Five Towns Jewish Home - 11-12-15

November 12—November 18, 2015

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

Your Favorite Five Towns Family Newspaper

Pages 9, 10, 11 & 13

Around the

Community

50

Hundreds Attend Eldercare Plus Conference Hosted by Achiezer

Netanyahu Comes to Washington A Softening in the U.S.-Israel Relationship

72

50TH YAHRTZEIT

pg

A Soldier on a Mission

64

Words are Sgt. Benjamin Anthony’s Weapon in his Defense of the Jewish State

Yeshiva of South Shore Students Meet One of Austria’s Rescued “50 Children”

pg Page 55

– See pages 3 & 31

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Dear Readers,

Y

esterday, I was looking at a photo of Netanyahu and Obama at their meeting this week. Both of them were laughing and seemed to be enjoying each other’s company. But then I reminded myself that they’re both politicians. Politicians are experts at pretending to be people’s friends, at pretending to be enjoying themselves when they really wish they are somewhere else. It’s hard to find a politician who, after being in office for several years, is genuine, sincere and truly cares about the individual.

Contrast this with a seasoned mechanech.

A veteran rebbe or teacher is attuned to his or her students’ needs – and their concern becomes even more finely honed after years of teaching. A good rebbe or teacher is genuine and the children they are teaching can sense their authenticity and their sincere compassion. They are passionate about what they are teaching and they are passionate about whom they are reaching. They think about their students way after the school doors close and the lights in the classrooms are off.

This week was Reb Dovid Bender’s zt”l 50th yahrtzeit and it was a privilege for me to read about his life. The article is a peek into how a man lived for Torah and how his love of Torah spilled over to his students.

His talmidim, many of whom came from poor homes with parents who were scarred from the horrors of the Holocaust, felt that they found a rebbe within Reb Dovid who could empathize with them and who under-

stood their troubles. He encouraged them and he expected them to do their best. Some of his lessons weren’t taught with words; he showed them how to be a mensch and how to live a vibrant Torah life.

Reading about Reb Dovid Bender was also interesting to me because he was an American boy who moved to the Mir in Poland to learn. Living in Poland could not have been easy for a boy used to American living, but Reb Dovid didn’t think about comfort. He yearned to be closer to the epicenter of Torah learning, and at that time the flames of Torah were glowing in the shtetls of Europe.

It’s hard to imagine such mesirus nefesh for Torah. In fact, Reb Dovid moved to Mir with his mother, and his father would only come from America every so often. Such mesirus nefesh for a family to enable their son to obtain the purest form of Torah learning!

And here in America, just a few decades later, our mesirus nefesh amounts to not driving the latest car or wearing the newest fashions.

I am not, G-d forbid, denigrating the sacrifices our generation makes for a Torah life. But I am mesmerized by how people were happy – not just willing – to forgo so much just so they could drink in a purer form of Torah.

It seems that Reb Dovid Bender, master mechanech, is still teaching years after his petirah. I, for one, have learned a lot from his life.

Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern PUBLISHER

publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Yosef Feinerman MANAGING EDITOR

ads@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Shoshana Soroka EDITOR

editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com

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

Classifieds

classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com text 443-929-4003 The Jewish Home is an independent weekly magazine.

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

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

8

COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll

8

Community Happenings

46

NEWS Global

13

National

32

Odd-but-True Stories

39

ISRAEL Israel News

25

Netanyahu Comes to Washington by Nachum Soroka

80

92

Bat Mitz by Rafi Sackville 87 A Soldier on a Mission by Tammy Mark 88 PEOPLE The Life of Reb Dovid Bender zt”l by Naftali Halpern 100 Submarines: Ruling the Ocean’s Depths, Part II by Avi Heiligman 116 PARSHA

Rabbi Wein

82

The Shmuz

83

JEWISH THOUGHT No Accounting for Taste by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

84

Some of the Best Things in Life Really are Free by Naphtali Hoff

86

JEWISH HISTORY The Curious Tale of Lord George Gordon, Modern History’s Most Unlikely Convert to Judaism, Part II by Rabbi Pini Dunner

114

HEALTH & FITNESS

96

How to Build Healthy SelfEsteem in a Child by Deb Hirschhorn, PhD 96

Dear Editor, I would like to respectfully remind your readers that now that fall is here, there will be many rainy days. People should be careful when driving as leaves become really slippery when they are wet and can be dangerous when stopping short. They should also be mindful when they are walking as well when leaves are wet.

Kol tuv, Baruch Sternberg Dear Editor, Did you know that the first few weeks when we heard about those who were interested in running for president on the Republican ticket most people didn’t even know that Ben Carson was African-American?

I, for one, did not. What I did know was that he was a brilliant neurosurgeon, had an interesting view on taxes, and had conservative values.

I knew that those things mattered to voters, and when I found out he was African-American it didn’t change my view on him at all.

Recently it struck me that if Ben Carson was running on the Democrat ticket, the first thing you would hear is that he is African-American. That’s all the media would be touting—“Elect the second African-American to the White House! Make history!”

How ironic. The liberals are always trying to show how inclusive they are; how they are colorblind; and how conservatives only care about the

white upper class who were born on American soil. And yet, it’s the conservatives who are showing that color and race does not mean anything when electing their candidates. In fact, there are no headlines touting Carson’s struggles with race or discrimination. No headlines on how he was bullied or looked down upon. It’s possible that he never experienced those things. But I know that if a liberal was running in his shoes in the wake of the Ferguson-epidemic riots, they would make sure to show voters how they emphasize with them in their struggles.

So if there are any liberals reading this, you should know that being colorblind when it comes to race really means color “blind,” not seeing the color of a person’s skin and certainly not making that color into today’s news.

A Reader Dear Editor, I appreciate your article on Crohn’s disease and colitis, and although I do not think that it was completely comprehensive, I understand that you cannot include all the information out there in one article. I myself suffer from colitis and two of my siblings do as well. I am able to manage it with medications, but I know that stress or lack of sleep do contribute to my flareups. Many times people tell me to try out certain diets that are known to Continued on page 12

World Diabetes Day by Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN 98

What’s your favorite season?

FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Summer Rolls

113

LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LMSW

92

Your Money

124

Quick! I Need a Shower by Rivki Rosenwald, Esq., CLC

126

HUMOR Centerfold Uncle Moishy Fun Page

78 118

POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes

106

Take the Winnings and Run by Charles Krauthammer

110

GOP Voters’ Love of the Unserious by Michael Gerson

111

CLASSIFIEDS 120

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The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Continued from 8

have helped others. One of my friends even told me to go for surgery (!) because she knows someone who had it done. I couldn’t believe she told me that; does she even understand what surgery is – cutting out a piece of your large intestine? It’s not like taking out a tooth! This is serious and one should only go for surgery if they truly need it as it has lifelong consequences.

The reason that I am writing this letter is because although I appreciate you highlighting these diseases, it’s just a step in the right direction.

These diseases affect a large percentage of Ashkenazi Jews and so it can be that your neighbor, your friend or your child’s teacher may be suffering. Do not make silly comments to them as if you know what they are going through.

You do not, and I hope that you will never experience their pain. Do not suggest they do this treatment or try that medication. Sympathize with them, ask them if you can help, understand that the pain can sometimes be so great that they cannot get out of bed or even take care of their kids. Yes, it can be that bad during a flare but with the proper management and support, they can get through this.

May we all experience the right refuahs, A Reader

Dear Editor, It is due season that we ostracize radical environmentalism for what it is—an effort to upend the industrial revolution. The radical environmentalists have sought to purge all industrial and technological advancements, with attacks on coal and fossil fuels, as well as on our heaters, air-conditioners, fridges, freezers, washing machines, clothes dryers and much more. A recent UN-backed summit on climate change on Margarita Island, Venezuela, produced a declaration called the “Margarita Declaration on Climate Change” which castigates the “current capitalist hegemonic system” as the primary menace to a healthy and safe environment. U.S. federal officials, the EPA and other government agencies have been the vanguards in actualizing their moronic and drone-like environmental aspirations. The Left initially argued that capitalism produced too little; now it’s too much, and that “excessive overabundance” of capitalist production is generating global climate change. The Commies are “degrowthers” or “regressives” and—for a lack of better words—envision the Stone Age and Communism as the ultimate utopia for humanity. The coal industry is incessantly blitzkrieged by the Feds and are threatened with termination.

Now the Commies want to introduce wind and solar energy as the solution to our environmental woes—but if experiences with renewable energy in Germany, Britain, Spain, Italy and France ought to be considered, it’s that they epitomize the entire fiasco of renewable energy. According to the Renewable Energies Agency, an average 3-person household in Germany pays 280 euro or $300 for electricity per month. Since the average American household pays an estimated $130 per month, the average 3-person household in Germany is essentially paying a little more than twice that amount! In Britain, the Daily Mail reported that British taxpayers would save almost $230 per month using conventional energy sources! And yet these efforts haven’t even significantly decreased carbon emissions. And let’s not forget that photosynthesis provides us with most of the oxygen we need in order to breathe. We, in turn, exhale the carbon dioxide needed by plants. Without carbon dioxide, we would all freeze to death.

The truth is that our economic system of capitalism has produced the wealthiest country on the globe, has lifted millions of people out of poverty and is responsible for all the luxuries and technological advancements that we enjoy daily. Basic chores that

entailed lots of labor and much time just in the last past century, today require minimal labor and less time.

Coal-backed energy and fossil fuels heat our homes in the dark winter months and cool them in the blistering summer heat with efficiency and low cost. The Feds want to sabotage that.

Unless you’re fine with the regressive and Communist life of unremitting despondency and misery, I would suggest that every person contact their senators and representatives to stymie the debacle that is the radical, de-growth and regressive environmental agenda.

Sincerely, Rafi Metz Dear Editor, I am nine years old and I live in Queens. I like reading your paper – especially the funny news and the fun pages. This week my mother and I spent time making the yummy caramel apples that you featured in the paper. They came out really nice and we had a wonderful time doing it. We even dipped the apples in toasted coconut and others in chopped nuts.

My brothers and sisters enjoyed their yummy treat. We hope to do them again around Chanukah time!

Thank you! I really like reading your paper.

Chanie Gross

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

The Week In News

Who’s Got the Power?

Russian President Vladimir Putin sees himself as a powerful force to be reckoned with. Last year he marched into Ukraine and helped himself to a piece of land. This year, he has wiggled himself into the Syrian conflict and has yet to bow to Western powers.

But it seems that Putin’s power is not just in his mind. In fact, for the third year in a row, Forbes has put Putin in the top spot on its World’s Most Powerful People list. The list, like every year, includes an array of top ranking leaders, innovators, and benefactors. Of the top banana, the magazine wrote, “[Putin is] one of the few men in the world powerful enough to do what he wants – and get away with it.” The Russian leader has suspiciously high popularity ratings in his country despite his involvement in armed conflicts and a bad economic crisis crippling his nation.

Next on the list of world’s most powerful people is German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who uses her power to promote unity on the continent and generosity toward the less fortunate, Forbes said in calling her “the most powerful woman on the planet for 10 years running.”

The number three spot is occupied by none other than President Barack Obama himself as the current leader of “the world’s greatest economic, cultural, diplomatic, technological and military power.”

However, Forbes mentioned that partisan politics inhibit Obama from a more effective leadership in Washington.

The youngest person on the list was Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (No. 19) at the age of 31. The next youngest person is North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un (No. 46) who is believed to be 32. The average age of the world’s most powerful people is 60. There are several individuals on the list in their 60s but Warren Buffet at the age of 85 skews the list heavily.

So who are the powerful people who run the world, according to Forbes? Here is a list of the top ten for this year.

1. Vladimir Putin 2. Angela Merkel 3. Barack Obama 4. Pope Francis 5. Xi Jinping 6. Bill Gates 7. Janet Yellen 8. David Cameron 9. Narendra Modi 10. Larry Page

Bomb Brought Down Russian Plane

Several U.S. intelligence, military and national security officials have related that terrorists bombed Metrojet Flight 9268 on October 31 in which all 224 people onboard were killed.

The plane was headed from the Egyptian resort city of Sharm elSheikh to St. Petersburg, Russia,.

But not long after takeoff, it disintegrated midair and crashed in the Sinai Peninsula.

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond related that his government still believes “it’s more likely than not” that an explosive device caused the plane crash. “Obviously, we won’t know absolutely for certain until the final analysis of the wreckage has taken place,” he said. “That could take some time.”

Egyptian officials, who are leading the main crash investigation, haven’t expressed as much confidence in the bomb theory. “All the scenarios” are still on the table, said Ayman al-Muqaddam, the head of the inves-

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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The Egyptians aren’t the only ones involved in the investigation.

Experts from Russia, France, Germany and Ireland – countries that are connected in various ways to the Airbus A321-200 that crashed – are also investigating. The U.S. has offered assistance by the FBI. At least

some of the intelligence intercepts being used to assess what happened to the jetliner came from Israeli intelligence, according to a U.S. official briefed on the intelligence as well as a diplomatic source.

The Sinai affiliate of ISIS claims responsibility for downing the plane, but so far has yet to explain how the group was able to do so. As

such, many are doubting the group’s claim, as it has used these types of acts as propaganda for their cause.

An explosive noise was heard in the recovered cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder but authorities don’t want to say with complete certainty that a bomb caused that sound.

Myanmar Elections Yield Win for Democracy

Early results for elections in Myanmar show a big victory for the National League for Democracy (NLD). It was seen as the most democratic election in the country in the past 25 years. In an interview with BBC, Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi said the polls were not fair but “largely free.” Even so, she admitted that there had been “areas of intimidation.”

A quarter of Myanmar’s 664 parliamentary seats are set aside for the army, and for the NLD to have the winning majority it will need at least two-thirds of the contested seats. But Suu Kyi is confident that her party has surpassed that and has won around 75%. The final results of the election won’t be revealed for the next few days.

The military-backed Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) has been in power in Myanmar since 2011 when the country began its transition from decades of military rule to a civilian government.

“Times have changed; people have changed,” Suu Kyi said.

She is constitutionally barred from becoming president because people with foreign offspring are blocked from holding the post, but she said that she will still be making the important decisions while a colleague will be holding the official title. “A rose by another name,” Suu Kyi told the BBC in the first interview since the election.

Results from Sunday’s election are slowly being announced. The election commission says the NLD has taken 78 of the 88 seats announced so far for the 440-seat lower house of parliament.

Election monitors from the U.S.based Carter Center, who observed 245 polling stations, described the elections in most areas as “competitive and meaningful” with generally

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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well-conducted voting and counting.

The group noted several problems including the barring of members of the country’s Rohingya Muslim minority from voting, a lack of transparency in the advance voting process and inconsistency in making preliminary results available at the constituency level.

“Prejudice is not removed easily and hatred is not going to be removed easily... I’m confident the great majority of the people want peace… they do not want to live on a diet of hate and fear,” Suu Kyi said.

Taliban Infighting Leads to More Deaths Over 50 “freedom fighters” died this week when two rival Taliban groups clashed in southern Afghanistan. Fighters led by the newly appointed leader Mullah Mohammad Rasool clashed with those loyal to Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor in Zabul province.

Anwar Ishaqzai, governor of southern Zabul province, said the

Taliban break-off group – known as the High Council of Afghanistan Islamic Emirate – has joined up with fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) group. “The Taliban faction under Mullah Rasool was backed by the ISIL and Uzbek fighters in the fight,” he related.

Abdul Manan Niazi, spokesperson for the breakaway faction, denied the ISIL association. “We will never join them. Their ideologies are different, they come from a different background and a different history,” he told Al Jazeera. “These are all false accusations. We can never ask for their support to fight our enemies or re-establish the Islamic rule.” ISIL, which controls large swathes of Iraq and Syria, started building a presence in Zabul earlier this year.

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Mullah Mansoor’s followers initiated the fight, Niazi accused. “Since the announcement of our new leader, we’ve been highlighting that we are not in the favor of fighting with each other,” he insisted. “This fight was initiated by them.”

The split into two groups followed the appointment of the main new leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, within the terrorist group. The Taliban Supreme Council, or Shura Council, said it had not been consulted, and late last week, the breakaway group elected its own leader, Mullah Mohammed Rasool Akhund. The rift has raised speculation over the group’s unity and future.

Last month, Barack Obama announced that he will extend the U.S. military role in the country and keep the current force of 9,800 troops through most of 2016 amid a surge in Taliban attacks. Under the new plan, though, the number of U.S. troops would fall to 5,500, starting in 2017.

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A state funeral in North Korea has sparked further speculation of purge rumors after one of Kim Jong-Un’s most powerful aides was omitted from the official funeral committee list.

Marshal Ri Ul-Sol, who died of lung cancer over the weekend, was to be given a state funeral on November 11, and the list of 170 names published on Sunday – headed by leader Kim Jong-Un – is an official Who’s Who of the top political and military hierarchy. A notable absentee, however, is Choe Ryong-Hae, a member of the ruling party’s politburo standing committee and seen as one of Kim’s closest confidantes. This is surprising because under normal circumstances Choe would be on the list even if he was ill. Experts do not believe that the

omission of someone of this stature could possibly be a mistake.

“It’s almost impossible that this happened unless Choe ... was removed from key positions,” said Cheong Seong-Chang, an analyst at the Sejong Institute think-tank in Seoul. “I suspect that Choe might have been involved in serious trouble such as a major corruption scandal or defamation.”

Seoul’s Unification Ministry, which handles North Korea affairs, also noted the omission in a regular press briefing on Monday. “We certainly view it as unusual given past precedent,” said ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee. This is the first time Choe’s presence or lack of it has been recognized.

He was also noticeably absent when Kim paid tribute at Ri’s wake on Sunday along with several senior military cadres, according to footage from North Korean state TV. Up until now Choe was regarded as Kim Jong-Un’s most trusted diplomat and was selected to deliver a personal message to Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. He visited Beijing again in September as North Korea’s representative at China’s giant WWII victory anniversary parade. Choe was mentioned by state media as recently as October 31, when he made a statement about a ruling party congress to be held next year.

Of course Choe’s absence has caused a wave of political purge and executions rumors. Kim Jong-Un is known to be cruel in eliminating even the highest-ranking officials whose loyalty have been brought into question. Kim had his powerful uncle, Jang Song-Thaek, executed in December 2012 on charges of treason and corruption.

The Kim dynasty has ruled the impoverished North Korea for over six decades with an iron fist and zero tolerance for difference.

China Choked by Smog As China continues to combat its smog issue, the problem continues to gradually get worse. On Monday, levels of dangerous particulates reached around 50 times World Health Organization maximums, in what environmental campaigners said were the highest figures ever recorded in the country.

In photos, smog is seen so thick

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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that entire buildings in Changchun, the capital of Jilin province in the northeast, were almost completely invisible. One image showed a restaurant’s neon sign seemingly floating in mid-air above traffic, proclaiming in yellow: “Eastern Dumpling King.”

Levels of PM2.5, the tiny airborne particles considered most harmful to health, reached 860 micrograms per cubic meter in the city of around eight million this week. The World Health Organization’s recommended maximum is a 24-hour average of 25 micrograms.

“Today’s haze is pretty severe and choking – when I walked out the door I thought someone’s house was on fire,” said one poster in Changchun

on China’s Twitter-like Sina Weibo.

The official news agency Xinhua quoted a hospital official in the city saying that its respiratory ward had been overwhelmed, with all its beds full.

China’s pollution problem tends to get worse in the winter time when power consumption rises due to an increased need for heat. The toxic issue has been linked to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths and has become a major source of popular discontent with the government.

According to research, PM2.5 particulates can be linked to heart disease, stroke, and lung ailments such as emphysema and cancer.

Shenyang’s apocalyptic smog was caused by coal use from its public heating system and by heavy pollution blown in from other provinces, city environmental authorities said on a verified social media account.

The Changchun city government said on social media on Monday that it was initiating a “level three” emergency response, telling schools to stop organizing outdoor activities, and reminding residents to stay indoors and “take health precautions,” without further specifications.

Last month, an environmental

group found that nearly 80 percent of Chinese cities had pollution levels that “greatly exceeded” national standards over the first nine months of this year.

Most Jews Feel Safe

A new survey conducted among Jewish community leaders around the world has found that 77 percent reported that their members do not feel threatened in their places of residence, including 56 percent of European Jews. 21 percent of leaders said their community members felt unsafe – about half of them due to the growth in anti-Semitism, and others because of anger directed at Israel, local criminal crime, the economic situation, and the immigration problem in Europe.

Ahead of the Ninth World Conference of Jewish Community Centers (JCC Global), which is being held in Jerusalem this week, JCC leaders were asked whether the current situation in Israel affected them. The findings were surprising: Forty-six percent said the community’s sense of security was unaffected by the current round of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, while 35% said they felt less secure. Ten percent even reported a higher sense of personal safety recently.

The interviewees were also asked to rank Diaspora Jewry’s challenges.

They revealed that unity within their communities is more important to them than the connection with Israel, preventing assimilation and fighting anti-Semitism. The absolute majority stated, however, that they feel a sense of solidarity with and commitment towards other Jewish communities in the world, which is reflected in the willingness to help and support them at times of trouble.

Participating in the JCC Global conference are more than 400 community leaders and executive directors of JCCs from Europe, North

America, Central and South America, and leaders of small communities from India and the Philippines. The countries represented in the conference include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, France, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Mexico, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, the United States, Venezuela, Paraguay and Israel.

The conference, which is held in Israel every four years, is focusing this year on the urgent issues Jewish communities are dealing with. Participants are also discussing innovative global cooperation programs between the community centers as part of efforts to reassure the Jewish people around the world.

Nazi Volunteers Still Paid by German Govt

Spaniards who volunteered to fight for the Nazis during World War II are still having their pensions paid by the German government. According to a German newspaper, Berlin is still honoring an agreement made with Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, whose regime encouraged volunteers to sign up to fight for Adolf Hitler against Communist Russia between 1941 and 1943.

In a written reply to the recent revelations, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government admitted that it was still paying out over 100,000 euro a year in pensions to survivors and relatives of troops from the so-called Blue Division, in whose ranks Spanish volunteers fought on the Eastern Front.

The current annual bill to German taxpayers stands at 107,352 euro which is granted to 41 veterans who were wounded while fighting for the Nazis, eight widows of former fighters, and one orphan of a Blue Division volunteer.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

The agreement to pay pensions to Blue Division veterans was made between Franco’s government and the Federal Republic of Germany in 1962, the newspaper said. The revelation follows a similar one last year in the United States, where it was exposed that dozens of suspected Nazis, including at least four living beneficiaries, received millions of dollars in benefits over the years due to legal loopholes. The House of Representatives later unanimously approved a bill that closes these loopholes and stipulates that Nazis should be stripped of their Social Security benefits.

World’s Most Expensive Gas Station?

The American taxpayer is on the hook for a $43 million gas station constructed in Afghanistan. The Department of Defense cannot explain why the cost was about $42.5 million higher than it should’ve been, according to a new government report.

“The DOD charged the American taxpayer $43 million for what is likely the world’s most expensive gas station,” Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John Sopko said. “DOD spent $43 million on the gas station, without determining it would be a good idea, and now claims it knows nothing about the project.”

The SIGAR report details the planning and construction of a compressed natural gas (CNG) station as part of a larger Downstream Gas Utilization Project designed to take advantage of Afghanistan’s natural gas reserves. The gas station itself was meant to prove that CNG stations were a good alternative to imported gasoline for Afghan vehicles. SIGAR found that in other countries, for example in Pakistan next door, the total cost for constructing a CNG sta-

tion can be up to $500,000 – not the astronomical $43 million the DOD paid.

“Even considering security costs associated with construction and operation in Afghanistan, this level of expenditure appears gratuitous and extreme,” the SIGAR report points out. Beyond the high cost, SIGAR reports that the DOD task force did not look into the feasibility of the gas station and that the infrastructure necessary to support the CNG station was lacking. Additionally, the cost of converting local vehicles to be able to use compressed natural gas is reportedly around $700 – a little more than the average annual income for locals. “In sum, it is not clear why TFBSO [Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, a division of the DOD] believed the CNG filling station project should be undertaken,” the SIGAR report says.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz, Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, declared that it is “negligent and irresponsible for the Obama administration to spend the American taxpayer’s hardearned money with such careless abandon.”

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“Miracle” Cure Helps Baby Beat Cancer Genetically engineered immune cells have been used to treat a baby girl with aggressive leukemia in London. One-year-old Layla Richards was given months to live after conventional treatments failed to eradicate the disease, but she is now cancer-free and doing well, a response one doctor described as “almost a miracle.”

Specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) treated the girl two months ago and stressed that it could be more than a year before they know for sure whether the therapy has cured the disease or simply delayed its progression. “We have only used this treatment on one very strong little girl, and we have to be cautious about claiming this will be a suitable treatment option for all children,” said Waseem Qasim, professor of cell and gene therapy at University College London’s (UCL) Institute of Child Health and a consultant immunologist at GOSH. “But this is a land-

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mark in the use of new gene engineering technology and the effects for this child have been staggering,” he said.

Layla was diagnosed with an aggressive case of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. While cure rates are generally high for the disease, only about 25% of children survive the most aggressive forms. Layla began chemotherapy the day after she was diagnosed and then had a bone marrow transplant to replace her damaged blood cells.

Despite several rounds of intensive chemotherapy, Layla still had leukemia cells in her body when the transplant was performed, and seven weeks later the disease returned.

Soon after, doctors told the family there were no other treatments that might cure Layla and suggested palliative care. But Layla’s parents, Lisa and Ashleigh, insisted that the doctors keep trying. “We didn’t want to accept palliative care and give up on our daughter, so we asked the doctors to try anything for our daughter, even if it hadn’t been tried before,” Lisa said.

The hospital had been working on an experimental cell-based treatment for leukemia. Researchers at UCL showed that the modified cells

had an anti-cancer effect, but it had only been tested on mice with leukemia. After emergency approval by the ethics committee, Layla received an infusion of the genetically engineered immune cells under special therapy regulations.

A few weeks later, Layla developed a rash that indicated the cells were working. Layla was still clear of leukemia two months later, allowing doctors to give her a second bone marrow transplant to replace her entire blood and immune system, which had been wiped out by the treatment.

A month later, she was well enough to go home.

Paul Veys, director of bone marrow transplant at GOSH, said: “As this was the first time that the treatment had been used, we didn’t know if or when it would work and so we were over the moon when it did. Her leukemia was so aggressive that such a response is almost a miracle.” One other patient is already receiving the treatment under the care of a different medical team.

Clinical trials of the cells, funded by the French biopharmaceutical company, Cellectis, are due to begin in early 2016.

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China’s “Two Child” Policy will Add 3M to Population

Around three million extra babies will be born each year after Beijing abolished its hugely controversial “one child” policy to allow all couples to have two offspring, officials said on Tuesday.

Decades of strict, sometimes brutal, enforcement left the world’s largest population – 1.37 billion people – aging rapidly and with a shrinking workforce that has heightened the challenges of a slow economic growth.

The rule change was announced after a key Communist Party meeting last month and will allow 90 million more Chinese women a second child, said Wang Pei’an, a vice minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission. Half of the women, though, are between 40 and 49, and may not be able to have more children. Additionally, some may be “reluctant” to have more.

Before the change, not all families needed to keep their offspring at one. 50 million women were already entitled to have a second baby under various exemptions – rural families whose first child is a girl, couples where one is an only child, and ethnic minorities.

There were nearly 17 million births in China in 2014 and Wang said the new expanded policy will see around three million extra babies born each year over the next five years. A total of about 30 million people will be added to the labor force by 2050.

“The across-the-board two-child policy in the short term will drive consumption for housing, education,

healthcare, housekeeping and daily necessities, stimulate investment in relevant sectors and increase job offerings,” Wang pointed out.

China’s family planning policy was instituted in the late 1970s and restricted most couples to only a single offspring.

AntiImmigration Movement Growing in Germany

Germany’s anti-mass migration party, Alternative für Deutschland, also known as the AfD, has seen its popularity surge in the past few months as Germany struggles to deal with a huge influx of migrants. The party is demanding the resignation of Chancellor Angela Merkel and calling for the country to adopt a strong policy on immigration.

This week, 5,000 people joined a rally calling for the immediate closure of Germany’s borders and introduction of visa requirements from migrants from the Balkan states, including Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Angry demonstrators chanted, “Merkel must go” and “Traitor to the people” under the banner “Asylum has its limits – red card for Merkel.” For those of us who are not huge soccer fans, a red card is shown

Republicans Love of their Candidates is a Joke Read Michael Gerson on page 111

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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said some 500 people were taking part in the rescue effort. “The search goes on. We are doing what we can,” he said.

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The thick red mud surge engulfed cars and trains and destroyed homes.

The floodwaters and mud have now reached towns up to 40 miles away.

On Monday, authorities told searchers and people in the community not to come in contact with the mud and to throw out any clothes that may have come in contact with debris for fear of contamination. Drinking water is feared to have been contaminated.

The cause of the breach is not yet known. The authorities are investigating whether low-intensity tremors registered in the area could have played a part in the tragedy.

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Addressing the crowd, Beatrix von Storch, member of the European Parliament, accused the German chancellor of causing “asylum chaos” in Germany.

Although the main protest was largely peaceful, several counter-protests by pro-migrant activists descended into violence, with around 40 arrests.

Many Missing as Dams Flood Brazilian Town The equivalent of 25,000 Olympic swimming pools of water flooded Bento Rodrigues in Brazil when dams north of the village collapsed last week. While many residents man-

aged to save themselves by running to higher ground, four deaths have already been confirmed and 25 other people, including children, are missing.

More than 500 people lived in Bento Rodrigues, which lies about four miles south of the burst dams.

It is part of Mariana, an old colonial town and a major tourist attraction in Brazil.

Mariana Mayor Duarte Junior

Since the two countries split apart 66 years ago, leaders of China and Taiwan had never met each other formally until this week. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou came together on neutral ground in the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore, walking toward each other in front of a backdrop of yellow, the traditional color of Chinese emperors. In order to get around China’s refusal to recognize Taiwan’s sovereignty or its govern-

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The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ment’s formal legitimacy, no national flags were present at the meeting.

In brief opening remarks in front of reporters before going into a closed-door meeting, Xi said, “History will record this day.” He alluded to China’s long-cherished goals of unification with Taiwan, declaring, “We are one family,” and “No force can pull us apart.” Ma said, “Both sides should respect each other’s values and way of life,” while adding that relations between the sides were “the most peaceful and stable they have ever been.”

When they split in 1949, both sides aspired to absorb the other, with each claiming the mantle of the only legitimate government of all of China, Taiwan included. Communist Party-ruled China still demands that Taiwan eventually be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary, while many citizens of democratic Taiwan increasingly prefer to simply maintain the separate status the island has carved out over more than six decades.

Critics of Ma in Taiwan are wary that his meeting with Xi and similar contacts will pave the way for Beijing to assert greater control over the island, further deepening its international isolation. However, Ma said at a post-meeting news conference that he discussed with Xi the Taiwanese people’s desire for greater participation in global society, particularly for non-governmental organizations.

China refuses to acknowledge the island as anything other than a breakaway province. Pressure from Beijing keeps Taiwan out of the United Nations and other major multinational organizations.

Obama and Netanyahu’s Meeting in DC “One of the best meetings I’ve had with him,” was how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described his sit-down with U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday.

Speaking just moments after his two-and-half hour powwow with Obama, Netanyahu said the discus-

sion focused mainly on Israel’s security needs and American military aid to Israel, and steps on the ground Jerusalem intends to take to stabilize relations with the Palestinians.

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In the name of the Jewish music industry and of everyone inspired and influenced by his leadership and innovation in the field, we heave our warmest, sincerest Mazal Tov wishes upon our friend, the celebrated producer of Jewish music for 35 years and counting, an individual of rare kindness, dignity and mentchlichkeit

Certain topics were not broached during their meeting. The president did not ask Netanyahu to freeze settlements, Netanyahu said. His controversial appointment of Ran Baratz as his new communications director did not come up during the meeting, the prime minister added, reiterating that he will “deal with the matter” upon his return to Israel.

“What you saw from the outside is also what transpired on the inside. It was one of the best meetings I’ve had with Obama,” Netanyahu said. “The conversation was in very good spirits and very honest; no one hid the disagreements between us.

Rather, we focused on how to go forward,” he added.

Analysts expected the meeting to be tense as it comes after a year in which the relationship between the two leaders seemed to have been frayed over the Iran nuclear agreement and settlement building.

But Netanyahu said that, as opposed to past meetings, this one was not confrontational. “I did not feel any tension,” he added. “Both the tone and the substance of the meeting were in a spirit of being productive — let’s see what we can do, not let’s see how we can argue.”

Most of the meeting, Netanyahu related, focused on preparations for the renewal of the U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, which regulates American military assistance to Israel. Israel currently receives about $3 billion in military aid per year, but reportedly seeks about $5 billion.

“We didn’t focus on the exact sum, but I presented our needs,” Netanyahu said, adding that the president signaled understanding and willingness to increase the administration’s aid. The last Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 2007, but “today’s Middle East cannot be compared to what it was

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The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

then,” the prime minister said, explaining that the currently volatile situation in the region has created new challenges for Israel.

Is Israel Doing Well in Response to Terror?

A recent survey conducted by The Peace Index reveals Israeli Jews’ opinions regarding the recent wave of terror that has rocked the nation and the opinions of many Israeli Arabs as well.

The majority of Israelis surveyed support killing Palestinian terrorists “on the spot.” Fifty-three percent of

Israeli Jews agreed with the statement: “Any Palestinian who has perpetrated a terror attack against Jews should be killed on the spot, even if he has been apprehended and no longer poses a threat.” However, they do not feel the same if the attack is perpetrated by a Jew. On the issue of equal punishment for Jewish and Palestinian terrorists, a wide majority (80 percent) of the Jewish public believed that “the home of the family of a Palestinian who has murdered Jews on a nationalist background should be demolished,” while 53 percent were against demolishing the home of a Jew who has murdered a Palestinian in a nationalistically-motivated attack.

Statistics were more consistent within the Arab public, “The majority does not agree that the family home of a Palestinian perpetrator should be demolished (77 percent), but a large majority (67 percent) also opposes demolishing the family home of a Jewish perpetrator,” the survey found.

Israel’s Arab population have expressed their concern of their safety with 78% saying they are “apprehensive of being harmed” in the ongoing violence. Interestingly, only 57% of

Israeli Jews said they have a sense of fear that “they themselves or someone important to them would be harmed in the current wave of attacks.” 64% have reported not changing their daily habits in response to recent terrorist attacks.

The overall feeling is that penalties for terrorists in the Israeli court system are generally too light; 70 percent of Jews said they believed the punishments Israeli courts levy on Palestinians are not harsh enough.

When prompted on the issue of Jewish prayer at the Temple Mount, a majority of respondents (58 percent) answered that in the current state of affairs, “Jews should not be allowed to pray on the Temple Mount.”

The public was mostly satisfied with the IDF’s response to the wave of terror, with 93 percent giving it grades of very good or moderately good. The Israel Police came in second, with 84.5 percent of Jewish respondents awarding it grades of very good or moderately good. The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), meanwhile, came in third, with less than three-fourths (72%) giving it a grade of very good or moderately good. A large majority of Jews seemed to reject the Israeli government’s handling

of the terror, with only 39 percent of them assigning it grades of very good or moderately good.

In summary the Peace Index concluded, “Overall, we found a Jewish public that is tense but not hysterical; holding firm yet in certain regards prepared, under the pressure of the incidents, to overturn democratic values; and that does not greatly esteem the policy and statements of the prime minister.”

Obama Not Counting on Two-State Solution

According to Rob Malley, the White House’s senior Middle East adviser, U.S. President Barack Obama

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has admitted there is no possibility of securing a two-state solution between the Israelis and Palestinians.

The American president also said he doubts whether he will even be able to get them back around the negotiating table while he is in office.

Ahead of the Washington visit of Benjamin Netanyahu that took place on Monday, Mr. Obama made a “realistic assessment” that a peace deal will not happen before he leaves office in January 2017, U.S. officials said. This marks the first time in two decades where the White House “faces a reality where the prospect of a negotiated two-state solution is not in the cards,” Mr. Malley told journalists.

The admission came at a time of soured relations between Obama and Netanyahu, who clashed bitterly in the spring over nuclear negotiations with Iran. In an open challenge to the nuclear deal, the Israeli leader accepted an invitation to address Congress, where he criticized the White House’s efforts in the nuclear deal.

In March of last year, on the day before Israeli elections, Netanyahu announced that he would not allow for the creation of a Palestinian state were he to be re-elected. U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians collapsed one month later.

At the time, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Netanyahu’s comments had forced the White House to “re-evaluate” its strategy for achieving a two-state solution. But in the past few months there has been little progress. “We’ve tried many different approaches over the course of the administration,” admitted Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for strategic communication.

“Direct negotiations, indirect negotiations, the U.S. putting out some principles. And again, at each juncture, ultimately the parties themselves did not take the sufficient steps forward to reach a negotiated twostate solution.”

paramedic service staff stayed on call throughout Israel and provided medical aid to 170 terror victims.

Since the first attack over Sukkos, eleven lives have been taken. The victims who perished by Arab murderers’ hands are Rabbi Eitam and Rabbanit Na’ama Henkin, who were killed in a shooting in Samaria; Rabbi Nehemia Lavi and Aharon Bennett, who were murdered in a stabbing on al-Wadi Street in Jerusalem’s Old City; Haviv Haim, Alon Guverg, and Richard Lakin, who were murdered in the bus attack in Jerusalem’s Armon Hanatziv neighborhood; Rabbi Yeshayahu Krishevsky, killed in a car-and-knife attack just minutes after the Armon Hanatziv attack; as well as Sgt. Omri Levi, Avraham Asher Hasno, and Haptom Zerhom.

With the help of Hashem, MDA workers saved the lives of 159 people who were wounded in attacks. Of these, 21 were severely wounded, 5 moderately-to-severely, 22 moderately, and 111 lightly wounded. These numbers include 51 people who were injured in rock attacks. There are many others – at least 72 known cases – of those who required treatment for trauma during these tumultuous times.

The MDA calls on the public to follow security forces’ instructions, to remain aware of their surroundings, and to call 101 for any medical emergencies.

May Hashem continue to watch over our People and our Land.

Netanyahu Appoints Controversial New Media Chief

Too Many have Been Hurt While there have been “quiet” days in Israel, the terror wave seems to be unceasing with stabbings, shootings, and car attacks occurring throughout the land.

During the last month, The Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that he did not tell Secretary of State John Kerry that he is going to reconsider his ap-

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

pointment of a controversial new media chief. Ran Baratz has previously called Barack Obama anti-Semitic and has mocked Kerry.

The prime minister wrote on his website that he “would deal with the matter upon my return to Israel.” Earlier, unnamed Netanyahu aides said that the prime minister told Kerry that he would review the appointment of Baratz, which has yet to be fully ratified. Baratz’s comments about the president and the secretary are deemed “troubling and offensive,” said State Department Spokesman John Kirby. “We understand the prime minister will be reviewing this appointment when he returns from his visit to the United States,” Kirby said.

“We obviously expect government officials from any country, es-

Rafi Meets the Juice Man – and His Daughter See page 87

pecially our closest allies, to speak respectfully and truthfully about senior U.S. government officials,” said Kirby, adding that “it’s a rule you learn in kindergarten about name-calling and it’s simply not a polite thing to do.”

Former university lecturer Baratz, 42, was tapped by Netanyahu as his new National Information Directorate chief. But a slew of his controversial comments then quickly came to light. These included Facebook posts in which he said Obama’s foreign policy vis-à-vis Iran and Israel amounted to “modern anti-Semitism” and mocked numerous other leading figures including Kerry, who he suggested had the mental age of a child.

Netanyahu, who said he was unaware of Baratz’s comments when he made the appointment, distanced himself from his incoming adviser, calling the remarks “inappropriate” and insisting they “do not reflect my positions or the policy of this government.” In a statement, the prime minister said, “Those posts are totally unacceptable and in no way reflect my positions or the policies of the government of Israel. Dr. Baratz has apologized and has asked to meet me

to clarify the matter following my return to Israel.”

Netanyahu met with Obama in Washington on Monday for the first time in a year, in what was intended to be a meeting aimed at healing relations after the bruising public row between the prime minister and the president over the world powers’ nuclear deal with Iran.

Fifth President of Israel Dies

Yitzhak Navon, Israel’s fifth president, died at home at the age of 94 after fighting a long illness. Navon had been hospitalized sporadically at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center for the past several months and was on dialysis.

A twelfth-generation Jerusalemite, Navon’s father’s family was

expelled from Spain in 1492 and first went to Turkey before settling in Jerusalem in 1670. He was also a multi-generational Jerusalemite on his mother’s side, whose family, which included renowned kabbalist Chaim Ibn Attar, came to Jerusalem from Morocco in 1742.

Navon had a multi-faceted and fascinating career. He was fluent in Hebrew, Arabic, English, Spanish, Ladino and Yiddish. His excellent Arabic served the state-in-the-making in good stead when he worked as an intelligence agent for Shai, the precursor of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) in the pre-statehood era.

He initially joined the Etzel pre-state Jewish resistance group, but after a brief period switched to the Hagana.

Following the establishment of the State of Israel, Navon served in the Israeli embassies in Argentina and Uruguay and on his return home became political adviser to founding Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. Always interested in education, Navon, in 1963, became the director of the cultural division of the Ministry of Education and Culture, and two years later threw his hat into the political ring and was elected to the Knesset. On April 19, 1978, 10 days

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after his 57th birthday, Navon was elected Israel’s fifth president, the first native son to serve in the position. He was followed by two other “sabra” presidents – Ezer Weizman, who was born in Tel Aviv, and present president Reuven Rivlin who, like Navon, was born in Jerusalem.

What also distinguished Navon from his predecessors was that he was the first Sephardi president and the first president with small children.

Regardless of any position he held at any given time, he loved to stroll through Machaneh Yehuda market and purchase a falafel or a pita, eat it in front of the seller, and say it was the best he ever tasted.

Enormously popular among both Jews and Arabs, Navon said on more than one occasion that there are Jews who don’t want to see any Arabs living in Israel and there are Arabs who don’t want to see any Jews living in this land – but such thinking on either side is pointless because both sides are destined to live on the same stretch of territory.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced deep sorrow at the passing of Navon and said he had been a full partner in shaping the State of Israel as a free and democratic state.

A Small Town Nation

While some Americans would never trade their big noisy cities for the comforts of a small town, there are many that insist small towns offer a much better quality of living.

Recent trends show that more and more people are migrating from major cities to smaller suburbs. In fact, Wallethub reports that small cities are experiencing growth at a rate that is more than twice that of New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

To help people narrow down which small city would be right for them, Wallethub compared 1,268 U.S. cities with a population between 25,000 and 100,000. The data measured 22 key metrics ranging from housing costs to school-system equality and restaurants per capita.

So what’s the perfect city to experience small town life? It’s right around the corner in Princeton, NJ, which ranked number one on the list. Its economy is in great health – number one, in fact. It ranked 7th in education/health and 41st in overall quality of life, and for those who crave the lights and culture of the big city, Princeton is just an hour and half commute.

There are other wonderful choices if you’re looking for life in a small town. Consider these top ten small cities in America: 1. Princeton, NJ 2. Littleton, CO 3. Dublin, OH 4. Brookfield, WI 5. Leawood, KS 6. Southlake, TX 7. Westfield, IN 8. Northampton, MA 9. Ankeny, IA 10. Crystal Lake, IL The ten worst small cities in the nation, with a bad economy and poor education, are, strangely enough, all located in California. Seems like the Golden State is not made out of gold.

Teens Spend Most of their Day Using Media

Media is taking over our lives and particularly the lives of our teenagers. According to new research, the average teenager spends close to nine hours a day absorbing media.

Common Sense Media released a comprehensive survey last week

outlining how young people spend screen time; the favorites were music and television. Two-thirds of teenagers said they listen to music every day, and 58 percent said the same about watching television. 45 percent reported using social media every day and only 36 percent said they enjoyed that activity “a lot”; twice as many said they really enjoyed their music.

Television is the favorite activity of teenagers in training, with 62 percent of respondents ages 8 to 12 saying they watched every day, the study said. Tweens said they spend just under six hours a day of media time.

Perhaps expectedly, boys are much more likely to play video games than girls. The survey found male teenagers spent an average of 56 minutes a day gaming, while girls devoted only seven minutes. Girls spent more time on social media or reading than boys.

So when are these teenagers doing their homework or studying for tests? Duh, while they are immersed in media! It seems like they’re masters of multitasking. Half of the teenagers said they watch TV or use social media either “a lot” or “sometimes” while doing homework, and 76 percent said they listen to music while working. Half of the teens say that listening to music actually helps their work, while only 6 percent said they thought it hurt.

“As a parent and educator, there’s clearly more work to be done around the issue of multi-tasking,” said James Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, an organization that monitors youthful media use and gives recommendations to parents. “Nearly two-thirds of teens today tell us they don’t think watching TV or texting while doing homework makes any difference to their ability to study and learn, even though there’s more and more research to the contrary.”

Children who grow up in poor homes generally have less access to computers, tablets and smartphones than wealthier kids, but spend more time on devices when they have one, the study said.

Black teenagers spend more time with media than other ethnic groups, an average of 11 hours and 13 minutes each day. Latinos spend just over nine hours, and whites eight hours, 48 minutes, the study found.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

There’s good news for the economy for a change. The unemployment rate has dropped to 5%, the lowest since April 2008. A surge in hiring and wages has brought hope to many struggling Americans.

The latest jobless figure is exactly half the rate from its worst in 2009 during the Great Recession. Signs of a strong U.S. labor market may prod the Federal Reserve next month to make its first rate hike in nearly a decade, analysts said.

However, not all experts are as hopeful. Friday’s “blowout” employment report is “not a trend we’re expecting to continue,” said Michelle Meyer, an economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. “But looking ahead,” she said, “there’s still momentum in the labor market, which is encouraging.”

The report indicated that employers added a net 271,000 new jobs in October with specific increases in the business and professional services, retail, healthcare, leisure and construction markets. The job growth was far above the consensus forecast by analysts, who had predicted about new 185,000 jobs.

This news has a major impact on the upcoming 2016 election. If historical patterns continue as expected, economic conditions in the next nine months will be among the strongest factors in determining which party wins next November’s election.

Fed Chair Janet L. Yellen said this week that the economy is “performing well” and that a rate hike could come next month. Analysts now expect that the Fed will raise its benchmark interest rate at its next meeting, December 15-16. The Fed had held off raising rates this fall in part because of slowing global economic growth, particularly in China, and the potential impact on the U.S.

The Age of Happiness

Previous research indicated that most Americans considered themselves happiest in their 30s. However, researchers have discovered that sadly that link between age and happiness disappeared in 2010, according to a study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science on November 5.

New research indicates that adolescents have become gradually happier while those in their thirties have reported declining contentedness.

Jean Twenge, psychology professor at San Diego State University, led the study. She and her colleagues analyzed four nationally representative surveys from the 1970s to 2014, with a total sample size of 1.32 million people, to reach their conclusions.

In terms of the reason for the changing disposition of Americans, researchers can only offer theories, rather than definitive answers. One theory is that unrealistically high expectations have set adults up for disappointment.

Twenge explained in her paper for The Atlantic, “Big dreams feel great when you’re an adolescent or a young adult just starting out. But somewhere around their late 20s, most people begin to realize reality isn’t going to match up. When those dreams are more widespread than they used to be, the inevitable crash will be too.”

Researchers speculate that another possible explanation is that the decrease in stable relationships and marriage have left adults feeling less supported. “With higher individualism, young people have more to enjoy, while mature adults may not get the social support they need,” write the authors. “Perhaps new technology such as social media and cellphones has enhanced young people’s lives while having a detrimental effect on mature adults’ SWB [subjective well-being].”

Philadelphia Recognized as World Heritage City

America’s birthplace has been named the country’s first World Heritage City. In order to achieve the designation, the city needs to be recognized for its impact on the course of human events. There are 260 cities that share the title; some other cities include Jerusalem, Cairo, and Paris.

The Organization of World Heritage Cities added Philadelphia in a vote at its biennial conference in Arequipa, Peru. Philadelphia, the

nation’s fifth-largest city, qualified because Independence Hall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed at Independence Hall. Just four years later, the Articles of Confederation, which united the 13 colonies, were ratified.

Then, in 1787, the U.S. Constitution was debated and signed there with George Washington presiding.

“The universal principles of freedom and democracy set forth in these documents are of fundamental importance to American history and have also had a profound impact on lawmakers around the world,” according to UNESCO’s website.

Three years ago, an association of city government and business leaders began campaigning for the honor at the suggestion of Richard Hodges, then the director of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, who asked simply: “Why isn’t Philadelphia a World Heritage City?”

John Smith, a lawyer who was involved with the campaign through the non-profit Global Philadelphia Association, predicts that tourism will increase and that by Philadelphia being a World Heritage City it will generate

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more opportunities for cultural collaboration and exchanges. “Philadelphia has a lot going for it, but certainly isn’t as well recognized as New York or Washington in international parlance,” said Smith. “Philadelphia has to start thinking of other ways to establish itself as a bona fide world city…”

“We think this will be a huge boost to the city’s ego. Once you get foreign cities and foreign countries to believe in you, it’s easier to believe in yourself.”

7 People who Perished in Pearl Harbor Attack Identified

Over 70 years ago, thousands of sailors, soldiers and Marines lost their lives in the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. This week, the remains of seven crew members missing since the USS Oklahoma capsized in the 1941 bombing have been identified, the military said on Monday. The servicemen were identified using dental records.

In June, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency began digging up the remains of nearly 400 USS Oklahoma sailors and Marines from a veterans cemetery in Honolulu where they were buried as “unknowns.”

Within five years, officials expect to identify about 80 percent of the crew members still considered missing.

Altogether, 429 men on board the World War II battleship were killed.

Only 35 were identified in the years immediately after. The military says advances in forensic science and technology are improving the ability to identify remains.

More than 2,400 sailors, Marines and soldiers were killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Oklahoma’s casualties were second only to the USS Arizona, which lost 1,177 men.

Addressing Senility in Judges

U.S. Supreme Court justices and federal appellate and district court judges are appointed for life. The Constitution grants federal judges lifetime appointments for the purpose to maintain judicial independence and prevent the easy removal of judges for unpopular decisions.

The only way that they’d be asked to leave is if they were impeached by Congress, which has occurred only a few times. As a result, some judges refuse to retire even when their job is affected by age-related mental decline. The life expectancy when the Constitution was signed in 1787 was under 40. Now it’s close to double, at 79.

Generally, upon signs of senility such as forgetfulness, an inability to follow arguments, or long delays in deciding cases, colleagues or court observers will file a complaint and enlist peers’ or family members’ help to gently and privately encourage an elderly judge to seek help or leave.

But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes federal courts in California and eight other Western states, has taken a more pro-active approach to the problem of mental decline in justices. They spread awareness and encourage their judges to think about the condition, plan for it, and manage it appropriately if and when it surfaces.

The circuit court provides regular seminars directed by neurological experts to inform its chief judges about the signs of cognitive impairment. There is also a hotline setup where court staff and judges can get advice regarding dealing with signs of senility in colleagues. It has also encouraged judges to undergo cognitive assessments and designate colleagues, friends or family who can intervene if concerns arise about their mental health.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

culated by United We Stay, which is a group of illegal immigrants, first-generation Americans and human rights activists pushing for changes to immigration law.

“We’re an organization that is required to police ourselves,” said Phyllis Hamilton, chief judge in the Northern District of California and head of the 9th Circuit’s wellness committee. “If we wish to retain the goodwill and confidence of the public in our ability to render justice by judges who are unimpaired, . . . we have to take steps.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. was the oldest person to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court justice, retiring in 1932 at the age of 90. U.S. District Court Judge Wesley Brown in Kansas was the oldest working federal judge in the country’s history when he died at the age of 104 in 2012.

Illegals Demand Rights With millions of illegal immigrants in the U.S., an immigrant-rights group proposed a “Bill of Rights” for illegal immigrants last Thursday. The document was cir-

There are 10 items on the demand list, in line with the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights. They are campaigning for health care, in-state tuition rates for college, wage equality, and a promise of citizenship in the long term. Another demand was to stop arrests and deportations for “all law-abiding undocumented Americans.”

“We know we have human rights, even though our very presence is deemed illegal and our existence alien. Now we have our own Bill of Rights and we want it to be the framework for every immigration decision going forward from the local to the national level,” the group said in a statement announcing their demands.

The list also includes a specific demand for “compelled authorization of birth certificates for our U.S.born children.” That appears to be pushback against the state of Texas, where officials have ruled that parents must present valid ID to get children’s birth certificates — and have deemed the Mexican government’s Matricula Consular ID card not to be acceptable as primary identification.

A federal court approved the Texas policy on the basis that there are questions about the reliability of the Mexican cards and that state officials have an interest in making sure only authorized relatives are able to get birth certificates.

The first request on the bill demands the eradication of the terms “illegal” and “alien.” Immigrant-rights advocates say both terms are dehumanizing, and have offered “undocumented workers” or, in the case of United We Stand, “undocumented Americans,” as their preferred term.

There were 11.3 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

2014. The population has remained basically stable for five years, and currently accounts for 3.5% of the nation’s population.

Pipeline Officially Cancelled

The much talked about Keystone pipeline has been officially nixed by President Barack Obama. After fighting for approval for seven years, the final nail in the pipeline’s coffin came when Obama declared that the pipeline would have undercut U.S. efforts to clinch a global climate change deal at the center of his environmental legacy.

Obama’s decision marked a victory for environmental activists who spent years denouncing the pipeline, lobbying the administration and even chaining themselves to tractors to make their point about the threat posed by supposed dirty fossil fuels. It also places the president and fellow Democrats in direct confrontation with Republicans and energy advocates heading into the 2016 presidential election.

The president, in announcing his decision at the White House, said he agreed with a State Department conclusion that Keystone wouldn’t advance U.S. national interests. He lamented that both political parties had “overinflated” Keystone into a proxy battle for climate change but glossed over his own role in allowing the controversy to drag out over several national elections.

Although Obama in 2013 said his litmus test for the Keystone Pipeline would be whether it increased U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, his final decision appeared based on other factors. He didn’t broach that topic in his remarks, and State Department officials said they’d determined Keystone wouldn’t significantly af-

fect carbon pollution levels. Instead, the administration cited the “broad perception” that Keystone would carry “dirty” oil and suggested approval would raise questions abroad about whether the U.S. was serious about climate change.

TransCanada, the company behind the proposal, said it remained “absolutely committed” to building the project and was considering filing a new application for permits.

The company has previously raised the possibility of suing the U.S. to recoup the more than $2 billion it says it has already spent on development.

TransCanada first applied for Keystone permits 2,604 days ago in September 2008 — shortly before Obama was elected. As envisioned, Keystone would snake from Canada’s tar sands through Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska, then connect with existing pipelines to carry more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil a day to specialized refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.

tionally, the elderly woman seemed a little too tall for her age and gender.

After a quick investigation, they realized the woman was really a man—and one of their wonderful prisoners.

Police spokesman Andre Veloso said: “The penitentiary guard did not recognize the senior lady and this is why he asked for her ID. He never expected it could be an inmate trying to escape.”

An inquiry is underway to try and work out where Felipe acquired female clothes and the realistic-looking mask, which sells for over a thousand dollars.

Hot Dog!

Ain’t nothin’ but a hot dog – especially when it’s eaten wrapped in

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a bun and smeared with mustard and relish. But the classic American onthe-go snack is, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, not a sandwich.

“Our verdict is…a hot dog is an exclamation of joy, a food, a verb describing one ‘showing off’ and even an emoji. It is truly a category unto its own.”

Well, hot dog!

“Limiting the hot dog’s significance by saying it’s ‘just a sandwich’ is like calling the Dalai Lama ‘just a guy.’ Perhaps at one time its importance could be limited by forcing it into a larger sandwich category, but that time has passed,” NHDSC president and ‘Queen of Wien’ Janet Riley says in the release. (Yes, “Queen of Wien” is a thing, apparently.)

“We therefore choose to take a cue from a great performer and declare our namesake be a ‘hot dog formerly known as a sandwich,’” she continues.

Much of its decision in declaring the hot dog “not a sandwich” is the “open” nature of the dish and its impact on American history.

Truthfully, I don’t care what you call it. Just slap on some sauerkraut and call it a glorious day.

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Here came his ingenious plan.

The 44-year-old dressed up as an old woman—complete with a mask, wig, glasses and female clothes and endeavored to escape. The disguise looked so real that prison guards only became suspicious when they realized that they never noticed the old woman entering the prison. Addi-

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

MADD gives annual awards to law enforcement officers who make a high number of DUI arrests, but not everyone thinks this is a great idea. Defense attorney Jon Ibanez argued in a blog post in the summer that doling out awards for DUI arrests doesn’t really make sense, since not all of the arrests are justified.

“We’re rewarding the wrong action by the officer because many (and I mean many) DUI arrests are illegal arrests and many do not result in convictions,” Ibanez wrote. “Not all people who are arrested for drunk driving are actually driving drunk.”

In this case here, it takes one to know one, and Officer Szeliga certainly seems to know drunk people all too well.

The Drunk Deputy Here’s a useful tip: before accepting an award from the organization Mother’s Against Drunk Driving perhaps you should stick to drinking water, or ginger ale, or orange juice, or even milk. But please, please, please stay away from the tequila.

New details were revealed this week about a Florida police officer who was set to receive an award from

Mother’s Against Drunk Driving at their banquet this summer. Michael Szeliga, a deputy for the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department, was slated to receive the award for making more than 100 DUI arrests. But when Gulfport Police Chief Robert Vincent saw him staggering around outside the awards venue, he told Szeliga he seemed too drunk to go inside.

“I said, ‘You don’t want to embarrass the sheriff here – that’s probably not too wise,” Vincent recalled. “Apparently, he did.”

Szeliga responded to Vincent’s warning with “disrespectful” comments, and Vincent subsequently informed the deputy’s supervisors that Szeliga was “wasted.” They ordered him to go back to his hotel room, and he never received his award.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said that Szeliga was a good deputy but noted the irony of the situation. “When I first heard about it, that was [what] my reaction was. ‘Come on, you’ve got to be kidding me. Really?’”

Eric Brook’s huge birdcage beard is made completely out of his own hair. He was a contestant at the National Beard and Mustache Championships this week.

The Fortunate Fan When Trey went to the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game last week, he was pumped. He was even more pumped when visiting head coach Dan Bylsma tossed him a hockey

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

‫צדיק בא לעיר‬

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For the past 40 years, the Rebbe has met with people of all ages and denominations in over 60 countries. Hundreds of thousands have been uplifted and motivated by his advice and inspiration.

The Rebbe’s holy life-mission overrides his current physical limitations. The Rebbe will be seeing individuals and families listening to their requests and invoke Heavenly intervention and salvation.

5:30pm-9:00pm

There will be no solicitation

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

puck. But his glee turned to disappointment when an old man snatched the puck midflight. Apparently he never heard of good sportsmanship.

media, the Penguins took action into their own hands and made a fan for life.

At the end of the game, Trey was showered with a Sidney Crosby jersey, a hockey stock and another puck from Bylsma.

Turns out sometimes it’s good to have things taken from you. ‘Cuz then you can make out like a hockey bandit!

The older fan was immediately booed by the surrounding crowd who noticed him filching the prized puck.

When the incident spread on social

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There’s no doubt that Ramses Sanguino is a really smart child. The 5-year-old who lives in Los Angeles is learning seven different languages, including Japanese and Russian, and can solve algebraic equations.

He can correctly spell pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, the longest English word in the Oxford English Dictionary, forward and backward.

His mother, though, says her child is far more than just a brainy kid. Nyx Sanguino, an artist, claims that he can correctly guess numbers she’s written in secret – sometimes as many as 38 in a row.

“We do have a very close bond which may have something to do with his abilities – but this is beyond anything I would have imagined,” she said. “I don’t know how to explain it.”

Ramses has autism, and Dr. Diane Powell, a neuroscientist and former Harvard Medical School faculty member, believes the alleged telepathy may provide clues that will help parents to connect with their autistic kids.

“If you have your primary language compromised, then that would be a perfect setup for telepathy, be-

cause here you have a child and a parent who desperately want to communicate with one another,” Powell related.

It’s nice in theory but many scientists do not believe in the ability to read another’s mind.

When testing Ramses, Powell found that he correctly guessed three out of five random numbers based on his mother’s thoughts. Despite the lack of accuracy, Powell was still impressed by his alleged ability.

Regardless of whether Ramses is truly telepathic, Sanguino hopes she can get him into a school for gifted children. And I’m sure with his special “gift” he can tell her exactly which one.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the

Community BBY – Sherry Garber Preschool: Music, an Integral Part of Our Curriculum

M

rs. Ilana Keilson has long been a beloved and admired BBY staff member and parent – beloved for her good-natured approach to everyone and admired for her prodigious talents. She is a gifted composer, musician, writer, and teacher, and has just added a new item to her impressive resume. Mrs. Keilson has just become Morah Ilana, the music Morah for BBY’s preschool!

In her new role, Morah Ilana has wowed her youngest audiences. The preschoolers adore her and eagerly await her presence at their bi-weekly music session. Morah Ilana enters with her key-

Learn & Live Program Field Trip

T

his week, the Learn & Live program went on a “field trip” to Lowe’s. The boys have started learning the first eleven of the lamed tes melachos called sedurei d’pas, which involves all the steps needed to make bread. For part two of the melacha of zoreh, each boy got to make his very own plant (thanks to Ms. Gina, Ms. Hope and Ms. Willi of Lowe’s).

The boys enjoyed pizza and soda for dinner and then were asked some questions about choreish and zoreh.

The boys who answered correctly received their very own Lowe’s Build & Grow planter to be built at home.

Then the boys were able to plant seeds and hopefully their flowers will start to grow. The boys behaved so nicely and made a big kiddush Hashem.

Many thanks to Ms. Gina, her staff and the entire Lowe’s for hosting the Learn & Live program this week.

For more information about the Learn & Live program, email learnandlivefr@gmail.com.

board, hands out instruments to all the children, and the fun begins. She sings songs about the season of fall – having the children grow from tiny acorns into tall trees. The girls curl themselves into little acorn shapes and then slowly grow taller and taller until they are great, massive trees swaying their branches in the breeze. She sings every child’s name, asking them to simulate a particular animal’s movement. Flying like a bird or slithering like a snake, each girls feels included in the fun and yet special for being singled out. An integral part of the music curriculum is attuning the children’s ears to tempo and rhythm, as well as helping them improve their coordination and balance.

The moros note that the music session flies by in no time because their students are completely enraptured by Morah Ilana’s songs and activities.

For a preschool curriculum that is already loaded to the max with enrichment and stimulation, Morah Ilana provides the delicious icing on a very filling cake!

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

N EXT WEEK

rhgk tc ehsm With great joy we are honored with the presence of our revered guest, the well known Tzaddik

"unst irn ,ause suc f t"yhka r

drucxyhpn

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who will be coming v”ht

tmhu ,arp ,ca

(November 19-23) to Kew Gardens Hills

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Mr. & Mrs. Charles-Edouard Gros 141-16 72nd Ave.

For an appointment and more infomation please call: 347-989-6821

Queens Friends of Mosdos Pittsburgh

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

For Shulamith Fourth Graders, Gala Breakfast Marks the Occasion

O

n Thursday, November 5, the fourth grade students of Shulamith School for Girls reached a momentous milestone in their lives as they each received a brand new Sefer Yehoshua.

To begin the celebration, Mrs. Joyce Yarmak, principal of the Lower Division, spoke to the girls about their mesorah. She emphasized the fact that as bnot Yisrael, they are fortunate to learn about and emulate the beautiful middot and life lessons from their parents and grandparents.

The girls’ knowledge of Jewish history was evident in the song they sang about Klal Yisrael finally entering Eretz Yisrael after a 40 year delay, led by their new leader, Yehoshua, after the death of Moshe Rabeinu. The girls sang about the inner strength Yehoshua would need to do what was required of him.

In addition to the singing, the enthusiastic girls played Eretz Yisrael Bingo, and enjoyed a delicious array of cereals and cupcakes.

L

ast week, the third grade students of Shulamith School for Girls enjoyed a memorable outing to the YU Museum. The museum houses a variety of exhibits, but for this trip, the focus was on tefillah and Jewish history.

Of course, the divrei Torah, singing, and breakfast treats were all wonderful, but the highlight of the event was when Mrs. Yarmak and Morah Mindy Futersak called upon each talmidah to receive her Navi.

As they begin to delve into the study of Navi, we at Shulamith are certain that each of our precious talmidot will continue to give their parents and teachers much nachat.

Midreshet Shalhevet Dominates Poetry Slam

C

ongratulations to our Midreshet Shalhevet’s Poetry Slam team finalists Avigayil Borah (11th grade), Aviva Chait (11th grade), Tamar Yastrab (12th grade), and Sarah Sohn (10th grade)! Out of 56 attendees at the annual Rambam Mesivta inter-yeshiva poetry slam last week, and only 18 finalists, Midreshet Shalhevet students represent-

A New Appreciation of Tefillah

ed in a big way!

Poetry slam is a competition at which a poets perform their original work and compete for awards on their poetry with other yeshiva students.

The theme for this competition was to address “A Jew from the Past” in a free verse poem, and then to write another poem about any topic following the specific format of a “quatern.” The

girls were overjoyed at the prospect of having the opportunity to share their creativity with an appreciative audience and to hear the works of the other great poets of the Yeshiva High School Poetry Society. The team can’t wait for the next poetry slam, as well as the upcoming slam hosted at Midreshet Shalhevet.

Students were astounded by the exhibit called “Modeling the Synagogue.” They “oohed” and “aahed” over each of the ten carefully constructed models. From an ancient shul in Italy, to the Altneuschul in Prague, to Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, each model included intricate architectural details and was carefully constructed to mimic the original buildings, both inside and out.

Seeing the shuls and a model of the Beit Hamikdash gave the girls the opportunity to reflect on the kedusha inherent in a shul and on the importance of tefillah. These messages were imparted by third grade teachers, Morah Penina Deutsch, Morah Lindsey Weinreich and Morah Rivka Holzman.

The trip ended with the girls creating mizrach signs on copper foil, which they will treasure as a reminder of how our tefillot are directed each day to the makom Hamikdash, where the Shechina rests.

Thanks to the parent chaperones, Mrs. Turner and Mrs. Flaum, for joining the girls on this very special excursion.

47

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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48

NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Rav Shmuel Shalom Bender, a magid shiur in Mesivta Chaim Shlomo, delivered a shiur on the 50th yahrtzeit of his father, Rav Dovid Bender zt”l, a menahel in Torah Vodaas. L-R: Rav Pinchus Wachsman, Rav Shmuel Shalom Bender, Rav Shloime Eisen and Rav Shia Neuberg

DRS Sends Delegation of Students to AIPAC Conference

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ach year, AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, partners with select Jewish day schools, synagogues, national youth groups and teen leadership organizations to bring 400 student leaders from across the country to Washington, D.C., for Israel advocacy and political activism training. This year, DRS sent a delegation of four students, together with 10th grade Rebbe and Jewish history teacher Rabbi Dovid Friedman to Washington for the three day conference. The program helps mentor, train, and educate high school students committed to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship through the American

political process. The students got a chance to meet Congresswoman Kathleen Rice while visiting the Capitol and received access to a tour of the Capitol building. During the program sessions, students were prompted to express their thoughts on why such a program attracted them, and why they thought it was important to lobby for Israel.

This trip was only one aspect of DRS’s long standing commitment to the State of Israel. The student-run DRS Israel Advocacy club has arranged for Congresswoman Rice to visit the school and deliver a lecture to the entire student body.

49

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community PHOTO CREDITS: MOSHE GERSHBAUM PHOTOGRAPHY

Hundreds Attend Eldercare Plus Conference Hosted by Achiezer

T

his past Sunday, more than seven hundred people (some hailing from as far as Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Florida, and beyond) arrived at the Eldercare Plus Conference and Vendor Expo Showcase hosted by Achiezer at the New York’s LaGuardia Marriott Hotel.

The attendees arrived hoping to become informed on how to be a more responsible and better caregiver.

Upon arrival, guests had a chance to browse a showcase featuring over fifty exhibits, ranging from a variety

w

of senior services and centers, assisted living facilities and nursing homes, financial institutions, elder law attorneys and advisors, medical equipment and respiratory therapy solutions.

Some highlights from the twenty sessions that ran throughout the day include a session on dementia given by Mrs. Hennie Friedman and Dr. Elliot Salamon. When Mr. Ronald Spirn, Esq., spoke about financial planning, there were no seats left in the room – the door remained open

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The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

Around the Community and many people tried listening in from the hallway. Dr. Zev Carrey led two sessions on the varied opinions regarding keeping one’s loved one at home or enrolling them in a nursing home; both sessions were crowded and many stayed at the conclusion for Q&A. HaRav Yaakov Bender addressed a packed session about how to care for your loved one from afar. Dr. Rachel Lowinger hosted two very popular sessions offering a great deal of valuable information to caregivers on how to care for themselves.

Other highlights included retirement planning, the special needs child, Rabbi Tzvi Flaum and Dr. Martin Grossman about critically ill patients, and the “ABC’s of Medicare” given by Mrs. Lea Gould – many noted that this session provided a clear new understanding of how Medicare works.

The Nachum Segal Show held a 2 hour live radio broadcast in the lobby of the hotel. Nachum had the opportunity to meet, greet and interview many of the key attendees, presenters, vendors and Achiezer representatives who helped assemble the event. Gourmet Glatt of Cedarhurst sponsored a delectable lunch spread and a tea room which was open during the duration of the conference.

With needs ever-evolving, information constantly changing, and roles suddenly progressing through the various stages of caregiving, Eldercare has become a once-a-year “can’t miss event” for the Jewish caregiver.

Achiezer wishes to extend its gratitude to Gourmet Glatt for its friendship and sponsorship, as well as the three event sponsors – Caring Professionals, MJHS, and Sentosa Care – for their generous contributions and for playing an active role in many of the phases planning and executing the event. Achiezer extends its appreciation to Senior Care EMS for sponsoring and hosting on-site health screenings for all attendees.

Additional thanks to the many vendors who participated and assisted Achiezer in carrying out our mission of providing the community with the tools, techniques and solutions to the challenges they face as caregivers.

Audio, video and photographs of the event are all available on the Achiezer website at www.achiezer. org or by calling the office at (516) 791-4444.

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52

NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

PHOTO CREDIT: IVAN H NORMAN

Mesivta Yesodei Yeshurun held their annual Grandfathers, Fathers & Sons Melave Malka this past Motzei Shabbos. Twenty talmidim completed the Gemara Baba Kamma. Pictured here is one of the talmidim, Dovi Bachon, son of Mr. & Mrs. Chaim Bachon of Bayswater, NY, along with his rebbe, Rabbi Yehoshua Basch, and the Rosh Yehiva of Ohr HaChaim, Rav Doniel Lander.

Members of the community at Kosherfest, the largest business to business tradeshow in the kosher industry, which was held this week in New Jersey

DRS Varsity Basketball Team Wins National Basketball Tournament

T

he Varsity Basketball DRS Wildcats have added yet another huge win to an already successful season as they took the championship prize in the Cooper Yeshiva High School National Invitational Basketball Tournament. The tournament, hosted by the Margolin Hebrew Academy in Memphis, Tennessee, has become the second largest yeshiva high school athletic event in North America. The tournament invited sixteen yeshiva league teams from around the country. It was founded to provide young men from across the country an opportunity to meet, interact, learn from and develop friendships with their coun-

terparts across the country.

The Championship game pitted the Wildcats against the defending champion HAFTR Hawks, in arguably the best matchup in the tournament. Captain Gabe Leifer was named the MVP of the tournament, while teammate Yoav Deutsch was named a 1st team All-Tournament player, and Zev Ben-Ami was recognized as a tournament All-Star. A tremendous thank you goes out to the entire team, led by Coach Avrum Stein and assistant Coach Jared Stein. Earlier this seasons, the Wildcats also won the Magen-David invitational basketball tournament and look forward to a very promising season.Â

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Torah: Our “Central” Experience

T

he cornerstone of our day-today school experience is an emphasis on Torah learning as the focus of our educational, spiritual, and philosophical endeavors. Our new Beit Midrash, literally and metaphorically “central” in our building, is a key expression of this idea. Our Central community celebrated our new Beit Midrash with programming both within and after the school day.

At designated times, each grade explored the Beit Midrash with a “matmon sefarim,” requiring our students to learn to navigate the shelves of seforim, all while having a fun time.

As a school, we were then privileged to hear from Rabbi Avraham Willig, who shared stories about his motherin-law, Central alum Henny Machlis, a”h, who impacted thousands of Jewish people by opening her home

and her heart to all those in need.

Says Director of Religious Guidance Ms. Miriam Borenstein, “We hope that our program today will inspire our girls to strive for excellence and hard work in their Torah learning, all while recognizing the importance of kindness and action that is derived from that learning.”

In a moving evening celebrating our past and future learning, members of the extended Central community joined our students and faculty for a Hachnassat Beit Midrash. The program featured a shiur by Professor Smadar Rosensweig on the topic of “Talmud Torah: The Ultimate Time Paradox,” and a student-led siyum on Pirkei Avot. We were joined by esteemed Yeshiva University Roshei Yeshiva Rabbi Marc Penner and Rabbi Michael Taubes.

Thank you to students Gabriella Ciment (’16), Yael Evgi (’17), Deena Hochbaum (‘16), Daniella Strauss (‘16), Felicia Weintraub (‘19), and Asnat Yuabov (‘16) for sharing

PROFESSOR SMADAR ROSENSWEIG ADDRESSES CENTRAL COMMUNITY AT HACHNASSAT BEIT MIDRASH

words of Torah with us. The learning for the siyum was completed in memory of Rav Eitam and Naama Henkin, Hy”d. May this celebration be the spark for many more Torah experiences and learning to come at Yeshiva University High School for Girls!

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• Warm and devoted Rebbeim who guide • • • • •

their talmidim to develop Torah personalities Ruach of Midos Tovos and Yiras Shomayim Challenging shiurim that provide hadracha in lomdus Acclaimed secular studies department noted for its innovative curriculum and professional teaching staff Integration with our Beis Medrash Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim Shabbos program for out-of-town talmidim

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The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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57

Around the Community

Yeshiva of Central Queens Election Day 2015

T

o coincide with Election Day 2015, the junior high school students at YCQ participated in their own G.O. elections. With the walls decorated throughout the school with posters, we could see all the effort the students running for positions put in for their campaigns;

all students had a chance to vote and when the ballots were counted, the results were Grade 6 representatives: Avi Fried and Riva Goldberg; Grade 7 representative: Eitan Hoschander and Yaffa Reichwald; Grade 8 Vice Presidents: Eitan Gutenmacher and Stephanie Ross; and the Presidents of the Yeshiva of Central Queens for 2015-2016 school year are Zach Schindler and Penina Levine. The faculty and student body are looking forward to a year of exciting programs and activities under the leadership of their newly elected officials.

While enjoying the beautiful and extraordinarily warm fall weather, a few grade 1 classes took a walking field trip to the elementary school across the street to visit the actual polling stations and receive a tour to learn about the voting process. Mark Khaimov from class 1-203 informed his class that he was going to be president one day and all the volunteers at the voting booths agreed to

vote for him. In N-208, the students were taught about voting and had a chance to step into their classroom voting booth to elect the best choice for class snack. Potato chips beat out pretzels.

Students had great hands-on experiences learning all about the election process and the importanceing booth to elect the best choice for of voting.

58

NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

At the Annual Kinus Hashluchim international banquet, where 5,800 people attended, including leaders of Jewish communities and Chabad houses around the world

Sassy Reuven, Veteran of the Raid on Entebbe, Visits HANC High School

Rabbi Daniel Mezei, Director of Student Life; Yonatan Gazal, Chair of the Israel Action Committee; Mr. Sassy Reuven; and ZB Weiss, chair of the Israel Action Committee

A

Jewish hero graced HANC High School last week. Mr. Sassy Reuven, a veteran of the Israeli Defense Force’s elite “Red Beret” paratrooper unit, visited the yeshiva to share his inspiring story with the juniors and seniors.

In July of 1976, Sasson participated in the famed Entebbe rescue mission codenamed “Operation Thunderbolt.” Flying thousands of miles over enemy territory, Sassy was the second soldier to jump out of the Hercules C130 transport aircraft as it taxied on the Entebbe airport runway. 100 Israeli commandos stormed the airport and miraculously rescued 102 people who were taken hostage when an Air France airliner was hi-

jacked by Arab terrorists and flown to an airport in Uganda.

It was a privilege and honor to hear the riveting personal account of his story, which took the audience from the preparation for the mission all the way to its completion, with the safe return of the hostages to Israel.

This program was arranged by the chair people of the HANC High School Israel Action Committee, ZB Weiss and Yonatan Gazal. It was made possible due to the generosity of the Maryles family, the Takhalov family, and Rachel and Jeff Lichtman, in honor of all IDF chayalim and for their continued safety and wellbeing.

Wells of Miriam: Photography Exhibit by Emily Stern

By Tammy Mark Emerging artist Emily Stern has partnered with Jew in the City to present her very first art show, a photography exhibit featuring her photos of water retention landscapes and their connection to the Jewish ritual baths of mikvah.

Stern is the eldest of three daughters of a famous radio personality.

Raised with basic Jewish traditions in her home, Long Island native Emily is now a practicing Orthodox Jew. She is a multi-talented artist serving the evolving Jewish world with poetry, plays, performances, visual art, and songs. Following in the creative

path of her family she infuses her work with spiritually and succeeds in bringing out meaningful themes through her various projects.

Wells of Miriam is her latest project. Stern first observed a water retention landscape, a sustainable form of water management, on a visit to Portugal in 2014. She was inspired by the similarities between the revolutionary model of natural rainwater retention and the ancient ritual waters of the mikvah. Stern’s project simultaneously highlights the potential for global renewal and the possibility of deepening our understanding of G-d. The title pays tribute to the biblical Miriam and the wells that sus-

tained the Jewish people in the desert in her merit. In addition to providing water to drink, these wells enabled family purity during that time as well.

Jew in the City is the outreach organization dedicated to debunking stereotypes of Orthodox Jews and highlighting those making a positive impact on the world at large. One of JITC’s most popular videos focuses on the significance of the mikvah.

Founder Allison Josephs is enthusiastic about the collaboration, “We have shared goals of making Torah accessible to the world and relevant in modern times. Emily is one of the most insightful people I have ever met.”

A graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Stern is a member of the Jewish Art Salon and a blogger for The Jewish Journal. She wrote and performed plays while a DRISHA Arts Fellow and at Nishmat, The Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women.

The Wells of Miriam exhibit opens November 19, with a preview event for singles on the 18th, at the Hadas Art Gallery in Brooklyn. Both opening nights of art, live music, food and drink are presented in partnership with Jew in the City.

For tickets and more information, visit JewintheCity.com

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

A HISTORIC CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF NEVI’IM proudly announces the publication of The Czuker Edition

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In preparation: Shmuel I and II

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‫�שׁ�פ‬ ‫ �שׁנִ ים‬20 ‫ט‬

‫ �שׁנִ ים‬8

3

2730 2740

ְ ִ‫י‬ ִ ‫�שׁ�פפ�תּח �הגִּ לְ �ע‬ (‫ א‬,‫די )יא‬

‫ֶמ ְמ‬ ‫�שׁ�פט ֶשׁלֶ ת �עמּוֹן‬ ‫ �שׁ�נה‬18

2710 2720

‫�שׁ‬ ‫ �שׁנִ ים‬3 ‫�פט‬

‫ �שׁ�נה‬40

‫ַה‬

‫ואדי אל מכוך‬

‫ר‬

‫ָבּ‬

‫א‬

1

‫יְ ִריחוֹ‬

(‫)א‬ ַ ‫אוֹרב‬ ‫יוֹמיִ ים ִל ְפנֵ י ַה ְקּ ָרב ם ָכּאן )ב( ִמ ָצּפוֹן ַלגַּ יְ א‬ ֵ ‫שׁוֹל ַח ֶאת ָה‬ ֵ ‫הוֹשׁ ַע‬ ֻ ְ‫ י‬.1 ‫שׂ ְר ֵא ִלי ָה ִע ָיקּ ִרי ִמ ְת ַמ ֵקּ‬ ְ ִ‫ַה ָצּ ָבא ַהיּ‬ ַ ‫ ִבּ ְת ִח‬.2 (‫נוֹסף )ג‬ ָ ‫אוֹרב‬ ֵ ‫ ַה ְמ ַהוִּ ים‬,‫ ִאישׁ‬5,000 ‫ילת ַה ְקּ ָרב‬ ‫שׁוֹל ַח עוֹד‬ ֵ ‫הוֹשׁ ַע‬ ‫הוֹשׁ ַע‬ ֻ ְ‫ י‬.3 ֻ ְ‫ק ַראת ַה ָצּ ָבא ֶשׁל י‬ ְ ‫יוֹצ ִאים ִל‬ ְ ‫לּוֹח ִמים ֶשׁל ָה ַעי‬ ֲ ‫ ַה‬.4 ‫לּוֹח ִמים ַה ִקּ ְד ִמיִּ ים‬ (‫נָ סוֹג ְל ַמ ְר ִאית ַעיִ ן )ד‬ ֲ ‫הוֹשׁ ַע ֵהם ִמ ְצ ָט ְר ִפים ַל‬ ‫הוֹשׁ ַע‬ ֻ ְ‫רוֹאים ֶאת נְ ִסיגַ ת י‬ ֻ ְ‫ י‬.5 ִ ‫ִמים ֶשׁנִּ ְשׁ ֲארוּ ָבּ ַעי‬ ‫ֵאל ִמ ְצ ָט ְר ִפים ַל ִמּ ְר ָדף‬ ‫לּוֹח‬ ֲ ‫ ַכּ ֲא ֶשׁר ַה‬.6 ‫ גַ ם ַאנְ ֵשׁי ֵבּית‬.‫י ַהנָּ סוֹג‬ ‫ַא ֲח ֵרי ַה ָצּ ָבא ַהיִּ ְשׂ ְר ֵא ִל‬ ‫דוֹף‬ ‫ר‬ ְ ‫ִבּ ְכ ֵדי ִל‬ ‫אוֹתהּ ָבּ ֵאשׁ‬ ‫לוֹח ֵמי ָה ַעי‬ ָ ‫ ַוּמ ֲע ֶלה‬,‫ְס ַרת ַה ֲהגָ נָ ה‬ ֲ ‫וּמ ְשׁ ִמיד ֶאת‬ ַ ‫ְמ ַשׁנֶּ ה ִכּיוּוּן וְ נִ ְל ָחם‬ ‫פּוֹשׁט ַעל ָה ַעי ַח‬ ֵ ‫אוֹרב‬ ֵ ‫ ָה‬.7 ‫ וְ ָאז הוּא‬,‫עוֹלה ַה ָשּׁ ַמ ָימה‬ ֶ ‫רוֹאה ֶאת ֲע ַשׁן ָה ַעי‬ ֶ ‫הוֹשׁ ַע‬ ‫ביה‬ ‫ה‬ ָ ֶ ‫תּוֹשׁ‬ ֻ ְ‫ י‬.8 ָ ‫וּמ ְשׁמ ִידים ֶאת ָכּל‬ ַ ‫וּצ ָבאוֹ נִ ְכנַ ִסים ַל ַעי‬ ְ ‫הוֹשׁע‬ ֻ ְ‫ י‬.9

2

4

6

‫ק"מ‬

‫ִמלְ ֶח ֶמת ַמלְ ֵכי ַה ָדּרוֹם‬

‫ַה יָּ ם‬ ‫ַה גָּ דוֹל‬

‫לוֹן‬

‫ֵבּית ֵאל‬

‫ה יָּ ם‬ ַ ‫ף‬ ‫חוֹ‬

‫ַאיָּ לוֹן‬

‫ְכּ ִפ ָירה‬

‫גִּ לְ גָּ ל‬

‫ְבּ ֵארוֹת‬

‫דוֹ ל‬

ָ‫ַה גּ‬

‫ִק ְריַ ת יְ ָע ִרים‬

‫יְ ִריחוֹ‬

‫גִּ ְבעוֹן‬

ַ‫ ַהיּ‬.‫נ‬

‫גֶּ זֶ ר‬

‫ָה ַעי‬

‫מוֹרד‬ ַ ‫ֵבּית חוֹרוֹן‬

‫מק‬ ֶ ‫ֵע‬

‫ְר ֵדּן‬

‫ַא ָיּ‬

‫רוּשׁלַ יִ ם‬ ָ ְ‫י‬

‫נַּ ַחל שׂוֹרק‬

‫יַ ְרמוּת‬

‫ָה‬ ‫ָה‬ ‫ַמ ֵקּ ָדה‬

10

20

‫ק״מ‬

‫ העתקה‬.‫הזכויות שמורות‬

‫ְדּ ִביר‬ ‫ כל‬.‫ תשע"ו‬,‫רול־מסורה‬

‫בלעדית שמורה לארטסק‬

¡ Specially milled, acid-free, lightweight opaque paper

‫ָמקוֹם ַה ְקּ ָרב‬ «« ¡ « ¡ ¡ ­ ¬¡ £ ¥ «¥ ¡ ¡ «¥

‫ֶעגְ לוֹן‬ 0

.‫אסורה בכל צורה שהיא‬

¡ Full-color explanatory maps, charts, and illustrations

‫יָ ם‬ ‫ַה ֶמּ ַל ח‬

‫לָ ִכישׁ‬ ‫ֶח ְברוֹן‬

¡ Each haftarah is marked

¡ Incredibly durable, reinforced library binding

‫וֹת‬

‫ר‬

‫ֵבּית לֶ ֶחם‬

‫שׁד‬ ֵ ‫א‬ ֲ ‫ָה‬

‫ֲעזֵ ָקה‬ ‫לִ ְבנָ ה‬

¡ The text of every commentary has undergone thorough review and diligent research, based on manuscripts and early printings

‫י‬ ‫ה‬ ‫ו‬ ‫ש‬ ‫ע‬ / ‫שופט‬ ‫ים‬

‫ַחיִ ל יִ ְשׂ ְר ֵאלִ י‬ ‫ַחיִל ְכּנַ ֲענִ י‬

0

¡ Every word of every commentary is ‫מנוקד‬, with the ‫ ראשי תיבות‬spelled out

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‫ָמקוֹם ַה ְקּ ָרב‬

‫סופר־מיפוי בע"מ; זכות שימוש‬

© 2015

¡ New, Original Additions Appearing on the Page ¡ Classic Mikra’os Gedolos Commentaries

‫ תרגום יונתן בן עוזיאל רש”י רד”ק רי”ד רלב”ג מנחת שי‬ ‫ ביאור הגר”א מצודת דוד מצודת ציון מלבי”ם‬

¡ Added Commentaries

‫ מהר”י קרא פירושי מהר”ל מפראג מנחה קטנה ראשון לציון‬ ‫ חומת אנך יסוד ושורש העבודה‬

‫ — ליקוטי ש“ס ומדרשי התנאים‬An original comprehensive compilation,

succinctly citing relevant texts from Talmud Bavli, Yerushalmi, and major Midrashim where a pasuk is discussed.

‫ — בעל הטורים‬An original collection of comments by Baal HaTurim on Chumash explaining verses in Nevi’im. ‫ — שפתי זקנים‬An anthology of classic commentaries explaining Rashi’s commentary on Nevi’im.

G C O M I NE E K : LIVING EMUNAH 2 The first volume of Living Emunah by Rabbi David Ashear transformed NEXT W

the lives of tens of thousands of people, taking them on a breathtaking journey toward tranquility and happiness – through faith. Now, Living Emunah 2 brings us even further on the road to serenity.

ÒSTRENGTHENING OUR EMUNAH AND BITACHON MUST BE OUR FIRST PRIORITYÓ

NEW!

— Maran Rav Aharon Leib shlit"a, responding to Rav David Abuchatzeira shlit"a who recently asked which mitzvah should be our main focus in this generation

Available at your local Hebrew bookseller or at www.artscroll.com • 1-800-MESORAH (637-6724)

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community PHOTO CREDIT: IRA THOMAS CREATIONS

HALB second grade boys received their Chumashim this week

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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Around the Community

Assemblyman Kaminsky Organizes North Woodmere Park Cleanup

C

ommunity residents joined Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky on November 8 to clean up North Woodmere Park. The cleanup was sponsored by the Assemblyman in an effort to beautify the park and its surrounding area, wetlands and waterways. More than two dumpsters’ worth of garbage was removed, not only preserving the area’s aesthetic beauty, but also making it safer for people and animals alike.

Kaminsky organized the cleanup after hearing from Woodmere resident, Adam Brozik, that the park and its surrounding ecosystem could use

SPLASH to coordinate the effort.

United Water generously donated bags, gloves and water for the effort.

Approximately 30 residents of all ages pitched in to make the cleanup a success, collecting trash and litter from the area.

“North Woodmere Park and its surrounding community is one of the hallmarks of my district and it is our collective responsibility to ensure its cleanliness, safety and ecological well-being,” said Kaminsky, a member of the Assembly’s Committee on Environmental Conservation. “It was incredible to see so many residents take time out of their busy day to

a non-profit organization like Operation SPLASH. You retrieve over 8 yards of plastics from our beloved, protected wetlands and away from our wildlife. Outstanding day.”

“The Kiwanis Club of the Five

some attention. The Assemblyman partnered with local civic organizations, including Five Towns Kiwanis, Five Towns Community Chest, National Council of Jewish Women – Peninsula Section, Temple Hillel of North Woodmere and Operation

help keep the community and environment clean and beautiful for future generations to enjoy.”

“What an amazing day,” said Captain Tommy Asher of Operation SPLASH. “This is what happens when government works well with

Towns has been servicing the community for nearly 72 years,” said Tom Cohen President of The Kiwanis Club of the Five Towns. “We were pleased to answer Assemblyman Kaminsky’s call to help assist in the clean-up of North Woodmere Park.

As president I was honored to serve alongside my fellow club members Ponte Teramo and Izzy Mayo and look forward to working on similar projects in the future.”

“As a lifelong resident of North Woodmere, I can’t thank Assemblyman Kaminsky enough for recognizing a need at the park and mobilizing the community to do something positive to address that need,” said Kenneth Fink, President of Temple Hillel of North Woodmere.

“Sharing the gift of our environment, preserving wildlife habitats and maintaining our recreational facilities as a community project along with a number of civic minded non-profits and with young students who understand the meaning of community service was an experience fit for every Sunday morning,” said Bob Block of the Five Towns Community Chest. “Thank you Assemblymen Todd Kaminsky for making this happen and for leading the way in the marshes of North Woodmere Park.”

“United Water is proud to work with leaders like Assemblyman Kaminsky who share our goal of protecting the environment,” said Michael Martino, Manager of Communications and Community Relations for United Water.

SHALOM BAYIS HOTLINE

All calls completely anonymous-9:30pm-11pm S/T/TH Basic Problem solving/Referrals to local therapists

SHALOM BAYIS INSPIRATION LINE

Exciting/Motivational 2-5 Minute Shalom Bayis Lessons updated daily

Call: 516 430 5280

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Team Lifeline Participates in TCS New York City Marathon for Chai Lifeline

K

ami Kalaty, a New York resident, ran the TCS New York City Marathon with Team Lifeline in memory of his daughter, Sarina. Shortly after Sarina was born, she was diagnosed with a genetic disease called Wolman’s. Her short life reminded Kami and his wife Dina how precious every day is.

KAMI KALATY WITH DOVI HOCHBAUM, ANOTHER TEAM LIFELINE RUNNER

“Life is like a marathon,” says Kalaty.

“You get through the challenges and discomfort as long as you keep your eye on that finish line.”

The TCS New York City Marathon is the world’s biggest and most popular race. This epic run began as a small group running in Central Park and has grown to over 50,000 participants running in all 5 boroughs. As one of the marathon’s Bronze Charity Partners, Team Lifeline was made up of 22 runners who raised a total of $122,834 for Chai Lifeline!

Team Lifeline is an endurance training program that brings teams to destination races to raise funds and awareness for Chai Lifeline.

Team Lifeline offers individuals the opportunity to reach a personal goal, while helping make a seriously ill child smile. After weeks of training to prepare for the marathon, crossing that finish line is incredibly rewarding. Doing it for an extraordinary cause brings that reward to a whole new level. Each individual participant is making a difference in

the life of a sick child and their family. It doesn’t get better than that.

Chai Lifeline’s mission is to bring joy to children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Chai Lifeline’s multitude of programs were created to alleviate the emotional, social, and financial challenges facing families living with pediatric illness. Chai Lifeline provides fun and support to these children, their parents, and their siblings. Chai Lifeline provided that support to Kami and

his wife. In their time of darkness, Chai Lifeline was their light.

Team Lifeline provides an incredible weekend experience for their runners. Team Lifeline participates in four amazing races each year, including the Miami Marathon, Las Vegas Marathon, NYC Marathon and Lake Tahoe Bike Ride. To learn more about Team Lifeline, visit us at www. teamlifeline.org. Register today and help us make a difference!

Over 200 Families Visit DRS Open House

T

his past Sunday, the DRS Yeshiva High School for Boys was filled to capacity at the school’s annual Open House. DRS hosted a record attendance of over 200 prospective students and their parents at their annual Open House.

The Open House, which takes place in DRS’s beautiful state of the art building, provided its attendees with an informative, exciting, and enjoyable program which allows those interested in the school to get a real sense of what DRS is all about.

Upon entering the building, every attendee was warmly greeted by DRS Menahel, Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky, faculty members, and current DRS students. The program moved to DRS’s spacious Beit Medrash during which Rabbi Kaminetsky and DRS General Studies Principal, Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum, addressed the enormous crowd, enlightening them about DRS’s strong and challenging curriculum in both limudei kodesh and limudei chol. Rabbi Kaminetsky

stressed that the hallmark of the school is the “personal care, warmth, and attention provided for each individual student.” More importantly, DRS prides itself on the achdut between classmates, who come to DRS from over 20 different elementary schools and several different neighborhoods, including Queens, Brooklyn, West Hempstead, and Great Neck.

Following Rabbi Kaminetsky’s remarks, students and parents headed off to the extracurricular student fair in DRS’s incredible gymnasium, where they received a taste of all the extracurricular programs that DRS has to offer, including a presentation from the cooking and karate club, College Bowl competition, sports teams, Shabbatonim and trips, and much more. At the same time, parents got a chance to hear from DRS faculty members in the science, math, English, and social studies departments regarding the incredible range of courses offered at DRS.

DRS boasts a large curriculum including over 15 AP courses and the opportunity to be involved in several research opportunities in both science and social studies. Parents also got a chance to ask questions to a panel of five DRS students in order to get their view of how incredible DRS is. Other sessions included an exploration into the limudei kodesh curriculum, a glimpse into the

schools’ extracurricular offerings, and smaller breakout sessions where parents were able to “meet the administration” in an intimate setting and field their questions to be Rabbi Kaminetsky and Dr. Kirshenbaum.

DRS thanks all those who came to visit the Open House and looks forward to meeting them again in the future!

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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Around the Community

Kosher Cruising Around the World

R

eserve now for your 2016 winter, spring and summer Deluxe Cruises to Alaska, Caribbean Resorts, Canary Islands, Greek Isles, Panama, Spain & Italy, St. Petersburg and more.

There is simply no more elegant, convenient and exciting way to travel the world while keeping to religious tradition than cruising aboard one of the global giant luxury liners, on tours operated by Kosherica. You’ll be treated to glatt dining at the highest standards of excellence while visiting the most exotic corners of the globe: From Alaska and the Caribbean to the Mediterranean and Baltic seas.

World-class Jewish scholars and tour guides accompany you the entire trip.

It’s the finest form, intellectually and culturally, of high-end tourism.

The best part of it all is that your hotel room (aboard the world’s largest and most palatial cruise ships) travels with you. No packing and unpacking for a week or more!

Kosherica works with the five-star

Norwegian and Royal Cruise Lines to ensure that your every need is catered to: From daily prayer minyanim and shiurim to theatre performances, scintillating lectures, spa and fitness regimes, day trips on shore with quality Jewish content, and dozens of other amazing leisure options.

The kosher cuisine is created by a team of highly respected and accomplished chefs, supervised by an experienced team of expert mashgichim – making for an exceptional culinary experience. There are enormous daily salad, fruit, breakfast and dessert buffets, alongside glatt meat main courses. A sophisticated kosher wine list with labels from around world will add to your enjoyment. Healthy heart and special diet (gluten-free, sugar-free, etc.) options are available as well.

It’s always best to book early for these exciting cruises – which means right now for trips leaving in December of this year, as well as spring and summer 2016.

Wild Western Caribbean Cruise: December 20-27, 2015 (7 nights).

Discover ancient civilizations, tales of buccaneering, and tropical beauty in Harvest Caye, Roatan, Costa Maya and Cozumel.

Phenomenal Panama Canal Cruise: December 31, 2015 – January 11, 2016 (11 nights). A prodigious tour traversing Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Belize and Mexico, with historical and technological highlights.

Grand Jewish Music Festival Caribbean Cruise: January 24-31, 2016 (7 nights). Visit Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico resorts aboard the world’s largest cruise ship, the “Allure of the Seas.” A musical extravaganza with Hasidic singers and speakers Avraham Fried, Benny Friedman, Manis Friedman, Dudu Fisher, Yaakov Motzen and more.

Consummate Canary Islands Mediterranean Cruise: February 1424, 2016 (10 nights). Tour some of the world’s most interesting places:

Tangier (Morrocco), Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas (Canary Islands), and Granada (Gibraltar), aboard the brand-new “Epic” liner – the second largest luxury ship in the world.

Incomparable Alaska Cruise: July 3-10, 2016 (7 nights) and August 2128, 2016 (7 nights). Breathtaking natural beauty abroad the five-star “Pearl” luxury liner, with glowing glaciers, blue forested isles, magnificent wildlife and charming frontier ports.

Contact a travel representative at information@kosherica.com to plan your perfect vacation and to select the right stateroom for you. A range of rooms is available, from studios to deluxe suites and mini-villas.

Quote this article, and receive a special gift! Call or email us now. www.kosherica.com Please visit www.kosherica.com to see more cruise destinations and Passover hotels.

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community PHOTO CREDIT: AKP PHOTOS

YOSS Mechina Meets One of Austria’s Rescued “50 Children”

RAV ZUCKERBERG, ROSH YESHIVA TIFERES TZVI, VISITING MESIVTA SHAAREI CHAIM THIS WEEK

Five Towns Marriage Initiative Unity is Strength

W

hen Rivka was expecting she became very agitated at the times when the yet unborn babies within her would get excited, because the kicking occurred both at houses of G-d and at places of idol worship. She went to Sheim V’Aiver (the sons of Noah, who while still during her life were running the premiere world Yeshiva) to find out what was going on. She was told by Sheim V’Aiver that she was having twins, a child that would serve Hashem and be righteous and a child who would be a rasha (wicked). The Satmar Rav wonders how it can be that this comforted her. What mother wants to hear that she will be having an evil son? Yet the Rav explains that even this was better than what she imagined, which was that she would be having one child who would be utterly confused.

When Eliyahu was on Mount Carmel he built an altar and sacrificed animals, and the leaders of idol worship also created an altar for sacrifice to their gods. The goal was to see whose G-d would bring down a fire to consume the offering, as that would prove to be the true deity. At that time Eliyahu asked all the people gathered there, “How much longer will you jump between both sides of the fence?” He wanted everyone gathered there to decide, right then and there, will they follow Hashem or will they follow idolatry?

The indecisive personality, the type that is comfortable living with-

out clarity on various aspects of life, represents a disease of the spirit and a weakness of will that no person can truly find acceptable. Marriages can spiral out of control when even just one of the couple embodies indecision. Both members of a marriage need to be prepared to take part in and make decisions. When one is indecisive about one’s religious standing, as Rivka imagined her baby was, that can be especially dangerous.

To be able to properly pass on our tradition, our mesorah that stretches back from Sinai, one must see themselves as a strong link in our cohesive chain. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If one feels that they are unclear about certain beliefs or values pertaining to Judaism it’s imperative that they take the time to learn and strengthen themselves in their core beliefs so that they can clearly transmit the beauty of Torah and mitzvos to their descendants. This kind of family unit where there is strong front of a couple united in their belief is the ideal setting for a happy home.

Five Towns Marriage Initiative provides educational programs, workshops and referrals to top marriage therapists. FTMI will help offset counseling costs when necessary and also runs an anonymous shalom bayis hotline for the entire community Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 9:30-11p.m. For the hotline or more information, call 516-4305280 or email dsgarry@msn.com.

I

n connection with Kristallnacht, Yeshiva of South Shore’s Mechina boys Grades 6 through 8 were privileged to meet and hear the inspirational story of Mr. Fred Lifschutz, a Holocaust survivor who was one of the “50 Children” famously saved from Austria by the Kraus family of Philadephia, and watched a professional and powerful documentary about their story.

Mr. Lifschutz is also a proud grandparent in the Yeshiva, with grandchildren in 3rd and graduating 8th grade this year who are becoming wonderful bnei Torah! Mr. Lifschutz introduced a 40 minute excerpt of the video, then took time to share personal stories and field enthusiastic questions and answers from students and visitors from the community.

The video is a glimpse at some of the challenges Jews faced at the time and an inspirational insight into the untold accomplishments achieved by this act of one couple. When much of the world closed its eyes to the terrors of Nazi Germany, Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus overcame great odds to save Jewish children from an unimaginable fate. The documentary weaves together excerpts from Eleanor’s journals, archival footage of Vienna and Berlin under Hitler’s rule, and rare photographs of the children who would be rescued, with interviews of some of the surviving children.

Rabbi Rafi Draiman, Menahel of the Mechina, introduced Mr. Lif-

schutz and discussed the themes of Kol hamikayem nefesh achas and hashgacha pratis, recognizing the influence we can have when helping even one person and the obvious role we can see Hashem plays in guiding every moment of our lives. These are key principles which have become very meaningful personally to Mr. Lifschutz in his life.

Rarely is the Gemara’s dictum so glaringly visible, to see how “One who saves a single life it is as if he saved a whole world.” From just one of the youngest children saved out of the 50, Mr. Lifschutz was able to save one of his parents from the horrors of Nazi Germany and can proudly look at generations now of family members connected to Torah and mitzvos, with strong community involvement and support for local Torah organizations, having untold influence on so many. Special thanks to the Lifschutz and Siegel families for taking this valuable time to share their inspirational message with the yeshiva and the Five Towns community.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Rambam Makes an Impact at AIPAC vocacy using writing, and responding to BDS and anti-Semitism on college campuses, along with about a dozen other sessions on core issues related to the current situation in Israel and the Middle East.

The Summit concluded with all the attendees having the unique experience of meeting with their elected congressional representatives. (Well, most of us are too young to vote, so they were elected by our parents.) We participated in the democratic process by clearly expressing our appreciation for supportive positions and urging consideration of important actions on pending legislation and resolutions.

There were three key issues that were the focus of these meetings: 1) urging Congress to take significant action to curb PA incitement, especially in light of the current wave of terror; 2) obtaining congressional support for the U.S. to supply the necessary weapons systems to ensure Israel maintains a qualitative military edge; and 3) the importance of maintaining a strong positive relationship between the U.S. and Israel.

By Yoni Meiri, Rambam Senior

A

t the beginning of November, alongside three of my classmates, Aaron Goldblatt, Elly Marcus, Avraham Sosnowik, and accompanied by Mr. David Kintzer, I had the opportunity to spend three empowering and educational days in Washington, D.C., at the AIPAC Schusterman Advocacy Institute High School Summit.

Over 400 high school students from all segments of the Jewish community and all parts of the country joined together in Washington for the Summit. There were day school students and public school students.

There were even two non-Jewish students. What we all shared was a commitment to Israel and strengthening the U.S.-Israel alliance. AIPAC put great effort into the program, with over 100 AIPAC staffers participating, together with college advisors and faculty advisers who attended. We attended seminars on the importance of the American-Israeli relationship, advocacy using public speaking, ad-

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On Tuesday, the final day of the summit, I had the honor of being the speaker when my lobbying caucus met with Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY4).

Rep. Rice was warm and receptive to our group. After I expressed our concerns on behalf of the group, she stressed her genuine dedication to supporting the U.S.-Israel relationship. Unlike many politicians, her words did not seem hollow. Just the day before our meeting there had been a call to vote on the Royce-Engel resolution, and Representative Rice supported it. Royce-Engel calls upon PA president Mahmoud Abbas to cease PA incitement of terror. Its passage will facilitate further action by the U.S. to defund the PA if it continues to incite terrorist activity.

As members of the Jewish community, we all have an obligation to do what we can to help our brothers and sisters in Israel. It doesn’t matter whether you are still in high school, a senior citizen, or somewhere in between. There are many ways to contribute to the welfare and safety the Jewish people. Building relationships with members of Congress and lobbying them is most effective on a large scale. Building a relationship with a member of Congress does’’t require spending enormous amounts of time.

It simply requires expressing concern about a particular issue. You can help Israel in the time it takes to post a Facebook status. When a representative sees that their constituents care about Israel, they quickly appreciate that they need to care about Israel. It is for this reason that I urge each and

every person who reads this article to take a few minutes to send an email to their Congressional representative.

Thank them for their support if they have shown it and ask them to continue to support Israel. Urge them to begin supporting Israel if they haven’t. You can do this quickly by going to the House of Representatives web page: http://www.house.gov/representatives/. If you want to stay more informed about issues and know when contacting your representative matters most, visit www.aipac.org on a regular basis, and sign up for their mailing list.

It is one of many useful sources of information for Israel advocacy.

I was fortunate that the administration of Rambam Mesivta gave me the opportunity to attend the AIPAC Schusterman Advocacy Institute High School Summit. It is part of their continuing message to students about the importance of being active members of the community who recognize their responsibilities as part of Am Yisrael. This was one of many pro-Israel events in the community and country which I learned about through Rambam, and which they helped me attend. Rambam also has an active Israel Awareness Committee (IAC), of which I am a proud Co-Founder of, and whether it is raising support, awareness, or funds, the IAC is constantly looking to protect Israel on a constant basis. Rambam is unique among yeshiva high schools in its approach to emphasizing community, activism and Israel. I am grateful and proud to be a student there.

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Around the Community

Shulamith Shabbaton: The Ties That Bind

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he Shulamith Middle Division Shabbaton took place this past Shabbat, Parshat Chayei Sara, in Woodmere. The much-anticipated yearly event gives students and faculty members a chance to spend quality time together and to experience the peace, joy and serenity of Shabbat, b’achdut.

On Friday morning, exuberant seventh and eighth grade students arrived with luggage in tow. They created challah covers while their principal, Mrs. Rookie Billet, provided a brief orientation and overview of what to expect during the weekend. At 10:30, the Shabbaton heads, Sarah Leah Herman, Adina Lazar, and Kayla Wilamowsky, along with the decorating heads, Meira Max and Shirley Shayesteh, left school to set up the shul.

Within a short time, the simcha room in Congregation Aish Kodesh had been completely transformed. The lavender and gray décor, including beautiful centerpieces, were perfect for the occasion.

On this “short Friday,” it was just a few hours later when faculty members and seventh and eighth graders began arriving at the shul, dressed in their Shabbat finery. Earlier in the week, tefillah leaders, Shira Borochov, Rachee Ganchrow, and Yehudis Herschberg, had reviewed Kabbalat Shabbat with their peers, which allowed everyone to appreciate the tefillot as they davened with the kehillah.

After davening, students headed to the simcha hall to enjoy a delicious seudah catered by Traditions. The evening’s activities included divrei Torah, a spirited kumzitz, and a choir presentation headed by seventh graders Ariella Borah and Priva Halpert.

We were also privileged to hear spellbinding midrashim and stories about the Jewish city of Hevron and its heroes and heroines from Mrs. Leah Feinberg, parent of Shulamith sixth grader Elisheva Feinberg and longtime Judaic studies teacher in the Five Towns. The evening flew by, and before we knew it, it was 9 p.m. and parents were arriving to escort students to their hosts’ homes.

On Shabbat morning, students reconvened in the shul where they davened Shacharit with the kehillah.

After tefillah, we were joined by Rebbetzin Weinberger who encouraged

the girls to follow in the footsteps of our Imahot and shared details from the exalted life of Rebbetzin Henny Machlis, a paragon of chesed, who did just that.

The program continued with another delectable seudah, replete with lively singing and divrei Torah. Our final guest speaker was Rabbi Shmuel Klammer, Principal of Shulamith School for Girls of Brooklyn. Rabbi Klammer described individuals such as Thomas Edison, Eleanor Roosevelt and Albert Einstein, who were told as youngsters that they were intellectually impaired but did not accept those labels and went on to achieve greatness. Rabbi Klammer also told stories of gedolim and of the medrash to inspire each student to always believe in herself and to strive to do her very best.

In the afternoon, students enjoyed some “downtime,” followed by seudah shlishit hosted by the Gerber, Brunner and Schreier families. In the Gerber home, the eighth graders enjoyed a hilarious skit written and produced by Miri Granik and Rachel Sandler.

To cap off their superlative Shabbaton experience, the seventh and eighth graders were joined by the rest of the Middle Division for a gala Melave Malka which took place on our very own Cedarhurst campus! First, students gathered in our spacious gym to watch the eighth graders perform two dynamic dances, choreographed and led by Batya Altmark, Shoshana Hess, Tzipori Eichler, and Rachelle Gelbtuch. After the dance presentations, everyone headed to our newly repainted auditorium to experience The Live Game Show. The student body was divided into two teams, Chayei and Sara, who competed against each other. Girls were called to the stage to an-

swer questions in categories ranging from Challah Baking to Kever Rachel to Shulamith School Trivia. The game was fast-paced, fun, and, at least some of the time, educational!

When the show was over, it was time to move once again, this time to our Lower Division lunchroom which had been expertly decorated

by Melave Malka heads, Adina Fiber, Perri Hirschel, and Sarah Miller, along with their many helpers. The striking color scheme of gold, black, and red

was dramatic and eye-catching. The room was festooned with balloons and streamers, and a gold treasure chest filled with “jewels” graced the center of each table. All of the girls enjoyed some delicious pizza and jumbo black and white cookies, as well as a final d’var Torah about the concept of Melava Malka. Everyone was grateful to Morah Chana Schwartz and Mrs, Rachel Steiner, Student Activities Coordinators, for all the hard work, originality and diverse programming.

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Around the Community

YHT 8th Grade Boys Visit Rav Herschel Schachter

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n Monday morning, November 9, the 8th grade boys of Yeshiva Har Torah visited Rav Herschel Schachter, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva University. The students worked hard preparing for the question and answer session with Rav Schachter, writing index cards with questions, as well as reviewing

the Gemara that they are learning this year. The boys first stopped into the Beit Midrash at YU, taking in the sweet sounds of Torah and admiring all the students engaged in Torah study. Upon meeting Rav Schachter, the boys were immediately taken by his presence and vast Torah knowledge. He asked the boys very in-

Gloria and Harvey Kaylie, Founders of Camp Kaylie, to be Honored at OHEL’s 46th Annual Gala

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his year, Harvey Kaylie, founding benefactor of Camp Kaylie at OHEL, will be the special guest speaker at OHEL’s 46th Annual Gala.

Gloria and Harvey Kaylie have been longtime supporters of OHEL, and their visionary efforts have raised the bar for how individuals with developmental disabilities are both supported and integrated in the community.

“Building Our Future Together” is the theme of OHEL’s 46th Annual Gala and Mr. Kaylie personifies this with the groundbreaking Camp Kaylie, the first inclusive summer camp for kids all abilities which continues to rapidly expand each year.

At Camp Kaylie, campers with developmental disabilities fully integrate with their typical peers, and together, campers enjoy an exhilarating summer that is an experience for life.

Mr. Kaylie remarks, “Of all the many initiatives I have involved myself in, I am most proud of Camp Kaylie. When I see the transformative impact of the Camp Kaylie experience – newfound friendships, a

breakdown in stigma, a greater understanding and appreciation of one another, whatever our challenges – I know that all of our hard work has been worth it.”

OHEL will also be paying tribute to longtime friend and colleague of Harvey Kaylie, Moishe Hellman.

Mr. Hellman is the Co-President of OHEL and will be featured as the evening’s Guest of Honor. Mr. Hellman has devoted himself to OHEL for three decades with vision, passion, and commitment. A leader in the community, Mr. Hellman has built Jewish families, saved Jewish families and has comforted and sought support for thousands of individuals and families in need for decades.

The Gala will take place on Sunday, November 22, 2015 at the New York Marriott Marquis at 5:00 PM. Please join OHEL for what promises to be an inspiring and memorable evening.

To make reservations or place a journal ad, please visit www.ohelgala.org, call 718-972-9328, or e-mail gala@ohelfamily.org.

depth questions on the Gemara and inspired them to deepen their understanding by questioning their answers. During the second part of the Q&A, the Rav fielded many questions from the students, covering such topics as Thanksgiving, aliens, hilchot Shabbat, science, eating fish and many more topics. After the learn-

ing, the boys all lined up to shake Rav Schachter’s hand, and as each boy passed, the Rav asked them their name. The boys then went across the street for lunch, enjoying some delicious pizza as a fitting end to a great morning of learning!

Lev Avos-Lev Bonim in Long Beach

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oung Israel of Long Beach held this year’s first Lev Avos-Lev Bonim gathering on Motzei Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sarah. The revitalization of this program was initiated by Yigdal Brucker, a student at Yeshiva Darchei Torah. Yigdal consulted with Rabbi Chaim Wakslak, rav of the kehilla, and the plans were set in motion. It was established that each Motzei Shabbos there would be a shiur in Mishnayos Meseches Berachos given by Yigdal followed by a review of the material presented on an interactive study sheet. Fol-

lowing the learning, refreshments such as pizza and other refreshments would be served for a Melavah Malka followed by some recreational enjoyment. Boys, between the ages of seven and eleven, could attend either alone or with their fathers.

The first session was received with extreme enthusiasm and excitement.

There was a very encouraging attendance indicating that the program will continue throughout the winter months. Yasher koach to those fathers who attended and offered support to this wonderful endeavor.

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Strides in the Digital Citizenship Movement

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his past month The Digital Citizenship Project conducted a full day training for educators from around the country in teaching healthy and responsible use of technology in the digital age. As technology becomes more and more part of our everyday lives, The Digital Citizenship Project works with schools, parents and students to help them maximize what technology has to offer while minimizing its potential consequences. Developed

by Dr. Eli Shapiro, The Digital Citizenship Project is the only schoolbased program of its kind that is research-based and data specific to each school population. A formative assessment is conducted with each school that they work with to pinpoint the technology ownership prevalence and related behaviors and attitudes around its use. Recent presentations at The Jewish Education Project (formerly BJE), The

mental health professional alike. Dr. David Pelcovitz stated, “This is the program we have been waiting for!”

The Digital Citizenship Project would like to recognize the following schools and institutions for partnering with us in the Digital Citizenship movement, and thank them for their participation in our sold-out training, hosted by The Consortium of Jewish Day Schools: Associated Talmud Torahs of Chicago; Ateres Bais Yaakov of Monsey; Edknowlogy; Hebrew Academy of Nassau County (HANC); Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR); Magen Queens; Maimonides School of Boston; YBH of Passaic; Yeshiva of Central Queens (YCQ); Yeshiva Har Torah; Yeshivat Noam; and Yeshivat Yavneh of Los Angeles North American Jewish Day School Conference, The Torah Umesorah Convention and The Consortium of

Jewish Days Schools’ “Think Tank” have been met with rave reviews and endorsements from educators and

For more information, visit www.thedigitalcitizenship.com.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

Around the Community

Madraigos Hosts Substance Abuse Prevention Program at SKA

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n October 21, Madraigos was invited by SKA to participate in an informative substance abuse prevention program for 10th grade students and parents. Mrs. Helen Spirn, SKA Head of School, welcomed participants and introduced Mr. Lewis Abrams, ACSW, LCSW, CASAC and Ms. Silvia Finkelstein, Assistant District Attorney, who spoke about their life-saving work in this field.

They discussed the severity of addiction and stressed the importance of bringing greater awareness to the community. A highlight of the evening was personal reflections shared by a young woman in recovery. The moving presentation gave students an appreciation for the real-life view of this addiction.

The Q & A panel provided parents with the opportunity to pose questions of concern to Mr. Lewis Abrams, ACSW, LCSW, CASAC; Ms. Silvia Finkelstein, Assistant District Attorney; Mrs. Chanie Delman, LCSW, Clinical Director of Madraigo; and the woman in recovery. In responding to questions, Mrs. Delman gave parents practical ways to communicate with their children by listening, showing empathy, and sincerely understanding their child.

She offered suggestions of how to address any problems that arise and described the various services Madraigos offers to assist families facing this challenge including professional referrals, support groups and parenting classes, school workshops, a 24 hour support line, and

weekly programs at the Lounge, an evening drop-in center for girls and boys on different nights. She elaborated on the Tuesday night Lounge program geared for high school girls where they enjoy recreational activities with friends in a relaxed, warm environment under the supervision of trained social workers.

Students were divided into small groups led by mental health professionals to discuss the information and personal experiences including peer pressure and relationships.

Group facilitator Mindi Werblowsky, LMSW, Director of Adolescent Programming at Madraigos, made her group aware of the serious issues involved in substance abuse and answered students’ questions related to prescription drugs. She educated them in the best way to help a friend facing this challenge and advised them who to contact if necessary.

The groups proved to be a safe place for the girls to share their personal experiences. More importantly, it was an opportunity for the girls to express their feelings of fear and concern and get much needed support.

The message expressed to participants stressed the importance of addressing potential risks and the benefit of being proactive in responding to concerns of substance abuse. It is through close partnerships with students, parents, school administration, and local service providers like Madraigos that progress can be made in reducing the detrimental effects of substance abuse.

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Around the Community

Rambam Meets Talmudist, Futurist, and Senator

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WITH SENATOR JOE LIEBERMAN

hanks to the initiative of Zechariah Rosenthal, a National Merit Scholarship Finalist and a senior at Rambam Mesivta, Rambam’s Meet the Author Book Club had a remarkable experience on November 2. Zechariah discovered that the revered Talmudist, Rabbi Adin-Even

Israel Steinsaltz, would be having a dialogue with Futurist, Ray Kurzweil, Director of Engineering at Google.

Assistant Principal, Hillel Goldman, who spearheaded the Meet the Author Book Club, accompanied the boys at this momentous event held at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

WITH RABBI STEINSALTZ

In addition to hearing a fascinating dialogue between the Rabbi and the Futurist, the Rambam students had the opportunity to meet Senator Joe Lieberman and engage him in conversation with the rabbi and Mr. Kurzweil.

In the past, the Meet the Author Book Club has attended lectures by,

and spoken with other notables such as Malcolm Gladwell, Elie Wiesel, Veronica Roth, Nobel Prize Winner Daniel Kahnenman and so many more.

The members of the Book Club can look forward to many more informative and exciting events as the year progresses.

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Around the Community

Honor Society Induction at SKA

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he Re’ut National Honor Society Induction ceremony for the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls chapter was held on Wednesday evening, November 4.

Over forty inductees were selected to be members of the National Honor Society based on scholarship, leader-

PHOTO CREDIT: IRA THOMAS CREATIONS

ship abilities, character and service to the school and community.

For the evening’s program, the inductees worked in groups and selected Jewish heroes who they personally found inspiring. They prepared moving and thoughtful Prezi and Powerpoint presentations and were also

privileged to hear from Dr. Miriam Hirsch, Chairwoman of the English Department of Stern College for Women. Special thanks to Dr. Tzipora Meier, Mrs. Deena Kobre and Mrs. Rivky Waxman for all their dedicated leadership in preparing and supporting the girls during this event.

Mazel tov to all our honorees and their families! SKA is extremely proud of Re’ut’s newest members’ efforts and ongoing dedication to their studies while performing acts of kindness throughout the community.

ed expression. As the music played, the men broke out into spontaneous spirited dancing, a mechitza was quickly erected, and the women too clasped hands and danced with joy, happy to have been part of such a special Shabbos. After the dancing Eli led the crowd in an uplifting kumzitz. The evening ended with a strong feeling of unity, a renewed commitment to help JEM in its holy work of returning our lost brothers and sisters.

In the words of one of the Friends

of JEM speaking to the JEM staff, “Contagious smiles on all your faces, clearly show you are all happy with the life choices and sacrifices you have made.”

A JEM of a Shabbos

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riday, November 6, 2015.

More than forty people headed from the comfort of their own homes in the New York area towards La Guardia airport. Their weekend destination – the college campus of Madison, Wisconsin, student population 42,000 of which 10% are Jewish.

The New Yorkers were on their way to experience firsthand the work of JEM – Jewish Experience of Madison – an on-campus kiruv organization dedicated to Jewish student outreach, founded in 2005 by Rabbis Yerachmiel Anton and Avi Zaitchek.

Before kabbalas Shabbos, the JEM rabbis introduced themselves and their motivation for doing this difficult work. A newly married baal teshuva JEM graduate described how JEM changed his life. With this introduction, the Friends of JEM and staff sat in a large circle. Each in turn spoke about their impressions Shabbaton was officially underway.

Seudas Shabbos: 114 people con- of the Shabbos, or what JEM meant verged on the JEM dining room. to them. Hearing from these formerFrom the recently frum, to the not ly unaffiliated young adults left a yet frum, all wanted to be part of deep impact on the audience. As one the Shabbos experience. The Friday friend of JEM declared, “We came to night post-seuda oneg was a chance inspire, but it is we who are walking for the guests to meet and chat with away inspired.”

After havdalah on the front the students. Connections were made; a sense of camaraderie filled porch, a gala Melave Malka was set up. Musician Eli Levin set the tone the air.

Shabbos afternoon, napping was for the evening. The emotions from not on the agenda. Guests, students such an incredible Shabbos need-

You too can be part of it. To find out about the next Friends of JEM spring semester Shabbaton, please contact Rabbi Avi Zaitchek at 414708-0741 or Rabbi Rocky at 414708-6353.

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Around the Community The Solidarity with Israel event held on November 8 at Temple Israel in North Woodmere featured guest speaker New York State Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky, Curtis Sliwa of the Guardian Angels, and Yifa Segal, Director of the International Legal Forum in Israel.

Topics discussed were the increased attacks taking place in Israel and ending the rise of anti-Semitism throughout the country. Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky spoke about his sponsorship of the anti-BDS legislation in Albany.

The sixth grade of Yeshiva of South Shore along with Rabbi Yehoshua Meltzer met on Motzei Shabbos for a bonfire “kumsitz” in what was a beautiful evening of organized singing, Torah, ruach and achdus. It was inspiring to see many boys take turns in leadership roles “MCing,” giving divrei Torah, telling stories, leading songs, and connecting with their Rebbe and with each other. Rabbi Draiman also came by and enjoyed singing with the boys. In the words of a parent, “All the boys behaved like true bnei Torah; you should have much nachas!”

From L to R: Yoni Nerenberg, Rambam student speaker; Ann Schocket; Rabbi Steven Graber of Temple Hillel; Cindy Grosz, event coordinator; Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels; Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky; Kenneth Fink, President of Temple Hillel; and Avi Posnick, StandwithUs Managing Director.

The Marion and Aaron Gural JCC Celebrates Project Kadima’s First Anniversary

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ast Wednesday night a group of women met at the newly-named Marion and Aaron Gural JCC in the Five Towns, a beneficiary agency of UJA-Federation of New York, to hear Cheryl Friedman, LCSW-R speak about surviving an abusive marriage. The workshop, which is part of a comprehensive program, is made possible through a grant from the Jewish Communal Fund and UJA-Federation of New York and is designed to help single parents move on after divorce. It was an intense and inspirational session attracting women of various ages and religious backgrounds. There was laughter and tears, hand-holding and exchanges of telephone numbers. There was the awareness and relief that finally someone understood.

In the weeks leading up to this workshop, on alternate evenings, young boys and girls attended support groups for children of divorce while on other nights their mothers came together at the JCC for their own bi-weekly support groups. Rosh Hashana gift packages were distributed to close to fifty single-parent families and over sixty school backpacks – complete with age-appropri-

ate supplies, which were provided to the children though UJA-Federation of New York’s Supplies for Success campaign – were given out to their children. All this – and so much more – is Project Kadima, the JCC’s single parent initiative created to help families move forward during and after divorce and to assure them that they are not alone during this difficult and challenging time.

Celebrating its first anniversary this month, Project Kadima began with a grant from UJA-Federation one year ago. The goal was to identify and recognize the needs of Jewish single-parent households in our community and beyond. The Project Kadima team, consisting of a project coordinator and a staff of social workers, designed a comprehensive program that included an initial intake and offered entitlements assistance, short-term one-on-one counseling, support groups, workshops, holiday events, trips, telephone assurance and more. What began with a few clients and without much advertising or promotion became Project Kadima, a vibrant and vital program at the Gural JCC with close to one hundred members and growing.

At any given time at The Marion

and Aaron Gural JCC, Project Kadima is in action. Clients meet with staff social workers for counseling both day and evening. Our project coordinator is always responsive to calls and emails, be they of cries for help, requests for referrals and information or the sharing of good news.

A single family’s struggles are unique and often overwhelming. The Project Kadima group has become a family for them. A safe place to turn for concrete help, a ready ear, guidance and support.

During the course of this past year the JCC has brought a variety of lecturers and workshops to their Project Kadima members from Cheryl Friedman and Esther Wein to Barbara Listhaus and Dr. Pelcovitz.

Seminars on financial planning, budgeting and navigating a divorce have been interspersed with Mindfulness classes, Zumba and nutritional advice and positive thinking coaching.

There is always something happening at Project Kadima – for our clients, their children or the family.

Next Tuesday evening, November 17th, Esther Mann and Jennnifer Mann, founders of the Navidaters and new staff writers at this paper, will be leading a workshop entitled,

“Jumping Back into the Dating Sea, How to avoid the sharks and other close encounters.” This workshop is another example of Project Kadima responding to the requests and interests of their clientele and helping them move forward with proper tools and confidence, one step at a time.

In addition to their own programs, Project Kadima also offers many opportunities to take advantage of other JCC services such as participating in their coat drives (there is one this Sunday at the JCC 1:00-3:00 pm), utilizing the Rina Shkolnik Koher Food Panty, benefiting from peer-to-peer homework help, or joining their Kosher Kidz Cafe, an educational health awareness class for young girls and teens.

If you or anyone you know is separated, divorced or going through a divorce, contact Project Kadima to schedule an intake, get more information or to show your support. Call Rachayle Deutsch at (516)569-6733 ext. 222. The Marion and Aaron Gural JCC is located at 207 Grove Avenue in Cedarhurst, New York.

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The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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Team OHEL Honorees, the Levi Family, Personifies Family & Inclusion

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n individual with Down’s syndrome, Meir Boruch Levi was born into a family already blessed with four children. When his mother asked the pediatrician what to tell her other children, his answer paved the way for the Levi family. He conveyed, “However you present it to them, that’s how they will accept it.

If you present it as a tragedy, it will be. But if you present it as a matter of fact, that’s all it will be.”

The Levi siblings grew up understanding that even though their sibling had different needs and abilities, he too could thrive and lead a fulfilled and meaningful life.

When Meir’s siblings were presented with the opportunity to join Team OHEL – they came running, literally.

They joined to not only show their appreciation to OHEL and help others, but to demonstrate to Meir how proud they are of him. Brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews have all participated in various OHEL challenges,

such as the Sibs Side-By-Side 5K and OXC – OHEL Xtreme Challenge.

Today, Meir is a confident young man who thrives with much independence in an OHEL Bais Ezra residence and has recently started a new job at an ice cream factory.

Through their involvement with the marathon and other OHEL projects, the Levis, together with other Team OHEL honorees Bruce Prince and Tamar Sicklick, have helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for essential OHEL programs and services that meet the diverse needs of children and adults in need within the community.

Team OHEL helps ensure critical services and programs from children whose parents are unable to care for them, victims of domestic violence, to adults with developmental and psychiatric disabilities who gain the support and services to lead lives of dignity and meaning. Children of all abilities enjoy an exceptional summer at Camp Kaylie in Wurtsboro, NY – a

groundbreaking inclusive summer camp in Wurtsboro, NY. The Gala will take place on Sunday, November 22, 2015 at the New York Marriott Marquis at 5:00 PM. Please join OHEL for what promises to be an inspiring and memorable evening. To make reservations or place a journal ad, please visit www. ohelfamily.org/gala, call 718-972-

9328, or e-mail gala@ohelfamily.org.

Since 1969, OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services has served as a dependable haven of individual and family support, helping people of all ages effectively manage disability, surmount everyday challenges, heal from trauma, and manage with strength and dignity during times of crisis.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

Around the Community

Sifriyat Pijama Returns to HALB

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n November 2, the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach (HALB) held its first Family Sifriyat Pijama event of the year. Over 40 families strong, with children in preschool through the 3rd grade, this event was one that brought families and community together while emphasizing Ivrit and Hebrew culture.

A story reading of the November Sifriyat Pijama book, Maaseh BaChatulayim (A Tale of Two Cats), was led by HALB’s wonderful Bnei Akiva shlichot, Ayala Gozland and Moriah Hertz. The story told the tale of two cats – one black and one white – that were good friends, then began to envy one another, and ultimately realized that each was unique and spe-

cial in his own right. Activities, which were all completed b’Ivrit, related to the story and its characters, as well as to the pitgam: Yehi kvod chavercha chaviv alecha keshelach, which expresses the value of treating one’s friend’s dignity with as much respect and one would treat his or her own.

All participants took home a copy of the story, along with the various story-related projects and crafts that her or she created. Special thanks go to Sifriyat Pijama and its donors, preschool directors Morah Lisa Zakutinsky and Morah Felicie Ackerman, Ayala Gozland, Moriah Hertz, and Morah Elinor Israeli.

We are already looking forward to the next event!

Remembering Rabin

SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS WITH THEIR MEMORIAL BOOKS (LEFT TO RIGHT): HALEY MEYER, BELLA SHEMA, GAYA OHANA, AND ELINORE HAZAN

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ovember 4 marked twenty years since the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, prime minister of Israel. Mrs. Rabinovich’s seventh grade Hebrew classes in HAFTR prepared “Memorial Books,” which depicted the life and legacy of Yitzhak Rabin. The students included in their books short biographical

sketches, pictures and accomplishments. In Mrs. Shachi’s seventh grade classes in HAFTR, the students learned the famous song associated with Yitzchak Rabin, “Shir L’ShalomThe Song of Peace.” They also read stories about Rabin and viewed films about his life.

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TJH

Centerfold

U.S. Army Answering Machine We’re sorry, but all of our units are out at the moment, or otherwise engaged. Please leave a message with your country, name of organization, region, specific crisis and a number where you can be reached. As soon as we have sorted out Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria and ISIS, and of course upon completion of our daily compulsory Consideration of Others Training, we will return your call.

Please speak after the tone, or if you require more options, please choose from the following options: If your crisis is small and is located near the sea, press 1 for the United States Marine Corps.

If your concern is distant, with temperate climate and good hotels, and can be solved by one or two low-risk high-altitude bombing runs, press 2 for the United States Air Force.

Please note that this service is not available after 1630 hours or on weekends. Special consideration will be given to customers requiring satellite or stealth technology who can provide additional research and development funding.

If your inquiry concerns a situation which can be resolved by a parade with flags and a really good marching band, please write, well in advance, to the United States Navy.

Please note that Tomahawk missile service is extremely limited and will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Riddle me

this?

John, Tiny, and Ron are the gunner, commander, and driver of a three-man tank crew, although not necessarily in that order.

Even though there is one official gunner, they all had guns. In one battle, the gunner, an only child, “took out” the fewest enemies. Ron, who is married to John’s’ sister, “took out” more bad guys than the commander. What position did each soldier occupy?

See answer below

If your inquiry is not urgent, press 3 for the Rapid Deployment Force.

Answer to riddle: Tiny is the gunner, Ron is the driver, and John is the commander.

If you are interested in joining the U.S. Army, and you wish to be shouted at, paid little, have premature arthritis, put your family in a condemned hut miles from civilization, and are prepared to work your head off, risking your life in all weather and terrains, both day and night, while watching Congress erode your original benefits package, then please stay on the line. Your call will be answered shortly by the next available bitter passedover for promotion Army recruiter located in a strip mall down by the post office.

Ron can’t be the gunner because he did not kill the least amount of enemies. Likewise, John is not the gunner because he is not an only child; thus the gunner must be Tiny. Likewise, Ron “took out” more than the commander, which must make him the driver while John is the commander.

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The 12, 2015 TheJewish JewishHome Home| NOVEMBER | OCTOBER 29,

Military Slang (Match each word with the correct definition) A. I’ve got your back B. Well done C. Flashlight D. An easy assignment E. To sleep F. The display of medals and ribbons on one’s uniform G. A soldier whose performance is unsatisfactory H. M2 .50 caliber machinegun I. Mouth J. Backstabber K. Member of the Coast Guard L. Rebuke M. Ejecting from an aircraft N. Someone who’s useless or talks too much O. Kilometers

1. Fitty 2. Hit the silk 3. Klicks 4. Moonbeam 5. Rack time 6. Bravo Zulu 7. Soup sandwich 8. Got your six 9. Fruit Salad 10. Blue Falcon 11. Crumb catcher 12. Fang 13. Grape 14. Oxygen Thief 15. Puddle Pirate

Answers 1-H 2-M 3-O 4-C

5-E 6-B 7- G 8- A 9-F 10- J 11-I 12- L 13- D 14- N 15- K

Wisdom key 13-15 Correct: Bravo Zulu!

9-12 Correct: Your fruit salad ain’t bad!

5-8 Correct: You spent too much time “rack timing” it while you were in the Service 0-4 Correct: You’re a total grape. You probably spent your time as a puddle pirate.

Say it Like a Marine • “The Marine Corps: When It Absolutely, Positively Has To Be Destroyed Overnight” • “Marine Sniper: You can run, but you’ll just die tired!”

• “Marines: Providing Enemies of America an Opportunity to Die for their Country Since 1775” • “It’s G-d’s Job to Forgive our Enemies – It’s Our Job To Arrange The Meeting” • “Do Draft Dodgers Have Reunions? If So, What Do They Talk About?”

• “Machine Gunners: Accuracy by Volume” • “A Dead Enemy is a Peaceful Enemy – Blessed Be the Peacemakers” • “Except for Ending Slavery, Fascism, Nazism, and Communism, War has Never Solved Anything.”

You gotta be kidding A sergeant was addressing a squad of 25 and said, “I have a nice, easy job for the laziest man here. Put up your hand if you are the laziest.” 24 men raised their hands.

The sergeant asked the other man, “Why didn’t you raise your hand?”

The man replied, “Too much trouble raising the hand, Sarge.”

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Netanyahu Comes to Washington A Softening in the U.S.-Israel Relationship

By Nachum Soroka

Global politics is a strange enterprise. It was only a few months ago that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu happily played the Republican Party’s pawn in its power struggle with the Obama White House by addressing Congress over the Iran nuclear deal. The address was viewed by Democrats as subversive to the U.S.’s agenda and as another example of Netanyahu’s blatant disregard for President Obama’s authority in the U.S. government.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said then that Netanyahu’s speech left her “near tears” and that she was “saddened by the insult to the intelligence of the United States.” Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s gratefulness to the Obama administration at the time stating, “I regret that some see my appearance here as political,” he said. “I know that no matter which side of the aisle you sit on, you stand with Israel,” but the overall consensus then was that White House-Israeli relations – which had been icy for some time already – had reached a low point.

F

ast forward just over a half a year later: the Iran deal is done and Netanyahu is back in America to meet with an emboldened president who is waiting out finishing his term. But this time around, when the two leaders met this past Monday, relations

seemed much warmer than any other time in recent memory. Obama didn’t appear to be in lecturing mode and Netanyahu’s purpose was not solely to affirm his commitment to Israel’s security – no matter what.

Indeed, this week’s meeting was seen by many as a “patching up” of the U.S.-Is-

rael relationship and focused on military packages being sent to Israel to help stabilize the region, particularly in light of the newfound resources allowed to the world’s largest state-sponsor of terror, Iran. Obama was frank about the differences he has with the Israeli prime minister but noted, “We don’t have a disagreement on the need to making sure that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon, and we don’t have a disagreement about the importance of us blunting and destabilizing activities that Iran may be taking place,” the president asserted. “And so we’re going to be looking to make sure that we find common ground there.” The region is also being ravaged by radical Islamist groups, such as ISIS and al-Qaeda, as well as by the deadly civil war taking place in neighboring Syria, and both leaders put aside their differences to address the most pressing security concerns there.

The meeting, which was described by Netanyahu’s aides as “good,” went forty-five minutes over schedule, a sign that the discussions were productive.

Netanyahu’s visit comes

in the midst of the most recent outbreak of violence

by Palestinians and in the wake of President Obama’s exploitation last week of the past two months’ of violence as evidence for the necessity of a two-state solution.

lowed more construction of Israeli housing on so called “disputed” lands. His comments on Friday echoed ones made earlier in the week by Secretary of State John Kerry. “There’s been a massive increase in settlement over

“Our friendship is strong and our alliance is strong with shared interests and values.”

“Over time, the only way that Israel is going to be truly secure, and the only way the Palestinians are going to be able to meet the aspirations of their people, is if they are two states living side by side in peace and security,” Obama said on Friday. The president’s comments were a strong insinuation that the blame for the unrest ultimately lies with Israel and Netanyahu, who he says has been unwilling to sit down to discuss the possibility of moving forward with plans for a sovereign Palestinian state and instead has al-

the course of the last years ... and there’s an increase in the violence because there’s this frustration that’s growing,” Kerry said on Tuesday.

Israel insists that the recent uptick in violence is not a result of any frustration on the part of the Palestinians; it is because of the Palestinians’ fundamental ideology regarding the place of any Jewish state in the Middle East. “They don’t want us here; if they are frustrated, that frustration will continue – we will continue to be here,” was Netanyahu’s response to Kerry. “Make [Ab-

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

bas] accountable and stop trying to justify him in any way – not with settlements, not with the peace process, not with anything,” Netanyahu stressed.

Yet the American president and the Israeli prime minister seem closer than ever with regard to the creation of a Palestinian state.

At the time of his recent reelection, Netanyahu took the strong stance of never allowing such a state on his watch, a position that was loudly criticized by the Obama administration. But since then, Netanyahu’s position seems to have softened, and he insists that his campaign rhetoric was taken out of context. At the meeting on Monday, Netanyahu told the president, “I want to make it clear we haven’t given up on our hope for peace,” adding, “Our friendship is strong and our alliance is strong with shared interests and values.”

The White House as well has backed off of any strategy involving an Arab state for now, and instead is looking to stabilize the region before creating any lasting changes there. The administration announced ahead of Netanyahu’s visit that there is no likelihood for a peace deal happening before the president leaves office in 2017.

“The president has reached the conclusion that, barring a major shift, the parties are not going to be in the

position to negotiate a final status agreement,” said Rob Malley, President Obama’s senior Middle East adviser.

The White House “faces a reality where the prospect of a negotiated two-state solution is not in the cards,” Mr. Malley told journalists.

To be fair, the newfound softness coming out of Washington is accompanied by much finger pointing at the Netanyahu government for not allowing any significant inroads to be made regarding a peace deal. White House spokesman Josh Earnest has previously claimed that Netanyahu’s campaign talk was leading the White House to “reevaluate” any possibilities for a deal, and the deputy national security adviser for strategic communication, Ben Rhodes, reproached, “We’ve tried many different approaches over the course of the administration: Direct negotiations, indirect negotiations, the U.S. putting out some principles. And again, at each juncture, ultimately the parties themselves did not take the sufficient steps forward to reach a negotiated two-state solution.”

What is now referred to as the “two-state solution” dates back to a United Nations’ resolution in 1974 which called for “two States, Israel and Palestine … side by side within secure and recognized borders” together

Husseini leaving the Peel Commission

with “a just resolution of the refugee question.” In truth, however, the notion of two states dates back to even before the State’s creation, when in 1937, the Peel Commission report, authored by Lord William Peel of Great Britain, recommended that due to the unsustainable nature of the British Mandate of Palestine, the land should be divided evenly between the Jewish and Arab factions there.

As would become the case for the rest of the 20th century, Lord Peel’s recommendation was rejected by the Arab groups, led by Hitler’s ally, Hajj Amin al Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem. In contrast, the Twentieth Zionist Congress, while wary of the narrow borders assigned to the Jews by the report, approved the Commission’s proposal, if only equivocally. David Ben-Gurion said at the time that although “there could be no question ... of giving up any part of the Land of Israel, ... it was arguable that the ultimate goal would be achieved most quickly by accepting the Peel proposals.”

The Zionist leaders felt that it was prudent to accept the deal which was being offered to them at the time and focus on the country’s actual borders at a later time.

Indeed, it was the Peel Commission report which laid the groundwork for the ultimate UN Partition Plan in 1947. The UN’s plan called for two sovereign Arab and Jewish states with Jerusalem to be held under international control. Once again, Zionist groups accepted the UN proposal while Arab groups did not, leading to the War of Independence in 1948 and the mass exodus of 711,000 Arabs from Israel.

It was only after the Israeli military victories in 1967 that the PLO began to backtrack on its decades’

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The Peel Commission

long recalcitrance to any Jewish presence in the land, and Yasser Arafat’s delegate to Britain, Said Hammami, articulated the Arabs’ willingness to recognize the 1947 Partition Plan in various media outlets.

Coupled with this newfound willingness from the Arabs to “return to the table” was their insistence that Israel completely reset the clock to 1947 and allow the over 700,000 Arabs who left at the time to return along with their offspring. The PLO claimed that this was a right granted to them as a “basic human right” applying to all refugees and as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights from 1951. But Israel has called the claim out to be no more than a political move, as the 1948 war was instigated by the Arabs themselves. Furthermore, it suspects that the return of Arabs to Israel would be done with the intention to create an Arab majority there and thus defeat the Israeli Jewish population without starting another war.

Most recently, the UN and the major world powers have embraced the Arabs’ call for a return to the original two-state solution and lay the blame on Israel and its allowance of so-called “settlements” in areas claimed by the Arabs. Yet, there have been countless times in the past twenty years when numerous Israeli prime ministers, including leftists like

Ehud Barak and conservatives like Ariel Sharon, have offered Palestinian leaders everything they publicly desired and were met with jihad in response.

If the solution to Israel’s problems does not lie in the creation of two states, what is it then? Any reluctance on Netanyahu’s part towards allowing the creation of a Palestine is not because he is opposed to the idea. One state is most definitely not the resolution to the unceasing conflict. Israel has no reason nor the faintest desire to occupy itself with governing a group who has no desire to be governed itself. The country has spent nearly seventy years defending its citizens from jihad emanating from squalid refugee camps. It is doubtful that it hopes the next seventy years will be the same.

As such, some say that two self-governing states, living side by side, seems to be the only viable route to end the conflict.

Indeed, such is the grim reality Israel faces today, as it has in the past. Towards “peace” and the relinquishing of fairly earned land built by the labors of its people to be surrounded by an even hungrier and deadlier foe; or onward with the seventy year long struggle to maintain the semblance of a nation carrying on with its day-to-day tasks, but with terror – and the critical gaze of the world – looming overhead.

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Torah Thought

Parshas Toldot

By Rabbi Berel Wein

T

his week’s Torah reading continually raises for us the unbelievable fact that two such divergent personalities and worldviews could have been raised in the house of Yitzhak and Rivkah.

We can understand how a person such as Yaakov could have come from their home. After all, he is studious, serious and obedient to the wishes of his parents, especially to those of his mother. He is not an outdoorsman and prefers the study hall to that of the sports field and the hunt. Later on in life he will acquire the traits of a warrior, an entrepreneur, and a strong leader who will endure much but remain steadfast in his beliefs and way of life.

However, it is very difficult for us to fathom how a murderer, rapist, idolater and feared hunter and tyrant could grow up and be raised in this very same household and by the very same parents that raised Yaakov. All of the commentators to the Torah have questioned this and every generation of scholars have attempted to address it and give it relevant meaning.

Yet, as is often the case regarding the human condition, the questions and problems involved defy logical answers and human understanding. The entire field of psychiatry and psychology is devoted to attempting to unravel behavior patterns and the mysteries of the human personality.

In my experience, psychology can, in the main, help identify the problem. But in most cases the true cause that triggers aberrant behavior remains hidden even from the most knowledgeable of us. Human beings are very complicated, have ultimate freedom of choice and behavior, and only G-d in heaven can

read the secrets of one’s soul and personality.

And yet, we are all held responsible for our behavior and actions.

Whatever it was that made Eisav the person he became, is solely his responsibility – his deeds in life and the havoc that he created.

Generally speaking, Judaism does not allow for excuses. Unforeseen circumstances can acquit someone in specific instances from performing a mitzvah. But Judaism never grants carte blanche excuses and forgiveness because of natural dysfunction and problems of life, especially of family life.

In our current society there are many who believe that parents and home atmosphere are responsible for wayward children. This may be true in particular instances, but it is certainly not the case in every instance or even in most instances.

From the moment we are born, we are granted the power to do what we wish to do. Those are our choices. We are taught that the rebellion of David’s children against him came from the lack of discipline that David enforced upon them in their youth. Nevertheless, the blame and punishment visited upon those children was of their own doing and a result of their choices and behavior in life.

Eisav will weep at his father’s feet and beg for his eternal blessing. He will be given a blessing but not the one that he wishes for. That other blessing had to be earned through his behavior and the choices he made. Ultimately that was up to Eisav alone. And that perhaps is the main message that we can glean from this otherwise mysterious person and situation.

Shabbat shalom.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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Torah Shmuz

Parshas Toldos

By R’ Ben Tzion Shafier

“And Yaakov approached Yitzchak his father, and Yitzchak felt him, and said, `The voice is the voice of Yaakov, and the hands are the hands of Eisav.’” — Bereishis 27:22

T

o “trick” Yitzchak into giving him the bracha, Yaakov donned Eisav’s clothing, put the skin of an animal on his arms and neck to simulate the hairiness of Eisav and went in to his father to receive the blessing. As they were twins, the subterfuge was almost perfect, and it seemed as if Yaakov had succeeded. For all intents and purposes, he appeared as Eisav, spoke as Eisav, and presented himself as his twin.

Yet something made Yitzchak suspicious, and he said the famous words: “The voice is the voice of Yaakov, and the hands are the hands of Eisav.”

Rashi explains what tipped Yitzchak off. Yaakov used the equivalent of the word “please,” as in “Please, my father, get up. Please, my father, take this.” These were words that Eisav would never utter.

Therefore, Yitzchak suspected that it wasn’t Eisav, but rather Yaakov, and he asked to “feel” the person in front of him to determine which of the brothers it was.

This Rashi is very difficult to understand when we take into account Eisav’s relationship with his father.

Eisav had genuine respect and reverence for his father—in fact, he loved him. The Medrash Rabbah says, “In the course of human history, no man ever treated his father with the respect that Eisav treated his father. So how is it possible that he was gruff and rude to a man who

he loved and adored?”

The answer to this question lies in understanding human nature.

THE FORCE OF HABIT

We are engaged in thousands of interactions, choices, and decisions each day. Unlike an animal, which is preprogrammed to perform in a particular manner, the human has free will — free will to choose how he will respond, react, and deal with every situation. If every one of his decisions was a conscious choice that had to be thought out, he would spend his entire day just making them.

A man is approaching. Do I smile and nod or do I look the other way?

He’s looking at me, do I turn my head to respond or do I look out at the trees? When he asks me how my day is, does he expect a detailed inventory of actions or does he mean it in a casual manner?

To allow us to function productively, Hashem gave us the power of habit. Habit allows us to respond almost unconsciously to the thousands of choices that we are constantly engaged in. As a result, we can talk and eat dinner at the same time. We can drive a car, watch the traffic, change lanes, and hold a conversation. Most of the actions we engage in are done on auto-pilot. We don’t have to think about them. We have done them before, created our patterns of action and reaction, so now we can just go about our business without having to use up our conscious minds on rote activities. Habit governs and controls most of the actions and choices of our day.

This force is a double-edged sword. It can allow us to accomplish worlds more because of it, but it costs us in the sense that bad habits and poor reactions can lock us into behaviors and responses that don’t ac-

curately represent our will. We’re just stuck with them because of the ruts that we have created.

This seems to be the answer to Rashi. There is no question that Eisav deeply respected his father. But Eisav was gruff. His operating mode

ner condition.

One of the saddest expressions uttered in a troubled marriage is: “I love him, but can’t live with him.”

Oftentimes, it isn’t that the man is a selfish lout or a creep. It is simply that he has remained with the bad habits

Habit governs and controls most of the actions and choices of our day. was curt and rude. Those were the habits that he developed, the manner in which he acted, the patterns that he etched into his soul. Even when he was in a situation of serving a man that he greatly respected, his years of mechanized routine surfaced, and he spoke the way that he usually spoke.

When Yaakov impersonated Eisav and used polite terms, it was out of character. Yitzchak noticed something out of synch. This wasn’t the Eisav that he had known for so many years.

This concept is very applicable in our lives on a number of fronts.

I LOVE HIM, BUT CAN’T LIVE WITH HIM

It may well be that we respect our parents, love our siblings, and are deeply attached to our spouses, but unless a person consciously works on his word choices, reactions, and responses, he may well be putting on a façade — presenting an image to others that doesn’t accurately reflect how he feels. The message he may be giving is very different from his in-

of being unpolished. “Please,” thank you,” and “excuse me” are lacking from his vocabulary. This can make all the difference in the world between a person who is pleasant to be around — or not. The most amazing part is that these expressions don’t always represent who the person is and how he feels, but the little niceties of life are the grease that smoothes the wheels of social interactions.

While middos are the essence of a person, social graces often speak louder than feelings to those who actually live with him. By training our tongues in these social conventions, we give off a persona that matches our inner condition and those we interact with get to experience the considerate, caring person that we are.

Rabbi Shafier is the founder of the Shmuz. com. The Shmuz is an engaging, motivating shiur that deals with real life issues.

All of the Shmuzin are available free of chaarge at the www.theShmuz.com or on the Shmuz app for iPhone or Android.

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The Observant Jew

No Accounting for Taste

By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

A man went to a psychologist. The doctor asked him, “What brings you here today?” The man replied, “My family made me come here because I like wool socks.”

The doctor was puzzled.

“Hmm, I don’t find that so unusual. I like wool socks myself.” “Really?!” asked the patient. “How do you like them? With garlic and butter or just a touch of lemon?”

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ne of the greatest challenges that parents face has nothing to do with sleepless nights, pimples, or even broken bones. It’s something that comes up day after day, time after time, and unlike the aforementioned issues, there’s no way to solve it.

Imagine this scenario: “I’m so hungry. What’s for dinner?” A parental voice answers and invariably the response to their answer is something like: “Yay, I love that!” “Ooh! That’s gross.” “It’s my favorite!” “I can’t stand that.” “Can we have something else?”

All at the same time!

You see, while one child may like it, another will not. Unless you’re serving ice cream for dinner you will nearly always get conflicting opinions.

Even then, if you’re serving the wrong flavor ice cream, say, vanilla and the

kid is a chocolate ice cream fan, you still can’t win.

I remember my own mother making snack suggestions and hearing the responses. “Remember me, Mom? The one who doesn’t like cheese?”

When ordering at a restaurant to share, we have to find something people agree on. I can’t get the appetizer with mustard because then one daughter won’t eat it. Buying cereal?

Nope, I don’t eat raisins!

Simply put, there’s no accounting for taste. There’s even a little Hebrew rhyme for it. “Al ta’am v’al rayach, ain l’hitvakayach,” which means, “On taste and on fragrance, one cannot argue.” I have a friend who loves rainy days. Some people enjoy the smell of skunk! (I kid you not…) People are different and that’s just a fact.

What struck me is that we understand this and don’t try to convince people to like what they don’t like. Now, even though I may tell my child, “You have to eat this vegetable X number of times to acquire a taste for it,” that doesn’t mean that we will definitely be successful in doing so. I enjoy bagels but don’t like lox. I’m not saying you can’t like it, but it isn’t my thing.

It made me think. How come we understand that someone doesn’t like pickles but can’t fathom how they can vote for a certain candidate? Why can we stop offering ketchup to someone who doesn’t like it, but we keep pushing our agendas on people who disagree with us?

I may think that a book is great, but someone else thinks it’s boring. That amazing new song? Noise and rubbish

to my old ears! It may be shocking to some, but people are different and have different likes, dislikes, opinions, and viewpoints.

Chazal say, “Shivim panim l’Torah,” the Torah has seventy faces.

This means that the same thing can be viewed in seventy different ways.

What I see may not be what you see, and what you see may not even be what you see on a different day.

I heard something striking. Those

liking a certain concept that we don’t?

Why can we understand when someone likes to eat organic veggies but not how a rabbi could express a thought we disagree with?

I think we can gain a new insight into the old adage “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Just as we accept that people like to eat different things, we should accept that they can and will feel differently about things than we do. We can use the

Why is it that we can forgive someone for eating chocolate rugalech with tehina (OK, maybe you have to draw the line somewhere) but not for liking a certain concept that we don’t? seventy different viewpoints? That’s for each of the 600,000 people who were there at the giving of the Torah.

In other words, there are forty-two million ways of looking at things.

It stands to reason, then, that not everyone will see things our way. They won’t agree with us and no matter how much we try to convince them, they will have their own opinions and their own versions of truth based on the incontrovertible evidence of their own eyes.

So why is it that we can forgive someone for eating chocolate rugalech with tehina (OK, maybe you have to draw the line somewhere) but not for

stomach and taste analogy as a tool for understanding people’s hearts, and then disagreements may just be a little easier to swallow.

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 | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

A Fulfilled L fe

Some time back I flew from New York to Detroit. The standard airline prices were exorbitant so I booked a flight on Spirit Airlines, a low-cost, no frills carrier.

And I mean no frills at all. I soon learned that my ticket bought me only two things: a seat on the plane and use of the bathroom (or, as we say in airplane speak, lavatories). Everything else, from a carry-on to a drink, came at a hefty price (in relative terms). Frustrated by just how tight this airline operated (after all, it’s not like I paid five cents for my ticket), I offered a quip to one of the stewardesses. “I am wondering,” I said, “if you’re going to charge me for breathing on this flight.” No worries, she told me, air was still free.

I

have thought often about that exchange. Our society has managed to monetize just about everything, from drinking water to public parks. Want a snack on an airplane?

That’ll be $3. Need an internet connection to get work done? It’ll cost $10. And it’s not only the airlines.

Even free downloads aren’t free. Any time that a software company offers you a new app at no cost, there is something sought in exchange: your personal information, data about your shopping preferences, etc.

The good news is that there are

Some of the Best Things in Life Really are Free

By Rabbi Naphtali Hoff

some things that are and will always be free, at least for the giver. We can say and do things that cost us noth-

ness or respect, like helping an older person cross the street or making eye contact when people speak to us.

The most enduring components of our lives – such as our character, values, acts of kindness and even simple consideration – will never cost us a penny. ing and offer something meaningful to others. A smile, a good word of appreciation, an act of simple kind-

Simple things that won’t cost you a penny.

Think for a moment about to-

morrow morning. You’ll be walking down the street as people are coming the other way. The sidewalk is narrow and you will pass them at a distance of a few feet. Whether they know you or not, a quick smile and warm “good morning” can add a charge to their day and energize you at the same time.

Even if you don’t want to extend yourself to that degree, there are still many ways to demonstrate care and consideration for others. Something as simple as shoveling your walk well and throwing down some salt on a snow day. Or turning on your blinker before turning to make things easier and safer for others on the road.

Or what about the next time that you go shopping or visit a library and decide that you really don’t want to buy that item or check out that book? Think about how much you help someone out when they don’t have to pick up an item that was randomly misplaced because you took the time to return it to the shelf where you got it.

And how many of us have had the experience of returning to our cars after shopping only to find a cart left randomly in the lot or, even worse, up against our vehicle because the last shopper chose not to take the half minute to do the right thing and return it?

It may be true that “there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.” Or even free water. But there are some things that still are free and always will be.

Our society may teach us to relentlessly pursue the almighty dollar and that even our time must be viewed and used as a commodity. But we should never forget that the most enduring components of our lives – such as our character, values, acts of kindness and even simple consideration – will never cost us a penny.

Rabbi Naphtali Hoff is an executive coach and president of Impactful Coaching and Consulting (ImpactfulCoaching. com). He can be reached at 212.470.6139 or at nhoff@impactfulcoaching.com.

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Israel Today

Bat Mitz

By Rafi Sackville

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fter finishing her army service, our daughter Batya began working at HaAgas, a vegetarian restaurant in Machaneh Yehudah.

The food was very tasty. The owner, Yechezkel, makes his pickles and olives from scratch. You can judge the character and taste of his hummus by the number of workers in the shuk who are regular customers.

Batya quickly became familiar with all the characters in shuk. When Keren and I ventured down to Jerusalem we’d accompany her to places we’d otherwise miss.

On one occasion I was feeling unwell. My stomach was aching, I was rundown, and we had a long drive back home. “Follow me. Ma’ayan will fix you up in no time,” said Batya.

Ma’ayan is the daughter of Uzi-Eli, who has a juice place called The Esrog Man. He is a third generation healer from an illustrious family that can be traced back hundreds of years. He has carried on his family’s tradition by concocting and preparing medicinal products from seasonal fruits, herbs, spices and plants.

His experience is such that he can diagnose an ailment and suggest an appropriate concoction. He has passed this expertise onto his daughter, Ma’ayan, who has his same cherubic face and personality. She gave Batya a huge hug, which she then extended to Keren.

When she asked me what ailed me I jokingly suggested I was looking for something to make me look handsome. She instructed me to take off my glasses before proceeding to spray my face with essence of etrog. I asked for a mirror hoping for a drastic change.

I gave myself a shock when all I saw was my face.

“Does anyone call you Bat Mitz?

You know, the ‘daughter of juice.’”

“Your father’s very funny,” said Ma’ayan. So used is she to my shenanigans that Batya barely raised an eye-

brow in response.

I asked for a brief rundown on some of the juices and products on sale. The ginger juice with apple is good for those suffering colds and sinus issues. I watched someone take a straight shot of ginger. The man reacted as if he’d been given a shot of Shlivovitz. Ma’ayan told him his pores and sinuses would quickly open. He began crying like a baby.

There’s spirulina, which they add to fruit shakes of one’s choice. It contains a high amount of nutrients. I watched one of the workers prepare a hot drink made with 100% cocoa, ginger, cinnamon, almond milk and khat, a flowering plant native to the Horn of Africa and chewed raw by Yemenites.

It’s a winter drink that warms and delivers a burst of energy. It’s hard to drink too much because of its high level of concentration.

Ma’ayan offered me a shot of kombucha. It was fermenting in a jar. It looked orangey-red, almost blood colored. I was told to drink it to rid myself of my stomach ailment. Moreover, it was bound to clear any toxins out of my body.

We had been in the store no longer than a minute and I’d already had my faced sprayed with etrog essence and had drunk some indeterminate, bloody looking liquid.

“What’s that?” I asked pointing at a small bottle on the shelf behind the counter. Ma’ayan explained that it was a cream made out ginger and pilpelet, a vegetable spice, which can be applied to sore spots or on the inside of nose for sinus clearage. I took a sniff. It was like being hit in the head with a ballpeen hammer.

“And that one?” I was pointing at another small bottle. Batya told me it was used for sore throats. “You take a dropper, apply it to the back of your throat and gargle.” I gave that bottle a pass.

“Do you sell chocolate as well?”

asked Keren.

“They are 100% chocolate squares mixed together with some special herbs. If you chew on one of those now, you will lose your appetite till tomorrow. They suppress the desire to eat,” said Ma’ayan.

Keren mentioned that I looked a bit shell-shocked. I told her my head felt clearer than a cloudless day and that my stomach had stopped giving me pain.

“Not to mention that you’re very

coming up to visit for Shabbat, so our departure was nothing as tearful as a month later when she would be leaving for her trip around the world.

The wedding was uneventful. I didn’t think I’d eat a thing, but the fried chicken wings, a huge departure from the food on sale in the vegetarian restaurant and the juice store, couldn’t be resisted. I ate six.

We didn’t get back home until almost 1 o’clock in the morning. Along the way Keren sipped, while I drank

“Does anyone call you Bat Mitz? You know, the ‘daughter of juice.’” handsome,” she added with a smile.

“Maybe you can help us?” I asked Ma’ayan. “We have to travel back home north this evening. We’re very tired and still have a wedding to go to.”

“I have just the thing. I’ll make you a bottle of khat and etrog juice. Don’t drink too much. Just a little sip every now and then. You’ll be fine driving home.”

We once visited a Yemenite family in Hashmonaim who offered me a few khat leaves to chew on. The taste was bitter. That day is still etched strongly in my memory because I walked around as high as a kite for hours.

I took Ma’ayan at her word. Keren suggested we buy two bottles in case we were really tired. Batya thought it a bit excessive, but we wouldn’t be denied. We parted from Ma’ayan with more waves and hugs.

It wasn’t long before Batya had to return to work. We had places to go to and people to see. She would be

the khat and etrog juice.

Two days later Batya was with us in Ma’alot. She wanted to know how I was feeling. Much better I told her.

“Your stomachache?”

“Gone!”

“Sinuses?”

“Clear!”

“The drive home? Did you take sips of the juice?”

“I drank the entire bottle.”

“You’re not meant to do that, Abba.

Did you suffer any side effects?” she asked me. My smile burst into laughter. “What’s so funny?” “| haven’t slept since we were with you. That’s two days now. Hey, is that khat and etrog juice?” I asked pointing at the bottle in her hand.

“Yes. Want some?”

Suffice to say I stuck with my chamomile tea.

Rafi Sackville, formerly of Cedarhurst, teaches in Ort Maalot in Western Galil.

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A Soldier on a Mission Words are Sgt. Benjamin Anthony’s Weapon in his Defense of the Jewish State

By Tammy Mark

Sgt. Benjamin Anthony is always on mission. Whether defending Israel in combat or on college campuses, his commitment is unyielding. His personal journey, from his exposure to anti-Semitism as a child in England to his intense experiences serving on Israel’s frontlines, reinforces his determination to reach and educate others through his organization Our Soldiers Speak.

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ounded by Sgt. Anthony in 2007, Our Soldiers Speak is a nonfor-profit non-governmental organization dedicated to bringing the proud truth of Israel Defense Forces to the campuses and communities of the English speaking world. As with any meaningful mission, Sgt. Anthony is driven to succeed – and has recruited the best and the brightest representatives of Israel to join him.

Our Soldiers Speak delivers a unique presentation di-

rected at pro- and anti-Israel groups and those undecided alike. The organization aims to delve between the headlines and media coverage of the military operations of the IDF in efforts to separate fact from sensationalism and distinguish between perception and reality.

Largely focused on bringing its message to North American campuses, Our Soldiers Speak has reached some 350 universities and 300 high schools across four continents to date.

One of the most powerful and targeted endeavors is the inclusion of relevant specialists of the IDF such as lawyers and doctors to address graduate students, recognizing that the students of today are the legislators and policymakers of tomorrow.

Sgt. Anthony recently completed a campus tour which brought top IDF lawyers to several prestigious law schools including University of Pennsylvania, Emory, Stanford and UCLA. The next tour will bring Col. Dr.

Tarif Bader, Deputy Surgeon General of the IDF, to present to students at medical schools and public health programs. Col. Dr. Bader is a proud member of the Druze community who headed the IDF’s relief mission to Nepal and oversees the medical treatment of refugees fleeing the Syrian civil war.

Sgt. Anthony has seen a definitive positive impact being made on university campuses through Our Soldiers Speak. “Absolutely – just by the sheer numbers of interested listeners,” he asserts.

Lectures at Harvard Law attracted 100 attendees this year and at the University of Pennsylvania over 110, both an increase from the previous visits.

“Being invited back shows the efficacy of the initiative. Individuals that come with one viewpoint have turned around, or

are at least open to ideas,” he relates.

This initiative is just one part of a larger plan to educate and inform Diaspora Jewry on multiple fronts.

Our Soldier’s Speak Elite brings active generals in the IDF and other key leaders from Israel to brief Congress on security issues affecting Israel and the U.S. Superintendent Mickey Rosenfeld, spokesperson of Israel’s police force, will be addressing members of Congress in Washington, D.C., this month.

A third and very crucial component of Our Soldiers Speak is the educational program. This program is geared towards yeshiva high schools as a way to teach Jewish students so that they could teach others. While all yeshivas incorporate Jewish history lessons, some in the

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form of religious history and some in connection to Israel advocacy, the programs are not rigorous enough to deal with the dialogue on campuses today.

Without sufficient grounding, Sgt. Anthony has seen that students can turn apathetic or worse, and it is happening with alarming frequency.

He insists that all yeshivas are responsible to preempt this situation, and his goal is to make it as imperative a part of the core curriculum as math and science. The program has been instituted in nine schools so far, including North Shore Hebrew Academy, Hebrew Academy of Nassau County, and Flatbush Yeshiva, among others across the country.

Sgt. Anthony was born in Leeds and raised in England as one of seven children. His father is a cantor and a criminal defense attorney and his mother was trained as a concert pianist. As a young child he experienced brutal anti-Semitism in the UK and witnessed his own brother being severely beaten on the way to school. The incident left his brother with injuries that continue to affect his health to this day. The episode left a lasting impact on Sgt. Anthony as well, leaving him with the stark realization that defensive action cannot wait.

Sgt. Anthony is a graduate of the University of Manchester, where he was further exposed to rampant anti-Israel views. He immigrated to Israel in 2004 after graduation and served in the IDF from 2005-2007.

A heavy machine gunner, Sgt. Anthony has taken a front line role in several of Israel’s most recent campaigns to defend its citizens, including the second Lebanon War, Operation Pillar of Defense, and most recently, Operation Protective Edge.

He has served in Judea and Samaria, the West Bank, and along Israel’s northern

border, and has witnessed dreadful tragedies of his comrades on the battlefield.

Sgt. Anthony continues to serve on an annual basis as a reservist in the IDF. Having worked side by side with fellow soldiers of diverse backgrounds all with the common goal of defending Israel, Sgt. Anthony is deeply proud to be a part of the IDF. He is comforted by the idea of having a Jewish state and the IDF to defend it. He knows what tragedies befall the Jewish people otherwise and considers it a humbling privilege to be a part of it.

Our Soldiers Speak encounters an initial pushback on almost every campus. Students will attempt to boycott or cancel events, even pressuring the moderating professors to cancel their participation. At Northeastern University, students defaced event posters with swastikas. At Tufts and NYU, “die-ins” were held, with students covering themselves in ketchup to feign injuries as if at the hands of the IDF. Once Our Soldiers Speak pushes past these hurdles, the lectures are overwhelmingly successful. Sgt. Anthony recalls one particular student who was initially set on protesting and disrupting the presentation. He remarkably sat through the lecture and has now applied to sign onto the organization’s mission.

Sgt. Anthony has seen shifts on the college campuses over the 5 to 7 years he has been touring. While Jewish life on campus is growing, pro-Israel life on campus is diminishing and they are more and more becoming two different viewpoints.

Anti-Israel sentiment is growing, and the uninformed have increasingly grown critical of Israel. Jewish students feel less comfortable expressing pro-Israel views and have nobody there to educate them at that

point. It’s easier for most to remain silent than to speak in favor of, and they lack the necessary tools.

Sgt. Anthony is intellectually deeply disturbed by the growing anti-Israel sentiment and believes that future policymakers won’t find favor with Israel and that we do not have the luxury to ignore it. He cautions that if the trajectory of the U.S. follows the course of the UK and Europe, this mentality will inevitably permeate the workplace and leave people to hesitate disclosing a gap year spent studying in Israel or volunteering in the IDF. These are possibilities he insists need to be considered.

In addition to misrepresentation and biases in traditional media outlets as of late, heated exchanges and attacks via social media have also become increasingly common. As for the average person who comes up against anti-Israel vitriol, whether in person or on social media, they need not feel completely powerless to address it. “It is definitely a personal issue that’s at the heart of identity and when attacked we feel it viscerally. Although very few people have the skills to engage in it, we have to stand in the face of the issue.

It’s our responsibility to defend the name of Israel and IDF,” he advises.

He feels there is far too much readiness of those who have never served in the IDF to criticize Israel and dictate what should be done, as it is very elusive. “We all learn our values from a common source. We share the same values as Diaspora Jews – the paramount

value of peace – all of us, the policymakers, the citizens and the IDF together.”

Sgt. Anthony spends several months each year traveling and speaking on behalf of Our Soldiers Speak and bringing his message to other organizations. He appreciates and enjoys meeting Jews from all communities and people from all backgrounds who love Israel. He has been keynote speaker on behalf of Israel Bonds, for Christians United for Israel and at Federation events, and has addressed synagogue congregations throughout North America.

Speaking with a smooth demeanor, Sgt. Anthony conveys a strong sense of ur-

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gency. “I don’t expect everyone in the Diaspora to fight, but to understand that the future of Israel rests on the State of Israel. Be proud and confident in the existence of the state of Israel and support the work of the IDF and stop apologizing.”

Sgt. Anthony will be returning to the Five Towns this Sunday November 15, at 7:00 PM to speak at the Young Israel of Woodmere.

He will be joined by two expert journalists to address the community on how to combat anti-Israel bias in the media and on college campuses.

Visit OurSoldiersSpeak.org for more information.

“Although very few people have the skills to engage in it, we have to stand in the face of the issue.

It’s our responsibility to defend the name of Israel and IDF.”

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Dating Dialogue

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

Wouldn’t it be great if every stage of life came with an instruction manual, providing us with a specific set of rules that allowed us to always make the right choices without ever second guessing ourselves, knowing in our hearts that we nailed it? Imagine the freedom, confidence and peace of mind such a system would engender.

Unfortunately, such a play-by-play system is a stretch of the imagination, a fantasy, if you will. There are many junctures in life that are challenging and leave many of us scratching our heads as we ponder our various options in our often desperate attempt to “get it right.” Ultimately we all want to live with fewer regrets and many more homeruns. In our attempt to get it right, often after a date or when confronted with a serious relationship issue, we tend to seek advice from the following people: The Rebbetzin, The Dating Mentor, The Mother and The Single Friend. We thought, “Wouldn’t it be great to cut to the chase and have everyone’s opinion in one place?” And hence, the “What Would You Do If” column was born!

Dear Navidaters,

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y daughter, Nechama, is any mother’s dream come true. She is beautiful both on the inside and the outside. Raising her was always a joy and I feel so blessed to be her mother. Nechama has been dating now for close to two years. Honestly, I believed that she’d probably be one of the first girls from her grade to get engaged. People approached us about shidduchim for her before she even graduated high school! By the time she came home from Israel, I had a long list of people anxious to go out with her. I’ve heard so many stories about parents struggling with this stage of their child’s life, and

Every week, The Jewish Home will feature our fabulous panelists (Rebbetzin, Dating Mentor/Kallah Teacher, Mother, and Single Woman) as they respond to real dating and relationship scenarios. Each panelist will share her distinct and unique perspective on the topic at hand. As dating and relationship coaches and therapists, The Navidaters will then give our take on the situation in what we call “Pulling it All Together.”

This endeavor is designed to be interactive. We encourage you, our readers, to get involved in the experience and share a dating or relationship predicament you may be facing.

Whether you are single, part of a couple, engaged or a parent of the aforementioned, send us an e-mail. Share your story and the advice you are seeking. We will turn your anonymous story over to our panelists. No situation is too silly, too serious, too mundane, too weird, too eccentric or too shameful. Our panel’s feedback awaits. Without further ado, What Would You Do If?...

my husband and I both felt confident that for us, it would be a walk in the park.

Meanwhile, though Nechama has no shortage of boys to go out with, she hasn’t gone out with anyone more than twice. And even twice took a lot of convincing from us that she give this one or that one another chance. Basically, she comes home from each date with an immediate “not for me” response when we ask how it went. At first we figured, “OK, we haven’t hit the mark yet.” But after so much time, we’re starting to think that maybe there is something going on with Nechama. After all, is it even possible, after so much dating, that absolutely no one has any potential to explore? If Nechama is not realistic about her dating expectations, how do we approach this with her?

Sincerely, C. R.

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The Panel The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, MS

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s parents, it’s crucially important for you to know whether Nechama is interested in getting married in the short term future.

Perhaps she has other goals and interests right now such as completing school, getting established in a professional field, and maturing. She might simply be enjoying this time of her life without the pressures of a family and multiple commitments.

She might be anxious as well.

That being said, I don’t think parents should open up this discussion.

Apparently Nechama is not confiding in her parents about what is going on inside of her. She is not sharing any reactions to the young men she dates with you and your husband. Sorting out where she is, what she wants in a spouse, what the common issues she has with the men she meets, and what the particular issues she finds with the individual men she meets is going to have to be done by a third party. Gently encouraging her to talk to a trusted teacher, mentor, rav or shidduch coach is advisable.

A neutral, seasoned advisor will be much more effective in helping her ascertain where she is going right now and how to move forward in terms of dating.

Although it is wonderful that so many shidduch suggestions have come Nechama’s way since high school, please keep in mind that she may feel pressured by all of this.

Perhaps there are expectations of her that she does not want to meet and cannot meet. If she has been getting so many suggestions, it’s probably because she presents as a girl with a wonderful package of attributes, both personal and familial.

She may not think she is truly worthy of people’s high regard. Perhaps she feels people are interested in her because of her looks or family’s social position. How she feels about many of these matters will have to be explored with someone else. You may suggest this with a script like: “You may want to talk to someone else after each and every dating experience. Sometimes parents are

too close to the children they love to be an effective sounding board.

Why not think about choosing someone to talk to, Nechama?”

Your daughter is probably already speaking to someone she trusts. By telling her that you think it is a good idea, you will ease future communication. Normalize consultation with advisors and be patient as she moves through a process of self-knowledge and formulation of her own priorities and deal breakers.

Getting to know Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, MS...

Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz is a veteran community activist. She has spent more than twenty years in social services both as an executive and as a board member of non-profits. She is a founder of Rachel’s Place, a shelter for homeless girls in Brooklyn. Rebbetzin Horowitz has a career counseling practice and is a freelance writer for print and digital media. A columnist for Hamodia and Binah Magazines, she has been published in several anthologies and in Poetica Magazine.

Rebbetzin Horowitz is currently the program coordinator in the Career Services Department at Touro College’s Flatbush campus and serves as the Rebbetzin of Congregation Agudas Achim of Lawrence. She can be reached at (718)594-0154.

The Mother Sarah Schwartz Schreiber, PA

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our question resonates with me. I have a niece, now happily married and a mother of six, who could very well have been Nechama. Penelope (not her name) was every mother’s dream. Talented, beautiful, G’mach Head, valedictorian, scholarship awardee. When Penelope returned from seminary (top tier), she was at the top of every shadchan’s list. All her young cousg ins would bristle with excitement at the thought of Penelope’s imminent engagement. Alas, five long years

I suspect the reason Nechama has not “hit the mark” is that she may not be ready to get married.

and over one hundred boys later, Penelope was still single and blithely dating. She was still beautiful and talented, but now she had a college degree, a lucrative career and a respectable bank account. She had a designer wardrobe and took exciting trips with her cadre of single friends.

Life was beautiful or was it really?

Sometimes, the reason the best and the brightest take the longest to settle down is not for lack of finding Mr./Ms. Right; there are plenty of qualified candidates out there. And for the most promising young people there is a bountiful supply of shidduchim. I suspect the reason Nechama has not “hit the mark” is that she may not be ready to get married.

Maybe she feels she needs more time to complete her education, explore career choices, prioritize what’s important in her future life mate. If she is indeed special, she may be biding her time to prepare herself – emotionally, spiritually or practically for the role of a lifetime. Whether she is conscious of her hesitation or not, she may not be able to articulate her uncertainty to you, her anxious mother. Often, a dating hiatus (or break) may help her introspect, recharge and refresh her perspective on finding the Right One. (It worked for Penelope.)

The specter of the shidduch crisis has pushed many well-intentioned parents into panic mode; many children start dating out of peer pressure and are forced to make life-altering decisions before they are emotionally ready. If ever we need to tap into our bitachon, it’s when our children enter “parshas shidduchim.” Give

your child the time, support, and emotional space to make rational, educated decisions regarding every prospective shidduch. And remind yourself every day that Hashem is the Ultimate Shadchan.

Getting to know Sarah Schwartz Schreiber...

Sarah Schwartz Schreiber, mother of several and grandmother of “not enough,” is a native Los Angelino. Decades back, she married and settled in Midwood (aka Flatbush).

Since then, Sarah has worked in several professional arenas – first as a medical writer and a pharmaceutical copywriter. Sarah eventually pursued her lifelong ambition and became a physician assistant. Currently, Sarah can be found triaging patients in the busiest labor and delivery room on the East Coast. Of all the jobs she’s held, Sarah considers her role as wife and mother to be the most thrilling and fulfilling vocation of all.

The Dating Mentor/ Kallah Teacher Rochel Chafetz, Educator/Mentor

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irst of all, Hashem runs the world so we don’t understand why for some girls it takes a little longer.

Maybe there is some self-work that has to be done. You mentioned how these men seemed wonderful to you.

Is it possible that you set the standards for your daughter too high and perhaps she doesn’t even really know yet who she is and what she really wants and how she feels? You are not the one that has to determine if these men are wonderful. Nechama has to feel the connection. She has to feel that she is in charge – not you. She is the one who has to feel the right chemistry. Maybe she is distracted by your excitement over these young men that she doesn’t even have a chance to look at her own feelings.

I think you need to take a step

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back and allow Nechama to be more involved in the decision making process. Ask her what kind of attributes she is looking for. Give her the information you’ve received and make it a discussion where she feels she is in the lead. You might want to say something like, “We’ve heard this and that, but what do you think?”

That way she can feel the decisions to go out with a particular individual is hers, not yours, and that she is not dating anyone for you.

I’m sure she feels what you have expressed in this letter. All children feel and know much more than we think they do. Nechama may even benefit from doing some of the research on her own, so that she feels more in charge, especially if Nechama is the type of young lady who has always done what everyone else wanted her to do and as a result, perhaps she doesn’t even know how she feels. Start asking her questions to encourage her to think about who she is, what her goals are, what she

dislikes, and what makes her happy or sad. Other important conversations might be asking where she sees herself in five years, ten years, etc.

Remember, though you are her parents, she is not an extension of you. You gave her the tools. Now she needs to use them, but you have to step back and allow that process to happen. Very possibly she will pick someone on her own and fall for him big time! Hatzlacha!

Getting to know Rochel Chafetz...

Rochel Chafetz has been in Chinuch for over 30 years, teaching Chumash to grades 6 through 12.

She taught in Prospect Park Yeshiva for 25 years, in Rabbi Wallerstein’s school for at risk teenagers, and is currently teaching at SKA. Rochel is a mentor for teenage girls, which ultimately leads to coaching them through their dating years. She is

I think you need to take a step back and allow Nechama to be more involved in the decision making process.

now also a Kallah teacher. Rochel not only teaches them Taharas Hamishpacha but also helps them navigate their Shana Rishona. Rochel is also an inspirational speaker and gives weekly shiurim to women of all ages.

She volunteers in the organization Sister to Sister for divorced women and is a “sister” to two very special

young women. Rochel Chafetz can be reached at (917)599-8208.

The Experienced Single Woman Irit Moshe (pen name)

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irst and foremost, does Nechama know who she is and what she is looking for? Secondly, has she verbalized to you that she would like you to be the “picker of men” for her?

If you can’t answer these questions with a resounding “yes,” then take a step back and get her a dating coach.

For Nechama to know what she is looking for, she needs to know who she is first. For you to be picking men for her to date, she needs to be able to convey who she is and what qualities she is looking for in the man who is suited for her and her needs.

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What makes “her man” different from all the other menschen out there? She is a unique, beautiful person and so she needs to find that unique beautiful man who matches her and who speaks to her uniqueness. Lend yourself to the process and never make her feel bad about taking her time in finding a healthy, loving and worthy husband, who is as beautiful and unique as she is.

Locating this man may take time and that may mean sifting

through a lot of suitors to find him.

But it will be worth it in the end, because she’s worth it.

Getting to know Irit Moshe...

Irit Moshe (pen name) is a 39-year-old woman who has dated in the Orthodox world some twenty years ago and is now “back on the market,” divorced with children.

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Currently being eligible, and “on the scene,” she feels her anonymity is important, both for her marketability, as well as the sanctity of any of her past and future relationships she may be discussing with you, the readers. Irit’s background as a shadchon started back in her early 20’s, when she first succeeded in setting up several matches, who now have thriving families of their own. In her late 20’s, she worked in the secular world as a social worker for several years with the ill and geri-

atric communities. In her late 20’s, after her divorce, she experienced living within various Jewish circles, both on the east and west coasts and has observed the distinct differences in dating styles per coastal region.

At present, Irit works as a certified life and dating coach, aiding other shadchanim with thinking “outside the box” as well as coordinating local events. Irit looks forward to hearing from you and learning about your dating experiences and dilemmas plus sharing with you some of her own.

married. If you can find her, please send her my way so she can tell the rest of us her secret.

You end your email with the following question: “If Nechama isn’t realistic about her dating expectations, how do we approach this with her?” Herein may lie the solution. Inherent in your question is your theory that Nechama isn’t realistic about her expectations. When you speak with her, do not let your theory guide the conversation. As a matter of fact, place your theory on the backburner for now.

Remember when your mother had a theory about you? Make a casual appointment to talk, maybe invite her out to lunch. Lead with the notion that she has your support and understanding and then talk to her about what is going on for her. Your angle cannot be that she is possibly unrealistic about a potential suitor, rather your angle is that of a nonjudgmental explorer. See where the conversation takes you. If she is completely closed to the conversation, you can politely suggest she speak to someone else. If she is open, then wonderful! If you are wincing at the thought of letting go of your expectation for her to get married in the immi-

nent future and/or you are thinking, “You know, I honestly don’t support my daughter not being ready to date,” you may want to consider talking to a dear friend, rebbetzin or therapist during this time to provide you with an outlet to express your disappointment and work through your own feelings. That person cannot be your daughter.

It seems that until now you have been taking a backseat and haven’t voiced your concerns.

In some families, everything is up for discussion, while in other families, issues surrounding dating and relationships might be kept more private. I wonder where on the open/private pendulum your relationship with Nechama lies. I wish you continued nachas from the fabulous daughter you have raised!

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

Jennifer Mann

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he panel has spoken. Rebbetzin, Mother, Shadchan and Single have provided unique insights with regard to your role as Nechama’s mother in this shidduch parsha of her life.

All the panelists are wisely tuned into Nechama’s potential internal dialogue. Some wonder if she is not ready to date and get married and have surmised various possibilities. Others have suggested that she may be distracted by what you want for her and wonder if your own emotions are playing interference. It was advised that you step out of the situation and encourage her to speak to a third party; let her feel that she is in charge so that this feels more like her decision and less yours. And yet, it was also advised that you speak candidly with her while letting her know that you support her regardless of whatever her true intentions may be.

As dating and relationship coaches and therapists, we have had the honor of working with

parents of singles. Like so many loving and caring mothers, you want your daughter to find the right man and settle into a warm, nurturing and healthy relationship. And with love comes concern. You have watched Nechama date for two years now without having seen her take the next step toward any form of commitment and you are left wondering if there is some sort of issue going on and you are not sure of your next step. You reached out for help! What a wonderful beginning.

You have done a remarkable job raising Nechama into the extraordinary young woman she is as evidenced by the way you have handled the situation until and including now, and the fact that everyone (and their mother) is interested in dating Nechama.

I don’t think we could find one mother in the frum community who has not had a worry about seeing her daughter (or son) get

The Navidaters are dating and relationship coaches and therapists located in Lawrence, NY. Our services include date debriefing, dating skills application, couples counseling, premarital counseling and marital counseling. If you have a dating/relationship scenario you would like to be anonymously featured in “What Would You Do If,” please email thenavidaters@ gmail.com. Check out our website at thenavidaters.com and call us at 516.224.7779 to schedule an appointment.

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Dr. Deb

How to Build Healthy SelfEsteem in a Child

By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

Research shows that low self-esteem is associated with depression in adolescents and lower achievement in school.

How can parents help their children to build healthy self-esteem?

HIGH SELF-ESTEEM CAN BE DANGEROUS

One would think that it is obvious that children should have high self-esteem, but research shows otherwise. For example, a child told he is “so smart” when his ability is only average could, conceivably, develop an unrealistically high opinion of

his abilities. He could then be in for quite a shock when he performs below what he expected. Another outcome could be that he stops making an effort to do well because he falsely assumes he doesn’t need to put effort out since he’s so smart.

Being told he’s smarter or better than others can lead to arrogance and callousness as well. Going to the extreme opposite end of the spectrum, John Rosemond, an author in this area, recommended breaking down children’s self-esteem so that it does not become artificially inflated.

That’s really bad advice. The result of that tactic can also be a child giving up trying: He figures that his parents are telling him he’s not so smart after all, so why make an effort to reach for the impossible?

The same conclusion came from research reported in the Journal

of Social and Clinical Psychology in 2007. Investigators attempted to encourage failing children to make more effort in school by sending them emails that said, “Students who have high self-esteem not only get better grades, but they remain self-confident and assured.” Therefore, each one needed to “hold your head-and your self-esteem-high.”

That plan backfired; those students’ grades actually dropped.

This makes sense. I imagine a failing student would look at the email and say, “This doesn’t apply to me. I’m not confident and assured. In fact, receiving this message rubs in my face that I’m not the one that fits this description.”

These different examples show that a child can end up with low self-esteem in spite of parents’ and educators’ efforts to accomplish the opposite. Then, the child that doesn’t think well of himself can turn to drugs, feel alienated, and fail in school.

So what’s the solution to helping a child develop realistic self-esteem?

A 2014 study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology made a distinction between “person praise” and “process praise.” An example of “person praise” might be “You’re so smart” while process praise could be, “You tried hard.” The researchers had children play an internet game and children randomly received the person praise. The problem is that when children lost, they felt ashamed of losing so the message did not build up their self-esteem. The children

who received process praise, on the other hand, were able to utilize it to keep on trying and keep up their morale.

BEING SMART CREATES OBLIGATIONS

There’s another reason why person praise is a mistake: If a child is smart, who should take credit? If you think about it, it is not the child; it’s a gift. In fact, I would go further. If the child was given such a gift, then it seems to me that it carries with it a huge obligation. That is, gifts should not be squandered. Being smart is only the beginning: What you do with that potential is what matters.

So, to a smart child, a parent might say, “You were blessed to have been given a good head – now you need to show you appreciate that by working hard.”

In this way, the child is neither built up nor taken down because of his brains but rather shown the importance of putting it to good use.

This in turn keeps his self-esteem intact; he can feel blessed to have been given this gift while at the same time he will recognize that it does obligate him to use it well.

This method of dealing with the self-esteem issue can be thought of as a combination of process praise and taking a look at the big picture. That big picture refers to our relationship with our Creator and what He wants of us. In a sense, for a gifted child, it introduces humility into the mix so that the praise will not artificially inflate the child’s opinion of himself.

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WHAT TO SAY TO A CHILD WHO IS STRUGGLING

Bringing in the big picture is actually quite powerful in helping children who have all different capa-

ing process praise with a look at the big picture might also be useful in talking with children who are in trouble at school. Such children may have low self-esteem for any number of reasons. Perhaps there was a

The most important message a parent can give a child is “You’re okay. We love you because you’re you.” bilities. For example, when a child is challenged in school, a parent can say, “Yes, it is harder for you than some of your classmates. But you know what?

You are learning how to work hard.

You’re developing patience and persistence. These are amazing qualities. And your friends might not have that opportunity. So in the end, you are developing important qualities that students who find it easy may not develop.”

The same principle of combin-

divorce, or parents are too busy with finances or illness to pay attention to him. Perhaps messages he received in school about his abilities or how well he fit in were hurtful. How do we build up that self-esteem?

THE KEY IS TO ACCEPT THE CHILD

The most important message a parent can give a child is “You’re okay. We love you because you’re you.” This means that even if that

child has been sitting in the principal’s office, our love for him does not diminish. In spite of the value of process praise over person praise, the message nevertheless here is person praise. Why? The answer is that we are not praising behavior but rather conveying acceptance of who he is.

The teen should not feel that we are disappointed in him because this will lead to further depression and a greater detour onto the wrong path.

Now, let’s answer the questions: Why do the parents love him because he is who he is? Who is he anyway?

Do we even know who he is anymore?

The answer to these questions is: We don’t, but life is growth and change for all of us. We accept a person because he is who he is even if we don’t quite know who he is.

Nevertheless, it is important to also restore this child’s belief in himself and this can only come through process praise. Person praise gives the important message of global acceptance and unconditional love but process praise lets the child know his strengths.

Thus, the parents might also say to him, “You were so kind to help

your younger brother do X,” or “You always have been a respectful person/hard worker/neat and clean/ whatever and we appreciate that.”

The key is to find things you truly regard in your child and then offer them to him or her in the course of conversation. It is no surprise that if the process praise is based on good character, it is that much more powerful. The goal is for the child to start knowing himself and feeling good about who he is. Rather than achieve high self-esteem, the result is having realistic self-esteem and that is so much more valuable.

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 in Lawrence on Tuesdays at 12:30 PM. (There is a lovely optional lunch menu for $12 cash.) Any questions, call 646-54-DRDEB or check out her website at http://drdeb.com. All stories in Dr. Deb’s articles are fabricated. See Dr. Deb on TorahAnytime.com.

K EW GARDENS

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Health & F tness

World Diabetes Day

By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN

N

ovember 14 is World Diabetes Day. National health days are generally to increase public awareness of a health issue. Unfortunately, many of us are all too familiar with diabetes. I’m sure everyone knows at least one person who has been clinically diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. It is estimated that 24 million Americans currently have diabetes. Type II Diabetes is a growing epidemic worldwide. Diabetes is a disease in which a person has chronic high blood sugar

eye disease. Unfortunately, diabetes usually goes handin-hand with other medical conditions, such as obesity, hypertension, and heart disease. Fortunately, diabetes is preventable and treatable.

Prevention is key, especially if you are at risk for diabetes; risk factors include being overweight, obesity or if you have a family history of the disease. Diabetes prevention is as simple as eating healthy, being more physically active, and losing a few extra pounds. Simple lifestyle changes now can help

Diabetes prevention is as simple as eating healthy, being more physically active, and losing a few extra pounds. (more than 200mg/dL fasting blood glucose). This is due to the body’s lack of insulin production or because the cells are not responding to the insulin that is being produced. Thus, the glucose receptors inside the cells do not take up the glucose from the blood, resulting in high blood glucose levels, hyperglycemia. Long term hyperglycemia increases one’s risk of developing coronary heart disease and microvascular complications such as neuropathy, kidney and

prevent long term complications down the road such as kidney, nerve and heart damage.

The best way to prevent diabetes is to increase your physical activity. Exercise is not only effective for weight loss, but also lowers your blood sugar and increases your insulin sensitivity.

As one gains weight, triglycerides get stored in the fat cells. This causes the fat cells to become insulin resistant. When one loses weight, the fat cells shrink, reduc-

ing the insulin resistance, thus increasing insulin sensitivity. As you can see, losing weight does not only decrease your chance of developing diabetes, but in addition to the direct benefits of weight loss, losing weight increases insulin sensitivity, thus helping manage diabetes. Try to include at least 20-30 minutes a day, 3-4 times a week of physical activity into your schedule. If a gym doesn’t work for you, exercise can include brisk walking, biking, walking up and down steps, dancing, swimming, playing sports… basically anything that gets you moving and your heartrate going.

Along with exercise comes eating right. Allaround healthy eating is vital for preventing diabetes. Be sure to include lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet and choose whole grains, low fat dairy products, monounsaturated fats, and lean meats. Research has shown that a high fat diet is directly linked to an increased risk of developing diabetes. Try to cut out as much fat as possible, especially trans- and sat-

urated fat. That means limit the fast food, processed food, deep fried food, margarine, and red meats.

Research suggests the greater the amount of fiber consumption, the less likely one is to develop Type II diabetes. Therefore, a highly recommended dietary approach for preventing diabetes is to eat a high fiber diet.

The recommended amount of fiber is 25g/day and 38g/ day for women and men respectively. According to the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the average fiber intake in the United States is 17g/day. The national intake is evidently lower than the recommended intake. Fiber has been shown to help manage diabetes by decreasing your blood sugar.

Fiber slows down the digestion process, thus decreasing the spike of glucose in your blood stream. The slow digestion of fiber also causes one to feel fuller for longer, thus aiding in the weight loss process, and indirectly increasing insulin sensitivity.

Fiber is beneficial in many ways; be sure to add high fi-

ber foods to your diet such as fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

So this year, on World Diabetes Day, pick one area discussed above in which you will try your best to improve.

Hopefully the public awareness and this advice will help decrease your chances of developing diabetes and/ or help manage your current diabetes as well as combating the national diabetes epidemic.

Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College in 2013 receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. Her Dietetic Internship was completed under Brooklyn College primarily in Ditmas Park Care Center and Boro Park Center where she developed clinical and education skills to treat patients with comprehensive nutrition care. She is currently a dietitian at Boro Park Center and a private nutrition consultant. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@gmail.com.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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Reb Dovid Bender at his desk as menahel of Torah Vodaath

The Life of Reb Dovid Bender zt”l How He Helped Transplant Yiddishkeit from War-Torn Europe to the Shores of America

By Naftali Halpern

T

he young boy was distraught. His father had taken him to a chassidisher rebbe for a bracha, but before doing so, out of respect for the rebbe, he cut the boy’s stylish hair off. Now the boy had returned to school and the other kids were laughing at him. With tears rolling down his cheeks, he told the principal that he would not go back into class this way.

The caring principal bent down towards the boy and took his own yarmulke off. “You see this?” he said as he pointed to his own follicly-challenged head, “Bald! And my hair is not growing back… We might both be bald right now, but in a few weeks, you will have a full head of hair.” With that, the boy laughed and returned to class.

Validation. Empathy. Humor.

These are some of the most important tools of modern day chinuch.

Yet, this story didn’t take place in the twenty-first century. Rather, it

took place in the early 1950s, when frum chinuch methods were still primarily based on the primitive pre-War European traditions.

The school was Yeshiva Torah Vodaath. The principal was Reb Dovid Bender zt”l.

In Reb Dovid Bender’s 53 years on this earth he served to bridge the traditional pre-War European world with the budding Torah world on the American shores. He brought Reb Yeruchom Levovitz’s shmuessen from the famed Mir Beis Midrash to the bachurim he taught in a new, fledgling yeshiva in Baltimore, called Ner Yisroel. He brought the hasmada with which he and his colleagues learned as they prepared for Reb Lazer Yudel Finkel’s shiurim to the bachurim that he taught in Torah Vodaath. And he brought the vibrant Yiddishkeit that he observed in pre-War Europe to young American children who were facing a tidal wave of secularization.

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FROM SLONIM TO SPRING VALLEY

Born in 1912 in the Polish town of Slonim to a talmid of the Chofetz Chaim, Rav Avraham Bender, and his wife, Pelta, Dovid was an only child.

Rav Avraham served as the menahel of the famous Slonimer Yeshiva, and when the yeshiva faced a financial crisis, he became its fundraiser as well. When Dovid was three years old, Rav Avraham decided to move the family to America, partially due to the tightening grip of Communism and increasing anti-Semitism.

Reb Dovid Bender at the 1943 chasunah of his good friend from Mir, Rav Yisroel Spinner

In America, Rav Avraham procured a position as a fundraiser for Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchok Elchonon and would travel from town to town raising money. But his real mission was to bring Yiddishkeit to families that had become American-

2007, he disclosed to the bachurim that he had attended public school in Pittsburgh and was already enrolled in Pittsburgh University when Rav Avraham Bender came to town and convinced his parents to send him to yeshiva in New York. Rabbi Scheiner declared, “If he had not succeeded, I would probably be a professor of mathematics today!”

There were no yeshivos in Spring Valley, NY, where the Benders settled, and not sending your child to school was a crime in those days.

Thus young Dovid was homeschooled by private tutors for seven years, never leaving his home during school hours.

When Dovid was thirteen, the family moved to Williamsburg, NY, so that Dovid could attend Mesivta Torah Vodaath, which was located in Williamsburg at the time. For the next seven years he learned with hasmada under rabbeim who came to America from great Lithuanian yeshivos. He became a talmid muvhak of Rav Dovid Leibowitz, zt”l, who served as Rosh Yeshiva of Torah Vodaath until he founded Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim in 1933.

RETURN TO EUROPE

At the age of twenty, Dovid had an epiphany. It was Rosh Hashana night and he turned to his father after davening, declaring that he wanted to go

Reb Dovid taught her English, although there was some confusion along the way, such as when she asked him why almost every street in Williamsburg seemed to be called “One Way.”

ized. On Shabbosim he would speak in the shuls urging people to observe Torah and mitzvos, and during the week he would visit families and beg them to send their children to yeshivos. In fact, when the Rosh Yeshiva of the Kaminetz Yeshiva in Yerushalayim, Rav Yitzchok Scheiner, shlita, spoke at Yeshiva Darchei Torah in

to Europe to learn. Much to his surprise, Rav Avraham replied, “I had the same thought, my son.”

But, as an only child, it would be hard for Rav Avraham to send his son to live across the ocean on his own.

It was decided that Dovid’s mother would move to Europe with him and they would live together in an apart-

ment in the town of Mir. Whenever possible, Rav Avraham would come and visit. Since Rav Avraham was usually on the road anyway, this was a feasible arrangement.

For the next five years, Dovid spent his waking hours in the oasis of Torah. Yes, he was an American boy, but he quickly realized that although the gashmiyus in the town of Mir was severely lacking, the ruchniyus was on an entirely different level. Hearing even one shiur from the famous Mir rosh yeshiva, Reb Lazer Yudel Finkel, zt”l, or a mussar shmuess from the venerable mashgiach, Reb Yeruchom Levovitz, zt”l, could change the trajectory of one’s entire ruchniyus. Dovid was able to live in that world and become part of that sphere. In one of many letters that he sent to a friend who was back in America, he discussed how he and another friend of theirs were learning so intensely that “we do not have a minute to spare…when we take a walk, we talk in learning. When we eat, we talk in learning. Between each bite, a question is asked and an answer is given.”

Meanwhile, Dovid’s mother spent her days in Mir not only taking care of Dovid, but also concerning herself with the other bachurim as well, with a special emphasis on the foreign bachurim, who were far from home.

As one bachur wrote to his mother in America, “There is something outstanding in the Mir that can’t be found anywhere else. I refer to the home of Mrs. Bender. The Bender family is a family whose name means goodness. The Bender home is where we, students of the yeshiva, can refresh ourselves. Their home is always wide open and everyone is a welcome guest. Even if one comes several times a week, he is welcome and treated with the same goodness.”

Bein hazmanim was also, in a sense, a ruchniyus experience. Going on vacation was simply an opportunity to see the gedolim of the generation talking in learning in a less formal setting. One time when Dovid was on a train he had a lengthy discussion with a talmid chacham, who perhaps out of humility, did not want to disclose his name to young David.

The man handed Dovid a letter to deliver to Reb Chatzkel Levenstein, zt”l,

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in Mir. At that point Dovid realized who the man was. Dovid took the letter and said to him, “I will give the letter to Reb Chatzkel and I will tell him the Kletzker Rosh Yeshiva sent it.” The man, Harav Aharon Kotler, zt”l, smiled.

A SUITABLE SHIDDUCH

When Dovid was 25, his father heard about a possible shidduch, Basya Epstein of Otvack, Poland.

Basya, who was teaching in Bais Yaakov at the time, had attended the Bais Yaakov Teaching Seminary in Krakow, where Sara Schenirer personally trained a select group of girls from throughout Europe to become Bais Yaakov teachers and to be, in a sense, her deputies.

The Epstein family was wellknown for their tremendous kindness and their home was a destination for all types of people, from the downtrodden to gedolei Yisroel. In fact, when Basya was a young girl and the family was still living in Minsk, she gave up her bed for six weeks to someone who was forced to flee his home during World War I: The Chofetz Chaim.

Rav Avrohom Bender with his son Dovid

With its mountainous terrain and fresh air, Otvack was a destination for tourists and people recovering from illness. The Brisker Rav’s family and Reb Chaim Ozer Grodzinski’s wife would stay with the Epsteins when vacationing in Otvack. But, perhaps even more importantly, when sick people were instructed by their doc-

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tors to spend time there, their destination was the Epstein home.

When Dovid and Basya became engaged, the tanayim was held in Vilna, where Reb Chaim Ozer Grodzinski lived, so that the couple could get a bracha from him. After receiving the bracha from Reb Chaim Ozer, the gadol escorted the couple for several blocks. Basya walked behind as Reb Chaim Ozer and Dovid spoke.

No, they were not talking in learning; Reb Chaim Ozer was telling Dovid what an amazing kallah he got.

For the next year the engaged couple communicated with each other via letters and occasional visits. Then the wedding day arrived. It was a festive occasion attended by many gedolim. Basya understood the enormity of the day and spent the day davening. But every few hours she would answer the knock at her door and a messenger would tell her, “The Rav wants you to break your fast so that you are not weak for the wedding.”

She wanted to fast but also wanted to listen to the Rav. So she promised that she would not fast the whole day and would break her fast as soon as she was hungry. The messenger was Rav Berel Soloveitchik. The Rav was his father, the Brisker Rav. After the chasuna, the couple settled in the town of Mir and Reb Dovid’s mother returned to America.

Reb Dovid continued to learn with great hasmada as his wife became acquainted with life in the small town.

But then everything changed.

return to America as soon as possible. Reb Dovid had a feeling that the news about his mother was a way for his father to give him a cryptic message that the situation in Europe was very dangerous. Although the news was sparse, it quickly became clear to Reb Dovid and the other foreigners in the Mir that the time to leave was now.

Having married an American, Basya would be able to leave, but first she would need to get the proper paperwork. The couple traveled to Otvack and bid farewell to Basya’s parents. Despite the alarming situation, they assured each other that the danger would pass and they would reunite shortly. But, sensing the urgency of the situation, Basya’s mother went to her room and brought out a packet containing 1,500 zlotys. “You may need this,” she told her daughter. Basya was shocked; how could she take her mother’s life savings?

Despite their hopefulness, Basya and her mother knew that the elderly Epsteins wouldn’t be able to leave Europe; Basya, though, would be able to use the money to escape.

ARRIVING IN NEW YORK

ESCAPE FROM EUROPE In the summer of 1939, storm clouds gathered over Europe. At that point, Hitler’s wrath was rhetorical, but if his promises were to be carried out, the Jews were in big trouble. Yet, Reb Dovid and Basya stayed put. How could he leave his beloved rabbeim? How could he leave his chavrusas? How could he not be in the Mir for the mussar shmuessen of Elul...for the davening of the yomim noraim?

But Reb Dovid’s father was frantically sending him desperate telegrams to return to America immediately. Rav Avraham sent Reb Dovid tens of telegrams, stating that his mother was gravely ill and he had to

necessary papers to escape.

With a trembling heart, Basya entered the official’s office, as Reb Dovid paced nervously outside. She told the gruff deputy that her mother-in-law was gravely sick in America and she had to visit her despite her hesitation to leave the motherland during this precarious time. She showed the official the telegrams from her father-inlaw and then took out the 1,500 zlotys and said that the only way she would leave Poland would be if she gave this large sum of money as “a donation to the Polish army.” As Basya waited for the official to return to the room, she overheard him agreeing with his superior that they would split the proceeds. He then handed her the stamped visa.

Reb Dovid and Basya raced to Gedansk in order to travel to Sweden.

They missed the original boat that they were hoping to catch, but they were able to board the last boat out.

Fortuitously, as Hashem has a plan, the boat they missed was sunk. On September 1, 1939, they embarked on the SS Drottingholm to the United States. That very day World War II broke out with the Nazi invasion of Poland. They were saved at the last possible minute.

Reb Dovid Bender zt”l

Indeed, the money from Basya’s mother likely saved her life. In order to get out of Poland, Basya needed a transit visa from the Estonian Consulate, which was the only consulate still operating in Poland. But the odds were not good. Consulate officials were notoriously cold-hearted and would not take kindly to a young Pole seeking to leave the motherland when it was under threat. With the flick of a wrist, an official could dash any hope Basya had of obtaining the

Reb Dovid and Basya arrived in New York on Erev Yom Kippur, 10 minutes before Kol Nidrei. They moved in with Rav Avraham and Pelta Bender at 168 Hooper Street in Williamsburg. Reb Dovid resumed his learning in Torah Vodaath. Even though Basya was new to the country and didn’t speak English, she started teaching at the newly formed Bais Yaakov. She was a quick study and Reb Dovid taught her English, although there was some confusion along the way, such as when she asked him why almost every street in Williamsburg seemed to be called “One Way.” Even as the couple was establishing themselves in America, their hearts were with their brethren in Europe. The news quickly went from bad to worse as Hitler’s army goosestepped through Europe. Reb Dovid’s friends who were stuck in Europe began sending frantic telegrams requesting help. They needed the prop-

Reb Dovid Bender (left) as a yungerman in Yeshivas Mir, on datcha (summer vacation) with his friend, Reb Beinish Finkel, who would later become Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim

er papers to get out and they needed money. Reb Dovid and Basya spent their waking hours trying to secure the necessary papers and raise the money needed to save as many people as possible. Reb Dovid knew no rest; he frantically knocked on doors and begged for funds. He was so active in trying to rescue the bachurim in the Mir that when the yeshiva was in Japan the Japanese government placed an arrest warrant out for him, which was of no concern to him as he was in America.

For those who had no chance of getting out, Reb Dovid and Basya’s focus was sending them food packages. But even these efforts soon became futile when Hitler’s grip tightened and there was no way to communicate with those under Nazi rule.

After the war, every time someone arrived on the shores of America, it was a celebration. Every time they heard about friends or relatives who didn’t make it out, it was a devastating tragedy. Of course, Reb Dovid and Basya waited for any sign of life from Basya’s parents. But, unfortunately, they later learned that her father died of a heart attack in 1942

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and her mother was last seen in the Warsaw Ghetto, leading to the conclusion that she met the same fate as the other 6 million korbanos.

after he left, Rav Heiman noted to Reb Dovid, “Do you know why Reb Moshe is becoming the leader of the generation? It is because his back never touches the back of his chair as he learns!”

TEACHING TORAH In 1940, Reb Yitzchok Ruderman asked Reb Dovid to move to Baltimore and become a maggid shiur and mashgiach of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel. Reb Dovid asked Rav Shlomo Heiman, the Rosh Yeshiva of Torah Vodaath, whether he should take the job. Rav Heiman responded that Rebbetzin Basya’s role as teacher in Bais Yaakov was very important for establishing Yiddishkeit in America and should not be given up. But he suggested that for one zman Reb Dovid should spend the week in Baltimore and return home for Shabbos.

In his role as rebbe and mashgiach in Ner Yisroel, Reb Dovid quickly became a great mashpia on the bachurim. He showed them what hasmada was, and when they observed his intense davening in Elul, they quickly realized how one is supposed to daven in the leadup to the Yomim Noraim. He spent day and night learning with the bachurim and found great satisfaction from the bachurim’s growth and his own learning. But, after the zman was over, Rav Heiman told him to return to Williamsburg and become a maggid shiur in Torah Vodaath.

Returning was made easier by Rav Heiman’s invitation to Reb Dovid to

A CARING AND LOVING PRINCIPAL

Reb Dovid Bender (seated at right) and his cousin, Rav Mordechai Yaffe.

Standing, L-R: three sons of R’ Dovid: Shmuel Shalom, Michoel and Yaakov

that every aspect of Yiddishkeit was geshmak. Besides for regaling his students with stories about the Mir and the gedolim in Europe, he showed them how much joy they can draw from Torah. He repeated shmuessen that he had heard from his mashgiach, Reb Yeruchom. He made them feel part of the chain of European Yiddishkeit. And he taught them how to be whole people. He constantly spoke about what it means to truly care for another person; what it means to be a friend; and what it means to do things with a shleimus, to not do things halfway. At the same time, as an American, he was able to relate to his bachurim’s world as well

“Did you hear? The only nice person in this building, Reb Dovid Bender, is moving out.”

be his chavrusa while he prepared his own shiur.

As a rebbe in Torah Vodaath, Reb Dovid taught his talmidim to become totally devoted, without compromise, to Torah and Yiddishkeit. Integrating with secular society was in vogue in those days, and the only way to combat that was through the milchemto shel Torah. Rav Dovid showed them

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and he used that to reach them. “Just like you play to win in baseball,” he would tell them, “you have to play to win in learning!”

On Shabbosim, he showed his talmidim how a Jew enjoys Shabbos. Rebbetzin Basya would cook up a storm and the bachurim would sit around the Bender table shmuessing, singing zemiros and talking in learn-

ing together. Yes, their friends may have been playing stickball, but they could do that on Sunday. Shabbos was special…and would remain so for the rest of their lives.

Reb Moshe Ahron Stern, zt”l, who was the mashgiach in Kaminetz in Eretz Yisroel, used to say about his time in Reb Dovid’s shiur, “When I came into his shiur I was a Yankees fan; when I left his shiur, I was a ben Torah.”

Reb Dovid quickly became a beloved figure by all in the yeshiva, even those who were not in his shiur.

He was known for his warm greeting: “Vos macht min? [How are you doing?]” He had a special soft spot for the students who were from out of town and may have been homesick. His home was especially open to those boys, as they found a place of warmth and love which reminded them of their own homes.

Even while teaching, Reb Dovid not only grew in his own learning from his daily chavrusashaff with Rav Heiman, but also observed how a gadol conducts himself. They were so close that they shared a bungalow in Seagate during the summer. Reb Dovid and Rav Heiman would go for a swim early in the morning, during which the Coast Guards made an exception and allowed “the rabbis” to swim before the beach opened. They would spend hours learning together.

When Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, once came to speak in learning with them during their chavrusashaff,

In 1944, Rav Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz, zt”l, asked Reb Dovid to become the principal of Torah Vodaath’s junior high school. That position was of utmost importance as even many parents who sent their children to yeshiva elementary school had the custom of sending them to secular high schools. This was a tide that had to be shifted if Orthodox Jewry in America would survive. Reb Dovid had the right temperament for this monumental task; his compassion for Yiddishkeit combined with his affable personality made him the perfect agent to convey to parents the importance of a yeshiva higher education. But his primary task was to make sure that the children in the junior high school excelled.

As menahel he blended discipline with his tremendous warmth and concern for his talmidim. Mo Marx recalls traveling to yeshiva on the first day of school and being late because the trains were delayed. As the young teenager hurried towards the yeshiva building he was nervous about being disciplined. When he walked up the steps of the yeshiva, Reb Dovid was standing at the top of the stairs and the young boy explained that his train was late. “In that case, you obviously missed breakfast as well,” said Reb Dovid.

And with that he brought the boy to his office and served him breakfast before wishing him a good day and sending him off to class.

One time when a rebbe excessively disciplined a child, the embarrassed boy ran away from yeshiva. After a half-hour of running, he realized he was in a bad neighborhood. The boy quickly went into a phone booth and called his father. His concerned father told him to stay right there and wait, as someone would pick him up shortly. Much to the boy’s chagrin, within a few minutes, he saw the old car of none other than his principal, Reb Dovid. He could only imagine

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how much trouble he would be in now. As the boy reluctantly got into the car, Reb Dovid turned to him and said, “Don’t worry about it… I know what happened to you today. I would have reacted the same way.” Feeling validated, the boy returned to school.

A HOME OF CHESSED The home of Reb Dovid and Rebbetzin Basya was not only filled with the noise of their six playful children and the yeshiva students who considered it their “home away from home,” but also with the broken souls who may have had no family left after the Holocaust. Some were characters, others were simply sad. One character was Mr. Gross. He never married after coming to America and worked in the subway system. However, he always felt poor and would rummage through the garbages of the subway system. He would sift through his daily “treasures” in the Bender home and give special gifts – a deflated ball, a broken comb – to the Bender children. After serving him dinner or a piece of cake he would depart and Rebbetzin Basya would promptly gather the trash and redeposit it where it belonged – in the garbage.

When one of the “regulars” who found solace in the Bender home once became agitated and slapped Reb Dovid, Rebbetzin Basya expressed

Reb Dovid Bender with Rav Aharon Kotler at Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky’s chasunah. Reb Shmuel had learned in Ner Yisrael when Reb Dovid was there. Later, he and ybl”c Rav Elya Svei became roshei yeshiva of the Philadelphia Yeshiva and leaders of their generation. L-R: Shaul Goldman, Nachum Goldberg, Berel Peker, Rav Aharon Kotler, Chatzkel Horowitz, Rav Paul Z. Levovitz, Shmuel Kamenetsky, Elya Svei and Reb Dovid Bender. All went on to hold positions in the world of Torah and chinuch.

L-R: Harry Horowitz, Dovid Bender (seated) and Avrohom Pincus as talmidim in Yeshivas Mir, Poland

that maybe he should not be allowed to come to their home anymore. Reb Dovid replied, “Just the opposite – now that we realize how disturbed he is, it is all the more reason to invite him.”

Chessed was a family affair.

When Reb Dovid would raise money for an almana or some other pressing matter, he would gather his children around the dining room table to stuff the solicitation envelopes. Sometimes even the children took the lead.

When one of the Bender girls noticed that the Jewish-owned candy store beneath their apartment was open on Shabbos, it bothered her, and she asked her father to do something about it. Reb Dovid approached the owner and made a deal that he will give the man whatever revenue he usually made on Shabbos in exchange for him closing his store on Shabbos. The man agreed to the deal, and the arrangement continued until the storeowner told Reb Dovid that he so much appreciated being closed on Shabbos that he no longer wanted Reb Dovid to compensate him for his losses.

Reb Kalman Epstein, Rosh Yeshiva of Shaar Hatorah, who as a child was neighbors and close with the Bender family, recalled at the 50th yahrtzeit seudah several stories from his youth. In the building that the Benders lived there also lived an angry, old woman. So intense was her disdain for the frum families in the building that on Sukkos she would poor dirty water over their sukkahs.

One day, Reb Kalman was walking with his father, Reb Zelig Epstein, zt”l, and she told them, “Did you hear? The only nice person in this building, Reb Dovid Bender, is moving out.” Shocked to hear the woman say something positive, Reb Zelig inquired, “What’s so nice about Reb Dovid?” The woman replied, “My husband died a long time ago and every year on the day of his yahrtzeit Reb Dovid Bender knocks on my door and comes in and tells me about the wonderful memories he has of my husband.”

Reb Kalman Epstein also recalled another incident that happened when he was a young child.

He had saved a few dollars and had a wallet that he was very proud of.

But the wallet got lost. For days he was distraught, asking the others in the building if they had seen his wallet. Four years later he finally found his wallet. Filled with excitement he passed by Reb Dovid and exclaimed, “I found it!” Reb Dovid instantly responded, “You found your wallet?!”

He had not forgotten that four years earlier the young child was upset about having lost his wallet.

This sensitivity to even the pachim ketanim of others may have also come from Reb Dovid’s experiences in Europe. Reb Dovid and Rebbetzin Basya were once at an event and Reb Baruch Ber Leibowitz, zt”l, was there. They went over to give him shalom and he turned to Basya and asked, “How are your father’s eyes?”

Basya recalled that many years earlier when Reb Baruch Ber was by their house one time, her father was having eye pain. Reb Baruch Ber never forgot that.

UNTIMELY PETIRAH On November 16, 1965, Reb Dovid’s day was filled with his usual busy schedule. In the morning he had spoken to three different classes of the yeshiva’s junior high school.

In his speech to the third class about the power of tefilla, he spoke about how the Ksav Sofer was very sick as a child. After frantically davening for his son’s recovery, the Chasam Sofer declared that his son would live for another fifty years. Fifty years later, the Ksav Sofer passed away.

In the afternoon, Reb Dovid

learned with his regular chavrusa.

He then went with his wife to be menachel avel in Crown Heights. While there, they visited two almanos.

When he returned to Torah Vodaath, he learned night seder with one of his talmidim, covering the Gemara regarding nichum aveilim. He then returned home and had tea with one of his daughters.

Right to left: Rav Yosef Dovid Epstein holding his first grandson, Yitzchok Eizik Epstein; his son, Rav Chaim Leib Epstein; his mechutan, Reb Dovid Bender; and R’ Dovid’s sons Shmuel Shalom and Paltiel

Shortly after he retired for the night, Reb Dovid’s pure soul was returned to its Creator, when he suffered a fatal heart attack. The community had lost its crown jewel; the family lost its everything.

Fifty-three years earlier the town of Slonim was abuzz when their beloved menahel, Rav Avraham, and his wife had a baby son after 11 years of marriage. At the bris, one of the speakers began giving a bracha that the baby, Dovid, should be blessed with wealth and riches. Rav Avraham jumped up and declared, “It makes no difference to me if he turns out to be poor and destitute; I only want him to grow in Torah!”

That bracha indeed came true.

But not only did Reb Dovid grow in Torah throughout his life, in his fifty-three years in this world he played an integral role in rescuing Torah and Yiddishkeit from war-torn Europe and planting it firmly in America.

Based on an interview with Rabbi Yaakov Bender and on the Artscroll book, A Tale of Two Worlds,

by Devora Gliksman.

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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

After being courted by several candidates, conservative billionaire Paul Singer has decided to endorse Marco Rubio. Now instead of having a button that says, “Donate,” Rubio’s website just says, “We Good.”

- Jimmy Fallon

While we condemn Palestinian violence, we must recognize this painful truth: that Israeli policy has encouraged it. Israel has encouraged it by penalizing Palestinian nonviolence, by responding to that nonviolence by deportations, teargas, imprisonment, and the confiscation of Palestinian lands. Hard as it is to say, the Israeli government is reaping what it has sowed.

- Liberal American-Jewish journalist Peter Beinart, who claims to be “pro-Israel,” in a speech at a Beth Chayim Chadashim Progressive synagogue in Los Angeles

I used to hate Darth Vader, but now I kind of feel a little bit sorry for him knowing what he went through to get to that point.

- Sen. Marco Rubio, when asked a question related to the upcoming “Star Wars” movie during a campaign stop in New Hampshire

The book’s pretense of scholarship involves 151 footnotes, only one of which is even remotely pertinent to the book’s lurid assertions. Almost all contain irrelevant tidbits (“Reagan’s hair was actually brown”).

At the Reagan Library, where researchers must register, records show that neither O’Reilly nor Dugard, who churn out a book a year, used its resources. The book’s two and a half pages of “sources” unspecifically and implausibly refer to “FBI and CIA files,” “presidential libraries” and travel “around the world” … The book’s perfunctory pieties about Reagan’s greatness are inundated by its flood of regurgitated slanders about his supposed lassitude and manipulability. This book is nonsensical history and execrable citizenship, and should come with a warning: “Caution — you are about to enter a no-facts zone.”

-George Will’s review of Bill O’Reilly’s new book, Killing Reagan

You’re a hack!

- Bill O’Reilly, when George Will came on his show, “The No Spin Zone,” to defend his criticism of O’Reilly’s book

A new survey found that three out of four children under the age of four have their own smartphone.

You can tell it’s bad; last night I told my daughter it was time for bed and she tried to swipe left on me.

- Jimmy Fallon

“Crippled America” outlines Donald Trump’s plan to make America great again. Though the book doesn’t say specifically when he’s leaving.

- Seth Myers

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I hope it all works out for him. It is a strange situation when you talk about hitting your mother in the head with a hammer... When you talk about stabbing somebody... A book was written before he was running for office - before he was in politics - but he says he has “a pathological disease” in the book.

Pathological disease? That’s a very serious problem, because that’s not something that is cured. That’s something that you have to live with.

- Donald Trump’s response to Ben Carson’s biography troubles on “This Week With George Stephanopoulos”

It has been proven that I was not lying. None of the things are lies. But what does it say about people who immediately jump on the bandwagon if they hear something bad, rather than waiting and finding out what the truth is? Let me put it this way: I would be not interested in having a commander-in-chief who acted that way.

- Ben Carson, in an interview with George Stephanopoulos, responding to Trump

This reminds me of a lot of rappers, you know, they hype, embellish, exaggerate for the sake of presentation, a biography in this case.

A new report from CNN suggests that Ben Carson made up the stories of his violent temper from his youth, including one where he said he almost stabbed a kid. That’s how weird this presidential election is: A candidate is now in trouble because he didn’t stab someone as a kid.

- Jimmy Fallon

Limiting the hot dog’s significance by saying it’s “just a sandwich” is like calling the Dalai Lama “just a guy.” Perhaps at one time its importance could be limited by forcing it into a larger sandwich category (no disrespect to Reubens and others), but that time has passed…We therefore choose to take a cue from a great performer and declare our namesake be a “hot dog formerly known as a sandwich.”

- Press release from the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, after a debate was had on certain shows and social media whether a hot dog is a sandwich

- Juan Williams, on Fox News, talking about Ben Carson’s biography

A new study has found that listing calorie content on menus has almost no effect on encouraging customers to choose healthier foods. The study was conducted by looking around.

- Seth Myers

There were no injuries this weekend after a giant sinkhole opened up in an IHOP parking lot in Mississippi and swallowed up more than a dozen cars. And that hole still ate less than most of the people in the IHOP. - Jimmy Fallon

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He just became very hardline and very different from the Dick Cheney I knew and worked with.

- Former President George H.W. Bush, talking about Cheney as his son’s vice president, during interviews for Jon Meacham’s forthcoming biography Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush

I took it as a mark of pride.

- Cheney, responding to George H.W. Bush’s criticism

The doctor called the “Father of Botox” has passed away at age 70. His patients are griefstricken but have no way to express it.

- Conan O’Brien

SeaWorld is phasing out its killer whale show. Or as Fox News reported it, “More killers set free under Obama.”

- Conan O’Brien

Some people believe in the Bible like I do and don’t find that to be silly at all, and believe that G-d created the Earth and don’t find that to be silly at all. The secular progressives try to ridicule it every time it comes up and they’re welcome to do that.

- Ben Carson responding to recent media critisim over his comments that Joseph built the Egyptian pyramids in order to store grain

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Monkeys belong in the wild—not in the hands of football players who acquire exotic animals just to make a splash on Instagram. This baby capuchin was torn away from his mother shortly after birth and needs special care that can now only be provided by wildlife experts who will be able to ensure that he gets the love and attention he deserves.

- PETA Deputy Director Brittany Peet after Cowboy’s wide receiver Dez Bryant posted a photo on Instagram with his new monkey

I am a monkey fan. I can stand in a zoo and look at them all day long and die laughing.

- Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, when asked about star receiver Dez Bryant’s choice of pet

Apple is reportedly working on a new protection system that will reduce the number of iPhones with cracked screens. The system is called “Alcoholics Anonymous.”

- Conan O’Brien

This is the least we can do for Martyr Halabi.

- Mayor Muhammad Hussein of the PA controlled town of Surda-Abu Qash, at the street naming ceremony in honor of the terrorist who last month murdered Rabbi Nehemiah Lavi and Aharon Bennett and injured Bennett’s wife, Adele, and their 2-year-old son

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Political Crossfire

Take the Winnings and Run

By Charles Krauthammer

Where do Republicans get that special talent for turning gold to dross? They score an electoral “massacre” (The Economist) in 2014 and, a year later, what do they have to show for it other than another threat to shut down the government?

Hillary Clinton is caught in email flagrante and Benghazi mendacity and yet, with one Kevin McCarthy gaffe and a singularly ineffective 11hour Benghazi hearing, Republicans render her sanitized.

A

nd now their latest feat. They win a stunning victory over their perennial nemesis, the mainstream media – a slam-dunk rim-rattling exposure of the media bias they have been complaining about for a half-century – and within a week they so overplayed their hand as to dissipate whatever sympathetic advantage they gained.

The CNBC debate was a gift for the GOP, so unadorned a demonstration of liberal condescension, hostility

and arrogance that the rest of the media – their ideological cover exposed – were forced to denounce and ridicule their ham-handed colleagues. What happened then? Instead of quitting while they were ahead, the Republicans plunged into a week of meetings and statements, whining and complaining, bouncing around a series of demands, including control of the kind of questions that may or may not be asked at future debates.

Who’s the genius who thought up that one? First, it instantly allowed the liberal media to turn the tables and play defenders of journalistic independence against GOP bullies.

Second, it made the Republicans look small. To paraphrase Chris Christie’s “fantasy football” moment, the economy is in the tank, Russia is on the move, the Islamic State is on the attack -- and the candidates are debating the proper room temperature for a debate forum?

Third, this continues the seasonlong GOP diversion from what should be its real target – the wreckage wrought by seven years of Barack Obama. The greatest irony of this campaign is that Clinton and Bernie Sanders are the ones making the case that the economy is stagnant, inequality growing and the middle class falling increasingly behind.

That’s a devastating indictment of Democratic governance, exactly the case Republicans should have been making all year. Instead, they’ve wasted months trading schoolboy taunts and ad hominems.

Now another distraction: debate structure. The party is demanding there be no repetition of the CNBC debate. Why, for God’s sake? That debate was the best thing to happen to the GOP since Michael Dukakis.

Won’t someone tell the Republicans that they won? Let it go.

Who cares who’s on the next debate panel? Don’t they realize that fear of ridicule alone will temper the instincts of whatever liberal questioners are chosen?

John Harwood’s obnoxiousness

for Harwood.

Good grief. Priebus’ job, the party’s job, is to control the number of debates and set the calendar. Its doing so in 2015-16 constitutes a significant achievement, considering the damage done to the GOP in 20112012 by its 20 freelance debates. That endless, vicious intramural fight – featuring Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich savaging Mitt Romney’s “vulture capitalism” – laid the premise for Obama’s negative and winning campaign.

How about this arrangement? Limbaugh & Co. should moderate the Democratic debates. What a splendid blood-soaked spectacle that would be. and Becky Quick’s incompetence earned most of the opprobrium heaped on the moderators’ performance. But it was Carl Quintanilla who demonstrated just how unmoored liberal delusions about conservatives have become….

CNBC produced the best night of the entire campaign season for the GOP. And yet some Republicans were determined to turn it into another theater of their civil war against the GOP “establishment.” This time the target was Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus. As if Priebus is responsible

Ted Cruz has suggested that Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Mark Levin moderate Republican debates.

Good idea, wrong target. How about this arrangement? Limbaugh & Co. should moderate the Democratic debates. What a splendid blood-soaked spectacle that would be.

As for the GOP? Bring on the liberals. The Republicans should demand the return of Harwood, Quick and Quintanilla, until the end of time. (c) 2015, The Washington Post Writers Group

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Political Crossfire

GOP Voters’ Love of the Unserious

By Michael Gerson

Welcome to the vetting season, in which presidential candidate resumes are pumped full of air, submerged in water, and tested for bubbles like an inner tube.

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one of the Republican candidates, even the few with actual governing experience, has ever suffered the level of scrutiny given to a top-tier presidential prospect. It is part journalism, part tax audit, part fraternity hazing, and part, especially when it comes to Republicans, ideological hit job. (The last, consulting Aristotelian logic and CNBC, does not need to be true of every journalist to be true nonetheless.)

Only Democrat Hillary Clinton has made a career of sailing in this hurricane. And even she is taking on water with an ongoing FBI investigation.

Ben Carson, amazingly, has been asked to substantiate the claim that he actually tried to hit his mother with a hammer. Was it kept on the mantel as a souvenir? Are there pictures of the event in the family scrapbook? And, by the way, did he embellish his resume through the hazy high school memory of a recruiting meeting?

Carson’s claim that his treatment is unique – “I have not seen that with anyone else” – is disproved by, well, just about everyone else. Marco Rubio is being called to account for questionable purchases as a state representa-

tive on a GOP American Express card including some flooring. In my book, hardwood would indicate disqualifying extravagance; laminate, reassuring practicality.

What is the actual charge? One of the CNBC debate moderators asked Rubio if his expense record demonstrates “the maturity and the wisdom to lead this $17 trillion economy.” First of all, an American president does not lead the economy. He helps create laws that marginally improve or complicate economic conditions. And second of all, what utter garbage. How does properly balancing a checkbook relate to presidential economic leadership, which is actually determined by ideology and legislative effectiveness?

For Jeb Bush, the vetting process has been more about performance.

How does he distinguish himself from the wallpaper in the debates? His town hall meetings, by one media account, are “charmingly anachronistic,” apparently because political discourse is better served by Twitter sarcasm.

The real question: Is Bush’s stated refusal to be an “angry agitator” disqualifying in a political party that seems to view angry agitation as the sum of the political enterprise?

All the while, Donald Trump lobs sarcastic tweets, appears on latenight television, and leads the Real Clear Politics average of polls. Trump is somehow enjoying the presidential vetting season as a spectator instead of a target. For about a quarter of the Republican electorate, there is apparently no scandal that could rock their high regard.

Think for a moment. What would it even mean for Trump to inflate his resume when his whole campaign is a hyperbolic inflation of his resume? How do you accuse Trump of mishandling his checkbook when he brags of bilking hapless investors through the bankruptcy laws, or makes money through gaming businesses that prey on gambling addicts and low-income people? How do you hold Trump to performance standards when part of his appeal as an outsider is a blustering, appalling ignorance of policy?

to do with character, policy views, temperament, governing record and political philosophy. Trump is judged by his followers on an entirely different set of standards, imported from reality television. Is he entertaining?

Check. Is he angry? Check. Does he demolish political correctness and political convention? Double check. Is he authentic? Ah, here is the rub.

By one definition, political authenticity is defined by the impulsive expression of everyman instincts. By another definition, authenticity means taking serious things – such as rheto-

How do you hold Trump to performance standards when part of his appeal as an outsider is a blustering, appalling ignorance of policy?

What if (entirely hypothetically) Trump had gold-plated fixtures in his bathrooms, put his name on a shady diploma mill, issued misogynist personal attacks and took credit for buying politicians? That would be a Tuesday. Stepping back, what does it mean that a significant portion of prospective GOP voters are seriously considering a leader who can’t be embarrassed because he is incapable of shame? A leader who can’t be disgraced because expectations are already so low?

The choice of a president, at least in theory, should have something

ric and political ideas – seriously. The former unleashes and rides political passions. The latter channels passions into useful public purposes through political and governing skill. The former culminates in the cutting tweet.

The latter in Lincoln writing and rewriting the Gettysburg Address or his second inaugural, which were made authentic through thought and craft.

So far, this is the sad, overall summary of the 2016 campaign: They took unserious things seriously. (c) 2015, Washington Post Writers Group

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In The K

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tchen

Summer Roll or Vietnamese Roll

By Naomi Nachman

Last week I had the good fortune to accompany my husband on one of his business trips to Phoenix, Arizona.

I am a true travel junkie and am always on the lookout for any opportunity to travel. Whenever we travel I use the free app called “Kosher GPS,” which locates kosher restaurants, minyanim and mikvaot in any community in the United States based on my location.

O

nce we settled into our hotel and my husband went off to his conference, my job was to find the local restaurants.

To my surprise, several came up in Phoenix. The Phoenix community has a variety of restaurants, including Chinese, Israeli, pizza and vegan,

all under the Vaad HaKashrut of Greater Phoenix. We ate at most places and they were all fantastic. In particular, Fresh Mint is a vegan eatery and was one of the most unique restaurants I have ever eaten at. Of the many delicious dishes I ordered at Fresh Mint, the Summer Roll (often known as Vietnamese Roll) was our favorite.

When I returned home, my mission was to make my own version of this roll.

SUMMER ROLL OR VIETNAMESE ROLL Ingredients 10 spring roll rice paper wrappers 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned 2 large Persian cucumbers, julienned 1/3 cup chopped purple cabbage 1-2 cups cooked rice noodles

1 avocado, sliced Handful fresh cilantro or mint or basil 5 large green lettuce leaves (romaine or butter), torn in half 10 pieces kosher crab sticks or 10 slices of smoked salmon or tofu Sesame seeds for garnish (optional) Directions Prepare the rice paper wrappers: Pour warm water into a large bowl or 9-inch square or round baking pan. Working with one at a time, dip the rice paper wrapper into the warm water for 10-15 seconds (or whatever the package suggests).

You want the wrapper to be soft, yet still slightly firm and pliable. Immediately remove from the water, pat or shake the wrapper slightly dry and place flat onto a work surface

such as a large plastic or ceramic cutting board.

Filling and rolling: Place the prepared rice wrapper on the ceramic board. Put down the lettuce as your first layer across the rice paper leaving a small border open at the top. Then add the carrot, cucumber and cabbage to the bottom 1/3 of the rice paper. Then, a small amount of noodles, avocado and fresh herbs. Lay a slice of crabstick in the middle of the vegetable filling. Do not overstuff the roll.

Roll everything up tightly. Gently pull up the bottom and roll over the filling, tucking in the sides as you go. It’s basically like you’re rolling a blintz. Remember, you want a very tight roll.

After rolling, cut into 6-8 pieces, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve with peanut sauce.

EASY PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE Ingredients ¼ cup creamy peanut butter 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 2 teaspoons soy sauce 1 clove garlic, mashed (or about 1 teaspoon minced) 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce or a sweet chili sauce, optional for spice 1-2 tablespoons warm water, or more as needed Directions Prepare the dipping sauce: You can whisk everything together in a bowl or use a food processor. Add all ingredients to a medium bowl (except water) and whisk until smooth. Add 1-2 tablespoons of warm water or until you reach desired thinness. Pour into a serving bowl/ramekin and top with garnish.

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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Jewish History

The Curious Tale of Lord George Gordon, Modern History’s Most Unlikely Convert to Judaism

By Rabbi Pini Dunner

In Part One of this series we were introduced to Lord George Gordon, a British aristocrat and member of parliament who was a radical republican, anti-establishment anarchist. After becoming embroiled in anti-Catholic activism, he spearheaded a campaign to undo a new law that relaxed restrictions against Catholics. This led to some of the worst riots ever seen in London, that became known as the Gordon Riots.

Accused of instigating the riots, he was arrested for High Treason, a crime that carried the death penalty.

Part II The trial began on February 5, 1781. Gordon was accused of “maliciously, traitorously and unlawfully planning to execute a war against the King,” and of then personally launching that war with a mob of armed men on June 2, 1780.

Both sides presented their evidence, and the witnesses were cross-examined.

The principal defense lawyer was Thomas Erskine, a brilliant trial performer and

later Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom. Erskine’s closing speech is purported to have been the best of his career. He argued that Gordon’s intentions had been peaceful, and he could not be held responsible for the actions of rioters, many of whom were not even members of the Protestant Association. Ideology was not treason, nor was advocacy for the repeal of a pro-Catholic law. The fact that there were those who had resorted to violence was not his crime, even if they had committed crimes. There was no evi-

dence he had incited them, or encouraged them, and he had even made efforts to disperse them. Perhaps he was guilty of a lack of foresight, or of gross naiveté, but that is hardly High Treason.

The jury was mesmerized.

Despite a highly biased summing up by the judge, who tried to undermine Erskine’s arguments, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of “not guilty,” and Gordon was released. He did not seem euphoric. Nine months in the Tower of London had changed him profoundly.

He had become deeply attached to religion and to the Bible. His previous life of wild parties and loose women was abandoned for one of introspection and prayer.

Although he was still outspoken and extreme, he was somehow more reflective and serious. He made a couple of attempts to rejoin the political world, but was quietly prevented from doing so by others. Eventually the world moved on, and he disappeared from sight.

Then, in 1786, he was arrested on two charges. An investigation into a couple of anonymously published incendiary republican pamphlets concluded that he was

their author. One of them had libeled the French queen, Marie Antoinette, as well as the French Ambassador to Great Britain. The second had attacked the judiciary.

This time around there was no support from family and friends, and Gordon was forced to undertake his own defense at two separate trials. His handling of the cases was a farce, and in June 1787 he was found guilty of all the charges. The judge retired to consider the sentences overnight, and Gordon, who had been bailed until sentencing, left the court that evening and disappeared without trace. The next day the court reconvened, but Gordon was nowhere to be found. Sightings were reported in multiple locations, but each time the trail went cold.

Seven months later, in January 1788, he was finally located in Birmingham and arrested. Except that this wasn’t the Lord George Gordon of the House of Commons and the Gordon Riots. What the police found in the shabby rented room was a bearded orthodox Jew dressed in a Polish kaftan and black broad-brimmed hat, who gave his name as Yisrael bar Avraham. At first

he refused to accompany the policeman back to London because it was on Shabbat, but a magistrate was hauled in to rule that he must be compelled to travel, and so, with a package of kosher food supplied by his landlady, he was unceremoniously transported to London.

It didn’t take long for the whole strange story to emerge. On the fateful night he had disappeared, he fled for Holland, but upon his arrival, the Amsterdam authorities had immediately repatriated him. When he arrived back in England he seems to have slipped into the country and vanished.

This was because a year earlier he had converted to Judaism, and he now began to wear Jewish clothes and grew a beard, and in this guise became unrecognizable. It seems that this metamorphosis had been going on for some time. Some years earlier Gordon had come to see Christianity’s rejection of the Old Testament as hypocrisy and sacrilege. Someone fatefully introduced him to the Jews, and he suddenly saw them as the only people who “literally adhered to the Laws of Moses,” and began to keep kosher and study Torah

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

with Jewish commentaries.

His actual conversion was not easily achieved. When he first became interested in Judaism he approached the distinguished and widely respected Chief Rabbi of London, David Tevele Schiff, who turned him away and refused to consider the conversion under any circumstances. Gordon was far too high profile and controversial, and welcoming him into the Jewish community might result in extremely negative repercussions. So Gordon went instead to Aaron Barnett, the learned chazan of the Hambro Synagogue breakaway community. Barnett sent him to the spiritual leader of Birmingham, a man called Rabbi Jacob, who arranged for his circumcision and mikvah immersion and also taught him Hebrew. After the conversion was done, Gordon returned to London and was called up to the Torah at the Hambro Synagogue. In gratitude he presented the synagogue with a generous donation.

It quickly became evident that Gordon’s Judaism was extremely sincere. He sat for much of the day in tefillin, praying, studying the Hebrew language and learning Mishnayot. But the conversion had been kept a total secret. His family was completely unaware of it, as were his political acquaintances.

After his arrest, however, his conversion to Judaism and his new appearance emerged into the public eye, and Gordon became the focus of ridicule and scorn.

His escape and disappearance, and perhaps his conversion to Judaism, resulted in the full weight of the law being brought to bear against him. The court handed down a sentence of five years in jail, and he was fined an astronomical sum of money, well beyond his means. He was brought to Newgate prison and – with intervention from his family – given a private cell in a more salubrious part

 Yisrael ben Avrohom Avinu

 The Gordon penny

of the prison facility.

Gordon soon became a celebrity prisoner, and he entertained a constant stream of visitors. He held regular dinner parties, and even full-scale balls, at which he played the bagpipes. One regular visitor was Prince Frederick, Duke of York, second son of King George III. The Duke even lent his chamber orchestra to Gordon for prison parties, which, by all accounts, were the hottest ticket in town.

His prison suite was strictly kosher and he had both a Jewish and non-Jewish maid to cook and clean for him. He was allowed to hold a minyan on Shabbat and festivals, and he arranged for Polish Jewish immigrants who were also imprisoned to make up the minyan together with him. His tolerance for people of all persuasions was incredible, except if someone was a lapsed Jew. On one occasion a Jewish beggar in need arrived at the jail to see if he could visit the famous prisoner to ask for financial help. As instructed by Gordon, the guards refused the man entry, as he did not have the traditional Jewish beard or head covering. The man in question, Angel Lyon, was deeply hurt and wrote Gordon a letter to express his disappointment. In the letter he cited G-d’s statement to the biblical prophet Samuel in which He said that He judged people by what was in their hearts, not by their ap-

pearance.

Gordon replied at length, and his letter was later published in a celebrated pamphlet. He argued that G-d had not suggested that appearance was immaterial, only that ultimately it was not an indicator of what was in someone’s heart – even if they appeared devout. The statement to Samuel was “not intended to abolish or contradict the laws of outward appearance among the Jews, but to teach that G-d sees through all outward appearances.” On the importance of retaining the appearance of a devout Jew if one was Jewish, he wrote that those Jews who shaved and dressed like Gentiles were “ashamed of the outward and visible signs, given unto them by G-d himself, and commanded to be preserved by Moses, because it distinguishes them as Jews, in public, from the nobility and gentry of these lands.

But this is serving man and despising G-d.”

When Gordon’s mandated sentence was over in early 1793 he was brought before the court. The judge demanded that he pay the fines, which remained unpaid, otherwise he would have to continue his incarceration.

Gordon was unfazed and accused the court of using the astronomical fines as a ruse to ensure his imprisonment for life. During the entire proceedings he refused to acknowledge that the

court had any jurisdiction over him now that he had served his sentence, and on a number of occasions his acerbic wit, mainly directed at the judge, saw the gathered spectators reduced to fits of helpless laughter.

His brother, the Duke, had indicated the family’s willingness to pay the fines, but Gordon refused on principle, and in the end he was sent back to Newgate Prison.

As it turned out this was a fateful decision. The prison was in the midst of a dangerous outbreak of typhus, and prisoners were dying on a daily basis. Despite his isolation from the other prisoners, in October he contracted the deadly disease and began to sink rapidly. He was visited by hundreds of well-wishers, but was soon on his deathbed. On November 1, 1793 – 26 Cheshvan – Yisrael bar Avraham Gordon, Ger Tzedek, died at the age of 42, whilst singing Adon Olam with his last breath.

As a final indignity, despite his desire to be buried in the Jewish cemetery of London, his family had him buried in a Christian burial ground at St James’ Church on Hampstead Road, in Euston, Central London.

For some time after his death Gordon retained a certain notoriety, particularly because his extreme views on liberty and democracy had become mainstream in America and France, and he was viewed as a pioneer

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champion of the libertarian ideology.

In 1795 a book was written and published by the fierce anti-Catholic Gordon acolyte Robert Watson, called The Life of Lord George Gordon. Watson was a Scot by birth, slightly older than Gordon and had served in Washington’s army against the British.

From 1780 he was Gordon’s secretary. The book was an apologetic work, extremely sympathetic in its portrayal of Gordon, although its author was clearly not a lover of Jews, and he wrote that had Gordon been released he would have given up Judaism and returned to Christianity.

Shortly after Gordon died a one penny token was issued depicting his profile. In the 1790s the lack of copper coins in Britain and the need for small change because of the Industrial Revolution led to numerous private token issues. Some used these coins to praise the achievements of the Industrial Revolution; others used them for political propaganda, such as those issued by the left-wing publicist Thomas Spence. The Gordon penny was one of those issued by Spence. What is fascinating is that it depicts Gordon as he looked as a Jew, with a hat and beard.

As the years went by Gordon was more-or-less forgotten, remembered only for his role in the Gordon Riots and as a political sideshow of the late eighteenth century. But for Jews he remains one of the most enigmatic converts to our faith of the early modern era – a true revolutionary, and at the same time a mitzvah observant Jew who was willing to sacrifice everything for his newfound faith. Tehi zichro baruch.

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

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Forgotten Her es

Submarines Ruling the Ocean’s Depths

By Avi Heiligman

Part II

B

etween the two World Wars, the world went through major changes including how militaries were viewed. Western countries that were known at the Allies during the war, the United States, Britain, France, Canada, Belgium, Holland and others, believed that Germany would abide by the Treaty of Versailles to reduce her military to a skeleton force with no submarines. They were wrong, as Germany secretly built up her military. The German U-boat submarines were at the forefront of construction and innovation. As for the Allies, their submarines were good but had flaws.

By the end of the war, the tide had turned but not before the long war had seen the very best and worst of submarines.

Naval blockades before the 20th century involved using many ships to block other ships from leaving or entering a port thereby depriving the city or country necessary supplies. Submarines changed all of that as they were sent out to sink enemy merchant ships before attacking warships. German U-boat captains mastered the art of stalking ships traveling alone. Allied countries tried to counter this by sailing in large convoys but the Germans attacked the slower ships. It was very difficult to locate, track and attack a submarine after an attack. The German Navy also employed the “wolf pack” tactic where they attacked in groups of three or four. The only other submarine fleet to try the wolf pack was the American fleet in the Pacific but communication difficulties prevented them from being successful.

At the beginning of World War

A boarding party from the USS Spencer pulls near a sinking U-boat

Grand Admiral Karl Donitz with the crew of the U-94

The Allied tanker Dixie Arrow was torpedoed by the German U-71 in 1942

The U-848 under attack by Allied aircraft

A convoy in the Bedford Basin near Nova Scotia

II, Germany only had a few dozen U-boats but by the end of the war had constructed over 1,100 underwater predators. German submarine commanders, led by Grand Admiral Karl Donitz, realized that they couldn’t compete with the British surface fleet. The Battle of the Atlantic lasted the entire war and pitted the U-boats against the entire Allied fleet in the Atlantic.

After the occupation of Norway and the defeat of the French in 1940,

German subs had new bases on Atlantic coast. The loss of French ports in the Mediterranean meant that Britain would have stretch out her capital ships even further. A new type of U-boat, Type VII, had a longer range and would be able to catch convoys with little or no protection that were further out to sea. Some British merchant vessels would be armed with depth charges but rarely would be able to catch up to a fleeting submarine that had dove hundreds of

feet below the surface.

Until March 1941, U-boats had their way in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Captains such as Gunther Prien in U-47, who sunk 30 ships, and Heinrich Bleichtodt in U-48, which holds the record of 51 ships sunk, became famous for their exploits during this period. To counter the growing U-boat menace, British planners came up with tactics to spread out the convoys and give them more protection. Prime Minister Winston Churchill wrote, “The only thing that ever frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril.” In addition to the 300 German U-boats, 27 Italian submarines came to fight in the Atlantic with some success in sinking Allied shipping. However, the Germans eventually considered them too undisciplined in the submarine tactics and sent them packing.

U-boats were mainly used to sink Allied shipping boats and not warships. Records of the best submarines and their captains (some captains commanded more than one sub) go by tonnage sank, not by how many ships they took down, and warships typically weren’t included.

There were exceptions, and on the outbreak of war Admiral Doenitz wanted to sink the battleship HMS Royal Ark. The battleship was anchored at Scapa Flow in Scotland and was the scene of the German fleet scuttling their ships at the end of WWI to prevent capture. Armed with aerial photographs, Gunther Prien and the U-47 stealthily made their way to Scapa Flow in the fall of 1939. The waters were tricky to navigate, and they risked detection the entire time. On October 14, the U-47 fired a spread of seven torpedoes of which five mechanically failed. The other two hit home and the WWI-era battleship sank with over half of her crew. The British had lost an iconic

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ed the messages they couldn’t read them. A cryptanalyst team worked around the clock in England to crack the code but they needed an actual machine. They got a break on April 15, 1941 when the U-110 sustained considerable damage following an attack on a convoy. Depth charges forced the U-110 to surface, and the crew abandoned the ship. The captain gave a confusing order, and the ship, along with its precious Enigma machine and codebooks, weren’t destroyed. A boarding team from the destroyer HMS Bulldog recovered the material and sent it to England where it was used to break the code.

Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and the Germans, ignoring American demands to stay out of their affairs, declared war on the U.S. The Germans began sending U-boats to the Atlantic coast of the U.S. in January 1942 and sank hundreds of merchant ships. American commanders were slow at first to protect their ships until a convoy system was instituted. Convoy escorts sank several U-boats, and the British soon sent experienced escort trawlers to

warship and would continue to suffer at the hands of U-boats.

The loss of many ships in large convoys in the latter half of 1940 had the British begging the Americans for help. After an American merchant ship was sunk, the passengers were allowed to abandon ship, and the U.S. began to actively help the British. Even though the United States didn’t officially enter the war until December 1941, 50 WWI-era destroyers were transferred from the “mothball” fleet to England in the Lend-Lease program. This, along with new British destroyers and Canadian escorts, were a turning point in the battle. Soon radar, sonar (underwater pinging to locate a submerged submarine), depth charges, other explosives set to detonate underwater and the use of airplanes all contributed to the demise of the U-boat.

Use of the mysterious Enigma machine greatly enhanced the U-boat success but also attributed to their downfall. Messages were sent between Germany and U-boats, and although the British intercept-

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help with the U-boat problem. The Germans roamed the waters off the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico until the British put a stop to this practice.

The U-352 was roaming the coast of North Carolina when the captain, a staunch Nazi who was hated by his men, decided to make a brazen daylight attack on an American Coast Guard cutter. The U-boat missed its target and sank. It was discovered in 1975, and the wreck still is visited by divers today.

Allied success against U-boats continued to grow until the climax of the Battle of the Atlantic in May 1943.

In March of that year the Germans added a wheel on the Enigma machine which befuddled codebreakers for a while. In April, 15 U-boats were sunk as the cryptologists found a solution to interpret U-boat messages. May saw 43 U-boats sunk which was about a quarter of the entire submarine strength the Germans were able to put out to sea (at any given time many U-boats were in drydocks for repairs). This forced Donitz to recall the remaining U-boats from the North Atlantic and marked the

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turning of the tide in the Battle of the Atlantic. The hunters had become the hunted.

The last two years were anti-climatic in the Battle of the Atlantic as German production slowed and Allied anti-submarine efforts grew.

American escort carriers which could hold about 30 planes coordinated with surface ships to locate and destroy U-boats that could be seen better from the sky. After D-Day, June 6, 1944, the Allies took back ports that were vital for U-boat bases. For his efforts in the battle, Donitz was promoted to the head of state after Hitler ym”sh killed himself on April 30, 1945.

In the next article we’ll talk about other countries using submarines, including American fleet subs which changed Japanese strategies in the Pacific.

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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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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

SERVICES

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The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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Great Loct! 2BR Ranch On Lg 3BR, 2BA Ranch, FDR, Charming 3BR, 2.5BA Col, Completely Renov Ranch 80x100 Ppty, 2 Dens…$425K Eik, FDR, Fin Bsmt...$429K Eik, Fin Bsmt…$435K 3BR, 2BA, SD#14..$625K

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 HOUSES FOR SALE

COMMERCIAL RE

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APT FOR RENT 4 bedroom, 3 full bath, duplex on Beach 12 Street. Renter controls Central A/C and heat, Washer Dryer Hookup $2,600 Available immediately.

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FOR SALE ORIENTAL RUG Excellent Condition 10X13 FT $600 SMALL ANTIQUE BREAKFRONT Excellent Condition $800 516-569-2468

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

FOR SALE

HELP WANTED

MISC

SELLING WHITE AND BEIGE DINETTE SET. Dinette table, 84x42, with 8 chairs for $600.

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Call 516-551-4888.

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If interested please call Marc 917-612-2300

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Found stroller on Central Avenue.

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

Seeking a warm, capable Preschool Teacher for Preschool in Port Washington (near Great Neck) Good pay, beautiful facility and atmosphere. Please email your resume sara@chabadpw.org

Senior Jewish looking to rent a garage for storage in or near Far Rockaway ASAP 646-657-3131

SELLING BEAUTIFUL MAHOGANY AND GOLD DINING ROOM SET. Includes 13-ft. table (which opens up to 16-ft. and is 48in. wide); 14 chairs; 9-foot breakfront; and 8-foot buffet.

All in excellent condition.

Will enhance your dining room. Asking $7,500 for the set.

Call 516-551-4888.

HELP WANTED Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island is seeking a full time administrative assistant. Experience necessary.

Please email resume to office@ykli.org ADMINISTRATIVE ASSTISTANT Located in 5 Towns.

Multi-task, Light bookkeeping; Purchasing, file management, expense and invoice processing., knowledge of computers; Word, Excel, Google, some travel.

Da.Blackburg@gmail.com SALES/MARKETING Seeking a male marketer for a Promotion and Gift company in NY. Must have a car.

Base salary plus commission.

Please email resume to cityjobs10@gmail.com RECRUITER/STAFFING COORDINATOR needed for busy Staffing Agency in Long Beach NY. We offer an excellent salary & benefits pkg as well as a grt working environment.

Please email resume to cityjobs10@gmail.com Great opportunity Looking for class B CDL DRIVER with clutch for a heimishe lumber co.

Great pay, Call: 718-369-3141 Ext. 348

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.

SALESPERSON Seeking Full Time sales staff to join our 5 Towns sales team.

Must be highly-motivated, detail-oriented, and a quick learner.

Experience in outside sales a plus.

Submit qualified resume to admin@getpeyd.com for details.

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 Physical Therapist Assistants (PTA’s) & Occupational Therapists Assistants (COTA’s)For 200+ bed Nursing Home in Queens. Must have Hospital or Nursing Home experience. Please email resume to promrehab@aol.com Assistant – no experience necessary.

Capable, reliable person with computer skills needed for data entry, scanning, filing, project coordination and follow-up. Helping out where needed with opportunity to grow. Please email your resume to FTSadresponse@gmail.com SALES POSITION $1000/week (based on exp) Unlimited commission potential.

3 positions available Call: Fidelity Payment 516-262-3134 Or apply online: www.fidelitypayment.com/ salescareer 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

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

Yehalomim Shelanu Special Programming Presents An after school program for the special children of our neighborhood! Every Monday afternoon from 4:45- 6:15 Fun and educational run by talented and experienced staff Call 516-732-2949 for more information or to register

Reach Your Target Market

Classifieds 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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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Your

Money

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

Every so often a new show hits Broadway with lights that shine brighter than the rest. In 1996, Rent celebrated a group of impoverished East Village artists. In 2003, Wicked imagined the lives of the witches of Oz before Dorothy’s unexpected arrival. But who would have thought today’s hottest ticket would be a rap-driven bio of the Founding Father responsible for the financial system that collects those taxes we all hate? This week’s story is a bit different from our usual perspective.

But stick with it . . . how often do you see taxes and finance starring in popular culture?

H

amilton began by chance when the show’s creator, Tony award-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, picked up Ron Chernow’s landmark biography of Alexander Hamilton to read on vacation. Miranda saw “the $10 founding father/without a father” as

the embodiment of hip-hop: a penniless immigrant who rose to power through the power of his words. The show began life as a concept album before morphing into a full-blown musical which debuted on Broadway in August. The show sold $30 million worth of tickets before it even opened, and prime seats currently command over $1,300.

The story follows Hamilton’s journey from his birth in illegitimate squalor “dropped in a forgotten spot in the Caribbean,” through his appointment as George Washington’s right-hand man and service as the nation’s first Treasury Secretary, to his disgrace in one of the nation’s first scandals and his death at the hands of rival Aaron Burr. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Lafayette are all there to challenge him along the way. Even King George III saunters onstage to warn his unfaithful subjects: “And when push/Comes to shove/I will kill your friends and family/To remind you of my love.”

Miranda’s propulsive score will satisfy everyone who’s waited for hip-hop to meet harpsichords and fall in love. It combines traditional Broadway influences from Gilbert & Sullivan and Stephen Sondheim to contemporary sounds like the rapper Notorious B.I.G. The show has reduced sober critics to drooling fanboys. The New York Times’ Ben Brantley gushed, “It really is that good,” and confessed, “I am loath to tell people to mortgage their houses and lease their children to acquire tickets to a Broadway show. But Hamilton . . . might just

about be worth it.” Even the Wall Street Journal’s Terry Teachout calls it “the most exciting and significant musical of the decade,” and says, “Do whatever you have to do short of grand larceny to score a ticket.”

As it turns out, there are only a couple of direct references to taxes. At one point Thomas Jefferson snarls, “Look, when Britain taxed our tea, we got frisky/Imagine what gon’ happen when you try to tax our whiskey.” But that line appears in a song titled “Cabinet Battle #1” that turns Hamilton’s plan to finance the U.S. government into a rap battle. (It’s not the sort of thing you expect to hear on Broadway, right?) Hamilton championed a strong federal government, with implied powers to assume states’ debts and establish a national bank. His forceful advocacy is argu-

ably why the bulk of our taxes today go to Uncle Sam and not your state or local government.

We realize that when the curtain rises on April 15, you probably aren’t humming show tunes. But it’s worth remembering, at least occasionally, that taxes really are the price we pay for civilization. And while our current tax code may seem as illegitimately-conceived as the Founding Father who paved its way, it’s the product of a uniquely American experiment in self-government that seems to still be working 200 years later.

Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 years in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.

The Jewish Home | NOVEMBER 12, 2015

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Life C ach

Quick! I Need a Shower

By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

So you have to prepare for the shower. It doesn’t hurt to make sure you have the supplies you need ready before the shower starts. Of course you want to get some great smelling soaps and moisturizers.

Certainly a nice new robe is especially yummy, with a monogram on it, ready to be used. And some bathsize towels and washcloths make sense. Don’t forget a nice soft pair of pajamas that would be so good to slip into.

T

he question is, with all this preparation going on, how do people expect the bride to be surprised? Oh yeah, someone else is making all the preparations for this shower.

But seriously, don’t you think it would help if someone told the guests not to park right in front of the house? How good a faker should a bride have to be?

There she stands mumbling, “Oh, I’m so surprised. I had no idea.” Do you want her to have to seem like an awkward liar or a total doofus? Seri-

ously, how is she expected not to recognize her own mother’s car – sitting right outside her friend’s house – a friend her mother never even met! At least tell people to park a block away.

Also, it’s like a few weeks before the wedding. Is she really surprise-able? She’s put a whole bunch of household items on a list at Bed Bath & Beyond. How does she think she’s getting them? No one’s buying her a peeler or a can opener for a wedding gift, are they?!

There are lots of gifts that have to be gotten before the wedding. So the

shower is quite necessary to take care of the small items. The shower planners have to make sure to get some utensils and pots as well. Because, after weeks of dating and going out to restaurants nightly, real life is about to start. And the bride’s been voted chief chef.

So there everyone sits with the “oooh’s” and “aah’s” over blenders and food processors. The only other time these items get this much recognition is when advertisers are vying for the account. And here’s some valuable shower advice: don’t even bother opening your mother-in-law’s gifts. Whatever she got you: it’s perfect!

Then let’s talk about this great new game they started playing at showers. They video the groom beforehand and see if he knows the answers to a series of personal questions the bride is asked. Everyone’s watching the exchange! Now tell me, is this the right time to be asking him? I mean, like if he doesn’t get any of the answers right is she suddenly going to trade him in?

The food is probably as good as what they’ll serve at the wedding.

Because everyone contributed their best recipe and the price is certainly right. The only problem is no one wants to eat much ‘cause everyone’s trying to stay thin so they can fit in to the size zero dress they got for the wedding. Except for one smart aunt, who couldn’t care less about “size shmize.” She is eating as much as she can and wrapping the rest in her handy dandy roll of foil to take home to feed her family for the next

few weeks. Probably right up until the wedding.

Showers often have a theme. Life doesn’t.

Showers, you hope are a surprise.

Life, you hope isn’t.

But as much as you try to plan out life, just about everything’s turns out

And here’s some valuable shower advice: don’t even bother opening your motherin-law’s gifts.

Whatever she got you: it’s perfect! a surprise … the kids you have, the way they act, where you actually wind up living! So don’t feel too bad if your bride isn’t surprised at the shower.

She’ll be dealing with surprises the rest of her life. Just do the best you can to make her a great party. ‘Cause after all, you have to admit, no one should go without a shower for too long!

Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach.

She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com

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Chai Lifeline Annual Gala

11.23.15 Marriot Marquis, NYC

Honoring

Kami and Dina Kalaty

Chai Heritage Award in memory of Sarina Kalaty (Sara Ruth bat Ephraim)

Cross River Bank

Community Service Award

Kevin McGeachy, FACHE

Executive Director Cohen Children's Medical Center

Maimonides Medical Achievement Award

Dani and Nini Ross

Camp Simcha Appreciation Award

Yehuda and Mati Alcabes Camp Simcha Appreciation Award

Illness robs children of so much.

No more hopes.

No more dreams.

No more future.

Chairs

Marc and Shavi Bodner

Dr. Steven and Marjorie Kellner

Joseph Sprung

Jonathan and Anat Stein

Dinner Chairs

Dinner Chairs

Menachem and Mariam Lieber

Mordy Rothberg

Dr. Mark R. Sultan

Ezzy and Chavi Dicker

Dinner Chairs

Dinner Chair

Eli Rowe

Dinner Chair

Chai Lifeline gives it all back.

Illness limits children.

Chai Lifeline helps them see that life is limitless.

Join us on November 23.

The possibilities are endless.

151 West 30th Street, New York, NY 10001

Dinner Chair

phone 212.699.6658 fax 212.465.0949 www.chaidinner.org

Dinner Chairs

Dinner Chair

Alumni Chairs

Stephanie Levit Alumni Chair

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015 | The Jewish Home