January 19, 2017
Your Favorite Five Towns Family Newspaper
Distributed weekly in the Five Towns, Long Island, Queens & Brooklyn
Pages 9, 10, 11, 13 & 61
Around the
Community
The Dawn of Trump & The Key Players in the New Administration
48 Yeshiva Darchei Torah Celebrates Most Successful Dinner
42
Hundreds Brave the Snow to Attend One Israel Fund Play 4 Israel Night
pg
51 1,500 Jews Gather at OU’s Torah in the City
91
Revitalizing the Rockaways: TJH Speaks with Councilman Donovan Richards pg
The Culper Spy Ring Page 85
PESACH VACATION SECTION Starts on Page 103 – See page 3
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Dear Readers,
S
call him Bradley and not Chelsea? It’s strange. Manning is the one who made WikiLeaks a known entity in the U.S. WikiLeaks was started in 2006 but who paid much attention? By releasing three-quarters of a million classified and unclassified documents to the site Manning, an American soldier, put WikiLeaks into the headlines of newspapers across the country. The American public was shocked and frightened. Who knows what is out there now because of Manning? In many cases, the American government cannot prove that certain assets or maneuvers were compromised due to the sensitive nature of these things, but his actions have far-reaching consequences. What also has profound significance is the message that the commutation sends to other traitors to our country. Want to betray the U.S.? Want to put fellow Americans at risk? No problem, just sit a few years in our cozy prisons – and maybe put on a wig – and we’ll gladly let you go after some time. The word “liberal” when referring to Obama generally refers to his political leanings. But I see it in another light. He’s is far too liberal when he deals with American sovereignty and supremacy. This is America we’re talking about! We don’t let things slide when people attempt to harm us. We don’t shrug when traitors throw mud in our face. Remember when Michelle Obama famously said that it was the first time that she was “proud of her country”? Someone truly proud of the United States wouldn’t let a traitor roam free on its shores. Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana
ometimes I think that life moves too fast. We just started the school year and now midwinter vacation is around the corner. Weren’t we just complaining about the oppressive New York heat? Now we’re dealing with surprise snowstorms and ice on our windshields in the morning. My kids remind me of that all the time. This morning I sat in front of two classes of first graders as they received their first siddurim. My daughter was beaming from ear to ear as she held her first siddur. Didn’t I just bring her into nursery on that first day with her cute haircut and huge smile? Yes, the saying “time flies” is cliché, but it’s also true. If we don’t focus on the important things in life and make time for what truly matters, we’ll only be able to look back with regret. This week is a turning point in America’s history. Truthfully, every time a new president enters the Oval Office a new era begins. Each president has a unique way of leading and has different views, positions and proclivities to certain things. Each presidency is defined by certain moments but generally one could say that there’s a “theme” to each president’s time in office. Some are more liberal, some are working harder for the poor, some are more involved in foreign relations. We spoke last week about Obama’s legacy, although certain acts he’s taken in his last few days in the White House are perhaps even more telling about the man. A few weeks ago he blindsided the Israelis by allowing – and some say influencing – the UN to propose a resolution against the Jewish State. And just this week Obama commuted the sentence of a traitor to the country – is it OK if I
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The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
OHEL THANKS YOU! YOU HELPED LIGHTEN UP THE LIVES OF SO MANY THIS CHANUKAH! OHEL extends a special thanks to Sammy & Lea Trencher and Shloime Dachs for brightening the lives of OHEL’s children and adults as over 1,000 individuals celebrated with us at the Annual OHEL Chanukah Party. OHEL thanks the Bergen County Toy Drive and The Daniella Moffson Foundation, as well as many schools, shuls and community members who, as part of the Annual OHEL Chanukah Gift Drive, donated thousands of toys, games and gifts to children and adults at OHEL. Ave N Jewish Center Bergen County Toy Drive Beth El Synagogue Bicultural Day School Brandeis School Central Queen Y Chabad Hebrew School Chabad of Randolph Chabad of the Upper West Side Chai Tots Preschool Cheder Lubavitch Cong. OHAB Zedek Cong. AABJ&D Cong. Beth Sholom Cong. Kneset Yisroel (The White Shul) Cong. Machane Chodosh DRS High School East Hill Synagogue Great Neck Synagogue HAFTR Early Childhood HAFTR High School HAFTR Lower School HAFTR Middle School HANC Elementary School HANC Middle School HANC Pre-School Huntington Jewish Center Jewish Center of Atlantic Beach Jewish Community Project Jewish Foundation School Jewish Foundation School ELC Jewish Institute of Queens Joseph Kushner Academy Kingsway Jewish Center Long Island Hebrew Academy Luria Academy Manhattan High School for Girls
Meadow Park Rehab & Health Care Center Merkaz Hatorah/ RJJ Boys School Merkaz Hatorah/RJJ Girls School Mid-Island Y JCC North Shore Hebrew Academy Elementary School Old Westbury Hebrew Congregation Park Slope Hadassah Pioneer Chapter Hadassah Prospect Park Yeshivah Pre-School R’ Teitz Mesivta Academy /JEC Boys HS Ramaz Shulamith School SKA High School South Huntington Jewish Center Staten Island Hebrew Academy Stern- Igive Group Synagogue of Suburban Torah Center Temple Beth El of Bellmore The Daniella Moffson Foundation The David Hoffman Chabad Hebrew School The Jewish Center of Manhattan Toys for Hospitalized Children West Side Institutional Synagogue Westchester Day School Westchester Torah Academy Yaldaynu Pre-School Yeshiva Har Torah Yeshiva of Crown Heights Yeshiva of Flatbush Elementary School Yeshivat Darchei Eres High School Young Israel of East Brunswick Young Israel of Forest Hills Young Israel of Great Neck Young Israel of Lawrence/Cedarhurst Young Israel of New Rochelle Young Israel of Staten Island Young Israel of Woodmere
For more information please contact our Volunteer Department at 718-686-3103 • volunteers@ohelfamily.org www.ohelfamily.org
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Contents LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
8
COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll
8
Community Happenings
40
NEWS
71
Global
13
National
22
Odd-but-True Stories
36
The Dawn of Trump: The Key Players in the New Administration 91 ISRAEL Israel News
Coupons by Rafi Sackville
20 74
PEOPLE Revitalizing the Rockaways: TJH Speaks with Councilman Donovan Richards 76 The Culper Spy Ring by Avi Heiligman
110
PARSHA Rabbi Wein
70
JEWISH THOUGHT My Way or the Highway by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
71
What, Me Royalty? by Eytan Kobre
72
HEALTH & FITNESS The Real Reason Marriages Get Rocky by Dr. Deb Hirschhorn
84
Alternatives to Cow’s Milk Cindy Weinberger, MS, RD
88
Dear Editor, Your assessment of President Obama’s eight years was very obviously skewed and shows your anti-Obama bias. You were only able to come up with 3 accomplishments and one of them was that Michelle Obama encouraged people to eat healthy? What about saving the economy from a great depression? What about ending the war in Iraq? What about getting people to respect America again? I can’t wait to see how you guys cover Trump. Every time he sneezes you will probably talk about what a great accomplishment it is. For him, it probably is! Sincerely, A proud Obama supporter in the Five Towns Dear Editor, Your review of the Obama presidency was brilliant. Reading it though gave me anxiety as I felt like I was reliving some of the horrors of the past eight years. I was never one of those who thought that Obama had sinister motives, I always thought he was simply incompetent. But over the past month, after he messed over Israel and seeing his final actions on office, I am convinced that he harbors bad motives. For example, for the past two months he has been
railing against WikiLeaks for publishing the hacked Democrat emails. And then he goes and releases this Manning GUY who gave hundreds of thousands of classified military documents to WikiLeaks in 2009 and basically singlehandedly put WikiLeaks on the map! He is either a complete hypocrite or he never really had anything against WikiLeaks in the first place and he is just blaming them for Trump’s win because his outsized ego can’t handle the fact that America rejected him and his cohort Hillary. So, good riddance to him. Hopefully American can now begin the healing process from this bitterly partisan and divisive president whose only real accomplishment was that he was a good snake oil salesman and looked and sounded so smooth while he tried to destroy our country. Sincerely, P. Steinman Dear Editor, Those who are familiar with my past letters are aware that although I voted for Donald Trump in the general election, I’m certainly not one of his staunchest supporters. I disagree with his various policies, particularly in regard to economics. Indeed, there are many millions of Americans, Continued on page 12
FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Crumbled Cauliflower with Homemade Chili Sauce
88
LIFESTYLES Dating Dialogue, Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW 80 Law and Order: Assessing the State of Law Schools in 2017 by Chaim Homnick 114
126
From My Private Art Collection
126
Your Money
132
No Cows to Milk by Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS
134
HUMOR Centerfold
66
Kosher Comics by Jon Kranz
122
Uncle Moishy Fun Page
124
POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes
100
What Happened to the Honeymoon? by Charles Krauthammer
108
CLASSIFIEDS
127
The Trump inauguration is set to be held on Friday, January 20 at 12noon. Do you plan on watching the events – live or otherwise?
53
%
YES
47
%
NO
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
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Sale Dates: January 22nd - 27th 2017
Weekly 64 oz
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16 oz $ 99
20 oz
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Michel et Augustin Cookies
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New Items This Week! Aufschnitt Turkey Jerky
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299
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The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
Sale Dates: January 22nd - 27th 2017
Specials
BREAST OF VEAL $ 99 7 lb.
CORNED BEEF TOP OF THE RIB $ 49 8 lb. Neck & Skirt
GROUND BEEF $ 99 4 lb. Super Family Pack
Top of the Rib
Chicken $ 39 899 lb. Shoulder 1 lb. Lamb $ Bones 99 ................... 10 lb. Chop Boneless Seasoned Beef, ................... Fillet $ 49 9 lb. Chicken $199 lb. Pastrami, Steak Italian or $ 49 Drumsticks Family . . . . . . . . Pack ........... Chicken 6 lb. Family Pack $
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................... Shoulder London $ 99 Small $ 49 8 lb. Broil Cap Top 9 lb. ................... of the Rib ................... Side $ 99 Steak 9 lb. Ground (Mini Brisket) $ 99 White ................... 4 lb. Chicken Square Cut Roast $ 69 9 lb. Family Pack
Patties
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Chicken $ 89 3 lb. Cutlets Super Family Pack
Poland Spring Water 24 Pack - 16.9 oz
499
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Barilla Pasta
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8 oz Bag
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399 ea.
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Continued from 8
specifically on the Left as in Hollywood and the Democrat Party, who in fact despise Trump in his entirety. However, irrespective of your political party or philosophy, and whatever the influence the Russians and WikiLeaks may have exerted during the election, this does not in any way disparage the legitimacy of Trump’s presidency. The American people exercised their choice through the information available to the public. He won the presidency exactly as outlined in the U.S. Constitution. He is the legitimately-elected President of the United States, period. Sincerely, Rafi Metz
Coming Soon...
Dear Editor, I am writing this in response to your Dating Dialogue column this week. In my experience – and I have married off seven children ka”h – dealing with mechutanim is a very varied sitaution. After all, every person has a different personality, every couple has a different way of doing things, and we are all coming from different backgrounds and have different experiences. Some of my mechutanim have come in “guns blazing” and others have done things in a more calm and thoughtful manner. I have felt that meeting mechutanim for a short while after the initial meeting is very helpful. On this “date” we ask them to meet in a local coffee shop or casual restaurant (not the pizza store!) “just to get to know them.” I explain beforehand that we heard such wonderful things about them in our children’s dating process and we would like to get to know them better. In every case, we have found that meeting with our future mechutanim in a neutral place, talking about neutral topics, have helped us develop a very nice rapport
with them. I am not best friends with all my mechutanim, although some I feel very close to. I am grateful to them for raising such wonderful sons and daughters who have become sons and daughters to me. And I am grateful to them for welcoming my sons and daughters to their homes and treating them like their own children. I have a very friendly relationship with my mechutanim and we have developed a good rapport with each other, sharing in simchos and nachas. I hope my “tips” can help you along as well. Of simchos! Sincerely, Shani G. Dear Editor, We are all aware of the cost of living in the Five Towns and how the restaurants/shops/grocery stores on Central Avenue have what may seem to be high prices. I know some of them do their part to keep prices as low as possible and have sales and deals to help the consumer. However, the main driver why they need to keep prices high is the rent! The property owners charge a fortune for the use of the property and I have little doubt that they would be able to survive and thrive even with lowering the rent significantly. Using trickledown economics, with lower rents, storeowners can then lower their prices, which means a much higher quality of living for everyone, and ultimately better business for all, with people having more money to spend. We are about to embark on a journey with a new president who appears to want to shake things up and keep business in America. How about we keep the business in the Five Towns thriving by lowering commercial rents?! A Reader from Inwood
Views expressed on the Letters to the Editor page do not necessarily reflect the views of The Jewish Home. Please send all correspondence to editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
The Week In News
Vienna’s Homeless Show off Their City – Good and Bad
Austria’s capital, Vienna, was home to many famous residents including Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud. Its glorious palaces make it a tourist destination, and its excellent social security system makes it one of the highest ranked cities for living. However, there has been a recent campaign to shed light on the growing homeless epidemic in the area. According to official data, each year 4,300 people move into the streets – although people are claiming the number to be much higher. Last year a company called Shades Tours launched a program in an effort to address the problem. The social start-up is part of a growing European trend that hires the needy as city tour guides as a way to help them reintegrate. As part of the tours they visit night shelters and soup kitchens to inform tourists of the growing problem. Interested in seeing the “other side” of the city? One destination that tourists visit is the Vienna central station, which is a “hotspot” for the homeless because it is always open, heated, and you can wander around mostly unnoticed. “I wanted [the tours] to be more educational,” explained Shades Tours creator Perrine Schober, a 33-year-old tourism management graduate. “We [see] homelessness on a daily basis but we have no idea what it is actually about, so I guess that’s the reason people look away
instead of trying to help.” Originally the tours were intended for fellow Austrians. The tours cost about 15 euros ($16) for several hours and draw in throngs of local school-aged children, social workers and companies. They are interactive, and visitors have an opportunity to ask questions to the homeless, who are usually eager to share their stories. “Our guides are in a unique position to explain Vienna’s complex social system and its challenges. They provide children with an emotional lesson they can’t get in a classroom,” Schober explained. Since its inception, the organization has helped two of its three full-time guides move out of their shelters and into private housing. Due to its success, Schober recently extended the program to include tours conducted in English for international tourists. Vienna, with a population of 1.7 million, has a network of public institutions and not-for-profit organizations helping those in need but it still doesn’t take care of all the needy. P7, the government branch that runs Vienna’s homeless registry and provides sleeping quarters, offers only 300 beds all year round and 700 beds in the winter, a small amount compared to the high demand. VinziPort is another shelter that offers a roof, food, a shower, and internet access to men only at a rate of just two euros ($2.12) a day.
A Pendant Bears Witness
Recently, an archaeological dig at Sobibor, a death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland, uncovered several personal items believed to belong to victims of the Nazi carnage. Archaeologists surmise that the items were dropped by their owners as they were forced to undress before being sent off to the gas chambers. Polish archaeologist Wojciech Mazurek, Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologist Yoram Haimi, and their Dutch associate, archaeologist Ivar Schute,
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led the excavations. Among the items discovered is a pendant with the date of birth and hometown of the victim engraved. According to the birthdate inscribed, the girl who was wearing the necklace would have been a teenager at the time. The description of the jewelry correlates with the age and birthplace, Frankfurt, Germany, of famous Holocaust diarist Anne Frank. She was murdered by the Germans at the Bergen-Belsen concentration in Germany in early 1945 at the age of 15. However, the birthdates do not match up. The pendant has the inscription “Mazel Tov” in Hebrew with the date July 3, 1929 on one side, and on the other, the Hebrew letter hey for Hashem accompanied by three Magen David stars. Frank was born on June 12, 1929. A Star of David necklace, a woman’s watch, and a metal charm covered in glass with an etching of the biblical figure Moses holding the Ten Commandments were also discovered at the site. On the reverse side of the charm is the inscription of the essential Jewish prayer “Shema,” a Yad Vashem statement said. After extensive research of a
F R O M
database of Holocaust victims, researchers concluded that the pendant may have belonged to a girl by the name of Karoline Cohn, who was born on July 3, 1929 in Frankfurt. She was deported to the Minsk ghetto on November 11, 1941, the last known location of the teenager. The pendant is believed to have reached Sobibor sometime between November 1941 and September 1943, when the ghetto was shut down and the 2,000 Jewish prisoners inside were sent to the death camp. Researchers speculate that if Cohn, 14 at the time, had survived until that point and managed to hold onto the pendant, it must have been that she reached the Sobibor camp and dropped it there. “This pendant demonstrates once again the importance of archaeological research of former Nazi death camp sites,” Haimi said. “The moving story of Karoline Cohn is symbolic of the shared fate of the Jews murdered in the camp. It is important to tell the story, so that we never forget.” As both Frank and Cohn were born in Frankfurt, researchers are now looking for relatives who may be able to shed light on any connection between the girls.
“Relatives of Karoline Cohn, or any member of the public who can assist with details regarding her family or Sophie Kollmann, who filled out Pages of Testimony in April 1978 for Richard Else Cohn and Karoline Cohn, are requested to contact Yoram Haimi via email at yoramhi@ israntique.org.il,” Yad Vashem said in the statement.
Beijing: “One China is Nonnegotiable”
Beijing has a message for President-elect Trump: One China is a non-negotiable reality. The message comes after Trump suggested that he may boost ties with Taiwan – an island that is officially a state of China. “It is not up for negotiation,” Chi-
nese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement. “There is only one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable region of China, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing China.” Trump has threatened to repay China for what he considers their unfair trade practices by treating Taiwan as its own separate country. Trump already upset China by accepting a congratulatory call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen after he bested Hillary Clinton in the election. This marks the first time in many decades that a U.S. leader has had contact with Taiwan in decades. “Everything is under negotiation, including One China,” Trump had told the Wall Street Journal. In his interview with the Journal, Trump defended his acceptance of President Tsai’s phone call. “We sold them $2 billion of military equipment last year. We can sell them $2 billion of the latest and greatest military equipment but we’re not allowed to accept a phone call,” he said ironically.
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determined at trial.” Twitter has been sued in the past on similar charges. A lawsuit accusing Twitter of supporting ISIS was dismissed by a California judge last summer. The social media giant is also facing a lawsuit by family members of the victims killed in a Orlando nightclub in June 2016.
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Twitter Sued for ISIS Support Twitter is being sued by three American families who were victims of ISIS terror attacks in Belgium and
France. The lawsuit is being brought based on Twitter failing to keep members of ISIS off of the social media platform. The lawsuit, which was filed in New York, blames Twitter for playing a “a uniquely essential role in the development of ISIS’s image, its success
Twitter has been blamed for not being able to keep terrorists off of its network for many years. The company has responded by suspending 350,000 ISIS-related accounts since August 2015. Even with this response, the newest lawsuit alleges that Twitter has “continued to provide these resources and services to ISIS and its affiliates, refusing to actively identify ISIS Twitter accounts, and only reviewing accounts reported by other Twitter users.” It added, “Simply put, ISIS uses Twitter as a tool and a weapon of terrorism,” the suit argues.
in recruiting members from around the world, and its ability to carry out attacks and intimidate its enemies.” Lawyers for the terror victims’ families argue that the extremely popular Twitter violated the Anti-Terrorism Act, and they are asking for “compensatory damages in amounts to be
On Tuesday, Turkey announced that they caught the man responsible for carrying out the deadly New Year’s Eve attack on an Istanbul nightclub. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that the man was being questioned by police and expressed hope that the interrogation would unveil the “forces” behind the attack that left 39 people dead. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack just a few days after it took place. “The vile terrorist who attacked the place of entertainment on New Year’s Eve and led to the loss of so many lives has been captured,” the prime minister said, adding that it was still vital for the “forces behind” the attack to be revealed. “It is clear that this was carried out in the name of Daesh [ISIS],” Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin told reporters, using an Arabic acronym for the militant group. He said that the gunman was Abdulgadir Masharipov, an Uzbek national who had trained in Afghanistan and is believed to have
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entered Turkey in January 2016. Masharipov is 33- or 34-years-old. He had confessed to the attack and his fingerprints matched those that were found at the site. Police also detained a man from Kyrgyzstan and three women – from Somalia, Senegal and Egypt – in the raid. Hundreds of people were gathered at the swanky Reina nightclub to celebrate the end of a tumultuous 2016 only to become the first victims of 2017. The gunman shot a police officer and a civilian outside the club before storming the premises. 39 people were killed in the attack. Most of them were foreign nationals, mainly from the Middle East.
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ever officially be made public. The use of chemical weapons is banned under international law and is considered a war crime. The list identifies 15 people “to be scrutinized in relation to use of CW (chemical weapons) by Syrian Arab Republic Armed Forces in 2014 and 2015.” It does not specify what kind of role the suspects played in the implementation of chemical weapons. Eighteen senior Syrian officials were blacklisted by the U.S. after the U.N.-OPCW inquiry’s October report. Assad and his brother were not included at the time. France, Britain and the U.S. have all called for sanctions against Syria, while Russia – Assad’s staunch ally – has said the evidence is insufficient to justify such measures.
Assad Connected to Chemical Nazi-era Weapons Euthanasia Camps
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For the first time, investigators from an international team have said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his brother are responsible for the use of chemical weapons. A joint inquiry was launched by the United Nations and the global watchdog group, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Their results had previously only pointed fingers at military units – not individual people. Now a new list of individuals who are suspected of using chemical weapons on their enemies has been put together – and Assad is right on top. Investigators have linked the vicious ruler and his younger brother Maher to a series of chlorine bomb attacks in 2014-15. The proof of their involvement is based on a combination of evidence from Western intelligence agencies. The list has not been made public, although an individual who wishes to remain anonymous and is familiar with the findings of the joint investigators told reporters that Assad and his brother are on it. It is not yet clear whether the list will
Though not all too surprising considering the Nazis killed over 6 million Jews, researchers at Germany’s Max Planck Society are researching an additional 200,000 people who were wiped out by the Nazi regime during WWII. In the spring of 1939, the Third Reich began taking patients from mental hospitals and others whom they deemed “life unworthy of life,” lebensunwertes Leben, and transported them to euthanasia camps spread across Germany and Poland. The bodies of the victims were cremated or used for research, and fake death certificates were issued to the victims’ families. Researchers are now pouring over Nazi records to find out more about who these victims were and what was done to them. “We want to find out who the victims were, uncover their biographies and their fates, and as such give them part of their human dignity back and find an appropriate way of remembrance,” said Heinz Wässle, an emeritus director of the neuroanatomy department at the Max
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home
tHis Week י בה דרך ששי מרן רבי אברהם יפה’ןאזיצ’’תן ’’ע ל
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Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt, Germany. It is well-documented that the Nazis began a program of death in the spring of 1939, which began with disabled children and then grew to include adults as well. When the war broke out, Hitler signed documents implementing the “T-4” program. “T-4” was designed to protect those that were assigned the killing of socalled “lower” people. The program asked public health officials, public and private hospitals, nursing homes and mental institutions to determine if their inhabitants could work as laborers in the war effort. Those deemed mentally unfit for work were then taken to one of six different euthanasia camps. “The directors of many of these mental hospitals would exaggerate the incapacity for work on their patients because they wanted to spare them from labor groups,” explained Michael Bryant, a professor of history and legal studies at Bryant University. “But in fact they were consigning these patients to death. It’s rightfully so that we focus on the horrors perpetrated against the Jews, the Poles and the Soviets by the Nazis during the war,” Bryant said. “But we frequently lose sight of the first victims of the Nazis’ systematic murders.”
Iran and Syria Sued for Sponsoring Hamas
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pictures, creating fake social media profiles and then asking IDF soldiers to download an app that turns their smartphone into an espionage tool. The IDF has come up with a video in which it teaches its soldiers to avoid such traps. Although no major secrets were uncovered, Hamas was able to gather information on Israeli army maneuvers in the Gaza area. “We found tens of undercover figures that operated to get classified info from IDF soldiers,” an army representative admitted. “These figures successfully fooled soldiers and led them to speak about confidential issues [and] managed to install viruses in dozens of cell phones.” This is not the first time that Palestinians have used the internet to lure young Israelis. In 2001, a 16-year-old Israeli was convinced to enter the West Bank by a Palestinian gunman who shot him. The shooter posed as an American tourist. An IDF presentation on the subject summed up the issue: “The ease with which it is possible to set up an internet offensive infrastructure, the culture of sharing information and the insufficient awareness to the security threat online creates vulnerability,” it said.
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Hamas’ Newest Weapon: Social Media
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reConneCt Hamas, the bloodthirsty Palestinian terror organization, has been using social media to lure Israeli soldiers into online chat rooms that may compromise their personal security. The IDF has admitted that Hamas militants got the better of some of their soldiers by stealing
Iran and Syria are being forced to pay out $178 million in compensation for their role in a terror attack that took place in Jerusalem in 2014. Parents of a 3-month-old baby that was killed by Abed Abdelrahman Shaludeh, a Palestinian from Silwan in East Jerusalem, have sued the two countries in an American court. The lawsuit was brought on the grounds that Iran and Syria finance the terror organization Hamas, which claimed responsibility for the attack. The child was an American citizen so the case was able to be brought in the United States. A 22-year-old Ec-
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
uadorian who had moved to Israel to convert to Judaism was also killed in the attack. The parents were represented by the Nitsan Darshan-Leitner. The famous lawyer also manages the Shurat HaDin Israeli Law Center, which seeks to combat terror around the world through the justice system. “This ruling sends a clear message that the heavy price will be imposed on anyone who finances terror and spills the blood of innocents,” Darshan-Leitner said. “We will continue to constantly pursue Syria and Iran through any legal means at our disposal to ensure that the victims of terror have justice.”
UK Opts Out of Middle East Conference
support efforts to improve conditions on the ground to enable negotiations to resume and look forward to working with the parties, the new U.S. Administration and other countries represented in this conference to make progress in 2017 and beyond,” the spokesperson added. Benjamin Netanyahu has been very clear on how he feels about the Paris talks. “The conference convening in Paris today is a useless conference,” Netanyahu said. “Its goal is to try and force terms on Israel that conflict with our national needs. Of course it pushes peace further away because it hardens the Palestinian positions and it also pushes them away from direct negotiations without preconditions.” Thirty five countries sent their foreign ministers to Paris for the event including the U.S., Germany, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Norway, Sweden and Egypt.
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Taking a different route than participants from 70 other countries, the United Kingdom criticized the Middle East peace conference that was held in Paris last week. The country argued that the conference may harden the parties’ negotiating positions and refused to sign the joint statement that called for a negotiated two-state solution. The U.K.’s Foreign Office released a statement that said London had “particular reservations” about the meeting taking place without Israeli or Palestinian representation, especially when a new U.S. administration is being sworn in later this week. The spokesman noted that the conference took place against Israel’s explicit wishes and “just days before the transition to a new American president when the U.S. will be the ultimate guarantor of any agreement. There are risks, therefore, that this conference hardens positions at a time when we need to be encouraging the conditions for peace.” Britain merely attended the conference as an observer and refused to participate. “We will continue to
הרב רפאל משה געטינגער שליט״א
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PLEASE JOIN US IN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE ROSH YESHIVA AND BE A PARTNER IN THIS
Before last month’s passing of United Nations Resolution 2334, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who was instrumental in drafting the resolution. According to a spokesperson at the prime minister’s office, though, he did not speak with British Prime Minister Theresa May, who appears to have not known about the content and may have been willing to abstain or even veto the motion. Any permanent member of the UN Security Council – which includes Britain, Russia, China, France and the U.S. – has the option to veto a resolution. According to members of May’s Conservative Party, the UK leader was “blindsided” by the Foreign Office’s support for the resolution. The UK prime minister is reportedly seeking to make reforms to ensure that she is not in that sit-
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matic response was the cancellation of a meeting with May at the annual World Economic Forum that is coming up next week.
Children are Adorable, but Really Expensive
uation again. “We do not believe that the way to negotiate peace is by focusing on only one issue – in this case the construction of settlements – when clearly the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians is so deeply complex,” a spokesperson for May said. “And we do not believe that it is appropriate to attack the compo-
sition of the democratically elected government of an ally.” Ten days before the vote, May gave a speech in which she praised and pledged her support for Israel. The prime minister hailed the Jewish state as “a remarkable country” and “a beacon of tolerance.” She also promised to raise the bilateral trade
agreement between the UK and Israel to new heights and called the Balfour Declaration “one of the most important letters in history.” In response to the passing of the resolution, Israel took diplomatic action against many of the countries that supported the measure, including the UK. Included in his diplo-
Children are a blessing, with a hefty price tag. According to a recent study, it costs $233,620 to raise a child born in 2015 into a middle-income household. The report, released by the Department of Agriculture last week, claims that caregivers spend between $12,350 and $14,000 a year per child. This number does not include saving for their college fund (or bar mitzvah, wedding, or seminary year); it just covers the costs from birth through age 17. Of course, the average Orthodox household needs to adjust that number for private school tuitions, kosher food, and other expenses within our community. According to the study, housing, in the form of an extra bedroom per child, was the single biggest expense for middle-income families, accounting for almost 30% of the total cost of raising a child. After that the second largest cost is food, especially for those whose children enjoy sushi more than pizza. Parents of teenagers can expect to put out an annual average of $2,709 to feed a 15- to 17-yearold, which is 22% more than the cost of feeding a child between the ages of 6 and 8. Child care was the next biggest expense, which, according to the government, costs parents an average $37,378, which sounds kind of costly. In the younger years parents have higher expenses for child care and education (and diapers!) but those expenses generally disappear as chil-
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dren enter public school programs for longer hours. However, the cost of transportation, food, clothing, and health care generally rise as children get older. Add in yearly tuition bills and the costs rise even more. Not all children “cost” the same. The price of raising a child varies by family income level. Lower-income families are estimated to spend an average of $174,690, while wealthier households generally spend $372,210 per child. The price of child rearing also fluctuates by region: middle-income families in cities in the Northeast incur the highest cost with an average of $253,770. In cities in the Western region of the country, the typical cost is about $235,140. Looking to save money? The cheapest region to raise kids is in rural areas where the cost is an average of $193,020 across the nation. For families with more than one child, the cost per child gets more complex since siblings reduce some budgetary pressure due to shared housing and other shared expenses. Married-couple households that had three or more children spent 24% less on average per child compared to those with two kids.
“There are significant economies of scale, with regards to children, sometimes referred to as the ‘cheaper by the dozen effect,’” explains Mark Lino, author of the report and economist at the Department of Agriculture. “As families increase in size, children may share a bedroom, clothing and toys can be reused, and food can be purchased in larger, more economical packages.” Better keep feeding that savings account.
Companies We Love to Hate
As consumers in a capitalist economy we have the power to choose where we do business. Luckily for us competition drives companies to offer a better product and improved
customer service. However, it seems some companies just didn’t get the memo that a bad reputation can really hurt business. For example, last year Time Warner Cable merged with Charter Communications and they changed their name to Spectrum. For many customers both companies brought out frustrated feelings for their notoriously horrible customer service. A bad reputation can spread like wildfire on the internet. Recently, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a range of information, including customer survey results from the American Customer Satisfaction Index, employee reviews on Glassdoor, as well as their own annual customer satisfaction survey on companies throughout the nation. They compiled a list of 12 of the most hated companies in the country – and they were really disliked. The companies were hated by customers, employees, and the general public. Most Hated Companies in the Nation: 1. Comcast 2. Bank of America 3. Mylan 4. McDonald’s 5. Wells Fargo Bank
6. Facebook 7. Spirit Air 8. DISH Network 9. Sears 10. Sprint Wireless 11. Wal-Mart 12. Charter Communications (TV)
No More “Wet Foot, Dry Foot” Many Cubans flee their country in search of a better life in the U.S. However, the journey can be long and dangerous without the proper visas. Many refugees get caught or hurt or even die on the journey to freedom and some are forced to return to their native land. For many years, though, the United States has enforced a “wet feet, dry feet” rule, which means that if a Cuban is caught at sea or walking toward shore they will be deported. Once they reach land, though, they are allowed to remain in the U.S. In most cases, after a year in the United States, the Cuban immigrant can become a legal citizen. This policy is unique to Cuba, and is not relevant
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
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to other countries. However, last Thursday, President Barack Obama announced that he is ending the “wet foot, dry foot” Cuban immigration policy. The repeal was effective immediately. “Effective immediately, Cuban nationals who attempt to enter the United States illegally and do not qualify for humanitarian relief will be subject to removal, consistent with U.S. law and enforcement priorities,” Obama said in a statement. “By taking this step, we are treating Cuban migrants the same way we treat migrants from other countries. The Cuban government has agreed to accept the return of Cuban nationals who have been ordered removed, just as it has been accepting the return of migrants interdicted at sea.” The move was welcomed by the Cuban government – but not by the Cuban people. In a statement read on state television, the Castro government called the signing of the agreement “an important step in advancing relations” between the U.S. and Cuba that “aims to guarantee normal, safe and ordered migration.” Of course, PEOTUS Donald Trump can undo the repeal next week. He has been outspoken on his disapproval of Obama’s efforts in improving relations with Cuba. However, Trump has also been a proponent of stricter immigration. The “wet foot, dry foot” policy was implemented by President Bill Clinton in 1995 and reflected a more liberal immigration policy. The White House has been negotiating the termination of the “wet foot, dry foot” policy with Cuba for several months. Under the terms of the agreement, Cuba agreed to accept those turned away from the U.S. within four years. The decades-old U.S. economic embargo remains in place, as does the Cuban Adjustment Act, which allows Cubans to become permanent residents a year after legally arriving in the U.S. It is estimated that since October 2012 more than 118,000 Cubans have arrived at the U.S. border, according to statistics published by the Homeland Security Department. Obama also rescinded the Cuban Medical Professional Parole Program last week, which was jumpstarted by President George W. Bush in 2006. The program allows Cuban doctors, nurses and other medical professionals to seek parole in the
U.S. while on assignments abroad. The president said those doctors can still apply for asylum at U.S. embassies around the world. “By providing preferential treatment to Cuban medical personnel, the medical parole program ... risks harming the Cuban people,” Obama said in defense of the repeal.
Clinton Global Initiative Closing
If Election Day wasn’t depressing enough for the Clinton machine, their foundation is now downsizing. In a decision announced last week, 22 more workers will be laid off from the Clinton Global Initiative. The layoffs are tied to a decision to shutter CGI that originally was announced in an August 22 letter from former President Bill Clinton. At the time, the Clintons thought that their next step would be the Oval Office and were preparing to shutter the foundation in an effort to handle potential conflicts of interest while in the White House. Bill Clinton wrote in his letter at the time: “Nine years ago in my book Giving, I wrote, ‘I want to continue these meetings for at least a decade, with the objective of creating a global network of citizen activists who reach across the divides of our interdependent world to build real communities of shared opportunities, shared responsibilities, and a genuine sense of belonging.’ ... That is exactly what CGI, its members, and its dedicated staff have done.” But November 8 had surprising results for the Clintons. And yet, the family is proceeding with closing the CGI. The layoff date for the workers is set to be April 15. It’s unclear how many employees will be left at CGI after the latest round of layoffs, or if any of those workers will be shifted to other Clinton projects. CGI, which began in 2005, is not a direct-action charity like the Clinton Foundation, but instead
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
brings power players together to address “significant global challenges” through their own commitments to action. Since the dismal results for the Clintons back in November CGI has seen its sponsors’ list wane. While the 2011 CGI meeting boasted a roster of 46 sponsors, that number had been cut in half by the final September summit, Politico reported. And since Clinton’s presidential election loss in November, other donors have cut back or stopped giving to the overarching Clinton Foundation, too. After 10 years and more than $88 million in donations, the Australian government decided against renewing its partnership with the foundation. Norway reduced its giving from $20 million in 2015 to $4.2 million in 2016. During the WikiLeaks’ reveal of Clinton emails during the campaign, a trove of emails from the account of Hillary Clinton campaign Chairman John Podesta were released. Some of the emails, dating as far back as 2008, revealed internal tensions – and possible impropriety – among the Clintons and CGI insiders. “I signed a conflict of interest policy as a board member of cgi,” top Clinton confidant Doug Band
wrote in a Nov. 17 email to Podesta in which he referred to Clinton by his initials, WJC, William Jefferson Clinton. “…Oddly, wjc does not have to sign such a document even though he is personally paid by 3 cgi sponsors, gets many expensive gifts from them, some that are at home etc.” He added: “I could add 500 different examples of things like this.” Chelsea Clinton was appointed to the CGI board in late 2011 and the Podesta emails show there was no love lost between the Clintons’ daughter and Band, with notes from both sent to Podesta privately excoriating the other. Band, who began as Clinton’s “body man” during the White House years, was one of the masterminds behind CGI and played a key role in securing donations for the Clinton Foundation. He continued soliciting clients for the Clintons even after founding his own company, Teneo, in June 2011, according to a memo he wrote addressing his role in the Clintons’ world. Two of the major clients secured by Band – The Coca-Cola Company and Barclays Capital – did not sponsor CGI in 2016, Politico reported, despite years of reliably donating to the event.
New York and Chicago in Terrible Financial Shape
As the economy continues to recover from the recession, economists are taking a closer look at the fiscal strength of big cities across the U.S. According to a recent ranking, both Chicago and New York rank at the bottom of the barrel based on data from 2015 financial reports submitted by the cities themselves. The analysis includes the ranking of 116 U.S. cities with populations greater than 200,000. Chicago has been very vocal about
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its dismal economy. They have faced financial mismanagement and suffered a series of ratings downgrades in recent years in municipal finance. Their reserves are low, their debts are high, and their pension plans are grossly unfunded. Perhaps more surprising is New York’s weak ranking. New York is thought to be full of opportunity and the center of finance. An extended bull market and ever-increasing real estate prices have pumped money into the city’s coffers. However, the Big Apple is spending the money just as fast as it comes in. The city’s general fund reserves – which is likened to a city’s checking account – stood at just .67 percent of its expenditures at the end of 2015. That number is well below the Government Finance Officers Association’s recommendation of 16.67 percent (equivalent to two months of spending). New York City also carries a huge debt burden. According to City Comptroller Scott Stringer, New York’s per capita debt greatly exceeds that of all other large U.S. cities and is even 50 percent higher than that of Chicago. On the other end of the golden rainbow is Irvine, California. With its sprawling mountains and perfect
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weather it has an economy to match those sunny skies. Rising revenues have ensured a series of budget surpluses that have bulked up the city’s reserves. In 2015, the city reported over $700 million of cash and investments – that’s enough to fuel two rainy years of government spending. The next two highest ranked cities on the fiscal scale are also in California: Fontana and Moreno Valley. Both cities have modest debt loads and large general fund reserves.
Great Americans Day
Monday marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the U.S. but one Mississippi city accidently celebrated “Great Americans Day” instead.
Prior to the legal holiday on Sunday evening, Biloxi’s Twitter and Facebook accounts generated a post that read, “Non-emergency municipal offices in Biloxi will be closed on Monday in observance of Great Americans Day.” The post was criticized by many who claimed that it did not mention Martin Luther King, Jr. who deserves to be honored on this day. The posts were later edited to include MLK Day. Mississippi is one of three states that recognizes Robert E. Lee on the third Monday in January in addition to Martin Luther King, Jr. To include other men the name of the day was amended to Great Americans Day. According to the Sun Herald newspaper, Biloxi designated in an ordinance in 1985 that the third Monday in January will “honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as well as other great Americans who have made important contributions to the birth, growth and evolution of this country.” Biloxi spokesman Vincent Creel said that the city instantly became victims of harassment after the honest mistake, despite its annual MLK celebration and great respect for the national hero. “We’re being called
racist. That’s not the people of Biloxi, that is not the mayor, or the city council of Biloxi,” Creel said. “It’s just unfortunate that we’re now being painted with that brush.” “It was an honest error. I think they just pulled the verbiage from it and posted it on the tweet, and when there was a reaction to it, there’s no cover up,” said Councilman Kenny Glavan. “You know, we’re all looking at it and saying, ‘Hey, we need to change it.’” Biloxi is home to just 44,000 people.
The Circus is Not Coming to Town The circus was once a childhood staple and Ringling Brothers promised the “Greatest Show on Earth.” But now, the fat lady has sung, and the circus is saying sayonara. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus announced on Saturday that it will conduct its final show in May. This will be the grand finale of the 146-year run.
When the show was piloted, there were no cars, planes, or movies, and Ulysses S. Grant was serving as the president of the United States. It was way before the technological boom. However, the show withstood the test of time and still delivered a great spectacle. Since the turn of the century, though, children have been bombarded by computers, TVs, video games, and smartphones. They are offered intense stimulation at their fingertips and on demand and suddenly the “Greatest Show on Earth” isn’t all that exciting. “It’s been through world wars, and it’s been through every kind of economic cycle and it’s been through a lot of change,” said Kenneth Feld, chairman and CEO of Feld Enter-
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cus without elephants is not really a circus and tickets sales plummeted. The Felds claim they explored every option in order to keep the circus alive. They considered an interactive phone app, ice skaters in the show, and adding motorcycle stunts, but nothing boosted the dwindling number of circus-goers. Famous author Ernest Hemingway once wrote in a three-page essay for the Ringling Bros. program in 1953, “The circus is the only ageless delight that you can buy for money. It is the only spectacle I know, that, while you watch it, gives the quality of a truly happy dream.” Oh, how times and dreams have changed! If the circus has been on your bucket list, now is the time to reserve your tickets. The final show will be on May 21, 20017 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y.
The Man in the Moon
tainment, owner of the Ringling Bros. “In the past decade there’s been more change in the world than in the 50 or 75 years prior to that. And I think it isn’t relevant to people in the same way.” Many are speculating that another reason for the closure is the expensive court cases initiated by animal
rights activists that have been making headlines in recent years. Feld Entertainment won the $25.2 million suit and received settlements from human rights groups after they were able to prove that they treated the elephants well. Groups, including the Humane Society of the United States, had engaged Feld Entertainment in a
14-year legal battle over allegations that circus employees mistreated elephants. However, last year, the pressure of animal rights concerns led to removing the elephant acts regardless of the result of the suit. All 40 elephants were sent to Center for Elephant Conservation in Florida. Many circus fans protested that a cir-
Gene Cernan, an early NASA astronaut who was the last man to set foot on the moon, died on Monday at the age of 82. When he stepped out of the lunar module “Challenger,” he became the 11th person to walk on the moon. His lunar module pilot, Jack Schmitt, was the 12th. But as commander, Cernan was the last to re-enter the lunar module, giving him the designation of being the last person to walk on the lunar surface. Cernan was the commander of Apollo 17 in December 1972 – the last lunar mission and one of the final Apollo flights. His words would not become as famous as Neil Armstrong’s first sentence spoken from the moon, however, Cernan’s final goodbye to the moon was just as poetic. “...America’s challenge of today has forged man’s destiny of tomorrow,” Cernan said. “And, as we leave the Moon at Taurus-Littrow, we leave as we came and, G-d willing, as we shall return, with peace and
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
hope for all mankind. Godspeed the crew of Apollo 17.” In the 2007 documentary “In the Shadow of the Moon,” Cernan spoke of the epiphany he experienced while standing on the desolate – yet majestic – surface. “There is too much purpose, too much logic, it was just too beautiful to happen by accident,” Cernan said. “There has to be somebody bigger than you and bigger than me...And I mean this in a spiritual sense, not in a religious sense, there has to be a creator of the universe who stands above the religions that we ourselves create to govern our lives.” Cernan logged 566 hours and 15 minutes in space, of which 73 hours were spent on the surface of the moon, according to NASA. Born in Chicago in 1934, Cernan received an electrical engineering degree from Purdue and a Masters of Science in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. A captain in the Navy, he was selected in NASA’s third group of astronauts in 1963. He retired from NASA and the Navy in 1976. Cernan’s demise leaves six astronauts remaining who have walked on the moon.
The Ferguson Effect
We rely on our local police to keep us safe but there is growing problem for the men and women in blue. After recent high profile cases denigrating police officers, they have become admittedly more reluctant to enforce some safety measures. A new study published by Pew Research Center last Wednesday details that more than 75% of U.S. law enforcement officers admit that they are reluctant to use force when necessary. Additionally, 72% confessed that they are more hesitant to stop and question suspicious looking individuals due to recent police scrutiny. Many officials have dubbed these
practices “the Ferguson Effect,” referring to instances when officers become less proactive in their policing due to a constant fear that their actions will be questioned by their superiors and the public. The broad national survey conducted between May 19 and August 14 includes feedback from 8,000 officers and sheriff’s deputies across 54 departments. More than eight in 10 officers claim that police work is more difficult today as a result of the high-profile incidents. The majority of the surveys were completed prior to the fatal shooting of five officers in Dallas in July and the murder of three officers in Baton Rouge just two weeks later. The survey illustrated the parallels in thinking between white officers and their Hispanic colleagues. Twenty-seven percent of white officers and 26% of Hispanic officers say highly publicized deaths of African-Americans during police encounters are indicative of a broader problem between police and African-Americans. Meanwhile, 57% of black officers say that the incidents are evidence of a broader problem. According to the research, 67% of police officers believe the public has
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a positive view of police. The nation desperately needs the protection of our police departments. In Chicago, Indianapolis, Memphis, and San Antonio there was a surge in murder rates last year. FBI Director James Comey has suggested that the increase in violent crime in some cities may be a result of a less-aggressive law enforcement approach. In an op-ed in the Chicago SunTimes published last Wednesday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said it was crucial that the city have an “engaged, proactive police department” as the city tries to curb the crime that has surged in low-income, predominantly African-American and Latino neighborhoods. “If the reforms we must, and will, make are seen as demonizing the police, the police will naturally become reactive,” Emanuel wrote. “They’re only human. The clarity, certainty and standards they need to do their jobs will be lost, and the result will be more violence. That is not a recipe for success in our communities. The only winners in that case are the gangbangers and drug dealers.” In 2014 and 2015 there were no guilty convictions handed out to
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officials for murder charges while on-duty, but there were many high profile cases. There was also intense protesting across the nation and much violence as a result. 42 police officers were shot and killed in 2015. Four percent more law enforcement officers at the federal state, territorial and local levels died in the line of duty in 2015 than in 2014, according to a preliminary report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
No Income Tax? No Problem
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Is income tax eating away at your paycheck? Residents of Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming are happily shaking their head no, but everyone else is shouting YES! Now lawmakers in the state of Michigan are attempting to join the lucky few states that get to keep more of their hard earned money. Michigan Senate Republicans began discussing a proposal last week to repeal the state’s 4.25% income tax. They argue that if they allow residents to keep more of their money it will attract an influx of residents and business dollars. “Michigan is still a tough place to do business and I think the more jobs you create, it sends off a more positive image of our state,” State Sen. Jack Brandenburg said to the Detroit Free Press. “It’s simple: the more jobs you create, the more people spend. The more people spend, the more jobs are created and there is more tax revenue for our state.” “This is the people’s money, not ours,” House Speaker Tom Leonard echoed in a press release supporting the bill. “Michigan has turned a corner, our economy is booming, and there is even a budget surplus. I’m excited to join my colleagues, offer the best way forward, undo the mistakes of the past, and return hundreds of millions of dollars back to
the people who earned them in the first place.” The official bill hasn’t been introduced yet, and its final details are still being ironed out. If the bill passes it wouldn’t totally eliminate income tax immediately. It would knock it down to 3.9% from 4.25%, a significant number by 2018, and then the proposed bill would continue to shave the number by a tenth of a percent each year after that until it is fully eliminated in about 40 years. Hey, that’s slow-but-steady economics. The proposal sounds wonderful and idealistic, but unfortunately there have been many campaigns to lessen or eliminate income tax over the years that failed to be approved. In 2013, the governor of Louisiana proposed a drop in state income tax that was never approved. More recently, politicians in Arizona, Ohio, and Wisconsin have all pushed for slashes in state income tax but their proposals didn’t get much traction. Critics of lowering income tax argue that the drastic budget cut is bad for residents since it leaves much less money for improving infrastructure like building roads and offering scholarships to college students. Generally it also causes an increase in sales tax. “Taxes are one of the few things we’ve been told are socially acceptable to hate – except that the idea that we could or should completely eliminate the income tax is not only nonsense, it is dangerous nonsense,” Michigan Radio senior political analyst Jack Lessenberry said of the new bill in his state, which would see $9 billion in tax revenues disappear. “The state would literally not be able to function if the income tax were eliminated, and any major income tax cuts would make things worse for the majority of our citizens.” For those who leave all the work to their accountants, here’s a little math lesson for you. In New York State, a married couple earning $150,000 collectively would need to pay 6.45% in state tax alone (there are also federal taxes, social security, and local taxes depending on where you live). That would be almost $8,000 just in state taxes, which could buy you a very nice vacation for the whole family, a new roof, cover a nice portion of one of your children’s tuitions, or well, you fill in the blank.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
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CedaRhuRsT
פרשת שמות
& Five Towns woodmere HewleTT CedarHursT
60 Years of Building Torah g
g
Annual Shabbos of Chizuk
This s CEDARHURST bo שבת קודש פרשת שמות b a h S JanuaRY 20-21, 2017 With the participation of
HaGaon HaRav yeRucHim olsHin שליט”א Rosh Yeshiva, BeTh medRash Govoha
Honoring the esteemed communal founder,
HaGaon HaRav Binyamin KamenetzKy שליט”א Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas ToRas Chaim
for 60 years of dynamic leadership continuing the great Torah partnership of Moreinu HaRav Aharon Kotler & Moreinu HaRav Yaakov Kamenetzky זצ”ל
אכסניא
mr. & mrs. aron solomon
מנחה וקבלת שבת
Kehillas Bais yehuda tzvi Rav yaakov Feitman שליט’’א 391 oakland avenue 4:50 pm
סעודת ליל שבת
Rav & mrs. aryeh zev Ginzberg
עונג שבת
Rav & mrs. aryeh zev Ginzberg 568 Kensington Place 8:45 pm
השכמה
Bais medrash of cedarhurst Rav Dovid speigel שליט’’א 504 West Broadway 6:45 am
שחרית
Kehilas ahavas yisroel Rav Daniel Glatstein שליט’’א 568 Peninsula Boulevard 9:00 am
מוסף
Bais medrash of cedarhurst Rav Dovid speigel שליט’’א 504 West Broadway
סעודת שבת
mr. & mrs. avrumi Rosenberg
שיעור
agudath israel of the Five towns Rav yitzchok Frankel שליט’’א 508 Peninsula Boulevard 3:40 pm
מנחה
Khal Bais yisroel Rav Beirish Friedman שליט’’א 352 West Broadway 4:30 pm
סעודה שלישית
Hosted by mr. & mrs. mendy Haas at Khal Bais yisroel Rav Beirish Friedman שליט’’א 352 West Broadway
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Report: Chicago PD Needs Overhaul
The Justice Department has announced that the Chicago Police Department has been violating the constitutional rights of residents for many years, allowed racial bias against African-Americans and used excessive force. Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, announced that her year-long investigation has revealed that CPD officers endangered civilians, caused avoidable injuries and deaths, and eroded community trust that is “the cornerstone of public safety.” The investigation was initiated in December 2015 after a video was released showing black teen-
ager Laquan Mcdonald being shot 16 times while holding a knife. The shooting was recorded on a dashcam video and eventually led to protests and the police commissioner losing his job. The federal report blamed “systemic deficiencies” within the department for the bias, and cites a lack of training and accountability for violations and misconduct. Chicago had an especially violent year in 2016. There were 762 homicides in the city in the past 12 months. Those are the highest numbers the Windy City has seen in 20 years, and higher than the combined total of the two largest cities in the nation, New York and Los Angeles. In response to the results of the investigation, Mayor Rahm Emanuel pledged to make changes beyond those he has already put into place, which includes de-escalation training and stricter use-of-force policies. City officials have signed an agreement that will improve transparency, training, and accountability. Attorney General Loretta Lynch also weighed in on the report saying it lays “the groundwork for the difficult but necessary work of building a stronger, safer, and more united Chicago for all who call it home.”
Nazi Boots?
Conal International Trading Inc. was forced to pull their Polar Fox boots this week when it was revealed by a customer that the sole of the boot was stamped with swastikas. After the image was posted by a Reddit user on Monday, the red-faced California-based company issued an apology. “We would like to issue our sincerest apologies to our customers and to anyone who was offended by the swastika imprint the boots left behind,” the company said in a statement. “The design was not intentional and was a mistake made by our manufacturers in China.” It added that it “does not promote hate or discrimination of any kind.”
The man behind the picture posted on Reddit wrote in a caption, “There was an angle I didn’t get to see when ordering my new work boots.” His photo, viewed more than three million times, prompted a flurry of snarky comments. “Very comfortable. Nein out of ten,” one person wrote. Another person wrote: “I love them too, they really put me in mein kampfort zone.” Another person posted: “Heily recommended.” “Good for marching into Poland,” one person quipped. The military combat boots were sold on Amazon, which removed the listing on Thursday. The Jewish Anti-Defamation League said in a statement it had contacted the footwear company after learning about the boots and was informed that they were manufactured in Asia, “a culture which views the swastika as a Buddhist symbol.” In the ancient Sanskrit language, the swastika means “wellbeing” and was used as a symbol of good fortune before it was adopted by the Nazis. “The League reiterated to the company that the swastika serves as the most significant symbol of white supremacy and anti-Semitism, and
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whether intentional or not, the use of the symbol on the boot is deeply offensive,” the statement said.
Terrorist: Dear Obama
It was written in 2014 and now it has finally reached its intended. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, 51, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, is languishing in a prison cell in Guantanamo Bay awaiting a death penalty trial. Undoubtedly, the terrorist has a lot to say. In 2014, Mohammed penned a letter to President Barack Obama but it never reached the leader of the free world. Now, with just days to go to his presidency, Obama is finally going to be reading the letter. On Monday, it was confirmed by the White House that it was received. There was no word on whether or not the president read the letter yet. In general, according to attorney David Nevin, the terrorist wrote about “Muslim oppression at the hands of the West in general and the United States in particular.” He also shared his views on what happened in Iraq during the period of U.S. sanctions and “events in Palestine and Gaza over the years.” Back in 2014 the prison declined to deliver the letter. Then, on January 6, 2017, Mohammed’s judge, Army Col. James L. Pohl, ordered prosecutors to get it to the departing president at least a week before Donald Trump takes office. Obama steps down Friday and should be able to take the letter with him into private life. Pohl ruled there was no “legal basis for continued sealing of the letter’s contents” but gave the prison an extra month to scrub it of sensitive information before releasing it on the Pentagon war court website whose motto is “Fairness-Transparency-Justice.” The Pentagon’s chief war crimes prosecutor, Army Brig. Gen. Mark
Martins, had opposed the release of the letter in a court filing that called it propaganda. He also urged Pohl to defer to the prison whether it should be mailed to the president.
Orlando Terrorist’s Wife Charged On Monday, the FBI arrested the wife of the terrorist who murdered 49 people and wounded dozens in a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, last summer. Noor Salman was charged with obstructing the investigation of the mass shooting. She was also charged with aiding and abetting by providing material support to her husband, Omar Mateen. Noor was taken into custody by FBI agents at her home outside of San Francisco, where she had been living with her young son. Prosecutors had been weighing charges against her for months in the aftermath of the attack by her husband on June 12, 2016. Investigators interviewed Ms. Salman for hours after the attack and came to believe she was not telling the truth about her husband’s plans to carry out the rampage. The Justice Department’s decision to prosecute Salman, 30, ends part of the mystery that has surrounded her since the first days after the attack, when she became a central subject of the wide-ranging investigation into her husband. In an interview last year with The New York Times, Salman said was “unaware of everything” in connection with the attack. She said she had accompanied her husband to Orlando with their child once when he scouted the club but did not know the purpose of the trip. On the day her husband drove to Orlando, she claimed he said he was going to visit a friend, named Nemo, who lived in Florida. But Nemo was not living in Florida at the time, a fact Salman claimed she did not know. She also said she had no reason to suspect that ammunition he bought in the days leading up to the attack was to be used in the shooting, given that her husband was a security guard who frequently purchased ammunition. On the day of the shooting, she bought her husband a Father’s Day card, expecting him to return that evening. Her lawyers believe that supports her story that she did not know about the attack.
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During his rampage, Mateen used Facebook to pledge his allegiance to the Islamic State. President Obama has said that Mateen “took in extremist information and propaganda over the internet and became radicalized.” Salman married Mateen in a ceremony near her childhood home in Northern California, a second marriage for both. After the wedding, Salman moved to Florida where they lived in a two-story condominium complex. Not all was well at home. Salman’s relatives were concerned about their marriage: she is of Palestinian heritage; he had ties to Afghanistan. She told The Times that he beat and verbally abused her. In two recent mass shootings, prosecutors have brought charges against people with ties to the shooters: a friend of Dylann S. Roof, who killed nine people on June 17, 2015, pled guilty of lying to federal investigators; a neighbor of the terrorist couple that killed 14 people in San Bernardino was accused of lying on forms; FBI agents believed that Katherine Russell, the wife of the Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of the Boston Marathon bombers, made false statements to investigators and covered up knowledge of a crime. She was not prosecuted,
though. “A lot more people are killed every day in Syria [and] other places. Innocent people,” Russell texted a friend following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
The Best Jobs in the Country
Hopefully you love your job and it pays the bills, but if you are looking for a new career that promises to be lucrative and rewarding, consider pursuing a job in healthcare. According to US News & World’s annual report of 2017 Best Jobs rankings, the medical field is the highest-paying sector across the country. The report is based on median salary, employment rate,
growth, job prospects, stress level, and work-life balance. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, each job in the medical field on the “best jobs” list earns a national average salary well over $100,000 a year. All of the top ten jobs are in the medical field and another three in the top 20 are as well. It is important to note that all of the jobs in the medical field require extensive and expensive schooling. Most likely professionals in these positions are paying back hundreds of thousands of dollars in school loans during their first few years of employment. Looking for a great career? Here are the best jobs in the nation along with their average annual salary: 1. Anesthesiologist (Average annual salary: $258,100) 2. Surgeon ($247,520) 3. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon ($233,900) 4. Obstetrician and gynecologist ($222,400) 5. Orthodontist ($221,390) 6. Physician ($196,520) 7. Psychiatrist ($193,680) 8. Pediatrician ($183,180) 9. Dentist ($172,350) 10. Prosthodontist ($161,020)
11. Nurse anesthetist ($160,250) 12. Petroleum engineer ($149,590) 13. Information-technology manager ($141,000) 14. Marketing manager ($140,660) 15. Lawyer ($136,260) 16. Podiatrist ($136,180) 17. Financial manager 18. Sales manager ($130,400) 19. Business-operations manager ($119,460) 20. Pharmacist ($119,270)
Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday December 18 is a happy day in the Gardner home. The air is filled with the chocolatey aroma of birthday cake, there are presents strewn around the floor, and balloons are bumping against the ceiling. You see, that day is really fun. It’s mom
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Hillary’s birthday. Oh, and it’s also dad Luke’s birthday too. And wait, their son, Cade Lee, was also born that day, exactly 27 years after his parents. What a day! The odds of that happening are about one in 133,000, statisticians say. And that’s a lot less likely than getting hit by lightning sometime in your lifetime, which some put at roughly one in 12,000.
Cade Lee wasn’t due officially until December 19. But knowing that a December 18 birthday would made things extra cool at home, the young couple “went walking” to try to speed things along. Baby Cade Lee got the hint and was born on December 18, 2016 at 10:01am.
“Hillary is exactly six hours older than me,” Luke said. She was born at 8:10 a.m. and her husband at 2:10 p.m. on Dec. 18, 1989. They learned about their shared birthday before they started dating, while just part of a group of friends who hung out together. “I saw it on a Facebook page first and asked about it,” Gardner said. “I couldn’t really believe it when I saw it. I had to confirm it with her.” The chance of meeting someone born the same day as you is one in 365, explained Tumulesh Solanky, chair of the math department at the University of New Orleans. He said the chance of two people being born on the same day and having a baby on their birthday is about 1/365 times 1/365. “That comes out to .0000000751 — seven zeros and then 751,” or about 7.5 in a million, he said, which comes to about one in 133,000. Statisticians note that this ignores such factors as leap years and the fact that births are not evenly spaced throughout the year. What are the chances the next baby Gardner will be born on that day too? I don’t even want to know.
Worth Every Penny
Watch out, DMV. Here comes Nick Stafford – and he’s armed with pennies. Nick has an axe to grind with the Lebanon, Virginia, DMV. It seems that he had to file a Freedom of Information Act request for a direct number to the DMV and then later sued the state because he says he was also denied direct phone numbers to other DMV offices in his area. Armed with five wheelbarrows, Nick delivered 300,000 pennies to the DMV to pay sales tax on two cars that he purchased. The coins weighed a whopping 1,600 pounds. Stafford said he paid in coins to “inconvenience” the DMV. He also ended up filing three lawsuits, which were summarily dismissed. Hey, we can’t fault him for trying to get them to change.
Birdbrained Buddy
Let’s talk turkey. Jodie Smalley is a bit unusual – or maybe her pet is. When Jodie is feeling down, she turns to her pet Easter for support. No, Easter is not a bunny or a bulldog. Easter is a turkey. And I’m not saying that in a disparaging way.
The dynamic duo regularly go for drives together, share food, attend music events, and even hold manicure and massage sessions. Their adventures have garnered interest online, where people can view them going on trips together, soaring over mountains on planes, and whale watching. Easter wears a diaper to prevent any “accidents” and enjoys her “facials,” pedicures and having her feathers brushed. “Easter probably has more miles under her wing than any turkey alive,” Jodie said. “She’s traveled by car, plane and boat. She’s been to six different U.S. states, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Oregon and California. People react with amazement. “Easter blows the norm out of a person’s day when they see her. We get double takes at stop lights and on the freeway.” Jodie added: “Easter is my companion. I try to take her wherever I can. Besides going for walks with her and my two cats, we share food, run errands, go through drive-throughs, go to public events such as music in the park and visit friends. We have quiet moments together, too. She accompanies me to counselling appointments, hangs out in the kitchen while I cook or we just sit together while I preen her feathers or read. “Most importantly, she’s been there during some of the most emotional times in my life. She’s let me hold her and cry while grieving.” Jodie, who lost her husband in recent years, said that Easter has the ability to make her smile – no matter how bad her day has been. “Her mannerisms are dorky and charming,” she said. “She can be like Curious George. She gets into things but never maliciously. Even when she pulls everything out of my purse looking for a treat, I just have to laugh at how mischievous and clever she is.” Does that make Jodie the Man in the Yellow Hat? According to Jodie, Easter is more like a “toddler” than a turkey. She has “bratty moments” when she’s tired. “She’ll turn red in the face and peck at me in frustration, though her beak is too blunt to do much,” said Jodie, who lives in Oregon. “She responds to kindness with calmness and to anger with anger. She teaches me to be patient and calm. Also like a toddler, she’s sweet, innocent and heartwarming. She makes a variety of adorable chirps, peeps and warbles. She comes to me to give turkey kisses (little pecks to my fingertips)
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and to be preened and massaged. She sits in my lap or sleeps next to my bed.” How did Jodie’s fowl friendship begin? Her friends found Easter standing in middle of the road and Jodie decided to take her home. She was struggling emotionally at the time and thought that spending time with a feathered friend would help her along. “Easter provides emotional support on multiple levels,” she said. “She’s calming. She was raised around people and is socialized… Easter connects me with people. It’s easy to feel isolated, even in public, when struggling with sad emotions. It’s easy to withdraw. Easter keeps me out of that mire. She’s a conversation starter to say the least.” She adds that she wants to raise awareness of “emotional support” animals (ESAs) so that more people across the world will accept them. “Birds can be highly social and intelligent. We as a society just have to be open to the fact that different people connect with different animals.” About a year ago, Easter hit the headlines after being spotted flying to Salt Lake City, Utah, by stunned
passengers and cabin crew members. The turkey was allowed to travel on the flight under the Air Carrier Access Act 1968, which legally permits customers to fly with emotional support animals. Sure glad I wasn’t on that flight.
Bald Head, Heart of Gold
Just a few weeks ago Jackson Johnston sported a shaggy head of hair. But last Sunday, the 11-year-old shaved off his long locks. The hairchange was difficult for Jackson, but he was brave about it: he had shaved
his head in solidarity with his grandfather, Papa Rick, who had recently lost his hair to Mantle cell lymphoma. “Jackson shaving his head for Papa was letting him know that, ‘I can’t do much to help you, Papa, I am only 11, but you won’t be alone,’” Jackson’s mother said. But when Jackson went to school on Monday, not everyone shared in his bravery. Some students taunted him: “Hey Baldy!” they yelled. Jackson’s school has a zero-tolerance policy for bullying and Jackson approached the principal, Tim Hadley, for help. Fortunately for Jackson, Mr. Hadley has some pretty harebrained schemes. “We take the issue of bullying seriously,” Hadley said, “but I thought if you believe in something, you have to find a way to stand up and literally show your support. So I was lying in bed and I thought maybe I will get a hold of his mom and ask her to send those clippers in.” At 9am on Tuesday Principal Hadley gathered the entire middle school together. The event? Jackson shaving Hadley’s head. “I thought I could have a onetime conversation with a couple of kids or I could impact a generation,” he said. “I think a leader is someone who knows, someone who goes and someone who shows, and I needed to show the way.” After the major haircut, the students came through in a major way. Kids from every grade were offering Jackson words of support and highfives. They were also sharing their experiences with cancer or with other difficulties. And the public hair-cutting seemed to have done the trick. “Some of the kids who said something Monday found out that it upset Jackson through this event and apologized,” Hadley said. “I never addressed any of them individually, they chose to apologize.” “One of the last things I told the kids at the assembly was you never know what someone else is going through,” he said. “What they have may look so perfect on Facebook and Instagram, but inside they could be broken, so before you make a comment and pass that judgment, stop and think about what might be behind the obvious.” Their heads may be a bit more cold, but their hearts are made of gold.
Librarian for the Day
She’s only four-years-old, and she’s already read more than 1,000 books. Last week, she became the Librarian for the Day at the nation’s Library of Congress. Daliyah Marie Arana of Gainesville, Georgia, has a voracious appetite for reading. She devours towering piles of tomes. Last Wednesday, Daliyah visited the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and was named “Librarian for the Day.” The four-year-old roamed the hallways with Carla Hayden, the 14th Librarian of Congress, who tweeted photos of Daliyah sitting in her desk. Daliyah wore her best outfit: a bubble pink peplum dress, her bouncy curls held back with a matching bow, and her cute glasses. Daliyah’s mother told The Gainesville Times that her daughter joined Georgia’s “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” almost two years ago and started paving her way through books. “She was about 2 ½ when we signed her up for it,” Haleema Arana said. “Most of the kids she graduated the program with were a little bit older.” Daliyah started recognizing words when she was just 18-monthsold and read her first book on her own when she was 2-years-and-11months-old. Haleema told the Washington Post that her daughter was invited to spend the day with Hayden after she reached out to see if there was any way to enhance Daliyah’s experience at the library. “She just kept saying how the Library of Congress is her most favorite, favorite, favorite library in the whole wide world,” Haleema said after Daliyah’s visit. She sounds like the cutest bookworm ever.
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Around the
Community Celebrating Sefer Bereishis at Gesher
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his past Shabbos, parshas Vayechi, marked the end of sefer Bereishis. Children everywhere have been learning about our Avos and the foundations of klal Yisroel. The many medrashim and stories drive home the ideals that we hope our children will live with. During the course of the last several months those lessons were reinforced in many ways at Gesher. Parsha sheets, songs, dramatization, and themed-nosh were the main methods. The children love to absorb and to relate to those themes. To celebrate their accomplishments and to encourage them to review what they learned some of the Gesher classes had a dress up party on erev Shabbos.
Each child was encouraged to pick a costume that related to something from sefer Bereishis. They had a wonderful time going through the many ideas that have been on their minds for the last several months. It also allowed them the opportunity to retell something they learned in their own words and thru their props. There were flowers from Creation, animals from Noach’s teiva, Avrahams and Saras, a doctor to heal Avraham, an Egyptian queen, and more. There was even a fireman to put out the kivshan ha’eish and a skeleton of atzmos Yosef. The staff was delighted to see how excited the children were and how creatively they connected to what they have been learning.
Mesivta Yam Hatorah’s Student-Teacher Conference
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ecently, Mesivta Yam HaTorah held its first, innovative student-teacher-conference. With just under a month until midterms the conferences were an opportunity for students to meet individually with each of their teachers and to assess how they are performing in their classes thus far. Although the meetings were brief,
each teacher came prepared with records of the student’s work and a plan not only to improve their grades but to push for the high standards the Mesivta and its staff sets. The genesis of these conferences was one simple thought: how can we help our students strive for academic excellence. The principal, Rabbi Nachum Dinowitz, explained, “We
realized two things give our students a bump in their drive for excellence: Parent-Teacher conferences, which are really more of an external motivator, and collaborative meetings between individual teachers and students. We therefore decided to kick it up a notch and set aside an entire evening to have our entire student body meet with each of their teach-
ers and rabbeim.” The results were impressive. For many it offered a much needed recognition that their hard work is paying off, and for others, it was a reminder that with four weeks until midterms, they still have a chance for some realistic improvement.
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Around the Community
Hundreds Brave The Snow To Attend One Israel Fund Play 4 Israel Night Play4Israel Sponsors Andrew and Rivka Lock and prize winners
Trustee David Shapiro, second from left, with family and friends
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n Motzei Shabbos, January 7, hundreds came out, in the midst of a surprise snowstorm, to support One Israel Fund at its 3rd Annual Play 4 Israel Game Night and Auction. The evening, organized by the Young Leadership Division of One Israel Fund, featured many exciting casino-style games, and “winnings” were cashed in at the end of the night in an auction to win great prizes. For the third straight year, Sha-
lom Vegh proved too tough for the competition and walked away the winner of the 3rd Annual Westwood Realty Hold ‘Em Tournament. In truth, Israel was the true winner as the proceeds from the event were allocated to the building of new Binyamin Medical Center which, upon its completion, will serve as the primary urgent care and general medical center for the Binyamin Region, providing care to over 65,000 residents living in 44 communities.
Shalom Vegh, second from right, winner of the 3rd annual Westwood Realty Hold ‘Em Tournament
Committee member Rena Chill, second from right, with friends
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Around the Community
The Road to Independence: Inside Achiezer’s Westwood Financial Management Division Part II of a special series highlighting Achiezer’s innovative programs which service the community throughout the year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
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hrough the graciousness of Westwood Realty Associates, Achiezer is “helping families help themselves,” as Program Coordinator Aliza Wartelsky puts it. Aliza connects families requesting assistance in this area with one of Achiezer’s nine volunteer advisors, all of whom have experience in the world of finance. Why do families approach Achiezer for this kind of help? There are a myriad of reasons. When a breadwinner is out of work, he might turn to Achiezer for help with his family’s basic needs, as well as guidance with job placement. In meeting with an advisor, he will ascertain his goal in finding an appropriate position and determine what he really needs to earn in order to make ends meet. In the interim, Achiezer can offer assistance applying for programs or relief with necessities until he is back on his feet. In many cases, however, clients may be hardworking couples who are doing their best to make ends meet – but the ends just aren’t meeting. An
advisor will go through their expenses and create a budget based on the information they provide. The next step is to get back to them with suggestions: for example, perhaps they need to examine why their utility bills are unusually high; meet with someone who can consolidate their credit cards; or look at additional possible sources of income. Sometimes the greatest help is simply getting all the income and spending information organized and in one place so that clients can see where the money is actually going. This raises awareness and empowers families to make the necessary changes. “It’s not easy to make that initial call,” says Stacey Zrihen, an Achiezer financial advisor. “But I have the greatest respect for the people I meet with. For the most part, these are couples who are really trying to do their best. And it is so rewarding when we get the feedback weeks – or even months – later, that, for example, a couple has paid off their credit card debt or are now able to make their tuition payments.”
Another demographic that is benefiting greatly from the Financial Management Program is young families who are just beginning to feel overwhelmed by their growing expenses. Perhaps they have just started paying tuition, and while they’re not yet overextended, they are starting to feel financially strapped. “Actually,” says Aliza, “this is the best time for a couple to come see us. We can give them the appropriate guidance before they’ve hit trouble.” Advisors have also given families guidance about whether or not they can afford to buy a house – and if they can, how much of a mortgage is responsible to take on. What is remarkable about the Financial Management Program is that the advisors don’t just dispense advice. They hold “their families’” hands and walk them through the process. “That is why it is so important to make the right match between advisor and client,” explains Aliza. “In many cases, it becomes a long-term relationship.” Advisors try to be encouraging without becoming discouraging. There are no magic answers; rather,
it is a team effort. “We’re all in this together,” Aliza concludes. “It is this combination of education, sincere concern and resources that lead so many of our families – more than 220 since 2014! – to financial health and independence.” Thanks to Achiezer, the Westwood Financial Management Division is available to the community with just one call. Join Achiezer on February 26, 2017, in supporting a unified goal to always be on call, with just one call. THE WESTWOOD FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING SERVICES: Creation of a budget to fit the family’s lifestyle Assistance with job placement Help with basic necessities through food and clothing vouchers Assistance applying for programs Connecting families with debtnegotiation lawyers Working with tuition committees of local schools
Bnos Bais Yaakov Tzinius: A Partnership between School and Home
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rs. Faygie Zelcer, renowned tzinius curriculum coordinator from Montreal, is the acknowledged expert on how to disseminate the halachos and the spirit of tzinius in ways designed to inspire. Currently, as we all know and as Mrs. Zelcer confirms from her extensive experience in the field, the word tzinius inspires mostly sighs of resignation. BBY has long operated under the mandate that Yiddishkeit can and must be presented with positivity and everything possible has to be done to ensure that the talmidos receive it that way. To that end, and to further clarify for the elementary school moros the correct way to teach the concept of “kol kevuda bas melech penima,” the administration hired Mrs. Zelcer, whose tzinius curriculum is currently being used in over 100 schools. Mrs. Zelcer regaled the
moros with four hours of practical and uplifting guidelines in the transmission of tzinius – in all its elevated and rarified beauty. First and foremost, as Mrs. Zelcer pointed out, we must be sure that we understand the girls’ challenges in regard to tzinius as well as helping them recognize the core of the mitzvah. When a student can intellectually absorb the “why” of a mitzvah she is much more receptive to performing it properly. By citing mekoros and differentiating halacha from accepted norms and sensitivities, Mrs. Zelcer enlightened the rapt audience regarding tzinius concepts. And by clearly articulating the difference between judging and teaching, she empowered the moros to transmit the mitzvah of tzinius with love, positivity, and effectiveness. In continuation of the partnership between home and school, which BBY
utilizes often and well, a session for mothers was presented on January 17th which featured Rebbetzin Miriam Isbee and Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro. Not only did the speakers explain, inspire, and enlighten, but the heartstrings of every woman in the room were tugged by the impactful video and stirring performance featuring BBY talmidos. To further involve the families in their daughters’ limudim and growth, a telephone hotline has been activated. For six weeks (including mid-winter vacation!), each talmida can call in and hear a beloved morah relate a meaningful story on the topic of tzinius. By putting the story on speaker, her mother can listen as well and can use the story as a springboard for discussion at home. The third prong in this year long emphasis on the beauty and dignity of being a tzanuah is called “Kol Kev-
udah Keys.” These are the students’ personal success stories in the area tzinius. These submissions are placed in a box near the principals’ office and may be signed or left anonymous, as the writer chooses. Some of these success stories are read aloud over the PA by the dynamic Morah Feldberger, BBY’s creative and beloved extracurricular coordinator. As usual, Rebbetzin Altusky, Mrs. Kuessous, and Mrs. Neuberg worked in concert with Morah Feldberger to ensure that all extracurricular activities are seamlessly intertwined with the curriculum for maximum effect and staying power. Teachers are actually enjoying the challenge of teaching the concept of Kol kevudah bas melech penima – and most importantly, so are the students.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
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Around the Community
On Monday, January 16, Senator Todd Kaminsky attended the Young Israel of North Woodmere’s “YINWIES” event, held at Cho-sen Island Restaurant in Lawrence, NY. The event is a fun night out honoring shul members with fun awards as a measure of hakarat hatov and a night of hilarious surprises. Pictured left to right: Senator Todd Kaminsky, Jordan Hiller, Steven Hilsenrath, president of YINW, Rabbi Yehuda Septimus, Alex Libkind, and Scott Taub
Long Island Educators Celebrate Hidden Sparks’ 10th Anniversary
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bout Shulamith School’s relationship with Hidden Sparks, Mrs. Rookie Billet, Middle Division principal, has said, “Having Hidden Sparks coaches work with the teachers has been a boon to Shulamith. They have contributed to more dialogue, collaboration, and reflection on student learning.” Now in its fifth year participating in Hidden Sparks programs and reaping the benefits, Mrs. Billet eagerly accepted Hidden Spark’s invitation to celebrate their 10th anniversary at their annual professional development retreat, along with her Hidden Sparks trained faculty. Says Aliza Scharf, Shulamith Resource Room teacher, “The Hidden Sparks retreat is one of the highlights of my year.” Hidden Sparks stands at the vanguard of professional development organizations providing opportunities for teachers and administrators to better understand and meet the needs of diverse learners in their classrooms. This year, at the Hidden Sparks’ annual retreat held last week at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, 85 teachers and administrators from partnering schools came together to participate in professional development workshops and celebrate the 10 years of impact that Hidden Sparks has had on the day school and yeshiva community. Joined by other Long Island educators from He-
Standing from L-R: Michal Wasser, teacher, HANC; Felecie Ackerman, EC Co Director, HALB; Dr. Sara Reichman, Hidden Sparks Coach; Dr. Tamar Bauman, Hidden Sparks Coach; Rookie Billet, Principal, Shulamith; Aliza Scharf, teacher, Shulamith; Sara Stern, teacher TAG Seated L-R: Dr. Arielle Jaspan, school psychologist, Shulamith; Rebecca Nenner, teacher, HANC; Aliza Rosenblum, HANC; Rivka Sassoon, teacher, Shulamith; Naomi Lamb, Director Special Services, TAG
brew Academy of Long Beach, Hebrew Academy of Nassau County and Torah Academy for Girls, teachers, administrators, guidance and special service personnel from all over the metro area, Chicago, Baltimore and Florida reflected on and shared their Hidden Sparks “success stories.” One example given was Esti (name changed). Esti was a first grader whose teacher reported was becoming overwhelmed by her classwork and frustrated easily. The Hidden Sparks coach introduced the “Goldilocks Principle” – the concept of “the Zone of Proximal Development” to the teacher. The Zone represents the tasks or expectations just beyond what a child can do independently or with some
help, but without being overwhelmed. She showed the teacher how to scaffold the learning process and chunk material so that Esti could manage it. These strategies changed Esti’s school experience and she was able to complete classroom tasks with far less frustration, resulting in a strong year for Esti. Doni (name also changed) was another success story. Doni was a bright 10th grader who was engaged in many of his classes, but in Gemara he sat with his head down and did not participate. With an observation and inquiry guided by the Hidden Sparks’ mentor, the coach and teacher were able to discern that Doni’s Hebrew decoding skills were weak, and he didn’t have enough
opportunities to successfully demonstrate his understanding and knowledge. As a result of these observations, the teacher offered alternative modalities for Doni and his fellow students to exhibit their skills, such as acting out the Gemara’s debates, developing related articles for the school newspaper, and creating Instagram posts to represent different components of the argument. These activities, which tapped his strengths in higher order cognition, enabled Doni to excel in Gemara. The morning address at the retreat was presented by Steven Salsberg, a highly successful entrepreneur, who shared his stories of struggling in school as a child and the one teacher
who believed in him and created a bedrock for his future success. Mr. Salsberg’s moving presentation was followed by a workshop on social and emotional wellbeing in the classroom, presented by Dr. Rona Novick, Co-educational director of Hidden Sparks and Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Education and Administration at Yeshiva University. Later in the day, participants focused on skill building workshops presented by Claire Wurtzel, Co-Educational Director of Hidden Sparks and prior Director of Faculty Development for the Churchill School and Center in New York and Faculty Development for the New York City Schools Attuned Initiative for All Kinds of Minds. Debbie Niderberg, Executive Director of Hidden Sparks, summed up Hidden Sparks’ decade of accomplishments with educators as follows: “We celebrate our tenth anniversary with humility and optimism, building on our partnerships with 65 Jewish day schools to help teachers and school leaders most effectively reach the diverse learning needs of all of their students. We have had the privilege of working alongside top learning experts and caring and connected Jewish educators. They have become the passionate voices for diverse learners in their schools.”
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בס“ד
FOR 1ST GRADE AND UP
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Yeshiva Darchei Torah Faculty, Parents, Grandparents, Alumni, and Friends Celebrate a Most Successful Dinner PHOTOS by TSEMACH GLENN. Dinner videos can be viewed at www.darchei.org/video
Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky; Rav Shmuel Witkin, Harbotzas Torah Awardee; and Rav Yaakov Bender
Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky; Eli Amsterdam, Parents of the Year Awardee; and Rav Yaakov Bender
Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva of YDT. Seated, L-R: Elisha Brecher, Ronald Lowinger, Lloyd Keilson and Rav Moshe Bender
Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky; Barry Weiss; Shlomo Weiss, Kesser Shem Tov Awardee; and Rav Yaakov Bender
Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky; Rav Eliezer Ament, Rebbi of the Year; and Rav Yaakov Bender
Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky; Rav Abba Brudny; Shmuel Brudny, Alumni Leadership Awardee; and Rav Yaakov Bender
Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky, Yosef Wartelsky, and Rav Yaakov Bender
Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky; Hon. Phil Goldfeder, Hakoras Hatov Awardee; and Rav Yaakov Bender
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Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky, Rosh Yeshiva of YDT’s Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid
Ronald Lowinger, president of YDT and dinner chairman
Shabse Fuchs, Rav Yaakov Bender and Tzali Gutman
Rav Yisroel Feder and Rabbi Moshe Benoliel
Aron Solomon, Ronald Lowinger, Shlomo Krasnow, Rav Dovid Morgenstern and Rabbi Baruch Rothman
Rav Yaakov Bender and Hon. David Greenfield
Mordechai Schwartz, Guest of Honor
Uri Kaufman and Hon. Phil Goldfeder
Shmaya Rosenberg and Rav Yaakov Bender
Dr. Binyomin Tepfer and Rav Yaakov Bender
Rav Mordechai Finkelman, Rav Dovid Yankelewitz and Daniel Wolfson
Elisha Brecher, co-chairman of the YDT board, served as master of ceremonies
Naftali Tepfer and Elisha Brecher
Shmuel Neuman, Menash Oratz and Yanki Muller
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Rav Moshe Bender, Yosef Wartelsky, Yaakov Wartelsky and Sruly Edelstein
Motty Klein and Rav Shimon Dov Notis
Rabbi Zev Bald, Rav Avrohom Bender, Rav Eytan Feiner, Rav Yaakov Bender and Rav Moshe Bender
Tsemach Glenn and Avrumi Sax
Rabbi Shai Markowitz, Yanky Zachter and Avi Barrish
Gershon Fruchter and Moshe Bloom
Rav Moshe Bender and Rav Mordechai Gibber
Mordechai Schwartz, Fishel Schwartz and Rav Mordechai Stern
Dr. Azriel Hirschfeld, Rav Abba Brudny and Rav Dovid Morgenstern
Yosef Wartelsky, Yanki Herzka, Yehuda Jacobowitz, and Rav Shloma Steg
Yoily Edelstein and Rav Moshe Bender
Asher Schoor and Menachem Marx
Bentzion Kaminetzky, Tsemach Glenn, Motty Jacobowitz, Shlomo Weiss and Gadi Fuchs
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1,500 Jews Gather at OU’s Torah in the City Moishe Bane Inaugurated as President of the OU
L
ast Sunday, Citifield was at full capacity -not for a baseball game, but for a day of Torah learning, presented by the Orthodox Union. Torah in the City, an event created and presented by the OU, drew close to 1,500 men and women from the tristate area and beyond to learn in a day-long program of halacha, hashkafa, Tanach and Israel, as the OU begins its new leadership under incoming president Moishe Bane. As Bane takes the reins of the organization, the organization announces that it will be investing into expanding its Torah education programming for the broader community through similar future events. The event, held at Citifield’s conference center, featured more than 30 distinguished male and female speakers including scholars, educators, activists and others at the forefront of contemporary Jewish life. Speakers included Rabbi Shalom Rosner, Rabbi Mordechai Willig, Charlie Harary, Raizi Chechik, Rabbi Yonasan Sacks, Rabbi David Fohrman, Nechama Price, Rabbi Hayyim Angel, Rabbi Steven Weil, and Shira Smiles, among many others. Attendees came from all over: from nearby Queens, Brooklyn, and Five Towns, to Man-
PHOTO CREDIT: MEIR KRUTER
hattan, from Teaneck and Passaic to Philadelphia and Baltimore, from Riverdale to Monroe -- the diversity of Jews present was extraordinary. “With this event we begin to expand the OU’s outreach to Jews from all walks of life on the importance of Torah study as a means to become closer to G-d,” said Bane, a prominent New York attorney at Ropes & Gray LLC, and a longtime Orthodox Union lay-leader. “It is a significant step in charting a path to further Torah study in engaging and meaningful ways, both as individuals and as a community.” Ambassador Dani Dayan, Consul-General of Israel, recited a prayer for peace in Israel during the communal
prayer session. “I came today to learn Torah,” he said. “As a New York Jewish resident, I came to be uplifted and inspired. It’s very strengthening to see that in New York City, with so many events and things to do, Jews come and learn Torah together. That’s what the Jewish people is all about. Today’s program achieved its goal overwhelmingly.” New York City Councilman David Greenfield was also in attendance. “We look forward to having more of these events, focusing on pure Torah learning, on an annual basis as well as smaller local events,” said Allen Fagin, CEO of the OU. “We see this as the core of what we are as an institution.” The day-long event was
preceded by an OU board convention, which passed several resolutions, releasing statements on the 50th anniversary of Jerusalem’s reunification, UN Security Resolution 2334, rising anti-Semitism, and combatting BDS on campus, among other pressing is-
sues facing the Jewish people.
The full text of the resolutions is available on the OU Advocacy site. Torah in the City lectures will be uploaded to the OUTorah.org website over the next weeks.
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Back-to-Back Rallies to Defund the United Nations as Pending UN Vote Looms
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fter last month’s Security Council Resolution 2334 was adopted by a 14-0 vote, many expressed surprise and consternation. The surprise was not in the fact that the United Nations had once again taken an anti-Israel stance, but rather in the fact that the United States had consciously decided not to veto the resolution, thereby allowing it to pass. Most people, if not everyone, viewed this as a change in the administration’s policy which had never previously allowed a one-sided resolution to pass. The time came to speak out and students from Rambam Mesivta and Shalhevet High School for Girls held a vigil outside the United Nations, at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. Students from Rambam arrived at 12 o’clock and heard Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, Rambam’s Rosh Mesivta, outline the long-standing history of United Nations bias against the State of Israel. The boys punctuated his remarks with chants of, “Stop the bias, stop the hate.” He called for the community-at-large to
speak out and to lobby Congress to defund the United Nations. “Are you aware that the United Nations received 22% of the budget or over three billion dollars a year of American taxpayer money?” he asked. “In some years our government has contributed an additional four billion dollars of discretionary funding bringing the total allocation to approximately $600 per American taxpayer. This should be stopped!” declared Friedman. Councilman Bruce Blakeman next took to the podium, speaking passionately about the American resolve and commitment to the State of Israel. He led them in an uplifting Am Yisrael Chai. Noah Schwartz, a senior at Rambam, read a letter from Senator Lindsey Graham which expressed outrage at recent UN votes against Israel. Benji Kattan, also a senior, read a statement from Senator John McCain who condemned the recent UN resolution and spoke about the unbreakable bond between the United States and the only democracy in the Middle East: Israel.
Dr. Paul Brody, noted activist and parent of 11th grade student Joey, shared his experiences from his trip last week to Yehuda and Shomron with former Governor Mike Huckabee. Mr. Hillel Goldman, Rambam’s Assistant Principal, closed out the first part of the vigil by calling out the UN on their failure to speak out and condemn the actions of so many governments which murdered millions of people over the past decade. Referring to the United Nations, he led the students
in chants of “Where were you?” when people were being slaughtered in Aleppo, in North Korea, and the Congo. The vigil continued even as Rambam departed, with the arrival of Shalhevet High School. The girls, too, heard Rabbi Friedman and Councilman Bruce Blakeman, and student leaders Zahava Fertig, Rachel Fishbein, Sarah Austin, Sarit Perl, Aviva Chait and Avigail Borah spoke out about the anti-Israel bias of the United Nations. With the United Nations
in the background, the girls continued to wave signs of protest and echo the cry that the United Nations should be defunded. The students, faculty, administration and parents who joined from each school hope that the vigil will begin the process of exposing the United Nations’ pro-Arab sentiment and prevent another lopsided anti-Israel vote on January 17. According to Rabbi Friedman, “Teaching our students to be passionate and concerned about issues that pertain to the Jewish community and social justice is an integral part of our educational philosophy.” We truly hope that last week’s rallies will have a practical impact and be heard by our politicians in Washington. The rally was sponsored by Yaron and Lisa Reich, in memory of her beloved father, Yitzchak ben Zvi Hirsch, Ernest Weiner, a passionate activist and supporter of Israel and the Jewish people.
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Rav Yeruchim Olshin Visits the YOSS Motzei Shabbos Learning Program
R
av Yeruchim Olshin, shlita, graced the Motzei Shabbos Learning Program at Yeshiva Toras Chaim of South Shore last week with a beautiful drasha that was geared to the boys and those who were learning with them. He spoke about the extremely close relationship between his grandfather, Rav Ahron Kotler, zt”l,
and Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, zt”l, and then spoke of Rav Binyamin Kamenetzky’s mesiras nefesh in moving to the Five Towns and beginning a yeshiva when it was virtually a midbar. He told of his hearing shiurim and shmuessen from Rav Yaakov and how the relationship between Lakewood and the Kamenetzky family continued through the
next generations. Afterwards Rav Olshin met the children and gave them personal words of bracha and chizuk. Pictured is the Rosh Yeshiva giving chizuk to Yosef Schoenfeld, son of the noted askan and baal chessed, Robbie Schoenfeld, a”h, who was suddenly niftar two weeks ago.
A Day with OHEL to Remember the Love and Sacrifice of Renee Jeret
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enee Jeret was a loving wife and mother who touched the lives of all who knew her. What many do not know is that Renee was also a dedicated and loving OHEL foster parent. Together with her husband Yossi, they forever enriched and transformed the lives of many children who came from homes of abuse and neglect. Renee and Yossie were in fact some of OHEL’s first foster parents from the Five Towns. Quiet and unassuming, they were neither superhuman, nor sought any recognition, but only endeavored to help and care for the most vulnerable in our community. The Jerets opened their loving home to four foster children over the years, and they remained engaged and
involved with these former foster children, as they developed as adults in their respective life journeys. A regular at Life Clubs, Renee attended classes daily, always with a warm smile on her face. She greeted her fellow classmates enthusiastically and encouraged those around her with her passion and energy. “She was loved and respected by all,” says Sheila Selig, a close friend of Renee and co-chairperson of this event. “She dedicated so much of her energies to helping those in need. She is the one face I miss most at the gym.” To honor Renee, OHEL is partnering with the Life Clubs with A Day for Renee – a morning of fitness and fun at Life Clubs in Lawrence, NY. Together, Renee will be honored by helping
support OHEL’s foster children – those she personally welcomed into her own home, and those she helped from a distance. Renee always did what she loved, and with whom she loved – enriching the lives of so many beyond just her own biological family. We encourage those who knew Renee, who loved Renee, to join OHEL in honoring her legacy and her passionate commitment to helping those most in need. The event will offer four different exercising classes to choose from, including spinning, cardio, Pilates, and strength conditioning. The event will take place on Sunday, February 5, at Life Clubs located at 235 Mill St. Lawrence, NY 11559. Sponsorships are available for $180. To register, please
email Meital_Cafri@ohelfamily.org, or call 718-686-3217. Since 1969, OHEL has served as a dependable haven of individual and family support, helping people of all ages surmount disability, everyday challenges, heal from trauma, and manage with strength and dignity during times of crises. OHEL serves thousands in need every day in communities in New York, New Jersey, California and worldwide. Individuals interested in the many programs that OHEL offers should contact OHEL at (800)-603-OHEL (6435). Like us on Facebook at OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services and follow us on Instagram @ohelfamily
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Yeshiva Har Torah Bar Mitzvah Workshop
O
n Motzei Shabbat, the Yeshiva Har Torah seventh grade boys gathered for a very special bar mitzvah workshop Melava Malka. The boys attended three workshops, each focusing on a different aspect of becoming a bar mitzvah. In session one, the boys learned from “The Mezuzah Doctor” all about how tefillin are made and saw samples of each stage of the tefillin-making process. In session two, Rabbi Avi Block, Assistant Rabbi of Young Israel of Jamaica Estates, spoke to the boys about “The true meaning of becoming a Bar Mitzvah.” In session three, the boys put on their dancing shoes with Jeff Neckonoff of Azmara DJ and learned several popular simcha dances. Following
the sessions, the boys, their parents, and rebbeim spiritly danced together as they celebrated the milestone of
reaching the age of bar mitzvah. The evening ended with a delicious dessert buffet and a grand raffle. The boys
walked away from the night enriched by the experience and prepared to enter this new stage of their lives.
YCQ Grade 5 Students Visit Greenkill Education Center
Y
CQ grade five students had an amazing experience on their first school overnight to Greenkill Outdoor Education Center in Upstate, NY. Students stayed in bunkhouses and got to explore nature hands-on. They participated in activities with their assigned groups and nature leaders where they learned to solve different tasks using teamwork. Students had the opportunity to test their courage while crossing a rope bridge hovering over a stream; use their newly learned skills to build a shelter out of logs and branches in the woods; attend hikes throughout the vast grounds; and learn the process from start to finish of how maple syrup is made. To follow up with what they have been learning in science, they attended a birds of prey show, meet-
ing up close a turkey hawk, a vulture, a Kestral falcon, and an owl. To reinforce their lessons, they watched the birds feed and then discussed the food chain and how all of these animals are predators, except the vulture, which is a producer. For the past several weeks the students have been working with teacher and program organizer Mr. Ed Kahn on a song about the importance of protecting our earth. During an evening campfire they participated in skits and singing with the program’s naturalists, ending the evening with the singing of their song. This trip was a way to show students that learning can be fun and problems can be resolved with teamwork, as well as the practical application and importance of using these new skills in their everyday lives.
In those days, nobody heard of a shidduch resume; nobody heard of a shidduch crisis, either. Ya’think there’s a connection? Page 80
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Grandparents Share Love of Reading at Shulamith Early Childhood Division
Kindergarten talmidim at Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s Harriet Keilson Early Childhood Center learned all about challah
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t the Shulamith Early Childhood Division, reading is especially fun when grandparents come to school! Pictured here are Mrs. Green with her grandchild Goldy Habib and Mr. Israel with his grandchild Yael Stahl. Thank you to all the grandparents who have visited so far this year to share their wisdom, accomplishments, and the love of a good book!
YOSS Shnayim Mikra Program Takes Off
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he sixth grade of Yeshiva of South Shore, under the tutelage of Rabbi Gershon Greenberg and Rabbi Yehoshua Meltzer, went to Sky Zone Trampoline Park in honor of completing Shnayim Mikra V’echad Targum on Sefer Bereishis. The program has become part of the daily routine of the talmidim and has many side benefits. Aside from the
Men Choir Tryouts
H
ave you ever wanted to sing in a choir that is conducted professionally, comprised of your friends and neighbors, and at the same time learn new repertoire, how to sing, and the fundamentals of music? Well, here’s your opportunity right here in “town.” Auditions for Jesse Aaronson
Beth Sholom Men’s Choir will be held on Sunday, January 22, 2017 at 9:30 AM at Cong. Beth Sholom, 390 Broadway in Lawrence, upstairs in the choir room (entrance on Washington Avenue). For more information, contact Cantor Joel Kaplan, chazan@aol. com , 917-553-0950.
mitzvah of Shnayim Mikra, it also prepares the talmidim with knowledge of laining with trop, offers an opportunity for each talmid to be tested on kriah daily, as well as offers an incentive to read along with the ba’al koreh on Shabbos morning. A tremendous yasher koach to all the boys for their phenomenal participation!
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Chaverim of Queens Appreciation Dinner
T
he Chaverim of Queens member appreciation dinner was held last Wednesday night in Kew Gardens Hills at Yeshiva Central Queens. Chaverim of Queens was founded in memory of Mr. Jack Friedman, who was synonymous with tzedakah and chessed and whose name lives on with the work that Chaverim does. Chaverim is a 100% volunteer organization which started in January 2008 with just 10 volunteers. Chaverim now has over a hundred volunteers who respond to a few thousand calls per year. A new app sponsored by Emanuel and Alex from East Coast Auto will enable the volunteers to be able to answer Chaverim calls quicker and more efficiently. The dinner was held to show appreciation for the volunteers who go above and beyond the call of duty on a daily basis to assist the Queens community. At the dinner, Supervising Coordinator Avi Cyperstein and co-founder of Chaverim thanked the Friedman, Fried, and Mermelstein families for their ongoing support to Chaverim. Thanks to their dedication the volunteers of Chaverim can continue doing what they do best, helping others in need. Elected officials who attended the appreciation dinner were NY State Senator Joseph Addabbo, NY State Assemblymember Michael Simanowitz, and Councilman Rory Lancman, who all spoke of the tremendous impact that Chaverim has on the community. The elected officials were very impressed when they heard how many calls Chaverim has responded to. Also present at the dinner was the new Commanding Officer (CO) from the 107th precinct, Scott Henry. He
Left to right: Detective Thomas Motta (Community Affairs, 107th Pct.); Rabbi Daniel Pollack; Special Assistant to Congress Member Grace Meng; NYS Senator Joseph Addabbo; CO Scott Henry 107th Pct.; Avigdor Cyperstein, supervising coordinator and co-founder, Chaverim of Queens; Aaron Cyperstein Esq., President, Chaverim of Queens; Eli Kreindler, Coordinator, Chaverim of Queens; and Officer Peter Capozzi
spent time with the members learning about Chaverim and how they assist many of the local residents of Queens. He was very impressed and hopes to maintain the strong relationship between Chaverim and the police department. It was an evening of acknowledgment, fun and recognition of the amazing efforts made by the members on a daily basis. In addition to acknowledging and appreciating the amazing work done by the volunteers on a daily basis, the Chaverim Community Service Award was presented to Moshe Verschleisser and Aryeh Edell followed by an inspiring speech made by Coordinator Moshe Vatch. The Chaverim leadership award was presented to Coordinator Eli Kreindler to acknowledge the work he does to help the organization run on a daily basis. A good dinner would be nothing without a “good dinner,” and food was graciously sponsored by Chaimy, Heshy and Ushy from Seasons, Chaim from Mechys, Gabriel from Soy Sauce and from Sushi Fussion. Rabbi Ham-
Left to right: Avigdor Cyperstein, supervising coordinator and co-founder, Chaverim of Queens; Rabbi Daniel Pollack; Special Assistant to Congress Member Grace Meng; Councilman Rory Lancman; NYS Joseph Addabbo; Aaron Cyperstein Esq., President, Chaverim of Queens
mel and Rabbi Lonner from YCQ made the arrangements for Chaverim to make use of the YCQ dining room to host the event. Comedian Mike Fine provided entertainment followed by some quick words of chizuk by Rabbi Chaim Schwartz from the Vaad Harabonim of Queens and Rabbi Yaniv Meirov from Chazaq. Chaverim of Queens is responding
to more calls than ever and is actively seeking more volunteers as well as donations to cover the necessary equipment. A few large projects are under way for the coming year. To to get involved please send an email to QueensChaverim@gmail. com or contact Avi Cyperstein 347684-1155 for more information.
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New Torah Initiative to be Announced at Dirshu Convention Melava Malka Siyum Siyum Open to the Public at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Stamford By Chaim Gold
“I
t may look like a hotel but it doesn’t feel like a hotel.” That was the observation of one of the lomdei Dirshu who participated in the previous Dirshu Convention. Yes, the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Stamford is a beautiful hotel with countless amenities but to this Dirshu member the entire hotel, even the hallways and byways, felt like a beis medrash. “Wherever I went I saw people talking in leaning, discussing a difficult Tosafos or a fascinating halacha that they had been learning in one of Dirshu’s programs. “The lobby, with its benches and tables, was the perfect place for guests to sit down at all hours of the day and night to learn together or review another blatt, another page of Mishnah Berurah…” The phenomenal achdus was a striking component stressed by another previous participant. “After all,” he exclaimed, “where else can one have Ashkenazim and Sefardim, Yeshivaleit and Chassidim, Yidden from Cleveland, Baltimore and Toronto talking in learning with Yidden from New Square, Lakewood and Williamsburg?!” Torah is truly the ultimate me’ached, the ultimate unifier, and the Torah in which all lomdei Dirshu immerse themselves, day in, day out, week in, week out, year after year, brings together all segments of Klal Yisrael in the most harmonious symphony of achdus.
Seduas Melave Malka: A Siyum Plus So Much More Although the Shabbos is already completely sold out, the climax of the entire Shabbos, the beautiful seudas melava malka siyum that will be addressed by leading gedolim from Eretz Yisrael and America, will be open to the wider public. At the melave malka, as at other major Dirshu events over the years, a new, exciting initiative will be announced and unveiled. Like all other Dirshu initiatives, the new initiative will encourage limud haTorah in a concrete, accountable way. The siyum at the melave malka
HaRav Aharon Feldman, shlita, will be reciting the special kaddish after the siyum
HaRav Dovid Schustal will be delivering a keynote address at shalosh seudos
will celebrate the Torah accomplishments of thousands of lomdei Torah who have completed Masechta Bava Metzia, learning it with such dedication that they have been able to take tests on it. As they embark on Masechta Bava Basra, their Torah accomplishments will be hailed by gedolei Torah. The doors of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Stamford will open at 8:30. Then, at 8:45, the chairman of the evening, HaRav Shmuel Choueka, shlita, Rav of Congregation Ohel Simcha of Long Branch, NJ, will open the evening. Rav Choueka’s opening remarks will be followed by the hadran on Masechta Bava Metzia that will be made by HaGaon HaRav Berel Povarsky, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak. The venerated Rav Povarsky will also deliver divrei chizuk in honor of the lomdei Torah and their Torah accomplishments. The special kaddish recited after a siyum will be said by HaGaon HaRav Aharon Feldman, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva Ner Yisrael of Baltimore, who will be spending the entire Shabbos at the convention and who will deliver a major address at shalosh seudos. HaGaon HaRav Dovid Schustal, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Beth Medrash
Govoha, of Lakewood will also be delivering a keynote address at shalosh seudos. Throughout the evening, beautiful musical interludes with songs of regesh, hodaah and simcha will be led by R’ Isaac Honig and the Shira Choir. Rav Choueka will then introduce Rav Dovid Hofstedter, the Nasi of Dirshu, who will deliver an address. After the main course a fascinating video presentation celebrating the 20th anniversary of Dirshu will be shown. Riveting footage of gedolei Yisrael addressing siyumim and other events will highlight the accomplishment of lomdei Torah throughout the past two decades. Rav Choueka, will then introduce the international guest speaker, Dayan Yonasan Abraham, shlita, a member of the London Beis Din and Rav of the Toras Chaim Shul in Hendon, North West London. The program will conclude with a powerful address by HaGaon HaRav Binyomin Eisenberger, shlita, Rav of Kehal Heichal Hatefillah in Boro Park. A Klal Siyum, a Klal Celebration! The Gemara teaches us that the tana Rav Yosef said that even when
one person makes a siyum it is a reason to celebrate and Rav Yosef would make a siyum for all of Rabanan when one person would complete a masechta. How much more so when such a large, significant swath of Klal Yisrael makes a siyum on a masechta! That calls for a true siyum where everyone is invited! It is for that reason that the general public has been invited to join at the siyum on Motzoei Shabbos, to sit together with the mesyamim and celebrate with their brothers, to dance with live music and to hear the moving, powerful words of gedolei Yisrael who will passionately address the assemblage. That is why bussing is being provided to the melave malka siyum from several major Jewish centers to enable everyone to come celebrate with their brothers. RSVP is recommended for bussing by calling 1-888-5 Dirshu, ext. 153 or emailing, RSVP@dirshunj. org. Earning a Diamond, One Blatt at a Time! At the previous Dirshu Convention, one of the lomdei Dirshu related the following story. His friend’s son became engaged and it was time to purchase a ring. When the chosson’s father was discussing it with his son, the chosson insisted that he wanted to pay for the ring himself. “From where do you have money?” the father asked astounded. “Tatty,” the chosson explained, “I have been taking Dirshu tests for several years now. Every time I earned a stipend I put the money aside. I would like to use that money to buy the ring because I want my new bayis to be built upon the foundation of the kedushas haTorah that I have worked so hard to attain.” Indeed, one of the underlying foundations of the upcoming Dirshu Shabbos is that the kedushas habayis and shalom bayis of hundreds upon hundreds of families has been immeasurably impacted and often transformed by their connection to the accountable limud haTorah that they merit by being part of a program with likeminded bnei aliyah.
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Yeshiva Darchei Torah Talmidim Enjoy their Day Off – by Learning
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n Sunday morning, January 15, the talmidim of Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s Elementary School and Middle School enjoyed a day off from school. Yet, rather than take a vacation from Torah learning, hundreds of them, accompanied by fathers and grandfathers, attended two voluntary learning programs organized by the yeshiva in the heart of Far Rockaway. Talmidim from grades six and seven learned with their elders at the Agudath Israel of Long Island on Sage Street. In addition to refreshments and raffle drawings, the boys were treated to an inspiring story by Rav Meir Braunstein, shlita.
Across the street at the White Shul, talmidim from grades one through five filled the large main sanctuary to study with their fathers and grandfathers. The hundreds of participants made a tremendous kiddush Hashem that morning, ensuring that the day did not go by without quality Torah learning. Mr. Moshe Feldhamer, a father of Darchei students, said that the program “was a great innovation that my kids looked forward to and were really excited to participate in.” He added: “The turnout was incredible…my kids were very excited to be a part of the powerful kol Torah.”
The Minyan Men
A
very special event took place on Monday morning in Shulamith as a group of dedicated fathers turned the school’s auditorium into a beit knesset for a day. Students of grades 6 and 8 have been learning hilchot tefilla this year with their teachers, Morah Shoshana Fischman and Morah Alisa Schreier. The seventh graders learned the halachot last year. The minyan enabled the girls to put into practice what they have learned about responding to kaddish, kedusha, and borchu and
listening to chazarat hashatz and the Torah reading. Mr. Stewart Greenberg, father of eighth grader Shoshi, served as the baal tefillah; Mr. Akiva Sacknovitz, father of sixth grader Eliana, read the Torah; and Mr. Chaim Schneider, father of seventh grader Lani, served as gabbai. Our heartfelt thanks to these individuals and to the rest of the fathers who took time out of their day to be part of the minyan in our “Shul for a Day!”
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Around the Community
Destinations Now Brings you Affordable Glatt Kosher Cruises and Land Tours
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estinations by Yossi Zablocki, a leader in kosher vacations and Pesach programs, has now entered the kosher cruise and land tour business and is already revolutionizing the concept of kosher cruises and tours. “For years glatt kosher cruises were out of financial reach for so many kosher vacationers and kosher land tours were not even marketed to the American Jewish Community,” says Zablocki. By partnering with Koshersea (an Israeli kosher cruise tour operator), Zablocki has set out to change that. “We are offering a 10 night Caribbean Cruise in February on the Costa Cruise line that is priced at the same rate as a 10 night hotel stay on land (only $159 per per-
son per night). Plus, you are at sea for Shabbos and don’t miss a single port! During the summer, we already have trips planned to the Norwegian Fjords, Italy, Greece, Spain and Morocco,” Zablocki notes. He has also partnered with other glatt kosher tour operators that combine land tours with cruises for a complete vacation experience. We have groups coming in from Israel and Europe taking a two week land tour/ cruise. They spend one week touring the Canadian Rockies and one week on an Alaskan Cruise seeing the most magnificent glaciers on earth. For our U.S. clients, we have split up this package and are allowing people to join the land tour, the cruise or both!
Also planned for the fall is a land tour/ cruise of Brazil, Argentina and South America, and next January – Australia and New Zealand. In Israel, the baby boomer generation has jumped on these vacations and it’s time to offer them to their American counterparts. Glatt kosher vacationing can be af-
fordable! Grab your passports and come onboard!
Jewish Center, Rabbi Androphy, has been very instrumental in key aspects of the eruv building process. Additionally, the Jewish Heritage Center of Queens and Long Island has been a vital source of support for the community and runs many kiruv programs in the area. Recently, the JHC set up additional Long Island offices in their temporary location at the Suburban Park Jewish Center in North East Meadow, with the support of the Rav, Rabbi Krasner. The kehillah has a minyan on Shabbos, with additional guests, including yeshiva bochurim from Queens and Far Rockaway yeshivos, and local men, who come to complete the minyan. How are the children of this community enjoying their new town? With free door-to-door bussing to their schools, they have been able to move “out of town” without missing any
of their friends or changing schools. They are enjoying the space in their homes and large backyards all year long, and some are currently taking advantage of the ice skating lessons at the beautiful rink in Eisenhower Park. The Long Island Children’s Museum and museum row are just a few minutes from their homes. They all feel the excitement of building a community, from the four-year-olds explaining what an eruv is to their friends, to their older siblings who are at home in their Shabbos minyan and feel the pride of being one of the few to light menorahs in their neighborhood.
For more information, contact Destinations613@yahoo.com, (845) 794-6000 or visit us on the web at www.Destinations613.com.
New Eruv on the Map
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t’s a phenomenal achievement that is indicative of the drive and dedication of this new community. In just over a year since four frum families moved to East Meadow, Long Island, they have completed the construction of a brand new eruv in the heart of Nassau County. The utmost care and concern for the intricacies of hilchos eruvin were taken into consideration in the design and building of this eruv, enabling it to earn the haskamah of Rabbi Kresch, a renowned expert in eruvin and the Rav of the eruv of Far Rockaway and the Five Towns. The final steps in the process were completed this past week, and the kehillah of East Meadow celebrated this milestone with a special kiddush on Shabbos! One year ago, four young frum families moved from Queens, NY, to East Meadow, Long Island, with a
specific goal in mind. They wanted to develop a warm, frum growth-oriented community of bnei Torah in a place where housing is affordable. In East Meadow, they are able to maintain the feeling of a small, out-of-town community while staying close enough to their jobs and their children’s schools in Queens, the Five Towns and Long Island. Three more families from Queens and the Five Towns have joined them this year, and now that the eruv is up and encompasses nearly all of East Meadow, covering over four square miles, it will be a lot more convenient for young families that are interested in moving in. Over the past year, these families have strengthened relationships in the surrounding community and made progress on the development of the infrastructure for the new frum community. The rabbi of the East Meadow
For more information about the kehillah of East Meadow, and to arrange a visit to explore the neighborhood, email newEMcommunity@ gmail.com.
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Around the Community
Founder of the World Famous International Kosher Food Show, Menachem Lubinsky, Joins Majestic Retreats/ Rosen Plaza in Orlando
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hen it comes to kosher food and the kosher food industry, it is difficult to find anyone with Menachem Lubinsky’s credentials, knowledge and experience. Menachem Lubinsky, President and CEO of LUBICOM Marketing Consulting, is a seasoned marketing executive whose successes have spanned many industries over 30 years. Mr. Lubinsky is the recognized authority on the kosher food market. In addition to the International Kosher Food Show (Kosherfest), the world’s largest kosher food show, he is the founding publisher of Kosher Today, the leading trade publication on kosher for the food industry. Avi Faskowitz of Majestic Retreats stated, “Mr. Lubinsky is clearly a recognized expert in the kosher food world, with knowledge and access to any Pesach program on earth. We are proud that he is joining us
again for a second year at my Majestic Retreats/ Rosen Plaza Pesach program in Orlando.” In 2016, Majestic Retreats, the Pesach program owned and operated by brothers Avi & Shnuer Faskowitz, teamed up with Harris Rosen, the owner of multiple Orlando hotels and resorts with over 6,000 rooms, to offer a Pesach program at the Rosen Plaza Hotel. This prime property, which boasts a recent three million dollar kosher kitchen renovation, is a standout among Orlando’s convention/vacation resorts. With a reputation for a high standard of excellence, an impressive meeting space, impeccable in-house staff and grand accommodations, the Rosen Plaza offers a premier Pesach experience. Guests at the Majestic Retreats/Rosen Plaza Pesach enjoy all day BBQs at the pool, outstanding Pesach cuisine prepared by professional chefs, an amazing
tea room, mouthwatering kiddushim, a pack-your-own-lunch store for Chol Hamoed excursions, private and communal seders, Ashkenaz and Sephard minyanim, a full service spa and fitness center plus 18-hole championship golf course, daily and nightly entertainment, tennis, basketball, pool tables, movies, bingo with prizes, a professional funfilled children’s camp, babysitting, play group, daily adult and children activities and programs, daf yomi shiurim, famous entertainers, inspiring scholars and lecturers all in close proximity to fabulous sightseeing and Orlando theme parks. For the second year in the row, the Majestic Retreats/Rosen Pesach program will be hosted by Elie Y. Katz. With over 20 years of experience in the food and hospitality industry, Katz once again brings his top notch service-oriented experience to guests of this premier Pesach program. Mr.
Katz is currently an owner/investor of three restaurants located in the New York/New Jersey area and has been a proprietor of a catering business and ten different styles of food establishments. Katz served as the host for the 2016 inaugural Majestic Orlando Passover program and over the last 25 years has worked in various capacities at several Pesach and Sukkos programs. “Due to last year’s remarkably successful program and the unique relationship we have with the Rosen Family, we are able to offer an amazing program at attractive and affordable rates. The phones have been ringing off the hook!” said Shnuer Faskowitz, owner of Majestic Retreats. Strictest level of kashrus by ORB. Visit their website at greatpassover.com and or call (718) 9699100 and lock in a great program for you and your family.
Yeshiva University Students Present Annual Seforim Sale Feb. 5-26 Largest Jewish Book Sale in North America Celebrates 30th Anniversary
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he students of Yeshiva University will present their annual Seforim Sale, North America’s largest Jewish book sale, from February 5-26, 2017, in Belfer Hall, 2495 Amsterdam Ave on YU’s Wilf Campus in Manhattan. The sale, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year, is operated entirely by YU students—from ordering books to setting up the premises, marketing and all the technology the project demands. Last year the acclaimed Jewish book sale drew more than 15,000 people from the tri-state area and grossed close to $1 million in sales.
The annual event provides discounted prices on the latest of nearly 12,500 titles in rabbinic and academic literature, cookbooks and children’s books. The 2017 Seforim Sale will also offer a wide range of music and Judaica options from around the world. The Seforim Sale has become a highlight for the YU community, as students, alumni and members of the community gather to visit their alma mater, see old friends and add books to their personal libraries. Proceeds from the sale support various initiatives, including student activities on campus and undergraduate scholar-
The man tapped his forehead and said, in broken English, “Before tattoo on body, tattoo on mind.” Page 72
ships. The theme of this year’s sale is “Technology and Torah”; events and programming throughout the sale will focus on the ways technological innovations can enhance and aid Torah learning for the modern Jew. “Technology is constantly evolving around us, and as religious Jews we sometimes struggle to find the right balance of what and how much of it to incorporate in our lives,” said Avi Sebbag, CEO of the Seforim Sale. “We wanted to showcase the many positive ways that technology can impact learning and Judasim— whether it’s a resource like Sefaria that is so helpful in putting together source sheets for shiurim [lectures] or an app that helps teach children bedtime prayers.” Some of the speakers who will present at the sale include Barry Schwartz, CEO of RustyBrick and a designer of the children’s Kriat Shema Al-HaMitah app, as well as Dr. Jeffrey Gurock, the Libby M. Klaperman Professor of Jewish History at YU, about his new book, The Jews of
Harlem: The Rise, Decline and Revival of a Jewish Community (New York University Press). The Seforim Sale will also feature a Saturday Night Panel Series on a broad range of topics, including a discussion of chassidut in the modern world, moderated by Rav Dovid Bashevkin, director of education at NCSY; a medical ethics panel focusing on assisted suicide and its practical and halachic implications with Dr. Kenneth Prager, director of clinical ethics at Columbia University, and Dr. Rob Sidlow, head of the division of survivorship and supportive care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; as well as a presentation by YU Connects. Those who cannot attend the sale can take advantage of the great prices and vast catalog selection by ordering online on the Seforim Sale’s website,www.theseforimsale.com. Visit the site for a complete listing of dates and times, to purchase gift certificates, to view the online catalog or learn more about scheduled events.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
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JANUARY 19, OCTOBER 29, 2017 2015 || The The Jewish Jewish Home Home
TJH
Centerfold
You gotta be kidding Every year, Yankel and Moshe, who both had a fear of flying, would take the train down to Florida for the winter. One year, they met up for the train ride and Yankel only bought a ticket for the leg of the trip from New York to Baltimore. When the train got to the Baltimore stop, Yankel ran out and bought a ticket until Virginia, making it back onto the train in the nick of time, out of breath and sweaty. In Virginia, the same thing happened—Yankel ran out of the train and bought a ticket for the trip to North Carolina, making it back just in time for departure. This pattern continued on each leg of the trip. Finally, Moshe said to his friend, “Yankel, I don’t understand. Instead of running out and buying a separate ticket for each leg of the trip, why don’t you just buy a ticket for the whole trip from New York to Florida, as we always do?” Yankel replied, “You don’t understand, Moshe. My doctor told me that I have a weak heart and it could give way at any minute. Imagine if that happened and I bought a full ticket from here to Florida!”
Raising the Curtain on Curtailing Words When you curtail a word, you remove the last letter of the word, which leaves you with another valid word. Given the clues, figure out what the original word is and what the curtailed word is. For example, if the clue is “Royal ruler – Relatives; family” then the words are “King – Kin.” (Got it? This is not rocket science, but make sure you understand the instructions before playing the game. We are not trying to make your brain go up in smoke over here...this is supposed to be fun.)
1. Giving out moderate heat - Conflict between nations 2. Musical composition with words - Offspring 3. Having ambitious goals - Fever and pain medicine 4. Musically produce words with the voice - Transgression 5. To please through personality - To burn; scorch 6. Agriculture site - At a great distance 7. Line formed by sewing two pieces together - Large body of salt water 8. Company symbol - Tree trunk piece; written record 9. Large stringed instrument - Small room; prison 10. Vote against; forbid - Pet doctor See answers below
Answer to Curtailing Words: 1. Warm - War; 2. Song - Son; 3. Aspiring - Aspirin; 4. Sing - Sin; 5. Charm - Char; 6. Farm -Far; 7. Seam - Sea; 8. Logo - Log; 9. Cello - Cell; 10. Veto - Vet
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TheJewish JewishHome Home||OCTOBER JANUARY 29, 19, 2015 2017 The
Inauguration Trivia 1. Why was President Lincoln embarrassed at his second inauguration by Vice President Andrew Johnson’s address? a. Because Johnson poked fun at Lincoln’s height b. Because Johnson forgot his speech in the middle c. Because Johnson spoke much better than Lincoln and overshadowed him d. Because Johnson was totally drunk and rambled on in a stupor 2. Which president famously said in his inaugural address: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”? a. Ronald Reagan b. Abraham Lincoln c. John F. Kennedy d. Barack Obama 3. Where do the words “so help me G-d” appear in the Constitutional oath? a. Article I, Section 2 b. Article 2, Section 1 c. 20th Amendment d. They don’t 4. In which of the following states has a president not been sworn in? a. Virginia b. New York c. Vermont d. Texas 5. Which president famously said at his inauguration address: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself?” a. Franklin D. Roosevelt b. Teddy Roosevelt c. Harry Truman d. Herbert Hoover 6. Which president gave the longest inauguration address in history? a. Bill Clinton b. Barack Obama c. James K. Polk d. William Henry Harrison
7. Which was the first inauguration to be televised? a. 1929, Herbert C. Hoover b. 1937, Franklin D. Roosevelt c. 1949, Harry S. Truman d. 1961, John F. Kennedy 8. Which president gave the shortest inauguration address ever? a. George Washington b. Martin Van Buren c. Grover Cleveland d. Ulysses S. Grant Answers: 1. D- As Andrew Johnson walked into the Senate chamber, he appeared to be unsteady, and he was leaning on the former Vice President, Hannibal Hamlin’s arm. Johnson rambled on until Hannibal Hamlin finally gave a tug on Johnson’s coattail, and only then did Johnson end his alcoholimpaired inaugural speech. The newly inaugurated vice president was supposed to swear in the new senators but he was too drunk to perform his duties, so instead a Senate clerk performed the swearing-in of the new senators. 2. C 3. D- The Constitutional oath is: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” (Article II, Section I). However, the custom to add the words “so help me G-d” started when Chester A. Arthur, our 21st president, included them at the end of his oath in September 1881 after the assassination of President James Garfield. 4. A- The first inauguration took place in New York City; in 1923, Calvin Coolidge was sworn in as president at his family’s homestead in Plymouth, Vt., after the death of Warren Harding; on Nov. 22, 1963, aboard Air Force One on the tarmac at Love Field in Dallas, Lyndon Johnson was sworn in after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. 5. A- FDR’s inauguration on March
4, 1933 occurred in the middle of a bank panic, hence the backdrop for his famous words. 6. D- The longest inaugural address was delivered by William Henry Harrison. It was 8,445 words and delivered on a cold day in March 1841. He died a month later of pneumonia. 7. C- In 1897, William McKinley’s inauguration was the first recorded by a motion picture camera; in 1921, Warren G. Harding became the first president to ride to and from his inauguration in an automobile; in 1929, Herbert C. Hoover’s inauguration was the first played over the radio; and in 1949, Harry S. Truman‘s inauguration was the first to be televised. 8. A- George Washington’s second inaugural address was the shortest ever, at 135 words. The following is a transcript of his speech: “Fellow Citizens—I am again called upon by the voice of my country to execute the functions of its Chief Magistrate. When the occasion proper for it shall arrive, I shall endeavor to express the high sense I entertain of this distinguished honor, and of the confidence which has been reposed in me by the people of united America. Previous to the execution of any official act of the President the Constitution requires an oath of office. This oath I am now about to take, and in your presence: That if it shall be found during my administration of the Government I have in any instance violated willingly or knowingly the injunctions thereof, I may (besides incurring constitutional punishment) be subject to the upbraidings of all who are now witnesses of the present solemn ceremony.” Wisdom key: 6-8 correct: Pretty good. Let me guess, you dream about being president one day. 3-5 correct: You pay a healthy amount of attention to inaugural festivities. 0-2 correct: “Ask not what you don’t know, ask what you do know.” Any other way would be too depressing.
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home
This Motzei Shabbos! שבת פרשת שמות תשע"ז, כ"ד טבת- כ"ב J A N U A R Y 2 0 -2 2 , 2 0 1 7
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irshu is honored to once again host a convention marking outstanding
Ameilus B’Torah – which will celebrate the momentous achievements of many thousands who have learned with accountability in an unprecedented way – by Yidden from all segments in Klal Yisrael. The event will be graced by Gedolei Yisrael, Roshei Yeshiva, and Rabbonim from across North America and abroad – all gathered for an uplifting maamid of Kiddush Shem Shomayim and Kavod HaTorah. The overall program will c"qa be graced by the presence of Gedolei Yisrael, Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbonim, shlita, including*: HaGaon HaRav Yonasan Abraham, וcלונc c"aa "ומc
HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Choueka, קהל אהל שמחהc ax HaGaon HaRav Binyomin Eckstein, עתcקהל מחזיקי הc "ומc HaGaon HaRav Binyomin Eisenberger, קהל היכל התפלהc ax HaGaon HaRav Reuven Feinstein, c איילנhעhq'c הa ישי,הaאש הישיx HaGaon HaRav Ahron Feldman, אלx ישxה נa ישי,הaאש הישיx HaGaon HaRav Yehoshua Fuhrer, וhנxוh aוaאa ,אש כוללx ,ax
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1997-2017 תשע"זt תשנ"ח
Tefillos and zemiros led by
R’ Isaac Honig & The Shira Choir
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
January 21, 2017 Motzei Shabbos / Melava Malka Convention Highlights: THE GRAND SIYUM / MELAVA MALKA PROGRAM IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - FREE OF CHARGE. PROGRAM WILL BEGIN AT 8:30PM
Addresses on מוצש"קby:
HaGaon HaRav
Berel Povarsky זaה פוניaאש ישיx
HaGaon HaRav
HaGaon HaRav
HaGaon HaRav
Rav
Shmuel Choueka Yonasan Abraham Binyomin Eisenberger Dovid Hofstedter קהל אהל שמחהc ax
וcלונc c"aa "ומc
מלוה מלכה סיום מסכת בבא מציעא
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שוxc נשיא
Festive zemiros led by
R’ Isaac Honig and
BUS TRANSPORTATION WILL BE AVAILABLE ON MOTZEI SHABBOS FROM: BORO PARK
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14th Ave & 50th Street Departure: 7:30 pm
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RSVP FOR BUS TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDED. TO RSVP OR FOR INFORMATION ABOUT POSSIBLE TRANSPORTATION FROM OTHER LOCATIONS:
CALL:
888-5-DIRSHU EXT. 153
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TALKLINE COMMUNICATIONS: 570 AM - NY Metro Area / 1640 AM - Highland Park/Edison, NJ Listenline: 616-597-1984 / Podcast Number: 701-719-1032 TalklineCommunications.com KOL BERAMA: 107.9 FM - Lakewood / NewYorkJewishRadio.com KOL HALASHON: 718-906-6400 Press * to listen live JROOT: 95.1 FM - Brooklyn / JrootRadio.com / 712-432-4217
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Torah Thought
Parshat Shemot By Rabbi Berel Wein
T
here are crises that develop slowly and gradually while there are others that are sudden, surprising and unexpected. We see that in Jewish history both types of difficulties abound. The fall of the northern kingdom of Israel – that of the ten tribes – was sudden and unexpected. Only a short time before the northern kingdom of Israel had been one of the major military powers in the area. The destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem and of the kingdom of Judah more than a century later
was a long drawn out affair completely predictable and predicted. In perfect hindsight, a strong case can be made that based on the history of anti-Semitism in Europe and especially its virulence in the period between the two world wars of the twentieth century, the occurrence of a Holocaust, though perhaps not its magnitude, could also have been foreseen. The enslavement of the Jewish people in Egyptian bondage was certainly something that was unexpected and unforeseen. Even though
the Jewish people had a tradition from their forefather Abraham that they would be enslaved in a strange country for a considerable period of time, they apparently did not feel that Egypt was that country and that this would be that time. After all, Joseph was the savior of Egypt and the Jews felt comfortable living in Egypt and, to a certain extent, even integrating themselves into the general Egyptian society. All of this would be to no avail for there would arise a Pharaoh who chose not to acknowledge Joseph and the past and turned his unjustified wrath against the Jewish population of Egypt. And this all hap-
opinions are correct because they are referencing different groups within the Jewish people. The tribe of Levi remained loyal to the tenets of the house of Jacob and to the monotheistic tradition, which made it unique amongst all nations of that ancient world. However, undoubtedly there were many others, perhaps even the vast majority of the Jewish people, who assimilated completely into Egyptian society. They were the victims of an anti-Jewish decree that they never understood. After all, they were good Egyptians, so why were they singled out for enslavement? The Midrash also teaches us that a vast number
There are conflicting opinions in Midrash regarding the spiritual standards of the Jewish people before and during their enslavement there.
pened rapidly and almost without warning. There are conflicting opinions in Midrash regarding the spiritual standards of the Jewish people before and during their enslavement there. There is an opinion that they were traditional, G-d-fearing and stubborn. They retained their language, mode of dress and moral behavior. There is another almost opposite opinion that they too had become pagans, worshiped idols, and were not very different than the other members of Egyptian society at that time. One can easily say that both
of these Jews never made it out of Egypt when the eventual redemption occurred. This perhaps was even voluntary on their part for we see that throughout the years in the desert of Sinai, there was a constant call from some of the Jews to return to Egypt even if that meant slavery and hardship. The original exile of the Jews in Egypt serves as a paradigm for all later exiles and persecutions, no matter if they come on suddenly or gradually. This makes this Torah reading extremely relevant to our current Jewish world. Shabbat shalom.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
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The Observant Jew
My Way or the Highway By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
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ne morning, I was leaving a gas station and wanted to get on the highway to work. Though I knew the area, I wanted to see the traffic situation so I turned on my GPS. Then a funny thing happened. It told me to go right when I knew I needed to turn left! I’ve become accustomed to the possibility that the GPS might be taking me a different route which the sensitive, satellite-guided computer calculations identify may save me thirty seconds, but then again they don’t take into account traffic lights or certain intersections and roads which would be better off if the highway department demolished them and started again from scratch. (If you’ve ever been on the Cross-Bronx Expressway you know what I mean.) Often, I will simply go the way I know and let the GPS recalculate from there. On that particular morning, however, I decided to see what the GPS was up to,and clicked the button that shows me the route in advance. I realized that the right turn it wanted me to make would lead to a back road to the highway with much less congestion, fewer lights, and less chances for me to get stuck behind slow-moving drivers. In fact, once I realized where it was taking me, I acknowledged that had I thought about it, I would have figured out that this was the best way for me to go but I was in such a hurry
that it didn’t even dawn on me. As I followed the path my GPS had laid out for me, I quickly dictated a note into my phone recording the actions and feelings of that morning so I could share the following insight with all of you at a later date. This is the later date. You see, I had been so sure I knew where to go that I was skeptical of my GPS. I mean, if I am in a completely foreign area, that’s one thing, but in my own backyard I think I know the local terrain a little better than some silly machine. And yet, when I opened myself to the possibility that I might not know everything, I was guided on a better path. The lesson, of course, is that we as human beings often make the mistake of thinking we know everything there is to know. However, since the number of possible permutations of any situation is limitless depending on all the other variables to consider, that’s a rather presumptuous thought. Hashem, on the other hand, is able to consider all the variables, and He built them into the Torah. When we follow the Torah, it’s like a helpful, all-knowing GPS. In general, we would be much better served if we opened ourselves to the possibility that no matter how confident we were in our opinions or decisions, we might still be wrong. Then, instead of stopping the intake of information, we could continu-
ously refine our decisions and perhaps find ourselves in a better place. In fact, we might be happier if we kept ourselves open to those possibilities. There’s a favorite story of mine about a king who had a childhood friend who always looked on the bright side. As they grew, the man became a trusted advisor and almost constant companion to the king. Once, as they were on a hunting trip, the king’s finger became caught in his bow and the tip of his finger was severed. Though doctors tried to reattach it, they could not. His friend said, “It’s for the best.” Enraged at the implication that this could possibly be a good thing, the king had his friend thrown in jail. Some time later, the king was on safari in a far-off land and was captured by cannibals. These natives were going to have him for dinner – literally! Suddenly, they noticed his deformed finger and got very agitated. They were superstitious and would not eat someone who was not whole. They let the king go. Amazed at how accurate his friend’s words were – that this mutilation had actually been for the best – he rushed to the prison and had him released. “I’m so sorry,” cried the king. “When you told me it was for the best, I couldn’t see any way it could be good, but you were right as
the cannibals let me go because of it. Can you possibly forgive me?” “Don’t worry about it,” said his friend. “You putting me in prison was for the best.” This time, the king was more open but still unconvinced. “How exactly is it ‘for the best’ that I made you spend the past year in prison?!” “Well,” smiled his friend, “if you hadn’t put me in prison, I would probably have been with you when you were captured by the cannibals!” We are all like that king, and we can’t always see the good or the possibility that there’s another way to look at things. However, if we give it a chance, like I did when I looked at my GPS, we may find that we’re better off giving up “our way” to get to the best way.
Jonathan Gewirtz is an inspirational writer and speaker whose work has appeared in publications around the world. You can find him at www.facebook.com/RabbiGewirtz, and follow him on Instagram @RabbiGewirtz or Twitter @RabbiJGewirtz. He also operates JewishSpeechWriter.com, where you can order a custom-made speech for your next special occasion. Sign up for the Migdal Ohr, his weekly PDF Dvar Torah in English. E-mail info@Jewish SpeechWriter.com and put Subscribe in the subject.
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Between the Lines
What, Me Royalty? By Eytan Kobre
It’s not your job to like me; it’s mine. - Byron Katie
W
alking through the winding streets of Kowloon, Hong Kong many years
ago, Norman Vincent Peale chanced upon a tattoo parlor. The shop window displayed sample tattoos—an anchor or a flag or a mermaid or whatever. But one sample tattoo struck Peale as rather bizarre. Born to Lose. So he entered the shop and asked
the tattoo artist inside whether anyone actually gets the Born to Lose tattoo. “Yes,” the tattoo artist answered. “But who in their right mind would get such a tattoo?” The man tapped his forehead and said, in broken English, “Before tattoo on body, tattoo on mind.” To ensure that there would be no Jewish savior, Pharaoh decreed that all Jewish baby boys were to be tossed into the Nile River (Shemos 1:22). Pharaoh’s own daughter, of course, rescued the future liberator, raising and nurturing him in Pharaoh’s palace as her own son (Shemos 2:5-10) – the Egyptian prince who would defy Pharaoh and redeem the Jewish people. But there’s more to the story than just irony. Even with his considerable strength of character, Moshe would need to have the look and feel and air of royalty if he was to liberate the Jewish people and lead them to the Promised Land. G-d therefore arranged for him to be raised, as nobility, in Pharaoh’s palace, so that he would have not the slave mentality of his brethren but the regal attitude of a prince (Ibn Ezra, Shemos 2:3; Da’as Torah, Shemos 2:10). Before he could play the part of leader, Moshe had to see himself as a leader. The importance of a positive self-image cannot be overstated (Pele Yo’etz, Ahavas Atzmo). A highly-developed self-image serves as incentive to refrain from ruining that image through misconduct or
sin (Rashi, Sanhedrin 37a; Tiferes Yisrael, Sanhedrin 4:5). Conversely, a person with an inferior self-image will not regard negative conduct as unbecoming (Rambam, Avos 2:13) and will despair of ever improving (Avos 2:13 and Rabbeinu Yona ad loc.). Either way, the quality of our actions is influenced deeply by our self-image: the greater the esteem in which we hold ourselves, the more exacting our standards. Our expectations for ourselves largely are determined by our self-image. This positive self-image is no less vital on a collective basis. It is no coincidence, explains R’ Yaakov Galinsky, that our enslavement to the Egyptians began with the passing of Yosef and his brothers (Shemos 1:6-7), as well as our assimilation and desire “to be like the Egyptians” (Shemos Rabba 1:8). As long as the Jewish nobility was alive, the Jewish people retained their dignified self-image, which helped them to distinguish themselves from the depraved Egyptians. It was only when their venerated forebears had passed away that they lost their sense of pride and aristocracy – and, with it, their desire to remain distinct from, and above, Egyptian society. With the loss of their refined self-image, the Jewish people gravitated naturally towards the Egyptians. It is said that, as a young child, Thomas Edison was a weak student. One day, he returned from school and handed his mother a sealed note from his teacher. His mother scanned the letter and then read it
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
aloud, her eyes welling with tears. Your son is a genius. This school is too small for him and doesn’t have good enough teachers to train him. Please teach him yourself. And that’s what she did, homeschooling the boy for years. “The Genius of Menlo Park” went on to become one of history’s greatest inventors. Years after his mother passed away, he was sorting through some old boxes and chanced upon his teacher’s note. But what he read now shocked him to his core. Your son is addled. We cannot let him attend our school anymore. He is expelled. Edison was moved deeply by the note and what his mother had done to safeguard his self-image. On that day, he recorded this entry in his diary: Thomas Alva Edison was an addled child that, by a hero mother, became the genius of the century. She was a hero, of course, because, at great sacrifice no doubt, she preserved his fragile self-image
so that he could see himself as successful and then become successful. “Unfortunate is the one who doesn’t recognize his own shortcomings,” R’ Yerucham Levovitz was wont to observe, “but even more unfortunate is the one who doesn’t recognize his own strengths.” Likewise, when asked to identify the greatest threat to spiritual perfection, R’ Aharon of Karlin responded, “To forget for even one moment that we are the children of the Master of the Universe and fashioned in His image” (see also Mishnas R’ Aharon, Vol. 1, pgs. 157-159). A developed self-image starts with an appreciation for our inherent value as beings formed in G-d’s likeness (Bereishis 1:26-27, 5:1, 9:6), which obligates us to regard the entire world as if created just for each and every one of us (Sanhedrin 4:5). “Beloved is Man, for he was created in G-d’s image; that it was made known to Man that he was created in G-d’s image is indicative of even
a greater love” because it enables Man to develop a positive self-image (Avos 3:18). And perhaps that is the reason Ben Azai identifies the most salient Torah verse as the one that recounts “Man’s origin” and “the day on which G-d created Man in His likeness” (Yerushalmi, Nedarim 9:4; Bereishis Rabba 24:7). Because living up to the lofty standard of being fashioned in G-d’s image is our central calling in life. A southern preacher once began his sermon on self-image by holding up a crisp, clean $100 bill. To his overflow audience he asked, “Who would like this $100 bill?” Naturally, every hand shot up. He continued. “I’m going to give this $100 to one of you, but first let me do this.” He folded the dollar bill several times and asked, “Now who would like this $100 bill?” Still, the hands went up. “Well,” he went on, “what if I do this?” He dropped the bill on the
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ground and stomped it vigorously until it was all crumpled and dirty. “Now who wants it?” Still, the hands flew into the air. “There’s a valuable lesson, my friends. No matter what I did to the bill, you still wanted it. You recognized that no matter how I treated it, the bill was still worth the same $100. And that’s a metaphor for life. None of us gets through life still crisp and fresh and unblemished – we are folded and dropped and stomped and crumpled and sullied. It might be natural to feel lowly and worthless. But we never lose value in G-d’s eyes. To Him, upright or on the ground, crisp or crumpled, dirty or clean, we are always priceless.” Amen, brother.
Eytan Kobre is a writer, speaker, mediator, and attorney living in Kew Gardens Hills. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail eakobre@outlook.com.
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Israel Today
Coupons By Rafi Sackville
O
n a recent school trip our students would occasionally break into song and dance chanting over and over with fervor and joy, “Oh...Ma’alot! Ma’alot! What type of neighborhood are we? Poor!” On the word “poor” they would break into cackles of laughter. The irony of the chant is that there are more than a handful of students who regularly come to school hungry. They, too, laugh at the chant, but for them poverty is a way of life. It would be unfair to label Ma’alot as poor. The town is thriving: factories and new apartments are being built, new roads, railway lines and shopping centers are under construction. Yet underneath the surface lies an underbelly that is prevalent not only in Ma’alot, but elsewhere in the country. In a January 2016 article, YNET reported that there had been a drastic rise in Israeli poverty rates. In the last 20 years the rate has risen from 14 to 21%. In a recent report Israel was ranked by the OECD as the country with the highest rates of poverty among its members. This is reflected in the pay gap between rich and poor, where Israel ranks third behind the U.S. and Mexico. Ha’aretz newspaper brought the figures into a perspective everyone could understand when they reported that “one in three children [was] living in poverty.” While visiting New York last year I took upon myself a difficult, but in my eyes necessary, mission: from
family to friends I asked for money. My pitch was simple: I told them I was collecting money for children at risk. Everyone I asked came through with grace and generosity. I returned to the Galil with over $5,000 in my pocket. I donated the money to my school with the express purpose of creating an account whose major purpose was, and is, to provide food coupons needy students can use at the school cafeteria. Discreet notifications were sent to homeroom teachers, who forwarded lists of kids whose families are in difficult financial straits. The welfare ministry helps many of these poor families, but a little extra help is always welcome. The coupons are small enough to fit into the palm of one’s hand. Whereas their purchasing power is small – a sandwich and drink – they are enough to keep a child from going hungry during the day. The value of the coupon amounts to little more than a dollar, yet multiplied by school days in a year that dollar translates into close to $200 a year. More to the point, kids who eat during the day study better. Don’t be fooled into thinking that sending a kid to school with two slices of bread and chummus or chocolate spread is beyond the range of any parent. In some cases it is: I’ve seen more than enough empty shelves on my homeroom visits that make fridges seem unused. Over the years I’ve noticed that students aren’t that adept at preparing lunches
for themselves. My work as a homeroom teacher has taken me into homes that has, by just crossing the threshold, taken me out of my comfort zone. In one case a single parent had been working such long hours that his ability to shop for basic food items was severely limited. I recently asked a student of mine to see me in the teachers’ room. When he arrived I presented him with a fistful of coupons. Having visited his home only a few weeks earlier I knew just how much he was in need of them. He matter-of-factly accepted them and went on his way. There are places in the country where poverty isn’t recognized by the naked, untrained eye. Visitors from overseas are unlikely to be shown the seedier sides of towns. Yet the fact remains that in many places, particularly in the periphery, poverty is a constant reminder of the inequality facing so many Israelis. There are over 24,000 residents here in Ma’alot. If the figures I’ve quoted are correct, and I have no reason to believe they aren’t, there are thousands of Ma’alotians among us living below the poverty line. It’s not the poverty of the homeless, rather it’s a standard of living that most people reading this would find untenable, but a standard of living, nonetheless, that those with less have become used to. I was given a warm welcome when I walked into my student’s home. He lives with his mother
and grandfather, who at the age of almost 80 still works a full shift at one of the local factories. There is another brother who lives with a foster family in a nearby city. Since the age of ten my student has had to fend and advocate for himself. Doctors, shopping, registering for programs, he does it all. I find his outlook on life remarkable, his optimism infectious. He doesn’t seek favor and he concentrates hard on his studies. He is unaware of the moral boost he infuses in me and others. I often ponder life in his shoes. It is not a comfortable thought. His attitude to life and his willingness to persevere will hopefully help him find a way out of the forest of his life where the trees have snapped and fallen across his path turning every step forward into an obstacle course. I pray that his uncomplicated resolve and determination will take him far in what I am sure will be a successful professional life. On the school trip I keenly observed the students during their chants. They seemed to break into “Ma’alot! Ma’alot! What type of neighborhood are we? Poor!” only when they were among people they didn’t know. It was like a show they were performing for strangers. I’m positive my student will one day look back and laugh, not at humor he and his friends were generating, but that he had beaten the odds. Rafi Sackville, formerly of Cedarhurst, teaches in Ort Maalot in Western Galil.
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JANUARY 29, 19, 2017 OCTOBER 2015 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Revitalizing the Rockaways TJH Speaks with Councilman Donovan Richards Councilman, thank you for your time. What made decide to go into public service? From the age of 18, I got involved
in community service and always saw the need to give back. After interning at the local Council Member’s office, I worked my way up to
Chief of Staff and then was elected Council Member for the district I call home. You took over Councilman Sanders’ position in a special election in 2013, right after Hurricane Sandy. What did you see needed to be done at that time? Have we fully recovered? Hurricane Sandy showed how poorly prepared the Rockaway Peninsula was for a storm of this magnitude. Our NYCHA developments were not built with resiliency or sustainability in mind and now we know that has to be at the forefront of any decision we make in our communities. We have not fully recovered but we are on our way to being more prepared than ever before. NYCHA is moving boilers and any crucial infrastructure off of ground floors and any new buildings, like Beach Green North and the Beach Channel Senior housing, will not have any ground floor residents and have green and grey infrastructure that will help drain water during any future storms. You preside over a diverse district. How do manage to connect with all your constituents? We have two district offices, one in Laurelton and one in Far Rocka-
way, which allows residents to have a convenient location to reach out to our office. Also, we hold monthly meetings with residents, community leaders, clergy and business owners on the Rockaway and Southeast Queens parts of the district. When you speak with constituents, what is foremost on their minds? The issues of affordable housing, public safety and education. How can we become more informed citizens and more involved in our community? Residents can sign up for our weekly update e-blast that fills them in on everything we are doing in the district. Also, residents can attend local civic and community board meetings to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in their community. For what type of assistance can people reach out to your office? Currently, we offer help for heating bills for low-income residents through HEAP and Heartshare. We also have the Civilian Complaint Review Board in our Far Rockaway office once a month for residents to file complaints against the NYPD. Generally, residents can contact our office for any local help for anything they call 311 for. We help
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017 The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
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At the Kotel on a trip to Israel
Councilman Richards touring Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s vocational program
Speaking with community members at the JCCRP summer fair
Councilman Richards at Achiezer’s main headquarters
expedite the process and serve as a middleman once they file their 311 complaint.
Achiezer Community Resource Center received $5,000; Rockaway Nassau Safety Patrol received $10,000; and Jewish Services Coalition received $20,000.
talization? This is, first and foremost, an economic development plan that will leverage underutilized properties, new infrastructure investments and mixed-use development to create a vibrant commercial corridor and bring new job and workforce development opportunities to current residents. Creating a pipeline means bringing a mix of retail, commercial and professional development op-
more inclusive affordable housing plan for the entire city of New York.
Just recently, Bnos Bais Yaakov in Far Rockaway sent out a message to the community in appreciation of your efforts to ensure that their busing would not be terminated. How did you make that happen? We believe in building coalitions with local leaders, such as with Rabbi Ephraim Blumenkrantz of Bnos Bais Yaakov. We identify needs from our community leaders and by maintaining strong relationships with the mayor, deputy mayors and commissioners we help ensure our local needs are met. We stressed this need to the administration and they delivered. Your office has been able to procure funds for many of our community’s institutions. Tell us about that. Every year, we provide discretionary funding to local community organizations that dedicate their efforts to building up our communities. Our local Jewish organizations provide educational programming, food for the hungry, and hotline support programs that support Rockaway residents every day. In the last two years, we’ve provided the following funding: Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula received $210,470; Jewish Association for Services for the Aged received $100,000; Young Israel of Wavecrest and Bayswater received $40,000;
That is most impressive and appreciated. Additionally, you were able to stop a homeless shelter from being built in the community, something we are most grateful for. How were
The biggest feather in my cap so far has been securing that $91 million to develop Far Rockaway after more than four decades of disinvestment.
you able to make that happen – almost singlehandedly? First, I’m not against housing the homeless in my community, but this shelter, which was slated to be an all men’s shelter, was far too close to local schools and in particular, the Torah Academy for Girls and Yeshiva Darchei Torah. Also, this was right after Sandy when the peninsula was still reeling from the damage so this was not the right location for people in need of services and jobs. Recently, you received approval for $91 million of funding to revitalize downtown Rockaway. Can you tell us about your plans for the revi-
portunities to serve a range of Rockaway residents. In addition to what we already discussed, what are some of the accomplishments you are proud of so far in your position as councilman? The biggest feather in my cap so far has been securing that $91 million to develop Far Rockaway after more than four decades of disinvestment. I’m also proud of the work as the Environmental Protection chair, securing $1.5 billion for Southeast Queens sewer infrastructure. And since becoming the chair of the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises, I was able to negotiate a better,
What do you have in mind for the upcoming year in terms of legislation? Currently, we are working on improving the city’s nuisance abatement law, creating a citywide community land trust policy, and implementing smoke-free housing. This year’s election was a contentious election. What can we do to become more unified as a community? We just have to find commonalities within each other. Everyone has their own individual concerns, but we can always find some common ground to agree on and that’s where conversations have to start. Being a public servant means that you are always “on” for the community. What do you do to relax? These days, I mostly just read and play with my son. What book did you read recently that you enjoyed? Let the Word Go Forth: the speeches, statements, and writings of John F. Kennedy Last question: Giants or Jets? Giants. Councilman Richards, thank you for your time and your tireless work for our community. We wish you much continued success.
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
ישיבה דרך א י ת ע’’ש מרן רבי אברהם יפה’ן זצ’’ ן ל Yeshiva of Far Rockaway
RaBBi & MRS. Tuvia SilveRSTein Esteemed Parent Awardees
Annual Dinner
Mr. Moshe Majeski
Mr. Chaim Hershkovich
Dinner Chairman
Journal Chairman
Dinner Committee
At the Yeshiva Campus 802 Hicksville Road Far Rockaway, New York
yeshiva of Far Rockaway has provided our sons with a strong foundation of Torah, middos tovos and yiras shomayim. equally important, they have fostered a warm, nurturing environment that has given our sons a home away from home (down the block!) We are indebted to the Yeshiva for the gift of making our sons feel secure, confident and happy.
DR. & MRS. eFRayiM nuDMan Guests of Honor
Dr. Yitzchak Braunschweig Mr. Nesanel Feller Mr. Motti Fox Mr. Charles Harary Mr. Dov Warman
Motzoei Shabbos Parshas Beshalach February 11, 2017 Tu B'shvat 5777
Mr. Yossi Deutsch Alumni Committee Chairman
Mr. Shmuel Backenroth Mr. Pinchas Vogel Mr. Daniel Wolfson Alumni Committee
RaBBi & MRS. MoShe Shonek Marbitzei Torah Awardees
Yeshiva of Far Rockaway 802 Hicksville Road Far Rockaway, NY 11691 P: (718) 327-7600 F: (718) 327-1430 E: dinner@yofr.org W: www.yofr.org Yaakov & Ilana Melohn campus in memory of Reb Yosef Melohn z’’l
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Dating Dialogue
What Would You Do If… Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters
Dear Navidaters,
I was recently at my cousin’s wedding and an attractive woman walked over to me and said I looked familiar to her and asked me my name. We wound up talking for a while and we seemed to have a lot in common and it was a very easy, nice conversation. Before the wedding was over,
she asked me for my phone and when I handed it over to her, she typed her phone number into my phone and told me that she would love to hear from me. On the surface, she seemed to be the type of woman I would be interested in dating. It sounded like she came from a very similar background as I come from, she attended good schools and camps, was fun and interesting to talk to, and very attractive. Since then, I’ve asked around a bit and a few people I spoke to who know her said only good things about her. I’ve been struggling with myself about whether or not to actually call her. I’m used to the old fashioned way of dating. My parents are cooperative and do what they need to do in this regard. However, they are more modern than I am and they think that it’s great that I met someone on my own and that I should definitely call her and go out. I’m concerned that the forward nature of this woman is a possible red flag. Plus, I’m not used to being in control of my dating instead of my parents. Do you think I should pass on this one?
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 Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
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The Panel The Rebbetzin Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.
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o not pass on this one. Go for it and call her. You have met her already and checked her out. Her forwardness has not been spotlighted by others and you feel comfortable with what you have heard. Meet her and see what she is all about. This is not a red flag item in your family’s social circles – so don’t make a big issue about it. If you would have found other troublesome matters, then it would have been an orange flag. Several orange flags mean stay away. One doesn’t warrant vetoing a date. What’s more important is your confidence in your own judgment. Talk things over with your mentors and identify priorities, practices and possibilities. Stay flexible, however. Keeping people in boxes and judging by type is shortsighted. It will also be useful for you to engage in activities and experiences that will develop your sense of confidence about your judgment, your future and your relationships. It might be a good idea for you to take more responsibility for your own dating if you are looking for girls from a more right wing part of the community than your parents. Together with your mentors and parents, reassess where and how prospective shidduch setups are being handled. Maybe you need to broaden your contacts and go see shadchanim yourself. Maybe you should enlist your right wing friends and their wives, your rebbeim, and your yeshiva friends.
The Dating Mentor Rochel Chafetz, Educator/Mentor
F
irst of all, I think you should feel flattered. But I definitely don’t see this as any sort of a red flag. Give
it a shot and see if this is something you would be interested in. You are not obliged in any way to say no after the first date. You will be able to tell whether or not her personality is too much for you. What I find interesting is that there is a correlation between her personality and something you said. You mentioned that you are not used to being in control of dating and here you met a girl who is very much in control. So this would be a good time to be reflective and ask yourself if that could be an issue with you and maybe that attribute you possess can cause you to be attracted to someone who will take control. That may not be so bad – so long as she is not truly controlling, which is a different. I think you should be more involved in the decision-making of the kind of girl you are looking for because as a man of the house you will have to make decisions on a daily basis. Unless, of course, you are the type of man who wants your wife to do everything for you and thus marry a girl who will be in control. Go out with her with an open mind, but look for behaviors that can help you be aware of whether there are traits in her that would reflect an overly aggressive pattern. Even more important is to do some self-work and ask yourself who and what you are and how would you feel if you marry someone like that in the long run. Start to look inside of yourself. Look at your parents and ask yourself who takes charge and see if you are comfortable with that or not. Can you make decisions? Who picks out your new suits, coats and shoes? If you were asked what you want for dinner, do you have an opinion? Do you usually answer, “Oh, whatever…” or do you like to be part of a decision making process? Do you have a voice, and more important, do you want to have a voice? Ask yourself these questions before you go out with her – so that you can get to know yourself better. Now is the time. Good luck!
The Mother Sarah Schwartz Schreiber, P.A.
B
ack in the day (your grandparents’ generation, when dinosaurs roamed the Five Towns) some of the finest, most upstanding shidduchim were initiated at Brooklyn College. Young men, many in the semicha program at Torah Vodaath, and young frum coeds, many attending seminary in the mornings, would ask their friends to set them up with other boys or girls they first noticed at Boylan Hall. My friends, Jack* (a rosh yeshiva) and Betty*, were in the same auditing class. Judah* (the noted askan) and Nancy* sat next to each other in
Many other young women should take a lesson out of her playbook!
accounting. Shirley* (the seminary teacher) and Yankel* (of Daf Yomi fame) took the same biology lab. Each of these frum yeshivish couples saw what they liked and went for it. In those days, nobody heard of a shidduch resume; nobody heard of a shidduch crisis, either. Ya’think there’s a connection? You are fortunate that a special young woman (corroborated by her references) had the courage to make
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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
the first move and give you her number. For all you know, she was encouraged to approach you by someone at the wedding who chose to remain in the background (maybe a former date or a date wannabe or her mother). She took the leap because she saw potential in you and was not going to take the chance you’ll pick her resume from among dozens in your parents’ laptop. What followed was a nice, easy conversation with an attractive young woman (and you didn’t even have to pay for parking). So instead of playing Wheel of Shidduchim and hoping your next date will be (1) easy to talk to, (2) share anything in common, or (3) be somewhat attractive, give this young lady a call. You may ask a trusted friend or rebbetzin to serve as shadchan.
Still, as the saying goes, Hashem helps those who help themselves. (*) – denotes pseudonym
The Single Tova Wein think you’re asking two separate questions. First, whether this young woman’s behavior is a red flag, and second, whether you should go out with her. To answer the first question, I would say that any behavior that is unusual and taken to an extreme, might be a red flag. However, on the surface, though not very typical, in and of itself, her behavior that may have appeared to you to be a bit aggressive might be a
I
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
brilliant way of taking some initiative. Let’s face it. Women are at a definite disadvantage. Most men are flooded with resumes; they have the luxury of tossing many aside for the slightest and silliest of reasons because they know that a new batch will arrive shortly. Men take the initiative and call the shots. That’s just the way it is. And does a resume always do a woman justice? Maybe she hasn’t gone to the very best school imaginable, but one look at her and one conversation later and she might just knock all the other competitors out of the box. So the only way her behavior could be construed as a red flag would be if the people you consulted suggested that she is super-aggressive and controlling. On the contrary, you got very positive feedback. So rather than be suspicious, let’s applaud her
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Risking receiving e-mails from people not too pleased with me, I will go out on a limb and say this is normal and there should be more of this.
confidence and proactive move. Many other young women should take a lesson out of her playbook! I guess I already answered your second question. Of course you should go out with her. You already know that she is easy to talk to, attractive, and obviously has a healthy dose of self-esteem. These are wonderful qualities to start off with. Yes – definitely, go for it!
Pulling It All Together The Navidaters Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists
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h, how I love when the entire panel is in agreement! It is the panel’s unanimous opinion that you go out with this woman. And I concur. Ditto, ditto, ditto and ditto. I can understand your hesitation and it feels as though it is coming in on two fronts. The first is the cultural norm piece. This simply is not how you have been dating and in more “right-wing” circles women do not approach men in general, let alone take their phones rather directly and somewhat flirtatiously, and put in their numbers. So, her “behavior” could possibly have shocked you because it is so wildly outside the norm. The second front of your hesitation might possibly have deeper roots… How do you feel about a “take-charge” woman, generally speaking? A woman who takes matters into her own hands and isn’t going to wait on anyone to make things hap-
pen for her? I encourage you to go on the date and withhold any judgment or preconceived notions you may have of this woman. My personal reaction to this woman’s interaction with you was “Wow! Wow! Wow! She sounds amazing!” I bet there are women reading this column right now wishing they had the guts to approach a guy at a simcha or a restaurant. Risking receiving e-mails from people not too pleased with me, I will go out on a limb and say, This is normal and there should be more of this. We should be encouraging young men and women to take a more proactive role in their dating. As Sarah Schwartz Schreiber pointed out, years ago the finest frum men and women met each other at Brooklyn College.
They spoke to each other. As a society we have stripped away this very natural and relaxed way of meeting each other and replaced it with feelings of powerlessness, frustration, anxiety and depression … and more single people. Could it be possible that this woman is a “wackadoo” and this behavior is a manifestation of her “wackadoodleness”? Yes. Possibly. Could it be possible that this woman saw you, liked you and didn’t want to let you slip away so she took a huge risk and went for it? Yes. Get in the game, lean into the situation, and find out. One potential concern I see here is that she may be more modern than you are and that your values and/or hashkafa will not be similar. I am not clear whether she is more modern than you are currently. But that is something that will reveal itself in a few dates, if not on the first (or may be entirely irrelevant). You are allowed to have fun and not have all the answers before your first
date. So many of us want to take out our crystal balls before our first dates. We try to figure everything out beforehand as a way to alleviate our anxious thoughts and feelings. Trying to get a glimpse of what’s inside the crystal ball winds up provoking anxiety and heightening worrisome thoughts. I want you to take a hammer and smash that crystal ball into a million tiny pieces. She’s attractive, smart, has a good family, and she’s into you. That’s all you need to know right now. Happy first date! Jennifer Esther Mann, LCSW and Jennifer Mann, LCSW are licensed psychotherapists and dating and relationship coaches working with individuals, couples and families in private practice in Hewlett, NY. To set up an appointment, please call 516.224.7779. Press 1 for Esther, 2 for Jennifer. Visit www.thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email thenavidaters@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.
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Dr. Deb
The Real Reason Marriages Get Rocky By Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.
T
he voice on the other end of the phone was terribly sad. “She won’t talk to me,” the man said. “She is furious and told me the marriage is over. But I did not do anything!” he further insisted. “I know for a fact that I was not abusive. I’ve been a good husband,” he continued mournfully. “Can you help me?” That’s one variation of a call I get frequently. Another variation on that theme admits that there has been disrespect or verbal abuse but that he is now trying to work on correcting those mistakes. It’s not as if it is the first time that the “mistake” was brought to his attention, but it is the first time, apparently, that he took it seriously. This is so sad because it didn’t have to happen that way. So why didn’t he (or she: occasionally, the accused party is a “she”) listen the first time? Today, I want to share with you the first of three myths about marital therapy that stand in the way of correcting problems sooner, rather than later, and even stand in the way after the accused person makes that dreaded phone call.
THE FIRST MYTH ABOUT MARITAL THERAPY I almost always tell the caller
that I believe I can help but that I don’t have any guarantees about how the Significant Other will feel. Relieved, the caller generally makes an appointment and comes in. I ask for three pieces of information when the person comes in: a little bit about what the problem is right now, his personal family history, and what, if anything, he has tried so as to alleviate the problem. Almost always – again – three things become clear to me: • The person in question grew up in a home in which his sense of self was somehow deeply challenged or distorted. His parents may have been overtly abusive or just too emotionally distracted with their own problems to adequately attend to his needs. • The abuse could have originated at school, too, but the parents were not clear on how to handle it, perhaps brushing off tearful complaints. Alternatively, life could have handed him a challenge of its own that he met in the best way he could figure out. • From this, he learned a wonderful coping mechanism that helped him survive. It could have been rebellion, escapism, putting up a front that says “Don’t approach!” or any number of other survival strategies. He has continued to use that mechanism
throughout his life. • The coping mechanism itself has become the problem in the marriage. From this perspective, the unsuccessful coping strategy was not only brilliant – after all, little Yoni was only a three- or four-year old when he invented it, or perhaps an adolescent – but it may have literally helped him survive. I would rather hear a story, any day, of a rebellious adolescent who hung out on the street with gangs in order to mentally escape feeling terrible about who he is as a person than to hear a story of a teenager who committed suicide because he could not tolerate “knowing” what a “horrible person” he was. Last week in this paper, we read a poignant story another writer shared about a kid who was going to take that terrible step of no return (and luckily didn’t, due to someone’s intervention). Better to have a bad coping strategy that keeps you alive than none at all that doesn’t. There are some serious implications of this: • From this position, there is no such thing as “dysfunctional.” True, things aren’t functioning now, but what was done, at the time, was highly functional. If we look at this from a purely secular position in which evolution would
select that which would enhance survival, then you can see that such coping choices are winners. From a Torah point of view, in which everything we are given is good and we are supposed to make the best choices we can with that raw material, survival skills that work at the time must be good as well. From a Torah point of view, this, of course, is only one step up the ladder; we are always in a position to make new choices, to learn, and to grow – but that doesn’t take away from the good quality of the first choice. • If the behavior was not “dysfunctional,” then the person who comes in with his heavy baggage should not be given a diagnostic label that attests to how badly he is functioning! This, by the way, is not my original idea. There is a solid history of this thinking in the Marriage and Family Therapy field dating back nearly seventy years. The logic is that functioning is always measured in relationship to the person or people the individual is functioning with. That is, in one situation, the behavior works; it functions. In another situation, it doesn’t. What then shall we say is the problem if it is not a case of dysfunctional behavior? Continued on page 86
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It is simply a case of a lack of skills. Skills are learned behaviors that the individual in question never had the opportunity to learn. My mother sang lullabies to me off-key and so I learned to sing off-key; my ear needs training. This gets more complicated, however, with relationships, because some of the skills involve emotional reactions or attitudes. Still, the principle remains the same; attitudes are behaviors that can be taught, too. Let’s take one example. Suppose the man who originally called in need of help, Yoni, was in trouble with his wife because for 34 years he had been haughty. Just that, nothing complicated. No yelling, no overt put-downs, no threats, no improper relationships. Nothing like that. If you asked his wife, Miriam, she would tell you it was not so simple. He had a bad attitude. She would tell you that he made her feel small, stupid, incompetent. He conveyed this attitude by taking over
everything that needed to be done, never getting her input. It had started out in a way that seemed innocent enough. They were young when they married and Miriam didn’t have lots of exposure
easiest for him to simply take over. He merely extended this approach to life in his marriage. It wouldn’t have occurred to him in a million years that his wife felt disrespected in the marriage. True, she told that
It wouldn’t have occurred to him in a million years that his wife felt disrespected in the marriage.
to the world, while Yoni, although also young, was already successful in the world of work. Yoni had come from a large family and was tragically orphaned as a teen, leaving him in charge of his younger siblings. As oldest, he rose to the challenge. He was always unsure whether his younger sibs really knew what they were doing, so it was
very thing to him many times, but without a frame of reference that he could use to make sense of it, he didn’t. He simply ignored it in the same way he would ignore his little brothers who bothered him as an adolescent. From his perspective, he was a caring husband; from his wife’s, he was controlling and obnoxious. He
needs to learn how to relate to his wife as an equal. The real reason marriages get rocky is simply because we haven’t learned the skills for this particular relationship. Growing up, we’ve either picked up skills that work, or don’t. When a person in need of some help refuses it because he or she thinks it’s a bad reflection on their character, it’s a shame. No, it’s no reflection at all. There are just some skills they need to learn. Next week, we will continue peeking at Yoni and Miriam’s marriage with another therapy myth that stands in the way of creating a good marriage.
Dr. Deb Hirschhorn is a Marriage and Family Therapist. She can be reached at 646-54-DRDEB or by writing drdeb@drdeb.com.
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Health & F tness
Alternatives to Cow’s Milk By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN
M
oo-ve over cow’s milk; you’re not the only option in the dairy aisle these days! When choosing milk, it’s not just a matter of whole, low-fat, or skim. There’s a whole variety of plant-based milks to choose from. Some turn to plant-based milks due to lactose intolerance or dairy allergies, others simply prefer the taste. All of these plant-based milks promise your body good. Let’s see what these milks have to offer other than a new taste to our morning cereal. • Soymilk. Soymilk is produced by soaking, crushing, and cooking soybeans and then extracting the liquid. Since it’s made from soybeans, soymilk is packed with protein. Soymilk is also a good source of potassium, which is necessary for muscle function and regulating blood pressure. Soymilk also contains isoflavones, which have been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. Soymilk was the first nondairy milk to become mainstream, and it’s still probably the most popular. It has also become an increasingly popular ingredient for replacing milk in dairy recipes. Soymilk can be found sweetened, unsweetened, chocolate-, and vanilla-flavored. • Almond milk. This dairyfree liquid is made from finely ground almonds mixed with water. What makes almond milk so appealing? It’s one of the cheaper milk options available, and its mild nutty taste can enhance shakes, a bowl of cereal, pureed soups, or even a batch of protein cookies. Nutritionally, it’s low in calories and free of saturated fat. Since it’s made from almonds, almond milk is also high in vitamin E, an important antioxidant that
boosts brain function. However, almond milk is lower in protein than soy milk. For those with milk and soy allergies, almond milk is a perfect choice. • Rice milk. This milk alternative is made by blending together cooked rice with water and then adding enzymes to convert starches to sugars. Since rice is considered hypoallergenic, like almond milk, rice milk is a safe bet for those with food sensitivities to dairy, nuts, or soy. Just like the other nondairy alternatives, rice milk is now often fortified with calcium and vitamin D to help maintain strong bones. Rice milk’s sweet taste and smooth texture make it a popular nondairy option for coffee, smoothies, and desserts. • Cashew milk. Cashew milk is fortified with calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, and zinc. However, evidence remains inconclusive as to how well the body absorbs vitamins and minerals added to dairy-free milks. • Coconut milk. Coconut milk is made actually made from coconut liquid squeezed from grated coconut flesh. The unique medium-chain-fatty acids (MCFAs) found in coconut milk are thought to increase metabolism. Coconut milk is also high in potassium. It is very popular in the tropical islands and adds a taste of the tropics to oatmeal, soups, smoothies, and pancakes. While these plant-based milks do have a lot to offer, they are not nutritionally equivalent to dairy milk, especially in terms of protein (except soy milk), but they’re often fortified with certain nutrients to make them comparable. Cow’s milk is still the
best bang for your buck in terms of nutrients.
Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. Her Dietetic Internship was
completed under Brooklyn College primarily in Ditmas Park Care Center and Boro Park Center where she developed clinical and education skills to treat patients with comprehensive nutrition care. She is currently a dietitian at Boro Park Center and a private nutrition consultant. She can be reached at Cindy Weinberger1@gmail.com.
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
In The K
tchen
By Naomi Nachman
Crumbled Cauliflower with Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce
EX G CL RE U AT SI VE W E Q DD UA IN LI G TY G FA IFT BR ! IC S!
Last Sunday night for dinner I was at a loss what to do for a side dish. I didn’t want to run out again and buy anything else. My daughter suggested that we try the B’gan breaded cauliflower I had bought and put in the freezer earlier that week. B’gan makes these amazing frozen breaded cauliflower florets. All you have to do is heat them up and serve them. They were delicious and took almost no effort to prepare. We were hosting my friend, Shoni Nagel from Australia, and she came up with this fabulous sauce to go with the cauliflower.
Ingredients 24 oz. bag frozen B’gan Cauliflower, cooked according to package ¾ cup duck sauce 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon garlic chili sauce
Preparation Place cooked cauliflower in a serving bowl. Mix sauce ingredients in another small bowl. Pour sauce over warm cauliflower and serve immediately.
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Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home
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OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
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The Dawn of Trump The Key Players in the New Administration
T
he Cabinet. It’s a part of American life that dates back to our first U.S. President George Washington. Washington would call meetings with his Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of War, and the Attorney General to advise him on issues. The term “Cabinet” dates back to James Madison, who described these meetings as the “president’s Cabinet” – and the rest, as they say, is history. The U.S. Constitution has several provisions that refer to “principal officers” of the “executive departments.” Indeed, the Constitution, in Article II, Section 2, authorizes the president to “appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls […].” In addition, the president “may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices[.]” Taken together, these provisions give the president the necessary authority to appoint executive department officials and partake of their advice on important policy matters.
The president’s Cabinet traditionally includes the vice president and the heads of 15 executive departments: Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice (the Attorney General), Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs. Other officials also hold Cabinet-rank, including the White House Chief of Staff, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, and the U.S. Trade Representative. Once confirmed, Cabinet officials are called by the title “Secretary.” The one exception is the attorney general, who is called by that title and leads the Department of Justice. The Cabinet members meet weekly with the president to advise him and inform him of matters related to their position and expertise.
They are also vital to the order of presidential succession provided something happens to the commander-in-chief. Who can the president appoint to these positions? Well, it seems he can choose whomever he desires, provided they are not a member of Congress at the time. Although Cabinet members are nominated by the president – or president-elect – they need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a majority vote. Throughout the years there has been a healthy back-and-forth between the executive and legislative branches when it comes to Cabinet nominations. 2017 is no exception. Friday’s inauguration will bring Donald Trump into the Oval Office but many of his Cabinet appointees will be swinging in the wind, waiting for their approvals by the Senate, which could take days and even weeks. In all likelihood there will be a few Cabinet picks that will be confirmed by the Senate by Friday. Republicans are hoping that retired General James Mattis will be confirmed defense secretary, retired General John Kelly as home-
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land security secretary, and Representative Mike Pompeo as CIA director. It’s possible that Elaine Chao, the nominee for transportation secretary, will also win Senate approval on Friday. So could Ben Carson, Trump’s pick for housing secretary, though he is considered less likely to get a Friday vote. None of the five have generated significant opposition from Democrats, and all of them more or less sailed through their confirmation hearings last week. If Senate approval is stamped and sealed, Donald Trump – who by then will be the 45th president of the United States – will swear them into his Cabinet on Friday.
The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
J
anuary 20, 2017 will herald a new era into the United States, with Donald Trump at the helm. There is no doubt that a Trump presidency will be very different than any of the previous administrations. And Trump has a lot on his plate. In terms of foreign policy, the Middle East is in flames, ISIS is still out of control, North Korea has been acting belligerent, Russia has been aggressive and hostile towards the U.S., China is feeling threatened, and some countries to our south have been wrestling with failing economies. And that’s only some of the international battles that he’ll have to face. Within the U.S., the 2016
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elections have left some very deep scars that are not close to healing. People are still hurting for jobs, fearful for their health insurance coverage, and terrorism still threatens our shores. Donald Trump has never held political office and before his run for presidency was most known for his role in “The Apprentice.” But he was able to rally Americans for his cause and swept into the White House, knocking down a baffled Hillary Clinton in his wake. Who has he chosen to advise, inform and help form policies? Here are the top people who President-elect Donald Trump has nominated to comprise his presidential Cabinet.
much more information before reaching a conclusion.” If Rubio blocks Tillerson, it could be enough to stall Tillerson’s confirmation. During the hearings this week, Tillerson was grilled about many things. Among them, the TPP (“I do not oppose [it]”), he called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine an “illegal action,” and admitted that “the risk of climate change does exist.” Trump has said in the past that climate change is a “hoax.” Tillerson also said that the U.S. needs to have a tougher line on Moscow: “Russia must know that we will be accountable to our commitments and those of our allies, and that Russia must be held to account for its actions.” He also said that the Iran nuclear deal necessitates a “full review.” Interestingly, Tillerson admitted that he has only spoken to Trump about world affairs in general terms and that they have “not yet” spoken about Russian policy.
››››››››› Will He Be Confirmed?
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Rex Tillerson
Unclear.
Some Republicans are not completely happy with Trump’s pick for secretary of state, although he benefits from the support of the Republican leadership and endorsements from Condoleezza Rice, Robert Gates and James Baker.
Who He Is Tillerson is an oilman. He has been the CEO of Exxon Mobil since 2006 and has been with the company since 1975. Talk about staying-power. This is the only company Tillerson has ever worked for; he started at Exxon right after college. The 64-year-old is also an Eagle Scout who served as a past president of the Boy Scouts of America. He has no government experience.
In Trump’s Words “The thing I like best about Rex Tillerson is that he has vast experience at dealing successfully with all types of foreign governments,” Trump tweeted. Tillerson is experienced with making deals – many of them with some of the governments he’ll be interacting with as secretary of state. Road to Confirmation Trump may appreciate that Tillerson has been dealing with many foreign countries, but others see that as an undesirable trait. In 2012, Putin awarded him the “Order of Friendship” – a high honor in the Kremlin, but Russia is not necessarily on America’s list of “besties” at the moment. In fact, during his hearing this week, Tillerson was asked if he would call Putin a war criminal. “I would not use that term,” Tillerson answered Republican Marco Rubio. “Those are very, very serious charges to make, and I would want to have
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Steven Mnuchin
Who He Is Mnuchin is a former senior executive at Goldman Sachs and a hedge fund manager who bought the failed mortgage lender IndyMac from the gov-
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ernment in 2009. He spun it off into OneWest and sold it for a huge profit five years later. The 54-year-old is also a Hollywood producer whose credits include Avatar, American Sniper, and the X-Men movies. He has three children and has no government experience.
How Do You Pronounce His Name? Ma-nu-chin
Why Trump Likes Him Well, he’s a successful businessman. Trump also rewards loyalty. Mnuchin jumped on the Trump train early on and joined the campaign as national finance chairman back in April, just as Trump was shifting from relying on his own funds to setting up a more traditional fundraising apparatus. Mnuchin made clear early on he wanted the Treasury job – and Trump heard him loud and clear.
Interesting Fact If confirmed, Mnuchin, who is Jewish, will be taking over for Secretary of State Jack Lew, who is also Jewish.
››››››››› Will He Be Confirmed?
Probably.
Some will see Mnuchin as a symbol of Wall Street and all its demerits. After all, didn’t Trump rail against Hillary Clinton and her speeches at Goldman Sachs while on the campaign trail? Democrats will see the foreclosures that came about from the Indymac saga as a long trail of tears. But even so, Mnuchin will probably win over Senate Republicans and will be confirmed in the next week or so.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
General James Mattis
Who He Is Mattis is a four-star Marine Corps general who led U.S. Central Command from 2010 to 2013. He commanded forces in both the Afghanistan and Iraq wars after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Mattis also worked with General David Petraeus to produce the field manual on battling counterinsurgents in Iraq. The 66-year-old has 44 years of experience in the military.
Nicknames Mad Dog; The Warrior Monk
In Trump’s Words “We are going to appoint ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis as our Secretary of Defense,” Trump said at
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a rally in Cincinnati, Ohio, two months ago. “But we’re not announcing it till Monday so don’t tell anybody. Mad dog. He’s great. He is great.” Mattis is known as a straight-shooter and a voracious reader, and Trump has gushed that he is “the closest thing to George Patton that we have.” Mattis’s blunt talk has sometimes verged on the edge of political correctness, something that Trump may find endearing. He told The New York Times that he was “impressed” when Mattis pointedly told him that torture does not work, though it did not change the president-elect’s support for the practice. Straight Talk Mattis has famously told Marines under his command, “Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.” He has also said, “I don’t lose any sleep at night over the potential for failure. I cannot even spell the word.” In that same vein, he has said: “Marines don’t know how to spell the word defeat.” Mattis has stressed that Marines need to use their brains in the battlefield. “You are part of the world’s most feared and trusted force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon.” Echoing that sentiment, he has said, “The most important 6 inches on the battlefield is between your ears.” In April, Mattis said in remarks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank, “The Iranian regime, in my mind, is the single most enduring threat to stability and peace in the Middle East.” He added, “Among all the issues facing us in the Middle East, I think Iran is actually foremost. And yet at the same time, it appears here in Washington that we’ve forgotten how to keep certain issues foremost.” Back in February of 2005, comments he made about using force against the Taliban in Afghanistan generated some controversy. “You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn’t wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain’t got no manhood left anyway,” said Mattis. “So it’s … a lot of fun to shoot them. Actually, it’s a lot of fun to fight. … I’ll be right up front with you — I like brawling.” He later admitted that he should have chosen his words more carefully. At his Senate hearing last week, Mattis also had some sharp words. “Senator, I assure you that nickname was given to me by the press and some you have experienced similar occasions with the press where they perhaps they didn’t get it quite right,” he quipped, referring to his “Mad Dog” nickname. He also said at the hearing, “America has two fundamental powers. One is the power of intimidation. I was part of it and America will defend herself and our idea, this experiment that we call America. And that’s all it is, is an experiment in democracy. But the other power I think that perhaps we have used less in recent years, last 20 years maybe, is the power of inspiration. And I think that the power of inspiration of America at times has got to be employed just as strongly.”
››››››››› Will He Be Confirmed?
Yes.
Mattis glided through confirmation hearings last Thursday. The Senate then passed the waiver he needs in order to be confirmed; the House passed it on Friday. Mattis, who retired in 2013, needs the waiver to bypass a law that says Defense secretaries need to be out of uniform for at least seven years. Trump is hoping to swear Mattis in on Friday, January 20.
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the very same Senate Judiciary Committee he now sits on. “I am not a racist. I am not insensitive to blacks.” Some have criticized his staunchly conservative two-decades of experience in the Senate. Sessions has opposed nearly every immigration bill that has come before the Senate in the past two decades that has included a path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally. During his hearing, Sessions said he would oppose a ban on Muslim immigration and that waterboarding is “improper and illegal,” both of which Trump has supported over the course of the election. Sessions also said he would recuse himself in a criminal investigation of Hillary Clinton into the handling of her emails, saying that political issues cannot be involved with criminal justice.
››››››››› Will He Be Confirmed?
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Senator Jeff Sessions
Probably.
With Republicans generally behind him, Sessions will in all probability be confirmed. With this likelihood, The Washington Post listed Sessions as a “top five power player in the country” in an analysis written by Alabama Republican consultant Brett Buchanan.
Who He Is Sessions has represented Alabama in the Senate for 20 years, building up a record as a staunch critic of illegal immigration and expanded legal immigration. He’s been a conservative all around, opposing the Obama administration at nearly every turn. Before his election to the Senate, Sessions served as a federal prosecutor and then Alabama attorney general. He might have had a lifetime appointment to the federal bench had the Senate not rejected his nomination in 1987 over allegations that he made racist comments and praised the KKK while criticizing the NAACP and the ACLU. The 70-year-old has served in the U.S. Senate since 1997 and has held public office in Alabama beginning in 1981.
In Trump’s Words “The president-elect has been unbelievably impressed with Senator Sessions and his phenomenal record as Alabama’s attorney general and U.S. attorney,” a Trump transition statement released recently read. “It is no wonder the people of Alabama re-elected him without opposition.” Once again, Trump is awarding loyalty. Sessions was the first senator to endorse Trump and has been a close advisor ever since. His aides as well have garnered top positions in the Trump transition team. He and Trump are on the same page when it comes to immigration reform and citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Blast From The Past Sessions’ problems back in the 1980s came back to haunt him this time around. At his 1986 hearing before the Senate, Adam Serwer wrote for The Atlantic, “witnesses testified that Sessions referred to a black attorney as ‘boy,’ described the Voting Rights Act as ‘intrusive,’ attacked the NAACP and ACLU as ‘un-American’ for ‘forcing civil rights down the throats of people,’ joked that he thought the Ku Klux Klan was ok until he found out they smoked marijuana, and referred to a white attorney who took on voting-rights cases as a ‘traitor to his race.’” In his defense, in 1986 Sessions said, “I am not the Jeff Sessions my detractors have tried to create,” he told
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Retired General John Kelly
Who He Is Like Mattis, Kelly is a veteran of more than 40 years in the Marine Corps, having served as commander of the U.S. Southern Command for the final three ending in January. The jurisdiction included South and Central America, as well as the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Kelly also has the sad distinction of being the highest-ranking military officer to lose a child in Iraq or Afghanistan. His son, Lt. Robert Michael Kelly, was killed after stepping on a landmine in Afghanistan in 2010.
In Trump’s Words “He is the right person to spearhead the urgent mission of stopping illegal immigration and securing our borders, streamlining TSA and improving coordination between our intelligence and law enforcement agencies,” Trump said in a statement after nominating Kelly to the position. “With Gen. Kelly at the helm of DHS, the American people will have a leader
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committed to our safety as well as one who will work hand-in-hand with America’s rankand-file TSA, ICE and Border Patrol officers.” Kelly has knowledge about border security and the challenges of illegal immigration from Mexico and Central America. He has warned about the danger of terrorists using known drug smuggling routes to send operatives to the United States through Mexico, which was a theme for Trump on the campaign trail.
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than anyone else in Trump’s Cabinet. Before that, she directed the Peace Corps and led United Way. During the first Bush administration, Chao also served as a deputy secretary in the department she is poised to lead.
Did You Know? Chao was born in Taiwan and moved with her family to the U.S. when she was eight. She is married to Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader and a man who will hold wide sway over whether Trump’s agenda makes it into law.
››››››››› Will She Be Confirmed?
For sure.
She has government experience and the perfect qualifications for the post. Even Vice President Joe Biden has praised Chao. Republican Senator John Thune called her “an ideal” candidate during her three-hour hearing last week.
Tough Talk Kelly is known for being blunt. In a 2013 speech, he said of terrorists: “I don’t know why they hate us, and I frankly don’t care.” He has warned about the threats that face us from Central and South America. “Unless confronted by an immediate, visible or uncomfortable crisis, our nation’s tendency is to take the security of the Western Hemisphere for granted. I believe this is a mistake,” he once said. In an interview with Military Times, Kelly asserted, “There are no innocent men down there,” referring to prisoners in Guantanamo Bay.
››››››››› Will He Be Confirmed?
Yes.
Although Kelly faced scrutiny during his confirmation hearing last week, he seemed to have given the right answers. Waterboarding is a “line that we as Americans should” not cross. He said that for securing our borders, America would need more than a wall to provide adequate protection and he looks forward to partnering with some “great countries” to get the job done. He also said that he was not for the “mass collection of data” of Americans and would not see religion as the only factor in targeting terrorists. If anything, Democrats are relieved that Trump didn’t nominate Kris Kobach, the ultra-hawkish secretary of state of Kansas, or David Clarke Jr., the outspoken sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, for the position.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Representative Tom Price
Who He Is The deeply conservative, six-term Georgia congressman is chairman of the House Budget Committee, a leading critic of the Affordable Care Act, and an architect of Republican proposals to replace the health law. Before entering politics in the 1990s, Price was an orthopedist for 20 years in Atlanta. Price has been in Congress for 12 years and spent another eight in Georgia state Senate before that.
It’s Who You Know While Trump may not know Price personally, the congressman is a close ally of Vice President-elect Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan. Price will be instrumental in working with Republicans on Capitol Hill to devise and pass a replacement for Obamacare. In the meantime, Price’s experience in federal health policy could allow him to begin dismantling the Affordable Care Act from the inside at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Healthcare Central
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Elaine Chao Who She Is As labor secretary for the full two terms of the George W. Bush administration, Chao brings more civilian experience in the federal government
Price has been a vociferous critic of Obamacare. And that’s not going to haunt him. Medicare, though, will be the thorn in his side. The biggest obstacle to Price’s confirmation (hearings take place on January 18) is his support for Paul Ryan’s longstanding desire to convert Medicare into a voucher program. Democrats will do their best to make his confirmation hearings a referendum on this plan, particularly since Ryan has said he wants to try to pass it at some point during Trump’s first term. On Sunday, Senator Charles Schumer, the leader of the Democratic minority in the Senate, called on the Office of Congressional Ethics to investi-
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gate whether Price had violated the 2012 Stock Act, a law designed to combat insider trading, when he purchased between $1,001 and $15,000 worth of shares last March in Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc., a medical device manufacturer.
››››››››› Will He Be Confirmed?
Probably.
Price’s ideological conservatism and his support for overhauling healthcare entitlement programs mean that he won’t find favor with Democrats. There are three Republican senators to watch when it comes to Price’s confirmation: Susan Collins of Maine, Dean Heller of Nevada, and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia. Price, though, is well-liked and has made friends in his many years in Congress.
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morning before a debate after controversy over a video surfaced during the campaign. There’s A Doctor In The House Carson may be a brilliant surgeon, but he has never held a government position nor run a federal agency. “During his time in Baltimore, Dr. Ben Carson was a phenomenal neurosurgeon, but he has no experience developing housing policy affecting tens of millions of households or running a complex federal agency, as his own spokesman admitted just last month,” Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings said after Carson was nominated. Carson himself admitted being green when he declined Trump’s offer to serve in the administration back in November because of his lack of experience.
››››››››› Will He Be Confirmed?
Probably.
His hearing last Thursday took less than three hours. Despite assertions that he lacks experience, Democrats didn’t seem to pounce on that trait. “There was a concern that you’re not a housing expert,” said Republican Sen. Mike Rounds. But “it seems to me that running this department is not exactly brain surgery.” It was pointed out that Carson seemed to contradict previous statements that he made and was told “I think you understand you’ll be held to the ideas you’ve expressed today, not ones necessarily you may have written about or talked about in a presidential race” by Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. Carson said that he thinks that a holistic approach is needed to overhaul the agency. “One of the things that I discovered as a neurosurgeon, you’re much more effective when you bring in a bigger-picture view of things. Instead of looking at a tumor someone has in their brain, [consider] ... how can you bring health to this entire individual … and put them in an environment where they can thrive.” He added, “That’s the same here,” mentioning that he would place more clinics in low-income neighborhoods to save residents high out-of-pocket emergency room visits.
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Dr. Ben Carson
Who He Is We were introduced to the slow-talking neurosurgeon a year ago when the Republican primaries absorbed all our free time. The conservative former Trump rival for the Republican presidential nomination has no formal experience in housing policy. He’s a retired neurosurgeon renowned for pioneering a procedure to separate conjoined twins. But what Carson would bring to HUD is the personal experience of having grown up poor in Detroit. The 65-year-old has written and spoken extensively about his upbringing, saying that his hard work and passion for reading, along with the firm encouragement of his single mother, helped him to escape the poverty of the inner city.
In Trump’s Words “Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities,” Trump said in December. Despite these accolades, Trump also called Carson “super low energy” during the primary season along with other names. But Carson is loyal. After dropping out of the race, Carson stayed with the Donald through the ups and downs, famously saying that Trump “prayed” the
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Former Texas Governor Rick Perry Who He Is This is not the first we’ve heard of the former governor. Perry served three-and-a-half terms as the governor of Texas, succeeding George W. Bush after he became president. He then ran for president twice, failing to win the Republican nomination in 2012 and then again in 2016. Perry also had a short stint as lieutenant governor and was Texas agriculture commissioner for eight years. His experience in energy-rich Texas would, on the surface, seem to make him a natural fit, but the Energy Department is actually more of a national security agency that’s responsible for designing and protecting the nation’s stockpile of nuclear weapons. The last two energy secretaries were award-winning scientists.
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Famous Word
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“Oops!” During a Republican primary debate in 2011, Perry named three departments that he would eliminate if he was elected president: Commerce, Education, and “Oops!” The third department that Perry couldn’t name was the Department of Energy, the very department that he is nominated to lead.
for Children, that pushes for increased school choice for parents. The New York Times reported on her successful effort to kill legislation in Detroit that would have imposed tougher accountability standards on charter schools. She has never worked in education and she sends her children to private schools.
Fancy Footwork
The Controversy
Perry joined the cast of “Dancing with the Stars” in November, and although he did not win, we now know that he is quick on his feet.
Teacher unions will aggressively oppose DeVos over her support for unfettered and largely unregulated expansion of charter schools and vouchers. That likely won’t matter much to Republicans, but it will hurt her chances of winning broad bipartisan support. Conservatives who favor reduced federal power over education will question her previous support for Common Core standards and her affiliation with organizations that have championed Common Core. Anticipating that issue, DeVos has said that while she supports “high standards and strong accountability” for schools, Common Core “got turned into a federalized boondoggle.” DeVos has said that if confirmed, she will be a “strong advocate for great public schools.” But when public schools are “troubled, or unsafe, or not a good fit for a child,” she said, parents should have a “right to enroll their child in a high quality alternative.” “I share President-elect Trump’s view that it’s time to shift the debate from what the system thinks is best for kids to what moms and dads want, expect and deserve,” she said.
In Trump’s Words “My administration is going to make sure we take advantage of our huge natural resource deposits to make America energy independent and create vast new wealth for our nation, and Rick Perry is going to do an amazing job as the leader of that process,” Trump said in December. Perry actually confronted Trump in the early part of the 2016 race and gave an entire speech in July 2015 calling Trump “a cancer on conservatism.” But Perry eventually dropped out of the primaries and then campaigned for Trump once Trump clinched the nomination. ››››››››› Will He Be Confirmed?
We think so.
Barring a truly embarrassing moment that will haunt him throughout his political years, Perry will probably win strong support from Republicans and even some red-state Democrats. His hearing is scheduled for January 19 before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
››››››››› Will She Be Confirmed?
Very likely.
Key Republicans have already come out in support of DeVos, including the chairman of the relevant committee in the Senate, Lamar Alexander. Most Democrats will likely oppose the pick, but barring a controversy that erupts during her confirmation hearings, she should win approval. She also needs to have an ethics review before taking the post. That could take a while because DeVos and her husband have myriad investments with as many as 250 companies located at the same address.
AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS
Governor Nikki Haley DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Betsy DeVos Who She Is DeVos is a longtime philanthropist and Republican donor and the former chairwoman of the state party in Michigan. She’s been a major advocate for education reform centered on expanding charter schools and private-school vouchers. DeVos led the advocacy group, American Federation
Who She Is Haley has been considered a rising Republican star ever since she won election as governor of South Carolina in 2010. She gave her highly sought-after endorsement to Marco Rubio in the GOP presidential primary last year, and she was seen as a likely vice presidential pick if Rubio had won the nomination. But Rubio didn’t, and Trump’s early selection of Haley as his nominee for U.N. ambassador was a bit of a surprise. She has no formal foreign policy experience, but her background as the conservative daughter of Indian immigrants undoubtedly appealed to Trump. Haley was a state legislator for six
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years prior to being governor of South Carolina.
Interesting Fact Haley will turn 45 on January 20, inauguration day.
››››››››› Will She Be Confirmed?
For sure.
Despite her lack of foreign policy experience, Democrats have signaled they will not put up much of a fight over her nomination. Haley is considered well within the mainstream of the modern Republican Party, and Democrats are likely to use her confirmation hearings to press her on whether or not she will fight inside the Trump administration for sustained U.S. funding for the U.N. and an internationalist foreign policy. Her hearing is scheduled for January 18 before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In her opening remarks, she is expected to criticize the U.N. for its treatment of Israel. “Are we getting what we pay for?” she asks in her opening statement. Israel is the only international issue she focuses on at the beginning of her hearing. She said a December U.N. Security Council resolution that calls on Israel to stop settlement construction in Palestinian areas “damaging” and a reflection of the U.N.’s “long-history of anti-Israel bias.” That resolution passed when the U.S. abstained from voting.
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that faith.” He continued, “Instead of responding, silence has made these Islamic leaders across America potentially complicit in these acts and more importantly still, in those that may well follow.” He has opposed closing Guantanamo Bay and said of prisoners he observed while at the camp who claimed that they were on a hunger strike: “It looked to me like a lot of them had put on weight.” Pompeo has criticized the Obama administration’s decision to end the CIA’s secret prisons (so-called “black sites”) and the administration’s requirement that all interrogators adhere to anti-torture laws. Back in 2012 Pompeo spoke about cyber-spies. “Perhaps the most significant, dangerous activity in cyberspace [is digital espionage]. Cyber-spies lay in wait for years in order to eventually steal precious military and economic secrets. Unfortunately, some civil liberties and privacy advocates claim that liability protection in [the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act] with respect to the use of cybersecurity systems could lead to broader activities than authorized. This legislation doesn’t do that.” In his hearing last week, Pompeo asserted, “We have an awful lot of work to do [in terms of cybersecurity]. There is no reason to expect this threat is going to diminish. And that will take a whole of government effort to do that, shared by the executive branch and legislative branch.” In 2014, he addressed Islamic terrorism. “My generation was the tail end of the Cold War,” Pompeo said during a visit to Kansas State, where he discussed the battle against the Islamic State. He added: “Before that, you had Nazism. This will ultimately be this generation’s fight, this battle where radical Islam continues to want to take on the West in fundamental ways, in the same way these other ideologies wanted to do before. I think we’re going to be at this for a while. We ought to be vigorous and thoughtful and effective in the way we respond.”
››››››››› Will He Be Confirmed?
Yes.
His hearing went smoothly enough, although the lights went out in the room during opening statements and the group had to meet in another room. He told senators, “I understand full well that my job, if confirmed, will be to change roles from policymaker to information provider,” Pompeo said. He praised the CIA as “the world’s leading intelligence collection agency” and singled out its agents as “patriots” and “warriors.” Known for his blunt, straight talk, Pompeo summed up the CIA’s job, “The Central Intelligence Agency has a mission – and it’s to steal secrets.”
CIA DIRECTOR
Rep. Mike Pompeo Who He Is Pompeo has been representing Kansas in the House since 2011. The 53-year-old is a member of the Tea Party movement and was a Kansas representative on the Republican National Committee. He graduated top in his class at West Point and received his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
His Views Pompeo supports the NSA’s surveillance programs and says the agency’s efforts are “good and important work.” He has been outspoken for his disdain for Edward Snowden, saying that he should be brought back from Russia and given “due process.” He has also not been quiet about his belief that there exists side agreements between Iran and IAEA on procedures for inspection into Iran’s nuclear deal. In November he tweeted that he is “looking forward to rolling back this disastrous deal with the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism.” In a 2013 speech on the House floor, Pompeo said Muslim leaders who fail to denounce acts of terrorism done in the name of Islam are “potentially complicit” in the attacks. After the Boston Marathon bombing, Pompeo said, “When the most devastating terrorist attacks on America in the last 20 years come overwhelmingly from people of a single faith, and are performed in the name of that faith, a special obligation falls on those that are the leaders of
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR
Ret. General Michael Flynn Who He Is Flynn is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general. He was also the director
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›››››››››Will WillHe HeBe BeConfirmed? Confirmed? ›››››››››
Flynnwill willnot notneed needSenate Senateconfirmation confirmationbefore beforetaking takinghis hispost. post. Flynn
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Notable Quotes “Say What?!”
“Fake news” as a term is busted. It was like the first time you heard your dad say “fo shizzle” and immediately thought, “Well, that’s over.” - Seth Meyers
In light of the votes at the UN and the Kerry speech and everything else, there’s this major uproar with having him part of the club, and a significant portion of the club has opposed offering him membership. – A member of the exclusive Woodmont Country Club in Maryland, which has many Jewish members, explaining to the New York Post why President Obama, who was expected to get free membership, will likely now be rejected from the club
Let’s wait and see what happens. Don’t let’s jump ahead of ourselves… He won’t be worse than Obama, that’s all I dare say. Obama has left the world plagued by terrorism. In Latin America, he will be remembered for three coups. - Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, when asked about Trump, at a press conference
CNN is reporting that the Russians have disgusting and damaging information about Donald Trump. Apparently, the Russian report on Trump contains “everything we already know.” – Conan O’Brien
First I want to address my concerns about being made to testify at the end of the witness panels. To have a senator, a House member, and living civil rights legend testify at the end of all of this is the equivalent of being made to go to the back of the bus.
President Obama today awarded Vice President Joe Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom With Distinction, which is an honor only three other people have been given over the last 30 years. Then Biden gave Obama his highest honor, double finger guns with a wink. – Seth Myers
As you know I’m not on SnapFace and all those and I’m not too worried what they put on InstantChat. – New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick when asked about derogatory comments made about his team on Facebook by the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.) slamming the Senate Judiciary Committee for have three black members of Congress testify at the end of Sen. Jeff Sessions’ (R-Ala.) confirmation hearing for attorney general
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For those of you so quick to jump to conclusions, we had a death in the family and the funeral was yesterday. Absolutely nothing political. - Tweet by Cubs pitcher John Lester after he was noticeably absent when the Cubs visited the White House this week
I don’t see this president-elect as a legitimate president. I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected. And they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. - Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), on Meet the Press
I don’t plan to attend the inauguration. It will be the first one that I miss since I’ve been in Congress. – Ibid., who conveniently “forgot” that he also boycotted George W. Bush’s inauguration
Congressman John Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to...... mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results. All talk, talk, talk - no action or results. Sad! - Tweet by Trump in response to Rep. Lewis’ statements
After past accusations of racism, attorney general nominee Senator Jeff Sessions said today, “I abhor the Klan and its hateful ideology,” though he refused to answer the follow-up question, “Ku Klux or Wu Tang?” - Seth Myers
Don’t be rude…No, I’m not gonna give you a question. I’m not gonna give you a question. You are fake news. – President-elect Trump’s response to CNN’s Jim Acosta repeatedly trying to ask a question at last week’s press conference
John Lewis said about my inauguration, “It will be the first one that I’ve missed.” WRONG (or lie)! …He boycotted Bush 43 also because he “thought it would be hypocritical to attend Bush’s swearing-in….he doesn’t believe Bush is the true elected president.” Sound familiar!
Jared is such a good lad, he will secure an Israel deal which no one else has managed to get. You know, he’s a natural talent, he is the top, he is a natural talent. You know what I’m talking about—a natural talent. He has an innate ability to make deals, everyone likes him.
– Ibid.
- Trump in a joint interview with The Times of London and the German newspaper Bild
I do appreciate him being a civil rights icon, but I would also say that that doesn’t make us immune from criticism or debate… John Lewis is a partisan. I have a great deal of respect for him, but he’s a partisan and I disagree with him on issues. I should be able to honestly disagree with him and not have it all come back to I have no appreciation for a civil rights icon because of this. – Sen. Rand Paul
President Obama gave his farewell address tonight in Chicago and thousands of people waited outside in freezing temperatures to get tickets. Now those people have a week to get over their pneumonia before they lose their health insurance. – Jimmy Fallon
It was a design flaw - An executive at the company that’s been selling boots with swastikas on its soles
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CNN reported that last Friday intelligence chiefs presented Trump with claims of Russian efforts to compromise him. I gotta say, that is an awkward first meeting with your new boss. “Hey, so, looking forward to working together, watercooler’s down the hall, we heard you’re a puppet of a hostile foreign government, Barbara validates parking any time you need it. Any questions?” – Stephen Colbert
The big story right now is the new report claiming that Russia has enough embarrassing material on Donald Trump to blackmail him. On the other hand, so does anyone who follows Trump on Twitter.
Everywhere around the world could look to Israel as an example of people who are determined to make something work. It’s fabulous. – Robert Kennedy’s daughter, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, in an interview with Israel’s Channel 1
[H]e wrote about the courage of the Israelis, and how they were determined to build a new country. After seeing such horror in Europe…they were going to build a country of courage and of democracy and of values. And…he realized, when he saw the Israelis, that the United States had a special relationship to this country and needed to make sure that that relationship stayed firm. And, as you know, in 1968, he was fighting for the 50 jets that would be given to the Israeli army, and he was killed because of his support [for Israel]. - Ibid., talking about her father’s love for Israel and how it may have cost him his life
– Jimmy Fallon
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Intelligence agencies should never have allowed this fake news to “leak” into the public. One last shot at me. Are we living in Nazi Germany? - Trump tweet about a fake intelligence report which was leaked about him
What I do find outrageous is equating the intelligence community with Nazi Germany. I do take great umbrage at that, and there is no basis for Mr. Trump to point fingers at the intelligence community for leaking information that was already available publicly.
Donald and Melania Trump are scheduled to ride with the Obamas to the Capitol on Inauguration Day. And you thought your Uber pool was uncomfortable.
- Outgoing CIA director John Brennan on “Fox News Sunday” responding to Trump
– Jimmy Fallon
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Political Crossfire
What Happened to the Honeymoon? By Charles Krauthammer
T
he shortest honeymoon on record is officially over. Normally, newly elected presidents enjoy a wave of goodwill that allows them to fly high at least through their first 100 days. Donald Trump has not yet been sworn in and the honeymoon has already come and gone. Presidents-elect usually lie low during the interregnum. Trump never lies low. He seized the actual presidency from Barack Obama within weeks of his election – cutting ostentatious deals with U.S. manufacturers to keep jobs at home, challenging 40-year-old China policy, getting into a very public fight with the intelligence agencies. By now he has taken over the presidential stage. It is true that we have only one president at a time, and for over a month it’s been Donald Trump. The result is quantifiable. A Quinnipiac poll from Nov. 17-20 – the quiet, hope-and-change phase – showed a decided bump in Trump’s popularity and in general national optimism. It didn’t last long. In the latest Quinnipiac poll, the numbers have essentially returned to Trump’s (historically dismal) pre-election levels. For several reasons. First, the refusal of an unbending left to accept the legitimacy of Trump’s victory. It’s not just the demonstrators chanting “not my president.” It is leading Democrats pushing one line after another to delegitimize the election, as in: he lost the popular vote, it’s James Comey’s fault, the Russians did it. Second, Trump’s own instincts
and inclinations, a thirst for attention that leads to hyperactivity. His need to dominate every news cycle feeds an almost compulsive tweet habit. It has placed him just about continuously at the center of the national conversation and not always to his benefit. Trump simply can’t resist playground pushback. His tweets gave Meryl Streep’s Golden Globes screed priceless publicity. His mocking Arnold Schwarzenegger for bad “Apprentice” ratings – compared with “the ratings machine, DJT” – made Trump look small and Arnold (almost) sympathetic. Nor is this behavior likely to change after the inauguration. It’s part of Trump’s character. Nothing negative goes unanswered because, for Trump, an unanswered slight has the air of concession or surrender. Finally, it’s his chronic indiscipline, his jumping randomly from one subject to another without rhyme, reason or larger strategy. In a week packed with confirmation hearings and Russian hacking allegations, what was he doing meeting with Robert Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist pushing the thoroughly discredited idea that vaccines cause autism? We know from way back during the Republican debates that Trump himself has dabbled in this dubious territory. One could, however, write it off as one of many campaign oddities that would surely fade away. Not so, apparently. This is not good. The idea that
vaccines cause autism originally arose in a 1998 paper in the medical journal The Lancet that was later found to be fraudulent and had to be retracted. Indeed, the lead researcher acted so egregiously that he was stripped of his medical license. Kennedy says that Trump asked him to chair a commission about vaccine safety. While denying that, the transition team does say that the commission idea remains open. Either way, the damage is done. The anti-vaccine fanatics seek any validation. This indirect endorsement from Trump is
and the near euphoria – overblown but nonetheless palpable – at the swearing-in of Barack Obama. Not since JFK had any new president enjoyed such genuine goodwill upon accession to office. And yet it turns out that such auspicious beginnings are not at all predictive. We could see it this same week. Tuesday night, there stood Obama giving a farewell address that only underscored the failure of a presidency so bathed in optimism at its start. The final speech, amazingly, could have been given, nearly unedited, in 2008. Why it even
It is true that we have only one president at a time, and for over a month it’s been Donald Trump.
immensely harmful. Vaccination has prevented more childhood suffering and death than any other measure in history. With so many issues pressing, why even go there? The vaccination issue was merely an exclamation point on the scatterbrained randomness of the Trump transition. All of which contributes to the harried, almost wearying feeling that we are already well into the Trump presidency. Compare this to eight years ago
ended with “yes we can.” Is there more powerful evidence of the emptiness of the intervening two terms? When your final statement is a reprise of your first, you have unwittingly confessed to being nothing more than a historical parenthesis. (c) 2017, The Washington Post Writers Group
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
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Forgotten Her es
The Culper Spy Ring By Avi Heiligman
Benjamin Tallmadge
I
n the gray area that it is the arena of spying it is thought by the outsider that a spy works alone. Rarely is that the case. The British used this to their advantage during WWII to set up the Double Cross System. Once a spy was captured in England he was told to cooperate or face a firing squad. Most chose the former and sent back fake messages to their German “handlers.” In many cases the British set up fake subagents and were feeding the German intelligence false information. One particular instance stood out when they had to “kill” off one the fake subagents to make the story even more plausible. Ironically, 160 years earlier this idea of a spy ring was used against the British in the American Revolutionary War. Finding out the plans of the British Army was the task of the Culper Spy Ring. As early as the summer of 1776 the British occupied New York City and were preparing for General George Washington to launch an attack. After a series of engagements, the British under General Howe forced the Continental Army to retreat to New Jersey. Washington badly needed information on the British movements in New York and, after a few failed attempts to use soldiers, he turned to civilians. Nathaniel Sackett was selected; his contact in the army was Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Tallmadge. This set the stage for an entire spy ring to be created.
Code names weren’t used extensively until the 20th century so the fact that the name Samuel Culper was used for multiple people had its intended effect of confusing the British. The main spies in the network were Abraham Woodhull, aka Samuel Culper Sr., and Robert Townsend, aka Samuel Culper Jr. In total, about twenty individuals made up the Culper Spy Ring. To keep it as secret as possible George Washington himself did not know the identities of the spies. The exceptions were the men in the army, and Tallmadge used the code name John Bolton (not to be confused with the future American ambassador to the UN) for himself. A system was set up to get the information from the spies to Washington’s camp in upstate New York, and in 1779 this was changed to express riders hand-delivering the reports. The practices they used were very similar to the ones used by spies during WWII and the Cold War. Dead drops, codes, and invisible ink were among the bag of tricks employed by the spy ring which was impressive considering the time in history. Abraham Woodhull’s spying career was almost over before it started. In October 1778 he was poking around the British defenses in New York on one of his earliest missions. He ran into a camp of Americans fighting for the British called Loyalists and before he knew it they
had him detained. Thankfully, his answers to why he was in the area proved to be satisfactory and he was released. However, he was shaken by the incident and later wrote: “I received their threats for coming there that made me almost tremble knowing my situation and business.” If his true identity had been discovered he would have been hanged. To appear loyal to the king, Woodhull took an oath of allegiance and ran a boarding house in Manhattan for British soldiers. Gleaning information by posing as an inquisitive farmer he sent back reports on British and Loyalist numbers and movements. One report was seven pages long and detailed British naval strength, supply problems, number of total troops in New York, possible reinforcements, and other intelligence with military importance. During the British occupation of New York the British top spy, Major Andre, visited Benedict Arnold several times which indicated that Arnold was going to surrender West Point without a fight. Soon the Americans found out about it through the spy ring and the rest is history. There were other traitors in the Continental Army that were exposed by Townsend and other members of the ring. Irish-born Hercules Mulligan became a legend in his role in the Culper Ring. Working as a subagent and using his slave Cato as a cou-
rier, Mulligan used his profession to his advantage. As the best tailor in the area British soldiers and officers would send their clothes to him for cleaning and upkeep. If they all needed their clothes back by a certain date he would deduce that this was when they would be on the move, and he would send a message to General Washington. Sometimes the British would let their guard down and let Mulligan in on some of the British plans. One time an officer told him that he was planning to kidnap Washington the very next day. Thanks to this information Mulligan prevented the capture of our first future president. In 1781 Mulligan’s older brother Hugh was in charge of getting boats ready to intercept Washington off the coast of Connecticut. Once again Hercules saved the day and the American convoy was rerouted. Mulligan was arrested by traitor Benedict Arnold but was soon released because there was no hard evidence implicating him as a spy. Perhaps the most secret and valuable agent in the ring was Robert Townsend. Very few knew the real identity of Samuel Culper Jr. and he wanted to keep it that way. Among the many dispatches of letters indicating the next moves of the British Army came the information that the British wanted to flood the American economy with counterfeit money. In his letter Townsend Continued on page 112
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Part of the Culper code book
wrote that the British had acquired “several reams of paper made for the last emission struck by Congress.” This meant that there would be no way to distinguish the real from the fake. With Townsend’s information Congress recalled all of the American money at great expense and reissued new bills. In his last report Townsend wrote that the Brit-
Abraham Woodhull and Caleb Brewster at Devil’s Rock
ish were preparing to evacuate New York for good to the dismay of every Loyalist. The very dangerous work of the Culper Spy Ring is legendary today among CIA and other operatives worldwide. Using tactics and techniques ages before they became popular the spy ring proved to be a major asset for General Washing-
A depiction of Agent 355
ton’s army. Only years later, in the 1930s, were the identities of the Culpers known when handwriting examples were matched. But still, there are many things we may never know. For example, the only known fact from Agent 355’s life was that she was a female. Secrecy was paramount and the British never knew that the Americans owed their suc-
cess to a handful of brave civilians and soldiers in plainclothes.
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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Studying Sm
rt
Law and Order Assessing the State of Law Schools in 2017 By Chaim Homnick
L
aw, alongside medicine, has long been considered a promising career option for perspicacious, articulate college students. However, the well-documented struggles of law graduates in the last 5-10 years has led many to reconsider whether law is a viable career option. Here then is an analysis of the current state of law school and the job prospects for law school graduates as we enter 2017.
economy as large corporations look to cut costs and often seek ways to lower their legal bills. Consequently, a brutal cycle has ensued. A surplus of graduates relative to available law jobs resulted in too many new lawyers. That, paired with rising tuition, scared off more potential law students which cut down the number of applicants and incoming students. That killed profit margins and caused major losses for many schools which led to higher tuition but there are still too many law graduates each year. Ironically, this is likely the best time in decades for a student to apply to law school and get in; the issue is that it is a horrific time to graduate from one. There are two new lawyers each year for every one job opening. In fact, things have gotten so bad that several law schools have been sued in class action lawsuits by their own graduates. These suits allege that students were misled during the admissions process and that figures like the percentage of students employed after graduation were grossly exaggerated.
NEW OPTIONS
BACKGROUND Law school admission numbers have been dropping precipitously for a decade. In 2004, 100,000 prospective students applied to law school. Now, only 50,000 students apply annually. The number of yearly LSAT test takers has demonstrated the new reality as well; a record 170,000 students took the LSAT in 2009 yet only 100,000 took it last year.
THE PROBLEMS The key issues are rising law school tuitions (and thus debt) and diminishing job prospects. Law schools have become increasingly more expensive over the years. Additionally, the legal job market has stagnated along with the
Law schools have had to get creative in their attempts to woo students to both the profession in general and to their school in particular. Not every school can be Harvard Law with a seemingly limitless pool of eager applicants and an endowment fund worth $1.7 billion. To remain competitive, mid-tier and low-level schools are pursuing innovative methods to bolster recruitment. Numerous schools have reduced their JD programs’ length to 24 months (the shortest the American Bar Association allows). Pace Law School in New York determines tuition for out-of-state students based on what their own in-state tuition prices would be if they stayed closer to home. For many other law schools, the solutions have been to increase tuition breaks or simply lower LSAT standards or both. Even Harvard and NYU have adjusted with the new reality and offer a joint JD/MBA program that is intended to appeal to students who hope the interdisciplinary degree improves their job prospects after graduating. Other schools are offering similar joint degree programs. Continued on page 116
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WHO SHOULD GO TO LAW SCHOOL Law school can still be a worthwhile option. However, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to justify accumulating mountains of debt for mediocre schools. The average law student graduates with $140,000 in debt, nearly double the amount of debt students averaged 10 years ago. Students are best served either attending a top tier law school that is still a feeder to top firms or attending the best school they can with a scholarship so they can be debt-free or close to it upon graduating. Attending a top law school can still be a lucrative decision. There are still numerous top firms offering first-year compensation packages that exceed $150,000. Of course, such jobs often come with intense hours and expectations. Jobs at the other end of the spectrum (low pay, feelgood jobs, public service law positions, and smaller firms with better hours) generally will only work for students who have managed to avoid incurring overwhelming debt for school.
and cheaper option. A Dean at the University of Michigan explained that the media outcry about the state of law school admissions has actually helped in this regard: “The media has had a function in making people realize law is not just a risk-free pass. You have to want to do it.” That passion is crucial nowadays as many students don’t luck into their dream position right out of law school.
Not every school can be Harvard Law with a seemingly limitless pool of eager applicants and an endowment fund worth $1.7 billion.
WHO SHOULD RECONSIDER Now that law school is not the slam dunk career move that it sometimes appeared to be in the ‘90s, students with weak LSAT’s or who aren’t passionate about law may want to pursue other avenues. For someone not strictly interested in law or who merely wants an advanced degree to pursue a different field or an entrepreneurial venture, an MBA or other master’s degree could be a shorter
Ultimately, law school can still be a viable option for many students. Nonetheless, it is critical that each student truly be interested in law and realistic about their own skillset and admissions options. Finding the right balance of quality of school versus the amount of debt that one accrues is vital. Be smart and introspective and then follow your dreams. It’s time to take the law into your own hands! Chaim Homnick is the College Advisor at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov of Lawrence and also teaches 5 periods of Honors/AP English Literature. Chaim is the owner of Five Towns Tutoring (fivetownstutoring.com) and has new SAT groups forming now for 11th and 12th graders. He scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and the LSAT and tutors both extensively. He has a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration as well as an MBA. Chaim lives in Inwood, New York. For questions, comments, previous articles or tutoring, he can be reached directly at chomnick@gmail.com or 305321-3342.
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Good Hum r
Kosher Comics By Jon Kranz
F
or some food-obsessed Jews, the term “superhero” first brings to mind the image of a massive submarine sandwich or, as I like to call it, a Hebrew Hoagie. For others, the term “superhero” of course refers to Batman, Captain America and other comic-book legends who are pervasive in movies, television shows and Purim costumes. Many of these superheroes are part of official superhero teams like The Avengers and The Justice League. Now, just imagine if there was an official team of Jewish superheroes called The “Jew”stice League. To be clear, I am not talking about a rabbinic super-team of Torah titans who can recite the entire Torah by heart, give a moving speech without preparation, or play “Stairway to Heaven” on the shofar. Granted, such a team of super Jews would be worthy of the highest praise, but I would like to assemble a different kind of Jewish super team, including: • Cheavi Starch, a/k/a Ironman, a Jewish dry cleaner who can remove wrinkles from any suit, dress, tallis or kittel; • Ms. Sela Brate, a/k/a Bat-woman, a bat mitzvah party planner who can turn any bat mitzvah into the party of the year, and more importantly, is able to do so under budget. Bat-woman works with a sidekick, Rockin’ Robyn, an overly-aggressive motivational dancer who could convince even your 90-year-old Bubby to do the electric slide; • Dr. Sayvin Nickels, a/k/a The Incredible Bulk, a brilliant and extremely frugal shopper who only buys in bulk. If he catches someone
not buying in bulk, he becomes enraged, turns green and muscle-y and destroys everything in sight. Bat-woman actually stopped working with The Incredible Bulk on bat mitzvah parties because she was spending most her time consoling inconsolable bat mitzvah girls whose parties were ruined by a giant green miserly monster;
• Naturally, for every superhero there is a super-villain, and this holds true even for Jewish superheroes. Our super team of super Jews must do battle with some truly treacherous foes, including: • Darth Waiter, a server at your local restaurant who never gets your order right, never brings out all of the entrées at the same time, and
Darth Waiter, a server at your local restaurant who never gets your order right, never brings out all of the entrées at the same time, and never brings you a clean fork.
• Rabbi Fooderman, a/k/a Captain Kosher, the ultimate foodie who will eat anything with a hechsher. Captain Kosher will even eat “p’tcha,” which is (i) Yiddish for pickled calves’ feet (I’m not kidding) and (ii) onomatopoeia for the sound of disgust you make when you watch someone eat pickled calves feet. (p’tcha!); and • Mr. Ronny Waters, a/k/a AquaMensch, who, like Moses, can split a sea. An Israeli reporter once asked Aqua-Mensch why he is able to control certain forms of “mayim” (water) but not “geshem” (rain). AquaMensch famously responded: “Your guess is as good as mine or, I should say, your ‘geshem’ is as good as ‘mayim.’”
never brings you a clean fork. Darth Waiter also refuses to accept orders for white meat chicken, insisting that every customer eat only the “dark side” of the fowl; • Sir Charles Emerson Pent, III, a/k/a, Sir Pent, a slithery, manipulative fruit-stand owner who works at an exclusive kosher food market called the “Garden of Eatin.’” Sir Pent “adam”antly beli“eve”s that everyone should sample his apples. Unfortunately, those who take a bite are banished from the food court for all eternity; • Makes-You-Wonder Woman is the annoying lady at the grocery store who is always in front of you at checkout when you are in a rush; who
is constantly asking you to watch her kids while she runs to grab “just one more thing”; who always has at least one item with no price tag that requires a ten minute price-check by the store manager; and who always has a credit card that just expired; • Mr. Eaton Meels, a/k/a Supper-man, devours dinner like a food processor, has a bottomless stomach and can singlehandedly deplete an all-you-can-eat buffet. Let’s just say that Supper-man is a caterer’s biggest nightmare. In fact, most caterers charge double merely if he is on your guest list; and • Chazzan Longservice, a sinister cantor who purposely drags out davening beyond reason and sings unpopular tunes that only he knows. Chazzan Longservice once stretched out a Shabbat morning service so long that the kiddush immediately following was actually a Sunday brunch. The only problem with assembling a team of Jewish superheroes to fight these super-villains, is getting permission from the Jewish mothers. The mothers typically require each superhero to call them before every battle, and every call ends with the same overly-protective motherly plea: “Just promise me that you won’t get hurt!” Thus, it is the ability of these heroes to finesse their mothers without lying to them, which makes them truly super. Bottom-line: If your Jewish mother catches you in a lie, you better have super speed or invisibility to evade her, or enough super strength to endure a super guilt-trippy lecture.
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From My Private Art Collection
Paintings by Winslow Homer By Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg
W
inslow Homer was a well-respected American artist who lived from 1836-1910. He was the extremely quiet son of an artistic mother who grew up in Cambridge, Massachu-
setts. From a very young age his mother encouraged him to draw. He would sit and draw for hours with art tools that consisted simply of crayons and pencils. Winslow also loved to be outside and study the beauty of nature. He would then capture these heartwarming nature scenes in drawings. At nineteen years of age Winslow Homer began to apprentice with an artist from Boston. But Winslow was an independent thinker and realized that he would have to leave this apprenticeship and go on to develop his own style in order to be thoroughly content. It was at this point that Winslow took the plunge to develop his unique style, become a sought after artist, and popularize his own name.
Winslow’s life as a successful artist began as an illustrator for a magazine. Slowly his talents began to be noticed. During the Civil War he was sent off to battlefields by magazines to draw pictures of the actual battles that were being fought. These illustrations earned him renown. Winslow Homer also loved to create paintings of scenes that depicted his old country life. When he was in his forties he began painting pictures of life at sea. In the year 1883 Winslow moved to Maine, where he lived in solitude as a quiet person totally absorbed in his paintings of nature. Homer’s paintings are true representations of who he was as a person and show enormous energy.
Winslow Homer is quoted as stating, “What they call talent is nothing but the capacity for doing continuous work in the right way.” He believed that with persistence and perseverance one can accomplish a lot. This philosophy of continuously working towards your goal with determination worked well towards development of his talents throughout his life.
Rebbetzin Naomi N. Herzberg is a professional art educator, artist and designer. Among her known artwork is a floral sculpture presented to Tipper Gore, Blair House, Washington, D.C. Please feel free to email naominherzberg@gmail.com with questions and suggestions for future columns.
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Classifieds SERVICES
SERVICES
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CEDARHURST: Restaurant Available on Central Ave, No Key Money!!! Great Location in the Heart of Cedarhurst, Convenient To All, For Lease... Call TODAY!!! (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com FAR ROCKAWAY: 40,000+/-SF Warehouse W/Office Space, 4 Loading Docks, 20’ Ceilings, 30 Car Parking, Great Location, For Lease…Call Ian For More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 COMMERCIAL RE
SPECIAL “LIMITED” OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME OUR NEWEST ADDITION/LOCATION AT 487R CENTRAL AVENUE, CEDARHURST, NY 11516. Call/text now for complimentary market analysis of your residential or commercial property. 516-655-3636 Cheryl “Chedva” Slansky, MBA Licensed Associate RE Broker, RealtyConnect USA The #1 Real Estate Office 2015 FY by LIBN
HEWLETT: 2,000 +/- SF Office Space on 3rd Floor, With Parking, 2+ Bathrooms, Ideal for Medical Use, Great Location, For Lease… Call Lori For More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
COMMERCIAL RE
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HEWLETT: 3,000+/-SF Turn-Key Medical Bldg With Parking, 6 Exam Rooms, Nurse Station, 3 Bathrooms, & Much More!!! For Sale/Lease… Call Ian for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
WOODMERE: PET FRIENDLY BLDG – BEST BUYWell Maintained 1 Bedroom Apt On 5th Floor in Elevator Bldg, Bright & Sunny, Eik, Washer/Dryer In Basement, Close To All…$129K Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com
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APT FOR RENT CEDARHURST 500-3,500 +/- SF Beautiful, newly renovated space for rent. Ideal for Retail or Executive offices. Prime location. Convenient Parking. Call Sam @ 516-612-2433 or 718-747-8080 WOODMERE: NEW EXCLUSIVE Brand New Totally Renovated, Quartz Countertops, Stainless Steel Appliances, New Cabinetry, HW Floors, New Windows, Marble & Stone Bathroom, Recessed Lighting, W/D In Bldg, Close To Railroad & Shopping, Possible Second Bedroom, Heat & Water Included…1 Or 2YR Lease…$1,895/mo. Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com FAR ROCKAWAY 2 BEDROOM APARTMENT on Dinsmore Avenue near Nielson On the 1st floor in a 3 story 3 family house Kosher kitchen with two sinks, Asking $1550 Please call 516-225-4558
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Lovely 2BR Co-op, Elev, Renovated 1BR Apt, Eik, Large 3BR, 2BA, Elevator 3BR,2.5BA Hi-Ranch,Eik, Pets Ok, Near All..$165K Close To LIRR..$1,895/mo Bldg, Near All..$2,850/mo Den,Patio,SD#14..$550K
Updated 4BR, 2.5BA Hi- 5BR, 4.5BA Split, Eik, 4BR Colonial, Eik, FDR, Spacious Studio, Separate Ranch, SD#14..$649K FDR, Den, SD#14..$879K Fin Bsmt,Near All..$949K Kitch, Near All..$74.5K
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4,567+/-SF Professional Suite With Ample On-Site Parking Can Be Divided!!!
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Classifieds classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003 HELP WANTED PART TIME AND FULL TIME BOOKKEEPING POSITION Fast growing accounting and consulting firm seeks a qualified individual to assist our accounting staff in providing bookkeeping services for our clients. Qualified individuals will have the opportunity to join our employee friendly culture At least 2 years working experience Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, QuickBooks a MUST Email – info@smallbizoutsource.com OHEL BAIS EZRA’S COMMUNITY HABILITATION AND RESPITE PROGRAMS are looking for dedicated and responsible MALE AND FEMALE STAFF to work one-on-one with children or adults with developmental disabilities who live at home in your community. Experience and driving preferred but not required. English communication skills a must. Flexible part time, after school hours. OHEL BAIS EZRA 718-686-3487, apply online www.ohelfamily.org/careers
HELP WANTED Well known Preschool in Far Rockaway, seeking CERTIFIED SPECIAL ED TEACHER to substitute from March 15-April 10th Competitive salary, pleasant working conditions Email resume to scohen@oonourwaylc.org
Double Office Brand New Full Bathroom Central Air-conditioning
HELP WANTED Hebrew Academy of Long Beach seeks A LIMUDEI KODESH MORAH Long term maternity leave PT/FT. Send resumes to ulubetski@halb.org
JR. ACCOUNTANT proficient in Q.B. knowledge of payroll tax, sales tax, business tax and individual taxes Qualified applicants should please e-mail resume to: 5towntaxoffice@gmail.com Mazel Tov! Due to simchos,
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experienced moros for our Limudei
good computer skills, ability to
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HELP WANTED Local F.T. Accounting Office Seeks P/T
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Torah L’Kulanu in Cedarhurst is looking for a full time JUDAIC STUDIES’ SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER. Please email your resume to dzeidel@torahLkulanu.org Experienced Real Estate Sales agent needed for a HIGH Producing real estate office who is seeking an opportunity to Earn & Learn more!!! Call Today (516) 295-3000 x 128. All calls kept confidential. 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
TJH Classifieds Post your Real Estate, Help Wanted, Services, Miscellaneous Ads here. Weekly Classifed Ads Up to 5 lines and/or 25 words 1 week ................ $20 $10 2 weeks .............. $35 $17.50 4 weeks .............. $60 $30 Email ads to: classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com Include valid credit card info
For more information please call:
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Deadline Monday 5:00pm
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
Classifieds
classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com / text 443-929-4003
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
5TOWNS BOYS YESHIVA
Immediate Opening for warm, capable Pre-School assistant at Ganger Early Childhood Division of TAG. please send resume to csender@gmail.com
SEEKING ELEM TEACHERS. LOCAL DAY CAMP seeking to hire a friendly REGISTRAR/OFFICE MANAGER! Must be proficient in Microsoft Office Programs. Candidate will also deal with collections and accounts payable/receivables. Knowledge of CampMinder preferred. Hours and salary to be discussed. Great work environment! Send resume to registrarcamp@gmail.com DIGITAL MARKETING AND SALES ASSOCIATE WANTED Fast growing coaching firm seeks to hire a part-time digital marketing and sales associate to manage marketing initiatives and engage in sales prospecting. This is a work from home position with flexible hours. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Marketing development and management Prospecting clients for service and product sales (leads will be provided)
WE ARE LOOKING TO HIRE A MARKETING/SALES SPECIALIST. Job will require your own car and being computer/internet savy. If you consider yourself a marketing professional, this is the position for you. Opportunity to make unlimited income potential. Don’t delay. Give us a call at 917-612-2300 OVERNIGHT \WEEKEND COUNSELOR Responsible and exp’d staff to live in a beautiful group home & work 3 nights\ week 7pm - 9am. Staff are not req’d to remain awake after 11pm. Staff are req’d to work two weekends per month. Free rent & food. Stipend given as well. Great for college girl. For additional info contact Frayde Yudkowsky at 732.948.4636 or fyudkowsky@ evolvetreatment.com
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Your
Money
Happy By Allan Rolnick, CPA
T
he IRS publishes hundreds of reports every year, covering all sorts of topics. You’ll find routine statistical summaries, like the always-popular “Number of Individual Income Tax Returns, Income, Exemptions and Deductions, Tax, and Average Tax.” You’ll find page-turners worthy of a Tom Clancy thriller, like last summer’s
“Actions Can Be Taken to Better Address Potential Noncompliance for Roth Individual Retirement Arrangement Conversions.” But the most entertaining report of all is the Criminal Investigations unit’s annual business report summarizing their work for the previous year. On November 29, CI released their annual report for FY 2015. As is typical in government, budget cuts colored the story — the unit hired just 45 investigators over the last three years, and attrition has reduced staffing to its lowest levels since the 1970s. And, as usual, you’ve got to be a really bad guy to find yourself in CI’s crosshairs. For 2015, the unit initiated just 3,835 investigations, down from 4,297 in 2014. But if CI does take you on, they’ve usually got you dead to rights: the unit won 93.2% of the
cases they prosecuted. Dig behind the dry statistics, though, to read about the actual offenders that CI targets, and you’ll find one sorry smorgasbord of human greed, frailty, arrogance, and
next fifty months eating bland microwaved pizza at the Morgantown Federal Correctional Institution. • Xavier Franklin Lewis was pastor of the Holy Ghost Praise and Deliverance Ministries outside Sa-
As investigators closed in, Lewis visited at least one potential witness and told her she needed to change her story, “or else.”
downright stupidity. Here are three of the more entertaining stories: • Happy Asker grew his company, Happy’s Pizza, from a single Detroit-area location in 1994 to a 95-store chain. But paying taxes didn’t make him happy. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) So he conspired with four of his franchisees and employees to skim $6.1 million in cash from the books and divvy it up in weekly “profit splits.” The group also underreported wages to evade $2.39 million in payroll taxes, because why not? Now Happy will spend the
vannah, Georgia. But he behaved more like a mobster than a minister. He submitted false tax returns to the IRS, stole refunds out of the mail, and used bank accounts he set up in the church’s name to cash 92 IRS checks totaling more than $250,000. As investigators closed in, Lewis visited at least one potential witness and told her she needed to change her story, “or else.” Now he’s looking at 119 long months in purgatory to read his bible and repent for his sins. • Michael Spitzauer launched a
company called Green Power, Inc., and told investors he had found a way to convert municipal waste into biofuel. But what he’d really found was a way to convert demand for cutting-edge green energy into a classic Ponzi scheme. Spitzauer used his investors’ money on a million-dollar mansion, private schools for his children, Seattle Seahawks tickets, and paying back previous victims. Oh, and somehow he “forgot” to pay taxes on the $10 million he stole. Now he gets to spend four years in a northern California prison and pay the IRS $2,585,177 in restitution. Crime really doesn’t pay — especially when it comes to taxes! Fortunately, there’s no reason to learn that lesson the hard way! We can help you help manage your taxes the right way, with a comprehensive menu of court-tested, IRS-approved strategies and tactics. Be committed to pay less, no matter what the New Year brings!
Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 yea rs in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.
The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2017
Which one of these children needs Chai Lifeline? (Hint: They all do.) Chai Lifeline is renowned for the care and love it bestows on children fighting cancer. But that’s only the beginning. Chai Lifeline serves thousands of children with medical challenges that aren’t evident on the outside, everything from Crohns Disease to cystic fibrosis to heart disease and illnesses so rare only a handful of children have been diagnosed. And still, that’s only the beginning. Chai Lifeline includes siblings and parents, too, with programs geared towards the entire family. We care for more than 5,000 children and their families around the world and across the street. Chances are, you know them. They just don’t look sick.
Whenever, wherever we’re needed, Chai Lifeline is there.
Chai Lifeline. Comprehensive, compassionate, professional assistance for families facing illness, loss or trauma. 151 West 30th Street, New York, NY 10001 I (877) CHAI-LIFE I (212) 465-1300 I www.chailifeline.org
Regional Offices: Greater New York I Southeast I West Coast I Midwest I Mid-Atlantic I New Jersey I Canada I England I Israel I Belgium Hospital Support: Meals | Transportation Assistance | Hospital Visits | Respite Children’s Programs: Arts and Recreational Activities | After-school programs | Sibling Programs | Educational Assistance in Limudei Kodesh Counseling for patients and siblings | Camp Simcha/Camp Simcha Special Family Programs: Advocacy and Information | Retreats | Insurance Advocacy | Family Recreation | Family Counseling | Bereavement Services Community Programs: Project CHAI, support for schools, camps, and communities facing crisis or trauma.
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home
Life C ach
No Cows to Milk! By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS
W
ell, excuse me! Does your kid really need a vacation? I think they can use
a break! Is it possibly okay to stay home for school break? Sure! But kids are longing to do something. They want a change! I guess life needs to have more to it than wake up, eat or don’t eat breakfast, schlep on the bus, learn all day, do homework all night, and in any free time get yelled at for always being on your cell phone. So off to Florida, Israel, California, Colorado, Vermont or Great Wolfe lodge you go! Kids need a change. They do! They need some physical exercise. And farm work’s a thing of the past. Sitting in class all day is just too passive. Come on, they need some physical stimulation. Soooo, we are off to the slopes. Now there’s a vacation for you. Exert, exert, exert! I’m not exactly sure how that’s vacationing. It’s more
correct, as I said above, to call it a school break! The great outdoors, the fresh air, the exhilaration, the skill, the exercise. It’s all a great way to refresh and revitalize. It’s amazing to see your kids working this
flipping upside down and inside out just to keep occupied which is second only to the flips and turns on those new roller coasters. And let’s not forget Israel. Touring the country, hiking, zip lining,
Actually, just walking from restaurant to restaurant takes a lot of energy.
hard and you don’t even have to ask them to. At the end of the day, when they feel wiped out, they’ve earned the couch. Just piling on those layers is a feat to be proud of. Orlando is another physically satisfying trip. I’m serious. It takes energy getting around the parks, standing endlessly on lines, and
walking everywhere. That’s another good way to get your kids to get out and about. Actually, just walking from restaurant to restaurant takes a lot of energy. After all, everyone has their favorite place they must get to! They’ve got to hit Kentucky Fried Chicken, Big Apple Pizza, Rimon 1 and 2, and every ice coffee
place they love. And that’s just the first day they get there! Can you do stuff close to home? Sure. But make sure it’s something your kids are excited to do; they are tired of being forced to do stuff. And sometimes if you’re too close to home it’s too tempting for them to just stay at home. Whether you travel or stay home, don’t stay put. Kids need to go, to do, to move! It’s not enough to stimulate their minds alone. So try and give them some action. It’s got to last them for a while. ‘Cause Passover’s the next time they may get time to move around again. And it’s kind of a long time from now till the afikomen hunt begins!
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 | JANUARY 19, 2017
PROUD TO BE RATED
STARS
BY THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES
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THE PREMIER REHAB CENTER FOR THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
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• State-of-the-art separate Meat & Cholov Yisroel Dairy Kitchens under the Vaad Harabonim of Queens • Daily & Shabbos Minyanim • Shabbos Elevator • Nearby Shabbos Hospitality Apartment • Eruv connecting our facility to Kew Gardens Hills, Jamaica Estates/Holliswood, Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows & Briarwood
Glatt Kosher setting.
Monday - Friday • 9am - 3pm
164-11 Chapin Parkway, Jamaica Hills, NY 11432 • www.TietzJewish.com • (718) 298-7829 Centrally located near the Queens communities of Kew Gardens Hills, Hillcrest & Jamaica Estates. Only 20 minutes from Crown Heights, Manhattan & the Five Towns.
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JANUARY 19, 2017 | The Jewish Home