Five Towns Jewish Home - 3-20-19 by The Jewish Home

March 20, 2019

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Master of Mind Games TJH Speaks with Marc Salem

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100

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Community

48 Outpouring of Support at TAG Annual Dinner

JUST IN TIME FOR PURIM Top 8 Ways to Become a Millionaire pg

46 Dancing in the Aisles at CAHAL Concert

126

Be included in the TJH Purim Photo Album! Send in your photos to editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com Deadline: Monday, March 25, 7pm

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Dear Readers,

They eye their candy and don’t want to give it up. But they know that they’ll be getting something really good in exchange, so it’s a toss-up. But it’s still really hard for them. Inevitably, they keep a few things which end up being consumed in the next few days. Truthfully, I shouldn’t complain. Pesach is in a few weeks, and we can’t have any nosh lying around. But that’s for another article. Purim, for most of us, is a very hectic day. This year, Purim is much longer than usual. Because of the second Adar and because of the date of Daylight Savings Time, the day doesn’t end until after 7p.m. And that means that there will be plenty of time to deliver mishloach manos, zigzag to all your kids’ friends’ houses and to their rebbes and morahs in Far Rockaway, Woodmere and Lawrence, and eat your seudah. There will also be time to take a few moments – hopefully more – for prayer, as Purim is an opportunity to reach out to the One Above to thank Him for all the good that you have and beseech Him, as our brothers and sisters did years ago, for help and salvation in any area of life. May this year be one filled with orah, v’simcha, v’sasson, v’kor for all of Klal Yisroel.

hey’ve been talking about it for weeks, and it’s finally here. Even with all the planning, I wonder if on Purim morning my children will wake up and decide to change their costumes once again. Every day it seems like there’s another detail added to their getups. On Sunday, we took them to Brooklyn to buy shtick in a Purim store. How we managed to walk out with so many bags of Purim-related accessories I don’t know. We stopped at my parents’ house and picked up a coat and a hat perfect for Purim. Now my son has at least three hats that will complete his costume. Anyone have another one that he can think about using on Purim day? You and I both know that they’ll all be lost at the end of the day. And then there’s the mishloach manos. By the time we get out of the car after doing deliveries on Purim, there are wrappers littering the floor and filling the cupholders. None of the wrappers or empty bottles end up in the bags I gave to them earlier for their garbage. Instead, those bags are also littering the floor. And despite all the candy they’ve consumed over the last few hours, there are still mounds of goodies to shlep into the house. They haul in their bags and huddle over their piles of nosh, protecting Oodles and Ring Pops with intensity. Every year, I “buy” their nosh off of them. The kids know that they can keep a certain amount of food and then I exchange their candy for money, which we use to buy something – a toy, not candy! – together. It’s funny watching the kids during this transaction.

Yosef Feinerman MANAGING EDITOR

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P.S. Keep that Purim excitement alive for a few more days! Send us your Purim photos to be included in the TJH Purim Photo Album. Email me at editor@fivetownsjewishhome. com. I can’t wait to see them!

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.

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll

Community Happenings

NEWS Global

National

Odd-but-True Stories

ISRAEL

Israel News

Winter Waters by Rafi Sackville

PARSHA Rabbi Wein

Able-Bodied Jews by Rav Moshe Weinberger

Parsha in Four by Eytan Kobre

JEWISH THOUGHT Understanding the Battle Against Amalek by Shmuel Reichman

Feast of Victory by Avi Feiner

A Purim Secret by Yerachmiel Michael Tilles

PEOPLE The Wandering Jew

Master of Mind Games: TJH Speaks with Marc Salem

100

Melvin Garten by Avi Heiligman

124

HEALTH & FITNESS But Will Our Masks Come Down? by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

108

Healthy Hamantashen by Cindy Weinberger, MS, RD, CDN

110

FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Salad Topped Salami Pizza

112

Dear Editor, TJH does not disappoint! Every year we look forward to your Purim issue, and this year was just as great as in years’ past. You manage to provide great entertainment that is both appropriate for all ages and humorous at every level. This is not an easy feat – and you’re great at what you do. Much hatzlacha, Devorah Appel Dear Editor, I recently attended a singles Shabbaton where I was clearly overcharged; I attended events of similar structure for significantly less in the past. I was expecting a lot more for what I paid for, but in truth, I strongly felt like attendees were ripped off big time. To add to the disappointment and irony, the program director made a comment that we should not judge people even based on social class, as she’s heard of many things working out in the end for people in various situations. Rich or poor, singles should not be spending an arm and a leg to meet their soulmate, as they’re spending the same hardearned money at the end of the day. Even with the expense involved of running such a program, event organizers need to be realistic if they want to attract more

attendees. A large part of bringing more people is to not price gouge. It’s a no brainier and more people could find their shidduch if such a practical method is imposed by keeping the costs to attend such events as low as possible. Sincerely, A disappointed single Dear Editor, It’s a really busy place, constantly teaming with excitement. There are numerous people from many different parts of the world walking around each weekday morning distributing pamphlets, converting bills to coins, swiping credit cards on handheld swiping machines, and addressing the crowd, making adlib speeches from the front of the room, all for the purpose of collecting funds for a myriad of charitable causes. There is so much going on, it has the atmosphere of the New York Stock Exchange. There are more than plenty of individuals and organizations to choose from to fulfill your tzedakah obligations. Yes, believe you me, this is a truly happening place. Oh! My gosh! I almost forgot to mention that there’s davening too, if you can get around to it. Continued on page 10

LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer 104 Mann, LCSW Top 8 Ways to Become a Millionaire by Chaim Homnick 126

132

Your Money

132

Knock, Knock by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS 134

HUMOR Centerfold 82 POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

114

Brexit Will Mark the End of Britain’s Role by Fareed Zakaria

120

Pelosi is Trying to Protect Democrats from the Lunatic Left by Marc A. Thiessen 122 CLASSIFIEDS

128

Spring Equinox (March 20) is here! What’s your favorite season? Winter

Spring

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The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

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Continued from page 8

So come visit my shul for an experience of a lifetime and don’t forget to bring your wallet, credit card, or cash with you. Just Venting Dear Editor, I wanted to write about the recent Democrat Party controversies. The biggest mistake they made a few weeks ago was when they refused to call out Representative Ilan Omar by name because of her anti-Semitic comments. Everyone was solely focused on Ilan Omar, but what people didn’t understand was that behind the scenes, Nancy Pelosi was the one responsible for this controversy. Nancy Pelosi, as the leader of her caucus, could have specifically condemned Omar, but instead she condemned something that Congresswomen Omar wanted. People excused Pelosi as if she did nothing wrong, but if President Trump did something similar, can you imagine the outrage?! Where was the outrage at Speaker Pelosi?! There was none, because Democrats are fine with hate when it comes from their own caucus. This is a demonstration of Nancy Pelosi’s incompetence, recklessness,

and partisanship. She blames President Trump when he is partisan, but when it comes to herself and fellow Democrats, she excuses herself and them. Why are we so blindsided by the Democrats!? You know, I see the support that Democrats get from Jews, and I am still baffled by how so many Jews support these hateful people. While President Trump and the Republican Party are the ones standing up to hate and defending Jews, Nancy Pelosi is taking advantage of Jews. You can also find this by Representative Rashida Tlaib, when she publicly, as a congresswomen-elect, called the president of the United States a curse word. This is how low Democrats go!? This is the party of JFK?! No! This is the party of Nancy Pelosi and her puppets! Her refusal to condemn hate is absolutely disgusting. Whether you agree or disagree with Speaker Pelosi’s political stances, we all have to agree that her stance on how to combat hate is despicable. It’s time for Jews to stop believing the false Democrat narrative and to start to support the only political party that stands up to hate, the Republican Party! Sincerely, Donny Simcha Guttman

Going to your shul’s Purim party? Be a TJH ambassador! Take pictures of all the fun and send it into TJH!

Email editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com Deadline: Monday, March 25, 7pm

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

! s U n i o J e l e as

‫ישיבת תורת חיים‬

YESHIVA TORAS CHAIM

‫ע”ש הגאון רבי חיים קרייסווירטה זצוק”ל גאב”ד אנטווערפען‬

AD DEADLINE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27TH A N N UA L D I N N E R C E L E B R AT I O N

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Mr. & Mrs. Marc Friedman ‫נ"י‬

CHAIM SHEL TORAH AWARD

PARENTS OF THE YEAR

Rebbetzin Miriam Leah Gittel Kreiswirth ‫ע"ה‬ EITZ CHAIM MEMORIAL TRIBUTE

DINNER CHAIRMEN MR. EPHRAIM KUTNER MR. IRA ZLOTOWITZ

JOURNAL CHAIRMEN MR. YOSSI NUSSBAUM MR. ARON SOLOMON

ALUMNI CHAIRMEN MR. SHAULI FRIEDMAN MR. AARON KUTNER

The Roshei Yeshiva and Rebbeim will be participating in the Dinner and look forward to greeting talmidim, their families and dear friends.

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

The Week In News

New Zealand Reeling from Terror Attack

The man accused of gunning down 50 Muslims at prayer in a New Zealand mosque mailed a 74-page anti-Islamic diatribe to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern minutes before going on his murderous spree. A tearful Ardern admitted to reporters that she had received the missive from 28-year-old Brendan

Tarrant but said that her staff didn’t have enough time to alert police and potentially stop the shooting. “It did not include a location. It did not include specific details.... If we could have [stopped it], we absolutely would have,” said Ardern. “This was received by over 30 recipients nine minutes before guns were fired. Within two minutes of receipt it went to our parliamentary security,” added Ardern. “But again, by the advice of police, by the time those emails were received they were already receiving 911 calls and responding, and someone was taken into custody within 36 minutes.” New Zealand is still grappling with the aftermath of the mass shooting on Friday at the Al Noor mosque, where 50 people were killed after Tarrant opened fire with his semi-automatic rifle. Tarrant was a known white supremacist who held extreme anti-Muslim views, including calling Muslim immigrants “foreign invaders” and a “cancer” in the manifesto he sent New Zealand’s prime minister. Tarrant has been charged with murder and is likely to face further charges when he reappears in court on April 5. In his first court

appearance on Saturday, Tarrant appeared unrepentant and flashed an upside-down “OK” signal, a gesture meaning “white power” that is used by white nationalists all over the world. Police say that Tarrant was the only shooter in the attack.

Iran’s Drones Threaten Jerusalem

Iran capped off a massive drill this past week that trained its fleet of drones to attack Israel, in what observers say is a major demonstration of Tehran’s drone capabilities. The exercise involved 50 locally-produced RQ-170 UAV drones, which are based on a U.S. Sentinel

drone captured by Iran in 2011. The training mission also sported other knockoffs of U.S. drones, including imitations of the Shadow, ScanEagle, and RQ-170. Titled “Towards Jerusalem,” the training exercise took place in the Gulf of Hormuz and was attended by a slew of senior Iranian officials, including Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander Hossein Salami and IRGC Air Force head Amir Ali Hajizadeh. “One of the features of this exercise is the power to design and plan co-flying UAVs in a very small geographic area that has brought about the rise of a new air power in Islamic Iran,” said Hajizadeh. During the drill, the drones practiced long-range bombing, including hitting targets more than 1,000 kilometers away. Iran’s FARS news agency reported that the drill was Iran’s largest-ever drone exercise, and quoted senior IRGC General Golam Ali Rashid as saying that the training mission was designed to demonstrate Tehran’s capabilities to its enemies. “Today we are witnessing the strongest maneuvers of the IRGC’s Aerospace Forces,” said Rashid,

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

adding that Iranian drones would cause his country’s adversaries to be “humiliated and feel shame.” The exercise comes amid heightened tensions with the West and with Saudi Arabia, Iran’s main geopolitical foe. In 2018, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei called on Iran’s defense establishment to boost its military capabilities to be prepared to strike at the enemies of the Islamic Republic. “Without a moment of hesitation, the country must move to acquire whatever is necessary for defense, even if the whole world is opposed to it,” said Khamenei. Last month, hundreds of Iranian navy ships and ballistic missiles practiced conquering the Persian Gulf, a sensitive spot close to U.S. forces and one of the world’s main shipping routes. The three-day exercise saw Iran debut a slew of new weapons, including its new Fateh submarine capable of launching cruise missiles and a new heavy destroyer. Known as the Sahand, the 96-meter long destroyer can fire both surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles and has stealth capabilities enabling it to avoid radar.

3 People Killed in Dutch Tram Attack

A gunman killed three people and wounded nine on a tram in the Dutch city of Utrecht on Monday. Police are hunting for a 37-year-old Turkish man, Gokmen Tanis, who carried out the terrorist attack. Dutch authorities raised the terrorism threat to its highest level in Utrecht province, schools were told to shut their doors, and paramilitary police increased security at airports and other vital infrastructure and at mosques after the attack.

The mayor of Utrecht, Jan van Zanen, said three people had been killed and nine injured, three of them seriously, in the tram attack. “Our country today has been jolted by an attack in Utrecht,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in a statement. “Police and prosecutors are looking into what exactly happened. What’s known now is that there was shooting at people sitting in a tram in Utrecht.” The Algemeen Dagblad newspaper, citing a witness, said the gunman had targeted one woman on the tram and then shot other people who had tried to help her. Utrecht, the Netherlands’ fourth largest city with a population of around 340,000, is known for its picturesque canals and large student population. Gun killings are rare in Utrecht, just like in the rest of the country.

Devastating Cyclone Hits Mozambique

Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi says that more than 1,000 may have by killed by Cyclone Idai. Speaking to state Radio Mozambique, Nyusi said on Monday that although the official death count is currently 84, he believes the toll will be more than 1,000 people. Nyusi spoke after flying over the port city of Beira and viewing the flooding and devastation. He said he saw bodies floating in the flooded areas. The Red Cross said that 90 percent of Beira, a city of 500,000, had been damaged or destroyed. Beira was severely battered by the cyclone which cut off electricity, forced the airport to shut down, and cut off road access to the rest of the country. Cyclone Idai first hit the central port city of Beira last week and then moved inland to Zimbabwe and Malawi. Beira has been 90 percent destroyed. A large dam burst in the city on Sunday, which cut off the last road to the city. “The scale of damage caused by

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Cyclone Idai that hit the Mozambican city of Beira is massive and horrifying,” the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said. The IFRC warned that the death toll could rise once the full scale of the devastation is known, with further heavy rains expected. In Zimbabwe, many residents of Chimanimani have been sleeping in the mountains, as their homes were flattened by rock falls and mudslides or were washed away by torrential rains caused by the cyclone. Many families cannot bury the dead due to the floods. The government has declared a state of disaster in areas affected by the storm, the worst to hit the country since Cyclone Eline devastated eastern and southern Zimbabwe in 2000.

house of parliament to cease offering the newspaper on its premises. “I consider it an absolute scandal that articles as filthy as those from Nazi newspapers are sold in the Polish Sejm,” he said. Jonathan Ornstein, who leads Krakow’s Jewish Community Center, also fumed at the newspaper’s “blatant anti-Semitism.” “‘How to spot a Jew’ is particularly upsetting and awful,” he told The Washington Post. “I don’t think it necessarily represents mainstream Polish thinking at all. It’s an extreme publication, an extreme far right publication.”

Who Was Behind Raid on N. Korean Embassy?

Poland’s Parliament Drops Anti-Semitic Paper

Poland’s parliament said last week that it would stop receiving the Tylko Polska newspaper after it ran a cover story that was anti-Semitic. Andrzej Grzegrzolka, a senior official in the Polish parliament, confirmed to reporters that he would be reviewing the various publications the legislature receives after Tylko Polska published an article titled, “How To Recognize A Jew.” During the aforementioned article, the right-wing newspaper listed various means it said one could use to spot a Jewish person, such as “name, anthropological features, way of speaking, self-presentation, character, methods of action and misinformation actions.” The front cover also wrote, “How to defeat them? This cannot go on!” The anti-Semitic article was roundly condemned in Warsaw, including by Polish politician Michal Kaminski. A lawmaker from the opposition party Poland Comes First, Kaminski called the article an “absolute scandal” and called on the Polish

Reports have surfaced that a dissident North Korean group called Cheollima Civil Defense was behind a raid on the North Korean embassy in Spain last month. According to the Spanish media and the Spanish Foreign Ministry, “a group of unidentified men entered North Korea’s embassy in Madrid on February 22, bound and gagged staff, and drove off four hours later with computers.” The raid in Spain occurred just days before U.S. President Donald Trump joined Kim Jong Un for talks in Vietnam, and it briefly threatened to upend those meetings. That summit subsequently collapsed due to the inability of both parties to find common ground in the negotiations over various topics, including sanctions against Pyongyang and North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. Intelligence experts said computers and phones reportedly seized in the raid would be eagerly sought by foreign intelligence agencies given the information they might contain on Kim Hyok Chol, Pyongyang’s point man on nuclear negotiations, and others. Before these reports, the motive of the raid was a mystery, although

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

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few believed the attackers to be common criminals. The Spanish newspaper El Pais accused two of the attackers of having CIA connections. Named after the cheollima, a swift, flying horse in East Asian mythology, the Cheollima Civil Defense became known internationally in 2017 after evacuating a nephew of Kim, Kim Han-sol, from Macau after his father was assassinated in exile by North Korean agents. The resistance group, also known as Free Joseon, supports North Korean defectors. A 2017 piece in The New Yorker that came out after the Kim Han-sol incident also noted that the first posts on Cheollima Civil Defense’s website were written in Korean that was “oddly stilted, as if the statements there had been drafted first in a different language, then translated.” This calls the exact origins of the group into question, as well as who is issuing these statements. The use of unusual and awkward Korean could be a countermeasure to make it more difficult for North Korean intelligence officials to analyze the text, too.

continued to sheltered Jewish women while keeping their identity secret. The Germans ultimately ordered the maternity hospital closed in 1944; Eidenbenz returned to Switzerland but continued fighting on behalf of “unprotected children.” Eidenbenz gained recognition in 2002 when 60 former refugees she had helped reunited in Elne to honor her. She was awarded the status of Righteous among the Nations by the Israeli government in 2002, the Spanish government’s Orden Civil de la Solidaridad Social and the Catalonia Generalitat’s Creu de Sant Jordi in 2006, and the French Government’s star of the Légion d’honneur in 2007. She died in 2011.

Brexit Deadline Looming

SCHOOL OFFICE @ 718 263 5500

A partial listing of the Colleges and Universities that our alumni have been accepted to: Adelphi ~ Binghamton Brooklyn ~ Columbia ~ Cornell Harvard ~ LIU Brooklyn LIU Post NYIT - Architectural Design NYIT -Osteopathic Medicine NYU ~ Queens ~ Sophie Davis St Johns ~ Stony Brook Honors University of Pennsylvania ~ YU

Swiss Nurse Saved 600 Jews During Holocaust

A new Spanish film highlights the role of Elisabeth Eidenbenz, a Swiss nurse, in saving over 600 children during the Spanish Civil War and World War II. Entitled “The Light of Hope,” the film dramatizes her work in saving 400 Spanish children and 200 Jewish and gypsy children through the Maternity of Elne, her maternity hospital in the French municipality of Elne, against the disapproval of the Vichy regime in France. During World War II, the hospital accepted money from the Red Cross and was consequently forced to abide by its policy of neutrality, preventing it from protecting Jews. Eidenbenz

UK Prime Minister Theresa May continues to scramble for support in parliament for a new Brexit deal, the third time the British leader is attempting to get lawmakers to agree to her agreement to leave the European Union. Following a vote in England’s parliament last week to delay a nodeal Brexit, May has been frantically attempting to persuade legislators to support her deal before she meets with EU leaders this Thursday. May’s plan is expected to be voted on for a third time in the coming days. 75 lawmakers need to change their vote and support May’s deal after its defeat last week and in early January for things to finally start to move. May has been telling parliamentarians that if her deal is scuttled again, as it has already been twice before, then England would suffer a significant setback in its plans to leave the EU and could even participate in the upcoming EU elections in May. With three years having passed since England shockingly voted to pull out of the EU, the country is no closer to leaving the bloc than at the

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

time of the referendum in 2016, with possible outcomes including having a “no deal Brexit” to not leaving at all. Last week, parliament voted to request an extension for the Brexit deadline to June 30 if it can agree to a withdrawal deal by March 20.

2 Killed in West Bank Terror Attack Two Israelis, including an IDF soldier, were killed while another was seriously injured during a ramming and shooting attack in Ariel on Sunday. 19-year-old Be’er Sheva native Gal Keidan was identified as the soldier killed at the scene while Rabbi Amihai Ettinger, 47, passed away on Monday from his injuries. Keidan was a soldier in the Artillery Corps

and was posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant. He was the youngest of three siblings, whose parents immigrated to the Holy Land in the 1970s from the former Soviet Union. Rabbi Ettinger is a father of 12 who hailed from the nearby town of Eli.

Rabbi Ettinger – the dean of the Oz V’Emunah hesder yeshiva in the Neve Sha’anan neighborhood of South Tel Aviv – is being heralded as a hero by his family for firing at the terrorist even after being severely injured. He is survived by his wife and children aged 1 to 20. “Your father was a hero in his life and a hero in his death,” Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett said during a eulogy at Rabbi Ettinger’s funeral.

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“In his death, he didn’t do what most people would have in that situation. He didn’t run away, but strove to confront the terrorist. He fired bullets at the murderer and paid for it with his life.” During the attack, a terrorist walked up to Keidan and stabbed him before snatching his weapon and fleeing in a car that had been abandoned by a frightened witness at the scene. Rabbi Ettinger was shot in the neck and head but turned his car around and managed to fire four bullets at the attacker to try to prevent more carnage. The terrorist sped off in the car and then rammed into a crowd of civilians a few blocks away and opened fire before speeding off. IDF sources said that an investigation is undergoing to explain why only one of the four armed soldiers stationed at the scene managed to open fire, allowing the attack to last as long as it did. “I saw the terrorist,” one eyewitness related to the Ynet website. “He fired at my vehicle, and I ran away while it was still running. The terrorist then stole the car, and I saw him continue driving in the direction of Tel Aviv.”

A massive manhunt has since been launched by Israel to catch those responsible. The military has identified the attacker as Omar Abu Laila and has detained members of his family, although the terrorist himself is still at-large. The military also beefed up troops’ presence in the area by adding two more brigades in the West Bank amid fears that more copycat attacks are on the way. The attack was condemned by Israeli lawmakers from all across the political spectrum, as well as U.S. envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt. Writing on Twitter, Greenblatt said that the U.S. “condemn[s] today’s brutal attack by a Palestinian terrorist who murdered at least 1 Israeli & injured others near Ariel.” Greenblatt later condemned the joyful reaction the attack received among the Palestinians, whose reaction included distributing candy in the streets and shooting off fireworks. “Disgustingly, but not surprisingly, Hamas & Palestinian Islamic Jihad welcomed the attack & no doubt the Palestinian Authority will reward the terrorist under its pay for slay policy,” he wrote.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

Kahanist Banned from Running; Anti-Israel Activist OKed

Israel’s Supreme Court banned Dr. Michael Ben Ari from running in the upcoming April elections in an 8-1 decision on Sunday while giving anti-Israel activist Ofer Casif the goahead, enraging large swaths of Israel’s electorate. In the ruling, the Supreme Court invoked a slew of incendiary statements by Ben-Ari to prove its contention that the follower of the extremist Rabbi Meir Kahane was guilty of opposing a democratic state. Under Basic Law 7A, contenders for office may be banned from running if they negate Israel as a Jewish and democratic State. Since the law was passed, only Kahane had been banned despite multiple attempts to ban anti-Israel Arab lawmakers, including Azmi Bishara, a prominent Israel-Arab intellectual who spied for the Hezbollah terror organization. In banning Ben-Ari, the court overturned a decision last week by the Central Elections Committee allowing the former lawmaker to run for office. The ruling marks the first time Israel’s highest court has banned an individual person, and not an entire political party, from running. The court approved Ofer Casif to run for office, however. Casif, a Jewish anti-Zionist activist belonging to the Arab nationalist Ra’am-Balad party, had been banned by the Central Elections Committee for his calls to destroy the State of Israel and Zionism. The court also approved fellow Kahanist Itamar Ben-Gvir to run, who now replaces Ben-Ari in the Otzma Yehudit faction’s Knesset list. The decision to ban Ben-Ari while allowing Casif to run for the Knesset caused outrage all across Israel, as critics blasted the court as undemocratic and anti-Semitic for focusing solely on the right-wing lawmaker. Speaking to reporters after the stunning ruling, Ben Ari blasted the “ju-

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dicial junta which seeks to take over our lives.” New Right leader Naftali Bennett, meanwhile, said that the court “crossed a red line this evening” and promised to rein in what he says was rampant judicial activism. “They disqualified a man whose two sons serve in the Israel Defense Forces and approved a party that supports terrorists,” Bennett wrote on Twitter. “The justices have left us no choice but to act – and powerfully.”

Palestinian Journalists Held by Hamas Seven Palestinian journalists in Gaza were being held in custody by Hamas security forces on Sunday, a West Bank-based journalists group said, as a United Nations official strongly rebuked the enclave’s rulers over the “brutal treatment” of the

detainees. A source at the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, who spoke to The Times of Israel on the condition of anonymity, said that the reporters were being held for covering protests against the high cost of living in Gaza. Security forces have used violence to break up the demonstrations, and according to rights groups, dozens have been arrested, including journalists and human

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

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rights workers. Since the start of the protests, 17 reporters were arrested but 10 of them were released. Four required hospital treatment. Some of them had been beaten. Their cellphones and equipment had been confiscated. “I strongly condemn the campaign of arrests and violence used by Hamas security forces against protesters, including women and children, in Gaza over the past three days,” UN envoy to Israel and the Palestinian territories, Nickolay Mladenov, said in a statement. The rare public show of dissent by Gazans began on Thursday as demonstrators took to the streets at several locations throughout the Strip to protest the cost of living. It has been seen as a challenge to Hamas’s rule over the coastal enclave. A statement purporting to be from the organizers last week said the protests were non-political. Gaza, home to two million Palestinians, suffers from high unemployment, widespread poverty, and very poor electricity and water infrastructure. Hamas, which has not yet commented on Mladenov’s accusations,

has controlled Gaza since expelling the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority in 2007. Since then, the group has fought three wars with Israel, which, together with Egypt, has imposed a blockade on the coastal enclave. Israel maintains that the restrictions it imposes on the movement of people and goods into and out of Gaza prevent Hamas and other terror groups from importing weapons to the territory.

U.S.: Golan is “IsraeliControlled” In a first, the Trump administration said that the Golan Heights is “Israeli-controlled” in an annual report on human rights, reversing policies dating back half a century that viewed the mountain range as occupied Syrian territory. Israel had captured the area from Syria during the Six Day War in 1967, after years of suffering aerial bombardments originating from the Golan. Initially holding onto the Golan in hopes of signing a peace

deal with Syria, then-Prime Minister Menachem Begin ultimately annexed the territory in 1981. The U.S. had already dropped the term “occupied” from its 2018 report but now went a step further in calling the territory “Israeli-controlled.” The report also stopped referring to the West Bank and Gaza as “occupied,” something it had done in all the previous reports since 2011. However, a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Israel denied that the change constituted a shift in policy, insisting to the Times of Israel that “our policy on Golan has not changed.”

Nevertheless, the change is consistent with other actions taken by

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the U.S. that seemingly show a softening of its position that the Golan Heights is occupied Syrian territory. For example, the U.S. voted against a UN resolution that condemned the Israeli presence on the strategic plateau in late 2017, signifying a dramatic shift in how the U.S. views Israel’s presence in the Golan. When voting “no” on the annual resolution titled “The Occupied Syrian Golan,” then-U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said that the bloody Syrian civil war had caused the United States to reassess its traditional policy opposing Israel’s presence in the strategic territory. “In previous years, the United States has abstained from voting on this resolution. However, given the resolution’s anti-Israel bias, as well as the militarization of the Syrian Golan border, and a worsening humanitarian crisis, this year the United States has decided to vote no on the resolution,” said Haley. “The United States will no longer abstain when the United Nations engages in its useless annual vote on the Golan Heights. If this resolution ever made sense, it surely does not today. The resolution is plainly biased against Israel,” she noted.

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Gaza AntiHamas Protests Continue

Hezbollah’s “Golan File”

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The protests against the ruling Hamas party in Gaza showed no signs of abating this week, as violent demonstrations continued for the third straight day on Sunday. Titled “We Want to Live,” the protests are calling on the Hamas terror group to lower taxes and take action against the rampant joblessness in the Gaza Strip. While the demonstrations are taking place all across the Gaza Strip, they are centered in Jabalya, Deir al-Balah, Khan Yunis, Nuseirat and Al-Bureij, and are characterized by angry Gazans throwing rocks and burning tires. The demonstrations, which have gotten increasingly violent, are being organized by several different youth movements and are the biggest challenge Hamas has faced since taking over the territory in 2007. While Hamas ignored the protests in the beginning, it began to forcibly break up the gatherings with gunfire as the rallies refused to dissipate. As the social unrest escalates, PLO Executive Committee member Wasel Abu-Youssef told The Times of Israel that the Palestinian leadership has called for Egypt to step in and calm the situation amid fears that it can spiral into a civil war. Diab al-Louh, who serves as the PLO Palestinian representative to Egypt and the Arab League, also called for an emergency gathering to discuss the unrest in Gaza and Hamas’ violent repression of the protests. Meanwhile, the rival Palestinian Authority has compared Hamas to the IDF – a terrible insult – and has demanded that it stop “killing innocent Palestinians.” “This is not the Israeli occupation forces!!” tweeted Fatah Central Committee member Hussein al-Sheikh along with a video of violent Hamas gunmen. “It is the Hamas gangs that are terrorizing and suppressing the hungry in the Gaza Strip.”

Israel has revealed that the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia has set up a new secret terror cell on the Syrian Golan Heights whose aim is to establish a new front in its war against the Jewish State. Known within Hezbollah as the “Golan File,” the cell is based in the Syrian village of Hader and has been watched by Israel for months. The Hezbollah paramilitary unit is involved in collecting intelligence on Israeli troops movements and is stockpiling a small arsenal of light weapons, including explosives, machine guns, and antitank missiles. “The network is new and currently focused on becoming familiarized with the Golan Heights area. It is intended to eventually control teams of Syrian operatives who will launch attacks against Israel,” said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in a statement on Wednesday. Israel claims that Hezbollah did not inform Syrian President Bashar Assad that it has established a covert military unit on Syrian territory in what appears to be another sign of Iran’s complete takeover of the country following the nation’s bloody civil war. Hezbollah’s unit is headed by Ali Mussa Daqduq, a senior Hezbollah operative responsible for killing five U.S. troops in Karbala, Iraq, back in 2007. He was jailed for five years in an Iraqi prison but was released in a 2012 prisoner swap. The U.S. Treasury says that Daqduq, who has been involved with Hezbollah since 1983, is “a commander of a Hezbollah special forces unit and chief of a protective detail for Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.” Philip Smyth, the Soref Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP), told The Jerusalem Post, “It’s a classic example of Hezbollah not only defying the Russians and defying Assad, but also using the worst of their worst to in-

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Iran that it will not allow any Iranian-backed forces to establish itself on its border with Syria. Israel previously bombed similar Hezbollah cells in 2013 and 2015, foiling attempts to launch guerilla attacks on the Jewish State. Yet Hezbollah decided to try again after Syrian forces conquered the region bordering Israel in July and sent personnel to the border that were involved in the previous unsuccessful efforts to train local residents “in sabotage, sharpshooting and firing Grad rockets.” “The network is new and currently focused on becoming familiarized with the Golan Heights area. It is intended to eventually control teams of Syrian operatives who will launch attacks against Israel,” said Israel on Wednesday. “We have a clear message: we are not going to allow Hezbollah to establish a terror infrastructure in Syria capable of harming Israeli civilians.”

Tel Aviv One of World’s “Best Cities”

fluence things in a region which is a key area that threatens the Israelis. “It sends a very powerful message,” he said. “When I say he’s the worst of the worst, he’s the best of the best for them. Having operated in Iraq and also [having been] a lead bodyguard for [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah means that he’s in a more elite section of what Hezbollah is doing.”

Israel’s revelation marks a new phase in its shadow war vis-a-vis Hezbollah. The Lebanon-based terror group has been attempting to open a new front against Israel from Syria in order to launch attacks on Israel from its eastern border during the next round of fighting between the two sides. Such attacks would tie up Israeli forces that would otherwise be join-

ing the war effort in Lebanon and make it harder for Israel to carry out its stated goal of crushing the terror group. Israel and Hezbollah fought a 34-day war in 2006, and the latter is expected to use its arsenal of 150,000 missiles to wreak havoc on Israel’s home front during any upcoming clashes. As such, Israel has repeatedly made it clear to both Hezbollah and

London’s Time Out magazine put Tel Aviv at number 21 in its recent “best cities” index and rated it number 1 in the entire Middle East. At number 21, Tel Aviv came in behind Washington, D.C., and one spot ahead of Mumbai. Following Tel Aviv’s ranking as the best city in the Middle East was Dubai at 32 and Abu Dhabi at 40. The top overall spot was taken by New York, with Melbourne and Chicago taking the second and third slots. The magazine explained its rankings by noting Tel Aviv’s “food, drink, culture, nightlife, community, neighborhoods, overall happiness and other factors, such as their city’s beauty, affordability and convenience.” The ranking was based on a variety of factors including a poll answered by 34,000 people, input from Time Out personnel, and other factors the magazine declined to

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

name. Founded as the first modern Jewish city, Israel’s bustling cultural and business capital has won a slew of awards recently as its popularity worldwide grows. This past September, Time said that the city’s Shuk Hapishpeshim flea market was the 16th coolest neighborhood in the world.

The Sub Affair

A former high ranking official in Israel’s Defense Ministry testified that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave Germany the go-ahead to sell nuclear-powered submarines to Egypt, overriding protests by Israeli officials. According to a report by Channel 13, Amos Gilad, a former director of the Defense Ministry’s Political-Military Affairs Bureau, told police that he was shocked to learn that Netanyahu had allowed Germany to sell the cutting-edge submarines to Egypt, a former sworn enemy of Israel that has fought four wars with the Jewish State. Gilad reportedly told authorities that he had lobbied his German counterparts not to sell such advanced weapons to Egypt, only to be told by German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Netanyahu himself had given the deal his approval. Gilad added that the decision to allow the sale of such cutting-edge technology to Egypt had aroused wall-to-wall opposition within Israel’s defense establishment. Berlin’s approval in 2015 to sell advanced submarines built by German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp to Egypt had been heavily criticized by defense officials and politicians in Israel as eroding Israel’s qualitative edge in battlefield technology. Gilad’s comments were made during a police investigation over his role in the “Case 3000” investigation. The probe centers around allegations that Netanyahu’s lawyer and cousin David Shimron pushed for a multi-billion shekel deal to

purchase new submarines from German conglomerate ThyssenKrupp, which was a client of Shimron’s. Reports that Netanyahu had approved the sale of submarines to Egypt had first surfaced in November, leading politicians to call on him to resign for “treason.” “Stealing money from the defense forces is an act of treason against IDF soldiers,” charged Labor leader Avi Gabbay in a video he released in December. “With this money, we could have purchased armored personnel carriers to replace the aging vehicles our soldiers used to enter Gaza four years ago.”

Remington Can be Sued for Massacre

A Connecticut court ruled last week that gunmaker Remington can face litigation for marketing the rifle used in the 2012 school shooting in Sandy Hook in what is the biggest legal challenge the gun industry has faced in decades. A divided bench ruled 4-3 to reinstate a wrongful death lawsuit against Remington, invalidating a ruling by a lower court which said that the litigation went against a 2005 federal law forbidding legal action against gun giants for misuse of their products. The court ruled that despite a law granting gunmakers immunity for their products, Remington could face legal action for the way it marketed the AR-15 rifle used in the massacre. “The regulation of advertising that threatens the public’s health, safety, and morals has long been considered a core exercise of the states’ police powers,” wrote Justice Richard Palmer in the majority opinion. The gunmaker had been sued by

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a survivor of the mass shooting in Sandy Hook and relatives of nine of those gunned down in the massacre. The lawsuit argued that the AR-15style rifle utilized by shooter Adam Lanza was glorified by Remington as an easy way to cut down defenseless civilians. The ruling was hailed by gun control advocates, who said that the decision allowed victims of gun violence to hold gunmakers accountable for the carnage caused by their products. “The families’ goal has always been to shed light on Remington’s calculated and profit-driven strategy to expand the AR-15 market and court high-risk users, all at the expense of Americans’ safety,” said Joshua Koskoff, who is representing the plaintiffs. “Today’s decision is a critical step toward achieving that goal.” During the shooting, Lanza shot his way into the locked school in Newtown and killed 20 first graders and six teachers with his Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle, a knockoff of the popular AR-15. He had killed his mother earlier in the day and shot himself as police closed in.

Parents’ Sleep Loss

Planning on having kids? Better get some sleep first. A new study by the scientific journal Sleep has concluded what most parents already know: sleep duration and sleep satisfaction sharply decline after childbirth, with the least average amount of sleep for parents occurring when the baby is three months old. The study concluded that “following the sharp decline in sleep satisfaction and duration in the first months postpartum, neither mothers’ nor fathers’ sleep fully recovers to pre-pregnancy levels up to 6 years

after the birth of their first child.” The study also found that women were more affected by the lack of sleep than men, without any difference if they were nursing or not. Women lost an average of one hour of sleep nightly compared to what they got prior to pregnancy, while men lost about 15 minutes of sleep per night. Even as long as four to six years after birth, mothers were sleeping an average of 20 minutes less than the time prior to pregnancy, while men were getting 15 minutes less. University of Warwick Professor Sakari Lemola, who co-authored the study, told Fox News that the findings showed “that mothers are still more often in the role of the primary caregiver than fathers.” “The short-term effects of childbirth on parental sleep is well known. Our study just confirmed these effects,” Lemola noted. “However, it was largely unexpected to find decreased sleep duration and sleep satisfaction six years after birth.” He added, “The long-term decrease by 20 minutes on average is not a major decrease, but still it can make you more tired. We expected that sleep would have normalized at that time.”

Arrest Made in Mob Hit

Police have arrested a man for his role in the high profile killing of the boss of the Gambino crime family. Officers arrested 24-year Anthony Comello on Saturday in Brick, New Jersey, for shooting Francesco “Franky Boy” Cali in Staten Island earlier in the week. His truck was found outside his parents’ home in Brick. Comello has confessed to the murder and will be extradited to Staten Island pending a hearing. Police say that the probe is only beginning, as the execution of the Gambino crime boss continues to make waves. “The investigation is far from over,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea told reporters. “We do not believe this is a random

act.” Even so, officials say the hit was not mob-related. Cali, 53, was shot multiple times on Wednesday and later succumbed to his injuries at Staten Island University Hospital. The native of Italy was known as the leader of the infamous Gambino crime family and was the first mob boss to be executed since Paul Castellano was shot dead in Manhattan back in 1985. Comello was tracked down in part because of his pickup truck that was seen on surveillance footage near the murder. The truck rammed into another vehicle outside Cali’s house, which lured the mobster outside the home. Comello also reportedly left his fingerprints on a license plate he handed to Cali moments before the shooting; Comello had no criminal history but was in a database after he was fingerprinted for a rifle permit. “This went from the perfect crime to amateur hour,” a law enforcement source said. “Anthony Comello will go down in the record books as being one of the dumbest killers in New York City history, if not in the U.S. and the world. Not to mention that the victim was the head of the Gambino crime family.”

Eye Exam Can Detect Alzheimer’s

A new study carried out in Duke University concludes that researchers can detect signs of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease by scanning blood vessels in the back of the eye. The researchers found that patients suffering from Alzheimer’s had altered blood vessels in their retinas, something which healthy patients lacked. “Among the folks who had Alzheimer’s there was a significant reduction in the density of the blood vessels in the superficial layer of the retina compared to controls and those with mild cognitive impairment,” said Dr. Dilraj Grewal, who coauthored the study. “We also found a reduction in the thickness of [a specific layer of the ret-

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ina] in Alzheimer’s patients compared to controls and those with mild cognitive impairment,” Grewal added. In the study, researchers used a new scanning technology called optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) which allowed doctors to examine the eye in greater detail. The survey looked at 39 Alzheimer’s patients and 133 healthy people to reach their conclusions, which they say will help medical professionals diagnose the disease earlier and get patients the help they need. “The retina is an extension of the brain,” Grewal said. “And it’s thought that changes that occur in the brain are mirrored in the retina. With any neurodegenerative disease you lose nerve tissue. Along with a measurable loss of brain volume, there’s a loss of the vasculature that supplies the brain. And because the retina is part of the central nervous system, the same changes occur there. “With previous technology you were able to measure only the larger blood vessels in the back of the eye,” Grewal continued. “Now we can look at blood vessels that are at the level of capillaries in the different layers of the retina. Therefore, we are able to detect much smaller levels of change.”

Foreign Adoptions Continue to Slide

The number of foreign-born children adopted in the U.S. continued its 14 years slide in 2018, plunging 14% in the last year alone. According to data released on Thursday by the U.S. State Department, only 4,059 adoptions in 2018 were from outside the United States, a drop from 4,714 from the year before and 82% less than the 22,884 that were adopted in 2004. The highest number of children came from China, with 1,475 total adoptions, a 22% drop from 2017 and far below the high of 7,903 in 2005. Adoptions from Ethiopia also plunged from 313 to 177, in part due to a ban on foreign adoptions the country passed

last year. Adoptions from Haiti also fell from 227 to 196, partly because of its new domestic adoption service that was launched in 2017. The largest jump in adoptions came from India, with 302 as opposed to only 221 in 2017. Adoptions from Columbia rose as well. However, there were zero adoptions from Russia due to a total ban Moscow passed in 2014 as payback for sanctions the U.S. slapped on the country. From the previous hundreds of adoptions annually, the law caused the number to hit zero.

Counties to Avoid

A new list of the 25 worst counties in the United States to live in was released this week, taking into account poverty, the percentage of adults with a bachelor’s degree, and average life expectancy at birth. Nearly all the counties on the list are either in the coal-mining areas in the Appalachian Mountains, in the South near the Mississippi River, or inside Native American reservations. Some of these counties have been hit hard by the opioid epidemic that is sweeping the South and Midwest of the United States. In McDowell County in West Virginia, ranked the fourth-worst county to live in, 408 per 100,000 residents were hospitalized for opioid abuse – nearly double the national average of 218 per 100,000. In 2015, 141 deaths per 100,000 people were drug-induced. Other counties, especially those in former coal-mining regions, suffer from severe unemployment. McCreary County in Kentucky was once a thriving town based on coal mining, but today 41% of the population lives in poverty and half of its population makes less than $20,000 a year. Only 7.6% of the population holds a bachelor’s degree. The county ranked worst to live in the United States is Oglala Lakota County in South Dakota, which is in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Its per-capita income of $6,286

and 51.9% poverty rate makes it the poorest location in the United States. Its average life expectancy of 66.8 years – 11.9 years less than the national average of 78.69 years – places it in rankings near countries like Pakistan and Myanmar. It is also considered the least healthy county in the state and one of the worst in the nation. Oglala Lakota County is one of only two counties in the United States that has a majority of its inhabitants living in poverty, the other being Todd County in North Dakota – another Native American reservation and ranked the second-worst county to live in.

Ten Years of Prison for U.S. Vet in Iran

Michael White, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, was sentenced by an Iranian court this week to a 10 year prison sentence. In receiving the sentence, the California native becomes the first American citizen imprisoned by the Islamic Republic since President Donald Trump took office in 2017. White, 46, was found guilty of insulting Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khameini and posting a photo he took of himself with a female companion on social media. He was first arrested this past summer in the Iranian city of Mashad while visiting a friend. Tehran has refused to comment about the case and has not even acknowledged that White is in custody. Citing White’s “privacy,” the State Department refused to reveal what it knows about the U.S. Navy veteran’s condition. “We are aware of the detention of a U.S. citizen in Iran,” a State Department official said. “We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad.” White had previously served in the U.S. Navy for 13 years as a cook. Observers say that White was

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The New York Democrat launched an exploratory campaign in January, announcing it on CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and has spent the past two months traveling to key states. New Yorkers have felt the absence of their senator and have seen her positioning herself along the more leftwing side of the Democratic Party.

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likely arrested by Iran as a way of pressuring U.S. President Trump. Relations between Tehran and Washington have been strained ever since Trump pulled out of the Iran deal in May 2018 and slapped new sanctions on the rogue state. Other than White, Iran is holding three other U.S. citizens, all for what it claims are espionage charges.

Gillibrand Jumps into a Crowded Pool Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand officially jumped in the 2020 presidential race on Sunday by declaring her Democratic candidacy with a campaign video titled “Brave Wins.”

“Brave doesn’t pit people against one another. Brave doesn’t put money over lives. Brave doesn’t spread hate, cloud truth, build a wall. That’s what fear does,” the New York senator says over news footage, including of President Donald Trump. Gillibrand, 52, is one of six women seeking the Democratic nomination and one of six senators running for president.

Toward the end of the more than two-minute long video released on Sunday, Gillibrand, speaking directly to the camera, announces she’s running for president. The video ends with an invitation to join Gillibrand at the Trump International Hotel on March 24, where she plans to deliver “her positive, brave vision of restoring America’s moral integrity straight to President Trump’s doorstep,” her campaign said in an announcement accompanying the video. “We need to remember what it feels like to be brave,” she says. “We launched ourselves into space and landed on the moon. If we can do that, we can definitely achieve universal health care. We can provide paid family leave for all, end gun violence, pass a Green New Deal, get money out of politics and take back our democracy. None of this is impossible.” Gillibrand will begin her official campaign with a trip to Michigan, a once solidly blue state that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton lost to Trump. Her first week as a declared candidate will include a visit to the early voting states of Iowa and Nevada and culminate with her speech on March 24 in front of the Trump International Hotel. Currently, Gillibrand has yet to reach the 1% marker in polls, a Democratic National Committee requirement to be included in the upcoming 2020 debates.

Flooding Overruns Nebraska Flooding that overtook parts of Nebraska this week is the most devastating that the state has seen

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in its history, in regards to how widespread it is, said Governor Pete Ricketts on Monday. More than 8 million people are under flood warnings in the Midwest and the Mississippi River Valley, according to CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen.

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“Eastern Nebraska remains the hardest hit area, with much of the southeast part of the state under flood warnings,” he said. The flooding has already killed two people in Nebraska and one man in Iowa. Ricketts said at least one person remains missing in Nebraska. Flood records have been shattered in 17 places, and more rivers will likely break cresting records this week, according to the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency. Now the big concern is floodwater draining downstream, further deluging communities that can’t take any more water. Nebraskan James Wilke, a farmer in Platte County, was killed trying to save others. Wilke used his tractor to try to help a person trapped in a vehicle. But when he drove over the bridge, the bridge gave out. Another Nebraska man died after he was overcome by flood waters near a dam in Spencer. In Iowa, Aleido Rojas Galan of Nebraska was one of three people rescued from floodwater, Iowa’s Fremont County Sheriff’s Office said.

But Galan, 55, succumbed to his injuries and died at a hospital in Lincoln. The mammoth flooding follows a powerful “bomb cyclone” that slammed the central U.S. last week with hurricane-like winds and blizzard conditions. Melting snow ended up in rivers and streams, causing flooding and cresting days after the precipitation was over.

Aspirin Not Always the Answer

For years, doctors have been saying that taking a daily low-dose aspirin may help older adults avoid a heart attack or stroke. On Sunday, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association announced that aspirin is no longer recommended as a preventative for older adults who don’t have a high risk or existing heart disease. Doctors may consider aspirin for certain older high-risk patients, such as those who have trouble lowering their cholesterol or managing their blood sugars, as long as there is no increased risk for internal bleeding, the guidelines say. European guidelines recommend against the use of anti-clotting therapies such as aspirin at any age.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

“Clinicians should be very selective in prescribing aspirin for people without known cardiovascular disease,” John Hopkins cardiologist Dr. Roger Blumenthal, who co-chaired the new guidelines, said in a statement. “It’s much more important to optimize lifestyle habits and control blood pressure and cholesterol as opposed to recommending aspirin.” Using aspirin in younger age groups “is now a class 2b recommendation,” Campbell said, “meaning that it is not necessarily the best course of action; there is much debate among experts, and the data is not definitive.” However, personally, Campbell says, he “would advocate a healthy lifestyle, smoking cessation and risk-factor modification before even considering aspirin therapy in a patient without known cardiovascular disease.” Even so, for anyone who has had a stroke, heart attack, open-heart surgery or stents inserted to open clogged arteries, aspirin can be life-saving. “Ultimately, we must individualize treatment for each patient, based on their individual situation,” Campbell said. The guidelines stress that statins – along with lifestyle changes such as a heart-healthy diet, regular exercise, weight loss and avoiding smoking or vaping tobacco – should be used to prevent heart disease in anyone with LDL levels of more than 190 milligrams per deciliter. LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein and is the “bad” cholesterol that clogs arteries and leads to heart disease. Type 2 diabetes is a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and the 2019 guidelines stress a diet, exercise and weight control plan as the first line of offense. First-line medication should include metformin, the guidelines say. If additional medications are needed, two new classes of medications are showing promise in reducing cardiovascular events in those with Type 2 diabetes: SGLT-2 inhibitors, which work to increase glucose and sodium removal via the kidneys; and GLP1R agonists, which increase insulin and glucose production in the liver. New research on these two classes of diabetes medications shows that they can also cut the risk of heart attack, stroke and related deaths, the guidelines say.

Better Late than Never

Just found your overdue library book under the bed? Know that it’s really late and are embarrassed to return it? Have no fear. Harry Krame is way later than you. The New Jersey man returned a book recently to his school library – 53 years late. Krame took out the book, The Family Book of Verse, in 1966. He was 13 years old at the time and Lyndon B. Johnson was president. So yes, many years have passed. Krame found the book while cleaning out his basement recently, and the find made the 65-year-old feel guilty. Knowing that he had to take the book back, Krame headed to Memorial Middle School in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. The vice principal of the school, Dominick Tarquinio, said that based on the amount of time the book was out, Krame owed a whopping $2,000 in late fees to the school. “We’re not looking to collect on it,” he added hastily, shocked that Krame had come to return the late book.

A Bolting Bovine

A cow recently ran away from its owner and ironically headed into a Chick-fil-A restaurant. The careening cattle was reported running loose in Indiana on Saturday night and led police on a lengthy cow chase. The cow, which escaped from a transport trailer, was caught on video by surprised witnesses as it

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

copy hung in its place. Police had installed surveillance cameras to monitor the building. On Wednesday, the thieves broke into the display case containing the painting with a hammer and made off with the painting by car – seemingly unaware that their loot was anything but the real deal. The town’s mayor, Daniele Montebello, who police had informed about the operation, played along with the deception after the robbery, telling the Italian news agency ANSA: “It is a work of inestimable value, a hard blow for our community.” The thieves have not yet been apprehended, but the police are “on their trail,” Elisabetta Sacconi, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office, said. Pieter Bruegel the Younger, son of Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, was known for making copies of his father’s works as well as his own original paintings. Many people flock to the church to steal a glance at Bruegel’s celebrated painting. Thanks to police’s state-of-theart mission to save the work of art, they’ll still be able to do so.

Pi to the Nth Degree

ran through busy roads while dodging police pursuit. The animal was captured safely after being filmed running to the parking lot of a nearby Chick-fil-A eatery. Police said it was loaded back onto the transport trailer. No word on if its final destination is going to be in the form of someone’s double burger with fries.

Joke’s on Them They say that crime doesn’t pay – and they’re right. In this case, the futility of the crime was obvious even as the crime was being committed. Last week, art thieves attempted to steal a 17 th century masterpiece worth $3.4 million from a church in northern Italy. But the robbers’ plans

were toppled by savvy authorities who had replaced the piece with a copy to thwart would-be thieves. “The Crucifixion” by Flemish artist Pieter Bruegel the Younger which the burglars pilfered was a reproduction. Police set the trap for thieves a month ago. The real masterpiece, donated to the church at the beginning of the 20th century, was taken down and kept safe in storage, and a

Emma Haruka Iwao has been pining for pi for a while. The Google employee recently used Google’s cloud computing service to break the world record for calculating pi, an infinite number vital to engineering. When you divide a circle’s circumference by its diameter, you end up with pi. Most people know that pi starts with 3.14, but the number goes on and on and on. Iwao, a cloud developer advocate who has been working at Google for over three years, successfully calculated pi to 31 trillion digits, beating the previous record by 9 trillion. Google announced her accomplishment on March 14, which just so happens to be “pi day.”

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Finding the exponentially-long number required huge amounts of data processing. Using the program y-cruncher on a Google Compute Engine cluster, Iwao ate through 170 terabytes of data over about four months. To give a sense of scale, 200,000 music tracks total just 1 terabyte. Iwao says that this is the first time cloud computing has been used to calculate pi and break the record. A Yahoo engineer used the company’s cloud tech in 2010 to calculate the 2 quadrillionth digit of pi, but did not calculate all the numbers in between. Despite the accomplishment, Iwao is not done with pi. “There is no end with pi,” she said. “I would love to try with more digits,” she added. Sounds like she pi-cked a good hobby to keep her from getting bored.

Solomoon The selfie generation is generating something new that celebrates themselves: a solomoon. Many couples go on honeymoons after they tie the knot. It’s a special time to spend alone with their new spouse. But now there are couples

who, instead of spending time together after their wedding, are going their separate ways. In this instance, newlyweds either head out on a trip on their own or with friends, sans their new spouses.

are being threatened by the possibility of being buried in an avalanche of courses that run the gamut from trivial to the absurd. Recently, the Young America’s Foundation released its annual “Comedy and Tragedy” report which showecases what it calls “political” and in some cases “absurd” college courses across America. The conservative group found more than 250 courses at more than 50 of America’s top-ranked colleges and universities and highlighted the most “interesting.”

The couples advocating this solitary trend say that “they need time for themselves.” Their work schedules also get in the way of spending time together. In other words, they are so self-centered that they don’t even want to spend time with their new hubbies. Makes you wonder, right?

A Course, of Course Colleges are home to many snowflakes around the nation. Now, they

For instance, the University of Illinois offers a course titled “Interrogating Masculinities” which “offers a road map for forging new, progressive models of masculinity.” Oh, man. The University of Minnesota

offers a course titled “Marx for Today”; it “provides students with an introduction to Marxist theory, with particular attention to its relevance for the contemporary world.” Bernie Sanders will probably be guest-lecturing sometime in the future. YAF spokesman Spencer Brown wrote, “These reports peel back the shiny veneer colleges and universities place on themselves in the name of ‘higher’ education to reveal a stark reality: campuses devoid of intellectual diversity populated with leftist professors, faculty and administrators intent on indoctrinating the rising generation in the ways of the Left.” Northwestern University offers students the opportunity to take “Unsettling Whiteness,” in which they’ll make “the historical, political and cultural formation of whiteness in Western modernity visible and narratable for commentary and analysis.” Clearly this is not a gray area up for discussion. We’re looking forward to an upcoming course at Harvard: “Mueller’s Investigation into the TJH Centerfold Commissioner.” The CC is running for cover.

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Community The “Gantze” Megillah PHOTO CREDIT DANIEL AGHALARIAN

milestone at the North Shore Hebrew Academy (NSHA) Middle School, in Great Neck, will be reached when 18 eighth-graders and 4 alumni, both Ashkenazic and Sephardic, will chant Megillas Esther for their schoolmates, faculty and families, in a special assemblage on Purim Day, Thursday, March 21st. Over the past 18 years, more than 300 students at the Academy have been instructed by Dr. Paul Bro-

dy, a dermatologist by profession. This unique program, introduced by Dr. Brody in 2002, together with then-Middle School Principal, Rabbi Dr. Michael Reichel, has become part of NSHA’s curriculum, enabling students to read the Megillah at various synagogues, hospitals, nursing homes and private homes for those unable to attend public readings. This year, Dr. Brody has recruited and coordinated 9 NSHA recent alumni (2015-2018) that he previ-

ously instructed, plus two current eighth graders and reviewed the individual portion with each of them to share a Megillah reading on Purim night at the Great Neck Synagogue (GNS). Another alumnus of the Megillah program, Eli Mendelson (‘09), will follow this cadre of NSHA alumni and chant the “Gantze” Megillah at GNS’ late reading. Dr. Brody, who has read the Megillah for more than 45 years, first lained it in 1973 at the Young Israel

of Kew Gardens Hill (YIKGH), and read it there, and at Kehillas Aderes Eliyahu (Rabbi Teitz’s shul), until 1993, when he and his family moved to Great Neck. He has chanted Megillas Esther at GNS since. Dr. Brody chanted the Megillah at the Great Synagogue in Leningrad in 1985, despite great peril, where the gabbaim were actually members of the KGB! Better read than dead, he figured!

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CAHAL’s 9th Annual Concert is a Huge Success

AHAL held its ninth annual fundraising concert on Sunday, March 10, at the newly renovated Lawrence High School. The concert featured some of the outstanding Jewish performers in the world today: Mordechai Shapiro, Pumpidisa and Shloime Dachs. The Shloime Dachs Orchestra accompanied the performers and Krohma Music provided the sound engineering and special effects. The concert, CAHAL’s largest fundraising event of the year, was a sell-out, with nearly 800 people in attendance. A pre-concert buffet dinner was held for VIP sponsors. All the performers took time to chat and take pictures with the sponsors and their children at the event. Main Event/Mauzone catered the dinner, and Oma’s Sushi and Simply Sushi donated platters. Mrs. Brocha Silverstein, a local party planner, decorated the room beautifully. Pumpidisa opened the show with

their unique style, delightful voices and enthusiastic performance. Shloime Dachs followed with a selection of beautiful tunes, including some oldies that pleased everyone. The sold-out crowd came alive when Mordechai Shapiro began performing. His amazing range and vibrant personality electrified the audience. After the first set, Shimmie Ehrenreich, CAHAL’s executive director, thanked everyone for attending, especially the 70 sponsors, the most ever at a CAHAL event. He also thanked the directors of the program, Mrs. Naomi Nadata and Mrs. Alice Feltheimer, for their years of dedication to the children and Shira Cohen and Fraidy Osina for coordinating the event. He then expressed appreciation to the 12 local yeshivas that participate in CAHAL to cheers from the crowd. Dr. Norman Blumenthal, founder and chairman of CAHAL, spoke about the success of the program over the past 27 years.

CAHAL has helped hundreds of Jewish children in our community receive a yeshiva education and has mainstreamed a large percentage of them back into the yeshiva where their siblings and friends attend. The second half of the show was a spectacular combination of more great music and enthusiastic dancing. As soon as Pumpidisa began singing their popular song, “Baruch Hashem,” dozens of men and boys began dancing, including some of CAHAL’s board of directors. All three performers returned and drew tremendous ovations throughout the rest of the show. Spontaneous dancing broke out several times. Shloime Dachs, Pumpidisa and Mordechai Shapiro joined together on stage for the big finale. The final song was a beautiful finish to a magical evening of entertainment. The event proved to be a huge success and raised much-needed money for CAHAL’s Scholarship Fund. PHOTO CREDIT STUDIO R US

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Our Parents, Our Partners…. PHOTO CREDIT: YANKY KRANZ

Presentation of the Rabbi Moshe Weitman z”l Memorial Award to Rabbi & Mrs. Mordechai Stern, pictured L-R: Rabbi Baruch Lovett, director of development; Rabbi Mordechai Stern; Rabbi Meyer Weitman, dean; Mr. Moshie Horn, dinner chairman; and Mr. Eliyahu Berger, dinner chairman

he overflow crowd filled the Sands in Atlantic Beach on Tuesday evening, March 12 to celebrate TAG’s Annual Dinner. It was most heartwarming and moving to hear opening remarks from TAG’s beloved executive director, Dr. Shmuel Reisbaum, who came to join

Presentation to the Guests of Honor, Mr. & Mrs. Ephram Ostreicher: pictured L-R: Rabbi Baruch Lovett, director of development; Rabbi Meyer Weitman, dean; Mr. Ephram Ostreicher; Dr. Shmuel Reisbaum, executive director; seated left to right, Rabbi Mordechai Stern and Dr. Moshe Katz, president

the TAG family after recovering from a major health issue over the past four and half months. The honorees, Mr. & Mrs. Ephram Ostreicher, Rabbi & Mrs. Mordechai Stern, and Educator of the Year Mrs. Anita Davis, all share a common thread, that of their relationship to Rabbi Moshe Weitman,

Presentation to the Educator of the Year, Mrs. Anita Davis: Rabbi Meyer Weitman, dean; Rabbi Baruch Lovett, director of development; Rabbi Kenneth Davis; Mr. Moshie Horn, dinner chairman; and Mr. Eliyahu Berger, dinner chairman

z”l. Both Mrs. Ostreicher and Mrs. Stern are TAG alumnae, and Mrs. Davis began her teaching career when Rabbi Moshe Weitman, z”l, was the dean. The dinner marked Rabbi Moshe Weitman’s tenth yartzheit and a moving video depicted his derech of chinuch and hashkafos which continues to be the road map that his son, Rabbi Meyer Weitman is upholding and imparting to his faculty and the close to 1,900 fortunate talmidos of TAG. A book compiled from Rabbi Moshe Weitman’s many writings was distributed to the many attendees. Many people worked to ensure the success of this event, and much credit must go to the Dinner Chairmen Eliyahu Berger, & Mr. Moshie Horn; Journal Chairmen Dr. Ernest Isaacson & Dr. Yakov Lowinger; Honorary Dinner Chairmen Dr. Boruch Adler, Mr. Hillel Axelrod & Mr. Dudi Gross,

Dr. Shmuel Reisbaum, executive director, greeting the overflow crowd of attendees at the TAG 56th Annual Dinner

and their entire dinner committee. A huge yashar koach to Rabbi Baruch Lovett, Mrs. Edna Ershowksy, Mrs. Rahel Hardoon, and Mrs. Soshie Hirth for all their efforts on behalf of this successful dinner.

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Pre-Purim Fun at Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam

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Michal Horowitz Comes to BYQ

n Thursday, March 7, Rosh Chodesh Adar II, Mrs. Michal Horowitz spoke to grades 6-8 at Bais Yaakov of Queens. Michal is a popular speaker and Torah teacher of, primarily, adult education. Yet, she has a special topic she especially likes to share with young audiences. When you meet Michal, you see a very well put-together, attractive Or-

thodox woman, who stands tall and speaks eloquently. She is someone who you might meet in the supermarket or in shul. She appears to be just like all of us (and she is). And yet, Michal has a disability, as she is hearing impaired. She uses two hearing aids (which are hidden by her lovely sheitel) to help her hear and communicate in our very noisy world.

Rather than feel sorry for herself, Michal views her challenge as a way to grow closer to Hashem. In the bracha of “she’asani k’rtzono,” which we say every morning, we thank Hashem for creating us with all of our needs. Michal shared with us how she thanks Hashem for creating her in the best way that He saw fit. She relayed to the students an important message, which we must all internalize: we each have unique needs and challenges that Hashem has given specifically to each of us. After Michal spoke for 30 spellbinding minutes, Michal asked the students what middos they thought were necessary when dealing and interacting with people who are different and/or disabled. Though disabilities range from physical, to emotional, to cognitive, and range from mild to severe, she explained to the girls that certain middos are necessary when dealing with anyone who is different. The girls were eager to offer their suggestions, which insightfully included: -Savlanus, patience: Michal noted that the root word of savlanus is samech, vais, lamed, which means to carry a heavy burden. The lesson learned is that to be patient is not always easy, and yes, sometimes it’s a burden, but it’s a crucial middah when dealing with people who have differences. -Zerizus, alacrity: As Michal quoted from Megillas Esther, when Mordechai asked Esther to go before King Achashveirosh, Esther hesitated. Mordechai’s response was that if she did not do it, then someone else would save the Jews. Who knows,

Mordechai replied to Esther, if for this very reason you were chosen to be queen! The lesson learned is that when there is an opportunity to help another person, seize the moment. There were other middos mentioned by the students, and Michal elaborated upon each one, such as empathy, kindness, and making necessary accommodations – all highlighting the importance of v’ahavta l’ray’acha ka’mocha. Michal Horowitz discussed her own hearing impairment and how it affects her life and others with whom she comes into contact. The goal of her presentation was to bring awareness to the students that different doesn’t mean abnormal and that all people deserve to be treated with respect and kindness, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. In letters the students penned after Michal’s presentation, they expressed their thoughts and reactions to Michal’s speech. One student wrote how she now views the morning brachos differently. “Michal’s words really inspired us. We learned that having a disability is not about ‘not being normal.’ It’s about accepting the way we were meant to be, the way Hashem wanted us to be she’asani k’rtzono.” Another student noted how she will now “appreciate life even more” and “sees the beauty of Hashem’s actions” and “that everything is for the best.” The Bais Yaakov students, teachers, and administrators all came away inspired and enlightened regarding the important topic of how we should view our own differences and the differences and disabilities of others.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

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100 Brachos a Day

he boys in the Meah Brachos contest keep track of the 100 brachos they recite daily. The contest runs for two weeks in the community. On a regular weekday, one recites 90 brachos during the three tefillos and needs another ten to complete the 100 brachos. On Shabbos, a person recites 80 brachos during all the tefillos and the meals. To make up the remaining twenty brachos, one can listen to all of the birchos haftorah in shul, have in mind to be yotzei, and answer amen to the five brachos. (Rav Chaim said not to say Boruch Hu Ubaruch Shemo if you are using these brachos for your Meah Brachos.) The remaining fifteen brachos on Shabbos can be recited on food or after using the restroom. The winners of the contest received cash prizes at the culmination of the program.

Rabbi Eisikovic’s seventh grade YKLI Meah Brachos winners

The Meah Brachos winners from Rabbi Cooper’s eleventh grade class in DRS

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A Joy to Behold

he girls in fourth grade in Shulamith brightened the day of the senior citizens in the Grandell last week. They sang, danced and gave the residents homemade mishloach manot packages. The girls even went from room to room to deliver their packages! The residents had tears in their eyes and gave the girls a bracha that they should always bring joy to everyone they meet. What a kiddush Hashem! Thank you to Mrs. Wachsler who coordinated our drivers and to all the moms who accompanied us.

Touro’s Lander College for Women Fourth Annual Hackathon

ueled by pretzels, pizza, and determination, 120 female hackers filled the gymnasium at Touro’s Lander College for Women, The Anna Ruth and Mark Hasten School, earlier this month for its fourth annual student-run hackathon, HackItTogether. Hackathons are events where computer programmers collaborate intensively on software projects. Many are multi-day affairs, and most are predominantly attended by men. HackItTogether was started with the support and guidance of Dr. Marian Stoltz-Loike, dean of Touro’s Lander College for Women, to create a space for women who share a passion for creating technology to work together in a warm, collaborative environment. “Our mission is to bring together women studying computer science and provide them with an opportunity to expand their technological horizons,” said junior and co-organizer of HackItTogether, Esther Gassner. “All too often women miss out on these incredibly valuable learning experiences and recruiters

smooth day of hacking for participants. The 12-hour day had teams working on hacks that would solve a problem or address a need related to entertainment and travel. Sponsors AMC Networks and JetBlue Airways also offered a company-sponsored challenge that participants could choose to do. Hackers had to write

all their own code but could ask questions of mentors who circulated the room throughout the day. Representatives from nearly 40 universities and high schools such as Barnard, Princeton, UPenn, and Bruriah High School for Girls were in attendance, as well as members of organizations like Women Who Code and Girls Develop It. The day ended with each team presenting a 3-minute demo of its hack. Judging was based on factors such as innovation, usability, problem solving, and technical achievement. The first-place prize was for a project called Boundless, by Esther Sheina Agishtein, Michal Berger, and Lillian Liebman, of Lander College for Women and their teammate, Talya Erblich, of Rutgers University. They created a website that provides an in-flight virtual reality tourism experience for passengers. Using the Boundless website and a Google Cardboard, passengers can enter their flight number and then will be able to select and explore locations in virtual reality as they fly over them.

kov; Stella K. Abraham; D.R.S. High School; Yeshivas Toras Caim; Darchei Torah Elementary & Preschool; Siach Yitzchok; Yeshiva Ketana; White Shul; Shaaray Tefila; Young Israel of Lawrence/Cedarhurst; Young Israel of Woodmere; Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi (Red Shul); Bais Medrash of

Cedarhurst; and the Young Israel of North Woodmere. Please deposit candy in original wrappers and no homemade goods please. For more information contact JEP-LI at 516-374-1528, ext. 140. Thank you for giving children a sweeter Torah experience!

Student organizers Sarah Bracha Schuraytz, Sarah Cohen, and Esther Gassner

miss out on reaching talented women in computer sciences because of the ‘bro’ culture that often permeates hackathons,” she continued. Esther, along with Touro students Sarah Bracha Schuraytz and Sarah Cohen, organized HackItTogether as an antidote to this problem. They worked together to recruit attendees, solicit sponsors, and ensure a

Turning Candy into Kiruv

hat to do with all that leftover Purim candy? JEP-LI to the rescue! For the next few weeks you can turn your extra candy into kiruv. JEP-LI makes Torah learning fun for children. The organization can use your excess candy at its many programs.

The following schools and shuls have designated containers for candy drop-offs: Tag Elementary; Tag High School; HAFTR Elementary; HALB Elementary; Shulamith Cedarhurst Campus; Shulamith Woodmere Campus; Atares Yaakov; Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam; Bnos Bais Yaa-

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Fitness For Shalom

hat does lifting weights, kickboxing, namaste, and supporting victims of domestic violence have in common? On Sunday, March 10, the Woodmere Fitness Club hosted Fitness For Shalom, a day of workout classes and weight lifting in support of Shalom Task Force, an organization that provides vital resources to victims and survivors of domestic abuse through its anonymous confidential hotline, preventive education workshops, and free legal services for victims. “The idea for our Fitness For Shalom event was born when I overheard some of our members talking in the gym about Shalom Task Force and the important work that they do to help domestic abuse victims in our community. These members are part of our Barbell Club, a program dedicated to getting women strong safely,

to building community and empowering women to discover their strength,” says Inna Koppel, the owner of the Woodmere Fitness Club. She continued, “I also wanted to send a message that we stand behind all women in our community and that our gym is a safe space where women can train comfortably, under the supervision of expert female coaches, who serve as role models of strength and courage.” The week leading up to the event, the Barbell Club hosted a Sponsor-a-Lifter event, having their lifters push themselves to lift as much they can and raise one dollar per pound they lifted. Koppel explained her inspiration for event. “I felt that it would be important for us to participate with a ‘Sponsor A Lifter’ fundraiser so that we could show women in our community that it is possible to be strong, to

be capable and be confident.” Throughout the week, lifters dug deep and pushed themselves to lift as much as they could, with many achieving new personal records in their lifting. Shalom Task Force is grateful to Inna Koppel for helping to organize the entire event, Front Row Apparel for sponsoring the event, Raina Butler,

Amy Hiller, and Inna for leading the classes, to the committee members for helping bring the event together, and to all who attended a fitness class and took part in the Sponsor-a-Lifter event for making Fitness For Shalom an outstanding success! This program provides vital support for Shalom Task Force’s critical services for the community.

Assemblywoman Michaelle C. Solages and Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato met with MSH students in Albany last week

SKA Advocates in Albany

tudents from the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls, together with faculty members Mrs. Alisa Watman and Mrs. Beaty Menchel, traveled to Albany on Tuesday, March 12, to advocate with over 700 students, administrators, faculty and parents on behalf of the Orthodox Union’s Teach NYS. The purpose of the mission was to champion for increased state funding for non- public schools, particularly in regard to

STEM reimbursement for teachers and security. The SKA delegation heard from

state representatives, met with staff members of two state senators, and visited the New York State Senate to

hear HALB Head of School Rabbi Adam Englander give the opening invocation.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Some boys from MSP-LB ninth grade recently went out for dinner with their rabbeim

A Reunion 25 Years Later

hat does the word “reunion” mean? An instance of two or more people coming together again after a period of separation, a social gathering attended by members of a certain group of people who have not seen each other for some time, or the act or process of being brought together again as a unified whole. For HAFTR High School’s Class of 1994, all of the above definitions rang true at their 25th Reunion, on Saturday evening, March 2. It was a bittersweet gathering of fellow graduates, to celebrate friendship and also remember Daniella Vogel, a”h, who passed away just one week prior. Daniella had truly believed that she would attend the reunion and, although she was not there in person, her friends were reunited, together as a unified whole, to honor her memory. As more than 50 graduates and their spouses entered the brand new Satran Arena, they experienced a mix of emotions. Excitement and nostalgia filled the room. Guests ran to greet each other and catch up on the lives of their peers since they had last walked through the halls of HAFTR High School. “Seeing so many of my classmates for the first time in 25 years reminded me how

special friendships are. Even though many of us were not in touch we picked up where we left off like nothing ever changed,” commented Jennifer Gluck Gardyn, one of the reunion committee chairs and current HAFTR parent. “Everyone really pulled together to make this event an amazing evening that was truly memorable.” In attendance was former principal, Rabbi Zvi Bajnon, who greeted his students with warmth and kindness as he welcomed them into the event. To say much had changed would be an understatement. In addition to hearing how each has grown and excelled in their own lives, graduates were excited to tour the halls and see all of the innovative changes and upgrades in the high school. In addition to the delicious buffet dinner and sushi station provided by Genadeen Caterers and Oma’s Sushi, graduates enjoyed playing games and making new keepsakes at the HAFTR photobooth. Graduates were asked to fill out a special memory book for Daniella’s family, sharing wonderful memories of their time together in high school. The reunion committee, including Brad Berfas, Blima Tannenbaum Druker, Jessica Sherman Fetman, Jennifer Gluck Gardyn, Naomi Gold-

berg, Sheera Gefen Greenberg, Moshe Weiss, Daniel Weinstock, and Ari Zoldan, prepared a meaningful program. Jennifer Gluck Gardyn and Ari Zoldan emceed the evening. After welcoming the graduates, they introduced Daniella Vogel’s close friends Naomi (Goldberg) Wiesel and Sheera Gefen Greenberg to share a few words about Daniella, noting her warm and fun personality and her loyalty and devotion not only to her family but to her friends. Tehillim was then recited by Andy Lauber. As Sheera Gefen Greenberg beautifully stated, “If we want to honor Daniella’s memory, here are just a few lessons that I have learned from her that I humbly share with you: first, tzedaka starts at home – in our own communities. There are many places right here in the Five Towns that can use our help. Like iShine, JCC’s Kadima, and Achiezer. Second, no matter who we are, how similar or different, where we came from, or where we’re going, be kind to one another and always offer a lending hand, even to those we may not think need it. And lastly, the obvious: life can be too short and it throws us curveballs. Hug our children and let’s always remember as hard as it is, that even a bad

day is still a day that Hashem gave us on this Earth. As our dear teacher Mrs. Becker, of blessed memory, used to say: Gather ye rosebuds while ye may…Carpe diem, Seize the day…Onward and Upward!” The program culminated in a video presentation made by the Class of 1994 during their senior year of high school. Ari Zoldan had recorded their senior class,

asking where each graduate thought he/she would be in 20 years! It was a great way to end a wonderful program. As guests were leaving, they were again asked where they thought they would be in another 25 years...we can’t wait to see the video at their 50th Reunion. Thank you to the reunion committee for all their hard work for this special event.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

Around the Community

Sen. Kaminsky Presents NYS Liberty Medal to Heroic Brothers

ast week, Senator Todd Kaminsky presented West Hempstead residents Yoni and Ariel Sacknovitz with the New York State Liberty Medal – the highest award a State Senator can bestow upon a civilian – for heroically reviving a man following a heart attack. “When the Sacknovitz brothers saw a man in distress, they jumped into action, applying their knowledge and skills as EMTs to save a life,” said Senator Todd Kaminsky. “They exemplify the epitome of citizenship and service, and their actions bring pride to our entire

community. Yoni and Ariel are true heroes, and I was pleased to present them both with this well-deserved honor.” On October 7, 2018, while driving home on N.J. Route 17 from a New York Jets game, Yoni and Ariel noticed a car had crashed into the median, and immediately rushed over to help. After noticing that the driver was unconscious, the brothers broke a window and removed the injured motorist from the car. Yoni and Ariel instantly began CPR and stayed with the driver – who had suffered a heart attack – until

Senator Todd Kaminsky with Yoni and Ariel Sachnovitz

a paramedic unit arrived. The driver, a resident of New Windsor, New

York, was then transported to a local hospital and has since recovered.

A Season of Learning at K’hal Machzikei Torah

he 2019 season of Motzei Shabbos learning at K’hal Machzikei Torah came to a resounding end last week. There was a packed house as the shul was again completely filled with people learning. As it was the last week, the learning went on for an extra 15 minutes as no one wanted to stop. Finally, Mr. Michoel Rendler reluctantly got up to the podium to start the final announcements. He introduced Rabbi Greenberg who spoke about the gadol of the week, HaRav Aaron Brafman, zt”l, the legendary menahel of Yeshiva of Far Rockaway. Rabbi Greenberg gave some personal stories about the tzidkus of Harav Brafman, zt”l. Mr. Rendler then raf-

fled off the special prizes in his unique manner while every boy received pizza and zeppolis along with a card of the gadol of the week and a slushie card. He also thanked Rabbi Yanky Hersh for arranging and leading this special program. Mr. Rendler thanked all the weekly sponsors as the program could not go on without them. Afterward, everyone walked out feeling fulfilled, after starting the week with learning. On Tuesday, all participants of the Motzei Shabbos learning program at K’hal Machzikei Torah gathered at Gourmet Glatt for the special Gourmet Glatt Grab. All the boys (and their dentists) were excited as they got to take home whatever they took from

Gourmet Glatt. Graciously sponsored by Gourmet Glatt, who is a proud supporter of K’hal Machzikei Torah, the boys got to experience not only the special ruchniyus of all those weeks of learning, but also some gashmiyus as they walked past the registers with the special goodies that they “grabbed.” One of the parents was overheard saying, “My sons are so excited to learn because of this amazing program. It gives them a special boost to do well in school.” The tenth season of Motzei Shabbos learning at K’hal Machzikei Torah came to an end as we switched the clocks to daylight savings time. However, all the participants know that

learning never ends and cannot wait for the eleventh season to start.

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

A Night of Nachas

n Rosh Chodesh Adar Beis, the seventh graders of TAG put on a magnificent performance for the Junior High. It highlighted the mazal and yomim tovim of each chodesh. In the evening, they performed again for their mothers at a Mother-Daughter Celebration. The

girls used their remarkable talent and creativity to choreograph the dances and produce the slideshows on their own, under the guidance of their teachers. They sang beautifully and several girls played the piano. The talmidos also set up the room beautifully, arranging all the food

and even making original centerpieces. A tremendous thank you to all the seventh grade morahs: Morah Cooper, Morah Leff, Morah Knobel, Morah Mandel, Morah Sandler, Morah Speigel, Morah Weiss and Morah Schwartz for all your hard

work and concern which produced such an amazing evening, down to the last detail! Thank you Morah Apfel for leading the choir and Morah Krasnow for adding your creativity and getting involved in each aspect of the event. It was truly a night of nachas!

Kopel, Republican Legislators, to Give Residents Chance to Decide if County Assessor Should be Elected

assau County Deputy Presiding Officer Howard Kopel and the Republican Legislative Caucus announced last week that they are proposing a local law to establish the position of elected County Assessor. In the face of an error-riddled property tax reassessment process that has been administered by County Executive Laura Curran’s hand-picked assessor, the legislators declared that Nassau’s homeowners deserve an opportunity to decide if they want to replace the current appointee with an elected official. The legislators said that an elected assessor is necessary to provide transparency and public accountability. Also present at the announcement was Hempstead Town Receiver of Taxes Donald X. Clavin, Jr. a vocal critic of the current property tax reassessment project. “Since County Executive Laura Curran started her reassessment process, my office has received numerous complaints from residents because of Assessor David Moog’s constant errors, and his lack of accountability,” Deputy Presiding Officer Kopel said. “He has not made

himself available to the public, and he has not held town hall meetings on assessment or spoken to residents on the phone. This is unacceptable for a public official. This local law will make the assessor, once again, accountable to the public.” The proposed local law provides for the election of an assessor in 2021, pending the successful passage of a public referendum on the matter on the November of 2019 ballot. The elected assessor would hold a four-year term and will be on the ballot with other county-wide officials. Further, the assessor would be required to be a resident of Nassau County and serve in the position full time. The County Assessor would be compelled to attain credentials from New York State as a certified assessor after taking office, and then appoint deputy assessors who would possess requisite expertise in real property appraisal and assessment. County Executive Laura Curran’s hand-picked assessor, David Moog, has presided over a host of embarrassing errors in the Curran administration’s property tax reassessment project. Indeed, some homeowners

have seen assessments skyrocket by as much as 200 percent and are facing projected property tax increases of 100 percent. Further, the tax rolls created by the assessor, the basis upon town receivers of taxes issue tax bills, have been rife with “oops” worthy flubs. As a result, property owners have endured annoying tax bill over-charges. Even the Nassau County Executive’s appointment of an Assessment Department overseer to mentor the assessor has not stemmed the tide of gaffs, miscues and flubs. The Legislators explained that the County Executive’s reassessment project has been shrouded in secrecy. While the officials have demanded that County Executive Laura Curran hold publicly advertised community meetings to explain the reassessment process and respond to questions, she has steadfastly refused. Instead, the County Executive has chosen to make sporadic, unannounced appearances at reassessment workshops that are being hosted by the County Legislators. Further, the assessor has not provided detailed information on how new

home values are being determined. In fact, it was recently revealed that the Laura Curran administration blocked the release of details on how it developed its new property tax values, invoking an arcane “trade secrets” loophole in the law. Kopel, his Republican Legislative colleagues, and Clavin also detailed the ongoing errors that have plagued the County Executive’s reassessment project and undermined the public’s confidence in the accuracy and fairness of the project. The officials noted that an elected assessor would be accountable directly to the voters, serving at the pleasure of Nassau residents. Further, an elected assessor would not be doing the bidding of the County Executive, rather he or she would have the public’s priorities and interests as his or her only motivation in creating transparent, fair and accurate property values. Lastly, voters would have the recourse of electing a new assessor in the case of an assessor who failed to display competency and responsiveness.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

Around the Community

Pi Day at HALB

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arch 14th is known as Pi Day. The most common question related to pi is: what is pi? The HALB middle school classes did different investigations to find out and to gain a true understanding of the meaning of pi. In Mrs. Hendeles’s sixth grade, students explored pi through an interactive app, selecting various diameters and recording the corresponding circumferences. Her class, along with Mrs. Bronstein’s, Mr. Panicker’s, Mrs. Weiss’s, and Mr. Gubbi’s classes, also measured their own objects, including cookies, mugs, and cans of food, and then estimated the value of Pi. Eighth graders in Mrs. Hendeles’s math class discussed why pi is irrational and then learned to differentiate between rational and irrational numbers. They also completed a coloring activity in which they classified numbers as irrational, rational, and integers. Meanwhile, Mr. Gubbi’s eighth grade class took a differ-

ent approach to pi by discovering it through probability. Using a circular dartboard within a square, students threw randomly at the dartboard. The number of target hits inside the circle, compared to the total number of throws, will tend towards onefourth of Pi. Through this lens, the class then discussed how pi can be simulated using software. In a different vein, Rabbi Morgenbesser’s classes learned about the significance of pi in the Torah. From a pasuk in Melachim, to a Mishna and Gemara in Eiruvin, to the commentary of the Rambam, these students saw how Chazal across the ages understood and used this fascinating concept in their Torah studies and halacha. Through our variety of different hands-on activities here at HALB, students learned about and discovered pi in a real world context, allowing them to have a deeper understanding and appreciation of this major geometric concept.

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

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Lonnie Quinn, the Emmy Award-winning chief weathercaster at CBS New York, spoke to the HAFTR pre-K and kindergarten children about the role of a meteorologist last week. Mr. Quinn’s enthusiasm for all things weatherrelated was clearly in evidence as the children were mesmerized by Mr. Quinn’s presentation.

An Uplifting Shabbaton

n Shabbos, March 8-9, talmidim in MTA’s Yeshiva Fellowship program enjoyed a meaningful and uplifting Shabbaton. The Shabbaton kicked off with a Friday afternoon football tournament and bowling and moved on to beautiful davening, inspiring divrei Torah, learning sedarim, and delicious seudahs, and ended with an exciting Melave Malka. Talmidim spent the entire Shabbos learning from one another and their mashgichim and inspiring each other to continue achieving greater accomplishments in their Torah learning and ahavas Yisroel. MTA’s unique Yeshiva Fellowship program provides talmidim with additional opportunities to grow in Torah and to develop both communally and individually. Talmidim benefit from the personal guidance of a dedicated mashgiach for each cohort. With the participation of Rav Hershel Schachter, distinguished posek and RIETS Rosh Yeshiva/ Rosh Kollel, and Rav Mayer Twersky, esteemed RIETS Rosh Yeshiva and head of the Yeshiva University Masmidim Honors Program, Yeshiva Fellowship talmidim

take full advantage of being part of RIETS, which includes following a special halacha curriculum, hearing

chaburos from other RIETS roshei yeshiva, and a weekly night seder. Yeshiva Fellowship talmidim also

participate in special trips, programs, melava malkas, and Shabbatons like this one.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community Local community members and advocates joined the Agudah and OU missions to Albany last week to advocate for the community’s schools’ liberty and fair funding

Rabbi Katz of YKLI; Rabbi Biegeleisen of Lido Beach Shul and of Darchei; Moshe Bane, president of the OU; and Rabbi Polakoff of HALB

Mendy Handler of Cedarhurst; Rabbi Ginian of YKLI; Senate Minority Leader John Flanagan; Rabbi Biegeleisen; and Rabbi Katz

Nathan Family Donates New Torah for HAFTR HS Students

he sun emerged for the first time in days last Monday morning and added to the light shining down on HAFTR High School for a festive outdoor ceremony to welcome a new Sefer Torah. All the high school students, administrators, rabbis, faculty, families and friends celebrated by dancing to music as they escorted the new Sefer Torah up Locust Avenue and onto the lawn in front of the yeshiva’s main entrance on Central Avenue. This all came together last year when Mr. Cal Nathan, current parent and board member, went to daven with his son Matthew at the high school. “There were only two Torah scrolls. Matthew said it would be so nice to have another as we really need one here at the high school,” Cal said. His son spurred him on to make it happen, and in perfect coordination he was able to arrange the Torah’s arrival from Israel with a friend visiting New York this past week. Cal and Dr. Janine Nathan are very active in the broader community and in the yeshiva. They have four

children: Matthew is a junior at HAFTR, Ellie is in 8th grade, and Erin is in 4th grade. HAFTR graduate Brian attends the University of Michigan and flew in for the occasion, along with his mentor, Rabbi Fully Eisenberger of the Jewish Resource Center at Michigan. When asked what the most important thing Brian wants to take back to Michigan upon his return

to school – his mother’s food or a special item from home – he said, “I would bring the Torah but that’s staying here!” Following the joyous dancing with the Torah, students heard a short presentation and dvar Torah by Rav Beit Sefer Rabbi Aaron Feigenbaum and enjoyed refreshments sponsored by the Nathans. Miriam Nathan, proud grand-

mother and mother, shared a strong message that reinforces the meaning behind her family’s Torah dedication. “I heard a rabbi say that ‘if a Jew doesn’t make kiddush, then a non-Jew will make havdalah.’ Events like this help us realize that we need to stay connected to our heritage.We need our Torah.” “We are deeply grateful to the Nathan Family for providing our yeshiva with this Sefer Torah and for giving our students the opportunity to participate in the beautiful and memorable Hachnasat Sefer Torah,” said HAFTR principal Naomi Lippman. “Our students will cherish this meaningful gift for years to come.” HAFTR is currently running a Torah Initiative Campaign to raise funds for a second new Torah for the school. Many parents have already donated to this worthy cause, and the fundraiser will continue throughout the year. For more information, please email laappel@haftr.org.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

Around the Community

A Slice of Life

fter experiencing very handson learning on sdeura d’pas, the first 11 of the lamedtes melachos, the boys from the Learn & Live program went to Pizza Pious this week for a very taste culmination of their learning. The boys had a great time making their own personal pies. Mr. Leo Shalamoff, owner of Pizza Pious, when asked to comment about L&L, said, “I liked seeing the Learn & Live program in my store. The boys really worked

together to help one another and it was nice to see boys talking to each other and getting along so well.” Learn & Live thanks Pizza Pious for opening up the store for the program. This coming Sunday, Learn & Live will host a post-Purim special event. For more information regarding L&L/Pirchei of Far Rockaway please email learnandlivefr@gmail. com or try the L&L hotline 641-7153800 pin 932191#.

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

New Friendships at Freshman Fun Day

n Wednesday, March 13, MTA’s entire freshman grade enjoyed Freshman Fun Day! This exciting day included learning, informative guidance sessions, team building activities, and a fun trip to High Exposure. “Freshman Fun Day enables ninth grade talmidim to bond together as a grade,” said freshman

grade dean Rabbi Eli Cohn. “It’s a great opportunity for the freshmen to solidify existing friendships and develop new ones with boys who they may not share classes with, in addition to strengthening their relationships with their rebbeim.” Talmidim had a great day spending time with their rebbeim and making new friends.

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ast Thursday, DRS students participated in the school’s fifth Color War competition. There were plenty of activities in this grade vs. grade competition, each displaying the great creative talents of the students. The events began with intense games of Musical Chairs and Simon Says, which came down to the wire. During the Color War Chidon, students were tested on hilchos Purim and the themes of this year’s event: the four Holy Cities of Israel. Throughout the day, students par-

ticipated in skills competitions, Iron Chef, Yarn Hunt, Volleyball, Frisbee, and a variety of other miscellaneous activities. At the end of the day, exciting closing ceremonies included a comedy video, talent competition, theme presentations, and STOMP! The leadership, teamwork, and spirit were evident throughout the school. Congratulations to the junior grade on their narrow victory and special thanks to Rabbi Farber and Rabbi Brazil for putting it all together!

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

Around the Community

Students in pre-1A through 12th grade at Shulamith were treated to a fabulous pre-Purim concert featuring the one and only Simcha Leiner last week. Many thanks to the SWO for sponsoring this unforgettable event.

Bais Yaakov ECC Visits Rabbi Teitelbaum’s Shul

he children at the BYQ Early Childhood Center are enjoying going out into the community and learning about their world. The girls in Pre 1A-R showed interest in shuls and what goes on in them. They enjoyed a fabulous trip across the street to Rabbi Teitelbaum’s shul to learn more about it. Rabbi Lehrer greeted the young researchers and gave them a complete tour of the beautiful shul. The girls were fascinated to examine each thing in the shul from the Aron Kodesh to the wooden shtenders. They saw the sifrei Torah and the silver crowns that go on top of them. They enjoyed matching the stained glass

windows to each of the 12 shevatim, tribes, that they represent. The girls were overwhelmed by the quantity of chumashim and siddurim and the Torah books on the shelves and were thrilled to see a real chavrusah, a partnership learning Torah, using those very books. Rabbi Lehrer also answered the many questions of the young researchers and gave them time to sketch and count the things in the shul. We would like to thank Rabbi and Rebbetzin Teitelbaum for giving the children access to the shul and to Rabbi Lehrer for all of his time, patience, and wonderful stories.

MSH Mother-Daughter Dinner

he MSH Annual Mother Daughter Dinner this year was arguably the best yet! Starting with welcoming the incoming eighth graders and decorating MSH SWAG cups, the girls had a great time. The MSH Choir, led by director Terri Wagner and choir captains Shira Frankel and Maayan Sandowski, wowed the crowd with

their performances. Mrs. Eisenman intrigued the crowd with a dvar Torah on Megillat Esther and the nature of Haman’s evil. Everyone then got to relive the MSH Theatre Production’s performance of “Fiddler on the Roof” the week before with a teaser video, and who doesn’t love an ice cream bar to top off the beautiful evening?!

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Shulamith students joined in Teach NYS’s mission to Albany last week

HAFTR’s First Graders Celebrate Chagigat Siddur

AFTR parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents filled the Lower School gym to mark a most momentous occasion, first grade Chagigat Siddur on Sunday morning, March 10. The celebration was originally scheduled for January, but due to a fire in their building, it was postponed. Around eighty exuberant children took their places on stage and sang contemporary Jewish songs with enthusiasm and energy. The first graders had the crowd shepping a great deal of nachat. Many were deeply moved when children sang, Im Eshkachech Yerushalayim. In her welcoming address, Ms. Joy Hammer, Lower School principal, remarked, “We have all been waiting a long time for this event, and for our entire staff, this year’s celebration is especially meaningful. I am so happy that although it is two months later than originally scheduled, we are here today celebrating in our home. This is where the chagigah is meant to be.” Additionally, she expressed her gratitude to the numerous families who sponsored the

event in honor of loved ones, including the Schein and Farber families who sponsored the siddurim. Rabbi Aaron Feigen-

baum, Mashgiach Ruchani, whose daughter was also a participant, delivered the divrei bracha to the children. He also urged parents

to use this opportunity to daven with their children. “There’s something so special about saying Shema with your children at night.”

Following the presentation, HAFTR Assistant Principal Ms. Tova Zucker called up each student to receive their siddur from their morah. While holding their siddurim tightly, students proudly recited, “Shehechiyanu v’kiamanu v’higianu lazman hazeh.” The festivities continued in the Hawk’s Nest as families sat with their first graders enjoying a variety of activities. Students designed original book covers, created mini bookmarks for the pages of the tefillot they recite daily, decorated picture frames, played a game on iPads learning the parts of the Beit Knesset, and ate some special treats. HAFTR pioneers and great- grandparents, Marilyn and Lee Wallach remarked, “In light of what’s going on in the United States, it’s even more important for Jews to continue to strengthen our traditions.” Mr. Ari Solomon, HAFTR’s executive director, watched the families come full circle. “HAFTR’s Chagigat Siddur really is the first gift we give our students as we prepare them for a lifetime of connecting to and thanking Hashem.”

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

A Meaningful Masquerade

he Annual Mitzvah Masquerade Presentation & Contest is an Adar highlight in the Shu-

lamith Lower Division. The 3rd and 4th graders were encouraged to work in groups to create

costumes that represent a bracha, a mitzvah or something from the Chumash.

The judges were so impressed with the girls’ originality and creativity.

swer amen to their parents’ brachos. This was the fourteenth year the Out Loud Brachos contest was run in the

Five Towns, Queens, Monsey, West Hempstead, Great Neck, Chicago and Los Angeles communities.

For more information about the Out Loud Brachos contest, contact OutLoudBrachos@gmail.com.

Out Loud Brachos

hildren in the community were encouraged to say their brachos out loud for the past month during the Out Loud Brachos contest. Every week, children who participated were able to enjoy prizes from local stores – Oh Nuts!, Kolsave, Carlos & Gabby’s, Pizza Pious, and Brooklyn Brick Oven Pizza – that helped to sponsor the program. The children were asked to make at least five brachos out loud each day so others could answer amen to their brachos. They were also asked to an-

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

Living it up

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

An Annual Family Reunion: The Belle Harbor Alumni Shabbos By Nesanel Gantz

consider myself privileged. Fortunate to have taken part in the Belle Harbor - Yeshiva Mercaz HaTorah alumni Shabbos that recently took place. I am not an alumnus of Belle Harbor, nor am I employed by the yeshiva. My wife works in the yeshiva office, thus I was lucky to be a part of what I can only describe as an “annual family reunion.” I have known about Yeshiva Mercaz HaTorah, more commonly referred to as “Yeshivas Belle Harbor” for several years. I was privileged to meet the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Shmuel Zev Dicker, shlit”a, several years ago while at a yeshiva dinner and have been in touch with him ever since. There is a well-known fact about Yeshiva Belle Harbor. Every single bochur graduates as a refined ben Torah, set on the right path for a lifetime of devotion to Torah and chessed. I knew of this, but now I was privileged to see it in action. The Alumni Shabbos featured married alumni ranging from 23-year-old newlyweds to the early talmidim of Rav Levy Dicker, zt”l; grandfathers in their own right. People came from across the United States and across the globe. Literally – a couple flew in from Eretz Yisrael to be part of this special Shabbos. I was discussing with someone at the Shabbos how almost no yeshivas have annual alumni Shabbosim, and his response was: “That’s because our yeshiva is unlike any

other. There is a deep connection forged between talmid and rebbe that remains everlasting. After yeshiva, we have a rebbe for life. “Additionally,” he continued, “we are an alumnus that sticks together and helps each other.” That’s true. You could see how the alumni from different years all intermingled, like a meeting of cousins. I met a former neighbor of mine who graduated the yeshiva ten years ago. He told me that he is still in close contact with his classmates from ten years ago. He shared how this past year he was undergoing a difficult medical situation in his family, and his classmates were the most consistent people there for him. Honestly, to witness the camaraderie of the alumni is special; I was jealous. If any alumni of the yeshiva weren’t able to make it, I feel bad for them; there is always next year iy”H. The Shabbos was well orchestrated and organized and took place in the Westin Hotel in Princeton,

New Jersey. It’s incredible how much they were able to pack into one Shabbos. After a lebedig Friday night davening, the Friday night seuda took place in the grand ballroom. People were walking around meeting and greeting old friends, and although there were official seats, people hardly stayed in them. Then came what everyone was looking forward to: “The Q&A Sessions” where three rebbeim, Rav Shraga Sender, Rav Avrohom Cooper and Rav Yehoshua Cogan answered timely question relevant to parnassa and raising children in today’s world. If not for the following kumzits, the Q&A could have gone on for hours. Shabbos day featured a gala buffet kiddush and finally the seuda for those that were still able to eat. There was babysitting for the kids throughout the Shabbos, and there were shiurim by the Rosh Yeshiva and rebbeim as well. Motzei Shabbos was welcomed through a musical havdalah with alumnus R’ Dovy Brazil. The renowned “Twins from France” put on a thrilling performance, although it seemed the adults were having just as good of a time as the kids. Following was a Gala Melava

Malka with a unique mini Chinese Auction organized by the Nshei of the alumni. Although there were many valuable prizes, the most tickets were put in for an oil painting of the Rosh Yeshiva Rav Levy, zt”l. The Shabbos ended on Sunday morning after breakfast although people lingered as it was difficult to say goodbye after a whirlwind Shabbos. “Although it is a lot of effort,” said the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Shmuel Zev, shlit”a. “The alumni, rebbeim and myself get chizuk from the Shabbos that lasts for a while. It’s truly special to see how the alumni come together and we all truly feel like one big connected mishpacha.” After being a part of this Shabbos, I say this: For anyone who currently has their children enrolled in this special yeshiva, ashrecha – you are fortunate. Today’s teenagers will become molded into tomorrow’s leaders. It was humbling to meet many of the alumni who are community leaders and askanim, yet were genuinely honored to have a part in helping their yeshiva. I learnt that several planned get-togethers have already been arranged by alumni for during the year. It makes sense; family can’t be apart for so long.

Say cheese! Send in your Purim pics to editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

Around the Community

This past Sunday, the children of Rabbi Bodnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shul spent the afternoon making shaloch manos for the residents of the Queens Nassau Rehabilitation Center. Afterward, they headed over to the nursing home to sing and dance with live music, by Shmulie Mermelstein, for the residents and a fun time was had by all! Â A special thank you to Rabbi and Rebbetzin Bodner for sponsoring this beautiful event and all the wonderful work you do for our community.

The Gantzeh Megillah

he first grade talmidim of Rav Dovid Yankelewitz created their own Megillos Esther, and then lained from them â&#x20AC;&#x201C; enhancing their learning and making it a truly freilechen Purim!

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Diary of a Camp Director: Off-Season Edition

Daniel with the staff of Club Getaway, a venue where Avnet’s older campers enjoy an overnight trip in the summer

By Daniel Stroock

n a few months, the newspapers will be filled with stories from camp staff, camp directors and the campers themselves about how they are each making the most of their summer season. But what many people don’t realize is that the meaningful preparation is not just underway at this moment, in March, but it has been in motion for quite some time. How do I know that this is not common knowledge? Because rarely do more than two weeks pass without someone asking me, “When do you start planning for the camp season?” And it always makes me chuckle. The questions take on various forms. Sometimes I’m asked in April, “Oh, did you begin working on Avnet yet?” And sometimes in December people inquire, “You must have lots of free time now because the camp season is so far away.” I know it’s likely that some of the people asking these questions are simply making polite idle conversation, but for those who really want to know when summer camp preparation begins for us in Avnet, the answer is: it never ends! As the summer season winds down, we look at the calendar for the following year, begin to plan our summer dates, and thoroughly discuss the summer going by. We want to be sure we know which events or special programs should be repeated and which should be updated. Over the yom tov season in the early fall, I’m often approached by parents that have questions about the summer season to come, how their teenager

Michael Pelikow, Camp Lavi; Daniel Stroock, Director of HALB’s Avnet Country Day School; Shalom Hyman, popular Simon Sez entertainer; Jeremy Joseph, Camp Morasha; Deana Blumenthal; Elana Nayowitz, Camp Lavi; Rabbi Yair Menchel, Camp Lavi; Dov Katz, Camp Mesorah; Shira Englander, Camp Mesorah; and Alisa Pelikow, Camp Lavi

can apply for staff positions, or just to comment to me about how much their children miss camp. This year, our staff interviews began way back in early November. As the year progresses, we generally allot two weeknights per month to interview potential staff members. To complete our team, nearly 300 strong, those evenings are not enough. Many times over the course of the year, interviews are held during the morning hours as well. Even before the interviews began, the Avnet year kicked off with the publishing of our online applications for both campers and staff. Once they went live on our website, the responses began to pour in. We also sat down and began the work of assembling our administrative team for the coming summer. In the month of February, I was sitting on a plane on the runway in JFK, awaiting takeoff and reflecting on the trip ahead. It was then that I was inspired to write this article. Because even though I was headed to visit my daughter who is learning in seminary for the year, my agenda was not devoid of Avnet business. I was thinking about one of the first things I would do while in Israel: a meeting with a young man studying in yeshiva. A graduate of a local high school, the boy applied for a staff position several days before my trip. I’m glad to say that we were able to meet, chat for a little while and based on his pleasant demeanor, well thought-out answers, and impeccable references we offered him a position. That was the furthest from home that I’ve ever conducted Avnet “business.” But the travel takes on all forms.

Two weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, my children joined me in the car along with one of our divisions heads, Zack Kessler, for a roundabout journey through Queens. We visited two possible new trip destinations. Between the two venues, there was laser tag, trampolines, archery tag and paintball which gave us many options to consider. As described above, the Avnet planning accompanies me to many destinations. From Israel to Queens and now, at present, I’m in Atlantic City attending the second of two annual camp exhibitions. The first was last week in Brooklyn and caters exclusively to the Jewish camping community. The one I’m currently attending is a non-denominational conference that attracts thousands of participants, literally from all parts of the globe. The convention, organized by the American Camping Association, offers dozens of speakers and sessions on an incredibly wide array of topics and the opportunity to meet with approximately 275 vendors that have much to offer those of us in the camping world. It’s an unbelievable array of information and merchandise. I am fortunate enough to go home, every year, with innovative concepts and new products which we use to enhance the summer experience for the children of Avnet. One of the highlights of the American Camping Association’s “Tri-State Conference” is the opportunity to collaborate with my peers. After a long day of walking the aisles of the convention hall I was thrilled to sit down for dinner with key members of “our” camping industry; among them mem-

bers of the head staff of Mesorah, Morasha and Lavi. I speak with many of these people throughout the year, and we often compare notes on a variety of topics. But this was a special opportunity for us to gather. It was a delight to enjoy the time reflecting on the responsibilities we collectively shoulder to the parents and children of our community, sharing our unique approaches to problem-solving, and of course, there’s plenty of reminiscing as many of us have worked together at one time or another. By next week, G-d willing, I will be back in the office doing what I “normally” do, which is speaking to parents on the phone about all of the many wonderful things HALB’s Avnet Country Day School can offer their children. Parents are generally thrilled to hear about our three heated pools which are on campus, the towel and sunscreen service we provide, and the wide array of programs and trips that fill our calendar. But the truth is, no matter where I find myself, my phone frequently buzzes with texts, WhatsApps, Facebook messages, and emails with questions or feedback about Avnet. And that really takes us back to the heart of the initial question: when does camp planning begin? In truth, it’s an ongoing process that begins anew every time the phone rings! Whether you’re a parent with questions, a potential staff member with a new idea, or you’re simply looking for a summer job, please feel free to join the process. I look forward to hearing from you! Daniel can be reached at ds@avnethalb.org or at 516-791-8200 x120.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Smiling Faces at Otsar Purim Bash

By Becky Amster

ho knew a quiet house at the end of an out-of-the way street in Inwood could host such a rollicking Purim carnival! It wasn’t just the bounce house on the front yard that was rocking as Shmulie and Batsheva Katz hosted Otsar’s Purim bash for the area’s children with special needs and their families. Energy pulsated from every corner. Michoel Pruzansky’s lively singing set

the exuberant tone on one side; in another corner, cats, butterflies, flowers, and more emerged on the happy faces of nearly every boy and girl. The photo booth was an especially popular destination from the first moment to the last, and many children proudly carried prizes earned at the row of carnival games. Even the tables, overflowing with snacks, winked with smiling emoji napkins. Rebbetzin Aviva Feiner, who was sharing the joyous atmosphere with

her son, Shaya, exclaimed, “There is something here for everyone to enjoy. It truly feels like Adar!” Otsar, a grassroots, family-centered service organization based in Brooklyn, has run a Sunday respite program in Far Rockaway since last year for children with disabilities. Ahuva Edelstein, whose daughter Rena has been an eager participant, helped organize the Purim extravaganza for the youngsters and their siblings and parents to spread the word that Otsar is here for the children, and that it also offers a great opportunity for high school girls to get involved in a meaningful and fun environment. One enthusiastic volunteer laughingly admitted that she kept slipping away because she was having so much fun. “It’s the cutest thing ever,” she said. “When I watch all the kids. I can’t stop smiling.” It was truly amazing to see the contagious happiness among the special children, their siblings, and the adults circulating through the full, yet somehow uncrowded rooms. It was inclusion at its best. When it comes to enjoying popcorn, friends, and lively music, it’s clear we’re all equals. Naftali, an articulate 4-year-old with special needs whose turquoise dinosaur nose perfectly matched the color of the cotton candy in his hand, said succinctly, “It’s good.” His mother was more philosophical. She noted how special programming has become more common, and more mainstream, in a sense, in recent years. “We live in a day when we’re not going to shove disabilities under the rug anymore. It’s OK to be open about it. Events like this Purim carnival for families are important because they make the other children feel that it’s not not normal – others are going through things just like you.”

Moreover, she pointed out, “Otsar provides an innovative platform for our youth to reach out to other children.” Another mother, whose 23-year old daughter with disabilities was mesmerized by “Pruz,” also highlighted the mutually beneficial relationship Otsar provides the volunteers. “My daughter’s first respite volunteer years ago when we lived in Brooklyn was from Otsar,” she related. Then a 12th grader, the young woman afterwards became a para, then went on for her degree and became a Special Ed teacher. “We’re still in touch, and last year we danced at her wedding.” Esti, who moved to New York this year in order to get better special services for her preschooler, was overwhelmed by the camaraderie of the families at the event. “When I am among other families like these I feel part of a larger world,” she said. “To meet a mother with a five-year-old with Down syndrome is good for me. I feel I can call and ask her questions because she’s a few steps ahead of where I am.” It seemed there was an enthusiastic yellow-smiley-faced Otsar t-shirted high school girl volunteer to liven the day for nearly every child. They were led by the ever-energetic Chaya Baila Seliger, who directed Otsar’s Sunday Respite Program last year and organized this successful event together with Otsar staff. With the word out about what the organization has to offer and the influx of exuberant new volunteers, Otsar looks forward to relaunching the Sunday “Sunny Days” respite program with renewed vitality. For information to volunteer or to have your children join the program, call the Otsar office 718-9467301x206.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

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The Purim spirit is in the air at HANC ECC West Hempstead. The children have been busy dressing up in costumes as well as crafting graggers and mishloach manot baskets. One classroom was even transformed into a Persian palace

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n Tuesday, March 12, ten eighth grade students, along with supervisors Aryeh Barasch and Kymmie Baker, headed to Albany to meet with politicians and Teach NYS, a division of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center, to discuss policy and funding for school security, reduced tuition, and STEM programs. The students met with several New York State senators and assemblymembers, such as Daniel Rosenthal, Joseph Addabbo

Jr., and a representative for John Liu. They also listened in on assembly meetings and were even given a shout out by the Speaker of the Assembly. All in all, these students advocated for their schools while sharing their ideas and concerns with government politicians. Their hard work, passion, and commitment will pay off as the possibility that these ideas will be made into laws soon in the future comes to fruition.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

TJH

Centerfold Well Said, Coach

I asked a ref if he could give me a technical foul for thinking bad things about him. He said, Of course not. I said, Well, I think you stink. And he gave me a technical. You can’t trust ‘em! — Coach James Valvano (North Carolina State) I don’t want to win enough to be placed on NCAA probation; I just want to win enough to warrant an investigation. — Coach Shug Jordan (Auburn) If lessons are learned in defeat, our team is getting a great education. — Coach Murray Warmath (Minnesota)

Riddle me this? After the NCAA season, the Wildcats, the Tar Heels and Syracuse are in the first three positions. The captains are Michael, Martin, and Paige. Here is what you know:

Lads, you’re not to miss practice unless your parents died or you died. — Coach Frank Leahy (Notre Dame)

•

Syracuse won as many games as the Wildcats and Tar Heels combined.

You did great, son. You scored one more point than a dead man. — Coach Abe Lemons (Oklahoma City)

•

Paige is not the captain of the Syracuse or Wildcats.

If you make every game a life-and-death proposition, you’re going to have problems. For one thing, you’ll be dead a lot. — Coach Dean Smith (North Carolina)

•

Michael’s team won twelve games.

•

The Wildcats won two more games than the Tar Heels.

•

Michael is not the captain of the Wildcats.

You can calm down a fool before you can resurrect a corpse. — Coach John Thompson (Georgetown), on preferring players with passion Failure is good. It’s fertilizer. Everything I’ve learned about coaching, I’ve learned from making mistakes. — Coach Rick Pitino (Louisville) Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. — Coach John Wooden (UCLA) Discipline is the highest form of love. If you really love someone, you have to give them the level of discipline they need. — Coach Tom Izzo (Michigan State)

Who is the captain of which team? And how many games did each team win? See answer below

Answer to Riddle Me This: Paige – 5 – Tar Heels. Martin – 7 – Wildcats . Michael – 12 – Syracuse.

82 30

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

March Madness Trivia 1. According to WalletHub what are the odds of picking a perfect bracket? a. 1 in 43.5 billion b. 1 in 9 trillion c. 1 in 321.5 trillion d. 1 in 9.2 quintillion

b. 4 seed

a. Michigan College

c. 5 seed

b. College of Michigan

d. 8 seed

c. University of Michigan

4. How many teams competed in the first NCAA tournament in 1939? a. 8 b. 12

2. In 1940, Indiana Hoosiers head coach Emmett “Branch” McCracken was the youngest head coach to win the NCAA championship. How old was he at the time? a. 31 b. 36

c. 14 d. 18 5. In 1985 Villanova beat Georgetown 66-64 in the NCAA championship game. Who was the starting center for Georgetown? a. David Robinson

c. 41 d. 43 3. Which seeded team never won the NCAA championship? a. 3 seed

 Answers

d. UCLA 7. With the Tar Heels trailing by one in the 1982 national championship game, this player knocked down a jumper from the left wing with 17 seconds left to give his team the victory:

b. Patrick Ewing

a. Michael Jordan

c. Hakeem Olajuwon

b. Isiah Thomas

d. Shaq

c. Reggie Miller

6. Which school’s 1991 team was known as the “Fab Five”?

 Wisdom Key 6-7 correct: You really know your NCAA basketball. You are the annoying dude who studies for a month before filling out his brackets. "Well, uh, I'm considering putting Villanova in the Final Four. What do you think?" "What do I think? Get a life! That's what I think!" 3-5 correct: You will get to the Sweet Sixteen, but you won't be cutting down any nets this year. 0-2 correct: You must be a 5 seed....Can't win anything.

d. Mark Jackson

You gotta be kidding A University of Kentucky basketball player was almost killed yesterday in a tragic horseback riding accident. He fell from a horse and was nearly trampled to death. Luckily, the manager of the Walmart came out and unplugged the horse.

83 31

7) A 6) C 5) B 4) A 3) C 2) A 1) D- You have greater odds of winning the lotto, getting struck by lightning, and having a boa constrictor emerge through the pipes in your toilet all on the same day

MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Torah Thought

Parshas Tzav By Rabbi Berel Wein

he daily permanent sacrifice that was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem and previously in the Tabernacle in the desert was called olah. It was an offering that went completely to Heaven, so to speak, and was offered every morning and evening of each day of the year. It differed from other types of sacrifices in that it was consumed completely on the altar and no hu-

man being â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not the priest who was the officiant or the person who, in certain cases, donated the sacrifice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; had any direct physical benefit from the offering. The public sacrifice that was brought twice a day came from public funds while the Torah allowed individuals who wished to to donate this type of sacrifice. But the outstanding feature of this type of sacri-

fice was that no human being derived any physical benefit. Even when performing a positive commandment of the Torah, there always is an element of benefit and pleasure that accrues for the one performing the act. Even though the Talmud discusses whether physical pleasures are allowed to be derived from performing commandments of the Torah, it is understood that when it comes to the offering of the sacrifice of the olah, even abstract pleasure and benefit is somehow not present. This type of sacrifice represents the ultimate in human service to the Divine without it being tarnished by personal gain and benefit.

of sacrifices that were offered in the Temple, there was some sort of physical human benefit, whether to the priest who officiated in bringing the sacrifice and even to the donor whose dollars brought the sacrifice to the Temple. There were strict and detailed instructions as to what benefit could be had and in what state of purity the person who benefited from it had to be. This is always the pattern in the Torah, when it gives instructions as to how to conduct oneself in the physical world. We humans get practice in the necessary restraint that makes us special and not just another form of the animal kingdom.

There always is an element of benefit and pleasure that accrues for the one performing the act.

The Torah is aware of the difficulty of coercing altruism on the part of human beings. Physically, spiritually, and psychologically, we always have factors that influence us even when we are engaged in doing noble deeds and fulfilling positive commandments. The Torah comes to channel these factors but not to deny or to pretend that they are not part of the human makeup. As such, we see that in all other types

However, the public sacrifices that were to be brought twice daily and would represent the Jewish people to its Creator were meant to create an aura of altruism that would endow the Jewish public generally and the Temple service particularly with the required measure of holiness and devotion. And this could be achieved only by the constant repetition of offering the sacrifice of the olah. Shabbat shalom.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

From the Fire

Parshas Tzav Able-Bodied Jews By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

he parsha begins with a mitzvah that the kohanim clean out the ashes left over after the burning of the elevation offering, trumas hadeshen. Hashem told Moshe (Vayikra 6:2), “Command, tzav, Aharon and his sons...” Rashi explains, “The expression ‘command, tzav,’ only denotes prompt and alacritous fulfillment.” This is difficult to understand. Although Rashi sees the expense of the offering as a challenge that makes such a command necessary, the Torah is actually discussing this particular aspect of the service – the trumas hadeshen. Why would the mitzvah of trumas hadeshen, which involves merely sweeping up ashes and moving them, require such encouragement? It seems to be such an easy mitzvah. Why would the kohanim be hesitant to fulfill such a simple mitzvah? The truth is that the ease or difficulty in attaining a goal is sometimes a relative matter. The Gemara (Sukkah 52a) says, “In the future, the Holy One will bring the evil inclination out and slaughter it in front of the tzaddikim and in front of the wicked. It will appear to the tzaddikim like [the size of] a great mountain. And it will appear to the wicked like [the size of] a hair’s

breadth...” But this Gemara is difficult to understand. How big and strong is the evil inclination? The size of a mountain? A hair’s breadth? Something in-between? According to this Gemara, do the tzaddikim or the wicked people have the correct perception? Rav Yekusiel Yehudah Halberstam, the Klausenburger Rebbe, zy”a, explains that, in truth, the evil inclination is only the size of a hair’s breadth. How do we know this? When it comes to non-mitzvah activities, a person has tremendous power to work hard for long hours, to get up early, or stay up all night. This is within a person’s natural abilities. But when it comes to a mitzvah, suddenly people become weak, feeble, and afraid. Almost anything can deter us from doing a mitzvah. Fulfilling a mitzvah is, in truth, completely within our grasp. But the evil inclination causes us to find a hundred reasons why we cannot do it, to the point that the mitzvah feels virtually impossible to accomplish under any circumstances. Why did the kohanim need to be coaxed to perform trumas hadeshen without being coaxed? The heaviness of their evil inclinations told them, “Don’t run to do that mitzvah. Your hands

might get dirty!” “Perhaps you will get burned if the ashes are still warm.” The evil inclination is quite adept at filling one’s head with excuses and rationalizations. Using this idea, the Klausenburger Rebbe explains the words we say in the Haggadah, “This is the bread of poverty that our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. All who are hungry, come and eat. All who are needy, come and celebrate Pesach.” When do we eat matzah? If we are so hungry, we would eat anything, so we will also eat matzah. And if we are needy because we need to fulfill the mitzvah to eat matzah, then we eat it because we have no choice because of halacha. But we daven to Hashem, “Next year may we be free men!” We daven to reach a time when we will not need to be starving or compelled by Divine decree to do a mitzvah. We ask Hashem to help us feel the sweetness in mitzvos so clearly that we will run after them to fulfill them because of an overwhelming feeling of desire and longing – out of our own free will. Not because we feel we have no choice.

Filled with Excitement We can understand this idea better

by considering another question on the beginning of this week’s parsha. Why do the words, “incurring guilt through it – l’asheima bah” (Vayikra 5:26) from last week’s parsha immediately precede the mitzvah of trumas hadeshen at the beginning of this week’s parsha? What is the connection between these words and the pasuk’s encouragement to the reluctant kohain? The Klausenburger Rebbe explains that the word for “guilt” in the pasuk, “l’asheima,” is connected to the word meaning barren or desolate, she’mama. When a person’s head is empty and he does not personally know and sense the meaning and sweetness of the mitzvos, he requires great coaxing and encouragement just to induce him to fulfill an easy mitzvah. He feels no internal desire to serve Hashem. But when a person’s head is not barren, but is full of knowledge, understanding, enthusiasm, and desire, the illusions of the evil inclination hold no sway over him. He wakes up early to arrive in shul before davening begins because he is full of the natural excitement for the sweetness of connecting with Hashem. He runs to begin cleaning for Pesach soon after Purim because he is filled with the light of Pe-

sach, the light of redemption. Unfortunately, so many of us are swayed by the feeble, hair’s breadthsized delusions of the evil inclination because our heads and hearts are empty of desire and understanding. We search for any excuse not to clean for Pesach. We run away to hotels so we do not have to clean at all. Or we run to hire additional help in the house to avoid lifting a finger to clean the chometz out of our homes or our hearts. Chometz is emblematic of the evil inclination’s strategy of using laziness and heaviness to dissuade us from doing even easy mitzvos. We see this because bread rises when it sits idly for a time, doing nothing. That is when the impurity of chometz arises. Matzah is the opposite. It must be made quickly and with alacrity. A Jew must burn the chometz in his life. He must burn away the laziness and emptiness that provides such fertile ground for the evil inclination. One must fill his head with Torah, which the Navi (Yirmiyahu 23:29) compares to fire:

“‘Are not My words like fire,’ says Hashem?” We must be matzah Jews, running to do mitzvos when we have the opportunity, spurning chometz. As the Midrash says (Mechilta, Bo 9), “When a mitzvah comes into your hand, do not

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mopping the floors, or taking out the garbage. These most sought-after jobs were taken by the best learners, the most prestigious bachurim. When Rav Eliyahu Dessler, zt”l, was a bachur of thirteen years old in

The evil inclination is quite adept at filling one's head with excuses and rationalizations.

let it become chometz.” In the Kelm yeshivah before the War, the custom was that the yeshivah did not maintain a janitorial staff. Instead, every year on Rosh Hashanah, 15-20 of the most elite bochurim would bid on the honors given during davening by taking on various tasks during the year like cleaning the bathrooms,

the Kelm, he was the youngest there. Nevertheless, he was hoping for one of the more prestigious positions, cleaning the toilets. But because he was so young, an older boy took this position and he was relegated to the less glamorous job of going to the post office to pick up stamps for the yeshiva. Young Rav Dessler was disappointed because

he got such an “unimportant job.” Imagine what a yeshiva would look like today if it were up to our able-bodied bachurim to clean it! The trumas hadeshen jobs of the day, cleaning the floors and the bathrooms, were the most sought-after by bachurim of Kelm, whose heads were not empty, but were filled with longing and desire to connect to Hashem and His Torah. As Pesach approaches, let us daven to Hashem that He take away our laziness and lack of motivation that causes us to feel that mitzvos are a heavy burden to be carried. Instead, may He cause us to feel the sweetness, meaning, and depth in our cleaning for Pesach, our modern-day trumas hadeshen, and all of the other mitzvos, such that we run to do them quickly and with great excitement.

Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, is the founding Morah d’Asrah of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, NY, and serves as leader of the new mechina Emek HaMelech.

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Parsha

in 4

Parshas Tzav By Eytan Kobre

Weekly Aggada Command Aharon and his sons, saying: “This is the law of the burnt-offering: it is that which remains on the flame upon the altar all night until the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning through it” (Vayikra 6:2) This is comparable to a king who was traveling in the desert, when one of his beloved subjects offered him one basket of figs and one barrel of wine. “Is this really an offering fit for a

king?” the king asked. “My master, the king!” the beloved subject replied. “Under the circumstances, it is indeed a fitting offering. While we sojourn in the desert, this is how I honor you. But once you enter your castle, you will see how much more I honor you then!” So said G-d to the Jewish people: “‘This is the law of the burnt-offering, it is the burnt-offering’ (Vayikra 6:2) – and not more?” “Master of the World!” the Jewish people replied. “Under the circumstances, it is indeed a fitting offering. While we sojourn in exile, this is how we honor you. But once you rebuild

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the walls of Jerusalem as promised (Tehillim 51:20), then we will offer you oxen” (Vayikra Rabba 7:2).

Weekly Mussar And Moshe said to the congregation, “This is the thing that G-d commanded to be done” (Vayikra 8:5) Moshe said to the Jewish people, “The things that you see me do before you, G-d commanded me to do them. And don’t say that I do them for my honor or the honor of my brother” (Rashi, Vayikra 8:5). Let’s not forget who we are talking about. This was Moshe Rabbeinu. Was he really concerned that the people would suspect that he was acting for his own honor? But there is precedent for this concern. The shekalim collected from the Jewish people were held in a treasury chamber in the Bais HaMikdash, and, three times a year, they were withdrawn to be used for purchasing sacrifices for the public (Shekalim 3:1). Those who entered the treasury chamber to withdraw the shekalim were not permitted to enter with a hemmed cloak or shoes or sandals or tefillin or an amulet. For if they became poor, the people would say it was a punishment for having stolen from the treasury; if they became wealthy, the people would say that it was the result of having stolen from the treasury. And just as one must be free of blame from G-d, one must also be free of blame from man (Shekalim 3:2). One must go to extraordinary lengths to be free of suspicion, even if such suspicion would be remote or unreasonable. Whether or not people would dare suspect Moshe of acting with ulterior motives is almost beside the point. Moshe, like any Jew, was obligated to ensure that he was above

any suspicion, no matter how implausible or remote (Daas Torah, Vayikra pg. 37).

Weekly Anecdote Speak to Aharon and to his sons, saying: “This is the law of the sin-offering: in the place where the burnt-offering is slaughtered shall the sin-offering be slaughtered before G-d” – it is most holy (Vayikra 6:18) The sin-offering was slaughtered in the same place as burnt-offering to protect the dignity of the sinner, so that an observer would not know whether the offering slaughtered in that place was a sin-offering or a burnt-offering (Haamek Davar, Vayikra 6:18). R’ Chaim Soloveitchik occasionally wandered through the town of Brisk while deep in Torah thought, dressed as a simple Jew. On one such occasion, he happened to meander past the train station just as a train was pulling into town. A man hopped off the train and asked this “simple Jew” (R’ Chaim, unbeknownst to him) to direct him to a certain address where he would be lodging while in town. R’ Chaim offered to accompany him to his host, and the traveler agreed. After just a few steps, the traveler complained to R’ Chaim that his suitcase was so heavy and that he was too tired from his journey to carry it. “Would you mind, good sir, carrying my suitcase for me?” R’ Chaim agreed. But the suitcase was heavy for R’ Chaim, too, and, periodically, he asked the traveler to take his turn lugging the suitcase. The traveler refused. “I just don’t have the strength. It won’t kill you to schlep the suitcase just a bit more.” When they reached the appointed street, R’ Chaim stopped, put down the suitcase, and pointed to the house

where the traveler would be staying. “You should carry it the rest of the way.” “My good man,” replied the traveler, “you’ve carried it this far. Please do me the favor of finishing the job and take my suitcase all the way to my host’s home.” But R’ Chaim was steadfast in his refusal. So, with no choice, the traveler took his suitcase and headed towards his host’s home. The following day, the host asked his guest, the traveler, whether he wanted to visit the rav of the town. The traveler was very interested in doing so, and the two set off for R’ Chaim’s home. Naturally, when they arrived, the traveler was mortified. I treated the rav of the town as a simple schlepper! He apologized profusely and begged R’ Chaim’s forgiveness, but R’ Chaim explained that no apology was needed. “I do have one question,” the traveler continued. “Once I already didn’t recognize the Rav, why not take the suitcase the rest of the way and complete the good deed?” “Really,” explained R’ Chaim, “I

should have carried your suitcase the rest of the way, which would have been the consummate good deed. But I was concerned that your host would see us approach and recognize your mistake, and that he would berate you for treating the rav of the town as a common schlepper. So I decided it was better to forego my consummate good deed to preserve your dignity.”

Weekly Halacha If he offers it for a thanksgiving-offering, he shall offer with the thanksgiving-offering unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of choice flour mixed with oil (Vayikra 7:12) The Blessing of Thanksgiving (Birchas HaGomel) was, according to some, instituted in place of the thanksgiving-offering (Rosh, Berachos 9:3; see Responsa of Chasam Sofer, Orach Chaim No. 51).

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One is obligated to recite the blessing upon four occasions: (i) being freed from jail; (ii) recovering from an illness; (iii) traversing a sea; and (iv) traversing a desert (Berachos 54b; Rambam, Berachos 10:8; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 219:1; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 61:1). The prevailing custom, however, is to recite the blessing whenever one experiences near mortal danger (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 219:9; Magen Avraham 219:10; Mishna Berura 219:32). The blessing should be recited before ten men, two of whom should (ideally) qualify as rabbis (Rambam, Berachos 10:8; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 219:3; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 61:2; Mishna Berura 219:6). Because there is disagreement as to whether reciting the blessing before fewer than ten men suffices, in such a case the blessing should be repeated (without mentioning G-d’s name) when an audience of ten men is available (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 219:3; Mishna Berura 219:2).

Minors do not recite the blessing (Magen Avraham 219:1; Mishna Berura 219:3). Women recite the blessing in the Sephardic tradition (Yalkut Yosef, Orach Chaim 219:7), but not in the Ashkenaz tradition (Mishna Berura 219:3; Aruch HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 219:6). While his opinion has not gained widespread acceptance (a point he notes with disapproval), R’ Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, held that one who travels by airplane – whether over water or not; whether encountering some specific danger or not – should recite the blessing (Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim 2:59). The Weekly Halacha is not meant for practical purposes and is for discussion purposes only. Please consult your own rav for guidance. Eytan Kobre is a writer, speaker, and attorney living in Kew Gardens Hills. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail eakobre@outlook.com.

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Think, Feel, Grow

Understanding the Battle Against Amalek By Shmuel Reichman

Nazis at the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg

ne day, Daniel decides to go on a nature hike. He has been overwhelmed with work lately and needs some time to recharge. Without telling anyone where he’s going, he heads off into the mountains. He’s enjoying the view and his peaceful hike, when suddenly he slips and tumbles off the edge of a cliff. As he plunges downwards, he somehow manages to grasp onto a branch jutting out from the side of the mountain. He clings onto this branch for dear life, trying not to look down at the ravine below. A million thoughts go running through Daniel’s head, but one thought in particular keeps reemerging to the forefront of his consciousness: “Nobody knows I’m here. I’m alone. I’m going to die.” He begins to take stock of his life, thinking about the good times he’s had and what he has managed to accomplish in his short existence. He thinks about his family and how much they are going to miss him. Just then, a rope soars past his head, hanging directly in front of him. After a moment’s shock, he grabs onto the rope and holds on for dear life as someone on the other end begins to pull him up over the cliff’s edge. When Daniel reaches the top, he immediately asks the man holding onto the rope, “How did you know that I fell over the edge and needed rescuing?” The man stares at him blankly

and says, “I didn’t. This morning, I randomly decided that today would be a great day to practice throwing ropes off cliffs.” There are two reactions that Daniel can have. He can recognize the miracle of what has just happened, thanking Hashem for sending him salvation when it seemed so unlikely. Or he can laugh at the “coincidence” of both him falling and this man practicing rope-throwing at the exact same time, thankful that he happened to get lucky this time. This decision is one that we actually face in every moment and aspect of life, and it is a theme connected to the holiday of Purim. A striking feature of last week’s parsha, Vayikra, is its very first word. The first word of the entire sefer Vayikra is written with a small aleph. Last Shabbos, we read both Parshas Vayikra and Parshas Zachor, our yearly mitzvah to remember Amalek’s attempt to destroy us. What is the connection between Amalek and Vayikra’s small aleph? To address these questions, we must first understand the nature of Amalek. Amalek attacked the Jewish people as they were on the way to receive the Torah. What is most striking about this attack is the timing. With the ten makkos, the Jews just defeated the Egyptians, a nation considered

to be the ultimate power in the world. Hashem had also just split the sea for the Jewish People, an act that had worldwide reverberations. The Jews were viewed as invincible, untouchable. And exactly then, Amalek chose to attack the Jewish people, undertaking a practically suicidal battle with zero provocation. What were their motives in undertaking such a mission? This question can be extended to the Purim story as well. Haman, suddenly promoted to second in command, makes it his mission to wipe out the entire Jewish people. As a descendent of Amalek, he is clearly continuing their legacy of Jewish obliteration. What is the reason for Haman’s hatred of the Jews and his singular desire to wipe them out? Why is this the spiritual legacy of Amalek?

Three Fundamentals There are three fundamental principles of Jewish belief. The first is that Hashem is the Creator of the world. He is the Source of time, space, and our entire reality. The second is that Hashem has a relationship with this physical world. This is the concept of hashgacha, that Hashem oversees and controls the events of this world. The third principle is that there is a purpose to this world and our lives within it. There is not a single thing that is random; rather, each and every occur-

rence and interaction is part of an infinitely beautiful grand plan, a cosmic symphony, a masterpiece. Amalek’s entire existence is devoted towards destroying the second and third of these principles. Amalek claims that although Hashem may exist, He has absolutely nothing to do with us or our world. Our lives are therefore meaningless, and this world is utterly devoid of spirituality. This approach is summed up in the pasuk describing Amalek’s attack on the Jewish people. As we read in Parshas Zachor, we must remember what Amalek did to us, “ashar korcha baderech” – how they “happened” upon us while we were traveling (Devarim 25:18). The word korcha is a strange one, and Rashi therefore quotes three interpretations, each fundamental and significant. The first interpretation of the word “korcha” is based on its connection to the word “karah,” happenstance. This represents Amalek’s claim that everything in this world is random and meaningless. There is no hashgacha, no Divine providence. When things happen to you, whether bad or good, there is no deeper meaning or significance behind it. Amalek was projecting that they just “happened” to be here with swords in hand, ready for battle; they simply “chanced” upon the Jewish People as they were on the way.

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This is the exact approach that Haman took when plotting to kill the Jews. He did not rationally calculate a date on which to kill the Jews, rather he specifically chose one through a pur, a lottery. A lottery represents randomness and chance. Haman let the luck of the draw determine when he would kill the Jews, an act of devotion to karah, happenstance. (The gematria, numerical value, of Amalek is safek, doubt. Amalek represents doubt and uncertainty, randomness and chaos.) The second interpretation offered by Rashi connects korcha to “keri,” a concept linked to marital impurity. Judaism approaches marriage as a mitzvah, whereby the relationship between husband and wife holds incredible potential for spirituality. The Ramban explains that the relationship between man and wife can ideally reflect the relationship between Hashem and the Jewish People. It is a relationship of spiritual and existential oneness, where potential is actualized and developed. Amalek, however, claims that marriage is a relationship that will never contain meaning or spirituality. Perhaps the reason for this is connected to Amalek’s very conception. Amalek was the result of Eliphaz’s relationship with his concubine, Timnah (Bereishit 36:12). Unlike Jewish marriage, which is rooted in a devoted and loving commitment, a concubine is a purely physical relationship, lacking the spiritual components of true marriage. The very nature of Amalek’s creation became their national ethos. Amalek has divorced the physical from the spiritual, viewing the physical as fallen and empty, detached from any higher spiritual source. Rashi’s third explanation of the word korcha is based on a midrash that relates the word to kar, cold. The midrash gives the mashal of a boiling hot bath of water that nobody dares jump into. Along comes one man and jumps into the scalding water, burning himself completely in the process. He may have harmed himself, but he has now cooled the water enough for others to jump into. This is what Amalek did as the Jewish people were traveling from Egypt. After Hashem performed the ten makkos, the plagues, and took the Jewish People out of Egypt, the nations of the world were fully ready to accept

both Hashem and His Torah. They began flocking towards Har Sinai, on a mission to join the Jewish people in accepting the Torah. [As the Ramchal explains at the end of Derech Hashem, until the Torah was given, any nation could have joined Klal Yisrael.] The Jewish people were at the height of their success, about to receive the To-

truth that lies within it. And although Amalek was sorely beaten, with only a few survivors, they still had managed to kill a few Jewish warriors. They showed that the Jews were not invincible, “cooling” down the excitement of all the nations of the world and paralyzing their readiness to accept Torah. We can now give meaning to the

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Amalek's entire existence is predicated on a lack of connection between Hashem and this world.

ituality and meaning. Only when you focus, look closer, and peer beneath the surface do you see the aleph. Aleph, the first letter, is the most spiritual of all the letters. It represents oneness and the spiritual root of reality. Hashem is Echad, One, and our goal in this world is to see the spiritual oneness inherent within every event and object in this world. Amalek seeks to hide the truth, disconnect us from our Source, and strip all meaning from this life. Only when we see past the surface, when we recognize the aleph in vayikra and trace everything that happens in this world back to Hashem, our spiritual Source, will we ultimately defeat Amalek and all that they stand for.

small aleph in Vayikra and why we read it before Purim. When you look at the word vayikra, with its tiny aleph, at first you only see the word karah, happenstance. This is the word of Amalek, a God-less reality, void of spir-

Shmuel Reichman is an inspirational speaker who has spoken internationally at shuls, conferences, and in Jewish communities. You can find more inspirational shiurim, videos, and articles from Shmuel on Facebook and Yutorah.org. For all questions, thoughts, or bookings, please email shmuelreichman678@gmail.com.

rah, and the other nations were ready to accept the Torah along with them. At this point, Amalek saw it necessary to attack the Jewish People, undertaking a nearly suicidal mission but showing the other nations that the Jews were not as completely invincible as they seemed. They “jumped into the scalding bath,” attacked the Jewish people, and “cooled the waters,” showed the other nations that the Jewish People were vulnerable to attack. Why did Amalek do this? Why were they willing to burn themselves simply to weaken the Jewish People? Amalek rejects both Hashem’s control of this world and the ability for physical man to uplift himself to spirituality. Torah is the epitome and paradigm of both of these principles. It is based on the principle of Hashem’s connection with this world, and it is the means for elevating ourselves and all of physicality to a higher purpose. Amalek stands directly opposed to this, and when they saw not just the Jewish People, but the entire world, ready to adopt this way of life, they had no choice but to attack. Amalek’s entire existence is predicated on a lack of connection between Hashem and this world, therefore a complete acceptance of that principle by all the nations of the world would mean Amalek’s ceasing to exist. Amalek attacked the Jewish People with the goal of preventing Matan Torah, with the goal of preventing the world from accepting Hashem’s Torah and the

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Feast of

VICTORY By Avi Feiner

ava said, “One who eats the Purim feast at night has not fulfilled his obligation. What is the reason? For it is written, ‘days of feasting and gladness.’” Rav Ashi was sitting before Rav Kahana on Purim. It got late in the day, and the rabbis had still not arrived [at the beis midrash]. Rav Ashi asked him, “Why have the rabbis not yet arrived?” Rav Kahana answered, “Maybe they are busy with the Purim feast.” Rav Ashi replied, “Would it not have been possible for them to eat the Purim feast [last] night?” Rav Kahana answered him, “Did Master [Rav Ashi] not hear that which Rava said, ‘One who eats the Purim feast at night has not fulfilled his obligation’?” Rav Ashi asked, “Did Rava really say that?” Rav Kahana answered, “Yes.” Rav Ashi then learned this ruling from him forty times until it was secure in his memory.”

This perplexing Talmudic passage presents us with a number of difficulties: • First of all, why the insistence that the Purim feast be performed specifically during the day? Although Rava derives this halacha from a verse in the Megillah, there must be an underlying reason why the Megillah expresses this feasting obligation as an obligation to be performed during the day, rather than during the night of Purim. • Secondly, why was Rav Ashi so surprised by this statement of Rava to the extent that he felt the need to press Rav Kahana to reiterate that Rava indeed made such a statement? • In addition, why did Rav Ashi have to review this statement of Rava forty times, and what is the Gemara teaching us by informing us of the number of times it took Rav Ashi to etch this halacha into his memory?

It was Rava who also authored the famous statement that is presented on the same page in the Gemara: “A person is obligated to become intoxicated on Purim until he does not know the difference between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordechai.” It would seem that according to Rava, one of the primary objectives of the Purim feast is to reach a state where one becomes so confused and disoriented that he is no longer aware of the distinction between Haman and Mordechai. Rav Ashi, therefore, may have been surprised as to how this statement of Rava can coexist with Rava’s comment mandating the feast to be eaten during the daytime. It is the nighttime that is generally associated with confusion and clouded vision, while the day is a time of clarity. If Rava first stated that one must reach a state of inebriation and confusion on Purim, then a more appropriate

time for the feast should have been during the night. Consequently, this may have been the source of Rav Ashi’s reaction of surprise when he heard that Rava instead requires the Purim feast to be performed during the daytime. How then do we reconcile these two seemingly incongruous statements of Rava? Why is Rava so insistent on having the Purim seudah during the day, if the night may be better suited to reaching the confused state of “ad d’lo yada?” The Maaseh Rokeach writes that the reason the Purim feast is to be performed specifically during the day is because our seudah is intended to commemorate the feast that Esther made for Achashveirosh and Haman, which occurred during the day. The Shla”h even writes that since Esther’s feast took place in the morning, which is the time that kings generally eat a large meal, one

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should try to make a feast on Purim morning. We see, therefore, that our feasts are intended in certain ways to mimic the feast of Esther as it is recorded in the Megillah. Similarly, the Avudraham writes, “Why did the Sages mandate us to get drunk on Purim, if throughout the Torah we find that inebriation became a tremendous pitfall, such as in connection with Noach and Lot? The answer is that since all of the miracles that occurred in the time of Purim resulted from a mishteh yayin…such as the matter of Haman and his downfall that came about through a wine feast. Therefore, they obligated us to get drunk on Purim because the great miracle evolved due to the feast of wine that Esther prepared.”1 Consequently, the underlying rationale behind both of Rava’s statements in the Gemara (the obligation to become intoxicated as well as the requirement to perform the feast specifically during the day), may have been that he understood that the verse in the Megillah instructing us to prepare a mishteh on Purim was in order to recreate and reenact the mishteh that Esther arranged for Achashveirosh and Haman. Since that very feast was organized during the day and involved a lot of wine, we are also to prepare a day seudah containing wine, which is reminiscent of Esther’s seudah. Therefore, both statements of Rava are actually consistent and based on the same core logic.

Esther’s Mishteh Let us now explore the events and accomplishments of Esther’s seudah so that we can attempt to recreate a similar scene at our seudas Purim. Esther invited both the king and Haman to her seudah. Her intention was to bring about Haman’s downfall by pleading to the king for the survival of her people. Through the vehicle of the seudah, Esther ultimately succeeded in causing the king to hang Haman and was thus able to secure the survival of the entire Jewish People. In a similar manner, theoretically, the purpose of our Purim seudah should also be to invite both

the King and Haman. We should attempt to plead to the King regarding what Haman is trying to do to us, and thereby bring about Haman’s downfall and our continued survival as a nation. In this analogy, the King is, of course, Hashem, the King of all kings. We understand that we are to invite and attempt to bring the presence of the Shechinah to our seudas mitzvah on Purim. But how are we to invite Haman? Haman is representative of the yetzer hara — the evil inclination that exists within each one of us. (The Kedushas Levi, Drush L’Purim, says that the mitzvah of wip-

ing our yetzer hara to annihilate us. During Esther’s seudah, the verse says, “U’finei Haman chafu, they covered Haman’s face.” This verse may be one of the reasons behind the widespread minhag to wear masks on Purim. We cover up the Haman that exists inside of us and declare that our true identity is not to be defined by our yetzer hara. Our true identity is one in which we are able to cover up and subdue the evil inclination. The Vilna Gaon writes that the covering up of Haman’s face is symbolic of the deep embarrassment that Haman felt in front of Esther and the king.

We come to the discovery that what gives us true simcha in our lives is the ability to conquer and overcome this archenemy within us.

ing out Amalek includes destroying the yetzer hara, which is called Amalek.) Not only do we invite the yetzer hara to our seudah, but we even try to get the yetzer hara excited about coming to our seudah, just as Haman was excited to come to Esther’s seudah. We create a mood of wine and leitzanus, the type of atmosphere that normally makes it easier for the yetzer hara to weaken a person’s spiritual state. We specifically have the seudah during the day, when everything is transparent and out in the open. We are completely honest with ourselves during the Purim seudah so that we can directly confront who we really are. We are aware that there is a part of us that is attempting to destroy our neshamos and eradicate our inner kedushah. Therefore, we plead to Hashem, our King, and we point to this yetzer hara, which the Gemara refers to as our enemy. We implore Hashem to remove this powerful enemy and help us destroy our yetzer hara, rather than allow-

So too, we wear masks to show that we feel ashamed by our inner yetzer hara that at times may reveal itself. We come to the discovery that what gives us true simcha in our lives is the ability to conquer and overcome this archenemy within us. This is the tremendous potential of the Purim seudah. On the one hand, it is a time of confusion as we get to a point of ad d’lo yada – when we cannot differentiate between Haman and Mordechai because they can coexist within the same person. But the seudah is celebrated during the day in order to achieve clarity through all of the cloudiness. Once we realize that we are fighting against a part of ourselves, we want to have the clarity of the day to enable us to come to the realization that the yetzer hara must be masked so that our true identity can be revealed. We try to achieve what Esther achieved. Just as Esther ensured the survival of the Jewish People by pointing out our true enemy and causing his face to be covered in

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shame and ultimately defeated, we have the ability to achieve similar results through our seudas Purim. This discovery and transformation that we try to accomplish at the Purim feast may provide an explanation for why the Gemara points out that Rav Ashi reviewed Rava’s halacha exactly forty times. The Maharal writes that the number forty signifies a spiritual change or transformation.1 Perhaps Rav Ashi was hinting to us that if we want to create a major change in our lives, we need to internalize and always remain cognizant of this halacha that teaches us what the Purim seudah is meant to accomplish. We are required to have the Purim seudah during the daytime in order to achieve revolutionary results similar to those brought about by Queen Esther’s day seudah, which resulted in the hanging of our enemy and the ultimate survival of the Jewish nation.

1. Avudraham, Tefillas Purim, paraphrased by Bi’ur Halachah, beginning of siman 695. The Sefer Mikroei Kodesh, Purim 44, explains that this is the reason that many of the Rishonim, such as Rashi, Rambam, and Rokeach, imply that the mitzvah to drink on Purim is specifically with wine and not any other intoxicating beverages. 2. See Maharal, Chiddushei Aggados, Menachos 99b; Gur Aryeh, Devarim 25:2. For example, there are forty se’ah in a mikvah; forty days for the formation of an embryo (tzuras hav’lad); forty days of rain during the Mabul; Moshe Rabbeinu was on Har Sinai for periods of forty days; Klal Yisrael were in the midbar for forty years; ben arbaim l’binah; forty lashes; forty days from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kippur, etc. Avi Feiner learned in Yeshiva Kerem B’Yavneh, Yeshivas Mir, and the Gruss Kollel in Eretz Yisrael, as well as in Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan and Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in America. He currently lives in Lawrence, NY, with his wife, Alyssa, and their five children. He can be reached at jfeiner18@gmail. com.

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MARCH 20,29, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 2015 | The Jewish Home

a Purim

Secret By Yerachmiel Michael Tilles

’ Nissan Zuckermandel, the wealthy owner of a glass-blowing factory, lived in Yargin, a small town near Pressburg, which was one of the most important cities in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As a youth, he had studied at the famous Pressburg Yeshiva. Under the leadership of the world-renowned scholar, the Chasam Sofer, this yeshiva had become among the largest and most respected in Europe. Nissan and his wife were married for many years without the blessing of a child. When a son was born to them at long last, in Shvat 5583 (January-February 1823), he immediately notified the Chasam Sofer and requested of his former teacher, who was also a mohel, to honor him with the mitzvah of performing the brit mila. However, due to their infant’s ill health, the event was postponed for several weeks. As it happened, the baby was judged to be strong enough to withstand the ceremony on a most auspicious day…Purim! At the brit, the Chasam Sofer was glowing with “light, happiness, joy and honor.” Was his incandescence a response to the joy of Purim Day? Happiness for his former talmid? Both? Nobody knew. When, following custom, he dipped his finger in the wine to place a drop in the infant’s mouth to soothe the pain, the

Rosh Yeshiva loudly proclaimed the Talmudic expression: “When wine goes in, secrets come out.” No one could understand why he recited that, but no one had the nerve to ask him either. The father pleaded with the sandek, the head of the rabbinical court of Pressburg, Rabbi Daniel Prustnitz, to ask the Chasam Sofer about the intention of his words, but the chief rabbi also was reluctant to do so. The baby was given a perfect name for a Purim circumcision: Boruch Mordechai. It means “Blessed be Mordechai,” from the lyrical paragraph recited after the Megillat Esther readings. At an early age he stood out from others his age, due to his excellent character traits and dedication to religious observance. Although his parents thought they sensed a certain deficiency in his learning ability, his difficulties were not particularly apparent while he was a child. But after his bar mitzvah, he enrolled in the Pressburg Yeshiva, and then it became impossible to deny that he had distressing, major difficulties in Torah study. In truth, he was very diligent. He would sit absorbed in the holy books from morning to evening. But whenever he was asked to repeat or explain anything, he was unable to

respond. He simply sat in silence. His less-sensitive classmates sometimes found it irresistible to mock this behavior. Once, when he briefly left his seat, they switched his volume of Gemara for another, opening it to the same page number he had been on. When Boruch Mordechai returned, he continued as before, apparently oblivious to the switch and even to the accompanying snickers. When he turned eighteen, the Ksav Sofer (who had succeeded his departed father as the head of the yeshiva less than two years previously) advised his parents to send him to the Land of Israel. Maybe there, where “the air of the Holy Land makes wise,” his studies would flourish. His parents agreed. They had another agenda as well: their son had reached marriageable age, and they hoped that the Jerusalem environment would also improve his marriage prospects. Boruch Mordechai arrived in Jerusalem with a letter of recommendation from Rabbi Shraga Feldheim, mashgiach at Pressburg. The letter enumerated his many exemplary qualities: “This young man is sincerely pious and prays with great devotion, and his desire to study Torah is sincere and enormous.” Presumably,

the letter’s recipients were able to read between the lines and divine the student’s lack of intellectual abilities. One of the scholarly leaders of the Jerusalem community, Rabbi Yeshaya Bardaki, “adopted” Boruch Mordechai, concerning himself for all of his needs. He was suitably impressed with the young man’s sterling character and piousness, but could not fathom how anyone with a lifelong, single-minded pursuit of Torah study could have retained so little. Just before Boruch Mordechai reached the age of twenty, Rabbi Bardaki managed to find him a bride. She was a simple girl from a good family in Jerusalem, for whom, apparently, the groom’s Talmudic deficiencies were of no concern.

everal years after the wedding, the tall and sturdy Boruch Mordechai began to work as a water-carrier, serving the residents of the Bati Machseh section of the Old City. At that point in time, he was the only Ashkenazi Jew to have adopted that trade in Jerusalem. He was honest to an extreme, and as a result became the most popular of the twelve water-carriers in Jerusalem. Every Rosh Chodesh he would deliver water for free to his regular customers; he worried that if he had inadvertently spilled any drops of

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

water over the course of the previous month, he would be stealing by having charged for full buckets. He calculated that in three solid hours of work each day he could earn enough to provide for his family. The rest of the time he sat in a corner of the beit midrash (study hall) with a volume of Talmud or Scripture open before him, mouthing the words. Boruch Mordechai toiled at his chosen profession for more than forty years, in joyous spirit and with gratitude to G-d for his lot. He derived special satisfaction from serving the many Torah scholars within the walls of Jerusalem; he considered this a great merit and refused to accept payment from them. It pained him that the great scholar, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Diskin from Brisk, refused to order his water from him. “I will not allow myself to be served by the likes of Reb Boruch Mordechai Zuckermandel,” he would say, but refused to explain his words. On Purim 5653 (1893), in mid-afternoon, most of the chassidim and notables of Old City Jerusalem crowded, as every year, into the home of Rabbi Shneur Zalman Fradkin of Lublin, the celebrated rabbinic authority, leader of the Chabad chassidim in Israel and author of the scholarly book Torat Chesed. The atmosphere was exceptionally joyous, even for a Purim celebration. The men were constantly erupting into lively song and dance amid a flow of wine and learned words. All of a sudden, Boruch Mordechai called out to the host in a loud voice from the midst of the swaying chassidim: “Rebbe! Today is exactly seventy years since my brit mila.” Everyone smiled tolerantly, attributing the uncharacteristic outburst from the simple water carrier to all the Purim wine he had imbibed. “If so,” responded R’ Shneur Zalman, “you deserve an extra-large measure of ‘l’chaim’.’” Immediately a large tumbler of a special strong wine was poured and passed to Boruch Mordechai, who speedily dispatched it as commanded. It had an immediate effect; the elderly water-carrier climbed onto the table and began to sing and dance energetically. The sage’s reaction was surpris-

ing. He looked up at Boruch Mordechai and with shining eyes but without a smile called out loudly, “It would be nice if you would stop fool-

How had they disdained the accomplished scholar in their midst, allowing him to labor as a mere water-carrier for so many years? How had his

The Rosh Yeshiva loudly proclaimed the Talmudic expression: "When wine goes in, secrets come out." ing around already and honor this holy assemblage with some strong words of Jewish law and lore, halacha and agaddah, about Purim.” Suddenly there was silence. Everyone’s gaze shifted in amused anticipation to the tipsy Boruch Mordechai who opened his mouth and began to stutter helplessly. But then, the rabbi again demanded that he speak, and so he did. All the grins slowly gave way to wide-eyed stares of astonishment! Their old friend the water-carrier was discoursing enthusiastically on scholarly Purim topics and peppering his words with learned citations from the commentaries on Tractate Megillah and a variety of midrashim and works of Jewish law. The rabbi asked him questions about several other related Talmudic tractates, and he answered them too, waxing eloquent, on and on for two hours. Indeed, those present thought that if the strong wine hadn’t finally taken its toll, he might have continued indefinitely! When he finally passed out, they carried him over to a bench in the women’s section where he slept soundly till the end of the day.

extraordinary erudition remained hidden for so long? A few elders of the community who had associations with Pressburg recalled hearing of the mysterious

words of the Chasam Sofer seventy years before. Now, some clever minds were saying that these words could finally be understood. “Nichnas yayin, yotzai sod, Wine enters, secrets emerge.” Yayin (wine), which is spelled yud-yud-nun, has a numerical value of seventy, and so does sod, spelled samech-vov-dalet, the word for “secret!”

This story has been excerpted from Festivals of the Full Moon: Volume 2: Wondrous Stories for the Jewish Holidays of Kabbala Sages, Chasidic Masters, and Other Jewish Heroes, which is published by Menorah Books, a division of Koren Publishers Jerusalem. It is available online and at your local Jewish bookstore. ‫בס״ד‬

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efore Purim ended, the news of the extraordinary scholarship of the unassuming Boruch Mordechai Zuckermandel had spread throughout Jerusalem. The community was in an uproar.

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*References Available Upon Request

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home MARCH 7, 2019 | The Jewish Home

The Wandering

Jew

My Polish Winter December 1986 PART II By Hershel Lieber

t was quite cold, but the snow-covered landscape was serenely beautiful. I was on the way to Lublin with Shmuel Cymerman, my translator, and my brother, Yossi. Our mission was continuing in attempting to find and connect with Yidden in the small communities of Poland. We slept overnight in Rzeszow, where we sat around our Chanukah candles reviewing the day’s events and the people we encountered. In the morning we went to the bais olam to daven by the kevorim of the Rebbes of the Bluzhever dynasty. There were only two matzeivos that remained in the cemetery from before the war and they were from these Rebbes. Both were bullet-ridden, but for the most part still legible. For forty-five years this vast, empty cemetery was repeatedly desecrated and strewn with thrash. Vagrants and dogs roamed its hallowed grounds. A few years before this trip, I reported the condition of this bais olam to Rabbi Chaskel Besser, zt”l, who got involved in erecting a brick wall around the perimeter. Arriving there this morning, we approached the gentile caretaker who somehow could not find the key for the gate. Having no other choice, we climbed over the entrance gate and recited many kapitlach of Tehillim. We did not stay long, as the winter days were short, and we wanted to get to Lublin before nightfall. After davening at the ohel of the Ropshitzer Rebbe in Lancut, we passed the palace of Graf Pototcki. The count’s family came from Vilna and were the forbearers of Reb Avrohom, the famous ger tzedek during the era of the Vilna Gaon. Our next stop was in Lizensk, where we lit candles and

Matzeivos of the Bluzhever Rebbes in Rzeszow (note bullet holes)

said Tehillim by the kever of the Rebbe, Reb Meilech, zt”l. Before the war thousands of chassidim made the pilgrimage there for his yahrtzeit, on the 21st of Adar, as well as all year round. At present, we were – and we felt so – alone, save for the Yiddish-speaking gentile caretaker and her daughter. This elderly woman grew up in this heavily Jewish shtetel before the war and was at this time in charge of taking care of the kever and catering to visitors. Yes, she expected to be tipped, which we gladly obliged. We arrived in Lublin before dark. This major city had fewer than twenty Jews, who used a small apartment as their shul. There almost never was a minyan, and most people could not really daven. The gatherings were more social in nature, and the apartment also served the elderly, who ate their daily lunches there, which were provided by the Joint. Mr. Honig, the cemetery caretaker, took us to the bais olam, where we davened by the kevarim of the Chozeh of Lublin, Rav Sholom Shachne, the Maharshal, and other gedolim and tzaddikim. We

Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, which was turned into a medical college

then drove past the renowned Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, whose founder, Rabbi Meir Shapira, zt”l, was a legend during his lifetime. Besides being the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Shapira initiated the ever-growing Daf Hayomi project. The stately yeshiva building was a major source of pride for the city’s Jews and brought honor to the study of Torah. What we sadly saw, however, was a transformed makom Torah that had morphed into a medical college. We could not enter the building, but from a distance we imagined what once was the epitome of a Torah institution. Our purpose in Lublin was to seek out the few Jews that still remained there. One was Pinchas Szycz, who had a small shop where he sold and repaired umbrellas. Although most businesses were government-owned in Communist Poland, some small trades were exempt and were allowed to be private. This allowed Pinchas to keep his shop closed on Shabbos. He was married to a Jewish woman, a rarity in Poland at that time, and had one daughter. We then visited Shloma Szmulewicz at his private tailor shop.

He invited us to his apartment where we lit Chanukah candles, sang Chanukah zemiros, and ate our own food. We spent two engaging hours with him and his Jewish wife. We also met their daughter and granddaughter who had just, that very day, left her gentile husband. Her parents were thrilled because they were always upset that she had married a gentile. I kept wondering how they thought they could prevent that from happening again. We regrettably had to end this emotionally-charged evening to catch our train to Warsaw. I had written previously in this column about the two Chanukah parties I arranged in Warsaw: the first one in the shul and the second in a private apartment. These took place during the final two nights of our trip. On the last day of our trip we took a ride out to a tiny village called Baniachowa. There, a very old woman, Laya Schmidt, lived all alone. She told us that her neighbors knew that she was Jewish but treated her very kindly. We left her all our leftover food and

TheJewish JewishHome Home| MARCH | MARCH20, 7, 2019 The 2019

The Szmulewicz family in Lublin

some zlotys. We then traveled to Gura Kalwaria, the cradle of Gerrer chassidus. We visited the kevarim of the Chadishei HaRim and the Sfas Emes – many years before an ohel was erected. The caretaker, Feliks Karpman, opened the bais olam for us, and we were joined by Warsaw’s most colorful character, Natan Cywiak. We lit candles, said Tehillim, put down our kvitlech, and felt privileged to be at this sacred place. I recalled my first visit to Gur years before, when I first met Feliks. He told me how as a young teen during the war, he was hidden by a gentile farmer in a barn overlooking the bais olam. He pointed out the barn, which was still there. On one occasion, he saw a German soldier leading a Jew to the cemetery to be killed there. He quickly ran out of the barn, killed the German, and freed the captive. Feliks made it through the war and in gratitude married the farmer’s daughter. They lived not far from the cemetery and made their living from the apple orchards

Laya Schmidt from Baniachowa

that they owned. He remembered well Harav Pinchas Menachem of Gur, of whom he proudly exclaimed, “I went together with him to cheder.” As I started saying Tehillim, I asked Feliks if he could still read from a siddur. He sadly replied that he couldn’t. I asked

At the kever in Gur. On my right is Natan Cywiak, on my left is Feliks Karpman

end. We met many more people, of whom I may write about in future articles. We realized there were more Jews in Poland than the official estimate of 8,000. Many were afraid of being exposed as Jews, while others had just recently discovered their Jew-

He slowly and emotionally repeated those words, as tears streamed down from both of our eyes.

him to join me by reciting after me the words, “Shir hamaalos mimamakim kirashicha Hashem.” He slowly and emotionally repeated those words, as tears streamed down from both of our eyes. Our mission was coming to an

Climbing over the gate to the bais olam in Rzeszow

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ish background and were not yet sure of what to do with this information. Reaching out to these lost souls gave many of them the courage to identify and be proud of their Jewish heritage. This trip was also a forerunner to the mini revival of Jewish life in Poland,

Poland in the winter of 1986 - cold, but serenely beautiful

which began soon after. In a way, this mission did not come to an end; rather it is still continuing to this very day.

Hershel Lieber has been involved in kiruv activities for over 30 years. As a founding member of the Vaad L’Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel he has traveled with his wife, Pesi, to the Soviet Union during the harsh years of the Communist regimes to advance Yiddishkeit. He has spearheaded a yeshiva in the city of Kishinev that had 12 successful years with many students making Torah their way of life. In Poland, he lectured in the summers at the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation camp for nearly 30 years. He still travels to Warsaw every year – since 1979 – to be the chazzan for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur for the Jews there. Together with Pesi, he organized and led trips to Europe on behalf of Gateways and Aish Hatorah for college students finding their paths to Jewish identity. His passion for travel has taken them to many interesting places and afforded them unique experiences. Their open home gave them opportunities to meet and develop relationships with a variety of people. Hershel’s column will appear in The Jewish Home on a bi-weekly basis.

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Israel Today

Winter Floods By Rafi Sackville

Nachal David Falls

n April 2018, 10 young students lost their lives during flash floods in the Judean Desert. They were part of a pre-military academy that went out on a bonding trip. Those who returned came back torn for life. It was a tragedy that affected the entire nation. The investigation revealed the leaders had not paid ample attention

to the weather, nor to the updates from authorities, who would have told them not to enter the Zafit Stream in the first place. The Judean Desert is a fascinating place to visit. Its light brown color can be spellbinding to the adventurous. For those who find its monotony less infectious, lessons from Tanach and the present day can turn bland moun-

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tain views, waterfalls and challenging trails into a wellspring of living and relevant Jewish history. During the depths of this last winter, we took a trip to the Judean Desert. The plan was to trek three streambeds and to climb Masada. Based at the field school in Ein Gedi we rose early each day with a plan to leave by 8:30 a.m. If the tour group is well organized, there are more vital things to do before simply packing up and walking up a proverbial mountain. The most important phone call of the morning is to the “situation room.” They provide information essential

before. I had brought a bamboo cane I had found in another location along for the walk. All visitors exit through one gate. The reserve is pristine, and those in charge are always on the lookout for litterbugs. As I passed through the turnstile I was stopped and asked about the cane. I was threatened with a fine until a recognized tour guide came to my defense, saying that despite its green color, I had not hacked it out of Nachal David. I was let through with a warning. The topography of the Judean Desert prevents seepage. When winter

The forces of nature were pulling a large winter blanket over uncovered waters.

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to the safety and well-being of anyone entering the desert or, for that matter, any place in Israel. There was good reason to call. Light rain had fallen the night before. Around 5 a.m. it started to pour. The director of the hostel told us that, whereas rainfall was rare, it could oftentimes be dangerous. Heavy precipitation brings hesitation and worry to those living in the area. The hostel is meters away from Nachal David, whose spring-fed streams flow throughout the year. We had walked its challenging paths the day

rains fall, the water runs into streambeds and quickens its accumulation and pace until it becomes an unstoppable force. It’s silent and silty. A predator of anything in its path, its flows unforgivingly on its downward course towards the Dead Sea. The students who lost their lives were walking in the middle of a dry bed when they were taken unawares and swept to their death. From the safety of distance, the floods look benign. As they rush past, they look as majestic and harmless as a BBC nature documentary.

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We had planned to climb Masada. The cable car takes you most of the way up. If you’re up for the hike, the snake path is the best option. The situation room chooses to close the snake path during rainfall. Another alternative is to walk up the easier, less exhaustive rampart. It will only close when it gets too wet. On the day of our planned climb, we happened to be unlucky. The authorities closed both routes. As the tour guides accompanying us conferred, we walked over to the fence overlooking Nachal David. Conditions had dramatically changed. For one, the usually clear water cascading over the falls had turned muddy. While we stood there, a river filled the damp bed we had walked the morning before. In moments, it quickly reached Highway 90, snaked into a trench, widened, and then broke into the salty waters of the sea. The sight was mesmerizing. The typically blue waters of the Dead Sea began to stain a brown, halfmoon that

The entry point at the Dead Sea of flooding water at Nachal David

stretched wider by the moment. The forces of nature were pulling a large winter blanket over uncovered waters. I felt ambivalent: on the one hand, I was privileged to witness such a miracle; on the other hand, the now steady floodwater was a reminder of the frailty of human life and how the lack of communication with the authorities

had led to the previous year’s tragedy. Two large semi-trailers suddenly came to a halt at the junction below us. A gentleman next to me raised his eyebrows and said, “You guys aren’t going anywhere. The road is now impassable.” And it was. For the next three hours we watched the sea stain widen

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and the road sink under a muddy bath. Highway 90 had come to a halt from Ein Gedi all the way down to the hotels. When the rain stopped, it took another hour and a half before the stream slowed enough for a large tractor that spent the better part of another hour lifting the silt and mud off the highway and the roundabout. One should never underestimate the forces of nature. From our vantage point we had a window into just how dangerous it can be. The beauty we watched from the distance made me grateful we weren’t on the road or walking along one of the paths that had been user-friendly the day before. The rampart approach to Masada had been plan B. It had to be discarded for plan C: a visit to the heritage house of the new police headquarters near Beit Shemesh. But that’s a story for another day.

Rafi Sackville, formerly of Cedarhurst, teaches in Ort Maalot in Western Galil.

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MARCH 20,29, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 2015 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

TJH Speaks with Marc Salem

Marc Salem

c a n read your mind. Yes, he knows just what you’re thinking right now. He knows what number just came to your mind and what is the color of the object that you’re holding. You open a book, and he knows what word you’re pointing to. Clairvoyant? Psychic? Marc insists he’s not. He says that he’s just an observant Jew: really good at reading people’s gestures – conscious or otherwise – and really good at picking up cues from the world around him. Want to learn more about this mind reader? Read on – because that information is just not going to come to you naturally.

MASTER of

MIND GAMES

By Susan Schwamm

We spoke with Marc before he headed out for his show in Oslo. In a few days he’ll be back in the States for appearances around the nation. Here’s a peek into the mind of the master of mind games, Marc Salem.

Marc, you’re able to read people’s minds – or so they say. Tell us a bit about how this all started. Well, I’m a yeshiva guy. I grew up in Philadelphia but I was in Torah Vodaas at age 10 already, as there was no yeshiva gedolah or yeshiva ketana in Philadelphia. I always loved puzzles and games and theater. And I also liked psychology and anthropology, studying what people mean and how they think. I ultimately went to University of Pennsylvania and did my graduate work in psychology which ties in very closely with what I do now. I studied with the man who founded the field of nonverbal communication, Ray Birdwhistell.

He passed away about 10 years ago, and at the time the New York Times allotted two pages for his obituary because he really was the fundamental social scientist to understand nonverbal cues. I mean, not what we sometimes call body language but really the intricacies. His book is called Kinesics in Context. Everything is important to see in context to something else. In my show, using his ideas, I end up building up to a strong finish because I’m able to observe the audience throughout the show and so I build up more and more of a dictionary, so to speak, of their nonverbal cues. Everybody’s nonverbals are not the same. There are five basics that are probably innate: happiness, we all smile, sadness, loss, pain, those are probably in-

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tain or sitting in a seat or somewhere so I could observe people to see what they’re wearing, how they’re talking, what they’re eating.

nate in all human beings. But the rest are culturally determined. You know, there are people who say no by moving their head from side to side but others move their head up and down, which to us feels awkward. In fact, if you try that now – move your head up and down and say, “no,” – you’ll see it’s very difficult for you to do. I’m trying it now – it definitely requires effort. See? But it’s not genetic. That is something learned, and we’re constantly learning what is innate and what we learn. But most is learned. There’s the basic gestures, like we said. For example, if you show a photo to tribesmen of someone who is sad, they’ll say, oh that person is sad; maybe he lost his son. Almost everyone will agree that that person is sad. But even context means something. Did you know that in parts of New Orleans people dance and smile when someone dies because they think that they’re going to a better place? So a smile may not necessarily mean that something good happened. It’s a language. It means something, but we have to understand it within context to mean something. When did you become interested in this “science”? My father was the rav in Philadelphia and he was very quick at this too. He didn’t study it, but as a rav he had to know it – he observed people and had to know what was bothering them. Your last name used to be Botwinick, correct? Yes. But I changed it. My wife is Sephardic and I took her last name, Salem. I have a funny story about that from when I did in a show in the Arab Emirates, but that’s for another time. Speaking of that, when you go to different countries, do you need to read up on the different social “languages” in that country? Yes, I have to learn what different nonverbal things mean in other countries because they don’t mean the same thing. For instance, the V for victory, if you do it a certain way in England, it’s very rude. You have to make sure you do it with the hands out, not hands in – something as sim-

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ple as that. Americans like to keep the most private space around them – we’re uncomfortable if someone comes within 7 or 8 inches of us. But Arabs love to talk in your face. Greeks and Mediterranean people, too. And if you’re talking to them, they talk to you in your face, you back up, they come closer and you back up. Suddenly you’re doing a weird dance and you’re both feeling uncomfortable but you’re not quite sure why, and it’s all because of the way that we use what’s called proxemics space, which is a nonverbal language. Years ago, when there were black-Korean conflicts of store ownerships in Brooklyn, NY, the mayor called me in and asked me what was going on. I told him, well, black people like to be spoken to while looked directly in the eye. Koreans save looking people in the eye for their family; it’s a modesty thing. So when a black person might go to a grocery store and put some change down, they feel they’re being dissed by not being looked at. We ended up holding sessions where we were training the Korean community and the black community about their nonverbal signals and how they’re read by other people. Let’s move over to your expertise, which is body language. What you’re looking for then is a baseline. If a person normally speaks quickly and suddenly they slow down, that’s a red flag. If someone’s normally still and suddenly they’re moving around all the time, that’s a red flag.

You’re looking for distinctions between cues. And the distinctions mean they’re uncomfortable. It’s a red flag but you collect these red flags very quickly, and believe it or not on stage it’s somewhat easier because people are a little uncomfortable to begin with. That’s why police put a light on you – they want you to be a little uncomfortable because you’re more likely to show your real self when you’re a little bit uncomfortable. What about when you choose audience members to come on stage. Are there certain people that you’re looking for? How do you know who will be a prime person to be involved in the show? I take for granted that my audience is of average or above-average intelligence, and if they laugh at my jokes, it means that they’re above-average intelligence. I throw in a lot of puns and I look at them but sometimes there are people who look like they’re not up to handle a bright light anyhow. It’s not brain surgery. If I call somebody up and something doesn’t work or they don’t understand my directions, I’ll definitely have a joke or pun tied to it, they’ll feel good, they get an applause, and they sit down. No harm, just a lot of fun. While you’re performing, do you have a specific person or persons that you’re actually observing? I observe everybody while they walk in. I’m either behind the cur-

And how do you remember all this? Do you have some sort of unbelievable memory? I do have an incredible memory but it’s a trained memory. I consider memory so important. I’m able to categorize things in my mind and then draw them up. Think of your mind as a filing cabinet, or as a computer, and you have different places to put different things and you just have to know where you put it and once you know where you put it – which are coded for you through mnemonics, letters or numbers you come up with – you can find what you stored there. I give several systems in the book; they go back to early Greek times. I’ll give you a simple example with several objects. You know the song, “This old man he played one, he played knick-knack on my…” Thumb. Yes, so let’s make a shopping list. We’ll go through five items. What’s the first thing you have to shop for – name something. Milk. Milk. OK. Now see your thumb stuck in a bottle of milk with milk falling, all dripping down your thumb. Once you see that, lock it, and we’re onto the next thing. The next verse in the ditty is “He plays knick-knack on my shoe,” right? What’s the next thing you want to shop for? Margarine. OK. I see a shoe with a stick of yellow margarine all over it. No one else is going to see the image, just you, and see yourself putting your foot in it so your foot’s all full of that margarine. Now we’re onto the next. What else do you want to buy? Apples. That’s easy because the next verse in the song is “tree,” but see the apples as giant, giant apples pulling down the branches, so you’ll remember it. Now you’ll remember these objects when you go to the store. Next thing you’re going to buy is…

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Flour. So picture a door slamming down on a huge bag of flour and now there’s flour all over the floor. And the last thing to buy?

That’s a busy life. Back to what we were talking about – we were talking about memory. OK. What’s the third item you have to buy?

Chicken. OK. Great. So picture chickens flying around a hive, around and around…

The third item was the tree, so apples. Do you remember the others?

Is this something that comes to you naturally now? Meaning you automatically know that

Yes, so the thumb was sticking my finger in the milk. The shoe was in the margarine. The apple was from the tree. The door was

“WAIT TILL YOU SEE ‘60 MINUTES.’ MIKE WALLACE BROUGHT IN A DOLLAR, AND I TOLD HIM THE SERIAL NUMBER.” the first object connects with thumb, the second with shoe, etc.? You keep rehearsing it until it’s second nature.

the flour. And the chickens were the hive. So you see? You got it. And it works both ways. You could do thousands of items that way.

How many kids do you have? I have three sons and eight grandkids. My youngest just graduated SAR so he’s in Eretz Yisroel now and then he comes back next year. He got a full scholarship to George Washington University where he’s going to take up football and law.

Tell me about some of your – I’m not going to say tricks – but mind games that you perform in your show. Well, first of all, I’ve had eight different shows. The New York Times won’t review your show unless it’s at least 70% different from your preced-

ing show and I’ve performed on Broadway eight times so that’s an important element. I sometimes get my ideas for my show from my children or grandchildren. I have one act that deals with a puzzle piece and that idea I got from my kids. I don’t bring out devices that are strange-looking. I mean, my favorite store is Staples – I come to a city and I go to Staples. If I were to say to you, this is the simple version, think of a short verb, have you got one? Most people, 80% of people, would think of the word “run.” I work with statistics. I want you to think of a number: 1, 2, 3, 4. Think of a number 1 to 4, have you got it? Yes. Is it 3? Yes. I told you “think of a number 1 to 4” and the mind deplores a vacuum, so you’ll automatically think of the number 3. Think of a 2-digit number between 0 and 50 but it has to be odd and not the same, not like 11. Are you thinking of 37? 31, close. I thought you would choose 13 so that’s why I did 31 instead. Usually people tend towards the middle of things. I go with tendencies and I’ll do the whole audience. Then I get more specific. I have them choose words from books; I look for eye movement; I look for body movement. I have this thing where I have them look through pictures, and I pick out the liar. I worked with the FBI and CIA on this. I’m one of the best people in the U.S. who can pick out a liar. How does the FBI employ you? I train them. I was involved in the biggest court case in American history – at the time it was the largest payout – I advised the lawyers. Every night I did a statistical analysis of the possible jurors, and we eliminated them until we got a jury. It was the longest jury selection in American history. We were there nine months in Florida choosing the jury. It was the tobacco industry so there were millions to be won or lost.

When it comes to my show, I think the way I hear people say yes. So language gives us an advantage, but for me, the way they say it is another language that I’m listening to as well. I see nonverbal communication as a packet of signals. And then when I put them together, I can come to a new understanding. It’s just like the letter A doesn’t mean anything unless you have B, C, D, E, and F. It only makes sense when you have an alphabet. It’s entertainment, and it’s games, mind games, that I’m able to play. I just watched a video of you with two half-dollars taped over your eyes and you were wearing a blindfold and you weren’t able to see anything. The host brought in two objects from her house that you never saw before and you put your hand over the objects without touching them and you were able to tell what those objects were and what color they were. It was amazing. Wait till you see “60 Minutes.” Mike Wallace brought in a dollar, and I told him the serial number. So how do you do that? Well, there are several things going on. I believe that vision is our least important sight, our least important sense. The Talmud says that there are three people you can’t have as an eid, as a witness, and it’s a cheresh, a shoteh, and a katan. That’s a deaf person, an idiot, and a small child. And I wondered, why a cheresh, why deaf people? Why can’t they be a witness? Wouldn’t you think that a blind person couldn’t be an eid? I wrote a book called the Tyranny of the Visual. We live in a world where everything has to be seen but once upon a time people didn’t travel more than 4 miles from where they lived. So it was a world not of sight; it was using your other senses, particularly hearing, to know your environment. And that’s what I do. I use my hearing, I use my touch. For example, you probably don’t know that dollar bills are printed with ink on special paper. And I can tell from the depth of the ink on the paper what the numbers are. I gently run my finger across the number, and I visualize what number is there. And remember, this is not

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brain surgery. I can get a number wrong or miss one number and it’s OK. I usually have many jokes, and people are engaged. What about when you tell people to change the time on their watch and then you tell them the time? Now, there are several things involved there. The first thing involved there is that sometimes the watch doesn’t move at all and it’s all about convincing them that it did. Remember, they’re on stage, there’s lights shining off of a glossy object. I wiggle the watch and they think it’s moving or it stopped or something like that, that’s number 1. Number 2, most watches are electronic nowadays. I always wear rubber-soled shoes. I build this up towards the end of the show, and I touch the watch and I put a little bit of static electricity into it enough to stop it. How do you practice for your performances? It’s almost impossible. I take my new or my weakest piece and I put it between my strongest pieces and I just work it out. Let’s go back to that trick where your hand is above the object and you’re blindfolded and you could tell that the object was black and white and furry and then you told her what the object was. People breathe when I’m right in different ways than how they breathe when I’m wrong. It’s usually an inhale. I have to do it several times with some people – some people I don’t get it and some people I get it right off. They’re giving off cues and they don’t even realize that these cues are telling me something. What’s the hardest act you attempted to do? Well, I did a thing for a very short time where there was a knife on a board covered by Styrofoam cups and I would mentally pick up the cups and the knife hopefully would be avoided. But twice I was rushed to the hospital so that was the end of that. I thought adding danger to the show would up its danger quotient

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but no, there’s more danger with me having four envelopes and one with a $100 bill. Three people pick an envelope and then the fourth one they could change with the one I’m holding. They open up theirs, they win a book, and mine has the $100 bill. That’s as far as I’m gonna go danger-wise and it’s safe – except for my pocketbook. Could you give me some “tricks” that our readers could do on their friends? OK. Put your hands together, but separate the tips of your first fingers. The rest of your fingers are touching each other. Now I want you to look between the fingers and imagine a piece of elastic around them getting tighter, and tighter, and tighter, and tighter. Are your fingers moving closer together? Keep doing that – I do that with the whole audience – and eventually your fingers will be touching each other. Well, it’s a very unnatural position for your fingers. Absolutely, you get tired. Here’s another “trick.” They’ll like this one. Take any 3-digit number. Write it down. Now reverse it, and subtract the smaller 3-digit number from the larger 3-digit number. I can tell you right now that the 9 is the middle number in your answer. Yes, it is a 9. And what’s the first number? Five. Oh, that’s cuz the last number is a 4. Yes. Okay. Now, you could go further. Now, reverse that number whatever that was, something 4, 5, reverse that number underneath it, add them together, and that’s 1089. Yes. But the second part of the trick was easier because we knew that it was 594 so it was 495. No, it will always work. Will I always get 594? You will always get numbers

where the first and last digit add up to 9 and the middle digit is 9 so when you reverse that it will always be 1089. That’s a great one. Yes. It’s the rule of nines. Occasionally they’ll get 99, and they’ll say that your trick is not working and you can say, oh that’s because the numbers are the same, they’re 99. Here’s another one. Think of any country in the world other than Afghanistan because that’s in the news

sect and think of a wild animal that begins with that letter. And now take the last letter of that wild animal and spell a bird that starts with that letter. I’m going to tell you what your bird was. It’s not a raven, right? No, it’s not a raven. No, I know, it’s a robin. It’s a robin, right! It’s about statistics. All the countries – except for Afghanistan or Azer-

“EVERY NIGHT I DID A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE POSSIBLE JURORS, AND WE ELIMINATED THEM UNTIL WE GOT A JURY.” every single day. Let’s make it start with an A. Any country – or continent – in the world other than Afghanistan that starts with the letter A. Now, take the last letter of that word and think of an insect that starts with that letter. Now take the last letter of that in-

baijan – that start with an A end with an A too. And the first insect people think of is an ant because who knows so many insects, and then they think of a tiger when you ask for a wild animal… It’s all logic and probability. Say it with confidence and certainty and humor and you’ll have it made.

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Dating Dialogue

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

Dear Navidaters,

I don’t really know where to begin, so I will get straight to the point. I am having trouble with shidduchim. The reason I am having trouble is that I come from a broken home and have non-religious family members and as if

that wasn’t bad enough, I am poor on top of it all. I feel like I was blacklisted from shidduchim, even though the problem is not me directly. Hashem is the One who gave me my situation, but people don’t care. Shadchanim or really anyone else don’t want to help me. I got to the point that I tried online dating, but it didn’t work out. The men seemed to have their own issues. The few times I do get a suggestion, it is with men who have emotional or other issues and are having trouble themselves. I try to be openminded because of my situation, but it is really bad. What is worse is that I am told by people to just say yes to anyone, even if I don’t really like them. I am always told to settle for whoever will take me. It really hurts. I happen to be outgoing, and it is easy for me to make friends. I see myself like everyone else. I didn’t think I would have such problems. I was so naïve. I am lost as to what to do next. Another problem I am having is a problem with shadchanim always telling me to change. They say it will help me with shidduchim if I change things about myself. The things I hear are so rude – also it is a lie. I know why I am having problems; changing who I am will not help. I am at the point that I actually do like myself despite them. I have looked around for someone who would care and really help me. Unfortunately, even with ones that do care, it is still the same. What should I do now?

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.

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The Panel The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S. hidduchim are very humbling, as my late mother used to say. They make everyone feel insecure because there is a lot of rejection involved. Add to that, shadchanim who are judgmental, want to put you in a box, and give you advice as if you were an item to be sold at a market. Shadchanim are supposed to meet you, listen to you, and fix you up. Dispensing general dating advice is not part of it. If the shadchan and you develop a relationship and s/he is a good listener, some coaching may be appropriate. Another problem with shadchanim is that you need them and they don’t need you. Everyone is calling them and nagging them. Getting people to agree to date is a long, hard job that is frequently thankless. So it’s hard to be human in this role and keep from dispensing advice. You are feeling particularly vulnerable because of your family situation. You need support to build on your strengths and abilities because on the outside you are getting messages that are negative. You sound like someone who is honest with herself, has social skills, and moves forward in her life. Get some short-term professional help for support and affirmation. Continue to grow and be successful. Focus on developing your talents, interests, and social network and not on shadchanim. And remember that the goal is not to be in a state of married. The goal is to find the right person who will appreciate you and understand you for who you are: an accomplished person with good middos, who has made a lot of herself on her own.

The Mother Sarah Schwartz Schreiber, P.A. ow do I telegraph a hug…or a life preserver…or an Advil?

The pain and desperation you are experiencing come through loud and clear. You are being tossed by the seas of misfortune and travail. Some of your problems are very real and beyond your control: your “broken family,” your irreligious relatives, your dire financial straits. Your other problems reside in the “gray zone,” your personal perception: the shadchanim who “don’t want to help,” or “always tell you to change.” The insensitive friends who tell you to settle for anyone “who will take me.” The men you have dated who are beset by their own emotional and personal issues. I wonder if there’s more to your story than what you describe so poignantly. If so, and forgive me for saying this, you’ve got bigger problems than finding a shidduch now. While you acknowledge Hashem runs the world, you can control your perception, your attitude, and your responses to difficult circumstances. The brain is the strongest organ in the body; Chazal teach us that nothing stands in the way of our motivation. Now is a perfect crossroads to work with a qualified therapist to help build your emotional strength so you can deal with your personal hardships more competently and confidently. Armed with greater self-awareness, optimism, and self-esteem you will, with Hashem’s help, find a soulmate who will love and appreciate you for all the wonderful assets and attributes you bring to marriage.

The Shadchan Michelle Mond ashem is the ultimate shadchan: you must keep this in mind constantly because your shidduch can come out of nowhere. While it does sound like you have a hard background and do not have all the perfect details to write on a

shidduch resume, realize that you are not alone. So many people do not have the perfect life story and still manage to snag a shidduch easily, while others have picture-perfect backgrounds and struggle in the shidduch scene for years. As the Talmud states, Ha’kol biy’dei Shamayim. Just take a look at the Purim story. Esther HaMalka, whose father died before she was born and whose mother died in childbirth, was taken in by her cousin, Mordechai. As a yesomah (orphan) born under terrible circumstances, she had every reason to give up hope for anything wonderful coming of her life. Hashem, however, had other, more regal plans for dear Esther. Esther, because of her background, was the only one who could merit being the savior of bnei Yisroel. You see, Esther was able to fulfill the mitzvah of kabed es avicha v’es imecha (honoring her father and mother) absolutely flawlessly, since they passed before she was born. She was the only one who could keep this commandment more flawlessly than Haman, who had the zchus avos of his forefather, Eisav, who was known for his stellar adherence to this mitzvah. Esther’s difficulties not only paved the road, but was the reason she was able to walk the road to her ultimate greatness. My point in going on this tangent is simple: you must learn your worth despite your background and difficulties you have overcome. Go to therapy and work on building yourself up as a person. Discuss with the therapist whatever it is that you said shattdchanim are constantly telling you to change. You will work to become a better dater, which will ultimately work to your advantage. When you finally feel ready, do lots of networking where people do not yet know your background. Get to know people in a natural way such as at Shabbos meals, shiurim, Shabbatons and singles’ weekends. With your newfound self-esteem and confidence, people will be drawn to you,

“I am perfectly human. I am more than enough.”

which will help tremendously. Remember, Hashem has amazing plans for you, don’t lose hope. Hatzlacha!

The Single Tova Wein ’m sorry you have so much baggage through no fault of your own. It’s hard to carry around all of these family issues that are not viewed in a positive way within our shidduch world. It definitely must make things harder for you and you probably don’t feel as though you’re starting out on equal footage with other young women who don’t come from such a background. But you need to remind yourself constantly that plenty of men and women who have similar backgrounds to yours and some who have backgrounds that are even more complicated than your own do manage to meet their bashert and live happily ever after. Not every couple you see walking down the street come from pristine circumstances. It sounds like many shadchanim, and even some people who mean well, are not particularly sensitive in the way they communicate with you and certainly lack tact and sensitivity, which is a shame. You deserve respect and kindness and a gentle touch. Try not to let their lack of finesse distract you from possible helpful messages. In other words, if you’ve heard the identical advice from more than a few individuals about things you could do with your resume or your own style

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for instance, rather than just get insulted take a moment to consider whether they may possibly have a point. When more than one person

points out a specific issue, there just might be something there. I also feel that it would be helpful for you

Pulling It All Together

to find some support in the form of a coach or a therapist, who can help you deal with all of the feelings that have come up for you as a result of how difficult dating has been for you so far. You need to speak to someone understanding and kind. You deserve it!

You must learn your worth despite your background and difficulties.

family and circumstances. With the way things are today, our vulnerabilities are often shared by third parties on a five minute phone call. Do not let this system break you. Build yourself up. Join a class or pursue a hobby. Live your best life. Refuse to let it beat you down. Envision yourself with a wonderful man who will love you for who you are. I encourage my frum clients who are so inclined to attend inspirational shiurim and develop relationships with a rabbi or rebbetzin to give them chizuk. It can be so helpful! I want to leave you with a message of hope. I know firsthand of people who thought it would never happen. They had completely given up. And wouldn’t you know? They either tell me in person, or I get that phone call, or text: “I’m engaged!” Don’t give up hope! Hope and Belief are your two best friends! And I almost forgot about Action. She’s your third best friend. Spend a lot of time with these gals. They get things done!. All the best, Jennifer

P.S. We have had an overwhelming amount of interest and responses for our Reader Response initiative. With that being said, we are creating an additional opportunity for our loyal and passionate readers to respond to What Would You Do If on our FB page. Join us on FB @ thenavidaters to respond with your thoughtful comments and feedback! We will post the column on Sunday evenings. We can’t wait to hear from you!

The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

et me begin by sending you support and validation in a situation that feels oppressive and unfair. You may be an incredible young woman that any family would be blessed to welcome. And yet, because of circumstances that you had no hand in creating, you are being rejected. I am angry and disappointed on behalf of all the incredible men and women who are being harshly judged by this shidduch system and the people who reinforce it. The shidduch system tells you, You are not enough. When you wake up in the morning and before you go to bed at night I want you to say aloud or write in your journal the following: I am perfectly human. I am more than enough. I am on my journey toward finding my perfectly human soul mate. People with financial means have problems too. They may have non-religious relatives, a relative with a drug or alcohol problem, unfortunate family dynamics, etc. Having money creates two possibilities. The first is the ability to properly address issues. The second is the ability to hide issues. The world of shidduchim often leaves people feeling as though there is something wrong with me; that in order to get married I have to be financially comfortable, gorgeous, and have no problems. Absolutely ridiculous! Though in my therapy/coaching with singles there are often personal qualities within the individual that could use a little tweaking, just as often, clients and I reach the conclusion that the problem is with the shidduch system. It can be frustrating to reach

this conclusion. People would love to locate the problem within themselves because it would be fixable! I offer you the same suggestion that our wonderful panelists offered. It may be time to work with a new shadchan. I want you to get social. Join a Jewish cause that attracts Orthodox singles. Go on Shabbatons. Attend events. Start an event of your own. Ask your rabbi or rebbetzin, married friends and relatives, or someone you know who is passionate about shidduchim to host a Shabbos lunch with likeminded single men and women. I am curious about what exactly these shadchanim and friends are telling you to change. If you are getting the same message from various people, you may want to take pause and assess the merit of this feedback. You didn’t mention what that feedback is, so I don’t know if its bologna or if it is something that would help you meet more men. You may want to work with a therapist or dating coach to figure that out, and also to have a place to air your feelings, to increase your own self-worth, and to receive some support and guidance. If things were different, a guy would see you at a pizza shop on a Saturday night, or walking in town on a Sunday afternoon, or at the shmorg of a mutual friend’s wedding, and he would approach you. You would get to know each other and develop a connection. Once the connection was established, you would begin to be vulnerable and share things about your

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.

Dear Readers, Have you ever read our column and thought, “She forgot to mention...” or “I completely disagree!?” Well, now it’s your turn to respond! Once a month we will have our “Reader’s Respond” section. You can be a panelist! Email thenavidaters@gmail.com to let us know that you would like to participate. We will forward you the entry we receive and you will be printed in the What Would You Do If? column alongside our regular panelists. Anonymous entries are welcome. Content is subject to the discretion of The Navidaters and The Jewish Home. We encourage you to be honest while maintaining sensitivity to the author of the entry. We can’t wait to hear from you! Esther and Jennifer

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718.471.8444 ext. 234

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Dr. Deb

But Will Our Masks Come Down? By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

urim is said to be the only chag that will remain b’yimai haMashiach. In that time, Hashem will reveal Himself so clearly that the yom tovim that celebrate miracles won’t be needed. The one chag that celebrates G-d in our daily lives when we don’t necessarily see Him is Purim. He’s always there, of course, but the Yidden of that time

– as so many of the Yidden today – chose not to see Him. I’d like to turn the question of revelation around. We all wear masks for protection all the time. It’s a rare person (and I haven’t met one) who doesn’t. We smile and say we’re “fine” to polite questions when we’re absolutely not at all fine. We hide our pain not only

from acquaintances in Gourmet Glatt but from our own families – and often from ourselves. So my question is: b’yimai haMashiach, when all is revealed, will we take our masks off too? Since there is no point in trying to answer this speculative question, let’s get closer to reality and ask a better one: what will it take for us to be more transparent right now? To ourselves, first, and to our loved ones, second? On Purim, many of us will put on costumes. But under the costumes are subtler masks that hide us from ourselves as well as others. Why do we do that? Why aren’t we open books? Every single “defense mechanism” had a good reason when it started. Every one. Protection. We hid and still hide because we’re afraid of being attacked in our soft, vulnerable areas. Let’s make up someone who is kind of emotionally reserved. But when she was a child, she was made fun of for caring deeply about things. So she went underground. She learned that having passions was dangerous. This is normal. A normal reaction to a dysfunctional environment. It’s about survival, after all. Eventually, she forgot her passions. Every once in a while she is reminded of them, and she wistfully sighs. That takes about a minute of her time, and then it’s back to life as usual. Someone else we’ll invent had a father who would beat him. Instead

of crying out in pain, he would take pride in not giving his father that particular pleasure. His father, sometimes drunk, would become enraged because his son would not shout, “Stop!” so he beat him some more. As an adult, needless to say, he had trouble with relationships. He could not be real; he could never admit to pain. A third child never, ever, heard anyone ask her how she was doing. She had no idea how she was doing, actually, because children only learn to be reflective when asked questions that cause them to look inside. When she got married, she never offered any wants or preferences. Her husband became bored with someone so compliant. Then there are the many children who witness parents escaping from their own pain with addictions, both chemical and behavioral, and they learn from their teachers. Of course, the worst masks are the ones that, by their very nature, hurt and harm those they love. They ensure the safety of their wearers by pushing away everyone else. The mask may look like anger or like disinterest. The mask may be one of superficiality, too, like the person who only wants his gal to look like arm candy. All of these are very effective at pushing away the very people who they’re supposed to be intimate with. Because intimacy is what’s scary. It’s natural; it’s understandable; it’s protective. But it doesn’t help the adults who those children become. It doesn’t help their families, and it certainly doesn’t help their mar-

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015 The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

riages. Did you ever wonder why the #1 complaint of couples coming for help with their marriages is not the private stuff that takes place behind closed doors but rather it’s “communication”? How can anyone communicate if they don’t know what’s in their hearts to communicate, they don’t know how to pull out of their partner what’s in their hearts to communicate, and since no one is “communicating,” no one feels safe enough to take the plunge? And even if they wanted to plunge in, safe or not, they have no idea how. So not only do the masks have to come off, the people wearing them have to start to get to know who they are underneath those masks. And that’s already very scary. They’re scared there’s nothing there! Imagine a man, for example, who only wants a beautiful woman for a wife. She has to look just so. She must wear makeup and heels. By being so connected to this particular “look,” he doesn’t have to look any

deeper at the girl – or inside himself. Maybe he knows there’s something there, but he is terrified that the “right” girl, the real girl, will not like what she finds. Best to hide under superficialities and play it safe.

say, G-d doesn’t make junk. This is the beginning of a process that must start with learning to be – and valuing – oneself before even getting to the old “communication” problem with a spouse.

When Purim is over and costumes are put away for another year, will your mask come off too?

Once this couple is married, the problem gets more difficult to solve. Each person has to be brave enough to be who they are – and confident that whoever that is, is good. Not only good, but wonderful. As they

Having napped on Shabbos, it was a bit hard to get off the motzei Shabbos computer and just go to bed. So I decided to entertain myself with a short YouTube video, and I was astounded that the algorithm

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really seems to know what’s on my mind. Here’s a video that says so nicely the very point I’ve been trying to make: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=P3f IZuW9P_M. Please watch it after Shabbos, and let me know what you think. Obviously, exactly how to get there isn’t so pashut. If it were, then Tracy McMillan would have figured it out more quickly. But figure it out, she did, and I give her enormous credit. For people who need some help along the way, it’s totally understandable. That’s why I’m here. When Purim is over and the costumes are put away for another year, will your mask come off too? The one you’ve been wearing for many years and many decades? Isn’t it time?

Dr. Deb Hirschhorn is a Marriage and Family Therapist. If you want help with your marriage, begin by signing up to watch her Masterclass at https://drdeb. com/myw-masterclass.

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Health & F tness

Healthy Hamantashen By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN

he holiday of Purim is notable for its delicious cookies called hamantashen. Now-

adays, with our creative chefs, any food can be made into a hamantash shape to coincide with the Pu-

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rim theme. I’ve seen hamantashen stuffed with chocolate chips, lotus, peanut butter, marshmallow fluff, kugels, chicken marsala, salami, sweet potatoes, pulled beef, even cheese and sauce – pretty much anything that tastes good in dough. The traditional hamantash, though, is stuffed with jelly. You’re probably waiting for me to say that there is a healthy version of hamantashen. Unfortunately, that is not going to happen. There is nothing healthy about cookie dough stuffed with jelly. Jellies are generally loaded with sugar, are highly processed, and contain high fructose corn syrup. In turn, jelly can be high in calories too. And, if that’s not all, the cooking and heating process of the fruits loses all the vitamins and minerals. Luckily, there is a bright side: jelly is low in cholesterol. Some versions contain chunks of fruits which contain antioxidants and help prevent cancer and promote heart health. Additionally, although the cooking process alters the vitamin and mineral concentration, it also has an effect on the fiber content. The fiber in fruit is in the form of pectin. The pectin gets altered when cooking jelly. This modified pectin can help reduce your chance of developing cancer, as well as improv-

ing the health of hair, skin and fingernails. If you really want to be healthier, make your own jam. Jam is considered a healthy alternative to jelly because it contains bigger chunks of fruit and less sugar. A delicious, healthier hamantash filling would be a fig filling. This recipe is from the popular food blogger, “Busy in Brooklyn.”

Fig-Filled Hamantashen Ingredients 12oz. dried plump California figs, stems removed and sliced in half ½ cup orange juice ¼ cup honey 1/8 tsp cinnamon Pinch of salt Preparation To make the fig filling, place the figs into a medium saucepan with the orange juice, honey, cinnamon, and salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. I like this filling because it has honey and orange juice instead of sugar. Another much healthier version of hamantashen would be a date filling. Soak the dates to soften them, then blend in food processor and

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015 The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2019 2015

add water. You can’t get more natural and healthier than that. You can use prunes, and figs too, but dates are much sweeter. To make your hamantashen even better – and by better I mean more nutritious and delicious! – try making a whole wheat dough instead of the classic hamantashen dough. Try this recipe from Jamie Geller.

Whole Wheat Hamantashen Ingredients 2 cups whole wheat flour ½ cup spelt flour 2/3 cup cane sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon salt 9 tablespoons aquafaba (chickpea brine) or flax mixture (3 tablespoons of ground flax seed with 9 tablespoons of water) ½ cup grapeseed oil 3 tablespoons warm water, if needed

Another delicious, healthy hamantashen recipe for the dough and filling is from Debra Klein. Ingredients Dough 2 cups almond meal (preferably blanched) ¾ cup arrowroot powder 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds (flax meal) 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon sea salt 2 eggs (sub 2 tablespoons flax seeds mixed with 1/3 cup warm water for vegan) ¼ cup honey 1 tablespoon orange juice ¼ cup avocado oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Raspberry Chia Jam 2 ½ cups raspberries 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chia seeds Optional: ½ cup dark chocolate chips/ chunks. Preparation To make the dough, place all the dough ingredients in a food processor and process until dough forms. Cover dough with plastic wrap and place in fridge until ready to use. To make the jam, place berries, water, honey and lemon juice in small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and then cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use the back of a wooden spoon to mash the berries that don’t fall apart. Stir in chia seeds and let sit for 10 minutes to thicken. Stir again. Let cool before filling hamantashen. Bake at 350ºF for 13 minutes. You can melt chocolate in a microwave or double broiler and then dip one corner of the hamantash into the melted chocolate. Alternatively, you can drizzle the melted chocolate

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over cooled hamantashen. Try using any fruit of your choice and cooking up your own jam to lighten up your hamantashen. But after all, since Purim is all about v’nahapoch hu, treat yourself to one day of not-so-healthy treats. In moderation, obviously! Since Purim is only one day, you can’t go too wrong. What you really have to worry about is the eight days of Pesach, which are coming up right around the corner – but let’s first focus on the fun of Purim!

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. She is currently a dietitian at Boro Park Center and a private nutrition consultant. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@gmail.com.

S E R V I C I N G T H E F I V E TOW N S

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

In The K

tchen

Salad-Topped Salami Pizza Meat • Yields 6 servings By Naomi Nachman

Meat pizzas have become popular, so when I had pizza dough and leftover salami in my fridge, I created this salami pizza. For Purim I made this in mini pizza rounds and pinched the dough to form them into hamantashen shapes for the seudah appetizer. Ingredients Pizza 1 batch frozen dough, defrosted ½ cup barbecue sauce ½ cup mayonnaise 1 (14-16 ounce) salami, thinly sliced ½ red onion, sliced (reserve the rest for the salad below, if desired)

Salad 3 cups arugula ½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved 2 TBS olive oil 1 TBS lemon juice ½ tsp mustard ½ tsp kosher salt 1 clove garlic, minced

Preparation Preheat oven to 450°F. If not using a pizza stone, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll pizza dough into a 12-15-inch circle or rectangle. Transfer to a pizza stone or prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix together barbecue sauce and mayonnaise. Spread about half the mixture in a thin layer on the rolled-out pizza dough, reserving the remainder for the topping. Top pizza with slices of salami and onion, distributing both evenly. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges of the crust are starting to brown. Meanwhile, prepare the salad: Place arugula and cherry tomatoes into a medium bowl. Add remaining red onion, if desired. Whisk together oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and garlic until combined. Just before serving, add desired amount of dressing to bowl; toss to coat. Spread salad over hot pizza before serving; drizzle with reserved barbecue sauce mixture. Recipe shared by Naomi Nachman with permission from ArtScroll. Photo by Miriam Pascal. Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

Clean out your closets before Pesach!

Please remember the thousands of aniyei Eretz Yisroel this neighborhood has helped with the gently used clothes we have sent. Over the past few years, we have sent gently used clothing to aniyei Eretz Yisrael in a biannual clothing drive. ALL COSTS are paid by anonymous sponsors, and collection and distribution is undertaken by UNPAID volunteers. This is a special opportunity to perform the tremendous mitzvah of tzedakah without incurring any expense. Last October, we shipped over 10,000 garments to distribution centers, both chareidi and chiloni, in Yerushalayim, Kiryat Sefer, Bet Shemesh, and other communities.

Keren Minchas Shlomo

Volunteers from local Yeshivas sorting clothing

Ready to go to port

The Keren is responsible when it reaches E”Y, and the Israeli government inspects the container to make sure we comply with the rules and regulations. WE ARE SENDING ONLY GENTLY USED CLOTHING (no shoes, hats, or undergarments). Please select garments that you feel are appropriate and that our needy brethren in E”Y will be proud to wear. Please ensure that all clothing is stain-free and in very good condition. Thank you for the last drive! Our community’s drive continues to be the most successful this organization has in terms of the quality and quantity of clothes we send to Eretz Yisrael. Help us do it again!

The clothing drive will BE"H take place

Sunday, March 31 | 10am-3pm at PRECISION AUTO BODY

10 Nassau Ave., Inwood, NY 11096 FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 802-622-1818

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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

Jewish people are leaving the Democratic Party. We saw a lot of antiIsrael policies start under the Obama Administration, and it got worsts (sic) & worse. There is anti-Semitism in the Democratic Party. They don’t care about Israel or the Jewish people. - Tweet by President Trump

The monopolists will make fewer monopoly profits. Boo-hoo. - 2020 presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (DMA) defending her call to break up big tech companies, in an interview at the South by Southwest festival

Federal officials are starting to crack down on fake Amazon reviews. Apparently a lot of reviews are fake or paid for. For instance, here’s a pair of Apple earpods. The fake review says, “These have amazing sound quality and battery life.” The real review says, “These are expensive Q-tips that you will lose instantly.” - Jimmy Fallon

Bigotry is impeachable! - Congressman Al Green (D-TX) telling Neil Cavuto on Fox Business channel that President Trump is a bigot and should therefore be impeached

Not only will I not say that again, but I’ll be more thoughtful going forward in the way that I talk about our marriage, and also the way in which I acknowledge the truth of the criticism that I have enjoyed white privilege. - 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke (D-TX) on CNN, one day after announcing his candidacy, apologizing for not acknowledging his white privilege at a campaign event and for saying that his wife raises the kids “sometimes with my help”

I can do [Charlotte’s] ponytail, but that’s about it as I don’t have enough hair to practice on. - Prince William talking about making his daughter’s hair

At restaurant tonight waitress asks if we want straws. Says she has to ask now in fear of “THE STRAW POLICE.” Welcome to Socialism in California! – Tweet by Devin Nunes (R-CA) about a recently passed California law which makes it a crime for a waiter to give a plastic straw to a customer who does not explicitly say that they want one

I think he’s got a lot of hand movement. I’ve never seen so much hand movement. I said, “Is he crazy or is that just the way he acts?” I’ve actually never seen anything quite like it. Study it – I’m sure you’ll agree. - Pres. Trump when asked about 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke (D-TX) entering the race

I’m told I get criticized by the “New Left.” I have the most progressive record of anybody running for the… anybody who would run. – Joe Biden, who has not yet announced his run for the 2020 Democrat nomination for president, in a speech to Delaware Democrats

MORE QUOTES

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

It’s nine P.M. on a Thursday night and Beto O’Rourke is trying to manage a couple of life-altering and possibly world-historical political events while also driving his family home from a Mexican restaurant. Donald Trump will touch down in O’Rourke’s hometown of El Paso in four days to hold a rally and whip up excitement for a wall along the border with Mexico. O’Rourke’s iPhone is pinging with texts asking what he plans to do about it—and also whether he’s going to run for president of the United States of America. Henry, age eight, weighs in from the back of the Toyota Tundra. “Dad, if you run for president, I’m going to cry all day,” he says. “Just the one day?” asks O’Rourke, hopefully. “Every day,” says Henry. Daughter Molly, freckle-faced and clever, astutely observes, “The White House is going to be all wet.” Earlier that day, the 10-yearold declared cheerily, “I want to live in the White House!” O’Rourke’s eldest, 12-yearold Ulysses, named for the hero of the Homeric classic that Beto O’Rourke has said he cherishes, delivers the final word: “I only want you to run if you’re gonna win.”

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! - Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones when asked on Fox Sports about the Giants’ blockbuster trade with the Browns, which sent Odell Beckham Jr. to Cleveland

I’m going to be there until he tweets me out of office, which I’m not counting on, at least today. - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joking during an interview at a recent Department of State event

– Opening paragraph of a Vanity Fair article about 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke (D-TX), indicating that the hard-hitting media is bringing out the big knives for the 2020 Democrat candidates

Everyone has to know your politics. - Former NBC “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno, in an interview with Al Roker, bemoaning how the late night shows have become all about politics and are not funny anymore

I do not believe that a civilized society can claim to be a leader in the world as long as its government continues to sanction the premeditated and discriminatory execution of its people. - California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) announcing that he is ending the death penalty in his state

We did everything to allow you to sleep at night. - One of the IDF pilots who retaliated for attacks against Tel Aviv in a TV interview about the counterattack

MORE QUOTES

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The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

THE SCHECHTER FAMILY

Leaders in Passover Tours

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PESACH 2019

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

The entire context and tone was intended to be a giant, obnoxious rightwing caricature. - Angelo Carusone, the president of left-wing media watchdog site Media Matters, on CNN defending old social media posts in which he made fun of Jews and Japanese people

Daniel Sober – Name of a 44-year-old man who was arrested for driving drunk last week in Pennsylvania

I myself have always been for lowering the voting age to 16. I think it’s really important to capture kids when they’re in high school. - Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi during her weekly press conference last week

There is no end with pi. I would love to try with more digits. - Google engineer Emma Haruka Iwao, who has calculated pi to 31 trillion digits, breaking the world record, in an interview with the BBC

Of course, they survived. I mean, cockroaches are going to survive a nuclear war. - CNN political analyst Paul Begala talking to CNN’s Jake Tapper about how Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, who are Jewish, have kept their White House jobs for the past two years

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The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

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Political Crossfire

Brexit Will Mark the End of Britain’s Role as a Great Power By Fareed Zakaria

ne of the great strengths of democracy is that bad policies are often reversed. That’s a consolation when we look

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at the flurry of pandering programs being enacted as the populist wave works its way through the Western world. When a new government

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is elected, things can be undone. Except for Brexit, which, if it goes through, might prove to be the most profound legacy of this decade. Britain, famous for its prudence, propriety and punctuality, is suddenly looking like a banana republic as it makes reckless decisions, misrepresents reality, and now wants to change its own self-imposed deadline. But if it does leave the Euro-

as a free market juggernaut. So either all those other countries have it backward, or Britain’s Conservatives have gone nuts. When I asked my Washington Post colleague Anne Applebaum what historians would look at when trying to understand the road to Brexit, she suggested that it all centers around the Conservative Party. The Tories could probably claim

Britain, famous for its prudence, propriety and punctuality, is suddenly looking like a banana republic.

pean Union, it will be bad news for Britain, for Europe and for the West. As Martin Sandbu writes in The Political Quarterly, Brexit has always been “a solution in search of a problem.” To me, the best evidence of this is that Britain’s Euroskeptics generally want to leave the EU because they see it as a statist juggernaut. In virtually every other member country, Euroskeptics dislike the EU because they see it

to be the most significant political party of the 1900s, governing Britain for most of the century, producing Churchill, Thatcher, and other iconic Western statesmen. But after the Cold War, as leftwing parties abandoned socialist ideas and moved to the center, the right faced an identity crisis. It needed to find the kind of clarity and purpose that anti-communism and freedom had provided. In America,

The Jewish Home | MARCH 29, 20, 2015 2019 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER

this mobilized the Republicans to emphasize social and cultural issues like abortion and immigration, which they coupled with an almost religious fury against liberals. In Britain, Conservatives found themselves in the same mushy middle that Prime Ministers Tony Blair and David Cameron inhabited. So, as Applebaum noted, they went radical – on Europe. Of course, there were always Euroskeptics, but they had been a small, eccentric minority within the party. By the midpoint of Cameron’s premiership, they were able to hold the party hostage and force Britain to walk the plank. We’re all weary of the drama, but keep in mind: Brexit will be a disaster. As Sandbu points out, Britain’s economy is competitive and productive only in high-value manufacturing and services, both of which depend on a deeply integrated market with Europe. While Britain can and will adjust, Brexit will likely mean a path of slower growth and less innovation for the country and its people. The foreign policy consequences of Brexit are being discussed least but might prove to be the most consequential. If Brexit does occur, within a few years Scotland and Northern Ireland will probably loosen their ties to Britain in order to maintain their association with Europe. Great Britain will then be reduced to just England and tiny Wales, a small country off the coast of Europe, not really fitting into any of the three economic blocs of the 21st century – North America, Europe and China. London, a city that has shaped global affairs for 250 years, will become the West’s Dubai, a place where lots of money sloshes around but of no great geopolitical consequence. Europe will also lose a lot with Brexit. Britain is a big, vibrant economy. But more important, Britain has been a crucial voice in the community for free markets, openness, efficiency, and an outward-looking foreign policy. The U.K. has been one of the few European countries that maintained and deployed a powerful army, often for broader global purposes. As non-Western countries like China rise, the central question of

international relations is: can the international system built by the West – that has produced peace and prosperity for 75 years – last? Or will the rise of China and India and the revival of Russia erode it and return us to what Robert Kagan calls “the jun-

gle” of international life – marked by nationalism, protectionism and war? The world order as we know it was built over two centuries, during the reigns of two liberal, Anglo superpowers – Britain and then the

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United States. Brexit will mark the end of Britain’s role as a great power, and I wonder whether it will also mark the day that the West – as a political and strategic entity – began to crumble. (c) 2019, Washington Post Writers Group

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Political Crossfire

In Opposing Impeachment, Pelosi is Trying to Protect Democrats from the Lunatic Left By Marc A. Thiessen

ouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s, D-Calif., announcement that she is “not for impeachment” has caused resistance on the left. Pelosi is not trying to protect President Trump. She is trying to protect the Democratic Party from its lunatic fringe. It’s an increasingly difficult challenge. Pelosi is the first House speaker in six decades to return to the job a second time. But the Democratic majority she now presides over is much different from the one she led in 2007. Since the 2018 midterm elections that gave her back the speaker’s gavel, her party has gone off the rails. First, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., hijacked Pelosi’s agenda by announcing her Green New Deal – an upward of $90 trillion-plus miasma of government spending that proposes to provide everyone with health care, a government jobs guarantee, free education, medical leave, job training, retirement security and universal basic income to support those who, as she put in her infamous talking points, are “unwilling” to work. And that’s before we even get to the energy and

environmental policies. After that troubled rollout, Pelosi tried to dismiss the plan as the “green dream or whatever they call it” and declared it “will be one of several or maybe many suggestions that we receive.” Pelosi favors a more modest, realistic agenda of bolstering Obamacare, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, building infrastructure, passing gun restrictions and other conventional Democratic priorities. But many Democrats do not share her lack of enthusiasm for full socialism. Virtually every Democratic presidential candidate has some kind of support for the Green New Deal, making a socialist takeover of the American economy the centerpiece of the Democratic Party’s agenda. That’s bad enough. But Pelosi has also had to deal with the mess created by another left-wing insurgent, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., whose anti-Semitic remarks have exposed a virulent strain of anti-Jewish hatred that is gripping the left. A resolution condemning Omar’s anti-Semitism faced such intense internal opposition that Pelosi had to replace it with a watered-down version that

condemned not just anti-Semitism but also all forms of hate – including “anti-Muslim discrimination and bigotry against minorities” – rendering it meaningless. Pelosi’s next move was to try and head off a suicidal impeachment drive gaining strength on her left flank. Anticipating that special counsel Robert Mueller may not find incontrovertible evidence that Trump engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Russia to steal the 2016 election, Pelosi announced that “unless there’s something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I don’t think we should go down that path.” That won’t stop Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who vowed on taking office “to impeach the *&%$@#^” and has announced she plans to introduce a resolution to start impeachment proceedings. Pelosi knows that such an impeachment effort would divide Democrats and might not even pass the House. And even if it did, there is zero chance that two-thirds of the Senate would vote to convict Trump for something other than a criminal conspiracy with Russia. A failed impeachment would energize Trump’s

base, raise Trump’s approval ratings and alienate the very suburban voters Democrats just peeled away from the GOP to win the House majority in the 2018 midterms. Most important, she knows it would distract Democrats from the agenda Pelosi wants to pursue. “It’s an opportunity cost in terms of time and resources,” she told Rolling Stone magazine. During a private meeting this week, Pelosi reportedly asked House Democrats, “Do we want to drag him down or do we want to lift people up?” The answer from the Resistance is becoming clear: Drag him down! Pelosi wants to do more than resist; she wants to govern. She wants to enact legislation. To do that, Democrats need to win back the Senate and the White House in 2020. But the Ocasio- Cortez-Omar-Tlaib wing of the party seems determined to undermine that strategy by pursuing a platform of socialism, anti-Semitism and impeachment. If they prevail, not only will Trump not be impeached – he’ll also likely become a two-term president. (c) 2019, Washington Post Writers Group

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Forgotten Her es

Melvin Garten The Most Decorated Jewish Soldier in American History By Avi Heiligman

erving in three or more major conflicts is something that only a few hundred American servicemen can claim. Most of these men served either during World War II, Korea and Vietnam or Desert Storm, Afghanistan and Iraq. The most decorated of these soldiers became an officer after serving in the ranks. Melvin Garten started as an enlisted soldier during World War II and distinguished himself throughout his long career in the army. Garten was born in 1921 in New York City to a Jewish family. After hearing about the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the City College graduate signed up serve in the army. It was known to the future commander that one of the best ways to see action was to join one of the airborne divisions. A few months after joining the elite paratroopers, Garten married Ruth Engelman from the Bronx. He attended Officer Candidate School (OCS) and finished top ten in his class. There were five airborne divisions during World War II. The 17 th Golden Talons, the 82nd All Americans, and the 101st Screaming Eagles were sent to fight the Nazis in

Europe. The 13th was sent to Europe towards the end of the war and did not see action. Garten joined the 11th Airborne “Angels” Division which saw action against the Japanese in New Guinea and the Philippines. The 11th was involved in several missions including rescu-

in 1950, Garten had achieved the rank of captain. In this conflict he served in the 31st Infantry Regiment, 7 th Infantry Division. Near Surang-Ni, Korea, Garten was cited for action by the two generals who recommended him for the Medal of Honor. In the end, he was awarded

"Major Garten's inspirational leadership, unflinching courage under fire and valorous actions reflect the highest credit upon himself."

ing 2,100 Allied citizens and military personnel from a prison camp in Los Banos, Philippines. He also saw action in New Guinea, and after the war was stationed on Okinawa. Twice he singlehandedly wiped out two machine gun nests. By the start of the Korean War

the Distinguished Service Cross. The citation explains his heroic actions on “Pork Chop Hill.” It reads, “The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Infantry) Melvin L. Garten …

United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company K, 3d Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Captain Garten distinguished himself … on 30 October 1952. On that date, observing that assault elements of Companies F and G were pinned down by withering fire on a dominant hill feature, Captain Garten voluntarily proceeded alone up the rugged slope and, reaching the besieged troops, found that key personnel had been wounded and the unit was without command. Dominating the critical situation through sheer force of his heroic example, he rallied approximately eight men, assigned four light machine guns, distributed grenades and, employing the principle of fire and maneuver, stormed enemy trenches and bunkers with such tenacity that the foe was completely routed and the objective secured. Quickly readying defensive positions against imminent counterattack, he directed and coordinated a holding action until reinforcements arrived. Major Garten’s inspirational leadership, unflinching courage under fire and

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E X C L U S I V E LY F R O M P E Y D :

USE YOUR AIRLINE MILES AND CREDIT CARD POINTS TO PAY FOR YOUR PASSOVER VACATION & HOTEL STAY valorous actions reflect the highest credit upon himself and are in keeping with the cherished traditions of the military service.â&#x20AC;? Miraculously, Garten was not wounded in this incident. In addition to the Distinguished Service Cross, he was also promoted and served through the rest of the war in intense battles. Over a decade later, Garten found himself in another war. This time he was the commander of the 2nd Battalion, 327 th Infantry Regiment in Vietnam. He nicknamed the unit the No Slack Battalion. In 1968, he was riding in a jeep when it ran over a mine placed the Viet Cong. Shrapnel ricocheted through his leg and head, and Garten was sent back to the States to recover. Doctors amputated his leg and outfitted him with a prosthetic leg. With a bit of persuasion upon the medical board, the colonel was able to return to service. No less than seven times, his wife was informed by the army that he was wounded, missing or dead. After a year of recovery, Garten was assigned to Fort Bragg home of the Special Operations and airborne forces as the post commander. His last position in the army was

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as chief of staff for the 12th Support Brigade. After retirement, Garten became a professor at the University of Tampa teaching history and political science. His son, Jeffery, also served during the Vietnam War. He was an officer in the 82nd Airborne Division and served as an aide for the general of the Special Forces.

Melvin passed away in 2015 at the age of 93 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. His accomplishments were many including the list of the medals and decorations he was awarded. Melvin earned the Distinguished Service Cross, as well as three Silver Stars, five Purple Hearts, four Bronze Stars, the Legion of Merit,

two Joint Commendation Medals, and two Air Medals and became the most decorated Jewish soldier in American history. Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.

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Business

Smarts

Just in Time for Purim:

Top 8 Ways to Become a Millionaire (aka How to Afford Living in the Five Towns) By Chaim Homnick

he cost of living in the Five Towns keeps skyrocketing. Pesach in Aruba, Doma for the Super Bowl, and Shimi Adar at your daughter’s first birthday. Just the basics of living here cost big money! For those who haven’t yet bought an 11-bedroom house solely for the purpose of knocking it down to build an 11-bathroom house, here is a simple list of ways to finally earn enough to scrape by:

1. Become Instafamous Find yourself following Jewish Insta-celebs like that popular chef and thinking, “I could do that—I love food!”? Master the intricacies of Instagram, sacrifice any semblance of personal privacy, and start hocking products! (It helps if you have your own marketable skill, product or personality, although that clearly isn’t a must.) Soon you’ll be up to your neck

in product placement freebies and be invited to speak in shuls across America. Free Pesach programs for your family are just an added bonus. 2. Make the NBA Some young Jewish boys may dream of raining down 3’s like Steph Curry. But other than an occasional Israeli like Omri Casspi, Jews no longer have the height necessary in the modern NBA. However, we may have the requisite savvy to manage money and allocate assets. Shaq credits his investing success to “a little Jewish old man” so maybe you can be the next big agent to the stars! Head to business school, work the numbers, and maybe Shaq will give you some pointers for your 3 pointers too. 3. Target Pesach, Sukkos – You Name It This profession may seem season-

al, but as the year-round ads suggest, Pesach programs can be a full-time job. Or, if you’re not busy enough, you can segue into a Sukkos getaway program, midwinter retreat, and so much more! The trick to making money in this market is having a 24-hour tearoom to attract customers but also providing a nutritionist who is successful at ensuring that guests don’t eat your entire profit margin. Keep the average participant to 6 meals a day and barter for a popular Jewish social media star to attend and the profits will flow faster than the 4 cups of wine. If this business sounds too ambitious for you, consider starting small with a Pesach car cleaning business, esrog-selling enterprise, or a sukkah-building startup. The beauty of those three entry-level businesses is that you can monetize teens as cheap employees. Plus, a poorly made WhatsApp flyer or a table outside of

David’s Pizza is all you need to get started. 4. Building Up Any real estate-connected business in the Five Towns can prove lucrative. With perfectly good houses being bought as knockdowns and mega mansions going up everywhere, there has never been a better time to be in construction, be a house flipper, or be a real estate agent. Start investing now before “North Lawrence” gets a rezoning-aided facelift and starts looking like the rest of Lawrence. 5. Inherit your Wealth The easiest “job” on the list is the hardest to attain. You’re either born into it or someone dies and bequeaths it to you. The challenge is staying wealthy and not squandering all of the wealth the previous generation slaved to accumulate for you. Invest

in something smart like a Tesla or the naming rights to your kids’ new school building, and you’ll have it made. 6. Start an Admissions Scam Company This is a trendy emerging option for someone with an entrepreneurial spirit and some higher education connections! Bernie Madoff mastered the art of appearing rich and savvy while scamming other rich and not-so-savvy people. Last week, an L.A. man’s lucrative business helping facilitate bribes to get celebs’ kids into schools like Yale and USC was uncovered. With colleges becoming harder and harder to get into, there must be some way to make a buck helping spoiled children get into their (parents’) dream school. Whether it’s SAT scores, essays or knowing the dean, you can make it happen. 7. Be Online All the Time The internet enables you to dream big and make sales beyond the eager

hordes of Central Ave shoppers. With some smart SEO, digital marketing, and a few well-placed ads on Jewish websites, you too can be selling big on your website and on Amazon. Find some jewelry on AliExpress for under $5 and flip it to unsuspecting custom-

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is also the least likely. Your chance of winning a Powerball drawing are 1 in 292 million, slightly worse than the odds of Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen announcing that the property that you own in the Five Towns is now worth quadruple

Don't be surprised if you find yourself on Shark Tank. Or at least on the cover of your favorite Jewish magazine.

ers for a mere $89! With margins like that, don’t be surprised if you find yourself on Shark Tank. Or at least on the cover of your favorite Jewish magazine. 8. Spend $2; Win a Dream The fastest route to insane wealth

what it was worth before she got into office. That said, your $2 buys you a fun daydream for a few moments as you consider how the next time your snobby neighbor asks if you’ll also be doing Pesach in the Maldives, you will be able to tell them that you now own the Maldives.

Can You Answer These Estate Planning Questions?

This Purim, as you get drunk enough that you can’t tell the difference between Broadway and West Broadway, remember that Hashem made millions of routes to the millions of dollars you need to finally knock down your house and build a bigger one than your show-off neighbor. With so many ways to make big bucks, you’ll be living the dream life in no time! And if all else fails, there’s always Cleveland.

Chaim Homnick is the owner of Kids Kamps LLC and the owner of Five Towns Tutoring. Chaim is also the College Advisor at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov of Lawrence and teaches 4 periods of Honors/AP English Literature. He has a Masters Degree in Business Administration and a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration. For questions or comments, he can be reached directly at KidsKampsLLC@ gmail.com.

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HELP WANTED DRIVER FOR QUEENS DRY CLEANER ROUTE. Options to drive Tuesday am/ Thursday pm. Also hours available Monday am , Tue am and pm, Wed am and pm and Friday pm. Must have own car. Use of company van part time. Competitive salary. Contact Marc for info 917-612-2300 SHOMER SHABBOS WOODMERE OFFICE LOOKING FOR A MATURE FULL-TIME SECRETARY Computer knowledge (Word Perfect, Excel, QuickBooks, etc...) and communication skills a must. Please email resume to info@UHCofNY.org

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Your

Money

Batter Up! By Allan Rolnick, CPA

hoosing where to live is one of the most important decisions we make on this journey we call life. Do we embrace the familiar comfort of the small town where we grew up, or do we strike off for fame and fortune in the big city? Do we celebrate new advances in home snowblower technology, or do we opt-out of winter entirely on a houseboat in the Keys? Choosing where to put down roots is an intensely emotional choice. But for some of us, it’s a tax-planning choice, too. Bryce Harper is a baseball player who lives in his native Las Vegas. Up until last season, he played right field for the Washington Nationals, where he became the youngest National League MVP ever. He’s especially good at hitting home runs on Opening Day and was the first player to hit five home runs in Opening Day games before age 25. Last year, Harper made $21.65 million for his effort, which means the umpires at the IRS will be rooting for him all season long. Harper is 26 now, with a new wife and probably a family on the way. Time to come to the mound for some adult financial planning, right? And so, on March 2, Harper signed a 13year, $330 million contract with the

Philadelphia Phillies. It’s the biggest free-agent deal in American sports and works out to $156,695.16 per regular-season game. Remarkably, it wasn’t even Harper’s highest offer — the Giants offered $312 million over 12 years, while the Dodgers reportedly dangled north of $35 million per year. But Harper’s choice is a great example of tax planning. The Cal-

Harper won’t escape California tax entirely. He’ll pay whatever “jock tax” applies to income from road games, which means paying the California rates when he visits National League rivals in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. But the difference could mean Harper keeps tens of millions more in Philadelphia than in California.

It's the biggest free-agent deal in American sports and works out to $156,695.16 per regular-season game.

ifornia offers Harper let go may have looked more generous than the Philly pitch he swung on. But California beans players with a 13.3% tax on income over $1 million, while Pennsylvania caps its tax at just 3.07%. Think of the Philadelphia pitch as a meatball down the middle, while the California offers were more like hanging sliders.

Baseball players aren’t the only 1%-ers to consider taxes in their decisions where to work. In 2016, hedge fund manager David Tepper, who earned $6 billion from 2012 to 2015, fled New Jersey for Florida. His move could cost the Garden State hundreds of millions in tax. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which caps deductions for state and local taxes at

just 10,000$, has nudged residents of high-tax states like New York and New Jersey to consider sunnier tax climates in Florida, Texas, and Nevada. And Harper can be glad he’s not facing even tougher choice-of-venue questions. For example, the Supreme Court just agreed to decide whether North Carolina can tax the undistributed income of a New York trust based on the beneficiary’s residence in North Carolina. Now, that may sound like a boring technical question. (OK, it is.) But it’s the kind of debate that gets the coolest kids in the Tax Club really excited. The bottom line here is important whether you’re at the plate or just watching from the stands. Every financial decision you make has at least some tax consequence. And the choices you make today can produce homeruns for season after season. So make the smart choice: make sure you have a plan so you can hit your tax savings out of the ballpark!

Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 years in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.

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The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

PRE PESACH SHOPS

�� M �� A � N K� FO �! � N � NA � �O I�� S CO� AN� � � A S

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10 10-3 AND 6-9 AT THE RED SHUL, 395 OAKLAND AVE, CEDARHURST

Al� Pro��s to Ben�� The Wom��'s Le�g�e of Yes�� Ket�� of Lon� Is�a d

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Batya Weisner Makeup....Alyssa Sterba Toys..Pixie Lane Nor and Jill..Jujubee Gifts..Ana And Ava

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Life C ach

Knock, Knock By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., MFT, CLC

f you see a pizza deliveryman coming, don’t trust that he’s the deliveryman. I mean, yes, it may be a real pizza or it might be made out of

chocolate. But no, there’s no guarantee it’s an actual man or authentic delivery person. It could very well be your Purim neighborhood pizza family, dressed

up as delicious slices of life. If Minnie Mouse or Mickey Mouse show up at your door, there is either a job crisis at Disney or it’s the neighbor’s kids. They’re just goofing around. If Trump comes around this week, he’s either looking for the Kushner home for Purim seudah or is clearly an imposter. Either way, he’s going to make Purim great again. Yes, Purim brings strange interlop-

a moment’s notice. So ask away on Purim. First remember to thank and thank. It’s only right! And then ask for endless blessings – without even being qualified for those blessings. Because that’s how we are supposed to treat whomever asks of us on Purim. Don’t “mask” your desires. Lay out the whole “megillah.” Appeal for all that you are wanting

G-d controls the reins...and can rain endless blessing on us in a moment's notice.

ers to our doorways. Some are friends and some are, who knows? But whoever comes, we must give to. And guess what we get in return? Sometimes it’s packages and sometimes it’s blessings. When we take care of G-d’s children, G-d takes care of us. Purim is fun, and it’s deep. All the festivity is celebrating that you never know what you’re really celebrating. Because, guess what? You may be riding the horse and holding the reins but you are not really steering the horse. G-d controls the reins… and can rain endless blessing on us in

and needing. Don’t get “hung up” on feeling that you’re asking too much. It’s your day to turn things around. Turn your worries into words. Your fears into hopes. And your sincerity into prosperity. Show up – and talk to the hidden King who’s really running the show behind the scenes.

Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@ rosenwalds.com.

The Jewish Home | MARCH 20, 2019

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MARCH 20, 2019 | The Jewish Home

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