Five Towns Jewish Home - 5-12-22 by The Jewish Home

May 12, 2022

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‫בס״ד‬

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MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

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IT'S THE EVENT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR... Olami is proud to present:

THE BIG M MENTORSHIP EVENING THURSDAY MAY 19 THE FIVE TOWNS

Following months of individual mentorship between 600 of Olami’s students and 600 mentors from the Five Towns, we are excited to bring our global community together for a night of meaningful connection and learning as part of The Big M Summit.

Olami’s mission is to empower young Jews, ages 18-34, through mentorship and innovative programming, to actualize the best versions of th mission: to grow toward goodness, together, in order to make the world a better place. Olami serves over 40,000 students annually with 300

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

hemselves on an individual and collective Jewish 0 partner organizations around the globe.

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Dear Readers, Dear Readers, This week, our columnist Sarah Rayvych writes about freedom. The freedom she alludes to is the delight that children feel when they are released from the stuffy classrooms and hallways of the winter months into the fresh spring air. The smell of newly-cut grass and the warmer temperatures make it almost impossible not to jump and play. But that freeing feeling is not only relegated to children. Adults, too, feel the spring in the air. And that fresh sensation puts an extra spring into their steps. The freedom of spring is evident as you walk around town. The parks are filled with scores of children, jumping and climbing as they meet up with friends. The sidewalks of Central Avenue are filled with patrons enjoying an iced coffee and acai bowl in the sun. The lawns are dotted with colorful flowers,

Hashem’s natural artwork beautifying the landscapes. This week, someone asked me if I was going away for the summer. When I was younger, and my family lived in Brooklyn, going upstate was de rigueur. But now that I live here, I am so grateful for the summer months so I can enjoy the amenities that I have just by living here. The boardwalks are only a short walk or drive away. The beaches and farmer’s market are right over the bridge. What more can we ask for during the warmer months? Now is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors. Whether it’s on a bike or pounding the sidewalk, take in the fresh air and the warm sun. It’s impossible not to be uplifted when spring comes around. Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern, PUBLISHER

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Shabbos Zemanim

Weekly Weather | May 13– May 19

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Candle Lighting: 7:45 pm Shabbos Ends: 8:51 pm Rabbeinu Tam: 9:17 pm

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll Community Happenings

8 40

NEWS

131

Global

National

That’s Odd

ISRAEL Israel News

My Israel Home

The Iron Beam is Laser-Focused on Israel’s Defense

JEWISH THOUGHT Rabbi Wein on the Parsha

The Kohein Within by Rav Moshe Weinberger

Deepening Our Understanding of Sefiras Ha’Omer by Rabbi Shmuel Reichman

Delving into the Daf by Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

PEOPLE Mr. Ben Hiller’s Story of Survival and Gratitude

102

A Lasting Tribute to Rabbi Moshe Neuman, zt”l

104

Heroes in Helicopters by Avi Heiligman

132

HEALTH & FITNESS I Can’t Change by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

114 Crank Up the Caffeine by Aliza Beer, MS RD

116

FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Fried Green Tomatoes

122

er ranked districts who spend far less money to achieve that outcome. All of this is occurring at the same time as enrollment has been declining every year for the past 10 years. With declining enrollment, families hurting financially due to the pandemic, inflation and the recent federal cap on property tax deduction, how is the current board responding? They are proposing another budget increase this year! If you are content to have your kids show up late for school, want your taxes to increase, your money to be wasted, and your children to be taught about gender identity in yeshiva, by all means, stay home on May 17 th. I am planning on voting for Jack Shafran and Chana Jeter this Tuesday at One Johnson Place, 7am-10pm, and will vote “NO” on the budget. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but it has to start somewhere. Each of these candidates brings a great perspective to the table and is eager to start addressing these issues. Harriet Wachtman Dear Editor, How nice that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could find the time to fly halfway around the world to visit Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. She was accompanied by some of her faithful flock including Congress members Gregory Meeks (NY), Jim McGovern and Bill Continued on page 10

LIFESTYLES Teen Talk

108

Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW

110

Parenting Pearls

118

JWOW!

120

Your Money

140

Word Salad by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

142

HUMOR Centerfold

POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

124

Protesting at Justices’ Homes is Illegal by Marc A. Thiessen

130

How Diplomacy in Armenia Could Help by David Ignatius

131

CLASSIFIEDS

Dear Editor, Hewlett-Woodmere (District 14) school board elections are being held on Tuesday, May 17, and you should be frightened. Legislation is being considered in Albany right now which will give oversight of the private school curriculum and compliance with state standards to the local school boards. While we hope this policy never sees the light of day, we need to prepare for the strong possibility that it will. Right now, despite the fact that 40% of the district children attend private schools, not a single board member comes from one of those families. This needs to change and you have an opportunity to help affect that change this coming Tuesday. Do you have children who rely on busses to get to school? If you are like me and nearly everyone else I know in the district, you have been driving your kids to school every day so that they don’t miss davening or first period. There is currently a nationwide bus driver shortage. But are the public school kids arriving late every day? They are not. The average Nassau County public school district spends approximately $28,000 per student per year. That is more than twice what the yeshivos spend. District 14 spends $46,000, the highest of any district in the county. While the quality of the education is certainly excellent, there are high-

134

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MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

THE BETTER WAY TO A #SLIMSUMMER

Continued from page 8

Keating (Massachusetts) along with Barbara Lee and Adam Schiff (California). They with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer support an additional $33 billion aid package for Ukraine. Why aren’t any of them asking any of our NATO allies to provide some of these funds? They will never find the funds by offsets to other federal expenditures

within our current $6 billion-plus budget. Instead, we will add to our $30.4 trillion growing national debt. Yes, we should assist Ukraine in protecting its sovereignty from the ongoing Russian invasion. What about the ongoing invasion of our own southern border? It is estimated that over 2 million illegal aliens will enter by the end of 2022. Have any of them ever visited

our border with Mexico? Why no aid package to protect the sovereignty of our nation from an invasion in our own backyard? Sincerely, Larry Penner Great Neck, NY Dear Editor, The gematria of the word Emor is 247,

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The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

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the same gematria of the word remez, part of pardes, and spelled zemer backwards. Why was a passive, remez-like language used to speak to the Kohanim and why is it a zemer? The Leviim, to which the Kohaim are a sect, always rose to the occasion of serving G-d to the loftiest degree. They shared an intimate closeness with the Divine. This is one reason why a directive can come down in more endearing language, in the form of an amira. Also, the Kohanim suffered a great loss with Nadav and Ahivu whereby G-d responds with a conciliatory and soft amira. The zemer is, of course, for the song of the Leviim that we hope will soon sing once again. Steven Genack Dear Editor, This is in response to this week’s Teen Talk question, where a teen talks about how her friends are mean or make mean comments about other people and that makes her uncomfortable. To this person I’d like to say that you are not alone. I am sure that your other friends also know in their heart of hearts that they’re doing the wrong thing. And I am sure that some of the people in your group feel gross making those mean comments, too. The thing is that group mentality is hard to beat. If everyone is being mean, then it’s hard to stop it in its tracks. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. And I think that you can be the one to do it. You see, if you found the strength to write into the panel, then you feel strongly about this. Sometimes, a group needs a strong person to move the lever in the other direction. In other words, if you can make a comment to your group when this is going on, like, “I don’t why you say she’s so nerdy; I think she’s cool,” or, “I like how she did her hair. I don’t think it looks weird,” or, even, “Guys, that’s not nice to say,” then I am willing to bet that others will quiet down and hear what you’re saying beneath the lines, i.e., that being mean is really not nice! It takes strength to pipe up against these mean comments. And you don’t have to do it all the time. But at least try to do it once or twice. And then I think it’ll come easier to you. Hopefully, by being around you, the other members of your group will become nicer, too! Best of luck, Chava A Teen, Too

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

U.S. Intel Helping Ukraine

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The United States has provided Ukraine with intelligence about Russian units which has allowed the Ukrainian army to target and kill many Russian generals, The New York Times reported, quoting senior American officials. Ukrainian officials claim to have killed around 12 Russian generals on the front lines – an amazingly high number. According to the Times, the intelligence aid is part of a “classified effort” by the Biden administration to offer real-time battlefield intelligence to Ukraine, as part of a flow of assistance to the country, and the U.S. intelligence support has had a “decisive” effect on the war. John F. Kirby, Pentagon spokesman, said, “We will not speak to the details” of the information being provided to Ukraine. He admitted, however, that the U.S. provides “Ukraine with information and intelligence that they can use to defend themselves.” Following the Times’ article’s publication, National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson clarified that the intelligence was not provided “with the intent to kill Russian generals.” Evelyn Farkas, the former top Defense Department official for Russia and Ukraine in the Obama administration and currently the executive director of the McCain Institute, said, “Clearly, we want the Russians to know on some level that we are helping the Ukrainians to this extent, and we will continue to do so. We will give them everything they need to win, and we’re not afraid of Vladimir Putin’s reaction to that. We won’t be self-deterred.” On Tuesday, Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate panel, “There’s a signifi-

It’s been 36 years, but now the Marcos family will be back in power in the Philippines. This week, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. won a landslide victory – 30.3 million votes – in the Philippines presidential election. His father had fled Manila more than three decades ago after leading the country with an iron fist. While both major candidates pledged to revive the economy and boost employment, Marcos Jr., 64, drew on the support of voters comfortable with the strongman rule of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte. His daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, joined up as Marcos Jr.’s running mate and was leading her closest rival by an even bigger margin. Marcos Jr.’s victory would bring a measure of continuity to the Southeast Asian nation of 110 million people, along with big questions about how he’ll rule. Although he has pledged to carry on with Duterte’s policies, it’s uncertain how he’ll handle a decades-long investigation into his family’s wealth as well as ties with the U.S. and China. The Philippines’ economy is predicted to grow at one of the fastest rates in Southeast Asia this year. Still, there is lot that needs to be done to counter the effects of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Japan-UK Defense Deal Japan and Britain have agreed to a “landmark” defense deal allowing their militaries to work together more closely, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week. According to a UK government statement, Johnson met Japanese Prime

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Minister Fumio Kishida in Britain, and the two signed a “landmark new defense agreement to deepen military ties in the Indo-Pacific.”

The reciprocal agreement makes Britain the first European country to sign a defense agreement with Japan and will allow British and Japanese forces to deploy together to carry out training, joint exercises and disaster relief activities. According to Johnson, “The visit of Prime Minister Kishida will accelerate our close defense relationship and build on our trade partnership to boost major infrastructure projects across the country.” The two signatories also said they would work to help Asian countries move to green energy and reduce dependence on Russia’s oil and gas. At the same time, Britain announced that it would lift the last restrictions on food imports from Japan’s Fukushima region, while Kishida said Japan would use nuclear reactors to reduce dependence on Russia.

Colombia Cartel Leader Extradited

Last week, the leader of the Gulf Clan drug cartel in Colombia was extradited to the United States. Dairo Antonio Usuga David, known as Otoniel, was sent to the United States for trial. But members of his clan reacted strongly to his extradition and shut down dozens of towns – 138 municipalities – in northern Colombia for four days as a result. The drug cartel warned people that if they disobeyed their stay-at-home or-

der they could be shot or have their car burned. The cartel ordered businesses to be closed and schools to be shuttered. Busing was closed down, and a professional soccer match couldn’t be played after one of the teams refused to travel to the game. The Gulf Clan’s “armed stoppage” decree was issued on Thursday in pamphlets and WhatsApp messages. It seemed to be winding down on Monday. Camilo Gonzalez, the president of Colombian think tank Indepaz, noted, “Drug trafficking will not end with the capture of Otoniel. When they captured Pablo Escobar they said drug trafficking would be over, and today there is more of it than back then.” According to Colombia’s Ministry of Defense, three civilians and three police officers were killed during the four days of the shutdown and more than 180 cars were burned for apparently violating the cartel’s order, mostly on rural highways. Other sources said that 24 people had been killed. The Gulf Clan, which also calls itself the Gaitanista Self Defense Forces of Colombia, was founded in 2001. Otoniel is its most recent leader. He was first indicted in 2009 in Manhattan federal court on narcotics charges and for allegedly assisting a far-right paramilitary group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Later indictments in Brooklyn and Miami federal courts accused him of smuggling at least 73 metric tons of cocaine into the United States between 2003 and 2014.

Horrific Building Collapse in China

A catastrophic building collapse last week in central China left 53 people dead. Rescuers searching the debris found ten survivors, all of them who were in good health following treatment at a hospital. Quoting authorities at a news conference, CCTV noted that all of the missing had been accounted for. The residential and commercial

15 ‫בס״ד‬

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

structure in Changsha, China, pancaked on the afternoon of April 29. At least nine people, including the building’s owner, three people in charge of design and construction, and five who allegedly gave false safety assessments, have been arrested on suspicion of ignoring building codes or committing other violations. In recent years, an increasing number of self-constructed buildings have collapsed, prompting China’s President Xi Jinping to urge additional checks for structural safety. Poor adherence to safety standards, including the illegal addition of extra floors and failure to use reinforcing iron bars, is often blamed for such disasters. Decaying infrastructure such as gas pipes has also led to explosions and collapses.

in Haiti, is one of the people behind the assassination plot. On Friday, John was extradited from Jamaica to the United States. He is charged with conspiring to commit murder or kidnapping outside of the U.S. and providing material support resulting in death, knowing or intending that such material support would be used to prepare for or carry out the conspiracy to kill or kidnap.

Haitian Senator Behind Assassination

He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. John is the third person to be charged for his role in the assassination plot targeting Moïse, who was killed by a squad of gunmen in an overnight raid at his home in July. The president’s wife was wounded in what the Haitian embassy in Washington said was a “well-coordinated attack by a highly trained and heavily

Last year, Jovenel Moïse, Haiti’s president, was gunned down in his home. This week, the United States is saying that Joseph Joel John, a former senator

armed group,” while their daughter hid in a bedroom and escaped. Mario Antonio Palacios, a 43-yearold Colombian national, and Rodolphe Jaar, a 49-year-old dual Haitian-Chilean citizen, were both arrested in January in connection to the murder. According to the criminal complaint, John, along with 20 others, participated in the plot to kill the president. John had supposedly helped to secure vehicles and obtain guns for the attack. He also attended a meeting with co-conspirators just before the assassination.

streets just a block from the country’s Capitol building on Friday. Several nearby structures also were damaged, including the historic Marti Theater and the Calvary Baptist Church.

Nationalist Leader for Northern Ireland

Havana Hotel Explosion

At least 30 people were killed and at least 24 were hospitalized in an explosion at a Havana, Cuba, hotel on Friday, the Cuban Health Ministry said. According to the Cuban Presidential Office, a gas leak is believed to have caused the explosion at Hotel Saratoga. In a tweet, the Office said, “Everything indicates that the explosion was caused by an accident.” The President’s Office added that 64 people have been hospitalized, including 14 minors. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who visited the site, said the blast was “not a bomb nor an attack; it’s a regrettable accident.” Cuban state media on Saturday claimed 32 had died in the blast, while the presidency said just 26 were killed. According to a Tourism Ministry spokesperson, a Cuban American woman is among the injured. Meanwhile, rescue workers continue to search the hotel’s ruins, and officials have said they believe more bodies will be found. Cuban state TV noted that there may potentially be survivors trapped in the hotel’s basement. Hotel Saratoga has 96 rooms. It was built at the end of the 19th century and was one of Havana’s most important hotels by the 1930s. It was preparing to reopen after being closed for two years when a gas leak ignited, blowing the outer walls into the busy, midmorning

Sinn Fein, an Irish nationalist party, won 27 seats in Northern Ireland’s recent election, making it the largest party in the country’s 90-member national Assembly. The party may now nominate a minister for the first time. Sinn Fein is opposed to Northern Ireland remaining a part of the UK and would prefer a united Ireland. Speaking to CNN on Friday, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said, “The preparation for constitutional change in Ireland needs to begin now. We need to be alive to the fact that change is underway. “It is my absolute determination that that change will be entirely peaceful.” The victory is a major milestone for Sinn Fein, which has long been linked to the Irish Republican Army, a paramilitary group that used bombs and bullets to try to take Northern Ireland out of UK rule during decades of violence involving Irish republican militants, Protestant Loyalist paramilitaries, and the UK army and police. While the Sinn Fein win signals a historic shift that shows diminishing support for unionist parties, it’s far from clear what happens next because of Northern Ireland’s complicated power-sharing politics and ongoing tussles over post-Brexit arrangements. Under a mandatory power-sharing system created by the 1998 peace agreement that ended decades of Catholic-Protestant conflict, the jobs of first minister and deputy first minister are split between the biggest unionist party and the largest nationalist one. Both posts must be filled for a government to function, but the Democratic Unionist Party has suggested it might not serve under a Sinn Fein first minister.

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

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International Industrial Espionage Ring

highly sensitive information from critical servers and endpoints belonging to high-profile stakeholders.” Cybereason added that it has briefed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Justice on its findings.

Taliban: Women Must Wear Burqas U.S.-Israeli cybersecurity firm Cybereason on Monday said it uncovered a “massive” Chinese-backed hacking operation. The hacking group had engaged in intellectual property theft and industrial espionage on three continents. According to Cybereason, the hackers used sophisticated methods and worked in an elusive fashion to target both manufacturing companies and technologies in the U.S., Europe, and Asia and steal sensitive information. Cybereason senior director Assaf Dahan told the Times of Israel that the Winnti Group, also tracked as Blackfly, Barium, and APT41, was “one of the most prolific and industrious groups in the cyber threat landscape” and is known to operate on behalf of Chinese government interests. The group has been active since 2010; some of its known members were indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2020 for computer crimes. According to Dahan, Cybereason’s research showed that the Winnti Group engaged in “intellectual property theft and cyber espionage on a grand scale” since at least 2019, and possibly before. “Their level of stealth and sophistication was very high,” Dahan noted. “It’s an intricate and complex deployment process where the components all have to work together in a certain order. It’s very difficult to detect because each component [alone] doesn’t appear malicious. It’s a smart way of evading detection and it worked — they worked undetected for three years.” Cybereason also uncovered a previously-undocumented “family of malware,” which includes a new version of Winnti malware called WINNKIT. This malware allowed the hackers to conduct “reconnaissance and credential dumping [to pull multiple passwords and login information], enabling them to move laterally in the network,” Cyberseason said in its investigation, adding that this hack “allowed the attackers to steal

The Taliban government in Afghanistan on Saturday ordered all Afghan women to cover themselves from head to toe when out in public. The new law allows women to show only their eyes and recommends use of the full-body burqa. Khalid Hanafi, acting minister for the Taliban’s vice and virtue ministry, explained, “We want our sisters to live with dignity and safety.” He added, “Islamic principles and Islamic ideology are more important to us than anything else.” Shir Mohammad, an official from the vice and virtue ministry, stated, “For all dignified Afghan women wearing Hijab is necessary, and the best Hijab is chadori (the head-to-toe burqa) which is part of our tradition and is respectful. “Those women who are not too old or young must cover their face, except the eyes.” The new law added that if a woman has no important work outside her home, it is better for her to stay at home.

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The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Both countries are seriously considering joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and have received warnings from Russia of severe consequences if they do so. On Wednesday, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said that the U.S. is “ready to provide various forms of security assurances” to both countries. That same day, UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told reporters in Finland that “it’s inconceivable that Britain would not come to the support of Finland or Sweden if it was ever attacked.” Former Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb on Thursday told Bloomberg TV, “We expect three types of intimidation or action [from Russia]. One is hybrid, one is cyber, and then one is information. The information war is already going on.” Linde added that although the U.S. promise is not the same as a guarantee, it means that “it would be clear to Russia that if they conduct any negative activities toward Sweden, which they have threatened, the U.S. would not let that pass unnoticed, without doing anything.” Earlier this week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Sweden and Finland can “in any case always count

on Germany’s support, independently of NATO membership and also during the period before it’s decided within NATO.”

Tragedy in Elad

Three fathers were murdered in a brutal terror attack on Thursday evening in Elad, as Israel’s Independence Day celebrations were drawing to a close. Early on Friday morning, the three who were killed were named: Yonatan Havakuk, a father of five children; Boaz Gol, also a father of five; and Oren Ben Yiftah, a father of six. According to eyewitnesses, two ter-

rorists attacked several people with an axe and a knife at a central park in the charedi city of Elad. The attack left two other victims in serious condition; their conditions are still serious, but they are stable. Havakuk, who was in his 40s, was described as “acheinu,” “our brother” – an always-smiling, friendly face who worked at a local garage. Local resident Yaakov Bar Noi told Haaretz that Havakuk was “a wonderful person” and that his “acheinu” nickname came from his habit of calling everyone “acheinu.” “He always had a smile on his face,” Bar Noi added, noting that Havakuk would do the work for free if the person could not pay. Havakuk was killed when he went outside to search for his son. Ben Yiftah, who worked as a driver, was found to have unwittingly driven the terrorists to a synagogue in Elad, after being told that they were involved in construction work at the site. Upon arrival at the synagogue, the terrorists took an axe to Ben Yiftah, brutally killing him. Just prior to his fatal drive, Ben Yiftah had transported a rabbi to a Torah class. Funerals for the three were held on Friday.

Following the attack, Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai ordered law enforcement to begin a nationwide operation against Palestinians who illegally enter Israel from the West Bank along with those who assist them. By Monday, at least 851 Palestinians who had been in Israel illegally and 91 people suspected of aiding had been detained in the sweep. The two murderers, Subhi Emad Subhi Abu Shqeir and As’ad Yousef As’ad al-Rifa’I, were finally arrested by police after a 60-hour manhunt. They had been found in a field not far from the attack. The pair had been to Elad numerous times for work and were familiar with the area.

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you did something, invested, learned, and again – and this is how you achieved your great achievement here. I am very proud of you.” Rabbi Yoram Rosenbaum, dean of the Amit High School Yeshiva in Tzfat, congratulated his student, saying, “Dvir, a son of the city of Tzfat, is a young Torah scholar, curious, diligent in Torah study, and above all, has a good heart and a desire to bring blessing and light to the world. He has brought great pride to the yeshiva and to the entire city of Tzfat. We are all happy that we have merited to learn with him and to learn from him in yeshiva.”

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dence Day, ended with a tie: Dvir Chaim Mertzbach and Hillel Cohen, who had competed head-to-head, both passed the final round with an equal number of points. According to Arutz Sheva, both winners are from Israel: Mertzbach studies in the Amit Yeshiva in Tzfat, while Cohen studies in the Hartman High School in Jerusalem. The young men ended the contest with 142 points each.

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Towards the end, Hillel, who answered his final question first, asked the audience to give his opponent a bit of quiet to think. In third and fourth place are Yitzhak Spivak of the USA, and Yaakov Weinstein of South Africa, respectively. Following the conclusion of the contest, Ofer Hadad, who was asking the questions, called Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Israeli President

Isaac Herzog to the stage to distribute the prizes. Turning to Israel’s youth, Bennett said, “Let’s learn from our nation’s heroes to take responsibility – to get up and act. If something is not the way it should be – act.” He added, “Initiate, act, work, and never, ever – never give up. Turn our beloved State of Israel into an amazing country. Finalists, every single one of

The IDF on Sunday said that its troops were operating in the Palestinian Authority (PA) town of Rumana, where the two Arabs suspected of carrying out a deadly terror attack in Elad live. During their operation, the troops mapped out the terrorists’ homes, in preparation for a future demolition. The terrorists, arrested Sunday morning, were named as As’ad Yousef As’ad al-Rifa’i, 19, and Subhi Emad Sbeihat, 20. Al-Rifa’i confessed to attacking Oren Ben Yiftah, Yonatan Havakuk, and Elad Gol with an axe at the end of Independence Day, together with Sbeihat. In addition to the axe, it is believed that the terrorists also used a knife. According to Channel 12 News, security forces located an item soaked in blood, as well as a tree showing evidence of having been hit with an axe. Second Lieutenant Y., a deputy commander in an elite IDF unit, detailed how forces located the murderers. “We identified a clump of weeds in the thicket, moving at a breathing rate. We realized the terrorists were there. We surprised them, pulled them out, and they did not resist.” He added that the terrorists’ hideout was “not bad at all, but they still stood out” to the forces. The terrorists “were in total shock and completely exhausted,” he added.

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Did Bennett Bend to Jordan?

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Tuesday pushed back against reports that Israel has agreed to a Jordanian request expanding Muslim control over the Temple Mount. In a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office that day, Bennett denied that Israel had acceded to a Jordanian demand that Israel allow the Waqf – the Jordan-based Islamic trust which administers the Temple Mount – to assign an additional 50 personnel to the site. “This is an event that took place about a month and a half ago. Indeed, about a month and a half ago, a Jordanian request was received to increase the Waqf presence on the Temple Mount by 50 guards but Israel did not find it appro-

priate to accede to the request,” Bennett said. The prime minister added that the status quo on the Temple Mount remains intact and emphasized that Israel will not permit foreign states to dictate policy on the holy site. “In practice: Six Hamas-backed Waqf guards were removed from the Temple Mount, and 12 new Waqf positions were manned — all within the existing standards, without any increase. “There is no change or new development in the situation on the Temple Mount – Israel’s sovereignty has been preserved,” Bennett added. “All decisions on the Temple Mount will be made by the Israeli government out of considerations of sovereignty, freedom of religion and security, and not out of pressure from foreign or political factors.” On Monday, Kan 11 reported that Public Security Minister Omer Barlev (Labor) and Israel Police have agreed to the Jordanian government’s demands for an increased Waqf presence on the Temple Mount. The report followed an ultimatum by the United Arab List that the government agree to Jordan’s terms or lose the UAL’s support in the Knesset.

Israel to Target Hamas Leaders

Israel has allegedly told foreign allies that it is preparing teams to carry out targeted assassinations of Hamas leaders abroad, the Times of Israel reported. Britain’s The Times newspaper on Monday quoted unnamed intelligence sources as saying that a “clear message” needs to be sent to Hamas. Though Hamas has not claimed responsibility for most of the terror attacks taking place in Israel since late March, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has repeatedly called on “Palestinians” to assault Israelis, praised terrorists, and encouraged additional violence. The terror group also claimed responsibility for a terror attack which left a security guard dead at the entrance to the city of Ariel last week and promised additional similar attacks in the future.

Proposals have been made in Israel to target Sinwar himself, but, according to The Times, officials are wary of doing so for fear it might trigger an escalation. Instead, the report added, any potential targeted assassinations are likely to take place abroad. The report also added that Hamas is believed to have been warned of a potential resumption of assassinations. Potential targets include deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri and Zaher Jabarin, a senior figure in Hamas responsible for its finances.

Coalition in the Balance

Israel’s Knesset on Monday opened its summer session with a bill to dissolve the Knesset scheduled to be brought for a vote later this week. MK Boaz Toporovsky (Yesh Atid), the

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tration on behalf of the American people.” Jean-Pierre has been on the White House staff since Biden took office and has worked extensively with both Biden and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in the past. Jean-Pierre said, “I am still processing it… This is a historic moment, and it’s not lost on me. “I understand how important it is for

so many people out there. So many different communities that I stand on their shoulders... It is an honor and a privilege to be behind this podium.” But not everyone is cheering JeanPierre. Many are pointing to her vocal anti-Israel sentiment. From August 2016 to August 2020, she was the national spokesperson and senior adviser for the left-wing political group MoveOn.org, a group that sup-

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

acting coalition chairman, acknowledged the “serious crisis,” telling Kan News, “Everyone understands that we’re at a crossroads that can bring about, Heaven forbid, elections in Israel.” Yesh Atid Chairman, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, said at a faction meeting, “Some legislative efforts will be delayed, but Israel has had similar governments in the past that survived for a long time.” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told members of his Yamina party, “Political instability is unhealthy for a country. We all need to right the ship and take responsibility. We are in a significant wave of terrorism, and we need to stand united in front of our enemies.” He added, “It is very important to hold the coalition together because the alternative is going a year backward, which is awful.”. Israel’s government currently lacks a majority, holding just 60 seats out of the Knesset’s 120. Meanwhile, the United Arab List (Ra’am) party has frozen its cooperation with the coalition due to tensions over the Temple Mount. A Shura Council meeting to be held Tuesday will decide whether the party continues in the government or quits the coalition. Noting the precarious position of the coalition, former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday, “It’s over, Naftali. Your government has finished its short and feeble term.” He asserted, “This government does not have public legitimacy.” While Netanyahu’s no-confidence votes failed to pass, he is weighing having the Knesset vote on a bill to dissolve itself. Should the move fail, Netanyahu would have to wait six months before trying to pass it again.

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ported the boycott of AIPAC and challenged anti-BDS laws. In a 2019 op-ed in Newsweek, JeanPierre said that candidates cannot call themselves a progressive if they supported AIPAC. “Unfortunately, AIPAC’s policy and conference speaker choices aren’t its only problems. Its severely racist, Islamophobic rhetoric has proven just as alarming,” Jean-Pierre wrote. “The organization has become known for trafficking in anti-Muslim and anti-Arab rhetoric while lifting up Islamophobic voices and attitudes.” Others have noted that she is married to a CNN correspondent and are skeptical that she can remain neutral in her role.

End for Fugitive on the Run It took eleven days for officials to track down escaped inmate Casey White. During his arrest, Alabama corrections officer Vicky White – who helped Casey escape prison – died from self-inflected injuries. Authorities caught up the duo in In-

diana, where a car chase ultimately led to their capture. Officers spotted Vicky leaving a hotel with a wig on. They continued to watch the two as they drove away. Ultimately, there was a vehicle pursuit. A U.S. Marshals task force member drove his car into the Cadillac Vicky was driving. The car overturned, and task members were able to remove Casey from the car; Vicky was found in the vehicle with a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. She eventually died from her wounds.

The case had fascinated Americans, as tips from around the nation were called in to help officials. The tip that led to their capture came in on Sunday night. Casey is going to be brought back to Alabama for trial. He faces previous murder charges. “He will be in a cell by himself,”

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Sheriff Rick Singleton said. “He will stay in handcuffs and shackles while he’s in that cell and if he wants to sue me for violating his civil rights, so be it. He’s not getting out of this jail again. I’ll assure you that.” Singleton said, “I’ve always expected this outcome. I knew we would catch them. It was just a matter of time.” Most escapes from a county jail are spontaneous, he noted. “This escape was obviously well planned and calculated,” Singleton said. “A lot of preparation went into this. They had plenty of resources, had cash, had vehicles, had everything they needed to pull this off, and that’s what made this last week and a half so challenging. We were starting from ground zero, and not only that, they got a six-hour head start on us.” Vicky White and Casey White had known each other since at least 2020. Prior to their disappearance, Vicky White had announced plans to retire from working in the prison and sold her home for a price well below market value.

What’s in a Name?

Olivia and Liam rank as the most popular baby names in the U.S. While Liam has kept the top slot for five years running, Olivia replaced Emma as the most popular name for the past three years, a Social Security list showed. The data is based on Social Security card applications for a given year and dates back to 1880. The list ranked the top ten names for boys, in descending order, as: Liam, Noah, Oliver, Elijah, James, William, Benjamin, Lucas, Henry, and Theodore. For girls, the top ten names were: Olivia, Emma, Charlotte, Amelia, Ava, Sophia, Isabella, Mia, Evelyn, and Harper. The names gaining popularity most quickly were Raya for girls and Amiri for boys. The boys’ names losing popularity are Jaxtyn, Karsyn, and Xzavier. For girls, various spellings of the name Denise declined in popularity from 2020 to 2021.

According to the Social Security Administration’s latest data, 3.64 million babies were born in the U.S. during 2021.

Protesters Target SCOTUS Homes

Justices on the Supreme Court are being targeted by protesters after a draft opinion on Roe v. Wade had been leaked last week. On Monday evening, demonstrators headed to the home of Justice Samuel Alito – who wrote the draft opinion – in Northern Virginia. Protesters marched and shouted: “Our bodies, our voice” and “Alito is a coward.” Some held signs that read: “Repro Freedom For All.” The political group Shut Down DC said it would be organizing a vigil outside Justice Alito’s home because “it’s been impossible to reach him at the Supreme Court.” The group argued that with Justice Alito’s draft opinion, not only was Roe v. Wade on the line but other issues, including interracial marriage, could be next. Alito is not the only justice being targeted. Protesters have shown up at other justices’ homes, including those of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts. As such, the Senate passed legislation to beef up security for Supreme Court justices, ensuring they and their families are protected. The bill now moves to the House for consideration. The legislation is a technical change that allows Supreme Court law enforcement to provide around-the-clock security to immediate family members, in line with protection for certain people in the executive and legislative branches. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., noted that he thinks the protests may be illegal. “Trying to scare federal judges into ruling a certain way is far outside the bounds of normal First Amendment speech or protest. It is an attempt to replace the rule of law with the rule of

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mobs,” McConnell said in remarks on the Senate floor on Monday. “It appears this may possibly be flat-out illegal. There is a federal law on the books that criminalizes ‘pickets or parades’ with ‘the intent of influencing any judge, juror, witness, or court office,’ at locations that include a judge’s ‘residence.’” McConnell noted, “Last year, Attorney General Garland’s Justice Department was quick to treat the concerned parents of America like potential domestic terrorists. But curiously, I haven’t heard any announcement about how the DOJ may handle these intimidation tactics aimed at federal judges.”

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U.S. stores nationwide have been struggling for months to stock enough baby formula for their customers. Although manufacturers say they are working at full capacity and producing as much as they can, formula production is not enough to meet the current demand. According to data from Datasembly, the out-of stock-rate for infant formula ranged between 2-8% in the first half of 2021 but jumped to 31% between November 2021 and April 2022. That rate increased another nine percentage points in just three weeks in April, and now stands at 40%, statistics show. During the week starting April 24, more than half of baby formula was sold out in six U.S .states, Datasembly added. Seven more states had between 40-50% of infant formula products out of stock by April 26. According to Datasembly CEO Ben Reich, “This issue has been compounded by supply chain issues, product recalls and historic inflation. Unfortunately, given the unprecedented amount of volatility to the category, we anticipate baby formula to continue to be one of the most affected products in the market.” Meanwhile, both CVS and Walgreens are limiting customers nationwide to three toddler and infant formulas per

transaction. In a statement, Walgreens said, “We continue to work diligently with our supplier partners to best meet customer demands.” Target has limited infant formula purchases to four units per customer for online purchases but has not set a limit on the number of units which can be purchased in-person, a company spokesperson said. The formula shortage has been exacerbated by a February recall of three types of Abbott Nutrition infant formulas due to potential contamination. The Abbott factory has not yet reopened following the recall.

Surprising Win at Kentucky Derby

The 148th Kentucky Derby ended Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky, with an unexpected win by Rich Strike. The horse had entered the race at 80-1 odds, making it the biggest longshot on the field. The horse began the week as an alternate and was only added to the field on Friday, after another horse pulled out of the race. Speaking at a news conference after the race, trainer Eric Reed said, “We came here on a prayer. Anybody that’s in this business, lightning can strike.” He added that his team went to Louisville only a few days before the Derby to prepare for the race. Rich Strike, he added, began training “against all odds; nobody thought we could get in.” But on Friday, Ethereal Road was announced as out, and Rich Strike was in. “I knew this horse loved the track and he’s been training so good all year,” Reed added. This is Reed’s first horse to win the Derby. For now, Reed is hoping to send Rich Strike to Baltimore for the Preakness on May 21, the second leg of the Triple Crown. The decision is not yet final, as he needs to make sure that Rich Strike is ready to race. Rich Strike is owned by the RED TR-Racing, LLC.

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3 Americans Die in Bahamas

An investigation has been opened after three American tourists were found dead on Friday at a Bahamas resort. All three were staying at the Sandals Emerald Bay in Exuma. The resort staff contacted the George Town Police Station just after 9:00a.m. on Friday morning, reporting that a man had been found unresponsive in a

villa. While the police were en route, another man and woman were found unresponsive in another villa, police said. The man in the first villa had no signs of trauma and was lying on the ground, authorities said. The man in the second villa was found “slumped against a wall in a bathroom.” According to police, “Both individuals showed signs of convulsion,” and no signs of trauma were found on either. Speaking to ABC News, Bahamas Minister of Health & Wellness Dr. Michael Darville said some hotel guests went to a clinic Thursday with nausea and vomiting, were treated, and left. He added that the three were later found dead, and a fourth was flown to a hospital and is in stable condition. Darville said what had happened was an “isolated incident” and emphasized, “There’s no potential risk to any of the residents on Exuma as well as residents at the resort or any other resort on the on Exuma.” A U.S. State Department spokesperson said they are closely monitoring

local authorities’ investigation into the cause of death.

In New Mexico, Residents Brace for Wildfires

Residents of Las Vegas, New Mexico, in San Miguel County, are working to regain a sense of normalcy after firefighters finally gained control of a fire over a month old. Firefighters, however, have warned Las Vegas’ residents that they should remain on alert and ready to leave, since the winds that could exacerbate flames will pick up again.

Rural areas, as of Saturday, were still threatened by fire, due to the winds driving the flames while grounding firefighting aircraft. The National Weather Service warned that the expected weather would create an “exceptionally dangerous and likely historic stretch of critical to extreme fire weather conditions” for a period of several days. Part of the New Mexico blaze was sparked by Forest Service workers who lost control of a prescribed burn intended to reduce fire risk. That and other factors led to a massive fire which had around 1,400 firefighters working feverishly to extinguish it. The unusually strong winds have hindered firefighters from making progress during the evening hours, when winds are usually calmer and temperatures are lower. Thus far, the month-old fire has scorched over 269 square miles and has forced thousands of residents to evacuate large areas of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northeastern New Mexico.

Antisemitism on Lufthansa

ast week, as throngs of Jews headed to Hungary to visit and pray at the kever of Reb Shayele Kerestir, zt”l, in honor of his yahrtzeit, some travelers were halted in their tracks. More than 100 Jews were told by Lufthansa Airlines that they would not be able to continue on the second leg of their journey to Hungary because a few people who were Jewish did not comply with the airline’s masking policy on their flight from

New York to Frankfurt, Germany. Only about 30 people were allowed to board the connecting flight – those whose names were not obviously Jewish or did not look outwardly Jewish. The other travelers – more than 100 of them – were not allowed to board. Travelers were, understandably, incredulous. When asked about the blatant grouping of Jews and barring a whole group of Jews from a flight because of individuals’ actions, a Lufthansa

representative confirmed that all the Jews on the flight need to pay for the actions of those individuals – regardless of if they were part of an organized group flight with those individuals. “Jewish people who were the mess, they made the problems,” asserted the representative of the German airline. “So Jewish people on the plane made a problem, so all Jews are banned from Lufthansa for the day?” the passenger, a resident of Lawrence, NY, queried. “Just for this flight,” the representative confirmed. Days after the blatantly antisemitic incident occurred, Lufthansa felt compelled to issue an apology after videos of the decision made headlines. But the apology Lufthansa offered was tepid and insincere. “Lufthansa regrets the circumstances surrounding the decision to exclude passengers from flight LH 1334 on May 4. Lufthansa sincerely apologizes,” the German airline said on Tuesday. “We apologize to all the passengers unable to travel on this flight, not

only for the inconvenience, but also for the offense caused, and personal impact,” it added. “What transpired is not consistent with Lufthansa’s policies or values. We have zero tolerance for racism, antisemitism and discrimination of any type.” There was no mention of actions barring Jews as a group on a flight or detracting punishment from a whole group for the actions of a few. The German airline was also criticized for repeatedly saying they regretted the circumstances rather than the decision. “You regret the ‘circumstances surrounding the decision?’” wrote Yad Vashem chairman Dani Dayan. “Don’t you regret the decision itself? And your staff’s behavior? And their attitude and statements? This is not an apology. We expect you to do better.” “This non-apology fails to admit fault or identify the banned passengers as Jews,” the Anti-Defamation League noted. “It also refers to them as a group, even though many were strangers. They had one commonality: being visibly Jewish.”

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Art of the Deal

$195 million – that’s how much a silkscreen by Andy Warhol went for at auction this week. The 58-year-old piece of art is now the most expensive 20th century artwork to ever be sold at auction. It is also the most expensive American artwork to ever sell at auction. Oh, and it’s the second most expensive publicly sold artwork in history. (A $450 million Leonardo da Vinci is still in first place.) Larry Gagosian, a dealer, took home the prize, a painting called Shot Sage Blue Marilyn. It took just three and a half minutes for bids to work themselves up from a starting bid of $110 million. Three bidders intensely bid up the price in $10 million increments, with the gavel eventually slamming down on $170 million. With auction house fees, known as the buyer’s premium, the work’s total came to its final, $195 million price. I can just picture it.

Frankenstone

Adam Hardin has lots of diamonds in his possession but none of them can compare to the Frankenstone he found last month. Hardin regularly visits the Crate of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. There, he sifts through mounds of dirt for glimpses of shimmering stones. He has found hundreds of diamonds on his

previous visits there. On April 10, though, Hardin walked out with a whopper of a stone: a 2.38-carat diamond. “It was right in the middle when I flipped my screen over,” Hardin said in the press release. “When I saw it, I said, ‘Wow, that’s a big diamond.’” The park noted that visitors who search for diamonds by wet-sifting use a screen to separate the gravel by size and wash the soil away. “Mr. Hardin’s diamond is about the size of a pinto bean, with a coffee brown color and a rounded shape,” Park Interpreter Waymon Cox said. “It has a metallic shine typical of all diamonds found at the park, with a few inclusions and crevices running all along the surface.” Hardin said that he and fellow diggers have a running, playful competition about who will find the next big stone. “I found a big one, then he got a 1.79-carat, and we were joking about who would find the next big diamond and be ‘king of the mountain,’” Hardin recalled. “As soon as I found this one, I had a feeling I had him beat. Now he’s trying to find a bigger one, but I’m planning on staying on top.” Many people who find diamonds at the state park name their gems, and Hardin is no exception. He has named his mammoth diamond “Frankenstone.” “I thought of the name because it has a pretty and kind of not-so-pretty look to it,” Hardin said. “Us diamond miners call that ‘character!’” So far in 2022, 260 diamonds have been found at the state park, according to the park. Hardin’s is the largest found this year. Two years ago, someone found a 9.07-carat diamond there. Rock on.

From Rags to Roman

Laura Young spent $34.99 at Goodwill for a sculpture of a Roman, but it’s worth way more than that. The 52-pound bust was found by Young under a table at the store. “It

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looked pretty dirty, pretty old.” Attempting to find out where this Roman bust came from, Young reached out to staff at the classics and arts departments at the University of Texas at Austin and auction houses in the U.S. Experts were able to date the sculpture’s history back to World War II. It’s suspected to have been stolen from the Pompejanum in Germany when Allied bombers attacked Aschaffenburg in January 1944. King Ludwig I previously led the construction of the Pompejanum, executed by architect Friedrich von Gärtner from 1840 to 1848. The bust is said to have been in the Pompejanum and is thought to be an homage to one of Pompey the Great’s sons. The Roman General lost a civil war to Julius Caesar. Though the Pompejanum was restored in 1960 and transformed into a museum in 1994, the bust was still missing. Perhaps an American soldier brought the structure to Texas after World War II. For now, Young is no longer the owner of the Roman bust; it needs to go back to where it belongs. It will be on display at the San Antonio Museum of Art before being sent back to Germany. Young’s name will be placed on a plaque at the museum, so patrons can know her connection to the bust’s lineage. “Either way, I’m glad I got to be a small part of (its) long and complicated history, and he looked great in the house while I had him,” Young said. You know what they say: All roads lead to Rome.

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Raymonde Sullivan is 100 years old, and she has a lot to celebrate. So much, that she is taking to the skies to revel in the moment.

The World War II nurse went skydiving last week in Florida for her 100th birthday. Sullivan said, “I had never done it, and I’ve done a lot of things in 100 years so I thought I must do it while I can.” Although she was happy she took the plunge, the centenarian admitted that it was a bit “scary” and added that she would not be returning for a second jump. After the adrenaline-fueled activity, Sullivan enjoyed a party with friends and family. Well, she certainly doesn’t fly under the radar.

Onward and Upward

He’s 24 years old and reaching great heights. Al Refaie is now the youngest person to climb the Seven Volcanic Summits. He received the award after capturing Mount Sidley, in Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica. He had previously climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania; Mount Elbrus, Russia; Mount Giluwe, Papua New Guinea; Pico de Orizaba, Mexico; Mount Damavand, Iran; and Ojos del Salado, Argentina/Chile. The mountains are known as the Seven Volcanic Summits. Refaie is the 24th person to climb all seven. Refaie, from Kuwait, was 24 years and 119 days old when he made it to the top of Mount Sidley. “When I first asked my mom for the Guinness World Records Book as a kid, she told me she would only buy it if I had something amazing to make my way into it. I really don’t know if she meant it that time, but here we are living the dream,” Refaie told Guinness World Records.

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Community M’Afeila L’Ora at DRS

n the Acheinu tefillah, we offer a prayer to HaKadosh Baruch Hu to watch over Klal Yisroel “M’Afeila L’Ora, from Darkness to Light.” On Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’Atzmaut, we commemorate, and celebrate, some of the darkest and brightest moments in our nation’s history. On Yom Hashoah, DRS was honored with the presence of two Holocaust survivors, Mr. Shimon Felder, a grandfather of two DRS alumni, and Mrs. Judith Wohlberg, grandmother and great-grandmother to DRS students and alumni. Both Mr. Felder and Mrs. Wohlberg shared their remarkable stories of survival, managing to stay strongly committed to their Jewish identity throughout the horrors they experienced. Their words of courage, strength, fortitude, and immense bitachon inspired the entire yeshiva and moved many to tears. On Yom HaZikaron, DRS alum Amiel Kerstein, now serving in the IDF, spoke to the yeshiva via Zoom from Eretz Yisroel and shared why a regular kid from

the Five Towns decided to join the Israel army. On Yom Ha’Atzmaut, to celebrate the miracle of the birth of Medinat Yisrael, the day began with a festive schoolwide musical Hallel. Following breakfast, students were enlightened by a presentation from Rabbi Dr. Ari Bergman, on the

intricacies of hilchos Shemittah and the sacrifices that farmers in Israel practice to follow Hashem’s laws. A few months ago, Rabbi Bergman brought a group of YU students to visit farms across Israel to receive a hands-on lesson on Hilchos Shemittah, and two of those students presented

to the DRS talmidim as well. Throughout the day, both Judaic and Secular classes presented lessons revolving around Israel in “Israel Across the Curriculum.” The day ended with a celebratory BBQ on the school’s front lawn.

YCQ Commemorates and Celebrates

“R

emembrance days remind us of our ancestors, and how Klal Yisrael as a nation has to always keep our past in mind, and follow our Mesorah,” stated Rabbi Moshe Hamel, Assistant Principal, JHS Judaic Studies. YCQ had a meaningful day commemorating Yom Hashoah and the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. Students across all grades had age-appropriate discussions and ceremonies to recognize this important day. Grades 3-4 participated in a meaningful ceremony with speeches from rebbeim and students honoring their family members with a special candle lighting ceremony. Tehillim were recited throughout the day honoring the six million Jews who died, and the heroism of the survivors and rescuers. YCQ commemorated Yom HaZikaron, Israel Memorial Day, with special assemblies for Grades 3-8. Students were inspired by numerous video presentations, as well as prayers for the fallen soldiers. We were privileged to have YCQ parent Mr. Menachem, as well as YCQ alumnus, Mr. Chanoch Aminsky, both IDF soldiers, in attendance. The students truly felt the meaning, purpose, and

importance of the day. Thank you, Mrs. Shirly PouradKaikov, for your hard work preparing a meaningful program. Yom HaAzmaut was epic day at YCQ. The entire school, students, faculty, and staff, participated in an outdoor Hallel led by Rabbi Ophie Nat, JHS Judaic Studies Teacher. All students in grades K-8 participated with kavana, and it was truly an inspiring morning. Thank you, Rabbi Ophie Nat, Rabbi Moshe Hamel, Assistant Principal, JHS Judaic Studies, Rabbi Mark Landsman, Principal, Mr. Aaron Kessler, Building Manager, and CM Schwarz for beautifully enhancing our tefillot. The celebration continued with a special Israeli lunch of falafel, pita bread, and Israeli salad. An outdoor concert for all students featuring dancing and singing concluded the joyous day. Also on Yom HaAzmaut, YCQ’s Early Childhood Program celebrated somebody’s birthday! Whose birthday? Israel’s! And what better way to celebrate then for the early childhood classes to go on a “trip” to Israel. The classes boarded a “plane” (chairs set in rows) and presented

their passports for stamping. They were served snacks while they traveled. Finally, they arrived in Israel! Each class set up different cities around the rooms. The children davened at the Kotel in Yerushalayim. They played in the sand in Eilat, floated in the Dead Sea, and visited a Kibbutz to see the animals. Some classes painted in Tzefat and visited the Israel Museum which contained artifacts from Israel brought in by the children. The children joined in the dancing and singing outside to live music as part of the celebration. The classes returned “home” just in time for dismissal.

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HAFTR Honors Israel’s Heroes

ast Wednesday, HAFTR Lower School students stood for a moment of silence, remembering the fallen soldiers of Israel as well as those killed in terrorist attacks. Each year, in preparation for Yom HaZikaron, the Lashon morot teach their students about soldiers and civilians who are re-

membered on this day. This year, the students’ presentation focused on Oren Shaul and Hadar Goldin. Oren and Shaul were killed in 2014 during Operation Cast Lead. Following their death, they were smuggled by Hamas through their terror tunnels, and their bodies have never been returned.

Additionally, they spoke about Ron Arad who was captured in 1986, during the First Lebanon War. Despite attempts to find him, Ron Arad never came home. Intelligence information concluded that he died in 1988. His body was never returned to Israel. Each year on the anniversary of his capture, Israelis hang blue

balloons by their front door in solidarity with the Arad family. So, too, each seat at the assembly had a blue balloon with Ron’s picture. We too will never forget and will continue to pray for the return of these brave men.

Yom Ha’atzmaut at Gan Amy

n honor of Yom Ha’atzmaut, Morah Allison’s class at Gan Amy went on a “trip” to Israel. Upon landing, we went directly to the Kotel where we davened and inserted notes in the wall. Next stop was the Tel Aviv beach where we played in the sand and seashells, then

onto the kibbutz where we picked Jaffa oranges off the trees and then snacked on them. We proudly wore our Gan Amy shirts as we marched up and down in a parade. We sang David Melech Yisroel, Am Yisroel Chai, and Hatikvah. Eretz Yisroel is always in our hearts.

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By: Rachel Czeisler

om Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut are significant days observed by Jews across the globe. Yom Hazikaron is a day of national remembrance in Israel to commemorate the soldiers who lost their lives during the struggle to defend the State of Israel. On this day, we mourn and remember our fallen soldiers as well as the lives that were taken by terrorists. Yom Ha’atzmaut, which is Hebrew for “Day of Independence,” is a nationally celebrated day in Israel that commemorates the 1948 declaration of Israel’s independence. Students and faculty at HAFTR High School gathered together in the auditorium on Wednesday, May 4, to commemorate Yom Hazikaron. The program began with opening remarks from Rabbi Ira Wallach, director of Limudei Kodesh, who emphasized the significance of the day. Juniors Danielle Garbulsky and Samuel Spiess then read a moving poem written by Israeli poet Natan Alterman,

out of respect for the memorial and to reflect upon the intensity of the day. Afterward, students watched part of a documentary about American pilots who volunteered to fly planes for Israel during the War of Independence. The film included interviews with many of the pilots and gave an in-depth look at how the

Israeli Air Force was established. The program ended with the entire school community rising to sing Israel’s national anthem, Hatikvah. On Thursday, May 5, the school switched gears from the solemnity of Yom Hazikaron to the celebration of Yom Ha’atzmaut. The festivities began with

all grades gathering in the auditorium to daven Shacharit. Prior to saying Hallel, Rabbi Hirtz explained why this prayer is said on Yom Ha’atzmaut. This made the school-wide Hallel, led by freshman Zachary Newmark, even more beautiful and meaningful. Afterward, many teachers conducted lively discussions with their students about the impact that Israel has on their lives. The excitement continued as everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch that was sponsored by the PTA and participated in games of laser tag on the front lawn. A sense of connection, enthusiasm, and a Zionistic spirit could be felt throughout the school. Both the sobering programming on Yom Hazikaron and the celebratory activities on Yom Ha’atzmaut reflected the unity and spirit here at HAFTR High School. These two days infused the entire student body with a sense of triumph, togetherness, and the recognition that we stand united with Israel. We will always give tribute to those who lost their lives and celebrate how far we have come today as a nation and a country.

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

HAFTR Observes Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

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Special Programs at Torah L’Kulanu Yom Ha’atzmaut at HALB

n commemoration of Yom HaShoah, Torah L’Kulanu (TLK) students presented stories about survivors and those who were killed in the Holocaust. We would like to offer a tremendous yashar koach to Atara, Yisroel, Rachel, Mayer & Yehuda for their meaningful and touching presentations. The program also consisted of the lighting of a Yahrzeit candle for the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust, which was followed by recitation of Tehillim and a moment of silence. We also

watched a video featuring an incredible story of a survivor from the Warsaw ghetto. On Yom HaZikaron, Torah L’Kulanu students were privileged to hear from Shmuel Dorwitt, a current paratrooper in the Israeli army who spoke to our students via Zoom. He related to us about his experience, the training involved, and the true passion he has for wanting to serve in Tzahal. We thank Shmuel for his time and for all that he does for Klal Yisroel!

Students at HANC elementary school enjoyed a spirited celebration and an exciting concert by Mordechai Shapiro in honor of Yom Ha’atzmaut

he excitement was palpable at HALB as we celebrated Israel’s birthday last week. At Lev Chana, students “traveled” to Israel. Everyone landed at Ben Gurion Airport, went through Customs Control, and visited Kibbutz Lev Chana where they milked cows, guessed the type of vegetable by looking at the tops showing above the ground, found the hiding chickens, and added and subtracted oranges in the grove. Next came the cities of Eilat, where they enjoyed the colorful fish and pristine beaches; Tzfat, where they admired the artwork and candles; and Yerushalayim, where they davened

at the Kotel. Our children went home with souvenirs to remember the places they visited. HALB Elementary began the day with a school-wide tefillah and Hallel, followed by an impromptu kumzitz. Shani and Ahuva, our B’nei Akiva B’not Sheirut, planned and organized an incredible evening of song and dance for the HALB community. Each grade from first through eighth performed a song, dance, or daglanut. Students, parents and staff had a blast celebrating Israel together! Happy birthday Israel!

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Yom Hazikaron & Yom Ha’atzmaut at Shulamith

n Yom Hazikaron, Shulamith School for Girls spent a meaningful day remembering our soldiers from Tzahal. The 1st through 4th grades had a program with Mrs. Farbman, learning about what Tzahal does and how they go and help so many people around the world. The girls heard the siren that commemorates our fallen soldiers and sang a beautiful Hatikvah together. Grades 5 through 8 had a meaningful program led by Morah Tali Koz. Morah Tali was in Tzahal herself and shared the depth of feeling that is engendered by Yom HaZikaron with a beautiful program that included our 7th and 8th graders speaking about specific Tzahal soldiers. We had the zechut of hearing from the wife of Ari Fuld, z”l, who addressed the students and explained that we all have to continue the legacy that Ari started. The program was meaningful and left the girls inspired and proud of everything that Tzahal does. Yom Ha’atzmaut was so exciting at Shulamith!

The school day started with a beautiful Hallel b’yachad. Grades 5 through 8 then wished a heartfelt mazal tov and yasher kochachem to our very own Feigenbaum and Zucker families who will be making Aliyah this summer! Our students and their parents joined the assembly to give us the opportunity to wish tzeischem l’shalom to these models of mesirus nefesh for the sake of living in Eretz Yisroel. Grades 1 through 4 went on an exciting trip all around Eretz Yisroel. The students went to visit places like Yerushalayim, Tzfat, Eilat, the Dead Sea

and so much more! Mrs. Mindy Futersak, long-time fourth grade Shulamith Morah, organized these trips to the various classrooms, and all of the thought, planning and effort involved were evident in the students’ experiences there. Grades 5-8 had multiple activities enhancing their Yom Ha’atzmaut! The girls made Israeli jewelry, competed in a challenging Israeli trivia game and enjoyed some sweet tastes of Israel. Our dedicated staff, Morah Chana, Mrs. Goldberg, Mrs. Rackman Ms. Ruck, and Mrs. Small, manned these stations. To finish off the day b’yachad, grades

1-8 went outside together to watch the 8th grade Daglanut. Just when the girls thought the day was done, a DJ sponsored by the school’s Shulamith Women’s Organization, played for the girls to dance together as a school! The 6th-8th grade ended the day with a much anticipated special presentation of our new hallway banner that each girl had the opportunity to help create. The mural, designed and outlined by Mrs. Robyn Rackman, was then completed by the entire student body and was unveiled on Yom Ha’atzmaut. The enhancement to the hallway is beautiful and incredibly meaningful as well. We would like to thank all the teachers and our 8th grade Yom Ha’atzmaut committee for helping in making today such a success. A special thank you to Mrs. Michelle Farbman for the hours of planning, organizing and collaborating that she did for the execution of this wonderful day. It would not have been the same without her efforts. Thank you to all our sponsors for making the day possible!

Yom Ha’atzmaut: A Day of Celebration and Inspiration at the Gural JCC

om Ha’atzmaut was celebrated at the Marion and Aaron Gural JCC with particular joy and meaning as over 40 Holocaust survivors joined us last Thursday morning to reconnect with each other and the JCC staff, to meet new friends and to recognize the 74th birthday of Eretz Yisroel. Many of our survivors had spent time living in Israel, especially right after the war; others have

visited their beloved homeland countless times. For all, though, traveling to Israel now was not feasible and so we happily brought Israel to them. Gradually, more survivors have been venturing out to programs, and on this Yom Ha’atzmaut occasion we had the largest in-person gathering since before the pandemic. It was heartwarming and emotional to observe these treasures, many dressed in blue and white, warmly greeting each other and waving Israel flags as they excitedly found their seats. What was especially amazing was that nearly 80 years after liberation, we were privileged to welcome new survivors to our program, parents of local residents who recently moved to our neighborhood. Our social hall was liberally decorated with streams of blue and white flag pennants and poster scenes from the Holy land. The tables were festively adorned with matching centerpieces and tablecloths. The atmosphere was lively and upbeat as our special guest speaker, Rabbi Yotav Eliach, began his presentation. Rabbi

Eliach, principal of Rambam Mesivta, well-known speaker, author and commentator, spoke of his beloved mother, Professor Yaffa Eliach, a”h, Holocaust survivor, historian, educator and author. He spoke about his love of Israel and his continued service in the Israeli Defense Forces. Rabbi Eliach passionately addressed a captive audience and showed an assortment of videos depicting various aspects of life in Israel. He concluded his presentation with an emotional Hatikvah, and, spontaneously, almost every survivor picked themselves up, stood and sang with him. It was a beautiful moment. After Rabbi Eliach’s program concluded, a delicious Israeli style lunch was served, and each survivor was gifted with a kiddush cup and plate adorned with a scene of Yerushalayim. The program continued well into the afternoon with a visit from a group of girls from Shulamith and entertainment by Hagit Avnon and her family. This particular endeavor was proudly supported by the Israel Engagement Fund, a JCC Association of North America Program Accelerator. This program

was also made possible by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Materials Claims Against Germany. The Marion and Aaron Gural JCC is a proud non-profit partner of UJA-Federation New York. For more information about this or any other JCC program, please call (516)569-6733.

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The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Children at HANC’s Early Childhood Center in West Hempstead enjoyed a “trip” to Israel last week

YOSS ECC’s Trip to Eretz Yisroel

he boys at Yeshiva of South Shore’s ECC packed their suitcases and passports and flew to Eretz Yisroel last week. There, they davened at the Kosel, went shopping at

the shuk for mitz mango and bisli, and enjoyed an archaeological dig. The boys brought items from Eretz Yisroel for show and tell and set up an interactive museum together.

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M’afaila L’orah: Yom Hazkiron and Yom Ha’atzmaut at SKA

lue and white were the dominant colors in the halls of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls on Wednesday, May 4, in recognition of and solidarity with Yom HaZikaron. The observance of Israel’s Memorial Day at SKA was an inspiring way to acknowledge the contributions of the thousands of Israeli soldiers who gave their lives defending the State of Israel and mourn with the families of those who lost loved ones to war and terror. In SKA’s limudei kodesh classes, students were given cards with the names of fallen soldiers and learning all day was dedicated in their memory. Throughout the day, the girls wore “Yizkor” stickers, reminding everyone of the solemnity of the day. The seniors sat spellbound in the SKA Library as they listened to Mr. Shahaf Segal, a former Israeli IDF soldier speak about his wartime experiences and how he now fights terror in an international and legal way in New York. In a moving assembly in the auditorium,

9th, 10th and 11th grade students heard from Ms. Sarri Singer, founder and Director of Strength to Strength, an organization that brings together victims of terror from around the world and provides psychological and emotional support, and who is herself a victim of terror. In the afternoon, the SKA girls joined together for a special student-led kumzits in the auditorium, bestowing a deeply spiritual aura to the day. Then, in a “from darkness to light” moment, the pain of remembrance turned into joyous celebration as the girls decorated the school building and hallways for the next day’s salute to Yom Ha’atzmaut. Blue and white were once again the colors of choice on Thursday, May 5, in honor of Israel’s Independence Day. At the schoolwide Tefillah Chagigit held in the morning of Yom Ha’atzmaut, the entire school davened together in a special program. Especially meaningful before the saying of Hallel, we were honored to hear from SKA Math teacher, Dr. Mila Klahr, whose son is

in the Israeli army. Dr. Klahr spoke of the miracle that is Eretz Yisroel and what it means to her to have a son in the IDF, protecting the same places we read about in Tanach. Another highlight of the day’s program was hearing from SKA Tanach teacher and Israel Awareness Committee advisor Mrs. Penina Bernstein on why she is making aliyah. Mrs. Bernstein, who is going to move to Israel with her family this summer, has taught countless students through her teachings and example of her love for Torat Yisroel, Am Yisroel and Eretz Yisroel. This year, SKA sponsored Walk For Israel, in support of Israel’s absorption of the Ukrainian Zhitomir Orphanage which has been relocated to Bet Shemesh. The war in Ukraine, and Israel’s quick and efficient response to the resulting refugee crisis, moved the SKA community to help in any way they could. Before the walkathon, SKA students had already raised over $5,000 in various fundraisers for the orphanage. The Chagigah held after the walkathon was filled with much ruach and dancing! Yom Ha’atzmaut at SKA was both meaningful and fun! Our thanks go to Mrs. Penina Bernstein and her Israel Awareness Committee members who organized these incredible programs.

World Mizrachi’s Israel360

orld Mizrachi, the umbrella movement for global religious Zionism, kicked off its annual Israel360 program recently by sending 70 world-renowned Torah scholars and religious Zionist thought-leaders to 100 communities in the United States. Now in its fifth year, Mizrachi has sent hundreds of speakers – rabbis, educators, innovators, and journalists – out to communities across the Jewish diaspora through Israel360 during the month of Iyar. While visiting these host communities, these lecturers provide thought-provoking and inspiring sessions with the goal of further strengthening an already powerful relationship between Israel and diaspora Jewry. Israel360 was incorporated this year into Mizrachi’s new Chodesh Iyar initiative, which capitalizes on Israel’s na-

tional holidays – Yom Hazikaron, Yom Haatzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim – as well as New York’s Israel Day Parade, to bring Jews across the world together in celebration of the Jewish State. Other events taking place include delegations from Mizrachi’s Dream Team – students and young professionals youth leaders from Israel – traversing shuls and schools across European and North American communities, a massive Mizrachi Orthodox Israel Coalition showing at the Israel Day Parade in New York and a yeshiva and seminary mass fundraising mega campaign to help fund scholarships for gap-year students to learn in Israel. “Our sages teach us that from Zion will come Torah, and as we look at our calendar, both at the period between Pesach and Shavuot in general but also at the

month of Iyar in specific, it only highlights Israel’s role as the center of the collective Jewish soul,” said World Mizrachi Chairman Rav Doron Perez. “As a result, we’ve taken the month of Iyar as an opportunity to further promote our common love for Israel and Torah through our Israel360 program. We hope that it will continue to grow and further provide opportunities to connect Jews around the world.” “Mizrachi’s Israel360 program is the

most experiential way we can bring the flavor and excitement of Torat Eretz Yisrael to our religious Zionist communities around the United States during this season,” said Religious Zionists of America Executive Vice President Rabbi Ari Rockoff. “We are thrilled to be welcoming our speakers to our various host communities and are looking forward to seeing the impact this initiative will actually have on the ground.”

Did you know? The longest poem in the world is the Mahabharata, which has about 1.8 million words

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Around the Community

Plus 5 Concludes at MAY

esivta Ateres Yaakov is constantly looking for ways to motivate its talmidim. One of the Mesivta’s unique incentive programs is the Plus 5 program, initiated

and generously sponsored by Mr. Ezra Birnbaum. The program, now in its 5th year, encourages talmidim to arrive 5 minutes early to Shacharis and have their tefillin on ready to begin dav-

ening before birchos hashachar begins. “It’s really a game-changer,” commented Rabbi Yossi Bennett, S’gan Menahel. “Having over so many talmidim prepared

for davening before the shaliach tzibbur even begins is a tremendous kavod ha’tefilla and changes the atmosphere of the whole davening.” The program runs through-

out the course of the year, depending on the year’s calendar, and this year ran from after Sukkos through Pesach. Talmidim who participate in the program with near-perfect consistency are rewarded handsomely with some very exciting prizes, among them, Apple Airpods Pros and a $175 gift certificate to Z. Bermans. Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe, Rosh HaYeshiva, extolled, “Every year, we are so proud of the talmidim who persevere and complete the Plus 5 challenge. It’s a beautiful kiddush Hashem and nachas for the Yeshiva.” The Mesivta thanks Mr. Ezra Birnbaum for his support and encouragement of this program.

NYC Launches Small Business Week with the Orthodox Jewish Chamber Of Commerce By Shabsie Saphirstein

ational Small Business Week began last Monday with a kickoff forum at the General Society Hall in Manhattan on Friday. The event united Jewish community leaders, city, and state officials to raise awareness of resources and services available to business owners throughout the state and allowed them to network as they continue to recover from the pandemic and seek new growth opportunities as they are at the core of the city’s path to rebuild and reinvent herself. The program included the participation of New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Kevin D. Kim who spoke of his department’s offerings for small businesses to restart and grow. Chris White, Deputy Commissioner for New York State’s Workforce Development, spoke of the Department of Labor’s new online job fair programs that have garnered over 90,000 participants. White also noted various methods for businesses to find and hire assistance. New York City Council Member Julie Menin, Chair of the Committee on Small Business, addressed the gathering to discuss legislation efforts that are underway to aide and empower New York’s small business community. “It was an honor for the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce to be the group to host New York City’s small business kickoff event that brought together a diverse group of New York City’s leaders,” said Duvi Honig, Founder and CEO of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce. The historic toll that Covid-19 took on New York City businesses is difficult, but with empowerment, small business leaders are given tools to shape

an inclusive economic recovery with courage and resilience. The event highlighted a strategic vision brought by the SBS for our small businesses. The event included the participation of NYPD Inspector Richie Taylor; Rabbi Mendy Miroznick, EVP, RAA; and Joel Friedman and Naftuli Moshe Indig of the Chassidic community. Joel Eisdorfer, a senior advisor to Mayor Eric Adams, was recognized with the Small Business Advocacy Award for his work on behalf of small business recovery efforts. Eisdorfer excused the mayor’s absence as the funeral for New York City Firefighter Timothy Klein was underway and on behalf of the mayor led a moment of silence followed by pledging a strong commitment to restart our small busi-

nesses and help them flourish. The event was also hosted by the Greater New York Chamber and its president Mark Jaffe and recognized Voza Rivers, First Vice President of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce. The event began with a networking, followed by a panel, award ceremony, and a question-and-answer segment that brought together voices like James Hendon, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services; Neil Gilberg of the NYS Workers Compensation Board; Joseph Tazwell, Regional Director Empire State Development; NYS Comptroller’s office, IRS tax specialists, and SBA regional representatives.

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Around the Community

Ethics, Halacha and Contemporary Medical Issues Discussed at Touro Conference

s part of the year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary, Touro University is focusing on the future as well as the past. A special anniversary conference held at Touro’s Lander College for Men highlighted this viewpoint. Perspectives on Individual Autonomy and Community Responsibility explored the legal, ethical, and halachic issues related to the individual’s right to make decisions. The conference was chaired by Dr. Stanley Boylan, Touro Vice President of Undergraduate Education and Dean of Faculties, and Dr. John Loike, Professor of Biology and Interim Director of Bioethics at Touro’s New York Medical College. The medical ethics conference brought together experts in medicine, psychology and Jewish law to discuss current issues including parental authority and yeshivas as relates to vaccines, support vs. stigma for those with special needs, and the potential impact of legalization of marijuana. “Touro is committed to preserving and

perpetuating the Jewish community. This conference is one example of that commitment, as it links Jewish tradition and halacha with societal issues,” said Dr. Alan Kadish, president of the university. Dr. Kadish offered an example of the intersection between biomedical ethics and halacha. “We need to balance individual preservation with community responsibility,” he said. “Jewish tradition includes a strong sense of community responsibility, including a commitment to caring for those in need. However, it is easy to imagine a situation in which a therapy or vaccine creates some risk to the individual but offers larger benefit to the community. How do we balance that?” he asked. Individual Authority, Community Responsibility, and Halacha Rav Yonason Sacks, shlita, Rosh HaYeshiva, Beis Medrash L’Talmud, Lander College for Men, also discussed balancing risk.

Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, Judaic Studies Instructor at Touro’s Lander College for Women

Naomi Klapper, professor of Psychology at Touro

“Your body, your soul, does not belong to you. You are its guardian. Every decision of spiritual and physical well-being must be framed by recognition of this,” he said. He referenced the need for a careful response to the pandemic as an example. Dr. David Katz, a professor at Touro College of Dental Medicine, raised a similar topic when he discussed parental authority, yeshivas and the measles vaccine. Additional speakers on the topic of individual autonomy, community responsibility and halacha included: Rabbi Dr. Avraham Steinberg, a professor of Medical Ethics at Hebrew University and editor of Encyclopedia Talmudit, who addressed the roles of patient autonomy when it conflicted with halacha; and Rabbi Tzvi Flaum, professor and mashgiach ruchani at Touro’s Lander College for Women, who presented on the role played by patient autonomy in the use of experimental drugs in halacha.

“Marijuana leaves you with a heightened sense of anxiety. Chronic users don’t develop coping skills,” she said. “People who become reliant lose motivation. They become emotionally removed. They pull away from social connections.” The frum community needs to address this topic directly so that young people have the knowledge and decision-making skills they need to avoid addiction. Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, a Judaic studies professor at Touro’s Lander College for Women, issued a call to action. He told attendees that everyone in the community shares responsibility and ownership of the problem. “Young people want to know. It is up to us to talk about marijuana, to talk about alcohol, to talk about everything that may draw a person toward addiction,” he said. Dr. Zvi Loewy, Professor and Associate Dean of Research at Touro’s College of Pharmacy, shared his research on medical use of cannabis derivates. Dr. Yardaena Osband, a professor at Touro’s New York Medical College, provided insights from a medical perspective on the effects and usage of marijuana, particularly within the Jewish community.

The Impact of Legalizing Marijuana Legalization of marijuana is another hot button issue that requires a careful response. To date, 18 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana and 38 states have legalized medical marijuana. This means that most Americans have access to cannabis, either medically or recreationally. According to Naomi Klapper, a psychotherapist and professor of psychology at Touro’s Lander College for Women, there has been an across-the-board uptick in marijuana use, including in the frum community. “Legalization has destigmatized marijuana. People think it must not be dangerous,” she explained, “although the risk for abuse remains high.” As people deal with Covid-related stress, more are using marijuana to relieve anxiety. In the moment, it seems like a “quick fix” easier, cheaper and more accessible than therapy and prescription anti-anxiety medicines. However, the quick fix can easily become a long-term problem, according to Klapper.

Responsibility to People with Disabilities The Jewish community’s responsibility to people with disabilities was the final topic of the day. Samuel Levine, a professor at Touro Law Center, addressed the issue of communal responsibility, while Professors Faye Walkenfeld and Meira Orentlicher discussed the ways in which Jewish communities offer support for individuals but need to make further efforts to avoid stigma in the process. “Rooted in Jewish tradition and built on Judaic values, Touro puts its mission: to educate, to serve, to enrich humankind into practice every single day. This conference is part of a university-wide initiative to mark our fiftieth year through cutting edge service and education,” said Dr. Kadish.

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West Hempstead Families Enjoy #Giveback Sunday – Again! By Kari Levine

atients at Northwell’s North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset will be enjoying beautiful Shabbat packages due to the efforts of the families of the Young Israel of West Hempstead. Close to 100 children, along with their moms and dads, participated in the Young Israel of West Hempstead Sisterhood’s seventh annual #Giveback Sunday event on May 1, 2022. “We started #Giveback Sunday in 2016 as a way to do chessed for the larger Jewish community,” explains Kari Levine, former Sisterhood president. “Each year it’s one of our most popular events. I am proud to say that in the last seven years we given out over 500 packages to hospital and nursing home patients.” “#Giveback Sunday is a fantastic way to spend the morning teaching my children the importance of giving back,”

says Ayelet Mottahedeh, who brought her three kids to the event and who has been chairperson for several years. What appeals to all those who attend the event is the relaxed atmosphere. As families arrive, they are handed a Shabbat kit in a drawstring bag. The kit includes a kiddush cup, electric candles,

a laminated card with Kiddush on it, a challah cover, and the supplies needed to make a one-of-a-kind laminated bookmark with pressed flowers. Participants are directed to tables teeming with craft items, such as of markers, glittery stickers, gems, dried pressed flowers, and stencils. Then, they get

down to work embellishing the packages with their personal touches. Each package is a work of art made with love. “This event is so perfect for me to bring my kids to,” said Daniella Rosenberg, another of the chessed doers. “I want to teach my kids to think of others, and this event helps me show that in action.” Rabbi Dr. Hillel Fox, Chaplain of the North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, agrees,“It warms my heart to see so many families volunteering their time to decorate and provide religious articles for the Jewish patients at Northwell Health’s North Shore University Hospital.” As he addressed the crowd, he said, “Your kindness will bring smiles, comfort and joy to sick patients who are hospitalized over Shabbat.” “It’s a chessed event that doesn’t feel like a chessed event,” says Daniella Toplan, age 15. “You get to spend time with your family while doing something good for someone else. It’s a win win!”

NYS Senate Passes Two Stavisky Bills to Make Higher Education More Affordable for Students

ast Wednesday, the New York State Senate passed a package of legislation designed to help students struggling to cover the cost of tuition. Among the bills passed in this critical package is S.7916A, proposed by Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee. This bill will increase income eligibility for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) from $80,000 to $110,000. TAP provides thousands of dollars to help eligible New Yorkers cover the cost of tuition. “The Tuition Assistance Program is a lifeline for young men and women trying to better themselves and their prospects for the future,” explains Senator Toby Ann Stavisky. “For years, we’ve seen what TAP has done for low income and working class families. As New Yorkers battle the financial stress of the Covid-19 health crisis and the current inflation squeezing families, we ought to be extending that support to our middle

class as well. Investing in our students now, at this time of great need, is an investment into the future of New York.” The Senate also advanced Stavisky bill S.4449, which will streamline the process for determining financial eligibility for students. Under this proposal, the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) will have 60 days once the application is completed to review a student’s aid application and make a determination on their eligibility. “Students should not have to suffer in limbo after applying for loans, TAP awards or other aid,” says Senator Stavisky. “The longer the eligibility process drags on, the more strain falls on the student, their families and the institution they are hoping to attend.” These two bills were part of a larger student debt legislative package advanced by the New York State Senate. You can find a full list of the bills on the New York State Senate website.

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Touro Celebrates 50 Years of Health Science Education, Honors Local Residents

Dr. Nadja Graff with event honorees, L-R: Dr. Louis Primavera, Dr. Rosalie Unterman, Esther Ingber

Rabbi and Mrs. Twersky’s sons, Aaron and Zeesha, son-in-law Yossi Nussbaum, daughters Zahava Nussbaum and Hindy Yudin, and son-in-law Mendy Yudin with Mrs. Twersky and event honoree, Esther Ingber

early 400 Touro supporters, alumni, faculty and friends turned out on May 2 at the Crest Hollow Country Club to celebrate 50 years of success in health science education and to honor Lawrence resident, Dr. Nadja Graff, Vice President of Touro’s Division of Graduate Studies. The family of Rabbi Shlomo Twersky, z”l, also of Lawrence, shared their memories of the Touro Physician Assistant program’s humble beginnings and meteoric growth. Rabbi Twersky founded the program in 1972 – one of the first PA programs in New York State. Shelly Twersky, the wife of Rabbi Twersky, shared her recollections and fond memories of the early days. “The story and history of the Touro Physician Assistant Program – which is now housed in Touro’s School of Health Sciences – is one that tracks that of the founding of Touro itself. It is the story of Dr. Lander’s dream, together with my husband, Rabbi Shlomo Twersky, of blessed memory, to create and foster higher education within the Jewish community. It is the story of a fledgling

L-R: Touro EVP Rabbi Moshe Krupka, Touro Provost Patty Salkin, Dr. Graff’s husband, Josh Graff, Dr. Nadja Graff, and Touro President, Dr. Alan Kadish

school and program that turned into a force to be reckoned with, within the greater healthcare community,” said Mrs. Twersky. Mrs. Twersky shared how the PA field was unknown and brand-new at the time, explaining that it grew out of a generation of medics, EMTs and nurses who returned from the battlefield in Vietnam with superior training who were ready to do more than their licensing afforded them. They began training alongside doctors, and the Physician Assistant profession was born. Dr. Nadja Graff: A Teacher, Influencer, Mentor and Leader Dr. Nadja Graff was lauded by Touro President Dr. Kadish as an extraordinary academic leader and an individual of integrity and great dedication. Rabbi Moshe Krupka, Touro Executive Vice President, echoed his sentiments, “Dr. Nadja Graff sets a standard far above others and she does so with professionalism and integrity. She makes a true Kiddush Hashem in all her actions. She comports herself in a way

Did you know? Poet George McDonald wrote a two-word poem called “The Shortest and Sweetest of Songs.” The two words? Come home.

that brings dignity, expertise and sanctity to otherwise mundane matters, and she disseminates that nurturing and these blessings to our university, collectively and to each individual she encounters.” Dr. Graff shared her upbringing as the daughter of Holocaust survivors who was raised on lessons of continuity and the eternity of the Jewish people. “My parents taught me about hope and resilience, overcoming and thriving and bringing light into this world. That is why Touro and its mission resonate so powerfully with me.” “I am indebted to Touro for the opportunities it has given me – opportunities to teach, to influence, to grow, and to lead,” said Dr. Graff. “I am especially indebted to the School of Health Sciences and all the doors it has opened for me. It has been my home since 1980, my home away from home; my surrogate family. I love the people, I am grateful for the friendships, I am proud of the students…I thank Dr. Alan Kadish, president of Touro University System, for all the leadership opportunities he has given me. It is Dr. Kadish’s vision that is transforming Touro University into a powerhouse of higher education under Jewish auspices, grounded in its mission of access, social justice and values.” Additional honorees at the Touro School of Health Sciences (SHS) 50th anniversary dinner were current SHS dean

Dr. Nadja Graff

Dr. Louis Primavera and former dean Dr. Joseph Weisberg of Great Neck. Dr. Primavera is a practicing psychologist who specializes in marriage counseling and also served as Founding Dean of the Graduate School of Psychology at Touro College. Dr. Weisberg, inaugural SHS dean, developed the Physical Therapy program at Touro College School of Health Sciences and also co-founded MedGizmo, Inc., a medical technology company. Dr. Weisberg gave countless students the opportunity to uplift their lives through education and continues to help thousands of patients improve their health and quality of life through physical therapy. Also honored were: Dr. Rosalie Unterman, Clinical Director of Touro’s Graduate Program in Speech-Language Pathology and Director of its Speech and Hearing Center, and Esther Ingber who has dedicated 50 years of service to Touro’s SHS. This year, Touro University is celebrating its 50th anniversary with numerous events and programs including a Chag Hasemicha, academic conferences on aging as well as medical ethics in halacha, a special evening with former Senator Joseph and Hadassah Lieberman and more. The Touro University Gala Dinner will be held on December 4, 2022 at the Marriott Marquis. For more information on the 50th anniversary celebration visit www.50.touro.edu

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Charlie Breda at HANC

NYS History Day

n Friday, the HANC middle school boys were privileged to hear the words of Torah and inspiration from Charlie Breda. Charlie is a student in Yeshiva Noam who has been learning Daf Yomi since January of 2020. Charlie shared his story about how he was inspired to start learning Daf Yomi at the last Siyum Hashas at MetLife stadium, and he encouraged the boys to take up learning projects of their own. He then inspired the boys to join his new growth initiatives ALLMishnahJR and Tefillateinu. ALLMishnahJR is a program that has inspired many middle schoolers to learn two Mishnayot a day for 5 and a half of years with the Mishna Yomi system. The program includes prizes such as sweatshirts, air pods and gift cards. Tefillateinu is a brand new Tefilla program where every two weeks you say a perek of Tehillim with other middle school students around the country on a Zoom call.

D Around 25 students in HANC middle school participate in Mishna Yomi each day. There is a feeling of excitement around learning Torah completely voluntarily. It is truly amazing to see the growth that comes from two Mishnayot a day.

uring the month of April, HALB’s eighteen winners from the Long Island Regional Competition for National History Day participated in New York State History Day. They submitted documentaries and websites, and three of the HALB groups took home medals in their specific categories, with one of the groups advancing to the National History Day Competition, which will take place virtually during May and June. The awards were as follows: • First Place Junior Group Website: A Failure of Diplomacy at Evian by

Yehoshua Fogel, Michael Freund, Aaron Hackel, Joshua Lampert, Noam Lazar • Third Place Junior Group Website: Failing to Save the Children: The Wager-Rogers Bill by Daniella Dagan, Lana Frenkel, Elyana Miller, Emma Neuberg • Third Place Junior Group Documentary: Creating a Debate and Sparking Diplomatic Action: The Auschwitz Protocols by Isaac Cohen, Dovid Feldhamer, Samuel Rosenblatt, Yehoshua Wiesel and Daniel Wohlgelernter

a classic pitcher’s duel, with late-season pickup Eliezer Hirtz playing a stellar game both on the mound and at the plate. Yitzy Spirn of DJ Huuds smacked a game-tying home run in the 9th inning, but Built By Nate was able to score 1 more in the bottom of the inning to win 4-3. Azriel Blumstein had a three-run shot for Sperling Productions, propelling them to a big win over Royal Adjusters.

5TLL Play of the Day Shmuel Rosenblum of Island Roofing made an incredible backhanded stop and long throw to 1st for the out. With bases loaded and no outs in the last inning, up by two runs, Yirmy Hofstatter of Built By Nate made the catch and stepped on 2nd for the double-play to win the game.

5TLL Week 5 Recap

TLL boys enjoyed another great week of baseball and soccer sponsored by FM Home Loans! There were some incredible individual performances and late game heroics this week, with the boys all enjoying another fun afternoon of 5TLL. Soccer Highlights In K/P Soccer, the boys are really improving their soccer skills. Hewlett Auto Body played great all-around in their scrimmage game, with a great performance by goalie Chesky Klein. In Pre-1A Baseball, Pinchas Leiner of Believe & Achieve hit a homerun. In 1st/2nd Soccer, Kolsave defeated Maidenbaum 3-1, in another tight game.

Minors (1st-3rd) Baseball Highlights 1st grade featured an intense game between Maidenbaum and Royal Adjusters which ended in a 15-15 tie. Team Royal Adjusters made an epic comeback led by Dovid Ross who had a 3-run homerun! Rubinstein Law Firm beat Gourmet Glatt, 18-10 behind the bat of Ezra Donowitz, who crushed a grand slam!

Gourmet Glatt’s Dovid Bauman had an amazing diving catch. In 2nd grade, Game MVPs Tzvi Klinkowitz from Maidenbaum and Willy Farber from Stone Group led their respective teams to victory. In 3rd grade, Rubinstein Law Firm scored 19 runs in their win Sunday. Stone Group had another great performance – putting up 13 runs. Majors (4th & up) Baseball Highlights In 4th grade, the shortstop of Team Rebbe’s Choice, Yonah Rabinowitz, made the play of the game and was named team MVP. Mordechai Karfunkel of Stone Group made an amazing diving catch, helping his team secure the victory 9-8 over Island Roofing. In 5th grade, Avi Adler of Alpert Financial had a clutch double, helping his team narrowly defeat CNSLT 6-5. Meyer Simcha Fireworker of Maidenbaum made a huge catch with the bases loaded to help his team win 2-0 over Gourmet Glatt. Stone Group had another impressive victory, winning 12-1. The competition intensified in the 6th-8th grade division. Team Built by Nate and Team DJ Huuds got locked in

LIVE ANI MAAMIN. The Meron tragedy sparked a movement that has inspired tens of thousands...

ANI MAAMIN

TWO POWERFUL WORDS. Words that speak volumes. Words that have carried us through the ages.

NEW!

‫לעילוי נשמת‬

‫הבחור החשוב נפש יקרה‬

Dovi Steinmetz ‫ז״ל‬

‫ז״ל בן שלמה עמו״ש‬

.‫ה‬.‫ב‬.‫צ‬.‫נ‬.‫קדישא מירון ת‬

‫יששכר דוב בעריש‬

‫בעומר תשפ״א — באתרא‬

‫שלשה עשר עקרים‬

‫נפטר ל״ג‬

,‫מּונה ְׁשלֵ ָמה‬ ָ ‫ֶּב ֱא‬ ,‫רּואים‬ ִ ‫ֲאנִ י ַמ ֲא ִמין ּבֹורא ַּומנְ ִהיג ְלָכל ַה ְ ּֿב‬ ֵ ‫הּוא‬ ְ

‫ּבֹורא יִ ְת ָּבַרך ְׁשמֹו‬ ֵ ‫ֶׁשַה‬ .‫ַי ֲע ֶׂשה ְלָכל ַהַּמ ֲע ִׂשים‬ ְ‫עֹוׂשה ו‬ ֶ ְ‫וְ הּוא ְל ַבּדֹו ָעָׂשה ו‬ I am steadfast in my absolut

e belief that the Creator , blessed is His Name, that is brought into existence, and that He creates, and will create alone created, all that is created.

creates and guides all

,‫ה ְׁשלֵ ָמה‬

ָ ‫ֲאנִ י ַמ ֲא ִמין ֶּב ֱא‬ ,‫מּונ ידּות ָּכ ֽמֹוהּו ְּבׁשּום ָּפנִ ים‬ ‫ְ ׁשמֹו הּואָי ִחיד וְ ֵאין יְ ִח‬ ְ ‫ּבֹורא יִ ְת ָּבַרך‬ ֵ ‫ֶׁשַה‬ .‫ ָהָיה הֹוֶ ה וְ יִ ְהיֶ ה‬,‫ל ֹקינּו‬ ‫וְ הּוא ְל ַבּדֹו ֱא‬ I am steadfast in my absolut

e belief that the Creator is One, and there is , blessed is His Name, no uniqueness like His in any way, and forever having existed, He alone is our Lord, existing, and continu ing to exist.

,‫מּונה ְׁשלֵ ָמה‬ ָ

‫ֲאנִ י ַמ ֲא ִמין ֶּב ֱא‬ ,‫ַי ִּׂשיגֽ ּוהּו ַמ ִּׂשיגֵ י ַהּגּוף‬ ‫ וְ ל ֹא‬,‫ר ְך ְׁשמֹו ֵאינֹו גּוף‬ ַ‫ּבֹורא יִ ְת ָּב‬ ֵ ‫ֶׁשַה‬ .‫יֹון ְּכָלל‬

‫וְ ֵאין לֹו ׁשּום ִּד ְמ‬ I am steadfast in my absolute belief that the Creator, blessed has no corporeality, is His Name, nor can any materia l qualities be ascribed and there is nothing to Him, at all that is compar able to Him.

,‫מּונה ְׁשלֵ ָמה‬ ָ ‫ֲאנִ י ַמ ֲא ִמין ֶּב ֱא‬

.‫הּוא ִראׁשֹון וְ הּוא ַא ֲחרֹון‬

I am steadfast in my

‫ּבֹורא יִ ְת ָּבַר ְך ְׁשמֹו‬ ֵ ‫ֶׁשַה‬

absolute belief that the Creator, blessed is the very first and the very last [to exist]. is His Name,

,‫מּונה ְׁשלֵ ָמה‬ ָ ‫ין ֶּב ֱא‬

‫ֲאנִ י ַמ ֲא ִמ‬ ,‫ְל ַבּדֹוָראּוי ְל ִה ְתַּפ ֵּלל‬ ‫ּבֹורא יִ ְת ָּבַר ְך ְׁשמֹו לֹו‬ ֵ ‫ֶׁשַה‬ .‫זּולתֹוָראּוי ְל ִה ְתַּפ ֵּלל‬ ָ ‫וְ ֵאין ְל‬ I am steadfast in my absolut

e belief that the Creator , blessed is His Name iate to pray, and it is — inappropriate to pray to any other.

to Him alone is it appropr

I am steadfast in my

n this new thoughtful work, Rabbi Yechezkel Elias examines each of the 13 ikkarei emunah — and the Ani Maamins based on them. Using contemporary examples that we can all understand and relate to, he makes the often difficult concepts clear, comprehensible — and very, very relevant.

,‫מּונה ְׁשלֵ ָמה‬ ָ ‫ֲאנִ י ַמ ֲא ִמין ֶּב ֱא‬ .‫יאים ֱא ֶמת‬ ִ ‫ֶׁשָּכל ִּד ְב ֵרי נְ ִב‬

absolute belief that

all the words of the

prophets are true.

FREE ANI MAAMIN CARD INCLUDED! In memory of Dovi Steinmetz z”l ‫לע״נ יששכר דוב בעריש ז"ל ב"ר שלמה נ"י‬

Watch fascinating interviews with the author, Rabbi Yechezkel Elias and with Dovi’s father, Reb Shloimi Steinmetz WATCH: An interview with the author, Rabbi Yechezkel Elias, whose series of shiurim on the 13 Ikkarei Emunah form the basis of this beautifully presented book.

WATCH: Reb Shloimi Steinmetz on the initiative he started in memory of his son Dovi z”l, one of the 45 precious neshamos who lost their lives in the Meron Lag Ba’omer tragedy.

WATC H N OW AT I N S I D E . A R T S C R O L L .C O M Available at your local Hebrew bookseller or at www.artscroll.com • 1-800-MESORAH (637-6724)

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Don’t Just Say Ani Maamin.

Around the Community

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Scenes from the Siach Yitzchok Shabbos Melamdim at the Chalet hotel upstate

Rav Reuven Feinstein, shlita, Visits Yeshiva Darchei Torah PHOTO BY IVAN NORMAN

L-R: Rav Dovid Morgenstern, menahel; Rav Feinstein, Rosh HaYeshiva, the Yeshiva of Staten Island; and Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah. Background: Rav Avrohom Bender, menahel

Together Again

munah of America is proud to welcome back the Women of Wonder (WOW) event on Wednesday, June 8, 2022 at 7:30 pm, In Person and Together Again. It has been more than two years since we were together in person, and we can’t wait to see everyone at The Space in the Flatiron District, a fabulous venue with a rooftop. The WOW event honors and celebrates five accomplished women in our community who impact and inspire everyone who they come across. This year, Emunah is proud to celebrate our incredible WOW awardees Yael Oelbaum Fligelman from Hewlett, Sora Grunstein from Teaneck, Yonina Haber from Englewood, Dalia Horowitz from the Upper East Side, and Ilana Wallenstein from Great Neck. Our awardees epitomize an Emunah Woman of Wonder, as each woman is accomplished professionally, communally involved, and dedicated to raising successful families. The WOW chairs for the evening are Beth Goldman and Talia Goldwyn, who together with a dedicated committee, are working tirelessly to raise funds for Israel’s most vulnerable children and families. Sora Grunstein, Emunah of America Financial Secretary and WOW Awardee, said: “The Women of Wonder event is an inspirational and fun evening celebrating amazing female success. I am excited to be a part of such a meaningful

night, which raises awareness and vital funds for Emunah’s programs and families.” For over seventy years, Emunah of America supports five residential programs, therapeutic treatments, and education, to empower these children and young adults to heal and become functional and productive adults, dramatically changing their lives and futures. Debbie Bienenfeld, National President, stated: “The Women of Wonder event is a special occasion to celebrate women who greatly impact their communities and Israel. Their commitment to their families, communities and professions dovetails with Emunah’s mission of advancing the status of women in Israel, providing them with unique educational opportunities through its high schools, college, and mechina program, empowering young women to grow and succeed.” The WOW event raises funds for the Alana Karp a”h Fund, established in memory of our beloved colleague, the former Director of Events and Young Leadership, dearly missed by all. The Alana Karp a”h Fund supports scholarships and therapeutic treatments critical to the success of Emunah’s at-risk children and families. If you would like to attend and support the event, go to www.emunah.org/wow

Women of Wonder

Celebrating the accomplishments of WOW Awardees

Yael Fligelman

Sora Grunstein

n i n i a a g g a a r r e e h h t et ge og t to

Yonina Haber Dalia Horowitz

Ilana Wallenstein WOW Chairs Beth Goldman & Talia Goldwyn National President Debbie Bienenfeld

Leah Almo Sophia Alpert Rachel Amar Lori Benkel Shira Berkovich Rachel Gindi Best Yael Bistritzky Cheryl Borenstein Samantha Bryk Chani Chesner

Aimee Ciment Robyn Gelberg Tzippy Gellman Dana Gitler Caryn Golombeck Lilly Katz Gontownik Ilana Heller Suri Helwani Avital Hod Chani Jeter

Chairman of the Board Johanna Guttmann Herskowitz

CEO Laurie Szenicer

WOW Committee 2022 Abigail Kellner Gila Kolb Elana Levine Shari Markovitz Betty Mikhly Leiah Moskowitz Jordanna Nadritch Odit Oliner Karen Orenstein Michal Operman

Michelle Orgel Talia Reidler Ayelet Rosen Miriam Rosen Aviva Rosenberg Nechama Saks Lisa Schechter Naomi Schiff Shira Shaffer

Sari Sheinfeld Sandy Solomon Melanie Sosland Daniella Sperber Gabriella Spinowitz Lauren Weinrib Phoebe Weiss Davida Yehaskel Rachel Zamist

RSVP at www.emunah.org/wow

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

In memory of Alana Karp a''h

Around the Community

Mercaz Academy Names Ms. Karen Leeper as Assistant Principal

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Rav Asher Shteierman, fifth grade rebbi, made a special shatnez presentation at Yeshiva Darchei Torah in honor of Parashas Kedoshim last week

ercaz Academy is excited to announce that Ms. Karen Leeper is joining our team of educators as Assistant Principal for General Studies. Ms. Leeper brings not only exemplary credentials to this position but also talent, enthusiasm, and dedication to the growth of each student. Ms. Leeper will oversee the general studies program at Mercaz Academy, working collaboratively with Rabbi Fogel, as principal, to ensure Mercaz establishes itself from the outset as a center of academic excellence. Ms. Leeper decided to enter the field of education during a college linguistics course that placed her in a classroom. That experience motivated her to obtain her bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from the University of Buffalo, with a concentration in Early Childhood. She furthered her own education in the field with a master’s degree in Childhood Education and completed a post-master’s Certificate in Advanced Study in Educational Leadership and Administration at the College of Saint Rose. Ms. Leeper now serves as Acting Principal and Middle School Director for grades Kindergarten through 10 at the Evergreen Charter School on Long Island, where Ms. Leeper has worked since 2011 and which has grown substantially during her tenure there. From 2013 through 2018, she served as the Assistant Principal for grades Kindergarten through 5. Notably, she began her career as a math coach and taught at all elementary grade levels. “My first love is being in the classroom. Working with children, supporting the students’ progress through the year, is very rewarding,” she explained. After being promoted to assistant principal and then to acting principal, she realized that additional rewards could be gleaned from administrative roles. Ms. Leeper found that she now had the opportunity to work with a larger community. She said, “I could connect not only with one grade, but with all the school’s students as they continue through the grades, and with their families as well.” She looks forward to forging strong re-

lationships with teachers, students, and parents at Mercaz Academy. Ms. Leeper brings to her position at Mercaz Academy an extensive knowledge of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. She has both coordinated and led professional development on a wide array of topics. Her talents and experience were evident to the teachers and to the members of the Mercaz Academy Board of Education who met with her during the interview process. Second grade teacher Aileen Kirschenbaum praised Ms. Leeper’s knowledge of elementary education, remarking that the meeting was so insightful as to serve effectively as professional development for the teachers who participated. And, whether she is mentoring teachers, conferring with regard to potentially introducing a new curriculum, or planning educational programs, her concern for each student as an individual is what motivates her. “Meeting the needs of students by providing differentiated supports leads to academic excellence. This is what drives me every day. Witnessing students overcome academic, social or emotional challenges given the proper supports is why I started working in the field of education and why I will continue.” Rabbi Fogel and Ms. Leeper have begun consulting together as educational leaders of Mercaz Academy. Rabbi Fogel noted, “We are all excited to learn from Ms. Leeper’s experience and deep understanding of education. We can already see how her winning attitude, warmth and professionalism inspire a natural thirst for excellence in all areas. Our entire school community—students, teachers, and parents--will benefit with her as our assistant principal.” Rabbi Fogel and Ms. Leeper will work closely through the summer to mold Mercaz Academy further into a center of academic excellence. Through this partnership, the Academy’s first day of classes will mark the launch of a school that serves well the hearts, minds, and souls of our students and enriches our entire school community.

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Around the Community

Inaugural MSW Cohort of Community Leaders is Launched

his week, a first-of-its-kind event took place at the Sara Schenirer Institute as the inaugural cohort of the Masters in Social Work Leadership Program met for an intensive two-day orientation. With the Jewish community experiencing incredible growth, the need for competent mental health professionals has become ever more apparent, with demand far outpacing the supply. Thanks to the partnership between Sara Schenirer and the Wurzweiler

School of Social Work, in 2018, a rigorous social work program ensuring hashkafic suitability was established, bringing topnotch professionals back into our communities. This, however, was deemed insufficient, as a serious void still existed. Rabbanim, menahalim, principals, and askanim are usually the first called on for support in difficult situations, yet their lack of formal training leaves them unprepared and untrained for situations that are potentially life-altering. Com-

pounding the problem is the reality that MSW programs are full-time programs which makes it virtually impossible for them to participate. Addressing this glaring need became a high priority, and in 2021, Sara Schenirer and Wurzweiler collaborated to create a specialized new track to allow leaders in the community to continue actively working in their current positions while earning their degrees. Offered fully online and over an extended period of time, the program is ideal for busy lead-

ers for whom flexibility and adaptability are key. The inaugural cohort is composed of an outstanding group of students, among them prestigious rabbanim, experienced school principals, lay leaders, and student advisors. Their enthusiasm for this opportunity is palpable and the widespread sentiment among their new professors is that their future contributions to the Jewish community will be monumental.

Probate: What It Is & How To Avoid It – Part II By Monet Binder, Esq.

o spare your family’s time, cost, and stress associated with probate, in our last article in part one of this series, “Probate: What It Is & How To Avoid It,” we explained how the probate process works and what it would entail for your loved ones. Here, in part two, we’ll discuss the major drawbacks of probate for your famil, and further outline the different ways you can help them avoid probate with wise planning. Not everyone realizes that for a Trust to function properly, and do what it is supposed to, it’s not enough to simply prepare a Trust and then list the assets you want

the Trust to include. When you create your Trust, you must also transfer the legal title of any assets you want to be held by your Trust from your individual name into the name of your Trust. Retitling assets in this way is known as “funding” a Trust. While many lawyers will create a Trust for you, few will ensure your assets are properly inventoried and funded into your Trust. If any assets are not properly funded to the Trust, you’ve merely established an empty shell of a legal planning tool, the Trust won’t work, and your family will have to go to court in order to take ownership of that property, even if you have a Trust. Not funding your Trust would defeat a major purposes of Trust planning –

Did you know? Metrophobia is the fear of poetry

to avoid the courts. Although a living Trust can be an ideal way to pass your belongings to your loved ones, each family’s circumstances are different. This is why we will not create any documents until we know what you actually need and want, so the best planning decisions can be made for you and your family—for now and for the future – based on your family dynamics, assets, and desires. While living Trusts are beneficial for most people and are designed specifically to avoid probate, there are instances when beneficiary designations are used. The following are some of the most common assets that use beneficiary designations and can also bypass probate: • Retirement accounts, IRAs, 401(k)s, and pensions • Life insurance or annuity proceeds • Payable-on-death (POD) bank accounts • Transfer-on-death (TOD) property, such as bonds, stocks, vehicles, and real estate Other assets that do not go through probate include assets with a right of sur-

vivorship, such as property held jointly either as husband and wife, or jointly with someone else. Probate would also be unnecessary, and assets would automatically pass, as long as there was a surviving co-owner. The best way for you to determine which estate planning strategies are best suited for your situation is to meet with us, by scheduling your Family Estate Planning Session. Call 718.514.7575. During this process, we’ll take you through an analysis of your assets, what’s most important to you, and what will happen to your loved ones when you’re gone or if you become incapacitated. Monet Binder, Esq., has her practice in Queens and Brooklyn, New York, dedicated to protecting families, their legacies and values. All halachic documents are approved by the Bais Havaad Halacha Center in Lakewood, under the direction of Rabbi Dovid Grossman and the guidance of Harav Shmuel Kaminetsky, shlita, as well as other leading halachic authorities.

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Around the Community

Yeshiva Darchei Torah to Hold Kollel/Beis Medrash Dinner This Sunday

ince its inception in 1999, Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid has enabled an entire generation of bachurim to grow in Torah, yirah, and middos from morning to night under the tutelage of their roshei yeshiva, maggidei shiur and mashgiach. In 2005, at the request of several alumni returning to the States from yeshivos in Eretz Yisrael, a “kibbutz” of senior bachurim was formed as well. These talmidim soon married and formed the pioneer cadre of Kollel Tirtza Devorah, which today has 31 fulltime avreichim and 45 mechanchim in its afternoon Kollel—in addition to a kibbutz—all under the aegis of the rosh kollel. Together, the Beis Medrash and Kollel form the crown jewel of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, training over 200 budding talmidei chachomim – who are living examples of Torah lishmah for their younger counterparts on campus – as the next generation of Jewish leaders. Indeed, scores of alumni are now teaching and disseminating Torah throughout North America and beyond as rabbeim, poskim, and learned baalei batim, building their own homes and communities on the firm foundations they formed here in their youth. Mr. and Mrs. Mordechai Rosen Guests of Honor Reb Mordechai Rosen is certainly no stranger to Kollel Tirtza Devorah and Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid. In fact, he has been a part of the Yeshiva before the Beis Medrash even came into existence. Mordechai joined Mesivta Chaim Shlomo in 1996, its second year, and stayed on in the nascent Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid for four years. Upon completing a year at Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim, Mordechai and a few fellow alumni of Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid contemplated returning to the Yeshiva instead of joining one of the post-Israel yeshivos in America. They approached Rav Yaakov Bender with a proposal to create a division for them to learn and grow, all under the same roof as the rest of the Yeshiva, to attend chaburos, vaadim, and shmuessin from their own rabbeim. It was an appealing idea, and Rav Bender enthusiastically brought it to fruition. Thus the “Kibbutz,” as it was

Reb Mordechai Rosen

Rabbi Mutty Zeiger

fondly called, was born—with only six bachurim. It has since grown into the full-fledged Kollel Tirtza Devorah that thrives today. Mordechai, who is a son of Rabbi and Mrs. Yosef Rosen of Lawrence, was married a year later to Elisheva, a daughter of Rabbi and Mrs. Nachman Prupas of Montreal, and they began their kollel life a few blocks from the Yeshiva. Mordechai would remain in kollel full time for ten years. To enable his sacred mission and support their family financially, Elisheva established Fame, a successful women’s apparel business. Its first home was in their humble Far Rockaway apartment; it is now located on Central Avenue in Cedarhurst and in several other Jewish communities around the world. For several hours each day, Mordechai joins his wife in their business that has developed not only into a thriving commercial enterprise but into a launch pad for quiet chessed as well. Mordechai still learns daily at the Yeshiva and is an integral part of a special night-seder chaburah of the Oraysa Amud V’Chazara program with approximately eight other alumni. The Rosens are gratified to have the opportunity to show hakaras hatov to the Beis Medrash and Kollel. They recognize the Rosh Kollel, Rav Dovid Bender, and his rebbetzin, Hennie, for inspiring and elevating the Kollel families and always available to them, be it for advice, halacha she’ailos or any other needs. Says Mrs. Rosen, “The Kollel created our foundation in Far Rockaway and our amazing friendships were started in our Kollel days.” She says that a great deal of credit is due to Rebbetzin Hennie, who

Mr. Shouie Gellis

Rav Shmuel Brudny, zt”l

gave the N’shei HaKollel a sense of belonging and created an environment for them to thrive in. (The women all still look forward to the N’shei gatherings throughout the year.) This, she believes, enhanced their husbands’ spiritual growth as well, enabling them to continue learning in the Kollel uninterrupted for several years. Of course, the Rosens are thankful to the Ribono shel Olam Who has provided them with such a wonderful Yeshiva and community to live in. May they continue to bring much Yiddishe nachas to both of their families, who are truly proud of this wonderful young couple. Rabbi and Mrs. Mutty Zeiger Harbotzas Torah Award

Harbotzas Torah very accurately describes each day in the life of Rabbi Mutty Zeiger. Rabbi Zeiger has been a rebbi at Yeshiva Darchei Torah for the last ten years, and he is renowned for his success in teaching seventh graders to not only learn Torah but to love Torah. Rav Zeiger cares for each talmid and exudes a warmth toward his students that draws them close. This is, in fact, a trait that he admired as a close talmid of Rav Nissan Kaplan when Rav Zeiger was learning in Eretz Yisrael—and he emulates it well. He was also an avreich at the Kollel of Rav Chaim Tzvi Senter’s Yeshiva Aderes HaTorah in Yerushalayim and he learned with bachurim under Rav Senter’s aegis. Rabbi Zeiger’s exuberance for his job, his talmidim, and the Yeshiva is truly inspiring. His talents and enthusiasm help his talmidim learn—and remember their learning. He rarely just sits at his desk; he prefers to move about the classroom, catching the boys’ attention and

sharing his contagious excitement over each piece of Gemara. Rabbi Zeiger is grateful for the direction and leadership of the Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Yaakov Bender, who boosts every rebbi’s self-esteem and lets the talmidim know how amazing their rebbi is. He is thankful as well for the support and chizuk that he receives from Rabbi Dovid Frischman, Rabbi Dovid Presser, and his fellow rebbeim. As a rebbi in Yeshiva, he sees firsthand what the chavrei hakollel and Beis Medrash bachurim mean to the whole Yeshiva and their influence is felt even among the middle school talmidim. The Zeiger mishpacha resides in Flatbush and davens at the Bostoner Kehilla. While Rabbi Zeiger is instilling yiras Shamayim and teaching Torah to his talmidim, his eishes chayil, Miriam, nee Kirschner, is the akeres habayis who cares for the Zeiger children and home. Rabbi Zeiger is grateful for his wife’s incredible support, backing him in his every endeavor. She is also constantly on the lookout to perform chessed, cooking and baking for many in need. She also taught talmidos for a number of years and has a visceral understanding and appreciation of the chinuch mission. Kollel Tirtza Devorah and Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid are proud to pay tribute to a rebbi who, with his eishes chayil, sets such a sterling example for the Yeshiva talmidim and for Klal Yisrael. Mr. and Mrs. Shouie Gellis Parents of the Year Kollel Tirtza Devorah and Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid are proud to honor Mr. and Mrs. Shouie and Chaya Gellis as Parents of the Year. In actuality, the feeling is mutual— as the Gellises are proud to be parents of two Beis Medrash talmidim (Eliyahu is a current talmid and Binyamin is an alumnus), and were excited to have the opportunity to show their hakaras hatov to the hanhala of the Yeshiva. Their sons were both very matzliach in the Mesivta and Beis Medrash, and Mrs. Gellis fondly remembers receiving nachas calls and updates from the Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Yaakov Bender. One son was privileged to not only learn under the Rosh Yeshi-

Around the Community

Rav Elya Brudny, shlita, will deliver divrei zikaron in memory of his illustrious parents, Rav Shmuel and Rochel Leah Brudny, z”l. For over 25 years, Rav Elya Brudny, shlita, a rosh yeshiva at the Mirrer Yeshiva in Brooklyn, has been a weekly visitor to our Yeshiva, where the talmidim look forward to discussing their learning with him and gaining inspiration from his shmuessen. The Rosh Yeshiva is a gadol and a leader of Klal Yisrael, and he is devoted to yeshivos and kollelim in particular. Selfless and unassuming, he agreed to deliver divrei zikaron at Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid and Kollel Tirtza Devorah’s dinner in memory of his illustrious parents, Rav Shmuel and Rochel Leah Brudny, zichronam livracha. Rav Shmuel was born in Smargan, Lithuania, in 1915 at the height of World

War I. His parents, Rav Elya and Rebbitzen Basya Brudny, z”l, realized that he was destined for greatness. The young Shmuel was a precocious child, beloved by all, and at the age of fourteen was accepted into the Rameilles Yeshiva in Vilna, where he learned under HaRav Shlomo Heiman for three years. At 17, the “Iluy fun Smargan” went to learn in the Mir, which was led by Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel. Rav Finkel asked his son-inlaw, Rav Chaim Shmulevitz, to mentor the young Rav Shmuel. Rav Shmuel escaped with the Mirrer Yeshiva to Kobe, Japan and then to Shanghai, but, tragically, most of the rest of his family was killed in Zoskowitz by the Nazis in 1941. Through the work of the Vaad Hatzalah, the Mir was able to relocate to America, with Rav Shmuel among the talmidim. Shortly after arriving in New York, he married Rochel, daughter of Rav Dovid and Batsheva Leshinsky, who were originally from Mir as well. Rebbetzin Rochel would devote her life to ensure that her husband could learn undisturbed. Rebbetzin Rochel Brudny was born in 1925 in Grodno and later relocated to Mir with her family. Her father was a great talmid chacham, masmid, and yirei Shamayim, and her mother was an incredible oheves Torah and baalas ruchnius who ran a business to support their family. As World War II broke out, Rebbetzin Leshinsky sent her husband to Vilna to join her son and escape the Communists. Young Rochel, age 14, her mother, and her siblings were advised by Rav Leizer Yudel to close their affairs and flee to Vilna. They accompanied the Finkel family to Vilna and subsequently traveled with the Mirrer Yeshiva to Kobe and later to America. The Leshinsky home in New York remained a bais vaad lechachamim, just as it had been in Europe. In 1947, Rav Dovid Kronglas, a Mirrer who had become mashgiach ruchani of Yeshivas Ner Yisrael, suggested the shidduch of Rochel to Rav Shmuel. While still a chosson, Rav Shmuel was invited by Rav Avraham Kalmanovitz and Rav Chaim Shmulevitz to become a maggid shiur in the Mirrer Yeshiva, where he taught hundreds of talmidim for 40 years. Rav Brudny devoted his life to learning and teaching Torah, and Rebbetzin Brudny became a beloved mechaneches at Bais Yaakov of Williamsburg and later at Bais Yaakov of Boro Park. Still,

her main focus was always on her goal as the eishes chaver who would ensure that Rav Shmuel could learn to his maximum potential with no disturbances. She took care of all his and the household’s needs and guarded the Rosh Yeshiva’s health. Rav Shmuel treated the Rebbetzin like a queen and was known to often say, “Sheli v’shelachem shelah hee,” as Rebbi Akiva said of his own wife, Rochel. Rebbetzin Brudny treated her husband as the gadol that he was, and together they were paragons of shalom bayis to all who came in contact with them. Rav Shmuel was a great marbitz Torah, and talmidim vied for a space in his shiur. The Rosh Yeshiva was the epitome of a patient rebbi and never lost his temper with his talmidim. He loved his talmidim and they revered him in return. His shiurim were able to catch the attention of the most advanced students as well as the average ones. It seems that his uniqueness was that he was an elevated tzaddik and masmid with a keen sensitivity to others. His kavod for each bachur was legendary; he stood while students asked him ques-

tions and addressed them with the pronoun “ihr,” a more respectful Yiddish term than “du.” Even though he had so many talmidim, he took notice of every single one. Rav Yaakov Bender says that he always remembers Rav Shmuel’s derech eretz for his talmidim and that he treated them like colleagues, not underlings. Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid and Kollel Tirtza Devorah hold true to the same hashkafos that Rav Shmuel and Rebbetzin Rochel Leah Brudny z”l held dear: yegiah and ameilus in Torah and devotion to teaching and disseminating Torah. Our dinner and campaign honor the legacy of Rav Shmuel and Rebbetzin Rochel Leah Brudny, z”l, and perpetuate the sacred work of the Beis Medrash and Kollel with which their son, Rav Elya, shlita, has devotedly chosen to attach his name and presence. To contribute to the campaign or make a dinner reservation, please call 718.868.2300 ext. 301; email kollel@ darchei.org; or visit www.darchei.org/ kollel.

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

va, Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky, but to drive him to simchos as well and thereby develop a special rapport through their time spent together. In addition, the influence of the Kollel yungerleit on the Beis Medrash bachurim is noticed and greatly appreciated by the Gellises. The Gellises are well-respected members of the Flatbush community, and they are treasured mispallelim at their shul, Khal Zichron Yaakov Shlomo Vchava, whose mara d’asra is Rav Ezra Rodkin. They are active in mosdos and organizations, including Chasdei Lev and the Flatbush Community Fund, as well as Kollel Tirtza Devorah. The Gellis home is steeped in Torah values and Mr. and Mrs. Gellis bring much nachas to their respective families as they embody the hashkafos with which they were raised. Mrs. Gellis, nee Weinstock, is a granddaughter of the well-known philanthropist Mr. Benny Fishoff, a”h, an askan of legendary stature. Mr. Gellis is the owner of Eden Healthcare ,and Mrs. Gellis spends many hours volunteering for Bikur Cholim. Mr. Gellis learned in Yeshiva Shaar Hatorah’s high school and beis medrash and in Yeshiva Torah Vodaas before his marriage, and maintains a strong kesher with his rosh yeshiva, Rav Yisroel Reisman. He also learned at Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim after his marriage. The Gellis mishpacha looks forward to sharing continued Yiddishe nachas with the Yeshiva as their boys continue to learn and grow in the coming years.

EVERY PERSON IN EVERY PLACE — YOUR VOICE

say no to the state regulatiing chinuch

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

As a parent, you want to be the final arbiter of the kind of education your child receives, not the government.

Sign at Voice.Agudah.org Or at Voice.TorahUmesorah.org Email submission@agudah.org

T N RGE

Call 845.502.7000 Text ‘start’ to 888.595.1529

M AK

VO ICE HE R U

KE ACTION N

I F T H E S TAT E R E G U L AT E S YESHIVOS... •

NYS does not recognize the educational value of Limudei Kodesh.

•

NYS opens the door for education bureaucrats to impose curricular requirements that are antithetical to our values and way of life.

•

NYS allows anyone who claims they have a “grievance,” even if they did not attend the school, to challenge a finding that a school meets the government’s standards.

•

NYS considers students in “non-equivalent” schools truant. Penalties to parents can even include jail time.

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

COUNTS

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Around the Community

Pet Therapy Continues at IVDU 5 Towns

nimals have proven to be very therapeutic to many, including the students at IVDU 5 towns. Over the year, a lot of focus has been placed on bringing in different animals for the students to be around. A petting zoo was brought in for Parshas Noach, an animal show was brought in for students to touch and interact with the animals, and now this week, the students are fortunate to have a rabbit in school! They are taking responsibility for feeding the rabbit, cleaning the cage, and showering the rabbit with love and attention. Having the rabbit has proven to be a positive and sensory rich experience for many of our kids, with students enjoying the touch and feel of the rabbit’s soft fur in their hands. The students and staff are enjoying their role as hosts in school and are looking forward to having other animals visit the school in the future.

Mrs. Riva Ratner’s 2nd and 3rd grade CAHAL class at the Yeshiva of South Shore visited the Nassau County Police Department last week. They learned all about police safety, the bomb squad, the K-9 unit, car safety, and self defense

There’s Always Space for Learning at YOSS

A Memorable Mother’s Day for Single Moms at the Gural JCC

e all know that every day is Mother’s Day – or should be. But sometimes having a designated date on the calendar makes us take note and put in a special effort. Mother’s Day is usually a day of celebration and close family times, often even a multigenerational event. But for single parents – those who are divorced or widowed, just recently or even for many years – Mother’s Day can be a difficult and painful day. The Kadima program at the Marion and Aaron Gural JCC was created over seven years ago to address the many overwhelming needs of single parents. We offer many services and ongoing support and are particularly conscientious of the children in our program and provide them additional relief such as Chanukah and Purim parties, trips and play therapy groups. While the parents can always access our support groups, one-on-one counseling, lectures and workshops, once in a while we try to do something especially targeted for them. This year, with the help of some very special friends, we created a well-deserved “spa night” for our Kadima

moms, replete with mini facials and hand massages, thanks to the generous crew at L’Occitane en Provence. Close to fifty women juggled their schedules to join us last Monday night to enjoy a night of fun, refreshments and attention. They sat with art therapist Cirri Shafran and designed beautiful gratitude journals, let their creative juices flow at a flower arranging table, were amazed at a cool tree analysis station, and stopped to add their comments to our affirmation board. The women socialized with staff and friends – new and old – were pampered and relaxed, and left our JCC campus with a smile on their faces and a SWAG bag in their hands, again, thanks to L’Occitane’s lovely staff. It was a night all will remember for a long time to come but, mostly, a night they know they were remembered by the warm and caring Kadima staff at the Gural JCC. If you or anyone you know would like to find out more about the Kadima program for single Jewish parents, please call Rachayle at (516)569-6733. The Marion and Aaron Gural JCC is a proud non-profit partner of UJA-Federation New York.

he students in Mrs. Traube’s first grade have had a “blast” these last few weeks, as they completed a cross-curriculum unit on space and our solar system. It all began with our new Ready Gen module, where we read King Kafu and the Moon and Let’s Visit the Moon. We analyzed the differences between fiction and nonfiction, as well as the similarities and connections between the two texts. We then expanded our learning to involve all things space and astronauts. We watched clips of real astronauts on the ISS, the Perseverance Rover on Mars, and a liftoff of the SpaceX Dragon Capsule. Our classroom

library was filled with space-themed books, which we visited daily. We wrote sentences utilizing our individual Space Word Walls and participated in spacethemed literacy centers. The class sorted through a “moon gravel” sensory box to classify “Earth” (real) and “Alien” (nonsense) words. The boys were “over the moon” taking a virtual field trip to the Kennedy Space Center. To cap it all off, our little astronauts in action created an unbelievable bulletin board showcasing the most interesting space facts that they had learned. They have proven they are ready to blast off into second grade!

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Teacher Appreciation at HALB

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

t Lev Chana, teachers were surprised with treats throughout the week, including coffee and cakes, Berrylicious ice cream cake, and lunch from Central Perk. HALB Elementary had a sign out front and offered lunch from

Central Perk, coffee and cake, and a room service cart filled with goodies that administrators brought from classroom to classroom. Thank you to our HALB teachers for everything you do for the school and your students every single day!

More – because we are always looking to grow more, to reach our potential. The Big M Summit runs from May 16th to 23rd, with men and women from around the world gathering for a week of education, inspiration, professional opportunities and fun recreational activities in the New York metro area. The group will hear from rabbis, respected professional and community leaders – including former Chief Rabbi of Israel Rav Yisrael Meir Lau. Attendees will also have the opportunity to take a seat at the table in the boardrooms of high powered company executives and network through shared values within the Jewish community. The highlight of the week will be Thursday night when 600 international students and 600 mentors gather in the Five Towns to reinforce the importance of investing in fellow Jews, to solidify their relationships with their mentees

(many of whom only met over the phone until now) and create community. These mentors, successful Shomrei Torah, are an exclusive group of dedicated and respected individuals who have invested their valuable time and resources into their mentees. Their commitment allows for the continued growth of these students, as well as Olami’s important mission. Thursday night will be an evening of limud Torah and personal growth, a special bonding between the students and mentors. The evening of exploration and connection will culminate with multiple kumzitzes using music as a powerful tool for unity. The students will then spend Shabbos together and enjoy a gala event and musical performance on Sunday, a fitting end to an incredible week of growth and connection, and an uplifting powerful start to the launch of the global community.

Mother’s Day writing pieces are a-“bloom” at YOSS

Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D-Fresh Meadows) hosted the new Israeli Consul General, Ambassador Asaf Zamir, in Albany and introduced him to other legislators. The meetand-greet was an opportunity for state legislators to meet Ambassador Zamir, discuss the New York-Israel relationship, and try some Israeli snacks.

Olami Plans “Big M Summit”

lami is not your parents’ outreach organization. This vibrant campus and young professional movement is mission driven to secure not only a Jewish communal future but furthermore to inspire legions of Jews worldwide toward further personal growth and achievement. This is done through the prism of Torah study and Jewish communal activism, with a focus on education and professional advancement. Olami is active on 300 college campuses and young professional communities around the world reaching and inspiring over 50,000 young Jewish adults annually. Students benefit from both formal and informal programming – through a fusion of inspired study, communal engagement and worldwide travel that lays a strong foundation for participants’ future engagement and interest. Education is key for Olami, whose goal is

to promote Jewish identity and pride its students with an eye toward community and continuity. A flagship Olami initiative, and one that sets it apart from most, is its mentorship program. Designed to reach thousands worldwide, this unique endeavor matches experienced Jewish professionals with students in specific fields to foster personal and professional connections. These mentors, by example, model how being a part of the Jewish community has positively impacted and enriched their lives and contributed to their professional success. To capitalize on the tremendous value of this program, Olami is hosting a weeklong global mentorship Summit called “The Big M Summit.” The M stands for more than Mentorship. It stands for Meaning – which is infused into every interaction. For Movement – that Olami is instrumental in creating. For

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Using Their Sense

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

he talmidos of the Ganger Early Childhood at TAG are really “feeling” their Aleph Bais review with the new Aleph Bais sensory bulletin board.

Shmittah farmer Avichai Koch made a special visit to the Yeshiva Darchei Torah elementary school

CIMBY is Back!

HANC Remembers

T A

fter a more than two-year hiatus due to Covid and its related restrictions, CIMBY is back! CIMBY is a fresh initiative spearheaded by the team at Achiezer, encouraging individuals to engage in acts of kindness right in our own community. Born from the combination of Achiezer’s commitment to providing life-changing chesed services and the tremendous support from passionate volunteers teaming up for the greater good, CIMBY – which stands for “Chesed In My Backyard” – is a dynamic opportunity to be a part of a community of dedicated chesed-enthusiasts and provide for those in need. Join hundreds of fellow volunteers and make a difference. During Covid, a CIMBY “virtual” event was held. Now, CIMBY is back, live and in-person, with a “junior” version slated for Sunday, May 22. An adult CIMBY event is planned for after the summer. CIMBY Jr. is a 2K Run event, with youth from all over coming out and joining members of the community on behalf of this worthy cause. Runners and their families will come together for a fun-filled

event featuring an invigorating run, savory bites, and a grand concert. With loud cheers from friends and family – and a little help from tantalizing barbecue aromas – these young men will push themselves to the finish line. This year, Achiezer is also offering a wide-ranging and thrilling scavenger hunt with fun for the entire family, adding another twist to this exciting event. All the funds from this year’s CIMBY event are being earmarked to pay for local children to attend summer camp, a vital need in our community – what’s not to like about that. There are limited openings, so register today! Past events have been a triumph fueled by generosity and goodwill, successfully providing an opportunity for community members to come together as one in support of a community organization that while based here in our community, is arguably the busiest and most sought-after Jewish chessed resource in the nation. For more information or to register, visit https://www.rayze.it/achiezercimby/ or email cimby@achiezer.org.

his year, HANC Middle School was privileged to see a program on the Holocaust entitles, “Heroes of the Holocaust.” This program was presented by Rabbi Joel Cohn of ISRAED. Rabbi Cohn discussed many different Chasidei Umot Haloam. These included: Sir Nicholas Winston, Irina Sendler, Sugihara and Raoul Wallenberg. These individuals, among many others, saved Jewish people during the Holocaust. They did it because they felt empathy toward the Jews. Rabbi Cohn also mentioned a French village and a Dutch village dedicated to saving Jews. Rabbi Cohn taught us that “you do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.” One poignant moment was when Rabbi Cohn showed us a clip of a survivor who was holding his 49th great-grandchild at his bris. The bris was timed so it would take place exactly as the siren was going off in Israel. This is the siren that is sounded, and everyone stops what they were doing. This was truly a sign that this person and the Jewish nation have triumphed over Hitler, ym”sh. On the Day of Remembrance, Yom Hazikaron, HANC, along with Jews all over the world, honored the soldiers who risked, and lost their lives for us and Israel. Every year, Morah Aronowitz and her class put on a meaningful production to educate and remember those who

perished. Combined with the effort of Morah Aronowitz, Mrs. Fredman, and her students, the day was impactful and tapped into all who listened. The stories of Shawn, who was a soldier who wrote letters before the war, and lost his life in the process, the songs and instruments played by students, and the deep poems that touched everyone’s hearts. Thinking about all the parents who lost their children, and all the children who lost their parents, and everyone who may have lost a friend or someone they were close to. Although it was a day to remember, and a hard period to recall, it was extremely important. Many of us may not know of someone who was lost during that time, but every one of us was hit with each powerful word as we commemorated the heroes of the past.

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

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Former Mayor of Lawrence Martin Oliner, with his family, at the recent ceremony of Mr. Oliner’s induction as council trustee to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

Did you know? German poet Gottlob Burmann so despised the letter “r” that he avoided using it in his poems and suppressed it in his speech during the last 17 years of his life

Around the Community

By Miriam Weiser

ith great siyata dishmaya, pleasure and gratitude to Hashem, we are announcing that, though a couple of years passed without it, the huge event of Lag B’Omer at Niklesburg Beis Medrash are back! Preparations are underway at the Niklesburg Beis Medrash, 4912 16th Avenue in Boro Park, to accommodate the thousands of people who are expected to attend the Lag B’Omer festivities. This year’s celebration will IY”H take place on Wednesday evening, May 18, in front of the shul and will feature, as usual, live music with a band, singers and expanded sound system. The hadlaka and dancing is presided over by the beloved Grand Rabbi Mordechai Jungreis shlit”a of Niklesburg, whose generosity and love for all humans is well known to be boundless and infinite. The Niklesburg bonfire originally started as a whim, when the Rebbe, shlit”a, broke into a little impromptu dance with some of his devoted followers about 15 years ago. People passing by soon joined, and it grew to become the central Lag B’Omer event in Boro Park, drawing thousands of participants each year. The joyous celebration and spiritually charged atmosphere have earned the event the popular title of Meron-Niklesburg. The festivities will begin with Maariv shortly after 9 PM, after which the finest quality olive oil will be distributed to everyone to add to the bonfire free of charge, so that everyone can take part. When all the preparations are complete (anticipated by 10:00), the Rebbe will light the fire, and the music and dancing will begin. A generous donor provided 1,000 bow-and-

arrow sets, which will be distributed free to the children. Fantastic refreshments will be dispersed to happy kids of all ages. Everyone knows of the keen tradition of chesed from the enthusiastic Rebbe, as he constantly and continuously hands out food, drinks, and snacks to all those in his presence. The Rebbe is always happy to feed people of all ages and types. It doesn’t matter whether you are a great Talmud chacham or a small child, if you are regular businessman or you are an out of yeshiva bochur. Everyone feels at home and at peace with the Niklesburg Rebbe. The powerful feeling of joy and belonging has drawn a crowd of thousands each year, some even arriving from upstate to participate. In the last two years, due to Covid, the Rebbe, fully aware and fearful to expose anyone to infection, halted the Lag B’Omer bonfire, to the distress of many. So many people who freely admit that they look forward to this all year confess to the reality that they feel the closeness and friendliness, the generosity and personal friendship from the Rebbe, at this momentous event. Watch the great kiddush Hashem that comes along with all this each year as the Niklesburg Rebbe, shlit”a, publicly thanks

the police presence over the PA for providing security and crowd control. And each year the police tell him again, “Of all the celebrations we oversee, this one is always the happiest and most orderly.” While many celebrations such as this one hire professional planners and overseers, the Niklesburg Rebbe, shlit”a, does not think it is necessary. As he says in his famous song that has gone viral throughout the Jewish world, “Every Yid’s a big tzaddik.” He believes that every Yid has something great about them, and so the crowd is full of big musicians and great singers and wonderful people. The event is attended by many thousands, and the spiritual happiness and joy, the solidarity and fellowship of each attendee makes it a simcha worth attending, reaping much enjoyment and comfort. The growth of the Lag B’Omer celebration mirrors the Rebbe’s success in reviving the Woodbourne shul for the summer vacation season. Beginning with a sign many years ago that announced, “All Are Welcome,” he now presides over the shul that draws tens of thousands of people throughout the summer each year. In fact, the Rebbe spent a considerable amount of time, energy and money over the past year overseeing upgrades and other details to ensure the shul will again be ready to accommodate the summer crowds. The gala Lag B’Omer event kicks off with the Rebbe lighting a large bonfire in the middle of the street. He leads the crowd in singing the traditional zemiros and Lag B’Omer melodies. The dancing stretches for a block or more and the streets are closed off to traffic. As in past years, this year’s festivities will begin with a long line of people passing by single file as the Rebbe dispenses hundreds of cups of olive oil to all. Everyone can participate by pouring oil onto the pyre, and that the

resultant bonfire radiates the pure glow of achdus. At the center of the celebration, of course, the Niklesburg Rebbe, shlit”a, greets everyone with his trademark warmth and openness that have made his Beis Medrash – the “Jungreis Chesed Center” – a second home to so many. The Rebbe does not think twice about removing his shtreimel and placing it on the head of a bachur who is struggling to find his shidduch as he dances with the boy and showers him with blessings that he meet his bashert soon. The event, with all of its attending services, is entirely free of charge, though the expense of the music, singer, sound system, stage, refreshments, and olive oil is in the many thousands. It is a remarkable and miraculous phenomenon that all the expenses of his chesed are somehow taken care of in the end. The family recalls how the Rebbe never made cheshboinos about these expenses. First and foremost, the Rebbe wants to feed everyone. Both the shul in Boro Park and the shul in Woodbourne are always stocked with food and drinks, and every person who enters the shul gets an offer of food even before he opens up a siddur. “If there’s a will there’s a way,” is his mantra. First, he does what he needs to do to feed and service his fellow Yidden and then Hashem helps it all get paid. Anyone who wants to have a share in the tremendous zchus of the chizuk and achdus generated by this event is encouraged to contribute. Every donation, small or large, is a help. This year, Boro Park will again enjoy “a taste of Meron in New York” as the community joins Niklesburg in celebrating the hilula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Be sure to stop by and get a bracha from the Rebbe!

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Boro Park Preparing, Once Again, for Massive Central Lag B’Omer Celebration at Niklesburg

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

BUILDING BLOCKS OF ETERNITY Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s new capital project will encompass a Mesivta Beis Medrash and its first-ever Residence Hall. BEIS MEDRASH + CLASSROOM BUILDING Will serve 500 talmidim in grades 8-11 34,200 Total square feet 4 Stories 5200 sq. feet Beis Hamedrash for Mesivta 15 Classrooms

RESIDENCE HALL Will serve 271 talmidim in Mesivta & Yeshiva Gedolah 43,000 Total square feet 4 Stories 68 Dormitory Rooms 271 Beds 4 Student Lounges

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

T H E S E V I S I O N A R I E S H AV E A L R E A DY S T E P P E D F O R WA R D . W I L L YO U J O I N T H E M ?

MR. & MRS. BERISH & HANNAH FUCHS

THE BIVETSKY FAMILY SHAAR HATORAH

MR. & MRS. YUSSIE & SUSAN OSTREICHER

RESIDENCE HALL AND TORAH CENTER

‫ה ליב ע”ה‬-‫לע”נ שלום ראובן בן ארי‬

MESIVTA BEIS MEDRASH BUILDING

MESIVTA BEIS MEDRASH

ANONYMOUS

ANONYMOUS Residence Hall Cornerstone

ANONYMOUS

‫לע”נ נחמן יהודה בן יעקב דוד ע”ה‬ ‫ואשתו לאה בת יהודה אשר ע”ה‬ ‫ולע”נ יעקב ליב בן שלמה ע”ה‬

Promenade Vestibule

Beis Medrash Vestibule Entrance

MR. & MRS. URI & ESTHER KAUFMAN

‫לע”נ הרה”ג ר‘ דוד בן הרב אברהם בנדר זצ”ל‬ ‫והרבנית בתיה חיה בת הרב יעקב הלוי ז”ל‬ ‫לע”נ זעליג בן מרדכי ע”ה‬ ‫לע”נ משה אלעזר בן נטע שלום ע”ה‬ ‫לע”נ דוד בן משה ע”ה‬ ‫הר‘ משה נתן בן יחזקאל ע”ה‬ ‫וישראל בן אברהם ע”ה‬ ‫ לע”נ‬The children, bochurim, and all 45 neshamos of the Miron tragedy, Lag Baomer 5781

Dedicated by Mr. & Mrs. Yaakov & Rivky Jacobovitch

MR. & MRS. CHAIM & BRACHA SCHULHOF MR. & MRS. NISSAN & SARAH GITTY PROFESORSKE

‫לע”נ ישראל הלוי לעווין ע”ה‬ ‫ואלישבע בתיה קפלן ע”ה‬

Dedication of Rosh Kollel’s Office

MR. & MRS. MOTTY & HADASSA JACOBOWITZ

‫לע”נ חוה בת דב ע”ה‬

Entranceway to Mesivta Beis Medrash Building

Camp Oraysa Sports Complex

THE BLOOM FAMILY

‫לע”נ ר‘ ישראל‬ ‫בן ר‘ בנימין הכהן ע”ה‬

MR. & MRS. CHAIM SHOLOM & RIVKY LEIBOWITZ Associate Dean’s Office

Sha’ar of New Beis Medrash

In Memory of Mrs. Marta Schron ‫ע” ה‬

MR. & MRS. NACHUM & HENNY FUTERSAK

MR. & MRS. MENASH & MIMI ORATZ Basketball Court in Elementary School Gym

MESIVTA OTZAR HASEFORIM

DEDICATED ANONYMOUSLY

NAYMAN FAMILY

Lobby, Mesivta Beis Medrash Building

Cornerstone, Mesivta Beis Medrash Building

Ner Tamid

DEDICATION OF CAMP ORAYSA CAMPUS

MR. & MRS. MOTTY & HADASA MENDELSOHN

DR. & MRS. YOSSI & ZIVIA SCHWARTZ

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The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Around the Community

Don’t Just Say Ani Maamin. Live Ani Maamin. Ani Maamin: A Mission for Life Written by Rabbi Yechezkel Elias • ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications

he 13 Ikkarei Emunah, the “Ani Maamins,” appear in our siddurim, and many of us recite them every day after tefillah. And yet ... do we understand what they mean in our own everyday lives and actions? In a new thoughtful work, Ani Maamin: A Mission for Life, Rabbi Yechezkel Elias examines each of the 13 Ikkarei Emunah. Using contemporary examples that we can all understand and relate to, he makes the often difficult concepts contained in the 13 Ikkarim clear, comprehensible – and very, very relevant. Each Ikkar is followed by a section titled How does this affect my daily life? which shows us how to put these foundational beliefs into practice in our own lives. One of the kedoshim of Meron was ha’bochur Dovi Steinmetz, z”l, of Montreal. In the months since last Lag Ba’omer, Dovi’s father, Reb Shloimi Steinmetz, has become an ambassador of faith, asking people to recite the 13 Ani Maamins printed in every siddur after davening each morning l’ilui nishmas the pure neshomah of Yissochor Dov Berish ben Reb Shloime. People have responded… and how! With enthusiasm and passion, eager not just to create zechusim for this extraordinary neshamah, but to bring a little more emunah into their own lives, men and women, adults and children, have joined this initiative. Regardless of community, demographic, level of observance or family minhag, emunah lives in the neshomah, and for anyone with a Divine spark, the message resonated. As part of the Initiative, Rabbi Yechezkel Elias gave a series of shiurim on each of the 13 Ikkarei Emunah, which

Dovi Steinmetz, z”l

form the basis of this beautifully presented book. The following is an excerpt from the book on one of the most famous Ikkarim, The Twelfth Ikkar. There Will Come a Day “Ani Maamin b’emunah sheleima b’vias HaMashiach, v’af al pi she’yismameiah, im kol zeh achakeh lo b’chol yom she’yavo” I am steadfast in my absolute belief in the coming of Mashiach, and even though he may delay, nevertheless I await his arrival each day. Imagine that a new business enterprise is launched, after a huge initial investment. A large workforce is hired, and the business concept promises outstanding potential for growth. A few months later, however, the business seems to have soured. Not only isn’t it thriving, it’s struggling to survive. Most of the employees are apathetic, and many are failing to perform their jobs correctly. Some seem to have forgotten the concept of work altogether, and spend their days at the office drinking coffee, chatting, and playing with their phones. Worse, although all these em-

ployees, down to the cleaning crews working the nightshift, receive generous salaries and numerous perks, many of them busy themselves organizing vocal protests to voice their imaginary grievances against the investor backing this entire enterprise. The few truly dedicated employees, who understand the value of their jobs and their responsibility to their employers, labor on with difficulty, struggling to remain productive in a workplace where they are ridiculed for their views and ethics. The investor? He sees the madness, and yet, for some mysterious reason, continues pouring in money to keep the enterprise afloat. This is an apt analogy to the world we live in. Hakadosh Baruch Hu created this world of ours with a purpose. He wants something out of this enterprise. Yet what results is He getting? By the numbers, it would seem like a colossal failure. The overwhelming majority of the world’s population does not even subscribe to the basic monotheistic belief that He is the sole source of existence. To put this into perspective, estimates place the world population of declared atheists and agnostics at seventy times greater than the number of Jews in the world. Picture this: For every minyan of Jews who could potentially declare “Shema Yisrael,” a crowd of seven-hundred of Hashem’s creations screams back, “No Creator exists!” But wait – that number includes only those who categorically deny Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s existence. Billions more believe in various other misguided ideologies, whether polytheism, pantheism, or any mutation thereof. Going further, of the 15 million or so Jews

alive today — less than 0.2% of the world’s population — how many adhere on any level to halachah and Torah values? And if we really take this all the way to the top, how many fully observant Jews excel in all areas of Divine service? Are we, the minuscule fraction of the world populace that actually seek to do the job we were hired for, satisfied that our performance is up to par? The world around us is not merely out of sync with Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s will; it is increasingly belligerent and hostile toward any expression of the true values that should underpin this world’s functioning. A person voicing the Torah view on issues such as morality or sanctity of life risks being tarred as a bigot and extremist. As society trumpets the value system of the day, the ideals we cherish are ridiculed as archaic and out-of-touch. And Hakadosh Baruch Hu? He keeps feeding us, providing for our needs, and sustaining the entire world, despite its being so overwhelmingly against Him. For the Jew who knows better, who discerns right from wrong, this has to hurt. If someone slaps your father and you stand by silently, there’s something seriously wrong. You’re the child of the investor who is pouring all that money into the corporation. You know he is keeping all those employees on the payroll, supporting them and their families, and you watch as they sit around lambasting your father. You may not be able to do much, but you can cry. There will, however, come a day. On that day, right will be right and wrong will be wrong. On that day, every human be-

ing will recognize with astonishing simplicity that there is One Creator Who controls everything. On that day, everyone will realize that all that matters is His will, and the entire world will focus on doing exactly that. The drive for depravity will evaporate, dissipating like smoke in the wind, and the temptations that currently pull us so strongly will be but a relic of history. The idea of a person being drawn to inappropriate material online, sharing a tantalizing bit of gossip about a neighbor, or even carrying on a conversation during Chazaras Hashatz will seem as utterly ludicrous as bowing down to a cow. Much as we look back with bafflement at the ancients who worshiped idols, wondering how on earth they could have held such beliefs, we will look back at today’s world with utter bewilderment, wondering how we ever could have ever been attracted even slightly to behavior reflecting lack of financial integrity or moral debauchery. Klal Yisrael will be revered, and their rightful status as the chosen nation, the princes of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, will be universally recognized. We will live our Yiddishkeit with the proudest sense of fulfillment, finding meaning and connection in our every action. This is what the era of Mashiach will be, as Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s enterprise functions in its full beauty.

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MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

SUNDAY JUNE 12TH 2022

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

86 1. *

TJH

Centerfold

You Are Normal If… A A You have searched for your phone while holding it in your hand. (It’s at those moments when you realize that you are in the thick of millennialism.) You have bought a week’s worth of healthy food and didn’t end up eating any of it. (Good tip: always go shopping one day AFTER you start your new healthy eating plan.)

When you sing while wearing headphones, you take them off for a second just to make sure that the whole neighborhood can’t hear you. (Because, no, you are not tone-deaf, and you don’t want people to think that you are.) You accidentally take on another’s distinct accent during conversation, especially if they’re from the south. (Y’all do that, too?)

You avoid talking to someone because you forgot their name. (And you know that there is no sweeter sound to people than the sound of their own name.)

You have taken a break from the internet on your computer to check out the internet on your phone. (That is when you should remember those archaic things called books.)

You ignore an email for a week and when you finally figure out how to respond, you write, “Somehow, I missed this…” (It’s not a lie because I did “miss this” – I never said how I missed it…)

You hit the elevator button multiple times when you get in. (This usually results in a quick self-analysis: Am I OCD?)

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

When the phone rings and you don’t want to answer the call, you lay your hands off it and stare at the phone until it stops ringing. (Because if you are not careful, your fingers will somehow double-click the stop-ringing button disobeying your decision, regardless of the neural message that you are transmitting to them.)

You listen intently to the conversation taking place at the next table in the restaurant… just to confirm that other people’s lives are no more interesting than your life. (“Susan went to Israel today…” “I have a dentist appointment next week…” “Did you get through to Barry yet?” Blah, blah, blah)

You check out who is in the car near you and when you are busted you make believe that you were looking at something else. (It’s OK when you’re busted – you only got busted because they are doing the same thing as you!)

Using the grid below, how many words can you find? Each word must contain the central letter V and no letter can be used twice; however, the letters do not have to be connected. Proper nouns are not allowed, although, plurals are. There is at least one nine letter word.

Wisdom Key How many words can you find?

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Nitty Gritty Genius: 28 words Excellent: 20 words Good: 16 words Average: 12 words E

Answers above, adverb, ave, aver, brave, braved, braver, bravo, bravoed, deva, dove, drove, drover, ova, over, overboard, overbroad, overdo, rave, raved, raver, rev, rove, roved, rover, var, verb, voe

You Gotta Be Kidding Me! A man died and went to heaven. There, the angels told him, “Before you meet with G-d, we should tell you — we’ve looked over your life, and to be honest, you really didn’t do anything particularly good or bad. We’re not really sure what to do with you. Can you tell us anything you did that can help us make a decision?”

Five percent of all people living in a town have unlisted phone numbers. If you selected 100 names from the phonebook, on average, how many of these people would be unlisted?

“Wow, that’s impressive,” the angels replied. “When did this happen?” Answer: Zero. You are selecting names from a phonebook, so they all have listed phone numbers.

“About three minutes ago,” came the reply.

emoH hsiweJ eht | 5102 ,92 rebOtcO

The newly-arrived soul thought for a moment and replied, “Yeah, once I was driving along and came upon a person who was being harassed by a group of thugs. So I pulled over, got out a bat, and went up to the leader of the thugs. He was a big, muscular guy with a ring pierced through his lip. Well, I tore the ring out of his lip, and told him he and his gang had better stop bothering this guy or they would have to deal with me!”

Riddle Me This

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

torah thought

Parshas Emor by rabbi berel Wein

ne of the central themes in this week’s Torah reading concerns the special and unique laws and commandments that pertain to the kohanim – the family of Aaron who became the priests of Israel. While the people of Israel did not democratically elect them to serve in that exalted role, they were, rather, appointed to their duties and status by the will of Heaven, as expressed through Moshe. We have seen earlier in the Torah that

there was hesitancy on the part of Aaron to accept his role of priesthood. Nevertheless, at the insistence of Moshe and the direction of Heaven, the family of Aaron became the everlasting chain of priesthood that exists within Jewish society even until today. It is obvious that the Torah was aware of the pitfalls of choosing the priesthood instead of electing it through the medium of the will of the people of Israel. Later in the Torah, a rebellion was mounted

against this notion and Moshe’s leadership, and one of the main complaints against them would be that somehow Moshe was guilty of nepotism in choosing his brother Aaron as the first and founding member of the priesthood of Israel. Yet, the Torah did not flinch from establishing Aaron and his family as the priesthood of Israel and that choice has weathered all storms and remains valid and vital, even in current Jewish society, thousands of years after Moshe and Aaron are no longer with us.

kohanim possess a special pride in their heritage and in their uniqueness. Judaism, which always is a meritocracy, nevertheless, creates an aristocracy to the priesthood of Aaron and his descendants. Scholarship, piety and even leadership are fields that are open to each and every Jewish person, without regard to ancestral advantage. However, the service of bridging the gap between G-d and the Jewish people, between the practical and mundane parts of life and that of the Temple service with the exalted infinity

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

In my experience, I have noticed that kohanim possess a special pride in their heritage and in their uniqueness.

Truly, human beings have many thoughts, plans, and ideas, but eventually it is the will of the L-rd that will prevail and survive. All human choices are, by their very nature, subject to fallibility and mistakes. But the will of Heaven always has the imprint of perfection and infinity upon it. Aaron and his descendants have a special place in Jewish life. They are entitled to financial support, social favor, and status. The laws that we read in this week’s portion still apply to them. In my experience, I have noticed that

that the temple was meant to encompass, was a task that was left to those that were chosen by Heaven for the fulfillment of that very role: Aaron and his family. Not every kohen was necessarily fit for the task, nor did he live up to the responsibilities of the priesthood. However, as a group and as a class, it is obvious that even until today, the family of Aaron is deservedly held in high regard throughout Jewish society and remains a constant reminder of the will of Heaven as expressed in our own societal lives. Shabbat shalom.

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From the Fire Parshas Emor

The Kohein Within by rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

he Torah teaches the mitzvah that kohanim may not come into contact with a corpse (Vayikra 21:1) with the words, “Speak to the kohanim, the children of Aharon and you shall say to them, ‘Let none of you defile himself to a dead body among his people.’” The commentaries all explain why the pasuk has to say “speak” and “say,” which seems duplicative. The Zohar (88b) explains that the intent of the pasuk is: “Tell the kohanim in a whisper...” Why is the command that a kohein not defile himself conveyed in a whisper? In the Sefer Eitz Hadaas Tov, Rav Chaim Vital, the greatest student of the Arizal, explains why the Torah permits and even commands a kohein to defile himself by coming into contact with a deceased close relative. He explains that close relatives are branches of one tree which draw from the same root. When one member of the family dies, all close relatives are affected and touched by death. Therefore, because the kohein has already been touched and affected by death, he loses nothing by coming into contact with the person’s body and fulfilling the mitzvah of escorting the person into the Next World. But if this is true, why should a kohein gadol be different? Why is he forbidden to come into contact with even the seven categories of close relatives unlike other kohanim? Rav Moshe Wolfson offers an explanation. He points out that there are three general dimensions: olam, space; shana, time; and nefesh, soul. And every soul has its own place and time. The place that corresponds to the soul of the Jewish people as a whole is Eretz Yisroel. And each individual Jew has his or her own place in Eretz Yisroel. In fact, the Rambam quotes an opinion that a Jew can acquire property using the partic-

the shemen ha’mishcha, the anointing oil. The word for oil, shemen, is connected to the word “eight” because the kohein gadol is above nature, above the seven days of creation. He connects to that which is above nature. And the word for anointing, ha’mishcha, has the same letters as simcha, joy. The kohein gadol is also the only person to wear eight garments, rather than four, further identifying him with a level of joy that is beyond this world. Every Jew has a little kohein gadol inside of him – a place where sadness and destruction cannot reach. No matter what has happened to him or what he has done, there is a Holy of Holies deep inside of him which is still filled with a spark of Hashem’s light and joy.

ular four amos in Eretz Yisroel with which he or she is associated. A kohein gadol’s place in Eretz Yisroel is the Holy of Holies. And the character of the Holy of Holies, which is the resting place of Hashem’s presence, is (Divrei Hayamim 1:16:27) such that “might and joy are in His place.” Mourning and death have no place in Hashem’s home, which is a place of pure joy. The Holy of Holies is a place of life. Death cannot touch it. The living, joyous nature of the Holy of Holies spreads out to all of Yerushalyim as well. According to the Midrash (Shmos Raba Pikudei 52), “There was a house of calculation outside of Yerushalyim, and anyone who needed to work on his books for business would go there. Why [was it necessary to leave Yerushalayim to work on one’s books]? So that one should not make calculations and experience distress [in Yerushalay-

im], which is called (Tehillim 48:3), ‘The joy of all the land.’” There is no place for sadness, darkness, depression, or mourning in the city of joy, Yerushalayim. This place of joy is rooted in the Holy of Holies, the place of the kohein gadol, as the pasuk (Divrei Hayamim 1:23:13) says, “And Aharon was separated to be sanctified, the Holy of Holies.” The kohein gadol himself is called the Holy of Holies! Death may touch other kohanim but the kohein gadol, who is connected to the heart of Yerushalyim, the Holy of Holies, is above the concept of impurity and defilement. That is why he does not defile himself even to his close relatives. Mourning and sadness have no place in the person identified with the clearest manifestation of Hashem’s presence, the Holy of Holies. The kohein gadol is anointed with

This Shabbos comes out before Lag Ba’Omer, the hilula of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai. Rabi Shimon shared this attribute of being like the kohein gadol, although he was not a kohein or even from the tribe of Levi. And as we are about to say about the tzaddik, “Bar Yochai you are anointed, rejoice, with the oil of joy from your friends” and “Bar Yochai from the Holy of Holies.” Rabi Shimon was anointed with the number eight, with the holiness of the Holy of Holies. Therefore, destruction, sadness and mourning have no place in his world. Indeed, it once happened that Rebbi Avraham Halevi, one of the students of the Arizal, said “Nachem,” while he was bentching – although we normally say that prayer on Tisha B’Av – in Meiron on Lag Ba’Omer (as he was accustomed to doing all year), and the Arizal saw a vision of Rabi Shimon warning that because he brought the prayer of mourning which literally means “comfort,” into Rabi Shimon’s place, which is

91 very difficult, when Hashem’s attribute of strict justice seems to be revealed, he still rejoices in the knowledge that it is all for his benefit even if he does not understand how or why. We see from a particular incident recounted in the Yerushalmi (Sanhedrin 1:2) how Rabi Shimon bar Yochai’s rebbe, Rebbi Akiva taught him this secret of quietly knowing one’s inner holiness.

Yochai! You’re a mechutzaf!” Shaken up by the incident, the old man turned around and went to go see the Beis Yaakov, little Gershon Henoch’s father, and told him everything that had happened. Very upset at his son’s behavior, the Rebbe sent for his son to come home immediately. When he returned, the Beis Yaakov asked his son what had happened at the lake. The boy admit-

No matter what has happened to him or what he has done, there is a Holy of Holies deep inside of him which is still filled with a spark of Hashem’s light and joy.

ted what happened and told his father that the man had said, “I don’t care if your father is Rabi Shimon bar Yochai! You’re a mechutzaf!” The Beis Yaakov asked what he had answered to this. He said that he didn’t answer back but that he was upset because he knew that

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.

emoH hsiweJ eht | 5102 ,92 rebOtcO

The Gemara tells us that after the death of Rebbi Akiva’s 24,000 students, when he was ordaining the next generation of students, “[Rebbi Akiva] said, ‘Rebbi Meir should sit at the front.’ Rebbi Shimon’s face turned white [from embarrassment]. Rebbi Akiva [whispered to Rebbi Shimon], ‘It is enough that I and your Creator recognize your strength.’” We too must remember that Hashem and Rebbi Shimon know that we have strength, goodness, and holiness within us. We have an aspect of the kohein gadol, an untainted core inside. There is a story of Rav Gershon Henoch of Radzin, the son of the Beis Yaakov, when Rav Gershon Henoch was still a little boy of five years old. In his town, there was a lake that the men and boys used to swim in during the summer. In order to reach the lake, everyone had to pass over a rope bridge that only had enough room for one person to pass at a time. As a child, Rav Gershon Henoch was known as being a brilliant but sharp-mouthed boy who was more than a little bit brazen in his behavior. One day, he wanted to go swimming, but an old man was crossing the rope bridge very, very slowly. He tried waiting but could not contain himself anymore and pushed passed the elderly man by pushing one of his hands off of the rope handle as he squeezed past him. The man called out, “Mechutzaf! Insolent child!” Little Gershon Henoch answered back, “Don’t you know who my father is?!” The older man answered, “I don’t care if your father is Rabi Shimon bar

the Rebbe was bigger than Rabi Shimon bar Yochai! Taken aback, the Beis Yaakov spent several minutes in deep contemplation. When he returned to himself, he said that the man was right that he was a mechutzaf, but that he, little Gershon Henoch, was also correct that he, the Beis Yaakov, could perhaps, one day become even greater than Rabi Shimon bar Yochai because as long as a man lives, he must continue striving for greatness. With G-d’s help, may we all merit to reveal the aspect of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai within us. When we connect to that point within ourselves which is still a Holy of Holies, we can connect to a place of pure joy and trust in Hashem and realize that we have purity and goodness within us and that we are never too far gone. It is enough that Hashem and Rabi Shimon recognize our inner greatness.

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

a place of joy, that this Jew would ultimately need to be comforted. Indeed, Rebbi Avraham’s son passed away a short time later. According to the Ramchal, the soul of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai is the soul of the ultimate redemption. “Shimon ben Yochai” has the numerical value of “Who brings the dead to life.” Rabi Shimon’s essence is life and the numerical value of “on Lag Ba’Omer” is simcha. Indeed, according to the Zohar (296b), Rabi Shimon’s last words on earth as a fire descended from Heaven to bring his holy body to Meiron were the words of the pasuk in Tehillim (133:3), “Ki sham tzivah Hashem es ha’bracha chaim, For there, Hashem commanded the blessing, life...” He died just as he was about to utter the word “life.” That is why the joy of Lag Ba’Omer overcomes the sadness of Sefira, when we mourn the death of Rebbi Akiva’s 24,000 students. Death has no mastery on Rabi Shimon’s day, Lag Ba’Omer. Rabi Shimon’s mission was to reveal the secrets of Torah. Every Jew also has his or her letter in the Sefer Torah (Tiferes Shlomo, Shavuos 141a), so Rabi Shimon reveals the secret, hidden good that exists within every Jew regardless of what he or she has done in life. A secret is something which can only be given over quietly, in a whisper (see, e.g., Tikunei Zohar 3b). That is why the Zohar says that Hashem’s message to the kohanim that they may not be defiled by death is given over in a whisper. Indeed, the whole Jewish people are called (Shmos 19:6) a “a kingdom of kohanim” because every Jew has an unsullied core, a Holy of Holies within himself. Every Jew holds this secret. Hashem whispers to each one of us through this parsha: “No matter what happened, I still love you. I still see the good in you which is absolutely pure.” There is a place within a Jew about which the pasuk says, “L’nefesh lo yitamah b’amav.” There is an aspect of the Jewish soul which cannot become defiled, which is a Holy of Holies within him. In the place within a Jew which is connected to the kohein gadol, he is always filled with joy, where he can say, “Ki sham tzivah Hashem es ha’bracha chaim ad olam, There, Hashem commanded the blessing of life, eternal.” Recognizing this leads to joy for another reason as well. When a person recognizes that Hashem loves him, is not out to get him, G-d forbid, and wants only the best for him, then even when things are

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Self-Mastery Academy

Deepening Our Understanding of Sefiras Ha’Omer and Shavuos by rabbi Shmuel reichman

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

n our previous article, we began exploring the depth of sefiras ha’omer. Based on the Maharal and Ramban, we explained that we are not counting down to Matan Torah but rather we are building up towards it, ascending one day at a time. We do not wait for Shavuos to arrive; we actively bring it ourselves through the time and effort we invest as we count the omer. After developing a general understanding of sefiras ha’omer, let us focus on a few specifics of the count itself. The forty-nine days of sefiras ha’omer parallels the forty-nine day process that the Jewish People went through upon leaving Egypt, before receiving the Torah. What is the meaning behind this process, and why is it specifically forty-nine days long? While we likely take it for granted that the omer is forty-nine days long, the Torah explicitly commands us: “Tisperu chamishim yom – You shall count fifty days” (Vayikra 23:16). Why then do we only count forty-nine days, omitting the fiftieth day completely? This seems to be in direct contradiction to the Torah’s command! Additionally, we seem to skip the first day of the counting, only beginning the count on the second day of Pesach. What is the meaning behind this?

Rebuilding the First Night of Pesach The Arizal, Ramchal, Vilna Gaon, and many other Jewish thinkers explain the deep meaning behind the forty-nine day process of sefirah based on a principle we have previously developed. Every process contains three stages. The first stage is the high, a spark of inspiration, an experience of perfection and clarity. However, this first stage is

fleeting and is immediately followed by a dramatic fall – a complete loss of everything experienced in the first stage. The second stage is a process of rebuilding what was originally experienced, working and building toward perfection. There is then a third stage: a return to the original perfection of the first stage. However, this third stage is fundamentally different from the first. It is the same perfection, the same clarity, but this time it’s a perfection and clarity that you have earned. The first time it was given to you, but now you have worked to build it for yourself. The first night of Pesach was a gift, an experience of infinite transcendence. This night was characterized by the miracles of Makkas Bechoros – performed by Hashem Himself – and yetzias Mitzrayim, as well as the mitzvos of Korban

Pesach and bris milah, mitzvos that connected the Jewish People to a higher dimension of existence. However, immediately following this night was a complete fall from this exalted level of transcendence. The Jewish People faced forty-nine days in the desert, a place of spiritual emptiness. It was during these forty-nine days of counting and of building that the Jewish People were able to rebuild and earn that initial transcendent gift. What resulted from those forty-nine days of building was Shavuos, Matan Torah, an experience of transcendence, of infinity, and of the World to Come. This is why the Korban Omer is a sacrifice of barley, a food described by the sages as animal fodder (Pesachim 3b). The Shavuos sacrifice is Shtei HaLechem, a sacrifice of bread made of

wheat, a food characterized by the sages as human food (Aruch Hashulchan 489:3). Prior to the process of sefiras ha’omer, we are on a low spiritual level, the level of animals. After spending the forty-nine days of the omer counting and building ourselves, we rise to a transcendent spiritual level, tapping into our true nature as tzelem Elokim, now worthy and ready to experience Matan Torah. Perhaps this is why there were two loaves of bread – one representing the original gift on the first night of Pesach, and the second representing what we earned after forty-nine days of building. We don’t count the first night of Pesach, because this night is a gift of inspiration, intangible and unearned. We cannot pin a number down to it, as it is fleeting and elusive. Sefiras ha’omer is a process of building, and the building process only begins on the second day of Pesach once the gift has been taken away; it is at this point that we must start the work of truly earning it.

49 Days of Building Let us now turn to our next question: Why is the counting of the omer specifically forty-nine days long? Nothing in Torah is arbitrary; there must be a reason why we count exactly forty-nine days before receiving the Torah on Shavuos; there must be a significance to this specific number. In order to understand the number forty-nine, we must recall a principle we have developed previously, based on the ideas of the Maharal. We live in a three-dimensional world, which includes the six directions of space: rightleft, up-down, and forward-backward. These are the six sides of a three-dimensional cube. However, the six sides

The fiftieth day, Shavuos, is the result of all the pieces coming together – of all of Klal Yisrael bonding into a oneness.

anates from the pieces – a radio signal. This level of order is fundamentally different from the first form of order. Regardless of their organization, each book in a library maintains its individual worth; nothing greater results from their order. However, in a system of the second type of order, it is only when the pieces come together that something truly valuable results. This second level of order explains the dichotomy between each day of the omer containing its own significance and the fact that it is one long mitzvah, whereby if you miss a single day you can no longer count with a bracha. Each piece is omni-significant, but only inasmuch as each day is built correctly, building off the previous structure and preparing for what is yet to come. Only when each and every one of the forty-nine pieces are built correctly can the fiftieth emanate from the pieces and can Matan Torah occur.

Why Don’t We Count the Fiftieth? This second type of order is also the secret behind why we do not count the

why we do not count the first day of Pesach. The first day is the gift – fleeting and unearned, and therefore unreal. The next forty-nine days are the days of building, working, and creating it for ourselves. The fiftieth day is the same as the first day –transcendent, ethereal, and uncountable – but this time, we have earned it; it’s real, and it’s ours. In truth, even the fiftieth has a dimension of “gift” to it, but it is only given once we have created the vessel to receive it after forty-nine days of building. As the Ramchal explains, “Techilaso avodah v’sofo gemul – The beginning is toil, but the end is a gift [from Hashem]” (Mesilas Yesharim, chap. 26). Although we have worked toward the fiftieth day for forty-nine days, the transcendence we experience on that day is infinitely more than anything we could have expected or imagined. This is why we only count forty-nine days, and this is why the chag is called “Shavuos” (weeks), the same root as sheva (seven). We are building seven weeks, and the transcendent fiftieth, Matan Torah, is what manifests from that which we create. This is also why the Maharal refers to Torah as the “eighth,” as it is

Hashem’s transcendent wisdom and will that He bestowed upon us on the fiftieth day.

Why We Count from the Omer This unique approach to sefiras ha’omer brings us back to our first point, deepening our understanding of why we count up from the omer instead of down toward Shavuos. Even if we are building, why don’t we build toward Shavuos, mentioning our destination of Shavuos and Matan Torah every time we count? At least let us count toward the Korban Shtei HaLechem, the sacrifice we bring on Shavuos, instead of the omer, the barley sacrifice we brought back on Pesach. Why do we count from our point of departure, rather than toward our destination? The answer is that we are counting toward the infinite, toward the transcendent. When building upwards, you begin by building a foundation and then ascend from there. The same is true for sefiras ha’omer. We are counting toward infinity, toward the fiftieth. While we do keep this lofty end-goal in mind, the mechanics of actually building toward the fiftieth require us to first construct a foundation – the first day of the omer – and then build our way up from there. May we be inspired to create something extraordinary as we build toward Matan Torah, one day at a time.

Rabbi Shmuel Reichman is the author of the bestselling book, “The Journey to Your Ultimate Self,” which serves as an inspiring gateway into deeper Jewish thought. He is an educator and speaker who has lectured internationally on topics of Torah thought, Jewish medical ethics, psychology, and leadership. He is also the founder and CEO of Self-Mastery Academy, the transformative online self-development course based on the principles of high-performance psychology and Torah. After obtaining his BA from Yeshiva University, he received Semicha from Yeshiva University’s RIETS, a master’s degree in education from Azrieli Graduate School, and a master’s degree in Jewish Thought from Bernard Revel Graduate School. He then spent a year studying at Harvard as an Ivy Plus Scholar. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife and son where he is pursuing a PhD at the University of Chicago. To invite Rabbi Reichman to speak in your community or to enjoy more of his deep and inspiring content, visit his website: ShmuelReichman.com.

Another interesting feature of the omer is the emphasis on counting each day. This suggests that sefiras ha’omer is one long mitzvah, complete only if each of the forty-nine days are counted. However, l’halachah, we make a brachah on each individual day of the omer, suggesting that each one is a mitzvah in its own right. How can we reconcile this

fiftieth day of the omer. While six represents the pieces, and seven represents that which connects the pieces together, the eighth represents that which transcends the pieces and which emanates from the pieces. The level of “eight” after the seven weeks of counting is the fiftieth – the eighth week, the day of Matan Torah. We don’t count the fiftieth because we cannot build the fiftieth; the fiftieth is the transcendent level that results and emanates from everything we have built during our forty-nine days of counting. The fiftieth day, Shavuos, is the result of all the pieces coming together — of all of Klal Yisrael bonding into a oneness. The result is Matan Torah, a transcendent experience of connection with Hashem, the infinite, and the World to Come (Maharal, Nesivos Olam, Nesiv HaTorah 1). As we alluded to earlier, this is also

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Two Types of Order

apparent inconsistency? Rav Dessler describes two different types of order. The first is a practical one, an order that facilitates access and usability. For example, a library is organized according to a system that allows one to access each piece of information efficiently. Without an ordered system, it would be hard to benefit from a huge collection of books. The order therefore provides access and usability. There is a second type of order of a fundamentally different quality from the first. In this second type of order, the pieces of a structure come together in such a way that it results in a whole that transcends the sum of its parts. For example, a radio is composed of a bunch of pieces, none of which is especially valuable on its own. However, when these pieces are assembled in just the right way, something incredible em-

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

don’t automatically result in a three-dimensional cube; the six sides can be lying face down on the floor, amounting to nothing. The concept of “seven” refers to that which connects all the pieces together into a single unit. This is the unifying center, the unifying force that creates a physical form and vessel from the six disparate parts. As we have discussed previously, the Maharal explains that seven is the number of the natural (Tiferes Yisrael, chaps. 1–2, 25). This is why all physical and natural components of this world are comprised of sevens: There are seven days in the week, seven notes in the musical scale, seven colors in the spectrum of light, and many other examples. “Six” represents the physical pieces, such as the days of the week. “Seven” represents that which connects the physical pieces together, connecting the physical to the spiritual, like the day of Shabbos. The “eighth” refers to that which transcends the sum of the pieces; it is the transcendent element that emanates from the level of seven, transcending the physical. This is why bris milah is performed on the eighth day; we transform the most physical and potentially animalistic organ into a vehicle of holiness and transcendence. This same theme is why the miracle of Chanukah lasted eight days and why the miracle occurred through shemen, a word with the same root and concept as shemonah. This is why sefiras ha’omer is a seven-week process of seven days each. Sefiras ha’omer is a process of building from the physical to the spiritual, from the finite to the infinite. This is the journey from six to seven to eight. We build level by level toward transcendence, toward the infinite, and toward the eighth week: Matan Torah. We therefore count seven weeks of seven days for a total of forty-nine days, the ultimate expression of seven. This completes the physical building process, resulting in the fiftieth, the first day of the eighth week, the ultimate transcendence of the eighth level, Shavuos.

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Delving into the Daf

Shkoyach, Reb Noach by rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

hen someone does you a favor, a possible response is “Shkoyach.” “Can you please pass the gefilte fish?” “Sure.” “Shkoyach.” What does shkoyach mean? Although it is obviously not a real word, the closest actual definition based on spelling might be “forget it.” So a conversation might go something like this: “I would like to pay you back the thousand dollars I owe you.” Your answer, “Shkoyach (forget it!)” Of course, the intended conversational definition is usually something close to “good job.” However, people have varied uses for the word. An individual’s brother became a chassan; someone wished him “shkoyach.” It is unclear what the intended usage was there. Sometimes, shkoyach is used derisively – as in when someone hears an ad on the radio asking the listener to donate his used car to Heritage for the Blind, he responds shkoyach. Perhaps someone might say shkoyach when he sees an ad for a solar-powered flashlight. (Now, why didn’t I think of that!) Many know that shkoyach is just a short way of saying “yasher koach,” which means “straight strength.” Sounds funny, right? The real term intended is “yeeshar kochachu,” which the Schottenstein edition of the Talmud translates as “your strength should be true,” a blessing intended to wish the recipient continued strength. Who coined this phrase? Hashem did! It is mentioned in Yevamos 62a. Reish Lakish expounds the words “[the Tablets] that you [Moshe] broke” to be a reference to Hashem’s statement to him of “yeeshar kochachu that you broke.” Hashem was informing Moshe Rabbeinu of His approval of the breaking of the Luchos by giving him this bracha. However, most people do not intend to give a bracha when they utter “shkoyach.” They just intend it as “job well done.”

The intention of the speaker and whether or not it is a bracha may have halachic consequences. The Gemara in Shavuos (44a) quotes Rebbi Yitzchak as stating that a creditor legally acquires collateral while it is under

bless you.” The pasuk is stating that a borrower will bless a lender when the lender temporarily returns his pajamas so that he could sleep with them. The pajamas were used as collateral for a loan. Tosefos says Rebbi Yitzchak was wondering:

Many know that shkoyach is just a short way of saying “yasher koach,” which means “straight strength.”

his care. Rashi (in Pesachim) takes that to mean that the creditor has total liability for any loss of the collateral, even if due to wholly unforeseen and uncontrollable circumstances. What was Rebbi Yitzchak’s proof? Tosefos in Kiddushin explains: The pasuk says (Devarim 24:13), “You shall surely return the security at sundown, and he will sleep with his clothing, and he will

how is it permitted for the borrower to bless the lender? It’s ribbis – forbidden interest! The halacha is that a borrower may not even greet his lender if he was not accustomed to doing so prior to the loan. It is considered a violation of the laws against usury. He may certainly not offer the lender a gratuitous blessing. It must be, concludes Rebbi Yitzchak, that the

lender becomes the owner of the collateral for the duration of the loan and the blessing expressed when he returns the pajamas at night is tantamount to a rental payment for its use. There were some authorities that ruled that a borrower should not even say “thank you” to a lender, as that may qualify as forbidden interest. After the loan is repaid, the borrower may then thank his lender. Although interest may not be offered even after the loan is repaid, this form of interest, ribbis devarim, is an exception. Some individuals thought it would be better for the borrower to say “tizkeh l’mitzvos” to the lender rather than “thank you.” However, based on the above, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt”l, strongly disagreed. “Tizkeh l’mitzvos” is a blessing that the lender should merit performing more mitzvos. As we saw above, a borrower may not bless his lender (except in return for a separate favor). Rav Shlomo Zalman felt that a mere “thank you” would be permitted, because it is the appropriate polite thing to say and not something out of the ordinary. Would a borrower be permitted to say “shkoyach” to his lender? It is supposed to be bracha, but it has really lost its meaning. If the borrower intends it as a bracha it is forbidden. What if the borrower just says shkoyach without thinking too much about it? The Nesivos Shalom rules that if one says shkoyach or tizkeh l’mitzvos without being cognizant of its real meaning, then it is a mere expression of thanks and it would indeed be permitted. Did you like this article? Shkoyach!

Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow is a rebbe at Yeshiva Ateres Shimon in Far Rockaway. In addition, Rabbi Sebrow leads a daf yomi chaburah at Eitz Chayim of Dogwood Park in West Hempstead, NY. He can be contacted at ASebrow@ gmail.com.

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

My Israel Israel My Home Home

Silence Was Silence Was Not an an Option Option Not by Gedaliah borvick by Gedaliah borvick

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OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

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y colleague recently marketa projectrecently in Ramot, situyedcolleague marketated Henry Morgened a between project in Ramot, situthau Street and Harry Henry Truman Street. ated between MorgenThanks to President Truman’s thau Street and Harry Trumansupport, Street. the United States voted in favor of the Thanks to President Truman’s support, 1947United UN Partition Plan. addition, the States voted in In favor of the Truman the first world leader to 1947 UN was Partition Plan. In addition, recognizewas thethe State of Israel Truman first world when leaderthey to declared their independence in 1948. recognize the State of Israel when they But who their was Henry Morgenthau and declared independence in 1948. whywho did he to have a Jerusalem But wasmerit Henry Morgenthau and street named aftertohim? why did he merit have a Jerusalem President Delano Roosevelt street named Franklin after him? wasPresident a dynamic and charismatic politiFranklin Delano Roosevelt cianawhom mostand American Jews adored. was dynamic charismatic politiThiswhom admiration was primarily due to cian most American Jews adored. Roosevelt’s New Deal – a series of proThis admiration was primarily due to grams and financial enacted to Roosevelt’s New Dealreforms – a series of procreate and jobs financial and revitalize theenacted U.S. econgrams reforms to omy following the Greatthe Depression, create jobs and revitalize U.S. econwhichfollowing helped improve the lives of many omy the Great Depression, Jewishhelped immigrants. recently which improveHowever, the lives of many uncovered material reveals Roosevelt’s Jewish immigrants. However, recently unwillingness during World War II to uncovered material reveals Roosevelt’s denounce Naziduring oppression, which to unwillingness World War led II to U.S. inaction behalf of Jewish refudenounce Nazion oppression, which led to gees inaction who were murdered U.S. onsubsequently behalf of Jewish refuin the Holocaust. gees who were subsequently murdered Henry Morgenthau, Jr. was the only in the Holocaust. JewHenry in Roosevelt’s cabinet as Morgenthau, Jr. and wasserved the only the Secretary of the Treasury. In JanuJew in Roosevelt’s cabinet and served as ary Secretary 1944, Morgenthau alerted Roosevelt the of the Treasury. In Januof evidence unearthedalerted by theRoosevelt Treasury ary 1944, Morgenthau that State Department officials delayed of evidence unearthed by the Treasury sending financial aid forofficials European Jews, that State Department delayed

suppressed information of the Nazi regime’s massinformation murder of Jews – which by suppressed of the Nazi rethat time totaled overof4,000,000 deaths gime’s mass murder Jews – which by – and obstructed rescue opportunities that time totaled over 4,000,000 deaths rescue European Jews. Using tact –toand obstructed rescue opportunities and strength, Morgenthau to rescue European Jews.successfully Using tact persuaded Roosevelt to right this wrong and strength, Morgenthau successfully and sign anRoosevelt executiveto order persuaded rightestablishing this wrong the War Refugee Board. and sign an executive order establishing the War Refugee Board.

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pear to be treating the Jews as the Nazis treated them except thatas wethe doNanot pear to be treating the Jews exterminate them.” Harrison’s report zis treated them except that we do not resulted in athem.” dramatic change toward exterminate Harrison’s report Jewish displaced persons, who were resulted in a dramatic change toward soon moved to their own camps and Jewish displaced persons, who were granted far better treatment. soon moved to their own camps and Afterfar leaving Treasury Departgranted betterthe treatment. ment, Henry Morgenthau, Jr. became an After leaving the Treasury DepartardentHenry supporter of the fledgling State ment, Morgenthau, Jr. became an of Israel and served as chairman the ardent supporter of the fledgling of State United Appeal and as the of IsraelJewish and served as chairman offirst the chairman of Israel Bonds. United Jewish Appeal and as the first Now weofunderstand why a Jerusalem chairman Israel Bonds. street inunderstand addition towhy thea Israeli vilNow–we Jerusalem lage Moshav Tal Shachar, which means street – in addition to the Israeli vilMorning Dew, the German Morlage Moshav Talafter Shachar, which means gen Tau –Dew, was named in German honor of MorHenMorning after the ry Morgenthau, Jr., asin hehonor took aofcouragen Tau – was named Hengeous stand during one theadarkest ry Morgenthau, Jr., as heof took couraperiods of world history to the support the geous stand during one of darkest Jewish people. periods of world history to support the (I wrote this article based on numerJewish people. ous(Iarticles, butarticle my primary was wrote this based source on numeran eye-opening book by Rafael Medoff ous articles, but my primary source was called, “The Jews Should Keep Quiet.”) an eye-opening book by Rafael Medoff called, “The Jews Should Keep Quiet.”)

Gedaliah Borvick, founder of My Israel Home, will be in NY/NJ the of week May Gedaliah Borvick, founder My ofIsrael 15th running For Home, will behome-buying in NY/NJ theprograms. week of May morerunning info, or to schedule a private meeting, 15th home-buying programs. For pleaseinfo, contact at gborvick@gmail.com more or tohim schedule a private meeting, or via Whatsapp please contact himatat+972-54-623-0099. gborvick@gmail.com

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OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

arly last month, in an undisclosed location deep in the Negev Desert, a cohort of Defense Ministry officials and senior Air Force officers conducted a final test on one of the most important military tech breakthroughs of the past one hundred years. At high noon, technicians activated the radar systems mounted on a small truck which fed into a nearby light projector. Support staff then launched a dummy drone from a rocket-powered catapult. Once the aircraft had reached its predetermined altitude, the radar and other sensor signals activated the projector which emanated a highly focused beam of invisible light. Approximately three seconds later, testers observed a large hole being burned through the dummy drone, which at that point was flying some two kilometers in the distance. Approximately one second later, the drone’s structure broke apart, and the aircraft fell from the sky. Testers were jubilant. Years of re-

search and experimentation had finally paid off. Iron Beam was operational.

A Well-Earned Breakthrough The official announcement of this successful test was delivered by the Defense Ministry’s Combat Infrastructure and Technology Department, known by its Hebrew acronym MAPAT. “This is truly a historic event of global proportions,” said MAPAT chief General Yaniv Rotem in a conversation with journalists. “For the first time, there is a country that has demonstrated the capability of both firing and intercepting with an energy weapon.” Rotem emphasized that the new platform had become, in the recent period, a tremendous priority by the defense establishment and was put on the fast track to becoming operational. “Over the last month, we worked around the clock on the proving grounds to make sure we made the Passover deadline – and so it was.” The exact specs of Iron Beam are, not surprisingly, highly classified. But the defense ministry did release some general

With a Trick of the Light, the Iron Beam is Laser-Focused on Israel’s Defense By ShammaI SISkInD

points about what the system does and how it operates. Iron Beam is a laser weapon. What that means essentially is that it projects specific light frequencies in incredibly focused streams. The generator feeds 100 kilowatts of electrical power into each burst, which is what enables the beam to penetrate even extremely dense alloys. Now, before we go any further, let’s just put that into perspective: A small to medium-sized household in a moderate climate might consume somewhere between 200-400 kilowatts per month. This means the new laser system focuses the amount of energy typically consumed by four people over the course of ten days into a five-second burst. In terms of its unique technology, Iron

Beam was able to overcome many challenges in the field of lightwave research. The word “laser” is actually an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. In layman’s terms, a laser produces light by stimulating the release of photons, i.e., light particles. This allows the resulting light to achieve incredible energy levels – about one million times the intensity of the average light bulb. Lasers themselves are not new. The first operable laser-like machines have been around since the 1950s and today have a wide range of applications, especially in commercial welding and other large-scale manufacturing processes. But to deploy a laser as a weapon – the fantasy of Star Wars fans and governments

The Hard Reality of Missile Defense At first glance, one might be tempted to view the emergence of Iron Beam as just the latest science-fiction-like accomplishment of Israeli ingenuity, perhaps more impressive than other past feats, but at the end of the day, just another improvement to an already highly advanced military. This would be the wrong way of looking at it. What makes Iron Beam more significant than other advances is not the technological breakthrough itself, but the broad-level strategic implications it will likely have. Indeed, understanding Iron Beam’s development, its capabilities, and the military needs it comes to solve offers a very good lens through which to properly

miles away from overrunning the entire country. For the first few decades of Israel’s existence, this was actually a real possibility – and almost came to fruition on a few occasions. With important changes to the region’s geopolitics, the chances of Egyptian tank columns rolling toward Tel Aviv is no longer particularly high. But the underlying reality of Israel’s lack of strategic depth still remains. Military and diplomatic victories have eliminated certain types of threats. But eventually, innovation offered Israel’s adversaries ways of leveraging its fundamental weakness. Over the recent decades, this innovation came along with the proliferation and diversity of airborne weapons: machines that are relatively cheap and aren’t limited by ground-based borders and other topographical impediments. Years before Gaza morphed into the miniature hellhole of a terror state that it is today, Israel came face-to-face with modern combat and its effects on population centers. During the Gulf War, Saddam Hussein’s Scud missile arsenal flooded Israel’s skies. Over a roughly five-week period in early 1991, dozens of missiles

Israel’s size means the enemy is always just 50 miles away from overrunning the entire country. were fired in an attempt to target Israeli cities. (As an interesting aside, at the time, American Patriot missile batteries were deployed to defend Israel from the incoming Scuds. Today, with the success of Israeli missile defense technology and the notorious unreliability of the Patriot system against modern projectiles, Washington is now procuring platforms from Jerusalem.) The conflict was the first since Israel’s War of Independence in which civilians found themselves in the thick of the action. The following year, the defense establishment decided on the creation of the Home Front Command, a military

branch that would be responsible for civil defense. The Home Front has become wellknown for its search-and-rescue unit, which has been deployed to crises around the world such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake and, more recently, after the 2021 Florida high-rise disaster. But the Home Front Command’s primary mission is, of course, the home front. Arguably its most critical job is responding to the threat that was the impetus for its creation, namely missile defense. To this end, Home Front operates a top-secret system, called the “Ram’s Horn,” which plays a critical role in command-and-control for the systems that counter airborne weapons. With over ten years of experience, the Home Front has missile interception down to an extremely exact science. The system’s computer has the entire country neatly divided into 235 “defense zones.” Within seconds of a launch alert (confirmed by radar and other electrical sensors), the system alerts the relevant intercepting batteries that cover the particular zone under threat. In this way, the Ram’s Horn network, in tandem with other command and control systems operated by the Air Force, can ignore launches that don’t pose a threat, pinpoint real dangers, and respond with incredible speed and accuracy.

True, the prospect of rocket barrages from Gaza remains a serious problem. People still can be, and have been, killed by these attacks. But with the incredible success of Israel’s missile defense program – of which the Iron Dome is the most famous but certainly not the only platform – most Israelis simply don’t relate to this as a high-level danger. This was highlighted by reports during the May 2021 Gaza conflict of Tel Avivians crowding the beaches to watch the Iron Dome in action. Whether or not you think this was foolhardy behavior is not the point. The fact is the prevailing sentiment is that the missile threat has more or less been solved. But as many high-ups in the military establishment understand, this is simply not the case. The current missile defense model has serious flaws. While they haven’t been all that harmful in recent rounds of conflict, it was always only a matter of time before they began to show their failings. The first and most obvious problem with the current model is the cost factor. The Iron Dome is truly a marvel of technical engineering. It was remarkable when it was deployed over a decade ago in the

emoH hsiweJ eht | 5102 ,92 rebOtcO

grasp the strategic reality faced by Israel every day. “The entire land is the front line. The entire nation is the army.” So goes the aphorism attributed to David Ben Gurion, a phrase that still decorates the side of buildings in many an army base throughout Israel today. To the modern ear, that might sound a bit on the totalitarian side. But Ben Gurion was simply making a strategic observation. Israel is a small place. And from a defense perspective, this fact has grave implications. Putting it bluntly, Israel’s size means the enemy is always just 50

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

alike – many obstacles have to be overcome. Reliability, range, weather impediments – all of these are serious problems, each one by itself impeding the viability of lasers as a defense platform. Iron Beam is the overcoming of all of these logistical hurdles. The recent series of tests have shown the system capable of accurately, and reliably, intercepting airborne objects at a range of over ten miles.

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

100 spring of 2011, and it remains unrivaled today. The problem, though, is that Iron Dome is an extremely expensive platform to operate. Producing a missile that can fly fast enough to intercept a short-range projectile, change course in mid-air, and blow up exactly when you want it to is not cheap. Each Tamir interceptor missile fired by Iron Dome costs between $100,000 - $150,000. In contrast, the Qassam rockets favored by Hamas and Co. run around $800 a pop. That’s basically the equivalent of hurling a Rolls-Royce into the air to knock down an Erector Set. Even before Iron Dome was deployed, the cost problem was seen by many experts as a fatal flaw in the entire concept. In 2010, Reuven Pedatzur, a fighter pilot veteran and well-respected military analyst, estimated that operating the system would literally drain the entire state military budget in any high-level conflict. The concerns of Pedatzur and others were tempered by tweaks to the system that allowed it to discriminate between dangerous and “benign” launches. The fact that Iron Dome would only fire at projectiles that would otherwise hit populated areas meant it would not be indiscriminately shooting hundred-thousand-dollar missiles into the air. This produced substantial savings on the system’s operative costs. Still, deploying Iron Dome in the recent military conflicts with Gaza has proved very expensive. What’s worse is that the cost seems to go up with every round of fighting. And not just by a little. In 2014, the cost of operating Iron Dome reached over $225 million. In the last war in 2021, the price had inflated to $1 billion. Whatever the cause of that spike (likely the increased number and accuracy of the rockets being fired at Israel), it’s clear this trend is unsustainable in the long-term. Even ignoring the problem of expense, the Iron Dome has technical weaknesses as well. The system, for

instance, is vulnerable to being overwhelmed by swarms of simultaneously fired rockets. Despite its incredible reaction/response speed, the Iron Dome does need a modicum of time flexibility in order to operate effectively. These essential seconds are usually gained during the boost phase of an enemy rocket (while the projectile is ascending) and the terminal phase (the descent to the target), which during a typical launch are usually long enough for the Iron Dome’s AI to calibrate and fire. But by simply firing a missile at low trajectories, an opponent would be able to seriously undercut that timeframe, making it difficult, if not impossible, to intercept it. Last but not least is the logistical component of Iron Dome’s equipment. Each interceptor missile is a heavy, roughly seven-foot-long projectile which is loaded into large batteries which then need to be hauled into position with trucks. Even in an ideal world where cost is not an issue, the task of delivering and replenishing Iron Dome batteries is not easy and would likely not be able to keep pace in a scenario of large barrages. Iron Beam has addressed – if not completely overcome – all of these shortcomings. In a press conference, Prime Minister Bennett focused on the economics of Iron Beam. “The [current] equation doesn’t make sense; it allows [the enemy] to launch more and more Qassams and for us to shed many millions on a ‘lightning strike’ and billions during a campaign. We decided to break the equation.” Bennett said, Israel’s enemies “will invest a lot, and we will [invest] a little. [We can now] intercept a missile or rocket with an electric pulse that costs a few dollars.” In terms of supplying and transporting the system, Iron Beam also presents huge advantages. The platform’s “ammunition” is basically electrical power, which is, for all practical purposes, unlimited. The actual platform itself is relatively small, and at least certain ver-

sions are comprised of only five or six tripod-supported sensors along with the laser projector itself. The ability to deploy large numbers of lasers and maneuver them according to need with rapid agility is a categorical improvement of the current missile defense model. This is why Bennett and other senior officials speak of a new “laser wall” strategy, spreading defense systems throughout the country in an effort to make aerial defense super efficient, cheap, and reliable.

The Repercussions Any discussion of Iron Beam wouldn’t be complete without touching on some of the more important, long-term consequences of the breakthrough.

Persian Gulf, Iran’s enemies face serious dangers from missile attacks by both the Iranian military and its regional proxies – the ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen-based Houthis being the most important example. Keeping their citizens and infrastructure safe is a prime concern for these nations and, in turn, their new quasi-ally Israel. With the new capabilities provided by Iron Beam, one of Jerusalem’s priorities will be to help defend the region from Iranian missiles deployed in the Horn of Africa and throughout the Middle East. Last and not least are the implications of Iron Beam for the development of modern warfare as we know it. Airborne weapons are becoming more and more common and indeed

That’s basically the equivalent of hurling a RollsRoyce into the air to knock down an Erector Set. First and foremost is the application of the technology. Alfred Noble thought his dynamite invention would be used to excavate mines and speed up construction projects. Military professionals are trained not to have that naive approach. If technology can be used for one thing, it can be used for other things as well. While Iron Beam inventors may have intended it for intercepting missiles, there is absolutely no reason why it cannot be used as an offensive weapon. The prospect of possessing an arsenal of high-powered energy weapons which are relatively cheap to manufacture and deploy is an intriguing one. There are already analysts in Israel exploring this possibility. Second is the geopolitical benefits. It is no secret the trend in recent years of reconciliation between Israel and its Arab neighbors (most notably the Emirates and the Saudis) has been spurred in no small measure by the common Iranian threat. All throughout the

proving more and more important both tactically and strategically. The current war in Ukraine has served as a great example of this, where the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones have been wreaking havoc on Russian armor. Iran as well has ample experience with drones, many having successfully penetrated Israeli airspace from Syria. In the beginning of 2022, a report by several Israeli defense officials predicted a dramatic increase in Iran’s deployment of drones for both reconnaissance and attack missions. These relatively simple-to-operate machines are already being used by Iran’s proxies in Yemen, Iraq, and Syria. Defending the skies from these newage weapons is now firmly a central focus for today’s war planners. In this way, Iron Beam will follow the pattern of the scores of IDF innovations that came before it: What began as a brilliant solution to one of Israel’s unique problems will eventually cater to national challenges around the world.

101

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Mr. Ben Hiller’s Story of Survival

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

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and Gratitude By Malky lowinger

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

At the hachnosas sefer torah dedicated by Mr. Hiller’s family and friends in honor of Mr. Hiller turning 100 and in memory of his entire family who were killed in the Holocaust

n elderly gentleman, noble and serene, faces an audience and proceeds to tell the story of his survival calmly and meticulously. It’s a story that he’s told over and over again, but he never tires of telling it. Because Mr. Ben Hiller, who lived through the unimaginable, is determined to let the world know what happened to his family and his people over seventy years ago. And maybe now, more than ever, the world is ready to listen. Mr. Hiller just celebrated his 100th birthday, ka”h, and while he’s slowed down somewhat, according to his son, R’ Shmuel Leib, he still goes to the gym on a regular basis. Mr. Hiller’s greatest joy is attending the simchas of his beloved offspring. He’s not speaking in front of worldwide audiences anymore, but his story has been documented and published, and his previous interviews can be viewed online. The words “Hitler” and “Nazi” are being bandied about freely these days. It seems anytime someone wants to express anger or resentment, these words are carelessly used. So it might be wise to take a moment to think about what those terms actually mean and to recognize what absolute evil really is. We may think we know it, but we have no clue.

en Hiller grew up in Grojec, a city near Warsaw in Poland, where his father owned a leather business. He had six siblings, and he lived a happy and deeply religious life. Mr. Hiller points out that even well before

World War II, the Polish people were rabidly anti-Semitic. But that didn’t compare to what was to happen in the coming years. Unfortunately, Ben’s older brother had the distinct

“Can you imagine my fear? I never knew if I would live another day.”

“honor” of being one of the very first victims of the Holocaust. When the Germans invaded Grojec, they randomly chose seven Jews and jailed them. Ben’s brother was among them. “My parents tried everything they could to free him,” Ben remembers, “pleading and offering bribes.” To no avail. After two weeks, they were all murdered. It was just a harbinger of things to come, but for Ben’s family, it was the moment when everything began to unravel. “I was only sixteen,” Mr. Hiller recalls, “when my life was overturned.” There was no time to mourn his brother, says Mr. Hiller, because just days later, all the Jews of the town were rounded up and brought to the Warsaw Ghetto. Life in the ghetto was extremely difficult – the freezing

temperatures, heavy snowstorms, rampant disease, difficult work, and unrelenting pangs of hunger plaguing the inhabitants of the ghetto on a regular basis. In measured words and perfectly articulated English, Mr. Hiller tells the story of how he managed to escape the ghetto out of desperation and travel by train back to his native Grojec in an attempt to collect the money owed to his father by some of his gentile customers. Young Ben thought that these valued customers who previously enjoyed a wonderful relationship with his father would help his family in their time of need. Needless to say, that didn’t go very well at all. Ben did not return to the Warsaw Ghetto but wandered from one city to the next through the forests, sometimes in knee-deep snow. He eventually contracted pneumonia and was hospitalized for two weeks. Ultimately, Ben was recaptured by the Nazis and forced to work in a chemical factory in a large slave labor camp. He describes the inhumane conditions and the constant terror. “They gave me a pajama and wooden shoes, and that was my clothing,” he says. “I slept with no mattress, no cushions, no covers. That’s how we slept at night.” The chemicals Ben worked with in the factory were poisonous and turned everything that he touched yellow. “We worked every day like this with no hope,” he said. “Can you imagine my fear? I never knew if I would live another day.” And yet, his faith remained intact. “

103 Mr. Ben Hiller’s sons, Rabbi Moshe Hiller and Rabbi Shmuel Leib Hiller

“I’m very proud and ever so

grateful to Hakadosh Baruch

Hu for His incredible kindness

throughout every day of my life.”

oung Ben thought that he could finally live in peace. He found a respectable job and was beginning to acclimate to the American culture. But his challenges weren’t over yet. Soon after arriving in America, he received a draft notice ordering him to serve in the U.S. Army. “I was shocked,” Mr. Hiller recounts. “I was new to the country. I had survived the Nazis and the Poles. And now, this?” Ben did join the army, but he was eventually deployed to England rather than to Korea, where fierce battles were raging. “Hashem was watching over me,” he notes. Finally, after years of terror and uncertainty, Ben settled down in New York, found meaningful and productive employment, got married to his lovely wife Anna in 1956, and raised two wonderful sons who are both rabbinical leaders in their respective communities. As extraordinary and incredible as Mr. Hiller’s survival has been, perhaps most remarkable is his steadfast and determined commitment to Yiddishkeit. Clearly, his family is continuing to bear the torch. After enduring unspeakable horrors, Mr. Hiller insists on focusing on his blessings. “All my grandchildren learn in yeshivas,” he says proudly, “in Lakewood, Staten Island, Philadelphia, and Yerushalayim. I’m very proud and ever so grateful to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for His incredible kindness throughout every day of my life.” Happy 100th birthday, Mr. Hiller. You have much to be proud of.

factories had been taken over by Polish people. We had nothing left.” After a brush with a Russian officer in a train station that almost landed him in Siberia, young Ben desperately jumped onto a train headed towards the American zone of Berlin. He settled in a DP camp with hundreds of other lost and homeless Jews, waiting to go to Palestine, to America, to Canada, or anywhere in the world that would have them. Ben was lucky. He had an uncle living in America who sponsored him, which allowed him to enter the country,

but it took until 1948 for him to finally receive a passport and the proper documentation. When he finally arrived on American shores, Ben’s uncle met him in New York and brought him to his home in Paterson, NJ.

emoH hsiweJ eht | 5102 ,92 rebOtcO

n May of 1945, Ben was finally liberated, but his troubles were far from over. A critical part of his story begins after the War. Liberation, even after all that he’d gone through, was a tremendous blessing. But there were still many hurdles to overcome. With the end of World War II, Europe was in turmoil. Thousands of refugees wandered the countryside and traveled from city to city, hoping to discover that perhaps

a relative or a loved one survived. Train stations were overflowing with masses of humanity; people were wandering with nowhere to go and no one to turn to. Russian soldiers who often proved to be as barbaric as the Germans were everywhere. Reports of raging and rampant anti-Semitism flaring up across the continent were not uncommon, despite the fact that the war had ended. It was a time of tremendous confusion. Alone in the world, Ben decided to return to his hometown, only to discover it in ruins. “My family and most of the city’s Jews were gone,” he said. “Only seventeen Jews out of 6,000 survived. Our

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Hashem watched over me and gave me the strength to survive. And I am so grateful for His kindness.” Ben was transferred from one camp to another, each one more horrific than the next. As the war progressed, and the Allies began bombing relentlessly, that didn’t stop the Nazis from carrying out their diabolical plan. Ben and his fellow inmates were transferred to another concentration camp inside of Germany where they were forced to carry steel bars over their shoulders all day long despite their weakened condition due to starvation. “One day we decided to complain,” Mr. Hiller remembers. “So they forced us to stand in a circle for twenty-four hours while they walked around us with German shepherds, cracking their whips to make sure no one escapes. There were hundreds of us, forced to stand for a seemingly endless period of time. “We never complained again.” Even after American planes bombed the concentration camp factory, the cruel and barbaric Germans forced the inmates to rebuild the factory and carry the heavy steel bars all over again. Reports in 1945 of Russian troop advancement in the East did nothing to dissuade the Nazis from pursuing their goal to destroy the Jewish people. According to Mr. Hiller, he and his fellow inmates were transferred once again, this time to the infamous Theresienstadt.

Mr. Hiller’s greatest nachas are his children and grandchildren

A Lasting Tribute to the Unconditional Love of Rabbi Moshe Neuman, zt”l By ShaBSie SaphirStein

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

he Queens community of today boasts an array of premier centers for Torah education for both boys and girls of all ages. In 1961, Rabbi Moshe Neuman, zt”l, sowed the budding landscape with the establishment of Bais Yaakov Academy of Queens (BYQ) in the community’s tender roots, instilling chinuch approaches in neighborhood girls for the next five decades. Walking through the doors of BYQ, one is hit with a unique and palpable warmth and energy. In every conversation discussing the lasting impact of Rabbi Neuman, one can easily grasp how his positivity, dedication, professionalism, and ruchniyus added to a balanced and forward-thinking path to education. Throughout the generations, as the bnos Yisrael advanced through high school and beyond, they were each given strong character development instilled through an integral method of teaching middos tovos. For 68 years, Rabbi Neuman and his eishes chayil, Rebbetzin Rivkah (Hollander), widely contributed to klal Yisrael as leaders and guides. While the Neuman family residence was in Boro Park, Rabbi Neuman had the special Queens pride that permeates the grid of Jewish neighborhoods. Like countless Queens families, the connection to

BYQ extends for generations. I saw firsthand the kindness of Rabbi Neuman in the education of my sister, Elisheva Saphirstein, in the ‘90s. My aunt, Mrs. Henshe (Saphirstein) Schonbrun, now of Madison, Flatbush, has the fondest memories, “Rabbi Neuman was the nicest elementary school menhael one could have ever had. Although we only met a handful of times since, I felt that attending his levayah was my duty.” Rebbetzin Rivkah, a longtime pre-1A teacher in Yeshiva Toras Emes Kaminetz of Brooklyn, lent her own mark in the Schonbrun family in the upbringing of my cousin Yehoshua. In 1977, together with fellow educator Mrs. Cheryle Knobel, Rebbetzin Rivkah created the widely popular “613 Torah Avenue” adventure series of audio and video albums starring Chaim, a boy that teaches youngsters about the parshah in a fun and humorous way.

abbi Neuman, who passed away at the age of 91, designed the school faithful to the ideologies of the Sara Schneirer Bais Yaakov movement and in the eye of his rebbeim, Rav Yitzchak Hutner, zt”l, at

Photos courtesy of Mrs. ora Love and Judah s. harris

The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

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Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin and Reb Mike Tress, zt”l. Early on, he began a career in chinuch first in Detroit at Bais Yehuda and later in Allentown at the Jewish Community Center Day School. In the ‘60s, as BYQ took root, awe-inspiring hurdles required great persistence and mesiras nefesh leading to the BYQ of today as a crown jewel of girls’ chinuch in Queens. Rabbi Neuman’s graduates dot the globe, disseminating the mesorah they absorbed. Rabbi Neuman, together with notable families including the Rosenbergs, Sukeniks, and Zimmers, and the rabbinic guidance of Rabbi Joseph Grunblatt zt”l, Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld zt”l, Rabbi Peretz Steinberg, shlit”a, and Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaum, shlit”a, brought in a new era of girls’ education. Today, the presidium of BYQ, Mr. Bernie Shafran, together with Dr. Meyer Halberstam, have taken on the school’s achrayus. Mr. Shafran’s father-in-law, Mr. Yankel Zimmer, z”l, was an early board member, and his wife, Chaya, along with her sisters, are proud graduates. Mrs. Marylin Zimmer has been zoche to witness several great-grandchildren continue the family legacy of attending BYQ. Upon hearing of Rabbi Neuman’s pe-

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MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

Phil Halbfinger, z”l, passed this past December. “Rabbi Neuman’s values in education were the same as my parents’ and that is the reason I am in chinuch today. I am inspired by being able to teach around some of the same educators who once taught me,” added Mrs. Love. “Rabbi Neuman changed the face of Queens because he was both approachable and relatable and lived by his own mantra: ‘If you give a student your heart, they will give you their mind.’” Rabbi Neuman’s connection to others allowed him to

“Rabbi Neuman changed the face of Queens because he was both approachable and relatable and lived by his own mantra: ‘If you give a student your heart, they will give you their mind.’”

n the evening of Friday, April 15, Rabbi Neuman took a fall in shul before returning home for the first seder. Earlier that day, Mrs. Jurkowitz decided to call Rabbi Neuman to wish him a good yom tov. “Like all conversations when you spoke to Rabbi Neuman, he was always focused on you as the only one present in his life and often touched back on subjects. That final discussion was as vibrant and engaging as any. We spoke of challenges at the school and of an upcoming opportunity to talk about the Holocaust in memory of his own father Reb Yehuda Yitzchok, z”l, with whom he was deeply connected.” This past Friday, Mrs. Jurkowitz memorialized Rabbi Neuman during her lesson on Parshas Kedoshim discussing how the Yidden are different than non-Jews as we achieve holiness through v’ahavta l’rayecha kamocha, loving your neighbor as yourself. Mrs. Jurkowitz clutched her journal and explained that it was filled with expressions of love that were the epitome of Rabbi Neu-

leave lifelong impressions imbued with ahavas Yisrael that his talmidos have carried through as they moved out of the neighborhood to start their own families. The same principles of respect were displayed in his interaction with staff with whom many had no formal contract because of their complete trust in Rabbi Neuman. There was never negotiating on salary; Rabbi Neuman would tell you exactly what you would be getting paid. If a child was brought in to be reprimanded, Rabbi Neuman desired to uncover what brought upon the difficulty and would find a way to use an anecdote and smile to make everyone feel safe and loved. The menahel knew each girl by name and their story. The youngest of girls would meet him around campus and say, “My mommy had a baby today,” and he would reply with true joy and sincerity to their good news. The talmidos at BYQ were well prepared in both li-

umdei kodesh and chol. “The greatness of Rabbi Neuman was his myriad and faceted ways of dealing with those with whom he interacted,” expressed Mrs. Nechama Jurkowitz who assumed the position of limudei kodesh principal eight years ago. “Rabbi Neuman was deeply invested in our lives and our success inside and outside of the classroom. He pushed his staff to coalesce as a family, setting the tone of interest and friendship with one another and gave us an electric connectivity where we wanted to come to school. This very warmth exuded to the children we were charged with educating.” Mrs. Jurkowitz, who had spent the 25 years prior as an educator under Rabbi Neuman, witnessed the profundity of her superior, “At the levaya, I sat next to a woman who was probably a grandmother. Her unbelievable reaction was, ‘He was my Rabbi Neuman!’ Where can you find a parent body and student body with such a feeling to one man? This transcends the realm of a regular person. “He knew how to build a building and even taller people. His students forever viewed themselves as an outgrowth of his nurturing.”

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tirah, Mrs. Zimmer spoke for all, exclaiming, “I loved that man.” Six years ago, Mr. Shafran and some associates organized a lavish fundraiser for a g’mach. The organizers did not hold back and arranged for delicacies and cocktails. The mixologist, who had the obvious persona of a frum woman, inquired of the men where they resided. Upon hearing from Queens, she persisted, “Do you know Rabbi Neuman?” Once Mr. Shafran explained his connection, the woman gleamed with excitement and enlightened the men, noting that her strong Yiddishe ideals are due to her formative principal. “I remember her like today,” recalled Rabbi Neuman in a follow up call with Mr. Shafran. “I recollect the story of her grandparents wanting to see her attend BYQ to get a frum education.” Rabbi Neuman was reminded of her first day when she was in tears and did not want to depart the school bus. And so, in his caring fashion, Rabbi Neuman boarded the bus to usher her into the first of many days at the school. Mr. Shafran added, “Although Rabbi Neuman had not been involved at the school over the last decade – and despite our huge student body of over 700 girls – Rabbi Neuman’s warmth and personal touch that have been inculcated into generations of talmidos still permeates the spirit and love of BYQ. We like to believe that, at BYQ, above our academic excellence, we strive to offer a oneto-one connection of warmth and love to each talmidah.” When my sister Elisheva was in fifth grade, she merited to have Rabbi Neuman’s daughter, Mrs. Brochie Kramer, teach Chumash. At sh’ivah, a woman now in her forties related to Mrs. Kramer a remarkable tale from her youth when she and her mother were unfortunately abandoned by her father. “My mother had nothing but wanted me to receive an education woven with chinuch at BYQ,” the woman shared. Rabbi Neuman took the situation to heart and insisted that the mother accept a job in mimeographing until she got back on her feet. The employment continued for five years until the mother was able to remarry and once again give her daughter a whole family, all thanks to Rabbi Neuman. Mrs. Kramer continues Rabbi Neuman’s legacy at BYQ as she instills a love for Torah and Yiddishkeit in her young talmidos. Mrs. Ora Love’s connection to BYQ began at the age of four as a student in the early childhood department and returned in 1997 when her oldest turned five and was ready for pre-1A. Today, a resident of Kew Gardens together with her husband Hillel and their esteemed family, she leads in BYQ as the preschool director; her daughter, Mrs. Adina Lieberman of Kew Gardens Hills, is a teacher. “The loss of Rabbi Neuman is like losing my father all over again,” recounted Mrs. Love, whose father Mr.

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106 man who showered his fellow Jew with love and that their chinuch was because of his accomplishments. Rabbi Neuman was always eager to perpetuate the message and lessons from the Shoah for the children who loved to hear him speak. His inspiring talks on the Holocaust always delivered a feeling of those who rose above their unfathomable trials. In the early years, Rabbi Neuman would discuss his own experiences of Kristallnacht with the girls, giving an impromptu Yom HaShoah message to the girls in the hallways, first to the fifth and sixth graders and next to the seventh and eighth. Rabbi Neuman always wanted the girls to be connected to yesteryear. Students fondly remember hearing Rabbi Neuman take to the intercom each erev Shabbos, “Ask your parents if you can call your grandparents, in the vicinity or not, to wish them a good Shabbos.” Today, the program has evolved into CSS, Call Someone Special for Shabbos, a direct perpetuation of the initiative that was started by the former school leader. Another instance of a continuation of his legacy takes place around Shabbos Shirah. Rabbi Neuman would go classroom hopping, singing a song about putting out breadcrumbs to show hakaras hatov to the birds. This past year, Mrs. Jurkowitz phoned Rabbi and Rebbetzin Neuman and arranged for them to again address the girls on the loudspeaker with a Shabbos Shirah message. That call ended with, “Rabbi Neuman, you are still here.” Rabbi Neuman taught derech eretz with his signature compassion. Mrs. Jurkowitz recollected a particular group of eighth graders that wanted to abandon their school uniform for a day shortly before graduation. Rabbi Neuman with great reverence would not allow this line to be crossed and explained that such actions were not allowed and would result in the girls not receiving their diplomas. Suffice it to say, the girls remained in their uniforms.

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abbi Neuman, who was raised in Germany, was extremely careful with the school’s funds – from shutting the lights and windows to ensuring the floors were clean of refuse. In his method of giving mussar and being a mensch, Rabbi Neuman would admonish, “If you do not pick it up, who will? Your mother?” Often, it was the small things that stood out like the notes in his shirt pocket, seeing him shlep in milk cartons from his car following the close of the Balsam Farm on Cross Bay Boulevard, big bundles of newspapers being brought in, teaching a classroom if no substitute teacher could be secured, or when he joined Agudath Israel’s Legislative Commission as the Queens representative to advance election principles back in 1973. “Rabbi Neuman was one of few people in chinuch loved by students, cared for by teachers, respected by parents, and who got along with the board,” offered Mrs. Zehava Somerstein née Berkowitz who began her fifty years of service to BYQ at 18 years of age in 1964. “Rabbi Neuman was a champion of the underdog and felt for those who needed help, often taking in girls of all backgrounds, many who had problems at home, and who today lead productive frum lives.” The essence of Rabbi Neuman glowed at weddings

when students would follow in his path. At sh’ivah, Mrs. Somerstein met women who had Rabbi Neuman some fifty years ago. Once, during a year when a few girls had become yesomos, Mrs. Somerstein went looking for Rabbi Neuman. Eventually she located the caring principal in the back stairwell teaching three young girls the particulars of saying Yizkor. He also became the teacher for parents, often holding special sessions with almanos and g’rushos to help guide them in their situations. There was always a tangible joy for students and teachers when Rabbi Neuman entered a classroom. Be-

“He knew how to build a building and even taller people.” fore Rosh Hashana, Rabbi Neuman would enter each classroom to blow shofar. Rabbi Neuman, a stellar ba’al tefillah, was well versed in Shulchan Aruch and had a special appreciation for halacha and hashkafa. When Mrs. Somerstein had her own children, she felt it was time to break from BYQ. Rabbi Neuman would not have it and arranged for her to become his own assistant to come in twice weekly, tasked with supervising the staff, implementing the curriculum, and writing dikduk workbooks. Mrs. Karen Deutsch was a BYQ student whose family was greatly impacted by Rabbi Neuman. “Besides for my own sisters and children who were zoche to have Rabbi Neuman, my husband Duvi developed a kesher with him over the years as his head counselor in Camp Torah Vodaas, later exchanging words of Torah and playing ball,” Mrs. Deutsch shared. “Their relationship was so close that Duvi was able to visit Rabbi Neuman in the hospital before his petirah. “On the day of his passing, Rabbi Neuman seemingly called many people to give out brachos. My father who grew up knowing Rabbi Neuman in Brooklyn and spent

many years together with the Neumans at the Twin Bridges bungalow colony, merited to be one of those final calls. We all felt treasured; he was like everyone’s father that you wanted to please and were afraid to disappoint.” Mrs. Sarah Bergman, general studies principal, explained, “Rabbi Neuman looked, listened, comforted, and heard you when you spoke; you were the heartfelt central point of his life and he made you feel with undivided attention that your burdens were his own. He was the shoulder for so many to cry upon for both moments of simcha, when a joyous expression would fill his face, and those of grief, when he knew how to reflect with solemn compassion and exhibit a demeanor of pain within his eyes.” Mrs. Bergman began teaching in January of 1979. “Rabbi Neuman molded my philosophy of teaching and underscores all we do at BYQ; we do not teach a subject or curriculum – we teach individual children how to learn with acceleration or remediation when required. There was no ‘bad’ child to Rabbi Neuman, only a child in pain with a problem for him to solve with a new teaching method. Rabbi Neuman believed in the core of today’s BYQ that we are here to help every child transition into life. Every child is good and has a desire to behave and be part of greater good.” Mrs. Bergman explained that the essence of chinuch is chein, to find the positive that allows every child to shine. “At BYQ, we indoctrinate new teachers with the mindset of teaching children to find their voice, not simply the subjects required.” Rabbi Neuman recently called into BYQ and spoke with Mrs. Bergman about the welfare of the Bergman family, “He remembered the smallest details of what was discussed long ago.”

abbi Neuman’s tenure was followed by that of his son Rabbi Nosson Neuman (now at the helm of Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam in Far Rockaway), then Rabbi Mordechai Gewirtz, and now Rabbi Mordechai Ginsparg. We wish heartfelt nechama to the family and students of Rabbi Neuman and arichas yomim v’shanim tovim to Rebbetzin Rivkah.

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teen talk

by rabbi Doniel Drandoff, LMFt

Dear Teen Talk,

When I was younger, I was always on the chubby side. Actually, I was extremely overweight. Vivid memories of being bullied and made fun of still haunt me. In school, other girls would say horrible things to me and I just felt terrible about myself.

Teen Talk ,

a new colum n in TJH, is ge ared towards th e teens in our com munity. A nswered b rotating ro ya ster of tea chers, reb clinicians beim, , and peers (!), teens w hearing a ill be nswers to many que stions they had percolatin g in their minds and wishe d they ha d the answ ers for.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when, but sometime in the middle of 7th grade I began to grow. I guess you could call it a growth spurt. Between then and the end of 9th grade, I lost a ton of weight, while growing about 4 or 5 inches. Now I am in 11th grade and, somehow, I am still stuck on thoughts of my childhood. After losing all the weight, I became extremely health conscious. I have focused a lot on my diet and on exercise. I basically don’t eat carbs or anything with high calories. Mostly, I stick to salads with no dressing and other healthy foods. I also work out religiously. Beyond the intrusive thoughts of my days being bullied, I have been feeling sick lately. Physically sick. I get stomach cramps and often feel really tired. I haven’t told my parents because I don’t want to worry them, but I’m beginning to worry. I’m afraid that my diet may have something to do with it but I cannot go back to being heavy and ridiculed. Some people tell me I’m too thin now, but I don’t agree. And regardless, if I let go then I feel I could easily slide back and lose myself. What can I do?

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-Eliana**

y heart truly goes out to you Eliana. It sounds like you went through some serious bullying in elementary school and the pain has stuck with you. I cannot imagine what it must have felt like all those years being made fun of for your weight. It is only natural that in response to years of enduring ridicule you made it your life’s mission to stay thin. In your mind, you are fighting off demons every day of your life. One little slip, and you will tumble all the way down to a place of despair – a place where this child part still lives and is terrified. So,

you diet and exercise religiously as a way of ensuring that you never have to feel that way again. That bullied child part dominates your life today. Despite how understandable this all is, I have some serious concerns for your safety. While sticking to a healthy diet and regular exercise is healthy, physically as well as emotionally, I am worried that you have gone beyond that. I would like to take a moment to discuss an ex-

tremely dangerous condition called anorexia nervosa, or anorexia, for short. Certainly, I cannot diagnose based solely upon the short paragraph you shared. However, I think that it is important for you to consider what follows here, because what you are describing in your question has many of the hallmarks of this potentially deadly disorder. Anorexia is an eating disorder that affects many teens in the U.S. Research suggests that anywhere between

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Are you a teen with a question? If you have a question or problem you’d like our columnists to address, email your question or insight to editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com, subject line: Teen Talk.

A n o r e x i c s may work out intensely too, only their bodies do not receive that much needed fuel to sustain itself, so the body begins to weaken and shut down. In fact, many people with anorexia get cold easily, experience tooth decay, and suffer from osteoporosis (a bone disease that arises from bone density loss). There is a lot more that can be said on the topic of anorexia and its dangers; however, I’d like to turn back to you now, Eliana. I am hoping that, in light of all of the above, you can see why I am concerned. Your story is so painful and sad. I don’t blame you for having developed a complex regarding your weight, considering what you have been through. However, the fact remains that your body is telling you that this is not working. You mentioned feeling sick and that you suffer from fatigue and stomach cramps. Given your caloric restrictiveness and your intense workout regimen, it is not surprising.

You diet and exercise religiously as a way of ensuring that you never have to feel that way again. So, it is clear that something has got to give. If you don’t make some serious changes to your lifestyle, then things will only worsen from here. Yet, the thought of ingesting more calories and relaxing the exercise schedule is terrifying for you. As you said, returning to that place of being overweight is not an option. You will never allow yourself to be subject to the shame and ridicule you endured as a child. And this brings us to the crux of the issue: Because of the trauma of what you went through, you have developed an intense fear of putting on any weight at all. At the same

time, it sounds like you view yourself very differently from how others do. You mentioned that some people tell you that you are too thin, yet you are not able to see it. This fact alone is highly concerning. I want to reiterate that this is in no way a diagnosis. A lot gets lost in translation with a short letter/question. Maybe you are simply taking your dieting and weight loss very seriously. But I have a feeling that this doesn’t ring true for you. You say that you don’t want to worry your parents but that you are worried. You are worried! The old memories “still haunt” you! Don’t ignore your feelings and what it sounds like your gut is telling you. Anorexia nervosa is extremely dangerous and should be taken very seriously; however, it is also very treatable. You can recover from this by taking some very important steps. This begins with reaching out to a trusted adult for help…hopefully your parents. Open up about your experiences as a child and how those memories are affecting you today. Talk about the pain and the fear and be very honest about your dangerous eating habits and exercise routine. Let them know how you have been feeling physically sick and that you need help. I pray that you find the strength to trust your feelings and get the help that you need. Author’s note: The topic of eating disorders in teens is extremely painful and scary. There is so much that needs to be said to parents that goes beyond the scope of this single column. For this reason, next week’s “Teen Talk” will be addressing parents on the topic of what you need to know when it comes to teens and eating disorders. I hope to provide parents with some key information, as well as advice and guidance.

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and/or diarrhea. So many vital nutrients are missing from the diet of one with anorexia. A person who sticks to a rigorous exercise regimen needs to consume many calories for the body to sustain itself and be healthy. I recall reading about the daily diet of Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps. The man was in tip top shape, with an extremely rigorous exercise regimen. He consumed upwards of 12,000 calories per day! That is almost as much as the average person consumes in a week! Yet, he was extremely fit. His body needed those calories as fuel to sustain his intense workout schedule.

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1%-2% of people 15 and older meet the criteria for anorexia, most of them being female. While the cause can vary from person to person, and in many cases is a product of genetics, anorexia can develop as a result of some trauma. In the case of someone who was bullied due to her weight, the daily trauma of being ridiculed and made fun of can be more than enough to set it off. There are two categories of anorexia nervosa. The first is restricting and the second is binge-eating/purging. In the case of the latter, the individual will go through bouts of really excessive eating, then purge by means of laxatives or self-induced vomiting. For someone who falls into the category of restricting, they will refrain from eating foods that are high in calories, and generally consume very little. They will also engage in other weight loss measures such as excessive exercise. Both types of anorexia are extremely dangerous. Those suffering with anorexia are generally extremely thin, despite viewing themselves as being overweight or not thin enough. People with anorexia can have a severely compromised immune system which can lead to all sorts of illnesses. Most commonly, those with anorexia experience serious gastrointestinal issues such as abdominal pain, constipation,

Rabbi Doniel Drandoff is a Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in the Five Towns/Far Rockaway community, as well as Clinical Director of My Extended Family. He works with teens, young adults, families, and couples. You can reach Rabbi Drandoff at Dndrandoff@gmail.com.

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Dating Dialogue

What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LcSW of the Navidaters

Before I go into my question, I want to tell you a bit about our family dynamics.

Dear Navidaters,

Our family has four girls and one boy, Moshe* (the youngest). He is a real catch – the sensitivity he has from growing up with so many sisters (plus all of our fashion advice doesn’t hurt!). He’s also very bright and can do anything he puts his mind to. He’s a shtark professional, who was learning full time for quite a few years until now. To all who meet him, they’re flabbergasted as to how he is still single. To me, it is quite clear.

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Our mother really holds a tight ship surrounding his shidduchim. He is 33, and she still takes all his suggestions and fields the calls, collects the resumes, and makes the decisions. My brother feels like it would deeply sadden her if he demanded to take over (and he’s right). He is her baby, and she makes that very clear! She wants to control the situation and thinks he deserves only the best, but at the same time she really convinces herself that no girl is good enough. He’s 33 and still she has never allowed him to date a girl with divorced parents, BT parents, out-of-towners, or a girl who has had a broken engagement. She’s just as picky as ever (if not more picky) on his behalf as the years go by.

I see him with my kids and know he will be a great father. He looks at my mother with an ayin tovah and does not see anything wrong with how she handles his shidduchim, truly believing that she is acting for his benefit. I, however, along with two of my sisters, completely see right through the charade. We decided to send you this question. Do you agree this has got to stop? If we plan intervention, is that coming between our brother’s kibbud em? How can we manage to create some change, so our brother has hope and freedom to find an amazing wife? Thank you Chani, Tova, and Russi*

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. ear Sisters, I am impressed that you are working as a team to help the situation of your brother’s shidduchim. Your query also reflects respect for your mother. At the same time, you are honest and real about the reactions and outlooks of your mother and brother. I think that a team initiative would be in place. One suggestion is for all five of you to sit down and discuss things. The practical thing to do would be for all of you to agree to sit down with a mentor/rabbi/therapist and discuss the hows and whys of moving forward. This way, you show respect for your brother’s choice thus far as well as sincere caring. It’s not done behind his back. Everyone will have a chance to say

what they think. Family dynamics will become obvious to the person you consult. Whatever is agreed upon needs some packaging and strategizing for presentation, of course. It’s going to be a discussion which will move toward actionable steps to take. S/he may suggest that a gentle transition take place with your brother dating some people whom he’s investigated on his own as well as your mother’s vetted dating choices. That may be easier for your mother to handle and can be done with respect. Keep in mind that your brother may need/want a dating coach. Maybe he is struggling with dating skills. It may not only be your mother’s gatekeeping that’s the issue. If the sisters are open and show their caring for him, he will open up during the conversation and won’t feel attacked. Again, keep working as a team with

respect, honesty, and pragmatism.

the Shadchan Michelle Mond

earest Sisters, I applaud your cohesive efforts to help your brother. The way your mother is handling your brother’s shidduchim is indeed hindering him. Additionally, taking away his ability to field his own shidduchim is removing his one basic avenue of hishtadlus. The poor guy sounds like a male version of Rapunzel, locked up in a tower by an over-controlling mother. I agree that staging an intervention is the best way to proceed. You as a group must sit down with Moshe and discuss all the issues you are seeing with his current mode of filtering shidduchim. Approach

The poor guy sounds like a male version of Rapunzel, locked up in a tower by an over-controlling mother.

him from a loving place, without harsh judgment towards your mother. Make it absolutely clear that there are many amazing girls who are not “making the cut” because of Mom’s filtration system. Give him the encouragement he needs to take his shidduchim into his own hands and offer to help him with it as well.

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Additionally, as a team, you must approach your mother and lovingly make her aware of the changes coming to Moshe’s approach. Don’t ask; tell – she must know you’re in this together. Lastly, I don’t know where your father is in all this, but you must keep him in the loop as well. I see this situation play out so often, so realize you are not alone. Dear Readers, if you are reading this young man’s plight and think you might just be “that mother,” I beg of you to get help. Your son will always be your baby but sheltering him to the point of stagnating his life is not the answer. Every person is a package, even your dear son. So put some time into learning how to create a healthy attachment where you can see your son get married and move forward, handling his own shidduchim and making his own decisions.

the Single

the Zaidy

Tzipora Grodko

Dr. Jeffrey Galler

orah is meant to enhance our lives, not limit it. If a person is following a mitzvah and something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. Honoring your mother does not need to be compromised by creating an intervention or having a healthy conversation in a respectful way. Your brother is an adult and can choose to take responsibility for his shidduchim while including his mother in a way that supports his needs. It would probably be best for you to connect with a rabbi to gain clarification on what determines kibbud em in this category, as I am far from a rabbinical resource (which seems to be dominating your concern). Your brother is lucky to have such caring sisters!

Pulling It All Together The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

i sisters! Thank you for writing into our panel. Your brother is blessed to have three such spectacular sisters who can see an unhealthy dynamic at play and who are considering staging an intervention to help your brother and possibly even mother out of this very controlling and inappropriate situation. I am not a religious figure and can’t comment on whether or not this decision would be interfering with the mitzvah of kibbud em (the religious instruction of honoring one’s mother.) From a life cycle and mental health perspective, it does seem a bit unnatural that, at age 33, your

brother’s romantic life is completely controlled by his mother. It absolutely warrants the question being asked to a religious authority figure for some halachik perspective. How painful this must be for you sisters. If your brother saw this as problematic and was wanting help, the path would be a bit more clear. Being that he doesn’t see the issue will most likely prove helping him more challenging. People have to want to change in order to make changes. I don’t know your mother or brother,

love that the three big sisters are watching out for their little brother. If he is as awesome as you describe, then: First, he is certainly aware that virtually all of his yeshiva buddies are married. Second, he sees that his sisters are happily married. Third, he likes kids and enjoys playing with his nieces and nephews. Fourth, he is a 33-year-old, educated professional and is well-aware of the world around him. Therefore, when you report that your mother “has never allowed him to date a girl with divorced parents, BT parents, out-of-towners, or a girl who has had a broken engagement,” and that her being too picky is the cause of his still being single, it just doesn’t ring true.

so please take what I am about to say with a grain of salt. (Sea salt, table salt, Himalayan salt…all the salt!) From what you described, your mom and brother seem a bit enmeshed with each other. While enmeshment is rather complicated, for our purposes I like this definition. “Enmeshment is a concept in psychology and psychotherapy introduced by Salvador Minuchin to describe families where personal boundaries are diffused, sub-systems undifferentiated, and over-concern for others leads to a loss of autonomous development.” (Wikipedia) When healthy autonomous family members, such as you sisters, try to help enmeshed family members out of the unhealthiness, it is often met with resistance and sometimes even causes rifts. Keep your own emotional wellness in mind as you decide your next steps. The simplest road, and perhaps one already traveled, is to involve your fam-

People have to want to change in order to make changes. At this point in his life, if he really, really, wanted to get married, he would speak up on his own behalf. Have you tried recommending young ladies, that you know personally, to him? Have you asked him pointedly, “Would you like me to address this issue with Mom?” I asked a shadchan friend of mine, and her comment was, “If the brother wanted her help, I’d recommend that she step in, but since her brother doesn’t seem frustrated or upset, I don’t think that her meddling will accomplish anything but family strife. Sometimes you need to wait until the person is ready to ask for help.”

ily rabbi and have him speak with your mom. If you move ahead with this, there are specialists that stage family interventions who will assist you. Just remember that this may be very delicate, and your brother may not see his situation as problematic. It is ultimately your brother who has to see this as problematic, and he may have a long road ahead of him to gain emotional independence from your mom. He may need your mom in this way. I want you to have realistic expectations for what this may look like and all the factors that are at play. If any of you are married, you can invite your brother to your home for Shabbos and show him a healthy home with autonomous male role models (aka, your husbands.) I do wish your family all the best and hope this is successful! Sincerely, Jennifer

Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and certified trauma healing life coach, as well as a dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in private practice at 123 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, NY. She also teaches a psychology course at Touro College. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 718-908-0512. Visit www. thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email JenniferMannLCSW@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.

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Dr. Deb

I Can’t Change by Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

xcuse me? What did you say? “I said, ‘I can’t change?’” Are you quite sure of that? “Yes, I’m sure. You’re annoying me, Dr. Deb!” But I’m looking at you; you have changed. I remember you when you first came to see me, and you were so angry you couldn’t let Helene get a word out. Do you remember that? “Yes, that’s true.” And, Helene, let’s not even talk about that. Her resentment was through the roof. She was so mad. And I can’t blame her. Not that I do blame anyone, anyway. But I think it’s normal to be resentful when you haven’t been heard for years and years. When you’ve been feeling so alone. When you reach out over and over and met with a stone wall. “But she’s not acting resentful anymore.” Why do you suppose that is? Did she actually change? “When you ask if she changed, well, in some ways her behavior changed, but she’s the same person I fell in love with a long time ago.” Well, besides behavior. How about attitudes? “I guess her attitude did change. She’s not angry and resentful of me anymore. Or at least I don’t see it.” Well, again, how did that happen? “Because I finally got it through my block of a head that she has feelings. That I have feelings. And we do have to listen to them and understand them.” Wait a minute! No name calling allowed. Not with me, not in the privacy of your own home. Never. “OK, sorry. My head is not a block.” Well, what is your head, then? “I didn’t understand. I didn’t realize about feelings. I had shoved them down for so long, that I didn’t even know what they were.” OK, that sounds better. So what is it you understand now?

“That I have feelings. Feelings I didn’t want to have because it was easier to not pay attention to them. But I realize that when you do pay attention to them, your life is somehow… …richer. Yes, richer. That’s the word. You suddenly can tune into yourself. And

and if he hadn’t figured it out himself, then it couldn’t possibly be true. So that meant I couldn’t explain ME. I couldn’t actually share my own feelings, my own thoughts. But now, he’s realizing that maybe he can’t know another person just because he’s so smart. Maybe he does

I wonder why the idea of changing is so frightening. people. Yes, you can read them, somehow. You get where they’re coming from.” So, isn’t that a change? Didn’t you change? “No, I did not change. I’m the same me. I have the same values, the same personality.” Would Helene agree? Helene, what do you think? “I think Mark has changed. He’s more sensitive. More aware. More… …open. Open to things that he wouldn’t have thought of himself. Y’know? He used to figure out everything,

have to just wait and be open for what he hears.” I wonder why the idea of changing is so frightening. When we learn any skill – whatever it is, from art to cooking to sports to a new language to anything – really, doesn’t that change us? When we have a new experience whether its traveling or meeting a new person or hearing a new shiur that gives a different insight, we are changing. In fact, according to the research on memory reconsolidation, our brain synapses, the connections between neurons,

can change and that can remove the pain of old memories. Permanently. To no longer be tortured by the past is a tremendous thing. And Hashem gave that to us through this memory reconsolidation process. Memory reconsolidation happens whether we try to make it happen or not. Of course, if we set up the conditions to do it, it has a good probability of happening. (We may not know all the variables in a given emotional experience to be certain that it will happen, but with enough digging into what they are, the probability grows.) So that’s an example of permanent brain changes along with the changes that come from new skill learning and new experiences. Why then are so many of us so afraid of the idea of change? Why do so many people start the conversation right away with “I can’t change. That’s who I am”? Here’s a list of things people might be afraid of: Having to take responsibility for behavior that went under the radar previously and feeling guilt or shame for that. Not being able to live up to the new learning that they acquire. Requiring to exert themselves in ways that are difficult because they’re not used to them. Feeling odd because your feelings are opened up and you’re not used to that. Just the unknown. Hurting someone now that you feel different and know different because it changes your decisions. These are some of the guesses I have about change. What are your thoughts?

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

Crank Up the Caffeine by Aliza beer MS, rD, cDN

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

very day, billions of people rely on caffeine to help them wake up and function throughout their busy day. Interestingly, the FDA says that about 80 percent of U.S. adults ingest some form of caffeine daily. Americans drink about 400 million cups of coffee every day. Caffeine is a natural stimulant that is found in coffee, tea, and cacao. When it reaches your brain, it increases activity and makes you feel more awake and alert. It does this by blocking the effects of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that relaxes the brain and makes you feel tired. Evidence suggests that moderate caffeine consumption comes along with benefits and risks.

Sources of Caffeine 1. Coffee: Coffee is the most common source of caffeine and contains about 95mg per an 8 oz serving. A decaf 8 oz cup of coffee contains about 2mg of caffeine. Cold brew coffee contains the most caffeine, as a 12-oz cup has between 153mg and 238mg of caffeine. A cup of instant coffee contains about 62mg of caffeine, while a single shot espresso contains 63mg caffeine. 2. For many, it’s hard to imagine a day without a cup of joe. The question is, is drinking coffee good for you? Accord-

ing to research, coffee contains antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and decrease the risk of disease. However, there is such thing as having too much of a good thing. Excessive coffee intake can cause raised blood pressure, anxiety, insomnia, and increased heart rate. Dietary guidelines say that drinking 3-5 cups of coffee daily is safe. This means keeping caffeine intake below 400mg will ensure you are safe. However, these rules don’t apply to pregnant women. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should lower their caffeine consumption and follow their doctor’s recommendation. 3. Tea: Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot water over tea leaves. Camellia sinensis is the tea plant that caffeine is naturally found in. Tea is the second most common source of caffeine and contains about 26mg per 8oz serving – coffee has almost four times as much caffeine than tea. 4. Black tea has the highest caffeine content of all teas as it contains 47g caffeine per 8oz serving. Green tea is the second highest as it contains 28g per 8oz serving. White and oolong teas have lower caffeine content but higher antioxidant content. Most herbal tea is naturally caffeine-free because herbals don’t contain any tea leaves. If you are sensitive to caf-

feine, you can brew less tea leaves and use colder water so less caffeine will be extracted from the tea. 5. Cacao: Did anybody ever warn you to not eat chocolate before bed? This is because chocolate is made from cacao. Cacao is chocolate in its rawest form. It contains 12mg caffeine per tablespoon. Cacao is known to be a natural energy booster because it contains a small amount of caffeine and a compound called theobromine, which has a stimulant effect. Caffeine is found in cacao byproducts including cocoa powder and chocolate. 6. Other sources: Caffeine is naturally found in some leaves, nuts, and seeds. The caffeine is usually harvested from these natural sources and added into many caffeinated foods and drinks. Caffeine is also added into many drugs like cold, pain, weight-loss, and allergy medications. Caffeine is also added to beverages like soda and energy drinks. One cup of Coke contains 34mg of caffeine, and one can of 8.4oz Red Bull contains 77mg of caffeine.

Tolerance to Caffeine As you continue to ingest caffeine daily, your body builds up a tolerance to it. As your body gets used to caffeine, you

benefit less from its effects. If you start to feel restlessness, headaches, or anxiousness, consider decreasing your caffeine intake slowly by either consuming it less often or in smaller amounts to decrease your tolerance to caffeine. A good rule to follow is to consume one cup of coffee each day, and on days where you feel you need more, have that second cup so it has a stronger effect on you. If you are looking to decrease caffeine from tea, consider shortening the brew time or choosing herbal teas that do not contain caffeine. Cutting back gradually, shortening the brew time, or going decaf can help you change your caffeine habits.

Benefits of Caffeine 1. Alertness: Caffeine helps keep you alert and awake by blocking sleep-promoting receptors in your brain. 2. Decrease risk of suicide: Studies found that the risk of suicide in adults who drank 2-4 cups of caffeinated coffee daily was about half compared to those who didn’t drink caffeinated coffee. Caffeine boosts neurotransmitters in the brain, which can increase mood. 3. Decreases the risk of oral cancer. 4. Decreases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia. 5. May boost metabolism: Caffeine

117 that the more caffeine you drink, the more time it takes you to fall asleep. Similarly, drinking caffeinated coffee or tea later in the day can interfere with sleep. A good rule to is refrain from consuming caffeine at least 6 hours before going to sleep. 6. Habit-forming: Although caffeine does have some health benefits, caffeine

the stomach to create more acid. This can lead to nausea and vomiting, especially when taken on an empty stomach. 9. Diarrhea: Because caffeine has a laxative effect, having too much caffeine can cause digestive issues like diarrhea. 10. Jitters: Jitters are the physical sensations after consuming too much caffeine. People tend to be shaky and ner-

Drawbacks of Caffeine 1. Fatigue: As the caffeine leaves your system, you can begin to experience fatigue. 2. Irritability: The fight-or-flight response caused by caffeine consumption can cause you to be irritable. 3. Anxiety: As caffeine increase alertness, it triggers the release of a fightor-flight hormone that may make you feel more anxious. 4. Rapid heartbeat: Because caffeine is a stimulant, it can cause your heart to beat faster. If you notice changes in your heartrate after ingesting caffeine, think about decreasing your consumption. 5. Insomnia: Too much caffeine can make it difficult for you to fall asleep and have restful sleep. Studies have shown

Although caffeine does have some health benefits, caffeine can become addictive.

can become addictive. People become dependent on caffeine’s effects and either cannot function without it or experience bad withdrawal symptoms. 7. Heart burn: Caffeinated beverages can increase the acidity of gastric secretions and trigger acid reflux. 8. Nausea and vomiting: Drinking too much caffeine can cause nausea and vomiting because it encourages the digestive system to work faster and causes

vous because caffeine increases adrenaline in the body. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. Therefore, even a little bit of coffee can make you jittery. Caffeine, although 100% natural, comes along with both benefits and risks. Caffeine has been shown to increase alertness, decrease the risk of certain illnesses, and improve gut health and the metabolism. Caffeine is healthy to con-

sume but can cause negative effects when too much is ingested – it can can cause jitters, diarrhea, anxiety, and irritability. Caffeine is also extremely habit-forming and can be difficult to live without when our bodies get used to it. The biggest issue with caffeine is its withdrawal symptoms, including fatigue, headaches, poor concentration, and low energy. Withdrawal can last anywhere from 2-9 days, which can make it difficult to function. The most important thing to know is that coffee, in controlled amounts, may be healthy for you. It can help you function better, improve your memory, and increase your attention span. As always, try to find a healthy balance in terms of what you drink and how many cups you consume.

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

can increase the metabolism by up to 11% and can increase fat-burning by up to 13%. 6. May increase athletic performance: Caffeine can increase tolerance to muscle fatigue and improve muscle contractions. 7. May improve gut health: Consuming 3 cups of coffee each day can increase the number of good bacteria in the gut.

Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @ alizabeer.

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Parenting Pearls

Freedom! by Sara rayvych, MSed

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

reedom! Throughout Pesach, the word “freedom” kept revolving through my mind. The events of yetzias Mitzrayim were definitely one of the reasons, but there was more to it. In New York, Pesach time truly is Chag HaAviv. It signals the beautiful spring weather and a chance for everyone, particularly the children, to once again be free outdoors. Each year, we step out of our weather-induced hibernation period, ready to once again meet our neighbors, see how tall their kids grew, and remind ourselves that life exists beyond our immediate property. Being physically active is important for everyone. The physical and emotion-

al benefits are well-known. Kids, in particular, need to move and be active. The

littlest of bodies are the most energetic. I know I’m not the only adult who has wanted to bottle a bit of that energy to keep myself going. There’s clearly a reason adults drink coffee and kids don’t. Now is the perfect time to lovingly push those little people out the door and encourage them to run in the fresh air. They can bike, scoot, or just roll around. If all goes well, they’ll come back a little dirtier but with bigger smiles. On the opposite side, I’m not the only one that’s noticed the increased usage of “screens” among kids. Unfortunately, it feels like everything electronic has become a bit hefker. Even those families that prioritize limiting tablet time have still found that kids have somehow gotten much more time on screens than they used to get. Those sneaky devices have wiggled their way into everything! During the cold months, it’s harder to keep kids entertained, and screens too easily take over. Now, with the outdoors starting to thaw, it’s the perfect opportunity to turn off the electronics and turn on the outdoor adventures. Rather than focus too much time discussing screentime, I thought I’d share a little story. One of the classes towards my master’s degree had an online discussion board we had to comment on as part of our coursework. I forget the exact topic, but it had to do with the usage of screens, which back then mostly re-

ferred to television – this was the olden days. In my post, I wrote how there were concerns not just with some of the content but also the medium of television. Whatever I wrote must have been pretty good because I got full credit, “5/5,” but the teacher included a little note saying that I can’t make such a broad statement about the medium being problematic on its own. After all, she argued, there was educational content available, too. I can’t say where I got the nerve, but I politely sent back a respectful message, along with a link to the site where I had found the original studies I cited. She returned to me the message “6/5” – I had received extra credit. She may not have agreed with me, but she had the integrity to respect that my response had scientific backing. Therefore, I will simply share with you the source I provided to my professor years ago. Please see “The Truth About Television” on Aish.com by Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen or read the original in his book To Kindle A Soul.

Benefits of Physical Activity I feel slightly foolish writing the benefits of exercise because they’re so obvious to most of us. Therefore, I won’t spend too much time on this. It is sufficient to say that kids need exercise, too, and running around outdoors, playing sports, chasing each other, or running aimlessly are all great forms of exercise. We know that we all need to be active. My little ones would sleep the best after a good day at the park. They’d run, jump, get it all out on the playground equipment, and then come home ready for bed. Ah, it was truly beautiful. I remember being told by both a therapist and pediatrician that increased physical activity, rather than dieting, was the way to help children attain a healthy weight. Being active also reduces the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes, along with many other diseases. While any health concerns should be discussed with your child’s healthcare provider, all children benefit

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Structure vs. Freestyle Children benefit from a balance of structured play and unstructured, free time. This applies both outdoors and indoors, and the balance varies by the child. Some children really do require more structure which can provide them with security and guidance, while others need to follow their own, internal guide to create the games that interest them. Allow your child and your personality to be your guide in creating that harmony. There’s also a beautiful gray area

of semi-structured activity that can be an excellent fit for many. Having a few prompts or ideas to go along with suggested activities can do a lot to fend off the “I’m bored” (pronounced “boooooooooooorrrrrred”) that can quickly set in. For example, putting out some crayons and paper can be enough to occupy some children. Other children

on hand are all possible ways to keep the kids outside and busy. Band-aids and antibiotic ointment are also good to have nearby.

Safety As we start a new season, take a few minutes to remind your children about outdoor safety. It’s been a long

Now, with the outdoors starting to thaw, it’s the perfect opportunity to turn off the electronics and turn on the outdoor adventures.

benefit from some loose suggestions as to what to draw, while others require a formal project. It can be helpful to have some gentle suggestions of activities for those more hesitant to venture outside. Having chalk, some form of riding (bikes, roller blades or scooters), or sports equipment

time since they’ve had the run of the outdoors. This includes safely crossing the street, correct usage of helmets and safety equipment, and stranger danger. Give children clear parameters on how far away from your house they’re permitted to go. Clear guidelines such as “blue fence” or “the Feiners’ house” are

more meaningful than “don’t go too far.” Young children automatically run after items to retrieve them, even if the ball or toy rolls into the street. Be extra cautious where you set them up to play, especially if the game involves a ball, frisbee, or similar item. You want little ones in a location where those items are unlikely to reach the road. Drivers should be extra careful when driving in residential areas. Children may be out, and extra precautions are necessary. If you see a ball or other toy fly into the street, stop or slow down your car and ensure little ones aren’t following it. Enjoy the beautiful weather, take a walk with your child, and create the memories that outdoor activities induce. Have a wonderful Shabbos!

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

from some good physical activity. While increased physical exertion is beneficial for getting to, or maintaining, a healthy weight, please don’t suggest it as such to your child. I can’t see it as being emotionally healthy to tell a child they need to exercise to lose weight. The negative effects of focusing on a child’s weight are real and need to be considered before mentioning anything weight-related. Exercise is emotionally beneficial, too, and reduces stress and the symptoms of depression. Physical activity improves both focus and concentration, along with just being fun.

Please daven for a refuah sheleima for Yechiel Meir ben Sarah.

Sara Rayvych, MSEd, has her master’s in general and special education. She has been homeschooling for over 10 years in Far Rockaway. She can be contacted at RayvychHomeschool@gmail.com.

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jewish women of wisdom

A Matter of Perspective by Sara N. brejt, esq., cPc

“M

I finally designed the three-part kitchen that I wanted – green for pareve, red for fleishigs, and blue for milchigs. My son only saw me playing my “kitchen game,” day after day. Everyone sees the world through the lens of their own perspective.

he’s not colorblind. He brought me his red, er green, er red, cap and showed me the underside of the visor part of the cap and, by golly, it was totally green. Sure, the world saw the outside color of red-and-white, but when he wore his hat, and looked up

Everyone sees the world through the lens of their own perspective.

at the sky, all he saw was the “green” part of his hat. To him, it was a green hat. Everyone sees the world through the lens of their own perspective. The day after our first daughter’s engagement, our 5-year-old son was very angry at us. Huh, this doesn’t make sense. He

JWOW! is a community for midlife Jewish women which can be accessed at www.jewishwomanofwisdom.org for conversation, articles, Zoom events, and more.

Speaking of green, I asked a different son to put on his red baseball cap before he went outdoors. “But Mommy, I only have a green hat.” “You have a red and white one, please put it on.” “No, I only have a green one.” “Hmm, something here is not right.” I know what you’re thinking, and, no,

should be happy! What was going on?!? It took a while to figure this one out! We finally uncovered that he was angry at us for not bringing him to what he thought was his sister’s wedding! On the previous evening – after the l’chaim – my husband and I and the engaged couple and another daughter hurried off to attend a chasunah. We also took our two older boys back to their yeshiva as it was close to the wedding hall. So, basically, the seven oldest members of our family left the house, right after the l’chaim, to go to a wedding. And our little one thought that we had left the house to attend his sister’s wedding! And we had left him at home. We apologized profusely, of course. Everyone sees the world through the lens of their own perspective.

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ommy, you forgot to turn off your kitchen game,” said my 4-year-old. We were about to leave the house, and I was anxious to get going. “My what?” “Your kitchen game.” “Hmm what is he talking about? … Oh!” “You mean the computer program where Mommy looks at different things for our new kitchen?” “Right, Mommy, your kitchen game.” After all, he must have thought, everyone plays games on the computer. He and his sisters and brothers had Math Blaster, Pajama Sam and The Oregon Trail. And Mommy has her kitchen game. In our new kitchen, I wanted a pareve section – sink, oven, cabinetry – not a mirror image kitchen of only milchigs and fleishigs. So, I sat at the computer, with a kitchen-designing computer program for many hours and laid out and designed our new kitchen. And re-configured. And tweaked. Baruch Hashem,

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In The K

tchen

Fried Green Tomatoes with Herbed Goat Cheese People always ask me what my favorite food is. The answer, invariably, is always tomatoes. Ever since I was a young girl, I have always loved tomatoes. (There are over 100 varieties of tomatoes and I love them all!) To me, there is no better snack than a perfect bowl of cherry tomatoes that have a slightly tart taste with a hint of sweetness.

Pho to by Mel inda StrauSS

by Naomi Nachman

I love to make all kinds of dishes that are tomato-based, such as pasta sauces, salads and soups. When I moved to America 30 years ago, I heard that people in this country batter and fry tomatoes. This made my day! I love to fry and I love tomatoes – this was a perfect marriage of two of my favorite culinary experiences. The dishes below feature this perfect marriage. This recipe is also perfect for Shavuot.

Ingredients

Preparation

◦ 2 eggs, beaten

2. Pat each slice of the tomato dry to remove any moisture.

◦ ½ cup all-purpose flour

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

◦ 1 log goat cheese, softened ◦ 1 cup panko bread crumbs ◦ ¼ cup parmesan cheese ◦ 4-6 green tomatoes, sliced ½-inch thick ◦ ½ cup canola oil

1. Place the flour, eggs, and panko breadcrumbs, mixed with parmesan, in 3 separate shallow bowls. 3. Spread a ½ tablespoon of goat cheese over one slice of tomato. 4. dip the tomato/goat cheese slice, first in the flour, then in the eggs (letting any excess drip off), then the panko-cheese mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere.

5. Set aside each crumbed tomato slice on a tray lined with parchment paper and continue to batter up the rest of the tomatoes. 6. heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the tomatoes until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.

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

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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

The Republicans won’t stop with banning abortion. They want to ban interracial marriage. Do you want to save that? Well, then you should probably vote. – Tweet by Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA)

Hi Eric. My name is Wesley Hunt. I’m a Republican nominee in a Congressional District that is 70% white. I’m black, I’m in an interracial marriage, and my wife and I have two biracial daughters. Republicans are celebrating diversity while white liberals like yourself race-bait. – Response by Wesley Hunt

Is that legit under the way that the decision is written? What are the next things that are going to be attacked? Because this MAGA crowd is really the most extreme political organization that’s existed in American history — in recent American history.

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

- President Biden after the Supreme Court’s pending abortion decision was leaked

We can’t be an institution that can be bullied into giving you just the outcomes you want. The events from earlier this week are a symptom of that. - Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas at a judicial conference

President Joe Biden has put Vice President Kamala Harris in charge of the response to this decision. Previously, she was put in charge of the border, and then Ukraine. Any day now, we’ll find out she was in charge of the Challenger space shuttle. – Ann Coulter

The United States began claiming their exceptionalism, particularly after the collapse of the Soviet Union, thus denigrating not just the entire world but also their satellites, who have to pretend not to see anything and to obediently put up with it. But we are a different country. Russia has a different character. We will never give up our love for our Motherland, our faith and traditional values, our ancestors’ customs and respect for all peoples and cultures. - Russian President Vladimir Putin railing against American “exceptionalism” and “moral degradation” during his country’s annual “Victory Day” parade

What I think is an undeniable and uncomfortable reality for Republicans is that everything about January 6 made everything about invading Ukraine easier for Vladimir Putin. - MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace

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126 Don’t tell anybody that we Democrats have a lab. Two labs, actually, secret labs, one in Berkeley and one in Brooklyn, where we come up with ideas to completely [anger] the working class. And it’s working wonderfully…and they all have PhDs …in [angering] the working class. Somehow, in my lifetime, the Democrats have gone from being the party of the factory floor to being the party faculty lounge… I spent Wednesday last week in Chicago with the machinists union. Hung out with the machinists all day; great guys. Not a one of them came up to me and said, “Gee, I really hope you take my tax dollars to pay off the debt of somebody that went to Stanford.” - Democratic strategist Pail Begala on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” HBO

Don’t jump! - President Biden, while taking a photo last week with wheelchairbound Paralympic athletes

I thought it would be a great way to inspire others to push your limits, because I truly believe that we’re stronger than what we think. - Amputee Jacky Hunt-Broersma of Arizona who became a world record holder after she ran 104 marathons in 104 days (she has a prosthetic leg)

Stolen emails, stolen drone, stolen election … welcome to the world of #unpresidented Trump. - 2016 tweet by new White House press secretary Karine JeanPierre

There’s already this idea, this allegation, that there is anti-conservative bias on the platforms, even though there has been study after study proving, in fact, that often it’s liberal voices that are being silenced, particularly minority voices on social media. - Nina Jankowicz, President Biden’s executive director of the Department of Homeland Security’s new “Disinformation Governance Board”

Drinking cow’s milk is like driving a gas guzzler. The dairy industry is one of the worst contributors to the climate catastrophe. What happened to caring about the environment? Now, chocolate oat milk we can get behind. – PETA, responding to a tweet by Elon Musk that he likes chocolate milk

If I die under mysterious circumstances, it’s been nice knowin’ ya. - Tweet by Elon Musk with an article attachment reporting that Russia is angry at him for helping Ukraine

When I first asked my mom for the Guinness World Records Book as a kid, she told me she would only buy it if I had something amazing to make my way into it. I really don’t know if she meant it that time, but here we are living the dream. - Al Refaie, of Kuwait, upon earning a Guinness World Record for completing his goal of climbing the Seven Volcanic Summits at the age of 24 years and 119 days old

[T]he Supreme Court is coming for us next. This moment has to be a call to arms. - From a tweet by Chicago’s Mayor Lori Lightfoot

I had never done it, and I’ve done a lot of things in 100 years so I thought I must do it while I can. - Floridian Raymonde Sullivan explaining why she decided to carry out a skydive for her 100th birthday

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The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

128 This weekend was also Mother’s Day, of course… I saw that first lady Jill Biden spent the day in Ukraine and met with the Ukrainian first lady. Yeah, basically, Joe got her an Edible Arrangement for Mother’s Day and Jill was like, “You know what? I’m going to go to Ukraine — I’m good.” — Jimmy Fallon

I think it was a morally bad decision, to be clear, and foolish in the extreme. I do think it was not correct to ban Donald Trump. I think that was a mistake. It alienated a large part of the country and did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice. - Elon Musk, while speaking at the Financial Times’ “Future of the Car” conference

I think our policies helped, not hurt.

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

– President Biden when asked about out-of-control inflation

“If you’re not in the lineup, just be ready, you’re going to hit a home run today.” I’m like, “Mom, that’s hard to do.” - San Diego Padres catcher Jorge Alfaro, who came into the game as a pinch hitter on Mother’s Day and hit a game winning 3-run-homer, recalling a conversation earlier in the day when he called to wish his mother Happy Mother’s Day

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MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

WEDNESDAY MAY 18TH

DIVREI TORAH BY RAV WEINBERGER. MUSIC BY EITAN KATZ

DOORS OPEN 8:30 PM

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The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Political crossfire

Protesting at Justices’ Homes is Illegal by Marc A. thiessen

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

rotesters outside Brett Kavanaugh’s house warned the Supreme Court justice this weekend, “If you take away our choices, we will riot.” They marched on Justice Samuel Alito Jr.’s home chanting, “Abort the court!” and stood outside the home of Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. (who apparently did not vote to overturn Roe v. Wade) yelling, “The whole world is watching!” This is not just noxious behavior; it is illegal. Federal law – Section 1507 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code – clearly states that it is unlawful to protest near a “residence occupied or used by [a] judge, juror, witness, or court officer” with the intent of influencing “the discharge of his duty,” adding that anyone who “uses any sound-truck or similar device or resorts to any other demonstration in or near any such building or residence, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.” The reason is simple: It is obstruction of justice. Just as it is against the law to tamper with witnesses or jurors by intimidating them or their family, it’s unlawful to tamper with a Supreme Court justice by coming to their home to threaten, harass or coerce them to influence their vote in a case before the court. So, what is the Biden administration doing about it? This is a federal statute, so it’s Attorney General Merrick Garland’s responsibility to enforce it. When the National School Boards Association wrote to President Joe Biden complaining about angry parents showing up at school board meetings, Garland immediately issued a memorandum to the director of the FBI ordering him to “convene meetings … in each federal judicial district” to discuss “strategies

for addressing threats” made by parents. The Justice Department further announced Garland would form “a task force, consisting of representatives from the department’s … National Security Division” – created by the Patriot Act to investigate terrorists – to “determine how federal enforcement tools can be used to prosecute these crimes.” Garland declared at the time, “Threats against public servants are not only illegal; they run counter to our nation’s core values.” I’m sorry, are Supreme Court justices not public servants? Does attempting to intimidate them not run counter to our nation’s core values? In the case of the school boards association, not one of the incidents they cited involved a violation of federal law, yet Garland swung into action. But the harassment of justices at their homes does violate federal law, and what is Garland doing? Despite multiple inquiries, Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coley refused to explain what steps Garland

was taking to protect justices or enforce the law. Garland’s failure to act is an appalling dereliction of duty. So is Biden’s failure to condemn the protests. During his victory speech after the election, Biden declared that it was time “stop treating our opponents as our enemy.” In his inaugural address, he promised to “end this uncivil war” and put “my whole soul” into “bringing America together.” Not only has he failed to fulfill that promise, he has modeled the bad behavior these protesters are now emulating. When Republicans blocked his partisan election law, Biden accused them of standing with racists and traitors, and called them “enemies” of America, thundering, “I will defend the right to vote, our democracy against all enemies – foreign and, yes, domestic.” That sent a signal that our fellow Americans who disagree with us are in fact “enemies” and can be treated as such. When someone is your enemy, then there is nothing to stop you from showing up at their

house to threaten and intimidate them. Asked last Friday about the group calling itself “Ruth Sent Us,” which published the locations of the justices’ homes on its website, White House press secretary Jen Psaki refused to condemn the doxing. “We want people to protest peacefully if they want to,” she said, adding that she didn’t have “an official U.S. government position on where people protest.” There is, in fact, an “official U.S. government position on where people protest” – it’s 18 U.S.C. 1507. After someone firebombed a pro-life group’s offices in Wisconsin on Sunday, Psaki belatedly tweeted that the Biden “strongly believes in the Constitutional right to protest. But that should never include violence, threats, or vandalism.” It took someone throwing a Molotov cocktail at pro-lifers to elicit even that mild criticism. What will it take to get the president to order his attorney general to enforce federal law barring harassment of the justices and their families in their homes? Last year, when left-wing protesters followed Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) into a bathroom, filming as they yelled at her over her opposition to Biden’s Build Back Better legislation, the president dismissed her harassment, declaring it was “part of the process.” It’s not. It’s appalling behavior. But it’s not illegal. Well, harassing Supreme Court justices in their homes is against the law. It’s time for Biden to enforce that law before someone gets hurt.

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Political crossfire

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

How Diplomacy in Armenia Could Help Ease U.S.-Russia Tensions by David Ignatius

Armenia’s historic protector, as he meets in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, with foreign ministers of other former Soviet republics. That gathering is expected to include a three-way conclave with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov to discuss a peace treaty. Armenia is also negotiating an opening with Turkey. Last week, special representatives of both governments gathered in Vienna for a third discussion about a joint statement described as “full normalization of relations.” Recently, scheduled air flights resumed between the two countries. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan still refuses to acknowledge the 1915 genocide, but normalization appears to suit his wider diplomatic aim of reducing conflicts in the region. The most intriguing but also precarious player in this diplomatic round is Pashinyan. He became prime minister in 2018 after leading a protest movement against the corrupt establishment that had led Armenia since its independence in 1991. With little political experience, he struggled to implement reforms. Then came the disastrous war in 2020, which forced Armenia to give up much of Karabakh after nearly 30 years

ilar “cautiously optimistic” assessment. “Azerbaijan has repeatedly expressed hope for the soonest normalization and signing of a peace agreement,” he said in a telephone interview. Armenian critics argue that Pashinyan is negotiating from weakness and is under pressure from Russia, which brokered a cease-fire in the 2020 war and then a meeting between Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev last November. Certainly, Russian President Vladimir Putin is a self-interested and unreliable mediator. Armenia is still reeling from a war that cost thousands of lives and traumatized the country. Armenia’s best protection against a coercive peace would be participation by the United States and Europe in the negotiating process. One pathway for such a joint effort would a revival of the socalled Minsk Group, co-chaired by the United States, France, and Russia. But Moscow is boycotting the group. Instead, the European Union has joined Russia as a co-sponsor of the talks, hosting a Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting in Brussels last month. That provides a Western leg of support for normalization. This week, Mirzoyan, the Armenian foreign minister, will lean toward Russia,

of control of the region, which is legally part of Azerbaijan but populated mostly by ethnic Armenians. Pashinyan decided it was time to consider what generations of Armenians had regarded as unthinkable – negotiating without preconditions with Turkey and Azerbaijan. In a remarkable speech last month, he accepted “guilt and responsibility” for the “catastrophic” 2020 defeat. But he went on to say that his “real fault” was not stating before the war that Armenia needed to make territorial compromises over Karabakh, because Armenia’s unyielding diplomatic position had been “unequivocally” rejected by the international community. “Signing a peace treaty with Azerbaijan as soon as possible is part of our plans,” Pashinyan said during his April 13 speech. Already, the two countries have agreed to establish a joint commission to define secure borders. Protesters are outraged, but U.S. officials don’t think they will topple Pashinyan. Pashinyan, though dependent on Russia for military protection, shares the United States’ concern about the invasion of Ukraine – and he wants U.S. economic and diplomatic support. One sign was his insistence that Armenia join the U.S.-sponsored “Summit for Democracy,” which took place virtually in December, despite Russia’s strong opposition to its presence. Armenia has a problem that Ukrainians may eventually have to confront. After suffering so much in battle, how can a nation make peace with countries that have caused so much pain and suffering? It’s an age-old problem, especially for a nation like Armenia that has experienced genocide. Blessed are the peacemakers, even if they’re not very popular right now in a still-grieving Yerevan.

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n the shadow of the war in Ukraine, an unlikely peace process is taking shape to normalize relations between Armenia and its historic adversaries, Azerbaijan and Turkey. What is surprising about this diplomacy is that it appears to have the support of both the United States and Russia. The negotiations are controversial in Armenia, which was battered by Azerbaijan in a bloody 2020 war over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and still bears deep emotional scars from the 1915 genocide under the Ottoman Empire. Protesters in Yerevan have denounced Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s opening to Baku and Ankara and have called for his resignation. At a time when the world is focused on the intense combat in Ukraine, diplomatic issues in the Caucasus may seem like a sideshow. But helping resolve these intractable conflicts would not only be good for its own sake, but also it offers a potential point of convergence for U.S. and Russian interests that could open useful avenues of common dialogue. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan explained the normalization moves in an interview last week in Washington, where he was visiting Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The two signed a memorandum of understanding to provide U.S. help for Armenia’s nuclear power industry and assistance in its struggle against corruption. State Department officials have also visited Armenia and Azerbaijan in recent weeks to bolster the peace effort. “We should look not only to the past but to the future,” Mirzoyan told me. He said that if Armenia continues to be in a “zero-sum” game with its neighbors, “our region will be in a vicious circle.” Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Britain and former ambassador to the United States, offered a sim-

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The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

Forgotten Her es

Heroes in Helicopters by Avi Heiligman

The Hind heist during Operation Hope III

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

fter the incredible first flight of the Wright airplane in 1903, other inventors started working on further advancing flying machines. One shortfall of the airplane was that it always had to be moving, because if it tried stopping in midair or even slowed down, it would fall out of the sky. In the 1930s, inventors went back to the drawing table to come up with an aircraft that would be able to hover in midair. In 1939, Igor Sikorsky tested the first successful helicopter. Although it didn’t see combat during World War II, it played a major part during the Cold War and beyond. Helicopters brought CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) missions to a whole new level during the Cold War. Pararescuemen are U.S. Air Force Special Forces operators who fly in helicopters on rescue missions. The unit was created with the task of recovery and medical treatment of personnel in harsh, usually combat, environments. These airmen are highly skilled, and only a very small percentage passes the rigorous training. During the Vietnam War, these men went on numerous missions into hostile territory. One of the best PJs (the nickname for pararescuemen) was William H. Pitsenbarger. Pitsenbarger was from Ohio and qualified as a PJ right after basic training. In 1965, he was assigned to the 38th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron which was stationed near an airbase near Saigon. The squadron flew HH-43 Huskie helicopters, and Pitsenbarger flew over 250 missions

William H. Pitsenbarger

with some incredible heroics. Once, he went dangling from the helicopter’s cable over a burning minefield to rescue a wounded South Vietnamese soldier. On April 11, 1965, Pitsenbarger was sent to extract wounded Americans from the battlefield and send them up into the helicopter by cable. As the choppers came back for a second load, the men on the ground were attacked, and Pitsenbarger waved off the helicopter and electing to stay with the wounded. The helicopters could not land, and Pitsenbarger continued to tend to the wounded and picked up a rifle to fight the Viet Cong. He gathered ammunition and continued to fight with the soldiers. Later that night, he was killed by an enemy sniper. When his body was found he was holding a rifle in one hand and a medical kit in the other. For his actions that night, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. In an incident that could have come from a major Hollywood movie but is completely true, U.S. Special Forces captured a Russian helicopter in spectacular fashion. The Mil Mi-24 and its export model, the Mil Mi-25 Hind, is a large helicopter gunship that can also be used as a troop carrier. First introduced in the early 1970s, the attack helicopter is still in use today and has the nickname the “Flying Tank.” The CIA was keen on getting one of the best Russian helicopters, when word came that the Libyan Air Force had left one in northern Chad. It was parked at the Ouadi Doum airfield.

Black Hawk helicopters had to be modified before being used in the raid at Osama bin Laden’s compound

In 1987, the U.S. made secret plans to capture the valuable prize. The training and planning took a year – all the while, the abandoned Hind was never moved, even though Libyan forces were highly active in the area. The team that was tasked with the mission, called Operation Hope III, was the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), otherwise known as the Night Stalkers. Two MH-47 Chinook crews flew 490 miles after being offloaded from a C-5 Galaxy at the Chadian airport in their capital. The first Chinook arrived on scene and secured the location and prepped the Hind for extraction. The second Chinook then simply sling-loaded to the bottom of the helicopter! The scene was quite incredible as one helicopter was carrying another helicopter, and they even made it to safety just before an oncoming sandstorm. Within 36 hours, the Galaxy arrived back in the U.S. – this time carrying the captured Russian helicopter. The mission was a complete success. Perhaps the most well-known helicopter is one that is also shrouded in a bit of secrecy. On May 2, 2011, 24 SEALs landed in a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on two helicopters, with another platoon of 14 SEALs ready to come in as backup. Their target was the terrorist leader Osama bin Laden who had evaded attempts by the Americans to capture him a decade earlier in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. The helicopters used in the raid were

described as “two Black Hawk helicopters that had been modified for stealth.” A stealth or “low-observable” aircraft is designed to be invisible on enemy radar and sometimes equipped with devices to jam enemy defenses as well as keeping a low profile. Airplanes are much easier to make stealthy, as helicopters have huge rotors, are generally very loud, and have large sides. Modifications were made on the Blackhawks used in the raid as were identified from photographs of the tail rotor of one the choppers after it crashed during the raid. The raid ultimately was successful, although some of the technology used to keep the Blackhawk stealthy is still a mystery. Today, helicopters are used for wide variety of assignments, including search and rescue, medical evacuation, troop deployment, special warfare, transport and attack roles. Their versatility allows them to access areas otherwise deemed unsafe for other aircraft and can operate in all types of conditions, terrain, and weather. The servicemen and women who have flown in helicopters, whether as a pilot or crewmember, and have dedicated their lives to protect freedom and that is history not to be forgotten.

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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FAR ROCKAWAY Renovated 3bd, 1.5 bath duplex in house in Neilson area. Many closets. Dishwasher + 2 sinks. Backyard access, driveway parking. W/D hookup. $2600 + utilities. Call/text 347 804 7367 WOODMERE JUST LISTED Beautifully maintained Split Level home in the heart of Woodmere. This home boasts 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, Eat-in Kitchen, Formal Dining Room, Living Room, Finished Basement and office. Beautiful and spacious Backyard. Great location, SD#14. Close to all & houses of worship. P.O.R. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey Interna-tional 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com HEWLETT NEW TO THE MARKET 5 bedroom 3 bathroom colonial, open floor plan, large eat-in kitchen, formal living room and dining room, main floor den and playroom, master bedroom suite w/full bath& sitting room/nursery close to the schools, railroad, shopping and houses of worship $899K Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, MAY 15, 11:00-2:30PM 1361 KEW AVENUE HEWLETT

WOODMERE Beautiful & Spacious 2 Bedroom Apartment Across From The Golf Course. Elevator Building, Updated Kitchen, Gas Cooking, Granite Countertops, Washer/Dryer In Unit, High Ceilings, Great Closet Space, Storage in Basement, Close To RR, Shopping & Houses Of Worship.$349K Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

LOWEST PRICES IN TOWN! 500-7000 Square feet gorgeous office space with WATERVIEW in Inwood! Lots of options. Tons of parking. Will divide and customize space for your needs! Call 516-567-0100 SF MEDICAL OFFICE SPACE Available, Reception Area, Waiting Room, Kitchenette, 2 Consult, 4 Exam Rooms, 2 Bathrooms, 30 Car On-Site Parking, For Lease …Call Ian 516-295-3000 www.pugatch.com

EAST ROCKAWAY: Retail Stores on Busy Corner, 1000SF& Up Available, Great High Visibility Location, For Lease… Call for More Details Broker (516) 792-6698

SUMMER RENTAL BEAUTIFUL FAR ROCKAWAY Summer 3 bedroom Apartment Rental Great location, AC, skylights, bright and beautiful. Call or text (323) 868-8484 for details

DAILY/WEEKLY N MIAMI BEACH 4BR 2 New Bath Beautiful pool & hot tub Nr all Shuls 3053309567 HEWLETT TWO 3 BEDROOM 2 BATH CO-OPS with central air conditioning, terrace, washer/dryer, hard-wood floors, recessed lighting, magnificent kitchens, ss appliances, l/r, d/r, close to the railroad, shopping, and houses of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com HEWLETT NEW TO THE MARKET 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom colonial, open floor plan, large eat-in kitchen, formal living room and dining room, main floor apartment, renovated kitchen with granite countertops, ss appliances, master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, formal living room and dining room, close to all $479k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hatha-way Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

Leah Scheininger Realty Connect USA Licensed Real Estate Salesperson (516) 884-6530 Lscheininger@realtyconnectusa.com

Jordan Goldschmidt Guaranteed Rate Vice President of Mortgage Lending (516) 998-6201 Jordan.Goldschmidt@rate.com

CALL OR TEXT (516) 884-6530 FOR MORE INFORMATION PRICE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

NMLS 2012660 Licensed by The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. nlmsconsumeraccess.org 1400 Old Country Rd Suite 206N, Westbury, NY 11590, (212) 318-9432, Guaranteed Rate, Inc. NMLS 2611 3940 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL 60613 (866) 934-7283 • rate.com Equal Housing Lender www.rate.com/privacy

Classifieds

137

APT FOR RENT

HELP WANTED

JOB OPPORTUNITY Looking for a female worker to work with a high functioning 6 y/o female in the Far Rockaway area, twice a week from 2:30-5:00pm. Hours are flexible. Great pay! Please call: 718-854-2747 Ext 1110. Refer to job ID 6666

HEWLETT TOTALLY RENOVATED 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments with washer/dryer, kitchen with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances. Recessed lighting, hardwood floors, storage in basement. Close to RR, shopping, and houses of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hatha-way Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

CEDARHURST 1,2 and 3 bedroom apartments, totally renovated, private entrance , central air condi-tioning, hardwood floors, washer/dryer, garage parking, dishwasher, recessed lighting, private playground, close to railroad, park, shopping and houses of worship. Call for more details Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS

4TH GRADE GENERAL STUDIES p.m. position and 6th grade social studies position available at BYQ for 2022-2023 year. If you are passionate about teaching in a nurturing environment for teachers and students alike, please send your resume to byqapplicants@byqueens.org FAR ROCKAWAY: House For Rent. On Beach 12th. 3 1/2 bedrooms. Just renovated, Central HVAC,LR/DR, Finished basement.. $3300/m Call Raphael 917-822-1726

WOODMERE totally renovated bright and sunny 1 bedroom corner unit apartment with a washer/dryer. Features quartz countertops, ss appliances, recessed lighting, bathroom with chrome fixtures, close to the railroads, shopping and houses of worship. Call for details Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

HELP WANTED YESHIVA KETANA OF LONG ISLAND, in the 5-Towns, is seeking a licensed, experienced, 5th-grade teacher. Join our dynamic team and be a part of our top-notch educational program. M-Th 12:45-4:00 and Friday 11:30-1:00. Send resume to pschultz@ykli.org

CAHAL is seeking full time or part time SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS and TEACHER ASSISTANTS. We have supportive teaching environments, small classes and competitive salaries. Email your resume to shira@cahal.org or call 516-295-3666. YESHIVA KETANA OF LONG ISLAND, in the 5-Towns, seeks an experienced, dynamic 8th grade ELA teacher for 2 periods, M -Th. Join our dynamic educational team! Send resume to pschultz@ykli.org

Whether buying or selling real estate get... Give me a call today!

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mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

I am proud to be recognized as a top Berkshire Hathaway network agent for 2021. Top 1/2 of 1% of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network agents nationwide!

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5BR, 5BA with IGP on a lot size of 111x107, F L/R & D/R, Tremendous Den w/ Fplc, EIK w/SS Appliances, New outside with Stone and Stucco, New pavers, Roof & CAC, 10 Zone Heat. $P.O.R.

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WOODMERE

Great home on a cul-de-sac, SD #15, 4BR, 3 Moce Right In, Breathatking Woodmere Full Bathrooms, Gas Heat, CAC, EIK, Granite home with over 7,100 SF of Living Space, Countertops, SS Appliances, F D/R, MBR Suite Chef’s Kitchen w/Island, 2 Sinks, 2 Dishwashers, 2 Ovens & Radiant Heat, F D/R, w/Jacuzzi Tub, LG Den to a park like backyard with a new Pergola. Close to all. $P.O.R. F L/R w/ Fplc, Den, Library, IGP, $P.O.R.

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$2,995/monthly $3,695/monthly $2,025/monthly

MAY 12, 2022 | The Jewish Home

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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

HELP WANTED CHANGE OUR STUDENT’S FUTURE WHILE GROWING YOUR KNOWLEDGE BASE OF BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SKILLS PROFESSIONS. Seeking ABA provider for 9 year old boy Monday-Thursday: Evening hours Contact Ruchie at 718-304-9977 x179 or email talent@encoresupport.org Gesher (located in Cedarhurst is looking for a part-time Rebbe beginning in January for First Grade boys. · Approximately a half-hour a day, Monday through Friday · Small group lessons · The goal of the Rebbe is to provide faster paced exposure to higher level kriah and chumash skills · Curriculum support provided · One-on-one private pay tutoring opportunities may also be available. Please email your resume to jobs@gesher-ecc.org or contact (516) 730-7377 to set up an interview.

HELP WANTED

5 TOWNS BOYS YESHIVA SEEKING ELEM GEN ED TEACHERS Excellent working environment and pay. Only lic/exp need apply. Email resume to yeshivalooking@gmail.com

Experience in not-for-profit Jewish organizations is a plus. Excellent part-time opportunity with competitive hourly compensation. Candidate will work with the director in developing budget and fundraising initiatives and generating reports to present to our Board of Directors. Resumes to info@legacy613.org

EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER STAFF NEEDED IN LAWRENCE In the anticipation of the opening of 2 additional classrooms (1 infant, 1 toddler), the Gural JCC’s Early Childhood Center is actively looking for full-time and part-time staff to fill these positions currently & in the Fall, 2022. Interested and qualified applicants should e-mail resumes and references directly to JCC.Nursery@guraljcc.org or call (516) 239-1354

Special Care seeks patient Male or female com/hab worker 5:30-7:30 P.M. for 7-year-old boy with autism in Bayswater, full or partial coverage. 718-252-3365 ext: 102 or renay@specialcarefor.com NEW YESHIVA IN QUEENS SEEKING SECRETARY Must be detail-oriented, have great organizational skills, able to multitask. Experience in school programs a plus. Send resume to: office@yeshivatbneitorah.org or call/text: 347-351-4573

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT A multi-tasker needed for general office work. The ideal candidate is someone who is detail-oriented, responsible, and can take ownership. Looking for someone who is eager to learn, and expand his/her skill set while possessing the ability to work independently and as part of a team. Experience with Excel required. Five Towns location. In-office position only, not remote. Please send resume to 5tpart.timecareer@gmail.com

General Studies teaching positions for elementary grades available for ‘22-’23 school year, due to simchas/scheduling. Mon.-Thurs., afternoon hours. Far Rockaway/5T area. Competitive salary, warm supportive environment. Teachersearch11@gmail.com.

classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

HELP WANTED

TEACHERS AND ASSISTANTS FOR SEPT. 2022 CAHAL is seeking Full Time and Part Time SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS and TEACHER ASSISTANTS for the 2022-2023 School Year. CAHAL classes are located in Yeshivas and Bais Yaakov’s in the Five Towns, Far Rockaway, and West Hempstead. Please send your resume to shira@cahal.org. For more information, call Shira Cohen or Naomi Nadata at 516-295-3666.

Girls elementary school in the five towns is seeking warm, dynamic, experienced preschool teachers for the school year beginning September 2022. Competitive salaries and benefits. Please email resume to job.preschool. director@gmail.com

MDS REGIONAL NURSE: 5 Towns area Nursing Home management office seeking a Regional/Corporate level MDS Nurse to work in our office. Must be an RN. Regional experience preferred. 2-3 years MDS experience with good computer skills required. Position is Full Time but Part Time can be considered. Great Shomer Shabbos environment with some remote options as well. Email: officejob2019@gmail.com JOIN OUR TEAM! NurNursing Home Management Company in Brooklyn Looking to fill the following positions: Administrative Assistant MS office suite proficiency required AdminAssistant experience required WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCED FULL TIME BOOKKEEPER Excellent growth potential Frum environment Excellent salary & benefits Email resume to: resumetfs1@gmail.com Please put position title and FTJH in subject line

YESHIVA KETANA OF LONG ISLAND, in the 5-Towns, seeks a licensed, experienced 7th grade Math teacher, for 2 periods, M-Th. Join our dynamic educational team! Send resume to pschultz@ykl.org. SHULAMITH EARLY CHILDHOOD is looking to hire a full time teacher assistant for the current school year. Please email resume to earlychildhood@shulamith.org

MISC Gemach Zichron Yehuda In memory of R’ Yehuda Aryeh Leib ben R’ Yisroel Dov We have a library of books on the subjects of loss, aveilus, grief, & kaddish. We have sets of ArtScroll Mishnayos to assist with finishing Shisha Sidrei Mishna for Shloshim or yahrtzeit. Locations in Brooklyn, Far Rockaway, & Lakewood. Email: zichronyehuda@yahoo.com GEMACH ZICHRON TOVAH LOANS UP TO $5000 HEAD-CHECKS AND 2 COSIGNERS REQUIRED CALL 718-614-3271

Reach Your Target Market

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Your

Membership Has Its Privileges by Allan rolnick, cPA

OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

Money

n 1958, American Express launched its first credit card. They worked to position it as a premium offering right out the gate, with a whopping $6 annual fee – a full $1 higher than Diners Club. Those first cards were purple cardboard with typed names and account numbers. But one year later, AmEx rolled out the first embossed plastic cards in familiar green. Since then, they’ve added versions in Gold, Platinum, Unobtanium, and Youcan’t-havium, each with ever-increasing features and benefits. The Centurion Card, available by invitation only, carries a $5,000 annual fee. Benefits include a dedicated concierge and travel agent, lounge access at just about every airport in the world, and personal shoppers at retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue and Gucci. (James Bond used a Centurion Card in Quantum of Solace to book a private jet to Bolivia.) Today, membership isn’t as much about privilege as it is about points. AmEx has co-branded with partners across the globe to offer points and bonuses you can redeem at over 130 airlines, hotel chains, and retailers. With marijuana legal in so many states, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a co-branded Cannabis Card with a $420 annual fee, naturally, offering discounts and status at dispensaries across the country.

Now we’ve learned that the jet-setters at the IRS are investigating AmEx for pitching business owners some sketchy tax advice. Here’s the issue. When you use your card for personal expenses, you earn points you can use towards those flights and rooms. The IRS considers those points to be nontaxable rebates or dis-

deduct the fees, transfer the points to a certain card, then convert the points to tax-free cash. How much are we really talking about here? The Journal says the pitch helped generate billions of dollars in transactions. And the IRS doesn’t pay rewards to whistleblowers until the amount identified, including taxes, penalties, and interest tops

It turns out the IRS isn’t the only agency giving AmEx the stink-eye over how they sell business cards.

counts on your purchases. But what happens when you use your card for business expenses? The Wall Street Journal reports that last July, a whistleblower filed a complaint charging the company “knowingly persuaded business owners to underreport their income and taxes.” It turns out AmEx was pitching eye doctors, McDonald’s franchisees, and payroll companies, among other businesses, to use their cards for business expenses,

$2 million. It turns out the IRS isn’t the only agency giving AmEx the stink-eye over how they sell business cards. The Department of Justice and Comptroller of Currency, along with Inspector Generals (Inspectors General?) from the Department of Treasury, FDIC, and Federal Reserve, are all investigating whether AmEx used “aggressive and misleading” sales tactics to sell accounts. AmEx has also received a

grand-jury subpoena from the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and a civil investigative demand from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Among other allegations: from 2014 to 2018, salespeople let business owners use dummy taxpayer-identification numbers like 123456789 to fill out card applications. How legit does that sound? (If you play “Wordle,” it’s worth remembering that FRAUD is a five-letter word. Come to think of it, that’s not a bad first guess!) It looks like AmEx is about to have some unhappy campers on their hands. The cheating won’t be hard to find, considering AmEx has all the records the IRS needs to connect the dots. But assuming you’re not one of those unlucky few, there’s no reason to worry. The real mistake would be failing to take advantage of all the legal ways you have to use your business to minimize taxes. So call us when you’re ready to take a worry-free vacation, and we’ll show you the legitimate ways to get Uncle Sam to pay. 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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Life c ach

Word Salad by rivki D. rosenwald esq., LMFt, cLc, SDS

There’s an old joke that goes something like this: Did you ever want to say one thing and just somehow another thing slipped out? For instance, one woman says to her friend, “The other day, I went to buy two mats for my house, and when I was paying, the lady had on a distracting large hat, so instead, I said, ‘I’m paying for two

Well, maybe that was not the most humorous joke, but it does point out that sometimes our words reflect what we want to say, and others times, things can have silly or varied messages. What we want to say and how it comes out just aren’t always the same! Our brains have to listen on many more levels than we realize. Words can come out

Sometimes it’s our job to hear what the other person feels behind their words.

wrong or mean more than one thing. And even when someone says what they actually mean to say, they may not mean what they are saying at all! For instance, “You never call me enough,” may really mean “I miss you!” Sometimes it’s our job to hear what the other person feels behind their words and not just listen and respond to their words. This is tough. We are reactive! We hear what we hear. But that’s at the ear level.

Rivki Rosenwald is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist working with both couples and individuals and is a certified relationship counselor. Rivki is a co-founder and creator of an effective Parent Management of Adolescent Years Program. She can be contacted at 917705-2004 or at rivkirosenwald@gmail.com.

hats for my mouse.’ It was so embarrassing.” The woman listening said, “Oh yes, the exact same thing happened to me the other day. I simply wanted to ask my husband to pass the grapes. That’s it – just pass the grapes. But instead, when I opened my mouth, and I said, “You never listen to me. You leave everything laying around. You can be so aggravating at times… “Whooops, wait! I guess that wasn’t exactly the same thing!”

We need to shoot it up to the brain level. And still wait a bit. Then maybe we need to let it jump around the different hemispheres and centers a bit more before we respond. After all, there are a lot of them up there. So why shlep them all around in our skull all day and not make them pay for the service? When we remember that words, and even actions, are just among the limited ways we have of communicating a message, we can begin to realize that the other half of getting a message is thinking about what someone is trying to convey. So the message behind all these words is: to give your brain more of a workout before jumping to a conclusion. Take the word salad, do the brain exercise, and you and your relationships will come out in much, much better shape.

emoH hsiweJ eht | 5102 ,92 rebOtcO

y sister was reaching out to neighbors to ask for bedrooms for her Shabbos guests. She was hosting a weekend celebration and couldn’t accommodate all of them in her home. One neighbor offered two rooms and added, “If you are short, I can give you a third.” My sister thought quizzically, “What does my height have to do with it?! Why would it help if I’m short? Are her ceilings low and does she think I’m giving up my bedroom and coming across to her?!” Sometimes, conversations are just funny that way. It reminds me of another story another sister shared years ago. She had a child in sleepaway camp for the first time. The child called to say, “It is so boring here. I can’t take it!” My sister was caring and reassured her child that if she was not happy, she could come home. The child was suddenly cured and said, “Are you kidding? It’s not that boring here!” My poor sister weathered a real shock to her system. Wow, so being at home was even worse than boring camp. Again, that’s just a conversation that uses timing and words in a way that makes you smile.

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The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022

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Five Towns Jewish Home - 5-12-22

Articles inside

Word Salad by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

Your Money

Heroes in Helicopters by Avi Heiligman

CLASSIFIEDS

Notable Quotes

Mr. Ben Hiller’s Story of Survival and Gratitude

Protesting at Justices’ Homes is Illegal by Marc A. Thiessen

How Diplomacy in Armenia Could Help by David Ignatius

Parenting Pearls

The Aussie Gourmet: Fried Green Tomatoes

JWOW

Crank Up the Caffeine by Aliza Beer, MS RD

I Can’t Change by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

A Lasting Tribute to Rabbi Moshe Neuman, zt”l

Teen Talk

Delving into the Daf by Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

Community Happenings

The Kohein Within by Rav Moshe Weinberger

The Iron Beam is Laser-Focused on Israel’s Defense

Deepening Our Understanding of Sefiras Ha’Omer by Rabbi Shmuel Reichman

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Rabbi Wein on the Parsha

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