoPlait Greek Yogurt

Assorted - 6 oz

2/$

14.1 oz

Skim Plus Milk

Regular or Lactose-Free 64

Assorted - 5.4 oz

2/$

299

Ziploc Containers

2/$

Miller’s String Cheese 18 oz

799

Kleenex Tissues

3/$

Ha’olam Crumbled Feta Cheese 4 oz

299

.......................................

8 oz

16 oz

24 oz

399

Califia Iced Coffee Assorted - 48 oz

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All Varieties $ 99

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279

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added 599 .................................................

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Spring Valley H’ors D’oeuvres

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jazz up your Dunkin Donuts breakfast! Iced Coffee Drinks NOW 2 Cedarhurst 137 Spruce Street locations! STORE HOURS

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Zevi’s Gefilte Fish

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All Sizes - 2 Count - 8 Count

Sonny & Joe’s Hummus or Babaganoush

YoCrunch Yogurt

.................................................

or Kif Kef

......................................................

3/$

All Purpose or High Gluten - 5 lb

All Varieties 64 oz

10/$

Assorted - 13 oz

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Turkey Hill Iced Tea

All Flavors - 5.3 oz

Hunt’s Snack Pack Pudding

.................................................

Assorted 9.6 oz

All Flavors - 4.5 oz

.................................................

$ .................................................

Manischewitz Tam Tam Crackers

2/$

.................................................

2/$

599

18.2 oz/18.3 oz

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Glick’s Flour

Strawberry or Chocolate Twists, Strawberry-Lemonade or Cherry Pull n Peel, Cherry Bites - 11 oz/16 oz

Gatorade

.................................................

family size

Twizzlers

Vintage Seltzer 2/$

......................................................

349

699

Duncan Hines Fudge or Dark Fudge Brownie Mix

Assorted Flavors

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SUN - THURS: 7 AM-9 PM FRIDAY 7 AM UNTIL 2 HRS. BEFORE CANDLE LIGHTING

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Sale Dates: February 5th - 10th 2017

Specials Top of the Rib

Chicken $ 39 899 lb. Shoulder 1 lb. Lamb $ Bones 99 ................... 10 lb. Chop Boneless Seasoned Beef, ................... Fillet $ 49 9 lb. Chicken $199 lb. Pastrami, Steak Italian or $ 49 Drumsticks Family . . . . . . . . Pack ........... Chicken 6 lb. Family Pack

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GROUND BEEF $ 99 4 lb. Super Family Pack

Patties

...................

Turkey London $649 lb. Broil ................... Untrimmed

Chicken $ 89 3 lb. Cutlets Super Family Pack

Coke, Fresca, Sprite, Dr. Pepper 2 Liter

8/$

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LIMIT . . . . . . . .16 ............................

Poland Spring Water Gallon

99¢ ......................................................

Snapple Iced Teas All Flavors - 64 oz

2/$ Slicing Tomatoes

Sliced Mushrooms

Cello Onions

79¢ lb.

2/$3

Golden Delicious Apples

99¢ lb.

Red Delicious Apples

99¢ lb.

Green & Red Leaf Lettuce

99¢ ea.

Head

..........................

6/$2 Pink Grapefruit

Del Monte 2/$ 4 Cantaloupe

Idaho Potatoes

..........................

99¢ lb.

Anjou Pears

......................................................

Norman’s Poppers Yogurt

3 lb Bag

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59¢ lb.

Crispy Butternut ¢ Squash 69 lb. Broccoli

All Flavors - 5.3 oz

10/$ Jumbo $ 49 Red 1 lb. Peppers

......................................................

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Mini Peeled Carrots

99¢ ea.

Sleeve Celery

4/$5

1199lb. $ 99 4 lb.

General Tso’s Chicken Rice with Mushrooms

Baby Chicken or Beef Tortillas

49 ea.

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Tilapia Fillet Family Pack $ 99 lb.

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Pasta with Mushrooms & Cheese 2 lb Container

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order your shabbos platters early! Cooked $ 50 Salad 5 Roll ........................................................ Giant Vegetable Roll

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FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Continued from 8

Obama politics – throwing money at people who just lounge on their couches all day, refusing to admit America’s sovereignty, denying the connection between terrorism and Islam… I felt that America

would cease to exist if the Democrats continued on their way. And it seems that many others felt the same. Now, with Donald Trump in office, I have been shocked, just like the rest of America. It’s possible

that other presidents have made many orders in the first few days in office. But Trump is flamboyant, he’s a TV star, and he thrives on attention. So his orders were all highlighted and underlined by him again and again. He can’t seem to

It’s your chance to say farewell to the Honorable Judge Ritholtz and his wife, Anne “Morah Chana” who have meant so much to the community, before they move to Israel.

get enough of himself dominating the media waves. Although I feel a little sideswiped with all that’s going on, I know that it’s important to take a few deep breaths and take a few steps back. We are all wrapped in media hype – and the hype is huge. We saw that with the election. Every time I hear the overthe-top Armageddon reporting I remind myself what happened a few months ago, when these same people reported with certainty over and over and over again that Trump would never get within ten miles of the White House. If we couldn’t have trusted them then, why should we be drinking their poison now? So my message for others is this: don’t go crazy or feel anxious because of what you hear in the media. Give Mr. Trump some time – certainly more than 2 weeks – to clarify his positions. I think that we all may be pleasantly surprised. Sincerely, Abe Feldman

It’s your chance to say thank you to Rabbi Joey Werner

and his wife, Racheli who mean so much to our community’s children and parents.

Join us and give ads in their honor Neveh Zion 40th Anniversary Celebration Dinner

Wednesday, February 15th Lawrence Yacht and Country Club Reception at 6.30pm, Dinner at 7.30pm

Visit: www.nevehdinner.com

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 @fivetowns jewishhome.com.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

The Week In News

Mexico Cancels Summit over Wall Dispute

Mexico is finally fighting back. In the aftermath of Trump’s executive order to begin building a physical wall on the border of the U.S. and Mexico, the president of Mexico Enrique Pena Nieto has cancelled his plans to travel to the U.S. and meet with the newly elected president. Trump used Twitter as a platform to demand payment from Mexico for the wall – a move that seems rather un-presidential – and Nieto called his bluff. In a Twitter message, Trump insinuated that if Mexico refuses to reimburse the U.S. for the wall then the president shouldn’t bother attending their planned summit. On Thursday, Nieto responded with his own tweet saying that he will not attend the meeting which was supposed to take place on Tuesday. “We have informed the White House that I will not attend the working meeting planned for next Tuesday with @POTUS,” he tweeted on Thursday. “Mexico reiterates its willingness to work with the United States to reach agreements that favor both nations.” Later, Trump presented the cancelled plans as a mutual agreement. While addressing Republican members of Congress at a meeting in Philadelphia, he said he and Pena Nieto had agreed to cancel the meeting, adding it would be counterproductive for Mexico if they choose not to treat the United States “fairly.” “I’ve said many times that the American people will not pay for the wall,” Trump told the gathering. “Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a

meeting would be fruitless and I want to go a different route.” Strategically, the White House left the door open for a potential rapprochement. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the United States plans to keep the lines of communication open with Mexico and is hoping to reschedule the meeting.

Indictment for Anti-Semitic Rhetoric in Belgium

Three men in Belgium have been indicted for their Arabic chant at an anti-Israel rally two years ago. Two organizers of the Antwerp rally and one of their participants were arrested after shouting, “Jews, remember Khaybar, the army of Muhammad is returning.” The chant refers to a seventh century massacre in which Jews were violently expelled from the town of Khaybar, located in modern-day Saudi Arabia. A complaint was filed against the men by The Forum of Jewish Organization of Flanders. They cited a video in which the men chant the slogan at the rally. The defendants have only been identified as Youssef R., Suhail A. and Marc D.Q. They claim the chant was not an incitement to hatred. Anti-Semitic rhetoric has been rampant across many parts of Europe lately. Last week a criminal court in the municipality of Foix near Toulouse, 400 miles south of Paris, sentenced a 33-year-old man to twoand-a-half years in prison for making death threats to Jews online and for praising an Islamic terrorist who killed four Jews in 2012. Also last week, a criminal tribunal in the Belgian city of Liege affirmed the sentence of two months that was handed to Dieudonne M’bala M’bala by a lower court. M’bala is a French comedian who has a history of several convictions on incitement to racial hatred against Jews and Holocaust denial. His most recent conviction

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

was for an anti-Semitic call to action he voiced at a show he put on in Liege in 2012.

Will Japan See a Female Reign?

For the last 250 years, a male has held the title to Japan’s Chrysanthemum Throne, and it’s been almost that long since an emperor abdicated the position. Current Emperor Akihito has expressed his desire to resign the throne before his death, and many are hoping that his plan is to finally make way for a woman to reign again in the near future. Back in August, Emperor Akihito, 83, signaled that he wanted

to step down by telling the nation that he was growing more and more concerned that he will be unable to fulfill his duties much longer due to his old age and illness. The Imperial Household Law, which governs the succession of emperors in the world’s oldest monarchy, makes no provision for abdication. However, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s governing party suggested recently that it would consider one-time legislation in order to allow the emperor to relinquish the throne, an amendment that the public would gladly accept. According to recent polls a large majority of the Japanese public believes the law, which was instituted in 1947, should be permanently amended. Additionally, respondents also seemed to be in favor of changing the law in order to allow women to be rightful heirs to the throne. People close to the emperor, a beloved figure in Japan, say that even he agrees. “If you look at his video message and read it deeply, he wants to reform the Imperial Household Law,” said Mototsugu Akashi, a friend of Emperor Akihito’s since childhood. “I don’t think he sticks to the narrow idea that only a male on the throne is acceptable.”

There have been no direct moves by the government to change the law regarding women, although officials seem to be dancing around the subject. When and if the present emperor is permitted to resign, he will be succeeded by his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, 56. If the Imperial Household Law changes to allow female successors, next in line would be the crown prince’s only child, Princess Aiko, 15. Currently by law – which does not allow a female to ascend the throne – his successor would be his nephew, Prince Hisahito, 10, the only boy of his generation in the imperial family. Japan is one of the few monarchies in the world that do not allow women to reign.

ISIS Chemical Weapons Stash Raided French commandos found chemical weapons in an ISIS stockpile in Iraq this week. ISIS had plans to launch the weapons until they were driven from the embattled city of

Mosul by coalition forces. According to reports, the weapons had Russian markings on them.

An official who spoke about the matter said that the use of the weapons was interrupted when the coalition offensive overtook Mosul four months ago. Reports of the weapons had been filed intermittently over the past three years. Three months ago, London-based IHS Markit analysis group said that ISIS has used chemical weapons at least 71 times since 2014 in Iraq and Syria. The IHS also concluded that chlorine and mustard gas were the chemicals being produced in Mosul. The United States has known about these weapons for a long time. In September, U.S. warplanes took out a factory near Mosul that was suspected of chemical weapons manufacturing. The Pentagon has confirmed in the past that ISIS has

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deployed chlorine and sulfur mustard devices. Though Mosul has been under ISIS control for the last two years, Iraqi forces have retaken about a third of the war-ravaged city in the past four months.

China Tightens N Korean Exports

Trump Meets May

Donald Trump met with Theresa May, the prime minister of England, in his first meeting with a foreign leader last Friday. A source in May’s team said that the two world leaders shared a “warm conversation” and cemented their “special relationship” over lunch. Reportedly, Trump pledged to uphold the trade agreements the U.S. has with Britain through their membership with the European Union even after the UK leaves the EU. “They talked a lot about Thatcher and Reagan, and both agreed it was one of the most successful political relationships ever,” the source in May’s team said. “Trump went on to say that he always looked up to Reagan and said that he wanted their relationship to be even better than that one.” At first glance, the two leaders seem very different. May is a cautious politician who chooses her words very carefully and Trump has been known to send shockwaves worldwide with his Twitter account. Despite their differences, the two struck up a rapport and discussed Brexit, Russia and the NATO military alliance. May described the meeting as a “step forward that underlines our commitment to use the opportunities of Brexit to build a truly global Britain, increase free and fair trade, and improve the special relationship between our two great countries.”

China has announced that there are certain items it will no longer be exporting to North Korea. Much of the list describes items that can be used to build weapons of mass destruction. The proclamation of the ban came just hours before a senior North Korean official announced that North Korea could test an intercontinental ballistic missile “at any time, at any place” and that the country will attempt to become fully nuclear in order to “defend our sovereignty and to cope with the persistent nuclear blackmail and threats” from the United States. On the list of items being banned by Beijing is drone- and rocket-related software, sensors, lasers, cameras capable of filming at a high number of frames per second, and equipment used to construct nuclear missiles. The list correlates with the United Nations Security Council’s embargo regarding “dual-use” materials, which can be used for both civilian and military use. Six weeks before the ban China also stopped importing coal from North Korea, a lucrative export for Pyongyang. The move was made in compliance with the UN’s efforts to stop North Korea from developing nuclear weapons. According to Pyongyang’s highest ranking defector, Thae Yongho, the Kim regime’s days may be “numbered.” “I am sure that more defections of my colleagues will take place, since North Korea is already on a slippery slope,” Thae Yong-ho reportedly said, describing the corruption and discontent within the government’s ranks. “The traditional structures of the North Korean system are crumbling.”

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

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Encyclopedia Lists Over 42,500 Nazi Persecution Sites The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington,

D.C., set out in the year 2000 to document the thousands of persecution sites used by the Nazis during the Holocaust. The team estimated that they would find 5,000 persecution sites, but that number was way too low. By the year 2001, the number was over 10,000. Now, the Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, 1933-

Now Legal in Germany: Insulting Donald Trump

1945 has been published and has revealed that 42,500 sites were used to persecute and murder Jews. “But quite frankly, you could put it much higher than that,” said Geoffrey Megargee, the project leader, who has coordinated the publication of the first two books of the seven-book series. “You could not turn a corner in Germany [during the war]… with-

Germany has done away with a law that bans insulting foreign heads of state. The timing – right after U.S. President Donald Trump took office – is rather suspicious, but the Justice Minister said that the long-standing law in the German nation is simply “outdated and unnecessary.” Many countries around the world have laws known as “lèse-majesté,” which is French for “injured majesty.” The law stems from when monarchs actually needed protection against foreign threats. The law in Germany, though, is generally not enforced, and people insult foreign leaders all of the time without repercussion, so the update does not really change things. Trump is not popular in Germany. He has raised questions about the importance of the European Union, of which Germany is a main anchor. He has also called German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s refugee policies “catastrophic.” In a poll last year, 77 percent of Germans said that they

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

thought Obama would “do the right thing regarding world affairs,” and 85 percent said they had no confidence in Trump to do the same.

sians. She served just five years in a Russian prison camp for her role in the war. Pomsel always insisted she was ignorant of the atrocities committed by the Nazis during WWII. She never had any children.

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The secretary of Joseph Goebbels, the vile Nazi who was behind the Third Reich’s propaganda machine, has died at the age of 106. Brunhilde Pomsel was the personal stenographer of Goebbels and also spent time underground in a Berlin bunker next to the bunker where Adolf Hitler killed himself at the end of WWII. Pomsel took dictation for Goebbels and also transcribed his documents, letters, and diary entries. She was privy to all of the business of the virulently anti-Semitic propaganda chief who rigidly controlled the news media, arts, radio broadcasting, and films in Nazi Germany. Pomsel was well aware of the anti-Jewish attitude of the Nazi top brass. “The whole country was as if under a kind of spell,” she recalled in an interview. “I could open myself up to the accusations that I wasn’t interested in politics, but the truth is that idealism of youth might easily have led you to having your neck broken.” In April 1945, as the Allied forces closed in, Pomsel and other supporting staff joined Mrs. Goebbels and her six children in the the “Vorbunker” under the Reich Chancellery. Hitler was in a deeper bunker known as the “Führerbunker.” The war’s outcome was obvious by then and Hitler’s inner circle – Goebbels, Göring, Himmler, Ribbentrop, Bormann and Speer – came to visit him to give their farewells. After many of the top Nazi officials killed themselves – including Goebbels and his wife and their children – Pomsel and others made a white flag out of food sacks in the bunker and surrendered to the Rus-

Terror struck North America on Sunday night when a gunman opened fire at a mosque in Quebec leaving six dead and eight injured. The victims ranged in age from 35 to 70. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the tragic incident a “terrorist attack on Muslims.” Étienne Doyon, a spokesman for the Quebec police, said that the attack on the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec happened at around 8 p.m. “It is heart-wrenching to see such senseless violence,” the prime minister said in a statement early Monday. “Diversity is our strength, and religious tolerance is a value that we, as Canadians, hold dear.” Canada has generously welcomed refugees fleeing war-torn countries. Just before the attack, Prime Minister Trudeau responded to Trump’s recent immigration ban by publicly proclaiming that Canada was happy and ready to continue welcoming refugees from all countries. Quebec has a population of about 765,000, and 6,760 of them identified themselves as Muslims during the last national census. Although the investigation is just in the early stages, many have called this attack a hate crime against Muslims. By early Monday the police confirmed that two suspects had been arrested. Christine Colombe, a spokeswoman for the Quebec Provincial Police, said that one of the two suspects was arrested at the scene of the shooting, while another was apprehended nearby on Île d’Orleans. Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, one of the terrorists, has been charged with

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Powerful Blaze Devastates Chile

Chile is in a state of emergency as the nation battles the worst blazes in the country’s history. The government said the wildfires across Chile have caused the death of 10 people already, including some firefighters. It is not uncommon for forest fires to plague Chile during this time of the year but due to a prolonged drought this year’s blazes have been especially devastating. “We have never seen anything on this scale, never in the history of Chile,” President Michelle Bachelet said after her administration officially declared a state of emergency. “The truth is that the forces are doing everything humanly possible and will continue until they can contain and control the fires.” Before the weekend hundreds of thousands of acres had been destroyed in the southern and central parts of the country. One entire town, Santa Olga, was completely wiped out. The town’s 6,000 residents were forced to evacuate as blazes consumed its post office, kindergarten, and about 1,000 homes. Someone died in the fire in that town as well. “This is an extremely serious situation — of horror, a nightmare without an end,” the mayor of the

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coastal city of Constitucion said. “Everything burned.” Chile, a major exporter of wine, grapes, and timber, lost miles and miles of forests and vineyards to the blazes. In the journal Global and Planetary Change, published in November, environmentalists warned that the “pattern, frequency and intensity” of wildfires in the country “has grown at an alarming rate” in recent years, in part because of intensive forest management practices that led to a large amount of flammable fuel in the country’s forests. Last week, Chile’s National Emergency Bureau was tracking 100 active fires covering about 920 square miles, 30 of which have been contained, according to The New York Times. The newspaper reported, “In total, 4,000 people — including firefighters, troops and national forestry bureau officers — and 46 aircraft have been deployed to combat the fires, according to the National Emergency Bureau. Some residents, lacking any training or protective gear, have used tree branches and bottles of water to try to douse the flames.” The Chilean government has begged for international aid. The U.S. Embassy in Santiago said that the U.S. government pledged $100,000 “for the local procurement and delivery of firefighting equipment, such as chainsaws and weather monitoring tools requested by the National Forestry Corporation.” The U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Forest Service sent four people to “assess the situation and advise local authorities.” On Wednesday, a privately owned Boeing 747 “supertanker” plane arrived in Santiago to help control the fires from the air. Such planes are capable of dumping 20,000 gallons of flame retardant. It is believed that the mission and its 12-person crew was paid for by Fundación Viento Sur, which is part of the Walton Family Foundation and run by Ben Walton and his Chilean-native wife, Lucy Ana Walton de Avilés. The New York Times reported the price tag for the supertanker was $2 million. Chile is located deep in the southern hemisphere. Accordingly, the summer months are December, January, and February in Chile, while June, July and August are the winter months in the South American nation.

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six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder while using a restricted firearm. Provincial police are treating the attack as a terrorist act. Bissonnette is a student at Laval University, and the college has barred him from all activities until all judicial proceedings are concluded. He was renting an apartment with his twin brother near the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec, where the shooting took place Sunday evening. Neighbors described him as very introverted.

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2 Killed in Tragic Bus Crash

Two people have died and seven others were wounded when an Egged bus fell over a cliff in the northern West Bank last week. The accident occurred at about 1 a.m. Friday morning when the bus fell 70 meters into a ravine near the settlement of Ma’ale Levonah. One of the men killed was Avishai Kroani, the 37-year-old bus driver from Ariel.

The other person killed in the crash was a 23-year-old man. The rescue service, which was conducted by Magen David Adom and the IDF, was severely hampered by the difficult terrain, stormy weather and darkness. IDF helicopters were used to lift the wounded out of the ravine and they were then transferred to ambulances waiting on the road above. “We had to walk for 10 minutes in the rain and mud until we reached the bus. We requested helicopters to help evacuate the injured,” said Michael Chai Cohen, a volunteer from the United Hatzalah rescue service. “Unfortunately, upon arrival, we found several victims who were unconscious and without a pulse. Others sustained varying degrees of injuries.” The crash was declared a “mass casualty event,” and dozens of ambulances, medics and volunteers were brought in from all over the region. All buses that travel in the West Bank have extra layers of armor and protection built-in. The armored bus was especially heavy because of that and lifting it to make sure no other casualties were pinned beneath it required a great effort.

Trump Reins in Obama’s Last Minute PA Funding

In his last hours in office, President Barack Obama quietly authorized a $221 million transfer to the Palestinian Authority. The executive decision was legal, although the funds had congressional holds on them. The holds do not bind the president from using the funds; historically, though, presidents have respected congressional holds and have refrained from dispersing them. But when President Trump entered the Oval Office on January 20, his administration let PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah know

that it is freezing the funds transfer while it reviews the last minute move. The department has said that they may make adjustments to ensure that the Trump administration’s priorities are reflected in any transfer of funds. The monies comes from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and is technically meant to provide humanitarian aid to the West Bank and Gaza. The PA has already received 250 million U.S. dollars in 2016, without this additional $221 million. John Kerry had formally notified Congress that the funds would be released on Friday, January 20th, hours before Trump was sworn into office. Rep. Kay Granger of Texas, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, released a statement saying that he is “deeply disappointed that President Obama defied congressional oversight and released $221 million to the Palestinian territories.” She added that she has “worked to make sure that no American taxpayer dollars would fund the Palestinian Authority unless very strict conditions were met. While none of these funds will go to the Palestinian Authority because of

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ambassador to Israel. He was speaking at a recent event marking the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations held at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. “Israel is a nation well-known for innovation and advanced technology. China has a huge and open market as well as exceptional manufacturing capabilities. Our cooperation will greatly benefit both countries.”

Representatives from both countries are discussing a possible free trade agreement, which is meant to further deepen the ties between the two first-world countries. There have already been many large China-Israel transactions. For example, in 2015 the Chinese company Bright Food acquired Tnuva, an iconic Israeli dairy company. The interest between the countries on an educational level is also mutual. East Asian studies has exploded at Israeli universities. The Chinese government gives support through scholarship funds for many Israeli students to study in China, and several hundred Chinese students are currently enrolled in Israeli universities.

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those conditions, they will go to programs in the Palestinian territories that were still under review by Congress. The Obama Administration’s decision to release these funds was inappropriate.”

China and Israel: Deepening Ties The relationship between Tel Aviv and Beijing is at an all-time high. Israel and China established diplomatic relations 25 years ago and had

a trade volume of $50 million at the time. That number has increased more than 200 times since then, and Israel and China now trade over $11 billion in goods each year. “Our two economies are highly complementary, which means a great potential of deeper and wider cooperation,” said Zhan Yongxin, Chinese

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had to do some political backtracking after he praised U.S. President Donald Trump for pushing to build a wall on the U.S.- Mexico border. Mexican officials called the prime minister’s office and demanded clarification, according to the Is-

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

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raeli press. Netanyahu’s office was quick to clarify that the prime minister was only referring to Israel’s security along the Egyptian border when he tweeted, “President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israel’s southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea.” Emmanuel Nahshon, who is Netanyahu’s spokesman, clarified on Twitter, “[Netanyahu] referred to our specific security experience which we are willing to share. We do not express a position on U.S.-Mexico relationship.” Mexico’s Foreign Ministry expressed in response to the tweet its “profound surprise, rejection and disappointment in the prime minister’s message on Twitter” to Israel’s ambassador. “Mexico is Israel’s friend and should be treated as such.” Bibi’s initial tweet was referring to an interview in which Trump praised Israel for their West Bank security barrier, which was built in response to the Second Intifada at the turn of the millennium. The massive wave of terrorism that plagued Israel saw a dramatic decline after a barrier of fencing, concrete walls, and a sophisticated sensor network was constructed. “The wall is necessary,” Trump has said. “That’s not just politics, and yet it is good for the heart of the nation in a certain way, because people want protection and a wall protects. All you’ve got to do is ask Israel. They were having a total disaster coming across and they had a wall. It’s 99.9 percent stoppage.”

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Jewish country, the children will be able to obtain permanent residency and bring family members from Syria to live with them. Israel has resettled refugees from neighboring Arab states before, although under much different circumstances. After Israel pulled its remaining troops from southern Lebanon in 2000, it resettled 6,500 Lebanese from the former occupied areas who feared reprisals from Hezbollah. This mostly included fighters from the South Lebanon Army, a militia that supported Israel’s military occupation. The lives of the militants and their families would have been in danger in a postoccupation Lebanon, and Israel felt an obligation to protect their former partners. In the past few years Israel has provided medical care to around 2,600 Syrians injured during the country’s conflict – which has killed around a half-million people and displaced 11 million more. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has discussed increasing humanitarian aid related to the conflict, and back in December, an Israeli crowdfunding campaign raised over a million shekels ($250,000) for displaced Syrian children in less than a week. Until now Israel has not accepted any refugees from Syria. In contrast, Muslim-majority countries Lebanon and Turkey, two countries that are comparatively poorer and less stable than Israel, now host a combined 3.7 million Syrians. But Israel has been in a state of ceasefire with Syria since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Additionally, terrorist groups have run rampant in Syria and many of them are vehemently opposed to the Jewish State. Israel has to struggle with its desire to provide humanitarian aid with its integral desire to exist.

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Last Wednesday, it was reported that Israeli Minister of Interior Aryeh Deri had approved an “outline” for welcoming 100 Syrian children orphaned during the Syrian civil war into Israel. The children will receive temporary residency status in the state. After four years of being in the

In a recent poll conducted prior to the annual International Tourism

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Exhibition in Tel Aviv, the place most Israelis – who identify themselves either as “children,” “adults,” “secular,” or “religious” – prefer to visit is New York. After the Big Apple, Israelis tend to visit Thailand and London. 2017, though, brings with it images of terror around the world, and 52% of respondents say that they are apprehensive of visiting cities like Paris, Berlin, or Istanbul that saw terror attacks last year. 65% percent of women were apprehensive of traveling to such a locale, while 38% of men said they were. Eyal Shmueli, publisher of Israel Travel News and among the founders of the Tourism Exhibition, commented on the findings. “There’s no doubt that international tourism has taken a blow as a result of terror in central capitals around the world, but one can see that, with time, things are going back to normal and tourists are returning to routine, especially with respect to central destinations like Paris or Berlin. “Nevertheless, the poll shows that half of Israelis are apprehensive about travelling to these cities, something which surprised us due to the fact that Israelis are pretty used to emergency situations. I believe that the lack of desire to travel to these places stems from the Israeli tourist’s need to take a rest from the difficult daily life in Israel. When on vacation, we want to stop worrying about being in a place that could be a terror target,” he concluded.

Chaos Ensues from Trump’s Immigration Ban

This weekend, U.S. airports were overcrowded but not with travelers.

Throngs of protestors stormed airports in protest of President Trump’s executive order to shut American borders to refugees from seven select Muslim-majority countries. By Sunday, 11 individuals were detained at JFK Airport and many others were barred from boarding flights overseas. The group detained at the New York airport were from Iraq and other blacklisted countries. Initially it was unclear whether pre-approved refugees, students and workers holding visas and residency green card holders would be turned away. A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security clarified that everyone from the blacklisted countries will be banned. People with green cards who are technically legal permanent U.S. residents will be screened accordingly. Trump’s executive order temporarily banned people from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia, all predominantly Muslim countries. The order promised that in the future religious minorities from those countries who are especially oppressed will be given priority for entering the U.S. as a refugee. Syrian refugees, though, will be blocked indefinitely. Individuals with dual nationalities between a country on the list and another nonU.S. country will not be allowed to enter the U.S. for the next 90-120 days. The backlash around the country was loud and fierce. New York Democrat Congressman Jerrold Nadler said, “Donald Trump should revoke the executive order. It’s unconstitutional on the grounds of religious discrimination.” He warned all those detained to “not sign anything and ask for a lawyer.” Nadler had boycotted the Trump inauguration a few weeks ago. Because of the immediate implementation of the ban, stories of those who were caught in limbo took center-stage. Hameed Khalid Darweesh, who had worked for the U.S. government in Iraq for a decade, was initially detained. Ultimately he was released and entered the United States. At JFK Airport he told protestors that he doesn’t blame airport authorities. “They are good people,” he said. “They are just doing their duty.” Protestors made noise at airports in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, Dallas, Raleigh, Hous-

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Scalia 2.0: Trump Picks Neil Gorsuch for Supreme Court

ton, Seattle, Portland, Atlanta and other cities. A huge organized protest was planned for Sunday afternoon in Battery Park in Manhattan. Supposedly there were more than 10,000 people in attendance. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Senator Chuck Schumer addressed

the crowd along with other politicians. By Sunday night some sort of compromise was met. All of those detained in the first wave of the crackdown on Friday either had been released into the United States or had been returned to the coun-

try they came from, Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Gillian Christensen told CNN. She also explained that in a revision to the original order 392 green card holders were granted exemptions to enter the United States.

On Tuesday evening, Trump took to the East Room of the White House to announce his choice to fill the Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat on the Supreme Court. In Trump fashion, he allowed the suspense to build throughout the day for his prime-time announcement. Leading up to the announcement, it was speculated that Trump was going to pick either Neil Gorsuch or another federal appeals court judge, Thomas Hardiman, both of whom were on the list of originalist justices that Trump stated during the campaign that he would choose from. After striding out to the podium alone – rather than being joined by the nominee which is customary – Trump announced that he had chosen Justice Neil Gorsuch, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Denver. In an Apprentice-esque fashion he called Gorsuch and his wife to the podium and they appeared from behind a door behind the president. Gorsuch attended Columbia University, graduated from Harvard Law School, and received his doctorate from Oxford University as a Marshall Scholar. He clerked for Supreme Court Justices White and Kennedy. If confirmed, he will sit alongside Justice Kennedy and will be the first justice who clerked for one of his fellow justices. He was nominated to the appeals court by George W. Bush in 2006 and was confirmed unanimously. The fighting will now begin. Within moments of the announcement, Senator Chuck Schumer called into question Gorsuch’s record and indicated that he may obstruct the nomination. “Judge Gorsuch has repeatedly sided with corporations over working people, demonstrated a hostility toward women’s rights, and, most troubling, hewed to an ideolog-

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

ical approach to jurisprudence that makes me skeptical that he can be a strong, independent justice on the Court,” Schumer said. If confirmed, Gorsuch, 49, would be the youngest justice on the court. He is oftentimes compared to Justice Scalia, who died last year. As such, he would likely return the court to a 5-4 right-leaning balance. Although Republicans do not have the 60 Senate votes which is necessary to overcome a Democrat filibuster, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) can establish a new rule in the Senate which would allow a Supreme Court justice to be confirmed with a simple majority. This rule, often called “the nuclear option,” was last invoked by former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to assist in the confirmation of Obama’s judicial and executive nominees. Ironically, in the days leading up to the presidential elections, when it seemed like Hillary Clinton would easily win, Sen. Schumer and other prominent Democrats declared that they would deploy the nuclear option to get her nominee onto the Supreme Court. Poetic justice may be coming up the Beltway.

Trump Fires AG for Defiance

On Monday night, President Trump fired his acting attorney general after she refused to defend his executive order banning refugees from seven countries. Sally Q. Yates served as deputy attorney general under Obama and had announced that Justice Department lawyers would not defend Trump’s order against legal challenges. The position of the nation’s top law enforcement officer was filled by Dana J. Boente, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. He will serve as attorney general until Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama is confirmed for the position. In his first act in his new role, Boente announced

that he was rescinding Ms. Yates’s order. Boente pledged to “defend and enforce the laws of our country.” Yates’ act of defiance was a stunning show of disobedience by a government official to a sitting president. Many recalled the so-called Saturday Night Massacre in 1973, when President Richard M. Nixon fired his attorney general and deputy attorney general for refusing to dismiss the special prosecutor in the Watergate case. The difference here is that Yates was refusing orders due to moral issues with the ban. Yates received news of her sacking via a hand-delivered letter. Signed by John DeStefano, one of Mr. Trump’s White House aides, the letter informed Yates that “the president has removed you from the office of Deputy Attorney General of the United States.” Just two minutes letter, Sean Spice, White House press secretary, issued a statement: “Ms. Yates is an Obama administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration.” “It is time to get serious about protecting our country,” Mr. Spicer said in the statement. He accused Democrats of holding up the confirmation of Mr. Sessions for political reasons. “Calling for tougher vetting for individuals traveling from seven dangerous places is not extreme. It is reasonable and necessary to protect our country.” President Obama had singled out these countries with “concern” to terrorism. Democrats, meanwhile, hailed Yates as a principled defender of what she thought was right. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, said in a statement that the “attorney general should be loyal and pledge fidelity to the law, not the White House. The fact that this administration doesn’t understand that is chilling.”

#Addicted #Phone #GenerationX Researchers say that millennials spend an excessive amount of time on their phones and social media, but a new study reveals that is not simply a generational habit. A Nielsen report released this month reveals a rather surprising find. According to their research, Americans ranging from the ages of 18

to 34 are less obsessed with social media than some of their older peers from about 35 to 49, referred to as Generation X.

That older age bracket spends an average of six hours and 58 minutes on social media per week, compared with the six hours and 19 minutes that their younger counterparts enjoy. Adults over 50 spend the least time on social media, with an average of four hours and nine minutes on the networks per week. Sean Casey, the president of Nielsen’s social division, who participated in the report, said that after deeper examination the results make sense. “Our generation was really the first adult generation to grow up with Facebook,” he said. “At a time when we wanted to be connected, it came out right when we were at the top of our media consumption. It’s become second nature to our generation.” The report also examined the use of smartphones. Based on their findings 97% of 18- to 34-year-olds own a smartphone, and 94% of 35- to 49-year-olds in the United States have access to smartphones. Only 70% of those 50 and older use smartphones. Facebook is the most used social media platform across users, with about 178.2 million users in September 2016. Instagram is the next most used forum with 91.5 million users; followed by Twitter, with 82.2 million unique users; and Pinterest, with 69.6 million users. Snapchat landed the sixth spot, and LinkedIn, the professional networking site, landed in seventh place.

Cancer Disparity across the Nation According to the American Cancer Society, in 2016, there were more than a half a million cancer-related deaths. Thankfully, the overall

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

death rate of cancer patients has decreased tremendously in the last several decades, dropping more than 20% since 1980. However, closer examination reveals that there are specific regions where cancer still poses a high fatality rate. A new study reveals that in 2014 the highest cancer-related death rate was along the Mississippi River, near the Kentucky-West Virginia border, western Alaska and the South of the U.S. in general. In other areas, like in Utah and Colorado, deaths were lowest. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, used death records from the National Center for Health Statistics up until 2014 to pinpoint cancer clusters. “It makes you wonder: how could this happen in a country like ours, when we spend more money on health than any other country in the world?” said Ali Mokdad, the lead author of the study and a professor at the University of Washington’s School of Public Health. In the last 24 years, there were 19.5 million cancer deaths. Almost half of those tragic deaths were blamed on three cancers: cancer of the lungs and airways, followed by

colorectal cancer, and breast cancers. Below are counties with the highest mortality cancer rates in the U.S. (per 100,000 people): 1. Union County, Florida 503.05 2. Madison County, Mississippi 363.03 3. Powell County, Kentucky 337.43 4. Breathitt County, Kentucky 329.07 5. Marlboro County, South Carolina 324.02 6. Owsley County, Kentucky 323.30 7. Anderson County, Texas 323.22 8. Perry County, Kentucky 322.75 9. Harlan County, Kentucky 319.82 10. Lee County, Kentucky 317.33 11. The lowest rates of cancers were seen in these counties (per 100,000 people): 1. Summit County, Colorado 70.71 2. Pitkin County, Colorado 81.86 3. Eagle County, Colorado 94.29 4. Presidio County, Texas 103.51 5. Hinsdale County, Colorado 110.26

6. San Miguel County, Colorado 113.58 7. Aleutians East Borough, Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska 116.05 8. Los Alamos County, New Mexico 118.42 9. Billings County, North Dakota 120.27 10. Grand County, Colorado 121.34 Since the data used only included deaths up until 2014, it is not clear whether the Affordable Care Act, which expanded health insurance coverage to millions of Americans, affected the mortality rate. With proper health insurance, older women are more likely to get annual mammograms and overall health checkups. The Affordable Care Act also made sure that even the chronically ill were offered coverage. “At the county level, you see huge disparities,” Mokdad points out. “Many counties are falling behind while the rest of the country benefits.” The authors of the study attributed these cancer pockets to several things. For one, risk factors for cancer, like smoking and obesity, may be more prevalent in these counties. Technology for screening in some regions may also be lagging. Additionally, less awareness of cancer risks and symptoms, as well as poor access to health care, can greatly impact how quickly a patient receives treatment and the quality of their care.

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He made many promises during his election campaign, but there’s one that POTUS Donald Trump is determined to keep: the wall will be built and Mexico will (maybe) pay for it. In his first week in office, Trump made moves to aggressively crack

down on immigration, sparking protests across the nation. On Wednesday he signed an executive order to begin the construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall and block federal grants from immigrant-protecting “sanctuary cities.” “Beginning today the United States of America gets back control of its borders,” Trump declared during a visit to the Department of Homeland Security. “We are going to save lives on both sides of the border.” Trump made this announcement in front of family member whose loved ones were killed by illegal immigrants. “When it comes to public safety, there is no place for politics,” Trump added. While Trump infamously declared that Mexico will fund or reimburse the cost of the construction of the wall, the actual budget for the project remains vague. It seems that, according to Trump, U.S. taxpayer dollars will fund the initial costs, and it will eventually be worked out with the Mexican government. In an interview with ABC News, Trump vowed, “There will be a payment; it will be in a form, perhaps a complicated form.” On the other side of the border, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto is insisting that his country will in no way pay for the wall. The two leaders are supposed to meet in the Oval Office in a couple weeks, although a brouhaha stemming from the wall’s construction has cancelled their meeting. A new meeting has yet to be announced. The order Trump signed last week referred to “a contiguous, physical wall or other similarly secure, contiguous and impassable physical barrier.” In 2006 The Secure Fence Act was signed authorizing the construction of several hundred miles of fencing along the 2,000-mile frontier. That bill led to the construction of about 700 miles of various kinds of fencing designed to block both vehicles and pedestrians during George W. Bush’s administration. That fence spans Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

Trump to Open Black Site Prisons? In another daring move in his first week in office, the Trump administration is preparing a wide-

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

spread executive order to allow the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to reopen overseas “black site” prisons.

Previously the detention centers were reserved for terrorists, but there were claims of unconstitutional torture prompting President Obama to shut them down. Obama undid many of the harsh policies for dealing with suspected terrorists that were implemented during the Bush administration. But it seems that Trump shares a similar approach to George W. Bush when it comes to those who endeavor to harm America, and he will be re-implementing those policies put into place following the September 11th attacks. Obama pushed hard to shut down Guantanamo Bay prison in his last few months as president but failed. The new draft signed by Trump just days after Obama stepped down ordered the Pentagon to resume using the facility “for the detention and trial of newly captured” detainees. If the draft order passes, Obama’s directive to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross access to all wartime detainees in American custody will also be retracted. The order is careful to state that no detainee should be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment “as prescribed by U.S. law.” Attached to the draft order was a statement criticizing the Obama administration for having “refrained from exercising certain authorities” about detainees it said were critical to defending the country from “radical Islamism.”

The Holocaust Without the Jews? Last week, when the White House released a statement on

International Holocaust Remembrance Day, there was no mention of Jews or anti-Semitism. In defense of the omission, the White House said that “despite what the media reports, we are an incredibly inclusive group and we took into account all of those who suffered,” administration spokeswoman Hope Hicks told CNN on Saturday. Hicks provided a link to a Huffington Post UK story noting that while 6 million Jews were killed by the Nazis, 5 million others were also slaughtered during Adolf Hitler’s genocide, including “priests, gypsies, people with mental or physical disabilities, communists, trade unionists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, anarchists, Poles and other Slavic peoples, and resistance fighters.”

Previous administrations had always mentioned the systematic slaughter of 6 million Jews on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Anti-Defamation League Director Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted that the “@WhiteHouse statement on #HolocaustMemorialDay, misses that it was six million Jews who perished, not just ‘innocent people’” and “Puzzling and troubling @WhiteHouse #HolocaustMemorialDay stmt has no mention of Jews. GOP and Dem. presidents have done so in the past.” Asked about the White House explanation that the president didn’t want to exclude any of the other groups Nazis killed by specifically mentioning Jews, Greenblatt pointed out that the United Nations established International Holocaust Remembrance Day not only because of Holocaust denial but also because so many countries – Iran, Russia, Poland, and Hungary, for example – specifically refuse to acknowledge Hitler’s attempt to exterminate Jews, “opting instead to talk about generic suffering rather than recognizing this catastrophic incident for what is was: the intended genocide of the Jewish people.” Downplaying

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

or disregarding the degree to which Jews were targeted for elimination during the Holocaust is a common theme of nationalist movements like those seen in Russia and Eastern Europe, Greenblatt said.

make it extra memorable for him. Elizabeth set out to meet her groom for the ceremony on a beautiful fall day. But Gardner was in for a surprise. On top of her silky white gown Elizabeth donned an orange T. rex costume.

sas high school turned his spare locker into a fully functioning vending machine. Hawkins, who detailed the process behind the invention on the website Instructables, said “The Soda Locker” was inspired by the extra space in his school locker. “With so many schools moving to electronic devices for books, lockers become less of a space for your books, and more of a question of: ‘What am I going to do with this?’” he wrote.

Clean Cut Crime

Last May, a sixteen-year-old in Granada, Spain, broke into a hair salon, committed $640 worth of damage and stole a hair dryer. The teen was caught and now he’s going to be learning how to use that hair dryer in the most fanciful ways. The “hairband-it” came in front of Judge Emilio Calatayud in youth court. The judge is known as “El padrazo,” the adoring father, because he endeavors to help youth stay out of jail and pay for their crime in other ways. Previously, a boy who enjoyed drawing but also liked to drive his motorbike without insurance was directed to spend 50 hours creating a 15-page comic that told the story of a boy called Enrique who rode his motorbike without insurance. He then had to show his work to paraplegic patients who had been injured in car crashes. When the coiffure convict came before Judge Calatayud he was ordered to take a six-month hairdressing course and, once he had learned the trade, to cut His Honor’s hair. Sounds like one way to cut your losses.

Bridezilla? When Tom Gardner got married, his bride turned into a monster. And we mean that in the kindest way. In November, Elizabeth Rex Hundley was set to marry Gardner in North Carolina and she wanted to

“My mother’s maiden name, and my middle name, is Rex,” she told The Huffington Post. “So, I thought it would be funny to wear the costume on the day I would go from a Rex/Hundley to a Gardner. “I even had my bridesmaids take pictures of me the day before the wedding holding a sign that said: ‘Today a Rex, tomorrow a Gardner.’” Was Elizabeth slightly concerned that her husband-to-be would wonder why a member from the cast of Jurassic Park showed up in her stead? “I was a little worried, which is why you can hear me saying, ‘Are you freaking mad that I did this?’ in the video,” she said. “But he has always encouraged me to be myself, so I took a shot in the dark.” To say the least, Gardner was shocked. “I was totally disarmed and could not stop from bursting with laughter. It was just so her.” He added, “It validated for me all the planning that went into that day and started things off right and kept it lighthearted,” he said. “I knew I was marrying my partner in life.” After the surprise Elizabeth shed her costume and wore her gown for their vows. She plans on keeping the T. rex costume and to possibly pass it along to her children. A new family tradition? For her sake, we hope it won’t go the way of the dinosaur.

The Soda Locker Look into my locker and all you see are books, books, books, an old sandwich, four broken pencils, and someone’s gym sneakers. Peek into Blake Hawkins’ locker and you’ll be loading up on soda. The 17-year-old senior at a Kan-

He’s become the most popular guy during class break, selling up to six 75-cent cans of soda during each break between classes. And at 75 cents, it’s a real bargain. “I think most of it is the novelty that you’re buying a pop from a vending machine inside of a locker,” he confessed. School officials are trying to shut him down. Administrators say that The Soda Locker violates school rules. Hawkins, though, it trying to reach a deal with them, offering to donate proceeds to a school program. Think they will reach a deal? We hope they can.

The Safety Chip It’s the chip of your conscience. Recently, Frito-Lay unveiled “Party Safe” Tostitos bags for the Super Bowl that detects whether its holder has been drinking. The bag can even order an Uber in the case that the nosh-er is too inebriated to drive. The limited-edition “Party Safe” Tostitos bag, designed by Goodby Silverstein & Partners, contains a sensor connected to a microcontroller that detects trace amounts of alcohol on a person’s breath, turning the front of the bag red and showing an image of a steering wheel and the message cautioning, “Don’t Drink

and Drive.” The bag also flashes an Uber code and contains technology that allows the holder to tap their phone against it to order an Uber for $10 off during and after the Super Bowl on February 5. “We’re proud to introduce to the world the first bag of chips that gets you home safe,” Roger Baran, a Goodby Silverstein & Partners creative director, told Adweek. “For a football fan, there is a lot of emotion involved with a game. It’s easy to drink more than you planned. And a lot of times all you need to stop short of driving after drinking is a friend who calls you off. On Sunday of the big game, we want Tostitos to be that friend.”

“Our goal is to remove 25,000 cars from the roads that Sunday evening,” said Jennifer Saenz, Frito-Lay’s chief marketing officer. “Whether watching the big game at a friend’s house or at a local bar, a safe ride home is just a few easy taps away. By simply entering a participating Tostitos UPC code in the Uber app, fans nationwide can receive $10 off an Uber ride.” Mothers around the world are breathing a sigh of relief.

Cheese Man

Looking for the teens who stole pizza off a delivery man in Pennsylvania? If you guessed it was Mr. Cheese, you were right. In an ironic twist of events, two teens, Sheldon Isaiah Cheese, 17, and Logan Matthew Alexander, 18,

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

knocked on a pizza delivery driver’s window and robbed him at gunpoint. The man gave the duo $25 and two pies before they fled. Police located Alexander’s vehicle near the scene with Cheese’s ID inside. The two were subsequently arrested. Hey, who stole my cheese?

Puppy Harmony

Bathtub Protector

Violent storms swept through the South last weekend. 19 people lost their lives in the tumultuous chaos that the thunderstorms wreaked upon the region. One woman, though, was saved – and she owes her life to her bathtub. When the storm hit, one woman – in her sixties – took shelter in her tub. People are often told to head into the bathroom or bathtub during a tornado since the bathroom is generally heavily grounded. This tornado – 800-yards-wide, packing winds of 130 mph – had torn off the roof of a storage building and had tossed a party barge 200 yards into a grove of trees in Texas. The twister sheared off the backside of this woman’s home and ripped the bathtub out of its bearings. It lifted the tub into the air – with the woman inside it – and then threw it down to the ground yards away from her home. Unbelievably, the woman survived intact – it set her down gently – and seemed physically unscathed aside for some cuts and bruises. She was obviously shaken from the ordeal. According to AccuWeather, in 2011, several people survived deadly tornadoes in Missouri and Alabama by huddling in bathtubs, although they were not flown through the air inside the tub. Toto, we are not in Kansas anymore.

Does your dog seem a bit down? Is he not laughing at your jokes or antics like he used to? It could be he needs some music. But we don’t recommend just any music. It seems like pooches have a preference and not just any CD will do. Shwekey? Benny Friedman? Piamenta? Researchers out of the University of Glasgow in Scotland, along with folks at the Scottish SPCA, found that although different dogs have different tastes, canines tend to enjoy reggae and soft rock to help prop up their moods. “We were keen to explore the effect playing different genres of music had, and it was clear that the physiological and behavioral changes observed were maintained during the trial when the dogs were exposed to a variety of music,” said PhD student Amy Bowman. The musical experimentation took place at the SPCA in Dumbarton, Scotland, where researchers studied how dogs there responded to different styles of music. “Overall, the response to different genres was mixed, highlighting the possibility that, like humans, our canine friends have their own individual music preferences,” said Professor Neil Evans. “That being said, reggae music and soft rock showed the highest positive changes in behavior.” Back in 2015, the Scottish SPCA also released a study showing classical music had a calming effect on dogs. Researchers at Colorado State University reached the same conclusion in a 2012 study. That study also found heavy metal boosted anxiety and unrest in dogs. Seems like we can teach an old dog some new tunes.

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the

Community L-R: Rav Avrohom Wachsman, Yehoshua Keilson, Shmaya Blaney (partially obscured), Avi Eiferman, Akiva Nathan, Aharon Schick, Mr. Uri Dreifus, Rav Yeruchim Olshin, Eli Dreifus, Rav Avrohom Nusbaum and Rav Moshe Bender at the Dreifus home on Rav Olshinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent visit to the Five Towns

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Around the Community

When the “Mitzvah” in Bar Mitzvah Took on Added Meaning

Rebbetzin Slovie Jungreis-Wolff; Shadi Arzanipour and Bobby Arzanipour; their sons Jacob and Isaac; Rabbi Yaakov Bender and Rabbi Osher Jungreis

abbi Osher Jungreis and his sister, Rebbetzin Slovie Jungreis Wolff, are continuing the legacy of their beloved mother, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, a”h, the founder of the Hineni Heritage Center and outreach movement. The Arzanipour family of Brookville, NY, recently

celebrated the bar mitzvah of their son, Isaac. Looking to add greater meaning to their son’s celebration they asked Rabbi Jungreis and Rebbetzin Wolff to suggest a special mitzvah project, and they in turn reached out to Rabbi Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, who offered

a suggestion. Rabbi Jungreis is an alumnus of the pioneer class of Yeshiva Darchei Torah; both he and his sister have been YDT parents, as well. Isaac and his family were told about many boys his age who would be approaching their bar mitzvahs without the ability to

Rabbi Yaakov Bender and Isaac Arzanipour

purchase clothing for their milestone: suits, hats, shirts and shoes. The family was deeply moved, and Isaac felt compelled to think of others his age and not take his own blessings for granted. The Arzanipours created a GoFundMe campaign that successfully raised over $5,000. On Sunday, January 22, the

Arzanipour family, together with Rabbi Jungreis and Rebbetzin Wolff, visited Yeshiva Darchei Torah. Rabbi Bender gave his bracha to Isaac to continue on his path of giving and to continually develop his Torah values for the rest of his life.

HAFTR First Graders Receive their Siddur

n Sunday, HAFTR’s gym resonated with the words, “She’hecheyanu v’kiamanu v’higiyanu la’zeman hazeh,” at the first grade Chagigat Siddur. Ms. Joy Hammer, principal, welcomed guests and Rabbi Dovid Kupchik, the menhael, led the Tehillim for Eretz Yisrael. Under the direction of their morot and music teacher, Mrs. Janet Goldman, students captivated their

audience of over six hundred people. They sang beautiful songs of tefillah and Yerushalayim. Students received the Koren Youth siddur with their Hebrew names printed on the cover. After the presentation, children and their guests participated in a variety of activities that focused on aspects of tefillah. Students marked specific tefillot inside their new siddurim with tabs and used iPads to

play a matching tefillah game on the app, Quizlet. They decorated picture frames that they assembled in art class and use musical instruments while singing songs. They also enjoyed a shul scavenger hunt in the mock shul that was set up and recited brachot on delicious treats to mark their celebration. Family and friends who are unable to attend the event participat-

ed by logging onto our livestream https://livestream.com/HAFTR/ chagsiddur2017. Students and teachers were proud and were even more excited to begin using their siddurim in class the very next day. Thank you to the Jeter Family for sponsoring the siddurim and to our many sponsors for sponsoring the event.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Around the Community

A Pillar of Support: Achiezer’s Hospital Services Part IV of a special series highlighting Achiezer’s innovative programs which service the community throughout the year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

e want people to feel that they are not alone. That is the overarching message shared by all those who contribute to Achiezer’s Hospital Support Services. Hospitals are overwhelming, even under the best of circumstances. Patients are subjected to long waits, a revolving staff of nurses, doctors and paraprofessionals, a litany of questions and a lack of privacy. It’s easy to feel frightened and alone. It doesn’t have to be that way. “Any need that comes up while someone is in the hospital, we are prepared to deal with it,” says Rabbi Boruch Ber Bender, president of Achiezer. Achiezer has developed a singularly comprehensive hospital-based support system, which encompasses patient advocacy, insurance authorizations, emergency transfers, well-appointed respite rooms and Shabbos meals. With experience and connections in a vast network of hospitals, Achiezer is uniquely equipped to advise both professionals and community members regarding which hospital to go to for particular needs. This information saves time, money and the aggravation of unnecessary transfers. And when someone finds themselves in the “wrong” hospital, Achiezer can help too. A patient was admitted to a small hospital that was ill-equipped to properly handle her condition. When the family tried to have her moved to another facility, they were told that a transfer was not possible. Family

members reached out to Achiezer, who then proceeded to contact a larger hospital with the know-how to treat the case. The hospital agreed to accept the patient and sent an ambulance for the transfer. Ten days later the woman was discharged, on the way to a complete recovery. Achiezer can help legally obtain information and medical records, secure the help of difficult-to-reach specialists, and reassure families by ensuring that the patient is receiving the highest level of care. A young woman was hospitalized with severe abdominal pain. After several hours, it became clear that surgery was necessary. Now the family panicked. Was there a surgeon specializing in this area on staff? Achiezer did the research and reassured the family that the patient would be in good hands. It doesn’t end there. “When someone calls from the hospital with a medical concern, they think they’ll get help with one thing,” explains Program Coordinator Aliza Wartelsky. “We look at the whole picture. We’ll direct them to respite rooms, send them meals if necessary, help them figure out where to sleep…” Achiezer’s respite rooms, one in South Nassau Communities Hospital and one in Mercy Hospital, provide an amazing oasis of tranquility in the midst of the draining hospital experience. Each room is furnished with comfortable couches, books and sefarim, magazines and even games. And of course, the rooms are stocked

When you think about it, the football huddle actually is a “Hava Nagila” hora dance just waiting to happen. Page 120

by Achiezer volunteers several times weekly with fresh food, much of which is generously donated by Gourmet Glatt. “We have two wonderful boys on staff, Dovid Kovitz and Shragi Olshan, who shop our weekly order on Thursday nights and then fill each room before Shabbos. It’s a big undertaking, and they do a great job!” shares Aliza. Volunteers come in after Shabbos to clean up the rooms and restock for the week with items such as coffee, danishes, yogurts, string cheese, snack bags and cold drinks. Aliza herself regularly stops by at least once a month to make sure the rooms are up to standard and not lacking in any way. Families of patients in local hospitals without respite rooms benefit from the Meals ‘N More program, coordinated by Suri Bender. A cadre of volunteers cook, bake and deliver full Shabbos packages for family members spending Shabbos in the hospital. Some prepare food; others label and bag the items after they are delivered to Achiezer’s Far Rockaway office; and others drive the packages

to their destinations. Each recipient receives three packages: Friday night food, Shabbos day food, and a bag of non-perishables, including challah, grape juice, treats, and reading material. Families are so thankful both for the delicious food and for the infusion of Shabbos spirit. “We are always looking to improve and add to what we send,” shares Suri. And that serves to strengthen the message that when one community member is in pain, there are so many others who truly care! As one recent beneficiary of Achiezer’s hospital services wrote: “The help was beyond belief… I don’t know what our community would do without Achiezer and Hatzalah, and I certainly don’t know if Mom would be here today if not for them! Thank you!” Thanks to Achiezer, the Hospital-Based support of this caliber is always available to the community with just one call. Join Achiezer on February 26, 2017, at Bay Harbour Mall, in supporting a unified goal to always be on call, with just one call.

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community On Thursday night, January 19, a siyum was held for 16 boys of Yeshiva of Far Rockaway who completed Mesechta Baba Kama.

Midreshet Shalhevet Girls Team and Google Robotics

Rabbi Moshe Brown

hrough a partnership with Google, about 20 Midreshet Shalhevet girls are participating in Livnot, a STEM robotics program held at Stern College for Women. Robotics and coding gives the students a chance to implement solutions for real world problems. They are studying the technology and programming methods that researchers use in robotics labs to create self-driving cars. Right now they are creating their own wearable technology based on the skills they have acquired! Thank you Google and Stern College for this incredi-

ble opportunity. Sophomore Becky Haviv of North Woodmere is “excited by the program! We are learning how to code, make LED lights light up different colors, and how to code a song.” “This program is such an amazing opportunity. The coding is so interesting, but so much more importantly, I am really walking away with an appreciation that you can actually be a frum woman and work in such a high tech industry,” said Leah Feder of West Hempstead. Thank you Google and Stern College for this incredible opportunity!

Legislator Kopel Announces Property Tax Assessment Grievance Workshop

assau County Legislator Howard Kopel is hosting a property tax assessment grievance workshop to help residents file property tax assessment grievance applications online. At the workshop, representatives from the Nassau Assessment Department will teach residents how to use the Assessment Department’s online tools to file your challenge online – for free. The workshop will be held on Friday, February 3 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at the Hewlett-Woodmere Library

David Braunschweig

If you are a homeowner who disagrees with the new tentative property tax assessment as shown on your Nassau County Property Tax Impact Disclosure Notice, you may dispute the assessed value during the formal grievance period from January 2, 2017 through March 1, 2017. Remember: You do not have to pay a law firm to file a grievance. Applications will be provided and are also available at: www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/ARC/forms. html

SKA Matrix Wins Gold Medal

ongratulations to the editors of the 2016 Matrix, Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls’ digital literary magazine, for earning gold medal status with the Columbia Scholastic Press Association! Kudos to the editors, Shani Axel-

rod, Chana Sara Bodek, Tehilla Mammon, Shira Strauss and Sara Weitz, and all the girls who contributed their writing and artwork to make this achievement possible. Special thanks goes to Mrs. Shira Manne, faculty advisor, for her help and guidance.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

a year of

THIS WEEK five Towns Mir YerushalaYiM aluMni cordiallY iNvite You to at teNd our

Alumni Melave Malka ‫מוצש״ק פרשת בא‬ FeBruarY 4, 2017 ·

‫ח’ שבט תשע”ז‬

· 8:30 pM

at the hoMe oF

Mr. & Mrs. Menashe Oratz 412 adelBerg laNe cedarhurst, New York

Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim in conjunction with

The White Shul

inVite the Men Of Our cOMMunitY tO JOin in a sunDaY MOrning shiur 8:30 aM 9:15 aM 9:30 aM

shacharis (Main shul) light breakfast prOgraM

halacha shiur & Divrei chizuk

‫הלכות ציצית למעשה‬ ‫עמידה בנסיונות ויסורים‬

coping with challenges in our generation

white shul Bais Medrash 728 eMpire aveNue · Far rockawaY, New York

with the participatioN oF

‫שליט”א‬

‫הרב הגאון ניסן קפלן‬

‫ר”מ דישיבת מיר ירושלים‬

Yeshivas Mir YerushalaYiM · 5227 New utrecht aveNue · BrooklYN, NY 11219 · t: 718.972.0500 · F: 718.851.1999 · e: iNFo@theMir.org

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

MAY Rabbeim Visit Talmidim in Eretz Yisroel

abbeim from Mesivta Ateres Yaakov visited Eretz Yisroel last week to “check on their investments” in their respective posthigh school yeshivos. Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva Gedolah, Rabbi Meir Braunstein, together with twelfth grade rabbeim and Israel advisors, Rabbi Manoach Gelbfish, Rabbi Yehuda Orlansky and Rabbi Yonasan Sprung, embarked on a whirlwind of activity that filled their schedule while in Israel. They went straight from the airport to begin visiting the many yeshivos hosting MAY alumni. Their talmidim were eager to reconnect despite their regular phone contact throughout the year. Each talmid sought to “impress” their rabbeim with their achievements and accomplishments, their notebooks and libraries. It was truly a fitting welcome to Eretz Yisroel. The week-long trip was a nonstop excursion from yeshiva to yeshiva; over 100 talmidim were visited in over 20 different yeshivos. Visits spanned the early hours of the

Ateres Yaakov alumni together with their rabbeim Rabbi Meir Braunstein, Rabbi Yehuda Orlansky, Rabbi Yonason Sprung and Rabbi Manoach Gelbfish

morning – davening Shacharis together with various yeshivos – until way past midnight. The MAY rab-

beim met privately with each talmid, their roshei yeshiva, mashgichim and current rabbeim, to ensure that each talmid’s needs were being met and that their particular kochos were being properly cultivated. The annual culmination of these uplifting trips is always the Shabbos spent together with 100+ talmidim at Yeshivas Ohr Yerushalayim. MAY alumni gathered for a Shabbos of Chizuk in Moshav Beit Meir and spent, what many talmidim referred to as, “the best Shabbos they’ve ever had” together with their rabbeim. The entire weekend was saturated with inspiration. From the enthusiastic tefillos, to the leibedik meals, and all the heartwarming divrei Torah and learning in between – it was the perfect mix of ruchnius and gashmius. Divrei chizuk by the tefillos, talmidim making siyumim, older bochurim delivering prepared chaburos, a Shabbos afternoon shiur from a rebbe, or just the casual walks and warm reminiscing – everyone was both inspiring others and being inspired at the same time. The program began erev Shabbos and lasted until after the spirited dancing following havadalah, but the highlights of the Shabbos were the four-hour Friday night oneg and two-hour shalosh seudos where each and every talmid gave over something from his own heart and mind.

This, together with inspirational words of guidance and encouragement from the rabbeim, the heartfelt lively singing, the spontaneous dancing and the great noshing, brought everyone together and was mechazek rebbe and talmid alike. Reflecting on the Shabbos, Rabbi Orlansky commented, “It’s heartening to see each of our diverse talmidim progressing at his own pace along his distinct path towards his individual goals. Yet equally apparent was the deep-rooted camaraderie and reciprocal admiration that they share with each other, recognizing each other’s struggles and taking pride in their accomplishments. Not only did each of the bochurim respectfully listen to their fellow talmid’s words of chizuk and divrei Torah, they often made reference to each other’s remarks and made a point of both raising and praising each other when they could. I am so proud of who they are and who they continue to become.” The Shabbos left all in a reflective state of mind, more focused on their goals and confident of their ability to succeed. In addition to mentally and emotionally equipping them for the future, it also reminded them of the solid foundation MAY provided, which unites them and prepared them for their life ahead.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

New Boys yeshiva! Coming to the Far Rockaway/ Five Towns Area!

YESHIVA NOAM HATORAH

Registration open for September 2017 beginning with Pre-School

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Outstanding Chinuch in a Warm & Caring Environment

For More Info, Contact Rabbi Eli Rubin: erubin@noamhatorah.org | 347-766-2618

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Local Officials Support RNSP

he Rockaway Nassau Safety Patrol is an organization that faithfully serves all ends of the community on a completely voluntary basis. Not one person is on payroll, and there is plenty of operating expenses. To that end, it is imperative that the organization communicates all that it has to offer to the general public and to elected officials. Two such men have risen to the occasion to help improve the quality of life for their respective districts. New York City’s 31st Council District is blessed to be represented by the likes of Councilman Donovan Richards Jr. Not only is he actively engaged in monumental changes in the redevelopment of his district, he makes it his business to intimately know all of his community partners and the needs of those who work with him in improving the quality of life within his district. We thank him for allocating $20,000 to the RNSP for the fiscal years of 2016 and 2017 to help us continue faithfully serving all within the three police precincts we operate under. With his plan to completely revitalize our area concretely laid out, and with his support of our organization’s quest to improve the quality of life of all citizens within the areas we serve, we are so very proud to call Donovan Richards our councilman!

RNSP Coordinator Elkanah Adelman, Councilman Donovan Richards, RNSP Coordinator Shmuel Kassover, and RNSP member Jessy Vogel. Councilman Richards presented the RNSP with much-needed funds

Besides for the money that the councilman was able to allocate for our organization we would like to thank him and his superstar team for always making us feel welcome and always making themselves available for anything we ever need. Camille Bekaert, Malik Sanders, Jordan Gibbons, Jordan Bishop, Nina Durand, Devaney Brown, Mitch Noel, Mercedes Buchman and Jessica Luina, on behalf of the entire RNSP family, thank you! In addition to this, New York State Senator James Sanders Jr. joined RNSP patrol units on a post-midnight patrol tour to get a firsthand glimpse of some of the ways the RNSP serves all community

RNSP members with State Senator James Sanders in front of the 101st Precinct before the ride-along

State Senator Sanders and RNSP coordinator Shmuel Kassover during the ride-along

members within the areas that the patrol operates. The fact that Senator Sanders initiated and participated in this ride-along, a ride-along that commenced around the midnight on January 20 and terminated past 2:00 a.m., speaks volumes to his level of dedication to community and his genuine interest in the work of the RNSP. A more conventional meeting at a more conventional time in the comfort of his office was not good enough for him. He wanted to get a true taste of the “facts on the ground.” We thank Ashley O’Neil, Lisa George, and Senator Sanders’ entire team for always being ready to help us at every turn. We look forward to ongoing meaningful communication and collaboration in making the 10th Senatorial District the best place to

live and do business. It is a pleasure to have representatives in government that are receptive to their constituents. Both New York State Senator James Sanders Jr. and New York City Councilman Donovan Richards have proven to be true and loyal partners and community servants. The RNSP wish both of these men continued success in all that they do. Should you or anyone you know ever need the assistance of the RNSP, our 24/7 Hotline Number is (516)858-7300. To sign up for our Weekly Security Alerts just send an email to securityalerts@rockawaynassau.org with the subject titled “sign me up.” We at the RNSP thank you, the community, for all your support.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Enhancing Education: Faculty Workshops at Gesher

here are many factors that enable a child to succeed academically. As such, the field of education has grown to incorporate many related services and disciplines. The need to address an individual child’s “learning toolbox” is most important at the early childhood level. A student can be helped to find a path of success that will carry them throughout their educational career, and beyond. Differentiated learning styles, social and emotional issues, and peer interaction are a few of the aspects that may affect a child’s success. In its mission to individualize the learning process for each and every one of its students, the Gesher Early Childhood Center recently held staff workshops. Two presenters were engaged. The first was Mrs. Shoshana Karasick on behalf of Safety Kids. She discussed how to detect signs of

abuse and discussed staff protocol and policies. The second presenter was Mrs. Avital Balsam, a noted floor-time specialist in our neighborhood. Her workshop focused on play and play therapy. This presentation was especially practical for Gesher staff, as play is an integral part of the overall educational experience in early childhood. Mrs. Balsam offered strategies on how to detect level of play and how to create an individualized system within a classroom. She described how social-emotional milestones are met through play and eventually lead to further developments in life. The workshop helped to define some of the different forms of play, why children choose to engage in them, and some of the ingredients necessary for optimal play opportunities. There were several intended goals

of the development day. One was to raise awareness among the staff and to provide tools to recognize specific challenge that a child may encounter. The second was to offer the staff tools that can be easily incorporated into the school day. These additional resources may greatly enhance an individual child’s learning experience. Several weeks after the presentations the administration sought

feedback from the staff. Overwhelmingly, the morahs felt that the strategies that they had learned had been very beneficial. The assistant morahs specifically related that they felt empowered and were able to employ the techniques successfully. Gesher continues to proactively seek out the most effective means available to educate its students.

of their experiences in order to better serve our students when helping them make their decision of where to go to yeshiva in the future. A reunion is held in Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh, over-

looking the Kotel, where nearly 100 DRS alumni join together for another taste of DRS. Rabbi Aryeh Cohen, a popular rebbe in DRS, holds an annual shalosh seudot reunion as well the

following Shabbos. DRS is proud that 96% of their alumni decide to spend a year after high school learning in Eretz Yisroel for a year.

DRS Alumni Reunion in Israel

very year, a number of DRS rabbeim visit alumni learning in nearly 20 different yeshivot in Israel to reconnect with them and continue to strengthen the rebbe-talmid relationship that DRS is so famous for. It gives the school tremendous nachat to see so many alumni growing through their experience in yeshiva abroad. Rabbi Storch and Rabbi Kaminetsky meet with every single student, documenting each

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

HAFTR Yom Iyun: U’Vacharta Ba’Chaim, “Decisions that Empower” By Leora Gershkovich

AFTR High School recently conducted a Yom Iyun, a day that all Judaic classes focus on a common significant topic by engaging the students in its importance through the use of different Torah sources. The topic chosen for this Yom Iyun was “Decisions that Empower,” an idea that is extremely relevant to the life of the average high school student. Throughout the day, students learned different aspects of how and when to make certain decisions and how to deal with the effects of a bad decision. Talmud classes taught the skills involved in the decision-making process by teaching the students how to make difficult decisions through a series of steps and worked towards developing an overall awareness of the consequences of different decisions and how important it is that one’s choices are in line with their values. Chumash classes focused on the idea of gaining self-mastery through deci-

sions by analyzing how good decisions help individuals develop self-esteem based off of the teachings of Dr. David Lieberman. Navi classes studied the moral reasoning of the Avot to better understand their choices, and Ivrit classes educated their classes on defining oneself through daily decisions.

In addition to the instruction in each of these classes, HAFTR also brought in outside speakers to explain to the students the proper way to deal with a decision that has a negative outcome. At the beginning of the school day, Rabbi Shalom Axelrod, associate rabbi of the Young Israel of Woodmere, came in to speak to the senior class, who were treated to iced coffee and doughnuts. Rabbi Axelrod focused and stressed how important every decision can be. From his experience in large Jewish communities he has been able to witness many families that were affected by decisions that were made – both positive and negative. Freshmen gathered to participate in an interactive activity on choices led by Ms. Chani Bernstein, assistant director of Student Life. Sophomores and juniors gathered in the auditorium to listen to the words of Rabbi Sruli Rosenfeld. Rabbi Rosenfeld opened with a question of whether or not we choose our own life. He pointed out that each and every one of us possesses unique skills that we must learn to apply to the teachings of the Torah and to serving Hashem. He explained that it’s important to make active decisions, for each decision you make has the power to impact your destiny and reshape your future. Though we may not choose the very moment in which we are born, it happens for a reason, and therefore we must take that as a personal message from Hashem to be the best we can be. He then addressed the idea of how to cope with a poor decision. He denounced the common idea that people believe decisions to

be irreversible and used the story of Yehuda and Tamar, which ended in him being called out on his bad decision. At that moment, he did the only thing left for him to do: he owned up to his misjudgment, something that is not easily done. The message in this is that there is no such thing as being put in a situation that we can’t handle. Hashem is looking for our response to the bad decisions we make, and we must ask ourselves, “Are we owning up to it like Yehuda?” There’s always room for teshuva, especially in times of failure. The way of going about teshuva in these situations is to not hide from our actions. Succeeding in teshuva means showing yourself and accepting that you will have to deal with the consequences. HAFTR High School students were able to gain a lot from this Yom Iyun, taking in the interesting insights that each speaker had to offer, as well as the teachings of each Judaic class and storing them in the back of their minds, keeping these skills ready for future decision-making opportunities. It is important for teenagers to learn decision-making skills, as it will help them to choose a successful route filled with safe and educational opportunities. We look forward to our upcoming Tu B’Shvat Yom Iyun in which we will focus on the topic of “Ki ha’adam eitz ha’sade,” “Growth and Maturity.” A special thank you goes out to Rabbi Gedaliah Oppen, principal of Judaic Studies, Rabbi Jordan Nadelbach, director of student activities, and to the amazing Judaic studies faculty for their insights and inspiration.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

The Mr. Abe Scharf z”l HAFTR Mission to Poland Prepares for Its Fourth Year

AFTR High School seniors began to prepare for the fourth annual Senior Mission to Poland by hearing from a special guest speaker, Mr. Gaby Benedict. Mr. Benedict visited the school to describe Jewish life in his native Hungary before and during the war and to give chizuk to the mission’s participants. He noted that for eight years after the war there were no bar mitzvahs in Hungary because there were no children left, since all the young children had been murdered during the war. This was the first time that Mr. Benedict spoke publicly about his experiences during the Holocaust. He explained that he had decided now to open up to describe the “gehenom” which he,

his family and klal Yisroel endured during the Shoah because he feels it is important for the next generation to never forget the history of the Jewish nation and to understand what it means to be a Yid, a Jew, in exile. The lecture also touched upon the history of anti-Semitism both from a world perspective and from his personal viewpoint as well as the great miracle of Medinat Yisroel. Mr. Benedict was accompanied by his longtime friend, Rabbi Ehud Hubner, a survivor himself, who, as a child, hid in Belgium during the war, and whose son, Rabbi Moshe Hubner, is a rebbi at HAFTR High School. This speech was part of the HAFTR Holocaust education initiative, which culminates with a week-long

L-R: Rabbi Boruch Oppen, rebbi; Rabbi Gedaliah Oppen, principal; Mr. Gaby Benedict, guest speaker; Rabbi Ehud Hubner; and Rabbi Moshe Hubner, rebbi

trip to Europe. The students and staff members continued speaking about Mr. Benedict’s message for hours after the visit. HAFTR High School Principal, Rabbi Gedaliah Oppen, explained that the goal of the mission is

not only to pay tribute to the kedoshim, the victims who were murdered al kiddush Hashem by visiting concentration camps and ghettos, but also to enrich the students’ appreciation of the broad range of Jewish history by giving them a

glimpse into the rich life of pre-World War II European Jewry. The HAFTR High School mission is subsidized by Marty and Melodie Scharf in memory of his father, Holocaust survivor, Mr. Abe Scharf z”l.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Commack Assisted Living Residents Participate in Holocaust Memorial Day Campaign

he World Jewish Congress launched the largest global event ever to commemorate the Holocaust via a #WeRemember international social media campaign last week. People around the world were encouraged to upload to Twitter and Facebook photos of themselves displaying “WeRemember” signs. In the days leading up to today’s observation of Holocaust Memorial Day – the 72nd anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp – supporters worldwide posted their #WeRemember photos to social media, which were then live-streamed on a jumbotron at Poland’s notorious camp, Auschwitz, near crematorium 2. Resident survivors at Gurwin Jewish~Fay J. Lindner Residences, an assisted living community in Commack, were honored to be part of the campaign. World Jewish Congress noted several reasons for the critical nature of the global social media movement: the dwindling number of survivors, the ongoing occurrence of genocides, and the need to educate future gener-

ations about the atrocities of the holocaust. Robert Singer, World Jewish Congress CEO, noted the importance of the campaign, hoping it would “engage the next generation, because soon it will be their responsibility to tell the story and ensure that humanity never forgets.” In all, seven Gurwin assisted living residents, including survivors of the Bergen-Belsen and Auschwitz concentration camps, posed with their “We Remember” signs, some fulfilling promises to family members who perished in the genocide, to “live to tell the story,” and others eager to participate in a remembrance project with an international reach. “My father told me to do everything I could to survive, to get out and tell the world what was happening,” said Sally Birnbaum, an Auschwitz survivor, now living at Gurwin. The World Jewish Congress made it possible for Sally, and thousands of others, to be sure that the world never forgets. Founded in 1988 in Commack, NY as a skilled nursing care facili-

ty, Gurwin has expanded to include a full-range of health care options, such as long-term care, short-term rehabilitation, ventilator-dependent care, hospice and palliative care, memory care, on-site dialysis, an adult day health program and two home care programs. The Gurwin

family also includes a 201-apartment assisted living community -- Gurwin Jewish~ Fay J. Lindner Residences -- and a proposed independent living community to be built on the Commack campus. For more information, visit www.gurwin.org.

The Ulpana Exchange Program at Yeshiva University High School for Girls

ach year, the sophomores who participate in Central’s renowned Ulpana Exchange Program report meaningful and exciting encounters that enhance their love of Eretz Yisrael and immerse them in Israeli culture. This year is no exception! Accompanied by program coordinator Mrs. Tova Rosenberg, sophomores Eliana Ellerton, Tamar Levine, Esther Medows, Tehila Rothbort, Meira Saffra, Yael Teitelman, and Emily Zrihen returned from the Holy Land on Monday night, bursting to share their experiences with their classmates. Throughout their trip, “home base” was the Ulpanat Tzvia in Maaleh Adumim, where our students learned

and lived with their Israeli peers. Every week brought with it day trips and lengthier tiyyulim that enriched our students’ understanding of Israeli and Jewish history and reinforced their appreciation of the beauty of the land itself. From a hike in the

Negev to Machtesh Ramon, to a twoday sojourn in the North, they saw it all! Among the highlights of the trip were a tour of the Ptil Techelet factory, a camel ride, visits to Yad Vashem and the Gush Katif Museum, and stops at Machaneh Yehudah, Har

Herzl, and Kanyon Malcha. They also enjoyed a wonderful Shabbaton at Gruss and another at Midreshet HaRova. We can’t wait to see how our international travelers enhance our school community with their renewed ruach and commitment.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

A Special Day Off for Kadima Kids at The Marion & Aaron Gural JCC

eople joke that each year when the last week of January comes around you can finally find a parking spot on Central Avenue. It’s actually true. For years now many schools in our neighborhood, as well as in other communities, schedule ”Yeshiva Break” during the second half of the month, a ten day period where faculty and students are given time off. For many, this welcome break is an opportunity to visit family in Israel, take the kids on a warm weather holiday or a winter sports adventure, or even on multiple, exciting day trips. But for most single parents, taking their children anywhere – let alone on an extended costly trip – is simply not an option. Unpredictable, complicated schedules, difficult negotiations, and, of course, financial restraints prevent families from being able to take advantage and enjoy this time off. In fact, this break period frequently

creates even more stress and hardship for a single parent as neighbors and friends take off to various locations while they have no choice but to keep their children home while they must go to work. The Kadima program at The Marion & Aaron Gural JCC, funded by UJA-Federation of New York and the Jewish Communal Fund, was created to lighten the overwhelming burden these single parents face on a daily basis by offering them concrete services, counseling, support groups and special programming – all at no charge. This past Friday – during yeshiva break – 26 Kadima children were treated to a special crafts workshop at the Owl 57 Art Gallery in Cedarhurst, where they were able to design their own embossed mugs as well as work on a fine arts project in an enjoyable, creative atmosphere. Children ages 5-11, supervised by the gallery’s professional staff along with staff and vol-

unteers from the JCC, were encouraged to express their individual ideas in an artistic and unique way. The craft session was followed by a pizza lunch. This wonderful event, which was sponsored by donations from generous neighborhood families, came on the heels of a fun-filled pre-Chanukah party featuring dinner, crafts, entertainment, gifts and prizes as well as our JCC Chanukah toy drive which enabled every Kadima family with tots to teens to receive a bag of holiday gifts. Every day presents unexpected challenges for a single parent. Holidays and vacation time make those challenges even more difficult. At the Marion and Aaron Gural JCC we recognize these struggles. Our Kadima initiative allows us to work hand-inhand with community single parents to create a safe haven for their families and to help guide them through this often heart-wrenching journey. Our goal is to move them and their

children forward to a better, more productive place. If anyone you know is going through or has been through a separation or divorce we welcome the opportunity to reach out to them. If you would like information about sponsoring a Kad-

ima event we would love to hear from you. For more information please contact Rachayle Deutsch at (516)5696733 or email rachayle. deutsch@guraljcc.org. The Marion & Aaron Gural JCC is a Proud Partner of UJA-Federation of New York.

A Reunion of Inspiration and Connection

n Monday evening, January 24, Shevach High School alumnae who are currently learning in the various seminaries in Eretz Yisroel got together for a special reunion in Machon Raaya, located in Geula. Excitement filled the room as 30 girls from all over Yerushalayim came together to share their experiences with their friends and former

principal. Rebbetzin Rochelle Hirtz, Shevach’s principal, with the help of some of her graduates, spearheaded this uplifting event. When the Shevach alumnae arrived they were treated to pizza and drinks while they connected with their high school friends. Rebbetzin Hirtz then gathered the girls together in a semicircle and treated the girls

Dating readiness is not dictated by your birthday or the number of friends in your class who are currently in the parsha. Page 91

to a d’var Torah. Sharing Shevach’s G.O. theme this year of “Ivri Anochi” with the alumnae, Rebbetzin Hirtz explained that not only are we a nation that stands apart from the rest of the world, standing proud of being a Jew, firm in our Torah hashkafos, Ivri also has another meaning. It shares the same root as the Hebrew word “ma’avar” meaning transfer or bridge. At this midpoint of their year, this time should be viewed as a bridge taking them from first semester to the second semester; it is a time to reflect on what they have accomplished and what goals they still would like to achieve. Rebbetzin Hirtz then went around the room and asked each girl to respond to both of her points. Everyone present was pleasantly surprised by many of the answers. Some of the

insightful remarks were: “I am truly internalizing that tefillah and Yiddishkeit are a privilege and not a burden.” “Yiddishkeit is not a religion of convenience but rather one that requires effort and determination, and that gives us strength.” “This year builds a sense of independence and the ability to make decisions.” “I gained a true appreciation of what I have by observing that here in Eretz Yisroel families live with so much less.” “One gains an appreciation for all of the different types of people that comprise klal Yisroel.” The girls were thrilled for the opportunity to get together and spend time with one another. The room was filled with positive energy and enthusiasm for growth in ruchnius. Everyone left feeling uplifted and energized for continued advancement in their avodas Hashem.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Free Weekly Lecture Series in Jewish History Returns to the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst

r. Henry Abramson, dean of Touro’s Lander College of Arts and Sciences, will resume his Jewish history lecture series in the Five Towns community in February. Abramson, who has been lauded for his thought-provoking insights, will offer new elements to engage and illuminate. This innovative six session series will be held on Wednesday evenings from 8:30-9:30 pm at the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst on 8 Spruce Street in Cedarhurst. The lectures will feature a combination of thirty minutes of historical overviews and thirty minutes of indepth textual study. Dr. Abramson will deliver the overviews and the indepth study will be taught by Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, Morah d’Asra of Young Israel of Lawrence Cedarhurst, and Rabbi Yaakov Trump, Assistant Rabbi, as well as Dr. Abramson. According to Rabbi Teitelbaum, “An appreciation of the achievements and an understanding of the significance of a historic Torah personality are best facilitated through study of their written works.”

“When we learn Torah, it is important to understand content and context,” said Rabbi Trump. “Most of us were schooled in a content-heavy environment with little context. But sometimes that leaves the Torah in a vacuum. The Rashi that will be learned in these sessions will reflect what was discussed previously in a historical context. Appreciating the context enriches our understanding of where information belongs in the grand scheme.” The series will spotlight the following Torah commentators: February 1: Rashi, whose writings on the Torah have earned primacy among all commentators; February 8: Ramban, whose sophisticated Torah commentary built upon the foundations laid by Maimonides and Rashi; February 15: Rav Sa’adia Gaon, who responded to the attraction of Islamic philosophy to Jews living in Muslim lands by composing significant works in the 10th-century Kalam style that influenced generations of

thinkers; February 22: Onkelos, a convert from a royal Roman family who defied his imperial origins to join the Jewish people to whom he later gave an eternal gift of his scholarship; March 1: Ibn Ezra, destined to a life of wandering and penury, his thought represents a phenomenal achievement in religiosity recognized by scholars in many ways, including a crater on the moon named in his honor; March 8: Ralbag, who represented the early synthesis between the burgeoning scientific revolution of the Renaissance and traditional Torah study. His Torah commentary espouses some startling approaches to traditional theological questions. “Jewish history is a significant dimension of Torah study. There is a pasuk which states Zechor Yemos Olam, Remember the Days of Yore. There is a great value in learning Jewish history. It should not be confused with Torah study and thus, one’s regular Chumash, Nach, Mishnah, Gemara or halacha study should

not be replaced by Jewish history but in addition to the realm of Torah, Jewish history adds a dimension of context to everything else one learns within Torah,” said Rabbi Trump. “To understand the historical context of what was occurring when Rabbi Akiva lived helps us understand what he meant. To learn about the background of Rav Hirsch offers a window in to his unique commentary. It is the framework for the Torah system.” For more information and to register for the free series, visit https:// w w w . e v e n t b r i t e . c o m /e / r a m ban-tickets-31190281973

Nutrition by Tanya Expands, Bringing Weight Loss with a Personal Touch to Three New Locations

utritionist Tanya Rosen will be the first one to say that dieting isn’t easy, but for residents of Brooklyn, Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley, losing weight is going to become infinitely simpler as Tanya opens up three new branches of her successful program in Crown Heights, Monroe and the Five Towns. After struggling with her own pregnancy weight gain, Tanya discovered the benefits of healthy eating and proper nutrition and, ditching her lifelong goal of becoming a lawyer, she decided to pursue a completely different career path. Getting a degree in nutrition, Tanya opened Shape Fitness, an all women’s fitness studio in Brooklyn using her own experiences and education to help others who struggled, as she had, with their weight. Nutrition by Tanya began 12 years ago and, with her warm, ap-

proachable personality, Tanya quickly found herself swamped with more clients than she could handle. She set about hiring additional staff, not just teaching them her nutritional program, but also making sure that every new member of the team was someone who would give their all to clients, an approach that was key to Nutrition by Tanya’s success. Over time Tanya expanded beyond her original Flatbush location, opening offices in Borough Park, Williamsburg, Monsey and Lakewood. Fast forward to 2017 and Tanya has close to fifty employees and is branching out yet again to meet the needs of clients in Crown Heights, Monroe and the Five Towns. “We have many clients from those areas,” explained Tanya. “Sometimes they have phone sessions with us and sometimes they come into one of our other locations, but it is much better if we are nearby so that

we can work with them face to face on a regular basis.” Tanya’s new sites will be located on Albany Avenue in Crown Heights, at the Business Center on Bakertown Road in Monroe, and on Central Avenue in Woodmere. Like each of the other Nutrition by Tanya locations, they will be stocked with a full assortment of Tanya Approved Products (TAP) including muffins in 10 delicious flavors, muffins tops, cheesecakes, four kinds of cookies, soups and potato kugel, giving clients tasty, diet-friendly options. Understanding her clients’ lifestyles and what they want to eat is a major reason for the success of Tanya’s program and her Nutrition by Tanya website also lists several foods that work with the nutritional plan, as well as Tanya-approved restaurants in the New York City area. “People are always on diets but this is a doable one,” explained Tan-

ya. “We customize the plan for each client and our products make it easier and more fun to stick to the program.” With her sixth, seventh and eighth locations set to open over the next few weeks, Tanya said that she was hard pressed to think of any other Jewish-owned businesses that had so many different branches. She estimates that Nutrition by Tanya has seen thousands of clients over the past twelve years and looks forward to working with many others as Nutrition by Tanya continues to grow. “No matter how big we have gotten, we continue to pride ourselves on offering each of our clients the personal touch,” noted Tanya. “I love knowing that we made it possible for our clients to meet their goals and I can’t wait to bring Nutrition by Tanya to our new locations.”

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Yeshiva Medrash Chaim of Lakewood Five Towns Parlor Meeting

eshiva Medrash Chaim of Lakewood, under the direction of The Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Rephael Moshe Gettinger, shlita, held its Annual Five Towns Parlor Meeting event this year once again at the home of Rabbi and Mrs. Tzvi Medetsky in Lawrence. The event attracted alumni and friends of the yeshiva as well as local friends of Rabbi Medetsky. The guest speaker was the esteemed Rabbi Eytan Feiner, shlita, of the White Shul. Rabbi Feiner greatly inspired the audience with his brilliant words of Torah as well as depicting the importance of the mesorah of Torah as it is transmitted from one gener-

ation to the next. He particularly highlighted the value of the Rosh Yeshiva’s mesorah from his Volozhin forbearers, in general, and specifically the transmission of Torah that he received from his father the late venerable Rabbi Menachem (Emanuel) Gettinger, zt”l, the Rav of The Young Israel of The West Side and beloved marbitz Torah in the tristate area for over fifty years. The Rosh Yeshiva, shlita, then concluded the event by thanking Rabbi Feiner for his beautiful words as well the Medetskys and all those who came to show their support for the yeshiva. He also said over a thought that he heard from his father zt”l

that stressed the importance of klal Yisroel identifying Eretz Yisroel as our ancestral homeland and that this status extends to all mekomos of Torah and yeshivos in chutz l’aretz as well. May the inspiration acquired at this event carry over to all of klal Yisroel and indeed result in Eretz Yisroel becoming our actual residence for us all.

Yeshiva Neveh Zion Celebrating 40th Anniversary on February 15

n February 15, 2017, Yeshiva Neveh Zion, with campuses in Telzstone and Yerushalayim, will celebrate the occasion of their 40th anniversary by hosting a Dinner at the Lawrence Yacht and Country Club. Alumni and friends from all over the world will join together to celebrate the yeshiva, which was founded in 1977, and has been the forerunner of outreach yeshivas, inspiring and motivating our youth. Neveh Zion is proud to recognize the Honorable Martin E. Ritholtz as our Guest of Honor and Rabbi Joey Werner, a beloved Rebbi at HALB, with the Neveh Alumni Chinuch Award. To commemorate this anniversary, Neveh Zion is also honoring twenty-four alumni honorees who span their forty-year history. These individuals will represent their years, and many were selected because of their impact on the Jewish world. Neveh Zion was founded in Moshav Beit Yehoshua near Netanya under the auspices of Itri and then moved to Shaarei Avrahom. In 1982 Neveh moved to its present home in Telzstone, and three years ago, opened

a new branch in Yerushalayim. Neveh Zion has been the vanguard of outreach yeshivas, conquering the challenges facing the young adults of our Jewish communities. Hundreds of alumni now serve their Jewish communities both in America and Israel as educators, rabbis and lay leaders and over 200 have made Aliyah and live in Israel. Countless lives and families were changed and reconnected as a result of the dedicated rabbeim. The Guests of Honor The Honorable Martin E. Ritholtz shares Neveh Zion’s vision and is passionate about the study of Torah and the continuity of the Jewish people. His wife, “Morah” Chana, has been a respected and admired teacher for over thirty years, and together they value the importance of Jewish education. The Judge, as he is fondly known even after his retirement, is an alumnus of prestigious yeshivos such as Kerem B’Yavneh and Ponevezh, and a musmach from Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l. Neveh Zion is privileged to be honoring the Ritholtzs for all they have done to make the vision

of inspiring through Torah study a reality. Rabbi Joey Werner and his wife Racheli will be honored with the Neveh Zion Alumni Chinuch Award. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and son of Rabbi Gerald Werner, a principal and rebbe, Rabbi Joey Werner was brought up understanding the importance of chinuch. After high school, he went to Eretz Yisroel where Neveh Zion would change his life forever. After three years of the Neveh experience, Joey then continued his learning at Sh’or Yoshuv in New York while attaining his smicha and a college degree. Shortly after, Rabbi Joey Werner joined the faculty of the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach

(HALB), where he has been a respected and beloved rebbe for the past fifteen years. His students and their parents praise his devotion, talents and concern for every talmid. During the summers, he has been the learning director and sports commissioner at HALB’s Avnet Country Day School for the past ten years. Neveh Zion anticipates that this 40th Anniversary Celebration Dinner will be its largest and most successful. For more information contact Rabbi Ira Hill, alumni honoree and representative, at Yeshiva Neveh Zion, 305-912-4642, dinner@nevehzion.org.

Trump’s vision misunderstands the logic underlying the far larger, far-reaching view of Truman. Page 116



The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Kids Mega Challah Bake: The Power of Loaf

YOSS Bachurei Chemed Visit with Rav Naftali Jaeger

T By Tammy Mark

his Super Bowl Sunday, the 2nd Annual Kids Mega Challah Bake will take place in New York City, gathering over one thousand Jewish children united by one culinary common denominator: the love of challah. Sunday’s super-sized event will be an interactive baking extravaganza kicking off with a how-to video on the big screen, complete with a cameo by former NFL player Sean James of the Minnesota Vikings for genuine Super Bowl Sunday flavor. Steve Max, “Simon Sez” caller, known for NBA & NCAA basketball half-times, will lead the kids in a giant game of Simon Says. There will be live music and even a giant “Football Challah” on display for fun photo opportunities. Every child will make his or her own challah, as well as one to be donated for the women and children of Win Homeless Shelters. The Kids Mega Challah Bake is an independently funded, mom-powered “labor of loaf” produced by a diverse group of Jewish moms. Last year’s Bake drew over 1,200 people from 31 different schools, congrega-

tions and organizations. An even bigger turnout is expected this year with 45 community partners on board to date, including The Ramaz School, JCC Manhattan, UJA Federation of NY, Sutton Place Synagogue, LAB/ SHUL, Chabad Battery Park City, Lincoln Square Synagogue, Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York Hebrew, B’Nai Jeshurun, Temple Emanuel, PJ Library and more. Bryce Gruber-Hermon, an onair news reporter and lifestyles editor, co-founded the event with Gillie Shanowitz, a Jewish educator and director at New York Hebrew who has published the “Jewish Heroes and Heroines” workbook that is used worldwide. “Challah is the unifying carb of the Jewish people,” says Gruber-Hermon, “no matter how observant or not observant – it’s the one thing we all love.” The 2nd Annual Kids Mega Challah Bake kicks off on February 5, 2017, 11am – 12:30pm at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Midtown, 109 E. 42nd Street in New York City. All families and kids (Grades K - 8) are welcome. To register, please visit kidschallahbake.com/rsvp.

All it did was earn him the Trump moniker of “Fake Tears Schumer.” And if you don’t think these things stick, talk to Low Energy Jeb.

Page 118

he Bachurei Chemed of Yeshiva of South Shore took their semi-annual trip to visit Yeshiva Sh’or Yoshuv and to hear divrei chizuk and bracha from the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Naftali Jaeger. The Bachurei Chemed society of Yeshiva Toras Chaim of South Shore is comprised of select talmidim from grades 4 through 8 who demonstrate middos tovos, hanhaga tova and yiras shomayim, in and out of the classroom. The Rosh Yeshiva made an indelible impression on the boys as he spoke with great passion about what a tremendous mitzvah and zchus it is to learn Torah. He expressed that it is

not merely another subject, rather, “Ki heim chayeinu,” it is indeed our life! He also reminded the boys that their rabbeim are offering them life every day. In addition, the boys had the opportunity to introduce themselves personally and receive a bracha from him. Before leaving Sh’or Yoshuv, the boys went into the beis medrash to witness the majesty of Torah as hundreds of talmidim and baalei batim were learning with enthusiasm and simcha. Needless to say, the boys were moved and inspired by their visit. Mazel tov to the thirty-two Bachurei Chemed of YOSS. We look forward to continued nachas from all our talmidim.

HANC Hurricanes Girls’ JV Basketball Team Takes League by Storm in Inaugural Season

emarkably, the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County High School’s newly formed girls’ JV basketball team clinched first place in the MYHSAL east division in their inaugural season. The Hurricanes began the season with their work cut out for them, as only three teams in the division qualify for a playoff spot. In a division that features many perennial Yeshiva League powerhouses, the JV Team worked to reach the top. Anchored by a strong core of sophomores, and complemented by a talented group of freshmen, the Hurricanes clinched the playoffs after opening the season with an astounding 6-0 record. This included wins against Flatbush, Ramaz, and Central. Just two games later, after

an impressive 45-29 win over North Shore, the Hurricanes were celebrated as division champs. Winning the division has earned the team a firstround playoff bye, which sends them straight to the semi-finals once the season concludes next week. The girls’ JV basketball team is one of five HANC teams to have already clinched the playoffs; for the third year in a row all four of HANC’s boys’ teams have made the playoffs. The girls’ varsity volleyball team can also clinch the playoffs with a win in their final game of the season later this week. The HANC Hurricanes athletic department is proud of all their teams and players. Follow the Hurricanes on their Facebook page by visiting facebook.com\hanchurricanes.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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OCTOBER 2015||The TheJewish JewishHome Home FEBRUARY29, 2, 2017

R E M E M B E R I N G

Robbie Schonfeld a”h A Community’s Sheloshim Tribute by Alan Jay Gerber

obbie Schonfeld, of blessed memory. Just the sad thought that it is now the sheloshim observance of his passing just a short month ago brings a tear to each and every one of us who knew him and appreciated the life of chessed that he lived. Now, that life is no more. Yet his memory and legacy lives on and will live on forever as a model of how a person should conduct himself on behalf of those in need. This is our tribute to his everlasting memory. The tributes that follow were written by five leading community leaders. Each, in their own way, was involved in their respective communal activities that were linked with the chessed of our beloved Robbie, of blessed and sacred memory. Robbie came to our community of the Five Towns from Brooklyn, and so did Judith Greenberger. They were close friends active in many good deeds on behalf of those in need. Here is her tribute: “What I would really stress is that Robbie’s legacy that he inherited from his legendary father, Ossie, a”h, truly defined the real and true meaning of chessed. It was practiced in the real classical mode of observance, that being, tzedakah. It was not the way we see such causes played out today with fancy big parties, spend-

ing so much in order to get back something. Not the kind of chessed and tzedakah that was dependent upon public relations tactics. Both Ossie and Robbie were known for their kind, gentle, and warm nature that generated a universal friendship that they had for each other and for all who in their need came to them for the assistance that was given with dignity and charitable charm. “Just one example in the limited space I have will demonstrate this unique father-son relationship. Their business was the selling of fish

only this special father-son team knew. An $80 bill would be charged $20. The costumer was never to know the monetary difference. His or her dignity was always preserved and forever respected. “That was the Schonfeld method of chessed that I will always cherish. They both were simply awesome.” Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva of South Shore, noted to me of “how passionately Robbie felt about the continuity of the Yeshiva of South Shore’s derech of inculcating middot tovot

“Robbie was an ish emet who had a heart of gold…he lived for others.”

starting on 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn. They both just knew who were the people who needed food. They knew from living in the neighborhood and loving all people who they were, and they figured out how to make sure that those people who needed help received the help due to them. Their business math was special. ‘On account’ was a term that they probably invented. It was a very special financial method that

while imbuing the students with a geshmak appreciation in learning, a method that would find its way into the Mesivta. “He was greatly involved in the growth of Mesivta Ateres Yaakov, a school named and dedicated to the legacy of my grandfather, Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky, zt”l.” Rabbi Chanina Herzberg, Menahel of Yeshiva of South Shore, reminisced about his first meeting

with Robbie. “I met Robbie when he moved to this area and enrolled his boys into our yeshiva. His whole life was devoted to ahavat chessed and limud Torah. He inculcated into his family this love for Jewish education and mizvot in a very special way – by example. I will surely miss his friendship.” Rabbi Zalman Wolowik, the spiritual leader of the Chabad of the Five Towns, tells us of his heartfelt sentiments of Robbie’s legacy: “It is very painful to write about Robbie, a”h, but for the sake of those learning about him and who aspire to emulate his chessed I choose to share these words in tribute to Robbie’s memory: “Robbie was an ish emet who had a heart of gold…he lived for others. His family was very dear to him. When I paid him a visit to the hospital and helped him put on his tallis and tefillin, he emphasized to me how much he cherished his wife, Judy, and didn’t have enough words to praise her. Additionally, Robbie had a deep strong respect for our sages… We would go together to the Ohel of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, zt”l, and he was extremely moved and spiritually uplifted by the experience. “His respect for others knew no limits. He was a giant in the way he conducted his day-to-day life, re-

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015 The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

specting all, no matter what their age, level of observance, race, or religion. I join his many admirers in wishing his family only the best in the many years to come.” Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe, the distinguished dean and menahel of Mesivta Ateres Yaakov, shares with us the following sentiments. “One of the most poignant and painful moments of my life occurred as I stood in the front of our Bais Medrash to address the massive gathering and deliver my divrei hesped, the eulogy, in tribute to our yeshiva’s co-president, Robbie Schonfeld. “I first met Robbie in the role of perspective parent and remember quite distinctly how he had a clear and determined plan for his child’s chinuch, much of which was inspired by his own father, the legendary Ossie, a”h. What I did not know at that time was that he would address each of his children’s needs uniquely and individually, all based on each of their talents. Nothing gave him as

much pleasure as watching his children grow and, as a result, he left nothing to chance. He remained forever involved in each of their lives, each one equally precious to him.” My own words of personal tribute

to Robbie are surely and most accurately embedded in the words, sentiments, and tears reflected in the words of those five precious friends previously cited in this tribute. His passing leaves for me a mas-

NEW DATE!

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sive emptiness prompting the recall of an article that I penned at the behest of his late father, Ossie Schonfeld, concerning his Holocaust-related experiences entitled, “The Braunschweig List: The Schonfeld Discovery” that was published in The Jewish Press, August 18, 1995. That article, and the story it tells and teaches us, was the first article about the Schonfelds that gave us the full measure of what the Schonfeld legacy was all about. When possible, please do read that article. Learn of how the chessed of a father came, through determined action, to be emulated by his son. That essay should hopefully be read by all, and made a part of the yeshiva Holocaust curriculum in our schools in the years to come. May the legacy of both Ossie and Robbie Schonfeld serve as an example of how the mitzvah of tzedakah, chessed, and the honoring of parents be observed for us all for all time to come.

yachad

Invites the Community to a

MELAVA MALKA February 4, 2017

8:30 PM

826 Central Ave., Woodmere

Sushi , & g n i t s a T e n Wi Music Event Commi t tee: Mr. and Mrs. Shlomo & Raizy Hackel, Dr. & Mrs. Steven & Marjorie Kellner, Mr. & Mrs. Joshua & Eileen Schein, mr. and mrs. michael & alyse appelbaum Hosted by Mr. & Mrs. Adam & Lindsay Okun

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Yachad, the National Jewish Council for Disabilities, is dedicated to enhancing the life opportunities of individuals with disabilities, ensuring their participation in the full spectrum of Jewish life. Yachad is a program of the Orthodox Union.

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

A “Shabbos of Kodesh HaKadoshim” at Dirshu’s 20th Anniversary International Convention

By Chaim Gold

t was shalosh seudos at the Dirshu Convention and HaGaon HaRav Dovid Schustal, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha of Lakewood, was delivering the final address as Shabbos was leaving. “What I saw this Shabbos was kodesh hakadoshim! Such a tzibbur of special Yidden with their families! Such a tzibbur with remarkable hasagos in Torah! Truthfully, I must thank Dirshu for persisting in asking me to come. It was a zechus to spend Shabbos with such Yidden.” Indeed, the Dirshu International Convention, held on Shabbos Parshas Shemos at the Crowne Plaza

Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut, was all about celebrating the accomplishments of the lomdei Torah, the heroes of Torah and their wives who comprise the extended “mishpachas Dirshu.” Gedolei Yisroel representing the entire cross-section of Torah Jewry joined in the celebration, displaying their deep admiration for the lomdei Torah. Let us walk through the convention highlights from its inception on Friday afternoon through Sunday when the lomdei Torah returned home suffused with chizuk to not only continue what they were doing but adding to it as well. Although the majority of participants were from the tri-state area

there was significant participation from locales across America and Canada as well as a distinguished international presence with a delegation from Eretz Yisrael, England and France. There was a deeply inspiring women’s program throughout the Shabbos featuring shiurim and divrei chizuk on myriad topics. There was a shiur on practical daily halachos delivered by Rav Zev Hofstedter. Other speakers who addressed the women multiple times throughout the Shabbos included Rebbetzin Shlomtzy Weiss, Mrs. Debbie Selengut and Mrs. Rochel Goldbaum. A number of Dirshu wives also gave moving testimonials about what being part of Dirshu had done for them and their families.

HaGaon HaRav Reuven Feinstein, Shlita: Enabling the Holy DNA from the Avos to Shine Through HaGaon HaRav Reuven Feinstein, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva of Staten Island, was introduced by his talmid, Rabbi Gabi Fried. Rav Reuven delineated how the Torah repeatedly tells us that we perform mitzvos zecher l’yetzias Mitzrayim, as a memorial of the exodus of Egypt. The wording however, should be “mi’Mitzrayim – from Egypt”? The Rosh Yeshiva explained that we are essentially saying that the mitzvos are here to remind us to remove every iota of Egypt, of the culture of Mitzrayim, and its excessive materialism from ourselves. Our task is to refine ourselves. This refinement comes as a result of limud haTorah. HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, Shlita: The Chiddush of Dirshu; Ol Torah After a wonderfully inspiring kabbolas Shabbos, HaRav Shaul Pinter, Rosh Chabura of the Dirshu Amud Yomi Kollel in Lakewood, introduced the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Mesivta of Lakewood. Rav Sorotzkin gave a riveting address which encapsulated what he felt

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

West London, was introduced by Rav Naftali Levy, Director of Dirshu, France. The Terrace couples’ dining room was addressed by HaRav Chaim Weg, shlita, a Daf HaYomi B’Halacha Maggid Shiur.

was the unique chiddush of Dirshu. “There are many chiddushim in Dirshu and many maalos that learning in the Dirshu programs offer but I think the overarching quality of Dirshu is the concept of ol Torah. Dirshu was mechadesh that a person is never ‘off.’ Day in, day out, no matter what is transpiring in his life, he has the ol Torah. Every day he must learn anew and every day he must review what he previously learned.”

Following Maariv the assemblage gathered for the Shabbos seudah. In the men’s dining room, a drasha was given by HaGaon HaRav Dovid Schustal, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva, Beth Medrash Govoha, Lakewood. He was introduced by Rav Nuta Silber, a Daf HaYomi B’Halacha Maggid Shiur. In the couples’ dining room, HaRav Yonasan Abraham, shlita, a member of the London Beis Din and Rav of the Toras Chaim Shul in Hendon, North

HaGaon HaRav Dovid Olewski, Shlita: “Dirshu is a Program that Enables Yidden to Access Hashem” After the seudah the massive crowd returned to the tent where a fascinating, thoroughly enjoyable shailos and teshuvos session was held with the Skever Dayan of Boro Park, HaGaon HaRav Yechiel Mechel Steinmetz, shlita, and moderated by Rav Eliezer Ralbag. Rav Steinmetz was first introduced by HaGaon Dayan Binyomin Eckstein, shlita, Belzer Dayan of London and Yoshev Rosh of Dirshu Europe. Following Rav Steinmetz, a beautiful oneg Shabbos replete with warm niggunim was held. The guest speaker, HaGaon HaRav Dovid Olewski, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Ger, was introduced by Reb Shaya Brauner. Rav Dovid Olewski cited the pasuk, “Gedolim maaseh

Hashem, dirushim l’chol cheftzeihem – great are the deeds of Hashem, accessible to all who want them.” Rav Olewski said, “Hashem’s deeds are great, they are so exalted they are beyond us. Every Yid, however, who seeks Him out, who is truly doresh, who truly desires to access Him can do so. That is the phenomenal power of Dirshu and lomdei Dirshu. It is a program that enables Yidden to access Hashem, to become close to Him and to attach themselves to Him.” HaGaon HaRav Berel Povarsky, Shlita: Dirshu is the Biggest Yeshiva in the World Morning dawned and before Shacharis the rooms and lobby areas of the hotel were full of lomdei Torah “chapping arein” that day’s limud and chazarah. A Daf HaYomi in-depth iyun shiur was delivered by Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Nasi Dirshu. Rav Hofstedter’s shiur covering, Gemara, Rashi, Tosafos and the primary Rishonim and Acharonim was well received as could be seen by the spirited debate on the sugya that ensued following the shiur. One of the highlights of Shabbos transpired with the shiur klali delivered by the Rav Berel Povarsky. Rav Berel was introduced by Reb Shimshon Klein, a long time Dirshu learner. Rav Berel began by saying that although he is primarily accustomed to delivering shiurim in yeshiva, here it is no different because, “Dirshu is also a yeshiva, the biggest yeshiva in the entire world!” Observing the simchas haTorah as Rav Berel gave the shiur was to see true simcha. The sight of the great Roshei Yeshiva who participated in the shiur including along with so many rabbonim sitting and listening with bated breath, asking questions and participating in the ensuing rischa d’Oraisah, fiery Torah debate – with Rav Berel presiding over the shiur like a master conductor of the most harmonious Torah symphony – was

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

a sight that left the entire assemblage energized with simchas haTorah. The shiur was also a microcosm of Dirshu achdus. Litivishe roshei yeshivos, Chassidishe rabbonim, bnei yeshiva, Chassidim from many different communities, Sephardim, Ashkenazim… all listening, asking, debating with Rav Berel.

HaGaon HaRav Moshe Mordechai Lowy, shlita, Rav of Agudas Yisroel of Toronto, was introduced by Rabbi Yossi Abramczyk, Dirshu’s Montreal coordinator. The Terrace couples’ dining room was addressed by HaRav Shlomo Cynamon, Rav of Kehal Bnei Torah and Rosh Kollel Dirshu of Flatbush.

Maintaining the Enthusiasm Even after Many Tests Following the shiur, HaGaon HaRav Yehoshua Fuhrer, shlita, spoke at the morning seudah in the men’s dining room. In the couples’ dining room,

10,000 Blatt! One of the most moving moments at the convention transpired at Shabbos Mincha. During the Shabbos morning tefillah, aliyos were given to the attending Gedolei Yisrael. Only

one aliyah was “sold” over Shabbos, shlishi at Shabbos Mincha. That aliyah was not sold for money, however, because the only “legal tender” for lomdei Dirshu is Torah! The bidding started: 1,000 blatt, 2,000... Furious bidding ensued until finally, after some twenty minutes the aliyah was sold for a whopping 10,000 blatt Gemara to be learned by this time next year. 10,000 blatt by one person! The person then presented the aliyah to Dirshu’s Nasi, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, as hakoras hatov for the transformation his life underwent as a result of joining the Kinyan Shas learning

program. Indeed, during his remarks at shalosh seudos, Rav Schustal his voice suffused with emotion related, “Who would believe that a person could be mikabel on himself to learn 10,000 blatt in one year?! This is the koach of Dirshu. It is a zechus to be together with such Yidden!” Shalosh Seudos: HaRav Gips: Is Not Being Prepared an Answer?! Shalosh seudos was a fitting inspirational culmination to a Shabbos full of hergesh. Dirshu’s American Director, Rabbi Ahron Gobioff, chaired the event and paid tribute to the love of Torah of lomdei Dirshu. HaRav Yitzchok Zalman Gips, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Nehardaah and Rav of Kehal Birchas Avrohom in Boro Park, began his speech by saying, “I am sorry. I am not prepared. I simply didn’t have time to prepare. I have a large family, a yeshiva, a shul. There just wasn’t time. If you will rightfully ask, didn’t Dirshu invite you to speak several months ago? How can you say you are not prepared? I have no answer, other than I couldn’t find the time.” Only when Rav Gips began his nimshal did the assemblage realize that his claim of lack of preparedness was only a mashal. Rav Gips pivoted saying, “We all know that after seventy years of life – hopefully a bit more

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

– we will be called to the bais din shel maalah for the great farher. They will ask us, ‘What did you learn?’ What will we answer? ‘I was busy. I had a large family to feed, I had all kinds of tirdos, I simply couldn’t learn.’ They will retort, ‘Is that an answer? You knew you would be tested one day. You had years to prepare!’ Nevertheless,” Rav Gips explained, “the pace of our lives, raising our children, earning our parnassah and myriad social obligations make it so hard to learn. What Dirshu does is enable us to find the time that we don’t have. It gives us a misgeres wherein we can learn Torah and know Torah. Dirshu takes away the excuses!” HaRav Zev Smith: It has Never Been Easier Nor has it Ever Been Harder to Learn! HaRav Zev Smith, shlita, Maggid Shiur Dirshu Daf HaYomi B’Halacha and Irgun Shiurei Torah, said “It has never been easier to learn in our

“Who would believe that a person could be mikabel on himself to learn 10,000 blatt in one year?! This is the koach of Dirshu.” generation and simultaneously it has never been harder! Yes, there are so many opportunities, so many shiurim, so many ways to tap into the power of limud haTorah, but there are also so many distractions, so many enticements that can bring a person down. What Dirshu does, is enables us to not to be distracted and avail ourselves of the opportunities to learn. It is the antidote to the nisyonos of our generation.” HaGaon HaRav Dovid Schustal, Shlita: Dirshu Makes Baalei Batim into Kollel Yungeleit! HaRav Dovid Schustal gave the fi-

nal address at shalosh seudos. He said, “One of the beautiful things about our generation is the hisorerus in learning Daf Yomi. It is wonderful that so many Yidden learn Daf Yomi. Nevertheless, we must understand that when Rav Meir Shapiro instituted the Daf Yomi his intention was not that one should be ‘yotzeh’ with a short, superficial shiur, without chazara. What Dirshu has done is that it has elevated Daf Yomi to becoming once again – to paraphrase the Rambam when referring to Talmud Bavli written in Aramaic – ‘the bread and meat’ of Torah learning. Dirshu makes baalei batim into kollel yungeleit. Rav Dovid Hofstedter has

changed the world through the Dirshu programs.” Following havdalah, concurrent events were held. HaRav Usher Anshel Eckstein, shlita, Belzer Dayan, gave a shiur on kashrus and there were two roundtable discussions for Daf HaYomi Maggidei Shiur, one in Yiddish led by Reb Chaim Bauer and Reb Nechemia Bluzenshtein and one in English led by HaRav Asher Eisenberger, Rav of Agudas Yisroel of Detroit. There was also a fascinating, intimate question and answer session with three prominent American roshei yeshiva. A climatic culmination was the melave malka siyum on Masechta Bava Metziah where some 2,000 people attended. Before introducing HaRav Shmuel Choueka, Rav of Congregation Ohel Simcha of Deal, and Rabbi Ari Seidenfeld, a Rosh Chaburah from Lakewood, opened the evening, noting that this year was Dirshu’s 20th anniversary and highlighting Dirshu’s myriad programs and its impact on the entire klal Yisrael world over in the past twenty years. Rav Choueka explained how the Daf HaYomi B’halacha program not only enhances observance of halacha but the myriad details in the Mishnah Berurah with the biurim and musafim in the Dirshu Mishnah Berurah also enhance one’s yiras Shomayim! Rav Berel Povarsky was then called upon to say the Hadran of Masechta Bava Metzia. In his remarks preceding the Hadran, Rav Povarsky exclaimed, “Dirshu was mechadesh that a person doesn’t just have set sedorim. Rather his whole day is full of chapping arein another bit of Torah learning.” The kaddish following the Hadran was recited by HaRav Moshe Mordechai Lowy after which the hall immediately exploded in simcha-filled dancing in celebration of the siyum.

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

To watch the venerated gedolim on the dais linking arms as they danced in honor of the Torah was truly moving. Rav Hofstedter: “We are Not American Society; We are the Mamleches Kohanim V’goy Kadosh!” Rav Dovid Hofstedter cited the well-known Medrash that when the time came to redeem bnei Yisrael from Mitzrayim they did not have mitzvos. Hashem therefore gave them the mitzvah of korban Pesach and bris milah. Rav Hofstedter asked, “They had no mitzvos? The Gemara says, “In the merit of righteous women we were redeemed from Egypt. The Medrash also teaches that we were redeemed because we did not change our language, our names, we didn’t speak lashon hara and we did not transgress the prohibition of arayos. How can we say that they had no mitzvos?” Rav Dovid answered by quoting the Medrash on the pasuk, “’The world was filled with them, (Shemos, 1-7).’ ‘The world was filled with theaters and circuses.’ The Shevet Sofer explains that the Jewish people became influenced by the culture of Mitzrayim. They enjoyed the Egyptian holidays, danced with them and mixed with the goyim… “Thus, the only way to extricate themselves from the culture of Mitzrayim was with mesiras nefesh, with blood – blood of milah and blood of Pesach – real mesiras nefesh. Rav Hofstedter continued, “Our generation has so many zechusim! Look at the beautiful edifices of Torah that we have built on the ashes of the Holocaust. It is unprecedented. We have righteous women who are moser

nefesh for Torah and who raise wonderful families. We have such chessed. “Still, perhaps in our generation we too have been inundated with goyish culture. We have ads in our publications for a Rosh Hashanah overlooking a beach. Yes, we go to kivrei tzaddikim for brachos oversees, we go to Eretz Yisrael for the Yamim Noraim, but during the trip are we viewing things we shouldn’t? How can we access bracha if en route we are immersed in the tumah of Mitzrayim? “Yes, we have zechusim but to be an oveid Hashem requires tochen pnimi. To think that with a 30 or 40 minute, superficial seder or a 5 minute daily dose we are yotzeh and then we are done?! “We are not American society. We are not a nation obsessed with acquiring material possessions. We are not a nation of jealousy, of greed, with a superficial veneer. We are the am hanivchar. We are the mamleches kohanim v’goy kadosh!” Rav Hofstedter then introduced what can be an antidote to the superficial host culture that has infiltrated even the most sheltered of our communities. “Therefore morai v’rabosai, achai vera’ei, it is our zechus to present a new program, entitled Kinyan Chochma, a daily limud of mussar and hadracha culled from various mussar seforim, Tomer Devorah, Orchos Chaim l’Harosh, Orchos Tzaddikim and others…” Sample editions of the Kinyan Chochma kuntress were distributed so that lomdim can begin learning it daily and be tested monthly. “‘Yes We Can!’ ‘Torah First!’” After a beautiful audiovisual pre-

sentation highlighting the last 20 years of the Dirshu revolution, Dayan Yonasan Abraham was introduced. He said, “If there is one enduring message that encapsulates the Shabbos it is that I feel humbled by being in the presence of the bnei aliyah here. For me, this Shabbos has been an absolutely shattering experience. Rav Abraham exclaimed, “If I can borrow a number of political campaign phrases, it is that Dirshu says, ‘Yes we can!’ ‘Torah first! Right here, right now!’ Rav Choueka said earlier, ‘Let’s make Torah great again! It is not an empty slogan. That is Dirshu’s mission!’” HaRav Binyomin Eisenberger: “Consistency in a World of Bilbul The final drasha of the evening was given by HaRav Binyomin Eisenberger, shlita, Rav, Kehal Heichal Tefillah. In a commanding speech that addressed some of the difficulties facing our generation. “There was a time when people looked at the news once a day. They got their daily paper and that was it. Today, people need fresh

news every minute. This constant desire for change, for something new, creates a tremendous bilbul hadaas – confusion. After a Shabbos Dirshu we see that Dirshu embodies kevius. You reside in the world where everything is a great bilbul but it doesn’t affect you. You have your kevius, your seder, your blatt Gemara, your daf of Mishnah Berurah…” Following bentching, the entire hall erupted in song and dance as the tables were moved and the simchas haTorah pulsated. It was well after 1:00 am, but one wouldn’t have known from the enthusiasm, the pace and the simcha that suffused the countenances of the participants. A Daf Yomi shiur was given on Sunday morning by Rabbi Ari Hofstedter. Following breakfast, a fascinating shailos and teshuvos session with Rav Berel Povarsky was moderated by Rav Shlomo Cynamon. Then it was time to leave. As they purposefully exited the hotel you saw that they were on a mission, a mission to learn, to chazer and perhaps add one more program to their daily schedule. That is what Dirshu does.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Shailos and Teshuvos with HaGaon Harav Yechiel Mechel Steinmetz, Shlita By Yosef Sosnow

ne of the most popular components of the Dirshu Convention is the shailos and teshuvos session on all four orders of Shulchan Aruch with HaGaon HaRav Yechiel Mechel Steinmetz, shlita, Skverer Dayan of Boro Park and a prominent posek. It was a sight to see hundreds of talmidei chachomim gathered in the large tent used for davening listening with bated breath to Rav Steinmetz who, in his inimitable way, answered the shailos with a combination of warmth, humor and an encyclopedic knowledge of the entire corpus of halacha. The session was masterfully moderated by HaRav Eliezer Ralbag, shlita, Rav of the Lakewood Courtyard Shul and Daf HaYomi B’Halacha Maggid Shiur. We are proud to present a sampling of the shailos. Question: If during the first two Shabbos seudos one is unsure whether he has recited Retzei during Birchas Hamazon the halacha is he must repeat bentching because we assume that he reverted to the way he is “accustomed” to bentching during the week without Retzei. What would be the halacha regarding a person who only washes for Hamotzi on Shabbos and never does so during the week – such as someone who is on a gluten-free diet or

other special diet. Can we assume that he said Retzei because he never washes during the week and thus he is “accustomed” to recite Retzei? Answer: We can assume that he did say Retzei and he does not have to recite Birchas Hamazon again. Proof can be brought from the Gemara in Masechta Bava Kama that says that an ox that only gores on Shabbos can be a mued, considered accustomed to gore only on Shabbos and not during the week. Question: If a person accepted Shabbos upon himself before shekiah then realized that he had not yet davened Mincha, what should he do? Should he try to nullify his acceptance of Shabbos or should he just daven Maariv Shemoneh Esrei twice to make up for Mincha? Answer: He can still daven Mincha. Question: The Ramah in Even Ha’ezer writes that there is an obligation to stop one’s learning in order to attend a chuppah. The poskim say this is a chiyuv. Does that mean a person is obligated to attend a chuppah every time there is a chuppah? If that is true how will a person be able to learn at night, every night there is a chuppah? Answer: Some poskim explain that this halacha is referring to a time when you physically see the chuppah transpiring – either you are in the same room or you are outside when you see a chuppah taking

place. Only then would you be obligated to stop learning to attend the chuppah. The fact that you are aware that a chuppah is taking place somewhere does not constitute an obligation to stop one’s learning in order to attend the chuppah. Question: Is there an obligation to stand up for the wife of a talmid chacham? Answer: Yes, there is an obligation because of the concept of ishto k’gufo, one’s wife is considered like himself. This, however, is only as long as the husband is alive. Once the husband passes away, we no longer say ishto k’gufo. Thus, the obligation no longer exists. Question: Is a person who is making a bris for his son obligated to honor his grandfather as sandek before his father, based on the concept that his father is also obligated to honor his own father? Or perhaps we should say that honoring the baal bris’s own father comes first? Answer: The father of the baby has an obligation to honor his father before honoring his grandfather. It is a mitzvah d’oraisah to honor one’s father. Honoring one’s grandfather is at most a mitzvah d’rabanan (according to the Maharik). That being said, the person should use his sechel. If he understands that his father really wants to honor his own father with the kibbud of sandek then making his grandfather the sandek is, in-and-of itself, a fulfillment of kibbud av.

Davening in the tent specially constructed for the Dirshu weekend

Question: A person’s father or father-in-law is eating at his house. Who is the wife obligated to serve first? Her husband who she is commanded to honor first or her fatherin-law or father who her husband is required to honor? Answer: She must serve her husband first. Question: If a person forgot to recite Birchas Hamazon where he ate, he is obligated to return to the place where he ate and bentched. The Mishnah Berurah writes that in an extenuating circumstance he is not required to return and can bentch where he is now. If a person forgot to bentch where he ate and now arrived in kollel or in the beis medrash to learn, would that be considered an extenuating circumstance, due to bittul Torah that would absolve him of his obligation to return to where he originally ate? Answer: Yes, bittul Torah would be considered an extenuating circumstance and he can bentch without even eating anything in the new place. Question: People collect tzedakah during davening. Can a person absolve himself from giving due to the concept of “one who is engaged in one mitzvah is absolved from engaging in a different mitzvah”? Answer: Yes. He is not obligated to give tzedakah if he is davening.

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FEBRUARY29, 2, 2017 OCTOBER 2015 | The Jewish Home

TJH You gotta be kidding

Centerfold So, What are You Eating? Last week Google released their list of top-searched Super Bowl recipes by state. Can you match the food with the state? 1. New Mexico

A. Corn Bread Cake

2. Texas

B. Cheese Dip

3. Michigan

C. Spinach Artichoke Dip

4. Florida

D. Simple Creamy Mac And Cheese

5. Idaho 6. Arizona 7.

Maryland

8. Washington

E. S’Mores Dessert F. Chickpea Soup G. Hamburger Slider

Double Trouble

9. Mississippi

H. Sweet Potatoes Shepherd’s Pie

10. Nebraska

11. North Carolina

J. Fried Jalapeño Poppers

Fill in the blank words. Each word has two sets of double letters in a row.

12. Oklahoma

K. Buffalo Wings

13. Vermont

L. Oven Mac N Cheese

1. Body modification.

14. Arkansas

M. Football Cupcakes

15. Kansas

N. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

T____O 2. It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a... B_____N 3. Acuteness or acumen. K______S 4. A group of people. C_______E See answers on next page

Chicken Wings

O. Baked Chicken Wings

See answers on next page

TheJewish JewishHome Home| |OCTOBER FEBRUARY 2,2015 2017 The 29,

Supreme Court Trivia 1. How many justices are there on the Supreme Court (assuming there are no vacancies)? a. 5 b. 7 c. 9 d. 11 2. The annual Supreme Court term starts on the first Monday of which month? a. September b. January c. March d. October 3. A new Supreme Court justice must be approved, or confirmed, by who? a. The House b. The Senate c. The president d. the Justice Department

famous Supreme Court decision? a. Confederate States of America v. Lincoln b. Marbury v. Madison c. Roe v. Wade d. Bush v. Gore 6. Since 1930, only three Supreme Court nominees were rejected. Which party rejected those nominees? a. 2 were rejected by Republicans; 1 was rejected by Democrats b. 2 were rejected by the Democrats; 1 was rejected by Republicans c. All 3 were rejected by the Republicans d. All 3 were rejected by the Democrats 7. What is the annual salary of the associate justices on the Supreme Court? a. $249,300 b. $250,500 c. $325,000 d. $500,000

4. Which U.S. president later served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? a. Ben Franklin b. Thomas Jefferson c. Oliver Wendell Holmes d. William Howard Taft

8. Which president appointed the 5. Which of the following is not a

most Supreme Court justices? a. George Washington b. Franklin Roosevelt c. Ronald Reagan d. Barack Obama Answers 1. C 2. D 3. B 4. D 5. A 6. D 7. A 8. A Wisdom Key 6-8 correct: Mr. Future Supreme Court Justice, I wish you good luck with the confirmation process! 4-5 correct: You are hardly the swing vote! 0-3 correct: Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you just love the green and yellow robes the Supreme Court justices wear?

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Answers to Double Trouble: Tattoo; Balloon; Keenness; Committee Answers to What are you Eating: 1-J; 2-M; 3-G; 4-C; 5-D; 6-A; 7-F; 8-O; 9-H; 10-I; 11-K; 12-L; 13-N; 14-B; 15-E

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Torah Thought

Parshat Bo By Rabbi Berel Wein

s the story of the sojourn and enslavement of the Jewish people in Egypt comes to its final climax in this week’s Torah reading, there are many questions that are left unanswered. What was the actual length of time that this Egyptian story encompassed? There seems to be contradictory dates that appear in the Torah. And why does it appear from Talmud and Midrash that the vast majority of the Jews who were in Egypt never left with Moshe to

travel into the desert of Sinai and from there to the promised land of Israel? What could have been the reason for that? And why does Pharaoh now finally succumb, after having in his mind and actions successfully withstood the previous nine plagues which were so devastating to him and Egyptian society? These questions are not addressed directly in the Torah itself though they are discussed in the commentaries that, over the ages, have been written to explain and elucidate the

written word of the Torah. After reviewing all of the ideas advanced to deal with the above questions – and other problematic biblical questions – all that can be said is that the ways of Heaven are truly mysterious and are meant to be so. Moshe is justifiably wary of gazing at the presence of G-d and when he finally demands to understand the policies of Heaven, he will be rebuffed and told that this understanding is beyond human comprehension and rational thinking. The entire story of the Jewish people descending into Egyptian slavery and then being extricated is essentially supernatural in detail. Nevertheless, it is the basic and most vital narrative in Jewish history throughout the millennia of

predictable one. The main question raised by historians regarding Lincoln’s action is why was it not done sooner? The question regarding the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt and their redemption from slavery was how these things had occurred in the first place and how were they so miraculously corrected later. The great lesson here is that the fate and future of the Jewish people cannot be known on a purely rational basis. Man proposes and G-d disposes. Yaakov and his family willingly, even enthusiastically, went to reside in Egypt. Just when it seems that the Jewish people has despaired of redemption and is attempting to integrate itself completely into Egyptian society, the redemption begins,

The entire story of the Jewish people descending into Egyptian slavery and then being extricated is essentially supernatural in detail.

Jewish existence. It is the paradigm for the irrational and mysterious story of Jewish survival itself. Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves in the United States of America by presidential proclamation, responding to the political pressures and national interests that beset him. Even though the hand of G-d, so to speak, guides all events in the world, the decision to free the slaves of the South was a completely understandable, rational and even

led by an unlikely redeemer. Questions will always abound about the Jewish redemption from Egypt. The answers to those questions will be creative and flights of genius. But the basic issue will remain as being the inscrutability of God’s behavior, so to speak, in redeeming the Jews and making them a unique and special people. Shabbat shalom.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

The Observant Jew

It’s Cold Outside By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

don’t know about you, but to me winter seems to drag on for a very long time. While autumn or spring last maybe a month or two, winter seems to last five or six…years. Now, I’m not complaining, because if it’s not raining or snowing it can be quite nice for driving or looking at. However, the cold can be brutal. It’s times like these that you can hear the refrain, “Shut the door! It’s cold outside.” The proverbial response to that, of course, is: “And if I shut the door will it be warm outside?” Obviously, all joking aside, the idea is that since there is a temperature differential between inside the house or building, which is hopefully heated, and the outside, which has been designed by G-d to cryogenically preserve anyone outside for longer than 8.3 minutes, closing the door will help keep that differential steady. But why am I closing the door? Am I trying to keep the heat in or am I trying to keep the cold out? On one hand, the heat costs money and it’s wasteful to just let it escape. On the other hand, the cold is very powerful and can banish the heat from the home. So which is more of an issue? It really doesn’t matter. I’m trying

to do both at the same time because they both have the effect of putting a chill into my home. Whether it’s retaining the heat or blocking the cold from entering, the level of warmth in my home will remain more constant when I employ measures to prevent the unwanted temperature drop. As I thought about this, I realized that the same is true for spirituality. Since passion is connected to heat, let’s view closeness to Hashem and a keen awareness of holiness and sanctity as heat. When your soul burns brightly, that’s like the warm interior of the building. The outside world, which doesn’t value closeness to G-d as we do, is the brutal cold. How can we make sure that we don’t lose all our heat reserves? By closing the door! Yes, we have to put up a barrier to control the heat loss, but it isn’t usually practical to build a solid wall to keep in the heat or keep out the cold. That’s because we have occasion to venture out into the world and also to bring others into the warmth of our homes. Being too insular might mean we never get any fresh air, and worse, that when there’s a breach, we don’t know how to repair it.

Therefore, we make sure to “shut the door.” That means recognizing that there is a difference between inside and out and doing things because we have determined that we have a good reason to protect the heat. Exposing ourselves entirely to the cold would mean sickness or death and that can put a real damper on your enjoyment of your life. By following the analogy further, we take cues that we are supposed to use different tools to manage our temperatures. When it’s getting chilly inside, we raise the thermostat. In a spiritual sense, that would mean noting when we’re getting too cold for comfort and finding ways to ignite the pilot light in our souls. It might be going to learn Torah, taking a walk in nature (well bundled-up, of course!), or opening up a Tehillim and speaking to G-d. Whatever we choose, we are seeking to fan the flames of our Jewishness and weld our connection to our Creator. We also take note of drafts, things that come in surreptitiously and drain the heat from us. It could be cynical people who scoff at those who hold tightly to their faith or people who gossip and speak ill of others. It

might even be the ones who ask, “Do you think G-d really cares if…?” – all those hold the danger of cooling off our love of Hashem and we must be vigilant against it. “Shut the door, it’s cold outside” means that we make sure to be aware of the epic differences between one who lives a life of Torah and one who does not. It means we are aware of what adds to that warmth and makes us comfortable and conversely of what chills us to the core. The important first step to staying safe is recognizing that we are the ones who control the door, and we can shut it as needed because it really is cold outside. 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 Will to Believe (Or at Least to Not be an Atheist) By Eytan Kobre

For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don’t believe, no proof is possible. - Stuart Chase

n April 12, 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin boarded his Vostok 1 rocket for man’s first journey into outer space. Gagarin was keenly aware of the enormity of the expedition, and, for several hours, he came face-toface with the vastness of G-d’s undeniable handiwork. Upon his return to Earth, however, Gagarin hopped out of his spacecraft and remarked (some say compelled by Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev), “Now I know that G-d doesn’t exist, because I was there and didn’t see him.” Within a year, American astronaut John Glenn was back in space in his Freedom 7 rocket. Bible in hand, Glenn recited the first chapter of Genesis and spoke of seeing the “Hand of Almighty G-d.” Two men with two very different belief systems based on two very different upbringings and religious agendas. One chose to believe, the other to deny. And both found confirmation of their pre-conceived notions. Warning of the final plague – the death of the Egyptian firstborn –

Moshe foretold that it would occur not “at” midnight but “at around” midnight” (Shemos 11:4). Why “at around midnight” and not exactly midnight? Moshe was intentionally vague, lest Pharaoh’s stargazers err in their timekeeping and claim that Moshe was a charlatan for being a bit early or late (Rashi, Shemos 11:4). I mean, really? You’ll call Moshe a quack just because your sundial might be off by a minute? You and your people already have suffered through nine devastating plagues, carried out with perfect precision. Each and every minute detail had occurred exactly as and how and when Moshe said it would. So why play games now? And if the timing was a bit off? Would you really have the audacity to challenge G-d’s omnipotence? Gotcha! Two minutes late! But this attitude was nothing new for the Egyptians. When Moshe foretold of the Plague of Hail, he warned that any person or animal left in the fields would be killed. Still, “Whoever among the servants of Pharaoh feared the word of G-d chased his servants and livestock to the houses. And whoever did not take the word of G-d to heart, he left his servants and livestock in the field” (Shemos 9:2021). To save their animals, the Egyptians needed do no more than simply bring them inside. Apparently, some Egyptians chose not to do so. Again, why play games? G-d had a pretty good track record through

six plagues. Why not just bring the cattle in, just to be on the safe side? The Egyptian attitude, in both instances (and in countless more), demonstrates just how spot-on Stuart Chase’s observation is, as was the Chofetz Chaim’s before him: “To a believer there are no questions; to a non-believer there are no answers” (Kovetz Ma’amarim, pg. 158). If you don’t want to believe – if you’re not receptive to believing – then nothing, no matter how obvious or convincing, will change your mind. One can witness nine supernatural plagues that clearly bespeak G-d’s supremacy, but still gripe, “But he said it would happen at midnight and now it’s 12:02am” (see Birchas Peretz, Va’era; Lev Shalom, Shemos 9:20-21). Faith is not something you just have or inherit or attain by chance or even by witnessing open miracles. Faith is something you must be receptive to – it is a conscious decision to believe or disbelieve. There once was a fellow who had a burning desire to become an “apikorus” – a disbeliever. He took great pains to resist performing any good deeds whatsoever, but, much to his dismay, he still was not recognized by others as a disbeliever. He soon heard the legend of a great man in a faraway land known throughout the Jewish world as The Great Apikorus. So he decided to vis-

it The Great Apikorus to gain inspiration and seek guidance on how to become a true disbeliever. Arriving at the home of The Great Apikorus, he found everything he had dreamed of, and then some. The Great Apikorus was eating pork while writing on Shabbos! Ah, truly a great apikorus! He sidled up to The Great Apikorus and, gathering the courage to disturb his idol, asked, “What’s your secret? How were you able to attain the status of a great apikorus?” The Great Apikorus pondered the question. “Well, do you know Talmud Bavli and Talmud Yerushalmi?” “What sort of question is that? Of course not!” “I see,” said The Great Apikorus. “How about the Mishna or Chumash?” “No! Why would you accuse me, an aspiring apostate, of knowing such things?” “Hmmm. And what about the Kuzari or Moreh Nevuchim or the dialogue between the Ramban and the apostate Pablo Christiani?” “Why are you asking me these questions? I don’t believe in any of those things! I just want to be an apikorus!” “Sir,” The Great Apikorus concluded, “had you learned all the works I mentioned and chose not to believe in G-d, you might be worthy Continued on page 80

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of being an apikorus. But you? You haven’t learned anything. You’re not choosing to be an apikorus – you’re just choosing to be an ignoramus.” Belief and disbelief don’t just happen – they are the product of conscious decisions, matters of choice made with deliberate intentions. “What is the straight path that a person should choose? He should grasp onto a heightened sense of belief” (Tamid 28a). After all, “everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven” (Berachos 33b; Megilla 25a). Even Avraham was successful in discovering and proving G-d’s existence only because he was receptive to believing in G-d in the first place (Rashi, Chagiga 3a). Unless we are receptive to believing in G-d, we can experience open miracles but consciously disregard the obvious (Tochachas Mussar [R’ Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg]; Kovetz Ma’amarim, Statement on Belief, Nos. 1-2). A student of R’ Chaim Soloveit-

chik once immigrated to America, where, like so many, he shed his Torah-observant ways. Although he was no longer observant, when

replied. “But, if you must know, it was the latter: my observance waned, and then I became troubled by profound questions of faith. But if

“To a believer there are no questions; to a non-believer there are no answers”

the student returned to Europe on a business trip, he visited R’ Chaim. When R’ Chaim asked him to explain his errant ways, the student rationalized his non-observance as the result of a great many questions of faith. R’ Chaim was interested. “Did you first have such questions of faith and those questions caused you to stop being observant, or did your observance first slack off and only then you were troubled by questions of faith?” “It hardly matters,” the student

you answer my profound questions, I will consider returning to observance.” R’ Chaim shook his head in disappointment. “In that case, I cannot help you. You see, you don’t have questions; you have answers. If you had questions, I could answer questions. But you have answers. And I cannot answer answers.” The student had already drawn conclusions – he already decided not to be receptive to believing. The

so-called questions were merely the post facto rationalization for the choice he already had made. No answer to the trumped-up questions would ever satisfy the student, who already had chosen to disbelieve. * * * For those, like Pharaoh’s stargazers and R’ Chaim’s wayward student and Yuri Gagarin, who choose not to believe, no miracle and no answer and no “Hand of the Almighty G-d” will ever cause them to believe. Because, in the end, belief is not a matter of witnessing spectacular miracles or resolving the profundities of life; belief requires an open mind, an open heart, and a readiness to believe. The question for us is, are we willing to believe?

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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FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Another L

Make America Great Again? By Rabbi YY Rubinstein

he new presidency has begun and so has a low level civil war. Steve Bannon, founder of Breitbart News – which Democrats tend to despise even more than Fox News – is now Donald Trump’s chief strategist. He told The New York Times: “The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for a while. I want you to quote this.” Mr. Bannon added, “The media here is the opposition party. They don’t understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States.” He is right. They certainly don’t understand the Trump phenomenon. Certainly his slogan, “Make America Great Again,” is a surreal anathema to them as much as it is inspiring and galvanizing to the people who voted him into the White House. Not too long ago the Pew Research Center revealed that as of 2013, Orthodox Jews make up 10% of all American Jews. That’s hardly a high number until you start to examine it more closely. With much larger families than any other kinds of Jew and a far greater retention rate within their community, Orthodox Jews – and in particular chareidi Jews – are set very soon to become the Jews of America. This is particularly true given the complete meltdown of the Conservative movement and the increasing irrelevance of Reform and other Heterodox movements. Another interesting Pew fact

is that chareidi Jews tend to overwhelmingly support the Republican Party. I have no figures or research to show how many voted for Trump because they were particularly enamored with the man or his policies. From many conversations in the Orthodox world it seems that those who voted for Trump did so more out of a rejection of the Democrat’s Hillary Clinton and her clearly documented ineptitude and industrial scale mendacity and a repulsion at what they see as Obama’s anti-Jewish bias. I should mention that I would have written that sentence as Obama’s “alleged” anti-Jewish bias before his refusal to veto UN resolution 2334 and his attempt to sneak 221$ million to the Palestinians. Nevertheless, I find myself wondering how many chareidi Jews find that “Make America Great Again” is a slogan that resonates with them. That question assumes that for chareidi or other Orthodox Jews the premise of a time when America was “great,” and particularly so for Jews, holds true. Even raising such a question might strike many as odd. There can surely be fewer groups for which the words penned by a Jewish woman, Emma Lazarus, that appear on the Statue of Liberty, ”Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free...” struck a chord than her coreligionists. How many hundreds of thousands of Jewish lives were saved

from pogrom and Holocaust by sailing past that green statue with her welcoming words? How many Jews discovered that despite the myth that the streets here were “paved with gold” they could turn the myth into a reality and secure enormous wealth? By the mid-sixties the Jewish population of America was around six million. The Jews who arrived to the near slave-labor conditions in the sweatshops of the Lower East Side were now enjoying their old age elsewhere, often in very nice homes. Their grandchildren had found that they fit into America – and it was a perfect fit. The intermarriage rate underscored the transition from persecuted minority to equal and successful citizens. It was then around 50%. American Jews were happily waving goodbye to being Jewish and some became more than a little embarrassed about who they were. A noun in Hebrew is called a “shem davar,” the name of a thing. They now referred to themselves as Jewish-Americans, not American-Jews. Their shem davar was “American” with the mere descriptive adjective being “Jewish.” Some even denied the adjective. Jokes like this one from that time illustrated the point. A meshulach rings the bell of a wealthy person’s house in a New York suburb. “Sholom aleichem, Mr. Goldstein. I’m collecting for a yeshiva in Israel. I’m wondering if a nice Jewish person like yourself wouldn’t

want to make a little contribution.” “The name is Gold, not Goldstein, and I am not Jewish.” “Are you sure?” asks the meshulach. “I’m positive.” “But,” says the meshulach, “it says here that you’re Jewish and my records are never wrong.” “I can assure you that I am certainly not Jewish,” replies Mr. Gold impatiently. “Look sir, I know that my records are never wrong. You must be joking. Are you sure you aren’t Jewish?” “For the last time, I am not Jewish, my father is not Jewish, and my grandfather, alav hashalom, wasn’t Jewish either!” Today the intermarriage rate has reached 60%, according to Pew, but others claim that that is a very low figure and the real one is much, much higher. You don’t have to be a mathematical genius to work out that with a 50%-plus intermarriage rate over fifty-two years, the number of Jews in America should have been cut in half (I know many of those marrying out were women and their children are therefore Jews, but only a tiny minority of those bring their children up as Jews.) Yet today, bafflingly, there are five and half million Jews in the United State – a drop of only half a million from the mid-sixties! That contradiction and puzzle is

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

easily solved. The U.S. imported one million new Jewish immigrants after the collapse of the USSR and one million Israelis. The real figure is as we would expect. In fifty years the six million Jews from the sixties became three million. We lost half our number! So to repeat my question once more, I wonder how many chareidi Jews find that “Make America Great Again” is a slogan that resonates with them. What could be great for Orthodox Jews about such a disaster for klal Yisroel? Perhaps that appalling statistic should make us reflect that those old Jews who would not allow their children to come here, branding America “a treifener medina!” may have more of a point than people gave them credit for. Reb Yaakov Kamenetzky zt”l ponders the fact that the bitterness of the Egyptian exile only began after the founders of the tribes, Reuven, Shimon, Levi, Yehudah, etc. passed

s a e nv ! e Canow r F 30 k x o 20 Bo

away and not before. He explains, “The reaction to the bitterness of exile depends on the attitude of those exiled. As long as the Jews felt themselves to be in exile because they did not live in their own land, or felt themselves in galus be-

that they fit into Mitzrayim – and it was a perfect fit. Reb Yaakov continues, “When Jews felt that, Hashem had to make the exile much harder to bear so that they would remember who they were and where they came from.”

The Jews of Mitzrayim had come to see themselves as Jewish-Egyptians, not Egyptian-Jews.

cause they had to live in a corrupting environment, they fulfilled Hashem’s requirement for them to be in exile. “When the last of that first generation died, their attachment to the land of Canaan withered and they felt that their ‘place’ was in Egypt.” The children and grandchildren of the founders of the tribes found

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The Jews of Mitzrayim had come to see themselves as Jewish-Egyptians, not Egyptian-Jews. Four-fifths refused to leave their “home” and their “culture” behind even when the doors of the exile were thrown open, and millions chose to stay and live and die as Egyptians. The recent few years have given

us a taste of how much less than a golden life for Jews the United States could be. Now there appears to be a respite. How long it will last history will tell. But what one of America’s greatest rabbonim says is that when we look upon any galus as “golden” and “great” we are likely to be reminded by the One who put us here that exile, any exile, is not where we belong. Jews in this bitterest of exiles dare not view any part of it as great – only less bad. Great Britain was not great for Jews, nor was France, or even America. It’s never great being in galus anywhere. Our hopes and ambitions should not be on making any part of any exile great. Our focus has to be on making only one thing great again: klal Yisroel and ending galus forever.

Rabbi Y Y Rubinstein is a writer and author who speaks all over the world. He lives in Inwood.

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

‎My Israel Home

Mitzpe Ramon Not Just a Resort Town By Gedaliah Borvick

hen I mention the name Mitzpe Ramon to most people, the first thought that comes to mind is either the Ramon Crater or the luxurious Beresheet hotel and spa. Undoubtedly, these attractions deserve all their accolades. Clients who have visited the Beresheet spa, an ultramodern pampering five-star resort hotel perched on the lip of the Ramon Crater, cannot stop gushing about their memorable experiences. I have been told that a few days spent relaxing in Beresheet is the perfect antidote to all of life’s stresses. The other extraordinary attraction in this southern Negev town is the Ramon Crater, known to Israelis as the Machtesh. The Machtesh – a valley surrounded by steep walls that is over twenty-five miles long, five miles wide and 1,500 feet deep – is a geologist’s paradise and an incredible playground for outdoor enthusiasts who love four-wheeling, mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, rappelling, and camel-riding.

The visitors’ center in Mitzpe Ramon boasts spectacular panoramic views of the crater and houses a memorial and museum for Ilan Ramon, the Israeli astronaut who tragically died in 2003 when the space shuttle Columbia was destroyed. It is a most fitting setting for this museum, as the astronaut changed his last name to Ramon when he joined the air force, based on his love for this beautiful region. In addition to these wonderful tourist attractions, Mitzpe Ramon is gaining a reputation as an affordable neighborhood which offers its residents a wonderful quality of life. Mitzpe Ramon was established in 1951 as a camp for the workers building the road to Eilat. In the 1960s, Mitzpe Ramon welcomed its first permanent residents, comprised primarily of immigrants from North Africa and Romania. Mitzpe Ramon has grown to over 7,000 residents, boasts excellent schools, and enjoys a colorful demographic palette, comprised of original immigrant residents; soldiers associated with the nearby

army base; hesder yeshiva faculty, students and their families (a hesder yeshiva combines Talmudic study with military service); and a growing population of artists attracted by the town’s lower living prices as well as the open vistas of the Ramon Crater, which provide stunning beauty, inspiration and endless artistic opportunities. Religious life in this small town is flourishing, with eight synagogues covering a wide range of religious observance, plus a thriving hesder yeshiva which serves as a beacon of Torah for the town and the greater southern Negev region. Over the past few years, the tech crowd has been attracted to Mitzpe Ramon, lured by the recent establishment of a media center campus by McAnn Erickson, one of the world’s premier advertising and digital marketing firms. Similarly, numerous academics, hi-techies, lawyers and other professionals live in Mitzpe Ramon and commute an hour to Beersheva, the unofficial capital of the Negev. At its core, though, tourism

remains the economic engine of Mitzpe Ramon, with seven existing hotels and more being planned. Consequently, there is always strong demand for English-speaking residents interested in careers in the hospitality industry. And on the topic of English speakers, the town’s small but growing Anglo community has a reputation of being warm and welcoming, gladly helping new olim have a soft landing upon their arrival to Israel. We are excited to watch Mitzpe Ramon grow, as it has the right mix – a burgeoning economy, strong communal infrastructure, and inexpensive housing – to attract young families looking to raise their children in a safe, quiet and embracing community.

Gedaliah Borvick is the founder of My Israel Home (www.myisraelhome. com), a real estate agency focused on helping people from abroad buy and sell homes in Israel. To sign up for his monthly market updates, contact him at gborvick@gmail.com.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

An Activist President A Look into President Trump’s First Ten Days – and All His Executive Orders By Nachum Soroka

Donald

Trump is now president, and if one had any reason to doubt the veracity of his campaign promises – ranging from domestic economic activities to immigration policies to foreign military campaigns – Mr. Trump has spent the last two weeks demonstrating that he means as much business as his celebrity persona dictates. In just his first week of office, the president issued over fourteen executive orders, some mundane, some controversial, and some just blown out of proportion by the mainstream media. Ordering the Commerce Secretary to build oil pipelines from U.S. material surely elicited yawns from even the most avid C-Span watchers, but his suspension of all immigrants from certain Muslim countries has made JFK Airport the most popular destination for Democrat protesters this week. It is important to note that an ex-

ecutive order from the United States president is no more than a directive by the president to the members of the federal organizations under his authority. It is by no means a law, which is something under the dominion of Congress, nor can it be used to appropriate additional funds to a matter, which is also Congress’s domain. An executive order is a skillful way for a president to direct agencies towards certain objectives which are already within the parameters of the law. As such, Trump’s suspension of certain refugees is merely a directive to the Department of Homeland Security regarding who to allow into the country and who to turn away. By creating an order to build a wall on the border with Mexico, the president is establishing the wall as a federal priority for the DHS and allowing it to use its already available funds towards the wall’s construction.

It is precisely the delicate nature of executive orders that make them so controversial. As the president is unable to rewrite U.S. law, the simplest avenue of opposition to it is to claim an executive order is a thinly disguised attempt to change the law. It is for this reason – along with the fact that use of an executive order conveys that a president cannot get things done together with Congress – that many presidents are reluctant to use executive orders too often. But that is not to say that President Trump is anomalously pen-happy in his first two weeks of office. Barack Obama signed over 2,000 various presidential memorandums over his eight years in office, including some 278 executive orders, the most famous of which being the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — or DACA — and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents — or DAPA — which protect children of illegal

immigrants and parents of legal children from deportation. Like many new presidents in office, Obama also utilized his power of issuing executive orders in his first week of power to repeal some of his predecessor, George W. Bush’s, policies, such as the use of waterboarding. On Obama’s third day in office, he used a memo to revoke a Bush-era rule called “The Mexico City Policy” that barred federal funding for international groups that provide abortions. The rule was actually created by President Ronald Reagan, and it was volleyed in and out of use based on the political party of the current president. Indeed, one of the executive orders issued by President Trump in his first week of office was to reinstate the rule. In comparing Mr. Trump to Mr. Obama, in Obama’s first seven days in office, he issued 12 executive orders; Trump had issued 14. President George W. Bush did not sign any Continued on page 82

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

A Twitter tiff over who will pay for the wall separating the U.S. and Mexico cancelled a meeting between Trump and his Mexican counterpart

JFK Airport was clogged with protesters over the weekend

executive orders in his first week as president. The use of executive orders is not only a means for a president to mark his territory in his first few weeks in office. Some of the greatest changes to the social landscape of the United States were only able to be brought about because the sitting president at the time had the power of the Order at his fingertips. The Emancipation Proclamation was actually an executive order issued by President Lincoln, and President Eisenhower was able to send in U.S. troops to integrate the Little Rock, Arkansas, school system through an executive order. The internment of Japanese individuals in camps during World War II was also done through President Roosevelt’s use of executive order.

of the first detentions of banned foreigners at U.S. airports, sympathetic federal judges issued stays on the confinements. Such judicial injunctions, however, are limited to individual cases: a 1952 immigration law specifically gives the chief executive the power to bar “any class” of immigrants from the country if allowing

far, the orders issued by Trump which have received the most public attention relate to immigration, including illegal immigration from Mexico and the acceptance of refugees from the Middle East. Trump’s action with regards to the Mexican border calls for the hiring of an additional 5,000 Border Policemen and the empowerment of state and local police forces to act as immigration officers. It also calls for the construction of detention centers along the Mexican border which will house and adjudicate those caught trying to enter the U.S. illegally. Most importantly, it orders the planning of Trump’s “great wall” along the border which will serve to keep aliens from crossing into the U.S. The creation of the wall was the cornerstone of Trump’s presidential campaign, and it did not take him more than a few days to demonstrate how serious he was about it all along. The January 27 th order to reeval-

uate the country’s visa and refugee programs has become fodder for protesters around the world. The order, which cuts the number of refugees to be allowed into the U.S. in 2017 to 50,000 from 110,000 and suspends the refugee admissions program of the U.S. for 120 days, also denies all entry for members of the

A 1952 immigration law specifically gives the chief executive the power to bar “any class” of immigrants from the country if allowing them is deemed “detrimental to the interests of the United States.” majority-Muslim countries of Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Syria for 90 days. The move was meant to allow federal government time to create a proper framework to vet incoming foreigners to the United States and make sure they do not have ties to ISIS. It’s important to note that the seven countries included in Trump’s order had been deemed “countries of concern” for terrorism by the Obama administration. In December 2015 Obama signed into law a measure placing some restrictions on certain travelers from Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria. A few months later, Libya, Somalia and Yemen were added to the list. Trump’s order is way broader than Obama’s – banning all citizens from those seven nations from entering the country for three months. The immigration suspension highlights the weaknesses of a presidential executive order. Within hours

them is deemed “detrimental to the interests of the United States.”

Trump

also signed a series of executive orders which aim to undo some of the Obama administration’s actions. His first act as president of the United States was to sign an order which provided “relief” from Obamacare by allowing government officials to waive or delay the implementation of any Obamacare provisions that would impose a financial burden on any state or a regulatory burden on any individuals. In effect, the president is allowing full discretionary waivers for all Obamacare requirements, and it’s a sign of more permanent things to come in the health insurance arena. On January 23, three days after he was sworn into office, President Trump went ahead with his campaign promise to withdraw the

United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP. The TPP was negotiated by President Obama with 11 other Pacific nations and had not yet gone into effect, but by formally withdrawing from the deal, Trump made good on his campaign promise to scrap it. TPP was symbolic of the massive trend of globalization which Trump considers a threat to U.S. interests, and now it is up to him to renegotiate trade alliances which are more beneficial for the country. On January 24, the president ordered the review and expedited approval of two controversial oil pipelines, the Dakota Access and Keystone XL Pipelines, which were both opposed to by President Obama and environmental activists. He then instructed the Commerce Department to create a plan so that all pipelines created, repaired or expanded in the United States use materials and equipment produced in the U.S. “to the maximum extent possible.” Another group of Trump orders is related to his populist, “efficient government” and pro-small business platform. These include an order signed on his first day in office which effectively froze all pending regulations until they are approved by appointees of his administration. On January 29, the president issued another order which mandated that any executive department in the government which proposes a regulation must identify two other inplace regulations to be retired as well. A maximum total cost of regulations is to be implemented as well. These actions may be tied together with a January 24th order which attempts to expedite environmental reviews on infrastructure projects in the U.S. On January 23, the president froze all federal hiring, another move which is representative of his

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Thousands around the world protested Trump’s immigration ban, including those in Washington Square Park

small government agenda.

Trump’s

usage of executive action, while supported by history, may have created adverse diplomatic effects. The swift order to build the wall and the subsequent assertion that Mexico would foot the bill through an egregious import tariff forced Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto into an uncomfortable Twitter confrontation and forced the two leaders to cancel an upcoming meeting and all but suspend niceties with each other. The two countries

The Keystone Pipeline will soon be completed because of one of Trump’s first executive orders

share a $531 billion trade relationship, and while Trump asserts that the affiliation is detrimental to the U.S., it is unclear who the winner would be if the countries were to enter into a cold period with each other. Trump’s hurriedly signed immigration ban was quickly attacked by Trump critics as a “Muslim Ban,” an idea Trump did float back in the Republican primary days. U.S. adversaries, such as Iran, called the order an “insult” and a “gift to extremists” and vowed to take reciprocal measures in order to “safeguard the rights of its citizens.” The hast-

Trump did away with Obama’s hard-fought TPP plan

ily composed order also bred mass confusion amongst the many government agencies in charge of monitoring U.S. borders. The timing of the executive order and the lack of advance warning had homeland security officials “flying by the seat of their pants” to try to put policies in place, one official told The New York Times. Presidents are aware that using executive action is not the ideal means to accomplishing permanent change. President Obama was forceful in his refusal to act on immigration by means of executive order say-

ing, “I am president, I am not king. I can’t do these things just by myself,” and “I believe such an indiscriminate approach would be both unwise and unfair”— until he used an executive order to grant amnesty to certain illegal immigrants in 2014. As he moves beyond the unsettling first month of office, President Trump needs to prove that he is indeed a leader who can create lasting programs along with Congress and forge strong international alliances. He did away with the old rules; now it is time for him to rewrite them.

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Dating Dialogue

What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

I’m 19-years-old and have to start dating. Though some of my friends have already been dating for about six months, I put it off because I’m basically terrified of dating. My parents have patiently waited during this time to make me happy, but now they are starting to pressure me to get started.

I am very shy by nature. I’ve always had a hard time making conversation or carrying a conversation further. I guess I overthink what is worthy of saying and what isn’t. I’ve had two best friends for as far back as I can remember. One is quiet like me and we can sit together during a Shabbos afternoon, both looking though magazines or something, speak very little and be very happy together. The other friend talks nonstop and I don’t even think she realizes that she’s doing all the talking. But she’s nice and interesting and I enjoy listening to her. So both relationships work. When I think about going out on a date, I’m terrified of just sitting there like a dud and having nothing to say. And if the guy asks me questions, my answer will probably be too brief and boring. I’ve discussed my fears a little bit with my mother and she suggested that I could prepare scripts of questions to ask. So I tried doing this when I spent time with my quiet friend and I just couldn’t pull it off. It felt so weird and unnatural. So how does someone get through this whole “shidduch process,” which I hear from “normal” girls is so challenging, when making basic conversation with a friend sometimes feels impossible?

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 | OCTOBER 29, 2015

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

The Panel The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

irst things first. You do not have to start dating. You are only nineteen. You have time. More importantly, you are terrified. Social relationships are a struggle for you, even with your peers. So why should you subject yourself to major stress and go into the shidduch process if you don’t have the communication skills? Furthermore, by forcing yourself to date, even with some preparation as suggested by your mother, you are setting yourself up for serious risk. It is unlikely that a relationship can develop if you are under so much strain and with so little confidence in your abilities to talk and share. Skip the dating for now and focus your energies on acquiring social skills. Get professional help. Invest serious time and effort with a specialist who can help you develop communication skills. Do the homework and practice the tips and tools you are given. Do the exercises and role play – practice and record yourself as per the professional’s advice. Give yourself at least a year or two to move out of your shell and into a comfort zone. Use this time to get involved in new organizations and associations that interest you. They don’t necessarily have to be chessed projects or volunteer situations. Follow your interests and go out and meet people who have similar hobbies and sports interests. Learn a craft. Join a class that is not a lecture. You will get to know people beyond your present circle who won’t type cast you as “the quiet one” like your present friends, neighbors and acquaintances might. Give yourself the gift of new environments in which to practice your growing skills. When you are ready, you will know. Grow into yourself and then give others the gift of dating a confident young woman who can speak

for herself and share. The shidduch process may still be a challenge but it won’t be a matter of getting through it. You will be recognized as the real you which has emerged from your reticent self. You will only be able to develop a deep relationship, which can lead to marriage if you develop social skills, learn to feel safe in communication and open up in your own way.

The Mother Sarah Schwartz Schreiber, P.A.

ne moment, maybe I’m missing something. Where in the Manual of Shidduch Dating is the rule on “What Age to Start Dating”? Dating readiness is not dictated by your birthday or the number of friends in your class who are currently in the parsha. I am sorry that you are getting heat from your parents to start dating; it seems apparent from your question that you suffer from social anxiety – in plain English, shyness. And, as you say, you have had this problem “as far back as I can remember.” It’s a shame you did not get help for your anxiety as a young teenager. Social anxiety will not magically disappear nor will you outgrow this condition unless you get professional help. Fortunately, there are scores of competent Orthodox therapists who offer effective, short-term practical methods for dealing with social anxiety. I advise you to contact any of a number of referral agencies, notably RELIEF, a non-profit organization that researches and vets competent mental health professionals. Once in therapy and ultimately relieved of anxiety, you will find the world an exciting, less intimidating place. You will be free of the burden that prevents you from being truly fulfilled in all aspects of your life – socially, educationally and professionally. In time, you will acquire the tools to enter the parsha with confidence so

that you can make reasonable, emotionally healthy decisions.

The Dating Mentor Rochel Chafetz Educator/Mentor

ou say you are 19-years-old and “you have to start dating”… who says? First you have to rid yourself of that pressure. So you’re 19, so some of your friends have started dating already. Is that the official rule based on those two factors? Well, if they are, then I am quite worried for you. Before you start dating, there are things you need to do. Every yom tov and Shabbos and even many mitzvot require preparation. Dating and marriage also require some prep, and some young adults may need more preparation than others. We will get back to that in a moment. But first, I want to comment on your remarks about you being shy. You make it sound like it is a negative attribute. One of the characteristics of klal Yisroel is that we are bayshanim. That is not a negative thing. On the contrary it is a very dignified, beautiful middah, especially if it is used in balanced dosages. You have another beautiful middah. You mentioned that you think first before you speak to make sure it is worthy of saying. As a child of Hashem, everything you have to say is worthy. However, what it sounds like to me is that you are a thinking person and considerate of others and you measure your words. You are careful with how you respond… how you react. Wow – the Chofetz Chaim would be very proud of you! The two relationships you have sound like very meaningful relationships. You are lucky that you have two best friends. Some people don’t even have one: one girl you can just chill with and be yourself and it is perfectly fine. No competition, no fanfare, no tumult. Very special in-

Grow into yourself and then give others the gift of dating a confident young woman who can speak for herself and share.

deed. The other friend you admire even if she talks and talks, since you “enjoy listening to her.” That’s really wonderful – how many friends can really say that about one another? My dear, you don’t give yourself enough credit. You are a remarkable young lady with tremendous insight and clarity. I think you will behave perfectly fine on a date. Just be yourself. Now, in terms of preparing, if you want, you can start reading the papers on current events. You can become more informed on the news. Maybe you can take up a chessed cause which will boost your confidence a little and you will be able to share that part of yourself with someone else. It sounds to be as though you are A-OK! Believe in yourself, be yourself and remember you want someone to love you for who you are. You may not be Miss Party Girl but you sound like a great listener among other things, which I mentioned. Yes, the first few dates may be awkward, but so what? You’ll get the hang of it and if it takes a little bit longer – remember Hashem runs the world. Good luck to you.

The Single Tova Wein

irst of all, beginning to date at the age of 19 for “tachlis” purposes could be considered very young by

OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

many people. Despite the fact that it’s become common behavior, many 19-year-old young ladies are still figuring out who they are and what they want from life and, in particular, from a husband. If your heart tells you that you’re not ready to embark on this stage of life because you’re not there yet – separate and distinct from your issues around being shy – I suggest you explain to your parents respectfully that they need to back off in this regard and give you the opportunity to mature more and feel ready for such an important stage of life.

I think your concerns about being shy and awkward on a date is a separate issue from being ready to date for marriage. It sounds like you’ve spent your entire life dealing with feelings of not being outgoing enough. And yet, here you are, with two very wonderful and satisfying best friends. I think the lesson from this is that there is almost always a perfect fit for everyone. In other words, there is no doubt that men exist out there who are also on the quiet side and are looking to marry an equally quiet women because they don’t enjoy unnecessar y

Pulling It All Together The Navidaters

chatter and noise. Such a man could be perfect for you. There are also men out there who can’t seem to stop talking and basically are looking for a wife who will be an appreciative audience to all their chatter. Again, such a man could work very well for you. My point is that despite the fact that you feel you could be perceived as a “dud” on a date, there are certain men who won’t see you that way. On the contrary, they might see you as refreshing and exactly what they have been looking for. By being yourself on a date and not forcing yourself to be someone you think is the “perfect date,” you will reveal your true, lovely colors, and when the right guy comes along, you will be adored for who you are. I do, however, feel I should say that

Dating readiness is not dictated by your birthday or the number of friends in your class who are currently in the parsha.

if you are truly suffering from social anxiety in general that is something that you should get some help for. It’s hard to go through life always feeling anxious with most people and always second guessing your words and behavior. This is advice I would give anyone, whether or not they are single, dating or married. But try to determine whether in fact this applies to you or whether the thought of fitting into a certain mold while dating is what’s making you feel terrified.

Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

our parents and societal expectations are leaving you feeling pressured to begin the journey of a lifetime. But you aren’t feeling ready for this journey just yet. You’re shy and you’re terrified that your shyness is going to get in the way of having conversations with the guy you are dating, that you will be left tonguetied and have nothing to say. You wrote that when with you are with friends you question yourself, wondering if what you are saying is good enough or worthy enough. What you don’t yet know is that everything you think of saying is good and worthy. And that if you say something unremarkable or even something that totally flops, it doesn’t take away from your worthiness. When every part of you resonates with your worthiness that will be your internal alarm telling you now I am ready to date. In my opinion, you need to do two things. The first thing is to speak with your parents. My hope is they are reasonable and will act in your best interest when you tell them that

you are not ready to date. If you have a hard time speaking with them as well you can prepare bullet points or a script or even write them a letter if you feel you will be able to express yourself best that way. They need to understand that you are not ready … and you need to know it is perfectly OK to not feel ready. First and foremost, you need to give yourself permission to remove this pressure from your life for now. Many women give themselves more time. You would be far the first and far from the last. The second thing you need to do is find a competent therapist who will help you unpack, process and organize whatever it is that is going on. Start asking around for referrals. I think once you have a game plan in place and you know what you are dealing with this, you may start to feel better and more in control of the situation.

The panel gave you some wonderful insight and advice. In life, we have to try to set ourselves up for success. Take time now to set yourself up for a successful dating experience. You can try talking to yourself in front of the mirror with prepared scripts. Start with a simple, “Hi, I’m Shayna. Nice to meet you.” Notice what happens within your body as you say the words. Also, notice the thoughts you are having as you say the words. You may notice your cheeks becoming red or butterflies in your stomach. You may notice yourself thinking, “I feel so silly when I speak” or “No one is interested in what I have to say.” In therapy, you may log these thoughts, exploring them and ultimately challenging them. You will also gain the tools needed to work through your uncomfortable thoughts and feelings and hopefully leave therapy with a sense of mastery and readiness to successfully date and find a wonderful guy. You strike me as someone with a high level of self-awareness and a keen sensitivity to others. You also

express yourself beautifully with the written word. I have high (and realistic) hopes that with the right assessment and intervention you will feel more comfortable and confident as you enter the world of dating. On a final note, you would not believe how many people learn to manage their shyness and become more comfortable in their own skin. And you have every reason to believe that you will be one of those people! 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.

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Dr. Deb

The Real Reason Marriages Get Rocky By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

Part III

’ve been talking about rocky marriages and the role that therapy plays in them for two weeks now. Today is the third week running. In the first of a three-part series, I explained that Myth #1 is that people may have a “dysfunction” that gets in the way of healthy marriages. I said that I see all coping skills as good, healthy attempts at survival and if the child did not take her own life then the coping skill worked. (Unfortunately, that is how bad the situation can be in families today.) People raised in families in which fairness, justice, sensitivity, kindness, and responsibility are not only taught but practiced will learn wonderful skills that will most likely work for them as adults. People raised in families where these characteristics do not exist will develop ways to mentally, spiritually, and physically survive. These ways may or may not work well in their new families as adults. I went into the sort of therapy that would be of help to those people: it would be based on getting a new perspective on the nature of their relationships as well as learning new skills. It would surely include understanding their emo-

tional responses and how these may be great clues for them as to where their reactions came from. Last week, we looked at Myth #2 which was that couples counseling would not work for couples in which there was emotional abuse. I explained why the opposite is true: when there is any kind of abuse, it is best if the counselor can help validate the recipient of the abuse and facilitate a growing understanding on the part of the perpetrator as to what was wrong. Obviously, accomplishing this requires skill since no one wants to see herself or himself as abusive. The term itself creates defensiveness. If either person in the couple becomes defensive in the first few minutes of the session or acts in any way that is not conducive to learning and healing, the couple can be split up in future sessions. Eventually, of course, when each person has gained the inner self-love to handle uncomfortable situations, the couple can work together again. I made a list of benefits of conjoint counseling under this circumstance and you can write me for that list if you missed last week’s issue. (Incidentally, the issue raised above is parallel to the dawn of the child abuse movement in this country. Originally, authorities pretended it did not exist, circa 1950. Then

when they finally agreed it was real and widespread, children were removed from their home, circa 1980. But following that was a strong push to heal families by teaching them parenting skills and attitudes rather than disrupt those families.) Today, we will look at the third myth.

MYTH #3: PEOPLE DON’T CHANGE People have drawn the erroneous conclusion that people don’t change by looking at their attempts to change others. Well, that is probably the one case where people won’t change! I sure wouldn’t want someone pressuring me to be someone I’m not! The reality is, though, that people do change. Sometimes they change by making an effort and sometimes they change because they heard someone say something that deeply affected them. I recall, as my children grew up, resting comfortably on the notion that I, as a woman, wasn’t obligated to daven, and therefore I didn’t have to. Then there was a Shavuos bake sale from the children’s school and I went. It began with some speakers and amongst them was a teacher from the preschool who read a poem about davening. It was so beautiful that I was moved by it to the degree

that I started davening the very next morning and never stopped saying Shacharis since. Just from hearing a poem. Imagine! In therapy, there are times when someone tells me that something I said the preceding week impressed them acutely and it wasn’t even something I considered to be important; but they thought it was. Think about it this way: That is precisely why we have literature, poetry, art, and music. They are meant to impact us in some way. The impact could be only momentary, affecting mood at the time, but it often stays with us and leaves an enduring impression. That, of course, is the purpose of Torah learning. We’re meant to be affected by what we learn. We are literally meant to be changed by it. Otherwise, what purpose would there be to it? So if that is the case, then how did this odd idea spring up that people don’t change? Well, Vivian had been telling Tobias for years that he was acting controlling and obnoxious but that did not change him at all. There is her proof! But it isn’t proof at all. Each of us sees the world through our own lenses. Tobi has no frame of reference for Vivian’s accusation. Continued on page 96

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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pathy and connection to a person’s struggles, I think, is the only way to help someone see that maybe there is room for change after all. In other words, the paradox is that you get

He has no idea what she is talking about and even if she were to give him specific examples, it is really hurtful to hear that when you have been working so hard and trying so hard to take care of your family and the only thanks you get is to be told that you’re controlling. That’s kind of painful. It’s not that he can’t change. It’s that he’s not even listening! This is not something he wants to hear. I used to say that the way you get guys like this to listen is to clunk a 2 X 4 over their heads, but that is actually pretty far from how I work. It’s a way I help all the Vivians who come to me with the same complaint get a little comic relief from their frustration. They’re entitled to be frustrated but the reason they cannot succeed in their demand for change is….well, because it is a demand for change. The way I help the Tobis of this world to make those changes has to begin with demonstrating that I understand their story. Deep em-

Deep empathy and connection to a person’s struggles, I think, is the only way to help someone see that maybe there is room for change after all.

the movement towards change when you first accept a person for who he or she is. And believe it. There has to be a basic respect for the difficulties that life presents and the efforts a person makes to overcome them. If the person sitting in front of me believes that I get that

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titude changes that I teach people in therapy and crammed them into a four-month package: I wanted to see if it is possible to speed up that change process by changing the delivery format. So, instead of a place to come and be heard, which therapy is (and that is a wonderful aspect of therapy), it is a place to listen, take in what is applicable, and direct oneself in that growth process. Yes, change is not only possible but expected of us on Earth. And I also believe that it is possible to change rapidly under the right conditions. Check out my video at http://

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and I feel that, then I have had no problem whatsoever in facilitating change. Obviously, change is not a one, two, three job. Just as it will proba-

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bly take me years to get my Hebrew up to par now that I acquired Rosetta Stone (don’t laugh), learning anything – whether a skill or a new attitude – takes getting used to. That is why therapy generally takes so doggone long. And that is why I created a course in which I took all the skills and at-

Dr. Deb Hirschhorn is a Marriage and Family Therapist. She can be reached at 646-54-DRDEB or by writing drdeb@ drdeb.com.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home

Health & F tness

Breakfast Make the Right Choice By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN

e all know the importance of eating breakfast. A solid, filling breakfast could make or break your day. What should a “healthy” breakfast include? To the average American, breakfast implies cereal and milk. However, is cereal and milk truly the well-balanced breakfast we should be eating? Breakfast cereals were originally created as a health food to help digestion. Even though breakfast cereal is a convenient food for many busy people, not all cereals make the ideal breakfast. At the start, the industry’s nutritionists were strictly anti-sugar. However, once the manufacturers opted for profit over health in the late 1940s, the realities of competition soon won out. By the 1960s, children’s breakfasts had been transformed into lower-fat versions of dessert. Cereals are made by processing grains into fine flour. The flour is then cooked and mixed with ingredients like sugar, water, and chocolate. The cereal is then dried and made into shapes, such as puffs, balls, stars, and squares. The real problem with breakfast cereal is that is most cereals are loaded with sugar. “When you exclude obviously sugar-heavy foods like candy, cookies, ice cream, soft and fruit drinks, breakfast cereals are the single greatest source of added sugars in the diets of children under the age of eight,” said nutritionist Dawn

Undurraga, who coauthored a recent report, Children’s Cereals: Sugar by the Pound. “Cereals that pack in as much sugar as junk food should not be considered part of a healthy breakfast or diet. Kids already eat two to three times the amount of sugar experts recommend.” According to Jennifer L. Harris, lead researcher at Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, children get a teaspoon of sugar with every 3 teaspoons of the typical cereal marketed to them. Many adult cereals contain just as much sugar per cup, giving you up to 100 extra calories in your breakfast. Added sugar may very well be the single worst ingredient in the modern diet. Many argue that sugar in moderation is harmless, however, that is generally not the case. Sugar is often the underlying cause of many diseases, particularly a condition known as insulin resistance. Sugar also plays a pivotal role in causing obesity and diabetes, thus increasing the risk of developing other major chronic illnesses, such as heart disease. Some believe that sugar itself is unrelated to these diseases and that overeating in general is the culprit. However, research since the 1960s is consistent with the fact the sugar’s distinctive chemistry plays a major role in a cluster of abnormalities known as metabolic syndrome. The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention estimates that 75 million Americans now suffer from metabolic syndrome. Without sugar in our diets, diabetes might be a rare disease – as it appears to once have been. Aside from the sugar issue, breakfast cereals often have misleading health claims, and are heavily marketed as being healthy. Misleading health claims include “low fat” and “whole grain.” These products are not healthy just because they have small amounts of whole grains in them. These cereals are often highly processed foods that are loaded with added sugars. The small amounts of whole grains do not counteract the harmful effects of the other ingredients in the cereal. Even more so, many cereals are loaded with sodium. The high sugar content often masks the high sodium taste, however, the adverse effects of sodium still remain. What is considered a “healthy” breakfast cereal? When it comes to choosing cereals, don’t make any assumptions. Read the nutrition facts label carefully. While many assume cereals like Honey Nut Cheerios and Raisin Bran are “healthy,” they actually contain the same amount of sugar as Fruity Pebbles! Look for cereals that have less than 5 grams of sugar per serving. Choose cereals that have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. Fiber is important for a number of

reasons. More importantly, pay attention to serving size. Cereals can be high in calories and if eaten in large amounts can add up to a high calorie meal. Furthermore, use skim or low fat milk instead of whole milk to cut back on the calories. If you are unable to differentiate between “healthy” and “misleading” cereals, stick to the safer option and skip the cereal completely. Good breakfast ideas are eggs, berries, fruit smoothies, yogurt with fruit, yogurt with nuts, toast with peanut butter, fruit and cottage cheese, oatmeal with fruit, high fiber pancakes with berries… the list can go on and on. Use your imagination to create a nutritious breakfast that works for you.

Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. Her Dietetic Internship was completed under Brooklyn College primarily in Ditmas Park Care Center and Boro Park Center where she developed clinical and education skills to treat patients with comprehensive nutrition care. She is currently a dietitian at Boro Park Center and a private nutrition consultant. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@gmail.com.

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Health & F tness

If Mama Ain’t Happy, Then No One is Happy The Pediatrician and Postpartum Depression Screenings By Hylton I. Lightman, MD, DCH, FAAP

“D

r. Lightman: I’ve brought in my baby for his 2-month well visit and you’re asking me to complete a survey about me. Why am I on the radar screen for today’s visit?” Mothers, we care about you. We love you. You are the mainstay of our lives and homes. And we know that what you do requires physical, mental and emotional energies at the highest levels. We want to make sure that you are in the best shape to do your important work. Allow me to explain. In addition to taking care of your baby’s well visits (of which there are several) during the first year of life, we pediatricians are now responsible for making sure that mothers are also healthy. That’s why it’s now mandated that mothers are screened for postpartum depression during the baby’s first 12 months of life. What’s galvanized my colleagues and me to action is that postpartum

depression is more common than once previously believed. In fact, it’s one of the most common medical complications of childbearing. Some professionals believe that depression, which affects one in seven

perinatal period for depression and anxiety symptoms. Hence, it’s important to identify moms who may be suffering from depression or may be at risk and to offer interventions.

We want to make sure that you are in the best shape to do your important work.

women, may begin during pregnancy. An independent study conducted by influential health policy decision makers states that treating depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period yields excellent results. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that clinicians screen patients at least once during the

How does the pediatrician become involved in postpartum depression and anxiety screenings? Classically, the obstetrician discharges a woman from her pregnancy six weeks after giving birth. The pediatrician, a warm, involved “partner,” especially during the baby’s first year of life, interacts with the mother (and other caregivers)

as she usually brings the baby to the office for well visits. It’s an optimal time to ask Mom complete the 10-question Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) which is a valuable and efficient way of identifying patients at risk for postpartum depression. The EPDS is easy to administer and has been proven to be an effective screening tool. The pediatrician can then refer Mom to the appropriate behavioral resources. As the saying goes, “If Mama ain’t happy, then no one is happy.” Let’s work together to make sure mothers are happy and healthy. To children and us all, mothers are the world.

Dr. Hylton Lightman is a pediatrician and Medical Director of Total Family Care of the 5 Towns and Rockaway PC. He can be reached at www.totalfamilycaremd.com, on Instagram at #lightmanpeds or visit him on Facebook.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

MESIVTA ATERES YAAKOV

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s e ip c e R y a d n u S l w o These Super B Will Make You

r e n n i W A

Abeles & Heymann and Koshermoms.com have gotten together to bring you some original winning recipes for Super Bowl Sunday and all year long. You can substitute regular Abeles & Heymann hot dogs with uncured, no nitrates/nitrites added, or their low fat and low sodium varieties.

PHOTO CREDIT: MORDY GILDEN

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Beer Battered Abeles & Heymann Mini Franks made with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Beer Battered Mini Franks with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

pot on the stove.) Lightly coat the mini franks in flour. Using a large skewer, dip the flour-coated franks into the beer batter, then drop into the fryer. Using the skewer, flip the franks around in the oil so they do not stick to the bottom of the fryer. Only fry a few franks at a time, and turn the franks in the oil occasionally to ensure they are cooked evenly. Repeat the process until the entire package is fried. Lay beer battered franks on paper towels to drain. Combine ingredients for honey mustard dipping sauce and serve on the side.

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce Ingredients D D

Ingredients D D D D D D D D

1 package of Abeles and Heymann’s mini franks 1 gallon canola oil for frying 1 cup all-purpose ﬂour, plus more for coating ½ cup corn starch 1 tsp kosher salt 3 tsp sugar 2 tsp baking powder 12 oz. your favorite beer

1 part honey 1 part dark brown sugar 2 parts your favorite spicy brown mustard

Simple, Quick, Delicious Candied Corn Beef Salad Ingredients D D

Package of A&H Corn Beef 2 cups honey

Directions Mix the ﬂour, cornstarch, salt, sugar, baking powder and beer in a bowl; whisk together till a smooth batter forms, making sure to get all the lumps out. Refrigerate batter for 30 minutes. Heat oil in the deep fryer to 350°F. (Alternatively if you do not have a deep fryer, you may use a heavy bottom, deep

Directions Slice A&H corned beef into strips and then coat in honey. Heat in a hot pan until caramelized (this will happen fast, so be ready to ﬂip). Scrape up the bits and immediately serve over crisp romaine lettuce. Serve with your favorite creamy dressing.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Chipotle Frankfurter Wrapped in Guacamole This frank has a delicious flavor with a spicy finish; the creamy guacamole cools it off. I wrapped them in a whole wheat wrap to round off the meal and make it super exciting for the kids!

Ingredients D D D D D D

1 package of Abeles & Heymann Chipotle Franks 1 package whole wheat wraps 2 ripe Haas avocados Juice of half a lemon Sprinkling of garlic powder Salt and pepper to taste

Directions Cook the franks in a 425°F oven for 15 minutes.

Mash the avocados and combine with the lemon juice and spices. Warm up the wraps in a hot pan. Spread the guacamole on each wrap, place the frank in the wrap and roll it up.

KosherMoms is a new blog site dedicated to incredible family friendly food and lifestyle ideas (www.koshermoms.com). Follow them at www.facebook.com/koshermoms, and www.instagram. com/koshermoms All Abeles & Heymann products are gluten-free and certiﬁed glatt kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU), Kehillah Kashrus and Rabbi Yecheil Babad. For additional information about Abeles & Heymann, or to use their retailer locator, go to: www.abeles-heymann.com. Like them on FB: https://www.facebook.com/abeles.heymann/, and follow them on Instagram https://www.instagram. com/abelesheymann

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In The K

tchen

By Naomi Nachman

I love Tu B’Shvat as it represents the re-birth of nature as we head towards spring. It means winter (might) be winding down, and springtime is on its way! We focus

on eating fruits on Tu B’Shvat, especially the shivas ha’minim. The ingredients from the recipes below represent most of the minim – which is a great way to intertwine

the shivas ha’minim components into your meal. Here is a roundup of my most popular Tu B’Shvat recipes.

Date Muffins Ingredients Streusel topping 1 cup flour 1 cup sugar 1/8 cup desiccated coconut, optional ½ cup canola oil Muffins 2 cups whole dates, pitted ¾ cup boiling water 2 cups flour 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup canola oil ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation To make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the ﬂour, sugar and coconut. Using a fork, stir in oil until well combined and mixture begins to hold to-

gether but is crumbly. To make the muffins: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Place the dates in a shallow bowl (in a single layer if possible), pour the boiling water over them, and soak for 15 minutes. Transfer the dates and soaking liquid to a food processor and puree until almost smooth but a few pea-sized fruit pieces remain. Set aside to cool slightly. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together the oil and brown sugar. Mix in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until moistened. Add the date puree, and when thoroughly combined, mix in remainder of the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides and give a final stir with a spatula to make sure all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Top with the streusel and press down gently to adhere. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Chocolate Chili Pomegranate Clusters Ingredients 8 ounces pomegranate arils 4 ounces good quality chocolate ¼ teaspoon chili powder, optional

Preparation Melt chocolate in a heavy-bottomed small saucepan over low-to-medium heat, stirring

frequently, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from the burner. Add pomegranate seeds and stir in chili powder, if using. Use a spoon to scoop out small chocolate-covered clusters and place each mound on a wax paper-lined plate. Garnish with mint. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 15 minutes.

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Sheva Minim Salad Ingredients 1cup pomegranate seeds 1 cup Medrol dates, pitted and finely chopped about ¼ of a cup 2 cups cooked farro (a whole grain wheat) 1 cup green grapes, halved 3 cups arugula 1 tablespoon honey 1 lemon, freshly squeezed

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt, to taste Crushed black pepper, to taste

Preparation Combine all ingredients – except for the arugula – in a bowl. Marinate for a half-hour. Right before serving, add in the arugula and then toss again.

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

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RETURN OF

the Mad Hatters BY YAEL KLEIN

Before there were fascinators, there were embroidered women’s caps. How women – especially Jewish women – are bringing back styles of old into their millinery collections

f you’re a fashion-conscious woman today, you’ve probably noticed the surge in popularity of European-style women’s hats – turbans, fedoras, and the ever-so-popular fascinators. New York style icon Elizabeth Savetsky, also known as “Excessories Expert” in the fashion blogosphere, says the hat trend is gaining lots of momentum – both in high-end fashion and everyday life. “We’ve been seeing a lot of turban-inspired hats on the runway – for example, with Gucci, Alice and Olivia, and Dolce and Gabbana – as well as on the street…drawing on influences from old-world-Europe, glamourous-gypset vibes and modern embellishments such as whimsical patches, pom-poms and sequins.” And if you take a look at some antique hats from Europe in the 1800s, you’ll see what she means: recently, Kedem Auction House just debuted three handmade Jewish women’s caps from the 19th century for their February 2017 auction; they’re complete with sequins, ribbons, and floral patterns. In old-world Europe, says Savetsky, “nobody would have left their house without topping off

Elizabeth Savetsky, also known as “Excessories Expert,” shows off a velvet turban headband designed by Daniella Faye

their look with a hat – both men and women. It was just the concept of completing the look.” And it wasn’t just a Jewish thing. “It was the culture of Europe, in general,” she says.

The mitzvah of covering one’s hair is very important and special, and many women like finding new hair accessories and pretty hats to always look beautiful.” Jewish designers are capitalizing on this comeback of old-style hats to create their own vintage-inspired designs. In 27-year-old Israeli designer Daniella Farin’s

thriving boutique in Rechavia (called Daniella Faye Ein Sof), one of the most popular items are her handmade head-coverings and turban-style headbands. “A big part of a married Jewish woman’s day is figuring out how her outfit is going to match her hair covering. The mitzvah of covering one’s hair is very important and special, and many women like finding new hair accessories and pretty hats to always look beautiful.” In fact, Farin’s velvet turbans were chosen by marketing firm TAG (The Artisan Group) to be included in the highly prestigious Golden Globe swag bags, given to over 100 celebrities who attended the American awards ceremony this past January. The hat trend began in Europe years ago, so it makes sense that in England, fascinators are the norm at weddings, bar mitzvahs, horse races, and the like. Rosie Rubin of Rosie Olivia Millinery (whose handmade hats are available at boutiques like Selfridges and have adorned the heads of royals such as Princess Beatrice and celebrities like Pippa Middleton) says hats and fascinators are making a comeback in the modern century largely because the Royal family has been populariz-

This February, Kedem Auction House is bidding off three women’s caps from Europe [Germany or Poland, 19th century]. Silk brocade and cotton fabrics; gold and silver metal thread embroidery; metal discs and beads, decorated with vegetal patterns and a strip of fan-like decorations near the forehead. On the back of the cap, made of blue silk brocade with an embroidered floral pattern, is a decorative ribbon made of fabric.

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge poses with a cream-colored fascinator at Trooping the Color in June 2012 (Maximus0970, Wikipedia Commons)

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

ing them. “And everyone loves the Royal family – not just in England, but around the world. It’s not just quite a British thing anymore,” she laughs. “Hats are also like clothes, though, in that styles come back in fashion all the time,” says the designer. “For example, years ago women used to wear large-brimmed hats, and now it’s back to short-brimmed.” She’s referring to the fact that bonnets –along with attached veils – were de rigueur in the 1830s. According to the Vintage Fashion Guild, larger-brimmed bonnets in the mid-1850s gave way to smaller-brims, and ribbon

A handmade bespoke fascinator designed by Rosie Rubin of Rosie Olivia Millinery in London. (www.rosieoliviamillinery.com)

frills called “bavolettes” were introduced. A ribbon bavolet, attached to the back of the bonnet, would cover a lady’s neck – an exposed neck was improper in the mid-19th century. Eventually bonnets gave way to “wide-awakes,” then very ornamentally styled tall hats called “3-story” or “flowerpot” hats in the mid 1880’s, and then “crowns,” “cloches,” and fedoras. During World War II, where hat materials were one of the only items not rationed in Europe, trimmings like veils, fake flowers, and feathers were very popular. Also during this era, small “doll” hats (worn towards

Two women in their Edwardian hats

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the very front of the forehead), bonnets, turbans, and halo hats came back in style. “Nowadays, when you’re wearing a glamorous hat, it’s the first thing people see,” says Rosie, whose bespoke creations for clients who want high-end hats for occasions start at about 400 EU a piece. She instructs each client to bring a sample of the dress fabric they’ll be wearing with the hat in order to match textiles and colors. “Of course it’s possible to just wear a hat casually, but when you wear a hat fashionably it becomes another statement piece,” says Rosie.

Two women wearing hats, circa 1880

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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

The CEO of Starbucks has pledged to hire 10,000 refugees. So if you think they’re writing your name incorrectly on the cups now . . . – Conan O’Brien

When asked why, the CEO said Starbucks has always been the place for people with nowhere else to go. Yeah, just with your laptop. There are people that have been in there for nine years. Writing a single screenplay. – Ibid

I’m not going to let him [Charles Barkley] disrespect my legacy like that. I’m not the one who threw somebody through a window. I never spit on a kid. I never had unpaid debt in Las Vegas. I never said, “I’m not a role model.” I never showed up to AllStar Weekend on Sunday because I was in Vegas all weekend partying. All I’ve done for my entire career is represent the NBA the right way. Fourteen years, never got in trouble. Respected the game. Print that. - LeBron James to ESPN, responding to Charles Barkley’s comments that James was being “whiny” for publicly stating the Cavs need to bring in another playmaker

Is grand larceny or drunk driving a very minor offense? - CNN’s Jake Tapper to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio when questioning him about New York City’s policy of shielding undocumented immigrants who commit what are deemed to be lesser offenses, including drunk driving and grand larceny, from the feds

Here in New York thousands of people showed up at JFK Airport over the weekend to protest Trump’s immigration ban. People who were actually at the protests said, “This is awful.” While people at LaGuardia were like, “You think you got it bad. We’re at LaGuardia.” - Jimmy Fallon

This weekend the nation’s airports were filled with people protesting President Trump’s Muslim ban. It was the largest collection of angry people at an airport since every United Airlines flight. – Conan O’Brien

Drunk driving that does not lead to any other negative outcome I could define as that. - De Blasio’s response

MORE QUOTES

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President Trump signed executive orders to continue construction on the controversial Keystone and Dakota Access oil pipelines. I guess he hasn’t seen a massive protest since Saturday and kinda misses it. – Jimmy Fallon

If you breathe air, drink water, eat food, take medicine, or in any other way interact with the courts, this is a very bad decision. - House Minority Leader Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on CNN, moments after Trump announced the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court

Presidential Tweets Nancy Pelosi and Fake Tears Chuck Schumer held a rally at the steps of The Supreme Court and mic did not work (a mess) – just like Dem party! The joint statement of former presidential candidates John McCain & Lindsey Graham is wrong – they are sadly weak on immigration. The two Senators should focus their energies on ISIS, illegal immigration and border security instead of always looking to start World War III. Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible!

It is with a heavy heart and somber mind that we remember and honor the victims, survivors, heroes of the Holocaust. It is impossible to fully fathom the depravity and horror inﬂicted on innocent people by Nazi terror. Yet, we know that in the darkest hours of humanity, light shines the brightest. As we remember those who died, we are deeply grateful to those who risked their lives to save the innocent. In the name of the perished, I pledge to do everything in my power throughout my presidency, and my life, to ensure that the forces of evil never again defeat the powers of good. Together, we will make love and tolerance prevalent throughout the world. - Holocaust Remembrance Day statement by the White House

It does no honor to the millions of Jews murdered in the Holocaust to play politics with their memory. Any fair reading of the White House statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day will see it appropriately commemorates the suﬀering and the heroism that mark that dark chapter in modern history. There are enough real anti-Semitism and true threats facing the Jewish people today. Our community gains nothing if we reach a point where manufactured outrages reduce public sensitivity to the real dangers we confront. - Statement by World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder, in response to a statement by the Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt (a former Obama oﬃcial) criticizing President Donald Trump’s statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day because it did not specifically mention Jews

I noticed Chuck Schumer yesterday with fake tears. I’m going to ask him who is his acting coach. - President Trump, after Sen. Schumer “cried” during a press conference addressing Trump’s executive order temporarily stopping refugees from seven Muslim countries until a better vetting process is put into place

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The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for a while. I want you to quote this. The media here is the opposition party. They don’t understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States. - Trump senior advisor Steve Bannon in an interview with The New York Times

A group of inmates in California filmed a YouTube video from prison where they vowed to help El Chapo escape. El Chapo was excited to watch it, but then a 30-second ad popped up and he was like, “Ugh — forget it.”

President, I know you’re watching, so I’m looking forward to meeting with you. Call me. I want to talk to you. - Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings, on MSNBC’s Morning Joe (Trump was indeed watching, called him and a meeting was set up between them)

Tonight President Trump continued with his mysterious and puzzling claim that voter fraud cost him the popular vote in the election. He says 3 million to 5 million illegal voters chose Hillary over him. He knows if that’s true he still has to be president, right? - Jimmy Kimmel

I was raised Catholic, became Episcopalian, & found out later my family was Jewish. I stand ready to register as Muslim in #solidarity. – Tweet by former Secretary of State Madeline Albright in response to Trump’s executive order

- Jimmy Fallon

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First of all, I’m tired of one-percenters like Mark Zuckerberg and others lecturing us about who we are. I know who I am and most Americans know who they are. We are a sovereign nation. If you’re going to be a sovereign nation, you have to have borders and you have to protect those borders… I’m tired of all the crocodile tears about the kids — the poor kids coming. We’re not talking about that. We’re talking about able-bodied grown men, fighting age that should be back in Syria, back in the Middle East, fighting for their country, [who are] coming over to the United States to spread jihad. – Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke on Fox News talking about President Obama’s executive action temporarily curtailing immigration from certain countries

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Political Crossfire

Trump’s Foreign Policy Revolution By Charles Krauthammer

he flurry of bold executive orders and of highly provocative Cabinet nominations (such as a secretary of education who actually believes in school choice) has been encouraging to conservative skeptics of Donald Trump. But it shouldn’t erase the troubling memory of one major element of Trump’s inaugural address. The foreign policy section has received far less attention than so revolutionary a declaration deserved. It radically redefined the American national interest as understood since World War II. Trump outlined a world in which foreign relations are collapsed into a zero-sum game. They gain, we lose. As in: “For many decades, we’ve enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry; subsidized the armies of other countries” while depleting our own. And most provocatively this: “The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed all across the world.” JFK’s inaugural pledged to support any friend and oppose any foe to assure the success of liberty. Note that Trump makes no distinction between friend and foe (and no reference to liberty). They’re all out to use, exploit and surpass us. No more, declared Trump: “From this day forward, it’s going to be only America First.” Imagine how this resonates abroad. “America First” was the

name of the organization led by Charles Lindbergh that bitterly fought FDR before U.S. entry into World War II – right through the Battle of Britain – to keep America neutral between Churchill’s Britain and Hitler’s Reich. Not that Trump was consciously imitating Lindbergh. I doubt he was even aware of the reference. He just liked the phrase. But I can assure you that in London and in every world capital they are aware of the antecedent and the intimations of a

security needs to encompass the safety and prosperity of a vast array of allies. A free world marked by open trade and mutual defense was President Truman’s vision, shared by every president since. Until now. Some have argued that Trump is just dangling a bargaining chip to negotiate better terms of trade or alliance. Or that Trump’s views are so changeable and unstable – telling European newspapers two weeks ago that NATO is obsolete and then say-

Trump’s vision misunderstands the logic underlying the far larger, far-reaching view of Truman.

new American isolationism. Trump gave them good reason to think so, going on to note “the right of all nations to put their own interests first.” America included. Some claim that putting America first is a reassertion of American exceptionalism. On the contrary, it is the antithesis. It makes America no different from all the other countries that define themselves by a particularist blood-and-soil nationalism. What made America exceptional, unique in the world, was defining its own national interest beyond its narrow economic and

ing “NATO is very important to me” – that this is just another unmoored entry on a ledger of confusion. But both claims are demonstrably wrong. An inaugural address is no off-the-cuff riff. These words are the product of at least three weeks of deliberate crafting for an address that Trump said would express his philosophy. Moreover, to remove any ambiguity, Trump prefaced his “America first” proclamation with: “From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land.” Trump’s vision misunderstands the logic underlying the far larger,

far-reaching view of Truman. The Marshall Plan sure took wealth away from the American middle class and distributed it abroad. But for a reason. Altruism, in part. But mostly to stabilize Western Europe as a bulwark against an existential global enemy. We carried many free riders throughout the Cold War. The burden was heavy. But this was not a mindless act of charity; it was an exercise in enlightened self-interest. After all, it was indeed better to subsidize foreign armies – German, South Korean, Turkish and dozens of others – and have them stand with us, rather than stationing even more American troops everywhere around the world at greater risk of both blood and treasure. We are embarking upon insularity and smallness. Nor is this just theory. Trump’s long-promised but nonetheless abrupt withdrawal from the Trans-PacificPartnership is the momentous first fruit of his foreign policy doctrine. Last year the prime minister of Singapore told John McCain that if we pulled out of TPP “you’ll be finished in Asia.” He knows the region. For 70 years, we sustained an international system of open commerce and democratic alliances that has enabled America and the West to grow and thrive. Global leadership is what made America great. We abandon it at our peril. (c) 2017, The Washington Post Writers Group

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Political Crossfire

The Snowflakes that Cried Wolf By Nate Davis

e are less than two weeks into the Trump presidency and every time he sneezes the Snowflakes are out protesting. They certainly get an A for effort, but then again grades probably offend them and I don’t want them coming to my house to protest. I really wouldn’t put it past them; after all, they went to JFK Terminal 4, which is one of the most inconvenient places in the world to go. Half of them are probably still circling in their vegetable oil-fueled Priuses trying to find the arrivals area. They are protesting so much that stock in Sharpie and oak tags must be soaring. Come to think of it, maybe they just want a good excuse to color – “coloring book therapy” is very hip in that crowd. The truth is, you can’t really blame the Snowflakes for their shenanigans; look at who their leaders are. They have Barack Obama who is sitting in one of his five mansions really stressing it for the ninety-nine percent. And they turn to him for guidance. What does he tell them? Go protest. It’s twenty degrees outside and these good sheep laminate their oak tags and head out into the wind-driven ice cold rain to chant their nursery rhymes against Trump, while their beloved Obama plays another round of golf in Hawaii or Palm Springs. But it’s by design – Obama needs them whipped into a frenzy. Why? Because he doesn’t want them to actually stop and analyze Trump’s recent executive order from a poli-

cy perspective. If they did that they would realize that the seven countries from which visitors are temporarily restricted for 90 days until a comprehensive vetting process is implemented (yes, read that again, that is what they are calling “The Muslim Ban”) were designated as countries of concern by Obama himself, when he signed a bill in 2015 called The Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Prevention Act of 2015. (Sounds menacing, huh? Maybe Obama should have gone through a little more sensitivity training.)

quoted the phrase on the Statute of Liberty, “Give me your tired…” I have to say, from one member of the tribe to another: Schuma, if you are going to fake cry, at least do it while you are quoting Shakespeare or Rousseau. Don’t do it while quoting, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free...” That’s sort of third grade social studies play level. All it did was earn him the Trump moniker of “Fake Tears Schumer.” And if you don’t think these things stick, talk to Low Energy Jeb.

Another of their great leaders is Sen. Chuck Schumer who, while decrying “The Muslim Ban,” broke down crying as if he was just told by the counterman at the Second Avenue Deli that they were out of chopped liver. He burst into tears during his emergency fear-stoking Saturday night press conference when he

The dead giveaway that Schumer’s tears were fake was that he broke down crying while in front of a microphone – everyone knows that Schumer never met a mic that he didn’t like. It would be like me crying in front of a vat of chocolate; it’s just not gonna happen. When I’m in front of chocolate, I’m happy. Period. When F.T. Schumer is in front

of a mic he’s happy. Period. What he should have done was fake cried after the press conference was over while talking to the Muslim props that he had on stage during his show. He could really learn a thing or two about showbiz from his old friend from New York – The Donald. The media is also being no help to the Snowflakes, regardless of how hard they are trying. For example, last Saturday night as the oak tag-waving man bun-wearing crowd protested that America will start vetting individuals from seven countries which Obama flagged as being dangerous, I watched as the anchor on one of the networks asked a reporter, “Who exactly are these protesters?” As the reporter was giving his dissertation about how these protesters are “concerned activists” who are “dismayed by the injustice,” a bunch of yeshiva guys who were jumping around with their yarmulkes, white shirts, and having a good time came into the camera shot. They were me when I was single and bored on a Motzei Shabbos. I know that I may have been the only viewer to realize that comedic irony, but it just highlighted the media’s failures in my little world. I have no doubt that in their own way, millions of Americans are also seeing just how pathetic the media is. One such sad irony was the media’s inauguration day fixation on a handful of anti-Trump protestors who burned a limousine because Trump is a racist, xenophobic, blah, blah, blah. Turns out, the vehicle belonged to a Muslim

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

immigrant. The real problem with the media is that they are really no match for Trump. For example, the day after his inauguration there was a massive anti-Trump Women’s March in Washington, D.C., and around the globe. But rather than that being the main story of inauguration weekend, the main story was that Trump was delusional about the crowd size at his inauguration. As one smart commentator noted, Trump purposely

sent his press secretary to the podium on Saturday night to make the most ludicrous claim – that Trump drew a bigger crowd than Obama – because he wanted the news to be focused on that rather than on the thousands gathered at the Women’s March. And it worked like a charm – the media spent the next two days hyperventilating that Trump is delusional. Who did they convince? Nobody. All of those who already hated

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Trump were able to use this as example nine-thousand-and-seventy-two to prove he is nuts, and the rest of America said, “We really don’t care… Bring back jobs and secure our borders.” And who lost out? The Snowflakes who spent 12 hours schlepping their oak tags to Washington, D.C., and getting no media coverage whatsoever. These poor Snowflakes can’t catch a break. If you know one, give

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Good Hum r

Hebrew Huddle By Jon Kranz

or some Jews, the term “Super Bowl” might first conjure up images of an extra-large helping of matzah ball soup. Plenty of Jews, however, are football fans and will be watching the big game on Super Bowl Sunday. They will do so despite the fact that relatively few Jews play football professionally, collegiately or even recreationally, unless it’s twohand touch in the backyard. In other words, when N.F.L. football players huddle up, you typically do not see a lot of jerseys emblazoned with names like Goldstein, Blumenthal or Rabinowitz. So, the question is: how can we make the game of football more Jewish? I have a few ideas. Let’s start with the most basic component: the football. Traditionally, the football is made out of pigskin, which is not ideal, especially for kosher-keeping Jews. Can’t we make the footballs out of corned beef or pastrami and perhaps with spicy mustard laces? If we want more Jews to enjoy football, then we also must do something about the pre-snap huddle, which basically involves a group of players standing around in a circle. When you think about it, the football huddle actually is a “Hava Nagila” hora dance just waiting to happen. Can’t those in the huddle circle dance their way up to the line of scrimmage? When players on defense rush the quarterback right after the ball is snapped, that is called a “blitz.” To make it more Jewish, can’t we add just one letter and call it a “blintz”? That really is an easy fix but, if gridiron

purists insist on calling it a “blitz,” then I have a compromise. Can’t we have broadcasters refer to the different types of blitzes by using more Jew-friendly names like potato blitz, cheese blitz and blueberry blitz? Certainly sounds more palatable. In football, one of the key positions is offensive line. Physically speaking, most Jews are not of sufficient stature and muscularity to play offensive line. Verbally, however, many Jews

parents who blame them for everything. So, if playing defensive line meant being defensive, i.e., denying fault, displacing blame and making excuses, then many psychologically-scarred Jews could easily make the Pro Bowl team. In the middle of a football game, the teams take a break known as “halftime.” To make it more Jewish, “halftime” should instead be called “haf-time,” during which the weekly

So if playing offensive line in football meant calling someone a shmendrick, schlemiel or something even worse, then many Borscht-belt Jews would be perennial all-stars.

certainly can deliver offensive lines, at least in Yiddish. So if playing offensive line in football meant calling someone a shmendrick, schlemiel or something even worse, then many Borscht-belt Jews would be perennial all-stars. If that were to happen, I could envision a referee calling a personal foul on a Jewish offensive linesman for illegal use of the word “yutz.” Another important position in football is defensive line. While most Jews lack the raw physical skills to play defensive line, many Jews can be very defensive. This usually is the case for those Jews with overbearing

haf-Torah portion would be read (or at least discussed) over the public address system, for all to hear and enjoy. Of course, that probably would not work for the typically star-studded Super Bowl halftime show, unless the haf-Torah is sung by someone like U2’s lead singer, Bono. If that is not appropriate or is asking too much, then perhaps Bono and U2 could belt out a few of their biggest hits but with a Jewish twist, like “With Or Without Jew” and “Where the Shuls Have No Name.” Many teams, when on offense, have the quarterback receive the snap while standing a few yards back from

the line of scrimmage. This is called the “shotgun” formation. To make it more Jewish, the quarterback in a shotgun formation also should double as a matchmaker who helps his single teammates find their soulmates. We then could rename the “shotgun” formation the “shadchan” formation. (Speaking of shotguns and shadchans, many scholars agree that, in Jewish communities, you are more likely to have a shadchan wedding than a shotgun wedding.) No play in football is more exhilarating than a last-second, super-desperate “Hail Mary” pass. The name of the play, of course, has become part of time-honored football tradition. That said, in a perfectly Jewish world, we would give the “Hail Mary” play a more Jewish name. Imagine a broadcaster making the following play-by-play call: “Only three seconds on the clock. Time for just one more play. The quarterback takes the snap, drops back and launches a Hail Moses downfield.” Bottom-line: No matter what changes are made to “Jew-ify” football, some Jews will always prefer falafel balls over footballs. When the same Jews hear that a quarterback is “scrambling,” they still will first think of a hot egg entrée. And, when the same Jews hear that a wide receiver has made a “reception,” they still will first envision a sumptuous catered event. Jon Kranz is an attorney living in Englewood, New Jersey. Send any comments, questions or insults to jkranz285@gmail. com.

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Forgotten Her es

Captured Generals By Avi Heiligman

n any war the two sides fight until one either retreats, surrenders or is completely destroyed. Even when an army retreats, some men will be captured and it is always the hope of the winning army to capture high-prized officers. Intelligence officers can give over secret information but it the capture of a general that will sink the morale of the other army. Mass surrenders like the German 6th Army at Stalingrad produced 22 generals for Russian prisons. Soldiers will go to great lengths to capture a general alive. Security for generals before the 20th century was lackadaisical at

best and just plain careless at other times. Opportunities to capture British General Richard Prescott during the Revolutionary War were many as were the reasons to abduct him. He was known to be especially cruel towards American prisoners and had once been a captive of the Continental Army before. In 1775 his unit surrendered to the Americans in Montreal but he was exchanged for another general in a prisoner swap. Two years later, Prescott was in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, when American General Charles Lee was captured by the British. Even though he was expected by some

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to be named commander-in-chief of the American Army and did not like Washington, his superior wanted him back after being carelessly captured. The British-born General Lee had separated himself from his guard and was taken prisoner by a dozen British troops in the middle of the night. A plan was hatched by Colonel William Barton to get him back and that involved getting their hands on General Prescott. A group of 40 Patriots under Colonel Barton silently passed British warships under the cover of darkness on July 9. By hugging the shoreline in their boats they were able to silently slip onto shore and pass a sentential with an empty musket (that was not protocol but a foolish mistake by the British guard). An African-American by the name of Jack Sisson was part of the raiding party and used his head to break down the general’s door. They quickly got General Prescott out of bed and along with his aide-de-camp took them to an American ship waiting offshore. The general was still in his nightclothes which was only fitting because the British had humiliated General Lee in the same manner. Both generals were garbed in their proper uniforms when they were exchanged for each other soon after. There were several pitched battles in the Western theater during the American Civil War. Rebel armies typically did not venture into Union territory unless it was with a large army or a raid. Confederate Major General Sterling Price led a cavalry raid into Kansas in 1864. Two battles effectively ended his raid and with it the Confederate operations west of the Mississippi River. The Battle of Mine Creek, which took place in Kansas in 1864, deserves mention for not only being the second largest cavalry battle of the war but also for

the capture of two generals. These Confederate generals were both captured singlehandedly during the fighting. Confederate General John Sappington Marmaduke from Missouri was the nephew of the pro-secessionist governor and the son of a loyal Unionist. Eventually he commanded a division of Confederate cavalry and found himself staring at a wounded Union soldier at Mine Creek. The soldier was Private James Dunlavy of the 3rd Iowa Calvary Regiment who had been mistaken for one of Marmaduke’s Confederates who had been dressed in Union uniforms. His arm wound had been caused by cannon fire but he was still able to hold a carbine. After shooting once and missing Dunlavy, he shouted that the general should surrender, which he promptly obliged. They slowly walked towards the Union lines where the general was held for several months. After the war Marmaduke became the governor of Missouri and Dunlavy was awarded the Medal of Honor. Quite incredibly another Confederate general faced the same predicament during the same battle. General William Lewis Cabell of Virginia led a large cavalry brigade during the battle. His brigade had participated in over twenty engagements before Mine Creek. Also from the 3rd Iowa Cavalry Regiment, the same as Dunlavy, Sergeant Cavalry M. Young managed to capture Cabell and bring him safely to Union lines. Young describes the incident in his memoirs: “I had charged through what was left of their lines and was fully three quarters of a mile in advance of the spot where they made a stand. I was at the time in command of the company, since there was but one commissioned officer with us when Continued on page 124

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William Lewis Cabell

leaving Memphis who was wounded at the battle of Big Blue… “I went out and took Cabell from among his bodyguard, as I suppose they were at least about 25 or 30 of them and the comical part of the whole transaction is that I could not have fired a shot, for my carbine was out of order, and I had not a single

Private James Dunlavy

cartridge from my revolver. I turned General Cabell over to General Pleasanton after we go out from the rabble of Confederates.” Cabell was held as a POW for close to a year and was released only after the war ended. Later he became the mayor of Dallas. Young was awarded the Medal of Honor.

British General Richard Prescott

It is a rare feat when a general is captured and as these stories illustrate it takes either a lot of luck or careful planning. The British used the latter method to capture a Nazi general during WWII but that is another article for a different time. Once the opportunity presents itself it takes a great deal of courage

General John Sappington Marmaduke

and patriotism to capture a general in the small of amount of time available. Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at avi heiligman@gmail.com.

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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 COMMERCIAL RE OCEANSIDE: 4,600+/-SF Space Available. Full Restaurant, Party Room, Bar, Full Basement, Ample Parking, NO KEY MONEY!!! For Lease…Call Ian for More Details - (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com WOODMERE: Follow The Leader To Woodmere, Now Is The Time To Act!!! No Metered Parking, Various Retail/Office Spaces Available, For Sale/Lease... Call for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com VALLEY STREAM: Various Sized Retail Spaces in Emerson Plaza, Up to 1,800+/-SF, Plenty of Parking, For Lease… Call Lori for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com ROCKVILLE CENTRE Warehouse With Office 6,000 ft. available. Ideal Location, Walk to LIRR. Double Loading dock 917-822-0499

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APT FOR RENT

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: NEW EXCLUSIVE Brand New Totally Renovated, Quartz Countertops, Stainless Steel Appliances, New Cabinetry, HW Floors, New Windows, Marble & Stone Bathroom, Recessed Lighting, W/D In Bldg, Close To Railroad & Shopping, Possible Second Bedroom, Heat & Water Included…1 Or 2YR Lease…$1,895/mo. Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

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FAR ROCKAWAY BEAUTIFUL, LARGE 2 bdrm, above ground basement apartment in two family detached house. Eat-in kitchen, lr/dr, full bath, w/d hook-up. BCH. 9th St. Area. Near All $1350. For appt. to see please call 917-495-0623 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 Rent includes all utilities and WiFi Please call Ricki 347-248-9160 - $1650

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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 5TOWNS BOYS YESHIVA SEEKING ELEM TEACHERS. LOCAL DAY CAMP seeking to hire a friendly REGISTRAR/OFFICE MANAGER! Must be proficient in Microsoft Office Programs. Candidate will also deal with collections and accounts payable/receivables. Knowledge of CampMinder preferred. Hours and salary to be discussed. Great work environment! Send resume to registrarcamp@gmail.com WE ARE LOOKING TO HIRE A MARKETING/SALES SPECIALIST. Job will require your own car and being computer/internet savy. If you consider yourself a marketing professional, this is the position for you. Opportunity to make unlimited income potential. Don’t delay. Give us a call at 917-612-2300

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The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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Your

Money

Tax Apprentice By Allan Rolnick, CPA

ack in 2004, Donald Trump was just another overextended real-estate developer with two divorces and four bankruptcies under his belt. That all changed with the debut of The Apprentice, the show that made “you’re fired!” a national catchphrase. It’s safe to say that without the popularity of The Apprentice, Trump wouldn’t have just taken the oath of office to become the country’s 45th president. Apprentice candidates completed all sorts of business-oriented tasks, like opening a lemonade stand, designing an ad campaign for a private-jet service, and managing a restaurant on New York’s bustling Times Square. So we got to thinking . . . what would happen if NBC rolled out a season of Tax Apprentice? Who would host it? Who would compete? And what sort of challenges would they embrace to entertain the breathless millions who would anxiously wait for each “very special episode”? We’re going to need a colorful celebrity host, one who knows their way through the jungle of the 70,000-page tax code. We considered baseball hit king and convicted tax felon Pete Rose. We considered

Venice Film Festival winner and convicted tax felon Wesley Snipes. And we considered legendary country crooner and tax scofflaw Willie Nelson. But we think the strongest pick is Beanie Babies creator Ty Warner, who launched a billion-dollar business and paid a $53 million civil penalty for hiding income in a Swiss bank account. Beyond the draw of the host, the real action comes from the weekly competitions featuring a repre-

many tax professionals does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Let’s find out! The challenge starts with a bare bulb screwed into a 20-foot ceiling and a file cabinet full of back tax returns, brokerage statements, and miscellaneous travel receipts. The winning team will be the first one to stack the files high enough to climb up and change the lightbulb without incurring a deductible medical expense. • Deduction Scavenger Hunt: Teams sit down with a mod-

We think the strongest pick is Beanie Babies creator Ty Warner, who launched a billion-dollar business and paid a $53 million civil penalty for hiding income in a Swiss bank account.

sentative sampling of astonishingly good-looking CPAs, Enrolled Agents, and Registered Tax Return Preparers: • Light Bulb Challenge: How

erately-complicated and totally clueless business owner’s annual returns: three 1065s, an 1120S, an 1120, and a 1040. Their goal is to comb through the returns to find the mistakes and

missed opportunities that cost the owners thousands in tax, then prescribe solutions to rescue those wasted dollars. • Audit Lottery: Everyone knows that switching a business owner from a sole proprietorship to an S corporation can slash their risk of audit by over 50%. Teams will scrub a business owner’s return, identify opportunities to “fly under the radar,” and make sure all the paperwork is in order. Then a panel of guest judges made up of experienced auditors will put on their green eyeshades and examine the returns to see who’s the cleanest. Hey, wait a minute, a couple of those are completely legitimate! Here’s today’s bottom line. Paying less tax isn’t a game, and you can’t afford to treat it like a reality show. Tax planning is serious business and you deserve serious expertise on your side. Make sure to be prepared and tell unnecessary taxes, “You’re fired!” 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.

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

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.

Whenever, wherever we’re needed, Chai Lifeline is there.

Chai Lifeline. Comprehensive, compassionate, professional assistance for families facing illness, loss or trauma. 151 West 30th Street, New York, NY 10001 I (877) CHAI-LIFE I (212) 465-1300 I www.chailifeline.org

Regional Offices: Greater New York I Southeast I West Coast I Midwest I Mid-Atlantic I New Jersey I Canada I England I Israel I Belgium Hospital Support: Meals | Transportation Assistance | Hospital Visits | Respite Children’s Programs: Arts and Recreational Activities | After-school programs | Sibling Programs | Educational Assistance in Limudei Kodesh Counseling for patients and siblings | Camp Simcha/Camp Simcha Special Family Programs: Advocacy and Information | Retreats | Insurance Advocacy | Family Recreation | Family Counseling | Bereavement Services Community Programs: Project CHAI, support for schools, camps, and communities facing crisis or trauma.

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Life C ach

I Need a Vacation from Politics By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

’d have to be insane to write about politics. In fact, these days there is probably very little sanity when it comes to politics. People are overly sensitized. They see and hear politics in everything. So let’s talk about vacations. Last week many schools were closed, and families went off to different locations. They went to enjoy their families, take a break, and get away from all the stuff clogging their heads. I went skiing. It was fun even though at one point instead of skiing down the mountain, I found myself climbing up a hill. Larry, my instructor, luckily was there to ski me down. Talk about a reversal. I know others went to Miami. There they stayed out too long and felt all Bernie in the sun but they are still Biden their time till they can get away on another Florida vacation. Many others Trumped Miami this year and went off to Israel.

I guess ultimately, it all de-Pence on your preference – hot, cold, spiritual, whatever? The point is, it’s important

things that can get you upset. If you don’t let it go, you’ll soon foot the Bill for a lot of aggravation it causes you – mind, body and soul. And

There they stayed out too long and felt all Bernie in the sun but they are still Biden their time till they can get away on another Florida vacation.

wherever you are to let go of focusing on things that may agitate you. Just Chuck it out of your head and stop Ryan about what can’t be changed. Let life go forward. I want to be Blunt, it takes real focus to stop concentrating on

you’ll be Bushed at the end of the day. So what am I getting at? If you read politics into everything, for instance like this simple article on vacation options, then you are getting yourself too stressed. Have

faith in tomorrow. Enjoy life! And believe something better is always just around the corner; we don’t know how everything is meant to come about. I hope I Koch your attention away from politics and into just keeping your mind Scott-free. Remember, there are lots of ways to get away. But most importantly if you can’t get your body to a new location on vacation, at least free up your mind. Stop reading politics into everything you see. Try to just Cruz along in life and find the good in everything!

Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-7052004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com

The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 2, 2017

"THE WORLD IS ARTSCROLL'S CLASSROOM"

FROM

The youngest Dayan of Vilna and illustrious Rosh Yeshivah in New York and Yerushalayim by David Page Foreword by Rabbi Moshe Elazar Lipka

Practical guidance for parents and teachers by Rabbi Shneur Aisenstark

The youngest dayan on Vilna’s beis din — and its sole survivor. The partisan fighting Nazis with guns — and with his bare hands. The eminent Rosh Yeshivah, beloved by his students — and by many of the twentieth century’s greatest gedolim. That was Rav Gustman zt"l. And this is his unique and inspiring story.

by Rabbi Nechemia Coopersmith

and Rabbi Shraga Simmons

NEW!

NEW Y! APH BIOGR

The brilliant yeshivah student.

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“Everyone else’s parents let.” Is that a valid argument, or an opening to unacceptable behavior? How do I deal with jealousy between siblings? Rabbi Shneur Aisenstark is a world-class educator whose experience encompasses all ages and countless situations. In Chinuch with Confidence he answers hundreds of questions that parents have asked about chinuch issues. Chinuch with Confidence gives us access to a master mechanech with decades of experience — and gives us the tools, and the confidence, to become great parents of great children.

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AVAILABLE IN 3 SIZES!

NEW!

Rav Noach Weinberg, one of the great kiruv personalities of our time, changed tens of thousands of lives with his famous lessons in the 48 Ways. Now you, too, can use his practical, Torah-based formulas to learn: • How to listen effectively • How to learn to understand ourselves • How to harness the power of awe and capture the “wow” in life • How to maximize time • The secret to peace of mind • The power of joy • The ultimate power of Torah

Shul-size

(oversize 8¾”x 11⅞”)

Mid-size

(5⅜”x 8⅛”)

Pocket-size (4”x 6”)

ALLHEBREW

‫תנ״ך‬

Dedicated by Elan and Nomi Jaffa and family

The following ArtScroll sefarim are available for your daily learning programs:

The Schottenstein Edition Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi; Yad Avraham Mishnah Series; Schottenstein Edition Mishnah Elucidated; Ryzman Edition Hebrew Mishnah; Kleinman Edition Kitzur Shulchan Aruch; Kleinman Edition Daily Dose of Torah.

This Shabbos, Shevat 8: Daf Yomi Bavli – Bava Basra 13 / Daf Yomi Yerushalmi – Kesubos 60 / Mishnah Yomi – Bikkurim 1:9-10 / Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Yomi – 52:1-7

Available at your local Hebrew bookseller or at www.artscroll.com • 1-800-MESORAH (637-6724)

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FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home