Five Towns Jewish Home - 1-14-16

January 14 — January 20, 2016

Your Favorite Five Towns Family Newspaper

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

Pages 9, 10, 11, 13 & 15

Around the

Community

50

Assemblyman Goldfeder Hosts Councilman Greenfield for School Security Meeting

68

Large Crowd Joins Together to Celebrate Two Decades of Chinuch Habanim at YKLI

Corruption in our Capitol

A Discussion with Local Politicians about Rotten Apples in the Big Apple pg

94

The Palestinians’ Willing Executioners

46

Yeshiva Darchei Torah Dinner Celebrates 43 Years Of Trailblazing Chinuch

pg

Pesach Vacation Section

100

Rocky’s Rant:

BLACK HATS MATTER

Starts on Page 117 Page 19

PAGE 26

– See pages 3 & 31

SEASONS LAWRENCE

330 Central Avenue, Lawrence, NY 11559

pg

124

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

T he Opening Of

T he Gates

Tuesday, Parshas Beshalach Let Kupat Ha'ir be your Shaliach on this special day, known to be auspicious for parnassah, in accordance with the well-known segulah from Harav Hakadosh R' Menachem Mendel of Riminov.

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By the Gedolei V’Tzaddikei Hador, shlit"a,

At four holy sites: the Kosel Hama'aravi, the Tziyun of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai, the Tziyun of Rabi Meir Ba'al Hanes and the Tziyun of Rabi Yehudah bar Ilai, which is auspicious for parnassah. They will recite each name slowly and deliberately following the recitation of Parshas Haman, shnayim mikra ve'echad Targum.

At the Tziyun of the Ba'al Hasegulah, the saintly Reb Menachem Mendel of Riminov, where each name will be mentioned with its accompanying request, in detail, after a candle is lit at the Tziyun and Parshas Haman, Shnayim Mikra Ve'echad Targum, is recited.

who will pray on behalf of contributors to Kupat Ha'ir after reciting Parshas Haman Shnayim mikra ve'echad targum on Tuesday Parshas Beshalach.

Names may be submitted via our telephone hotline until 11:00 p.m. on Monday, The 8th of Shevat, January 18th

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1-888-KUPATHAIR 5

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Donations can be sent to: American Friends of Kupat Hair - 4415 14th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11219

Donate Online: www.kupat.org

‫קו‬ ‫העפת‬ ‫רי‬

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

Dear Readers,

I

n Pirkei Avos we are taught that we should pray for the welfare of our government for if not for the fear of government, one would swallow his friend alive. Indeed, when we look at the events of the Arab Spring, when governments were toppled and chaos reigned, you can see how true are the words of Chazal. Without a fear of someone in power, whole nations can kill themselves from within.

On a smaller scale, concern for government and punishment keeps citizens in line.

How many people make sure there are no cops around before picking up their cellphones when driving? They know intellectually that talking on a phone while in the car isn’t safe; yet, it’s not that knowledge that prevents them from texting or talking, it’s the fear of being pulled over and being slapped with a ticket.

Despite the fear of the law, some citizens do cross major lines. Our prisons are filled with those who committed crimes – from murder to theft to illegal insider trading.

How did they fall in? How did Bernie Madoff execute the largest Ponzi scheme in history?

It’s all about Baby Steps, as Richard Dreyfuss says. Much of what Madoff did is in his head, but I doubt he started off establishing a company whose objective was to swindle his customers out of billions of dollars. He cut a corner here, fabricated a spreadsheet here, took money out from here and eventually, many years later, he was caught. If authorities wouldn’t have fingered him, he would still be on Wall Street doing what he was doing without any remorse. The Baby Steps led

him there and made it easy to give himself permission to execute this enormous fraud.

Recently, New Yorkers were discomfited as they saw some of their top New York politicians led away in handcuffs. These were people who should have led their lives by the law – not above the law. I know, though, when they entered the Assembly and State Senate as fresh-faced politicians, their objective was to serve the people and not to serve themselves or their wallets. As Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder points out, there are a lot of gray areas. And sadly, if one enters the gray area but feels too comfortable there, there’s a chance they may cross the line as they take Baby Steps into the forbidden zone. A position of power is a place of temptation and it takes a person with very strong values to ensure that their moral and ethical backbone remains strong.

I see this as a lesson for life. Shlomo Hamelech compares the yetzer hara to small foxes that find an opening in a fence in a vineyard and slowly, slowly venture in until the vineyard is bare. “First he tell you to do this, then he tells you to do this, until finally he tells you to go worship avodah zara.”

Sounds drastic, but it’s true. We need to be aware of the Baby Steps, of the small influences and pressures that we can cave in to, that chip away at our moral fiber. Because after a year or two – or more – we will, G-d forbid, look back and see how all those Baby Steps have led us miles away from the path where we once were.

Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern PUBLISHER

publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Yosef Feinerman MANAGING EDITOR

ads@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Shoshana Soroka EDITOR

editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Nate Davis Editorial Assistant Nechama Wein Copy Editor Rachel Bergida Berish Edelman Mati Jacobovits Design & Production Gabe Solomon Distribution & Logistics P.O. BOX 266 Lawrence, NY 11559 Phone | 516-734-0858 Fax | 516-734-0857

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Opinions expressed by writers are not neces­ sarily the opinions of the publisher or editor. The Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors, or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within. The Jewish Home contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly.

Shabbos Zemanim

Weekly Weather | January 15 - January 21

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

8

COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll

8

Community Happenings

42

Remembering R’ Tevye Robinson a”h

78

104

Corruption in our Capitol by Nachum Soroka 94 NEWS Global

13

National

30

Odd-but-True Stories

38

ISRAEL Israel News My Israel Home: The Evolution of Machaneh Yehudah The Palestinians’ Willing Executioners by R. Hunter

22 98 100

PEOPLE The Bravery of Leroy Diamond by Avi Heiligman

102

PARSHA Rabbi Wein

82

The Shmuz

83

JEWISH THOUGHT Pride not Prejudice by Eytan Kobre

84

Keep your Eyes on the Ball by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

86

Heaven’s New Focus Group by Rabbi YY Rubinstein

88

JEWISH HISTORY Kabbalist or Charlatan? The Life and Times of “Dr.” Samuel Falk, The “Baal Shem of London” by Rabbi Pini Dunner 90 HEALTH & FITNESS How Do You Say I’m Good when Things are Bad? by Deb Hirschhorn, PhD 104 A Healthy Getaway by Aliza Beer, MS RD

106

It’s 1 A.M., Do You Know Where Your Children Are? by Tobi Goldfeder, MSW 107

98

Dear Editor, Achiezer has their annual dinner coming up on February 28th iy”H. They didn’t ask me to write this letter, but I am so grateful to them that I want everyone to know how vital this organization is to our community. To be honest, when I first heard about the new organization Achiezer several years ago, I wasn’t sure why we needed another organization in our community. Hurricane Sandy proved me wrong. We all know someone who they helped during that difficult time, but I don’t know if people in our community are aware of how much Achiezer does on a daily basis.

In November, a relative of mine woke up in the night with acute appendicitis. She was taken by Hatzolah to the Emergency Room of our local hospital, South Nassau. After spending the entire night in the Emergency Room, she still didn’t have a surgeon. Within 5 minutes of calling Achiezer, she had a surgeon – the best one there – and was on her way to the operating room. Achiezer literally saved her life. In addition, the Bikur Cholim room at the hospital, which Achiezer keeps beautifully clean and stocked with fresh food, was a huge help to the patient and her husband. Because they arrived on a Friday and needed to suddenly stay in the hospital over Shabbos, they were especially grateful to Achiezer for providing them with a

Friday delivery of Shabbos food and taking care of all of their needs expeditiously and generously. Thanks also go to the Bikur Cholim of the Young Israel of Oceanside and Rebbetzin Sondra Gottesman for providing a clean and cozy Shabbos apartment adjacent to the hospital, and to Gourmet Glatt for donating all the food.

Two weeks later, another relative was the patient and once again Hatzolah miraculously got him to the ER of South Nassau in time to save his life. Achiezer was instrumental in obtaining the best medical care for him. The patient had not seen a medical doctor for 48 hours, but within one hour after a call to Achiezer a doctor came to see him. He and I were at South Nassau for three days, and the kosher food they provide is worse than the airlines, if you can imagine. We would’ve been very miserable without Achiezer’s Bikur Cholim room.

I am writing this letter to share my hakaras hatov to Hashem as well as to two groups of amazing messengers – real tzaddikim in our midst, Hatzolah and Achiezer. Nobody likes to have to call them, but when you need them you are so thankful for all they do. Most people already are aware that Hatzolah is so vital because they save lives by getting us to the hospital quickly. However, the current health care reality necesContinued on page 12

FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Sheva Minim Salad 112 LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LMSW 108 Birth of a Salesman by Rabbi Mordechai Kruger 113 Your Money

What’s Worth Talking About? by Rivki Rosenwald, Esq., CLC

132 134

HUMOR Centerfold

80

Rocky’s Rant: Black Hats Matter

124

Uncle Moishy Fun Page

126

POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

114

Defy America, Pay No Price by Charles Krauthammer

122

What if the Worst Happens? by Michael Gerson CLASSIFIEDS

Did you watch or listen to the State of the Union address?

123 127

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%

YES

82

%

NO

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

Continued from 8

sitates Achiezer’s help and support once you are at the hospital. Our entire community must support both these organizations, who literally make a life and death difference to us. I hope that Achiezer will have a very successful dinner this year, and even more, I hope that Hashem will end our tzaros and put them out of business.

Sincerely yours, Grateful in Far Rockaway Dear Editor, Your article on Saudi Arabia and Iran this week was enlightening and informative. It is important for Americans (who are generally not knowledgeable about other cultures) to learn more about those who are a little different than us. Only with understanding and knowledge can we form proper relationships and make informed decisions.

Samuel Korn Dear Editor, Countries ruled by executive orders are called dictatorships, and the rulers of such countries are known as dictators. Some of those dictators achieve this power by sheer force, and others by various devious schemes that manipulate the system and fool the ignorant public.

Since dictators dislike the honor of being referred to by that title, a current dictator in our hemisphere has decided to be politically correct, and uses the pseudonym “President.” Let’s not forget that a dictator by any other name is still a dictator.

He is a president that writes laws and creates rules that contradict the wisdom of our Constitution and vetoes reasonable bills that are submitted to him to sign by the lawful body known as the Congress. I wonder what comes next – will he anoint himself as president for life? That would not be something that was not done by other petty dictators.

To those that underestimate our dictator’s intelligence, they’ve got it all wrong. His background is richly associated with many unsavory individuals such as known Communists and radicals, and the revolutionist and rightly maligned Jeremiah

Wright – pastor of the white-hating and vilifying-of-America church, with whom the dictator in question was associated for 20 years.

The Dictator ascended the highest office of this blessed land with an agenda to destroy our way of live as we know it, and is continuing to try and achieve his goal. We must hope that he fails to fulfill his quest to destroy in eight years what took centuries to achieve.

I’d like to bring to attention to that latest infringement of Constitution by issuing a unilateral executive order curtailing ownership of firearms. This will be as effective as was prohibition in the 1920s, resulting in creating a new era of lawlessness and chaos instead of tranquility.

And no, I’m not a member of the NRA. Sincerely, Joseph Ceder Dear Editor, There is more to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit will increase rehabilitation for subway stations to a state of good repair by 10 or 50% from the originally 20 planned in the proposed MTA Five Year 2015 - 2019 Capital Plan. The original $34 billion plan announced on October 24, 2014 proposed $448 million for bringing 20 subway stations to a state of good repair. This Five Year Capital Plan was cut by $6 billion to $28 billion. The MTA Board approved this revised Capital Plan at its October 29, 2015 monthly meeting. This was prior to Cuomo’s declaration last week about increasing the number of stations (or dollars) for NYCT’s 2015 -2019 subway stations renewal program.

This plan still needs approval by the State Capital Program Review Board.

It also requires the State Legislature to find $8 billion promised by Governor Cuomo. The NYC Council must also come up with $2.5 billion to meet commitments made by NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio to fully fund the Capital Plan.

If you increase the number of stations by 10 or 50%, the overall NYCT Station renewal program would grow

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

Please send all correspondence to editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com.

by $224 million to $672 million.

Just what other NYCT capital projects and programs would have to be cut to support finding $224 million?

Cuomo was silent on this key question.

According to a New York City Citizens Budget Commission report released several months ago, it will take 52 years or until 2067 for all 468 New York City Transit Subway Stations to reach a state of good repair.

Cuomo’s MTA NYCT math just doesn’t add up. He reminds me of the cartoon character Wimpy who famously said, “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” When the bills become due, taxpayers will end up paying Cuomo’s bill.

Sincerely, Larry Penner Larry Penner is a transportation historian and advocate who previously worked in the transportation field for 31 years Dear Editor, Rivki Rosenwald offers wonderful advice in a fresh, effervescent way. Her words are so easy to take to heart and I love her true-to-life parallels that she offers.

Yes, I do know the restaurant she is referring to and I do make sure to focus on the good because I keep on going back there – love their French fries!

C. L. Dear Editor, Senator Ted Cruz’s constitutional eligibility for high office is under strict scrutiny and contested by various media outlets, politicians, lawyers, judicial analysts, and particularly Donald Trump, all masquerading as experts in constitutional law while simultaneously exposing their blatant illiteracy on the topic.

Pursuant to Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 of the U.S. Constitution, only a “natural born” American is constitutionally eligible for the office of the presidency – namely, one who is American by or at birth, barring the necessity of a naturalization proceeding at some future date.

Those born in the U.S. proper or its territories are conferred citizenship via the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, which reads in relevant part, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the

state wherein they reside.” The First Congress and at least two Supreme Court decisions, Smith v. Alabama (1888) and Wisconsin v. Pelican Ins. Co. (1888) – in concurrence with existing federal and statutory law – all affirm that the phrase “natural born” American encompasses all persons born outside of the U.S. whose parents are both citizens, provided one of them lived in the U.S. for any period of time; and persons born outside of the U.S. to at least one citizen parent who, beyond age 14, has resided in the U.S. for a minimum of five years. Moreover, citizenship is as well contingent on the latter phrase of the aforementioned Citizenship Clause, “and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,” which Senators Jacob Howard and Lyman Trumbull – the principal authors of this clause – have conjointly defined this, in their words, as “not owing allegiance to anybody else”; in other words, under the complete and total jurisdiction of the U.S. Similarly, Congressman John Bingham, framer of the 14th Amendment’s first section, said that Sec. 1992 of U.S. Revised Statutes meant “every human being born within the jurisdiction of the United States of parents not owing allegiance to any foreign sovereignty is, in the language of your Constitution itself, a natural born citizen.”

If the only prerequisite for citizenship is birthplace, then the parents’ condition would be entirely inconsequential – and by extension then, the entire phrase “and subject to the jurisdiction thereof” is extraneous. To put it bluntly: if you were born to a U.S. citizen parent, and meet constitutional, federal and statutory requirements, you are a natural American from birth, irrespective of where you were born. Thus, since Cruz’s mother was a U.S. citizen at the time of his birth and who, beyond age 14, resided in the U.S. for a minimum of 5 years, was subject to the [complete and total] jurisdiction of the U.S. and is a bona fide “natural born” American, makes him unequivocally eligible for the office of the presidency, even though he was born in Canada. Famed lawyer Alan Dershowitz, professor at the UCLA School of Law Eugene Volokh, former U.S. Solicitors General Neal Katyal and Paul Clement, and myriads of other noted scholars concur as such.

Sincerely, Rafi Metz

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

The Week In News

The Continuing Clash between Iran and Saudi Arabia

Tensions continued to rise this week between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Iran’s foreign minister accused Saudi Arabia of supporting violent extremists and trying to derail its landmark nuclear deal with western powers. Mohammad Javad Zarif has claimed that Riyadh has promoted “hatred and sectarianism” and drew parallels with beheadings carried out by ISIS. The verbal attack came a week after Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran in a fight over the execution of a Shia cleric in the Saudi kingdom. The beheading of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr triggered demonstrations and an arson attack at the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

“Following the signing of the interim nuclear deal in November 2013, Saudi Arabia began devoting its resources to defeating the deal, driven by fear that its contrived Iranophobia was crumbling,” Zarif writes. “Today, some in Riyadh not only continue to impede normalization but are determined to drag the entire region into confrontation.”

The Iranian leader is hoping that his country will feel the impact of sanctions relief before parliamentary elections in February.

The final nuclear deal between Iran, the U.S. and other world powers was signed last July and could be implemented as soon as this month.

In an unusually candid broadside, Zarif argued that Saudi Arabia fears a normalization of relations between Iran and the West could leave it exposed. “Saudi Arabia seems to fear that the removal of the smoke screen

of the nuclear issue will expose the real global threat: its active sponsorship of violent extremism,” he continued. “The barbarism is clear.

At home, state executioners sever heads with swords, as in the recent execution of 47 prisoners in one day, including Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a respected religious scholar who devoted his life to promoting nonviolence and civil rights. Abroad, masked men sever heads with knives,” he said, referring to ISIS. Other Arab countries followed their Sunni ally in cutting or reducing diplomatic ties with predominantly Shia Iran. Officials in the U.S. came under pressure to choose sides and found it awkward to go further than expressing “concern” over the mass execution carried out by Saudi Arabia, a staunch regional ally.

Giant Mao Statue Destroyed

For some unknown reason, a 120-foot gold painted statue of Communist China’s founding father has suddenly been demolished. The three million yuan statue of Mao Zedong apparently lacked government approval so it was destroyed just a few weeks after it was finally completed.

Chinese media outlets are saying that the likeness of the man who ruled China with an iron grip for nearly three decades until his death in 1976 “was not registered or approved” by the local government.

Construction was reportedly funded by several local entrepreneurs and finished in December after nine months of labor.

Despite being blamed for millions of deaths, Mao is still widely revered in China and credited with uniting the country. The Communist leadership tightly controls public discussion of history and seeks to use his legacy to shore up its support.

China’s current President Xi Jinping

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The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

has praised Mao as a “great figure” and revived some of his rhetoric and centralization of power, while following the party’s 1980s conclusion that he also made “mistakes.”

Some Internet users criticized the giant statue, pointing out its location in Henan, the center of a famine in the late 1950s resulting from Mao’s economic policies estimated to have killed as many as 40 million people. Others questioned the statue’s resemblance to the “Great Helmsman,” who also launched the decade-long Cultural Revolution that saw violence and destruction nationwide.

El Chapo Caught – Again The infamous drug lord and fugitive known as “El Chapo” has been recaptured after months on the run.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted out the news last Friday afternoon. “Mission accomplished: We have him. I want to inform the Mexicans that Joaquin Guzman Loera has been detained,” Nieto announced.

Following a news conference on Friday night, Guzman was walked by police in front of cameras at an airport in Mexico City and then was placed in a helicopter bound for Altiplano, the same prison where he escaped from six months ago. Attorney General Arely Gomez confirmed at the press conference that the address where Guzman was captured had been monitored for a month.

According to Gomez, Guzman managed to escape with his lieutenant through the drainage system of the city. They opened one of the drains and got out on a main road in Los Mochis and stole vehicles to escape.

With the help of the Navy, authorities managed to locate the vehicles and detain both Guzman and his lieutenant. According to Gomez, one of the leads that authorities used

to locate Guzman was his intention to film an autobiographical movie and that meetings occurred between Guzman’s lawyers and movie actors and producers.

At a news conference, the Mexican president said that the drug kingpin’s capture followed months of intelligence work. He hailed Guzman’s apprehension as a sign that Mexico can overcome corruption.

Five people were killed and six people were arrested when the Mexican Marines raided a house in Sinaloa.

Guzman was captured in a different raid at a nearby motel.

El Chapo, 57, escaped from the Altiplano prison near Mexico City in July. There has been an active manhunt for him ever since. When guards realized that he was missing from his cell, they found that a ventilated tunnel had been constructed with an exit via the bathtub inside Guzman’s cell. The tunnel extended for about a mile underground and featured an adapted motorcycle on rails that officials believe was used to transport the tools used to create the tunnel.

Guzman had been arrested five months prior to the July escape.

He had escaped before from a prior prison stint, also using a tunnel.

Literary Loophole Freeing Romanian Criminals

A group of Romanian senators are working on closing a jailing loophole that has allowed many criminals to drastically shorten their sentences. In one of the lesser known loopholes of the law, judges can allow up to 30 days to be knocked off a sentence per paper or book published by the criminals. Once sentenced, dozens of detainees – mostly corrupt businessmen and politicians

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– have discovered their inner author and have written a series of papers on subjects ranging from science to Romanian royalty to football. In return, they have been released ahead of schedule.

Romanian politicians are arguing that criminals are paying “ghostwriters” to produce the books and then receive greatly reduced sentences. A former prime minister, a TV mogul and a football club owner are among those who have had their sentences reduced. Senator Valeriu Tudoriscu told reporters that the law helped senior figures convicted of corruption “return quicker to their wealth obtained through theft.”

According to the Romanian National Penitentiaries Administration, there were more than 400 books published by 188 detainees between 2013 and 2015. Dan Voiculescu, one of Romania’s richest men and owner of several television stations, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in August 2014 for corruption. Since then, he has reportedly written eight scientific papers from prison. Gigi Becali, owner of Steaua Bucharest football team, reduced his stay in prison by writing two books, one of which was about his relation-

ship with the football team he owns, while former politician Nicolae Vasilescu has allegedly written nine books since 2014 and jailed businessman Dinel Staicu has had seven titles published in a similar period.

American Held in N. Korea

According to CNN, an American citizen is being held in North Korea for spying. If confirmed, 60-yearold Kim Dong Chul, formerly of Fairfax, Virginia, would be the second Western citizen known to be held currently in North Korea. He is being held for spying for South Korea and

has reportedly asked the South or the U.S. government to rescue him.

Kim told CNN he spied on behalf of “South Korean conservative elements” and was arrested in October. “I was tasked with taking photos of military secrets and scandalous scenes,” Kim related.

The U.S. embassy in Seoul said it was aware of the report but did not have further reason to comment. The U.S. State Department has not commented on the report, saying that speaking publicly about specific cases of detained Americans can complicate efforts to get them released. If confirmed, Kim would be the first American to be detained since the North released three U.S. citizens in 2014.

Kim said he had moved to the Chinese city of Yanji near the border with North Korea and worked in the North Korean city of Rason in a trading business, when a number of South Koreans approached him. “They asked me to help destroy the [North’s] system and spread propaganda against the government,” he admitted.

He is reportedly being held at a Pyongyang hotel and is in good health.

Russia Feeling Sanctions Squeeze

Even President Vladimir Putin is admitting that Western sanctions against Russia are taking a toll. The economic bans were placed after the Ukraine crisis in early 2014. “Concerning our possibilities on the international financial markets, the sanctions are severely harming Russia,” he said in a long interview, calling the EU sanctions “a theater of the absurd.”

Moscow has been hit by U.S. and European sanctions over the conflict between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces which has claimed more than 9,000 lives since April 2014. In late December, the EU extended its sanctions by six months,

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arguing that the Minsk peace agreement signed by Moscow has not been fully implemented.

Putin said, however, that “the biggest harm is currently caused by the decline of the prices for energy.”

“We suffer dangerous revenue losses in our export of oil and gas, which we can partly compensate for elsewhere,” he said.

“But the whole thing also has a positive side: if you earn so many petrodollars – as we once did – that you can buy anything abroad, this slows down developments in your own country.” Putin said Russia is now “gradually stabilizing our economy.”

“For the first time in many years, we are exporting significantly more goods with a high added value, and we have more than $300 billion in gold reserves,” the Russian leader boasted.

On September 30th, Russia launched airstrikes in Syria. Putin called on Western countries to collaborate more closely with Moscow in the fight against the Islamic State group.

“Yes, we should cooperate much more closely in fighting terrorism, which is a great challenge,” he said. According to Moscow, the Russian strikes target only jihadist groups, including ISIS, while the West has accused Russia of also hitting other rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Mein Kampf Sold Out in One Day

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On January 1, the 70 year copyright on Hitler’s ym”sh Mein Kampf expired in Germany, allowing it to be published for the first time since World War II. Demand for the anti-Semitic book far exceeded supply, as publishers related that they received orders for four times as many books as they had printed.

The publication of the book has been controversial; while some Jewish groups have endorsed the annotated edition, others have opposed it.

The Munich Institute for Contemporary History has said it published

the new edition to preempt uncritical and unannotated versions, and that it hopes the new edition will help destroy the book’s cult status. Mein Kampf can also be easily found on the Internet.

At a press conference on Friday, Institute Director Andreas Wirschig said the institute already has received orders for some 15,000 copies but had an initial print run of only 4,000. The institute also has already received requests for translation into Italian, French and English.

Mein Kampf sold 12 million copies in Germany before the end of World War II, according to Reuters.

Royal Tax Fraud in Spain

Spain’s Princess Cristina was called to court on charges of tax fraud this week. Eighteen people are on trial in Spain for embezzling millions of euros worth of public funds.

The princess is the first member of the royal family to be charged, as a lengthy investigation into her husband’s business affairs finally went to trial.

Under investigation is the Noos Foundation, a charity run by her husband, Inaki Urdangarin. Details of the investigation into the royal family emerged during the economic crisis when Spain was grappling with record unemployment and austerity and tapped into popular disgust at cases of high-level corruption among bankers and politicians.

Cristina’s lawyers asked judges to drop the criminal charges against her as state prosecutors had previously said there was insufficient evidence to back up the accusations.

The charges were filed by the Clean Hands anti-corruption organization using a Spanish legal instrument known as the “people’s accusation.” The Spanish legal system is under pressure to get tough on corruption after a string of bribery cases involving the establishment from the main political parties to bankers like former International Monetary

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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claimed that he was a member of ISIS and said he had also planned to go after police, a French prosecutor said. The victim was obviously Jewish, wearing tzitzis and a yarmulke.

Fund (IMF) head Rodrigo Rato.

Cristina is charged with two counts of being an accessory to tax fraud and, if found guilty, could face up to four years in prison for each charge – a maximum of eight years.

Urdangarin is accused of nine crimes including fraud and tax evasion with a combined potential jail sentence of 19 and a half years. Ur-

dangarin and his partners allegedly overcharged local governments for putting on conferences about sports and business, then hid the proceeds abroad.

The court hearing will end in June and sentences are expected to be handed out before the end of the year.

Jewish Teacher Attacked with Machete in France A Jewish teacher was slashed with a machete by a teenager in southern France this week. The teen

The 15-year-old Turkish Kurd was arrested soon after wordlessly attacking the teacher, who was injured in the outdoor attack in central Marseille. The teen invoked the extremist terror group only after he was detained, saying, “The Muslims of France dishonor Islam and the French army protects Jews.”

With no history of extremism and an improbable background for an Islamist terrorist, the profile of the alleged attacker indicates the challenge for authorities in curbing the influence of extremism in French society after the November 13 terror attacks that killed 130 in Paris.

The boy has no psychological difficulties, was never tracked by intelligence services, has a good record at school and wasn’t a student of the victim, prosecutor Brice Robin said.

He appears to have been influenced by jihadist propaganda on the Internet, he added.

The knife attack comes just days after a man armed with a butcher knife was shot to death after authorities said he went after police in central Paris. That man’s identity has not yet been confirmed but German authorities say he had lived at a shelter for asylum-seekers in the western city of Recklinghausen.

Both incidents coincide with high tension in France, which last week marked a year since the January attacks against the Charlie Hebdo newspaper and a kosher supermarket that left 17 people dead. Over the weekend, two churches were burned and a boar’s head and racist inscriptions were found at Perpignan’s main mosque.

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

Bombing Kills 10 in Istanbul On Tuesday morning, a suicide bomber affiliated with the Islamic State group detonated a bomb in a historic district of Istanbul popular with tourists, killing at least 10 people — nine of them German tourists — and wounding 15 others, Turkish officials said.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the bomber who carried out the attack in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district was a member of IS and pledged to battle the militant group until it no longer “remains a threat” to Turkey or the world.

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus had said the perpetrator was born in 1988 and was a Syrian national, but the private Dogan news agency claimed the bomber was Saudi-born.

“Turkey won’t backtrack in its struggle against Daesh by even one step,” Davutoglu assured, referring to IS by its Arabic acronym. “This terror organization, the assailants and all of their connections will be found and they will receive the punishments they deserve.”

The explosion, which could be heard from several neighborhoods, was at a park that is home to a landmark obelisk, some 25 meters (yards) from the historic Blue Mosque. The Sultanahmet neighborhood is Istanbul’s main sightseeing area and includes the Topkapi Palace and the former Byzantine church of Haghia Sophia, now a museum.

Last year, Turkey agreed to take a more active role in the U.S.-led battle against the IS terrorist group. Turkey opened its bases to U.S. aircraft to launch air raids on the extremist group in Syria and has carried out a limited number of strikes on the group itself. It has also moved to tighten security along its 900-kilometer (560-mile) border with Syria in a bid to stem the flow of militants.

The attack comes at a time of heightened violence between Turkey’s security forces and militants linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, in the country’s mostly-Kurdish southeast. The country is also dealing with more than 2 million Syrian refugees and a wave of migrants from Syria and other countries pouring across Turkey to Europe.

Turkey suffered two major bombing attacks last year, both blamed on

the Islamic State group. More than 30 people were killed in a suicide attack in the town of Suruc, near Turkey’s border with Syria, in July. Two suicide bombs exploded in October outside Ankara’s main train station as people gathered for a peace rally, killing more than 100 in Turkey’s deadliest-ever attack. The prosecutor’s office said that attack was carried out by a local IS cell.

How Many Palestinians are There Really in Jordan?

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Jordan continues to deny its Palestinian Arab majority. The country conducted its first population census in 11 years in November, and the results show that the nation only has a 6% Palestinian population. The numbers are interesting, though, since numerous studies have revealed that Jordan has a Palestinian population between 60-80%.

The unofficial statistics show that the population of the Hashemite kingdom stands at 9.5 million, a jump of 4.4 million from the 2004 findings.

A considerable part of the increase is due to the influx of Syrian migrants displaced by the war. According to the census, Syrian refugees make up 13.2% of the population and comprise 1.2 million people, with 435,000 of them living in the region of the capital Amman.

No other additional details were given regarding the Palestinian Arabs, in an apparent desire to play down the actual number of Palestinians, which international studies have shown actually stands at over half the total population of Jordan.

The Jordanian government likewise claimed there were only 113,000 Palestinian Arabs in the country in 2004, as part of a longstanding campaign to present a Jordanian majority in the country.

Jordan is said to be ardently supporting a “two state solution” in Israel

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so as to prevent becoming a Palestinian state itself and having the conflict resolved in its own borders.

The Palestinian Authority published 2015 population figures last month, claiming 5.5 million “Palestinians” live around the world, in an attempt to claim all descendants of Arabs who left Israel during the 1948 War of Independence. Jordan was established in 1946 on territory allocated for Israel, as a kingdom for Abdullah I of Saudi Arabia. It is made up of a majority of Palestinian Arabs, while nearly all Arab residents of Judea and Samaria hold Jordanian citizenship – which has led some to suggest creating a “Palestine” in Jordan. That call was given even more credence in June, when PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas called Jordanian and Palestinian Arabs “one people living in two states.”

Despite its 1994 peace agreement with Israel, Jordan has long been a vocal supporter of terrorism against Israel and threatened to revoke the treaty on numerous occasions.

Heb U. in Top 50 Worldwide

1.5 million in German, and around 1 million in each of Dutch, French, Italian, Russian and Spanish, and several other languages. Universities are generally mentioned in articles on technical, scholarly, or scientific subjects, the authors said.

The UK led the university rankings, with Cambridge and Oxford taking first and second place, followed

by American universities Harvard, Columbia and Princeton. Eight of the top ten were in the U.S. The first non-American or British university listed was Humboldt University of Berlin, in 11th place, followed by Uppsala University in Sweden, in 15th place.

Other Israeli institutions on the list include the Technion (#108), Tel Aviv University (#168), Weizmann Institute of Science (#183), Bar-Ilan University (# 201), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (# 221), University of Haifa (#211), Ariel University (#321), and Holon Institute of Technology (#670).

According to the researchers, their system is more accurate than other ranking systems because it removes the human factor. “Ranking approaches are based on human selection rules which cannot be complete or can favor certain cultural choices and preferences,” the researchers pointed out. “Thus it is useful to have an independent mathematical statistical method which would rank universities independently of any human rules.”

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Would-Be Assassins Arrested Based on Wikipedia, Hebrew University is the 47th most influential university in the world. Using Google to scan Wikipedia pages, the Wikipedia Ranking of World Universities lists the top 100 universities worldwide. The results are interesting as they are not influenced by the cultural biases of experts, students, or administrators.

The ranking was not developed

by Wikipedia itself, but by several researchers at French universities — Jose Lages and Antoine Patt at Université de Franche-Comte and Dima L. Shepelyansky at Université de Toulouse. Their ranking system analyzed about 4 million articles in English,

Two young Arab residents of Eastern Jerusalem were indicted this week for running an explosives lab, providing aid to an enemy in wartime, being in contact with a foreign agent – and planning to assassinate the prime minister. The two terrorists were identified as 22-yearold Hazam Sanduka and 19-year-old Fahdi Abu Kia’an. They are part of a wide Hamas terror cell busted last month.

According to the indictment, the two helped a Hamas terrorist in preparing terror attacks with explosives.

The unidentified Hamas terrorist rented an apartment in Abu Dis, just east of Jerusalem, and obtained chemicals through Sanduka, who

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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shockingly massive funeral was held for a terrorist in the northeast neighborhood of Shuafat. At the funeral, hundreds of Hamas terrorists fired fully automatic weapons in the air.

Israeli Transparency Bill Meets U.S. Opposition

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was told how to prepare explosives and was asked to locate appropriate targets for shooting attacks. The terrorist wanted to prepare two liters of explosives and to smuggle them into Jerusalem in Sanduka’s car.

Sanduka, a former employee of a security firm in Jerusalem, suggested planting a bomb underneath the

stage at the Jerusalem Payis Arena to be detonated as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gave a speech. The two planned the assassination, but did not determine a date to launch the attack.

Abu Kia’an, an active supporter of ISIS, planned to transfer weapons from Judea and Samaria into

sovereign Israeli territory to conduct shooting attacks.

25 Arab suspects were rounded up as part of the investigation that uncovered the terror cell in Abu Dis. A majority of the terrorists were students at Abu Dis University.

Hamas has been very active in eastern Jerusalem. This week, a

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked is promoting a “Transparency Law” before the Knesset that the U.S. does not seem to like. The bill would require Israelis Non-Government Organizations, or NGOs, who receive more than half of their funds from foreign states to disclose their sources of funding and identify themselves as “foreign agents” when lobbying.

United States Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro expressed concern on behalf of the U.S. government. During the meeting, Shapiro stressed to Shaked that the bill bears no similarity to legislation in the U.S. The U.S. Embassy in Israel also released a somewhat strange statement regarding the meeting. “Among the topics discussed was the government’s draft NGO bill,” stated the announcement. “Ambassador Shapiro sought more information about the draft legislation from the Minister, and noted the U.S. government’s concerns on the matter.

“The Ambassador noted that Israel is a strong and vibrant democracy, which gives substantial voice to all points of view and promotes a thriving, transparent civil society,” it continued. “He reiterated the United States’ view that such a free and functioning civil society is an essential element of a healthy democracy, and that governments must protect free expression and peaceful dissent and create an atmosphere where all voices can be heard.”

The embassy concluded its statement saying, “Ambassador Shapiro and Minister Shaked agreed to continue their dialogue on this and other issues of mutual concern.”

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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Manhunt Ends as Tel Aviv Gunman is Killed

Monday. The item was checked and found to match his DNA. He was then tracked down.

Security authorities are also investigating whether he had been affiliated with Islamic State, though there was no solid confirmation of this. They were quoted as saying that there was “no doubt” that Milhem had opened fire in Tel Aviv on January 1 “for nationalistic reasons,” rather than for criminal or any other motives.

Nashat Milhem, the gunman responsible for killing three Israelis two weeks ago in Tel Aviv, has finally been caught. Milhem was shot and killed by Israeli forces in an exchange of fire in northern Israel last Friday afternoon, a week after the attack.

He was discovered staying in a residential building close to his family’s home in the Israeli Arab village of Arara. Initial reports said he had been “neutralized.” It was later confirmed that he had been killed at about 4:20 p.m. When Milhem noticed authorities closing in on him and encircling the building, he attempted to flee.

During the confrontation, he opened fire on the forces and was shot dead, Israeli security officials said.

According to media reports, Israeli forces from an elite police unit and the Shin Bet had sought to capture him alive but were forced to retaliate when the suspect opened fire using the same weapon he used in the terror attack he orchestrated. Thankfully, no Israeli security personnel were injured in the operation.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and other Israeli leaders praised the security forces for the operation.

Leading up to Milhem’s capture, five other people were arrested for their involvement in the attack. Several were members of his family. Police and the Shin Bet were investigating which, if any, friends and relatives, assisted him before and after the January 1 shootings. Chief of Police Roni Alsheikh asserted the case was not finished, and that police would continue to work to expose any and all others who had helped Milhem before and after the shootings. “All of those involved in terrorism,” Alsheikh charged, “should know that we have the means, the determination and the patience to find them all.”

According to some media outlets, Milhem was discovered after officials found a “personal item” in the area on

Fire Destroys Jerusalem Human Rights Offices

Late Sunday night a fire ripped through the office building of the B’Tselem human rights group offices in Jerusalem. Critics and skeptics were quick to label the fire as arson and blamed the prime minister.

However, despite their accusations, according to the ongoing investigation, the blaze was caused by an electric short circuit. Security camera footage that emerged on Monday afternoon appeared to show the electrical short that caused the fire.

“We are breathing freely again after the announcement of the fire services that in all likelihood there was an electrical short circuit,” B’Tselem said in a statement. “We’re going back to normal.”

“There were no signs of break in or any evidence to show arson,” said leading fire investigator Moshe Alazari in a report summarizing the findings of an investigation into the blaze by the fire service and police investigators. The report found that an electric short circuit started a fire in the acoustic ceiling of the B’Tselem offices and the flames quickly spread down to the rooms below, destroying most of the contents. Miraculously at the time of the fire, the first floor offices were empty and no one was injured.

However, firefighters rescued a cantor trapped at a synagogue on the building’s fourth floor who was then taken

to Hadassah Hospital in the Ein Kerem neighborhood. He suffered from smoke inhalation and his injuries were described as “very light.”

The NGO had come under fire from Netanyahu and others over the weekend following an expose that found activists linked to the group were helping track down Palestinians who forge economic ties with Israel for punishment.

On Monday morning, B’Tselem Director Hagai El-Ad told Army Radio that whether or not the fire turned out to have been caused by arson, there has been a “harsh and dangerous atmosphere of incitement against human rights activists and especially people and organizations working for human rights in the [West Bank].”

At a Likud faction meeting in the Knesset, the prime minister reprimanded his critics for quickly condemning him and his political allies over the blaze. “Our opponents rushed to condemn, even before the flames were extinguished. Before the fire investigators even arrived at the scene, left-wing MKs and NGO heads charged that I and the national camp were directly responsible for the fire,” he asserted. “Well, I don’t know if there was arson involved. All signs

point to an electrical short, but maybe they will still blame me for the short. I won’t be surprised.”

Palestinians to Rebuild Terrorist’s Home

Just last week Israeli forces razed the home of Muhannad Halabi, the terrorist who stabbed Rabbi Nehemia Lavi and Aharon Banita to death in Jerusalem’s Old City in October and injured Banita’s wife and their two-year-old son.

Halabi, 19, was one of the first stabbers in this current wave of uprising and was shot dead by police on site. His home in the West Bank village of Surda, near Ramallah,

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was bulldozed by Israeli forces on Friday. But Palestinians are endeavoring to rebuild the home for the terrorist and murderer.

Earlier this week, the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions reportedly announced that they would deduct one percent from the salaries of each employee and donate the money to the Halabi rebuilding effort. They have since raised NIS250,000 ($63,500).

Similar fundraising drives have been held over recent months to help other families of terrorists rebuild homes destroyed by Israel.

A day before the attack, Halabi wrote on Facebook, “According to what I see, the Third Intifada has erupted. What is happening to al-Aqsa [mosque] is what is happening to our holy sites, and what is happening to the women of al-Aqsa is what is happening to our mothers and women. I don’t believe that our people will succumb to humiliation.

The people will indeed rise up.”

Shortly after Halabi’s stabbing attack, a Palestinian family in Gaza named its newborn baby after the terrorist. News of the baby-naming was reported by the official Palestinian Authority news agency Wafa, and by the official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, with both describing the terrorist as a “hero of our people” who was “murdered by the occupation army,” the watchdog Palestinian Media Watch revealed.

In late October, the municipality of Surda-Abu Qash announced that it would name a street for Halabi, PMW said, citing an article by Donia Al-Watan, a Palestinian news agency.

In October, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu charged Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked with setting up a mechanism that would expedite the demolition of homes of Palestinian terrorists. The measure was one of several approved by the security cabinet to crack down on the recent wave of Palestinian terror.

INS Rahav Joins the Navy The Israeli Navy’s fifth submarine, the INS Rahav, entered the Navy’s base on the shores of Haifa Tuesday and officially joined the Navy’s submarine fleet.

The previous submarine to join the Navy, the INS Tanin, was handed

over to Israel in September of 2014.

Vice Admiral Ram Rotberg said at the time that it “can dive deeper, go farther for a longer time and can operate at a level we have not seen until today.” A sixth one is to be delivered by 2019, and Israel has even been reported to be interested in ordering three more. Rotberg said that it will be named the INS Dakar, after the submarine by the same name that was lost in 1968, with all 69 crewmembers.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said at the ceremony this week: “Our submarine fleet serves to deter enemies who seek to annihilate us. They will not achieve their aim.

They need to know that Israel can strike with great force at whoever attempts to harm it.

“And the citizens of Israel need to know that Israel is a very strong country,” he added, “and that we are doing and will do everything to protect you, everywhere and in every theater. In the kinetic and cybernetic world, with the cyber array we are constructing. In the air and above the air, in space. On the ground and beneath the ground, facing the tunnel threat. At sea and underwater, with the submarine fleet.”

President Reuven Rivlin called the INS Rahav “68 meters and 2,100 tons of sophistication, power and innovation.” Without a doubt, he added, “the INS Rahav is the most fearsome, advanced and expensive war machine currently in the IDF’s possession.”

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon told the participants and guests at the ceremony that the INS Rahav “and its sister, the INS Tanin, along with the three additional submarines, will enable the Navy to continue to operate in unison with the other units and arrays in the IDF, to stymie our enemies’ nefarious intentions to disrupt our lives.”

The submarines and the warriors operating them “will emerge from the depths silently, stealthily and creatively,” he added. “Sometimes they will even return to their bases without leaving a trace.”

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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run roughshod for decades on public land and left a legacy of pollution for taxpayers to clean up.

Oregon Occupation Stretches On

TransCanada Pipeline Lawsuit Filed

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The occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon has now stretched into its second week.

The small but heavily armed group took over the land on January 2 because they were upset with federal land policies. But it’s been over a week and now supplies are needed.

The mother of the group’s leader is now asking supporters to send provisions – everything from warm blankets to coffee creamer.

The leader of the occupation, Ammon Bundy, has repeatedly rejected calls to leave buildings at the refuge despite pleas from the county sheriff, from many local residents, and from Oregon’s governor. He has said the group will leave when there is a plan to transfer control of federal land to locals. So far, the authorities have not moved in to remove Bundy’s group.

Bundy is not the first in the family to tangle with the government. He is the son of rancher Cliven Bundy, who was involved in a 2014 Nevada standoff with the government over grazing rights.

Ammon Bundy’s mother, Carol Bundy, sent an email to supporters this week asking them to send her son’s group supplies from a list of more than 80 items, including sleeping bags, wool socks, cigarettes, toiletries, food, coffee and “French Vanilla Creamer.”

The standoff is the latest flare up of tensions over federal management of Western lands. The federal government manages most of the land in many Western states, including 53 percent of Oregon. While ranchers and others object to what they say are unfair rules, environmentalists say mining, logging and ranching have

The U.S. government is being sued by TransCanada Corporation to reverse President Barack Obama’s rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline.

The company also plans to seek $15 billion in damages from a trade tribunal. TransCanada’s lawsuit in a federal court in Houston, Texas, called the rejection of its permit to build the pipeline unconstitutional. In a separate action under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the company said the pipeline permit denial was “arbitrary and unjustified.”

The company’s U.S. lawsuit does not seek monetary damages but wants the permit denial invalidated and seeks a ruling that no future president can block construction. Its request for $15 billion under NAFTA reflects its desire to recover its investment in the pipeline.

Defendants in the Houston lawsuit are U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, and Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Department of Interior.

Obama, who is not named as a defendant, rejected the cross-border crude oil pipeline last November, seven years after it was first proposed, saying it would not make a meaningful long-term contribution to the U.S. economy. The Keystone XL was designed to link existing pipeline networks in Canada and the United States to bring crude from Alberta and North Dakota to refineries in Illinois and, eventually, the Gulf of Mexico coast.

All the Democratic U.S. presidential candidates, including frontrunner Hillary Clinton, oppose the pipeline while most Republican candidates are in favor. TransCanada called the rejection “a symbolic gesture” aimed at burnishing the Obama administra-

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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tion’s leadership on climate change in the eyes of the international community.

The State of Fitness

While WalletHub generally focuses on financial fitness, they recently gathered data on the physical fitness of cities in the U.S. The company gathered data on the 100 most populated cities in the country and ranked them according to those that are the best and worst at promoting a fitness-filled way of living.

Many of the top cities for fitness boast all-year warm weather, like San Francisco, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, and Scottsdale. On the other side of the scale, Texas didn’t fare too well.

Three cities in Texas – Fort Worth, Irving, and Laredo – ranked in the low ten. These southern cities followed New York, shockingly the 4th worst city in the nation for an active lifestyle.

“Yes, believe it or not, New York ranked 97th overall,” Jill Gonzalez, analyst and spokesperson for WalletHub, related.

“The numbers of public swimming pools are quite low and New York is also dead last when it comes to the number of public golf courses, with an average of almost two courses for every 100,000 residents,” continued Gonzalez. “And although Central Park is vast, it accounted for 10th least amount of parkland out of the 100 cities we analyzed.”

“Regular exercise is one of the cornerstones of therapeutic lifestyle changes for producing optimal cardiovascular and overall health,” stressed Heather Hausenblaus, PhD, a physical activity and healthy aging expert, researcher, and author.

“A routine of daily physical activity stimulates a number of beneficial physiologic changes in the body and can be highly effective for prevention and treatment of many of our most prevalent chronic diseases, including

coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart failure, obesity, depression and diabetes mellitus. The bottom line: Physical activity is very good for our health.”

If you’ve thought about joining the gym but don’t want to spend the money, consider moving to El Paso, Texas, where fitness club membership is the cheapest. In San Francisco, Washington, and New York gym membership was the most expensive.

Seattle, Washington, had the highest percentage of people who regularly engage in physical activity, while in Detroit, Michigan, people tend to sit on their couches all day.

Which cities are the fittest in the nation? Consider: 1. Scottsdale, Arizona 2. Orlando, Florida 3. Tampa, Florida 4. Cincinnati, Ohio 5. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 6. Minneapolis, Minnesota 7. Tucson, Arizona 8. Boise, Idaho 9. Henderson, Nevada 10. Madison, Wisconsin These cities below are the least fit in the nation. Come on, everyone, strap on those sneakers, buy yourself a Fitbit and take a hike!

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Bernardino, California, which left 14 dead, the poll indicated that only 30 percent of Republicans believe that Muslims are no different than any other community, compared to 60 percent of Democrats. A total of 14.6 percent of Americans are generally fearful of Muslims – a figure that jumped to 34.7 percent when respondents were asked about “a few groups and individuals” in the Muslim community.

Most Republicans, at 64 percent, want mosques to be closely monitored. 43 percent of Democrats agree.

Additionally, a recent YouGov poll discovered that most Americans do not want to open up the border to Muslim refugees.

There has been heavy backlash from Muslim advocacy organizations that have called the fears illegitimate or prejudice. But some counter that people have reason to fear. Surveys conducted across Europe have recently revealed that 25 percent of Muslims believe that Islam can justify violence against civilians, and a Pew poll has shown that one in eight American Muslims thinks that suicide bombing can be legitimate. In France, Muslims comprise 8 percent of the population, but make up around 70 percent of the prison population.

Sen. Paul: I’m not Going to Minor Debate

The research site is predicting that Islam in America will likely double in size by 2040, making it the second largest religion by that time, based on new estimates.

According to Pew, there are approximately 3.3 million Muslims living in the United States – that’s about 1 percent of Americans. And accord-

ing to Pew’s prediction, that number could surge to 8.1 million. The reason for the surge would be the expected influx of Muslim immigration; now about 10 percent of all legal immigrants are Muslim. Another reason for the expected increase is that Muslim families tend to bear far more children than the average American.

Sadly for Jews, Pew thinks that the total number of Jewish Americans will decline from 1.8 percent to 1.4 percent by 2050.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll in December showed a certain amount of anxiety exists among Americans regarding the Muslim community. Following the shooting instigated by Muslims in San

Some may call it sour grapes, others may call it moxie.

On Monday, Sen. Rand Paul (RKY) said that he will follow through on his promise not to participate in Fox Business’ Thursday night undercard debate.

The Kentucky senator, along with Carly Fiorina, lost his slot on the main stage for the next Republican presidential debate due to his low polling numbers.

“I think they’ve made a mistake,” Paul declared on Monday eve-

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

ning. “I’m not willing to accept a designation as a minor campaign. We’ve raised $25 million. We’ve gotten on the ballot on every state. It’s kind of ridiculous to arbitrarily rate the campaigns based on national polling.”

Paul was not convinced that participating in the second-tier debate would raise his profile, and said he would rather focus on campaigning in Iowa and New Hampshire.

“I’m just not willing to accept that,” he said. “We’re getting bigger crowds.

Just this week, in New Hampshire, we had bigger crowds at the Exeter Town Hall than Bill Clinton.

“It won’t take much for our supporters to understand why we’re doing this,” he added. “You want war? We’ll give it to you.”

The gloves are off.

NYPD Sergeant Internally Charged in Eric Garner Case

The July 2014 case of Eric Garner was heard around the world. It quickly escalated into a racial issue and now one of the sergeants involved in the infamous chokehold that left the middle-aged man dead has been stripped of her gun and badge and charged internally.

This is the first official accusation of wrongdoing in the case.

New York Police Department Sgt. Kizzy Adonis was one of the supervising officers at the scene of Garner’s death on Staten Island during an arrest on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. She was not part of the team out investigating that day but heard the radio call and was nearby and responded to the scene. Adonis is black and so was Garner.

Officials said that Adonis was charged with failure to supervise, an internal disciplinary sanction. Sgt. Ed Mullins, the head of her union, called the charge ridiculous and political.

“She didn’t have to go there — she chose to go there to help out and look what happens,” he said, adding it was Commissioner William Bratton, not Adonis, who is to blame. “This incident stems from failed policies that ultimately led to the death of Eric Garner.”

As with many recent incidents, the encounter was caught on video by a passerby and sparked protests about police treatment of black men. In the clip, Garner, an asthmatic father of six, can be seen yelling, “I can’t breathe!”

11 times before losing consciousness.

The medical examiner found the chokehold contributed to his death.

As of now, no one has been charged criminally. Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who is white and who applied the chokehold on Garner, remains on desk duty. A grand jury refused to indict him on criminal charges. The chokehold is banned under NYPD policy; Pantaleo insists he was not using a chokehold but rather a legal takedown maneuver called the seatbelt.

No one else in the case has yet to face departmental charges, and the internal disciplinary review is on hold pending a federal inquiry, at the request of the U.S. attorney general for the Eastern District, police said.

Internal charges can lead to loss of vacation days up to dismissal from the department. Garner’s family settled with the city for $5.9 million.

Who Has the Least ZZZs?

Insomnia, on all levels, is a widespread issue in the U.S., affecting adults and kids alike. But a new survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that one group is more sleep-deprived than all others.

Single mothers suffer the most from sleep deprivation, having difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep and therefore are most likely to wake up in the morning not feeling well rested.

“These results are not surpris-

ing,” one sleep scientist not involved in the research related. “People tend to sacrifice sleep when they have competing priorities, such as work, family responsibilities and social obligations.” Women in general seem to battle sleep issues more than men, he added.

About 44% of single moms get less than seven hours of sleep a night, compared to 38% of single dads, 31% of women in two-parent families and 30% of women without children.

Police Officer Attacked by Man Pledging Allegiance to ISIS

A Philadelphia police officer was ambushed on Thursday night and sprayed with a round of bullets by a

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man who pledged allegiance to ISIS. The suspect, Edward Archer, 30, now in custody, “confessed to committing this cowardly act in the name of Islam,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said during a news conference. “According to him, he believed that the police defend laws that are contrary to the teachings of the Koran.”

Philadelphia Police Captain James Clark said the suspect “stated that he pledges his allegiance to Islamic State, he follows Allah and that is the reason he was called upon to do this.”

The weapon used in the attack was a stolen police firearm. Archer fired at least 11 shots at close range at Officer Jesse Hartnett while he was in his police vehicle. The cop was seriously wounded after he exited his vehicle to chase the gunman and fire back.

Thankfully the police officer wasn’t hit fatally but he will require several surgeries. “This could have easily been a police funeral,” said Ross.

According to records, Archer traveled twice from New York-area airports to the Middle East – to Saudi Arabia in 2011 for Hajj and to Egypt in 2012. The resident of Yeadon, Pennsylvania, has a U.S. passport and

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

was not on a watch list. The FBI, who is assisting Philadelphia police with the investigation, will look at whether his travels could have played a role in the shooting.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, who was inaugurated four days before the shooting, attempted to reassure the public, “It’s terrible and it does not represent the religion [Islam] in any way shape or form or any of its teachings. This is a criminal with a stolen gun who tried to kill one of our officers.”

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, praised Hartnett for showing “an awe inspiring level of bravery and heroism,” and also promised: “Those who carry out attacks in the name of ISIS or any other terrorist organization must be fully prosecuted.”

Plot to Kidnap Obama’s Dog Hide your Chihuahuas. There’s a dognapper on the loose. Thankfully, though, the Secret Service is on it and he has been caught.

Scott Stockert, a North Dakota man, allegedly planned to do-

gnap Bo, the White House’s beloved pooch. He was arrested in Washington, D.C., this week before he was able to snatch the First Family’s pet.

On Wednesday he was charged with trespassing after Secret Service agents were alerted that a man was intending to steal the Portuguese water dog, according to Politico. Bo is one of two of the First Family’s dogs – the other dog’s name is Sunny. Investigators found a 12-gauge shotgun and a black bolt action rifle, as well as over 300 rounds of ammunition in Stockert’s car. He was arrested at a Washington hotel and charged with illegally carrying a rifle or shotgun outside a home or business.

“You picked the wrong person to mess with,” Stockert reportedly told police. He also claimed he was a god

and that his parents were John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe.

Stockert was released from custody on Friday but will be wearing an ankle bracelet to track his whereabouts.

Bo Obama is perhaps one of the most famous pets in America. The First Family’s search for a dog to join them at the White House was widely publicized. On election night in 2008, then-President-elect Obama said that his daughters, Sasha and Malia, had “earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House.” Bo, a male Portuguese water dog, joined the family in 2009 and was a gift from then-Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy. Sunny, a female Portuguese water dog, joined the family in 2013.

Sacramento resident Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab, 23, was arrested on charges of making a false statement involving international terrorism, according to the Department of Justice. He traveled overseas to fight alongside terrorist organizations and lied to U.S. authorities about his activities, Assistant Attorney General Carlin said. Authorities say Al-Jayab, a Palestinian born in Iraq, traveled to Syria to fight with terrorist organizations in the area.

There is no indication, though, that he planned an act of terrorism in the United States.

Two Refugees Arrested for Terrorism Two refugees were arrested on Thursday on terror-related charges, according to the Department of Justice.

Al-Jayab arrived in the United States as a refugee in October 2012 and lived in Arizona until November

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2013. During that time he communicated with numerous other individuals over social media about his intent to return to Syria to fight for terrorist organizations. On October 30, 2012, Al-Jayab told an individual over social media to find him a way into Syria from Turkey.

On November 9, 2013 he flew from Chicago to Istanbul, Turkey.

From there he entered Syria, authorities said. On December 17 of that year, he told someone that he was “afraid of being imprisoned in America [because] the government is alert for everything, [and] my trip here constitutes a charge.”

Al-Jayab reported on social media that he was in Syria fighting with various terrorist organizations including Ansar al-Islam between November 2013 and January 2014. He returned to the U.S. via London and Los Angeles on January 23, 2014 and settled in Sacramento.

On October 6, 2014 the suspect was interviewed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. During that conversation he denied that he had ever been a member of any rebel group or militia; had ever provided material support for any person or group engaged in terrorist activity; and that he had been a member of a group, or assisted in a group, which used or threatened the use of weapons against others. Apparently he stated that he went to Syria simply to visit his grandmother.

If convicted, Al-Jayab faces eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The second individual arrested was Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, a Palestinian national born in Iraq and a current resident of Houston. He attempted to provide material support and resources to ISIS. Al Hardan came to the U.S. in November 2009 from Iraq as a refugee and was granted permanent legal status in August 2011. During his interview to become a naturalized citizen in Texas on August 14, 2014, he stated he was not in any way associated with a terrorist organization and that he had never received any weapons training, which was not true, the complaint said. The complaint found that he was associated with ISIS through 2014 and the al-Nusrah Front in 2013 and 2014.

It seems that the U.S. needs to be more vigilant in screening those they allow into the country.

Picture Perfect

I have to admit that there are times that I don’t look that great in pictures. To be honest, there are many times that I look less than my best. But that’s life, right?

Donald “Chip” Pugh, 45, doesn’t have such a laissez faire attitude about his countenance in photos.

After he failed to appear in court in Lima, Ohio, the Lima Police Department posted his mugshot on their Facebook page notifying the public they were looking for him.

“Mr. Pugh is also currently a person of interest in several other cases,” the post reads, “including an arson and vandalism.”

The mugshot caught Mr. Pugh’s eye and he was none-too-happy. Apparently, the photo failed to capture his good side.

So Pugh sent the police another “mug” of himself. “Here is a better photo that one is terrible,” he wrote in a message accompanying a selfie that shows him wearing a houndstooth patterned suit and sunglasses in the front seat of a car with a sunroof.

The police department promptly posted the more flattering shot of Pugh but added this note to the fugitive: “We thank him for being helpful, but now we would appreciate it if he would come speak to us at the LPD about his charges.” As of Tuesday, he was still not apprehended, although he appeared on a radio show to tell his story in their “Idiot of the Day” segment.

“They just did me wrong,” he related to radio listeners. “They put a picture out that had me looking like I was a Thundercat or somebody, man.”

He identifies more with the gingerbread man, the star of a bedtime

story that his grandmother told him when he was a little kid. Pugh still knows some of the lines by heart.

On air, he reminisced: “My hero was this character, who used to say, ‘Run, run, fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man.’”

He certainly was entertaining.

The radio show’s hosts, Phil Austin and Ryan Staley, repeatedly asked where Pugh was located, to which he gave varying responses. First, he was “standing in the middle of Town Square holding the sign that says, ‘Not Guilty.’” Then he was “sitting in a bunker next to Chapo Guzman… trying to build a tunnel to get to McDonald’s.” Last, he observed that he could see “a rooster and some hens,” so he must be in a chicken coop.

While Pugh admitted his idiocy, he also described himself as “the hometown hero” because of the attention he has attracted. Pugh said he was arrested on a DUI a few nights before Thanksgiving and failed to appear in court on December 28.

“I just chose not to go,” he said.

“Lima news put it out there like I burned down someone’s house…going around like Bonnie and Clyde. After this [Facebook post] took off like it did, I started having fun with it…I did it for all my … friends.”

It sounds like fun to be on the run.

Number One Winner

Here’s a great way to win a contest: be the only one who enters. Yes, it seems like a funny scheme to win the lotto, but it worked for one man in Michigan.

Taylor Langstaff won prizes worth nearly $2,000 after being the only person to enter a contest to celebrate a Michigan city’s 150th anniversary.

He had to do 25 activities in the Bay City area and stamp them off on a “passport” to win the prizes. Apparently other people were busy doing other things because he was the only person to submit a fully-stamped passport.

The activities included seeing a

show at The State Theatre, enjoying a beer at Tri-City Brewing Co. and going on a holiday tour of homes in Bay City’s Historic District. After completing those fun activities, Langstaff won a trove of items including restaurant gift certificates, a yearlong membership to the Bay Area Family Y, Bay City-branded T-shirts and a four-person pass to sail aboard the Appledore IV tall ship.

Because Langstaff was the only entrant, he also received second through 10th place winner prizes.

He’s a native of the city and volunteers at the Bay County Historical Museum.

“I love Bay City so much that this was pretty easy,” Langstaff enthused.

The passport and contest guidelines were sent to residents in utility bills beginning in late May. Deputy City Manager Dana Muscott said this was to give residents time to complete activities in the summer, but admitted the long waiting period may have caused some people to forget to enter.

“If anything, people still got a great book showcasing everything you can do in Bay City,” Muscott mused.

Sounds like residents aren’t too interested in doing all those things.

A Bunch of Bologna

The Donald doesn’t sell.

Don’t worry, we’re not talking about the candidate; we’re talking about the sandwich – the bologna sandwich.

A deli in Vermont was hawking a sandwich special named after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. But the $20.16 lunch special appeared to be too much for some to swallow, as no one bought the bologna on white bread with American cheese,

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lettuce, tomato, deli mustard and bacon slices, abbreviated to B.S. It wasn’t just sandwiches the people there weren’t buying. There also were deli counter tip jars with the faces of Trump and Burlington’s own U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Democratic presidential candidate. At the end of the day, the Trump jar received just $6.70, while the jar for Sanders held $120.

Hey Bernie, talk about income inequality.

The Credit Card King

Remember Small Business Saturday, when people would be swiping hundreds of credit cards to earn some cash? Well, meet Mr. Plastic Fantastic, Walter Cavanagh, who has 1,497 valid credit cards to his name – a feat that has put him in the Guinness Book of World Records.

That’s a shocking number, especially since 33% of Americans own one or two credit cards, and 29% own none at all. But Cavanagh claims to have a “nearly perfect credit score,” and cred-

it card experts say he could be onto something.

“Having multiple credit cards in and of itself is not a bad thing,” explains Sean McQuay, a credit-card expert at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. “Many people have this idea that having a lot is incredibly risky, or signals some type of financial distress.

That’s simply not the case.”

There is no “magic number” of credit cards that is appropriate for an individual, said Beverly Harzog, a consumer credit expert and the author of “The Debt Escape Plan.” “If you have a good grip on your finances, and you use the credit cards responsibly, have as many as you need or want,” she said. Be wary of opening too many, she warns. “You don’t want to get into a situation where you can’t keep track, or you’re overspending,” she said.

As for Cavanagh, he takes just one card with him while shopping. The other 1,496 active cards are locked in a safe deposit box.

At heart, the 61-year-old retired financial planner is a one-card guy.

And, unlike the average American household, which carries more than $9,000 in credit card debt at any time, Cavanagh pays off his card (whose lender he would not disclose) in full each and every month.

“What good is putting money in a retirement plan if you’re paying 18% interest on a credit card at the same time?” he asks, expecting no good answer as the waves pound outside his home in an upscale enclave north of Pismo Beach in California.

Cavanagh doesn’t just have the most credit cards in the world; he also has the world’s largest wallet, according to Guinness. It’s a custom-made, 38-pound big boy that can hold credit cards (though a mere 800 of them) in a plastic sleeve that would stretch 30 stories. What’s more, he owns a trench coat that he can whip open to reveal, sewn into the lining, credit cards by the dozen.

So how did this pharmacist-turned-real estate investor become the credit card king? In the early 1970s, Cavanagh and a buddy in Santa Clara made the kind of bet young men make: The guy who could collect the most credit cards by the end of the year would win dinner.

Fresh from a Peace Corps stint on the Micronesian island of Truk, Cavanagh amassed 143. His friend gathered 138.

One thing led to another. At a party, someone said he should send news of his feat to Guinness. Eventually, the British publisher accepted him, but by then, Cavanagh had realized that to keep his title, he would have to keep collecting.

Copying whole pages from a directory of U.S. businesses, he mounted an application blitz and never looked back. The result is the mess of old plastic on Cavanagh’s table: oil company cards and bank cards, cards from ice cream places and shoe stores, a sterling silver card from the closed Mapes Hotel in Reno, a card from Harry’s shop for big and tall men – though Cavanagh is neither.

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“It’s like a trip through history,” he said.

Keeping track of all these cards must be a feat. I give him a lot of credit.

NYC’s Ticket Tsar

If you see Arnous Morin, drive away slowly.

Morin, 53, is the ticket tsar in Brooklyn. He wrote nearly 19,000 tickets in the fiscal year 2015 – that’s a rate of one every 9 minutes, 45 seconds. At an average of 76 per day he worked, Morin’s hands must be orange.

Morin has been bringing in the dough for the city. His base salary of $36,000 (he earned $63,793 last year because of overtime) was eclipsed 33 times over by the amount of fines he generated for city coffers — $1.2 million.

Morin, who was a Catholic school principal in his native Haiti, is unapologetic about his lack of mercy for motorists.

“Never, never. It’s never OK to break the law,” he told The Post at his Canarsie home. “The law is hard, but it’s the law. You can’t break the law for any reason.”

Morin relentlessly scans for alternate-side scofflaws from his white NYPD Toyota Prius. In fact, 54 percent of the 18,953 violations he wrote were for drivers not moving their cars during street-cleaning hours.

In fact, even when he’s not working, traffic violations are on his mind.

“I’m a traffic agent in my blood. Even on vacation in my personal car, I see violations — look at this car in front of a fire hydrant, look at this car double-parked, look at this car in a no-standing!”

Morin says he observes the city rule granting a five-minute grace period and sometimes will give a motorist “even a little more time to move.”

“You have to give people courtesy,” he said. “If the motorist is there, you have to ask them to move first.”

But when time expires, his pen knows no mercy.

Keep him far away from Central Avenue.

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Community

Rabbi Uri Orlian, Morah D’Asrah of Congregation Shaaray Tefillah, addressed the talmidim of Mesivta Ateres Yaakov on Rosh Chodesh Shvat. Rabbi Orlian captivated the talmidim with a shmooze about the tremendous koach of heartfelt tefillah

Bnos Malka Appreciates the Forest

By Michael Salzbank

T

he adage of “not seeing the forest from the trees” is true in many areas of life and can also be the case when it comes to education. Often the emphasis is misplaced on short term goals rather than promoting long term growth. Worrying about how many blatt a 5th grade class has learned versus developing their skills and having them develop a lifelong relationship with Gemara is one example. It is far better to have a 3rd grade girl develop a love for reading that will last a lifetime than to be concerned if the class does 5 or 6 book reports in a year. Of course there are near term goals and standards that need to be met but a healthy balance needs to be struck between seeing the beauty of the tree and its place within the majesty of the forest.

At Bnos Malka this lesson isn’t lost. The school has coupled its rigorous curriculum in kodesh and chol and its promoting of middos tovos and yiras Shamayim with life lessons. Rabbi Michael Weichselbaum, along with the assistant principals, Mrs. Rivky Babad and Mrs. Shuly Zuckerman, recognized that by teaching children the skills to improve their focus and concentration it will impact everything they do,

now and forever. Much has been written recently about Mindfulness which is the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis. For most of us it sounds a little hokey.

The truth though is it is a practice that helps filter out the distractions of life allowing us to concentrate on the present. The reduction of stress

and anxiety are just two of the ancillary benefits. Bnos Malka made the commitment to Mindfulness 18 months ago and continues to give teachers and students the support to develop the program.

Recently, they invited Mrs. Nancy Siegel, a Mindfulness consultant, to the school to present in the classrooms. She explained, “Mindfulness promotes the regulation of emotion, attention, thought and behavior. It is

of great value to learn how to equip students with an inner reservoir of tools like resilience, calming strategies, relaxation techniques.” Rabbi Weichselbaum has seen the fruits of this program. “The few minutes a day we take from the regular instruction to practice Mindfulness leads to improved quality of learning throughout the day and will be a tool at their disposal for a lifetime.”

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CHILDHOOD APRAXIA OF SPEECH: A Multi-Sensory Approach to Achieving Speech Outcomes

Therapy Rich and Video Enhanced Rav Yaakov Feitman talking in learning with Rav Shimon Sorotzkin, Rosh Yeshiva, Bayswater Yeshiva after Rav Feitman’s shiur

DRS Annual Father-Son Yom Iyun

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Mr. Ben Brafman addressing fathers and sons at a packed crowd at DRS’s Annual Father-Son Yom Iyun

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arents and students alike were inspired at this year’s DRS’s Annual Father-Son Yom Iyun, entitled, “Sanctifying Jewish Life in the 21st Century.” The program focused on areas of Jewish life which can be elevated spiritually, with various shiurim offering practical applications for life. “The purpose of the Yom Iyun is to give the parents and children an opportunity to learn together in a meaningful way,” said Judaic Studies Principal Rabbi Elly Storch. “For everybody to learn together about holiness is a great way to receive inspiration,” he added.

The day commenced with Shacharit, followed by a scrumptious breakfast. Rabbi Kaminetsky delivered opening remarks, following which students and fathers chose from an

array of shiurim by DRS Rebbeim on topics related to kedusha. Kedushat Eretz Yisroel, Kedusha in the Home, Kedusha in Relationships, and Kedusha in Comedy were just some of the offered classes. The shiurim were interesting, inspirational, and enjoyable for both the student and parent body alike.

The event’s keynote speaker was Mr. Ben Brafman, a noted lecturer in the Jewish community, and a successful defense attorney who spoke about his perspective on being a Jew in a secularworkplace. He spoke to the students about making a proper Kiddush Hashem both in the public eye as well as privately in our own communities. The incredibly powerful and inspiring speech was enjoyed by all who attended.

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The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

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Yeshiva Darchei Torah Dinner Celebrates 43 Years Of Trailblazing Chinuch

PHOTOS BY TSEMACH GLENN

A partial view during the program of the Darchei Dinner, which was held on its campus in Far Rockaway

Rav Dovid Morgenstern, Harbotzas Torah Awardee

Senator John J. Flanagan, Majority Leader of the New York State Senate

Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky, Rosh Yeshiva of Darchei’s Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid

Avi Keilson chairing the dedication of the Harriet Keilson Early Childhood Center

Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah

Lloyd Keilson, co-chairman of the Yeshiva’s Board of Trustees, speaks during the memorial tribute to his late wife, Harriet Keilson, a”h

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer acknowledges the crowd’s standing ovation after accepting the Hakoras Hatov Award

Joseph Kaplan speaking at the dedication of the Harriet Keilson Early Childhood Center

Eric S. Goldstein, CEO of UJAFederation of New York

Elisha Brecher, co-chairman of Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s Board of Directors, served as master of ceremonies

The grandchildren of Harriet Keilson unveiled the new sign outside Darchei Torah’s Early Childhood Center that was named in her memory Sunday

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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Alon Goldberger, Parents of the Year Awardee

Ronald Lowinger, the president of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, served as dinner chairman

Tzvi Sussman, Alumni Leadership Awardee

Hillel Moerman, Guest of Honor (second from right), flanked by Ronald Lowinger, Rav Yaakov Bender, Rav Mordechai Stern and Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky

Moshe Mandel, Alumni Leadership Awardee

Shimmy Sussman, Alumni Leadership Awardee

Menachem Pollack, Alumni Leadership Awardee

Michael Mandel, Alumni Leadership Awardee

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

CAHAL Students Participate in the 6th Grade HAFTR Science Fair

W

hen students actually experience some of the concepts they are learning about through hands-on science experiments, studies have shown that it changes how they process information and leads to a deeper understanding and better knowledge of the concepts explored. This was certainly the case for the students in the CAHAL HAFTR 6th grade class.

Not only did they learn more, but they also had a wonderful time participating in the HAFTR 6th grade Science Fair and explaining their experiments to dozens of visitors who came to see the exhibits. Under the guidance of their teacher, Mr. Justin Lepolstat, the girls worked in teams to research their topic, develop a hypothesis and present their experiments and conclusions. Their topics included the effects of melting ice in the North and South Pole, what melts ice the fastest, and floating and

sinking in water. The girls worked cooperatively both in school and at home to develop and complete their science projects. They consulted the website, www.sciencebuddies.org, which proved extremely helpful in designing their experiments, and they highly recommend it to others seeking to learn more about science and the world around them.

CAHAL, the local yeshiva-based and sponsored community program for children with learning challenges, now in its 24th year, provides smaller, more individualized classes in the local yeshivas. CAHAL caters to children’s learning styles, where all the students attend mainstream activities daily, including lunch, recess, specials, assemblies, trips and more. When ready, children attend mainstream academic classes as well, with support from CAHAL to ensure success. The experienced and caring CAHAL teachers make it

all happen. Registration is now open for September 2016.

For more information about the

CAHAL program and donating to this great community organization, contact CAHAL at cahal@cahal. org or call (516) 295-3666.

LEVLI: Helping the Children in our Community

L

EVLI is a children’s clothing gemach located in Bayswater run by Jessica Tsur. Following Hurricane Sandy, Jessica, a mother of 4, realized the great need for providing clothing to the community.

She began collecting gently used children’s clothing and distributed it from her basement. She provides clothing for children sized newborn through 14 and is open to the Five Towns and Rockaway community.

In addition to gently used clothing, she has contacted a number of stores who have donated to the gemach as well. These stores include: Junee, Junee Jr., Shirtstop, Lavish Layette, A Shoe Inn and A Little Differ-

ent. Recipients of the clothing have shared with Jessica the tremendous impact this has made on their children.

In getting to know the gemach families, Jessica heard of another unmet need. Many parents did not have the funds to send their children to summer camp. While there were other local organizations who could provide partial scholarships, for many families, this was not enough.

Jessica decided to spearhead a new arm of her gemach to provide families with two working parents who are in challenging financial situations with camp scholarships and help fill the gap in this area. Jessi-

A Case of Mixed up Identity Rabbi Pini Dunner on the Baal Shem of London Page 90

ca herself was the recipient of a full scholarship for her three daughters last summer and directly felt the impact it had on her daughters and family as a whole. She wanted to replicate these same effects for others. Camp is not always a luxury, but more often than not in today’s world, a true necessity.

Over the last two weeks Jessica has collected signatures of 13 askanim in the larger Five Towns community stating that they support her efforts in raising money to send kids to camp. These include: Rabbi Bender (Yeshiva Darchei Torah), Rebbetzin Billet (Shulamith), Rabbi Blumenkrantz (Bnos Bais Yaakov), Rabbi Chill (Young Israel of Far Rockaway), Rabbi Feiner (The White Shul), Rabbi Kruger (Bayswater Neighbors Fund), Rabbi Oppen( HAFTR), Rabbi Orlian (Shaaray Tefilla), Rabbi Plotkin (HALB), Rabbi Strickman (Yeshiva Darchei Torah), Rabbi Weitman (TAG), Rabbi Weinberger (Aish Hakodesh), and Rabbi Wolowik (Chabad of the Five Towns).

LEVLI wants the whole community involved in raising funds. The first fundraiser will be a HEART-A-

THON. They will be selling packages of heart beads to make bracelets, keychains and backpack décor. The motto is “The more hearts you have, the more hearts you heal.” To kick off this fundraiser, LEVLI will be having an amazing event at Junee on Central Ave on February 3, 2016.

Selected high school girls from local schools (BBY, HALB, HAFTR, Shalhevet, Shulamith and TAG) will be coming together to package the heart beads. In addition, the girls will be hearing a phenomenal speaker, Devorah Sisso Stieglitz, and they will enjoy sushi and a private Junee shopping experience. On top of it all, they will demonstrate for themselves and serve as role models for all how people from different segments of our community can unite and make a difference to children in need within our community.

Start looking to purchase your “HEARTS” and get your friends and children excited about this new, wonderful experience.

For more information, please call 603-540-6826 or email info@ LEVLI.com.

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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Goldfeder Hosts Councilman Greenfield for School Security Meeting at TAG

J

ust hours after a landmark school security officer program was signed into law, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D - Far Rockaway) hosted Councilmember David Greenfield (D - Brooklyn) at Torah Academy for Girls at an informational meeting with local askonim and yeshiva leaders to discuss the new program.

“Every child deserves a safe, secure classroom where they can learn and reach their fullest potential,” said Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder. “This historic program puts our city at the

On January 5, Assemblyman Goldfeder and Councilmember Greenfield met at Torah Academy for Girls with local school leaders and askonim from the Far Rockaway frum community to discuss Greenfield’s successful push to fund security guards at yeshivos and other non-public schools.

Goldfeder extended the invite to Greenfield in order to show hakaros hatov and update the yeshivos on the program and to explain how it would be implemented.

Councilmember Greenfield began the meeting by stressing the historic

forefront of ensuring a safe learning environment regardless of the school they attend. I was honored to have Councilmember Greenfield in Far Rockaway to thank him and inform our schools how the program will be implemented in yeshivos throughout the community.”

nature of the legislation. According to the councilmember, the bill, first introduced in 2013, garnered the support of historic coalition of Jewish, Catholic, Muslim and labor groups.

The bill also received broad support in the City Council, with 45 members signing on as sponsors. The Council

approved the bill last month by a vote of 43-4 and it was signed into law by Mayor de Blasio at an event in the Council chambers, just hours before the TAG meeting.

The $19.8 million program will reimburse the costs of providing new state-licensed, unarmed security guards at yeshivos and non-public schools in the five boroughs. As part of the program, guards will be trained to protect schoolchildren and watch for potential hate and bias crimes. In order to qualify, schools must have its own Basic Educational Data System (BEDS) number, a state education ID unique to each school, and also have at least 300 students. Larger schools can be reimbursed for one additional guards per 500 students above the 300 minimum, meaning that a school with 2,000 students can receive up to 5 new guards. In all, the program is anticipated to cover a majority of non-public schools and 70% of non-public school students. The program is expected to begin April 1st of this year.

The landmark program comes amid heightened security concerns both in the U.S. and overseas. On New Year’s Day, a terrorist gunned down two Israelis outside a bar in Tel Aviv. And just last week, memorial services were held in Paris, France, to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the coordinated attack

by Islamic extremists on a kosher supermarket and the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. In December, Goldfeder traveled to the European capital to honor victims at

a solidarity concert organized by radio host Nachum Segal at the Grand Synagogue of Paris.

For his part, Goldfeder reiterated his commitment to fight for education improvements at the state level during the 2016 legislative session.

The Assemblyman told the group that he planned to continue fighting for proposed Education Investment Tax Credit, as well as to secure additional state reimbursement to non-public schools for Comprehensive Attendance Policy (CAP) and Mandated Services Reimbursement (MSR) programs. Additionally, as part of the SAFE Act passed in 2013, Goldfeder secured $5 million for non-public school security which has been maintained each year.

“Our community is only as strong as the institutions we have in place to educate our children and ensure they can continue to grow and thrive. We will continue our efforts both here at home and up in Albany to expand on these programs so that every child has the resources they need to succeed,” concluded Goldfeder.

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A Bar Mitzvah Program that Can Save Lives

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n Sunday morning, January 10, HANC Middle School held their Bar Mitzvah program. Grandfathers, fathers, and sons came together for a most enjoy-

Scott M. Feltman, executive director of One Israel Fund

able program. The morning began with a beautiful tefillah. The kavana in the room was palpable. Special thanks to Mordechai Strauss who

A vest that can save lives

served as chazzan for pesukei d’zimra and Dr. Jonah Wieder (father of seventh grader Moshe) who led for Shacharit. After davening everyone heard from Mr. Scott M. Feltman, executive vice president of One Israel Fund. One Israel Fund is an organization which has dedicated its efforts to providing humanitarian aid and assistance to the communities of Yehuda and Shomron. This year, the

seventh grade boys are participating in a unique activity for their Bar Mitzvahs. In the past, money has been collected from each student and then the Bar Mitzvah boy received a gift card from a choice of stores. This year, Mrs. Bat-Sheva Kutner (mother of seventh grader,Baruch) decided to do something different. She called each family and explained that if they each donated the money they would get from their friends to One Israel Fund, the grade could make a very generous donation which would really make a difference. When Mr. Feltman spoke he explained to the boys how special what they were doing was and that he had spoken to a number of schools around the country about doing something similar and HANC Middle School was the first to “step up to the plate.” The families had a great sense of pride as Mr. Feltman explained that their money would be going to fund a protective armored vest for a Ravshatz who is a civilian security chief in one of the Yehuda and Shomron communities. The rest of the money would go to Pina Chama, which is a soldier respite in Gush Etzion.

Next, the families enjoyed a delicious breakfast. After breakfast, Rabbi Elliot Hecht, the Middle School principal, spent a few minutes discussing expected behaviors at a Bar Mitzvah. Each student received a contract which they will be signing which goes through step by step how each of the talmidim should act. Baruch Hashem, HANC has a wonderful reputation for their behavior at s’machot and we look forward to continuing to have that reputation.

The program continued with a fascinating presentation by Rabbi Heshy Pincus of Tiferes Stam. He wowed the crowd with his explanations of how tefillin are made from the leather hides all the way to the straps and the klaf inside. One participant said, “I learned things today

Rabbi Pincus during his presentation

The seventh graders enjoying breakfast

that I never knew as I put my tefillin on all of these years.” The final part of the program was learning some of the dances that are part of every simcha. Gary Wallin and “The Schnitzel Guys” (aka Rabbi Yitzy Haber and Avromy Rothman) led everyone in this part of the program. Everyone really got involved and even learned some new moves. The program was

incredible and we look forward to celebrating with all of the boys at their s’machot.

We thank the following sponsors of the program: Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Kutner in honor of Baruch Kutner’s Bar Mitzvah; Dr. and Dr. Avi Schneider in honor of all of the boys’ Bar Mitzvah celebrations; and Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Strauss.

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Legislator Kopel Sworn In for Fourth Term at Nassau County Legislature

N

assau County Legislator Howard J. Kopel was sworn in for his fourth term at the Nassau County Legislature on Monday, January 4, 2016. Legislator Kopel and the other 11 Republican Legislators were sworn in by the Honorable Peter T. King, United States Congressman.

At the legislative meeting on the same day, Legislator Kopel was also elected to hold positions on two legislative committees. He is the Chair of the Budget Review Committee and the Vice-Chair of the Economic and

Top row from left: Legislator Steven D. Rhoads, Legislator Donald N. Mackenzie, Legislator Dennis Dunne Sr., Legislator Laura Schaefer, Legislator James Kennedy, Legislator Vincent T. Muscarella, and Legislator C. William Gaylor III Bottom row from left: Legislator Denise Ford, Deputy Presiding Officer Richard J. Nicolello, Presiding Officer Norma L. Gonsalves, Alternate Deputy Presiding Officer Howard J. Kopel, and Legislator Rose Marie Walker

Community Development and Labor Committee. He is also a member of the Towns, Villages and Cities Committee and the Rules Committee.

Legislator Kopel, first elected in

2009, is proud of his record of fiscal conservatism and constituent service. His goals for this term include improvements to public safety and the environment. The Legislature

will also continue to fight for fiscal prosperity and work together with the County Executive and NIFA to make Nassau the best place to live work and raise a family.

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Boys at YKLI Celebrate Siyum of Sefer Beraishis with Chasan Beraishis Seuda

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ne of the hallmarks of a good chinuch system is one where there is learning with builtin review year after year. Wanting to see boys graduate from elementary school with a solid grip on knowing Chumash, Rabbi Tzvi Krigsman, menahel of Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island, brought a Yedios in Parsha curriculum to Yeshiva Ketana. In this curriculum a student as young as

second grade is given a list of questions on a weekly basis. This list is reviewed and tested in the third and fourth grade. In the fifth and sixth grade 10 more questions are added until finally by the end of the eighth grade the boys learn 30 parsha facts and are tested on them. At the end of each sefer there is a final. The boys who score an average of 90% on a weekly basis are invited to a Seuda

to celebrate the siyum of that sefer.

The boys at YKLI just celebrated their

Chasan Beraishis Seuda with a gala lunch from Carlos & Gabby’s.

Boys from Rabbi Morgenstern’s 4th grade class

Boys from Rabbi Messner’s 3rd grade class

Boys from Rabbi Bornstein’s 4th grade class

Boys from Rabbi Hersh’s 5th grade class

Boys from Rabbi Feiler’s 7th grade class

Boys from Rabbi Eisikovic’s 7th grade class

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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YU’s Community Beit Midrash Program Explores Jewish Holidays and Evolving Relationship of Medicine and Jewish Law

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eshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future (CJF)

will present a new semester of its Community Beit Midrash Program beginning February 10 with a six-week series of talks by two faculty members, Rabbi Kenneth Brander, vice president for university and community life at YU, and Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman, professor of emergency medicine, education and bioethics at YU-affiliated Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The program is open to the community and runs for six consecutive Wednesdays on the Israel Henry Beren Campus, 215 Lexington Avenue, New York City.

“The CJF Community Beit Midrash Program provides the broader Jewish community with a true Yeshiva University educational and inspirational experience,” said Rabbi Yaakov Glasser, the David Mitzner Dean of the CJF. “Studying with prominent scholars and faculty, participants engage contemporary issues through the lens of our timeless tradition.”

Rabbi Brander’s class, “Jewish Holidays: Exploring Kabbalistic, Philosophical and Halakhic Motifs,” will unlock core elements of the holiday and Shabbat through the study of halacha [Jewish law], Jewish philosophy and Kabbalah. Topics will include the mystical identity of Shabbat; Yom Kippur as a day hallowed in fear and honored in joy; the Yom Tov Sheni experience and its unique manifestation on Sukkot; exploring the development of rabbinic holidays through Purim, Chanukah and Yom Ha’Atzmaut; the multiple themes of Pesach; and the uniqueness of Shavuot.

Rabbi Reichman’s class, “Past, Present and Future: The Evolving Relationship of Medicine and Halakha,” will focus on the relationship between halacha and medicine, starting with the times of Rambam, passing through the Renaissance, and transitioning to modern times. Topics include genetics, reproduction, vaccination, organ donation and end of life. This course will conclude with a

Rabbi Brander

Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman

glimpse into the near future of medical halacha and the age of gene editing and 3D printed organs.

“Rabbi Kenneth Brander and Dr. Eddie Reichman are treasures of wisdom within our YU community, and through the Community Beit Midrash Program will have the opportunity to share their wisdom and insights with the broader Jewish world,” said Rabbi Glasser.

For more information or to register, contact Aryeh Czarka at aryeh. czarka@yu.edu or 212-960-5400, ext. 6826.

New York City campuses: the Wilf Campus, Israel Henry Beren Campus, Brookdale Center, and Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus. YU’s three undergraduate schools – Yeshiva College, Stern College for Women, and Sy Syms School of Business – offer a unique dual program comprised of Jewish studies and liberal arts courses. Its graduate and affiliate schools include Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, and Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. YU is ranked among the nation’s leading academic research institutions.

Founded in 1886, Yeshiva University brings together the ancient traditions of Jewish law and life and the heritage of Western civilization.

More than 7,600 undergraduate and graduate students study at YU’s four

DRS Alumni Reunion Shabbaton in Israel

Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky and Rabbi Elly Storch with nearly 100 DRS Alumni at Reunion Shabbaton in Ramat Beit Shemesh

I

t was a very special Shabbos this past weekend as nearly 100 DRS graduates spending the year learning in Eretz Yisroel joined together with DRS Menahel Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky and DRS Associate

Principal Rabbi Elly Storch for a DRS Alumni Reunion Shabbaton in Ramat Beit Shemesh. Every year, Rabbi Kaminetsky and Rabbi Storch visit our alumni learning in nearly 20 different yeshiva in Israel to reconnect with

them, and continue to strengthen the Rebbe-Talmud relationship that DRS is so famous. It gives us tremendous nachas to see so many alumni growing through their experience in Yeshiva abroad. Rabbi Storch and Rabbi

Kaminetsky meet with every single student, documenting each of their experiences in order to better serve our students when helping them make their decision of where to go to Yeshiva in the future.

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

Around the Community

azel Tov M to our dear friends

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Landa on the marriage of their son

Sheya

an alumnus of our Yeshiva Rabbi Yaakov Reisman at the Agudas Israel Annual Florida Shabbos of Chizuk

Margaret Tietz Introduces a New and Unique Service for the Community

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heva Turk, RN, a well-respected and integral part of the operations at Margaret Tietz, is now sharing her wealth of knowledge and expertise with Jewish community seniors. Mrs. Turk has been a registered nurse since 1978, and has worked in hospitals and homecare.

For the past 19 years, she has worked at CenterLight, initially as the director of one of CenterLight’s medical adult day health care programs. Over the most recent three years, she has been the associate administrator at Margaret Tietz.

Divine Service is a program tailored to meet the needs of synagogues, congregations, and senior centers.

This program consists of scheduled weekly, biweekly or monthly visits to Queens-based synagogues and senior centers operating in synagogues. Her visits include blood pressure monitoring and individualized reviews of healthcare needs and concerns on a 1:1 basis. Working with the synagogue’s rabbi, home visits can be arranged for those seniors living alone who facing challenges with health concerns. As a part of this unique service, Mrs. Turk provides educational

lectures regarding a healthy lifestyle, preparedness for the winter weather, and other health topics of interest to the seniors. Hospital visitation, upon request, will also be a component of this program. Mrs. Turk already has a host of locations throughout the borough that have signed on to be part of the project. The goal of the program is to create a bond and provide education to seniors in the community who find it difficult to navigate through the healthcare system. The hope is that this type of intervention will help seniors achieve spiritual, psychological, and physical well-being, by creating a link between faith, health, and healing.

Already in place are routine visits scheduled at Young Israel of Forest Hills Senior League, Young Israel of Queens Valley Senior Center, Hillcrest Jewish Center, Rego Park Jewish Center, Forest Hills Jewish Center, Young Israel of Holliswood Senior Center, and Temple Gates of Prayer.

For further information about the program please contact Sheva Turk at (347) 466-0573.

ktrahc intb ,hc ,ubck ufzhu ,rtp,ku oak Rabbi Yaakov Bender Yeshiva Darchei Torah

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A Day at SKA

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record breaking group of over 130 eighth graders from fourteen metropolitan elementary schools recently got a taste of what their high school experience at the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls would be like. On Thursday, January 7, SKA student ambassadors welcomed aspiring high schoolers who got a glimpse of some of the highlights SKA has to offer, along with the warmth and energy it projects. Ms. Raizi Chechik, Principal, Grades 9-10, Mrs. Deena Kobre, Assistant Principal, and Admissions Liaison Ms. Lisa Fogel personally greeted all the girls they had met during the interview process.

After refreshments, the eighth-graders heard from 9th grade student panelists from varying elementary schools who answered questions about SKA and discussed their own experiences since coming to the school. The SKA students happily described what it’s like to enter a new school, sometimes coming alone from their grade school, and how welcome

they were made to feel. Each panelist mentioned how eager everyone was to make new friends and how hard the administration and faculty worked to make them comfortable and cared for. “There’s always something happening here,” one panelist said. “I can’t wait to get to school in the morning.”

Mrs. Helen Spirn, Head of School, sent her virtual greetings to the visitors in a video from Israel, where she was meeting with every SKA graduate attending seminary for the year.

Before the day’s event, the 8th graders had been asked to choose elective classes and student workshops in which they would like to participate, giving them the opportunity to experience the unique and creative classes and programming that are available at SKA. The SKA cookies given out at the close were a tasty reminder of the day, which provided a wonderful preview of what their high school experience at SKA could be.

We look forward to welcoming the Class of 2020!

YCQ Learns about Nature

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he grade 5 students at YCQ headed off in 14 degree weather to enjoy their annual overnight at the Greenkill Nature Center.

Along with administration and staff , students learned about different aspects of nature including information on forest animals and the process by which maple syrup is made. They enjoyed the experience of walking across a “foot bridge” and spending

time in the outdoors with classmates.

Back at YCQ, the kindergarten children were “bugging out” at their visit from Park Rangers from Fort Totten Park. The Rangers taught them all about bugs and insects using puppets and a song and allowed them to hold a live stick bug. The children loved the hands-on activities and are looking forward to their trip in the spring to Fort Totten Park.

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Remembering Rabbi Dr. Meshulem HaLevi Jungreis zt”l

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his past Shabbos, Congregation Ohr Torah observed the 20th yahrzeit of our founder, Rabbi Dr. Meshulem HaLevi Jungreis zt”l. Among the encomiums received for Rabbi Jungreis was a beautiful Proclamation received from Representatives Michaelle Solages and Todd Kaminsky, as well as letters from County Executive Mangano and the Shomrim Society.

It was twenty years ago that we lost Harav Meshulem HaLevi Jungreis zt”l, our Rav, our leader, our guiding light, our friend.

At the dawn of World War II, Rabbi Jungreis was conscripted into forced labor in Hungary. He was famous among his fellow conscripts for his encouragement and divrei Torah. Then he was sent to Bergen Belsen. His entire family, except for one brother, perished at Auschwitz.

But Rabbi Jungreis survived, weighing 90 pounds. He then came to America, where he received a doctorate from Yeshiva University. He then went on to write scholarly articles and books and lead several congregations.

Among his outreach initiatives was giving divrei Torah on the Long Island Railroad.

Yet this modest man would nev-

er self-promote, would never sing his own praises, or even speak a little “puffery” about himself. When he was hospitalized and in his last days, fellow concentration camp survivors would visit and tell stories praising him for how he bolstered them, gave religious instruction and hope in the concentration camp. But Rabbi Jungreis would have none of it and would insist they stop. This towering figure would not hear nor speak a word of praise about himself. When asked if he was in pain, he’d say he had none, aware that others had more. He suffered unimaginably in Bergen-Belsen, yet he would never complain or ask for anything to be given him.

When Holocaust survivors and ex-urbanites moved to North Woodmere, they found the existing synagogues did not fulfill their needs.

Instead of trying to make those synagogues change to accommodate them, they, along with their new rabbi, started their own shul in a stor front, and then moved to a house. Finally, Rabbi Jungreis and his congregants built the magnificent edifice that became Congregation Ohr Torah-North Woodmere Jewish Center. All the families worked tirelessly: Newman, Jaffe, Shale, Natter, Glickerman, Ross,

Janov, Schwartz, Robbins, Schneider, Moss, Conrad, Building Chairmen Sidney Levine and Seymour Morgenroth, to name just a few.

Rabbi Jungreis was a full-time rabbi of his Shul. If he wasn’t in his office, he was out visiting the sick, bringing challahs and food to members on Friday afternoon, or fulfilling his duties as a Nassau County Police Department Chaplain. For Rabbi Jungreis, being the Shul rabbi was not a “job,” with demands for a higher salary or resumes sent out in hopes of higher pay elsewhere. It was a calling. As past president Dr. Gerald H. Bandes wrote, “Some men are in the rabbi business.

Some men are Rabbis.”

Who didn’t delight in seeing Rabbi Jungreis every Purim wearing his police uniform, earned by his nearly three decades of service and position as Chief Chaplain? Who wasn’t proud that such a distinguished, accomplished man was the rabbi of their shul?

Under his auspices, Ohr Torah was a beehive of activity, with Sisterhood and Men’s Club, lectures, an annual summer Torah festival, and family activities. Everybody was welcomed warmly, and felt included—it was truly the “Mishpacha Shul.”

When we lost Rabbi Jungreis, his levaya at Ohr Torah was an event no one in North Woodmere would forget. Thousands attended, including government officials testifying to the stature of our rabbi. Police cars lined the street, and police helicopters flew overhead in the “Missing Man” formation to honor Rabbi Jungreis.

We can only beseech Hashem that someday we will merit another rabbi of the stature of Harav Meshulem HaLevi Jungreis zt”l!

Young Israel of Long Beach Annual Concert Draws Large Audience

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he Young Israel of Long Beach held their annual Scholarship Concert on Motzaei Shabbos, January 9. The concert featured the popular musical entertainers Simcha Leiner, Yitzy Bald and the New York Boys Choir who entertained the audience with their vast repertoire of popular and Chassidish Jewish music. There was a sold out crowd who traveled from all areas of the metropolitan area to join in this annual event. This year, in order to accommodate the large audience, the event took place at the Long Beach Hotel.

The Young Israel of Long Beach is the cornerstone of the Orthodox Jewish Long Beach community and is led by Rabbi Dr. Chaim Wakslak.

At the present time the synagogue is sponsoring an incentive program designed to encourage young couples to re-locate to Long Beach and serve as a nucleus to establish the community as a focused consideration on par with other communities. Those who

The Chiger family with Rabbi Wakslak

are interested in further information may look at the website www.yilb. org or contact Rabbi Chaim Axelrod who serves as the assistant rabbi at 718-551-2499.

Rabbi Wakslak and Joseph Langer, a past shul president, conceptualized this scholarship concert nineteen years ago. Since that time, the proceeds from this scholarship concert has allowed many

local community youngsters to attend yeshiva and/or overnight summer camps. Ten years ago, following the untimely p’tirah of Robert Chiger z”l, a young vibrant member of the congregation, it was decided that his memory would be most appropriately perpetuated by re-naming this scholarship fund The Robert Chiger Scholarship Fund.

Bob had a unique connection to the

Simcha Leiner with Rabbi Wakslak

youth of the synagogue and cared for their religious and character development. He was also a strong proponent of the YILB youth and sports programs. This concert is strongly supported each year by Beth Chiger and Neil Sambrowsky and Beth’s children, Michele & Eric Ehrenhaus, Andrea & Ariel Gantz, Elliot & Chana Chiger, and David Chiger.

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

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a

Great Day starts with a

Students at HANC covered a whole wall with appreciation for their small random acts of kindness

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by Helping Others “Let’s use the energy around the Super Bowl,” explains Rabbi Anchelle Perl, “to mobilize ourselves in caring for people in our local communities who are hungry and in need.”

Rabbi Perl at Chabad Mineola, NY, invites the community to help him cross the road to deliver quarts of chicken soup plus chicken wings to persons in need here in Nassau County, in time for the Super Bowl!

“Sit back enjoy your Super Bowl Party, knowing that you have uplifted the spirit of those less fortunate,”

challenges Rabbi Perl. “You will have the satisfaction of having shared your excitement in the Super Bowl and at the same time, produced lasting hope for people who have fallen between the cracks.”

Chabad Mineola wants to reach as many people as possible. Do you know persons in need who will benefit from this act of kindness? All persons will be kept in strict confidence.

For more information, please visit www.chabadmineola.com/soup or contact rabbiperlwebcasts@gmail. com.

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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Road to the Playoffs

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ed by team captains Noa Eliach and Yael Eiferman (12th grade), the Midreshet Shalhevet Sabers have been on fire over the last few weeks! They have claimed victory after victory in a series of intense basketball games against Bruriah, Shulamith, Ilan, and Magen David. The audiences have been enthralled not only by the incredible athletic ability that has been shown on the court, but also to the tremendous teamwork and sportsmanship exemplified by the entire team. Led

by Sabers Coach Ms. Ilona Diamond, each game begins with a meaningful coalition between the two teams to say Tehillim in light of the recent tragic attacks in Israel. The Midreshet Shalhevet Sabers’ win against the Magen David Warriors last Monday marked their sixth win this season.

The Sabers, captains Noa Eliach and Yael Eiferman, seniors, Michal Elkouby, Esti Eckstein, Dalia Zargari, Rikki Vatch, and Bella Weiss, juniors, Rachel Fischbein, Avigail Lev,

Rivka Raizel Goldschein, and freshmen, Hadassah Krigsman, Naomi Davidowitz, and Maayan Sandowski, were tied with Magen David by halftime, but they redeemed themselves with the last two quarters of the game with a great pickup by Yael Eiferman (12th grade), who scored 22 points overall. In the latest nail-biting battle with Bruriah, the Sabers scored within the first thirty seconds, and ended the first quarter up 18-2. The sportsmanship continued through the second period, with a strong halftime conclusion of 21-15. With the third quarter score of 29-26, with Midreshet Shalhevet still in the lead, the entire fourth quarter stayed very tight. With three minutes left to the game, senior Noa Eliach scored a three pointer and tied the game at 32. Junior Rachel Fishbein caught a great rebound and passed to senior Yael Eiferman, who in turn took a foul and made both shots, bringing the score to 34-32.

With three seconds left on the

clock, 34-33 Midreshet Shalhevet, the ball was on Bruriah’s court. Senior Bella Weiss stole the ball and chucked it clear across the court to Rachel Fishbein just as the buzzer

was heard, sealing yet another victory! Congratulations to the Sabers for holding strong in second place in the Yeshiva League!

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Hempstead Town Councilman Bruce A. Blakeman took the oath of office last week. Administering the oath is New York State Supreme Court Judge Thomas Adams. Councilman Blakeman’s wife, Segal, is standing in between. Councilman Blakeman represents Lawrence, Inwood, and parts of Woodmere and Cedarhurst on the Hempstead Town Board.

Shulamith Lights Up the Stage

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fter months of preparation, beginning with auditions in September and spanning weeks of practice, practice, and more practice, students of Shulamith School for Girls Middle Division took to the stage in our very own auditorium for this year’s production. Little Pach of Shemen, written by Rachelle Freedman and directed by Sari Kahn, provided an evening of entertainment for the enraptured audience of mothers, grandmothers, siblings, and friends. From the opening number entitled, “Miracles,” to the finale in which the entire cast enthusiastically sang Gad Elbaz’s “Hashem Melech,” the Shulamith Middle Schoolers performed with confidence, talent, and panache!

The production, which took place

on Monday evening, January 4, provided students of grades 6 - 8 the opportunity to shine on the stage of the Shulamith auditorium – and shine they did! Under the direction of musical director, Shaindel Antelis, the choir members lifted their lilting voices in joyous song. Choreographer Sydney Schiff provided direction to the dancers who brought youthful energy and exuberance to each dance number.

The incredible actresses impressed us all with their wide ranging thespian abilities. Beautiful costumes added flair to the delightful performance.

In sum, the show served as a vehicle for 31 very capable young ladies to “show us their stuff.” Little Pach of Shemen garnered rave reviews and was a resounding success!

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Five Towns Marriage Initiative Creating a Peaceful Home said or did, but we must realize that no one ever can cause someone else to experience an emotion – no more than someone can cause us to have a certain eye color. We may have trouble in certain situation controlling our own emotions, but in the end, it’s our obligation and within our ability to exert self-control and maintain calm and peacefulness.

We live in a world where we are used to people attributing blame to others for their emotional responses, to the extent that the comment “you made me mad” or “you made me angry” are taken for granted and somehow reflect some truth. But our emotions are nothing more than thoughts, and when our thoughts change, our emotions follow. We can be arguing with a family member and there’s a knock at the door, when suddenly we realize our shul rabbi is at the door, and we forget we were yelling and put on a bright smile!

How did this occur? Because the

emotions of anger don’t truly reflect a reality outside of ourselves, but are thoughts attached to a “mindset” that we are merely caught up in. When the knock occurs, when our respected shul rav is at the door, then the overriding respect and awe for this honored person far outweighs our petty previous feelings of insecurity and anger that fueled our irrational anger. If emotions are just thoughts and driven by what we are thinking, we clearly can decide how we behave and train ourselves to have better self-control.

The nature of the way Hashem created the world is that someone who gets angry often ends up being on the losing end. Our Sages teach us, “The words of wise people are spoken softly.” The nature of people is to be afraid of someone who gets angry and to attack back when someone comes across as attacking.

Anger is especially harmful in marriage. A marriage is meant to

be a safe haven, a place of love and trust. When instead it becomes a place where one spouse is cowering in fear from the other’s anger then a very unhealthy situation results. Let us work on our anger and endeavor to become calm, relaxed people.

Let’s do it for the sake of Hashem Who loves people that don’t get angry and let’s do it for the sake of our spouses who deserve a calm marriage partner. May we merit to keep our cool in every situation.

Five Towns Marriage Initiative provides educational programs, workshops and referrals to top marriage therapists. FTMI will help offset counseling costs when necessary and also runs an anonymous shalom bayis hotline for the entire community Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 9:30-11p.m. For the hotline or more information, call 516-430-5280 or email dsgarry@ msn.com.

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here is a Gemara in Mesechta Pesachin that lists the categories of those that “Hashem loves.” One of those categories listed are “those among us who don’t become angry.” Noach is brought as an example of such a person who was considered patient and did not anger easily. It is brought down that it was in this merit that Noach was saved from the flood, and thus we see just important not getting angry is before Hashem.

We learn that that someone who gets angry is considered as though they are serving avodah zara (idol worship). Such people get so caught up in their anger that they forget that everything that happens is according to Hashem’s will.

It is understandable that at times certain people will anger us. Others may say things that bother us, or do things that upset us. It can at times seem obvious to attribute our anger as “caused” by what someone else

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Lakewood: 575 Prospect St., Unit 251C, Lakewood, NJ Entrance from Summer Ave. across from Ateres Reva Hall

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Community Safety Awareness Event

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ehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi opened its doors to the community this past Sunday morning for a special safety event sponsored by Yaakov Gade, CEO of Cross River Bank, and organized by Dovid Gerber, a Hatzolah paramedic. Rabbi Yaakov Feitman introduced special guest speaker Chris Zaberto, a recently retired Detective with the NYPD Emergency Service Unit who spoke on the topic of “Surviving an Active Shooter Event.”

Over 200 people paid close attention as they were informed in great depth how to utilize the FBI key principles

of survival of when to run, when to hide, and when to fight.

Due to today’s climate, everyone appreciated the knowledge they received to ensure the safety of their family, friends, community, and themselves.

Special thanks to Danny Berg, Naftali Feitman, Yoeli Goldfeder, Sruly Greenberger, and Ari Hahn for their valued assistance with this very important safety event.

For more information regarding this safety event, please contact Dovid Gerber at DovidGerber@ gmail.com

Putting Patients First

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esiree Moses, representing United HealthCare Medicaid’s Quality Incentive program, stopped in on Monday at the office of Total Family Care of the 5 Towns and Rockaway PC (TFC) to congratulate TFC President and Medical Director Dr. Hylton Lightman for achieving all the HEDIS quality standards relevant to pediatrics in the delivery of healthcare to his patients.

The Healthcare Effectiveness and Data Information Set (HEDIS) is one of the most widely used sets of healthcare performance in the United States. Developed and maintained by the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA), HEDIS measures and tracks year-to-year performance among hospitals, physicians and other providers. Consumers can compare health plan performance to other plans and to national or regional benchmarks. Standards are revised, deleted and changed annually. Pediatric standards include adolescent

L-R: Dovid Gerber, Hatzolah paramedic and event organizer; Rabbi Yaakov Feitman, Spiritual Leader, Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi; Chris Zaberto, Retired Detective, NYPD ESU; and Yaakov Gade, CEO Cross River Bank

HAFTR Jump Project Focuses on Havdalah

S well care visits, childhood immunizations, lead screenings in children before 2 years of age, well visits for ages 3 to 6 years, and well visits for newborns through 15 months of age.

“It’s a pleasure working with Dr. Lightman and all TFC providers,” said Ms. Moses. “This is my only pediatric practice to achieve all the standards.”

“We are thrilled,” says Dr. Lightman. “It’s all about putting the patient first.”

ix HAFTR High School juniors participated in the annual NCSY Jump leadership conference, during which they attended lectures about leadership training and performed team building exercises. The HAFTR participants in the conference, which took place last October, were Tami Noskow, Sara Kaufman, Nicole Jacobs, Sophie Kule, Allison Kanefsky and Shelley Horowitz. The goal of the conference is to have each participating school complete three projects and present them to the NCSY board in the spring. One of the tasks was to create a project to enhance the awareness of Shabbat.

The HAFTR Jump team decided to take a different approach. Rather than focus on the many beautiful and inspiring events that take place on Shabbat, the HAFTR students decided to highlight the conclusion of

Shabbat, which is often overlooked.

The Havdalah ceremony is the last prayer said during the Shabbat service. Its text alludes to the separation of holy and ordinary. For most, it helps to usher in the new week on a high spiritual note. HAFTR’s Jump team created Havdalah prayer cards.

The professionally printed cards contain the text of the Havdalah service on one side and the times that Shabbat ends in the Five Towns on the other side. These cards are available and can be picked up at local shuls and select stores on Central Ave.

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Around the Community

Rosh Chodesh at the Levi Yitzchak Library

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osh Chodesh Shevat was an exciting day at the Levi Yitzchak Library!

The day began by hosting students from Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam. In honor of Tu B’Shvat, the girls had the opportunity to explore their own feelings and emotions through the eyes of a tree from the book A

Tree Full of Mitzvos, by Dina Rosenfeld. Following the story presentation and hands on activity, the children wrote and illustrated their very own book of feelings for their class library! We look forward to hosting your children at our next school visit! Book your trip by calling 516-3742665 or email info@lylibrary.org

Concluding the day, we hosted our first Rosh Chodesh Birthday Bash – a grand birthday party for all of our community children honoring the children with their Hebrew birthdays in the month of Shevat!

It was fun pinning the apple on the tree, passing the parcel filled with prizes and receiving goody bags.

We can’t wait to see you all at our next Birthday Bash, on February 8 at 5:30PM. For more information or if you would like to be a sponsor, call 516374-2665 or email info@lylibrary. org.

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YOSS Bachurei Chemed Visit Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim

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ver 45 Bachurei Chemed boys from Yeshiva of South Shore experienced a special day with Rabbi Akiva Grunblatt at Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim this week.

The Bachurei Chemed, led by Special Programs Coordinator, Rabbi Shlomo Drebin, took their mid-year “Chatzi Hashanah” outing to visit and hear

divrei chizuk and bracha from one of the esteemed Roshei Yeshiva of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, who is involved with thousands of talmidim in New York, as well as talmidim and yeshivos throughout the world.

The Bachurei Chemed Society of Yeshiva Toras Chaim of South Shore is comprised of select talmidim from

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grades 4 through 8 who demonstrate middos tovos, hanhaga tova and yiras Shomayim, in and out of the classroom.

The Rosh Yeshiva made an indelible impression on the boys, as he spoke with great passion about the mitzvah of talmud Torah, Hillel Hazaken, and how small differences and improvements can make significant impact on our learning and in our lives. Rabbi Grunblatt suggested bnei Torah should remove the word “whatever” from the English language, because it makes us disregard things that could make a real difference to

our growth.

The Rosh Yeshiva took tremendous interest in each and every one of the YOSS Bachurei Chemed, and spent time to ask each boy’s name, shake their hands, and wish them hatzlacha in their learning. Rabbi Rafi Draiman, Menahel HaMechina at YOSS and a talmid of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim, joined the boys and took them to the Yeshiva’s beis medrash to see hundreds of bachurim learning Torah.

The boys also enjoyed a special meal, celebrating their accomplishments.

We look forward to continued nachas from all our talmidim.

Rabbi YY’s take on spiritual surveys Page 88

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Around the Community

This past Rosh Chodesh the boys in Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island were privileged to hear from Rabbi Menachem Feiffer, Rav of the Agudas Yisroel of Bayswater and Maggid Shiur in Yeshiva Darchei Torah. Rabbi Feiffer encouraged the boys to be careful about saying brochos and the boys sat spellbound as he highlighted the significance of brachos with a true life story of the importance of brachos.

At Shulamith School for Girls, students don’t just learn about chessed; they live it! On Thursday, January 7, 13 eighth graders traveled to Masbia in Brooklyn to help package and prepare food for Shabbat. The girls loaded a truckful of food to be sent to another Masbia soup kitchen and bagged over 500 pounds of apples.

Thanks to Mrs. Rachel Steiner for chaperoning the girls and to Morah Chana Schwartz for making the arrangements.

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Around the Community

Lawrence Students Named Semi-Finalists in Intel Competition

By Tammy Mark

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ee Blackburn and Arthur Chen are once again making Lawrence proud. The Lawrence High School seniors were just named semi-finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search 2016 for their innovative research projects. The two students were selected from more than 1,750 entrants hailing from 512 high schools.

The Intel Science Talent Search is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious pre-college science competition, formerly sponsored by Westinghouse. Entries were submitted by students from 43 states as well as Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., and several American and international high schools overseas. The competition covers the disciplines of science and social science and includes engineering, mathematics, biochemistry, behavioral science, medicine and health.

Blackburn and Chen, both 17, worked under the guidance of Lawrence High School’s Projects Teacher Rebecca Isseroff. Chen, who found out about the semi-finalist title from his friends, studied a material called graphene, a significant material in the research world. “It has a lot of amaz-

ing properties all around. They call it the wonder material,” explains Chen.

As graphene is becoming more widely used, Chen thought it would important to test it on skin to determine its bio-safety. He tested the material on the first 2 layers of skin cells and on bacterial cells. On the testing of epidermal cells, Chen was able to kill cancer cells, though not selectively. He was also able to kill two sections of bacteria and is hoping his research could one day lead to the killing of drug resistant bacteria.

Blackburn worked with hydrogen fuel cells, a type of battery that generates electric energy from chemical energy. The only by-product is water, thus making it a very green energy source. Since the fuel cells can be easily poisoned and weakened by carbon monoxide, he focused on ways to successfully increase the power and the carbon monoxide tolerance.

Blackburn was very surprised when he found out about the semi-finalist nomination. “I was looking for Arthur’s name and I really wasn’t expecting it – my heart skipped a beat!”

The past few months have been an exciting time for academic accolades at Lawrence. Four Lawrence behavioral science students Gabriella Jan, Dahlia Forte, Kiana Nunez

and Samantha Rubenstein, were named Regional Finalists and invited to compete in the Eighth Annual Long Island Psychology Fair. The fair, a forum for the presentation and celebration of students’ research in the field of psychology, was held at Roslyn High School. The students presented papers and PowerPoint slides before a panel of judges. 36 projects were selected from among nearly 100 applicants from all over Long Island, presenting research in social, cognitive, educational, health, developmental and interdisciplinary psychology.

In November, Blackburn and Chen had the opportunity to present their research projects at the Materials Research Society Fall Symposium in Boston, MA. The Materials Research Society is an organization of researchers from academia, industry and government, and a recognized leader in the advancement of interdisciplinary materials research.

There was much interest in both students’ research projects, with many of the scientists surprised to hear that the young men are still in high school.

As semi-finalists in the Intel competition, Blackburn and Chen each received $1,000 for themselves and their school. Principal Dr. Jennifer

Arthur Chen, Lee Blackburn and teacher Rebecca Isseroff - Intel

Lagnado, a former science teacher, is proud to have these young adults representing Lawrence District and places a high value on the research that is being done by all of the students at the high school. “The $2,000 is invested right back into the program to buy more equipment to support it,” she says.

Of the 300 semi-finalists, 40 students will be named Intel Science Talent Search finalists on January 20.

Finalists will have the chance to fly to Washington, D.C., in March, where they will meet the president, present their projects and compete for more than $1 million in awards. Each finalist receives at least $7,500, with the highest prizes being three Medal of Distinction awards of $150,000 each.

Winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony.

Young Businessmen at YKLI

HANC Native American Dioramas

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he eighth graders at YKLI, under the direction of Mrs. Rena Friedman, took part in a very exciting project with a very simple concept: bring to life the idea of laissez-faire economics and free enterprise. Each group was given $50,000 in startup money and an inventory price list to determine what will sell best, how much to purchase, and what the markup should

be. Keeping in mind the cost of rent and advertising and of course, supply and demand, they were up to the challenge! Business negotiations were brisk as products were sold back and forth! Footballs, basketballs, hover boards, swing sets, and BBQ grills were all up for sale under each store logo. The boys did a fantastic job during their venture into business!

fter completing an intensive study of the Native American tribes who once lived in the State of New York, fourth graders in Mrs. Harold’s social studies class at HANC’s Samuel & Elizabeth Bass Golding Elementary School in West Hempstead put their knowledge and creativity to work. The students used a variety of resources to

complete a diorama which told the story of their assigned Native American tribe. The students came up with amazing ways to create scenes depicting the culture of the Native Americans. Each student then presented a report, along with their diorama, to their classmates. The students continue to “WOW” Mrs. Harold!

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

Sh’or Yoshuv Blood Drive Donate Blood, Save Lives

Sh’or Yoshuv 1 Cedarlawn Avenue, Lawrence NY

Tuesday, January 19, 2016 Men 1:00pm - 9:00pm // Women 6:00pm - 9:00pm Men & Women // Special Gift // Hot Buffet Will Be Served Ages 16-75 // Bring Photo ID No appointment necessary // Any questions, please call 718-283-7694 Anyone who is in good health, between the ages of 16-75 and weighs at least 110 lbs. can donate blood. Sixteen year olds need parental consent; please ask the Dean for the consent form.

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Donors will receive a complimentary free gift Food will be served Please bring ID

| maimonidesmed.org

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

CELEBRATING THE COMPLETION OF OUR CAMPUS

Inaugura ing Our New S uden Residence

“ Mr. & Mrs.

Shlomie Hershkop Guests of Honor

The Yeshiva is well known in the world of Yeshivos as a makom where talmidim can grow in their limud haTorah and midos tovos.

The faculty so lovingly provides all the necessary tools to accomplish these tasks. In addition, the General Studies program provides the students with a superb education, to succeed at all levels.

Mr. & Mrs.

Uriel Feldman

Esteemed Alumni Awardees

Rabbi & Mrs. Yossi Yaroslawitz

Marbitzei Torah Awardees

“ Mo zoei Shabbos Parshas Mishpa im February 6, 2016 . 27 Shva 5776 At the Yeshiva Campus 802 Hicksville Road Far Rockaway, New York 11691

Yeshiva of Far Rockaway 802 Hicksville Road Far Rockaway, NY 11691 P: (718) 327-7600 F: (718) 327-1430 E: dinner@yofr.org W: www.yofr.org

MR. MOSHE MAJESKI Dinner Chairman

MR. DANIEL WOLFSON Journal Chairman

MR. CHAIM BALTER . MR. MOTTI FOX MR. CHARLES HARARY . MR. DOV WARMAN Dinner Committee MR. SHMUEL BACKENROTH . MR. YOCHANAN BODNER MR. YOSSI DEUTSCH . MR. YEHOSHUA GELB MR. MORDECHAI MENDLOWITZ Alumni Committee

‫י בה דרך‬ ‫ששי מרן רבי אברהם יפה’ןאזיצ’’תן‬ ’’‫ע‬ ‫ל‬ Yeshiva of Far Rockaway

Yaakov & Ilana Melohn campus in memory of Reb Yosef Melohn z’’l

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Around the Community PHOTO CREDIT: IRA THOMAS CREATIONS

At the Chumash Celebration for the First Grade of Yeshiva of South Shore

At the bris of the son of R’ Avrumi Wachsman, son of R’ Pinchus Wachsman and son-in-law of R’ Malkiel Kotler

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Around the Community Led by Captains Rivka Bennun and Meira Steiner, the Shulamith Middle Division Torah Bowl team competed at HANC in the Eastern Division on Tuesday, January 11. For the second time in a row, Shulamith team members swept the meet, going undefeated in all four of their matches. In preparation for the meet, the girls study on their own or with a chavruta (study partner) at home. They also meet twice a week for practice which they conduct with the buzzers used in the competition in order to increase their speed. The studying hones their learning, comprehension and retention. Win or lose, everyone’s a winner at Torah Bowl, where the “Torah lishmah” (Torah study for its own sake) abounds!

Goldfeder Travels to Baltimore to Support Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer in Historic City Council Race

Every Rosh Chodesh, the boys at Yeshiva Ketana are treated to a special snack sponsored by the Women’s League. Rosh Chodesh Shevat was no different. The boys were treated to Fruit by the Foot and explained the connection of this snack to the Rosh Hashana L’ilaonos.

Rambam Mesivta Writers’ Guild: Creative Writing Workshop

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nce a month, over a dozen students at Rambam Mesivta meet over a shared love of the craft of writing creative fiction.

The group was formed last year by current senior Zechariah Rosenthal and then-sophomores Gabe Greenbaum and Noah Schwartz. The goal was to create a forum for rising writers to have guidance and feedback about their works.

Faculty advisor Mr. Hillel Goldman, Assistant Principal and 9th, 10th, and 11th grade English teacher, provides writing prompts for the group.

The Guild members then have three weeks to write 3-5 page short stories.

The topics range from stories dealing with climate change; three symbols/ incidents; cavemen; twist endings; and so much more. Each month the writers focus on specific skills and writing techniques. Once the stories are given in, each student receives a copy of the stories, about 40-60 pages worth of stories per month. When the Guild meets, each member has already read the works and feedback and constructive criticism are offered. It is an amazing environment that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and chevra. The Guild plans on publishing a “Best of” journal in June.

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ssemblyman Phil Goldfeder traveled to Baltimore on Sunday to attend a fundraiser hosted by Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Azman and the entire Azman family in support of Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer who is running for Baltimore City Council in the 5th District, which includes the orthodox Jewish communities of Baltimore.

Goldfeder encouraged the crowd of over 100 to utilize this unique opportunity to support the energetic and uniquely qualified Schleifer in his bid for the seat. The Assemblyman also touched on his own experiences

as a frum elected official in a multicultural urban district.

“The single greatest lesson I’ve learned from my four years in office is that if you do your job with passion and energy, people will take note,” said Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder. “This has always driven me in my work to help families back home in Queens and today I see this same excitement and sense of duty in Yitzy Schleifer. Yitzy will be tremendous advocate for families in the 5th District and a true source of pride for the larger frum community around the country.”

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Around the Community

Nature and Nissim at Gesher

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he onset (finally!) of winter weather and the beginning of Sefer Shemos were the focus of lessons planning at Gesher this week.

The children in the Nursery were treated to a lesson about the North Pole. It is freezing cold and a mostly dark area due to the fact that there is very little sunlight in the winter. They learned about the polar bears who live there and about the comforting Northern Lights.

The “Incredible Flexible You” unit was on the emotion of being scared.

Stay Healthy on your Vacation See page 106

Body language and facial expressions were examined to identify that emotion on others. We can imagine how scared the Mitzrim must have been during the makkos. The Kindergarten had a lot of fun learning about the makkos through dramatic play and sensory stimulation. The makkos remind us that even nature, like cold winters, are all in Hashem’s control and that He loves us so much that He will even change the “rules” for Klal Yisroel.

“K” was the letter of the week. Many “K” words were discussed at length. A lesson on kangaroos was used and the children were able to see how far away on the globe Australia is from America. They also learned about the almost miraculous ability of the kangaroo to jump high off the ground and to use his tail to balance and for other things.

Another miracle of nature is the growth of fruit from trees. The class learned the bracha of Ha’etz and a unit on fruits followed.

Winter is often associated with colds. The Blue Pre-1A spent some time learning about the spreading of

germs. Morah put some glitter on her hand and after some successive handshakes, glitter could be found on many children’s hands! The class suggested many ways to help stay germ-free and practiced washing their hands effectively.

Snow and ice are also winter-related. The Yellow Pre-1A saw a demonstration of mixing fire and ice, but it did not have the same result as the barad in Mitzrayim. Puppets, visuals, and dramatizations were used to learn about the other six makkos in the Parsha.

But the highlight of the week was that the class finished learning all of the letters in the aleph-beis. A big chazara is underway as the children prepare for their upcoming grand siyum. Here again the learning is reinforced with multi-sensory activities and games.

The first grade is still flying high from their amazing siddur party. The heartfelt tefillos that are emanating from the excited children and their new siddurim makes for beautiful music. They are now learning the mean-

ing and significance of the Birchos Hashachar.

Morah reinforced the appreciation for the gift of sight by focusing this week on the bracha of pokeach ivrim.

The children were introduced to one difference between Hebrew and English. In Hebrew verbs can be masculine or feminine. Learning how to recognize which letters indicate gender association has given the class a new appreciation of their reading fluency.

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R E M E M B E R I N G

R’ Tevye Robinson a”h

By Rivka Levy

E

very now and then the sun sets on a seemingly ordinary human being who quietly has imparted their everlasting lessons onto our imperfect world. Last Sunday was such a day; the sun glistening in all its glory and pictured in fully round perfection, quietly set as the world said their final goodbyes to R’ Tevye ben Menashe, a”h.

There are many ways one can go about living their life; some people are more overt, others more humble; some are more generous with their wallets, while others more generous with their time. There are people who are known to get things done, they have a name, they are there to turn to in times of need and their doors are forever being banged on. And then there are those who the person whose door is being banged on turn to. They are generally the quieter folk in town, unassumingly taking their position of askan. This was the way of R’ Tevye Robinson, a man of action who didn’t need or want the fanfare. If he said he would take care of it, he did, no questions asked.

Mr. Robinson was an engineer, and born one, as he would fondly recount that as a child he would string line across his porch pretending they were electrical wires. His reputation was one of a straight man who cared about safety and always was willing to give a helping hand. He conducted a num-

ber of the home inspections within the Far Rockaway community and was known to always go the extra mile in all of his endeavors. He knew all sorts of things and was the man who could fix your car, help you with your home, or research what you needed to do. He was reliable in every sense of the word.

It was Mr. Robinson’s way of being ordinary that transcended him into the extraordinary human being that he was: unassuming, to the point,

pride in his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and devoted much of his energy into these relationships. He understood the value of building his family and invested the time, love and care to be the glue that kept that building intact.

Often in life we learn lessons not by that which we learn through speeches and schooling, but by watching those around us. We learn how to behave, how to properly respond, and when

He understood the value of building his family and invested the time, love and care to be the glue that kept that building intact. courteous, upright and honest. He epitomized the word yashrus. Always a good morning to those in his company, always a hello and a goodbye, and always a concern for the wellbeing of those whom he came across.

Family was paramount to him – the pinnacle Zaidy who knew how to be a listening ear for his grandchildren and teach when a lesson needed to be learned. His love of his role as a grandfather was palpable in his signature of “ZMR,” standing for Zaidy Man Robinson. Mr. Robinson took deep

and how to engage. We learn what’s important and what’s really not worth our time. Watching Mr. Robinson in action or not in action was a lesson learned each time. A lesson that shalom is paramount to everything. That fighting is really not worth it, but that getting along really is. That G-D cares about honesty and that we should too.

That living a life of Torah and mitzvos is something that you take risks to do. His son, Gedaliah, when being maspid, noted how his father had tremendous mesiras nefesh to choose a

life of becoming shomer Torah u’mitzvos at a time when it was not an “in” or accepted thing to take upon oneself – the decision was one that risked his career but nevertheless one in which he proudly made.

The well-known dictum in Pirkei Avos of “Siyag l’chochma shtika,” “silence is a fence to wisdom,” epitomized Mr. Robinson’s character. Most people knew him as man of not many words, but it wasn’t that he was a quiet man; it was that he was a man who understood the value of keeping quiet and when to speak up.

As Rabbi Horowitz so profoundly said, “Among the lamed vav tzaddikim in the world, a number of them look like R’ Tevye.” Perhaps that message is the one that he gave over the most frequently – that tzidkus isn’t something that sprouts out of nowhere, but something that is cultivated with each good morning you give to your neighbor, each moment you spend with your grandchildren and each time you make the choice to choose the path of darchei shalom because you know that it’s the right thing to do.

Mr. Robinson’s legacy is the one that teaches that perhaps it is truly within our ordinary moments where we have the potential to transcend into the extraordinary person that we can be.

Yehi zichro Baruch.

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

TJH

Centerfold Riddle me ! You gotta be kidding ? this?

Fred was in financial trouble and decided to pray to win the lotto. “G-d, I know I haven’t been perfect but I really need to win the lottery. I don’t have a lot of money. Please help me out.”

After a few days he still didn’t win and continued to pray, “G-d, please make me win…I’ll give so much charity.” But still nothing.

So, he continued to pray and said, “G-d, I promise I really will give so much charity.”

Finally, the clouds opened up and a booming voice rang out, ‘‘Fred, do me a favor, buy a lottery ticket already!’’

Rich people need it. Poor people have it. If you eat it, you will die. What is it?

See answer below

Maybe It’s Not About Luck 

Joan Ginther of Las Vegas has some serious luck. No, it’s not at the poker tables; it’s with the scratch-off cards.

She won a $5.4 million Texas Lotto jackpot in 1993. Then in 2006, 2008, and 2010 she won prizes on three scratchoff tickets of $2 million, $3 million and $10 million, respectively. The odds of this? One in eighteen septillion.

What is a septillion? Well, there are one septillion grains of sand on Earth. Is she just lucky? Hmm…she happens to be a former math professor with a Ph. D. from Stanford University who specializes in Statistics. Maybe she figured something out that we can’t.



In 2001, Denisi Rossi of California won $1.3 million in a lottery. She was in the process of getting divorced and kept the news of her lotto win secret from her estranged husband to avoid having to give him half in their divorce settlement. Turns out to have been a bad decision. A Los Angeles family court judge ruled that she had fraudulently violated state asset disclosure laws and awarded her lottery winnings to her ex-husband. Every penny. Ouch.



In 1992, an investment company from Australia spent $5 million to purchase tickets for 5 million of a possible

7 million combinations for the $27 million Virginia lottery jackpot after they figured out what the possible combinations were for that particular lotto. (Because of a lack of time, they were unable to purchase tickets for the remaining 2 million combinations.) So, did they win? ….drumroll please…

YES! (As a result, lotteries changed the odds, so that the feat can’t be copied.)



In 2005, 110 people won the second prize of the Power Ball, costing the lottery association nearly $19 million it had not counted on paying out. The lottery association investigated because normally only 4-5 people win the second prize. Turns out that all of the people had used the numbers suggested on a batch of fortune cookies. The cookies were traced back to a fortune cookie company in Queens, NY, called Wonton Foods. (If you happen to be CEO of Wonton Foods, please contact TJH Centerfold immediately; I have a question to ask you.)

Answer to riddle: Nothing

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Billionaires Trivia So, you were hoping to win the Powerball and join the ranks of billionaires. Well, maybe you’ll have another chance someday. Just to prepare, test your knowledge of the club you wish to join.

1. Who was the world’s first billionaire? a. Cornelia Vanderbilt b. John D. Rockefeller c. Andrew Carnegie d. John Jacob Astor 2. Which family has the most members in the list of America’s 10 richest people? a. The Kochs b. The Waltons c. The Gateses d. The Rockefellers 3. Which city has the most billionaires? a. London b. New York c. Hong Kong d. Moscow 4. Who is the youngest billionaire in America? a. Mark Zuckerberg b. Evan Spiegel c. Joe Gebbia d. Brian Chesky 5. Who is the first author to have become a billionaire? a. Stephen King b. J.K. Rowling c. James Patterson d. Dr. Seuss 6. Which of the following “billionaires” once filed a lawsuit against an author who called him a millionaire, rather than a billionaire?

a. Henry Ford b. Donald Trump c. Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal d. Mark Cuban 7. What is The Giving Pledge? a. It is a pledge by some of the world’s wealthiest people to donate a third of their wealth to philanthropy or charity in their lifetime or in their will. b. It is a pledge by some of the world’s wealthiest people to donate more than half of their wealth to philanthropy or charity in their lifetime or in their will. c. It is a pledge by some of the world’s wealthiest people to donate all of their wealth to philanthropy or charity in their lifetime or in their will. d. It is a pledge by husbands to give their wives their used undershirts to use as shmattas.

Answers: B- As a young man, John Davison Rockefeller said that his two greatest ambitions were to make $100,000 and live to be 100. He died two months shy of his 98th birthday, at which time he was a billionaire many times over and his assets equaled 1.5% of America’s total economic output. To control an equivalent share today would require a net worth of about $340 billion, more than four times that of Bill Gates,

currently the world’s richest man.

B- The six Waltons, who together own Walmart, have a net worth of $144.7 billion.

B- According to Forbes magazine, New York has 78 billionaires, Moscow has 68 and Hong Kong comes in 3rd with 64.

B- Spiegel, 25, founded Snapchat and has a net worth of $2.1 billion.

B- Rowling went from being a restaurant waitress to being a billionaire when her series of Harry Potter books, the ideas for which she would sketch on napkins at work, sold over 400,000,000 copies.

B- In 2009, Trump filed a $5 billion lawsuit against Timothy O’Brien because his book, TrumpNation: The Art of Being The Donald, said that Trump was only worth millions, not billions. The suit was thrown out by the court.

B - The Giving Pledge was started

by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett in 2010. There are now 147 pledgers.

Ledger: 5-7 correct: Wow! You must really want to be a billionaire, but for now just focus on running for the Republican nomination. (Uh oh, I think I was just served with papers) 3-4 correct: You are such a middle of the road person. Let me guess, you’d probably be happy if you were worth a pedestrian $500 million, right?

0-2 correct: They are not exactly knocking on your door to have you sign The Giving Pledge.

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

Torah Thought

Parshas Bo

By Rabbi Berel Wein

T

he story of the Jewish people’s suffering under Egyptian bondage reaches its climax in this week’s Torah reading and in the beginning part of next week’s Torah reading as well. The Torah does not really dwell on the history and political significance of this momentous event. It tells us of the plagues visited upon the Egyptians, of the stubbornness of Pharaoh and of the eventual capit-

ulation of the Egyptians to the demands of Moshe.

However, it does not in any way inform us of the geopolitical consequences of the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt. Rather, the balance of the Torah readings of the year will concern itself almost exclusively with G-d’s relationship and instructions to the Jewish people.

Even when other nations and

personages are mentioned and described later in the Torah, this is done only regarding their direct relationship to the Jewish people.

So, one can certainly wonder at this seemingly xenophobic exclusive type of narrative. The Jewish people have always been a very small percentage, not only of the world’s population, but also of the population of the Middle East itself.

The Land of Israel, the homeland of the Jewish people, is a very small country covering only a minute portion of the landmass of the vast Middle East. Why does the Torah, so to speak, ignore the rest of human society and geopolitical reality and concentrate only on the story of a small people who will inherit a very small slice of world territory? This question of Jewish exclusivity lies at the heart of a great deal of the internal and external debates regarding Israel and the Jewish people in today’s world as well.

The story of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt is the basis for the root concept of Judaism, that the Jewish people are mysteriously special and unique amongst all other peoples that inhabit the globe.

As the Torah proclaims: “Has there been any other historic occurrence where one nation has been extracted from the midst of another nation?”

Many peoples have experienced revolutions against oppressors and the achievement of national freedom. But the story of the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt remains a singular and unique one.

This is because the purpose for that exodus was not limited to achieving national freedom and personal

comfort. Rather, as expressed so often by Moshe and written in the Torah itself, it was that this people should be a light unto the nations, a chosen people, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation dedicated to the service of God.

Judaism, Jewish values and ideals have penetrated and influenced all sections of humanity.

It is because of this higher layer of freedom that the exodus from Egypt represents that the Jewish people have survived and prospered in spite of all odds and through all generations. Throughout the ages, many in the non-Jewish world have dealt with the issue of Jewish survival and its ultimate mystery. Judaism, Jewish values and ideals have penetrated and influenced all sections of humanity.

One can say that it is the very exclusivity of the Torah narrative and of Jewish thought and lifestyle that carries with it the universality that the Jewish people have achieved.

Among the many great paradoxes of the human story, this paradox of the exclusivity and universality of the Jewish people is primary.

Shabbat shalom.

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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Torah Shmuz

Parshas Bo A Slave to Fashion

By R’ Ben Tzion Shafier

“The Children of Israel did according to the word of Moshe; they requested from the Egyptian silver vessels, gold vessels, and garments.” — Shemos 12:35

H

ashem promised Avraham that his children would be slaves in Mitzrayim, yet they would be redeemed and would leave with great wealth.

And so, when it was time to leave Mitzrayim, Hashem told Moshe to tell the Jews to borrow the silver and gold vessels of their Egyptian neighbors.

Interestingly, the Torah records that the Jews borrowed the silver vessels, gold vessels, and garments. Rashi explains that the order is progressive. To the Jews leaving Egypt, even more valuable than the silver and gold were the garments of the Egyptians. Therefore, while they weren’t commanded to ask for the garments, they did this on their own.

This Rashi is difficult to understand. These were highly intelligent people. They knew that Hashem was fulfilling a promise made long ago.

They knew they were to leave with great wealth, and they also knew the value of the objects involved. A shirt, a cloak, or whatever article of clothing is of limited value. With gold

and silver vessels, they could buy whole wardrobes of such clothing. How is it possible that the clothing was more valuable to them than gold or silver?

The answer to this may be understood with an observation.

BOWTIES AND BELL BOTTOM PANTS

If you look at your parents’ wedding album, you might find yourself wondering, “What were they thinking?

The wild colors. The wide lapels. The strange haircuts.

Didn’t they realize that people would look at them and laugh?”

Of course, the answer is that in those times, that look was “in.” That was the style.

It was the way that fashionable men and women dressed.

And the more fashionable they were then, the stranger they look now. Whether bell-bottom pants, wide lapels, huge bows on the back of women’s dresses or rollers in their hair, each generation has a specific look that it considers appealing, and the vast majority of people kowtow to the demands of dressing fashionably as dictated by social pressure. It’s later on when the fashions have again changed that we look back and recognize how preposterous that old style was.

This seems to be the answer to this Rashi. The people leaving Mitzrayim were born into slavery. They were

brought up in a world where the Egyptians were their rulers and masters. They viewed the Mitzrim as a superior class. And so, the clothing that their masters wore was that of the upper crust, something they couldn’t even dream of owning. When the Jews were given the opportunity to take whatever they wanted, the most valuable thing to them was the clothing. Naturally, they understood that the wealth they were taking out could buy them many rooms full of such clothing, but nevertheless, they still desired those garments because in their world, this was coveted.

This concept is very applicable to us. In the 1960’s, Western civilization underwent a cultural revolution.

Norms and standards that had been accepted for generations were thrown away. The cry of the day was, “Do you own thing. If it feels good, do it. Throw away your inhibitions.” Established guidelines of conduct crumbled. Gone was decency. Gone was chastity. Gone was a sense of propriety and dignity.

We now live in the aftermath of that upheaval. Some of the collateral damage is an over fifty percent divorce rate, which makes the concept of children being raised in a stable home a relic of the past.

And while as Jews we are somewhat apart from this, we are affected. One of the manifestations is the way that our young people dress.

REGAL IN APPEARANCE

One of the most basic concepts that our yeshivos teach is that the Jewish woman is a “daughter of the King.” Regal in appearance, bearing, and manner, she is not ordinary or common. She is a princess.

And as a princess, she isn’t loud or showy in appearance.

Our daughters aren’t showgirls or objects to be ogled.

And so, naturally, their clothing, while attractive, should be modest and flattering as befitting royalty.

Yet, when we look at the picture of today’s weddings or bar mitzvahs, it’s not quite what we see. Seductive and suggestive is more like it, calling attention to the figure in a manner that asks that the wearer be viewed not as a person worthy of honor, but as an object of desire.

Naturally, this is the way of the times, and it seems to be normal — after all, isn’t everyone dressing that way?

The real question is what future generations will say. “Oh, my goodness, look at Bubby!

I can’t believe it! Wasn’t she embarrassed to go out in public like that? And Zaidy didn’t say anything? I mean, I hate to say it, but she looks like… I mean… ummmm…”

The sad reality is that we have become slaves to the whims and fancies of people who do not share our understanding of the holiness of the individual, nor the greatness of the human. Our “fash-

ion gods” who sit in Paris and London dictate their edicts upon us.

Throw out all of last year’s clothing — that’s passé, unacceptable, no longer in.

Pointy shoes? Unforgivable.

Wedgeds are the latest thing.

Banish thy colored clothing and adorn thyself only in black. Modesty? Please.

That’s so old school. Get with the times. And like despots of old, the designers sit in the fashion cathedrals of Fifth Avenue and decree style — and we dutifully follow.

But what can we do? How can we educate the next generation? We need to focus on dignity and self-worth. While clothing may not define the person, if you dress like a plumber, people expect you to change pipes. And if you value your dignity and selfworth, you dress appropriately.

We are an exalted and holy people. We are expected to be a chosen nation, respected amongst the nations. And as such we aren’t slave to any man, notion or fashion — we serve only one G-d. We need to recognize our role in the world and dress the part.

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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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

Between the Lines

Pride Not Prejudice

By Eytan Kobre

T

he old joke is told of two Jews sentenced to execution by firing squad. The officer overseeing the execution had his men assume their positions, and he began to give the final orders.

“Ready.” The men cocked their guns.

“Aim.” One of the pair began to wail the words of Shema, whereupon the other hissed, “Moishe! Shhhh! They’re gonna find out that we’re Jewish!”

As a people, we’ve always had a peculiar, cyclical relationship with our Jewish identity. We immigrate to a foreign land and try to blend in by downplaying (or shedding) our identity as Jews, the world rejects our attempts to fit in and persecutes us, which then forces us to identify openly as Jews. This sorry sequence has repeated itself throughout our history.

The exile in Egypt was no exception. While those redeemed had retained their distinctive language, dress, and names – living as proud Jews (Vayikra Rabba 32:5) – a whopping 80% died during the plague of darkness because they had sought to suppress their Jewish identity to the point where they no longer wished to leave Egypt (Rashi, Shemos 13:18; Tanchuma, Beshalach 1; Ohr

Yechezkel, Emunas HaGeulah, pg. 288).

So it comes as no surprise that we had to prove our Jewish pride before being redeemed. The men had to be circumcised, and each family had to take a lamb – an Egyptian god – tie it to their bedpost for days, slaughter it on their rooftop for all to see, and smear its blood on their front doorpost (Shemos 12:3-7).

The nascent nation had no choice but to demonstrate its pride. Only then could they march out of Egypt as G-d’s people.

The Jew is expected to proud of being one. Yosef was buried in the Land of Israel because he was proud to be called a Jew, whereas Moshe was buried outside the Land of Israel because he was content to be referred to (mistakenly) as an Egyptian (Devarim Rabba 2:8). And despite enormous pressure to downplay or altogether hide his Jewish identity, Mordechai was not afraid to live in Persia openly as a Jew and “tell [others] that he was a Jew” (Esther 3:4). Indeed, there is no greater insult to the Jewish people than having to hide our identity as Jews (Eicha Rabba 1:39).

When renowned Jewish philanthropist and British official Moses Montefiore once visited Warsaw on

some state affair, the anti-Semitic Polish government reluctantly arranged a parade for him down the city’s main thoroughfare.

Mid-procession, a Polish boy threw a rock at Montefiore’s carriage, taunting, “Zhid! Zhid!” (Jew! Jew!).

The carriage halted to a stop. The boy took off, and Montefiore ordered him apprehended.

After a short chase, the boy was caught and brought before Montefiore. “Young man,” Montefiore said, “in my lifetime I have been called by many titles – Lord, Sir, Sheriff, Knight. But all those pale in comparison to what you have called me – Zhid. I am proud to be a Zhid! Thank you.” And with that, he released the boy.

Now, to be sure, no one reading this would deny being a proud Jew. We’d probably be indignant at even the slightest suggestion to the contrary.

But what is it that we’re proud of?

R’ Aryeh Kaplan told of a rabbi skeptical of those claiming to be proud of their Jewish identity. So the rabbi devised a test: when someone boasted of their Jewish pride, he’d respond, “I’m really glad, because you sure look Jewish.” If the person became flustered, the rabbi was sure that the professed

“pride” was hollow.

If it’s to be more than lip service, Jewish pride must be synonymous with a pride in the Torah and its ideals – not jazzy social justice causes or vapid aspirations for “tikkun olam” (Tehillim 119:46). After all, isn’t it the Torah that makes us unique? G-d, Torah, and the Jewish people are inextricably intertwined (Zohar, Achrei Mos 73:1; Nefesh HaChaim 4:11), so there can be no Jewish pride without Torah pride.

This doesn’t insult nonJews or make them resentful; on the contrary, it earns their respect. Indeed, the Jewish people initially sought to ingratiate themselves to the Egyptians by adopting Egyptian cultural norms and trying to fit in (Bais HaLevi, Shemos). But it was only after the plagues – when it became clear that we were a godly people – that the Egyptians began to actually respect and befriend the Jews (Chizkuni, Shemos 11:2).

In the last of those plagues, G-d went house-tohouse killing the Egyptian firstborn. Yet even a firstborn Jew in an Egyptian home would be spared, and even an Egyptian firstborn in a Jewish home would be killed (Rashi, Shemos 12:13).

Now, you have to won-

der: why would a Jew be in an Egyptian home (or vice versa) at such a momentous time? The Jewish people specifically were commanded not to leave their homes that night (Shemos 12:22; Ha’amek Davar, Shemos 12:13). And why would they want to? About to bolt after more than two centuries of persecution, I’d like to think I’d be packing my bags excitedly. But apparently there still were some Jews who might be apologetic, perhaps finding themselves in an Egyptian home (or hosting an Egyptian in their home) still trying to make nice, still not unabashedly proud to be different and Jewish. G-d spared them anyway.

Responding to a wayward Jewish baker in Moravia complaining that his Christian customers would regard him as a “dirty, lowly and despised Jew” if he closed his shop on Shabbos, R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch wrote, “Be aware that you are mistaken about the Christian, the true Christian, just as you are mistaken about the truly loyal Jew.” Non-Jews respect Jews who are proud of being Jewish.

I’ve experienced this firsthand. A few years ago, I represented a petroleum wholesaler in a heated, multi-party litigation that

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

took years to get to trial.

On the eve of trial, one of the parties concocted some outlandish excuse to postpone the trial, and then did the same thing at

adjourned the trial (twice) claimed to be ill and again sought a postponement.

By this time, the judge had enough, and he called all the attorneys into his chambers.

Everyone checked the dates with bated breath, afraid to torpedo the judge’s proposed schedule. The dates seemed to work for everyone – everyone, that is,

The judge stared at his calendar for what seemed like an eternity, at least to me. Then he scanned the room. “Well, at least there’s someone here who believes in something!”

the rescheduled date several months later. Several months after that, the trial finally began. The first few days passed without incident, but on the third day, the same party that already

After reading us the riot act about respecting the court’s time, he consulted his calendar. “The trial will resume on April 1 and conclude on April 2. Anyone have a problem with that?”

except me…the only Orthodox Jew in the room. April 1 and 2 were the last two days of Pesach.

When I apologized that the dates wouldn’t work for me, I could hear the other

attorneys grumbling.

“I know you can’t drive or use a computer,” the judge said to me skeptically, “but can’t you walk here and participate in the trial without using electricity?”

This was getting really uncomfortable really fast.

“Unfortunately, Your Honor, I cannot walk here or participate at all in the trial on those days. I cannot even think about the case on those days.”

The judge stared at his calendar for what seemed like an eternity, at least to me. Then he scanned the room. “Well, at least there’s someone here who believes in something! I’ll reschedule my other commitments for April 8 and 9 and we’ll finish the trial then.”

In the end, my client pre-

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vailed in the case. And while I don’t pretend my principles had anything to do with that, I’d like to think I earned a heap-load of credibility by showing the judge that I was only too happy to abide by the Torah’s principles.

You see, authentic Jewish pride means not apologizing for being Torah observant Jews. If we’re not proud to identify as Torah observant Jews, the world around us will never embrace us. And, more importantly, we will never truly be embracing ourselves.

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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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

The Observant Jew

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

I

n 1988, the Olympics were held in Seoul, South Korea. Each host country gets to choose a new sport to include which is how curling, an obscure mix of shuffleboard and housekeeping most of us have never heard of, came to join the halls of Olympic fame when Canada hosted. When Seoul hosted, however, they added a sport most of us are familiar with – table tennis.

alone. But, in many parts of the world, this competition is watched with great interest, and millions of people keep their eyes on the ball.

However, not since the introduction of that sport to worldwide scrutiny have as many people been interested in ping pong balls as they are this week. You see, there has been no winner in the Powerball lottery for the past ten weeks and millions and mil-

One fellow said, “If I win $1,300,000,000 in the Powerball lottery I will give a quarter of the money to tzedaka! (I’m not sure what I’ll do with the other $1,299,999,999.75.)”

Most of us know table tennis by the name of ping pong but as I recently learned, ping pong is a brand name which has become synonymous with its product like Kleenex, Q-tips and Band-Aids. You may ask why such a simple game which doesn’t seem to require much strength or skill would be worthy of an international competition – and you would not be

lions of people are dreaming of winning the jackpot, currently over a BILLION dollars. The lottery signs are all stuck at 999 million because they never dreamed that a lottery would get this big. Meanwhile, the fate of the lucky winner lies in the numbers printed on those little white ping pong balls.

Costing perhaps pennies each, these little balls

of celluloid are driving people to pour money into the lottery system for a chance at hitting the big time. All eyes are focused on them and what they represent – a life-changing win even if you have to split it.

Now, by the time you read this, the odds are there will be a winner. Based on history, the odds are also pretty good that it will be some homeless guy with no teeth who’s been living on the streets since 1984 or some poor farmer with no teeth who was about to lose the family farm. But, despite the odds, many of the rest of us (who do have teeth) can’t help buying a ticket just to give Hashem a chance to see that the money won’t spoil us.

Despite the fact that week after week the buyers have lost their money, the interest has grown. That’s because each time we fail to win, the jackpot goes up, making the elusive win more lucrative and therefore more attractive. We are drawn to participate.

I don’t think anyone will say that buying the occasional lottery ticket is gambling, but remember that since Hashem is running the show, you really only need to buy one ticket. As a spot-on Jewish raffle campaign in England once said, “It’s 50-

50 odds. Either you’ll win or you won’t.”

People have been making deals with themselves, bargaining with Hashem about what they’ll do with the money if He lets them win.

One fellow said, “If I win $1,300,000,000 in the Powerball lottery I will give a quarter of the money to tzedaka! (I’m not sure what I’ll do with the other $1,299,999,999.75.)”

We’ve promised to support yeshivos and wipe out tuition problems and give people jobs and buy ambulances. They are all good things but we’re forgetting that most of us were not put on earth to sit back and do nothing. For all our good intentions, Hashem simply may not want us to be ridiculously wealthy.

All that aside, though, the ticket-buying frenzy made me think. Winston Churchill said, “Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”

After winning World War II as Britain’s prime minister, Mr. Churchill was summarily voted out of office. He went on to become a professor and best-selling author. When he was down, he certainly was not out.

Despite the fact that people have bought lottery tickets and lost repeatedly, the

prospect of winning keeps them going. And that’s what I think can make us all winners.

Life is full of challenges. We get disappointed, knocked down, and we feel like losers. We question ourselves, our circumstances, and the point of going on. But we can learn the lesson of the lottery. Just because we didn’t win this time doesn’t mean we won’t win next time, and even if we don’t win, that doesn’t make us losers because it’s out of the ordinary to win that way.

If we can learn to keep going, keep trying, and not get discouraged in whatever it is we deem worthwhile, then even if our numbers never come up, we will have truly hit the jackpot.

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 @Rabbi JGewirtz. 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@Jewish SpeechWriter.com and put Subscribe in the subject.

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The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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Another L

k

Heaven’s New Focus Group

By Rabbi YY Rubinstein

T

member of a focus group and allowed himself to be phoned every now and again by this research organization and answer questions the U.S. government was eager to have answers to.

I decided I would amuse myself by answering the questions. I was, in fact, quite interested to hear what they were and was encouraged by the interlocutor’s assurance that it would only take a “few minutes.” As they say around here, “Oh yeah!”

his is a terrible admission for a rabbi to make but the other night I was sitting, staring at my computer screen, hoping an idea would hit me for a chapter in my next book. It didn’t and I grew frustrated and annoyed (that’s the terrible admission bit). Just then I got a phone call from a research organization called American Community Surveys who assumed I was the previous owner of my house in Inwood. He was an Italian-American, had agreed to be a

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Uncle Sam wanted to know (multiple choices)...

A. How many people contribute to the household income?

B. Are you happy with your annual household income?

C. What factors worry you most?

D. What level should local taxes be? [that one was VERY easy... low, very low!]

E. Do you contribute to any organizations in your neighborhood?

F. What factors would make you want to stay in your neighborhood ? [see answer to question D] There were many, many more questions to consider. Twenty “few” minutes later, the call ended and a thought entered my mind. I wondered if I could entertain a teeny-weeny apikorseche thought for a just few moments. Suppose Hashem “delegated” a group of malachim to select a “Focus Group” to see how Klal Yisroel is doing.

The Rambam in Hilchos Avodas Kochavim explains that this was exactly the “teeny-weeny” kind of thought that led to the start of avoda zora. Allow me therefore to state that as the Ramban says at the end of Parshas Bo, Yetzias Mitzrayim showed for all time that Hashem Yisborach personally and constantly observes each and every one of us Himself. He doesn’t delegate.

I allowed myself to imagine a different sort of call where I discovered that just like before, by chance, I (or you) have been selected to take part in “Angels Community Surveys.”

What policies heaven is going to adopt and apply to us, our families, communities and our entire nation in the course of the year will be based on what answers we are honestly able to give.

A. HOW MANY PEOPLE CONTRIBUTE TO THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME?

The Chovos HaLevovos says that question is crucial in determining how much parnassa Heaven sends our way through the year. The more people who depend on you or me makes it easier to answer question B that you are happy with your income. After all, if you are supporting your own family as well as others by giving tzedakah or even taking another family who is struggling under your wing, Shamayim’s “grant distribution” towards you will likely be very generous. The more people who rely on us ironically contribute to our household income!

C. WHAT FACTORS WORRY YOU MOST?

Reb Matisyohu Salomon shlita in his sefer on the Chovos HaLevovos Shaar HaBitachon, translates bitachon not as trust, but as “certainty.”

He writes, “Had Chovos HaLevovos not be written, it would have had to be invented as a therapy.” If you are certain that everything in life comes from Hashem solely for your benefit (even when it seems to us quite the opposite) then there is little room for worry at all.

D. WHAT LEVEL SHOULD LOCAL TAXES BE?

The Gemara in Bava Basra says if we pay our Jewish taxes as we are supposed to and through us the money goes where Hashem intended, then ultimately we will get a “tax rebate.”

The funds will find themselves back in our pockets! If, however, we withhold that money from the less fortunate, we will still find we have to part with the same amount anyway. This time it

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

will go to the IRS or other government agencies eagerly waiting to take it. In that case, the money will never find its way back to us.

E. DO YOU CONTRIBUTE TO ANY ORGANIZATIONS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

There are so many organizations in the Torah world it is hard not to contribute to them. There are Gemachs for loans, medical equipment, furniture, baby clothes and helping to make simchas. The list (I even know of a baby pacifier Gemach!) is seemingly endless.

There is, of course, another fundamental organization you can choose to contribute to. Gateshead Rosh Yeshiva, Reb Avrohom Gurwicz shlita writes in the introduction to his first sefer that although there is a potential place in heaven for every Jew, that is not the case when it comes to techiyas ha’mesim. That reward is greater even than a place in heaven, but it is set aside solely for those who learned

Torah or supported the learning of Torah.

The question of learning Torah of course passes from my musings to one of the real questions Rava says in Shabbos 31a we will be asked when we arrive in heaven. A) Did you act in good faith in your dealings with others? B) Did you set aside fixed times for learning? C) Did you raise a family? D) Did you hope for the geula? E) Did you investigate wisdom deeply?

F) Did you increase your knowledge?

Rashi comments on setting aside time for Torah study: “A person is obligated to engage with the world to earn a living as without a livelihood there will be no Torah. Consequently you must have fixed times set aside to learn Torah so that your entire existence does not get swallowed up in earning money.”

Answering this question positively is harder than it first appears.

When a boy is in yeshiva or a girl in seminary, the opportunity to learn Torah is as easy as it can be. Those

have decided to secure their place in heaven and at techiyas ha’mesim by supporting Torah have made it so (we should remember to thank them by the way!). The challenge comes afterwards when we have left yeshiva or seminary.

It is not only setting aside time for Torah that is hard. Recapturing the hasmada and passion of our youth is hard too. Yet it is only through answering that question with a resounding “Yes!” that we ever truly come to understand the importance of the other questions and are ultimately able to answer yes to them too.

There was one last question that I imagined the “Angel Community Surveys” asking.

F. WHAT FACTORS WOULD MAKE ME WANT TO STAY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD?

The answer to that was given by Reb Yossi ben Kismo who was once on a journey and was proposed an enticing offer. If he were to move from

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his town to a different one, a fabulous wage would be his! He replied, “Even were you to give me all the money in the world, I will only live in a place of Torah.”

Much of the non-Jewish world has started a New Year and are looking towards the next twelve months and hoping that it will bring them success.

We are very blessed in our communities that we can check all the boxes in the Angels Community Survey. In our neighborhoods, people learn and support Torah and through that raise outstanding families. We help those less fortunate and see the hand of Hashem in everything that comes our way. As long as we carry on, when we look towards the next twelve months we can be confident that as a consequence, Heaven’s “Policies” towards us will be very generous and bring us success.

Rabbi Y Y Rubinstein is a writ­er and author who speaks all over the world. He lives in In­wood.

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Jewish History

Kabbalist or Charlatan?

The Life and Times of “Dr.” Samuel Falk, the “Baal Shem Of London”

By Rabbi Pini Dunner

T

he auction room in midtown Manhattan suddenly went quiet. It was late afternoon, Thursday, January 31, 2013. With a dramatic flourish the auctioneer began the bidding for Lot #287. The room was filled with an eclectic mix of seasoned collectors, Hasidic Judaica dealers, and inquisitive aficionados of Jewish art. An atmosphere of eager anticipation hung in the air as the bidding commenced. The lot on sale was a well-executed oil painting portrait of a man known as the “Baal Shem of London.” It is without any doubt one of the most recognized eighteenth-century, Jewish-themed paintings in the world. Strangely enough, however, no one in the auction room was particularly interested in the Baal Shem of London or knew too much about him. That is because the interest in this painting has nothing to do with its subject. Quite the contrary. The interest in this painting is based solely on the fact that the benign, avuncular-looking individual it depicts has for well over one hundred years been consistently misidentified.

The auction catalogue cut straight to the chase in its description: “For more than a century this eighteenth century portrait of the Kabbalist Rabbi Dr. Chaim Samuel Jacob Falk has been broadly misidentified and popularly thought of as being a de-

piction of the founder of the Hasidic movement, the Baal Shem Tov himself.” As remarkable as that sounds, it is absolutely true. My own experience proves it. I grew up in a strictly observant community and heard numerous stories about the mythical founder of Chassidism, Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov. I also heard stories about many other great Hasidic luminaries of that era – the Maggid of Mezeritch, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Bardichev, Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, and more.

We heard the colorful stories about these extraordinary individuals, and although we may have pictured them in our minds’ eye, we had no idea what any of them looked like. There were no cameras in eighteenth century Russia and Poland, and none of these rabbis had ever sat to have their portrait painted by a well-known rococo or neoclassical artist. Except, apparently, for the Baal Shem Tov. Throughout my youth we were regularly shown a picture of the Baal Shem Tov. It was ubiquitous and no one ever questioned its authenticity. Looking back this seems very strange. How could we have imagined that this exotic looking man wearing a large black beret, with a compass in his hand, was the revered founder of the Hasidic movement? Why would he be wearing a beret? Surely he should have been wearing a fur shtreimel? And why was he holding a

The Kestenbaum Judaica Auction catalog from January 2013. This portrait of the ‘Baal Shem of London’ is the most misidentified and misunderstood classical Jewish painting in art history

compass, of all things? If anything he would have been holding a volume of Talmud, or some other sacred book.

Or holding nothing at all. Why would he have been painted holding a mathematical instrument?

Of course, although we didn’t know it then, the answer to all these questions was simple: the man in the portrait wasn’t the Baal Shem Tov at all – it was someone else entirely. The portrait was of Chaim Samuel Jacob Falk, a mysterious character who lived in London during the latter part of the eighteenth century. He was considered a Kabbalist, and known during his lifetime the “Baal Shem of London.” The title “Baal Shem,” or “Master of the Name,” was frequently used at that time to describe people who knew how to write Kabbalistic amulets using G-d’s name.

The fact that Falk was referred to as Baal Shem was evidently how the original confusion occurred with this portrait. But before we delve into the mix-up surrounding the painting, let us take a look at the life story of the enigmatic “Dr.” Falk.

Chaim Samuel Jacob Falk, also known as Dr. Falk or Dr. Falcon, was a bizarre character. His origins are obscure and shrouded in mystery. He was probably born in Poland around 1710, although, like so many other aspects of his life, this “fact” is based on

guesswork and speculation. Almost nothing is known about his early years, other than that he spent time in Furth, Germany, where his mother died and was buried. The only thing we know for certain is that he lived in London for the last forty years of his life.

Throughout his time in England, Falk presented himself as a Kabbalist who could perform remarkable magical feats. It seems his claim to have magical abilities had begun long before he moved to London.

One contemporary writer claimed to have read an account of Falk publicly performing magic in Germany in the presence of various prominent nonJews, and his sudden and hasty arrival in London in 1742 was the direct result of his fondness for such performances. After a public demonstration of his “powers” in Westphalia, he was summarily arrested and thrown into jail for sorcery – in those days punishable by death. Falk’s lucky escape to London undoubtedly saved his life.

England in the eighteenth century was known for its tolerance of eccentrics, whether locally bred or foreign born. Falk found that the Jewish community had readily adopted this broad-minded attitude, and both the Sephardim and Ashkenazim in London warmly welcomed him. Although he was fairly reclusive, his interest in Kabbalah, and apparent practical

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skills using Kabbalah, quickly became known. Legends and myths describing his incredible powers were whispered around the community, and these incredible stories continued to circulate long after his death.

The stories were fantastic, to say the least. The candles in his home stayed alight for weeks at a time. When he ran out of coal for his fireplace, he would utter a Kabbalistic prayer and his cellar would mysteriously fill up with new coal. It was told that on one occasion, after a fire threatened to destroy the Ashkenazi community’s ‘Great Synagogue’ on Duke’s Place, Falk prevented any damage by writing four Hebrew letters on the doorposts, which halted the fire at the entrance of the synagogue. And these are just a fraction of the fables that swirled around Falk. So, who was he?

Through scattered pieces of recorded information we are able to piece together a more accurate picture of Falk than anything gleaned from these fantastic fairytales. Falk seems to have arrived in London completely penniless. For a few years he struggled, and his faithful assistant records that his personal life was

Wellclose Square in London, the upscale residential enclave where Falk settled when he became wealthy and successful. His spacious house included a private synagogue

dividual and particularly attractive to the type of people who are drawn to enigmatic personalities. Two of those people were the affluent Jewish banker Aaron Goldsmid and his son George. At some point they became enraptured with Falk and consulted with him on all personal matters, as well as on matters of business. He, in turn, took their advice on investments, which resulted in him becoming extremely prosperous. He began living in fine accommodations, surrounded by servants and an array of wealthy acquaintances. He launched a pawn-brokering business, and

His face was covered with a star-shaped veil, and his headgear was marvelously fashioned out of parchment, with holy names written on it. A star of pure gold was fastened on each corner of his turban, and names were engraved on them.

fraught with difficulties as he and his wife constantly argued about finances. Eventually things began to change for the better. People were surprised at his sudden change of fortune. How was it possible that someone who had been so insolvent that he was forced to pawn all his belongings had suddenly achieved such incredible material success? Rumors began to spread that he possessed mystical powers that he used to attain wealth.

The truth was more mundane. Falk was an exceptionally charismatic in-

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

bought a large home in an upscale residential enclave called Wellclose Square, in the East End of London, where he built his own private synagogue. He rode everywhere in an extravagant coach drawn by four horses and became an avid collector of books and art. Remarkably, although he was not considered a scholar, this in no way detracted from his reputation as a Kabbalist, nor did the fact that he performed extremely peculiar rituals prevent senior community leaders – including Chief Rabbi

David Tevele Schiff – from considering him their friend.

On one occasion he withdrew into his home for six weeks and allowed it to be known that he was not eating or sleeping for the entire period. After six weeks had passed he sent for a group of ten men to join him – but only after they had immersed themselves in a mikvah. The men arrived at midnight and were asked to clothe themselves in white robes and also to remove their shoes. With that they were invited into a large room lit only by flickering candlelight. One of the ten men later wrote in a letter to his son that upon entering the room, “the saintly man was seated on his throne arrayed like an angel of heaven, diademed with a golden miter, a golden chain round his neck reaching to his waist, from which hung a great star, and holy names were engraved on the star. His face was covered with a star-shaped veil, and his headgear was marvelously fashioned out of parchment, with holy names written on it. A star of pure gold was fastened on each corner of his turban, and names were engraved on them. Who could possibly describe the beauty of the painting on the tapestries that were hung on the walls, with sacred figures, as on the heavenly throne in Ezekiel’s vision…” The letter describes the strange “throne room” as having been divided into an inner section and an outer section delineated by silver chains. Falk instructed five men to sit within the chains, and the other five to sit outside of them, following which he took out an engraved shofar and an engraved trumpet, and presumably blew on them. The letter writer and his nine companions were overwhelmed by

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this melodramatic scene and became Falk’s avid devotees.

Strangely enough none of these activities – which reflected occult rituals rather than anything related to Judaism – elicited any criticism from the leaders of the London community, nor did they lead to any public warnings that he was a fraud. In Europe, however, things were different, and it wasn’t long before Falk’s weird behavior began to ring alarm bells. During the eighteenth century controversies were constantly erupting in the Jewish communities of Germany and Poland as the rabbinate tried to root out crypto-Sabbateans, a subculture of individuals who secretly continued to believe in the Messianic mission of Shabbetai Tzvi. Although Shabbetai Tzvi had died in 1676, there were a cult of people who maintained that he was still the Messiah, and this group secretly perpetuated this and other subversive ideas, employing twisted interpretations of Lurianic Kabbalah.

This phenomenon resulted in a deep antipathy towards the unsupervised study of Jewish mystical texts, and if anyone was discovered studying Kabbalah, or was purported to be using practical Kabbalah, they became objects of suspicion, often resulting in their vilification and even banishment. One famous victim of this attitude was Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, known as Ramcha”l, who was subjected to a relentless campaign of condemnation and then threatened with excommunication after it became known that he had claimed to be studying Kabbalah with an otherworldly “maggid” who regularly appeared to him while he was in a trance-like state.

Another famous target of the fierce anti-Sabbatean crusade was the revered rabbi of Hamburg, Rabbi Yonatan Eibeshetz, whose amulets for pregnant women were examined by the equally revered Rabbi Yaakov Emden, who controversially alleged that the amulets contained references to Shabbetai Tzvi. In his latter years, Rabbi Emden made it his life’s mission to unmask crypto-Sabbateans, and he went to incredible lengths to seek them out so that he could ensure none of these alleged heretics would be able to influence

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any normative and unsuspecting Jewish community.

It was in this context that the Baal Shem of London came to the attention of Rabbi Yakov Emden. Almost as soon as he heard about him, the crusading rabbi swung into action – and he did not pull his punches. In a letter written to a colleague, Rabbi Emden wrote, “Although I do not know him personally, I have heard that he pretends to be an expert in practical Kabbalah, and that he claims to have the ability to discover hidden treasures. He is married to an immoral woman with whom he moved to London. There he found supporters – especially among the lower classes – who tried to use him to enrich themselves. Some rich nonJews also believed in him, thinking that he could discover treasure for them. Using trickery he succeeded in entrapping one wealthy non-Jewish captain, who spent his entire fortune on him and has now been reduced to poverty, and he is only able to survive as a result of Falk’s charity. Incredibly this captain continues to praise him among wealthy Christians, so that they give him a lot of money. In this way the Baal Shem is enabled to live as a man of wealth, and he uses his money to bribe his close followers so that they continue to spread his fame.”

Rabbi Yaakov Emden’s asserted that Falk was a Sabbatean, an assumption he based on Falk’s close friendship with a man by the name of Moshe David of Podhajce, a known Sabbatean who had been expelled from a number of communities. But the guilt by association assumption is problematic. Falk kept a private diary, as did his trusted assistant Tzvi Hirsch. Neither of them ever mentioned Shabbetai Tzvi, nor recorded Kabbalistic ideas associated with Sabbateanism. Although Falk was friendly with Moshe David, it is far more likely that Moshe David befriended him when he discovered that he and Falk shared a fondness for weird and dramatic occult-style rituals. Perhaps they even colluded together to create pseudo-Kabbalistic rituals that would impress gullible people who then paid them money for advice.

One aspect of Falk’s character is

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Falk’s last resting place at the Aldernay Road Cemetery in Mile End, East London. His philanthropic activities during his lifetime, and the generous bequests in his will certainly contributed towards the respectful treatment he was given by community leaders

A vintage photo from Rabbi Dunner’s private collection shows Chief Rabbi Dr. Hermann Adler in his study in London with the portrait of Falk on the wall behind him. It was Rabbi Adler’s publication of this picture in 1908 that led to Falk being confused with Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Hasidic movement

undeniable – he was extremely charitable, and this benevolence is probably what enabled him to carry on with his activities without censure for so long. There was a constant stream of poor people at his door, and none of them ever left emptyhanded. Shortly after Pesach in 1782, Falk wrote his last will and testament. His wife had already died, and there were no children. Aron Goldsmid and his son were appointed executors, along with Goldsmid’s sonin-law, Lyon de Symons. Everything was bequeathed to charity via an endowment fund that would throw off annual payments. Three days after writing his will Falk died, and was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Mile End, East London – where his grave can be seen to this day.

natural powers. We have no reliable record of his successes and failures, or to what extent his clientele were disappointed by his unfulfilled promises. He was never sued in court, nor charged with any crime. His devotees seem to have been pleased with him, and notwithstanding Rabbi Yaakov Emden’s accusations, he was remembered fondly in the London community long after he died.

And had it not been for the portrait painting with which we began, Falk, like so many other minor historical characters, might have eventually been forgotten except, perhaps, for a mention here and there in historical footnotes. A fateful lecture was to change all that. At the turn of the twentieth century, British Chief Rabbi Dr. Herman Adler delivered a lecture at the Jewish Historical Society of Great Britain titled “The Baal Shem of London.” The lecture was an attempt to look beyond the myths surrounding Falk and offer an accurate biographical sketch that took all the known details of his life into account. The public lecture included a viewing of the portrait, which had been in the Goldsmid family’s private art collection since Falk’s death.

In 1908, the lecture was published together with a picture of the painting. This is what Rabbi Adler had to say about it: “The annexed portrait is from an original painting in the possession of Mr. W. H. Goldsmid by [John Singleton] Copley, and is fully worthy of the artist. The likeness bears out the description of the Baal Shem given by a contemporary, who writes that ‘when

Miracle-worker, charlatan, psychic, Sabbatean, physician, alchemist, heretic, philanthropist – every single one of these adjectives has been used to describe the Baal Shem of London.

As is the case with most dubious characters who purport to be something they are not, Falk was most likely not a complete fraud, and he probably did possess certain skills and intuitions that he used as a foundation to create an aura of mystique around himself so that he could profit. It was the era just before scientific sophistication, and anyone with knowledge of basic chemistry could dazzle an uninformed audience, if that is what they chose to do. Put Kabbalistic symbolism and dramatic rituals into the mix, and the credulous were easily convinced that Falk possessed super-

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he walks abroad he is garbed in a flowing robe, which strikingly harmonizes with his long white beard and venerable features.’”

Rabbi Adler’s assertion that Copley was the artist was guesswork, as the portrait is unsigned. Copley was unlikely to have been the artist, and there is speculation that the artist was Philip James de Loutherbourg, a close friend of the Italian adventurer and occultist Giuseppe Balsamo – also known as Count Alessandro di Cagliostro – who spent time with Falk in London after his dramatic expulsion from France. It is possible that Cagliostro introduced Loutherbourg to Falk, as all three of them shared a fascination with alchemy and the supernatural. We will never know.

What we do know is that the publication of the picture resulted in a mix-up. Within a matter of months the picture was appearing elsewhere in Jewish publications identified as a likeness of Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov. The confusion was based on a simple misunderstanding. In the eighteenth century any rabbi who was skilled at amulet writing could be referred to as a Baal Shem, but by 1908 there was only one Baal Shem in popular consciousness – the founder of the Hasidic movement.

Even though the rabbi depicted in the portrait did not appear to be a saintly Ukrainian rabbinic leader, the title Baal Shem was enough for people to make the mistake and use it to illustrate articles and books about the Baal Shem Tov. And that is how an obscure portrait of a smiling, weirdly attired charlatan mystic became one of the best-known images of any eighteenth century Jew. The auction house estimated the painting at $30,00050,000. In a fevered bidding war it eventually sold to a private buyer for $75,000. Once again, “Dr.” Falk had been the center of attention. Could it be that the fact we are still talking about Chaim Samuel Jacob Falk 233 years after his death has something to do with his mysterious powers? An intriguing thought. I don’t think so, but who knows?

Rabbi Pini Dunner is the Rav of Young Israel North Beverly Hills in California.

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Corruption in our Capitol A Discussion with Local Politicians about Rotten Apples in the Big Apple

By Nachum Soroka

W

hen the members of the New York State Legislature returned to the 2016 Assembly session in the first week of January, their focus wasn’t only on representing their constituents’ interests; it was also on better

representing themselves to their constituents. The state’s legislative bodies’ reputations were sullied in 2015 with the arrests and indictments of the top members of the Senate and Assembly, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R) and

Speaker Sheldon Silver (D), both on charges associated with corruption. The Moreland Commission, Governor Cuomo’s appointed group dedicated to rooting out fraud from within the state government, was spontaneously disbanded, leaving

many to wonder whether there were things the Governor himself needed to hide.

Together with Governor Cuomo, Skelos and Silver made up the so-called “three men in a room” in Albany, the term used by U.S. At-

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Assemblyman Goldfeder: “We as

Assemblyman Kaminsky: “When elected

Assemblyman Hikind: “We have a

lawmakers have a responsibility to represent our district’s people honestly and to the best of our abilities.”

officials put themselves first over their constituents, they rob us of their honest services and our faith in democracy.”

Republican Senate and Democratic House. That makes coming to agreements so difficult.”

torney Preet Bharara to describe the longstanding, secretive way of how politics gets done in New York.

For years, much of the deal making in the state capitol has been completed by the three most powerful members of the government, away from public scrutiny, ensuring unaccountability.

Bharara’s arrest of Speaker Silver on charges of corruption associated with his drawing of a salary from a law firm where he had not actually worked for years and Leader Skelos’s indictment on arranging lucrative contracts for his unqualified son, have led the public to question the allocation of power in Albany. Mr. Bharara has signaled that he has not yet turned his focus away from the state government, and powerful heads may still roll. In December, the local tabloids loudly reported that Silver and Skelos were still set to receive large, publicly funded pensions. Lawmakers now find themselves needing to reassure the public that they are, in fact, the servants of the public they present themselves to be when they are back home from Albany. On the top of the list of new legislation to be passed this year is one which will ensure accountability in the government and reassure constituents 2015 was a year when the few bad apples were uprooted from the mix.

Recently, I discussed the events

of last year and the upcoming legislation with Assemblymen Todd Kaminsky (D) of Long Island, who is a former assistant district attorney in Queens and member of the U.S. Attorney’s office; Phil Goldfeder (D) of Queens and Far Rockaway; and Dov Hikind (D) of Brooklyn.

TJH: It’s interesting that so far the only two officials targeted for corruption charges were the two highest members of the State Legislature: Speaker Silver and Leader Skelos. Then again, we keep on hearing that there may be more indictments to come.

Was this issue isolated to the top of the government? Are your fellow lawmakers in Albany concerned about their future?

Todd Kaminsky: I entered public service to fight for the community I love. If any corrupt politician views public service merely as a means to further enrich themselves, or their families, then they’re in the wrong line of work. They’re also a criminal.

Most elected officials I’ve met are honest and hardworking. But too many Albany politicians think of themselves first and taxpayers second – and the evidence is in the number of corruption convictions over the last 15 years. That is why

I have spent my career fighting for honest government – both as a federal prosecutor and as an assemblyman – and I will continue to do so.

Phil Goldfeder: I think that what everyone needs to know is that the majority of lawmakers up here in Albany are genuinely well-intentioned and good public servants who come here to represent the people back in their respective districts. In any situation there will be a minority of corrupt individuals.

And, as is the case with any state government, there will always be some “gray areas” where some people get caught up.

Gray areas? Can you elaborate on that?

Goldfeder: Look, the legislature is in session for only six months a year: from January until June.

Technically, being a state lawmaker is a part-time job. In fact, more than one-third of the legislature has some form of outside employment.

And the problem is when these forms of employment fall in some sort of gray area – if they actually conflict with one’s responsibilities as a public servant.

That’s not to say that there never any corrupt politicians; Dean Skelos’s situation [whose son was awarded lucrative contracts based solely on his father’s position] seems like it was a straight-up quid pro quo arrangement; Speaker Silver’s

case was one of questionable activity with an aggressive prosecutor.

Kaminsky: I always tell lawmakers the same thing: if you didn’t do anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.

Some people wonder just how much of the charges brought against Speaker Silver and Majority Leader Skelos actually affect the public.

Were these infractions merely taking undeserved salaries or winning a few contracts?

Kaminsky: Absolutely not.

Corruption is not a victimless crime. Every taxpayer on the South Shore, on Long Island, and in New York State is a victim of the greed, conspiracy and dishonesty of our elected leadership. When elected officials put themselves first over their constituents, they rob us of their honest services and our faith in democracy. Corruption is not just about the powerful enriching themselves; it is about them stealing from the people they swore to help.

Can you elaborate on what happened with the Governor’s Moreland Commission, which was appointed to discover these things in the first place?

It was dubiously disbanded and then, all of a sudden, the U.S. Attorney’s office starts

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scrutinizing Albany.

Goldfeder: Right now, there are 350 theories about what went on in the Governor’s head. What I think happened was that from the start, the Governor wanted certain amounts of reform [to the aforementioned gray areas]. But, understandably, he was met with some resistance. The Commission was his response to this resistance. Finally, people got serious about coming to resolutions on these issues, so he felt the Commission wasn’t necessary anymore.

I think that it was some of the issues discovered by the Governor’s Commission that made the U.S. Attorney’s office aware of the subject.

These arrests have definitely caused the public’s perception of the State Legislature to drop. How can the government restore the people’s faith in its lawmakers?

Kaminsky: First off, Silver and Skelos were convicted of corruption by a jury of their peers. But they are using a court ruling to allow them to collect six-figure pensions at the taxpayers’ expense. There has been proposed legislation to block such occurrences, but it has never been passed. To restore New Yorkers’ faith in their government, Silver and Skelos should not receive public pensions.

Goldfeder: Already, we have a system where a politician can get his or her outside employment pre-approved by a body in Albany which says that it won’t conflict with his or her work. But even after that, one needs to be honest. If you’re working on the side as an attorney, for example, you must disclose any potential conflicts your work has with the State or recuse yourself entirely.

Having said that, one of our first priorities for this new session is still to pass new reform in Albany to clear up some of these gray areas.

What may be included in this new legislation? I know that part of the issue is the large disparity in cost of living between lawmakers from our area and lawmakers from upstate, such as Albany and

Rochester. All of their salaries are the same, but when they go back home, those from “downstate” have greater expenses.

Goldfeder: That’s definitely an issue. We could raise all salaries across the board and disallow any outside employment. Some may want to just put a cap on outside wages. Then again, we can always increase the requirements for disclosure of outside employment.

Kaminsky: First and foremost, we need to ban or significantly reduce outside income for state legislators and eliminate pensions for convicted public officials. Outside income has been the source of corruption time and again, and allowing big money to tempt lawmakers continues to motivate the corrupt.

Similarly, we must modernize our campaign finance system by closing a loophole that allows limited liability corporations to give huge amounts of money to candidates and by lowering the donation limits.

Dov Hikind: Outside income is definitely an issue in Albany that needs to be taken care of. I think everybody is willing to reach some sort of legislation which will curb it. But, as with all legislation, it will take a month, maybe two months to reach a consensus. And that’s the key word here – consensus.

Eventually, certain measures will be passed. But we need to come up with measures which all parties will agree to.

On a personal level, I am willing to support anything that helps us resolve this issue. But we need a consensus.

Can you give an example of how difficult reaching a consensus in Albany could be?

Hikind: One of the most important issues we face as a community is receiving tax credits for tuition we pay to yeshivos and Bais Yaakovs. Last year, thanks to the efforts of my fellow politicians, the OU, the Agudah and the Catholic Conference, the Governor introduced tuition tax credits to the floor, but he bundled it together with other legislation, such as the DREAM Act (for undocumented immigrants). Needless to say, it

couldn’t pass that way in the Republican Senate.

This week is the first real week of sessions in Albany. In the State of the State address this week, the Governor is expected to present the tuition tax credit as a separate bill. That makes us already ahead of where we were last year. But these things take time, maybe months.

Dean Skelos’s conviction and removal from office has major implications for the State government and his constituents in Nassau County.

Kaminsky: For 30 years, Dean Skelos was a major figure on the South Shore and in local politics – but he abused his power, and his remarkable downfall serves as a call for reform and new leadership.

them elected there, whether it’s for education, such as yeshiva funding, or other matters. We as lawmakers have a responsibility to represent our district’s people honestly and to the best of our abilities.

What are some of the major issues which are “up for grabs” this session that are subject to these political winds?

Hikind: We have a Republican Senate and Democratic House. That makes coming to agreements so difficult. As I mentioned before, for me, tuition tax credits for our community is the number one issue this session. We have the Senate and Governor on board, but we still need the Assembly. Some of the members are ideologically opposed to giving any

For years, much of the deal making in the state capitol has been completed by the three most powerful members of the government, away from public scrutiny, ensuring unaccountability.

Nassau County taxpayers are tired of being the victims of dishonest government officials, and there is an urgent need for new, honest leadership. If Skelos’s conviction leads to more honest, transparent and ethical government in Albany and in Nassau County, then something good will have come from the corruption we have all been victims of.

Goldfeder: Whenever the lead lawmaker is “your guy,” you have a powerful voice in the government backing your needs. Nassau County had that with Dean Skelos, and whoever wins his seat in the Senate will be only a freshman. There are only 63 seats in the Senate and the makeup between Democrats and Republicans is really close. So every seat makes a difference.

Ultimately, between the Senate and Assembly, there are 213 people fighting for the people who got

money to parochial schools; some are heavily influenced by the teachers’ union, the UFT. We need to ask ourselves: what can we do different this time around? The Cardinal suggested we reach out to the UFT to see if we can come to some sort of meeting of the minds. That is an excellent idea.

People have to realize that New York has the highest costing public education system in the U.S. and are schools are still failing. That was after $2 billion was added for them last year. We can certainly find money for the private and parochial schools in the state.

Like I mentioned before, it is a good sign that Governor Cuomo has kept tuition tax credits separate from other legislation this year, but we still have a long shot. We would be happy with anything; we must be smart and have a good game plan.

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‎My Israel Home

The Evolution of Machaneh Yehudah

By Gedaliah Borvick

H

ow does a sleepy community become a hot residential destination? Sometimes the addition of a new train station can turn a town into an “up and coming” bedroom community of a thriving metropolis. Frequently the creation of a new business hub or a new mall lures residents to the city. Interestingly, sometimes the rejuvenation of an iconic landmark can help energize a community – as we have witnessed in Nachlaot, which houses the historic Shuk Machaneh Yehudah.

I have vivid recollections from over thirty years ago, heading off with my rebbe to Machaneh Yehudah, the outdoor market also commonly known as “the shuk,” to purchase fruits and vegetables for Shabbat. A lot has changed since then. Nowadays, one can purchase almost anything imaginable,

including food, clothing, jewelry, art, flowers and housewares.

Fascinatingly, the shuk has also become a major restaurant center. When my children wanted to go out to Jerusalem for dinner this past summer, their restaurant of choice was Pasta Basta in the shuk. When I had a business meeting and the banker suggested fish and chips, where did we trudge off to? Of course, to the eponymous eatery in the shuk. And when young people want an authentic Jerusalem pub experience, they often go to one of the shuk’s bars, which offer a casual and welcoming setting.

HISTORY

The market dates back to the end of the nineteenth century, coinciding with the winding down of the Ottoman period. In its early years, farmers would gather

at the shuk to sell their produce to the locals. During the British Mandate Period, from 1917 until 1948, the market began to expand.

Sensing opportunity, in the 1920s the famed Eitz Chaim Yeshiva, located around the corner on Yaffo Street, had an inspired fundraising epiphany and built a row of shops and collected rent from the merchants to generate income for the yeshiva.

After the creation of the State of Israel, the market continued to develop and expand. Starting in the 1980s, significant renovations were made, but at night the shuk emptied out.

In 2002, Café Mizrachi opened as the first restaurant within the shuk. After initial skepticism, the idea of dining in the midst of the hustle and bustle caught on, and many more bistros opened. Today, there are approximately thirty eateries

within the shuk’s confines, which attract foodies who delight in the tremendous diversity of cuisines. In addition, there are over a half dozen bars, which offer an authentic vibe, either via their live music or their local crafted beers.

NACHLAOT’S REVITALIZATION

Nachlaot’s neighborhoods were established beginning in the 1870s to alleviate the Jews’ cramped and unhealthy living conditions within the Old City. Nachlaot’s heyday was from the 1920s through the 1950s, and then the community suffered through decades of neglect. Similar to the shuk, Nachlaot experienced a renaissance which began around twenty five years ago.

Many families were attracted to the neighborhoods’ charm, with its winding lanes, attractive courtyards

and spiritual character.

Some people renovated the original homes, while others preferred the beautiful luxury towers that have sprung up on the outskirts of the neighborhood.

Machaneh Yehudah and the delightful community of Nachlaot have always been a favorite attraction for tourists. As the shuk and the surrounding area continue to gentrify, more and more clients are starting to rethink the neighborhood as not only a tourist destination but also as a residential destination.

Gedaliah Borvick is the founder of My Israel Home (www. myisraelhome.com), a real estate agency focused on helping people from abroad buy and sell homes in Israel. To sign up for his monthly market updates, contact him at gborvick@gmail. com.

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

The Palestinians’ Willing Executioners

By R. Hunter

A

s the current terror wave winds itself down primarily due to a depleting inventory of potential terrorist wannabes, now is the time to ponder what makes these local Palestinian Arabs so barbaric and so hateful of Jews and Israelis that they have no reservations stabbing and murdering infants, children, women and men as they go about their daily chores. The biased and superficial explanations provided by the international media do so exclusively through the prism of the so-called “Occupation” de-

spite the fact that they have been reporting on the century-long hatred of Jews in the Middle East preceding the establishment of the State of Israel and preceding the Six Day War after which Israel regained control of Judea and Samaria. This primal hatred and need to butcher and murder Jews has been around way before the Arabs began calling themselves Palestinian Arabs. Before there was Israel... Palestinian Arabs still killed Jews.

Apparently, the explanation that Jews living in houses, aka “settlements,” is the root cause for Palestinian

Haj Amin al-Husseini meeting with Adolf Hitler, December 1941

Arabs killing Jews doesn’t hold water any longer. When there was a “freeze” in housing, Palestinian Arabs still killed Jews. Maybe it’s not the Jewish houses or the socalled “Occupation” that are at issue here. Maybe it’s the Jews. And maybe it’s their Palestinian Arab murderers and their primal hatred of Jews.

For the Palestinian Arabs and the Palestinian Authority (an organization funded by the Obama Administration and European nations) premeditated murder has become a tool for redemption. The current terror wave and primal Palestinian Arab hatred of Israel stems not from the current period but from the link between Nazism and the nascent Palestinian Arab national movement during the years of the Holocaust preceding the establishment of the State of Israel. For example, in a Nazi directive of 1943: “The extermination of Jewry throughout the world is the precondition for an enduring peace.” Such a statement is remarkably similar, if not identical, to the Palestinian Arab political and religious leaders then and now who proclaim at every opportu-

nity that the Zionist regime will be wiped out and humanity liberated. The common thread unifying the desire for the total destruction of Jews is shared by both Palestinian Arab terror and Nazism, hence the validity of the term Islamo-Nazism.

The Nazis spoke of redemptive anti-Semitism, namely a form of anti-Semitism that explains all in the world and offer a form of “redemption” by exterminating the Jews.

Palestinian Arab leaders provide the same rationale for murdering Jews and Israelis in particular. The Palestinian Arab Authority broadcasts daily programs to children and adults on TV glorifying terrorists killed as they attempted to murder Jews, hanging their pictures on lampposts in major Arab Palestinian cities, and promising heaven for those who murder Jews.

From a historical perspective, Haj Amin al-Husseini, the founder of Palestinian nationalism, was notorious in his efforts to persuade the Nazis to extend their genocide of the Jews to the Palestine Mandate. The Mufti met Hitler and Himmler in Berlin in 1941 and asked the Nazis

to guarantee that when the Wehrmacht drove the British from Palestine, Germany would establish an Arab regime and assist in the “removal” of its Jews. Hitler replied that the Reich would not intervene in the Mufti’s kingdom, other than to pursue their shared goal: “the annihilation of Jewry living in Arab space.” The Mufti settled in Berlin, befriended Adolf Eichmann, and lobbied the governments of Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria to cancel a plan to transfer Jews to Palestine. Subsequently, some 400,000 Jews from these countries were sent to death camps.

The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the Mufti Haj Amin al-Husseini in the Palestine Mandate played the leading roles in inculcating the spirit of Nazism into Muslim consciousness. Nazis found refuge after the end of World War II and continued their activities in exile in the Arab world, mainly Egypt.

Academicians throughout the world are aware of the Muslim-Nazi connection, knowing the historical consequences of “redemptive anti-Semitism.” Yet, rather than exposing this indisputable historical fact, they

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Hamas ‘youth group’

lend their support to organizations claiming that Israel is conducting a Holocaust against the Palestinian Arabs. The fact that since 9/11, Jew-hatred has reached truly epidemic proportions in the Islamic world has been also been downplayed or ignored by academics, politicians, and opinion makers in the media.

its methods of subversion.

Overlooked in the history books is the fact that about 100,000 European Muslims fought on the Nazi side in World War II. They included two Bosnian Muslim Waffen SS Divisions, an Albanian Waffen SS Division in Kosovo and Western Macedonia, the Waffengruppe der-SS Krim, formations consisting

Al-Husseini greeting Bosnian Waffen-SS volunteers with a Nazi salute, November 1943

nich massacre of 11 Israeli athletes. He acquired much of his subversive skills at the KGB headquarters in Moscow, where he received (at Moscow University) his Ph.D. on Holocaust Denial.

No Western society would tolerate a Holocaust denier holding a prominent position, but Abu Mazen has been accorded respect and

Whereas this paradigm has been used before

by Nazis, the Palestinians take it a step further, turning demonization of Jews into the basis for the Palestinian denial of Israel’s right to exist and a central component of the Palestinian national identity.

Since the Oslo Accords of 1993, Israelis have been subject to a type of thought control that has eliminated confronting inconvenient information about the Mufti and Palestinian Arabs’ admiration of Nazism, along with the later links of the PLO and its leaders with the Soviet Union and

of Chechen Muslims from Chechnya, and other Muslim formations in Bosnia-Hercegovina.

Nor has much been mentioned about Abu Mazen, the unelected president of the Palestinian Arab Authority. In 1972, Abu Mazen was responsible for raising the funds required for the Mu-

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is welcomed in all major capitals of the world. He represents the indisputable connection between spirit of Nazism and its central role in Islamic consciousness.

Palestinian Arab anti-Semitism has long been recognized as the Arab world’s prominent vehicle for the hatred of the Jews. From

academics teaching that Judaism permits murder and violating of non-Jews to religious leaders teaching that Islam demands the extermination of Jews, Palestinian redemptive anti-Semitism is a compelling force driving hatred and terror. The Palestinian Authority depicts Jews as the archetypal force of evil throughout history.

Jews are said to be responsible for all the world’s problems: wars, financial crises, even the spreading of AIDS. Jews are a danger to humanity. Whereas this paradigm has been used before by Nazis, the Palestinians take it a step further, turning demonization of Jews into the basis for the Palestinian denial of Israel’s right to exist and a central component of the Palestinian national identity. The anti-Semitic oppression, persecution and expulsions suffered by Jews throughout history are presented as legitimate self-defense responses of the nations of the world.

Palestinian Arabs, in ways similar to the Nazis in the past, have created a false and deceptive reality that will sooner than later crumble and implode. Over the past five years we have

all witnessed how quickly Arab leaders throughout the Middle East have to flee from their own people due to the eruption of rage and hatred by the Arab mobs. The true narrative of the Middle East is that no Arab state genuinely respects human rights. No Arab state hosts a responsible media. No Arab society fully respects the rights of women or minorities, and no Arab government has ever accepted public responsibility for its own shortcomings. Blame has become the opium of the Arabs, and the greatest blame for their failures is that which is directed at Israel. So is born the obsessive campaign to demonize and de-legitimize Israel, the home of the Jewish nation.

Only by spreading the word and exposing the historically lethal link between Palestinian Arab terror and Nazism, the modern torchbearers of “redemptive anti-Semitism,” can we regain the moral high ground in defending Israel against the global tsunami of ever-growing anti-Semitism and hatred of the Jewish State.

R. Hunter, a former New Yorker, now lives in Israel.

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

Forgotten Her es

The Bravery of Leroy Diamond

By Avi Heiligman

Marines of Guadalcanal

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merica’s first half a year of fighting during WWII can pretty much summed up as a complete disaster. Nothing was done to contain the Nazi war machine in Europe while the Japanese roamed apparently at will in the Pacific taking Allied strongholds with ease. Then came the decisive Battle of Midway in June 1942 with the Japanese losing four almost irreplaceable aircraft carriers. The U.S. would lose the USS Lexington but would replace her with dozens more fleet carriers. This, with a few aerial victories, made Americans think things were looking rosy. However, the commanders knew that a ground victory was needed to turn the tide of the seemingly invincible Japanese Army. The marines were tasked to take an island in the Solomon Islands so that the engineers could build an airstrip for planes to bomb other strongholds. Guadalcanal would take six months

for the marines to secure and in the process many marines distinguished themselves in battle.

Three men in particular were cited for bravery during the Battle of the Tenaru on August 21, 1942. The fight, sometimes called the Battle of the Ilu River or the Battle of Alligator Creek, was the first major land offensive by the Japanese on Guadalcanal. When the Americans landed their main objective was Henderson Field – the

airfield that was key to the campaign. 3,000 marines of the 1st Marine Regiment under the command of Colonel Clifton B. Cates dug in knowing that a Japanese charge was coming soon. They were facing 900 elite Japanese soldiers under Colonel Kiyonao Ichiki. The men of the Ichiki Regiment would run into a machine gun squad led by Brooklyn-born Corporal Leroy Diamond, who was Jewish, along with Privates Albert Schmid and Johnny

A U.S. Marine patrol crosses the Matanikau River on Guadalcanal in September 1942

Rivers of Company H. Cates sent the 1st and 2nd Battalions along Alligator Creek and waited for the Ichiki Regiment. Ichiki himself was not expecting the marines to be that far from Henderson Field and sent 100 men across a sandbar which was promptly cut down by machine gun and cannon fire. Soon the fighting became so close that hand-to-hand combat ensued in some of the defense emplacements. After

Colonel Ichiki

a second wave of Japanese attackers faltered Ichiki was advised by another officer to pull back but he refused.

Across the Ilu River, Diamond and his crew manned a .30 caliber water-cooled hand-fed machine gun and heard the Japanese yell “Banzai” as they made the suicidal charge. Johnny Rivers opened fire but was soon killed in action. Nearby another marine machine gun nest was put out of action and it was just Diamond and Schmid left to defend their positions. Schmid took over the firing position while Diamond fed the bullets into the gun. A bullet slammed into Diamond’s arm, forcing him to stop loading the gun.

Schmid loaded the gun himself while Diamond pointed out targets.

The battle had been raging for four hours when a Japanese soldier tossed a grenade into the machine gun nest blinding Schmid and wounding Diamond’s arm and hands again. They

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

were almost helpless when a sniper started shooting at them in the predawn light.

Even though he couldn’t see, Schmid picked up the gun and Diamond directed the fire upon the sniper’s position, silencing the enemy. Another squad member, Private Whitey Jacobs, ran through a hail of Japanese bullets to attend to Schmid’s and Diamond’s wounds before evac-

uating them to the rear.

The Marines held the line through the night. Ichiki was either killed by machine gun fire or committed ritual suicide after burning the regimental colors (the Japanese way of war is starkly different to anything seen before in history). Another marine battalion crossed Alligator Creek and counterattacked and cut off the path

of retreat for the remaining Japanese. Over 800 enemy soldiers were killed and only fifteen were captured – most of them badly wounded.

Marine units inspected Diamond’s and Schmid’s machine gun nest and discovered over 200 dead enemy soldiers. 41 Americans were killed in the battle.

For their actions, Diamond, Schmid and Rivers (posthumously) were awarded the Navy Cross which was awarded to marines as well as sailors. Leroy Diamond’s citation reads in part: “Lacking the protection of riflemen, Corporal Diamond’s machine gun squad was forced to tear down its frontal protection to meet the oncoming strong Japanese landing force. In spite of tremendous difficulties, the enemy attack was coura-

geously met and repulsed by fierce and determined fighting during which Corporal Diamond was seriously wounded. His personal valor and loyal devotion to duty contributed to the defeat of the enemy and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”

The Battle of Guadalcanal lasted until the Japanese evacuated the island in February 1943. It was the Americans first major land victory of the war with the stage being set by the bravery of Leroy Diamond and his men early in the campaign.

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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Dr. Deb

How Do You Say I’m Good When Things are Bad?

By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

O

On the other hand, you’re really tired of saying, in a bouncy way, “Good! And how are you?” when, in fact, you don’t consider the above list of situations in your life to be good at all. You kind of feel like a cheat, like you’re wearing a mask for the world and you can’t be you.

That’s a lonely place.

So how do you get to “good” when things aren’t?

I just learned of a way out of the mess that was so incredibly cool I

G

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E

RE AT SH W IP ED W DI O NG RL DW GI F ID T! E!

bviously, when the checkout lady at Gourmet Glatt says, “And how are you doing today?” she’s not expecting you to tell her how your mother is in the hospital for the fourth time in three weeks and your kid just got sent to the principal’s office and your husband is not telling you just why he keeps coming home late. (Are these things connected?

That’s for a different article.)

And you’re okay with keeping that information to yourself.

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wanted to share it with you. And it might not only give you an out, but actually get you to where you’re okay with saying “good” when asked how you are.

But before I do that, I’d like to build up a case for why this is important for people who feel depressed.

I was just perusing an old Psychotherapy Networker and an article by Frank Pittman caught my eye. Mr. Pittman has a sense of humor and doesn’t mind taking friendly jabs at the right targets now and then, hoping the targets will appreciate the humor.

In the November/December issue, 1995, Pittman says: “Many amateurs and sometimes even professionals believe in the hydraulic theory of psychotherapy, which holds that unexpressed feelings clog up the system. The therapist, like a human Roto-Rooter, bores in and relieves the pressure in a gush of forbidden emotion. This theory would have it that when someone expresses an emotion, or preferably carries on wildly with it, the feeling goes away. In reality, emotional expression is like exercise: it strengthens and expands whatever is being expressed. People who express a lot of anger, or sadness…just get angrier [and] sadder the more they practice expressing.”

In short, if you focus on how depressed you feel and why you feel depressed, you will be sure to remain depressed.

Realizing this truth, the vast majority of therapists have moved away from this model since that date. Therapists, for example, have taken a cue from our Torah (although they didn’t realize that’s where they got it from) and often suggest that depressed people keep a “gratitude journal.”

I also suggest people actually pay attention to their “modeh ani” when they wake up in the morning, perhaps mentally listing all the goodness they have to be thankful for.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at the word “tov,” good. What I recently learned is that the translation, good, is not too clear. What exactly is “good” anyway? Now here is the powerful answer to this question: “Good” is the state in which the person or thing fulfills the purpose for which it was created.

To really understand this, we have to get outside of our own skin.

We need to take a Big Picture look at life. It’s not about how it feels to us in the moment. “Mmm, this ice cream is good.” Well, my sister doesn’t like it.

So is it good or not?

The answer is impossible when we try to answer it from our own limited, personal, human perspective. The real answer, measuring it from a Big Picture perspective, is: Is it good for mankind? The ice cream doesn’t matter; it’s irrelevant when it comes to a larger perspective.

After all, we were not created to merely work hard at pleasing ourselves. We are supposed to look around at our fellow man when we ask the question about what is good.

This larger perspective can be boiled down to: Does this thing’s or person’s existence fulfill the Will of G-d? Even the secular world asks this question – using slightly different language.

In secular philosophy, there is a phenomenon called the law of attraction which recognizes the connectedness of all of us. When our actions show that we care about each other, we presumably attract goodness into our lives – goodness that we define

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

as good for ourselves. So we begin by acting as if the general good is important in order to receive personal good.

Now, let’s put all these thoughts together.

How should we evaluate the quality, the goodness, of our moments?

Step 1 must be to ask oneself: Am I acting/thinking in a way that is

at our behavior from a G-d’s-Eye position.

Step 2: If so, then what we are doing and the entire purpose of our existence is being fulfilled. We are doing what we were put here to do. Ergo, it must be good.

Step 3: We can now derive joy out of knowing that we have done good and therefore are good.

Life can be, in fact, painful, both physically and emotionally. Is it possible to call this good? Is it possible to be happy?

good for others? Am I acting in a way that fulfills the Will of Hashem?

In this step, we are putting ourselves out of the picture. We are not asking whether what we are doing makes us happy (yet). We are looking

Therapists have also picked up on this when they ask depressed people to take up volunteer work, hobbies, and political causes. They understand that we feel happier when we are connected to something bigger than we

are. Thus, paradoxically, our happiness comes from giving, not taking.

Now, the word “happiness” has to be used with care. Life is tough. Life can be, in fact, painful, both physically and emotionally. Is it possible to call this good? Is it possible to be happy? And the answer, I think, is to re-define happiness just as we re-defined goodness. How, for example, could that man in the concentration camp have been “happy” when he gave away his only crust of bread?

It is raw circumstances like that that help us to expand our view beyond ourselves, once again. He wouldn’t have been happy if he had just lost his family, but perhaps a small – and significant – part of his soul would, indeed, rejoice over the opportunity to reach out to someone else. In fact, perhaps that action on his part mitigated a tiny bit of his suffering.

Think of the goodness/happiness lens like a camera’s lens that can zoom in and out. In reaching for this

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thing called goodness and this other thing called happiness, we get past ourselves and take a panoramic picture. But the beauty of that picture becomes its own source for happiness and feeling good.

Practice zooming in and out; you’ve got to be conscious of the process, and you’ve got to be patient with yourself because you’ve done it the zoom-in way for so long. But then give yourself permission to get excited – happy – when you capture the Big Picture.

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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Health & F tness

A Healthy Getaway

By Aliza Beer

I

t’s that time of the year again, yeshiva midwinter break. Many of my patients are traveling to Mexico, the Bahamas, and ski destinations and need to bring their own food. Some are going to Florida and Israel and will be frequenting numerous fattening food establishments. All are apprehensive about ruining their diets. Vacating your home does not mean one should vacate their healthy eating habits. Here are some tips to keep your inches down and nutrition up during your trip.

1. Be Prepared: Don’t assume you will be able to buy food at the airport or rely on the airline snacks for the plane. Eat a healthy meal or snack before you leave and bring food for the plane. Peanut butter or turkey on whole grain bread are easy, non-odorous meals.

Clementines, apples, and dried unsweetened fruit

make good snacks. Cucumbers and peppers are good, low calorie, crunchy snacks to take along.

2. Buy water before you get on the plane: It’s important to remain hydrated; the air on the plane is very dry.

3. Bring an activity to do on the plane: We eat when we are bored. Keep yourself occupied with a magazine or a game, iPad or laptop, and you will be less likely to stray down the potato chip/cookie path. Chewing gum will keep your mouth occupied and help with those air bubbles in your ears!

4. Non-Kosher Food Destinations: Bring peanut butter, tuna, turkey, grilled chicken, whole grain bread, oatmeal, and crackers on your trip. Bring a pan to make eggs and a grill for chicken or meat. Fruits, vegetables, yogurt, eggs, and cereal can be bought there. Refrain from buying/

bringing unhealthy snacks.

Popcorn and pretzels are the best “junky” snack alternatives.

5. Florida and Israel: The plethora of delicious kosher restaurants in these areas can wreak havoc on one’s waistline. Scour the menu for healthier options, and look for foods that are steamed, broiled, grilled.

Ask for veggies instead of fries. Do not eat the bread on the table!

Typically, restaurant portion sizes are too large. Either share an entrée with someone or eat half of your portion and brown bag the other half. Another good option is to eat an appetizer as your main dish.

6. Remember to Eat Your Snacks: Eat a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack. It will curb your appetite and prevent you from overeating at the next meal. For hiking or skiing, pack high protein

snacks like nuts, protein bars, and dried fruit to keep up your energy level.

7. Lounging by the Pool: Decline the daiquiris and piña coladas – they come with many hundreds of calories – try an all fruit smoothie instead. Snack on fruits and veggies, you can also try popcorn and pretzels in moderation.

8. Exercise: Utilize the hotel’s gym and pool, if possible. Swimming is an awesome exercise!

Take walks or go bike riding when able. Crunches, push-ups, and jumping jacks can be done in the privacy and convenience of your room.

9. Cheat Sparingly: You are on vacation, and it is nearly impossible not to cheat or treat yourself at all.

But if you do that every single day, you will gain a significant amount of weight.

Designate a couple of treats for the entire vacation, such as sharing a favorite dessert,

or a (gasp!) slice of pizza.

Work your day around that treat by eating clean and healthy all day, and compensating with the afore-mentioned exercise.

Vacations are essential for your emotional and physical wellbeing. A healthy diet is not a strict regimen to follow exclusively at home. Rather, it is a lifestyle change that you adapt to wherever you travel. Make sure to maintain your healthy lifestyle even when you are on vacation.

Whether you are home or traveling far away, enjoy your vacation just the right weigh!

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

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Madraigos

It’s 1 A.M., Do You Know Where Your Children Are?

By Tobi Goldfeder, MSW

As winter vacation draws near, everyone is excited to relax and unwind. In recent years there has been much attention given to teenage safety and family dynamics during this time. Yes, it is crucial that teens get the necessary time to unwind and have fun during their vacation break. However, there is a lot “out there” to tempt our teenagers and they may not be aware when getting into unhealthy situations.

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e encourage parents to examine the plans of their teenage children to be sure proper supervision and safety measures are addressed. Our children can only benefit when the trusted adults in their lives stress that their personal safety and wellbeing is of upmost concern to them. Making sure your teen is safe and acting appropriately is not being an overbearing parent, but rather a loving one.

Many teens spend their vacations away from home or even if they are home, spend a lot of time going out with friends unsupervised. While ideally there should always be an adult present, we understand that is hard to achieve as parents need to go to work or care for young children.

This presents a valuable opportunity to talk with your teenagers about the risks and potential dangers of being out without adult supervision.

It is important to define the boundaries between “fun” and “irresponsible” for your teenager. Bear in mind that bars, clubs and “hangouts” where alcohol and drugs are found are inappropriate for underage children, especially frum children. Being in these environments can easily lead to unsafe, irresponsible, or illegal activities.

Make sure your teen understands your rules for vacation and the consequences for not following the rules.

Do not hesitate to follow through with the consequences set in place.

Allow your teen to take responsibility for his/her actions if he/she does something physically or emotionally dangerous or destructive. It is a valuable life lesson. Clearly, timing is important. Even if you do not approve of the condition or situation in which your child finds him/herself, do not lecture your teen when they are unable or unwilling to hear your thoughts.

Here are a few things we ask parents to keep in mind and discuss with their teenagers before and throughout the vacation break: • Before your teen goes out of the house, obtain names and contact phone numbers of friends in case you cannot reach your teen.

• While in cars with friends, your teen should make sure the driver is not being distracted.

If using taxis or Ubers, they should never travel alone.

• If your teen will be going out in a group, they should not let his or her friends wander off.

If your teen feels someone is heading towards an unsafe situation, they should contact an adult.

• If you teen will be travelling, know the name, address, and phone number of the place your

tion with them.

• Remind your teen to never leave bags, phones, or other valuables unattended.

In summary, parents need to be involved in the lives of their children.

The more they know about the daily events of their teenager’s lives, the better they can identify any potential safety issues that may surface.

The more they know about the daily events of their teenager’s lives, the better they can identify any potential safety issues that may surface.

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teen will be staying. Have your teen text/call you every morning and night if away. This lets you know they are okay and where they are meant to be.

If he/she is at a hotel, do not hesitate to get the room number and call the room directly to be sure your teenager is checked in and there at appropriate times.

It is okay to check in often; it does not mean you do not trust them, but rather you do not trust the state of the world.

Monitor your teenager’s social media activity for a real sense of what is going on during their vacation.

If going out of town, be sure your teenager takes their medications and medical informa-

The Madraigos Support line, 516371-3250 #6, is available, as always, 24 hours/day for any matter of concern. For medical emergencies do not hesitate to call 911 and/or Hatzalah at 718387-1750.

Together, we can ensure that our teens are safe while having fun this winter vacation.

Tobi Goldfeder, MSW, is an intern at Madraigos. Madraigos, a 501c-3 notfor-profit organization, offers a wide array of innovative services and programs geared towards helping teens and young adults overcome life’s everyday challenges one step at a time Our goal is to provide all of our members with the necessary tools and skills to empower them to live a healthy lifestyle and become the leaders of tomorrow.

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Dating Dialogue

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

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.

My husband lost his job about three months ago and still hasn’t found work. I know he’s been trying very hard to find something and I respect him for that. I also don’t blame him for being unemployed. I understand the reasons why he was let go and feel his “mazel” was really bad.

I’m an optimistic person. I always have been. I believe he will eventually find something. Things will work out.

They always do. In the meantime, I work full time and make a decent salary. My parents have been wonderful in quietly helping us out. When my mother goes to Costco, she always shops for us as well. Since I pay

Dear Navidaters,

the bills, when I see that I’m falling behind, I’ll let my father know and he’ll pay the one or two leftover bills for me (quietly, without either of us saying anything to Yosef, my husband). I know we’ll get by and I’m truly not worried.

Yosef, on the other hand, is a wreck. He talks about his unemployment constantly. He is in such a bad place, he totally ignores our children and when they push him to interact with them, he quickly gets angry and yells. To say that he isn’t a joy to be around, not for me or our children, is an understatement.

How do I protect our children and myself (though I need less protecting since I’m an adult and understand) from Yosef’s negativity during this time, when he feels totally defeated, like he’ll never work again?

How can I instill in him some of my optimism and belief that all will be good? I feel like I’m letting him down because I go about my day feeling fine and he’s in such a terrible place. Have I failed him in some way?

The Panel The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

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here are three sets of people directly affected by the trauma of your husband’s unemployment. You, Yosef and the children.

You seem optimistic and are being helped financially by your parents. And you are focused on your

spouse and your kids. That’s great.

But I am suggesting that you need to get some support for yourself too.

Carrying the financial burden alone, being the active parent and dealing with an angry, depressed spouse are big challenges. Even though it is O.K. now, you need to replenish and gain additional strength to cope with all of this. Just like in airline safety manuals and in healthcare, the adult/caregiver needs are important

and sometimes primary.

So make the time to exercise, eat well and socialize with some very close friends. Invest in your own wellbeing. That may include getting professional support. Remember that losing a job is one of the top traumas there are. Your husband feels diminished and upset. He cannot feel positive about not being the breadwinner. Your present equanimity, in the face of this stress, may

also be hard for him to handle, too.

You sound so calm and he feels so bad. It’s probably very hard for him to share his feelings with you right now – given your different natures and employment situations.

Yosef, however, does need to be able to confide in someone and to share his feelings of inadequacy.

He needs the support of a rav/mentor and some very close friends who know him a long time. Most men will

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

not reach out. You need to do it. Discreetly reach out to the aforementioned people in his life and meet with them. Tell them not only what is going on but that he needs support and encouragement. When people are very vulnerable, they don’t need advice on what to do as much as they need empathy. They may come up with some suggestions that will make him feel good about himself – not necessarily job focused. You can suggest they include him in a sports game saying, “We need you as the shortstop.” Or the shul may need him as a substitute baal korai. He needs to feel like he is contributing and has some value.

On the other hand, don’t dump him with all the things that never get done in the house. This is not the time to nag him about cleaning out the garage. Finding a job is full time.

When he is in a better place, you can discuss what he wants to do additionally in terms of family chores and responsibilities. Right now he will not take well to becoming Mr. Mom. As far as the kids are concerned, your role is to be the head counselor. Maintain the mood in the family with fun low-cost family activities such as board games, hikes and crafts. Make your house freilich by strategizing and introducing new routines in exciting ways. You don’t want the kids to fall back in their sense of wellbeing.

Be in touch with the teachers if you feel it’s helpful. It’s O.K. to say your family is going through a rough patch and that your child may exhibit some changes. Communicate and tell the teacher(s) that you want to hear what they notice.

Sometimes a kid may need to be reassured about things that worry him that the parent may not even know. A classmate may have had to move after a foreclosure. A child may worry about an imminent divorce. Talk frankly but sensitively to your children and tell them enough to calm them. In your case, that may be a script like this: “Daddy lost his job. But I want you to know that we are managing. We are paying our bills and we won’t be on the street, boruch Hashem. With Hashem’s help, we will get past this stage and

Daddy will find a position. He is talented and hard working. And we love him and appreciate him. This is a rough time but we will be O.K., iy”H.” Continue to count your blessings, get support for all of you and keep up your hishtadlus and tefillah.

The Mother Sarah Schwartz Schreiber, PA

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o understand why Yosef is a “wreck and talks about his unemployment constantly” you must realize that a man’s identity and self-esteem are intrinsically linked to his profession (and his ability to provide for his family). When two men meet for the first time, they will invariably ask one another, “What line of work are you in?” Thus, when your husband was laid off, he probably felt both financially and emotionally assaulted. No wonder he feels depressed, angry and “in a terrible place.”

The new economic reality is that sooner or later, many households will experience the pain of a pink slip. It happened to my husband when we were a one-income family and I was pregnant with Baby #4.

Needless to say, he eventually found work by making the job search into a full time pursuit (e.g., pounding the pavement, doing a resume blitz, networking everywhere, and yes, davening). Your dilemma, as you suggest, is how to emerge from this crisis with your family whole and functional.

You come across as an amazing person, the quintessential Eishes Chayil who, while balancing a job, household and marriage, maintains an optimistic, hopeful attitude. Now is the time to channel your inherent optimism into action. First, get Yosef into counseling (accompany him if he is hesitant); depression is paralyzing. There are therapists and agencies that offer affordable, sliding scale services. Next, even in his unemployed state, Yosef needs a schedule and routine. Encourage daily minyanim, a daily shiur, regular visits to the gym (or daily walks or

A man’s selfesteem is intrinsically tied to his professional fulfillment and productivity, and losing a job can send a man into a depression as he struggles with a lack of selfworth and, for some, a complete identity crisis.

biking) to get him off the couch and provide social interaction. Regarding the children: bravo for trying to “protect them,” still, “keeping Abba away” may have an alienating, irreparable effect on their father-son/ daughter relationship. Rather than keeping the children at bay, encourage together time; have Abba do car pool, help with homework, mealtime and bedtime. Finally, your organizational and technical skills may help Yosef strategize and organize his job search more efficiently thus helping to allay the anxiety and loneliness he feels during this difficult time.

As for you, my sweet Eishes Chayil, don’t neglect yourself in the care of others. As the saying goes, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy…

The Dating Mentor Rochel Chafetz, Educator/Mentor

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irst of all, it’s important for you to know that you have not failed your husband in any way and you have not let him down. You did not cause this to happen! You don’t have that much power. You actually sound like a very warm, loving mother and

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wife and he is very lucky to have you.

In your zechus, he will be matzliach.

What I think you need to do is to sit down with him at a very quiet time – maybe go out to dinner – and tell him how much you love him and respect him and how you will always stand by him. Express your empathy and how painful it must be for him to be this present situation.

However, the important thing is for him to understand that this is not your fault in any way, or the fault of your children. Therefore, whatever anger he has, he has to keep it outside of the front door. Suggest to him that this may be an opportunity for him to grow as a family man, to become closer to his children and to give them the time they wouldn’t normally get if he had a job.

Most important, he needs to understand that you are by his side but you can’t let the family dynamics break down because of his frustration. Ask him how he wants his children to view him and whether there are any life lessons and role modeling that he can take advantage of at this time. Would they rather see a dad who explodes when things are rough or a dad who can control his middos and overcome what this challenging time is bringing his way?

You, as his eizer knegdo, must help him to understand that this challenge can be a teaching lesson for his children on how to react or not during tough times. If he is unable to accept any of these messages, then it’s time to make an appointment with a therapist and tell him that you are going together to figure out how to navigate these waters.

You sound like a wonderful young lady with tremendous koach, so please don’t be afraid of him. Follow your gut. Follow your instincts.

This is your nisayon as well. Assert yourself in the values you both would like to give over in your home. Assert yourself in not allowing his emotions to rule the house. He is a grown man who is also a role model for his children. You have to convey the message that Hashem will help him find the right job, but in the meantime he has a bigger job to do and that is to restrain from his knee jerk reactions and to step up to the plate as a husband and a father.

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

The Single Irit Moshe (pen name)

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man needs to feel needed and respected to feel good about himself. You are doing a fabulous job keeping everything and everyone afloat by asking quietly for help from your parents. But it’s also important for you and your children to verbally make sure he feels good by validating him as a husband and as a father. I strongly suggest he also seeks pro-

fessional help with a psychologist to help him with his depression and to keep him on-task in the right direction while you continue to be his cheerleader and not his task master.

See if you can both go together to the therapy sessions, so that you can know your part in supporting his endeavors and also smooth out any of the unhealthy behaviors he is exhibiting with you and the children in a safe and healthy environment.

On your own, you can ask Yosef what makes him feel good and what he thinks would help him be more

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

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osing a job is amongst the most stressful things a person can go through, along with divorce, death and a host of other painful life events.

While sympathies are generally directed toward the person experiencing the life event, as they should be, we often neglect to acknowledge the loved ones who are suffering in equal but different ways. From your description, it sounds as though your husband may be depressed. A man’s self-esteem is intrinsically tied to his professional fulfillment and productivity, and losing a job can send a man into a depression as he struggles with a lack of self-worth and, for some, a complete identity crisis. This has nothing to do with you, or your having failed him in any way. Your support, strength and optimism are not the traits of a wife who has let her husband down. As a matter of fact, they are quite the opposite. The good news is this isn’t about you. The bad news is that you cannot force or wish Yosef to get better.

If he is indeed suffering from depression, then of course you inev-

itably will suffer as well. Witnessing a loved one experience the hurt and agony of depression will only leave you, the spouse, feeling pain as well.

It hurts to watch someone you love suffering so, knowing that ultimately he is responsible for getting better. Its his process, his feelings, his decisions. You write in asking how you can protect yourself and the kids from his negativity, how you can instill optimism in Yosef, and wondering if you have failed him in some way. Your devotion to your children and husband is personally inspiring to me. Right now, you are the rock of your family; the backbone of the operation. You are nothing short of amazing.

Let’s begin with how to protect yourself. None of what I am about to suggest is easy, and anyone who is living with, or who has lived with, a depressed spouse will testify to that.

But nonetheless, it is so important to take care of yourself now. Before Yosef became depressed, he may have been the person you turned to

successful in finding work? Perhaps brainstorm together a play-by-play plan to get him to be motivated and be most successful in securing work.

In a gentle way, suggest that he ask the family rav for ways in which he can change the family “mazel” by adding certain learning to his ritual, Tehillim and maybe even having your mezuzos checked. In these ways, you are helping him to continue to be the man of your household, build his selfworth and empower him with strategic and helpful direction. I wish you much hatzlacha and strength!

in your time of need, or your movie and frozen yogurt buddy, or your “crack up until your sides hurt” friend. For now, that person is gone. You may look at Yosef and wonder where he went. Now more than ever, you must be committed to your mental and physical health. Practically speaking, get a massage, go to the gym, get your nails done, daven, go for coffee with friends, speak to a therapist, etc. It may be helpful to join an anonymous online support group for spouses of depressed partners.

Depression can actually hurt.

It can manifest itself physically. It can make a man who normally is the most involved father and caring husband become cold and aloof or completely lethargic. When someone is depressed, it is as if he is sick.

And that sickness can be contagious.

We have to make sure that you stay healthy by doing the aforementioned activities or whatever it is that you enjoy.

Some professionals would tell you to get your husband to a therapist’s office by any means possible.

Whether that means scheduling the appointment for him, or for the two of you, Yosef needs to speak to a mental health professional.

With regard to your question about instilling optimism; here you are, wanting to be Yosef’s cheerlead-

Before Yosef became depressed, he may have been the person you turned to in your time of need, or your movie and frozen yogurt buddy, or your “crack up until your sides hurt” friend. For now, that person is gone.

er. Your husband is one lucky guy!

Without knowing Yosef, or more about your situation, I hesitate to say the following (but I’m going to go for it anyway, in case it may resonate or fit). Sometimes when someone is so down in the dumps, as is the case with Yosef, a person needs to feel heard and understood. You love him so much and are trying to keep the family afloat during this time. You are also a positive and optimistic person, so perhaps it is natural for you to get into “fix it” mode. Yosef (maybe, maybe, maybe) may need you to just sit with him in his low place, if even for a few minutes. I wonder if he is feeling isolated or misunderstood because in his mind, this really is the end of the world. It may help him if you could enter his world to let him know that you do not think he is crazy, something many depressed people experience due to the depths of their thoughts that may even scare themselves.

Yosef: “My life is awful. I will never get another job. I’ve been looking for three months. I can’t support my family. I feel like such a loser, I can barely look you in the eyes anymore.”

Naturally, you want to tell him, “Yosef, I think you’re amazing. I love you. We are going to get through this together. We have always got-

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

ten through things and we will get through this. I want my old Yosef back. Please, let’s try to focus on all the good things we have in our life.”

What loving spouse wouldn’t say this? However, I wonder if he may need you to show your understanding and allow him to wallow (for a short period of time).

You: “Yeah. I hear you. Life has been pretty awful lately. I am so sorry you are suffering. You lost your job and you’re feeling awful about yourself, and worried about how you’re going to support the family.

I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now.” I am not suggesting that this is the panacea for his depression. You can’t cure his depression. I do wonder however if validating some of his feelings would be helpful for him.

With regard to the children… have you already begged him to fake it? Can he set aside ten to twenty minutes of positive, healthy time with the children daily? If you’ve

tried everything and nothing works, then stop encouraging the kids to spend time with their father for now.

They shouldn’t feel responsible for making Dad feel better. You don’t mention how old your children are, but certainly they are picking up on the atmosphere in the house, especially if Yosef is not trying to shield them from his depression. Please visit the following website to learn how to talk about Yosef’s depression with the children. http://www. camh.ca/en/hospital/health_information/for_children_youth/Pages/ when_parent_depressed.aspx. At the age appropriate level, children should be informed that the parent is depressed. This can be confusing and scary for children who pick up on more than we grownups would like to acknowledge. This website has so much useful information for you to open up a conversation with your children, and I will highlight only a few points. Firstly, explain the disorder to the kids in “kid terms.” Ac-

knowledge to them that most people who have depression will eventually get better. Tell them that they are not responsible for Dad’s depression and they can’t make him feel better. Support from family is super important, but it is the adults (doctors and therapists) who can help get your Dad better. The kids should be encouraged to ask you questions and talk about it. They should also be encouraged to go on with their lives, participating in sports and playing with friends.

Life is testing you right now. Depression is one of the greatest trials a family will go through. Another woman would be crying into her Haagen Dazs Chocolate Chocolate Chip (insert your favorite flavor) ice cream right now. By the way, if you need to do that once in a while, that’s OK too. You are doing a phenomenal job keeping everything together all on your own. It is my hope that Yosef’s depression lifts and that he finds work soon and that you all

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come out of this a stronger unit than before. Please remember to take care of yourself during this time.

Sincerely, Jennifer Please note: This column is not meant to diagnose or otherwise offer comprehensive resolutions to any questions.

The Navidaters are dating and relationship coaches and therapists. Located in Lawrence, NY, their services include date debriefing, dating skills coaching, couples counseling, premarital and marital counseling. Sessions are held in the office or via phone or Skype. The Navidaters can be reached at 516.224.7779. If you have a dating or relationship scenario you would like to be featured in WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF, email thenavidaters@gmail.com.

Check out their website, thenavidaters. com for more information. Follow TheNavidaters on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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In The K

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

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tchen

Sheva Minim Salad

By Naomi Nachman

I love Tu B’Shvat as it represents the rebirth of the garden as we head towards spring. There is no halacha of anything we have to do, but we focus on eating fruits and especially ones from the sheva minim. This salad represents most of the minim, which is a great way to intertwine the components into your meal.

Sheva Minim Salad Ingredients 1 cup pomegranate seeds 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped about ¼ of a cup 2 cups cooked farro (a whole grain wheat) 1 cup green grapes, halved 3 cups arugula 1 tablespoon honey 1 lemon, freshly squeezed ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt, to taste Crushed black pepper, to taste Directions Mix everything – except the arugula – together in a bowl and let it marinate for half an hour. Add in the arugula and then toss again right before serving.

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

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

Hire

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Education

Birth of a Salesman

By Rabbi Mordechai Kruger

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t the end of last week’s article, my imaginary client, Beryl Klein, began searching for his first job, somewhere in the field of sales. Well, actually, he’s not searching for a job yet. I taught Beryl how to do informational interviewing so that he can learn more about the field of sales overall and about different jobs within the field. Based on what he learns, Beryl will create a description of the job that best matches his skills, talents and aspirations, enabling him to produce maximum value for his employer. That’s the job he’s going to hunt for.

There are a lot of well-meaning people, some even working in sales, who would like to tell Beryl that he is really wasting his time.

Some will tell him that either people are cut out for sales or they are not. Those who are can sell ice to the Eskimos, and those who aren’t, never will be. Others will tell him that sales as a field is O-V-E-R, that is, that nowadays people buy online, looking for the lowest price.

The idea of a human walking into their office to show the same items they can find on Amazon just makes no sense. Well-meaning, even experienced, people say these things, and none-

theless, they are simply not true.

In an article about a year ago, the Wall Street Journal reported that sales jobs pay almost twice the national average, and they are available in a variety of fields. Nonetheless, they often remain unfilled for months at a time. The article noted several possible reasons, among them that job hunters prefer to look for something “steady” with “less risk.” Salesmen, on the other hand, usually are paid on commission, and there can be “dry spells” with no paycheck. I have had clients make those same points to me, and I never agree with them. I disagree with any argument that stops people from finding the job that best fits their unique talents and goals. If someone’s talents and experiences point them towards sales, then that is in fact the most secure job that could be, for them. Anyone who is not using their talents to the greatest advantage is in real and present danger of losing their job to someone who will, quite simply, do the job better. Further, people who settle for a job that feels secure often become complacent and lose their drive to give their best effort. That attitude can lead directly to an extended dry

spell known as “unemployment,” which can set in and cleave stubbornly to people who have forgotten how to deliver their very best.

Once upon a time the world of sales was divided into two major roles, often called the “hunter” and the “farmer.”

Swashbuckling macho-type Hunters specialized in opening new accounts, and detail-obsessed, almost fawning Farmers would “grow” the relationship between a company and its existing customers.

Today, based on extensive analysis of the roles that different individuals play in the sales process, researchers have identified 14 discrete sales functions, each requiring specific skillsets.

(See, for example, the website of talent management firm Chally Group at chally. com.) And that “born salesman” that can charm the birds out of the trees? Research shows that he isn’t the greatest at sales, not by a long shot. So there are many roads to success in sales, and many people who don’t fit the conventional perception of a salesman may find one that fits very well.

While the ability to buy online has changed the role of the salesman, in many ways the human link in the

sales process has become more important. There was a time when the salesman primarily enabled the customer to access the product. Like the toll-taker that lets you onto the turnpike, that role can be performed by a machine. But because the customer can access so many products, he now needs the salesman to perform the uniquely human function of articulating the relative value of each one in a particular business setting. That role can never be usurped, and the explosion of available goods and services has made it more vital than ever.

The Fuller Brush Man and the Encyclopedia Britannica salesman may have joined the dinosaurs, but the person who can explain how the product fits in the overall vision of the business will always have a job.

To understand the keys to success in the workplace, especially in the world of selling, I strongly recommend reading To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink. Pink convincingly shows that real empathy and relationship building, rather than slick persuasion, are the skills that matter the most. For my imaginary client Beryl, the first step could be to find the right product to sell, one that could help his potential cus-

tomers solve a problem that he and they care about. Once he has that, his enthusiasm and sincerity will propel him forward. Carrying out informational interviews using the brief set of structured questions that Beryl and I have developed is the fastest and most effective way to find that product; finding it will help lead him to the job that’s best for him.

There are, of course, those nice people who have all the expertise that talk radio and the Daily News can offer. They say that there are no jobs of any kind to be had in this awful economy.

They wonder why I would send Beryl on a wild goose chase. They’re wrong, too.

The unemployment rate for people with a four-year college education is less than 4% (see bls.gov), and Beryl’s yeshiva and kollel experience places him in that demographic. That 4% hurts if it’s you who can’t find a job, but my job at Job Search for Champions is to help people join the 96%. With some hard work, Beryl has a good chance of doing just that.

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 jobsearchforchampions@gmail.com

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OCTOBER 29, 2016 2015 || The The Jewish Jewish Home Home JANUARY 14,

Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

Mark Zuckerberg posted on Facebook that one of his New Year’s resolutions is to run 365 miles in 2016. Just had a baby and he’s getting into running — so if there’s ever a time to un-friend Zuckerberg on Facebook, it’s now.

- Jimmy Fallon

In my view, it is unacceptable that Americans are paying a $4 or $5 fee each time they go to the ATM. People should not have to pay a 10 percent fee for withdrawing $40 of their own money out of an ATM. - Bernie Sanders, at a rally in New York City

In an NPR interview last week, Jeb Bush revealed the ingredients for his guacamole recipe, but wouldn’t give away the specifics of how to prepare it. So now I guess we have to elect Jeb Bush.

- Jimmy Fallon

I’m almost 100 percent blind. Been that way for two years now, and I can still see through Hillary Clinton.

- Court Oviatt, 80, to the crowd at a Ted Cruz rally in Iowa

The government of Iraq has offered to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Iran. You know the Middle East is in trouble when your greatest hope for peace is “meeting up in Iraq.”

– Conan O’Brien

I regret it every day.

- Joe Biden on his decision not to run for president, in an interview on NBC

Members of the British Parliament are going to meet later this month to debate whether or not to ban Donald Trump from entering the UK. One member of Parliament said, “Look, we have enough guys with ridiculous-looking things on their heads making sure nobody gets over a fence.”

- Jimmy Fallon

Mision cumplida: lo tenemos.

- Tweet by Mexican President Enrique Pena Niento exclaiming, “Mission accomplished: we have him,” after drug kingpin El Chapo Guzman was captured last week

Experts say El Niño might not help us much with the drought. Most of the storms are hitting southern California instead of northern California, where most of our reservoirs are — it’s kind of like if you were dying of thirst and someone washed your feet.

– Jimmy Kimmel

MORE QUOTES

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Shovavim

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A Three Part Aish Kodesh Lecture Series for Women All Shiurim in Aish Kodesh Beis Medrash at 8:15pm Part I Taharas HamishpachaUpholding A Woman’s Dignity And The Sanctity Of Her Home Tuesday, January 12

by Rabbi Moshe Weinberger Morah D’asra Cong. Aish Kodesh, Mashpia Yeshiva University Part II Journey For A LifetimeStrengthening the Intimate Connection Tuesday, February 2

by Dr. Binyamin Tepfer, PhD Clinical Psychologist, Noted lecturer Part III Review of Hilchos Taharas Hamishpacha with an emphasis on most frequently asked questions Tuesday, February 16

by Rebbetzin Abby Lerner Rebbetzin YI of Great Neck, Faculty YUHS for Girls, Kallah Teacher

*Admission by Donation Aish Kodesh in Conjuction with the Grove Street Mikvah proudly sponsored

by Gourmet Glatt, Part of the Community, Partners in the Community

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Donald Trump is now accusing Ted Cruz of having a Canadian passport. Cruz said he doesn’t have a Canadian passport, but like everyone else he’ll get one the minute Donald Trump becomes president.

– Conan O’Brien

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Cullather Brain Tumor QOL Center, 5875 Bremo Rd., MOBS, Suite 108, Richmond, Va. 23226 and please vote for Donald Trump.

– Last sentence of the obituary in the Richmond Times Dispatch for Ernest Maynard “Ernie” Jr., 65, of Richmond, VA, who died last week

Billionaire Mark Cuban’s tips on what to do if you win the $1.5 billion Powerball (as shared with the Dallas Morning News and Business Insider):

Hire a tax attorney.

Don’t take the lump sum. You don’t want to blow it all in one spot.

A day after he was caught, it came out that Mexican drug lord El Chapo actually sat down for an interview with Sean Penn while he was on the run.

In the interview, El Chapo described himself as “a person who’s not looking for problems in any way.” You know, except for that whole “Mexican drug lord” thing. “I’m just a humble drug lord!

I chop up my enemies one leg at a time, just like anybody else.”

If you weren’t happy yesterday, you won’t be happy tomorrow. It’s money. It’s not happiness.

If you were happy yesterday, you are going to be a lot happier tomorrow. It’s money. Life gets easier when you don’t have to worry about the bills.

Tell all your friends and relatives no. They will ask. Tell them no. If you are close to them, you already know who needs help and what they need. Feel free to help some, but talk to your accountant before you do anything and remember this, no one needs $1 million for anything.

No one needs $100,000 for anything. Anyone who asks is not your friend.

– Jimmy Fallon

If you look at North Korea, this guy, he’s like a maniac, OK? And you’ve got to give him credit: How many young guys — he was like 26 or 25 when his father died — take over these tough generals and all of a sudden, you know, it’s pretty amazing when you think of it. How does he do that? Even though it is a culture, and it’s a culture thing, he goes in, he takes over, he’s the boss. It’s incredible.

- Trump talking about North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, at a rally in Iowa

You don’t become a smart investor when you win the lottery. Don’t make investments. You can put it in the bank and live comfortably.

Forever. You will sleep a lot better knowing you won’t lose money.

Be nice. No one likes a mean billionaire. :)

Yesterday in Alabama, a bomb squad was called into a post office to handle suspicious bags that ended up being full of hot dogs. So if you know someone who left a bag full of hot dogs at the post office, you should still call the police.

– Jimmy Fallon

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MORE QUOTES

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JANUARY 14, OCTOBER 29, 2016 2015 || The The Jewish Jewish Home Home

The Minnesota Vikings lost their playoff game yesterday when their kicker missed a 27-yard field goal. The kicker is now in an undisclosed location, waiting to meet with Sean Penn.

I am so happy for Michael. What a story! What a great kid!

- Vince Piazza when asked about his son, Mike Piazza, getting voted into the Hall of Fame

– Conan O’Brien

I get asked this all the time: “Well, are you like your brother? Are you like your dad?” I know there’s a real fascination about this. Let’s just — let me get this out of the way: I love my mother more than my dad.

Would you hold my jacket while I go out for the toss and show how we love this weather?

- Bush at a rally in New Hampshire, providing some bizarre unprompted information

- Legendary 88-year-old former Vikings coach Bud Grant to an NFL staffer before walking onto the field for the coin toss while wearing short sleeves in the -3 degree temperature

We all had to go to work this morning because none of us won the Powerball.

Nobody has won the Powerball lottery since November. And the jackpot is now sitting at $1.4 billion. That’s almost three days’ worth of groceries from Whole Foods.

Jeb Bush in a new interview this week spontaneously announced that he loves his mother more than his father. And then he ended the interview by running up to his room and slamming the door.

– Seth Myers

North Korea’s claiming that they successfully detonated their first hydrogen bomb. They haven’t perfected color television yet, but they do have a hydrogen bomb.

– Jimmy Kimmel

– James Corden

MORE QUOTES

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El Chapo is back in the same prison he escaped from six months ago but they revoked his tunnel privileges this time.

The plan is they’re hoping to extradite him to the United States so he can be tried by a jury of his customers.

– Jimmy Kimmel

The Republicans have to decide who they want to nominate. Now the Democrats in this country think Hillary would be the best president. And I think there’s always an attempt to take the election away from the people so I am just going to give it to them.

We’re now just a few days away from President Obama’s final State of the Union Address.

Which means Joe Biden only has a few days left to decide what weird thing he’s gonna do in the background.

– Jimmy Fallon

– Bill Clinton’s flustered and non-responsive answer when asked whether his past indiscretions are fair game in the campaign

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

Political Crossfire

Defy America, Pay No Price

By Charles Krauthammer

I

f you’re going to engage in a foreign policy capitulation, might as well do it when everyone is getting tanked and otherwise occupied. Say, New Year’s Eve. Here’s the story. In October, Iran test-fires a nuclear-capable ballistic missile in brazen violation of Security Council resolutions prohibiting such launches.

President Obama does nothing. One month later, Iran does it again. The administration makes a few gestures at the U.N. Then nothing.

Then finally, on Dec. 30, the White House announces a few sanctions.

They are weak, aimed mostly at individuals and designed essentially for show.

Amazingly, even that proves too much. By 10 p.m. that night, the administration caves. The White House sends out an email saying that sanctions are off – and the Iranian president orders the military to expedite the missile program.

Is there any red line left? First, the Syrian chemical weapons. Then the administration insistence that there would be no nuclear deal unless Iran accounted for its past nuclear activities. (It didn’t.)

And unless Iran permitted inspection of its Parchin

nuclear testing facility. (It was allowed self-inspection and declared itself clean.)

And now, illegal ballistic missiles.

The premise of the nuclear deal was that it would constrain Iranian actions. It’s had precisely the opposite effect. It has deterred us from offering even the mildest pushback to any Iranian violations lest Iran walk away and leave Obama legacy-less.

Just two weeks ago, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards conducted live-fire exercises near the Strait of Hormuz.

It gave nearby U.S. vessels exactly 23 seconds of warning. One rocket was launched 1,500 yards from the USS Harry S. Truman.

Obama’s response? None.

The Gulf Arabs – rich, weak and, since FDR, dependent on America for security – are bewildered.

They’re still reeling from the nuclear deal, which Obama declared would be unaffected by Iranian misbehavior elsewhere. The result was to assure Tehran that it would pay no price for its aggression in Syria and Yemen, subversion in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and support for terrorism.

Obama seems not to understand that disconnecting the nuclear

issue gave the mullahs license to hunt in the region.

For the Saudis, however, it’s not just blundering but betrayal. From the very beginning, they’ve seen Obama tilting toward Tehran as he fancies himself Nixon in China, turning Iran into a strategic partner in managing the Middle East.

This is even scarier because it is delusional.

If anything, Obama’s openhanded appeasement has encouraged Iran’s regional adventurism and intense anti-Americanism.

The Saudis, sensing abandonment, are near panic. Hence the reckless execution of the firebrand Shiite insurrectionist, Sheikh Nimr Baqr al-Nimr, that has brought the region to a boil. Iranians torched the Saudi Embassy. The Saudis led other Sunni states in breaking relations with Tehran.

The Saudis feel surrounded, and it’s not paranoia. To their north, Iran dominates a Shiite crescent stretching from Iraq, Syria and Lebanon to the Mediterranean. To the Saudi south, Iran has been arming Yemen’s Houthi rebels since at least 2009.

The danger is rising.

For years, Iran has been supporting anti-regime

agitation among Saudi Arabia’s minority Shiites.

The Persian Gulf is Iran’s ultimate prize. The fall of the House of Saud would make Iran the undisputed regional hegemon and an emerging global power.

the islands. We said it was inadvertent.

The world sees and takes note. As it does our response to the other great U.S. adversary – Russia.

What’s happened to Obama’s vaunted “isolation” of Russia

If anything, Obama’s openhanded appeasement has encouraged Iran’s regional adventurism and intense anti-Americanism.

For the United States, that would be the greatest geopolitical setback since China fell to communism in 1949. Yet Obama seems oblivious. Worse, he appears inert in the face of the three great challenges to the post-Cold War American order. Iran is only the most glaring. China is challenging the status quo in the South China Sea, just last week landing its first aircraft on an artificial island hundreds of miles beyond the Chinese coast. We deny China’s claim and declare these to be international waters, yet last month we meekly apologized when a B-52 overflew one of

for its annexation of Crimea and assault on the post-Cold War European settlement?

Gone. Evaporated. Kerry plays lapdog to Sergei Lavrov. Obama meets openly with Vladimir Putin in Turkey, then in Paris. And is now practically begging him to join our side in Syria.

There is no price for defying Pax Americana – not even trivial sanctions on Iranian missile-enablers.

Our enemies know it. Our allies see it – and sense they’re on their own, and may not survive. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Writers Group

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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Political Crossfire

What if the Worst Happens?

By Michael Gerson

E

very Republican of the type concerned with winning in November has been asking the question (at least internally), “What if the worst happens?”

The worst does not mean the nomination of Ted Cruz, in spite of justified fears of political disaster.

Cruz is an ideologue with a message perfectly tuned for a relatively small minority of the electorate. Uniquely in American politics, he has made his reputation by being roundly hated by his colleagues – apparently a prerequisite for a certain kind of anti-establishment conservative, but unpromising for an image makeover at his convention.

Cruz’s nomination would represent the victory of the hard right – religious right and tea party factions – within the Republican coalition. After he loses, the ideological struggles within the GOP would go on.

No, the worst outcome for the party would be the nomination of Donald Trump. It is impossible to predict where the political contest between Trump and Hillary Clinton would end up. Clinton has manifestly poor political skills and Trump possesses a serious talent for the low blow.

But Trump’s nomination would not be the temporary victory of one of the GOP’s

ideological factions. It would involve the replacement of the humane ideal at the center of the party and its history. If Trump were the nominee, the GOP would cease to be.

Whatever your view of Republican politicians, the aspiration, the selfconception, of the party was set by Abraham Lincoln: human dignity, honored by human freedom and undergirded by certain moral commitments, including compassion and tolerance. Lincoln described the “promise that in due time the weights should be lifted from the shoulders of all men, and that all should have an equal chance.”

It is this universality that Trump attacks. All of his angry resentment against invading Hispanics and Muslims adds up to a kind of ethno-nationalism – an assertion that America is being weakened and adulterated by the other. This is consistent with European, right-wing, anti-immigrant populism. It is not consistent with conservatism, which, at the very least, involves respect for institutions and a commitment to reasoned, incremental change. And Trumpism is certainly not consistent with the Republicanism of Lincoln, who admitted no exceptions to the promises of the Declaration

of Independence and was nominated, in part, because he could appeal to anti-slavery German immigrants.

Liberals who claim that Trumpism is the natural outgrowth, or logical conclusion, of conservatism or Republicanism are simply wrong. Edmund Burke is not the grandfather of Nigel Farage. Lincoln is not even the distant relative of Trump.

temperament, his ignorance about public affairs and his scary sympathy for authoritarianism. But for me, and I suspect for many, the largest problem is that Trump would make the GOP the party of racial and religious exclusion.

American political parties are durable constructions. But they have been broken before

matters are quite personal. I have spent 25 years in the company of compassionate conservatives, reform conservatives, Sam’s Club conservatives, or whatever they want to call themselves, trying to advance an agenda of social justice in America’s center-right party. We have shared a belief that sound public policy – promoting opportunity, along with the

And Trumpism is certainly not consistent with the Republicanism of Lincoln, who admitted no exceptions to the promises of the Declaration of Independence and was nominated, in part, because he could appeal to anti-slavery German immigrants.

Trump, in some ways, is an odd carrier of ethnonationalist beliefs. He held few of them, as far as I can tell, just four years ago. But as a demagogue, he has followed some of America’s worst instincts wherever they have led, and fed ethnic and religious prejudice in the process. All presidential nominees, to some extent, shape their parties into their own image. Trump would deface the GOP beyond recognition.

Trump is disqualified for the presidency by his erratic

by powerful, roiling issues such as immigration and racial prejudice.

Many Republicans could not vote for Trump, but would have a horribly difficult time voting for Clinton.

The humane values of Republicanism would need to find a temporary home, which would necessitate the creation of a third party. This might help elect Clinton, but it would preserve something of conservatism, held in trust, in the hope of better days.

Ultimately, these political

skills and values necessary to grasp it – can improve the lives of our fellow citizens, and thus make politics an honorable adventure.

The nomination of Trump would reduce Republican politics – at the presidential level – to an enterprise of squalid prejudice. And many Republicans could not follow, precisely because they are Republicans. By seizing the GOP, Trump would break it to pieces.

(c) 2016, Washington Post Writers Group

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

Rocky’s

Rant

Black Hats Matter

By Rocky Zweig

W

henever people ask me if I wear a black hat, I always answer the same way: I wear a black hat, but I’m not a Black Hat. And since you, my beloved readers, are savvy folk of the Orthodox persuasion, you know exactly what that means. So I’ve never been particularly makpid on exactly what kind of black hat it was that was safeguarding my flaming locks. Okay, grayish-orange locks. But they really did used to be flaming. Ask anyone. Consequently, the last time I bought a hat, Chelsea Clinton was still in braces, which, by the way, didn’t seem to help all that much.

I started wondering about the price structure of Borsalinos as soon they began to cost more than my suits. My cheshbon was simple: my suit covers 90% of my body, my hat only about, what? 3%?

Did that make any sense? If I wore a shtreimel, maybe…but otherwise? So every once in a while I would go into a hat store, usually erev some yom tov or another, intending to make a purchase and watch the yeshiva guys spend three or four hours trying on literally dozens of hats, looking for the perfect combination

of crown/brim/band/snap/ touch/weight. I bought my house faster than that! Hey, I think I’ve even proposed to a few people faster than that!

And I would overhear what the hats cost, and I would mumble to myself, bist du in gantzen mishuga? and hightail it out of there before I fell on my head and bought a thirty dollar tie.

Nach ah mazel, I eventually got a hat from my son. Kalman is in the vintage clothing business, so you never can tell what he’ll come across on any given day. Anyway, he found me this beautiful Hückel, the pride of Austria. As you can plainly see, my Hückel has virtually nothing in common with your run-of-the-mill Borsalino. For one thing, it is fashioned of Genuine Velour, whatever that means. For another, it went out of style around the same time as the pet rock. I’ve been wearing it every Shabbos for a few years now, and I’d have to say that the snickering has died down almost completely…

If you’ve been paying any attention at all, you will have noticed by now that I tend to be a bit on the frugal side. It’s not like I have the first dollar I ever made, but I do tend to

frequent the Marshalls and Filenes and, of course, Burlingtons of the world. Indeed, I thought about sitting shiva when Syms closed!

Unfortunately, however, all these classy establishments are totally sans chapeau. So imagine how utterly gobsmacked I was when I heard that Borsalino had raised their prices yet again and had finally crossed into uncharted, obscene territory: Three.

Hundred. Dollars. Omigosh.

A Borsalino will set you back anywhere between $250.00 and $350.00 these days.

These things are made of Belgian Rabbit fur. For thirty bucks I can walk into any Petco and walk out with a black bunny I can train to sit on my head. Then I can take my extra cash and buy a nice iPad or a beautiful set of Mishnah Berurah or yes — two suits.

At least.

As frum Jews, it has incumbent upon us to cover our head out of respect for the Ribbono Shel Olam and to help develop a true sense of Yiras Shomayim for centuries. Or, in the case of women, the hair is covered as a matter of tzinius as well. But, as far as I know, there are no officially sanctioned methods of accomplishing the afore-

mentioned head-covering.

So hypothetically speaking, one could walk around with a Farberware pot on one’s head while stopping in at CVS for hydrogen peroxide and Compound W and be 100% in compliance. That is, of course, until they took the pot away in the paddy wagon.

But you get my point. In theory, at least, there exists extremely wide latitude in brain bonnets. In theory.

But we Members of the Tribe are hardly ever satisfied with letting things be simple and uncomplicated, are we? We need to assign significance to narishkeiten where there simply isn’t any.

How did we arrive at this particular consensus? What is it about black fedoras that is so special? I might be able to understand it if this was something that we carried over from the shtetlach of Eastern Europe, but even that isn’t accurate. Have you ever looked at old photographs of big cities like New York or Chicago during the ‘30’s, ‘40’s and ‘50’s? Everyone wore a hat. And of course so did the Sinatras and the Bogarts and the Durantes of the world.

The modern fedora is more an offshoot of the goyim than

it is of derr alter heim.

I had thought about writing on this subject for a while, and also about how different yarmulkes are indicative of where one stands on the frumkeit continuum; try explaining that to the Italian guy in the next cubicle (maybe that’ll be another article)!

I had put the idea on the backburner, but then I saw something that inspired me to sit down at the keyboard: Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the incredible film footage of the Chofetz Chaim zt”l that was discovered last February. He is entering the first K’nessiah Gedolah of Agudas Yisroel on August 15, 1923 in Vienna, Austria. If you haven’t seen it, you owe it to yourself find a copy and watch it. To actually see how the Chofetz Chaim walked, how unassuming he looked, his anivus and the tziddkus and absolute purity shining from his face is an incredibly awe-inspiring, transformative experience not to be missed.

But of course, I noticed his hat. Many of the photographs alleged to be of the Chofetz Chaim are questionable at best, but here we get to see him in real life, so to

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

speak, no doubt about it. All the rabbanim around him entering the hall are dressed to the nines in long frock coats, shiny top hats, majestic homburgs, and regal fedoras.

And then the Chofetz Chaim enters. He is dressed in simple clothes, not rabbinic garb.

He is wearing a hat that today could only be described as a Greek Fisherman’s cap.

I thought that offered a tremendous mussar haskail: It doesn’t matter what you wear on your head. The Chofetz Chaim was not one to concern himself with chit-

For thirty bucks I can walk into any Petco and walk out with a black bunny I can train to sit on my head. zonius. You can see it in his walk, in his posture, in his no-nonsense entry into the venue.

I wonder what he would have to say about a three hundred dollar hat.

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Rocky Zweig has been writing since he was sixteen and was the Editor-in-Chief of the late and decidedly unlamented Modieinu, the mimeographed (remember mimeographs?) newspaper of the Tenth Avenue Pirchei of Boro Park, where he wrote everything from stories to news articles to hashkafa articles to... yes (now it can be told!)...letters to the editor. Rocky was sixteen a very long time ago. He is the proud father of three marginally neurotic children. He has been married three — count ‘em — three times and has finally determined that he’s probably not very good at matrimonial bliss. He lives in his Fortress of Solitude in Flatbush with a small menagerie: Clarice, a European Starling; Rabbi Horatio LeZard, a Bearded Dragon; an aquarium filled with Lake Malawi African Cichlids; and a ten gallon tank that functions as a Home for Unwanted Goldfish, or H.U.G., collected over the years by his grandkids and great nieces and nephews at myriad street fairs and carnivals (rather than face the unpleasant task of flushing these unfortunate piscine creatures when they are eventually, inevitably ignored by their own obnoxious progeny, the parents simply call Uncle Rocky who then feeds them and cares for them until their ultimate natural demise three or four or even ten years down the pike). So apparently Rocky seems to get along better with animals than with his fellow homo sapiens. Or sapienses. Or whatever. Rocky’s column will be appearing every other week in The Jewish Home.

Rocky can be reached at anidaati@aol.com.

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JANUARY 14, 2016 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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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

HOUSES FOR SALE 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

HOUSES FOR SALE

HOUSES FOR SALE 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

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

COMMERCIAL RE

North Woodmere: All On One Level 3BR, 2 Full Bath Ranch With Great Potential, SD#14, LR, Kitchen, FDR, MBR Suite, CAC, Rear Deck…$429K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

CEDARHURST OFFICE SPACE LOWEST PRICES IN TOWN! 500-5000 square feet very nice office space with cool conference room & Kitchen. Onsite parking Great Location. Lots of options! Will divide and customize space for your needs!

Call 516-567-0100 HEWLETT HARBOR: Waterfront Property, Great Location, Best Waterfront Lot, Deep Waters, Macy’s Channel, For Sale … Call For More Details Broker (516) 792-6698

355 Central Avenue, Lawrence NY 11559 (Across the street from Seasons)

FAR ROCKAWAY: PRICE REDUCED!!! Lovely 4BR, 4 Bath Colonial, LR, Formal DR, Eik, Den, 4 Bedrooms On One Floor, Full Finished Basement…$949K 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 INWOOD: 2 Family, 4BR, 2 Full Baths, 2 Eik, Basement, O/S Property, 2 Car Garage, Low Taxes...$489K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com LAWRENCE: Bright & Open 5BR, 3 Full Bath Hi-Ranch In Lawrence Bay Park, Amazing Outdoor Area W/IGP, Wet Bar, Custom Decks & Private Vegetable Garden…$999,995 Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

P: 516.791.6100 | F: 516.374.7059

www.WeissmanRealty.com

INWOOD

INWOOD

MOVEIN READY

MOVEIN READY

Immaculate house on huge lot. 4 bdrm with 4 Full bths. 9 Ft. ceilings, hrd wd oors. Granite kitchen, full bsmnt. Large enclosed porch. 5-car garage plus shed on 27500 sq. ft. lot. P.O.R

INWOOD

SOLD!!!

Clean & kept 4 bdrm, large kitchen, LR, Den, enclosed porch, beautiful backyard, bsmnt w/ laundry. Over 2,000 square ft. Great for a family. Asking $550K

Call Moshe 516-697-2504 FAR ROCKAWAY APARTMENT RENTALS

5 TOWNS & CEDARHURST OFFICES 1-2 Rm executive offices available all utilities & internet included. Varied conference room.

Locations & pricing. Call Sherri 516-297-7995 Large 4 room suite 2,250 Sq. Ft. 4 private offices, kitchen and reception, Cedarhurst location.

Call Sherri 516-297-7995

#1 Far Rockaway and 5 Towns Rental Specialists

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Charming 3BR, 2BA Col, Charming 3BR, 2.5BA Col, 5BR, 2 Full Bath Colonial, Lovely 4BR, 3BA Hi-Ranch, Eik, Fin Bsmt..$435K Eik, FDR, Den..$459K Eik, Den, IG-Pool..$569K Eik, Low Taxes..$419K

Renov 3BR, 2BA Ranch, Great Potential Investment, 4BR, 3Fbth Colonial, Den, Bright 5BR, 3BA Hi-Ranch, Lg Eik, MBR Ste..$599K Legal 2 Family, 6BR..$699K Lg Eik, Prime Loct..$825K 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 - 1 : 3 0 ) $649K H E W L E T T: 1 5 8 2 H ew l e t t Ave ( 1 2 - 1 : 3 0 ) $499K LAWRENCE: 2 6 0 C e n t r a l Ave ( 1 2 - 3 ) R E G E N C Y N.WOODMERE: 230 Hungry Harbor Rd(12-1:30)$429K VALLEY STREAM: 60 Dar tmouth St(12-1:30)$339K 3000 +/- SF Beautiful Space

w/Exposed Ceilings Prime Location Across From The Movie Theater

1400 +/- SF W/Basement High Visibility Bright & Clean Great Location,

Convenient To All

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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 COMMERCIAL RE

COMMERCIAL RE

APT FOR RENT

APT FOR RENT

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

LYNBROOK: 1251 +/- SF Neat & Clean Professional Office Suite In Free Standing Building, Ground Floor, Great Location, For Lease…

Call For More Details Broker (516) 792-6698

LAWRENCE: Spacious, Updated & Immaculate 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bath Apartment, Washer/Dryer In Unit, CAC, Use Of Yard & Driveway…$2,395/Mo. Call Carol Braunstein (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

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

FAR ROCKAWAY 3 Bedrooms – New Construction Central air, oak floors, granite kitchen, elevator building. Asking $2350 Call Yossi 917-337-6262

HOUSE FOR RENT - LAWRENCE For rent by owner, No Brokerage Involved. Large renovated Center Hall Colonial. Central location - Lawrence; walk to all shuls. Hi ceilings. New eat-in kitchen with Stainless Steel appliances. 5 large Bedrooms, Wood paneled library, Formal Dining Room, Den, Backyard, excessive amount of closet space. Available immediately. $4,250 p/mo. 917-455-7376

EAST ROCKAWAY: 6,200 +/- SF Corner Property, Retail Stores, Great Frontage, High Visibility, For Sale …

Call Ian for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

VALLEY STREAM: 4,500 +/- SF Office Space on One Floor, 3 Offices, 2 Bathrooms, HVAC, Gas Heat, Can Be Divided, For Lease...Call Alan For More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

FAR ROCKAWAY BRAND NEW CONSTRUCTION 2 AND 3 BEDROOM APTS. Granite countertops SS appliances.

Indoor and outdoor playground 2 br starting at $1600 3 br duplex starting at $2100 NO FEE call Heidi 516-514-7525

FIVE TOWNS: 1200 +/- SF Office Space in the Finest Building in the Five Towns, Available Feb 1st, Must See!!! $32PSF in Premiere Building, For Lease …Call Ian for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

WOODMERE: Follow The Leader To Woodmere, Now Is The Time To Act!!! No Metered Parking, Various Retail/Office Spaces Available, For Sale/Lease...Call For More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

LAWRENCE: Renovated 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bath Apt on Lovely Street, CAC, Use Of Yard & Driveway, Close To All, Includes All Utilities Except Cable…$2,750/Mo. Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

FAR ROCKAWAY Recently renovated 3 bedrooms, 1 1/2 bath, first floor, great location.

Please call: 917-376-5948 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

Kattamon

German Colony

Spacious 5 bedroom apartment in a prestigious building with a lobby, fitness room, Synagogue, storage room, parking and a Shabbat elevator.

City Center

In a boutique building in the German Colony, 7 room apartment with a private entrance, 203 sqm + 90 sqm garden + balcony, 4 bedrooms plus a family room, covered parking and storage.

City Center bordering Rehavia, close to the Great Synagogue, luxury 3 bedroom apartment of 150 sqm featuring a Succah balcony, parking, elevator and storage.

New building, 6 room luxury penthouse, 185 sqm, 70 sqm terraces overlooking incredible views, high standard, Shabbat elevator, storage room and private parking.

Old Kattamon

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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 APT FOR RENT

HELP WANTED

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

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

ON SEAGIRT AVENUE 2 & 3 bedroom. Newly renovated.

Washer and dryer hook up. Granite countertops.

More info call or text 917-602-2914

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

CLERICAL POSITION

REAL ESTATE MANAGER R.E. Management Co. in Bklyn seeking capable & hard working individual .

No experience necessary. Pls email resume to REALTY@CGMAIL.NET (Pls enter resume in subject) or fax to 718-851-3511

F/T FOR QUEENS OFFICE Proper candidate will have: good computer skills, ability to multitask and office experience.

Prior early intervention experience a plus. Will Train. Competitive comp. pkg.

GREAT OPPORTUNITY Looking for class B CDL DRIVER with clutch for a heimishe lumber co.

Great pay, Call: 718-369-3141 Ext. 348

Fax Resume 718-261-3702 Att. Bella Or email: cara.challenge2@thejnet.com

HELP WANTED 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

TJH Classifieds

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.

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

SECRETARY Real Estate Management office in Boro Pk is seeking a F/T Secretary with gd phone manner, able to multi task & have computer knowledge. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. Pls email resume to REALTY@CGMAIL.NET (Pls enter resume in subject) or fax to 718-851-3511

Due to engagement, Torah Academy for Girls is seeking qualified experienced, 6th grade Limudei Kodesh morah.

Please fax resume 718-868-4612 att: Morah Drillman.

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The Jewish Home | JANUARY 14, 2016

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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

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

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

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 ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER Growing company in the 5 Towns seeking motivated employee for Full Time accounting/bookkeeping.

MUST have professional accounting experience previously to be considered, strong teamwork skills required.

Submit qualified resume to admin@ getpeyd.com for details.

Dry cleaner looking to hire EXPERT SEAMSTRESS / TAILOR to work in dry cleaning store asap.

Main Street (Queens) location.

Established clientele. Generous compensation split and opportunity to make extra money. Set your own hours. If interested please call Marc 917-612-2300

SITUATION WANTED 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

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MISC SHIDDUCH DATING? NEED PLACES TO GO? Check out Pegishaplace.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 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

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Your

Money

The Rich Are Different

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

Back in the Gilded Age, an ambitious social climber and noted toady named Ward McAllister coined the phrase “the Four Hundred,” named for the number of people that Manhattan heiress Caroline Astor could fit in her Fifth Avenue ballroom. In 1982, Forbes magazine borrowed that same number for their annual “Forbes 400” list of the richest Americans. Ten years later, our friends at the IRS borrowed it again for their annual report on America’s top earners. And while the IRS doesn’t give us the names we really want (or tell us which ones are currently single), it’s an insightful look into some of the fattest wallets in the country.

L

ast week, the IRS released the Fortunate 400 report for 2013. It took an adjusted gross income of $100,066,000 to join the elite group (down from $139,663,000 in 2012). But that was just the price of entry. The average income was nearly $265 million. That means the 400 as a group reported $106 billion, or 1.2% of the entire country’s personal income for the year. It’s also about the gross domestic product of a minor-league country like Morocco or Ecuador.

As usual, wages and salaries

made up a surprisingly small fraction of these incomes — just 8.45%.

That means our average winner isn’t some corner-office executive raking in a nine-figure salary. Taxable interest made up 5.75% of the total, and taxable dividends another 10.78%. So we’re not talking idle heirs and heiresses clipping coupons, either. The real action comes on Schedule D, where our lucky winners report capital gains. The average “Fortunate 400” reported 51.69% of their income from capital gains, or $139 million each. (That’s

way down from $191 million in 2012 — more on that little info-nugget in a bit.)

Brass tacks time: How much tax did our 400 supersized earners actually pay? For 2013, their average IRS bill was $60.8 million, or 22.9% of their income. That’s up considerably from just 16.7% in 2012. So why was 2013’s bill so much higher than 2012’s? Blame changes in the tax code, especially on capital gains. The 2013 “fiscal cliff” bill raised the top rate on most longterm gains from 15% to 20%. And the Affordable Care Act piled on an additional 3.8% “net investment income tax” on capital gains, interest, and dividends. Those changes encouraged sellers to unload assets in 2012 rather than wait for 2013’s higher rates. In some cases, corporate muckety-mucks (including Walmart founder Sam Walton’s heirs) accelerated dividend payments into 2012 as well.

The top 400 earners could see even more changes in capital gains taxes after this year’s sure-to-be-entertaining presidential election. Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have proposed raising rates on capital gains and investment income.

On the Republican side, nearly all

the candidates propose lowering those rates, while Marco Rubio has proposed exempting that income entirely.

4,474 taxpayers have joined the IRS top 400 over the last 22 years. 3,213 of them appeared just once, which reinforces the fact that most of those lucky winners make it by selling a business they spent a lifetime nurturing. (Really, isn’t one hundred-million-dollar year enough?) Just 129 taxpayers have appeared on the list 10 or more times, and you can imagine they all had pretty nice holiday seasons on their private islands somewhere warm.

What does all of this mean for you? It means that even for us ordinary mortals, tax planning really can make a difference, especially when it comes to cashing out your gains. And now is a great time to start. Why not resolve to make 2016 the year you finally take control of your tax bill?

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

What’s Worth Talking About?

By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

There’s a tradition or myth that says you have a certain number of words to use up and then you are gone. So my advice is stop talking about the weather!

I

t is here to sabotage us! Especially this year. Could it be more erratic? In fact, though I’m writing this, my advice is – do not read it out loud! (Because then of course, you’ll use up more words talking about the undependable weather again!)

It’s like, oh my gosh, global warming one day and global freezing the next! My car is already seeing a therapist. A/C, heat, A/C, heat. The up and downs are freaking my motor out!

And forget about my wardrobe!

Summer clothes up to the attic, down, up, down. But then again, it’s actually saving me a fortune. I’ve suspended my gym membership.

Who needs the gym’s Stairmaster when I’m mastering mine?!

My husband called last week from LA saying he was freezing. My friend called from Florida from her “holiday vacation” saying they’re still hoping the sun will come out.

But hey, me, I said “Sorry, can’t talk

now. I’m in NY; I’m on my way to the beach!” Now this week, that’s a different story! Oh no, I’m still not available to talk. But that’s because I’m back on the stairs schlepping the summer clothes up and the winter stuff back down.

Now can we talk about the flu season? I don’t think it’s flying by so fast! Bada boom!

People are discussing a mild winter. That’s an optimist for you. I’m more of a Jewish time proponent....

After being exposed to us for so long, the winter is just showing up late!

After all, I don’t expect it to be a “snow show!” Bada boom!

Winter probably still has a lot of gusto under its belt. I’m envisioning skiing to the bus stop as we drop our kids off for camp. But you know how parents are, they hate to see their kids go off to camp. They are sobbing and heartbroken at the “bus sendoff spot.” Maybe this will keep them from delivering their kids there. Yet my prediction is even an avalanche, won’t stop them from getting them to the bus stop. Nothing has in the past!

The parent sobbing is part of the ritual – keeping them home is not!

Oh, and listen to this: here is the newest release of the top ten songs out now. “I’m dreaming of a white Purim.” Bada boom!

Autumn automatically turned right back into summer. And final-

ly we are noticing winter beginning to spring upon us. One would have thought by now they would have been seasoned experts in showing up at their designated times.

We certainly do have starting dates attributed to each season. Why don’t they respect them? How insensitive would it be to be announced somewhere you were expected, and

what we are expecting. And surely, there are more pressing concerns than the weather. There are a lot of challenges to confront and struggles to surmount. But I can’t even talk about them ‘cause I just don’t want to use up more words and want to be around for the better days.

So what do I do? I say, G-d’s got it covered. I can’t change the weather

My car is already seeing a therapist. A/C, heat, A/C, heat. The up and downs are freaking my motor out!

then you totally didn’t make an appearance for days? You’d be pretty apologetic. But hey, no explanations from the seasons – they kind of seem to be running hot and cold!

I wake up each morning now hoping we’ll have another bout of summer and simultaneously wishing winter could start already so it can end already. Does that resonate with you?!

Sure I’m confused. But what New Yorker isn’t?! Oh, and then there’s the weather issue bewildering me to boot!!! Bada boom!

Yes, life doesn’t always deliver us

by talking about it, I can only accept it and outfit myself right. And that is how I need to get through the challenges as well. Find the right tools to make it through. And be ready and available for when the wind shifts and the good times begin to rain down!

Now that, if anything, is something to talk about! Bada boom!

Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-7052004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com

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