Five Towns Jewish Home - 12-17-15 by The Jewish Home

December 17 —December 23, 2015

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

Your Favorite Five Towns Family Newspaper

Au Contraire

Perhaps the French Jewish Future is Still in France

Pages 9, 10, 11, 15 & 63

Around the

Community

108

54 Assemblyman Goldfeder Travels to Paris to Honor Terror Victims

They Light Up The World

A Night to Remember at Achiezer’s Evening of Appreciation

From Aruba to Anchorage, Alaska, These Women Bring Yiddishkeit to Jews All Over pg

A Miracle from Sderot Arrives in the Five Towns

Your

PESACH

Destination Starts on Page 119 Page 5

PAGE 26

– See pages 3 & 31

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Dear Readers,

hanukah was a lot of fun, but it was exhausting. It seemed like every night was a party and the kids went to sleep way beyond bedtime. But Chanukah comes once a year and it’s important for them to truly enjoy. As a mother, Chanukah is the least labor intensive yom tov. There’s no scrubbing cabinets for weeks before, no delivering mishloach manos, no special seudah. And it’s still a whirlwind. But what if, on Chanukah, the only doughnuts available were the ones you made? And what if the only party in town was hosted by you – and hundreds of people were invited? This week we spoke with women around the world about how they open their homes to hundreds of people each year. As Chabad shluchim, an open house is their way – and the only way – of life. Many of them don’t live near frum communities. When the milk or meat shipment runs out, that’s it – there’s no more until the next delivery comes. It’s their job to be “hostess with the mostess.” Not only do they cook for hundreds of people and welcome them into their homes, they do it with graciousness and happiness. Many of us have enjoyed shluchim’s hospitality as we’ve traveled around the world. I remember Shabbos in Venice, where my friend and I ate the seudos on Shabbos in Gam Gam, a restaurant run by Rami, a Chabad shluach, on the canals. A few things struck me as we enjoyed the meals. One was that they never knew how many people would be showing up at the seudah. Friday night the room was packed. On Shabbos morning, there were less guests, but

then a few more showed up in the middle of the meal. They had to be prepared for anything – and no matter how many more wished to squeeze themselves in, they welcomed them with a smile. I also noticed how the children were so comfortable with the situation. A house full of guests was normal for them and they were unfazed by the noisy crowd or the people vying for their parents’ attention. They knew that this is how Shabbos is in their home, and as they grow up, I am sure that they will wish to build a home in the same way. My children own a few books on children who live in different, interesting places around the world. They’re part of a new series called the Young Lamplighters put out by Chabad. Although my children are interested in reading the books because they can learn so much about how people around the world live, I find them fascinating from another perspective: behind each child is a mother who stands strong on her own, providing for her family and reaching out to those in the community. She is the one who is baking the bread every day because there are no bakeries. She is the one who is helping her children with their homework after they go to their “online school.” She is the one who is showing her children the proper way to dress, talk and act in a city full of strangers. May all the mothers in the world – in every city, near or far – continue to have the strength to raise their families in the right way. Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern PUBLISHER

publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Yosef Feinerman MANAGING EDITOR

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll

Community Happenings

NEWS Global

112

National

Odd-but-True Stories

Au Contraire: Perhaps the French Jewish Future is Still in France by Brendy J. Siev 108 ISRAEL Israel News

Dear Editor, Chanukah, a time for celebration and at the same token a time for reflection. Every Chanukah we, the Korman family, reflect on our Chanukah miracle, our survival from carbon monoxide poisoning, and make it our point to remind the community to please make sure you have working non-expired carbon monoxide detectors in your home or are connected via your alarm company. May Hashem continue to show us miracles and protect us from all the “poisons” of this world. The Korman Family

PEOPLE They Light Up the World by Malky Lowinger The Battle of the Kokoda Trail by Avi Heiligman

96 118

PARSHA Rabbi Wein

The Shmuz

JEWISH THOUGHT Foresight is 20/20 by Eytan Kobre

An Eye for an I by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

JEWISH HISTORY The Incredible Story of Ignatz Timothy Trebitsch-Lincoln, Part II By Rabbi Pini Dunner 102 HEALTH & FITNESS Symptoms are our Friends by Deb Hirschhorn, PhD

111

Kickstart your Metabolism by Aliza Beer, MS RD

112

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate? by Dr. Hylton Lightman

110

Dear Editor, More articles like Dr. Deb’s article on parenting are needed. I find that there are two major problems in regards to parenting in today’s generation. Too many young parents are thrown into parenting when they are still young and mature. And they are still involved in their own busy lives with their friends and parties. So where does that leave the children? They are shoved in between Facebook posts, tweets, and What’sApp conversations. They are stuck in between coffee breaks and lunches between friends. It seems that these parents want both worlds – they still want to be single and

having fun with friends and they also want to be parents. One thing will end up suffering – and unfortunately, it may just be the kids… I also see that young parents want their children to be their friends. Newsflash: your children are your children, and your friends are your friends. Yes, you should have a fun, wonderful relationship with your children. But don’t forget that they need parents. They need someone to show them what’s right and what’s wrong. They need someone to set limits. They need someone to discipline them, if necessary. Showing them the right path and helping them develop into menschlech people are your responsibilities. Don’t be afraid to steer them the right way, even if it may be uncomfortable. You are not their friend, you are their parent and they will love you and respect you if you act in the way that you should. Sincerely, Chani Shwertz

Dear Editor, I find Rabbi Pini Dunner’s articles to be both informative and intriguing. I have gone through many years of schooling and yet I find that I don’t know all that he has written Continued on page 12

FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Breakfast Smoothie

106

LIFESTYLES

130

Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LMSW

114

Choose Your Weapon, Part I by Rabbi Mordechai Kruger

117

Marc Chagall by Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg 130

Your Money

140

A Night Versus a Lifetime by Rivki Rosenwald, Esq., CLC

142

HUMOR Centerfold Uncle Moishy Fun Page

86 132

POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

120

Why Take the Trump Stunt Seriously? by Charles Krauthammer

128

CLASSIFIEDS

134

Time Magazine named Angela Merkel its Person of the Year. Do you believe that she is worthy of that honor?

YES

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

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DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

about. The story of Shabbtai Tzvi both fascinates and frightens us in this day. How can it be that educated people in those times believed the lies spun by the shyster and his equally conniving buddy? Surely, it is a shameful time in our history, but one which we must remember. Regarding his recent articles on the Get of Cleves, I was equally fascinated. I never heard of the incident but again was amazed. How were the knowledgeable, impressive, erudite men of the time blinded by the

issues presented to them? Both these stories remind us that we need to make clear, meticulous decisions when controversial things come our way. If not, we may end up in the history books of tomorrow. Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hatzlacha, Shammai Engelberg

Dear Editor, I am concerned that our nation is becoming a nation of hate. In a fit of fear, we sometimes make blanket

Continued from 8

statements against large groups of people. We need to remember that we cannot categorize or make stereotypes when speaking about such large groups. What concerns me even more is when our leaders are the ones leading the pack in hate. Yes, we need to protect our borders and ensure that terrorism does not come our way. But we need to do it without spewing hate upon thousands of people. I remember just a few years ago

when a man with a little mustache rose to power across the ocean. He blamed Germanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trouble on the Jews and insisted that they needed to be eradicated. He swept up his nation and united them in their hatred and fear of those who were different from them. And we know that the story ends with the death of 6 million. We are in no way like Hitler ymâ&#x20AC;?sh. We are worlds away from who is and from his twisted, cruel mind. But we should in no way be like him. Have an open mind, be cautious, be concerned, but do not spew hate upon thousands of people. Dan Holland Dear Editor, A big thank you to The Jewish Home Magazine for a wonderful â&#x20AC;&#x153;coolâ&#x20AC;? treat on Chanukah! We really enjoyed our ice cream dessertâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; thanks to you! The Goldman Family

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Dear Editor, Recently, a question was posed to the Dating Dialogue from a young man who was extremely nervous before each date. Each panelist offered him helpful advice. I would like to point out something to your readers. When we attend Bais Yaakovs and yeshivas, we are generally separated from those of the opposite gender. I feel that that is the right thing to do. But there should not be a complete separation. You should be able to speak with your cousins or guests at your Shabbos table of the opposite gender. These do not have to be major conversations. It is menschlech to say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gut Shabbosâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Please pass the gefilte fish.â&#x20AC;? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proper to ask your cousin how school is going or how his family trip was last week. Many times people take this to the extreme and wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even speak at the Shabbos table when guests are there who are boys or girls. That is not right and not proper chinuch. This young man who wrote into the Dating Dialogue, I am guessing, was not trained to be able to speak with women when he was growing up. As such, a date for him is a nerve wracking experience. We should help our young men and young women and show them how to interact in a menschlech, respectful way. Sincerely, Tova W.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

Angela Merkel: Time Person of the Year

Time magazine has named German Chancellor Angela Merkel its Person of the Year. The publication highlighted her policies regarding the Syrian refugee crisis and the Greek debt crisis as part of their reasoning. The magazine also cited Merkel’s strong response to “Vladimir Putin’s creeping theft of Ukraine” and on its cover called her “Chancellor of the Free World.” Merkel, 61, is just the fourth woman since 1927 to be chosen to grace Time’s annual cover and the first since opposition leader Corazon C. Aquino of the Philippines in 1986. She is the first German since Willy Brandt, the West German chancellor named in 1970 for “seeking to bring about a fresh relationship between East and West” during the Cold War. In 1999, Time picked the German-born – and Jewish – Albert Einstein as Person of the Century. Not everyone welcomed Merkel’s selection. She has been criticized for demanding unduly harsh terms for Greece as the country struggled to pay its debts and remain on the euro. Maria Dimopoulou, a public sector worker in Greece, said that Merkel “may be woman of the year for Europe and the world in general but for Greece she is disaster of the year and all of the past years.” Another dissenter, for different reasons, was Donald Trump. He was a finalist for Person of the Year and for months has topped Republican polls for the 2016 U.S. presidential election and dominated headlines. “I told you @TIME Magazine would never pick me as person of the year despite being the big favorite,” he tweeted soon after Time’s announcement. “They picked a person who is ruining Ger-

many.” He came in at number three. The number two on Time’s short list this year was the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. He was followed by Donald Trump, the Black Lives Matter movement, and Hassan Rouhani.

Jewish Mobster’s Heirs Seek Payout

Descendants of one of the most notorious Jewish criminals of all time are looking for a payday. Renowned gangster Meyer Lansky built a hotel in Cuba in the 1950s. Talks between the United States and Cuba regarding claims by Americans to property nationalized after the Cuban revolution recently opened and Lansky’s heirs are considering filing a claim. Lansky’s grandson, Gary Rapoport, told reporters that he, his mother and his uncle are beneficiaries of Lansky’s estate and thus are entitled to compensation from the Cuban government for the Havana hotel casino, which opened just a year before Fidel Castro took over and outlawed gambling. Rapoport, 60, said he was raised by Lansky after his mother’s divorce. “Trust me, I’m not looking to move down to Cuba and take over the business,” Rapoport assured. But “I believe my family is entitled to something.” Lansky, who died in 1983, was described in his obituary as an “acknowledged financial wizard and one-time reputed czar of organized crime in the U.S. and many points overseas.” Over the course of his career, he was associated with such convicted racketeers as Charles “Lucky” Luciano and Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, both boyhood chums, as well as “Dutch” Schultz, Al Capone and Louis “Lepke” Buchalter, the “hit man” of the notorious “Murder Inc.” Although linked to illicit gambling and other crimes, Lansky was never convicted of a serious crime. He went to jail only once — a two-month sentence in 1953 on a gambling conviction in Saratoga, New York. In 1972, he sought to immigrate

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to Israel under its Law of Return, but his application was denied because of his criminal past.

Freed Gitmo Terrorist Back At It

Former Guantanamo Bay resident Ibrahim al-Qosi, who was released to Sudan after a war court guilty plea, has emerged as a key player in al-Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula. “He’s clearly a religious leader in the group,” said Aaron Zelin, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Al-Qosi, now 55, arrived at Guantanamo Bay on January 13, 2002. He pleaded guilty to foot soldier war

crimes in 2010 in exchange for release in 2012. Al-Qosi’s former U.S. attorney, Paul Reichler, says that he has not been in touch with the Sudanese man since al-Qosi left the U.S. Navy base prison for Sudan in July 2012. “I was told by a Sudanese lawyer a year ago that al-Qosi was working as a taxi driver in Khartoum,” Reichler related. “I have received no information about his activities since then, and I do not know what he has been doing, or where he is living.” At the time of al-Qosi’s return to Sudan, Reichler said he looked forward to being reunited with his wife and family, including two daughters, “and live among them in peace, quiet and freedom.” His wife at the time was the daughter of a former chief bodyguard to bin Laden. A tape has emerged in which al-Qosi can be heard saying, “As the U.S. has waged war on us remotely as a solution to minimize its casualties, we have fought it remotely, as well by individual jihad. And as the U.S. has killed our men, we have killed its people. But it is not the same. Our dead are in heaven and theirs are not, and the war is not over yet.” Al-Qosi, a trained accountant, kept the books for a bin Laden business in Khartoum in the early ‘90s, according to Pentagon documents made public by WikiLeaks. He then followed bin Laden to Afghanistan in

Protect Your Child Currently, there is an outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough) in Brooklyn’s Orthodox Jewish communities. So far, five children have been hospitalized. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and medical providers in these communities are working together to stop the outbreak. If you are pregnant, you can help protect your baby by getting the pertussis vaccine. Doctors recommend that women get the pertussis vaccine between the 27th and 36th weeks of pregnancy to protect their babies. Protect your children by getting them the DTaP vaccine at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months of age. They should also get a booster dose before they start kindergarten. Common side effects are mild and can include redness, swelling or pain where the shot was given. Serious side effects are rare.

1996. Because the timeline for war crimes only covers the era in Afghanistan, al-Qosi pleaded guilty to foot soldier crimes – sometimes driving for bin Laden, working at al-Qaeda’s Star of Jihad compound in Jalalabad, and fleeing the post-Sept. 11 U.S. invasion to Tora Bora, armed with an AK-47 rifle. The disclosure of al-Qosi’s activities comes at a complicated time: as Secretary of Defense Ash Carter is considering the release to repatriation or resettlement of as many as 17 detainees who have been cleared for transfer. Al-Qosi got out on the war court guilty plea that saw him spend his last two years at the prison Convict’s Corridor separated from the majority of the detainee population.

“Historic” Climate Pact Signed in Paris President Obama, President Hollande, and Prime Minister Cameron lauded the climate-change agreement in Paris over the weekend as historic. Countries from the developed and developing world alike—a

hundred and eighty eight of them— came together and pledged to reduce carbon emissions and limit global warming to “well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.” After the deal was finalized, many prominent environmentalists joined the politicians in hailing it as a turning point. Joe Romm, who founded the influential Climate Progress blog, called it a “literally world-changing deal.” May Boeve, the executive director of 350. org, said, “This marks the end of the era of fossil fuels.”

With a big push from the Obama Administration and the input of China, India, and other developing countries, officials from the French foreign ministry shepherded through a text that all sides could agree on. It was, as Jeffrey Sachs, the director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, said, a “diplomatic triumph.” They ensured there was no repeat of what happened in Copenhagen six years ago, when a similar meeting broke up

‫באשיצט אייער קינד‬ (‫עס איז יעצט דא אן אויסברוך פון פערטאסיס )וואופינג קאוף‬ ‫ ביז יעצט‬.‫אין די ארטאדאקסישע אידישע געמיינדע אין ברוקלין‬ .‫ קינדער האספיטאליזירט געװארן‬5 ‫זענען‬ ‫די ניו יארק סיטי דעפארטמענט אוו העלטה און מענטל היידזשין‬ ‫און מעדיצינישע פארזארגער ארבייטן אינאיינעם אפצושטעלן‬ .‫דעם אויסברוך‬ ‫ קענט איר העלפן באשיצן אייער‬,‫אויב איר זענט שוואנגערדיג‬ ‫ דאקטוירים‬.‫קינד דורכן באקומען די פערטאסיס וואקסין‬ ‫רעקאמענדירן אז פרויען זאלן באקומען די פערטאסיס וואקסין‬ ‫ צו‬,‫ סטע וואכן פון שוואנגערשאפט‬36 ‫ סטע און‬27 ‫צווישן די‬ .‫באשיצן זייערע בעיביס‬ ‫ װאקסין אין‬DTaP ‫באשיצט אײערע קינדער דורך געבן זײ די‬ ‫ זײ זאלן אױך באקומען‬.‫ מאנאטן‬15-18 ‫ און‬6 ,4 ,2 ‫עלטער פון‬ .‫א בוסטער דאזע אײדער זײ הײבן אן צו גײן אין קינדערגארטן‬ ‫אפט געטראפענעזייטיגע ווירקונגען זענען מילד און קענען‬ ‫ געשווילעכץ אדער ווייטאג ביים ארט‬,‫אריינרעכענען רויטקייט‬ .‫וואו דער איינשפריץ איז געגעבן געווארן‬ ‫ערנסטע זײטיגע װירקונגען זענען זעלטן‬

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11/25/15 2:53 PM

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

mentioned in the agreement. Defenders of the Paris accord concede this is a weakness. But they point to the fact that, beginning in 2020, countries will be obliged to lay out more ambitious targets every five years. Back at home, Barack Obama took credit for the new global climate agreement that “offers the best chance we have to save the one planet we have.” Obama, speaking from the White House, sought to trumpet the deal which will go through if the Republican-controlled Congress or the courts don’t block him – and his successors in the White House don’t reverse it. Obama said that it will mean less of the carbon pollution that threatens the planet and more economic growth driven by investments in clean energy. The American president said the world leaders’ meeting in Paris “met the moment” and that people can be more confident “the planet will be in better shape for the next generation.” Although he admitted the agreement is not perfect, he said it sets a framework that will contain periodic reviews and assessments to ensure that countries meet their commitments to curb carbon emissions. As technology advances, targets can be updated over time. The agreement also calls for supporting the most vulnerable nations as they pursue cleaner economic growth. Top Republicans in Congress dismissed the pact as nothing more than a long-term planning document and said that Obama was making promises he won’t be able to keep in the months and years ahead. They say Obama’s commitment to reduce emissions from U.S. power plants would cost thousands of American jobs and raise electricity costs. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said Obama is “writing checks he can’t cash, and stepping over the middle class to take credit for an ‘agreement’ that is subject to being shredded in 13 months.”

Taliban Attacks Spanish Embassy

in acrimony. But the cost of bringing all sides together was considerable. Rather than reaching a binding agreement, with economic incentives for good behavior and sanctions for scofflaws, the delegates settled for what a skeptic might describe as a common expression of good intentions. The only way to ensure the participation of the United States and Chi-

na was to make the agreement nonbinding. The Obama Administration insisted on it, well aware that the U.S. Senate wouldn’t ratify a formal treaty. China, which has long insisted that countries should be allowed to tackle climate change in their own ways, sided with Washington. If a country fails to live up to what it promised in Paris, there is no obvious recourse beyond

naming and shaming. Not only is the accord voluntary but countries got to set their own targets for carbon emissions. The participant countries offered up a wide range of emissions targets, which, taken together, scientists reckon, will be insufficient to keep warming to two degrees Celsius, never mind the more ambitious target of 1.5 C that was also

The Taliban claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on the Spanish embassy in Kabul. After a car bombing in a diplomatic neighborhood of the Afghan capital, attackers entered

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

the embassy and engaged in an hourlong shootout with security forces while staff hid in bunkers. Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, said four Afghan police officers and two others, including a foreigner, were killed in the attack. Authorities in Madrid said two Spanish police officers were killed. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy issued a statement which told of a powerful car bomb exploding near the embassy, “causing serious damage to the premises” and killing Deputy-Inspector Jorge Garcia Tudela and Isidro Gabino Sanmartin Hernandez who were guarding the compound. An hour-long shootout followed, according to reports. During the gun battle, three attackers entered the embassy compound while staff hid in bunkers. They were released unharmed “after an intervention by Afghan and United States special forces units that lasted several hours,” the statement said. Seven civilians and two policemen were wounded, Sediqqi said, adding that 12 foreign citizens were rescued by Afghan forces. The attack took place in the Kabul district of Shir Pur, home to many foreign embassies, guesthouses and the homes of high-ranking government officials. It took local security forces more than 10 hours to bring

the area back under control. The Kabul attack came two days after another massive Taliban attack on the main airport in the southern city of Kandahar, which lasted more than 24 hours and killed more than 50 people. The casualties from the Kandahar attack included 38 civilians, 10 Afghan soldiers and two police officers, according to the Ministry of Defense.

N Korea Defector Speaks Out The few who are able to defect from North Korea usually tell of the horrors committed by Dictator Kim Jong Un’s government. Now, a defector is speaking out who definitely has an inside story: he is Un’s uncle. In an interview with a South Korean news agency, Ri Kang said he and his wife, who is the sister of Kim Jong Un’s mother, defected from North Korea and applied for asylum in the United States some 20 years ago for fear they’d be implicated in a power struggle when then-Supreme Leader Kim Jong Il died. “I had felt the cruelty of power while spending almost 20 years near the North’s former leader,” Ri said.

Kim Jong Un has executed at least 70 senior officials since his accession to power in late 2011. In December 2013, North Korea claimed to have executed Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Un’s uncle, who the regime claimed had involved himself in corruption, gambling and drugs. Ri said he now runs a successful laundry business in the U.S., but didn’t disclose the location. Ri and his wife, Ko Yong Sook, left the Hermit Kingdom and applied for asylum in the U.S. in 1998, 13 years before Kim Jong Il’s death. The couple’s lawyer said Ri and Ko acted as Kim Jong Un’s guardians when he studied in Bern, Switzerland. Kim is believed to have spent seven or eight years in Switzerland in the 1990s, according to a 2013 U.S. assessment. It is unclear how long the couple acted as Kim’s guardians. Ri said he had left a goodbye letter to Kim when the couple departed for the U.S. The status of Ri and Ko within the North Korean regime before they defected is unknown. Ri said the couple decided on the U.S. to apply for asylum because Ko Yong Sook believed she could find a cure for her sister’s – Kim Jong Un’s mother’s – cancer there. Kim’s mother learned she had breast cancer in 1998 and failed to recover after treatments in Switzerland and France. She died in Paris in 2004.

Who’s Living Longest – And Why

According to the World Health Organization, the majority of the human population will live into their sixties. Based on life expectancy at 60 years of age, people in Japan will live longer than in any other country. Coming in at a close second are a string of countries spanning the Mediterranean and East Asia, as well as countries with strong economies and healthcare systems. By measuring life expectancy at age 60, factors such as childhood

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

illness and issues earlier in life are discounted and longevity is more related to an individual’s lifestyle and environment during older age. Many different factors are being given credit for the longevity of the Japanese people. Japanese people who make it to age 60 will live on to an average age of 86 – longer than anywhere else in the world. More than a quarter of the country’s population are now over the age of 64 and the communities of Okinawa house the greatest proportion of centenarians of anywhere worldwide. “Part of that is the traditional Japanese diet,” says John Beard, director of Aging and Life-course at the World Health Organization (WHO). That diet includes plenty of fresh fish and vegetables, combined with low levels of meat and saturated fat. “But the traditional diet has changed,” says Beard, speculating there is more to it than simply food. “Another part of it is lifestyle ... and that they have systems which identify and treat key issues like blood pressure.” Active lifestyles into older years are the norm in Japan, helped by the country’s extensive rural landscape getting people outdoors, and further aided by a well-established health infrastructure. Sarah Harper, professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford, cites other reasons for Japanese lon-

gevity. “They tend to have a society which tends to promote a strong family set up and stress-relieving cultural activities,” she says. Furthermore, Japan has less social inequality than many other countries, enabling everyone to experience these benefits. In the other countries outliving the rest of the world, good health comes from wealth – and the consequences of a strong economy and health system. Singapore, Monaco, Andorra, Australia, Canada, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Switzerland are all on the list for a joint silver medal for life expectancy at 60 of living to 85. “Places like Monaco have a huge wealthy immigrant population,” says Harper, who believes immigration can also plays a role in the diet of a country’s population and therefore its longevity. “Countries like Australia, Canada and New Zealand have large European populations that are probably eating similar kinds of diets,” she says. In general, countries with a smaller wealth and class divide have a healthier aging population. “[In Singapore] there’s a range of wealth and advantage; there are very few people at the bottom,” Beard points out. This uniformity means more members of the population can live the lifestyles needed to ensure good health well into their eighties. One thing helping us all live lon-

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ger is that our lives today are easier than those of our ancestors. “If you compare the lives of somebody in the 21st century to the life of somebody in the 19th century, we’re not struggling on a day to day basis to survive,” says Beard. “One of the things that’s driving the aging of populations is probably that we’re generally living a less stressful life than our forebears.”

Iran: We have Infiltrated the Mossad The semi-official Fars News Agency of Iran boasted on Tuesday that Tehran’s intelligence agents have infiltrated “those countries that have taken a hard line on the Islamic Republic.” The claims were made by Hojjatoleslam Gholamreza Safayee, chief of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Office for Ideological and Political Affairs. “We have infiltrated the enemy’s spy agencies,” claimed the senior official in Tehran, without given any other details. The article was accompanied by an image with the symbols of the CIA,

the UK’s MI6, and the Mossad, in a clear indication of which “hard line” countries Fars was insinuating were infiltrated. Safayee also claimed that the “inside job” was to credit for the “capture of the executed ringleader of [the] Jundollah terrorist group four years ago,” referring to Abdolmalek Rigi, who founded and led the Sunni militant group that opposes Iran’s occupation of Balochistan before being executed in 2010. Despite the assertions, Fars has a long history of far-fetched claims, such as when it reported in late October that an IDF colonel had been captured fighting for Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq. A commander of the Iranian-backed Iraqi Shi’ite militias claimed to the paper that “the Israeli colonel’s name is Yusi Oulen Shahak and is ranked colonel in Golani Brigade of the Zionist regime’s army with the security and military code of Re34356578765az231434.” The patently false nature of the claim was clear not least of all from the “military code” – IDF soldiers have a seven digit personal identification number that appears on their dog tags and military ID cards, which is not even remotely similar to the string of letters and numbers listed in the report. The lack of precision regarding the simple matter of IDF personal

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

numbers would also seem to further belie the claims of Iranian infiltration of the Mossad, CIA and M16. While an Arab Muslim IDF soldier did recently betray Israel to join ISIS in Syria, as reported last Thursday, the alleged soldier Iran reported on was identified as a Jew. Iranian officials have long claimed Israel and the U.S. created ISIS, with Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi, head of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, just last month claiming Israel was behind the lethal Paris attacks instead of ISIS.

First Women to Hold Office in Saudi Arabia

male editor, a first in the nation. The news of the first female newspaper editor in the kingdom followed an announcement about the first female lawyer in Saudi Arabia. Though there are no quotas for female council members, an additional 1,050 seats are appointed with approval by the king who could use his powers to ensure more women are represented. Many women candidates ran on platforms that promised more nurseries to offer longer daycare hours for working mothers, the creation of youth community centers with sports and cultural activities, improved roads, better garbage collection, and overall greener cities.

Hungary to Honor WWII Anti-Semite

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In a huge step forward for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, voters have elected 20 women to local government positions. The women who won hail from vastly different parts of the country, ranging from Saudi Arabia’s largest city to a small village near Islam’s holiest site. The 20 female candidates represent just one percent of the roughly 2,100 municipal council seats up for grabs in the most recent election, but even limited gains are seen as a step forward for women who had previously been completely shut out of elections. Interestingly, although these women have been voted into office, women are still not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, a notorious ban which has been the target of a campaign in which women are encouraged to post pictures of themselves driving on Twitter under the hashtag #IWillDriveMyself, as well as on Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp. Many women have driven since the campaign was launched in 2011 – some of them have posted videos of themselves doing so, and many have been arrested and forced to sign a pledge that they will never drive again. In recent years there have been several minor examples of women receiving more rights in the kingdom. Last year it was announced that the Saudi Gazette had appointed a fe-

The U.S. government expressed its shock when told of Hungary’s plans to erect a statue of Balint Homan, who contributed to murderous anti-Semitism in Hungary in the 1930s and ‘40s. “From the U.S. government’s perspective we feel very strongly that history and the damage that this man did to Hungarian citizens who happened to be Jewish cannot be ignored, and to put up that statue seems incomprehensible,” said Ira Forman, special envoy against anti-Semitism. Hungary’s Jewish community has called on the right-wing government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party to block the statue. The private Balint Homan Foundation in Szekesfehervar, west of Budapest, says it wants to honor a man who was an eminent historian and minister of religion and education before and during World War II. But Homan was a proponent of anti-Jewish laws and a Nazi supporter to the end of the war. After the war, he was jailed and died in prison in 1951. The central European nation still grapples with its past, including its active role in deporting half a million Jews. Forman travelled to Hungary to discuss Homan’s wartime role at a conference this week. On Sunday he attended a Hanukkah candle lighting

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Cser-Palkovics, a Fidesz member, on Friday appeared to retreat from his earlier support for the statue, saying external pressure was so high that the foundation behind the project should “reconsider” its plans.

Gaddafi’s Kid in Trouble

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ceremony at the small square in Szekesfehervar where the statue could stand. “We think it’s important to know what this man did to Hungarian citizens in the 1930s and ‘40s, taking away their citizenship rights and then arguing for them to be deported, which eventually meant going to Auschwitz,” Forman said. “Honoring

a man like that – we’re shocked by it. It’s not our decision but we’re here to say we are shocked by it and we think the world should know about who this person [was] and that people are considering putting a statue up.” Forman was joined in lighting the eight Hanukkah candles by top Israeli and Canadian diplomats in Hungary, as well as leaders of the Hungarian

Jewish community. “Tonight we celebrate the last candle of Hanukkah,” Israeli Ambassador Ilan Mor said. “Let us hope that the light of the candle will chase away darkness, that the light of these candles will show the way to the people of Szekesfehervar, the leaders of the city, to the right decision – not to erect this statue.” Szekesfehervar’s Mayor Andras

Hannibal Gaddafi, the high-living son of the late Libyan dictator, has been charged by the Lebanese government with withholding information about a missing Lebanese Shiite cleric. Gaddafi was kidnapped last week by an unknown armed group in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa valley, but was freed several hours later and then taken in for questioning. He was interrogated for more than three hours by judicial investigators, who charged him with “withholding information on the disappearance of Shiite imam Mussa Sadr.” Sadr went missing in 1978 during an official visit to Libya along with an aide and a journalist. Beirut blamed the disappearances on longtime Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi, and the Gaddafi family was branded persona non grata by Lebanon, especially among members of the Shiite Muslim community. Gaddafi’s lawyer, Shadi Hussein, speaking outside the courtroom, said the dictator’s son was charged because “the crime is still ongoing, since those kidnapped” remain missing. “And because the charged man is one of the sons of the main accused in this case, Muammar Gaddafi,” Hussein added. Gaddafi’s mysterious abduction evidently occurred in the Bekaa “while he was travelling from Syria.” Bekaa is an eastern stronghold of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah. The lavish lifestyles of Gaddafi’s family and entourage helped fuel the anger in Libya that sparked the protests that eventually led to the madman’s ouster and killing in 2011. Two other sons of the late dictator, Saadi and one-time heir apparent Seif al-Islam, are in detention in Libya. Three more were killed during the Libyan revolt.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

Arab MK Refuses to Enter Jewish Agency Building

Last week, Member of Knesset and Joint (Arab) List chief Ayman Odeh declined to address the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, protesting the fact that the building also housed the Jewish Agency and other Zionist organizations. Chairman of the Jewish

Agency Natan Sharansky has come out very strongly against Odeh. Sharansky branded the move an attempt to “score political points.” “It is unfortunate that members of Knesset from the Joint List are more interested in scoring cheap and expedient political points than they are in advancing the wellbeing of their communities,” Sharansky said, according to a statement from the Jewish Agency. “Along with our core mission of ingathering the exiles of the Jewish people via aliyah, the Jewish Agency is proud to serve all the citizens of Israel, regardless of religion or ethnicity, which we view as an integral part of our Zionist vision,” he added. Sharansky pointed out that thousands of Arab Israeli families enjoy a “range of Jewish Agency programs.” The Youth Futures mentor program, Masa Israel Journey and Project TEN are all programs focused on Arab-Jewish coexistence and on serving underprivileged Arab citizens of Israel, Sharansky said. A Jewish Agency high school opened “just this year” for Bedouin youth in the Negev. According to the meeting’s organizers, Odeh went into the lobby but refused to enter the building, citing the fact that the floor housing the Conference of Presidents’ offices was shared with the Jewish Agency — a quasi-governmental organization

that the Joint List claims participates in discriminatory practices against Arab Israelis and Palestinians. With some two dozen representatives of organizations that participate in the Conference of Presidents sitting and waiting upstairs, Conference of Presidents Executive Vice President Malcolm Hoenlein came downstairs to try to find a solution. Zionist Union MK Merav Michaeli also attempted to deescalate the situation — and a suggestion was floated to hold the meeting on a different floor of the building. But that facility, Hoenlein said, was occupied — and he emphasized that even if it had been available, he thought the demand to hold the meeting anywhere but in the organization’s offices was unacceptable.

Thankfully, there was not one fatality. The terrorist was quickly neutralized by a civilian. Officials later found an axe and screwdriver in his car, presumably Abed el-Muhsen Hassuna, 21, planned to attack the victims. Fourteen people were injured, three moderately, including a 15-month-old baby and an elderly woman in her 70s. The infant’s mother was among the injured as well. Hassuna drove his white Mazda sedan onto the sidewalk, plowing into pedestrians at a bus stop, close to the Chords Bridge and near the capital’s central bus station, police said. The car struck a fire hydrant, sending water shooting into the air, making the traumatic scene more chaotic. A member of the security forces, a security guard and an armed civilian who saw the attack taking place shot the attacker before he was able to exit the vehicle and approach the civilians. The civilian was the first to respond and shot the driver, and is being healed a true hero. Jerusalem District Police Chief Moshe Edri hailed the three shooters who brought the incident to an end. “Their quick and accurate action, which neutralized the terrorist prevented a more serious attack,” he asserted. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat,

Car Ramming Incident in Jerusalem A miracle took place on the last day of Chanukah in Jerusalem. A terrorist from East Jerusalem plowed his car into a group of Israeli civilians at a bus stop at the entrance to Jerusalem on Monday afternoon.

Continued on page 27

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

speaking at the scene of the attack, urged residents to be on the alert for further attacks, but also stressed the need to “go on with your daily routine, and not let the terrorists win.” Barkat added that the municipality will soon install protective posts to prevent car-rammings at bus stops in the city, focusing on areas where there is the greatest risk of attacks.

Back Home 68 Years Later

Rachel Elkayam left Israel sixty-eight years ago when she was a teenager and has now, for the first time, returned home to her country. Her story is almost too unbelievable to be true, but she did in fact spend the past seven decades of her life living as an Arab woman in Syria. The third of 10 children, Rachel was a 16-year-old girl living in the mixed Jewish-Arab city of Haifa in 1947 when her parents moved the family to Tel Aviv. Rachel, a rebellious child, married an Arab and moved to Haifa with her husband’s family. Her family never heard from her again. Not long after their secret marriage, her husband was killed and she was then married off to her brotherin-law. Over the years, she bore eight children, but constantly pined for her home. When she and her second husband would fight, she related, “I would curse him in Hebrew.” She’d also call other members of the family “a bunch of old shoes” in Hebrew, she said. It was a small pleasure, she smiled, to be able to insult them in a language they couldn’t understand. Elkayam said she “always wanted to come back, but I couldn’t” given the relentless hostilities between the two countries. When major wars broke out, she would secretly listen to Israel Radio on a transistor, praying not to hear the name “Elkayam” read out among the dead. As a minor act of defiance, she also kept her personal phone book updated in Hebrew. Rachel would have died in Syria, her story never known to her family in Israel, were it not for the actions of one of her grandsons. In London last year, he went to the Israeli Embas-

sy and told a staffer that his grandmother in Syria had told him that she was actually an Israeli Jew from Haifa. And so it was that Geula Elkayam, one of Rachel’s siblings, received a phone call from London asking her if she had a sister named Rachel. On the third day of Chanukah, Rachel Elkayam, now 85, was flown to Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport. Members of her family were in the airport waiting for her, some of whom she had not seen for 68 years, others whom she had never seen at all. They cried over her as she was pushed out to them in a wheelchair and wrapped her in an Israeli flag, which she kissed. Her family then drove her home to Haifa, where her brother Amnon, 71, a toddler when she disappeared, took her on a small tour of the neighborhood and the city. She visited her parents’ graves and was wheeled to the view she said she most wanted to see, of the Mediterranean coast — with Syria, where she had spent her life, to the north. Rachel has already re-registered as an Israeli citizen and been given her new Israeli identity card. The clerk at the Interior Ministry had assumed, speaking to her, that she was a Muslim, the report said. She had proved that she was Jewish by reciting Kriyas Shma.

IDF Vets Detained For “War Crimes”

A reserves officer in the IDF who fought in Operation Protective Edge was detained upon landing in Britain a few weeks ago due to a complaint made against him that he was involved in war crimes. Any soldier who fought in the 50-day war, whose details or photos were posted online, may find himself on the blacklist of pro-Palestinian organizations who filed and are still filing complaints at European police stations. The officer, who came to Britain on a business trip, was released a few hours after being detained, thanks to the intervention of the Foreign Ministry with the assistance of the IDF’s Operations Directorate and the IDF’s

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

de-legitimization war against Israel.” These complications can also affect soldiers who took part in incidents in the current wave of terror attacks. A month ago, the IDF Spokesman’s Unit released a visible facial image of Corporal T, a fighter in the Kfir Brigade who killed three terrorists in two attempted attacks at the Gush Etzion junction. The official image of the soldier became the focus of Palestinian threats against him and calls to harm him on social media. The IDF is attempting to take preventative action against the arrests of soldiers and officers abroad with the IDF’s prosecutor’s division’s attempt to brief soldiers and officers about traveling abroad. They also work with foreign countries regarding the issue and in exceptional cases also provide security to senior officials who travel abroad.

Israel’s AntiSocial Media Campaign Found Lacking

international law division. British authorities apologized to Israel following the incident. The defense establishment believes that the name of the reserve officer, who served on the home front during the operation, got mixed up in the lists of soldiers and officers which pro-Palestinian organizations drew up. These organizations submitted

these names to countries worldwide, especially in Europe, claiming that the soldiers and officers were allegedly involved in war crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. “Every soldier and officer who served in Operation Protective Edge whose name and picture were published in the media in the standard manner by the army but also on so-

cial networks is liable to encounter such incidents while abroad,” said a source from the IDF’s prosecutor’s office. “This includes 60 recipients of citations for excellence during the Operation whose names and photographs were released by the IDF. For the Israeli public, it’s a badge of honor, but for pro-Palestinian organizations it’s the bread and butter of their

The amount of videos on the internet that are promoting Palestinian violence is shocking. One particularly appalling video making the rounds on social media over the past few weeks shows in blood-chilling detail how to commit the optimal stabbing attack against Jews. “Your little finger must be placed on the edge of the knife’s hilt, to stop the knife from slipping,” explains a masked man in a cold, mechanic voice, and then goes into greater detail: What stabbing movements are the best, which area in the body it is best to aim at, and what to do with the knife after stabbing, all so it would “cause the greatest amount of damage possible in the enemy’s body.” Israel now has the technology to stop a considerable amount of the incitement on social media, and in many cases to apprehend the people behind it – and bring them to justice. But it almost never happens. A recent investigation found that despite the fact hundreds of experts in the different security agencies are working on the cyber-incitement issue, eradicating social media incitement is at the bottom of the list of

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

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priorities. Why is that? Each agency has its explanation. Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet feel it is not their job because they deal primarily with stopping terror attacks. And Israeli Police does not feel they are an intelligence agency and cannot investigate social media accounts because they do not systematically monitor the information like Military Intelligence or the Shin Bet. Since the beginning of the current wave of terror attacks, 2,000 people have been arrested; of those 2,000, only 55 were arrested on incitement charges – a mere 2.75 percent. From these 55, only 16 were indicted for incitement.

Bus Stops Secured in Jerusalem

Concrete safety barriers are to be constructed at hundreds of Jerusalem’s bus stops to protect travelers from Palestinian car-ramming attacks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the safety barriers hours after a car-ramming terrorist injured 14 Israelis earlier this week. Netanyahu consulted with Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan. The plan, proposed by Barkat, will see protective posts designed to prevent car-rammings temporarily installed at bus stops throughout the capital, focusing on areas where there is the greatest risk of attacks. The mayor’s initiative is set to cost the municipality some NIS 2 million. Katz vowed to work with the municipality to secure the required budget from the Finance Ministry. Barkat welcomed Netanyahu’s directive and thanked the prime minister for his swift response to the attack. “I would like to thank Netanyahu for initiating the meeting and advancing the municipality’s plan for protecting bus stops, and Minister Katz for offering to help allocate the funds, even though it’s not his responsibility to do so,” the mayor said.

Barkat urged residents to be on the alert for further attacks, but also stressed the need to “go on with your daily routine, and not let the terrorists win.” Abed el-Muhsen Hassuna, a 21-year-old man from East Jerusalem, plowed his car into a group of people waiting at a bus stop at the entrance to the city on Monday afternoon. Among the 14 people injured in the attack was a 15-month-old baby. Jerusalem has been one of the two focal points of terror attacks since the latest wave of violence began in October, with the city of Chevron being the other. More than 20 Israelis have been killed since the start of the violence, and hundreds more have been wounded.

Hamas Leader: Stabbers are Noble

Recently, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal praised the spate of Palestinian attacks on Israelis and said that because Palestinians have come to the conclusion that the peace process is futile, the path of “jihad, sacrifice, and blood” is the only way forward. “The Palestinians have reached the realization that negotiations with the [Israelis] are useless,” Mashaal said during a visit to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lampur on December 10. “The so-called peace process is futile. There is no peace. Only the path of jihad, sacrifice, and blood [will bear fruit].” Mashaal, who lives in exile in Qatar, was in Malaysia last week as the head of a delegation of senior Hamas officials for a four-day visit to meet with government officials and politicians. “Our rights will not be restored through the UN Security Council but by means of recruitment,” he charged in the speech. “Two thousand verbal ‘rockets’ do not compare to a single rocket made of iron. The children and youth of the West Bank have absorbed the message. “Weapons like Kalashnikovs or missiles are not at hand, but there are knives and cars with which to

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run over the enemies,” he added. “By G-d, after the knives used by the people of the West Bank and Jerusalem, can anyone possibly have an excuse to abandon the path of jihad? Nobody can have such an excuse.” Some 20 Israelis have been killed in three months of near-daily stabbing, shooting, and car-ramming terror attacks by Palestinians targeting civilians and security forces. “Our L-rd says, ‘Allah does not impose upon anyone a duty but to the extent of his ability,’” Mashaal continued. “He also said, ‘Prepare for them what you can.’ “Therefore, the young man who puts his life on the line and the heroic sister, with nothing but a knife at hand, are justified and Allah accepts them. This is up to Allah, but he accepts their jihad and their martyrdom. “By G-d, they are the most exalted and the noblest of people.” Israeli officials have repeatedly pointed out that incitement by Palestinian officials has been fueling the recent wave of attacks. Hamas, which has been designated a terror group by Israel and the U.S., is the de facto ruler in the Gaza Strip.

Most Palestinians Support Uprising

In a daunting new survey it has been revealed that two-thirds of Palestinians support the current wave of stabbings against Israelis, with the same percentage backing a larger armed uprising, according to a Palestinian poll released on Monday. Sixty-seven percent support the use of knives in attacks against Israelis, while 66% of those asked said an armed intifada or uprising would “serve Palestinian national interests in ways that negotiations could not,” according the survey by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR). When questioned regarding their feelings on attacks against IDF soldiers, 79% said yes, they supported them, and only 10% said no. However, the sentiment wasn’t mirrored in regards to the involvement of “young schoolgirls” in stabbings – nearly

three-quarters said they opposed that. In the last three months, more than 20 Israelis have been killed and dozens injured in attacks perpetrated by Palestinian terrorists. More than 100 Palestinians have also been killed, many of them as they carried out or attempted to carry out attacks. The survey found that 51% of the Palestinian public (67% in the Gaza Strip and 40% in the West Bank) believe that most of the Palestinian fatalities during attacks were in fact trying to stab, or had stabbed, Israelis. But a whopping 47% say they believe that most of those killed during attacks were not attempting to carry out stabbings. Speaking on Monday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said that the motivation behind the surge of attacks by young Palestinian demonstrators are “driven by despair over the lack of a two-state solution.” Despite Abbas’s assertions, according to the PSR survey, which interviewed 1,270 people in 127 randomly selected locations, just 45% of Palestinians support the two-state solution and only 34% think it is possible. According to the survey, 65% of Palestinians also want Abbas to resign, and the poll indicates that he would lose to Gaza’s Islamist rulers Hamas in a presidential election.

Abbas’s mandate expired in 2009, but no vote is scheduled because of divisions between the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas. “The Palestinian public thinks Abbas does not support the current confrontation and is not serious in [pursuing] a diplomatic confrontation with Israel, which is why he is losing support,” PSR chief Khalil Shikaki related. Over one-third of Palestinians who took part in the survey, some 37%, believe that the recent violence will develop into an armed intifada, while 18% believe that the violence will give way to wide-scale “peaceful popular confrontations.” Of the rest, 13% believe the situation will develop into both an increase in violence and peaceful protests, 19% said the confrontation will remain as it is, and 10% were of the opinion that the attacks will eventually just fade away. Should the violence increase into an armed intifada, 66% agree it “would serve Palestinian national interests in ways that negotiations could not,” while 50% believe that peaceful popular confrontations would likewise achieve results that negotiations could not bring. Just over half, 51%, believe that if the violence remains at its current level it would still have more of an advantage for the Palestinian national interests than talking with the Israelis.

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Mother of Slain Soldier Begs Hamas to Return Body

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The bodies of slain IDF soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul have not yet been returned. Both soldiers were allegedly killed during Operation Protective Edge in Gaza last summer. Now MK Eliezer Stern is calling on the State of Israel to increase pressure on Hamas to return the bodies to their families but not through a prisoner exchange or terrorist release. Stern, who is personally close to the Shaul family, began his entreaty by noting that the government has been actively engaged in trying to return Goldin’s and Shaul’s bodies. While the families are aware of some of the State of Israel’s efforts, some remain classified. Zahava Shaul, the mother of the slain soldier, appealed directly to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during an emotional press conference on Sunday night, begging for her son’s remains. Even so, Stern added, Haniyeh is actually not responsible for holding the soldiers’ bodies. “We need to move to the next level and present a different kind of pressure, such as preventing visits to Hamas prisoners in Gaza,” Stern urged, in an interview on Monday. “The defense establishment has various departments which have that role [of determining a captured soldier’s status],” Stern asserted. “There are intelligence agencies and remains found in the area which were tested by technological and medical institutions. “It was based on the basis as well of the declaration of the chief military rabbi, who approved them to sit shiva,” he added. But Stern opined that that decision was “wrong.” “He should have let them conduct a full funeral with the parts that were found,” Stern stated. “A family who has a grave prepared, but who are waiting for the body to be brought back from the other side, will continue to demand to make efforts to return the body – but it’s different than a family waiting for a soldier who’s alive on the other side. “What Zahava is asking for here is

proof that he [Oron] is alive because Hamas is playing a nasty game,” he reflected. Hamas has led her to believe that there’s a small chance that Oron is alive, he said, despite the fact that several family members know for sure he is not – and have attempted to explain that to the bereaved mother. “I told them right from day one, take into consideration that whoever listens to them is not only the Jewish people and the prime minister, but Hamas – whose goal is not to make right by Zahava Shaul, but to do them wrong, just like they want to [do wrong by] all Israeli citizens.” Stern proposed that the State offer incentives to improve living conditions in Gaza in exchange for the soldiers’ bodies. “There should be sticks and carrots here,” he said. “Sticks: I would begin by [banning] family visits to Hamas prisoners from Gaza; and carrots: to offer to give more [humanitarian aid] to Gaza residents if they return the bodies.” Stern added that he has already spoken with Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan over the issue.

Can Turkey and Israel Be Friends?

Turkey’s president has hinted to repairing ties with Israel. At the moment, the Turks are isolated – they have managed to alienate Syrian President Bashar Assad, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Egyptian President Fattah Abdel al-Sisi, and they are desperately seeking allies. Diplomatic officials say that it seems that Ankara wants to normalize relations with Israel and is especially interested in the natural gas plan which will see Israel establishing a pipeline from their fields to Turkey and other places in the world. The Turks have been following the reports about Israel’s growing ties with Greece and Cyprus over the natural gas plan with great concern. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to host a summit with his Greek and Cypriot counterparts next month, which will revolve around the natural gas plan and the possibility of installing a pipeline which would lead gas from Israel through Cyprus and Greece and on to Europe. The Turks

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understand that if they don’t act soon they will lose both Israel’s natural gas and the ability to renew strategic ties with Jerusalem, Israeli officials said. Turkey, though, is not coming without demands. This comes after they received an apology from Israel in March of 2013 over the 2010 Mavi Marmara raid, which claimed the lives of 10 Turks, and may receive as much as $20 million in payments to the victims. They are also demanding that Jerusalem promise to end its blockade on Gaza. Officials in Jerusalem on their part say that the Turks can “forget about it.” “We apologized and were ready to pay compensations. He should stop talking nonsense about the removal of the Gaza siege, because Turkey knows that there is no such thing, and we are not about to pay more for normalization,” officials in Jerusalem said. Rumors have been swirling that Netanyahu sent an envoy to Turkey in order to conduct negotiations aimed at normalizing ties. Word spread on Friday that Foreign Ministry Director-General Dore Gold had flown to Ankara to hold secret talks with the Turkish foreign minister. However this rumor was quickly discarded after Gold was seen shopping for Shabbat in Jerusalem. Both the prime

minister’s office and the Foreign Ministry denied that an envoy had been sent to Turkey, but Netanyahu himself said during a hearing on the natural gas plan in the Knesset that he intended to send envoys on his behalf to both Turkey and Egypt to discuss the deal in the future. Israeli and Turkish energy companies are pushing officials in both countries to take advantage of the opportunity and normalize relations, saying it will be beneficial for both parties.

Skelos and Son Found Guilty of Corruption Dean Skelos, former New York state Senate Majority Leader, was convicted on Friday of bribery, extortion and conspiracy charges for abusing his powerful position to benefit his son, Adam, 33. The Manhattan Federal Court jury also convict-

ed his son of aiding and abetting in the scheme. As the verdict was read, Dean and Adam Skelos showed little emotion; Gail Skelos, their wife and mother, sobbed on the side, and the father reached out to lightly rub his son’s shoulder.

Judge Kimba Wood will sentence the father and son duo on March 3. They face up to 130 years in prison. Skelos lawyer Robert Gage promised to appeal. “We’re obviously very disappointed with the verdict. The next step is pretrial motions. We intend to pursue them vigorously,” he told reporters immediately after court was dismissed. New York Governor Cuomo commended the judgement. “There can be no tolerance for those who use, and seek to use, public service for private gain. The justice system worked today. The convictions of former Speaker Silver and former Majority Leader

Skelos should be a wakeup call for the Legislature and it must stop standing in the way of needed reforms.” Within an hour of the verdict, Dean Skelos’ name had been scratched off his office door in Albany, and the Senate website updated his bio to call him a “former state senator.” U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara tweeted his reaction to the verdict: “How many prosecutions will it take before Albany gives the people of New York the honest government they deserve?” Skelos is the 12th statewide elected official to be convicted in a prosecution brought by the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office since Bharara was appointed to the post in 2009. Despite this severe fall from power, Skelos will still be eligible for his taxpayer-funded pension. The politician will probably be paid about $95,500 a year. “People are no longer surprised when a legislator gets convicted of corruption, but they’re always surprised and angry when they hear a convicted state legislator is entitled to a very rich pension,” said Dick Dadey, executive director of Citizens Union. State law does not allow officials to go after the pensions of elected lawmakers and state government workers hired before November 2013.

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According to prosecutors, Dean and his son began their scheming in 2010. Around that time, Skelos met with billionaire Leonard Litwin, the founder of real estate giant Glenwood Management, and his chief counsel, Charlie Dorego, to thank them for their support. They discussed tax breaks that were vital to the company that were coming up for renewal in the coming months — and at the end of the meeting, Skelos subtly or not so subtly mentioned that his son should receive some insurance title work – a favor that would be repeatedly requested in the months that followed, prosecutor Tatiana Martins said in her opening statement. Dorego admitted that he felt “badgered” and eventually arranged for Adam Skelos to get a $4,000-a-month job with AbTech, a company the Litwin family partially owned. When that deal didn’t happen fast enough, Skelos again pressured Dorego for money for his son, who he said was strapped for cash, despite the fact that his father was pulling in well over $100,000 a year. Dorego testified he then arranged for Adam Skelos to receive a $20,000 “referral fee” for a real estate deal he had nothing to do with. Adam “didn’t have to lift a finger, except to grab the money,” prosecutor Martins said. After AbTech landed a $12 million contract with Nassau County with Adam Skelos’ help, Dorego testified the “furi-

ous” son called him up and demanded that the company pay him more cash. He threatened that his father had the power to decide the deal wasn’t worth their time, if necessary. AbTech exec Bjornulf White said he felt the company was being “held hostage” but had no choice but to pay. According to the testimony, Adam’s salary was upped to $10,000 a month. Anthony Bonomo, the CEO of a medical malpractice insurance company called PRI, was an old friend of Dean Skelos, and eventually Adam was hired at his company. With PRI dependent on recurring state legislation, Bonomo admitted to feeling extremely pressured into paying Adam $78,000 a year as a project manager. Adam Skelos’ supervisor at PRI, Christopher Curcio, said that on the first day of work, January 2, 2013, the entitled son introduced himself, saying, “You know who I am. I’m Adam Skelos.” According to Curcio’s logbook, Adam would sometimes show up around noon before heading out to lunch and never returning. On one occasion, he showed up for five minutes and left. When Bonomo told the senator his son hadn’t been bothering to show up to work, Skelos told him “to work it out.” Bonomo said he felt he couldn’t take any action against the younger Skelos for treating his work like a no-show job. “I didn’t

want to have a problem in Albany,” he testified. Finally, in April, former U.S. Sen. Al D’Amato — a PRI lobbyist and decades-long Republican power broker — went to talk to Skelos about the issue. He said he told Skelos his son was “not showing up at work,” was “disruptive” when he did and that he could wind up getting fired. The problem came to a head two months later, when Curcio again told Adam Skelos he had to actually come to work. “Talk to me like that again and I’m going to smash your … head in,” Curcio quoted the younger Skelos as saying. “Guys like you aren’t fit to shine my shoes.” The defense maintained that “no crime was committed,” and Dean Skelos was just trying to help his son in the way any father would and hadn’t crossed any legal lines. But prosecutor Jason Masimore disagreed, telling jurors in his closing argument that Skelos had used his power to intimidate companies “he could make or break” into lining his son’s pockets. Adam Skelos pocketed more than $300,000 from the various schemes. “If the senator couldn’t manage his complicated, able-bodied adult son, that’s fine,” Masimore said. “Just don’t take that drama to Albany and corrupt the top levels of state government with it.”

The Shrinking of the Middle Class

The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer – and the proof is that the middle class in the United States is steadily shrinking. The downward trend has been an issue since 1971 but recently it seems to be close to “a tipping point,” Pew Research Center says. According to new analysis by Pew in 2015, middle-income Americans are only half the U.S. population. That’s about 120 million people, about the same as the total number (121 million) of Americans in the other economic tiers combined. The share of Americans in the lowest-income segment has grown from 16 percent in 1971 to 20 percent in 2015. On the other end of the spectrum, the richest segment has more than doubled from 4 percent of the U.S. population to 9 percent. In

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2014, almost half the total income in the U.S. was earned by the wealthiest class of the population, compared to 29 percent in 1970. Although the middle income class has decreased in size, its income has grown overall since 1971, by 34%. The upper tier’s income increased by 47% and the lowest income households have increased 28%. The fact that the upper tier grew the most signals “economic progress,” Pew says. It means that Americans who were previously in the lower income tiers may have advanced up. The likelihood of economic mobility, however, varies greatly by demographic group. Black Americans, for example, still remain more likely to be in the lower income band than Americans overall, even though they’re better off than they were 40 years ago. If you would like to find out exactly where your household falls out in terms of income, go to PewResearch. org and use their income calculator.

Lebron and Nike: Together Forever

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Nike has signed Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James to a lifetime deal in what one source familiar with the negotiations said is the largest single-athlete guarantee in company history. “We can confirm that we have agreed to a lifetime relationship with LeBron that provides significant value to our business, brand and shareholders,” Nike said in a statement. “We have already built a strong LeBron business over the past 12 years, and we see the potential for this to continue to grow throughout his playing career and beyond.” A company spokesperson would not say how much Nike paid. It is believed to be the first lifetime deal in the shoe and apparel company’s 44year history. “I’m very humble, man,” James told reporters after Monday’s practice. “It’s been an unbelievable time for myself and my family, and I’m just grateful that Nike and [Nike founder] Phil Knight and everyone

over there just believed in a skinny-old, skinny 18-year-old kid from Akron, Ohio, and I’m happy to be a part of such a great company.” A source close to the deal told ESPN that it easily surpasses the 10-year, $300 million deal Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant signed with the world’s largest shoe and apparel brand last summer. “LeBron and I have been in love and obsessed with Nike since we were kids,” Maverick Carter, James’ business partner, said on Monday. “Having built a totally innovative global business with them has truly been a dream come true. We are so excited to be taking the business to an entirely new level. For LeBron, he’s thrilled to know he’s a Nike guy for life.” “It meant a lot to me even when I signed my first deal just to be with Nike, and it means even more that they’ve given me this,” James said. “It’s like I said, very humbling and grateful, and I’m going to continue to do my job and represent the brand the best way I can, like I know how. Hopefully, people see that.” Carter will manage the deal, which was negotiated by Main Street Advisors’ Paul Wachter, who also negotiated the deal for John Henry to buy the Red Sox in 2002 and represented Beats By Dre in its $3 billion sale to Apple last May. This deal is historic. Although other companies have negotiated lifetime deals – Adidas has structured them with Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose and soccer great David Beckham, while Reebok has a lifetime deal with former Philadelphia 76erspoint guard Allen Iverson – Nike has never announced a lifetime deal before. It’s assumed, though, that Michael Jordan has at least a de facto agreement for life. Nike acknowledged to its investors in October that the Air Jordan brand, which began in 1985, had surpassed $2.2 billion in annual sales. Nike has made more versions of James’ shoe than for any other athlete outside of Jordan, who is on his 30th Air Jordan. Both James and Nike’s business has grown exponentially since 2003, when Nike signed James on the eve of the NBA lottery to a seven-year, $90 million deal, its largest athlete deal ever at the time. Nike has made 13 versions of James’ signature shoe, and annual sales in 2015 for his line are estimated to top $400 million. When Nike signed James, it had just come off $10.3 billion in annual sales and had its first year selling more products outside the U.S. than in the country. At an investor meeting in October, Nike, which pulled in $30.6 billion in revenues in 2015, announced its goal to do $50 billion

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DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

by 2020. As James was completing his final months on his first deal, Nike signed him in March 2010 to another nine years. This extension, one source said, will now take LeBron “way beyond his playing years.” Lately, James has been challenged by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry in the marketing world, as the Warriors beat the Cavaliers in last year’s NBA Finals. But Curry’s business with Under Armour is still in its infancy, although sell-through of the Curry Two in stores has been very positive. James’ Nike business has been consistent even when things haven’t gone smoothly. James didn’t wear his LeBron 11 shoe for most of the 2013-14 season because of its fit, but the product still sold well at retail. In recent years, James has evolved into more of a businessman. His equity stake in Beats earned him at least $30 million when the company sold to Apple, and he has territorial rights in Chicago and Miami to Blaze, a customizable pizza chain. Last week, he announced a $15.8 million investment from Time Warner and Turner in his multimedia athlete content platform called Uninterrupted.

Obama Hopes to Lift Cuban Embargo by Next Year

As Americans continue to worry about other issues, Obama is still attempting to kiss and make up with Cuba. On December 10, President Barack Obama spent time with Oliver Knox, Chief Washington Correspondent in the Cabinet Room of the White House, for an exclusive interview to discuss the U.S.-Cuba status. Just about a year ago, Obama and Raul Castro surprised the world by revealing that they had held secret negotiations and were welcoming a new era of U.S.-Cuba relations, starting with the resumption of full diplomatic ties. Embassies reopened in

Havana and Washington, the United States removed Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, and the two sides took steps to increase travel and business opportunities. Now, the president argues that bipartisan support for lifting the embargo has increased over the years and that “the politics may change pretty rapidly,” to the point that “it’s conceivable that Congress chooses to take some action next year.” Obama said he would be “selective and cautious” about using his executive powers to enforce the embargo in a way that might allow more economic exchanges. “There are going to be certain sectors of the economy where we think, if there’s some modification of the application of the embargo, the Cuban people will benefit directly. There are going to be some areas where it could prop up, you know, certain cronies of the regime, but not necessarily have widespread impact,” he related. Obama, who has admitted that political change would not come “overnight” to Cuba, predicted that Havana would be “cautious” about opening up but that political reform would likely follow economic exchange as well as increased exposure to American culture and Western technology. “Our original theory on this was not that we were going to see immediate changes or loosening of the control of the Castro regime, but rather that over time you’d lay the predicates for substantial transformation,” he said. “The more that they see the benefits of U.S. investment, the more that U.S. tourist dollars become woven into their economy, the more that telecommunications is opened up so that Cubans are getting information, unfettered by censorship, the more you’re laying the foundation for the bigger changes that are going to be coming over time,” he added. While many are concerned about corruption and political oppression within Cuba, Obama reassured that the United States would “keep on pushing and prodding” Cuba on democratic reform and human rights, and he pressed Castro to let more foreign investors hire Cubans directly, rather than going through the government. Experts say that the government uses outside investments – like luxury resorts – as a de facto patronage system, giving eagerly sought jobs to loyalists. “A real game changer would be a situation in which you have a direct employer-employee relationship. Because then the higher standards of a U.S. company or a foreign company would make a big difference,” he said. “If they want the full benefits of rejoining the world economy, then they’re going to have to accelerate re-

forms that are needed,” Obama added. When asked whether Raul Castro is a revolutionary, a caretaker, or a transformational leader, Obama sketched a biographical portrait of a complex and potentially conflicted man who has “gone through a bunch of stages” in his life. “You’re talking about somebody in their 80s who has been in power alongside his brother since I was born,” Obama said. “I don’t think the man he was at 35 is the same person that he is at 85,” Obama said, describing Raul Castro as “somebody who is very much committed to the existing regime, who is suspicious of full democracy.” But Raul Castro seems to be following the path blazed by China or Vietnam, of embracing limited market reforms “without letting go of the political reins,” Obama said. “I think he’s going to be cautious in how quickly he opens things up,” but he “recognizes the need for change” driven by an awareness of the weaknesses in his country’s economic and political system. President Obama admitted that that he “very much” hopes to visit Cuba during his last year in office, but only if he can meet with pro-democracy dissidents there. “If I go on a visit, then part of the deal is that I get to talk to everybody,” Obama said. “I’ve made very clear in my conversations directly with President [Raul] Castro that we would continue to reach out to those who want to broaden the scope for, you know, free expression inside of Cuba.”

America the Beautiful

As proud Americans, we know a lot about our country. But it seems that many people don’t know that much about the national attractions that make America the wonderful country it is. According to a survey conducted by Intrepid Travel, as much as 57% of Americans around the nation did not know where the Grand Canyon is. Hmm…if you’re still thinking, we’ll let you know: it’s in Arizona. 70 percent of those surveyed claimed they knew their national landmarks. And still, 63 percent

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could not tell pollsters that the Space Needle is located in Seattle. In fact, 17 percent thought it was in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Love your presidents? Do you know where Mount Rushmore is? 40 percent of Americans surveyed in this poll didn’t know it’s in South Dakota. And what about our breathtaking, beautiful national parks? Did you know that Yellowstone National Park is found in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana? Only 31 percent of those surveyed actually knew that answer. The findings might make some Americans shake their heads in disgust, but Intrepid Travel spokesperson Leigh Barnes hopes they give people a reason to make U.S. travel a priority. “Exploration and discovery fuel curiosity and make us smarter, more aware,” Barnes said. “America has so many treasures and unique sites to explore, hopefully people get out there and see all this country and the world have to offer.” Start planning your midwinter vacations.

Bergdhal Discusses Abandonment and Captivity

Bowe Bergdhal has been called a deserter. The former U.S. soldier mysteriously abandoned his post in Afghanistan in 2009. He was eventually kidnapped by the Taliban and help captive for five years until he was released in a prisoner swap authorized by President Barack Obama. The second season of the crit-

ically acclaimed podcast “Serial” debuted early Thursday morning. It is a talk show that interviews

highly controversial figures or criminals. The most recent episode featured Bowe Bergdhal. In “Serial” Bergdahl discusses his harrowing experience. He admitted that just a short 20 minutes after he left the army base he realized he made a bad decision. “I’m going, ‘Good grief, I’m in over my head,’” Bergdahl recalled in an interview conducted by Academy

Award-winning screenwriter Mark Boal. “Suddenly, it really starts to sink in that I really did something bad. Or, not bad, but I really did something serious.” Bergdahl explained that he was motivated to leave his post because he wanted to create a crisis to alert high-level commanders to leadership problems within his unit and had planned to trek 18 miles to Forward Operating Base Sharana, a larger military base, to voice his concerns. But when he realized he might not be welcomed there, he said he decided to try to gather intelligence on Taliban insurgents so his commanders wouldn’t treat him as a deserter. “When I got back to the FOB, you know, they could say, ‘You left your position,’” Bergdahl said. “But I could say, ‘Well, I also got this information. So what are you going to do?’” “I was trying to prove to myself. I was trying to prove to the world, to anybody who used to know me, that I was capable of being that person,” he said. Bergdahl also describes in detail the pain and isolation he felt during his nearly five years in captivity: How do I explain to a person that just standing in an empty dark room hurts? ... I would wake up not even remembering what I was. You know how you get that feeling when that word is on the tip of your tongue? That happened to me, only it was like, “What am I?” I couldn’t see my hands, I couldn’t do anything. The only thing I could do was touch my face, but even that wasn’t registering right. To the point where you just want to scream. But I can’t scream, I can’t risk that, so it’s like you’re standing there screaming in your mind. In this room, in this blackened dirt room, it’s tiny. And just on the side of this flimsy wooden door that you could probably easily rip off the hinges is the entire world out there. It is everything that you’re missing, it is everybody, everyone is out there. That breath that you’re trying to breathe, that release that you’re trying to get – everything is beyond that door. And, I mean ... I hate doors now. The launch of the podcast came the same day the House Armed Services Committee released a report blasting the Obama administration’s decision to release five Taliban detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, in exchange for Bergdahl. “The administration clearly broke the law in not notifying Congress of the transfer,” Rep. Mac Thornberry,

R-Texas, the committee chairman, said in a statement. “Pentagon officials best positioned to assess the national security risks were left out of the process, which increases the chances of dangerous consequences

from the transfer. It is irresponsible to put these terrorists that much closer to the battlefield to settle a campaign promise and unconscionable to mislead Congress in the process.” On Monday it was announced that Bergdahl will face a general court-martial in connection with his 2009 disappearance from his base in Afghanistan, raising the possibility that he could face life in prison. The Army has chosen a type of trial that could yield a more severe sentence than what an officer recommended earlier this year. Bergdahl, 29, has been charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, and the court-martial could touch off even more scrutiny of what has become a bizarre and controversial case.

Americans: We Need Strong Leadership In the weeks following the September 11 attacks, Americans were terrified of another terrorist attack for good reason. Recent polls are showing that we are experiencing a similar level of fear and tension now. In the aftermath of the deadly at-

tacks by Islamic extremists in Paris and in San Bernardino, California, the public feels that the threat of terrorism is real. While a month ago only 4 percent of Americans said terrorism was the most pressing issue, now, 19 percent say it is – above any other issue. More than four in 10 Republican primary voters say the quality most important to them in a candidate is strong leadership.

Presidential hopeful Donald Trump is capitalizing on Americans’ fears and making security the primary focus of his campaign. He recently called for monitoring mosques and brazenly proposed barring all Muslims from entering the United States until officials can figure out a way to filter all individuals that are terror threats. It is important to note that the survey was largely conducted before

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Trump’s suggestion to close country borders to all Muslims. Many supporters were disappointed by the comment, yet some still feel he is America’s best option at the moment. “He’ll keep a sharp eye on those Muslims,” Bettina Norden, 60, a farmer in Springfield, Oregon, recently said. “He’ll keep the Patriot Act together. He’ll watch immigration. Stop the Muslims from immigrating.” Seven in 10 voters said they feel that Trump is well-equipped to respond to the mounting threat, with four in 10 “very confident” he could handle terrorism. Only Senator Ted Cruz of Texas comes close to those numbers among the party’s voters. It’s not just the Republicans who fear terrorism: 44% of Americans overall say an attack is “very” likely to happen in the next few months, the most in Times or CBS News polls since October 2001. Seven in 10 Americans now call the Islamic State extremist group a major threat to the United States’ security. The majority of Americans agree that our current president isn’t doing a very good job at handling terrorism. Fifty-seven percent of Americans disapprove of Obama’s handling of terrorism, and seven in 10 believe the fight against the Islamic State is going badly. Another popular issue that has been deeply debated in recent weeks is gun control. Only 44 percent of Americans favor a ban on assault weapons, 19 percentage points lower than in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Tucson in 2011. And while 51 percent favor stricter gun control in general, that number is down from October, when 58 percent of Americans supported tighter restrictions.

Monster Meal

I’m sure you can commiserate with this thief after eating all those latkes.

Recently, a 38-year-old Czechoslovakian man thought of a way to eat a meal on the house. The hungry crook hid in the restroom of a Prague restaurant until all the staff left for the night. He then emerged – and proceeded to gorge himself on a busload of food. Thought you ate a lot over Chanukah? Think again. This man ate, according to the Prague Post, a meal that consisted of “six baked geese, weighing about five kilograms each, three ducks, a four liter jar of pickles, [and] six kilograms of goose fat and liver,” plus several packages of butter as well as poppy seeds (for garnish, perhaps?). This was all washed down with “several” bottles of wine, naturally. To give him credit, not all the food was eaten in its entirety; some of the dishes just had bites taken out of them. After the monster-sized meal, the crook was no longer hungry. Now he was full – really full. Which meant that he couldn’t just walk it off. At 9am he was discovered by a cleaning woman who smartly called the cops. Police said that he ate around $814 worth of food. I hope he enjoyed it. He’s facing two years in prison – and I doubt they serve goose there.

One Plus One Equals Two? Terrorists in Mali are shaking in their boots. This week, the country of Luxembourg announced that it will respond to France’s call for assistance in Mali by doubling its anti-terror force in the African nation. And so, Luxembourg sent another soldier to the region. Yes, initially the country provided one lone soldier to help in the effort. Now, they’ve doubled their reinforcements to two. The Luxemberger Wurt reported that after France enacted a clause in the Lisbon Treaty requiring EU states to help a member country in need – a move taken in the wake of the Islamic State (ISIS) attacks in Paris last month that left 130 murdered – Luxembourg lost no time in responding. The second, very vital soldier will arrive in early 2016 to help the EU training mission there. Luxembourg is home to just over half a million citizens, and in addition to sending one whole soldier, it also has promised to send 2 million euros ($2.2 million) to the Malian army to help it fight terror. Those funds are to be used for training, equipment, medical supplies, and efforts to stop the campaign of incitement turning Mali’s children into Islamist jihadists.

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A L L CUS TOM SU ITS

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Air for a Fee

There’s not much that’s free nowadays. We seem to pay for everything – except for the air we breathe. But if you live in China, even air costs money. A restaurant in Zhangjiagang city, Jiangsu province, had been charging diners extra to cover the cost of its new air purification system, according to multiple reports. The business added what it called an “air cleaning fee” of 15 cents per customer to diners’ food bills. Diners, though, were none too happy about the expense and complained to the pricing bureau. Officials ruled it was an illegal addition to the check because it was the company’s obligation to provide a healthy environment for diners. “Since customers haven’t asked to purchase ‘purified air,’ the restaurant owner couldn’t sell clean air as a commodity,” CCTV News notes. The fee has since been dropped. Clean air, though, is high priority in many cities in China, as heavy smog is blanketing the city. Last Monday, Beijing issued its first threeday pollution “red alert.” I’m sure patrons breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the extra charge on their restaurant bills being waived.

Bike the Nobel

Malala Yousafzai, Barack Obama, Al Gore…and the Bike. Remember how you had to guess which of these things didn’t belong way-back-when on Sesame Street? It may seem that the bike doesn’t belong among those three people, but you never know.

An Italian radio program has launched a campaign for the bicycle to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016. Caterpillar, a popular program on Italy’s Rai Radio 2, is collecting signatures for an online petition as part of their “Bike the Nobel” campaign to nominate the bicycle for a Nobel Peace Prize. The station believes that the bicycle should be rewarded for its role as a peaceful means of transportation and cited its use by liberation and resistance movements throughout the world. “The bicycle is an instrument of peace,” the show’s blog reads. “It’s the most democratic tool of transport for all mankind, it does not cause wars and pollution, it decreases car accidents.” A symbolic relay is planned for February 2016 in Oslo to deliver the bike’s candidacy. I’m sure the bike is “wheelly” ready for its roll – I mean, role – as Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Word of the Year

It’s small but powerful. Merriam-Webster has announced its word of the year and it’s not even a word. It’s a suffix. “Ism” has been crowned the word of the year. But not just any ism. The top isms to earn high traffic spikes and big bumps in lookups on the dictionary company’s website in 2015 are socialism, fascism, racism, feminism, communism, capitalism and terrorism. “We had a lot on our minds this year,” mused Peter Sokolowski, the Springfield, Massachusetts-based company’s editor at large. “It’s a serious year. These are words of ideas and practices. We’re educating ourselves.” Pinpointing reasons why words go on the run at Merriam-Webster is an educated guess. The dictionary company tracks corresponding news events to link lookups to real life. And its researchers also crunch data in a way that filters out common words frequently looked up year after year after year when making their top annual choices. Lookups of racism were high all

year but had two noticeable spikes, one after the South Carolina church shootings and another amid the University of Missouri protests. Sokolowski, a lexicographer by training, said one spike in lookups for feminism came in April and corresponded with reports on an Ohio middle school student who wore a T-shirt with the word printed on it in a school photo, only to have it digitally blacked out by school administrators. The school later apologized. The word socialism has Bernie Sanders to thank for its popularity. “The big spikes have been associated with the fact that we have a presidential candidate who identifies as a Democratic Socialist,” Sokolowski said. “We saw that even though socialism was in the Top 10 of the most looked-up words in the whole history of the site, it increased in a spike beginning in late July when Bernie Sanders had a multicity rally that was organized through social media and attracted about 100,000 people in 3,000 communities or more around the country.” In October, lookups for socialism spiked again during the first Democratic debate featuring Sanders and Clinton. Other ism words on the move at Merriam-Webster.com this year were professionalism, federalism, pragmatism, existentialism, and Marxism. But it’s not all about the isms. Other words that sent people to the site in high numbers include marriage, hypocrite, respect, inspiration and minion. “Inspiration still kind of baffles us,” Morse said. “I can’t really tell you what it is in the world of 2015 that is so much different from ‘14 that inspiration has moved up.” The company began picking a word of the year in 2003. It went with “culture” in 2014. Other sites crowned their words of the year as well. This year’s word of the year at Dictionary.com is identity. The folks at Oxford Dictionaries went with a pictograph, an emoji called the “Face with Tears of Joy.” We’ve truly become a well-versed nation.

The Lucky Number 99

She’s 99 and she’s still shopping. After all, she’s just won a shopping spree – at the local 99 cent store. Donna Goldstein was awarded a 99 second shopping spree at a local 99 Cents Only store in Beverly Grove, California, in celebration of her 99th birthday. A regular customer, Goldstein was chosen over other candidates after she was seen shopping for Thanksgiving gift baskets for needy families at the store. During her free spree, the nonagenarian also was thinking of others. She selected $162.76 worth of items which she went on to donate to children in need. “Sometimes we don’t realize how much is needed,” she related. “I feel bad that I can’t do it for everyone, but it makes me feel very good that I am able to do what I can.” Goldstein was also presented a birthday cake and a certificate of recognition from the store in addition to her shopping spree.

Eytan Kobre on the Parsha Page 92

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‫בס“ד‬

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MRS. BARKANY

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Rabbi Dovid Kresh giving over words of inspiration to prospective parents at the recent Open House of Mesivta Shaarei Chaim. Rabbi Rachmiel Scheiner (seated left of the podium) & Rabbi Nosson Zupnik (seated on the right) are very excited, looking forward to next year and welcoming incoming ninth graders to the Mesivta as it continues to grow.

As part of the HAFTR Chanukah tradition, students collected and donated toys and gifts for the children of Ohel. Pictured are six graders Joely Steinlauf, Noa Kerity and Raquel Gottlieb with seventh grader Gabe Baratz, accompanied by Dr. Brand and the Ohel representative.

Graduating Rambam But Not Really Leaving By Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman

ast Shabbos, Rambam alumni learning is Israel joined together for the annual Alumni Shabbaton with Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, who travels to Israel specifically for this occasion. It is a much anticipated and joyous Shabbos as the talmidim reunite with each other and with Rabbi Friedman. Students who are currently in shana bet and older joined as well. Students were surprised to learn that the guest with the black, greying

beard that Rabbi Friedman embraced was none other than Avraham Butel, who graduated Rambam 20 years ago, in its first graduating class, and subsequently made aliyah! The Shabbos ruach was palpable as each meal was filled with divrei Torah and zemiros. Although, technically high school is a thing of the past for them, the talmidim expressed a tremendous interest in getting updated on the latest events in Rambam. They applauded when they heard that their alma mater was the only yeshiva in the country to be award-

ed National Blue Ribbon status, they cheered when they learned of the upcoming plans to confront the NIF, listened intently as Rabbi Friedman discussed the current situation in Israel, and questioned and probed during the various shiurim and discussions Rabbi Friedman had with the group. While a number of the boys thanked Rabbi Friedman privately for their great high school experience, one talmid got up and publicly thanked the Rosh Mesivta for four great years and for organizing the Shabbaton. This year’s Shabbaton was held at

Yeshivas Migdal haTorah in Modiin. Students, coming from all parts of the country, took charge and led all aspects of the davening and leining. Virtually all students shared a dvar Torah with the group. Rabbi Friedman remarked, “It truly was an amazing Shabbos, and I had such nachas seeing the achdus that exists between all the alumni and how beautifully they davened, sang and learned. It is clear to me that this year is the perfect follow through to the four years they spent in Rambam.”

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

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In honor of Chanukah, Yeshiva of South Shore boys, in a gesture of their hakoras hatov to our police department, presented the 4th Precinct and Captain Lee Steinberg with a Chanukah gift for the officers. Talmidim of the yeshiva are pictured with Rabbis Binyomin and Mordechai Kamenetzky, Captain Steinberg and Yoeli Steinberg (not related) of Gourmet Glatt who provided the refreshments.

Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky at Shaaray Tefillah’s Chanukah Concert with Eitan Katz held on December 9, the 4th night of Chanukah. Pictured from L to R: Past president David Malek, Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky, Rabbi Uri Orlian, current president Yakov Melmed, and their children.

A Chanukah Miracle at the JCC on Grove Avenue

ach year when we celebrate the eight days of Chanukah we are reminded in the holiday’s prayers of the two miracles that occurred over two thousand years ago when the few rose up and conquered the many and the small pot of oil burned for eight days when there was only enough to last a single night. This year at The Marion and Aaron Gural JCC, while remembering the miraculous Chanukah story, we experienced our own bit of a miracle in our Kadima program for single parent families as an unexpected outpouring of Chanukah wishes and gifts came through our doors for our Kadima children. The struggles of a single parent family are unique and often painful. Throughout the year the challenges faced by the single parent as well as his or her children are many. Perhaps, however, it is with the approaching of Chanukah that the financial as well as emotional stress is most apparent. Where will the children be spending the holiday? How will their week be broken up? Which parent will be able to accompany them to their school party or recital? Will there be available

funds for Chanukah gifts? In anticipation of this difficult time in the lives of our Kadima families, the JCC helped ease the tension and create a sense of joy and excitement. Chanukah gift bags were prepared and distributed to our Kadima families courtesy of a long-time JCC neighbor and supporter. Our Kadima families were all invited to enjoy a festive Chanukah party with our friends at the Atlantic Beach Jewish Center complete with dinner, a magic show, art project and Chanukah gifts. In addition we were the recipient of an incredibly generous donation of toys by a UJA-Federation donor from Manhattan who heard a presentation on Project Kadima at a recent meeting. He made sure each and every one of our Kadima children received a special Chanukah gift. With all the good cheer going on in our building, as families happily came in to pick up their holiday packages, one remarkable Kadima parent took matters further. On her own Facebook page she appealed to her friends and neighbors to remember the children of single parent families who aren’t fortunate

enough to be able to celebrate the holiday with both parents, grandparents and extended family – to remember the children, who perhaps were not able to receive gifts this year due to tremendous financial hardship, court battles and legal setbacks. In a heart-wrenching appeal in her own words our Kadima parent pointed out that although children of divorce are everywhere in our community (to date there are 95 single parents enrolled in Kadima), you wouldn’t necessarily know who they are or how much they are struggling to keep their lives together. She requested that we think of these children, many of whom we do not know by name or face but may just be sitting next to our own children in school or shul or on the playing field. Within hours after this heartfelt Facebook appeal came out responses began pouring in. Phone calls, emails and JCC visits resulted. Toys, gift cards and checks were dropped off all week long. Our JCC staff marveled at the amazing generosity of spirit and funds that came in from the community as a result of the post as well as all the other

agencies and donors who kept us in mind during the Festival of Lights. Kadima, our single parent family program, made possible by The Jewish Communal Fund and UJA-Federation of New York, is a relatively new initiative at The Marion and Aaron Gural JCC. Our staff is still identifying the many needs and services required by this ever growing population. Our doors are always open. We offer counseling, support groups, lectures and workshops, holiday programs and family trips. Your support in this endeavor is greatly appreciated. Our Chanukah miracle on Grove Avenue could not have happened without you. For more information or to make a donation please contact Rachayle Deutsch (516)569-6733 ext, 222, rachayle.deutsch@guraljcc.org. The Marion and Aaron Gural JCC, 207 Grove Avenue, Cedarhurst, New York 11516, Att: Rachayle Deutsch.

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TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK

PRESENTS THE

Basketball Tournament Sunday December 27th 2015 4:00 pm Registration 5:00 pm Tip-Off

Trophy presentation and raffle at the end of the tournament

ISLAND GARDEN

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$85 per player (6 players per team) General Admission: $10 20 minute games

Games will be streamed live with a color commentator and recorded online! To register or for information on becoming a sponsor, please contact Rabbi Josh Zern or Yehuda Shur at

events@madraigos.org or call 516-371-3250 ext. 5

HoopsForThem.org

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Siach Yitzchok: Past, Present & Future

here is a yeshiva in our community which is a jewel in our midst. The middos, enthusiasm and simcha it imparts to its talmidim are legendary. The school strives to foster a deep love for Yiddishkeit and limud haTorah through joyful and meaningful experiences in which the children grow and flourish. It is committed to facilitating the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual development of each child. The warmth of the rebbeim, dedication of the teachers, and commitment of all administrators and staff is unparalleled. If you should step into the portals of this wonderful institution, you will feel immersed in another dimension. You can hear sweet singing and enthusiastic chanting from one classroom, while cheers of glee erupt from another. Little boys mix with ease with their older peers. And the beauty of our Torah tradition is evident in the posters on the wall and the smiles on the rebbeims’ faces as well on the students’. Yiddishkeit. A sense of Purpose. A sense of Belonging. All this and more – this is Talmud Torah Siach Yitzchok in Far Rockaway, NY. Inside the Yeshiva, the talmidim receive the best of the best, not only in basic Torah education and an exemplary general studies program, but in benefitting from a unique style and nurturing that is second nature in this Cheder. There is no compromise on the original standards of Yiddishkeit and chinuch established by its founder, even though our children faces unprecedented challenges, more and more with each passing day. The Yeshiva’s founder, Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld, zt”l, had a vision 36 years ago to establish a school whose mission was focused on

providing surroundings where a child could learn Torah without the distractions of the outside world. His goal was that each talmid reach his fullest potential, emerging as an exemplary Jew, with Torah and middos, as well as having the inner strength to deal with all the natural trials and tribulations life will throw at him. Siach Yitzchok prides itself on continuing Rabbi Freifeld’s zt”l, mission, and the community has continued to demonstrate its approval by registering their precious sons in ever increasing numbers. Siach Yitzchok is also proud to provide its students with an exemplary general studies program taught by highly experienced devoted teachers. The Yeshiva aims for proficiency in reading, writing and arithmetic on par with grade level standards. As such, the students’ academic progress is constantly monitored to ascertain that they meet or exceed curricular goals.

And now, this Yeshiva that has given and continues to give so very much, each and every day, to our community children, needs your help and support. This little school on Central Avenue in Far Rockaway, NY, has grown from being a small boutique cheder in an old shul with a handful of students, to 325 students enrolled for the 201516 school year, with the anticipation of many more students for next year, iy”H. These precious neshamos deserve the best we can give them, so they can go on to be the best they can be. Rabbi Dovid Sitnick, shlita, handpicked by Rabbi Freifeld zt”l, to be the Yeshiva’s esteemed Menahel, proudly relates to us that the Yeshiva is on a wonderful path b”H. A dream of eight long years is finally coming to fruition. A new building which has been a dream for so long is now actuality! Construction for a state-of-the-art brand new building on the purchased property, on Beach 9th and Dinsmore Avenue, in Far Rockaway, NY, commenced this past September. Countless hours of work have already been invested by many devoted individuals in this $7 million project. The architectural plans have been designed and approved, the old building has been demolished, and excavation for the future Yeshiva is nearly complete. The new building will encompass 45,000-square-feet and will have bright and airy classrooms, a large Beis Medrash, a beautiful dining room and an up-to-date fully equipped gym, all housed on four floors, plus a finished basement.

“We are building all the way up to the property line and have had to shore up the land on all four sides.” said Rabbi Yosef Seide, Assistant Principal at Siach Yitzchok and Building Project Coordinator. “We have already dug 18 feet below grade and are ready to pour the footings and foundation for the building.” “There is no question about the need for a new building,” explains Rabbi Seide. “We need it and we need it right now! Currently our students are spread out in four different locations, which makes for a logistical nightmare for our school administrators. We cannot have full school assemblies, Rosh Chodesh seudos, or other mesibos for all the boys at one time, because we don’t all fit together into the cramped lunchroom. So, at present, the students gather in separate shifts, for special occasions. As well, many of the classrooms are tiny and we are hard pressed to accommodate our current enrolment as comfortably as we would like.” Despite the challenge of functioning as a yeshiva with inadequate space and classes so spread out, the very dedicated rebbeim continue to build strong connections with their talmidim, something that rarely happens at the elementary school level. Gedolim and Roshei Yeshivos, who have visited our institution, have often commented how amazed they are that we resemble a Yerushalayim-type cheder even though we are located in New York City. They observed our unique style and nurturing of the children, and ap-

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

Around the Community plauded the incredible warmth of Torah felt everywhere. “We are a boutique type of Yeshiva,” Rabbi Seide explains. “Wineries that have a mass production may produce endless runs of Malaga or Tokay wines, but when a winery produces a special Napa Valley Reserve Vintage, that is an exclusive wine – a rare limited collection. We at Siach Yitzchok are not concerned with numbers necessarily. It is the quality of chinuch that has our attention. Our rebbeim are super-focused on providing individualized chinuch to each talmid in an engaging and dynamic manner, so that each boy can do his best. This is what we have been doing for 36 years and what we intend to continue to do, iy”H, for many more years.” Rabbi Seide continues, “Last year at our annual Dinner, we honored our beloved Menahel Reb Dovid, shlita. We witnessed an unprecedented outpouring of hakoras hatov from our alumni, almost all of whom attended. We b”H leave a strong mark on the boys and their kesher with the cheder

The Yeshiva’s founder, Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld, zt”l

remains solid. Our main tachlis and constant focus is to give our students a strong sense of who they are asYyidden and what they can accomplish throughout their lives.” Over $2 million has already been raised for Siach Yitzchok’s Building Campaign, and many special dedication opportunities are still available. To find out more about the building initiative, please visit the yeshiva online at SiachYitzchok.org or call Rabbi Yosef Seide at 718-327-6247, ext. 18.

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Assemblyman Goldfeder Travels to Paris to Honor Terror Victims

Assemblyman Goldfeder pauses to pay his respects at the impromptu memorial outside the Bataclan Café in Paris where 89 lives were lost in the recent terror attack

ust weeks after terrorist attacks struck Paris, France, killing more than one hundred, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D - Rockaway Beach) traveled to the European capital to attend a Jewish unity concert marking nearly one year since the January Hyper Cacher massacre. “When one Jewish community is struggling, Jews across the world feel the pain,” said Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder. “Our community unfortunately knows the agony of terrorist violence all too well. The victims of the Hyper Cacher attacks were brutally murdered on erev Shabbos simply because of who they were. I traveled to Paris to pay my respects to the victims and show the Jewish community of France that we stand with them as they try to recover moving forward.” Last week, Assemblyman Goldfeder joined a solidarity mission to Paris together with community leaders from New York and New Jersey to show support for the French Jewish community as the families of the four victims of last year’s attack end their mourning period. The delegation joined Jews from France and around the world at the

Great Synagogue of Paris for the “Let There Be Light” unity concert, organized by the tireless JM in the AM radio host Nachum Segal as part of his Jewish Unity Initiative. The event included speeches by Yeshiva University President Richard Joel, Joël Mergui, President of the Consistoire de Paris, and other dignitaries. There were also performances by renowned artists Yoram Gaon, Ohad and Amir Haddad, a recent finalist in the French version of the Voice. “Thanks to Nachum Segal and his amazing team, the Jewish families of France were treated to an amazing night of achdus and song,” said Goldfeder. “I have never felt prouder to be a part of the Jewish community.” The trip even included a few surprises. During their tour, Goldfeder happened upon a menorah lighting in the plaza outside the Paris Bourse, the city’s stock exchange. Goldfeder briefly addressed the jubilant crowd before joining in singing and dancing around the plaza. The moment was a highlight for Goldfeder, who considered it a great window into Paris’ strong and vibrant Jewish community.

Nachum Segal broadcasting from the great Synagogue of Paris after the Concert of Unity

Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder joined Nachum Segal and the Consistoire de Paris President Joël Mergui at the Great Synagogue of Paris along with their delegation, which included Yeshiva University President Richard Joel, event Chairman Robert Benrimon, and Mark Zomick

During his brief stay, Goldfeder visited the since-reopened Hyper Cacher supermarket, as well as the impromptu memorials outside the Bataclan Cafe, the concert venue that saw the heaviest losses during last month’s attacks. At the Bataclan, the Assemblyman laid flowers in remembrance of victims and expressed the sorrow and anger felt by so many back in New York. According to Goldfeder, the visit reminded him of the similar expressions of grief that followed the September 11th, 2001 attacks. Goldfeder also took the opportunity to be debriefed by American and French officials on the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) and new security measures being put in place to prevent future attacks. With U.S. Embassy officials, Goldfeder discussed intelligence sharing between America and European governments and efforts to prevent the movement of Islamic terrorists across European Union states. To hear the French perspective on recent events, the Assemblyman met with European policy expert Yves Bertoncini, Director of the Jaques Delores Institute, a leading think

The assemblyman dances with Jewish community outside the Paris Bourse, French Stock Exchange

11 months after the murder of four Jews at the Hyper Cacher Market, Goldfeder speaks with French security still on patrol

tank. Goldfeder and Bertoncini discussed France’s new growing role in the fight against terrorism around the globe. Last month, in an address to parliament, French Prime minister Francois Hollande vowed to “destroy” ISIS, pledging to build an international coalition to target the group’s territory in Iraq and Syria. The Paris trip echoed earlier work by Goldfeder to reach out communities facing similar experiences to those in his district. In 2013, Goldfeder traveled to Moore, Oklahoma, to meet with victims of the category 5 tornado that leveled entire neighborhoods and left hundreds homeless. At the time, Goldfeder characterized the visit as an effort to “pay it forward” to communities that had helped in recovery efforts following Superstorm Sandy, which devastated southern Queens and Rockaway. The Assemblyman explained his trip to Paris in similar terms. “In the world’s darkest hours, New Yorkers stand united in support of our allies and against terror,” concluded Goldfeder.

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The CAHAL Connection: Students, Teachers, and Mainstream Classes All Celebrate Chanukah Together

ince CAHAL classes are a part of every yeshiva, they are included in the special activities that take place throughout the school year. This past Chanukah presented an outstanding time of learning, joy

and excitement, as the CAHAL students in every class had the opportunity to participate in wonderful activities and trips. The following is just a sampling of the many events that took place.

In the HANC kindergarten class, the children attended a school-wide concert and Parrot Rebbe show with their mainstream friends. The delicious aroma of the Chanukah cookies that the students baked drew tons of visitors, and the class had a party which included a cake that they made in the shape of a Chanukiyah. As Chanukah is about chessed and giving, the children used their tzedakah money to buy toys for children from OHEL. The first graders participated in an amazing HAFTR mainstream Chanukah theatre show. The children had a blast! The second graders acted out the story of Chanukah on top of a large map of Israel. They made menorahs out of fresh fruit. They sang Chanukah songs and played a Chanukah game, all with their mainstream peers. The third and fourth graders went on a roller blading trip with their YOSS peers. The children also visited the United Skates of America, where they learned about the science behind roller skating. At a joint Chanukah party with the mainstream class, everyone made candy dreidels out of toothpicks and gumdrops. Never missing a teaching opportunity, Rabbi Waxman led the children in playing dreidel for real money, while reviewing the Chanukah story and halachos. The fourth and fifth students at Yeshiva Darchei Torah attended a Chanukah Mesiba where they joined

their peers in reading Tehillim for Klal Yisrael. On the fourth night of Chanukah, the fifth and sixth grade HAFTR girls were treated to a Chanukah party at the home of their class assistant, Mrs. Linder. Great games were played and much nosh was consumed. Their teacher, Mr. Lepolstat, shared fascinating stories and divrei Torah. Mrs. Lilker, their speech therapist, also attended with her children. A fabulous time was had by everyone. Rabbi Grinbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s middle school students, who had earned the privilege of going on a special trip for their excellent classwork this fall, went to the Living Torah Museum during Chanukah. As they toured the museum with its interactive exhibits, the students said that they never thought learning could be so much fun. Now that Chanukah is over, we look back and appreciate everything that the children learned and experienced and express a deep hakoras hatov to the hanhala and teachers in all the yeshivas where there are CAHAL classes and to the CAHAL teachers who made it all happen and continue to nurture the growth and success of every student! Special thanks to Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam, HAFTR, HANC, MAY, TAG, YDT and YOSS, who are hosting the CAHAL classes this year and sponsored special Chanukah programs.

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DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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HaRav Yaakov Bender shlita: “Acheinu is Hugging Thousands of Kids!” By Yosef Sosnow

“I

f a child cannot learn on his own through no fault of his own, then we are deemed guilty for enabling that to continue! It makes no difference if the reason that he cannot learn Torah is because he never had a Torah education, he grew up in a dysfunctional home, he has a learning disability … if we don’t help, we as fellow Jews are doing something wrong. How can we be busy with ourselves and our indulgencies when the child next door can’t learn Torah? This is what Acheinu, the heiligeh organization Acheinu is all about. They care, they really care about every child who has not been privileged to learn Torah and keep mitzvos. They get kids into yeshivos and we must help them. We must realize that if a child somewhere can’t learn Torah, it is our obligation to see to it that he does. By helping Acheinu in its amazing work you are doing just that!” These were the powerful words of HaRav Yaakov Bender, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah of Far Rockaway, at the recent Acheinu Flatbush Community Event held this past Sunday, 24 Kislev/December 6 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Simcha Applegrad. For the past five years, the Acheinu Flatbush Event has been a community milestone featuring numerous prominent Roshei Yeshiva from the United States and Eretz Yisrael as guest speakers. This year’s event, an upscale breakfast reception, did not disappoint. The throngs of participants left deeply inspired by Rav Bender’s heartfelt, emotional words and a sense of meaningful identification with Acheinu’s mission. The event was chaired by Rabbi Dovid Morgenstern, Menahel of Yeshiva Darchei Torah of Far Rockaway. Rabbi Morgenstern set the tone for the morning by hailing Acheinu as an organization that is both profoundly caring and consummately professional. He said, “You know the valet parking company that parked your car as you came here is a good company because Simcha Applegrad

hired them. You know the caterer that has prepared this breakfast is an excellent one, because Simcha Applegrad chose them. You can be sure that Acheinu is an exemplary professional kiruv organization that really gets results and uses a multi-pronged kiruv approach that transforms its charges into true bnei Torah because Simcha Applgrad associates himself with this organization and has hosted the Flatbush Event for the past five years!”

mainstreamed,” said Rav Bender. “Do you know what it means to get a kid into a yeshiva nowadays?! Imagine – he is a baal teshuva whose parents are not frum. Acheinu gets these kids into mainstream yeshivos! This is something so special it is hard to describe!” This year was the first time that the Flatbush event was held as a breakfast and there was a tremendous turnout. The relaxed, unhurried atmosphere allowed for a lot of

(L to R) R’ Simcha Applegrad, Harav Yaakov Bender, and Rabbi Yaakov Applegrad

“It is a Retention Rate that Speaks for Itself!” Indeed, both Rav Morgenstern and later Rav Bender in his remarks praised Acheinu’s unique, tailor-made approach to kiruv, an approach that has reaped unprecedented results, a 93 percent success rate! That remarkable 93% success rate stems from Acheinu’s desire to bring accountability to kiruv and is based upon its three-step program: 1. Mentoring 2. Enrollment 3. Follow-up. “It is a retention rate that speaks for itself!” Rabbi Bender exclaimed and then continued. “Before I came to speak about Acheinu I did my homework on the organization. Truth be told, I was amazed at their kiruv model. The number of kiruv activists who accompany every child from a non-religious lifestyle until he becomes a ben Torah is mindboggling. They follow each young man as he slowly becomes frum, becomes a yeshiva bochur and is eventually

give and take between the participants and members of the Acheinu staff. The guests really wanted to understand what Acheinu does and the special niche that they have carved out for themselves in the kiruv world. They were clearly impressed and, as a result, Rav Bender’s remarks had an even more powerful impression on them. The Ponovezher Rav’s Acheinu Message At the conclusion of his remarks, Rav Bender told a powerful and poignant personal story that he used to illustrate and define Acheinu’s mission. “I was a young bochur when my father passed away fifty years ago. One day, when I went to daven for the amud and say Kaddish in Yeshiva Torah Vodaas in Williamsburg where there were constant minyanim, I noticed the famed Ponovezher Rav, Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, enter. I ran over to him and said, ‘Ponovezher Rav, shalom Aleichem!’

Harav Yaakov Bender addressing the Acheinu Flatbush Event

After he asked me who I was, I asked him if I could help him with anything. He replied that he was a chiyuv and needed to serve as chazzan. I fought with the gabbai to get him an amud. After davening he needed to go to the home of the Satmar Rebbe. I got him a ride and rode along with him. I watched in fascination at the sight of the way these two great gedolim honored one another. When he finished I asked him if I could do anything else for him and he told me he needed a taxi to take him back to Boro Park. I got him a taxi and asked if I could ride with him until the edge of Williamsburg. He responded, ‘Of course.’ As we were about to part ways I told the Ponvezher Rav that I had been orphaned from my father just a few months previously and I am sure it would make my mother very happy if I received a bracha from the Rav. I will never ever forget his reaction. The Ponovezher Rav leaned over and hugged me with such love, such sensitivity and then he began to ply me with the most beautiful brachos. With tears streaming down his patriarchal face, he gave me his heartfelt brachos. When I told my mother the numerous brachos, she too began to cry tears of emotion and joy. Rabbosai,” Rav Bender thundered, “I still feel that hug today from the Ponovezher Rav! He gave me something that day that was priceless. We too, must hug these kids. We have to hug the kids who can’t learn! Acheninu is hugging thousands of wonderful pure Jewish kids!” Let’s join them!

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

Around the Community

Ezra Academy Shabbaton in Woodmere

ne of the highlights for the students of Ezra Academy is the annual schoolwide Shabbaton. Although the Shabbaton was optional, over 50 students decided to spend Shabbos with their Rabbeim and teachers. The Shabbaton was held in Woodmere, as the school was hosted by Rabbi Weinberger (who taught in Ezra for over 20 years) and the Aish Kodesh community. After spending time Friday night with their hosts, the school met together for an Oneg Shabbos hosted by Rabbi and Mrs. Storch. Rabbi Shalom Yonah Weiss, a long time speaker for Aish Hatorah, addressed the students teaching them about the importance of constant thinking in life. Judaism is built on the mesorah of questions and answers, and in life one should always do the same. Only someone who can question and think about his constant surroundings will ultimately come to the truth. After davening and eating together Shabbos day at Aish Kodesh,

the students spent the afternoon visiting the houses of local baalei batim. With these Onegs, they were able to meet people who are successful in life without compromising any of their religious beliefs. On Motzei Shabbos the students were treated to a night they would

not forget. David Blatt, world renowned mentalist and hypnotist, had everyone on their feet with laughter as he awed the crowd. Between mind reading, magic, and hypnosis, the students experienced a time of their lives trying to figure out how all these tricks were humanly possible.

Following the show, the students enjoyed a kumsitz where Rabbi Weinberger addressed the group. Everyone left on a spiritual high as well as a lifetime of memories, the perfect Chanukah gift a school can give to its precious students.

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

A Miracle From Sderot Arrives in the Five Towns By Judah Rhine

hile visiting Israel a number of years ago, David and Debra Segal visited the City of Sderot and met with Rabbi David Fendel, Rosh Yeshiva of the Hesder Yeshiva in Sderot. On the rooftop of the Yeshiva stood the amazing menorah made out of Kassam rockets that were fired from Gaza into Southern Israel. Upon hearing this, David Segal envisioned having such a menorah in the Five Towns. The Segal’s children, Jason and Danielle Bokor, visited Sderot about three years ago and were equally moved by the menorah. When David Segal brought up his idea of replicating and bringing the menorah to their community, the Bokors agreed and said that it would be very significant to have the menorah at HAFTR, where their children/ grandchildren attend school. They decided to fund the project together. They arranged with Rabbi Fendel to have Yaron Bob, the artist, commissioned to create the menorah. Yaron was very excited about the project from the start. He assembled the menorah in his studio in Sderot, sending updates and pictures every few weeks. When all was set, they arranged to have the menorah shipped to HAFTR High School and welcomed Yaron to come in for 10 days to assemble and weld the menorah on site. Danielle Bokor designed a base for the menorah and contacted local artisans that she deals with in her architecture practice about doing the job. Once they learned about the project, each one offered their services at no charge. When Yaron came to HAFTR High School to assemble the menorah, he also took the time to interact and meet with the HAFTR students. He answered many questions and explained about the situation in Southern Israel and described for them about Yatid, the yoshuv where he lives. He also did many projects with the students including bending forks and wire into artwork such as snails, scorpions and trees. Yaron has a true passion for his work that is evident to all who meet him. He

has a full website about his work at rocketsintoroses.com, where he explains how he came to this particular art and the meaning behind it. On the fifth night of Chanukah, HAFTR hosted a dedication ceremony for the menorah. HAFTR parents and the community were invited for this special and spectacular event. Following welcoming remarks by Jason Bokor, Rabbi Oppen, principal of HAFTR High School, welcomed the attendees with divrei Torah and described the miracle of the Menorah Project. The program also included a time line video showing the intricate details of how the menorah was assembled on the HAFTR campus. The menorah was then lit and the torch lights illuminated the sky for all to see. There was another brief video showing the lighting of the menorah on the rooftop of Yeshivat Hesder in Sderot, as well as the Chanukah celebration with the singing and dancing of the Yeshiva students just days before. As a treat, latkes and sufganiot were served to all. The highlight of the program featured Rabbi David Fendel, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Hesder in Sderot, who came to the U.S. from Sderot in honor of this historic event. Rabbi Fendel expressed his profound appreciation to the Segal and Bokor families for their commitment and generosity in taking their idea and making it into a reality. Rabbi Fendel also spoke to the crowd about the rebirth of the city Sderot since last year’s war and how the students of the yeshiva are vital components of the Sderot community at large. Yeshivat Hesder in Sderot is the largest Hesder Yeshiva in Israel, with over 500 students. The yeshiva is housed in a beautiful rocket proof Beit Midrash, which also served as the home base for the Gefen Special Forces Battalion, hosting 600 soldiers who dormed with the Yeshiva students on the campus during Operation Protective Edge just last year. Rabbi Fendel concluded by saying, “Let our neighbors in Gaza see for themselves how we turn their hate and terror into a beacon of light, hope and devotion.” Additionally, HAFTR has under-

taken a project to dedicate a Safe Room in the new dormitories at the yeshiva. This will further serve to form a strong bond between Yeshivat Hesder Sderot and the HAFTR family. The menorah means a great deal to the Five Towns community. This newsworthy event drew the attention of two local news stations. WPIX Channel 11 News broadcast live from HAFTR High School on Thursday morning on the 4th day of Chanukah and WNBC Channel 4 News produced a very meaningful segment about the menorah project (http://www.nbcnewyork.com/ video/#!/on-air/as-seen-on/LongIsland-High-School-CommissionsMenorah-of-Missiles/361627241). As explained by Jason Bokor, “I believe the reason why the menorah has evoked such tremendous interest is the message that it sends. We are taking the instruments of war

and terror used against innocent civilians and using them to make a menorah which is a symbol of light and peace. In light of all that is going on today, whether it is in Israel, Paris or San Bernardino, people want to see concrete statements that we will not let the evil people of this world win. Instead, we want to see good and peaceful times in our lifetime.” For dedication opportunities of a Sderot Menorah for your shul/ school/ community, please contact Judah Rhine, American Friends of Sderot at Judah@sderot.org. SAVE THE DATE - The 20th Annual Dinner to benefit Yeshivat Hesder in Sderot will take place on April 13, 2016.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Kollel Chatzos Meron Celebrates Siyum on Seder Kodashim

eep feelings of joy and gratitude to Hashem for the privilege of learning His holy Torah was palpable at the uplifting siyum on Seder Kadoshim that the choshuva talmidei chachamim of Kollel Chatzos Meron, one of four Kollel Chatzos branches worldwide, celebrated. Kollel Chatzos Meron is widely renowned as a rare makom Torah where extraordinary yungerleit from Tzfas toil in Torah at the auspicious hour of chatzos. The specialness of the hour is compounded by the holy location where the learning takes place, the tzion of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, who discusses the greatness of chatzos many times in his hallowed work, the Zohar. The uplifting siyum served as a source of chizuk for the chashuva yungerleit and their wives, who sacrifice with devotion to enable their husbands to toil in Torah at this special time of night. A rich meal was served in honor of the occasion. The attendees broke out

in impromptu song, singing niggunim of ahavas haTorah and thanks to Hashem for the unparalleled zchus of learning Torah at chatzos. Inspiring speeches were given throughout the meal, with each of the speakers extolling the greatness of limud haTorah in general, the chashivus of learning at Chatzos in particular, and above all, the exceptional zchus of Torah at the holy tzion of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. The lineup of speakers included Reb Shimon Halperin, menahel of Kollel Chatzos Meron, who served as master of ceremonies; Rav Dovid Zev Reich, Av Beis Din of Sanz in Tzfas and a regular guest at the kollel; Rav Eliezer Ehrenster, Av Beis Din of Kiryas Meor HaChaim of Tzfas with several choshuva sons who learn in Kollel Chatzos; and Rav Yehuda Meir Halperin from Bnei Brak, who himself arises at chatzos and is the father of the menahel of the kollel, Reb Shimon. Finally, the Nadvorna Rebbe of Tzfas imparted divrei bracha to the attendees.

The speakers also praised the members of the hanhala of Kollel Chatzos who expend great effort for the hatzlacha of the kollel, specifically Rav Nechemia Hoffman, the founder of the kollelim, who works day and night to ensure the success of the four branches worldwide. Heartfelt thanks was expressed for the Kollel Chatzos partners, whose support is what made this siyum – and all the learning at Kollel Chatzos Meron – possible. Special emphasis was placed on the role played by the wives of the kollel members, who all accept extra responsibilities upon themselves without complaint to enable their husbands to learn at the special hour of chatzos. One of the esteemed speakers stated, “We know that this is not easy for the wives, but you should know that all of the Torah is only in your zchus. We cannot fathom the nachas that the Torah learned at chatzos, especially at such a holy site, creates in the upper worlds, and the zchus of all of it is applied to the wom-

en who are assembled here tonight.” Beautiful gifts were given to the kollel members in honor of the completion of yet another masechta and to their wives to underscore that all of the Torah is made possible only thanks to their mesiras nefesh. To conclude the event, a beautiful slide presentation with footage of the talmidei chachamim learning at the kever of Rashbi was shown to the women, to give them a glimpse into the elevated atmosphere that reigns at the kollel every night. The attendees of the siyum left uplifted and inspired, with renewed vigor to continue their learning in the winter weeks ahead. May the zchus of the Torah learned nightly at the tzion of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai at the powerful hour of chatzos continue to bring blessing for the choshuva kollel members, the Yidden who partner with their learning, and all of Klal Yisroel.

On the eighth day of Chanukah, Daniel Baker, 9th grade at HAFTR HS; Hillel Golubtchik, 8th grade at YCQ; and Jonah Fishbein, 8th grade at YCQ; spent their own money and bought food at Gourmet Glatt for the 5 Towns Kosher Food Pantry. They delivered it personally. They then spent over an hour of their day off unloading boxes to help at the Pantry.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

Around the Community

Chanukah Celebrations In Long Beach

he Young Israel of Long Beach celebrates Chanukah in a manner that integrates the entire community while acknowledging the service of our kosher food establishments which are under the kashrus supervision of the South Shore Vaad HaKashrus. It is truly a fulfillment of the mitzvah of “pirsum hanes” – proclaiming the miracle within the fabric of the Long Beach community. On each night of Chanukah a specific store is designated to host the candle lighting and subsequent festivities. A huge menorah, which was dedicated last year by Berel Newmark z”l and his wife Shellie, is brought to the site. Between 50 and 100 community members gather around each night to listen to a relevant Torah message prior to the lighting of the menorah. This is followed by festive singing and dancing. At this point the store proprietor invites the assembled to share in their delicacies. The schedule for this year began with Shop Glatt Mart where Mohe Zaghi and his wife invited everyone in delicious latkes and other treats. Scott Mandel, a City of Long Beach Councilman, joined everyone in the celebration. On Tuesday night, the proceedings moved to the west side of town and the lighting took place at the Dunkin Donuts store which is under the kashrus co-supervision of the Vaad of the Five Towns and the South Shore Vaad. Everyone was treated to a variety of donuts and hot cocoa/coffee. Wednesday night would have brought the gathering to the Carvel store but given the lateness in the season the store was already closed for the winter months. Instead, the proprietor of

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Children enjoying Slurpees

Carvel who also owns the local 7-Eleven invited everyone to enjoy a Slurpee after the ceremonies which took place in front of his store. Motzaei Shabbos saw the largest gathering which took place in front of Country Boy Bakery. Everyone was particularly invigorated by the large crowd and festive dancing which was followed by the distribution of delicious donuts and cocoa. On Sunday morning, there was no actual lighting of the menorah, yet the owner of Life’s a Bagel treated all who came to the store with a bagel sandwich and drink. A special password, “dreidel around the bagel,” identified those who were entitled to this perk. We look forward to next year when we hope to continue the tradition.

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DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Yeshiva Darchei Torah Dinner To Be Held January 10Th Mr. and Mrs. Hillel and Shani Moerman Guests of Honor he concept of leadership has been under increased discussion recently in the Torah community: its definition, the need for it, and the mandate for a younger generation to get involved in the communal issues of the day.

One couple that is a role model for leadership in the greater Far Rockaway/Five Towns community is Hillel and Shani Moerman, who give selflessly of their time and expertise for the benefit of Klal Yisrael. The Yeshiva is blessed with an active and effective executive board and Hillel is one of its most active members. A managing director at Goldman Sachs, Hillel brings his passion for the Yeshiva and his unique skills to the table at every board meeting as well as the finance committee on which he serves. Whether it is introducing greater financial controls, improving the budget process, or helping the Yeshiva secure financing for capital projects, Hillel is tireless in his devotion to Yeshiva Darchei Torah. “From my vantage point, I get to see firsthand the extraordinary level of dedication of Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s leadership,” Hillel explains. “Most parents are not aware of the amount of time and superhuman effort that people like Rabbi Bender, Rabbi Bald and the rest of the administration invest, on a daily basis, to ensure the Yeshiva’s success. When I witness their passion it makes me want to do whatever I can to help them.” The Moermans’ selflessness extends well beyond the Darchei family. Hillel is a board member of Chai Lifeline and is active in his shul, Bais Medrash Heichal Dovid in Lawrence, where his advice and input are solicit-

ed and appreciated. Shani Moerman is a leader in her own right, as a devoted wife, the mother of their children – including Avromi, an eighth grader, and Aryeh, a first grader – and is involved in many community chesed initiatives. Shani helped found the bikur cholim hospitality rooms at the North ShoreLIJ Hospital branches in Manhasset and New Hyde Park, which she oversees weekly through her involvement in Aron’s Way. She also co-chaired the Women’s League of Torah Academy for Girls (TAG) and is actively involved in shidduchim. “This is an award that is long overdue,” says Elisha Brecher, co-chairman of the Yeshiva’s Executive Board. “Hillel and Shani are invaluable leaders in this Yeshiva and this community. They are always at the forefront of impactful projects and it is so gratifying to finally be able to offer a small measure of public recognition for their many years of quiet avodas hakodesh.”

to her critical supporting role, however, Harriet invested her own time, wisdom, expertise, leadership skills and good sense for the benefit of the Yeshiva. Whether it was her founding of Darchei’s educational committee, which made pivotal curricular and hiring decisions in those early years, her leadership of the Women’s League and its annual ‘Art & Silver Show’ that provided the Yeshiva with sorely needed funds, or a host of other decisive activities and events, Harriet Keilson made her mark. Lloyd and Harriet were also among the small group of active parents that appointed Rabbi Yaakov Bender as menahel in 1978, setting the stage for a remarkable era of Darchei’s growth – in student enrollment as well as in educational vision and scope.

Memorial Tribute to Mrs. Harriet Keilson a”h and the naming of the Harriet Keilson Early Childhood Center

tand outside the Darchei Torah preschool entrance on any weekday morning and watch as hundreds of little boys arrive at the Yeshiva’s entrance with smiles on their faces, eager to learn, to play and to grow. The preschool they attend is only one facet of the burgeoning mosad that is Yeshiva Darchei Torah. With over 2,000 students on its 9-acre campus, the Yeshiva is a hub of activity from morning until night, 12 months a year. It wasn’t always this way. Yeshiva Darchei Torah was a fledgling little cheder at 1414 Caffrey Avenue when Lloyd and Harriet Keilson enrolled Avi, their firstborn, in 1975. Over the ensuing decades, the Keilsons would play a role in the Yeshiva that was significantly broader than their status as the parents of Avi, and subsequently his brothers, Tzvi, Dov and Yair. They became leaders. Harriet, who passed away this summer, supported her husband in every aspect of his communal work, enabling him to make his mark not only on Yeshiva Darchei Torah but on a host of other causes. In addition

Harriet Keilson has rightfully earned her place in the history of Yeshiva Darchei Torah as a true “founding mother.” But mother – and wife and grandmother – are the roles that Harriet Keilson was surely the most proud of. She related to each of her children as an individual, encouraging their particular strengths while gently suggesting improvement where needed. Each child and grandchild felt that he or she had a special relationship with her that could not be duplicated. Every morning, without fanfare, she opened her siddur and davened to her Creator. Her children and grandchildren hold in their minds the image of her standing at a shtender in gratitude and supplication to Hashem. Extending a hand outside her own family, she was the consummate rodefes shalom and sought to restore harmony when she felt she could make a difference. The consummate oved Hashem, she expected no honor. She was just fulfilling her duty, joyfully. Despite her medical struggles, she

always exuded genuine happiness. She did this by focusing on the abundant good with which Hashem had blessed her. Indeed, the message of being grateful to Hashem and concentrating on the good in one’s life, of savoring every moment, was the one most often repeated to her children and grandchildren and it remains an enduring part of her magnificent legacy. Nearly sixty years ago, a young girl began her educational career in Far Rockaway at the Hebrew Institute of Long Island (HILI). It was there that she augmented the treasured value system of Torah and Yiddishkeit that she had received from her own parents and grandparents. It was there that she met her future husband and partner in life. It was there that she would go on to make her most lasting impression on the community, as her beloved Yeshiva Darchei Torah took up residence on that very campus in 1980. It was there that her children and grandchildren grew into upstanding bnei Torah who gave her so much nachas. It was at that Yeshiva where she was eulogized and escorted to the Yeshiva Shel Ma’alah on a sunny but dark Sunday in the summer of 2015. The devotion and legacy of Harriet Keilson will always remain part and parcel of Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s DNA. They may not know it, but generations of preschool children will continue to enter those doors each morning thanks to the pioneering efforts of visionaries like her who took a fledgling yeshiva and developed it into a world-class powerhouse of Torah and chesed. How fitting, then, that her name will forever be associated with the Yeshiva, with the naming of the Harriet Keilson Early Childhood Center on January 10th. The other honorees at this year’s dinner are: Mr. and Mrs. Alon and Chanie Goldberger, Parents of the Year; Rabbi and Mrs. Dovid and Dvorah Morgenstern, Harbotzas Torah Award; Michael Mandel, Moshe Mandel, Menachem Pollack, Shimmy Sussman and Tzvi Sussman, Alumni Leadership Awards; and the Mesivta Chaim Shlomo Class of 2001, celebrating 15 years of accomplishment. For more information about the dinner, please call 718.868.2300 ext. 237, email dinner@darchei.org, or visit www.darchei.org/dinner.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

TEAM Shabbos: Opening the Discussion

EAM, the Traditional End-ofLife Awareness Movement, is uniting hundreds of shuls and communities across the country. Their mission is to raise awareness about the importance of respecting life, preparing for illness and death, making proper end-of-life decisions and other

relevant matters. The Torah perspective on the value of life and its concerns about illness and death are not easy to talk about. Because of this, many people are not fully prepared for the many serious issues that arise. 40 percent of non-affiliated Jews choose cremation due

to a lack of proper appreciation and awareness of the significance of Jewish burial. TEAM is here to change that. Shabbos Parshas Vayechi talks about Yaakov Avinu’s illness and death, his direction to his children, his request for chessed shel emes and his

arrangement for burial. By utilizing the teachable moment that this parshah provides to discuss these timely and relevant topics, TEAM will address some of the issues that are often ignored. On Shabbos Parshas Veyechi, 12/26/15 (and/or throughout the preceding week), rabbis and communities will dedicate their sermons, present lectures or run programs to discuss these subjects. Addressing some of the most fundamental and far-reaching obligations of every Jewish community and individual, they will encourage the community to increase awareness and respect for life. TEAM is a project of NASCK, the National Association of Chevra Kadisha. It is an organization dedicated to promoting Respect for Life, Here and Hereafter. Under the leadership of Rabbi Elchonon Zohn, TEAM and NASCK are endorsed by many leading rabbis and community leaders. They have only the highest praise for this vital organization and the tremendous, sincere and holy work it does. They describe NASCK as “the most wonderful resource to our congregations and communities, as they have been at the forefront of raising the level of kovod hames and fighting the growing trend of cremation across the U.S., and have provided standards, training and guidance to rabbis and chevros kadisha nationwide.” In describing the importance of TEAM Shabbos, a rabbi remarked: “In these days where humanity seems to have forgotten what it means to be human, TEAM Shabbos is an opportunity to proclaim that the tzelem elokim yet endures and demands that we honor the kedusha which Hashem Yisborach created and implanted within each of us.” Hundreds of rabbis and communities nationwide have already signed up to be a part of this fundamental cause. And the number is only growing! You can help spread this mission and raise awareness throughout the greater Jewish community. Encourage your Shul and community to join the TEAM – and encourage others to do so as well – to Respect Life – Here and Hereafter. Register your shul today by consulting with your rabbi and visiting teamshabbos.org.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Gan Chamesh Celebrates Chanukah with an Exciting Chanukah Fun House

an Chamesh celebrated Chanukah with an amazing Chanukah Fun House. There was a palpable excitement in the air as children and parents joined together to experience Chanukah activities, Gan Chamesh-style. The children enjoyed decorating (and eating) their own donuts, constructing the Bais Hamikdash out of individually decorated bricks, experimenting with wax sticks to create unique Chanukah candles, and sculpting dreidels out of natural clay. They also enjoyed a

candle sorting station, a beanbag toss game that enabled the children to help the Maccabees reach the Bais Hamikdash, and printing activities that utilized potatoes to imprint Chanukah images on paper. The children were drawn to a large sensory menorah that provided them with the opportunity to touch and explore different textures. The Chanukah light museum was a particularly exciting attraction that featured numerous and varied lights, glow in the dark sticks and a “pin the candle on a glow in the dark

menorah” game. Some children embarked on a search for Chanukah gelt, while others created a unique stained glass window of Chanukah images. Face painting, pin up games, felt board activities, chalkboard fun and ball runs were also popular activities with the children. The Fun House engaged all the children’s senses as they enjoyed all the novel activities. They went home with beautiful family pictures taken against the Gan Chamesh Chanukah backdrop, which will forever memorialize the fun-filled day.

It is experiences like the Gan Chamesh Chanukah Fun House that help the children internalize the beauty and lessons of Chanukah and all the Jewish holidays, which is an essential component of the education at Gan Chamesh.

items we list off in Al Hanissim, are actually still ongoing. The battle we refer to is the battle that we fight for holiness and purity, and we thank Hashem for these battles because we are grateful that throughout all the generations we continue to fight and continue the battle we waged back then on Chanukah. It was back during the time when the miracles of Chanukah occurred that we fought assimilation and we battled against those that wanted to destroy Torah. Now, to this day, we continue throughout every generation with the mesiras nefesh that the Macabbim displayed in the time of Chanukah, knowing that if we do our part, Hashem will fight the war for us and we will emerge victorious. One lesson we can apply from this analysis of Al Hanissim is the lesson about the meaning of thanks. When a married couple thanks one another they are also admitting that they are reliant on one another. This recognition is crucial because each spouse needs the other to be a complete unit.

Taking the time out to thank each other, even for the little things, helps strengthen one’s marriage and makes each spouse feel like a needed component of the marriage unit. Each one feels that they have a role to play and are doing their part to help the marriage succeed. Let us always remember that our very act of gratitude helps us to fulfill our core role in this world and by maintaining gratitude as the core of our marriage we guarantee a path to strong shalom bayis for our marriage and entire family.

If you would like any information on Gan Chamesh, Chabad’s Early Childhood Center, please contact Susy Adler or Suzanne Wallin, the program directors, at (516) 2952479.

Five Towns Marriage Initiative The Power of Gratitude

he paragraph that we say after Al Hanissim on Chanukah ends stating, “Therefore we established these eight days of Chanukah to thank and praise Your great name.” By understanding the purpose of Chanukah we can see what lesson we can take with us for the winter months. Chanukah’s essence is to be thanking and praising Hashem. Unlike other holidays that have an additional Shemoneh Esrei prayer of Mussaf, on Chanukah we only have the additional prayer of Hallel. This enables us to focus on praising Hashem for the miracle He performed. The root of the Hebrew word for thanks has the same root as the word for admitting. We are taught that thanking someone and admitting to someone is connected. The connection lies in the fact that thanking someone requires a person to admit that they are reliant on someone else. When we thank we admit that we needed another person for something, so thanking them is a form of admitting our dependency and recognizing

our inability to do anything on our own. On Chanukah we show how we are willing to give up everything for the sake of Hashem, and it’s a holiday of mesiras nefesh. We recognize our dependence on Hashem and we admit that a world where we can’t perform Hashem’s will as the Greeks desired is not a world in which a Jewish person can survive. We thank Hashem for the miracles that He performed for us then and continues to shower upon us in our daily lives through this very day. In the Al Hanissim prayer the last stanza of the first paragraph is “and on the battles that You fought for our ancestors.” We understand that we thank Hashem for the salvations, the miracles and the redemption, but why do we thank Hashem for the battles? We learn something from the fact that the battles are placed at the end of the list. The battles are last because that is where they fit chronologically. They are last because the battles, of all the

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

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

Around the Community

At the Annual White House Chanukah Party

President Obama speaking with Lipa Schmeltzer

Joseph B. Stamm and Malcom Hoenlein

National Council of Young Israel’s Chairman of the Board Bob Levi (L) and Nat Lewin and Joseph B. Stamm 1st Vice President Yosef Poplack (R)

SKAvenger Seforim Hunt

t was a different type of Chanukah outing for the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls students in Mrs. Leah Feinberg’s 12H class. The 12Hers had a remarkable time on Thursday, December 10, when they participated in the annual SKAvenger Seforim Hunt held in the SKA Library. The opportunity to

Ezra Freidlander with Alan Gross and Judith Gross

open less well-known seforim they had never seen before along with more familiar ones was a wondrous experience for many! Girls searched for challenging references in seforim in Tanach, Torah sh’baal peh and mussar/machshava and many expressed their thanks to Mrs. Feinberg for this fun and very meaningful experience.

Sol Werdyger and Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zweibel

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Around the Community

Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz Appointed to Faculty at Beis Medrash L’Talmud, Touro’s Lander College for Men

abbi Aryeh Lebowitz was named senior Magid Shiur at Beis Medrash L’Talmud, an affiliate of Touro’s Lander College for Men, last week. “Rabbi Lebowitz is an outstanding Torah scholar and leader and we’re pleased to have him join our distinguished rabbinic faculty. We know he will contribute greatly to our dynamic and growing Beis Medrash,” said Dr. Alan Kadish, Touro’s president. Rabbi Lebowitz studied at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and received his semicha from Rav Zalman Nechemya Goldberg. He currently serves as the Mara D’Asra of Beis Haknesses of North Woodmere, a position he has held since its founding in 2004. He is a Rebbe at the Davis Renov Stahler (DRS) Yeshiva High School in Woodmere as well as Magid Shiur and program director of Yeshivat Lev Shlomo, the post-high school Beis Medrash program affiliated with the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach. “We take great pride in appointing Rabbi Lebowitz as a full time member of the esteemed rabbinic faculty of Beis Medrash L’Talmud ‐ Lander College for Men,” said HaRav Yonason Sacks, Rosh HaYeshiva. “As an accomplished talmid chacham and admired communal rabbinic leader, we are confident that he will add immeasurably to the scholarship and excellence of our Yeshiva.” Rabbi Lebowitz is an alumnus of Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh and the Sy Syms School of Business. He has published numerous articles on practical Halacha in various journals, including the Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society. His thousands of recorded shiurim on halacha, Gemara and derush have gained widespread popularity. Prior to establishing the Beis Haknesses of North Woodmere, Rabbi Lebowitz served as Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Shaaray Tefilah in

Lawrence for three years, where he headed the morning Kollel. Rabbi Lebowitz and his wife, Elana, are the proud parents of Yonah, Yisroel, Zecharia, Daniel and Chani. “It is very exciting to join Beis Medrash L’Talmud -Lander College for Men, a rapidly growing makom Torah, whose students will be leaders in the Torah community for many years to come. I look forward to working with the fantastic team of rebbeim and maggidei shiur, under the leadership of HaRav Yonason Sacks, shlita, to help our students continue to grow in Torah learning and become the type of people who will have a deep, positive and lasting impact on the future of Klal Yisrael.” According to Dr. Moshe Sokol, Dean of Touro’s Lander College for Men, “Rabbi Lebowitz has already established a reputation as one of America’s star high school rebbeim, as an outstanding Shul Rav and as a maggid shiur for thousands through his widespread shiurim. He will now have the opportunity to educate and influence older students, who have returned from studying in Israel, and thereby help shape a new generation of sophisticated, college-educated young men, future leaders of the Jewish community.”

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

Around the Community

Yeshiva Darchei Torah Chanukah Mesiba

Rav Moshe Brown, Guest Speaker

Shmuel Aron Eichorn, Mesivta bochur

Eli Yusupov, Beis Medrash bochur

Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky, Rosh Yeshiva, dancing with talmidim

Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva, dancing with talmidim

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Rabbi Ezra Max “Enlightens” Shevach Students

Chanukah Celebrations at Shulamith

hanukah 2015 was inducted into Shevach High School with a yom iyun dedicated to the idea of dveikus B’Hashem. The entire morning was spent focused on the theme. What can we do daily to connect to Hashem? What do the lights of Chanukah represent in our times? The students prepared a PowerPoint presentation that was at the same time inspirational and well-done, as it highlighted the lessons to be learned from the lights. The lights are meant to reflect outward, to the world. This is the meaning behind the shape of the windows in the Beis Hamikdash; they were narrow on the outside, but wide on the inside. So too are the Jewish people a light onto the

world, representing all that is good. Students then split up into several rooms to discuss the topic in workshops. Twelfth grade students presented their views in the workshops, with teachers’ oversight. The workshops bridged the old with the new, defining challenges young people face today in making choices they are proud of. The morning was highlighted by an address by Rabbi Ezra Max who spoke of setting standards for oneself. With personal stories of his own work with struggling youngsters, he defined what makes life worth living. The students left charged with the idea of reaching upwards and outwards as they make their way down the road of life.

n extraordinary feeling of joy permeated the halls of Shulamith as students celebrated the chag throughout the week of Chanukah. Special activities took place in classrooms, and the girls in the Middle Division davened Shacharit and Hallel together in their spacious auditorium. On Wednesday, students in grades 5 through 8 were treated to a Chanukah breakfast and watched a video by Charlie Harary in which he explained that, “a Jew fights with light.” His message of doing chesed and learning Torah resonated with students who were still talking about the video days later. On Thursday, the entire school took turns enjoying a chagigah in

the gym led by Shimi Adar of Shimi 2 Jewmba. From first graders to eighth graders, students expressed their simcha through music and movement. Shimi asked students in the Middle Division, “What did you do to make someone happy today?” The responses were varied and heartwarming, and everyone appreciated the reminder to do chesed and spread joy and light to others each day. Students in the Middle Division were delighted to host their friends from Kulanu who joined them at the chagiga. Over the years, the schools have developed a close relationship and enjoy spending time together at various events throughout the year. We look forward to hosting our friends again soon!

Standing For Israel

standing room only crowd of over 100 students attended a Tehillim Memorial Assembly for terror victims in Israel at Queens College on December 9 – including seminary student Ezra Schwartz Hy”d, recently murdered on the way to distributing food packages to Israeli soldiers at the Gush Etzion junction, and Rabbi Yaakov Don Hy”d, a seminary teacher. The event was organized by Limor Brody (2nd from left), who is also a student senator at the college. The assembly was held under the auspices of the OU-JLIC, directed by Rabbi Robby & Shoshana Charnoff (at right). Rebecca Gottesman (at left) assisted by arranging for Ezra’s roommates at Yeshiva Ashreinu, Michael Benzaken and Jason Geller (at center), to address the overflowing audience. They were in

PHOTO CREDIT: OU-JLIC PHOTO FILE

the van at the time of the terrorist attack. Ms. Brody was initially motivated to approach the Charnoffs to hold a Tehillim Assembly since Rabbi Don had been her seminary teacher at Emunah V’Omanut, ironically having taught her current events of Israel.

Planning a wedding? Read Rivki on page 142

Shulamith Middle Division eighth graders Miri Granik, Noa Harari, Rachel Sandler, and Shirley Shayesteh brought Chanukah joy to the entire school by constructing an enormous menorah. Using only cardboard boxes, duct tape, and gold spray paint, the girls created a menorah that elicited exclamations of delight. The menorah was “lit” on each day of Chanukah.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

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DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

A Night to Remember at Achiezer’s Evening of Appreciation

Eli Weiss, Dovi Wisnicki, Michael Fragin, Chanan Greenwald

his past week, on Tuesday, December 8th, the third night of Chanukah, Achiezer volunteers and board members from all walks of life joined together for the annual evening of appreciation. In recognition of Achiezer’s dedicated volunteers, this night of excitement and entertainment was a chance to thank each volunteer and celebrate Achiezer’s accomplishments as the resource for our community to turn to in their times of need. Hosted in Lawrence, adjacent to Achiezer’s offices, the event held over 150 volunteers of various ages and backgrounds, yet their differences were barely acknowledged or even noticed. The volunteers sitting together in the room were united

Yoeli Steinberg, Rabbi Boruch Ber Eli Weiss, Shalom Jaroslawicz, Moshe Ratner, Zvi Bokow, Bender Rabbi Boruch Ber Bender

under one cause, with one common goal: to better the lives of those living in our community. The diversity of their incredible volunteer work spans across a large spectrum. It includes volunteer drivers, doctors, counselors, mentors, surgeons, educational consultants, lawyers, cooks, financial advisors and coordinators, among many others. These dedicated individuals invest countless hours and much effort. They are available around the clock for members of our community – ready to come through for them in any situation. “We’re humbled by the incredible turnout,” says Rabbi Boruch Ber Bender, founder and president of Achiezer. “We want to thank each

(seated:) Shiffi & Dovid Bloom, Shlomo Zalman Gutfreund, (standing:) Chaia & Eliahu Frishman

and every one of our dedicated volunteers for helping Achiezer in our mission to be there for our community. Without them, we would not be able to accomplish even one iota of what we do.” It was a truly inspirational night that will forever remain in the hearts of those who attended. The special volunteers were addressed by Rabbi Boruch Ber Bender, President of Achiezer. He spoke, among other things, of the tremendous value of Achiezer’s work. He noted its outstanding team of volunteers and devoted board members and the impact of their contributions. John Pizzi, master ventriloquist and comedian, entertained the guests and kept them laughing and having a great time throughout the

evening. A special thanks goes to Scott Fagan of Traditions for sponsoring the very generous fleishig buffet & dessert spread and Moshe Ratner and Yoeli Steinberg of Gourmet Glatt of Cedarhurst for the beautiful sushi spread. It was a festive evening, where the vast network of Achiezer volunteers had the chance to spend time connecting with each other. The celebration of this life-saving and life-altering organization’s accomplishments and tribute to its volunteers was a sight to behold; a recognition of the tremendous work done by the community, for the community.

Moshe Schreiber, Nachum Wolf, Yossi Klein, Rabbi Boruch Ber Bender, Menachem Pollack, Aaron Solomon, Meir Glenn

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

Around the Community

MAY Chanukah Mesiba

esivta Ateres Yaakov held its annual yeshiva-wide Chanuka Mesiba on Wednesday, the third day of the chag. The event combined limud haTorah with exciting, fun, ruach-filled, student-centered activities. This celebration was in addition to talmidim enjoying individual shiur mesibos, hosted by their rabbeim throughout Chanukah. Following a morning of learning, the yeshiva’s nearly 200 talmidim came together for a special buffet lunch of many fried and oily delicacies, and inspiring Chanukah divrei Torah by senior Shimmy Weiss and Yeshiva Gedolah Ra”m, Rabbi Yisroel Gold. Talmidim then eagerly competed with each other – grade versus grade – in an intense, entertaining and challenging game of “Wheel of Chanukah,” hosted by Rabbi Tsvi Greenfield, Director of Student Activities, and Rabbi Yossi Bennett, Assistant Menahel. The

competition challenged the talmidim’s knowledge in various areas of Chanukah and MAY trivia. The enthusiasm was palpable and tension rose as freshmen and sophomores challenged the older juniors and seniors. However, sage age triumphed. When the dust settled, the twelfth grade emerged victorious and, as a reward, will enjoy a free breakfast during the

school’s upcoming annual mid-winter ski trip. However, the excitement and fun was only just beginning! What ensued was an “electrifying” event. The live musical entertainment drew the crowd onto the dance floor where talmidim and rebbeim broke out into spirited and leibudik dancing. Walls were shaking, and tables rattling, as

talmidim embraced the departing ruchniyus of the yom tov. “Our talmidim learn and work hard,” commented the Menahel Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe, “but ruach-filled events such as these are important to building a well-rounded ben Torah, and they energize us all to redouble our efforts.”

Chanukah at DRS

Two shiurim enjoying time at the Rebbe’s houses

hanukah is always a spirited time in DRS. There is always an incredible amount of activity going on throughout the holiday. DRS takes great pride in the relationships that are fostered between rabbeim and students. The relationship lasts way beyond the classroom, and it is not uncommon for rabbeim to have students in their homes for Shabbos meals, tishes, or Gemara review sessions. Chanukah provides another opportunity for rabbeim to invite their entire shiur over for a night of singing, divrei Torah, games, and of

course great food. Some shiurim had lavish breakfasts at their rabbeim’s houses, while others had lively pizza parties, Carlos & Gabby’s fests, or Holy Schnitzel parties. Whatever the menu, Chanukah gives a chance for rabbeim and talmidim to further strengthen the close bonds between them. Sure, Chanukah carries with it a lot of excitement and opportunities for fun times, but Chanukah is also a crucial time for chessed. Every Chanukah, our students visit various nursing homes and elderly programs in order to bring some of that great Chanukah spirit to

Freshmen Alex Lyons attempting his “over the class” dunk at the DRS Slam Dunk Competition

the residents there. Rabbi Wolf’s and Rabbi Fleksher’s shiurim entertained the crowd at the Nautilus Assisted Living Home with song and dancing, while Rabbi Friedman and Rabbi Farber brought joy to the elderly program at the Five Towns Chabad with their bongos, guitar, harmonica, and a group of eager and energized students. And what better way to release the Chanukah energy than at a shiur vs. shiur slam dunk competition! Shiurim spent time last week crafting three original, creative dunks. A winning shiur from each grade advanced to the

semi-finals, where they competed for the coveted “best dunk” prize. Dunks with trampolines, unicycles, backflips, and costumes were presented in front of the wild crowd in the greenhouse. It’s become an annual tradition in DRS: the Student vs. Faculty Basketball Game on Chanukah. Of course with a championship material Varsity Basketball team and an aging group of rabbeim, the students had this game in their favor. But the rabbeim tied the game up in the last minute of the game for the first time in the game’s history!

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

Around the Community

Empowering Teachers, Empowering Parents: Changing Lives at Gesher

“I

f they don’t learn the way that we teach, then we need to teach the way that they learn.” This is one of the many quotes and expressions that adorn the walls in the Gesher Early Childhood Center. The constant reminders to stay true to the pedagogical approach articulated by Shlomo Hamelech, Chanoch l’naar al pi darcho, is a small part of the work done by Mrs. Dahlia Weiss, Director of Student Support at Gesher and a highly sought after Speech Pathologist in the local area. Mrs. Weiss joined the Gesher staff last year, after having worked as a related service provider assigned to students at Gesher. She recognized the innovative approach that Gesher offered to students whose learning styles demanded more individualized planning. By joining the Gesher team she was able to add her multi-dimensional experiences and training to further enhance the programming. “Not every child learns the same way. It is our responsibility to find a way to reach every single one of them”, says Mrs. Weiss. As part of that effort, Mrs. Weiss plays a pivotal role in bringing in outside resources to best help the children. On the first day of the Chanukah vacation, the Gesher staff was treated to a very special half-day work-

shop geared to empower them with tools to better educate all of their students. The focus of the workshop was on children with impulsive tendencies. Practical strategies were offered and many real examples were examined. Additionally, the staff was guided in how to better support the parents of children with these behaviors. The staff was extremely appreciative of their new training and profusely thanked the instructor as well as the administration for providing the in-

Rabbi Cutler Spends Shabbos in Woodmere

his Shabbos, Parshas Vayigash, December 18-19, Congregation Bais Tefilah of Woodmere will welcome Rabbi Ari Cutler, MSW, as a scholar-in-residence. Rabbi Cutler is a rebbe in Yeshivat Hakotel and is the founder and director of the Yeshivat Hakotel Leadership Program, which provides young men with mentoring and practical experience in community and youth leadership. Rabbi Cutler is known for his passionate and engaging sichot and shiurim and we will have the privilege of hearing from him several times over the course of Shabbos. On Fri-

day night between Kabbalas Shabbos and Maariv he will speak on the topic, “Talmud Torah and Arevus.” On Friday night there will be an oneg at the shul at 7:30 pm and Rabbi Cutler will address the topic, “A Loaded Discussion: Entering Har Habayit.” On Shabbos morning Rabbi Cutler will deliver a parsha shiur at 8:30 am on the topic, “Seeing is Believing.” His shiur on Shabbos afternoon will be at 3:25 pm on the topic, “Yerushalayim and Kibbud Av V’aim.” Finally, he will address the shul during seudah shlishis on the topic, “Sefer Bereishit: Lessons in Sanctity of Place.”

struction. The workshop was delivered by Cindy Goldrich, ED. M., ACAC, founder of the Pathways To Success Coaching program. Mrs. Goldrich’s is a graduate of the Masters program at Columbia University. Her main focus is children who exhibit ADHD type behaviors. Mrs. Goldrich travels all over the country as a featured presenter for PESI, providers of professional development and continuing education in the fields of Education and Related Services. She is the creator of the nationally offered Calm and Connected series of workshops and is an acclaimed author as well. In a follow up conversation, Mrs. Goldrich expressed how impressed she was with the dedication and insight of the Gesher faculty. That sentiment can be expected to be repeated as Gesher teams with her again. “We recognize that many parents, across the entire community, would benefit from the tools offered at such a workshop, to better help their children in the home atmosphere,” said Mrs. Weiss. Consistent with its goal of producing the ideal learning environment for all children, Gesher has arranged for Mrs. Goldrich to present a parent workshop for the entire community this coming Tuesday

evening, December 22nd. The class is entitled “The Impact of Mindset on Learning” and will offer practical strategies to help a child succeed as a learner in all situations. The workshop will be held from 8-9:30 pm at the Gesher Early Childhood Center, 650 Broadway in Cedarhurst. There is no cost to attend and all are encouraged to participate. Gesher will be initiating other continuing education courses in the near future for parents, educators, and related service providers. For more information about this or other classes, please contact workshops@gesher-ecc.org or call 516730-7377.

The Crooks at the IRS Page 140

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Gad Elbaz Fires up the Five Towns

Gad Elbaz with Esther Wein and members of the Five Towns Kesher Yehudi committee

By Tammy Mark

ast Thursday evening as the candles were burning for the fifth night of Chanukah, Israeli superstar singer Gad Elbaz lit up the night with an exceptional and intimate performance in the Five Towns. In a week packed full of Chanukah events and festivities, this particular event made a special impact on the community. Organized by Rebbetzin Esther Wein, the concert event was the kickoff for the first American branch of the Kesher Yehudi initiative. Kesher Yehudi is an Israeli-based organization created to bridge the cultural and religious divide between the charedi ultra-orthodox and secular chiloni groups. A huge success in Israel, the program is being established now in

the Five Towns in hopes of bringing together the area’s large Orthodox population and significant Israeli population. Held at North Woodmere’s Congregation Ohr Torah, the audience of 350 included men, women and children of all ages and affiliations. The event opened with menorah lighting by Ohr Torah’s Rabbi Eliyahu. The excitement swelled in the ballroom as guests eagerly awaited Elbaz, the electrifying singer behind some of today’s most beloved songs. With his Chanukah week full of shows, Elbaz had just landed from a concert in Argentina, sandwiched between stops in LA and New York City. Though accustomed to performing for large crowds, Elbaz embraced the intimate venue and took the opportunity to share his personal journey and

PHOTO CREDIT: UZIEL PHOTOGRAPHY

Rabbi Eliyahu lighting the menorah

relay the numerous incidents throughout his life that reinforced his connection with Judaism. Elbaz began with an emotional story from his youth when he had been unconscious after a fall. As his father held the lifeless boy, he prayed to G-d, vowing to become Observant if his son would be saved. Young Gad woke up and recovered, and his father remains committed to Judaism. Elbaz himself kept a connection, but it was later occurrences during his teens and twenties that led him and his wife to their current observant life. One shocking incident included being spared from the 2014 terrorist takeover at the Lindt café in Australia where he had been sitting just moments before. Elbaz shared several stories from his professional journey and how he credits his career to sparks of Divine

intervention. He shared anecdotes with the audience between sets of soulful and upbeat songs, bringing the crowd alternately to tears and to their feet, and reinforcing the ultimate purpose of the evening with each word and musical note. Meeting Jews from all walks of life through his touring, Elbaz emphasized to the crowd the importance of loving every Jew. The evening concluded with Elbaz sharing the mic and singing with the youngest children, and speaking with his admiring fans who were clearly moved from his stories. Founded by Tzili Schneider with the goal of creating unity among the diverse groups of Jews in Israel, the Kesher Yehudi program pairs up volunteers for one-on-one Torah learning. The partners decide together how and what to learn, and ultimately form connections that evolve into true friendships. There have been five thousand successful pairings in Israel to date. Rebbetzin Wein and Tania Hammer will oversee the New York program, with Anita Koren heading up the Five Towns branch, assisted by a local Kesher Yehudi committee to tailor the program to the specific needs of the community members. For more information about the Five Towns Kesher Yehudi initiative, contact 5Tkesheryehudi@gmail.com.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

Kehilas Aish Kodesh is honored to welcome

‫כ״ק אדמו״ר הרה״ק מקאלוב שליט״א‬

The Kalever Rebbe shlita World-renowned for his advice and brachos.

The Rebbe’s holy life-mission overrides his current physical limitations, and will be sharing his valuable time seeing individuals and families at our Shul

Sunday, December 27th 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

For information please call 917-407-0236 (No appointments necessary) Kehilas Aish Kodesh 894 Woodmere Place Woodmere, NY 11598

86 58

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

TJH !

Centerfold

You gotta be

kidding

One day, Yankel slipped on ice and hurt his legs. Hatzalah arrived and took him in the ambulance. They put a pillow under his head and a blanket over his stomach. The kind paramedic then asked him, “Sir, are you comfortable?” Yankel looked up and said, “Vell, I make a living!”

Riddle me

this?

A 6-foot long horse is attached to a 24-foot chain and wants an apple that is 42-feet away. How can the horse get to the apple? See answer on next page

Diet Rules to Follow Now that the sufganiot (all 38 of them) are behind you (or shall I say on you), here are some diet tips to shed those pounds (so that you can be once again indulge in ridiculous amounts of donut eating):  If you drink a diet soda with a candy bar, the calories in the candy bar are cancelled out by the diet soda.  If you eat something and no one sees you eat it, it has no calories.  When you eat with someone else, calories don’t count if you don’t eat more than they do.  Food used for medicinal purposes never count, such as hot chocolate, brandy, toast and HaagenDazs ice cream.  If you fatten up everyone else around you, you look thinner.  Cookie pieces contain no fat – the process of breaking causes fat leakage.  Things licked off knives and spoons have no calories if you are in the process of preparing something. Examples are peanut butter on a knife making a sandwich and ice cream on a spoon making a sundae.

 Foods that have the same color have the same number of calories. Examples are: spinach and pistachio ice cream; mushrooms and white chocolate.  Foods that are frozen have no calories because calories are units of heat. Examples are ice cream, frozen pies, and Popsicles.  If you eat really fast, your body may forget to register the calories.  If it’s whole grain, it’s a “freebie.” That means you can eat unlimited whole grain rice, bread, cookies, etc. In fact, it’s healthy for you. And if it’s gluten-free, forget about it—it is healthier than yoga!  If you eat the food off someone else’s plate, it doesn’t count.  A balanced diet means holding a cupcake in each hand.  Eat whatever you want on Shabbos (translation: Thursday night to Sunday night). After all, it’s only one day.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

EVERYTHING December Everything December

Down

1. Propels the U.S. into WWII

2. These brothers finally get it right in 1903 and take off

4 5 6

4. Every worker hopes for one this month 6. Ben’s book about weather predictions, humor, proverbs, etc.

7 8

8. Impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice 9. Completely deaf by the time he wrote his Ninth Symphony

10. Alcoholic beverages outlawed in the U.S.

13 14

13. First 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution

15. African-American woman sparks Civil Rights movement in Alabama when she refuses to go to the back of the bus

Across 3. Many will get eaten this month

5. Currency of European Union

16. Despite his foreign last name, ______________ van Buren is 1st U.S. president born in the U.S. 17. This once powerful republic breaks apart on December 8, 1991

Across 3. Many will get eaten this month 5. Currency of European Union 7. Tea overboard in Boston Harbor 11. Winter begins 12. Third span across the East River in NY

Answer to riddle: The chain is not attached to anything other than the horse

14. First state to adopt the Constitution

Down 1. Propels the U.S. into WWII 2. These brothers finally get it right in 1903 and take off 4. Every worker hopes for one this month 6. Ben’s book about weather predictions, 7. Boston Tea Party 11. Winter Solstice 12. Manhattan Bridge 14. Delaware 16. Martin 17. USSR

12. Third span across the East River in NY City opens to traffic in 1910

10. Prohibition 13. Bill of Rights 15. Rosa Parks Across: 3. Jelly Donuts 5. Euro

11. Winter begins

Down: 1. Pearl Harbor 2. Wright 4. Bonus 6. Poor Richards Almanac 8. Bill Clinton 9. Beethoven

7. Tea overboard in Boston Harbor

87 59

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Torah Thought

Parshas Vayigash By Rabbi Berel Wein

he opening verses of this week’s Torah reading are among the most dramatic and challenging in the entire Torah. Two great, powerful personalities in the house of the children of Yaakov, Yehudah and Yosef, engage in a clash and debate of epic proportions regarding the release of their brother Binyamin.

What gives both Yehudah and Yosef troubling pause in the midst of their impassioned debate is the question as to what their father thinks of their words and their actions.

At first glance it seems obvious that Yosef has the upper hand in his struggle. After all, he is the viceroy of Egypt, the commander of the palace guard who are armed and ready to do his bidding. On the other hand, Yehudah has very limited options as to what to say and what to do in order to obtain the release of Binyamin. Yosef’s position of power appears to prevail but the impassioned plea and tone and contents of the words of Yehudah are not to be easily ignored. So in a sense one could say that

Yehudah will himself prevail over Yosef. But in a clear analysis one should come to the conclusion that neither of the two great antagonists, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, is the victor in this clash of ideas and worldview. The true champion that will emerge from this entire baffling and fascinating story is Yaakov, seemingly isolated back there in the land of Canaan, mourning and despondent as to what has happened to his family. In anguish, he shouts: “Yosef is no more, Shimon is no more; both of them will be lost to me!” It is that image of their father that haunts both Yehudah and Yosef. And each, in his own way, wishes to do justice to their father and to everything that he represents. And it is this image of Yaakov that brings Yosef to the climax of the story and to his ability, nay, necessity to reveal and reconcile himself with his brothers. Jewish rabbinic thought over the ages has always attempted to make the story of Yosef and Yehudah relevant to each individual generation of Jews. I think that the most relevant message that all of us can gain from this great narrative is that it is the image of our ancient father Yaakov that truly hovers over all of our current struggles. It is our task, not merely to win the debate with our other brothers or even with outside powers that are seemingly stronger and greater than we are, but rather to somehow remain faithful to the old man that we can no longer see but who is somehow always with us. What gives both Yehudah and Yosef troubling pause in the midst of their

impassioned debate is the question as to what their father thinks of their words and their actions. It is this unseen presence of Yaakov that drives the brothers to reconciliation and to restoring a common purpose in their lives and those of their families. In effect they are thinking: “What would our father think of this conversation and of this confrontation?” Father Yaakov has looked down at all of the generations of the Jewish

people and in one way or another, every generation has been forced to ask itself what would Yaakov think of us, our words and our behavior. It is that ever-present idea in Jewish life that has been an aid and a boon to our seemingly miraculous survival as a people and as a faith. We may not see him but we can be certain that he is there with us today as well. Shabbat shalom.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Torah Shmuz

Parshas Vayigash What is Your Currency? By R’ Ben Tzion Shafier

or 22 years Yaakov Avinu was in a state of mourning. His beloved son, the one who most closely followed in his ways, the one whom he envisioned as the leader of the next generation, had been taken from him while still a youth. For all those years Yaakov was inconsol-

able. Now the brothers came back with the news, “Yosef is still alive!” At first Yaakov could not believe it — it just couldn’t be. The brothers convinced him that it was true by showing him the wagons that Yosef had sent. Rashi explains that the wagons

were actually a code. The last sugyiah (Torah issue) that Yosef had been learning with his father was Eglah Arufah, a calf that is killed as an atonement. The Hebrew word egel, or calf, is similar to eglah, which means wagon. Yosef was using a play on words to refer back to the last issue that they were discussing in their Torah studies. Once Yaakov saw the wagons, his mind was taken back to their last Torah discussion, and he knew that Yosef was alive. “Egel / Eglah. Our last Torah conversation. . . No one else could have known this. It’s a clear sign it must be Yosef. He is still alive!” The problem with this Rashi is that it is difficult to imagine that Yosef would expect his father to vividly recall a conversation that they had 22 years before. Even if Yosef had sent back a clear message, “Abba, do you remember the last time we spoke in learning? It was about the Eglah Arufa,” it would be difficult to imagine that Yaakov would remember a conversation that far back. But that isn’t what Yosef did. He sent wagons as a cryptic hint to remind Yaakov of the Eglah Arufa. Why did Yosef assume that his father would recall their conversation? And how, in fact, did Yaakov make the connection? The answer to this question lies in understanding the significance of certain events.

WHERE WERE YOU WHEN KENNEDY DIED?

Each generation has its defining moments. If you ask people who grew up in America in the 1960’s where they were when Kennedy was shot, many will be able to describe not only the where they were standing when they heard the news, but even the details of the wallpaper of the room they were in. In more recent times, if you ask someone, “Where were you on 9/11?” many people will vividly recall the exact part of the office they were standing in and who they were talking to when they heard about the Twin Towers going down. The same person, who can’t recall what he had for breakfast yesterday, can clearly recall an event that happened long ago.

The reason for this is that certain events make an indelible impression upon us. Because of their significance and deep meaning, they become permanently etched into our minds. If we didn’t understand the implications of the moment or if we didn’t view them as monumental, they would pass as any other of millions of events that we live through. Because we see these events as world-changing, as moments in history, they become part of us forever.

One of the secrets to the Avos’ success was their clarity in values. They knew what was truly precious and how valuable it was.

This seems to be the answer to this Rashi. The Avos lived with a very different value system than we do. To them, their words of Torah and novel understandings of it were earth-shattering. Because they understood the value of Torah and the change that it brought to them and to the world they lived in, they recognized learning as one of the most significant things a human can ever engage in. And so, they lived those Torah discussions as epic moments in time. For that reason, the sugyiah they last discussed was ever-present on Yaakov’s mind. It wasn’t just another detail in his day; it was a defining moment. That is why Yosef took it as a given that one of the first things that his father would think about when recalling him was their last Torah discussion — that of Eglah Arufah — and so the play on words would not be distant from his mind. One of the secrets to the Avos’ success was their clarity in values. They knew what was truly precious and

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

how valuable it was. This concept has great relevance to us in the sense that most human beings live with an ever-changing system of values, and because of this, they never attain their potential.

A YELLOW BELT IN FIVE STYLES

A mashal to this would be the story of a young man who set out to study martial arts. As a sixth grader, he went to a karate school and learned the stances, kicks, and punches. When he took his test for the yellow belt (the first rank), he passed. But as things worked out, his family moved to a different city, and in that city the only karate school he could find practiced a different style. So he began again from the basics with new stances, kicks, and punches. Again he progressed and took his yellow belt test — now in the new style — and passed.

Soon the time came for him to go away to yeshiva. Again, in that city the only karate school he could find was in a third style, so again, he began from the basics with the new stances, kicks, and punches. And in this style as well, he was awarded a yellow belt. In tenth grade, he switched yeshivas and began the same process again. At the end of five years of training, the young man had attained the rank of yellow belt in five styles – a beginner! Had he spent the same amount of time and effort in one style, he would have attained the rank of black belt – a master. It wasn’t that he wasn’t diligent, and it wasn’t that he didn’t apply himself, but because his focus was changed and he had to begin again from the beginning each time, his advancement was stymied. At the end of it, he hadn’t reached any high rank. This is a powerful mashal to our lives. Most of our lives are spent with

changing priorities – that which is so important at one stage becomes insignificant at another.

CHANGING CURRENCY

To a young boy growing up in America, sports are king. That what really counts in his world. But that doesn’t last; it is soon replaced by friends and being popular. As he matures, grades and what college he gets into become the measure of success. Within a short while, his career and making money are all that really matters. Yet this stage also passes, and shortly he will trade away huge amounts of his wealth to build his reputation. As he nears retirement, his health and his future nursing home become his primary concern. Throughout his existence, that which was precious and coveted at one stage becomes devalued and traded away as new priorities take over. The currency is constantly changing. While at each stage of life,

he may have done well, in the totality of what he accomplished, it may not be much. He became a yellow belt in five styles. When we leave this earth, we will clearly view everything that we did through a different looking glass. The currency then will be different than it is now. The Avos lived their lives with Olam Habah currency firmly in place, and that value system motivated them in everything that they did. The more that a person shapes his currency on values that are immortal and truly valuable, the more he can attain greatness and shape his destiny.

Rabbi Shafier is the founder of the Shmuz.com. The Shmuz is an engaging, motivating shiur that deals with real life issues. All of the Shmuzin are available free of chaarge at the www.theShmuz. com or on the Shmuz app for iPhone or Android.

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Between the Lines

Foresight is 20/20 By Eytan Kobre

When a finger points at the moon, the imbecile looks at the finger. —Confucius

When he took over the helm of GE, Welch made a long-range strategic decision: either GE would be first or second in every given market it entered, or it would abandon that market altogether. This approach was not without its detractors, and it was a gut-wrenching change for GE since many longtime GE divisions and components would be jettisoned. But Welch was confident that, with time, his vision would pay dividends, foreseeing a marketplace that would never reward third- or fourthplace finishers. As a result of Welch’s vision, GE became the gold standard

ack Welch was among the most prominent CEOs of the last century. For the uninitiated, Welch is the former CEO of General Electric, a role he assumed in 1981 and held until his retirement in 2001. Welch was candid, pulled no punches, and encouraged his companies to do the same. He was all about winning.

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for American corporations, and Welch still is revered as a far-sighted captain of industry. All this, because of foresight. Yaakov Avinu was also a master of foresight. Upon hearing that Yosef was alive, Yaakov and his family gathered their possessions and descended to Egypt, but not before Yaakov sent Yehuda ahead “to make preparations before him to Goshen” (Bereishis 46:28)—to arrange either housing or a place where Yaakov could transmit his tradition and teachings to his children and grandchildren (Bereishis Rabba 95:3). But surely Yaakov could have waited until he arrived in Egypt before establishing a homestead and a place to learn Torah. So why the rush? Long before arriving in Egypt, Yaakov justifiably was concerned about what life there would mean for his progeny. He would have none of coming to Egypt only to begin looking for a suitable place to transmit that which had been passed down to him by his father and grandfather; he wanted a place of Torah learning founded, up and running before he arrived. He also would not leave to chance the location of the neighborhood that he and his descendants would call home for the next 210 years, nor was he content with coming to Egypt only to learn that Paroah relegated his family to some Nile-bowing, sheep-worshipping neighborhood. So, whether to build a house or a place of Torah learning, Yaakov sent Yehuda ahead to settle

pastureland far from the corrosive mores and influences of Egyptian culture (Bereishis 46:28). It was this foresight that paved the way for the future retention of Jewish names, dress, and language—and which, ultimately, was the recipe for redemption. The Torah time and again reaffirms the vital importance of foresight. “Who is the wise one? The one who sees that which is not yet born” (Tamid 32a). When R’ Yochanan ben Zakai asked his five primary disciples to pinpoint the ideal life-path, R’ Shimon responded that foresight is the most worthy trait; conversely, when asked to identify the trait to be avoided most, R’ Shimon answered that it is one who borrows money without the ability to repay, presumably because such a person lacks foresight (Avos 2:9). Indeed, “the wise person’s eyes are in his head” (Koheles 2:14). Everyone has eyes. Eyes are always located in the head. But not everyone uses those eyes to look ahead, i.e., to anticipate future outcomes and to act accordingly. Nachum Ish Gamzu was travelling once when a poor person begged him for some food. Nachum Ish Gamzu obliged, and he told the beggar to wait while he unloaded his donkey and accessed the food. But while doing so, as misfortune would have it, the beggar collapsed and died of starvation. Nachum Ish Gamzu felt responsible for the man’s death and took upon himself brutal self-inflicted sufferings as a result (Taanis 21a). To be sure, it was admirable for

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

Nachum Ish Gamzu to assume responsibility for the man’s death. But it’s difficult to understand how he was responsible. After all, he agreed to feed the poor man, and it does not appear that there was any undue delay in attempting to do so. Yet the

encounter a poor, starving person. An exacting standard, but one he failed to meet. Foresight is not about prophecy or clairvoyance. Those are concerned with divining the future. But

To those with foresight, the past, present, and future are all bound together, such that past experiences steer present actions into future outcomes

Alter of Kelm sees in this episode not insufficient concern or lack of zeal, but a lack of foresight. Nachum Ish Gamzu’s error (if we can call it that) was that he failed to prepare immediately-accessible food before embarking on a journey where he might

foresight is not about the future; it is about the present. It is about how the choices we make today influence— perhaps even dictate—what happens tomorrow. And we are to tailor our present-day conduct accordingly. One with foresight sees life events

as a rope that has no real beginning or end to speak of (Yerushalmi, Sota 8:10)—shake one end and the other shakes along with it. So we commend not the one not who sees “the future,” but the one who sees “that which has yet to be born.” To those with foresight, the past, present, and future are all bound together, such that past experiences steer present actions into future outcomes (Chasam Sofer, Nedarim 30b). Or, as Thomas Jefferson put it, “History, by apprizing [people] of the past, will enable them to judge of the future; it will avail them of the experience of other times and other nations.” At its core, genuine foresight is about seeing and acting upon that which has not yet come to fruition. So it is not enough to merely know, intellectually, the expected outcomes of our actions—we must see them before us as if they are in the here and now (see Ohr Yahel, Vol. 3; Lev Eliyahu, Shemos 28:3). And it’s not difficult to understand why this

sort of foresight is among the greatest of human capabilities (see Meiri, Avos 2:9). Just contemplate how many inconsiderate, uncomfortable, inappropriate situations and predicaments could be avoided simply by considering and gauging the consequences of our actions. It is said that hindsight is 20/20 vision, the idea being that things become crystal clear in retrospect. But, as Yaakov demonstrated, we need not wait until after some grievous error or ghastly faux pas before seeing things clearly. Hindsight merely explains the harm that foresight might have prevented. So it is foresight—perhaps even more than hindsight—that truly is 20/20 vision.

Eytan Kobre is a writer, speaker, mediator, and attorney living in Kew Gardens Hills with his wife and children. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail eakobre@outlook.com.

DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

The Observant Jew

An Eye for an I By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

There’s a famous expression from the Kotzker Rebbe. He said, “If I am I because you are you, and you are you because I am I, then I am not I and you are not you. But, if I am I because I am I and you are you because you are you, then I am I and you are you.”

t sounds cyclical but its message is very deep. Essentially, if we live our lives being who others want us to be, we will miss out on being who Hashem intended us to be. Though we use public opinion as a tool to keep us on the straight and narrow, that doesn’t mean we have to do everything “they” want us to. A friend approached me with a dilemma. He’s a very friendly, outgoing fellow, and he has a tremendous passion for Torah. He exudes enthusiasm and warmth but he’s challenged by the fact that some people, especial-

ly wealthy ones, give his efforts a chilly response. He confided that he doesn’t feel comfortable anywhere. Being originally from a different part of the country, the aloofness of those in the New York area is foreign to him and hard to deal with. I don’t claim to be a psychologist but as he spoke, I felt the answer coming to me. “Listen,” I told him, “you have an amazing gift. Your passion is enviable and your Torah is more valuable than all the money those people have. As Albert Einstein said, ‘Some people are so poor all they have is money.’ [He had never heard that before and really liked the message.] What you need to focus on is being yourself. Tell someone a dvar Torah after davening, share a Jewish thought, be smiling and friendly. They’ll start to respect that and appreciate it. And if they don’t? That’s their loss.” A perfect example? That very afternoon I was in a pizza shop. The young man working behind the counter took my order, and then asked me, “So what’s the vort for today?” Now, I don’t know how many of you get that kind of question from your server, but when you build up a reputation for

sharing Torah thoughts, and you do it by sharing them despite funny looks and smirks, eventually the people realize you’re genuine and they start to look forward to it. That’s what I do, but you may do something different. Some people are outgoing and welcome people with a big Shalom Aleichem when they meet them. There are people who host guests for Shabbos and others who drive people to the hospital to visit loved ones. Then, there are people who are great with their kids, who tip service workers well, or do something else that is special. It really doesn’t matter what it is, but each of us has a special skillset and a unique perspective on life and we need to focus on seeing who we truly are meant to be. We have to have an eye for the “I” that each of us can be. I’m reminded of the story of a certain gadol in Israel who was speaking to a younger man. When the youngster mentioned the name of a particularly antagonistic member of the Israeli government, he said, “Yemach shemo – May his name be blotted out.” The Sage replied, “And if he died without children, the Torah would still require his

brother to marry the widow to uphold the man’s name and memory. [Even though this is not practiced today due to Rabbinic decree.]

and deserve respect because they too have a special mission that may be unknown to us, but not unknown to HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

That very afternoon I was in a pizza shop. The young man working behind the counter took my order, and then asked me, “So what’s the vort for today?”

That means Hashem thinks his name should be remembered. Who are you to argue with that?” It’s the next step in the process. We are first to figure out who we are and who we are meant to be. We need to be true to how Hashem created us, being ourselves, and utilizing the talents, gifts, and circumstances in which we find ourselves. We have to seek out our true identities, not those thrust on us by the opinions of others. Then, we have to start to acknowledge and appreciate that there are unique qualities in others and determine that they are special

When we do that, then I will be I, and you will be you.

Jonathan Gewirtz is an inspirational writer and speaker whose work has appeared in publications around the world. You can find him at www. facebook.com/RabbiGewirtz and follow him on Twitter @ RabbiJGewirtz. He also operates JewishSpeechWriter.com, where you can order a custom-made speech for your next special occasion. Sign up for the Migdal Ohr, his weekly PDF Dvar Torah in English. E-mail info@JewishSpeechWriter.com and put Subscribe in the subject.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

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They Light Up the World From Aruba to Anchorage, Alaska, These Women Bring Yiddishkeit to Jews All Over By Malky Lowinger

To most of us, Chabad shluchim are an enigma. We can’t imagine what it must be like to live in the outermost reaches of the world as committed Jews who are on a mission to help others. On the other hand, they are the very first people we turn to when we find ourselves stranded in unchartered territory.

s impressive as the shluchim are, their wives, the shluchos, are perhaps even more amazing. Idealistically – and literally – they follow their husbands to the ends of the earth. There, they deal with the logistics of feeding tens (sometimes hundreds) of guests every Shabbos in areas where kosher food is difficult to come by. They live with the realities of raising large families in an environment where the lifestyle and culture are alien to them. They are constantly on call, serving as teachers, educators, and role models. All too often, their efforts are undervalued and unappreciated. As far as they are concerned, they wouldn’t have it any other way. They consider it an honor and a priv-

ilege to serve the Jewish communities they live in. They light up the world with their candle lighting and their challah baking and their aleph bais classes. But most of all, they light up the world by just being there.

THE POWER OF A BABKA CAKE

Rivky Gurevitch grew up in Crown Heights, but is now living as a shlucha in Eugene, Oregon, with her husband and twin baby girls. Shlichus was always part of the culture in her home. “We grew up surrounded by the shlichus mindset,” she says. Ever since she can remember, her family hosted shluchim and guests on a regular basis. And when they moved to a larger home, Rivky remembers her father saying, “This house is not

ours. This house belongs to the shluchim. When they leave, we can use it.” That attitude, plus her Chabad education, convinced Rivky that shlichus was a privilege she wanted to undertake. When she dated her husband, she says, “We both agreed that we would, come what may, go on shlichus no matter what the challenges.” Then, an opportunity presented itself in Eugene, and the Gurevitches decided to check it out. “We used our wedding money to travel there and meet the community, as well as the students at the local University of Oregon.” The closest shluchim who live nearby? The Perlstein family in Salem, Oregon, about an hour away. Shlichus, says Rivky, is not a part-time job. “We de-

Chanukah packages in Eugene, Oregon

vote every part of our lives to it. While I’m feeding my girls, I’m thinking about our next program. We never close up shop. Everyone here has our cell numbers and we are reachable at all times.” Erev Shabbos is hectic at the Gurevitch household. “Generally, I start cooking on Thursday afternoon,” Rivky relates. “Students will come over to help cook and babysit but I usually don’t have time to sit down before the Shabbos meal. I go straight from preparing

and cooking to serving and entertaining.” She adds, “As hard as it gets, I love every second of it.” Opportunities to reach out to fellow Jews present themselves at any time. “My husband walked into Trader Joe’s to buy a babka cake,” says Rivky. “A woman nearby asked him where he found it in the store and he then asked her if she was Jewish.” They traded phone numbers and that lady is now thrilled to be involved in various Chabad activities. ”Never underestimate the

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Lighting the menorah in New Orleans, Louisiana

power of a babka cake!” It’s challenging, Rivky admits, to live so far away from family and friends. But “when students tell us that our home is their home away from home, when we develop such strong and close relationships, that makes it all worthwhile.”

“WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?!”

Frumie Posner has been living as a shlucha in Birmingham, Alabama, for the past twenty eight years. Back then, when a couple went on shlichus, they were given a bracha by the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Frumie and her husband arrived in Birmingham with two little babies and eventually their six other children were born there. Her Israeli-born husband came to Birmingham without even knowing English. “But he’s a very hartzige guy,” says Frumie. And he successfully communicated through his warmth and energy. “Today, of course, he speaks English fluently.” Frumie teaches in the local Jewish school, takes care of the Chabad mikvah, does taharas when necessary, and welcomes new families to the area. There’s a university hospital nearby and occasionally they will host patient’s families. The Posners are not alone in Birmingham. After a few years, they hired another couple to work with them

on shlichus, Rabbi Yossi and Miriam Friedman. And to Frumie’s delight, one of her married daughters recently moved back to Birmingham to run a Friendship Circle, an organization that pairs teens with special needs children. Cholov yisroel milk and kosher food products are delivered from Florida via refrigerated truck every few months, and Frumie says that’s how they fill up their huge walk-in freezer at the Chabad house. The system works well most of the time. “We sometimes run out of milk,” she concedes, “and we learn to do without cheese and yogurt if we have to.” When her children were growing up, Frumie says, she explained to them very clearly what they can or cannot eat in other children’s homes. “It’s not awkward,” she insists. “My kids are not afraid to say, ‘I can’t have that’. And most people really respect us for this.” Some moms, Frumie points out, are totally understanding. “One woman asked if she could bake her child’s birthday cake in our home so that our daughter can eat it at the party. “ As a mother, Frumie says the most challenging part of shlichus is when you have to send young children away to school. When you put your children on a plane at a young age, “it’s a real tear jerker.” Still, she says, “the Rebbe taught us that

when we take care of the Aibishter’s children, He will take care of ours.” That particular challenge has eased significantly with the advent of Chabad’s Online School. “It’s a whole school on the computer, with interactive lectures and tests. Everybody can see each other and the kids can ask questions.” With Skype, cellphones, and of course, online shopping for children’s wear and toys, other aspects of shlichus have also become easier over time. Chabad shluchim are responsible for their own fundraising. In that respect, Frumie feels especially blessed. “At first it was difficult, of course,” she says. “We were a mom and pop operation and we did everything in our home. But then a wonderful woman in our community who was incredibly philanthropic helped us build our beautiful state-of-the-art Beis Chabad. After seeing our work, she understood the mission of the Rebbe and she helped us in a remarkable way. Sadly, she passed away at a young age. Our preschool, the Jo Ann Hess Morrison Chai Tots Preschool, is named after her.”

be offended? When Frumie finally did begin that conversation, the woman looked at her and responded. “What took you so long? I was waiting for you to ask me!” Frumie asserts, “That taught me an important lesson. “

“SOMETIMES YOU THROW A PEBBLE INTO A POND”

Yentie Lasker, who is a Chabad shlucha in Brussels, Belgium, is very much accustomed to the shlichus lifestyle. She grew up in Stockholm where “there were no other frum families when I was a child.” Her family wasn’t Chabad, but they had an open and welcoming house for travelers and guests. She and her husband came to Brussels in 1984 with two little babies. Today they have eight children, five of whom are married. Some of her couples are also on shlichus, the closest one in Amsterdam, about an hour and a half away by train. “In the old days,” says Yentie, “you would ask the Rebbe if he agrees to the city you have chosen. As soon as he gave his haskama, that was it. You went.”

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are now two kosher stores in the area. Today there are about twenty thousand Jews living in Brussels, but most are assimilated. “Whoever decides to become more religious,” she says, “usually moves to Antwerp.” The local airport is situated between the two cities, so frum travelers often call inquiring about minyanim and restaurants. “Sometimes we advise them to go to Antwerp instead where there are minyanim all morning and a greater selection of kosher food. “ Still, the Laskers are constantly hosting guests, especially on Shabbos which Yentie calls, “the highlight of the week!” Shabbos guests are always welcome. “My kids can give you a description of the many different types of guests we’ve had over the years,” says Yentie. “I think it’s so rewarding. Children should know that there are all kinds of people in the world and that they are all Yiddishe neshomos. Everyone is special in their own way.” Most important, says Yentie, is that the guests should see her own family as “normal, human, welcoming, friendly, and nice.

“It’s not about being organized, or being dynamic, or being good with children. It’s about caring.” It’s all about developing relationships, says Frumie. “Everyone wants to feel cared about.” She remembers that when one particular woman moved to town, Frumie was debating with herself on whether she should approach her about the mitzvah of taharas hamishpacha. Would she be receptive or would she

Yentie speaks French and so does her husband, so there was no significant language barrier when they moved to Brussels. They are also just sixty minutes from Antwerp, a thriving community with chinuch opportunities for their children. Yentie organized a bus service that brings the children back and forth every day. And there

It should be a positive experience. Perhaps something they too would eventually like to try some day.” Unfortunately, Muslim extremism is rearing its ugly head all over Europe, and the Laskers are feeling the change. Just a few short weeks ago the city of Brussels was on lockdown while police were searching for

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terrorists. “It was like a war zone,” Yentie recalls. “The whole city was closed down. The market was empty. The streets were empty. “ Most of the Jewish community lives in the outskirts of the city, but the Laskers are in the center, where the situation is most intense. Does anti-Semitism affect them? “Yes, but mostly for my husband as he is dressed more obviously Jewish. Boruch Hashem so far it’s been nothing worse than nasty comments, which he just shrugs off.” Many of the local Jews, though, are considering moving away. “They are saying there’s no future for their children here.” The Laskers, of course, are staying put. Those families who have made significant lifestyle changes are also advised to move onwards. It’s so much easier to live a religious lifestyle when the frum infrastructure exists, especially

with young children. “You have to be very strong to stay here and remain frum.” Sometimes, the Laskers make a huge impact and they don’t even know it. “My son, who’s 20, came to Yeshiva in Crown Heights and met a madrich who told him, ‘My parents became frum because of your parents!’ It turned out that many years ago his parents, a young Russian couple, spent Shabbos with us. They saw something special and thus decided to move to Eretz Yisroel and become shomer Shabbos.” When Yentie’s husband came to Crown Heights for the annual kinus shluchim, this bochur approached him, relating, “I am here in Yeshiva now because you invited my parents for Shabbos in Brussels many years ago. They came to Israel saying they’d like to run their own home just like yours.” Sometimes, Yentie mus-

es, we have an effect that we’re not even aware of. “You throw a pebble into a pond and then it ripples. “ Her message to her fellow Jews? “You can make a kiddush Hashem wherever you are. If you are doing the right thing and behaving properly, people will notice and they will be impressed.”

A PLACE WHERE WE COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Chaya Blasberg is about to become a very busy lady. As the Chabad shlucha in Noord, Aruba, she and her husband are preparing for the winter crowd to come flying down. They are the sole shluchim on the island. Chaya grew up in Leeds, a city in northern England where her parents were – and still are – shluchim. “I grew up with it,” she says, “but of course every shlichus is different.” Chaya has three young children and

The Blasbergs with Aruban Prime Minister Mike Eman at their son’s upsherin

she says, “I want them to have the same upbringing that I had.” Chaya’s husband grew up in Yerushalayim in a very open and welcoming home. The young couple decided to come to Aruba after speaking to many people, including business travelers, who felt there was a need. There are around a hundred Jews living year round in Aruba, and thousands of timeshare owners, part time residents, business people

and vacationers from all over the world. “We have a Shabbos shul and Shabbos meals. We do all the yomim tovim as well.” Their Chabad house is located within walking distance to the hotel area, and sometimes there are enough visitors that minyanim are held on a daily basis. Aruba is actually an island onto itself, about nineteen miles long. “It’s beautiful,” says Chaya. Kosher meat comes by ship from Mi-

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ami, otherwise, the closest Jewish community would be in Venezuela, which is about a half hour plane ride away. Chaya homeschools her children, as they’re still very young. But she’s not worried about the future. She used to teach on the Chabad Online School network, so she is familiar with how it works. “It’s very interactive,” she says. “The children can talk to the teachers and draw on the whiteboard. It’s a fully functioning school.”

IF YOU KNOW ALEPH, TEACH ALEPH

She grew up in Flatbush and now lives in New Orleans. That’s quite a change, but Malkie Rivlin says that when she dated her husband “we both knew that we wanted to go on shlichus – we just didn’t discuss the details of where.” After two years as a Kollel couple in Crown Heights, they decided to settle in New Orleans, where her husband’s parents have been shluchim since 1975. Malkie is now living there with her family for almost nineteen years. There are currently nine Chabad shluchim families living in Louisiana, each one with its own mission. “It’s really nice that we have each other,” Malkie comments. “Especially for the kids.” Ten thousand Jews live in the New Orleans metropolitan area, a city that she says is “very culturally and historically beautiful.” In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the area and that was a turning point for this community. “It changed a lot,” Malkie admits. “So much was destroyed that some people made the decision not to come back to the mess.” A large segment of the community moved onwards, to Miami or to Memphis or to Eretz Yisroel. But others decided to rebuild. “It was a challenging time for us,” she says. “And

also very rewarding. We had tremendous help from around the nation, and those of us who stayed banded together. It’s amazing to see the change and the growth that has been accomplished since then.” Malkie is a teacher in the Torah Academy School in Metaire. She also directs extracurricular activities. “There’s constantly stuff going on,” she comments. All this is aside from raising her own large family, the youngest of whom is only six-months-old. Much of shlichus happens in the kitchen, no matter what community you live n. And often it can get hectic. On yomim tovim, says Malkie, “we have to prepare for 60-100 people for each meal. And we can’t cater the whole thing.” Instead, everybody pitches in to help. “You have to coordinate the volunteers and delegate the salads, the kugels, the meat dishes. My older daughters also help. They will bake ten cakes or they will do some of the cooking, whatever is necessary. We also hire a woman who helps us. The main thing is the coordination and remembering the details of who is doing what.” She muses, “All this is probably happening in every other Chabad houses , not just ours.” Cholov yisroel milk is purchased by the case and then frozen. And whenever anyone travels to New York, they go armed with a list of what to bring home. For Malkie, it’s important that the children understand they are part of the shlicus. “We try to involve them in everything,” she says. They help cook and set up the program. They give out the bentchers. They say their divrei Torah. They help in the shul. It’s part of their life.” The most challenging thing about shlichus, Malkie says, is “the stereotyping of Chabad. You just want

to share the warmth and the love and the Yiddishkeit and people who aren’t familiar are sometimes so wary.” Still, some of those apprehensive first timers often end up becoming close friends. Also challenging, she says, is the fundraising. “People think Chabad is centrally funded but we are all independently run and it takes a lot of hard work to raise the money to keep our programs running. It can take many years to break in until the community understands that what we are doing benefits everyone.” Women in Chabad are very much part of the shlichus. “The Rebbe,” says Malkie, “was always promoting women in Yiddishkeit. We have so much to offer, in a tziniusdik manner.” He also insisted that everyone can be a shaliach, no matter who they are or what they know. He famously said, “If you know aleph, then teach aleph.” Malkie points out, “We all equally have the Torah as our inheritance and there are others out there waiting for us to share the beauty.” The nicest part of shlichus, says Malkie, is “when you meet a Jew and you see the bulb light up! You just want to share with them and you feel a beautiful connection. We’re all equally Jewish whether we’re frum or not. To see them light up, to give them this gift, it’s a beautiful thing!”

THE MOOSE IN THE MIKVAH

The frosty weather in Anchorage, Alaska, doesn’t seem to be much of an issue for Esther Greenberg, a shlucha who is originally from Detroit. But maybe that’s because of all the warmth that em-

“Children should know that there are all kinds of people in the world and that they are all Yiddishe neshomos. Everyone is special in their own way.”

Chaya and Ahron Blasberg of Aruba

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Today, the Anchorage Chabad boasts a beautiful 10,000-square-foot building built with a grant from two philanthropic families. This is a tremendous help to Esther, who had been basically running her programs out of her home for seventeen years. “It took a while,” she says. “A long while.” Finding friends for her children, says Esther, is difficult. And of course acquiring kosher food isn’t easy. The Greenbergs have five upright freezers and a big commercial freezer in the Chabad House. When there are mistakes in deliveries, she doesn’t make a fuss. “Maybe a cut of meat is not what we ordered. Or the wine bottles shattered in the cold. All this can be worked out,” Esther assures. There’s only one really tough challenge, though. “Sending your children away for school.” Like other mothers, Es-

Chanukah in New Orleans

Shaking lulav in New Orleans

a moose in the mikvah that was published in a Jewish magazine. Esther once accompanied a woman to a local lake late at night when, lo and behold, a moose decided to jump in and go for a midnight swim. Even Esther, who’s braved plenty of other bizarre scenarios, was startled. Chalk it up as another unique experience as a Chabad shlucha.

ther sings the praises of the Online School, “It has totally changed the face of educating the children of shluchim. My kids and many others have totally benefited from it. They now have some kind of social life with other Chabad children online. And they can stay home with us much longer.” Nowadays, she says, the children don’t leave home until they are in high school. Esther must be doing something right, because her two married daugh-

ters came shlichus, one of them moving even deeper into Alaska than she is. She proudly speaks of her daughter who, at the age of nine, was teaching the aleph bais to a young girl studying for her bas mitzvah. “Being so far out of town makes you become more resourceful.” Eventually that girl’s younger brother was also prepared for his own bar mitzvah by Esther’s family. Chabad in Alaska’s claim to fame is no doubt the story about the encounter with

A moose in a mikvah. Shattered wine bottles. Sub-degree weather. The lives of Chabad shluchos are sometimes amusing, sometimes intriguing, but always inspiring. Says Esther, “You need to believe in what you are doing. If your heart’s not in it, it’s not going to happen. It’s not about being organized, or being dynamic, or being good with children. It’s about caring. That’s what’s really important. And that’s what works.”

G R W EAT E SH CH IP AN W U O KA RL H DW G ID IFT! E!

anates from the Chabad House that she and her husband run. Originally, the Rebbe had sent yeshiva bochurim to Anchorage on shlichus on a temporary basis, as there were not enough Jews living there to warrant a full-fledged program. But all that has changed. There are today about 3,000 Jews in Anchorage and another 3,000 scattered throughout the state. In 1990, says Esther, the community requested a full-time rabbi. Most couples weren’t ready to live in that far-flung area, “but we were crazy enough to try it.” The greatest challenge back then was the lack of a mikvah facility, the nearest mikvah being in Seattle, a three hour plane trip away. Eventually, though, a mikvah was built on the local Army Base. And in 2001, with the help of a nationwide fundraising campaign, a new mikvah was built.

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Jewish History

Adventurer, Missionary, Conman, and Political Activist The Incredible Story of Ignatz Timothy Trebitsch-Lincoln by rabbi Pini Dunner

In Part I we were introduced to our protagonist, Ignatz Trebitsch, a Jewish-born Hungarian adventurer whose early life as a strictly Orthodox Jew from a well-to-do family had fallen apart during his teen years as his father’s business collapsed. Unscrupulous and amoral, Trebitsch converted to Christianity in 1899 at the age of 20 to marry the daughter of a respectable German maritime officer. An inveterate traveler, Trebitsch moved to Canada where he ended up running a mission trying to convert Jews to Christianity. The missionary enterprise collapsed due to a chronic lack of funds, and the Trebitsches moved to Great Britain where an inheritance cash windfall propelled them to middle class respectability. After adding the more British sounding name “Lincoln” to his surname, in 1906 Trebitsch was hired by a leading British industrialist, Benjamin Seebohm Rowntree, to research social conditions of the poorer classes on the European continent for a groundbreaking social study that he wished to publish. In the fullness of time, Rowntree, who was initially charmed by Trebitsch’s personality and intelligence, would regret ever having met this con artist and troublemaker, as his new employee became involved in multiple diplomatic controversies in London and across Europe and ultimately in a number of serious scandals in which Rowntree was inadvertently implicated.

Part II

rebitsch’s job description was simple. Rowntree wanted him to collect and collate information about the social and economic conditions in rural Europe. To facilitate this, Trebitsch requested that his well-connected boss enlist the help of the British Government Foreign Office so that he could gain entry to all the British embassies in the various countries he intended to visit. Rowntree unquestioningly arranged for Trebitsch to receive a letter of introduction from his close friend Captain John Sinclair MP, at the time a senior cabinet minister in the British administration, then in the hands of the left-leaning Liberal Party. With this letter in hand, Trebitsch confidently strode into the Foreign Office in London on March 20, 1906 and purposefully sought and obtained letters of introduction for him to show senior British diplomats at the embassies in France, Belgium and Switzerland. Initially things went well. Trebitsch arrived in Belgium and was the recipient of generous assistance from the British embassy staff in Brussels, who brought him into contact with Belgian government officials and other people who could

Hôtel de Charost, the official residence of the British Ambassador to France. In 1907, the Ambassador was Sir Francis Bertie, who loathed Trebitsch with a passion. (photo by Croquant)

furnish him with the information he was looking for. In Switzerland he received similar help from British officials. With the wind in his sails and clearly enjoying the extravagant hotels and high living afforded to him by his lavish travel allowance, Trebitsch wrote to the Foreign Office for more letters of introduction, asking for them to be addressed to a variety of British diplomats across Europe. They sent them out, but soon things were going wrong. An indignant letter from the vice-consul in Copenhagen complained of Trebitsch having “borrowed” books and not returned them. Slowly a pattern emerged. In each new city Trebitsch’s demands would escalate. He inexplicably began to see himself as an instrument of the British government, research-

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ing statistics that would contribute to his adopted country’s economic success, both at home and abroad. In reality he was just a private individual on an idiosyncratic research mission on behalf of a wealthy patron, and no British official was obliged to help him in his quest for information. That being the case, his ill-mannered demands for assistance were utterly misplaced. While most of the British embassy officials he encountered diplomatically ignored his obnoxious behavior, in the summer of 1907 Trebitsch met his nemesis, in the form of the British Ambassador to France, Sir Francis Bertie. Bertie was notorious for his arrogance and eccentricity, and seems, with the benefit of hindsight, to have been an unlikely candidate for the post as principal British diplomat to such an important European country. Notwithstanding this anomaly, his revulsion for Trebitsch was wellplaced. It seems that the intrepid researcher had arrived in Paris and marched into the embassy brandishing his introduction letter, demanding that the staff arrange for him to obtain a collection of official publications from the French Foreign Ministry that would cost them two thousand francs. In the scheme of things this was not a huge sum of money, but Bertie was unwilling to spend a penny of the embassy’s budget on this rude, self-important upstart, even if he was working for a leading British industrialist. Bertie’s refusal to cooperate with Trebitsch resulted in a bitter exchange of correspondence. Trebitsch threatened that unless his request was met he would take his complaint to the “highest quarters.” The Ambassador forwarded the offending letter to his superiors in London, with the expectation that they would support him. He could not have been more wrong. In a saga that epitomized the indecision and weakness of government bureaucracy and their ability to waste time on trivialities, this matter of no importance spiraled into a fullscale diplomatic crisis, involving multiple diplomats, civil servants, elected officials and representatives of a foreign government. In the end

A campaign leaflet for Trebitsch’s 1910 election to the British parliament. His use of the Lincoln surname did not help to hide his foreign origins, but even with this impediment he unexpectedly won

This satirical cartoon of Trebitsch’s first speech in the House of Commons appeared in the widely read Punch magazine in 1910. The main focus of attention was his heavy Hungarian accent

Trebitsch got his books, which he insisted should be sent via an expensive courier to Rowntree’s home in England. They were probably never read, and the victory was in every sense meaningless. But Trebitsch was not someone concerned with meaningful victories. By 1909 Trebitsch had concluded his research for Rowntree. The book based on the collected data was not published until 1911, but in the meantime Trebitsch went in a new direction, using his connection with Rowntree to launch one of the most extraordinary political careers in British parliamentary history. There is no historical record to explain how he obtained the nomination as Liberal Party candidate for the Darlington constituency, but the facts speak for themselves. In April 1909, the Darlington Liberal Association unanimously decided that their designated candidate for Member of Parliament would be Ignatius Trebitsch-Lincoln. What was particularly strange about this decision was that Trebitsch was not naturalized as a British citizen until May 1909, which meant that at the time of his selection he was still a foreign national. In truth, his selection was for all intents and purposes academic. The next general election was not expected for several years, and in any event, the seat in ques-

tion had been solidly Conservative for many years, in the hands of the Pease family, whose influence permeated the local scene at every level. Trebitsch’s chances of being elected to Parliament were limited to the point of being non-existent. Then, in the Fall of 1909, the House of Lords – the unelected upper chamber of Britain’s parliament – soundly rejected the “People’s Budget” proposed by Liberal Prime Minister David Lloyd-George, precipitating a political crisis that led to an unexpected general election in January 1910. Suddenly Trebitsch was up for election, thrusting him into the spotlight, a situation he embraced with characteristic relish. His opponent was Herbert Pike Pease, whose credentials were impeccable and whose record was unsullied by watch thievery and reckless controversies. In addition to this, the Pease family had held the Darlington seat for decades and would continue to hold the seat long after Trebitsch had disappeared off the scene. More significantly, there was a local distaste for foreigners that in Trebitsch’s case was further augmented by an undercurrent of anti-Semitism. But Trebitsch was not concerned by these impediments; indeed, they seemed only to spur him on. As usual, he desperately needed money, having already burned

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through an unbelievably generous loan granted to him by Rowntree when he left his employment. Shamelessly, he turned to an old acquaintance, Revd. Chaim Lypshytz, and asked him for a loan of a few hundred pounds to help fund his election campaign. Incredibly, Lypshytz loaned him the money, an act of generous-spiritedness that defies explanation, particularly in light of the disappearance of his wife’s gold watch coinciding with Trebitsch’s departure from his mission in 1897. It goes without saying that the loan was never repaid. With money in hand Trebitsch began to stage public meetings to inform bemused voters why his opponent would be a terrible choice of representative for Darlington, despite years of honorable service. He also used Lypshytz’s money to produce a squalid pamphlet titled “Powder and Shot,” in which he attacked Pease and the Conservatives for their intention to introduce trade tariffs to protect British manufacturers. According to the pamphlet, similar policies in Germany had forced many Germans to eat their own horses and even their pet dogs. This remarkable claim was attributed to the lack of any serious competition from abroad – the inevitable result of strict trade controls – which meant that local suppliers were able raise the prices of staple goods, forcing thousands of Germans into dire poverty. The residents of Darlington began to fall for Trebitsch’s exotic charm, as he entertained them with shrill political speeches peppered with outlandish stories and bizarre slogans. “You are Britishers by a mere accident of birth,” he declared in his thick accent at one meeting, “while I am a Britisher by choice.” Asked how he could ever expect to win such an uphill race, he confidently predicted that he would win “by 30 votes.” Conservatives were understandably irritated by his nerve and his nefarious tactics. Pease supporters began to attend his public meetings, purposely drowning out his speeches by chanting, “Cocoa! Cocoa!” – a reference to his former paymaster, Rowntree, whose money everyone

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assumed was funding his campaign. Trebitsch later wrote that at one meeting “we had the unpleasant experience of being pelted with banana skins, stones wrapped in paper, and rotten eggs.” But he was undeterred, having experienced the same hostility and worse during his time as a missionary to the Jews of Montreal. One of the most astonishing aspects of Trebitsch’s campaign strategy was the decision to play up his Jewishness. The same man who had unceremoniously dumped his Jewish faith the moment his father had died declared to a meeting of Liberal Party supporters, “I am a Jew and I am proud to belong to that race. I am a Jew with all the ability of a Jew. I have the will power, the lofty ideas, and I will show the Tories of Darlington that I can fight like a Jew.” This was a perfect example of Trebitsch’s self-serving audacity. Rather than remaining silent on the subject of his origins, he responded to persistent anti-Semitic murmurings by highlighting his roots, proclaiming them a great advantage in his fight to win the seat. Another remarkable feature of the campaign was his endorsement by some of the most prominent politicians of the day. Herbert Samuel, a senior minister in the administration who later gained fame as the first British High Commissioner in Palestine, joined Trebitsch as he campaigned in Darlington, telling the residents that they were “fortunate in having so able and active a champion.” Even Winston Churchill sent a message wishing Trebitsch every success “in the fine fight you are making for Free Trade, Land Reform and Popular Government.” The day of the election arrived

and Trebitsch had himself driven around Darlington in an open top car, while he stood in the back waving dramatically at startled passersby. An incredible 95% of the electorate came out to vote. In the evening more than two thousand people piled into the town hall to hear the result. The vote count was so close that both candidates agreed to a recount. This delayed announcing a winner, and the crowd began to get rowdy. Finally, at 10:30pm, the mayor of Darlington strode up to the podium to declare who had won. “A deafening shout from the multitude below quite drowned the voice of the mayor,” the local newspaper later reported, “but the fact that Mr. Lincoln stood at his right hand and was the first to step forward was a plain indication that he was the victor.” The result was indeed a stunning victory for Trebitsch. He had predicted winning by 30 votes. He was off by one. The margin was a 29-vote lead over his opponent, with 4,815 votes to 4,786. Even fellow Liberals were shocked, with one senior party member referring to the result as an “electoral freak.” Trebitsch was overjoyed at his spectacular triumph. After a brief visit to Hungary to see his aged mother he returned to England, settling in London. On February 23, 1910, he delivered his first speech to the House of Commons. Bemused MP’s were treated to a detailed analysis of trade statistics, lengthy personal anecdotes, and a series of stale jokes. The press devoted far less attention to the content of his speech than they did to the thickness of his Hungarian accent. As the year progressed Trebitsch addressed Parliament several more times. But his contributions were unexceptional, and the initial interest in his unexpected election victory fizzled out as he drifted out of the spotlight. Meanwhile Trebitsch was going through a profound financial crisis. Members of Parliament were not salaried or given any financial support; rather they were expected to be of independent means.

the Jewish Home | OctOber 29, 2015

Trebitsch had no income, save for money borrowed from an array of hapless lenders. But his reckless overspending was on a scale that far outweighed what he was able to borrow. In the fall of 1910 Rowntree realized that the significant sums of money owed to him by Trebitsch would never be repaid and that his former protégé was hopelessly in debt. He acted decisively. The Darlington Liberals were informed that on no account was Trebitsch to stand for reelection. Rowntree’s concern became more urgent when it became clear that the government was about to collapse, and a new national election was imminent. On November 30, 1910, Trebitsch startled his constituents by announcing his retirement from the Darlington seat, abruptly concluding one of the most extraordinary – if short-lived – political careers in the history of British politics. In the election that took place a week later, Herbert Pike Pease, Trebitsch’s election opponent only a few months earlier, easily retook the Darlington seat, which he held onto until 1923.

ration. Using his toxic mixture of charm and lies he convinced an impressive array of large and small investors to put their money into two shell companies – Amalgamated Oil Pipelines of Galicia and The Oil & Drilling Trust of Romania – both of which were predicted by him to produce massive returns as soon as crude oil began to flow across Eastern Europe. But the dream of massive oil discoveries and extraction in that region never materialized, and within a short space of time Trebitsch must have known that his exaggerated promises to investors were fraudulent. But he needed the money to fund his lifestyle, so the charade continued. Even as the earlier investors realized they had been conned he managed to find new ones who fell for his extravagant promises and magnetic personality. Meanwhile, one after another the nominal directors whose names Trebitsch had used to attract investment resigned, not wanting to sully their names by association. The entire enterprise was heading towards a spectacu-

“I have the will power, the lofty ideas, and I will show the Tories of Darlington that I can fight like a Jew.”

The following month, in January 1911, Trebitsch attended a formal meeting with his numerous creditors to agree a way forward. The creditors eventually decided to reduce his overall liability by 75%, although even as they signed the terms of the deal it must have been evident to them that their money was lost for good. Trebitsch, by now the father of four children – a fifth child was born in May 1911 – did not seem in the least bit bothered by his predicament. He moved his family from Darlington to Watford, just north of London, and embarked on a series of speculative high-risk business enterprises that revolved around Eastern European oil explo-

lar disaster. In September 1913 the High Court in London appointed an official receiver to take over the business to sort it out. The receiver was a former Liberal Parliamentary colleague of Trebitsch, John McDonald Henderson. Henderson waded through the opaque financial affairs of the various arms of the business and discovered liabilities exceeding £150,000 – more than fifteen million pounds in today’s values. At a hastily called meeting of shareholders and banks Trebitsch was asked to explain the deep financial problems. In an impassioned defense of his activities he dismissed the financial issues as

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meaningless, claiming that the oil exploration and pipeline business in Eastern Europe was “on the verge of success.” But his luck had run out. Investors demanded that any saleable assets be liquidated immediately so that at least some of their money could be salvaged. The receiver was put in complete control and Trebitsch marginalized. In December he resigned in protest, but his departure was, by this time, completely irrelevant. It would take almost a decade for the mess he had left in his wake to be sorted out, and the vast majority of the shareholders never saw a penny of their investments returned. By now Trebitsch was desperate. His lavish spending continued unabated and his hunger for money knew no bounds. But left without anything to sell to investors he was forced to find friends who would loan him money to help him out. Even this proved difficult. Rowntree flatly refused to lend him any

money and others were also understandably reluctant. Eventually, in the early summer of 1914, John Goldstein, a seasoned financier who had known Trebitsch for several years, agreed to lend him money if he could find a reliable guarantor. A few days later Trebitsch informed him that Rowntree had agreed to guarantee the loan. Goldstein was a little incredulous and wrote to Rowntree at the National Liberal Club, where he resided while in London, to get written confirmation. A few days later he received a reply from Rowntree confirming the guarantee. With this letter as security Goldstein advanced Trebitsch £750 to be repaid in three months. But the letter from Rowntree was an elaborate hoax, forged by Trebitsch, whose own frequent attendance at the National Liberal Club had enabled him to interfere with Rowntree’s mail. This brazen fraud was the twisted result of Trebitsch’s indomitable

optimism. He was still convinced that some Romanian oil concessions he had held onto were worth money and could be sold, enabling him to repay Goldstein and a host of other creditors. He made plans to travel to Bucharest to arrange for their sale, but on August 1, 1914, the First World War broke out, dashing any hopes of travel to Romania. By this time the house in Watford was gone, and the Lincoln family resided in a grubby boarding house in East London. With no viable options to repay his debts, Trebitsch was beyond desperate. He begged Goldstein for an extension to the loan. He then forged another letter from Rowntree to underwrite the extension. It was too late. In late November Rowntree discovered the deception and immediately wrote to Goldstein to deny any association with Trebitsch or the loan. In a furious showdown Goldstein informed Trebitsch that he was going to involve the police if his money was

not returned immediately. Perhaps in the hope that Trebitsch would somehow find the money to repay him he waited a full three weeks before carrying out his threat. But by then Trebitsch had fled to Holland, where his torrid life was about to take another extraordinary twist. In Part II, as the First World War rages across Europe, Trebitsch tries his hand at international espionage. With the British police hot on his heels, he ends up in New York, where he is arrested and jailed. While incarcerated he writes a sensational book about his life, “Confessions of an International Spy,” and becomes a media celebrity. The story of the Hungarian Jew turned Canadian missionary turned British politician turned European oil speculator turned international spy just gets stranger and stranger.

Rabbi Pini Dunner is the Rav of Young Israel North Beverly Hills in California.

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In The K

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tchen

Breakfast Smoothie By Naomi Nachman

The day after Chanukah was over I took my annual pledge: “Must lose the weight I gained over Chanukah – ate too many doughnuts and latkes.” I love all those yummy, fried foods and don’t hold myself back. I do this knowing that after Chanukah I will have to be much more careful with what I eat.

o I am beginning my post-Chanukah detox week by making some small changes to my eating choices. Instead of coffee and a cookie each morning, I plan to make fruit smoothies. I recently bought a Nutri Bullet and have been making all kinds of smoothies with it. I use healthy ingredients and try to include different combinations of fruits and vegetables. I recently attended Kosherfest, which was co-sponsored by the makers of Integrated Supplements, which recently got OU certification and was given some samples to try. It is a protein powder full of nutrients that may help keep you full for longer. I decided to add Integrated Supplements to my smoothie and see how it would taste and if it really would keep me full for longer. I was pleasantly surprised how delicious it was. I used the vanilla flavor, which is one of their many flavor choices (other choices include strawberry, chocolate mint, and chocolate). I plan to make one every morning and then head off to take some spin classes. To learn more about Integrated Solutions, go to integratedsupplements.com Note: I always have leftover fruit from Shabbat, which I then pack into Ziploc bags (in small portions) and then freeze for later use in my smoothies. This helps make my smoothies creamy and icy cold without having to use ice cubes and avoids wasting unused fruit each week.

Protein-Packed Power Smoothie Ingredients 2 scoops Integrated Supplements vanilla powder 3 strawberries, frozen ½ banana, frozen ½ cup melon, frozen ¾ cup low fat milk ½ cup coconut water Preparation Place all ingredients in a blender such as a Nutri Bullet or Vitamix and blend until smooth. This recipe yields 2 cups.

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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Au Contraire

Perhaps the French Jewish Future is Still in France By Brendy J. Siev

ver the weeks following the terror attacks in Paris, world leaders have professed their support and commitment to the French people and condemnation of those who ter-

recall or consider is a lesser-known attack committed a mere four days later on November 18. This was not an overt “act of war” or attack against the French per se, but, for French Jews, a more

“But you should go to Israel because you love Israel, not because you are afraid.” rorize civilians. The media has continually reported on arrests and investigations of those who committed, according to French President Hollande, “an act of war.” But over this same month, what people may not

personal one: the stabbing of a Jewish teacher in Marseilles by three men, including one wearing an ISIS t-shirt. Is it time for the French Jews to leave their homeland?

Last year, Benjamin Netanyahu famously declared that it is. But we spoke with two French community leaders who have a different outlook on whether the time has come. Benjamin Zagzag, a Jewish community activist and former employee of the World Jewish Congress, believes that French Jews should stay in France. “Many people,” he related, “are talking about moving to Israel. But you should go to Israel because you love Israel, not because you are afraid.” Zagzag feels that people should not “flee. It’s not brave to flee.” “An attack,” he claims, “is not a reason to leave. It’s a reason to unite.” He sees the attacks as

reason for the diverse French community to look at Jewish communities in other countries for inspiration on how to better and strengthen the French Jewish kehilla. The British work-life balance and collegial communication should serve as a model for improved business practices. The Swedish people trust individuals more and therefore have better relationships. American Jews sometimes welcome nonJews into their JCCs, a move that makes non-Jews perceive their Jewish neighbors as regular Americans. The strengths of other cultures should not inspire French Jews to move, says Zagzag. Au contraire. “France was the first country to take Jews in Europe,” he points out. It was

the first country to offer Jews citizenship. Many Jews have been there for more than a thousand years. And now, the Jewish culture there is rich: Paris boasts more than 200 kosher restaurants, a museum, and a memorial. It also offers the “French art of living.” Zagzag considers France one of the most beautiful countries, a country that “respects life and the individual.” Furthermore, despite the acknowledged fear of terror, the army and French government are truly “taking care of us. They realize,” Zagzag asserts, “that every citizen is important and that Jews are key to the economy. They know that Jews have been there for centuries.” Of course, the French culture and outlook believe

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Benjamin ZagZag

Jeremy Navon

in making people French and that people must assimilate. Napoleon, for example, hoped to make Jewish blood French. Because of that, the French often believe that all Jews are Israelis and that all Israelis and Jews are persecuting Palestinians.

Jews during the World War II era had no country. The Syrians do and should fight for it… Europe should stop being the policeman of the world, but Europeans are traumatized by what they did [and did not do] during World War II. However,

His sister, who lived in New York, invited her religious American fiancé to meet the family in France. “We had to tell him to remove his kippah on the Metro.” With the recent attacks on Paris, however, the perception is changing. The French are seeing that Israelis are not the villains and are starting to understand that French Jews, while they may support Israel, are part of the French culture as well. We asked Zagzag about his opinion on the refugee crisis. He told us, “While it’s not irrelevant to compare the Jewish refugees [of 1939] with the Syrians, there’s one major difference:

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Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Kuwait are very rich. Why do they not take care of the Syrians?” Jeremy Navon was born in France to Ashkenazi parents of Polish descent. His grandparents came to France in 1910 and remained there during World War II. He too considers France “the first country where Jews had freedom and equal rights.” Navon lived in Dublin, Ireland, for two years,

served in the Israeli army, and then returned to his native France to create Nevatim, a network of young Jewish entrepreneurs. When he talks about more recent French history, he begins his story 15 years ago, at the outset of the second Intifada. The French media then was rife with anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian images. Jewish journalists were fired from their job, because they did not support this stance and were “off message.” Today, Navon contends, we are seeing the repercussions. Ten percent of the French population is Muslim. French and Muslim youth grew up with this anti-Jewish and Israeli sentiment, and every year “something big happens,” he says: someone is tortured, synagogues are bombed, and people are assaulted. Every day, he declares, is a hassle. This hassle was particularly apparent to Navon and his family when his sister, who lived in New York, invited her religious American fiancé to meet the family in France. “We had to tell him to remove his kippah on the Metro,” and so they realized how enmeshed anti-Semi-

tism and fear of terror is in the French-Jewish experience. Of course, not everyone is assaulted and not every Jew confronts anti-Semitism daily. But the fact that the government and French media so supported the Muslim and Palestinian cause came at a steep cost: in turn, radical Islam flourished in France. The results are extreme, so much so that some French suburbs are dangerous to all women who are at risk of being attacked by terrorists. Still, Navon believes that, in Paris, Jews can live a Jewish life and attend pro-Israel rallies. The environment is not pre-war Germany, he says, as some people may think. With the Paris terrorist attacks on November 13, the government has finally become supportive of Jews and wants to stop radical Islam. Bias against Israel has begun to decrease. His hope is that the recent French election has sent a clear message: France does not want to become a Muslim country. Those who are leaving France, Navon claims, are mostly Sephardic Jews from North Africa who came

to France in the ‘60s and ‘50s. They do not feel fully French, as their French legacy barely spans half a century. But other French Jews, those who have a deeper and longer French legacy, “do not want to be driven out,” he asserts. “This is our culture. We were born here. Jews have been here since antiquity.” Muslim imams are now approaching the Jewish community, and in Paris and the big cities a more moderate Islam is taking hold. “This [anti-Semitism] problem,” Navon vows, “is going to find a solution.” Like Navon, Zagzag says, “The situation in France has changed, but the country is still rich in Jewish history. It’s a pity to stop because of fear. Now, with the recent terror attacks, there’s fear in France for everyone. This is why the situation for Jews can be better, because the concept of danger could be understood by everyone.” And Navon agrees. “Sometimes things are not as bad as we hear. If Jews truly felt threatened, they would leave. But there’s a vibrant community here. Many of us don’t feel we have to leave. We’re investing in a stronger Jewish French life.”

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Health & F tness

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate By Hylton Lightman, MD, DCH (SA), FAAP

We live in incredible times. We’ve passed the midpoint of the second decade of the 21st century and our children and grandchildren could likely live into their 90s and beyond. In no small measure, we can help our children and their progeny lead long, healthy, productive lives by making sure they are vaccinated. The current pertussis or whooping cough outbreak in Brooklyn brings it into 20/20 focus.

he majority of the 110+ cases reported in the Williamsburg, Boro Park and Crown Heights communities has concerned health care providers and officials at the

New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). Over 90% of these cases have centered on children; the median age is 4 years and over 52% were either not vaccinated or were under-vaccinated with the pertussis-containing vaccine. Infants under one year of age comprise 34% of these cases. Of the 37 mothers of infants with pertussis, only 3 (8%) received the recommended Tdap vaccination during their most recent pregnancy. Five infants were hospitalized, including one who had pneumonia. In fact, the NYC DOHMH ran ads in English and Yiddish in the recent Charedi press, urging parents to vaccinate against this preventable disease. What does pertussis or whooping cough look like? At its onset, the symptoms are similar to the common cold or an allergy attack with stuffy or runny nose, dry cough, loss of appetite, fatigue and, perhaps, a low fever. After one to two weeks, the disease usually progresses to bursts of spasmodic coughing with large amounts of mucous,

gagging and vomiting with or without a whoop that becomes worse at night. During the day, the child or adult may look and feel fine with the exception of frequent coughing spasms. A final recovery stage with only occasional coughing fits may last for weeks or even months. In fact, this disease is often called the “100-Day Cough”: You connect the dots as to why. Sometimes infants or older children and adults don’t cough with a whoop. Small babies and very young children, who are gasping for air, may have a red face, bulging eyes, blue lips and may stop breathing for a few seconds or longer because the thick mucus clogs their small airways. Babies might have the mucous suctioned from their throats so they can breathe. Interestingly, antibiotics are the prescribed course of treatment – antibiotics, though, don’t help the patient but will help contain the spread of Whooping Cough. Adults and adolescents with whooping cough may have milder symptoms, such as a persistent, mucous-producing cough that goes on for 4-8 weeks. Often

older children and adults do not make the whooping cough when they cough. Symptoms of pertussis are sometimes milder in those who have had one or more doses of pertussis-containing vaccines (DPT, DTaP, Tdap), and doctors or nurses may not suspect whooping cough in vaccinated children, adolescents and adults who present with a bad cough. Many cases of pertussis go undetected because they are mistakenly diagnosed by medical personnel as an allergy attack, bronchitis, influenza or other upper respiratory infection. Often overlooked and not taken into consideration is the “collateral effect” of whooping cough and other diseases on a family. It’s exhausting to care for sick infants, children and adolescents. Children miss time from school which can impact them academically and socially. Mom and Dad may have to take personal time from work. If a child suffers from whooping cough, other parents may not want their children playing with the “patient” until there’s full recuperation, especially if the child is not vaccinated

or is under-vaccinated. Celebrating last year the 20th anniversary of the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) published impressive numbers demonstrating the efficacy of vaccinating against childhood diseases that don’t have to be. Given today’s resources – vaccinations and antibiotics, combined with world-class sanitation systems – we enjoy increased rates of survival with multi-generational families. “Thanks to … [vaccines], children in our country are no longer at significant risk from diseases that once killed thousands each year,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH. “Current outbreaks … in the U.S. serve as a reminder that these diseases are only a plane ride away. Borders can’t stop … [diseases], but vaccinations can.”

Dr. Hylton Lightman is a pediatrician and Medical Director of Total Family Care of the 5 Towns and Rockaway PC. He can be reached at www.totalfamilycaremd.com, on Instagram at #lightmanpeds or visit him on Facebook.

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Dr. Deb

Symptoms are our Friends By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

f we start out with the idea that people don’t want to kick themselves in the you-know-what, then that means that there must be a reason why a person would have troubling symptoms. In other words, as bad, unpleasant, annoying, or discouraging as the symptoms are, their absence could, conceivably be worse. Let me give you a couple of illustrations. In doing my research (way back when) for my dissertation (on emotional abuse and trauma in families), I came across a story of a woman who had been abused in very subtle ways. For example, instead of say, making fun of her, her husband would minimize or put down her goals or opinions with the result of her just giving up. Alternatively, when he wanted something that she objected to, he invalidated her opinions and feelings. This woman’s husband was always running behind in paying the bills. He liked to “invest” in the stock market and didn’t want to take money out, even for food. His wife, we’ll call her Laurel, was offered a job at a local school. “You turned your nose up at a way of getting money in the door,” her husband, we’ll call him Sal, told her in reference to her refusal to apply for credit cards Laurel knew she couldn’t repay, “and now we’re in trouble. So what do you do? You take a job that goes absolutely nowhere.” By constantly putting her down, invalidating her feelings, and sticking a pin in her bubble, in a subtle way Laurel lost her zest for being herself. She started to become depressed. Multiply these interactions by 20 or 30 years and it’s not surprising that she ended up with ulcers and hypertension – as well as a case of depression.

Research shows that abuse victims do have a far greater amount of physical ailments than the general population. Now, here is the interesting part. Laurel was willing to take medication for her symptoms but she was “unable” to overcome that blah, depressed, awful feeling. Some days she couldn’t get up in the morning. She went to a support group and after weeks of work, described tearfully how she felt rendered to a “nothing” in her own eyes. She felt less than and in pain. She couldn’t quite make the connection between her husband’s minimizing of her dreams and her feelings and this depression, but eventually she did. Finally, when asked directly by members of her group when she was going to start to be her own person – start to be happy again – she shot back at them: “And without symptoms, who will know how I’ve suffered?” The symptoms were a witness to her suffering. They created tangible evidence of pain that would otherwise be too ephemeral for anyone to notice – and respect. See, suffering deserves, maybe requires, respect. A person who has been through an ordeal, or a lifetime of ordeals, necessitates our awe and admiration at how she (or he) got through it. There should be a recognition that no matter how awful our own situations, we would not want to trade places with a Laurel. As difficult as it was to remain depressed, how could Laurel give up her depression and act happy as if nothing had happened for all those years? Her depression was a badge of honor for her. Letting it go would also get her husband off the hook. Ironically, his grave sin was minimizing her pain and her opinions; giving up that pain

would be minimizing it all over again – at her own hands. I don’t believe any of us is mentally unhealthy. We have our symptoms for good reason. That reason may not be apparent to the world – or even to ourselves – but we have them because the alternative is worse. Or at least seems to be worse. So we believe we are stuck. In actuality, we are always free; we are never stuck. The question is: How to come through such dilemmas without sacrificing our soul? I remember one situation that is particularly striking. I was working at a day treatment center for people living in a group home for the “mentally ill.” The residents of the home would be bussed to the center where we, therapists, were supposed to give them group classes on mental hygiene. That would have been a good idea except for

saying that what was happening was not right or to validate her pain because everyone was stuck in the same topsy-turvy place. So this brave woman took her secret and her pain into adulthood. That is how she survived emotionally and physically. Acknowledging the kind of person her father was would have been worse than accepting an inadequate diagnostic label. I say “inadequate” because the label doesn’t do justice to the spiritual and emotional suffering this woman endured just to stay alive. The label gives no hint of the choices she had to make while growing up and worse pain she would have to endure to face reality. Her diagnostic label, in fact, doesn’t respect the creative imagination that a little girl had to employ in order to get through her ordeals. On the contrary, this label implies some-

Her depression was a badge of honor for her. Letting it go would also get her husband off the hook.

the detail that these residents were so heavily drugged and so unwilling (or believed themselves to be unable) to engage with us that our classes fell on deaf ears. One woman had the unfortunate label “schizophrenic.” She believed that wild animals like lions and tigers were wandering around the streets. Interested, I took a look at her chart. As a very small child she was, shall we say (please read between the lines) “mistreated.” Now, the wild animals made complete sense to me: It would be way too painful for a little girl to admit to herself that her father was abusing her; but, if she could float off somewhere else mentally and pretend that she was in a jungle with “wild animals” then she could somehow tolerate the abuse; she could survive. Her problem was compounded by a family that expected abuse. There was no one to comfort her because everyone was suffering. There was no one to give reality testing to her by

thing was wrong with her when, in fact, she employed a clever way to trick herself into going forward. Something was right with her, not wrong. Generally, symptoms are a smart (if unconscious) way of coping with a life that otherwise would not be tolerable. They should be respected before trying to dismantle them. In fact, a deeper understanding of their origin combined with a deeper respect for the creative process it took to put them to good use is essential in carefully handling them in therapy. Dr. Deb Hirschhorn is a Marriage & Family Therapist and best-selling author of The Healing Is Mutual: Marriage Empowerment Tools to Rebuild Trust and Respect—Together. Attend the Food For Thought lectures at Waffelino Restaurant at 310 Central Avenue in Cedarhurst on Tuesdays at 9:45 AM. Any questions, call 646-54-DRDEB or check out her website at http://drdeb.com. All stories in Dr. Deb’s articles are fabricated. See Dr. Deb on TorahAnytime.com.

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DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Health & F tness

Kickstart Your Metabolism By Aliza Beer, MS, RD

e all believe that we have slow metabolisms and that only two-hour runs or boot camp can speed it up. Not so. In fact, all the little decisions we make throughout the day regarding eating and moving impact our metabolism in a big way. Our metabolism isn’t fixed, and we can speed it up significantly with changes to our daily diet and activity. Adopt a few of the following strategies to get the metabolism you crave in the time that you have. 1. Exercise, Lift Weights: Weightlifting builds muscle, and the more muscle you have the more calories you burn. This calorie burning continues long after your last rep. In a study at Southern Illinois University, exercisers who did just a 15 minute resistance routine burned 100 extra calories a day for 3 days afterward! Strength training causes micro trauma to the muscles, and then the body has to rebuild muscle. It does that by torching additional protein and carbs. Try doing resis-

tance exercises three days a week. 2. Exercise, Cardio: Lift first, do cardio second. Exercisers who pumped iron 20 minutes before cycling melted more fat than those who didn’t lift or those who waited longer between lifting and doing cardio. 3. Drink Water: Drinking 8-10 cups of water a day will rev up your metabolism, helping to burn more calories. German researchers did a study and found that when participants drank just 16 ounces of water their metabolic rate jumped a third within 10 minutes of drinking the water and remained high for another 3040 minutes. The researchers estimated that, over a year, increasing your water consumption by 1.5 liters (about 6 cups) a day would burn an extra 17,400 calories, or about 5 pounds worth. Since much of the increased metabolic rate is due to the body’s efforts to heat the liquid, make sure the water you’re drinking is icy cold. 4. Spicy Foods: Some

studies show that very spicy foods can temporarily increase your metabolism. They boost production of fat burning hormones. Incorporating hot peppers or spicy mustard into your foods is an easy way to rev up your metabolism. 5. Grapefruit: Studies indicate that eating grapefruit can reduce insulin levels. Lower insulin levels after meals can help your body process food more quickly and efficiently. This means that you burn more calories and store less fat. 6. Eat Breakfast: This is the most important meal of the day as far as metabolism and weight loss is concerned. Breakfast eaters lose more weight than breakfast skippers do, according to studies. Our metabolism slows while we sleep and doesn’t rev back up until we eat again. So if you bypass breakfast, your body won’t burn as many calories as it could until lunchtime. Aim for a breakfast with plenty of high fiber carbs. When researchers at the University

of Sydney in Australia compared the effects of high fat and high fiber-carbohydrate breakfasts, they discovered that people who ate the fatty meal got hungry sooner afterward. High fiber carbohydrates take longer for your body to digest than fats and therefore don’t cause rapid changes in blood sugar, so the hunger is kept at bay longer. Some good choices for a great breakfast are: high fiber cereal with low fat milk or almond milk; low fat cottage cheese with berries and high fiber crackers; egg white veggie omelet with whole grain toast. 7. Nibble All Day: Eating 5-6 mini meals rather than 3 big meals will keep up your metabolism. Try not to let more than 4 hours lapse between meals, otherwise you will overeat at the next meal. 8. Skip Alcohol: Having a drink before a meal causes people to eat around 200 calories more at that meal, several studies show. Other research has found that the body burns off the

alcohol first, meaning that the calories in the rest of the meal are more likely to be stored as fat. 9. Get a Good Night’s Sleep: Skimping on sleep can derail your metabolism. In a study at the University of Chicago, people who got four hours of sleep or less had more difficulty processing carbohydrates. When the body lacks energy to do its normal day-to-day functions, the metabolism is automatically lowered. The next time you feel like blaming your metabolism or bad genetics, try some or all of the aforementioned tips, and you will see the pounds being shed, and most importantly, you will feel so much better.

Aliza Beer is a registered dietician with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@ gmail.com.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

‫י בה דרך‬ ‫ששי מרן רבי אברהם יפה’ןאזיצ’’תן‬ ’’‫ע‬ ‫ל‬

Yeshiva of Far Rockaway

We would like to thank all the parents and students who attended our open house and made it the success that it was.

Due to the overwhelming amount of applications received and the limited slots available, we will no longer be accepting applications for the upcoming school year.

YESHIVA OF FAR ROCKAWAY 802 Hicksville Road . Far Rockaway, New York 11691 . (718) 327-7600 . INFO@YOFR.ORG

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DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

Dating Dialogue

What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LMSW of the Navidaters

I am the mother of four daughters. My oldest daughter, Shoshana, is twenty-two and is single. She goes out here and there, but is very specific about the type of man she wants to marry and is also not in any hurry to get married. She’s involved with her career, has many friends, and feels it will happen when it’s supposed to happen. My second daughter, Lisa, will turn 20 soon. She has a very different personality than Shoshana. She’s talked about getting married from the time she was a little girl. She is very excited about dating and asks me daily when I will begin the process of getting her dates.

Dear Navidaters,

So far, I’ve been putting her off because I feel that Shoshana should be married before Lisa. I suppose I’m overly sensitive to this situation because way back when, my younger two sisters married before I did. I think I’m still scarred from the experience. It was so hard for me to attend their weddings and be the older sister, who was still unmarried. Thank G-d I obviously met my bashert and all is well. But I don’t want to put Shoshana through what I went through. It was a painful time and I want to spare her the looks, well wishes, and terrible discomfort that I experienced. Am I being fair to Lisa? Should I give it a certain time limit and if Shoshana isn’t married by then, start focusing on Lisa? I’m truly not sure how to handle this. I don’t want to hurt Shoshana the way I was hurt but I also feel badly for Lisa, though she’s such a trooper and I feel whenever she starts dating, it will go easily for her. Everything seems to go that way for her. A Loving Mother

The Panel the rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

ithin the question you pose lays the answer. As you said, you are imposing your experiences on the current question of Lisa’s beginning to date and possibly marrying before her older sister, Shoshana. It’s good that you are honest about this but you cannot leave it there. You and your husband need to sit down and discuss having a conversation with each daughter. There is an elephant in the house

– your younger daughter wants to date already – and you need to address it. Prepare for the conversation that you will have with each daughter. Talk about it between yourselves. Decide on an approach and what you will say. Think about what your goals are and how you will put your own experience on the table without assuming that Shoshana will feel the same way you did. Make sure each daughter feels safe and feels comfortable expressing her needs and preferences. You need to say (and feel) that you want to hear about each daughter’s feelings and

not make any assumptions based on your own experience. Practice expressing how your experience makes you more sensitive to this situation. But remember that it’s normal for this to be done with great delicacy, regardless of one’s personal history. Make sure you both really hear what each daughter is saying. Take turns role playing to ensure that your reactions are true to the approach the two of you want to take. Be a team, in thought and action. Talk and listen to each daughter separately. You don’t have to respond with a decision right away.

Your goal in each initial conversation is to hear what each girl thinks and feels. Then the two of you can think about a response and talk again with each daughter and/or the four of you together. It’s important to plan to regularly reassess the situation and to stay tuned in to how Shoshana and Lisa are dealing with each other’s dating patterns. It does sound like Shoshana may not mind and will say to you, “Let Lisa date.” But you cannot assume anything. Careful, regular communication every step of the way is the best way to go.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015 the Jewish Home | OctOber 29, 2015

the Mother Sarah Schwartz Schreiber, PA

et me begin with paraphrasing the Medrash, “Forty days before the birth of a child, a bas kol declares, ‘Bas Ploni l’Ploni…’” There is nothing in the Medrash regarding ETA or in which birth order. Let me get this straight: Lisa claims to be ready; Shoshana is biding her time. What is the problem? After the requisite talk with Lisa, when you determine that she is not just a kid obsessed with white-dress syndrome but a young lady with the maturity and perspicacity to begin dating, give her your blessings and put shadchanim on speed-dial. Lisa knows what she wants; Shoshana has her personal priorities in order. You, fellow Mother, may be the problem. As you describe, your dating experience was “a painful time” with “terrible discomfort.” The trauma is

coming back to you, full force; why transmit that anxiety and negativity to your daughters? A famous psychologist once said, “A parent’s task is to give children roots and wings. And wings are the hard part.” It seems that you’ve done an exemplary job grounding your girls; now, as they leave your nest, try not to hinder their departure with your own painful memories.

Impress upon them that there isn’t one cookie cutter trajectory for everyone. This is not “one life fits all.”

the Dating Mentor

Your second daughter would like to date. Here you have the chance to fulfill Chazal’s dictum, “Chanoch hanaar al pi darko.” Each child is different. Does that mean we have to let one daughter suffer on account of the other? I understand how you felt when you went through this – but they are not you. Maybe you can inject a little dose of “emunah” (belief) into this situation. We as moms are the transmitters of that more than

Rochel Chafetz, Educator/Mentor

ou have two daughters that you are concerned about – one is not seriously ready to date and I admire her honesty and her ability to not fall under the pressure of society. With the help of Hashem, she will find the right guy at the right time.

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anything and now is the time to flex those muscles. Sit them both down and explain the situation and ask each one how they would feel if…. Talk about how Hashem runs the world and really it’s all in His hands. With the right tefillos and bakashos, together with your efforts, things will turn out the way they were meant to turn out. Listen to each one’s feelings and explain that as a mother, you feel that you can’t hold back on one of your daughters just for the sake of the other. Of course it would be nice if daughter #1 would give daughter #2 her bracha to start dating first and then daughter #2 gives daughter #1 a brocha that her partner should be found quickly when she is ready. When both girls, together with you, feel that they have each other’s blessings, then I think the right thing to do is to let the younger daughter start dating. When the Steipler Rebbe was once asked by a group of young men

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DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home

why they were not married yet, he answered, “Because you let your bashert go.” So hatzlacha and may you be zocheh to marry off both girls very, very soon. Who knows – it could even be in the same year!

the Single Irit Moshe (pen name)

s much as you are being sensitive to your daughter Shoshana, you are projecting your own feel-

Pulling It All Together The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

Dear A Loving Mother, The love of a mother for her child is like no other. When we mothers feel our child is in danger, watch the Mama Bear emerge. When we feel someone is wronging our child, it can feel nearly impossible to keep those claws at bay. And when we feel our child is suffering emotionally it is like a knife to the heart. And maybe especially for those of us born with a more sensitive nature and/or those of us who experienced trauma or hardship, it can be hard to draw the line distinguishing ourselves from our children as two separate and distinct entities. I want to share something of a personal nature with you. When I was nine I spent my first summer in sleepaway camp. Though I made friends and had an overall nice time, there were two girls who teased me mercilessly. Today we call it “bullying.” Fast forward to my adult life and I found myself sending my first child to sleepaway camp. I literally had to bite my tongue to stop myself from asking her questions such as “Are you nervous?” and “Do you really want to go?” “Say the word and we’ll cancel!” Somehow (for me) she got on that bus and off she went. I spent too much time on the camp website searching through hundreds of pictures posted daily for the chance of getting a glimpse of my daughter. Is she happy? Is she sad? Who is that girl in the background grimacing? Was she

just rude to my kid? My daughter was excited about camp, but somewhere subconsciously, my own memories and old feelings were running the show. I didn’t know what to do with my overwhelming feelings, but when I recognized that this had nothing to do with my daughter and everything to do with me and my unfinished business, it created a space for me to work on my own issues. And that space felt new, kind of nice and very freeing. At least I didn’t have to worry about my daughter anymore. Now I would have to deal with me. I understand that years ago your younger sisters married before you did and that this was a scarring experience for you. It’s hard enough when you are at a friend’s wedding and well-wishers say, Im Yirtzah Hashem by you. But when it is your younger sisters and you are longing to get married it can bring up feeling of shame and even hopelessness. I’m sorry you went through that. That was so difficult for you. I wonder what your parents’ role was back then, and if you thought they should have done something to prevent your sisters from marrying before you. Sometimes, when we don’t acknowledge, unpack and soothe our feelings, they have a way of popping up at the most inopportune of times. Something is telling you to get into

ings onto her. Instead of agonizing over this, sit down and have a heart to heart chat with Shoshana. See what she says and feels about her own goals in life and regarding dating. Find out whether she is okay with her sister dating and potentially marrying first. Express the fact that you love both of your girls very much and that you want to do right by both of them. Make sure that

Shoshana understands that you respect her position as being the older sibling and you are not trying to pressure her if she isn’t ready yet to marry. If her goals are concentrated elsewhere and not on dating, then the right thing would be to give Lisa your blessings to move forward with her own goals of dating and possibly marrying first. In this way, you are being sensitive and respectful to both Shoshana and Lisa.

“manager” mode and that you need to make executive level decisions for “employees” who seem content and happy with their equal yet separate positions at the company. The worker bees are happy. Shoshana is fulfilled with her career and friends and has a wonderful and healthy attitude about marriage. Lisa, the younger sister, is ready to get married now. From what you share, you are the only one who is unhappy. (The panel and I seem to be exclusively focused on feelings from your past, but I don’t want to exclude the possibility that perhaps you don’t think Lisa is ready to get married and this serves as a distraction from any other real issues that may be present. Just throwing that possibility out there.) I echo the panel when I tell you I believe this is more about you than your daughters. How will you unpack and soothe these feelings you have so that they don’t play interference in your children’s lives? Your daughters are two separate and distinct individuals and need to be treated as such. Their lives may take different twists and turns. As a mother, you can encourage their independence, individuality and teach them to value themselves for their unique attributes. Impress upon them that there isn’t one cookie cutter trajectory for everyone. This is not “one life fits all.” To forbid Lisa from marrying until her older sister marries I think will be a recipe for disaster. This would be entirely unfair to Lisa, and may put inadvertently undue pressure on her sister, Shoshana. This situation would be a breeding ground for resentment amongst the sisters and toward you. No one wins in this

situation except perhaps your own unresolved feelings from your past. At some point, should you accept the advice of the panel, you will need to speak with your daughters. Think less “soap opera drama” and more “coffee talk.” Keep it light. Any trepidation or heavy, serious feeling is your stuff, not theirs. For all you know, Shoshana may be thrilled that her sister Lisa will begin to date as she is unfettered from the role of “dating warden” you have given her. Should Shoshana have some difficult reactions I imagine your emotional feathers may get ruffled. Soothe yourself first, and then comfort your daughter. I am reminded of the safety video that is shown to passengers on a plane before takeoff regarding the oxygen mask. “It is important to secure your mask before assisting others.” After all is said and done, sit back, relax and schep nachas from your well-adjusted and unique daughters who are living out their dreams. Your worker bees are happy. Now it’s your turn! Sincerely, Jennifer The Navidaters are dating and relationship coaches and therapists. Located in Lawrence, NY, their services include date debriefing, dating skills coaching, couples counseling, premarital and marital counseling. Sessions are held in the office or via phone or Skype. The Navidaters can be reached at 516.224.7779. If you have a dating or relationship scenario you would like to be featured in WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF, email thenavidaters@gmail.com. Check out their website, thenavidaters. com for more information. Follow TheNavidaters on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

Hire

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Education

Choose Your Weapon By Rabbi Mordechai Kruger

Part I

oday we’ll start following the job hunt process of Beryl Klein, a young imaginary client who heard about Job Search for Champions from a friend. Beryl has been learning in a Kollel for several years, and now he feels that it’s time to go to work. He has never held a paying job, and he has no idea how to find one. He did fairly well in his secular subjects in high school, but there wasn’t anything in his classes that particularly interested him. He does not want to go to college or any extended classroom based program because he really doesn’t like academic work. He wants to live in the New York area because his family and rebbeim are here. His wife is working so his family has some income for the meantime but she’s expecting her third child. Since working fulltime with three kids sounds impractical, Beryl is ready to work hard at finding a job so that he can become the family’s breadwinner. The first point that I, as a job search coach, need to work on with Beryl is, for lack of a better term, some reality checking. Beryl has made some decisions which have serious implications as to what fields might be

available to him. Because he doesn’t want to go to college, accounting, law, and investment banking are closed to him. Many of the trades, like electrical or plumbing, can be options for those without college, but they require long apprenticeships that pay very little. Getting started in those fields when there are already mouths to feed is impractical. I’m not bringing up these points to say that Beryl made a mistake by staying in yeshiva for these years; I am saying that in his situation, it’s really important to think clearly and take the steps that have the best chance of leading to the right job. One decision that I feel is rarely examined adequately is Beryl’s desire to live in New York. I’m biased on this point, of course, because I didn’t grow up here and my family is not here. Nonetheless, living in New York is insanely expensive, and that puts a lot of pressure on Beryl to find a job that will pay a fairly high salary within a relatively short time. Unfortunately, there are a lot of unrealistic expectations in this area, and the media commonly consumed in our community works hard to make things worse. Ads promise astronomical returns on investments, skyrocketing sales of mortgages, quicky degrees that surely lead to high salaries – there’s enough snake oil out there to

light up a whole city. As long as Beryl is enchanted by all of this baloney, he’ll never start doing the hard work of finding a real job where he can succeed. Revisiting all of these assumptions isn’t easy, so working with a coach can be very helpful. Beryl needs to do some research, speaking to people whose backgrounds are similar to his, to learn which paths they have taken. He especially needs to talk to young people who ended up in fields that they didn’t expect to enter, whose career choices were not typical but worked for them. Beryl may have ruled out some possibilities that really could fit him well. Overcoming his preconceived notions about working, and more importantly, about himself, could really make a huge difference. To develop a better sense of the way that he might create value for an employer, Beryl should begin by identifying the skills and talents that he has already used successfully, whether in his yeshiva learning or in everyday life. These skills will help form a framework that Beryl can use to investigate career options. For example, does he take careful notes about what he has learned? Do others seek him out when they need a clear explanation of a difficult point? Has he organized chaburahs, helped

arrange chavrusas, reached out to others in some important way? All of these require skills that are easily transferable to the workplace. Beryl had done all of them at one point or another, but I didn’t notice that spark, that subtle smile that hints of a life’s focus underneath. I asked Beryl if he could recall any activities outside of his learning which he had enjoyed and where he had been successful. He mentioned a few but it was when he started talking about his yeshiva’s Pesach fundraising campaign that he really got animated. “Every year about ten days before Pesach, my yeshiva sends bochurim to different cities to collect contributions for the scholarship fund. I didn’t want to do it at first; my Mom said it would make me a schnorrer, but my Dad said I should do whatever I could to help. I was sent to Miami with a friend, and we had a list of names to call. My friend asked me to do the talking. I remembered the pointers we had heard before we left, and it just came easily to me. I felt like I was making friends with the people, and when I asked for a contribution, they were very generous. We brought back more than anyone else. “The next year I was asked to help organize the project. I really didn’t like checking the

small details and the planning, but I did what I had to do to help. Then they asked me to give the other guys a few pointers, and that went really well. Some guys came back to me later and said that my ideas really helped. And I went back to Miami and was successful there too. “I liked meeting people and explaining what the yeshiva was all about. When I got to asking them for money, I felt like I was offering them a good deal, and I felt good when they said, ‘Yes.’” Beryl and I worked on naming the skills that he had used in the campaign. He had reached out and established warm connections to new people, shared his enthusiasm, motivated others, spoken clearly and improvised as needed. He had dealt with rejection (not everybody said yes), revised his approach, and tried again. Beryl might sound like a future salesman, but there is a lot left to do before he’s ready to make that decision. To be a great salesman, you have to have a great product to sell. And Beryl’s first product must be himself.

Rabbi Mordechai Kruger’s Job Search for Champions has helped clients of all kinds find the jobs they really want. He can be reached at jobsearch forchampions@gmail.com

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DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Forgotten Her es

The Battle of the Kokoda Trail By Avi Heiligman

Crossing an improvised bridge

Guns being brought through the dense jungle

The best trained or larger army in battle doesn’t always win. Many factors go into planning and execution of a battle plan and the victor will not necessarily be the stronger side. Terrain and weather play heavily into battle tactics and logistics. Sometimes just preparing the troops for the tough climate can be enough to secure a victory. That’s exactly what happened to the Allies, mainly Australians, during the Battle of the Kokoda Trail. The battle has been called the toughest terrain that war has been fought upon, although there are several other battles that have had terrain play into the result.

apanese forces had captured much of Papua New Guinea in early 1942. Since the island was in close proximity to Australia it was imperative that the southern city of Port Moresby stay in Allied hands. In May, the Japanese sent a landing force destined for Port Moresby but the U.S. Navy intercepted a message that indicated that there was a massive fleet with carriers on

the way. In the Battle of the Coral Sea both sides lost a carrier but more importantly for the Americans the Japanese abandoned their plan for the invasion of Port Moresby. In June, Port Moresby was woefully under-defended and wouldn’t have stood a determined attack. In the coming months, Australia would land several brigades at Port Moresby to build of their defenses. Japa-

Australians along the Kokoda Trail

nese forces landed at the northern port of Buna and headed down the Kokoda Track. Australian troops began engaging the Japanese in July 1942. Both sides began landing more men and supplies gearing up for the long fight over the unforgiving Owen Stanley Mountain Range. Along this range was the Kokoda Track with the city of Kokoda being the halfway point. Besides having their supply lines closer to their base, the Australians also had the help of the local populace. Affectionately known as “fuzzy wuzzy angels” due to their hairstyle, these men and women knew the terrain and were excellent porters over the mountains. Some locals were part of the Papuan Infantry Battalion and helped fight the Japanese along the trail. American units had landed on other beachheads and were instrumental in defeating the Japanese and their supply lines but did not actually fight on the trail. American infantry from the 32nd Division took part in the Battle of Buna after the trail was secured.

The fighting began in late July first with the Papuan infantry then with regular Australian units. Only 77 poorly equipped Australian soldiers of the 39th Infantry Battalion were on hand to defend the airstrip at Kokoda but gave the Japanese a run for their money before losing the airstrip. A huge 10,000-man Japanese landing force made their way to Milne Bay on the southern tip of New Guinea. Only 2,000 soldiers disembarked and were met with determined resistance. American intelligence came through again and even though the landing force landed, it couldn’t reinforce the troops on the trail. Soon the Japanese re-embarked, suffering 50% casualties and abandoning the beachhead. Back on the Kokoda Trail, the Japanese offensive ground to a halt following a series of battles as casualties, disease and supply shortages took its toll. As the campaign continued, the Japanese were forced to eat anything including pack animals. Still, the Australians continued to fall back as more troops were being

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

sent into the fight. By September 16, the tide had turned, and the Australians began advancing on the exhausted Japanese. Both sides underestimated how difficult it would be to travel along the Kokoda Trail – much less fight on the muddy and steep path. Steep mountain passes, cold temperatures and malaria-filled swamps added to the misery of the exhausted soldiers. Engineers built wooden steps up the Imita Ridge. Called the “Wooden Steps,” there were 2,000 steps and up another ridge 3,500 steps faced the Australian infantry.

Steep mountain passes, cold temperatures and malaria-filled swamps added to the misery of the exhausted soldiers. An Australian officer described the terrain: “Imagine an area of approximately 100 miles long. Crumple and fold this into a series of ridges, each rising higher and higher until 7,000 ft is reached, then declining in ridges to 3,000 ft. Cover this thickly with jungle, short trees and tall trees, tangled with great, entwining savage vines. Through an oppression of this density, cut a little native track, two or three feet wide…” On September 18, the Japanese command ordered for a retreat back to their base at Buna. The Australians began following, and by November, Kokoda had been recaptured and the Japanese were back where they started. In January 1943, the Australians had successfully taken both Gona and Buna, officially ending the Kokoda Trail Campaign. Paul Cullen was one of the highest ranking Jewish-Australian officers in history. Before he became a major general, he was the commanding officer of the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Battalion during the Kokoda Trail Campaign. He earned the Distinguished Service Order for “continuous distinguished service in New Guinea, South West Pacific.” Cullen led his

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For more information contact men in hand-to-hand fighting on the trail in one of the turning points of the campaign. Fighting continued in New Guinea until the end of the war. Over 600 Australians died in the campaign with thousands more injured. Many of the casualties were due to disease

and not Japanese bullets. 6,500 Japanese were killed which was about half of their strength on the island. It was the fighting along the unrelenting Kokoda Tail that provided the upper hand for the Australians and an early victory in the war for the Allies that would be prevalent

throughout the entire New Guinea Campaign. Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.

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DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

People will buy into stop eating meat one or two days a week – you have to start slowly. It’s a very big challenge but it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done. - Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger advocating during an interview with the BBC that people should go meat-free one or two days a week to protect the climate

The New York Times analyzed the 95,000 words that Trump used in speeches last week and found patterns that aren’t common in most presidents’ speeches. Apparently Abraham Lincoln never insulted Rosie O’Donnell. - Jimmy Fallon

Last week was the 23rd anniversary of the first text message. Coincidentally, it was also the 23rd anniversary of the first rear-end collision.

In a new interview…President Obama said that his favorite book of the year was a novel called “Fates and Furies.” While Hillary Clinton said her favorite book of the year was “Whatever yours was.” - Jimmy Fallon

I first would allow the guilty bankers to pay … back anything over 100 million in personal wealth because I believe in a maximum wage of 100 million dollars and if they’re unable to live on that amount then they should go to the reeducation camps, and if that doesn’t help, then be beheaded. - Actress Roseanne Barr in an interview on RT News

– Conan O’Brien

Time Magazine today revealed their Person of the Year, German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She is the first woman to be named Person of the Year on her own since Corazon Aquino. I know that because that issue of the magazine is still in my dentist’s office. – Jimmy Kimmel

Of course Donald Trump weighed in on this. He tweeted today, “I told you Time Magazine would never pick me as Person of the Year. Despite being the big favorite, they picked the person who’s ruining Germany.” Even in defeat he’s gracious. – Ibid.

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has a severance package that would pay her $160 million if she gets fired. Which will mark the first time somebody actually tries to get drunk at their office holiday party. – Jimmy Fallon

MORE QUOTES

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Things haven’t been going too great for Jeb Bush, but he’s not giving up. His campaign has spent the most money on TV ads: $30 million. I don’t want to say Jeb’s run too many ads, but his new Secret Service code name is “Geico.” – Jimmy Fallon

I also stand here with my fierce family of clergy and Black Lives Matter activists who took to the streets of Ferguson to stand firm until all members of the community would see G-d in the face of the other…. I stand here to light these lights that say no to the darkness of Islamophobia…and racism and anti-Semitism and all the other isms that dare to dim our hope…. And today, friends, we stand with the President of the United States and the President of Israel, who today stand together in this critical moment in history when we must do everything to ensure security for Israelis and justice for Palestinians as allies committed to a lasting peace for all people. Insh’Allah, Insh’Allah, Insh’Allah, Insh’Allah. – A portion of “Rabbi” Susan Talve’s speech before she lit the menorah at the 2015 White House Chanukah party

Yet again, Obama disrespects Jewish people, this time on Hanukkah… Does anyone remember a White House Iftar dinner calling for an end to Islamic persecution of Jews? I didn’t think so.

Some good news for the White House. They just announced that Obamacare added a million new customers in its third open-enrollment season. They say more people are signing up for healthcare due to the looming deadline, low costs, and the sales of Hoverboards. – Jimmy Fallon

You are a disgrace not only to the GOP but to all America. Withdraw from the U.S. presidential race as you will never win. – Billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal echoing the sentiment of the U.S. media

We do not estimate that the current U.S. administration, any administration, will implement these racist suggestions. This is a pathetic attempt to attribute terror exclusively to Muslims. - Ismail Radwan, a Hamas leader and spokesman in Gaza, joining the PC war against Trump

- Radio personality Mark Levin

If elected, Mr. Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.

[L]ast week Senate Republicans passed yet another bill to try to repeal Obamacare — a bill they knew that I would veto as soon as it landed on my desk. You may not be able to point to a lot of legislative accomplishments with this group of Republicans in Congress, but you’ve gotta give these folks credit for their chutzpah. – President Obama in a fundraising email

- Trump’s physician, Dr. Harold Bornstein, in a letter released by the Trump campaign regarding the candidate’s health

Despite losing games left and right my heart hurts more for those affected in the #SanBernardino shooting. - Tweet by Laker Roy Hibbert

A California man miraculously escaped unharmed when he went through two compaction cycles in a garbage truck after sleeping in a trash can. When asked how he’s doing, he said, “Not that great. I sleep in a trash can.” – Seth Myers

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Before delivering my modest message, I feel obliged to alert college students, progressive academics and all other deeply sensitive souls that these words may contain phrases and ideas that challenge your prejudices â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in other words, I formally declare this room an â&#x20AC;&#x153;unsafe space.â&#x20AC;? - News Corp CEO Rupert Murdoch at the outset of his address accepting the Hudson Instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Global Leadership Award, before criticizing President Obama and John Kerry

Kim Jong Un will be sending his personal all-girl band to China next week in an effort to improve the relationship between the two countries. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be playing all their hits, like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Never Let Me Go,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can I Stay Here Awhile,â&#x20AC;? and their newest single, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seriously Though, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Begging You Please Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Make Me Go Back There.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Seth Myers

With regard to strikes from a submarine. We certainly need to analyze everything that is happening on the battlefield, how the weapons work. Both the [Kalibr] missiles and the Kh-101 rockets are generally showing very good results. We now see that these are new, modern and highly effective high-precision weapons that can be equipped either with conventional or special nuclear warheads. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Russian President Vladimir Putin, at a meeting in the Kremlin, discussing the war on ISIS and the possibility of using nuclear weapons to defeat them

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Donald Trump got a lot of people upset when he released a statement yesterday that called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States, and even Dick Cheney said he’d gone too far. You know it’s bad when Dick Cheney steps in to say, “Come on, have a heart, any heart.” - Jimmy Fallon

Doing what I did is me saying that I am like, I don’t know, Jason Bourne. ... I had this fantastic idea that I was going to prove to the world that I was the real thing. — Suspected Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl, describing his plan in leaving his post in Afghanistan to the podcast “Serial”

We have a president who believes that the SUV in your driveway is a bigger threat to national security than ISIS. — Sen. Ted Cruz

One of our major demands is that police be defunded and that that money used to fund police be used to fund black futures and be used to fund our communities and things that we need. - Breanna Champion, a Chicago Black Lives Matter leader, telling MSNBC what the goal of the Chicago protests are

And also “animals”? I mean, call them what they are, bad people. But what’s this “animal” thing that Christie’s throwing around? -MSNBC’s Chris Matthews taking umbrage with Gov. Christie referring to ISIS as “animals”

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

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Political Crossfire

Why Take the Trump Stunt Seriously? By Charles Krauthammer

o how exactly does this work, Donald Trump’s plan to keep America safe from Islamic terrorism by barring entry to all Muslims? He explained it Tuesday on TV. The immigration official will ask the foreigner if he’s a Muslim. “And if they said, ‘Yes,’ they would not be allowed in the country?” Trump: “That’s correct.” Brilliant. And very economical. That is, if you think that bloodthirsty terrorists – “people that believe only in jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life,” as Trump describes them – will feel honor-bound to tell the truth to an infidel immigration officer. They kill wantonly but, like George Washington, cannot tell a lie. On this logic hinges the great Maginot Line with which Trump will protect America from jihad. I decline to join the chorus denouncing the Trump proposal as offensive and un-American. That’s too obvious. What I can’t get over is its sheer absurdity. Here’s a suggestion (borrowed from my Fox News colleague Chris Stirewalt) to shore it up. At every immigration station at every airport in America, we will demand that every potential entrant – immigrant, refugee, student or tourist – eat a bacon sandwich. You refuse? Back home you go! True, the Stirewalt Solution casts the net a bit wide, snaring innocent vegetarians and Orthodox Jews. But hey, as Trump said Tuesday, “We’re at war – get it through your head.”

Can’t get squeamish about collateral damage. Dozens of others have already pointed out how strategically idiotic is Trump’s exclusion principle. Absent a renewed Christian crusade against radical Islam – with those fabulous Hollywood-wardrobe tunics – the war on terror will only be won in alliance with moderate Muslims. Declaring them anathema is not the best beginning to coalition-building. To take but the most obvious example: Our closest and most effective allies on the ground in the Middle East are the Kurds. Trump would turn them back at the Orlando airport. No Disney World for them. Or does he not know that they are Muslim? It is embarrassing even to embark on such arguments. To treat “no Muslims allowed” as a serious idea is to give credit to what is little more than a clever stunt by a man who saw Ted Cruz beating him for the first time in the Iowa Monmouth poll and five hours later decided it was time to seize the stage again. This got the thinkers going again. National Review’s Andrew McCarthy, whom I (otherwise) hold in considerable esteem, spent 1,000 words trying to tart up the ban in constitutional and statutory livery, stressing – hilariously – that he is dealing with the Trump proposal “in its final form.” As if Trump’s barstool eruptions are painstakingly vetted, and as if anything Trump says about anything is ever final.

Take his Syria policy. In September, he said we should wash our hands and just let Russia fight the Islamic State. Having, I assume, been subsequently informed that Vladimir Putin’s principal interest – and target – is not the Islamic State but the anti-Assad rebels, Trump

like mass deportation of 11 million illegal immigrants, and impossibilities, like the exclusion of Muslims from our shores. “No Muslims allowed” is the perfect example. President Obama’s Oval Office address on Sunday night marked a new low in his presidency.

At every immigration station at every airport in America, we will demand that every potential entrant – immigrant, refugee, student or tourist – eat a bacon sandwich. You refuse? Back home you go!

now promises to “bomb …” out of the Islamic State. I’m sure there’s a Trump apologist out there working to explain the brilliant complementarity of these two contradictory strategies. Just as a few months ago there was a frenzy of learned scholarship about the constitutional history of the 14th Amendment following another Trump eruption – the abolition of birthright citizenship. Whatever the final outcome, Trump’s campaign has already succeeded, indelibly affecting both this race and the Republican future. At a time of economic malaise at home and strategic collapse abroad, Trump has managed to steer the entire GOP campaign into absurdities,

The shopworn arguments, the detached tone, the willful denial that there might be anything wrong with his policy was deeply unsettling for left, right and center. Even The New York Times had to admit “Obama’s Plans to Stop ISIS Leave Many Democrats Wanting More,” which is Timesese for Democrats Stunned by Vacancy in the Oval Office. Here was an opportunity for the Republican field to launch an all-out takedown of the Obama (and Hillary Clinton) foreign policy. Within less than a day that opportunity was wiped out. Once again, it’s the Donald Show. (c) 2015, The Washington Post Writers Group

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From My Private Art Collection

Marc Chagall The Russian & French Artist By Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg

The Big Wheel by Marc Chagall

Rabbi with Torah by Marc Chagall

The America Windows by Marc Chagall

Marc Chagall was a Jewish artist, born in Vitebsk, Russia, on July 7, 1887 who died March 28, 1985 in France. Chagall was very talented and expressed his artistic and creative genius to create artwork through a multitude of mediums. He was considered one of the most distinguished artists of his times. His huge collection of artwork consists of ceramics, fine art prints, illustrations made specifically for books, large and small scale paintings, stage designs, his famous stained glass windows, and tapestries. Upon moving to Paris in 1910, he was introduced to Cubism and Fauvism, but enjoyed using the modernistic approach to create in a narrative and figurative style.

n 1914, Chagall made a trip back to Vitebsk, Russia, and could not return to France due to war. In 1918, he was appointed Commissar for Art, and during that stay in Vitebsk, he founded and headed an art school. In 1920, Chagall went to Moscow, as there were differences of opinions which he had to deal with, forcing him to resign from the position and leave. In Moscow he created stage designs for Jewish theater. He went via Berlin back to Paris in 1923. Chagall was known for his original folk art paintings based on the European lifestyle which he was ac-

customed to in the village of Vitebsk, where he originated from. This artwork was based on tremendous emotional feelings which he portrayed in his artwork. He also knew exactly how and where to add a whimsical touch to his art which brought out many emotions. He was lucky to be able to flee in bad times and went to the United States during World War II. It was during that time that The Metropolitan Museum of Art recognized his talent and held a showing of his work. In 1948 he returned to France and had many exhibits in Paris, London, and Amster-

dam. It was in 1951 that he went to Israel to exhibit his unusual sculptures. He continued to travel even more and exhibited his artworks in Italy and Greece, becoming an extremely wellknown artist. Chagall eventually was commissioned to create his famous stained glass windows, known worldwide as “The Chagall Windows,” which were installed in 1962 for the Shul in the Hadassah University Medical Center, Jerusalem. These windows employ the use of many colors and display the true beauty of stained glass. He created many other magnificent pieces of art which are deeply valued, such as a

window in the United Nations. He had an enormous ability to work with color in his artistic creations. As stated by the famous artist Picasso in the 1950s: “When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what color really is.” Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg is a professional art educator, artist and designer. Among her known artwork is a floral sculpture presented to Tipper Gore, Blair House, Washington, D.C. Please feel free to email nherzberg@hotmail.com with questions and suggestions for future columns.

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

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DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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HEWLETT: Great 2BR Apartment In the Grey Building, High Ceilings, Large Rooms, Maintenance Includes Washer/Dryer & Parking Lot Charges…$215K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

CEDARHURST: 500-3000 +/- SF Professional Office Space Available In The Heart Of Cedarhurst, For Lease... Call for More Details Broker (516) 792-6698

INWOOD OFFICE SPACE LOWEST PRICES IN TOWN! 500-7000 Square feet gorgeous office space with WATERVIEW in Inwood! Lots of options. Tons of parking. WIll divide and customize space for your needs! Call 516-567-0100

HEWLETT: Bright & Spacious 2 Bedroom Apartment On 1st Floor, Handicap Access, Freshly Painted…$114K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

EAST ROCKAWAY: 1,400 +/- SF Office Suite in Professional Elevator Building, Full Basement, Ample Parking, Great Location, For Lease…Call Arthur for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

LAWRENCE: 8,000 +/- SF Retail Space on Rockaway Tpke with Parking, Will Divide. Great Location, For Lease… Call for More Details Broker (516) 792-6698 Freeport: 1,450 +/- SF Office Storefront, Totally Renovated, Office, Bullpen Area, Empire Zone Benefits, Convenient to Major Public Transportation, For Sale… Call Alan for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

COMMERCIAL RE FIVE TOWNS: 1200 +/- SF Office Space in the Finest Building in the Five Towns, Available Feb 1st, Must See!!! $32PSF in Premiere Building, For Lease …Call Ian for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com WAREHOUSE SPACE IN INWOOD 25K-40K of Beautiful Warehouse space. 25’ ceilings, 10 interior drive in Loading Docks, drive-in Ramp. Adjacent Office Space Available, Plenty of Truck & car Parking available. Call 516-567-0100

OCEANSIDE: Mixed Use Building, Investor or User Property, 5 Commercial Tenants, 3 Residential Apartments, New Stucco Façade & More, For Sale… Call for More Details Broker (516) 792-6698 ROCKVILLE CENTRE: Professional/Medical Co-Op. 3000 +/SF Space with Reception Area, 7 Exam Rooms, 2 Consult Offices, 2 Bathrooms, For Sale…Call Randy for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

WOODMERE: Follow The Leader To Woodmere, Now Is The Time To Act!!! No Metered Parking, Various Retail/Office Spaces Available, For Sale/Lease...Call For More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com CEDARHURST OFFICE SPACE LOWEST PRICES IN TOWN! 500-5000 square feet very nice office space with cool conference room & Kitchen. Onsite parking Great Location. Lots of options! Will divide and customize space for your needs! Call 516-567-0100

INWOOD Commercial mixed use building + Lot. Private parking, corner property, high traffic area 1st floor offices, 2nd floor: 2 Apts. Asking 849k. Call 212-470-3856 Yochi @ WinZone Re

APT FOR RENT FAR ROCKAWAY: NEW TO MARKET! Beautifully renovated 2 BRs starting at $180; 3 BRs $2100 + no fee Zarate Realty 516-514-7525 FAR ROCKAWAY Near everything. 2 bedroom apartment for rent on 3rd floor in a 3 floor house. Upgraded kitchen and bathroom. Available now. Heat, hot and cold water included in rent No problems with parking. Please call: 516-322-6515, 516 -225-4558

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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 APT FOR RENT

FOR SALE

HELP WANTED

LAWRENCE: Beautiful & Spacious 3BR, 2BA Updated Apartment. Washer & Dryer, Use of Driveway & Yard, All Utilities Included Except Cable, CAC…$2,750/Mo. Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com

Unique Light Blue Solid Wood Server/Bar with Doors and Storage Area -$400.00 Pair of Campdimonte Made in Italy Floral Wall Light Sconces- 2 Finishes --$200.00 PICK UP ONLY ON BOTH ITEMS VALLEY STREAM 1-718-490-0044

REAL ESTATE MANAGER R.E. Management Co. in Bklyn seeking capable & hard working individual . No experience necessary. Pls email resume to REALTY@CGMAIL.NET (Pls enter resume in subject) or fax to 718-851-3511

Brand new luxury 3 bedroom 2 bath apartment in central Far Rockaway 2 Family home. Features: Private entrance, 1 car off street parking, Sukkah porch. Large eat in kitchen with new appliances, Living room, Dining room, Additional storage in attic, Separate heat, A/C, hot water, Washer/Dryer Hook Up, Walk to all Call 1-917-415-0055

HELP WANTED

SERVICE COORDINATOR ASSISTANT F/T for Queens office Proper candidate will have: good computer skills, ability to multitask and office experience. Prior early intervention experience a plus. Will Train. Competitive comp. pkg. Fax Resume 718-261-3702 Att. Bella Or email: cara.challenge2@thejnet.com

CEDARHURST 500-3,500 +/- SF Beautiful, newly renovated space for rent. Ideal for Retail or Executive offices. Prime location. Convenient Parking. Call Sam @ 516-612-2433 or 718-747-8080 ON SEAGIRT AVENUE 2 & 3 bedroom. Newly renovated. Washer and dryer hook up. Granite countertops. More info call or text 917-602-2914

GREAT OPPORTUNITY Looking for class B CDL DRIVER with clutch for a heimishe lumber co. Great pay, Call: 718-369-3141 Ext. 348 EXPERIENCED REAL ESTATE SALES AGENT needed for a HIGH Producing real estate office who is seeking an opportunity to Earn & Learn more!!! Call Today (516) 295-3000 x 128. All calls kept confidential. SECRETARY Real Estate Management office in Boro Pk is seeking a F/T Secretary with gd phone manner, able to multi task & have computer knowledge. No experience necessary Pls email resume to REALTY@CGMAIL.NET (Pls enter resume in subject) or fax to 718-851-3511

355 Central Avenue, Lawrence NY 11559 (Across the street from Seasons)

P: 516.791.6100 | F: 516.374.7059

www.WeissmanRealty.com CEDARHURST COOP

HEWLETT

INWOOD

Dayhab Trainers Full time position available in Far Rockaway for caring individuals to involve adults with developmental disabilities in skill development while encouraging them to become more independent. Responsibilities include supervising and joining in activities to foster independent living as well as escorting consumers to community sites. Valid driver’s license and ability to drive 15-passenger van required. For more information contact OHEL Bais Ezra 718-686-3102 or go to www. ohelfamily.org/careers to apply! Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island is seeking a full time administrative assistant. Experience necessary. Please email resume to office@ykli.org

Local F.T. Accounting Office Seeks P/T JR. ACCOUNTANT proficient in Q.B. knowledge of payroll tax, sales tax, business tax and individual taxes Qualified applicants should please e-mail resume to: 5towntaxoffice@gmail.com Geometry teacher available to help with classwork, study for tests and prepare for the regents. 347-977-6967 CATAPULT LEARNING Teachers for Title I in Boro Park andWilliamsburg Chassidic boys schools *College/Yeshiva Degree Required *Strong desire to help children learn *Excellent organizational skills *Small group instruction *Competitive salary Email resume: nyteachers@catapultlearning.com. Fax (718) 381-3493

Looking for a job? Let The Macher help you

MOVEIN READY Amazing 2 Bdrm, 2 Full Bth. Huge oversized granite kitchen great cabinet space & storage, 2 Dishwashers & a washer/dryer!!! Lrg LR opens to the balcony & FDR. Call Sherri 516-297-7995

$319K

All new 4BR, 2.5 Bth ranch house. Completely ren. w/ full n. bsmnt w/ high ceilings. Brand new appl. & upgraded xtures throughout. Beautiful reenished. lrg deck & fenced-in bckyrd, private drvwy, All new electrical upgrades!! Move-in ready, a must see for all!! $550K

FAR ROCKAWAY APARTMENT RENTALS

Clean & kept 4 bdrm, large kitchen, LR, Den, enclosed porch, beautiful backyard, bsmnt w/ laundry. Over 2,000 square ft. Great for a family. Asking Call Moshe 516-697-2504

$550K

5 TOWNS & CEDARHURST OFFICES 1-2 Rm executive oﬃces available all utilities & internet included. Varied conference room. Locations & pricing. Call Sherri 516-297-7995 Large 4 room suite 2,250 Sq. Ft. 4 private oﬃces, kitchen and reception, Cedarhurst location. Call Sherri 516-297-7995

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Macher Real Estate | Jobs Services Products | Vehicles

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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 HELP WANTED

MISC

Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) & Occupational Therapists Assistants (COTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s)For 200+ bed Nursing Home in Queens. Must have Hospital or Nursing Home experience. Please email resume to promrehab@aol.com

Tutors desperately needed for Zichron Etel, a gemach providing free tutoring to those who cannot afford it. Now in Brooklyn and the Five Towns! Kindly visit our website at www.zichronetel.com

ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER Growing company in the 5 Towns seeking motivated employee for Full Time accounting/bookkeeping. MUST have professional accounting experience previously to be considered, strong teamwork skills required. Submit qualified resume to admin@ getpeyd.com for details.

Found stroller on Central Avenue. If anyone has lost their stroller or knows someone who has, please contact me at SL11691@yahoo.com

Licensed Practical Nurse seeks position in homecare with the elderly or pediatric care. I am skilled, caring and dependable. Please call me at 631-759-0025 Dry cleaner looking to hire EXPERT SEAMSTRESS / TAILOR to work in dry cleaning store asap. Main Street (Queens) location. Established clientele. Generous compensation split and opportunity to make extra money. Set your own hours. If interested please call Marc 917-612-2300

Senior Jewish looking to rent a garage for storage in or near Far Rockaway ASAP 646-657-3131 Yehalomim Shelanu Special Programming presents an after school program for the special children of our neighborhood! Every Monday afternoon from 4:45- 6:15 Fun & educational run by talented and experienced staff. Call 516-732-2949 for more info or to register

Reach Your Target Market Classifieds

COMPUTER

GRAPHICS LEARN ADOBE INDESIGN,

WORKSHOP

ILLUSTRATOR & PHOTOSHOP

New Session Starts Mid January. Workshop meets twice a week. Day or Eve. Flatbush location. Small groups. Seasoned instructor with 10+years of experience in print & web design.

Basic computer skills, labtop & software required. Ask about Adobe student software discounts. For more info call 917-771-6996 or email computergraphicsworkshop@gmail.com

TJH Classifieds Post your Real Estate, Help Wanted, Services, Miscellaneous Ads here.

Weekly Classifed Ads Up to 5 lines and/or 25 words

1 week ................ $20 $10 2 weeks .............. $35 $17.50 4 weeks .............. $60 $30 Email ads to: classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com Include valid credit card info

Deadline Monday 5:00pm

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The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

what would a meditarranean say about this? a typical american drama

Meet Chef Daniel

Meet Chef Daniel. With his golden hands and vast culinary knowledge, he combines the flavor and flair of Mediterranean and American Cuisine. When you taste our new menu, you savor just the right amount of adventure cooked at just the right location!

come 128 Cedarhurst Ave, Cedarhurst, NY 11516 • (516) 295-1800 • 11:00 am – 10:30 pm

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DECEMBER 17, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Your

Money

IRS’s Hall of Shame By Allan Rolnick, CPA

Back in 2002, Steve Epstein, the director of the Pentagon’s Standards of Conduct Office, faced a common dilemma among ethics officials: how to keep his training sessions fresh and relevant? His answer was to avoid discussing dry statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 205, and focus instead on telling stories. “We discovered that the first thing you have to do is you have to entertain folks enough so they will pay attention.”

pstein found plenty of stories, and assembled them into the

Encyclopedia of Ethical Failure, a compelling collection. He or-

ganized them into helpful categories like “Bribery,” “Credit Card Abuse,”

and those always-entertaining “Time and Attendance Violations.” Epstein’s list focuses mainly on military personnel. But we were curious to see if anyone at the IRS had wound up in his Hall of Shame. And sure enough, we found a few. Now, the vast majority of IRS employees are honest, hardworking public servants, doing a thankless job in an era of shrinking budgets and rising hostility. But the end of the year in approaching, and some people just won’t be getting bonuses! • An IRS Revenue Agent became friends with the owner of a construction company that owed back taxes. The agent wound up accepting generous gifts like free dinners, free rounds of golf, and a check for $14,900 that he used to buy a car. He ended up admitting that the gifts from his new bestie made it hard to collect the construction company’s outstanding debt and spent three years thinking about it at a federal installation with no golf course. • Two rental-car company own-

ers conspired with two IRS employees to ignore their tax debt in exchange for free rental cars and paid vacations to Florida. Alas, people in stories that begin with the word “conspired” rarely end well, and this one was no exception. Instead of finishing with “they all lived happily ever after,” this one features words like “jail,” “restitution,” and “supervised release.” • An IRS employee learned inside information about a stock transaction while he was working on a collection. After the assignment, he bought $2,000 worth of the stock. Apparently his conscience got the better of him, and he came clean to his supervisor. This led to charges for participating personally as a government employee in a matter in which he had a personal interest. The prosecution, in turn, led to his resignation, plus six months in a pretrial diversion program. Oh, and in a victory for karma, he lost money on the stock!

• An IRS officer and two tax preparers dreamed up a scheme to cheat the government. The tax preparers convinced clients who owed money to the government that they could negotiate a better deal if they made an up-front payment. Then the IRS officer falsified records to show the clients were “uncollectible,” which meant the IRS stopped pursuing them. Meanwhile, the money the clients thought they were paying over to the IRS never actually found its way there. Naturally, all three of our criminal masterminds wound up serving time. Here’s the good news this season. It really is possible to pay less and end the year on a high note. Just call us for a plan, before the clock strikes midnight on December 31! Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 yea rs in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.

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‫בס״ד‬

GET IN ON THE GROUND FLOOR. E

Make your mark on Five Towns history LIMITED DEDICATION OPPORTUNITIES STILL AVAILABLE AT GROVESTREETMIKVAH.ORG

PURCHASE PROPERTY > DRAW PLANS > FOUNDATION > DRILL WATER WELLS > BOR FOUNDATIONS > STEEL STRUCTURE > EXTERIOR WALLS > INTERIOR FRAMING

In progress November 2015

A magnificent Mikvah to fit the Five Towns community’s needs Construction underway at 134 Grove Avenue Contact: info@grovestreetmikvah.org | PO Box 485, Cedarhurst NY 11516 Grove Street Mikvah is a non for profit 501c3 organization

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Life C ach

A Night Versus a Lifetime By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

Invite everyone you know; no, keep it small? Have the beautiful view of the water; no, the bigger dance floor? Use the caterer with a flare; no, the less expensive caterer! These are some of the struggles, and yes, even arguments you go through when planning a wedding and that’s before you even get the other family involved! You and your child are slugging out the details and then you still have to deal with the other side!

o how does it all get resolved? Ah, my friends, that is the very question that families, young couples, and the Magi themselves have been asking for centuries?. Clearly it usually all does work out because the invitations do go out. And all the guests, or maybe only the ones who made the negotiated cutoff, are there at the wedding to celebrate. Is it stressful? It could be! It depends on how it all goes down! If you

are blessed, you can keep your eye on the endpoint – a couple is starting their lives together. This is only one night, albeit an important one! But if the flower arrangements, the band, or the locale are more important than the families having harmony, oh yeah, things can get sticky or rather more appropriately, repellent. Is there a formula to abide by to keep things healthy and balanced? I guess prayer would be my first suggestion. Pray that you have the self-control to back off from all that you want. Use a sharp memory would be my second suggestion. Remember everything you need for life you learned in kindergarten, “You get what you get and you don’t get upset.” Remember your sports lessons, “It’s not whether you win or lose it’s how you play the game.” Remember what free choice means: we don’t control the challenges presented to us only how we respond to them. Do you see a pattern developing here?! Most importantly, make an eye doctor’s appointment. Try to get rose colored glasses in order to see everything in a positive light. Many parties have envisioned this day. Unfortunately, all differently! So far there are no mediators pursuing the career of wedding negotiator. That might be an idea for party planners to add to their skillset. Kind of like a good matchmaker, they can fudge the sentiments a little to help things move forward successfully.

Marriage is all about compromise. Why isn’t this as good a time as any to start modeling it?! This is not a boxing match. The ring used is not one where everyone climbs in together; rather it’s worn to commemorate love. The money

And within the week the flowers die. But the couple and their families need to survive a lifetime together. Is whether a kneidel was served versus a crepe, a rose used versus a carnation, a bassoon played versus a

Most importantly, make an eye doctor’s appointment. Try to get rose colored glasses in order to see everything in a positive light.

exchanged by the attendants at the event is not for betting on the outcome; rather it’s to support a positive one. The parties are not returning to separate corners; they are marching off together to the same one. The towel is not being thrown in, it’s being monogrammed with both their names. And the winner is not one or the other, it’s the union! The best way to make it all work out despite the many parties and opinions at play is to remember: The food ordered is gone that night, in seconds, with each swallow. The clothing worn gets discarded the next day relegated to the attic or the depths of the closet. The band is on to another event, the very next night.

violin, or the color sage worn versus burgundy worth a battle that affects a lifetime of shared births, bar mitzvahs, graduations, anniversaries and so much more? This is what you need to keep in mind as you sit down to negotiate a wedding. It’s a night versus a lifetime. I bet there have been times you’ve fallen asleep early and missed out on a night, not always one you wanted to miss, but at least it’s just one night. You certainly would never want to miss out on a whole lifetime! Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-7052004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com

ISL

IVA

The Jewish Home | DECEMBER 17, 2015

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2016

u"ga, yca wt SANDS ATLANTIC BEACH

C O C K T A I L S 7 : 00 D I N N E R / P R E S E N T A T I O N 8 : 00

RIN

MAARIV/DESSERT 8:45

RABBI & MRS. ELIYOHU SCHLOSS harbotzas

torah

award

MR. & MRS. SHLOMO KATZ

hakaros

hatov

award

DR. & MRS. DAVID SIMAI kesser

shem

tov

award

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