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A PUBLICATION OF THE FIVE TOWNS & QUEENS COMMUNITY MAY 21 – MAY 27, 2015 | DISTRIBUTED WEEKLY IN THE FIVE TOWNS, QUEENS & BROOKLYN
– See pages 5, 72 & 73
Around the COMMUNITY
Hundreds Gather to Pay Tribute to Rav Dovid 43 Sitnick at Siach Yitzchok’s Annual Dinner
Gratitude and Appreciation at Yeshiva Ateres Shimon Siyum Mishnayos Dinner
67
Sacred Writings: Two Local Sofrim Talk 84 about their Holy Craft A Taste of Har Sinai
96
The Big Cheese: TJH Speaks with Brent 92 Delman, the Cheese Guy
HAFTR’s 8th Annual Spring Classic Golf Outing
Say it with Flowers
79
106
Divrei Torah, Insights into Shavuos, Recipes, Jewish History, Halacha Starts on page 82
– See page 52
SAVING GREEN WHILE GOING GREEN
Page 80
How One Five Towns Company Can Make Your House Better Without Costing You a Dime – See page 30
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See page 110
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MAY 21, 2015
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MAY 21, 2015
6
From the Editor
Letters to the Editor
8
Community Readers’ Poll
8
Community Happenings
43
Saving Green While Going Green by Brendy J. Siev
80 9
National
26
Odd-but-True Stories
34
Israel Israel News
20
Jewish Thought G-d’s Words by Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller
86
Rabbi Wein
88
Trouble at a Mountain Called Sinai by Rabbi YY Rubinstein
89
A Scribe of Historic Proportions by Rabbi Naphtali Hoff
90
A Retraction, 20 Years Later by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz 103 L’Kavod Yom Tov Sacred Writings: Two Local Sofrim Talk about their Holy Craft by Nachum Soroka 84 The Big Cheese: TJH Speaks with Brent Delman, the Cheese Guy by Alex Idov 92 A Taste of Har Sinai by Malky Lowinger
96
Halacha Eating Dairy on Shavuos by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits 98 History The Expulsion of Jews from Lithuania and Courland 1915: One Century Later by Larry Domnitch 123 Fighting in the Sinai by Avi Heiligman
yom tov to learn, we spoke with two families in the KAJ community who decorate their shuls with flowers and greenery in honor of Shavuos and Har Sinai. There are many meals over a three-day yom tov and we endeavored to bring you some interesting and delicious ideas of what to serve. We also spoke with Norene Gilletz and Daniella Silver, authors of the new cookbook The Silver Platter, to learn more about the kosher food industry. Yes, you can serve scrumptious fare without comprising on healthy choices for your families. And how about some creamy, dairy cocktails for your yom tov meal? Naomi Nachman shares some of her special recipes with us. Between shiurim, the time spent around the table with family, and little nibbles of cheesecake, there may just be a few moments to kick back on the couch and relax. We hope that TJH will be there with you to help you unwind and enjoy your yom tov. Wishing you a wonderful yom tov, Shoshana
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Political Crossfire 108
Don’t Mistake Him for a Fool; De Blasio is Onto 112 Something by Nate Davis Classifieds
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in the morning before resuming his normal schedule. But Shavuos is about overcoming our human tendencies and showing Hashem the determination we have in delving into the gift that He gave us thousands of years ago. It really is a yom tov of celebration. It’s a time when we rejoice in the special relationship we have with our Creator who made a lasting connection when He shared His precious Torah with us in an awe-inspiring, momentous event. The Torah changed us; we became eternal, unique, and special. This Shavuos issue is filled with so much for you to enjoy. Many of our writers spoke about the beauty of Shavuos and of Torah and Klal Yisroel. Rabbi Akiva Oppen and Rabbi Moshe Lieberman, sofrim in our community, shared their thoughts and insights into their holy craft. Brent Delman, the self-proclaimed “Cheese Guy,” shared his love of cheese and how to make the best cheddar, Gouda and mozzarella out there. As many head to shuls over
News
Dear Readers, With Shavuos comes cheesecake and flowers and late nights. Hands down, my grandmother makes the best cheesecake—made by hand with a real graham cracker crust and with lots of love. Because I no longer live near my parents I don’t get to savor the decadent cake every year, but if I drop by and there’s a piece cooling in the fridge I know to smuggle it home before someone notices that it’s gone. Shavuos comes just once a year—and a small (OK, it’s a little big) slice of pure creaminess won’t make the difference in my waistline in the long run, right? Every family has its own way of celebrating Shavuos. Growing up my father always stayed up all night to learn—and he even does so today. As I grew older, my sister and I would head over to the Young Israel in our neighborhood after the night meal to listen to the speeches until we couldn’t keep our eyes open. I could never imagine how my father was able to go through the whole night and take just a few hours’ nap
7 THE JEWISH HOME
Contents
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MAY 21, 2015
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Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, Last week you featured an OpEd by two rabbis who wished to alleviate the tuition crisis. They felt that one way to help stem the burden of staggering bills is by having people campaign and lobby their politicians. I am all for that method. I truly believe that if our politicians hear how concerned we are about the sky-high tuitions we are paying, they will try their utmost to help our community. I am disheartened, though, when I hear of other Jewish communities that charge more reasonable tuition fees for their students. We are a significant community with a nice amount of families and yet our tuitions surpass those in Lakewood and in Brooklyn and in other communities. Why is that so? We are lucky to have wonderful rabbeim and teachers and the schools here are doing a wonderful job educating and helping our children succeed. Is there any way that funds can be managed more efficiently? Perhaps it would be prudent to have some sort of financial organization or person come in to look at the books to see if there’s any way to streamline finances or processes to trim costs. I would love to hear what other ideas people have to say. If we all throw out some ideas, then I am sure that some-
thing will click and yeshivos will be able to lower their costs which will help alleviate much of the strain on middleclass families who are the ones who feel the tuition burden the most. Sincerely, Chaim W. Dear Editor, I need to bring awareness to the community about a very dangerous situation that has developed in Cedarhurst. Over Pesach, quietly, and unbeknown to the neighbors, the Village of Cedarhurst entered into an agreement with Rockaway Nissan Dealership of Inwood to allow the dealership to park cars in the Cedarhurst Sewer Plant next to the Lawrence High School. The plant was renovated and cars moved in during the Pesach holiday. When neighbors contacted the Village regarding this dangerous situation, they agreed to raise the height of the fence on the Arlington Place road. The neighbors in this area have expressed concern about safety, vandalism, and quality of life. The Village has told the residents that this is a long term storage lot, and no access will be granted during the weekends. Transport vehicles will not be coming down the block, and customers
will not be accessing the lot. However, these claims are simply not true. I have seen (and taken pictures of) transport trucks coming down a residential block at the exact time students are going out to get school buses in the morning. I have also seen customers negotiating car sales on this lot. When I contacted the manager about this, his response was, “I have access to this lot 24/7 so that I can sell cars.” There has already been an increase in vandalism in the area, as several cars in the lot had the tires removed and dropped on cinder blocks. The neighbors are concerned that those interested in doing criminal mischief will also target the cars and houses on that block. Our quality of life has also been impacted by the fact that sales representatives are coming to this lot on Saturday and Sunday using the car alarms to find the car they are looking for. We hear these alarms going off several times a day over the weekend. This is the middle of a residential neighborhood and a parking lot that accommodates a car dealership is not what these neighbors agreed to. We also did not agree to have an actual car dealership in our backyard – we can hear deals being negotiated from our lawns, backyards, and even bedrooms!
I urge all residents of Cedarhurst and surrounding areas that a residential neighborhood is not the place for a car parking lot. Please call Mayor Weinstock and express your outrage that the Village entered this agreement without consulting the residents that will be impacted by it. Demand that the Mayor cancel this contract before a tragedy happens and we are all left wondering what we could have done to prevent this! The Mayor can be reached at Village hall at mayor@cedarhurst.gov or via phone at 516-663-6555. Binyamin A. Lipsky, CPA Cedarhurst, NY Dear Editor, I know that there is much talk about the Celebrate Israel Parade and about how pro-BDS groups are planning on marching. It would be a tragedy to have groups bent on denigrating the Jewish State march in a parade that is a celebration to the country of Israel. Despite what will happen with these pro-BDS groups, I think that it is vital for all of us Israel supporters to come out in full force on May 31. If we show our strong support and come in large numbers then we will overshadow those who try to speak over us. Avital Cohen
Cover painting “Hagba,” oil on canvas, by Raphael Nouril copyrighted www.raphaelnouril.com Jerusalem, Israel: 972-2-532-7481 London, UK: 44[0]7818066741
Readers Poll It’s Shavuos and dairy is in. What’s your favorite ice cream flavor? 30% Chocolate 25% Vanilla 12% Cookie dough 10% Pistachio 8% Mint Chocolate Chip 5% Coffee 10% Other
The Week In News
Chechen Wedding Raises Eyebrows
He’s approaching 50; she is only 17. In a nuptials that raised eyebrows worldwide, Chechen police chief Nazhud Guchigov married the young girl as his second wife as allowed by Islamic, but not Russian, law. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the wedding has put him
for restoring stability, Putin gave Kadyrov, a former rebel, carte blanche to run the region in the North Caucasus as his personal fiefdom and funded a costly reconstruction. Kadyrov has come to call himself Putin’s “foot soldier” and has launched diatribes against Russia’s foes. With Kadyrov’s blessing, Chechens have poured into eastern Ukraine to fight alongside pro-Russian rebels. Under Kadyrov’s rule in Chechnya, Islamic law reigns even over federal law. Men are allowed to take several wives and there is a strict dress code for women. Criticism ran high when it became known that 46-year-old Guchigov was forcing a 17-year-old into becoming his second wife by blocking her village so she couldn’t leave. Kadyrov stood by the police chief, saying the girl and her family voluntarily agreed to the wedding. The Chechen leader also fired his information minister, accusing him of failing to quash what he described as slanderous reports. The bride told a news portal controlled by the Kremlin that she faced no intimidation into the marriage. The wedding took place on Saturday in Chechnya’s capital.
MAY 21, 2015
Giedruis Sakalauskas made a chilling discovery when he noticed that an electrical substation in the center of Vilnius, Lithuania, was built with granite blocks instead of regular bricks. Upon closer examination, he discovered that dozens of those stones had Hebrew or Yiddish inscriptions. “I touched the stones and I realized that they’re really gravestones,” he related. And he had a strong hunch about where they came from: Across the street there used to be a Jewish cemetery that was demolished in the 1960s when Lithuania was part of the Soviet Union. Sakalauskas posted pictures of his discovery on social media, setting off an emotional discussion about a dark chapter in Lithuania’s history that didn’t end when a Nazi occupation was replaced by a Soviet one in 1944. Lithuania’s once-vibrant Jewish community was nearly annihilated by the Nazis and the few who survived found little sympathy from their new Communist rulers. “Hitler wanted to destroy Jews physically,” said Simonas Gurevicius, whose family escaped the Holocaust by fleeing to Russia and returned to Lithuania after the war. “Stalin came, and he wanted to destroy the whole memory of the Jewish people, making sure that nothing will stay.” The etchings on the substation are hard to spot unless you know what you are looking for. They’re only visible in the gaps where the slabs overlay each other. Archaeologists confirmed this week that the electrical substation was built with tombstones pilfered from a Jewish cemetery. Vilinius Mayor Remigijus Simasius said he’s already asked the utility companies that own the substation, which feeds electricity to thousands of homes,
on the defensive. The bride repeated her vows in a barely audible voice, deathly pale and seemingly unwilling to marry the man many times her senior. Kadyrov danced a folk dance at the wedding reception. The scandal comes amid a tug-ofwar between Kadyrov and Russian federal law enforcement, which escalated after the slaying of charismatic Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov. Kadyrov’s defiance in shielding Chechen suspects in the killing has aggravated longstanding tensions between him and Russian security agencies. That creates a headache for Putin, left with the delicate task of moderating the conflict to avoid destabilizing the region. Even so, the tensions are unlikely to spark open hostilities or lead to Kadyrov’s removal. But they reflect an apparent effort by the Kremlin to cut the 38-year-old Chechen leader down to size and make him obey the rules — even as Putin continues to stand by Kadyrov. Kadyrov has enjoyed an exclusive relationship with Putin, who saw him as the linchpin for peace in Chechnya after two devastating separatist wars that killed tens of thousands. In exchange
Grave Discovery at Lithuanian Power Plant
to find a way to move them to a “proper resting place.” But many are questioning if this discovery ends here. How many other structures are built with Jewish tombstones, and why only now is it coming to light—25 years after Lithuania declared independence? In fact, this is not the first discovery of Jewish graves being desecrated. In the 1990s, authorities removed steps leading up to the Tauro hill, one of the highest points in Vilnius, after finding out they were made with stones taken from a Jewish graveyard. The mayor said two other cases are being investigated: the steps leading up to the Reformed Evangelical Church in Vilnius — which was turned into a movie theater by the Communists — and a wall outside a high school in the city. “This Soviet-era legacy is a disgrace for our city,” Simasius said. “Monuments must be respected. We are talking to the Jewish community to find a proper solution.” The issue has touched a raw nerve in a country that has been accused of not confronting the role some Lithuanians played in killing Jews during the 1941-44 Nazi occupation. More than 90 percent of Lithuania’s prewar Jewish population of 240,000 was killed. With Jewish life all but eradicated from Vilnius, Jewish cemeteries were seen as “easily accessible and free building material” during the Soviet era, Jurgita Verbickiene, a historian at Vilnius University, pointed out.
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MAY 21, 2015
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The Week In News Afghan Policemen Sentenced for Failing to Protect
On Tuesday, eleven Afghan policemen were sentenced to one year imprisonment for failing to protect a women who was lynched by a mob after falsely being accused of blasphemy. Farkhunda, 27, was savagely beaten and burned in broad daylight on March 19, triggering protests around the country and drawing global attention to the treatment of Afghan women. This week’s verdict comes after four Afghan men were sentenced to death and eight others were handed 16-year jail terms
earlier this month after a three-day trial broadcast live on national television. Farkhunda was attacked on the banks of the Kabul River after an amulet seller, whom she had reportedly criticized for peddling superstition, falsely accused her of burning a copy of the Koran. After her brutal death, forty-nine people were arrested, including 19 police officers, some of whom were shown standing by and doing nothing to stop the mob in cellphone videos recorded by bystanders. The quick trial drew some praise in a country where female victims of violence often have little legal recourse, but also prompted concerns over whether due process had been followed as many of the accused did not appear to have lawyers. Human Rights Watch said after the death sentences were given on May 6 that the speeds of the trial suggested the government “wants a quick and dirty process to get this case out of the headlines and move on – rather than real justice.” Farkhunda’s case become a symbol of the endemic violence that women face in Afghanistan, despite reforms since the hardline Taliban regime fell
in 2001. The backlash highlighted the angst of a post-Taliban generation in Afghanistan – where nearly two-thirds of the population is under 25 – that is often torn between conservatism and modernity as the country rebuilds after decades of war.
A Handshake and a Nod Towards Reconciliation
N. Korea Executes Former Defense Chief Hyon Yong Chol, 66, former defense chief of North Korea, was executed on charges of treason last week. He was placed before an anti-aircraft gun at a firing range, Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) revealed. Hyon previously lead the country’s military until he was purged late last month for disobeying Kim Jong Un and falling asleep during a meeting at which Kim Jong Un was present. Hundreds of people gathered to watch the execution, one of many since Kim took power in 2011. The lawmakers said Hyon was executed at a firing range at the Kanggon Military Training Area, 22 km (14 miles) north of Pyongyang. It is estimated that close to 70 officials have been executed since Kim took over after his father’s death. It is not exactly clear how the NIS received the information and verifying it is difficult in a country as secretive as North Korea. Hyon’s last public appearance was at a security conference in Moscow in April. Hyon was believed to have voiced complaints against Kim Jong Un and had not followed orders several times, according to the lawmakers. He was arrested late last month and executed three days later without legal proceedings. The reported execution comes after South Korea’s spy agency said late last month that Kim ordered the execution of 15 senior officials this year as punishment for challenging his authority. The U.S.-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea said, according to satellite images, the range was likely used for an execution by ZPU-4 anti-aircraft guns in October. The target was just 30 meters (100 feet) away from the weapons, which have a range of 8,000 meters, it said. “The gut-wrenching viciousness of such an act would make ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ sound like a gross understatement,” the group pointed out on its website. “Given reports of past executions, this is tragic, but unfortunately plausible in the twisted world of Kim Jong Un’s North Korea.”
It was an historic visit on Tuesday: Prince Charles became the first British royal to meet with Northern Irish republican leader Gerry Adams. The meeting was held to promote peace and reconciliation between the two nations. At an event in Galway in western Ireland, the heir to the British throne shook hands with the head of the Sinn Fein party, the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). In a statement issued ahead of the visit, Adams referred to Charles using his title as colonel-in-chief of the Parachute Regiment of the British Army, which he said was responsible for a number of deaths during the Northern Ireland conflict known as “The Troubles.” “But he [Charles] also has been bereaved by the actions of republicans,” said Adams, the veteran leader of the Sinn Fein party, which was the political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). “Thankfully the conflict is over. But there remains unresolved injustices. These must be rectified and a healing process developed. There is a responsibility on us all to promote reconciliation and seek to promote healing,” he added. There’s a deep-rooted conflict between the two. The IRA blew up a boat carrying Charles’ godfather and great-uncle Lord Mountbatten off the west coast of Ireland in 1979, in one of the most high-profile assassinations during three decades of sectarian unrest that killed 3,500 people. The 79-yearold royal was killed along with two relatives and Paul Maxwell, a 14-year-old local boy, who worked on the fishing boat. On Wednesday, the British royal was expected to travel to the rugged stretch of coastline near where the killing took place in Mullaghmore, becoming the first royal to do so on a visit that palace Continued on page 14
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MAY 21, 2015
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The Week In News aides have said is aimed at promoting “peace and reconciliation.” The heir to the throne had a close relationship with his godfather and the visit will be an emotional one for him. Mountbatten’s grandson, Timothy Knatchbull, who survived the blast, is also expected to attend, along with Peter McHugh, a local resident who helped pull bodies from the sea. Adams and other senior Sinn Fein
members boycotted Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Ireland in 2011, the first by a British monarch since the future Republic of Ireland gained independence from Britain in 1922. But Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, a member of Sinn Fein who was an IRA commander in the 1970s, later shook hands with the queen during her visit to Belfast in 2012.
A PhD at 102
entrance to the oral exam in 1938 by the Nazi authorities because her mother was Jewish.
On Wednesday, Ingeborg SyllmRapoport finally received her well-deserved PhD when she passed her PhD defense exam 77 years after she completed her thesis on diphtheria. The German neonatologist is 102-years-old. Syllm-Rapoport had been refused
“This is about principle, not about me,” she told the Daily Tagesspiegel over the weekend. “I did not defend the work for my own sake; that whole situation was not easy for me at 102 years old. I did it for the victims. The university wanted to make amends for wrongs and has shown great patience, for which I am grateful.” She immigrated to the United States in 1938 and was required to study for two additional years to be certified as a doctor, despite graduating from a German medical school. She married in 1946 and the couple returned to Germany after her husband was persecuted by anti-Communist efforts during the McCarthy era. Syllm-Rapoport retired in 1973 from Berlin’s renowned Charite Hospital as a full professor of pediatrics and head of the Neonatology Department. She will receive her doctoral certificate on June 9.
U.S. Marine Helicopter Downed in Nepal
Nepalese rescuers discovered three bodies near the wreckage of a U.S. Marine helicopter that disappeared last week during a relief mission in the earthquake-hit Himalayan nation. “The wreckage of the helicopter was found in pieces, and there are no chances of any survivors,” Nepal’s defense secretary, Iswori Poudyal, said. The helicopter was carrying six Marines and two Nepalese army soldiers, all who
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The Week In News perished in the crash. Speaking in Washington, President Barack Obama expressed condolences to the families of all the victims and said the Marines “represent a truth that guides our work around the world: When our friends are in need, America helps.” The wreckage was found about 24 kilometers (15 miles) from the town of Charikot, near where the aircraft went missing last Tuesday while delivering humanitarian aid to villages hit by two deadly earthquakes, according to the U.S. military joint task force in Okinawa, Japan. A total of 300 U.S. military personnel have been supporting the aid mission in Nepal, which includes three Hueys, four Marine MV-22B Ospreys, two KC130 Hercules and four Air Force C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift aircraft. The U.S. relief mission was deployed soon after a magnitude-7.8 quake hit April 25, killing more than 8,200 people. It was followed by another magnitude-7.3 quake on Tuesday that killed 117 people and injured 2,800.
Elian Gonzalez Wants to Visit the U.S.
didn’t see her again.” He added, “I was alone in the middle of the sea.” The six-year-old was sent to live with his relatives in Miami, but soon became the object of an international battle after his father demanded he be returned to live with him in Cuba. But Elian’s relatives – and the larger Cuban-American community in Miami – insisted they would not allow him to return to Cuba, fearing he faced a life of privation and political oppression there. Eventually, U.S. courts sided with Elian’s father and then-U.S. attorney general Janet Reno ordered that U.S. federal agents seize the boy. Photos of the April 2000 raid of a scared child being taken at gunpoint were beamed around the world. Now an adult engaged to be married and pursuing engineering studies, Gonzalez said he has put the traumatic episode behind him. “For my family it has always been, we always have the desire to say to the American people, to say to each household our gratitude, appreciation and love that we have,” he said, repeating his wish to see America. “I could personally thank those people who helped us, who were there by our side. Because we’re so grateful for what they did.”
Filipino Factory Fire Kills 72 It was November of 1999. Six-yearold Elian Gonzalez was found floating in an inner tube off of the coast of Florida. He was the only survivor of a boat that capsized carrying his mother and others who were fleeing Cuba. Gonzalez grabbed headlines as a bitter international custody battle between his Cuban father and Miami relatives swirled around him. Now, fifteen years later, when asked where he would like to go if he could travel anywhere in the world, Gonzalez responded, “Los Estados Unidos,” the United States. “I want the time to give my love to American people,” he added in halting English to ABC News. He also recalled his harrowing ordeal at sea. “I remember when the boat capsized, when we fell on the sea. I remember when I was put on the raft and my mom was covering me and I was raising my head, looking around... and at some point I raised my head and I
Filipino police are investigating a fire that killed at least 72 factory workers who became trapped in the building’s second floor. Valenzuela city police Chief Rhoderick Armamento said the investigation has taken on a criminal angle after a relative of one of the victims said iron grills that were put on windows prevented the victims from escaping. This was the country’s most fatal and worst factory fire in its history. All bodies were believed to have been retrieved from the gutted two-story Kentex Manufacturing Corp. rubber slipper factory a day after the fire raged for over five hours in the Manila suburb.
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The Week In News
A Taliban attack on a Kabul guesthouse left 14 people dead, including nine foreigners, last Wednesday evening. This latest attack has highlighted
An American, a British citizen, an Italian, four Indian nationals and two Pakistanis were among the dead. Five Afghanis were also killed and seven were wounded, including a policeman. By targeting a guesthouse popular
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with international residents and visitors, the Taliban also stoked fears they were renewing their strategy of killing foreigners, which will further undermine Ghani’s credibility in his efforts to bring peace, stability and prosperity not only to Afghanistan but to the broader region. “The attack shows that Kabul is very vulnerable. An increase in attacks on Kabul can paralyze life here, and if there is a cascade of attacks in Kabul, it can hurt the government,” Haroun Mir, an independent political analyst, pointed out. Gunmen stormed the Park Palace Hotel in downtown Kabul as guests gathered for a concert by a popular Afghan musician. In attendance were diplomats, business people, charity workers, academics and others. Some 60 people were held hostage for about five hours by the gunmen. Sporadic gunfire and a series of muffled explosions were heard before Kabul police Chief Gen. Adbul Rahman Rahimi announced the siege was over. Firefighters quickly moved in to clear the building, which was cordoned off as residents moved out. The Taliban claimed responsibility in an emailed statement that said the ho-
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Taliban Claims Attack on Kabul Guesthouse
the difficulties President Ashraf Ghani faces in providing basic security following the withdrawal of international combat troops from Afghanistan. The hourslong siege was the deadliest in Kabul since the insurgents launched their annual “spring offensive” against Ghani’s administration in late April. The government has been forced to concentrate resources on security at the expense of desperately needed reforms.
never received instructions on what to do in case of a fire. Iron grill bars on windows are common in offices, factories and homes in the Philippines to keep out thieves. In workplaces or factories, they are also meant to prevent employees from stealing equipment or products. Mayor Rex Gatchalian said that a workers’ log book was lost in the fire and the foreman was among the dead, making it difficult to determine how many were inside the factory at the time. District Fire Marshal Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu said that the building had other exits but apparently the workers were overwhelmed by the thick, black smoke from the burning rubber and chemicals, which are highly flammable and caused the blaze to spread quickly
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Armamento said that after the fire was finally doused, the focus shifted to identifying the bodies and investigating the cause of the blaze. Among the questions being raised is the question of if the factory followed fire and building safety standards. Dionisio Candido, whose daughter, granddaughter, sister-in-law and niece were among the missing, said iron grills reinforced with fencing wire covered windows on the second floor that “could prevent even cats from escaping.” Police will file charges against “all those accountable and those at fault,” charged police Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina. Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said the city’s fire marshal and two other fire department officers were relieved of duty. One of them, fire marshal Mel Jose Lagan, had earlier told reporters that arson investigators will look into why the people were unable to escape from the second floor when there was a “sufficient exit” that includes a wide stairway to the back of the building leading outside. They will also look into whether there were more people inside the building than permitted under code. Surviving workers admitted that they
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The Week In News tel was targeted because of the presence of foreigners, including Americans. Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said it was carried out by a lone attacker armed with a Kalashnikov rifle, a suicide vest and a pistol. However, authorities in Kabul said three gunmen were involved and all were killed in the shootout with Afghan security forces. Ghani condemned the attack and lashed out at the Taliban in a statement the next day, vowing the insurgents would not derail his plans to bring peace to his war-ravaged nation. He said he had spoken to the leaders of the nations whose citizens were killed, adding, “The terrorists and enemies of Afghanistan cannot harm our country’s relationships with other countries with these activities.” Since taking office in September, public support for Ghani has rapidly evaporated, along with faith in his promises to bring reform and peace. His cabinet still lacks a defense minister and plans to kick-start a moribund economy, creating much-needed jobs after the withdrawal late last year of foreign combat forces and many non-government organizations, have stalled.
Iran Already Caught Breaking the Rules
Czech officials have discovered that the Iranian government has attempted to purchase technology that can be used in its nuclear program using false documentation. The move is in direct violation of international sanctions. After Iran’s attempt, the Czech were able to prevent the sale, according to the latest annual report of the UN Security Council’s Iran sanctions committee. The incident is likely to reinforce concerns that the Iranian regime may not adhere to a major nuclear deal Tehran is negotiating with world powers. The report details Iran’s attempt to pur-
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chase compressors manufactured by the Prague-based American-owned company Howden CKD Compressors using a “false end user.” “The procurer and transport company involved in the deal had provided false documentation in order to hide the origins, movement and destination of the consignment with the intention of bypassing export controls and sanctions,” the report said. Compressors of certain types — the exact type of compressor being purchased has not been reported — are useful in the uranium enrichment process required to produce both nuclear energy, and at higher levels of enrichment, also nuclear weapons. The contract was valued at $61 million. The parties attempting to make the purchase said the compressors were “needed for a compressor station, such as the kind used to transport natural gas from one relay station to another,” according to a Czech official. According to the UN panel, the Czech incident wasn’t the only piece of evidence Tehran is actively seeking to circumvent sanctions. Britain, the report said, had tracked another nuclear procurement network for Tehran. Under an interim deal struck between world powers and Iran, the Islamic Republic agreed to scale back its nuclear activities, including stopping higher levels of enrichment, in exchange for a negotiated relief to international sanctions. Israel and several Arab states have criticized the emerging deal. The U.S. and other negotiating powers have said Iran has complied with the conditions set by the interim deal. A final nuclear agreement is scheduled to be set at the end of June.
Israel
of the missiles can reportedly reach Tel Aviv and central Israel while hundreds more may be able to strike the entire country. Most of the weapons have been transferred to Lebanon through war-torn Syria, coming from Hezbollah’s key allies, the Syrian government and Iran. An official showed reporters satellite photos of what Israeli intelligence believes are Hezbollah positions in dozens of Shiite villages in southern Lebanon. The photos were marked with dozens of red icons, signaling what are believed to be missile launchers, arms depots, underground tunnels and command posts. One photo showed the village of Muhaybib, with a population of around 1,000 people and 90 buildings, of which more than a third had been marked as Hezbollah assets. In the larger village of Shaqra, with some 4,000 people, Israeli intelligence identified Hezbollah targets in around 400 out of some 1,200 buildings. If war breaks out and Hezbollah fires missiles at Israel, these buildings will be targeted by Israel’s air force, the official said, adding that Israel would give civilians time to evacuate. Israel and Hezbollah fought a monthlong war in 2006 that killed some 1,200 Lebanese and 160 Israelis and caused heavy damage to Lebanon’s infrastructure. Though another Israel-Hezbollah war is always possible, analysts say the group has no interest in renewing hostilities while it is busy fighting alongside President Bashar Assad’s forces against rebels trying to topple him in Syria.
E.U. Rep to Reboot Peace Process
Hezbollah Replenishing Rocket Arsenals
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According to the Israeli intelligence committee, Hezbollah, the Lebanese terror group, has built up a huge arsenal of nearly 100,000 short range rockets and other advanced weapons. Civilians within range of Shi’ite villages in southern Lebanon are being told they are at risk if war breaks out. Several thousand
The European Union’s top diplomat has announced that she is going to the Mideast to try to revive the stalled peace process. Federica Mogherini aims to “challenge Israel and the Palestinians to share their ideas on how to break the deadlock.” The EU’s high representative for foreign affairs said, “I believe that one thing is clear to everybody in the region, that the status quo is not an option.”
The Week In News
Iran’s Shocking Assassination Request During a special conference at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv it was revealed that Shapour Bakhtiar, the last Iranian prime minister before the Islamic Revolution, asked Mossad agents in Tehran to assassinate the leader of the Revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini. The new information was revealed with the release of a new book from Yossi Alpher, a former Mossad official. In its pages, Alpher says that Eliezer Tzafrir received the request from Bakhtiar in January 1979 to kill
Khomeini who was living in Paris at the time after being deported from Iraq.
Iraq offered to hand Khomeini to the Shah in Iran to be executed, but the leader refused and the revolutionary found asylum in France. According to the book, Israel maintained a top secret relationship with the Shahs of Iran and carried out deals that included extensive sales of arms produced in Israeli factories. Additionally, the two countries shared an intimate relationship in the field of intelligence. After Tzafrir received the request of serious implications, the message was passed on to Mossad officials in Tel Aviv who met to discuss their options. “Mossad director Yitzhak Hofi announced at the beginning of the meeting that he wasn’t prone to support the request on moral grounds but asked to hear the
MAY 21, 2015
Four students were injured in a terrorist attack in the West Bank after a vehicle drove into a bus stop on Thurs-
“This is a hard day for the Etzion settlement bloc. This junction has experienced many tough incidents,” Savil said, referring to an attack that occurred near the junction where a Palestinian driver ran into a bus stop, running over Israeli Dalia Lemkus, 26, and then stabbing her to death. There have been a spate of vehicular terror attacks in the West Bank and Jerusalem since the fall.
Bus Stop Attack Injures 4
day afternoon. The attack occurred outside the Alon Shvut settlement, south of Jerusalem, at the site of a similar fatal attack in November. The deputy head of the Etzion settlement bloc council Moshe Savil said that the driver came from the direction of nearby Kfar Etzion. “He crossed the highway and with great force struck a group of students who were waiting for the bus,” he said. The black Subaru escaped from the scene but a suspect was arrested a short while later and was handed over to the Shin Bet security service for questioning. Muhammed Arfaaya, 22, a Palestinian resident of Hebron, admitted to perpetrating the attack. One person was seriously injured, another moderately, and two more lightly hurt in the incident. All four were evacuated to a nearby Jerusalem hospital. The victims are between 16 and 25 years old. Savil added in a statement made at the scene of the attack, “I call on the army and security forces to return security to the settlement bloc, to increase security, to restrict the entrance of Palestinians to areas with large groups of people like this.”
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“My very early visit has a political meaning,” Mogherini told a press conference. She took over for Cathrine Ashton as the head of EU foreign policy last November. Mogherini was set to meet with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during her two-day visit. Some European leaders were alarmed by a remark by Netanyahu before the March 17 elections that there would be no Palestinian state while he’s premier, a charge he immediately walked back. Mogherini said her trip will stress that the EU is “ready to play a major role in re-launching the peace process,” but with an end result that includes Palestinian statehood.
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The Week In News opinions of those who were present,” Alpher recalls. “I told the heads of the Mossad that I had difficulty supporting the request because we didn’t know enough about who and what Khomeini was. I really regret not supporting that request.”
How Educated are Israeli Children?
In a major education report that was published this week, Israeli schoolchildren came in at 39th out of 76 nations, according to standardized test scores. Asian nations led the rankings, published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, with Singapore taking first place, followed
by Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan and Taipei. European nations were next in line, with Finland at sixth place followed by Estonia, Switzerland and the Netherlands. The OECD issued a special warning about the decline of Sweden in the rankings. The Scandinavian country now places at 35th place, four slots ahead of Israel. The U.S. ranks 28th on the list; Britain is 20th. The report uses a new method for scoring international tests such as PISA and TIMSS that created a shared standard for comparing diverse countries’ performance across multiple tests. “This is the first time we have a truly global scale of the quality of education,” OECD education director Andreas Schleicher said of the report. “The idea is to give more countries—rich and poor—access to comparing themselves against the world’s education leaders, to discover their relative strengths and weaknesses, and to see what the long-term economic gains from improved quality in schooling could be for them.” The report was prepared for the World Education Forum slated to take place in South Korea next week, which will deal with raising global educa-
tion standards. Titled “Universal Basic Skills: What Countries Stand to Gain,” it argues that universal education in basic skills in math and science will lead to a dramatic economic boon for the countries tested. The Arab world trailed far behind on the list, with one headline in the report noting diplomatically that “high-quality schooling and oil don’t mix easily.” “The high-income non-OECD countries, as a group, would see an added economic value equivalent to almost five times the value of their current GDP – if they equipped all students with at least basic skills. So there is an important message for countries rich in natural resources: the wealth that lies hidden in the undeveloped skills of their populations is far greater than what they now reap by extracting wealth from natural resources,” the report pointed out.
Mossad’s New Push to Bring Eli Cohen Back Home Mossad Director Tamir Pardo has been doing all he can to bring the body of Mossad spy Eli Cohen to Israel from Syria for burial. This past Monday marked the 50th anniversary of the Damascus hanging of Cohen. A ceremony was attended by Israel’s president, prime minister, Cohen’s widow and three children.
“Eli’s legacy, ‘Our Man in Damascus,’ will last forever. It remains our obligation to bring Eli home, to bury him in Israel,” Pardo said at the event, referencing the title of a book about the legendary spy. Addressing the memorial, Nadia Cohen also appealed to the Israeli government to retrieve her husband’s body from Syrian soil and “bring him home. “Do not forget where Eli lies. He is not with us,” she said. “I ask, on this special occasion, that you do all you can to bring him home, to the country for which he fought and paid for with his life.” Mossad agent Cohen was put on trial and executed by the Syrian government
for espionage on May 18, 1965 after he successfully infiltrated the Syrian government under the alias Kamel Amin Thaabet for four years. The intelligence conveyed to Israel during that period was credited by then-prime minister Levi Eshkol as greatly assisting Israel during the Six Day War. President Reuven Rivlin called Cohen “an extraordinary hero.” “Few people are remembered for generations. Among those few, there are almost none from the heroes of the intelligence community,” Rivlin said. “Unknown soldiers who put their souls on the line and risk losing their lives at any minute, under a blanket of secrecy… Eli Cohen was an extraordinary hero of Israel. He merited that the entire country would know him well and maintain his legacy.” He continued, “We, citizens of Israel, will forever remember Eli Cohen as a true hero who sacrificed his life in the defense of our security and for the freedom of our country.”
Miracle Baby Born to 65-Year-Old
In a truly miraculous story, a Chassidish woman of 65 gave birth to a healthy baby boy this week. Chaya Sarah Shachar became a mother for the first time at the Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba. The ecstatic parents had been trying to have children for over 45 years. Shachar and her husband, Shmuel, had unsuccessfully tried to have children since they were married at the ages of 19 and 21, respectively. The couple had sought fertility treatments as well as blessings from religious figures. The proud parents, who are affiliated with the Nadvorna Chasidic dynasty, attributed the miracle to a blessing from their rebbe, who died three years ago.
Vatican Recognizes Palestinian State Amid an upsurge of Israeli ire and accusations, the Vatican officially recContinued on page 26
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The Week In News ognized the state of Palestine last week. The treaty which was struck concerns the activities of the Catholic Church in Palestinian territory. It is both deeply symbolic and makes explicit that the church has switched its diplomatic recognition from the Palestine Liberation Organization to the state of Palestine. The Vatican had welcomed the decision by the U.N. General Assembly in 2012 to recognize a Palestinian state and had referred to the Palestine state since. But the treaty is the first legal document negotiated between the Pope and the Palestinian state, giving the Vatican’s former signs of recognition an unambiguous confirmation in a formal, bilateral treaty. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it was “disappointed” in the move. “This move does not promote the peace process and distances the Palestinian leadership from returning to direct and bilateral negotiations,” the ministry said. The United States and Israel oppose recognition, arguing that it undermines U.S.-led efforts to negotiate an Israeli-Palestinian deal on the terms of Palestinian statehood. Most countries in Western Europe have held off on
recognition, but some have hinted that their position could change if peace efforts remain deadlocked. The treaty was finalized days before Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited Pope Francis at the Vatican.
Widow’s Weapons Cache Police detectives in Kibbutz Shoval were shocked to discover 13 rifles, including automatic weapons, in the home of an elderly woman. The officers were conducting a weapons search after receiving a tip-off that unauthorized guns were being held in the area of the northern Negev. When they arrived at the woman’s home, they asked her if she was storing any weapons in her house, and she assured them she wasn’t. But police decided to carry out a search anyway and found an arsenal in her attic— including AK-47s, an air rifle, a Czech-made rifle, a sawed-off shotgun, a Mauser handgun, Berettas,
and flares, as well as ammunition for all of the weapons. The entire stash was confiscated and sent to the Netivot police station. The woman, in her 80s, told police the guns had belonged to her late husband but she was adamant that she didn’t know he had kept them in the house. Superintendent Menny Ohayon of the Netivot police explained that police had heard that an “illegal weapon” was being used somewhere in the vicinity of the kibbutz. “After some legwork, we located the house and officers went in to look for the gun. To their surprise, they found a whole stash in the attic, with many weapons above and beyond the specific gun they were looking for. “In the stash, there was even one weapon from British Mandate days,” Ohayon said. “The rest of the weapons were usable and manufactured in recent decades. Among others, we found four AK-47 assault rifles, a sawed-off shotgun, a Czech rifle, five Beretta handguns, a Mauser hand gun, a Tommy gun and a flare gun. We also found a silencer, cartridges, telescope sights and enough ammo that a whole Israel Defense Forces platoon wouldn’t be ashamed of.”
National Bin Laden’s Top Aide Sentenced to Life in Prison
“I worship the same G-d as you,” said Ellen Karas, directly addressing Khaled al-Fawwaz. “But he is not an angry G-d. He is not a vengeful G-d.” Karas was blinded in the 1998 bombings of two embassies in Africa that al-Fawwaz is responsible to orchestrating. The former aide to Osama bin Laden was handed a life sentence on Friday in a U.S. courtroom. Al-Fawwaz, 52, was arrested in
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The Week In News London weeks after the August 1998 attacks but was not extradited from Great Britain until 2012. He was convicted in February of terror charges accusing him of supporting the attacks in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people, including a dozen Americans. At trial, prosecutors presented evidence that the Saudi Arabia-born de-
fendant was an al-Qaeda leader who directed a military training camp in Afghanistan in 1991, led a terror cell in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1993, and ensured bin Laden’s 1996 declaration of war against the U.S. reached the world. The evidence included a list of al-Qaeda members — with al-Fawwaz at number 9 — that was recovered by U.S. Special
Forces from an al-Qaeda leader’s home after the September 11 attacks. The defense argued that the U.S. government exaggerated al-Fawwaz’s role in the conspiracy. In her remarks, Karas described the trauma of being pulled out of the rubble in Nairobi and spending months in the hospital. She underwent multiple
surgeries that failed to restore her sight. “I had a career ahead of me. It’s gone. Now I have a guide dog,” she said of the black Labrador at her side. Karas called herself and other survivors living proof that “Osama bin Laden didn’t win. We are all here. He is gone. And thankfully it will stay that way forever.”
Not So Safe and Secure America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. But some people don’t feel so brave living in certain areas of the country. In fact, if you want to feel safe in America, you’d be best off steering clear of some cities in the Golden State. The three metro areas nationwide where residents are least likely to feel safe are all in California’s Central Valley, along a corridor well-traveled by criminals transporting drugs. Nationally, more than three-quarters of people agreed when Gallup-Healthways researchers asked them last year to rate the statement “You always feel safe and secure”; only 23.5 percent of people failed to agree. But in Fresno, California, the poorest-ranking of the nation’s 100 most populous cities, 37.3 percent of people could not agree with the statement.
Gallup pointed out that by increasing police forces or establishing neighborhood watch programs can help residents feel safer. And residents who feel safer are more than likely to focus on their physical wellbeing by, for example, taking a run around the local track or connecting with fellow members in their community. Residents of Fresno, California, are the least likely of any big metro area in the country to feel safe. Even so, according to the FBI, the crime rate has been steadily declining in the city, although its crime rates are still higher than average. Stockton-Lodi, California, came in as the second-least safe city to residents. The city went bankrupt in 2013 and its police force is thinner than ever. Forbes has ranked the city in the top ten most
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The Week In News
Tsarnaev showed no reaction to his sentence. It’s been two years since Dzhokhar and his older brother, Tamerlan, set off two pressure-cooker bombs near the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring nearly 300. They later killed a security guard. The jurors — seven women and five men — convicted Tsarnaev on April 8 on all 30 counts related to the bombings, including the shooting death of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer days after the attacks. Tsarnaev pled not guilty to the charges. Judy Clarke, his attorney, cast Tsarnaev, now 21, as a troubled teen-
An audit by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer has revealed that New York’s subway tracks are filled with rats, dirt and garbage. Peeling paint and mold were also found in many subway stations. The review established that only 3 percent of tracks in 276 underground stations were cleaned according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s own standards, which include cleaning track beds at underground stations every three weeks and using special equipment to vacuum up trash from the tracks every six months. “The MTA is constantly reminding riders to clean up after themselves, but they’re setting a poor example by letting piles of trash on the tracks fester for months on end,” Stringer said. “Our auditors observed rats scurrying over the tracks and onto subway platforms, and it’s almost as if they were walking upright – waiting to take the train to their next meal. This is a daily, stomach-turning insult to millions of straphangers, and it’s unworthy of a world-class city.” Stringer said there are two track-cleaning trains that work the entire system and one was out of service for most of a year while the other is run on low power for fear of damaging the tracks. “You gotta buy better, more effective vacuum cars,” Stringer charged. “Why are you keeping in service vacuum cars that aren’t vacuuming?” Overall, the MTA has slashed the cleaning workforce in half but they claim to have increased its budget for cleaning tracks specifically by 25 percent over the last six years. According to claims, the MTA approved a new $23 million contract for three new vacuum trains to pick up debris.
Hacker Admits to Controlling Plane
A cybersecurity analyst who was removed from a United Airlines flight after tweeting about the airplane’s security vulnerabilities told an FBI agent he had previously hacked into the in-flight entertainment system on a different flight and was able to take command of the plane long enough to make it fly sideways, according to a recently-released search warrant filed by the agency. Chris Roberts, founder of One World Labs, was questioned by the FBI on April 15 upon landing at an airport in Syracuse after his flight from Chicago. According to the search warrant, Roberts told the FBI in February he had taken control of an aircraft, overwriting the code on the plane’s “Thrust Management Computer” and issuing a “CLB,” or command to climb. “He stated that he thereby caused one of the airplane engines to climb resulting in a lateral or sideways movement of the plane during one of these flights,” FBI Special Agent Mark Hurley wrote in the warrant application filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York and published by a Canadian media outlet. “He also stated that he used Vortex software after compromising/exploiting or ‘hacking’ the airplane’s networks. He used the software to monitor traffic from the cockpit system.” According to the warrant, Roberts — who for years has warned airplane manufacturers of their vulnerability to hackers — said he had accessed in-flight networks more than 15 times between 2011 and 2014 by connecting a modified ethernet cable to a box under the passenger seat in front of him, and had discovered vulnerabilities in three types of Boeing aircraft as well as the Airbus A-320. He did not indicate
which flight he was able to briefly commandeer. Roberts was not charged with a crime, but the FBI seized his computer equipment — including a laptop, several hard drives, flash drives and black iPad with a “Death Wish Coffee Co.” sticker — because they believed he “had the ability and the willingness” to hack into in-flight entertainment systems and “possibly the flight control systems” on future flights. According to the FBI, agents warned Roberts in February that “accessing airplane networks without authorization” is a violation of federal laws and that he could be prosecuted. But on April 15, United Airlines alerted the FBI to a tweet Roberts published while on a flight from Denver to Chicago: “Find myself on a 737/800, lets see Box-IFE-ICE-SATCOM, ? Shall we start playing with EICAS messages? ‘PASS OXYGEN ON’ Anyone ? :)” Officials were not amused. According to the affidavit, a subsequent FBI search of Roberts’s seats on that plane “showed signs of tampering.”
Lamaze Co-Founder Dies at 100
Elisabeth Bing was an expert in her field; she revolutionized childbirth in the U.S. Last Friday, the pioneer Lamaze instructor passed away at the age of 100 in her New York home. Bing was born Elisabeth Dorothea Koenigsberger in a Berlin suburb in 1914 to Jewish parents. Her family immigrated to England in the 1930s. In London, she studied physiotherapy, and among her patients were women in maternity wards who were confined to bed for as long as 10 days after childbirth. Bing was disturbed that women were being sedated during childbirth and having little or no control over the birthing process. During WWII, Bing pursued the study of natural childbirth while working as an ambulance driver. The turning point of her career came
MAY 21, 2015
On Friday the verdict was handed down: Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was sentenced to death by the Massachusetts jury. Throughout the 10 weeks of deliberations, there was graphic testimony from more than 150 witnesses, including survivors with missing limbs and a tormented father who spoke of watching his young son die on the sidewalk in front of him.
NYC Subway System Filled with Rats and Trash
“We have already developed a more systematic cleaning frequency for the track beds,” a spokesman for the MTA has said.
Death Penalty for Boston Bomber
ager from a dysfunctional family who came under the sway of his radicalized older brother, Tamerlan.
THE JEWISH HOME
dangerous cities for years. It’s located along the Interstate 5, a well-known drug transit route that runs from Mexico up through the state, fueling gang violence. Stockton’s violent crime rate is 200 percent higher than California’s and 228 percent higher than the national average, according to the FBI. Another Californian city, Bakersfield, is not someplace you’d like to go for a midnight jog alone. It, too, is located along a popular drug trafficking route and gang violence is significant. Memphis, Tennessee, came in next on the list with its residents singing the blues. In fact, the murder rate in 2014 soared 17 percent from the year before. Youngstown, Ohio; Toledo, Ohio; Las Vegas, Nevada; New Orleans, Louisiana; Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida; and Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida; rounded out the top ten.
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The Week In News in 1949, when she visited her sister living in the U.S. During her visit she came up with the idea of helping obstetricians who were not knowledgeable about childbirth at the time. Bing wound up remaining in the U.S. and developing her practice in New York after meeting and marrying Fred Max Bing. She began by coaching local expectant parents in the studio she ran on the main floor of her Upper West Side apartment building. Eventually she evolved into one of the best-known faces of the natural childbirth movement in the United States, promoting and teaching what she preferred to call “educated childbirth.” Soon after that, in 1951, Mount Sinai Hospital approached her about teaching at its newly opened maternity ward. She became the clinical assistant professor at New York Medical College in the 1960’s. Eventually, she and Marjorie Karmel established the American Society for Psychoprophylaxis in Obstetrics, now known as Lamaze International, to inform the public of the natural childbirth approach developed by the French obstetrician Dr. Fernand Lamaze. Although Bing encouraged women to depend on relaxation techniques to cope with labor
pains, she did not discount the option of using anesthesia when necessary. “You certainly must not feel any guilt or sense or failure if you require some medication, or if you experience discomfort,” she wrote in her 1967 book “Six Practical Lessons for an Easier Childbirth.” Ironically, she herself received an epidural when she gave birth at age 40 to her only son Peter.
The Mental Stress Suffered by Journalists
As a journalist, it’s one’s duty to report the facts—sometimes from dangerous and frightening places. They place themselves in harm’s way to broadcast
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information and the truth to the world. But journalists are human and reporting on tragedies and horror takes a very-human toll on them as well. Aidan Sullivan remembers his first day as director of photography at The Sunday Times very clearly. It was April 5, 1989, what would come to be known as the day of the Hillsborough disaster in Sheffield, England, in which 96 people were crushed to death at a crowded stadium. 766 were injured. “I remember making two piles of pictures: one of [people] who were dead or dying, and another of those who were distressed but more likely to survive,” said Sullivan, who added that he has experienced flashbacks as a result of the job. “I can still vividly recall the images. That never goes away.” Reporting from war zones obviously seems to take a larger toll. According to a 2002 study in the American Journal of Psychiatry, nearly one-third of war journalists will suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder during their careers – approximately six times more likely than workers in a career other than journalism. Another 21 percent will experience depression. War reporters are also more likely than non-war reporters to abuse drugs and alcohol, have trouble sleeping and experience high levels of stress and anxiety. But it’s not just those in the warzone who are affected. An emerging body of research suggests that journalists who are exposed to trauma secondhand – the people, like Sullivan, whose job it is to sort through images, watch videos and decide what should and should not be published – are at an even greater risk of developing psychological symptoms than those reporting on the ground. “The work follows them home, and it stays with them, and soon it starts affecting how they manage their lives outside of the work environment,” Anthony Feinstein, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto who has dedicated his career to studying journalists and PTSD, pointed out. “The quality of their relationships changes. They come home and suddenly don’t feel like going out when they used to like to go out.” Feinstein conducted the first study on war journalists and their emotional well-being. PTSD is defined as a mental health condition triggered by exposure to a traumatic event. In 2013, the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders significantly changed its definition of PTSD to one that specifically included work-related, repeated, indirect exposure to distressing material.
While full-blown PTSD is rare among journalists, other mental health problems – such as anxiety, stress, alcohol and drug abuse, depression, trouble sleeping and social dysfunction – are more common. But what has most surprised Feinstein about journalists and exposure to trauma is that it’s not always those in the midst of conflict who are most at risk. In a 2013 study, he observed more than 100 journalists whose job required them to view graphic material. What Feinstein found was that people who viewed disturbing images frequently but for short periods of time were more likely to develop symptoms of psychological distress than those who viewed the material for prolonged periods of time. War reporters and photographers who view disturbing material day in and day out become desensitized in a way those who only do so for a few hours a day do not. Journalists, though, don’t like to admit they are being affected by their work, let alone reveal that they are dealing with a psychological disorder. The role of a reporter or editor is to produce hard-hitting journalism, to speak the truth about difficult and harrowing events. Journalists are supposed to be fearless, bold, and brave. They are supposed to write about others struggling – not admit that they are struggling themselves. Bruce Shapiro of Columbia University’s Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma – an organization dedicated to spreading awareness about best practices in reporting on violence, conflict and tragedy – says the first step to eliminating stigma surrounding journalists and trauma is to talk about it. “Journalists are a pretty resilient tribe – but we’re also human beings,” Shapiro said. “We’re no different from cops, firefighters or soldiers – and no different, either, from groups like homicide detectives or psychotherapists, who carry the secondhand burden of others’ suffering.”
8 Lose Their Lives in Amtrak Crash On Tuesday night, as the Amtrak 188 sped through the darkness from Washington, D.C., to New York, the locomotive reached 106 mph as it rounded a curve—more than twice the speed limit on that section of the track, investigators have said. Eight people sadly lost their lives in the subsequent crash and more than 200 were injured. What caused the fatal crash? Investigators are still working on getting an-
The Week In News
That doesn’t mean bees are about to become endangered. After a colony dies, beekeepers split their surviving colonies, start new ones, and the numbers go back up again, said Delaplane and study co-author Dennis van Engelsdorp of the University of Maryland. What truly had entomologists stumped was the season of all the dying hives; it is much more common for bees to die in the winter than in the summer. Seeing massive colony losses in summer is like seeing “a higher rate of flu deaths in the summer than winter,” van Engelsdorp said. “You just don’t expect colonies to die at this rate in the summer.” The places with the most prevalent bee deaths are Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Maine and Wisconsin; all those states had more than 60 percent of their hives die since April 2014, according to the report. Scientists say that a mixture of mites, poor nutrition and pesticides are to blame for the bee deaths.
De Blasio Takes on Washington
Where Have all the Good Bees Gone? He’s New York’s top cop but now he may be forgiving many low-level offenders in the city. New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton has proposed granting amnesty to 1.2 million low-level offenders with open warrants for minor offenses such as drinking in
According to a federal survey, more than two out of five American honeybee colonies died in the past year. Perhaps most surprisingly was that the worst dieoff was in the summer. Since April 2014, beekeepers lost 42.1 percent of their colonies, the second highest loss rate in nine years, according to an annual survey conducted by a bee
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio made an appearance in Washington last
Tuesday. The Democrat mayor had two important stops on his agenda: one with Senator Elizabeth Warren and then to the White House to meet with President Barack Obama himself. His main goal, he says, is fighting income inequality. Outside the U.S. Capitol, De Blasio pushed his key principles to bridge the gap between the nation’s rich and poor. His 13-point plan is based on what de Blasio has already starting implementing in New York—including setting up paid sick leave and universal free pre-kindergarten. But some bullets on his agenda are beyond his reach. He’s calling for sweeping immigration reform, closing tax loopholes that benefit the rich, and opposing trade deals that he says are bad for American workers and the environment. “Something different is happening. It’s a movement from the grass roots. It’s an urgent call for change,” de Blasio said during a news conference where he was joined by dozens of fellow liberals, including former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, and civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton. “It’s time to take that energy and crystalize it into an agenda that will make a difference,” de Blasio continued. “It’s time to put people ahead of profits and value work over wealth.” De Blasio has recently traveled to Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin pushing his agenda. After his Washington field trip, he headed for the West Coast; California here he comes. De Blasio’s busy travelling schedule has elicited criticism from many New Yorkers who feel he is neglecting his constituents. A Quinnipiac University poll found that 46 percent of voters believe de Blasio has been distracted by his increased involvement in national politics.
Biker Fight Leaves 9 Dead in Texas A gang fight turned fatal in Central Texas on Sunday after rival motorcycle gangs exchanged gunfire. The violence sparked at around 12pm at a Waco shopping center along Interstate 35 sending patrons and bystanders into a panic and scrambling for safety. Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton said eight people died at the scene of the shooting at Twin Peaks restaurant and another person died at a hospital; all nine fatalities were members of the gangs. Another 18 people were wounded and taken to the local
MAY 21, 2015
NYC’s Top Cop Wants to Grant Amnesty to 1.2 Million
partnership that includes the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “What we’re seeing with this bee problem is just a loud signal that there’s some bad things happening with our agro-ecosystems,” said study co-author Keith Delaplane at the University of Georgia. “We just happen to notice it with the honeybee because they are so easy to count.”
“I don’t know what was going on with him [the engineer]. I don’t know what was going on in the cab, but there’s really no excuse that can be offered, literally, unless he had a heart attack,” Nutter said. Currently investigators are looking at a “good quality video” that shows the train speeding up in the moments leading up to its derailment. They don’t know yet what caused the train to accelerate to more than 100 mph. 65 seconds before the end of the recording, the train speed went above 70 mph, and then steadily increased. Investigators have ruled out that something hit the windshield before the crash obstructing the conductor’s view.
public and disorderly conduct. Some of the summonses stem from unresolved tickets that are more than a decade old. Although hundreds of thousands of tickets for minor offenses were given out last year, 40 percent of offenders failed to show up in court. “Warrants never go away. There’s no expiration date,” Bratton pointed out. “It would be great to get rid of a lot of that backlog. It’s not to our benefit from a policing standpoint to have all those warrants floating around out there,” he reiterated. Critics of the proposal are worried that excusing offenses to clear the backlog of open warrants could lead to a higher crime rate and more serious crimes. “You always have to be answerable for your behavior and unchecked behavior, we know, leads to larger things and those things manifest themselves in violent crime and property crime, like auto theft and burglary, and things like that,” Jon Shane, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said. Issuing summonses for petty infractions is an element of “broken windows” policing, a strategy that focuses on aggressively enforcing quality-of-life offenses in an effort to deter more serious ones. Mr. Bratton was a big proponent of the theory, especially in his position as police commissioner under former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Together, they cleaned up a city that was doused in graffiti, dirt and criminal grime. But the “broken windows” theory has recently come under fire, especially in the wake of the Eric Garner case in which the Staten Island man died after being arrested for selling untaxed, loose cigarettes. Some say that minorities have been targeted for low-level crimes. Roughly 81 percent of the 7.3 million people hit with these violations between 2001 and 2013 were black and Hispanic, according to a New York Civil Liberties Union calculation of available race data on summons forms.
THE JEWISH HOME
swers. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter had harsh words for the train’s engineer. “Clearly it was reckless in terms of the driving by the engineer. There’s no way in the world he should have been going that fast into the curve,” Nutter said. The engineer, Brandon Bostian, has said he does not remember the crash or the moments leading up to it.
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The Week In News hospital with moderate to mild injuries. “This is probably one of the most gruesome crime scenes I’ve ever seen in my 34 years of law enforcement,” Swanton said, later adding, “I was amazed that we didn’t have innocent civilians killed or injured.”
At least five rival gangs gathered at Twin Peaks for a meeting that was supposedly regarding turf and recruitment, two areas where the groups have often clashed. Preliminary findings indicate a dispute broke out in a bathroom, escalated to include knives and firearms
and eventually spilled into the restaurant parking lot. There were 150 to 200 gang members inside the restaurant at the time. It was reported that shots were fired inside and outside the restaurant. McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara, whose office is involved in the investigation, said all nine who were killed were members of the Bandidos or Cossacks gangs. At least 100 people have been detained for questioning, Swanton said late Sunday night. Police were aware of the meeting in advance, Swanton said, and at least 12 Waco officers in addition to state troopers were outside the restaurant when the fight began. “We’ve been made aware in the past few months of rival biker gangs ... being here and causing issues,” Swanton said. A lot is still unsettled. There are 170 people locked up in the McLennan County Jail, each facing $1 million bond on charges of engaging in organized crime. Some may have capital murder charges levied against them soon. Even then, the investigation could take months to finish. Seven of the eighteen who were injured are still hospitalized, although they could end up in jail after their release.
And many are concerned that more blood will be shed as “in the gang world and the biker world…violence usually [begets] more violence,” Swanton pointed out. Members take their pride very seriously and are “very patient,” one informer said. It’s possible things will be quiet for months—until more assaults are launched.
That’s Odd How White is White?
It’s a matter of color. There are many issues that can split up a town. This one, though, is making waves—waves of color. Minneha Township is building a wall along East Central, east of K-96, in front of the Southern Village subdivision. The township board plans to paint the wall bright white, the same color it painted the walls in front of two nearby subdivisions, all bordering the southern edge of Crestview Country Club. But their wishes to paint the walls white are raising the ire of many members of the homeowners association who want it painted off-white to match the color of the subdivision’s decade-old entryway. White or off-white? That seems to be the question and the issue has many of its residents showing their true colors. Longtime resident and homeowners association officer Bob McGrath has led the charge after learning about the color of paint. He dubs it “stark white.” He polled the subdivision’s residents. He still has forms from 46 of the 55 homes indicating they preferred the off-white, while just three preferred the bright white. The rest had no preference or didn’t respond. Don Gragg, the trustee of Minneha Township who lives a couple of houses away from McGrath, said the bright white color was set in a meeting last year with the two other subdivisions, and the board just continued it with
this project. The paint has already been ordered, he said. The paint and the labor to paint the wall would be about $40,000. John Wells, a Southern Village Homeowners Association board member, acknowledged that the whole thing could seem petty to outsiders. “It may seem a trivial issue,” he said. “It’s not to us. We have to see that every day. We just want it toned down a little.” And they’re not going to whitewash it.
The Cat’s Meow
Let’s hear it for Merlin the cat—or maybe we should just hear her. The black and white house cat that belongs to Tracy Westwood of Torquay, England, has set the record for the loudest purr by a domestic cat— measuring at 67.8 decibels. The competition was fierce—Merlin narrowly beat the previous record of 67.68 decibels set in 2011 by Smokey, another British cat. The average house cat’s purr reportedly measures 25 decibels. A normal conversation between people registers between 60 and 70 decibels. Merlin, who is 13 years old, can be so loud that Westwood says she occasionally has to repeat herself in conversation. In a preview clip for “Cats Make You Laugh Out 2,” Westwood said her cat’s purr has previously been measured even louder. “When you’re watching films, you have to turn the telly up or put him out of the room. If he’s eating he’ll purr loudly. I can hear him when I’m drying my hair,” she said in a news release from the Guinness Records. “If he’s cleaning, he gets louder. And sometimes if the telephone rings, I do get people asking me what’s that noise in the background. I tell them it’s the cat, but I don’t know if they believe me.” That’s what we call a cat cacophony. Continued on page 38
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THE JEWISH HOME
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We pray for the welfare of the government because the governmen t protects us.
[2] Rabbi Chanina, the Assistant Kohen Gadol, would say: You should pray for the welfare of the governme nt. If people did not fear the governme nt everything would be wild and people would fight with one another.
ֱהוֵ י:אֹומר ֵ [ב] ַר ִּבי ֲחנִ ינָ א ְסגַ ן ַהּכ ֲֹהנִ ים ,לֹומּה ֶׁשל ַמ ְלכּות ָ ִמ ְת ַּפ ֵּלל ִּב ְׁש ִאיׁש ֶאת ֵרֵֽעהּו,מֹור ָאּה ָ ֶׁש ִא ְל ָמ ֵלא .ַחּיִ ים ְּב ָלעֹו
Did You Know?? The purpose of any government is to make sure everyone rules. If people could follows the do whatever they wanted there would be no peace, and bad people could rob and kill their neighbors. for the government and That is why we must pray follow the law. Our Sages the land is the law,’’ as teach us that “the law long as it does not go of against the law of the Torah.
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| PIRKEI AVOS — CHAPTER
THREE
11" Large 8½" x ze si page trated in Lavishly illus r lo co ll fu Great der the Alexan down ddik bowing mon HaTza Shi before
Keep your children safe this summer... 13
Introduction by Rabbi Nosson Scherman
Bestselling author Shmuel Blitz introduces our children to the timeless wisdom of Pirkei Avos. In this gorgeously illustrated volume, children will discover Chazal’s ethical teachings in words and pictures that reflect their own lives, right on a level perfect for them. The ArtScroll Children’s Pirkei Avos includes: 4 The full Hebrew text of Pirkei Avos, with large print and vowels (nikud) to make it simple for children to read 4 A kid-friendly, age-appropriate English translation 4 His popular “Did You Know” and “Closer Look” features give children a better understanding of the concepts and background. (Adults love ’em too!) 4 Stunning, detailed full-color pictures by Chani Judowitz that will keep children interested and engaged
C O M IN G ! NEXT WEEK Dedicated by Amir and Edna Jaffa
by Shmuel Blitz illustrated by Chani Judowitz
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The Week In News A Toy Sneezer Steve Easton has finally found his toy. He may not want to play with it now, though, considering that he’s 51-years-old and the suction cup from one of his toy darts has been found up his nose. When Steve was about seven years
old, his parents noticed that the suction cup was missing and they were concerned that he had either inhaled or swallowed it. But trips to the doctor didn’t reveal anything and Steve was in the clear—or so they thought. In subsequent years, Steve suffered from sniffles and headaches he believed were the result of allergies.
But now doctors were proven wrong. More than four decades later, after a particularly powerful sneeze accompanied by what he calls “a very uncomfortable sensation,” the suction cup finally emerged from Steve’s nose. “I started a sneezing fit and it came out of my left nostril,” the British man relates. “I thought, ‘What’s this?’… and pulled out this rubber sucker.”
Steve called his mom, who told him about the hospital visit—about which he had apparently forgotten.
He’s happy to share this new nose news with anyone who’d like to hear. As you know, the nose knows!
The Accidental Genius
Leigh Erceg was an athlete who loved NASCAR, a fun-loving woman who worked on a ranch in remote northwestern Colorado. But now the 47-year-old is a changed person. After suffering a traumatic brain injury several years ago, Erceg is a gifted artist and poet. She enjoys spending time puzzling over mathematical equations. And she can “see” sounds and “hear” colors when she listens to music, although she is extremely sensitive to light. She remembers nothing about her prior life. She doesn’t even recognize her own mother. Erceg’s condition is so incredibly rare that it took numerous scientific studies and brain scans to diagnose her with what is called “savant syndrome.” Savant syndrome is described as vastly enhanced cognitive ability in an area such as art and math. Acquired
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savant syndrome is when a person isn’t born with the condition, which is the case with Erceg. She also suffers from “synesthesia,” a mixing of senses, where the person can see a sound or hear a color as a series of numbers and letters. “Leigh is the only woman in the world who has acquired savant syndrome and synesthesia following brain injury that I know of,” said Dr. Berit Brogaard, a neuroscientist at the University of Miami who has been studying her. Erceg’s life changed in 2009 when she fell into a ravine as she was feeding chickens on a ranch she was managing. She suffered catastrophic spine and brain injuries. “I don’t know what type of fall it was but it must have been pretty dramatic,” she relates. “I just remember them saying, ‘Leigh, keep breathing.’ I remember it was a sheriff, and he said, ‘Leigh keep breathing.’ There isn’t pictures, there is just words, ‘Leigh keep breathing.’” Doctors were initially unsure she would ever walk again. What no one knew at the time was that her brain suffered the most severe damage, but in a unique way. Erceg has no memory of her old life, not even her childhood. She relies on Amber Anastasio, who she has been best friends with since the fifth grade, to help her understand who she used to be. In addition to her memories, Erceg also lost her ability to feel emotion, which doctors describe as “flat affect.” She has since learned to smile or chuckle as a response to social cues, but says she doesn’t feel or understand the reaction. She said she was initially misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder. “Leigh was a total extrovert. She was very confident,” Anastasio said of her friend’s former life. “I just know that she is different now. It’s not a bad different. It’s just different. It’s who she is now.” Erceg has a home now filled with mathematical equations and art – her interpretations of how she sees the world. All of her drawings are done with headphones on, music blaring and a Sharpie in hand. When she’s drawing, Erceg said “all the dimensions of the house” run through her mind. “At one point, all theoretical designs come in occupancy of a triangle, of a linear line, of circulations,” she said, describing one of her drawings. “Most people, if you ask them to draw a house or a car, they will start with the outline of the car or house, and they will fill in the windows and door, and the wheels,” Dr. Brogaard said. “When you ask Leigh to draw something, she will
start with the details. She will start with the windows or the wheels, the details, and fill out that way. She is attending to details before she is attending to the whole.” And although her genius is accidental, she is embracing her new life and trying to piece together what life was life before her new life began.
Candy Capital Think your kids are eating a lot of junk? Be happy you don’t live in Utah—they could be eating double! According to a recent study by Hershey Co., the sweet-tooth capital of the United States is, ironically, the Beehive State. Yes, Utah is the state that loves all things sweet. Residents there buy confections at the highest rate in the nation – almost double the U.S. average – Hershey researchers found. Twizzlers are especially popular in the Salt Lake City area, according to the company.
Some of their love of candy can be attributed to their beliefs. More than 60 percent of Utah’s residents are Mormons, who typically abstain from alcohol, caffeine and tobacco. With those vices frowned upon, candy is an acceptable treat, said Glenn Christensen, a marketing professor Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management. Sweets are ubiquitous at family gatherings and church events, he said. “We don’t drink alcohol, we don’t smoke, we avoid coffee … but we certainly do sugar,” Christensen said. “It’s the only allowed indulgence.” In addition to a big Mormon population, Utah has a bountiful number of candy’s biggest fans – children. In 2013, 31 percent of the state’s residents were under 18, compared with 23 percent for the national average. “We have tons of kids,” Christensen related. Utah’s penchant for candy wasn’t the only statistical quirk unearthed by Hershey researchers. They found that customers in Minnesota buy six-packs
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The Week In News of Hershey bars at higher rates than any other Americans, particularly in the summer. The reason: s’mores. Minnesotans flock to the state’s lakes and campgrounds during the warmer months. In fact, sales slipped in 2012 when Minnesota banned camp-
fires because of hot, dry weather. “All of this stuff is steeped in tradition,” Bob Goodpaster, Hershey’s chief global knowledge officer, said. “They’ve been doing s’mores in the Midwest for a long time.” It’s a sweet life.
An Icy Adventure It’s finally here—the coolest vacation ever. Beginning June 1, tourists to Iceland will be able to walk deep into Eu-
rope’s second-largest ice cap glacier via tunnels carved through the ice in a destination called Into the Glacier. Iceland’s newest tourist attraction explores part of the Langjökull Glacier Ice Cap with its vastness of ice that is up to 1,900-feet thick, 31 miles long and up to 12 miles wide. The adventure puts the “ice” in Iceland, as visitors will see magnificent blue ice buried deep beneath the surface. A variety of tours starting at $137 will allow tourists to walk along a 1,312-foot corridor carved through the ice. A few chambers have also been hollowed out along the route with educational exhibits and even a chapel for under-ice weddings.
It took some time for the idea to get out of the freezer. Baldvin Einarsson and Hallgrímur Örn Arngrímsson thought of the concept in 2010. Instead of taking tourists on tours around and onto the ice, why not take them inside the ice? They combined their passion, energy and drive with science, engineering, finance and political support to build what is thought to be the world’s first and biggest manmade Ice Cap Glacier Ice Cave. According to the Into the Glacier website: “Never before has anyone been able to see the beautiful blue ice at the heart of an Ice Cap Glacier; it is not quite a Jules Verne journey to the center of the earth, or even to the absolute center of the glacier, but it feels like an exciting and magical journey, deep within the glacier, and it is deep enough to reach another world, a world of magnificent, stunning blue ice.” Sounds like the coolest trip ever.
So what’s de Blasio up to anyway? See Nate Davis on page 112
Around The Community
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and infuse the kedusha of the Torah deep into the neshomos of his talmidim. Rabbi Avraham Fruchthandler, the evening’s featured speaker, energized the friends, alumni and supporters with an emotionally charged address. He recalled his close relationship with the yeshiva’s founder Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld zt”l. He invoked the name and memory of his rebbe, Rav Yitzchok Hutner zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Mesivta Yeshiva Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, after whom Siach Yitzchok is named. Rabbi Fruchthandler avowed that Reb Shlomo zt”l inherited the ruach of his rebbe and passed it along to Reb Dovid shlit”a, who continues to pass this vibrant ruach along to his talmidim. The cheder’s illustrious alumni are a testimony to this pulsating ruach. As Reb Dovid himself rose to
speak, he was treated to a standing ovation from the entire crowd of close to 500 friends. He humbly accepted the recognition but went on to explain that he is a mere shaliach of his rebbe. If we could encapsulate in one statement the Rosh Yeshiva zt”l’s mission in life, it was to identify and ignite the unique kochos of each yachid. This is what Siach Yitzchok’s chinuch is all about. The resounding message of the evening was recognized by all – Siach Yitzchok is a lighthouse in the swirling, turbulent seas of golus, a place of refuge, a place of strength. And those who support Siach Yitzchok are also supported by it. Thank you for your support.
PHOTO CREDIT: NAFTOLI GOLDGRAB PHOTOGRAPHY
MAY 21, 2015
The Dinner Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Evan Genack, then introduced a veteran alumnus of the Yeshiva, Reb Yanky Brazil, to reminisce about the Cheder’s early beginnings. The gathered alumni reveled in the sweet memories evoked by Reb Yanky’s rich and well-chosen words. The Dinner’s video presentation spanned 35 years of Siach Yitzchok’s accomplishments skillfully and accurately capturing the heartfelt emotions of prominent community members towards Reb Dovid and the Cheder. The unanimous message was clear – Reb Dovid was and is dedicated to his entrusted mission with every fiber of his being. The mission given to him by his Rebbe Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld, zt”l, was to create a pleasant makom Torah that will resist any outside influences
Hundreds of friends, supporters, and former talmidim of Talmud Torah Siach Yitzchok filled the main ballroom of the Sands in Atlantic Beach this past Wednesday, May 13 to pay tribute to the Yeshiva’s beloved Menahel Rabbi Dovid Sitnick. The “Evening of Tribute” was an opportunity for all to recognize Siach Yitzchok’s 35 years of impact on our community. To set the Dinner’s tone, the program began with the school choir, directed by a very talented and dedicated parent, Rabbi Moshe Hamel. The attendees were able to sense the taharah of tinokos shel beis raban as they sang Tzamah lecha nafshi…kad yasvun Yisroel… with great emotion. It was truly a unique atmosphere of kedusha that permeated the walls of the Sands ballroom.
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Evening of Tribute, Evening of Success
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MAY 21, 2015
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Five Towns Marriage Initiative Bringing Newness to our Marriage The Gemara in Brachos discusses how R’ Yehoshua spoke of the honor of the Torah. He first mentions a portion of the Bible that discusses how Moshe pitched his tent outside the camp when Hashem’s aron was outside the camp. This is compared to Torah Sages who go from city to city to learn and teach. This honors the Torah because those who desire Hashem’s Torah to the point that they follow after it even by camping outside the city—willing to follow after Torah no matter where it may go—show that they in turn desire Hashem. He also makes reference to a second verse that explains how the Jews were told that today they became a nation because they received the Torah, yet, in fact, they were told this some 40 years after receiving the Torah at Har Sinai. The reason why it was correct to say that on that day they received the Torah was because every day should be like the day that we received the Torah and we should constantly accept upon ourselves the Torah anew like the day that we received it. We see that Torah should always feel new to us and not be viewed as something old and outdated, Heaven forbid. These points are important to contemplate as we approach Shavuos. If every day of the year we should accept the Torah upon ourselves anew, then certainly we should be doing so with a full heart on Shavuos. Additionally, we should work on viewing the Torah as new and generating excitement for its laws and teachings. We should think about how we can ignite freshness into the way that
we keep the Torah, and thereby keep up a feeling of joy for abiding by its tenets. These two approaches of seeking out the Torah and viewing it as new are due to our nation’s unique connection to and love we have for Torah. Just as in our love for Torah, in marriage, our love for our spouse should also indicate a cause for seeking our spouse and viewing our relationship as new, fresh and exciting every day. When we actively seek to spend time with our spouse, work our schedule around them so that we can be there for them and put in effort to spend time together, we are successfully achieving the first aspect of showing our love. The second aspect of viewing our marriage as new and exciting can be brought about through giving gifts, kind words, a change of scenery, and the like. Through this joint approach towards Torah we should merit to fully observe the Torah’s laws and bring honor to Hashem. By using this approach with our marriage we should merit to bring joy to each other and strengthen the bonds of our connection as a couple, helping us forge the ultimate home of sanctity as the ultimate platform for holiness. Five Towns Marriage Initiative provides educational programs, workshops and referrals to top marriage therapists. FTMI will help offset counseling costs when necessary and also runs an anonymous shalom bayis hotline for the entire community Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 9:30-11p.m. For the hotline or more information, call 516-4305280 or email dsgarry@msn.com.
Foundation work underway at the new Five Towns mikveh on Grove Avenue in Cedarhurst. The mikveh project is planned to be completed in under a year and will boast 18 rooms and 4 mikvaos.
From Fruit Salads to Friday Flights: “Jew in the Workplace” Issues this Leil Shavuos Can I eat the office’s fruit salad? Should I wear my yarmulke at a non-kosher restaurant? Is flavored coffee kosher? Who unwrapped my double foiled lunch? And, what is the story about flying on Fridays? These are some of the everyday questions that Orthodox Jews confront in the workplace. This leil Shavuos, the Young Israel of Woodmere, in partnership with YUConnects, will offer a practical program with answers and advice to some of these “Food and Travel” issues unique to our world. Geared especially for young single professionals embarking on their career as well
as college and graduate students, it is a wonderful opportunity to meet others and gain kashrut and hashkafic insight on these common challenges. Back by popular demand to last year’s successful “Jew in the Workplace” Shavuos lectures, the Motzei Shabbat program on May 23 will begin at 11:45 pm with an interactive symposium. Participants can ask “food and travel” related questions to the noted panelists: Rabbi Shalom Axelrod and Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt from the Young Israel of Woodmere and Rabbi Dov Schreier
of the Orthodox Union. Mr. Shalom Hammer will moderate the hour-long
session. After a break for tasty refreshments and an opportunity to mix with friends, there will be another 45 minute session on tefillat ha’derech beginning at 1:15, given by Rabbi Axelrod. These activities will take place next door to the Young Israel of Woodmere, at the “nusach sefard” house on Peninsula Blvd. This Shavuos, head to Young Israel of Woodmere for the most interesting night of the year for those in their 20s. If you have questions, or want to send your questions for the panelists, please email mglatt@yu.edu or call 516-6038141.
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Around The Community Yeshiva Gedolah Ateres Yaakov: Meeting a Critical Need
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There is a makom Torah growing in the heart of the Lawrence/Cedarhurst community that provides a serious, yet warm environment for post-high school bnei Torah aspiring to continue their growth and development in Torah and yiras shomayim. Yeshiva Gedolah Ateres Yaakov, under the leadership of Rabbi Meir Braunstein shlita, successfully encourages each talmid to advance in all facets of Torah learning, while building lasting relationships with caring and dedicated rabbeim and mentors. Talmidim learn from a faculty of accomplished talmidei chachamim. At the Yeshiva’s helm is Rabbi Meir Braunstein shlita. Rabbi Braunstein is a close talmid of Rabbi Yosef Elefant, one of the famed Mir Roshei Yeshiva. Additionally, Rabbi Braunstein has tremendous experience having guided talmidim as a Rebbe in Yeshiva Aderes Hatorah for over five years. Rabbi Braunstein is also the Assistant Rav of the Agudath Israel of Long Island, supporting HaRav Yaa-
kov Reisman in leading that chashuvah kehilla. The Yeshiva Gedola and its dedicated rabbeim are guided by the Menahel, Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe, Ph.D. Under his and Rabbi Braunstein’s guidance, the yeshiva strives to ensure that their talmidim become well-rounded bnei Torah, who are also able to meet the challenges of today’s society. The Yeshiva Gedolah is more than dozens of bochurim learning in a lively bais medrash. The bochurim benefit from numerous healthy and uplifting programs, such as Shabbatons, in-Shabbosim, BBQ’s, and leibidig mishmars. These add to the geshmake of the yeshiva and are beneficial to every bochur’s individual growth. Being located on the Mesivta Ateres Yaakov campus allows the Yeshiva Gedola bochurim to benefit from it beautiful Bais Medrash, athletic facilities, food service, and convenient college programs. Ezzy Dicker, a talmid at the Yeshi-
va, expressed, “After leaving Eretz Yisroel, I was looking for a Yeshiva were I could connect to a Rebbe. The Rosh Yeshiva and my Rebbe at Ateres Yaakov care so much about every facet of my life and my progress. My Rebbe is there whenever I need him, whether it’s to discuss learning, dating, or just to chap a schmooze. I have a Rebbe who is available and listening with open ears and a caring heart.” The Yeshiva Gedolah provides another unique opportunity to its bochurim: a chance to teach and mentor Mesivta talmidim. This opportunity allows the Yeshiva Gedolah bochurim to hone their own learning skills, while having a long lasting impact on younger peers. In turn, the Mesivta talmidim see that they can continue their learning at the highest levels, even as they move on with their education and professional goals. The Post-Mesivta and Post-Eretz Yisroel years are a critical time of tran-
sition. They are a time when one makes important decisions about their path in life and can solidify their prior gains, while planning the way forward. The Yeshiva Gedolah is designed to provide all of the support and resources young men need to excel and grow during these crucial years. The Yeshiva Gedolah is steadfast in its mission of providing a high level of instruction and personal attention that provides continuity to a bochur’s Mesivta and Eretz Yisroel yeshiva experiences. The Yeshiva never turns any bochur away for fiscal reasons and provides significant financial aid to qualifying families. The Yeshiva needs the support of the entire community to ensure the success of this wonderful institution. Please join us at the Yeshiva’s inaugural breakfast on Sunday, June 7th at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Ariel Aber, 86 Harborview West, Lawrence, NY, at 9:30am.
On-Site Physical & Occupational Therapy, PLLC Having trouble walking up the stairs? Having trouble getting out of your bed or moving between rooms? Are basic daily activities becoming more challenging? Is transportation to and from home difficult? We can help! On-Site Physical & Occupational Therapy, PLLC is a homebased therapy company that offers one on one treatments in the comfort of your own home. We bring all the necessary equipment to provide our patients with individualized physical and occupational therapy. We service the Five Towns and Far Rockaway areas. It may be challenging for someone who is in need of physical or occupational therapy to get out of the house. It may be difficult for a child or spouse to transport a loved one to therapy. That is
why On-Site Physical & Occupational Therapy offers the convenience of bringing therapy to you. Therapy is provided on an individual basis, giving personal care and attention to each patient. We treat most neurological and orthopedic conditions, while concentrating heavily on balance and fall prevention. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of senior patients’ admissions to a hospital. Our goal is to maximize independence and wellness in an effort to prevent falls and build strength. Benefits of physical therapy include gait training, balance/coordination training, and muscle strengthening. We treat patients after hip and knee replacements, shoulder and back surgeries, and strokes,
as well as patients who have osteoporosis, arthritis, unsteady gait and balance, as well as many other conditions. Our occupational therapist works on fine motor skills and improvement in functional abilities needed for activities of daily living to help you gain strength and coordination skills to achieve independence. Additionally, we provide home safety assessments and adaptive equipment evaluations. Commonly treated patients for occupational therapy include: stroke victims; patients who suffer from arthritis, fractures, joint replacements, neurological disorders, along with other conditions. Our physical and occupational therapists work collaboratively with your doctors to deliver the best care to reach
the intended goals. We work as a team to restore independence and improve your overall function. All services are covered under Medicare insurance, and we take care of all the necessary paperwork. We specialize in adult and senior care. Hours are flexible and include Sundays. While working in your home, we can address mobility challenges and functional activities specific to your needs in your own environment. To learn more about the services that On-Site Physical & Occupational Therapy offers, or to schedule an appointment, please call Dr. Justin Hirmes, DPT & Leah Klein, OTR/L at 516-500-1750.
Around The Community
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remains under investigation with the NYPD. The RNSP will be holding its Annual Bike Etching event in conjunction with the Yeshiva Darchei Torah Annual Bike-a-thon Sunday, May 31. It is a great opportunity to get your bike etched to increase the chances of getting it back if stolen then found. Feel free to drop by and take advantage of this free service (see below for more details). Friday, 05/08 [STOLEN ITEMS RECOVERED]: Around 10AM, numerous valuables were stolen from three separate complainants while at a local park with their respective children. Great job by the Executive Officer of the 101st pct, Cpt. Vincent Tavalaro, and the 4-12 patrol, assisted by the RNSP, for the successfully recovery of the stolen valuables. Friday, 05/08 [HIT & RUN] 5T: A man riding his bicycle in Hewlett Bay Park was struck from behind by a black Mercedes on the corner of Meadowview and Cedar Ave. The complainant was able to get a partial plate (Florida plate starting with “I49...”). Should you have any information regarding this incident, please call 911 immediately. A police report was filed and the matter remains under investigation with the NCPD. Sunday, 05/10 [CAR BREAK-IN] BW: Early morning, several cars on B25 and also on Dickens were broken
into. Police reports were filed and the matter remains under investigation with the NYPD. Sunday, 05/10 [CAR BREAK-IN: ARREST] FR: Around 3:30AM, a car was broken into and an iPad was stolen. RNSP volunteers assisted the
NYPD in tracing the stolen device in Far Rockaway. The NYPD was able to locate and arrest the perpetrator. Tuesday, 05/12 [CRIMINAL TRESPASSING: ARREST] FR: A man was observed by an alert neighbor going into yards and attempting to gain entry into homes. The witness immediately called the RNSP 24-Hour Hotline and responding RNSP volunteers observed the suspect attempting to gain entry into a home on Frisco and B13 while the RNSP Dispatcher activated 911. The NYPD arrested the perpetra-
tor for criminal trespassing (attempted burglary). Friday, 05/15 [CHILD LOCKED IN CAR] (Arverne): A mom was accidently locked out of her vehicle with her infant child inside. An RNSP volunteer responded immediately and successfully unlocked the vehicle. Sunday, 05/17 [CAR BREAK-INs and RESISTING ARREST: 3 ARRESTS] BW: Around 11AM, 3 men were observed breaking into a car on the corner of Cornaga and Bay 25. As the NYPD attempted to apprehend them, they ran away and holed themselves up in a nearby building. NYPD Emergency Service Units assisted with K-9 units responded quickly and arrested the three perpetrators. RNSP UPCOMING EVENT: Every year and in coordination with Yeshiva Darchei Torah, the RNSP holds its annual bike etching event at the Annual Bike-a-Thon (this year on May 31, 2015). Bike etching consists of engraving a serial number on the bikes, scooters, strollers, etc. The serial number is then filed with the NYPD and RNSP and can help return a recovered stolen bike to its rightful owner. This bike registration is free and is one of the many community services provided by the RNSP. Over the past 2 years, this event has proven to be very successful and lead to the registration of over 1,000 bikes. This year’s event should see over 600-700 etched bikes. The RNSP will distribute bag filled with goodies to the registrants and raffle tickets will be sold for prizes and gift certificates.
Tiferes Sivan DVD Presentation at Machon Basya Rochel Seminary Machon Basya Rochel Seminary will be having two viewings of the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation’s Tiferes Sivan DVD on Wednesday, May 27. One will take place at 12:00 p.m. following the 11:00 a.m. course given by Mrs. Vivienne Chaya Frank on the life of Dovid Hamelech. The second showing will be held at 8:30 p.m. The DVD is titled “The Gift of a Torah Life: for You, for Your Children, Forever.” The speakers are Rabbi Sadya Grama and Mrs. Shaindy Klienman. All women of the community are welcome. The presentation is free of charge. Tiferes is a program donated by Henya Storch in
honor of her mother Mrs. Florence Penkin of Woodmere. Adult education and community lectures are focus of Machon Basya Rochel Seminary. The seminary is proud to be able to provide the Tiferes program by the Chofetz Heritage Foundation on a monthly basis. Please contact the seminary at 516-362-5000 or mbrseminary@ gmail.com for more information or for sponsorships of Adult Programs. Machon Basya Rochel Seminary is located at 137 Lawrence Ave. across from the Lawrence Long Island Railroad Station. Please check out the website at mbrseminary.org.
MAY 21, 2015
the 101st pct Detective Squad was able to locate and arrest the suspect for multiple counts of robbery on May 7. Thursday, 05/07 [STOLEN BIKE] FR: In the afternoon, a bike was stolen from a yard on Meehan and B6. A police report was filed and the matter
The Rockaway Nassau Safety Patrol (RNSP) plays an essential role in protecting our community as it provides invaluable services and acts as the eyes and ears of our local police departments. The dedicated and selfless RNSP volunteers patrol the streets day and night, working very closely with the police to combat crime in our neighborhood and ensure that our streets are safe. Some of our activities include assisting the police in responding to calls, preventing crime, gathering and analyzing video evidence, coordinating search and rescue operations, and educating the general public on prevention and awareness of criminal and terrorist threats. *** Below are some of the RNSP’s most recent activities and accomplishments: Sunday, 04/26 [ASSAULT & ROBBERY] BW: Around 9:30PM, a man was assaulted and robbed by 3 assailants on Bessemund Avenue and Bay 25th Street. The assailants were vaguely described as males in their late teens to early 20s. In a joint effort, the Bayswater community and Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder’s office have offered a $2,000 reward to anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Police reports were filed and the matter remains under investigation with the NYPD 101st pct Detective Squad. Monday, 04/27 [ARREST: CAR BREAK-INs] BW: The RNSP Video Surveillance Team assisted the 101st pct Detective Squad in retrieving and analyzing video footage of two car break-in incidents on Bay 25th Street a week ago. The perpetrator was identified and arrested at 12AM. Tuesday, 05/05 [ARREST: BURGLARY & CAR BREAK-IN] FR: Around 5:00AM, a man was observed breaking into a car and attempting to burglarize a home on Caffrey Avenue and B9. The RNSP Video Surveillance Team retrieved and analyzed footage. The suspect was positively identified and arrested the next day (May 6th) for car break-ins and burglary. Thursday, 05/07 [ARREST: ROBBERY] FR: Over the past 2 weeks, a string of robberies occurred with the same scheme: the perpetrator would order food from local restaurants for delivery to the 3rd floor of an apartment building. Upon delivery, the perpetrator robs the delivery person at gunpoint and steals the food, cash, and personal items. In collaboration with the RNSP,
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The Rockaway Nassau Safety Patrol: Keeping Us Safe
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Around The Community R’ Yosef Mendelevich Speaks to Bnos Bais Yaakov/TMM High School Girls TMM hosted a guest speaker who, despite his very thick accent and halting English, completely mesmerized his audience. R’ Yosef Mendelevich radiated the strength of spirit which kept him alive and growing in his Yiddishkeit in sub-human conditions in Russia. R’ Yosef’s personal history took place in the larger historical era of the U.S.S.R. in
the 1950’s and 1960’s. To properly prepare the TMM girls for his speech, the teachers put R’ Yosef’s story in historical context in the days before his TMM presentation. They described the political atmosphere and the subjugation under which Russian Jewish citizens lived. The girls had the opportunity to ask questions and view snapshots of
the era. These preparations framed R’ Yosef’s compelling narrative and lent it added relevance. R’ Yosef Mendelevich spent a total of eleven years incarcerated in a mental institution, solitary confinement, and a labor camp. His crime? Wanting to go to Israel. His initial sentence? Life imprisonment. His sentence was commuts’’xc
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ed because of the pressure that America exerted on the U.S.S.R. Most of that pressure was generated by protests and rallies organized and attended by American Jews in support of their brothers in Russia. The event which spurred these activities in America was a daring move by R’ Yosef and 11 of his compatriots. They hijacked a plane to Israel knowing full well that their plan was probably doomed to failure. But these 12 heroic Russians knew that they had to jostle the complacency of Jews around the world. Only a dramatic move such as a hijacking would make it to the headlines and would underscore the travails of the Russian Jews. In an incredible bit of irony, R’ Yosef’s tormentors were actually the impetus for his continuing growth in Yiddishkeit. During his years of incarceration, each time his captors taunted him about his Jewish identity R’ Yosef determined to find out and practice more about that identity. He fashioned a yarmulke out of his handkerchief, he davened in his cell facing a window because he didn’t know where Mizrach was, and he kept Shabbos to the best of his limited ability. He saved his bread rations all week so he could enjoy it as lechem mishna on Shabbos, he cleaned his cell lichvod Shabbos, and etched a crude representation of candlesticks on his cell wall with a nail. After 11 years of torture and loneliness, R’ Yosef Mendelevich was handed a new suit of clothes and was sent to Israel with the comment, “You have lost the privilege of being a member of mother Russia.” It was a privilege he was delighted to relinquish. R’ Yosef married and raised a beautiful family in Eretz Yisroel where he is free to live life as a frum Jew. Even though R’ Yosef’s TMM presentation was delivered during the last period on a Friday afternoon when the high school girls are typically eager to get home, the audience remained enthralled and in place. They asked R’ Yosef questions, bought his biography, asked him for brachos, and offered him rides home. The buzz continued during Shabbos as R’ Yosef’s story was discussed at many Shabbos tables and on into the next week. It was astounding and heartwarming to see the recognition of genuine mesiras nefesh by American high school girls. The TMM girls knew that they had seen gadlus in its pure form and were moved by it to their very core.
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MAY 21, 2015
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Let Your Voices Be Heard! 22nd Israel Day Concert in Central Park – The Concert with a Message
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Moments after all of the concert’s star performers sang “United Jerusalem” at last year’s Israel Day Concert in Central Park—the Concert With A Message. (L-R) Shloime Dachs; Concert Chairman, Dr. Paul Brody; Chazzan Yaakov Rosten; Gad Elbaz; LIPA; Edon; Chaim Kiss; Nachas; concert organizer, Dr. Joseph Frager.
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The 22nd Israel Day Concert in Central Park will be held on Sunday, May 31 from 2:30-7:30PM, rain or shine—free admission. The concert will take place on SummerStage in Central Park, enter Park at 5th Ave. & 72 St. This year’s concert is dedicated to the memory of Gilad Shaar, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrach Hy”d. Let your voices be heard: Jerusalem, the undivided capital of Israel; Support for all communities of Israel; Thwart the Iranian nuclear threat; Stop the virulent BDS movement; Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of Gush Katif Expulsion. Featuring the Carl Freyer z”l Tribute, in memorial to Dr. Manfred Lehmann z”l, and in recognition of Rose & Reuben Mattus. Founders: Carl z”l and Sylvia Freyer; Organizers: Dr. Joseph and Karen Frager; Chairpersons: Dr.Paul and Drora Brody; Musical Producer: Zvika Bornstein; Mu-
sical Director: Shloime Dachs; Emcee: Nachum Segal Riveting remarks by presidential hopeful Gov. Mike Huckabee; Minister of Science, Technology and Space MK Danny Danon; former UN Amb. John Bolton; Rabbi Shmuley Boteach; ZOA President Mort Klein; RZA President Martin Oliner and more stimulating speakers on issues crucial to Israel, America and the world. Musical performances by Gad Elbaz, Alex Clare, LIPA!, Shloime Dachs Orchestra & Singers and many other Israeli and American singing stars. Hatikva and the National Anthem performed by Jerry Markovitz. Food Available by Mendy’s. Due to tight security, come early – no large bags or backpacks will be allowed into park. For further info, go to www.IsraelDayConcert.com or call 917-650-5623.
Great Neck Defeats Forest Hills in CHAZAQ’s Basketball Tournament On Monday night, May 4, the CHAZAQ Teens basketball league hosted its first championship game, featuring a high profile match between the CHAZAQ Great Neck team and the CHAZAQ Forest Hills team. Prior to the game, CHAZAQ Director Rabbi Ilan Meirov gave a short shmuz to the players from both sides and then introduced Councilman Rory Lancman who expressed his excitement at CHAZAQ’s new initiative of providing professional sports leagues for the youth of the community. The game itself lived up to the hype as it was full of intensity and excitement from the get-go. Friends and family of the two teams participated and were cheering (and jeering) throughout the game. It
was a close game throughout with Simcha Rubinov and Johnny Aye keeping the team from Forest Hills in the game, though Aaron Valinsky of the Great Neck team made several big shots to help his team pull away in the final minutes. Aaron was later named championship MVP leading the way with a phenomenal 28 points performance in a 59-52 victory. CHAZAQ’s basketball league proved to be a great success as aside for providing the teenagers a professional and athletic program; many of the boys now attend CHAZAQ’s afterschool program for teenagers where they are treated to delicious meals and riveting Torah sessions, along with trips throughout the calendar year.
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Around The Community Kollel Tiferes Avos Fifth Annual Breakfast
At this week’s Learn & Live Program, R’ Asher Shteirman presented “The Real Bad Mix, Part I” on shatnez. The boys got some history of how shatnez was a forgotten mitzvah and it was revived by Rabbi Yosef Rosenberger and baruch Hashem there are now shatnez checkers everywhere. The boys enjoyed seeing different materials, hearing fascinating stories, seeing some real flax and handcarding wool with hand-carders.
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Kollel Tiferes Avos, under the leadership of HaRav Dov Bressler shlita, held their Five Annual Breakfast at Congregation Shaaray Tefila in Lawrence on Sunday. Mr. & Mrs. Sender Schwartz were the Guests of Honor. The Torah V’Avodah Award was presented to the Chaburah Daf B’Iyun, Rabbi Eliezer Einhorn, Mr. Tzvi Gastwirth, Mr. Yosef Katz and Mr. Shlomo Salomon. The Guest Speaker was HaRav Hagaon Noach Oelbaum shlita, Mara D’asra of Khal Nachlas Yitzchok of Kew Garden
Rav Dov Bressler and Mr. Sender Schwartz
Hills. The Master of Ceremonies was Rabbi Betzalel Korn, Mara D’Asra of Kneseth Meir of Far Rockaway. PHOTO CREDIT: IVAN H NORMAN
Beyond the Letters Rabbi Eliezer Einhorn, Mr. Tzvi Gaswrth, Mr. Shlomo Salomon and Mr. Yosef Katz
Rav Noach Oelbaum, Rav Dov Bressler, and Rabbi Betzalel Korn
How long does it take to make a gooey ball of mozzarella? See what the Cheese Guy has to say on page 92
Rav Yaakov Bender teaching the talmidim of Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s kindergarten about the letter “tzadi” in the Alef-Beis, which is the first letter of the term “tza’ar baalei chayim.” Rav Bender spoke about treating animals with compassion. One of the illustra-
tions he used was the iconic photograph of Rav Elya Lopian zt”l feeding a cat. Nearly every week Rav Bender can be found in the Yeshiva’s preschool teaching the boys about another letter of the Alef-Beis.
Around The Community
HANC Visits Green Meadows Farm Kindergarteners at HANC’s Samuel & Elizabeth Bass Golding Elementary School in West Hempstead had an amazing time on their trip to Green Meadows Farm this week. The students returned to school talking about riding the ponies, holding the chickens, feeding the
sheep, milking the cow, and how the pig nibbled on their shoes! They also really enjoyed the tractor ride and the yummy picnic lunch. Students and teachers all agreed that the trip to Green Meadows Farm was fantastic.
MAY 21, 2015
many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, some of whom attend YKLI, who are bringing her much Yiddishe nachas. May Hashem continue to give her strength and good health and happiness. She was accompanied by Mr. Moshe Katz, her childhood friend from Ungvar, Hungary, who came to introduce her. The sixth grade students gave everyone who attended this special assembly much nachas to see the complete attention, utmost respect, and exemplary behavior that the boys afforded Mrs. Schonkopf, her extended family who attended, and Mr. Katz during their visit.
At a rally in Long Island on May 12, Governor Cuomo, joined by religious and community leaders and students, introduced the Parental Choice in Education Act. The legislation will provide tax credits to low-income families who send their children to non-public schools and create an education tax credit to incentivize contributions to non-public school scholarship organizations. The governor stressed the importance of this legislation stating, “The legislature must pass this act this year because families deserve a choice when it comes to their child’s education.” Attending the rally were students and parents of OU-Teach NYS partner schools, including Rabbi Dovid Kupchik, Judaic Studies Principal of He-
Recently, the sixth grade classes at Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island had the honor of meeting a true aishes chayil, Mrs. Esther Schonkopf. After they read a student’s version of her memoir, There are No Words, together as a class with their teacher, Mrs. Fraidy Spirgel, they were so touched and wanted to meet her in person. Mrs. Schonkopf is a survivor of the Holocaust. Throughout her trying experience both in hiding and in the camps, she never lost her faith in Hashem. After she was liberated, Hashem rewarded her with the return of her precious son and
Rallying for Education
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A Special Visit with Mrs. Esther Schonkopf
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brew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR), who joined the governor on stage. Rabbi Kupchik stated: “It’s a hard fight…but it is the right fight for our kids and for our parents and for the faith that so many New Yorkers hold dear.”
Around The Community A Living Torah
PHOTO BY MOSHE BENOLIEL/YESHIVA DARCHEI TORAH
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Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s Fourth Grade Rebbi Rav Eliahu Milstein brought in a model of the Aron Hakodesh last week, as he is teaching his talmidim Parshas Terumah, which details the keilim of the Mishkan.
Lag B’Omer at HANC High School: Achdut and Fun
Returning to a longstanding tradition, the entire HANC High School student body and faculty celebrated Lag B’Omer with an outing at Eisenhower Park. The weather was picture perfect and lent to the excitement as students boarded shuttle buses for the short trip to the park. Various sports activities had been
arranged by student senator David Schwartzman including basketball, soccer, kickball, ultimate Frisbee and football. The highlight, of course, was the restoration of the annual varsity softball team vs. the faculty, led by the majority of the rabbinic faculty (clad in their uniforms) eager to show the students
their athletic prowess. Although the faculty jumped out to a 1-0 lead the tide shortly turned and the students ended up victorious with a final score of 11-3 (the game was really much closer than the score indicated [this was written by a faculty member]). The students had a
wonderful morning and are looking forward to continuing this tradition. When the students arrived back to school, the seniors arranged for a petting zoo to be setup in the backyard for their senior prank, taking everyone by surprise and adding some more fun to the day. Thank you to Bentzi Gadon for supplying a delicious barbecue lunch and to the Student Senate for organizing the whole day. A special thanks goes out to Tim O’Connell, Deputy Commissioner Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums, for ensuring that the permits for the fields were given to HANC High School.
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Around The Community DRS Countdown to Shavuot with Inspiring Lecture Series
Yeshiva Darchei Torah preschool students enjoy a post-Lag Ba’omer carnival
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Sefirat HaOmer is marked as a time period for growth in one’s avodat Hashem as we prepare for the holiday of Shavuot and kabbalat haTorah. To that end, for the past 14 years DRS Yeshiva High School has had the privilege of hosting renowned talmidei chachamim as a preparation for kabbalat haTorah in a series of inspiring lectures leading up to Shavuot. This year DRS will once again be hosting a fantastic lineup of four inspiring Rabbeim, designed to inspire students, faculty, and families before the upcoming holiday. Last Thursday night, DRS hosted Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik. Rabbi Dr. Soloveichik is director of the Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University and rabbi at Congregation
Shearith Israel in Manhattan and has lectured throughout the United States, in Europe, and in Israel to both Jewish and non-Jewish audiences on topics relating to Jewish theology, bioethics, wartime ethics, and Jewish-Christian relations. Last week, renowned speaker Rabbi Eli Mansour, one of the leading speakers in the Syrian-Jewish community, visited DRS’s Beit Midrash to speak about the connection between Pesach and Shavuot. This week, DRS students were privileged to hear from Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Weinberg, a popular maggid shiur at Yeshiva University, and on Thursday night, YU Rosh Kollel Rabbi Micheal Rosensweig will speak about his Rebbe, the late Rav Aharon Lichtenstien zt”l.
Rebbetzin Riter from Eretz Yisroel Booking Inspirational Emunah Shiurim and Hafrashas Challah Workshops Orit Esther Riter is the emuna lady. She truly lives what she speaks. Rebbetzin Riter has lectured around the world and has classes on TorahAnytime. com. She has recommendations from many who highly praise her as well as her upcoming book, Turn Around 180 Degrees in 180 Days, for which she is doing a tour. Emunah is a vital hidden element in the life of a Jew that needs to be rekindled. For the past three years Orit Esther Riter has sent regular, inspiring email boosts to thousands of subscribers. She provides captivating live and online shiurim to women in Israel and abroad. And her world renowned international lectures are some of the most popular in the contemporary Jewish world. Orit Esther Riter’s journey through
life has led her from catering the body to catering the soul. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2006, Orit’s response was to strengthen her own spirituality and emunah. Orit is author of the on-line Daily Dose of Emuna, inspiring email boosts to thousands of subscribers. She provides captivating live and online classes to women in Israel and abroad. We are pleased to announce that Orit Esther Riter will be coming to the United States for book launching events and speaking tour. Hot off the press, Orit’s first book, Turnaround, provides a practical, six month step-by-step daily program for the soul.
Shavuot Forum at Young Israel of Kew Garden Hills
The Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills is pleased to announce that its annual Dr. Simon Lopata Shavuot Forum will take place on the second day of Shavuot, Monday, May 25 (7 Sivan 5775) in the main sanctuary following Mincha at 7:10pm. The topic of the forum will be “What ‘Should’ be on the Orthodox Agenda: A Political, Religious, and Social Perspective.” The three panelists will each focus on one of the perspectives. Cynthia Zalisky, Executive Director, Queens JewDates booking fast as there are ish Community Council, will speak on only a few dates left. To book an event, the political perspective. Rabbi Hayim email turnaroundtour2015@gmail.com. Schwartz, Executive Vice President,
Rabbinical Seminary of America/Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, will address the religious perspective. Rabbi Yaakov Adler, LCSW, who has private practices in Kew Gardens Hills and Lawrence, will look at the social perspective of the topic. The forum will be moderated by Rabbi Stuart Verstandig, Chairman of the Young Israel’s Adult Education Committee. Men and women are invited to attend this important discussion. The Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills is located at the corner of 150th Street and 70th Road in Kew Gardens Hills. For further information, please contact the shul office at 718-261-9723.
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Rabbi Betzalel Korn, Mara D’Asra Congregation Kneseth Meir of Far Rockaway, and Howard (Heshy) Hoffman make a siyum on the Gemara Moed Koton to commemorate the yahrtzeit of Heshy’s mother this weekend. A wonderful seuda followed the siyum, which was held in the shul. PHOTO CREDIT: IVAN H NORMAN
Leading Israeli Athletes, Artists, and Innovators Join Celebrate Israel Festival With two weeks to go until the Celebrate Israel Festival, slated to be the largest gathering to date of Israeli-Americans in New York, a wide array of notable Israelis have confirmed their participation, from some of the country’s greatest basketball stars to representatives of several of its most successful start-ups. Presiding over the basketball court at Pier 94 will be the six-time European and 51-time Israeli league champions, Maccabi Tel Aviv, represented by their legendary players Derrick Sharp, the 15-year Maccabi Tel Aviv veteran and former member of Israel’s national basketball team, and David Blu, considered one of the best Jewish players of all time, with two Euroleague and five Israeli league championships under his belt. Sharp and Blu will host a fast-paced clinic, as well as a two-on-two tournament and a slam-dunk contest for festival-goers
of all ages. Keeping with the athletic theme, the festival’s organizer, the Israeli-American Council (IAC), has engaged Israeli TV star and current sports columnist for the Israeli newspaper Calcalist, Becky Griffin will serve as the event’s host. The daughter of legendary Israeli and Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball star Bob Griffin, Becky started her career as a reporter for Israel’s Sports Channel before moving to London to work as a VJ at MTV Europe. In partnership with the Consulate General of Israel in New York, the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY), and the UJA Federation of New York, the Festival will take place on May 31 at Pier 94 from 2:00 p.m to 7:00 p.m immediately following the annual Celebrate Israel Parade, as an anchor event in a marathon day of events celebrating Israeli culture.
donate to this most worthy cause! www. kobymandell.org Thank you to Reuven Angstreich, Director of The Koby Mandell Foundation, who was in from Israel for this wonderful event. Special thanks to Joel Baruch from Gotta Getta Bagel in
Woodmere for the delicious hot bagels that were served for breakfast and to Seasons of Lawrence for all the drinks. Additional thanks to Rabbi Nadelbach, Director of Student Activities at HAFTR, for spreading the word, and Joey Hoenig and HAFTR for the use of the Hawks’s Nest.
Tnuva Celebrates Shavuot with Dozens of Quality Dairy Cheese Products From tangy pizza starters to gourmet cheese casseroles and luscious cheesecake desserts, Tnuva’s wide selection of quality dairy cheese products provide the key ingredients for a scrumptious array of Shavuot dishes that will be served to family and friends during the festive holiday. And because Shavuot immediately follows Shabbat this year, the challenge for both amateur and gourmet chefs to whip a series of delectable dairy dishes begins in the dairy cheese department at your local supermarket. This year, Tnuva is offering over 40 different dairy and cheese products ranging from light and flavorful cheese spreads, bold and delicious premium cow’s and sheep’s Feta Cheeses, lowfat Labaneh Cheeses and low-fat Quark
Creamy Soft Cheese, cheese spreads and puddings. In addition to the traditional Mediterranean-style dairy collection, Tnuva’s new Mozzarella, Parmesan, Muenster & Cheddar are gaining popularity for their fresh tastes and versatility. These cheeses feature the New Square Rabbinical Council hashgacha in addition to the renowned OU kashrus symbol and Vaad Mehadrin (Israel) supervision. “Just as the numerical value of the Hebrew word for milk—chalav—is 40, Tnuva is proud to offer 40+ premium dairy cheese products that can be used in a variety of ways, from the breakfast table to lunch, afternoon cheesecake indulgence and festive holiday dinners,” said Yoram Behiri, President and CEO of Tnuva USA.
Bent, Not Broken Bent, Not Broken is the first book of its kind. It was written by Jesse Vogel, a Far Rockaway resident, edited and printed by Targum Press, and is being distributed by KTAV to a Judaica store near you. This very special book showcases in a persumei nissa fashion the chesed that went on in the Far Rockaway/Five Towns area before, during, and in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. This book takes you through the author’s trials and tribulations during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and showcases the
unbelievable chesed that was going on in the community. The book was not only funded by chesed money but all of the author’s proceeds will be going to the chesed organizations that were so vital to our community’s healing in order assist them in their noble work. The organizations that will be receiving the author’s profits from this book include The Davis Memorial Fund, Achiezer, The JCCRP, The MET Council, The RNSP, Yeshiva Sh’or Yoshuv, and Hatzalah.
MAY 21, 2015
himself to arrange this tournament in memory of the kedoshim a”h who were killed in the Har Nof massacre this year. The Koby Mandell Foundation runs summer camps and various programs throughout the year for victims of terror and their families. It is never too late to
This past Sunday, May 17, Yom Yerushalayim, Max Rosner, a junior at HAFTR High School, ran a 3-on-3 basketball tournament to raise money for The Koby Mandell Foundation and Camp Koby. Max was a counselor as Camp Koby this past summer and took it upon
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Playing Ball for a Cause
MAY 21, 2015
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61 THE JEWISH HOME
s’’xc
MAY 21, 2015
ENTERING F O R B O Y SR G A R T E N K I N D ET H R A D E TO 6 G
Morning of Learning • Experienced Caring Rabbeim • Special Erev Shabbos Program • Free Hot Lunches & Daily Snacks • Transportation Available
Afternoon of Activities • Sports Leagues • Professional Grounds • Daily Swimming– Pool on Premises • Full Size Gym with Bleachers • Exciting Trip Each Week • Art Program
JUNIORS: FULL SUMMER $1,400 HALF SUMMER $750 SENIORS: FULL SUMMER $1,525 HALF SUMMER $815
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FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER PLEASE CALL 718.868.2300 EXT. 502 • HAKAYITZ@GMAIL.COM
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Around The Community Woodmere Resident Among Yeshiva University Valedictorians More than 600 students from Yeshiva University’s undergraduate schools received their degrees at YU’s 84th Commencement exercises held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on May 17. Nine of the students were honored with the designation of valedictorian for their outstanding academic achievement. Elana Schreier-Glatt of Woodmere, New York, was the co-valedictorian for YU’s Sy Syms School of Business. “I’ve always considered myself to
be part of the Yeshiva University family; I’m fortunate to be a third-generation YU graduate,” said Schreier-Glatt, recipient of the Sy Syms School of Business Dean Harold Nierenberg Memorial Valedictorian Award. “There was always something exciting going on at YU. The faculty and administration at Sy Syms guided me and mentored me throughout my college career.” Schreier-Glatt majored in marketing and plans to pursue a business ca-
reer and earn an MBA. jamin Kohane, Irving “I hope to use the skills I. Stone Beit Midrash I’ve gained at Yeshiva Program; Noam LawUniversity to play a leadee, Yeshiva Program/ ership role in the Jewish Mazer School of Talcommunity,” she said. mudic Studies; Naomi The other valedictoWakschlag, Stern Colrians were Yechiel Aulege for Women; Ronan man, Sy Syms School Weinberg-Waks, James of Business; Daniella Striar School of GenerGrodko, Rebecca Ivry Elana Schreier-Glatt al Jewish Studies; and Department of Jewish Studies; Jona- Mark Weingarten, Yeshiva College. than Katz, Isaac Breuer College; Ben-
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SUNDAY, MAY 31 2PM-7PM
BRINGING THE BEST OF ISRAELI CULTURE TO NEW YORK CITY. LIVE PERFORMANCES, JERUSALEM WESTERN WALL, "SHUK" MACHANE YEHUDA, KOSHER FOOD, KIDS ACTIVITIES AND MORE. PIER 94 - WEST SIDE HIGHWAY AT 54TH STREET
Rain or Shine!
For the full program and to buy tickets, visit CelebrateIsraelFestival.com/NewYork
MAY 21, 2015
Celebrating Israel's Independence
MARCH AT THE PARADE. DANCE AT THE FESTIVAL.
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Around The Community School Superintendent Addresses Large Crowd at Gesher Event Over the last several years the Gesher Early Childhood Center has distinguished itself in the Five Towns community. Gesher’s emphasis on high quality
Mrs. Appleman and Mr. & Mrs. Brandler
has been the backbone of the program from its inception. Gesher’s recent “Building on Success” event showcased that emphasis. The hosts, Rabbi Sol and Mrs. Nicole Appleman, graciously opened their beautiful home to the many friends and supporters who came to experience a Gesher evening. The guests were treated to an elaborate sushi bar compliments of Brachs supermarket and a scrumptious buffet provided by Chap-A-Nosh caterers. The delightful fare and elegant atmosphere were
a perfect complement to the evening’s scheduled program. But before the program even began, the audience was treated to a special guest speaker. Mr. Gary Schall, Superintendent of Schools in the Lawrence School District, made a surprise appearance at the event. Mr. Schall had visited Gesher earlier in the year and was extremely impressed by what he observed. He has been in contact with the Gesher administration subsequently, reaffirming his belief that Gesher offers the community an unusually valuable resource. Consistent with that sentiment, Mr. Schall addressed the crowd with the fol-
Superintendent Schall addressing the crowd
lowing remarks. “I am here tonight because I want to confirm what you already know: that the Gesher Early Childhood Center is an extraordinary institution and is distinguished from the many institutions that I have seen. “Mrs. Bodner has assembled an extraordinary staff with highly certified credentials, and that becomes very apparent the moment you walk into the door, and you feel the warmth and supportive environment that addresses the needs of various learning styles for the students that attend. “Chava has become an important part of our Greater Council, she is highly respected among all the Directors and Principals as well. So I am grateful to be here, and I wish the school, the parents, the faculty, continued success.” The Superintendent’s accolades made quite an impression on the captivated assemblage and set the stage for the host’s address. Mrs. Nicole Appleman is a grandparent of a Gesher student. She passionately described the joy of seeing her grandson succeed in a warm and supportive environment following the difficulties that he had experienced at his former school. One of the main points that Mrs. Appleman stressed is that Gesher provides a total yeshiva experience for preschool children who may not have that option otherwise. She implored the attendees to share their appreciation of the Gesher model with friends and family who would benefit as well. Mrs. Chava Bodner, Founder and Director of Gesher, followed by thanking her staff for their loving dedication to the children. The program was capped by a riveting video presentation telling the Gesher story from the eyes of the parents. Gesher continues to expand and will be opening a first grade in the fall of 2015. Consistent with its unique individualized planning, the Gesher classroom size is limited and only a few spots remain open. For more information or to request an application please visit, www.gesher-ecc. org or call 516-730-7377.
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Around The Community
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Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, delivering his biweekly vaad to the yungeleit of Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s Kollel Tirtza Devorah on the topics of chinuch and shalom bayis
Preserving the Past, Appreciating the Present, Building the Future The Inwood Kollel is set to reenergize the Jewish Community Center of Inwood (JCCI) while providing another community for bnei Torah to raise their families with the expanded Kollel as the spiritual focal point. In 1954, an intrepid group of Jewish citizens of Inwood founded a shul and community center to serve their religious and social/cultural needs. In that Orthodox shul, which became known as the JCCI, generations were aided by the array of services and activities. Through tremendous mesiras nefesh of the Rav, Rabbi Reuven Mann, regular minyanim continued even as many community members moved on. In fact, a women’s seminary, Masoret, was also housed in the shul building, under the auspices of Rabbi Mann, and indeed continues to this day in an online format. However, with the underutilization of the premises, the hanhala of the JCCI sought to reignite the sparks
which were lit by the earlier generations and to continue serving the community. With the cooperation of the local Rav, Rav Pinchas Weinberger, and Bais Tefilla of Inwood, the Inwood Kollel was determined to be in the best position to lend its name and resources to preserve the past and build an even brighter future of another outpost of Torah in the community of Inwood. By telephone interview from his present home in Phoenix, Rabbi Mann expressed great pleasure that the facility will be brought back to its former glory and its hallowed halls will once again be full of Torah and tefilla. As a sign of basic hakaras hatov, the Kollel will observe the yahrzeits of those dearly departed who gave so much to build the JCCI. Rabbi Mann will retain the title of Rabbi Emeritus. Due to its under-use, the shul building is in need of major renovations. To that end, the Kollel is embarking on a fundraising campaign. Being that the
unique dedication opportunities exist. The naming of the newly renovated building, in the center of a new Torah community, which will house the activities of the Kollel including sedarim, shiurim and minyanim. Other dedications are also available. With the acquisition of its own premises the Kollel is poised to expand sedarim, shiurim, and minyanim as befits a community kollel. While the Kollel is extremely grateful to the At the groundbreaking of the Jewish Community Center of Inwood in 1958 hanhala of Yeshiva property and structure have been gifted Ketana of Long Island to the Kollel and construction is gen- for graciously hosting the Kollel since erously being subsidized by Mr. James its inception, the Kollel is excited to beJ. Vilardi of Bedford Construction, come a full-functioning, well-stocked Bais Medrash open 24/7 to serve the immediate locale and beyond. The mission of the Kollel is to create an atmosphere of serious yeshiva-style learning for baalei batim who spent many years in yeshiva and wish to continue their spiritual growth. This atmosphere is to be fostered by interaction with high level yungeleit, regularly scheduled shiurim, chaburos and guidance by one of the contemporary Gedolei HaPoskim. For further information, please contact the Rosh Kollel, Rav Shlomo Cohen, at 347-224-1152.
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L-R: Rabbi Mordechai Groner, Yossi Bauman, presenting award to Guest of Honor Moshe Schreiber, along with Menachem Marx and R’ Baruch Rothman
It was a remarkable evening featuring 600 happy, grateful people. Most important, it was a living example of what a person can accomplish, with imagination and unselfish dedication. To sign up for Mishna Daily or another one of our daily learning programs visit us at www.ateresshimon. org or email Mishnahdaily@ateresshimon.org.
PHOTO CREDIT NAFTOLI GOLDGRAB PHOTOGRAPHY
MAY 21, 2015
There is another element to Rabbi Groner’s success. He is remarkably innovative. Aside for on-premises learning, he has ten free email and audio programs that, in total, have up to 10,000 subscribers worldwide. One of them is “Mishnahs a Day,” taught by Rabbi Groner. It began four years ago with 25 listeners. At the time of the siyum last week, there were over 1,400, and the numbers are growing by the day.
We have been to many dinners, but rarely if ever have we seen an outpouring of gratitude, joy, and appreciation as we witnesses at the Siyum Mishnayos Dinner of Yeshiva Ateres Shimon at the Marine Park Golf Club. Under the leadership of Rabbi Mordechai Groner, the yeshiva provides learning and inspiration to students and marrieds of all ages and interests. The only requirement is a desire to learn and grow. The results are phenomenal.
L-R Rabbi Mordechai Groner, Rosh HaYeshiva, with Rabbi Avrohom Fruchthandler
L-R: Shmuel Freund and Rabbi Mordechai Groner present the Hachzakas Hatorah Award to Yezzy Mechlovitz receiving along with Elie Katz and Menachem Marx
Tzvi Sussman receiving a surprise award for his dedication and hard work to the Mishna Daily Program, presented by Rabbi Binyomin Sussman
L-R: Steve Gewirtz, Yanky Herskovits, Yezzy Mechlovitz, Rabbi Mordechai Groner, Rosh HaYeshiva, Ariel Gantz, and Ezzy Unger at the Reception
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Yeshiva Ateres Shimon Siyum Mishnayos Dinner
Moshe Schreiber addressing the crowd
Rabbi Mordechai Groner, Rosh HaYeshiva, with talmidim, L-R: Aron Magen, Chananya Dov, and Aryeh Lerer
Around The Community Lag B’Omer Middos Parade at the Hollander ECC at YOSS
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Up and down Serena Road the boys marched led by Coach Zvika Bornstein singing on the microphone, accompanied by Rabbi Ross on the keyboard and his son Binyamin Zev on the saxophone. Holding banners about “V’ahvta L’reacha Kamocha” and tambourines with pictures of them doing acts of chesed,
the boys enjoyed the parade, and loved the surprise of a cholov Yisroel ice cream truck to top the day off. How to create your own Middos Parade and more ideas can be found in the book “Infusing the Ruach into Your School,” by Elana Fertig, which is being sold at Judaica Plus.
HANC Plainview Teaches Students to Care: Donating Hair and Swabbing Cheeks
The Hebrew Academy of Nassau County in Plainview, NY, has turned its annual bonfire and BBQ into a giving fest, as the Entourage Salon helped 13 students, alumni, faculty, parents and friends donate their hair to help children who cannot grow their own through Zichron Menachem. Donors included everyone from kindergarten students to parents and teachers, making this experience a rite of passage within the HANC Plainview family. Fourth grader Aviva Afrahim from Roslyn Heights reflected, “This year was my third time
in a row donating my hair. All of the kids who don’t have hair will now have wigs to wear, and our hair grows back.” At a second booth, HANC alumni cheek-swabbed over 20 adults for the Gift of Life bone marrow registry. Principal Rabbi Kalman Fogel said, “In a world where the most popular products begin with ‘I,’ HANC raises kids to think ‘we.’ The most touching part of the night was watching children cheering on their friends as their hair was being cut for a higher purpose.”
The Taste of Success
After the successful pushka campaign spearheaded by TAG’s Director of Development Rabbi Baruch Lovett, the talmidos of TAG were treated to ice cream. Rabbi Lovett speaks to all the girls and encourages them to bring in their full pushkas so they can also be a part of the building campaign. Ably assisted by Mrs. Edna Ershowsky all the girls truly tasted how sweet it is to be part
of the TAG family. Many thanks to our generous sponsors who helped us make it all happen. Cross River Bank has been a consistent supporter of many of our projects and TAG is greatly indebted to them. Yashar koach to Mr. & Mrs. Shmuel Aron Fishman, Mr. & Mrs. Elliot Moskowitz, Mr. & Mrs. Yirmi Reichman, and Mr. & Mrs. Eli Tendler.
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In connection to Shavuos and Matan Torah, Rabbi Betzalel Katkovsky, a noted sofer, showed the Pre-1A boys at the Hollander ECC at Yeshiva of South Shore how a sefer Torah is made. He showed them real cow hide and actual split hooves and spoke about how mezuzahs and Tefillin are made. He even demonstrated how to wear Tefillin. He also taught them how the kosher ink that we use to write the Torah is made from a special nut. It was interesting to hear that the Torah needs to be written with kosher ink.
Golan Heights Winery Releases 2011 Yarden Katzrin Winery’s limited edition label only used for exceptional vintages Golan Heights Winery, the leading premium winery in Israel, has released the 2011 Yarden Katzrin. The flagship wine is only produced from grapes harvested during the most outstanding vintages. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and Merlot, the Yarden Katzrin is a deeply colored, full-bodied wine, with a rich and complex flavor. It pairs beautifully with the deep taste of roast meats. The limited edition 2011 Yarden Katzrin was launched at Yarden Vintage Wine Festival 2015, the Winery’s wine and gourmet festival which took place at Golan Heights Winery on May 13-14, 2015. Only the most exceptional vintages bear the Yarden Katzrin label. Despite having the lowest temperatures on record in the region and 130% average annual rainfall, the 2011 harvest produced an outstanding vintage. This was especially surprising as it followed the 2010 harvest which saw unusually high temperatures. The 2011 Yarden Katzrin is the
pinnacle of Golan Heights Winery’s winemaking prowess. A wine of rare and impressive quality, Yarden Katzrin embodies the Winery’s philosophy of ongoing improvement. From individualized handling of the various vineyards, to significant technological investments in growing and production, nothing is overlooked throughout the entire winemaking process. Under the leadership of Head Winemaker Victor Schoenfeld, Yarden Katzrin epitomizes the Golan Heights Winery’s uncompromising quest for quality and excellence. “A rich wine of exceptional qualities, Yarden Katzrin embodies the best of the Winery’s creative process,” said Anat Levi, CEO of Golan Heights Winery. “As a blend of two varieties, the 2011 Yarden Katzrin
tells the story of the Golan growing region as a whole. This wine expresses the unique landscapes and characteristics of the Golan, the stunning power of nature, and the wonderful creativity of our people.” “The 2011 growing season was our coldest ever, and we had to adapt ourselves to the unexpected conditions,” said Victor Schoenfeld. “The combination of the hot 2010 vintage and the cold 2011 vintage taught us an important lesson: the Golan is capable of producing excellent wines even in years of extreme weather, which is highly unusual in the world of wine.” The 2011 Yarden Katzrin is the eighth in a line of Yarden Katzrin wines (1990, 1993, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2007) that have received wide-ranging praise in Israel and throughout the world. The 2011 Yarden Katzrin was produced in a special limited edition of 53 barrels only. The wine will be distributed
in domestic and foreign markets and will soon be seen on the wine lists of prestigious restaurants in Israel and abroad.
MIESNER’S GOURMET & LIBBY’S BAKE SHOP has teamed up with CHAVERIM OF FAR ROCKAWAY & THE FIVE TOWNS to offer the customers an opportunity to save on their Shavous purchases while supporting a vital community organization. Customers will receive $2 off their $20 purchase and an additional $1 will be donated to Chaverim of Far Rockaway & the Five Towns at no cost to the customer. To receive your coupon, visit www.chaverim5t.org/coupon.
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Around The Community Klein’s Kosher Ice Cream Celebrates 60 Years of Being Better Things are always changing; that’s the way of the world. “The more things change, the more they stay the same” is an adage often expressed in a less than positive connotation. However, very often, it can indeed be a most positive thing. Let’s examine this a little closer. Sixty years. Six decades. Most peo-
ple reading this have not yet been on this earth for that long. There is hardly any aspect of life that is the same today as it was in the 1950s. Most children today do not even know what an LP record or an Eight Track cassette is, and many don’t even recall ever being in a payphone booth. When they hear stories of things that transpired in the ‘60s,
70s or 80s, recounted with a nostalgic twinkle by their parents or grandparents, there are elements of the stories that are totally foreign to them. The automobiles of a mere few decades ago are relics of history to the new generation, and even many of the popular brands of the twentieth century are no longer in existence; they simply didn’t pass the test of time.
JOIN US IN WELCOMING Michael Morgenstern, MD Neurology & Sleep Medicine Dr. Morganstern is a board certified neurologist, fellowship trained in sleep medicine, with his neurology residency done at LIJ/North Shore. He currently lives with his wife and two children in West Hemptead and is excited to be able to serve our community. He has passion for sleep medicine and is eager to help develop our current sleep program and state-ofthe-art 3 bed sleep lab. He has also done extensive clinical research and founded a nonprofit research organization to benefit community health. Dr. Morganstern is available to see patients for both sleep disorders and general neurology at our Cedarhurst office. Please call 516 239 1800 to book your appointment now.
There is one thing that is as fresh and exciting today as it was in the 1950s when it was introduced. We are referring to Klein’s kosher ice cream. Many children and adults take for granted that they have an endless variety of premium kosher ice cream products to choose from, for any time of day or night, for any occasion, and for any reason. It wasn’t always the case. When Reb Ephraim Klein, a Holocaust survivor trying to make ends meet for his family, launched Klein’s kosher ice cream, it was the first Cholov Yisroel ice cream product ever to be commercially produced. Many people at the time were skeptical of the success of this company, as the non-Cholov Yisroel varieties were acceptable to most people and the Cholov Yisroel market was almost non-existent. Yet, armed with the bracha of the Belzer Rebbe zt”l and the entrepreneurial vision burning with determination to own his own company with which to support his family, Klein’s ice cream was born. Fast forward sixty years, and despite the world having changed in more ways than anyone could ever have imagined, the Klein’s ice cream company is still doing exactly what it was doing all those years ago: producing the best and most desired premium Cholov Yisroel ice cream products in the world. From the classic “Dixie Cup” introduced in the 1950s to the many brand new varieties, including non-dairy, sugar-free and fat-free lines, natural ices, elegant dessert fare and scores of other new innovations, Klein’s is steadfastly committed to the same kashrus integrity, quality guarantee and great taste pledge as it was 60 years ago. Yes, the more things change, the more they stay the same, and that’s a positive thing for kosher consumers everywhere who grew up on Klein’s and are raising the next generation on that same taste tradition. As Klein’s – and tens of thousands of kosher consumers around the globe – celebrate sixty years of being the best, it is a good time to reflect on all the good things past while looking ahead to the next sixty years, which will surely be filled with renewed sweetness, revolutionary creations, and shared joy. And if looking ahead sixty years is too difficult a feat, just focus on the summer 2015 forecast which is projected to fill Klein’s Country – and the rest of the world – with many new and exciting offerings to enjoy for decades to come. Klein’s Ice Cream makes everything – better!
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Men and women are encouraged to attend!
MAY 21, 2015
Annual Breakfast Join us at the
To benefit
at the home of
Dov and Allyson Perkal 858 Fiske Street | Woodmere, NY
Sunday June 7th | 9:30 AM Featured Speaker: Rav Yakov Horowitz Shlit’a
Committee Mr. & Mrs. David Aidelson
Dr. & Mrs. Steve Levine
Mr. & Mrs. Chanina Berman
Mr. & Mrs. Rob Levinson
Mr. & Mrs. Yakov Bodner
Mr. & Mrs. Yoni Paritzky
Mr. & Mrs. David Bugayer
Mr. & Mrs. Avi Popack
Dr. & Mrs. Steven Davidowitz
Mr. & Mrs. Yehuda Poupko
Mr. & Mrs. Dovi Faivish
Mr. & Mrs. Dudi Rokach
Mr. & Mrs. Gadi Fuchs
Mr. & Mrs. Robbie Satran
Mr. & Mrs. Azriel Ganz
Mr. & Mrs. Shlomie Scharf
Mr. Laurence Garber
Mr. & Mrs. Shmulie Schechter
Mr. & Mrs. Simcha Goldberg
Mr. & Mrs. Ken Schuckman
Dr. & Mrs. Ernie Isaacson
Mr. & Mrs. Ushi Shafran
Mr. & Mrs. Jack Jeter
Mr. & Mrs. Aron Solomon
Mr. & Mrs. David Klein
Mr. & Mrs. Naftali Solomon
Mr. & Mrs. David Kopelowitz
Mr. & Mrs. Yaakov Spinner
Mr. & Mrs. Rob Kurtz
Rabbi & Mrs. Shalom Yona Weis
Mr. & Mrs. Ephraim Kutner
Mr. & Mrs. Dovi Wisnicki
Mr. & Mrs. Yoni Kutner
Mr. & Mrs. Binyomin Wolf
Dr. & Mrs. Moishe Lazar
Mr. & Mrs. Jay Zachter
Mr. & Mrs. Rueben Levine
Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Zoldan
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Sale Dates: May 24th - 30th 2015
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Weekly Quaker Chewy Granola Bars
Crystal Geyser Water
Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Mountain Dew, Mug, Brisk, Schweppes
All Flavors 6.7 oz - 8.4 oz
1.5 liter
69¢
12 Pack - 12 oz Cans
10
3/$
Pereg White Quinoa
Bertolli Olive Oil
16 oz Bag
Classico, Extra Virgin, Extra Light 25.5 oz $ 99 ......................................................
3
$
5
99
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Gefen Mini Mandel
Green Giant Vegetables
14 oz
Corn, Cut Beans, Sweet Peas, Green Beans - 14.5 oz/15.1 oz
......................................................
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Diced, Crushed, Puree, Sauce 28 oz/29 oz
Assorted - 18 oz
Hunt’s BBQ Sauce
Red Pack Tomatoes
99¢
Original or Cinnamon 13 oz
5
2/$
Quaker Oat Squares Regular orCinnamon 14.5oz $ 99
Turkey Hill Iced Tea
1 ...................................................... $ 49
Lactaid Milk
Assorted - 64 oz
399
$
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Philadelphia Cream Cheese
8 oz Cups
7
$
99
..............................................................
7
3
16 oz
8
99 $
99
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5.5 oz
All Purpose or High Gluten - 5 lb
Wacky Mac Mac & Cheese
Glick’s Flour
249
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Iberia Snack Crackers 3 Pack Stack - 7.4 oz
99¢
pas yisrael!
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Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps 10 Pack - 1 oz
................................................. All Sizes
2/$
Tree Ripe Orange Juice Assorted 59 oz
.......................................
Ha’olam Sliced Muenster Cheese Except Reduced Fat - 6 oz
5
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Miller’s Shredded Cheese Except Pizza 8 oz
5
2/$
2/$
Aunt Jemima Pancakes
Kineret Onion Rings 20 oz
14 oz
4
Solo Party Cups
299
$
Migdal or Ha’olam Margarine 16 oz
3
16 oz
5
Whole or Half Sour 28 oz
10 oz
5
2/$
Haagen Dazs Ice Cream
25 oz - 29 oz
16 oz
4
Axelrod Cottage Cheese
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Flaum’s Pickles
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99
5
2/$
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$
Ziploc Containers
2/$
All Flavors - 14 oz
Eggo Family Pack Waffles
499
$
2/$
$
299
2/$
2
Except Organic - 8 oz
1
5
99
Breakstone Whipped Butter
$ 99
2/$
16oz
Pure Bites Pop Cakes
5
3
3/$
$
2
Paskesz Marshmallows Gourmet Glatt Roasted Almonds All Varieties - 8 oz Salted or Unsalted 2/$ 7 oz
1
$ 99
9 oz or 18 oz
All Varieties - 20 oz - 32 oz
99
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3
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$
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Regular, Enriched 32 oz
All Flavorss - 2.64 oz
Dole Strawberries, Mango, Peaches
McCain French Fries
99¢
Rice Dream - Original or Vanilla
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.......................................
2/$
2/$
by the case
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7 oz
Morning Star Burgers & Patties
5 oz - 10 oz
Yellow or Spicy Brown - 12 oz
5
Hadar Tirosh Cookies
5
Mendelsohn’s Pizza
8 oz
Goodman’s Rice & Vermicelli
Gulden’s Mustard
999
$
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2/$
Original Only - 36 oz
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12 Pack
$
2
64 oz
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Tradition Cup-A-Soup
5/$
5/$
Quaker Life Cereal
4
2/$
$
5/$
. . . . . .5 ................................................
26 oz
5
249
$
5
5
2/$
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Gefen Marinara & Pasta Sauces
2
$
99
Bird’s Eye Mixed Vegetables
3
2/$
Sabra Hummus
7
3/$
Bodek Cauliflower Florets 16 oz
399
$
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Good Humor Ice Cream Assorted - 18 oz
299
$
New Items This Week! Paleo Passion Pops Frozen Fruit Pops
all natural! no sugar added!
Natalie’s Juices
Find Them in the Produce Aisle
handcrafted! 4 delicious flavors!
Call us: (516) 569-2662 • Fax: (516) 569-8376 • 123 Spruce Street, Cedarhurst, NY 11516
73 THE JEWISH HOME
599 lb.
$
CHULLENT MEAT
Family Pack
CHICKEN BREAST WITH WING
239 lb.
$
Rack of Shoulder $ Veal 1099 lb. Silver $ 49 Steak $ 99 9 lb. Chuck Tip 8 lb. Family Pack ................... Roast ................... ................... Corned Turkey extra lean $ 49 8 lb. Ground London $599 lb. Beef $ 99 5 lb. Deckle Broil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shoulder ...................
Trix, Cookie Crisp, Cocoa Puffs, Golden Grahams
Turkey Roast
Gallon
Family Pack
ready to bake or grill!
...................
5 lb. Seasoned/ semi boneless Marinated White Meat Fillet $ 39 ................... 9 lb. Chicken $ 99 6 lb. Steak 1st Cut $ 99 Cutlets Family Pack Brisket 10 lb. White Meat $
79
14 oz - 16 oz
2
$ 99 ......................................................
Arizona Teas
5
2/$
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Wesson Canola Oil Gallon
699
$ California Nectarines
1
$
29
lb.
Gala Apples
99¢ lb.
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Sweet Potatoes
Cello Mushrooms
69¢ lb.
2/$
String Beans
1
$
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Florida lb. Kirbies
89¢ lb.
Yellow Corn
79¢ lb.
All Flavors - 6 oz
2
6/$
1
2/$
Red Potatoes
69¢ lb.
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Baby Carrots
Persian $ 59 Cucumber 1 lb.
89¢ ea.
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Spanish Onions
Sleeve Celery
59¢ lb.
General Tso’s Chicken
1099lb. $ 1199lb.
Grilled Pesto Chicken
6 $ 99 5 lb.
Beef Empanadas
$
6 Pack
Pasta and Spinach Salad
19
Large Marble Ring
6
$
99 ea.
Spray Roses Bouquet Roses! Roses! Roses! Bunch
799 $ 99 7 $
Yogurt Fruit Soup Quart
Aliza Beer Nutritional Meals 24 VARIETIES! SPECIAL OF THE WEEK:
799ea.
$
Broccoli Vegetable Soup Quart
Breaded Lemon Pepper Fillet $ 99 lb.
6
99 lb.
Small White Mezonos Bread $ 99 ea.
999& Up $ 1999& Up $
order@gourmetglatt.com
3
$
99 ea.
450
Beautiful Floral Bouquets Unusual Floral Arrangements
1
1999& Up $ 3499& Up $
/gourmetglatt
595
$
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Black Dragon Roll $
Tuna Avocado Roll $
495
1095
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American Dream Roll 95 $
Cooked Salmon Roll $ 50
5
11
all our cabbage is greenhouse grown! All Chummus!
Pre-Packaged
Small Potato Kugel 100% Whole Wheat Mexonos Rolls Package of 4 $ 49 ea.
Spicy Tuna Avocado $ Roll
............................
Spicy Mayo
4
1
order your shabbos platters early! Cucumber Roll
Container
Tilapia Family Packs $ 49 lb.
Wild Salmon $
99 ea.
2
$ 99
3
Salad Nicoise
$
Breyer’s Ice Cream
2/$
Deli & Takeout
/
...................................................... All Flavors - 48 oz
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1 lb Bag
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99¢ lb.
La Yogurt
3
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Plum Del Monte $ 99 Honeydew 3 ea. Tomatoes Anjou Pears
49
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wow!
Pre-Packaged
Honey Mustard Eggplant Pre-Packaged
Pasta Tuna
Pre-Packaged
Marinara Pasta
At the Counter
Creamed Spinach
NEW ITEM!
At the Counter
349ea. $ 99 3 ea. $ 99 3 ea. $ 99 4 ea. $ 99 4 lb. $ 99 5 lb. $
Low Fat Vegetable Kugel
We reserve the right to limit quantities. No rain checks. Not responsible for typographical errors.
MAY 21, 2015
extra lean
EXTRA LEAN BEEF STEW
Specials
Around The Community OHEL Gears Up for OXC - An Xtremely Unique Event on June 7th
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MAY 21, 2015
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Nearly 200 participants from the Five Boroughs, the Five Towns and New Jersey are training hard to run, climb, jump, crawl, and muscle their way through this year’s first-ever OXC – OHEL’s Xtreme Challenge 5-mile or 1.5-mile course at Camp Kaylie. The course has been custom built to allow all participants to push their bodies to the limit, with options for everyone from children to the most hardened athletes. Modeled after the now famous “Tough Mudder” and “Spartan” runs, OXC includes options for children and adults with disabilities. Several of OHEL Bais Ezra’s residents with disabilities who have overcome their own life challenges will be joining for this fun-filled day. OXC features over 30 obstacles including tunnels, climbing walls, balance beams, rope ladders, water hurdles and much more. As teams or individuals, every one of the participants will make it to the finish line, receive a medal and other giveaways and be proud of their accomplishments. Participants and their families will enjoy an all-day BBQ, festival with food vendors and blow up rides for kids. Students from several schools from the five towns including HAFTR, DRS, and North Shore, as well as OHEL residents and family members, have already signed up, and are preparing for the event on June 7th. “I’m training at Warren Levi’s Fitness Center every day,” says Gidon, a 12th grader from DRS. “I’m challenging myself, but I also know that my senior classmates and I have teamed up as our last class outing to help OHEL’s kids and adults. And that makes us all feel great!” Ben Englander, OHEL Board member and OXC Committee Member, commented: “This is a groundbreaking event and I am proud to be involved with this. I’ve personally seen and climbed some of the obstacles. They’re awesome and challenging. It will be a great day for kids and adults of all abilities. So come out and
join us in support of OHEL’s kids and adults.” OHEL hopes that the customized tiered system of obstacles, appealing to both seasoned pros and individuals with developmental disabilities, will become a trend in fitness related events. “We have built this course with the hopes that we can set a new precedent in fundraising,” said Robert Katz, Chief Development Officer at OHEL. “I hope that we can lead by example to show how any event can provide options for participants of all ability levels. And the obstacle course will remain up in Camp Kaylie for Kaylie campers to enjoy all summer long.” OHEL thanks Ben Englander, Mordy Schwartz, Aryeh Jacobson and Etan Kestenbaum for their tireless work on this event, as well as main sponsors: Investors Bank, ABC Communications, Saxony Title, Dependable Abstract, Poland Springs Brand 100% Natural Water, Cliff Bars, and others as well as our many participants who helped raise money to make this event possible. All funds raised at this event support OHEL’s children and adults with disabilities, and families in crisis. There is still time to participate, sponsor a participant or team, or become an event sponsor. Call 718 972 9338 or visit our website at www.oheloxc. com.
75 THE JEWISH HOME
Annual Dinner
MAY 21, 2015
Sh’or Yoshuv
Thank You!
THE ROSH YESHIVA, REBBEIM AND HANHALLAH JOIN THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN THANKING OUR ALUMNI, FRIENDS AND THE COMMUNITY FOR THE OVERWHELMING SHOW OF SUPPORT AT OUR ANNUAL DINNER . SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR DISTINGUISHED HONOREES
MR. & MRS. MOSHE MAJESKI • RABBI & MRS. YAAKOV BARZIDEH MR. & MRS. JOSEPH ARYEH
Sponsored By
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 516-239-9002 EXT. 102 • WWW.SHORYOSHUV.ORG
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MAY 21, 2015
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Around The Community Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky Visits Yeshiva Darchei Torah The talmidim and rabbeim of Yeshiva Darchei Torah were treated to a special visit this Sunday morning by Hagaon Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky, shlita, the Rosh Yeshiva of
Philadelphia. Rav Kamenetsky, who was in the Five Towns for a reception on behalf of his yeshiva, took time from his hectic schedule to inspire the bnei hayeshiva. He spoke about his great pleasure in seeing the talmidim, “the future of Klal Yisrael,” and the great responsibili-
Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky is greeted by Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky, Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva Darchei Torah
ty inherent in that status. He urged the boys to prepare to be mekabel the Torah anew in honor of the yom tov of Shavuos and gave everyone a collective bracha. Each talmid, wearing a white shirt in honor of the auspicious occasion, then walked by the illustrious guest on their way to their classrooms, newly inspired and invigorated for a day of learning and avodah.
Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky with Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah
Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky addressing the talmidim
PHOTOS BY MOSHE BENOLIEL/YESHIVA DARCHEI TORAH
Aphasia Symposium Hosted by Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center College, and Yael NeuThe Margaret Tietz mann-Werth, PhD, CCCNursing and RehabiliSLP, Assistant Professor, tation Center hosted its Department of Linguistics third Healthcare Symand Communication Disposium entitled “Face orders, Queens College; to Face with Aphasia” and the second with peoon May 12. Aphasia is ple living with aphasia. an acquired communiThe former director of cation/language disorNational Aphasia Associder, usually caused by ation, Ellayne Ganzfried, head injury, migraines, MS, CCC-SLP, ASHA brain tumor, neuroFellow, moderated the logical conditions or discussion. There was an stroke, with stroke beextensive display of ining the most common Akila Rajappa, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, addressing Yael Neumann-Werth, PhD, CCC-SLP, presenting Avi Golden, Emergency Response Trainer, formation and resources cause. It impairs a perthe audience successfully living with aphasia from highly esteemed orson’s ability to speak ganizations from Queens, million Americans struggle with the panels: one with speech language paprocess language and Manhattan, Long Island, and New Jerdevastation of aphasia. There are over thologists Akila Rajappa, MS, CCCsometimes the ability to understand sey. This event was open to the public 100,000 new cases each year. SLP, BCS-S, Speech Language Patholothers. It can be acquired by all ages, and had a very large turnout. The event featured two discussion ogist, Columbia University Teacher’s race, genders, and nationality. Over 1
77
Team OHEL Crosses the Finish Line
MAY 21, 2015
Bright and early on Sunday, May 3, 26 participants of Team OHEL completed 42 miles as part of the TD Bank 5 Boro Bike Tour. All proceeds raised from our TEAM OHEL riders will helps children in our foster homes and domestic violence shelter, and it will also help enable children with disabilities to attend Camp Kaylie this summer. Many of TEAM OHEL athletes do these races to challenge themselves physically as well as for their own personal journeys. TEAM OHEL has many amazing personal stories. Please know that your choice to join TEAM OHEL elevates the lives of the children and families we serve. The next event Team OHEL members are looking forward to is the OHEL Xtreme Challenge (oXc) taking place on Sunday, June 7. Join the OHEL Xtreme Challenge and support OHEL’s children
Midreshet Shalhevet Remembers Dalia Lemkus
Mr Lemkus answering students’ questions after his speech to the school
and adults overcome disabilities. It is a groundbreaking event, open to all people of all abilities! Register at www.oheloxc. org or call 718.972.9338. For more information about upcoming TEAM OHEL events, please contact Laurie Szenicer at Laurie_Szenicer@ ohelfamily.org or call 718-686-3316.
Thursday morning, May 14, Midreshet Shalhevet heard from Nachum Lemkus, father of Dalia Lemkus. Dalia was murdered by Palestinian terrorists late last year. The students listened to the heart-wrenching story of how Dalia was at a hitchhiking station right outside of Alon Shavut when she was brutally and fatally attacked. Midreshet Shalhevet honored Dalia by learning in her memory. Shortly after her murder, the students arranged a school-wide commemoration where students spoke about Dalia and other victims of terrorist attacks. Eleventh grader Tamar Beer recreated a painting that Dalia had drawn and intended for her future home. The painting was presented to the Lemkus family on erev Pesach by eleventh grader Noa Eliach and her family. Mrs. Brenda Lemkus, Dalia’s mother, was overwhelmed with emotion upon receiving the painting and hearing that a girl’s school in Woodmere took such interest in their
daughter Dalia and memorialized her in a positive and beautiful way. Mr. Nachum Lemkus was home at the time, so during his visit to New York this past week, he came to Shalhevet to bring the relationship full circle. The girls were touched by his moving speech as he shared stories about Dalia’s beautiful life. He remarked how Dalia always had a smile on her face and how upbeat and positive she was. Dalia had been involved in a terrorist attack previously, and when asked about how she continues to live in Israel in the same fashion, she had replied, “I am not going to let terrorists stop me from how I am supposed to live my life.” Mr. Lemkus also showed a song that one of his friends had composed about Dalia’s life. It portrayed her interests, hobbies, and the light that she carried with her. Although Dalia did not survive this attack, her legacy will remain strong for years to come.
doing so we make more room in ourselves for the Torah, and so are able to accept it on Shavuos. One of the stories he told was a powerful illustration of the beauty of the mitzvos bein adam l’chaveiro. A man was getting into his fancy new car as he watched a small boy marvel at it and ask, “How did you get such a great car?” To which the man answered, “My brother bought this cool car, would you like a ride in it?” The boy responded, “Sure would—just can you please drive me to my house so I can show my brother?” The man agreed assuming he wanted to show off to his brother. When they reached his house, the man watched as the young boy excitedly ran and brought his wheelchair-bound brother out to see
the car, and with eyes lit up with excitement said to his brother, “One day I’m going to buy you a car like that so that it will be easier for you to get around.” The man, who was very touched by what he had just seen, said to the boy, “I know, you wish you had a brother like I have.” The boy responded: “No, I wish I could be a brother like that.” Rabbi Orlofsky’s words kept the entire student body riveted throughout the entire speech. His message inspired both students and teachers. It was both the perfect culmination of the Mishmeres program and preparation for the yom tov of Shavuos. May we all take this poignant message with us into the chag and be proper keilim for kabalas haTorah.
Shevach’s Year-End Mishmeres Event On Tuesday, May 5, the Shevach girls were privileged to hear from one of today’s most sought-after speakers, Rabbi Dovid Orlofsky. The speech was part of a special end of the year Mishmeres event, a program whose goal is to promote shmiras halashon and ahavas Yisroel. The year-long Mishmeres program was headed by two enthusiastic juniors, Shoshana Bondi and Esther Kessler, under the guidance of Mrs. Tzippy Hollander . Rabbi Orlofsky opened the event with several questions about Sefiras Haomer and Shavuos. With his humor and stories, Rabbi Orlofsky answered all the questions while conveying an important message for all concerning the approaching yom tov of Shavuos. He
THE JEWISH HOME
Around The Community
relayed how as a child he used to help out in the family business by delivering flowers for Mothers’ Day. Once he brought a huge beautiful arrangement to an elderly woman. When he came into her home, instead of being excited, all the woman could do was look around and repeat over and over again: “I don’t know where to put them, I wasn’t expecting them”.”Our spirituality works the same way. If we do not prepare ourselves properly to accept the Torah, it has nowhere to go. The more we work on ourselves and improve our middos, the more we make ourselves into a kli that is able to be mekabel the Torah. These days of Sefiras Ha’Omer are critical days during which it is incumbent upon us to focus on our bein adom l’chaveiro. By
THE JEWISH HOME
MAY 21, 2015
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Around The Community Shulamith Students Meet with Rep. Kathleen Rice The Shulamith School for Girls eighth grade graduating class experienced a wonderful trip to Washington, D.C., this past week, the highlight of which was a meeting with Rep. Kathleen Rice on the steps of the Capitol. The meeting was facilitated by Mr. Israel Wasser, parent of eighth grader Rachelli Wasser. Rep. Rice’s warm, spontaneous address tremendously inspired the students. After she spoke to them, one of the girls ran up to her, hugged her, and exclaimed, “You are my role model!” Rep. Rice told the rapt group how lucky they are to be receiving a wonderful education and encouraged them to think about and always advocate for those less fortunate than them. She explained that her desire to help others was what motivated her to choose her career path, which began
in the Nassau County D.A.’s office. She described how she continues to support those in need all over the world through her work in the House of Representatives. She also talked about her recent visit to Israel and her meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and how important
it is for Congress to remain loyal to this very important ally of the United States. Rep. Rice communicated the importance of listening to parents, educators and elders because of their wisdom. The girls were mesmerized as Rep. Rice spoke and the impact her speech
had on the students was palpable. Afterwards, despite her very busy schedule, Rep. Rice took the time to pose for pictures and selfies with the girls, who will remember their encounter with Rep. Rice for years to come.
Redefining the Landscape of Outreach through Technology Upcoming Breakfast Reception in Woodmere to Benefit Stars of Israel Academy Despite the abundance of Torah institutions addressing the needs of our children, the bleak reality is that thousands of Jewish children go through the New York City public school system and are never given the chance to receive a Jewish education. There are a myriad of reasons for this tragic phenomenon. While it is sadly true that some simply have no interest, scores of others are willing to entertain the possibility but are met with opposition due to one or all of the following issues: they are not willing to pay yeshiva tuition in comparison to free public school; they perceive the secular education in Jewish schools to be subpar compared to public school; yeshivas apologetically turn them away because of their extremely minimal background in Jewish education. Stars of Israel Academy was created to address this crisis in Jewish outreach. Nestled in the beautiful residential neighborhood of Kew Gardens, Queens, the school recruits students entering grades 5-8 regardless of religious background or educational level. They build each of their students from the foundation up, teaching them how to read and write Hebrew, how to daven and provide them with the skills to learn Torah. Founded in 2011 by Rabbi Yehuda Schwartzberg, the yeshiva employs the most advanced
methods of education through technology. This sets the stage for students to make a smooth transition into a yeshiva environment while simultaneously focusing on excellence in secular education. Utilizing the highly acclaimed Blended Learning method of instruction, which combines formal instruction with on-line and technology-based reinforcement of the daily lesson, the faculty empowers its students to advance at their own unique pace and level. What separates Stars of Israel is its proactive recruitment of Jewish public school children at various programs they attend, including but not limited to Sunday schools, after school programs, and both summer and winter camps. Through these informal settings, the boys are attracted to the genuine warmth and refreshing style of Rabbi Schwartzberg and his dedicated staff. By demonstrating an exciting mini lesson on his iPad, the school’s forward thinking approach comes to life. As the program expanded, Rabbi Schwartzberg brought in two veteran mechanchim who share his vision. Rabbi Baruch Gottesman, Head of School, brings over 30 years of both teaching and school leadership experience. Over the years, he has nurtured scores of talmidim to reach their fullest potential
and become productive members of their respective communities. Rounding out the administrative team is the addition of Rabbi Naphtali Sudwerts as Executive Director and Assistant Principal. His energetic style and years of kiruv expertise, coupled with his leadership experience at Simcha Day Camp, has added a refreshing new dimension to Stars of Israel. The full chinuch experience in a kiruv school involves much more than the classroom alone. To help build the rebbe-talmid relationship and to show Yiddishkeit in its natural form, the school has taken the boys on numerous Shabbatons, overnights and professional sports events. Hands-on Yiddishkeit has included a safrus demonstration, shofar factory, and distribution of lulavim and esrogim for Sukkos and matzos before Pesach. To further enhance their exposure to the beauty of our way of life, a number of renowned speakers and prominent community leaders have visited the school and shared words of warmth and encouragement. As Rabbi Paysach Krohn commented after his recent visit, “I found the children very, very excited. I found them to be extremely decorous, they listened attentively, they were interested and excited about learning. The genuine care and love for each child was palpable and the sole focus of the staff was bringing
out the potential of each child.” Stars of Israel is holding s breakfast reception on Sunday, May 31 at 9:15 A.M. at the home of Drs. Steven and Elisa Kadish in Woodmere. The breakfast is being held in loving memory of Fred and Edith Gottesman, a”h, beloved parents of Dr. Elisa Kadish and Rabbi Baruch Gottesman. The Gottesmans were a beautiful couple whose lives epitomized the building of Torah life in America. After escaping Kristallnacht and arriving in New York, Mr. Gottesman fiercely adhered to a Torah-true lifestyle against the tides of the times. In 1956, after successfully launching his company, he embarked on his journey through life with Edith Slomowitz, a marriage that lasted 56 years. Refusing to succumb to social pressures, they provided their children with a yeshiva education, a privilege never afforded them. The rest is history – 12 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren, kein yirbu, all living in a Torah way of life. What better tribute to bestow upon them than to dedicate this breakfast in their memory. Many rabbinic leaders of the Five Towns community have enthusiastically endorsed Stars of Israel and encourage all to make every effort to attend this special event and to support this worthy cause.
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Around The Community
MAY 21, 2015 This week, HAFTR Held its 8th Annual Spring Classic Golf Outing honoring the memory of Jacob Greenberg, a former HAFTR student. The event took place at the new Trump Golf Links Ferry Point. More than 100 golfers joined us on this special day, for the Golf Outing which is the 2nd largest school fundraiser. Golfers began the day with a lovely brunch at the clubhouse, followed by a BBQ served throughout the course. The day concluded with live auctions, raffles and trophies at the lovely cocktail hour and dinner. Many thanks for the committee members, specifically Jonathan Moskowitz, Yoni Nierenberg, Eric Gellman, Simon Bock, Jonathan Glaubach, and Eli Goldschmiedt, for their hard work and efforts to ensure a successful event.
Yom Yerushalayim at SKA In advance of Yom Yerushalayim, the sophomores of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls were privileged to hear from Ret. Major Yehuda Daphna (Channa ‘10, Golda ‘17) on Friday, May 15 about his experiences as a paratrooper in the Six Day War. He spoke of how he and his friends were called to the army during the spring of their senior year in high school to prepare for the imminent attack and the powerful moment of standing before the Kotel with the paratroopers liberating the Old City. A member of the iconic 1967 photo of soldiers looking up at the Wall, he told the girls of the spontaneous, heart-
felt singing of Yerushalyim shel Zahav, and running to call Rav Goren to blow the shofar. We are honored for our students to have heard a first-hand account of this epic moment in Jewish history! The commemoration of Yom Yerushalayim continued on Monday, May 18, as the students were divided into workshops; each girl was handed a sheet with an event in the history of Yerushalayim. Faculty members, using texts and videos, discussed the unique history of the city, focusing on how special Yerushalyaim is since it is a place where hashgachat Hashem is clearly visible. Each workshop had the girls line
up with their events sheet to create an historical timeline from “Dovid Hamelech Chooses Yerushalayim as Capital” to the “1967 Reunification of Yerushalayim.” Yerushalayim, the program stressed, was a place where Jews would forever be able to “access a direct line” to their Creator. The blue and white cookies served at the end of the program were a delicious way to celebrate! Our thanks go to Mrs. Braun, Ms. Chechik, Mrs. Engel, Mrs. Feinberg, Mrs. Fuchs, Mrs. Kaminetsky, Mrs. Kobre, Mrs. Menchel, Mrs. Mezei, Mrs. Shmulewitz, Mrs. Sova and Mrs. Taib who led these inspi-
rational workshops, and to Ms. Chechik, Rabbi Zak and Mrs. Storch for coordinating the Yom Yerushalayim programs. The program of Yom Yerushalyim at SKA was dedicated l’ilui nishmat Binyomin Yaakov ben Chaim Yitzchak Menachem, Robert Pomerantz a”h.
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MAY 21, 2015
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SAVING GREEN WHILE GOING GREEN How One Five Towns Company Can Make Your House Better Without Costing You a Dime BY BRENDY J. SIEV
O
wning a home costs money. You’re either running the air conditioning, the fan, the heat, or the hot water. Chargers are stuck in outlets, alarm clocks are blinking, and you’re pretty sure that router winked at you. Even, as the old joke goes, your refrigerator is running. To top it all off, that slight draft coming through the wall or window or around the door is surely making your boiler work harder. Your air conditioning seems to sneak out the attic in small puffs every summer. You mean to cool your own home, not the whole town. At the end of the month, bills arrive in the mail, with lists of kilowatt hours and costs and tacked on fees. The New York State government is equally concerned. By 2020, they predict that there will not be enough electricity available on the grid to meet demand. In order to fix this, they would like all houses more efficient, with more efficient appliances and homes that hold heat in winter and cold in summer. That’s where JSynergy comes in. They have partnered with local utilities and the New York government to help people procure grants and rebates so that everyone can make their house green and efficient while slashing their monthly energy costs. This involves no upfront costs for the homeowner. JSynergy upgrades people’s homes and replaces their energy-draining appliances utilizing government funding at no upfront cost to the homeowners. And they give that opportunity to families of all incomes. Founded by Itzy Sorotzkin and Yakov Milstein, this Five Towns business has become one of the top performers recognized in New York State. They are full service, offering free energy audits and free professional proposals, and they complete the work up to code professionally and quickly. In fact, they
recently received the BPI Goldstar in recognition of their higher standards of work. Moreover, in a recent state review, the government lauded JSynergy: their estimates on how much they will save families are actually conservative. Families save more than JSynergy estimates they will. “Energy,” as Sorotzkin tells it, “is a vast and growing industry. And we are at its forefront.” People are spending money on energy. But, according to Sorotzkin, their “boilers, heaters, they’re not built with efficiency in mind. Even in new constructions, contractors think about building to code. They’re not thinking about energy efficiency or heating bills.” This is not only frustrating because it costs you more. It’s frustrating because the whole system is inefficient, a waste of energy that leads to higher energy costs and the occasional (low be it spoken) blackout. So JSynergy Green makes homes more energy efficient and upgrades their systems at no out-of-pocket cost to the homeowner.
How do they do this?
The first step is an energy audit. JSynergy sends out energy auditors, certified by EnergyStar, the same agency that puts the yellow energyguide onto new appliances. The auditors, for free, complete a visual and machine inspection of the home. “How much air is leaking from your house? Are you losing too much heat? Too much air conditioning? We look at the envelope around your home,” says Milstein. “On the other hand, is there too little flow into the house?” asks Sorotzkin. “Do you get headaches? Is there a mold problem? A lot of people have small
carbon monoxide leaks coming from their ovens.” The auditors move from top to bottom of the house because “a house is like a person. You can’t go outside in winter without shoes and socks and a hat. That’s where you lose the most heat. And a home is no different.” Once the inspection is complete, the auditors create an energy study. “Here’s what we can do for you,” says Milstein. “We can make physical changes to the house itself. This is actually exciting. We’re doing excellent renovations that make your house better. With new high efficiency boilers and air conditioning systems, your house’s value increases as well. Best of all, your monthly costs drop considerably.” They’ll even convert oil and propane homes to gas heat at no cost. Changes also may include insulation to the roof, crawl space, attic and basement. They replace single pane windows with energy efficient ones, and fix the weatherstripping around the door. If the door is particularly old, they may replace it with a new one. All air conditioning systems over ten years old are replaced with efficient ones. Energy draining refrigerators are replaced with new fridges; boilers and hot water heaters are also replaced for more efficient systems. A safety inspection allows them to include up to 15% of the total cost of the proposal in safety renovations, such as fixing rickety staircases.
One Family’s Story Jeff and Danielle Bennett are one New York family that called JSynergy last year. “My bills,” says Jeff, “were through the roof. Literally. Through the roof. And if you actually went into my attic this past winter, you’d know. The heat was going through the roof.”
An infrared inspection showed the Jeff that he was right: his heating bills were astronomical, not because they needed to be, but because the heat was rising out of his home and into the cold outdoors. “We knew we had a problem, but we also knew we couldn’t afford to fix it,” adds Danielle. A friend recommended JSynergy one morning over coffee break. “She told me that she had received a new boiler, new refrigerator, new central air unit, and an insulated roof and basement for free. And it’s not like she’s poor or a senior citizen either. Her husband’s a lawyer.” Within days of calling JSynergy, a professional auditing team arrived at her home. They completed a thorough visual and machine inspection of the house and prepared their proposal. “They showed us exactly where we could save money and how much we would save and when. Then they prepared a package, a mix of government grants and rebates, so that we could have the work done and paid for. They also showed us how much our monthly utility bills would drop,” recalls Jeff. Milstein of JSynergy explained to us how this works. The government has rebates and grants, paid for through some of the surcharges already on your energy bill. These grants were supposed to expire last year; they’ve just been extended through 2016. This money, in essence, you have already prepaid. “The government wants all families to go green and all homes to become more energy efficient,” Sorotzkin explains. “Toward that end, they cover the costs in full for low and middle income families. For high income families, they offer a special ‘loan,’ so that, once the work is complete, the beneficiaries pay a small fee on their now lowered energy
ate an exciting home while lowering their costs.”
JSynergy Commercial
This month, JSynergy received their reports from Albany. The government checked all customer savings
estimates against the actual savings. It turns out that most customers saved more than JSynergy had originally claimed. “We were supposed to save 46 dollars a month on electricity,” Danielle Bennett told us. “In reality, we’re saving 111 dollars. We didn’t need to turn on the heat so early this year, and our air conditioning is not running so much.” “People know they’re losing money on electricity,” says Milstein. “They see their bills. But they think that nothing can be done. Our message is that it can be.” “A lot of our clientele have beautiful homes,” adds Sorotzkin. “They want to invest in their homes and save. And now they have more money for their families.” Which is, really, what home is all about.
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JSynergy Green is only one branch of the larger JSynergy family. JSynergy Commercial also performs energy audits for high-end users in the medical, municipal, industrial, and commercial spheres. They do a full review of company’s energy bills and work with the big energy companies in New York to ensure that their clients get the best and most efficient pricing. To bring down costs, they may split meters and zones in the businesses, saving their clients tens of thousands of dollars. They also negoti-
ate any hidden fees that may be costing businesses, including nursing homes and office buildings, thousands. Furthermore, they will help businesses with water, lighting, solar energy, and gas conversions. “In 2012,” Milstein told us, “we procured a 48 million dollar contract in New Jersey—one of the largest at the time—upgrading a business to solar power.” At the same time, “we provide energy studies for businesses, much like we do for homeowners,” says Sorotzkin. “We design, implement, and construct, using a thirdparty engineering firm for oversight. We retrofit whole portfolios, guaranteeing that business owners will see a drop in costs.”
THE JEWISH HOME
bill. It works only to the customers’ benefit.” “I was so excited about the work,” Danielle told us, showing us her new basement. “I have new appliances, a replaced air conditioning system, an efficient boiler so that we don’t run out of hot water on erev Shabbos.” “And,” adds Jeff, “our roof has eight inches of insulation in it. It’s special insulation that allows for air sealing. Instead of walking into a 100-plus degree attic in the summer, the attic is 70 degrees like the rest of the house. Our bills have dropped, because of the efficient AC, and because the AC doesn’t have to work so hard anymore.” “I was concerned,” Danielle confided while showing the newly insulated boiler room, “about construction. But the contractors were in and out within a week. They were so professional. The paperwork was also minimal, and they guided me through the process.” “The Bennetts are only one family that benefited from our program and services,” says Milstein. “We always say, the beneficiaries are the end users, the homeowners. And now they can capitalize on government funding to cre-
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epizxez ozn onf
86 G-d’s Words
92 The Big Cheese: TJH Speaks with Brent Delman, the Cheese Guy by Alex Idov
88 Shavuot
96 A Taste of Har Sinai
89 Trouble at a Mountain Called Sinai
141 From My Private Art Collection
Jewish Thought by Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller by Rabbi Berel Wein by Rabbi YY Rubinstein
90 A Scribe of Historic Proportions by Rabbi Naphtali Hoff
103 A Retraction, 20 Years Later by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
L’kavod Yom Tov
84 Sacred Writings: Two Local Sofrim Talk about their Holy Craft by Nachum Soroka
by Malky Lowinger
by Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg
Jewish History
123 The Expulsion of Jews from Lithuania and Courland 1915: One Century Later by Larry Domnitch 125 Fighting in the Sinai by Avi Heiligman
Halacha
98 Eating Dairy on Shavuos
by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits
In the Kitchen 106 Say it with Flowers by Esther Ottensoser
116 The Secrets of The Silver Platter: TJH Speaks with Norene Gilletz & Daniella Silver
120 Sampling The Silver Platter 128 Dairy Cocktails for Shavuos by Naomi Nachman
132 Dairy Delights
by Tamar Genger, MA, RD
83 THE JEWISH HOME
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MAY 21, 2015
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Sacred Writings Two Local Sofrim Talk about their Holy Craft
BY NACHUM SOROKA
In
the secular world, there are certain artisanal crafts that seem to paid off when he was learning by Rav Tzvi Kushelevsky in Eretz Yisroel. A have been placed in the annals of history for good. So for all member of the Kollel there was a chashuveh sofer who was uninterested in the modern obsessions with mason jars, hand-milled coffees and teaching the then-unmarried Rabbi Oppen the art of safrus when he originally commuting by old-style bike, one would be hard pressed to find a member approached him for lessons. But Rabbi Oppen’s persistence had its intended of the scribe vocation sitting next to him on the morning subway to work. effect, and he was zocheh to learn the craft from this sofer, whose understandIndeed, writing tomes by hand seems to have ing of safrus ran deeper than just the skill been an exercise successfully put to rest by of writing the proper letters. Before even Mr. Gutenberg some six hundred years ago. learning how to write Alef-Bais, Rabbi OpHand-worked leather briefcase? Luxury. pen learned with his mentor Midrashei Rabi Hand-scribed Macbeth? Oddity. Akiva which expound on the essence of each But for us Jews, sofrim play an integral and every letter. To write a pasuk or even a role in our daily lives and worship. Our word with such an understanding in mind is a homes are protected by mezuzos, our tefillos completely different exercise than just copyelevated by Tefillin, and our minyanim held ing letters onto a klaf. together by krias haTorah. Oftentimes, a bar For example, the letter “Alef” means mitzvah boy’s introduction to his new place to teach, “Beis” is a reference to bayis, and in Klal Yisroel is made by visiting the sofer “Gimmel” stands for gemilas chasadim. A months before his 13th birthday for a handssofer with that knowledge is able to fuse the on Tefillin lesson and, of course, culminates Torah she’baal peh alluded to in the Alefwith his aliyah laTorah. Yet for all the imporBais with the Torah she’biksav that he is acRabbi Oppen completing a sefer Torah tance that Stam holds by all of us, few people tively writing. seem to be aware of the majority of halachos which pertain to Stam, yet alone According to Rabbi Oppen, so many sheilos that arise these days with the painstaking artisanship safrus entails. Hilchos Stam are arguably one of newly written Stam are because many sofrim do not possess an understanding the few areas of halacha that most rabbanim do not have a strong familiarity of the rudimentary makeup of the Alef-Bais. An awareness of the significance with. of what one is writing would preclude many elementary mistakes that only Recently, I spoke with two of the area’s successful sofrim, Rabbi Akiva can occur in an exercise of replication. Rabbi Oppen suggests that everyone, Oppen and Rabbi Moshe Lieberman. Both have large establishments and em- not only sofrim, learn the Yotzros for the Machzor Kol Bo on Shavuos that ploy other sofrim to assist them. Discussing safrus with them was not just in- expound on the secrets of the Alef-Bais. formative; it was completely educational. It is a sad fact that for most people, Rabbi Oppen takes great care in crafting Stam. Nowadays, it is possible knowledge of the making and upkeep of Stam begins and ends with their pre to obtain a kolmus, or quill, which is ready-made from plastic. Sofrim who bar-mitzvah trip to the sofer when their father ordered them their Tefillin—if trained decades ago are used to creating their own quills, carefully whittling that at all. Sadly, an entire part of Shulchan Aruch and the articles that provide down the end of the feather to create a sharp enough edge. However, quills shemira for us remain completely unfamiliar to us. are sensitive utensils, and a sofer who applies too much pressure while writing will find himself with a dull kolmus in a very short time. For some sofrim, it Rabbi Oppen, safrus was not just a means to an ends of a life is normal to have to use a new kolmus for every mezuzah they start writing. in klei kodesh; for as long as he could remember, he wanted Rabbi Oppen tries to make it through a whole sefer Torah with just two kolto be a sofer. That naturally-possessed passion for safrus musin, taking great care to not blunt the quills too quickly.
For
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He worked on the 59 floor of one of the Twin Towers. It was clear to the man what the zechus of his arichas yamim was that day.
down and reinstall their mezuzos for inspection. Which is a shame; Rabbi Lieberman can recount many stories that happened with his clients that may be attributed to their mezuzah issues. Such as the time when he went to check on the mezuzos of a member of the community whose husband had recently passed away, only to find that her bedroom’s mezuzah case was missing an actual mezuzah. The deceased, and his wife, were deprived of the basic shemira delivered by a mezuzah because of their simple oversight. So Rabbi Lieberman decided to take care of people’s mezuzah upkeep by makth ing house calls. He can come to someone’s home with an assistant and check all the mezuzos in one day so that the household members will not have to sleep without mezuzos on the doorposts for even one night. Doing house calls has allowed Rabbi Lieberman to address problems with people’s mezuzos that he would never be able to discover if they were to come to him. Most of these issues are products of people’s ignorance. He has found mezuzos that are not nailed in completely and are swinging on one nail, and mezuzos which are held up by Velcro. Both are serious sheilos as to whether one can be yotzei the mitzvah with them. There are people who keep some mezuzos hanging lower on their doorposts so that their children can reach them; a mezuzah must be placed on the top third of the doorpost. And there are cases when he finds two mezuzos in one case: a clear violation of baal tosif. Some of the most common issues with Tefillin are the most elementary. Rabbi Lieberman emphasizes that bar mitzvah boys have to be taught the Rabbi Oppen, Rabbi Moshe Lieberman learned the tra- proper place on their arms where the Tefillin shel yad should be tied. They dition of safrus from a chashuveh Yerushalami sofer, also have to be reminded how wearing Tefillin while one’s hair is still wet Rabbi Menachem Keningsberg. After gaining expertise will warp the batim and that leaving one’s Tefillin in a hot car is a simple way in the actual writing of Stam, he found himself drawn to sefer Torah res- to ruin this expensive possession. Additionally, many people are unaware that toration, particularly sifrei Torah from pre-war Europe. While we all tend their Tefillin are posul if the retzuos or straps are tearing and worn down; to think that everything produced back then in Europe was created in the Rabbi Lieberman can recall customers reacting to this by naively saying, “At most kosher and stringent of manners, many sofrim in Europe were not as least my Tefillin are kosher.” But the truth is, if they have posul retzuos, no learned as the sofrim of today. Fixing and restoring these sifrei Torah pro- Tefillin can be kosher. vided Rabbi Lieberman with a complete education in the problems that can Then there are the stories that happened to Rabbi Lieberman that would arise in all Stam and also allowed him make anyone tremble. A member of the to develop relationships with some of community brought Rabbi Lieberman a the top poskim in matters of Stam, such pair of Tefillin which he inherited from as Rav Avrohom Hersh Wosner, the son his grandfather. The pair was so old that of Rav Shmuel Wosner, zt”l. According the letters of the shel rosh developed to Rabbi Lieberman, it is important for cracks in them at the parchment folds. a sofer to understand what exactly is a When his customer was informed that the sheila and what needs to be discussed “ayin” of the word “einecha” was comwith an expert; after all, it is too easy to pletely posul, he went silent—he was still call something posul when it in fact may recovering from the last of five eye surnot be problematic at all. geries in seven years. Needless to say, the These days, however, more and more customer bought new parshiyos. people are buying brand new sifrei Torah Rabbi Lieberman once spent a while and the market for old sifrei Torah has discussing with a customer whether the pretty much dried up. One of the reasons word “yirbu” in the pasuk of “L’maan yirfor this is—aside from all the problems bu yemeichem” in this man’s Tefillin was that are prevalent in those older sekosher or not. After a few hours, the tired forim—that people are averse to more man left a deposit with Rabbi Lieberman Rabbi Lieberman completing the final osiyos in a sefer Torah heavy-weighted seforim. (Anyone who for new parshiyos and left home for bed. davens in a shul with old sifrei Torah The next day, Rabbi Lieberman received will be able to recall a few strenuous hagbahs.) Up until recently, sifrei Torah a call from his customer, who was clearly shaken. The late night discussion were treated with sid—lime—which added much heft to the parchment. made him oversleep and miss the early train to work. It was 9/11/2001. He Rabbi Lieberman’s practice has also been affected by modern economics, worked on the 59th floor of one of the Twin Towers. It was clear to the man if only in the way he now services the kehilla. In the past few years, Rabbi Li- what the zechus of his arichas yamim was that day. eberman began to notice that less and less people were coming to his office to It is not our job to assign causes or draw correlations to things that seem have their mezuzos checked. And it wasn’t because mezuzos suddenly became extraordinary. But we do have the promise of the special shemira Hashem more kosher in modern times. He surmised that it must have been because gives us through the mitzvah of mezuzah and the ois of Tefillin. How lucky are people these days are just too caught up with making a living and taking care we that we have the opportunity to affix holiness onto our doorposts and bind of their families that, unfortunately, they don’t seem to have the time to take ourselves to our Father in Heaven every day.
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The klaf, too, is natural and is thus sensitive to the elements. A moist or cold atmosphere can have an adverse effect on the parchment, which is made of cowhide. A careful sofer will work in a temperature-controlled room in order to neutralize any issues that may arise because of the weather. Even then, the klaf may sometimes need steam or heat applied to it so that it can be an optimal writing surface. Safrus may be a holy trade and one that requires great patience and skill, but it is still not immune to economic elements. Most sifrei Torah are presently written in Eretz Yisroel for the simple reason that the cost of living there is so much less than in the United States. Consider the following example: An excellent sofer may charge nearly $200 per column written in a sefer Torah. Suppose he can write five columns a week, which would translate to $5,000 per month. While that may be an excellent living for someone in Israel, that would not be considered a living wage for someone with a decent-sized family in the U.S. So a sofer in the United States is faced with the hard choice of whether to overcharge for his work or under-deliver on its quality, says Rabbi Oppen. Recently, someone showed him two pairs of Tefillin, one which cost $1,500 and was written in Eretz Yisroel and one which cost $2,500 and was written here. Interestingly, the less expensive pair was nicer. More and more sofrim in the United States therefore focus on other aspects of safrus, such as checking Stam and dealing in them, rather than the actual writing.
Torah Thought
MAY 21, 2015
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Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller
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G-d’s Words No day in history comes even close in the magnitude of its significance. It was a day when all the assumptions concerning life and its purpose were altered irrevocably.
T
he date was the 6th of Sivan 2448 according to Jewish dating or 1312 BCE. Over three thousand years have passed since that date – the only widely acknowledged public experience with G-d in human history. When I was growing up Charlton Heston was my Moses. The effect of seeing a cast of thousands, wind machines replicating the splitting of the sea, and Anne Baxter providing an interesting and distinctly non-biblical sub-plot had the effect of placing an opaque patina of mythology and kitsch over the entire event. Only later in my life was I able to shake the movie off enough to realize that the (real) Ten Commandments are the most definitive statements of spiritual morality to ever be articulated. In order to encounter G-d with this level of intimacy, the Jews had to open themselves to the point of being able to
declare: “We will do and we will listen.” They were willing to take on the actions that G-d commanded before they sought to grasp them intellectually. They had to submit their will to G-d’s will and worship Him, rather than worshiping their minds and hearts.
are not “more “ important than any other – by what scale could any human try to impose hierarchy of significance when talking about G-d’s will anyway? – they are nonetheless unique. This is because they provide us with the essence of the other 603 commandments.
They had to submit their will to G-d’s will and worship Him, rather than worshiping their minds and hearts. Each of the ten statements opens a door that moves a person beyond ego, desire, and subjectivity. The Maharal tells us that while these commandments
They are the most important words we will ever hear. The first two commandments have special significance. They were given directly by G-d, without Moses acting as an intermediary. Let us examine them more carefully. The First Commandment The first commandment states: I am the L-rd who took you out of Egypt, the house of bondage. It seems at first glance to be a statement rather than a directive. The imperative that comes forth from this commandment is that we come to recognize that G-d’s existence is not dependent on our willingness to serve Him. It doesn’t say “know Him” or “serve Him,” because His essence is unchanged by our responses to His presence. Once we let the truth of this statement sink in deeply, our relationship to the entire Torah changes. G-d is not
needy. We are. We all yearn for transcendence and meaning. When we examine all that this commandment implies we can discover the means of achieving this end. I am the L-rd ... The Divine name pronounced as “Lrd” is the Tetragrammaton. The Hebrew letters that comprise this name are the ones that also form the Hebrew time tenses. “He is, He was, and He will be.” His unchanging compassion may take infinite forms, but His presence both transcends and permeates everything that we see, hear or touch. Once we know this we can search for Him in every possible experience. Your -od ... The Hebrew word for G-d, Elokim, literally means “master of forces.” G-d made His presence known to us through the medium of His creativity. Each creation in a certain sense has His signature engraved upon it. The vivid and forceful character of nature engages us so intensely that we allow it to distract us from its creator. When we see an awesomely arresting sunset we can let it open our hearts or we can look at our watches and take note of the fact that the day is drawing to an end. The word Elokim has the same gematria or numerical value as the word ha-teva, “nature.” G-d is present not only when He reveals His presence. He is there when He conceals His presence through nature and challenges us to discover Him and thereby discover our higher and most eternal selves. Who took you out of Egypt ... G-d is not only present, He is involved. There are times that we question, “Where is G-d?” This question
It is for this reason that the Torah narrates the story of Abraham’s hospitality to his guests with such detail. It is not to leave us with the feeling that we have just met the nicest fellow in all of Ur Kasdim. It is to give us a new definition of how to relate to G-d through using physical reality as a medium.
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Reprinted with permission from aish.com.
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The Second Commandment The second commandment states: You shall have no other gods before Me. This statement causes us to ask: Are there or are there not other gods? If there are, why should we not worship them? If they are not, why relate to them at all. The answer lies in the wording – elohim aherim, “other gods.” The word Elokim truly should be used only for G-d Himself. The sad truth is that rather than raising our own level of awareness to the point of living moment-by-moment in G-d’s presence, we tend to endeavor to bring G-d down to our level. When we study the myths involving idols that played such a dominant role in history (and that have no lack of contemporary parallels), we cannot help but notice that they are representations of everything that we idealize in ourselves. In pantheistic systems of belief, what was worshipped is still what we
can describe, observe and define. The commandment of not worshipping idols thus confronts our tendency to escape G-d by deifying our desires and ourselves. We limit our sense of reality to that which we can see. There is no room for growth in idolatrous religion. There is only room for ego and desire. When we truly hear this commandment we break through every possible barrier that the ego can erect – at least, for the moment. We cannot serve any other force nor countenance in our search for G-d. This commandment is the source of the 365 negative commandments. Each negative mitzvah parallels a day in the solar year. Every day presents us with new challenges. We can escape them by redefining religious law or we can define ourselves by our rejection of every possible temptation. The two first commandments are compared to the kisses of a lover described in the King Solomon’s “Song of Songs.” The first is the kiss of connection, the second the kiss of exclusivity. May this Shavuot awaken our passion for G-d. May we accept Torah, as we never have before.
When we recognize that G-d is the place in which the world exists and that He is involved and unfettered by the laws of nature, never wavering in His compassion, then vast changes take place in us. Our fear of the world and of ourselves abates. We search for connection with a G-d who is present within every cell of our bodies. The means by which we make this connection happen is through observing the positive commandments. The Talmud tells us that when we heard the first of the Ten Commandments we were opened to accepting of all of the 248 positive commandments. This sum equals the number of limbs and organs. Each part of the body provides the soul with a means of tangible expression; none are at war with the soul. This idea is one of the most unique ideas of the Jewish religion. Rather than the body being a source of alienation from G-d, it is a means of taking our spiritual yearning for Him and giving it concrete physical means of articulation. The number 248 also equals in numerical value the word Abraham. It was he who resolved the paradox that physical reality creates for so many spiritual seekers. Rather than escaping from the limitations imposed by living in the material world, he used it to act as a bridge to G-d.
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takes as many forms as tragedy has faces. The answer is always the same. He is and was right there. The word for Egypt is Mitzraim, which literally means “straits” or “limits.” There are times when we feel as though we are choking. There is nowhere to turn and no place of refuge. It is at those moments that we can come closest to G-d as we rebuild our link to Him on the ruins of our shattered egos. When we confront our fragility without blinking or hiding, we can transcend the limitations of our unceasing devotion of our desire to control events. From the house of bondage ... No slave had ever escaped the stratified society that was ancient Egypt. The plagues that forced the Egyptians into granting freedom to the Israelites demonstrated not only that G-d is aware of human suffering and willing to intervene, but also that He is both able and willing to break the laws of nature that He established. Once we know this, the word “impossible” no longer has any meaning. While it is indisputably true that some outcomes are more likely to occur than others, the laws of nature are, in the final analysis, only creations. No matter how enslaved we are to external or internal “masters,” there is always reason to hope.
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Torah Thought
Rabbi Berel Wein
Shavuot
F
ifty days pass quickly, especially if one counts them individually. It seems that it was just yesterday that we were preparing ourselves to sit down at the Pesach seder table and here it is Shavuot at the end of the week. Though the holiday has a number of other names associated with it – the Festival of Bikurim/First Fruits, the festival of the granting of the Torah – the proper name assigned to it is Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks. The emphasis that the name gives us is that of the passage and counting of time. In its description of the festival itself, the Torah repeats, a number of times, this passage of weeks from the holiday of Pesach to the celebration of the holiday of Shavuot. It is apparent that this passage of time is deemed to be an important part of the significance of the holiday itself. In the Talmud, as well as in the Bible itself, the holiday of Shavuot is referred to as being atzeret – an adjunct and bookend, so to speak, to Pesach. Somehow it completes the process of redemption of the Jewish people from Egyptian bondage. It illustrates for us the purpose of that redemption and the true goal that freedom points us to in
our personal and national lives. It is as though the revelation at Sinai and the granting of the Torah is the strategic goal of the entire story of the Jewish people in Egypt while the actu-
Shavuot. Humans cannot live by bread alone but they cannot live without bread either. Therefore, we are reminded on Shavuot of the daily miracle of nature that provides food and suste-
Shavuot is the holiday of Jewish unity, of the acceptance of our individual differences within the framework of the goal of becoming a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. al Exodus from Egypt is the necessary tactic to allow this strategic goal to be attained. Only by connecting Shavuot to Pesach with this seven-week counting does this message become clear and cogent to us. The connection of Shavuot to the bounty and blessings of agricultural produce is also emphasized in the Torah and is the backdrop to the drama of the book of Ruth, which by custom is read publicly in the synagogue on
nance for us all. In our blessed current circumstances of plenty we often think that our food is from the supermarket and that we are somehow entitled to enjoy the quantities and varieties of food available to us. We always look for the hand of G-d, so to speak, in unusual and unforeseen circumstances. However, in the regular, every day, mundane activities that we are engaged in, we find it more difficult to sense the Divine
Presence. The agricultural nature of the holiday of Shavuot comes to remind us of the constant presence of G-d in our lives every time we sit down to eat the food produced by our earth. There was a time in the world when not only Jews said blessings of thanksgiving before and after their meals. The modern world has swept that antiquated custom aside today. However, in Jewish life it remains a vital part of our daily activity and a necessary reminder as to the blessings that G-d has bestowed upon the agricultural toils of man. Freedom without food is a calamity. Shavuot reminds us of this obvious but often neglected truth. Finally, Shavuot comes to reinforce our belief in the primacy of Torah study and observance in our life, both individually and as a nation. Rav Saadyah Gaon’s famous statement, “Our nation is a nation only by virtue of our Torah,” has been proven true by the millennia of Jewish history and its events. Those who forsook any connection Torah, they and/or their descendants eventually fell away from the Jewish people. It is the Torah and the revelation at Sinai that binds all of Israel together – Ashkenazi and Sephardi, Yemenite and Lithuanian, black and white and in all shades in between, politically liberal and conservative and old and young. It is the Torah that crosses all lines and groupings within Israel. This is the idea that the Torah itself expresses that at Sinai we were all “of one heart and one being.” Shavuot is the holiday of Jewish unity, of the acceptance of our individual differences within the framework of the goal of becoming a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. There was a seven-week process that led from the slavery of Egypt to the glory of Sinai. We are also in the midst of a process of rebuilding the Jewish people, strengthening the Jewish state, and revitalizing the actual Land of Israel. This process takes time and will not be accomplished in only seven weeks. But the example of the seven-week wait for Shavuot should stand us in good stead. Shabbat sameach.
shalom
and
chag
BY RABBI YY RUBINSTEIN
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e nearly did, with the encouragement of some Egyptians who had a designer idol of their own tucked up their sleeves in the form of a Golden Calf. We faltered and considered for a few moments becoming just like everyone else.
Klausenberger Rebbe once observed that the UN building in New York so resembles a gravestone because “The truth lies buried there!” In today’s world we would have fit right in. The Spanish Philosopher Jose Ortega Y Gasset accurately described our time as one in which people “want to march through life together, along the collective path, shoulder to shoulder, wool rubbing wool and the head down.” Shavuos was the time we decided we would not travel that road. Hashem may indeed have given us the Torah and the mitzvos...but only after we declared that we wanted them! The Jewish people stood at a little mountain called Sinai and eschewed taking the easy path, burying the truth and opted to remain troublesome. Afterwards we “dropped the ball” and Moshe dropped the luchos... but we picked them up again. We have been carrying them ever since; after all, we were and are descendants of Avrohom. The world hated us for it. It hates us for it now. Mount Sinai comes from the word sinah, which means hatred. It was at Shavuos when we declared that it was just not in our DNA to walk along the collective path with head down.
I And just think for a second how much easier and happier the story of Klal Yisroel would have been if only we had rejected the troublesome legacy of our forefather Avrohom and decided to do precisely that. That’s exactly what Moshe told Hashem, according to Rabbeinu Bachya, “Almighty if we were uncircumcised like them and worshiped idols like everyone else, they wouldn’t hate us. The reason they hate us so much is because of the Torah and mitzvos you gave us.” What a different world it would have been if only we had taken the easy path. We would have been just like all the rest: the Chinese, Russians, French, Germans and...the Jews! There would have been no expulsion from the land of Israel by the Romans and according to Josephus, three million killed. There would have been no persecution by the Crusaders nor victims of the Inquisition. There would have been no Holocaust. We would not be the subject of almost every condemnatory motion passed at the UN. Then again, sickening hypocrisy and denying the truth is the real raison d’etre of the UN. The
recall once being interviewed by the BBC about what religion means to me. I answered that if religion merely echoes what society believes and what people want to hear (as so many do), then what is the point of religion? For a religion to be relevant and have value it has to have its own beliefs that it invites people to consider and accept. Only then does it have a relevance and a point. Jews who truly celebrate Shavuos and what it stands for celebrate that we didn’t take and don’t take the easy path. Instead we reaffirm every year that if we have to accept being hated for not denying the truth in order to fit in, we will. Mark Twain famously wrote about us, “He has made a marvelous fight in this world in all ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself and be excused for it. The Egyptians, the Babylonians and the Persians rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greeks and Romans followed and made a vast noise, and they were gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, and have vanished. “The Jew saw them all, survived them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities, of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert but aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jews; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality? “ The secret is a little mountain called Sinai and a people who were brave enough to endure a world’s hatred to show it a different road—one in which people walk along with their heads held up and their heads held high.
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His son Yitzchok was born. He too proved to be a troublesome Jew as did his son Yaakov. Six generations later, one Jew had become millions and when they walked out of Egypt, the world still hoped that a new people would walk an old road and become like every other people.
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e would be dishonest if we did not admit that we Jews are troublesome folk. Take Avrohom, for example. The whole world was very happy, thank you very much, doing things the way people had been doing them for twenty generations. Then along came a very troublesome individual and upset everyone. Not only did he tell them what they believed was false, he did it with humor. Everyone knows the story of when he smashed his father’s idols; or at least most people know a bit of the story. He certainly was left in charge of his father’s boutique, Idol Salon. Before he took a hammer to the latest in designer deities though, two other things happened according to the Yalkut Shimoni. An old lady came in to buy a new set of “house” idols. Someone had broken into her home and stolen her family’s personal idols that sat on a little table by the door guarding the house. Avrohom smiled and told her he would be happy to help her but before he did he wanted to ask her a question, “If your idols were not able to guard themselves from being stolen, how could they guard your family and you?” The old lady left without purchasing anything. As she left another client entered. In the eighties he would have been called a Yuppie and he was looking for something exclusive and very expensive. His Porsche Chariot stood double parked outside and once more Avrohom assured him that he could help. Before he showed him something from Prada’s “Sensational Summer Statues” collection he asked a question, “May I ask how old you are?” The client (boutiques do not have customers, only clients) answered that he was thirty-eight and Avrohom continued, “Can I ask how it is possible that a grown man of thirty eight years is going to bow down to something that was made yesterday and is one day old?” He too left without buying anything and that is when Avrohom got busy with his hammer. His father, Terach, was horrified at his actions. People were outraged; this kid came from a rich home and an establishment family, why was he causing trouble? Nimrod, the king, told him he had to recant his heresy and fall into line. He had to declare that he accepted the gods (including Nimrod) or he would be burned to death. His mother begged him to deny the truth and just say the words even if he did not believe them. Avrohom simply refused. Avrohom was a very troublesome individual. When he miraculously survived his execution the world decided to come to an accommodation with this first Jew. He was just one individual after all. Let him gather a few other malcontents around him. Their attachment to their beliefs would die when their charismatic leader did. Their prediction was correct. Avrohom’s converts left their faith behind the moment he left this world. The story of one troublesome, childless Jew and his barren wife should have ended there, except for another miracle.
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Trouble at a Mountain Called Sinai
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A Fulfilled Life
Rabbi Naphtali Hoff
A Scribe of Historic Proportions Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Torah of Moshe, which the L-rd, G-d of Israel, had given. The king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the L-rd his G-d was upon him. (Ezra 7:6)
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primary appellation of the holiday of Shavuos is zman matan Torasainu, the time in which our Torah was given. It marks the date by which we commemorate our nation’s singular experience at Sinai, when we received our most precious treasure. Naturally, this moment is inexorably linked with Moshe Rabbeinu, the great leader who served as Hashem’s messenger in delivering His word to our forebears. While the Torah was given only once, there were numerous moments in Jewish history in which our commitment to the Torah came under intense fire and needed to be upheld, if not re-given. This included the period of the Chashmonaim, who valiantly withstood Seleucid and Hellenistic harassment in order to preserve the Torah’s purity. Other struggles took place with the Tzaddukim (students of the apostate Tzadok, during the Second Commonwealth period), as well as the later struggles against the Karaites and, most recently, Reform. In each instance, a new leader arose that refused to relent and heroically took steps to preserve the Torah and its observance amongst the masses.
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ne such man was Ezra. Ezra was active during the years just following the completion of the Second Temple. So influential was he that our sages placed him on level with Moshe, affirming that, “had Moshe not preceded him, Ezra would have been worthy of receiving the To-
Jews to use tax monies to help support the Temple service. Upon his arrival Ezra was faced with unexpected difficulties. Though the Temple had been rebuilt by the time of his appearance on Judean soil, the optimism that accompanied it had failed to overturn years of depressive malaise
Ezra provided strong leadership and a moral conscience to a people that had lost its way. rah for Israel” (Sanhedrin 21b). As a guide to the people and a foremost member of the Great Assembly, Ezra provided strong leadership and a moral conscience to a people that had lost its way. It would be far from an exaggeration to suggest that if not for him, the overwhelming majority of the Judean community would have disappeared from the historical landscape. Ezra the Scribe arrived in Jerusalem a year following the completion of the Temple. Nearly 1,500 men and their families, in addition to thirty-eight Levites who were fit for service in the Temple, accompanied him. Prior to his journey, Ezra received official sanction from the Persian ruler Darius to oversee social and governmental affairs in Judah. The king further pledged additional contributions for the Temple, and went so far as to permit the
caused by a failed initial attempt at rebuilding (during the earlier period of Zerubavel), economic stagnation, and the constant threats from hostile neighbors. Add to that the limited trickle of reinforcements and financial support from Babylonia and the recent narrow escape under Achashveirosh, and it becomes easy to understand the feeling of hopelessness that had enveloped the community. This sense of surrender had an adverse effect on the Jews’ spiritual, as well as their emotional, wellbeing. Ezra was greatly distressed at the weak spiritual level that confronted him. Most people were ignorant of Torah. Many also lacked circumcision. However, the most discouraging reality was the high rate of assimilation and intermarriage amongst the Jewish community. Not even the family of the Ezra’s nephew, the High Priest Yehoshua, was left unaffected (Sanhedrin 93a). Ezra immediately responded by tearing his garments and hair out of anguish. Soon thereafter, he set about to rectify the dismal situation.
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zra summoned all of the people to Jerusalem. In an unprecedented display of decisive leadership, he unequivocally demanded of them to separate from their foreign wives. The people were up to Ezra’s challenge and quickly acquiesced. This collective achievement is in no way to
be minimized. The fact that the Jews willingly dissolved longstanding marriages with wives that they loved and parted ways with their own children, speaks volumes of their preparedness to restore a higher sense of religious purpose to themselves and their communities. In another attempt to distance the Jewish community from recent assimilatory inroads, Ezra reintroduced the original Hebrew characters. (This script, called ksav Ashurith, had fallen into disuse. It is the same system of block lettering that we utilize today.) For centuries, the Jewish people had used ksav Ivris or Hebrew lettering, a cuneiform script similar to the one used in Phoenician and other ancient societies. Ezra helped further isolate the Jewish community from outside influences by making correspondence more difficult. We will explore this topic more below. Ezra promoted Torah study as a pro-
The kever of Ezra HaSofer in Iraq
tection against future slippage. He read the Torah aloud to an assembled group of Jewish men and women, and exhorted them to keep its precepts. He increased the frequency with which the Torah was studied, by instituting a minimal public reading of ten verses on every Monday and Thursday. By establishing the reading on market days, he ensured the highest possible communal participation. In addition, he encouraged spiritual involvement on an individual level, by increasing the number of available teachers from which to learn. Despite all of these tremendous achievements, Ezra was not completely successful in his mission. Certain religious and material problems remained
forms as well. When he saw that the people were desecrating the Sabbath by conducting business with gentile merchants on the holy day, he ordered the city gates closed. He also continued Ezra’s work at removing any last trace of assimilation by entering the nation into a covenant to separate from “the peoples of the land” (Nechemiah 10:31). As with Ezra, Nechemia understood that a vibrant Jewish community could not flourish in the Holy Land without a deep commitment to its heritage and values. He took steps to provide the people with the material and physical securities that would help Ezra advance his spiritual agenda. Together, they turned around a dire situation and built the foundation that would allow the nation to withstand the many challenges that would confront it in the four-plus centuries of Bayis Sheni. Rabbi Naphtali Hoff is an executive coach and president of Impactful Coaching and Consulting (ImpactfulCoaching.com). He can be reached at 212.470.6139 or at info@impactfulcoaching.com.
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Jewish history, Ezra combined temporal and religious leadership. He supplied the people with governance and a voice to their Persian overlords. More importantly, he provided much needed spiritual guidance in a time when extreme measures were required to stem the downward slide. Ezra was assisted in his efforts by Nechemiah ben Chakaliah, a righteous diplomat and statesman who had served as the royal butler or “cupbearer” in the Persian court. Nechemiah arrived with the title of Judean governor thirteen years after Ezra’s return, in the year 335 BCE (3426 AM). He provided a political and material balance to Ezra’s spiritual focus. Nechemia’s first charge was to rebuild the city walls and provide protection for its inhabitants. The rebuilt walls raised the spirit and morale of the city’s inhabitants. However, Jerusalem was still sparsely populated. Nechemia viewed a vibrant capital, consisting of 10% of the total Jewish population, as essential for the growth and rejuvenation of the entire community. He thus recruited volunteers to help settle the city. When insufficient numbers heeded his call, Nechemia drew lots to determine as to who would live within its walls. Nechemia orchestrated other re-
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t appears that Ezra was a person of significance in Persia before he assumed the role of religious leader of the Jerusalem community, serving as the Persian functionary in charge of Jewish affairs. A priest by birth and a scholar by profession, he was a natural leader for his Jewish brethren. Ezra did not participate in the first return of Zerubavel and Yehoshua. In fact, he remained in Babylon for an extra twenty-three years before leaving for Judah. Our sages have provided two explanations for his apparent in-
difference. Ezra was the main student of Baruch ben Neriah, who was, in turn, the primary disciple of the prophet Yirmiyahu. At the time of Cyrus’ proclamation, Baruch was too old and infirmed to undertake the difficult journey. Out of respect for his teacher and a desire to glean all that he had to transmit, Ezra remained behind. Ezra was also concerned that his presence in Judah at this time would lead to controversy over the High Priesthood. Yehoshua was a direct descendent of past High Priests, and was the appropriate choice for the position. Ezra, however, was clearly superior to Yehoshua in spiritual matters and erudition. Surely there would be a percentage of the people that would have lobbied for his appointment. To avoid conflict, Ezra stayed behind in Persia. While there, Ezra prepared that community for life after its leaders would leave for Jerusalem. He clarified issues of questionable lineage and pedigrees, leaving behind a populace that the Talmud referred to as soles neki’ah, or fine, sifted flour, cleansed of any impurities. All people of doubtful origin were brought to Judah, where their potential for social concern was reduced. Like many of the great leaders in
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unsolved. A small percentage of the people refused to divorce their foreign wives. Others continued to conduct business on Shabbos. Still others were negligent in their duty to contribute the required tithes to the Priests and Levites. Physically, problems existed as well. The walls of Jerusalem, so essential to the security and vitality of the city, were never completed, inviting harassment from those bent on preventing the city’s rebirth. Jerusalem remained sparsely populated due to this same reason. It was only upon Nechemiah’s later arrival that these issues would be effectively addressed.
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The Big Cheese TJH Speaks with Brent Delman, the Cheese Guy BY ALEX IDOV
RECENTLY, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF APPEARING ON THE NACHUM SEGAL NETWORK SHOW, “TABLE FOR TWO,” WHERE I DEMONSTRATED HOW TO MAKE FRESH FARMER’S CHEESE FROM SCRATCH. WHILE IT WAS A FUN EXPERIENCE, I MUST ADMIT THAT I WAS A LITTLE INTIMIDATED TO BE MAKING MY OWN CHEESE IN FRONT OF ONE OF MY FELLOW GUESTS ON THE SHOW, BRENT DELMAN. DELMAN, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS BRENT THE CHEESE GUY, IS A KOSHER ARTISAN CHEESEMONGER. I ENJOYED HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET DELMAN (WHO, THANK G-D, APPROVED OF MY “NOVICE” CHEESE-MAKING SKILLS) AND LATER CHATTED WITH HIM TO LEARN A LOT MORE ABOUT KOSHER CHEESE AND ABOUT HOW HE FOUND HIMSELF WITH THE MONIKER “THE CHEESE GUY.” Alex Idov: How did you find yourself in the kosher cheese business and were you always a cheese connoisseur? Brent, the Cheese Guy: I grew up with a lot of dairy and cheese influences and because of that I guess I always loved cheese. Both of my parents are of Ashkenazic origin and this, of course, influenced the way we ate. We always had light dairy products in the house; sour cream and cottage cheese were staples. I grew up in a non-kosher home in an Italian neighborhood, where I experienced the tastes of many of the non-kosher cheeses that are available. When I made the decision to become kosher, I missed the amazing quality and variety of cheeses that I had grown up with and saw that there was an opportunity to introduce such cheeses into the kosher market. Did you have experience working in the culinary world prior to breaking into the kosher cheese business? Yes. For over twenty years, right after graduating from George Washing-
ton University with an MBA in International Business, I had been running a wholesale specialty foods company building and promoting many unique brands. About seven years ago I decided to start my own venture and broke into the kosher cheese industry. That sounds bold. How do you start such a venture? I started by going to one of the fine cheese capitals of the United States— Vermont. In Vermont, I attended some classes at The Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese, which is a program given through the University of Vermont. Of course I read a lot of books on cheese making. I also would learn a lot about the art of cheese making by visiting local farms, meeting and talking with the farmers, and even helping the farmers make cheese. It was really an informal process. During this time I learned that my real passion is affinage, the art of aging cheese and bringing it to its proper maturation. Can you walk us through the cheese making process? It all starts with the milk. Let’s start with hard cheese: Bacterial cultures are added to the milk to cause it to acidify—this is the beginning of the coagulation process. Rennet is added and the milk is heated to get the curds forming. Then you add the salt to the curds. [For those who may not know: curds are what becomes the final cheese product, and whey is the liquid byproduct of the process.] When making hard cheese, the curds are then put into a form, such a round wheel or square block, and pressed to knit them tightly together and drain off the whey. These forms are then piled on top of each other to allow the curds to continue to knit together and drain off the whey. The cheese is then vacuum-sealed and the aging process begins. Sometimes the aging process requires, depending on the type of cheese, that the cheese be coated with certain oils, spices, or alcohols. When the mold develops, it needs to be continuously brushed off. These molds and microbes that form are what continue to breakdown the protein and fat in the cheese and contribute to the flavor and texture of the cheese. The process is much simpler for soft cheeses, as they do not have to go through the pressing/shaping and aging processes. It sounds very detailed. How long does the process take? It depends on the cheese. With soft cheeses (i.e. cream cheese, ricotta, cottage cheese), of course, is a one-time process. You make it and it’s done. With hard cheese, it depends on the variety. Brie takes only a couple of weeks to one month to age. Parmesan, cheddar, and Gouda can take up to two years to reach maturation. There are some cheeses on the market that have
been aged up to five years, but mine typically range from 1-2 years the most. Does it make a big difference what quality milk you use? The quality of milk is a very important factor, as well as the type of milk you are using –meaning, what type of animal it is derived from. The type of fat and protein levels of the milk varies among different animals. You are going to get a different percentage of milk-fat and protein from a goat than you are from a cow. What differentiates kosher cheese from its non-kosher counterpart? What makes it kosher? Number one: the milk has to come from a kosher animal. We can’t consume milk that comes from a horse or a camel—and there are in fact cheeses that are made from the milk of these animals. Also, all other ingredients, such as the bacterial cultures and rennet, all have to be kosher. The rennet, which is the substance which makes the cheese hard, is traditionally derived from animal sources but in the case of kosher cheeses they are typically derived from plant sources. Most people will tell you there is a difference in taste and quality when cheese is made from the non-traditional plant-based rennet, but I’m here to disprove them. All of my cheeses are made with plant-based rennet, and they taste just as good, if not better than those made with the traditional, animal rennet. This actually helps me gain a following amongst some vegetarians in addition to the kosher market. Another interesting fact about rennet is that it needs to be added to the curds by a religious Jew. What are some of the biggest challenges to making kosher cheese? The cost! It can also be hard to source some of the ingredients and kosher supervision is needed every step of the way. There are some kosher cheeses that are prepared as a special kosher batch in a non-kosher facility. When these special runs are produced, the certifying agency has to come in and kasher the facility—this is not necessarily a challenge, but just an extra step added to the process.
Do you have any other exciting things on the horizon? I am coming out with a new artisan, extra-creamy, blue cheese which will be as good as any artisan blue cheese anywhere—kosher or non-kosher. I’ve been developing the recipe for a couple of years now and am excited to introduce it to the public soon. Sounds delicious. I can’t wait to sample it soon. You must get this question a lot, but what are your personal favorite cheeses? I like sheep’s milk cheeses, mainly those from Israel and Italy. I also like a good sharp cheddar. Shavuot is coming up. What varieties of cheese are best for certain dishes? Do you have any good tips or recipe ideas you can share for the holiday? I think Gouda is a very versatile cheese that you can do a lot with. It’s a good table cheese, great in blintzes or in a salad tossed with fruits and nuts. Fresh mozzarella also has many uses—great for eating fresh, melted on pizza, or baked into bourekas or blintzes. It’s really great in salad with fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, and olive oil. What are some recommended wine and cheese pairings? You want to match flavor intensities: bold wine with strong, sharp cheeses and light, fruity wines with mild and creamy cheeses. Goat’s milk cheeses pair well with a Cabernet Sauvignon. Spicy cheeses like jalapeno and chipotle cheddars pair very well with a white Zinfandel.
With his cheese display in Whole Foods in White Plains
Do you view cheese making as an art or a science? It’s a combination of both and it really depends on what level of cheese making we are talking about and who’s making it. There is for sure an art form to it, but when it is done on such a mass scale, then it becomes more of a science than an art. If you’re hand-crafting and making cheese in small batches, then each batch can come out slightly different than the one before it. When you’re making cheese at an industrial level, however, it’s more of a science because you need to ensure uniformity and consistency in the final product. I like it when the two are combined, because even at an artisan level, you want to replicate the consistent quality of the cheese.
We’re talking so much about cheese, I’m itching to buy some. Where are your cheeses available? They are currently available in about a dozen states including California, Illinois, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, and of course, the New York tristate area. You can find them around the tristate area in Gourmet Glatt, Aron’s Kissena Farms, Pomegranate, Glatt Express, Cedarmarket, Whole Foods, Fairway, and Zabar’s.
Last but not least, what is the kosher status of your cheese? Most of our cheeses are kosher certified, with the majority by the Orthodox Union (OU). There are currently 10-12 varieties that are cholov yisroel. Brent, it was a true pleasure speaking with the “Cheese Guy.” Thank you so much for your time and for all your insight into the cheese industry.
Alex Idov is a kosher food writer and food blogger at Kosherology, thekosherologist. com. Find and follow Alex on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
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Making cheese in Vermont
What is the most unique or unusual cheese you make? I think that would be our Double Ale Cheddar. It’s a real artisan Vermont cheddar. During the initial process, we soak the curds in two different types of micro-brews: an IPA and dark beer. It comes out tasting very “hoppy.”
So you’re a cheese “caveman.” What are some of your most popular cheeses? Parmesan—in every form. Our parmesan is a two-year aged parmesan sold by the wedge. We also sell it in a grated and shredded forms. Our New York State fresh mozzarella is also a popular item, as well as our Vermont Bloom Brie.
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Can you tell us a little bit about your famous “Cheese Cave”? Yes, my cheese cave is where I age my “funky” cheeses. It about a 500foot space in the basement of my home. I have a bunch of French aging racks where the cheeses are placed to age in the temperature-controlled space. The “cave” has a simulated temperature and humidity to that similar of a real cave. I’m down there six days a week.
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the rest of the Jewish world is preparing for Shavuos spiritually by learning Torah or more practically by baking cheesecakes, there are those among us who dedicate the days before yom tov to a very unique project. These are the people who use considerable time and resources to decorate their local shuls in honor of the chag. The minhag to decorate our shuls and homes with greenery in honor of Shavuos is well known, and there are several reasons stated for this. Most notably, it is done to remember Har Sinai, which blossomed with grass and flowers at the time of Matan Torah. The minhag, while beautiful, is not universally recognized today. The tradition was apparently discontinued in some areas of Europe sometime during the 1700s because the non-Jews at the time were also bringing trees and plants into their houses of worship. Still, today there are many kehillos that proudly adorn their shuls for Shavuos with greenery and vegetation that smells just as heavenly as it looks. Crowning the KAJ shul in Monsey with flowers
In
Washington Heights, Avram Gutmann has been decorating Congregation Khal Adath Jeshurun for the past forty years. Or as he puts it, “ever since I’m a teenager.” Gutmann says the job takes two full days and can be a costly undertaking, but he wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world. He also doesn’t do it alone. “My son helps me,” he says. “He actually takes off from work to do this. It’s become a nice family tradition.” How does the community feel about this? “People love it,” he says. “They come from all over to take pictures before yom tov.” The process is so fascinating they’ve actually posted a video on YouTube illustrating how it’s done. Yards of cedar rope are draped dramatically around the
Lush greenery, a symbol of Matan Torah
A Taste of Har Sinai
BY MALKY LOWINGER
shul banisters and dropped from the balcony. A miniature forest of trees and shrubs are placed around the aron kodesh. Colorful plants stand on the steps in the front of the shul, greeting those who enter. The most complex part of the procedure is forming the wire frame above the bimah in the shape of an arched chupah which is then covered with vines and greens and topped with a leafy crown. The chupah itself symbolizes the “marriage” between Hashem and klal Yisroel during the time of Matan Torah. Another branch of KAJ is located in Monsey, New York. There, the Ettlinger family has turned the decorating process into a family tradition. Meir and Chaya Ettlinger are very involved, and so are Meir’s brothers and their wives. According to Meir, decorating a shul for Shavuos is a KAJ minhag that dates back to the 1600s when the Dayan in Frankfurt discusses it
in a sefer. Since then, the German-Jewish community has maintained the minhag in all its splendor. The kehilla in Washington Heights was established by its Rav, Dr. Joseph Breuer, in 1939 and the shul is located on Bennett Avenue. Avram says there are surviving photos of the Shavuos greenery of the original shul in Germany and they copy it as best as they can, although on a smaller scale. Who pays for all this? In Washington Heights, funding for this project comes out of the shul’s annual budget, but private donations are also gratefully accepted. As it turns out, it can get pricey. “We order 250 yards of cedar roping that is draped all around the shul, and that costs several dollars a yard.” To minimize the expense somewhat, trees and plants are rented. And silk flowers are attached in bunches to the greenery so they can be saved from year to year. In Monsey, the Ettlinger family enlists the aid of their local ShopRite Lawn and Garden Center. About two days before yom tov, they arrive at the store at 7:30 AM to purchase the flowers and greenery. The salesperson there comes through for them every year, recommending the best flowers at the best prices. The
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is always disappointed when we have to take it all apart. This year he’s actually excited because it’s going to stay up an extra day.”
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why go through all the trouble? What motivates ordinary people to put extraordinary effort into such a massive project? Why not bake cheesecakes like everybody else? It’s not just about the flowers, of course. It’s also about a cherished Jewish tradition that is being maintained for hundreds of years. A tradition that has spanned across continents and over several generations. And has survived through War and Exile. For Avram Gutmann and the Ettlinger family, their sense of responsibility is clear. They are but a link in the chain of their mesorah. Says Meir, “Somebody needed to do it. And we saw it as our opportunity to step up to the plate.”
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A chupah of flowers in KAJ
bers the time that two hundred dollars’ worth of flowers were ruined because the shul’s refrigerator where they were stored overnight was inadvertently turned up too high. “They were frozen,” he recalls. Then there was the time the shul’s chandelier came crashing down during the process because the chain snapped. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it was subsequently discovered that the chain wasn’t strong enough to support the weight of the fixture. Nobody was hurt, boruch Hashem, and eventually it was repaired. They use pine instead of cedar in the Monsey shul, but the aromatic effect of the fresh fragrance is almost the same. The Ettlingers also make sure to remove the pollen tips off the lilies in order to minimize any possible allergic reactions. “Only one person really had a problem,” says Chaya. “But that’s probably because he sat in the front corner, right near all the greenery. Anyone who sits in the middle of the shul is generally not affected.” When yom tov is over, the greenery comes down. In Monsey, the dismantling process turns into a “take down party” with friends and family helping to do the job. If the bouquets are still in good condition, some are brought home to be enjoyed for yet another few days. Says Avram, “My maintenance man
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Ettlingers foot the bill for the flowers and another shul member pays for the greenery. Says Chaya, “Mostly we use roses, lilies, and chrysanthemums. Other flowers might look great but won’t last over a three day yom tov. We also use wet foam so the flowers will last longer. And plastic baggies, to help retain the moisture.” Quite an involved process, to be sure. But for those who do it, it’s a labor of love. Five people spend the entire day of erev yom tov decorating the shul. “I make sure to cook for yom tov beforehand,” Chaya relates. Local Yeshiva bochurim and Chassidishe children are always available to lend a hand. “They help us strip the roses.” There have been mishaps, to be sure. Meir remem-
Halachically Speaking
Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits
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Eating Dairy on Shavuos
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here is a widespread custom to eat dairy products on Shavuos. What is the source of this custom? What are the reasons for this custom? Does it apply to both days? Should the dairy meal be eaten with bread? Are there restrictions regarding eating meat after dairy? These and many more questions will be answered in this article
The Source The earlier authorities who mention this custom say to eat dairy foods with honey. The reason is that the Torah is compared to milk and honey, as it says in the posuk, “Dvash v’chalav tachas lishoncha.” Just as milk has the ability to sustain the human body, so too the Torah gives us our spiritual nourishment.
However, the custom in all places is to eat dairy foods even without honey. The Shulchan Aruch does not bring the
milk on Shavuos was mentioned above. Another reason is based on the posuk that says: “Nacha chadasha l’Hash-
Just as milk has the ability to sustain the human body, so too the Torah gives us our spiritual nourishment. custom to eat dairy on Shavuos, but it is mentioned in the Rama. Reasons There are numerous reasons offered for this custom. One reason for eating honey and
em b’shivuoseichem.” It is interesting to note that the beginning of the last three words spell out chalav (milk) in Hebrew. The Rama explains that there is a special offering on Shavuos which consists of two loaves of bread. Just as we bring two dishes on the night(s) of Pesach as a remembrance of the korbon Pesach and korbon chagigah, so too we bring two loaves of bread to the table, which is in place of the mizbe’ach. In order to bring two loaves, we eat dairy and then meat since the same loaf of bread cannot be used for both a milk meal and meat meal. The Magen Avraham says that the seven weeks from Pesach to Shavuos correspond to the seven days which a woman requires to become ritually pure. Blood, which represents judgment (din), becomes milk, which represents mercy. Similarly, the Aruch Hashulchan says that when we received the Torah, we were elevated from the impurity of Mitzrayim to kedusha. Therefore we drink milk, which comes from blood that turns into milk. The Mishnah Berurah explains that when Klal Yisroel accepted the Torah, they could not eat meat immediately. Numerous preparations were needed, as they had to check the knife, remove the blood vessels, wash and salt the meat, and cook it in new pots, since the old pots were not kosher. They were thus forced to eat dairy instead. As a remembrance of this, we eat dairy. The Moadim V’zmanim bases the custom on the Gemara that questions why drinking milk is not a concern of
eiver min hachai – eating from a live animal. The Gemara permits it based on a posuk in the Torah which refers to Eretz Yisroel as the land flowing with milk and honey. If milk were forbidden, then the Torah would not have praised Eretz Yisroel with milk. Milk was not permitted until after Matan Torah. Therefore, the Jews had their first opportunity to drink milk on Shavuos. To commemorate this, we drink milk and eat dairy foods on Shavuos. The Bais HaLevi says the following: The malachim protested when Hashem wanted to give the Torah to the Bnei Yisroel. Hashem responded that they ate meat and milk together when they visited Avraham. The malachim did not actually eat meat and milk, but were not careful to separate between meat and milk. From this arose the custom of eating dairy on Shavuos, to show that we can be meticulous in keeping the Torah by separating meat and milk. The numerical value of chalav (milk) in Hebrew is forty, which represents the number of days in which
Moshe Rabbeinu was taught the Torah. Therefore, we make a remez to this and eat milk on Shavuos. As an infant, Moshe Rabbeinu did not want to drink milk from a non-Jewish woman. We make a remez to this by eating dairy on Shavuos. At the time of Matan Torah the Jews were in a sense “born again.” Therefore, we eat dairy on Shavuos since newborns drink milk.
Eating Meat as Well One of the aspects of simchas yom tov is to be happy by eating meat and drinking wine. Some say that this obligation is not applicable today, as there is no real joy of eating meat without the Bais Hamikdosh to offer korbonos. Others say the obligation is a d’rabbanan today. According to many poskim one would have to eat meat, and eating an all dairy meal on Shavuos would be problematic. Others say that one can be lenient with this obligation at night and not eat meat, but most poskim do not agree with this. The custom of many is not to be concerned about this at every meal. Nonetheless, it is preferable to have the milk meal and then meat, and not miss out on this aspect of simchas yom tov (see below). This can be accomplished by eating some milk at Kiddush in the morning, and then to do the proper separation and eat meat. There are opinions that hold that one fulfills his obligation with any tasty food, even if it is not meat. For example, a good, tasty fish brings happiness as well. In any case, one should have wine at the meal. Bread Based on the opinion of the Rama, bread should be served with the dairy meal. However, the widespread custom is to eat dairy even without a full meal
Dairy Foods or Milk The poskim rule that drinking milk is enough, and there is no need to eat cheese. Separation One should be careful to follow all the separations that are required between eating milk and meat. When eating milk and then meat, one should have a separate tablecloth. Waiting after Eating Dairy – Bracha Achrona According to the letter of the law, one who ate dairy does not have to wait before eating meat. The only requirement is to wash his mouth out well as explained in the Shulchan Aruch, and to rinse his hands. Some poskim say a bracha achrona or bentching is required before eating meat, while others disagree. Some have the custom that no bracha achrona is required on Shavuos, but they do recite a blessing at any other time of the year. Based on the Zohar, some say that one should wait an hour between dairy and meat. (Some poskim say that if one merely drank milk and wants to eat meat, even the Zohar would agree that no waiting is required). However, the custom of many in Klal Yisroel is to only wait a half hour. Several explanations are given for this custom. Some say that it is a compromise between the poskim who say one does not have to wait at all and the Zohar that requires an hour. Others say that the Zohar’s hour is not literal, as we find in many places that an hour simply means a period of time. Therefore, it is sufficient to wait a half hour. Those who have the custom to wait a half hour must rinse out their mouths properly before eating meat.
Cakes Cakes and other food items that are not usually eaten together with meat are not subject to the halacha of dairy bread. Therefore, one may bake or buy cheesecake in as much volume as desired, even if it is not a different shape than a regular pastry. Similarly, dairy doughnuts or croissants are permitted. Muffins that are served as dessert may be baked with milk. Fish and Milk It is dangerous to eat fish and meat that were cooked together. Some extend this problem to fish with milk or cheese. This is the custom of some Sefardim. However, the custom amongst the Ashkenazim is to be lenient in this regard. The Sefardim are lenient with eating fish and butter, but would not eat a lox and cream cheese sandwich. B’dieved if one ate milk with fish it is OK. Cheesecake The bracha rishona on cheesecake is mezonos if the crust is there for taste; if it’s to hold it together then a shehakol is recited. The bracha achrona is a borei
nefoshos since one does not generally eat the shiur of mezonos to recite an al hamichya. The following reason is given for the custom to eat cheese (or cheesecake) on Shavuos. Most foods spoil with age, but cheese improves. Some say that the Torah is old and outdated in our modern world. We eat cheese to indicate that old is good. Kreplach Many have a custom to eat kreplach on Shavuos. Some explain that Hashem forced us to accept the Torah at Matan Torah. In the times of Achashveirosh, the Yidden accepted the Torah again. When eating kreplach, one only tastes the dough at first. After biting into it, one tastes the good part, the cheese. Similarly, the Yidden were forced into accepting the Torah, and only later did they accept it again willingly. Others explain that kreplach have three corners. The Torah consists of three parts: Torah, Nevi’im and Kesuvim. The Torah was given to three segments of the nation: Kohanim, Leviyim and Yisroelim. It was given through Moshe, who was the third child of Amram. It was given after three days of preparation, in the third month of the year. Blintzes Many people eat blintzes on Shavuos. Some seforim offer the following reason for this: blintzim in Hebrew is bli – nitzim, without nitzim. In the Torah we find the word nitzim as a reference to Dasan and Aviram. When we accepted the Torah it was with achdus. Therefore, we eat blintzes on Shavuos to say “without nitzim” –without arguing like Dasan and Aviram. Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits is a former chaver kollel of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath and a musmach of Harav Yisroel Belsky shlita. Rabbi Lebovits currently works as the Rabbinical Administrator for the KOF-K Kosher Supervision.
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When to Eat the Dairy? Many poskim say that dairy should be eaten on the first day of Shavuos. Others bring the custom without mentioning any specific time to consume dairy. The custom of most places is to only serve dairy on the first day. Some eat dairy in the morning for Kiddush, while many others eat a dairy meal on the first night of Shavuos. Some suggest that according to the reason of the Rama one should have the dairy meal during the day and then a meat meal.
Dairy Bread for Shavuos Some accomplish the custom of eating dairy on Shavuos by baking dairy bread. The poskim say that it is permitted to bake a small amount of dairy bread for Shavuos. According to this, it would only be permitted to bake enough bread for the first day of yom tov. One who wishes to bake large amounts should make a conspicuous, different shape for the bread.
Practical Difference Between the Reasons According to the Rama, the dairy food is simply a pretext to have two loaves of bread. There is no actual reason to eat dairy. According to the other opinion regarding the pesukim of honey, milk is connected to the Torah. In addition, the latter reason requires both honey and milk, while the Rama only requires dairy.
(i.e. Kiddush). Others simply drink a cup of coffee before davening. This leniency fits nicely with the opinion of the Bais Halevi, since having a separation is enough to prove our commitment to the malachim. Others explain that the Zohar prohibits eating both milk and meat at the same meal. This stringency was not practiced during the time of the Rama. Today, however, we practice this stringency, and cannot practice the custom of the Rama. Therefore, the custom of most people is just to have dairy mezonos products and not a meal.
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Har Sinai is called “gavnunim” which is a lashon of gevina—cheese. It is customary to make a seuda upon completing a mitzvah. Since the counting of the omer has concluded with Shavuos, we make a seuda. A meat seuda would not suffice, since we always eat meat meals on yom tov. In order to indicate that the meal is for the conclusion of the mitzvah, we eat a dairy meal on Shavuos.
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TJH CENTERFOLD
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Riddle!
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You Gotta be
You are the referee at a football game in which Tom Brady is the quarterback. There are 7 identical game balls. You hear that Tom Brady let a little bit of air out of one of the balls (I guess he didn’t learn from his 4 game suspension). Using a balance scale and only two separate weightings, how can you find the light football?
Kidding!
Jimbo is getting married and wants to get a pair of dress shoes. He walks into a shoe store and tries on a pair. He tells the shoe salesman that they are too tight. “Try pulling the tongue out,” suggests the sales clerk. Jimbo replies, “Nah, theyth sthill feel a bith tighth.”
See answer on next page
KNOW YOUR BUSINESS SIGN
MARKETING You are ambitious but not the sharpest tool in the shed. You chose a marketing degree to avoid having to study in college, concentrating instead on eating good food and socializing, which is pretty much what your job responsibilities are now.
CUSTOMER SERVICE Bright, cheery and positive because the call is “being monitored for quality assurance.” As a child you asked your parents for a little cubicle for your room and a headset so you could pretend to play “Customer Service.” You feel like a limb is missing when your headset is removed.
TECHNOLOGY Unable to control anything in your personal life, you are instead content to completely control everything that happens at your workplace. It is said that “geeks shall inherit the earth.” Well, you have. All I have to say to you is: //\**/ CC**|||////\\\\CC!!
CONSULTANT Lacking any specific knowledge, you use acronyms to avoid revealing your utter lack of experience. You have convinced yourself that your “skills” are in demand and that you could get a higher paying job with any other organization in a heartbeat. You spend your days trying to convince your friends of the same non-truth.
HUMAN RESOURCES Ironically, given your access to confidential information, you tend to be the biggest gossip within the organization. Possibly the only other person that does less work than marketing, you are unable to return any calls today because you have to get a haircut, have lunch AND then mail a letter.
MIDDLE MANAGEMENT Catty, cutthroat, yet completely spineless, you are destined to remain at your current job for the rest of your life. Unable to make a single decision you tend to measure your worth by the number of meetings you can schedule for yourself. Everyone in your social circle is a “Middle Manager.”
STOCK BROKER You are a money machine. You are the envy of town even though your ulcers and frequent heart attacks correspond directly with fluctuations in the stock market.
PARTNER, PRESIDENT, CEO You are brilliant or lucky. Your inability to figure out complex systems such as the fax machine suggest the latter.
GOVERNMENT WORKER You are a master at collecting paid leave and an expert at rolling them over into your final golden parachute. You were born with a comb over.
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TORAH TRIVIA
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2. Which yom tov was Yitzchok Avinu born on? a. Shavuos b. Pesach c. Chanukah d. Shmini Atzeres (Succos) 3. What did Hashem create on the fourth day? a. Animals b. Lights in the sky c. Plants d. Scorpions 4. Who were Avraham Avinu’s brothers? a. Serug and Terach b. Serug and Nachor c. Charan and Terach d. Nachor and Charan 5. Who was the oldest person to have ever lived? a. Adam b. Lemech c. Mesushelach d. Enosh 6. What object did Moshe hold up which healed the Jewish people when they looked up it? a. A replica of the Aseres Hadibros b. His walking stick c. A small Torah d. A copper serpent 7. What was Boaz and Ruth’s son’s name? a. Peretz b. Oved
c. d.
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1. Who were the four men who never sinned in their lifetime? a. Binyamin (Yaakov’s youngest son) b. Mesushelach c. Amram (Moshe Rabbeinu’s father) d. Yishai (Dovid HaMelech’s father) e. Kilav (the son of Dovid HaMelech and Avigayil) f. Rabbi Akiva g. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
Ram Hezron
8. Which of the following women was not married to Dovid Hamelech? a. Tamar b. Michal c. Avigayil d. Batsheva 9. Before he died, Moshe went on top of which mountain to see Eretz Yisroel? a. Har Chorev b. Har Mistakel c. Har Seyir d. Har Nevo 10. Under whose rule did Klal Yisroel split into two kingdoms? a. Rechovom b. Shlomo Hamelech c. Azaria d. Achav Answers: 1. A, C, D, E 2. B 3. B 4. D 5. C – He lived 969 years 6. D 7. B 8. A 9. D 10. A Wisdom key: 8-10 correct: You are a true Torah scholar! 4-7 correct: Learn hard on Shavuos night and before you know it you too will be full of knowledge. 0-3 correct: Oy vey.
G OT FU N N Y?
Comm Let the ission er dec Send
your s t
uff t
ide
o fivetow centerfold@ nsjewis hhome. com
ANSWER TO RIDDLE: Put three of the footballs on each side. If they are even, the football that wasn’t weighed is the light one. If they aren’t even, the side that is lighter has the light football. Of these three footballs, one should be put on each side. If the sides are even then the other ball is the light one. If they aren’t even, the one that is lighter is the ball you’re looking for.
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minutes. Try to limit it to six. And, the final rule, the one I’m retracting today, was: “Give me something to walk away with. You can say the 25th word in the Torah is ohr (light) and that’s a hint to Chanukah which happened on the 25th
after it was given, is simply amazing. It’s not that Hashem “knows” the future. For Him, there’s no such thing as time so there’s no such thing as future. What’s amazing is the realization that Hashem is in control of everything that
When we see perfection in the symbolism, nuances, and references of the Torah, that’s our cue to become even more determined to connect with Hashem and his Torah. of Kislev, but what am I supposed to do with it? I want something I can act upon.” Now, I’m not taking back the part about wanting to be able to walk away with something from a speech. That’s always the case. When you speak, your point should be to help others become something more than they were before
and give them ways to do it. The part I’m retracting is that saying the 25th word in the Torah is ohr is just a “cute vort,” a catchy symbol, but not something someone can put to use in their lives. I take that part back. You see, now that I’m older, I realize that the fact that the Torah, which was created 1,000 generations before it was given, would allude to an event that would not happen until 1,000s of years
happens and that will happen. 1,400 generations before the Maccabees revolted against the Greek tyrants, the Torah already assured us that they would be victorious. But it’s more than that. Hashem looked into the Torah and created the world. It is the blueprint for Creation. That means that the victory of the Mac-
cabees was not just foretold, but also integral for the Creation and survival of the world! There’s another example of this that I’d like to share. In Bereishis, the Torah says, “Va’yehi erev va’yehi boker, yom Ha’Shishi,” it was evening and morning, the sixth day. The Gemara in Shabbos (88a) quotes Reish Lakish who says the extra “hai” teaches that it is referring to a different sixth day, one
that is very specific. It is talking about the sixth of Sivan, when the Torah was given (or was going to be until Moshe delayed it a day). Hashem said to the world at the time of Creation, “If the Jews will accept the Torah, then you will continue to exist. If not, I will turn you back into emptiness and void.” That means that Hashem, a thousand generations in advance, made it very clear that in order for the world to exist, we need to accept the Torah. It means that Hashem gave us our marching orders even before the beginning. It means that when we see perfection in the symbolism, nuances, and references of the Torah, that’s our cue to become even more determined to connect with Hashem and his Torah. The Zohar states (and it’s a Shavuos song, too!): “Yisrael, v’oraysa, v’kudsha brich hu chad hu – Klal Yisrael, the Torah, and the Holy One Blessed be He, are one.” This is the message conveyed by the single letter “hai,” which we recite each week at Kiddush on Friday night. That one letter reminds us that we are connected to Hashem through the Torah, and through the Torah is He connected to us. The world’s survival depends on that, and on us. I was wrong when I said that the 25th word in the Torah being ohr didn’t give us something to walk away with. I now realize that simply realizing how connected we are to Hashem at every moment and how connected He is to us should make us constantly want to be more and do more. I stand corrected and regret the error. Jonathan Gewirtz is an inspirational writer and speaker whose work has appeared in publications around the world. You can find him at www.facebook.com/RabbiGewirtz and follow him on Twitter @RabbiJGewirtz. He also operates JewishSpeechWriter.com, where you can order a custom-made speech for your next special occasion. Sign up for the Migdal Ohr, his weekly PDF Dvar Torah in English. E-mail info@ JewishSpeechWriter.com and put Subscribe in the subject. © 2015 by Jonathan Gewirtz. All rights reserved.
MAY 21, 2015
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hen we’re young, we think we know everything. Mark Twain, the 19th century American humorist, said, “When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.” It seems that with age comes wisdom, or at least the maturity to admit that we didn’t really know everything. Chazal say that one doesn’t understand his teacher until he is forty, and at my age, I am ready to admit my earlier foolishness. Now, I’m not going to start listing things I did which I probably would think better of now. We all have those and that’s not for discussion, though it surprises me that some people will discuss the crazy things they did as kids and then wonder why their own children try to do them. Today, though, I’m taking back a specific thing I said over twenty years ago. Often, a newspaper will make a splashy headline, and when it’s proven wrong will do the honorable thing by printing a retraction – in small print, on page 23 – without referring too much to what they actually said in the first place, thereby obscuring the error while enabling them to say they printed a retraction. I’m not doing that. This will be a bona fide statement that I was wrong. Many of you know my connections to public speaking such as my website, JewishSpeechWriter.com. Over the years, having grown up the son of a very able speaker, who himself was the son of a very able speaker, I acquired a certain appreciation for the art. In my early years, I felt I really had a handle on it, and when I was charged with choosing boys to speak in the yeshiva dining room on Shabbos, I was proud of my three rules. My first rule was that they had to keep the source material light. Parsha, pirkei avos, keep it simple. People are eating; they don’t want to hear you talk about a R’ Chaim [Brisker] in Menachos. Rule two: Keep it short. Studies show average attention span is seven
A Retraction: 20 Years Later
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Say it with Flowers BY ESTHER OTTENSOSER
Planting with Sweetness Shavuos is a special time for adults and children alike. If you’re like me, when I think of Shavuos I automatically associate this holiday with two things: cheesecake and flowers! Cheesecake aside, flowers are a wonderful way to bring the spirit of the holiday into your home. These candy flower planters are easy and lots of fun to make. They will look stun-
ning as a decorative addition to your yom tov sweet table and they will be enjoyed by both adults and children alike. After the cupcakes have been eaten and the lollypops have been licked, the fond memories of the flowers (and the cheesecake) will linger year after year. You will need Mini planters (available at your local craft store)
Mini cupcakes decorated with green sprinkles Green ribbon Twinkle candy flower pops Directions To assemble, place the mini cupcakes inside the planters. Cut the sticks of the lollypop to the desired size and stick them inside the cupcakes. Complete the look by adding a pretty green bow to pull it all together.
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Blooming Tarts
I always enjoy sending something over for a simcha and these tarts are both beautiful and so easy to make! They are perfect for your Shavuos table or to set out for kiddush before the meal. Prebaked shells come in a variety of shapes and flavors. They are easy to fill and fun to decorate. You can also coordinate fondant to match your color scheme.
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You will need Mini prebaked tarts such as Bakers Choice Fondant molds and plungers Fondant Chocolate filling (see below) Directions Create flowers and decorations using fondant molds and plungers. Carefully pour the chocolate mixture into the tarts. Place fondant decorations in the center of the tart before the chocolate sets.
Chocolate Filling Ingredients 1 ¾ cup chocolate chips 2 Tbsp margarine ¼ cup Karo syrup
2 Tbsp water 1 tsp vanilla
crowave or in a double boiler. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Directions Melt the chocolate and margarine in a mi-
Tip: You can also fill the tarts with custard and fruit.
Sunflower Cookies Shavuos is upon us once again. It’s time to start planning what special dishes and pastries we will make. These stunning sunflower cookies are both pretty and delicious. They are sure to make the holiday extra special for your family and friends. You will need Sunflower-shaped cookie cutter Gefen Wonder Melts in yellow Candy blackberries Directions Make your favorite cookie dough recipe. Cut out sunflower cookies and bake them until done. Melt the Wonder Melts in the microwave or double boiler. Dip the cookies in the melts and add a candy blackberry to the center while it is still wet. Note: To make the dipping easier, you may want to stick a toothpick into your cookies before dipping.
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Notable Quotes
Compiled by Nate Davis
“Say What?” A new report reveals that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie spent over $82,000 on food at NFL games. Christie said, “Hey, both of those games went into overtime.” – Conan O’Brien
UC Berkeley students have developed a drone that follows you around, taking selfies of you. Which is a shame because those are exactly the kind of people we should be using the other drones on. – Seth Myers
George W. Bush gave a commencement speech at Southern Methodist University this weekend. It was pretty inspirational. He said, “As I like to tell the ‘C’ students, you too can be president.” Even George W. Bush has George W. Bush comedy material in his act. – Jimmy Fallon Vladimir Putin reportedly scored eight goals during a hockey game in Sochi this weekend. And the goalie only had one save: his own life. – Seth Myers
Any enormous uprooting change in my life has petrified me. - David Letterman, discussing his retirement
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That is no excuse. I am extremely disappointed. You need to figure out where your priorities are. We’re changing the world and changing history, and you either commit or you don’t. - An email that Tesla CEO Elon Musk sent to an employee who missed work to be present at his child’s birth, according to a new book about Musk and other CEOs
It turns out Hillary’s brother could damage her campaign. But then Jeb Bush said, “I think we all get a pass on who our brothers are.” – Ibid.
MORE QUOTES
MAY 21, 2015
I have an easy way to fix this. If you want kids to exercise, get an ice cream truck and just drive it slowly around the block. They will give chase. I’ve seen it happen. –Ibid.
The NFL has found it was more probable than not that Patriots employees deflated balls on purpose and that Tom Brady was generally aware of it. The response has been divided. Some people believe the Patriots are cheaters who should be fined and forced to forfeit the games, and other people are from Boston. – Jimmy Kimmel
Hillary Clinton’s younger brother Tony is facing criticism for using the Clintons’ political connections to help his career. So on the down side, she has a sketchy brother named Tony. On the up side, she just locked up every vote in New Jersey. – Jimmy Fallon
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Researchers have found that children in preschool are exercising only 12 percent of the day. The rest of the day was spent napping, eating, or generally sitting around doing nothing. It’s called training them to be Americans. – Jimmy Kimmel
It’s career criminals killing and shooting other career criminals. – NY City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton addressing an uptick in crime in New York City
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Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar from the show “19 Kids and Counting” say they are supporting Mike Huckabee for president because he has “common sense.” If there’s anyone who knows about common sense, it’s a family with 19 kids. – Jimmy Fallon
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During a charity boxing match on Friday, Mitt Romney lasted two rounds against Evander Holyfield and raised a million dollars. It was just like Holyfield’s fight with Mike Tyson, except Romney chewed off his other ear talking about his 18 grandchildren. – Jimmy Fallon This weekend Vladimir Putin played in an exhibition hockey game with some former NHL players and scored eight goals. Even Evander Holyfield and Mitt Romney said, “That looks fake.” – Ibid. Even the White House is weighing in on the deflategate scandal. Yesterday they encouraged Tom Brady to “be mindful of the way he serves as a role model.” And then President Obama stuffed out his cigarette and went golfing at noon on a weekday. - Jimmy Fallon
I needed air conditioning. – John Paul Jones, Jr., of Georgia explaining to reporters why he rammed his pickup truck into his home creating a gaping hole in it In the news, a man got so fed up that he drove his truck through his own living room. He said it was one of those spur-of-the-moment crazy things. No, it was not! That’s just regular crazy. Getting frozen yogurt at midnight or driving to Vegas — those are spur-of-the-moment crazy ideas. – James Corden The police were called, but it turns out it’s actually not illegal if it’s your house and your truck. But just based on the limited amount of time we’ve spent with this guy, I get the feeling that the bank owned both the truck and the house. – Ibid
According to a new poll, 48 percent of Americans believe that Hillary Clinton is honest and trustworthy. Then Hillary said, “Actually I just made that poll up.” – Jimmy Fallon
Kim Jong Un reportedly had his defense chief executed after he fell asleep during a meeting… Kim Jong Un — it’s really Catch-22 with him. If you close your eyes, you get shot for nodding off. If you open them, you get shot for laughing at his haircut. - Jimmy Kimmel
A 94-year-old man is graduating from West Virginia University…Just imagine how awkward it’s going to be for the commencement speaker when he says, “You have your whole life ahead of you. Except that dude.” - Seth Myers
I just sat down and said, “I think the City of Bremerton for District 6 needs more qualified people to run for office and I’m going to put my name in the hat.” - Kim Faulkner explaining why she is taking on the incumbent for a seat on the Bremerton, WA, city council (the incumbent is her husband)
Whole Foods is planning on opening a new chain of stores that carry lowerpriced natural foods aimed at millennials. It’s even got a catchy name: Trader Joe’s. – Jimmy Fallon
During a recent event at a restaurant called Tommy’s Country Ham House in South Carolina, presidential candidate Ben Carson delivered a speech right after he lost his front tooth. Which still left him with more teeth than everyone combined at Tommy’s Country Ham House. – Jimmy Fallon Ben Carson actually lost a tooth. Which explains why he said that under his leadership, Americans would be entitled to “life, liberty, and the purthuit of happineth.” – Ibid.
I’m calling it now: every time AOL gets bought, it’s the peak of the bubble. - Tweet by Wall Street Journal columnist Kara Swisher after Verizon purchased AOL for over $4 billion
The NFL has suspended Tom Brady for four games over deflate-gate. They’re going to punish him by making him stay home in his mansion… and think about what he did wrong. – Conan O’Brien Please help! Get 911 to me. – What a woman being held hostage wrote on an online Pizza Hut order, resulting in police rescuing her from her hostage taker (who allowed her to order the pizza online) A woman held hostage by her boyfriend in Florida managed to escape this week after she convinced him to let her order a pizza using Pizza Hut’s app and wrote “911 hostage help” in the comment section. But really aren’t all Pizza Hut orders a cry for help? – Seth Myers Are we gonna light our hair on fire every time that there is a setback in the campaign against ISIL? – White House Spokesman John Earnest when asked about ISIS taking Ramadi, one of Iraq’s largest cities
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If we can’t ask from society’s lottery winners to just make that modest investment, then really this conversation [on poverty] is for show. – President Obama at a forum on poverty arguing for more tax hikes on the wealthy
Senate Democrats blocked President Obama’s trade bill yesterday because they’re worried it could hurt jobs. It’s not an issue for Republicans, since they’ve all found work as presidential candidates. – Jimmy Fallon
I’d like to study math, even if everything’s done by computers now…There’s a lot I’d like to do. There’s plenty of time. - 94-year-old Anthony Brutto who stopped attending West Virginia University in 1939 to fight in WWII, discussing his plans now that he completed his studies and has graduated 76 years later
Lindsey Graham is now the seventh Republican running for president. If you’re keeping score, that’s basically one Republican candidate for every two Republican voters. – Conan O’Brien
Nobody has a bigger interest in getting them released than I do…Anything that they might do to expedite that process I heartily support. I want the American people to learn as much as they can about the work I did with our diplomats and our development experts. - Hillary Clinton after a federal judge ordered that her State Department emails must be released at a quicker pace than originally planned
THE JEWISH HOME
A new poll finds that the majority of GOP voters say they can’t see themselves supporting Chris Christie. The trick is to lift with your legs, not your back. – Seth Myers
Political Crossfire
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Nate Davis
Don’t Mistake Him for a Fool – De Blasio is onto Something
I
’m hesitant to try and get into the head of the Communist-loving, police-jabbing, snooze button-pushing mayor of New York City... I’d rather try to get into a beehive but for the sake of this discussion, I have no choice. It’s no secret that Bill de Blasio has been acting kind of bizarre lately, even on weighted scale— which allows for some more bizarreness on his part due to his good standing as a left-wing liberal. First he refused to endorse Hillary Clinton on the very day that she announced her candidacy. Then he stole Elizabeth Warren’s act and hit the road to talk about income inequality (a fancy way of calling for pay raises for McDonald’s workers). Then he gave a profile interview to a national magazine in which he basically said that his predecessors stunk and that he is “the real McCoy” even though New Yorkers don’t realize it yet. (It’s amazing how quickly the line between self-confidence and fantasy blurs.) Many have speculated that de Blasio is trying to gain momentum for a presidential run of his own. But that theory is too outlandish because even de Blasio can’t be that delusional. So what’s he doing? The answer is simple: he is running for vice president. That’s right— he wants to be Hillary’s running mate. I know that some of you are thinking that I am putting the cart before the horse; after all, Hillary has not won the nomination yet. The fact is, she is the presumptive Democratic nominee and will not face any serious challengers. To date, her only challenger is the Socialist senator of Vermont, Bernie Sanders, who somehow waddled into the race—perhaps he thought he was running for shaggiest puppy at the Westminster Dog Show. Her other prospective challenger is the former governor of Maryland, Martin O’Malley, whose signature accomplishment was that he improved race relations in Maryland. That platform sort of crumpled like a cheap suit three weeks ago. Imagine if Hillary’s key accomplishments as secretary of state— resetting our relationship with Russia, bringing stability to Libya, Egypt, and Iraq— blew up in her face? She’d never have the audacity to run, right? Uh, well, anyways, you get the point. Based on the way the country is split, Hillary will have around 47% of the electorate even before she opens her mouth (which is why she is in no rush to open it). To put her over the top, she will rely on the same coalition that came out for President Obama: leftwing white liberals (who have rebranded themselves as “progressives” due to the toxicity of the term “liberal”), African-Americans and Hispanics. She will need each of these groups to be equally as enthusiastic for her as they were for Obama.
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o how does she engage each part of this trifecta? To get to the “white progressives” she will
need to appeal to their core social beliefs, which these days pretty much comes down to their desire to redefine the definition of marriage/family. This group, which includes the entire Hollywood, offers more than just votes; they tend to control the mainstream media, thus driving media coverage throughout the campaign. They also are big money donors. Thus, they are as important in the lead-up to Election Day as they are in the actual voting booth. (If you recall, as President Obama’s 2012 campaign got underway, he “evolved” on the marriage issue to please this constituency.) The African-American community is an identity voting block—they vote for the candidate that they identify with the most (which is why before President Obama was elected, Bill Clinton shrewdly referred to himself as “the first black president”). Although they only make up 13% of the population, they can sway key swing states such as Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin and Florida. African-Americans tend to be passion voters— if they like the candidate they will come out in force; if they are not gung-ho on the candidate, they won’t vote. Then there are the Hispanic voters. They are quickly becoming the prized voter block. They are a growing factor in at least nine battleground states and in the popular vote at large. They are generally conservative in their social views but they are one issue voters—immigration. Out of the three groups, the Hispanics will be the easiest for Hillary to shore up. She will promise a path to citizenship to everyone and their grandmother. Maybe Bill will even start talking about his childhood picking mangos in Guatemala. De Blasio has the pedigree to create enthusiasm amongst two of the three coveted groups: the progressive whites and African-Americans. In a Clinton campaign which will be all about optics, the de Blasio family is a perfect match. De Blasio’s wife used to be part of the community which seeks to redefine the definition of marriage/family and his family is African-American. There is no better optic for the Clintons to put out there than the de Blasio family barnstorming the country. De Blasio sees this opportunity and wants to bolster his credentials by being the voice of the “progressives.” Although the main progressive torchbearer right now is Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, her optics are too similar to Hillary’s for her to add real value to
the ticket. (Besides, there aren’t enough pantsuits for both of them.) By coopting Sen. Warren’s message, de Blasio is making a seat for himself at the head of the progressives’ table. This is the very reason that de Blasio refused to endorse Hillary on the first day of her campaign. It is imperative for him to keep her at arm’s length from the progressive movement so that when she needs to draw them in, she will need him. The leverage de Blasio gained from not endorsing Hillary right away far outweighs the wrath that he took. Politics is a sport of necessity, not loyalty— if the Clintons need him to get them over the hump, they will take him, despite his initial failure to fall in line. This theory may sound outlandish because de Blasio has been an utter disaster as mayor of New York. But, that’s not really a concern for Hillary. Firstly, New York itself is the bluest of states and would vote for the Democrat candidate if it was a drunk cat. Secondly, people outside of New York don’t know the details of de Blasio’s mayorship, the same way you don’t know anything about Dallas’ or Miami’s mayor. In fact, they may be impressed with the fact that he has executive experience (which Hillary doesn’t have). The fact that de Blasio got started in politics by the Clintons also helps his chances because the Clintons aren’t going to risk knocking the “Clinton orbit” off of its axis by picking an outsider. Many are talking about Hillary picking HUD secretary Julian Castro, who is the former mayor of San Antonio, as a running mate, but de Blasio shores up enthusiasm amongst two of the three parts of the trifecta, whereas Castro will only generate excitement among Hispanics, who will likely already be energized by Hillary’s promises to them. Besides, being second on the short-list is not a bad place to be—it’s one bad tax form or dumb statement away from being the frontrunner.
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ow, I know that this is a bold prediction being made at the dawn of the 2016 campaign but when it comes to presidential races, predictions follow a bell curve— predictions made at the beginning of the campaign (before the daily fodder gets in the way) and predictions made at the end (when it’s already clear what’s happening) tend to be the most accurate. If this prediction is accurate this country may be in a bit of trouble, but the truth is, what does the vice president do anyway? They seem to be incubated at their residency at the Naval Observatory (the name itself conjures the image of a deranged person sitting on a rocking chair on the edge of the porch, watching birds). The job of the vice president is pretty much limited to showing up at graduations and at Groundhog Day celebrations. So de Blasio will drop the groundhog. What’s the big deal? He’s hardly going to tarnish Dan Quayle’s and Al Gore’s image. Besides, it’s not like we haven’t had a clown for a vice president for the past seven years; at least the next clown will sleep until noon.
Dr. Deb
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Shloimy, Continued
I suggested that Shloimy have a “meeting” with his wife to kick this process off. He would be prepared with a small notebook. He would begin by apologizing to her for his past inconsideration and then follow that by asking her to repeat to him some of the things she has already told him a hundred times. Only this time, he would actually
“started” long before these players came on the field. The key is for either person (or both) to commit to themselves to break the cycle. This is looking forward rather than looking backward. I talked to Sylvia and Shloimy and I asked them if they had any ideas as to how to stop the cycle short if they were to find themselves in it. I often will get
Sylvia, his wife, felt heard for the first time in many years. be listening, trying to understand, and writing them down. This sounds simple – until you try to do it. The natural tendency we all have is to respond with what’s on our minds when someone is talking. I find myself doing that even when I’m listening to a speaker in a formal setting or reading a book. Surely, when you are face to face with someone, it is the most natural thing in the world to break in. That would be one of Shloimy’s challenges. He needed to wait, patiently, for his wife to finish. I suggest to Shloimy that he write down in his notebook whatever it is he wants to say instead of interrupting so that not only won’t he forget what his wife is telling him, but he will be able to respond coherently when his turn finally comes. This one ridiculously simple exercise made a difference. Sylvia, his wife, felt heard for the first time in many years. Shloimy realized that he had been tuning his wife out for a long time. Why did he, he wanted to know? It didn’t take many minutes for him to recall a scene from childhood of being nagged by his mother. He learned to tune her – and women in general – out right then. But the problem was that if he tuned Sylvia out, oh boy, would she get angry. And then she would give him a real talking-to. Which, of course, he would tune out. You can see how these things are cyclic. It’s foolish to blame someone as “starting.” The problem most likely
the idea of what to do next from the couple. My thinking is that if they come up with the idea themselves, then they are more likely to follow through on it than if I foist something on them. One couple long ago decided to use a move from a sport. I can’t remember the sport but the signal was something like hands flapping inside of pockets. Maybe you have heard of this. They thought that was so funny that they were sure that using it as a signal would counteract – and deflect – them from continuing on with a destructive cycle. Shloimy thought that perhaps clearing his throat would be a fine signal and Sylvia agreed. In the event that someone was simply clearing their throat, they could either mention it or just laugh and that would be enough to clarify things. It is wonderful to be able to laugh at oneself (as long as it is not pejorative).
Since Shloimy and Sylvia enjoy humor, I would certainly keep that as part of their work on these challenges. There are couples, however, for whom that does not work. When one person makes a joke, the other feels not being taken seriously. The solution for such people is timing. If they move the joke up to a later time, even just 15 minutes later, it can work very well. First address the other person so she (or he) feels heard and then make the joke. I’m pretty impressed with the Shloimys of this world. Statistically, more women initiate therapy than men do. For Shloimy to realize that perhaps he does have bechira and actually can change is very much to his credit. I have found that when husbands are as interested as their wives in making things better, it works out very well. A gut yom tov to all!
Dr. Deb Hirschhorn, a Marriage & Family Therapist and best-selling author of The Healing Is Mutual: Marriage Empowerment Tools to Rebuild Trust and Respect—Together, is proud to announce that readers of The Jewish Home will receive a $50 discount on every visit to her Woodmere office. Attend the Food For Thought lectures at Traditions Restaurant in Lawrence on Tuesdays at 12:30 PM. (There is a lovely optional lunch menu for $12 cash.) Any questions, call 646-54-DRDEB or check out her website at http://drdeb.com. All stories in Dr. Deb’s articles are fabricated.
MAY 21, 2015
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hloimy came to see me, dejected. “You were very funny, Doc,” he said, referring to last week’s article on Rav Dessler, bechira, and Shloimy himself who needed to exercise some bechira in order to not upset his wife. “But,” he continued, “although you cheered me on – that you believe in me and I can change if I want to –the problem is that I don’t know how. I don’t know how to change how I think. That’s a tall order, wouldn’t you say?” “You’re right, Shloimy,” I responded. “People can’t automatically know what to do or how to do it. If you want to know how to make a jump shot in basketball, you may very well need a coach to show you exactly how your arms should move and how high to jump. That’s why you came here to see me. Smart move!” I replied. “So, in order to help you, I would like to know what you’ve already tried, and what has worked and what has not worked,” I said. That is generally a good beginning for a therapy which builds on peoples’ strengths. It could be that only a little tweak would be necessary to help Shloimy. The fact that he came in at all – rather than his wife dragging him in – was a very good sign. He may not believe that people can and do change, but he was adventuresome enough to test the waters. Here’s what I learned: Shloimy’s parents doted on him. He was the long-awaited baby and he could do no wrong. As a parent yourself, I’m sure you can see how dangerous this position is. However, many parents hold to it and they spoil their children so much that as adults those children are unprepared for the realities of relationships. He was missing the ability to guess how other people felt; in a word, he was missing empathy. In exercising his bechira, Shloimy’s job would be to imagine how the world looked and felt to others and then to make intelligent choices based on this wisdom. This is no small task to learn when you have not been taught it growing up. My job would be to help him do this without overwhelming him with new homework assignments to do. Assignments should be doled out as carefully as they can be digested.
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Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.
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Health & Fitness
David Elazar Simai, MD
Say Cheese Dear Parents, Due to the coming holiday of Shavout, when we celebrate the giving of the Torah with festive dairy meals, I decided to write about a fairly common pediatric issue: lactose Intolerance. Lactose intolerance does not mean an allergy to milk or dairy products. It means that a person is missing an enzyme that helps digest lactose, a sugar found in milk. In the absence of this enzyme, the lactose stays in our gut and is not absorbed into our bodies. Subsequently, we feel abdominal pains, nausea and bloating caused by extra gas in our abdomen. This could also cause loose bowel movements. As I mentioned previously, infectious or viral diarrhea renders all of us temporarily lactose intolerant. This is why we should avoid dairy products when we have diarrhea. But after the infection and the diarrhea resolves, our bodies return to producing lactase, and we can return to our normal, dairy diets. Patients with lactose intolerance will always be missing the lactase enzyme and can have persistent abdominal pains. The deficiency is uncommon in children under 2 years old. Seventy five percent of all African-American, Mexican-American and Native-American adults are lactose intolerant. This does not mean that 75% of all of your children will be lactose intolerant, because different people lose their enzyme at different stages of life. Some will lose it at 6 years old and some at 30 years old. The most common cause of lactose intolerance is genetics. In Finland there are some families that have a genetic, congenital lactase deficiency that presents at birth. These babies are born without any ability to digest lactose and often cannot even tolerate their mother’s milk. How to Diagnose Lactose Intolerance Here is the good news. To accurately diagnose this condition, you do not need more than a pencil and a piece of paper. Many parents come to our office and bring us their achy children. When we try to make a proper diagnosis for abdominal pains, we need some information. The two most vitals pieces of
information are bowel movement appearance and any triggers to the pain. Interestingly, when we ask parents, “Is your child constipated?” Most of the time the parent dismisses this possibility in a heartbeat. But a minute later, when we ask the child how often he defecates, he often says, “Twice a week.” Often he adds that his bowel movements are small and hard as a rock. The same is true with lactose intolerance. Parents are quick to say that they are confident that their child can digest milk, but after more careful examination, they discover that there is a clear association between the abdominal pains and dairy ingestion. So, if your child has recurrent abdominal pains, start recording the episodes of pains in a small notebook. Write down what the child ate at the meal preceding the pains. Write down the daily appearance of your child’s bowel movements (or lack of a BM). Pains from lactose intolerance resume 30-120 minutes after milk or dairy ingestion. In this manner, you can diagnose your child’s problems more accurately than we physicians. As an example to this, I saw a 7 year old patient with recurrent abdominal pains recently. Her mother was sure she had no problems digesting milk. She was treated for slight constipation and reflux by a pediatric gastroenterologist but her symptoms persisted. She proceeded to have an endoscopy of her upper GI tract that showed mild inflammation of the stomach (gastritis). We all thought that she had some reflux-related aches, but we were all wrong. Two weeks ago, her mother came into my office smiling. She figured it out: the little girl was lactose intolerant! Her mother started tracking her pains more carefully when she discovered the culprit was dairy. The other way to diagnose lactose intolerance is via a special hydrogen breath test. This test is done at a Pediatric GI office and can accurately measure
the gas produced by the gut in the absence of the lactase enzyme. A series of blood tests after ingesting lactose could also be used to diagnose lactose intolerance, and finally, some specific stool studies could also aid in a diagnosis. To treat lactose intolerance, patients can take a pill containing the lactase enzyme with their dairy meals. Lactaid pills should be ingested together with the dairy food, but not much prior to the meal. This is because the acid in the stomach will kill the lactase enzyme. You may find, however, that your child is not completely lactose intolerant and may be able to eat foods containing a small amount of lactose. Some Facts and Tips: The good bacteria in probiotics produce a small amount of lactase and can help in the digestion of milk. That is why some lactose intolerant patients may enjoy yogurts – pain free. Aged Cheeses – undergo fermentation and contain higher fat, and therefore have up to 90% less lactose than whole milk! Unfortunately, most of the cheese we buy is commercially manufactured by processes that do not have the same lactose-reducing properties. Whole Milk vs Low fat Milk – Since lactose is a water-soluble substance, fattier milk products contain a lower percentage of lactose than low-fat dairy products. This is why low-fat milk, cheese and yogurts will actually have a higher amount of lactose than full fat products. Butter – The butter-making process separates the majority of the milk’s water components from the fat components. Therefore, lactose will be present in small quantities in butter. Yogurts – Due to the fact that yogurt is made with live cultured bacteria, it contains some natural lactase. This is why some lactose intolerant patients can be more tolerant of yogurt. (Remember that lebens and dairy puddings
such as Milky do not contain live cultured bacteria.) Sour Cream – Most sour cream is made with milk solids and thus contain more lactose. Ice Cream – contains a fairly high amount of lactose To see a chart that contains the typical lactose levels found in various food, please visit my website at www.doctorsimai.com. Lact-Aid pills – Should be ingested together with the dairy food, but not much prior to the meal. This is because the acid in the stomach will kill the lactase enzyme. For patients who are extremely sensitive to lactose, we are lucky to have many Lactaid products that contain no lactose, and many non-dairy creamers, cheeses and milk substitutes. I hope that this information will help you become more familiar with some of the causes of sour faces that do not smile after eating dairy products...and say cheese! Wishing you a happy and healthy yom tov, David Elazar Simai, M.D. P.S. Thank you Sheryl Weisberger (aka. “Nonnie”) for your diligent and expeditious editing work over the past year!
Dr. David Simai is a Board Certified Pediatrician from the Five Towns. He is a full time attending in his own private practice since 2007 in Cedarhurst, New York. In addition, he is an Attending Physician at LIJ-Cohen Children’s Hospital, North-Shore Manhasset University Hospital and South Nassau Communities Hospital. He can be contacted for consultation at 516 374-2228 or via email at davidsimai@yahoo.com. NOTE: name, gender, geographical area and other identifying information were deliberately altered in this article in order to protect the patient’s privacy. This article is not intended to help diagnose or treat any specific disease. Always consult your personal physician before diagnosing or treating yourself or your child for any of the above mentioned illnesses.
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r e t t a l P r e v l i S e Th The Secrets of
TJH Speaks with Norene Gilletz & Daniella Silver
TJH: Daniella, this is the first cookbook that you are writing. What made you decide to go into this field? Daniella Silver: Cooking, baking and preparing foods have always been something I’ve loved doing. As a kid I would prepare dinners and desserts for my entire family. When I found out that two of my kids had severe allergies, I then had to transform my cooking and begin creating recipes on my own. This was the real start for me….it was the start of creating something that I loved to do.
You use a lot of fresh vegetables, herbs and spices. Delicious! What are the spices or herbs that a home cook should always have stocked? I try to use as many fresh vegetables, herbs and spices as possible. I like that each one is healthy in its own way. When I go shopping each week I always pick up a variety of fresh herbs—thyme, basil, mint and parsley. I try to incorporate the herbs into different dishes during the week. As for dried spices—I always have my staples: onion powder, garlic powder, sweet paprika, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. You can’t go wrong with any of those.
I know that you are a busy mom. How were you able to balance your newest endeavor with running a home? It’s definitely not easy to balance a career while running a family of three little kids, but I have learned to strike a balance. I learned that meals for my family have to be quick, easy, wholesome and still enjoyable. One of the great things about writing a cookbook is that my kids got to “work” with me by trying out the recipes as part of their meals. Sounds delicious! Speaking of children: It’s been a busy day. You’ve come home from work exhausted and the kids are hungry. What’s a good supper to get on the table fast? The recipes I generally create are those that are simple and quick to prepare. When making dinner for my family, simplicity comes first. I’m the first to admit that it’s hard to prepare elaborate meals during the week! The easiest recipes are broiled skirt steak (I have a delicious recipe for this in The Silver Platter), homemade baked fries, roasted veggies and a salad. My family loves this simple and delicious meal…that takes just a few minutes to throw it together.
I love that you included the nutritional information about each dish in the back of the cookbook. Why did you decide to do that? I decided to incorporate the nutritional information because I feel like our society today is turning towards making healthier choices for themselves and their families. I think it’s important to know and to understand what we are eating. Danielle and Norene with their book
So many recipes sound and look delicious. Do you have any favorites from The Silver Platter? Oh my, yes! I have so many favorites! If I had to choose a salad, it would be the Crunchy Celery and Cucumber salad; for a meat I love the Raspberry London broil; I love the lemon herbed chicken; and for dessert, my favorite are my Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies. I love something sweet after every meal. Shavous is around the corner. What would you recommend for the perfect yom tov meal? With so much planning to do for Shavuos, here’s a sample menu to help ease your work – all of these recipes can be found in The Silver Platter! For a great meal, start with an appetizer of Marvelous Mushroom Soup, followed by Sticky Sesame Salmon, Caprese Penne Salad, Double Cheese Cauliflower Gratin and a big green salad—my choice is Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes. For dessert, try my Halvah Cheesecake. Yum!
Speaking about your new cookbook—it’s truly beautiful. But there are so many others on the market today. What’s unique about this one? I’m just like everyone else – always on the lookout for new recipes and new cookbooks. I wanted to create a cookbook that would inspire others to cook. The Silver Platter has a picture for every recipe, which is important, because these days we eat with our eyes. People are extremely visual and it’s important to see the end product. The pictures in The Silver Platter show the readers that they can create the recipes…they are simple, yet they look spectacular – and of course, they taste great. How did you and Norene team up for this newest book? After I decided I was ready to start the cookbook writing process, I needed some guidance and I needed someone to show me the ropes. Norene Gilletz was a name that was always in my house growing up as my mom would always use her cookbooks. I searched for her contact and saw she did consulting. One day, I phoned her up and we began our journey of working together.
Once I start cooking,
It seems like you love to cook and love inspiring and sharing with others. How do you keep so energized and keep people so engaged in your cooking classes? Food inspires me! Once I start cooking, my energy starts to flow. I love sharing food with others and I believe it empowers others if I teach them how to cook it properly. I’ve been teaching cooking classes since the mid-1970s. One of my favorite sayings is: “Cook a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” What are your go-to recipes for weekday/Shabbos meals? When I go grocery shopping, I am inspired by what’s available on the supermarket shelves and what’s in season. Even though I shop with a list, I almost always overfill my shopping cart. I then cook everything that’s in the fridge until there are no ingredients left! Then I go to into my pantry ingredients. I can make a meal from anything: fish (usually salmon or fish fillets with different seasonings), chicken (roasted, grilled, baked in different sauces), ground beef or poultry (meatballs, casseroles, lasagna). I often eat vegetarian dishes, love kasha and bow ties and all sorts of kugels, oven-roasted or grilled veggies, different vegetable-based soups or legumes – and I love dairy dishes of all sorts. Comfort food can be a bowl of lukshen and cottage cheese. For Shabbos, I usually go to friends as my three married children live in different cities. Happiness is eating at home – happiness is eating out!
my energy starts to flow.”
You’ve been in the industry for a while. What changes have you seen in the kosher food business? The kosher culinary world has gone mainstream. People now travel more to exotic places, and there are so many new, exciting ingredients available today. Through the internet and the power of social media, we continue to learn about different foods that are now available with kosher certification, and every day, there are new kosher restaurants opening up with innovative menus. The world is at our doorstep! Isn’t amazing how the world is so small? How did you get started in your career and how has your style changed? I began my culinary training in my late mother’s kitchen, at the age of three. I can still remember watching my mom make stretch dough for strudel and knishes. It was amazing how a small piece of dough could be stretched so thin that you could read
rice soup didn’t include rice! This project, which we thought would take three months, took us over three years! It was a wonderful learning experience and “whetted my appetite” for a culinary career! Sadly, there are no plans to reprint Second Helpings at this time. When I first started to cook, I used to read other authors’ cookbooks from cover to cover, learning everything I could about food and cooking. I often called my mother long distance with my cooking questions. Friends and relatives also shared their favorite recipes and culinary secrets with me. When I opened a cooking school in Montreal in 1980, I finally decided it was time to take professional classes. My first cooking course was with Jacques Pepin. I was so excited! I thought it would be important to prepare everything exactly as it was written in his recipes. Jacques set us straight very quickly. He asked us which recipe we had on our recipe sheet. When we replied that it was Duck à L’Orange and
So much of our lifestyle revolves around food. How can we make our Shabbos meals/Jewish lifestyle a little healthier? I recommend eating fish at least twice a week, chicken (it’s so versatile – remove the skin to reduce the saturated fat content), lots of different vegetables, especially greens (I try to add veggies to almost everything), whole grains, quinoa (it’s very high in protein), legumes (I like to add them to soups and all sorts of salads), fruit (especially berries), and nuts. Did you know that a cup of almonds contains the same amount of calcium as a cup of dairy milk? And did you know that a bowl of vegetable soup is more satisfying than a glass of water and a handful of veggies? Cook well – and enjoy in good health!
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MAY 21, 2015
“Food inspires me!
we read him the ingredients, he said, “That’s a very nice recipe. You can make it that way one day. But today, I feel like doing it differently!” That class shaped my teaching style in a major way. I learned it was important to be flexible, spontaneous and creative, to have the ability to improvise, and to be responsive to my students’ needs. I still take cooking classes and attend professional conferences whenever possible to keep up to date on current food trends. There’s so much to learn – food is a never-ending adventure!
Norene, you’ve worked on so many other books and have been involved in the kosher food industry for so long. What’s different about this cookbook and what compelled you to collaborate with Daniella? Norene Gilletz: When I first met Daniella, I was so impressed with her passion about food and her excitement about creating spectacular recipes from simple, everyday ingredients. Daniella reminded me of myself when I was a young mom with three little kids, busy in the community, cooking and baking constantly, always looking for a new twist on familiar ingredients. Her enthusiasm is so contagious and she loves to learn new things. I am enthusiastic about good food and I love to teach others. Daniella and I fit together perfectly as a writing team – the way a hand fits into a glove. Daniella visualizes how ingredients can come together in innovative, eye-catching ways, working from an artistic approach. I create my recipes based on technique, as well as 50+ years of cooking and teaching experience. I’m very experienced in creating recipes for families with allergies, on special diets, and with different tastes and different styles of cooking. Nowadays, I’m not cooking as much or as often, except when my kids come to Toronto for a visit. Working with Daniella was a way to share my knowledge and passion for creating great recipes. Writing The Silver Platter has been a labor of love. I love working together with Daniella – it is a wonderful way to pass on our creativity and knowledge to the next generation. The excitement from everyone who sees The Silver Platter has been absolutely energizing!
the newspaper through it! My mother and my grandmothers always mixed and kneaded their yeast dough by hand (before food processors were invented!). They prepared my favorite foods: cinnamon twist cookies, chopped herring in a wooden bowl with a hackmesser (chopping blade), kasha & bows, schmaltz with gribenehs to shmear on fresh challah… mmm! I can still remember the wonderful smells and tastes from their kitchens. My mother, Belle Rykiss, z”l, was an excellent cook and was my role model in the kitchen. She made homemade noodles, breads, bagels, cinnamon buns, cottage cheese, kreplach, knishes, kugels, chopped herring... oy, the joy of Jewish cooking! Her motto was, “If you can read, you can cook!” When I was a young bride, I joined Bnai Brith Women (now called Act to End Violence against Women) and our members decided to write a cookbook as a fundraising project. We asked family and friends to share their recipes. We wanted to know their culinary secrets so that we could duplicate the dishes that were family favorites. I became the editor of Second Helpings Please when I accidentally discovered that the bean and barley soup had no beans and the tomato
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Was it intimidating working with someone so experienced in the food industry? I’m not going to lie. I was definitely scared to pick up the phone to call Norene. Even when we had our first meeting, I was intimidated to knock on her door. But Norene is so warm and welcoming that the instant I met her, all the fears went away. She is the kindest woman who treats everyone equally and with the same amount of respect. She was excited about my potential and we got straight to work.
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119 THE JEWISH HOME
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120 102
In The Kitchen
Daniella Silver with Norene Gilletz
Sampling The Silver Platter
Balsamic-Braised Brisket Ingredients 1 beef brisket (4-5 lb) 2 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 Tbsp onion powder 1 Tbsp garlic powder 2 Tbsp olive oil 3 large onions, thinly sliced ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste 2 Tbsp honey 3 bay leaves ½ cup balsamic vinegar ¾ cup dry red wine or water
Meat | freezes well | 8-10 servings
Preparation 1. Coat a large roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add brisket; sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Rub brisket with spices to coat on all sides. 2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onions for 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in parsley, tomato paste, honey, bay leaves, vinegar, and wine. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool. 3. Pour sauce over, around, and under the brisket. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or
overnight, turning occasionally. 4. Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake, covered, for 3-3½ hours or until meat is fork-tender. Calculate 45 minutes per pound to determine the cooking time. Discard bay leaves. Let cool. 5. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Discard hardened fat from gravy. Trim excess fat from brisket. Slice against the grain to desired thickness. 6. Reheat, covered, in pan gravy at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. Norene’s Notes Slow Cooker Method: Season bris-
ket and prepare sauce as above; add to slow cooker insert coated with nonstick cooking spray. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Place insert into slow cooker; cook on low for 8-10 hours. Ask your butcher to cut a very large brisket (8 lb) in half. Total cooking time will be the same as for one 4 lb brisket. Brisket should be cooked “low and slow,” with lots of onions. The internal temperature should not rise above 180°F on a meat thermometer; after it reaches 200°F, the brisket will become dry. Contiued on page 122
121 THE JEWISH HOME
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These cookies are a staple in my house. I always have a batch stashed in my freezer as they taste fabulous frozen! The cranberry and chocolate combo is just amazing – tart and sweet!
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Ingredients ¾ cup vegetable oil 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed ½ cup sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 ¾ cups flour (or gluten-free flour with xanthan gum) 1 tsp baking soda Pinch kosher salt 1½ cups chocolate chunks (or chocolate chips) 1½ cup dried cranberries Preparation In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla on medium speed until light. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed, just until blended, 30-60 seconds. Add chocolate chunks and cranberries; mix just until combined. Cover and refrigerate for 45 min-
utes, until chilled. (The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a large cookie scoop, drop mounds of dough the size of golf balls 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until golden. Let cool on baking sheet. Store at room temperature in an airtight container. Norene’s Notes Brown or white? Brown sugar has a higher moisture content than white sugar. Using more brown sugar produces softer, chewier cookies. Using more white sugar produces cookies that are flatter and crispier. Chill out: If you chill your cookie dough before baking, the cookies will spread more slowly during baking. That’s because the heat sets the cookie while it’s still thick, producing a denser, chewier cookie. For chewier cookies, cool cookie sheets between each batch. If your cookie sheets are hot when you add the cookie batter, the cookies will spread more.
Chocolate Chunk Cranberry Cookies Pareve | freezes well | 18-20 large cookies
Cheesy Smashed Roasted Potatoes Only four ingredients, yet these smashed, cheese-drizzled taters are mouthfuls of comfort and joy. My kids are in food heaven every time I make a batch. Serve as cute appetizer bites at parties or as a scrumptious side dish with fish. Ingredients 24 mini potatoes (1½ lb) 2 Tbsp olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 cups shredded mozzarella or Cheddar cheese Preparation Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes, or until a skewer can be inserted easily into the largest potatoes. Place a large piece of parchment pa-
Dairy | 6 servings
per over potatoes. Place a second baking pan or cookie sheet on the parchment; press down gently, flattening each potato to about half of its original thickness. Remove pan and parchment paper. Drizzle smashed potatoes with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with cheese. (See Norene’s Notes, below.) Bake, uncovered, an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbling. Norene’s Notes Variation: Make Mini Pizza Taters by drizzling each smashed potato with tomato sauce and sprinkling with cheese. Top with minced scallions and red bell peppers. To shred cheese in a food processor, freeze cheese first for 15 minutes. Use medium pressure on pusher when grating. No food processor? Use a box grater. Four ounces (120 g) cheese yields 1 cup shredded.
Recipes from The Silver Platter by Daniella Silver with Norene Gilletz Reprinted with permission from the copyright holders: ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications http://www.artscroll.com/silver
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Jewish History
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It
was a time of trial and tribulation for world Jewry. Shavuot 1915 was one of the largest single expulsions of Jews since Roman times. Over 200,000 Jews in Lithuania and Courland would be abruptly forced from their homes into dire circumstances. With the advance of the German army on the Eastern front in the spring of 1915, retreating Russian forces vented their fury against the Jews and blamed them for their losses. They leveled spurious accusations of treason and spying for the enemy and sought to keep a distance between Jews and German forces to prevent contact by expelling Jews near the warfront. From province to province throughout Poland, multitudes of Jews were expelled. Many also fled from their homes as German forces moved eastward. By March, German forces approached Lithuania as Russian forces continued their retreat. The first expulsion in Lithuania took place in a small town of Botki. In April, at the town of Kuzhi, the local Jews were accused of hiding German troops in their homes. Although proofs brought by members of the Duma exposed the charges as fiction, the accusations had already spread throughout Russia via newspaper reports and became another pretext to persecute Russian Jewry. Soon after, the mass expulsion from Lithuania commenced.
While
preparing for the upcoming Shavuot holiday, notices appeared calling for the Jews living in areas closer to the warfront to vacate their homes over the next day or two. Most of the notices gave 24 hours or even less to those who had to leave their homes. In just a few days, Lithuanian Jewry, which had a legacy of hundreds of years, made a hasty exit, ordered to move eastward. Even the sick and the infirmed were included in the decree. Those who did not comply faced execution. With the evening of May 5 approaching, multitudes of Jews headed out into an environment of unknown perils. Most fled by foot, with few provisions, harassed and robbed, facing attacks on the roads as they began their desperate search for refuge. Out in
the open fields facing numerous dangers, kiddush for the holidays was recited and minyanim were organized to recite the holiday prayers. In Courland, otherwise known as Latvia, Jews faced a similar fate, although the expulsion was enforced a day or two later; mostly on the holiday itself. A Jewish military physician watched as hundreds of Jews of the town of Keidan hastily gathered their belongings. In shock and despair he asked them why they were being expelled. They responded, “Because we are Jews!” With tears in his eyes he replied, “I risk my head for them and they exile my brothers.” Such was the case for the over one half million Russian Jews who valiantly served in the Tsar’s army while so many of their families faced persecution. As the exodus began in Keidan, according to one eyewitness, “People bid farewell. On our last night in Keidan, they slept on their bundles as cannon fire shook the walls of their homes.” Thirty cars filled with men, women, and children on Friday, May 8, and headed towards the city of Homel. From there they would be forced further east. The mood in Lithuania was beyond description. It was also a time when Jewish communities bestowed tremendous kindness upon one another. Assistance was offered to refugees who arrived at their towns, which included food, lodging, and sometimes employment. The Yekapo organization, an abbreviation for the “Jewish Community Relief War Victims,” would wait at train stations and other locations to offer aid. Sometimes, the very communities assisting the refugees would soon become refugees themselves, forced out by the same or a subsequent decree. Some of those who were exiled went to Vilna, where there was no expulsion. One rabbi described
the reaction of the Vilna community to their arrival, “It was the first day of Shavuot and the Jews of Vilna went to synagogue not knowing that the first train with all those expelled was already arriving at Novo-Vileika … Notwithstanding that it was a holy day, meeting places where quickly organized and each Jewish family of Vilna was required to bring something edible … In the course of two hours, thousands of kilograms of bread, sugar, meat, cheese, eggs, boiled meat and herring were collected.”
The
expulsion decree did not last. Soon after, Nikolai Nikolayevich informed the military authorities that mass expulsions of Jews were no longer desired since the economy was damaged as a result. He proposed that Jews should be expelled only from one place at a time, where it was deemed “necessary.” The long-term impact of the expulsion was significant. With the dismantling of Jewish communities, the religious life of Russian Jewry markedly declined. The religious institutions that are the lifeline of the community such as the cheder, the mikveh, the synagogue, and the yeshiva were diminished by the massive sudden dislodging of Lithuanian Jewry. Jewish life in Russia would never be the same. Due to the severity of the expulsions, the Pale Settlement which forcibly confined Russia’s Jews since the end of the 18th century officially ended with a decree in August 1915 allowing Jews to move to Eastern Russia. The intention was not to free the Jews from the confinement of the Pale but to keep them out of the proximity of the warfront due to irrational suspicions of Jewish disloyalty. Shavuot 1915 marked a time of tragedy and challenge once again faced by Jewry. In one small, vacant Lithuanian synagogue on the first day of Shavuot, Jewish refugees had gathered to pray. A rabbi among the group arose and stood before the shocked and traumatized group and offered the following brief consoling words. “We have faced other difficulties before. Someday, this too shall pass. Now, let us say the Hallel prayers.”
MAY 21, 2015
One Century Later
The Expulsion of Jews from Lithuania and Courland 1915
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Larry Domnitch
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Forgotten Heroes
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Fighting in the Sinai
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Avi Heiligman
For hundreds of years the Sinai was controlled by the Egyptians and then in the 1500s the Ottoman Empire ruled over the vast desert. In 1906 it was given back to the Egyptians but since they were under British rule, the Sinai was controlled by Great Britain. The desert’s eastern end is the border between Egypt and Israel. England controlled Palestine until the State of Israel was formed in 1948 and the desert became a battleground. Five wars in 25 years ensued in the once peaceful desert before it became a key piece in the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. Within hours of the declaraAn Egyptian army truck ablaze during the Six Day War tion of the Jewish state, Egypt and all of Israel’s neighbors attacked. Edom, the Negev or even Saudi Arabia Egypt was the only one to attack from based on possible locations that actu- the south and the lack of cooperation ally exist in those areas that coincide from Arabs was very poor and advantawith known attributes given in the To- geous to the Israelis. Several skirmishrah and Chazal. es took place in Going with the the Sinai as well most popular loas the Negev cation, the Sinai Desert before a Peninsula, somedecisive action times referred with the Egypto as the Sinai tians ended in a Desert, was the truce between scene of a battle the two counA handshake and a promise with the Amatries. Operation at the Camp David Accords leikim attacking Chorev (a name Bnei Yisrael. 3,300 years later, the Si- in the Torah for Har Sinai) was a decinai saw several battles during the 20th sive victory for the Israelis that forced century between Israel and Egypt. many Egyptians to surrender. Prime
Minister Ben Gurion was quoted as saying to the commanding general at the time, “Do you know the value of peace talks with Egypt? After all, that is our great dream.”
I
paratroopers soon joined them and they were given air cover by the air forces and navies of all three nations. While the forces were winning the war on the battlefield, the politicians were losing it on the home front. It was an unpopular war and soon all gains in the Sinai Desert had to be abandoned as they buckled under political pres-
n 1956, the Sinai Desert became the scene of an international crisis when Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal. A vital passageway between South Asia and Europe, it was necessary to keep it open to all ships. When Egyptian President Gamal Nasser decided to side with the The Suez Canal during the Yom Kippur War Russians and began receiving arms shipments, other sure. The Egyptians won the political countries decided to invade. Britain, battle even though they suffered heavy France and Israel wanted to remove losses. The canal zone was closed Nasser from power and regain control for commercial shipping until March of the canal. Israel landed paratroopers 1957. Even though the Israelis had to on October 29. The U.S. was furious give up the Sinai, they were now able but couldn’t do much since France and to use the Straits of Tiran for shipping England were on the Israelis’ side and which had previously been closed about to send in forces. since 1951. They had also won the The Egyptians made a fatal error sympathy from the U.S. since Presiwhen they thought the paratroopers dent Eisenhower regretted forcing the were just part of a small scale raid and Israelis to withdraw their troops. not a full invasion. They were taken by surprise, and the Israelis quickly t took over a decade for the next achieved their initial objectives near war to break out in the region. the Mitla Pass. British paratroopers The tensions still hadn’t simmered landed along the canal on November down since the Suez Crisis when Is5 followed by a commando invasion rael attacked her neighbors in a prethe key canal port of Port Said. French emptive move that started the Six Day War. Nasser had closed the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli shipping and had signed a pact with King Hussein of Jordan. After mobilizing troops, they thought they were ready for an Israeli attack but they were wrong. Within hours, the Egyptian air force was in shambles with most planes destroyed before they could take to the air. Three days later Israeli troops were on the banks of the Suez Canal and captured the Gaza Strip. An Egyptian tank in the Sinai Desert knocked out
I
by an Israeli attack during the Six Day War
Continued on page 126
MAY 21, 2015
M
ost midrashim and historians agree that Har Sinai is a peak somewhere in the Sinai Peninsula between Egypt and Israel. There are some who say it’s in
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Ariel Sharon with other soldiers during the Yom Kippur War in the Sinai Desert
Nasser took responsibility for the outcome of the Six Day War and even after a truce continued the attacks against Israel in a conflict that has become known as the War of Attrition. For the next three years as Egypt tried to regain control of the Sinai, low intensity battles and raids were carried out by both sides until 1970 when a truce was signed. Egypt was determined to regain lost territory and “was prepared to sacrifice a million soldiers.” After a massive build up in arms was somehow overlooked by the Israeli intelligence, Egypt and her Arab allies attacked Israel. The war broke out on Yom Kippur 1973 and came as a complete surprise to the Israelis. 60-foot sand walls
were hosed down by powerful water cannons and anti-aircraft missiles wreaked havoc on IAF planes. Egyptian armor quickly broke through the thin Israeli lines by the canal but in a tactical error did not advance through the desert. This gave the IDF time to regroup, and the division under Ariel Sharon pushed back the Egyptians to the Great Bitter Lake. The Battle of the Sinai was one of the largest tank battles since WWII as Egypt lost over 260 tanks while the Israelis lost about 50. (This battle paled in comparison to the Israeli- Syrian tank battles happening at the same time in the Golan Heights.)The war was over in less than three weeks.
T
he decisive victory gave Israel more territory and left Egypt embarrassed at the massive losses she sustained. American intervention had prevented the Israeli advance on the undefended road to Cairo. In two disengagement agreements Israel gave back some land to Egypt but the stage was set for a historic peace treaty. At the Camp David Accords in September 1978 Israel agreed to give
#soooooogood
back the entire Sinai Peninsula in ex- tians have maintained they are willing change for peace. The desert was to to honor their peace treaty with Israel. be demilitarized and the two countries Egypt has become a strategic “middle began political and man” in brokering economic relations. ceasefires between Egypt became the Israel and terrorist first Arab country to Palestinians operrecognize Israel. ation inside Gaza. The five wars The Sinai Desert that took place in the probably won’t see a Sinai were not just major war in the near confined to ground future. operations. Aerial Looking back dogfights and bombat the stunning vicing missions had a tories one must not major impact on the forget the forgotoutcome of the wars. ten heroes that gave Jet combat was pertheir lives in the fected by the Israelis desert and the yad and some of these Hashem that shined aerial battles need an through every battle article of their own to that was fought. A victorious Israeli convoy do it justice. Over 40 during the Six Day War Israelis have earned the title of ace (downing at least five en- Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to emy planes) including ten that became The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comdouble aces. Jet pilot Giora Epstein ments and suggestions.for future columns currently holds the title of most kills and can be reached at aviheiligman@ in a jet fighter with 17 – he downed 16 gmail.com. Egyptian planes over the Sinai. The Sinai Desert has been the scene of recent terror attacks and tunnels leading to Gaza, but the Egyp-
127 THE JEWISH HOME
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In the Kitchen
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85 Naomi Nachman
Dairy Cocktails for Shavuot
I
love to have a cocktail with my dinner when I go out to eat and I
always ask to see the specialty of the bartender. I find it fun and in most instances, the bartender’s recommendations are terrific. This past Pesach I had the honor of working for VIP-Ram Passover Program at the National Trump Doral Hotel in Miami, giving culinary and mixology classes.
Besides learning
so much from the chefs and event planners at the program, I learned from their amazing bartenders how to make the perfect chocolate martini. When I was watching them
Happy Birthday Cocktail This is a fun drink I created when I was asked to be a personal chef at a birthday party for someone turning 30. I prepared a 7-course dinner for the birthday girl and her guests and ran a small cooking demo as part of the entertainment. I wanted to create a special cocktail in honor of the birthday girl. This is the drink I created special for the evening. Ingredients ¾ oz. vodka ¾ oz. Frangelico 1/8 cup heavy cream Preparation Combine the vodka, Frangelico and heavy cream in a cocktail shaker that has the strainer attachment. Top with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a shot glass. To decorate a glass rim, here is a cool trick to jazz up the cocktail’s appearance. To prepare a simple syrup: Ingredients ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup water
add in the milk all I kept thinking was: Shavuot Cocktail!
Preparation Boil the two ingredients together and stir until sugar
has dissolved. Set aside and cool. Take your choice of a drinking glass. Hold glass upside down and dip the edge of the rim in simple syrup then dip again in colored sprinkles, salt or edible glitter. The syrup acts as the glue for the garnish.
One of the lessons I learned was the counting process which bartenders use to measure while pouring. It’s their version of eyeballing ingredients while cooking. Depending on the viscosity of the alcohol, while pouring and counting to three you will generally get 1 ounce of liquid and if you count to 5, you will get 1-1½ ounces.
Chocolate Martini Ingredients 1 oz. vanilla vodka 1.5 oz. double expresso liquor by Morad wines 1.5 oz. Heaven chocolate liquor 1.5 oz. whole milk Preparation Place the alcohol and milk inside a metal cocktail shaker that has the strainer attachment. Top with ice, cover and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain the drink into a martini glass and drink while cold.
Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website,www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.
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Dairy Delights
by Tamar Genger, MA, RD & joyofkosher.com
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Cauliflower “Mac” and Cheese Mac and cheese is a childhood favorite that never gets old, but it does get hard to fit into a healthy diet. This version uses cauliflower instead of pasta, it is still pretty high in fat and calories mostly due to the cheese, but you can feel better about getting some extra vitamins and fiber from the cauliflower, and for kids it is a great way to get them to eat their veggies. Enjoy as a main or try a smaller portion as a side; if you like mac and cheese you will love this new twist. Ingredients 1 small head cauliflower cut into small florets about 5-6 cups ½ small onion, diced 1 teaspoon olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup panko 2 tablespoons parsley 1 teaspoon paprika 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour 1 ¼ cups milk, (whole milk or coconut is best) ½ teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon regular mustard
½ teaspoon paprika 2 ½ cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese (reserve 1/2 cup) Directions Preheat oven to 400°F. Place cauliflower florets on a baking sheet, mix with diced onion and oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes tossing halfway through until browned. Lightly toast panko in a frying pan or oven and toss with parsley and paprika. Warm the milk in the microwave, so it is just heated through (this helps prevent the cheese sauce from clumping). Heat a medium saucepan over medium to med-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and flour then whisk for 2 minutes (until a smooth roux is made), add milk and continue whisking until sauce thickens. Once smooth, add salt and pepper and other spices. Then add the cheese, reserving ½ cup. Mix with spatula and add cauliflower, stir gently. Now add the reserved cheese, mix just enough to evenly distribute. Place mixture into a 8×8 inch greased casserole dish and cover with panko mixture. Bake in oven for 20 minutes until toasty and bubbly.
Creamy Spinach Torta in a Potato Crust Creamy spinach is set in a potato crust to make an entree that tastes as delicious as it looks. Served with a soup or salad it makes a complete filling meal. Ingredients 3 large russet potatoes Olive oil cooking spray 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry 8 ounces (1 package) cream cheese, cut into 1 inch chunks 3 large eggs ¾ cup chopped fresh parsley ¾ cup chopped fresh dill 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel Freshly ground black pepper to taste Directions Preheat oven to 400°F.
Peel the potatoes. Slice two of them crosswise into rounds about 1/8-inch thick. Slice the third potato lengthwise into rounds about 1/8-inch thick. Spray a large baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Place the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared pan and spray with additional cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and crispy, turning the slices once during baking time. While the potatoes are baking, mix the spinach with the cream cheese, eggs, parsley, dill, feta cheese and lemon peel. Season with black pepper to taste. Remove the potatoes from oven and place the round slices, overlapping them, on the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Place the long slices along the sides. Spoon the spinach mixture into the pan. Bake the torta for 40 minutes or until the top feels firm and set. Remove the pan from the oven. Release the spring and carefully remove the sides of the pan. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
Tamar Genger lives in New York and is the mother of three amazing children, a Registered Dietitian, professor of Nutrition, and as you can probably guess, a foodie! She loves to travel with her family and visits kosher restaurants wherever she goes. As a mom and a nutritionist, Tamar tries to balance her passion for healthy cooking with her insatiable desire for chocolate.
133 THE JEWISH HOME
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Proceeds to Benefit:
PRESENTS
THE JEWISH HOME
A Rina C. Hirsch Production
BASED ON THE ORIGIN AL HANS C STORY BY HRISTIA N ANDER SON
DIRECTED BY: RINA C. HIRSCH & ARIANA WOLFSON WITH HADASSAH FERTIG & ELIANA HIRSCH
Sunday June
7, 2015
11:00 a.m.
&
3:30 p.m. Lawrence Middle School
195 Broadway, Lawrence, NY
STARRING the
DRAMA QUEENS For Ticket Information, please call: 516-481-1644 or 516-385-1959 for General Information. Order online: at www.jewishtickets.com or D4Ltickets@gmail.com General Seats: $20 in advance/$25 at the door Premium Seats: $25 in advance/$30 at the door | VIP Seats: $40 in advance/$50 at the door
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בס״ד
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Life Coach
135 THE JEWISH HOME
Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS
The Wildest Things
MAY 21, 2015
Not spontaneously, unless it’s nice. Not uncensored, unless it’s nice. Because honesty alone is not the goal. Rather, it’s honesty, expressed with thought. Not every honest thought we have needs to be shared. There may also be more ways to get across the same thing. “Think before you speak!” Now that’s great advice, except that it’s not how a kid’s mind operates. So kids will continue to amaze and entertain us, with their innocent and insulting queries, unless of course we muzzle them. Maybe that’s why they say, “Kids should be seen and not heard.” I actually love hearing them because ultimately they are kids and that gives them certain inalienable rights. But now what about us? I think we need to remember that when we speak we no longer have “kid dispensation.” We need to monitor what we say and how we say it! Because even though we are just kids stretched out a bit, we are
T
hey say kids say the wildest things, or “out of the mouth of babes!” because they often say and express—out loud—what we only think. It’s both embarrassing and refreshing! They might say out loud, “Why is she wearing that dress? It’s so ugly!” My sister once said that her daughter wrote her from camp, “Please stop writing all these details about how you are keeping busy at home. It is so boring.” My sister exclaimed, “She thinks she has it bad, she only has to read it – I’m living that life!” Kids say things like, “Mr., why don’t you have any hair?” As if some poor schnook sat and ripped out all the hair on his head! Well, thankfully these days it’s cool to be bald! They ask things like, “Why does she get to drive? I want to drive!” Never mind that she’s not old enough to have a license and she can’t even see over the steering wheel. They say things like, “Why does your skin jiggle or what are those blue lines on your legs”? Excuse us, why are they looking anyway? Are they premed or something? We don’t ask them, “Why are you so small?” In fact we reassure them, they’ll be big and strong! They ask, “Are we there yet?” two minutes after we get into a car. They know we are not just driving around the corner! Well, truthfully we are probably thinking that same thing too! It seems we can’t check Waze fast enough! They say, “I hate you” when we upset them. We say “I love you, but…” when they upset us. Which seems the more natural reaction?! They say it like it is! Then we teach them to say it like they should! Both have a reality to them. There’s purity in expressing with honesty. But there’s insensitivity to it, too. It is said that honesty is the best policy. However, there are qualifiers! Not out loud, except if it’s nice.
They say it like it is! Then we teach them to say it like they should!
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the ones who have earned the licenses, the jiggly skin and the bald heads. And along the way we did not love people being blunt or thoughtless with us. So when we communicate let’s take that extra second to think does this need to be heard. And if so, is there a better way to say it? Because guess what? “Adults say the wildest things”—too! Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com
¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾
Large Commercial Insurance Policies Life Insurance Disability Insurance Self Employed Health Insurance Long Term Care insurance Rabbi S. M. Leiner, CLTC
Licensed Independent Broker for All Types of Insurance
Call: 917‐543‐0497 – Leave a message
Mail: Rabbi S. M. Leiner, CLTC P.O. Box # 7655 600 Franklin Ave Garden City, NY 11530
Premier clients receive a copy of my book (sefer) “Sweeter Than Honey” as a gift
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MAY 21, 2015
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TJH Classifieds SERVICES
SERVICES
Buying or Refinancing a Home? Pre-Approval letters that brokers trust! Put as little as 3% down. Borrow up to 90% with no MI! We can beat any written offer! Specializing in very difficult scenarios Call Daniel at Landmark Funding Group. NMLS#367291 at 718-663-7202 All loans arranged through 3rd party lenders.
PIANO/GUITAR LESSONS By Yisroel Ament (First lesson FREE!!!) 347-357-7797 Yisroelament@gmail.com
Is your air-conditioner on and you are still sweating? Licensed HVAC technician who specializes in the repair and installation of central air conditioners – all makes and models. Great prices on installation of split systems – heating and cooling Raphy 516-668-2832
Alternative Solutions Geriatric Care Management staff will assist you with: * Obtaining Medicaid and Pooled Income Trust * In-home Assessments, Individual and Family Counseling * Securing reliable home care assistance * Case and Care Management services Dr. S. Sasson, DSW, LCSW (718) 544- 0870 or (646) 284-6242
DO YOU NEED CLEANING, BABYSITTING OR CARE GIVERS? Cheap rates Call 718-304-4348
Fair Price Rubbish Deal Home, stores, garages, offices, basements, atticsInterior, exterior, demolition, garbage removal. Efficiency is our goal. 718-775-7431
Wilson Tree Service Tree cutting, pruning, seeding, spraying, stump grinding, planting Free estimate. No tree too tall 718-444-2275
The Children’s Clothing Gemach in Cedarhurst Is fully stocked for boys/girls in sizes newborn-teen To make an appointment please call/text 516-712-7735
SERVICES
SERVICES
Psychotherapist
Hair Course Learn how to wash and style hair and wigs Hair and wig cutting, wedding styling Private lessons or in a group Call Chaya 718-715-9009
Depression, anxiety, marriage, low self-esteem, Adults/Children Professional/Confidential Kenneth J. Levin, LCSW Insurance Accepted (516) 546-9170
Keep Calm and Get Organized! Organizer. home. closet. playroom. kitchen. garage. Call today to get started - Special Low Rates Call Miriam 347-684-0338
Photos 4 your Simcha Professional Photography and Video We love what we do and it shows in our work! Competitively priced! Check out our website & specials. www.photos4yoursimcha.com or call Yaakov 718-868-1800
“Kosher” Yoga & Licensed Massage Therapy Peaceful Presence Studio 436 Central Avenue, Cedarhurst Separate men/women Group/private sessions, Martial Arts... Gift Cards Available www.peacefulpresence.com 516-371-3715
950 Broadway
Woodmere, NY 11598 www.pugatch.com
BARRY PUGATCH
Commercial Property FOR LEASE
Struggling with Shalom Bayis? The Shalom Bayis Hotline 732-523-1112 Caring rabbanim answering your questions for free. So far very positive results BS’D!
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE MOONLIGHT COTTAGES, MONTICELLO 4 b/r 2 full Bath A/C, 3 pools, day camp, entertainment All sports facility, Y.I. Crowd avail 6/29-7-30 Call 718-871-2050 or email FISHTANK18@GMAIL.COM FSBO Woodmere - beautiful 4BR, 2.5Bath, colonial, move-in ready. EIK, LR, DR, Den, basement. Best block, SD15, low-taxes, NOflood-zone, walk to Cedarhurst/Woodmere Shuls, LIRR. $799k. 516-724-1175
Carol Braunstein
(516) 2 9 5 - 3 0 0 0 www.pugatch.com
VIOLIN LESSON- IN YOUR HOME 5 Town area Beginners to advanced Call Eric 516 359 3801
Call or Text
(516) 592-2206
cbraunstein@pugatch.com
Charming Home In SD#14, 4BR, 2BA Col, Beautiful 3BR, 3BA Exp-Ranch Set On A Updated Eik, Fin Bsmt & Attic…$425K 1/2 Acre, Formal LR & DR, Den...$1.199M
2,250
+/- SF Building High Visibility Corner
F u l l B a s e m e n t
Fantastic Location
C a n B e D i v i d e d
Parking In Rear
W i t h B a t h r o o m s Call Lenny For Details!!!
If You Are Interested In Buying, Selling Or Leasing Call The Local Commercial EXPERTS 516-295-3000
Spacious 4 Level 4BR Split, 2.5 Baths, Lovely 4BR Exp-Ranch On O/S Property, Eik, FDR, Lg Den, Fin Bsmt...$499K Eik, LR, FDR, Many Updates…$499K
CALL ME FOR A FREE M A R K E T A N A LY S I S F O R YOUR HOME!!!
LO OK I N G T O B U Y OR SE LL? C A LL M E T O DAY ! !!
TJH Classifieds NORTH WOODMERE: PRICE REDUCED!!! Spacious & Bright 4BR Brookfield Split, 3 Full Baths, Eik, Formal DR, Lower Level Den W/Brick Mantle & Fplc, Lg Bedrooms All On One Floor, SD#15…$659K - Call Carol Braunstein - (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
CEDARHURST: NEW LISTING Beautifully Renovated 4BR, 2.5 Bath Exp-Cape, Wood & Granite New Kitchen W/SS Appliances, Den, Deck…$590K - Call Carol Braunstein - (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
WOODMERE Immaculate Spacious Split, 4BR, 2 Full Baths, Updated Kitchen & Bathroom, FDR, CAC, Alarm, Move Right In…$599K - Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
CEDARHURST: 4,000 +/- SF & 2,600 +/- SF Office Suites In Professional Elevator Building With Parking, Close To All, On Central Ave, For Lease… Call For More Details - (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
Post your Real Estate, Help Wanted, Services and Misc. Ads here.
Weekly Classified Ads Up to 5 lines and/or 25 words
1 Week......... $20 $10 OCEANSIDE 1,500 +/- SF Retail Space on Long Beach Rd, Great Location, Close to All, For Lease… Call For More Details - (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
2 Weeks....... $35 $17.50 4 Weeks....... $60 $30
EMAIL ADS TO: CEDARHURST: NEW LISTING Mint 4BR Hi-Ranch In Cedar Bay Park W/3 New Baths, Lr, FDR, Eik W/Sliders To Deck, Den W/ Entrance To Porch, CAC, Close To All...$625K Call Carol Braunstein - (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
CEDARHURST: Large 5 Bedroom Center Hall Colonial, 4 Full Baths, Lg Eik, Formal DR, Den, Basement, Heated IG Pool, SD#15…$1.099M - Call Carol Braunstein -(516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT PROPERTY FOR SALE INWOOD Commercial mixed use building + Lot. Private parking, corner property, high traffic area 1st floor offices, 2nd floor: 2 Apts. Asking 849k. Call 212-470-3856 Yochi @ WinZone Re CEDARHURST: 500-3,000 +/- SF Professional Office Space Available In The Heart Of Cedarhurst, For Lease… Call For More Details - (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
Homes For Sale Woodmere Property
Woodmere Property
ROCKVILLE CENTRE: Newly Renovated Bldg W/Elevator, Granite Lobby & Handicap Ramp, 5000+/SF Office Space Over 5000+/-SF Retail Store in the Retail District, 1st Floor Offers Full Usable Basement, For Sale/Lease… Call For More Details - (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com Include valid credit card info. Deadline: Mondays 5:00pm Publishes on Thursdays
Continues on next page
COMING SOON! NEW! Residential Office on Central Avenue across from Seasons!
2702 Sq Ft Colonial Right By Yeshiva Gedolah And Aish! With 5 Bedrooms And 3.5 Bathrooms. New House Generator!!!
Beautiful 4/5 Br Splanch W/ Bedrooms All On Same Floor. Large Rooms, Very Open Layout, Brand New Kitchen!!!
Woodmere Property
Cedarhurst Property
FELTER AVENUE
HEWLETT
Split With Dormered Additional Full Floor. 5 Large Bedrooms. Regular Staircase To Attic Floor That's A Great Playroom Or Storage!!!
Judah Spector Licensed Real Estate Agent
516.524.8088
judah.spector@gmail.com www.loriandassociates.com
Gracious Splanch. 4/5 Bedrooms On Same Floor. Large Grand Entry Hall. Livingroom W Cathedral Ceilings!!!
Charming, updated home on oversized lot. Granite EIK, SS appl, hrdwd rs, n. bsmnt w/ wine cellar. Lrg shop/office permitted on premises. Many possibilities. Call Sherri 516-297-7995 $545K
4 Houses. Brnd New Construction. 4 rs. 5BR, 3 full bths + 2 half bths. EIK, LR/DR, den area off kit. Lndry on 2nd r. Full bsmnt w/ half bath. 4th oor has prvte brs and bth. Prvte drvwy. Call Chaya Moller for a showing. 516-506-3347 $625K
56 MURIEL
PLAINVIEW
Lori & Associates LI Realty Inc.
Five Towns Real Estate Office 94 Spruce Street, Cedarhurst, NY
BELLE HARBOR
Build your dream house facing the ocean in Belle Harbor on very desirable block. Places of worship close by. Call Kathy (917) 306-1610
LAWRENCE
Stunning renovation completed. Gorgeous cntr hall. 5 lrg bds. Mstr suite w/ sitting rm. Gourmet Kosher Kitchen with Great Rm. LR w/ Frplc, huge custom DR. 4 full bths & full bsmnt. Call Sherri 516-297-7995
FAR ROCKAWAY
Young, legal, 2 family semi-detached, 3 over 4 bdrms. 5 full bths. 1st r is a duplex w/ a huge eat in kitchen w/ radiant heat. Large mstr bdrm with bath. W/D hookup in both apts. Call Sherri 516-297-7995 $699K
MAY 21, 2015
CEDARHURST: 3 Bedroom Colonial In The Heart Of Cedarhurst, Updated Kitchen, Formal DR, Finished Basement, Close To All, SD#15…$349K - Call Carol Braunstein - (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE TJH Classifieds
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
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REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
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TJH Classifieds COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE VALLEY STREAM: 5,500 +/- SF Warehouse With Offices, 2 Separate Offices, Conference Room, O’H’ Door, 12 Car Private Parking, For Sale… Call For More Details - (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
WOODMERE Follow The Leader To Woodmere, Now Is the Time to Act!!! No Metered Parking, Various Spaces Available, For Sale/Lease… Call For More Details - (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
REAL ESTATE FOR RENT INWOOD 2 Bedroom Apt. for rent Sheridan blvd /Solomon Av. with private parking. Call for info 212-470-3856 Yochi @ WinZone Realty Doughty Boulevard between Central and Alonzo 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms Newly renovated kitchen and bathrooms First floor apartment, washer and dryer access $2600 plus utilities tova711@gmail.com 718-471-9397
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
DUE TO EXPANSION, TORAH ACADEMY FOR GIRLS IN FAR ROCKAWAY IS SEEKING TO FILL THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS: Pre-School : Qualified, experienced teacher for newly opened nursery class. Assistant positions also available Elementary Limudei Kodesh- qualified, experienced moros, Junior High Limudei Kodesh- qualified, experienced moros, grades 6-8 and mechaneches/teacher mentor Junior High General Studies- 6th grades all subjects, 7th grade math and Language Arts. Please fax resume to 718-868-4612 or email mweitman@tagschools.org
Salaried Sales Position 3 positions available. Base salary $1000 per week (based on exper) + unlimited commissions Call Fidelity Payment @516-262-3134 for more info or apply online: www.fidelitypayment.com/salescareer
Due to demand, Torah Academy for Girls is seeking a warm, experienced Pre-School teacher for its newly opened nursery class for the September 2015 school term. Please fax resume to 718-868-4612 or email mweitman@tagschools.org
5 Towns based apparel website is looking for a manager with apparel experience and is comfortable with online sales. Email resumes to gersh25@gmail.com.
Cedarhurst Apartment Share Available for Frum Female 2 bedroom apartment in lovely area, 2nd floor of house Shomer Shabbat, kosher & pet friendly $800 monthly + security Please call: (917) 330-5470
Business oriented? Go-getter? Come grow with us! Jobs@focuscamera.com
M ILKY FORST PROPERTIES INC. 420 Central Ave., Cedarhurst NY 11516
Milky Forst nc. Properties IAvrohom "Avi" Sobel
420 Central Ave., Cedarhurst, NY Licensed 11516
Avrohom “Avi” Sobel Office: 516.239.0306
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
Cell:
347.524.6530
Office: 516.239.0306 Cell: 347.524.6530
Email: asobel18@gmail.com milkyforstproperties.com
Real Estate Salesperson
Email: asobel18@gmail.com milkyforstproperties.com
Can You Sell? Looking to make some extra cash? On-The-Marc is hiring motivated part time sales people. Six to 8 hours a week with unlimited income potential. Must have/own car. For more information Call Marc at 917-612-2300
HELP WANTED Special Education English Teacher for 12th grade yeshiva boys class, daily, afternoons. E-mail resume to shira@cahal.org or fax to 516 295-2899. For more information, contact Naomi Nadata at 516-295-3666 Due to demand, The Ganger Early Childhood Center of Torah Academy for Girls is seeking a warm, experienced Pre-School Teacher for its newly opened nursery class for the September 2015 school term. Please fax resume to 718-868-4612 or email mweitman@tagschools.org.
Weekend Direct Support Professionals Seeking compassionate, energetic and responsible individuals to enhance and uplift the Shabbos atmosphere in residences for women with developmental disabilities in Brooklyn or Long Island. Good communication and writing skills required. Valid driver’s license required for most positions. Please contact OHEL Bais Ezra 718-686-3102 or go to www.ohelfamily.org/careers to apply today!
Growing Sephardic Brooklyn Girls Elementary School Seeks for the upcoming school year: • A dynamic and creative grade 5 Limudei Kodesh Morah For an Ivrit b’Ivrit class • General Studies teachers who are Certified for Pre-1A, Grades 2 and 5 • Minimum 2 years experience required • Excellent Salary, Benefits Email resume: rperlow@ydeschool.org
TJH Classifieds
OFFICE ASSISTANTS/CUSTOMER SERVICE FULL TIME help needed food company in Brooklyn: phone calls ,new projects, filing, collection,sales support Requirements: - Exceptional communication skills - Meticulous work - top notch organizational skills - comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Quick books) - Able to handle working with deadlines Please send resume to : rachel@246foods.com
MISC.
Looking for a registered nurse to work part time (3 hrs/wk) with adults who have developmental disabilities. Strong health assessment skills needed. Current NYS RN license and a minimum of 2 years of post graduate hospital experience required Contact OHEL Bais Ezra 718-686-3102 or email your resume to resumes@ohelfamily.org to apply
A Non-Profit is looking to give away 2 lots in South Carolina 1 lot has a small house Just pay a small transfer fee to take over 718-974-9428
Looking for donation of car or minivan in good running condition. Tax exempt receipt available for full market value. Please call 347-342-8196
Donate Your Car, Truck or Van Help ill children Get a tax deduction for up to $1500 Gift cerfiticates for shopping and merchandise Fast pick up 718-974-9428
YNM/5towns Sheital Gemach is in desperate need of wig donations. Anyone who has wigs/falls they no longer need- There are many women who you can make very happy. Tizku l’mitzvos! Please contact 347-408-8354 for details.
General Studies JH math and middle school Teachers for Sept. ‘15. M-Th afternoons 5 Towns area boys’ school Email candidateteacher@gmail.com
CATAPULT LEARNING Teachers for Title I in Boro Park and Williamsburg Chassidic boys schools *College/Yeshiva Degree Required *Strong desire to help children learn *Excellent organizational skills *Small group instruction*Competitive salary Email resume: nyteachers@catapultlearning.com Fax# (718) 381-3493
MISC. Discounted tickets to Six Flags Great Adventure Theme Park And Safari Valid for any operating day for only $40 Contact Yehoshua @ 917- 923-0011
Let us help you create great moments… For Sale on the
New York/Pennsylvania Border A Charming House and Lodge Located On a Beautiful 5.5 Acre Private Property Surrounded By a Lake and Woods on Two Sides.
24 Bedrooms, 2 Lounges, Kitchen, Dining Area, Pool and More... Perfect for someone looking to own a large stunning family vacation property or an investors dream… All Correspondence: yswsur@gmail.com
DBD
Landscape Design & Installation From basic garden planning and Planting to full property design
No job too big or too small Call for Your Free Consultation 818 203 9286 Or email dbd613@gmail.com
MAY 21, 2015
Looking for a FULL TIME RESIDENCE MANAGER to work in a residence with men with developmental disabilities. Responsibilities include supervising all aspects of client care, programming, staffing, and facilities management. Bachelor’s and experience working in this field required. Contact OHEL Bais Ezra 718-686-3102 or email your resume to resumes@ohelfamily.org to apply
MISC.
Seeking a warm, capable Preschool Teacher for Preschool in Port Washington (near Great Neck) Good pay, beautiful facility and atmosphere. Please email your resume sara@chabadpw.org
HELP WANTED
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HELP WANTED
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141 Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg
instructions carefully in order to keep them healthy and alive. • The room temperature is most important. Plants do not do well in room temperatures that constantly fluctuate. • It is possible for plants to dry out if central heating is being used. To avoid this, spray them with water on a regular basis. • Indoor houseplants which require humidity to survive are best grown in a terrarium. • Indoor houseplants kept in a cool area will require less watering. • Plants placed in a porous clay pot require more care than plants kept in a plastic pot. • Most houseplants need more water in the spring and summer. • The best way to care for houseplants is to water them every 7-10 days. Do not water
Many people choose to use flowering house plants instead of constantly buying fresh floral arrangements.
Important tips pertaining to the care of indoor plants • It is interesting to note that even though some but not all plants do require sunlight, an artificial light can also be used. Fluorescent lighting is better for the plants than regular lighting which might give off too much heat. • The best scenario is to use two 40 watt, 4 foot fluorescent lighting for no more than 16 hours a day. The plants should be placed no more than 36 inches away from the lighting. • Each plant requires a different amount of lighting and many do not require direct sunshine. You should ask questions and read care
them a little each day because over-watering can kill the plants. • If you are leaving for a vacation, place your plant in to a larger bowl filled with pebbles and water covering the pebbles. • Open the windows of the room where the plant is kept every once in a while. Indoor plants also require some fresh air to remain healthy. • Clean the plants every once in a while. Their pores need to breathe to remain healthy. • Check to make sure that the indoor plant does not require repotting into a larger pot. • Check to make sure that a plant is not infested with insects and check houseplants for mildew which appears as a white powder on the leaves and stems.
• Most important is that when creating a dish garden and choosing the plants make sure that all the plants can survive under the same living conditions. Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg is a professional art educator, artist and designer. Among her known artwork is a floral sculpture presented to Tipper Gore, Blair
MAY 21, 2015
I
ndoor flowering plants are great to use in areas of your home which require color. They will add warmth and interest to any room. Many people choose to use flowering house plants instead of constantly buying fresh floral arrangements. The large selection of house plants include choices of bulbs, bushy plants, cacti, climbing plants, exotic foliage plants, ferns, flowering house plants, palms, succulents, and trailer plants. Many people enjoy creating dish gardens instead of floral arrangements, by combining many plants in one arrangement. It is also possible to add color to an all-green plant by adding fresh flowers. This is done by inserting each fresh flower in to a plastic water tube. The tube can then be attached to a stick for height where needed before placing it in the proper position. Clay pots, unusually-shaped objects, cane containers, glass containers, large and small baskets, hanging baskets, wood or bark containers, and ceramic dishes all make beautiful display pieces to work in and around.
Artistic and Exotic Indoor Plants for Shavuot
THE JEWISH HOME
From My Private Art Collection
House, Washington, D.C. Presently she is the Director of Operations at Shulamith School for Girls. Please feel free to email nherzberg@optonline.net with questions and suggestions for future columns.
Grocery Section J&J
Cheese Blintzes
THE JEWISH HOME
Glicks
Galil
15oz
Size #7=9 13.6 Oz
Tomato Sauce
MAY 21, 2015
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3.99
Cucumbers In Brine
.79
Bakery Liebers
Chocolate Chips
$
$
2/ 3
$
Wise
Levs
Liebers
Glicks
Potato Chips
$
Sour Candy Rips Assorted 3.52oz
0.75oz
Potato Chips 5םז Bbq/Regular
1.79
Olive Oil Cooking Spray 5oz
2/$1
$
$
Liebers
Gefen
Glicks
Crystal Geyser
12oz
26oz
Salt
Apple Juice
2.99
Water Bottles 8pk
64oz
1.99
.69
1.99
$
$
$
Liebers
Liebers
Liebers
1oz
32םז
Marshmallows 5oz Twist And Regular
Potato Chips
2/$3
4/$1
Lemon Juice
1.99
$
2.50 Plus Deposit
$
Liebers
Ice Poppers 8pk
.99
$
Deli
Produce Idaho
Fancy
Potatoes
Zucchini
5 Lb.
Visit Our
5x6
Deli Dept
Tomato
For In Store
1.99
.99 Lb.
$
$
Cantaloupe
Fresh
Macintosh
1.99
$
Watermelon
.59 Lb.
$
Specials
.89 Lb.
$
Apples
.99 Lb.
$
Roll & Seven Layer Cake 15oz
5/$1 Snackers
1.29
Beigels
3.99
$
Sushi dept
Sweet Potato Roll $ 4.50 California Roll $ 4.95 Cucumber & Avocado Roll $ 4.50 Rainbow Roll $ 9.95
Large
Zucchini
.79 Lb.
$
Sale valid 05/21/15 - 05/27/15. Cash & Carry only. We reserve the right to limit quanitities on sale items. Not responsible for typographical errors. While supplies last. No rain checks.
ORDERS CAN BE EMAILED, FAXED, OR CALLED IN 1913 Cornaga Ave. • Far Rockaway • T. 718.471.7555 • F. 718.471.9102 • E. Kosherworldorders@yahoo.com
FREE PARKING • FREE DELIVERY • FRIENDLY SERVICE • CURB SIDE SERVICE Store hours: Sun 8-8 • Mon. - Tue. 7-8 • Wed. 7-10 • Thu. 7-11 • Fri. 7-1 1/2 Hours Before Shabbos
THE JEWISH HOME
MAY 21, 2015
MAY 21, 2015 THE JEWISH HOME
PRIORITY 1
ANNIVERSARY
DINNER
JUN.15.2015 7PM // WHITE SHUL // 728 EMPIRE AVE, FAR ROCKAWAY SPECIAL GUEST MUSICAL PERFORMANCE PAYING TRIBUTE TO OUR BUILDERS Including: MR. MARK FRIEDMAN (LOS ANGELES) MR. AND MRS. JAY KESTENBAUM MR. AND MRS. IRVING LANGER MR. AND MRS. LOUIS SCHONFELD (CLEVELAND) MR. AND MRS. BEN FRIEDMAN (TORONTO) MR. AND MRS. DAVID BERKOWITZ (CHICAGO)
BORGEN/SIPZNER FAMILY MR. AND MRS. URI DREIFUS KREINDLER FAMILY MR. AND MRS. AKIVA MEDJUCK (TORONTO) MR. AND MRS. JOSHUA SHAPIRO DR. AND MRS. DAVID SIMAI
HAKARAS HATOV AWARDEES MR. YUSSIE RUBIN • MR. DAVID SHTEIERMAN • MR. CHEZKY NEEMAN • MR. SRULI MULLER ASSEMBLYMAN PHIL GOLDFEDER • MR. MOSHE MEIR LOWENSTEIN per couple
OUR MUSMACHIM
RABBI SHRAGI BERNSON • RABBI ARYEH DACHS • RABBI YITZI GREEN RABBI ELCHONON KURITSKY • RABBI AVROHOM RICHMOND RABBI NOSSON TZVI SEPLOWITZ
DINNER CO-CHAIRMEN
MR. AARON JUNGREIS • MR. ALAN RUBIN • RABBI DOV WOLOWITZ
DINNER COMMITTEE Daniel Aaron • Hillel Adelman • Elchanan Aryeh • Moshe Altusky • Josh Bleiberg • Arie Chait Avi Eisner • Shmuly Hirsch • Reuven Kamin • Ben Kaminetzky • Muttie Kaminetzky • Yitz Kaminetzky • Yisroel Kornfeld Leon Lantsman • Moshe Plotkin • Meir Rizel • Aron Robinson • Yoni Schwartz • Moshe Shawel • Leiby Tropper • Dovid Zlotnick
PRIORITY -1
COUVERT $500
THE JEWISH HOME
MAY 21, 2015