Five Towns Jewish Home - 4-29-21 by The Jewish Home

April 29, 2021

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38 Margaret Tietz Evening of Inspiration

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APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Dear Readers,

n this week’s issue, Sara Rayvych talks about celebrating your children’s milestones. She speaks about how important it is to celebrate the little victories in life, the small steps that they make towards achieving certain goals. I love that concept. So many times, we are so focused on racing towards our goals that we don’t take the time to look around and appreciate the little triumphs that we’re making along the way. I see this in so many areas in life. We only truly feel an accomplishment when we can finally cross off a certain goal that we’ve put on our list. But what about all those steps getting there? Shouldn’t we be celebrating them, too? And what if we never actually conquer that specific goal but spent time attempting to do so? Does that mean that our efforts were for naught? All the time spent working towards a goal is something to be celebrated – whether or not we accomplish what we set out to do.

Years ago, the concept of “baby steps” moved into the vernacular from a movie in which a psychologist introduced his patient to the idea to help him overcome his anxieties. I love using baby steps to move towards my goals. This way, as long as I’m moving, I can appreciate each step along the way and know that I’m heading in the right direction. Hopefully, I will end up reaching my goal. But if not, at least the way there will be filled with small successes which make the journey so much sweeter. During this period, when we are counting the Omer, although we are moving toward the momentous event of Kabbalas HaTorah, we are slowly and deliberately making each day count. Our journey towards becoming a nation worthy of the Torah takes place slowly, with small steps along the way, so we can ultimately reach our sacred goal with jubilation.

Yitzy Halpern

Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

The Jewish Home is an independent weekly magazine. Opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily 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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APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

COMMUNITY 33 Readers’ Poll Community Happenings

8 33

NEWS

Global

National

That’s Odd

ISRAEL Israel News

Desert Fabric by Rafi Sackville

Meron Throughout the Ages by Baila Rosenbaum

JEWISH THOUGHT Rabbi Wein on the Parsha

Who Do You Serve? by Rav Moshe Weinberger

Achieving the Impossible by Shmuel Reichman

Delving into the Daf by Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

PEOPLE Friends Remember Binyamin Zwickler, a”h, and are Spreading His Light What Was New During World War II by Avi Heiligman

78 102

HEALTH & FITNESS Have You Gone Through the Therapy Revolving Door? by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

Proper Nutrition During Pregnancy by Aliza Beer, MS RD CDN

FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Jerky Potatoes

LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW 82 JWow! 92 Parenting Pearls

108

Good Morning by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

110

HUMOR Centerfold 58 POLITICAL CROSSFIRE 96

Biden Says He Wants Unity by Marc A. Thiessen

100

The Address to Congress that Biden Should Give – But Won’t by Marc A. Thiessen

101

CLASSIFIEDS

Dear Editor, I was so proud to read of Shir Peled’s story in this week’s issue, “When Your Weapon is a Burqa.” I am always enthralled by the young men and women who serve in our army and who give their lives for their brothers and sisters. Shir’s story is even more magnificent because of her deep desire to truly saving people’s lives. I cannot imagine how brave and courageous she had to be every day when she prepared herself to enter enemy territory. And I cannot imagine how brave and courageous she is now, sharing her story and speaking out about the trauma that she and others have experienced. Kol hakavod! Leora Handler To the Editor, My family and I look forward each week to The Jewish Home, and

one of our favorite sections is Notable Quotes. In the April 22nd edition, there were two quotes that were very misleading. They were both excerpts from an opinion piece (NOT a study), “Facemasks in the COVID-19 era: A Health Hypotheses,” and published in Medical Hypotheses, January 2021. It has been “going viral” in anti-mask circles, but is purely hypothetical, and not evidence-based whatsoever. In Notable Quotes, it was cited as being “from a study by the National Center for Biotechnological Information, a branch of the National Institute for Health.” The National Center for Biotechnological Information is just the database where this opinion piece is posted. Health Hypotheses was created to allow a wide diversity of opinions, and in the past had articles denying the AIDS virus causes AIDS. As a physician and public health advocate, I am concerned that this piece was misrepresented and that the article itself is misleading. The Jewish Home has been a paragon of accurate and responsible coverage during this pandemic, and I hope that this oversight will be quickly corrected. Alisa Minkin, MD FAAP Jewish Orthodox Women’s Medical Association Preventative Health Committee Dear Editor, You printed in the Notable Quote a quote about why masks don’t protect against COVID and might be harmful claiming to be coming a branch Continued on page 10

Your Money

Notable Quotes

Dear Editor, France’s universally recognized motto liberté, égalité, fraternité rings hollow when it comes to the country’s Jewish citizenry. Emile Zola’s highly publicized public denunciation of the French government’s anti-Semitism during the Dreyfus affair, the French Vichy government’s collaboration with Nazi Germany, and the ongoing failure to prosecute those who torment and murder Jews in present day France reveal an unending culture of hatred. Why do Jews continue to call France home when, unlike in the past, there is refuge and safety in the State of Israel? Shmuel H.

104

Should sleepaway camps have visiting day this year?

Yes

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

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Continued from page 8

of the NIH. Doing a Google search, I found it was an article by Baruch Vainshelboim in the Journal Medical Hypothesis. Doing further research, Baruch Vainshelbonim has no connection to the NIH (or Stanford as other publications claimed). In addition, Medical Hypothesis is not a typical peer reviewed journal, instead it publishes far-out hypothesis that won’t get published anywhere else. The article was not based on actual research, just the author’s theories. His theories have been disproven by real research. This demonstrates something much deeper that had been bothering me for a while. The Notable Quotes used to be funny quotes from comedians and others about current events. It wasn’t political, and I used to find it funny and enjoyable. Then, several years, it started becoming more and more political. The quotes stopped being funny and were just far-out political ideas and conspiracies. This supposed quote shows how out of touch with reality the editors of Notable Quotes have become. Every single recognized expert has said masks are an important part of

stopping the spread of COVID. It’s doubtful anyone from or connected to the NIH would say otherwise. The fact the editors of Notable Quotes thought they did without doing further research shows they have drunk the Kool-Aid and embraced conspiracy theories not based in reality. Publishing false medical information is no joke. Binyomin Weil The Quotes Editor Responds: Thank you for your letter. You are correct, this “study” turned out not to be what it claimed to be. Reuters and many other news organizations over the past few days have reported that this “study,” which gained a lot of attention last week, is really based on one individual’s opinion and also misstated its affiliation. Had we known that information before putting in the quote, we would not have put it in. So we certainly regret that. To address some of your other points: I agree- the Notable Quotes used to be funny but they are usually not anymore. But don’t shoot the messenger – I just deliver the quotes; I don’t make them. A few things happened that caused the quotes to not

S A L E

be funny anymore. The first thing is that Jay Leno and David Letterman retired and were replaced by political hacks, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon (less so), respectively. Letterman and Leno were funny guys. They used to come out every night and deliver a monologue about current events that had 5-10 laugh-out-loud jokes, and they usually weren’t about politics. When the new guys took over, they just weren’t as funny, for some reason. I don’t know if it is the host or the writers, but they were just flat. Then Trump came along and these late-night guys’ heads exploded. It became politics 24/7. Jimmy Kimmel, who also has a nightly show, is even on record saying that he is OK if he loses his audience; it is more important to him to talk about how bad Trump is. For four years, they made the same three stupid jokes about Trump, while their veins popped out and they oozed with venom. These guys and their networks proved that their ideology is even more important than ratings and money. (I guess you can respect them for that.) I was hoping that now that Trump is gone, they would put politics aside, but they haven’t; they

actually doubled down. One night show host, Chelsea Handler, even said that she won’t make jokes about Biden or Democrats because she doesn’t want to insinuate that what they are doing is not good. OK, fine, so then lay off of the politics and make jokes about the guy who put his father’s ashes in his bowling ball and bowled a 300! But they won’t do that either because their shows are an echo-chamber to bash Republicans, Conservatives, police, family values, etc. Kind of stinks. Despite the “comedian’s” consumption with angry politics and the world in general’s consumption with politics, I do try to find some good nuggets of non-political quotes because, to me, politics really isn’t everything. Yes, most hot quotes are going to be about politics because that’s where “the brawl” is, but I really appreciate non-political quotes. In fact, if you see any good non-political quotes (funny, informative, cute, jarring) please feel free to send them to me. You can send them to the editor with a subject line FOR QUOTES EDITOR. My inbox is filled with quotes about politics, but any non-political ones that you want to share, feel free...

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The Week In News

Recognizing Armenian Genocide

President Joe Biden upended decades of U.S. policy and infuriated Turkey by formally recognizing the Armenian Massacre as a genocide over the weekend. A large Christian minority residing in the Islamic Ottoman Empire, an estimated 800,000 Armenians were rounded up and executed between 1915 and 1916. While dozens of nations have recognized the killings as genocide, Turkey has traditionally opposed such a definition as a distortion of the historical record. But on Saturday, Biden recognized the killings as a genocide for the time. In a groundbreaking statement marking the beginning of the massacre 109 years ago, Biden acknowledged the massacre on behalf of the entire U.S. government and American people. “Each year on this day, we remember the lives of all those who died in the Ottoman-era Armenian genocide and recommit ourselves to preventing such an atrocity from ever again occurring,” Biden wrote. “Today, as we mourn what was lost, let us also turn our eyes to the future – toward the world that we wish to build for our children. A world unstained by the daily evils of bigotry and intolerance, where human rights are respected, and where all people are able to pursue their lives in dignity and security,” Biden continued. “Let us renew our shared resolve to prevent future atrocities from occurring anywhere in the world. And let us pursue healing and reconciliation for all the people of the world.” Biden fulfilled a key campaign

promise in recognizing the Armenian killings as a genocide, having vowed as a candidate to implement the change after becoming president. While on the campaign trial, Biden explicitly called the events a genocide and promised the powerful Armenian lobby to make it official U.S. policy in exchange for their support. “Today, we remember the atrocities faced by the Armenian people in the Metz Yeghern – the Armenian Genocide. If elected, I pledge to support a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide and will make universal human rights a top priority,” Biden tweeted before the elections. Attempts by the large Armenian diaspora to have the deaths of 800,000 women and children recognized as a genocide have traditionally been foiled by pressure from Turkey. A NATO member and powerful U.S. ally, Turkey vehemently opposes such recognition as something that would stain the legacy of the Ottoman Empire. Despite Turkey only becoming a state years after the massacres occurred, Ankara has reacted strongly to any attempts by its allies to commemorate the killings. While acknowledging the deaths, Turkey claims that they were a result of internecine strife and not an organized campaign by Ottoman authorities. As such, Biden’s statement on Saturday is likely to inflame tensions with Ankara, one of the strongest U.S. allies.

Protesting the Sarah Halimi Verdict

Thousands of people demonstrated in Paris on Sunday to protest a recent ruling by France’s Supreme Court not to prosecute the murderer of Sarah Halimi because he had smoked marijuana before the attack. The April 14th ruling upheld an earlier court’s decision not to try Kobili Traoré for murdering Halimi, an

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elderly Holocaust survivor, due to his rampant drug use. Pointing out that Traore had been high on marijuana at the time of the killing, the court held that he could not be held responsible for his crime. Held under the title “Justice for Sarah Halimi,” the rally saw thousands of people throng Paris’ Trocadero Square opposite the Eiffel Tower. Organized by the French Jewish CRIF, the rally was the first time that French Jews have demonstrated against the government in decades, highlighting the frustration felt by the local community over the ruling. The rally began with a speech by French Chief Rabbi Haim Korsia demanding that authorities hold another “trial of facts.” Halimi’s surviving relatives said a public Kaddish for Sarah before urging the French government to act to fight the country’s rising anti-Semitism. “The clamor has risen and hope has returned. That hope is all of you here,” said Halimi’s brother William Attal. Also addressing the crowd was Christophe Castsaner, a senior lawmaker from President Emmanuel Macron’s Republic on the Move party, and renowned comedian Jacques Essebag. “I’ve decided to start using drugs

because in France you can do whatever you want, even kill your neighbor if you don’t like her, if you use drugs,” Essebag told the crowd tongue-in-cheek. “What has become of this country?” he added. Meanwhile, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo promised that the city would soon commemorate Halimi’s memory by naming a street after her. Similar demonstrations were held on Sunday outside Tel Aviv, in Jerusalem, and in London. At a noisy rally outside the French embassy in Israel, Jewish Agency leader Isaac Herzog called for Traore to be brought to justice. “On the verdict that released her killer from punishment: we identify with the citizens of France who demand the execution of the killer with the killer,” Herzog said. “I embrace the family of the late Sarah. The just struggle against anti-Semitism must be a common struggle for everyone.”

53 Dead in Sub Disaster All 53 members of the crew of an Indonesian Navy submarine that had been missing since last Wednesday

have been confirmed to be deceased. The Nanggala submarine, which was found broken into three parts, was located found on the seafloor days after it went missing.

Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Yudo Margono noted that among the debris found was a submarine escape immersion suit. “This suit is only used to escape in emergency situations. Normally it is stored inside the box, but since we found it outside, we believe that the crew were going to wear it but they had no chance,” he said. In terms of what caused the disaster, Margono said that it was likely that heavy pressure on the vessel caused it to crack. Hopes of finding any of the crew alive had already dimmed on Saturday, when debris including a bottle of grease, part of a torpedo launcher, part of a metal tube, prayer mats and fuel were found floating at a location

where the sea is 850 meters (930 yards) deep. Authorities said earlier the submarine could not survive at depths beyond 500 meters. The crew were also expected to have run out of oxygen early on Saturday. The German-made submarine lost contact during a military exercise in the Bali Strait early on Wednesday morning.

Kidnappings Skyrocket in Haiti

Haitians are terrified as a kidnapping wave has seen hundreds snatched off the streets in the poor Central American country. While crime has long been a problem in Haiti, a recent wave of

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kidnapping has locals on edge. With tourism drying up in the Caribbean island nation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, crime bosses have turned to kidnapping for ransom as a means of generating cash. Official figures provided by the United Nations show kidnappings tripled in 2020, hitting a record high of 234. Insiders say that the real numbers are far higher, as victims often refuse to file police reports for fear of retaliation. According to research conducted by the Center for Human Rights Analysis and Research in Port-auPrince, 2020 saw 796 kidnappings in Haiti. The non-profit warns that it believes that the reported figures are far too low and calls on police to take a harsher line with people linked to organized crime. The problem has become particularly acute in recent weeks amid a slew of high-profile kidnappings. On April 1, heavily armed gunmen stormed into a church in the middle of services, dragging away the minister and two altar boys. Only 11 days later, another gang abducted nine ministers during services in the commune of Croix-desBouque. Since then, five priests have been released, while efforts are ongo-

ing to raise money for the ransom of the remaining four. The brazen nature of the abductions has shone light on the epidemic of kidnappings plaguing Haiti, increasing pressure on politicians to act. In a sign on how routine kidnapping has become, popular radio stations often broadcast public pleas from victims’ families: “Please do not kill him.” “Please help me raise money for ransom.” “Please help me find the body.” “For some time now, we have been witnessing the descent into hell of Haitian society,” said the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port-auPrince last week. According to Haiti Police Commissioner Serge Therriault, authorities have stepped up efforts to combat “a greater perception of insecurity and violence today.” He noted various police initiatives to fight abductions, including using pinpoint intelligence to arrest crime bosses and establishing checkpoints. “This has yielded some success,” he said. “The police are still trying to develop different avenues to try to resolve the issue. We’ll just have to let them find a solution that’s best for the country in the context that they have.”

Fatal Fire at Iraqi Hospital

The death toll in a tragic fire in an Iraqi hospital has risen to 82 as authorities scramble for answers as to what caused the inferno. The blaze broke out in Ibn al-Khatib Hospital southeast of Baghdad on Saturday, a facility treating COVID-19 victims. First set off by a broken oxygen cylinder, the flames soon reached 100 feet and were described by eyewitnesses as “volcanoes of fire.” The fire began on the hospital’s lower floors, trapping the few ambulatory patients able to flee to safety on their own accord. With the majority of the residents strapped to ventilators, the flames tore through the building, killing dozens within

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minutes. The blaze was only finally extinguished on Sunday morning, almost a full day after it first began. “I could not have imagined it would be a massive blaze like that,” recalled Maher Ahmed, a nurse at the doomed hospital. “The flames overwhelmed the hospital’s second floor isolation hall within three to four minutes of the oxygen cylinder exploding.” A preliminary investigation painted a picture of a dilapidated hospital that had not been checked by safety officials for over a decade. Iraqi prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi soon dismissed a slew of government officials for what he called “extreme negligence,” including the governor of Baghdad and the health minister. The hospital director, chief firefighter, and COVID-19 project manager were also fired.

Stranded for 4 Years Last week, sailor Mohammed Aisha flew home to Syria after spending almost four years stranded off the Egyptian coast.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

At the time, Aisha was not told what that position meant. Months later, as other crew members began to leave Egypt, Aisha discovered that he could not do the same. In August 2018, Aisha was told that his mother had died. He saw no reason to continue living. Life on the ship was dismal. Since the MV Aman had no fuel, Aisha lived without electricity. He was also not paid for his time and rarely saw anyone other than the occasional guard. In March 2020, a storm blew the ship off its anchorage, and the MV Aman drifted five miles. It later ran aground a few hundred meters from shore. Though terrifying, the incident allowed Aisha to swim to shore every few days to recharge his phone and purchase food. Aisha’s story is not unique. According to the International Labour Organization, there are currently over 250 cases globally in which crews are left to fend for themselves on stranded ships. Usually, this happens when the company which owns the ship cannot pay for it anymore and tells the crew to anchor and leave. Tylos Shipping and Marine Services, which owns the MV Aman, told BBC that they had tried to help Aisha but were powerless to do so. “I can’t force a judge to remove the legal guardianship,” a representative said. “And I can’t find a single person on this planet – and I’ve tried – to replace him.” The company also said that Aisha should never have signed the order in the first place. For his part, Aisha said he felt ignored by the ship’s owners, trapped

by Egyptian law, and isolated – especially since months could go by with no communication. Finally, after being released this week after four long years, Aisha said he felt “relief” and “joy.” “How do I feel? Like I finally got out of prison,” he told BBC. “I’m finally going to be rejoined with my family. I’m going to see them again.” And after spending some time with his family, though, he said he wants nothing more than to head back out to sea.

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Hamas Violence Escalates Israel’s security cabinet authorized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz this week to order a widescale strike against Hamas if rocket fire from Gaza continues. The Israeli security cabinet had convened on Monday afternoon to discuss the situation in Gaza and decide on a possible response to the rocket fire blasted towards Israel. During the meeting, security officials said that all indications coming from the UN, Egypt, and other Arab countries showed Hamas doesn’t want an escalation but it is unclear whether it can keep the calm. “The ball is Hamas’ hands. There is no desire on Israel’s part for an escalation, but we are prepared in case the [rocket] fire continues,” said one official. Earlier in the day, Israel warned Hamas that if rocket fire from Gaza continues, it will respond with a drastic military escalation. According to reports, Israel transmitted the message to both the Palestinian Authority leadership in Ramallah and to Hamas in Gaza via the United Nations. Israel also prevented Gazan fishermen from entering a 12-kilometer zone as a means of increasing pressure on Hamas to limit the rocket fire. Speaking with Walla News, IDF officials said that closing the fishing zone was Israel’s final attempt to respond to the rocket fire with non-military means. Hamas had been bombarding southern Israel with rocket fire since

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Aisha joined his ship, the MV Aman, in May 2017. In July 2017, the MV Aman was detained at Egypt’s Adabiya port due to expired safety equipment and classification certificates. The ship’s Lebanese contractors refused to pay for fuel, and its owners in Bahrain were in difficult financial straits. After the MV Aman’s captain went ashore, a court declared Aisha – its chief officer – to be its legal guardian, requiring him to remain onboard.

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last Friday, ending almost a year of quiet on the restive southern border. First claiming that the rockets were in support of the Palestinians in East Jerusalem battling Israeli police, the missiles continued throughout Monday. Hamas also ordered Gazans to renew the nighttime riots on Israel’s border fence, sending thousands of teenagers to throw firebombs and launch incendiary kites and balloons into Israeli communities.

A Green Corridor to Bahrain

Israel and Bahrain reached an agreement on mutual recognition of vaccines that will establish a “Green Corridor” allowing unlimited entry to

vaccinated citizens of both countries. The deal between Israel and Bahrain is already being called trailblazing, as it marks the first time that two countries agreed to recognize each other’s vaccine program. Israel and Bahrain had been conducting intensive negotiations in the weeks leading up to the announcement, including multiple talks between Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and his Bahraini counterpart, Abd al-Latif al-Zayani. Under the agreement, citizens from the two countries who have received both jabs of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will be exempt from quarantine upon arrival. They will also be allowed to enter places requiring the “Green Pass” given to those fully inoculated or recovered. The agreement will help promote tourism, trade, and economic ties between the two countries and make it easier for Bahraini citizens to enter Israel. In order to facilitate the vaccine recognition program, the Israeli Health Ministry will establish a special Arabic-language website meant for Bahrainis. “The precedent agreement between Israel and Bahrain testifies to the historic change that has taken place in the Middle East in recent months,” said Foreign Minister Gabi

Ashkenazi shortly after the agreement was announced last Thursday. “The whole world is following the ties between Israel and the countries of peace. In the coming days, we will reach similar agreements with other countries.” Ashkenazi added: “Bahrain’s recognition of the vaccine certificate opens the door for more countries to recognize the Green Pass and will lead to an increase in tourism and economic growth.” First establishing official diplomatic relations this past September following years of covert ties, Bahrain has since become a key ally for Israel. A slew of business deals has since been signed over the past six months, including a recent $3 million deal between Israel’s governmental water company Mekorot and Bahrain’s Energy and Water Ministry.

TikTok Terror in Jerusalem Sunday evening saw the first quiet day in Jerusalem after police officers removed makeshift barriers outside the Old City’s Damascus Gate. Crowds of young Arab men cele-

brated after the barriers came down, waving Palestinian flags and taunting officers. At one point, thousands of Arab males danced while singing songs vowing to “liberate the Al Aqsa Mosque with blood and fire.”

The decision to remove the barriers ended over a week of tension between Palestinians and Israeli authorities that quickly deteriorated into violence. Police had erected the barriers on the onset of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in order to prevent non-vaccinated Muslims from heading to the Temple Mount. With hundreds of thousands of Muslims praying nightly at the Al Aqsa Mosque, health officials worried that the flashpoint site could turn into a super-spreader event. The barriers quickly became controversial, with Palestinians alleging that they were the beginning of “Israel’s plan to conquer and destroy the Al

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Aqsa Mosque.” Arab opposition to the barriers soon touched off a round of ethnic violence, as Palestinians began attacking charedi Jews all over Jerusalem and uploading the videos on the TikTok video app. On Thursday, farright Kahanist activist Bentzy Gopstien organized a rally opposing the “TikTok Terror,” which touched off the worst violence the city has seen in years. Leading hundreds of Jewish Israelis chanting, “Death to the Arabs,” Gopstien’s march resulted in pitched street battles with local Palestinians outside the Damascus Gate. Throughout Thursday evening, police battled desperately to prevent Lehava activists from clashing with the Arab mob, making dozens of arrests and deploying hundreds of riot police. According to Jerusalem District Police Chief Doron Turgeman, 157 people had been arrested since the violence escalated on Thursday with 54 detained for suspected attacks with a “racist motive.” On Friday evening, the Hamas terror group fired over 50 rockets into Israel in what the group called “an expression of solidarity with the fighters for Al Aqsa in Jerusalem.”

HRW: Israel is Apartheid

This week, Human Rights Watch accused Israel of crimes of apartheid and persecution, saying that the country practiced discriminatory policies toward Palestinians within its own borders and in the Palestinian territories. Israel summarily rejected the 213-page report. Human Rights Watch “is known to have a long-standing anti-Israel agenda,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said. “The fictional claims that HRW concocted are both preposterous and false.” Israel has long noted that its Arab minority enjoys full civil rights. The country has also dismissed the term “occupation” to describe its activ-

ities in the West Bank and Gaza. Gaza, from which it withdrew soldiers and settlers in 2005, is a hostile entity ruled by the Islamic terror group Hamas. Human Rights Watch focused its report on the definitions of apartheid and persecution used by the International Criminal Court, which launched a probe into possible Israeli war crimes last month. Israel rejects the court as biased. Citing public statements by Israeli leaders and official policies, HRW argued that Israel has “demonstrated an intent to maintain the domination of Jewish Israelis over Palestinians” in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, coupled with “systematic oppression” and “inhumane acts.” “When these three elements occur together, they amount to the crime of apartheid,” it said. As to the charge of persecution, the group cited “grave abuses” in the territories, including land confiscation, the systematic denial of building permits, home demolitions, and “sweeping, decades-long restrictions on freedom of movement and basic human rights.” The report cited a range of policies it said are aimed at ensuring a Jewish majority in Israel and lands it intends to keep, while largely confining Palestinians to scattered enclaves under overarching Israeli control, with policies that encourage Palestinians to leave. While such policies are far more severe in the territories, HRW said they can also be found in Israel itself, where Arab citizens of Israel, who make up roughly 20% of the population, face widespread discrimination when it comes to housing, land access and basic services. “Prominent voices have for years warned that Israeli conduct risked turning into apartheid,” Omar Shakir, author of the report, said. “This 213-page report finds that the threshold has been crossed.” The Palestinian Authority praised the report and called on the international community to “consider its recommendations,” according the official spokesperson for the Palestinian presidency, Nabil Abu Rudeineh. “This report comes at a time when Israeli violations and crimes are escalating fiercely against our Palestinian people,” he added, referring to violence between Jews and Palestinians in East Jerusalem since the start of Ramadan two weeks ago.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

Rockets Rampant

Gaza terrorists fired rockets at Israeli communities in southern Israel three nights in a row. On Friday night, 36 rockets were fired at southern Israel. Six were expected to land in populated areas and were intercepted by IDF soldiers manning the Iron Dome missile defense system. One rocket landed near a road, causing damage. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. On Saturday evening, three rockets were launched at Israel: at 9:00p.m., at 10:28p.m., and again at approximately 11:30p.m. One of them was intercepted above Nirim, and the other two fell within Gaza. On Sunday evening, three rockets were fired towards Israel. The Iron Dome intercepted two of the rockets, and the third exploded within Gaza. According to Walla!, Israel sent a message to Hamas via United Nations emissary Tor Wennesland warning that if rockets were fired on Monday as well, Israel would respond that same night with a “harsh, widescale attack in Gaza.” Monday did not see rocket fire from Gaza.

Israel GDP Going Strong

Despite 2020 being one of the worst years the Israeli economy has experienced, Israel finished the year among the world’s top 20 countries in GDP per capita. Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, is a widely-used marker used to measure the goods and services produced in a certain country during a specified timeframe. Wealthy countries with a strong economy generally have a higher GDP, which is produced by totaling the money spent by consumers, businesses, and government. According to data from Forbes Is-

rael and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Israel finished 2020 with a GDP per capita of $43,698, 19th in the world and above Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. Additional data also brought room for optimism. Despite soaring unemployment, a series of lockdowns and the collapse of the tourism sector, Israel’s economy only shrunk by 2.5%, significantly less than the EU average of 6% and the 5.5% recorded by the U.S.

A key reason for the relatively small economic price Israel paid during the COVID-19 pandemic is its booming tech sector. With Israel a world leader in cyber-security, funding and “exits” exploded as workplaces moved online around the world. In 2020, the Israel cyber sector recorded a 70% growth in investments as venture capital funds from around the world looked to the Start Up Nation to provide solutions for the new remote workplace. While Is-

raeli companies raised $3.9 billion in investment from 2014-2019, the industry pulled down $2.5 billion over the last year alone. “Exports played a key role in curbing the hit of the crisis on the economy,” noted the Bank of Israel in its annual 2020 report. “Advanced services exports, or in other words tech exports, witnessed high global demand, which stayed strong, especially in fields in which Israel specializes.”

APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Junk Food Can Harm Kids’ Bones

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A team of researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has proven the links between ultra-processed foods – also known as junk food – and reduced bone quality, unveiling the damage of these foods, particularly for younger children in their developing years. The study was led by Professor Efrat Monsonego-Ornan and Dr. Janna Zaretsky from the Department of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition at the University’s Faculty of Agriculture and was published in the journal Bone Research. Children tend to like junk food: As much as 70% percent of their caloric consumption are estimated to come from ultra-processed foods. While numerous studies have reflected on the overall negative impact of junk food, few have focused on its direct developmental effects on children, particularly young children. The Hebrew University study provides the first comprehensive analysis for how these foods impact skeletal development. The study surveyed lab rodents whose skeletons were in the post-embryonic stages of growth. The team then sought to analyze how specific eating habits might impact bone development and replicated this kind of food intake for the rodents. In the study, researchers found that the rodents experienced moderate damage to their bone density, although there were fewer indications of cartilage buildup in their growth plates. “Our conclusion was that, even in reduced amounts, the ultra-processed foods can have a definite negative impact on skeletal growth,” Monsonego-Ornan said. These findings are critical because children and adolescents consume these foods on a regular basis to the extent that 50 percent of American kids eat junk food each and every day. Monsonego-Ornan added,

“When Carlos Monteiro, one of the world’s leading experts on nutrition, said that there is no such thing as a healthy ultra-processed food, he was clearly right. Even if we reduce fats, carbs, nitrates, and other known harmful substances, these foods still possess their damaging attributes. Every part of the body is prone to this damage and certainly those systems that remain in the critical stages of development.”

Missile from Syria Lands in Negev

An air raid siren sounded early Thursday morning near the Bedouin village of Abu Qrenat, between Be’er Sheva and Dimona. According to reports, explosions were heard near Jerusalem, as well as near Modi’in, Rehovot, Be’er Sheva, Kiryat Ono, and in other locations. The anti-aircraft surface-to-air missile had been fired from Syria towards Israel, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said. Retaliating for the strike, the IDF attacked the Damascus-area battery which launched the missile and other surface-to-air missiles. According to an IDF spokesperson, the missile had missed its target in Israel and was not aimed at Dimona’s nuclear reactor. Reports said that Israel’s missile defense systems tried but failed to intercept the projectile.

Kerry Denies Leaking Israeli Intel

Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry strongly denied that

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he had leaked classified information about covert Israeli operations to Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. “I can tell you that this story and these allegations are unequivocally false. This never happened – either when I was Secretary of State or since,” tweeted Kerry. Kerry’s denial came after a blockbuster New York Times report alleged that he had “informed Zarif

of more than 200 Israeli attacks in Syria.” The revelation was part of a larger article about a leaked recording in which Zarif can be heard blasting former Quds Force Commander Qassem Sulemeini. Zarif had granted the interview to a Swiss historian and had thought that its contents would remain under lock and key. However, his remarks soon leaked, providing a window into the power struggles rocking the

Islamic Republic. Zarif frequently blasted Sulemieni during the one-and-a-half-hour interview, accusing him of purposely scuttling the 2015 Iran deal and endangering the stability of the regime. Bitterly attacking the slain Iranian general for monopolizing Iran’s foreign policy, Zarif bemoaned that he had become “essentially redundant” due to the former’s charisma and centralized leadership.

The second half of the New York Times article mentioned Zarif’s relationship with Kerry, who had been Secretary of State under former President Barack Obama. Describing the warm ties that flourished between the two statesmen, the newspaper noted that Israel has long managed a surreptitious “War Between the Wars” which sees its warplanes conduct nightly airstrikes against Iranian targets in Syria to prevent the latter from establishing an additional front on the Israeli border. The IDF commonly refrains from taking responsibility for attacks to prevent Iran and Syria from retaliating. The news that Kerry had intentionally leaked classified information about a close ally’s covert activities produced shockwaves throughout the political world, with lawmakers and pundits accusing the secretary of state of betraying Israel in favor of the Islamic Republic. “This is disgusting on many levels. Biden and Kerry have to answer for why Kerry would be tipping off Iran, the number one sponsor of terror, while stabbing one of our greatest partners, Israel, in the back,” tweeted Nikki Haley, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN. “John Kerry was ratting out Israeli covert operations in Syria directly to the Iranian foreign minister. Let that sink in. Wow,” added Noah Pollak, an analyst at the Democratic Alliance Group. In a speech from the Senate floor, Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan said that Kerry needed to resign “ASAP” from his current position as President Joe Biden’s envoy to the environment. “It’s unclear why John Kerry would relay such information to the leaders of the largest sponsored terrorism in the world. The secret information was given to one of America’s most sworn enemies...undermining the interests of one of our most important allies, the State of Israel. If this is true, John Kerry needs to go,” asserted Sullivan. Kerry and Zarif are said to share a warm relationship that began when the two sat at opposites ends of the negotiating table during the talks leading up to the Iran nuclear deal in 2015. After then-President Trump pulled out of the agreement in 2018, Kerry controversially met with Zarif in order to advise him on his next steps.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

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LA to House Homeless?

Los Angeles officials are vowing to fight a recent ruling by a federal judge ordering the city to house all homeless within 180 days. Earlier this month, Judge David O. Carter ordered the city to find a home for its mammoth homeless population within six months. The unprecedented ruling caused severe consternation in city hall, which is already struggling with its mushrooming homeless problem on Skid Row. In the first comments by a senior official, chief LA legal advisor Skip Miller said that the city will do everything in its power to fight the ruling. He added that the city is currently

reviewing its options, which include appealing the ruling which he decried as an egregious case of judicial overreach. “Deciding how to spend taxpayers’ money and deliver services to people experiencing homelessness is a legislative, not a judicial, function,” Miller told NBC News. “The County remains committed to its course of urgent action outside of court addressing this complex societal issue with the City and its other partners.” Carter’s injunction ordered Los Angeles to find permanent shelter for all women and children within the next three months and the remainder by October. It also required the city to audit all of the money it has earmarked for fighting homelessness since 2016. The ruling has been blasted by legal experts from both sides of the political spectrum as an improper case of judicial activism. It comes as LA has been fighting a rising homelessness problem that has seen thousands of people living in tents on the city’s infamous Skid Row. “All of the rhetoric, promises, plans, and budgeting cannot obscure the shameful reality of this crisis — that year after year, there are more homeless Angelenos, and year after

year, more homeless Angelenos die on the streets,” wrote Carter in the 110page decision. Carter explicitly blamed LA officials for the problem, singling out the “inaction of city and county officials” as resulting in “homeless residents living on sidewalks, parks and beaches, and that the city has fallen short of its goals to ease homelessness.” “Like Abraham Lincoln’s call to action in his Gettysburg Address, it is for us ‘to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far nobly advanced,’” Carter wrote. “Let us pick up that flag, and have the courage of those who fought so long ago, to act so that we can become a better nation and people.” According to the National Alliance to End Homeless, 25% of the 568,000 homeless across the United States are located in California with the majority of them in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Hours before Carter’s ruling, Mayor Eric Garcetti earmarked an additional $1 billion to find permanent lodgings for the unhoused.

NYC Sues Oil Companies

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New York City is suing three major oil companies and top industry trade groups in state court over global warming. The suit comes after a federal appeals court earlier this month rejected NYC’s effort to hold the companies liable to pay part of the costs of harm caused by global warming. The lawsuit, filed last Thursday, said that BP Plc, Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil Corp, and the American Petroleum Institute “have systematically and intentionally misled consumers” regarding the “central role their products play in causing the climate crisis.” The companies’ branded stations have also misrepresented the fuels sold as “emissions-reducing” and “cleaner,” the lawsuit states. The original suit was filed in 2018. Earlier this month, the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan rejected NYC’s attempt to sue under state nuisance law for damages

caused by “admittedly legal” production and sale of fossil fuels. In their rejection of the suit, the court said that the city’s claims were displaced by the federal Clean Air Act.

Montana Protects the 2nd Amendment

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed a bill into law nullifying any present or future federal gun control legislation banning firearms, ammunition, and magazines. “Today, I proudly signed Rep. Hinkle’s law prohibiting federal overreach into our Second Amendment-protected rights, including any federal ban on firearms,” Gianforte tweeted last Friday. “I will always protect our #2A right to keep and bear arms.” The bill had already sailed through both houses of parliament in Montana with broad backing from both Republicans and Democrats. It prevents state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal authorities to seize firearms and prohibits funds from going towards gun bans. The bill is widely popular in Montana and came after former Democratic Governor Steve Bullock vetoed three previous attempts to nullify federal gun laws in 2013, 2015, and 2017. Legislation that was signed into law earlier this year allows Montanans to carry concealed weapons almost anywhere in the state without a permit, including in universities and at the State Capitol. nullification bill Montana’s comes as a slew of red states pass similar steps amid fears that President Joe Biden will soon announce draconian gun-control policies. Executive Orders issued by Biden over the past month target homemade “Ghost Guns” along with implementing Red Flag laws allowing police to preemptively seize firearms from someone deemed dangerous. In early April, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed a nullification bill

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

into law while Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson vetoed similar legislation after it had already passed in the House and Senate. The Arkansas legislature can still override the veto by a simple majority vote. “The partnership between state and federal law enforcement officers is essential for the safety of Arkansas citizens,” Hutchinson warned. “This bill will break that partnership and put the safety of Arkansans at risk.”

Population Shift

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and Constitutional Law Scholar and Renown Legal Commentator We didn’t need a census to show us that people are leaving New York in droves, but the data speaks for itself. According to a first round of data released by the Census Bureau from the 2020 Census, some states – like New York – will be losing congressional seats; other states will be gaining representation. Texas will be adding two more seats to its roster in Congress. Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina, and Oregon will all add one more seat. On the other side of the population shift, because of less people living in California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, each of these states will be losing one congressional seat. The shift could affect the 2022 midterm elections and whether Democrats can hold onto control of the House, where they hold a narrow majority, controlling the House 218-212, with five seats vacant. It’s also part of a broader shift to the South and West of the U.S., with 84 seats shifting toward those states since 1940. The U.S. House of Representatives has 435 seats, based on population. Every decade, as population shifts, the allotment of seats for each state may change based on updated data collected by the Census Bureau. New congressional districts would take effect for the 2022 election. “Today’s data release is the first step in the redistricting process, and it will give states the number of congressional districts they will have for the rest of the decade,” said Michael Li, senior counsel for the non-partisan Brennan Center for Justice’s De-

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Beautiful and spacious tented outdoor venue within the Five Towns 6: 3 Opm Cocktails and Glatt Kosher Dinner I 7: 3 Opm Prouram heuins Register at guraljcc.org/AviB This exclusive event will take place in an intimate Covid compliant outdoor setting with guest speakers appearing live via Zoom including a live question and answer period.

Minimum gift to attend $1,000 per person. Space is limited. Sponsorship $5,000 Proudly sponsored by: Craig & Alisha Spatz• The Berkowitz Family• The Gural & Senders Family• Myrna Zisman UJA Federation ofNew York• Ariel and Baruch Glaubach Avi Berkowitz, a Harvard Law School graduate who grew up in Lawrence, was the Assistant to the President and Special Representative for International Negotiations under Former PresidentTrump. He was instrumental in securing the Abraham Accords normalizing the relationship between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain and leading to further normalization agreements with Sudan and Morocco. Although Avi is a private person, he has agreed to this one-time opportunity because of his passion for the Jewish Community of the FiveTowns and specifically the life sustaining work ofThe Marion & Aaron Gural JCC. For more information please contact Stacey Feldman at 516-569-6733 ext. 201 or stacey.feldman@guraljcc.org.

Your contribution will support the Gural JCC's Covid relief efforts which include the Rina Shkolnik Kosher Food Pantry at the S.H.O.P., social work support, emergency cash assistance, mental health counseling and employment guidance. mocracy Program. Monday’s Census data release only contains information about total populations in each state, not specific information like the demographics of the population and where they reside that states will use to determine how they draw their congressional districting maps. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said on Monday that redistricting data would be available by the end of September.

The U.S. population has increased by 7.4% since the last Census, to a total of 331,449,281 people. That’s a slower growth rate than recorded in 2010 and the second slowest growth rate in Census history. California is the most populous state with 39,538,223 people; Wyoming is the smallest state with 576,851 people. Utah was the state with the fastest growing population over the last decade, increasing by 18.4%, while West Virginia had the most population loss, dipping 3.2%.

NYC’s Empty Offices

The amount of vacant office space in New York City is the highest in

APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

nearly three decades and will likely reach even higher in the coming months, according to CNN. According to data from the global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield, 16.3% of Manhattan’s office space was vacant during the first quarter of 2021, up from 11.3% during the same period last year. That number is the highest since 1994. The report also said that office space leased in Manhattan since last year has also declined. The rise in vacancies, which Cushman & Wakefield expects will reach “unprecedented levels in the coming months,” is also expected to “substantially” push rent prices down. Rent costs have dropped for the past two quarters and have fallen to their lowest per-square-foot price in three years. Colliers International’s tri-state region president Michael Cohen noted, “Landlords have adjusted their expectations and are already being much more aggressive than they were before COVID. But their specific reactions depend on their individual circumstances. For example, developers of newer office buildings are more likely wait to make deals if they don’t want to lower their rents further.”

Life Sentence for Subway Bomber

Akayed Ullah, a Bangladeshi man who was convicted in federal court for a 2017 bombing in a New York City subway station, was sentenced last week to life in prison. Ullah, 31, carried out the attack on the morning of December 11, 2017, in the tunnel connecting two subway lines beneath the Port Authority Bus Terminal. The attack injured six people, including Ullah, who incurred injuries to his hands and stomach. Footage showed Ullah detonating a bomb as he walked in the underground tunnel. Following a one-week trial in New York’s Southern District in 2018, Ullah was convicted on six counts. Two of those charges, including the use of a weapon of mass destruction, carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. Prior to the attack, Ullah posted

on Facebook telling then-U.S. President Donald Trump, “Trump you failed to protect your nation.” He also posted an ISIS slogan, so that the terror group would know that he had carried out the attack on their behalf, the criminal complaint said. The bomb was comprised of a battery, metal screws, a lightbulb, and wires, authorities said. In a statement, Manhattan US Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Ullah’s motive was clear and unambiguous: a deeply held ideological hatred for America. “Ironically, Ullah’s actions resulted only in reaffirming the greatness of America by displaying the fairness and impartiality for which our justice system stands. Ullah received a speedy, fair, public trial, and was convicted by a jury of his peers. “Akayed Ullah’s message of hatred clearly backfired; his just sentence of life in prison only exemplifies that cowardly acts of terrorism will be met with law enforcement’s unwavering resolve to protect our core values of freedom and democracy.”

Rat-Free in Hawaii

A Hawaii island has declared itself free of invasive rats blamed for eating local seabirds and destroying native plants. For decades, Lehua Island had suffered from the rodents. In 2009, attempts were made to eradicate the rats but to no avail. Recently, Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) said that a two-year process to bait and trap the animals had succeeded in eradicating them. Sheri S. Mann, who serves as Kaua’I branch manager for the DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife, said: “After extensive on-island monitoring, we’re 99.99 percent certain there are no more rats on Lehua.” She added that the rodents’ removal, which follows the 2006 eradication of invasive herbivorous rabbits, “secures a future for Hawaii’s wildlife and ecosystems.” The Island Conservation’s Mele Khalsa, who served as technical advisor for the eradication program, said: “This great work ensures that

Hawaii’s Seabird Sanctuary can once again safely host our native seabirds that are so crucial to the ecosystem and our local fisheries.” According to him, “The operation went really well, and almost immediately we saw signs of recovery across the island. But in the months that followed, cameras captured an unexpected outcome, a small number of rats were still present on the island.” Those rats were removed in an effort which included the use of motion-sensor cameras. Island Conservation’s Dr. Patty Baiao said that “rats have not been detected on the island for over two years. April 2021 marks the oneyear anniversary since all rat-control treatments were removed from the island, adding to the data that allows us to declare Lehua rat-free.” Lehua Island is home to at least 17 species of seabirds, some of which are threatened. Conservationists also plan to restore 14 native plants, 11 of which are only found in Hawaii.

Recalling Gov. Newsom

The people of California don’t love their governor – and they’re going to do something about it. This week, the state’s secretary of state confirmed that more than 1.6 million signatures had been deemed valid on a petition to recall Governor Gavin Newsom. Organizers of the recall effort against Newsom collected enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot, state election officials said Monday, likely triggering the second such election in state history. “The people of California have done what the politicians thought would be impossible,” declared Orrin Heatlie, the retired county sheriff’s sergeant who launched the recall effort last year. “Our work is just beginning. Now the real campaign is about to commence.” Heatlie spearheaded the signature collection effort that began last June and then picked up momentum in the fall as frustration grew over Newsom’s coronavirus-related actions. People who signed petitions now

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Back to Civilization

have 30 days to withdraw their signatures, though it’s unlikely enough will do so to stop the question from going to voters. The recall against Newsom, a first-term Democrat seen as a possible White House hopeful someday, will be among the highest-profile political races in the country this year. So far, no other Democrats have jumped in to run against him. “I am not going to take this fight lying down,” read a fundraising appeal sent by Newsom shortly after Monday’s announcement about the

signatures. “There is too much at stake, and I intend to win.” An election will likely take place in the fall. Voters would face two questions: Should Newsom be recalled, and who should replace him? The votes on the second question will only be counted if more than half say yes to the first. If Newsom survives the recall, he will be up for reelection in 2022. Republicans running to replace Newsom include former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and reality TV star and former Olympic decath-

lon champion Caitlyn Jenner, who has never run for elected office. Businessman John Cox, who lost badly to Newsom in 2018, and former Congressman Doug Ose, also are running. The only other time a California governor has faced a recall election was in 2003, when Democrat Gray Davis was voted out and replaced with Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger. Newsom won election in 2018 with support from more than 60% of the voters.

It’s been decades since Mauro Morandi had neighbors – and now he’s about to get some. The 81-year-old man has been living in Budelli since 1989. His life has been one of seclusion. No one else inhabits the Italian island with its famous pink beaches. Morandi had wanted to change the pace of his life decades ago. “I was quite fed up with a lot of things about our society: consumerism and the political situation in Italy,” Morandi said. “I decided to move to a desert island in Polynesia, away from all civilization. I wanted to start a new life close to nature.” He and a few friends headed out by sea, eventually landing on the Italian archipelago of La Maddalena, where they planned to work and make money to fund the rest of their travels. Morandi arrived on Budelli and met the island’s guardian, who was about to retire. Sensing an opportunity, Morandi decided to stay on the island, looking after the land and speaking with tourists who visit the spot. Now, the owners of the island are asking Morandi to look for other pastures. “I will leave hoping that in the future Budelli will be protected as I have protected it for 32 years,” he wrote on Facebook on Sunday. This is not the first time Morandi was asked to leave. In 2020, the president of La Maddalena’s National Park, Fabrizio Fonnesu, noted Morandi had carried out illegal alterations to his hut, a former radio station dating back to World War II. At the time, more than 70,000 people signed a petition to ask the Italian government to allow Morandi to stay. This week, Morandi knows that he has to bid adieu to his beloved island. He plans on moving to a small flat on the nearby island of La Maddalena.

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APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

“My life won’t change too much,” he told The Guardian. “I’ll still see the sea.”

tiny trophy. “He’s going to remember this for the rest of his life,” Vinson’s father said. That’s josh beautiful.

Just Joshin’ Dad’s Perfect Game

This wasn’t just a fight – it was a Josh fight. On Saturday, April 24, hundreds of people from around the United States battled it out with pool noodles in a Nebraska field. The reason for the fight? Their names. The epic battle started out last April, when Josh Swain decided to have a bit of fun with his name. “For a long time, I’ve gone on Twitter and Instagram and I’ve tried to get the handle of just ‘Josh Swain’ and it’s always been taken,” Swain explained. “One day, I was like, ‘Alright, we can fix this.’” While the original challenge was posed to people named Josh Swain, the invitation was eventually extended to anyone with the first name Josh. Swain set Lincoln as the battlefield because of its central location in the U.S. “This was a complete joke,” Swain wrote on Reddit ahead of the battle. “But when I posted the screenshots to my Twitter here, the internet ran with it, and ran with enough endurance for you all to remember a YEAR later. That doesn’t happen very often, so I’m afraid I have to oblige the internet and trek all the way across the contiguous United States to defend my name.” Never underestimate the internet. On Saturday, hundreds of people brought their pool noodles to Lincoln, Nebraska, to battle it out. Out of all the Joshes, one other Josh Swain showed up. The two Swains battled it out in rock-paper-scissors fashion before the showdown. Josh Swain who organized the event came out on top. The rules for the pool noodle fight were simple. A player was out if they were touched by an opponent’s pool noodle before they could retaliate. Eventually, when everyone laid down their pool noodles, four-yearold Josh Vinson Jr., known as “Little Josh,” was crowned the winner. The Lincoln native received a Burger King crown, a champion’s belt, and a

John Hinkle Sr. just bowled a perfect game – but he wasn’t alive to see it. Last week, his son, John Jr., used a bowling ball with John Hinkle Sr.’s ashes inside to bowl a perfect game. “I had tears in my eyes trying to throw the last two balls of that game,” Jr. said. “It was hard for me to hold it together because I was so close to doing what I set out to do and all my emotions were really hitting me, trying to throw the ball,” the 38-yearold said. “That last ball I threw, I had no idea where it went. I just threw it and it struck.” Jr. posted a video on Facebook showing the moment he threw the 12th frame. “I can’t express what tonight means to me,” he captioned the video, in part. “I just bowled a 300 with my ball I put my Dad’s ashes in. He never had a perfect game until NOW.” In the clip, he throws the ball, records a strike, and steps away in tears as onlookers cheer. “I got down to the ground and I cried,” John shared. “And my brother was right there to pick me up, and we hugged it out and he cried, I cried. I was an emotional wreck. “I’ve been bowling for 34 years now and this is obviously the best moment ever,” he added. Bowling is a family sport. Jr. and his twin were taught how to bowl by their parents when they were around four years old. The family would spend every weekend at the bowling alley. John Sr. died in 2016. A few years later, John Jr. decided he wanted to try to put some of his dad’s ashes into the thumb hole of one of his bowling balls. At the time, the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) decided to require thumb holes to be filled for people who bowl with two

hands – which John does. “I knew I was going to have to get some of my bowling balls filled,” John recalled. “So I said it’d be a perfect time to do that.” Last December, John Jr. found someone who would be willing to fill the ball with Dad’s ashes. Though the ball was finished in December, John waited until last Monday to use it. “I don’t like to try new stuff during league or tournaments, so I really haven’t had time to throw it,” he said. “And then Monday, the 12th, when I threw it, we had already won the league, so it was our last week of bowling and no one could catch us, so I was like, [it’s] the perfect time to try this ball out.” Sounds like a lucky strike.

A Floating Pool

Want to swim in the air? Well, now you can do your laps high above the city of London. The world’s first “floating” sky pool with a glass bottom will be opening next month in England’s capital. Those doing laps will be able to see down to the street ten floors below, 115-feet in the air. The 82-foot pool will hold 400 tons of water and will also have the best views of the billion-dollar U.S. Embassy as well as the House of Parliament and the London Eye. The pool was shipped 5,000 miles from Colorado, and is connected to two buildings using technology that allows it to move as the buildings settle as well as adapting for wind sway. Developer Ballymore’s Chairman Sean Mulryan noted: “It was an idea that really stood out and that we thought was quite special. “We didn’t know if it was possible at the time, and five years ago, it wouldn’t have been. It’s only because of advances in technology that we’re able to do this.” Brian Eckersley, Director of Eckersley O’Callaghan, Sky Pool structural engineers, added, “Once you swim off, you can look right down. It will be like flying.” Well, that certainly blows regular pools out of the water.

Seeing the Light

Just in time for Lag B’Omer, 15 volunteers emerged from a cave over the weekend after spending 40 days there without clocks, phones, or sunlight. The group of eight men and seven women lived in the Lombrives cave in the southwest of France as part of a $1.4 million project called Deep Time, which set out to explore the limits of human adaptability to isolation. The project, led by the Human Adaption Institute, ended on Saturday after 40 days. During their time in the cave, the volunteers slept in tents and made their own electricity with a pedal bike since there was no natural light. They also drew water from a well 146 feet below the earth. Since there was no sunlight, the team had to follow their biological clocks to know when to sleep, eat, or do daily tasks. Unsurprisingly, they quickly lost their sense of time. Project director Christian Clot, who was also part of the group, told reporters on Saturday: “And here we are! We just left after 40 days…. For us, it was a real surprise.” The group was given special sunglasses when they emerged from the cave to help their eyes adjust to natural light. One volunteer said he thought they had been underground for 23 days. The group had no communication with the outside world and was not able to use phones or other electronic devices. One volunteer, math teacher Johan Francois, said he ran 6-mile circles in the cave to stay fit. He told reporters he had “visceral urges” to leave the cave. But other volunteers felt differently, with two-thirds saying they wanted to stay in the cave for longer. “For once in our lives, it was as if we could press pause,” Marina Lançon, one of seven women to take part in the experiment, said. “For once in our lives, we had time and could stop to live and do our tasks. It was great.” Don’t know what tasks they were doing in a cave for that long.

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Community JCCRP & Launch Your Wealth – Financial Freedom Now a Reality

s the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our lives, many are facing issues they could have never imagined a year ago. What began as a public health threat quickly transformed into something much larger, not only impacting our health but also our financial well-being. The pandemic really shined a spotlight on the financial insecurity of many in our community who were left ill-prepared for the financial shocks the pandemic caused, whether that was having inadequate emergency savings to cover things like losing a job or unexpected medical expenses. This past year has, unfortunately, put a financial strain on many. At the same time, it has opened the door for important conversations about the need to boost financial

education. As the nation begins to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, now is a crucial time to take control of your financial situation. Enters Rabbi Reuven Levine, the founder of Launch Your Wealth LLC. Launch Your Wealth is a program that helps people understand their finances. Clients are guided to finding financial freedom and peace through budgeting and making their income the source of their wealth. Rabbi Levine, an incredibly talented individual, holds a B.S. in accounting, an M.S. in Education, and semicha from HaRav Moshe Heinemann, shlita. Rabbi Levine always had an interest in finances. He pursued this passion in the founding of Launch Your Wealth two years ago. Since its inception, many families have taken

advantage of these services. “This program has brought a sense of calm to my life that I haven’t had in over 15 years since my single days. Reuven walked me through it step-by-step; I can’t imagine life before this,” Chaim, a local father of four, commented. Moshe Brandsdorfer, the JCCRP executive director, expressed, “We are excited to have Rabbi Levine on board as he has firsthand knowledge of what it costs to raise a frum family in our community. He understands the challenges, expenses, and obstacles facing local families. We urge community members to take advantage of his incredible program.” There are a limited number of slots available for coaching subsidized by the JCCRP. This program is generously sponsored by the UJA

A Launch Your Wealth workshop

Rabbi Reuven Levine, founder of Launch Your Wealth

Federation of NY. For more information or to schedule an appointment for Financial Coaching please email info@jccrp.org or call 718-327-7755.

APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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It’s Siyum Time

abbi Heimlich’s and Rabbi Gardenswartz’s third grade classes at Yeshiva of South Shore reached an amazing milestone this past week – they both finished Parshas Mikeitz! The Yam Shel Shlomo says there is no greater simcha or mitzvah that is done before Hashem than the simcha and mitzvah of finishing a portion of Torah. The poskim say since there is such great joy at a siyum, even if people did not finish the portion of Torah, they should still partake in the siyum. As such, they were treated to a lavish breakfast of bagels, eggs, pancakes and syrup along with delicious cookies for dessert and were joined by Rabbi Robinson, the ele-

mentary division menahel, and our Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Kamenetzky. Rabbi Kamenetzky spoke about how Hashem can turn things around for a

Celebrating Israel @73 at HANC HS

person in a split second – one moment things are hard and the next instant everything has changed – yeshuas Hashem keheref ayin.

May the talmidim continue to learn and be mesayem many more areas of Torah and bring nachas to their families and rabbeim.

Bringing Physics To Life

n honor of the 73rd Anniversary of Israel’s Independence, HANC High School celebrated Yom Ha’Atzmaut 5781 with spirted and meaningful educational programming throughout the day. The morning began with tefillah and an all-school spirited musical Hallel led by our very own music teacher, Mr. Jacob Spadaro, and Rabbi Yaakov Grun; followed by an epic Color War fake-out built off of a lecture about kachol ve’lavan and their critical role in Israeli symbols such as the Israeli flag. During morning shiur, classes participated in seminars on Ahavat Medinat Yisrael by Principal Rabbi Eli Slomnicki and Dean of Students Mr. Avi Smus. Rabbi Slomnicki had the opportunity to share with our upperclassmen a shiur about the deep relationship between Nassau County and hakamat hamedinah and the halachic relevance to that connection. The session culminated with students writing their personal reflections of a memorable experience. Grades 9 and 10 participated in an interactive presentation with Mr. Smus who relayed to the student body his personal journey moving to Israel from England as a teenager and eventually joining Tzahal in Special Forces. Mr. Smus stressed the importance of Ahavat Yisrael and creating a kiddush Hashem working with various groups of

people in the army and beyond. A highlight of the workshop was the presentation and explanation of the Ghillie Suit (camouflage suit) and webbing, which Mr. Smus allowed the students to try on. Following a shwarma lunch, the afternoon continued with a spectacular Israeli-themed carnival created by the Student Senate led by President Atara Klein and Vice President Caity Davis. Thank you to the Rabbi Daniel Mezei and the Student Life Team, as well as to the many dedicated students, for organizing the day’s festivities.

By Noam Ben Simon

TA juniors in Dr. Berliner’s AP Physics course enjoyed hands-on experimentation during their first lab of the year. After months of learning about the math and theory behind electricity and magnetism, talmidim were able to see these principles in action through active participation in engaging experimentation. They utilized Yeshiva University’s state-of-the-art Physics Lab, which is just one of the many advantages to MTA’s location on the YU campus, to make these principles of physics come alive. Tamidim learned how to measure resistance, voltage,

and current through operating a DC power supply and circuit. “It was very exciting to see the equations come to life,” shared student leader Mordechai Fox (‘22). The talmidim enrolled in the AP Physics course learn at an advanced level, which is not typically available to high school students, under the leadership of Dr. Berliner, who serves as the Executive Director of Science Management/Clinical Professor of Physics at YU in addition to his role as AP Calculus and AP Physics Instructor at MTA. Dr. Berliner also played an integral role in the building of the science labs both at YU and MTA.

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Learn & Live

or over a year, as the world ground to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, the boys of the Learn & Live program of Far Rockaway were unable to enjoy the one-of-a-kind presentations they had grown accustomed to experiencing each week from the community’s many talented Rabbeim. Now, this past Sunday, after many months of only Zoom programs and hotline stories, Learn & Live was finally able to open its doors once more for some in-person, geshmak, hands-on learning! This past week, Learn & Live had the pleasure of welcoming Rabbi Maimon Elbaz of Torah Shows, who started off our segment on STAM (all about Sifrei Torah, Tefillin, and Mezuzos) with a fascinating presentation all about the very last mitzvah in the Torah – the mitzvah to write a sefer Torah. The boys listened spellbound as he explained how sifrei Torah are made, discussed the importance of making and using them, and shared some incredible true stories about writing sifrei Torah as well. The afternoon ended with some raffles and refreshments for all. It’s great to be back! We can’t wait for next week, when a sofer will be coming iy”H to show the boys exactly how sifrei Torah are made, up close and personal! For more information regarding L&L programs, please email learnandlivefr@gmail.com.

NEW SHABBOS AFTERNOON GEMARA SHIUR Khal Chasidim of Lawrence is pleased to announce a new Shabbos afternoon gemara shiur, beginning Shabbos Parshas Emor, May 1st (‫)י"ט אייר‬.

The shiur will be learning the fourth ‫ פרק‬of ‫מסכת גיטין‬. We will be learning Gemara, Rashi, and selected Tosfos inside, and will also cover key ‫ ש"ס‬topics addressed by the primary Rishonim and select Achronim. The shiur will be given by Shlomo Wilamowsky Shiur at 5:30 p.m. followed by Mincha at 6:30.

KHAL CHASIDIM OF LAWRENCE Rav Sender Gluck, Mora D’Asra 7 Firethorne Drive Lawrence

APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Margaret Tietz Evening of Inspiration in Honor of Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld, zt”l The event was held on Tuesday evening, April 27

PHOTO CREDIT: MARK MITTEL

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APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Achiezer at 13: A Talk with Aliza Wartelsky Part 5 of a Series By Avi Shiff

n honor of Achiezer’s 13th year, we are conducting a multi-part series celebrating the various facets of this remarkable organization. For Week #5, we spoke to Aliza Wartelsky. For how many years have you worked at Achiezer? About seven years.

What is your role at Achiezer? I work in the Family Crisis Division, in addition to other responsibilities, such as directing our Respite Rooms in hospitals. What does family crisis intervention entail? Often, when a family is experiencing a crisis, someone will refer them to Achiezer and they call and speak with me. We discuss the matter at hand a bit, and many times I have them come in for a meeting. This is when Boruch Ber Bender, Dr. Lowinger, and I speak with the family, usually encouraging them to bring along an advocate who can work with them. We go through their entire situation and address their actual challenges by attempting to provide practical solutions. Many times, while families are aware that they are “in crisis,” they are completely unaware of what kind of help is available to them. We also refer the family to any other organizations who can assist in their predicament. After we meet, I will send them an email recapping what we discussed and what next steps they should take. And of course, I follow up as often as needed.

Aliza Wartelsky with Boruch Ber Bender directing the distribution of yom tov food cards, March 2020

So you really get personally involved in the families you help. Absolutely! I feel so close to every family who calls. They become my families. I truly care about them so much. We try our best to think of creative and out-of-the-box ideas. Nothing is clear-cut. Every situation is different and personal, so we try to get to know the players and see what they are comfortable for us to do for them. We never push a family beyond their comfort level. Often, as mentioned, people don’t even know what they really need and how it’s affecting the rest of their life. They aren’t aware that there are actually people and organizations out there who can help them. As we often say, sometimes we can’t take away the machalah, the problem, but we can make it easier on the family and their children. Obviously, we cannot fix everything, but we want to help and be there for people in any way we can.

Did you know? April is National Humor Month, which was created to share the “therapeutic value of humor.”

I speak to Dr. Lowinger, our inhouse mental health director, quite often and discuss what the right approach or solution is. Her mental health guidance is invaluable. What is the secret ingredient that makes Achiezer so unique? The cohesiveness among our staff and how well everyone works together. In an environment where you are dealing with real-life circumstances, we are all very sensitive to the callers, and dealing with these kinds of situations makes one closer to their colleagues. It bonds us in a special way. We need each other to do our jobs and we support each other. I’m very lucky to have my closest friends here at Achiezer. We respect each other and each have our different areas in which we can contribute. Despite working together, though, the sensitivity to confidentiality is incredible. We never use names in the office. Everything is kept private to the utmost. That is something that is very important to us. Can you comment on Achiezer’s growth over the last decade? Sometimes, when you’re so deeply involved in something, you don’t always get to sense the growth as much. You just kind of grow along with the organization, and it happens gradually. But we’ve definitely expanded. Our Respite Rooms have grown from two to five, and our staff

has increased. We never know what any day will be like. Some days I can deal with 30 calls, while on others I may deal with four very lengthy calls, dealing with intricate issues. With all of our growth, we are constantly exploring new ideas and initiatives, expanding as necessary. How did the Covid-19 pandemic impact what you do? During the height of corona, our phones did not stop ringing! I couldn’t put my phone down for a moment. From financial help to medical assistance to hospital support, we couldn’t catch our breaths. Emails were coming in all day, and calls flooded each department. Last April and May, I saw an exceedingly large number of unemployment cases, sometimes about 60 a day. Baruch Hashem, it’s much quieter now on that front. But within the financial world, many people have been affected by Covid and its aftermath, and we have been helping people with résumés, career counseling, financial assistance, and so on. We were even called upon to coach people on how to properly use their stimulus check. So Covid took a toll on many individuals, but thankfully we have seen things calm down. Any final comment? I want to express just how much I learn from our clients and the chizuk I get from them. These are people who are going through so much, yet they demonstrate such extraordinary emunah and bitachon, even when going through such pain! It’s unbelievable. That really empowers us. I’ve never seen anything like it. Even when going through trials and challenges, the members of Klal Yisrael express such heartfelt hakoras hatov for even the little things we do. It means so much to us and it is really inspiring. In addition, I’ve been so inspired by the people in our community, including professionals, such as accountants and lawyers, who offered their help pro bono during corona. We have an amazing community all around, filled with amazing people, and it is an honor to be able to serve them through Achiezer.

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Happy Publishers at HALB

fter exploring and studying the similarities and differences between the three types of fiction stories, HALB second graders had the opportunity to compose their own fairytales folktales and fables. They went through the entire writing process and published their own stories. The grade celebrated by having a party where students came in costume and brought a snack that connected to that costume. Our HALB second graders are happily published after!

Morah Kasimov’s fifth graders at Yeshiva Sha’arei Zion in Forest Hills celebrated finishing the Lamed Tet Melachot and decorated cakes to depict some of the melachot and halachot that they learned

Middos Olympics at YOSS Hollander ECC MTA’s Annual Parent Education Session

“O

n your mark, get set, get ready, go to sleep!” The races at Yeshiva of South Shore Hollander Early Childhood Center began with lots of excitement as the red and blue teams ran to do the mitzvah of kabed es avicha ve es emecha. In connection to Pirkei Avos and middos, we celebrated the month of Iyar at our Annual

Middos Olympics. The children raced to help their friends in their Hatzalah ambulances, served food to their guests, and hopped (and hoped) to put tzedakah in the tzedakah boxes. They especially liked the to play “Please and thank you pass the ball around” as they soon discovered everyone’s a winner at the Middos Olympics!

TA offers an annual Parent Education Session on timely and relevant topics to help parents learn more about the issues their teens are facing. This year’s virtual event took place on Wednesday, April 21 and featured guest speaker Dr. Eli Shapiro, Director of The Digital Citizenship Project, who discussed “The Impact Of Technology Before, During, and After COVID-19.” The evening began with opening remarks from Head of School Rabbi Joshua Kahn, who shared a d’var Torah, discussed the tremendous sense of achdus created among the MTA community at events that bring everyone together, and introduced Dr. Shapiro. His presentation focused on the relationship that parents and children have with technology, which has shifted over the past year due to increased screen time and decreased in-person contact. Parents learned new tools to assess the impact that technology is having on their teenage

children, including lack of sleep, increased exposure at a young age, and cyberbullying. Dr Shapiro shared specific techniques for promoting healthy relationships with technology and devices. “The main message of the evening is showing parents that everything we do must be done within the context of a positive relationship with our children, as we instill our values in them and teach them how to flourish on their own,” shared MTA’s Director of Guidance Mrs. Tamar Sheffey. “The partnership between yeshiva and home is vital to the success of each boy and these events help us work with parents to ensure that the social emotional needs of their children are being met in both places.” The evening concluded with a question-and-answer segment, providing parents with the opportunity to connect with Dr. Shapiro and dig even deeper into this topic.

APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Spring has sprung at Shulamith ECC

So You Want to Be a Mental Health Professional By Miriam Turk, LCSW

hen I decided to become a social worker many years ago, there were few choices of graduate programs. Nowadays, those thinking about becoming a mental health professional have multiple options. The purpose of this short article is not to speak about any specific discipline or program. It’s simply for you to think about what it means to choose the field of mental health as a profession. Helping people is an honor. Helping people help themselves is rewarding and inspiring. Being involved in helping others enhance the quality of their emotional life is a great privilege. While chessed may be a byproduct, let’s be clear, this profession is not about “being nice.” It’s about being part of an emotional excursion; facilitating growth and mindful self-reflection. For this relationship to be effective, this journey must occur for both the client, and the practitioner. Facilitating Growth is Not about Fixing People Becoming a mental health professional requires heavy amounts of emotional labor and academic effort. This career means being with people who are suffering and living with the fact that, no matter how skilled you are, you will not always be able to alleviate their burdens. It can be terribly discouraging when a client stops working in therapy or prematurely drops out of treatment. You know you can still help them, but they have decided not to continue. There are boundaries unique to this relation-

ship. The client is the determining voice. My hope to “fix it” can get in the way and possibly cause damage. Learning what is professionally appropriate takes years and is beyond the limitations of this article. To put it simply, psychotherapy (talk therapy), requires nuanced compassion, patience, and skill to help make the unconscious, conscious, and promote emotional development. A person can’t “change” anything until we know it’s there. It’s difficult to see other people suffer and hear about their abusive past and/or present trauma. You will see such in almost every case that comes your way. Again, your desire to facilitate change must be guided by protocol, boundaries, technique and self-care. The use of evidenced based practice interventions should be a guide for your work. We often face ethical dilemmas which are tricky to navigate and require great skill to work through. The skill of being able to balance beneficence (acting to promote the patient’s well-being) and nonmaleficence (avoiding harm to come to the patient) is a delicate one. (i.e., Should a suicidal client be involuntarily hospitalized?) The “Shidduch” of Therapist and Client As a religious clinician, one faces unique sheilos necessitating a relationship with a rav; a rav who has more than a casual understanding of mental health issues. Burnout is an occupational hazard, and the professional must create for himself a solid support structure to mitigate the possibility. At the end of the day, I

can be well trained, current with the newest techniques and implementing scientifically validated procedures yet, despite this, may not be the right therapist for a particular client. No one individual mental health professional can help everyone who walks into his office. It’s a shidduch of sorts. And, just as in the shidduch process, two good people might not be the right match to fulfill the goal of the relationship. This field also requires the clinician to respect a client’s right to self-determination even when the choices they make may not be those you think are best for them. These challenging and common dilemmas often evoke strong feelings for the therapist, and therefore self-awareness on the part of the therapist is of critical importance attended to by regular supervision, personal therapy and ongoing training. These can be costly and time-consuming but are of upmost significance for one’s professional and personal responsibility and development. We must stay abreast of up-to-date research and new treatment modalities in order to bring our educated skill set and properly directed compassion into the treatment room. You enter this profession, and you become a lifelong learner. The Rewards of a Mental Health Career If you’re thinking about joining this field, remember “repairing it” cannot be your goal with every situation. There will be disappointments and you will need support along the way as described above. The neces-

Miriam Turk, LCSW

sary self-introspection and encouragement are vastly different than what is needed in other professions. This relationship is not and should never be reciprocal. The goal of this connection is not to change the client – they need to do that – but it is to decrease suffering, increase self-awareness, and improve emotional well-being. Once you become a mental health professional, you have joined a regulated profession which requires licensure as well as abiding to a high level of standards and ethics as defined by each disciplines’ governing body. The field requires ongoing training for recertification without which it is illegal to practice. Yes, illegal. This job is not without its rewards as we said at the start of this article. Helping people improve the quality of their lives and empowering them to reach a healthier state of mind is noble and fulfilling. Such “rewards” most often outweigh the challenges. Miriam Turk is Recruitment Director, Jewish Community, Touro College Graduate School of Social Work and VP, NEFESH International.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

Around the Community

Siach Shabbos of Chizuk

id you notice some new faces walking around the neighborhood this past Shabbos? For the first time in the 40+ years of Siach Yitzchok’s existence, all of our rabbeim got together for a Shabbos of Chizuk in our beautiful and spacious new cheder building. The program included inspiring drashos from the Menahel, Rabbi Dovid Sitnick, shlit”a, and guest speaker Rabbi Naftali Reich, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Ohr Samayach in Monsey. The rebbeim and their esteemed wives enjoyed delicious cuisine at the three Seudos Shabbos provided by Chap-A-Nosh Catering. On Shabbos afternoon, the men were zocheh to hear divrei chizuk from the renowned Menahel of Ye-

shiva Ketana of Long Island, Rabbi Tzvi Krigsman, and the women heard from the always inspiring and engaging Rabbi Yehoshua Kurland, R”M in Yeshiva Sh’or Yoshuv. A special thank you goes to our parents, Mrs. Y. Feigenbaum and Mrs. E. Jacobs, for giving phenomenal presentations to the wives of our choshuve rebbeim. Another highlight took place at Mincha on Shabbos afternoon, when many of the talmidei Siach Yitzchok, along with their fathers, came to the cheder to wish their rebbeim a Gut Shabbos. The rebbeim and their wives immensely enjoyed a chance to see Far Rockaway up close in a relaxing atmosphere, and we delighted in treating them to a special Shab-

bos, as a very small token for our very great appreciation of their daily herculean efforts on behalf of our

children. We look forward to seeing them back again in the near future.

APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

On Tuesday, Five Towns school leaders and activists from Orthodox Union’s TeachNYS met with State Senator Todd Kaminsky on Zoom to express their appreciation for the record STEM funding Kaminsky helped secure for yeshivas and day schools in this year’s state budget

SKA Pauses for Speech

“M

ay I say that one teacher is more interesting than the other?” SKA’s powerful PAUSE (Pausing and Understanding Speech’s Effect) Program on shemirat halashon, initiated in the school over the past few years by limudei kodesh faculty member Mrs. Sheva Mezei, delivered forceful messages to the student body on Monday, April 19, when the morning was devoted to this incredible project. The students at the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls were privileged to hear from Mrs. Slovie Jungreis Wolff about the strength that this generation of women can bring to Am Yisroel. Citing her late mother, Rebbitzen Esther Jungreis, a”h, she exhorted the girls to look to the Torah for answers and gave personal examples of how to be “great”

SKA seniors Breindy Berger and Jenny Lifshitz wearing PAUSE bracelets

in words and deeds. The PAUSE Program asks that before we speak, we pause and THINK - “Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it important? Is it necessary? Is it kind?”

Workshops for each grade held after the speaker were based on the classic film of feathers flying and the impossibility of putting them back in the pillowcase, prompting the girls to re-

alize the power of their words and the effects of negative speech. The workshops also examined how lashon harah has gotten worse with the advent of cellphones and the internet. Tuesday’s Advisory sessions, where students meet in small groups with a faculty member to speak about issues outside of the classroom in a more personal setting, focused on shemirat halashon and ona’as devarim everyday scenarios in greater depth. SKA’s PAUSE Program, with its focus on positive speech and actions, has become an intricate part of the school curriculum. As part of the Chofetz Chayim Heritage Foundation, SKA will also be joining girls from high schools in over 23 different countries to continue learning the laws of shemirat halashon in their Navi classes during sefira.

Summer Programming at the BACH

s the weather gets warmer and more people are vaccinated, the BACH Jewish Center (BACH) has created dynamic programming to bring current and prospective congregants back to the synagogue this summer. They are also hoping to attract young families who do not currently live in the community through their Sunday events. “Summers in Long Beach and at the BACH are iconic. Each year, hundreds of Jewish families from the metropolitan area come to spend Shabbos with us and last year, the

pandemic made that impossible,” said Rabbi Benny Berlin, rabbi of the shul. “When we created this summer’s robust programming schedule, we wanted to bring that experience back now that we are much further along in the pandemic. We are looking forward to welcoming our members back for a summer to remember and are excited about the many young families who have already expressed interest in joining us for these events.” Starting in May, the BACH will launch a “Sunday Funday” series of events. Once a month, they invite

members and young couples from all around the NY/NJ metro area to join them for Shacharis followed by a bagel breakfast, a family activity, and then a mid-afternoon BBQ. Summers in Long Beach have long been a hallmark of the Jewish communal experience on Long Island. Sunday Fundays are aimed to bring back this tradition. Throughout the summer, there will also be a weekly Sunday morning youth program with events such as a magic show, animal show and a ventriloquist. The shul will also

be offering outdoor kiddushim and shalosh seudos for both community members and visitors. All programs will be conducted in a COVID-19 safe manner. The BACH’s membership has grown by more than 10-percent this past year. Many families, including those with young children, have moved to the beach community because of its lifestyle benefits, which include access to day schools, local kosher restaurants and regional transportation in addition to easy access to New York City.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

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Sophomore Slumber Party

ophomores at Central stayed after school on Thursday evening for a night of “Slumber Party” fun! As is Central tradition, Central sophomores always have the privilege to sleep in school. Since we could not sleep over this year, we recreated the experience late into the night, COVID-friendly style! This was a fun opportunity to enjoy the school building without the stress of classes or exams and bond with the grade. Following classes, students kicked off their Slumber Party night with a gradewide game of “Guess

Who,” led by Grade Reps, Leba Fass and Adina Tanner. They moved outside where they enjoyed a delicious deli-style dinner outside on the lawn. Students then changed into pajamas, set up their sleeping bags, and enjoyed “The Princess Diaries” in the cafe. Students laughed together late into the night (while enjoying their yummy Marino Ices!) and were sad to part ways after the movie. While they might not have had the chance to brush their teeth in the gym sink (some did just for fun!), they sure did have a blast!

SHS Blood Drive

ast month, the New York Blood Center announced a blood shortage emergency. New York’s healthcare system requires “1,500 donations daily to treat patients ranging from trauma victims to new babies to cancer patients,” according to the center. Though the need for blood is constant, COVID-19 restrictions has made it difficult for blood centers to arrange blood drives. In addition to the prodigious chessed hours and events Shulamith

High School students arrange and participate in, SHS seniors stepped up to the plate to quickly arrange a community blood drive at Shulamith. Faculty, students of-age, and parents were invited to make appointments to donate blood. Slots quickly filled up, and SHS seniors, along with Director of Student Activities Ms. Esty Munk, ensured that the drive ran smoothly, efficiently, and safely. The blood drive was a success, and SHS is so proud of the senior class!

tions you never had the chance to ask, it gives a different view of what is going on.” One of The Kosher Conversation’s early episodes revealed how a matzah bakery operates. “Even after hearing a shiur about the halachos of matzah, hearing how things happen on the ground in an actual matzah bakery sheds a whole new light onto the topic. When I interviewed Rav Shmuel Heinemann, we discussed every aspect of the matzah baking process – hand and machine – and what happens when things go wrong.” To get the behind-the-scenes scoop on Cholov Yisroel, food service kashrus, Pesach hotels and more, subscribe to The Kosher Conversation or visit: https://anchor.fm/kosher-conversation.

Future planned podcast topics include: standards of kosher meat production, behind-the-scenes of a kosher nursing home facility, and keeping kosher in smaller Jewish communities. “We hope to satisfy your curiosity about all areas of Kashrus,” says Rabbi Jacobson, “It’s an intriguing and multi-faceted field.” Concludes Rabbi Jacobson, “These are amazing people, who have dedicated their lives to bringing kosher food to your table. The aim of this podcast is to tell their stories – the story behind the symbol.”

Stories Behind the Symbol By Margie Pensak

ave you ever wondered if your medicine really needs to be kosher? Or, what it takes to set up a kosher restaurant? Wonder no more about these and other questions you may have about the world of Kosher thanks to STAR-K Kosher Certification’s new podcast series, The Kosher Conversation! The Kosher Conversation is the brainchild of STAR-K Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Chananya Jacobson. “People have come over to me and said things like, ‘I wish I could spend a day as a fly on the wall at STAR-K,’” shares Rabbi Jacobson. “People are very interested in having first-hand knowledge regarding what is going on behind the scenes of a

kosher food production. Who knows those details better than the supervising rabbis and others privy to the production?” The podcasts are another means of fulfilling STAR-K’s mission of educating Kosher consumers. They are available on all major podcast players, such as Google Podcasts and Apple iTunes, and run between 30 and 60 minutes. What better way to optimize your time while exercising, washing the dishes, or driving carpool? “They fill a niche we weren’t filling before,” notes Rabbi Jacobson. “Baruch Hashem, STAR-K has a lot of formal classes – shiurim and webinars – but when you give over ideas in a casual way, with just two people talking and getting answers to ques-

Questions, comments, and suggested topics are welcome at podcast@ star-k.org.

4.5” x 11.25” 49

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

Around the Community

‫בס“ד‬

Sourdough Science at Central homemade sourdough also hit a peak. With this sudden resurgence, many people wondered about the benefits and health effects of sourdough. The purpose of this experiment was to see if bacteria in each of the sourdough cultures from different locations contained different bacterial species and what health benefits those species yield. DNA was obtained from the bacteria in three different ways to yield the most effective results. The results from the gel electrophoresis were run through a program called ‘DNA Subway’ that cleaned up and analyzed the data. The results showed that all of the sourdough bacteria consisted of many different types of bacteria. The bacterial species sequenced from these sourdough cultures all seemed to have one thing in common: benefits for human health.” Congratulations to Maytal, Eliana, and Rivka, as well as to Research Methodology instructor Professor Jason Williams, and to Director of the Science Institute, Mrs. Ruth Fried, who mentored these young scientists in their research.

ILLOS PA TEF RT UR

Don’t Miss Out Deadline Thursday 12:AM

E PAT ICI

hree of Central’s 10th grade Science Institute Research Methodology students won first place in this year’s Nassau Community College Honors Program’s twenty-third annual Science Fair Competition for high school students, which took place virtually this year. Submissions were accepted via email and sent out to a team of four judges. Each project was judged under the following criteria: Adherence to the Scientific Method; Creativity and Originality; Clarity, Spelling/ Grammar; Relevance to the Theme. A special Zoom event announcing the winners was scheduled to take place on Friday, April 16, 2021, but because our students are Shabbat observers, the award ceremony was moved to Thursday, April 15. Sophomores Maytal Chelst, Eliana Samuels, and Rivka Sullivan researched sourdough bread starters and DNA barcoded the different bacteria that make each region’s sourdough unique. They explained, “Sourdough has been around for centuries and during the peak of Covid-19, making

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Students enjoyed Go Gimmel Go! relay races this week at Gesher

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APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

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Spring into Reading at IVDU LI

he students in Mrs. Karrs’ class at IVDU Long Island have begun a new initiative, “Spring into a Good Book,” where they have the opportunity to choose their own book to read independently or with a peer. The boys then write their reaction to the book on a paper flower and hang it on the spring bulletin board. IVDU LI would like to thank Hindi’s Libraries for donating boxes of books that our students have been enjoying. We appreciate the opportunity that it is affording our students to read a great variety of books in different genres that they enjoy.

Tzitzit Workshop at HANC

The Ganger Early Childhood talmidos at TAG “roasted” marshmallows for Lag B’Omer this week

YKLI Scroll of Recognition

he boys of Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island participate with a lot of derech eretz during the afternoon classes. To reward the boys, the yeshiva gives out special

treats a few times a year for those boys who are eligible for “The Scroll of Recognition.” This past week, the Yeshiva gave out its fourth scroll. The boys enjoyed a danish with a slurpee!

Did you know? William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564.

he sixth grade boys at HANC Plainview were thrilled to have their Tzitzit Workshop this week! This one-week program is led by HANC Plainview grandparent and long-time volunteer Rabbi Dr. Elliot Grossman, who loves teaching the students the mitzvah of tzitzit and learning how to tie the strings. Each boy makes their own talit kattan to wear daily. The Torah says “asu lahem tzitzit”, and while you can

fulfill the mitzvah by buying a pair, you take it one step further when you make them yourself. When you are in the classroom, it is so obvious that Rabbi Dr. Grossman believes that hands-on projects add to the enjoyment and performance of this mitzvah. It was a project that was enjoyed by all, and the students are looking forward to wearing their new tzitzit proudly!

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

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APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

Earth Day at HANC

n honor of the international commemoration of Earth Day, the students at HANC’s Samuel and Elizabeth Bass Golding Elementary School in West Hempstead explored ways to take care of our planet. Spearheaded by HANC’s creative science teacher Mr. Jonathan Eisenkraft, each grade level learned about ways to help and protect our environment and created projects that reflected their commitment to doing their part in preserving the Earth. In kindergarten, the children learned about what Earth Day was all about and they created beautiful crowns that they wore throughout the day. The first graders created a large picture of the Earth with a face on it and recorded ways that they can personally help the Earth. Some of their ideas included placing trash in a trashcan, turning off the lights when they leave a room, and not running water continuously while they brush their teeth. The second graders listened to the Shel Silverstein book, The Giving Tree, which tells the tale of a tree that gave everything it had to its friend until it was left with just a stump. This led to a discussion about all of the things the Earth provides us and how people take so many things from the Earth. The children were then given a paper apple, and they recorded their ideas of what they can do to “give back” to the Earth. Their ideas included: taking trash out of the ocean, planting trees, recycling paper and bottles, and reusing boxes and jars. One child also mentioned that we should cut down fewer trees.

In addition, Mrs. Betty Shusterman, a second grade teacher, gave her class a STEM challenge. She told her students to gather any trash items from their home and then repurpose the items to make something else that they can use in a different way. The children created an array of creative projects, including: an Earth garden planted in the bottom of a plastic orange juice container, a jewelry box fashioned from an empty tissue box, a puppy made out of a water bottle, a pair of shorts created from a pair of pants that had a hole in the knee, a tzedakah box formed from an empty rigatoni box, a dollhouse from various paper and cardboard items, including beds made out of the shape retainers from a pair of shoes, and a bunny from a paper cup. One student made a diorama of how throwing plastic in the ocean can affect the wildlife that live there. He fashioned a turtle from the bottom of a green soda bottle, and included plastic bags that looked like they were floating in the ocean near the turtle. In third grade, after a discussion on ways to save the planet, the students created an Agamograph, based on the artwork of the famous Israeli artist Yaacov Agam. Once it was colored and folded like an accordion, the children could see a picture of the Earth from one side and the recycling symbol on the other side. The fourth through sixth grade students participated in a more in-depth exploration of the significance of Earth Day. After viewing the original Lorax movie, which was filmed in 1972, Mr. Eisenkraft discussed the origins of this day which began when U.S. Senator

Gaylord Nelson became concerned about pollution and littering. In 1991, Earth Day became an annual event, and American citizens have developed an enhanced awareness of how each person’s efforts can bring change and renewal to our precious planet. The children discussed ways of preserving the Earth like planting trees, recycling, walking or biking to work, conserving energy, buying energy efficient lights, electronic devices and home appliances. As a result of these activities, it became evident that if each person does their part, our world will have a brighter future.

Survivors Celebrate Yom Ha’Atzmaut

he dwindling and precious Holocaust survivor community holds a very special place in the heart of the Marion and Aaron Gural JCC, where, for over thirty years, we have provided support, counseling, programming, socialization and an extended family to our beloved members. Every significant date on the calendar is a chance to come together and celebrate with them and provides the Gural JCC staff with an additional opportunity to enrich and bring joy to our survivors’ lives. This difficult pandemic year, combined with the increased frailty of our survivors, has made keeping our connections with them more challenging than ever. But we – and our remarkable survivors – have risen to every occasion. With Yom Ha’Atzmaut approaching – a day when in the past we ran gala events with live entertainment, lavish luncheons,

festive decorations and visits from local students – we needed to come up with a particularly meaningful program. Thanks to The JCC Association of North America, Israel’s Engagement Fund, we were able to do just that. Last week on Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s 73rd birthday, thirty-five local survivors received an Israeli-themed lunch delivered to their homes, along with a beautiful blue and white havdalah candle made in Israel and a warm note from our Gural JCC staff reminding them that although we couldn’t be with them in person they are in our hearts and on our minds and we were still celebrating this significant day with them. Just a couple of hours later, amazingly, over two dozen survivors logged onto a unique JCC zoom Yom Ha’Atzmaut program where they were greeted by an enthusias-

tic JCC staff, popular Israeli singer, Ricki Pen – bedecked in a sparkling blue and white outfit – and four Brothers for Life soldiers who joined from their individual locations in Israel. Brothers for Life is a unique organization that empowers injured combat soldiers to help recently injured combat soldiers reclaim their lives, fulfill their dreams, and continue to serve and inspire the Jewish nation. After greetings from Lisa Barnett, the JCC’s Director of Social Work and the facilitator of our Holocaust program, the soldiers shared their personal stories with the group and voiced their poignant feelings of admiration for our survivors, who they called our nation’s true heroes. Ricki Pen spent a lively hour entertaining the group virtually with Hebrew and Yiddish songs, an Israeli flag flying behind her. She told of her eight years served in the Israeli army

where she herself had been a major. Despite the unavoidable physical distance – participants joined from many points on two different continents – the closeness and warmth between the program members was palpable. It was both a moving and uplifting event which was proudly supported by the Israel Engagement Fund: A JCC Association of North America Program Accelerator, made possible by the generosity of several committed donors. For more information about our Holocaust survivor program or any other JCC programs serving the community contact the Gural JCC at (516)569-6733. The Marion and Aaron Gural JCC is a UJA-Federation of New York proud non-profit partner.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

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APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

The HAFTR Middle School Girls Torah Bowl team swept the field of Kushner, MDS, and Westchester Day School to win last week’s competition. The girls studied hard and knew the answers to many questions. Kol hakavod on their dedication.

3,600 Students Go Purple with Shalom Task Force

eginning April 22, 3,600 students from 4 time zones and 2 countries came together to celebrate Go Purple Day, a day that Shalom Task Force established to promote awareness around healthy relationships and domestic abuse within the Jewish community. This past Go Purple Day was organized and implemented entirely by our second cohort of 27 Purple Fellows who hailed from twelve different schools. The Purple Fellowship is a youth fellowship catering to high school juniors and seniors that provides students with the necessary skills to take on leadership roles in Jewish communal life through the lens of domestic abuse prevention. From designing Shalom Task Force flyers and giveaways, to creating an educational awareness workshop for their classmates to hear from a survivor of domestic abuse, Go Purple Day was designed for students, by students.

Students across North America had the opportunity to hear from a brave survivor of domestic abuse, sharing her story for the first time. The message she stressed to all of

Did you know? President George Washington’s inauguration was on April 30, 1789.

the students was: “If I can tell you all something today, it is to follow your heart. Do not hit snooze when your intuition is telling you something is very off. Do not be scared to tell someone you need help. Do not be bullied to say no!” “When we launched The Purple Fellowship last summer, we were hoping to get ten or twelve students to participate,” said Jeffrey Younger, Director of Communication and Program Operations for Shalom Task Force. “Wrapping up our first year of the Fellowship with 53 students across 23 yeshiva high schools planning Go Purple Days for over

7,200 teens has been truly remarkable.” Avital Levin, Director of Education for Shalom Task Force, added, “One of the most important prevention methods against domestic abuse is education. Thousands of youths in our community now know the definition of domestic abuse and have the knowledge of our services, which is an instrumental first step in creating safe relationships and a supportive community.” Thank you to all of our participating schools: Abraham Joshua Heschel School, CHAT Tannenbaum, Denver Academy of Torah, Davis Renov Stahler Yeshiva High School for Boys (DRS), Fuchs Mizrachi, Ida Crown, Katz Yeshiva High School of South Florida, Salanter Akiba Riverdale High School (SAR), Shalhevet High School, Ulpanat Orot (Bnai Akiva School), and Yeshiva of Flatbush. Shalom Task Force has been offering support and education to the Jewish community for the last 29 years. If you or your loved one has questions or concerns about relationships, or are currently in an unhealthy or abusive relationship – we are here for you. Please call, text, or WhatsApp the confidential Shalom Task Force Hotline at 888883-2323 or chat with a live advocate at shalomtaskforce.org.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

Around the Community

Unprecedented Numbers of Aspiring Shas Yidden Take Dirshu Kinyan Shas Test on 450 Blatt By Chaim Gold

“W

hen I started, I had no idea if I would succeed. It is not as if this was the first learning program that I had begun in my life. I had embarked on several others but did not succeed. What made Dirshu’s Kinyan Shas program unique was its clear, step-by-step plan. It begins with regular monthly tests, then continues with the tests every four months on the previous four months of learning and then after the Yamim Tovim, there are twice yearly tests followed by cumulative tests on everything learned in the Daf HaYomi Machzor from the beginning of Shas until where the Daf is currently holding.” That is the way, Rabbi Mordechai Schiff, a Dirshu participant who lives in Kiryat Gat, explained his success in the Dirshu Kinyan Shas program. Indeed, Dirshu’s Kinyan Shas program is not for the fainthearted. At the conclusion of Pesach bein hazemanim, the supremely dedicated learners in the Dirshu Kinyan Shas program all over the globe, took the second test in the machzor covering the first 450 blatt in Shas! They LiveTorah! Rabbi Aharon Gobioff, Dirshu’s North American director, related that the numbers reached well over 250 people taking the test in America, an absolutely unprecedented feat! In Eretz Yisrael, the number was more than a thousand! This in addition to others in additional locales around the globe who took the Kinyan Shas test. “What is truly remarkable about those who participate in the Kinyan Shas program is that they are totally immersed in the sugyos throughout the year. A person can only participate in the Kinyan Shas program if they first take the monthly Dirshu tests on 30 blatt and then the thrice yearly tests on 120 blatt. Not only that, but there are also two tracks in Kinyan Shas – a Gemara and Rashi track and a Gemara, Rashi and Tosafos track. These talmidei chachomim are deeply immersed in multiple masechtos at a time, all the time!”

When Rabbi Gobioff is asked to describe what a Kinyan Shas participant is like, he says, “What is amazing is that there is no single profile. There are kollel yungeleit and businessmen, there are insurance salesmen and rebbeim of talmidim. The tzad hashaveh, the common denominator, between all is that they don’t just learn Torah, they live Torah. They live the daily blatt! They live the previous masechtos that they have learned, and they are constantly engaged in chazarah.” Rabbi Gobioff added, “I can never forget that time when I observed the last Kinyan Shas test in the machzor, that covers the entire Shas from Brachos through Niddah. I remember watching one of the talmidei chachomim turning the pages of his test and thinking to myself, the pages of Shas are turning in his head. He is figuratively leafing through the pages of Shas as he takes this test.” The Secret: Consistency Step-by-Step What is the secret? How do they do it? Rabbi Schiff explains, “Every person has his own system of chazarah, and yet, there is a unifying factor as well. Firstly, a person must make sure when he learns a Daf for the first time to learn it well and understand everything in it clearly. Knowing it the first time with clarity is one of the keys for success. If the Daf is not clear the first time you learn it, when you review it, you will just further entrench your mistakes. It is important to learn the Daf well the first time. I find that learning with a chavrusah helps me learn the Daf well without skipping steps. “Secondly, a person must make ‘simanim’, little memory aids, to help him remember. “Third, and perhaps most importantly, whenever a person finishes learning a Daf, he must review it and encapsulate the entire Daf in a quick synopsis.” Unless one has an absolutely photographic memory, it is difficult to retain so much material unless one makes memory aids and is able to quickly encapsulate the core of each blatt in an orderly fashion.

One American Kinyan Shas test taker, when asked what brought him to undertake such a demanding learning regimen, explained, “I was at the most recent Dirshu Siyum HaShas at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, and when I saw the special section with bekiim b’Shas sitting there, I got such a feeling of kinas sofrim. These Yidden didn’t just learn Shas. They KNOW Shas! They have been tested on Shas cumulatively for seven years straight. I always thought that such a degree of knowledge was beyond me, but perhaps it isn’t. If I focus on what I must learn for every half year test, maybe I can do it!” A True Rarity! This is the third machzor of Shas since the Kinyan Shas program started. During the first machzor there were relatively few participants, but by the second machzor, serious lomdei Torah saw that it was possible and joined. Today, in this third machzor, an unprecedented number of lomdim have joined despite the ongoing corona madness. “In addition,” Rabbi Avigdor Bernstein, a senior member of Dirshu’s hanhala in Eretz Yisrael, adds, “this year we have a tremendous increase in Track II participants, those who are learning Shas with Tosafos. A large number of Tosafos learners are those who completed the Kinyan Shas program with Rashi in the last machzor and now want to elevate their learning to an even higher level by undertaking to take cumulative tests on the entire cycle of Daf HaYomi from the beginning until they complete Shas with Tosafos!” A baki b’Shas with Rashi who can answer hundreds of questions on all masechtos is something remarkable, but a baki b’Shas with Tosafos is beyond remarkable. It is an accomplishment that is a true rarity! “The First Test is One of My Prized Possessions” HaGaon HaRav Berel Povarsky, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Ponovezh, recently reminisced about the first ever Kinyan Shas test which he attended some sixteen years ago. “I was in such a state of high emo-

HaRav Pesach Eliyahu Falk stressing the importance of chazarah at a Dirshu Bechina in Yerushalayim, 2019

tion and simcha after witnessing that test that I took a test home with me and took the test. I placed that test in my safe here in the house, and it is still there. It is one of my prized possessions,” the Rosh Yeshiva concluded. Less than two years ago, the great gaon and posek from Gateshead, Rav Pesach Eliyahu Falk, zt”l, attended a Dirshu Kinyan Shas test and gave voice to the unique nature of Dirshu’s programs. He cited the Gemara (Sanhedrin 99) that states, “Rabi Yehoshua Ben Karcha said, ‘Anyone who learns Torah and does not review is akin to someone who plants but does not harvest.’ When the person does not harvest the produce, the produce spoils and the next year when he wants to plow and plant he has so much more work because he must first uproot the neglected, old weeds before he can plant anew. Similarly,” Rav Falk said, “not only does a person who learns without reviewing not gain from what he learned but the fact that he learned it once and did not review makes it more difficult for him to learn it properly in the future.” Indeed, as a new cadre of bekiim in Shas joins the ranks of Klal Yisrael, we see the fulfillment of the havtacha of Rabi Shimon Bar Yochai whose yahrtzeit is this week on Lag B’Omer and who said, “Chas v’shalom, Torah will NEVER be forgotten among Yisrael,” (Shabbos 138.) Indeed, watching the test-takers diligently taking those Kinyan Shas tests reinforced that pivotal lesson!

APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

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APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

1. *

TJH

Centerfold

Food for Thought Carnauba wax is used to give gummy candy a glossy sheen. It’s also used to give cars their shine. I was wondering why my car always tastes like gummy bears. A single spaghetti noodle is called a spaghetto. If this is the only food fact that you know, you are a spaghetto brain! Lemons float but limes sink. Well, maybe it’s time for limes to get life vests. Most wasabi is actually horseradish-colored green. Why the disguise, Mr. Wasabi? One fast-food burger can have meat from 100 different cows. OK, I will stick with pizza. French fries originated in Belgium, not France. Add that to the list of great accomplishments that France doesn’t have. Popsicles were invented by accident in 1905, when an 11-year-old kid left a mixture of soda and water outside in a cup overnight. That’s funny. I discovered a mixture of soda and water when I left my popsicle outside overnight.

Fortune cookies were invented in San Francisco, not China. Maybe that’s why one has to be on hallucinogenic drugs to understand what fortune cookies are talking about. High-frequency sounds tend to enhance the sweetness in food, while low frequencies bring out the bitterness. OK, take a bite of bitter, dark baking chocolate….EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Stickers on fruts are edible. Well, not exactly, but they have to be proven as not deadly or extremely harmful in order to be put on food. Now some kid is going to ingest 47 fruit stickers and blame TJH. Don’t try this at home! Froot Loops are all the same flavor. Uh, yes, we already discovered that each color tastes like artificial detergent. Each year, about 150 people are killed by falling coconuts, compared to only 10 by sharks. I’d rather be eaten by a shark twice than be the victim of a coconut incident. You can taste garlic with your feet. (Allicin, which is a chemical in garlic, allows the garlic to penetrate the skin and travel through your bloodstream. You will suddenly start to sense the taste of garlic.) Another interesting fact about garlic – when you eat it, your breath smells like you just ate your feet.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

What We Eat Trivia 1. Approximately how many restaurants are there in New York City? a. 3,900 b. 23,650 c. 49,500 d. 122,400 2. According to a recent Harris poll, what percentage of Americans say that pizza is their favorite food? a. 15% b. 25% c. 45% d. 62% 3. According to a study by Zippia. com, which food do New Yorkers hate the most? a. Yogurt b. Liver

c. Olives d. Artichokes 4. How many pounds of food does the average American eat per year? a. 32 b. 155 c. 550 d. 2,000 5. Which type of food is stolen the most? a. Steaks b. Pizza c. Hot dogs d. Cheese 6. What does “tiramisu” mean? a. Pick me up b. Italian coffee treat

You Gotta be Kidding Me! A potato and a sweet potato are playing on the playground. The sweet potato tells the potato, “Hey, I just found out I’m related to you.” The potato says, “No, you’re not!” The sweet potato answers, “Yes, I yam.”

c. After dinner d. Good until the last bite 7. What is the average American household cost of food per (non kosher-observant) person per year? a. $1,059 b. $2,641 c. $4,982 d. $7,234

Answers: 1. B 2. A 3. C 4. D 5. D 6. A 7. B Wisdom Key: 6-7 correct: You know your foods! 3-5 correct: Not bad – you are like a mediocre frozen pizza. 0-2 correct: You are a spaghetto – yes, spaghetto – brain!

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APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Torah Thought

Parshas Emor By Rabbi Berel Wein

he Torah reading this week includes a review of the holidays of the Jewish calendar. The list of holidays is repeated numerous times in the Torah. We find it in the book of Shemot and again in the book of Devarim, and here in our reading in the book of Vayikra. Since there are no needless repetitions in the holy text of the Torah, commentators over the ages have offered many explanations as to why this calendar is repeated so many times. A closer examination of the context and background to each of these listings of holidays will perhaps offer us an insight and historical overview as to the import of the regular holiday seasons of the Jewish people. Each place where this calendar of holidays is outlined in the Torah, there is a certain specific textual background affiliated with it. They are not merely a repetition of the same ideas three times over, but, rather, an indication to us of the multilayered nuances that these holidays are meant to impart to the Jewish people over its long and varied history. Each of the reference to the holidays contains a particular message for a particular time that occurred or will occur in the long saga of the Jewish story. It is the understanding of this

new alliance of text and overview of history that makes these portions of the Torah so important and relevant to us, more than three millennia after they were written down for us by our teacher Moses. But the context is also relevant according to the personal lives and experiences of the celebrant. In this week’s

allows us to celebrate the holidays no matter where we live and in whatever time frame, this second reference in our reading places it within the framework of the Jewish people in the land of Israel, attached to its land and its traditions. The references to the holidays in the book of Shemot are almost gener-

The holiday always carries different meanings to different people because all of us are the product of different experiences in life, education, social standing, and goals.

reading, the holidays are attributed to speciﬁc historic commemorations and their celebration, when the Jewish people reside in the land of Israel. There are agricultural innovations and seasonal climate references that place these holidays in a geographical context. The Jewish people have a natural existence only when they are in the land of Israel, and even though the ﬁrst reference mentioned above

ic in nature. They identify the holiday and in some cases delineate the time of the year that the holiday is to be celebrated, but they offer no real deep understanding or clue as to the nature of the holiday. That is apparently left people as a whole and to every Jew as an individual to discern for himself or herself or themselves. The holiday always carries different meanings to different people because all of us are

the product of different experiences in life, education, social standing, and goals. The holiday of Pesach certainly had a different feel and emotional message to the refuseniks in Russia in the 1970s and 1980s than it did to American Jews on Passover programs in Arizona or Hawaii. The Torah therefore left the matter generic and open, allowing each person to interpret the holiday according to each person. We also read of the Torah holidays in the book of Bamidbar. There, the backdrop and reference are related to the offerings of the particular sacrifices in the Temple that were to be brought upon the day of the holiday. It concentrates on the Temple service associated with the holiday and not necessarily with the reason for the existence of the holiday in the first place. The final reference in the book of Devarim seems to sum up all the previous references, for its backdrop in the Temple, the land of Israel and the explanation of the days that the holiday is to be commemorated. Thus, the combination of all these references makes our calendar eternal and valid in all places and for all times and allows us to celebrate the commandments that the holidays bring with them in joy and good purpose. Shabbat shalom.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

From the Fire Parshas Emor

Who Do You Serve? By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

ast week, in Parshas Acharei Mos-Kedoshim, we saw that a Jew becomes holy by focusing on fighting the innumerable little battles in his daily life despite “the slow, constant grind of daily life.” I believe there is a powerful kavana, thought, one can have based on this week’s parsha in order to focus himself in these daily battles. There is a machlokes Rishonim with regard to the nature of the animals and eved Canaanim owned by a Kohen. The Torah, in this week’s parsha, (Vayikra 22:11), says: “If a Kohein buys a person with money, he [the Canaanite slave] may eat of it ... and he that is born in his house shall eat of his bread.” This pasuk permits a Kohen to feed his own Canaanite slave and animals his terumah, sanctified food, although he is otherwise forbidden to feed an animal or Canaanite slave such sanctified food. The Rambam (Hilchos Terumos 6:1) implies that animals and Canaanite slaves belonging to Kohanim retain their status of zaar, outsider, with respect to the prohibition of consuming sanctified food, but that the Torah, through the pasuk quoted above, makes an exception to the general prohibition against an outsider consuming sanctified food because the Kohen needs to use the sanctified food he lives off of to feed his animals and Canaanite slaves as part of his obligation to care for his family. Rashi, on the other hand (Gittin 11b), differentiates between animals and Canaanite slaves. With respect to animals, he agrees with the Rambam that, although they are considered outsiders, the Kohen is permitted to feed them sanctified food as an exception to the general rule. He finds it untenable,

however, to apply the same principle to the Canaanite slaves. The Rambam’s “exception to the outsider rule” may explain how the Kohen is permitted to feed sanctified food to the Canaanite slave, but it cannot explain how the Canaanite slave himself is permitted to eat it. Canaanite slaves are personally obligated to observe all of the negative commandments and all of the positive commandments a Jewish woman is obligated to observe. How then, according to Rashi, is the Canaanite slave permitted to eat the Kohen’s sanctified food? It must be Rashi understands that because the Canaanite slave is owned by the Kohen, he no longer has the status of a zaar, an outsider. Rather, he is considered an extension of the Kohen himself. Rav Shmuel Berenbaum, zt”l, the former rosh yeshiva of the Mir, uses this Rashi to teach a fundamental lesson in our service of Hashem. We see from Rashi that when one person is owned by another, there is a relationship between them and he becomes an extension of his owner. That is why the Canaanite slave loses his

status as an outsider and is permitted to eat the Kohen’s sanctified food. Because the Kohen owns him, he becomes an extension of the identity of the Kohen, and he is somehow transformed and elevated because of this. Rav Berenbaum points out that we see the same principle applied in the case of a Jew purchased as a slave to a non-Jew. Rashi in next week’s parsha (Vayikra 26:1) teaches that the Torah commands a Jew who is owned by a non-Jew to keep the mitzvos just like every other Jew. According to Rashi, “The pasuk speak to a person sold to a non-Jew, so that he should not say, ‘Since my master commits acts of immorality, I will do like him.... Since my master desecrates Shabbos, I will do like him.’” Rav Berenbaum asks how anyone could possibly think that just because he is owned by a non-Jew he would suddenly be allowed to break Shabbos and commit acts of immorality. He explains that if the Torah must devote a special pasuk to teach that one is, in fact, obligated to keep the commandments even when he is owned by a

non-Jew, it must be that if not for that pasuk, one would perhaps be exempt from the mitzvos when owned by a non-Jew. This strengthens Rav Berenbaum’s point that, according to Rashi, a person’s slave becomes an extension of himself. We can use this thought to strengthen ourselves in our war against the daily grind to become kedoshim, holy people. Hashem says (Vayikra 25:55), “The Jewish people are My slaves.” With respect to our attitude toward any mitzvah we do, there are two ways we may look at it. For example, let us assume someone is prepared to do the mitzvah of comforting a mourner by making a shiva call. The Torah says (Devarim 28:9), “And you shall walk in His ways.” Before the person leaves to make the shiva call, he can think, “Hashem is in charge, and He told me to do something so I will obey Him even though I am tired.” That is beautiful. But a person can take a different perspective and think, “I belong to Hashem. I am on His team. Because it is His desire to care for people in need, and because I am part of Him, it is also my will do take care of people.” The second perspective demonstrates an identity between the Master and the servant, such that the servant acts because he is an extension of the essence of the Master. A Jew must recognize and contemplate upon the fact that Hashem has acquired each of us as His servants, we belong to Him, and we are part of Him. We therefore have the ability to rise above the day-to-day grind of life, to be holy, and to live lives of holiness because we are part of something greater than ourselves and greater than any human power. We are part of the Life of all worlds and are therefore not

bound to the strictures and pressures of mundane life. According to the Medrash (Yalkut Shimoni Shmuel 139), “Hashem called out to the ministering angels and said to them, ‘Come and see this creature that I created in my world. He goes out to war knowing that he will be killed; he takes his sons with him and rejoices in the attribute of justice which is about to take his life.’” Why was it necessary for Hashem to call the angels over to see that man is capable of giving his life for a higher cause and rejoice in his sacrifice? Didn’t they already know the nature of man? The truth is that there are two levels of man’s nature. The angels only understood man’s nature in terms of their natural abilities. That is why they said about Man (Sanhedrin 38b quoting Tehilim 8:5), “What is man that you should remember him and what is the son of man that you should be mindful of him?” But they did not understand the second attribute of

Man, that he is the property of Hashem who draws his essence from the infinite nature of his Master. That is what Hashem was trying to show the angels. “Look how Man gives his life for something greater than himself!

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tests that, according to human nature, would bring down our standards and sell ourselves short over time, we must declare, “I am a servant of G-d! That is not me!” Before Eliezer began his negotia-

We are part of something greater than ourselves.

Such a thing is beyond human capacity. A Jew can accomplish much more than what is humanly possible when he recognizes that he is part of Me.” Hashem said (Vaykra 25:42), “They are my servants.... They will not be sold as slaves.” We belong to something higher than the world. We cannot sell ourselves short by enslaving ourselves to the pressures of everyday life. Before we face each of the little

tions with Lavan and Besuel, he recognized that he was dealing with dishonest people. He therefore started off the whole conversation by announcing (Bereishis 24:34), “I am a servant of Avraham!” He was not informing Lavan and Besuel of his job description. He was strengthening himself by reminding himself, “I am a servant of G-d. I don’t deal dishonestly no matter what everyone around me is doing.”

As we go about our daily lives, if we feel like saying a few words to our friend in shul, if we feel like visiting a website at work that we wouldn’t want our wives to know we saw, or if we’re changing the umpteenth diaper that day (and the men at work are sometimes exposed to things much dirtier than diapers), a Jew should say to him or herself, “Please Hashem, I am your servant!” With that thought, a Jew can remind himself that he is connected to the infinite Source of life, Hashem. With that, he can rise above the constant, daily grind of life and attain holiness. May we merit to remember that we are servants of Hashem so that we may attain the holiness of the Beis Hamikdash with the coming of Moshiach soon in our days.

Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, is the founding Morah d’Asrah of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, NY, and serves as leader of the new mechina Emek HaMelech.

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Think, Feel, Grow

Seﬁras Ha’Omer Achieving the Impossible By Shmuel Reichman

magine a teenager lying on a grassy field, gazing into the night sky. As he stares up at the stars, he thinks to himself, “Look at how enormous the universe is. The sky just expands endlessly... It must go on forever.” After sitting with that thought for a few moments, he becomes uncomfortable. “How can anything go on forever? Everything must stop eventually.” But after a few moments of relaxation, his thoughts intrude again. “But how can the universe stop? What exists on the other side, when the universe ends? It must go on forever...” And this inner dialogue continues, as he struggles to contemplate the infinite within his finite mind. This struggle is not a childish one; it is a challenge that confronts any finite being who tries to connect to the infinite. Younger children, however, do not face this struggle. They are dreamers, living in a world of fantasy, where anything is possible. Just ask a group of children what they want to be when they grow up and you’ll get some of the most fantastic, unrealistic responses imaginable. “I’m going to be an astronaut fireman, so that I can save people on the moon,” or “I’m going to become a great tzaddik and learn how to speak every language so that I can teach Torah to everyone.” Children live within the infinite, the realm of endless possibility. However, as we grow up, we begin to experience the struggle of reality, where our notions of the infinite start being challenged. We then face the question: How do we, as physical and limited beings, transcend our finite dimensions? How do we relate to the abstract, to the infinite, to the spiritual? Let us approach this question

through the lens of Sefiras Ha’Omer, the counting of the Omer.

Building, Not Counting We are commanded to count the days between Pesach and Shavuos, a period known as Sefiras Ha’Omer (Vayikra 23:15-16, Devarim 16:9). At first glance, this can be understood on a very simple level: As we approach Shavuos, we excitedly count down to Matan Torah, as we anticipate our acceptance of the Torah. This can be compared to a countdown towards a wedding, a vacation, or some other exciting event. However, there is a feature of the Sefiras Ha’Omer count that is markedly different: Rather than counting down towards the destination, Shavuos, we count up from the starting point, Pesach. We don’t mark how many days remain until Shavuos, we count how many days have elapsed since Pesach. What is the meaning behind this strange method of counting? And more generally, what is the purpose of counting in the first place? By no other holidays do we count the days

between them; we don’t count the days between Sukkos and Chanukah. Why then do we specifically count the days between Pesach and Shavuos? In truth, we are not counting down to Matan Torah, we are building towards it, ascending one day at a time. We do not wait for Shavuos to arrive; we actively bring it ourselves, through the time and effort we invest as we count the Omer. If Shavuos and Matan Torah are a skyscraper, each day of the Omer is a brick. Each day, we place the next brick in our building; each day we build ourselves one step higher. The extensive halachic emphasis on counting each and every day of the Omer highlights the fact that every single brick is essential, every single day is fundamental (See Tosafos, Menachos 66a). If, while building a staircase, you miss one step, you simply cannot build the next step up. Each step requires a foundation to rest on. The same is true of counting the Omer. Each day builds upon the previous ones, ascending towards our ultimate destination. Matan Torah does

not come after 49 days, it comes because of them, built by our effort and investment during Sefiras Ha’Omer. This is why we count up. We are not counting down to Matan Torah, we are building up towards it, one day at a time. This elucidation of Sefiras Ha’Omer sheds light on the Ramban’s enigmatic approach to the counting of the Omer. He maintains that women are obligated to count the Omer because it is not a mitzvas aseh she’hazman gramah, a time-bound commandment. How are we to understand this? Sefiras Ha’Omer, the counting of each specific day between Pesach and Shavuos, seems to be the epitome of a time-bound mitzvah! However, a deeper understanding of Sefiras Ha’Omer clarifies the Ramban’s opinion. In general, a timebound mitzvah is an opportunity to tap into a certain power of time that exists at that moment. On Pesach, when we eat matzah, we tap into the power of freedom, a pre-existing reality. This same principle applies to all time-bound mitzvos. For Sefiras Ha’Omer, however, we don’t tap into a pre-existing time; we create time. When we count the Omer, we do not tap into the reality of the Omer, we create it. Time does not create the Omer, we do. This is why there is no specific date mentioned for Shavuos in the Torah. Shavuos – and Matan Torah – are not tied to a specific day (the sixth of Sivan); it is the result of the 49 days that we count. The fiftieth day, the day of Shavuos and Matan Torah, emerges from the 49 days of counting. We bring it into existence. This is why the holiday of Shavuos literally means “weeks” – the seven weeks that we count create the holiday of Shavuos. (Shavuos also shares

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the same root as the word shevah, seven, reflecting the seven weeks that creates the chag of Shavuos.)

49 Days After developing a general understanding of Sefiras Ha’Omer, let us focus on a few specifics of the count itself. The 49 days of Sefiras Ha’Omer parallels the 49-day process that the Jewish People went through upon leaving Egypt, before receiving the Torah. What is the meaning behind this process, and why is it specifically 49 days long? While we likely take it for granted that the Omer is 49 days long, the Torah explicitly commands us: “Tisperu chamishim yom,” you shall count fifty days (Vayikra 23:16). Why then do we only count 49 days, omitting the fiftieth day completely? This seems to be in direct contradiction to the Torah’s command! Additionally, we seem to skip the first day of the counting, only beginning the count on the second day of Pesach. What is

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the meaning behind this? The Arizal, Ramchal, Vilna Gaon, and many other Jewish thinkers explain the deep meaning behind the 49-day process of sefirah based on a principle we have previously developed. Every process contains three

ing what was originally experienced, working and building towards perfection. There is then a third stage – a return to the original perfection of the first stage. However, this third stage is fundamentally different from the first. It is the same perfection,

If Shavuos and Matan Torah are a skyscraper, each day of the Omer is a brick.

stages. The first stage is the high, a spark of inspiration, an experience of perfection and clarity. However, this first stage is fleeting, and is immediately followed by a dramatic fall – a complete loss of everything experienced in the first stage. The second stage is a process of rebuild-

the same clarity, but this time it’s a perfection and clarity that you have earned. The first time it was given to you; now you have worked to build it for yourself. The first night of Pesach was a gift, an experience of infinite transcendence. This night was characterized by the miracles of Makkas Bechoros (Plague of the Firstborn) – performed by Hashem Himself – and Yetzias Mitzrayim, as well as the mitzvos of Korban Pesach (Passover sacrifice) and bris milah (circumcision), mitzvos which connected the Jewish people to a higher dimension of existence. However, immediately following this night was a complete fall from this exalted level of transcendence. The Jewish People faced 49 days in the desert, a place of spiritual emptiness. It was during these 49 days of counting, of building, that the Jewish people were able to rebuild and earn that initial transcendent gift. What resulted from those 49 days of building was Shavuos, Matan Torah, an experience of transcendence, of infinity, of the World to Come. This is why the Korban Omer is a sacrifice of barley, a food described by the Sages as animal fodder (Pesachim 3b). The Shavuos sacrifice is shtei ha’lechem, a sacrifice of bread made of wheat, a food characterized by Chazal as human food (Aruch Hashulchan 489:3). Prior to the process of Sefiras Ha’Omer, we are on a low spiritual level, the level of animals. After spending the 49 days of the Omer counting and building

ourselves, we rise to a transcendent spiritual level, tapping into our true nature as tzelem Elokim, now worthy and ready to experience Matan Torah. Perhaps this is why there were two loaves of bread, one representing the original gift on the first night of Pesach, and the second representing what we earned after 49 days of building. We don’t count the first night of Pesach because this night is a gift of inspiration, intangible and unearned. We cannot pin a number down to it, as it is fleeting and elusive. Sefiras Ha’Omer is a process of building, and the building process only begins on the second day of Pesach, once the gift has been taken away; it is at this point that we must start the work of truly earning it.

Connecting to the Infinite Just like the teenager in the introductory story, we all struggle to connect with the infinite, to see the spiritual within the physical, to find genuine meaning and purpose in an often turbulent and chaotic world. It can feel overwhelming – if not impossible – to build a skyscraper; the task is quite daunting. However, the key is to have the ultimate goal in the back of our minds while we focus on each individual day, trying our best to place each individual brick perfectly while we build towards our ultimate destination. Each day of the Omer is a new brick – a new part of our journey towards Matan Torah, towards the infinite, towards marrying Hashem. May we be inspired to create something magical as we build towards Matan Torah, one day at a time.

Shmuel Reichman is an inspirational speaker, writer, and coach who has lectured internationally at shuls, conferences, and Jewish communities on topics of Jewish thought and Jewish medical ethics. He is the founder and CEO of Self-Mastery Academy (ShmuelReichman. com), the transformative online course that is revolutionizing how we engage in self-development. You can find more inspirational lectures, videos, and articles from Shmuel on his website, ShmuelReichman.com.

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Delving into the Daf

An Ignorant Kohen Gadol? By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

ebbi Yose ben Kisma said: Once I was walking by the way when I met a man. He greeted me and said, “Rabbi, where are you from?” I responded, “I am from a great city of sages and scribes.” He said to me, “Rabbi, would you consider living with us in our place? I would give you a thousand thousand denarii of gold, and precious stones and pearls.” I responded, “My son, even if you were to give me all the silver and gold, precious stones and pearls that are in the world, I would not dwell anywhere except in a place of Torah; for when a man passes away there accompany him neither gold nor silver, nor precious stones nor pearls, but Torah and good deeds alone.” (Avos 6:9) The commentators wonder: if Rebbi Yose Ben Kisma was offered so much money to relocate, why didn’t he just establish a new makom Torah in the new locale? After all, his only objection was that the man’s city wasn’t a makom Torah. So make it a makom Torah! All of his newly found wealth would be put to great use establishing a yeshiva! The Chofetz Chaim answered that the man was not interested in hav-

ing a yeshiva established in his city. He just wanted to have the honor of having such a great rabbi living in his community. If the rich man would have asked Rebbi Yose ben Kisma to build a yeshiva, then certainly Rebbi Yose ben Kisma would have acquiesced. The Maharal offers another answer. He says that not every area is an auspicious location to establish a makom Torah. Rebbi Yose ben Kisma knew through Divine Inspiration that a yeshiva in the rich man’s neighborhood would not be successful. Consequently, he couldn’t establish the city as a makom Torah. HaGaon Rav Henoch Leibowitz, zt”l, remarked “The Maharal’s dictum only applies to a Yeshiva Gedola. However, every location is, in fact, auspicious to establish a Torah Day School.” Rav Leibowitz based his comment on a passage of Gemara in Bava Basra (21a). “Rav Yehuda says in the name of Rav: Truly, that man is remembered for the good, and his name is Yehoshua ben Gamla. If not for him, the Torah would have been forgotten from the Jewish people. Yehoshua ben Gamla instituted an ordinance that teachers of children should be

established in each and every province and in each and every town, and they would bring the children in to learn at the age of six and at the age of seven.” The practice of having an elementary school in every community was established by Yehoshua ben Gamla. Rav Leibowitz reasoned that if it is a rabbinic institution that every community should have a day school, it is not possible that any given locale would not be an auspicious place to have one. Yehoshua ben Gamla is also remembered favorably for something else as well. The Kohen Gadol used to draw lots on Yom Kippur to decide what service each of the two goats placed in front of him would be used for. Those lots used to be placed in a wooden box until Yehoshua ben Gamla replaced it with a golden one. (Yoma 37a) It seems that Yehoshua Ben Gamla was a tzaddik, after all, he is mentioned twice by the Gemara that he should be remembered for good. Yet there is another Gemara which paints less than a rosy picture of the man. The Mishna in Yoma (18a) says

that the elders would speak to the Kohen Gadol before Yom Kippur and encourage him to read the passages of the Torah that deal with the Yom Kippur service. They reasoned, “Perhaps you forgot these verses, or perhaps you never learned them.” Whereupon the Gemara asks incredulously, “Would we ever appoint a Kohen Gadol who never in his life learned a basic part of Chumash?!” The Gemara answers, “True, during the First Beis Hamikdash that never would have happened. Unfortunately, during the Second Beis Hamikdash that did occur.” Whereupon the Gemara proves this point by stating: “Rav Asi said: ‘The wealthy Marta, daughter of Baitos, brought a halfse’a of dinars to King Yannai for Yehoshua ben Gamla to be appointed as Kohen Gadol.’” The implication of the Gemara is that Yehoshua ben Gamla was unlearned and unworthy of being Kohen Gadol, rather his position was bought with money. The Gemara in Yevamos (61a) likewise casts aspersions on Yehoshua ben Gamla’s appointment as Kohen Gadol. It further notes, that at the time, Marta was only his fiancée, and they married later.

The The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 2015 Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

The Gemara in Bava Basra and Yoma (37) imply that Yehoshua ben Gamla was a tzaddik. However, the Gemara in Yevamos implies that Yehoshua ben Gamla was not fitting to be a kohen gadol. Worse still, the Gemara in Yoma (18) implies he was an ignoramus! The Maharsha suggests that, in truth, Yehoshua Ben Gamla was a tzaddik. The Gemara in Yoma (18) is just demonstrating that in the Second Beis HaMikdosh even a tzaddik like Yehoshua ben Gamla was only appointed to be a kohen gadol with payment of a significant bribe. The implication is that surely there were other kohanim gedolim who were indeed ignoramuses and were appointed to the position with payment of a bribe. Perhaps, the Gemara in Yevamos is to be understood that there were greater individuals than Yehoshua ben Gamla who deserved to be Kohen Gadol. Therefore, although he was a tzaddik, Yehoshua ben Gamla shouldn’t have accepted the appointment.

Tosfos in Bava Basra finds the contradictory passages in the various Gemaras to be so difficult that he suggests that there must have been two people with the same name. One Yehoshua ben Gamla is praised and credited with establishing yeshivos,

ignoramus who never learned the pesukim about the Avoda on Yom Kippur. He did not deserve to be a kohen gadol. Perhaps, his fiancée saw something in him that he wasn’t even aware of. But after being appointed Kohen Gadol he, in fact, became a

We should never overlook the potential in every individual, no matter who they are

and the other Yehoshua ben Gamla was an ignoramus and was appointed as a kohen gadol. Perhaps the most intriguing explanation of the various passages is that of the Ritva. All the Gemaras are, in fact, talking about the same person. The simple understanding of the Gemara in Yoma is correct. Yehoshua ben Gamla was indeed an

tzaddik. He grew into his position! Likely, his fiancée should not have offered the bribe to appoint her ignoramus groom as a kohen gadol. But he became so inspired, perhaps due to the encouragement of his fiancée, that he transformed himself into a different person. Moreover, the ignoramus who never learned basic Chumash in his youth made sure that all

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future generations of Jewish children would have a solid education. The lesson from the Ritva is unbelievably powerful. Yehoshua ben Gamla could have remained an ignoramus his entire life. However, he found someone who believed in him. Moreover, the individual who started out as an ignoramus is singled out for changing Torah education for prosperity. If Yehoshua ben Gamla didn’t rise to the occasion, the Gemara states that Torah would have been forgotten, chas v’shalom. We should never overlook the potential in every individual, no matter who they are. Yehoshua ben Gamla the Ignoramus permanently changed the course of Jewish history for the better.

Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow is a rebbe at Yeshiva Ateres Shimon in Far Rockaway. In addition, Rabbi Sebrow leads a daf yomi chaburah at Eitz Chayim of Dogwood Park in West Hempstead, NY. He can be contacted at ASebrow@gmail.com.

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Israel Today

The Fabric of the Desert By Raﬁ Sackville

Yael Beit-Av

Yael’s kitchen

n hour and a half south of Mitzpeh Ramon, and an hour due north of Eilat, the Arava Desert encompasses Highway 40 in an endless landscape of scattered rocks that stretches westward across the horizon towards the red, Edom mountain range and the billowing winter clouds to the east. Turning eastward at the Pundak Inn at the Shizafon junction – a place where one can purchase homebrewed apple cider – you drive another 13 miles further inland to Yishuv Shacharut. At that distance from the hustle of city and suburbia, there are no extraneous sounds, just the constant desert winds. Shacharut is a communal settlement that sits on a ridge above the Arava Valley. The name comes from the eleventh chapter of Kohelet. It means “youth.” Founded in 1985, it is named after the nearby Shacharut Mountain. It is home to some very extraordinary people. With its definitive magnetism for Israelis looking for a life oﬀ

the grid, it exudes an atmosphere of youth, initiative and innovation – all requisites for life oﬀ the beaten track. Yael Beit-Av has been in Shacharut for over 15 years. Born and raised in Ness Ziona, she had a passion for animals, particularly horses. She arrived in Shacharut post-army to work at the nascent camel farm where she cared for the animals and helped cater to the tourists and trekkers who flocked down south. Behind her ready smile lies a fortitude she has nurtured from the harshness of desert life, where relentless summers and unforgivable winters are the norm. There is a mettle in the lines of her face, a desert imprint. Petite maybe, but she carries a determination that she has adapted to her surroundings and not the other way around. She has accepted the desert on its terms, has become one with it in a symbiosis of respect and endless potential. Animals aside, Yael has always been attracted and attached not only to the desert terrain, but to its history

and traditions. While working with the camels, she grew close to one of Israel’s last semi-nomadic Bedouin clans. This relationship soon developed into an interest in Bedouin artisanal traditions and folklore. Thus began her education in their traditional skills. Yael has mastered the arts of weaving on ground looms, spinning, dyeing, weaving, and warping. Today, she is active in running programs that preserve these ancient traditions, that include cheese- and bread-making and traditional cooking. Yael and her husband Yaniv built a remarkable house on their large compound that also includes a guesthouse, a workshop, goat pens, and a greenhouse. She raises donkeys and goats and has planted an orchard and a garden. The house’s bathroom is the only room with a door. The remainder of her home is a wide, open space whose main structure is supported by two huge trees. Like many of the structures in Shacharut, the walls have been

made of mud and straw and provide excellent insulation in all seasons. Yael’s workshop is an efficient space, well-lit and large enough to allow her to produce long, wall hangings and a panoply of products rich in desert colors. On the floor are baskets with skeins of wool. Camel and goat wool are natural in color; only the sheep’s wool is dyed. Of all the animal hair she uses, it is surprisingly camel hair that is the softest. Yael describes how tricky the harvest of camel hair is. “We lure the camels to water during the winter when their hair is most abundant. While they are calmly drinking, we stand on the water tracker and pull the wool from the camels’ necks and humps. They don’t pluck the hair, rather gently remove it. It falls out anyway in the windy desert.” Long sheep wool fibers are easier to weave and easier to dye because they are white, whereas camel wool is thinner and finer; the fibers are shorter and the hair is hollow, so it is also more

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heat insulated. The art form of taking animal hair and transforming it into workable skeins has been performed by Bedouin women for generations. However, the younger generation are fast losing interest in textile making. Yael recalls bringing a floor loom to some of her Bedouin friends, whose daughters had no idea what it was. “It’s a disappearing tradition,” she says. “That’s why I set up workshops where we teach traditional crafts to young women so they can learn the craft of their mothers. We also teach about Judaism.” Despite the Bedouin’s societal demands for women to stay at home, modern technology and the current economic difficulties have made inroads to their nomadic lives. This has led to more young women finding employment elsewhere. As a result, their fabric-making traditions are continued only by the elderly. With Elan Gerzon, her Israeli partner in New Mexico, Yael has formed

the Ghazala Collective of Artisans, Shepherds, and Farmers. They collect, weave, spin and dye wool from which they produce traditional, quality textiles. The process they use is environmentally-friendly and sustainable. Each step of the process is done by hand. The methods might be a primi-

develop traditional Middle Eastern textile arts, with an emphasis placed on providing an equitable redistribution of wealth that ensures fair wages to the artists themselves. Today, Yael pays elderly Bedouin women to spin wool from their homes. Yael has tapped into a movement of

Behind her ready smile lies a fortitude she has nurtured from the harshness of desert life, where relentless summers and unforgivable winters are the norm.

tive form of weaving and spinning, yet they producs textile strong enough to be used to cover large tents whose exposure to the elements is testimony to their strength. Yael’s ideology is to support and

people returning to an original way of making things. “I want the energy of the days of yore. An energy that doesn’t break down like clothes from China,” she says.

There is a lot of interest in her work. “Jewish communities in America have shown interest in our work because it is an art that is steeped in Middle Eastern history and culture, traditional handwork, and craftsmanship,” she explains. Yael’s partnership with Elan Gerzon in the U.S. slowly developed since they first met in 2014 when they collaborated on several educational projects. He currently manages an oriental and tribal rug store in Taos, New Mexico. Together, they hope to market their products to a wider audience. On our way back from Shacharut, we stopped in Mitzpeh Ramon where modern life got the better of us at Golda’s ice cream parlor. The rich mixture of flavors bore little resemblance to the simple, pastoral life Yael has carved for herself in the Arava.

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

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MERON

THROUGHOUT

THE AGES Tour Guide Ruchama Alter Walks Us Back Through Time in the Holy City BY BAILA ROSENBAUM

FOR

most of the year, the sleepy little town of Meron, with less than a thousand residents, sits among the mountains and valleys of the Upper Galilee, figuratively minding its own business. But on the 33rd day of the Omer, its quiet, sun-filled streets are met with an explosion of chassidim, tourists, students, voyeurs, and worshippers. On Lag B’Omer, the town of Meron is the place to be. Har Meron hosts hundreds of thousands, who come to celebrate the waning of the Omer and to recognize the yahrtzeit of the great Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. What draws 300,000 to 400,000 people to travel from across the country and around the world to this ancient mountaintop to participate in its famous bonfire? Who was Rabbi Shimon and how did he impact the Jewish world stage, to the extent that his death, almost 2,000 years ago, has become the focus of a renowned pilgrimage? To get some answers, I connected with Ruchama Alter, a former Torontonian who has been working as an Israeli tour guide and ed-

ucator for the last twenty years. According to Ruchama, today’s Lag B’Omer celebrations have deep roots that go back to the Bar Kochba rebellion and the resulting events that unfolded with Rome’s conquest of Israel and the Jewish people. More explicitly, she explains, “It’s all because of the Zohar.” The Zohar is attributed by rabbinic scholars to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who wrote it while he hid from the Romans who sought to assassinate him for undermining their oppressive regime. The Roman conquest, and their subsequent rule over Israel, was a bloody and terrifying era in Jewish history. After a period of calm following the destruction of the second Bais Hamikdash, the Jews started to chafe at the restrictive and vicious rulings of the Roman government. With the famous Bar Kochva in the lead, a guerrilla struggle was launched, and the rebels gained ground. The Jewish army, despite being the weaker power, was able to put up a strong fight and decimated the vast Roman Legions. More support was imported from all the lands

under Emperor Hadrian’s rule, and, as we all know, the Romans ultimately prevailed. There were major losses on both sides with over a half a million people killed. A million Jews were taken into captivity as slaves – historical sources claim that it created such a glut in the Roman slave market that the price of one Jewish slave went for less than the cost of feeding one’s horse for a day. Roman Emperor Hadrian was tired of the lengthy war and followed his victory by imposing harsh and tyrannical laws. He forbade any mention of the name Jerusalem and renamed the city, Aelia Capitolina. Israel became Palestinia. He also forbade Jews from living in Jerusalem and plowed over the Temple Mount. Teaching Torah became a capital offense. How did these events intersect with the life of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai? Rabbi Shimon was one of Rabbi Akiva’s five surviving students who, despite terrible persecutions, endured and labored to make sure that that the Torah would not be forgotten for future generations. He was a

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prominent Talmudic sage whose name and halachic opinions appear frequently throughout the Mishnah and Talmud. The Roman government heard that Rabbi Shimon had criticized the occupying Roman government, and this defiance sealed his fate. He was forced to go into hiding from the authorities who sought to execute him. Together with his son, he hid in a cave in the city of Peki’in for thirteen years. It was during this dangerous time that Rabbi Shimon wrote the Zohar. When Rabbi Shimon emerged from the cave, he witnessed people going about their regular daily activities, planting, sowing, and reaping. The Midrash tells us that he was on so high a spiritual plane that, enraged at the sight of the people around him not involved in Torah-learning, his intense gaze burned them up. He was then instructed from above to return to his cave. When he emerged a year later, he witnessed a man preparing to greet Shabbos with two myrtle branches in his hands, representing the two vital concepts of Shabbos acceptance: shamor

and zachor. He understood that the sowing and reaping of the myrtle branches were acts that elevated the mundane to the spiritual and that, in fact, the regular acts of daily life were essential in serving Hashem. With that epiphany, he was able to move on and function in society. Throughout the ages, the Kabbalah was the property of the elite. Its teachings were transmitted personally and orally from teacher to student. Its study was shrouded in mystery and accessible in private, and only to a very few. Rabbi Shimon’s opus, the Zohar, did not reduce the need for the high spiritual level necessary to understand the Kabbalah, but it provided a text to reference and study. Following their expulsion from Spain in 1492, many Jews returned to Israel and settled in the Galilee. The noted Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (known as “The Ari,” 1534-1572), among other giants in Torah, highlighted the mystical dimension of the Torah found in the Kabbalah and based his teachings on the Zohar. Through the Ari, 16th century Tzfas became the city recog-

nized as the center of Kabbalah. Over a hundred years later, the Baal Shem Tov also based his teachings on the Zohar. His chassidic teachings drew many followers and became the originator of most of the chassiduses that exist today. Though Rabbi Shimon spent his early years in Yavne and Bnei Brak, studying under Rabbi Akiva, he was buried in Meron. Conditions in central Israel were so oppressive after the Roman victory that the Jewish world center moved north to the Galil, to cities like Tzippori, Teveria, Meron, and Tzfas. The Mishna was edited in the Galil, the Yerushalmi Talmud was assembled there, and many famous Taanaim lived, taught, and died in Northern Israel. Rabbi Shimon joined many great men of that era that were interred in the region, including Rav Meir (Baal HaNes), Rabbi Akiva, and Rav Yochanan ben Zakkai who were buried in in Teveria, and Hillel Ha’Zaken who was buried in Meron. Rabbi Shimon died on the 33rd day of the Omer, or Lag B’Omer. It is said that on his deathbed, he shared deep kabbalistic secrets

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 Celebrating Lag B’Omer in Meron, circa 1920s

 The Torah parade on its way to Meron from the Abbo home in 1987

with his students. Today, the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai is a time of joyous celebration. It marks the end of a very dark period in Jewish history, one of war and oppression, and of the time that Rabbi Akiva’s many students died, as reflected in the countdown of the Omer. The entire town of Meron on Lag B’Omer is filled with thousands of Jews, singing, dancing, and carrying torches. Bonfires are lit, and people camp out, creating a tent city in what was a quiet, pastoral landscape only days before. The celebration starts in the city of Tzfas in front of an ancient home once owned by a Jew named “Abu.” One-hundred-and-eighty-eight years ago, the whole region surrounding Har Meron was owned by Arabs and inaccessible to Jews. Abu, a rich Jewish government official, purchased Har Meron, and Jews could once again visit the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon. In Abu’s honor, the festivities surrounding Lag B’Omer begin in Tzfas where, carrying a sefer Torah, a procession starts, and convoys of vehicles travel towards Meron. There, three prestigious representatives of the Jewish world, a Chassidic rebbe (customarily the Admor of Boyan), a Sephardi rabbi (two years ago, it was HaRav Amar) and a Mizrachi rabbi (two years ago, it was HaRav Drukman) each light a torch that starts the bonfire. Why bonfires? The fire signifies the light brought into the world through Torah. Rabbi Shimon gave the world spiritual light by writing the Zohar, and bonfires are lit to symbolize the holiness of his teachings.

Ruchama offers another interesting connection relating to bonfires. During the rebellion led by Bar Kochba, guerrilla warfare relied on signals sent by fire to various outposts, and today’s bonfires are reminiscent of that. And we cannot forget how, in the light of the fires of Meron, and amid the tumult and clamor of celebrants, toddler boys are getting

T he celebrat ion st a r t s i n t he c it y of Tzfa s i n f ront of a n a nc ie nt home once ow ned by a Jew na med “Abu.” their first haircuts. According to Ruchama, waiting until the age of three to give a boy his first haircut is an ancient custom. It is rooted in the symbolic concept that, at three years old, when a toddler becomes more aware of the world around him, he can choose to eschew evil, as portrayed by Eisav, the hairy one. Instead, he opts for the good and holy, as portrayed by the smooth-skinned Yaakov. He changes from one disinclined towards Torah learning to one who is.

First haircuts were not always associated with Meron, but in the 16th century, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria brought his son to the grave of Rabbi Shimon for his chaluka, and the custom migrated from its former venue at Shmuel Ha Navi’s gravesite to Rabbi Shimon’s. Last year, the corona pandemic made its mark on Meron, diminishing attendees to mere dozens. But this year, Meron’s distinctive character will be restored. The crowd is expected to be reduced to a mere 200,000 because Lag B’Omer falls on a Friday, which limits travel. In respect for Covid, the government has arranged that the area will be divided into different sections, each one intended to accommodate 10,000 people who will attend in shifts. What will remain the same are the torches, songs, feasting, shorn toddlers, and praises for Rabbi Shimon. Those seeking inspiration, salvation, connection, and joy can still come to the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon to dance and pray, as they have been doing for the last 500 years.

Ruchama Alter is a tour guide, lecturer, and educational consultant on all things Israel. Using her broad knowledge of Israel and its history, Ruchama can customize a live or virtual tour tailored to the needs of her audience. She works with schools, community organizations, synagogues, and private groups to deliver an enriching and memorable Jewish experience. She can be reached at alterbluejay@ gmail.com.

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SMILING THROUGH PAIN Friends Remember Binyamin Zwickler, a”h, and are Spreading His Light

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inyamin Zwickler, a”h, passed away four years ago at the young age of 25. Binyamin was diagnosed with cancer, r”l, when he was in high school, and through it all was full of laughter and optimism. His love for life was contagious. He was always selﬂessly looking to be there for his friends regardless of the challenges he was facing. Though tragedy, pain, and illness, he lived with rock-solid emunah and kept a bright smile on his face. While Binyamin’s positive outlook on life – no matter what he was experiencing – made everything seem OK, he still had his human need to express his emotions. His safe haven was music, speciﬁcally, composing his own deeply personal and

emotional music. Throughout this time, he rarely shared this music with anyone – even his closest friends. A few months before he passed away, he connected with some producers and had his music recorded “unprofessionally.” He passed those recordings on to his close friends a few short weeks before he left this world. His close friends and family have held these songs close to their hearts ever since. The music, filled with his love for life, his connection to Hashem through tefilla, and his calm demeanor, is extremely soulful and can strike an emotional chord in any and every Jew. In an effort to share this treasure with others and to create a zechus for Binyamin’s neshama, a few friends decided it was time to share a few choice songs with the world.

REMEMBERING OUR FRIEND, BINYAMIN, A”H By Reuvain Knoble

knew Binyamin for many years. We were a year apart in high school and were roommates in yeshiva in Israel. However, we did not become particularly close until the last few years of his life. Binyamin was one of the most multi-dimensional personalities I have ever known. Having spent a lot of time together through his final illness, I would say that I was exposed to the more serious, pensive side. That said, even a serious version of Binyamin came along with a great sense of humor and love for life. The way that Binyamin dealt with challenges is something that will be a lesson to me forever. I remember the day in the summer of 2015 when he got his biopsy back that would ultimately confirm everyone’s worst fears. He called me to tell me the results, and in a way that only Binyamin could say told me, “I have good news and bad news. The bad news is I’m sick again. The good news is the doctor said I can continue to enjoy life because what happens from here on is beyond my control.” Sometime after that, we started learning every day after work. He started a new job. Bought a new car. Went back to school. He was very aware of what may happen but still lived life to the fullest. With all of the trials and tribulations he was going through in his own life, Binyamin never focused only on himself. He was interested and happy to be there for any of his friends. We once had a long chat about how frustrated I was with something going on in my life. At the end of the conversation, I looked at him and commented that I felt pathetic to be complaining to him about such trivial matters. Binyamin responded, “Every person has things that bother them. And no matter how big or small that issue is, it consumes that individual. So, my issues may be bigger than what you are dealing with, but it affects us both in the exact same way.” I was zocheh to be with Binyamin when he was niftar. Minutes before, I had shared with Mrs. Zwickler that my sister had just gotten engaged. There was an air of happiness in the room as everyone wished me mazal tov. I have always thought how appropriate it was that Binyamin’s last moments on earth were spent in a room that was filled with simcha. He wouldn’t have had it any other way. Yehi zichro baruch.

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They worked hard to find the artists that would do the music justice and represent Binyamin honorably. Some of the artists were friends of Binyamin, as well. To produce the album, they partnered with Madraigos, an organization dedicated to helping teens and young adults overcome life’s most difficult challenges, knowing that had Binyamin still been physically with us he would have championed this cause and surely would have supported and involved himself in the great work of Madraigos. Their hope is that this music will inspire people to be like Binyamin, a”h, and never judge a friend, always try to find the purpose and brightness in life, and turn to Hashem in every situation. May this be a zechus for Binyamin’s neshama.

NEVER ABOUT HIM By Meir Whitman

first met Binyamin in high school. He was fire. He was energetic, fun, and always full of life. Sure, he was way cooler than I was, but that didn’t matter – Binyamin was friends with everyone because externals didn’t matter. He absolutely loved adventure. I fondly remember going to Manhattan with him and a few friends without any plan, and he led us on an action-packed day in which we gallivanted around the city and had the time of our lives. Binyamin exuded confidence. He was never shy nor embarrassed to speak to anyone. It was contagious, too. Being around Binyamin made me feel comfortable; he made me feel good about myself. His lack of judgement and acceptance of anyone and everyone was what made him so popular and beloved by his friends. He truly loved and saw good in everyone. Binyamin was the ultimate prankster. You never knew what he was up to. It was his hilarious unpredictability that could crack the awkwardness of the heaviest and most tense moments. There was never a dull moment when Binyamin was around – his witty humor and clever pranks always kept you on the edge of your seat. But more than all else, Binyamin was the most caring, giving, and devoted friend. I will never forget how no matter what was going on his life, he was always concerned about what was going on in my life. It was never about him, but what can he do for others. Binyamin’s eternal positivity and upbeat attitude was truly superhuman, and I learnt so much from him. I miss Binyamin so much, but I feel very lucky and blessed to have been so close with such a special person. I know I am who I am because of Binyamin.

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A LETTER TO MY FRIEND BINYAMIN ZWICKLER, A”H By Yitzy Halpern

inyamin, It’s been a couple of years since that fateful day when you left this complicated world, a place where you suffered greatly, and went to the real world where I’m sure you feel no pain. I will never forget the phone call I got as I was about to get onto the Triboro Bridge when your rebbe from DRS told me that I should turn around because our dear friend is no longer with us. I kind of knew that you were living your last few days out in Sloan Kettering Hospital, and although, of course, we all knew that Hashem’s nissim are endless, we are human beings, and the reality was pretty stark. Those visits were, on one hand, super-depressing; watching a friend suffering and withering away is not something I wish on anybody. On the other hand, something other than our friendship kept pulling me back. Seeing you smile through that pain and trying to encourage everybody around you to be positive and have bitachon was a lesson that will never leave me. I kind of knew at the time that the life lessons that I, and everybody around you, were experiencing were surreal and would leave a mark on us and our families. While my premonition was spot on and I definitely use what you taught me in my daily life – and I always say it over in your name – I, for one, do not remember you like that. I remember a tall, confident, super-funny and cool guy with a big smile who always just had the right thing to say. Sitting on my deck and shooting the breeze or taking a spin around town was always an experience I looked forward to. You never seemed to be caught up in yourself. In fact, you always seemed to really care more about what was going on with me and my family. I remember showing up to your funeral and seeing literally over 100 guys your age weeping. I asked someone who all these people were, and they said, “These are Binyamin’s friends.” After years of being friends and hanging out, I had no idea how super popular you were or how many close friends you had. In fact, I didn’t even know that you composed music until last week, when I heard that your friends were producing an album with your compositions. It just wasn’t your style to talk about yourself. If I had to highlight one of the many life lessons I learned from you, it would be the following: During one of our chills, probably our last one outside of a hospital, you taught me a life lesson that I repeat in your name at every opportunity. I’ll never forget the time you texted me, “Hey Yitz, wanna go out for lunch?” We went out to Coffee Bar and I said, “What’s going on, Binyamin? How are you feeling?” You said, “Well, the doctors

told me yesterday that they can’t treat my cancer anymore and…” I said, “….and WHAT?” You said, “…and I only have a few months to live.” I was obviously shocked and devastated and experiencing something I have never experienced in my life. After a solid two minutes of silence through tears, I looked up and you were smiling. I said, “What in the world am I supposed to say right now?” At that moment you taught me a lesson that I will never forget. You said to me, “You don’t have to say anything…. What’s going on with you? What’s bugging you today?” I answered, “Oh, just the regular work stuff, but it just became completely insignificant in light of what you just told me.” Here is where you taught me something that only Binyamin Zwickler could teach. You said to me, “Let me tell you something, Yitzy. We all wake up with something causing us anxiety. For me, it is the fact that I will be dying soon, and for you, it is regular work stress. As much as you care about me and would do anything to help me live, your stress is still what will fill your plate – so tell me about it.” At that moment, I decided that I would never think, and definitely never say to someone, that “there are worse things in life than what you are experiencing.” You taught me that when someone has something bothering them or something to share with a friend, my tafkid is to completely negate my feelings and my present situation and tune into them and their situation. I can’t think of a more powerful and poignant way to learn that lesson, nor would I chalila ever want to, and I have made it my mission to share that experience in your name at every opportunity I have. I would love to write on and on about things I learned from you, but you would probably tell me to “cut it out.” So, I will end by saying that I really miss you and think about you all the time, and it usually brings a smile to my face and slight pit in my stomach each time. You were one of a kind, and everybody who knew you loved you and misses you. Apparently, Hashem loved you, too, and wanted you to be with Him, and as Yidden with strong emunah, we accept that and ask no questions. Binyamin, please have us in mind by the Kisei Hakavod and beg Hashem to bring the geulah so that you can be reunited with your family and friends and so that all those who have experienced the pain of losing loved ones can be reunited with them and have their broken hearts repaired and filled with love and physical connection once more. Until that great day, rest in peace and keep smiling! With love and yearning… Your friend, Yitzy Halpern

BINYAMIN, A”H  A LIFELONG FRIEND By Avi Rubel

t was the beginning of high school. A new grade, in a new school, with new students. I was unsure what my new school would be like, what the year would have in store, and what kind of friends I would make. Binyamin sat just a few desks away surrounded by a couple of friends of his own. Within the first few weeks of school, I was already determined to become friends with Binyamin. He was funny, athletic, and a great class “troublemaker” (like myself). Throughout the ninth grade I worked to achieve my goal. Binyamin and I grew close. We spent a lot of time together, both in and out of school. Binyamin spent many Shabbosos at my house. We stayed up late, hung out, and shared many personal conversations. All my siblings loved having Binyamin around. Binyamin was very much the life of the party. He drew a crowd, made people laugh, and was very likeable. Binyamin switched schools in eleventh grade, while I left for another school for twelfth grade. Although we no longer spent time together on a day-to-day basis, we remained very close. When we would meet up, it was as if we had been together all along. Around Pesach time of twelfth grade, Binyamin developed a tumor in his neck. When I discovered what was happening, I was completely distraught. I was sad that my friend was sick, but I was sadder because a boy, a young boy, with so much talent and promise, had to endure so much pain. Binyamin had to go through more sadness than most people experience in a lifetime. Binyamin championed chemotherapy and went into remission while I was away for the year in Israel. The next time we met up, it was as if I was meeting someone who had aged ten years in a single year. Binyamin became more serious-minded. He wanted to know how I had been, what my year was like, and how my family was doing, all while deflecting attention from his own situation. Binyamin developed a hopeful mindset, living in the now, yet certain of a positive future. He went on to get married, start a job, maintain and create new relationships, and spend much of his time learning/davening in the beis midrash. About five years ago, in response to a relapse of his cancer, Binyamin underwent experimental treatment. I went to visit him in the hospital. He struggled through the medications that were keeping him heavily sedated to speak. He continued to focus on how I was doing, how school was going for me, and how my marriage was. I was sitting at my friend’s side for the last time, and all he wanted to hear was about me. I admire Binyamin’s strength to push on, his faith in a better future, his care for people, and his maturity that was well beyond his years. I look up to him. I think about what Binyamin would do when I am presented difficult situations. He was, and is, a “legacy friend.” Someone to think of in hard times and enjoy the memories of in good times. Binyamin will always be in my heart – as I learn, daven, work, and raise a family. We miss him greatly.

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TRUE STRENGTH By Shimmy Hirsch

t was music that connected Binyamin and I in our senior year of high school, and it was music again that brought us back together during his second battle with cancer. We stayed connected in our early twenties talking about that new job opportunity that came along or how to advance in our careers, but it was only music that prompted the texts: “Wanna jam?” “Yeah.” “Outside.” After I triumphed through some of my own personal life challenges, I thought I knew what strength was: winning. Coming through the other side on top was a sign that I was strong enough to take on the next challenge life presented. Though some of this is true, what Binyamin taught me was that strength is much more than that. After we’d jam through some beautiful chord progressions that he would play (which I later learned were his own), we’d hang out on the porch and talk. We’d catchup about mundane challenges like issues at work or about a relationship of mine that wasn’t going well. Then it always evolved into conversations about the existential conflicts we faced, the impact it had on our emotional selves, and finally how we stayed positive and focused on what it is that we truly want. Hearing about how he dealt with his experiences gave me a new strength to deal with my own, every time. After we hung out, I walked away with new tools and a positive perspective. Binyamin showed me what it means to be strong. Fighting to win wasn’t the goal because in the end “winning” isn’t up to you; it’s up to G-d. He taught me that talking about your challenges openly and sharing your learnings from them honestly with those close to you is what true strength is. G-d doesn’t care about winning; that’s in His court. Sharing your experiences to bring positivity to others, to give other people more tools in their box to live successful lives is true strength.

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Dating Dialogue

What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

We would like to hear your perspective on how to deal with our daughter. She has been in shidduchim for seven years, and nobody she dates is ever good enough for her. We obviously want what is best for her, as her parents, but we walk a fine line between frustration and sensitivity. We think

she is too picky with her standards of looks, personality, hashkafa and profession. We pretty much leave her alone since she is very headstrong and independent; our “words of wisdom” would probably not even penetrate. Over the years, we have tried talking sense into her about the way she dates, for instance: not going out with a guy unless she REALLY likes his picture, saying no after one date if a guy’s nose is too big. Every time I send an idea for a shidduch, she nixes it right away by saying she either knows of him already or a friend dated him and is “not for me.” How can we effectively handle this situation? All the best, Frustrated Mom

Disclaimer: This column is not intended to diagnose or otherwise conclude resolutions to any questions. Our intention is not to offer any definitive conclusions to any particular question, rather offer areas of exploration for the author and reader. Due to the nature of the column receiving only a short snapshot of an issue, without the benefit of an actual discussion, the panel’s role is to offer a range of possibilities. We hope to open up meaningful dialogue and individual exploration.

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The Panel

The Rebbetzin

frequently required. Good help and tefillah will be most helpful.

Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

hear your frustration loud and clear, Mom. And I feel your pain. It’s hard to see your daughter’s rigidity and dismissiveness of prospects. You want to see her more open in her dating choices. Your role as parents is no longer as advisors and are not connected with sharing wisdom at this point in your relationship. Communication about dating (and probably other areas) is not good and will probably not improve any time soon. You are very far apart from being heard by each other, unfortunately. There is no point in playing the blame game in this breakdown of your relationship. Your relationship with your daughter is seriously challenged right now. And improving that is probably even more important than her approach to dating. I would suggest that you focus your efforts in two areas. One is davening for her to find her zivug. The other is connected to your relationship with your daughter and finding spiritual and emotional support for yourselves during her prolonged singlehood. Once you and your husband move forward on that path with the help of experienced rabbinic and mental health professionals, you will also improve your communication with her. A critical first step in relationships is deep acceptance that you cannot change the other person; you can only change yourselves. This is a process that will only be triggered by acceptance of your daughter’s independence and adulthood. It’s easy for panelists to comment and respond to the queries in this column; it is so much harder to put into practice the changes in mindset and communication that are

The Shadchan Michelle Mond

ear Mom, Firstly, your sensitivity shines through in your question. You and your husband are doing a great job. The idea I have for the difficult position you are in is going to seem oddly unrelated; however, I think it will help. Build up your own marriage inwardly and outwardly so your daughter starts to crave the same happiness, respect, and love a marriage based on realness provides. Try not to pay any close attention to her singlehood for a while. Let her feel the lack of parental obsession and concern her about her dating life. If you are able to, travel to new places with your husband (if you are vaccinated), go on date nights, send pics to the family chat of the two of you spending time together. Focus your energy on your close relationships, your life, and your connection to Hashem. Build your own relationship into the kind of connection that will make her crave taking dating seriously. Though not through advice or anything direct, this might just be the psychological piece needed to boost her excitement for the next stage in life. Additionally, it will make you and your hubby happier, too!

The Single Rivka Weinberg

rustrated Mom, your daughter is incredibly lucky to have parents

who really want the best for her. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for you and your husband to walk the fine line between the frustration and sensitivity that you mention. I give you credit for stepping back and not continuously offering unsolicited advice, although I am sure that is not easy for you. I suggest you continue to do so to prevent the possibility of pushing your daughter away. As a young adult myself, there are countless times when my parents suggested specific activities or gave pieces of advice, and because I believe to know better than them, I disregarded their opinions. It sounds like your daughter is not receptive to what you and your husband are proposing, so I believe it is time to reach out to outside resources. If there is a specific rav, teacher, or mentor that your daughter has a kesher with express your concerns to that individual. Many times, different people can offer the same advice, however, until it is heard from the right person, it will not penetrate correctly into the mind. It is clear in this situation that there is an information deficit between what you and your husband believe from your life experiences and what your daughter seems to think she knows from her own. Ultimately, as difficult and frustrating as it is, your daughter will have to come to the conclusion to change by herself. As I am sure you know from raising your daughter, headstrong and independent people often need to exhaust all of their resources self-sufficiently, and only once they feel their system is not working will they come for help. In the meantime, as her parents, you can continue to network on her behalf and spread her name to various friends and shadchanim. However, please do yourselves and your daughter a favor and do not allow this to ruin your relationship. Unfortunately, there are

A critical first step in relationships is deep acceptance that you cannot change the other person.

girls and boys who get irritated with their parents’ involvement in their shidduchim, which leads to resentment. Your number one role right now is to be her loving support system. This process is most definitely not easy for her, and the last thing she needs is further aggravation from her family. Keep in mind that Hashem will send her zivug at the exact right time and not a second before she is ready. Continue davening to Hashem that your daughter should have the clarity that she needs to work on herself and to make the right decisions in her shidduchim.

The Zaidy Dr. Jeffrey Galler

everal years ago, “Failure to Launch” was a popular Hollywood movie that depicted a 35-yearold man who lived with his parents and was incapable or unwilling to get married, move out, and get on with his life. The movie was a comedy. However, your situation is anything but a comedy. You are in an extremely difficult, frustrating predicament.

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On the one hand, you want your daughter to be more realistic about finding her life partner. On the other hand, criticizing her and vigorously sharing your “words of wisdom” can irrevocably harm your relationship. And, consider this: if she does listen to you and “settles” for someone, then, after she marries, she might blame you every time she has an unhappy moment or disagreement in her marriage. Your daughter is undoubtedly aware that all of her friends are getting married and that she is rapidly being left behind. She doesn’t need you to remind her of that fact. Perhaps, of her own volition,

she will see the light and be more open-minded. Some of my Navidater colleagues will undoubtedly suggest that your daughter go for counseling to help her with the possible underlying issues that are causing her to reject every potential suitor. I would suggest that you, yourself, as a very frustrated mother, go to an understanding therapist. You need to be able to vent your frustrations and learn how to live with your daughter, without making her feel your disappointment or disapproval. You are going through an exceedingly difficult time and need support.

An old but apt expression is: “Youth is wasted on the young.” Your daughter will probably roll her eyes and decline your help when you gently ask her if there’s anything that you can do to help her go through this difficult process, such as hiring a dating coach or therapist. One of life’s most difficult situations is when a parent has to accept that a child has the right to make their own decisions. (How about this suggestion: The next time your daughter goes on a date, pack all her belongings, leave her suitcases in the hallway, and quickly move to another zip code. Just kidding. I don’t mean to make light of your pain

Pulling It All Together

the thing to do and aren’t alThe Navidaters lowed to question this, and so Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists they go with the flow, rejecting prospect after prospec t consciously or subconsciously. honey?” ear Frustrated Mom, This can be a lot for if she likes to process Thank you for writing into our a parent to cope with, and so if afterward. And simply column. One of the greatest chalyou feel like you need direction, mirror her. When she tells lenges a parent can face is when our guidance or support to help you you, “His nose is too big. I’m not children make decisions that we in through this emotionally challenginterested,” you can say, “OK. He’s our hearts just know isn’t right. You ing time, you can always speak with not for you. The right one will come see your daughter seemingly turnsomeone. in the right time.” If your daughter ing down great guys and her chance It’s true. Some people seem to doesn’t approach you, don’t even at a happy, fulfilling marriage and cruise through this dating parsha ask. life. And that is heart wrenching for without a worry or with minimal I don’t know your daughter, but parents to watch, helplessly. worry, and some parents have their it is worth mentioning the possibilAs awful as this sounds, I think kishkas torn inside out. And in the ity that she simply hasn’t met the all you can do is completely back off name of validation I want to say, “It’s one. It’s also worth mentioning that and drop it. If she approaches you not fair!” I don’t know why this hapsometimes singles are content being about a date, listen if you can. Be pens. All I’ve come up with is that single and aren’t ready for dating or there for her and support her. You we are all meant for different things, marriage. Oftentimes, they feel it is can even ask, “How was the date,

Build your own relationship into the kind of connection that will make her crave taking dating seriously.

but looking at the situation with a bit of humor might assuage the hurt.)

and we will never understand why we must suffer. And worthy of mention: suffering comes in all different shapes and sizes. It is your time to focus elsewhere. Focus on yourself, your husband, other family members and friends. Take on a new hobby; invest in yourself. Steer your relationship with your daughter away from all talk of dating and marriage. She can’t hear you, and it’s truly her choice. I’m not a betting gal, but if I had to bet, I’d say your best chances of her coming to this on her own (if she even wants to) is sensing that you no longer have her dating on your radar. I can sense what a deeply loving mother you are. A mother never stops worrying. But no one ever said she can’t have a little fun! Invest in yourself.

All the best, Jennifer

Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in private practice at 123 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, NY. She also teaches a psychology course at Touro College. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 718-908-0512. Visit www.thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email JenniferMannLCSW@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

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Dr. Deb

Have You Gone Through the Therapy Revolving Door? By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.

hen I was practicing in my quiet, little oﬃce while one person, or maybe a couple, would come in, I was doing exactly what I was taught. I had all those many years of schooling to unlearn. <sigh> Couples would come in to see me, and I would try to hear what they had to say. Sometimes they would pour out their hearts. But there were other times when they got into arguments with each other. I remember one time when holding my hand up in a “stop” command was totally ignored and I had to stand up between them to try to get them to stop. It didn’t work. They poked their heads around me and kept yelling! Well, on the good side, they were obviously connected. But couples like that ended up still connected in the same way – in court. Ugh. Sometimes, I would get one of those people alone in a session, and he would let down a drop of that guard that I found so frustrating. A drop. The tone would soften. The face would soften. And I would think,

“There! I have the real person behind the defenses.” But, uh-oh. Whoosh. All of a sudden, a thunderstorm broke and we were back to start. Maybe a bad memory came up for that person. Maybe something I said triggered them, unbeknownst to me. Or possibly a little voice in the back of their mind was telling them to protect themselves from this stranger who claims she means well. Who knows? I did not find out. And like all the other therapists who trained when I did, I could easily just decide the client was “resistant.” Yeah, that was a good one. It’s not my fault they’re not improving: They’re resistant to treatment! Except I never bought into that. The first time I didn’t buy it, I was at Queens College and was accepted into a year-long research program. We would go to Israel having done a bunch of reading on a topic and having contacted people to interview there. Those were the days when an overseas phone call was $100. Amazingly, my nervous parents let me go. My topic was mental health and

mental hospitals and whether the hospitals help people to get better or not. So I went, interviewed doctors, and interviewed patients (my Ivrit was much better then). My findings: The hospitals made things worse. You can read it on my blog if you like (https://drdeb.com/blog/mental-hospital-environment-study-living-conditions-six-israeli-psychiatric-institutions). The second time I disrupted the system, I was fresh out of my Master’s program, still writing up my thesis. I was back in New York, newly married, and really wanted to start working already. I’d sent off lots of resumes with hope in my heart. One of those to whom I’d sent the resume was a residential detox center in the heart of Manhattan for teens suffering from addictions. During the interview, they asked me what I’d do if a teen wasn’t “buying into” their program. I said I’d sit down and talk to the kid and find out what the problem was because addiction is a sign of underlying pain. Kids don’t just do it because it’s fun or their peers are engaging in it; it ac-

complishes something for them in the way of numbing their pain. (Ten years later, after I was living in Florida, I had the privilege to hear the late Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski speak, and he said the same thing. He would know. I felt validated. [I still feel the pain of his recent loss.]) Oh, boy…. I gave the wrong answer. “Miss Deb,” they said, “addicts are manipulative.” I could hear the italics in that word as they spat it out. “They will run all over you if you let them.” There was no use arguing with them. That was their way of thinking. No wonder addiction is such a huge problem in our country. No one else (besides Dr. Twerski) got to the root cause. Stuck. Resistant. Manipulative. Secondary gain. All these labels to pin on people. Well, they are good excuses for being poor therapists who don’t want to figure out exactly how to get past what looks like stuckness, resistance, manipulation, and benefit from their symptoms. I don’t know why therapists in the field wanted to take the easy way out,

Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021 The The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 2015

ulative” is because they’ve been hurt way too badly in the past to allow their guard down. The very people who need the help of therapists the most got dropped because the therapists didn’t know how to get past that guard. I am so thankful that I was born stubborn. I kept searching for ways

Dr. Deb Hirschhorn is a Marriage and Family Therapist. If you want help with your marriage, begin by signing up to watch her Masterclass at https://drdeb. com/myw-masterclass.

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And – here’s the most important part that gets totally overlooked – marriage is the fertile ground for old pain to be triggered. It is the place of severe disappointment, actually re-traumatization, when we expect our significant other to save us from that old pain and instead it gets compounded. (Why is that? I will answer

I was haunted by all the people I wasn’t able to help because of these obstacles.

around, over, past, through that obstacle. And I’ve actually found it. I teach people: • To discover their triggers, what started them, and how to tame them • To discover the hurt parts of themselves that need healing – and then use tools to heal • To recognize that same process in their partner so that they can – finally – connect in an honest but loving way. I work individually with couples, too. No more fights on my watch. They learn how to feel better – and be better – before I bring them together. And no more “sessions.” That’s a waste of valuable time. Life is too short, too precious, for kicking the can down the road.

RIE

that question next week.) So, in order to heal marriages, the people in them first have to heal. Now, things were starting to come together for me. The reason why some people are “stuck,” “resistant,” or even “manip-

that the daily verbal and emotional assaults on a child through putdowns, neglect, disgusted body language, dismissal, invalidation, and absence can do far more harm than being in a car crash, bad as that “big T trauma” might be.

BES T

but I never did. I was haunted by all the people I wasn’t able to help because of these obstacles. When it was time to work on my dissertation for my doctorate, I gravitated to the topic of trauma in marriage. What I did not realize was something that only has become clearer and clearer to me lately: Trauma is on a continuum – and therefore most likely affects the majority of people. Why do I say that? As I mentioned a number of weeks ago, Dr. Ron Cohen, a psychiatrist in Great Neck, concurred with me that there is something that some enlightened professionals are starting to call “little t trauma.” This “little t” did not make it into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. (For my thoughts on the validity of their basis for inclusion, do a Google search; I’ve written about this before as well.) Yet Bessel van der Kolk, a chief disruptor in this area, pointed out

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Health & F tness

Proper Nutrition for Your Pregnancy By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

ood nutrition during pregnancy, and enough of it, is very important for your baby to grow and develop. The recommendation is that pregnant women consume 300 more calories a day than before the pregnancy. That is often diﬃcult to do during the first trimester, when many women experience nausea and vomiting. On the ﬂip side, a significant portion of pregnant women feel like this is the time to “enjoy themselves” and overindulge since they are “eating for two.” This can result in excess weight gain and increase the risk of gestational diabetes. A healthy weight gain for normal weight women is 25-35 pounds. Let’s discuss how to achieve a healthy weight gain, and what foods or supplements are needed to support a healthy, growing baby, and what foods should be avoided. During pregnancy you may have morning sickness, diarrhea, or constipation. You may find it hard to keep foods down or may feel too sick to even eat at all. To help alleviate morning sickness, try eating carbs like crackers, cereal, or pretzels first thing in the morning. Eat small frequent meals throughout the day and avoid fatty, fried, spicy, and greasy foods. If you experience morning sickness all day, then soups are a great meal at lunch or dinner. Chicken soup with vegetables, like sweet potato, carrots, zucchini, onions, and some chicken, if tolerated, is a nutritious, well-balanced meal that feels comforting as well. Constipation can be alleviated by consuming enough fruits and vegetables. Drinking 8 cups of water will be very helpful, too. Eat whole grain, high fiber breads and crackers, and avoid rice and bananas since they will only exacerbate the situation. Dried fruits

like prunes, figs, or dates are great at maintaining regularity, but consume them in small portions since they are a concentrated form of sugar. If all else fails, speak to your physician about taking fiber supplements. If you are experiencing diarrhea, then eat more foods that contain pectin and gums to help absorb the excess water. Examples of these foods are applesauce, bananas, white rice, oatmeal, and refined wheat bread. Heartburn in pregnancy is a very common complaint. Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. I find that a little bit of honey in some ginger tea after each meal will help as well. Avoid caffeinated beverages and citric beverages, and spicy food. There are some foods that should be avoided or limited during pregnancy. Limit caffeine to no more than 300 mg a day. An 8-ounce cup of coffee contains about 150 mg of caffeine, while black tea contains about 80 mg of caffeine. The artificial sweetener saccharin is strongly discouraged during pregnancy, because it can cross the placenta and may remain in fetal tissues. Stevia and monk fruit are considered safe in moderation, so speak with your physician about how much is accept-

able during pregnancy. Pregnant women should eat 8-12 ounces of fish a week. Fish is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, especially salmon which contains the most omega-3s, specifically DHA. However, fish also contains mercury which is a toxin and not very baby-friendly, and some fish are laden with chemicals from polluted lakes and rivers. Opt for wild salmon instead, which also contains even more healthy omega-3s or organic farmed salmon. It is strongly recommended that raw fish be avoided during pregnancy. Speak to your physician about limiting your fish consumption. Rare meats, raw eggs, unpasteurized cheese, and alcohol should be avoided as well. Certain nutrients are key to the development of a healthy baby, including folic acid, iron, calcium, vitamin D, DHA, and iodine. Folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects. You need twice as much iron during pregnancy because iron is used to make more blood that carries oxygen to the baby. Calcium is key to helping your baby build strong bones, teeth, muscles and nerves. Vitamin D helps calcium do its job and will keep your immune system strong. DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid

that plays a significant role in your baby’s brain and eye development. Iodine promotes your baby’s brain and nervous system. Here are some healthy foods that will help you achieve the inclusion of these nutrients in your pregnancy diet. • Lean Meat: The amino acids in protein are the building blocks of every cell in both your body and your baby’s. High protein foods will also stabilize your blood sugar and is also high in iron. Aim for three servings of protein a day. • Lentils: They are rich in folate (folic acid in supplements), which is vital to forming your baby’s brain and nervous system and has a powerful protective effect against neural tube defects like spina bifida, a birth disorder in which the spine does not form properly. Lentils are also high in fiber which can help with any pregnancy-related constipation. • Yogurt: You need a steady supply of calcium for your baby’s growing bones and to help keep yours strong and help your nerves and muscles function. Try to get in at least three servings of dairy a day, and yogurt is one of the best. It contains as much calcium as milk, plus it’s packed with protein and folate. The active cultures in yogurt can help prevent stomach upsets, as well as yeast infections (which are more common during pregnancy). Yogurt is also a good source of iodine. Look for plain yogurts, and add some berries to it to give it some sweetness, in addition to the berries’ antioxidants and fiber. Avoid the ﬂavored yogurts since they usually contain a significant amount of added sugar. • Sweet Potatoes: A single sweet potato serves up more than 400 percent of the vitamin A that you need in a day. This is especially important during

Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021 The The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 2015

the first trimester, when the baby’s cells are dividing at a rapid speed to become different organs and body parts. Steer clear of vitamin A supplementation, since mega doses of the nutrient could increase risk of birth defects. • Eggs: Besides being an excellent protein source, and all-around perfect food, the egg is one of the few food sources of vitamin D. Vitamin D helps calcium build strong bones and teeth for your baby, as well as keeping your immune system in fighting form. Getting enough of this nutrient may help reduce the risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and low birth weight. • Avocado: This creamy, green fruit is full of folate, which promotes healthy tissue and brain growth for your baby and may help ease morning sickness for you. It’s also a spectacular source of monounsaturated fats, which help your body better absorb many of the vitamins found in fruits and vegetables. Avocado toast makes for a nutritious and delicious breakfast. • Water: Make sure to drink at

least 8-10 cups of water a day. Water plays a key role in delivering nutrients to the baby and helping the baby’s body to make new cells. Drinking enough water is one of the best ways to stave off constipation during pregnancy. Plus,

eyes, skin, and organs, and vitamin C which is a powerful antioxidant. Fruits and vegetables are also full of fiber. Research has found that eating a vegetable-rich diet during pregnancy could help reduce the risk of compli-

Eating for two should mean eating enough healthy nutrients for two people, one that is developing and growing every day.

dehydration can increase the risk for early labor. Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go and take small sips throughout the day. • Fruits and Vegetables: Include several servings of both in your daily food intake. Fruits and vegetables are significant sources of vitamins, especially vitamin A, which is critical for the development of the baby’s

cations like high blood pressure and preeclampsia. It is imperative that pregnant women take a daily pre-natal vitamin. It should be consumed with food and is your safety net in terms of ensuring that many of your critical nutrient needs are met. Pregnancy is not the time to binge on doughnuts, pizza, and bagels, but

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it is the most important time of your life to eat healthier than you ever have before. Eating for two should mean eating enough healthy nutrients for two people, one that is developing and growing every day. It wise to avoid the foods that would not be good for the baby, foods that would make you feel even more sick, and foods that would only increase the extra pregnancy weight gain. Pregnancy is a truly exciting time of life and it is important to provide both the body and the baby with the nutrients needed to be healthy and strong. By eating smartly and keeping your baby in mind, you can have a healthy and nutritious pregnancy.

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

Miriam Jacobovits Photography

CALL OR TEXT 347–572–8973 INSTAGRAM: MIRIAMJACOBOVITSPHOTOGRAPHY

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Parenting Pearls

Lag B’Omer and Marking Milestones By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

ag B’Omer is a fun day for kids. I remember in high school the day was spent at a nearby park in Nassau County. We were able to walk to and from the park and enjoy 930 acres of open space. We had a field day – literally. The day has become synonymous with outdoor activities – something our children could really benefit from this year, even more than others. The truth is that Lag B’Omer is not fully understood. There are many components to the day and I’ve seen the meaning behind the day described as being as mysterious as the Zohar that is said to have been revealed at that time. Bonfires, lively singing, Meiron, and first haircuts have all joined the traditional festivities.

Upsherins and Milestones Many have the custom to give their sons their first haircuts on Lag B’Omer. It’s a special time as a baby turns into a child. They really do mature as they shed their baby hair. First haircuts can be overwhelming for children. Think of how you can best ensure your child will be emotionally comfortable throughout the event. Personally, we gave our sons their haircuts privately the night before the festivities as we felt that doing it publicly would be too much for

them. You know your child best, and with that knowledge, you can plan how to make sure your child can most enjoy this special milestone instead of being scared. While some new big boys love being the center of attention and enjoy the spotlight, others may benefit from a smaller gathering. For those boys that may find large crowds overwhelming, this is also something to take into account. Take the time to appreciate that this really is a special milestone for your family and your child, in particular. He is officially beginning his formal Torah education. He now gets to wear a yarmulke and tzitzit, just like the big boys do. This is one of many milestones he will experience throughout his life; each of them are meaningful in their own way. We often forget that little girls also turn three. We don’t need formal minhagim to take the time to recognize our daughters’ milestones. We don’t need to imitate what we do for boys but it’s important to remember that our children – of both genders and different ages – will reach many personal milestones. It’s meaningful to them if we find a way to honor those milestones, big and small. Recognize that an event that may seem meaningless to you can be a major event for your child. Whether it’s giving up

a pacifier, succeeding in a challenging school subject, or overcoming a fear, these and all milestones your child reaches should be acknowledged in some way. It respects their accomplishments and encourages them further.

Look for the Milestones We have certain set milestones in our community. We have a first siddur, Chumash and beginning Gemara celebrations. We have bar and bat mitzvah and weddings. We have many stepping stones that are reached throughout life. They add a special flavor to maturing and growing up. Families know to look out for these events, and there are usually set ways to celebrate each of these events. There are many other milestones your little one will reach, many of which will be unique just to your child. The child who stops hitting his sibling when angry has done no less an accomplishment than getting his first siddur – many would argue his accomplishment was even greater. The child who finally gives up her bottle has reached a stage of maturity. A child who is struggling in math but works hard and does well certainly deserves to be acknowledged. A child who avoids after-school learning programs but decides to try one out has

stepped out of his comfort zone. You know your child and you know what is a challenge for them. Look out for when they overcome something difficult for them. Look out for even a step in the right direction. We can recognize when they have accomplished part of the goal and have even just taken a step towards their goal. While yelling in anger at a sibling isn’t nice or appropriate, it’s an improvement for a child with serious anger issues who usually resorts to hitting. We don’t need to wait for perfection. Letting a child know that their efforts and baby steps are important is one way to propel them towards the full goal. Often, reaching the full milestone may seem outside a child’s reach but overcoming one step seems more possible. When they move forward one small step at a time, they will eventually hit a goal they never could have imagined was possible. Take the time to actively think about what is a milestone for your child and find a way to acknowledge it in some capacity. It doesn’t need to be an official community-respected milestone to be a great accomplishment for your individual child.

Brag a Bit Depending on your child’s age and

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015 The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

personality, many children appreciate when you mention their accomplishment to a family member or close family friend. For example, call up a grandparent and say how well your child did on a test. The child knows you are proud enough of their accomplishment to share it with others, and loved ones will often show their own excitement for the child. I can’t tell you how excited toddlers can get when you call someone to share their toilet-training successes. These calls are also a great nachas announcement for family and those close to your child. Those we’re close to are invested in our children, too, and they deserve to enjoy these moments. Don’t do it, though, if it’ll embarrass your child.

Celebrate Find a way to celebrate milestone events. You can find ways to celebrate at home even for community-celebrated events such as starting Gemara. There’s no reason you need to limit the party to school. Celebrating at

home shows how important the milestone is to your family. This is even more meaningful when attendance is limited at these school events. If celebrating at home an already celebrated milestone is important, then certainly we should celebrate

Feel free to get creative when it comes to celebrating these milestones. I know that many of us made bar mitzvahs and other simchas during the height of the pandemic. We thought really out-of-the-box to create a one-of-a-kind event, nearly as

Letting a child know that their efforts and baby steps are important is one way to propel them towards the full goal.

with the family an event that isn’t recognized formally. Allow your family to officially mark together one of your child’s many accomplishments. It could be something as small as singing to them at the dinner table or something more involved, but there are many ways to celebrate with your child.

unique as our child. Take that creative thinking to find a way to mark these other smaller occasions in your child’s life. One idea we’ve used is to take the child shopping to pick out and buy a Jewish book. You’d be surprised how much they enjoyed that. Years later, they would look in the family bookshelf and remember which book was

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bought for their accomplishments. You can even add an inscription. Another thing we’ve done is small family siyumim to mark learning moments. Gifts don’t need to be big and gaining new privileges can often be even more meaningful than something purchased with money. An outing with a parent is another way to show how special their accomplishment is to you. Decide what will be meaningful to your child and realistic for you to do. Lag B’Omer is a unique and special day. Your child’s unique milestones are special, as well. Enjoy Lag B’Omer with your children and celebrate their accomplishments together all year long.

Sara Rayvych, MSEd, has her master’s in general and special education. She has been homeschooling for over 10 years in Far Rockaway. She can be contacted at RayvychHomeschool@gmail.com.

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jewish women of wisdom

Kidlit and Grandtalk By Rebbetzin Faige Horowitz

our grandchildren’s reading material is not what you imagine it is. No longer wholesome tales of heroes in interesting surroundings who make their way through difficulties, contemporary children’s literature is often dark, dystopian, and riddled with dysfunction. Abuse, neglect, stigma, and bullying are popular subjects along with the necessary elements of diversity. I’ve always enjoyed talking about books with the grandchildren. Now that COVID-19 has transformed more of them into avid readers as their parents abhor screen time, I’ve had to up my game. Thanks to my Kindle and Amazon, I’ve responded to their recommendations and made recommendations. And we talk about some of their favorites and mine. Kidlit is a current break from some of my favorite literary genres. I find children’s books relaxing as my nighttime reads must be. Contemporary neuroscience with practical application and social commentary are for when my brain is sharp and I can retain the ideas. I keep it light at night. No Holocaust stories, no tales of abuse, nothing heavy. The grandchildren are keeping their literary intake contemporary. It helps that I took two courses this season on children’s books and have been hearing about what is popular in publishing. I joined some Jewish kidlit groups online and have been following some conversations and podcasts on what’s new and notable so that I can alert them to something of value in the public library which has some worthwhile Jewish content. They can navigate their way through books that are not accurately reflective of observant life and halacha. They are mavens on the joys and oys of PJ Library offerings. We don’t always have the same tastes in kidlit. I don’t join the fantasy fans even though I did get through a couple of Harry Potter volumes years

ago. I loved the recently published A Ceiling Made of Eggshells about a young girl who leaves Spain during the Expulsion. The grandchildren found it hard to follow on audio for the very rich details and drama that I found riveting. I do try to follow some of their recommendations, however. We’ve read about the boy in the medical bubble by himself in the hospital. We’ve read about the boy who had a mortifying disfigurement. We’ve read about the boy with a significant disability who was actually a brainiac, yet was purposely left behind by his classmates who were embarrassed of him. According to what I hear from the publishing world, the publishing houses and their imprints have had more than their fill with disabilities. But apparently, my grandchildren are still expanding their horizons about the challenges and isolation of various disabilities. So have I. Except for the fantasy of writing about my very severely developmentally disabled sibling who spent much of his life in a group home. I want to find a way to tell my grandchildren about him and how I have been a decades-long active board member of the organization

that cared for him. He was not a cute kid they might have taken care of at some point in the future during the requisite summer experience in a camp for sick or children with disabilities. Maybe that’s a future project. Meanwhile, life is messy, and it’s up to grandparents to help the generations deal with past and possible future challenges. We have just that combination of closeness and distance from them that can help them internalize responses and strengthen their resilience. Research shows that. My grandchildren and I have been doing this for a couple of months and they are picking up on my likes. “You like history,” one insightful elevenyear-old told me recently. Her best book ever is The War that Saved My Life which is considered historical ﬁction but does include child neglect. I think she liked the danger and critical choices. Good versus evil will always be a popular theme but the amount of evil presented in today’s books is substantive, even if your kids don’t permit their kids to read the Hunger Games. I am learning even more about the grandkids themselves through this sharing. One kid that often seemed

geeky said he “looooved” facts. Typically, he asked the librarian for books about space during a library visit I took him on one Sunday. But he is enjoying the humor and personalities in the Geronimo Stilton series which I previously regarded with distaste when older grandchildren loved them. Why the distaste, you may ask. Anthropomorphic animal characters and cute pictures instead of some words do not attract me. Formulaic series have a certain appeal for some. You can predict the end even though the adventures are always different. Isn’t that why Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys were popular during our childhoods? Graphic novels are all the rage now. As one grandson observed, “I don’t even have to read the words to know what’s happening.” I see from the grandkids and hear from the experts that orphan stories, adoption, and dead mothers are still very popular. Interestingly, recent research tells the industry that middle grade kids prefer nonfiction to fiction, contrary to what we may think. I share these findings with the grandchildren and see how they react. Discussions about contemporary books and which genres each kid prefers and why shows them caring and interest. It also makes for intelligent conversation in which the kids listen to one another and respond without prompts. Being an active part of their world in this way, rather than just an audience for performances and nachas episodes, has been very gratifying. I don’t know how long this kidlit interlude is going to last. Meanwhile, I am enjoying the reading and the readers. I’m open to recommendations from JWOW! readers, as well as grandchildren. Got books? Join the conversation and email list of JWOW! by writing to hello @jewishwomenofwisdom.org.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

va c a t I o n

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APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

In The K

tchen

Jerky Potatoes By Naomi Nachman

If you are a meat-and-potatoes person,

this is for you. It’s the perfect side dish. These potatoes will blow your mind with

@aufschnittmeats Beef Jerk Bits tossed all over them with some fried onion.

I know � sounds so delicious. Doesn’t get better than this for a side dish.

This is going to be on your menu rotation every week. It has been on mine.

Ingredients

JERKY TOPPING

b ¼ cup canola oil

Ingredients

b 2 teaspoons kosher salt

b1 tablespoon canola oil b 1 large onion, diced

b 10 Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into wedges

b 2 teaspoons dried minced onion b 1 teaspoon garlic powder b 1 teaspoon onion powder b 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

Preparation 1.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, toss together potato wedges, oil, spices, and mustard until well combined. 3. Divide potatoes between prepared baking sheets and roast for 40 minutes or until golden brown.

b 1 teaspoon salt b 2 packages Jerky Bits (choose your favorite ﬂavor)

Preparation 1.

In a sauté pan on medium-high heat, add oil till hot and then add onion. Sauté and stir in salt for a few minutes until translucent. Toss in two packages of Jerky Bits and mix well.

2. Cook for 5 minutes on low until the onions are browned and the meat has softened a bit. 3. When potatoes are cooked, toss with jerky topping.

Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Notable Quotes

The ratings for the Oscars plummeted from 23 million last year to less than 10 million this year. How can something so woke put so many people to sleep?

“Say What?!”

- Jimmy Kimmel

I guess most people thought the show was a little sluggish and, at times, a bit uncomfortable. It was as if the whole ceremony had just gotten its second Pfizer shot.

Well, you might get run over by a car, you might get hit by a meteor. Science is about proving that things are happening. If Dr. Fauci can prove that people who are vaccinated are spreading the disease, — Jimmy Fallon I will listen to him. If he can prove that people like me who have already had it are spreading the disease, I’ll listen to him. But Apparently, some people are refusing there is no evidence of that. IfCommission. you want I am the first woman to be President of the European the second shot because they feared the people to get vaccinated, Biden I am the President of the more European Commission, and thisJoe is how I side effects, which can include flu-like should go on national takeago, his mask expected to be treated when visiting Turkey twoTV, weeks like aoff, symptoms. Unlike the coronavirus side and burn it. Light a torch to it and burn his commission president, but I was not…. Would this have happened effects, which can include death-like death. “I’ve had the vaccine. I am I if I had worn a suit and a mask tie? Inand the say, pictures of previous meetings, — Stephen Colbert safe from this again, plague.I did If you’ll get any the did not see any shortage now of chairs, but then not see One interesting group of people refusing to women in these pictures vaccine, neither. you can be safe, too.” But instead, well, the vaccine not work, - European Commission Presidentthey Ursulasay, von der Leyen talking about might an incident where get the vaccine: people who have gotten she was left awkwardly standing while her male colleague sat during her last visit to Turkey in some sort of planetary world we’re not the vaccine. Because millions of people earlier this month aware of, the vaccine might not work. are skipping their second doses of Covid Good luck trying to block the right people now!!! Going to make for Well, there’s no evidence of it. The burden vaccines. I can’t believe it — Americans are We would not want to come up with a statement but there are a lot of bad football. of proof should be on the government to saying no to seconds? unfair towards Turkey about the importance that we - Tweet by Tom Brady after the NFL rule change that allows a wider range accusations of jersey numbers prove that we are spreading it, and then —for Stephen Colbert each position give to women and about other issues. Turkey is a rooted state. we’ll listen to them. But instead, it sounds - Response by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu sort of like fear-mongering. I mean, just a few weeks ago we were - Sen. Rand Paul, Fox News scrambling forso appointments — refresh, Trump broke many people’s brains. refresh, refresh. NowSports, you can upin an interview with – El Presidente of Barstool Dave pick Portnoy, Ben Shapiro If you’re going to comment on police matters, have the decency to Moderna shots in the two-for-one bin at educate yourself first. You owe it to your viewers. Warning shots are We have to give people a sense of hope, Everybody who complained about a joke we made…if I looked Walmart. prohibited by every agency in this country. Also, you might want to a sense of hope that help is on the way, a theirNoah Twitter profile, it was political. Underneath what they said —at Trevor take a physics lesson.... What goes up, must come down. sense of hope that if they stay, things will about me, it was political, one hundred percent –ofTweet thebytime. the National Fraternal Order of Police responding to The View’s Joy Behar get better. suggesting that police should fire warning shots when confronting people who could - Ibid. potentially cause harm – Vice President Kamala Harris talking about migrants who Every time you step on the field, you’ve got have caused a crisis at the border to raise the bar to another level, baby, and I Today wasthat thebar 51sttoEarth Day, although the Earth was like, “Let’s say just raised this level. Because of who I am, the right-wing and members of Congress let’sBay just tell people I’m 35.”after setting a -— Tampa Tightend Rob Gronkowski, [Prince Philip]like hadQAnon, only one who subscribe to the views of groups thecomplaint Oath Keepers, Guinness Record for the highest altitude catch ever — JamesWorld Corden when he caught a football dropped from a helicopter which [about Queen Elizabeth II during 73the Proud Boys and the KKK have targeted me. Those verytheir people was more than 600 feet above the field year marriage]. said to they me, “G-d, have done so to divert attention from theHe fact that aided she’s and never off the phone. Never offDonald the phone. a violent, domestic terrorist insurrection led by The idea that our big cities were under threat is abetted pure malevolent Who is she talking to?” Trump. movement in BLM may that haveinbeen the best-behaved protest I fantasy; will leave hoping the future Budelli history. will be protected as I have protected it for – New York Times columnist Paul Krugman 32 years. - Mauro Morandi, 81, who is leaving an Italian island that he has lived on alone for more than three decades

– Royalto biographer Brandreth - Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) responding criticism ofGyles her calls to demonstrators in Minnesota to become more confrontational

MORE QUOTES

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

The ratings for the Oscars plummeted from 23 million last year to less than 10 million this year. How can something so woke put so many people to sleep? - Jimmy Kimmel

I guess most people thought the show was a little sluggish and, at times, a bit uncomfortable. It was as if the whole ceremony had just gotten its second Pfizer shot. — Jimmy Fallon

Apparently, some people are refusing the second shot because they feared the side effects, which can include flu-like symptoms. Unlike the coronavirus side effects, which can include death-like death. — Stephen Colbert

One interesting group of people refusing to get the vaccine: people who have gotten the vaccine. Because millions of people are skipping their second doses of Covid vaccines. I can’t believe it — Americans are saying no to seconds? — Stephen Colbert

I mean, just a few weeks ago we were scrambling for appointments — refresh, refresh, refresh. Now you can pick up Moderna shots in the two-for-one bin at Walmart. — Trevor Noah

Every time you step on the field, you’ve got to raise the bar to another level, baby, and I just raised that bar to this level. - Tampa Bay Tightend Rob Gronkowski, after setting a Guinness World Record for the highest altitude catch ever when he caught a football dropped from a helicopter which was more than 600 feet above the field

I will leave hoping that in the future Budelli will be protected as I have protected it for 32 years. - Mauro Morandi, 81, who is leaving an Italian island that he has lived on alone for more than three decades

I am the first woman to be President of the European Commission. I am the President of the European Commission, and this is how I expected to be treated when visiting Turkey two weeks ago, like a commission president, but I was not…. Would this have happened if I had worn a suit and a tie? In the pictures of previous meetings, I did not see any shortage of chairs, but then again, I did not see any women in these pictures neither. - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen talking about an incident where she was left awkwardly standing while her male colleague sat during her last visit to Turkey earlier this month

We would not want to come up with a statement but there are unfair accusations towards Turkey about the importance that we give to women and about other issues. Turkey is a rooted state. - Response by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu

If you’re going to comment on police matters, have the decency to educate yourself first. You owe it to your viewers. Warning shots are prohibited by every agency in this country. Also, you might want to take a physics lesson.... What goes up, must come down. – Tweet by the National Fraternal Order of Police responding to The View’s Joy Behar suggesting that police should fire warning shots when confronting people who could potentially cause harm

Because of who I am, the right-wing and members of Congress who subscribe to the views of groups like QAnon, the Oath Keepers, the Proud Boys and the KKK have targeted me. Those very people have done so to divert attention from the fact that they aided and abetted a violent, domestic terrorist insurrection led by Donald Trump. - Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) responding to criticism of her calls to demonstrators in Minnesota to become more confrontational

MORE QUOTES

OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

I just bowled a 300 with my ball I put my Dad’s ashes in. He never had a perfect game until NOW. - John Hinkle Jr., who scored a perfect 300 using a bowling ball with his father’s ashes inside it

To my Democratic colleagues, playing the race card won’t work. It diminishes you, not us. There is nothing racist about keeping the filibuster. And here’s the question. If it’s a tool of racism, why did they use it so much when they were in the minority? Why did they use it to stop [Sen.] Tim Scott’s ability to have a discussion about police reform? This is hypocrisy, and it’s not going to work. - Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) responding to Democrats’ claims that the filibuster is a racist tool because it can be used to stop civil rights reforms as well as any other law that a simple majority of the Senate wants to pass

For once in our lives, it was as if we could press pause. For once in our lives, we had time and could stop to live and do our tasks. It was great. - Marina Lançon, one of seven women who took part in a French experiment and lived in a cave with no phones, clocks, or sunlight for 40 days

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APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Political Crossfire

Biden Says He Wants Unity. He Can Prove It By Marc A. Thiessen

he guilty verdicts in the Derek Chauvin trial give President Joe Biden a once-in-a-presidency opportunity to deliver on his promise of unity and bipartisanship. To seize it, he should immediately call Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and offer to work with him to pass bipartisan police reform legislation. After the murder of George Floyd last summer, Scott wanted to bring Republicans and Democrats together to get something done on police reform. As a Black man who had experienced police discrimination, he did not want to let the moment pass without bipartisan action. So he introduced the Justice Act and incorporated a number of Democratic proposals into his legislation, including making lynching a federal hate crime, creating a national policing commission to conduct a review of the U.S. criminal justice system, collecting data on police use of force, barring the use of chokeholds by federal officers, withholding federal funds to state and local law enforcement agencies that do not similarly bar chokeholds, and withholding funds to police departments that fail to report to the Justice Department when no-knock warrants are used. Scott’s bill could have been the basis of bipartisan compromise. But five months away from a presidential election, Democrats were not interested in bipartisanship. Rather than work with Scott, Democratic leaders attacked him. Sen. Richard J. Durbin (Ill.), the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, called Scott’s bill a “token, halfhearted approach.” (Durbin apologized for using the word “token” after Scott said it “hurts my soul.”) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) said Scott’s bill was “trying to get away with murder, actually. The

murder of George Floyd.” Despite these shameful personal attacks, Scott still tried to reach across the aisle. At his urging, then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., oﬀered to allow unlimited amendments, and Scott

ments would have gotten enough Republican support to pass. And if the ﬁnal result was still not satisfactory, Democrats would have had another chance to improve the bill further in negotiations with the House. But instead of taking Scott’s out-

But instead of taking Scott’s outstretched hand, Senate Democrats voted to filibuster his bill – using the very tool they now dismiss as a Jim Crow relic.

promised to help ﬁlibuster his own bill if Democrats did not get votes they sought. He even told his Democratic colleagues that he would vote to support some of their amendments to improve the bill, such as expanding the deﬁnition of chokeholds and collecting data not just on serious bodily injury and death but on all uses of force by police. With Scott on board, many of those Democratic amend-

stretched hand, Senate Democrats voted to ﬁlibuster his bill – using the very tool they now dismiss as a Jim Crow relic to stop a Black senator from moving forward with police reform. “I had some painful conversations,” Scott told me last summer, “with some friends who I respect on the other side of the aisle that basically said that they were shut down during [Democratic] conference meetings.

One said that 12 people stood up and said, ‘We should vote on Tim Scott’s bill and, frankly, we should quit demonizing the bill.’” That would have been enough to overcome a filibuster. But in the end only three members of the Democratic caucus – Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, Joe Manchin III, D-W. Va., and Doug Jones, D-Ala. – voted to advance Scott’s bill, killing any chance of passing police reform. Now the Chauvin verdict has created an opportunity for Biden to change that. During the campaign, Biden pledged that as president he would work “across the aisle to reach consensus.” Well, here is his chance. Just as President George W. Bush reached out to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., to pass bipartisan education reform, Biden should reach out to Scott to work with him on bipartisan police reform. He should insist that Senate Democrats bring the bill he negotiates with Scott – not a Democratic substitute – to the floor and pass it with a filibuster-proof bipartisan majority. He should call on House Democrats to support the compromise he reaches with Scott. And he should invite Scott and other Republicans to the White House, so he can sign the bill into law surrounded by leaders of both parties. After his election, Biden declared that the “refusal of Democrats and Republicans to cooperate with one another, it’s not some mysterious force beyond our control. It’s a decision, a choice we make.” If Biden makes a choice not to cooperate at this moment, on this issue, then his inaugural promise to put his “whole soul” into uniting our country was nothing more than a lie.

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The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

Political Crossfire

The Address to Congress that Biden Should Give – But Won’t By Marc A. Thiessen

ne of my great privileges at the White House was the chance to serve as lead writer on two State of the Union addresses. So, here is my unsolicited advice for what President Joe Biden should – but almost certainly will not – say in his address to Congress on Wednesday. My fellow Americans, when I ran for president, I promised to give this nation a chance to heal, to be reborn and to unite. After my election, I said that the American people had given us a mandate to cooperate and promised to put my whole soul into fulﬁlling it. I pointed out that the refusal of Democrats and Republicans to cooperate was not some mysterious force beyond our control; it is a choice we make. Well, tonight I ask you to join me in making a diﬀerent choice – a choice to join hands across the aisle to meet the unparalleled challenges of our time. In the past 12 months, we have been hit by the worst pandemic since 1918, the worst economic crisis since the 1930s, and the worst racial unrest since the 1960s. These trials have tested our nation as never before. But when Americans are united, there is no challenge we cannot overcome. So tonight, I will outline my plans to unite the country so we can defeat the pandemic, revive our economy, better educate our children, heal our racial divisions, and live up to our proud legacy as a nation of immigrants. The coronavirus has taken more than half a million American lives. But it has also shown the miracle of American ingenuity. We produced a

vaccine with unprecedented speed – and I thank my predecessor for his leadership in launching Operation Warp Speed. My administration has accelerated the distribution of vaccines, and tonight I can report that more than half of all American adults have received at least one shot, and almost 4 in 10 are fully vaccinated. This is a bipartisan achievement – and it has put the end of the pandemic in sight. Just as we united to vanquish the virus, we must now unite to rebuild from its destruction. Together, we have delivered almost $4 trillion to help our fellow Americans survive the pandemic. Now we must work together to build back better. So, I ask my Republican friends to join me in an eﬀort to rebuild America’s critical infrastructure and create millions of good-paying jobs. Republicans have put forward a $568 billion infrastructure package. I have asked for $2.25 trillion. Let’s meet in the middle and pass a bipartisan bill.

We must unite to help our children recover from a lost school year. Studies show that kids will suﬀer lifetime earnings losses due to pandemic learning losses, with poor and minority students hit the hardest. We cannot allow this to stand. Let’s reopen our nation’s public schools for summer learning so that our kids can make up lost ground. And let’s make sure that every single public school in the United States is open for in-person learning this fall. We must unite to deliver racial justice and reform policing. The murder of George Floyd exposed how far our nation still has to go on the path to equal justice. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) understands this because he has experienced police discrimination ﬁrsthand. Last year, he introduced the Justice Act, which incorporated proposals from both parties. Tonight, I extend my hand to him and call on Congress to put bipartisan police reform legislation on my desk.

We must unite to secure our border while welcoming immigrants to our nation’s shores. In his farewell address, a great Republican president, Ronald Reagan, described America as a shining city on a hill – humming with commerce and “teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace.” And, Reagan said, “if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.” There was a time when this vision of America as a proud, welcoming city with secure walls and wide gates was shared by Republicans and Democrats alike. We must unite behind this vision again. A secure border is what allows us to have a welcoming immigration policy. So, tonight I call on Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to forge both a border barrier and a path to citizenship for millions of “dreamers” who were brought to America illegally as children through no fault of their own. I am a proud Democrat, and there will be areas where our diﬀerences will be harder to bridge. But this must not prevent us from working together in areas where agreement is within reach. As a candidate, I pledged to work “across the aisle to reach consensus.” Tonight, I ask you to join me in fulﬁlling the mandate to cooperate that the American people gave us in November. Thank you. G-d protect our troops, and G-d bless America.

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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Forgotten Her es

What Was New in World War II By Avi Heiligman

Laszlo Biro invented the ballpoint pen

orld War II (1939-1945) was a bloody, epic struggle that spanned across the globe. Many new inventions first saw the battlefield during the war. Some innovations had uses both in the military and back home for civilian purposes. Jet planes and radar first saw widespread action on the front lines, while computers gained prominence for code breakers and servicemembers first used the ballpoint pen. These and many more innovations all got their start during the war, and their background stories are quite fascinating. Most World War II planes were propeller-driven, although tests to use other types of propulsion had been experimented on in the years leading up to the conflict. Up until World War II, the speed record was held under 500 MPH as piston (propeller) airplanes just couldn’t garner the airspeed needed to blast through the skies. Turboprops and rocket engines were all worked on by engineers, and eventually they made their way into combat. It was the jet engine that, once introduced, changed the way militaries operate. During the 1930s, the jet engine was developed, and in 1939 the first jet airplane, made by the German company Heinkel, flew. With the start

The German Me262

of the war, other countries put jet development into the fast lane, and soon the Italians, British, and then the Americans had prototypes built. It was the German Me262 that flew first in combat, although it had flaws that the Allies capitalized on during combat. The British-built

others transmitted the signal. In the years leading up to World War II, eight countries – the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, the Soviet Union, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan – had their own developlments on radar, but it was in 1935 that the first practical use came to

This all changed when, in 1938, a Hungarian Jewish refugee filed for a patent for pen with a ball that could roll freely in the socket

Gloster Meteor was the first operational jet fighter for the Allies. After the war, propeller planes were phased out, and jet aircraft were used for both military and civilian purposes to carry passengers and cargo around the world in a capacity not available in earlier aircraft. Work on Radar (RAdio Detection And Ranging) began when a scientist noticed that when radio waves, which are invisible, were transmitted across a room. Some materials reflected the waves while

fruition. Scottish-born Robert Watson-Watt had been working in the United Kingdom’s Meteorological Office for twenty years working and learning about weather patterns, among other duties. He discovered that lightning produces a radio signal that could be detected and mapped. During the Battle of Britain, Luftwaffe (German) planes greatly outnumbered RAF fighters, but the British planes usually were there to meet them for combat once they

reached the coastline. It was only later in the battle that the Germans realized the information on their movements that gave the RAF enough time to get planes into the air was coming from radar towers. Only a few attempts were made to knock out radar towers and were all unsuccessful, giving the Allies a major advantage. American radar systems were greatly enhanced in 1940 with the British sharing their information on radar. The U.S. Navy had a pulse radar system to detect enemy warships out at sea and, together with the British information, their radar was the best in world. Called CXAM radar, it was the first radar used to detect ships. Ballpoint pens were first introduced in the 1880s, but they were not considered commercially viable. The ink didn’t flow evenly, and they were subject to clogging and overflowing. This all changed when, in 1938, a Hungarian Jewish refugee filed for a patent for pen with a ball that could roll freely in the socket. With the help of his chemist brother, newspaper editor Laszlo Biro first sold the pen in their new home in Argentina. The design of the pen was licensed by a British manufacturing company to be used on RAF

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015

The Colossus computer was used to help crack codes during World War II

aircraft. Fountain pens were unreliable at high altitudes in unpressurized cabins – a problem that was solved with the readily available ballpoint pens. The concept of having a device capable of making calculations or logical operations goes back centuries, but the first modern computer is much more recent. At the onset of World War II, analog computers had been in development for some time,

but it was the U.S. Navy that would introduce an electromagnetic computer for practical purposes. These were used on submarines to help the submariners fire torpedoes at moving targets. This computer was analog, but it ultimately gave way to digital computers. British codebreakers in Bletchley Park invented a set of computers called Colossus to break the German Enigma machine. It looked nothing like a modern

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A dish antenna used by the Germans to detect incoming aircraft in World War II

computer and had vacuum tubes, wires and buttons that took teams of operators working around the clock to keep it running smoothly. Today’s computers are much smaller and faster and have way more uses than military uses that were needed during World War II. Inventors and innovators are always looking for ways to improve something or fix a problem, and during wartime, they step up their

game out of necessity. While World War II, was a bloody, drawn-out conflict, it gave us these inventions as well as many others that are familiar to most citizens today.

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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MOONBOUNCE FOR RENT Yoga & Licensed Massage Therapy $100/day Peaceful Presence Studio HOUSE FOR SALE BY OWNER: Holds up to 500lbs. 436 Central Avenue, Cedarhurst Located on Separate men/women Perfect fun for ages 3-8 Cedarhill Road off Reads Lane Group/private sessions Call or text 516-220-0616 Best Block in Far Rockaway! Gift Cards Available colonial, huge kitchen, finished reserve your dateClassic Spacious side hall col. w/ 4BR & Text 3eat-in full baths. All brs on theattic, 2nd finished Spacious colonial, huge eat-in kitchen, to finished attic, finished 516-360-0205 basement, on Beautiful a deep property. Malka( 516)967-1967 $679K basement, on a deep property. Malka( 516)967-1967 $679K floor, fin. basement. yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $799K www. Peacefulpresence.com for more details 516 -371 -3715 GERBER MOVING CEDARHURST CEDARHURST WOODMERE FULL SERVICE MOVING Alternative Solutions Geriatric Care Packing Moving Supplies CAN’T AFFORD YOUR Management staff will assist you Local Long Distance PROPERTY TAXES? with: Licensed Insured MORTGAGE? * Obtaining Medicaid and Pooled 1000’S Of Happy Customers Must sell for any reason? Income Trust Call Shalom 347-276-7422 Call FREE Consultation. Adorable 3brsplit colonial infor mint condition. Great yard, Adorable 3br colonial in mint condition. Great yard, low taxes, Airy & spacious exp. level home w/ mother-daughter unit low taxes, * In-home Assessments, perfect home. CallChana malka(516)449-9692 (516) 967-1967 $649k perfect starter home. Call malka (516) 967-1967 $649k (legal w/ properstarter permits), SD #14 $649K Call now 212-470-3856 Individual and Family Counseling HAIR COURSE Cash buyers available! N. WOODMERE WOODMERE * Securing reliable home careN. WOODMERE Learn how to assistance wash & style hair & wigs PRICE REDUCED: * Case and Care Management Hair and wig cutting, Sprawling 4BR, 4BA Exp-Ranch, services wedding styling Oversized Rooms, LR W/Fplc, Dr. S. Sasson, DSW, LCSW Private lessons or in a group Formal Dining Rm, Large Den, (718) 544- 0870 or (646) 284-6242 Call Chaya 718-715-9009 Master Suite, Full Finished Beautiful 4bth ranch w/ 32nd lvlsfloor, of living space, Beautiful exp 5br 4bth high ranch w/ 3 lvls of living space, SH Tudor colonialexp with5br 4 brs & 2high baths on the finished many updates throughout. Sarah (347)524-9147 $999K many updates throughout. Sarah (347)524-9147 $999K basement, CAC, beautiful yard,Basement, award winning SDStorage 14. $849K SHALOM HANDYMAN Room & Office, Deck, Fabulous CEDARHURST CEDARHURST Plumbing, heating, boiler, instal- CEDARHURST Property…$1.078M lation, sewer, locks, dryer vent Call Carol Braunstein cleaning and more… (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com CALL 917-217-3676

Small Ads at Work

HOUSES FOR SALE WOODMERE HOUSE FOR SALE BY OWNER IN FAR ROCKAWAY/ LAWRENCE! Charming 5 BR/3 Bths, recent extension, CAC, 6250 sq lot, large beautiful yard, location! Classic side hall col. w/ 4BRamazing & 3 full baths. All brs on the 2nd floor, fin. basement. Beautiful yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $799K Call / text for details (516) 668-5249 WOODMERE

Don’t Get Stuck With a

Airy & spacious exp. split level home w/ mother-daughter unit (legal w/ proper permits), SD #14 Chana (516)449-9692 $649K Two Story House

Ya Know, It’s One Story Before WOODMERE You Buy It But a Second Story After You Own It! Call Dov Herman For An Accurate Unbiased Home Inspection Infrared - Termite Inspection SH Tudor colonial 4 brs &All 2 baths on the 2nd floor, finished Fullwith Report Included basement, CAC, beautiful yard, award winning SD 14. $849K NYC 718-INSPECT Long Island 516-INSPECT CEDARHURST www.nyinspect.com

Classifieds

5BR, 3.5bath center hall col. on oversized prop. WOODMERE on very desirable BAYSWATER BAYSWATER WOODMERE block near Cedarhurst Park. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M WOODMERE

Brick SH col. on great block in heart of Cedarhurst. 4BRs & Brick SH col. on great block in heart of Cedarhurst. 4BRs & 2bths on 2nd floor, walk upWOODMERE attic, extremely low taxes. Tamar 5BR, 3.5bath center col. on oversized on very WOODMERE desirable 2bths on 2nd floor,WOODMERE walk uphall attic, extremely low prop. taxes.BAYSWATER Tamar BAYSWATER (917)902-0613 $899K CEDARHURST block near Cedarhurst Park. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M WOODMERE CEDARHURST (917)902-0613 $899K WOODMERE WOODMERE WOODMERE

ClassicStunning side hall col.side w/ 4BR & col. 3 fullw/ baths. Allcol on the 2nd ClassicCompletely side hall col.side w/ renovated 4BR & col. 3 fullw/ baths. All& brs on the 2nd Classic side hall col.side w/ 4BR & col. 3 fullw/ baths. All the 2ndClassic side hall col. w/starter 4BR 3 full baths. All the 2nd Spacious colonial, huge eat-in kitchen, finished attic, finished Spacious colonial, huge eat-in kitchen, finished attic, finished colonial, huge eat-in kitchen, finished attic, finished colonial, huge eat-in kitchen, finished attic, finished Great 3br house close Brand new gut renovated duplex, 3BR, 3bth fully renovated ch in Classic hall 4BR &brs 3Spacious full Classic hall 4BR 3Spacious full Classic hall 4BR &brs 3 on full Classic side hall& col. w/ 4BR &brs 3 on full basement, on a deep property. Malka( 516)967-1967 $679Kbasement, on floor, a deep fin. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful 516)967-1967 yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $679K basement, $799K on floor, a deep fin. ranch basement. property. Malka( Beautiful 516)967-1967 yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $679Kbasement, $799K on floor, a deep fin.4br basement. property. Malka( Beautiful 516)967-1967 yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $679K $799K floor, fin. Beautiful yard. Miri (646)515-8813 tobasement. LIRR, park, Not fin. in $799K 2bth, outdoor prestigious Woodmere Park SD#15. baths. All brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. baths.on Alloversized brs on theproperty. 2ndfloor, fin. baths. All lr, brsdr, onden, the 2ndfloor, fin. baths. All brs shopping. on the 2ndfloor, flood zone,Beautiful low taxes. space centrally located in Bryna (516)322-4831 5BRs & basement. 3baths on Beautiful the 2nd floor, yard. full basement. Beautiful yard. basement. Beautiful yard. basement. yard. Chana (516)449-9692 Cedarhurst. Bryna (516)322-4831 attic livingMiri space, kitchen. (646)hi-end 515-8813 Miri $929K (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 $575K $4000/month $1.99M $799K $799K $799K $799K

CEDARHURST

CEDARHURST WOODMERE

BAYSWATER

BAYSWATER WOODMERE CEDARHURST WOODMERE

WOODMERE

WOODMERE FARWOODMERE ROCKAWAY

Adorable 3br colonial in mint condition. Great yard, low taxes, Adorable 3br Airy colonial & spacious in mint exp.condition. split level home Greatw/ yard, mother-daughter low taxes, Adorable unit3br Airy colonial & spacious in mint exp.condition. split level home Greatw/ yard, mother-daughter low taxes, Adorable unit3br Airy colonial & spacious in mint exp.condition. split level home Greatw/ yard, mother-daughter low taxes, unit Airy & spacious exp. split level home w/ mother-daughter unit perfect starter home. Call malka (516) 967-1967 $649k perfect starter home. Call malka (516) perfect starter home. Call malka (516) perfect starter home. Call malka (516) (legal w/ proper permits), SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 $649K (legal w/ proper permits), SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 $649K (legal w/ proper permits), SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 $649K (legal w/ proper permits), SD #14 Chana (516)449-9692 $649K

N. WOODMERE

N. WOODMERE WOODMERE

OPEN HOUSE 526 Hemlock N. WOODMERE WOODMERE 5.2.21 1:00pm-2:30pm

WOODMERE

Quality gut renovation with Beautiful 5/6BR, splanch and timeless brick 5BR new construction on Spacious colonial, huge eat-in kitchen, finished attic, finished Spacious colonial, Classic Stunning huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/ 4BR finished & col. 3 fullw/ baths. attic, finished All&brs Spacious on the 2nd colonial, Classic Stately huge side hall eat-in col. kitchen, w/ 4BR finished & col. 3 fullw/ baths. attic, finished All&brs on the 2nd colonial, Classic huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/ 4BR finished & col. 33.5bth fullw/ baths. attic, finished All&brs the 2ndClassic side hall col.side w/ 4BR & col. 3 fullw/ baths. All&brs the 2nd Classic hall 4BR 3 full Classic side hall 4BR 3Spacious full Classic hall 4BR 3 on full Classic hall 4BR 3 on full basement, on a deep property. Malka( 516)967-1967 $679Kbasement, on floor, a deep fin. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $679K basement, $799K on floor, a deep fin. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful 516)967-1967 yard. Mirifin (646)515-8813 $679K basement, $799K on floor, a deep fin. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful 516)967-1967 Miri (646)515-8813 $679K $799K floor, fin. basement. kitchen Beautiful yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $799K designer bths, 4BR in CBP Walkable toyard. N. Woodmere. 4.5bth Large eik, attic quiet block. No516)967-1967 expense spared. baths. All brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. baths.chc. All brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. baths. All brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. baths. All brs on and the 2ndfloor, fin. at affordable price.yard. Completely renovated & updated and basement. 5 brs and 3 full baths upstars, basement. Beautiful yard. full basement. Beautiful yard. basement. Beautiful yard. basement. Beautiful Malka (516)967-1967 EIK, sunny family room, great yard! Chana (516) 449-9692 fin basement with br and bth, Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 $649K Miri (646)515-8813 $999K oversized kosher kitchen. $799K $799K $799K $799K

CEDARHURST

CEDARHURST WOODMERE

WOODMERE

Price reduced! $1.149M

$1.49M

Beautiful exp 5br 4bth high ranch w/ 3 lvls of living space, Beautiful exp 5br 4bth high ranch 3 lvls of living exp 5br 4bth high ranch 3 lvls of living exp 5br 4bth high ranch 3 lvls of living SH Tudor colonial with 4w/ brs & 2 baths on space, the 2ndBeautiful floor, finished SH Tudor colonial with 4w/ brs & 2 baths on space, the 2ndBeautiful floor, finished SH Tudor colonial with 4w/ brs & 2 baths on space, the 2nd floor, finished SH Tudor colonial with 4 brs & 2 baths on the 2nd floor, finished many updates throughout. Sarah (347)524-9147 $999K many updates basement, throughout. CAC, beautiful Sarah (347)524-9147 yard, award winning $999K SD many 14. $849K updates basement, throughout. CAC, beautiful Sarah (347)524-9147 yard, award winning $999K SD many 14. $849K updates basement, throughout. CAC, beautiful Sarah (347)524-9147 yard, award winning $999K SD 14. $849K basement, CAC, beautiful yard, award winning SD 14. $849K

BAYSWATER CEDARHURST

27 Frost Lane, Lawrence, NY 11559

BAYSWATER WOODMERE LAWRENCE WOODMERE CEDARHURST CEDARHURST

BAYSWATER WOODMERE N. WOODMERE WOODMERE CEDARHURST CEDARHURST

WOODMERE WOODMERE WOODMERE CEDARHURST

Adorable 3br colonial in mint condition. Great yard, low taxes, Adorable 3br colonial in mint Greatw/ yard, low taxes, Adorable colonial in mint Greatw/ yard, low taxes, Adorable colonial in mint Greatw/ yard, low taxes, Airy & spacious exp.condition. split level home mother-daughter unit3br Airy & spacious exp.condition. split level home mother-daughter unit3br Airy & spacious exp.condition. split level home mother-daughter unit Airy & spacious exp. split level home w/ mother-daughter unit perfect starter home. Call malka (516) 967-1967 $649k perfect starter (legal home. w/ proper Call malka permits), (516) SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 perfect $649K starter (legal home. w/ proper Call malka permits), (516) SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 perfect $649K starter (legal home. w/ proper Call malka permits), (516) SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 $649K (legal w/ proper permits), SD #14 Chana (516)449-9692 $649K

N. WOODMERE

(516) 374 - 4100

N. WOODMERE WOODMERE

WOODMERE

1400 sqft large private “Woodmere 400” split Build your home on this Lovely 1BR, apt, wfinished terrace Spacious colonial, huge eat-in kitchen, finished attic, finished Spacious colonial, Classic huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/1.5bath 4BR finished & col. 3 full baths. attic, All on the 2nd colonial, Classic huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/dream 4BR finished & col. 3 full baths. attic, finished All& brs on the 2nd colonial, ClassicSpacious huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/ 4BR finished & col. 3 fullw/ baths. attic, finished All&brs the 2ndClassic side hall col. w/with 4BR 3 full baths. All&brs the 2nd Classic hall w/ 4BR &brs 3Spacious full Classic hall w/ 4BR 3Spacious full Classic hall 4BR 3 on full Classic side hall&2 col. w/ 4BR 3 on full SH col. on Central great blockAve. in heart of Cedarhurst. 4BRs$799K & Brick SH on great block 516)967-1967 in heart of Cedarhurst. 4BRs$799K & Brick SH col. onmodel great block in heart of Cedarhurst. 4BRs$799K & Brick on great block in heart Cedarhurst. 4BRs$799K & basement, on a deep property. Malka( 516)967-1967 $679Kbasement, Brick on floor, a deep fin. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful 516)967-1967 yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $679KEIK basement, on floor, a deep fin.col. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful yard.property Miri (646)515-8813 $679Kbasement, on floor, a deep fin. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful 516)967-1967 yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $679K floor,SH fin.col. basement. yard.of Miri (646)515-8813 offices ,walk 2Beautiful open bullpens level in heart of North perfectly-shaped facing Euro kosh baths. brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. 3.5bath baths. brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. 3.5bath baths. brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. Tamar baths. brs onarea the 2ndfloor, fin. Tamar 2bths on 2nd floor, walk up attic, extremely low taxes. Tamar 2bths on hall 2nd floor, walk up attic, extremely low taxes. Tamar 2bths on 2nd floor, walk upthe attic, extremely low taxes. 2bths on 2nd floor, All up attic, extremely low taxes. 5BR, 3.5bath center hall col. on oversized prop. on very desirable 5BR, 3.5bath center hall col. onAll oversized prop. on very desirable 5BR, center col. onAll oversized prop. on very desirable 5BR, center hall col. onAll oversized prop. on very desirable Woodmere. 4BRs on one level. available with magnificent pond w/Park. granite counters. doorman, (917)902-0613 $899K (917)902-0613 $899K (917)902-0613 $899K (917)902-0613 basement. $899K& 2 baths. block near Cedarhurst Park. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M block near Cedarhurst Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M Park.basement. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M Park.basement. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M basement. Beautiful yard. block near Cedarhurst Beautiful yard. block near Cedarhurst Beautiful yard. Beautiful yard. $3400/month Tons of potential! Low taxes. views on quiet block. Over 11,000 in-ground swimming pool, (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 Avigail (516) 316-3452. sqft. No flood zone. Avigail parking.Miri Lydia (516)286-1629 $799K $799K $799K $799K

CEDARHURST

www.ftmr.com

CEDARHURST WOODMERE $379K

CEDARHURST WOODMERE (516)316-3452 $2.15M

CEDARHURST WOODMERE

WOODMERE

$929K

Beautiful exp 5br 4bth high ranch w/ 3 lvls of living space, Beautiful exp SH Tudor 5br 4bth colonial high ranch with 4w/ brs 3 lvls & 2 baths of living on space, the 2ndBeautiful floor, finished exp SH Tudor 5br 4bth colonial high ranch with 4w/ brs 3 lvls & 2 baths of living on space, the 2ndBeautiful floor, finished exp SH Tudor 5br 4bth colonial high ranch with 4w/ brs 3 lvls & 2 baths of living on space, the 2nd floor, finished SH Tudor colonial with 4 brs & 2 baths on the 2nd floor, finished many updates throughout. Sarah (347)524-9147 $999K many updates basement, throughout. CAC, beautiful Sarah (347)524-9147 yard, award winning $999K SD many 14. $849K updates basement, throughout. CAC, beautiful Sarah (347)524-9147 yard, award winning $999K SD many 14. $849K updates basement, throughout. CAC, beautiful Sarah (347)524-9147 yard, award winning $999K SD 14. $849K basement, CAC, beautiful yard, award winning SD 14. $849K

BAYSWATER CEDARHURST

BAYSWATER WOODMERE WOODMERE WOODMERE CEDARHURST CEDARHURST

WOODMERE WOODMERE WOODMERE CEDARHURST

Adorable 3br colonial in mint condition. Great yard, low taxes, Adorable 3br Airy colonial & spacious in mint exp.condition. split level home Greatw/ yard, mother-daughter low taxes, Adorable unit3br Airy colonial & spacious in mint exp.condition. split level home Greatw/ yard, mother-daughter low taxes, Adorable unit3br Airy colonial & spacious in mint exp.condition. split level home Greatw/ yard, mother-daughter low taxes, unit Airy & spacious exp. split level home w/ mother-daughter unit perfect starter home. Call malka (516) 967-1967 $649k perfect starter (legal home. w/ proper Call malka permits), (516) SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 perfect $649K starter (legal home. w/ proper Call malka permits), (516) SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 perfect $649K starter (legal home. w/ proper Call malka permits), (516) SD967-1967 #14 Chana$649k (516)449-9692 $649K (legal w/ proper permits), SD #14 Chana (516)449-9692 $649K

N. WOODMERE

N. WOODMERE WOODMERE

WOODMERE

4BR, 3bth brick on quiet Classic Tudor on Unbelievable 7BR, 6.5bth, 4BR, 2.5bth splanch in Spacious colonial, huge eat-in kitchen, finished attic, finished Spacious colonial, ClassicSpacious huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/ 4BR finished & col. 3 fullw/ baths. attic, finished All&brs on the 2nd colonial, Classic huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/ 4BR finished & col. 3 fullw/ baths. attic, finished All&brs on the 2nd colonial, Classic huge side hall eat-in col.side kitchen, w/ style 4BR finished & col. 3SH fullcol. baths. attic, finished Allcentral the 2ndClassic side hall col.side w/ 4BR 3 fullw/ baths. All&brs the 2nd Classic hall 4BR 3Spacious full Classic hall 4BR 3Spacious full Classic hall w/ 4BR &brs 3 on full Classic hall&colonial col. 4BR 3 on full SH col. on great block in heart Cedarhurst. & Brick SH on great block in heart of Cedarhurst. 4BRs$799K & Brick SH col. onin great block in heart of Cedarhurst. & Brick on greatBeautiful block in heart Cedarhurst. 4BRs$799K & basement, on a deep property. Malka( 516)967-1967 $679Kbasement, Brick on floor, a deep fin. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful 516)967-1967 yard.of Miri (646)515-8813 $679Kbasement, $799K on floor, a deep fin.col. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful 516)967-1967 yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $679Kbasement, on floor, a deep fin. basement. property. Malka( Beautiful 516)967-1967 yard. Miri (646)515-8813 $679K 4BRs$799K floor,SH fin.col. basement. yard.of Miri (646)515-8813 street. LR & DR. block heart of Woodmere. Diamond cond, 3extremely fin floors, District high-end Kitchen &4BRs baths. All brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. baths. brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. 3.5bath baths. All brs on the 2ndfloor, fin. Tamar baths. brs on Large the 2ndfloor, fin. Tamar 2bths on 2nd floor, walk up attic, extremely low taxes. Tamar 2bths on hall 2nd floor, walk up attic, low taxes. Tamar 2bths on 2nd floor, walk up attic, extremely low taxes. 2bthstree-lined on 2nd floor, All walk up attic, extremely low taxes. 5BR, 3.5bath center hall col. on oversized prop. on very desirable 5BR, 3.5bath center hall col. on15. oversized prop. on very desirable 5BR, 3.5bath center col. onAll oversized prop. on very desirable 5BR, center hall col. onthe oversized prop. on very desirable (917)902-0613 $899K (917)902-0613 $899K (917)902-0613 $899K (917)902-0613 $899K block near Cedarhurst Park. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M block near Cedarhurst Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M block near Cedarhurst Park. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M block near Cedarhurst Park. Moshe(516)455-5364 $1.19M Close to LIRR. Central AC, fin basement, TAXES kosher eik, huge basement bths.Park. Many upgrades throughout. basement. Beautiful yard. basement. Beautiful yard. basement. Beautiful yard. basement. Beautiful yard. LeahMiri (516) 884-6530. REDUCEDMiri TO(646) $10,451.88!! SD#14 w/ movie theatre! 56x156 lot! Water views. Miri (646) 515-8813 Miri (646) 515-8813 515-8813 (646) 515-8813 $4200/month Sarah (347)524-9147 Avigail(516)316-3452 Babshie (732) 239-7987 $799K $799K $799K $799K

CEDARHURST

Donny Miller

TamarTamar MillerMiller

CEDARHURST WOODMERE $1.199M

CEDARHURST WOODMERE $1.69M

CEDARHURST WOODMERE

WOODMERE

$799K

CEDARHURST

CEDARHURST CEDARHURST

CEDARHURST

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

105

Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

COMMERCIAL RE

APT FOR RENT

HELP WANTED

INVESTORS WELCOME GREAT DEAL IN WOODMERE, amazing location, double lot, low taxes ,SD 14 Asking $599, won’t last 25 CONKLIN AVE, WOODMERE Call Alexandra at Realty Connect 1-516-784-0856

EAST ROCKAWAY: Retail Stores on Busy Corner, 1000SF& Up Available, Great High Visibility Location, For Lease… Call for More Details Broker (516) 792-6698

WOODMERE: BEST BUY Spacious 2BR Apartment, Washer/Dryer In Bldg, Elevator Bldg, Open Floor Plan, 1st Floor, Close To All...$199K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000

ROCKVILLE CENTRE FLEX OFFICE SPACE / LIGHT WAREHOUSING 2540 S/F - Ready for move in. Competitively priced Ideal Location / Walk To LIRR & bus - Bank, Shopping, City Center. 917-822-0499

VACATION RENTALS

Due to expansion YDE Girls Elementary is seeking staff for 2021-2022: Judaic Studies Assistant Principal Judaic Studies and General Studies Teachers Middle School General Studies Teachers P3 providers Associate / Assistant teachers Permanent Sub Office Staff Come join the growing YDE Girls Elementary School family! Warm professional environment, competitive salary. Email resume to EGresumes@ydeschool.org

SF MEDICAL OFFICE SPACE Available, Reception Area, Waiting Room, Kitchenette, 2 Consult, 4 Exam Rooms, 2 Bathrooms, 30 Car On-Site Parking, For Lease …Call Ian 516-295-3000 www.pugatch.com INWOOD OFFICE SPACE LOWEST PRICES IN TOWN! 500-7000 Square feet gorgeous office space with WATERVIEW in Inwood! Lots of options. Tons of parking. Will divide and customize space for your needs! Call 516-567-0100

APT FOR RENT INWOOD Brand new bright and airy basement apartment near LIRR . Never used kosher kitchen , 2 bedrooms , LR/DR central air /heat ,full bathroom washer/dryer $2000 a month Call/text Yitzi (929) 225-3616

VACATION IN JERUSALEM: Beautiful Short-term rentals in Jerusalem (Sharei Chesed, Romema, Hanevi'im – City Center) Contact today for great service: Shisha Realty 718-408-8070 vacation@shisharealty.com VACATION IN JERUSALEM: Beautiful 3 bedroom apartment with porch and view available for short term in the Kaduri – Jerusalem Heights project on the 8th floor. Shisha Realty 718-408-8070 vacation@shisharealty.com

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APRIL 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home

Cabinet Hinge Repair

646-661-1388 info@nadlercabinet.com

Hinges | Tracks | Drawers | Soft Close | Alignment

Reach Your Target Market

HELP WANTED

TEACHERS Yeshiva Kol Torah seeks dynamic educators to join our team for next year. General studies classes are held in the afternoon. Professional and supportive environment. Excellent pay commensurate with experience. Please submit resumes to srada@yeshivakoltorah.org

Brooklyn based janitorial supply company looking to hire full time account manager 80k + commission must have experience please email resume to resume@dependableplastic.com or call 7184375000

TAG/MSHS in Far Rockaway is seeking qualified Regents Biology and Computer Concepts Teachers for the 2021-2022 school year. Email résumé to rschiffer@ tagschools.org Due to expansion, YDE Boys Middle School is seeking ELA, Science, History and Math teachers for the 2021-2022 school year. Great environment, extremely competitive salaries, benefits and on time pay. Please email resume to relbaum@ydeschool.org Local 5T school looking to hire a clerical employee. Job responsibilities include data entry, database management, assisting the administrator in his daily tasks. Suitable for someone seeking an entry-level position. Candidates must be detailoriented, organized, and have the ability to multi-task. Proficiency in Microsoft Office required. Enjoyable working environment, personal, sick, vacation days offered, Yom Tovim and certain legal holidays off. Salary commensurate with experience. Please email resume to admin@shoryoshuv.org ADMIN. ASSISTANT A multi-tasker needed for general office work. The ideal candidate is someone who is detail-oriented, responsible, and can take ownership. Looking for someone who is eager to learn, and expand his/her skill set while possessing the ability to work independently and as part of a team. Experience with Excel required. Five Towns location. In-office position only, not remote. Please send resume to 5tpart.timecareer@gmail.com

Classifieds

Seeking full time OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST for Special Education school located in Brooklyn. Experienced preferred. Competitive salary. Room for growth. resumes@yadyisroelschool.org

SEEKING DRIVER THROUGH END OF JUNE FOR 6 DAYS/WEEK TO DRIVE FROM 9-5 IN THE BRONX. MUST HAVE OWN CAR. CALL/TEXT 917-674-0330 YESHIVA KETANA OF QUEENS IS LOOKING FOR JR HI TEACHERS FOR ENGLISH, SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES. 2-4 periods a day. Mon-Thurs. 2:30-5:30. Warm environment, very good salary. 917-742-8909 email rlswia@aol.com The Yekusiel Menachem Children's Clothing Gmach in Cedarhurst is now accepting donations from newborn to junior sizes. New clothing ONLY Any questions please contact (516) 712- 7735. Thank you Tizku lmitzvos Children’s clothing store in Five Towns looking to hire a full-time store manager. Great salary with opportunity for growth. Must be a great team worker, with excellent customer service skills. Email resume to writers613@gmail.com Five Towns/Far Rockaway area school seeking third and fourth grade general studies teachers for the '21-'22 school year Monday through Thursday afternoons. Supportive, warm environment. Competitive salary. Please send your resume to teachersearch11@gmail.com Downtown Manhattan CPA firm seeking office manager/ bookkeeper. Must be proficient in excel, have strong typing skills and be able to multitask. Accounting background preferred. Send resume to officemgr613@gmail.com SHEVACH HIGH SCHOOL is seeking a Global Studies teacher, Algebra teacher. Please email resume to Office@shevachhs.org

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

HELP WANTED

SHULAMITH EARLY CHILDHOOD is looking to hire a full time teacher assistant for the current school year. Please email resume to earlychildhood@shulamith.org

SPECIAL ED DIRECTOR Responsibility: Curriculum Designer Individual curriculum as needed Staff training Innovative, visionary Requirement: Masters Special Ed and Education Administration or SLP Backgroup Email Resume: specialedresume2018@gmail.com

CAHAL is seeking Special Education Rebbeim, Teachers and Assistants for the 2021-22 school year. Send resume to shira@cahal. org or call 516-295-3666 ASSISTANTS NEEDED FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AFTERNOON SESSION. Email: fivetownseducators@gmail.com CATAPULT LEARNING Teachers, Title I Boro Park, Williamsburg and Flatbush Schools *College/Yeshiva Degree *Teaching experience required *Strong desire to help children learn *Small group instruction *Excellent organization skills Competitive salary. Send resume to: Fax: (212) 480-3691 ~ Email: nyteachers@catapultlearning.com 5 TOWNS BOYS YESHIVA SEEKING ELEM GEN ED TEACHERS Excellent working environment and pay. Only lic/exp need apply. Email resume to yeshivalooking@gmail.com BAIS YAAKOV IN FAR ROCKAWAY seeking permanent substitute for Preschool and Elementary school. Please call 718-868-3232 ext 211

Looking to hire sales people to train as NY & NJ Public Adjusters. No experience necessary, flexible hours. Call 973-951-1534

MISC Gemach Zichron Yehuda In memory of R’ Yehuda Aryeh Leib ben R’ Yisroel Dov We have a library of books on the subjects of loss, aveilus, grief, & kaddish. We have sets of ArtScroll Mishnayos to assist with finishing Shisha Sidrei Mishna for Shloshim or yahrtzeit. Locations in Brooklyn, Far Rockaway, & Lakewood. Email: zichronyehuda@yahoo.com Shor Yoshuv Tehilim Program for kids (1-8 grade) is taking place every Shabbos afternoon at 5:50pm Boys’ location: Shor Yoshuv Girls location: 717 cedar lawn ave, Far Rockaway. Weekly pekalach and prizes sponsored by Berrylicious will be served Earring and charm along the tracks of the Woodmere LIRR station. For info call 516-569-0977

Looking to make a difference in a child's life? APPLY TODAY! Far Rockaway: • Male Para, 9 year-old boy, Three times a week 5:00-6:30 • Female Para, 6 year-old boy, Three times a week 4:30-6:00

inspara@yeled.org 718-686-2376

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 • 2 weeks...$35 • 4 weeks...$60 Email ads to: classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com Include valid credit card info and zip code

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Your

Money

The Art of the Matter By Allan Rolnick, CPA

punk philosopher once said, “When it comes to art, money is an unimportant detail. It just happens to be a huge unimportant detail.” While we like to think of art as priceless, the sad reality is that, with few exceptions, art is just another commodity to be bought and sold. This week’s clash between art and commerce takes us to South Korea, where Lee Kun-hee, son of Samsung Electronics founder Lee Byung-chul, spent 29 years at the helm of the family business. Lee didn’t just turn Samsung into the world’s largest manufacturer of smartphones, televisions, and memory chips. He turned himself into the richest man in Korea. He even picked up a criminal conviction for tax evasion (later pardoned by President Lee Myung-bak). But that’s not what brings us here today. Lee died last October with a $21 billion fortune including an art collection, started by his father, worth about $2.5 billion. Now it’s time for his heirs to tell the government how they’re going to cover $10 billion in estate tax. (They’ll have five more years to pay.) The collection includes an astounding 13,000 pieces. Some are international masterpieces from artists like Picasso, Monet, and pop

prince Andy Warhol. But most are ancient Korean treasures. So how will Lee’s heirs raise the cash to cover the bill? Samsung could boost its dividend to help finance the bill. However, a group of former culture ministers has proposed letting the heirs pay with the art itself. That would avoid a fire sale that depresses pric-

Advisory Panel with 25 experts who meet twice a year to review appraisals submitted with income, gift, and estate tax returns. “Panel discussions are lively and serious,” according to an IRS report, and “despite the different perspectives of dealers, museum curators, and scholars, substantial disagreements are rare.” The Panel reviews about

Valuing works by creators like Picasso and Monet is as much an art as a science itself.

es, would keep the art in the country, and would make it available to museums that can’t afford to buy it on their own. Give it some thought, and you’ll probably agree it’s a genius idea. The same principle might also apply to those who own trophy real estate suitable for parks, recreation, or other civic uses. Valuing works by creators like Picasso and Monet is as much an art as a science itself. Here in the States, the IRS maintains an Art

500 works per year, generally valued at $50,000 or up. In the end, though, even the Panel sometimes gets it wrong. In 2012, the heirs of art dealer Ileana Sonnabend inherited a 1959 collage by Robert Rauschenberg titled “Canyon” that included a stuffed bald eagle. They valued it at zero because a 1962 amendment to a 1940 law made it an object that is literally “ill-eagle” to sell. But that didn’t stop the Panel from assessing it at

$65 million (based on a potential black-market sale) and triggering $40.9 million in taxes and penalties. The heirs settled by donating the work to the MOMA. Changing art markets and rising art prices promise to make these sort of clashes more common. We may see more with million-dollar auction prices for “non-fungible tokens”: digital artworks, recordings, and even tweets stored on blockchain, certified as unique and not interchangeable. (We’ll forgive you for wondering why NFTs are worth more than the $39 you can pay to name a star.) Your own art collection may not extend past the velvet print of dogs playing poker that’s hiding in your basement playroom. But that doesn’t mean you can’t canvass the tax code for the same strategies that major collectors use to whitewash unwanted levies. Just call us for a plan, and we’ll make beautiful art with your finances.

Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 years in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

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Life C ach

Good Morning?! Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS

ood morning. Or is it? Am I really ready to get up? Can I hit snooze again? Maybe I overestimate how much time I need to get ready in the morning. Perhaps, I can just go back to sleep for 10 extra minutes. Worst case, I can take a 5-minute shower instead of 10-minute one. Use instant coffee instead of brewed. And what an idea! Go down

the steps by twos and thereby pick up the 10 minutes I lost. Maybe even, go down steps by threes, and get back the brew time. Wait, maybe I can just jump the railing and have a full-fledged breakfast. OK, maybe I’m getting a little delirious with that thought. I haven’t had my coffee yet. But wouldn’t a few extra minutes of shuteye be nice?!

The inventor of that snooze setting was a genius! But guess what? I happen not to use it, though, I see how great it is for people who struggle to get up right away. I happen to wake up pretty awake. Therefore, when I desire to stay in bed longer, it’s less about the wish to sleep more and more about being somewhat overwhelmed by the day ahead! I’m sure many people might feel that same thing: So much on their plate. Some unpleasant tasks to get done. Not enough sleep to get through the whole day. (Though, that thought probably happens less where people have a midday siesta. Even though I can’t figure out why people want to do all of that sleep prep and waking prep twice a day! One time a day keeps me busy enough. Doing makeup, getting dressed, washing up, brushing teeth, hair or lint, etc. And then doing and undoing it all again!) Continuing with challenges to waking up.... Then there’s those midnight alarms some people have to deal with. And I don’t mean the ones you set! I mean the ones you give birth to! You know how it happens. You think you hear crying down the hall. You try to decide if that is a kid crying in the distance or just a dream.

You try to hold onto that sleep-state long enough for both of you to fall back to sleep. If you’re lucky, sometimes they do. Other times, you may feel them crawl up beside you in bed. Then if you can find a position between their legs under your body or their bodies across your legs, you may still hold onto that desired sleep-state. That is – until you feel your mattress becoming a bit damp. Oy, who put on their Pullup the wrong way? Some people say: who needs an alarm when you have kids to wake you? Others say: just put an alarm on your bedroom door and they can’t wake you. Some people say: why fight the inevitable? You need to get up eventually; just bite the bullet and get up with the first alarm. Others say: shoot me first! The bottom line is staying asleep sometimes can be a struggle and so can getting up! So anytime one can say “good morning,” don’t take it lightly. It may have taken a good amount of work to get there!

Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-7052004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com.

The Jewish Home | APRIL 29, 2021

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