January 30, 2020
Your Favorite Five Towns Family Newspaper
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THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE CENTURY President Trump Unveils His Long-Awaited Peace Plan pg
54 Spirited Simcha at Siach Yitzchok Chanukas Habayis
32
Remembering... 75 Years Later A SECRET SAVIOR
How Dr. Julius Kuhl Saved Thousands from Death pg82 56 Budding Maggidei Shiur Give Over the Daf
THE JOURNEY OF A 91-YEAR-OLD PAIR OF TEFILLIN Super Foods for the Super Bowl
44 Nourishment for Body & Soul at Central Perk
PASSOVER VACATION SECTION Starts on page 107
pg
pg 86
102
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JANUARY 30, 2020 | The Jewish Home
is h T
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JANUARY 30, 2020 | The Jewish Home
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The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE DIRSHU WORLD SIYUM SUNDAY, FE B RUARY 9, 2 0 2 0 TR AFFIC & SECURIT Y
Prudential Center 25 Lafayette Street, Newark, NJ 07102
Heavy traffic is expected throughout the area.
NJPAC 1 Center St, Newark, NJ 07102 Newark Symphony Hall 1020 Broad St, Newark, NJ 07102
SCHE DULE 4:30 pm
Security Checkpoints Open
5:30 pm
Arena Doors Open
6:15 pm
Tefillas Maariv
6:30 pm
Event Begins
10:30 pm
Program Concludes
Please make sure to head out early for your punctual arrival. Security will be tight around the venue and
Monroe & Lakewood: Subsidized price*: $20.00 / round trip Regular price: $35.00 / round trip
inspected with k-9 units upon arrival. Screening Policy: All patrons will be subject
Bus tickets must be reserved at 973-319-4319 or DirshuTransportation.com
maximum safety. All buses and cars will be
to a metal detector screening and complete security check prior to entering the arena. Guests will be asked to remove any attire or apparatus that conceal their identity. The lengthy security check may delay the entry process, we therefore ask all siyum participants to plan accordingly. Bag Policy: Bags will be prohibited. Handbags, 6” will be allowed into the venue. All bags will be required to pass through security.
You will not be able to enter the event without a physical hard copy ticket. Rabbonim, VIP, and event staff will also need a ticket to gain entry. The siyum has a no re-entry policy. Once your ticket is scanned, you will not be able to leave and re-enter the venue.
PUB LIC TR ANSP ORTATION
Children under the age of 8 will not be allowed into the stadium.
Prudential Center is easily accessible by NJ
Due to the large scale of this event, we will be working on a punctual schedule. Please take care to ensure a timely arrival, so you can fully participate with the siyum program.
Dirshu will be providing transportation to the siyum.
All Other Locations: Subsidized price*: $15.00 / round trip Regular price: $30.00 / round trip
inside the event in order to ensure your
purses and clear bags smaller than 12” x 16” x
TICKE T S & E NTRY
BUSING
Transit trains, PATH, Amtrak, Light Rail and Bus. Newark Penn Station is located a short two blocks east of the arena. To exit Prudential Center towards Newark Penn Station, use the Investors Bank Tower by heading to the
There will be ushers and signage to help you find your seat. Please do not sit down in a seat that does not belong to you.
northeast corner of Prudential Center near
At Prudential and NJPAC, no outside food is allowed. At Newark Symphony Hall, outside food is allowed in clear bags only.
To access public transit buses to Broad Street
Sections 20-22, 130-133 or 231-233.
Station, exit onto Edison Place or Lafayette Street and go ½ block west to Broad Street.
*Subsidized busing cutoff date is Tuesday, February 4, 2020, 6:00pm. All reservations after this time will be charged regular price.
PARKING Parking at Prudential Center: Prudential Center is one of the most easily accessible arenas in the country, with over 3,500 parking spaces within two blocks of its location. Highways surrounding the arena include 280, 78, NJ Turnpike, 1 & 9, 21, 22, Garden State Parkway, 80 and NJ 3. Parking lots will be open from 10:00am. Price for parking at the stadium is $45.00. There are several additional parking facilities within close proximity to Prudential Center. Parking at NJPAC : • Surrounding Streets • NJPAC Parking Lots A AND C: 1 Center Street, Newark, NJ 07102 • Military Park Garage: Located across the street from NJPAC: 633 Broad St, Newark, NJ 07102 Price for Parking: $25.00 Parking at Newark Symphony Hall: • There will be sufficient street parking surrounding the venue. • A heavy security and police detail will be present to ensure your safety and protection.
Questions? Contact us at Questions@DirshuWorldSiyum.org or 888-5-DIRSHU
BottomLineMG.com
LOC ATIONS
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JANUARY 30, 2020 | The Jewish Home
Dear Readers,
I
as they took in the many rooms and portraits that were open to visitors. There was an undeniable reverence, a respect, an acknowledgement that certain things shouldn’t be touched, as they have been in the White House, in those particular rooms, for decades and even centuries. We also toured Congress on our trip this week. As we were standing in the National Statuary Hall, a few people working in the Capitol came through. Many of them were unrecognizable, although presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren breezed through in a purple sweater, heading towards the Senate Gallery, where the impeachment hearings were proceeding. That’s Elizabeth Warren? I thought to myself. She looked so ordinary, just a regular American heading to work – although she walked with purpose. But then I remembered that every one of those men and women working in the Capitol – on either side of the aisle and in either House – are really there as representatives of the citizens of the United States. Are they better than any of us? In the United States, you can start out as an actor, a community activist, a soldier, or even a rancher and become the president of the United States. Some people have started their political careers on a lark, tentatively testing waters until they realize that they enjoy working in government, and then end up representing hundreds of thousands of people. So really, they’re just like any one of us – although they work in a different building, in a different state, and have a lot more say in what goes on in the country. But don’t tell them that. Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana
caught a glimpse of President Trump debuting the “Deal of the Century” on Tuesday on the TV in the lobby of the hotel we were staying in over vacation. It was only for a few minutes – we had to be on our way – but the first thought I had was: Oh, I was just there. Indeed, my family and I were in the White House, in the exact same room in which the announcement was made, just a few hours before. We had spent a few days in Washington, D.C., touring the capital of the country, and were able to procure tickets to the White House. Although I have been to D.C. many times, this was the first time I went on the tour. A few things struck me: firstly, the other people visiting the White House with me were a microcosm of those living in the United States of America. We live in New York, in a little bubble where the majority of us wear black all the time and drive shiny, new cars. But Americans span the spectrum. They drive pickups and buy their church clothes from Walmart. Some speak with a drawl; others talk with a twang. Their streets may be less congested than Manhattan’s and their lives may be less busy than ours but we’re all living in the same country and we all want the best for our nation. Those on the tour were from all over the U.S., many of them wearing red, white, and blue as a symbol of their patriotism. We may be different, but, as emblazoned on the panels around the security offices before entering the White House, e pluribus unum. Speaking of their clothes, I noticed that many of the men and boys on the tour were wearing button-down shirts and ties, their Sunday best,
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Shabbos Zemanim
January 31 – February 6
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Friday, January 31 Parshas Bo Candle Lighting: 4:53 pm Shabbos Ends: 5:55 pm Rabbeinu Tam: 6:25 pm
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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JANUARY 30, 2020 | The Jewish Home
Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
8
COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll
8
Helping to Right a Historic Wrong by Sharon Gelbach
90
Holocaust Survivors Across the Globe – Compensation & Eligibility 92 Community Happenings
42 NEWS
78
Global
12
National
34
Odd-but-True Stories
40
ISRAEL Israel News
26
World Builders
80
JEWISH THOUGHT Rabbi Wein on the Parsha
72
Renew Us in Days of Old by Rav Moshe Weinberger
74
Parsha in Four by Eytan Kobre
76
The “Nature” of Miracles by Shmuel Reichman
78
PEOPLE A Secret Savior: How Dr. Julius Kuhl Saved Thousands from Death
82
The Journey of 91-Year-Old Tefillin & Their Owner by Leslie Srolovits
86
15 Questions for Comedian Ashley Blaker
106
The U.S. Army’s Signal Corps by Avi Heiligman
118
HEALTH & FITNESS Heart Health Month by Cindy Weinberger, MS RD CDN The Trouble that Expectations Cause by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn
98 100
Dear Editor, I had to laugh reading your “Dear Readers” column this week, especially when you referred to people of a “certain age.” What should I, and others of my generation, say? Cassette players in cars, along with FM capable radios, not to mention car phones and even seat belts, were not old tech when I was a kid. They didn’t yet exist! I clearly, and fondly, remember when my siblings and I hung out in the back of the family station wagon as the family made the trek, that we often did, between Scranton and Brooklyn. And we traveled on bumpy twolane highways, since most of the Interstate Highways hadn’t yet been built. I guess that it is all a matter of perspective. And you made me feel old! Thanks for the chuckle. Leg. Howard J. Kopel Dear Editor, Your Notable Quotes section (“Say What?”) is like the sweet, delicious, and scrumptious dessert after a hearty meal, aka, The Jewish Home! It’s a guilty and perhaps somewhat masochistic pleasure for me to read about the latest absurdi-
ties being uttered by the lunatics on the Left. (Not to overgeneralize, of course! Some libs, I’m sure, are perfectly cognitively coherent, just as you featured in the Parshas Vaeira issue a former member of the German Nazi party who SAVED Jews and was honored by Yad Vashem as one of the Righteous Among the Nations!) So, speaking of Nazis, why did you identify the spewer of the quote, “... [Trump] is going to be like [the yemach sh’mo from Austria] and the Mexicans are the new Jews” with the vague, and somewhat misleading, description of “A Hollywood celebrity”? I think, first of all, that most people would assume that “a Hollywood celebrity” would indicate a TV or movie actor of some sort. Secondly, but mainly, why anonymize the singer Linda Ronstadt? Because of kol ishah? She has has a history of spouting her uber-liberal political opinions. During her 2004 concert in Las Vegas, she praised and encouraged viewing of liberal fanatic filmmaker Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11, which excoriates Pres. George W. Bush. She was booed off the stage, angry patrons tossed their Continued on page 10
FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: It’s the Super Bowl
102
Super Sides
104
LIFESTYLES
102
Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW 94 Your Money
The Timeless Struggle by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS
124 126
HUMOR Centerfold 70 POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes
110
A Bolton Subpoena Fight Could Tie Up the Senate for Months by Marc A. Thiessen 115 The Normalization of Trumpism by Fareed Zakaria CLASSIFIEDS
116 121
What do you prefer to eat at the end of a meal: cake or pie?
75
%
Cake
25
%
Pie
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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LAKE OOD &CEDARHURST/WOODMERE Thisbos! b a h S
בס''ד
A C O N T I N U I N G T O R A H PA R T N E R S H I P
THE COMMUNITIES OF CEDARHURST / WOODMERE LOOK FOWARD TO WELCOMING THE ESTEEMED ROSHEI YESHIVA OF
BETH MEDRASH GOVOHA WHO WILL VISIT US FOR AN UPLIFTING
SHABBOS CHIZUK
Harav Yeruchim Olshin שליט”א
OF
JAN 31- FEB 1, 2020 Kehillas Bais Yehuda Tzvi Rav Yaakov Feitman שליט״א מרא דאתרא 391 Oakland Ave
סעודת ליל שבת
Mr. and Mrs. Menashe Oratz
| שחרית9:00 am
Bais Medrash of Cedarhurst Rav David Speigel שליט״א מרא דאתרא 504 West Broadway
סעודת שבת
Mr. and Mrs. Uri Dreifus
| שיעור4:00 pm
Agudas Yisroel of the Five Towns Rav Yitzchok Frankel שליט״א מרא דאתרא 508 Peninsula Blvd.
| מנחה סעודה שלישית4:40 pm
Kehilas Bais Yisroel Rav Beirish Friedman שליט״א מרא דאתרא 352 West Broadway Shalosh Seudos sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Mendy Haas
| לימוד מוצאי שבת6:45 pm
Yeshiva Toras Chaim - Bais Binyomin Rav Mordechai Kamenetzky שליט״א 1170 William Street
Rosh Yeshiva, Beth Medrash Govoha
אכסניא
Woodmere - HARAV YERUCHIM OLSHIN
Cedarhurst - HARAV DOVID SCHUSTAL
| מנחה וקבלת שבת5:03 pm
Harav Dovid Schustal שליט”א
שבת קודש פרשת בא
אכסניא
Mr. and Mrs. Aron Solomon
Rosh Yeshiva, Beth Medrash Govoha
Mr. and Mrs. Chaim Shmuel (Henry) Schachar at the home of: Mr. and Mrs. David Lawrence
| מנחה וקבלת שבת5:02 pm
Congregation Aish Kodesh Rav Moshe Weinberger שליט״א מרא דאתרא 894 Woodmere Place
סעודת ליל שבת
Mr. and Mrs. Chaim Hershkovich
| שחרית8:00 am
Yeshiva Gedolah of the Five Towns Rav Moshe Zev Katzenstein שליט״א ראש ישיבה 218 Mosher Avenue
סעודת שבת
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Landau
| מנחה סעודה שלישית4:40 pm Kehilas Yagdil Torah Rav Ariel Edelstein שליט״א מרא דאתרא 980 Railroad Avenue
| אבות ובנים7:00 pm
Yeshiva Gedolah of the Five Towns Rav Moshe Zev Katzenstein שליט״א ראש ישיבה 218 Mosher Avenue
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Rabbi Pinny Smith 732.367.1060 ext. 4366 | psmith@bmg.edu
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JANUARY 30, 2020 | The Jewish Home
Continued from page 8
drinks in the air, ripped down her posters, and demanded their money back. Ronstadt was then unceremoniously escorted off the casino property without being allowed back into her luxury suite. Rather than fearing that some ben Torah reader of The Jewish Home will seek out her songs if she’s identified by name and profession, you should let your readers know the identity of one who thinks to equate one of the, if not the, greatest ohev Yisroel to ever grace the White House with the gilgul of Haman, so that our batei Yisroel may purge their music collections of any of her works. In order to attempt to end this
diatribe on a more positive and conciliatory note, however, I’ll say that her criticisms are most likely rooted in a sense of justice and concern for people in general. But, alas, in this post-Garden of Eden world of ours, good and evil, truth and falsehood, are intertwined and the Other Side does an all-too-good job of obscuring truth and light, to some degree, and in at least one area, from each of us. May we see the veil of darkness and falsehood soon permanently lifted with the coming of the Ultimate Redemption and then we can finally say to evil on its way out, “You’re no good, you’re no good, you’re no good. Baby, you’re no good!” Ariel Weisz Brooklyn, NY
Dear Editor, I fondly remember Sheila Schwebel as she led my class to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., on our senior trips. She had a surplus of energy and was witty and evenkeeled even when dealing with so many details and young women who were frantically trying to get photos in of the White House. It’s amazing to hear that she is still working her magic – and now even overseas! Chani Lebowitz Dear Editor, It was nice to read the letter written into the Dating Dialogue column this week in which grandparents wrote in lamenting the shidduchim process nowadays and wondering
what they could do about it. Kudos to those wonderful grandparents who are concerned for their grandchildren and yet know enough not to meddle. It’s hard to notice a situation in which a loved one of yours is hurting and being able to hold yourself back from intruding in their space. Surely, their children and grandchildren know that they care, and surely, they appreciate that they’re not prying into such a sensitive situation. Probing will only exacerbate and make more stressful an already stressful station in life. For now, their best bet is to be loving and supportive and, above all, to pray. Much hatzlacha to all in this parsha! Shulamis Coleman
Views expressed on the Letters to the Editor page do not necessarily reflect the views of The Jewish Home. שערי פרוזדור M E S I V TA S H A’ A R E I PRUZDOR
Please send all correspondence to: editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com.
שערי פרוזדור
M E S I V TA S H A’ A R E I PRUZDOR
בס"ד
come learn about
The MSP Opportunity learn about our Yeshiva, its warm and caring staff and the many unique opportunities we have to offer your son. opening remarks From
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Q&a with msp staFF at the home oF
harvey & etti mermelstein 132 hards lane, lawrence, nY sunday, February 9th 8pm event is for parents only
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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JANUARY 30, 2020 | The Jewish Home
The Week In News
In Honor of Tu B'shvat Brexit Bill Becomes Law
Salvation Ribnitzer
years after the country first voted to leave. “At times it felt like we would never cross the Brexit finish line, but we’ve done it,” exulted Johnson on Thursday.
Remembering… 75 Years Later
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Britain’s Brexit Bill became official law last week after successfully passing the House of the Lords and receiving the assent of Queen Elizabeth II. The news that the Queen had approved the bill was greeted by rapturous applause from MPs in the House of Commons on Thursday. The Withdrawal Agreement Act becoming law means that Britain will finally leave the European Union following three-and-a-half years of political deadlock. Following the Queen’s approval, European Commission President Ursula von der Leten and European Council President Charles Michel signed the bill on Friday in Brussels. After signing the act that officially removes Britain from the EU, Michel noted that “things will inevitably change but our friendship will remain.” “We start a new chapter as partners and allies,” he said. The bill forcing Britain to leave the EU had been ratified by the House of Commons in early January by a landslide margin of 330 to 231. The successful passage of the bill was a significant political victory for Prime Minister Boris Johnson and came after his Conservative Party trounced Labour in the December elections. Facing a hung parliament that prevented him from leaving the EU, Johnson had decided to force new elections in which he asked the public for a mandate to “get Brexit done.” The newfound parliamentary majority he got from the public enabled him to finally shepherd Britain out of the EU, more than three
Over 200 Holocaust survivors gathered on Monday at Auschwitz on the 75th anniversary of the former death camp’s liberation. Dressed in blue-and-white striped caps and scarves representative of the uniforms worn by camp prisoners, they entered the camp accompanied by Polish President Andrzej Duda. They laid floral wreaths by what is known as the “Death Wall,” where thousands of prisoners had been shot by the Nazis. Auschwitz was the largest of the Nazi death and concentration camps and was in operation from 1940 to 1945. Of the 1.1 million victims who perished at Auschwitz, almost a million were Jewish, with other victims including Roma, Poles, and Soviet prisoners of war. Presidents, prime ministers, and royals from around 60 countries attended the ceremony, though there were no top world leaders present, some of whom had instead opted to attend Israel’s Holocaust forum last week. Polish President Duda notably did not attend the Jerusalem event after he was denied the opportunity to speak there, while Russian President Putin was, in fact, permitted to speak, despite his earlier allegations that Poland had colluded with Hitler and contributed to the outbreak of World War II. “This is about survivors; it’s not about politics,” said Ronald Lauder, head of the World Jewish Congress. “We see anti-Semitism rising now, and we don’t want their (survivors’) past to be their children’s future, or their grandchildren’s future,” he added.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
7PM
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JANUARY 30, 2020 | The Jewish Home
rosh chodesh LECTURE series presents
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Last week, a bombshell report accused Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, also known as MBS, of hacking the phone of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. According to the report, which quoted private investigators Bezos hired, MBS had compromised the billionaire’s phone by sending him a virus on Facebook. The news that the Saudi royal had breached the personal cell phone of the world’s richest man was fiercely denied by MBS, who called for a probe into the “lies and slander.” “Recent media reports that suggest the Kingdom is behind a hacking of Mr. Jeff Bezos’ phone are absurd. We call for an investigation on these claims so that we can have all the facts out,” the Saudi Embassy tweeted in response. The allegations were just the latest twist in an ugly and public feud between Bezos and MBS. Over the past year, the Amazon founder has accused the Saudi of leaking to the press unflattering details of his personal life in an effort to destroy his public image. But prior to the feud, the two had a fruitful relationship that almost saw Amazon establish a major hub in Saudi Arabia. With MBS attempting to modernize Saudi Arabia’s economy and wean it off of oil, Bezos seemed like a natural partner to bring foreign corporations to the Arabian Peninsula. Throughout 2018, MBS and Bezos spoke frequently in order to hash out the details of Amazon’s new data center. According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, the crown prince offered Amazon “tailor-made incentives” that included 99 years of free rent and government funding. Amazon, meanwhile, was ready to commit to investing $4 billion in Saudi Arabia as well as taking part in a projected $500 billion smart city on the Red Sea known as NEOM. “It is very important for me, my friend, that you come to Saudi during the future investment Forum, and
we announce this $2.8B Vision 2030 partnership,” the prince messaged Bezos in September 2018. However, the relationship soon soured. MBS grew frustrated with the biting criticism of the Bezosowned Washington Post, something that allegedly led him to order the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. After Khashoggi’s assassination, associates of Bezos said that he was “incensed” at the crown prince. Pulling out of a major conference in Riyadh, the high-tech mogul essentially ended the budding relationship. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia secretly froze plans for the Amazon data center after the company refused to allow Saudi intelligence access to its information systems. “Never say no publicly. We just keep stalling and cite bureaucratic delays,” one Saudi advisor recalled being told.
Saudi Officials Visit Auschwitz
A delegation of Saudi Muslim clerics toured the Auschwitz death camp last week in what is a rare case of public commemoration of the Holocaust in the Arab world. Led by Muslim World League Secretary General Mohammad bin Abdulkarim al-Issa, 25 religious leaders joined American Jewish Committee CEO David Harris to commemorate 75 years since the death camp was liberated by Soviet troops. During the visit, the clerics heard about the horrors that were perpetrated at the site, entered the gas chambers, and participated in an interfaith dialogue about the Holocaust. Saudi Arabia’s top Muslim, Al-Issa is a close associate of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) and the most senior Muslim official to visit Auschwitz since it was liberated. In pictures distributed from the historic visit, he was seen embracing kippa-wearing Jews, including some who car-
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During the attack, one rocket hit the embassy’s dining area while two others landed outside the compound in Baghdad’s Green Zone. The shelling was condemned by Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi and the speaker of parliament, Mohammed Halbusi, who said that the rocket fire would embroil the country into a war it does not want.
ried Israeli flags. “To be here, among the children of Holocaust survivors and members of the Jewish and Islamic communities, is both a sacred duty and a profound honor,” Al-Issa said. “The unconscionable crimes to which we bear witness today are truly crimes against humanity. That is to say, a violation of us all, an affront to all of G-d’s children.” In a statement, the World Muslim League said that the visit was
intended to “express the religious sentiments about the Nazi crimes.” The delegation also visited the Srebrenica death camp in Bosnia. A high-profile visit to Auschwitz by senior Muslim officials is highly irregular in the Arab world, which commonly belittles the Holocaust and views it as responsible for the creation of the Jewish State. The inclusion of top Saudi clerics such as Al-Issa aroused speculation that the tour was supported by the Saudi
monarchy as a way to establish better relations with Israel.
Rockets Pound U.S. Embassy in Baghdad At least one person was injured after three rockets pounded the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Sunday.
While no one took responsibility for the attack, the rockets are thought to have been fired by pro-Iranian militias. For over three months, U.S. bases have been under a relentless barrage of missiles fired by armed pro-Iran groups, including the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU). The United States has publicly said that it holds Iran responsible for any rocket fire on its embassy or military bases in Iraq. Earlier this month, U.S. warplanes bombed a Kataib Hizbullah camp near the Syrian border in retaliation for a missile attack on its forces a day earlier, killing at least 25 fighters. A day later, U.S. forces killed Iranian Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimeini in a drone strike at Baghdad Airport. While the Pentagon had been targeting the senior Iranian general for months, President Trump reportedly ordered Soleimeini killed after being shown intelligence that directly tied him to the missile barrage on American troops in Iraq. Speaking with Mahdi soon after the attack on Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo “expressed his outrage at the continued assaults by Iran’s armed groups against U.S. facilities in Iraq, including yesterday’s rocket attacks against our Embassy, which resulted in one injury.” “The Secretary underlined once again that these attacks demonstrate a wanton disregard for Iraqi sovereignty and a failure to rein in these dangerous armed groups,” added the State Department in a press release. “He appreciated Prime Minister Abd al-Mahdi’s commitment to strengthen security to protect American personnel and diplomatic facilities.”
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The Beth Din of America and Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future present a complimentary CLE program — SECOND ANNUAL —
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9:30 – 10:30 a.m. / Topics in Beth Din Jurisprudence Rabbi Yona Reiss, Esq. Defamation Cases in Beth Din Rabbi Dani Rapp, Esq. Intellectual Property Cases in Beth Din 10:35 – 11:20 a.m. / Panel Discussion The View from the Outside: Beth Din & the American Legal System Professor Chaim Saiman, Esq. • Adina Levine, Esq. Professor Michael Avi Helfand, Esq. 11:25 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. / Panel Discussion The View from the Inside: Decision Making in Beth Din Jordana Mondrow, Esq. • Rabbi Yona Reiss, Esq. Rabbi Itamar Rosensweig • Rabbi Shlomo Weissmann, Esq. 12:15 – 1:05 p.m. / The Beth Din of America and Agunah Prevention Rabbi Mordechai Willig Prenup Forms New and Old _______________ Also streamed live, with CLE credit, at www.yutorah.org/live Open to the entire community. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP at yu.edu/cleseminar. Any questions? email info@bethdin.org 4 NY professional practice credits and 4 general NJ credits will be provided through the National Academy of Continuing Legal Education.
Myanmar Ordered to Protect Rohingya
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the top court of the United Nations, ruled last week that the Myanmar government must prevent acts of genocide against the country’s Rohingya minority and must stop destroying evidence of such acts. The West African nation of Gambia had brought the case before the 15-judge court in November, alleging that Myanmar “intended to destroy the Rohingya as a group.” The unanimous ruling last Thursday determined that the court has jurisdiction to hear allegations of genocide and acts as an emergency injunction while the main genocide case gets underway, which has not yet been heard and may take years to reach a verdict. Under the current ruling, the Myanmar military must be sure not to “commit any acts of genocide, or acts of conspiracy to commit genocide, incitement to commit genocide, or conspiracy to commit genocide.” The government must also do
everything in its power to prevent acts such as “killing, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to bring about destruction of the group, and imposing measures intended to prevent births.” More than 740,000 Rohingya had fled Myanmar for neighboring Bangladesh in 2016-2017. Those Rohingya still remaining in Rakhine live in segregated, prison camp-like conditions with limited access to healthcare and education. Shortly before the ICJ ruling was announced, a Myanmar government-appointed commission called the Independent Commission of Enquiry (ICOE) issued a statement saying that while the military may have committed “war crimes and serious human rights abuses,” there was “no evidence” that these actions were committed with “genocidal intent.” The government argued that it had been dealing with an armed conflict in Rakhine which challenged the “sovereignty and security of Myanmar.” In December, former democracy icon and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi personally defended Myanmar at the ICJ, stating that “genocidal intent cannot be the only hypothesis” regarding the Myanmar military’s operations in Rakhine State. While Thursday’s decision by the court is final and binding, the ICJ doesn’t have the power to enforce its ruling. Its orders are subsequently sent to the UN Security Council,
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which may enact a resolution or take other concrete measures if Myanmar refuses to comply. “We know that this fight for justice will be long and is far from being won,” a group of Rohingya women acknowledged in a statement issued ahead of the ruling. “Many of our brothers and sisters are still at risk, and we demand that they are protected.”
Locusts Swarm Africa
Hundreds of millions of locusts are swarming Africa in what is the continent’s worst outbreak of the winged insects in the past 70 years. In Kenya, the bugs have arrived from neighboring Somalia and Ethiopia, destroying farmland and further exacerbating widespread hunger.
Even before this outbreak, nearly 20 million people across the East African region had been facing high levels of food insecurity. A small swarm of locusts may consume in a single day enough food for 35,000 people. According to the United Nations, the only effective way to combat the swarms is through aerial pesticide spraying, which will cost around $70 million. “Although giant nets, flamethrowers, lasers and huge vacuums have been proposed in the past these are not in use for locust control,” noted the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Locust Watch. “People and birds often eat locusts but usually not enough to significantly reduce population levels over large areas.” Over 170,000 acres of Kenyan land are already infested, with one especially large swarm in northeastern Kenya measuring 60 kilometers long by 40 kilometers wide (37 miles long by 25 miles wide). The locusts are now heading towards Uganda, Ethiopia’s Rift Valley, and South Sudan, where almost 50% of the country already faces hunger as it emerges from civil war. “We must act immediately,” urged David Phiri of the UN Food and Agricultural Organization.
Activity at N. Korea Missile Site
North Korea appears to be readying for a missile launch, despite having being engaged in negotiations with the U.S. over the past two years. Recent satellite imagery shows vehicles at the Sanumdong missile research center near Pyongyang in North Korea, which may signify early preparations for a missile or missile engine test, according to U.S. administrative and defense officials. One official stated that the activities are “consistent with what we’ve seen prior to other missile tests” and that while there is no indication of an imminent test launch, the possibility cannot be ruled out. A more
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likely scenario would involve several steps on the part of North Korea, including visible fueling, before launching a long-range missile. Last week, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper warned that North Korea maintains an “aggressive” weapons research and development program. “Clearly they’re trying to build long range ballistic missiles with the ability to carry a nuclear warhead,” he said. Researchers at The Middlebury Institute, which has monitored Sanumdong since 2017, reported that North Korea is well aware that they are being monitored and so this may be merely an effort to mislead U.S. intelligence. “The unusual traffic is difficult to interpret. If it is a leadership visit to the factory, that could come either at the beginning or the end of the construction of an ICBM or space launcher,” said Jeffrey Lewis, director of the Institute’s East Asia Nonproliferation Project. “The important thing is that there is an uptick in activity at the site, just as there has been at Sohae and other facilities.” The activity was detected days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced he would develop new “strategic” weapons. He has insist-
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As coronavirus makes its way across China and around the world, many businesses are taking note and are attempting to stop the virus from spreading. Honda and Groupe PSA, for instance, are evacuating workers from areas of China hardest hit by the deadly viral outbreak. The moves by companies highlight Wuhan’s importance as a manufacturing, shipping and business hub. The central Chinese city has more than 500 factories and other facilities, placing it 13th among 2,000 Chinese cities in Bloomberg’s
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supply chain database. It’s the capital of Hubei province, which has 1,016 such facilities, making it seventh of 32 such jurisdictions. As the outbreak accelerates, China has extended the Lunar New Year holiday to February 2 from the original January 30 date to reduce travel. Authorities have also locked down cities with a combined 40 million people around the epicenter in Wuhan, as they race to contain the pneumonia-like illness that has killed at least 80 in the country with about 2,744 confirmed cases. Carnival’s Costa Cruises brand, working with the Chinese government, decided to suspend nine voyages leaving China from January 25 to February 4. In a separate statement, Royal Caribbean said it had suspended the January 27 and January 31 sailings. Imax Corp has said that it’s delaying movie releases at its theaters in China in the wake of the outbreak. The impact of lost revenue will cost Imax at least $60 million in global box office sales. Nissan said that it plans to evacuate most of its expatriates and their family members from Wuhan using chartered plane dispatched by the Japanese government. Honda said that it will evacuate from Wuhan about 30 Japanese workers and family using a government charter aircraft. Additionally, H&M has temporarily closed 13 of its stores in the region. McDonald’s also closed locations across five cities of the Hubei province because of the virus. It’s taking extra preventative measures in the rest of the country, including taking the temperature of workers upon arrival and giving out hand sanitizers to diners. Starbucks said
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that it is closing some locations as well. Disneyland resort in Shanghai was closed on January 25 and will reopen once the company feels that the crisis has passed.
A New Government for Lebanon
As a result of years of corruption and financial mismanagement, Lebanon is suffering from enormous public debt that has left it on the verge of declaring bankruptcy. So far, the new government has failed to mollify protesters, who flooded the streets to decry the new ministers as puppets of the old political elite. Throughout the weekend, Lebanese fought increasingly violent street battles with police, who used water hoses and tear gas to disperse them. At one point, demonstrators on Saturday attempted to forcibly storm the seat of government in Beirut and set it on fire.
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Lebanon finally swore in a new government late last week, ending nearly 100 days of political gridlock. Headed by new Prime Minister Hassan Diab, the fractious Middle Eastern country’s government is comprised of non-partisan technocrats. The government also sports a record six female ministers, including the first-ever female defense minister in the Arab world. A former education minister and academic, the Christian Diab was chosen to replace now-former Prime Minister Saud Hariri after winning the support of a diverse coalition that included the Hezbollah terror group and the Free Patriotic Movement faction. Now, Diab faces the daunting task of reuniting Lebanon after more than three months of anti-government protests. Since October, hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have taken to the streets to protest what they say is the country’s corrupt political elite. Spurred on by the worst financial crisis Lebanon has ever faced, citizens had demanded that the country’s political elite resign and be replaced by an apolitical technocratic government. Speaking to Lebanese citizens for the first time as prime minister, Diab hailed protesters, who he said had “unified the country and broke the imaginary barrier between the sects.” He added that he would embark on a tour of the Middle East in order to drum up support for the emergency economic measures the country needs.
The United States has recovered the remains of individuals from a U.S. military aircraft that crashed in Afghanistan on Monday and is in the process of confirming their identities. An E-11A aircraft crashed in the province of Ghazni early in the week. The Taliban had said that they were behind the crash; U.S. officials have denied that claim. Security forces were sent to the site immediately after receiving a report of the crash in the Deh Yak district but were ambushed by Taliban fighters, Ghazni provincial police chief Khalid Wardak said. “As per our information, there are four bodies and two onboard were alive and they are missing,” Wardak said, adding that the forces subsequently received an order to retreat and that airborne action is to be taken instead. The United States has said that there were only two people onboard. Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said Afghan forces backed by U.S. military support had tried to capture the area around the crashed aircraft and clashed with fighters of the Islamist militant group. The attempt was repelled; the Taliban will allow a rescue team access to recover bodies from the crash site. The crashed aircraft, built by Bombardier Inc, was used to provide communication capabilities in remote locations. The crash came as the Taliban and United States have been in talks
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on ending the 18-year war in Afghanistan. Trump has long called for an end to U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, which began with an American invasion triggered by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that al Qaeda launched from then-Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
Bibi Indicted
This week, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit filed the indictment against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust with the Jerusalem District Court.
“The indictment was filed a short time ago…as is required by law,” Mandelblit’s office said. The move marks the first time in Israel’s history that a serving prime minister will face criminal charges, casting a heavy shadow over Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, his legacy and his ongoing attempts to remain in power. Responding to Mandelblit’s decision, “sources close to the prime minister” accused the attorney general of conducting a witch hunt against Netanyahu, a Likud spokesperson said in a statement. “If anyone still had any doubt that Prime Minister Netanyahu is the target of obsessive persecution, he was now given further clear and sharp proof,” the sources were quoted as saying. “The eagerness to file the unfounded indictment against the prime minister is so great that they could not wait even one day until after the historic summit in Washington, one of the most important in the history of the state.” According to the text of the indictment, released by the Justice Ministry in November, Netanyahu is charged with fraud and breach of trust in Cases 1000 and 2000, and
bribery, fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000. The filing of charges came hours after Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that he was withdrawing his request for parliamentary immunity from the pending indictment in the corruption cases against him. In a Facebook post, the premier denounced the “immunity circus” taking place while he was in Washington on a “historic mission.” “During this fateful time for the people of Israel, while I am in the U.S. on a historic mission to shape Israel’s permanent borders and ensure our security for future generations, another Knesset episode is expected to begin in the immunity circus,” the prime minister wrote. “Since I was not given due process, because all the rules of the Knesset were trampled on, and since the results of the procedure were pre-dictated without proper discussion, I decided not to allow this dirty game to continue,” Netanyahu added. The premier’s main election rival, Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, met with President Trump on Monday before traveling back to Israel to take part in the planned Knesset deliberation on forming a House Committee to debate Netanyahu’s immunity request. Responding to the prime minister’s announcement, Gantz said on Tuesday that Netanyahu cannot run the country while standing trial in the three cases against him. “Netanyahu is going to trial — we must move forward. Israel’s citizens have a clear choice: A prime minister who will work for them or a prime minister working for himself,” Gantz said in a statement. “No one can run a state and at the same time manage three serious criminal cases for bribery, fraud and breach of trust,” he added, citing the charges against the prime minister. According to the indictment, the prime minister “damaged the image of the public service and public trust in it” and is suspected of abusing his position and status and of knowingly “taking a bribe as a public servant in exchange for actions related to your position.” Netanyahu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in all three cases and has alleged that the investigations against him are a “witch hunt” involving the left, the media, and the police relentlessly pressuring a “weak” attorney general. In Case 1000, involving accusa-
tions that Netanyahu received gifts and benefits from billionaire benefactors including Israeli-born Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan in exchange for favors, Mandelblit charged Netanyahu with fraud and breach of trust — the latter being a somewhat murkily defined offense relating to an official violating the trust the public has placed in him. In Case 2000, involving accusations Netanyahu agreed with Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper publisher Arnon Mozes to weaken the circulation of a rival daily in return for more favorable coverage from Yedioth, Mandelblit charged the premier with fraud and breach of trust, while Mozes will be charged with bribery. In Case 4000, widely seen as the most serious against the premier, Netanyahu stands accused of having advanced regulatory decisions that benefited Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder in the Bezeq telecom giant, in exchange for positive coverage from the Elovitch-owned Walla news site. In that case Mandelblit is charging Netanyahu and Elovitch with bribery.
IDF’s Kfir Brigade Gets an Upgrade
Fifteen years after it was founded, the IDF’s Kfir infantry brigade will be upgraded and become a full-fledged maneuvering unit. After a long review, the IDF decided that Kfir will now be allowed to fight in all-out wars in Lebanon and Gaza. This change will transform the army’s youngest infantry brigade into what the military calls a “maneuvering unit,” or a force that is able to push deep into enemy territory. This new designation will express itself in more intensive training exercises, the acquisition of new weaponry, and a larger budget. Included in the new weaponry are the heavily protected “Namer” APCs, which are considerably more advanced than the M113 treaded vehicles Kfir currently uses.
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The classification of Kfir as a “maneuvering unit” is seen as significant change for the brigade, which has always been seen as inferior to the other infantry fighting forces. Founded in 2005 as the IDF’s fifth infantry brigade, Kfir has traditionally been responsible for counterterrorism operations in Judea and Samaria. While it has also been deployed on the restive Gaza Border, it has never enjoyed the same status as the Paratroopers, Golani, Givati, and Nahal. Apart from not training and fighting in wars, Kfir never had a special forces reconnaissance unit attached to the brigade and no chief of Staff has ever drafted to the unit. However, Kfir has won a slew of awards and medals over the past decade after foiling major terror attacks and has embarked on high-profile counter-terror operations.
Israel Busts Hamas Spy Ring
Israel’s Shin Bet security agency announced that it had rounded up a Hamas spy effort that involved Israeli Arabs with relatives living inside the Gaza Strip. According to security officials, 30-year-old Rami Amoudi and Rajab Deka, 34, gathered information on military targets and guided missiles for Hamas since October 2019. Both native Gazans, the pair had exploited a loophole in Israeli immigration laws that allowed them to obtain residency permits and move to Tel Aviv. Amudi was born in Khan Younis in southern Gaza to a Jewish mother and Arab father. He spent his entire life in Gaza before being recruited by Hamas intelligence officers. He then moved to Tel Aviv in order to begin his espionage activities and gathered intelligence on targets such as “military bases, police stations, and Iron Dome battery placements.” Decka, meanwhile, was also born to an Israeli mother from the central city of Lod and spent his entire life in Gaza before obtaining an Israeli residency permit in 2017. Once in Israel, Amudi and Decka bought cell
phones with untraceable SIM cards in order to maintain a secret relationship with their Hamas handlers. In a statement, the Shin Bet pointed out that the easy access the pair had to both the Gaza Strip and Israel made them extremely valuable to Hamas’ intel collection effort. “Hamas is continuing to cynically exploit the Erez Crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel to promote terror in Israel,” the Shin Bet noted. While Hamas runs an extensive spying campaign against Israel, it is considered relatively rare for the terror group to succeed in recruiting human sources with access to virtually all of Israel. In recent months, Hamas has stepped up its use of drones in order to penetrate Israel and collect intelligence on sensitive sites such as military bases.
MK David Bitan Likely to be Indicted for Bribery
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced on Sunday that Likud lawmaker David Bitan will likely be indicted for taking almost NIS 1 million in bribes. Apart from bribery, Bitan is also facing charges of fraud, breach of trust, money laundering, and tax evasion. However, Mandelblit has decided not to charge the lawmaker in three similar cases in which he had been investigated. Mandelblit first must hold a preliminary hearing for Bitan before the indictment becomes official. Speaking through his lawyer, Bitan denied all of the charges and predicted that he would be found innocent in court. “From an initial look at the material, there won’t be a need to ask for immunity because most of the clauses will turn out to be nothing during the hearing,” said attorney Ephraim Dimri.
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Police alleged that Bitan received NIS 992,000 in bribes in 2011 to cover debts he racked up while running Rishon Letzion’s soccer team as deputy mayor. In order to make ends meet, Bitan approved building projects owned by businessman Moshe Yosef in exchange for cash payments totaling NIS 492,000. In one such deal, Bitan rammed approvals for a gas station through city hall as well as another project near Jerusalem. The cash was given to Bitan in a furniture store owned by Yosef. Unbeknownst to both of them, police detectives had installed hidden cameras in the shop and caught the illicit cash transfer on video. Bitan is also accused of accepting another bribe totaling NIS 385,000 to get Yosef’s building company contracts in Tel Aviv. The money was sent to Bitan via a complicated system using phony invoices. A former Likud coalition whip, Bitan was first elected to the Knesset in 2015. He quickly made a name for himself as a scrappy lawmaker who frequently used colorful terms to insult his political rivals. He resigned his post as Knesset majority leader in 2017 as the police investigation gathered steam.
pelled by airport personnel. According to the report, the cyber-attacks “were directed at the airport and the planes” in an attempt at “disrupting the flight paths of more than 60 planes carrying heads of state, kings and presidents.” The attacks originated from Iran, China, North Korea, Russia, and Poland. Widely viewed as the safest airport in the world, Ben Gurion Airport puts an emphasis on cyber security due to the sensitive strategic value of the country’s main international airport. Measures include constantly probing airport systems for weaknesses and the establishment of a special operations room inside of the travel hub that reports directly to the Shin Bet. In February 2019, Airports Authority cyber chief Roee Laufer said that Israel’s three airports are constantly bombarded with cyber-attacks, with the amount sometimes reaching 3 million a day. “We have our challenge cut out for us,” said Laufer.
Gantz Meets with Trump
Ben Gurion Repels Myriad Cyber Attacks
Last Wednesday, over 60 heads of state jetted into Ben Gurion Airport. Arriving to participate in the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the dignitaries landed on a specially prepared runaway managed by the Foreign Ministry. Unbeknownst to the dignitaries, Ben Gurion Airport was in the midst of battling a massive cyber-attack from at least four different countries. Attempting to overwhelm Israel’s cyber defenses just as Russian Vice President Vladimir Putin and American Vice President Mike Pence touched down, over 800 different cyber assaults were successfully re-
Benny Gantz, head of Israel’s Blue and White party, met privately with U.S. President Trump on Monday regarding the Washington administration’s long-awaited plan for peace in the Middle East. The meeting was Gantz’s first-ever with the U.S. president and came shortly before Trump met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A Gantz advisor told the media that the meeting was “excellent,” adding that the leaders spoke about the peace deal that will be presented on Tuesday, though most of the meeting “centered on Iran.” Later, Trump and Netanyahu discussed the “need to stop Iranian aggression as well as about Iran’s efforts to go nuclear and about the need to continue the pressure on all fronts.” Gantz had initially been invited alongside his political rival NetanyaContinued on page 34
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The Opportunity of the Century
O
n Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled his administration’s long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan before an enthused audience at the White House and with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by his side. The U.S. leader hailed the plan as “a big step towards peace” for Israel, adding that “we have an obligation to humanity” to get the deal done. Trump underscored that the plan was supported by Netanyahu and by his rival in the upcoming elections, Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, noting that “peace transcends politics in Israel.” Almost every U.S. administration has tried to bring the Israelis and Palestinians together to the negotiating table – but without success. President Trump said that his deal differs than the others and contains many details, ensuring that nothing is left up for questioning. “This vision for peace is fundamentally different from past diplomacies,” Trump said. “Even the most well-intentioned plans were light on factual details and heavy on conceptual framework.” He added that his plan was 80-pages long, calling it “the most detailed proposal ever.” Trump noted that making peace between Israel and the Palestinians “may be the most difficult challenge of all.” He asserted, “But I was not elected to do small things or shy away from problems. We will be there every step of the way. It will work. If they do it, it’ll work.” Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior advisor, had been actively working on the deal for the past three years. It was his “peace vision” that is woven into the plan, which calls for a two-state solution and includes detailed maps of territory. “It is time for the Muslim world to fix the mistake it made in 1948 when it chose to attack, instead of recognize, the new State of Israel,” President Trump said. Jerusalem will remain Israel’s “undivided” capital, although the Palestinian state will have its capital within eastern Jerusalem. The U.S. will open an embassy there. The other part of a future Palestinian state would be “contiguous,” with trans-
portation provided for Palestinians from the state to the capital. Trump said that the plan more than doubles the territory currently under Palestinian control but also that the United States would “recognize Israeli sovereignty over the territory that my vision provides to be part of the State of Israel” – a reference to West Bank settlements. The U.S. president added that the U.S. will “reject terrorism” when it comes to peace. “We will not allow a return to the days of bloodshed, bus bombings, nightclub attacks, and relentless terror. It won’t be allowed. Peace requires compromise, but we will never ask Israel to compromise its security,” he stated. “As everyone knows, I have done a lot for Israel,” Trump said. “Moving the United States Embassy to Jerusalem; recognizing the Golan Heights and, frankly, perhaps most importantly, getting out of the terrible Iran nuclear deal. “Therefore,” the president added, “it is only reasonable that I have to do a lot for the Palestinians, or it just wouldn’t be fair…. I want this deal to be a great deal for the Palestinians.” Although Israel has been onboard with the plan – Trump thanked Netanyahu “for being willing to take this bold step forward” – the Palestinians have summarily rejected the proposal, with PA President Mahmoud Abbas calling for resistance a day before the plan was unveiled. During the announcement, Trump thanked representatives of the Arab states of Oman, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates for being in attendance, which possibly means that these countries will be asked to support it. Regarding Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, Trump said that the status quo will be preserved there in coordination with Jordan, which will maintain its special role in managing Al-Aqsa Mosque. Referring to the Palestinians, Trump said he was “saddened by the fate of the Palestinian people. They deserve a far better life – they deserve a chance to achieve their extraordinary potential.” “We are asking the Palestinians to meet the challenges of peaceful coexistence,” Trump said, calling on them to pass laws enshrining human
rights, “stop the malign activities” of the Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other terror groups, “end incitement” against Israel, and “halt financial compensation to terrorists.” He added that the plan would “end the cycle of Palestinian dependence on charity.” The plan builds on a 30-page economic plan for the West Bank and Gaza that was unveiled last June and which the Palestinians have also rejected. After President Trump spoke to the audience, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the assembled. He thanked President Trump and his team for the dogged determination that they had in ensuring that this deal come to fruition. Netanyahu recalled a historic day in Israel’s history. “We remember May 14, 1948,” the premier said, “because on that day, President Truman became the first world leader to recognize the State of Israel after our first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, declared our independence. That day charted a brilliant future. “Mr. President, I believe that down the decades – and perhaps down the centuries – we will also remember January 28, 2020, because on this day, you became the first world leader to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over areas in Judea and Samaria that are vital to our security and central to our heritage. “And on this day, you too have charted a brilliant future – a brilliant future for Israelis, Palestinians, and the region – by presenting a realistic path to a durable peace.”
Netanyahu added that President Trump’s deal “strikes the right balance” between Israeli and Palestinian interests. “Your peace plan offers the Palestinians such a future. Your peace plan offers the Palestinians a pathway to a future state.” “If the Palestinians are genuinely prepared to take that path,” Netanyahu said, “if they’re genuinely prepared to make peace with the Jewish State, and if they agree to abide by all the conditions you have put forward in your plan, Israel will be there. Israel will be prepared to negotiate peace right away.” He added, “Mr. President, I hope the Palestinians embrace your vision of peace… I hope that they seize the opportunity offered by your sweeping economic plan. “I also hope that our other Arab neighbors embrace your vision and forge a path of reconciliation with Israel that can create for all of us a brilliant future.” Netanyahu noted that the president has “been the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House.” He ended his remarks by invoking President Truman’s “fateful decision” made decades ago. He said that both Truman and David Ben-Gurion “seized the moment, and they changed history.” “Like you, Mr. President, I understand the magnitude of this moment. With you, Mr. President, I am prepared to seize the moment and change history…. “Your deal of the century is the opportunity of the century. And rest assured Israel will not miss this opportunity.”
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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hu to meet with Trump on Tuesday. Not wanting to decline such an invitation, Gantz agreed to instead meet separately with Trump on Monday. Immediately after Gantz announced his plans, Netanyahu’s office issued a statement that the prime minister would also meet privately with Trump on Monday, in addition to Tuesday’s planned meeting. According to Gantz, the proposed peace plan indicated a “significant milestone,” with the former IDF Chief of Staff pledging to “make the framework a basis for progress toward an agreed deal with the Palestinians and regional states, while maintaining and deepening the strategic partnerships with Jordan, Egypt, and other states in the region.” The plan is viewed as strongly favoring Israel, potentially the U.S.’s most generous proposal ever for the Jewish state. Trump said his administration had spoken briefly with the Palestinians, who rejected the plan even before its release. In order to move forward effectively with proceedings, Gantz said Israel needed to be led “by a prime minister who has the public legitimacy to implement it,” implying that the criminal charges facing Netanyahu render the current prime minister lacking in such validity. The last two rounds of elections in Israel, held last April and September, ended in deadlock, with a third round scheduled for March 2.
Israelis Can Travel to Saudi Arabia
country will only be allowed on the grounds of religious worship during the Hajj as well as business trips that would last no longer than nine days if the applicant already made arrangements for the visit with Saudi officials. The announcement is the latest sign of quiet but warming relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. It also came days before the White House unveiled its Mideast peace plan – which will probably need Saudi support. Israel and Saudi Arabia do not have formal diplomatic relations, but the two sides have found common ground in their shared animosity toward Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu frequently boasts of back-channel relations with Arab countries that do not have formal ties with the Jewish state. For now, Israel has peace deals with only two Arab countries: Egypt and Jordan. Before Sunday’s announcement, Israeli Muslims were only able to go Saudi Arabia for religious pilgrimages if they had acquired special permission from the government. The order also paves the way for Jewish Israelis – for the first time ever – to travel to Saudi Arabia for business. While some Israelis are believed to already visit Saudi Arabia, this requires either a foreign passport or special permission. In its announcement, the interior ministry said Israeli visitors would require an official invitation to enter the kingdom. It said the decision had been coordinated with Israeli security officials and other “relevant” bodies, including the foreign ministry. There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia. The kingdom has made small gestures toward Israel in the past. In 2018, it began allowing Air India to fly through its airspace on its Israel route, cutting several hours off the trip.
IS Targets Israel It is now OK for Israelis to travel to Saudi Arabia. On Sunday, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri signed an order allowing Israelis to travel to the kingdom. The decision was made in coordination with the security services, the foreign ministry, and the head of national security. There are restrictions, though, to the travel order. Traveling to the Arab
The Islamic State has a new target: Israel. On Monday, the terror group said that it is shifting focus from the remnants of its “caliphate” to mak-
ing Israel the focus of its attacks. It also said that it will be sabotaging President Trump’s peace deal, which was unveiled on Tuesday. “The eyes of the soldiers of the caliphate, wherever they are, are still on Jerusalem,” spokesman Abu Hamza al-Quraishi said in the 37-minute message. “And in the coming days, G-d willing, you will see what harms you and what will make you forget the horrors you have seen,” he said, apparently threatening attacks of unprecedented scope. He added that IS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi is “determined, and has encouraged his mujahideen brothers in all provinces, and Muslims across the world,” to launch “a new phase.” That new focus “is fighting the Jews and reclaiming what they have stolen from the Muslims, and this cannot be reclaimed except through fighting,” he said. He added, “To Muslims in Palestine and across the world…be the warhead in fighting Jews and foil the so-called Deal of the Century,” al-Quraishi said. Israeli officials have warned for years that Islamic State would turn its attention to Israel. The Shin Bet security service has in the past estimated that several dozen Israeli nationals fought for IS in Iraq and Syria. Most were either killed in action or returned to Israel, where they were arrested. However, there have been incidents of Palestinian terrorists who were galvanized by IS ideology. In December 2019, two Palestinian men who were inspired by IS were indicted for planning a terror attack targeting Israeli revelers during the nation’s upcoming Independence Day in April. Two Palestinians who killed four people and injured a dozen others in a 2016 shooting in Tel Aviv had been “inspired” by the Islamic State but were not formally involved with the organization, according to the Shin Bet. Islamic State has an offshoot based in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula that has been waging a bloody war with Egyptian forces for years and has also occasionally directed its aggression toward Israel, launching rockets at nearby Jewish communities and the southern city of Eilat. In Gaza, there are cells linked to Islamic State, as well as other Salafist groups, though they do not have much power.
Lazy States
A study released this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that every one of the 50 states in the U.S. had over 15% of adults considered physically inactive. The study looked at data from 2015-2018 and analyzed phone interviews conducted by federal as well as state health officials to determine physical inactivity levels throughout the country. Physical inactivity was determined when participants responded that they did not “participate in any physical activities or exercises such as running, calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking for exercise” during the previous month outside of their regular employment. The highest levels of inactivity were reported in seven states where at least 30% of adults were physically inactive. These states were Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky. The South as a whole had the highest levels of inactivity, at 28%; the Northeast, Midwest, and West followed respectively. The most active regions – Colorado, Washington, Utah, Oregon and the District of Columbia – had less than 20% physical inactivity levels each. According to the CDC, which recommends at least half hour of physical activity five times weekly, active people “generally live longer and are at less risk for serious health problems like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some cancers. For people with chronic diseases, physical activity can help manage these conditions and complications.” In another, slightly related, study, 92 percent of respondents found that they would hit the gym more often if they had activewear that they actually liked. Sixty-seven percent of respondents felt that their
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
Kobe Bryant Killed in Crash
Millions of sports fans grieved following the news that basketball legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash this week. The 41-year-old NBA star perished along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others after a helicopter they were traveling in plunged into the ground on Sunday in Calabasas, California. Fighting cloudy weather conditions, the aircraft suddenly fell out of the sky, killing all nine people on board. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Bryant had been going to Gianna’s basketball game along with Orange Coast College basketball coach John Altobelli, his wife Karen, and their daughter. Bryant is survived by his wife Vanessa and his three other daughters. Having ended his illustrious 20year NBA career only a few years ago, the news that Bryant was dead hit Americans like a thunderbolt. In Los Angeles, fans flocked to the Staples Center to honor the man who spent his entire career there, while politicians, public figures, and athletes took to social media to eulogize someone who many consider to be basketball’s greatest player. Phil Jackson, who coached Bryant for years on the Lakers, called Bryant the “chosen one – special in many ways to many people.” Former President Barack Obama, who had
met with Bryant multiple times, eulogized him as “a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act.” First entering the NBA with the Lakers in 1997, Bryant would go on to have a remarkable career that saw him win two Olympic gold medals and five NBA finals. An 18-time allstar, he is fourth on the NBA’s alltime scoring list and was the MVP in 2008.
Libyan Sentenced for Benghazi Attacks
A Libyan man was sentenced last Thursday to nineteen-and-a-half years in prison for his role in the 2012 attacks on the U.S. facilities in Benghazi that killed four Americans, including John Christopher Stevens, the first U.S. ambassador to be killed on duty in almost 40 years. The federal judge in Washington found Mustafa al-Imam, 47, guilty of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and malicious destroying of government property. Several relatives of the victims attended the hearing, One of the ringleaders of the attacks, Ahmed Abu Khattala, was previously sentenced in 2018 to 22 years in prison. Prosecutors cited phone records and witness statements showing that al-Imam had spoken with Khattala on numerous occasions and even accompanied him to the scene. Video surveillance showed al-Imam stealing a map and phone from the U.S. mission under Khattala’s direction. Prosecutors John Cummings and Karen P.W. Seifert had argued that al-Imam should serve both prison sentences back to back as punishment for “an attack designed to maximize the pain and humiliation it would cause the United States” on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Matthew J. Peed, Imam’s court-appointed lawyer, argued that there was no evidence that al-Imam had knowledge of the assault and said that had been manipulated by
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current activewear is lacking big time, and 32 percent said it’s a big reason they stay home on gym day. Other reasons for skipping out on a solid sweat session include being all out of clean workout wear (31 percent), not just feeling up to it (30 percent), feeling under the weather (29 percent), work stress and deadlines (29 percent), and staying up too late the night before (30 percent). Can you use all those excuses at once?
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Troy Price, the state party chairman, said there are more caucus-goers anticipated now than in 2008, which set a record with 239,000 Democratic voters who ultimately lifted Barack Obama to victory. Large turnout could benefit Biden if Klobuchar, a lower-polling centrist, doesn’t obtain the 15% threshold needed to win delegates in Iowa precincts – in which case many of her supporters are expected to shift allegiance to Biden’s camp.
Khattala. After the sentencing, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers issued a statement proclaiming that “we have not rested in our efforts to bring to justice those involved in the terrorist attacks on our facilities in Benghazi, which led to the death of four courageous Americans — Tyrone Woods, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty, and Ambassador Christopher Stevens — and we never will.”
Iowa Leads the Way? High turnout in Monday’s upcoming Iowa caucus may be the only chance for Democratic hopefuls Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, and Amy Klobuchar. While nationally Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders seem to be the more popular choices, rural Democrats
may choose differently. “The national conversation seems to be moving past Pete, past Elizabeth, to Bernie and Biden. That’s where I think everything’s heading, or returning,” opined Doug Herman, a lead mail strategist for both of Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns. “It’s kind of a reset back to the beginning of the race.” He added that a high turnout in Iowa may “help the other candidates... It may be what they need to stay viable.”
A poll last week by The New York Times/Siena College anticipated Sanders ahead of the field in Iowa with 25 percent support, followed by Buttigieg at 18 percent, Biden at 17 percent, and Warren at 15 percent. However, in national polls, Biden still leads Sanders, and the two run about even within Iowa, according to the Real Clear Politics polling average. Chris Adcock, chairwoman of Democratic Party in Page County in southwest Iowa, said that if turnout is low in Iowa, it would likely be in favor of Sanders and Biden, as they are “known quantities.” However, she predicts that turnout will be high, as do most activists in Iowa. Organizers of a caucus site in Ankeny, just north of Des Moines, are expecting 100-150 more people to caucus this year than in 2016. Further west in tiny Audubon County, caucus chair Sarah Christensen said she has already requested more than the 200 caucus cards received from the Iowa Democratic Party. “I don’t know if we’ll need them, but I get the sense that we might,” she stated. Campaigning with Biden, Rep. Abby Finkenauer asked every voter she met if they were planning to caucus. “I can’t predict what it’s going to look like that night,” she said. “Who knows if the weather will have something to do with it. I’ve been joking with people [saying], ‘We need to get snowmobiles.’ I don’t know. But things feel really good on the ground here. Folks are engaged and excited.”
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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NYC: Cash is King
Cash will always be king in New York City. Recently, the New York City Council prohibited establishments from refusing to accept cash from customers. Alleging that such practices constitute discrimination against poor customers and perpetuate inequality, the new law gives fast food and other businesses nine months to begin accepting hard currency or be hit with a $1,000 fine. Establishments will still be allowed to refuse bills larger than $20 as well as decline to accept cash payments if they offer machines that load pre-paid cards. The bill also exempts online and cell phone sales. The bill now awaits Mayor Bill de Blasio’s signature, who has indicated that he will support the act. “When you open a dollar bill, it reads, ‘This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private,’” said Councilman Ritchie Torres, who sponsored the legislation. “Cash ought to command universal acceptance. Whatever your reasons, consumers should have the power to choose their preferred method of payment,” he said at a news conference before the vote. With 22% of New Yorkers using alternative banking services and 11% without any bank account, activists have long argued that accepting only credit and debit cards discriminated against the city’s poorer residents. Similar legislation had already been passed by Philadelphia, San Francisco, and New Jersey in 2018.
Birth Tourism Crackdown The Trump administration announced last Thursday that it will begin heavily restricting visas to pregnant women from abroad. The move is part of a crackdown on pregnant foreigners jetting into
the U.S. in order to take advantage of the 14th Amendment granting automatic citizenship to those born on U.S. soil. The Trump administration has put ending this practice as a high priority, viewing it as key to stopping the flood of low-skilled immigrants.
As part of the effort, the government will curtail visas from anyone who officials “have reason to believe” are arriving in the U.S. in order to obtain illicit citizenship. In order to root out “birth tourists,” applicants will have to prove to immigration officials that they have a medical reason for visiting the U.S. “Closing this glaring immigration loophole will combat these endemic abuses and ultimately protect the United States from the national security risks created by this practice,” said White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham. “It will also defend American taxpayers from having their hardearned dollars siphoned away to finance the direct and downstream costs associated with birth tourism,” he added. “The integrity of American citizenship must be protected.” While noting that arriving in the United States for purposes of giving birth is not technically illegal, Grisham said that the State Department “does not believe that visiting the United States for the primary purpose of obtaining U.S. citizenship for a child, by giving birth in the United States – an activity commonly referred to as ‘birth tourism’ – is a legitimate activity for pleasure or of a recreational nature.” As part of its battle against “birth tourists,” the Trump administration has ceased granting visas to pregnant women from Mexico, as well as those from other high-risk countries. Federal agencies also began a law enforcement agency targeting those who assist foreign “birth tourists” to enter the U.S. for the purpose of obtaining citizenship. In late 2018, agents arrested more than 20 California residents for running a scheme that enabled pregnant Chinese women to arrive in the United States under phony
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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pretenses. In the indictments, prosecutors detailed how birth tourism operators would coach their clients how to lie on interviews at the U.S. Consulate in Beijing in order to receive the necessary approvals. Customers were commonly told to say that they were only planning to stay in the United States for two weeks and were instructed to avoid tight-fitting clothes in order to hide their pregnancies.
vors to choose from: chocolate, peanut butter, and X-mas spices According to Bessa, the cold confection has a “a rich, creamy taste.” It’s also – she insists – very high in nutrients. In fact, she says, EntoMilk is five times higher in protein than dairy milk. For now, the ice cream is only being sold in South Africa – thank G-d. The company also sells other food. Last month, it opened a popup store with dishes such as insect powder pasta, chickpea black-larvae croquettes, and mopani worm hummus to serve alongside its ice cream. I’m bugging out just reading about this stuff.
$1,800. It wasn’t just porcelain thrones that brought in big money at auction. Sinatra’s baby grand piano sold for $7,000, and his Ferdinand Berthoud clock went for $13,000. The top seller was a signed Enid Yandell fountain that sold for $33,000. Sounds like they didn’t sell these for a song.
A Golden Throne
If you want to see what the newest coin coming out of Switzerland looks like, you may want to search for a magnifying glass. State-owned Swissmint said last week that the new 2.96-millimeter (0.12-inches) gold coin is the smallest in the world. It weighs 0.063 grams (1/500th of an ounce). The gold coin depicts a giddy Albert Einstein with his tongue sticking out. Want to know how much the mini-money is worth? Well, it’s officially worth around only $0.26. Consider, though, that only 999 of these coins have been made – and that they’ll be sold for 199 francs with a special magnifying glass so owners can see the famous physicist on its face. Sounds like they’re giving you a run for your money.
plates. Her bill went before the Committee on Transportation last week. For now, it’s not clear what the new plates would look like or even which emojis would be allowed. Of the state’s current vanity plates, the most expensive for cars and trucks is the state conservation series, which carry a $26 annual fee. I’m thinking a few hearts and some smiley face emojis would make drivers a whole lot happier.
Mini-Money Owl Tenants
Bug Ice Cream
It’s possible that you’d be screaming if you knew your ice cream came from bug “milk.” Gourmet Grubb, a start-up located in Cape Town, is using EntoMilk, a dairy alternative made by blending the larvae of the black solider fly, to produce ice cream. “We set out to change the way insects were seen, produced, and used in the food industry,” said Leah Bessa, who co-founded Gourmet Grubb in 2017. “We were expecting a lot of pushback, however, people have been extremely open minded,” she added. “Everybody loves ice cream.” So far, the company is offering ice cream with three different fla-
The blue-eyed crooner with the golden voice also had a golden toilet in his hotel. Years ago, casino mogul Steve Wynn selected décor from all over the world to furnish a more-than6,000-square-foot suite in the Golden Nugget Casino in Atlantic City for Frank Sinatra. Wynn opened the hotel in December 1980, and Sinatra sang there for several years. No one else was allowed to stay there when Sinatra wasn’t in residence. This week, furnishings from the suite were auctioned off to excited fans. One of the most sought-after items were Sinatra’s Italian marble and gold-seated toilets. One sold for $4,250; his more basic marble toilet – without the gold seat – sold for
Did you know? On February 4, 1789, the Electoral College unanimously elected George Washington as the first president of the United States.
Emoji Licenses
Want to express yourself and give your car a bit more personality? You may want to move to Vermont. A bill in the Green Mountain State would allow vanity license plate owners to use emojis. State Rep. Rebecca White, a Democrat from Windsor, introduced the proposal to let drivers add one of six available emojis to their license
Burrowing owls are having a hard time finding a place to settle down. Enter the Marco Island City Council in Florida. The organization is asking Florida residents to allow owls to burrow into their backyards. Wildlife crews would dig the holes for the owls and hope that the winged creatures will move in. For their generosity, residents will be paid $250. About 500 burrowing owls live on Marco Island, but they’re exceedingly rare in the rest of the state. Florida’s burrowing owls were listed as threatened in 2017 by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Historically, the pint-sized birds inhabited the grasslands of central Florida that have been lost to developments and farmland. Now, the owls have relocated to more urban spaces. Marco Island and Cape Coral, about 45 miles north on Florida’s Gulf Coast, host the largest urban burrowing owl populations in the state. Owls are pretty particular when it comes to where they live. They don’t like being near trees or too close to homes, and digging in some spots could nick a pipe. They also don’t like sharing space; one owl family usually owns an entire lot. In other words, if you build it, they may – or may not – come.
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Around the
Community A Healthy Dose of Talmidos
T
he Ganger Early Childhood at TAG kicked off Talmidos Briyos month with a perfor-
mance by the Pre1A. The Pre1A sang a song about different healthy habits and then taught it to the kindergarten
and nursery classes. The girls will be learning about and working on all different kinds of healthy habits – eating
healthy food, drinking water, brushing their teeth, visiting the doctor, going to sleep on time, and exercising.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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Around the Community
Learning the Daf at Central Perk
B Fifth grade talmidim in Yeshiva Darchei Torah built a bridge, illustrating the Talmudic principle of “hekesh.” The talmidim began learning Gemara earlier this year.
Tune into Halftime for Torah this Sunday
I
t is no secret that the Kansas City Chiefs will battle for the Lombardi Trophy against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV this upcoming Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in sunny Miami Gardens, Florida, the home of the Miami Dolphins. Halftime for Torah was developed to give those partaking in the spirit of the game with a riveting dose of Torah as an alternative when halftime rolls around. The Jewish nation just participated in numerous historic and tremendous displays of kiddush Hashem as Siyumei HaShas throughout the world took place in theatres and stadiums and brought in the shining beacon of Torah into its midst. This year, Halftime for Torah will feature Rabbi Yoel Gold, whose compelling material can captivate any audience; world renowned orator Charlie Harary, whose inspiring persona is recognized throughout the cities large and small; the dynamic energy of the
legendary Rabbi YY Jacobson; and the enriching enthusiasm of HaRav Eytan Feiner, whose shul spearheaded the initiative some years ago and remains committed to its imperative cause. Tens of local and national organizations have agreed to partner in streaming Halftime for Torah on their own platforms. The project was spearheaded by the Chazaq Organization headquartered in Queens, New York. Robbie Aboff, Chazaq’s events coordinator, expressed his thanks, “We acknowledge every family and individual that has chosen to help ignite the fire of Torah in their homes and community centers at this pivotal moment.” Visit TorahAnytime.com during halftime or dial 718-298-2077 ext. 48 to experience Halftime for Torah and join a phenomenon taking American Jewry by storm.
y now, everyone is familiar with the worldwide Daf Yomi phenomenon. What can be fascinating, however, is the genesis of some local neighborhood Daf Yomi shiurim. In 2010, Rav Yitzchok Frankel, shlita, rav of the Agudah of the Five Towns, had a wonderful thought. Why not start an early morning shiur at a local eatery so that businessmen could eat breakfast/pick up lunch on their way to work while at the same time learning each day’s Daf? He began a shiur at the bagel store on the corner of Peninsula and Rockaway, initially attracting Steve Billauer, a”h, and Sholom Parnes, two of the mispallelim at the Agudah. Some weeks later, word had spread in the neighborhood and Richard Penzer and Dr. Morman Kuperstein joined the fledgling shiur. Two years later, unfortunately (or fortunately, as things turned out), ownership of the store changed and its size was significantly reduced, thus eliminating the area in which the shiur was given. Enter Moishe Hirsch and Central Perk. Seizing the opportunity to perform a chessed, proprietor Moishe generously invited the shiur into his locale. Beyond a mere invitation, Moishe set aside the entire back area and put up a sign reserving that space each day from 8:45 am to 9:45 am for the shiur. The shiur has grown since then and, despite many days when
the space could be utilized to serve more customers, Moishe has insisted that the area be reserved and that the shiur must go on. Indeed, whenever he is otherwise not occupied, Moishe himself sits with the baalei batim to learn the day’s daf. The investment that Moishe has made to preserve and grow the shiur is truly amazing. Aside from coffee, tea, or water that he provides to the shiur (which now has up to 9 or 10 regular members each day, Monday-Friday), he publicizes the shiur to whomever comes into the restaurant for breakfast. In this way, guys can sit for a while even if they have only 10-20 minutes to grab a part of the learning that takes place. Now more than 7 ½ years since the Central Perk shiur started, Moishe’s business, both the physical and spiritual, continue to grow. On Monday evening, January 6, 2020, Moishe and his wife, Dini, closed the store in order to generously host a lavish Siyum HaShas dinner for the members of the shiur and their spouses. Moishe’s only request currently is for more people to attend and participate in the new Daf Yomi cycle. With a hot cup of coffee in the winter or an iced coffee in the summer (and breakfast, if anyone would like to stay), there is no better to start off one’s morning – daily nourishment for the body and soul.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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Around the Community
YOSS Interactive Academic Game Show Competition
T
he boys at Yeshiva of South Shore’s Abraham and Sara Silber Middle School took their learning to the next level during a challenging and interactive cloudbased academic game show. The sixth grade was divided into teams, giving each player the opportunity to answer questions posted on the smartboard with their iPads acting as controllers. The questions ranged from topics in math, science, history and the arts. The energy and friendly competition reached new levels during the winners’ round where Yissachar Dov Herzberg edged out the competition by correctly answering a challenging math question. Special honorable mention to runner up Henoch Barningham.
BYQ: Math & Real Life Baking
“C
an we always have math lessons like this?” “This was so much
fun!” “I can’t wait to try it at home.” “The little girls were so cute!” Gleeful comments were heard and happy young ladies were “shopping” at Bais Yaakov of Queens’ six grade wing this week. Math class took on a new, tasty and real-life dimension during the ratios unit. On Tuesday, the grade baked brownies with various add-ins, rice crispy treats, banana muffins, and Congo bars using recipes, selected measuring cups, and plenty of ingredients. The girls were challenged to use ratios to double recipes, make three-fourths, four-fifths, one-and-ahalf, or one-and-a-quarter of a recipe. Other groups were challenged to use ratios making a recipe with limited
sizes of measuring cups and spoons. The hallways smelled delicious! On Wednesday, the sixth grade “sold” their baked goods to the fourth graders and sampled their own baking and each other’s creations. Yum! They really did a good job. Teachers and administrators came to join with the girls and enjoy the baked goods. Students’ comments about the hands-on learning were: • “Ratios can be helpful in baking if you don’t have enough of an ingredient” – Leya Gruenbaum • “Our group used only ½ cups and ½ teaspoons. We used ratios to know how many half cups/spoons equaled the amount we needed.” – Rochel Blumberg • “If you by mistake put in too much, you can use ratios to balance it out.” – Shaindy Tropper
A Sign of Appreciation
A
fter the dust settled from the excitement of the Siyum HaShas, a Facebook post caught the eyes of many. Security officer Rosemary Yacono wrote an exceptionally beautiful and sincere post about her experience at MetLife Stadium during the siyum and how the gathering of Jews both inspired
her and left her wanting more. HALB staff members and students wanted to thank Ms. Yacono for her kind words and for working on New Year’s day. An oversized, decorated card was signed by many at HALB and sent to Ms. Yacono. It put a huge smile on her face!
Harmony XIII
H
armony XIII Playbills will be distributed to attendees of the three performances, February 15, 16 and 22. To give a shout out in the Playbill to your superstar, please visit jepli.org/harmo-
ny and send in your ad by February 3. To sponsor Harmony XIII and give your business exposure to thousands of girls and women in the community, please contact 917-715-2415. Tizku l’mitzvot!
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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Around the Community
Rav Eliahu Milstein, fourth grade rebbi in Yeshiva Darchei Torah, with his talmidim, including Yosef Mizrahi, who brought in a live quail bird, as the class is studying Parashas B’shalach which includes the events of the “Slav” bird that descended from heaven.
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orah Broder’s sixth grade Chumash classes at Shulamith had a special siyum upon their completion of Parshat Yitro based on the popular Escape Rooms. The candy for the siyum was in a locked container that could only be accessed by figuring out its combination code. The girls had to work together to solve puzzles and crack codes, all related to the material that they had learned. The puzzles included counting the times that Moshe Rabbeinu went up and down from Har Sinai before Matan Torah; finding the gematria of certain letters in a crossword puzzle related to the Yitro’s advice on how to judge Bnei
Yisrael; and identifying each of the Aseret HaDibrot based on specified clues. The solutions to these puzzles allowed the girls to unlock boxes filled with pieces to jigsaw puzzles, each one showing a number in the combination code to the locked candy container. To place those numbers in the correct sequence, the girls needed to put events that occurred during the month of Sivan in chronological order. The sixth graders used their Chumashim and their notes to crack the codes in record time. The girls enjoyed the challenge of solving the puzzles as well as the reward of “freeing” their candy!
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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Around the Community
MBA JV Champions
M
otzei Shabbos, January 11 marked the ending of the Mesivta Basketball Association’s inaugural season. Mesivta Ateres Yaakov took on Yeshiva Darchei Torah in the championship game of the Junior Varsity Division. A competitive rivalry, in the end, Coach Zack Hatten led his MAY Eagles to a victory, 52-42. The League, which ran from November through January, is hosted by Mesivta Ateres Yaakov in their stateof-the-art Shaulson Gymnasium and included six local yeshivos in its inaugural Junior Varsity Division: Mesivta Ateres Yaakov, DRS High School, Mesivta Netzach HaTorah, Yeshiva Nishmas HaTorah, Yeshiva Darchei Torah, and Mesivta Sha’arei Pruzdor. “Boys from other teams sometimes come early or stay late to watch the other games being played that evening,” said Assistant Commissioner Mr. Zack Kessler, “That’s part of the novelty of this League. It’s like a community gathering at MAY on Sunday nights.”
Modeled after the successful Mesivta Football League (MFL), the League follows a Torahdik hashkafa and maintains guidelines that reflect those of b’nei Torah.
The League would like to thank all participating schools – players, coach and hanhala – for helping make the inaugural season so successful. The Varsity Division is scheduled to begin
after the winter intercession. For more information, email mesivtabasketball@gmail.com or check out their website mesivtabasketball.com.
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JANUARY 30, 2020 | The Jewish Home
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Mesivta Football League Season 8 Championship
T
he Mesivta Football League brought its eighth season to a close on Sunday, January 12. From beginning to end, it was an exhilarating experience for all participating yeshivos. Under the direction of Rabbi Yossi Bennett, S’gan Menahel at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov, 10 local yeshiva high schools were represented this season which ran from November through January. Every Sunday afternoon throughout the long, cold winter, teams arrived for their games at Lawrence High School excited to represent their schools in competitive flag football. Games were intense, but menschlech, with tremendous sportsmanship displayed week in, week out by all teams. For the fourth year in a row, the League would like to congratulate Coach Rabbi Yisroel Munk and his YDT Lightning on winning this season’s championship! After an intense round of playoffs which included YST (1) playing HAF-
TR Netzach (4) and YDT (2) playing HAFTR (3), the Championship game was confirmed – YDT vs. YST for the second year in a row. Sunday brought with a gorgeous day for a championship football game. This one turned out to be a real nail biter! “The most incredible game we’ve had in eight years,” commented Rabbi Bennett. Both teams definitely came to play, and it was a tight offensive and defensive matchup throughout.
At halftime, the score was tied 6-6. After Sha’are went up 12-6 early in the second half, Darchei was struggling to respond until the last play in regulation when quarterback Dovie Olshan threw a dart to Meir Greenblatt for a touchdown! The game would go into overtime! As per the League’s overtime rules, each team would have 4 downs to score starting at the 15-yard line. With YDT winning the toss and defer-
ring to YST, Sha’are took their shot but came up unsuccessful. Darchei then began their drive. After 1 completion which brought them to the 5-yard line, the next 2 passes were blocked by a relentless Sha’are defense. But, on 4th down, Dovie Olshan once again, scrambling out of the pocket, connected with Chaim Halbertal on the right sideline for a touchdown and the championship win! The League congratulates Yeshiva Darchei Torah on the win, and senior Dovie Olshan on winning the Championship Game MVP trophy. The League would like to thank all participating yeshivos – players, coaches, administrators and fans – for helping make this season so incredible. For more information about the Mesivta Football League, please visit their website at mesivtafootball.com or email mesivtafootball@ gmail.com.
Nachum Segal Network’s “Kosher Halftime Show”
T
op Jewish radio personality Nachum Segal and NSN (The Nachum Segal Network) will present its seventh annual “Kosher Halftime Show” on Sunday, Feb. 2 to coincide with America’s Super Bowl LIV. The show will include sketches connecting to late-night television shows and will feature comedian Ashley Blaker, entertainer Meir Kay, and recording artist Simcha Leiner. Meir Kay travels the streets of New York asking fellow New Yorkers
football trivia “for an Abeles & Heymann salami/sausage” in a segment inspired by Billy Eichner’s “Billy on the Street – For a Dollar.” In another segment, Kay and Leiner do a riff on James Corden’s “Crosswalk the Musical,” by performing in a crosswalk on Central Avenue in Cedarhurst, New York. Kay and Leiner also duel it out in a three-round, lip-sync battle reminiscent of the lyrical competition on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Blaker will perform an im-
promptu standup during the show. NSN’s “Kosher Halftime Show” will again present four unique commercials from Kayco, including Mighty Sesame, Dorot Gardens, Wonder Melon, and Kosher.com. “The regular Halftime Show is an iconic American event and true spectacle,” said Segal, president and host of NSN. “The Kosher Halftime Show has become very popular for families who are looking for a wholesome show to watch and enjoy. This year,
we reimagined the show and pulled the best late-night television sketches and created a show that families can watch live and share with their friends and family afterward.” The show, hosted by Segal, debuts on www.nachumsegal.com at 8 p.m. ET Feb. 2. Sponsored by The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP, Abeles & Hymann, Ezer Mizion and Steinreich Communications, the show can be followed on social media using #KHS2020.
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The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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Warmth & Achdus at Siach Yitzchok Chanukas Habayis
PHOTOS BY YITZY ENGEL
P
erhaps it was the spirit of warmth and achdus reverberating throughout Far Rockaway and the Five Towns last week that melted the snow and ice threatening to spoil Talmud Torah Siach Yitzchok’s long awaited Chanukas Habayis procession. On Sunday morning, January 19, the clouds parted and a shining sun beamed down upon hundreds of rabbanim, community members, parents, students, alumni,
friends, and family of Siach Yitzchok as they marched towards the brand-new, impressive 1045 Beach 9th Street campus in a magnificent display of respect and support. Accompanied by festive music and spirited dancing, over 300 students proudly waved their flags and torches as they escorted their Sefer Torah to its new home. Rabbi Avrohom Fruchthandler, Chairman of the Building Committee and staunch supporter and benefactor of Siach Yitzchok, was
honored with kvias mezuzah on the front door. Nachman Goodman was honored with kvias mezuzah on the Bais Medrash, named in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Goodman’s fathers. The event continued in the spacious gymnasium and dining hall, where the crowd was addressed by Rabbi Yosef Seide, Rabbi Fruchthandler, and Siach Yitzchok’s founding and current Menahel, Rabbi Dovid Sitnick. They shared the deep senti-
ment in naming the building Binyan Cheshek Shlomo, for Siach YItzchok’s founder Rav Shlomo Freifeld, zt”l, and in its dedication l’ilui nishmas Rebbetzin Hindy Sitnick, a”h. For the hundreds in attendance, it was an emotional, inspiring event marking a new era of growth for the cheder that was founded by Rabbi Freifeld, zt”l, 40 years ago with two students in a tiny Sh’or Yoshuv classroom. While maintaining the homey atmosphere of a small
yeshiva, Siach Yitzchok has blossomed into an integral part of the Far Rockaway and Five Towns community with over 350 students enrolled in nursery through eighth grade. The new, state-of-theart facility will allow these students to thrive in an optimal learning environment. For dedication opportunities, please call Rabbi Mordechai Stein at 718327-6247 or email mstein@ siachyitzchok.org.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
Around the Community
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JANUARY 30, 2020 | The Jewish Home
Around the Community
Budding Daf Yomi Maggidei Shiur at YOSS
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he Daf Yomi is moving along for an extremely large part of Klal Yisrael with more than a quarter of Mesechtas Brachos completed, but for Rabbi Burger’s fifth grade at Yeshiva of South Shore, Daf 26 came alive and a great part of their lives. On Wednesday, January 29, the entire Daf Yomi world was learning Daf 26 in Mesechtas Brachos, but as Perek Tefilas HaShachar is their daily classroom limud, Rabbi Burger’s talmidim decided that they would become maggidei shiur of Daf HaYomi! With clarity and poise, the aspiring maggidei shiur delivered the Daf to a group of rabbeim and rabbanim, among them the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi
Mordechai Kamenetzky, the Menahalim, Rabbi Zev Davidowitz and Rabbi Avraham Robinson, as well as other rabbeim of the yeshiva and a group of parents and grandparents as well. This time, the children became the maggidei shiur and the rabbeim the participants. With enthusiasm and gusto, the boys “Delivered the Daf” in a manner that would rival some of the best maggidei shiur. Quite a number of the boys expressed their aspirations to one day become Daf Yomi maggidei shiur. That is nothing to laugh at! Two of the world’s most popular and foremost Daf Yomi maggidei shiur, Rav Sholom Rosner and Rav Aryeh Lebowitz, were also once fifth graders at Yeshiva of South Shore!
Leveraging Strengths at HAFTR Middle School
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s part of the social emotional programing at HAFTR Middle School, seventh grade students worked on identifying, developing and leveraging their signature strengths in their advisory groups. The activities are based on the field of positive psychology, which has identified 24 character strengths (e.g., creativity, curiosity, persistence, integrity, love, kindness, social intelligence, leadership, humor) that individuals around the world possess. Faculty advisors and students engaged in an interactive discussion about how every person has a number of key strengths – characteristics at which they excel. Students took time to identify their strengths and then told a story about
how they used their strength both in a challenging situation as well as in a situation where they felt successful. Many students left advisory with a newfound appreciation for the strengths they have. One student re-
marked, “It is so great that the things I am good at actually have names and are called signature strengths.” Faculty advisors will continue to check in with students throughout the year to support and develop students’
use of their unique strengths in a variety of settings and situations. Dr. Yali Werzberger, HAFTR’s Director of Guidance and PPS and the program’s developer, explained, “Identifying key strengths and using them promotes self-efficacy, positive effect, self-esteem, and learning. For me, the most gratifying part of this activity was listening to other students highlight the strengths that their peers possessed and how often they were are aligned with their classmate’s self-assessment. We look forward to continuing to work on developing students’ strengths and witness them thrive as they become more cognizant of their strengths.”
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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JANUARY 30, 2020 | The Jewish Home
Around the Community
Rav Yehoshua Eichenstein, Rosh Yeshiva, Yad Aharon, speaking to the avreichim of Kollel Tirtza Devorah at Yeshiva Darchei Torah last week
Rav Yehoshua Eichenstein speaking with Rav Zev Kops and Rav Eli Winzelberg
Breaking Out of the Network United Refuah respects your choice of providers!
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sk anyone about their frustrations with their current healthcare program, and you’ll likely hear “it’s limiting” amongst their top grievances. When it comes to choosing a provider, no one wants to be told who they can turn to for care and who is off the table. And for good reason – healthcare is, and should be, a personal journey. Being limited to in-network providers is incredibly frustrating when patients feel that they cannot connect with the doctor or the clinician that they feel most comfortable with. That’s why United Refuah HealthShare respects every member’s choice of providers. United Refuah is not limited to any provider contract, and members are free to use any provider who can accept self-pay patients. Medical expenses are then shared up to 150% of Medicare allowable for doctors, 160% for hospitals, and 170% for out-patient
facilities – worldwide. That means that eligible expenses can be shared no matter where or with whom the member chooses to receive care. How does it work? In a nutshell: Members make monthly contributions, and after a small portion is used to cover administrative expenses, the rest is transferred directly to the member’s Refuah ShareBox. When a member encounters an eligible medical expense, the funds are shared from other members’ accounts as needed. Membership starts as low as $219/ month for a single, $349/month for a couple, and $519/month for a family. What do members do when they need to see a provider? When visiting a provider, a member should explain that he or she is a self-pay patient but is part of a health-sharing community known as United Refuah HealthShare. The
Did you know? 2020 is a leap year; February will have 29 days this year
member presents their member ID card at visits, giving the provider or facility the information they need for billing. Many doctors and clinics will accept health-sharing since they are usually reimbursed at a higher rate and do not have to deal with endless paperwork. However, in the case that a provider does not accept health-sharing members, the member simply pays their bill as a self-paying patient and then submits it to United Refuah for reimbursement processing according to the sharing guidelines. Combining health, values, and savings United Refuah Healthshare helps alleviate a crushing financial burden that faces many frum families in America today. Following the strict rules and guidelines of health-sharing, United Refuah keeps administrative costs low. Members share in eligible medical expenses, and member-advocates assist members in navigating the healthcare system to enable members to utilize the best combination of care-quality and cost. Savings aside, United Refuah is about a community of people united toward greater health. United Refuah is based on the moral and Torah principles that it is an inherent obligation for members to maintain
their health and wellness and to promote the best life possible for themselves and their families. To that end, members strive to live healthier lifestyles, which results in lower overall medical costs. That is because health conscious people have fewer bills, lower costs, and much more rapid recoveries. And finally, by eliminating procedures that run contrary to Jewish values or are unnecessary, United Refuah saves its members hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. United Refuah Healthshare is proud to have been a sponsor of recent 13th Siyum Hashas and is honored to play and integral role in the unification of Klal Yisroel. For more information or to become a member, visit UnitedRefuahHS. org or call 440.772.0700. United Refuah HealthShare, the first and only Jewish Health-sharing organization, offers the American Jewish community a chance to share in each other’s healthcare costs. United Refuah HealthShare is not an insurance company and does not offer insurance. It is a thriving community of like-minded people who support one another, all based on Torah-true principles and values. Currently, it has nearly a thousand active members in more than thirty states across the U.S.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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Around the Community
SKA Advisory Empowering Students to Address Anti-Semitism
Mrs. Beate Menchel advising students
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KA’s new initiative, Advisory, led by the Guidance Department, has proven to be a valuable resource for our students. Small and personalized groups of girls, guided by faculty members, allow students to form close relationships with teachers and peers while providing guidance and support. Each month has a theme that is relevant
and interesting. This month’s topic, “Empowering Students to Address Anti-Semitism,” is unfortunately extremely germane to our daily lives. The SKA students and their advisors discussed current events facing Jews today, learning how we use these experiences to become better Jews and better citizens.
Rabbi Daniel Eisenbach and students in an advisory session
The students focused on last week’s commemoration of the Auschwitz liberation, watching a clip from Israel’s Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center. They discussed Vice President Mike Pence’s speech and how people react to events in different ways. Each advisory group explored what it means to be proactive and how to call on
our resilience as a nation and as individuals. To conclude the sessions, the groups created projects in response to what they learned. SKA’s Advisory’s goal is to allow our students to talk about difficult topics in a safe environment and learn how to react in a proactive manner.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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YOSS Mechina’s Hikon Trip
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ecently, the YOSS seventh and eighth grade HIKON members celebrated the completion of the first term of HIKON! Since Elul, these boys have been showing excellence in their daily davening, including coming on time, davening from a siddur, and dressing appropriately. In celebration, the HIKON members were treated to a delicious catered dinner at Wok Tov, followed by fun and excitement at United Skates of America, for skating, arcades, prizes and lots of fountain soda. Some students preferred skates, while most strapped on roller blades, including both Rabbi Davidowitz and Mr. Winkler and Rabbi Samet who joined the trip. The night was filled with laughs and fun, and everyone had a great time. The night was capped off with an exciting raffle for a snowboard, boogie board, mini pool table and dart board. The second term of HIKON begins after winter break, and we anticipate continued growth in our davening!
Midreshet Shalhevet’s One-of-a-Kind Recruitment Event
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t was a brisk and windy Sunday evening earlier this month when Midreshet Shalhevet’s (MSH) eighth grade applicants came together to enjoy a one-of-a kind event. The girls gathered from Queens, Brooklyn, West Hempstead and the Five Towns at the school where they entered either a white or pink stretch Escalade limousine.
Inside the limo, the applicants were divided into two teams, with each team led by a few MSH’s students. Once the limousines were filled with excited eighth graders, they began their journey up and down Central Avenue with the students guiding their own adventure by answering creative scavenger hunt clues. At each given location, the teams were
Did you know? It takes the Earth 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds to travel around the sun.
challenged to create specific photographs; the winners received sparkling MSH water bottles. One participant shared that her favorite part of the scavenger hunt was working with new friends to complete the fun challenge. This event was designed so that each limousine was mixed with applicants from different communities and schools so that the girls could easily find like-minded students and make new friendships with ease. “These cars were a microcosm of the MSH community,” explains Assistant Principal Shaindy Lisker, who was riding along in one of the limousines. “Just like the halls of MSH are buzzing with happy, inquisitive and creative students working together towards a common goal of achdut and intellectual exploration,
so too these limos were filled with girls forging new friendships while collaborating creatively.” The scavenger hunt’s final clue led each limousine to Berrylicious where MSH’s beloved Menahelet Esther Eisenman was waiting to greet all of the applicants with a kind word and delicious frozen yogurt. “What better way for our future freshman class to bond and experience a taste of MSH than with a creative and fun intellectually challenging event that ended with a sweet treat,” says Mrs. Eisenman. She concluded, “I look forward to getting to know this class even better throughout this year and am eager to see how they will contribute to the MSH community in the near future.” Yes; it was a brisk and windy night. But it was warm inside.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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JEP/Nageela’s Real Estate Event is Getting Exponentially Bigger By Jennifer S. Zwiebel
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n just a few days, hundreds of real estate professionals from the tri-state area will converge on JEP/Nageela’s 5th Annual JEP/ Nageela Real Estate Networking (REN) event. The venue this year is The Brooklyn Expo Center at 72 Noble Street, a new 28,000 square feet space, allowing for more room to mingle and make business connections. JEP REN attendees will enjoy the delicious catering by Michael Schick, generously provided by the president of the JEP board, and wine pairings provided by Spruce D’Vine, plus a wine booth by Kedem. A panel discussion featuring Genghis Hadi, Managing Principal of Nahla Capital; Dov Hertz, Principal of DH Property Holdings; and Matt Scoville, Partner of Hunton Andrews Kurth will provide unique insights on the ever-changing real estate industry. The panel will be moderated by Meyer Mintz, one of JEP REN’s event chairs, board member of Camp Nageela, and Tax Partner at Berdon LLP. “It is great to see how the Real Estate Networking event has grown each year with new people and new companies,” said Meyer. “With the addition of the real estate panel last year and a new location this year, we are confident JEP REN will continue to grow further and remain a must for people in the real estate industry.”
Adam Ramer; Rabbi Dovid Shenker; Mark Ramer a”h; Michael Saperstein and Wendy Turetsky at JEP REN 2019
Michal Baum, Esq. of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, a panelist last year and new committee member, played a big part in bringing many of her real estate contacts onboard to participate for the first time this year as well. “The JEP Real Estate Networking event gives me an opportunity to combine my professional life as a real estate attorney with my passion for Jewish outreach,” he said. “JEP/ Nageela has saved, and continues to educate, the countless girls and boys and this is my small way of contributing to this vital cause.” There will be an inauguration of the “Mark Ramer Building People Award” in memory of Mark, a”h, who was niftar suddenly last year. Mark was an active board member
and continuous advocate for JEP and Camp Nageela and is sorely missed by many. The Ramer family and Michael Saperstein of Ramer and Saperstein plan to be in attendance to accept the award. “Mark’s determination, persistence, and positive spirit ignited everyone who knew him. He was a builder in more ways than one,” said Rabbi Dovid Shenker, founder, JEP/ Nageela. “We appreciate that Mark’s memory lives on through his family and friends’ support of his important personal endeavors including the continuity of Jewish life through JEP/Nageela.” Many leading real estate companies are involved in JEP REN 2020 and will be bringing colleagues and clients to the event to encourage
deal-making and plenty of networking. Platinum-level sponsors to date include BK Venues, Meridian, Riverside, Chutes Plus, and Ramer & Saperstein, along with Gold and Silver level companies DHPH; Catering by Michael Schick; Greendesk; The Brooklyn Expo Center; Gold Star Restoration; Madison; Hunton Andrews Kurth; Berdon; DJ Associates; Peyd; FM Home Loans; Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla; Sharestates; The Battery Group; Somerset Development; Westwood; Lionstone; Billet, Feit & Preis PC; First American Title; Area 53; Stewart Title Commercial Services; Landmark Abstract Agency; Harborview; The Berkshire Bank; Artimus; Fire and Building Code Services, Inc.; IV Drips; and Reset Locations. “We are thrilled to be a lead sponsor for this fantastic real estate event for the fifth year in a row,” said Yoel Zagelbaum, Esq., Riverside Abstract. “It is our honor to help this critical organization in bringing children closer to their Jewish roots. I’ve seen first-hand during the summer the incredible impact Camp Nageela has on its participants. We hope to continue to help build JEP/ Nageela in these efforts for years to come.” There’s still time to be a sponsor and exhibit in a booth, as well as to RSVP as a guest. Don’t miss out! Please be sure to visit jepren.org to reserve your spot at JEP REN 2020 or call 917-715-2415 for more information.
Shas for Shidduchim: The Ultimate Connection
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has in 24 hours and the zechus for a shidduch?! That’s right – Chicago Chesed Fund’s 3rd annual Shas for Shidduchim campaign is fast approaching! This Tu B’Shvat – beginning Sunday evening, February 9, 2020 through Monday, February 10, 2020 – hundreds will gather at the Veitzener Cheder Yeshiva Ohr Boruch in Chicago and complete Shas in Zchus of Klal Yisroel’s singles. But what’s the connection between Tu B’Shvat, limud HaTorah, and shidduchim? It’s no secret that Tu B’Shvat is a
day of tremendous value and significance, but the Ben Ish Chai brings to light another little-known-fact about the day – Tu B’Shvat is actually a predetermined time for zivugim. He states the following: Hu yom shel ahava u’zeman ha’mesugal l’metzias zivug. Tu B’Shvat is not just a day for trees. It is a day for shidduchim! And what better way to tap into the koach of this day and its connection to zivugim than with the ultimate source of blessing – Limud HaTorah? Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, zt”l, of Rishon Letzion, stresses how learn-
ing and the facilitation of Torah Study opens the source of bracha and yeshua, especially in the area of finding one’s shidduch. In other words, Torah is the biggest zechus of them all! That’s where Shas for Shidduchim comes in. Back for its third year, Shas for Shidduchim, a project of Chicago Chesed Fund, is harnessing the power of Tu B’Shvat and limud HaTorah in zechus of Klal Yisroel’s singles. It is up to us to not let this priceless and rare day go to waste. This significant, valuable, and potentially life-altering 24 hours must be used
for progress and used for Klal Yisroel’s zivugim. 24 hours. 2,711 blatt. Hundreds of lomdim. Hundreds of thousands of singles. We can make this happen. We must make this happen For just $100, you can sponsor a daf on behalf of yourself, a family member, or friend. Hurry – time is running out! Sponsor a daf at Shas4Shidduchim.org or call 847.679.7799 X170. All proceeds go directly to Chicago Chesed Fund’s many programs and services that help singles find their bashert.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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Around the Community
Mock Caldecott Medals at HANC
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very year the American Library Association votes for the best Picture Book of the Year, awarding it with the Caldecott Medal (runners up receive a Caldecott Honor). HANC Plainview’s Library Program, run by Mrs. Francie Goldberg, hosts a “Mock Caldecott” every year for grades 1-4 where students vote for the best picture book of the year (narrowed down from all that have been published). After the classes vote, a gold medal is posted on the best picture book and a silver one
goes on the runner up, similar to the real honor. The students vote on popularity of the book to all audiences, details in pictures, how well the pictures complement the storyline, and other ideas similar to that of the American Library Association’s true rubric. “Teaching art in picture books is part of the Library curriculum, and this ends the unit in an extremely exciting way, giving students an understanding of the award that is given to picture books they read all the time,” said Mrs. Goldberg.
The students wrap up the program by writing letters to the illustrator, letting them know of their “big win,” and those illustrators have always responded with
JEP Winter Retreat
By Chava Stolper
J
EP/Nageela recently hosted its annual Winter Retreat for girls at Camp Nageela in the Catskills Mountains. There were over 50 participants including campers, staff, and parents. The first night was jam-packed with activities such as bingo, photo shoots, indoor swimming, blind makeovers, and delicious winter treats. The following day, everyone went to Holiday Mountain for snowtubing and
skiing. During the day, everyone enjoyed delicious hot cocoa with whipped cream. After the snowy outdoor activities, we returned to Camp Nageela and had hot pizza and gave out Camp Nageela highlighters. Every girl had a chance to express her highlight of the winter retreat. Each attendee had a wonderful time and is now looking forward to spending more time together on future Shabbatons and events.
Did you know? A person born on a leap day is known as a “leapling.”
kind words and selfies of themselves with their HANC Plainview Mock Caldecott Medal. This year, the Mock Caldecott Medal was given
to “Jasper and Ollie” by Alex Willan; the Mock Caldecott Honor was for “Spencer’s New Pet” by Jessie Sima.
Reconnecting with HANC Alumni in Israel
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ANC High School’s principal, Rabbi Shlomo Adleman, together with Director of Israel Guidance, Rabbi Avraham Ismach, spent a week in January visiting HANC High School alumni spending a year in Israel. The students cherished the opportunity to reconnect with their high school teachers and friends, knowing that the bonds they cre-
ated in HANC will stay with them throughout their lives. Alumni enjoyed Torah and spirit, as they shared thoughts and song over a delicious dinner in the famous Piccoloni’s. This trip was particularly special, as the HANC delegation was able to spend precious time in the home of Rabbi Meyer Fendel, the visionary who founded HANC in 1953, in his home in Yerushalayim.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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Thousands of French Jews Fill Dome De Paris for Dirshu Siyum HaShas By Rabbi Nachman Seltzer
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left Eretz Yisrael on an early morning flight to Paris, arriving at the arena with plenty of time before the event began. Luckily for me I met a French rav, a Lubavitcher shliach in Paris, who graciously agreed to sit beside me throughout the event and translate the words of the French-speaking rabbis. His name was Rav David Zaoui, and he assisted me tremendously. *** Rav Yitzchok Weil, shlita, rosh yeshiva of Aix les Bains, was first introduced. “In a short while,” he began, “we will be commemorating a hundred years from when Rav Meir Shapiro introduced the concept of Daf Yomi at the Knessiah Gedola in Vienna. Although Rav Meir passed away at a young age, the idea he introduced has become stronger and stronger, uniting Klal Yisrael around the world through the study of Daf Yomi. After every siyum, more and more people decide to join their brethren in learning the Daf. One can be a misnagid or a chassid, or any type of Jew, and learn the Daf. It’s universal.” *** Rav Shlomo Kanievsky, shlita, then read a letter from his father, Rav Chaim, shlita, the Sar HaTorah. “Everyone speaks about the importance of finishing Shas,” Rav Chaim wrote. “I, however, want to focus on another point – on the point of being kovea itim laTorah, of setting set times to learn Torah every day.
“I want to tell you a story about the Chazon Ish,” Rav Shlomo continued. “There was a man who used to travel for an hour each way to deliver a shiur to a small group of Yidden in a moshav outside of Bnei Brak. On a good day it wasn’t a large group. One day, when it was time to set out, the man saw that it was raining heavily. Knowing that such heavy rain would mean that even fewer people would come to the already small shiur, the maggid shiur went to consult with the Chazon Ish, asking whether he should put in the effort of traveling so far on such a day, especially knowing that barely anyone was going to show up. “’Tell me,’ the Chazon Ish asked him, ‘is there anyone who you know will definitely attend the shiur?’ ‘Yes,’ the maggid shiur replied, ‘the gabbai who opens the door will definitely come.’ The Chazon Ish answered, ‘Then go. Go deliver the shiur.’” The Chazon Ish then explained to the maggid shiur that when a person learns for an hour on a daily basis it makes his entire day different. There is a huge difference between a day with learning and a day without, “and that is why you should make the trip to give the shiur – even for one man, ensuring that he doesn’t go without Torah, even for a day!” *** Rav Yehuda Toledano, rosh yeshiva of Mercaz HaTorah, rose to address the assembled. “There is a big simcha in heaven right now,” he called out. “The Ribbono Shel Olam is saying to the malachim, “Come My angels, come see
Partial view of the participants at the Dirshu World Siyum in Paris
Rav Dovid Hofstedter addressing the Paris Dirshu World Siyum
what My children are doing and how they finished the entire Shas! But why is Hashem so happy by this accomplishment? Nefesh Hachaim explains that learning Torah is the tachlis of the Creation, and that being the case, we can understand the reason for His great happiness. We are all part of this project of Hashem’s and Hashem is so very proud of those who learn every day while willingly foregoing the pull of the outside world!” He then called out emotionally, “Tatte ich dank Dir, Tatte ich loeb Dir, veil ich bin a Yid! – Tatte, I thank You, Tatte, I praise You, because I am a Jew!” *** Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Nasi of Dirshu, was then introduced to speak. “Torah tziva lanu Moshe morasha kehilas Yaakov…. The Torah is our yerusha, our inheritance,” he began. “We didn’t need to buy it; it has always been ours. On the other hand, we find that it is written in Pirkei Avos that we do need to work for it and that it is not just a yerushah This is a contradiction. Do we need to work for it or not? Is it our inheritance or not? “Some answer that the words ‘Torah tziva lanu’ are referring to a yerusha for Klal Yisrael, and to the idea that the Torah will never be lost from our nation. But that’s not a promise for every individual. Sure, the Torah will never be forgotten from our nation, but that’s not a promise for every Yid on his own! For that, a person needs to work for their portion.” At the end of the speech, Rav Dovid asked the crowd a number of questions in French, and it was obvious that he was actually waiting for an answer and that they weren’t just rhetorical questions. “Do you accept the yoke of Heaven
upon you?” “Yes,” came the reply. “Are you ready to learn Gemara every day?” “Yes!” they screamed. “Do you think that our survival as a nation comes from the fact that we kept the Torah for so long?” “Yes!” Rav Dovid concluded his speech on that high note – and then it was time for the Siyum HaShas, the moment everyone was waiting for… *** Rav Michoel Smerzla, Av Beis Din in Strasborg, was honored with reciting the final words of Talmud Bavli. Rav Yitzchok Levy recited the Kaddish. And then the music began to play and dancing broke out throughout the hall. When the dancing was finished and the crowd had finally returned to their seats, Rav Rafael Abuchatzeira was introduced to speak. “There is nothing more special in heaven,” he said, “than someone who sits and learns Torah. We were given the Torah by Hashem – and since we so desired to draw close to the Shechinah, the Shechinah wanted the same. “When a person learns Torah, the Shechinah learns k’negdo – opposite him. It doesn’t say this about any other mitzvah – only when it comes to learning Torah. This shows us the importance of Torah learning in the eyes of Hashem.” The phenomenal event came to a close with singing and dancing that went on for a long time. Nobody wanted it to stop. It was a truly inspirational afternoon and evening, one that I knew would remain with me for a long time to come. I would not be surprised if this Dirshu event has a major effect on the Torah learning of the Jews of France.
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Centerfold
YOU ARE FROM SAN FRANCISCO IF…
YOU ARE FROM KANSAS CITY IF…
You keep a list of companies to boycott in your wallet.
The only companies that your wallet supports are Burger King, McDonalds, Arby’s and Stewart Gas Station.
The only Republican you know is your great uncle in Missouri
The only Democrat you know of is some lady from San Francisco, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, and you are happy that you don’t know her personally.
You believe that everyone should be free to do whatever they want to do, except engage in capitalism, but you can.
You think that capitalism is a system of touring the U.S. Capitol.
You think we never gave peace a chance.
You come from three generations of military men who gave peace a chance and fought so that “them folks in San Francisco can run around talking about ‘how we don’t give peace a chance.’”
Your Cooper Mini runs on vegetable oil.
Your pickup truck runs on diesel.
You think that the words “to promote the general welfare” in the Constitution mean to promote welfare generally.
You think that when the Constitution said “to promote the general welfare” it is referring to a doc in a box company.
You often kill passionate conversation by wondering out loud, “Why can’t we all just get along?”
You respond to someone wondering why we can’t all just get along by saying, “Get along out of here before I kick you to that barn.”
You are intolerant of people who don’t agree with your ideas of what constitutes tolerance.
Your idea of tolerance is being friends with a dude who drinks Budweiser rather than Coors.
You think that kids in elementary school should be exposed to everything under the sun but prayer should be banned.
The only way you got through school was with prayer: “L-rd, help me figure out what two plus two is.”
You think that counseling is the answer to every crime.
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Riddle me this? A bus with 24 people crossed the San Francisco bridge. When they reached the other side, not a single person was left. What happened to the people? See answer to the right
Answer to Riddle Me This: They were all married.
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San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Trivia 1. He owned the Kansas City Chiefs and brought the team from Dallas to Kansas City in 1963. He also coined the phrase “Super Bowl.” Who is he?
3. When was the last time the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl? a. 1959 b. 1969
a. Vince Lombardi
c. 1979
b. Lamar Hunt
d. 1992
c. Andy Rooney d. Wellington Timothy Mara 2. How many Super Bowls have the 49ers won so far? a. 2 b. 4 c. 5
4. Which team drafted more Super Bowl appearing quarterbacks? a. Detroit Lions b. Detroit Tigers 5. In what way did the Kansas City Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium make history on September 24, 2014?
d. 6
a. Their quarterback Matt Nagy threw 5 interceptions before making one completion. b. The game was played in blizzard conditions with 7 inches of snow falling during the actual game. c. There was a blackout, and the game had to be postponed. d. The loudest crowd roar ever was recorded. 6. In the waning seconds of the 1981 NFC Championship Game,
played between the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park, Joe Montana completed a pass to Dwight Clark in the end zone, winning the game for the 49ers, ending the Cowboy’s 1970s dynasty and giving the rise to the 49ers run of Super Bowls. What is that play referred to as today? a. The Catch b. The Reception c. The Knockoff d. Alabama Joe Montana
Answers 5. D
Scorecard 5-6 correct: You win a pair of Super Bowl tickets! Actually, you don’t. 2-4 correct: You are right in the middle. You are pretty much Utah - smack between Kansas City and San Fran. 0-1 correct: You probably think that the Kansas City Chiefs play in Kansas, right? Check again! It’s a long story... there’s a Kansas City in Kansas and one in Missouri; the Chiefs play in Missouri. Why? Probably just to confuse people like you.
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(According
to
the
4. B (Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes was drafted by the Detroit Tigers as a pitcher; the Detroit Lions never made it to the Super Bowl and never had a quarterback that did.) 3. B 2. C 1. B
6. A Guinness World Book or Records the loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium of 142.2 dbA was achieved by fans of the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium with 8 seconds remaining in the first quarter. The Chiefs defeated the New England Patriots 41-14.)
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Torah Thought
Parshas Bo By Rabbi Berel Wein
T
he Torah reading of this week begins with the Hebrew word bo. This word literally means to enter. Normally, if we wish to describe crossing a threshold to appear before a person, the word bo is not usually the verb that is used. To enter, in this instance, means to delve into the personality and the mind of the person – to enter the conscience of that person, so to speak. So, why does the Torah use this verb bo in connection with
Moshe, appearing once again before the Egyptian Pharaoh, in order to tell him that he should liberate the Egyptian slaves and allow the Jews to live as free people outside of the land of Egypt? I think the insight into this can be found in the words that the L-rd imparted to Moshe. The L-rd tells Moshe that he should be aware that his words will have no effect on the Pharaoh and that the Pharaoh will not allow the Jews to be released
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from their bondage in Egypt. It appears Moshe is sent on a mission of futility, with the sole purpose to somehow change the mind and heart of the Pharaoh and allow him to free the Jewish people by sending them forth from his country as an independent nation. If this is the case, and it seems obvious that it is, then the entire conversation between the L-rd and Moshe leaves us wondering as to what its purpose is – what is its import and reason. What are we to learn from it? I believe that the insight nec-
are circumstances that they have brought upon themselves, even though they are aware that their policies and behavior may be suicidal in nature and harmful to them in the extreme, they are unable to prevent themselves from falling into the abyss that they themselves have created by their stubborn mindset. The L-rd tells Moshe that this is the case regarding Pharaoh. He is unable, even if he wanted to withdraw from the situation that he himself has entered, through his previous behavior and decisions.
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Pharaoh is unable to regain his sense of balance and make the wise choice.
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essary to understand this conversation lies in the fact that G-d tells Moshe that Heaven has hardened the heart of Pharaoh, i.e. that Pharaoh is now incapable of making the correct choice for his own salvation and the salvation of his people. The Talmud teaches us that people who are completely evil, based on previous behavior and actions, are incapable of repenting and choosing wisely, even when they stand on the precipice of hell itself. We are witness to the fact that many times in life people – usually very bad people who previously had the opportunity to repent and do good – find themselves trapped by their very nature. Though these
His greatest advisors have told him that he is destroying Egypt and himself. Yet Pharaoh is unable to regain his sense of balance and make the wise choice that will save the lives of thousands of Egyptians and himself as well. So, the L-rd told Moshe, bo, enter into his mind, and when you are able to do so, you will appreciate that Pharaoh is not going to be able to save himself. This lesson, regarding human stubbornness and futility, is the reason that the Torah uses the verb bo when referring to the conversation and narrative that introduces this week’s Torah reading. Shabbat shalom.
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From the Fire
Parshas Bo Renew Us in Days of Old By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf
T
he first mitzvah Hashem gave the Jewish people was the mitzvah that the beis din sanctify the new moon every month. If this is our first mitzvah, it is no coincidence. It must be that it demonstrates that all of Yiddishkeit, on a national level and on the individual level, is dependent on this mitzvah. In addition, because it was given while we were still in Egypt, it must also be that mitzvah to sanctify the new month is also a prerequisite for leaving Egypt. We must understand why this is. In addition, Hashem told Moshe to command the Jewish people to fulfill another mitzvah as well (Shmos 13:2): the mitzvah to sanctify the firstborn. Strangely, though, Moshe began speaking to the Jewish people in the next pasuk but taught them a number of other matters, including the prohibition of chometz and the mitzvah of matzah, before finally teaching them the mitzvah to sanctify the firstborn several pesukim later (ibid. at 12-13). Why is this? The word for the new month, chodesh, is related to the word for renewal, hischadshus. The concept of the sanctification of the firstborn is also connected to the idea of something new. By studying several teachings related to newness and renewal, we can understand the answers to these questions. The Chofetz Chaim says that there was one Mishna in Pirkei Avos (2:11) that he could not understand. Raban Yochanan ben Zakai recounted the praise of his top five stu-
dents. He said that (i) Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkenus was a sealed pit that did not lose a drop; (ii) the one who gave birth to Rabbi Yohoshua ben Chananya was fortunate; (iii) Rabbi Yossi Hakohein was pious; (iv) Rabbi Shimon Shimon ben Nesanel was G-d-fearing; and (v) Rabbi Eliezer ben Aroch was like an ever-strengthening wellspring. The Chofetz Chaim points out that all of the traits for which the students were praised were the result of a lifetime of work. But Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkenus’s phenomenal memory was a blessing of birth. It is wonderful that he blessed in such a way, but why should he be praised for something that came naturally to him? A photographic memory is something that a person either has or does not have. But it is not comparable to being pious or sin-fearing! After pondering this question for a number of years, the Chofetz Chaim finally found the answer to his question when he witnessed a conversation between two elderly men. One of them was telling the other about an experience he had eighty years earlier, when he was only five years old. The Czar and his wife had passed through his town, and everyone gathered to watch their procession. He recounted every detail of the event to his friend. He told him about the color of the Czar’s shoes, his clothing, what his wife was wearing, exactly what his beautiful carriage looked like, and many other details of the amazing experience.
Listening to this conversation, the Chofetz Chaim realized that a person remembers every detail of something when it makes a profound impression on him. It must be that Raban Yochanan ben Zakai was not praising Rabbi Eliezer Ben Hurkenus for being born with a naturally powerful memory. Rather, he was praising him that he loved Torah so much that he was deeply affected by every word that entered his mind. He felt, when he learned every halacha, like he was a five-year-old child by witnessing the Czar’s procession pass by. The key was that every word of Torah was new and exciting to him. That is an exalted level, worthy of praise. Everyone loves new things. If a person heard a joke forty years earlier, he waves it off as an old joke. My father uses a hand signal that he brought with him from Hungary that he used when someone told an old joke. The gesture consisted of holding his hand horizontally in front of his stomach, first holding his palm down toward the floor, and then up toward the ceiling. I once asked him what the gesture meant exactly. He said that when someone uses that gesture, they are saying, “When I was this high, that joke already had a beard down to here.” One of the most beautiful things about children is that everything they experience is new and fresh. A person can play “peek-a-boo” with a young child a hundred times, and he will squeal with glee every time he uncov-
ers his face and says “boo!” The goal of life is to be more like that child. That is why we say in benching, “I was a child and now I am an elder.” We should have the wisdom of an elder along with the wonder and freshness of a child. The Gemara (Brachos 54a) teaches that when a person sees the Mediterranean Sea or other wonders of creation, he should say a blessing praising Hashem for the beauty and awesomeness of His creation. However, if one sees the same sight less than thirty days from the last time he saw it, he should not make a blessing because he is still feels the novelty and amazement of the experience from the last time he saw it and made the blessing. But if he sees the same wonder more than thirty days after the last time, then the feeling of amazement will have worn off such that when he sees it again, he will feel a new sense of wonder. He therefore may make the blessing again. We see from this that for most new experiences, their novelty wears off after thirty days. I once heard, perhaps in the name of the Sfas Emes, that there is remarkable connection between the mitzvah to sanctify the new moon and the thirty-day expiration date on the novelty of a person’s experiences. He pointed out that the new moon occurs every twenty-nine and a half days, forty-four minutes, and 3.3 seconds; slightly under thirty days. It is beautiful. Hashem designed creation in such a way that thirty days never goes by without a new moon. We are always
in a state of renewal. We are meant to live in such a way that our Yiddishkeit never gets old. We constantly live less than thirty days from the last time of renewal. We must never allow the Torah we learn or the mitzvos we do to get stale and old. Creation was designed to help a Jew live in a state of awe and wonderment. The calendar of the nations of the world is measured by the year, whereas ours is measured by months. Even the word for year, shana, means to “repeat,” something which is old, while the word for month, chodesh, means newness and freshness. The numerical value of Pharaoh’s name is equal to the word year, shana. His essence was repetition, oldness. Our Yiddishkeit, on the other hand, must be like the moon, which doesn’t let thirty days pass without renewing itself. We must remain fresh, new, and warm. Moshe and Aharon left Pharaoh’s word of (Shemos 5:2) “I do not know Hashem,” that world of forgetfulness and oldness, to the world of newness, the world of
“this month shall be to you the first of the months” (ibid. at 12:2). That is why, when Hashem told Moshe to give the Jewish people the mitzvah to sanctify the first born,
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late to this. He first says, “Remember this day that you went out of Egypt!” We must not forget the profound effect this experience had on us. It must remain with us to inspire and enliven our
We should have the wisdom of an elder along with the wonder and freshness of a child.
Moshe prefaced the mitzvah with several other mitzvos. The mitzvah to sanctify the firstborn means that one must dedicate times of newness, like the birth of a new child, to Hashem. He therefore teaches the Jewish people about several other mitzvos that re-
service of G-d. He tells us that we went out of Egypt in the month of spring, when the whole world is renewing itself. He teaches us the mitzvah to eat matzah and avoid chametz. Chometz means that something was left out too long, it is old. Matzah means that
something is new. The water and flour are mixed together, and it goes straight into the oven. It means that our Yiddishkeit must be fresh and warm like the matzah. This dichotomy between chometz and matzah is the manifestation of our obligation to live a life of the freshness and warmth of matzah, and not the stale oldness of chometz. May we merit to serve Hashem with newness and freshness, never letting it get old. By experiencing the wonder of our service of Hashem while in exile, just like our grandparents experienced it when they left Egypt, may we merit to see the renewal of the world with the arrival of the final redemption in fulfillment of the Navi’s words (Micha 7:15), that “as in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt I will show wonders.”
Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, is the founding Morah d’Asrah of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, NY, and serves as leader of the new mechina Emek HaMelech.
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Parsha
in 4
Parshas Bo By Eytan Kobre
Weekly Aggada And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no house in which there was not one dead (Shemos 12:30) So said R’ Shimon: How great is G-d’s love for the Jewish people that He would even appear in a place of idolatry and uncleanliness and impurity in order to redeem them. This is comparable to a kohen whose teruma portion fell into a ceme-
tery. The kohen says to himself, “What should I do? I cannot impurify myself to retrieve the teruma, and I cannot abandon my teruma.” Ultimately, however, he resolved to retrieve the teruma: “It is worthwhile for me to impurify myself once, and then to go through the purification process, so that I may retrieve my teruma.” So too here. The Jewish people are G-d’s teruma (heave-offering), as it says, “The Jewish people are holy to G-d, the first of His crop” (Yirmiyahu 2:3). And the Jewish people in Egypt were drifting amidst a cemetery, as it
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says, “There was no house [amongst the Egyptians] in which there was not one dead” (Shemos 12:30). So G-d said, “How can I redeem them? I cannot abandon them. It is worthwhile for me to go down [into the cemetery] to redeem them, as it says, ‘And I descended to save them from the hand of Egypt’” (Shemos Rabba 15:5).
Weekly Mussar And he called for Moshe and Aharon by night and said: “Rise up and leave from among my people, you and the Jewish people, and go serve G-d as you have said” (Shemos 12:31) The Jewish people’s behavior is difficult to understand: why, in fact, didn’t they leave Egypt when Pharaoh told them to? True, they didn’t want to slink away in the middle of the night like thieves (Yalkut Shimoni 208). But this was a matter of life and death. Wouldn’t it be better to leave and be safe – even if it meant leaving without pride – rather than continue to face the prospect of enduring slavery and misery? R’ Yaakov Kamenetsky sees in the Jews’ refusal to leave a “great lesson.” While they probably should have departed Egypt as soon as Pharaoh told them to go, the Jewish people refused to leave because G-d already had commanded them that “no man shall leave the door of his house until the morning” (Shemos 12:22). Redemption surely was critical, but it could not come at the expense of obeying G-d’s commandments. And that is the power of halacha. Whatever our perceived preferences, needs, and justifications – even rising to the level of redemption itself – we must always be prepared to yield to
G-d’s will as expressed through His commandments.
Weekly Anecdote And to all the Jewish people, no dog shall whet his tongue, against man or beast; so that you may know how G-d has separated between Egypt and the Jews (Shemos 11:7) As is well known, R’ Yaakov Krantz, the Dubno Maggid, was legendary for his stirring speeches that roused the multitudes to improve their ways. He traveled far and wide delivering these passionate sermons, which were always chock-full of compelling parables and Torah verses supporting the lofty ideas the Dubno Maggid wished to impart. He was once invited by a certain German community of “reformers” to deliver one of his trademark impassioned sermons. But this invitation came with one stipulation by the community leaders: the Dubno Maggid was not to include even a single verse from that “outdated” and “old-fashioned” Torah (r”l). Lofty ideas were one thing, but bringing support from Torah verses was quite another, and, to the reformers, the latter was intolerable. The Dubno Maggid was not pleased with the proviso. And he shared the following parable with the reform community leaders. “There was once a teacher who took his young students to the forest for an outing. As the class approached the forest, the teacher addressed them. Listen. Packs of wild dogs roam about this forest. These dogs can be quite aggressive and might even be rabid. But fear not: if you are confronted by one or more of these dogs, simply employ the traditional remedy suggested by
our tradition – recite the verse, ‘And to all the Jewish people, no dog shall whet his tongue.’ “That seemed to reassure the children, who then entered the forest. Before long, however, the children heard yelling and shrieking from none other than their own teacher. Moments later, they saw the teacher take off to escape the forest, a pack of wild dogs chasing him close behind. The teacher ultimately made it out of the forest and to safety. “The children shortly met up with their teacher. We’re glad that you’re okay, of course. But what happened to employing that ‘traditional remedy suggested by our tradition’ – i.e., recitation of the verse, ‘And to all the Jewish people, no dog shall whet his tongue.’ Why did you not save yourself by uttering those words? “Ah, an excellent question, replied the teacher. That may well have worked to save me. But what can one do when dogs do not permit the recitation of even a single verse?”
Weekly Halacha And to all the Jewish people, no dog shall whet his tongue, against man or beast; so that you may know how G-d has separated between Egypt and the Jews (Shemos 11:7)
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and to reward the dogs for their role in it, we give any non-kosher meat in our possession to the dogs (Shemos 22:30). One should not raise dogs unless the dogs are restrained with chains such that they will not harm or frighten anyone (Bava Kama 79b; Rambam Nizkei Mamon 5:9; Shulchan Aruch, Orach
Redemption surely was critical, but it could not come at the expense of obeying G-d’s commandments.
The dogs’ silence towards the Jewish people (but not towards the Egyptians) was part of the great miracle of the redemption. To recall this miracle,
Chaim 409:3). Indeed, among other things, those who raise an “evil dog” in their house withhold kindness from their house, as poor people are afraid to enter (Shabbos 63a and Rashi ad loc.).
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Most authorities understand this restriction on dog ownership as limited to “evil dogs” (i.e., those prone to damaging others); there would be no restriction on owning domesticated dogs (Tur, Choshen Mishpat 409; SeMaG, Positive Commandment 66). Now that we generally dwell amidst non-Jews, however, it is permitted to raise dogs (unless the dog is of a “bad” nature and may harm people) (Rama, Choshen Mishpat 409:3). Some are of the opinion that, even if permitted, the better course is to refrain from raising dogs, as it is a practice of non-Jews (Responsa Sheilas Yaavetz 17). The Weekly Halacha is not meant for practical purposes and is for discussion purposes only. Please consult your own rav for guidance.
Eytan Kobre is a writer, speaker, and attorney living in Kew Gardens Hills. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail eakobre@outlook.com.
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JANUARY 30, 2020 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Think, Feel, Grow
The “Nature” of Miracles By Shmuel Reichman
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e are complicated beings, living in an exceedingly complex world. Many people become overwhelmed by the intricacies of life and choose to live within the confines of simplicity rather than attempt to navigate the tumultuous path towards the truth. But those driven by imagination, curiosity, and a higher will choose to embrace the complexities of this world, seeing the true beauty behind the nuance and sophistication of the Torah and our universe. Those striving for the truth constantly question the nature of the world we live in. During Yetzias Mitzrayim, Hashem revealed Himself to the world through miracles and makkos. The laws of nature were broken, the impossible became possible, the unfathomable, fathomable. But to fully appreciate and understand the meaning of a miracle, we must first attempt to understand nature itself. The idea of nature is a wondrous and enigmatic concept. After all, what do we mean when we refer to the natural? Naturally, what goes up tends to come back down. Nature also causes rainstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and appears to be responsible for disease and illness. We tend to give nature credit for most of what happens in this world. However, any thoughtful Jew should be troubled by the concept of nature. If Hashem created this world, then how are we meant to approach nature? Is nature independent from Hashem? To answer these questions, let us take a step back, and begin with a fundamental starting point.
Three Forms of Disbelief At the end of Parshas Bo, the Ramban (Ramban Al Ha’Torah- Bo 13:16) famously delineates the three basic types of disbelief in Hashem. The first is not believing in Hashem at all. One believes instead that the world has always existed, without any Creator whatsoever. After all, when you look around, do you see Hashem? You can’t see, hear, touch, smell, or taste Him, so how can you know that He exists? Such questions have caused many to reject the existence of Hashem altogether. However, there is a second category of disbelievers: people who are willing to accept Hashem’s existence. They look around and witness a world that is so exceedingly sophisticated and beautiful and therefore conclude that there must have been a Creator Who designed it. Just spend a few days studying human biology, and you will marvel at the wonder and brilliance of a single human being. However, this second category of people claim that once Hashem created the world, He left. As a result, they say, Hashem is unaware of anything happening in this world. This is referred to as the watchmaker theory: once a watchmaker creates a watch, it runs completely on its own. Now, there are a number of reasons why people would feel abandoned and adopt such a theory: first of all, as with the previous group, we cannot see Hashem in a revealed manner. It’s seemingly logical that if Hashem is an all-powerful and perfect being, He is above dealing with the finite and limited world that we inhabit. Furthermore, when you look around the world, you
see so much pain, suffering, bloodshed, and sickness. Even worse, these terrible things often plague tzaddikim, while many risha’im seem to live such peaceful, sometimes extremely pleasant lives. Why would Hashem allow this to happen if He were running the world? Within this group, others mistakenly think Hashem is like most human beings, who start a project, eventually tire of it, and move on to something else. They claim that after creating the world, Hashem moved on to some other project or interest, leaving us abandoned in the universe. These are just a few of the reasons that this second group of people claim that Hashem has left our world to the random and coincidental occurrences of nature. Finally, the third group claims that Hashem didn’t leave this world but is rather limited and weak, unable to intervene with the events in this world. He knows what’s happening in this world but remains passive. This group claims that Hashem might have been powerful enough to create the world, but He isn’t powerful enough to control it. Thus, they question Hashem as an all-powerful Being. The Ramban continues to explain that the events of Yetsias Metzrayim disproved all three of these heretical perspectives. By performing the ten makkos, kriyas Yam Suf, and redeeming Klal Yisrael, Hashem shattered each mistaken paradigm, all at once. Beyond revealing the fact that Hashem exists, knows what occurs in this world, and is capable of intervening, Hashem also revealed His all-encompassing power. Through the mirac-
ulous events of Yetzias Mitzrayim, Hashem showed His control over, and ability to uproot, the laws of nature. However, the question then becomes: what is nature?
What is Nature? If you take a moment to introspect, you will find that almost everything in this world involves a cause and effect relationship. The world seems to abide by certain rules, with very few exceptions. Why does the sun rise every morning? Why do seeds grow when you plant them, give them water, and proved sunshine? Why does time always move forward? How does a complex human body maintain homeostasis? How does such an intricate planet maintain homeostasis? When you take a moment to ponder these questions, you can’t help but wonder: what is causing all this order? Of course, the answer must be: nature.
Three Forms of Belief Rav Eliyahu Dessler explains that even those who do believe in Hashem have different ways of understanding nature. These differences in understanding correlate to three distinct levels of belief. A. Hashem Created Nature The first level relates to those who completely believe in Hashem’s existence but also believe in a concept called nature. While Hashem may have created nature, it is a self-governing, independent entity that maintains this world, they say. Hashem is a transcendent being and exists beyond this world, while nature is the mechanism that governs our physical world. Typi-
The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015 The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
cally, such a person believes that if he abides by the rules of cause and effect and works hard, he will be successful in life. Of course, he still realizes that Hashem possesses ultimate power and can intervene to overrule nature at any point. He will therefore daven to Hashem with tremendous kavanah: “Please don’t interfere and mess up my plans.” This person believes that everything runs naturally unless Hashem decides to interfere. Rav Dessler places this as the lowest of the three levels of belief. B. Hashem Created and Controls Nature The second, higher level of belief is comprised of those who believe that Hashem directly causes everything in this world to occur. Like a person writing with a pen, Hashem has complete control over nature and uses it like a tool. This results in a much greater appreciation of Hashem’s presence in the world, as one recognizes that everything that happens in life comes directly from Hashem. Accordingly,
one’s experiences in life take on spiritual relevance, and hashgacha occupies a prominent spot in your vocabulary. However, this person still views nature as an entity distinct from Hashem, merely used as a tool. As such, one must ask: Why does Hashem need a tool? Tools are only necessary when you can’t accomplish a task yourself. You only need a pen because your finger itself cannot write. So is Hashem Himself limited, in that he requires a tool called nature? C. Nature Itself is the Constant Will of Hashem The third level, the highest level, is one that requires a developed understanding of Hashem and His relationship with this world. One who attains this level understands that nature is simply an illusion, a mask for Hashem’s will. In fact, nature does not exist as an independent identity at all. What we call nature is actually the actualization of Hashem’s will. Hashem is complete Oneness, and therefore nature isn’t separate from Hashem at all. Rather,
nature is just a term we use to identify the seemingly routine events of cause and effect that we witness each day. Just like thoughts originate in your mind and come into fruition through action, Hashem constantly wills everything into existence, and everything in this physical world manifests as a result. Thus, this world is really a reflection of a much higher reality. This third level is the one presented by the Ramban in the same passage we mentioned earlier. He explains that the open miracles during Yetzias Mitrayim revealed to the world that nature itself is really a hidden miracle. In other words, there is no fundamental difference between the astounding miracles and wonders Hashem performed in Mitzrayim, whereby He uprooted all the laws of nature, and the extraordinary wonders Hashem performs every single day. There is no template or natural system called nature. Rather, Hashem wills the same wonders into existence every second to make it appear as if there is an independent sys-
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tem in place. We simply refer to these constant miracles as nature. In essence, the only difference between open miracles and nature is the frequency. The miracles of Yetzias Mitzrayim occurred only once in history, while the miracles of nature occur every second. Let us be inspired to see past the mask of nature, to find Hashem in every aspect of our lives, and to recognize the miraculous within the natural.
Shmuel Reichman is an inspirational speaker, writer, and coach who has lectured internationally at shuls, conferences, and Jewish communities on topics of Jewish thought and Jewish medical ethics. He is the founder and CEO of Self-Mastery Academy (ShmuelReichman.com), the transformative online course that is revolutionizing how we engage in self-development. You can find more inspirational lectures, videos, and articles from Shmuel on his website, ShmuelReichman.com.
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JANUARY 16, 2020 | The Jewish Home JANUARY OCTOBER30, 29,2020 2015 || The The Jewish Jewish Home Home
World
Builders
Hotel Security Guard Six Lives Thank You ForSaves My Life By Yankee Weinberg
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this time to an incident unfolding in the hotel lobby. Racing over, Jamal found a toddler lying unconscious on the floor. He provided a lifesaving shot from the boy’s EpiPen Jr. and supplied high-flow oxygen, checking vital signs to confirm his assessment that the child was in the throes of severe anaphylaxis. Jamal carefully monitored his patient, conferring with a United Hatzalah physician as the child’s condition stabilized and he started to regain consciousness. At the end of the family’s eventful vacation in Eilat, the young toddler ranfar over gave Jamal a hug. Yarden, left,and and Yankee, speaking at the event The boy’s parents snapped a photo, thoroughly undermining Jamal’s tough-guy image as the hotel’s se- sponder and said: “I’ve had five or she emergency answered: calls “I aminalive. Thanks the logistics. and joined the effort to save her life. curity n Thursday evening, August the hotel itguard. The little boy is alive six to you,” told melifesaving. as both of The our I met with to theJamal’s event planner of self For me, it was pretty intense to today 24, 2017, I was waiting at a that she have been thanks rapid ineyes welled with tears. the hall, aand young woman named hotel see the accident occur right in front tervention traffic light at the Plugot staff up already knows to call medical expertise. say, is wea held the Yarden toldofme that she is me Needless junction where Highways 35 and 40 of me – especially a serious accident Yarden. whenevertothere medical On the evening Sunday, Janevent at that hall, and wethe even very 5, grateful to United Hatzalah meet just outside of Kiryat Gat on with such force. Something like that uary in the hotel or in vian elderly man collapsed at emergency called her on stage to honor because its volunteers saved cinity. you don’t forget. But it did fade a bit his my way home. I was making a leftIt isup life-changing for meher to homeone in of Eilat. Anxious family and have tell this her story. her life in a called serious the car accident two know as time went on. hand turn and was waiting for the thather I have ability to save members emergency “The lives doctors told me years ago and that Jamal the volunteer ar- people’s light to change. While I was waitwhenever therethat is anI hotline for help. was busy wouldn’t have survived had it not rived at the scene of the accident in Last Sunday, I was heading to the ing,“Naphtali a woman dressed in uniform emergency. working at the hotel when disHoff has achieved the implausible: a new management book that is fresh, novel,the and street highly-readable. Hoff draws on current industry trends and Kiryat his own Gat for the treatment I reless than 10 seconds. looked at her been Aggadata event hall near crossed on the Dr. opposite “Since I initial finished my course patch alerted him to Ithe emergenleadership expertise to deliver a book that insights strategies ceived at theago, scene,” told the andand asked if she was the woman to has seeactionable if it would be and a fitting venue cy, siderich and was hit by a fast-moving months I’ve she saved three heher quickly rushed to the six for organizational leaders. While marketed to “the new boss,” I believe that this book crowd on Tuesday during the event. car. She was isthrown completely children’s lives. Some people go location. Finding the patient with equally valuable for veteran and aspiring leaders, too.” She then showed the audience the across the —intersection and landed through their entire life without no sign of cardiac activity, Jamal RABBI HERSHEL LUTCH, MBA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MEOR movie of the incident which reright near where I was standing another, but I’ve doneshe it six and a pair of United Hatzalah col- saving ceivedin from the police who took it with my ambucycle. as many months and that leagues launched into emergency times offsimply of the incredible.” traffic cameras. “It is beAfter witnessing the accident, CPR, interspersing chest compres- is “ItBECAUSE is because of volunteers like yourselves EVERY NEW of volunteers yourselves I turned on my lights and sirens Jamal continued:like “Whether the sions with assisted ventilation. The cause LEADER DESERVES TO HIT that I am standing here today, alive, and parked right behind where the medical emergency happens in the man’s loved ones watched in trepthat I am standing here today, alive, to be THE GROUND RUNNING to be able to serve my you boss dinner. I have woman landed so as to protect her or nearby, tells me idation, and after 15 minutes of hotel AND ENJOY SUSTAINED able to serve you dinner.” no other words to say except thank from other vehicles on the highway. to leave and head out to save lives strenuous efforts, the medics manSUCCESS you forinmy life.” I opened my med kit and began the middle of my shift. aged to restart the man’s heart. even 1. Achieve immediate, I have been an EMT for go years. treating her. I called dispatch and Whenever he hears my radio off, The patient even started breathing sustainable success Countless times havesomeone’s dropped alerted them to the incident, telling says, ‘Go and Isave again independently. An intensive he 2. Manage effective change everything to of rush to come medical them to send a mobile intensive care The rest theout staff to care ambulance arrived, and Ja- life.’ 3. Provide clear, useful feedback emergencies. I’ve missed family involved in the the Plu- take for our bi-monthly meetup of all of mal unit and other responders. I stopped over my responsibilities while hopped in accident the back,atassisting Connect with your team events,They business even got interchange. replied the 4. volunteers in our chapter. Unit- the the arterial bleeding, attached her have meetings, really come to under-staffedShe ALS crew in as the to- away. 5. Maintainrequires work-life balance time with mythe children. inaffirmative. was dumbstruck fortoa understand ed Hatzalah all chapters gether to high-flow oxygen, immobilized power In of that having they Ievacuated the man stant on Sunday evening, remoment. to hold educational her and attached a C-collar, and responders allwhen over I the the hospital. Jamal later received a volunteer And so much more! meetups and met Yarden hall, alive “I’m message the volunteer EMT from who country events honoring and saluting the special applied bandages where needed. I andininthe ourevent midst. People of gratitude and well, it reminded once again treated I had nociting idea that you know volunteers in each region every two the treated her alone for a few minutes, what the logome and symbol chiefyou. paramedic, the volimportant and worthwhile were alive.” I told her. months or so. As Deputy-Head of unteer’s stabilizing her condition until other the organization mean, and I professionalism and dedi- of how the proud work that domy is as a volunteer Nowinitgoing was her be silent am the chapter of Kiryat Gat, it is my cation volunteers joined me. Eleven minthatI in short time of the turn extratomile. Available on Amazon and at other fine online retailers. EMT. with her mouth agape. Eventually, responsibility to deal with a lot of utes later, the ambulance arrived just six months I have managed to Jamal reflected on his eventBecomingtheNewBoss.com ful first few months as a first re- make such a difference. “
amal Veraki is 29 years old and works as a security guard in a hotel in the southern city of Eilat. Jamal recently graduated from his EMT training course and has been a volunteer with United Hatzalah for just six months. In that time, he has saved the lives of six people, some of whom were guests in the hotel that he works in. In October, Jamal saved a young boy who was a hotel guest and had choked on a small piece of food. The boy’s father brought the boy, who was quickly turning blue, to the nearest hotel employee and begged help. The employThe scene of thefor accident ee knew that Jamal was a trained EMT and called him on the radio to rush over. In seconds, Jamal was at
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the scene and performed a successful CPR and got the boy breathing again. Another recent call was for a little boy, choking and gasping for air in the hotel restaurant. Management alerted Jamal to the emergency, and within mere seconds, the United Hatzalah medic was on the scene. He secured a clear airway and reassured the boy’s mother, as her 3-year-old son started breathing again. Learning that the patient has a serious allergy to peanuts, Jamal advised the mother to administer the child’s allergy medications “just in case” and pursue follow-up medical care. Thirty minutes later, Jamal received a second emergency alert,
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JANUARY OCTOBER 30, 29, 2020 2015 || The The Jewish Jewish Home Home
T E R C E S A R O I V SA How Dr. Julius Kuhl Saved Thousands from Death By Susan Schwamm
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hen Dr. Julius Kuhl walked onto the shores of North America in 1948, there was no one there to greet him or his
family. There were no awards, no dignitaries, no expressions of appreciation for the man who saved thousands of Jews from the Nazis’ clutches. Dr. Kuhl was carrying a briefcase. In that briefcase was a handful of watches. And that’s all he brought from his years in the Polish consulate saving Jews. That, and the memories of those frantic years in which he had a hand in helping to snatch his fellow brothers and sisters from certain death.
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ulius – also known as Yechiel – was born in Sanok, Poland, and was the only surviving child to his parents, who had lost their other children to illness before the war. He also experienced the loss of his father at a young
age. His mother, Sima Pessel, sent him to live with his uncle in Switzerland, with whom she felt he would have the integral guidance of a father figure in his life, when he was only nine years old. Julius eventually learned shechita from the rosh yeshiva in Zurich and took a job at an old-age home where he shechted chickens and was the baal koreah and the shamash for the residents there on Shabbos. Even though he struggled to make ends meet, Julius made sure to present himself as neat and orderly to others. He wore one suit from his bar mitzvah until his wedding and kept it under his mattress at night to keep it pressed for the next day. He was a determined young man, unafraid of hard work and doing what was right. In August 1939, a neutrality pact, known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, was signed between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Essentially, this agreement divided Poland between the two countries. Jews
caught on the Nazi side were trapped in what became a certain death. Jews who found themselves under the Soviet Union were more fortunate – although they wouldn’t have known it at the time. The Russians distrusted the Jews and deported almost a half a million of those Jews to Siberia. Of those who were deported, at least two-thirds of them lost their lives to frostbite and to slave labor. Only a third of them managed to come out alive. Dr. Kuhl’s mother, who was living in Poland at the time of the pact, was sent to Siberia to live out the duration of the war. After World War II broke out, the consulates for the Polish government in exile were located in London and Switzerland. The consulates mainly dealt with the Polish refugees who were locked under Russian rule and who were stranded in Nazi Poland. Letters between those sent to Siberia and their families in Poland went through the consulate, although some of them took a year to arrive.
Before World War II, Julius spent time at the University of Zurich and obtained his PhD in economics in 1939. It was during this time, while studying for his degree at the library in the Polish embassy in Switzerland, that he became involved in diplomatic work. He was smart and knew many languages – Polish, French, Yiddish, English, and German. In fact, Dr. Kuhl was not the first person in his family to earn a PhD; he came from an educated, refined family – his mother had taught in Sarah Schenirer’s bais Yaakov. Dr. Kuhl caught the eye of officials in the embassy who were looking for a smart Jew to help them deal with the Jewish refugee situation emanating from Poland. By March of 1940, the 30-year-old Dr. Kuhl was employed by the Polish consulate in Switzerland as an auxiliary employee. He was the only Jew working in the exiled Polish government in Switzerland. In addition to other duties, Dr. Kuhl
The Jewish Jewish Home Home || OCTOBER JANUARY 30, The 29, 2020 2015
Dr. Kuhl’s diplomatic service passport that enabled him to visit the internment camps in Switzerland, and later to visit the concentration camps that were liberated by the Allied armies
A letter signed by the papal nucio, Philippe Bernardini, recommending that Dr. Kuhl be given every cooperation and assistance he was needed. Documents like this one provided Dr. Kuhl with access to strategic locations throughout Europe
Permission granted to Dr. Kuhl by the Swiss police allowing him to visit refugee internment camps
was able to issue passports to those in need. Dr. Kuhl worked under Ambassador Alexander Lados, who supervised Stefan Ryniewicz and Konstanty Rokicki in addition to Dr. Kuhl. Under Lados’ supervision, Dr. Kuhl and the other diplomats were able to obtain hundreds – possibly thousands – of blank passports from neutral countries and hand-filled them with the names of Polish Jews who were desperate to leave to safer shores. These lifelines were smuggled into Poland and given to Jewish organizations that helped to orchestrate the escape of thousands of Jews. It is estimated that almost 4,000 of these passports were issued to Jewish
families during the war. During his time in the consulate, Dr. Kuhl would cozy up to ambassadors from other countries, hoping to obtain passports that would help fellow Jews reach safety. He often played chess with the American ambassador. After losing gracefully, he would ask for a passport or two from the American diplomat. Other times, he would play ping pong with an ambassador from another country. After letting that ambassador win handily, Dr. Kuhl would ask his “friend” for a few passports that he could use to save others. Evelyne Singer, Dr. Kuhl’s daughter who currently lives in Lawrence, NY, with her husband, Israel Singer, asserts
that her father did what had to be done. “My father was a big believer in ein davar ha’omed b’fnei ha’ratzon,” she shared in a recent interview with TJH. “He knew this is what had to be done, and there was nothing that was going to get in the way of doing what was right.” Israel Singer agrees that his fatherin-law knew that it was a time of desperation and need – and that anything and everything needed to be done to save the Jews. “No one was helping us,” Dr. Kuhl once told Mr. Singer. “No one. No one was saving Jews. It was the loneliest feeling to sneak into the embassy at night and take out two or three visas – afraid I was going to get caught,” Dr. Kuhl recalled. Mr. Singer adds, “My father-in-law was a committee of one. He had no organization, no funding, no people with him. He did it all on his own, a loner, but loners can get things done – and that’s what he did.” Israel noted that his father-in-law was, by nature, a quiet, more introverted person. It wasn’t his natural disposition to broadcast his deeds or even be the leader of a movement to save Jews, but when the situation presented itself, Dr. Kuhl did what had to be done at great risk to his position and even his life. Evelyne notes that her mother, Yvonne, would give her father sardines before he had to attend a party at the consulate. Those parties were essential for Dr. Kuhl – many connections were made there – but many people left the parties drunk, as the alcohol would be flowing, even during wartime. The oil in the sardines would help Dr. Kuhl stay sober and keep his head as his colleagues would be stumbling home drunk. During his years at the consulate, Dr. Kuhl was involved in the hundreds of illegal passports to Latin American countries that were bought to save the lives of Polish Jews. Many of these passports and passes were bought from consuls from Honduras, Haiti, Bolivia, El Salvador, and Paraguay. These passports came to Dr. Kuhl and his superiors blank; the diplomats would then enter the names and pertinent information of Polish and Dutch Jews who could then claim that they were citizens of neutral countries. Cit-
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izens of neutral countries were exempt by the Nazis from being sent to extermination camps. The passports saved these Jews from the gas chambers. Many of those incarcerated in the Warsaw Ghetto were able to escape the fate of the death camps with these “neutral” papers. One of the visas that Dr. Kuhl was instrumental in obtaining was for the Belzer Rebbe, Rav Aharon Rokeach, zt”l. After living in a series of ghettos in Poland to avoid the Gestapo, in 1943, the Rebbe and his half-brother escaped to Budapest disguised as Russian generals. But then, non-Hungarian citizens were being rounded up in Hungary, and the Rebbe once again needed to flee. Dr. Kuhl heard that the Rebbe needed a diplomatic visa and worked to obtain the needed passports for the Rebbe and his half-brother. Once the Rebbe reached Istanbul, Turkey, he wrote Dr. Kuhl a letter on hotel stationary thanking him for his efforts in saving him. (Years later, the current Belzer Rebbe, who is a nephew of Reb Aharon, insisted that they put the salvation of the Belzer Rebbe on Dr. Kuhl’s matzeivah when he passed on.) Dr. Kuhl was helpful to famed rescuer Recha Sternbuch in her mission to save Jews during the war years. A frum woman living in Montreux, Switzerland, Mrs. Sternbuch was responsible for saving more than 2,000 Jews. She would smuggle Swiss visas and Chinese entry visas to Jews living over the border and personally help them to safety. One Shabbos, the Sternbuch family was celebrating the bar mitzvah of their son. Dr. Kuhl was an invited guest but was only there for a short time until he was pulled away. During the bar mitzvah, Mrs. Sternbuch received a call that there were two children at the border who were being deported. She ran over to Dr. Kuhl and urgently told him to come with her. “Come where?” he asked. “To the border,” she answered. “We need to go immediately.” “But it’s your son’s bar mitzvah,” he argued. “My husband, Yitzchak, will take care of it. We need to go to the border now,” she insisted. Both Dr. Kuhl and Mrs. Sternbuch raced to the border that Shabbos and saved those two children.
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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home JANUARY 30, 2020 | The Jewish Home
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t’s interesting to note that Switzerland was perhaps the least-hospitable neutral country during World War II towards Jews. In his position, Dr. Kuhl had to deal with Heinrich Rothmund, head of the Federal Immigration Office in Switzerland at the time. Indicative of the Swiss attitude, in 1942, Rothmund spoke at a conference in Montreux, Switzerland, and proclaimed that Switzerland had little need for more Jews. “Here, as elsewhere, it is undesirable for the Jewish population to exceed a certain proportion. Switzerland does not intend to let itself be led by the Jew, any more than it would like to be led by any foreigner.… The Jew is not easily assimilated.… Nor must one forget that many of them pose a danger to our institutions, being used to conditions in which the Jewish instinct for business has a tendency to run free.” Another Swiss official, Daniel Odier, who was a military police officer of the Territorial District of Geneva, wrote a letter just a few days before Rothmund’s speech which echoed the Swiss’s animosity towards Jewish refugees. “Many Jews newly arrived in Switzerland wish to start up businesses immediately and also want to engage in trade. These people’s correspondence clearly shows that they tell their friends and acquaintances to come join them in this paradise that is Switzerland, and the mere fact of accepting one in Switzerland gives ten others the chance to follow him here and get so settled in that we will have a lot of trouble getting rid of them.” Lest one think that these anti-Jew sentiments were those of just Swiss individuals, consider that on August 13, 1942, the Swiss government slammed their border doors closed to Jews. “Political refugees, that is, foreigners who declare themselves as such when first questioned and can also provide proof, are not to be expelled. Those who seek refuge on racial grounds, as for example, Jews, are not considered political refugees,” the government declared. Thousands of Jews were turned away from the Swiss border during the war years. It’s certain that almost all of those who were denied entry perished in the ensuing years.
A letter from the Belzer Rebbe, written in his hotel in Istanbul, thanking Dr. Kuhl for saving his life
Dr. Julius and Yvonne Kuhl
Rothmund famously liked to use the expression, “the boat is full,” when dealing with Jewish refugees. (In fact, a book written in 1967 about Switzerland’s shameful response to Jewish refugees during World War II is entitled, The Lifeboat is Full.) Rothmund used that phrase self-importantly when refugees desperately requested entry into neutral territory. “The boat is full, the boat is full, the boat is full,” he would systematically respond to any request. Dr. Kuhl was privy to Rothmund’s insolence at a bus station one day.
himself jobless and stateless, stuck in Switzerland with his wife and two daughters. He was in limbo, required to check in with the police every two weeks, and ironically needing those very same passports that he so selflessly obtained for countless Jews through the war years. Eventually, the Kuhl family was able to immigrate to Canada. Evelyne recalls that her father kept his role in saving Jews during the Holocaust very quiet. He wasn’t one to ask for accolades or awards. “In very modest terms we knew
“For my father, there was nothing that stood in the way.” When Dr. Kuhl saw that there would be room for others aboard the bus to safety, he nudged Rothmund, asking him to let a few more children onto the bus so they could be saved. But the Swiss official looked at Dr. Kuhl and shrugged indifferently, “The boat is full.” Decades later, Dr. Kuhl would have nightmares of Rothmund’s apathy towards the Jewish plight. Echoes of “the boat is full” would swirl around his dreams.
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n 1945, after the war ended, the Polish-free government collapsed. The Soviet Union took over Poland, turning it communist. Dr. Kuhl suddenly found
that he worked in the consulate,” she recalls, “and we knew he was friends with ambassadors, but he didn’t speak a lot about what he did.” “He did his part,” Israel notes. “When he came to Canada, he felt that it was his business to take care of his family and succeed in the new world in which they found themselves in. He believed that he did his part back in the consulate – no more and no less than anyone else in his position would have done. He was humble about his role in rescuing his fellow Jews.” A lot of what Dr. Kuhl did during those war years is still not known. Slowly, more information is coming to light, as the family has unearthed information from the Red Cross and
Polish archives. Still, people would come up to Evelyne and Israel and their family members and recall what Dr. Kuhl did for them, even producing visas with his signature on it – lifesaving pieces of paper that ensured their survival.
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n Toronto, Dr. Kuhl began his new life selling Swiss watches. He eventually ended up in the construction industry but his desire to help others never waned. Instead of working on a macro level – saving Jews on a grand scale – Dr. Kuhl’s compassion pushed him to help others on a more personal level. Evelyne recalls that her father once saw a young widow buying tefillin for her bar mitzvah boy. When Dr. Kuhl saw that, he quietly went to the storeowner and gave him the money for the tefillin. His family only found out about this chessed when the boy’s grandmother told them what had transpired. One woman in Toronto had lost her husband and was about to lose her home. Hearing of the plight of the young mother of five, Dr. Kuhl and his wife, Yvonne, organized a tea for the city to help contribute money to save the woman’s home. No one except the Kuhls knew to whom the money was going; they managed to give the grateful widow a check to cover her whole mortgage. Together, Dr. Kuhl and Yvonne were instrumental in helping to support Jewish educational centers in the cities in which they lived. “For my father, there was nothing that stood in the way. He was always determined to help in any way he could,” Evelyne states.
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JANUARY 30, The Jewish Jewish Home Home OCTOBER 29, 2020 2015 || The
he tefillin are 91 years old, but no one looking at them could know t he i r h i s tor y, where they had been, or what their owner had endured while he was a prisoner during World War II. Menachem Zev Ben Chaim was born in Nyirbator, a tiny town outside Budapest, on June 12, 1915. He was the oldest of 11 children born to a chassidish family. All 11 of them went to cheder before attending secular school. As a child, Menachem was very thin but he was strong. His hair was thick and wavy, and by the time he reached his late teens he had a thick mustache. He was a charming young man with a pleasant personality; many people considered him to be to be a practical joker. When I look at pictures of him, I think he looked like Clark Gable from “Gone With The Wind” – a handsome man with slicked-back hair, a trim mustache, smooth skin, and piercing eyes. Menachem’s parents were followers of the Kaliver Rebbe, and one of his brothers became the Rebbe’s hoeiz bochur — his house boy — charged with attending to his every need, arranging appointments, getting meals, and accompanying him wherever he went. Menachem received his tefillin from his parents; they were written by a Kaliver scribe. The Kaliver dynasty exists today in Jerusalem with tens of thousands of followers. I had the distinct honor and privilege to have a private meeting with the grand rabbi several years ago; we spoke in Yiddish and Hungarian. Once, Menachem’s parents were wealthy; they owned real estate and hired gypsies to help around the house. When he was a teenager, though, the family fell on hard times. Their wealth evaporated. Menachem showed tremendous respect toward his parents and siblings. As a young man he understood that finances were tight at home, so he found a job in a bakery making matzah. Although he worked 10- to 12-hour days, he made time to put on tefillin and thank G-d for all his blessings. Menachem earned enough money to
buy hand-baked matzah for the entire family for Passover. That cost his entire salary, but he had no regrets. enachem was inducted into military service in 1941 not as a soldier but rather as an assistant assigned to a high-ranking officer who was in charge of a large division. The Hungarian government mandated all young men to serve in some capacity. During the earlier years, there had been no overt signs of hatred toward Jews, but that changed very rapidly. As life grew worse for the Jews throughout Europe and as Hitler gained more power and started rounding up Jews in Poland and elsewhere, the treatment of non-commissioned Jewish soldiers started to deteriorate. The commander, who liked Menachem, allowed him to keep his tefillin, inside their little zippered blue bag, which he kept in his deep-pocketed coat. As World War II spread throughout Europe and the Hungarian Jews were rounded up by force and taken to camps, Menachem became a prisoner of war, held by the Hungarian and German armies somewhere on the Russian border. He had a very powerful voice, so the commander demanded that he sing Hungarian songs to the several hundred soldiers whenever they were at the main army base, far from the front line. In return for singing songs, Menachem received extra food and was permitted to keep his tefillin. Throughout the bitter cold days and nights he spent near the Russian border, Menachem often would touch and hold the tefillin, and that gave him comfort. As the war in Europe got worse, Menachem, who was with a small group of Jewish prisoners, had to dig ditches by the front lines while bullets whizzed by them. Hungarian soldiers thought that Jews were dispensable. If a few of them were killed digging trenches, that wasn’t a big deal. It was so cold in Russia that many of his fellow prisoners froze to death. It was normal and common for the prisoners to swap clothing and shoes with the dead prisoners if the clothing or shoes of deceased were better than those of the living.
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Sadly, since the ground was so rock solid, always covered with thick ice and snow, none of the Jewish prisoners were buried properly. One bone-chilling night, a friend of Menachem’s died peacefully in the front lines, frozen to death. Menachem exchanged his old ragged coat with his friend’s. The new coat was black and long enough to cover more of Menachem’s legs, which were always cold. The new coat also had bigger pockets, and Menachem put his tefillin in one of them. Menachem was very concerned that he might not make it through the war. He was becoming thinner and thinner as the weeks and months passed. Jewish prisoners all around him were dying from frostbite or bullets from the Russian soldiers. They constantly were being pushed to different locations, with very little rest. He didn’t know how long he could endure it. ne night, the entire group of soldiers and Jewish prisoners stopped in a remote Russian farm – a field, a house and a barn. The soldiers were in the warm house, while the Jews were sent to the unheated barn. There were pigs and horses all around them. That was the night when Menachem held onto his tefillin tightly and asked Hashem to please watch over him as he tried to escape. Menachem had enough. He was going to take a chance and risk his life. If he succeeded, he would finally be free. While one of the guards was distracted, Menachem ran across the snow-covered field. The soldier screamed, “Stop! Stop!” but Menachem kept on running. He was wearing his long black coat. Several gunshots rang out, and one bullet hit Menachem’s right leg. (After all, he was an easy target, wearing a black coat and running across a snow-covered field.) Menachem ran a few yards after he was hit and then he collapsed into the snow. What happened next is without a doubt one nes after another. As Menachem lay on the ground, in excruciating pain, the soldiers surrounded him and mocked him. One soldier wanted to shoot him on the
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convinced that it was just a question of time before they would be surrounded. The war was almost over, they believed. Years later, Menachem told me, “I bet you never heard of anyone’s life being saved by a bullet.” His was.
Menachem and Leah Srolovits
spot, while another resisted the temptation. “We need them for the front lines,” that second soldier said. “Too many of these Jews have been dying. Let’s send him back to the hospital and get him patched up, so he can come back here and continue to dig trenches.” The soldiers picked Menachem up and dropped him in a small indentation in the ground, used to collect water. They did that just to torture him. They repeatedly dropped him into the freezing ditch before they put him on a truck headed back to a field hospital, which was 10 miles from the front lines. Menachem was in pain. He clutched his pocket, where his tefillin were. When he got to the hospital, a group of soldiers took him inside. They took off his coat and set it aside, and then they dropped him into a stainless-steel drum full of ice-cold water. They kept laughing and making jokes. Then a doctor — who was a commissioned officer — walked into the operating room, told the soldiers to put Menachem on the table, and immediately ordered everyone out of the room. What happens next is nothing but the Hand of G-d, another miracle. Menachem was all stretched out on the table, soaking wet, under blinding lights. He was thinking, “I’ve been shot. I’ve been tortured twice this evening. What else can
Hashem want from me?” As he stared into the doctor’s eyes, the doctor leaned over Menachem and whispered in his ear. “I am a Jew. I never had a bris. I will take care of you.” Menachem was in total shock. He was speechless. The doctor removed the bullet, stitched Menachem up, and said, “You are super thin. I’m going to order that they put you in the kitchen to work, and you must eat everything you can lay your hands on so that you can fatten yourself up.” This was music to Menachem’s ears. There was very little food on the front lines. Shortly after Menachem started to work in the kitchen, the doctor told him that in a week or two he would be transferred to another field hospital. “Once I am gone, you must take a knife or utensil and open your wound so it starts bleeding heavily again,” the doctor told Menachem. “This will save you from going back to the front lines, where I am told the battles are becoming more intense.” Menachem did what the doctor told him to do, and the new doctor in charge of the hospital said, “You are not ready to go back to the front.” Several weeks later, word spread within the hospital that the Russians had killed all the soldiers and prisoners on the front lines. Everyone in the hospital and on the base was
ome time later, all the other prisoners at the remote base in Russia where Menachem was held were told to leave. “You are free to go,” they were told. The soldiers holding them were totally surrounded. Menachem stuffed some food in one pocket of his black coat. The tefillin were safe in his other pocket. As he and his companions scrambled to leave, Menachem and two other prisoners remembered that there were mountains and forests at some distance from the camp. They thought it would be a safe place to hide. As the three men walked, they heard bombs landing and fierce fighting in the distance. They walked for a few hours. As they got deeper and deeper into the forest, one of them noticed an opening in the mountain. It was a cave, partially hidden by trees. They climbed in and stayed there for several days, slowly rationing the small amount of food they had brought with them. The three men would often peer out of the cave when they heard tanks and machine gun fire in the distance. Menachem remembers clutching his tefillin, raising his head toward the sky, and whispering, “When will this all end? Oh, dear G-d, when will I feel safe? When will I finally be liberated? When will I be able to go home?” The very next day the three friends saw a bunch of German soldiers in the distance exchanging clothing with prisoners. Next, Menachem saw that everyone’s hands were up in the air, and Russian soldiers surrounded all of them, soldiers and prisoners alike. The Russians separated the people dressed in uniforms from those dressed as prisoners. The Russians start marching the soldiers into the forest — but those soldiers really were prisoners. Menachem spoke some Russian that he had picked up from the years in captivity. He realized
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there was a language barrier separating the Hungarians, the Germans, and the Russians. At great risk to his personal safety, Menachem put his hands up in the air, crawled out of the cave, and walked toward the Russian soldiers. In broken Russian, he explained that the Germans had switched clothing with the prisoners. Although it took some time to get his point across, he was successful – and saved the prisoners’ lives. The Russians demanded that the Germans and the prisoners exchange clothing once again. Then they marched the German soldiers deep into the forest and killed them all. Menachem procured more food from the Russians, who told him that he and the other prisoners were free to go. Although Menachem felt free, he knew that there still were pockets of resistance. Word that the war was over did not yet filter to everyone. Menachem walked from the Russian frontier back home to Hungary. He begged for food, knocking on doors, and imploring in Russian, “I am a refugee. Please help me with some scraps of food or even a raw potato.” He slept in the streets or in open fields. But still he held onto the hope that with G-d’s help he would make it back to Nyirbator. hree and a half months after he started his journey, Menachem arrived in his hometown, only to find that gentiles were living in the house where he, his parents, and his 10 siblings had lived. Not knowing what to do, he wandered around town, looking for his parents and siblings. He came across two friends, and they hugged and kissed each other, with joy and tears. Menachem and his friends spent some time talking about what they had endured and how they were able to survive and make it back home. One of Menachem’s friends was very upset that all the Jewish homes were occupied by gentiles, who had taken possession of them after the Germans rounded up the Jews and deported them. After careful thought, the three childhood friends came up with a plan. Since Hungary was still in a state of chaos, they thought, let’s raid the old police sta-
Menachem in later years
tion, see what we can find, and then go house to house and evict the gentiles. Because it was a small town, they already knew a lot of people and where they used to live. Menachem and his friends broke into the padlocked police station, where they found badges, handcuffs,
The next morning, the three self-appointed detectives went door to door and politely asked the squatters to vacate the premises. If they declined to leave, the three friends opened their coats to show their weapons. If the squatters insisted on staying in the houses they had tak-
and – to their amazement – guns. They tried out all the keys to the jail cells, spruced up their appearances, had a nice meal, and made the police station their temporary home. Menachem was happy and thankful to have survived, but he was not in his own home yet, and he had no idea where the rest of his family was.
en over illegally, they were forcefully handcuffed and whisked away to jail. Word spread around town that a group of detectives were going door to door. Some squatters felt threatened and left before the knock came on their door. Menachem and his friends went only to the homes where at least one family member of
the original occupants had survived the war. Their belief was that people were entitled to live in their own homes, in the homes in which they had grown up. The three friends got their homes back, but their parents and siblings had not returned home from the war. Every day, donning his tefillin, Menachem prayed that his parents and siblings would return home. The prayer was comforting. During the day, Menachem and his buddies continued to evict and arrest people in town, but at night he had time to think. He wondered what he would do next, to put some normalcy back in his life. Menachem closed the shades every morning before he prayed with his tefillin, the same tefillin that accompanied him and gave him comfort and hope throughout the war. One day, one of Menachem’s brothers returned from the war, then another came back, and then another. The town and its houses were filling up. After several weeks, four brothers were back home. The other seven siblings and their parents were never seen again. Back at the police station, one day, while Menachem was cleaning his gun, it went off accidently. It nearly killed one of his best friends. Menachem took this as a message from G-d that he had to pick a real profession. Menachem was a heavy chain smoker; he smoked unfiltered cigarettes. He coughed a lot – so much, in fact, that the local doctor asked him if he wanted to smell the ground from above or from below. The doctor recommended that he find a job out in the fresh air. He also recommended that Menachem stop smoking immediately. A friend suggested that Menachem become an apprentice glazier, which would give him skills as well as the opportunity to work outdoors. Menachem did become an apprentice, and he found that he enjoyed being outside and meeting people. During that time, a young woman broke a glass door in her house. That young woman, Leah Gruenberger, had survived Auschwitz, and so had her sisters and her father. Her family and Menachem’s had known each other before the war.
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Leah called the local glazier to fix the door, so Menachem showed up at her house on a Friday afternoon, while she was cooking the Shabbos meals. Menachem fixed the door and told her how wonderful the kitchen smelled. Leah knew that four boys in Menachem’s family had survived, and that they were living on their own in an empty house, without parents, so she invited all the brothers over for a Shabbos meal. The next week, Leah inadvertently slammed the two glass doors together again, again breaking one of the glass panels. Menachem came to the rescue again, with a big smile. Of course, Leah was very embarrassed. Leah invited all the brothers over for a second Shabbos meal. Eventually, Menachem and Leah dated briefly, and then they got married in the living room of her father’s home. (No one had big weddings then. Everyone was poor.) Menachem was 32 years old when they married, and Leah was 21.
Menachem and Leah had two boys, and life went on as normally as possible. The entire family escaped from Hungary in October 1956. First they went to Vienna, where they got papers that allowed them to enter the United States in February 1957. ou’re probably wondering by now how I came across such an interesting person as Menachem. Well, his story has been a part of my entire life, because Menachem Zev Ben Chaim, a”h, was none other than my dear beloved father, who I miss and think of every day. He was a man of courage and compassion toward others, regardless of who you were. My father never made a lot of money, but he was always happy with what G-d had provided him and his family. He never envied those who had more, and he always taught us to look at people who have less than we have. If we did, he said, we would never
be dissatisfied with what we have. If you ever met my father and spoke with him just for five minutes about anything, you would walk away feeling that you just met a very special person. He made everyone feel important. He was the most genuine and honest person I have ever met. My dad passed away 16 years ago, at the age of 89, but not a day goes by without me thinking of him and his stories, about his life and what he had to endure as a prisoner of war. I often wonder to myself how a human being could go through so much, yet be able to continue with life and raise a family and always have a smile on his face. My mom, who I love dearly, is now 93 years old, and she is a pillar of strength and encouragement for the entire family. This is my father’s story, not my mother’s, but she has her own horror story. In Auschwitz, she made ammunition for Krups (yes, the same company that sells
Schedule your free and easy pick up TODAY! e info@pickpurple.org w www.pickpurple.org We now accept clothing, shoes, accessories, linen and towels in usable condition
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small appliances in Macy’s). She and her two sisters had consecutive numbers tattooed on their arms in Auschwitz; they were there for one and a half years before they were liberated by the American army. The tefillin are in my possession. They remind me daily of who my father was, what he stood for, and how I can strive to be more like him. The journey of the tefillin does not end here. It is my intention to replace the straps on both tefillin, replace the batim, and then, G-d willing, offer them to my grandson Jonah for his bar mitzvah. The tefillin, with all its history, will be passed to the great grandson of Menachem Zev ben Chaim Srolovits, a”h.
Leslie lives in Boynton Beach, Florida, and is a retired technology officer with JPMorgan Chase and Capital One. He can be reached at LeslieSrolovits@ gmail.com.
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By Sharon Gelbach
Helping to Right a
HISTORIC WRONG Aviva Silberman believes that Holocaust survivors deserve to live in dignity and comfort
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he statistic s are grim: a quarter of Holocaust survivors in Israel and a third of those in the U.S. are living in poverty. These now-elderly people, who experienced some of the worst traumas in modern times, are subsisting on so little they can’t afford both food and medicine, dental treatment, house repairs, or to replace a broken appliance. Many are childless; many are the last remnant of their extended families, with no support network to advocate for them in their twilight years. According to attorney Aviva Silberman, founder of Aviv for Holocaust Survivors, an organization that helps survivors apply for special benefits, thousands of Holocaust survivors fail to take advantage of the compensation that’s legally coming to them. “They simply don’t know about the benefits and what they’re entitled to, what forms to fill out, how to fill them out, or where to submit them,” she said. There are several reparation pay-
ment or allowance programs available to survivors living around the world; however, deciphering the fine print as to who is eligible for which payment, which forms need to be completed, and what supporting documents must be provided for each can be overwhelming. Aviv for Holocaust Survivors was founded in 2007 with the goal of helping Holocaust survivors access the benefits available to them. In its 13 years of operation, with the help of five lawyers and hundreds of volunteers, Aviv has helped 65,000 survivors actualize their rights and access more than $1.2 million payments and allowances completely free of charge.
NO LONGER RELUCTANT Silberman explains the roots of this rampant poverty: “Due to their wartime experiences, some survivors continued to suffer psychological and physical problems that hindered their ability to work. This pattern has also carried over to the next generation.” In the past, many people opted
not to accept money from Germany, irrespective of their financial situation, observes Silberman. “Today, however, survivors realize that they are not helping anyone by refusing the money, and that at their stage of life, they certainly deserve to enjoy a higher standard of living.” In addition to not knowing how to go about accessing payments and reparations, Silberman says that survivors are often fearful that by applying for additional benefits they will lose what they already have. In reality, however, about half the survivors who are assisted by Aviv are, in fact, eligible for more than they are currently receiving. “We encourage survivors to inquire about their benefits. In many cases, what they were told several years ago about not being entitled has changed.” A case in point, and one that affects thousands of survivors globally, is the new law, from July 2019, recognizing 20 Romanian cities as being ghettos. The significance of the revised legislation cannot be overstated: survivors from Romania who previously were not eligible
for any of the German “rentas,” or pensions, are now eligible for various grants and monthly allowances. Leah, a survivor from Ramnicu Sarat, Romania, had previously fallen between the cracks in terms of receiving any financial aid, due to various technical and bureaucratic reasons. With the help of Aviv’s attorney Yael Gertler, she was able to receive a lump sum of $2,800 as well as a monthly allowance of $1,100. “Finally, at the age of 89, I’m finally recognized as a Holocaust survivor!” Leah said excitedly. “For decades, Germany never acknowledged the suffering we endured in Romania. I’m gratified that I am still alive to see Germany taking responsibility for what they did to us.”
DAUNTING RED TAPE Holocaust survivors and their children are often daunted by the seemingly endless paperwork and complex bureaucracy associated with applying for compensation. Working for 13 years with a team of professional lawyers, Aviv for Holocaust Survivors is uniquely posi-
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Attorney Noa Shein with survivor Aryeh Shotzky. Credit: Sarit Uzieli
tioned to assist survivors in receiving what is coming to them, thereby improving their quality of life immeasurably. Gila, an 84-year-old survivor from Bulgaria, suffers various ailments along with dementia. For many years, she received a $700 monthly reparations allowance. In view of her mother’s degenerating state, Gila’s daughter, Ronit, requested an increased stipend from the government but was turned down because they said Gila did not meet the necessary criteria. It never occurred to Ronit to try again, until she spoke to Linda Levy, one of Aviv’s consultants, who investigated the case and discovered that Gila had spent the war years in the ghetto in Sophia. Familiar with the updated rights due Holocaust survivors, she applied to various agencies including the Israeli Treasury and the German government. The applications were approved, and Gila began to receive $2,000 monthly from the Israeli government, as well as a lump sum of $16,700 and another $90 monthly allowance from Germany. Thanks to the extra income, Ronit can now afford to give her mother the best care available including costly treatments to ease her health issues.
THE POOR PARTISAN Without doubt, it takes patience and tenacity to overcome bureaucratic hurdles. In cases where individuals would give up, Aviv’s professionals are armed with the
knowledge and persistence necessary for a positive outcome. Avigdor is a survivor from Poland who lives in Kiryat Ata. After learning that the Polish government was distributing a monthly reparations payment of $110, he traveled to the Entitlement Center in Haifa. Aviv’s Attorney Adi Keselman realized that, notwithstanding the allowance from Poland, Avigdor was also eligible to have his monthly survivor’s allowance doubled. In conversations with Avigdor, she learned that he had fought in the Polish countryside with the partisans and so she applied for an additional monthly stipend of $700 for war veterans who fought against the Nazis. After much back and forth, necessitating several home visits on the part of Aviv’s volunteers, their efforts paid off. Today, at 94, Avigdor receives a sizeable monthly sum that allows him to live out his days in comfort and security.
THE WAR IN UTERO One of the more unexpected criteria for eligibility is “one who was a fetus at the time their mother suffered persecution by the Nazis.” Henia Klatsch, a survivor from Haifa, was born just two months after the end of World War II. Her parents had survived the Holocaust by hiding together with their two children in the home of a Polish family. Henia grew up with parents and siblings who emerged from the war alive in body but severely scarred
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Founder attorney Aviva Silberman with survivor Yaffa Einhorn
emotionally. After a turbulent childhood, Henia married Aryeh, also a Holocaust survivor. A chance visit to the Aviv Entitlement Center in Haifa proved to be life-changing for the Klatsches. Attorney Liora Zamir informed Henia that she might be eligible for Holocaust reparations due to her having been an unborn baby while her mother suffered persecution, and thus began a protracted bureaucratic process that included procuring several hard-to-get documents. “I wanted to give up a hundred times over, but Liora never let me,” Henia shares, speaking with emotion. “She fought like a lioness on my behalf. It’s only thanks to her caring, and her professional, devoted service that my application was eventually approved.” The couple, which had previously subsisted only on Aryeh’s reparations, received a substantial financial boost. “A stone has been lifted from my heart,” Henia said. “I never had a childhood, but no one acknowledged my suffering before. This allowance is helping us make ends meet, and now I can even give something to our grandchildren, something that had not been possible before.”
POVERTY OF SPIRIT Often, the consequence of the severe trauma suffered during the war years is a lack of mental stability, which renders the survivor’s situation all the more tragic.
Ari, 84, made aliyah from France in 2010, alone and destitute. His childhood years had been spent in hiding, which enabled him to survive physically but left deep emotional scars. Ari’s mental state and general situation deteriorated steadily, to the point where he was homeless. If not for some kind people who provided him with shelter at night, he would have literally slept out in the street. At one point, Ari’s cousin sent him to the Entitlement Center in Tel Aviv, operated in cooperation with the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. Aviv’s attorney David Neuhoff was particularly moved by Ari’s predicament and devoted himself wholeheartedly to his case. The outcome was better than anyone could have anticipated: Ari was placed in an assisted living facility in Kiryat Yam, and today, with a monthly allowance of $2,400, he is able to live in dignity and comfort. Aviv for Holocaust Survivors works to raise public awareness of the rights of Holocaust survivors and to make that information freely accessible. The organization operates 18 Entitlement Centers, in collaboration with local municipalities and the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, to assist survivors in actualizing their rights. Aviv’s lawyers accompany survivors throughout the process, providing all services completely free of charge. For more information visit www. avivshoa.co.il.
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HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS ACROSS THE GLOBE – COMPENSATION & ELIGIBILITY A guide to benefits and reparations available to those who suffered through the Holocaust Artwork by Meira Soffer, TAG HS art student, instructor Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg-Flaum
BENEFITS FROM THE CLAIMS CONFERENCE Article 2 Fund: Intended for survivors who spent time in the camps, ghettoes, in hiding, or who lived under a false identity, and who are not receiving a monthly health allowance (“renta”) from funds originating in Germany. Survivors recognized by the Claims Conference for this fund receive an allowance of €1,539 ($1,700), once every three months. Hardship Fund: A one-time grant for €2,556 ($2,800). This fund is intended for survivors who: 1. do not receive a monthly health allowance from funds originating in Germany; 2. did not receive in the past a one-time grant for being forced to wear the yellow badge, for being forced to discontinue their education or had their liberty revoked; and 3. did not receive payment from the Holocaust Victim Compensation Fund (HVCF); and provided that they experienced at least one of the following persecutions: fled from Nazi occupation, wore the yellow badge, lived under curfew, or were subject to limited freedoms. Even someone who was still in utero at the time when their mother suffered any of the persecutions mentioned above may be eligible for this grant. Note: Also eligible for this grant are former citizens of Tunisia who suffered various limitations under Vichy rule and who subsequently suffered persecution under Nazi occupation between October 1940 and May 1943; and former citizens of Morocco and Algeria who suffered various limitations under Vichy rule between July 1940 and November
1942, including anyone who was in utero during the aforementioned period. Child Survivor Fund: A one-time grant for €2,500 ($2,780) for survivors born from January 1, 1928, until the end of the persecutions in their location, and who were persecuted on the basis of being Jews in the camps or ghettoes, or who lived in hiding, or who assumed a false identity — for at least four months in areas under Nazi occupation, or 12 months in countries that were under German influence. Note: Those who lived in cities only recently recognized as ghettoes are also eligible for this grant. Kindertransport Fund: a one-time grant for €2,500 ($2,780) — given from January 2019 — to survivors who, between November 9, 1938 and September 1, 1939, were under the age of 21 and were sent (or authorized to be sent) from Germany or countries that were occupied by or annexed to Germany (Austria and parts of Czechoslovakia) to England without their parents in order to be rescued from Nazi persecution. Note: The Claims Conference operates various services for Holocaust survivors in different world countries. For more information on the services available in your area, please contact the Claims Conference at P.O. Box 1215, New York, NY 10113. Tel: (646) 536-9100. Email: info@claimscon.org
COMPENSATION FROM FRANCE Compensation for orphans from France: A one-time grant from the French government for about €31,000 ($34,500) or a lifetime monthly stipend for about €600 ($670). To be eligible for these funds: one of the survivor’s parents must have been expelled from France as a result of anti-Semitic persecution during Nazi occupation and that parent must have died in the course of the expulsion or died within France as a consequence of persecution. The survivor must have been 21 or under at the time their parent was expelled. To submit requests for compensation from France, apply to your local French Embassy.
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BENEFITS AVAILABLE FROM GERMANY German Compensation Fund for Work in Ghetto (BADV): a one-time grant for €2,000 ($2,780) from the German government, intended for those who were kept in an open or closed ghetto (from the list of ghettos recognized by Germany), which was either under German rule or in an area annexed by Germany or in an area under German influence, and who performed unforced labor. We recommend that survivors who have received this one-time grant but who did not apply for the monthly social allowance ZRBG for unforced labor performed in the ghetto, submit a claim for this allowance. For more information or to submit forms please contact: Main address: Bundesamt für zentrale Dienste und offene Vermögensfragen DGZ-Ring 12 13086 Berlin
Mailing address: Bundesamt für zentrale Dienste und offene Vermögensfragen 11055 Berlin Tel: +49 30 187030-0 Fax: +49 30 187030-1140 Email: poststelle@badv.bund.de Social allowance for labor performed in ghetto (ZRBG): A social allowance from Germany based on various parameters, including age and time spent in a ghetto. Holocaust survivors may be eligible for this allowance on condition that they were kept in a closed or open ghetto under German rule or German annexation, or in an area under German influence, from the list of ghettos recognized by Germany and who performed unforced labor in the ghetto and received compensation for this labor (even a token compensation, and even if those funds were transferred to the
Judenrat). In other words, if there was some degree of choice regarding the “if” and “how” of the labor, this amounts to unforced labor. Examples of this type of labor: kitchen jobs, cleaning jobs, administrative jobs, factory jobs, delivering packages, caring for children or the elderly, etc. (Those who worked under threat of violence or at gunpoint are considered to have engaged in forced labor and are therefore not eligible for this allowance.) Since this payment is actually a form of German national insurance, a precondition for eligibility for it is to meet the criteria of the minimum qualification period for this insurance. This period may be based on the criteria set by German national insurance, alternate insurance, or of the national insurance in countries that have a signed treaty with Germany. We recommend that those who
submit applications for this allowance include additional documents, such as confirmation of receipt of any other Holocaust-related compensatory funds, documents attesting to time spent in a ghetto, etc. For more information or to submit forms please contact: DRV DUSSELDORF Address: DRV RHEINLAND Königsallee 71 40215 Düsseldorf Tel: +49 211 937 0 Email: service-zentrum. duesseldorf@drv-rheinland.de DRV BERLIN Address: DRV BUND Ruhrstraße 2, 10709 Berlin Tel: +49 30 8650 Fax: +49 30 865 27240 Email: drv@drv-bund.de
COMPENSATION FROM HOLLAND NEW ELIGIBILITY FOR ROMANIAN SURVIVORS The Dutch railway company provides Holocaust survivors/relatives who were transported by Dutch trains to a concentration camp with a one-time grant of €15,000 ($16,685) per survivor, and between €5,000 ($5,560) and €7,500 ($8300) in the event that the survivor has already passed away; the payment will be transferred to the widow or orphans. Note: Applications for this compensation can be submitted only until July 5, 2020.
See website for all information relating to compensation plans, including how to submit online applications: https://commissietegemoetkomingns.nl/en/faq For telephone inquir ie s about the application process: +31(0)887926250 For assistance with online applications, call the following organizations: JMW: +31(0)881652200 Stichting Pelita: +31(0)883305111 For additional information, email: rutger.hamelynck@ns.nl
This information was provided by the Aviv for Holocaust Survivors organization, devoted to providing professional, personal assistance by lawyers who specialize in survivors’ rights and who accompany the survivors until they receive the compensation due to them, at no charge to them. www.avivshoa.co.il
Few are aware that in July 2019, Holocaust survivors from Romania became newly eligible for compensation after Germany recognized 20 Romanian cities as ghettos (see list below). Consequently, thousands of survivors who spent time in ghettos in Romania and who are now living in various countries across the globe became newly eligible for live-changing benefits. Aviv for Holocaust Survivors founder attorney Aviva Silverman said that her organization has assisted 3,013 Romanian survivors living in Israel, advising them regarding rights and benefits amounting to $17.6 million. “It’s vital that survivors all over the world are alerted to their rights and that they apply to the relevant agencies who can investigate their eligibility for additional compensation,” she said. “The money involved can often be life-changing for these survivors.” Romanian Cities Recognized as Ghettos: Jassi, Botosani, Targu Mures, Galati, Focasni, Teccuci, Roman, Piatra Neamt, Barlad, Vaslui, Alba Iulia, Constanta, Targu Neamt, Harlau, Buzau, Ramnicu Sarat, Stefanesti, Craiova, Pascani, Bacau.
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Dating Dialogue
What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters
Dear Navidaters, I came home from seminary two years ago, and my parents keep pushing me to start dating. Personally, I’m in no rush. I have a good job and great friends – we enjoy our singlehood. I’ve been successful pushing things off until now, but my aunt has a boy she thinks is “perfect for me.” She is saying he’ll be grabbed up soon, and if I push off dating him I’ll regret it. She makes a solid case, and it’s not like I don’t think I am ready, I just don’t want the responsibilities yet. Is it okay for someone to go into dating without actually being serious about marriage, but with the mindset that a great guy might be the catalyst that makes one feel ready? I don’t want to pass up a great opportunity, but I also don’t want to waste anyone’s time. Thanks in advance! Pnina
Disclaimer: This column is not intended to diagnose or otherwise conclude resolutions to any questions.
Our intention is not to offer any definitive
conclusions to any particular question, rather offer areas of exploration for the author and reader. Due to the nature of the column receiving only a short snapshot of an issue, without the benefit of an actual discussion, the panel’s role is to offer a range of possibilities. We hope to open up meaningful dialogue and individual exploration.
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The Panel The Rebbetzin
The Shadchan
Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S. ood for you for your frankness about yourself and the seriousness with which you pose your question. Although there are occasionally situations where a girl is swept off her feet by a guy and decides to marry him even before she thought she would pursue marriage, I don’t know the inside story years later. People have told me that they got married too young, unprepared, and not serious about the commitment and responsibilities of marriage. I am familiar with several situations where people regret not having the strength to stick to their goals when others talked them into dating, despite their lack of interest in settling down soon. I generally believe in thinking and keeping to your resolve not to date if you have done the introspection and deliberation and concluded that you are not ready for marriage and its responsibilities. I think that FOMO is what is motivating you and that’s not healthy. But I understand that there is a lot of dating talk in the air and that your aunt is pressuring you. Dating someone without being seriously ready for marriage is neither fair to the guy nor to yourself. Marriage is work and responsibility and finances and decisions. Prince Charming will not make you ready for it; he may be appealing and you may want to commit to him but that doesn’t mean that you will find him worth it to do something you are not ready for. You need to be ready to invest, work, and struggle for a marriage out of your own motivation; a guy will not do that for you and change your readiness for the responsibilities of marriage. Don’t let the environment or your aunt push you into the next stage of life when you are not motivated to do so. It will not be a healthy thing.
Michelle Mond rom your letter, it seems like you are clearly enjoying the freedom of singlehood, which is healthy! You have been back from seminary for a few years, and it seems like you have gotten into a great routine. You mention your wonderful job and close friends, but I am sensing fear in that statement. Deep down, you are afraid to lose your friends and your work ethic. You are scared to lose what you now have to marriage, and are so scared to do so that you don’t want to start dating. I am not here to convince you to start if you are not emotionally ready, however, it could be that this is the right time and you are just scared to jump in. I believe nobody is ever truly ready when they begin dating for marriage. Dating is a process, and like many processes, it is the journey that helps a person develop. Look at it like the process of learning to bake. First you have to know what ingredients to buy. Then you prep the ingredients properly. Then you bake it at 350 degrees for just the right amount of time, take it out of the oven, and let it cool. When you first start dating, it feels a bit like shopping for ingredients – you compare and contrast (who knew there were 20 different types of parve chocolate chips!?). Everything looks better in the fancy packaging. After a while, you get to know the quality ingredients, and which ones are just hyped up in fancy outer trappings. You learn which “ingredients” you feel you need and which you don’t necessarily need. Once everything is prepped and ready to be baked, the oven must be preheated. It’s scary to jump into a hot oven, but that’s the only way the cookies bake properly. The dating journey undoubtedly helps you learn more than anyone can actually prepare you for. For many, making the leap even with the right one will be like jumping into that oven, but if you let yourself bake for just the right amount of time, you’ll come out ready.
G
F
Everyone is different, only you knows how long you will need to “bake,” so don’t stress out about what number date means what. Give yourself time, and don’t forget: let cool. Enjoy the process, and let yourselves chill. Only then will you truly be able to relax and let yourself feel. In the end, you will iy”H have a perfect product – and you will be glad that you took the leap and started somewhere. “Life is like a game of chess. To win, you have to make a move. Knowing which move to make comes with insight and knowledge, and by learning the lessons that are accumulated along the way.” ― Allan Rufus
The Single Rena Friedman nina, it’s a bracha that you feel at peace and enjoy your time as a single. I know many men and women who genuinely struggle with the fact that they are single. Hold onto this, but know that you and your friends are fooling yourselves. By the time you all wake up from the comfort and ease of singlehood, you might find yourselves in a very difficult dating situation. It’s not okay for someone to go into dating without being serious about marriage. It’s OK for someone to go into dating without being entirely sure what they need in a husband. The process of dating teaches you about yourself, what you are looking for, and your relationship with Hashem. If you cannot pinpoint exactly what you need in this moment, that is OK. The process will help you discover what makes sense for you. Marriage is a huge responsibility. If you’re not up for the challenge, then you’re not ready to be dating. When you agree to be dating for marriage, you are signing up for taking another person into your life, being emotionally vulnerable, paying bills, cooking, and doing the laundry. Getting married is an extremely exciting, happy, and new time, but it is also an extremely stressful, scary, and intense time. You have to
P
If I had a dime for every time someone had a boy who is “perfect for me,” then I’d be able to pay for my own wedding. be willing and able to accept all parts of being married before you sign up for it. If I had a dime for every time someone had a boy who is “perfect for me,” then I’d be able to pay for my own wedding. You are going to hear this from everyone and anyone. If you do agree to hear your aunt’s suggestion, I would advise that you look into the boy and do your research. This will allow you to gauge how perfect he really is and make a decision that is best for you. If your relationship with your parents allows for it, you should have an open and honest conversation with them regarding where you are holding. Your parents might be onto something for pushing you to start dating. However, I hope your parents understand who you are and what you, Pnina, need and are not doing what would make for the best kiddush conversation at shul. Contrary to popular belief, you are not a carton of milk. You do not have an expiration date. You need to do what is best for you. Think about what is typical in your community, when do people start dating, how the process works, etc. Think about where you stand hashkafically, emotionally, and your level of maturity. Then think about where you fit in within the confines of your dating circles. Each person has his or her own journey that is right for them. We are not all cookie cutter, which is both beautiful and frustrating at the same time. Do what is best for you with proper guidance from a rav, mentor, or your parents.
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The Zaidy Dr. Jeffrey Galler hen I first read your letter, I had a very positive reaction and thought, “What a very reasonable young lady, with a great sense of self.” Then, I re-read your letter, and, upon further reflection, had some slightly negative observations. The positive No one understands you better than you yourself. It you’re not ready for dating and marriage, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Enjoy this phase of your life, because readers’ letters to the “Navidaters” make it clear that dating, today, is not all fun and games.
W
So, enjoy yourself and wait until you’re good and ready. (By contrast, when folks my age dated, five decades ago, dating was very pleasant and enjoyable. Of course, my memories might be skewed by Golden Age nostalgia. But I digress.) The negative(s) Then, I read your letter a second time. And, it made me think of a friend of mine, who has a pre-school granddaughter. Last September, when the little girl discovered that she was done with nursery school and was moving on to kindergarten, she was very upset. She really, really enjoyed being able to play all day in the sandbox and create giant, messy, abstract finger-paint-
Pulling It All Together The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists
D
ear Pnina, Thank you for writing in! There are no absolutes in life nor is there one right way. “Do this and life will be grand!” (Wouldn’t that be nice?) Your situation won’t be the exception to the rule. Could it be that after meeting Mr. Wonderful you will have a complete change of heart? Maybe yes, maybe no. What I can offer you comes from my years of experiencing and witnessing different individuals in your shoes. Dating before you want to date often leads to heartache and confusion for both parties involved. Does this happen all the time? Certainly not. Does it happen enough to take pause and think about waiting? YES! I love that you are enjoying your life; doing your thing...not absorbing the ridiculous amount of pressure that is put on single people today... even from well-intentioned people like your aunt. I am guessing that you are about 20 years old. 20 years old. You are so young. How wonderful that you are taking your time to relax and get to
know yourself. The reality is that in the world of shidduchim, at a certain point, prospects do begin to dwindle. I dislike this reality as much as the next guy, but it doesn’t make it any less of a reality. If you were more modern and were OK with dating for an extended period of time, my response would be different. My understanding of your situation is that you would be dating for a somewhat fixed amount of time with the goal of getting married. This would be the goal of the man you are dating. If this is truly not your goal at this point in your life (which is FINE by the way), then you may want to think about how fair this is to him. Your aunt’s Mr. Wonderful has a right to be dating girls who want to get married. Getting married is one of the biggest life events/transitions during a person’s lifetime. It comes with all sorts of responsibilities. I think it’s a
ed works of art. She was distraught over the prospect of leaving the sandbox behind and having to sit on a chair, at a desk, with a neat pencil and crayon box. She wanted to stay in nursery school for a few more years and cried over being forced into the next phase of life. They explained to her that she simply could not postpone this painful transition for another few years because eight-year-old girls simply don’t blend into the regular kindergarten population. Why am I telling you this? Please consider the story as a gentle reminder that, for you and for my friend’s granddaughter, sometimes it’s simply time to move on to the next phase of life. Next, you wonder if it’s okay for you to go on a one-sided date, where only the boy is marriage-minded. You question if it’s fair to date him when you’re not interested in marriage unless he somehow turns out to be such an incredible Prince Charming that
good idea to feel ready to date before you start dating. All the best, Jennifer Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in private practice at 123 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, NY. She
You are not a carton of milk; you do not have an expiration date. it changes your entire outlook and instantaneously converts you into a marriage-minded young lady. To answer that question, ask yourself how you’d feel if the question were reversed. When you’re ready for serious dating, how would you feel if your date wasn’t marriage-minded unless you were so incredibly impressive and remarkable that it completely changed his view about marriage? It doesn’t seem very fair, does it? What to do? Fortunately, you are not faced without any imminent, serious, highly consequential deadlines. So, my advice is to take your time but not too much time. And, when you are ready, “Look out, world, here comes Pnina!”
also teaches a psychology course at Touro College. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 516-224-7779, ext. 2. Visit www.thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email thenavidaters@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.
Hi Readers! Receiving your enthusiastic emails wanting to participate in the Reader’s Respond section has been wonderful! Just a reminder about how Reader Response works. Email thenavidaters@gmail. com with the subject line “Reader Response.” We will then ask you, in the order we receive your email, if you would like to respond to the coming week’s email. If you would like to respond to an already printed Navidaters Panel, please submit your answer to the editor at editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com. You can also join us on our FB page @thenavidaters on Sunday evenings to post your response to the week’s column. Interacting with you has been a pleasure! Thank you for all of your feedback. Jennifer
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Health & F tness
Heart Health Month By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN
T
he Month of February is known in the nutrition world as Heart Health Month. Nothing is more important than taking care of your heart. Heart disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in United States. The good news is that healthy lifestyle behaviors such as ideal dietary and physical activity patterns are the cornerstone of disease prevention. Here are a few foods to include into your diets to help protect your heart: • Salmon: Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory agents that help protect the blood vessels and arteries. Salmon is also one of the healthiest protein sources one can eat and is low in calories. Salmon can be eaten raw as sushi, cooked, grilled, baked, poached, boiled, eaten in a salad, eaten as an appetizer, or entrée and even made into salmon patties! Salmon can be prepared in many ways, which makes it such a fun food as well as a nutritious food. • Walnuts: Walnuts are packed with nutrients that keep your body healthy and happy, such as manganese, copper, iron, calcium, and phosphorus. Walnuts are packed
with healthy lean protein, polyunsaturated fats, and polyphenols. Walnuts also contain more antioxidants, folic acid, and vitamin E than any other nut. Scientific evidence shows that incorporating walnuts into a healthy diet reduces the risk of heart disease by improving blood vessel elasticity and plaque accumulation. In addition, walnuts have been shown to aid in lowering LDL cholesterol. Lastly, walnuts, like salmon, are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. • Blueberries: All fruits contain antioxidants, however, blueberries are one of the best sources. Antioxidants work by preventing reactive oxygen species from causing damage to cells. Antioxidants, therefore, enable themselves to clean up the gradual buildup of waste materials in damaged arterial walls, thus lowering blood pressure. Blueberries have been found to improve blood pressure, endothelial function, and arterial stiffness. In addition to the blood pressure-lowering effects of blueberries, blueberries are very rich in other nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin B complex, vitamin E, vitamin A, copper, selenium, zinc, iron, phenolic compounds, and stilbenes, which
all attribute to the many benefits of blueberries. • Oatmeal: Oatmeal is wellknown for its cholesterol-reducing effects. Oatmeal has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol, also known as “bad” cholesterol. By reducing LDL cholesterol, oatmeal helps protect the heart, which gives it the recognized title of “heart healthy.” In addition, oatmeal is high in fiber which also indirectly lowers cholesterol by binding to the cholesterol and excreting it from the body. • Olive Oil: Olive oil is considered a monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fats help reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease and stroke when used as a substitute for saturated fats. Not only do monounsaturated fats indirectly lower your LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, simply by replacing saturated fats in your diet, research has shown that monounsaturated fats help increase your levels of HDL or “good” cholesterol. In addition to cholesterol-lowering effects, recent studies indicate that regular consumption of olive oil can help decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, thus further promoting heart health. • Dark Chocolate: Research
has found that eating up to 100g of chocolate each day is linked to lower risks of heart disease and strokes. Experts believe that the flavonoid antioxidants are responsible for preventing obesity and diabetes, which, in turn, prevents heart disease and stroke. The guidelines for the heart health for both men and women emphasize the intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish, legumes, nuts, and olive oil and stress a limited intake of sodium, sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, and red meats. These guidelines should be followed all months of the year, all days of week, all hours of the day. A healthy heart makes a healthy you.
Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. She is currently a dietitian at Boro Park Center and a private nutrition consultant. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@ gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @ EatBetterandFeelBetter.
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Dr. Deb
The Trouble That Expectations Cause By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.
“W
ell,” (we’ll call her Sally) Sally argued with me. “He is my husband and I’m not asking much.
Aren’t you the one who said we should express what we want to each other?” (All stories are made up.) Of course, that is true. I advocate
openness and honesty. You have to share your feelings with each other – including your wants and needs. But there is a world of wisdom necessary here. What if your spouse spoke a different language and absolutely did not understand what you’re saying? What if they – and this is much worse – thought they understood you but in fact had no clue what you were talking about? In this latter case, they would then argue that they did exactly what you wanted and they would cite what they did point for point. And it would be all wrong – nothing like what you wanted. And this may be the very worst of all. What if your spouse knew that they were clueless as to what you meant but you’d gone over it so many times that they really shouldn’t be clueless after all? And so they are ashamed of not being able to fulfill your wishes/needs/whatever and do not know what to say or do to get out of the terrible position they now find themselves in. And this can be made even worse by you pointing out that you don’t want much, just what is normal in a marriage. Maybe all you want is a little time. A little conversation. This shouldn’t be rocket science, right? But to them it is. And when you point out how sim-
ple it is and how obvious it is, it just makes them want to crumple up and die inside. Because they can’t deliver. They just can’t. They don’t know, exactly, what it is. They don’t know how to do it. They can’t relate to it. Now, you may be wondering why this should be. “Dr. Deb, you are not making sense!” That is, because you are logical, and logical, rational people can certainly sit and talk and have a normal conversation. That’s what you can do, when you’re so inclined, with your friends. It’s easy. You can’t understand for the life of you why anyone shouldn’t be able to do a simple thing like that. And that’s the problem. Expectations. You’re expecting your partner to be like you. Or like your friends. But he or she is not. You made an assumption based on this expectation that if your partner wasn’t meeting your needs for a simple thing, whatever that simple thing was, that all you needed to do was explain that you need it and magically it would happen. But then it didn’t. And the reason it didn’t is that your explanation was no help whatsoever to someone who doesn’t have the tools to understand you and then take that understanding and translate it into the exact action that you
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were looking for. It really is as if they spoke a different language. And I’m not even talking about the five love languages. I’m adding in another problem not mentioned in that book: For a variety of reasons, including having a dysfunctional family, or a traumatic experience, or an abusive history, a person might not have a clue what you were talking about and certainly not know how to put it into action. So, let’s take an example. Supposing your spouse came from a family in which there was a lot of tearing down of one another. Your spouse then learned that the best thing to do is keep their privacy and not share personal things. Your spouse may also have learned that the safest way to not get hurt is to not have any particular feelings. So they hid them. Even from themselves. Now, you want to share time and have a conversation. Uh-oh. The warning bell goes off in the limbic portion of their brain (the amygda-
la) saying, “Run! Run! Go the other way!” Revealing themselves is dangerous. And not only that, this person doesn’t even know what their own thoughts and feelings are because those were supposed to be hidden. And hidden they are. The whole idea of a conversation and sharing time is the scariest thing on Earth to someone like that. It’s not simple or self-evident at all. They have no clue how to do it and they, frankly, don’t want to. They’ve had years, decades, of conditioning to keep their life to themselves. And their thoughts and feelings are so deeply hidden that they don’t even know what they are. And of course, they would not want to speak to a therapist. The stuff the therapist would want to fish for is nothing they want brought out into the light of day. They don’t even know what it is, but they certainly don’t want to know. You thought your expectations
were reasonable. They weren’t. Well, they would have been reasonable with someone else. Just not the person you married. And it makes no sense to say that you did not marry someone normal. Because the moment you sit in judgment of them and their behavior, you’re going superior on them. And the problem with that is that you’re not superior. Because the moment you look down on them, you’re lacking compassion. What you really want to say is that you are alone. You are lonely. You wish that your wishes – your expectations – could be fulfilled by the person you’re with. And they can’t seem to. So, let’s take a look at this picture from a different angle. Maybe you were put here on earth to learn a particular thing. And the thing you need to learn can only be learned if this expectation is not met. Maybe what you needed
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to learn is flexibility. Or compassion. Or patience. Or acceptance. I don’t know. But something important like that. And maybe you needed this spouse and his/her difficulties with your expectations in order to learn it. And maybe, just maybe, there is a huge reward waiting for you once you shift your vision to include the thing you need to learn, instead of focusing on what you’re not getting that you expected. The funny thing I’ve found is that when a person discovers that through life’s difficulties they became more patient or more flexible, that is the reward. And they look back and realize it was well worth it.
Dr. Deb Hirschhorn is a Marriage and Family Therapist. If you want help with your marriage, begin by signing up to watch her Masterclass at https://drdeb. com/myw-masterclass.
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In The K
tchen
Hot Dog! It’s the Super Bowl! By Naomi Nachman
I love the Super Bowl. Well…not the actual game, but the comradery it brings. We have been hosting a Super Bowl party with the same friends for the last 15 years, and I love catching up with them while watching halftime shows, commercials and even some football.
Easy Hasselback Salami Inspired by BusyinBrooklyn.com
Ingredients ½ cup duck sauce ½ cup barbecue sauce Abeles and Heymann salami
Preparation Mix the two sauces together and set aside. Remove the labeled casing from the salami and place on a cutting board. Make slices in the salami, taking care not to cut all the way through. The salami should still remain intact. Place the sliced salami on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, liberally coat the slices with the prepared sauce on both sides and across the top. Be careful not to tear apart the slices and to keep the salami intact. Place the salami in a 400°F oven for 45 minutes. Baste the salami with the sauce continually during baking. Watch for burning as the sauce has a high sugar content. As it cooks, the salami will fan out and bend. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Transfer to a serving tray and serve warm with extra dipping sauce.
Hot Dog Knish Ingredients
Preparation
6 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 2 TBS canola oil 1 large onion, divided 4 medium eggs, divided 3 TBS potato starch 3 TBS mayonnaise 1 tsp garlic powder 1 TBS salt Pinch of white pepper 2 Abeles and Heymann hotdogs, thinly sliced about ½-inch
Boil the potatoes in a medium pot with water to cover until fork tender. Meanwhile, heat canola oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Set aside. Drain the potatoes; mash well in a bowl. Add 3 eggs, potato starch, mayonnaise, garlic powder, ¾ of the sautéed onion, salt and pepper. Mix well and then set aside. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Make small scoops of the potato mixture and place it on the cookie sheet about an inch apart.
Place a hot dog slice in the center of each potato mound, burying each slice so it is hidden. Beat the remaining egg and brush each potato mound with the egg wash. Top each knish with remaining onion in the center to garnish. Bake at 400°F for approximately 30 minutes or until slightly browned.
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Chicken Kishka Wontons Ingredients 1 TBS brown sugar 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 TBS soy sauce 1 lb. skinless chicken breast cubes, diced 1 package wonton wrappers 1 package Abeles and Heymann kishka, cut into small pieces
Preparation
Hot Dog with Sweet & Spicy Pineapple Sriracha Sauce
Combine sugar, garlic, soy sauce and chicken. Make sure to dice the chicken into small pieces. Refrigerate chicken for 1 hour. Place a piece of marinated chicken and a piece of kishka in the center of a wonton wrapper. Make sure the chicken and kishka are cut into small pieces; the wontons will burst open if overstuffed. Fold each corner of the wonton in the center to form an envelope. If the wrapper doesn’t stick close, use a little of the marinade or water to seal the edges slightly. Fill a large pot with about 2-3 inches of oil (approximately 2 cups). Place over medium-high heat until it reaches to 350°F on a fry thermometer. Fry a few wontons at a time (do not cook too many at once) for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Watch for burning. Use a slotted spoon to remove; transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve with duck sauce.
Ingredients 1 can crushed pineapple juice ¾ cup brown sugar 4 tsp minced garlic 3 TBS cider vinegar 1 TBS sriracha sauce ½ tsp salt Handful cilantro, parsley, or mint (or a mixture) 1 TBS cornstarch ½ cup water 1 package favorite flavor of Abeles and Heymann hot dogs, grilled 1 package hot dog rolls
Preparation In a small pot on medium heat, blend together the first 7 ingredients until smooth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes on a low heat. While simmering, mix together cornstarch and water in a small bowl until smooth. With a whisk, gradually blend cornstarch into pineapple mixture, whisking until sauce thickens which will be at boiling point. Remove from heat. Cool and serve as a dipping sauce for hot dogs.
Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.
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r e p u s
succulent sloppy joes
sides
ingredients 2 tablespoons oil • ½ onion, diced fine • 1 red bell pepper • 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic • 1 pound ground beef • 2 ½ tablespoons brown sugar • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce • 1 tablespoon chili powder • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika • 1 cup ketchup • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar • Salt and pepper to taste •
preparation Heat a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat and add oil. Stir in onion and cook until translucent. Add the peppers and garlic and stir for around 1 minute. Add the beef; break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks for around 3 minutes. Add the brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, chili powder, and paprika. Stir into the beef mixture. Add ketchup and apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low flame for around 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve on toasted hamburger buns.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
pretzel bites ingredients Dough • 2 ½ cups flour • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon sugar • 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast • 1 cup warm water Topping • 1 cup boiling water • 2 tablespoons baking soda • Kosher salt • 6 tablespoons melted margarine • Cinnamon-sugar, optional preparation Place all of the dough ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat until well-combined. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until it’s soft and smooth. Flour the dough. Place in a bag. Allow to rest for 30 minutes. While the dough is resting, prepare the topping: Combine the boiling water and baking soda, stirring until the baking soda is totally (or almost totally) dissolved. Set the mixture aside to cool to lukewarm (or cooler). Preheat your oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with PAM or lining it with parchment paper. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and divide it into six equal pieces. Roll the six pieces of dough into 12” to 15” ropes. Cut each rope crosswise into about 12 pieces. Pour the cooled baking soda solution into a pan large enough to hold the bites. Place the bites into the solution, gently swish them around, and leave them there for a couple of minutes. Transfer them to a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, and top with salt. Bake the bites for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and roll them in melted margarine. Serve with mustard. For cinnamon-sugar pretzels, toss with cinnamon-sugar once you’ve rolled the bites in the margarine.
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By Susan Schwamm
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Ashley, you’ve been in comedy for many years. When did you find out that you’re “funny”? My parents tell me that when I was three years old, while waiting for my brother’s school carpool to arrive, I would start the day with something called Rude News. This basically involved me sitting on a stool we had in the living room and, in the style of a BBC news reporter, I would say things like “The Queen is currently sat on the toilet.” Pretty sophisticated for a three-year-old and some would probably claim the funniest stuff I’ve ever done. How sad would that be, peaking at age 3?!
You’ve come a long way since then. What did you do before you decided to become a funnyman? Is being a comedian your full-time job? Yes, it is my full-time job. Until around four years ago I worked as a producer and writer of TV and radio comedy. I worked with a who’s who of British comedy including James Corden, John Oliver, Russell Brand, and lots of other people that some read-
ers will have heard of and the more frum readers will pretend not to have heard of! Where do you find your best material? I guess daily life. Most comedians are inspired by everyday life no matter what that entails. For some, that’s super-observational Seinfeld-style stand-up; for others that may be political comedy but it still comes from their daily life and the world they interact with. There are no secret sources out there. I dream of one day finding a buried joke book – something like the lost joke book of the Achashveirosh which was stolen by the Romans and is now hidden in the Vatican. But I think the chances of that are pretty slim. You became frum twenty years ago. What made you change paths and what challenges did it present? I touch on both of these things in my new show, so I won’t spoil it. Readers will just have to come along and hear it all in person!
Questions for Comedian Ashley Blaker You’re English but have done stand-up in South Africa, Israel, and now in the United States. Does comedy differ depending on the country the audience is in? Do you have to tailor your act for different countries? Don’t forget Australia and Canada! I tailor shows for every audience, of course. The new Off-Broadway show is probably the most complex because not only is it for Americans but is for both Jews and non-Jews. So just as I must make sure I always say “sidewalk” instead of “pavement,” I also need to say “Sabbath” instead of “Shabbos.” Not easy but I hope I can remember it all. Talking about your new show, “Goy Friendly” – tell us about it. Where to begin?! Well, the first thing to say is how incredibly proud of this show I am. It is so totally different than my first Off-Broadway show – it’s a much more ambitious show and theatrical, and in my opinion is a lot deeper, yet at the same time funnier. It tells the story of how a new friendship changed my life and made me reevaluate everything in my life. And
with anti-Semitism on the rise here in New York and New Jersey, I feel this is a very timely show, using humor to break down walls and demystify Judaism to the outside world. The show aims to make the audience laugh but for them to also understand a little bit about why we do what we do. How do you prepare for a show? Well, this show has a large team of people working on it, so that’s great. In fact, I just saw the Playbill and I loved seeing the Who’s Who and the biographies of all the people involved. There’s a director, script executive, coordinators, lighting designer, costume supervisor, artistic director, producers…and on it goes. I am very much involved with everything because I clearly have OCD (in fact, I talk about this in the show) and am a total control freak. However, having a good team around me, with lots of people I trust, helps me prepare correctly. How long does it take to come up with a bit? I don’t really work in terms of bits. It’s one 80-minute thought, so it needs
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to be written as such – with a start, middle and end. Otherwise, it wouldn’t really work. I wrote this show in a month but it has been through draft after draft after draft. I hate seeing more than 15 seconds without a laugh being offered so I am always combing through the script to see where I can fit another joke in. Who is your favorite Jewish comedian? Ah, an easy one. Me. Next question… Why do you think Jews are famously able to laugh at themselves? Ha, you’ve obviously not met some of my audiences! Let’s say that most of us can laugh at ourselves but that there are always those who take themselves a little bit too seriously! Tell us about who has influenced you in your life. I am very influenced by the people
around me. When you have a team you trust then you take their opinions seriously. In truth, I am influenced by so many people, and not always those I like. Sometimes, I’ve seen comedians do things I didn’t enjoy and it’s made me go back and change how I do some-
do it yourself, then you are taking away my livelihood. Stick to property or accountancy. There are no Jews in that.
Well, probably one I can’t repeat. But there are some jokes in this new show that I genuinely can’t wait to say every day (and twice on Wednesdays and Sundays). They make me laugh, and I hope will make the audiences laugh, too.
Can you make any situation into a humorous situation? I think one can – yes. There’s
Do you have any final message for readers? Well, maybe let me quote directly from the Performer’s Note in the Playbill. “Comedy is an incredible art form. Not only does it have the power to make us laugh and think, it can unite people because when we laugh together, there is nothing else like it.” I really hope readers will come to the city to see the new show; my deepest gratitude in advance to those that do. I hope you enjoy it as much as I love performing it.
“There’s humor in everything.” thing to make sure I don’t do the same. Do you have any advice for aspiring comedians? Yes, do you want to commit the sin of hasagas gevul (unfair competition)?! Then don’t even think about it! I’m doing this and if you start trying to
humor in everything. One needs to sometimes work quite hard to do it in a tasteful way, that’s for sure, but it is there. What’s the best joke that you’ve made and how did it come to you?
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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”
Is she the chief economist, or who is she? I’m confused. It’s a joke – after she goes and studies economics in college she can come back and explain that to us. - Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in Davos when asked by a reporter about “climate activist” teenager Greta Thunberg’s call for public and private sector divestment from fossil fuel companies
Congratulations on your retirement, and a great career, Eli! Not going to lie, though – I wish you hadn’t won any Super Bowls. My daughter’s getting out of school, I saved all my money, so she doesn’t have any student debt. Am I going to get my money back? - A man in Iowa to 2020 presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who promised to cancel all student debt if elected
Of course not. - Warren’s response
So, we end up paying for people who didn’t save any money…. My buddy has fun, buys cars and goes on vacations, but I saved my money. He made more than I did, but I worked a double shift and did the right thing [by paying for my daughter’s college] and I get [messed over]? - The man’s follow-up question to Warren, who walked away without answering him
They called me from Washington, and I did not pick up the phone. I said no, and I will continue to say no…. We are going for difficult days and we are beginning to bear the consequences of the refusal. Resistance must be escalated at all points of friction. All young people must be encouraged.
- Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who lost two Super Bowls to Eli Manning and the Giants, congratulating Giants quarterback Eli Manning upon his retirement
At 6-5 in the final set, during the changeover, I asked the ball girl to peel the banana for me as I had put some cream on my hands in order not to sweat. She had done it once before at the beginning of the match. But the second time the chair umpire stepped in and told me that the ball girl was not my slave and I had to peel the banana myself. I could not believe that the umpire said that and I find it incredible how this situation got out of control on social media without people knowing what really happened on court. - Tennis player Elliot Benchetrit responding to a social media backlash after he asked the ball girl at the Australian Open to peel his banana for him, only to have the chair umpire step in and prevent her from doing so
- Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas addressing U.S. President Donald Trump’s attempts to reach out to him before releasing the new peace plan
MORE QUOTES
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The industrial mass murder of six million Jews, the worst crime in humanity, was committed by my country. The terrible war, which cost over 50 million lives, originated in my country. The Eternal Flame at Yad Vashem does not go out. Germany’s responsibility does not expire. We want to live up to our responsibility. By this, you should measure us. Seventy-five years after the liberation of Auschwitz, I stand here as the president of Germany, laden with guilt. -German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier addressing world leaders at Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp
Israel is eternally grateful for the sacrifice made by the Allies. Without that sacrifice there would be no survivors today. But we also remember that some 80 years ago, when the Jewish people faced annihilation, the world turned its back on us. –Prime Minister Netanyahu, addressing the gathering
This is probably not going to get a good review, but I’m going to say ‘Adolf Hitler.’ It was obviously very sad and he had bad motives, but the way he was able to lead was second-to-none. How he rallied a group and a following – I want to know how he did that. Bad intentions, of course, but you can’t deny he was a great leader. - Grand Valley State University offensive coordinator Morris Berger, when asked by the school’s student newspaper to name three historical figures that he would want to take to dinner, resulting in his suspension
If you’re a billionaire today, the thing that you need to do is give up control and power. So, I don’t want your money as much as we want your power. - Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) during an interview
That is why we are here, Mr. Sekulow. If you don’t know, now you know. - Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), one of the Democrat impeachment managers, turning to a lyric from a rap song when responding to a question from Jay Sekulow, an attorney on President Trump’s impeachment defense team, who asked, “Why are we here?”
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting with both the prime minister of Israel and a man that’s working very hard to become the prime minister of Israel in the longestrunning election of all time – Benny Gantz of the Blue and White Party. - President Trump, during a joint appearance with Prime Minister Netanyahu on Tuesday, unveiling the new peace plan
Under this vision, Jerusalem will remain Israel’s undivided – very important – undivided capital. But that’s no big deal, because I’ve already done that for you, right? We’ve already done that, but that’s okay. It’s going to remain that way. - Ibid.
It is time for the Muslim world to fix the mistake it made in 1948 when it chose to attack, instead of recognize, the new State of Israel. - Ibid.
It was all white men today, there are allegedly two white women on the team – we’ll see if they’re allowed to argue… But I think, you know, in a visual medium, when you have one side that has a very diverse team and the other side that’s all white men, that says something in and of itself. - CNN Chief Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin arguing that President Trump’s all-white impeachment defense team highlights how Democrats care more about diversity
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Remember the dishwasher? You’d press it, boom! There’d be like an explosion. Five minutes later, you open it up, the steam pours out, the dishes… now you press it 12 times! - President Trump at a rally talking about water restrictions for dishwashers that he just got rid of through cutting regulations
I would never consider diversity in matters of art. Only quality. It seems to me that to do otherwise would be wrong. - Writer Stephen King, who usually agrees with those who call for diversity in medicine, education and all other fields, tweeting that it’s not wrong that all of the Oscar nominees are white because art must not be subject to diversity rules
Well, I look at all the votes that I got. Trying to get that many people to agree on something is pretty difficult to do. So that’s not something that’s on my mind.
He will be remembered as the legume who always brought people together for nutty adventures and a good time.
- Longtime shortstop and captain of the Yankees Derek Jeter talking to reporters after getting 396 of 397 votes to enter the Hall of Fame, one vote short of being unanimous, a feat only accomplished by his teammate Mariano Rivera
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Political Crossfire
A Bolton Subpoena Fight Could Tie Up the Senate for Months By Marc A. Thiessen
I
f House Democrats really cared about getting former national security adviser John Bolton’s testimony, they would not wait for Senate Republicans to vote on it. There is nothing that bars House Democrats from calling new impeachment witnesses just because the Senate impeachment trial is underway. Bolton dropped his objections to testifying more than three weeks ago. So, why didn’t the House issue a subpoena right then and there? Answer: Because the Democrats’ goal is not to obtain Bolton’s testimony. Rather, it is to tie the Senate in knots, extend the Senate trial as long as possible, and inflict maximum political damage on the president and Senate Republicans. If Republicans let them get away with it, they will set a dangerous precedent. Unlike the House, the Senate cannot turn to other business in legislative session while an impeachment trial is underway without unanimous consent of all senators. If the Senate votes to call Bolton to testify, even if Bolton agrees to cooperate, the president would almost certainly seek an injunction to prevent him from doing so. That could tie the Senate in litigation that could last for many months.
Even if Bolton ultimately testified, during the trial the president’s defense team could object to his answering specific questions on the grounds that his answers would irreparably damage the presidency by divulging privileged information. The Senate might be forced to vote on every individual objection. And even if the Senate voted to allow Bolton to answer, and Bolton agreed to do so, the president’s lawyers could go to court to seek an injunction to prevent him from answering. In other words, there is almost no scenario in which the Senate is not dragged into court. How long would the court battle take? During the Nixon impeachment inquiry, it took three months for the Supreme Court to rule on the president’s claim of privilege, but that was because the Supreme Court agreed to bypass the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Most executive privilege cases take much longer. It’s impossible to predict how the courts would rule, but this much is certain: The president’s claims of privilege would not be dismissed quickly or lightly. Courts have accorded the president great deference on such claims when it comes
to matters of national security, so they would very likely give similar weight to the president’s claims when it concerns conversations with his national security adviser. Moreover, in deciding whether to breach the president’s privilege, the courts would take into account the House managers’ testimony before the Senate in which they claimed they had proved their case without Bolton’s testimony. But the bigger question is: Why should the Senate be stuck with this mess? There has never been a presidential impeachment trial in which the Senate was forced to resolve issues of privilege. That is the House’s job. If the House had subpoenaed Bolton months ago, the legal battle would be well underway. If representatives had done it even three weeks ago, when Bolton agreed to testify, we would be three weeks further along in the litigation fight. Instead, the House failed to meet its responsibilities and threw the whole mess into the Senate’s lap. If senators agree to go along, they would set a precedent for future impeachment trials. Not only have the House managers refused to do their job, they have also leveled outrageous accu-
sations against senators if they refuse to do it for them. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., accused senators of being “treacherous” if they did not vote for witnesses – an accusation that prompted Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, to send Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. a note complaining that Nadler had violated Senate rules. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., drew audible gasps from senators when he declared that Trump had threatened to put their heads “on a pike” if they crossed him. If Democrats were really trying to convince moderate Republicans to call witnesses, they would not behave in such an ugly and partisan manner. Why would the Senate agree to set such a precedent, especially when Bolton’s testimony will not change the outcome of the trial? A majority of senators agree that, as Alan Dershowitz said on the Senate floor Monday night, “nothing in the Bolton revelations, even if true, would rise to the level of an abuse of power or an impeachable offense.” Trump will be acquitted. So, when the House managers demand that the Senate subpoena Bolton, the answer should be simple: Do it yourselves. (c) 2020, Washington Post Writers Group
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Political Crossfire
The Normalization of Trumpism & the End of Globalization By Fareed Zakaria
D
onald Trump’s speech here, in Davos, at the World Economic Forum went over relatively well. That’s partly because Davos is a conclave of businessmen, and they like Trump’s pro-business message. But mostly, the president’s reception was a testament to the fact that he and what he represents are no longer unusual or exceptional. Look around the world and you will see: Trump and Trumpism have become normalized. Davos was once the place where countries clamored to demonstrate their commitment to opening up their economies and societies. After all, these forces were producing global growth and lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty. Every year, a different nation would become the star of the forum, usually with a celebrated finance minister who was seen as the architect of a boom. The United States was the most energetic promoter of these twin ideas of economic openness and political freedom. Today, Davos feels very different. Despite the fact that, across the world, growth remains solid and countries are moving ahead, the tenor of the times has changed. Where globalization was once the main topic, today it is the populist backlash to it. Where once there was a firm conviction about the way of the fu-
ture, today there is uncertainty and unease. This is not simply atmospherics and rhetoric. Ruchir Sharma of Morgan Stanley Investment Management points out that since 2008, we have entered a phase of “deglobalization.” Global trade, which rose almost uninterruptedly since the 1970s, has stagnated, while capital flows have fallen. Net migration flows from poor countries to rich ones have also dropped. In 2018, net migration to the U.S. hit its lowest point in a decade. The shift in approach can best be seen in the case of India. In 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Davos to decry the fact that “many countries are becoming inward focused and globalization is shrinking.” Since then, his government has increased tariffs on hundreds of items and has taken steps to shield India’s farmers, shopkeepers, digital companies and many others from the dangers of international competition. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative recently called out India for having the highest tariffs of any major economy in the world. Indian officials used to aggressively court foreign investment, which was much needed to spur growth. Last week, with India’s economy slowing badly, Jeff Bezos announced a $1 billion investment
in the country. (Bezos owns The Washington Post.) But the minister of commerce and industry scoffed at the move, saying Amazon wasn’t “doing a great favor to India” and besides was probably engaging in anti-competitive, “predatory” practices. Often, protectionist policies help favored local producers. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad recently criticized some of Modi’s policies toward Muslims. The Indian government effectively cut off imports of Malaysian palm oil. In a familiar pattern, one of the chief beneficiaries was a local billionaire long associated with Modi. The Economist notes that Europe, once one of the chief motors for openness in economics and politics, is also rediscovering state intervention to prop up domestic industries. And if you think the internet is exempt from these tendencies, think again. The European Center for International Political Economy tracks the number of protectionist measures put in place to “localize” the digital economy in 64 countries. It has been surging for years, especially since 2008. It’s important not to exaggerate the backlash to globalization. As a 2019 report by DHL demonstrates, globalization is still strong and, by some measures, continues to expand. People still want to trade, travel and
transact across the world. But in government policy, where economic logic once trumped politics, today it is often the reverse. Economist Nouriel Roubini argues that the cumulative result of all these measures – protecting local industries, subsidizing national champions, restricting immigration – is to sap growth. “It means slower growth, fewer jobs, less efficient economies,” he told me recently. We’ve seen it happen many times in the past, not least in India, which suffered decades of stagnation as a result of protectionist policies, and we will see the impact in years to come. Nevertheless, today, nationalism and protectionism prevail. This phase of de-globalization is being steered from the top. The world’s leading nations are, as always, the agenda setters. The example of China, which has shielded some of its markets and still grown rapidly, has made a deep impression on much of the world. Probably deeper still is the example of the planet’s greatest champion of liberty and openness, the United States, which now has a president who calls for managed trade, more limited immigration and protectionist measures. At Davos, Trump invited every nation to follow his example. More and more are complying. (c) 2020, Washington Post Writers Group
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Forgotten Her es
The U.S. Army’s Signal Corps By Avi Heiligman
Arnold Samuelson, who took photographs of Holocaust survivors in concentration camps after liberation
C
ommunications in the American military has moved on from sending a rider on horseback to and from the frontlines and headquarters. Paul Revere’s midnight ride to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that 700 British soldiers were on the way to arrest them could have been a lot simpler and less dangerous had a proper communication system been established. Even before modern technology, flags and other devices had been used since ancient times to warn friendly troops of what lay ahead. The modern U.S. Army Signal Corp was established right before the Civil War and today has a wide variety of duties they are tasked to perform. The “father” of the Signal Corps is traced to Major Albert J. Myer of New York. Before earning his medical degree, he had worked as a telegrapher and, while on his way to becoming a surgeon, had written his thesis called A New Sign Language for Deaf Mutes. While practicing medicine, he developed the Wig-Wag system which used signal flags or lamps that could be used in a similar fashion as the yetto-be-invented Morse code. An army board led by Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee had Myer field-test the system in 1859. A year later, the War Department authorized the formation of the Signal Corps with Myer as its first commander. During the First Battle of Bull Run, he tried using a balloon for communications but it wasn’t until much later that balloons became a part of the Signal Corps. After the war began, Lee start-
ed the Confederate Signal Corps and one of Myer’s primary assistants, Lt. Edward Porter Alexander, went along with Lee. By June 1861, Alexander was organizing the troops for the Confederate Signal Corps and became the chief engineer and signal officer. During the First Battle of Bull Run, Alexander successfully sent the message: “Look out for your left; your position is turned” to Confederate generals who eventually made the proper adjustments to their lines. This was the first time the Wig-Wag system was used in battle over a considerable distance. In general, the Confederates had a much smaller contingent for their Signal Corps, while the Union had close to 3,000 men come through their ranks during the Civil War. The Wig-Wag system was only useful if both parties could see each, but there was no line of sight obstruction when using the telegraph. Other work that the Signal Corps performed during the war included interrogating deserters, developing codes for land-to-sea purposes, implementing ciphers, and improving communications between the distant outposts. Myer started a school for the corps in Arlington, Virginia, and remained in the army until 1880. The Signal Corps became a permanent unit in the army and in 1870 established a national weather service. They participated in the Spanish-American War and had implemented the use of the heliograph into the army. Communications now included the use of telephones and military photography, and with new
uses for balloons, the corps grew into a sizable unit. In 1907, an aeronautical division was established in the corps with planes being added to the arsenal of the military. They set up their flying school in College Park, Maryland, and trained over a dozen pilots on how to effectively use the new invention properly in battle. The pilots would become the backbone for the corps’ flying wing during World War I. In the years after World War I, the Signal Corps continued to develop radio, radar, and sona r te ch nolog y. I r i sh-A mer ic a n William Blair became the chief meteorologist for the Signal Corps in 1917 and is considered a pioneer for early radar systems that became vital during World War II. Under his direction, the SCR-268 radar was developed and introduced into the army and was entered service in 1940. World War II saw the corps expand to 350,000 service personnel as their capabilities expanded to areas like mobile communications and deciphering machines. The SCR-300 was the first FM radio backpack when it entered the battlefield in 1943. Famous Hollywood producers joined the Signal Corps to make training and to film combat missions. Signal Corps members served in all theaters of the war and were present on D-Day while the Allies stormed the Normandy beaches. They were able to broadcast images taken by the Signal Corps to millions of viewers back in the U.S. During World War II, the corps added a female department to their
ranks. Known as the Hello Girls, the women were switchboard operators under Grace Banker. Joint Assault Signal Companies (JASCO) were created in 1943 as a response to communication issues with the Tarawa and Guadalcanal landings in the Pacific. Shore fire control and air liaison soldiers were added to existing signal companies and became known as JASCOs. JASCOs performed their functions in the central Pacific, the Philippines, Okinawa, southern France, and Normandy. Some of their equipment was in poor condition, and they had a lot of trouble with waterproof gear but they had one major asset in particular that made them stand out. Navajo Code Talkers were under the command of the JASCO, and the six that were with Major Howard Conner, 5th Marines signal officer, were essential in taking the island of Iwo Jima. They sent over 800 messages without an error. Photography also became a field of interest for the corps, and their work was to document work for future use and examination. By the end of the war, close to 600 men were assigned to the photography section and produced many films that were used for training and intelligence purposes. Combat Assignment Unit #123 was a group of veteran military photographers who were the first to document the horrors of the Holocaust. Led by Arnold Samuelson, the unit went into subcamps of Mauthausen – their photographs were used to charge Nazis with criminal charges. The Signal Corps, although de-
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020
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JANUARY 30, 2020 | The Jewish Home
A photograph of prisoners in Ebensee camp, a subcamp of Mauthausen, taken by Arnold Samuelson
pleted in manpower, continued operation after World War II. In 1946, they bounced radar signals off the moon and were pioneers in the development in transistors. Operators were
involved in the Korean War; the first death on the Vietnam War battlefield was that of a signalman. Very secure radios maintained by the corps were used during Operation Desert Storm.
An American Signal Corps photographer documenting General De Gaulle’s return to Paris
In the 21st century, the Signal Corps continues to lead the way in innovative communication systems and methods while deploying to war zones across the globe.
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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“Retirement is Not in My Vocabulary” By Allan Rolnick, CPA
M
ost people who were born on January 17, 1922, have long since passed away. Of those who are still alive, few are still working in any capacity. And only one of them is still going strong after 80 years in show business. Her name is Betty White. And last week, the actress, animal rights activist, and vodka fan, who considers herself “the luckiest old broad on two feet,” celebrated her 98th birthday. And when you’re blessed to enjoy 98 healthy years on the planet, you navigate a lot of tax rules over that time. When Betty was born in 1922, the country was just returning to “normalcy” after World War I. The Revenue Act of 1922 had just dropped the top rate from 73% to 58% on income over $200,000 (about $3 million in today’s dollars). Oil titans and robber barons were the ones paying those top rates, not athletes or entertainers. Betty launched her career just months after graduating from high school in 1939, singing on an experimental TV channel. By then, we had lifted ourselves out of the worst of the Great Depression. There were 33 tax brackets, starting at 4% on the first $4,000. The top rate was a robust 79%; however, it didn’t kick in until your ini-
come topped $5 million (just north of $90 million today). Most people earning up to the equivalent of about $900,000 actually paid less than they do now. When World War II arrived, Betty joined the American Women’s Volunteer Services and entertained troops before they shipped off. In 1949 she was
the role the highlight of her career and won two more Emmys. The top tax rate had fallen to “just” 70%, kicking in on income over $200,000 ($1,150,000 today). But the average six-figure earner paid 29-33%, taking advantage of tax-free municipal bonds, preferential treatment for capital gains, and a whole new universe of tax shelters in real es-
Betty scored her second smash hit as Rose Nylund — “not the brightest nickel in the drawer” — on The Golden Girls.
back on TV, and in 1951 won her first Emmy nomination. (She lost to Gertrude Berg…yes, that Gertrude Berg.) By that point, the war and recovery had forced taxes considerably higher, with a %91 top rate on incomes over 2$) 200,000$ million today). After spending most of the 60s haunting game show panels, in 1973 Betty joined the Mary Tyler Moore Shows as Sue Ann Nivens. She called
tate, oil & gas, cattle farming, and locomotive leasing. (Sound familiar?) In 1985, Betty scored her second smash hit as Rose Nylund — “not the brightest nickel in the drawer” — on The Golden Girls. While she was racking up eight Emmy nominations for her work, Washington was working in a genuinely bipartisan way to reform what everyone admitted had become an out-of-control tax system.
The result was the Tax Reform Act of 1986, which still frames how we pay. (If you’re a millennial, try Googling the word “bipartisan” — seriously, it’ll blow your mind.) In 2010, the 88-year-old Betty appeared with the 89-year-old Abe Vigoda in a classic Snickers ad. Betty credits that commercial for yet another career reboot. She certainly doesn’t need the money — her net worth has been estimated at $75 million. She’s focused now on animal rights, and once told Ad Age magazine, “The whole reason I work so much is so I can pay for all those animals. So, to have all these opportunities is just wonderful.” Clearly her charitable deductions are most important now! You may not live to be as old as Betty White or win as many Emmys. But your life, your finances, and your taxes will evolve over time just like hers. That’s where we come in, to help you navigate those changes with as much grace and good humor as Betty. Here’s to 98! Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 years in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.
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Life C ach
The Timeless Struggle By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., MFT, CLC
H
ere’s how it works. Or doesn’t. This article will probably be appreciated, specifically, by most husbands. A man can get through college, then complete graduate school, land an awesome job, or start his own successful company, even, manage to impress a woman – enough to get her to marry him. But – and here comes the big but – he can’t be trusted to bring home the right stuff from the supermarket. The most stressful job you can delegate to a husband is to pick up the shopping list. I’m thinking: ask them to do twenty miles on a treadmill or this chore and most guys would say that the latter would be the more realistic stress test. It seems women just don’t understand that there are 40 choices of tomatoes in the market because a woman goes right to the one she wants. But every one of those tomatoes looks right to a guy. That is, until he gets home! Then there’s the barrage that takes place, ranging from “what kind of tomato is that?” to “have I ever bought anything but grape tomatoes. What were you thinking?” And the guy’s thinking: Well, what I was thinking was that you asked for a tomato, I got you a tomato. How could that be wrong? Oddly, I’ve seen this become some of the most connected moments a couple has – even with him in the store and the woman at home. Because, only with her complete guidance, him checking in on the accuracy of each product, and skyping down every aisle, does he feel he has at least a 50% chance of getting things right. So he refuses to get off the
phone with her! I’ve seen guys, dressed in threepiece suits, clutching their phones for dear life as if the biggest deal was going down, who are actually shopping in Walmart and discussing every feature of what’s in the baby aisle. Four weeks ago, I was in Maryland for the weekend. A friend introduced me to a guy involved in the school there. He told us that his wife had asked him to get three items for her and requested that he write it down. He said that he responded that that was insulting and that he didn’t need to write it. She re-
told her he met endless parents from the school body and couldn’t get the shopping done. He just couldn’t admit how stressbased the shopping was for him. Two weeks later, I saw a guy I know standing in the candy aisle at a giant grocery store I shop at. The shelves were stacked top to bottom with endless choices. The guy was hunched and focused with such intensity he could have been preparing a legal brief. I innocently said, “Hi,” thinking he’d promptly pop up out of his stupor. Surprisingly, he totally didn’t hear
I discussed it with both these men, and their faces lit up like a kid getting a new dump truck.
quested he do it anyway. And he said he told her that that was ridiculous and left for the store. When he got there, though, his mind went blank. However, the last thing he wanted to do was admit that she was right. So, he spent an hour going up and down the aisles till his mind was stimulated by the items he saw and he remembered what he needed. He felt so proud of himself but couldn’t think of how to account for the hour. When he arrived at home, she asked him what took an hour. And he said he
me. Then, jokingly, I quipped, “Wow, you really like concentrating there.” And then he turned and said, “I am, I didn’t even see you. If I go home with the wrong thing, I’ll never hear the end of it.” Both men mentioned that this is the single most stressful chore they ever have to do. So, here’s a new career someone may want to capitalize on. I discussed it with both these men, and their faces lit up like a kid getting a new dump truck. (Which, by the way, I gave to my
daughter’s two-year-old this week and he exclaimed, “Oh, my G-d!” like he had won a trip to Hawaii or something! Trust me, this is big!) So back to the career idea. How about a woman who greets a man at the door of the store and accompanies them through this ordeal? Without ever knowing what their wife is planning to cook, these men truly believe a woman will know exactly what their wife is looking for. And I’m not doubting that they might. The ingredients on the list may somehow hint to the shopper where the wife’s going with this. While these men may be seeing individual items on the list, the woman may see a flow at work here. Just the thought of that savior brought amazing relief to these two guys. Therefore, even if someone there didn’t help him get it right, at least someone could talk him through the stress and that might be a worthwhile experience. All I can say to most frustrated men who feel plagued by the mysteries of this errand is: you are not alone! (And maybe you can gain some solace knowing you are doing better than some other guy.) All I can say to most frustrated wives, who keep unpacking what I will call this “creative list fulfillment,” is: you, too, are not alone! (And maybe you can even try embracing this as an opportunity to invent some new recipes!) Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@ rosenwalds.com.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 30, 2020 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
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