February 25 — March 2, 2016
Your Favorite Five Towns Family Newspaper
Distributed weekly in the Five Towns, Long Island, Queens & Brooklyn
Safety vs. Privacy Pages 9, 10, 11, 13 & 15
Silicon Valley and the FBI Battle over Encryption
Around the
Community
48
Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam 4th Annual Dinner a Smashing Success
pg
92
100 Bar Mitzvahs 52 and Counting
“Professor” Goldfeder Gives Lessons in Government
54
HAFTR Pays Tribute to Three Generation Families
Avi Faivish’s Bar Mitzvah Fund Makes a Bar Mitzvah a True Celebration
pg
96
Dr. Deb:
Self-Love is the Opposite of Narcissism
pg
106
Pesach Vacation Section Starts on Page 118
ONE COMMUNITY. ONE HEART.
PAGE 26
Join Us At Our Annual Dinner!
Sunday, Feburary 28, 2016 at the Sands Atlantic Beach ONE COMMUNITY. ONE HEART.
ONE COMMUNITY. ONE HEART.
Page 2 We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our entire community for your tremendous support.
– See pages 3 & 37
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our entire community for your tremendous support. We look forward to sharing in an evening of unity and inspiration at our Annual Tribute Dinner.
THIS SUNDAY, 02/28/16 The Sands: 1395 Beech Street, Atlantic Beach, NY 11509 Reception: 6:15 PM | Program: 7:45 PM | Dessert: 8:30 PM
We look forward to sharing in an evening of unity and inspiration at our Annual Tribute Dinner.
SEASONS LAWRENCE
330THISCentral Avenue, SUNDAY, 02/28/16 Lawrence, NY 11559 The Sands: 1395 Beech Street, Atlantic Beach, NY 11509 Reception: 6:15 PM | Program: 7:45 PM | Dessert: 8:30 PM
We look forward to greeting you personally, The Achiezer Team
We look forward to greeting you personally, The Achiezer Team
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
ONE COMMUNITY. ONE HEART.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our entire community for your tremendous support. We look forward to sharing in an evening of unity and inspiration at our Annual Tribute Dinner.
THIS SUNDAY, 02/28/16 The Sands: 1395 Beech Street, Atlantic Beach, NY 11509 Reception: 6:15 PM | Program: 7:45 PM | Dessert: 8:30 PM
We look forward to greeting you personally, The Achiezer Team
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Dear Readers,
R
ecently, two readers wrote in with their concerns about how the political circus is eroding our society. They lamented that the barbs and insults that are thrown around by those vying for the position to lead America are degrading. I couldn’t agree more. Although politics has become more entertaining – there’s almost no substance when you listen to the debates – I cringe when I hear the words that come out of these people’s mouths. The abuse they hurl at each other comes glibly and then they smirk inside when they feel that they threw the better punch. I’m hoping that as the primaries and caucuses make their way around nation, voters will show these hopefuls that we are seeking a candidate who has respect for others and can be a role model for young Americans. Dr. Deb always offers wonderful insight in her weekly columns. This week, I found her words to be thought provoking. She writes about narcissism and how we can ensure that we raise children who are thoughtful, helpful, healthy people who think of others and can connect with those around them. I am not a mental health professional and I can’t diagnose someone with a narcissistic personality, but when I read Dr. Deb’s piece her words rang true for someone I know. This person was brought up to be “the universe.” The house essentially revolved around him and it still does. His parents will drop everything to capitulate to his every whim. He does not have a healthy relationship with his spouse or children. Essentially, he is a petulant child in an adult body. But I always wonder: does he realize that he’s missing out? Does he wish that he could not be so selfish, so self-cen-
tered, self-serving? Politics takes place on a world – or at least a national – stage. In this round of elections, Trump seems to be the gorilla on the forum, pumping himself up – “We’re great,” “We’re gonna win,” “It’s amazing.” And he finds it hard to take criticism or admit flaws in his principles or plans. Does that make him a narcissist or is he just playing for the audience and giving them what he thinks they want? It seems that many enjoy his “pumpage,” as he’s been winning primaries and caucuses early on. So narcissist or player? Hard to tell. What about President Obama? He’s been called the “messiah” and he also seems to have a hard time admitting his flaws. In fact, just this week, it was pointed out that Obama filibustered George W. Bush’s nomination for Supreme Court in 2007. Now, the president is calling for Republicans to allow him to appoint a nominee to the Supreme Court, despite him being a lame duck president. What was good for the then-senator nine years ago is not OK for his rivals to do now. Despite what our children see in the world around us, as parents we are privileged. We have the opportunity to coax our children into proper behavior, to help them grow into healthy, wholesome adults with decent values. Every time we show them or remind them to think of others, to see their flaws with love, and to make the right decisions, we are guiding them on the right path. What a responsibility; what an honor. Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana
Yitzy Halpern PUBLISHER
publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com
Yosef Feinerman MANAGING EDITOR
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The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Bartenure’lE*
Freilichen Purim!
*Bartenura Moscato is now available in adorable 375 ml bottles, perfect for your Mishloach Manos!
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
8
COMMUNITY 8
Readers’ Poll Community Happenings
46
OpEd: C.R.I.S.I.S. by Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld
71
NEWS
100
Global
13
National
27
Odd-but-True Stories
38
Safety vs. Privacy: Silicon Valley and the FBI Battle over Encryption by Nachum Soroka 92 ISRAEL 21
Israel News PEOPLE
100 Bar Mitzvahs and Counting: Avi Faivish’s Bar Mitzvah Fund Makes a Bar Mitzvah a True Celebration by Nachum Soroka 96 Avigdor Yanush Ben-Gal: A Yom Kippur War Hero by Avi Heiligman 132 PARSHA Rabbi Wein
76
The Shmuz
78
JEWISH THOUGHT Kiddush and Sour Grapes by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
82
Worth the Wait by Eytan Kobre
84
JEWISH HISTORY Amulets, Accusations & Controversy: The Devastating Polemic Between Rabbi Yaakov Emden and Rabbi Yonason Eybeschutz, Part V by Rabbi 88 Pini Dunner HEALTH & FITNESS February is National Children’s Dental Health Month by Hylton I. Lightman, 100 MD, DCH, FAAP
71
National Nutrition Month: Savor the Flavor of Eating Right by Cindy Weinberger 102 MS, RD, CDN Self-Love is the Opposite of Narcissism by Deb Hirschhorn, PhD 106
LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW
110
What Should you Sell? by Rabbi Mordechai Kruger
126
The Pros and Cons of Online Education by Chaim Homnick
128
Your Money
141
Life is What Happens by Rivki Rosenwald, Esq., CLC
142
Dear Editor, To Avi Heiligman: You have no idea how important your weekly column is to the Jewish reader – we sometimes forget that the freedoms that we have to enjoy are not free. We fail to realize the blood, sweat, tears and sacrifice that were made and are being made to allow us to live free. We are threatened in every generation and if fail to study history we are doomed to relive it. Thanks for all of your insight and creativity. Rabbi Leslie Ungar Proud Son of World War II Veteran Mr. Leo Ungar OB”M Dear Editor, In yet another exasperated effort to corrode Senator Ted Cruz’s presidential eligibility, Donald Trump has threatened numerous times to sue Cruz and to obtain a declaratory judgment of whether he is a natural born citizen of the U.S. This same tactic was applied in legally challenging John McCain’s (born in the Panama Canal Zone) and Barak Obama’s (born in Kenya, according to many opinions) presidential eligibilities, yet such suits always flounder since the plaintiffs lack standing to sue the defendant. Pursuant to Article 3, Section 2, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution, which reads in relevant part, “… the judicial Power shall extend to all Cases…and Controversies…”— known as the Cases and Controversies Clause—the Federal Judiciary is prohibited from issuing merely advisory opinions; the courts must
ascertain whether an actual case or controversy exists, and then determine if the parties to the litigation have standing, as established by various court decisions such as County of Riverside v. McLaughlin, 500 U.S. 44 (1991), and Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555 (1992). It is also prohibited from hearing cases that are either unripe—that is, where the controversy has not arisen yet, or moot—where the controversy has already been resolved. The Supreme Court case of Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife has established three essential requirements that a party must demonstrate to have irreducible constitutional minimum of standing—namely, there must be: 1] “... an “injury in fact”—an invasion of a legally protected interest which is (a) concrete and particularized, and (b) “actual or imminent,” not “conjectural” or “hypothetical”; 2] there must be a causal connection between the injury and the conduct complained of—the injury has to be “fairly ... trace[able] to the challenged action of the defendant, and not ... the result [of] the independent action of some third party not before the court”; 3] and it must be “likely,” as opposed to merely “speculative,” that the injury will be “redressed by a favorable decision.” Moreover, the Supreme Court has imposed limits on where standing is applied, such a rule barring adjudication of generalized grievances widely shared in an indistinguishable way with many people, more appropriately addressed legislatively. Now given the requisite acquainContinued on page 12
HUMOR Centerfold Uncle Moishy Fun Page
74 134
POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes
114
The Politics of Vulgarity by Michael Gerson
122
Win One for Nino by Charles Krauthammer CLASSIFIEDS
124 136
When you need a car service do you use Uber or do you call a cab?
19 81
%
%
Uber
Cab
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Sale Dates: February 28th - March 4th 2016
Weekly Kedem Grape Juice
Quaker Oat Squares Original or Cinnamon - 14.5 oz
All Varieties - 64 oz
399
$
2
$
99
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Nature Valley Granola Bars
Poland Spring Sports Cap Water
7.4 oz - 8.9 oz
6 Pack - 23.5 oz $ 99 ......................................................
6
2/$
1
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B&B Cracker Crisps Nish Nosh Crackers
Frescorti Marinara Sauce 26 oz $ 49
Sour Cream & Onion 10 oz
1
13.2 oz
3
$
99
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Heinz Ketchup 38 oz
5
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5
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Ronzoni Pasta
Coke, Sprite, Fresca, Dr. Pepper
Spaghetti, Elbows, Ziti, Ziti Rigati, Penne Rigati, Rotini, Rigatoni - 16 oz
2 Liter
5
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Lieber’s Duplex Cookies
Gefen Cholent Mix
11.3 oz
16 oz $ 49
3
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1
Sabra Guacamole 8 oz
Telma Kariot Cereal
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Osem Mini Mandel 14 oz
4
2/$
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Pepsi, Schweppes, Brisk, Mountain Dew, Sierra Mist, Crush 12 Pack - 12 oz Cans
9
2/$
Miller’s String Cheese Farm’s Creamery 18 oz Whipped Cream Cheese $ 49
wow
7
¢ 99 ...................................................... Chobani Greek Yogurt
.................................................
In Water or Oil - 5 oz
32 oz
Starkist Solid White Tuna
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Polaner Apricot or Strawberry Preserves
349
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5 lb
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Gourmet Glatt Le Chocolate Viennese Crunch Dark or White - 6 oz
299
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Extra Virgin, Extra Mild, Extra Light - 1 Liter
All Flavors - 16.9 oz
Gefen Olive Oil
599
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Friendship Sour Cream Assorted 16 oz
Skinny Girl Sparklers
79¢
Farmland Skim Plus Milk
.......................................
Dozen
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Hunt’s Tomato Sauce
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Regular or Lactose-Free 64 oz
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Extra Large Eggs
Green Giant Creamed or Whole Kernal Corn
Dannon Yogurt
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Oneg Shredded Cheese 8 oz
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299
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Sonny & Joe’s Hummus 10 oz
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Kineret Onion Rings
B’gan Breaded Cauliflower
20 oz
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299
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6
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Macabee Mozzarella Stix 7 oz Box
299
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McCain French Fries Bodek Chopped All Varieties Spinach or California 20 oz - 32 oz Blend
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24 oz
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Royal Gefilte Fish
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MorningStar Grillers Original
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Eggo Family Pack Waffles
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25 oz/29 oz
99
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99
Tofutti Cuties
299
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499
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Dole Whole Strawberries 16 oz
299
$
499
$
Purim is Coming! All Special Orders for Purim Must be Submitted by March 4
NOW 2 locations!
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SUN -TUE: 7 AM-9 PM WED: 7 AM-11 PM THURS: 7 AM-12 AM FRIDAY 6:30 AM-2 HRS. BEFORE CANDLE LIGHTING
Woodmere STORE HOURS
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SUN - THURS: 7 AM-9 PM FRIDAY 7 AM UNTIL 2 HRS. BEFORE CANDLE LIGHTING
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Sale Dates: February 28th - March 4th 2016
Specials .
Shoulder Neck & Skirt London $899 lb. Ground $ 79 4 lb. Beef Broil
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BEEF PATTIES
...................
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GROUND CHICKEN
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Veal $ 1599 lb. Corned Chops Beef $ 49 Family Pack 9 lb. 1st Cut ................... Brisket Shoulder$ 99 8 lb. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steak
Chicken $369 lb. Navel Chicken $249 lb. Cutlets Pastrami $ 99 Legs Super Family Pack 8 lb. Chunks Super Family Pack
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Domino Light & Dark Brown Sugar or Confectioners 10X
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General Mills 12 oz Golden Grahams, 11.8 oz Cocoa Puffs or 10.7 oz Trix 5 lb
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$ 99 ......................................................
Hunt’s Tomatoes
Crushed, Diced, Whole, Peeled, Sauce 28 oz/29 oz
5
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Red Sweet Strawberries
Golden Delicious Apples
99¢ lb.
Andy Boy Romaine Hearts
White or Yellow - 3 lb
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Red Potatoes
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1199
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89¢ ea.
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new! hot sandwich special! just $9.99!
Hot Meat or Turkey Sandwiches Made to Order Plus 1 Container Hot Soup
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Persian Vegetable Salad Mushroom Barley Soup Quart
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Bunch
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12
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Continued from 8
tance with the basics of legal standing, it easily perceivable why such a suit will always fail: a case only firsts exists after the individual in question has already entered office—filing a suit now constitutes an unripe controversy, precluding it from judicial review; even if the suit is filed after the individual has entered office, such claims as whether Cruz is a natural born citizen does not constitute an “injury in fact”; and there is absolutely no injury as a result of Cruz’s foreign birth—the conduct complained of; and finally, such a suit is merely a general grievance shared indistinguishably by many people, not just Trump. In fact, the entire quagmire pertinent to the enigmatic phrase “natural born citizen” is not even a legal issue, but a political issue. According to Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. 186 (1962), the Supreme Court has maintained that federal courts should not hear cases pertaining to issues that the Constitution expressly grants authority to the other branches of the federal government—such issues are “political” in legal jargon. Thus, Congress possesses jurisdiction in defining exactly what constitutes a
natural born citizen, not the courts. Either way, since no person will ever meet every one of the aforementioned requirements, it is a frivolous suit, doomed to fail at its inception. Sincerely, Rafi Metz Dear Editor, I am one of your younger readers and I love your newspaper that comes out every week. Thank you for your interesting news articles that summarize that specific news title and makes it easier for me to understand it. I really love politics and I just wanted to say I think your newspaper should always write nice things about the pro-Israel candidates and it already does, and keep it up. I really love the jokes, riddles, trivia and the Uncle Moishe fun page. I just wanted to say thank you for making my Shabbos so enjoyable!!! Signed, Donny Simcha Guttman Your Real Number 1 Fan Dear Editor, Many residents have recently received letters from their health insurance provider (particularly Ox-
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ford/UnitedHealth Care) informing them that they must use Mail-Order for their pharmacy needs. This is an effort by the insurance company to not have to give money to local pharmacies. It has been discovered that if the customer informs them that they do not wish to use Mail-Order, the insurance company will allow them to continue using their local pharmacy at no additional cost. Sincerely, M. Rosen Dear Editor, I cannot agree more with Charlotte, who wrote in this week’s letters about how politics is becoming a bullying-fest. Politics used to be about compromise, about getting your way in a suave manner – possibly even too suave. But there was finesse, there was charisma, there was polish. Now, all I see on the stage are people trading insults. I can’t imagine how that would work on a world forum. Speaking with Putin or Kim Jong Un or Castro or Assad and lambasting them for their policies – and then expecting them to capitulate to our desires is hardly a sound way to govern a country. We need to go back in time – to a time when there was respect for the Office of the President of the United States. And go back in time to when politicians respected themselves and their people and showed them that they can fight their battles with reverence and esteem. The American people deserve that and we deserve someone in the White House who we can respect. Keep that in mind when elections finally come by. Whoever will be elected will be occupying the Oval for four long years – at least. Sincerely, Dana Herman
Dear Editor, Your article on Chabad of the Five Towns was so inspiring. Both Rebbetzins are clearly truly dedicated to their families and to the community. I cannot imagine how they manage to do it all but I see from their words that it is with their bina y’seirah that they manage to connect with every one of their children in the right way. They make their family their priority – with bedtimes, outings and bonding time. Equally important is the responsibility and excitement the children have in playing their role in the Chabad shlichus. I am not Chabad, but I know that this is something that I can instill in my home as well. Our children need to know that although our lives are busy, there are some things that are sacred. When we spend time together – whether it’s reading books, going on errands, eating supper, doing homework – I work my hardest to make sure that it’s about them – not about my cellphone or email or work. Children are receptive and they know when you are making time just for them. I am also working on instilling within them the excitement and enthusiasm for being part of something vital. Whether it’s helping set the table for Shabbos or supper or playing with their siblings or helping bring in packages from the car, they know that their assistance is integral in running our household and in performing our Torah and mitzvos. Our Shabbos table would be incomplete without their insights and songs. Our home wouldn’t be such a joy without their smiles and warm hearts. Please continue to highlight such wonderful people in our community who can help inspire and energize our community’s homes. Hatzlacha, Chani Steinberger
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
The Week In News
Radioactive Material—Lost and Then Found
Whoops! In a war zone it’s expected that some valuables go missing, but a recent report by a U.S. government contractor in Iraq about missing radioactive material in the city of Basra has the entire region on edge and has created an urgent hunt to stave off the nuclear matter from falling into terrorist hands. The contractor, Houston-based Weatherford, was in possession of the material before it went missing, but is now shifting the blame on SGS, a Turkish oil company which uses such material to test flaws in pipelines. The nuclear matter, Ir-92, is a radioactive isotope of iridium also used to treat cancer, and the missing laptop-sized device contained up to 10 grams of it and can be used to make a dirty bomb. Ryan Mauro, adjunct professor at Clarion Project, a U.S. think tank that tracks terrorism, told Fox News that even a lower-level ra-
Can he be perpetually late and still be a good husband? Dating Dialogue on page 110
diation bomb could cause widespread panic and fear. “Shaping headlines is essential to ISIS’ jihad and beheadings, explosions and most brutal acts have become stale,” Mauro related. “A dirty bomb attack would be major news, regardless of how many immediate casualties occur.” There is also the risk that even if the material would not fall into the wrong hands, any prolonged exposure it has to the public may cause widespread health problems for people. On Sunday, many released a calming breath, as the environment ministry’s spokesman related, “We found the radioactive material that was lost by a Turkish … company.” The material was found near a wall at a gas station in Zubair, a town near Basra, and was recovered following a tip of a strange item at the site. It was missing since November 15.
French Prez: Work More
Unions and socialist lawmakers in France are up in arms over President Francois Hollande’s plan to increase the 35-hour limit on the working week and ease firing rules. This labor bill may be Hollande’s last major piece of legislation move before the 2017 presidential race. With his personal popularity sagging and unemployment stuck at an 18-year high, the president is trying to show he has the chops to modernize the country. Excerpts of the draft bill suggest Hollande would allow businesses to increase workers’ hours above the 35-hour cap with minimal compensation and without prior agreement from unions. If companies see their orders decline, face new competition or technological changes, the bill makes it easier to shed jobs. After rearranging his cabinet last week, Hollande pledged to
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
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said. on “Not a belt of friends butend a belt keep until of keep on reforming reforming until the the end of of exclusion.” his mandate his mandate and and said said he he intended intended NATO general Jens to flexibility in to increase increase flexibilitysecretary in the the labor labor Stoltenberg hadmaintaining earlier addressed the market while job market while maintaining job seseforum for on subjectPrime of tensions with curity workers. Minister curity for the workers. Prime Minister Russia, Valls vowing firm stance Manuel has the bill Manuel Valls hasa submitted submitted thewhile bill also offeringstate dialogue. “Wefor have seen to France’s council review to France’s state council for review a more Russia and plans to it and plansassertive to present presentRussia, it to to the theacabinet cabinet which is The destabilizing the Europein March. prime wants in March. The prime minister minister wants an parliament security order,” he debating pointed out. the to the the parliament to start start debating the “NATO does not seek confrontation bill in bill in April. April. and we don’t want a new Cold War. At the same time our response has to be firm.” NATO is now “undertaking the biggest reinforcement to our collective defense in decades, to send a powerful signal to deter any aggression or intimidation. Not to wage war, but to prevent war,” he asserted.
U.S. Strikes at ISIS’s Wallets
Former UN Sec Gen Boutros Boutros-Ghali Dies
How How do do you you combat combat radical radical ideologues? Just like ideologues? Just like you you would would to to everyone everyone else: else: you you hit hit their their wallets. wallets. A A series series of of recent recent U.S. U.S. airstrikes airstrikes on on oil processing and distribution oil processing and distribution fafacilities cilities in in Syria Syria are are said said to to have have cost cost ISIS hundreds of millions of ISIS hundreds of millions of lost lost doldollars, lars, which which has has forced forced the the caliphate caliphate to reduce the salaries of to reduce the salaries of many many of of its its fighters. AP has reported that the fighters. AP has reported that the On Monday, it was announced cash-strapped terrorist is cash-strapped terrorist group groupan is bebethat Boutros Boutros-Ghali, urhind on its utilities bills and, aside hind on its utilities bills and, aside bane Egyptian diplomat whose serfrom cutting its is raising from its expenses, expenses, raising vice cutting as United Nations issecretary cash by charging $500 for releasing cash by charging $500 for releasing general during the early 1990s led to individual detainees. Salary reducindividual detainees. Salary reducfriction with the United States and tions for fighters have been as high tions for fighters have been as high caused the Clinton administration to as 50%. as 50%. block him from a second term, died “This, “This, to to us, us, is is one one indicator indicator that that at 93. these strikes against their ability to these strikes against their ability to In an almost unprecedented disgenerate revenue are beginning to generate revenue are beginning play of very public strong-arming to in squeeze them bit,” said Col. squeeze them aa little little bit,”the said Col. an international forum, United Steve Warren, aa spokesman for Steve spokesman for the the States,Warren, led by Madeleine K. Albright U.S. military. The U.S. has led over U.S. military. The U.S. has led over — then the U.S. ambassador to the ten airstrikes against ISIS holdten airstrikes against ISIS cash cash United Nations — defied the holdwideings since October, but they have inings since October,mustered but they have inspread support by Mr. tensified in recent weeks, including tensified in recent weeks, including Boutros-Ghali in his 1996 bid for two against ISIS financial distributwo againstand ISIS financial distribureelection forced the 185 U.N. tion centers and two storage centers. tion centers and two storage members to choose insteadcenters. WashThe cost been $6 The cost to to the the U.S. U.S. has has been over overKofi $6 ington’s hand-picked candidate, billion, or $11.5 million a day. billion, or $11.5 million a day. Annan of Ghana. In an story, In an unrelated unrelated story, employemployAlthough Mr. Boutros-Ghali had ers are seeing a large influx of ers are seeing a large influx of MidMidarrived at the United Nations as a dle Eastern with as dle Eastern men menhigh-ranking with skills skills such such as distinguished, diplobomb-making and gun cleaning apbomb-making and gun cleaning apmat from a country with close ties to plying for jobs. plying for office office jobs. the United States, he came to be per-
ceived in Washington as a man who personified many of the fears and concerns directed against the United Nations by Republican conservatives. The degree to which those tensions would roil the waters of the United Nations were not apparent when Mr. Boutros-Ghali was elected on November 22, 1991 to serve a five-year term as the sixth U.N. secretary general. He had significant experience at the top of his country’s diplomatic service, and with wide contacts in both the industrialized and developing worlds, he benefited from Egypt’s position as anmonths, Arab country physicalIn Britain’s fuIn four four months, Britain’s fuly located on the northern periphery ture will be decided. The choice the ture will be decided. The choice the of Africa, which enabledto to be country faces is continue country faces is whether whether tohim continue considered a candidate from the Afrito participate in the European Union to participate in the European Union can bloc, the largest group within or whether to isolate itself as most of or whether to isolate itself as mostthe of U.N. membership. the other countries of the world do. the other countries of the world do. Boutrosmeetings Boutros-Ghali was born During in this During meetings in Belgium Belgium this in Cairo on November 14, 1922, and week, British Prime Minister David week, British Prime Minister David was a Coptic Christian belonging to a Cameron squeezed out concessions Cameron squeezed out concessions family with deep roots in Egypt’s from reluctant leaders of the EU’s 27 from reluctant leaders of the EU’sold 27 aristocracy. He obtained his law deother countries. If it will stay at all, other countries. If it will stay at all, greeUnited at Cairo University earned the Kingdom will have spethe United Kingdom willand have spea doctorate in international law at cial status in the EU. Cameron cial status in the EU. Cameron has has the University of Paris. France influcalled a referendum for Thursday, called a referendum for Thursday, enced23 him greatly. In the fact,chance although June to to June 23 to give give voters voters the chance to fluent in English, he sometimes exdecide. decide. pressed using phrases and After two days of talks After it two daysFrench of tense tense talks with with grammatical constructions. other EU leaders, Cameron said other EU leaders, Cameron said the the returning Egypt, he taught EU provided the he EU After provided thetoconcessions concessions he international law at Cairo University sought, including assurances that sought, including assurances that for other nearly two decades, the won’t try make the other nations nations won’t while try to tochurnmake ing out a dozen books on the subject. Britain part of a “European superBritain part of a “European superHis entry ontowill the be world stage came state.” “There tough new restate.” “There will be tough new rein November 1977, when Egyptian strictions on access to our welfare strictions on access to our welfare President Sadat madehe hissystem for EU system forAnwar EU migrants,” migrants,” hehissaid. said. toric decision to fly to Israel. “No more something for nothing. “No more something for nothing. When anti-Israeli Egyptian Britain will never join and Britain willthe never join the the euro, euro, and foreign minister resigned in we’ve secured vital protections for we’ve secured vital protections profor test, Sadat put Mr. Boutros-Ghali in our economy and a full say over the our economy and a full say over the charge of the team that accompanied rules of the free-trade single-market rules of the free-trade single-market him toremaining Jerusalem. Mr. Boutros-Ghawhile outside the while remaining outside the euro.” euro.” li then led the Egyptian negotiations The choice facing UK The choice facing UK voters voters will will with Israel to that prepared the be whether have outsized global be whether to have outsizedfor global Camp David meetings between Sainfluence in situations such as those influence in situations such as those datUkraine and Israeli Prime Menin or by participating in Ukraine or Iran Iran byMinister participating achem Begin. in a huge international organization, in a huge international organization, For theto next 14 years, Mr. or and or whether whether to go go it it alone alone and retain retain stood near the pinaaBoutros-Ghali greater degree of sovereignty than greater degree of sovereignty than nacle of Egyptian foreign policy, participation in like participation in an an organization organization like holding such posts as acting foreign the EU allows. the EU allows. minister, deputy prime minister Cameron made it that he Cameron made it clear clear that and he secretary of state. But as a Christian wanted Britain to remain in the wanted Britain to remain in the in a MuslimUnion. land, he “Leaving could neverEuatEuropean European Union. “Leaving Eutain the position of foreign minister, rope would threaten our economic rope would threaten our economic and national became candidatehe forsaid. the U.N. and He and nationalasecurity,” security,” he said. He post in 1992 at a time when the Afripledged to campaign to persuade pledged to campaign to persuade can blocvoters was asserting thatcontinued it was its British to British voters to approve approve continued turn to hold the secretary participation in the wake of his participation in the wake ofgeneral’s his nenejob. The United States wasn’t thrilled gotiations. gotiations. with the world nomination, agreedthe to Many praised Many world leaders leadersbut praised the his election and abstained from the deal, with German Chancellor Andeal, with German Chancellor Anactual vote. saying gela Merkel gela Merkel saying the the EU EU leaders leaders The simmering between the Unitclearly wanted Britain to “We clearly wanted Britain to stay. stay. “We
Britain’s EU Choice: To Stay or Not To Stay
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
believe we have now given a package to David Cameron to elicit support in Britain for Britain remaining a member of the European Union,” she said. “This was his goal after all. There was no doubt about it.”
Caste Clashes in India Turn Violent
In the northern Indian town of Rohtak, one person was killed and 25 injured during protests by the Jat community. Demonstrators are de-
manding better access to jobs and education. Protests were also held by Jats in other towns in Haryana state. Police say that the demonstrations turned violent when demonstrators set fire to the home of the Haryana state finance minister and attacked police buildings and vehicles. Demands by the Jat for better quotas in government jobs have been opposed by other caste groups. They are currently entitled to a 10% quota. The Jats are currently listed as upper caste but they are demanding the status of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The government has divided people from lower castes into three categories as part of its affirmative action policy to offer quotas in jobs and educational institutes. The communities listed as the Scheduled Castes (SCs) are essentially the lowest in the Hindu caste hierarchy, locally referred to as Dalits. The Scheduled Tribes (STs) are the people who mostly live in remote areas while the OBCs are educationally and economically disadvantaged but do not face as much exclusion or isolation. The community’s leaders claim that the current quotas for OBCs and other lower castes puts them at a disadvantage in government jobs and
state-run educational institutes. The state government was reported on Friday to have promised its willingness to provide more job quotas for Jats. The recent announcement by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar that he was willing to introduce legislation in the next assembly session was described by the Times of India as a desperate attempt to restore calm and broker peace with the Jats. Violent and enraged demonstrators burned cars, attacked police jeeps and trucks, hurled rocks at parliamentary forces, blocked traffic, and attempted to set the finance minister’s home on fire. Haryana police chief YP Singhal related that a protester was shot by his officers after “someone in the mob fired a gun and the security personnel responded in self-defense.” The protests have disrupted normal life, essential food and cooking supplies to the state have been affected, and schools were closed. After Friday’s violence, the state government asked for the Indian army to help to restore peace and bring the protests under control. The army was deployed to nine districts of Haryana on Friday, and a curfew was imposed in two districts along with shoot-onsight orders.
The Twin Phenomenon
Americans love to order things in double: double burgers, double fries, Wrigley’s DoubleMint (Double the pleasure; double the fun!). Now they seem to be ordering kids in increments of two as well. A recent report in the Atlantic shows that in many developed countries the rate of twin births has just about doubled in recent years. The study, published in Population and Development Review, analyzed births from 1975 to 2011 and determined that the twin-birth rate in many developed countries had increased twofold over that time. In the
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
U.S., twin births went from 9.5 to 16.9 per thousand births. In Denmark, the rate has risen to 21.2 per thousand, and in South Korea, it almost tripled from 5.0 to 14.6. To note, these amazing numbers only apply to fraternal, or, non- identical- twins. Identical twin birth rates have remained constant over the study’s timeframe. Confused as to why? The study offers two reasons. Mothers in developed countries have been having children later in life. Older moms are more likely to have twins than younger ones. Also, says the study, many older women become pregnant through certain procedures which increases the chances of a multiples birth. While this may be twice the reason to celebrate, keep in mind that a twin birth is associated with greater risks of premature death, lower birth weights and birth complications. It’s also risky for the mother, who is more prone to gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and post-partum depression while pregnant with twins.
Life Term Handed Down to Egyptian Infant
life sentences at the same time at the court in western Cairo for crimes allegedly committed in early 2014. His defense attorney, Faisal alSayd, relayed that the child’s name had been added to the list by mistake but the court did not pass Ahmed’s birth certificate onto the judge to prove he was born in September 2012. He said: “The child Ahmed Mansour Karni’s birth certificate was presented after state security forces added his name to the list of accused, but then the case was transferred to the military court and the child was sentenced in absentia in an ensuing court hearing.” He added, “This proves that the judge did not read the case.” Another lawyer said the case showed “there is no justice in Egypt.” He pointed out, “The Egyptian scales of justice are not reversible. There is no justice in Egypt. No reason. Logic committed suicide a while ago. Egypt went crazy. Egypt is ruled by a bunch of lunatics.” Egypt has been ruled by a military dictatorship under President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi since Mohamed Morsi’s elected government was ousted in 2013. Approximately 40,000 opposition supporters are currently in jail as the government cracks down on dissent.
London Plastered with Anti-Israel Posters
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Those taking the Tube on Monday in London were bombarded with BDS messages. The anti-Israel posters on the underground trains marked the beginning of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement’s 12th annual Israeli Apartheid Week. Transport for London, which is responsible for the Tube service, said this was “an act of vandalism,” the ads were not authorized and staff members were working to take them down, the Jewish Chronicle reported. Continued on page 20
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Egypt has proved yet again to be tragically disorganized, even when it comes to matters of life and death. This week’s case in point: a fouryear-old boy was sentenced to life in prison for “committing murder” when he was just one. Ahmed Mansour Karmi was not in court on Tuesday when he was convicted of four counts of murder, eight of attempted murder, one vandalisation of property and another count of threatening soldiers and police officers – all before his second birthday. The infant was one of 115 defendants who were all handed
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Johnson lashed out against boycotters of Israel as “lefty academics” who wield no real influence during a visit to Tel Aviv in November. Last Wednesday, the British government formally announced guidelines that prohibit publicly funded bodies from boycotting Israeli-made products. Bodies to which it applies include government agencies, the National Health Service and local authorities.
North Korea and China More Than Just Friendly Neighbors
The posters, designed in the style of BBC reports, attacked the UK broadcasting organization (which is often criticized for pro-Palestinian leanings) for biased pro-Israel reporting and claimed Israel used British arms to “massacre Palestinians” during 2014’s Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. A third poster criticized the global security company G4S for
working in Israel, while a fourth, titled “Apartheid is Great….Britain,” alleged that more than 100 UK companies continue to supply military equipment to the Jewish State. The ads appeared on some 500 trains. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had asked Foreign Ministry chief Dore Gold, who is cur-
rently in London, to demand that the British government see to it that the offending posters were taken down. MK Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) said he had contacted London Mayor Boris Johnson and asked him to intervene. “He explained that they were put up without authorization and would give the instruction for them to be taken down immediately,” Lapid said.
As the White House continues to worry about the impending threat of North Korea, a money trail stretching from a Panamanian shipping agent to an octogenarian Singaporean to a Chinese bank has been traced. This thickening plot is proving that efforts to tighten sanctions on North Korea may be difficult to achieve. North Korea has spent the last few decades building networks of front companies and foreign intermediaries to channel currency in and out of the regime and, more importantly, to circumvent its association with its nuclear weapons program. Recent court documents and interviews with investigators, banks, and prosecutors show the foundation of those networks is China. “Its geographic proximity, the huge trade volume, having the contacts, and having the historic relationship all contribute to making China the center point for any North Korean initiative to evade international financial sanctions,” notes William Newcomb, a former member of a panel of experts assisting the United Nations’ North Korea sanctions committee. “China is a very important piece in making sure that blockages work.” Sanctions with Iran and the recent dealings of their nuclear accord
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
are acting as a playbook for the situation in North Korea. About $32 billion of oil revenue in Iran held at banks overseas was frozen when the U.S. and other countries pressured the Middle Eastern state to stop its nuclear weapons program. Those accounts were unlocked after last year’s nuclear accord, which was negotiated with world powers including the U.S. and European Union. However, Iran’s much larger overseas revenue and its dependence for funding on oil exports made its international finances easier to track and freeze. Its economy is about 15 times the estimated size of North Korea’s, and that country’s decades of isolation means its economy is more self-contained. “The primary playbook for upping sanctions effectively is Iran – although that may not make practical sense here,” said Adam M. Smith, former senior adviser to the Director of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and now a Washington-based lawyer with Gibson Dunn. “Such implementation would call for the U.S. – and perhaps others – to begin threatening sanctions on North Korea’s supporters and protectors.” North Korea relies on China, its
biggest trading partner, for food, arms and energy. The countries describe their ties as “friendship forged by blood” during the 1950-1953 Korean War where the U.S. was the common enemy. Although China has criticized North Korea for harsh actions, historically they have opposed sanctions that could potentially cause a regime collapse. For selfish reasons, of course, it would mean that China would be forced to deal with a flood of refugees across its 870-mile shared border.
Father and Soldier Killed While Shopping with Family Tuvia Yanai Weissman, 21, was a resident of Ma’ale Mikhmas, a yishuv near Ramallah, a husband and a fa-
ther of a four-month-old daughter, Netta. Sadly, last week, the off-duty soldier was stabbed and murdered while shopping with his wife and child just outside Ramallah.
MDA paramedic Shalom Galil said, “We found him between the aisles in the supermarket with stab wounds to his upper body. We gave him medical treatment that included stopping the bleeding, hydration and dressing [the wounds].” The terrorists walked around the supermarket where Yanai was shopping for 20 minutes scoping out potential victims. During the vicious attack, Weissman was murdered when he ran to assist and another man was seriously wounded. An armed civilian shot the two terrorists. They were
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both 14. Weissman was a member of the Nachal Brigade and was buried on Mt. Herzl by his wife, parents and three brothers. At the funeral, his wife, Yael, recalled how he was only home during the weekends and how he would go shopping with them to ensure that they had what they needed when he was away in the army. “Yesterday, we went shopping so that when you returned to the army on Sunday you would know that Netta and I had everything we needed and that nothing was missing,” Yael said. “You were always like that. Whenever you were with us during the weekends you did everything you were not able to do during the week when you were away.” She recalled, “We came to the supermarket. We were together. You were worried the whole time about Netta and made sure she stayed close to me,” she said. “Then, in one moment, everything happened. We heard there had been a stabbing and even though you did not have any weapons, you ran to help without thinking twice. “I was not able to stop you and I am not sorry. If you had not raced
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
45
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there [to help], you would not be the Yanai that I know... I waited for you to return to me and Netta, I waited for you to hug us and say that everything was fine and that you had succeeding in stopping the terrorists. We waited a long time and you did not return.” She related how they were waiting for him to be released from the army. “We had so many plans. To fly, to trek, to work, to study and most important of all, to be together,” Yael sobbed. Orly Weissman, Yanai’s mother, mourned her son with a broken heart. “I am going to scream. It is a good scream,” she said. And then she yelled out his name twice, loudly and clearly, shattering the stillness as others sobbed uncontrollably along with her. “We are crying because we loved you so much. You came into the world within seconds and you left within seconds. You lived a full life in the short time that you were here.”
Erlau Rebbe Passes Away
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Mr. & Mrs. Shloime (Fishy) Fischer
Alumnus Amud HaChesed Award
Early Monday morning, Rabbi Yochanan Sofer, the Erlau Rebbe, passed away. He was 93. Rabbi Sofer, a leading halachic authority with enormous influence on the frum community, was a Holocaust survivor who led the Erlau (Eger) dynasty, a small chassidic sect in Israel. He served as a member of the nesios of the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah of Agudas Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel. The Rebbe was born in 1923 in Eger (Erlau), Hungary, where his father and grandfather served as rebbes in his hometown of Erlau. He was a great-great-grandson of the Chasam Sofer. In 1944, he was deported together with most of his
family to Auschwitz, where his father and grandfather were murdered. The Rebbe managed to survive the Nazi inferno and returned to Erlau to lead the handful of Jews from the town who managed to escape the Holocaust. But as Communism and anti-Semitism reared its ugly head, the Rebbe and his chassidim moved to Israel in 1950. In Yerushalayim, the Rebbe continued his family’s legacy by founding a yeshiva in the Katamon neighborhood called Yeshiva Gedolah of HaRav Akiva Eiger. The Rebbe continued to establish shuls, yeshivas and other religious institutions in Israel throughout his life. The Rebbe became very close to the Belzer Rebbe, and although his ancestors were not chassidic and conducted themselves as Rabbonim, not Rebbes, he was influenced by the Belzer Rebbe and the Skverer Rebbe to adopt numerous chassidic minhagim. The Rebbe was buried on Har Hamenuchos on Monday. Yehi zichro baruch.
Israel: CyberSecurity Leader with a Long Way to Go
Israel is one of the most technologically innovative countries and leads the world in cyber-protection, and for good reason: the IDF and Israeli intelligence agencies face computer threats from Hamas and other terrorist groups as well as from other spying countries. An anonymous Israeli official recently confirmed that the country’s efforts have been paying off – cyber-attacks in 2015 were down compared to previous years. But there is still a long way to go for the country to be fully protected; recent revelations that British and U.S. intelligence groups spied on Israeli officials have caused the public to fear that Israel has lost its advantage in the cyber-security realm. The anon-
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
ymous official insisted, however, that those fears are unfounded. “The IDF’s code has not been decoded, and this is a great achievement,” he maintained. Still, the official noted, “Hamas with other organizations succeeded in firing, despite all [Israel’s] air- and cyber-superiority, more than 5,000 rockets and missiles towards Israel.” This signifies that the IDF has much room for improvement, from air-security to cyber-security. Modern warfare has evolved to the point that cyber-attacks have become part of a country’s arsenal. Russia recently took down Turkey’s power plants with a cyber-attack after Turkey brought down one of Russia’s fighter jets. “For around 20 hours this entire, large country [Turkey] was without internet,” the official pointed out. “Not far from there, the power plants in Ukraine were shut down and Kiev airport was closed – all due to cyber activities.” Israel is in the elite when it comes to cyber-security. Only four other militaries in the world boast the cyber-capabilities of the Jewish state: the U.S., Britain, Germany and, most disturbing, Iran.
Mufti of Gaza: Wife Beating 101
arbitrator from her family,” he said. Up next on Palestinian TV: “Bomb Building with Babar.” Stay tuned.
Defense Minister: Don’t Shoot to Kill Palestinian TV is full of wholesome programming: Cooking shows, cartoons (perhaps one called Mohammed Mouse), Wheel of Fortune (who knows?), and wife beating tips from Hassan al-Laham, a leading Imam in Gaza. The so-called “mufti of Gaza” advised viewers recently not to beat their wives in a way that “will bring the police, and break her hand and cause bleeding, or hitting that makes the face ugly,” he recommended. Divorce is a last resort in Islam, and the mufti described four steps to take before that last step. “Allah said: Warn them [the wives], and separate from them, and hit them, and bring an arbitrator from his family and an
It’s always been hard to live in Israel, with the specter of war from all sides, rock throwing terrorists hiding on the side of quiet highways, suicide bus bombings and, most recently, rabid, teenage Arabs roaming the streets with kitchen knives. But Israelis are cut from the strongest stock and they manage to defend themselves and keep carrying on. That’s what makes Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon’s comments last week so surprising when he hinted that the IDF may be
“trigger happy” when it comes to fighting the most recent wave of Palestinian terror. Ya’alon’s comments were made in reaction to IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot’s lecture to a school that the current rules of engagement for the army were adequate and that shooting to kill must be seen as a last resort. Eisenkot’s remarks were interpreted as a reaction to the recent killings of 14- and 16-year-old Palestinian girls who stabbed an elderly man in Machane Yehuda. “When there’s a 13-yearold girl holding scissors or a knife and there is some distance between her and the soldiers, I don’t want to see a soldier open fire and empty his magazine at a girl like that, even if she is committing a very serious act,” Eisenkot said. “Rather, he should use the force necessary to fulfill the objective.” “We must act calmly, judiciously and with discretion in order to prevent hurting innocent people and to avoid creating a situation in which our outrage causes us to lose our humanity, and ultimately, lose sight of justice,” Ya’alon said. While some may agree with Eisenkot and Ya’alon’s positions, in reality, killing many of these teenage ter-
Father of Two Killed by Friendly Fire
On Wednesday, Eliyav Gelman passed away after he was stabbed in Gush Etzion by an Arab terrorist and then killed by a stray bullet from security forces who came to his aid. The 30-year-old was an army air force reserve captain who was married with two sons, Yair and Yoav. His wife is pregnant. He was on his way home from his base when he was attacked and was in uniform when the Arab stabbed him. The terrorist behind the attack is a teacher and resident of the village of Dura near Hevron. Security forces shot and neutralized the stabber, who was not killed. Eliyav grew up in Kiryat Arba and
learned in the Mekor Haim yeshiva in Gush Etzion. For his mandatory army service, Eliyav enlisted as a paratrooper. He later transferred to the air force. His brother, Eyal, noted how strongly he was connected with the Land of Israel, with the Jewish People, and with the Torah, studying Gemara daily. “He was the best of the group. Eliyav was excellent, exact, loved and loving; he was connected to the people of Israel, the land of Israel, the Torah of Israel. He died in a battle we’ve been experiencing for a long time,” he said, holding back tears. The family has known tragedy before. Eliyav’s brother-in-law was Benaya Sarel, an IDF soldier killed during the 2014 Gaza war, who was also from Kiryat Arba. Gush Etzion Regional Council chief Davidi Perl mourned the loss and called on the government to do more to protect Gush Etzion residents. “Your hearts are filled with this great pain. Eliyav was another victim in the war over Gush Etzion, a war that started decades ago and that sadly hasn’t ended. We’re together now with the family and with the residents of Karmei Tzur sharing in their pain.”
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
PA Presidential Guards, another group associated with Abbas, posted a similar message and images on its Facebook page, encouraging young children to spill their blood in the campaign against Jews. “Children of a people like the people of Palestine, which watered the freedom with blood, will undoubtedly be victorious,” said the Official Facebook page of the PA Presidential Guard. Fatah and its associated parties have long been engaged in gruesome social media projects.
Another Stabbing at Damascus Gate
rorists is, in fact, a last resort. “It’s too bad they are showing the public this in a misleading way. Police are thwarting attacks and doing this in life-threatening situations without any hesitation,” Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan pointed out. Let’s hope that Israel is no longer put in such an uncomfortable position.
Fatah’s BloodRed Incitement Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah has shown its true colors yet again. This time it’s blood. On the group’s official Facebook page, it displayed a picture of 20-year-old terrorist’s Yasmin
Al-Zaru Tamimi body surrounded by a map of “Palestine,” which actually engulfs all of the Israel. The macabre map was drawn out of Tamimi’s blood, which was Photoshopped to create the borders of the “state.” Tamimi was recently shot to death by IDF soldiers after she went on a stabbing rampage near Me’eras Hamachpelah.
The wave of terror in Israel has been raging since September, leaving 30 innocent Israelis dead and 352 people injured. According to the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there have been 179 stabbings and attempted stabbings reports, 74 shootings, and 38 vehicular ramming attacks. One of the most recent attacks left two Border Police officers and a bystander injured when they were attacked at Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate on Friday morning. This is not the first attack at Damascus Gate, one of the entrances to the capital’s Old City. In the last four months it has been the scene of violence several times. On Fridays specifically thousands of Muslims routinely pass through the site as they make their way to the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Old City’s Temple Mount to worship. One officer is suffering from minor injuries to his arm, while the other is in worse but stable condition after suffering stabs to his upper body. The two officers were taken to Shaare Zedek Medical Center. The terrorist was identified as Muhammad Abu Halaf, 20, from the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Kafr Aqab. He was stopped from harming any others and killed by police during the violent attack. The site was immediately closed off and additional forc-
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
es were deployed to the scene. The bystander injured in the attack was identified as a 50-year-old Palestinian woman from East Jerusalem who was hit slightly in the leg by fragments or ricochets from shots fired.
Law Firm to Harvard: Don’t Use Our Money for ProPalestinian Causes
being discontinued. Harvard declined to comment beyond its statement, which says that Milbank “decided there are other ways its support could be used” at the law school. The school didn’t explain how the remainder of the donation will be used, but added that “Milbank has not terminated its five-year gift or its support for the law school.” Leaders of Justice for Palestine said they see the move as a political response to their message. Harvard, in its statement, defended Milbank. “The law school and Milbank are committed to freedom of speech,” the statement said. “We have an exceptionally strong relationship with Milbank, which has acted appropriately and with the highest integrity in all respects.”
Last Survivor of Treblinka Dies Harvard Law School will need to find a million dollars elsewhere. After seeing its donation help pay for a discussion supporting an independent Palestinian state, international law firm Milbank has asked Harvard to use its money for other causes. In 2012, Milbank promised Harvard $1 million over five years to pay for scholarly conferences organized by law students. When some of the money was used to support an event hosted by the student group Justice for Palestine, the law firm asked Harvard to distribute their donation elsewhere. Harvard says Milbank wanted to “avoid creating any misimpressions that the firm endorses the viewpoints expressed by any particular student organization or journal,” according to a statement. In October, students in Justice for Palestine hosted a talk examining what they say is a movement to suppress advocates of an independent Palestine. Harvard had previously awarded the group $2,000 to hold events throughout the semester using the Milbank donation. After the event, the group thanked the law firm in a Facebook page advertising the event. The next day, law school administrators asked the group to remove all references to Milbank on their Facebook page, citing complaints from the firm. Soon after, students were notified that the Milbank Student Conference Fund was
It’s been over seven decades since the end of the horror of the Holocaust. Treblinka, one of the many Nazi death camps, was the site of the murder of 875,000 people, mostly Jews during World War II. This week, the last known survivor of the camp, Samuel Willenberg, passed away at the age of 93 in his home in Israel. Willenberg lived in Tel Aviv with his late wife, Ada, a Holocaust survivor from Warsaw. Willenberg was one of only 67 people known to have survived the horrors of Treblinka, a camp intended merely for death and not work. In August 1943, Willenberg and about 300 other prisoners bravely escaped the hands of their murderers in a bold revolt. Tragically, the majority of the group, more than 200 of the escapees, were killed when Nazi troops caught up with them. Willenberg was outspoken about his horrific experiences and the horror of his escape. In a 2010 interview with The Associated Press, he re-
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The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
called how he had been shot in the leg and was forced to climb “over bodies piled at the barbed wire fence” before hurling himself over the barrier. Born in Częstochowa, Poland, Willenberg was just a teenager when he first arrived at Treblinka in October 1942 at the age of 19. On the advice of a clever friend, he fibbed to Nazi guards and said he was a bricklayer, a lie that saved his life. On that day, Willenberg was allegedly the single individual to evade the gas chambers. Instead he was sent to the prisoners’ barracks to do manual labor. “A whole town, three transports of 20 wagons, went to the gas,” Willenberg told the BBC in 2013. Willenberg’s job was to sort through the belongings of the people who were slain in the gas chambers. One day, he heartbrokenly recognized a very familiar garment among the possessions: his sister’s coat. “My little sister had a coat she grew out of. My mother had extended the sleeves with green velvet. This is how I recognized it. I can still see it today,” he told the BBC. “It was then I knew my [two] sisters had come to Treblinka. I understood that I no longer had sisters. I looked, but I didn’t cry. I had no tears left, just hatred.” Willenberg was a major advocate for the world never to forget the horrors of the Holocaust. May his legacy live on.
Jews with a knife, “until he would die the holy death of a martyr.” He then took a 14-centimeter kitchen knife from his home, hid it in his pants and sneaked across the valley that separates his hometown from Otniel. He hid in wait for the proper moment to commence the attack. Then, he fought with Dafna and stabbed her numerous times in front of her children, leaving her to drown in her blood. According to the indictment, the murderer callously left the scene and then, “after the accused arrived home, he noticed blood on his left hand, washed it, and then sat down to watch a movie with his family.” Until last week the terrorist held the dubious title of the youngest killer in the current wave of terror that has lasted nearly six months, but following the attack at the Rami Levy supermarket in Sha’ar Binyamin last Thursday, the title now belongs to the two 14-year-olds who murdered Sgt. Tuvia Yanai Weissman.
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Can a Smile be Contagious?
Indictment for Murderer of Dafna Meir On Monday, an Israeli military court filed an indictment against the 16-year-old terrorist from the Hebron area who killed Dafna Meir Hy”d in the settlement of Otniel last month. The murderer was arrested two days after the killing in the town of Yatta, south of Hebron, and confessed under interrogation. According to the indictment, the terrorist ran towards Dafna who was in front of her house and stabbed her several times while she was fighting with him in front of her small children. He claimed to have been watching videos portraying soldiers as murderers who humiliate Palestinian women before the attack. According to the indictment, after watching these videos, the boy decided to kill
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
vated as if we are smiling. We do this in order for us to access memories of similar emotions and interpret what is going on around us right now. “It’s kind of like an extreme version of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes,” lead researcher Adrienne Wood, a social psychologist at the University of Wisconsin, says. They always said laughter is contagious.
Another Win for Clinton, Trump
Although Sanders was the night’s loser, he did have an eight point win over Clinton amongst Latino voters. Experts are predicting that Latinos will become the focus of the two lead Democratic nominees moving forward – for Sanders, how to hold onto them, and for Clinton, how to win them over.
Targeting Corrupt Politicians around the World
e”ryz oqip ’A On Saturday, Hillary Clinton finally got the validation she was waiting for from Nevada Democrats, while Donald Trump’s ego was fed once again with his victory in South Carolina. The Republican race for nomination is heating up – and the candidates are dropping like flies. The latest hopeful to surrender was Jeb Bush, much to Donald Trump’s delight. Bush came in fourth in South Carolina on Saturday, the final straw to his rocky campaign. On the other side of the stage, things are looking optimistic for Trump, though. According to polls, he is expected to sweep Nevada. The Donald is also ahead in nearly every one of the 13 states set to vote on March 1. With Bush out of the race, a large amount of Republican donor money becomes available to Marco Rubio. Many Republicans are calling him the establishment candidate who can actually win the presidency. While the Democratic race remains close between Clinton and Sanders, the latest victory for Clinton in Nevada gained her some momentum. In her victory speech on Saturday, Clinton strategically mentioned both Flint, Michigan, and Ferguson, Missouri, in what many are calling a shout-out to black voters that she is attuned to their concerns and needs.
While we all sit back at the spectacle of the billionaire Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton – who charges over half a million dollars to speak – running for president, there are many presidents and other leaders in the world who did not use their money to make themselves useful; instead they used their positions to make themselves money. Take Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the leader of Equatorial New Guinea, a small African country. Mr. Mangue has spent close to $300 million on Ferraris, jets and Michael Jackson paraphernalia. All this with an annual salary of $100,000. Seems odd? Well, it did to the Justice Department, who recently seized Mangue’s Malibu mansion and put it on the market for $30 million, along with a fleet of his cars and “Thriller” goods. Since 2010, the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative has allowed U.S. government officials to recover millions of dollars stolen by corrupt foreign officials hidden in the United States. “We don’t want the United States to be a haven for this money,” said Leslie Caldwell, assistant attorney general and head of the criminal division. “If it comes into this country, we have the ability to reach out and grab it. Kleptocracy undermines the rule of law and breeds crime and terrorism.” Prosecutors have looked to Continued on page 32
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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seize funds from officials of Nigeria, Ukraine, South Korea and even neighboring Canada. The goal is to help curb money laundering in the U.S. economic system and to eventually send whatever money seized back to its country of origin. But the problem with targeting high-powered and wealthy individuals is just that: they are high powered and wealthy and can afford a legal team better than OJ. “Challenges in these cases are huge,” said Alexander W. Sierck, a lawyer representing Nigerian nonprofits in the Abacha case. “Justice has a lot of people working on this stuff and has only been able to get a small percentage of the assets.” The government has sought close to $1.5 billion in stolen assets, but has succeeded in recovering only $120 million so far, or 7 percent. Aside from having to go up against strong legal teams, government prosecutors face the challenge of finding cooperative witnesses. “You are dealing with countries where the population is afraid of being asked to cooperate,” said Bruce Reinhart, a former federal prosecutor and asset forfeiture expert. Maybe we should vote for Trump. His 747 jumbo jet is already paid for.
Apple vs. the FBI
Unlocking an iPhone has unlocked a legal battle. After Apple CEO Tim Cook took to the Web in an angry letter which blasted the FBI’s request for the company to unlock an iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino terrorists, the White House shot back that it shouldn’t be beyond Apple’s means to help the government protect its citizens. The iPhone in question would erase all data if the FBI attempts to unlock it using conventional ways. Apple was requested to create a version of its iOS operating system which would give the authorities the ability to access the phone via a “back door.”
Currently, Apple says no version of this software exists, and Cook fears that by creating one, hackers may eventually get hold of it and render all Apple cellphone security useless. Back when Apple introduced enhanced phone security with its new iOS system, it posted on its website that it would not perform any extractions of data based on government requests or search warrants because the new software made it impossible for even Apple to do so. Back then, the idea sparked a debate between privacy advocates and people concerned about national security, and now the argument has been embodied by Cook and the FBI. In the letter published last week, Cook wrote that the implications of this request are far-reaching and that the moment calls for public discussion. “While we believe the FBI’s intentions are good, it would be wrong for the government to force us to build a backdoor into our products. And ultimately, we fear that this demand would undermine the very freedoms and liberty our government is meant to protect,” he said. Apple claims that complying with the government’s request will ultimately allow access for hackers to all iPhones. The White House retorted that it should not be beyond Apple’s ability to create a “back-door” for this one instance only.
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There have been many concerns about the reliability and safety of Uber drivers since the company’s in-
ception in 2009. Uber officials have put systems in place like drug tests, alcohol tests, background checks and driving evaluations to reassure riders that their driver is safe and trustworthy, but one Uber driver in Kalamazoo, Michigan, created a whole new reality for riders this week when he massacred six people. Jason Brian Dalton, 45, started off his Saturday as usual, picking up and dropping off passengers for Uber. But it was what he did in between shuttling riders to their destinations that was macabre. Dalton randomly shot and killed six different people in a shooting rampage over a seven-hour time period. The incident is currently under investigation, but as of now, there is no known link between Dalton and his victims and there does not seem to be a connection amongst them. Matt Mellen claims he was a passenger is Dalton’s car on that day, just before the first shooting was reported. “We got about a mile from my house, and he got a telephone call. After that call, he started driving erratically, running stop signs,” Mellen told the media. “We were kind of driving through medians, driving through the lawn speeding along and then finally, once he came to a stop, I jumped out of the car and ran away. He was surprisingly calm; I was freaking out.” Mellen realized right away that something was very wrong and said he phoned the police immediately. The carnage started around 5:42pm. Dalton shot a woman who was with her three children at an apartment complex parking lot. Thankfully, she survived. His next two victims, Tyler Smith, 17, and Richard Smith, 53, a father and son, were killed at a car dealership four hours later. Shortly after that, at around 10:24 p.m., Dalton pulled his Chevy HHR into a Cracker Barrel restaurant parking lot and opened fire on a Chevrolet Cruze and an Oldsmobile minivan, killing Mary Lou Nye, 62; Mary Jo Nye, 60; Dorothy Brown, 74; and Barbara Hawthorne, 68.
It’s a leap year. Happy birthday to all those who were born on February 29! (They can celebrate only every four years so it’s really special)
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The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Lake ood & Far rockaway/ lawrence A Continuing Torah Partnership The communiTies oF
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BEth MEdRAsh GOvOhA R’ aRyeh MaLkieL kotLeR שליט“א
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אכסניא Rabbi & Mrs. Zvi Bloom
אכסניא Mr. & Mrs. nochum Futersak
מנחה וקבלת שבת agudah of West Lawrence Rabbi Moshe Brown שליט“א 631 Lanett Avenue · 5:29 pm
מנחה וקבלת שבת Bais Medrash heichel dovid Rabbi Mordechai Stern שליט“א 215 Central Avenue · 5:30 pm
עונג שבת/ סעודת שבת Rabbi & Mrs. Zvi Bloom 509 Cedar Hill Road · 8:45 pm זמירות: Moshe Hamel, Daniel Waldman, Zimrah Boys Choir
עונג שבת/ סעודת שבת Mr. & Mrs. nochum Futersak 1 Boxwood Lane · 8:45 pm זמירות: Akiva Deitchman, Chaim Tobaly
שחרית khal nesiv hatorah Rabbi Binyomin Forst שליט“א 444 Beach 6th Street · 8:00 am
שחרית Shaarei Tefillah Rabbi Uri orlian שליט“א 25 Central Avenue · 8:30 am
מוסף kehilas Bais yisroel Rabbi Elisha Sandler שליט“א 1215-1225 Caffrey Avenue
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סעודת שבת Rabbi & Mrs. Dovid ostreicher 574 Oak Drive שיעור Congregation Kenesses Yisroel Rabbi Eytan Feiner שליט“א 728 Empire Avenue · 4:05 pm מנחה agudah of Long island Rabbi Yaakov Reisman שליט“א 1121 Sage Street · 5:15 pm סעודה שלישית agudah of Long island Rabbi Yaakov Reisman שליט“א 1121 Sage Street
מוסף agudas achim Rabbi Elisha Horowitz שליט“א 200 Broadway סעודת שבת Rabbi & Mrs. Eli Tendler 54 Lawrence Avenue מנחה Bais Medrash of Lawrence Rabbi Dovid Fordsham שליט“א 48 Lawrence Avenue · 5:09 pm סעודה שלישית Rabbi & Mrs. Michoel Lopiansky 15 Rolling Hill Lane
Join us!
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Derek related to NPR, “I jokingly said to the driver, ‘You aren’t the shooter, are you?’ and he either shook his head or said no, and I said, ‘Are you sure?’ And his response wasn’t like you would expect, like a laugh. It was just very calm and quiet. It was, ‘I’m just tired. No, I’m just tired.’” Dalton was arrested about a half hour later.
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The violent rampage finally came to an end at 12:40 a.m. when police arrested Dalton. A semiautomatic handgun was seized from the suspect. The prosecutor described Dalton’s demeanor as “even-tempered” at the time of his arrest. Prior to Saturday,
Dalton had no prior criminal record and was not known to authorities for any reason. Neighbors claimed he was “quiet” and “nice” who lived with his wife and two children, a “typical American family.”
In an interesting twist, a passenger named Derek revealed that Dalton was his Uber driver shortly before he was arrested. It was six hours after the first of the three shootings and a manhunt was already underway for Dalton.
Let’s play some word associations. According to a Gallup poll released on Tuesday, the first thing that pops into Americans’ minds when they think of Democrat presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton is “dishonest” and “dislike her,” while the response to her rival, Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont, is “socialist” and “old.” The survey found that the topof-the-mind reaction to Mrs. Clinton, who is the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, were “dishonest,” “liar,” “don’t trust her” and “poor character.” Another 7 percent of Americans use even stronger words in a similar negative vein, including “criminal,” “crooked” and “thief,” while 9 percent say they just plain dislike her. Those words seem be connected to Ms. Clinton because of the controversy over her exclusive use of a private email server to conduct official business while secretary of state, as well as her behavior following the Benghazi terrorist attack. It doesn’t help that her last name is Clinton and that she and her husband have never truly been seen as squeaky clean by the American public. Sanders, on the other hand, may be proud to have the word “socialist” immediately associated with him. 3 percent of those surveyed, though, associate him with the word “communist.” About 6 percent of the top-ofmind reactions to Mr. Sanders center on his age. He is 74 and would be 75 if inaugurated. That, to some, is considered “old.” Others view him unfavorably, describing him as “crazy”
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
or “delusional” and claiming that he would “provide government freebies or simply give money away.” Despite those views, Americans see him as a candidate who cares about people and the middle class and that he is personable and intelligent. So, Democrats, what will it be: an untrustworthy liar or an old, friendly socialist? Gotta pick one come November.
Obama to Visit Cuba
Viva la revolucion! The Obama administration has continued its outreach to the communist Cuban government for the past fourteen months and the White House recently an-
nounced that the president will be visiting the despotic country next month “to advance our progress and efforts that can improve the lives of the Cuban people.” To be fair, President Obama tweeted, “We still have differences with the Cuban government that I will raise directly. America will always stand for human rights around the world,” signifying that this trip will be more than a public relations event to help push his agenda to a more open relationship between the U.S. and its southern neighbor. But Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes claimed that Cuba is already progressing to a less tyrannical country. “Cuba’s nascent private sector — from restaurant owners to shopkeepers — has benefited from increased travel from the American people. Increased remittances to Cuba from the United States has helped Cuban families,” he said. “The Cuban government has taken some steps to fulfill its commitment to expand access to the Internet, expanding wireless hotspots and announcing an initial broadband connection.” Obama said last year that he would only visit Cuba if he could say “that we’re seeing some progress in the liberty and freedom and possibilities of
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ordinary Cubans.” I guess his definition of progress is different than the rest of the world’s. Or he could just be going for the cigars and coffee.
Americans Need More Shut-Eye
Americans aren’t only recovering from a fiscal recession but from a sleep recession too… Despite extensive research that recommends a solid seven hours of sleep each night for the average adult, a new study shows that more than one-third of us are not getting nearly enough sleep. And as always, some states have worse habits than others. The Centers for Disease Control study analyzed data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
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System. Researchers concluded that over one-third of the adults reported sleeping less than seven hours in a 24hour period. Lack of sleep doesn’t just mean bleary eyes and pounding headaches in the morning. Medical research has linked sleep deprivation to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, mental illness and other chronic health issues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has even declared inadequate sleep a public health problem. According to the Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, which are sleep-related professional associations, adults between ages 18 to 60 should be sleeping a minimum seven hours nightly. “People just aren’t putting sleep on the top of their priority list,” said study author Anne Wheaton, PhD, an epidemiologist at the CDC. “They know they should eat right, get exercise, quit smoking, but sleep just isn’t at the top of their board. And maybe they aren’t aware of the impact sleep can have on your health. It doesn’t just make you sleepy, but it can also affect your health and safety.” There has been a push for public awareness and education about sleep health and workplace policies that
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
ensure healthy amounts of sleep for shift workers. Health care providers should also discuss the significance of healthy sleep duration with patients and identify why they aren’t sleeping enough (try powering off your laptop and iPhone). So what parts of the country need more zzz’s? The study found that states in the Southeast and along the Appalachian Mountains reported the least amount of sleep. Hawaii is the state of the sleepless. On the other side of the pillow, South Dakota, Colorado and Minnesota get the most sleep. What can we do to get more shuteye every night? Wheaton offered the following suggestions for the sleep deprived individuals amongst us: establish good sleep habits, go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, create a good sleep environment, remove electronics from your bedroom, avoid big meals prior to bedtime, avoid caffeine and alcohol in the PM hours, and exercise regularly. Take note that the National Sleep Foundation claims that regular exercise helps individuals fall asleep easier and have a better night’s sleep. However, sporadic exercise or pre-bedtime workouts can actually make it more difficult to fall asleep.
Although this study focuses on sleep patterns at night, people tend to feel the most tired at two specific hours of the day: about 2:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. – that’s when there is a natural dip in alertness, commonly referred to as the post-lunch dip. So the next time you dose off while responding to those afternoon emails, don’t worry. Chances are the individual at the other end is catching some zzz’s too.
Mockingbird Novelist Dies At 89
Classic American novelist Harper Lee died at the age of 89 on Friday. Her 1960 debut novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, a story of justice and race in
a small Southern town, led to her immortalization in the literary world. Mockingbird was drawn from elements of Lee’s childhood in Monroeville. The book won the Pulitzer Prize, and Gregory Peck, who played courtroom hero Atticus Finch, earned numerous awards for the role in the 1962 film adaptation. Lee’s award-winning book was published in July 1960 and became an immediate bestseller. Indeed, it’s never stopped selling; as of 2015, it sold more than 40 million copies and moves a million more each year. Lee was known to be humble and clever. At one event, she was asked to address the audience at the Alabama Academy of Honor. She turned down the opportunity. “Well, it’s better to be silent than be a fool,” she said. Lee was born April 28, 1926, in Monroeville, the youngest of four children of lawyer Amasa Coleman Lee and Frances Cunningham Finch Lee. As a child, Lee attended elementary school and high school just a few blocks from her house on Alabama Avenue. In a March 1964 interview, she offered this capsule view of her childhood: “I was born in a little town called Monroeville, Alabama, on April 28, 1926. I went to school in the local grammar school, went to high school there, and then went to the University of Alabama. That’s about it, as far as education goes.” She moved to New York in 1949, where she worked as an airlines reservations clerk while pursuing a writing career. Eight years later, Lee submitted her manuscript for To Kill a Mockingbird to J.B. Lippincott & Co., which asked her to rewrite it. On July 11, 1960, her debut novel was published by Lippincott with critical and commercial success. She won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction the following year. Since she stopped granting interviews in 1964, Harper Lee was fiercely protected by Monroeville residents. In addition to maintaining an apartment in New York City, Lee lived in her hometown with her sister, Alice Finch Lee, who was 15 years older and practiced law until she was 100 years old. In recent years, Lee had experienced declining health after a stroke left her partially paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. She also had lost 95 percent of her vision, according to a 2011 interview with Alice Lee in the Press-Register. In February 2015, Lee was once again thrust into the spotlight when HarperCollins announced the release
of her second and final published work, Go Set a Watchman. Some say that she was not in the right state of mind to allow the publication to go forth, although others maintain that she was in proper health and facilities.
Mass. Plans Rattlesnake Colony
A plan to establish a colony of venomous timber rattlesnakes has some shaking in their boots. The state intends to allow the snakes to inhabit an off-limits island in Massachusetts’ largest inland body of water. There are only about 200 of the endangered snakes indigenous to the state left in five scattered pockets from greater Boston to the Berkshires. Loss of habitat and human-caused deaths means they could disappear altogether, which is why the Quabbin project is so critical. But many are shaken by visions of dangerous serpents slithering through the woods and attacking fishermen and hunters. Tom French of the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, who’s directing the project at the 39-square mile Quabbin Reservoir, insists that those fears are irrational and are endemic to the public’s aversion to snakes. “People are afraid that we’re going to put snakes in a place of public use and that they are going to breed like rabbits and spread over the countryside and kill everybody,” he said. The plan to establish the snakes on Mount Zion — at more than 1,400 acres, the largest island in the reservoir — has been in the works for several years. A handful of snakes will be raised at Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island, and placed on the island in a couple more years when they are mature enough to survive in the wild. The project has received the endorsement of Gov. Charlie Baker. Rattlesnakes are timid and only strike out when provoked. There have been no documented rattlesnake bite deaths in Massachusetts since colonial times, French points out. He can’t
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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even recall an accidental bite in his 32 years with the state agency even though Massachusetts’ rattlesnake populations live largely in public lands that get heavy foot traffic. On Mount Zion, the snakes will be safe from human interference, have ideal places to hibernate and plenty of mice and chipmunks to eat. “We want one place where the impact of people is not part of the equation,” French said.
“We actually have about 10 contractors here in the United States,” Jeff Kelly of Mystery Potato said. “We have 10 contractors internationally who create potatoes for us and ship them all over the world.” So what’s the good word? “We send a lot of potatoes that say, ‘You’re a hot potato,’” Kelly said. Hmmm, sounds original. On the other hand, “‘Nerd’ in the biggest letters possible seems to be a popular message for some reason.” Yes, I would say that if you’re sending a message to someone on a potato in the mail anonymously, nerd would be a good way to describe yourself – and your friend.
Potato in the Post The Slick Senator
Never underestimate the power of a potato posting. Mystery Potato, based in Renton, Washington, is mailing personalized potatoes anonymously to specified recipients. The potato-grams start at $7.99 per tuber.
He’s 18 and the youngest state senator ever – or so he says. Izaha Akins had his sights set high and had been itching to get into politics. But campaigning, elections, endorsements … all that seemed too much. So when the Ohio teenager heard about an upcoming visit to an American government class by state Senator David Burke, he contacted the high school to offer his services. He
told school officials that Burke had to resign over an illness and that he was selected as his replacement – making him the youngest state senator ever.
Despite his suave manner, officials didn’t take his word for it: they asked why they never heard about the recent appointment. Akins related that Burke had yet to announce the resignation and that his first choice declined the position. Akins was the second choice and he gladly accepted. “Through that conversation, Mr. Stobbs [the teacher] was convinced this was legitimate,” Mohawk Schools Superintendent Ken Ratliff related. They set the date for the lecture to be moved from January to December and then the teen and people posing as his aides secured a car from a local dealership and arrived in school. He received a tour and went on to give a lecture to the students.
What did the faux politician speak about? “The presentation was about being active in politics, political processes,” Ratliff said. “Everyone thought it was legit; bought into it, including the teacher.” So what happened that pulled his cover? It seems that Senator Burke did not receive the memo that Akins replaced him – and he showed up on January 14 to give the lecture. Ah ha – it seems like something is amiss, surmised school officials. “This is an extremely elaborate scheme and not as simple as walking through the door,” Burke acknowledged. “When I heard about this, the school and I immediately began working with law enforcement.” Akins is not denying that he did something wrong. But, like a good politician, there’s a good reason for it. He said the stunt was part of his research for a paper he was writing on school security in rural communities. “I was duping to prove a point – that these kinds of things can happen. They could easily have Googled me and they didn’t,” he told the Toledo Blade. He was subsequently arrested. Could be he’ll learn more about politics from behind bars.
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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Send us Snow!
Have some white stuff lying around? This family is desperate for “snownations” and are appealing for donations of the icy flakes to keep their 13-foot snowman alive. So far, people are really pitching in. One donation came from Vermont and arrived at the family’s Long Island home in ice packs, the snowman’s builder, Mike Fregoe, related. “But we need more of it!” he urged. This is the second year that Mike, his wife Lisa, and their two daughters, 11-year-old Julia and 16-yearold Rebecca, are trying to prevent their snowman from melting. Last year’s snowman lasted until April 20 and reached a height of 10.5 feet. As it held on, the family noticed how the community loved it. “I was really happy with how much happiness and joy it brings,” Mike said. “It makes everyone happy. Little kids and their grandparents – they all stop to take photos.” This new snowman is not really new. In fact, when Snowman 2015 melted last year, the Fregoes took a ball of snow, a “snow seed,” and put it in the freezer. This year, when Long Island was walloped with snow in January, the snow seed was included in the new snowman, which took four or five days to complete. “So he does live on, physically and spiritually,” Mike mused. This year’s snowman, simply named “Snowman,” is even taller than last year’s. At one point earlier this year, it stood at 14.6 feet, and now Mike is hoping for another blizzard to beat last year’s record. “A blizzard goes a long way. But it’s a lot of work, so after April 20, we’ll take it day by day,” he said. He is now asking anyone who can donate snow, or who knows where the family can find some, to contact them via their Facebook page. He said he loves how many people have
taken an interest in their story so far, but said the reason why it has struck a chord is “simple.” “A snowman reminds you of childhood,” he said. “It makes people happy, and who doesn’t want to be happy?” I like snow but less blizzards make me happy too.
A Pot for the Road
The king of coffee is now in a can. Renato Bialetti, the coffee king whose name is synonymous with the iconic aluminum stovetop espresso maker, died last week at the age of 93. But coffee was so near to his heart that the ashes of the Italian coffee impresario were placed in a giant Moka pot at his funeral this week. Bialetti is responsible for making Moka famous. Luigi di Ponti, though, designed the appliance in 1933 and sold the patent to Renato’s father, an aluminum vendor. Bialetti ran with the product when he gained control of the company in 1947. He spearheaded a massive marketing campaign across Italy for the pots, which were branded with a mustachioed caricature. L’omino con i baffi, the little man with a mustache, remains a widely-recognized symbol in Italy today. Bialetti’s Moka-shaped urn now lies in the family plot in Omegna, Italy. What once held coffee grounds is now in the ground.
The Royal Flush
“Normal people can’t use a royal toilet.” Wise words, indeed.
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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The outhouse won’t be left for the commoners when the princess leaves Cambodia after her three day visit. In fact, when she departs, the toilet will go with her. A manager at the firm that built the outhouse told The Guardian: “Normal people can’t use a [royal] toilet.” During her stay, the princess and her party are to dine by the lake, and Pierre-Yves Clais, the French owner of a luxury resort lodge in the province, has been tasked with organizing their banquet. Menu items include foie gras, French-style pancakes and fish cooked in butter sauce. In contrast, 69% of Cambodians living in rural parts of the country don’t have access to basic sanitation or toilets. This is the highest rate in East Asia and the Pacific. Wonder how many outhouses we can build for them for $40,000.
Pizza Three Years Later
You see, Thailand’s Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited neighboring Cambodia on Monday, but it’s her new toilet that’s making the news. Over the weekend, Cambodian officials told local reporters that an outhouse overlooking the Yeak Lom Lake was built for the royal visit, at a cost of over $40,000.
The princess is the second daughter of Thailand’s reigning King Bhumibol Adulyadej. In Cambodia, the average factory worker earns about $140 a month. In the rural province where Her Royal Highness visited, incomes dip even lower than that. So the cost of the royal outhouse seems a bit over the top –
even if it is an air conditioned 8-square meters building and was requested by the princess. It took 19 days to build, and everything — contractors, 10 laborers and materials — was flown in from Thailand for it. Only Thai hands were used to build the princess’s toilet; other outhouses for her delegation were built by Cambodians.
Like cold pizza? If you’re in the army, you better like it real cold. Always on the lookout to provide its soldiers with a piece of home, the United States Army has developed the quintessential American food for its soldiers to enjoy: pizza. There’s nothing like a slice from the pizzeria down the block to remind you of the good, old times. But army food isn’t always too fresh and now it has been revealed that soldiers can enjoy a slice of cheesy goodness three years after it’s been prepared. The U.S. Army’s Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center has spent the past five years developing “MRE #37” (Meal Ready to Eat). “It’s a fully assembled and baked piece of pizza in one package,” food technologist Lauren Oleksyk told Tech Insider. Sounds yum. The biggest challenge for the army was in figuring out how to stop bacteria from growing on the pizza dough and sauce, which needs water for taste, but is also a breeding ground
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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He added, “I felt like I had to change my name as a tribute to my grandad [who introduced him to Spam] and the war effort but it does get a lot of laughs. The postman asks if the ‘Spam man’ is in and I get some funny looks when I check into hotels and they say, ‘Are you serious?’ But I’ve had mostly a positive response.” After the name change, the company sent Mark a can-shaped suit. A Spam spokesperson praised Mark’s love of the product, “As you can imagine Spam Brand has many fans across the world, but Mark really stands out when it comes to going that extra mile.”
He plans on coming to America to sample different varieties of Spam, since the UK only has one. Sounds like he needs a life. Or maybe a nutritionist.
for mold. Thankfully, a solution was found and now pizza has a shelf life of three years. The pizza, though, tastes like “day after pizza’ or the kind you’d find in a school cafeteria.” It can be eaten cold or warmed up with a MRE heater. Cuz pizza, no matter how you slice it, is as American as apple pie.
Spam I Am Mark Benson is a little too obsessed with Spam. The 41-year-old from Halewood, Liverpool, eats the spiced meat for breakfast every day. He also cooks recipes with the product up to four times a week and owns an extensive collection of memorabilia, including a Spam can suit and
Spam flip flops. Last year, the Spam fan took his meat addiction a little further when he formally changed his middle name to “I Love Spam.” He’s been eating the product since he was two. “I love Spam for breakfast with toast and we make all the different recipes from the Spam website – we’ll have them up to four times a week,” he enthused.
Trump’s Politics of Vulgarity
Michael Gerson on page 122
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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Around the
Community On Monday, February 15, Rav Yaakov Feitman of Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi, Cedarhurst, was the guest speaker at the Young Israel of Bayswater Yom Iyun in honor of President’s Day. Rav Feitman spoke about the importance of simcha, especially during the months of Adar. The Morah D’asra, Rav Eliezer Feuer, spoke of Rav Feitman’s close relationship with his grandfather, the great Rosh Yeshiva of Telshe, Rav Mordechai Gifter zt”l, and Rav Feitman shared some of his own memories of the late Torah giant.
Hakoras Hatov at YKLI
Having hakoras hatov and showing that you are thankful for a kindness performed for you is the essence every Jew. In trying to ingrain this important middah, the boys in Ye-
shiva Ketana of Long Island grades 1-6 recently completed a four week “Thank You” contest. The boys were given a form to fill out with their parents nightly. On this form they would
write in who they have to say thank you to during the day, and why did they have to say thank you to that person. There were weekly raffles for the participants and all boys who
participated received a “Thank You” chocolate at the end. Pictured here are the first graders who participated in the program and the winners of the weekly raffles.
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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Around the Community
Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam 4th Annual Dinner a Smashing Success
PHOTO CREDIT: YK IMAGES
Rabbi Nosson Neuman addressing the crowd
Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder addressing the crowd
(L-R) Avraham Mayer, Rabbi Zvi Bloom, Rabbi Nosson Neuman, Mati Dear, Parent and Awardee, and Motti Fox
Daniel Friedman, honoree, Rabbi Nosson Neuman, Mr. David Friedman, father of honoree
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his past Motzei Shabbos, February 20, Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam celebrated its Fourth Annual Dinner. As the Far Rockaway and Five Towns communities continue to expand and grow, the community schools have been stretched. Four years ago, Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam was formed at the behest of many community rabbonim and education leaders to directly address this need. With a humble start of 31 students in its first year, BYAM is on track to exceed over 225 students for the 20162017 school year. This unprecedented growth is not a surprise to everyone who knows the school’s Menahel, Rabbi Nosson Neuman. As Rabbi Neuman said, “Our Bais Yaakov is founded in the abiding principle of creating a warm, nurturing, and fun environment for the students to succeed to the best they can be, all within the exem-
Rabbi Zvi Bloom addressing the crowd
(L-R) Rabbi Mosey Kaplan, Husband of Chinuch Awardee Morah Shira Kaplan, Rabbi Zvi Bloom, BYAM President and Chairman of the Board, and Rabbi Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva Yeshiva Darchei Torah
(L-R) Rabbi Yitzchok Knobel, Rosh Kollel, Daniel Friedman, Honoree, Rabbi Nosson Neuman, Menahel
plary vision of Mrs. Sarah Schenirer.” Since opening, Rabbi Neuman has emerged as a respected leader of the school to whom all the parents regularly seek guidance and eitzah. He has engaged a superior teaching staff who are tasked with the holy endeavor of developing the future Imahos of Klal Yisroel and executing the vision of Rabbi Neuman. It is no surprise that the message of Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam has struck a chord with so many families across the Far Rockaway and Five Towns communities. Families seeking a warm and academically challenging school while at the same time not sacrificing in their Torah standards of tznius andaAhavas Hashem are now turning to BYAM as their school of choice. A parent is quoted as saying, “We are so lucky to be a part of the BYAM family. We have been so
Motti Fox, parent at BYAM, Dinner Chairman, and emcee of the evening
(L-R) Rabbi Peretz Strickman and Rabbi Yehuda Leib Gordon, parents at BYAM
(L-R) Rabbi Nosson Neuman, Mr. Lloyd Keilson, and Avraham Mayer, Executive Director
pleased with the friends our daughter has made at BYAM and have been even more impressed with the wonderful, Torahdige families that comprise our daughter’s classmates.” The 4th Annual Dinner was a time to reflect upon the tremendous accomplishments of BYAM while at the same focusing our strength towards the fu-
ture. As the entire community continues to grow, BYAM is ready to meet the growing needs of our community. If you would like to learn more about the school, please contact the school at 718-868-3232 or contact its Executive Director, Mr. Avraham Mayer at am@baisyaakovam.org.
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Around the Community
Popular Author Visits Shulamith Lower Division
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hulamith Lower Division celebrated Literacy Week with an author study. They prepared by reading many books by renowned author Johanna Hurwitz. The first through fourth graders enjoyed read-alouds, while students in grades three and four formed book clubs. From New Shoes for Silvia to Busybody Nora to Class Clown
to Teacher’s Pet, students enjoyed immersing themselves in Hurwitz’s fun fictional tales. The highlight of the week was meeting the author and learning how she works and gets her ideas. Shulamith students came away from Literacy Week with the knowledge that writing can be enjoyable and with the inspiration to become life-long readers!
Israeli Psychologist Who Helps Terror Victims Speaks at Rambam
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illel Kuhr is an American who made aliyah around 25 years ago. He is a psychologist and part of a team of psychologists that responds to terrorist attacks. He deals with the victims and the relatives of victims and he specifically deals with the Binyamin Region that has been very hard hit by terror in the last five months. Dr. Kuhr showed and discussed dramatic videos featuring terror attacks as well as the IDF’s response to these attacks. In one terror attack scene, a local market worker, an Israeli, fought off two terrorists with a shopping cart and then he returned to work the next day. The unique perspective Dr. Kuhr offered was that while the world might think Israelis live in a constant state of fear, paranoia, and post-traumatic stress, most do, in fact, not! He explained that as a Jew
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he gains strength when he sees how quickly Am Yisrael comes back from tragedy. He explored how it was a combination of faith in Hashem; the tightknit family life in Israel; and the knowledge that the IDF really does keep a nation constantly being attacked safe that allows for Israel to thrive. Special thank you to Rabbi Eliach for arranging for Dr. Kuhr to speak at Rambam.
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Around the Community
PHOTO CREDIT: IVAN H NORMAN
The Annual Breakfast of Tomchei Shabbos was held at the home of Ari & Ruthy Jungreis in Lawrence this past Sunday. Pictured here are Hylton Lightman, MD; Ari Jungreis, host; Rabbi Daniel Glatstein of Kehillad Ahavas Yisroel, guest speaker; Moshe Lamm; and Rabbi Eliyahu Alpert. The Torah is called Toras Chaim, a Living Torah. One way to explain this is by bringing every lesson to life. The boys in Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island recently learned about the clothing of the Kohen Gadol and specifically about the avnei miluim on the choshen. Tzviki Rosner brought in the stones of the choshen for all the boys in Rabbi Bornstein’s fourth grade class to look at. The boys also learned about the different spices which were used in the Mishkan. Tuvia Ross brought in the bottles with the spices which are sold at the Living Torah Museum. The boys were able to visualize these parts of the parsha with real life models.
Mikdash Comes To Life at the Young Israel of Long Beach
Rav Asher Weiss to Speak in the Five Towns
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he Five Towns community will have the great zechus to host Rav Asher Weiss this coming Sunday morning, February 28. Rabbi Weiss is a beloved and highly respected religious leader in various segments of Israeli society. In his inimitable style, Rabbi Weiss presents a unique blend of vast Torah knowledge and profound insight, drawing thousands of listeners from all religious sectors to his weekly shiurim. Rabbi Weiss is equally sought after and welcomed in the halls of Ponevitz, Lakewood, Chevron and Yeshivot Hesder, including Yeshivat Sha’alavim, Yeshivat Har Etzion, Yeshivat HaKotel, and other yeshivot that the children of our communities attend. He visits the Yeshivat Hesder in S’derot regularly, providing shiurim and chizuk to its talmidim and to the entire community. Rabbi Weiss is a prolific writer and has authored over twenty five seforim, including his highly popular Minchas Asher series on the parsha, as well as many other volumes on Shas, halacha and, most recently, two volumes of Shailos U’Teshuvos. Rabbi Weiss also serves as a high-
ly respected Av Bet Din, adjudicating some of the most challenging issues of contemporary society. Since the passing of the Tzitz Eliezer, Rav Waldenberg, z”l, Rabbi Weiss was appointed as the official posek of Shaare Zedek Hospital in Yerushalayim. Rabbi Weiss applies his vast Torah knowledge and navigates the most delicate issues in modern medical research and technology. Many rabbanim from communities throughout the world consult Rav Weiss on the most complex halachic matters. This Sunday morning at 10:00am, Rabbi Weiss will be speaking about modern day halachic medical dilemmas at the Young Israel of Woodmere. Some of the topics he will cover will include acceptable risks with regard to the Zika virus, ovarian transplants, surrogate motherhood and mitochondrial transfers. There will also be an opportunity to submit questions and take full advantage of Rabbi Weiss’s mastery of medical halachic knowledge. This program is free of charge for both men and women, medical and non-medical background alike.
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habbos Parshas Tetzaveh was very special at the Young Israel of Long Beach as the congregation was provided an opportunity to actually see replicas of what was presented in the parsha in terms of the “bigdei kehuna” and the “keilim.” Steve Frankel, Founding Director of the Mikdash Educational Center, served as the Scholar-In-Residence. On Shabbos morning, following Kiddush, Mr. Frankel delivered a lecture about the bigdei kehuna and referred to an elaborate display of the eight articles of clothing of the Kohen Gadol and four articles of a Kohen Hedyout. Several issues were touched upon such as the wearing of shatnez by the Kohanim, why the me’il did not have tzitzit and the fact that the Kohen Gadol did not lift his hands above the inscription of Kodesh LaShem which was engraved on the tzitz. A second lecture was delivered on Shabbos afternoon entitled “A walk through the Bais Hamikdash.” A full scale model of the Bais HaMikdash was constructed and each component of the building was discussed as the
audience was drawn through the east entrance through the “Ezras Nashim” up the fifteen stairs leading up to the “Shaar Niknor” into the Ezras Yisroel, Ezras Kohanim and the through the “Ulam” and into the “heichal” itself and the “Kodesh Kadashim.” The audience was fascinated by grandeur of the structure and for many it was the first time that they could more clearly identify with the Bais HaMikdash as it stood in the glory days of Am Yisroel. On Motzaei Shabbos an interactive workshop took place entitled “Wake Up and Smell the Mikdash.” During this session Mr. Frankel discussed the eleven species that combined to make the Ketores. Several of the spices were given out so that the participants could actually smell and feel them. The participants were each given a mortar and pestle and were able to grind their own spices. All those who participated expressed their gratitude to Rabbi Chaim Wakslak, the Rav of the shul, and to the administration for arranging for this very informative and educational event.
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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Around the Community
“Professor” Goldfeder Gives Lessons in Government
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Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder gives a guest lecture to students at SKA High School for Girls in Hewlett
t’s back to school for one state lawmaker. In an effort to make state government more accessible to students in the Jewish community, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D - Far Rockaway) last week visited Yeshiva University in Manhattan and SKA High School for Girls in Hewlett to discuss his career as an elected official. During both visits, Goldfeder came with a simple message about the importance of making a difference in the community. “The reason I chose public service is to have an impact on people’s lives. If I can make even a small improvement to one person’s life, then it’s worth it,” said Assemblyman Phil
Assemblyman Goldfeder gives a guest lecture to Business Law students at Yeshiva University in Manhattan
Goldfeder. “I’m here to tell you that you are not limited – in any way, shape or form – to also make a difference. Through public service we can all make a great kiddush Hashem.” At Yeshiva University, Goldfeder visited a business law class to discuss his start in government, the legislative process, and some of the big decisions facing legislators during the current session in Albany. Goldfeder spoke at length to students about his own college experience and the balance he struck between staying true to his upbringing, while striving to take advantage of the many opportunities available to him as an undergrad at Brooklyn College. For
Goldfeder, this meant attending yeshiva every morning before class and joining student government and numerous student groups on campus. During the question and answer session, students asked the assemblyman how, as a frum elected official, he worked in a district with a large diverse, non-orthodox population. According to Goldfeder, the important thing isn’t identity or political affiliation, but rather, how hard an elected official works for the families they represent. For the high schoolers at SKA, Goldfeder gave students a sense of a day in the life of an Assemblymember, explaining in detail the legislative process and the committee
meetings used to debate bills before they are voted on. Touching on life in Albany, he explained how difficult it can often be to be a father of two young children and have to spend so much time away from his family. Still, Goldfeder was quick to add that the support and understanding of his wife and family were the main reason he was able to continue his work in the Assembly. “The support and chesed of my family has helped me be the best possible representative to other families in our community. I do what I do because I want our community to continue to grow stronger so that my children and their children can thrive here,” concluded Goldfeder.
Helen Spirn, and Mrs. Tannenbaum, AP Bio teacher, and heard divrei Torah from Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone. This wonderful Shabbaton would not have
been possible without the hard work of Grade Level Advisers Ms. Stavsky, Ms. Balk and Mrs. Shmulewitz, and Rabbi Zakutinsky, Mrs. Storch, Mrs.
Kaminetsky, Mrs. Mallin, Ms. Leichtung and our madrichot. SKA’s 10th grade can’t wait for their Shabbaton next week!
SKA’s Junior Grade Shabbaton
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he junior class of the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls enjoyed an amazing Shabbaton filled with ruach and achdut last week in Woodmere. All the “out of towners” were happily hosted by the Woodmere students. The delicious Friday night meal was held at the Blue Shul and the girls were honored to have Mr. and Mrs. Mallin and several madrichot join them. Our thanks go to the Farkas family for opening up their home for Friday night davening and oneg after the meal. Seudat Shlishit was enjoyed at the Stavsky home where the girls were joined by Head of School, Mrs.
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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Around the Community
HAFTR Pays Tribute to Three Generation Families
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ore than 325 people joined us at the 38th Annual HAFTR dinner held at the HAFTR Sports Complex on Sunday evening. This year, the HAFTR community paid tribute to our Three Generation Families who have each attended either Hillel, HILI or HAFTR and continued the school legacy by enrolling their children. HAFTR was established in 1978 as a merger between two outstanding South Shore yeshivot. The Hebrew Institute of Long Island (HILI) served the Rockaway and budding Five Towns community since 1936, and the Hillel School was founded in 1957 to serve the growing needs of the Long Island and Rockaway communities. Founded in 1978, the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR) sets the standard of excellence for American Jewish yeshiva education on both the lower and secondary levels. This year, our HAFTR family gathered together to honor those who have paved the way for all of us.
L to R: Naomi Maron, Richard Maron (HAFTR grad), Evan & Royce Maron (both HAFTR grads), Sandra Maron (HILI grad), Reuben Maron (former parent, Past HAFTR President, current grandparent and HAFTR Executive Director), Robin Maron and Avery Maron (HAFTR grad). Mrs. Sandra Engelstein Maron graduated from HILI and continued the school legacy by sending all of her boys, Richard, Evan and Avery to HAFTR. Currently, Sandra Maron’s three sons are now HAFTR parents as well, with children who are both HAFTR graduates and current HAFTR students.
Our Three Generation Families include: The Alpert (Small, Weinrib) Family The Aschheim (Lazar) Family The Bernstein (Waxman) Family The Bertram (Orenstein, Lesnick) Family The Bienenfeld (Brafman, Lent) Family The Bokor Family The Brafman Cooperberg (Kuflik) Family The Engelstein (Maron) Family The Friedman (Romanoff) Family The Goldsmith (Goldstein Gomberg) Family The Hammerman (Lifshitz, Scheer) Family The Horowitz (Gillman, Glaubach) Family The Jakubowitz (Eisenberg) Family The Knoll (Haimm, Wanderer) Family The Markowitz (Weinrib) Family The Mermelstein (Gross, Lauer) Family The Miller Family The Nathan (Gluck) Family The Rosenthal (Gurtman) Family The Rosenzweig (David, Rotenberg) Family The Sicklick Family The Sicklick (Hoffman) Family The Slotkin (Hizme, Rudensky) Family The Stawski (Schechter) Family The Sturm (Strauss) Family The Wallach (Rosenberg, Farber) Family The Weissman Family The Zwiebel Family The Zwiebel (Bernstein) Family The Zwiebel (Sobin) Family The Zwiebel (Zenilman) Family
L to R: HAFTR President Jason Bokor, HAFTR Executive Director Reuben Maron, and Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky
L to R: Daniel Kuflik & Lisa Cooperberg Kuflik (both HAFTR grads and current HAFTR parents) alongside Lisa’s parents, Shevy & Richie Cooperberg (both HILI graduates and former HAFTR parents)
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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Kollel Tirtza Devorah’s Annual Dinner to be Held March 5th
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ollel Tirtza Devorah, a division of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, consists of a select group of distinguished married graduates of the Yeshiva who are immersed in advanced Torah study from morning until night within Darchei’s main beis medrash. Alumni of the Kollel have gone on to careers as rabbeim, scholars and learned laymen in Jewish communities from Arizona to the Five Towns. An afternoon Kollel Mechanchim enables an illustrious cadre of rabbeim, from a variety of yeshivos, to continue their growth in Torah as well. The annual dinner is Kollel Tirtza Devorah’s primary fundraising event. It will take place on Motzaei Shabbos, March 5, 2016, at Congregation Beth Sholom in Lawrence. For journal ads or reservations, please call 718-868-2300 ext. 237, email kollel@darchei.org, or visit www. darchei.org/kollel. The dinner will pay tribute to three distinguished couples. Dr. and Mrs. Duvi Klein Guests of Honor Dr. Duvi Klein is a pediatrician, so it is axiomatic that his medical practice, located in Brooklyn, is fo-
Dr. Duvi Klein
cused exclusively on children. Yet he references the concept of a “family practitioner” when explaining his affinity for Kollel Tirtza Devorah. “A family practitioner would see patients of all ages, from the youngest to the very old,” he says. “Similarly, I think that it is beautiful that Yeshiva Darchei Torah caters to talmidim of all ages, from nursery trough Kollel.
It is great that alumni of the Yeshiva can return to their alma mater as newly-married men to continue growing together with their chaveirim and learning from their illustrious rabbeim.” From his vantage point as a member of the Yeshiva Darchei Torah executive board, Dr. Klein explains why the Kollel is a necessary component of the Yeshiva. “It’s a very big undertaking to make a Yeshiva of this size work, especially on the financial end,” he explains. “Why would we want to undertake a Kollel? Because having a Kollel gives back to the Yeshiva, in many ways. The bachurim in the Beis Medrash can be learning side by side with the Kollel members, and they see that there is a future in Torah. Not only elsewhere, but here – they can stay here and continue to learn and shteig and develop into mechanchim or poskim or simply to learn lishmah.” The Kleins live in Bayswater and are active in all the neighborhood’s mosdos. Sima Klein is the indefatigable founder and head of a simcha tablecloth gemach that serves the entire Far Rockaway and Five Towns community. They are the proud parents of three Darchei talmidim and alumni – and a fourth son is coming next year. Mr. and Mrs. Moshe Bloom Kesser Torah Award When reflecting on the vital role played by Kollel Tirtza Devorah, Moshe Bloom says that “it is so important for a young couple to start off married life with a focus on ruchniyus. The Kollel enables each of its members to build his family on a strong foundation of Torah learning.” In fact, Moshe himself spent several years immediately after his marriage learning in the kollel of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood. Moshe credits his reverence for kollelim to his late father, Rabbi Yisroel Bloom zt”l, who established Yeshiva Darchei Torah in 1972. “My father supported many causes, but his main involvement was in kollelim and yeshivos,” Moshe relates. “This was a result of specific guidance that he received from Maran Rav Elazar Menachem Shach zt”l, to devote the bulk of his time and resources to mosdos of Torah.”
When Yeshiva Darchei Torah began as an elementary school over four decades ago, no one could have known that the Yeshiva would
Mr. Moshe Bloom
one day encompass 2,000 talmidim, from nursery through Kollel, or that Moshe Bloom’s classmate, Dovid Bender, would become a distinguished talmid chacham and the Rosh Kollel of Darchei’s Kollel Tirtza Devorah. The two enjoy a close friendship until this day. Moshe is an active member of the Yeshiva Darchei Torah executive board, and he and his wife, Chani, are proud that all of their sons are either current or former talmidim of the Yeshiva. He is also deeply involved in the Yeshiva of the Telshe Alumni of Riverdale as well as Far Rockaway’s Khal Nesiv Hatorah, for which he serves as co-chairman of its building campaign. Mrs. Bloom has been a beloved morah in the Yeshiva’s Harriet Keilson Early Childhood Center for the last 15 years and runs a very busy children’s simcha outfit gemach. Dr. and Dr. Yakov Lowinger Tirtza Devorah Legacy Award Yakov Lowinger cherishes the memory of his great-grandmother, Mrs. Tirtza Devorah Weiss, a”h, who was nifteres in 1991. “She was always in good spirits and always made us feel good,” he recalls. “She would sing to us and tell us stories, and when she visited she invariably had something homemade for us to enjoy. She would even painstakingly knit yarmulkas for us – which started filling up drawers in our house because we couldn’t possibly
wear all of them.” Dr. Lowinger notes that grandmo thers were a rarity in post-Holocaust Borough Park; most had perished in the War. Tirtza Devorah Weiss was not only a doting grandmother to her own grandchildren but in a sense to all the children of the neighborhood. Yakov’s father, Ronald Lowinger, the president of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, had an especially close relationship with his grandmother, so it came as no surprise to his family when he founded Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s Kollel in the early 2000s and dedicated it in her memory. “As descendants who were old enough to know her, we understood her in a way that no one else can,” Yakov asserts. “We have a special affinity for Kollel Tirtza Devorah not only because it bears
Dr. Yakov Lowinger
her name but because it embodies her values. As much as the Kollel promotes excellence, with learning on a high level, it is not an ivory tower; it is a place where anybody from the community feels welcome to daven and learn – it’s like the home of a relative or a close friend. It is truly a continuation of our great-grandmother’s legacy.” Yakov and his wife, Rachel, are active members of Heichal Dovid in Lawrence and involved with TAG and many other community institutions. Their son, Yonah, is a happy talmid in the Yeshiva Darchei Torah kindergarten. For more information, please call 718-868-2300 ext. 237, email kollel@darchei.org or visit www. darchei.org/kollel.
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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At Kollel Tirtza Devorah,
a select group of Yeshiva Darchei Torah alumni engages in intensive Torah study from morning until late at night. They complement their focus on advanced Gemara and Halacha by teaching, mentoring and training for careers in communal leadership. The Kollel's graduates have become rabbeim, teachers and mashgichim in our local community and beyond. They are the future leaders of Klal Yisrael. Join the Kollel's dinner campaign - and invest in their futures. For more information about the Kollel, including Yissochor-Zevulun partnerships, please contact us.
Dr. & Mrs. Duvi Klein
Guests of Honor
Mr. & Mrs. Moshe Bloom
Kesser Torah Award
Training Leaders. Dr. & Dr. Yakov Lowinger E AT E R Y
Tirtza Devorah Legacy Award
Catering sponsored in part by
Journal Ad Deadline Extended until Monday 3:oo pm
For Dinner reservations and journal ads, please call 718.868.2300 ext. 237 or email kollel@darchei.org - www.darchei.org/kollel
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Around the Community
Books and More for Shulamith Literacy Week
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hulamith Middle Division celebrated literacy with a week’s worth of special programming. On Tuesday, February 16, students were enlightened and entertained as storyteller Gerald Fierst, of Encore Performing Arts, inspired the girls to “Think It; Write It!” Wednesday featured spelling bees, with fifth and sixth graders competing in one bee, and seventh and eighth graders competing in another. The audience, which included proud parents and grandparents of the participants, were on the edge of their seats as sixth grader Haley Rosenberg and
eighth grader Eliana Eichler spelled their way to victory. With the excitement of the spelling bee fresh in their minds, on Thursday, students of grades 5 through 8 gathered for the Second Annual Shulamith Poetry Slam. In honor of Presidents’ Week, contestants wrote poems about freedom and independence, including works on American history, presidential candidates, emancipation from slavery, liberation from concentration camps, and more. Each poet was graded on the creativity, content, and presentation of her poem. The grand
prize winner was sixth grader Tehila Ostroff who earned perfect scores for her poem entitled, “Jewish Women.” Fifth graders Tamar Pilevsky, Elana Reichman, and Aliza Zilberberg, who teamed up to write and perform “The Great Debate,” tied for First Place with sixth grader Tehila Jansensen whose poem was called, “If I Were President.” Literacy Week also featured some special workshops, including a visit by Mr. Chaim Schneider, of Judaica Press. Mr. Schneider, parent of fifth grader Ilana Schneider, offered the fifth graders inside information
Spelling Bee contestants from grades 7 and 8
Fifth grader Ilana Schneider with her father, Mr. Chaim Schneider of Judaica Press Publishing
about how books move from “Concept to Consumer.” The sixth and seventh graders attended a session called “Getting Your Message Across” in which Mrs. Celia Weintrob, advertising manager of The Jewish Star, taught the girls all about newspapers and advertising. Throughout the week, each class visited the Book Fair arranged by parent volunteers Lisa Abittan and Racheli Laufer. To whet their appetites for quality literature, students also enjoyed listening to excerpts from a variety of novels read to them by different teachers each day. The week ended with the chance on Friday for students and teachers to dress up as their favorite literary characters. Literacy Week offered something for everyone. In the words of one student, “Literacy Week was cool, and I learned a lot too!”
Rambam February Madness 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament By Gabe Greenbaum, Junior
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fter months of waiting for one of the most highly anticipated events of the year, Presidents Week finally came, and with it came February Madness. The Madness began Tuesday afternoon, with 32 teams comprised of 5 students per team. After almost three hours of intense competition, the field was cut in half with now only sixteen teams remaining to play on Wednesday, the final day of the tournament. After some intense matchups between basketball stars like Daniel Petrikovsky and Noah Aaron; Jack Ross and Moshe Mottahedeh; and Yaakov Feiner and Nate the Great Rosenberg; the championship teams were set. The final game fea-
tured showdown between the JV and Varsity starting point guards Aaron Azose and Daniel Petrikovsky respectively. At 5:00PM, the whole school was called into the gym to watch the championship game, but not before watching a special slam dunk contest between Aryeh Kahn, Jack Ross and Noah Aaron. After three rounds that saw the likes of Ross bouncing it between his legs and off the backboard and Aaron dunking over freshmen, the champion was crowned by our panel of guest judges including Mr. Caffrey and Rabbi Friedman: Noah defeated Jack by just one point. But before the championship game started, birthday boy Mr. Goldman had one surprise left. After a dramatic emptying of the pockets
of his keys, wallet, and cell phone, Mr. Goldman surprised the entire gym with a successful dunk. After all the hype leading up to this moment, the game was finally here! An extremely intense battle between young and old went back and forth throughout the game, but in the end, experience was the decid-
ing factor. Daniel Petrikovsky, Eliyahu Levy, Joe Wertman, and Nate the Great Rosenberg took home the trophies: the 2016 Rambam February Madness champions! A special thank you to Mr. Howard and Mr. Goldman for organizing such a special event for everyone.
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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Around the Community
Huge Turnout Expected at Achiezer’s Annual Tribute Dinner This Coming Week
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fter much excitement and anticipation, in just a few short days Achiezer will be holding its Annual Tribute Dinner. Well over one thousand people are expected to attend what could be Achiezer’s largest dinner turnout yet! To be held at the Sands Atlantic Beach, on February 28th, 2016, Achiezer’s Annual Tribute Dinner is a must-attend event. It will be a time of reflection on the tremendous accomplishments of this incredible fixture in our community, a time to pay tribute to the outstanding work of its incredible staff and volunteers, as well as a time to look towards the future, to what our community can become when we unite together as one. An evening of excitement, energy, hope and reflection, the dinner reception will begin at 6:15 pm, followed by an innovative, can’t-miss forty-five minute program at 7:45. There, Achiezer will be unveiling the premier of the We Are All Achiezer film, followed by dessert at 8:30. As everyone in our community is aware, Achiezer’s work knows no bounds. Responding to every community need, be it on a personal, family, financial or emotional level, Achiezer has left its mark on every facet of the community, touching countless hearts and lives. While the strength of this organization lies in its devoted leadership, under the direction of Rabbi Boruch Ber Bender and its executive board and staff who work nonstop on the community’s behalf, its real power lies in the fact that Achiezer is an organization of the people. It is regular members of the community who give of their time, each contributing in their own special capacity, that give Achiezer its distinct flavor. And that is why the theme of this year’s Achiezer’s Annual Tribute Dinner is “We Are All Achiezer.” Each contributing individual in the community weaves together the most beautiful tapestry that is Achiezer. It is only the support and unity of The Five Towns and Far Rockaway as a whole that provides Achiezer with the forum to carry out its life-changing work.
Achiezer is an organization of real people and real community members, uniting in sight of a greater vision, coming together to help each other in times of need. This incredible reality is reflected throughout each of its dinner honorees. Shlomo and Raizy Hackel, Guests of Honor, are doers, who devote many hours to assisting Achiezer and initiating responses to needs in the community. Honorable Benjamin Weinstock, Man of the Year, has attended every Achiezer meeting about disasters and emergencies, long before he was elected Mayor of Cedarhurst. Dr. Deborah Dienstag, Physician Appreciation Awardee, one of Achiezer’s closest collaborators, is always readily available to assist in its endeavors. And Eliahu and Chaia Frishman, Community Service Awardees, who have been with Achiezer since its inception, welcome every opportunity to contribute in whatever way possible. “It’s hard to believe that just a mere seven years ago, Achiezer was but a dream in the hearts and minds of a handful of people,” says Rabbi Boruch Ber Bender, president and founder of Achiezer. “We are immeasurably grateful to the entire community, our volunteers, staff and executive board, for all the unbelievable support and assistance that we have received over the years, for the countless hours of effort and work that so many people have put in, and for the steady stream of calls we get on a daily basis from people saying, ‘What more can I do?’” Says Rabbi Bender, “It’s inspiring, it’s heartwarming and it gives me a beaming sense of pride that I am a part of this community. I invite you all to join me on Sunday, February 28th, at our Annual Tribute Dinner, in celebrating our collective accomplishments as one community with one heart. I look forward to greeting you all there.” For more information, please visit achiezerdinner.org, contact Achiezer at: 516-701-4444 x113, or email Dinner2016@Achiezer.org.
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abbi Ben Zion Shafier, director of Tiferes Bnai Torah/ theShmuz, will be arriving in Los Angeles on Wednesday, February 24 to share divrei Torah with the Los Angeles community. While there, Rabbi Shafier will be speaking to the girls in the Valley Torah High School and spending Shabbos with the Persian community. He will be speaking Friday night at an intimate dinner followed by open time for people to speak with him. On Shabbos day, there will be a grand Kiddush for the community in the Nessah Synagogue, followed by another inspiring Shmuz on finding the balance between bitachon and hishtadlus. This Shmuz teaches how honest effort combined with trust in Hashem is an unbeatable formula for success. Should I have gone to medical school instead? Why haven’t I met Mr. Right yet? How am I going to pay my bills? She would have been perfect for me, why didn’t it work out? Rabbi Shafier hopes to address these questions. On Motzei Shabbos, Rabbi Shafier will be speaking
at a Melava Malka for women. After his stay in Los Angeles, Rabbi Shafier will be heading to Las Vegas to speak at the Ahavas Torah Center on the topic of “Facing Life’s Challenges.” The Shmuz is a Torah lecture that offers a worldview on major life issues ranging from working on our middos to learning to be a better spouse, from understanding the meaning of our davening to what our purpose is in this world. Rabbi Ben Tzion Shafier has been delivering these lectures across America and beyond for over a decade.
DRS Undergoes Rigorous Middle States Reaccreditation Process
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RS is currently in the midst of the rigorous Middle States Reaccreditation process, as the school strives for excellence in all aspects of education, Judaism and student life. Every seven years, the yeshiva undergoes reaccreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools through a comprehensive analysis of 12 core standards to ensure excellence in all disciplines – from mission to academics to guidance services. The 18-month process included significant input from parents, students, faculty members and administrators through various media. Based on the feedback received, a planning committee comprised of parents, administrators and teachers was formed to look for areas for potential improvement. The com-
mittee identified the yeshiva’s many strengths and chose to focus on improvement in four specific areas: English literacy and writing skills, Gemara reading skills, digital literacy, and guidance. After a careful analysis, an action plan for the coming years was developed in each area identified for improvement. This week, a multi-disciplinary team of five experienced educators from different backgrounds is visiting DRS to evaluate the school and its many resources. “This is a very exciting time for DRS professionally,” said General Studies Principal Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum. “This process allows our entire staff and the DRS community to validate what we’ve been doing at look at areas for growth.”
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Shuvu Pays Tribute to Founding Patrons By Nini Rubin
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wenty five years ago a movement was born. The path to immigration had been opened in the former Soviet Union and hundreds of thousands of Jews flooded Eretz Yisrael. Harav Avrohom Pam, zt”l, the tzaddik hador and one of the most revered and beloved Torah figures klal Yisroel has known, exhorted participants at the Agudah Convention to create Torah schools for the immigrants’ children. “We will start with the children,” he said. The parents were too inculcated with anti-religious Communist doctrines. Through the children, the parents would be brought into the fold. A quarter century later, Shuvu has fulfilled Rav Pam’s dream of zera kodesh, b’eretz hakodesh in a way that surpasses anything his audience could have imagined a quarter century ago. Every day, Shuvu educates or touches the lives of 15,000 children and their families. The extensive network of Shuvu schools dot the entire map of Eretz Yisroel. Every day, Shuvu children, parents and grandparents, participate in seminars and activities designed to bring them closer to Yiddishkeit. Most gratifying of all, children who went to Shuvu when they were in kindergarten attend Bais Medrash, seminary and start families of their own, al taharos hakodesh. . Shuvu’s s’yata d’shmaya has been, and continues to be, extraordinary. But it was Shuvu’s founding patrons, Max Knopf, z”l, Sheldon Beren, z”l and Zev Wolfson, z”l, who were the earthly instruments that fashioned Shuvu’s phenomenal success. All three were legendary askonim and generous benefactors of a wide range of Torah mosdos and Shuvu. On March 5, Shuvu will pay tribute to these Founding Patrons.
Mr. Max Knopf, z”l Shuvu’s Nachshon ben Aminodov was the legendary, Mr. Max Knopf, z”l. He was the first to step into the fray unflinchingly and courageously. Together with Reb Avrom Biderman, a close talmid of the Rosh HaYeshiva, he became Shuvu’s co-Chairman.
Sheldon Beren, z”l After establishing Shuvu, Rav Pam, zt”l, met the financial challenges inherent in an undertaking of this magnitude head-on. One of the first people he approached for help was Sheldon Beren, z”l. Mr. Beren was a pillar of the Denver, Colorado, community. His name became synonymous with support for Torah mosdos and chesed organizations throughout the United States and the world. Most significantly, Mr. Beren shared the Rosh Yeshiva’s concern for the spiritual welfare of Russian Jewry. He became strongly committed to the Rosh Yeshiva’s goal of safeguarding the Torahdike tzura of Eretz Yisroel.
Mr. Max Knopf z”l
Mr. Knopf lived his life with Shuvu foremost in his mind and heart. After his petira, his wife, Rika, sheyichye, who continues the family’s staunch support of Shuvu, found an envelope of donations. Not long before he died, while vacationing in Florida, Mr. Knopf had made his annual appeal in shul for Shuvu. Mr. Knopf once described the emigration of Jews from the former Soviet Union as “the largest exodus of Jews since Yetzias Mitzrayim.” The Knopfs hosted the first Shuvu parlor meeting in their home, where, 25 years ago, hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised. Mr. Knopf travelled twice a year to visit the Shuvu schools and was always freshly amazed at Shuvu’s accomplishments, many of which were the direct result of his askanus and unstinting support. In the early 1990s, Mr. Knopf dedicated the first Shuvu school in Ashkelon, which today has over 700 students. For many years, he and
Are you raising a narcissist? Dr. Deb on page 106
Mr. Biderman maintained a Sunday ritual to go to friends, acquaintances and business associates, knocking on doors to raise much needed funds.
Sheldon Beren z”l
Captivated by Shuvu, Mr. Beren regarded the mosad as one of his most important commitments. He stayed the course, helping Rav Pam with whatever was needed for Shuvu to succeed, and his prodigious intellect and acumen were critical in developing and advancing Shuvu. Mr. Beren provided the initial funds for the first group of Shuvu schools in prefabricated classrooms and donated the first Shuvu high school. Mr. Zev Wolfson, z”l Mr. Wolfson was a living legend in the Torah world. With virtually no fanfare and while shunning the limelight, he became the preeminent philanthropist of our generation, singlehandedly establishing the kiruv movement in the United States, Eretz Yisroel, France and the former Soviet Union.
Mr. Zev Wolfson z”l
Mr. Wolfson viewed his wealth only as a tool to help others. Although by some estimations, he gave more than a billion dollars to tzedaka during his lifetime, he was never satisfied with his accomplishments. Very close to Rav Pam, zt”l, and l’havdil bain chayim l’ chayim, Shuvu’s Co-Chairman, Avrom Biderman, he would ask, “What else should I be doing? Where else could I make a difference?” To his everlasting zechus, he and Shuvu were inextricably entwined. Mr. Wolfson became the largest donor in Shuvu’s history. Nevertheless, that generosity came at a price. He would constantly prod the organization to do more. He once called Mr. Biderman to say he would give $5 million if he could come up with a plan for the money. Three hours later he called back, “Do you have the plan?” Never interested in maintaining the status quo, Mr. Wolfson had a broad vision for Shuvu and helped, more than anyone else, to ensure that it became a reality. Most movingly, he kept abreast of Shuvu’s triumphs and trials, always asking incisive questions that shaped much of Shuvu’s strategy for growth. The Shuvu High School Division has been named in Zev Wolfson’s memory. Dinner Chairmen Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz and Shloime Kahn urge all of klal Yisroel to take this opportunity to pay tribute to these giants of Torah and chesed at Shuvu’s 25th Anniversary Dinner, Motzei Shabbos, March 5.
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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At the Bar Mitzvah of Dovid and Elazar Menachem Bender
Rav Yaakov Bender, grandfather of the bar mitzvah boys
Rav Avrohom Bender, father of the bar mitzvah boys
Rabbi Chait Inspires Bnos Malka
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orah Rachel Wasser’s 7th grade class celebrated a siyum for Parshas Shlach this past week with a special guest speaker, Rabbi Bentzion Chait. The girls listened attentively as he spoke of the greatness that lies within each them. Using the example of how pure olive oil is the result of refinement and hard work, so too, each of them, through refining their middos and enduring and overcoming personal struggles, can become shining Bnos Yisroel. “Being able to withstand speaking loshon hara or extending yourself to help another are just two examples of how one can gain
an aura of kedusha.” Rabbi Chait then opened the floor for questions on any topic. Interesting and insightful questions were raised and each one was masterfully answered with a good story and a clear perspective from Chazal. The session ended with a powerful message (quoted from Rabbi Rodin) that just as every fingerprint and set of eyes are unique, so too every person’s relationship with Hashem is precious yet different. The eyes are therefore covered with the fingers when saying Shema to symbolize that every person’s avodas Hashem is distinct and exclusive.
Woodmere’s Shelby Rosenberg Scores 1,000th Career Point on YU’s Men’s Basketball Team
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helby Rosenberg, a senior forward on Yeshiva University men’s basketball team, made history Saturday night as he netted his 1,000th career point in a game against Purchase College at the Max Stern Athletic Center on YU’s Wilf Campus. Rosenberg becomes just the 28th player in program history to join the 1,000-point club. He accomplished this feat with just 11 seconds remaining in the contest, as he drew a foul while attempting to shoot a three-point field goal. As a result, he was awarded three free throws. After nailing the first two, Rosenberg converted the third to earn his 1,000th point in his last regular sea-
son home game in his collegiate career. “Shelby is a senior captain who leads by example,” said Coach Elliot Steinmetz. “He is early to practice every day and his work ethic is a big reason why he has achieved such a special milestone. It’s also the reason we have 15 other guys working hard to achieve our team goals. He’s a special player, a special leader and a special person – we are very proud of his accomplishment.” It was senior night as Yeshiva University honored its five graduating seniors, Rosenberg, Shaje Weiss, Joseph Ammar, Yosef Rosenthal, and Eytan Potash, with a ceremony prior to the start of the contest.
Shelby is number 44
With Purchase (13-12, 11-9) earning the win over Yeshiva (14-11, 128), it sets up the #4 Maccabees to host the #5 Panthers in a rematch, this time in the first round of the
Skyline Conference Championships, on Tuesday evening beginning at 8:00 p.m. It will be Yeshiva’s first home playoff game since the 199900 season.
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Do you know what you need to knead? Well, this week at the Learn & Live Program, we got to know and see what the melacha of lush is all about – from making chocolate milk to chocolate pudding and to yummy cookie dough. Each boy got a taste, of course. Now that is what we call a real tasty L&L. Thank you R’ Dinowitz. Next Sunday at Learn & Live: “What’s cooking?” For more info regarding L&L, email learnandlivefr@gmail.com.
Packed Crowd at Gesher Parenting Workshop
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his past Wednesday evening the Gesher Early Childhood Center had the privilege to host an informative and practical parenting workshop for the community. It was presented by Dr. Naftali Reichmann, a much sought after local behavior psychologist. The topic of the workshop was “Raising Healthy Children: The Balance Between Love and Limits.” This workshop was dedicated in memory of Michelle Rubinstein, a”h. Mrs. Rubinstein passed away tragically this summer after a short illness that developed while pregnant with her third child. She was a local special educator at the On Our Way Learning Center who had continuously expressed her admiration for and desire to support the work that is done at Gesher. Mrs. Chava Bodner, Director of
Gesher, gave a short introduction to begin the presentation. She opened by sharing her appreciation that Gesher has grown to the point that it is able to bring new high quality educational resources to the community. She recounted that Mrs. Rubinstein had made a site visit to Gesher last year and that she was impressed by Mrs. Rubinstein’s passion and dedication as a mother to her children and as an advocate for her students. Yaakok Rubinstein, Michelle’s husband, then delivered a brief message to explain the connection between his late wife’s memory and Gesher. Based on a Rashi regarding the choshen mishpat worn by the Kohen Gadol, he expressed that what is most important to the family is that his wife’s righteousness be her legacy. He described her unusual desire to see effective support systems and
strategies being used for children whose learning styles challenge their success. And that he felt that Gesher shares that dream and is determined to make it a reality. Attaining that goal would be the truest form of honoring Michelle, a”h. In her introduction of Dr. Reichmann, Mrs. Bodner illustrated to the audience how important it is to seek the advice of a quality related service provider or educational support professional. Her experience with Dr. Reichmann has been extremely helpful professionally and was excited to have the opportunity to have him share his expertise with the community. Although Dr. Reichmann attempted to dismiss the accolades, the ensuing presentation was consistent with the sentiment that she expressed. Slide after slide, combining scores of
general rules and practical applications, amazed the crowd. Dr. Reichmann’s ability to explain clinical concept in laymen’s terms and to analyze the underlying struggle in any given situation gave everyone in attendance a new appreciation of healthy parenting. His light humor and pleasant interfacing made the evening extremely enjoyable. Gesher received extremely positive feedback from the well over a hundred participants. In attendance were several local preschool directors, many related service providers and educators, as well as Dr. Dienstag, a local pediatrician. Gesher looks forward to bringing more resources to the community. To be informed of upcoming events please email workshops@gesher-ecc.org.
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A Day in the Life at HANC High School
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n Thursday, February 11, eighth grade girls from various incoming schools took part in our annual “Day in the Life at HANC High School.” This day provided our applicants with the unique opportunity to see what a day in HANC High School is really like. The girls gathered in the library to receive their schedule and special HANC mason mugs with chocolate treats. The students then attended classes in limudei kodesh and general studies showcasing HANC’s rigorous academic program. Highlights of the day included classes in Chumash, Navi and women and mitzvot as well
as, exciting and interactive lessons in history, science and art. During lunch, the girls learned even more about the day-to-day life at HANC, while listening to a student activities presentation and mingling with our current students, administrators and staff. Guests also participated in a game show created by our Student Life Team called “Are You Smarter than a HANC Student.” At the end of the day, a visiting student proudly announced, “I can’t wait to come to HANC.” Thank you to our student ambassadors for helping to make the event a success.
Midreshet Shalhevet Mock Trial Takes Nassau Court
By Bella Weiss
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he Midreshet Shalhevet Mock Trial team participated in their much anticipated first trial of the year. The Portledge School played the prosecution and Midreshet Shalhevet played the defense. The performance of lawyers Bella Weiss (12th grade), Sarah Austin (10th grade), and Avigayil Borah (11th grade), along with witnesses Nechama Hersh (12th grade), Yael Eiferman (12th grade),
and Nechama Schneider (10th grade) was outstanding. Their effort and countless hours of after-school practices really paid off, and the team won! The girls were especially grateful to their coaches, Mrs. Melanie Marmer, Mrs. Kantrowitz, and Ms. Atara Blumenthal for all their hard work and dedication. There are more trials coming up in the following weeks as the team advances to the next rounds.
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B”H
IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN ....
Five Towns Shul Little League Name____________________________ Grade ________ ADDRESS ________________________________ ______________________________ Father’s cell # _________________ Mother’s cell # ___________________ Father’s email __________________Mother’s email _____________________________
Please list two children your son would like to team with:
1)_________________ 2)_________________
Cost for the 2016 season: $160.00 Chazaq Operations Manager and activist Yaniv Meirov met with the Queens Boro President Melinda Katz and her staff to discuss helping build a stronger future for the Queens community
DRS Students Participate in YU’s Model UN Competition
(Includes uniforms, Trophy ceremony, BBQ etc.)
Registration will be closed by March 5th
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Pack of 10 cards - $18
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his week, DRS sent a delegation to participate in Yeshiva University’s Model United Nations Conference in Stanford, Connecticut. At this three day convention, hundreds of Jewish high school students from around the world join together to discuss international issues in a controlled and competitive environment. The stu-
dents are all divided into different committees, just like the actual United Nations, to represent and voice the opinion of the country which they have been given. The discussion of global situations, such as ISIS and global warming, not only educate the students on these issues but also inform them on the procedures of the United Nations.
3 packs (30 cards) - $50
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Around the Community
DRS Sophomore Develops App
D
RS prides itself on its ability to empower its students to come up with their own groundbreaking ideas, clubs, and projects. This year, DRS Live, the yeshiva’s student-run broadcasting team, has grown to new heights in various capacities. The broadcasting team has purchased brand new video and broadcasting equipment, offering viewers new angles of the sports games. Hockey and basketball games are now streamed on drslive.com in high definition, featuring instant replay capabilities. Most impressive amongst the team’s advancements is the new DRS Live App, fully designed and developed from beginning to end by soph-
omore Binyamin Klein. Binyamin first constructed a basic interface and then brought it to life in X-Code, a program used to create apps for iOS. The app allows Wildcats fans to not only stream games live on their devices, but also watch highlight videos cut and edited by Binyamin, as well as view statistics, standings, scores, rosters, and previous games all in the palm of their hands. Perhaps the most unique part of the app is the ability to receive notifications before, during, and after games with updates and breaking news. You can download the app at app.drslive. com. Remember, when the game is on the line, it’s online at DRS Live!
DRS sophomore Binyamin Klein develops app for DRS Sports Teams
Kollel Chatzos Opens World’s First Nighttime Bais Horaah
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his past Thursday, an inspiring mamed took place in the Toshnad Shul in Monsey, NY, as Kollel Chatzos opened the world’s first nighttime Bais Horaah! Two of the kollel’s most devout talmidei chachamim, R’ Berel Wieder, dometz Sanz-Klausenberg, and R’ Avraham Yitzchock Lunger, dometz Skvere, have been crowned the dayanim of Kollel Chatzos in Monsey. Rabbi Avraham Tzvi Wosner, grandchild of the Baal Shevet Halevi, praised this noteworthy venture, saying, “Just this past night, at 2:30am, I received a call with an important sheilah. Unfortunately, I only saw it in the morning. America needs a Bais Horaah during the night! There should never be a moment in the day when a Yid shouldn’t have who to turn to with a question!” Then, Rabbi Nechemye Hoffman, the menahel and founder of Kollel Chatzos, took the dais. With unbridled emotion he thanked Hashem for making this moment a reality. Kollel Chatzos is America’s only nightly kollel with 95 talmidei chachamim in four locations who immerse themselves in Torah every single night and is long known for the yeshuos and protection it brings to those who partner with these selfless talmidei chachamim. Kollel Chatzos has been Rabbi Hoffman’s mission ever since an elderly man introduced the concept to him during the years he spent in yeshiva in Israel. His small group of ten slowly blossomed into an army of ninety-five, with a list of more waiting to be vetted.
Rabbi Nechemye Hoffman, founder of Kollel Chatzos, speaking at the event
Rav Avraham Yitzchock Lunger, shlita, addressing the crowd
Kollel Chatzos invites people to take advantage of this important service they’ve made available to Yidden across America. From 1am to 6am, Sunday through Thursday, anyone with a sheilah can contact the Bais Horaah at 1-855-242-8967, ext 8. In the Monsey location, Yidden are welcomed to walk in and pose their shei-
los face to face with the dayanim. As Rabbi Hoffman closed the ceremony he said, “This is only the beginning. We never stop, we always set a new goal.” New kollel locations are slated to open in the coming few months and more talmidei chachamim are preparing to become dayanim. In the zechus of those who sacri-
fice their nights for Torah, may our days be filled with blessing and success. Call Kollel Chatzos’s nighttime Bais Horaah with any sheilah! Sunday-Thursday 1:00 am–6:00 am. Call: 1-855-242-8967 Ext #8. Dayanim: Rav Berel Weider & Rav Avraham Yitzchock Lunger.
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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Op-Ed
C.R.I.S.I.S. Coordinating Responsible Initiatives for Shidduchim in Synagogues By Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld
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he name above is not actually the name of a new organization. It is used as a title for this article to emphasize the fact that most people involved in trying to confront the problem of too many singles in the Orthodox community don’t like using the word “crisis” to describe the crisis. No matter how we refer to the issue, it is a very serious matter that must be addressed in a very serious and responsible manner. No doubt there is a lot of good work being done by a lot of good people and organizations. But there is a need to have a nationally coordinated effort that will yield results. An underutilized resource in facilitating shidduchim is the place that all Orthodox Jews call home – their shul, or synagogue. It is at the shul that Jews come not just to daven but to meet and interact with others. It is the place where singles get invited to couples for a Shabbos meal, where events are held, where friends are made and where there is a caring rabbi and rebbetzin. Now if we can only get shuls far and wide to communicate with each other in an organized fashion to share information with shuls
throughout the country. Who is more qualified to know the needs, religious commitment, character and background information of young men and women than their neighbors from the community? Wouldn’t it be great if this precious information
a committee to assemble names of eligible male and female singles along with their pertinent information and to share that with a central committee. The gathered information will then be entered into a computerized program which has already been spe-
Who is more qualified to know the needs, religious commitment, character and background information of young men and women than their neighbors from the community?
could be exchanged with other equally qualified representatives of singles near and far? I am glad to report that there is a movement afoot to accomplish just this goal. Thanks to some very energetic mostly-women, a network is slowly being built with shuls across the nation in cooperation with Chazaq Shidduch Network, the nucleus for all the updated information. The idea is for the participating shuls to form
cially designed for this effort. There will also be a paid professional who will coordinate the data and get responses to the shul shidduch committees in participation. We are also in contact with rabbanim including Rabbi Eytan Feiner of Kneseth Israel in Far Rockaway (the White Shul) who have agreed to lend halachic and spiritual guidance to the program. The combination of rabbis and dedicated volunteers as-
sures that the program will be run efficiently and within Torah guidelines. The beauty of this program is that ties diverse communities from across the Orthodox spectrum from Modern Orthodox to chassidish to yeshivish (for lack of a better term). It will also receive the input from dedicated men and women who know their shuls and who know their singles. This is a very ambitious program, but with the proper dedication and with Hashem’s help this should prove to be a major milestone in the effort to address this issue of growing concern. For more information on how you can be involved, please contact Jewishfamily@chazaq.org.
Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld is currently the rabbi of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills. He had previously served in Twin Rivers, NJ, and in Staten Island. In addition he is a Rabbinic Coordinator for the Orthodox Union where he has served since 1984. Rabbi Schonfeld is Immediate Past President of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens and serves as the Rabbinic Advisor to the Queens Jewish Link.
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
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I
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M
CHANA VISHNIPOLSKY y father is not Jewish, and my mother is entirely not religious. Shuvu Hadera
had just started providing transportation from Pardes Chana and my parents were excited to send me. To my parents dismay I started taking active steps to becoming frum. Now we have 4 boys of which 2 are already attending the Belzer Cheder. Who would have thought!?!? Rav Pam thought and dreamt and made it into reality along with his most dedicated staff.
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M
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up in the home of my Christian father who beat me for trying to keep Torah. I was lucky enough to continue in Shuvu after 12th grade and married my husband who also became frum through Shuvu. We settled in Ofakim where he is continuing to learn in Kollel. I forever treasure each and every step I took to be Zoche to be living such a life of Torah.
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The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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OCTOBER FEBRUARY29, 25,2015 2016| The | TheJewish JewishHome Home
TJH ?
Centerfold
Riddle me this?
Bob celebrated his 50th birthday and was expecting a nice gift from his family. But the day came and went and he got nothing. Unable to hold himself back he sent an email to his family members saying, “Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from
0 to 240 in 6 seconds and it better be there!!” Bob’s family heeded his demands but the next morning he was even more upset than the day before. What did they get him? See answer on opposite page
It was the first penny candy that was individually wrapped. During WWII, Tootsie Rolls were placed in soldiers’ ration kits because they could survive various weather conditions.
Snack Facts
February is National Snack Food Month. We’re a snackin’ nation, that’s for sure, with over $60 billion in sales of snacks annually.
The agent that gives Twinkies their smooth feel – cellulose gum – is also used in rocket fuel to give it a slightly gelatinous feel.
Real licorice is a member of the legume family and used to be used as a medicine to treat ulcers, sore throats, coughs, and other diseases. The first licorice “candy” was an attempt to disguise the bitter flavor of the medicine. No, the licorice we now eat has nothing in common with the original licorice and its only therapeutic qualities are short-term psychological.
In 1891, William Wrigley Jr. began selling soap in Chicago. To increase sales, he gave away gum to his customers. When his gum became a hit, he stopped selling soap and the rest is history.
Potato chip bags are only partially filled for a reason: The additional space adds cushioning to prevent breakage. The bags are also pumped full of nitrogen, which helps keeps the product fresher before opening.
On September 13, 2013, Corkers Crisps set a new world record for the largest single bag of potato chips. The bag measured 18 feet tall and comfortably housed more than 2,515 pounds of chips, all of which were cooked in a single batch, as per Guinness World Record regulations, over a 17-hour period.
Corn dextrin, a common thickener used in junk food, is also the glue on envelopes and postage stamps.
M&M’s were created by Forrest Mars (the son of the founder of Mars, Inc.) and his business partner, Bruce Murrie (the son of the president of the Hershey company). Because both their last names started with “M,” they called their new candy M&M’s.
The inventor of the chocolate chip cookie sold the idea to Nestle Toll House in return for a lifetime supply of chocolate.
In the UK, Snickers was initially named Marathon Bar because “snickers” rhymes with “knickers,” a British colloquialism for someone’s underwear.
There are six cities in the U.S. named Peanut: Peanut, California; Lower Peanut, Pennsylvania; Upper Peanut, Pennsylvania; Peanut, Pennsylvania; Peanut, Tennessee; and Peanut, West Virginia.
The saddle shape of Pringles is known as a hyperbolic paraboloid – a shape more routinely found in satellite dishes and astronomical mirrors than food. Through the use of a super computer, the shape has been further refined so that they hug the factory machines more aerodynamically and slip into the iconic Pringles cans with less breakage.
In the 19th century a common American breakfast was popcorn in a bowl of milk with sugar on top.
The Tootsie Roll is named after its creator Leo Hirshfield’s daughter Clara, whose nickname was Tootsie.
The Jewish Jewish Home Home || FEBRUARY OCTOBER 29, The 25, 2015 2016
*
Snack Trivia
1. How many flowers are imprinted on each side of an Oreo cookie? a. 4 b. 8 c. 12 d. 24 2. Which company has the slogan: “Betcha can’t eat just one!?” a. Lays b. Reese’s Pieces c. Pringles d. Mike & Ikes 3. Approximately how many peanuts does it take to make a 12 ounce jar of peanut butter? a. 75 b. 160 c. 350 d. 540 e. 620
!
4. Which company is bigger: Coke or Pepsi? a. Coke b. Pepsi 5. Entenmann’s Bakeries started in Flatbush in 1898 as a local bakery. What was one of founder William Entenmann’s clever inventions that helped his company become an iconic American company? a. He invented the “see-through” box b. He was the first to put preservatives in baked items c. He was the first to put chocolate icing on chocolate cake d. He as the first to package individual cookies and cakes 6. Wise Snacks was purchased several years ago by a company located where? a. China
You gotta be
b. Mexico c. Israel d. Canada Answers: 1. C 2. A 3. D (That’s according to the “National Peanut Butter Board.” Seriously, imagine telling someone that you are a board member on the National Peanut Butter Board.) 4. B 5. A 6. B (Snack on that Donald!) Wisdom key: 5-6 correct: You are a treasure; we should put you in a see through box 3-4 correct: You are probably smart enough to be on National Peanut Butter Board 0-2 correct: You are a Dipsey Doodle
kidding
Lucy is having a bad day at roulette tables. Down to her last $100, completely exasperated, she cries, “What horrible luck! What in the world should I do now?” A gentleman next to her, trying to calm her down a bit, calmly suggests, “I don’t know... Why don’t you play your age?” He walks away. Moments later, he is intrigued to hear a great commotion at the roulette table. Maybe she won! Rushing back to the table and pushing his way through the crowd, he is stunned to see Lucy lying limp on the floor, with the table operator kneeling over her. He asks, “What happened? Is she all right?” The operator replies, “I don’t know, buddy...She put all her money on 45. When 67 came up, she fainted!”
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Answer to riddle: A scale
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Torah Thought
Parshas Ki Tisa By Rabbi Berel Wein
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his week’s parsha illustrates the problem that the Jewish people have with unlimited prosperity. With their pockets bursting with the wealth of Egypt and eating free food day in and day out, and with their wealth burning a hole in their pockets, they looked for expression to their newfound prosperity. And so the story of the Golden Calf follows. There are many explanations offered by the commentators to the
Torah as to why the Jewish people reverted to idol worship so soon after the grandeur of the revelation at Mount Sinai. However, the inability to deal with great and sudden wealth is certainly one of the factors involved. The rabbis ruefully commented: “You have flooded them with so much wealth and goodness that they cannot accept and deal with it.” This is especially true when prosperity is a sudden phenome-
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non, when wealth follows immediately after almost abject poverty and slavery. The transition is too sudden and too extreme. And, more often than not, it occasions illogical and often self-destructive behavior, which is a good description of the Golden Calf syndrome. It is obvious that if the Jews would not have had large amounts of gold handy and available there could not have been a Golden Calf at all. One of the economic byproducts of great wealth is the search for an outlet to spend it. The enormous current market for luxury items, most of them truly unnecessary for good living, is testimony to this human urge. And so the Golden Calf becomes the god that absorbs wealth, talent and industry. The rabbis of the Talmud commented that Jews do much better spiritually speaking in much more modest financial circumstances than with great wealth. For most of the past two millennia during the long dark times of the Exile, dealing with wealth was not a Jewish problem. There always were individual Jews who somehow achieved great wealth and power but the overwhelming majority of Jews were poor if not even destitute. Over the past half century, both in the United States and Israel, the Jewish community has become quite prosperous. There are a great many really wealthy Jews. The challenge becomes how to channel this wealth into the Mishkan and
not into the Golden Calf. This is a national issue. On a personal level there has to be a concerted effort to prevent family dysfunction, which is often the result of sudden and unexpected wealth.
The challenge becomes how to channel this wealth into the Mishkan and not into the Golden Calf.
Wealth and humility do not often combine in one personality. The ability to handle one’s wealth and material possessions wisely, with balance, is a major challenge, and it should be recognized as such. The Torah and the Talmud do not preach poverty as an ideal way of life or as a value on its own. The Torah always preaches balance in almost all ways of living. This balance is the key to avoid the Golden Calf syndrome. We pray to be blessed with financial prosperity but we should also pray to be blessed with the wisdom and balance to handle it properly. Shabbat shalom.
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The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Torah Shmuz
Parshas Ki Sisa The Merit of Others
By R’ Ben Tzion Shafier
“And Hashem spoke to Moshe saying, ‘Go down, for your nation that you have brought up from Egypt, has sinned.’” – Shemos 32:7
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oshe Rabbeinu was the single greatest human being who ever lived. The Rambam tells us that of all the navi’im, he alone was able to speak to Hashem directly. Normally, a prophet must go into an altered state of consciousness to experience Hashem. Otherwise the experience would cause sensory overload, and he would die. Moshe
was able to speak to Hashem in a totally clear, conscious state of mind. At any time, he could approach Hashem and speak, experiencing Hashem as I do a neighbor or friend. Moshe was also granted access to the entire Torah, in all its depths and its secrets. Right after the sin of the Golden Calf, Hashem told Moshe, “Go down.” Rashi explains this didn’t simply mean, “Go down to see what the nation is up to.” Rather, “go down” from your greatness. You have lost access to the upper worlds. The ability to enter the Bais Din of Heaven has been taken from you. I only gave you that access because of the Klal Yisroel. They are no longer worthy, so you must go down. This Rashi becomes difficult to understand when we take into account that Moshe was on a fantastic level because of his actions and ways. He spent his life dedicated to serving Hashem. Clearly, this access to the upper worlds and his ability to perceive and understand Torah were things that he had earned because of his hard work. So why should they be taken from him? The answer to this can be better understood by focusing on the relationship we have to one another.
TWO SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD TO COME
The Chovos Ha’Levovos explains that there are two systems of measurement in the World to Come, the internal and the external. The internal system is based on my personal growth: improving my character traits, increasing my awareness of
Hashem, learning Torah… The external system is based on merits outside of myself: how much I affected others and the influence that I had on people. These are accomplishments that don’t directly change my state of spirituality, but because I was the cause of them, they are credited to me. As an example, the Chovos Ha’Levovos describes two individuals. The first has sterling character traits, is steeped in Torah knowledge, and is so great that he can be compared to the angels above. The second individual is but a plain person. He’s nowhere near as developed in his service to Hashem as the first man. Yet when they both come to the World to Come, the second individual will tower over the first. Why? Because the first person brings with him his own merit while the second toiled to improve others. Therefore, he has his own merit plus the merits of all of those whom he helped. A mashal to this would be looking at how people become wealthy. In 2001, Microsoft Corporation reported $40 billion in excess cash. That means money that was not needed for operating expenses, research and development, or marketing — extra money. Bill Gates, as the largest single shareholder of the company, had become one of the richest men in the world with billions of dollars in discretionary income. It would take a successful lawyer, doctor, or account 10,000 years of hard work to earn that kind of wealth. The question is, how does a person acquire so much money?
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
The answer is he cannot. No single man can ever earn that type of prosperity. The secret to building wealth is to have other people on your payroll. A successful dentist can drill, fill and bill, but he is only
self. He was a one-man operation. While he may have attained prominence, it was limited. The second man had many people in his employ. Because of him, many people grew closer to Hashem. And since their
He no longer had the merit of that great nation catapulting him to those heights.
one man doing a job. Bill Gates had 20,000 workers in his employ. In a good market, with a good product and a team of thousands churning it out, your profits will be multiplied exponentially, and you can realize that which no single individual can even dream of. This is how the Chovos Ha’Levavos explains these two individuals. The first person may have been great, but he was working for him-
growth came about because of him, he is credited with it, so he is fantastically rich in merit.
MOSHE WAS WORKING FOR THE KLAL
The answer to this Rashi seems to be that when it comes to aiding others in their spiritual growth, not only does Hashem reward someone with the external merit of what others accomplished, He gives the
person all the tools he needs to accomplish his mission. Moshe was the representative of the multitude and was therefore allowed access to the highest level of Torah knowledge and understanding — not in his own merit, but in the merit of the entire nation. As important as Moshe Rabbeinu was, he was a man, and man isn’t allowed access to the upper worlds. When the Jewish nation was deserving, Moshe represented them and therefore was allowed to enter the Heavens. He was the conduit for bringing Torah to the multitudes. Once the Jews fell from that level, they were no longer worthy, so he as their shaliach was no longer permitted in Shamayim. It wasn’t as a punishment to him, but a reality. He no longer had the merit of that great nation catapulting him to those heights. We see a powerful concept from this Rashi. When you help other people grow, not only do you receive reward for everything that they accom-
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plish, you receive siyata d’Shmaya to do things that you might not have been able to otherwise. Whether as a rebbe teaching a difficult Gemara, a worker for the klal taking on a bold project, or a parent trying to create a wholesome environment for his or her family, the merit of the entire group works in your favor, and you will be able to do things that would otherwise be unthinkable. This is an excerpt from the Shmuz on the Parsha book. All three volumes are available at your local sefarim store, or at www. theShmuz.com. All of the Shmuzin are available FREE of charge, at the theShmuz.com or on the Shmuz app, for Android and Iphone.
Rabbi Shafier is the founder of the Shmuz.com. The Shmuz is an engaging, motivating shiur that deals with real life issues. All of the Shmuzin are available free of chaarge at the www.theShmuz. com or on the Shmuz app for iPhone or Android.
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
The Observant Jew
Kiddush on Sour Grapes By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
I
generally don’t write halacha in my columns, and this one will be no different. Despite the title of this article, I’m not going into the topic of what is suitable for making kiddush on Friday night. True, wine that smells bad is not fit for kiddush use, but that’s not what I mean here. Many of us have heard of Aesop, the Greek slave who may or may not have really existed, but to whom hundreds of fables are attributed. These stories have a lesson in them and even if you’ve never heard of Aesop or his fables, you’ve likely heard the phrase, “the moral of the story,” which is common in their English presentation. I’ve long felt that there must be some reason why he warranted such fame, that thousands of years from his death (or supposed life) people would still quote his name and his lessons. To me, it seemed pretty simple that many of them contain Torah or hashkafic concepts that work. One of his most famous ones, for example, has as its main characters an ant and a grasshopper, which definitely has Jewish connotations vis-à-vis the meraglim. But that’s not for now.
One of Aesop’s stories is about a fox who wanted to get some grapes. This short version was originally written in Latin: “Driven by hunger, a fox tried to reach some grapes hanging high on the vine but was unable to, although he leaped with all his strength. As he went away, the fox remarked, ‘Oh, you aren’t even ripe yet! I don’t need any sour grapes.’ People who speak disparagingly of things that they cannot attain would do well to apply this story to themselves.” The point made is that when people are jealous of something and frustrated in their attempts to get it, they will disdain the item and speak ill of it. One psychological approach is that this is trying to reduce the strain of cognitive dissonance, holding two opposing views – that of wanting something and not being able to have it. By saying the grapes were sour, the fox was lessening his desire for them, thus easing the contradiction. Most people view this as a negative trait. The fox was upset he couldn’t have his way so he trash-talked the object of his desire. Most folks would say he should have risen above his pettiness and been able to say,
“It’s not meant to be and I’m OK with it.” Now, we often tell my kids, “You get what you get and you don’t get upset,” and that Hashem makes sure you get what you are supposed to and nobody can take it away from you. (If you disagree with my last premise, please take your argument to R’ Bachya ibn Pakuda who wrote the Chovos HaLevavos. I got it from him.) It’s a great level to be at, but one that is hard to achieve. When I look at the fox and the sour grapes, I don’t recommend bad-mouthing the items or persons who are causing you frustration but I do suggest that the approach isn’t all bad. The last of the Ten Commandments is not to covet, meaning to desire or yearn for, the possessions of another. Some say that you can’t control the jealousy and the prohibition is to do things to try and get the item for yourself. Since feelings are natural, you can’t be commanded to simply “feel” differently. I’d like to suggest that there are things we can do to control our feelings. Did you know that when you smile you are activating pressure points that relieve tension and anger? Simply putting a smile on your face, even if
you don’t feel like it, can start you off on feeling better. The fox story gives another method. If you don’t have something, it’s because Hashem doesn’t want you to
story is: When something is out of your reach, but you think it will make you happier, the smart thing to do is remind yourself that it’s out of your reach for a reason,
I’ve looked with envy at some fancy, expensive sports cars, then laughingly realized I’d never fit in them.
have it. It isn’t right for you. The jealousy you feel is ridiculous because if it was good for you, you would have it. If you don’t, it must not be. By recognizing that for you this item is sour, or unfit, you will decrease your desire for it. I’ve looked with envy at some fancy, expensive sports cars, then laughingly realized I’d never fit in them. Presto! I no longer coveted them! When you see something (or someone) that you wish was yours, remind yourself it’s like a pair of shoes two sizes too small for you that may look nice but would pinch and cause you pain. For me, the moral of the
then praise Hashem (that’s the kiddush) and be happy you’ve been spared the suffering. 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@Je w i s h S p e e c hWr ite r. com and put Subscribe in the subject.
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Between the Lines
Worth the Wait
By Eytan Kobre
We shall sooner have the fowl by hatching the egg than by smashing it. - Abraham Lincoln
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efore James Garfield became President of the United States, he was principal of Hiram College in Ohio. A father of one of his students once asked him whether a certain course of study might be simplified and streamlined so that his son could graduate by a shorter route. “Of course,” answered Garfield. “But it all depends on what you want to make of your boy. Consider this: When G-d wants to make an oak tree, He takes a hundred years. When he wants to make a squash, He takes two summers.” Or, in today’s terms, it takes six months to build a Rolls-Royce, but only 13 hours to assmble a Toyota. In 1968, a Stanford University researcher presented a group of preschool children with one marshmallow each, promising each a sec-
ond marshmallow if they’d delay eating the first. Follow-up studies found that those children who were patient enough to hold out for the second marshmallow were far more likely to achieve success later in life. Patience is indeed a virtue – just not a Jewish one, at least historically. From time immemorial, we’ve been an impatient lot. Adam sinned by eating from the Tree of Knowledge because he could not hold out for an additional six hours, at which time its fruits would have been permitted to him (Bereishis Rabba 18:6). Reuven was chastised for his impulsiveness in moving Yaakov’s bed from Bilha’s tent to Leah’s (Bereishis 49:4). And Dovid’s son, Avshalom, was so impatient to become king that he rebelled against his father and, as a result, forfeited even his natural rights of succession (Rashi, Berachos 64a). Indeed, we’ve been referred to as “an impetuous people” for accepting the Torah before even listening to what it contains (Shabbos 88a).
Before ascending to receive the Torah, Moshe Rabbeinu told the Jewish people that he would return in 40 days and six hours (Shabbos 89a; Rashi, Shemos 32:1). But when the appointed hour came and went, and still there was no sign of Moshe – the people had miscalculated by a day – they grew impatient and demanded that Aharon create a new intermediary between them and G-d. In that sense, the sin was less in what we did than in how impetuously we did it (Bereishis Rabba 18:6; Kuzari 1:97; Chofetz Chaim, Shemos 32:1). Had we been a bit more patient then, we would not have suffered all the calamities we have since (Sanhedrin 102a). And so over the years we’ve had to learn the hard way that patience is at the root of all positive attributes (Alei Shur, Vol. II, pg. 215; Pele Yo’etz, Savlanus). The head of the Lomza yeshiva, R’ Eliezer Shulevitz, once asked the Chofetz Chaim to recommend a suitable candidate to fill the role of spiritual mentor for the yeshiva’s students – a prom-
inent position with steady, dignified pay. The Chofetz Chaim recommended a certain budding scholar. But only days later, the Chofetz Chaim dispatched a letter to R’ Eliezer retracting his prior recommendation. Intrigued by the Chofetz Chaim’s sudden and dramatic about-face, R’ Eliezer went to see him in person. The Chofetz Chaim explained that after recommending this man, the man happened to visit him, complaining bitterly about his inadequate livelihood. Now while the man indeed had financial difficulties, the Chofetz Chaim reasoned, his bitter complaints made him unfit to serve as spiritual mentor, a position that would require him to extol the virtues of the Torah scholar’s meager existence. The Chofetz Chaim therefore withdrew his support for the candidate. In retelling this story, R’ Shalom Schwadron often marveled at how close the young scholar was to achieving his ultimate goal – a well-paying position of prominence that still would enable him to continue his
studies. But because he grew impatient and couldn’t hold out just a few days more, he lost it all. This was a textbook case of “those who force the moment will be forced by the moment; those who yield to the moment will have the moment will yield to them” (Berachos 64a; Eruvin 13b). That is, paraphrasing Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, good things come to those who wait. The Kotzker Rebbe told of a non-Jewish beggar named Johannes who came to a Jewish town just before Pesach. The local town beggar, a Jew, told Johannes that he arrived at an auspicious time, for Pesach was nigh and all the townspeople would be opening their homes to the less fortunate. Sure enough, Pesach arrived and Johannes easily found a willing host who assumed he was Jewish. Back at his host’s home, Johannes was delighted to see the dining room set for a sumptuous feast. After mumbling a few words unintelligibly, Johannes, like his host, gulped down a
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
large cup of wine. Not a bad start, he thought. But then Johannes was given a radish, and he was growing impatient. Then he sat through
ground horseradish, and then more ground horseradish with the dry cracker again, and now he had had enough.
Those children who were patient enough to hold out for the second marshmallow were far more likely to achieve success later in life.
three tortured hours of discussions about topics he neither understood nor cared to. Finally, he was allowed to down a second cup of wine and, after washing his hands like the others, was given some dry cracker. That was followed by
“What’s wrong with you people?” he exploded. And he stormed out of the house. Johannes pounced on the satiated town beggar the next day. “For that you sent me to a Jewish family? After the second round of horseradish I was outta there!”
“Fool!” replied the town beggar. “Had you waited only one minute more, you would have been served all sorts of delicacies. But you couldn’t wait. You got what you deserved.” To be sure, patience should never be confused for laziness, indecisiveness, or inaction; on the contrary, “all the actions of the righteous are done in haste” (Bamidbar Rabba 10:17). Patience is about acting – just in the right time. One of John F. Kennedy’s favorite stories concerned French General Louis Lyautey. After World War I, the general asked his gardener to plant an oak tree in a particular part of his estate. When the gardener noted that an oak is slow-growing and wouldn’t reach maturity for a century, the general
replied, “Well, in that case, there’s no time to lose. Plant it this afternoon.” Patience isn’t just about letting go – it also is about acting at the right time, something the Ba’al Shem Tov termed, “patient zeal.” Before opening his famous yeshiva, R’ Chaim of Volozhin sought the blessing of his rebbi, the Vilna Gaon. The Vilna Gaon initially withheld his blessing, and it was only when R’ Chaim returned some time later that he approved. The Vilna Gaon explained that when R’ Chaim first came, he could not be sure the idea would succeed since R’ Chaim seemed impatient. Only when R’ Chaim appeared more calm – though no less determined – could the Vilna Gaon lend his full support.
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* * * We live in a point-andclick world, where we can accomplish in a moment what used to take days or weeks, if not months. Just think about life today: sound bites, fast food, QuickPay, instant messages. We’ve become much more efficient but at what cost? Paradoxically, the faster the pace of life, the more impatient we’ve become. Now if only we could remember all this the next time we’re waiting for an e-mail or standing on line or stuck in traffic.
Eytan Kobre is a writer, speaker, mediator, and attorney living in Kew Gardens Hills. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail eakobre@ outlook.com.
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Jewish History
Amulets, Accusations and Controversy The Devastating Polemic Between Rabbi Yaakov Emden and Rabbi Yonason Eybeschutz By Rabbi Pini Dunner
THE STORY SO FAR: Despite the conversion to Islam of false messiah Shabbetai Tzvi in 1666 and his death in 1676, secret societies of Sabbatians who still believed in his messianic mission thrived in communities across Europe. They continued to be active well into the eighteenth century. Watchful rabbis worked hard to expose them, fearing the injection of their warped ideas into mainstream Judaism. In 6-1725, a concerted effort to root out Sabbatians uncovered a connection between Sabbatian deviants and an up-and-coming rabbinic celebrity, R’ Yonason Eybeschutz of Prague. R’ Yonason forcefully denied any ties between him and Sabbatianism and promptly signed a toughly worded ban against the movement and its adherents. Most people believed he had been the subject of mistaken suspicion, and his star continued to rise. He became the head dayan in Prague, and in 1741 left for Metz, where he took up the position of chief rabbi. In 1749, the longstanding chief rabbi of the prestigious “triple-community” of Altona-Hamburg-Wandsbeck, R’ Yechezkel Katzenellenbogen, took ill. It became evident he would not recover. Speculation about who would replace him was rife, with many hoping that the community leadership would invite R’ Yonason Eybeschutz to fill the position when it became vacant. Also in the frame was R’ Yaakov Emden, the son of a previous triple-community chief rabbi, Chacham Tzvi Ashkenazi. Slightly younger than R’ Yonason, he was also an acclaimed rabbinic personality, and already resided in Altona, where he had been given permission by the community leadership to run his own private synagogue. R’ Yaakov’s experience in the professional rabbinate was limited to a three-year stint in the tiny community of Emden, but he was highly regarded as a man of integrity and deep scholarship, as well as someone who was fearless in facing up to reprobates, whatever their social status.
PART V
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n Wednesday, July 9, 1749, R’ Yechezkel Katzenellenbogen passed away and was buried within a matter of hours. It quickly emerged that the late chief rabbi had requested for the community to appoint his son, R’ David, as his replacement. Other names began to emerge as contenders for the coveted position, among them R’ Shmuel Hillman, who later filled the vacancy left by R’ Yonason in Metz, and R’ Arye Leib of Amsterdam, who was married to R’ Yaakov Emden’s sister – as well as R’ Yonason Eybeschutz and of course R’ Yaakov. R’ Yonason was certainly the most prominent of all the candidates. Almost sixty years old, and with an incredible reputation as a great scholar and public speaker, he had many admirers in the triple community dating back to the time he lived in Altona with his wife’s family for two years, between 1713 and 1715. Murmurings about his alleged Sabbatian leanings were dismissed as tittle-tattle generated by jealousy, or as tactical maneuvering by supporters of the other candidates. And while it was true that the other candidates, including R’ Yaakov, were free of any association with Sabbatianism, none of them could match R’ Yonason’s renown
or acclaim. There was a small but powerful group of individuals in the triple-community who considered it both appropriate and necessary to appoint R’ Yaakov as the new chief rabbi. Firstly, they felt there was an unsettled “debt” owed to Chacham Tzvi, who had been forced to share the chief rabbinate position with another rabbi owing to communal politics at the time of his appointment. The dual chief rabbi idea had
One of R’ Yonason Eybeschutz’s amulets, as reproduced later by R’ Yaakov Emden in one of his numerous books on the controversy. For many years R’ Yonason regularly distributed amulets to pregnant women and others who sought spiritual protection. When he arrived in the triple community this practice generated a fierce controversy
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R’ Yaakov Emden’s house at 155 Breitestrasse in Altona, which he bought and remodeled extensively in 1738. Besides for family rooms it contained a private synagogue and a printing press. This illustration appeared in a German Jewish magazine in 1928. The house has since been demolished and the land on which it stood is now the site of an apartment building
proven to be untenable and had been the main factor that had resulted in Chacham Tzvi’s resignation and move to Amsterdam. The pro-R’ Yaakov faction felt it was only right for Chacham Tzvi’s eldest son to reclaim the position his father would have bequeathed him had he remained in the position until his death. More importantly, they saw R’ Yaakov as the kind of rabbi who would elevate the standards of Jewish observance in the triple-community. In their opinion, R’ Yechezkel had been far too easy-going, tolerating laxity, and turning a blind eye to the inappropriate actions of those who were wealthy. If R’ Yaakov were appointed, he would be a very different kind of chief rabbi – the type who would ensure that any infraction of halacha was acted upon immediately and appropriately, whoever the offender might be. But the lay leaders of the triple-community were not eager to appoint R’ Yaakov. While they respected his scholarship and were aware of his claim to the position, they felt that his disdain for the late R’ Yechezkel – a feeling of contempt that on a couple of occasions had burst into the open – made R’ Yaakov an inappropriate replacement. Appointing him would demonstrate a lack of respect to the
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The entrance to Altona’s synagogue, where R’ Yonason Eybeschutz delivered his inaugural speech in September 1750. R’ Yaakov Emden was not in attendance, although at that stage there was no history of enmity between them, nor any hint of the controversy that would soon erupt. The synagogue was destroyed by the Nazis in November 1938
rabbi who had led the community for almost thirty-six years. What was more, the community board perceived R’ Yaakov as a hothead with no political acumen, whose leadership of the community would inevitably result in a multitude of flashpoints and problems. Truth be
Almost a year went by without a decision, as different factions within the community jockeyed for and promoted their preferred candidates. Eventually, on May 14, 1750, the rabbinic selection committee sat down to make the fateful choice. A vote was taken and the
When the carriage windows opened and his face appeared, a huge cheer went up, as the community, most of whom had never seen him before, laid eyes on their new chief rabbi – the first new chief rabbi of the triple-community for over thirty-six years.
told, R’ Yaakov himself was not eager to take on the chief rabbi role, despite the urging of his confidants. Nonetheless, he certainly thought that any other rabbi who took the position knowing that by rights it was his would be guilty of having perpetrated a grave insult and an injustice against him and his late, revered father.
winner declared. The triple-community’s new chief rabbi would be R’ Yonason Eybeschutz. An official letter was dispatched to R’ Yonason, and he sent back word that he was delighted to accept the position and expected to arrive in the triple community before Rosh Hashanah. He left Metz as soon as he could and slowly made his way, town by
town, to his new home. One of those towns was Frankfurt-am-Main, where he stayed for a few weeks. In the period immediately before his arrival there, several pregnant women had either died in childbirth or lost their babies at childbirth, or both. For several years, R’ Yonason had been known for his expertise as a writer of amulets believed to help people in these kinds of situations. While he was in Frankfurt, he had several requests for such amulets from women who were pregnant. In an age before reliable medical care, these kinds of requests were not unusual. People often sought amulets from an expert rabbi as a protection against hazard. But the use of amulets was not a practice welcomed by everyone. One of the major consequences of the Shabbetai Tzvi disaster was that any form of Kabbalistic “hocus-pocus” was automatically considered dubious. Only rabbis with the highest approval rating would dare engage in practical Kabbalistic remedies, as any lesser rabbi would run the risk of immediately being suspected of Sabbatianism. The fact that R’ Yonason was willing to write and distribute amulets meant that he believed himself to be a rabbi whose reputation was so strong that no one would ever
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suspect him of being a Sabbatian, despite – or perhaps as a result of – his 1725 run-in with the anti-Sabbatian enforcers. He was widely acknowledged as a “gadol hador” – one of the select group of rabbis considered the greatest of their generation. Therefore, he assumed his Kabbalistic amulets would never be called into question. He could not have been more mistaken. Even before he had departed from Frankfurt, a number of R’ Yonason’s amulets were opened and reviewed by local rabbis. Their conclusion was that the amulets contained Sabbatian heresies and references to Shabbetai Tzvi through the use of cryptic Kabbalistic codes. But rather than confront R’ Yonason in Frankfurt, the rabbinic investigators instead sent letters to their friends in Hamburg and Altona to warn them that their new chief rabbi was not what he ap-
peared to be. Although externally he behaved in complete conformity with normative Judaism, he was, they wrote, a crypto-Sabbatian who dispensed blasphemous amulets to unsuspecting folk seeking his help in difficult circumstances. At this stage, R’ Yonason was entirely unaware of these new accusations, and in the late summer he departed Frankfurt for the triple-community. The numerous rabbinic students who had accompanied him from Metz had traveled ahead so that they would be there to welcome him when he arrived. His entrance into Hamburg in September 1750 was extremely dramatic. A huge crowd gathered at the gates of the city to greet his carriage. As he drew close, his students formed a guard of honor. When the carriage windows opened and his face appeared, a huge cheer went up, as the community, most of whom had
The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
never seen him before, laid eyes on their new chief rabbi – the first new chief rabbi of the triple-community for over thirty-six years.
danced him through the streets to his new home. As he walked through the front door, he kissed the mezuzah and quoted a verse from Tehillim (132:14): “Zot menuchati adei ad; po eisheiv ki ivitiha” – “Let this be my resting place for ever; I will dwell here, for this is what I desired.” It was a moment of high emotion, and many of those who witnessed it wept openly.
A few days later, R’ Yonason delivered his inaugural address at the main synagogue in Altona. The sanctuary was packed to the rafters, and people crowded in the aisles so that they could be present at this historic occasion. In the introduction to his oratorical tourde-force, R’ Yonason paid tribute to numerous community notables, including R’ Yaakov Emden. But R’ Yaakov was not there. He had decided that as the only rabbinic candidate in the selection process who lived locally, his attendance would turn into a distraction and might be very awkward, so he stayed at home. When R’ Yonason finished his speech, the entire community
NEXT TIME: Despite the celebrations, rumors begin to circulate that R’ Yonason is a Sabbatian. A delegation comes to R’ Yaakov Emden with an amulet and the accusations begin to swirl. Rabbi Pini Dunner is the Rav of Young Israel North Beverly Hills in California.
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Safety vs. Privacy Silicon Valley and the FBI Battle over Encryption By Nachum Soroka
This was a battle that was bound to happen. Not necessarily with the exact players presently involved, but between a Silicon Valley, libertarian, corporate behemoth and the U.S. government, nonetheless.
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or years, the technology industry has thumbed its nose at authorities, from the simple things like creating complex tax shelters to floating the idea of a government in the “cloud” whose citizens would not be subject to the shackles of U.S. law. Silicon Valley is everything big government is not; an efficient, un-bureaucratic meritocracy where failing fast is considered an objective and moon-shots are embraced. It
is above the law. Twenty-first century technology is here to liberate people from ancient societal restrictions; social networks span continents, traditional banking and government-issued currency are obsolete, the economy is based on “sharing,” and transportation is done by robotic cars. The Valley is here to save the world from its old self. To quote Elon Musk, founder pf PayPal and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, “I wanted to buy a better computer
to play better video games – [there’s] nothing like saving the world.” Now the FBI and Apple are battling it out over the forbidden fruit that is an un-accessible iPhone. On the surface the fight is about one man’s phone – in this case that of Syed Farook, one of the San Bernardino terrorists – and the relevance of its contents to national security. The FBI cannot gain access to the phone without knowl-
edge of the passcode and, as anyone with a young child in his household knows, after a series of failed attempts to open the phone, it will “self-destruct,” or wipe all of its contents clean. Only Apple has the knowledge and capability to open the phone, much like a safe manufacturer has the expertise to access a sealed safe. Authorities have access to Farook’s iCloud account, which contains a backup of all the information on the
killer’s phone, but the regularly scheduled backup stopped occurring about a month and a half before the attack happened, leading authorities to believe that there is valuable information from that time period on the phone that the terrorist did not want moved to the cloud. As part of the U.S. Attorney’s court filing, the government notes, “This indicates to the FBI that Farook may have disabled the automatic iCloud backup function to
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hide evidence and demonstrates that there may be relevant, critical communications and data around the time of the shooting that has thus far not been accessed.” The government already has a warrant to search the phone and a court order for Apple’s assistance, but even the strongest warrant in the world cannot help authorities search a sealed device. Apple can create software which, when loaded onto the phone, will allow the FBI unlimited attempts at breaking its PIN code without affecting any of the data stored on it. But Apple claims that in order to comply with the government’s request it would have to create some new software, which it is wont to have in existence. Back in 2014, when the company created the current version of the operating software, iOS 8, Apple praised its new software, which for the first time did not give the company the ability to bypass one’s password, lauding, “It’s not
seems puzzling to some prosecutors who claim that Apple has indeed helped them unlock a number of iPhones owned by criminals. At the time of the meth dealer dispute, Assistant U.S. Attorney Saritha Komatireddy said in court, “[Apple] had an established procedure to routinely take any of these requests, comply with them, processing them,” and the prosecutors involved claimed that Apple helped them unlock phones in nearly seventy earlier cases.
a letter Apple CEO Tim Cook posted on the company website last week, claims that while “some would argue that building a backdoor for just one iPhone is a simple, clean-cut solution, it ignores both the basics of digital security and the significance of what the government is demanding in this case.” Cook argues that “in the wrong
is a backdoor for all. “They are not asking Apple to redesign its product or to create a new backdoor to one of their products. They’re simply asking for something that would have an impact on this one device,” he asserted. In truth, the case may be that Apple is concerned that once it opens itself up to cooperation with law en-
“Some of our most personal data is on the phone: our financial data, our health information, our conversations with our friends and family and co-workers. We do think that people want us to help them keep their lives private.” technically feasible for us to respond to government warrants for the extraction of this data from devices in their possession running iOS 8.” Now, in order to go along with the current investigation, it would have to release a program which something of its kind does not exist anywhere. Apple calls this a “backdoor” into the iPhone and, in
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hands, this software — which does not exist today — would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someone’s physical possession.” The government returned Apple’s volley with the claim that the uncooperative company is feeding the public false information. White House spokesman Josh Earnest directly rebutted the idea that a backdoor for one
forcement, the requests will keep on coming. “They don’t want this software in the world,” says Matthew Green, cryptographer and associate professor at Johns Hopkins University. “Once they build it, they’re potentially going to have to break it out every time the FBI comes back.” Aside from it being just plain bad for business for a
technology company to compromise customers’ privacy at will – security may be the number one concern clients have when choosing technology – Apple’s relationship with the FBI has not been of the collaborative kind in recent years. In 2014, the Wall Street Journal reported that a senior Justice Department official warned Apple that its encryption technology would eventually lead to a child’s death because it renders iPhones and computers inaccessible to law enforcement. Back then, the company refused to cooperate with police looking to access a methamphetamine dealer’s iPhone. In an interview with Charlie Rose in 2015, Tim Cook vowed, “They would have to cart us out in a box before we would” create a backdoor for government investigations. “Some of our most personal data is on the phone: our financial data, our health information, our conversations with our friends and family and co-workers,” he said on another occasion. “We do think that people want us to help them keep their lives private.” Cook’s strong rhetoric
Notwithstanding the legal intricacies of the case, which revolve around a 1789 statute called the All Writs Act and its application to newfangled technologies, the debate brings attention to the ethos of Silicon Valley and its desire to rewrite the rules of just about everything, including law enforcement. Google CEO Sundar Pichai tried to keep himself and his company away from being associated with this case, but could not help blasting off a series of tweets in defense of Apple. “We know that law enforcement and intelligence agencies face significant challenges in protecting the public against crime and terrorism,” he wrote. “We build secure products to keep your information safe and we give law enforcement access to data based on valid legal orders; but that’s wholly different than requiring companies to enable hacking of customer devices & data. Could be a troubling precedent.” Billionaire Mark Cuban invoked his (limited) Constitutional interpretation skills this past December when he said, “I view encryption like many view the 2nd Amendment. Encryption is a fundamental underpinning of the freedom of speech.” That comment was made in
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response to the FBI’s claim that encrypted text messaging apps helped the Paris terrorists to carry out their massacre unnoticed. So much for the Silicon Valley folk, whose self-driving cars drive to the local Whole Foods and stock up on Soylent so they can focus on packing for an upcoming space odyssey. But what about us ordinary folk, who don’t have such grand visions of an Ayn Rand utopia nor any drug deals or arms sales to hide on our cellphones? Why should we care about a cold-blooded terrorist’s right to privacy or a corporation’s self-serving interpretation of the Constitution? We want to be safe, and whatever tools the FBI has at its disposal would only add to our security. That’s definitely Donald Trump’s
attitude. He demanded a boycott of all Apple products unless the company cooperates with the government. The presidential hopeful tweeted, “Boycott all Apple products until such time as
Apple gives cellphone info to authorities regarding radical Islamic terrorist couple from Cal.” We all have things we want kept private: our financial information, text
messages – even the pictures from our four-year-old’s birthday party that no one would even care to see. That’s the tack the tech industry has taken in its campaign against cooperation. It’s all about
the customer and his or her need for privacy. “There are a number of private details that everybody has that they don’t want exposed and just having a surveillance state can change the way people converse and behave,” argues Peter Firstbrook of the technology research outfit Gartner. But the same logic applies to our homes and car trunks – things that are accessible with the help of a good locksmith or the right crowbar. People have managed to live with a sense of security until now, even with that knowledge. Should the government not be allowed to access a criminal’s lockbox or cellar out of fear that it would create an Orwellian precedent? The technology is new; the principles in question are not.
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100 Bar Mitzvahs and Counting Avi Faivish’s Bar Mitzvah Fund Makes a Bar Mitzvah a True Celebration By Nachum Soroka
Dancing at his own celebration
A
young man’s bar mitzvah is all about commitment. Commitment to G-d, the Torah, community, and, more broadly, to approach life as an adult. But to be fair, making weighty requests of a boy on the cusp of adolescence rings with irony, and for most thirteenyear-olds, things don’t always shake out so assuredly. That’s just one of the reasons why Avi
Faivish and his international tzedakah, the Bar Mitzvah Fund, are so remarkable. Avi is still in high school at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov and he has remained committed to the organization since he was in Yeshiva Darchei Torah elementary school, when he founded it at the time of his own bar mitzvah. The purpose of the fund may be self-explanatory: to provide help for families making bar mitzvahs, but when Avi started it, the
need was not so obvious. Thirteen-year-old boys can be highly self-conscious about their bar mitzvahs and associated celebrations, particularly when they are in a large yeshiva class which runs the economic spectrum and the costs associated with this milestone can be too cumbersome on large, tuition-burdened families. “It was at the time of my bar mitzvah, and I noticed that there were a number of boys in my class
who were in need of proper bar mitzvahs,” says Avi. So, around the same time that many adolescents drop whatever missions they undertook as part of their bar mitzvah prep, with the blessing of his parents and many of the rebbeim and menahalim of the Five Towns, Avi launched his fund. Since its inception two years ago, the fund has taken off considerably and no one is more surprised than Avi. The organization
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
Avi addressing a group of boys to inspire them to join in the mitzvah
has relationships with many rebbeim and principals in multiple communities who contact it if they have a student in need of anything bar mitzvah related, from the ba-
Avi and his father, Dovi Faivish, running the operations in their spare time. But they are quick to point out that there is no way the organization could be on the
“I see so much about how people are struggling and it feels good to be able to help them. That, to me, is what is important.” sics like a pair of tefillin to the full underwriting of a seudah. The fund has contributed to bar mitzvahs across the U.S. and even Israel, and, as Avi believes that all bar mitzvah boys deserve a properly prepared rite of passage. It has helped people from all backgrounds, whether not-affiliated, modern orthodox or Chasidic. “We have grown really fast. I certainly wasn’t expecting it to be this big by now,” Avi related. Indeed, the Bar Mitzvah Fund is a formidable foundation. It recently passed the 100 bar mitzvah milestone and has contributed amounts totaling well over six figures. With all this, it is just
path it is now without the help of many volunteers who heard about Avi’s work and wanted to be a part of it. These include people in the various communities where the fund has helped and sponsors and vendors with whom the organization has relationships with to help with the cost of bar mitzvah celebrations. The fund held a carnival fundraiser in the Kingsway Jewish Center in Brooklyn last May, a football tournament in the fall, and will be producing a pre-Purim concert in March featuring Lipa, Gad Elbaz and Nissim, all made possible by the work of willing volunteers. Avi may still be a high school
sophomore, but running a large charity organization requires some pretty grown-up skills. I asked him if, at least when he first started, people refused to take him seriously. On the contrary, he said, people are impressed by his initiative and commitment to helping others. He admits that operating the fund has taught him a lot about the ins and outs of fundraising and running a business, and that producing events has given him an informal marketing degree. But these are just the ancillary benefits of his work. “I see so much about how people are struggling and it feels good to be
able to help them. That, to me, is what is important.” What’s next on the Bar Mitzvah Fund’s to-do list? For now, Avi says, there is still so much work to be done with what they are doing already that there is no reason to focus on other projects just yet; they’ll be sticking to bar mitzvahs for now. As for what he wants to do when he finishes yeshiva, Avi is still undecided. When there is so much at stake in the present, how can he think about the future? For more information, please visit the redesigned BarMItzvahFund.com or email barmitzvahfund@gmail.com
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Health & F tness
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month By Hylton I. Lightman, MD, DCH, FAAP
F
ebruary is National Children’s Dental Health Month. So why is a pediatrician writing about it? National Children’s Dental Health Month, a project of the American Dental Association, is meant to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. We pediatricians look into the months of our patients a lot – and long before the pediatric dentist takes a peak. We answer parents’ questions about children’s developing mouths and teeth.
“DR. LIGHTMAN, MY BABY/TODDLER IS A THUMB SUCKER: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?”
Thumb sucking is normal in babies and toddlers. Some even use pacifiers. Babies suck their thumbs because they have a natural urge to suck. This urge usu-
ally decreases after the age of 6 months. But many babies continue to suck their thumbs to soothe themselves. Thumb-sucking can become a habit in babies and young children who use it to comfort themselves when they feel hungry, afraid, restless, quiet, sleepy, or bored. My advice: Ignore it at this age. Little by little, most stop between the ages of 3 to 4 years. Thumb-sucking in children under age 4 is usually not a problem. Continuing to thumb-suck after age 5 or 6 puts kids at risk for dental or speech problems. At this age, involve your pediatric dentist.
“MY BABY HAS CUT A TOOTH: WHAT DO WE DO?”
Your baby is fussy, drooling and then, Wow! You spot that first little tooth popping just below the gum. You’ll
watch your baby’s gummy smile be replaced with baby teeth over the next couple of years. The teeth may be small but it’s important to care for them. They are “placeholders” for the adult teeth that will eventually grow in. Healthy teeth are essential for learning how to chew food properly and speaking clearly. It’s important to take care of the gums and teeth. With a soft, moistened facecloth or piece of gauze, gently wipe down your baby’s gums twice daily. Suggested time: After baby’s feedings and especially before bedtime. Once the first tooth appears, it’s time for a toothbrush. It should be a soft brush with a small head and large handle. At first, just wet the toothbrush and gently brush the teeth and gums. As more teeth erupt, use a fluoridat-
ed toothpaste. The amount should be about the size of a grain of rice. Eventually, you’ll use an amount about the size of a pea.
WHEN SHOULD MY CHILD BEGIN VISITING THE PEDIATRIC DENTIST?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that a child goes to the dentist after one year of age or six months after the first tooth erupts. Ask your pediatrician when to start and for a recommendation.
PLEASE BE VIGILANT ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S ORAL CARE.
Children’s teeth are meant to last a lifetime, and a healthy smile is important to a child’s self-esteem. With proper care, a balanced
diet and regular dental visits, their teeth can remain healthy and strong. It’s never too young to start being vigilant about your child’s oral health. Reports show that American students miss 51 million hours of school every year because of oral health problems. And students who are absent miss critical instruction time – especially in early grades where reading skills are an important focus and the building blocks of future learning. Students who have experienced recent oral health pain are four times more likely to have lower grade point averages than their counterparts who have not.
Dr. Lightman can be reached at drlightman@totalfamily caremd.com.
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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Health & F tness
National Nutrition Month Savor the Flavor of Eating Right By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN
W
ith February wrapping up, hopefully March will roll around with some warmer weather. Aside from salvation from cold, March is a very exciting month. March is National Nutrition Month. National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education and information campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing good eating and physical activity habits. The theme for National Nutrition Month of 2016 is “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right.” This is meant to encourage everyone to take the time to enjoy cultural food traditions and appreciate the great flavors of food. This year’s theme focuses on encouragement to try to new flavors and cooking methods to widen your menu and entice you to try
new healthy foods. Aside from spices and herbs offering many health benefits such as preventing cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease, spices and herbs are widely used for flavoring, coloring, and preserving food. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers a top ten list of popular ethnic cuisines and the flavors associated with them. • China: Low-sodium soy sauce, rice wine, ginger • France: Thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, lavender, tomato • Greece: Olive oil, lemon, oregano • Hungary: Onion, paprika • India: Curry, cumin, ginger, garlic • Italy: Tomato, olive oil, garlic, basil, marjoram • Mexico: Tomato, chili, paprika • Middle East: Olive oil, lemon, parsley • Morocco/North Afri-
ca: Cinnamon, cumin, coriander, ginger • West Africa: Tomato, peanut, chili Try experimenting with different flavors and cuisines from various cultures to spice up your menus. These spice combinations can be used on various foods such as pasta, rice, meat, chicken, salads, soup, pizza and just about anything. Another topic the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is focusing on this year during National Nutrition Month is reducing sugar, sodium, and saturated fats to “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right.”
SUGAR
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming less than 10% of your daily caloric intake from added sugars. Experts recommend choosing foods and beverages with no added sugar whenever possible.
In order to make this feasible: • Read food labels and avoid buying foods with added sugars, i.e. high fructose corn syrup, dried cane syrup, molasses, sucrose, brown rice syrup, honey, agave or maple syrup. • Drink water, low-fat or fat-free milk. When drinking juices, look for 100% fruit or vegetable juice instead of sugary beverages. • Choose snacks with no added sugar. For example, eat plain yogurt instead of flavored yogurt and add whole fruits to sweeten it. • Bake fruits such as pineapple, pears, apples or peaches for a naturally sweet and healthier dessert. • If you can’t resist dessert, eat smaller portions. Usually a bite or two will satisfy your sweet tooth.
SODIUM
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines recommend
consuming fewer than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. Most sodium consumption comes from salts added during food processing and preparation. Because sodium is found in so many foods, careful choices are needed to reduce your sodium intake. One teaspoon of salt alone contains 2,300mg of sodium. Reducing sodium intake can be achieved by preparing foods at home so that you can control the amount of salt in your meals. When preparing meals, use as little salt as possible and try to cut the salt in half from most recipes. When shopping, choose reduced sodium or no- salt-added canned soups and vegetables. Most already prepared foods and restaurants are not shy with the salt since it is an inexpensive way to add flavor. The highest percentage of our daily sodium consumption are from foods such as bread,
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
cured meats, pizza, poultry, soups, sandwiches, cheese, and pasta. Therefore, the best way to combat high sodium in your daily diet is to monitor your intake of processed foods. Make sure to read the Nutrition Facts Panel and look for the Daily Value of sodium in the foods you eat. Try to eat more of these satisfying options which are low in sodium: fruits, vegetables, unsalted nuts, legumes and whole grains.
SATURATED FATS
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines recommend reducing saturated fat intake to less than 10% of your daily caloric intake. It’s important to understand the different types of fats: saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. In order
to optimize your health, reduce your intake of saturated fats by replacing them with monounsaturated fats. Saturated fat is found in foods such as meats, whole milk, cream, butter and cheese. Unsaturated fat, which includes polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat, is found in foods like oils, fatty fish, nuts and seeds. Diets high in saturated fat have been linked to high cholesterol levels, heart disease, and stroke. It’s best to limit intakes of saturated fat. When polyunsaturated fats replace saturated fats, they help reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease and stroke. Polyunsaturated fats also contain high amounts of omega-6 fatty acids which act as anti-inflammatory agents. Howev-
er, most people get enough omega-6 from their diet and do not need to rely on polyunsaturated fats as a source of omega-6. Like polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats help reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease and stroke when used as a substitute for saturated fats. Not only do monounsaturated fats indirectly lower your LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, simply by replacing the saturated fats, research has shown that monounsaturated fats help increase your levels of HDL or “good” cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats also contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory agents and contribute to brain function. Furthermore, monounsaturated fats have also been shown
to help satiate your appetite and stabilize blood sugar levels. In order to limit intake of saturated fats, it is best to drink fat-free or low-fat milk instead of whole milk, and eat low-fat cheese instead of regular cheese, oils instead of butter, and lean rather than fatty cuts of meat. For National Nutrition Month, let’s try to be more aware of the foods we eat and monitor our sodium, saturated fat and sugar intake. In addition, try to include new dishes and flavors into your menus to “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right.” However, make sure that the new dishes you experiment with are nutritious and enable you to eat right. Hopefully this will widen your menu variety and turn every month into
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a nutrition month! For more information on National Nutrition Month, visit eatright.org.
Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. Her Dietetic Internship was completed under Brooklyn College primarily in Ditmas Park Care Center and Boro Park Center where she developed clinical and education skills to treat patients with comprehensive nutrition care. She is currently a dietitian at Boro Park Center and a private nutrition consultant. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@gmail.com.
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Dr. Deb
Self-Love is the Opposite of Narcissism By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.
H
ere’s the formula for creating a narcissist: Everything your child wants, give! And if he kicks, hollers, and screams, give more! If someone else gets hurt in the process, that part you can ignore. Be sure to never, ever tell your child, “Look at poor Sarahle; you hurt her and she’s crying.” That is the one thing you cannot do because it could engender a feeling of empathy in your child’s heart. If you are set on raising a narcissist, you do not want to do that. What’s more, never compare your child to others except to flatter him. This way he develops a belief that he is the most wonderful person to have come along in a century. Now, here is the downside, all you parents who have been happily spoiling your kid and not too worried about the narcissistic part: Your child has no point of reference with which to evaluate anything except himself. And that’s not good. For him. That is, if he is the center of the universe and basically he is the universe, then how does he know anything about life? He doesn’t. He will surely not understand social interactions. Remember, his parents made a particular effort not to help him understand how others feel. So he has no way to know how to engage others. There goes his Emotional IQ. That, of course, will have repercussions when he tries to earn
a living. Any living that deals with others (and I can’t think of any that doesn’t) will put him in the disadvantaged position. He certainly will not know office politics. He certainly will not understand shul politics! If he’s in business for himself, he won’t get the concept of pleasing the customer. It could be that he did pick up along the way the method of getting others to do his bidding so he may have learned how to be charming. That could work in some businesses but only for a brief while. Business is based on serious relationships and charm won’t cut it for too long. Even in the world of academics, a person who is self-referential won’t grasp how he really is doing, how smart he really is, how significant his mental prowess. Told how smart he was all his childhood years, he assumes he is and won’t get it if he’s not. This means that the narcissist is lonely. He wants to include others in his life because, as a human, he is still a social creature. But he doesn’t know how. At least, not for the long term. He may use his charm to get married but the marriage goes south pretty quickly when his lack of concern for his spouse and his lack of compassion come to the fore. Having been told by his parent(s) how perfect he is, he has to assume the marital failure is the fault of his spouse. And he’s now not only lonely and sad but angry too. His spouse
didn’t supply his needs! How dare she! Of course, the narcissist can be a woman, too. Same scenario. Now, let’s contrast that with the person who has self-love. The key to self-love is knowing – and accepting – your own dark corners. We all have them. What do I mean by “dark corners”? It’s the spot where we acted stupidly, selfishly, erroneously. Wayne Dwyer, a psychologist who wrote quite a few successful books way back when, had one that he titled “Your Erroneous Zones.” Cute title – and accurate. We make mistakes in judgment; we misread people’s intentions; we don’t save our money; we don’t pick the shidduch we realize ten years later we should have; we do pick that shidduch and realize ten years later we shouldn’t have. We hurt someone badly or allowed someone we love to be hurt; we act out; we go against our own moral code. Every one of us has done one or more of these things. Many times over for some of us. And the question is: Can we accept that we made a mistake, even a very big one, try to correct it in whatever way possible, and then make better choices going forward? The person with self-love can do that. The person with self-love understands that time is the most precious gift we were given and if we made a mistake then rather than
think of it as time lost, he thinks of it as an opportunity to use the remaining time better. That’s called learning from mistakes. That’s called growth. Not only that, but the person with self-love feels good about the whole thing. He realizes that this is part of the human condition and given the understanding and wisdom that he had or lacked at the time of the bad decision, he probably couldn’t have done better. So rather than look back, he’s grateful to have been given the opportunity to learn and a further opportunity to do it right this time. He’s excited. Let’s take an example. Motti is 42 and not married. He suddenly wakes up one morning and knows in his bones that he made a mistake. He should have jumped into the dating pool years ago. But Motti looks back over his life and understands with sympathy and compassion for his younger self that given his early experiences he was not ready to make that leap. He accepts that he “should” have at the same time as he accepts why he didn’t. He takes a personal inventory over the next few months, figuring out areas of his personality and behavior that he should work on so as to be a better person in every way. Then he proceeds to contact a shadchan and seriously start dating. He’s excited for his future and happy about the whole thing. He doesn’t beat himself up
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
over the past but he has definitely learned from it. Shall I tell you the end of the story? Because he not only accepts that he is human
• Can accept the flaws in his partner, his partner’s family, his kids, and his co-workers or those who sit around him (talking) in
If he is the center of the universe and basically he is the universe, then how does he know anything about life?
and therefore wasn’t mature before does not mean that he remains immature. No, he works on himself (as I said) and then finds a lovely woman to marry – happily. What are the implications of being a person with self-love? Such a person:
shul because when you completely accept your dark side, you can accept that of others. • Has a sense of humor or at least appreciates the ironies and lighter side of life because he doesn’t take himself too seriously. • Cares about others because
once you’ve given yourself sympathy and compassion for the hard time you once had and needed to overcome, you have no problem being concerned about others. Let me address this last point a bit more. Each person seems to require a certain quota of TLC. Usually, we get that from a parent. When we didn’t get that growing up, there is a kind of empty space inside. Maybe it is in our hearts or souls. There’s a gap. When we meet someone that we feel we love, we may be unconsciously looking for that person to fill that empty space. The problem is that it can’t ever get filled by a spouse. It is the parent’s job. Often, we can give that love and comfort to ourselves; sometimes with therapy and sometimes without it. But if it is not filled at all, we spend our lives looking for it. And when we’re on empty, we are not
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able to give. The person with selflove has already given it to himself so he has an abundance of love in his heart which spills over to others. As you can see, the narcissist and the person with self-love are diametrically opposed in every way.
Dr. Deb Hirschhorn is a Marriage & Family Therapist and best-selling author of The Healing Is Mutual: Marriage Empowerment Tools to Rebuild Trust and Respect—Together. Attend the Food For Thought lectures at Waffelino Restaurant at 310 Central Avenue in Cedarhurst on Tuesdays at 9:45 AM. Any questions, call 646-54-DRDEB or check out her website at http:// drdeb.com. All stories in Dr. Deb’s articles are fabricated. See Dr. Deb on TorahAnytime.com.
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Dating Dialogue
What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters
Dear Navidaters,
Baruch is perfect. Everyone says so. We’ve been dating now for a while and I sense he is getting close to a proposal. He is 28-years-old; I’m 22. He is very good looking, in his last year of medical school, charming and really just about perfect. I’ve wondered why he wasn’t snatched up years ago. But since we’re dating, I’ve figured out his flaw and wonder whether it could be considered a fatal flaw.
Baruch is always late. With me, with everyone, with everything – except with what is directly related to him and his success. I don’t think he has once picked me up on time for a date at the time we made up. He could be 10 minutes late or 40 minutes late. He always attributes it to his grueling schedule. Of course, for a while I was very sympathetic and so were my parents. None of us are doctors and we can’t even imagine what it’s like to be under so much pressure, so we gave him a pass. But then we realized that even on a Shabbos, when he was supposed to walk over during the afternoon, or during his vacation time, the pattern persisted. Eventually, I said something to him. First he made excuses and then admitted that he’s always had an issue with time. That he almost enjoys the thrill of running for the train, staying up all night to finish a paper for school, making it home just in time for Shabbos. It got his adrenaline flowing. But I also noticed times when the two of us were supposed to meet with other people and I’d be rushing along and he’d make a comment like, “Slow down – it’s not so terrible if they wait for a few minutes for us” – as if he felt he was more important or his time was more important than other people’s time. I come from a family of people who are not only always on time, but tend to be 10 minutes early. We get to weddings before the bride and groom! We’d prefer to wait for others than for them to wait for us. It’s just how we were all raised and we are very respectful of other people’s feelings. Other than this problem, I really do think Baruch is a great guy. He’s smart and fun and seems to really care about me. I love so many things about him and wonder whether this time issue is something that I can just overlook or whether it is actually something serious that could be a game changer. What do you think?
The feedback from our readers has been remarkable. In order to facilitate further discussion, you can now continue the conversation anonymously on our website. Every Sunday, we will upload the weekend’s most recent edition of What Would You Do If to the dating forum at thenavidaters.com. Join The Navidaters and your fellow TJH readers in a comprehensive dialogue with regard to dating, relationships and marriage. The forum will be moderated daily for everyone’s comfort and safety. See you there! Disclaimer: This column is not intended to diagnose or otherwise offer resolutions to any questions. Our intention is not to offer any definitive conclusions to any particular question, but to offer areas of exploration for the author and reader. Due to the nature of the column receiving only a short snapshot of an issue, without the benefit of an actual discussion, the panel’s role is to offer a range of possibilities. We hope to open up meaningful dialogue and individual exploration.
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The Panel
The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.
I
do think this may be a game changer. Marriage is not a hospital; it does not heal people’s flaws. You figured out his flaw. This quality of lateness will not change except when there are dire consequences. So life with this young man will be about accepting his regular lateness. You need to explore whether you can live with this. You may want to talk to a professional at length about this. It should not be taken lightly. You need to keep seeing him, while at the same time see if the relationship is worth it. In other words, do you care enough about him to handle this as well as the life of a doctor’s wife? That means regular emergencies, calls, and more. That means you will have to make a life for yourself and won’t have a husband available for much of the time. Having a doctor for a husband is not easy, even after all the training and fellowships. It usually places a lot of responsibilities on a wife – taking care of many arrangements in addition to taking responsibility for the minutia. It looks glamorous but it isn’t. You need to talk to other women married to doctors as well as explore your ability to deal with his personal lateness as well as his professional lateness excuse. If you are considering him as a good catch and also respect your own family’s prompt practices, it is unlikely that your relationship is as deep and personal as it should be.
The Mother Sarah Schwartz Schreiber, PA
Y
ou have come to the right address. I am the Queen of Tardy; and yes, if I say so myself, quite functional (more or less). Over the years, my family and friends know they can rely on me to arrive late. So how
do they deal with my time dysfunction? Lie about starting times and appointments. Most times it works; other times, I rely on the usual roster of excuses (traffic, broken alarm clocks, minor medical or wardrobe mishaps) and arrive stressed out and frustrated. Still, I’m not incorrigible; I’m mostly on time for work, doctors’ appointments and bus pickup. Latecomers come in two varieties: Type 1 – those who don’t feel bad about being late; Type 2 – those who feel stressed and self-loathing about their habit. Lateness comes in two varieties: Group 1 – being late to an event that will not impact others (e.g., your neighbor’s kiddush); Group 2 – Being late to an event that will negatively impact others (that Sunday afternoon date). As sympathetic as I am to the latecomers’ plight, I cannot defend Baruch, His Perfectness. First, he is a Type 1 violator (zero-remorse); according to psychologists these are narcissists who think they are more important than anyone else (to quote you, “He feels he and his time are more important than others”). Worse, and this is not surprising, he disappoints at Group 2 events (your dates, Shabbos lunch) even if he knows you and your genetically punctual family are waiting (cold cholent, again?). I’m afraid Baruch’s “one little flaw” transcends time. Narcissists make terrible husbands.
The Dating Mentor Rochel Chafetz Educator/Mentor
F
irst of all, no one is perfect and the faster you realize that, the less disappointed you will be when you see flaws surfacing. Mistake number one is this: “I come from a family who is always on time – even 10 minutes early.” OK, very nice, but he may come from a different kind of family where they aren’t on time. Now you have to figure out a way to compromise and make it work for
“Oh sure, I’ll wash the entire sink of dishes, shower, put on my makeup, write a first draft for Bio 101 and pick up my parents’ prescriptions from CVS… See you in a half hour!” the two of YOU, not for your family or his. For the both of you. Sit down and talk to him. Start with the things that you love about him but this little nekuda is bugging you and you wish it wouldn’t and
how you can brainstorm together to figure out a way to make it work. Do not bring up your family. Maybe he really has a hard time with organizing his time and maybe you can help him with that. This may be the time you can put into practice what the posuk says about us, “ezer knegdo.” Think how you can be the “ezer” and not the “knegdo.” Maybe he really needs you to help him with this. Everyone is raised differently. It doesn’t mean your way is better than his or as you put it “being respectful of others’ feelings.” It doesn’t sound like he is disrespectful. I think he just can’t act differently. Try to suggest and help him without putting him down. See what you can do on your side. Give it time. There are going to be many things that will be annoying to both of you in life. Pick and choose your battles. If you see
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him as a loving and caring man, then you have what to build on. In time, this too will sort itself out. Hatzlacha.
The Single Irit Moshe (pen name) May this be Baruch’s only flaw that you see! The great
thing is you can be the keeper of the time for social get-togethers between you as a couple and your family, and/ or any other important functions he’ll need to get to, if that is a problem. If you can be okay with the task and yet not be a task master, you both will do just fine. He just needs some polishing in this area.
If you can be okay with the task and yet not be a task master, you both will do just fine. He just needs some polishing in this area.
Pulling It All Together The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists
F
irst and foremost I need to acknowledge that each woman on this panel, myself included, has her own orientation toward time – just like you and Baruch and the people reading this response right now. For some, tardiness is a game changer or deal breaker and for others it falls into the category of things we accept in a spouse because, “hey, no one’s perfect. Everybody’s got something.” At the end of the day it will be you who marries or breaks up with Baruch, so please take care to make sure the decision is yours and no one else’s. The panel has spoken. I don’t know about you, but their polar opposite responses left me feeling like a ping pong ball. Rebbetzin Horowitz wisely points out that marriage will not heal this quality in Baruch. In other words, you can’t have the expectation that his behavior will change because he is married and will somehow then be willing to give this up. She suggests you meet with a therapist to explore this issue and I couldn’t agree more. Sarah Schwartz Schreiber so honorably reveals that she is tardy herself. She wisely distinguishes between two types of “lateness.” She is afraid that Baruch falls into the category of lateness in which he may be displaying a narcissistic quality. I would insert that we be careful before we begin to see Baruch in this vein (no pun intended). But nonetheless, it is food for thought
and a possibility. Rachel Chafetz comes along and presents the other side of the coin. Maybe he learned to be late from his family and this is something that you can compromise on. If, in general, you believe him to be a sincere and loving man, then surely this can be worked through. And finally, Irit Moshe suggests that Baruch’s tardiness is something fairly minor if you are willing to take responsibility and be the “timekeeper” in the household. It isn’t so much Baruch’s lateness that troubles me, it is what his lateness may represent. People are late for all sorts of reasons. Some latecomers are anxious. They are so busy locking windows, checking to turn off the oven for the third time or brushing down their cowlick that they wind up being late; something they were probably worried about too. Others are late because they believe they can get more done in a period of time than they actually can. “Oh sure, I’ll wash the entire sink of dishes, shower, put on my makeup, write a first draft for Bio 101 and pick up my parents’ prescriptions from CVS… See you in a half hour!” Another character trait that has been found to be associated with chronic lateness is thrill seeking. There’s a certain rush of adrenaline that kicks in when you realize you have 15 hours left to hand in a paper
you’ve been given two months to work on. It’s almost like a high for these thrill seekers. I see a shade of Baruch in this description. And then, though less common, there are those people who feel a sense of power in their lateness. Knowing that people are waiting for them makes them feel a false sense of importance. This need is probably stemming from an insecurity. I may see a shade of Baruch here as well, based on your description. Baruch’s attitude toward his lateness is signaling something about his character and is worthy of exploration in therapy. It sounds to me like you are confused about what his lateness may be signaling. On the one hand, you share that he admitted that he has always had an issue with lateness. On the other hand, you are getting the sense that he does not see the value in honoring commitments to friends and family. So, we know when it comes to medical school he is more than capable of being prompt but when it comes to loved ones we aren’t so sure. And this is the very place you find yourself asking us if this is a game changer. The good news is that Baruch has expressed an awareness to you about his lateness. He didn’t argue with you or insist he is never late. He also exhibited an openness with you. You have strong feelings for Baruch. It sounds like he has wonderful qualities aside from this flaw. Now is the time to invite him to couples therapy to discuss and hopefully work through this issue. In therapy, be sure you focus on understanding the root of the
lateness. Look out for Baruch’s openness and willingness to listen to how his “lateness” affects you and whether or not he seems willing to change. If he is willing to change, understand that this will require a good amount of patience on your part. In therapy, be prepared for him to talk about your need to be early and his eagerness to diagnose you with an anxiety disorder (I am saying this tongue-incheek, but you get the idea). Be sure your therapist doesn’t get into who is right and who is wrong and who has to be more yielding. That will get you nowhere and fast. Remember, we want to know where the source of Baruch’s lateness is coming from and if he shows flexibility of character in his desire to make you happy. Best of luck, Jennifer
If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question anonymously, please email thenavidaters@gmail.com. Esther Mann, LCSW and Jennifer Mann, LCSW are psychotherapists and dating and relationship coaches working with individuals, couples and families in private practice in Lawrence, NY. To set up an appointment, please call 516.224.7779. Press 1 for Esther, 2 for Jennifer. Jennifer is starting a Marriage Support Initiative for Women; an 8 week support group for married women to celebrate the positive aspects of their marriages and delve into the more private corners of marriage. Difficulties in a marriage can feel isolating. Come find support and make friends. For more information, reach her at the above phone number.
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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”
Sixty-eight percent would not leave under any circumstance. I think that means murder, I think it means anything, okay? - Trump at a rally commenting on the loyalty of his supporters
Reverend Al Sharpton called Donald Trump the “white Don King.” Today, Sharpton apologized and said, “I’m sorry, I meant the orange Don King.” – Conan O’Brien
I saw her TV ad, I thought it was me. - Bernie Sanders at a rally talking about how Hillary Clinton is mimicking him more and more and adopting his tone
It is a very, very tough agreement to make. I was with a very prominent Israeli the other day, says it’s impossible because the other side has been trained from the time they’re children to hate Jewish people. But I will give it one … shot; that I can tell you. But of all agreements — I would say if you can do that deal, you can do any deal. But that’s probably the toughest deal in the world right now to make, and it’s possible, it’s not makeable, because — don’t forget, it has to last. You know, it’s wonderful to make it and it doesn’t work. But it has to last. To make lasting peace there, probably the toughest deal of all, but I’m going to give it a shot.
The other big news is that Donald Trump won all 50 delegates in Saturday’s South Carolina primary. So if you’re paying attention, this is the official point when people go from saying, “Oh, this is kinda fun!” to saying, “Oh my G-d, this is really happening!” – Jimmy Fallon
– Trump when asked by Joe Scarborough whether he would able to make peace between Israel and the Palestinians
After winning in South Carolina, Donald Trump boasted that he got the votes of “tall people, short people, fat people and skinny people.” Then Trump said he “got some votes in a box” and “some votes from a fox.” – Conan O’Brien
They wake me up for a bed check, please, they are turning me into a zombie, they won’t let me sleep, all I want is to be allowed to sleep. - Drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman complaining to one of his lawyers about his treatment in prison, as disclosed by the attorney
John Kasich over the weekend said lots of women have left their kitchens to work on his campaign. Yeah, that will certainly help him in the upcoming election of 1956. – James Corden
Jeb Bush announced that he will suspend his presidential campaign after it failed to meet expectations. And you just know that Jeb’s in therapy right now, saying, “My brother was a two-term president. And I lost to the guy who fired Bret Michaels on ‘The Apprentice.’” – Ibid.
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A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. — Pope Francis, speaking at the U.S.-Mexico border, on whether “a good Catholic” could vote for Donald Trump
If and when the Vatican is attacked by ISIS ... I can promise you that the pope would have only wished and prayed that Donald Trump would have been president because this would not have happened. – Trump’s statement in response to the Pope
President Obama was spotted at a steak restaurant in D.C. this week with Morgan Freeman and Tom Hanks. They didn’t even order anything. They just closed their eyes and listened to Morgan Freeman read the appetizers.
During a CNN town hall last night, Ted Cruz was talking about how much he likes singing and even treated the crowd to a little Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder was like, “Even I know that dude is white.” – Jimmy Fallon
– Jimmy Fallon
You’re not the shooter, are you? - A passenger who got into the Uber car of the Kalamazoo shooter in the middle of the man’s rampage. The shooter’s reply to the question was “No, I’m not. I’m just tired”
May Scalia & all birds RIP now. – Tweet by PETA after Justice Scalia died while on a bird hunting ranch
Pope Francis loudly scolded a fan in Mexico yesterday after the man grabbed his arm and pulled him down. And after hearing that the Pope yelled at a Mexican, Donald Trump converted to Catholicism.
I wonder if President Obama would have attended the funeral of Justice Scalia if it were held in a mosque? Very sad that he did not go! – Tweet by Donald Trump, after President Obama skipped Justice Scalia’s funeral
You’re asking me to say, “Have I ever?” I don’t believe I ever have. I don’t believe I ever have. – Hillary Clinton when asked on CBS if she ever lied
The big decision for Sanders will be picking a vice president. It’s important because whoever he chooses is just a prostate away from being the next president of the United States. – Jimmy Fallon
– Seth Myers
Not one bit. I am tired. - Flossie Dickey, 110, when asked by Spokane TV whether she was excited for her birthday party
I don’t know, I don’t fight it. I live it. – Ibid., when asked to disclose the secret to her longevity
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Once the political season is underway and it is, action on a Supreme Court nomination must be put off until after the election campaign is over. - Recently unearthed video tape from then-Sen. Joe Biden saying on the Senate floor in 1992 that President George Bush should not nominate someone to the Supreme Court and that whoever wins the ‘92 elections should
It doesn’t matter what anybody said in the past. – Sen. Chuck Schumer, when asked about Biden’s comments and similar comments that he himself had made
[The President] regrets the vote that he made... And frankly, looking back on it, the president thinks he should have just followed his own advice. - White House Spokesman Josh Earnest when asked why President Obama is calling Republicans “obstructionists” when he himself in 2007 as a senator filibustered President George W. Bush’s nominee for the Supreme Court
I Will Depose You Myself. - Sen. Ted Cruz responding to Trump’s threat of suing him for making false claims about him
After doing poorly in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, Jeb Bush announced that he’s dropping out of the race. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are both hoping to pick up Jeb’s supporters. Then Jeb said, “Joke’s on you – I didn’t have any supporters!” – Jimmy Fallon
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I love the old days, you know. You know what I hate? There’s a guy, totally disruptive, throwing punches, we’re not allowed to punch back anymore. I love the old days. You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? They’d be carried out in a stretcher, folks. - Trump when he was heckled at a rally
A Chinese man recently held what he called a “pre-funeral” for himself to see how many people would show up to his real funeral. And if he’s the kind of guy who would do that, I’m going to guess not many.
Normal people can’t use a [royal] toilet .- Explanation given why a $40,000 bathroom being built in Cambodia for a three day visit by Thailand’s Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will be taken apart after her trip
IKEA is being accused of evading over $1 billion in taxes. Prosecutors have actually been after IKEA for years. They’ve just been having a hard time putting their case together. – Jimmy Fallon
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Political Crossfire
The Politics of Vulgarity By Michael Gerson
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ridiculing a war hero, employing misogynist humor, mocking a disabled reporter, displaying ignorance on basic policy matters, slandering the last Republican president – that were not disqualifying at all. Why has this happened? Trump is not leading because he has masked his ideas, which have been consistent and forthright. He would (he says) build a Mexican-funded wall across the continent, expel 11 million undocumented immigrants, blow up the global trading order, send Syrian refugees back into a war zone, ban the immigration of Muslims to America and consider a Muslim registry. No one who supports Trump can say they didn’t know the ethnically and religiously charged content of Trumpism. Yet it is Trump’s style, his defiance of convention and political correctness, which seems to explain the intensity of his support. “We’re voting with our middle finger,” explains a Trump supporter in South Carolina. All the institutions that have failed – failed to stop Barack Obama, failed to save America from adulteration, corruption and destruction -- should be overturned. Burn, baby, burn. This approach to politics has not normally been associated with conservatism, which teaches prudence, proportion and respect for institutions, even if they require reform. Stepping back a moment, it is necessary to say that America,
even after seven years of Obama as president, is not North Korea. And American political structures have not failed like those of Weimar Germany. Even as there is much to improve about our country, there is much more to love. And there is much to fear in faces that would appear eager and exhilarated when lighted by the bonfire of American institutions.
It assumes that practices we know are wrong in our private lives – contempt, mockery, cruelty, prejudice – are somehow justified in our political lives.
The political philosophy of the middle finger – captured by Trump in all its vulgar, taunting, divisive glory – requires an ethical leap. It assumes that practices we know are wrong in our private lives – contempt, mockery, cruelty, prejudice
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
– are somehow justified in our political lives. It requires us to embrace views and tactics that we would never teach our children – but do, in fact, teach them through an ethically degraded politics. Imagine your teenage son (or daughter, for that matter) calling a person a “fat pig,” “dog,” or “disgusting animal.” Imagine your child labeling someone he or she knows as a “loser,” “moron” or “dummy.” This is the evidence of poor character, in any context. For Christians, the price of entry to the Trump movement is to abandon their commitments to kindness and love of neighbor. Which would mean their faith has no public consequence at all. And Trumpism is an existential threat to conservatism. It is not a theory of limited government. It would use government, with augmented powers, to enforce a vision of ethnic nationalism, constructing a wall visible from space and conducting one of the largest forced expulsions in history. Our circumstance is sometimes compared to William F. Buckley Jr.’s public shunning of the John Birch Society – the extreme conservatives of their day. But we have moved well beyond that precedent. No Bircher contended seriously for the Republican nomination. Until recently, nativists like Tom Tancredo (who referred to Miami as a “Third World Country” and proposed to send Obama back to “his homeland” in Kenya) seemed like a fringe element. Now this extreme threatens to become the dominant voice and face of the Republican Party. Many Trump supporters believe that Obama has changed the country in destructive ways – which I believe is true. But they also would change our country, in ways that should make us sick to the heart. For all our faults, we are a nation that prizes civility and respect. We give our neighbor the benefit of the doubt. We stand up for the little guy. We are grateful for our flawed and wonderful country. And we know our flag stands for
shared ideals, not someone’s idea of shared bloodlines. All this is now at stake. It is time to stand up, to leave nothing that is
necessary unsaid or undone, and to give our children an example of braveness and boldness in defending the decent, honorable,
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generous soul of our nation. (c) 2016, Washington Writers Group
Post
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Political Crossfire
Win One for Nino By Charles Krauthammer
L
et’s understand something about the fight to fill the Supreme Court seat of Antonin (Nino”) Scalia. This is about nothing but raw power. Any appeal you hear to high principle is phony -brazenly, embarrassingly so. In Year Seven of the George W. Bush administration, Sen. Chuck Schumer publicly opposed filling any Supreme Court vacancy until Bush left office. (“Except in extraordinary circumstances.” None such arose. Surprise!) Today he piously denounces
demands for deference from a party that for seven years has cheered Obama’s serial constitutional depredations: His rewriting the immigration laws by executive order (stayed by the courts); his reordering the energy economy by regulation (stayed by the courts); his enacting the nuclear deal with Iran, the most important treaty of this generation, without the required two-thirds of the Senate (by declaring it an executive agreement). Minority Leader Harry Reid complains about the Senate violating precedent
challenges to Obamacare. On Tuesday, Obama loftily called upon Congress to rise above ideology and partisanship in approving his nominee. When asked how he could square that with his 2006 support of a filibuster to stop the appointment of Samuel Alito, Obama replied with a four-minute word salad signifying nothing. There is no answer. It was situational constitutional principle, i.e., transparent hypocrisy. As I said, this is all about raw power. When the Democrats had it, they
“I would not like to be replaced,” he explained, “by someone who immediately sets about undoing everything that I’ve tried to do for 25 years.”
Republicans for doing exactly the same for a vacancy created in Year Eight of Barack Obama. Republicans, say the Democrats, owe the president deference. Elections have consequences and Obama won re-election in 2012. Yes. And the Republicans won the Senate in 2014 – if anything, a more proximal assertion of popular will. And both have equal standing in appointing a Supreme Court justice. It’s hard to swallow
if it refuses a lame-duck nominee. This is rich. It is Reid who just two years ago overthrew all precedent by abolishing the filibuster for most judicial and high executive appointments. In the name of what grand constitutional principle did Reid resort to a parliamentary maneuver so precedent-shattering that it was called the nuclear option? None. He did it in order to pack the U. S. Circuit Court for the District of Columbia with liberals who would reliably deflect
used it. The Republicans are today wholly justified in saying they will not allow this outgoing president to overturn the balance of the Supreme Court. The matter should be decided by the coming election. Does anyone doubt that Democrats would be saying exactly that if the circumstances were reversed? Which makes this Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s moment. He and his cohorts have taken a lot of abuse from “antiestablishment” candidates
and media for not using their congressional majorities to repeal Obamacare, defund Planned Parenthood, block executive orders, etc. What was the 2014 election about, they say? We won and got nothing. We were lied to and betrayed by a corrupt leadership beholden to the “Washington cartel.” As it happens, under our Madisonian Constitution, the opposition party cannot govern without the acquiescence of the president, which it will not get, or a two-thirds majority of the Congress, which it does not have. But no matter. Things are different now. Appointing a Supreme Court justice is a two-key operation. The president proposes, the Senate disposes. There is no reason McConnell cannot hold the line. And he must. The stakes here – a radical generation-long reversal of direction of the Supreme Court – are the highest this Senate will ever face. If McConnell succeeds, he will have resoundingly answered the “what did we get for 2014?” question. Imagine if the Senate were
now in Democratic hands. What we got in 2014 was the power to hold on to Scalia’s seat and to the court’s conservative majority. But only for now. Blocking an Obama nominee buys just a year. The final outcome depends on November 2016. If the GOP nominates an unelectable or unconservative candidate, a McConnell victory will be nothing more than a stay of execution. In 2012, Scalia averred that he would not retire until there was a more ideologically congenial president in the White House. “I would not like to be replaced,” he explained, “by someone who immediately sets about undoing everything that I’ve tried to do for 25 years.” Scalia never got to choose the timing of his leaving office. Those who value the legacy of those now30- years will determine whether his last wish will be vindicated. Let McConnell do his thing. Then in November it’s for us to win one for Nino. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Writers Group
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Congregation Kehilas Jacob – Sulitza under the spiritual leadership of the Sulitzer Rebbe שליט"א requests the honor of your presence at the במעמד 65TH
הננו מתכבדים להזמין את כבוד מעלתכם להשתתף במעמד
דינער השנתי
in honor of our devoted friends, guests of honor, chessed awardees and eitz chaim
של מוסדות קהלת יעקב סוליצא
awardees
שתתקיים בעזהשי"ת
WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE IY”H MOTZAI SHABBOS PARHSAS VAYAKHEIL MAR 5, ’16
מוצאי שבת קודש פרשת ויקהל כ"ה אדר א' תשע"ו לפ"ק 8:30 בשעה
באולם בנות בית יעקב
8:30 in the evening
613 Beach 9TH Street West Lawrence NY 11691
At the Bnos Bais Yakov Hall 613 Beach 9TH Street West Lawrence NY
המחכים לראותכם בשמחה
11691
Mr. Moshe Ungar
Couvert $200 per couple
President
משה אונגר פרעזידענט
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Hire
Education
What Should You Sell? By Rabbi Mordechai Kruger
E
ven in this technological age, there are many questions that can only be answered the old-fashioned way: by actually talking to real human beings. So my imaginary client, Beryl Klein, has been doing just that. In order to learn about the different ways that his ability to connect to people might be used in the world of work, Beryl has been interviewing people whose work centers on selling. Beryl has learned, though, that selling includes a lot more than convincing someone to exchange dollars for an object or a service. Anyone whose work includes persuading others to accept new ideas, to adopt different ways of thinking or doing is also a salesman. Beryl needs to see the broadest possible range of career options so that he can make an informed decision. Although Beryl is imaginary, the interviews that I’m writing about are not. I spoke to real humans whose backgrounds and initial skill sets are similar to Beryl’s – yeshiva graduates working in fields that do not require post-high school secular education. And in addition to the specific information I gathered, I learned how easy it is to do this kind of research, at least in the Jewish community. All of the businesspeople I approached readily agreed to speak to me and would do so for anyone who wanted to learn about their fields. With so much terrific insight available for the asking, allowing ourselves or our children to choose careers based on fads or fantasies is simply unacceptable. The clearest message that has come across in these interviews is that even in jobs where the ultimate goal is achieved when a customer hands over dollars, the salesman doesn’t spend
his day trying to convince people to make purchases. Rather, each contact with a potential customer is devoted to conveying the integrity and expertise of the salesman in order to establish an atmosphere of trust and comfort. If, as a result of that relationship, it becomes clear that the customer would be well served by making a purchase, the salesman then moves to close the deal. Each of my interviewees emphasized that they will only make a sale that they truly believe is in the customer’s best interest. Although they do go to work to earn money, happily, their goals of long term business success and personal integrity lead to the same conclusion. Making a sale to serve the customer is a great idea; making a sale to grab all the dollars you can is not. Beryl’s interest in sales begins with his people skills. He enjoys face to face interactions, and he has been able to inspire people to write checks to his yeshiva. But when he was asked to organize the campaign, that required much more attention to detail, and Beryl really didn’t like it. So when an interview with an investment counselor (aka stockbroker) described the careful documentation that is needed for almost every interaction with a client, Beryl needed to ask a lot of questions. He also learned that there is a huge amount of research behind each sales call, identifying investment options, their risks and potential rewards. While putting someone on the road to financial security is the kind of goal that Beryl could commit to, all of that quiet time spent on reading and analysis doesn’t fit him at all. Beryl is not going to rule out a career in investment counseling on the basis
of one interview, but there are clearly some points of concern. Dealing with points of concern is a key part of the job search process. In coaching Beryl as he does his research, I have emphasized that finding the right job does not mean finding the perfect job. The key is to understand the positive and negative points as best he can, and then do some serious thinking. Do the positives match his most important talents and goals? Can he conceive of a way to deal with the negatives so that at least they don’t block the road to success? In this case, the research and analysis role that doesn’t fit Beryl well would not only consume a large part of the day, it would be a key ingredient in his relationship with his clients. Even if he would decide to tolerate it, his ambivalence would cast pallor on every conversation. He may never win the confidence of his clients. At this point a reader may feel that I’m wasting Beryl’s time. After all, when and if he gets hired for a sales job, he’ll have to perform in all of the areas that the job requires. If one of them is not his strong suit, too bad. With Beryl’s limited background he isn’t likely to get too many job offers. What’s the point of Beryl’s research if in the end he’ll just have to take the job anyway? Sadly, this attitude is all too common, and it is hurtful to job hunters of all types. The truth is that the more that a job hunter understands about his own abilities and the way that they match the requirements of a particular job, the better the chance of success both in finding and keeping a job. Knowing his strengths and weaknesses, a job hunter can
be proactive in seeking training and mentoring, even before he has a job, so as to present himself as a stronger candidate. He also will be able to ask better questions during the interview process, so that he will understand the job and how well it fits his skillset. But even more importantly, knowing one’s own skills and talents makes it possible to seek out the companies whose needs match those skills, and to approach the employer proactively. This, in fact, is the strongest way to search for a job. As I’ve written all along in this series, if you are hunting for a job, you need to get out there and do all of the things that hunters do. And hunters don’t bag big game by searching websites. So my imaginary client Beryl, and all of my real-life career-choice clients, need to get out and talk to people about what they do and the skills they use. This research will reveal the nature of the workplace and enable Beryl to see where he fits best. He will then know which of his skills are ready for the workplace and what, if anything, he can do to remedy the ones that aren’t. I have a rule about the advice I give my clients, as well as advice that they hear from others. It says that any advice that includes the word “can’t” is guaranteed to be wrong. So I strongly disagree with anyone who says that Beryl he can’t be an investment advisor, or anything else. I am teaching him the tools that he can use to decide if he should. Rabbi Mordechai Kruger’s Job Search for Champions has helped clients of all kinds find the jobs they really want. He can be reached at jobsearchfor champions@gmail.com
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
בס״ד
לעיר
צדיק בא
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With great reverence & pride, we look forward to the honor of humbly — w e l c o m i n g —
Rabbi Avraham Yitzchok Kahana Shlita The Spinka Rebbe of Yerushalayim son of the world renowned
Rabbi Mordchai David ZT”L (Previous Admor M’Spinka Yerushalayim)
z As he spends the week of פרשת פקודי
From Sunday March 6 - Friday March 11 In our Community
z The Rebbe will be staying at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Avi & Sherry Ackerman 517 Harbor Drive - Cederhurst, NY 11516 For additional information and to schedule
a private audience with the Rebbe Shlit”a Please contact: 516-216-0605 for Hebrew and Yiddish 917-497-0649
We look forward to greeting you, friends and supporters of
Bais Spinka - Yerushlayim
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Studying Sm
rt
Online vs. On-site The Pros and Cons of Online Education By Chaim Homnick
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n the 21st century, the internet has exploded and infiltrated nearly every aspect of our lives. The educational field has not been an exception as the ways we teach, communicate and study have shifted drastically in the last decade. Subsequently, online tutoring companies, online classes and even fully-online college degrees have proliferated and now serve millions of students.
THE PROS OF ONLINE EDUCATION EASIER ADMISSION
While there may be some highend, selective colleges offering online undergraduate degrees, the majority of online degrees offered by colleges have extremely lax admissions standards relative to even that school’s own on-site degrees. SATs and personal statements are
The overall time saved and the extra flexibility an online degree offers can be a game-changer for many people.
When weighing one’s college options, there are numerous factors that need to be considered before making a final decision. Choosing whether to attend a brick and mortar college or to pursue an online degree requires considering the pros and cons of the degree as well as the specific short-term and long-term goals of each individual student. Nonetheless, here is an overall analysis of the merits and limitations of online education in order to provide students with a helpful starting point in determining if an online program is right for them or not:
generally not required. This makes it easier to gain admittance to the average online program. At the graduate level, online degree programs are more selective as an undergraduate degree is required and some schools may require a GMAT of a certain score or other test scores to be achieved in order to gain admittance.
BETTER PRICE
Cost-wise, online schools are generally far cheaper than on-site options. This stems from the fact that the overhead involved in run-
ning such a program is far cheaper for the school as well as the fact that the competition online between schools is fierce because the colleges are now competing for students with everyone, not just the schools physically in their area. As a result, some schools periodically offer big scholarships to attract new students, or find other perks to differentiate themselves from the competition (free iPads, etc.). Additionally, because an online degree is usually completed in fewer semesters (see below), the student is generally paying for less credits overall as well.
FASTER DEGREE COMPLETION
This is perhaps the biggest attraction of online programs. Online programs often accept more yeshiva/seminary credits and they accept other credits that help contribute to the degree plan. As a result, many undergraduate online programs can be finished in anywhere from one year to 2 years rather than the traditional four years.
ACCEPTANCE OF MORE CREDITS
The reason for the faster degree is partly related to the fact that online programs are far more willing to accept yeshiva/seminary credits as well as other college-level or testbased credits. While Queens College
generally allows 18 yeshiva/seminary transfer credits and YU/Touro allow 30-36, some online programs allow as many as 60 or more credits to transfer in to cover general and elective requirements.
STILL QUALIFIES FOR GOVERNMENT GRANTS/ LOANS
An online program is still able to receive FAFSA Pell Grants and other scholarships or federal grants or loans. However, keep in mind that if you register for an online college based in another state you will not be able to receive TAP, which is based upon the state you live in. Nonetheless, because of the lower tuition for online degrees, a Pell grant (up to approximately $5,500 per year) or a federal loan can still help make the tuition very affordable.
THE OPPORTUNITY COST OF THE TIME SAVED
Perhaps the biggest benefit to an online degree is the flexibility of the course and the resultant opportunity cost savings. Most online degrees have weekly deadlines for assignments which allow students to take classes during the times that work for them. Some schools have interactive classrooms that require specific log-in and participation times, but even then a student can generally select a schedule that works for them.
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
The opportunity cost of the time saved can then enable an online college student to secure a full-time job or be in a yeshiva/seminary while pursuing their degree. The overall time saved and the extra flexibility an online degree offers can be a game-changer for many people. This is what allows teachers to go back to school for a Master’s degree while not sacrificing their income and what allows yeshiva boys to pursue a degree on their time, around their schedule.
ENVIRONMENT
For those who want to avoid the overall American college scene, an online degree allows the opportuni-
attending a traditional on-site college does. An online degree travels with you, ensuring that milestones like getting married or receiving a job offer elsewhere doesn’t derail your college goals.
THE CONS OF ONLINE EDUCATION REQUIRES SELFMOTIVATION
An obvious drawback to online learning is the lack (usually) of direct instruction and direct peer pressure to perform well. Students in online programs have to be self-motivated to do their work, meet deadlines, and achieve good scores. Students who need the so-
Advanced research needs to be done to ensure that an online degree will satisfy the specific course requirements or field of interest that a student wants to pursue.
pre-med will have an extremely hard time finding an online program. Online offerings usually can’t include courses that require labs and other physical activities. There have been some degrees that offer online virtual labs or sporadic onsite classes to complete labs, but this is still usually not an ideal way to pursue a medical-related degree. As a result, even the online options that exist may not be accepted by medical schools, PT schools, etc.
LESSER DEGREES OFFERED
Another issue with some online degrees is that they may offer vague, general “Liberal Arts” degrees that don’t have an actual major. Other times they will instead have an “area of concentration.” In either case, the degree might not end up as respectable as a traditional fouryear degree. Each program needs to be researched to ensure that the degree itself isn’t too much of a shortcut for one’s long-term goals.
LESS FLEXIBILITY
ty to take classes on one’s own time, in one’s own setting of choice. That also eliminates the need for travel and allows the degree to be taken on one’s own terms.
ACCEPTANCE RATES
As online degree programs improve and become increasingly interactive and polished, there is far less of a stigma attached to them. As a result, graduate programs (even top schools) are increasingly open to accepting students with online undergraduate degrees. This is especially true for law school applicants with strong LSAT scores and business undergrads who want to pursue an MBA. Nonetheless, students who want an online degree to serve as a stepping stone to a specific graduate program should ensure that the online degree will be accepted.
MOBILITY
Another benefit to an online program is that it doesn’t tie you down to a specific location the way
cial interaction of a classroom setting or who need a live professor teaching them the material directly will suffer in an online degree.
LESS COURSE OFFERINGS/VARIETY
Online programs have sprung up in a variety of fields and degree options, but there are still limits to what a school can offer online. The online programs that have been created (especially those tailored by Jewish companies to serve Jewish students) will have other limitations to the course offerings. Advanced research needs to be done to ensure that an online degree will satisfy the specific course requirements or field of interest that a student wants to pursue. Students also usually won’t have the same opportunity to take the myriad elective courses that colleges offer on-site, some of which a student might be interested in.
DOESN’T WORK FOR ALL FIELDS
A student who is interested in
A student who attends a physical campus may change their major numerous times and may try classes in a variety of fields in an effort to ascertain what interests them. With online programs, usually the extracurricular credits are achieved in other ways, and the bulk of one’s courses taken is in their major or area of concentration. As a result, deciding to switch majors may not be possible or may slow down one’s degree completion timeline. Likewise, if a student starts an online degree with a specific Master’s program in mind for afterwards, there may not be enough flexibility to switch to another field or subject. That is an important factor to consider for someone who isn’t 100% sure of what they want to do within their degree and afterwards.
FUTURE ADMISSIONS/ JOB PROSPECTS
While the stigma has been reduced, online programs obviously still don’t provide the same options and variety as the on-site options. Additionally, many online programs are offered by lower tier
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schools. There aren’t many people attending Harvard online. Again, depending what a student’s longterm goals are, such a degree may not be sufficient or could harm their future acceptance chance or job prospects.
ENVIRONMENT
While some might love the ability to take college courses at home in their pajamas at 3 in the morning, others prefer the personal interaction and instruction of live college classes. Each student has to know themselves and their ideal modality of learning to assess what scenario suits them better. * * * Ultimately, a college education can unlock many doors in one’s life. However, in many fields, an undergraduate degree has become an expensive, glorified stepping stone to a graduate program. Each student needs to consider their long-term schooling and career goals as well as their personal interests and preferences in order to identify the college program that best suits them. That will ultimately determine whether you find yourself in September taking classes online or waiting on line to register for classes at the admissions office of a local school. Disclaimer: My employer, Ateres Yaakov, currently offers its Yeshiva Gedolah students an online degree option from Bellevue University through the YIEP program.
Chaim Homnick is the College Advisor at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov of Lawrence and also teaches 5 periods of Honors/ AP English Literature. Chaim is the owner of Five Towns Tutoring (fivetownstutoring.com) as well as Machane Miami Day Camp of Florida (machanemiami.com). He scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and the LSAT and tutors both extensively. He has a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration as well as an MBA. For questions, comments, previous articles or tutoring, he can be reached directly at chomnick@gmail.com.
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
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Forgotten Her es
Avigdor Yanush Ben-Gal A Yom Kippur War Hero By Avi Heiligman
In the Golan Heights in 1973. Ben-Gal is seated on the right
I
n past articles we have discussed some of the heroes who shone during the dire predicament that Israel faced during the opening days of the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Two massive Arab armies – the Egyptians in the Sinai Peninsula and the Syrians in the Golan Heights – attacked IDF lines that were stretched very thin because they weren’t expecting any type of attack on Yom Kippur. On the northern front in the Golan Heights thousands of Syrian vehicles including over 1,200 tanks had amassed and were making progress in the strategic area. Israel had less than 200 tanks but some commanders and soldiers stepped up and managed to halt the Syrian advance. Eventually they pushed them back deep into Syrian territory. One of these commanders was Avigdor “Yanush” Ben-Gal. Ben-Gal was born Janusz Ludwig inn Lodz, Poland, three years before the Nazi invasion in 1939. His family was able to escape to Russia and it was in Siberia that his parents mysteriously disappeared. Along with his sister Ilana, he made his way to Eretz Yisrael on the Teh-
ran Transport. It was a 5,000 mile journey that made its way through war-ravaged Russia and neutral Iran. Ben-Gal was raised by relatives on a kibbutz but didn’t like it and moved in with another family in Tel Aviv. Much later he was reunited with his father who had survived the war. The Sinai Campaign broke out in 1956 and Ben-Gal joined the armored corps the year before to participate in the fighting. Eleven years later he was the operations officer for the 7 th Armored Brigade during the Six Day War. Egyptian fortifications were smashed by his brigade but he was wounded in the foot when his jeep hit a mine. He was a battalion commander for a tank unit stationed near the Suez Canal during the War of Attrition (19671970). A lot of the heavy fighting during the Yom Kippur War took place in an area known as Emek Habacha – Valley of Tears – where over 700 Syrian tanks faced the 175 or so Israeli tanks of the 77 th Tank Battalion. Under the overall command of Avigdor Kahalani, the 77 th was
comprised of several units including Ben-Gal’s 7 th Armored Brigade. At 2:00 PM on October 6, 1973, Yom Kippur morning, when many soldiers were in shul, the Syrians and Egyptians made a surprise attack. A’man, Israel’s military intel-
would have about 100 tanks and an assorted arrangement of some armored cars and artillery pieces to defend the valley between Mount Bental and Mount Hermon. The 7 th Brigade had two frontline battalions and one in reserve. They would
General Eitan told the 7th Brigade over the radio, “You have saved the people of Israel.”
ligence agency, failed to predict the impending attack and almost all units were greatly undermanned. Only one unit was fully prepared for battle. Ben-Gal had predicted the oncoming war and his tanks were the only ones ready to fight the Syrians. Defending the Golan Heights was the Barak Armored Brigade, and it was reinforced by the 7 th Armored Brigade under Ben-Gal. He
receive scattered reinforcements during the battle. They were outfitted with modified British Centurions and American Patton tanks. Facing the Israeli 7 th Armored Brigade in the Golan’s northern sector was the Syrian 3rd Armored Division under Brig. Gen. Mustapha Sharba, the 7 th Mechanized Infantry Division and the Assad Republican Guard. The Syrians had about 28,000 troops and top of the line
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Russian T-62 tanks against the 3,000-plus reservists that the Israelis were able to muster at the time of the initial attack. The Israelis managed to hold for the first three days but by the fourth day of the battle, the IDF troops were exhausted. Many senior commanders had been killed and what few tanks remained had very little ammunition left. The 188th Barak Brigade ceased to exist as a unit. The Syrians began with a heavy bombardment which forced the Israelis to retreat 400 yards, thus giving up their good positions. After some intense fighting the Syrians were poised for a breakthrough with their 7 th Division and managed to get behind the IDF lines. The Israeli Centurions from the 7 th Brigade were now firing in all directions. At the crucial moment, the Syrians began to withdraw. The Israelis were completely in disarray and many tanks were completely out of ammo, yet the Syrians retreated. The 7th Brigade, including reinforcements, totaled at some twenty tanks. It began to pursue the Syrians but stopped at the anti-tank ditch. About 260 tanks were lying in the valley. The Syrians lost over 500 tanks and APCs, and the Israelis lost 60 to 80 armored vehicles. General Eitan told the 7 th Brigade over the radio, “You have saved the people of Israel.” Ben Gal told Kahalani, “You are the true savior of the people of Israel.” Kahalani was awarded the Medal of Valor for his part in the battle. With G-d’s Hand, the armored forces inflicted major damage among the Syrian units while losing only a few dozen tanks themselves. In a matter of just four days the crisis was reversed into a rout of the Syrian Tank Army. Ben-Gal and his brigade were given a lot of the credit for the surprise victory. After the Yom Kippur War, BenGal stayed in the army and assisted in the planning of the Entebbe rescue in 1976. In 1977 he was appointed head of the northern command as a major general which he held until 1981. Before his retirement in 1985 he was one of the leaders in the first invasion of Lebanon. Once he left the army he held several management positions including chairman for Israel Aerospace Industries which was instrumental in manufacturing planes and systems for both military and civilian uses.
In a statement released at BenGal’s funeral last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said about Ben-Gal, “During the darkest days of the Yom Kippur War, when the fate of Israel hung in the balance, Yanush [Ben-Gal] and his brave soldiers defended our north-
ern border with their bodies. They blocked the Syrian advance and afterwards went on the offensive that led the IDF to the gates of Damascus.” President Reuven Rivlin called Ben-Gal “a commander who left his mark on Israeli security… The
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people of Israel owe him an eternal debt,” he declared. Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.
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HashemÊremindsÊBneiÊYisroelÊofÊtheÊimportanceÊofÊthisÊmitzvahÊinÊKiÊSisa:ÊÊBOSSAHBÊÊ_Ê_Ê_Ê_Ê_Ê_Ê_
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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FEBRUARY 25, 2016 | The Jewish Home
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Leah’s Beauty Concepts Experienced Makeup Artist and Skin Care Specialist Makeup for all occasions Conventional and airbrush Wake up looking beautiful with permanent makeup Relaxing deep cleansing European facials Laser hair removal-electrolysis Leah Sperber 917-771-7329 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 Personal chef, menu planning, grocery shopping, cooking, will stock your freezer with prepared meals, customized meals, every day, holidays, dinners, Naphtali Sobel 516-732-1729 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! 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 SHALOM HANDYMAN Plumbing, heating, sewer, locks, dryer vent cleaning, and more. Call 917-217-3676 “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
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HOUSES FOR SALE Don’t Get Stuck With a Two Story House Ya Know, It’s One Story Before You Buy It But a Second Story After You Own It! Call Dov Herman For An Accurate Unbiased Home Inspection Infrared - Termite Inspection Full Report All Included NYC 718-INSPECT Long Island 516-INSPECT www.nyinspect.com
BUYING OR REFINANCING A HOME? Pre-Approval letters that brokers trust! Put as little as 3% down. B orrow up to 90% with no MI! Specializing in very difficult scenarios Call Daniel Vaturi at 718-344-4510 NMLS#367291 All loans arranged through 3rd party lenders 2 FAMILY HOUSE FOR SALE IN FAR ROCKAWAY 7 bedrooms 3 full baths f inished basement and 2 car garage. Asking 975 K Text 646 523 4458 WHY RENT? Bayswater /Far Rockaway 3 bedrooms 3 bathrooms Kosher kitchen backyard For more info call Yochi Sabri associate broker WinZone realty 212-470-3856
WOODMERE 6 Bdrms, 2.5 Baths, new trex front porch, brick patio, in ground pool, koi pond with water fall, central A/C, gas/steam heat, wood floors, security system with cameras and remote control front gates Asking $799,000, taxes $14,800. Please call 516-569-9042
WOODMERE NEW CONSTRUCTION 5 BR, 3.5 Bths, Center Hall Colonial. Master Suite w/2 Walk in Closets, Guest BR wFull Bath on First Floor. Radiant Heat on First Floor, Granite Kosher EIK………………….….. $1.3M By Owner NO Brokers 646-634-4642
INWOOD: NEW LISTING, Charming 2 Family Home, 4BR, 2BA, Eik, Close To All…$349K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com INWOOD: Lovely 5BR, 2 Full Bath Side Hall Colonial, LR, Formal DR, Den, Eik, Close To All…$459K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
TJH Classifieds Post your Real Estate, Help Wanted, Services, Miscellaneous Ads here.
Weekly Classifed Ads Up to 5 lines and/or 25 words 1 week ................ $20 $10 2 weeks .............. $35 $17.50 4 weeks .............. $60 $30 Email ads to: classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com Include valid credit card info
Deadline Monday 5:00pm
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
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Charming 2BR, Eik, LR/DR Charming 2 Family House, 3BR Colonial, FDR, Eik, 5BR, 2.5BA Col, Eik, Near Beach..$2,650/mo 4BR, Near All..$349K Den, Patio,SD#14..$475K Den, Full Bsmt..$649K
Mint 6BR, 3BA Split, New Great Potential Investment, 4BR, 4BACol, LR, FDR, Eik, Bright 5BR, 3BA Hi-Ranch, Eik, Den W/Fpl…$699K Legal 2 Family, 6BR..$699K Den, Full Fin Bsmt..$949K IG-Pool, Deck…$999,995
Susan Pugatch
Carol Braunstein
(516)
Call or Text
(516) 592-2206
295-3000
www.pugatch.com
spugatch@pugatch.com
H E W L E T T: 2 4 E v e r i t Av e ( 1 2 - 3 ) $649K H E W L E T T: 1207 E. Bdwy #E23 (11-12:30)$129,995 H E W L E T T: 1215 E. Bdwy #A21 (11-12:30)$79,995 H E W L E T T: 1582 Hewlett Ave(12-2)$475K LAWRENCE:115 Lawrence Ave(1-3)$999,995
1650 +/- SF Soho Like Loft 3 Offices, Municipal Parking Great Location, Close To All
1,200 +/- SF In Prime Bldg Just Off Peninsula Blvd Private Parking, Build-Out Incld
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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 HOUSES FOR SALE
COMMERCIAL RE
WOODMERE: 2BR Ranch, 2 Dens, LR/DR, Finished Attic, Large Property, Close To All…$425K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
Cedarhurst: Various Sized Retail Stores Available In The Heart Of Cedarhurst, For Lease... Call for More Details Broker (516) 792-6698
WOODMERE: PRICE REDUCED Completely Renovated 3BR, 2BA Ranch, Updated Eik, Formal DR, MBR Suite, Den W/Fplc & Vaulted Ceiling, Lovely Property, SD#14…$599K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com WOODMERE Magnificent Split Level 6BR, 3 Full Baths, New Eik, Formal DR, HW Floors, Lg Den W/Fplc, Central A/C, SD#14...$699K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
HEWLETT: 1,200 +/- SF Office Space In Prime Professional Bldg, Private Parking, Just Off Peninsula Blvd, Build-Out Included, For Lease… Call For More Details Broker (516) 792-6698 LAWRENCE: 2300 +/- SF Neat & Clean Professional Office Suite In Free Standing Building, Private Parking, High End Finish, Great Location, For Lease… Call For More Details Broker (516) 792-6698
COMMERCIAL RE
LONG BEACH: 1,428 +/- SF Professional Suite, 5 Offices – 2 with Water, Waiting Room, Reception Area, 5 Parking Spots, For Lease…Call For More Details Broker (516) 792-6698
INWOOD OFFICE SPACE LOWEST PRICES IN TOWN! 500-7000 Square feet gorgeous office space with WATERVIEW in Inwood! Lots of options. Tons of parking. WIll divide and customize space for your needs! Call 516-567-0100
OCEANSIDE: 2,500 – 9,000 +/- SF Warehouse Space(s) Available, Various Amenities Like Overhead Doors, Office Space, etc., Great Location, Close To All, For Lease…Call Randy For More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
COMMERCIAL RE
APT FOR RENT
ROCKVILLE CENTRE: Professional/Medical Co-Op. 3000 +/- SF Space with Reception Area, 7 Exam Rooms, 2 Consult Offices, 2 Bathrooms, For Sale…Call Randy for More Details (516) 295-3000 www. pugatch.com
LAWRENCE: Stunning, Spacious & Totally Renovated 3BR, 2 Bath Cottage Situated On 2 Acres Of Manicured Ppty Surrounded By The Lawrence Golf Club, Lg Updated Eik, Washer/Dryer, Use Of Backyard & Patio…$3,200/mo Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
WOODMERE: Follow The Leader To Woodmere, Now Is The Time To Act!!! No Metered Parking, Various Retail/Office Spaces Available, For Sale/Lease...Call For More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com 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: 500-3000 +/- SF Professional Office Space Available in the Heart Of Cedarhurst, For Lease... Call For More Details Broker (516) 792-6698
CEDARHURST Beautiful house for rent! New kitchen, granite counter tops, redone floors, recently painted, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. Spacious basement and backyard Washer/ drier hook up. Asking $2,200 Call (516) 732-0111 CEDARHURST 500-3,500 +/- SF Beautiful, newly renovated space for rent. Ideal for Retail or Executive offices. Prime location. Convenient Parking. Call Sam @ 516-612-2433 or 718-747-8080 ON SEAGIRT AVENUE 2 & 3 bedroom. Newly renovated. Washer and dryer hook up. Granite countertops. More info call or text 917-602-2914
355 Central Avenue, Lawrence NY 11559 (Across the street from Seasons)
P: 516.791.6100 | F: 516.374.7059
www.WeissmanRealty.com CEDARHURST COOP
FAR ROCKAWAY
CONDO Amazing 2 Bdrm, 2 Full Bth. Huge granite kitchen great cabinet space & storage, 2 Dishwashers & a washer/dryer!!! Lrg LR opens to the balcony & FDR. Call Sherri 516-297-7995 $319K
CEDARHURST
Split Ranch. 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Bathrooms, partial basement, ,replace, gas heat. New boiler and hot water heater. Call Melissa 347-757-0227
FAR ROCKAWAY APARTMENT RENTALS
Spacious and light, renovated 1 bedroom condo in elevator building for sale to owner/occupant. Kathy (917) 306-1610 or Melissa(347) 757-0224
INWOOD FAR ROCKAWAY
Total gut renovation on Meehan. All new semi-detached with full basement and 2.5 baths. Location Location Location!!
5 TOWNS & CEDARHURST OFFICES 1-2 Rm executive offices available all utilities
& internet included. Shared conference room. Locations & pricing, Call Sherri 516-297-7995. Starting at $550 Large 4 room suite 2,250 Sq. Ft. 4 private offices, kitchen and reception, Cedarhurst location. Call Sherri 516-297-7995 850 Sq. ft. suite 2 private offices, open space for four additional desks. $1,950 SUMMER RENTAL IN EFRAT, ISRAEL
6-bdrm garden aprtmnt available from 6/14-8/22 for weekly or monthly rental. Call Kathy (917) 306-1610
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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 APT FOR RENT FAR ROCKAWAY 3 Bedrooms – New Construction Central air, oak floors, granite kitchen, elevator building. Asking $2350 Call Yossi 917-337-6262 Brand new luxury 3 bedroom 2 bath apartment in central Far Rockaway 2 Family home. Features: Private entrance, 1 car off street parking, Sukkah porch. Large eat in kitchen with new appliances, Living room, Dining room, Additional storage in attic, Separate heat, A/C, hot water, Washer/Dryer Hook Up, Walk to all Call 1-917-415-0055 For Rent by Owner JERUSALEM TOWN HOUSE Center of TALBIA (Dor VDorshav) 3 bedrooms, Large Salon, Kitchen, Dinette, 2 Bathrooms, Private parking, Landscaping For more details call: 516- 225 4558 or 01197225618924 CEDARHURST Beautiful house for rent! New kitchen, granite counter tops, redone floors, recently painted, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. Spacious basement and backyard Washer/ drier hook up. Asking $2,200 Call (516) 732-0111
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
MEDICAL OFFICE BILLER Insurance Authorizations/Benefit Checks. Patient Sceduling. Coordinate all paperwork & Billing Must be organized, team player, exp in medical software (preferably EClinicalworks). Location- Floral Park, NY Hours: 9-530 pm. Call (516)-775-4300 to schedule interview
Immediate opening. JH math teacher, PM hours. 5 Towns vicinity teachersearch11@gmail.com
General Studies teachers for Sept. ‘16 due to expansion. 5 Towns area boys’ school. Middle school teachers: M.-Th, 2-4:30 pm. JH male teachers: M.-Th., 2:45-5 pm. candidateteacher@gmail.com.
Fast-paced office in the 5 Towns seeking talented, professional, highly-motivated individuals to join our Sales team. Must be detail oriented, and thrive in a collaborative environment. Experience in Travel industry a plus. Please submit qualified resume to admin@getpeyd.com PART TIME AND FULL TIME BOOKKEEPING POSITION Fast growing accounting and consulting firm seeks a qualified individual to assist our accounting staff in providing bookkeeping services for our clients. Qualified individuals will have the opportunity to join our employee friendly culture At least 2 years working experience Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, QuickBooks a MUST Email – info@smallbizoutsource.com
DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL to work with men with autism and other disabilities in a residential setting in Cedarhurst. F/T positions include : 3pm-11pm, and Overnight. High pay rate, plus benefit package. Contact OHEL Bais Ezra 718-686-3102 or www. ohelfamily.org/careers Full time preschool assistant and afternoon elementary assistant needed for a Bais Yaakov in Far Rockaway. Please email resume toteachingpositions1@gmail.com We are looking to hire a Marketing/Sales Specialist Job requirements: Your own car and internet savvy Hob has unlimited income potential Don’t delay, give us a call at 917-612-2300
PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANTS (PTA’S) & OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS ASSISTANTS (COTA’S) For 200+ bed Nursing Home in Queens. Must have Hospital or Nursing Home experience. Please email resume to promrehab@aol.com GREAT OPPORTUNITY Looking for class B CDL DRIVER with clutch for a heimishe lumber co. Great pay, Call: 718-369-3141 Ext. 348 Experienced Real Estate Sales agent needed for a HIGH Producing real estate office who is seeking an opportunity to Earn & Learn more!!! Call Today (516) 295-3000 x 128. All calls kept confidential.
Playgroup (children ages 2 ½ -4 years) looking for a warm loving assistant in a heimishe environment. Call 516-371-6848
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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 HELP WANTED
MISC
Are you tired of your present job or out of work and looking for a job where you can make good money and be your own boss?
PURIM TIES GREAT ASSORTMENT 100 pcs minimum $2.50 a piece 718 497 3300 faragecreations@aol.com
We are looking to hire a marketing/sales specialist. Job will require your own car and being computer/internet savy. If you consider yourself a marketing professional, this is the position for you. Opportunity to make unlimited income potential,
SPACE AVAILABLE for 3 year old playgroup in Far Rockaway. Excellent Morahs. Please call (516) 406-2980.
SHIDDUCH DATING? NEED PLACES TO GO?
Don’t delay. Give us a call at 917-612-2300
Check out Pegishaplace.com
Local F.T. Accounting Office Seeks P/T JR. ACCOUNTANT proficient in Q.B. knowledge of payroll tax, sales tax, business tax and individual taxes Qualified applicants should please e-mail resume to: 5towntaxoffice@gmail.com
Tutors desperately needed for Zichron Etel, a gemach providing free tutoring to those who cannot afford it. Now in Brooklyn and the Five Towns! Kindly visit our website at www.zichronetel.com
CATAPULT LEARNING Teachers for Title I in Boro Park andWilliamsburg 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
SITUATION WANTED Nice, kind, single 25 year old man looking to rent a room or share an apt with others. Willing to pay nicely Please call Eli 917-387-6570 LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE seeks position in homecare with the elderly or pediatric care. I am skilled, caring and dependable. Please call me at 631-759-0025
Yehalomim Shelanu Special Programming presents an after school program for the special children of our neighborhood! Every Monday afternoon from 4:45- 6:15 Fun & educational run by talented and experienced staff. Call 516-732-2949 for more info or to register
בס ס“ ד
DRESSING UP IN HONOR OF THE GEULAH!
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USA: (641)715-3813 ACCESS CODE: 202566#
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REBBETZIN ORIT ESTHER RITER FOR OTHER COUNTRIES WRITE ORITRITER@GMAIL.COM FOR YOUR LOCAL NUMBER
To join the upcoming 4 part series beginning Sunday, February 7th through the 28th, please email: OritRiter@gmail.com for registration info
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Modesty is more than what we wear, it is who we are! A schmooze on tznius, emuna and geulah.
• Leibedik One Man Band/Singer • DJ with DANCE MOTIVATORS • Projector/Screen Rentals • Full Orchestra • Karaoke • Shabbos Ruach A Capella Singers
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Your
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Money
Rats Finding Cheese By Allan Rolnick, CPA
A
nyone who’s ever watched a gangster movie knows there’s nothing worse than a rat . . . a snitch . . . a stool pigeon. Life is hard for that much-maligned species! In Martin Scorsese’s classic mob saga Goodfellas, Henry Hill rats out his partners in crime to get a reduced sentence — then pays the heavy price of having to “live like a schnook” in the witness protection program. But there’s one place where rats can earn fat cheesy rewards . . . in at least one case, over $100 million worth. And that’s with our friends at the IRS. Congress established the IRS Whistleblower Office in 2006 to see if cold hard cash could motivate tipsters to rat out tax cheats. (Spoiler alert: It works.) The program pays rewards ranging from 15% to 30% of taxes, penalties, and interest the IRS collects in cases with $2 million or more at stake. Last week, the office released its 2015 annual report — and business is booming. In 2015, the office closed out 10,615 claims. Nearly all of them wound up getting rejected: the allegations weren’t specific enough or
“speculative in nature” (53%); the IRS was already investigating the target (11%); the amounts involved didn’t meet the $2 million threshold (10%); or the statute of limitations for actually collecting more tax had ex-
has paid $403 million in awards and collected over $3 billion in tax. Most whistleblowers remain anonymous, for obvious reasons. But the office has handled the occasional high-profile case, too. In 2012,
But there were still 99 whistleblowers who took home awards totaling over $103 million. That’s a lot of cheese!
pired or was too close (7%). But there were still 99 whistleblowers who took home awards totaling over $103 million. That’s a lot of cheese! That sort of success has given staffing at the office a boost. At the beginning of 2015, there were 42 full-time employees. By the end of the year, that number had grown to 61. But this may be one area where most Americans think they’re getting their money’s worth from their government — since 2007, the program
the IRS paid former Swiss banker Bradley Birkenfeld a whopping $104 million for information leading to a $780 million fine. (He also spent 40 months in jail for the crimes that led him to having that information in the first place — but that’s a tradeoff a lot of taxpayers would be willing to consider!) In a more controversial example, David Danon, a former tax lawyer for the Vanguard Group, has alleged the low-cost index fund provider’s corporate structure is an elab-
orate tax dodge and that the company owes $35 billion in back taxes. Before you give up your day job for a career ratting out tax cheats, consider this: It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. The IRS pays awards out of actual collections, which means no payday until after the taxpayer you’re blowing the whistle on has exhausted all of their appeals and the statutory period for filing a claim for a refund has expired or been waived. That typically means it takes five to seven years before your cash is in your hands. (And don’t forget that you’ll owe tax on your reward, too!) We realize you’re not likely to end up on either side of a tax whistleblower claim. But we know you want to pay less. And you don’t need to rat anyone else out to do it. You just need a plan. Make sure you’re ready to stop wasting more on the IRS than you absolutely have to! Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 yea rs in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.
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Life C ach
Life is What Happens... By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS
P
eople are afraid to talk to me. They think whatever they say will be the subject of my next article? Now would I do that?! Truthfully, I’m usually the last one to know anything! Not because I’m a bad listener. It’s just that I don’t usually have much free time to read my emails or keep up with all my social media. I guess that’s because I’m busy writing my articles, preparing my parsha class, doing kiruv, seeing coaching clients, and renovating people’s homes as a space design consultant. By the way, does that sound anything like I’m using my degrees in speech therapy and law?! They say life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. So I guess that’s what happened to me! Anyway, trust me: I’m not sharing your personal issues! Everyone has stuff going on in their lives – many issues are universal. If it sounds familiar, it’s just a fluke. So let’s talk about some issues that come up and I’ll toss out some viable or maybe cry-able solutions. So here goes: Dilemma: My friend told me to check out a guy for her. I did. But now I want him for me! My friend also told me to check out a guy for
myself. I did. And I’d gladly pass him along to her – or anyone else! What do I do? Viable Solution: Find a new friend Alternative: Get the guys to have their names legally switched! Dilemma: The guy I’m dating asked me, “So do you want to drop
“in real estate.” What exactly does he do? We know...it can mean anything, from he owns houses to he lives in one! Viable Solution: Ask him if he is occupying real estate or making an occupation of it. Dilemma: I want to go to law
Answer him, “No sorry, I really need to keep the shadchan” – since you also need her to find you someone else to go out with!
the shadchan?” I said, “Not just yet.” After all, I still need her. Otherwise who was I going to have tell him I wanted to drop him! Viable Solution: Answer him, “No sorry, I really need to keep the shadchan” – since you also need her to find you someone else to go out with! Dilemma: I hate my job! Viable Solution: Just be happy you have one! Dilemma: The guy told me he’s
school. I just don’t want to go to college! Viable Solution: Have access to a BTL? Dilemma: I wish I were older then I can do what I want. Viable Solution: Speak to an older person. Dilemma: The guy claims, “I really do want to get married. I just am not sure there won’t be someone who comes along who is more Beautiful, Brighter, and Better for me. What
can I do?” (Those disastrous three B’s.) Only Viable Solution: Let him know it’s time to move on to the three C’s: Closure, Commitment, Closed eyes! Dilemma: I’m tired of doing everything for everyone else. Don’t I matter? Viable Solution: Yes, you definitely do matter! About doing for everyone else, my number is 917-705-2004 – Call me, I can use some help too! Dilemma: I have no time to do the things I want to get done. Viable Solution: Shorten your list! Bottom line: it’s always something! So how best to deal with issues, and what happens while you are busy making other plans? Look at the solutions with a little bit of humor. There is no absolute right way to resolve a problem. Just try to develop a great outlook while dealing with a struggle. Because what happens to us is not in our control, but the attitude we use to deal with it is! Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com
The Jewish Home | FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Mr. & Mrs. Yossi Lichtman Guests of Honor
Mr. & Mrs. David Bugayer Parents of the Year
Mrs. Miriam Tropper
Leadership in Chinuch Award ANNUAL DINNER
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Dr. & Mrs. Yashar Hirshaut
Rabbi Moshe Weitman z�l Memorial Award
Wednesday evening The 16th of March, 2016 The Sands at Atlantic Beach 6:30 Reception • 7:30 Dinner Dr. Boruch Adler
Honorary Dinner Chairman
Hillel Axelrod
Honorary Journal Chairman
Dr. Nachum Augenbaum Yanky Neuhoff Dinner Chairmen
Dudi Gross Yussi Nussbaum Journal Chairmen
Sponsored by:
Pinny Ackerman Hillel Adelman Gud Meyer Adler Eliyahu Berger Moshe Feigenbaum Pinky Friedman
Dinner Committee: Yechiel Frisch Akiva Glatzer Tzali Gutman Yehudah Hammer Dr. Ernest Isaacson Eli Pasternak
Menachem Kagan Moishe Mishkowitz Eli Moskowitz Yirmy Reichmann Eli Slomnicki Yaakov Spinner
For dinner reservations and journal ads please contact us: phone: 718.471.8444. email: dinner@tagschools.org
www.tagdinner.org
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