Five Towns Jewish Home - 4-22-21

April 22, 2021

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

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62 Mayoral Candidate Andrew Yang Visits Far Rockaway

46 Celebrating Israel@73

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Dear Readers,

W

hen I heard that Israel was considering removing its mask mandate, I felt a rush of excitement.

Does that mean that the end is near? Are we finally going to be able to fully emerge from our cocoons? Can we now breathe easy?

Speaking with relatives in Israel over the past many months had hurt my heart. For weeks on end, they were locked in their tiny apartments, unable to go to school or head to the store. When they were finally able to venture out, it was with masks – even when they went to take out their garbage. In fact, when my sister-in-law visited from Israel a few months ago, she expressed surprise that she could walk down the block from one house to the other without a mask. The first time she walked to my house without a mask she felt guilty – and then euphoric. My kids were incredulous by her reaction but she knew all too well how the authorities in Israel were swift with their tickets for those flouting masking guidelines. Being able to leave the confines of her home and feel the cool air on her face was refreshing.

In Israel, perhaps the most symbolic expression of the lockdown was the Kotel, which was empty most days. Clear barriers were erected to keep people away from each other. The Kotel is the place that draws us close when we come to the Holy Land. Over

the past few months, we were forced to stay far away.

This week, Israel finally removed its mask mandate. The country’s streets quickly filled with people eager to enjoy the sunlight on their cheeks. The bare faces walking the boulevards are a beautiful representation of a bright future for the country. With most of the country vaccinated, it’s time to get back to business, to school, and to regular life. With Hashem’s help, we can hopefully begin to see the pandemic in our rearview mirror.

Vaccinations have made people who were living in fear and with anxiety over the past year finally feel a sense of relief. Someone I know would only take walks in the early morning hours when the streets are quieter a few months ago; now, I see him walking in the midday sunshine. He finally feels like he can live a normal life again.

I’m hoping that over the next few months the United States will start to emerge from its cocoon. Hopefully, with so many people getting vaccinated and the trauma that we experienced over the last year abating, we will begin to feel the sunlight on our faces.

Yitzy Halpern

Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

The Jewish Home is an independent weekly magazine. Opinions expressed by writers are not neces­sarily the opinions of the publisher or editor.

The Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within. The Jewish Home contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly.

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The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

8

COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll Community Happenings

8 41

NEWS

100

Global

12

National

30

Odd-but-True Stories

38

ISRAEL Israel News

24

World Builders

82

JEWISH THOUGHT Rabbi Wein on the Parsha

70

You Can Be Like Me! by Rav Moshe Weinberger

72

Mesiras Moda’ah, Part II by R’ Yaakov Klein

74

Delving into the Daf

78

PEOPLE A Tribute to Naftali Rosenman, a”h

66

The Wandering Jew

80

When a Burqa is Your Weapon: TJH Speaks with Shir Peled

84

Inculcating a Culture of Kiddush Hashem by Yosef Gesser

88

Jewish Silver Star Recipients by Avi Heiligman

110

HEALTH & FITNESS How to Get Back to the Honeymoon Phase by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

96

Adding Flavor to Baby Food by Cindy Weinberger MS, RD

98

Parenting Pearls

100

FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Beet Dill Gravlax

102

Dear Editor, Although it may be hard to believe, Shavuos is just around the corner.

Shavuos is one of the hardest Yomim Tovim for single mothers, especially mothers of boys. Little boys, pre-adolescent boys, teenage boys. Even a single mother who can provide food, clothing and yeshiva tuition for her son cannot provide someone to learn with her son and take an interest in her son on Shavuos.

Now is the time to search our local communities for single mom families. Invite them for a yom tov meal. Let them know that they and their children are remembered and taken into consideration. When all of the families are sending their boys off to learn on Shavuos night, let the boys with single mothers have the same joyous yom tov experience.

If you’d like to volunteer to host a single mother family or to learn with the young son of a single mother, please reach out via the email address below and we’ll arrange a neighborhood appropriate match.

Esther Miller JCCRP Program Director Success Space for Women Esther@jccrp.org Dear Editor, Your article on Colonel Larry Franklin was definitely an amazing piece. But besides for opening up my eyes to Mr. Franklin’s story and plight, I was moved by the group of people who have heard about his

story and have moved to help him.

Yes, Colonel Franklin helped Israel and he helped the Jews, but many people would have said that that was his job or that he just went above and beyond what his job entailed – but that we don’t have to move mountains for him. But these individuals, who are spreading his story and raising money for him, are a huge kiddush Hashem. These individuals know – wholeheartedly – that Jews are required to show their hakaras hatov. Even more than that, when people see how appreciative and how selfless these people are in helping him, it will create more than just goodwill – it will produce an attitude among others that this is what Jews do. That we are here for our saviors and our heroes – regardless of their religion – and we will never let them down.

The kiddush Hashem that comes from here is invaluable. Supporting Colonel Franklin and his family and restoring their self-respect is priceless.

May we all be zocheh to be perpetuators of kiddush Hashem and be there for those who were there for us.

Baruch H. Herman Dear Editor, Miriam Liebermann’s articles are always refreshing, like an icy cold lemonade on a hot summer day!

Savta Simcha was one of my Continued on page 10

LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW 92 Your Money

110

117

Goodbye CO2

by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS 118 HUMOR Centerfold 68

POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

104

France is Allowing the State-Sanctioned Murder of Jews

by Zach Schapira

107

An Al-Qaeda Mastermind’s Prophecy Come True

by Marc A. Thiessen

108

Biden Moves North Korea to the Back Burner by David Ignatius

109

CLASSIFIEDS

112

April 22 is Earth Day. Given the choice, do you recycle?

63

%

Yes

37

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No

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Continued from page 8

most favorite characters growing up. She always knew how to speak to the children around her and always had the right story or treat or item to entertain them.

Although I am not at the grandmother stage yet, I loved Miriam’s insights and I hope to incorporate those views when I’m at that age, iYH. Suri L. Dear Editor, What a marvelous article on Larry Franklin. I am always amazed and so appreciative of those who help our nation and who put their jobs at stake for Israel.

May Larry and his family see good health, happiness, and success.

Sincerely, Rosie Kahan Dear Editor, Wow. The dating dialogue column in this week’s paper surely touched on many inflammatory topics.

Like your panelists said, there is a big problem with drinking in our community. It sounds innocuous enough – a small l’chaim at a kiddush. But when it starts to balloon and you start to imbibe a small l’chaim at kiddush after kiddush after kiddush on Shabbos day, we have a problem.

Another major Jewish magazine recently broached this topic.

A woman wrote in about her husband’s out-of-control drinking. It got to the point that he was really struggling with this problem and she had no one to turn to. Thankfully, she was very strong and was able to get him – and their family – the help that was warranted. But her story is just a small sample of what people go through. This is not a problem that should be shoved under the rug. It should be addressed and spoken about.

The column in TJH, though, is a

dating column. And that is helpful.

Because when you’re dating, you’re not married to someone. You can cut the cord cleanly and walk away if you see that this person is playing dangerously with an addiction.

I am not an expert, but when dating, you can ask friends and associates and fellow shul members of the person you’re dating open-ended questions about their drinking habits. “How much drinking goes on in his circles?” “Does he go to the ‘kiddush club’ in shul?” “Tell me about his relationship with alcohol.”

Read between the lines.

If someone you’re dating orders an alcoholic drink, that is a sign that that is something he’ll definitely be doing when you’re married.

If he talks about liquor and about the whiskey he just bought, that is a sign that that is something that is important to him. If he gets drunk at weddings – big problem.

I think that, as a community, we should be talking to our teenagers about alcohol but even more than that, we should be advising them on how to spot the danger signs in themselves or their friends or their potential spouses.

Robert Singer Dear Editor, I’m happy you put in that question in the dating column this week.

Although the person writing in touched on it very briefly, marijuana is now legal in New York. This is, obviously, not something to celebrate. This is a path to addiction, but even more than that, it’s a path to a stoned society. That, of course, is what politicians want – our money but also our blind faith in what they’re doing. Without having the sobriety to think, we’ll listen and follow their rhetoric.

It is incumbent upon us to not partake – to think clearly – and to galvanize and throw them out of office when the time comes.

Rachel H.

Views expressed on the Letters to the Editor page do not necessarily reflect the views of The Jewish Home.

Please send all correspondence to: editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

The Week In News

Farewell Prince Philip

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with Oprah that she had suffered from racism while living at Buckingham Palace.

According to a report in The Sun, the two brothers spoke for hours in a secret meeting after the funeral that a source described as “unproductive” but called a step in the right direction.

“It’s early days but you’d hope this is exactly the first step Philip would have wished for,” he told the daily.

Finland is Happiest

Prince Philip was laid to rest in a small ceremony on Sunday at Windsor Castle.

The Duke of Edinburgh had passed away on April 9 at the age of 99, only two months before his 100th birthday. On Sunday, Philip was escorted by his children to his final resting place in the Royal Vault.

Leading the somber procession was a royal Land Rover carrying Philip’s coffin covered by his royal standard and naval cap. Following him in the first row was his son Prince Charles and Princess Anne, the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Making up the second row were Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, followed by the deceased Duke’s grandsons: Prince William, Prince Harry, and Peter Phillips.

Arriving last in an official Bentley was an emotional Queen Elizabeth II. The longest-surviving royal paused for a moment over her deceased husband’s hearse to say goodbye as the church bells rang from St George’s Chapel.

The burial procession included just 30 people and lasted a total of 50 minutes. Notably, Princes Harry and William were seen animatedly chatting for the first time in over a year on their way back from the procession.

Once close, the two brothers have stopped talking as their relationship fell apart over Harry and his wife Meghan Markle’s decision to leave the royal family. The frayed ties worsened after Markle alleged in a blockbuster interview last month

For four years in a row, Finland has been crowned the happiest country in the world, according to the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

The World Happiness Report uses data from interviews of more than 350,000 people in 95 countries, conducted by the polling company Gallup. The rankings are not based on factors like income or life expectancy, but on how people rate their own happiness on a 10-point scale.

“We believe that these subjective, or self-perceived evaluations are a more reliable way to tell how good life is,” said Shun Wang, professor of the KDI School of Public Policy and Management in South Korea and one of the authors of the report.

Questions included, “Did you smile or laugh a lot yesterday?” “Did you learn or do something interesting yesterday?” and “Were you treated with respect all day yesterday?”

Other questions relate to trust.

Someone who thought the police or strangers were “very likely” to return his or her lost wallet had, on average, a much higher life evaluation score than someone who thought the opposite, researchers found.

The authors came up with six categories to explain most of the difference in happiness between countries: gross domestic product per capita, social support, life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity and perception of corruption levels.

Happiness does not come from a hefty bank account. Parts of Eastern

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Europe ranked relatively low on the list, despite having relatively good income levels, while in South America, the reverse was true: Happiness levels tended to be high, given relatively low income levels.

In Finland, a relatively egalitarian society, people tend not to be fixated on “keeping up with the Joneses.”

“People often do pretty well in social comparison,” said Antti Kauppinen, a philosophy professor at the University of Helsinki. “This starts from education; everybody has access to good education. Income and wealth differences are relatively small.”

Interestingly, unemployment is high in Finland – 8.1 percent. But still, college is free, and the pandemic largely did not affect most of the population. Trust in others – symbolized by young children walking alone on the street – is taken for granted in the small country. And people in Finland are generally content with their lives.

Iceland, Denmark, Switzerland, and the Netherlands rounded out the top five on the Happiness Report. Israel nabbed the eleventh slot; the United States came in 14, one spot ahead of Canada.

Chad Pres. Dies from Battle Wounds

Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno, who ruled the central African nation for more than three decades, died on Tuesday of wounds suffered on the battlefield during a fight against rebels.

The shocking announcement came just hours after electoral officials had declared Deby, 68, the winner of the April 11 presidential election, paving the way for him to stay in power for six more years.

An 18-month transitional council will be led by Deby’s 37-year-old son, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, the military said, also imposing a nightly curfew of 6 p.m.

“In the face of this worrying situation, the people of Chad must show their attachment to peace, to stabil-

ity, and to national cohesion,” Gen. Azem Bermandoa Agouma said.

The military said Deby had taken “the heroic lead in combat operations against terrorists who had come from Libya.” After being wounded in battle, he then was taken to the capital.

The military had revealed that only five members of the military died in the fighting over the weekend in which 300 rebels were killed.

Some are questioning, then, how Deby was murdered in the fighting if he was given the proper protection.

“We still don’t have the whole story,” Laith Alkhouri, a global intelligence adviser, admitted. “It raises concerns regarding the security forces’ assessment of the clashes and their intelligence regarding the severity of the situation.”

Still, Deby was known to visit the battlefield as a former army commander-in-chief himself.

“There’s no evidence to suggest this was a coup committed by his troops. Anyone who follows Deby knows he used to say ‘to lead troops you have to smell the gunpowder,’” tweeted Cameron Hudson with the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center.

Over the years, Deby had survived numerous armed rebellions and managed to stay in power until

this latest insurgency led by a group calling itself the Front for Change and Concord in Chad.

The rebels are believed to have armed and trained in neighboring Libya before crossing into northern Chad on April 11. Their arrival came on the same day that Chad’s president sought a sixth term on election day, which several top opposition candidates boycotted.

Tragic Boat Sinking in Gulf of Mexico

At least four sailors were killed with another nine missing after a power-lift boat capsized in the Gulf of Mexico.

Photos of the doomed craft showed the Seacor Power turned on its side about eight miles off the coast of Louisiana. The oil industry vessel had set off last Tuesday from Louisiana’s Port

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Fourchon but was soon caught in hurricane-force winds and waves reaching as high as 100 feet.

Hours after setting out for sea, the Seacor Power capsized, trapping all 19 people aboard. A large search effort is since ongoing in the hope that some of the missing crew members are still alive.

The Coast Guard declared five of the passengers dead and continues to search for the nine remaining crew members. Another four were rescued after spending days floating at sea.

Hindering rescue efforts were the five days of extreme weather that prevented the Coast Guard from sending its entire fleet to the Gulf of Mexico.

Sunday finally saw a spate of calm weather, allowing divers to make another attempt to enter the doomed vessel.

“There is the potential they are still there, but we don’t know,” Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Lally said.

“We’re still searching for 12 people because there are 12 still missing.”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating why the 224-foot barge was allowed to set out for sea despite clear warnings of an incoming tropical storm. Talos Energy Inc, a Houston-based energy producer that commissioned the Seacor Power, maintained that the company played no role in the captain’s fatal decision to risk the gale force winds.

Port Fourchon officials also deny any culpability, pointing to the harbor’s management structure granting ship captains full discretion over operations. “We don’t have a harbor master system to check them in or out,” said Port Fourchon CEO Chett Chiasson said.

“It’s not like at the Port of New Orleans, where they have pilots maneuvering the big ships and have to get clearance, or at the Port of Morgan City, where the Coast Guard manages the system.”

The End of the Castros?

rule on the Communist island.

Castro quit his position as the head of Cuba’s Communist Party on Friday, the country’s most powerful position. Replacing him as Secretary General was Miguel Diaz-Canal, a longtime Castro associate and veteran Party functionary currently in his first term as Cuba’s president.

In his departure speech to the Party’s eighth ruling congress on Sunday, Castro said that he was leaving knowing that he accomplished his mission “and confident in the future of the fatherland.”

“Nothing, nothing, nothing is forcing me to make this decision,” said Castro. “As long as I live, I will be ready with my foot in the stirrup to defend the homeland, the revolution, and socialism with more force than ever.”

Raul and his brother Fidel played key roles in the 1959 Communist revolution that saw the bearded ideologues forcibly take over Havana. For the next half century, Raul played the loyal sidekick to Fidel, who ruled Cuba with an iron first.

In 2006, Raul replaced his brother Fidel as president due to the latter’s health problems and became Cuba’s most powerful ruler when Fidel died in 2016. Raul had announced in 2018 that he would leave his position within “the next few years” in order to make room for the new generation.

Raul had already made history by ceding power to Miguel Diaz-Canal in 2017, marking the first time in history when the Communist Party allowed political functionaries to rule independently of the Party. In recent years, Raul spoke repeatedly of the need to allow younger rulers to replace Cuba’s greying ideologues.

“Raul Castro’s departure from political life has been expected for a long time,” noted international Cuba expert Stéphane Witkowski. “It represents a step in the process of generational transition between those who lived through the 1959 Revolution and the new generation.”

Could it Get Worse in Afghanistan?

Cuban Dictator Raul Castro stepped down on Sunday, ending more than 60 years of his family’s

Last week, President Joe Biden announced that he would pull out the remaining U.S. troops from Af-

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ghanistan.

The decision comes after weeks of debate within the Biden administration over whether to honor a deal former President Donald Trump signed with the Taliban. In an address announcing the move, Biden acknowledged that the United States had lost the ability to shape events in the wartorn country, saying it was time to end the “forever war.”

According to the president’s directive, by September 11, 2021, there will be no U.S. troops in Afghanistan for the first time since al-Qaeda terrorists brought down the World Trade Center two decades ago. In his first public statements on the issue this past Sunday, Secretary of State Tony Blinken called the move a “strategic benefit” that will allow Washington to focus on countering China.

However, the hasty timeline is also raising fears that Afghanistan’s pro-U.S. Ghani government will quickly be overrun by the Taliban.

Pointing to the quick collapse of the South Vietnamese Army after the U.S. pullout in 1973, experts and policy veterans warn that scenes from Saigon may soon replicate themselves in Kabul.

Currently, the Taliban controls at least half of Afghanistan’s districts.

Without U.S. air support, the Afghani military would have an increasingly difficult time preventing the Islamist group from completely overrunning the Ghani government and conquering Kabul outright.

“All the air force, airstrikes, rockets, maintenance and support is done by the U.S. So when they are not here, who is going to do that?” queried former Interior Minister Masoud Andarabi. “That’s going to be a huge challenge.”

Cracks had already been forming in President Ashraf Ghani’s governing coalition even before Biden’s announcement. Assuming that the U.S. was on its way out, central power brokers have been conducting private negotiations with the Taliban in an effort to plan for the day after U.S. withdrawal.

“Kabul has been fractured. The different factions that Ghani needs to keep together have begun to read

the tea leaves,” said Vali Nasr, a former Obama administration official and professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. “Everyone knows that the government in Kabul in its current form is untenable without U.S. military support.”

Weed Lets Murderer Off the Hook in France

Jewish groups were outraged last week after a top French court upheld an earlier ruling preventing the killer of Sarah Halimi from being prosecuted.

A Jewish woman, Halimi was killed on April 4, 2017 when her neighbor, Kobili Traoré, broke into her home, beat her, and threw her off a balcony. According to eyewitnesses, Traoré yelled, “Allahu Akhbar” before murdering her and was known for his devout Islamic faith.

The Court of Cessation, France’s highest court, ruled on Thursday that Traoré was not criminally responsible due to being high on marijuana at the time of the killing. Citing three psychological evaluations of Traoré contending that he committed the murder during a “delirious fit,” the Court wrote that he could not be held responsible for his actions.

A heavy drug user, Traoré had been held in a psychiatric hospital ever since murdering Halimi. In 2017, a French court infuriated Jews worldwide by letting Traoré off the hook, citing his marijuana use.

Halimi’s family then appealed to the Court of Cessation, arguing that Traore’s “voluntary intoxication” should negate any claims that he did not have criminal responsibility. Thursday’s ruling led to another wave of condemnation from Jewish groups, who warned that it would lead to “explosion of anti-Semitism” in France.

“This is an additional drama that adds to this tragedy,” said the International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA).

“From now on in our country, we

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

can torture and kill Jews with complete impunity,” fumed Francis Kalifat, who heads the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF).

Calling the ruling “a devastating blow,” The Simon Wiesenthal Center contended that it “potentially creates a precedent for all hate criminals to simply claim insanity or decide to smoke, snort or inject drugs or even get drunk before committing their crimes.”

Thursday’s ruling comes as Jews have been repeatedly targeted in France by local Muslims, with some estimating that hundreds of such attacks each year go unreported.

Russia Sanctions U.S. Officials Russia sanctioned eight senior U.S. officials last week in retaliation for President Joe Biden’s earlier decision to expel Russian diplomats.

Those sanctioned include some of the most prominent Biden administration officials, such as U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal, U.S. Secretary of

Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Domestic Policy Council Director Susan Rice, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines.

Aside from sanctioning senior officials, Moscow will expel 10 U.S. diplomats and crack down on U.S. NGOs operating in Russia. In addition, American-owned businesses in Russia will receive additional scrutiny from law enforcement, and new limits will be introduced on travel for State Department officials.

First introduced on Friday, the penalties are the latest in a series of retaliatory actions taken by the Kremlin in response to sweeping sanctions implemented by Biden. The U.S. president had expelled 10 Russian diplomats and penalized dozens of companies linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin in response to Russia’s devastating Solar Wings

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cyberattack and interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Upon announcing the sanctions on Thursday, Biden said that he hoped to avoid sparking a diplomatic crisis between Washington and Moscow. Speaking of his desire to “de-escalate tensions with Russia,” Biden nevertheless maintained that “we cannot allow a foreign power to interfere in our democratic process with impunity.”

Russia retaliated with a slew of measures against the United States and American companies and warned Biden against continuing the “cycle of escalation.” First ordering the Russian navy to block U.S. ships from entering the Kerch Strait, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov then advised U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan to return to Washington for “detailed” and “serious” consultations.

These are “just a part of the possibilities at our disposal,” warned the Russian foreign ministry. Calling on the U.S. to “show prudence by abandoning the confrontational course,” Moscow vowed that “not a single wave of sanctions will go unpunished.”

Iran Identifies Natanz Attacker

Iran published a photo of the man it claims is responsible for last week’s sabotage attack on the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility.

The man was identified on Iran’s state TV on Saturday as Reza Karimi, a 43-year-old native of the city of Kashan. The report added that he had fled the country, adding that the international crime fighting body Interpol had issued a warrant for his arrest.

Interpol, however, refused to comment whether it had indeed published an international arrest warrant for Karimi. The supposed warrant was also not published on Interpol’s website.

According to the Iranian television report, Karimi had recently visited Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Ethiopia, Qatar, Turkey,

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

ment,” Biden said.

“We are, though, nonetheless, pleased that Iran has continued to agree to engage in discussions, indirect discussions with us and with our partners on how we move forward, and what is needed to allow us to move back into the (Iran deal) so we’re part of it again ... without us making concessions we’re just not willing to make,” Biden added.

Salvini to Stand Trial

Uganda, and Romania. It quoted Iranian officials who said that they were working via diplomatic channels to have Karimi arrested overseas and extradited to the Islamic Republic.

Saturday’s report also featured one of the subterranean enrichment facilities in Natanz, which was said to be devastated when a bomb hidden in its power grid detonated. The attack, which is attributed to Israel, is thought to have set Iran’s nuclear program back by nine months and

destroyed over one thousand centrifuges.

The attack comes after a similar blast in July at the same facility gutted Natanz’s main enrichment hall and occurred as Iran and the U.S. negotiated in Vienna over a possible return to the 2015 nuclear deal. Tehran blamed Israel for the recent Natanz incident, calling it an attempt to sabotage talks over the nuclear agreement, and vowed revenge.

Iran also reacted to the Natanz

blast by announcing that it would enrich uranium up to 60%, a clear violation of the 2015 nuclear deal that caps enrichment at 3.67%.

Speaking at a White House press conference on Saturday, President Joe Biden called the move “unhelpful” but vowed to continue negotiating with Tehran.

“We do not support, and do not think it’s at all helpful, that Iran is saying it’s going to move to enrich to 60%. It is contrary to the agree-

Firebrand Italian lawmaker Matteo Salvini will be forced to stand trial over actions he took to bar a migrant ship from entering his country in 2019.

An Italian magistrate ruled on Saturday that Salvini must face kidnapping charges. The trial will commence on September 15 in Palermo.

Should he be found guilty, the far-right leader could get as much as 15 years in prison and would be barred from ever holding government office again. Salvini, who rose to power on a hard-line anti-immigration platform, called the charges “an honor” and vowed not to back down.

“I am going to trial with my head held high, in your name as well as mine. Italy first, always,” Salvini tweeted on Saturday. “Defending our country is a citizen’s sacred duty ... that is what I am being tried for.”

An Interior Minister at the time, Salvini prevented the 100 Libyan migrants from docking in Italy, leaving the ship stranded at sea. Stuck without food and water, many of the passengers threw themselves overboard as conditions on the boat worsened.

After 19 days, Italian prosecutors ordered the ship seized and allowed the refugees to disembark at Lampedusa. The boat was one of several which Salvini stopped from reaching shore as Interior Minister as part of his effort to drastically decrease the flow of migrants arriving from North Africa.

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Navalny Suffering in Prison

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been transferred to a prison hospital in a colony notorious for its brutality, where former inmates describe routine beatings and even fatalities.

Russia’s federal prison service (FSIN) on Monday transferred the critic of President Vladimir Putin from the IK-2 prison colony in Pokrov to the hospital at IK-3, which is also in the Vladimir region, east of Moscow.

International concern is building over Navalny’s health, which is reportedly deteriorating in the third week of a hunger strike in protest of not receiving the medical treatment he is demanding.

Navalny’s allies are right to be

concerned about his treatment in the Russian prison system. Dmitry Demushkin, who served a sentence for a conviction for extremism, told the independent Russian-language media outlet Open Media, that the hospital at IK-3 offered little medical expertise on hand and that inmates would do anything to avoid being treated there, “even when they were dying.”

“They were usually taken there to be broken,” he said.

Another former prisoner, Dmitry Mudrichenko, described the conditions of the hospital as akin to those of a “concentration camp,” reported Open Media, which reported other cases of brutality there.

Among them was ex-inmate Artur Hakobyan, who told the independent TV station Dozhd in October 2018 that the beatings at the colony started as soon as he arrived and that inmates “would refuse treatment” to avoid going to the hospital.

Supposedly, inmates are sent to the hospital as punishment and as a means to force a confession from them.

The newspaper Novaya Gazeta told the story in 2018 of one prisoner, Gor Hovakimyan, whose

official cause of death was given as pneumonia.

However, his family lodged a criminal complaint after discovering he had broken fingers and toes, the paper reported. A case was launched against a doctor in the hospital, who was acquitted of wrongdoing. A court has overturned the verdict and has sent his case for review.

Leonid Volkov, considered to be Navalny’s right-hand man, said Navalny was transferred to “hide him away from his lawyers and to cut him off from communication” before rallies in his support, which are scheduled to take place across the country.

Navalny is serving a two-and-ahalf-year jail term after his suspended sentence for a 2014 embezzlement charge was switched to a jail term due to a breach of his parole conditions while being treated in Berlin for Novichok poisoning. The Kremlin has been blamed for the poison attack but has denied responsibility.

Rocket Retaliation

Israeli warplanes pounded a slew of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Friday in retaliation for a rocket barrage a day prior.

According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, targets included a Hamas training camp, an air-defense system, and a factory that produced cement for terror tunnels.

“The attack was carried out as a response to the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip toward Israeli territory earlier this evening,” said the IDF. No one was injured in Thursday’s rocket attack, which came in the waning hours of Israel’s 73rd Independence Day. The rockets triggered

sirens in Sderot and Nir Amim and landed in an open field.

Israel holds Hamas responsible for all rocket fire emanating from the Gaza Strip and commonly retaliates by targeting the group’s infrastructure even when the missiles were fired by competing terror organizations.

Rocket attacks have grown increasingly rare in recent months as Hamas turns its attention to battling the COVID-19 pandemic in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has also reportedly ordered a halt to offensive operations ahead of the imminent Palestinian elections in an effort to soften its international image.

Helping Our Wounded Soldiers

Israel’s Defense Ministry has rolled out a plan to completely revamp its treatment of soldiers wounded during their military service.

The plan is being put together by Ziv Shilon, a former IDF company commander who lost an arm during a terror attack and has since become an advocate for disabled veterans.

Shilon was appointed the head of a commission directly subordinate to the defense minister and will present a plan with suggestions to the Israeli government within 30 days.

The planned reforms will focus on treating veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and will include a special request for government funding to provide what officials called “a financial shot in the arm.”

Upon announcing the initiative, Defense Ministry Director-General Amir Eshel admitted that the current treatment afforded to disabled veterans by the Rehabilitation Division is “incompetent” and “lacking” significant resources.

“The quality of service for IDF disabled people is insufficient, and the Rehabilitation Division has failed in its role,” said Eshel.

“We are determined to resolve them,” added Eshel, a former IDF

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general. “We are talking about adding staff for disabled caregivers directly. We will make some changes within the ministry but it will be difficult and complex.”

The planned reforms come after disabled IDF veteran Itzik Saiden set himself on fire on Yom HaZikaron outside the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Division headquarters to protest what he said was its frequent neglect and insufficient care of wounded vets. Saiden, who has been battling PTSD since 2014’s Operation Protective Edge in Gaza, had been recognized as only 25% disabled despite being unable to sleep, hold down a job, or drive.

Saiden’s actions sparked an uproar in Israel, a country in which the majority serve in the military. In a series of Facebook posts and television interviews, hundreds of disabled veterans spoke of the rampant neglect and bloated bureaucracy that made it difficult for soldiers to recover after being wounded in action.

In one viral video, a prominent Channel 12 journalist shot during an arrest in Nablus recounted how doctors measured his shrapnel wounds with a tape measure to lower his disability claim. Others spoke of a system that assumes that most soldiers are embellishing their injuries in order to enjoy larger monthly compensation payments.

On Sunday, hundreds of wounded soldiers blocked traffic in Tel Aviv to raise attention to their plight. Despite causing gridlock that lasted for hours, many drivers waited patiently and even honked their horns to show support for the angry veterans.

Meeting with IDF Disabled Veterans Organization officials on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to “completely reform” the “terrible injustice” under his watch.

“The distress of handicapped and wounded IDF veterans is real.

We have not updated the arrangements among them in many years.

Both first aid and comprehensive reforms are needed,” Netanyahu said .

Israel-Greece Weapons Deal Israel and Greece signed a mammoth weapons deal this week that will see the Jewish State build a flight training center for the Hellenic Air Force.

The deal was announced by the Defense Ministry on Sunday and is

worth $1.65 billion, the largest ever arms procurement package in Israel’s history. As per the terms of the agreement, Israel’s Elbit Systems will build, maintain, and staff the training center in Greece for the next 20 years.

Elbit will also supply Greece with ten M-346 training aircraft known in Israel as the “Lavi” and overhaul its T-6 training jets. The company will also provide the Hellenic Air Force with “simulators, training and logistic support.”

The deal was first hammered out in January and received final approval on Friday. The Defense Ministry hailed the mammoth arms package, calling it an example of the flourishing strategic and security ties between Athens and Jerusalem.

“In the future, the parties will also consider areas of cooperation between the Israeli flight academy and Hellenic Air Force Academy,” said the Defense Ministry.

“This agreement reflects the excellent and developing relations we have with Greece. It is a long-term partnership that will serve the interests of both Israel and Greece, create hundreds of jobs in both countries, and promote stability in the Mediterranean,” added Defense Minister Benny Gantz.

“This contract award attests to the leading position we hold in the area of training, providing tested know-how and proven technologies that improve readiness while reducing costs,” said Elbit CEO Bezhalel Machlis.

The deal comes amid warming bilateral relations between Greece and Israel that span disparate areas such as the economy, military, and the battle against Turkey’s assertiveness in the Mediterranean Sea.

PM Process Proposal A new proposal would see Israelis elect prime ministers via direct election rather than the current parliamentary system.

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Promoted by Shas leader Aryeh Deri, the proposal attempts to solve Israel’s inextricable political deadlock that has seen the country suffer an unprecedented four elections over the past two years. Unlike the current system, the premier would be elected directly by Israeli citizens as opposed to today’s system, in which he or she is chosen by a minimum of 61 MKs. The proposal would see Israelis heading back to the polls to pick a prime minister. There would not be another election for the Knesset, which would keep the final tally recorded in last month’s election. Following the vote, the prime minister would still need the requisite 61 Knesset members to form a government.

If approved, the change could make it easier to form a government and possibly end the two years of political deadlock.

While more unpopular than at any point in his past 13 years as prime minister, Netanyahu would still likely win a direct election. In a Likud faction meeting on Monday, Netanyahu declared his support for the proposal and called it “the only way out of this deadlock.”

“We need a direct election. It is

absurd for Bennett to be prime minister,” Netanyahu said, referring to his rival’s demand for a rotating premiership despite having only seven seats.

“There is a solution to the political problem and an overwhelming majority of the public supports it,” Netanyahu added. “Instead of establishing an absurd government – for example, with a prime minister who in the elections got just seven seats – there will be direct elections for prime minister. The public will directly choose the prime minister in quick elections, without disbanding the Knesset.”

On Sunday, Deri met with Yamina leader Naftali Bennett who promised to support the bill should it reach the Knesset floor in the upcoming days.

Deri reportedly views the proposal as the only way to break the political gridlock and the endless cycles of elections.

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Israel previously attempted direct elections for prime minister, starting in 1995 and ending in 2001. The initiative was widely thought to be a failure, with the premier often coming from smaller parties that were unable to effectively govern due to being dwarfed by larger factions in the coalition.

Wave of Arab Violence Rocks Israel

Israel was rocked by a wave of Arab violence coinciding with the onset of Ramadan so severe that some security officials are warning that it may deteriorate into a Third Intifada.

On Saturday evening, a viral video originally shared on TikTok showed an Arab man slapping two haredi teens on Jerusalem’s light rail. The video was captioned with extreme anti-Semitic tropes and caused a furor throughout the country, with many likening the footage to scenes from Nazi Germany in the 1930s.

On Sunday morning, two Arab men attacked Rabbi Yehoshua Mali, a well-known yeshiva head and educator in Jaffa. The assault occurred in broad daylight and was part of an intimidation campaign by local Arabs to prevent the yeshiva from expanding its campus.

A few hours later, a band of Arab teens attacked Jews at a park in Lod’s Ramat Eshkol neighborhood. After police were summoned to protect them, they were bombarded by rocks, firebombs, and even live fire by local Arabs chanting, “Settlers out.”

Speaking to the press, Lod Mayor Yair Ravivo contended that the violence in his city was spiraling out of control and threatened to “completely shut down Lod” if police did not send reinforcements.

On Sunday evening, hundreds of Palestinians clashed with police at Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate. At one point, police declared the fracas a full-blown riot and began dispersing the crowd with stun grenades, rubber bullets, and tear gas.

Sunday’s melee at Jerusalem’s Old City followed days of steadily escalating violence that saw Arab teens attack Jews making their way to the Western Wall. Coming during the first week of Ramadan, the string of violent attacks throughout Israel is leading to fears that a grassroots terror campaign, or “Intifada,” is on the way.

Speaking with Channel 12, a senior security source revealed that the Israel Police and Shin Bet internal security service had lately noticed a flood of incitement on social media.

He cautioned, however, that Ramadan commonly results in an uptick of violence and added that it was still too early to say if a full-blown Intifada is on the way.

“It’s irregular to see ‘nationalistic’ attacks on Jews in three unrelated locations – Jaffa, Lod, and Jerusalem,” he said. “The dispersed nature of the altercations suggests that we may see an eruption of violence before this month is up,” he added.

Israel Removes Masks

Millions of Israelis enjoyed the breeze on their faces for the first time in over a year as the Health Ministry scrapped the outdoor mask mandate.

From Sunday onwards, Israelis are no longer required to wear a mask while outdoors. The mask mandate still applies in closed spaces, and the Health Ministry recommends wearing them in places with large crowds.

Television stations interviewed bare-faced Israelis at beaches and parks jubilant at being allowed to embark on a stroll without a face covering. In Tel Aviv, a large party complete with a DJ and free beer broke out on the city’s central Rothschild Street to celebrate the end of the mask mandate.

“It feels amazing just to feel normal again!” rejoiced Shira, a 25-yearold art student at Tel Aviv University when queried about her feelings by Channel 12. “We waited for this day for so long. I hope we don’t have a relapse.”

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mask mandate had become the most ubiquitous symbol of the COVID-19 period. But in recent weeks, enforcement of the mandate had essentially ended as police turned a blind eye to flagrant mask-violators.

The decision to end the mask mandate came amid plunging infection rates and rapidly-dropping daily COVID-19 cases resulting from Israel’s world-leading vaccination campaign. As of Monday, 54% of Israelis received both jabs of the Pfizer vaccine while the daily infection count dropped to 100, down from 10,000 in January.

On Sunday, Israel’s entire education system also returned to in-class learning for the first time in more than a year. Since the onset of the pandemic, grades 5-9 had studied either on Zoom or in alternating “pods.”

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Maxine Waters Stokes Violence in MN

Last weekend, Congresswoman Maxine Waters openly urged protesters in Minneapolis to continue their rampant street violence should ex-cop Derek Chauvin go free.

Chauvin is currently on trial for manslaughter charges relating to last summer’s death of George Floyd.

Upon meeting with protesters in nearby Brooklyn Center on Saturday, Waters urged the crowd to get “confrontational” in the event that Chauvin was found innocent.

“We’ve got to stay on the street, and we’ve got to get more active, we’ve got to get more confrontational. We’ve got to make sure that they know that we mean business,” Waters told a reporter.

Urging demonstrators “to remain on the street” and defy the 11 PM curfew, Waters brushed off calls to quiet down the week-long rioting in Brooklyn Center.

“I’m going to fight with all of the

people who stand for justice,” Waters said. “We’ve got to get justice in this country, and we cannot allow these killings to continue.”

Brooklyn Center has been the scene of spiraling violence ever since a policewoman mistakenly shot and killed Daunte Smith during a traffic stop last week. The rioting had already destroyed dozens of stores and came as Chauvin’s attorneys made their closing arguments on Monday.

The congresswoman was lambasted by GOP lawmakers, who accused her of “fanning the flames” with her “violent rhetoric.”

“Telling rioters who have burned buildings, looted stores, and assaulted journalists to get ‘more confrontational’ is incredibly irresponsible. Every House Democrat should condemn Maxine Waters’ call for violence,” said National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Mike Berg.

“Why is Maxine Waters traveling to a different state trying to incite a riot? What good can come from this?” tweeted Rep. Lauren Boebert. Waters hails from California.

In an unsigned editorial, the New York Post called on Congress to “impeach and remove Maxine Waters” for “pouring fuel on the fire in Minnesota.”

The veteran Democrat has a long history of inflammatory statements during her three decades in Congress.

In 2018, Waters famously called on her supporters to harass Trump administration officials spotted during everyday activities such as shopping and stopping for gas.

“Let’s make sure we show up wherever we have to show up. And if you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd. And you push back on them. And you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere,” she said at the time.

Derek Chauvin Found Guilty

On Tuesday, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all three charges against in connection to George

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Floyd’s death.

Chauvin, 45, was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The jurors deliberated for more than 10 hours over two days before coming to their decision.

He had knelt on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds on May 25, 2020. Floyd’s death sparked nationwide riots led by the Black Lives Matter movement.

Chauvin’s bail was revoked after the verdict. His sentencing will take place eight weeks from now. He can be sentenced to up to 40 years behind bars.

Chauvin was on trial for around three weeks. Throughout the testimony, prosecutors told jurors to “believe your eyes” and remember what they saw in the video of the incident.

The defense called seven witnesses who were there to bolster the claim that Chauvin’s use of force was reasonable, that he was distracted by hostile bystanders and that Floyd died of other causes. Chauvin himself did not testify.

The Twin Cities region braced itself for the verdict. More than 3,000 Minnesota National Guard members were activated in the Twin Cities, while businesses in Minneapolis boarded up their windows.

After the verdict, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke on the phone with the Floyd family and their attorneys.

“Nothing is going to make it all better,” Biden told them, but “at least now there’s some justice.”

Biden, in addressing the nation later, said, “Nothing can ever bring their brother or their father back. But this can be a giant step forward in the march towards justice in America.”

The President said that in order for their to be real change, lawmakers must help ensure a tragedy like this cannot happen and that people of color no longer fear being stopped by police.

He said he told the Floyd family “we’re going to continue to fight for the passage of George Floyd Justice in Policing Act so I can sign it into law as quickly as possible. There is more to do. Finally, it is the work we do every day to change hearts and minds as well as laws and policies.

That’s the work we have to do.”

The three other former officers on scene – Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao – are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting

second-degree manslaughter. They have pleaded not guilty; their trials are set to commence in August.

Death Row Sentence Tossed

Texas’ longest-serving death row inmate had his sentence tossed after an appeals court ruled that he was mentally unfit for capital punishment.

In the decision ruling on April 14, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that Raymond Riles’ “death sentence can no longer stand” because his long battle with mental illness had not been properly looked at.

The 70-year-old inmate will now be resent to a Houston court for resentencing. As per Texas law, Riles can receive the death penalty again.

On death row since 1976, Riles is the Lone Star State’s longest-serving inmate. Arrested in 1974 for shooting and killing a used car salesman in Houston, Riles was handed the death penalty two years later. His conviction was overturned two years later.

During his retrial, Riles attempted to plead the insanity defense, calling up to the stand psychologists who testified that he “was often psychotic and had suffered for some time from some type of schizophrenia.”

The judge rejected his arguments and found Riles guilty of capital murder charges in 1978. His execution was blocked in 1989 after the Texas Supreme Court ruled that jurors needed to take into account mitigating factors such as mental illness when giving a verdict.

Since then, Riles has remained in limbo as lawyers argued over his fate in a series of lower courts. His many trials have affected him, with Riles going on extreme and often violent outbursts, including once during a hearing.

Oldest Living American Dies A South Carolina woman who survived two World Wars and the Spanish Flu to become America’s

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

oldest living person has died.

Hester Ford was either 115 or 116 at the time of her death on Saturday.

While her family maintains she was born in 1905, U.S Census Bureau listings record her birthday in 1904.

According to the Gerontology Research Group, which follows the lives of the oldest Americans, Ford’s age was 115 years and 245 days old. Ford had been the oldest living person in the U.S. since June 30 of last year.

Born in South Carolina’s Lancaster Country, Ford was married off at the age of 14 to her husband John in order to help support her poor parents. A year later, she gave birth to the first of her 12 children.

In 1960, the couple moved to Charlotte, where Ford would live for the rest of her life. After her husband passed away in 1963 at the age of 57, Hester took over raising the family

and lived alone in her home without help until badly injuring herself in 2014.

In addition to her 12 children, Ford had 48 grandchildren and 108 great-grandchildren.

“She was a pillar and stalwart to our family and provided much needed love, support and understanding to us all,” said great-granddaughter Tanisha Patterson-Powe.

“She not only represented the advancement of our family but of the Black African American race and culture in our country,” Patterson-Powe continued. “She was a reminder of how far we have come as people on this Earth. She has been celebrated all over the world by local governments, community leaders, social media, foreign dignities and presidents as a cherished jewel of society for holding the honor of being the oldest living person in America.”

U.S. Charges for Lev Tahor Members U.S. federal authorities filed child exploitation and child abduc-

tion charges against leaders of the Lev Tahor sect that has been accused of forcing girls as young as 12 years old into marriages with much older men within their community.

Five leaders of the Lev Tahor group were charged by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and FBI on Monday with crimes related to an alleged forced marriage in 2017 and a 2018 kidnapping.

The charges include conspiring to transport a minor with intent to engage in certain inappropriate activity and conspiring to travel with intent to engage in inappropriate conduct. The first charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and maximum of lifetime in prison; the second carries a maximum of 30 years in prison.

Nachman Helbrans, one of the men charged on Monday, arranged a marriage in 2017 between his 12-yearold niece and an 18-year-old man, according to the filing. They were married in 2018.

According to the Justice Department press release, young brides in the community were expected “to tell people outside Lev Tahor that they were not married, to pretend to be older, and to deliver babies inside their homes instead of at a hospital, partially to conceal from the public the mothers’ young ages.”

Later that year, the girl’s mother escaped from the group and fled to the United States with the girl and the girl’s younger brother, arriving in New York in November 2018. According to the Justice Department, in December 2018, the five men charged this week kidnapped the girl – then 14 years old – and her brother in the middle of the night and brought them back to her husband, then 20 years old, in Mexico. The children were returned to New York several weeks later by law enforcement, but the group tried to kidnap them again two more times.

Nachman Helbrans is the son of Rabbi Shlomo Helbrans, who founded Lev Tahor in the 1980s, and became the group’s leader in 2017 after the death of his father. The other men charged are Mayer Rosner, Yakov We-

ingarten, Shmiel Weingarten and Yoel Weingarten.

Yakov Weingarten was arrested last month in Guatemala on the first day of Passover. The group had fled Canada to Guatemala in 2014 after coming under intense scrutiny by Canadian authorities for alleged child abuse and marrying off children.

William F. Sweeney Jr., the FBI’s assistant director, thanked Guatemalan law enforcement for their assistance in the Lev Tahor case.

“International borders will not stop the FBI from pursuing justice and enforcing violations of our laws, especially when you target children.

The behavior alleged today is outrageous, and there is no justification for it whatsoever,” Sweeney said.

The group has been described as a cult and as the “Jewish Taliban,” as women and girls older than 3 are required to dress in long black robes covering their entire body, leaving only their faces exposed. The men spend most of their days in prayer and studying only specific Torah portions.

According to the Justice Department’s announcement of the charges, Nachman Helbrans and his team “embraced several extreme practices, including strict, invasive monitoring of members, frequent beatings, and forced marriages of minors to adult members. Children in Lev Tahor are often subject to physical…and emotional abuse.”

Lev Tahor have their own version of kosher laws. For example, members believe that genetic engineering has rendered modern-day chickens non-kosher.

Marriages between teenagers or minors and older members are common.

Leaders of the group have been charged with kidnapping before, including in the case authorities charged Helbrans and the others for Monday. In 2019, four group leaders were indicted for the 2018 kidnapping.

Guatemalan authorities have been monitoring leaders of Lev Tahor, which is now based in the country, in recent years. Members of the group, which is anti-Zionist, have applied for political asylum in Iran.

1,118 Days in a Church After living in a Utah church for three years to avoid deportation from immigration authorities, Vicky

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Chavez emerged outside to a throng of television cameras and well-wishers this week.

An illegal immigrant from Honduras, Chavez and her two daughters entered the First Unitarian Church in 2018 to avoid being sent back to her home country. On Monday, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) notified her that she had been cleared for a stay of removal delaying the threat of deportation until at least 2022.

Greeting Chavez were hundreds of well-wishers, church members, and immigration advocates, many of whom chanted support and waved homemade signs.

“We have been waiting for this day for more than 39 months, and I’m here sharing with everybody that I’m free right now and I can’t believe it,” Chavez exulted.

“I have no words to thank them for giving me a safe home for over three years,” Chavez added. “Today I can say that I’m full of love and happy to have arrived here.”

Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson congratulated Chavez and church members for the “compassion” they had demonstrated over the past three years.

First arriving in the U.S. in 2014 to escape what she said was an abusive relationship, Chavez was arrested and slated to be deported. After exhausting all of her appeals, Chavez had already purchased a plane ticket for the journey home when the First Unitary Church offered sanctuary.

Living in a converted Sunday school classroom with a TV and games, Chavez and her two daughters spent the days studying English and reading. What was meant to be a short-term arrangement ended up becoming the family’s home for the next three years until Monday’s tidings allowed Chavez to finally emerge outside after 1,118 days.

“Vicky’s life is no longer on hold,” said head minister Rev. Tom Goldsmith. “She leaves this church with a full grasp of the English language, a couple of hundred friends, and the confidence to pursue her dreams.”

Rwandan Murderer Deported

A woman sentenced to a decade in prison for lying about her role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide while immigrating to the United States has been deported to Rwanda.

Beatrice Munyenyezi, who played a major role in the massacre of the Tutsis, was flown into the capital of Kigali this week and was escorted

by U.S. federal agents. She was immediately arrested upon arrival and remains in custody.

Rwanda Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Thierry Murangira said that Munyenyezi faces numerous charges connected to her actions almost three decades ago, including murder, genocide, and complicity in assault of women.

“Her deportation means a lot in terms of justice delivery to genocide victims,” said Murangira.

Munyenyezi commanded a military roadblock that handpicked Tutsis for murder and is allegedly responsible for hundreds of deaths.

She later fled Rwanda and received asylum in the United States.

Munyenyezi was charged in June 2010 and later convicted in 2013 by a New Hampshire federal jury. The jury determined she obtained her U.S. citizenship unlawfully, after fleeing her home country of Rwanda, by misrepresenting material facts to U.S. immigration authorities.

Testimony during the 12-day trial revealed that Munyenyezi concealed her role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, including her involvement in the National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development (MRND), the political party in power before and during the genocide, and its youth wing, the Interahamwe.

The Interahamwe ran a militia that played a key role in the genocide.

Evidence at trial demonstrated that Munyenyezi, as a member of the Interahamwe, participated, aided,

and abetted in the persecution and murder of Tutsi people during the 1994 genocide.

Munyenyezi appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2017, arguing that a recent legal precedent limited the government’s ability to strip citizenship from perpetrators of immigration fraud. Munyenyezi’s long shot bid to prevent her deportation failed when the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an earlier ruling in March by a federal district judge rejecting her petition.

The Rwandan genocide was a campaign during the 1994 Civil War by the Hutu party that targeted members of the Tutsi minority. Most academic estimates place the death toll at between 500,000 and 800,000 people.

Former VP Walter Mondale Dies

Former Vice President Walter Mondale died on Monday at age 93.

Mondale, who was the 1984 Democratic nominee for president and also served as a longtime senator from Minnesota, died “peacefully from natural causes,” his family said.

The son of a minister, Mondale, known as Fritz, became one of Minnesota’s most famous political figures. He was selected in 1964 to replace then-Vice President Hubert Humphrey, a mentor, in the Senate.

In his 12 years in the U.S. Senate, Mondale followed in the footsteps of Humphrey, the lead author of the Civil Rights Act, in championing civil rights and other progressive causes.

Jimmy Carter, the governor from Georgia who had improbably won the Democratic nomination in 1976, turned to Mondale when he needed a “Northern presence” on the ticket and someone who had a liberal track record. Despite being relatively unknown, the pair narrowly prevailed over President Gerald Ford, who was severely weakened by Watergate and Vietnam. They carried the South along with a few crucial Northern states – New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, among others – winning 297 Electoral College votes.

Mondale was the first vice president to have an office in the White House and served as a close adviser to Carter. Mondale traveled widely and was instrumental in the Camp David Accords.

But Carter’s presidency was plagued by what he himself referred to as the “crisis of confidence” during a speech that became known as the “malaise speech” that, according to The New York Times, Mondale advised him not to give. Republican challenger Ronald Reagan sailed to the White House in the 1980 election, winning all but four states and Washington, D.C. Mondale was the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination in 1984.

He made history by choosing Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate, the first woman ever on a major party ticket.

Mondale’s campaign – even with a woman on the ticket – was no match for Reagan’s soaring popularity. At a presidential debate, Reagan smoothly handled questions about his advanced age, quipping, “I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.” Mondale would later say he thought that was when the campaign ended.

Mondale and Ferraro would lose every state but Minnesota and Washington, D.C., in the election.

DeSantis Signs “Riot Act” into Law

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law an “anti-riot” bill allowing citizens to take greater action to protect themselves and their property from damage.

The bill had passed the Senate by a margin of 23-17 along party lines last Thursday after sailing through the House 76-39 on March 26. The act dramatically expands the ability Floridians have to defend their property from rioters and looters and increases penalties for a slew of crimes, including assault, battery, burglary and theft, and battery against a law

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The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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enforcement officer.

In addition, Floridians are now allowed to take legal action against municipalities, police forces, and even politicians for failing to take requisite action to stop a riot.

According to the bill, a riot is defined as “violent public disturbance involving 3 or more people acting with common intent resulting in injury to others, damage to property, or the imminent danger of injury or damage.”

The bill also created a new second-degree felony defined as “aggravated riot” occurring when disturbances “include 25 participants, causes great bodily harm or more than $5,000 in property damage, uses or threatens to use a deadly weapon, or blocks roadways by force or threat of force.”

DeSantis hailed the bill’s passage as something that will grant Floridians the ability to protect themselves after almost a year of rioting across the United States. In a press conference on Monday, DeSantis called the bill “the strongest, anti-rioting, prolaw enforcement piece of legislation in the country.”

“We’re also putting an end to the bullying and intimidation tactics of the radical left by criminalizing doxing and requiring restitution for damaging memorials and monuments by rioters,” he added.

The legislation comes after George Floyd’s death at the hands of former police officer Derek Chauvin last summer touched off a wave of nationwide rioting that resulted in more than $2 billion in damages. A series of additional riots soon followed in cities such as Rochester, Kenosha, and Philadelphia. Often, elected officials ordered law enforcement to stand down and prevented officers from more effectively ending the riots.

Walking Here and Bear A teddy bear is on a quest to walk more than 400 miles from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

Jesse Larios is 33 years old.

When he dons the life-size teddy bear costume, he uses the moniker “Bearsun.” His journey was not in-

tentional; it was just something that Larios decided to do.

“I’m like a puppy, I guess. I just see something, and I chase after it,” Larios said. He said the walk sounded like a fun adventure.

But his journey has not just been barrels of honey. Last week, he was approached by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“This was a bear-y unique situation. You may have seen a large teddy bear walking through town. One of our deputies got to meet the individual inside the bear & learned his goal is to complete a walk from Los Angeles to San Francisco. We wish him the best of luck on his adventure,” the sheriff’s office tweeted.

Larios said the deputy only wanted to make sure he was safe and hydrated.

Other obstacles, such as road closures and unexpectedly difficult terrain, have caused delays that pushed his expected arrival date in San Francisco back from April 17 to April 21.

When Larios needs to rest for the night, he camps out on the side of the road. His GoFundMe page is set up so supporters can help him with food and other costs. And, if there’s extra money at the end, the funds will go towards an upgraded Bearsun suit.

The costume is there for Larios to spread joy.

“This is what I want to do. I just want to run marathons in my bear suit,” he said. “It makes other people happy, too, and I’m all about laughter and smiles.”

Bear-y nice.

To Infinity & Beyond If you’d like to swim against a terrifyingly high backdrop, head to Dubai. The Address Beach Resort, located in a recently completed skyscraper in the city, is now home to the highest outdoor infinity pool.

The pool broke the Guinness

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

World Record by soaring over the city 964 feet, 2 inches high.

Seventy-seven floors up, the surface area of the infinity pool is a whopping 6,000 square feet. It’s around 4 feet deep at its deepest point.

The building was also awarded a record for the highest occupiable skybridge floor, which is 965 feet, 8.4 inches over the ground.

Brand Marketing

Farmer Boys, a California-based restaurant chain, is offering custom-

ers free burgers for a year. The catch?

Consumers need to get a hamburger tattoo bearing the eatery’s name in order to get the free grub.

The restaurant has teamed up with two tattoo shops – one in California and one in Las Vegas – for those who want sandwiches inked onto their bodies for forever. There are three tattoo designs to choose from; all three have the word “Farmer Boys” on the design. One design features a pickup truck with a huge burger in the back. The other designs feature large hamburgers.

Farmer Boys said the promotion celebrates the chain’s 40th anniversary.

We’re going to pass on this deal, if that’s OK with you.

Work Like a Dog Looking for a fun and delicious job for your favorite canine? Anheuser-Busch is searching for a chief tasting officer for Dog Brew, a “beer” made for dogs.

The beverage is actually made from bone broth and is non-alcoholic.

When it was sold by the company last year, it sold out within 24 hours.

Now, the company is looking for a canine “chief tasting officer” to help expand the line of offerings.

The chosen candidate will be paid handsomely for the position – a tail-wagging $20,000. He or she will be responsible for “taste-testing, quality control, and fulfilling duties as an ambassador for the product.” The dog will also become a “featured creator” for Busch’s social media channels. Oh, and they’ll also get pet insurance and a free supply of Dog Brew.

“The reaction to Busch Dog Brew’s release last year was so overwhelmingly positive that we knew we had a big challenge in Year 2 to keep the momentum going. So to expand the brand this year, we needed a true expert in the space on our team,” said Daniel Blake, vice president of value brands at Anheuser-Busch. “We’re excited to give one qualified canine a real, paying job and to tap into their insider knowledge of our target consumer to expand Busch Dog Brew in 2021.”

Here’s to wondering how the canines will be able to fill out the surveys at the end of their taste-testing sessions.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

In honor of Lag B’Omer – well, not really – an Indian woman cut her hair for the first time in 12 years.

Nilanshi Patel stopped cutting her hair when she was six years old. Last week, the eighteen-year-old chopped off her long locks and donated the tresses for display at the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum.

Patel’s hair set records two years ago, when Guinness World Records declared it the world’s longest at

5-feet, 7-inches.

This year, Patel’s hair was measured just days before her 18th birthday and she broke her own record for the second time with hair measuring 6 feet, 6.7 inches long.

“My hair gave me a lot – because of my hair I am known as the ‘real-life Rapunzel.’ Now it’s time to give back,” Patel said.

The Indian girl had considered donating her hair to make wigs for children with cancer, but her mother convinced her that it should go on display to inspire others. Her mother, Kaminiben Patel, is going to donate her own hair for wigs for those suffering from cancer.

Now, Patel is sporting a new look, with her hair reaching her chin.

“I love my new hairstyle. I feel proud that I’m going to send my hair to the U.S. museum – people will see and be inspired by my hair,” Patel said.

We hear you.

Cheesy Breathe-y

If your home is missing the fragrant scent of grilled cheese, now you can breathe easy.

Cheesemaker Kraft is introducing an incense that smells like grilled cheese. The company’s Kraft Singles brand teased its limited-edition home fragrance in a tweet that celebrated National Grilled Cheese Day on Tuesday, April 13.

Fans of the American cheese line have a chance to win a pack of these incense from Kraft’s “Breathe Cheesy Sweepstakes.” One-thousand lucky winners will win the smelly scent.

While Kraft has opted to create a home fragrance with aromatic incense sticks, other food and beverage companies have made scented candles to entice fans.

KFC, McDonald’s, Chili’s, and Miller Lite are just a few companies that have manufactured candles based on signature menu items in recent years.

Makes you want to stop and smell the roses.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

Around the

Community In honor of Yom Ha’Atzmaut, the Gural JCC Early Childhood parking lot was hopping.

Each class had their own sectioned area to sing, dance, march and wave their flags to celebrate Israel’s 73rd birthday.

The balloons, music and festive atmosphere added excitement to this already special day! We were so happy to celebrate Eretz Yisrael’s birthday “together.” Yom huledet sameach!

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Around the Community

Happy 73rd Birthday to Medinat Yisroel

H

ALB Lev Chana’s second floor was transformed last week as our kindergarten children and Morot donned blue and white to prepare for Yom Ha’atzmaut. Imagination and creativity flourished as our children were completely engaged in designing and constructing five different places in Eretz Yisroel: Ben Gurion Airport, a kibbutz, Yerushalayim, Tzfat and Eilat. Our nursery and kindergarten tourists had their passports stamped in the airport as our classes

started their tours of Eretz Yisroel at scheduled times. They milked a cow on the kibbutz while admiring the puzzle cows, cotton ball sheep and chicks, and delicious-looking produce. Onward to Yerushalayim where our children davened at the glowing 3-D Kotel and added their kvitlach, either written or drawn, to the magnificent wall. They admired the huge replica of the Menorah HaZahav behind “glass” and the shiny Hazorfim silver. All our children had the oppor-

tunity to hang their one-of-a-kind artistic creations on the walls of Tzfat as they walked through the cobblestone streets. Finally, in Eilat, our children fished for delicious sight word fish and wore colorful sunglasses against the glaring sun. Groups of children sang to the music of Gary Wallin in the SKA gym.

Our children also enjoyed a blue and white treat from our PTA. A celebratory time was had by all! Happy Birthday to Medinat Yisroel!

Memorial Bridge, Cleveland’s Terminal Tower, Denver City Hall, the Charles Braga Memorial Bridge in Fall River, MA, the Guitar Hotel at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, FL, Houston City Hall, Las Vegas City Hall, Los Angeles City Hall, Lake Orlando in Orlando, FL, Rockville, MD City Hall, representing the Washington, DC region, and borough halls in New Jersey communities with sizable Israeli-American populations including Closter, Demarest, Fair-

lawn, Fort Lee, New Milford and Tenafly, as well as the Atlanta sub-

Kachol V’Lavan

L

andmarks and municipal buildings coast to coast, from Los Angeles City Hall to Boston’s Zakim Bridge and Florida’s Guitar Hotel, were illuminated in blue and white – Israel’s national colors -- honoring the Jewish state’s 73rd Independence Day on April 14 as part of the Israeli-American Council (IAC) “Celebrate Israel” festival.

Among the landmarks and buildings were Boston’s City Hall and Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill

urb of Sandy Springs.

Did you know?

Over 25 trillion Styrofoam coffee cups are thrown away each year – just by Americans.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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Around the Community

Israel: The Great Cultural Melting Pot

The children at HANC ECC West Hempstead celebrated Yom Ha’Atzmaut with singing and dancing and special blue and white cookies

MTA Celebrates Yom Ha’Atzmaut

M

TA set the tone for Yom Ha’Atzmaut with post-davening divrei chizuk from Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Michael Taubes and Maggid Shiur Rabbi Avraham Shulman, who discussed the importance of appreciating kedushas Eretz Yisrael and the miracle of its existence as well as the significance of the State of Israel to each talmid and their celebration of Yom Ha’Atzmaut.

The entire yeshiva was privileged to hear from special guest speaker Rabbi Ephy Greene, Aish Gesher Mashgiach, who spoke live from Israel about his life in Eretz Yisrael.

Everyone enjoyed a delicious Israeli-style lunch from Golan and had a great time testing their knowledge of Israel and participating in the Israel Pursuit 2021 global Kahoot, hosted

by Unpacked for Educators.

Did you know?

One drip every second for a year from a leaky faucet wastes 540 gallons of water.

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om Ha’Atzmaut was a full day of celebration at Shulamith High School! With the theme of “Israel: The Great Cultural Melting Pot,” students and faculty had an opportunity to celebrate Israel. With a special focus on the “melting pot” of Israel, a country with many different peoples, styles, ideas, mixed together – diverse but not divided.

Mrs. Munk opened the Yom Haatzmaut celebration in the morning beginning a day celebrating achdut. Following Mrs. Munk, SHS was treated to a special surprise, “A Bissel Shtisel,” where Yoav Rotman and Kobie Arielli, from the hit show “Shtisel” Zoomed in to speak with SHS. “Shtisel” is an Israeli TV series about a charedi family living in Geula. Students and faculty were enthralled as Mr. Rotman shared what it’s like portraying an Orthodox Jew in Israel. “What connects all of us is bigger than what separates us,” he said.

After, students headed toward faculty lead sessions that explored different elements of Israeli culture and life, such as “Sabbaba to be a Sabra!,” “Yalla Aliyah!,” “Beyond the Battlefield,” and “Am Echad, Lev Echad.” Faculty volunteers explored their own interests while students chose which parts of Israeli culture they wish to learn more about. The excitement of the day had barely begun – SHS was honored to hear from Hanoch Teller, dubbed the “globe-trotting modern-day maggid.” After his animated and moving speech, students were hoping he

would share more. “It was my favorite part of the day,” one tenth grader stated when Yom Haatzmaut celebrations had concluded.

During “Rikud Israeli,” students had a chance to let loose and learn how to dance, Israeli style. More than dancing in different styles, it was a time of learning, bonding, and, for students and faculty with Israeli background, a time to teach others.

“I loved the shuk!,” a group of ninth grade students screamed in unison. Finally, a special highlight, was the SHS Shuk. Here, volunteer students showed off their talents painting henna tattoos, playing Israeli games, knitted kippot, baking, painting, even playing Israeli games!

With fruit, spices, and laffa, the gym was completely transformed. Between the costumes, life-size cardboard camels, decor, and the smell of Middle Eastern spices wafting through the air, it was hard to believe you weren’t in the actual shuk!

The day concluded with an SHS tradition – kochav nolad performances! The talent show showcased everything from dancing to rapping.

The crowd cheered and supported their classmates who took to the stage. The energy of the day was incredible!

SHS is so grateful to all who helped put together the meaningful and amazing Yom Ha’Atzmaut – especially SHS’s Israel Advocacy club led by Mrs. Naomi Munk. Their hard work and dedication to ensuring a successful day was definitely evident!

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Silence and Celebration

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n honor of Yom Hazikaron, HALB students stood in silence for two minutes during the siren, just like in Israel. They heard from their morahs about their personal experiences in the IDF and living

through war time in Israel. They honored the memory of Morah Shoshana Heyman, a HALB morah who was killed in the Sbarro bombing. And finally, every student in grades 1-8 received an Israeli flag with the name

of someone who passed away which they placed in the field to create a giant Jewish star.

On Yom Ha’Atzmaut, the entire school gathered in the field for a beautiful Hallel and then had cele-

brations by grade filled with music, dancing and blue and white cookies.

In Lev Chana, the children experienced a “trip to Israel.” They took an El Al flight and visited the Kotel, a kibbutz, Tzfat and Eilat!

From Darkness to Light: Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’Atzmaut at SKA

SKA students share their love for Eretz Yisroel

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here was a sea of various shades of green in the halls of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls on Wednesday, April 14, 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.

The learning all day in the school was l’ilui nishmat Israel’s fallen, and each girl took an individual name to have in mind. In a moving assembly, SKA students and faculty were privileged to hear from former American IDF soldier Mr. Daniel Gottesman,

SKA students working on the Broken Glass Project for Yom HaZikaron

whose grandfather was in the Haganah, and 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. The Broken Glass Project, developed by Art Academy Director Mrs. Suzy Libin, had girls putting names of the individual soldiers they were given to create a special memorial. Many interested students even stayed after regular school hours to watch a powerful Yom HaZikaron movie, Beneath the Helmet.

Then, in a “l’afaila l’orah” moment, the pain of remembrance turned into joyous celebration as the girls decorated the school building

Kangoo shoe dancing at SKA Chagiga

and hallways for the next day’s salute to Yom Ha’Atzmaut.

Blue and white were the colors of choice on Thursday, April 15, in honor of Israel’s Independence Day. To keep the focus on Medinat Yisroel, “Israel Across the Curriculum” was the theme of every classroom – even math and science – throughout the day, giving the faculty the opportunity to highlight many different aspects of Israel through the prism of varied disciplines. Topics ranged from “The Therapeutic Elements of the Dead Sea” to “Symmetry of the Israeli Flag” along with “Kedushat Eretz Yisroel” and “What Did Israel Look Like Before 1948?”

The Yom Ha’Atzmaut Kangoo Shoe Chagigah differed from the usual SKA chagigah due to social dis-

tancing but was very spirited nonetheless as girls danced in their spots to lively music. Student-produced video presentations shown after the morning communal davening focused on Eretz Yisroel, and the blue and white desserts were an especially significant treat! The ruach all day in the school was incredible; the students of SKA really expressed their love and yearning for the State of Israel.

We thank Mrs. Penina Bernstein, faculty advisor to SKA’s Israel Action Committee, for organizing these outstanding programs. As Mrs. Bernstein noted in her introduction, “We wouldn’t have Yom Ha’Atzmaut without Yom HaZikaron. Israel owes its existence to Hashem and the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for it.”

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

Around the Community

Remembering and Rejoicing at HANC

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his year, Yom Hazikaron was incredibly moving at HANC Middle School. Although we were not all together in the Beit Medrash but rather in our separate classrooms, the content of the program was fantastic. Under the guidance of the Ivrit department chairperson, Morah Pnina Aronowitz, students in her eighth grade class gave moving tributes to the fallen soldiers.

The program began with an emotional reading, which centered on the idea, “my heart is in the east and I am in the west.” Our hearts are always connected to the Land of Israel. Next, the students watched a video about Max Steinberg, a”h. Max went on a Birthright trip in 2012 and decided to move to Israel and enlist in the army.

He had to work hard to learn Hebrew.

He trained to be a sharpshooter. Max was killed in the summer of 2014.

The students next learned about Dvir Imanuelov. He also gave his life while fighting for Israel. There was a video which showed how his mother was heartbroken, but she decided to go to a concert. At the concert, she heard someone call out the name Dvir. It turned out the little boy was named after the woman’s son. It was very emotional.

Two students sang very meaningful songs. A number of tefillot were recited including the Kel Maleh Rachamim and the prayer for the Medina. At one point, there was a siren and silence in all of the classrooms. In a most meaningful way, the program ended with the singing of Hatikva.

As it always is, the next day was a swing of emotions from HaZikaron (remembering the soldiers) to Yom Ha’Atzmaut, celebrating the Israel’s birthday. The high school students decorated the hallway with Israeli flags and blue and white streamers. When the students walked in, there was a festive mood. Although the rain cancelled outdoor activi-

ties, there was still a lot of fun inside. Morah Hakimian put together a fantastic Kahoot that the students loved. There were all kinds of questions including: Who was Israel’s first prime minister? Of what political party was David Ben-Gurion a member? How many representatives are in the Knesset? The Kahoot gave the students a chance to demonstrate their knowledge. The students also had the chance to play a virtual Escape Room. The game was created by Shlomo Blass in Eretz Yisroel. Mrs. Estee Lightstone (a former HANC Morah) let our school know about this fantastic opportunity. There were nine different locks that needed to get opened. The way to open them was by answering different questions based on prior knowledge or short videos.

The students loved this activity, and they were able to learn some new facts about Israel. One of the coolest activities was matching the food with the country of origin.

Did you know?

Aluminum cans can be recycled and put back onto the shelf at your local grocery store in just about 2 months.

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Celebrating the Land of Israel at Shulamith

A Children at the JCC Lynbrook celebrated Israel’s birthday last week

Yom Ha’Atzmaut at HAFTR ECC

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AFTR Early Childhood spent the weeks leading up to Yom Ha’Atzmaut in preparation for a boisterous celebration. Crowns, flags, and projects galore were created. On Thursday, each class had their chance to celebrate

with song and dance at an oneg with their fantastic music teacher, Morah Leah Goro. The morot kept the simcha going all day with Israeli themed snacks and lunches, mock trips to Eretz Yisrael, and visits to their Israeli museums.

lthough Yom Ha’Atzmaut was rainy and gray outside, inside Shulamith ECC, the children basked in the strong Israeli sunlight as they celebrated Israel’s 73rd birthday. They enjoyed their pretend visit to our very special country of Medinat Yisrael as they learned so much in all of the curriculum areas.

In the days leading up to Yom Ha’Atzmaut, the children had a wonderful time exploring the Land of Israel using a multisensory approach. Throughout the year, in Parashat Hashavua, the banot have been learning about how Hashem gave us Eretz Yisrael, the Land of

Israel. Now they had the opportunity to learn about modern day Medinat Yisrael. They listened to books about Israel, sang Israeli songs, and prepared their favorite Israeli foods.

The children were captivated as they viewed videos of various places in Israel. The Pre1A girls even took a virtual visit to a gan in Israel where they saw children just like them playing in school while speaking in Hebrew!

Once the children were familiar with some basic facts about Eretz Yisrael, they enjoyed comparing and contrasting things in Israel with their familiar surroundings in America. They thought about how far away Israel is and how people get there.

The girls excitedly designed a plane so they could take a pretend trip to Israel and see all of the things they had been learning about. They got their “passports” stamped at

passport control and carried on a conversation with the passport agent in Hebrew! Suitcases in hand, the intrepid tourists visited various sights in Israel and did hands-on activities related to each one. Each activity was carefully designed to target important curriculum areas including literacy, math, and science, as well as critical thinking skills and creativity. The children wrote notes to Hashem to place in the Kotel, designed gorgeous Havdalah candles in Tzfat, and experimented with salt and water to figure out how things float in Yam Hamelech. They patterned Israeli necklaces and worked with various mediums in blue and white. They even

visited an Israeli restaurant and spoke to the waitresses in Hebrew!

Exhausted and clutching bags of Bissli, the travelers returned home to Shulamith ECC, ready to sing and dance and celebrate the fabulous gift that Hashem gave us: Medinat Yisrael.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

1650 Eastern Parkway, Suite 207 Brooklyn, NY, 11233 400 Rella Blvd., Suite 165 Montebello, NY, 10901 84 West Park Place, Second ßoor, Stamford, CT, 06901

A message from SBA Loan Group founder Yankie Markowitz

Have the federal government pay part of your company’s debt service!

Regardless of whether you’ve been affected by the pandemic or not, there is STILL A GREAT OPPORTUNITY and HELP that was provided in the last stimulus relief bill signed into law Dec 27 2020.

The SBA is making the Þrst 3 months payments of principal and interest on all new 7a and 504 loans approved through September 30, 2021, capped at $9,000 per month (subject to funds available).

Also the SBA has ELIMINATED the main fee on SBA loans called the ‘’SBA GUARANTEE FEE’’, which was roughly 2.5% of the loan amount.

This might be the time to buy that building that you always wanted for your business, or other business ideas you had in the past but conditions were not right!

This will only be available for businesses NOT impacted by Covid-19 or business that are back to being fully operational in line with pre-pandemic levels.

• To purchase owner-occupied commercial real estate where your business occupies at least 51%, with as little as 10% down and there are also options with NO MONEY DOWN • SBA loan funds could also be used for inventory and working capital • You need good credit • Based on the cashßow of your last tax return We are NOT doing PPP or EIDL loans at this time Mendy (347) 409-0101

mendy@sbaloangroup.com

Yankie (718) 744-7459

yankie@sbaloangroup.com

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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A Virtual Yom Ha’Atzmaut Celebration

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he week leading up to Yom Ha’Atzmaut, mysterious deliveries began arriving at select and widespread locations all around Israel. The orange packages, containing confetti-patterned gift boxes, were excitedly opened in Haifa, Efrat, Tel Aviv, Yerushalayim and many other neighborhoods in the Holy Land by surprised and delighted children and grandchildren of the Marion and Aaron Gural JCC’s OKAY moms’ group. The deliveries each contained a beautiful, personalized album from the JCC initiative entitled “What Our Children Living in Israel Means to Us.” Made possible by the JCC Association of North America’s Israel Engagement Fund and Days of Memory Yom Ha’Atzmaut program, twenty OKAY moms whose children live in Israel were able to create a meaningful and personalized album expressing their feelings

about having children and grandchildren live so far away. Filled with photos, notes and memorabilia, the albums were a heartfelt expression of an emotional rollercoaster of feelings including love and pride, longing and sometimes frustration.

“This is the kind of book we’re going to read again and again, every Shabbos,” said one very happy recipient. Another OKAY member added: “My second couple just got their album and they’re blown away! The album went a long way in comfort.”

And from another: “My children just got their book. What a beautiful way to reach them on Yom Ha’Atzmaut.

What a wonderful way for us all to enhance our feelings from so far away!”

O.K.A.Y. – Our Kids Abroad in Yisrael – was founded over four years ago by Rachayle Deutsch at the Gural JCC whose daughter and family moved to Israel now almost

a decade ago. “The feelings we have about our children moving to Israel are complicated. We brought them up with a love for Israel and the knowledge that Israel is our home where we all truly belong. But when they decide to move there, well, it’s hard – beautiful, inspiring, but hard.”

The OKAY group was created as a safe place for moms to come together to discuss not only their feelings, which only someone in the same situation can relate to, but also to exchange invaluable information about flights, insurance, sending packages, medical referrals and so much more. The group met once a month in person and also included an ongoing chat with timely information and support delivered on a daily basis.

As difficult as this pandemic year has been for everyone, it has been especially trying for those whose children live overseas. Most moms in the group have not seen their children and grandchildren in over a year and a half. Many have missed births, bar mitzvahs and even weddings, a scenario they could never have imagined prior to

the pandemic. The OKAY group has been a source of much comfort and strength as the women kept each other’s spirits up on Zoom meetings and continued their WhatsApp chat and exchange of invaluable information nearly 24/7.

After an eighteen month of separation and Yom Ha’Atzmaut coming up, the ability to create and send meaningful messages to our children and grandchildren in Israel through a beautiful keepsake provided a welcome opportunity to connect with them in an original and different way. The Days of Memory program was proudly supported by the Israel Engagement Fund: A JCC of North America Program Accelerator, made possible by the generosity of several committed donors.

If you or anyone you know would like to join the Gural JCC OKAY group for moms whose kids live in Israel, please contact Rachayle Deutsch at (516)569-6733 #222, rachayle.deutsch@guraljcc.org.

The Marion and Aaron Gural JCC is a UJA-Federation of New York proud non-profit partner.

Did you know?

The recycling symbol made of three arrows forming a triangle was designed

by Gary Anderson, a 23-year-old student, in 1960s.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Shulamith and Israel: Always in our Hearts and Minds By: Gabi Moskowitz and Keli Faivish

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n Yom HaZikaron, the seventh and eighth graders at Shulamith School for Girls had the honor of meeting former IDF soldier Itai Avraham via Zoom. Itai shared his story about how he got injured in battle and became a paramedic. The girls were very interested and asked him a lot of questions.

Eighth grader Liana Kollander said, “It was really meaningful hearing a soldier’s personal experience, and inspiring to know that even though he was injured, he still keeps on going to save other soldiers’ lives.

Soldiers risk their lives every day for the independence of Israel. They are true heroes.”

Later that morning, each class learned about Yom HaZikaron and

the fallen soldiers via a powerful video presentation. Students lit candles in their classrooms, recited the tefillot for the Medina and Tzahal, and said Tehillim.

The next day, on Yom Ha’Atzmaut, the eighth graders hosted a festival, creating a mini- Israel. Students from grades 5-7 visited each location, learning facts about our Holy Land and participating in fun activities.

“The Yom Ha’Atzmaut festival was super-fun, even in the rain! All the kids and teachers had a ton of fun spray painting!” says eighth grader Daphna Flug, one of the heads of the booth where participants used paintfilled spray bottles to create artwork for an art gallery in Tzfat.

Visitors to Kibbutz Kineret enjoyed a game with water guns to represent the Kineret and a drum circle as an ode to Naomi Shemer, the fa-

mous Israeli composer of “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav” who came from Kibbutz Kineret.

There was even a shuk where girls got candy, oranges, spices, and Israeli pickles.

The eighth graders had an amazing time and loved being in charge of booths and having fun with their friends.

A group of eighth grade girls worked for weeks to practice for a

daglanut, an Israeli flag dance. The daglanut heads, Mia Kaplowitz and Atara Guttman, worked hard to choreograph a dance that the lower and middle divisions would love. They had a quarantine scare, but they ended up being able to practice online, and by the time Yom Ha’Atzmaut arrived, everyone was out of quarantine and they were able to put on an incredible performance.

TR kindergarteners celebrated Yom Ha’Atzmaut by touring classrooms which were transformed into different locales in Israel including Tzfat, Caesarea, Shuk Machane Yehuda and a kibbutz.

In the holy city of Tzfat, students were introduced to both the history and the religious aspects of the mystical city. They learned about the color blue being a predominant color in the shuls in Tzfat, representing heaven and reminding us to direct our thoughts and tefillot to Hashem.

The students learned the meaning of Lecha Dodi, which was composed in Tzfat, and created an art project to display at home. In Caesarea, they

learned about the aqueducts and one of the most famous sites in Caesarea, the amphitheater, which is still in use today. They watched a video about a mosaic that was just found in Caesarea and then created their own.

Students learned that on a kibbutz everyone works together. They were surprised to hear that on many kibbutzim, people both live and work.

Students made Israeli salad from fresh tomatoes and cucumbers and planted corn. They look forward to eating “the fruits of their labor.”

The visit to Shuk Machane Yehuda in Yerushalayim was definitely the highlight of the tour! The students learned that Israel’s currency is called

shekalim and had an opportunity to use shekalim to “purchase” yummy snacks. In another part of the shuk, students used multiple senses to identify a variety of fresh spices including garlic powder, black peppercorns, foot-long cinnamon sticks, cumin, whole ginger, and Israeli parsley. Finally, kindergarteners learned that Shuk Machane Yehuda is also a popular place for graffiti artists to display their work. The children decorated their own names in personalized graffiti. They loved this unique experience and agreed that the real Shuk Machane Yehuda is a “must see” when visiting Israel in the future!

Seventh graders enjoying some oranges at the shuk

Israel@73

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he rain did not dampen the HAFTR spirit as we welcomed in Yom Ha’Atzmaut last week.

The day began with special tefillot and a flag raising ceremony, and then students were off to celebrate Israel @ 73 through a variety of different activities. Walking down the halls, one could feel the energy and excitement of the day. Each grade sang along and danced as they were treated to a concert by Uri Davidi, sponsored by the HAFTR PTA. Students participated in a scavenger hunt which tested both ancient and modern knowledge about Israel.

They ran back and forth answering clues, collecting puzzle pieces, and placing their flags on the correct location on a giant Israel map. Additionally, they learned new dances and enjoyed creating and eating blue and white parfaits.

Second graders learned about archaeology and some important discoveries made in Israel, then created their own fossils of objects that could be found in Israel. Third graders learned about topographical maps and created their own topographical maps of Israel using sand, cardboard, paper and gravel to represent the desert, hills, land and water.

With passports in hand, HAF-

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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Around the Community

New York City Councilmember and candidate for Brooklyn Borough President Robert Cornegy visited the Agudah headquarters last week

MBA JV Champions – MAY Eagles!

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his past Sunday night marked the ending of the Mesivta Basketball Association’s 2nd season. Mesivta Ateres Yaakov took on Yeshiva Darchei Torah in the Championship Game of the Junior Varsity Division. A competitive rivalry, in the end, Coach Zev Teitelbaum led his MAY Eagles to a victory, 37-30.

The League was hosted

by Mesivta Ateres Yaakov in their state-of-the-art Shaulson Gymnasium and brought together talmidim from local yeshivos for clean, competitive basketball every Sunday evening.

“Boys from other teams sometimes come early or stay

gathering at MAY on Sunday nights.”

Modeled after the successful Mesivta Football League (MFL), the League follows a Torahdik hashkafa and maintains guidelines that reflect those of b’nei Torah.

The League would like to thank all participating schools – players, coach and hanhala – for helping make this season so successful.

The Varsity Division is already underway. Good luck to all!

late to watch the other games being played that evening,”

said Assistant Commissioner Mr. Zack Kessler. “That’s

part of the novelty of this League. It’s like a community

For more information, email mesivtabasketball@gmail. com or check out their website mesivtabasketball.com.

OU Partnering with Shuls to Get Members Back to Synagogue

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ne of the most profound ways the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the Jewish community over the past year was the initial closure of and the subsequent limitations on synagogues. Now, as more congregants have been vaccinated and individual state regulations on indoor public gatherings have eased, the Orthodox Union (OU), the nation’s oldest and largest umbrella organization for the North American Orthodox Jewish community, is launching a new $100,000 challenge grant. The grant is designed to support congregations who create innovative programs and services that will invigorate synagogues and

stimulate congregants to re-embrace synagogue life.

Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to the programs selected and will be administered through the OU’s Department of Synagogue Initiatives. Synagogues interested in applying for a grant can apply via https://www.ou.org/grant21/.

Applications are due April 30th and awards will be announced on May 14th.

“With the pandemic keeping so many community members away from their synagogues, it is imperative that we think together as a community to re-imagine the synagogue experience in a way that excites and

motivates members to return,” said OU President Moishe Bane. “It is important to focus on engaging all segments of our community, including youth, women and seniors who have had even fewer outlets over the course of the pandemic to re-engage in synagogue life.”

The OU hopes to partner with communities to remind community members of the many vital aspects of Jewish life that only happen in a synagogue community.

“We are looking to spur thoughtful conversations within synagogues as to how to restore and enhance their vibrancy and remind our communities’ members of the many spir-

itual, educational, communal, and social dimensions of our synagogues.

The synagogue is the halachic and historic hub of Jewish life and this program is designed to highlight that,” said OU Executive Vice President Rabbi Moshe Hauer.

“Beyond the awarding of grants itself, our goal with this program is to create a repository of ideas and share them as broadly as possible so that the broader Jewish community can benefit from the wisdom and creative ideas of others,” said OU Synagogue Initiatives Director Rabbi Adir Posy.

“We are trying to spur innovation and make everyone the beneficiaries of these innovative ideas.”

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Rav Kolodetsky, shlita, spoke to the Yeshiva Nishmas Hatorah mesivta and kollel

YOSS ECC Journeys to the Holy Land

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fter passing through security, Covid clearance and passport check in, our boys were ready to fly to Eretz Yisrael!

First stop: davening at the Kosel, then onto an exclusive tasting at the shuk: Israeli salad, Bissli, homemade pita bread and mitz mango.

After an exciting tour of the Biblical Zoo, we discovered how things float in Yam Hamelech and then enjoyed and archaeological dig!

Some of the boys began construction in Ramat Beit Shemesh to build their new homes – or was it a Yeshiva of South Shore in Eretz Yisrael?

Margaret Tietz to Host an Evening of Inspiration

By Shabsie Saphirstein

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abbi Fabian Schonfeld, zt”l, had a tremendous impact on bringing the Queens-based Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center to the Orthodox Jewish market. Over his decades of influence, Rabbi Schonfeld was a vital leader and effective spokesperson for the entire Jewish community and led the charge of the facility becoming fully kosher. His vision, guidance, and constant support allowed Margaret Tietz to welcome the frum community with open arms.

Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld’s stewardship of this effort will be reflected on this upcoming Tuesday eve-

ning April 27 at 7 p.m. by his son, Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld, mara d’asrah of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills. The program’s momentum will be moderated by Rabbi Zavel Pearlman, the coordinator for Jewish affairs at Margaret Tietz.

“Serving Hashem with True Simcha” will be the impactful theme of Rabbi Eytan Feiner’s passionate address. Rabbi Feiner is a driving force in the Far Rockaway and Five Towns area as rav of Congregation Kneseth Israel, The White Shul.

The evening will also feature moving words of motivation from Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaum, renowned posek and rav of Khal Nachlas Yitzchok in Kew Gardens Hills.

The rabbi will speak on the topic of “Recognizing the Blessing of Life.”

Viewers will also enjoy remarks

by Rabbi Chaim Schwartz, executive vice president of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, who gives the certification for the center.

“We are extremely excited to bring together leading rabbonim who have made a tremendous impact on the Jewish world,” said Mrs. Linda Spiegel, director of public affairs for Margaret Tietz. “This presentation culminates many weeks of planning and brings our communities an unprecedented opportunity to gain inspiration and chizuk, at a time when we are beginning to emerge from a difficult period. The

speakers are excited, our facility is encouraged, and it is our hope that we can stimulate you with these impactful words.

“Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld was larger than life in acts and deeds as he spread Yiddishkeit far and wide. We bring this program as a remembrance for his actions and as an effort to keep his values, love of family and love of community in our thoughts. Many are uncomfortable attending live lectures, and it is our pleasure to bring this event at no charge.”

The program will be streamed for the first time on events.margarettietz.org.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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Spring Has Sprung at Gan Chamesh

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he children at Gan Chamesh are excited to observe the magical changes that the spring season brings to Hashem’s

beautiful world. They are exploring nature and watching the metamorphosis of caterpillars to butterflies in all the classrooms.

Rav Shlomo Pluchinsky, rosh yeshiva of Machon Bais Aryeh in Yerushalayim, spoke to the talmidim of the seventh and eighth grades of Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island about helping and thinking about others. Rav Pluchinsky is a grandson of the famed tzaddik of Yerushalayim, Rav Aryeh Levin. The menahel, Rabbi Tzvi Krigsman, translated his message to the talmidim.

Bioengineering at HANC

By Leora Peyser

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he HANC Middle School eighth grade classes dived into the curriculum this year with biomedical engineering and the technology and advancements in the engineering field that have helped to build prosthetics. Real prosthetics work by maneuvering the nerves in a hand to make the prosthetic move the way you want. This strategy of taking the nerves is the same one the students used to build their own cardboard hand but with strings.

Our goal in the making of the hand was to be able to make the cardboard grasp around a bottle and hold it.

I decided to make the advanced model of the cardboard prosthetic hand. I’m very into creating new things and challenging myself. I followed a complex video with no measurements besides my intuition and started with building the joints.

After hours of tracing, cutting, and gluing the pieces needed together, I made the palm and actual hand. I had to improvise a little, but it ended up exceeding my expectations.

Lots of steps went into this project, but I think it was a great experience.

I learned a lot about my own perseverance and how science works in the real world.

Chazaq CEO Rabbi Yaniv Meirov interviewed Holocaust survivor Dr. Moshe Katz last week

Kinesthetic learning in the Nursery Room at Gesher. Catching the b-b-ball and placing it on our b-b-belly while saying the letter sound of beis

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Yeshiva Darchei Torah talmid Shaya Trenk shows the first grade talmidim of Rav Menachem Engel a live turkey as part of their limud of the simanei kashrus and mesorah of birds The Mevakshei Hashem Rebbe from Bnei Brak spoke and gave brachos to the mesivta bochurim of Yeshiva Nishmas Hatorah

Team Shevach GOes for the GOld

R

osh Chodesh Iyar was celebrated in Shevach High School with an inspiring and enjoyable breakfast. The GO theme of the month, “Teamwork,” was addressed by Mrs. Chaviva Pfeiffer, teacher and mechaneches at Bais Yaakov of Queens. Mrs. Pfeiffer, daughter of Rabbi Paysach Krohn, has inspired audiences for many years both as a speaker and a writer.

She creatively spoke of “team” and of “work” and tied both in with simcha and avodas Hashem. Her words were warmly received, and the girls left with much to think about and internalize into their daily lives.

The uplifting talk was then followed by two teachers’ panel discussions. A dozen staff members, consisting of Shevach principals, mechanchos, and teachers, addressed student questions relating to the GO theme. A core point brought up was the importance of friends in all stages of one’s life and the need to “reach across the aisle” in one’s

relationship with others. Students enjoyed very much hearing and relating to the shared personal experiences from within the social fabric of their teacher’s lives and absorbed the insightful advice the Shevach staff members offered on this topic.

The delicious breakfast was organized by the Shevach GO heads: Elana Adler, Hadassah Gottesman, Miriam Romm, Chaya Shalva Boiangiu, and Chaya Praeger. To set the tone of the morning, the MPR was beautifully decorated, with the front wall emblazoned with the words “Team Shevach G.O.es for the Gold.”

A big thank you to Shevach Principal, Rebbitzen Rochelle Hirtz, and Shevach Educational Administrator, Mrs. Devorah Kovitz, for coordinating this special event for the girls.

As the school year winds down, and the summer approaches, the lessons brought home from this Rosh Chodesh event will long be remembered by the Shevach students.

Inspirational Series for Families of Individuals With Disabilities

T

he Orthodox Union’s (OU) Yachad, the leading organization for individuals with disabilities, has announced its April and May virtual speaker series dates to provide inspiration and chizuk to families of individuals with disabilities. The sessions are being held monthly and feature top Jewish speakers like Rabbi Judah Mischel, Rabbi Paysach Krohn, and Rebbetzin Aviva Feiner.

The first of the three sessions, took place late March and featured Rabbi Judah Mischel. Nearly 100 families joined the midday session.

The upcoming session in April features Rabbi Krohn who will speak about “Inspired Parenting.” It will take place on Tuesday, April 27 at 8:30 PM EDT. Through relevant and touching stories, Rabbi Krohn will touch upon values, attitudes, and perspectives that will guide parents through thick and thin. Those interested in joining can join the Zoom session at: www.yachad.org/speakerseries.

The third of the sessions will take place on Tuesday, May 25 at 8:30 PM

EDT for a women’s only audience. It will be led by Rebbetzin Aviva Feiner who will present a shiur for women on “Growing from Challenge.” The rebbetzin, who also serves as an educator and inspirational speaker, will present on her own challenging life experiences as well as utilize a breadth of Torah sources and insights that speak to both mind and spirit. Her session can be joined through the same link.

“In pre-COVID times, after the holiday of Pesach, Yachad families would begin to look forward to our annual family shabbaton, an event full of growth and support for one another,” said Chani Herrmann, Yachad’s associate director. “While this year safety precautions will still inhibit our ability to spend a weekend connecting with and strengthening one-another at the family retreat, these trying times have made the chizuk the event provides all the more longed for. Our goal in the virtual series is to give our Yachad families multiple opportunities for inspiration and chizuk over the course of monthly sessions.”

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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62

APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Rabbi Pfeiffer distributing prizes for the annual YKLI Hasmadah Program

Andrew Yang Visits Far Rockaway

L

ast week, mayoral candidate Andrew Yang visited the Torah Academy for Girls and Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway to meet with students and school leaders.

At the Torah Academy for Girls, Dean Rabbi Meyer Weitman invited Andrew to address students about current events in New York. Andrew also toured Yeshiva Darchei Torah, where he got a firsthand look at the school’s robust vocational training program and met with dozens of students. After the tours, Andrew sat down with Jewish community leaders to listen to their community’s concerns and share his positive vision for New York City.

Said Andrew Yang, “I was honored to get to know the Far Rockaway community and particularly enjoyed talking with young students

who showed an incredible depth of knowledge on the issues that impact them the most. I look forward to continuing these conversations with

young people and community leaders across the City so we can work together to help New York reach its fullest potential.”

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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Around the Community

YOSS Mechina Reads to Succeed

C

ongratulations to class 6E, winners of Achieve 3000’s Read to Succeed Contest!

The Abraham and Sara Silber Middle School of Yeshiva of South Shore began using the literacy program Achieve 3000 earlier this year, a program that focuses and ultimately raises their Lexile score on reading.

The worldwide program holds several school-wide contests throughout the year. Students are given time in school to read articles and complete online activities. However, most of the reading is done at home in their free time.

Our dedicated and determined boys spent much of their spare time

competing. In fact, some students were so committed that they earned individual awards. Congratulations to the following boys for their outstanding accomplishments, as both daily and weekly top scorers for the state of NY: Yosef Baron, Hillel Friedman, Tani Glass, Shimi Klein, Aryeh Newman, and Yehuda Shilo. And special

congratulations additionally go to Tani Glass, Shimi Klein, and Aryeh Newman for being WORLDWIDE daily top scorers! Congratulations to the entire sixth grade on a job well done!

Special thanks to Mrs. Dalia Krinsky, Middle School ELA teacher, for helping implement this program and for encouraging her students to achieve.

64

APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Last night, NYS Senator Todd Kaminsky, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato and former Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder met with Five Towns and West Hempstead rabbis and community leaders about how the American Rescue Plan will help the local community and its institutions, as well as the importance of supporting Israel

How To Help Your Parents Plan In Their Senior Years (Part 1)

By Monet Binder, Esq.

W

hen you think of the word “child,” the visual that appears in your mind, normally, is a little child, probably under the age of 10. If your parents are alive, no matter how old they are, and regardless of how old you are, you will always be their child.

As an older child of parents who are getting into their senior years, you might become the one responsible for their care if they are unable to care for themselves. The role reversal, that shifts from them being responsible for you during your younger years to you be responsible for them in their older years, can be much more difficult for you if your parents do not do their own proper planning in advance.

The number of calls I receive from children whose parents either have not done any estate planning or have plans that were done years ago, which need serious updating, are numerous.

So, as the adult child of aging parents, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, what do you need to do?

First, prepare yourself. There are some questions you should ask yourself: Do your parents have an estate plan? If they have a plan, is it up-todate? If you do not know whether they have estate planning in place that will help you best support them when they need you, find out and make sure your parents have done the proper planning.

Without a solid comprehensive estate plan for them, not only are they not protected and vulnerable, but also,

you and your family may be negatively impacted by their failure to plan.

When you are considering planning, their possible long-term-care needs must be addressed, along with the potential financial impact and cost of that care. This article is designed to help you gain clarity and provide you with some of the basic information you need to assist your parents with their own estate planning.

The Connection between Estate Planning and Long-Term-Care Estate planning is necessary for anyone who wants to minimize the burden, hardship and stress their family will experience if there is a sudden medical crisis or loss of capacity.

That planning can and should include a way for seniors to age as comfortably as possible, with the best services available, without requiring family members to personally take on the role of caregiver or cost of care. Providing for these possibilities are fundamental objectives that need to be achieved when we consider and plan for long-term-care and making it as easy as possible for those we love.

What drives this type of estate plan, which translates into the quality, type, and duration of long-termcare, is the value of the estate itself.

So, without proper long-term-care planning, and by not doing the right estate planning, your parent’s estate can be easily and quickly depleted by the enormous expense of long-termcare.

If you think that estate planning is only for the ultra-wealthy, to protect their large estates from lawsuits, taxes and even business failure, I believe you may be misinformed. Estate plan-

ning is crucial to middle-class seniors, maybe your parents, who need to protect their life savings and homes from what could amount to over $160,000 in cost per year for care.

Each year, already high costs are only rising for long-term-care. And, government aid, to assist with coverage for long-term care, may not be available to those who did not take the initiative to plan early. The last thing most people want is to deplete their estate, so it is not available for them when they need it, or to pass on to their loved ones, due to lack of planning for the high cost of long-termcare.

Unfortunately, in my Estate Planning and Elder Law practice, I have seen too many people try to start their planning during a crisis. Calls are made from a child of someone, in the hospital, who is going to be discharged to a rehabilitation facility, asking what they can do to offset the huge expense of care their parents are facing. Their biggest fear is that if the care their parents receive goes on too long, everything their parents worked for over a lifetime could be wiped out.

This is not the best time to start planning. There are some planning steps that can be taken in a crisis situation, but they are costly and not as effective as planning early and in advance. All of this could be easily avoided with thoughtful planning by seniors, especially with the support and assistance of their children.

So, What Should a Child of an Aging Parent Do? In the next article, I will discuss what action steps you and your parents can take and introduce you to

some of the documents that are used in planning to protect your parents and their estate, and to make the process easier for the families involved.

Even though planning early is so important, studies show that as many as 64% of Americans don’t even have a simple Will. If you and/or your parents are part of the 64 percentiles, and want to take the next step, we are here to help, assist and guide you. At Monet Binder Law, PC, you will get compassionate and professional assistance, in a personal and caring way. We don’t use one-size-fits all documents for all of our clients, with plans you can’t understand and that are not explained.

Rather, we believe through educating you with the right information and planning options, you can make the best decisions for yourself and those you love. Contact us today to initiate the planning process for you or your parents, at 718-514-7575 or email us at monet@mbinderlaw.com. You’ll be glad you did.

Monet Binder, Esq., has her practice in Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island 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.

The information in this article is intended solely for your information. It does not constitute legal advice, and it should not be relied on without a discussion of your specific situation with an attorney.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

Around the Community

New Boys Learning Program

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On Monday nights, the boys are delighted with treats from Carlos & Gabby’s and they enjoy Thursday night chulent and potato kugel from Traditions. Nightly and weekly raffles lend an extra element of excitement to the night as the boys finish up with Maariv at 8:45.

All 7-8th grade boys are invited to join this beautiful new program at the new Beis Medrash in Aish Kodesh.

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

53

A Tribute to

Naftali Rosenman, a”h

By A Friend

A

few words to remember our friend Naftali Rosenman (Ilan Naftali ben Noach Yosef), who passed away on the 25 of Nissan 5781. Although he had been suffering with an illness, his overall hopefulness that he would have a full refuah make his sudden return to our Creator so much more unexpected and sad.

Let’s unpack and examine some of the noble and good traits of this fine Jewish soul.

Naftali was more than anything a stellar lesson in humility. He was the humblest man I knew. His character was actually a veil of sorts over this powerhouse of fine character. The Mishna in Pirkei Avos 3:10 says that it’s evidently a big deal what Naftali was all about: “Kol she’ruach ha’briyos nochah heimenu, ruach HaMakom nochah heimenu – a person with whom men are pleased, G-d is pleased.”

Naftali was exceptionally concerned about even possibly offending others. Never being offensive or insulting, he was still always apologetic for any possibility that he may have offended someone.

A big part of Naftali’s avodas hakodesh was his absolute belief that davening works. He would ask people to daven for him. His connection to tefillah was most apparent in the huge efforts he expended in the later years when he pushed himself to walk to his shul, the Young Israel of

Bayswater. It was a long walk, not easy. How many Shabbos mornings did I see him literally with his last strength drag himself back home, stopping to regain his strength every few paces, later with his cane and later on a walker, exhausted, but still going, and happy to be doing it? Most would not leave to shul in this condition. He did it on Shabbos morning and then did it all over again for Mincha. He was thinking about

pushed himself for his portion of Torah. Hs yegiah, his striving for those moments of learning Torah, was very a real priority for him.

His priceless smile will be missed. He really loved people and is remembered as a person who did not to say a bad word about someone else. There’s an incredible true story how he handled himself when it came to speaking about others. Once, Naftali observed a friend being berated

His priceless smile will be missed.

shul attendance logistics days before Shabbos, and weeks before yom tov, he was concerned if he would be well enough to attend.

Naftali had made a set time to learn Torah with a neighbor. This was one of the many different ways he did his part to grow in learning.

Rabbi Eliezer Feuer of the Young Israel of Bayswater, who eloquently led the funeral, relayed that Naftali attended his Sunday Gemara shiur for approximately 15 years with a tremendous attendance record.

Naftali’s will and desire to learn the holy words of Torah was impressive.

For example, there was a small shiur before Mincha given in a home which Naftali attended for years. He

in the street by another individual.

The situation diffused, and at a later time and place, Naftali managed to address it in his own way. He did not take a side, yet brilliantly said to his friend, “It hurts me to see someone talk to you like that.” He conveyed his loyalty and was kind – and all without knocking anyone. Never a bad word. What a sterling character!

Naftali worked very hard for many years at a company in Manhattan. Sometimes, on erev Shabbosim, a company vehicle would be available to be taken home over the weekend.

He was once asked why he didn’t use the vehicle for certain errands over the weekend. He was taken aback when asked the question, and he

said that it wouldn’t be right. He was being so careful because the vehicle was for work purposes, and errands had never been discussed.

When he became ill, he was so concerned to take unemployment benefits for his illness and worked well beyond typical employee devotion – he literally had to be convinced that the employer was not going to suffer any unfair loss from his disability pay. Thus, Naftali truly fulfilled the directive in Bamidbar, 32:22 of “V’heyisem nekiim mei’Hashem u’mei’Yisrael – you shall be clean before Hashem and before Jews,” which is the Torah directive to be clean from any suspicion of improper monetary dealings. Naftali was an epic living demonstration of this mitzvah.

In retrospect, Naftali was a giant amongst men. Who lives like this today? May his life’s actions be an encouragement to those who knew him and those hearing about him.

May he be an advocate upstairs for us all and specifically for his mourning wife Rahla, who with utmost devotion lovingly cared for him through an illness that brought many unique challenges. May Hashem ease her pain and provide comfort. In this difficult moment for all who knew and loved Naftali, it is our hope that Hashem dry our tears and soften this difficult moment. May He give his brothers and sisters a nechama for their loss.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The| The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 Jewish Home

1.

TJH

*

Centerfold

Take That, Jelly Bean April 22nd is National Jelly Bean Day. Jelly Belly makes 1,680 jelly beans per second.

Most jelly bean assortments include eight flavors.

The reason jelly beans tend to be kidney shaped is because the American diet was dominated by beans

Jelly Bellys have 32 ingredients and take 7 to 14 days to make.

In the early 20th century, “jelly bean” was a slang term for a man

in the 1800s, when they were invented and candies back then were made to look like vegetables.

Red is the most preferred candy color by consumers, and Mike & Ikes makes more than 10

who put forth great effort to dress

shades of red because it is by far the most popular

stylishly.

color jelly bean. (Yes, Mike & Ikes are jelly beans… sorry to bust the debate!)

Jelly Belly’s blueberry flavor was created for Ronald Reagan’s presidential

Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans makes some

inauguration in 1981 when over three tons of Jelly Belly

choice flavors, including Black Pepper, Dirt, Earwax,

beans were consumed during the festivities.

Rotten Egg, Stinky Socks, and Earthworm.

You Gotta be Kidding Me! One day, a man goes to a pet shop to buy a parrot. The assistant takes the man to the parrot section and asks him to choose one.

The man asks, “How much is the yellow one?”

The assistant replies that it costs $2,000. The man is shocked and asks the assistant why it’s so expensive.

“This parrot is a very special one. He can type really fast.”

“What about the green one?” the man asks. “He costs $5,000 because he can type, answer incoming phone calls and takes notes.”

“What about the red one?” the man asks.

The assistant says, “That one’s $10,000.”

Curious, the man asks, “What does he do?”

The assistant says, “I don’t know, but the other two call him boss.”

Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 22, 2021 The The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 2015

Spanish American War Trivia See what you know about one of the U.S.’s lesser-known wars, on the April 21st anniversary of the start of that war

1. In what year did the Spanish American War take place? a. 1723 b. 1776 c. 1823 d. 1898

4. Who led the Rough Riders to victory at the Battle of San Juan Hill? a. William Taft b. Theodore Roosevelt c. George Dewey d. George Patton

2. With whom did the U.S. fight in the Spanish American War? a. Spain b. Mexico c. Cuba d. Venezuela

5. What country was the Spanish American War fought over? a. Cuba b. Spain c. Greece d. Mexico

3. How long did the war— in which the U.S. suffered 3,289 deaths— last for? a. 2 weeks b. 8 months c. 3 years d. 22 years

6. Who was the president of the United States during the Spanish American War? a. Grover Cleveland b. William McKinley c. William Taft d. Benjamin Harrison

Riddle me This?

A prisoner is told: “If you tell a lie, we will hang you, and if you tell the truth, we will shoot you.”

What did the prisoner say to save himself?

Answer below

7. What did then-Secretary of State John Hay call the Spanish American War? a. A necessary conflict between unnecessary rivals b. War for the soul of the world c. A splendid little war d. Century-ending tragedy

Answers: 1. D 3. B 5. A 7. C

2. A 4. B 6. B

Wisdom Key: 6-7 correct: You are a history buff!

2-5 correct: Not bad. Tell your parents how many you got right; they will be surprised that you paid so much attention in history class.

0-1 correct: You are a splendid little ignoramus.

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Answer to riddle: “You will hang me”

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

3

Torah Thought

Parshas Acharei Mos-Kedoshim

By Rabbi Berel Wein

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he Torah reading for this week is a double portion, which together contains the largest number of commandments that appears in any one section of the holy Torah. One question which has challenged Judaism throughout the ages is why do we need so many commandments to fulfill our obligation to be good, kind, and faithful? Is it not sufficient that we understand the general principles as outlined in the Ten Commandments, which permeate all Jewish life and scholarship?

Since we are aware of the goal – namely that of being a good, honest, and compassionate human being – shouldn’t that realization suffice and not require all of the particular details that make up the bulk of this week’s Torah reading? Even though we understand, as any lawyer will tell you, that the devil is in the details, at first glance and even with a superficial understanding, it seems completely superfluous to have these many instructions hurled upon us, to achieve the goal that we are all aware of.

By the way, this has always been the contention of some factions in Jewish life through history – that

the details of the commandments were not really that important, but as a Jew, it was crucial to be a good person at heart. This was the contention of the ancient Sadducees in second Temple times and continues to be the philosophy of all those groups that deviated from Jewish tradition and observance of the Torah commandments throughout the ages. It

often lead to tyranny over others, and even to murder and genocide.

Without the details, how are good intentions to be fulfilled? We cannot rely upon human judgment to guarantee that those good intentions will ever be realized.

The worst dictators and murders of the past few centuries such as Napoleon, the Kaiser, and even

Without the details, how are good intentions to be fulfilled?

remains, even today, the banner of the non-Orthodox groups that loudly proclaim and justify their essential non-Jewish Jewishness. To them, the details are unnecessary, burdensome and of little value. Just be a good person, they proclaim, and that alone is the essence of Judaism.

But human history teaches us differently. As has been famously articulated: the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and good intentions

Hitler and Stalin always proclaimed that they had good intentions for their country, and, in fact, for all of mankind. They maintained that to achieve those good intentions they were entitled to use force and coercion against millions of others, to actualize their good objectives.

In our current world society, good intentions alone, without the restraint of the commandments and details, led to the murder of millions

of unborn but living fetuses, concentration camps, gulags, the cancel culture, and the tyranny of the majority over the minority, no matter how slight the margin of majority in terms of numbers and popularity.

Good intentions without the restraint of details and commandments are, in fact, a danger and not a boon to human society. Through the Torah commandments, Judaism offers instructions as how to become a good person and maintain a moral life. It teaches us that oftentimes it is the minority, not the majority, that is correct.

Even though the goal of being a good and holy person should never be forgotten – for otherwise the observance of the details would be of little value, as is noted by Ramban, that one can be a wicked person while believing oneself to be within the purview of the Torah. It is the balance between the great ultimate goals and the details of how to achieve that. which makes Judaism unique, vibrant, and eternal. This balancing act is the secret of the survival of Judaism and the Jewish people throughout the ages.

Shabbat shalom.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

From the Fire Parshas Kedoshim

You Can Be Like Me!

By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

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he two hardest words in the whole Torah are in this week’s parsha (Vayikra 19:2): “You shall be holy.”

When Reb Shalom Kaminker, zy”a, was a child, he was brought to the Chozeh of Lublin, zy”a. When the Chozeh met little Shalom, he asked him, “Do you know what this week’s parsha is?” He answered, “Parshas Kedoshim.” The Chozeh asked him, “And do you know what Rashi says ‘You shall be holy’ means?” Little Shalom was too afraid to speak before the Chozeh so he remained silent. The Chozeh therefore continued, “Rashi says it means you should separate yourself from physicality.”

Shaken, the boy left the Rebbe.

He was so affected by the Chozeh’s words that it took the boy several days to return to regular life.

The demand that we be holy feels so daunting. Most commentaries explain that this means we must separate ourselves from immorality. Most of us spend our entire lives working to achieve this, to become healthy, good Jews! And the command seems even more out of reach according to the Ramban, who explains that we must sanctify ourselves even with regard to things that are permissible! There are those who attempt to comfort us by explaining that it is not really a commandment, but rather, a prediction that one day, eventually, we will be holy. But it is clear that while this is true, it is not in accordance with the simple meaning of the Torah and Chazal’s explanation of it. How can Hashem, Who would never make unattainable demands of us, ask us to “be holy,” when it is so hard even to fulfill the basic do’s and

don’ts of Yiddishkeit?

This commandment becomes even more mysterious when we consider a well-known Midrash (Vayikra Raba 24:9) which says: “‘You shall be holy,’ can you be like Me, yachol kamoni?! The pasuk therefore teaches, ‘Because I am holy,’ My holiness is above your holiness.’” At first glance, this Midrash is quite comforting. It seems to release us from any obligation to be truly holy. “Do you think you can be like Me?!” Our response to this might be, “No? Okay, wonderful, we’re off the hook.” But upon deeper reflection, what is the basis of the Midrash’s initial question? How could it think we could be holy in the same way Hashem is holy? It must mean that there is a reason to think that we can be holy like Hashem.

In fact, many tzaddikim explain the Midrash, on a much deeper level than the simple meaning of the words. Indeed, the Hebrew words

for “simple explanation, pshat,” and “fool, tipeish,” share the same letters because those that limit themselves to only understanding Torah according to its simple explanation are fools. The Torah is so deep. The Kedushas Levi, Meor Einayim and others explain the Midrash not as a rejected initial thought and an answer but as a statement of fact.

The Degel Machaneh Ephraim explains this alternate reading as follows: “‘Yachol kamoni’ meaning that every person can be holy like Hashem, as it were, because the soul is a ‘piece’ of G-d above and the part can be like the whole… And how do we know this? ‘The pasuk therefore teaches, ‘Because I am Hashem. My holiness is above your holiness,’ [which should be interpreted to mean that] the reason my holiness is elevated ‘above’ is only because of your holiness. The Jewish people, through their good deeds, add strength and

holiness, as it were, to the Heavenly host… ‘I am Hashem,’ meaning, that I am Hashem because I am your G-d, your G-d, the G-d of Israel…”

In this remarkable comment, the Degel teaches that Hashem wants us to know that we can be holy like Him. And while this concept deserves a more robust explanation, the Degel does not stop there. He also teaches us that Hashem “derives” His holiness from our mitzvos in this world. I recommend that readers also see the Meor Einayim, who expresses this concept even more strongly.

According to these tzaddikim, the Midrash is not a rhetorical question, “Do you think you could be like Hashem?!” Rather, it teaches us an amazing thing. We can be holy like Hashem. But while we trust the words of these tzaddikim, the intellect simply does not allow us to accept that we can actually be holy like G-d. It cries out cynically, “This is impossible. How can we understand anything but the Midrash’s literal interpretation, ‘Do you think you can be holy like Me?!’”

But the Rizhiner, zy”a, says that we cannot dismiss our capacity for true holiness. He quotes the pasuk in Yeshaya (4:3), “And it will be that those who remain in Zion and those who are left over in Yerushalayim shall be called ‘holy…’” The Rebbe explains that this refers to those who remain Jews at the end of time. It describes our generation. The angels call us, anyone who has managed to retain some semblance of Yiddishkeit despite everything, “holy.” Just as the tzaddikim explain the Midrash above, every person can be holy.

But this truth is very difficult to

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internalize. The Rizhiner therefore creatively reads the Midrash above as offering some advice on how to believe in our own holiness. The literal understanding of the Midrash is: “Do you think you can be holy like Me? The pasuk therefore teaches, ‘Because I am Hashem.’” But the Rizhiner reads the Midrash as follows: “You wonder how you can be like me?

Teach yourself to say, ‘Because I am holy!’” We must repeat the phrase “I am holy!” to remind ourselves what we truly are, because it is very easy to forget.

The evil inclination whispers in our ear, “This sefer’s message doesn’t really apply to me;” “The rabbi’s drasha isn’t directed at me;” “I cannot arrive on time for davening;” “I can’t add an extra Torah learning project to my schedule;” “I can’t actually be holy.” But the Rizhiner advises us: Just say, “I am holy! I am holy!” By doing this, we can counteract the voice within us that says we are limited by our physical, human nature; the voice which denies the power of the infinite G-d within each and every one of us. We can be holy. We can be good. We are the children of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov and are therefore so powerful. We have the power to say “No!” to the temptations, images, and electronic devices around us.

The message that we are holy and that we may not sell ourselves short is repeated throughout the Torah: “You shall sanctify yourselves and be holy because I am holy” (Vayikra 11:44). “I am Hashem who makes you holy” (Shmos 31:13). “For you are a holy nation to Hashem your G-d” (Devarim 14:2).

The key to success is to consistently remind ourselves who we are: that we are holy; that we are children of the Avos; that the prophets and tzaddikim have assured us that we are holy and therefore have the capacity to achieve greatness.

In next week’s parsha, the pasuk (Vayikra 21:1) says, “Speak to the Kohanim, the children of Aharon, and say to them: Do not defile yourselves to a dead person.” Rashi asks why the pasuk seems to redundantly say both “speak” and “say.” He explains that it means that “the adult kohanim should admonish the young-

er kohanim” regarding the mitzvos related to how they should guard their state of purity. The root word for admonish, l’hazhir, also means

Hashem is happy with you and so you should be happy and joyous too, over having achieved such fortune and success. Do you think it’s possi-

The message that we are holy and that we may not sell ourselves short is repeated throughout the Torah.

to illuminate, to shine a light, zohar.

The mentors and older members of the generation should remind young people (and themselves as well!) that they are shining with the light of holiness. They are holy, so they have the power to avoid impurity. Even those who think of themselves as small, similar to the younger kohanim, are really great. They actually have the capacity to achieve greatness and holiness. The use of both “speak” and “say” teaches us that we must keep on repeating and reviewing this great truth. We must drive it deep into our consciousness until it illuminates our very existence.

This is the theme of the opening the sefer Chovas Hatalmidim by Reb Kalonymous Kalmish Shapira, zy”a, the Rebbe of Piaczezna and author of the Aish Kodesh. One can never review this message enough, which applies not only to children but to all of us. Below are the opening paragraphs of the sefer: You, the Jewish youth, are fortunate; fortunate is your share, for you have been given the privilege of learning Torah, which is the light of Hashem, and have reached the elevated level of being one of His loved ones in whom He delights. The Heavenly angels both envy and respect you; the seraphim are amazed by you and honor you. The Heavens above and the earth below rejoice over you and even subjugate themselves to you; they ask each other: “Who is this young man? [When he learns Torah and davens,] a fire of holiness emits from his mouth!

HaKadosh Baruch Hu is glorified and exults in him before His myriad angels and holy ones.”

ble for someone to see the King face to face and not be happy and joyful about it?...

I know very well that if you were aware of the purity of heart and mind that you possess when you learn Torah, or of the degree of Hashem’s closeness to you – that He figuratively sits across from you and learns together with you…then every fiber of your being would resonate and

your joy would reach the depths of your soul. But because you don’t feel these things, and you regard yourself as just another child, no different than the others, you don’t find happiness in those things that you have every right to be happy about. What’s more, this lack of happiness sometimes diminishes your desire to learn Hashem’s Torah, and prevents you from being able to hear His message.

We cannot afford to see ourselves as “just another guy” or “just another woman,” like any other. We must consistently remind ourselves, “I am holy!”

With G-d’s help, may we merit to succeed in believing in ourselves as much as Hashem believes in us.

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

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Mesiras Moda’ah Understanding the Purpose of Aggadah Part III

TRANSLATION BY R’ YAAKOV KLEIN

The translation that follows is the final part of a remarkable essay entitled, “Mesiras Moda’ah.” This work, which is printed in the back of sefer Derech HaMelech, was penned by Rav Kaloynimus Kalmish Shapira, zy”a, the Piacezner Rebbe, as an introduction to his commentary on the Zohar HaKadosh, “Reshimos HaZohar.” Aside from this essay and a single discourse, this work was tragically lost during the Holocaust.

As we approach the exalted day of Lag Ba’Omer, may this work enable us to better understand the function of Rashbi’s work and its relevance to our times.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MIDRASH AND THE ZOHAR HAKADOSH But let us return to the previous discussion. Chazal intended, in the Midrash, to bring into the Jewish person the Torah together with Her Master, the Master of the world, by way of the keys of the heart and its emotions. They captured the impassioned spirit of holiness of every verse and mitzvah in human terms, granting us – in the process – ears with which to hear their inspiration and the holy visions they saw, to the extent that the heart could understand.

But if Chazal used the Midrash to enclothe the visions of their interpretations and holy energy within human terms to the point that they could be grasped – heard by the

ear and understood by the heart, in the Zohar HaKadosh they expressed that inspiration almost naked – as it was. Perhaps this is because the Zohar HaKadosh was taught in deserts and caves, distant from human settlements, and they had utilized their exalted understanding and lofty thoughts to rise to the point that when Rashbi initially exited the cave, he couldn’t understand why people were planting and reaping crops. Or, simply, because the words of the Midrash were intended for people who came to hear Torah – as Rashi comments on the Aggadah of Rebbe Tanchum mentioned above – and they therefore constricted the holy spirit of their inspiration into words that each person would be able to understand in accordance with his circumstances. However,

the Zohar HaKadosh records the learning of the Tannaim between themselves. Therefore, there was no need for them to constrict their teachings in constriction after constriction into common terms – it was enough for them to hint in a way that they would understand.

Therefore, outside of the Kabbalistic content, even the derush brought in the Zohar HaKadosh is different than the derush of Aggadah in the Gemara, as it transcends human understanding.

THE SPIRIT OF THE ZOHAR The impassioned holy spirit within the Zohar burns with a naked flame. The mind of man cannot surround or limit it. However, it is not only the derush in the Zohar that

register as words of the heart – the intellect which sometimes appears in the Zohar, whether related to Kabbalah or otherwise, are also words of the heart and soul. The intellect is ours – to the Tannaim, this, too, was a kind of Ruach HaKodesh and an elevated fire that was revealed to them.

This can be compared to someone who is excited about some good news he has received and expresses this excitement to a friend. However, it is only possible to express his joy if his excitement is constricted within the emotions of his heart. When his excitement proliferates and overwhelms him until the point that it overflows the banks of his heart and his senses are nullified to it and permeated with it, at that point he is no longer able to express his excitement in words. He simply begins to dance

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

and scream with a triumphant voice of joy; “there are no words, and there is no speech…” One who sees his friend in this state, if he is wise, will be able to understand a bit of his joy from his hints and movements. Although he uses his intellect to understand it, and sees something before him that he is able to understand, is it this intellectual understanding that causes him to become joyous and to dance himself? Even though his joy is founded upon an expression of his intellect, it is obvious to him that his friend’s trembling and the excitement coursing through his limbs is not simply an intellectual matter.

The same holds true for the intellectual portions of the Zohar and the Kabbalistic matters discussed within.

The Tannaim of whose teachings the Zohar HaKadosh is composed distanced themselves from the entire world. Not only did they distance themselves – they elevated themselves from the entire world, ultimately reaching a place to which all the ideas and conceptions of Man – his yearnings, and ambitions – do not reach, a place where the meaning imposed upon the world

by Man ceases to exist. They arrived at a place of purity and cleanliness, unity and homogony. They perceived the infinity of the Infinite One, the endlessness of the Endless One. For it isn’t enough for a person to simply say the words “Ein Sof” with his mouth, and he does not fulfil the obligation of his mind and attainments to simply say “physical conceptions are inapplicable to Him,” amidst numbness of the heart and darkness of the mind. For to know that Hashem is the Infinite One is to recognize this infinity.

A ray of Hashem’s Glory stretched out upon them and they proceeded in its light, onward and upward, step after step. They had already been absolutely nullified; no residue of ego or separateness remained. Indeed, they were nullified and unified like a sunray to the surface of the sun, like a flame before a torch. But even there, in this place of flaming holiness, they did not perceive His greatness and did not see His traits. Together with the angles, they expressed their bewilderment and asked, “Where is the place of His Glory?” And with great

yearning, with an unbearable thirst, their very limbs burning up with desire, “like a deer yearns by the water banks,” their souls pined – “May the glory of Your Kingship be revealed upon us.” But “great is our L-rd,” and “there is no comprehension of His Wisdom.” Only there, from a distance, from below; the place of Man, did they perceive the great light – the Torah. Hashem illuminated their eyes to see how it is within the Torah – specifically in the Olam Ha’Asiyah – that Hashem revealed His Greatness and the progression of His disclosure – the Sefiros and the Chairs, the Legions, and the Planets, the Worlds, the Aspects, the “AlephBeis” etc. – they are all found within the Torah.

When the compilers of the Zohar HaKadosh revealed Hashem’s Glory within the Torah and brought the Worlds, with their revelations of the light that is beyond all worlds, into the Olam HaAsiyah, finding the in-dwelling presence of the King within every letter written on the

ly world. A person who entertains the thought of remaining within the intellect of the Zohar HaKadosh and Kabbalah alone is similar to a deranged person or a deaf-mute who must suffice with simple hand motions alone – devoid of true content or thought.

THE ALL-ENCOMPASSING NATURE OF THE ZOHAR Indeed, the entirety of the Zohar HaKadosh – both the derush as well as the Kabbalah it contains – is not simply intellectual material that must be studied. Rather, it is the treasure house of Torah and wisdom which Rashbi and his comrades brought down to this world in the form in which it exists in the heavenly realms before becoming enclothed in a form or expression. The words of the prophets whose soul was greater than the body – that is, the body of their speech – and whose spirit of holiness transcended their words finds expression in many words and can be understood with many

It is the treasure house of Torah and wisdom which Rashbi and his comrades brought down to this world.

skin of an animal and in every practical mitzvah, they were unable to contain their inspiration in speech, words, and letters. Their Torah remained naked, without a covering, in the way of the man’s joy in the aforementioned analogy. It is only we, when we approach to extract a little honey from the edge of the staff of G-d that is in our hands, with the intention of understanding a little of their “aspects” and mysteries, to perceive their holy visions from within their hints and the movement of their letters – the spirit of G-dliness that hovered over their hearts – who are outfitted with intellect necessary to comprehend. However, to the Tannaim, their teaching wasn’t something constricted in the intellect alone but the revelation of the Torah of Atzilus within the world of Asiyah, the Upper Gan Eden within this low-

interpretations. Even the divrei mussar found in Mishlei and Koheles can be understood as containing the paths of one’s entire life, to the point that when a Jew focuses upon his deficiencies, whether in the area of bein adam l’Makom or bein adam l’chaveiro, he will suddenly remember a relevant verse from Koheles or Mishlei which makes him feel as if Shlomo HaMelech spoke these words solely to guide him. In the process, he discovers a new understanding of the verse, one that is not to be found in any commentary.

All of this is because the inner spirit of these pesukim is greater than the clothing, and the soul of the teaching is greater than the body – the words and their simple translation, to the extent that the extra essence enclothes itself in the actions of its interpreter and may be perceived in

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the ways of one who focuses upon it.

The same is true for the treasure house of Torah, the bare wisdom that is called “the Zohar.” One is able to find within it all thoughts of the heart and mind, every good path of service, whether it be in the way of bein adam l’Makom or for his own personal development, advice with regard to how he can refine and cleanse his entire body, spirit, and soul. The essential spirit of the Zohar reveals itself in all of these.

HOW TO STUDY THE ZOHAR HAKADOSH What emerges from all of this is that in order to explain the words of the Zohar HaKadosh, to say “this is his intention,” and “this is the way to understand this teaching,” one must be a tzaddik akin to the spiritual levels of Rashbi and his comrades and have risen to their elevated place – not like us, carved from corporeality as we are. For the explanation that you will ponder with your intellect is processed by an intellect whose capacity of Chochmah is imprisoned within your capacity of Binah and constricted within your imagination as well as your desires and the premises of those desires. The form of the intellect and explanations that you might originate is a shard of soul that is blended in with a mixture of desires, wills, thoughts, and delusions of your generation as well as previous generations that merge with your mind. How can one hold the bare soul of the Zohar HaKadosh in such a vessel, and attempt to explain the wisdom it contains which is absolutely pure and refined? Why should you force your understanding and the form of your mind into the words of the Zohar HaKadosh?

When a Jewish person approaches to study the Zohar, he must prepare his heart and contemplate with his mind how he must now leave the din of this world for some time, and cross, with a single step, from the bottom of Asiyah to the very pinnacle of Atzilus. All of the intellect and wisdom he has amassed in this world will avail him nothing there, in the world of Truth, in the dwelling place of the Zohar HaKadosh. His entire effort must be only to dwell together with his soul in the innermost chambers, beyond the partition, and arrive at the place where the thorn-

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bush is aflame, and sparks of this fire enter him to inspire his spirit.

Only then will he merit to grasp a bit of this light of his soul to chain it within the bonds of his intellect and picture it with his understanding. For it is known from the Zohar HaKadosh (Shir HaShirim), that the essence of the “Ta’amim” is “for there exists a refined air that isn’t grasped at all”. What he is able to grasp in his capacities for Chochmah and Binah appear to him in the form of an explanation in the words of the Zohar HaKadosh, for this is a ray of the light of his soul that had been illuminated by the Zohar HaKadosh and has come to revelation within his mind. However, it is only the light of his own soul, an aspect of the “grandchildren” of the Zohar HaKadosh. The essential light of the Zohar HaKadosh remains forever concealed and hidden from his intellect and understanding – as it is.

RESIDUAL IMPRESSIONS Therefore, I am declaring my in-

tention at the outset of this impoverished work that I am recording only “Reshimos HaZohar,” residual impressions which, with the help of Hashem, the Zohar HaKadosh has left upon me and the small amount of them which I have been able to grasp within my limited intellect and understanding. And therefore, even the impressions of intellect and understanding by way of which I would, with the help of the Benevolent One, like to portray concepts and discuss them, are only relating to their manifestation within each Jewish person, and regarding how one must purify his soul toward avodas Hashem. Even with this goal, it is not my intention to explain every matter discussed in the Zohar HaKadosh. Rather, everything in the way of notes, residual impressions. And it will be, if I merit, that my words will end up in the hands of a Jewish person who will make use of them to understand parable and allusion, an aspect of, “From my flesh, I perceive G-d,” as well as an

aspect of, “Know what is above you” (Avos 2:41); if one wants to know “what is above”, he must know that it is “from you” – I will already thank Hashem now for the goodness He has bestowed upon us and the mercy with which He has graced us.

It is with a lowly spirit and a bowed form that I pour out my heart in prayer before the Merciful Father – Who has mercy even on his estranged children and seeks to return them and bring them close to Him; Who, in His great mercy, sent Rashbi and all of the tzaddikim who were masters of Kabbalah and Chassidus to bring His Light to all the lowly places where His children have sunk and ignite the entire world with the elevated fire in their hand to the point that when a Jewish person looks at the world, he sees not a dead world, a contaminated world, but rather the Golden Menorah of Hashem’s candles upon which dance the sparks of His torch and illuminate every dark place and dimmed eyesight – that He should have mercy

on me as well and illuminate my eyes and my heart through His Torah, so that every dull place and human intellect within me should merit to be transformed into a garment of a scholar, surrounded and permeated with the light of the Torah and the words of the Zohar HaKadosh, so that my body, spirit, and soul should also merit to be included within the Torah and the light of life, Amen.

R’ Yaakov Klein is an author, musician, and lecturer devoted to sharing the inner light of Torah through his books, music, and lectures. R’ Yaakov directs the Lost Princess Initiative, an educational platform based on the primary messages of his newly-released book, The Story of Our Lives: An Epic Quest for the Soul of Our Tradition. He also leads the Lost Princess Principles Course, a seven-week program based on The Story of Our Lives. For more information on the course and access to many other resources, please visit LPITorah.org.

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Delving into the Daf

Is eBay For-Bid-Den?

By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

I

f you had asked someone 2,000 years ago what “eBay” means, he would have told you “it’s fruit.” Onkelos uses the word “ebay” many times in his translation of Bereishis. Nowadays, eBay is an Internet success story.

A question that has frequently been asked is whether one is allowed to bid on an item where the bidding for the item ends on Shabbos. To try to shed some light on this issue, we will examine how a certain problem was resolved 2,000 years ago in the Beis HaMikdash.

The first mishnah in Yoma records the requirement that the Kohen Gadol should be a married man while performing the Yom Kippur avodah.

Rebbe Yehuda maintains that a backup wife was prepared in case his original wife died before the Yom Kippur avodah. Tosfos (13b) explains that there is a difference of opinion between the Bavli and the Yerushalmi. The Bavli maintains that Rebbe Yehuda held that the Kohen Gadol actually married a second wife before Yom Kippur.

This creates a whole new problem, as the Kohen Gadol can only be married to one wife while performing the Yom Kippur avodah. The Gemara discusses the solution to this new issue at length.

The Yerushalmi understands that Rebbe Yehuda simply mandated that a second wife be available for the Kohen Gadol. If the need arose, the Kohen Gadol would marry her on Yom Kippur itself. This understanding has a problem of its own. The Sages restricted marriage and other transactions from being performed on Shabbos and, by extension, Yom Kippur. Why then would the Kohen Gadol be allowed to marry a new wife on Yom Kippur? The Yerushalmi answers with the dictum “Ein shevus b’Mikdash.” Often the Sages decreed that their restrictions not be in effect in the Beis HaMikdash.

So, while other people would not be allowed to marry on Yom Kippur, the Kohen Gadol is permitted to do so.

Rebbe Akiva Eiger wonders why the Kohen Gadol didn’t simply marry the second wife on erev Yom Kippur with the stipulation that, if his first wife died, the marriage would take effect on Yom Kippur. The benefit would be that the rabbinic decree of not marrying on Yom Kippur could still be fulfilled. Rebbe Akiva Eiger therefore concludes that even if there was no action performed on Yom Kippur itself, if the marriage is completed on Yom Kippur, the rabbinic decree would still be violated. Therefore, there is no advantage to performing the kiddushin ceremony on erev Yom Kippur. If the need arises, the Kohen Gadol will marry on Yom Kippur itself and rely on the fact that rabbinic decrees were relaxed in the Beis HaMikdash.

Rebbe Akiva Eiger’s conclusion has ramifications beyond Yom Kippur.

Would one be allowed to purchase an item before Shabbos and stipulate that the sale only take effect on Shabbos?

According to Rebbe Akiva Eiger, this would be forbidden.

Rebbe Akiva Eiger himself proves an opposing point of view from the Terumas HaDeshen. There is a mitzvah to redeem one’s firstborn son by giving a kohein the equivalent of five silver coins. We do not perform this mitzvah of pidyon ha’ben on Shabbos because of the aforementioned restriction against transactions being completed on Shabbos. Can a father give a kohein five coins to redeem his firstborn on Friday with the stipulation that the kohein only acquire them on Shabbos?

The Terumas HaDeshen opines that technically this would be effective and permitted. However, the father would lose out on the bracha of pidyon ha’ben.

He couldn’t make the bracha on Fri-

day because the mitzvah wouldn’t be completed until the following day. He couldn’t recite the bracha on Shabbos because he wouldn’t actually be performing any action on Shabbos upon which to recite a bracha.

Practically speaking, then, one should not employ this trick to redeem one’s firstborn on Shabbos and lose the opportunity to recite the appropriate bracha. However, it seems from the Terumas HaDeshen that theoretically this method would alleviate the concern of making transactions on Shabbos. Since the redemption transaction started on Friday, and no action was performed when it was completed on Shabbos, it would escape the rabbinic injunction. On the other hand, Rebbe Akiva Eiger would hold that this is forbidden.

This dispute has relevance to the question raised earlier. Is there a problem of bidding on an item where the bidding concludes on Shabbos? When you have the winning bid, eBay sends you an e-mail saying, “Congratulations, you won!” or “Congratulations, it’s all yours!” Granted, no action was performed on Shabbos, but perhaps this is considered completing a transaction on Shabbos, which is forbidden. The bidder did not pay for the item yet, but the very fact that the seller and buyer cannot readily retract might qualify it as a restricted transaction that may not be completed on Shabbos. If the item went up in value after the bidding ended, the bidder would be the recipient of that benefit. In some regards, it does belong to the bidder. On the other hand, one could argue that this is worse than the situations mentioned above.

There, the coins would have been given to the potential wife and the kohein during the week, with the stipulation

that the transaction take place on Yom Kippur or Shabbos. In the case of the eBay sale, the transaction didn’t really start before Shabbos at all.

One well-regarded posek in Brooklyn said that, according to the Terumas HaDeshen cited above, it would certainly be permitted. The Terumas HaDeshen permits a transaction to be concluded on Shabbos if no action is performed on Shabbos itself. The Mishnah Berurah paskens like the Terumas HaDeshen. Even according to Rebbe Akiva Eiger, he argued, perhaps since payment wasn’t made yet, it doesn’t qualify as a restricted transaction. He therefore concluded that one may be lenient.

However, another contemporary posek disagreed and said that one should not bid on an item if he knows the bidding will end on Shabbos. (A local rav cited support for this ruling by noting that Rashi, in a few places, refers to the fact that the buyer and seller cannot retract as constituting a bona fide transaction) The sefer “Internet B’halacha” was written by Rav Lichtenstein and was distributed at the internet asifah in Citi Field years ago. The author leans to the opinion that one should be stringent in this regard. In contrast, when the question was asked on Revach.net, Rav Peretz -Moncharsh responded simply with “Yes, it is permitted.”

Until next week, I bid you good Shabbos.

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.

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The Wandering

Jew

All Roads Lead to Rome Part I

On the streets of the Jewish Ghetto in Rome

At the Colosseum

S

imilar to the twenty-five years prior to the Yomim Noraim of 2015, we finalized our travel plans to Poland. We were going to Warsaw for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, where I would be the baal tefilla at the Nozyk Synagogue, where I had davened in 1979 for the first time.

The main travel plans, the hotel we stayed at, and even the people where we ate by were basically the same year after year. The tefillos I davened, the type of lectures that I gave, and the people we met had somewhat of an established pattern, which did not change much over time. What did change drastically from year to year was where we would spend our time from Tzom Gedalya until Erev Yom

Kippur. Although there were a number of times that we stayed in Poland during that period, most years we traveled to other countries and cities within Europe.

Speaking honestly, we both felt a sense of guilt traveling during these Days of Awe. Touring, sightseeing, eating out at restaurants, and the concept of having fun was just not the most proper way to spend our time during these Days of Judgment. Yet, the opportunity of being in Europe, and the relatively free time we had during those days, passionately beckoned us to visit so many cities and even to travel to some far-flung places. Interestingly, time after time and year after year, we realized that our

feelings of guilt were not warranted.

Especially when we connected with the community of Jews in each locality and with other Jewish visitors, we felt justified that we made the right decision to travel during this time of year. When we spent time learning about the regional Jewish history, their local customs, and their religious commitment, we felt vindicated about the travel choices that we made. The fact that we did touring and had fun was incidental to the relationships we formed with our fellow Jews.

Our trip from Warsaw to Rome that year was somewhat inconvenient.

To save a considerable amount of money, we booked on Ryanair, a budget airline. The airport servicing this

Part of the Jewish Ghetto in Rome

The Arch of Titus

Inside the Great Synagogue in Rome

airline is a lot further out from central Warsaw. The amount of luggage one takes along for free is negligible, so we had to limit the items we packed or pay heftily. Also, the crowds at the airport and the amount of passengers on our flight made this journey arduous. Add in a delay in taking off and the impatient wait to retrieve our luggage, along with a lengthy taxi drive, and we did not reach our hotel until way past midnight. The taxi could not immediately find the address and then we had to wake up the manager to let us in. I must say she was very hospitable when we arrived and served us hot tea and pastries before we finally went off to sleep.

We were in Rome twice before.

The first time was for two days, during our delayed honeymoon trip in 1971. The second time was while waiting for a connecting flight, when we had the time to go into the city and do a bit of touring for about three hours. I wrote previously about our honeymoon trip and the one and only kosher restaurant in the city, which was unfortunately closed on December 25, the day we arrived.

What a difference Rome of 2015 was, in terms of Jewish life. When I was planning our trip, I noted that there were over twenty restaurants and eateries in the city, many of them with chalav Yisroel fare, there were about fifteen shuls, about fifteen food shops and a half a dozen kosher

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021 The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

Romans carrying the Menorah, as depicted in the Arch of Titus

Breakfast at the pensione

pensiones (boarding) serving kosher breakfast and snacks, where one can rent a room. Most of these were located in a section called Piazza Bologna. Although the pensiones were not Sheratons or Hiltons, being in the Jewish section was an unbelievable convenience. The shuls were within five to ten minutes walking distance from the pensiones and so were the food stores and a number of eateries.

The other area with kosher restaurants was the former Rome Ghetto, but the hotels there were very expensive and besides the Great Synagogue there were no other shuls. The Bologna section became a haven for Jews from Libya, mostly those who left after the Six Day War and the remainder during the reign of Gaddafi. While Italian Jews had their own customs and davening rituals, these Jews started their own synagogues incorporating the Sephardic customs of Libya. These newcomers were also more traditional in observance –hence the rapid buildup of kosher establishments and synagogues.

Our first full day in Rome started the next morning, on Thursday. My daily ritual began by going to shul and davening with the Libyan Jews.

Also present was the Chabad shaliach, Rabbi Menachem Lazar, with whom I quickly developed a rapport. We then ate a filling breakfast at the pensione topped off with coffee and a danish.

We were only a block away from the Metro, which was the most convenient way to go to the city’s center, where most attractions were located.

We started out walking through the landscaped gardens of the Villa Borghese and continuing on to the monument-laden Piazza del Popolo. We descended the Spanish Steps, which are a curious mixture of curves, straight

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flights, vistas and terraces.

Our next stop was the magnificent Trevi Fountain with its beautiful statues. Unfortunately, our view was partially marred because of the restoration which was taking place there. Our final stop was at the Piazza Venezia and the monument to the first Italian King Vittorio Emanuele II. This gigantic square was the site where the

selichos said during the Aseres Yemei Teshuva and was attended by many women as well. It was hard to follow the pronunciation of the chazzan, which was truly unique. By this time, we were tired and hungry again so we ate our sumptuous dinner while sitting in front of the B’Ghetto Ristorante and watched the tourists walk by. It was a long day indeed, but we felt exhilarat-

We had seen the Arch of Titus before, but each time our hearts beat with pain as we see the depictions of the Menorah being carried by the Roman legions.

dictator Mussolini gave his speeches.

By this time, we were hungry, so we headed towards the Jewish Ghetto and had lunch at Yatvata, a milchig restaurant. We ordered an Italian Jewish specialty, stuffed artichoke, which really was delicious. We then walked around the medieval streets of the Ghetto and watched the dismissal of students from the community school, where over one-thousand Jewish children attend. We then visited the remarkable Jewish museum located under the Great Synagogue. We learned so much from the displays and artifacts about Italian Jewry, a group that is very distinctive from both Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews. Then we went into the magnificent edifice of the Great Synagogue, which actually houses five different synagogues.

The main chamber is lavishly decorated and we remained for Mincha and Maariv services, which included

ed and accomplished as we headed back to our pensione for the night.

The next day was Erev Shabbos, so we planned a shorter itinerary. After davening and breakfast, we took the Metro to the area which has the remnants of Ancient Rome. Even in its state of destruction, one can see the former grandeur of the Roman Empire. The Roman Forum was the center of life during the nearly five hundred years of rule of emperors.

It was the place where all important religious, political, commercial and social events took place. Statues and monuments commemorating people and events were erected throughout this vast expanse. Today, the remnants of these glorious buildings and sculptures are still being excavated and displayed as a symbol of the city’s important history.

The site that attracts all Jews is the Arch of Titus, which was dedicat-

ed as a victory celebration of the fall of Yerushalayim. The Romans went there to celebrate, while Jews go there to mourn the sacking of the Beis Hamikdash and the taking of our people into captivity. This was the beginning of the long galus that we are still part of. We had seen the Arch of Titus before, but each time our hearts beat with pain as we see the depictions of the Menorah being carried by the Roman legions.

The Colosseum presented us with mixed emotions. We marveled at the ancient architectural genius inherent in this structure, yet we grieved the death and torture of our brothers and sisters that took place in this very arena.

We toured the city for over two hours and took the Metro back to Bologna. We stopped for a sushi lunch at Daruma before returning to our room to get ready for Shabbos. We had seen much and learned a great deal in those two days. Now, we welcomed the opportunity to unwind and reset our internal compasses to “ba’ah Shabbos, ba’ah menucha.”

Hershel Lieber has been involved in kiruv activities for over 30 years. As a founding member of the Vaad L’Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel he has traveled with his wife, Pesi, to the Soviet Union during the harsh years of the Communist regimes to advance Yiddishkeit.

He has spearheaded a yeshiva in the city of Kishinev that had 12 successful years with many students making Torah their way of life.

In Poland, he lectured in the summers at the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation camp for nearly 30 years. He still travels to Warsaw every year – since 1979 – to be the chazzan for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur for the Jews there.

Together with Pesi, he organized and led trips to Europe on behalf of Gateways and Aish Hatorah for college students finding their paths to Jewish identity. His passion for travel has taken them to many interesting places and afforded them unique experiences. Their open home gave them opportunities to meet and develop relationships with a variety of people.

Hershel’s column will appear in The Jewish Home on a bi-weekly basis.

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World

Builders

(PHOTO CREDIT: UNITED HATZALAH)

From Minibus to Ambucycle

By Raphael Poch

S

asson Dabul is a mini-bus driver who lives in Ramat HaSharon and works all over the country. In his spare time, he volunteers as an EMT with United Hatzalah, which means that he is always on call, even when he is driving

his passengers to where they need to go. Passionate about lifesaving, Sasson is a very active volunteer, and he recently received one of the organization’s new ambucycles.

“The ambucycle is critical in my volunteer work,” stressed Sasson.

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“Whenever I am with my ambucycle and emergencies occur in my vicinity, I am almost always the first responder at the scene. I’ve responded to several very serious road accidents, and it was only due to the ambucycle that I was able to get through the traffic to treat the victims. There’s no question as to what a difference it makes to my response time.”

This held true a few weeks ago when a 56-year-old man suffered a massive heart attack and collapsed at his home in Ramat HaSharon. Sasson was quickly at the man’s side,

citation efforts. During treatment, the man received an additional three shocks from the defibrillator. After a lengthy CPR procedure, the man’s pulse came back, and he was transported to the hospital with a steady pulse. Thanks to the rapid treatment provided by Sasson and the other volunteers who responded, the man survived.

“Four days later, the man was discharged from the hospital without any neurological damage,” recounted Sasson. “I was able to visit with him in the hospital and he thanked me

“The feeling I had could not be described in words – it was simply amazing.”

and after checking the patient for a pulse and finding none, he initiated CPR. The experienced EMT performed chest compressions, administered ventilations, and attached a defibrillator. The device soon advised a shock, which Sasson delivered, which was followed by two more.

Each time, Sasson stood back, delivered the jolt of electricity, and then immediately restarted compressions.

An intensive care crew arrived a few minutes after Sasson had begun CPR and joined Sasson to assist in resus-

profusely for helping him and playing my part in saving his life. The feeling I had could not be described in words – it was simply amazing.

“All of this came about because I was able to arrive quickly and begin CPR before the man’s brain became irreparably harmed from the lack of oxygen. Now this man is alive and well, back home with his family, and is recuperating. After he heals completely, he will be able to carry on with his life as if nothing had happened.”

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When a Burqa is Your Weapon TJH Speaks with Shir Peled

BY SUSAN SCHWAMM

Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with Shir Peled, the first woman to serve in Israel’s undercover unit known as the Mista’aravim. In her position, Shir and other agents would head into Arab villages in disguise, mingle with the local Arab population, and carry out critical missions. Shir held the position for four years, carrying out hundreds of missions during the Second Intifada.

Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 22, 2021 The The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 2015

Shir, can you give us a little background on the Mista’aravim unit?

I’ll start with the big difference between undercover fighters, which are the Mista’aravim, and undercover agents, because a lot of people mix up the two of them.

My career, my job for the past 12 years, is that I’m a stylist. I dress people up. You’ll see my work on a magazine cover or commercial. My job is to make you, the audience, believe my stories and my characters. And that’s actually the same thing I did as a Mista’aravim.

My job in Mista’aravim was to blend in the field in a hostile population and make the people around me believe my character and believe my cover story. So that’s actually the main job of the Mista’aravim. That’s actually what we do. The very shining moment, the Hollywood moment of what we do, is when we draw the guns. But that’s the last point of our job. We need to get there without anybody noticing us. But when we get to that point, we’re no longer undercover – we’re fighters. It can take two minutes. It can take a day. It all builds up to that moment.

When I was in the unit, I had a lot of characters that I used as my cover, depending on the village I needed to go into. In this way, we’re different from undercover agents. Agents usually have one cover story and one character, and they sustain it for a lot longer time. They also don’t fight in the field. We do.

How did you train to become part of the Mista’aravim?

I volunteered for a combat soldier position in the Israeli border police. As a teenager, I wanted to have a meaningful role in the army. I grew up around the Second Intifada, which was a really hard time in Israel and especially in Jerusalem, where I grew up.

My life before the army was very different. I went to a high school of art. I majored in drama and costume design. But the Second Intifada, and especially a suicide bomber occurrence, which I was in, made me change my mind and my goals. I decided that the army was the next stop for me. I was searching for a meaningful role in the army.

But back then, women were not allowed to participate in combat. After the IDF said no, we don’t have a place for you as a combat soldier, I found out that the border police opened their gates in 1996 and that the role there was equal to men. I decided to volunteer for the border police. Four months into basic training, I was spotted by the commanders of the Mista’aravim unit. After tests and all sorts of assessments – they wanted to see who could fit the role and who could be good at the role – from a group of 20 women, three of us were chosen. We were the first group of women to serve in the unit.

After that, I went for special training.

How big is the Mista’aravim unit?

Back then, when I was there, the unit was pretty small, but not that small. There were 50 men,

“

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I’m holding the gun to his head, and he’s aiming a gun at me.”

and in the beginning, just three women. Today it is larger, but back then, those were the numbers.

You said you studied costume design beforehand and you were in drama, which helped you for your position in Mista’aravim. But what about language? Did you ever speak Arabic before?

You’re going to be surprised. I never spoke Arabic. I never learned Arabic. I used to go in the field with no language at all.

There are a few reasons for that. First of all, when I grew up, to be honest, it was still the Second Intifada and the reason they decided to train women as Mista’aravim was a tactical reason because the field was burning. The enemy was very, very vicious and on high alert and the army said, “We need to make the picture that we present to the enemy more naive and more every-day like.” That’s why they decided to train us as Mista’aravim – so we can gather intelligence and go deeper than the men actually do and to be near terrorists when the men couldn’t do it. They said, “No one would suspect that these women are Mista’aravim. They can just go in the field. No one is going to stop them.” In the Arab culture, no one addresses religious Arab women in the street. So, in a way, I really didn’t need to speak Arabic.

At first, they looked at us [the women in the unit] more as a tactical method for the process and not as fighters. They told us, “No matter what happens, no matter if someone shoots at you, you don’t draw your weapon. No one can know that you are Mista’aravim.” With time, it changed because they understood that I can’t go in the field and not fight if my life is in danger or the life of one of my counterparts is in danger. So, there was no real need for us to speak Arabic.

You were in charge of dressing yourself up for every mission. Were there people helping you with the disguises?

No, it was us. It’s not that so shiny as in the movies. It’s not like in 007, where you go into a room and everything is high tech. I remember that we

got some costumes when we got to the unit of men that I used to dress up as women. Most of the stuff we used to bring from home, actually.

In the show “Fauda,” it seems like the unit is on a mission every day. How often did you go on a mission?

We would go on missions even a few times a day because, again, it was the Second Intifada, a very intensive time. Some days we went with no sleep; some days around the clock. It was all the time. Some of the missions we prepared months before, but some of them were just on the spot. For instance, if there was a suicide bombing in Jerusalem, we were the first in the field to go and look for the men who assisted the suicide bomber. That was our job – to catch them. So we really worked all the time.

Are there any missions that you could talk about now?

Sure. I have a few.

I’m going to tell you a story that, for me, meant a lot. It was a real turning point for me. I had two battles to fight when I was in the unit. One was in the field, but the other one was inside the unit because the perception, for a long time, was that you’re a woman and you don’t belong here. This mission that I’m going to tell you about changed the way that the male fighters and my commanders looked at me.

It took place in one of the villages near Hebron in the West Bank. We had to catch four armed terrorists who came to make an arms deal in one of the restaurants in the village. It was a big operation, and we prepared a long time before for it. We, of course, knew the village very well, and we knew what was going to happen. We trained for those moments.

On the day of the operation, there were – besides my unit and my undercover team – a helicopter that was supposed to come in when we hear “action” over the radio and also a uniformed unit with Jeeps. There were a lot of forces in the field, and they were waiting outside. Me and my partner

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– our cover story was husband and wife in most of the operations – took our places on the day of the operation. Our job was to secure a road that leads to the restaurant and try to catch anyone who tries to escape from the main point. So, I’m in my position, and I see all my team. I hear the radio in my ear constantly talking, and then we can see the car of the armed terrorist parking near the restaurant.

They go in. Everyone is super-alert because they know what’s going to happen soon. And then, a few minutes after that, we can hear over the radio that the deal was done. They leave the restaurant. And at that moment, we hear over the radio the word “action!”

My team of undercover fighters draws their guns and aims them, and the terrorists also draw their guns and aims them at my team. From nowhere, helicopters cover the sky, and the uniformed forces units rush in to close the main street of the village. It was a very crowded street, so people around us began to process what’s happening and started shouting and throwing stones. There’s chaos around us, and me and my partner are still in our position. We can see everything what’s going on, but nobody knows that we are part of them.

We look completely local. We’re starting to move towards the main force. I’m still very alert, but I know in a few moments it’s going to be over and I’m going to disappear into one of the vehicles, because, as I told you before, I can’t draw my gun under any circumstances.

But then one of the terrorists succeeded to run away from the main force. He started to run in our direction with a loaded gun in his hand. My partner and I know that we have to stop him because there’s no force behind us, and he’s really close to us. We know that he thinks we’re local also, and he is really desperate to get away.

When he got closer, my partner shoved him to the ground, and they started to fight between them. But I can see – and it’s happening in a split second – I can see that he’s almost managing to run away. So I pull my gun out from my costume, and I rack it and hold it to his head. He’s on the floor. I’m holding the gun to his head, and he’s aiming a gun at me. And at that moment, everything became quiet. The radio was silent. The entire village was silent, and we just stood there. For me, it was like time stood still. It was seconds, but it felt like time stood still.

He was shocked to see me – an Arab religious woman – holding a gun to his head. And so he just threw down his gun. In an instant, the chaos came back. Stones were thrown at us, and the radio went crazy. Two soldiers came in and arrested him. And I just covered my face and ran into one of the vehicles.

That was a really significant operation for me because then, for a long time, there was a big question mark over my head. They knew that I should go in on the missions because I blend in very well inside, but they never knew what was going to happen in the moment of truth. But that was a while ago, and I was really proud of what I was able to do.

Members of Mista’aravim and soldiers arresting a perpetrator

The Mista’aravim unit has become more well-known because of the show “Fauda.”

Tell us how you connected with the producers of the show.

When I watched “Fauda,” I started to get crazy flashbacks. That’s when I decided to start sharing my story and lecturing about it, because I never spoke about it for years. I didn’t speak about it at all. Two months after I saw “Fauda” for the first time, I was sitting in a Tel Aviv cafe waiting for a meeting, and I saw Avi Issacharoff, the co-creator of the show, sitting two tables from me. I had photos of myself dressed as an Arab woman on my phone, and when I saw Avi, I said to myself, “This cannot be an accident. I have to go speak to him.”

I went over him and I said, “Hi, Avi.” He said, “Oh, do I know you?” I said, “No, but I have to show you something.” I showed him my photo, and he was shocked. He said, “OK, sit down for a minute.

We have to talk.”

That was the first time they actually knew that there were female Mista’aravim because Rona-Lee’s character [the woman who plays Nurit in the show] was made up. Her character is not based on me.

I’m still in contact with Avi from time to time, and I never met Lior Raz, Avi’s co-creator. I meet up with Rona-Lee a lot. We do a lot of things together.

Do you give Rona-Lee any tips on how to get into character?

We talk a lot. Actually, not about how to shoot a gun or do the burka and everything, but a lot about inside conflicts and really personal things, actually.

Every conversation is really interesting with her.

She asks me very good questions. After that, I’m usually like, “I need to think about it.”

What were your first impressions of “Fauda”? In what ways was it different from your real-life experience in Mista’aravim?

It took me by surprise, first of all. Because re-

ally, I was concentrating about not thinking about my past for a long time.

The show is pretty authentic. The characters are very authentic. The relationships between the characters, the way they fight, the way they dress up for an operation – it’s all really authentic. Of course, there are Hollywood elements in the show. I mean, nobody goes by himself and kidnaps someone.

One of the people who wrote the show, Lior, was in Mista’aravim, so he knows a lot about what goes on. One of the actors was in Mista’aravim.

Also, a lot of professional people on set came from the Mista’aravim unit. That’s why it looks and feels so authentic.

Do they film in Arab villages?

They film in an Arab village but in Israel territory.

You mentioned that you’re a fashion stylist. Tell us what drew you to the job.

After I finished my service, it took me about two, three years to understand what was going on around me and to understand that I no longer have a secret life. After I did that, I started to come back to myself. After four years filled with adrenaline and no regular routine, it was hard for me to be in a regular job from 9 to 5. My childhood dream was to be in those areas of the stage and cinema and costumes, so I started to develop myself in that direction.

Also, I think that each time that I’m on set and I’m dressing somebody up and building up a character for somebody, part of me misses my job as a Mista’aravim because that was my favorite part.

The dressing up?

The dressing up – but it’s more than just appearance. It’s the way to get into your character and to understand that this is your only weapon in the field, so it better be good. It reminds me of that.

When you were in Mista’aravim, did you have a few standard characters that you used to dress up as?

No. We had to be very creative. I could go in one character in the morning and somewhere something will happen then and the operation would keep on going, so I had a bag with multiple costumes. I could change in the middle of the day suddenly. Maybe take my burka off and put a hat on, and I’m a different character. It’s really about creativity and reading the field and understanding that you need to be very flexible with the unknown.

You mentioned that you lived a double life.

Did your family know exactly what you were doing when you were in Mista’aravim?

No. No one knew. My father suspected something because my father actually has a similar background. So as a kid, it looked natural for me to go to combat also because I grew up in a military family.

But back then, when I was in the unit, it was a secret. I couldn’t share. I couldn’t talk about it at all.

Nobody knew. Until a few years ago, nobody knew.

So what did they think you did for the border police?

My father knew that in the border police, there’s a unit that goes into territories with civilian clothes and not a uniform. They thought I was in one of the other units that are not secret. Everybody knew that I was in combat, of course. But they didn’t know that I was in the Mista’aravim.

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“

It’s the way to get into your character and to understand that this is your only weapon in the field, so it better be good.”

I’m sure that contributed to the stress – that you weren’t even able to speak about it while you were there. And I’m sure that probably contributed to the relationships that you had with the other members of your unit, the only people you could share your experience with.

Exactly. But I really couldn’t share my experience because I wasn’t a part of them. I was a woman.

system can do to check if we’re good enough to be there. But when we leave the army, nobody talks to us. I remember the day that I returned my gun and just went home after four years of living a double life. It’s the same for everybody. It’s really difficult for us to go back to regular civilian life and start living – go to school or get married or get a job.

We don’t have any time to process the experiences.

When I talk about my PTSD, I think that’s important because it took me 16 years to understand that I cope with PTSD and to start taking care of me. With a lot of veterans, it’s like that. There’s a lot to do.

Shir, you brought up a few times how you were working through the experiences and the trauma that you went through.

There is a big problem with those leaving the army with PTSD. Is it addressed in the Israeli army or is there room for improvement to help the soldiers after they leave the service?

Nowadays, it’s more mainstream – we’re more aware of it as a public. I, myself, am coping with PTSD that I started sharing not long ago. I actually founded a group for women by the name of Combat Sisterhood because, again, with the women, it’s much more difficult.

You know, when we go to the army, especially when we go to a special unit and not just Mista’aravim, we go through a lot of tests and psychological interviews and pretty much everything that the

What does your group Combat Sisterhood do?

First of all, I started it after I started sharing my battle with PTSD. I used to feel like I didn’t belong because the people I was talking with about my PTSD were all male. But it’s not like talking to someone who really understands you. I was looking for women like me. And I understood that, first of all, there’s a huge power in sharing. Since I started lecturing about my story, I realized that it’s an enormous power to share and to share with other people like me. I wanted to let other women know that they can do it also, and they can help themselves. So I opened up a Facebook group by that name, and I invited other women to get in the group and they said, “OK, this is a safe place to share and ask questions.” And in an instant, I was interviewed in one of the largest newspapers in Is-

Shir and her partner dressed up during a mission

rael about my lectures. I just mentioned the group in like two lines. From that article, I was interviewed on almost every TV channel in Israel about women with PTSD. So then I understood, “Wow, nobody ever talks about it.” Because again, women, especially combat women, it’s like a double-edged sword. We fight in the field, but also inside the unit, too, in a way.

It’s a different thing from men with PTSD because the men don’t have a choice. They just go to serve in combat because they are told to. But as women in combat, we fight just to get into those roles. We have to be tougher than the men, in certain ways. And then we say to ourselves, “How can I talk about my suffering because I chose this? I did this to myself.” It’s a very complicated circle, and it’s really hard to break it.

My group is growing. We have more than 150 members so far. We’ve just opened the first therapy group for women with PTSD. We’re going to train women to mentor other women with PTSD with a big nonprofit organization in Israel.

There’s a lot to do. My personal mission, actually – because I have big dreams all the time and I’m very stubborn – is to write a show about my story, because I think that if we see on screen more female characters like this, it could really raise awareness.

I’m also working with FIDF on different projects. I love the organization, and when they reached out to me, I said yes right away to collaborate with them.

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Inculcating a Culture of Kiddush Hashem Baruch Cohen spreads the message that truth and integrity is as satisfying as success

BY YOSEF GESSER

Baruch

“Before depositing the check, he photocopied the check and displayed it on his wall as a reminder that he worked with a Yid who was ehrlich with him.”

C. Cohen, a trial attorney and litigator for over three decades in Los Angeles, has dedicated himself to spreading the word of truth and integrity as inspired by our Torah. He conveys that these principles are inspiring in their own right and are synonymous with success – perhaps, even more so than his own impressive professional achievements. Baruch is sought-after as a speaker to students and adults, those in yeshiva and those in the workplace. He also created “29 Rules for the American Orthodox Jew,” in which he details how a frum Jew should conduct himself in the workplace – and in life.

Baruch is his clients’ first line of defense and offense in matters of litigation, bankruptcy, or batei din. Born and raised in Far Rockaway, his background is perhaps more rabbinical than professional. His father, Rabbi Dr. Samuel Cohen, headed the Jewish National Fund, and his grandfather, Rabbi Meir Cohen, taught the semicha shiur at Yeshivas Rabbi Yitzchok Elchanan, was a long-time executive of the Agudas Harabonim, and also served as chief rabbi of Asbury Park, New Jersey. Reb Meir’s father, Hagaon Harav Shmuel HaKohen Burstein, was a rav in Shatovah, Russia.

Baruch’s mother, a Holocaust survivor, descended from the famed Hager family of the Vizhnitz dynasty and later remarried Rabbi Berel Wein (she was niftar around three years ago).

In his young years, Baruch attended Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim, Yeshiva of Far Rockaway, and Adelphia Yeshivah. After marrying his wife, Adina, he learned in kollel at Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim while earning a degree at Queens College at night.

“I was planning to go into harbatzas Torah. Then I got the bug to become an attorney,” he shares.

But, besides having built a successful law practice, amidst a world in which it seems that yashrus has become an increasingly rare commodity, Baruch has taken a leading role in promoting the imperative for creating a kiddush Hashem with our behavior and speech and avoiding chillul Hashem – a call for integrity and honesty in our lives.

“I wear a yarmulke in court and therefore I am a

very visible Jew,” he says. “When you do so, you bear an extra measure of responsibility to be more careful, more courteous, more prudent. Any misstep gets magnified.

“As a member of the am hanivchar, the Chosen People, we follow the Torah. We claim to live our lives in consonance with the will of G-d, and we believe we will be answerable to Him in the World to Come. We have to set an example.

“Therefore, how could we be anything but scrupulously honest and trustworthy?”

Being honest also gives people a certain menuchas ha’nefesh.

Baruch knows a lawyer who cheated on his LSAT’s, somehow managed to get accepted to a top-rate law school, and yet, feels his entire career is predicated on fraud and that he never really earned it.

“His professional life continued in that direction and so whenever he sees a police car passing with its siren sounding, he imagines they are coming for him. He lives in perpetual fear that he will be caught. That is not a way to live,” Baruch maintains.

Seeing the Problem Firsthand The interest in imparting lessons about ethics evolved in the course of Baruch’s legal career. As a civil litigator, Baruch tries cases before judges and juries and sees firsthand the effect of improper conduct on the secular world. He deals with cases of welfare fraud, construction fraud, slumlord situations, and other areas of perfidy. Sometimes, a litigant tries to justify question-

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able conduct by saying it was for a good cause.

“In a court of law, good intentions don’t justify the theft. The world is already largely predisposed against us and such excuses only exacerbate the problem,” attests Baruch.

“There is a sense of mistrust that exists among some in our community regarding the government of our country – which is basically a medinah shel chessed, where the laws are not discriminatory. In Auschwitz, Yidden were compelled to lie or bribe in order to survive. That worked at times in that horrific situation. But we need to abandon this Holocaust mentality – we are not in Europe and the government is not the enemy.”

There are other manifestations of problematic conduct that don’t appear in newspaper headlines. Double-parking on erev Shabbos in some communities or not holding open a door for a woman with a stroller – these less dramatic issues are on Baruch’s radar as well.

Baruch’s presentations about kiddush Hashem to students and adults were also inspired by the videos of criminal defense attorney Ben Brafman, who is a role model of his in this area, which have appeared on YouTube.

A Message of Integrity Baruch’s first concern is to share these ideals with those in his own law practice.

“I have a policy of hiring observant Jews, among them law clerks who presently attend law school. When you can inculcate in them a sense of yashrus and adherence to dina d’malchusa dina (meaning halacha demands obedience to civil laws) when they are starting out, it has a ripple effect.”

His desire is that when they become attorneys themselves, they will transmit these ideas to others.

Baruch has been invited to lecture on these concepts at numerous venues including yeshiva high schools, Jewish student unions, various colleges in Southern California, law groups, and CPA firms run by observant Jews.

Young people have been particularly responsive to his message, for a simple reason. During their school years, they have merited to hear from numerous rabbanim, roshei yeshiva, and other rabbinical guest speakers. But it has become “old hat” for many and does not resonate with some after a while.

“When they see a lawyer coming in wearing a yarmulke and imparting solid Torah lessons, it packs a different punch. It’s a different dynamic when they hear the message from an unexpected source,” he explains.

Baruch supplements his remarks about creating a kiddush Hashem with a PowerPoint presentation that depicts newspaper headlines trumpeting the escapades of people who were convicted for wrongdoing.

“It has a very jarring effect on a lot of kids,” he notes.

His mission is a double-edged sword of sorts.

“There is something presumptuous about someone like me lecturing and sharing Torah knowledge about being straight in business because it presumes that I am honest – and I try to be – so I have to be more honest, more courteous, more prudent than the next guy.

“Once I finished a case for a particular client for which my final bill was $75,000. The client had given me $80,000, which was sitting in the attorney-client trust account. I handed him a check for $5,000.

“He looked at me and said, ‘I never had a lawyer who gave me back money.’

“I told him, ‘It’s not my money. I did not earn it.’

“Before depositing the check, he photocopied the check and displayed it on his wall as a reminder that he worked with a Yid who was ehrlich with him.”

Fortifying Yiddishkeit Honesty and integrity in one’s professional life are not the only issues that Baruch addresses with his audiences.

Baruch was well groomed for his role of impacting others. Inspired by his rosh yeshiva, Rav Henoch Leibowitz, zt”l, Baruch has learned and continues to learn a great deal of mussar. He gives vaadim on sefarim such as Chovos Halevovos (Shaar Habitochon), Mesilas Yeshorim, and Orchos Tzaddikim.

Absorbing their contents goes a long way towards enabling one to withstand tests of monetary greed or other wrongdoings, he avers. No need to eye the car one’s neighbor drives or the exciting vacation his family took. Hashem’s plan for one is not necessarily His plan for you.

“When you internalize these teachings, it affects how you think,” Baruch shares. “When I transmit in With attorney Nat Lew these teachings to baalei battim, they soak it up – it’s like giving water to a wilted flower.”

A not uncommon comment he has heard from students is “Mr. Cohen, when I’m in yeshiva, I wear a yarmulke; when I’m not in yeshiva, I don’t.” Seeing a successful kippah-wearing professional has motivated many boys to recommit to wearing one outside as well.

“My message is: never apologize for who you are. Be proud of who you are. You have a lot to offer the Jewish People,” he tells them.

This idea resonates deeply with With la te Just ic e Anton adults as well. in Scali a Many frum Jews don’t wear a yarmulke in their workplace. After hearing Baruch speak, many reason, “if Baruch Cohen can do it, I can do it.”

They understand there is no need to be apologetic for their Yiddishkeit. At the same time, he puts to rest concerns about maintaining a professional image as he conveys the picture of a frum professional who can interact professionally and with great camaraderie with clients and colleagues alike.

Many people have expressed a sense of pride when seeing a comitz, zt”l, Alter Henoch Leibow With his Rebbi, Harav petent lawyer in the courtroom or a vrusah, cha his th Chaim, and wi Rosh Yeshiva, Chofetz shei chief surgeon in a hospital or anothAn on ati reg ng Co zchok Summers, Rav, Yit bbi Ra er professional wearing a yarmulke.

Emes in Los Angeles This individual is earning an honest

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living on a level that enables him to support a frum family in these times of skyrocketing costs of living.

“When one sees an individual who gives shiurim and mussar vaadim, who writes chiddushei Torah, who speaks publicly and yet who also appears in court dressed fashionably, who interacts properly with judges and jurors without violating halacha, it makes one feel good,” Baruch asserts. “I speak to jurists after a trial to get feedback on my performance. I am always fine-tuning my professional skills. I make sure to speak with them with menschlechkeit.”

One attendee at a speech who works in a kosher restaurant appreciated and felt validated when Baruch discussed politeness with his audience. Baruch gave the example of someone who comes into a restaurant, doesn’t act courteously, and leaves a table in total disarray. A similar example is that of davening on an airplane and blocking the aisle. What if an elderly person needs to use the facilities? “Think ahead,” Baruch advises.

He also coaches interns and employees in his practice on how to maintain Torah values in their professional lives and feel a sense of pride in their Jewishness while being a responsible worker.

“I tell my law clerks, ‘Your value system cannot surface at the moment it is tested. Don’t inform your employer on Friday afternoon that you in We rel Be need to leave early for Shabbos. At the bbi Ra r, the With his stepfa outset, inform him about your value system.’”

Helping Colleagues

With Rabbi Ey

tan Feiner

phael Pelcovitz, z”l, baruch-With Rabbi Ra in Far Rockaway rav of the White Shul

Baruch offers another way to make a kiddush Hashem – assisting others in the same line of work by providing guidance and support.

From his vast experience as a trial attorney and litigator, he shares information unconditionally with other attorneys.

“I do what I can to help someone else’s parnassah. And I find that when you do so, Hashem pays you back many times in return.”

Rabbanim counseling people who are dealing with litigation or have to go to beis din send people to him.

Baruch shares, “I once started advertising my services in a magazine where another lawyer – who is Jewish but not observant – was already placing ads. She approached me at a function and told me, ‘You’re stealing clients from me. You are an Orthodox Jew with a yarmulke. How can you do that?’

“I responded, ‘Tell me about your practice. Perhaps I can refer clients to you.’

“She was astonished. ‘How can you refer business to me when I was nasty to you?’

“I said, ‘Ma’am, I believe in G-d. His treasuries contain enough to feed the entire world. Your success does not impact on me in the slightest.’

“That brief interaction kindled something. Two months later, she called me to say that she was interested in learning about Yiddishkeit and would like some direction.

“This type of exchange results when one has developed confidence in his path and has imbibed a healthy dose of hashkafah and mussar,” Baruch asserts.

The Myth of Perfection Reb Baruch has formulated a list of 29 (it was originally 15) “Rules for the American Orthodox Jew,” which deal with the core essence of who we are. Some of them Baruch mentioned in our discussion. But I was intrigued by #10 on this list, “The Myth of Perfection,” and asked Baruch to elaborate on it.

Baruch explains that no one worth admiring ever succeeded without many failures on the way.

“Perfection is a good thing – it pushes people to achieve – but it has a dark side as well. The drive to achieve perfection can intimidate people to the point where they don’t bother trying. ‘Perfect is the enemy of the good,’ wrote the writer and philosopher Voltaire, which was quoted by Rabbi Yissocher Frand at the Siyum Hashas. Just because you can’t finish Shas, doesn’t mean you can’t finish a masechta, a chapter of Chovos Halevovos. Trying to be perfect is an elusive glory.”

Baruch adds, “There is also an element of arrogance in assuming one can achieve perfection. Everyone is destined to fail or experience a setback at some point.

Those with an adequate dose of humility can handle that. You struggle mightily to understand a difficult piece of Gemara but when you eventually comprehend it, it is extremely meaningful. Those who cannot admit their mistakes are ultimately destined to fall on their faces.”

He advises, “Improvement is gradual, so celebrate the journey, embrace the struggles. Those who strive for perfection and are dismayed when they don’t reach it are showing a sign of not being emotionally healthy.

“Back when I was in law school,” he adds, “I knew someone who, to my mind, was the image of success without a care in the world – a fancy house, expensive cars, luxurious vacations. Later, after I had started my law practice and was dealing with bankruptcy, he contacted me because he was being sued. His employer, a relative, who had provided his trappings of success, drove him out due to his lack of initiative.

“That put to rest any notions of someone with a perfect life,” concludes Baruch.

In our contemporary and sophisticated society, many would view the idea that honesty is the best policy as a hackneyed cliché. Yet, most of us would agree that trust and honesty are core ingredients for relationships – whether in business or in our personal lives.

Acquiring these qualities may be easier said than done and requires hard work and changing attitudes but, as Baruch Cohen has showed us, it is truly the only policy which enables us to live a meaningful life and fulfill what our Creator expects of us.

To obtain the “29 Rules for the American Orthodox Jew,” email Baruch Cohen at BCC4929@gmail.com.

Jewish Home | APRIL 22, The The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2021 2015

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Dating Dialogue

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

Dear Navidaters,

Hi there!

I was wondering if the panel can come up with some helpful tips for a guy who is just starting out in the dating world. Any advice would be appreciated, Yoni*

The Shadchan Michelle Mond

T

hank you for this question that will undoubtedly help many singles. I would like to start with the concept of building an initial connection. There are peripheral factors which play into the experience of a date before you even open your

mouth to speak. When you go on a date you should look at it as if she is your guest and treat her as such.

Be attuned to external factors which will make the date more comfortable. Some examples of this are the following: 1. Make sure the car is clean and smells pleasant 2. Clean under your nails and make sure you are showered and dressed nicely

3. Get a handful of fresh new dress shirts/pants and new shoes just for dating 4. Get to the date on time 5. Have your date planned ahead of time, including researching the place 6. Offer that she can adjust the AC/heat in the car for comfort 7. Always buy her a drink/offer snacks You are taking this girl out, and

you have a responsibility to take care of her like a mensch, as if you were taking care of a guest in your home.

The next level of comfort will come with conversation and comfortable connection. Examples of successful connection are the following: 1. Don’t drop the ball. Conversation should go back and forth (like a game of catch). It should go

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

from person to person, with equal amounts of give and take.

2. Appropriate reactions: If she asks you a question, do not just use “Yes” or “No” answers. This will lead to awkward silences and uncomfortable moments. Ask meaningful questions, answer in full sentences, elaborate, comment, compliment, and find similarity to your own life, explore mutual interests and experiences. Even before you go on a date, practice appropriate reactions with both family and friends.

3. *If you are a therapist, make sure not to talk to her like a client* 4. Do not dominate conversation or make her lead the conversation. It should be comfortable for both of you.

5. Think ahead about meaningful topics and stories you might want to share.

6. Ask about herself and things she is interested in.

More important than any piece of advice I could give is to be your genuine self. Feeling self-conscious about who you are will put a damper on the date. Work on becoming comfortable talking about yourself, including your accomplishments, interests, and talents while maintaining a comfortable balance of asking her about hers. Think about the “why’s” behind the things you do and inquire about her “why’s” as well.

While I could go on and on, I think this is a good start. Wishing you much hatzlacha and hope you find the right one with clarity, very soon!

The Single Rivka Weinberg

Y

oni, I appreciate your question and think it is important to address, so thank you for having the courage to write in.

I would like to preface with the idea that I do not believe there is a rulebook for dating, and I would be doing a tremendous disservice to you and all of those reading this if I said there was one. No one can, or ever should, tell you what to feel and when. There is no such thing as “the first date should not exceed two and a half hours,” “on date 4 you must discuss,” or “if you are not all in by date X, call it quits.” Dating is an individualized process, and each person must do what he or she is comfortable with. People are not robots, so trying to automate one’s feelings is not a productive method.

As I have stated before, and will continue to repeat, the words “should” and “supposed to” are not applicable in shidduchim.

With that said, I am not going to advise you one way or the other regarding specific attire or topic of conversation, especially because many of the questions you pose differ based on one’s hashkafa and personality. However, the underlying principle is that you put your best foot forward, so wear what makes you feel good and use common sense when conducting a conversation. While a yeshiva bochur may feel best in a suit and hat, a different guy prefers his nice jeans and a button-down shirt. Ultimately, it is important to dress and act in a way that shows you respect your date and the time she has given you. If you are unfamiliar with where you are going, then do your research ahead of time so you do not get lost and look unprepared. The small things with regard to planning make the biggest difference, and girls take note of that extra energy because it shows that you care.

Preparation is not limited to the date itself and the necessary details, it includes your mindset and the way you show up. I suggest a form of selfcare before a date to enable yourself to make a great first impression, whether that is going for a run, lis-

tening to your favorite song, or taking a nap.

I highly recommend having a rav or mentor, who knows you well, who you can turn to for support throughout the dating process. It is always good to bounce ideas off of someone who was once in your shoes and has experience guiding others through the journey you are beginning to embark on. However, it is important to follow your intuition, as you know yourself best, so if you are uncomfortable with the advice that person is giving you, do not feel pressured to listen to it.

As always, turn to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for clarity, as He is the ultimate Shadchan. I wish you much hatzlacha!

Don’t propose marriage on a first date.

The Zaidy Dr. Jeffrey Galler

I

t seems to be a sad fact that many of our bright, young men are absolutely clueless when it comes to dating.

Unfortunately, this newspaper doesn’t have enough pages for a

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comprehensive Dating Manual. You really need a big brother, shadchan, or parental figure to mentor you and bring you up to speed.

However, having said that, let me suggest some pragmatic dos and don’ts.

1. Do dress appropriately.

There is no universal rule here, but obviously it will depend on whether you are going to the Metropolitan Opera House or to a bowling alley, and it will depend upon whether you are picking up your date at the rosh yeshiva’s house or meeting her at

Starbucks.

Similarly, let the young lady know of your plans ahead of time.

Women spend a lot of time preparing for a date, and need to know, for example, if they should wear high heels for a fancy restaurant date or comfortable walking shoes for a Bronx Zoo date.

2. Do let your her know, ahead of time, if you are planning on taking her for a meal, because she needs to know if she should eat before the date. But make sure to offer the girl something to

drink no matter where you are taking her (lounge, bookstore, museum, etc.). And buy yourself a drink at the same time, so she feels comfortable accepting your offer.

3. Don’t make your date feel like she is going through a job interview. Yes, you want to get to know her by discussing her job or her classes. No, do not ask what kind of hat her father wears or if her mother wears a sheitel at the Friday night meal.

(Years ago, one of my daughters went on a shidduch date, and the bright young man actually asked her, “What is your

Pulling It All Together

The answer, Yoni, will always lie in your own intuition.

favorite avairah?”)

4. Don’t propose marriage on a first date. No matter how smitten you are, and no matter how sure you are that this young lady is the one for you, take it easy, be cool, and let emotions develop slowly and mutually.

Good luck!

The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

D

ear Yoni, Thank you for writing! It’s always wonderful to begin any new venture with your open-minded attitude and disposition toward learning and growth. While there is so much wonderful dating advice to be offered, I have to keep it relatively short and sweet, focusing on seven main ideas and thematic constructs that most present themselves in the work I do with real, live human beings who are so brave as to bare their souls in my office. I learn from people every day! How lucky am I!

1. To thine own self be true Yoni, as you begin to date you will have no shortage of well-meaning family and friends offering you guidance. Give her another chance!

Are you sure you don’t want to go on a fourth date? My cousin’s friend almost gave up but on the seventh date she knew! Or, one of my personal favorites (not!)... The attraction will grow! Physical attraction isn’t important. If she is a good person and meets so many other criteria, you can’t give up on

her yet. The answer, Yoni, will always lie in your own intuition.

Hashem gave us an inner voice that actually knows something. And we are constantly being told not to listen to it. What?! How is this even possible? If something feels off, it’s off. While the healthiest of relationships take effort and compromise, without a solid foundation of chemistry and a sense of “effortlessness,” and “you know something...I really like this person as a friend. She’s just wonderful to be with,” it is very difficult to build and grow. We are all entitled to this organic chemistry. Wait for it. G-d willing, it will come!

2. Holding space for who you are and being open-minded are not two distinct realities but can be held simultaneously.

Yoni, I have seen so many people pass up wonderful potential dates because the woman’s resume (by the way, can the powers that be insist on changing this cold, clinical,

and horrendous word “resume” to a profile? No wonder why so many people act like they’re on a job interview on a date!) was not exactly what he had in mind. We can be true to ourselves and know exactly who we are and what is important to us and be open to the idea that someone a little to the left or right of center may be just what the doctor ordered.

3. Treat women with respect/ take an interest/make her feel special I believe that within every hashkafa and level of observance, there are kosher ways to be respectful of a woman you are dating. Women like to be told they look nice.

Most like the door to be held open.

When sitting down to eat, it’s the little things like asking, “What are you in the mood for?” that can be so meaningful. Make an effort to connect with the woman you are dating.

Ask her questions about herself and take an interest. Follow up on dates promptly. Don’t play games with the shadchan or the woman you are

dating. Put the phone away on a date. Really get to know her. And not through an interview.

4. Don’t be scared to get to know her Look for OTCs (Opportunities to Connect). Very often, we ourselves can feel uncomfortable when a date reveals something personal.

So many people brush past because they’re following the “rules.” Can you believe he/she shared that with me…so soon? Certainly, there are some things that are inappropriate to share right away, but once something is shared, don’t ignore it. Use it as an opportunity to connect.

This is how relationships are built.

She gets vulnerable and reveals.

You get vulnerable and real. Voila!

A bond is formed. Once that bond gets formed, attachment begins to grow. This is when a couple starts to truly “need” each other. And they begin to be unable to imagine life without the other.

How many times have people walked into my office saying, “I can’t get past the first or second date?” The answer is too many to count. Very often, it is because they are afraid of opening up and/

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015 The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

or when their dates open up, they freeze. I have a sociological theory about this. In brief, many of us are taught in certain circles that we do not reveal private things about ourselves or our families because it is shameful. And for many, the reason we don’t do it is because we are concerned about shidduch prospects down the line. And while there is a certain value in privacy, we can literally see how this affects many in the parsha. What was once forbidden to speak of is now expected. It’s confusing! Maybe we could use a little less stigma, a little more Come on, we’re all human and in this world together and we’ve all got stuff. And when you meet someone and you think there is potential there, and you’re feeling something,

it’s OK to share! Just my thoughts on the matter.

5. Dating is a journey to yourself Every single person you meet has a lesson to offer. With each woman you date, you will learn what you like and what you don’t like. You will also learn what is important to you. Maybe a woman will possess a wonderful quality that you didn’t even know you liked and now you can’t live without. On this journey, try to surround yourself with positive people who uplift you, and people who listen without an agenda of their own (also known as supportive).

6. Be yourself!

This one is so cliched but it really does need to be said. Be yourself, Yoni! While on a first date, you may not break out Purim pictures from the seventh grade and tell all your funny jokes about that time in high school when...but that’s where it should be headed. Why would anyone want to get married to someone because she likes a fake version of himself? It’s an absolute recipe for loneliness and regret. Be the incredible person you are. This way you can meet and fall in love with a woman who wants to be with YOU because she is crazy about you.

And here’s the best part: there’s no games, there’s no drama, there’s no tension because when you do meet the right one, you will be able to let your guard down completely and

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trust the foundation of the relationship.

7. Have fun!

You are allowed to have fun when you date.

These are just my opinions that I have gathered based on many of my clients who have walked through my door pretty broken from the “system.” We work on changing perspective and attitude from “the rules” and listening to everyone else, to relaxing and listening to ourselves. And I have to say that it seems to help!

Best of luck to you! May you find your bashert in the right time!

Sincerely, Jennifer

Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and 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

How to Get Back to the Honeymoon Phase

By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

T

his is a complaint I hear a lot of: “My husband/wife says they love me, but I don’t have those same feelings I used to have for him/her.”

So why not? Well, I can think of quite a list of reasons why not: • There’s been too much stress in the marriage. Yes, it keeps getting “worked out” but that unpleasant feeling that someone needs too much attention/repair/cajoling/ or something that just feels exhausting takes its toll.

• You forgot who your partner is.

I mean deep inside. Or you never did learn that important fact. How can you be “in” love with someone you don’t know?

• Your partner also forgot who they were. How can you love them if they don’t even know who they are?

• You have not had fun in about 20 years. OK, you go away to a Pesach hotel. That is not actually fun. It’s something you do because someone doesn’t like to cook or because you can’t fit all the extended family in one dining room. There’s an “activities” aspect to kind of make up for the stress. There we go again with stress.

• You have not given or received a compliment in 20 years that appeals to your intimate soul. That’s where the “in” love part resides.

• You’ve been so distracted by work, kids, in-laws, elderly parents, siblings in trouble – you name it – that there hasn’t been one inch of room left for just the two of you.

• Etc. On the flip side, what does it take to go back to the feelings you had for each other years ago?

Well, remember back to when you were in love. What were the prime ingredients of that experience? There are only two: 1. This other person was totally in-

terested in you. Absorbed. You were everything to them and nothing else got in the way. What a feeling! That’s a feeling like no other – to be that important to someone else. What an ego boost that is!

2. You also thought this other person was fascinating, amazing.

Now here’s a fact: it’s the same person.

The person you once had those feelings for is the same person. So what happened to the feelings?

Or a better way to put it: Why did things like stress, which got in the way, change the feelings anyway?

Let’s look at the two numbers above.

For #1, if there are mundane things distracting each of you, then neither one of you can possibly feel like you are everything. Because you aren’t. There’s work. There’s the kid’s teacher’s report. There’s the needy parent. You’re not everything, and neither is your partner.

Then there’s #2. You no longer talk so you have no idea whether this other person is fascinating after all.

Or when you talk, it’s back to those mundane things again.

And date night only partially works to reconnect you because there are too many piled up mundane things that really do need attention.

You have to speak to your elderly

parent’s doctor. And you have to deal with the plumbing problem in the upstairs bathroom.

So, what do you do?

To get the “in” part of in love back, there actually are some steps you can take.

First, no matter what the source of the stress, whether it is you or them beating yourselves up or it’s coming from external things, the stresses cannot rule you. Life is stressful but the stresses have to be put in their place. One needs a big picture view of the meaning of it all to do that.

Just like we carve out time for Shabbos, we can carve out time for our partner to be the one and only, even if it’s just for a few hours. But it has to be regular. Because they really are that important. And all of that must leave behind all the nasty things like blame and complain. That’s why I call this part of the process “Taming Your Triggers.”

Second, you can’t look to your partner to fill any emptiness you have or to heal your childhood pain.

It won’t work. It may have worked for a while, but then the partner wonders why this relationship is so unbalanced. You need to be the nurturer of your own hurt or lonely parts. You need to discover those hidden parts of yourself and reach out to them. You are your best healer. Which is why I

call this “Valuing Your Self.”

Third, when you’re talking to your partner, it is normal and natural for them (or you) to slip back into sad/ angry/needy/forget-it mode. It happens to the best of us. So you have to muster the inner strength to forgive your partner for momentary slips – if they’ve done the work listed above.

The compassion you developed in the previous section will be very useful here, which is why it’s called “Compassionate Honesty.”

See, when you make space to talk, really talk, from the heart, and share your most vulnerable self to a willing, eager audience, you have the recipe for falling in love again. With each other.

None of this is easy. But researcher Helen Fischer says that there are couples who remain “in” love for 20 years. And that’s how they do it – using the steps listed above. Is this easy? Absolutely not. But it’s not hard either. It’s actually a fun journey, or so my clients say.

You may not believe it can work for you. There’s been too much bad stuff in the way. But I’ve seen it turn around. What does it take to learn the three steps listed above? *A willingness to learn *A willingness to take responsibility for one’s own share in things *A bit of risk-taking to give it a whirl even if it’s a new approach to making changes *A desire to get back to where you once were; call it an ember that hasn’t died You can do it.

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.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

WE KNOW COVID-19 TESTING IS HARD ...IT CAN BE EVEN HARDER TO GET THE RIGHT TREATMENT EARLY TREATMENT AVOIDS: SYMPTOMS LONG TERM EFFECTS HOSPITALIZATION

forefront of treating covid-19 relateD symptoms and complications WE are open for telehealth appointments every day sunday-thursday: 8AM-10PM Friday: 8am-5pm MOTZEI SHABBAT UNTIL 10pm avoid risk of further complications or hospitalization: call us at (718) 25-covid (26843)

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Health & F tness

Adding Flavor to Baby Food

By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN

O

ne time, while in the park with my kids, I overheard another mother tell her daughter, “We’re going home to have supper.

I have rice with seaweed for you.” I remember thinking to myself, “Ugh. Even I won’t eat that as an adult. Why would she give that to her 5-year-old daughter?”

Clancy Cash Harrison, MS, RDN, FAND, a TEDx speaker, author of Feeding Baby, and food justice advocate, feels that it is important to add spice and flavor to baby’s food. Add-

ing flavor to your own food is beneficial, and here’s why adding spices and herbs to your baby’s food is beneficial as well. We are encouraged by our pediatricians to start with bland foods when introducing solids to a baby.

However, per the latest research, starting at 6 months, a healthy baby should be exposed to a wide variety of flavors and textures. Avoid foods that could be a choking hazard, especially if your baby does not have any teeth yet. In addition, check with your pediatrician regarding foods that might

elicit an allergic reaction. Most pediatricians recommend not introducing eggs, milk, nuts, and soy before a year old. Experts also say to hold off on honey until the baby is a year old.

What’s the advantage of introducing a wide variety of flavors early on?

Clancy Cash Harrison feels that this might prevent picky eating. When babies and children are used to eating a certain food the same way every time, they are hesitant to try something new. That’s why most picky eaters

es when feeding your little one. In fact I wouldn’t recommend anything spicy until your child gets a little older, but there are plenty of herbs and spices that you can give your baby that are not spicy. You can add cinnamon to oatmeal, yogurt, carrots, or a smashed banana, like we said.

Try adding garlic to pureed chicken or meat, green beans, peas, squash or smashed avocado. You can also add lemon to fish. Use any combination you find tasty and introduce it

Adding flavor and texture at an early age teaches the baby to expect change with food.

won’t even eat school lunch because the pasta is “different” than Mommy’s pasta. However, adding flavor and texture at an early age teaches the baby to expect change with food.

Offering a plain smashed banana one day and a smashed banana with a dash of cinnamon the next day will help influence your child’s palate.

This will make a big difference down the road and encourage your child to try new foods as opposed to fearing new foods. Additionally, herbs and spices are packed with vitamins and minerals which offer many health benefits. Can’t hurt to start young!

This doesn’t mean that you need to add a ton of spice or use hot spic-

to your baby. This is a great way to expose your child early and often to a variety of fresh, flavorful enticing foods.

Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. She is currently a dietitian at Boro Park Center and a private nutrition consultant. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @EatBetterandFeelBetter.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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Parenting Pearls

Encouraging Dreams

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

F

rom the moment parents find out they’re expecting, they start to become curious about who this new person will be. From the excitement of finding out the gender to seeing how hair and eye color develop, new parents begin to dream and wonder. After birth, they can begin to see how their child’s temperament develops. Their personality continues to mature as they begin to talk and show more of themselves. The teenage years bring the incredible transformation from child to adult. Parents will naturally have their own goals and ideas for their child’s future.

Throughout this long journey that I heavily simplified yet passes too fast, your child will have many aspirations and dreams for themselves. Some will be short-term, while others will be for longer into the future. Some will be fanciful, while others will be firmly rooted in reality. As parents, we have the opportunity to encourage and mold our children as they create and pursue their goals.

While parents have many goals for their children, our children will develop their own goals, hopes, and dreams for their futures. Ultimately, it’s up to them to decide what direction their future will take. It’s not only natural but beneficial for our youngsters to make these decisions for themselves. While individuals should be the ultimate decisionmakers in their own lives, parents, mentors, and others around them will directly and indirectly influence those decisions. It’s a big responsibility and one that parents shouldn’t take lightly.

Little ones start thinking about their plans, both short- and longterm, from the youngest of ages. As parents, we have the opportunity to guide and encourage them or, conversely, discourage them. Often, little ones think big and impractical.

Adults are naturally more pragmat-

from becoming a lifeguard, and he would’ve risked missing out on all he’s gained from it. Personally, I would have missed out on seeing what he was capable of doing. Each child is so unique, and it’s worth seeing who each one can become and what each individual can accomplish.

Parents can, and should, guide their children. You don’t need to pressure, but if you see your child has a goal, you can make suggestions. If you see your child has a talent, you can help them pursue it.

Making suggestions and giving options helps kids think beyond their own limited awareness. ic and can easily squash their little one’s hopes. While there is definitely a reason to encourage reality, there is also a place to allow children to explore their options and think of their dreams, even when impractical.

I will briefly mention, but not focus, on the relevant, important, and fascinating discussion of “nature” vs “nurture.” It’s a big debate that occupies much textbook space as scientists attempt to discover how much of our personalities and achievements are innate (nature) and how much is formed by our experiences and the influence from those around us (nurture). Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe wrote a phenomenal work called Planting and Building on this topic.

Respect Their Goals I remember when, years ago, my son told me he wanted to become a lifeguard. I will admit I didn’t think it would happen but it was a fine goal to aim for. I don’t remember my response but it was most likely outwardly encouraging even as I doubted it inwardly. The next summer, he had already found out the requirements to become a lifeguard and was practicing them in

the community pool, and I took note of this. It was only the next school year when he came to me and told me he had found two potential lifeguard instructors in our area that I truly realized how serious he was. I helped him pick his instructor and get set up for the course. He’s not only an excellent lifeguard but his brother followed suit, and they both take their responsibilities seriously.

Looking back, I am grateful I never told him that his goal was unrealistic but, sadly, I didn’t take his aspiration with the seriousness it deserved. Kids will have many dreams and aspirations as they grow up, and nobody can accomplish everything a child hopes to do. That being said, they may very well be capable of accomplishing some of those goals. The greatest accomplishments we see each day in every field were made by someone who dreamed big as a child.

You never know which of your children’s talents or hopes for the future will ultimately come to fruition. Don’t be so quick to disregard even their hobbies. I’m often surprised to see how many adults are in careers or accomplishing great things that started off as childhood whims. I could’ve dissuaded my son

It’s Normal It’s normal for children to explore their identity and experiment with different options, particularly when they’re younger. Children don’t have the same sense of permanence and of identity that adults have. That’s why children can think they are really a fireman or a policeman just by switching clothing.

They really believe they are playing the role, and that’s both normal and healthy. It’s also incredibly fun to watch. Some of our cutest family pictures are of the children making up costumes and playing in them.

They took that playtime very seriously, as they should. For kids, this is very serious and a natural part of their development.

Exploring their options and hopes for the future are a part of them becoming who they are eventually meant to be. As they play different roles and think ideas through, they begin to tease out the possibilities. We certainly don’t want to discourage normal, healthy childhood development.

Don’t Mock Them Don’t be quick to dismiss them.

Children, especially teens, can surprise you. Many parents can tell you

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of a goal their child set that they never believed possible until the child accomplished it.

I was in elementary school when my teacher wanted to encourage me to write, and she told me my writing would be published one day.

It took a while but eventually this teacher was proven correct – about 30 years later. Yes, someone told her about my first article. I’m sure many teachers have told many of their students the same thing but eventually some of their students’ works will get published. By believing in someone when they’re young you can encourage them to go further.

We don’t need to lie to children to believe in them. You don’t need to tell every child that they’ll accomplish everything. We just don’t need to dissuade them from their possibilities. As children grow and mature, they naturally are better able to recognize where their talents are. For example, a child with a less-than-pleasant singing voice is

unlikely to become the next Jewish music sensation. You don’t need to tell the child their voice isn’t going to make it. Eventually they will, on their own, recognize whether or not singing is their talent. Thinking through their options as they grow

pick-up and plumbing. It’s a completely unrealistic expectation but let them enjoy dreaming. There’s no harm, and as they mature they will become more realistic in their choices of professions. Additionally, many goals that may seem impos-

The greatest accomplishments we see each day in every field were made by someone who dreamed big as a child.

helps them to weed out their future direction.

As long as the goal isn’t inappropriate according to Jewish law, then there’s little reason to discourage it. Many little ones want to be many things, such as a policeman that fights fires while doing garbage

sible can become possible. Often, a goal that may seem inappropriate at first glance has a kosher way to redirect it. A friend with a beautiful voice sat on the sidelines thinking she could never become a singer once she became frum. A few years ago, she launched a professional

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music career performing for women.

Additionally, when we mock our child’s dreams, we are indirectly mocking our child. If something is important to them, then it should be important to us. It can be terrible for a child to have an adult they love and respect mock their sense of self.

Children tend to think beyond their own capabilities, and that’s normal. We can encourage and love our children as they think through their options and slowly finetune who their older self will be. As parents, we can enjoy watching our little ones slowly develop into the fine, mature individual they were always meant to become.

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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In The K

tchen

Beet Dill Gravlax Pareve / Yields 12-14 servings per side

By Naomi Nachman

When I was a child, my dad made this Norwegian salmon

dish for every special holiday. Now it has become a favorite in my house as well � some of my friends will come over only if I promise to serve it! Make sure to plan ahead, because it needs two days to cure in the fridge.

Ingredients

b2 (2-lb) whole sides salmon b1 package Gefen beets, shredded b4 tablespoons salt b4 tablespoons sugar b2 tablespoon white pepper b1 large bunch dill

Preparation 1.

Place the two sides of salmon, skin side down, onto a large baking sheet.

turn the salmon over; return to the fridge for an additional 24 hours.

7. Remove dill; thinly slice salmon before serving. Serve with Dill Dip, below, if desired.

Prepare ahead: Remove dill after the 48 hours. At that point, wrap the salmon well and freeze it. Slice just before serving.

Cook’s Tip: It’s easiest to slice the salmon while slightly frozen; you’ll be able to get thinner slices that way.

Cook’s Note: I like to serve this with a late harvest Riesling.

DILL DIP

2. In a small bowl, mix together salt, sugar, and pepper. Sprinkle over salmon, making sure there is thick coating over the entire surface.

Ingredients

3. Place dill over spices, covering the salmon, and then top with shredded beets.

b½ cup dill

4.

Place fish sides, one on top of the other, skin side out, so the flesh sides touch.

5. Tightly wrap the entire salmon in heavy-duty foil. Return salmon to the baking sheet; place heavy weights, such as cans of vegetables, on the salmon to weigh it down.

6. Place baking sheet with the cans into the refrigerator. After 24 hours,

b1 cup mayonnaise

b2 tablespoons lemon juice b¼ teaspoon salt

Preparation 1.

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well to combine. Serve alongside gravlax.

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

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

The existing scientific evidences challenge the safety and efficacy of wearing facemask as preventive intervention for COVID-19.

The data suggest that both medical and non-medical facemasks are ineffective to block human-to-human transmission of viral and infectious disease such SARSCoV-2 and COVID-19, supporting against the usage of facemasks.

– From a study by the National Center for Biotechnological Information, a branch of the National Institute for Health

Thank you George Floyd for sacrificing your life for justice!

- Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi after Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd

Not wishing to be left behind by Hank Azaria, I would like to apologize on behalf on Monty Python for all the many sketches we did making fun of white English people. We’re sorry for any distress we may have caused.

– Tweet by comedian John Cleese, who was in Monty Python sketches, mocking “The Simpsons” actor Hank Azaria’s recent apology for voicing an Indian-American character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon on the show since 1989

Once a year ends, then there is another. So I hope to keep on going like that.

- Yasuko Tamaki, a 90-year-old Japanese woman who has worked for the same company since 1956, upon earning a Guinness World Record as the world’s oldest office manager

Wearing facemasks has been demonstrated to have substantial adverse physiological and psychological effects. These include hypoxia, hypercapnia, shortness of breath, increased acidity and toxicity, activation of fear and stress response, rise in stress hormones, immunosuppression, fatigue, headaches, decline in cognitive performance, predisposition for viral and infectious illnesses, chronic stress, anxiety and depression. Long-term consequences of wearing facemask can cause health deterioration, developing and progression of chronic diseases and premature death - Ibid.

Shootings, gun laws, access to weapons – oh, I know when they’ll change: [When] your kids start getting killed, white people’s kids start getting killed.

- CNN’s Chris Cuomo

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Our democracy is in jeopardy today because the Supreme Court standing is sorely damaged. The way we repair it is straightforward. We can undo the damage that the Republicans have done by restoring balance. And we do it by adding four seats to the Court to create a 13-member Supreme Court.

- Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), “ justifying” the Democrats’ plan to pack the Supreme Court from nine justices to 13

Some people will say we’re packing the Court. We’re not packing the Court; we’re unpacking it.

- Rep. Jerry Nadler (D- Brooklyn), “ justifying” the Democrats’ plan to add four justices to the Supreme Court

We’re a special place, and there are millions and millions of people who like to come here. And quite frankly, we like to have them here. So we only want to share one thing as you move in hundreds a day: Welcome to Florida. But don’t register to vote and vote the stupid way you did up north. You’ll get what they got.

- Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, standing beside Governor Ron DeSantis during a press conference

There’s a reason that this place is fun.

There’s a reason why we have a 49-yearlow crime rate. And the same people that don’t think we should have an anti-rioting bill or a rioting bill are the same ones that think we ought to let more people out of prison. And where they’re doing that, as the governor and our speakers have alluded to, crime goes up, but it’s not just crime that goes up, victimization goes up.

– Ibid.

I blame the second Johnson. He never graduated high school.

— Jimmy Kimmel, referring to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine

When reached for comment, Johnson said it was Johnson’s fault, but Johnson pointed the finger at Johnson.

— Stephen Colbert

The insurrectionists killed a Capitol Police officer by striking him in the head with a fire extinguisher.

- The New York Times reporting on January 7 that Police Officer Brian Sicknick was killed by rioters on January 6. (They have not yet retracted that report despite the medical examiner’s recent conclusion that he died of natural causes (a stroke) the day after the event and did not exhibit any signs of internal or external injuries and did not exhibit any signs of a negative reaction to tear gas or any other chemicals that may have been used on January 6)

This is what is so repulsive is [the media] completely exploited this person, this young police officer who they obviously didn’t care anything about. They saw him as a toy to exploit his death for purely political ends in ways that we now know were a complete and utter lie.

- Glenn Greenwald, Fox News, talking about how the media lied about Capitol Hill Police Officer Brian Sicknick being killed on January 6

MORE QUOTES

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Let’s be clear about reparations— the theory is that we have to pay great-greatgreat-great-great-great-great grandsons and granddaughters, eight generations of people who were enslaved 150, 160 years ago, and I believe we’ve paid those reparations. I think 330,000 white Union soldiers were killed in the Civil War and another 30,000 Blacks. Those were pretty strong reparations.

– Dick Morris, Newsmax

The messaging on this has been horrific.

The message should be “get a vaccine because it’s good for you to do it. It works.

You’re not going to have to be doing anything like, abnormally. You can live your life.” I mean that has got to be what the message is. Unfortunately, I think the message has been very muddled. When you tell people, “Oh yeah, yeah, this important. Go get the vaccine,” but then you’ve still got to social distance, you can’t do this, you can’t do that, you can’t eat in a restaurant. Some of the people are still saying that kind of stuff…. My view is, if you get a vaccine – vaccines are effective – you’re immune, so act immune.

– Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla)

It took me a few weeks, March and into April, to get enough data to say OK, you know, we’re not doing Fauciism. We’re gonna make sure our state’s open. We’re gonna get the kids back into school, and we’ll just focus our protection on elderly people.

- Ibid., Fox News

115% of mothers with young children left their jobs in 2020 because of childcare responsibilities.

- Tweet by Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers

We’ve got to get more confrontational. We’ve got to make sure that they know that we mean business.

- Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) inciting violence at a Minnesota protest before one of the protestors fired shots at National Guard troops nearby

We have got to fight for justice. I am very hopeful, and I hope that we are going to get a verdict that will say guilty, guilty, guilty. I don’t know whether it’s in the first degree, but as far as I’m concerned it’s first degree.

- Ibid.

I’ll give you that Congresswoman Waters may have given you something on appeal that may result in this whole trial being overturned.

- The judge presiding over the Derek Chauvin trial, responding to the defense team’s request for a mistrial based on Rep. Waters’ threats

The irony of what Congresswoman Waters did, she borrowed the playbook of the Ku Klux Klan from the 192os, the 1930s. They would stand outside of courtrooms and they would threaten violence if any juror would ever acquit a black person or convict a white person. Now we’re seeing exactly the opposite –we are seeing mobs outside the courthouse and we’re seeing members of Congress just like the Klan had governors and senators and very prominent public officials demanding verdicts in particular cases, and now we have a member of Congress demanding a verdict in the case.

- Attorney Alan Dershowitz on Newsmax

The The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2021 2015 Jewish Home | APRIL 22,

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Political Crossfire

France is Allowing the State-Sanctioned Murder of Jews

By Zach Schapira

This article was originally published in Newsweek and is reprinted with permission.

T

here are moments in history when people of good conscience are called upon to speak out in the face of extreme injustice. And rarely are cases of injustice so stark, and their remedy so clear, as when they are perpetrated against a vulnerable minority by the very system meant to protect them.

Last week, in passing a ruling which ended a nearly four-year legal saga, the French Republic carried out such a travesty.

In 2017, a 27-year-old man named Kobili Traoré broke into the Paris apartment of his neighbor, a 65-year-old retired physician and kindergarten teacher named Sarah Halimi. Traoré had in the past taunted Halimi, who was the only Jewish resident in her building. On this night, Traoré, who was high on marijuana, beat and stabbed Halimi for over an hour. Witnesses reported that he called her a dirty Jew, called her Satan, chanted Quranic verses, and repeatedly shouted Allahu akbar.

The torture ended in murder when he shoved her mangled body off the balcony of her third-floor apartment.

When he was questioned for the first time by investigators three months later, Traoré recalled his motive: “I felt persecuted. When I saw the Torah and a chandelier [menorah] in her home, I felt oppressed. I saw her face transforming.”

These facts are not in dispute. But last week, the French supreme court upheld a decision that Traoré could not be held criminally responsible and therefore could not even be tried.

The ruling hinged on the determination by a court-appointed panel of psychiatrists that a marijuana-induced psychosis had “destroyed” rather than merely “impaired” Traoré’s ability to control his own actions.

This distinction is significant because Article 122-1 of the French criminal code states: “A person is not criminally liable who, when the act was committed, was suffering from a psychological or neuropsychological disorder which destroyed his discernment or his ability to control his actions.”

The exception this statute provides for the mentally ill makes sense. For instance, a schizophrenic individual who inadvertently causes harm ought to receive medical treatment and institutional support, not jail time.

But then 122-1 goes on to clarify the rule: “A person who, at the time he acted, was suffering from a psychological or neuropsychological disorder which reduced his discernment or impeded his ability to control his actions, remains punishable.” So people suffering from anything less than a completely debilitating psychological disorder can still be responsible for crimes they commit.

On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron suggested the minister of justice should “submit a change in the law as soon as possible.” But the problem was not the law; it was its prejudicial application.

The consequences of voluntary intoxication are not a “disorder.” And regardless, the court had the capacity to rule that such an episode only caused reduced discernment. Moreover, French law actually treats intoxication as an aggravating circum-

stance when prosecuting crimes. For example, all else equal, it is well-established that drivers with more than the legal limit of THC in their bloodstream who cause fatal accidents will face harsher penalties than those imposed on sober drivers. The degree of their high is not a consideration.

In this case, though, the court’s decision was essentially to treat what is normally an aggravating circumstance as a disqualifying circumstance. The legal gymnastics necessary to reach such a conclusion are a disgrace to the rule of law.

One might interject here that it’s alarmist to cry foul; the ruling merely hinged on a lax definition of temporary insanity, rather than on the victim’s identity. But in a chillingly parallel case last year in Marseilles, a man who was both drunk and high on cocaine forced his way into his neighbor’s apartment. In a fit of anger, he threw the neighbor’s dog out of the fourth-floor window, killing the animal. The man, who afterward claimed he had no memory of the event, was not acquitted due to temporary insanity; he was sentenced to two years in prison.

Can you spot the difference?

Article 132-76 of the French criminal code states that penalties are increased when the victim’s religious or ethnic identity are a factor in crimes. But reflective of the pervasive denialism of rising anti-Jewish sentiment in France, it took the prosecutor nearly a year to add anti-Semitism to the charges of the Halimi case. Once it was, the anti-Semitic nature of Halimi’s murder should have been another aggravating circumstance.

Yet in the end, this detail proved immaterial.

A man with no history of mental illness, who had been smoking and dealing marijuana since he was 15, who had previously been imprisoned for other violent crimes, whom the court determined had a history of animus toward Jews, and who even admitted that this animus motivated the murder, was not suffering from temporary insanity due to marijuana. He was suffering from a different ailment. It’s called anti-Semitism.

To those who authorized Traoré’s transfer to a mental institution, who waited three months to interrogate him, who dragged their feet to classify the crime as anti-Semitic, who twice upheld this verdict under an international spotlight, who contorted the law to find Traoré the victim of a psychotic fit, knowing that this determination would nullify the crime and who paved the way for other wouldbe anti-Semitic murderers to escape justice, I say, J’accuse!

Like those complicit in the infamous wrongful conviction of the French Jewish army captain Alfred Dreyfus more than a century ago, you are the new building blocks of systemic Jew-hatred in 21st-century France.

Shame on you for robbing Sarah Halimi’s family of justice, for sacrificing the safety of France’s Jewish community rather than face down the problem of Islamist anti-Semitism in your midst, and for forcing us Jews to relive the collective trauma and fear of state-sanctioned murder.

Zach Schapira is executive director of the J’accuse Coalition for Justice.

The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Political Crossfire

Biden is Making an al-Qaeda Mastermind’s Prophecy Come True

By Marc A. Thiessen

I

n his speech last Wednesday announcing the United States’ retreat from Afghanistan, President Joe Biden noted that the 9/11 attacks “sparked an American promise that we would ‘never forget.’”

Well, apparently Biden has forgotten the epic disaster he unleashed in 2011 when he was in charge of the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq.

That catastrophic decision created a vacuum that allowed the Islamic State – which, at the time, CIA Director John Brennan explained in 2015, had just “700-or-so adherents left” – to regroup, reconstitute itself and build a caliphate the size of Britain. They unleashed a frenzy of terror – summary executions, women and children buried alive, people crucified, American journalists beheaded, and the enslavement and mass [assault] of Yazidi women.

The rampage of violence was not contained to Iraq and Syria. The Islamic State spread its murderous tentacles across the globe, carrying out 143 attacks in 29 countries that killed more than 2,000 people and injured many thousands more. And we were forced to send American troops back to deal with the resurgent terrorist threat.

In a November 2019 Wall Street Journal interview, Biden admitted that the decision to withdraw all troops from Iraq “was a mistake” and claimed that as vice president he had tried to keep “a residual force” stationed there. This is revisionist nonsense. Biden was ebullient as he presided over the withdrawal of the last American troops and even called President Barack Obama from Baghdad to thank him “for giving me

the chance to end this [terrible] war.”

In that same interview, Biden went on to criticize Trump for his decision to withdraw the small contingent of U.S. forces in Syria and not leave a residual force there. “We don’t have to have 100,000 troops stationed anywhere,” Biden said, but “when we leave a vacuum, like he’s leaving it, it creates significant opportunities for difficulty, including what you see right now in the Middle East.”

So, Biden admits that the complete U.S. withdrawal from Iraq was a mistake and chastised Trump for his withdrawal from Syria. Yet now he is withdrawing the “residual force” of U.S. troops in Afghanistan? And a residual force is exactly what it is. The U.S. deployment in Afghanistan is a mere 2,500 troops, fewer than are stationed in Spain (about 3,000), the United Kingdom (9,000), Italy (12,000), South Korea (28,000), Germany (35,000), or Japan (50,000).

The U.S. forces in Afghanistan are not nation-building. They are not policing the country. They are not even fighting a war. They are training, equipping, and enabling Afghan forces who are fighting our enemies for us, while collecting intelligence and carrying out occasional strikes against terrorist targets. According to Stars and Stripes, last year four Americans were killed in action in Afghanistan, “making for the lowest number of U.S. combat deaths in the country in a calendar year since the war began in October 2001.” But that small contingent of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, together with some 7,000 NATO forces, has outsized benefits – preventing the Taliban from overthrowing the pro-American government and turning the country into a terrorist sanctuary again.

The day before Biden announced the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, his administration announced that it is increasing the number of troops in Germany – re-

versing Trump’s decision to withdraw some 12,000 forces from that country. So, Biden is withdrawing all U.S. forces from a country where there is an active terrorist threat but surging forces into a country where our troops have been stationed since 1945 to prevent a Soviet tank invasion across the Fulda Gap? The Soviet Union no longer exists. The Taliban and al-Qaeda do.

Worse yet, nothing terrorists do will reverse our planned exit. U.S. officials say our Afghan withdrawal “is not conditions-based” because Biden “has judged that a conditions-based approach…is a recipe for staying in Afghanistan forever.”

In other words, Biden has given the Taliban a green light to launch an assault on Kabul, install a radical Islamist emirate, and invite al-Qaeda to restore its lost sanctuary.

Perhaps worst of all, Biden has tied the U.S. withdrawal to the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks – turning that solemn day of remembrance into a victory celebration for the terrorists. It is a victory the enemy predicted from the start. After he was captured, 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told his CIA interrogator something prophetic: While the United States may enjoy some fleeting battlefield successes, Mohammed declared, in the end “we will win because Americans don’t realize…we do not need to defeat you militarily; we only need to fight long enough for you to defeat yourself by quitting.”

Two decades after 9/11, Joe Biden is making KSM’s prophecy come true. (c) 2021, Washington Post Writers Group

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Political Crossfire

Biden Moves North Korea to the Back Burner

By David Ignatius

A

s President Joe Biden’s list of foreign challenges grows, he has quietly shelved his predecessor’s hopes for prompt denuclearization by North Korea.

“The likelihood of North Korea giving up nuclear weapons is close to zero” right now, says a senior administration official. Instead, the administration is seeking interim “way stations,” such as halting weapons proliferation and checking development of new delivery systems, such as submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

The recognition that North Korean denuclearization is, for now, an unreachable goal comes as the Biden administration is swamped with other major foreign policy issues.

Biden this week announced a quick withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, imposed tough new sanctions against Russia and began indirect nuclear talks with Iran.

North Korea has taken a backseat amid these other front-burner dilemmas. But the long-range danger posed

by North Korea’s nuclear program is likely to be an important topic when Biden meets Friday with Japan’s new prime minister, Yoshihide Suga.

The Suga visit is Biden’s first White House meeting with a foreign leader and a sign that, as the senior official put it, “We cannot be successful in Asia if the U.S.-Japan relationship is weak.” Biden hopes to establish rapport with a leader who, like him, served a long apprenticeship as the No. 2 official in his government and was widely underestimated politically.

Suga is bringing some welcome pledges to the meeting. He is expected to propose a $2 billion investment in 5G communications technologies that could provide an alternative to China’s Huawei, and he’ll offer what U.S. officials say is the most significant commitment on climate change yet by any U.S. ally.

Biden set the nonconfrontational tone on North Korea at his March 25 news conference, when he was asked about Pyongyang’s short-range missile tests the previous week. He said that the United States would respond “if they choose to escalate,” but that

fury” against Pyongyang, to a showy summit in Singapore to “love letters” exchanged with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Kim basked in personal attention from Trump, and he undoubtedly hoped it would continue in a second term. But after Biden won in November, Pyongyang tried to maintain continuity. Kim announced in January that the fraternal, if hollow, Singapore statement should be the baseline for U.S.-North Korean relations.

Kim sent Biden a reminder of North Korea’s military strength with missile tests in late March, but even

Kim sent Biden a reminder of North Korea’s military strength with missile tests in late March.

he was ready for “diplomacy…conditioned upon the end result of denuclearization.”

Biden’s stance, suggesting that denuclearization was an eventual goal, not an immediate one, was repeated in a joint U.S.-Japanese-South Korean statement on April 2, which called for progress “towards denuclearization.”

Biden’s muted approach reflects the failure of former president Donald Trump’s high-visibility campaign for denuclearization – which moved from threatening “fire and

that message was restrained. The party newspaper carried the story on Page 2, with the front page displaying routine articles about city planning and transportation, according to Robert Carlin, a former intelligence analyst who is one of America’s top experts on North Korea. That was a “deliberate signal” of restraint, Carlin told me.

Carlin argues that the Biden administration needs to speak directly with North Korea, even if it recognizes that there’s little chance for any breakthrough in denuclearization.

“We do need lines of communication opened up, we do need to be talking and listening to them on a regular basis,” he said.

The Biden administration has messaged North Korea that it is reviewing U.S. policy and that it “will be prepared to engage,” the senior official said. But Pyongyang hasn’t responded yet.

Biden’s approach to foreign policy seems to be solving one problem at a time. He decided to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan, ending an almost 20-year headache at some risk to the homeland, but an enormous relief to a war-weary country.

He’s begun addressing Iran, seeking a “compliance for compliance” deal that would reimpose limits on its nuclear program and ease U.S. sanctions. And he’s trying to balance penalties against Russia with diplomacy, through a proposed summit with President Vladimir Putin.

Lowering expectations on what’s achievable now with North Korea makes sense, but it’s not a policy.

Biden needs a formula that balances competing interests – tough enough to bolster Japan, but not so aggressive that it frightens South Korea. Just matching Trump’s success in getting North Korea to stop its nuclear testing would be an achievement.

North Korea seems to be in the “too hard” folder for now. But one thing we’ve learned about Kim is that he doesn’t like to be ignored for long. (c) 2021, Washington Post Writers Group

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Forgotten Her es

Jewish Silver Star Recipients

By Avi Heiligman

T

hroughout history, bravery in battle has been rewarded with honor and prestige.

Sometimes, the recipient would receive land or monetary payout.

More recently, medals have been bestowed upon the worthy recipient. In 1918, Congress passed an act to award the Citation Star as a personal valor decoration; in 1942, it was changed to the Silver Star.

During World War II, over 1,600 Silver Stars were awarded to Jewish men and women serving in the armed forces. Here are some of their stories.

There were many Jewish immigrants in the American military during the war but none had quite the background of Sergeant Richard Stern. He was born in Germany and served in the German Army with distinction for four years during World War I. There is a famous photo of him wearing his Iron Cross that he was awarded for bravery in battle. He standing in a doorway in Cologne in 1933 and refusing to allow Nazi soldiers enter and vandalizing his store. Six years later, he made his way to the U.S. and settled in Queens, NY. In 1943, at the age of 40, Stern joined the U.S. Army and was attached to a unit of combat engineers stationed in Italy. The German positions on Mount Porchio were heavily defended in January 1944. Machinegun nests had most positions coming up the heights pre-sighted, and the outnumbered Americans’ first attack ended in retreat. When their commanding officer was wounded in the retreat, Stern decided to act.

Speaking in German, he demanded the Nazi soldiers put down their arms “if they wished someday to

return to the Fatherland” and said that they were hopelessly outnumbered. Incredibly, the Germans all surrendered, and Stern’s unit was saved. For his actions under fire, Stern was awarded the Silver Star which his family still has today. He sent his German decorations from World War I to be made into bullets to fight the Nazis when he entered the U.S. Army.

There were some areas of combat that equipment was extremely difficult to come by, and the soldiers went to great lengths to protect certain pieces. Radio equipment in the remote areas of Burma was vital to keeping the supply chain from air drops moving, as well as information about bombing enemy positions. Corporal Heimie Goren was in charge of a four-man radio section that was directing the movements of American fighter-bombers. As they set up near a bridge that had been near the center of the fighting, a heavy Japanese attack began. Goren was ordered to leave the equipment and to get out of the area as Japanese bullets were headed their direction. Instead of abandoning the equipment, the group under Goren quickly dismantled the radio and saved it from destruction. This radio later helped them call in vital air support to beat back the Japanese.

For his actions, Goren was awarded the Silver Star for saving “communications equipment vital to air support in Burma.”

In early 1944, the Allies landed on the Anzio beachhead in Italy. At first it looked they caught the German defenders off-guard. However, the Allied high command dawdled too long, and the Germans were able to bring reinforcements, causing a

drawn-out battle. Sergeant Bernard Shapiro from the Bronx was with the 3rd Infantry Division when he and two other soldiers came across a formidable German Mark IV tank.

The Americans only had small arms and a bazooka, a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher. As they exchanged fire, nothing seemed to penetrate the tank – even the bazooka couldn’t do much noticeable damage. As they pulled back to regroup, Shapiro crept to within fifteen yards of the tank and tossed a couple of Molotov cocktails (“homemade” grenades) into the open hatch. The German tank blew up. Shapiro successfully used the same method the next day on another Mark IV when its crew decided to disembark to rest.

Sergeant Shapiro was given a Silver Star for his actions.

Sergeant Hyman “Hank” Bergman was an infantryman from Baltimore who had been with two other divisions before joining the 88th “Blue Devils” Division fighting in Italy. He already had earned the Bronze Star while fighting with the 30th Infantry Division in 1944. In April 1945, Company B of the 349th Infantry Regiment was near Furcoli, Italy, when they came upon a dug-in enemy machinegun nest. His unit was unable to move. Despite the danger, Bergman made his way towards the entrenched enemy. With intense small arms fire, he killed one German soldier while wounding and scattered the rest. The German machinegun was now out of order, and the American company was able to advance due to Bergman’s bravery. For his actions, he earned the Silver Star.

These are just some of the stories of the Jewish servicemen who

Sergeant Hyman “Hank” Bergman

Richard Stern, center, wearing his Iron Cross in 1933 while a Nazi stands in front of his store

earned the Silver Star for bravery.

Most, if not all, of these heroes are not known to the public. These true Forgotten Heroes are to be remembered for their courage and gallantry under tough battlefield conditions.

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.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APT FOR RENT INWOOD Brand new bright and airy basement apartment near LIRR .

Never used kosher kitchen , 2 bedrooms , LR/DR central air /heat ,full bathroom washer/dryer $2000 a month Call/text Yitzi (929) 225-3616 WOODMERE: BEST BUY Spacious 2BR Apartment, Washer/Dryer In Bldg, Elevator Bldg, Open Floor Plan, 1st Floor, Close To All...$199K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000

VACATION IN JERUSALEM: Beautiful 3 bedroom apartment with porch and view available for short term in the Kaduri – Jerusalem Heights project on the 8th floor.

Shisha Realty 718-408-8070 vacation@shisharealty.com

HELP WANTED Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island seeks warm, creative and positive Kindergarten Morah for the 20-21 school year.

F/T opportunity for an experienced teacher to join our amazing team.

Email resume to preschool@ykli.org

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Seeking full time OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST for Special Education school located in Brooklyn. Experienced preferred. Competitive salary.

Room for growth. resumes@yadyisroelschool.org

Five Towns/Far Rockaway area school seeking third and fourth grade general studies teachers for the '21-'22 school year Monday through Thursday afternoons.

Supportive, warm environment.

Competitive salary.

Please send your resume to teachersearch11@gmail.com

Brooklyn based janitorial supply company looking to hire full time account manager 80k + commission must have experience please email resume to resume@dependableplastic.com or call 7184375000

Cabinet Hinge Repair

646-661-1388 info@nadlercabinet.com

Hinges | Tracks | Drawers | Soft Close | Alignment

SEEKING DRIVER THROUGH END OF JUNE FOR 6 DAYS/WEEK TO DRIVE FROM 9-5 IN THE BRONX. MUST HAVE OWN CAR. CALL/ TEXT 917-674-0330 YESHIVA KETANA OF QUEENS IS LOOKING FOR JR HI TEACHERS FOR ENGLISH, SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES. 2-4 periods a day. Mon-Thurs.

2:30-5:30. Warm environment, very good salary. 917-742-8909 email rlswia@aol.com The Yekusiel Menachem Children's Clothing Gmach in Cedarhurst is now accepting donations from newborn to junior sizes. New clothing ONLY Any questions please contact (516) 712- 7735. Thank you Tizku lmitzvos TAG Ganger Early Childhood in Far Rockaway Exciting openings for the 2021-2022 school year! *Head Morah Position: seeking warm, enthusiastic, experienced early childhood teacher *Intern Positions: for those interested in a career in Chinuch/ Special Ed, fantastic opportunities available to learn from top notch educators *Assistant Morah Positions: seeking warm , responsible moros to join a great team! email resume to csender@tagschools.org Children’s clothing store in Five Towns looking to hire a full-time store manager.

Great salary with opportunity for growth.

Must be a great team worker, with excellent customer service skills.

Email resume to writers613@gmail.com

Downtown Manhattan CPA firm seeking office manager/ bookkeeper.

Must be proficient in excel, have strong typing skills and be able to multitask.

Accounting background preferred. Send resume to officemgr613@gmail.com SHEVACH HIGH SCHOOL is seeking a Global Studies teacher, Algebra teacher.

Please email resume to Office@shevachhs.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 CAHAL is seeking Special Education Rebbeim, Teachers and Assistants for the 2021-22 school year. Send resume to shira@cahal. org or call 516-295-3666 ASSISTANTS NEEDED FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AFTERNOON SESSION. Email: fivetownseducators@gmail.com CATAPULT LEARNING Teachers, Title I Boro Park, Williamsburg and Flatbush Schools *College/Yeshiva Degree *Teaching experience required *Strong desire to help children learn *Small group instruction *Excellent organization skills Competitive salary.

Send resume to: Fax: (212) 480-3691 ~ Email: nyteachers@catapultlearning.com 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

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

HELP WANTED

MISC

BAIS YAAKOV IN FAR ROCKAWAY seeking permanent substitute for Preschool and Elementary school.

Please call 718-868-3232 ext 211

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

SPECIAL ED DIRECTOR Responsibility: Curriculum Designer Individual curriculum as needed Staff training Innovative, visionary Requirement: Masters Special Ed and Education Administration or SLP Backgroup Email Resume: specialedresume2018@gmail.com Looking to hire sales people to train as NY & NJ Public Adjusters.

No experience necessary, flexible hours.

Call 973-951-1534

A tehilim program for girls (6-12 years old) is taking place every Shabbos afternoon 5:45pm at 717 cedar lawn, far Rockaway.

Weekly pekalach and prizes sponsored by berrylicious will be served.

Earring and charm along the tracks of the Woodmere LIRR station.

For info call 516-569-0977

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

all you need to know about traveling to israel

JOIN RABBI DOV LIPMAN IN CONVERSATION WITH EVE HAROW Director of Community Development and Tourism

TUESDAY, APRIL 27TH 1:00pm EDT / 8:00pm Israel time Registration Required

Questions may be submitted in advance to eve@oneisraelfund.org

Rabbi Dov Lipman moved to Israel from Silver Spring, MD with his family in 2004. In January 2013 he was elected to the 19th Knesset, the first American born MK in nearly 30 years. He rose to national and international prominence for his role in combating religious extremism in Bet Shemesh. The author of eight books about Judaism and Israel, Rabbi Lipman holds rabbinic ordination from Ner Israel Rabbinical College and a Masters in Education from Johns Hopkins University. Since 2015, former MK Lipman has focused on meeting delegations from Israel and abroad and on the integration of the ultra-Orthodox population into Israeli society. He currently serves as Secretary General of the Confederation of United Zionists, as a political commentator for ILTV and I24news and as a columnist for the Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel. Rabbi Lipman has been at the forefront of the campaign to allow relatives of Olim to travel to Israel during the Corona Crisis.

REGISTER AT ONEISRAELFUND.ORG

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The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021 OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Your

Money

Shakespeare the Tax Cheat A Drama in Two Sonnets

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

One April day, in 1564 (We know the month, but sadly not the date) The Bard the world would someday all adore Was born to write the plays we’d see as great.

Today we think of Shakespeare’s clever quatrains.

Yet he was so much more than just a scrivener.

His businesses included trading grains And storing them for buyers making dinner.

But sometimes business prompts a hard discussion: What separates a trader from a hoarder?

How much to charge with no ill repercussion?

It seems he charged too much for law and order.

And so, it came in 1598 He faced tax prosecution from the state.

To cheat, or not to cheat, that is the question: We all know no one likes to pay their taxes.

But sadly, taxes aren’t a mere suggestion And Shakespeare put himself above the masses.

The verdict? Well, today, we’re left without one.

The answer, “free” or “guilty,” lost to mystery.

It’s safe to think that penalties were none — Or else we’d see the stain on Shakespeare’s history.

So, how are we to think about this Bard?

The artist, now revealed as merely human.

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.

We still revere his words with high regard, Accompanied by moneywise acumen.

And no, we can’t resent his pain at paying.

We sympathize with seeing him disobeying!

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Life C ach

Goodbye CO2

By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS

B

ring it on.

We are more than ready.

After a year of breathing in our own CO2 can anyone blame us for the crazy things we do?!

Trees are supposed to be breathing in this stuff, not us! It seems we’re denying them their food and

we are starting to act like the fruits they are meant to bear.

Sour like lemons.

Feeling squeezed like an orange.

Losing appeal like a skinned apple.

Basically, somewhat nutty.

As the summer tries to turn the

Miriam Jacobovits Photography

corner and bring warm weather back into our lives, perhaps it’s time to make sure once again we get outdoors and start “giving back” – that is – the CO2 to the atmosphere.

I mean, I get it. Life can be more fun being less facially exposed. Every day’s a game show: “Name those eyes!”

It goes sort of like this: Someone has a moment of recognition and comes up to you and says, “Hello, how are you doing?”

You – the sudden contestant –

So, it kind of makes sense that you don’t want to go back to the boring life of just seeing everyone’s face straight on. No mystery, no opportunity!

But there are benefits we’ve forgotten about how great it can be to have our faces front and center.

Sure, you may need to put more effort in. You may need to start putting on face makeup again. Or you made need to smile a lot more often.

But imagine how great it would be not having your ears dragged

Sour like lemons.

Feeling squeezed like an orange.

Losing appeal like a skinned apple.

CALL OR TEXT 347–572–8973 INSTAGRAM: MIRIAMJACOBOVITSPHOTOGRAPHY

stares and suddenly responds, “Oh, it’s you?” Ding! ding! ding! You’ve won the refrigerator on the stage or the living room set just revealed behind the curtain. Hooray. What unexpected fun and excitement!

In the less successful cases, there’s no eye recognition and a squinted, “Who are you? I don’t recognize you with your mask.”

Gong! You’re out. You’ve lost the big prize!

But, luckily, all the time that you are out and about, there’s always the possibility of another opportunity to win the big prize.

down from the sides of your head.

Imagine what it would be like to wear a necklace again that didn’t have a shmata hanging from it.

Imagine what it would be like to just breathe in and out and not reabsorb your own CO2.

I’m ready for it.

How about you?

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

The Jewish Home | APRIL 22, 2021

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APRIL 22, 2021 | The Jewish Home

This Tuesday

An evening of

Inspiration THIS PRESENTATION IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF

RABBI FABIAN SCHONFELD, ZT”L

Tuesday, April 27, 2021 • 7 pm

RABBI NOACH ISAAC OELBAUM Renowned Posek and Rav, Khal Nachlas Yitzchok RECOGNIZING THE BLESSING OF LIFE

RABBI EYTAN FEINER Rav of Cong. Kneseth Israel, The White Shul SERVING HASHEM WITH TRUE SIMCHA

Remarks by:

Moderated by:

RABBI YOEL SCHONFELD Rav, Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills RABBI CHAIM SCHWARTZ Executive Vice President, Vaad Harabonim of Queens

RABBI ZAVEL PEARLMAN Coordinator of Jewish Affairs Margaret Tietz SPONSORED BY:

MARGARET TIETZ Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

Short-Term Care | Long-Term Care | Hospice Care

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