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Around the COMMUNITY
Councilmember Richards Funds JCCRP and Helps Serve Seniors on Rosh Hashana
44
Special Yom Kippur Section MAY Freshmen Overcome Challenges Together 34 Bais Yaakov of Queens is Shaping up for a Fun Year
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Your
Kapparos to Vaad Harabanim for a good year
Every Day Of Aseres Yemei Teshuvah After Reciting All The Tehillim
And Also At Ne'ilah Moreinu Harav Hagaon Hagadol
Chaim Kanievsky .זֶה ֲחלִ ָיפ ִתי . זֶה ַּכ ּ ָפ ָר ִתי.זֶה ְּתמ ּו ָר ִתי
זֶה ַה ֶּכ ֶסף יֵ לֵ ְך עַ ב ּור ַהצְ ָד ָקה ׁ ֶשל גְ דוֹ לֵ י וַ עַ ד ָה ַר ָּבנִ ים לְ עִ נְ יָ נֵ י- ַהדוֹ ר ְשלִ ָיט"א ְ וַ ֲאנִ י ֶא ָּכנֵ ס וְ ֵאלֵ ך,צְ ָד ָקה ְּב ֶא ֶרץ ַהקוֹ ֶדש :לְ ַח ִ ּיים טוֹ ִבים ֲאר ּוכִ ים ּולְ ׁ ָשלוֹ ם
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From the Editor
7
Community Community Happenings
32
An Open Letter to my Beautiful Daughter by Lisa Rosenblatt
56
OpEd: Will it Matter? by Rabbi Sol Appleman
57
News 8
Global Odd-but-True Stories
30
Europe’s Migrant Crisis by Nachum Soroka
82
Israel Israel News
19
History and Luxury Meet at the Waldorf by Malky Lowinger
94
People The Story behind the HMS Seraph by Avi Heiligman 101 Parsha Rabbi Wein
64
The Shmuz
65
Jewish Thought Show Some Muscle by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
68
A Coach Approach to Teshuva by Rabbi Naphtali Hoff 69 Yom Kippur “Hashem Loves You Most”: TJH Speaks with Rabbi Gavriel Sassoon
62
Joe Bobker on Rambam, Yom Kippur & the Time Machine 72 The Baal Neilah by Larry Domnitch
77
Charity Redeems from Death
78
Halacha Kneeling on a Stone Floor by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits 76
needs that can drag us down. We spend our day in shul, davening, connecting, and strengthening our relationship with Him. Neilah, the pinnacle of our prayer, brings us even closer. The kehilla joins together and recites Avinu Malkeinu with such intensity, with such devotion. And then, we join together and soar together as we reach the apex of the holiest day of the year. “Hashem Hu Ha’Elokim,” we thunder. The connection we have with our Creator—our Father, our King—is profound. No one can run away from Hashem. He is always there for us and will always be there for us. Let us take this essential lesson of Yom Kippur and keep it with us throughout the year. Wishing you and your families a gmar chasima tova, Shoshana
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maybe even smug. How can a person run away from Hashem? Shouldn’t Yona know that Hashem is everywhere, All-Powerful and All-Knowing? As I get older, I see the narrative in a different light. Yes, we all know intellectually that a person cannot hide from the One Above. But throughout the year, it’s possible that we may have ignored His commands or maybe have felt hidden from Him. Come the yimei ratzon, though, and His presence is palpable. There’s no hiding from Him and there’s no denying that Hashem is our Creator, our King who only wishes for us to come back to Him and recognize His greatness. Yom Kippur is the time when we feel the closest to Hashem. We are like angels, dressed in white, eschewing the physical
National
Dear Readers, Yesterday, as I was driving carpool, the three-year-old boys regaled me with the story of Yona that they learned about in school that day. The version that they told started out so simply: “There was once a boy and he wanted to run away from Hashem.” At the end of the tale, they added that the people of Ninveh eventually did teshuva and Yona learned that you can never run away from Hashem. It sounds so simplistic (aside from the fact that it was said by preschoolers). A man wanted to run to away from Hashem, so he went on a boat and tried to ignore G-d’s command. Obviously there is so much more to what happened to Yona and his intentions. But I know that when I first heard the story of Yona, I felt a drop confused or
THE JEWISH HOME
Contents
The Week In News
Global Queen’s Big Milestone
THE JEWISH HOME
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
8
You wouldn’t know it to look at her, but on September 9, at about 5:30 p.m., Queen Elizabeth II became the longest reigning monarch in Britain’s history. Serving as sovereign for 23,226 days (about 63 years and 7 months), according to Buckingham Palace, Her Majesty surpassed Queen Victoria, her greatgreat-grandmother, a woman so powerful that she stamped an era with her name. Queen Elizabeth has served longer than Henry VIII (37 years), longer than any of the King Richards, and far lon-
ger than her own father, King George VI (15 years). She certainly reigned longer than King Edward VIII, her uncle, who abdicated after less than a year so he could marry Wallis Simpson, a divorced American. Now a great-grandmother, Elizabeth has overseen a blossoming of the British monarchy, symbolized by her grandson, Prince William, whose royal wedding in 2011 was watched around the world and who since then has produced two popular children, including a future king. The 89-year-old queen marked the occasion as she has done so many times before: quietly going about her business, opening a railway line, unveiling a plaque, and meeting her subjects. She did acknowledge the event, however, telling a crowd at a Scottish railway station that it was not a milestone she had sought out. “I thank you all, and all of the many others at home and overseas, for your touching messages of great kindness,” she said, wearing a two-tone blue coat and matching hat. “[It was] not one to which I have ever aspired.” Queen Elizabeth came to the throne in 1952 at age 25 upon the death of her father, King George VI. Her official coronation the following year marked one
of the first major public events that was televised. “Hers has been a long, rich life of service to her country, to the Commonwealth,” Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told his fellow lawmakers. “We wish her and her loving, remarkable husband health and happiness in the years ahead.”
Russia Expands Military Involvement in Middle East
Russia has been busy for the past two weeks, significantly expanding its military footprint in Syria, attempting
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to establish a major new air base on the Mediterranean. Fifteen or more Russian planes filled with military equipment and personnel traveled to Syria last week. That equipment includes housing units, armored vehicles and material needed to operate aircraft, like mobile air traffic control towers and ground supplies. It builds on the Russian presence that has already been in Syria for years, which includes military advisers and a naval base. Moscow has always been a key ally for Syrian president Bashar Assad. But its latest actions have earned it rebuke from the Obama administration, who has asked allies in Europe to deny airspace to the Russian supply planes headed to Syria. Russia’s moves “could further escalate the conflict, lead to greater loss of innocent life, increase refugee flows and risk confrontation with the anti-[Islamic State] coalition operating in Syria,” Secretary of State John Kerry told Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, in a September 5 phone call. Moscow, though, is insisting that it needs these supplies to fight terrorism, although it is not a member of the U.S.-
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Sale Dates: September 20th - 26th 2015
THE JEWISH HOME
Weekly Wesson Oil Canola, Corn, Vegetable - 48 oz
2
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Wolff’s Kasha 12 oz
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Mountain Dew, Crush, Brisk 2 Liter
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...................................................... Osem Bissli Ronzoni Pasta All Flavors - 1..2 oz
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Bodek Chopped Spinach, Cauliflower Florets or California Blend
Klein’s Smooth N Creamy Parve Ice Cream 56 oz $ 99
Amnon’s Pizza
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699
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Nature’s Valley or Fiber One Bars 12 Pack /6 Pack
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Mikee Teriyaki Sauce Sesame, Hot, Seedless, Low Sodium - 20 oz
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Bloomeos Cookies Assorted - 20 oz
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Sacramento Tomato Juice 46 oz
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Twizzler 14 oz Cherry Pull n Peel; 16 oz Strawberry Twists; 11 oz Strawberry Filled $ 99
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Kitchen Collection Plastic Table Covers
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144 Count
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Dining Collection Clear Forks, Spoons, Knives 50 Count
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Gold’s Horseradish 8 oz
Decor Elegant Plastic Dinnerware 7.5”, 9”, 10” Plates; , 14 oz Bowls 10 Pack
Givat Cream Cheese 8 oz Cups
5
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Norman’s Greek Yogurt All Flavors - 5.3 oz
5
5/$
Ha’olam Shredded Cheese Except Reduced Fat - 8 oz
2 Pack - 16 oz
Spring Valley Kreplach
2/$
8 oz
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5
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Dagim Tilapia Fillets 16 oz
399
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599
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Polly-O Ricotta Cheese
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3
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.......................................
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500 Grams
Whole or Half Sour 28 oz
Achla Hummus
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$
5
Oronque Pie Crusts
1
$ 99
Aspen Tissues
2/$
3
7
24 oz $ 99
.................................................
4
99
...................................................... Near East Pilaf Walden Farm’s Except Long Grain, Salad Dressing Pearled, Quinoa
Folger’s Coffee K-Cups
5
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...................................................... Taster’s Choice Pepsi, Sunkist, A&W Canada Dry, 7-Up Instant Coffee House Blend Only 12 oz
Paskesz Marshmallows Tonelli Balsamic Vinegar Assorted - 8 oz 17 oz 2/$ $ 99
99
Golden Flow Broccoli Florets 32 oz
5
$
99
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Golden Blintzes All Flavors - 13 oz
5
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Flaum’s Pickles
5
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International Chopped Liver 12 oz
499
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Cavendish French Fries Assorted - 32 oz
1
$ 99
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$ $
We reserve the right to limit quantities. No rain checks. Not responsible for typographical errors.
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led alliance against the Islamic State. Terrorists, then, may just be rebels who are fighting Assad and have been supported by the U.S., Turkey and the Gulf Arab states. Russia providing aid to Assad to fight these rebels would be a setback for the U.S. and for Syrian civilians. Asked on Monday about whether the U.S. has learned more about Russia’s plans for Syria, White House spokesman Josh Earnest responded, “To be blunt, not really.” “We continue to believe that additional Russian support for the Assad regime would be destabilizing and counterproductive,” Earnest continued, adding that an increased Russian commitment to Assad would be a poor choice strategically – a nod to the American position that the dictator, who is partially responsible for both the rise of the Islamic State group and the flood of refugees out of Syria, must step down. Once again Putin is flexing his muscles. Moscow wants to signal to the West that while it may be open to taking advantage of the current focus on Syria to try to end the civil war, it will only do so on its own terms. And of course, Russia sees itself as a superpower and will remain assertive in the Middle East, despite sanctions the West imposed last year over its aggression in Ukraine. The Russian developments are “to send a very clear message on the international stage that what is happening is what Russia wants,” a source in Congress revealed. “Whatever direction this goes, it’s going in Russia’s favor, and they’re going to be the people dictating it.”
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El Chapo’s story of his prison break in Mexico is not over yet. A Mexican judge has formally charged four criminal justice workers for their alleged role in the July prison escape of drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. The court said that four security workers failed to
follow “protocols and norms” and did not notify higher-ups about the jailbreak in a timely way. Two of the men charged were prison employees tasked with video monitoring of El Chapo’s cell. The other two worked for the Mexican intelligence service. Three other workers were charged several weeks ago with aiding Guzman, 58, in his daring prison escape. Guzman managed to flee the Altiplano maximum-security prison outside Mexico City, just 17 months following his capture after years on the run. He slipped out of his cell through a one mile tunnel dug under his private shower in the prison some 90 kilometers west of Mexico City and has vanished without a trace. The drug lord’s escape has dealt a heavy blow to the government of President Enrique Pena Nieto, which had pointed to Guzman’s arrest last year as its biggest victory yet in its war on drugs. The government has offered a $3.8 million reward for information leading to his capture. This is the second time that El Chapo has succeeded in escaping prison. He fled from another maximum security penitentiary in 2001.
Castro to Visit the U.S.
September 28 will mark the first time a president of Cuba will publicly set foot on American soil since 1960. According to reports, Cuban President Raúl Castro will speak before the United Nations General Assembly in New York City later this month. 55 years ago, his brother, Fidel Castro, spoke before the United Nations. The announcement comes as tensions between the United States and Cuba continue to wane. The process began publicly last December when President Barack Obama announced his administration planned to set a “new course” on U.S.-Cuba relations. Soon after, the U.S. traded three Cubans convicted of spying in Miami for Alan Gross, an American aid worker con-
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The Week In News victed of espionage by a Cuban court in 2011. Since then, U.S. and Cuban delegations have met several times to discuss issues ranging from human rights, treatment of prisoners, trade, extradition and, most significantly, the U.S. embargo on Cuba, which the Cubans calls “the blockade.” Obama is also expected to speak before the General Assembly on that day. Despite the upcoming visit, U.S. law prohibits members of Cuba’s Communist party, of which Raúl Castro is the leader, from visiting the United States.
Mecca Crane Collapse Kills 107 A vow has been made by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to find out what caused a crane collapse that killed 107 people at Mecca’s Grand Mosque ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage. The hajj, a pillar of the Muslim religion which last year drew about two million faithful, will take place despite the tragedy, Saudi authorities said as crowds returned to pray a day after the incident.
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Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims had already arrived in Mecca when the massive red and white crane toppled over during a thunderstorm. “We will investigate all the reasons and afterwards declare the results to the citizens,” Salman declared after visiting the site, one of Islam’s holiest. Parts of the Grand Mosque remained sealed off around the wreckage of the crane, which also injured around 200 people when it crashed into a courtyard. There was little mourning among pilgrims, who snapped pictures of the collapsed metal and continued with their prayers and rituals. “I wish I had died in the accident, as it happened at a holy hour and in a holy place,” an Egyptian pilgrim told a reporter. Indo-
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nesians and Indians were among those killed when the crane collapsed, while the injured included Malaysians, Egyptians, Iranians, Turks, Afghans and Pakistanis. For years, work has been under way on a 400,000-square-meter (4.3-million-square-feet) enlargement of the Grand Mosque to allow it to accommodate up to 2.2 million people at once. This was not the first tragedy to strike Mecca pilgrims. In 2006, several hundred people died in a stampede during a religious ritual in nearby Mina, following a similar incident two years earlier.
Tensions Heightened between the DEA and the Bolivian President Last week, it was revealed that the United States secretly indicted top officials connected to the government of Bolivian President Evo Morales for their alleged involvement in a cocaine trafficking scheme. The indictments,
secured in a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration sting called “Operation Naked King,” were not revealed until now. Morales, a former leader of Bolivia’s coca growers union, has long been at loggerheads with the DEA. In fact, in 2008, he expelled the agency from the country and embarked on his own strategy of combatting drug trafficking. According to the United Nations, Morales’ plan has been effective at reducing cultivation. But the DEA did not take its eviction sitting down. The agency went after members of Morales’ administration in an apparent effort to undermine his leadership. The sealed indictments, revealed last week in a lawsuit filed by longtime DEA informant Carlos Toro, target Walter Álvarez, a top Bolivian air force official; the late Raul García, father of Vice President Álvaro García Linera; Faustino Giménez, an Argentine citizen and Bolivian resident who is said to be close to the vice president; and Katy Alcoreza, described as an intelligence agent for Morales. Toro said in the court document that he played an integral role in securing the indictments as
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If you feel that your dollar isn’t stretching as much as it used to, here is a list of places where you can save a few bucks. After a downward spiral in the Chinese stock market, a ripple effect has caused several countries to experience “significant currency depreciations,” said Douglas Quinby, vice president at Phocuswright, a hospitality research firm. “These currency rates have a big impact on travel.” In short, when the exchange rate begins to favor the American dollar, travelers looking to explore the world should start packing
their bags. Here are a few examples. Due in part to the falling yen, Japan’s tourism rates are climbing a lot. A night at the new Andaz Tokyo Toranomon, which offers spectacular views of the city, can be had for around $483 in early October. That’s still a pretty penny, but it’s down about $200 from last summer’s rate. Nonstop flights from and to Japan have also come down in price lately. Like other countries with an oilbased economy, Russia’s currency fluctuates with global oil prices. The ruble has been falling steadily for about a year, and China’s recent woes haven’t helped. A cursory look at the cost of flights to St. Petersburg from New York found ticket prices in the low $500s in early October, which is comparable to some flights to the western U.S. A night at the opulent Ritz-Carlton Moscow was just $300 on Booking.com for a stay in early October. Sounds like a beautiful vacation—if you don’t mind Putin looking over your shoulder. Despite hosting the recent FIFA World Cup and the upcoming Summer Olympics, Brazil’s economy has remained in a recession. The Brazilian real, the local currency, is the weak-
On Tuesday, Morales addressed the decision to withhold U.S. funds for drug control purposes, calling it a political maneuver by a nation committed to ineffective anti-drug tactics. “I think it is a political action exerted by the State Department of the United States,” he said during a press conference at the government palace. “But if we are honest, U.S. policy is a failure in the fight against drug trafficking in the world.” He pointed to Colombia, which is a recipient of U.S. support and has seen an increase in coca cultivation over the past year. “I could mention many countries in the world where there is this problem and how it has grown with U.S. presence,” the president said. “They’re using the fight against drug trafficking for clear political purposes.” Morales and the DEA have a long history of animosity. The president, a member of the Aymara indigenous group and a one-time coca grower, first rose to power in Bolivia as the head of a federation of coca growers unions. The union gained much of its strength by organizing in response to human rights abuses carried out by the DEA-backed anti-drug group known as UMOPAR, starting in the 1980s. In 2005, Morales led nationwide protests that toppled the government of former Bolivian President Carlos Mesa. He became president in 2006. Many indigenous Bolivians, including Morales, defend coca production as a traditional right. After all, Bolivians have used coca leaves in a variety of ways for thousands of years. But coca is also the essential ingredient in cocaine, and the nation’s close relationship with the plant has made it the world’s third-largest producer of the drug, behind Peru and Colombia.
The U.S. government and the DEA made no secret of their displeasure when their longtime nemesis, Morales, was elected. “If radicals continue to hijack the indigenous movement, we could find ourselves faced with a narcostate that supports the uncontrolled cultivation of coca,” General James T. Hill, a U.S. army commander with the Southern Command, warned the House Armed Services Committee in March 2004, referring to Morales’ movement. The fact that the U.S. is not on his side was seen as a benefit to Morales’ campaign while he was running for president. “They accuse me of everything,” he said at a campaign rally. “They say Evo is a drug trafficker, that Evo is a narcoterrorist. They don’t know how to defend their position, so they attack us.” After he was elected, in September 2008, Morales kicked U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg out of the country. In November he expelled the DEA, arguing that the agency had committed human rights violations, covered up murders and was routinely using its investigative powers to target politicians and movement leaders who were challenging Washington’s neoliberal agenda. Morales had made a campaign promise to nationalize the country’s natural gas resources and use the proceeds to develop the economy from the bottom up. Bolivia has managed to grow its economy since Morales’ victory – increasing by at least 6.5 percent last year. The budget is balanced. Extreme poverty seems to have been put under control. And the country has managed to reduce coca leaf cultivation, especially over the past five years. “[Drug trafficking] must be fought – we are convinced of that – and we are doing so more effectively and more wisely,” Morales told Al Jazeera in a 2014 interview. “When the United States was in control of counternarcotics, the U.S. governments used drug trafficking for purely geopolitical purposes .... The U.S. uses drug trafficking and terrorism for political control ... We have nationalized the fight against drug trafficking.” The revelation of Operation Naked King goes to show that perhaps Bolivian leaders’ paranoia against U.S. intervention was well-justified, said Kathryn Ledebur, who runs the Andean Information Network based in Bolivia. “U.S. authorities frequently dismiss Bolivian government denunciations about the DEA and U.S. intervention as absurd speculation.”
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part of the DEA’s undercover investigation into the alleged Bolivian cocaine trafficking ring, which the agency ran out of its office in Asuncion, Paraguay. This week, the Obama administration announced that it’s planning to officially “decertify” Bolivia – a bureaucratic move which amounts to an accusation by U.S. officials that Bolivia is not sufficiently cooperative in combating drug trafficking.
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The Week In News est it’s been in 13 years, and President Dilma Rousseff is fighting to save the country’s investment-grade credit rating. Perhaps that’s why Azul Brazilian Airlines recently announced their Azul Brazil Air Pass, which gives fliers 10 days of unlimited flights throughout Brazil for $299, or 21 days of flights for $399. Spending Sukkos in Brazil seems like a nice idea. Our neighbors to the north are also in a recession, with the Canadian dollar (or loonie) currently sitting at about 75¢ U.S. In major cities, debt-to-income ratio is near a record high, and the central bank is debating whether or not to lower interest rates again. With that said, cities like Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal are hotspots for traveling. America, time to take to the skies.
2,820 person list is future Israeli president Chaim Weizmann, leading British Jew Selig Brodetsky, and an English spy who helped thousands of Jews escape the Nazis. They all appeared on a list of British “enemies of the state, traitors and undesirables” compiled by the Nazis in World War II. Those on the list were earmarked for punishment if Germany would have won the Battle of Britain in 1940.
Nazis’ Most Wanted Jews in Britain The Nazis wanted to kill Jews— both as a nation and as individuals. A 144-page list of high priority targets recently was released. Included in the
Among the non-Jews on the list, along with then-British prime minister Winston Churchill and his deputy Clement Atlee, was Major Francis Foley, a
spy known as the “British Schindler” for helping 10,000 Jews flee Nazi Germany. Foley was a passport control officer in Berlin — a cover for his work for the MI6 intelligence agency — who identified the threat to Germany’s Jews and issued visas and stamped passports for them, helping them reach Britain. The Nazis also targeted other British-based Jews, including art historian Frederick Antal, Professor Hugo Braun (who was actually in Turkey at the time) and academic Elisabeth Blochmann. The list also includes notable anti-fascists and writers Virginia Woolf (whose husband was Jewish), Noel Coward, Aldous Huxley and HG Wells. The 144-page list was compiled by the office of SS General Walter Schellenberg. The Nazi officer had been tapped as the official responsible for Britain should Germany have completed an invasion.
Fighting between ISIS and Al Qaeda
Hold on to your turban—ISIS and al Qaeda are going at it. Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Egyptian doctor who replaced Osama bin Laden as the head of al Qaeda four years ago, has accused ISIS top leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of “sedition.” He is insisting the Iraqi terrorist recluse is not the leader of all Muslims and militant jihadists as “caliph” of the Islamic State, as al-Baghdadi had claimed 14 months ago. “It’s pretty interesting,” said former National Counterterrorism Center Director Matthew Olsen. “Zawahiri until now has not been willing to openly condemn Baghdadi and ISIS. It highlights how deep the division is between al Qaeda leadership and ISIS. It suggests that the differences are irreconcilable.” Had ISIS and al Qaeda realigned by joining forces, it “would be terrible,” said Olsen. That division, now formally declared by the highest ranking official of the group that slaughtered almost
3,000 Americans 14 years ago in multipronged aviation attacks, could provide an opening that American counter-terrorism operatives could find a way to exploit. Olsen said the U.S. could use misinformation to further pit the two jihadi menaces against each other and encourage the series of gunfights and assassinations each has waged against the other. ISIS, formerly the al Qaeda branch in Iraq, split from the larger group two years ago. Though it didn’t foresee the rise of ISIS, former CIA Director Michael Hayden said the intelligence community had predicted a rift in al Qaeda emerging after bin Laden’s death – something like what’s happening now between ISIS and al Qaeda, which the U.S. could use to its advantage.
Cuba to Release 3,522 Prisoners
Cuba has announced that it will be releasing 3,522 prisoners ahead of next week’s visit by Pope Francis. This marks the third time Cuba has granted inmates freedom before a papal trip. The Council of State announced that the prisoners to be freed include a mix of women, people younger than 20, inmates suffering from illnesses, and people whose terms were coming to an end next year. The government, though, won’t be releasing people convicted of serious crimes like murder, child abuse or violations of state security. The final category is often applied to people considered political prisoners by Cuban and international human rights groups. Also excluded from pardon were those convicted of illegally killing government cattle, a crime that often bears heavy punishment in Cuba, which suffers from widespread shortages of milk and meat, particularly beef. Cardinal Jaime Ortega, the archbishop of Havana, said in an interview that he had given the government a list of prisoners for possible pardon ahead
The Week In News
Man Killed after Assailants Hurl Stones at his Car Four years ago, Israel’s embassy in Cairo was overrun by Egyptian protestors and shut down. This week, the ministry’s director-general, Dore Gold, was in the Egyptian capital to reopen the embassy, marking what the ministry called a “festive occasion.” Also on hand were Israel’s ambassador to Egypt Haim Koren and other Israeli diplomats, Egyptian officials, and the American ambassador. Koren has been stationed in Egypt since May 2014, working at an unofficial location. Speaking at the event, Gold said that under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi the two countries had succeeded in fending off threats and are
Alexander Levlovitz was killed while driving back from Rosh Hashana festivities late Sunday night. As assailants hurled stones at his car, Levlovitz, 64, lost control. His car smashed into a pole and he died. His two passengers were injured in the attack that took place in the East Talpiot neighborhood
Israelis Don’t Heart Obama
For weeks, President Obama has attempted to assure the Israeli and Jewish public that he had their best interests in mind when brokering the nuclear deal with Iran. But it seems that the Israeli public has not been moved. Large groups of Israelis, particularly those who side with Prime Minister Netanyahu, have little trust in the American president, considering him naive and even hostile. One recent poll showed less than a tenth considered him “pro-Israel.” Such misgivings bode poorly for Obama as he tries to repair ties with Israel in the final year of his presidency, and they would certainly complicate any renewed effort at brokering peace
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
Israeli Embassy Returns to Cairo
of southeast Jerusalem. “I am in shock as I write this, but my dad was murdered yesterday, the eve of the holiday, when he was on his way home,” his son, Nir, who was on the way from New York to attend his father’s funeral, said. “He was killed by rock throwers. One stone changed the course of my entire life. Dad, I love you.” Unknown assailants believed to be Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem reportedly attacked the car with stones. The terrorists, allegedly from the nearby Palestinian village of Sur Bacher, also attacked other cars on East Talpiot’s Asher Winer street. “The driver who was involved in an accident, apparently as a result of stone-throwing… died at Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital,” police spokeswoman Luba Samri said in a statement. Also Monday, a young Israeli man was lightly wounded by rock-throwers in Jerusalem. He was treated by medics at the scene. Security forces were looking for the perpetrators. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Netanyahu declared “war” on stone throwers, calling for harsher punishments against them.
Israel
now working toward “prosperity” and “stability” in the Middle East. During the ceremony, Gold affixed a mezuzah on the embassy doorpost. The event concluded with a rendition of Hatikvah and Egypt’s national anthem. Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely welcomed the embassy’s rededication. “We share common interests with Egypt, and in particular, regional changes create opportunities to improve ties with countries in the region, starting with Egypt,” Hotovely said in a statement. Israel closed its Cairo embassy in September 2011, after it was overrun by thousands of protesters. In June, Gold traveled to Cairo for the first high-level talks between officials in four years. He and Egyptian diplomats discussed topics such as Iran’s nuclear program, growing Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East, Cairo’s foreign policy toward Hamas and a possible re-launch of peace talks with the Palestinians. Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister Osama al-Majdoub at the time made it abundantly clear to Gold that Cairo views the Palestinian deadlock as “the heart of the conflict in the region,” and stressed the importance of restarting high-level negotiations between Jerusalem and Ramallah. Official relations between Jerusalem and Cairo have been relatively warm since Sissi rose to power. In June, Netanyahu “deeply welcomed” Egypt’s appointment of its new ambassador to Israel, Hazem Khairat.
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of the pope’s September visit. He said many were being held for economic crimes such as corruption or stealing resources from the state, both widespread problems in a country where most workers hold state jobs bringing in between $20 and $30 a month. The names of the prisoners were published in an order signed by President Raul Castro in the country’s government gazette. The order described the pardons as a “humane and sovereign act.” Former President Fidel Castro released more than 3,000 prisoners described as “counterrevolutionaries” in 1978 and 1979. His brother and successor released 53 this year as part of the declaration of detente with the United States. Rights groups say about 70 political prisoners remain in the country. Other papal visits to Cuba have spurred prisoners’ releases as well. Raul Castro released more than 2,900 prisoners in March 2012 before the visit of Pope Benedict. Fidel Castro released about 300 when Pope John Paul II visited in 1998.
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The Week In News between Israel and its neighbors – once a major Obama ambition. Certainly, the tense personal relationship between the American and Israeli leaders is certainly a factor in the stressful relationship between the two countries. “The average Israeli probably thinks that he is a nice guy, but he is naive,” said Alexander Yakobson, a historian at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In Israeli eyes, “he doesn’t get the Middle East, doesn’t understand how the Mideast functions, and he doesn’t therefore understand what dangers Israel has to face,” he added. Yakobson said the president’s missteps went back to his earliest days in office, when he chose to deliver a landmark speech in Cairo seeking to repair American relations with the Arab world. “That was never going to make him popular in Israel,” he said. Despite the past few years’ ups and downs, the biggest issue has been the U.S.-led nuclear agreement with Iran. Politicians across the spectrum have come out against deal, agreeing with Netanyahu’s assessment that it does not have sufficient safeguards to prevent Iran from gaining the ability to make a bomb and that it will boost Iran’s influence across the region. Iran is a key backer of Israel’s toughest enemies, and Netanyahu has warned that the ending of sanctions against Iran will result in more money and arms flowing to groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Recent opinion polls reflect these sentiments. In one survey published last week in the Maariv daily, 77 percent of respondents said the deal endangers Israel, compared to 15 percent who said it didn’t. An April survey of Jewish Israelis, carried out just after a preliminary nuclear deal with Iran was reached, had
an equally harsh view of Obama. Just 9 percent of respondents described the White House as “pro-Israeli,” while 60 percent called it “pro-Palestinian.” More than 60 percent described Obama as the worst president for Israel in the past 30 years, far outdistancing runner-up Jimmy Carter at 16 percent. In a survey of 40 countries, the Pew Research Center found the sharpest decline in Obama’s image over the past year occurred in Israel, where confidence slipped from 71 percent to 49 percent. At times, the anger toward Obama in Israel is palpable. On the streets and in online news forums, Israelis often refer to Obama by his middle name “Hussein,” a reference to his Muslim heritage on his father’s side. Obama has made sure to consistently say that he is pro-Israel. “I would suggest that, in terms of the tone of this debate, everybody keep in mind that we’re all pro-Israel,” he said. “And we have to make sure that we don’t impugn people’s motives.” Yoram Ettinger, a former Israeli consul-general in Houston, said the issues here have little to do with personalities or alleged hostilities on the part of Obama. “It’s an issue of a gap between two very different world views,” he pointed out. In Israeli eyes, he said, Obama is unrealistic, sending a message of weakness through his handling of the so-called Arab Spring over the past five years and by trusting an Iranian government with such a long record of defying the international community and supporting violent groups across the region. “Are you rooted in reality or are you rooted in wishful thinking?” he asked. The White House has said they are trying to set up a meeting between Obama and Netanyahu this November.
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PM Declares “War” on Stone Throwers
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his commitment to fighting terrorism, declaring “war” on those across the country who throw stones and Molotov cocktails amid rising tensions in Jerusalem. The declaration was said as police were deployed to Temple Mount to calm rising tensions in the city after an Israeli was killed over the Jewish New Year in a stone-throwing attack in the capital. The Temple Mount complex has been the site of riots in the last several days, although the area was reported to be relatively calm Wednesday morning with the deployment of police forces. Jordan’s King Abdullah threatened diplomatic sanctions over what he termed “Israeli violations” at the sensitive holy site. “We’re changing the policy. The current situation is unacceptable to us,” Netanyahu said during a tour of Route 443, which connects Tel Aviv and Jerusalem via the West Bank and has in recent months been the scene of several attacks against Israelis. “We will give instruments to policemen and soldiers, so that they can take very firm action against those who throw stones and Molotov cocktails.” The prime minister said he would change open-fire orders, increase the minimum sentence for those who throw stones and Molotov cocktails, and start imposing fines on minors and their parents who commit such attacks. Before making his statement from an army base along Route 443, Netanyahu visited the Jerusalem site of Sunday’s deadly stone throwing attack in East Talpiot. On Sunday evening, 64-year Jerusalemite Alexander Levlovitz was killed when his vehicle was struck by rocks as he made his way home from a Rosh Hashana dinner. “In the State of Israel these things are unacceptable and I don’t only mean on
the routes surrounding Jerusalem or Jerusalem itself,” the prime minister said. “I am also talking about the Galilee and the Negev. We’re changing the policy to [declare] war on stone throwers and those who throw Molotov cocktails.” Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said this week that stone throwing was akin to “attempted murder.” Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said that stone throwers need to pay a “heavy price” for their actions. If current measures are not enough, Barkat added, he would fight until the phenomenon was eliminated. Police need additional tools to fight them and more officers are needed as well to combat the problem. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked added that new policies which were to be implemented would treat people who throw stones or Molotov cocktails like those with “murder weapons.”
National Flooding in Utah Claims 16 Lives
On Monday evening, flashfloods claimed the lives of at least 12 people in a small town on the Utah-Arizona border, when two vehicles were swept away in the floodwaters. At least four others lost their lives in nearby Zion National Park. Three children in the SUVs survived the ordeal. “The little boy was standing there,” witness Yvonne Holm recalled. “He said, ‘Are you guys going to help me?’” Residents called it the worst flood in memory for the sister towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, located about 315 miles south of Salt Lake City at the foot of picturesque red rock cliffs. It was in this area at Maxwell Canyon where heavy rains sent water down Short Creek and barreling through Continued on page 24
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The Week In News
ׂר ֵאל ָ ִש ְ ֵש ִמ ְקוֶה ְלי ְׁע ָּתה י ַו
) ב,(עזרא י
= מקוהhope
THE JEWISH HOME
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
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Building a mikvah is a great segulah For children! For refuos! For parnassah!
For a year of life! Mikvah International has been building mikvahs in communities around the world for thirty years. Some cities, like Guayaquil, Ecuador and Madison, Wisconsin had no mikvah at all until we built one. Other cities like Riga, Latvia and Kharkov, Ukraine had old, dilapidated facilities that were barely usable. When you join Mikvah International, you earn a zechus that will bring you much brachah.
the towns. The torrent was so fast, “it was taking concrete pillars and just throwing them down, just moving them like plastic,” said Lorin Holm, who called the storm the heaviest in the 58 years he’s lived in the community. “We’re greatly humbled by this, but we realize that this is an act of G-d, and this is something we can’t control,” a resident said. “We have to take what we receive and do the best we can.” Although the area is prone to flooding, this week’s floods were of a monumental proportion. The height of the storm lasted about 30 minutes, pouring 1 ½ inches of rain into a desert-like landscape with little vegetation and many steep slopes.
Could the CIA Have Saved Warren Weinstein?
America’s Coolest Towns
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makers have voiced concern in classified hearings that the CIA abandoned a potential lead on an al-Qaeda captive to focus instead on hunting terrorists — despite President Obama’s promise that the government was doing everything it could to find Weinstein. “The agency’s main purpose is to go kill terrorists,” said a U.S. official familiar with the inquiry. “They will tell you it is not to rescue hostages.” In April, Obama delivered a public apology to the victims’ families and demanded an immediate investigation into the strike to determine whether any changes to U.S. targeting processes could have prevented the deaths. That inquiry is still ongoing. “We believed the president when he told us that rescuing American hostages was his highest priority,” Elaine Weinstein, Warren Weinstein’s wife, said in a statement. “They told us for three years ‘everything possible’ was being done to find and rescue Warren. We now feel deceived. . . . How do I explain to my grandkids that the government could have saved their grandpa, but decided not to?”
Warren Weinstein of Rockville, Maryland, probably never imagined he’d be killed by his own team. But the American aid worker was mistakenly and some say carelessly killed by a U.S. airstrike in Pakistan. Supposedly the CIA detected that there was a Western hostage being held by al-Qaeda in the region but failed to monitor the captive under drone surveillance. The surveillance lapse is being scrutinized as part of an internal CIA investigation into the death of Warren Weinstein, U.S. officials said. Giovanni Lo Porto, an Italian aid worker, was killed alongside Weinstein in the CIA strike on an al-Qaeda compound in January. The agency is claiming that they were completely unaware that Weinstein, 73, and Lo Porto, 39, were at the compound until their bodies were removed from the rubble in the aftermath. They emphasized that drone footage showing a possible hostage was so inconclusive that even after a long and detailed examination it remains unclear whether the heavily guarded figure was Weinstein. Still, officials said that senior law-
Cool is subjective, and yet recently Yahoo! Travel put together their version of our country’s Coolest Small Towns. Many of the towns boast a vibrant night life or are home to contemporary arthouses; others host live music events nightly or have a growing local economy. The folks of Grand Marais, Minnesota, can do a little victory dance—or react however cool people do—because they locked down the top spot and were named the “coolest” small town in the nation. The town’s perfect combination of being edgy, sweet, beautiful, and travel-worthy earned them the title for this year’s 10th annual contest. Grand Marais is nestled between Lake Superior and the Sawtooth Moun-
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The Week In News tains and hosts many one-of-a-kind events. Musicians, artists, photographers and artisans add an artistic flair to the area’s unique eateries and shops. Enjoy gazing at the otters playing at the docks or delight in fresh fish eaten al fresco at an outdoor café. Sail along Lake Superior and sip cappuccino as you watch painters at Artists’ Point depict the sailboats and lighthouse on their brilliant canvases. So where are all the cool people hanging out in small towns across America? Consider these ten towns: 1. Grand Marais, Minnesota (pop.:1,351) 2. Chincoteague, Virginia (pop.: 2,941) 3. Hillsborough, N.C. (pop.: 6,087) 4. Allegan, Michigan (pop.: 4,998) 5. Washington, N.C. (pop.: 9,744) 6. Delhi, New York (pop.: 3,087) 7. Fort Myers Beach, Florida (pop.: 6,277) 8. Huron, Ohio (pop.: 7,149) 9. Snohomish, Washington (pop.: 9,098) 10. Old Orchard Beach, Maine (pop.: 8,624)
Death Penalty for Anti-Semitic Serial Murderer
Frazier Glenn Miller Jr., 74, a self-proclaimed white supremacist, is facing the death penalty for fatally shooting three people at Jewish sites in Kansas. The jury suggested capital punishment after the ruthless murderer callously proclaimed to jurors that he was indifferent to what sentence was passed down to him. Miller was convicted of capital murder by the same jury last week for
O R I G I N A L PA I N T I N G S A N D P R I N T S F O R S A L E
P R I VA T E A R T L E S S O N S AVA I L A B L E
the April 2014 shootings in suburban Kansas City. The judge overseeing the trial will now decide whether to follow the jury’s sentencing recommendation. “I believe the criminal justice system worked effectively, that the people from the state of Kansas have spoken loud and clear,” William LaManno — whose wife, Terri, was among those killed — said after the verdict was read. Tony Corporon, who lost his father and nephew in the shootings, said he’d just “witnessed justice in action.” Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe had urged the jury to recommend the death sentence during closing arguments in the trial’s penalty phase. He displayed one of the shotguns used in the shootings, saying Miller — who had repeatedly admitted to the killings — pointed the gun at 53-year-old Terri LaManno, but the weapon didn’t fire. Howe then grabbed another of Miller’s guns to show the jury, saying LaManno “begged for her life” before Miller shot her. “There’s no doubt she was terrified. She froze. ... And his response was to brutally kill her,” Howe said. “The defendant’s actions are clearly the type of
case the death penalty was made for.” Miller shot LaManno at the Village Shalom retirement center in Overland Park shortly after killing 69-year-old William Corporon and Corporon’s 14-year-old grandson, Reat Griffin Underwood, at the nearby Jewish Community Center. Miller, who oddly represented himself at the trial, gave a long-winded, hour-long closing argument that referenced the media, white supremacism and his health. A doctor testified during the trial that Miller was not well and likely had only about five to six years left to live. Miller, also known as Frazier Glenn Cross Jr., is a Vietnam War veteran who founded the Carolina Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in his native North Carolina and later the White Patriot Party. He also ran for the U.S. House in 2006 and the U.S. Senate in 2010 in Missouri, each time espousing a white-power platform. Miller concluded his arguments by telling jurors he didn’t care what sentence they handed down and ended with raising his right arm in the Nazi salute. He repeated the hateful gesture Continued on page 29
27 THE JEWISH HOME
Today’s Kitchen... Chef's Favorite Kitchen!
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
Timeless designs and fine craftsmanship are characteristic trademarks that set Today’s kitchen apart from all others. Whether your plans include a new home or a home improvement remodeling project, we welcome the opportunity to create the design of your dreams and turn it into reality.
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The Week In News and planets can influence human behavior.” Wrong! The answer they should have selected was astrology. Time to start reading Popular Science magazine and spending less time with your friends on Facebook.
Tailor to the Presidents Dies It was a rags to riches story with a stop along the way at the White House dressing room. Georges de Paris, a French tailor who came to America and ended up broke and homeless before resurrecting his career, died last week at the age of 81. De Paris was famous for making suits for the most powerful man in the United States—from Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama. In his heyday, de Paris worked for Ronald Reagan, among others, who shared with de Paris some of his trademark jelly beans, and with Johnson, who introduced the suit maker to his wife and daughters.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
Americans aren’t doing too well in science. In fact, Americans got a “D” in the subject, according to the Pew Research Center. The public opinion and research organization surveyed a representative sample of U.S. adults last year on science topics like geology, physics and astronomy. Test-takers were only able to answer 7.9 questions correctly on av-
rectly was: “Which of these elements is needed to make nuclear energy and nuclear weapons?” Eighty-two percent correctly chose uranium, the other options were sodium chloride, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The most challenging question for test-takers was how altitude affects the temperature at which water boils. Only 34 percent knew that the temperature is lower in Denver than in Los Angeles, compared with 26% who guessed the opposite and 39% who thought the boiling temperature would be the same in both cities. Another factor that showed variances was age. Some questions proved to be easier for younger test-takers. For instance, 80% of those ages 18 to 29 knew that radio waves make cellphone conversations possible, while only 57% percent of senior citizens were similarly informed. The 65-plus age group, however, had an easier time identifying Jonas Salk as the developer of the polio vaccine — 86% of them knew the right answer, compared with 68% of adults under the age of 30. More than 22% said astronomy was “the study of how the positions of stars
How Well do You Know Your Science Facts?
erage out of 12—that’s equivalent to a score of 66%. Only 6% of the 3,278 test-takers answered all 12 questions correctly. While 26% got only one or two questions wrong, an additional 27% missed three or four. Thankfully, only 1% missed 11 of the questions, 2% missed 10, and 3% missed nine. Predictably, the more school test-takers completed, the higher they scored on the test. For instance, the participants who had earned some type of graduate degree scored an average of 9.5, while those who didn’t make it past high school averaged only 6.8 correct answers. Perhaps more surprisingly, the research showed a significant gender gap. Men outscored women, 8.6 to 7.3, on average. Researchers also discovered that whites scored higher on the test than Latinos or African-Americans. Their average scores were 8.4, 7.1 and 5.9, respectively. The easiest question on the test was: “Which of the Earth’s three layers — the crust, the mantle or the core — is hottest.” 86 percent of respondents gave the correct answer (the core!). Another question that most people answered cor-
THE JEWISH HOME
after jurors convicted him. On November 10, it will be revealed whether or not the judge will heed the jury’s recommendation. The state of Kansas hasn’t executed a death row inmate in decades. “Hopefully this verdict and completion of the trial will allow those impacted to begin healing,” Howe said in a statement after the hearing. Strangely enough, although Miller wanted to kill Jews, none of the victims in the slaughter were actually Jewish.
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The Week In News De Paris, a native of Marseille in southern France, was a diminutive man with a striking, unruly mane of thick, white hair. He had a tailor shop just a few blocks from the White House and always dressed impeccably. He came to the United States in the 1950s at the age of 27 with just $4,000. But he lost his money when a relationship went sour and he spent six months on the streets,
panhandling and sleeping in a parking lot near the White House. But then his luck started to turn. He was hired as a fabric cutter for a tailor, working for $70 a week. He scrimped and saved until he could buy a sewing machine and start his own business. Eventually, he met a congressman who started to buy suits from de Paris. He was then introduced to Lyndon B.
Johnson, who was vice president at the time, and continued to make his suits once he became president. He recalled that he loved working with Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush best of all. They were the “friendliest and also the most elegant,” de Paris said. “Reagan spoke a lot. He, like George W., knew how to appreciate the quality
of fabrics,” the tailor recalled. “He gave me jellybeans and was always afraid that I would prick him with my needles during the fitting.”
Richard Nixon “was cordial. He always asked for news of my family and whether I liked the United States.” De Paris became a U.S. citizen in 1969. “As for [Jimmy] Carter, he never said anything,” while Gerald Ford “teased me about my small size by asking me whether I played on an American football team.” On the other hand, George Bush Sr. “was not the most agreeable. But the least pleasant of all was Bill Clinton,” de Paris recalled. “Clinton was very demanding, cold and always occupied. ... He was unaware of me completely.”
That’s Odd Only the Nose Knows This guy really nose how to type. No, that’s not a typo. New Delhi’s Vinod Kumar Chaudhary has smashed the Guinness World Record for “fastest time to type a prescribed 103 character text on a keyboard using the nose” by pecking out “Guinness World Records have challenged me to type this sentence using my nose in the fastest time” in 46.3 seconds. You try that twenty times fast. Chaudhary beat the previous record of 47.44 seconds (which was set by Mohammed Khursheed Hussain, who typed the same sentence with his nose) on December 22, 2014. The feat was only recently recognized by Guinness. “Typing is my profession as well as passion, which inspired me to try something different and outstanding,” said Chaudhary, who practices his craft for at least four hours each day. “I have always wanted to do something innova-
The Week In News
The park itself will have the most roller coasters taller than 200 feet, the most rides at one amusement park and the most roller coaster track at one amusement park (60,110 feet/11.4 miles). Hold onto your hats—and your hair! These twins lead double lives. Kerri Bunker and Kelli Wall are identical twins who have been sharing a lot of things. In fact, both women each have one set of twins. But that’s about to change. Each of them are now expecting some new additions next spring—another set of twins. “To have twins twice is incredible,” Wall enthused. They are due two weeks apart. “It was like just one shock after another all summer long,” said Bunker. Both Wall and Bunker don’t just share a love of twin children. They both teach at the same school and are married to best friends. In fact, because they’re identical, the principal at the school where they teach sometimes has trouble telling them apart. But that doesn’t bother the two. “Truthfully there’s nothing better than having a best friend with you all the time,” Wall said. Double the fun.
A Rockin’ Roller Coaster This roller coaster is not for the faint of heart—or for anyone wearing
Animal Art
Modern art is sometimes hard to understand. But even if the layman has trouble deciphering all the dots, squiggles and dissecting lines, we know there has to be some thought behind it all. Right? Maybe not… Now, lucky buyers will be able to purchase pieces of art with absolutely no thought behind the canvases—except maybe by a real birdbrain. Elephants, giraffes, lemurs, and even a cockroach at the Oakland Zoo have been exploring their creative sides to produce colorful paintings that will be auctioned for charity. Zookeepers used plenty of treats to coax animals into producing masterpieces. Elephants were helped to hold paintbrushes in their trunks and giraffes held paintbrushes in their mouths and pro-
duced their artwork one stroke at a time. Goats, lemurs, and meerkats had their hooves, paws or claws dabbed with nontoxic, water-based paint and ran over a blank sheet of poster board while chasing a treat. Thirty-two artworks will be auctioned off. Perhaps you’d be interested in an intriguing piece by Andy, a Madagascar hissing cockroach, who scurried around a canvas painted in purple, green and yellow tones. Or maybe a blue, green and yellow piece by Maggie, a Nigerian dwarf goat, would be more your style. “It was fun for them because they got treats for participating,” zoo spokesman Nicky Mora said. Last year, Oakland Zoo auctioned off twelve paintings and raised nearly $10,000. Can’t wait to have the Andy the Cockroach’s work of art hanging in my living room. I’m sure it will make my guests really bug out.
The Supreme Selfie Selfies are a serious business. In fact, Bhanu Prakash has quit his job in search of setting a selfie world record.
The 24-year-old from Hyderabad, India, has set out to break the world record for the most selfies taken in an hour. He is so dedicated that in August he quit his job as a research assistant at a hospital to train after he was inspired by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s record-breaking 105 selfies in three minutes. Don’t think this is an easy feat. Arizona Cardinals star Patrick Peterson is the current world-record holder, with a staggering 1,449 selfies taken in an hour. Prakash, though, is unfazed. So far, his personal best is already 1,700 selfies an hour and his goal is to get to 1,800. He spends his time performing hand and wrist exercises to prepare for his big day—September 18. Can’t think of a more self-absorbed goal to meet.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
Double Lives
A Gem of a Find
Some people have kidney stones. Other people have different types of stones in their bodies—and these stones can provide rock-hard evidence against them. Take, for instance, a Chinese visitor to Bangkok. Thankfully, physicians there were able to successfully remove a foreign object from her large intestine that could have caused her severe damage. More good news? The object was a 10 million baht (around $278,000) diamond. The bad news? This gem is the one the woman was accused of stealing from a jewelry fair in the country. Sounds like some pretty hard evidence against her. Police were able to nab the woman and her male accomplice when a dealer at the booth at the fair identified the two. The duo switched a fake stone for the real one after they asked to inspect it. They were arrested at the airport and denied their crime, although X-rays revealed a suspicious object in the wom-
a toupee. Next summer, Ohio’s Cedar Point amusement park will unveil its newest roller coaster, the Valravn Birdseye, which will break 10 roller coaster records. For those of you who love speed and have no fear, you will be able to enjoy the ride of lifetime. The coaster will be the tallest diver coaster (223 feet), fastest dive coaster (75 mph), longest dive coaster (3,415 feet), have three inversions, have the longest drop on a dive coaster (214 feet), and have the highest inversion on a dive coaster (165 feet).
It seems like the nose is getting a lot of attention. The Guinness team released details of Chaudhary’s success in their weekly Spotlight video, which features a cornucopia of snout-based records. The olfactory virtuoso faced some serious competition amongst other master-beaks, whose accomplishments ranged from “largest bubble gum bubble blown with the nose” to “tallest object balanced on the nose.” Sounds like there’s no(se) stopping them.
an’s intestines. Doctors were forced to operate and then retrieved the gem. This is not the first time someone swallowed a gem in an effort to steal it. In 2012, police in South Africa arrested a 25-year-old man who they said swallowed 220 polished diamonds in an attempt to smuggle them out of the country. The diamonds were estimated to be worth about $2.3 million, and were discovered via a body scan as the man was waiting to go through security at the international airport near Johannesburg prior to taking a flight to Dubai. Talk about some hidden gems.
THE JEWISH HOME
tive and do my best in all competitions; this gave me the strength to break the record of fastest typing with nose.”
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Around The Community What’s New at DRS
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The 89 members of the incoming DRS Class of 2019
Preparations are in full swing for the 2015-16 school year. At DRS Yeshiva High School, there are a number of new milestones and exciting new initiatives being instituted: • With 338 students, DRS has hit a record high in enrollment in its 19-year history! • To accommodate the increased
enrollment, renovations are being done to add two more classrooms to the building. • DRS will undergo a recertification process for its accreditation by The Middlestates Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Education. • The DRS library is undergoing a
HANC High School Senior Named Semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program
R-L: Rabbi Shlomo Adelman, Menahel; Matthew Rosenberg, HANC Senior; Mrs. Carole Tabin, Associate Principal; and Ms. Tziporah Zucker, Assistant Principal
On September 9, officials representing the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists (out of 1.5 million juniors entered) in the 61st annual National Merit Scholarship Program. HANC High School is proud that their very own Matthew Rosenberg
is one of these select few. Matthew will go on to compete with the other semifinalists for one of 7,400 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million. HANC is extremely proud of Matthew and wish him much hatzlacha in the ongoing competition.
complete transformation. Construction is now being done to create a brand new virtual library and study lounge, and will serve as a quiet workspace conducive to studying. The library will house iMacs, laptops, and a 3D printing station for students to take advantage of. The computers will provide students with powerful online learning tools, and students will be able to check out laptops to use for work, utilizing extensive research databases for both Judaic and Secular subject. • An early morning optional bekiut class is being offered before davening to allow students to complete the 82 daf of Masechet Kiddushin over the year. This complements the other bekiut options throughout the day for students. • A section of the new library center will become a “drop-in center,” a private room that will allow students to schedule meeting times with teachers for some extra help and tutoring. • The curriculum will include a new three-year sequence in Spanish, Hebrew, and Mandarin. • A newly designed freshmen computer curriculum, taught as a blended learning course, will focus on coding, scripting, and other 21st century skills. • A new program is being instituted in the sophomore year for those students who need strengthening of literacy skills. • Remedial smaller sections in English, science, and math were added to all grades to strengthen students’ skills in these areas. • A new slate of young, eager, and dynamic rabbinic interns, including two DRS alumni, have been hired to
assist our Judaic studies faculty inside the classroom. Aside from spending time with those students in need for enrichments, the interns will be tasked with creating screencast recording of the Gemara reading in order to enable individualized learning at each student’s own pace. • In an effort to create a safe online environment for our students, the school will be installing a program called “NetRef” onto its Wi-Fi system. Net-Ref manages Internet distractions for students. By installing the NetRef app on student devices, teachers can monitor students’ use of the internet in class and keep them focused on learning throughout the lesson. • Our Senior Year “Project SYO”, Senior Year Odyssey, is being expanded to include internships in engineering, medicine, healthcare, and many other related fields. Seniors are matched with internships of their choosing, and they make a multimedia presentation of their findings to a faculty review committee.
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Around The Community MAY Freshmen Overcome Challenges Together
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Confidence, trusting in one’s self, trusting in others and striving for excellence were just some of the many of the intended and achieved goals which were facilitated at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov’s ninth grade orientation outing to Project C.A.R.E. in Amityville last week. The freshman class had a memorable retreat through a challenging course of activities that included a tandem zip-line, catwalk, high wire walk and more. The outing was a success in helping the new arrivals bond with their peers and their rabbeim in a setting that promoted confidence, team-building, cohesiveness and cooperation. Many talmidim faced their fears and rose above them. It was an inspiring experience for talmidim and rabbeim alike. This event, besides being an opportunity to rejuvenate, was a great opportunity for these young men to solidify their self-esteem and confidence. “Doing these activities at Project C.A.R.E. was really challenging and scary,” said one freshman student, “but I pushed myself and feel stronger because of it.” Rabbi Tsvi Greenfield, the Mesiv-
ta’s Student Activities Coordinator, explained that “the goal of our freshman orientation trip is to promote individual and team growth, and this kind of outing accomplishes that. Our hope is that the students will recognize their true potential and use the tools they acquired on this trip to propel them to succeed on the highest levels.”
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Around The Community Five Towns Marriage Initiative A Happy Year, a Happy Marriage During the year Hashem only accepts repentance of the klal, when the whole congregation comes together in repentance. Specifically, during these days of Aseres Yemai Teshuvah, Hashem also
accepts the repentance of the individual. This, though, is still contingent on the congregation to some extent, because in order for a person to do a complete repentance he must appease his friend and
make up with him if he did any wrongdoing towards him. We are told, “Take words with you and return to Hashem.” The words that we take refer to the words of vidui which we say numerous times
throughout the course of Yom Kippur, but these words are written in the verse in plural. The second set of words that are being referred to are the words used to appease one’s fellow man, hence the double language. The first person we should turn to and be sure we appease must be our spouse. Before having a conversation, we need to take some time to think in the same way we should when repenting before Hashem. Think about the interactions we’ve had with our spouse over the course of the past year. We need to try to recall if we said things that were hurtful or maybe if we spoke about our spouse to others in a manner that was forbidden. We need to think if we gave our spouse the respect coming to them, and if we treated them in a kind way. Maybe because we are so close we allowed ourselves to become too comfortable, taking what they do for us for granted, not making time to focus on our marriage properly, and allowing ourselves to vent all our frustration in our home where we feel we don’t need to wear a mask like we must for the world at large. This is not to say that we then must go and repeat every horrible thing we did during the past year to our spouse. If it’s the kind of thing that will cause more pain than benefit we are better off speaking generally, saying we want to ask forgiveness in case we spoke negatively about them and then to be sure that our spouse actually forgives us. What then is the purpose of all the thinking if we might not actually enumerate every awful thing we did in the past year? The only way to make things better is if we first figure out where we are going wrong. We might not realistically be able to tackle every area at once, but at least amongst our resolutions for the coming year, at least one should be marriage-related, taking upon ourselves something we can improve on in our marriage. May we merit to be sealed in the Book of Life for a happy year and a happy marriage! Five Towns Marriage Initiative provides educational programs, workshops and referrals to top marriage therapists. FTMI will help offset counseling costs when necessary and also runs an anonymous shalom bayis hotline for the entire community Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 9:30-11p.m. For the hotline or more information, call 516-4305280 or email dsgarry@msn.com.
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Around The Community DRS Freshmen Shabbaton By Moshe Carroll, DRS The excitement was palpable as freshmen at DRS Yeshiva High School eagerly boarded the buses last Thursday, ready to head to the annual Freshman Shabbaton held at Camp Kaylie in Wurtsboro, N.Y. on September 10-12. “The goal of the Shabbaton is for everyone meet each other and create a sense of achdut (unity) within the grade in an enjoyable and fun way,” said DRS Menahel Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky to the freshman class. Upon arrival, students unpacked, davened Maariv, and headed to the gym for “Wacky Olympics.” Students faced off in shiur-vs.-shiur competitions in a variety of events, in which every student had a unique role. “My favorite part was when everyone came together to do crazy and funny contests,” said freshman Avi Samter. The night was far from over, as students enjoyed a late night barbecue and basketball in the gym with their new friends. Students woke up Friday morning, eager for the events to come. After Shacharis, breakfast and shiur with the freshmen rebbeim, students took to the
gridiron for a competitive flag football tournament, while bonding with new friends. “My favorite part was the flag football tournament because I enjoyed meeting new classmates,” said Shlomo Schwartz. After the tournament, the class enjoyed the camp’s spacious facilities and went go-carting, swimming and played sports before preparing for an amazing Shabbos to come. The Class of 2019 headed into Shabbos unified as one with tremendous energy and unity. After davening and a festive
seuda with zemirot and divrei Torah, the freshmen enjoyed a DRS-style tisch with Rabbi Kaminetsky and their rebbeim, as they sung, enjoyed cholent, kugel and candy and experienced the joy and ruach of Shabbos together as one class. The spirit continued the next morning, as a lively Shacharis, kiddush and intriguing shiurim highlighted the day. After a scrumptious Shabbos lunch with zemirot and singing, students continued forming unbreakable friendships with one another and learned together in the
Beis Medrash. Following Mincha and Shalosh Seudos, students gathered for an inspirational and memorable kumzitz, joining together to usher the Shabbos out with song, achdut and ruach. Following a beautiful Maariv and havdalah, students boarded the busses and left the Shabbaton with a dose of ruach and achdut for the year to come. “The Shabbaton was a really incredible experience, with so much achdut in the class,” said Shmuli Klahr.
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Around The Community Senior Impact Day: Engaged in Combating Hunger
Great Start for Gesher in New Cedarhurst Location
In honor of National Senior Citizen Day, Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, The Samuel Field Senior Day Center, Engage Jewish Service Corps and 50 local seniors participated in Senior Impact Day: Engage in Combating Hunger. Senior Impact Day was a dual-impact event; it provided seniors in the Queens community with important information and assistance on benefits and services while also engaging senior volunteers in peer outreach. Senior volunteers learned how to pre-screen seniors in need for SNAP and Met Council’s Metropair, a free handyman services. Nationally, three out of five seniors are eligible for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formally Food Stamps), but do not participate. In New York City alone, 700,000 people are eligible for SNAP, but do not participate in the program. Met Council’s goal, through education and assistance, is to provide client friendly and dignified support to help gain access to public benefits. Last year, Met Council enrolled 11,195 families into SNAP, leveraging more than $3 million in government benefits. “Since Met Council’s inception, caring for seniors has been core to our mission,” said Alan Schoor, Met Council CEO and Executive Director. “Many of our clients work their entire lives, but when they become too frail to work, their lack of a deep and wide enough safety net makes it difficult for them to
As it enters its fourth year, the Gesher Early Childhood Center continues to reach new milestones. From its humble beginnings in 2012 Gesher now boasts an expansive program in its sprawling new facility. The new location is the former home of the Shulamith Middle School, on Broadway between Locust Avenue and Grove Avenue. Many passersby have noticed the new playground that was recently installed. Much work was done to prepare the facility for the needs of the incoming early childhood students. The large sunlit classrooms, roomy indoor gym, and well pointed OT/PT and related services areas contribute to the ideal setting that Gesher looks to create. Anyone who has visited a Gesher classroom in the last several years knows that even the furniture is top of the line. It is the perfect complement to
A Distillery for the Chosen Nation TJH Speaks with Monte Sachs of Catskills Distilling Company Page 98
afford a nutritional diet or hire handymen. Our SNAP outreach work helps clients gain access to public benefits and our Metropair program helps frail seniors age in place and live safely in the homes they love.” “The Samuel Field Y is excited to partner with Met Council to provide information to the public about available benefits that will greatly increase their ability to maintain safety and independence within the community,” said Jordana Davidson, social worker at The Samuel Field Y. “We recognize that food insecurity and home maintenance for low-income seniors are major issues in Queens that often go unaddressed. Because of this, we are proud to host this event which will increase public awareness about available resources. Additionally, we are excited that through Met Council and Engage Long Island/ Queens we are able to provide a handson volunteer opportunity and training to volunteers interested in addressing the issue of hunger. We hope that through education, we can destigmatize and demystify myths about those dealing with food insecurity and help individuals in need to be connected to these life sustaining services.” “Engage Jewish Service Corps Long Island Queens region is committed to working with Met Council on Jewish poverty. Engage volunteers will be mobilized to extend outreach to the Queens community, educating residents in need about SNAP benefits,” said, Susan Berman, Community Organizer at UJA-Federation of New York’s Engage Jewish Service Corps Long Island and Queens.
the quality programming and curriculum that has driven Gesher’s success. “We want to create the ideal classroom environment,” says Mrs. Chava Bodner, Director of Gesher. “Our multi-sensory and multi-disciplinary approach gives us the ability to really individualize and meet the needs of every single student.” That approach, implemented by the hardworking and specially trained staff, has clearly made its mark. Since last year Gesher has added the following: A new first grade A parallel Pre-1A Enrollment increase of close to 50% An enhanced transition program The Gesher team has incorporated the changes seamlessly. The beaming children and the ecstatic parents are clear indicators that Gesher has secured a very important place in the chinuch of our community.
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SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
Cedarhurst Remembers Ceremony for the Anniversary of 9/11
Pre-1A Rebbe Rav Henoch Potash blowing shofar in his classroom at Yeshiva Darchei Torah
On the first Friday of school, BYQ’s Junior High was wowed with a highschool style orientation. The girls heard words of chizuk from BYQ’s dean, Rabbi Mordechai Gewirtz. Rabbi Gewirtz focused on the posuk, “V’samachta b’chol hatov,” and Mrs. Jurkowitz, the Kodesh principal, followed with the approach in seeing the good and appreciating all that we have. The G.O. theme, “Shaping up a Great Year,” was introduced by their G.O. presidents, Breindy Dick and Penina Rockove. Morah Chaviva Pfeiffer, the G.O. coordinator, showed the girls a video on previous G.O. activities. The
girls were so excited as they observed all the fun to come! As they exited, the girls received their Hebrew schedules, a ruler, to draw any SHAPE, and SuperSnacks in a variety of shapes!
HANC Shofar Factory “This day is the most deeply felt and solemnly observed day of remembrance in our lifetime. It is the Pearl Harbor of our generation,” said Mayor Benjamin Weinstock in his opening speech. 9/11 is a day of remembrance for our fallen heroes and loved ones. Fourteen years after the tragic events that unfolded on September 11, 2001, the Village of Cedarhurst held its annual memorial ceremony at 4:00 p.m. at the memorial plaza in Andrew J. Parise Park in honor of those lost from our area: Thomas Jurgens, Neil D. Levin, Kevin O’Rourke, Joseph Rivelli Jr., Bettina Browne Radburn, Ira Zaslow, and Howard Selwyn. The chaplains of the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department, Rev. Msgr. Paul F. Rahilly Pastor of St Joachim’s RC Church, Rabbi Kenneth Hain of Beth Sholom, Hon. Anthony Santino TOH Senior Councilman, and Hon. Bruce Blakeman TOH Councilman offered words of wisdom, healing and
prayers to our great community and to those fallen heroes and loved ones. Participation from LHS Public Schools Pam Gallopini School Music Director, Superintendent Gary Schall, LHS Vocal Ensemble and Taps Player, Lawrence-Cedarhurst and other Fire Departments, and Veterans of Lawrence-Cedarhurst American Legion brought dignity, grace and honor to a day that will be etched in our hearts forever. Mayor Weinstock added, “The men and women that we memorialize on our monument, together with all the members of the Lawrence-Cedarhurst, Inwood, and Meadowmere Park Fire Departments, the 4th Precinct of the Nassau County Police Department, our Auxiliary Police and all emergency responders, you will always be our heroes,” as Commander Mandelbaum from Lawrence-Cedarhurst American Legion posted the Colors.
Sixth graders at HANC’s Samuel & Elizabeth Bass Golding Elementary School in West Hempstead prepared for Rosh Hashana by making their very own shofrot. The students really enjoyed the Tzivos Hashem Shofar Factory program, during which the students learned the halachot of what makes a kosher shofar and all the steps involved in making a shofar. Each student was then able to saw, sand and blow their very own shofar. The HANC minyan room was filled with the smells and sounds of the shofar as the students
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Bais Yaakov of Queens’ G.O. Shapes the Year
brought their shofrot to life. Thank you to the PTA for sponsoring this wonderful program. Shana tova u’metukah from all of HANC!
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Around The Community Workshop Aims at Empowering Newly Divorced Parents By Faygie Holt Navigating life as a divorced, single parent is never easy, but the challenges are compounded when one is part of the Orthodox Jewish community in part because of the community’s strong family focus and many traditions. While friends and family will likely rally around the divorced parent by helping with carpools or inviting them for a Shabbat meal, the parent and children are likely to still experience loneliness, sadness and frustration. Often families receive support when they are going through the initial stages of separation and divorce, but many find that people pull away over time. To provide newly divorced individuals with the tools they need to help themselves and their children, Clinical Psychologist Dr. Barbara Lauer-Listhaus and Mrs. Rena Kutner, who herself was a young divorced mother (she has since remarried), teamed up to create a workshop titled, “Accepting Your New Normal: Rebuilding a Better You and Helping Your Children in the Process.” More than 30 women from across New Jersey attended the first workshop, which was held at Congregation Rinat Yisrael in Teaneck. A second session was held at the JCC in Long Island and was equally well attended.
“We want to empower parents and their children to face their peers, their extended family and the community with strength and determination to improve their life,” says Lauer-Listhaus, who has spent 20 years helping people renegotiate their roles as parents while dealing with their own emotional adjustment to the changes in lifestyle that occur following divorce. Orthodox families dealing with a divorce have unique concerns that aren’t necessarily faced by others, says Lauer-Listhaus. “These young parents have to handle the expenses of yeshiva education often on a single salary. They have to help their children transition between two homes, which may have different levels of religious observance. Many single parents spend the yamim tovim alone without their children.” As for the children, Lauer-Listhaus says they often feel isolated from their classmates because their parents are absent from the Shabbat table or do not attend events at their school. “Some are fortunate to have a supportive extended family, but others feel ashamed and on their own dealing with a stigma that still exists within our community,” says Lauer- Listhaus. According to the organizers, the workshop provides practical suggestions for
Rena Kutner and Dr. Barbara Lauer-Listhaus at their recent divorce support workshop
different scenarios, as well as guidelines for knowing when to seek professional help. Parents are encouraged to model positive behavior and avoid overwhelming their children, teaching them how to deal with their experiences in a productive manner, rather than from a position of anger or frustration. The organizers also encourage divorced parents to take the initiative. “Don’t just wait for an invitation, invite friends over for meals on Shabbat,” advises Rena Kutner, adding that parents should “speak openly about their situation to friends and family rather than be secretive. Be direct and let friends and family
know how they can help.” The advice, and the way it was presented, was much appreciated by the attendees at both workshops. “As a divorced mother there was a lot of helpful and practical information,” said one parent. “There were many tips I can use in my everyday life as a single mom.” Another newly divorced parent praised Kutner and Lauer-Listhaus for having a “warm and empathic approach that enabled the members to feel validated and understood.” For more information about this workshop, please contact specialkidsdoc@gmail.com.
Campers at Camp Dora Golding Look Back and Look Ahead East Stroudsburg, PA… It was quite an unusual sight on the last day of this year’s camp season. Campers at Camp Dora Golding were straining their necks to look back and catch one more glimpse as they boarded the buses home, marking the end of the camp season. Many deep breaths were also taken after such an action-packed summer season. There was literally no time to breathe the entire summer, with a jampacked camp schedule overflowing with trips, activities, and fun-filled craziness from the get-go to the last farewell. Campers truly had the most amazing summer of their lives. Hershey Park, Dorney Park, and Camel Beach Water Park were all on the camp menu, not to mention Aquatopia, Camelback Resorts’
brand-spanking-new indoor water park. In addition, CDG hosted dozens of visitors from John Cassidy of “Balloon Freak Show” fame to the Master Simon Sez, from the Djphantom Jump to the one and only, world-famous, illusionist to the stars, Elliot Zimet. “It was the most amazing summer of my life. All the trips
were a ton of fun especially paintballing, the new go-cart track was also super cool. CDG really thought of everything this
year—there was even a mist machine to cool us all off after playing sports,” says one CDG camper. Campers have barely unpacked and already the camp office phones are ringing with enrollments for the summer of 2016. “It’s unbelievable. Our campers get home and immediately go online and sign up for next year,” says CDG Director, Alex Gold. “Truthfully we are already scheming and dreaming about next year. We’ve got some really out-ofthis-world ideas and can’t wait to get cracking. We’ll be building new state-of-theart basketball courts and new volleyball courts, in addition to renovating bunkhouses and upgrading the pool area. Plus, we have a few fantastic ideas up our sleeves. We definitely don’t take a break for a minute. We live and breathe camp all year round and we love it!” With no time for lying down,
Camp Dora Golding seriously ups their game year in, year out. Enrollments are already open, and applications are pouring in. Don’t miss 2016’s action-packed, magic-filled, life-changing Camp Dora Golding experience. It will definitely be the place to be. To view photos and videos from this past summer and to enroll for 2016, please go to www.campdoragolding.com.
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One week before Rosh Hashana, Rav Simcha Bunim Cohen, rav of Khal Ateres Yeshaya in Lakewood and mechaber sefarim, offered divrei hisorirus to the talmidim of Mesivta Chaim Shlomo. He subsequently spoke to the Yeshiva’s Kollel Tirtza Devorah.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015 Rav Cohen with Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah; Rav Zevi Trenk, menahel of Mesivta Chaim Shlomo; Rav Dovid Bender, Rosh Kollel of Kollel Tirtza Devorah; and Rav Avrohom Nusbaum, menahel of Mesivta Chaim Shlomo
Rav Cohen speaking to Kollel Tirtza Devorah
Unleashing Beauty and Potential into a Modern Jerusalem By Daniela Berkowitz “Ten measures of beauty descended on the world – nine were taken by Jerusalem, one to the rest of the world,” declares the Gemara in Maseches Kiddushin. With thousands of years of history, it is no doubt that Jerusalem has a charm and beauty unlike any other city in the world. Packed with spirituality, culture and memories, the city has been exploring a new side in recent decades as modern investors capitalize on the city’s unique qualities. The Jerusalem skyline is now dotted with towering luxurious buildings. One of the neighborhood’s rapid and stark changes is in Romema, located at the western entrance to the city. It was formerly a neighborhood housing wealthy Jews, though in recent decades, deteriorated into an industrial zone. Now it has been reborn as one of the most upscale residential neighborhoods. At one of the highest points of the Jerusalem, Romema gleams from stunning overlooks and priceless views. The changing skyline reflects the beauty and
glory of this neighborhood, which has much untapped potential for development and style. Another unique factor is that this neighborhood is attracting Haredi families seeking an alternative to the already crowded Geula neighborhood. Romema is a perfect choice, with easy access to many Torah institutions yet just a leap away from the urban hustle-and-bustle of Bar Ilan and Geula. Just one decade ago, no one could imagine that the decrepit Yirmeyahu Street district would be lined with dozens of modern apartment towers. Not only are these buildings maximizing the views, but also are pushing the current trends forward when it comes to architectural design and standards in Israel. At the center of this neighborhood restoration lies the nine-building complex “Jerusalem Heights,” appropriately named both for its views and design. A partnership initiative by three companies, the project drives on luxury and is built to the highest specifications – many of which are nearly unheard of in Jerusalem prior. Under-floor heating,
spacious living rooms, and stunning balconies are just a few of the features of the 276 units. The buildings will include luxurious lobbies, high speed elevators and other top amenities. Anchoring the complex is a large commercial space, giving residents of the neighborhood premier access to all amenities that they might need. There a synagogue in the complex, in addition to all the yeshivas and community centers already in existence in the neighborhood. Lead Architect Boaz Bitman has been lauded for his tremendous stylistic feat, giving each unit its own kosher sukkah balcony. The challenge was necessary, he says. Each apartment also will have regal windows, emphasizing the stunning views available from each unit. The panoramic city scopes capture all that Jerusalem has to offer: the treasured history, the gallant modernity and the natural splendor. From a pinnacle point, Jerusalem Heights residents will have breathtaking views, but also will be encircled by gar-
den space. The surrounding vistas of the nearby Jerusalem mountains are a shiny, magnificent lush green—a scenery optimized by sunset and sunrise, seen clearly in full range. No surprise that this project has been so successful – with nearly 60% of the apartments purchased in the first year. Jerusalem Heights was called a “best seller” by the Israeli Tax Authority for its rapid sales. Moreover, the units are considerably affordable for a new sumptuous apartment. Each meter is priced at around $6,800, whereby old apartments in the neighborhood, which likely need remodeling and refitting, can cost upwards of $6,100 per meter. In Jerusalem Heights, buyers get more when purchasing, including covering lawyer fees, a quality central air conditioning, a storage unit and other benefits. Gaining acclaim for its rich standards and affordable high-class living, Jerusalem Heights surely exemplifies what it means to live and grow in Jerusalem.
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Around The Community Councilmember Richards Funds Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula and Helps Serve Seniors on Rosh Hashana Last Thursday, Councilmember Donovan Richards (D-Far Rockaway) joined the Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula to help give out food to Jewish seniors for Rosh Hashanah. Councilmember Richards also announced that he provided the JCCRP with $75,000 in the 2015-16 fiscal budget. Out of that funding, $15,000 will go directly to the JCCRP’s food pantry, which provides food packages to about 1,800 residents a month and serves any and every one, as well as access to SNAP enrollment and emergency food vouchers to supermarkets. The remaining $60,000 will go to senior and youth programs. The JCCRP Kosher Client Choice Pantry has gone through extensive renovations and upgrades to help meet the increase in clients coming to the pantry to receive assistance. “The Far Rockaway JCC has been helping the community for years and the increase in residents they serve through the food pantry shows just how large of a
L-R: JCCRP client; Rachel Stahler, JCCRP Pantry Director; Richard Altabe, JCCRP chairman; Councilman Donovan Richards; Frank Joseph, Councilman Richards Chief of Staff; Sandy Myers, Associate Director of Government Relations UJA- Federation of NY; Jeff Leb, UJA-Federation Of NY-Director For Gov’t & External Relations; Nathan Krasnovsky, Executive Director JCCRP; Shalom Becker, JCCRP treasurer; and Rena Resnick, Public Affairs Manager Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty
need there is in our district,” said Councilmember Donovan Richards. “It’s a pleasure to provide them with the necessary funding to ensure that they are able to meet that need while they continue to
L-R: Shalom Becker, JCCRP treasurer; Richard Altabe, JCCRP chairman; Councilman Donovan Richards; Nathan Krasnovsky, Executive Director JCCRP; Jeff Leb, UJA-Federation Of NY-Director For Gov’t & External Relations.
open their doors to anyone who comes knocking with an empty stomach. It was great to spend time with our seniors who helped build this community, wish them a happy Rosh Hashana, and see them leave with a smile on their face.” “Councilman Richards has been a major supporter of the JCCRP since he has taken office,” said Nathan Krasnovsky, executive director of JCCRP. “With his continued support and increase in funding for our community, he has truly helped make this upcoming New Year a sweet, healthy and happy one.” Since 1972, the Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula has been providing services on a non-sectarian basis to those in need and advocating issues of concern in the community. The
JCCRP combines and coordinates the efforts of all parts of the Jewish Community, including all the religious, educational, social welfare institutions and Jewish communal organizations within the Rockaway Peninsula; to improve the cultural, educational, social, communal and religious welfare within this community. The JCCRP aids in meeting the needs of the impoverished members of the Rockaway Community by determining the nature and extent of their basic needs and methods of meeting those needs; improves the housing and living conditions in the area and prevents the deterioration of existing housing and community facilities and serves as advocates for the communal needs of the Jewish community.
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has produced and directed the Israeli Day Concert in Central Park. This past year he directed “Fiddler on the Roof” at the Bayswater Jewish Center and the show was the biggest success the shul had ever had. “I had the good fortune to have played Tevye and to have worked with Zvika on this amazing production,” said Stuart Rappaport. “Zvika had a vision of how ‘Fiddler’ should be directed and he infused the production with a ‘neshama,’” continued Dr. Rappaport. “So many people came over to me after the show and said that even though they had seen ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ many times, they never felt the ‘Yiddishe neshama’ that our production had. I knew that he was the man to direct ‘Joseph.’” “I am so excited to be working on this production of ‘Joseph,’” said Mr. Bornstein. “This will be an unprecedented event for the Five Towns community. There has never been a Broadway musical that was produced by an Orthodox institution and can appeal to all elements within this very diverse community. Women have ‘Harmony,’ which allows them to express their talents, but it is only for women. Here is a chance for men and boys to be involved in a chesed project that also taps into their G-d-given talents. This will be a production for all members of a family. I truly see this as a project of unity.” When Mark Honigsfeld, chairman of the board of Kulanu, heard about the project, he became very excited. “’Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ is one of my family’s favorite musicals,” said Mr. Honigsfeld. “We had to be a part of this,” he continued. Mr. Honigsfeld took the project to a new level. “Opportunities for inclusion are always paramount. Kulanu participants will be involved in whatever capacity they can, whether on the stage or off,” he continued. “And we are so happy to be working together with the Young Israel of Woodmere on this show.” “This is such an amazing project,”
Long before Andrew Lloyd Weber wrote “Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats,” or “Evita,” he and Tim Rice had written a cantata for an all-boys preparatory school in London to be sung at their graduation. This cantata was eventually expanded upon and it became the highly popular “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” In December, the Five Towns community will have a chance to experience “Joseph” as it was originally conceived, but as it has never been produced on a Broadway stage: as an all-male production. Ironically, because this is being produced so all members of a frum family can come to see this together, “Joseph” has come full-circle. “I find it surprising that it took so long for an Orthodox institution to realize that this show is the perfect vehicle for the frum community,” says Dr. Stuart Rappaport, a local optometrist, who is also an accomplished singer and actor in local community theater productions. “But everything has its right time,” he continued. Three years ago, Dr. Rappaport was approached by Joey Schiff, a member of the board of the Young Israel of Woodmere, to help get this project off the ground. As with many shul projects, this one was put on the back burner for a while. “I’m so glad that this project has finally become a reality,” said Mr. Schiff. “I really believe it will be an important and exciting event for the community.” In order to successfully mount a production of this kind, they needed to find a director who was experienced in theater, but was also sensitive to the nuances of an Orthodox production. Zvika Bornstein was the man. A member of the White Shul, Mr. Bornstein is an accomplished director, producer and choreographer. His credits include national Broadway tours as well as many off-Broadway productions. He has produced and choreographed shows and music videos with stars such as Gad Elbaz, Alex Claire, Lipa Schmeltzer, and Edon. For the last four years he
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Kulanu and Young Israel of Woodmere to Produce “Joseph” the Musical
L-R: Stuart Rappaport, Joey Schiff, Zvika Bornstein, Mark Honigsfeld, Beth Raskin
said Dr. Beth Raskin, Executive Director of Kulanu. “’Joseph’ provides former as well as current Kulanu Academy and Torah L’Kulanu students and faculty the chance to share their talents and skills with our community,” she continued. Then Mr. Honigsfeld had the idea of making opening night a dinner/theater event, instead of the usual Kulanu dinner. “This will be a ‘red-carpet’ night,” said Mr. Honigsfeld. “This will be ‘The Event’ of the Five Towns.” “We are so happy to be partnering with such a worthy institution as Kulanu on this project,” said Yehudah Poupko, president of the Young Israel of Woodmere. Mr. Poupko and Rabbi Shalom Axelrod, assistant Rabbi of the Young Israel of Woodmere, have been pushing for this project to succeed ever since they were introduced to the idea many months ago. “This is exactly the kind of event in which I want our shul to be involved. The Young Israel of Woodmere has become a center of learning, and that is very important. But I also want our shul involved in ‘family’ activities. It is so important that we can help produce a show that
will feature our very own local talent and that can be attended by the entire family. I am very happy to see this come to fruition,” said Rabbi Axelrod. Auditions are scheduled for Sunday September 20 from 3:00- 60:00 P.M. and Thursday, October 1 from 7:30 till 9:30 PM. The auditions will take place at the Kulanu Center for Special Services, 620 Central Ave. All men and boys who have musical talent are urged to audition. All schoolchildren will receive chesed hours for their time spent on the production. Iy”H the red carpet premier will occur Saturday night, December 19 with a pre-show dinner buffet, creative cocktails and meeting the cast for an after-show dessert celebration! There will be a total of six performances: Sat. nights, December 19 and 26, and 2 performances (3:00PM and 7:00PM) on Sundays December 20 and 27. Tickets will be going on sale shortly. For further information, please email Dr. Stuart Rappaport at eyerap@ aol.com.
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Around The Community Assemblyman Curran & Senior Councilman Santino Secure FEMA Extension Assemblyman Brian Curran (Lynbrook – 21st A.D.) and Town of Hempstead Senior Councilman Anthony J. Santino recently secured a 30 day extension of the September 15, 2015 federal review deadline for homeowners whose properties were damaged by Superstorm Sandy.
“This is great news for homeowners whose lives were devastated by Superstorm Sandy,” said Curran, who has been a vocal advocate and supporter for Superstorm Sandy victims. “Working closely with Councilman Santino, and joining the call of U.S. Sens. Schumer and Gillibrand, we were able to secure
an extension from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). At this point, we are urging everyone to submit any final paperwork to FEMA via fax or email so that they do not miss this very important opportunity to receive the help they need.” Curran said that he and Senior Councilman Santino had made a formal request to William Craig Fugate, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requesting an extension in a September 4 letter, particularly for those who were celebrating the Rosh Hashana holiday. Town of Hempstead Senior Councilman Anthony J. Santino said, “Assemblyman Brian Curran and I have worked very closely together in seeking an extension from FEMA on behalf of the 142,000 eligible homeowners who filed claims but did not receive the federal aid that they either expected or deserved. I am glad our advocacy has achieved these results.” According to recent reporting, FEMA agreed to a 30-day extension for policyholders who filed a flood insur-
Assemblyman Brian Curran (left) and Senior Councilman Anthony J. Santino (right)
ance claim after Superstorm Sandy but did not get the payout they were expecting. The article suggested homeowners sign up for the Hurricane Sandy Claims Review Center by calling 866-3374262 or visiting www.fema.gov/hurricane-sandy-nfip-claims.
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Around The Community Hundreds of Rabbis and Synagogue Leaders in Washington, DC, Urge Congress to Reject Iran Nuclear Deal Hundreds of rabbis, synagogue and community leaders from across the country gathered on Capitol Hill on Wednesday—in the midst of Congress’ debate over the Iran nuclear deal—to call on Congress to reject the bad deal that paves a pathway to a nuclear-armed Iran. The rally was organized by the Orthodox Union and the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA). The rabbis at the rally—representing tens of thousands of members of the American Jewish community— came from more than 20 states and every region of the country. Held just days before Rosh Hashana and opening with a shofar blast, the rally was reminiscent of the historic Rabbis’ March in 1943—just days before Yom Kippur—in support of American and allied action to stop the destruction of European Jewry. Speakers at the rally included Martin Nachimson, president of the Or-
Kalman Topp of Beth Jacob Congregation in Beverly Hills, Rabbi Lenny Matanky of Congregation K.I.N.S. in Chicago and Honorary President of the RCA, and Allen Fagin, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union. Martin Nachimson stated: “The reason we are gathered here—in the shadow of the Capitol—is to make a clear statement that this deal is morally repugnant. Under this deal, the Iranian regime will be given greater legitimacy, power and money, despite its being deeply anti-American, anti-Semitic, and the leading sponsor of terrorism in the world.” Rabbi Baum commented on why hundreds of rabbis would come to Washington in the face of a vote that appears to be set. He noted that the Talmud teaches that “when you have an opportunity to scream in dissent and you are silent, you have done wrong. It isn’t only about the result – it’s that silence in the face of terror is
Rabbi Marc Penner, Dean of Yeshiva University Seminary, addresses hundreds of rabbis who rallied on Capitol Hill against the Iran nuclear deal
well as the United States. “This is why, days before the Day of Judgment, I am here with my fellow rabbis
on Sunday night, “we ask to be given clarity and strength. Clarity to see evil for what it is and strength to fight those who would do us harm,” he added. Closing the rally by comparing the upcoming vote and the Iran deal to an “Alice in Wonderland” moment, Allen Fagin called on the entire Jewish community to stand together in support of ongoing support for Israel’s security and defense as well as the enforcement and expansion of non-nuclear related sanctions against Iran. “And we need to be vigilant and vocal to make certain that the tens of billions of dollars to which Iran will gain unfettered access through sanction relief is not used to arm her terrorist proxies,” he said. After the rally, the hundreds of rabbis participated in lobbying meetings with U.S. Senators and Representatives.
Cindy’s Tips for How to Have an Easier Fast thodox Union, Rabbi Shalom Baum, president of the RCA, Rabbi Haskel Lookstein of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in New York City, Rabbi Marc Penner, Dean of Yeshiva University Seminary, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg of Boca Raton Synagogue, Rabbi
not an option. Silence in the face of terror is unacceptable.” Rabbi Lookstein also noted that the deal will give legitimacy and financial power to Iran’s leaders—leaders who support terror worldwide and openly threaten the State of Israel as
to raise our moral objection to the nuclear deal with Iran,” he said. Rabbi Penner remarked that, as Jews, we recognize that evil exists in the world. “Iran is evil—and they will do evil—if good men do nothing,” he said. With Rosh Hashana beginning
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Israel’s Farmers Need Help to Complete “8th Year” of Shmittah Cycle
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
By Dave Matkowsky Many people assume that Shmittah, the Torah-mandated sabbatical year during which planting, harvesting and other agricultural activities are prohibited in the Land of Israel, is a 12 month endeavor, beginning with Rosh Hashana of the 7th year and concluding with Rosh Hashana of the 8th year. The Torah seems to indicate as much, stating that fields and vineyards may be cultivated for six years, and must be allowed to rest during the seventh year of the cycle; in the 8th year, planting may begin anew. But the Torah recognizes that crops planted in the 8th year will not yield a harvest for some months hence, and sustenance will need to come from another source prior to the 8th year’s harvest. The Talmud explains that planting itself is often not possible until well into the 8th year, depending on the agricultural cycles of different crops. This calculus is complicated by modern agricultural technology, and the shift from broad-based subsistence farming to a small agricultural sector (2% of Israel’s contemporary workforce) within a larger, post-industrial economy. Today’s Shmittah-observant farmers will not begin to earn post-Shmittah income until anywhere from March 2016 to January 2017! All of which means that Israel’s farmers need our help to complete the cycle during this upcoming “8th Year of Shmittah.” Currently, 3,453 Israeli farmers are fulfilling the mitzvah of Shmittah on behalf of the entire Jewish people. Shmittah is a communal mitzvah, yet in today’s economy, the financial burden
is not automatically or equitably spread across the Jewish polity. For the most part, it is the farmers who cultivate the land in fulfillment of 2,000 years of our collective hopes and prayers, who feed the nation, preserve its pioneering spirit and fulfill the mitzvot hat’luyot ba’aretz, who are left to bear the economic hardship of Shmittah on their own. To observe this foundational mitzvah on our collective behalf, they forgo 18 months or more of income; they struggle to meet their ongoing lease payments for farmland and equipment, and even, ironically, to feed their own families. They make this sacrifice in order to fulfill a mitzvah our people waited 2,000 years to have the privilege of fulfilling. They sacrifice as a declaration of emunah that the land belongs to G-d, and all productivity and livelihood are determined by G-d. They struggle in the hope that the merit of their actions will bring prosperity and security to Israel and the Jewish people as a whole. Who are these farmers, these families, who sacrifice so much to fulfill the mitzvah of Shmittah on behalf of all Jews? The vast majority are from the Religious Zionist and Mesorati (traditional) communities; they are veterans of the religious kibbutz and moshav movements and IDF service, and they farm the Land of Israel as a fulfillment of the reestablishment of Jewish religious national life. In observing Shmittah as intended, they draw inspiration from the words of Rav Kook, Rav Lichtenstein and other leading rabbinic luminaries who wrote about Shmittah as a foundational Torah value, and het-
er mechira (the legal “workaround” to avoid Shmitath-observance with halachic sanction) as a tragic – though halachically valid and often unavoidable – concession to expediency. For 3,453 farmers and their families, their personal sacrifice in keeping Shmityah is what allows the Jewish people to avoid the unacceptable sacrifice of letting Shmittah fall into obsolescence and fade to the margins of Jewish consciousness. These farmers are heroes of Torah and heroes of Israel, representing the noblest values and loftiest aspirations of the religious Zionist enterprise. And yet, the cause of Shmittah and the heroic farmers in the frontlines of its observance has remained off the radar screen of the broader Religious Zionist, Modern Orthodox and traditional Jewish communities. For the past 10 Shmittah cycles, support for shomer-Shmittah farmers has come almost exclusively from the Charedi community, in support of Keren Hashviis, the organization working “on the ground,” with the sanction of Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture, to provide financial and moral support to the farmers. The rest of us have been missing out on the opportunity to take part in this important religious, Zionist, agricultural and societal mitzvah which speaks to our deeply held values of faith, return to the land, social and environmental responsibility and Jewish unity. The Shmittah Fund was created to share this opportunity, this sacred obligation, with the Modern Orthodox, Religious Zionist and broader Jewish community, to do our part in supporting the farmers keeping Shmit-
tah on behalf of Am Yisrael. The budget for helping support the farmers this Shmittah cycle is $22.5 million – which averages under $7,000 per farmer. It’s not nearly enough to support the farmers at a level they would earn in a regular year, but rather to help them cover certain basic expenses such as land lease and equipment payments so they don’t literally lose their farms as a cost of keeping Shmittah. They still bear the lion’s share of the burden. Thanks to the efforts of Keren Hashviis, all but $6 million of the target budget has been raised. The Charedi community has done its part and more – it’s time for the rest of us to do ours. We have 6-8 months to raise the remaining $6 million. The farmers will not make it without our help, and they should not have to. It is our mitzvah no less than theirs. In our tefillot on Rosh Hashanah we acknowledge and proclaim Hashem as King over all Creation, and that the world and everything in it belong to Him. For 3,453 Israeli farmers, this is not merely a 2-day declaration of faith, but a 2-year sacrifice. We owe it to them – and to our own core values and beliefs –to learn from their example, and play our part in making their valiant sacrifice possible. Learn more about Israel’s Shmittah-observant farmers at www.shmittahfund.org. Dave Matkowsky is the founding director of The Shmittah Fund.
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Around The Community From Israel to Your Table: Harvesting the Holiness Wine holds a special place in Jewish tradition. Whether to greet the Sabbath, to welcome a new baby into the fold, to bless the holy union of husband and wife; wine is a potent force in our communal life. The wine we use to mark our magic moments speaks volumes about our values. For many people, Israeli wines are the only choice. But as we drink wines from Israel, how much do we understand the process that brings the fruit of our homeland to our table as the finest vintage wine? The wine making process is a union of technology and art; one that combines the logistical act of harvesting and fermenting with the creative genius of seasoned winemakers. The process is a carefully orchestrated ballet between function and creativity in any country. In Israel, there is an added dimension from the inherent holiness of the land. Wine has been produced in Israel since time immemorial. This ancient profession continues today. Pioneering wineries have brought the Israeli wine industry from a cottage industry to a force to be reckoned with on the international market. The Yarden Golan Heights Winery is the premier Israeli winery. Perched on the lush green mountain sides in the Golan Heights region in northern Israel, the winery is producing the very best in Israeli wines. With cool winters, bringing snow in the high lands and rains throughout, the Golan region is a perfect grape-growing country. Numerous international awards are testament to the Golan Heights Winery’s ability to harness natural forces to create outstanding wines. Speaking with the renowned team at the winery opens a window into the process that brings the best of Israeli wines to a store near you. Visiting the winery during harvest season showed just how far winemaking has come since grapes were pressed under foot. In seeing the automated harvesters roll down the grapevines, it was clear that times have changed. The Golan’s climate allows for 14 to 16 weeks of harvesting. While the period for potential harvesting is long, each grape has a specific window of opportunity when that specific grape in that particular vineyard is ready to be harvested. As a result the winery uses cutting-edge monitoring technology to pinpoint the exact optimum time for harvesting. Victor Schoenfeld, chief winemaker at the winery, outlined how. “We con-
duct daily checks and measurements to find the optimum moment for harvest,” Schoenfeld explains. “We make sure that the grapes demonstrate the perfect balance of sugar, [which turns into alcohol,] and acidity which will give the wine its freshness and vibrancy. We wait with trepidation, watching the lab results and hoping that we won’t miss the crucial harvesting point.” Once Schoenfeld has determined the prime time for harvest, a whole army of workers move into action. Some grapes are harvested using mechanical harvesting machines. Others, like for sparkling wines, require greater precision and are picked by hand. “Harvest time is exhilarating but also exhausting. At some times we are all through the night,” says Schoenfeld. Following the harvest, grapes are shipped from the vineyards to the winery. Here they are put on a conveyer belt to be sorted by an optical sorting machine, which separates perfectly ripe grapes from unwanted materials. Optical grape sorting is the latest in viticulture technology. The machine enables grapes to be sorted four times faster than it takes human sorters, producing a better quality wine in less time. Grapes are then crushed to release
craft a mouthwatering blend. The wine production process in Israel has another level of complication: careful adherence to the laws of kosher wine production, and the specific commandments that only apply within the land of Israel. All of the wines produced at the Yarden Golan Heights Winery feature a kosher stamp of approval from both Rabbi Auerbach and the internationally respected OK (Organized Kashrus-New York) symbol, and are not mevushal (cooked or diluted in any way). Rabbi Shalom Aronzon, the longtime kosher supervisor (mashgiach) at the winery, working under the auspices of Rabbi Auerbach, monitors the vines as closely as Schoenfeld. Rabbi Aronzon’s task is to oversee the entire production process to ensure careful adherence to Jewish law. He says, “Kosher winemaking in Israeli is more complex today [than in ancient times.] There are both physical and spiritual issues that need to be dealt with throughout the year.” Rabbi Aronzon monitors each individual plant to ensure no grapes
the juice. Once the grapes have been crushed, the next stage in the process differs for white and red wine. Juices intended for white wine are separated immediately from grape skins and stalks. While, the juices for red wine are fermented initially together with their skins to give a rich color to the wine. When the juice begins its journey through fermentation to become wine, the magic of wine making begins. Whether wine is fermented entirely in steel vats or transferred to handmade oak barrels for aging, the eventual wine is created by individual winemakers tasting samples of the wine. It is their creative vision that mixes grapes from different vineyards to
are removed before the three-year orlah period is completed after initial planting. He also removed the mandated tithes (trumah and ma’aser) from the crop to be used later for a special ceremony This year there are additional requirements for the production of kosher certified wines, due to the current shmittah year. On the seventh year in the shmittah cycle, Jewish law dictates that the land of Israel should lay fallow for 12 months. All around Israel this year, observant farmers have either stopped entirely or reduced their usual agricultural routine. The winery is meticulous in its observance of the laws of shmittah. During this year’s harvest, Rabbi Aronzon in-
structs workers on the changes that need to be made to the harvesting process; during the section of the harvest done by hand, care is taken to make only a rough cut and not to prune meticulously. He also reminds workers to treat the grapes with extra care as any product harvested this year has added “holiness” (kedusha.) Rabbi Aronzon is involved at every stage of the wine production. For a wine to be certified kosher, it must only be touched by Shabbat observant workers. A member of Rabbi Aronzon’s team brings samples to the winemakers for them to create their blends. During regular years it is the norm for winemakers to pour away excess. This year, to treat the special shmittah wine with respect, Rabbi Aronzon provides designated buckets to catch the unused wine. Rabbi Aronzon feels the weight of his responsibility, not just to provide the finest quality kosher wines to consumers worldwide. “I feel it’s my responsibility to transmit the unique of Jewish winemaking. We are the latest stage in the ancient tradition of winemaking in Israel,” he says. This year as your special moments arise, you can yet again mark the occasion with a bottle of delectable Israeli wine, with an added appreciation for the marriage of all things Israeli contained within the bottle—fearless development of cutting edge modern technology, a love of our homeland, and a respect for the ancient traditions of our heritage. Yarden Golan Heights wines are sold under the Yarden, Gilgal, Hermon and Golan labels internationally. They are available at all good wine shops bringing quality Israeli wines around the world to Jewish and non-Jewish consumers.
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Precarious Times Spurred the Yom Tefillah In truth, the tefillos at Radin were the climax of the unique worldwide yom tefillah and day of unity that was marked 24 Elul/September 8, the yahrtzeit of the Chofetz Chaim. The precarious times in which we live and the proximity of the Chofetz Chaim’s yahrtzeit to the Yom Hadin of Rosh Hashanah spurred the hanhalah of Dirshu with the urging and encouragement of leading Gedolei Yisrael to declare the Chofetz Chaim’s yahrtzeit a special day of Torah and tefillah for all of Klal Yisrael. In keeping with the words of the Gemara that “he who learns the Torah of a tzaddik has the ability to invoke Heavenly
Senior Gedolim Representing the Entire Cross-Section of Torah Jewry Participate The trip featured the presence of numerous Gedolei Yisrael including, HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Yaakov Borenstein, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Kiryas Melech in Bnei Brak; HaGaon HaRav Shimon Baadani, shlita, Rosh Kollel Torat Chaim and a member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah; HaGaon HaRav Yechiel Mechel Steinmetz, shlita, Skverer Dayan of Boro Park; HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Eliezer Stern, shlita, Rav of Western Bnei Brak and talmid muvhak of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Wosner, zt”l; HaGaon HaRav Simcha Hakohen Kook, shlita, Chief Rabbi of Rechovot; HaGaon HaRav Dovid Alter, shlita, son of the Gerer Rebbe, shlita; HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Kanievsky, shlita, son of HaGaon HaRav Chaim, Kanievsky, shlita, and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Tiferes Tzion and Kiryas Melech; HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Bransdorfer, shlita, Dayan of the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok Community of Beit
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An Unforgettable Spiritual Odyssey The special tefillah journey of a delegation of senior Gedolei Yisrael and rabbanim to the kever of the Chofetz Chaim and the Radin Yeshiva established by the Chofetz Chaim and to the kever of the Avi Hayeshivos, Rav Chaim of Volozhin, in Volozhin, was a spiritual odyssey that will not be forgotten. One could not help but be indelibly impacted when hearing the venerated Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Zichron Melech, HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Yaakov Borenstein,shlita, leading the selichos in the Yeshiva of Radin beis medrash, his voice reverberating, punctuated with tears, “Ulai yachos al am oni v’evyon, ulai yerachem—Perhaps He will pity his poor and destitute people, perhaps He will have mercy!”
mercy in the tzaddik’s zechus,” hundreds of thousands of Jews the world over engaged in learning the daily limud of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha and the daily limud in the Sefer Chofetz Chaim. Others engaged in heartfelt recitation of Tehillim. In fact, over 200,000 copies of the daily learning was distributed to yeshivos and shuls, over 120,000 to chadorim, with over 80,000 to girls schools and seminaries. In the United States and other diaspora locations tefillos and learning the Chofetz Chaim’s sefarim took place on an unprecedented scope. In Brooklyn, large schools such as the Belzer Cheder and Yeshiva Tiferes Elimelech learned and davened for Klal Yisrael. In schools, yeshivos and chadorim throughout Lakewood, Monsey, Toronto, Los Angeles, and even Houston, Texas, Sefer Chofetz Chaim and Tehillim were learned and recited on behalf of Klal Yisrael. Even numerous businesses stopped in the middle of the work day and switched over to the real business of davening for Klal Yisrael. Notable among them were Riverside Abstract, Madison Title and BP Graphics. Moreover, over 50,000 people contacted Dirshu and accepted upon themselves to learn Mishnah Berurah as a result. In addition, a targeted campaign of “Jewish Unity” to unaffiliated Jews through various mediums reached more than 500,000 people urging them at this precarious time to take a few minutes to daven for the Jewish People.
By Chaim Gold It felt like Neilah on Yom Kippur. Tens of Gedolei Yisrael pouring their hearts out in tefillah. Venerated rabbanim reciting the 13 middos of rachamim, the words, “Hashem, Hashem Kel rachum v’chanun” thundering against the silent backdrop of trees and weather-beaten matzeivos. Most of all it was the tears. The sight of the venerated gedolim not just weeping but shedding hot tears, begging Hashem for rachamei shamayim in the zechus of the Chofetz Chaim while standing at his kever was something impossible to forget. To see the gedolim begging Hashem to protect Am Yisrael and begging Him to especially protect the Lomdei Daf HaYomi B’Halacha, who learn the Chofetz Chaim’s Torah on a daily basis, sent chills up the spine. As the rain beat down it seemed as if the very heavens were crying in unity with the gedolim during the tefillos.
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Gedolei Yisrael Daven at Kever and Yeshiva of the Chofetz Chaim on his Yahrtzeit Over 500,000 Jews Worldwide Join in Special Day of Tefillah and Unity
Shemesh and a son of the senior posek HaGaon HaRav Meir Bransdorder, zt”l; HaGaon HaRav Menachem Ernster, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Vizhnitzer Yeshiva and brother-in-law to the Admorim of Vizhnitz; HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Shmuel Shechter, shlita, Sanz-Klausenberger Dayan of Netanya; HaGaon HaRav Rapahel Alkarif, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Derech Chaim; HaGaon HaRav Chizkiyahu Mishkovsky, shlita, Mashgiach of Yeshiva Orchos Torah and talmid muvhak of Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman, shlita; HaGaon HaRav Chaim Pesach Horowitz, shlita, Belzer Dayan of Ashdod and a Daf HaYomi B’Halacha Maggid Shiur; HaGaon HaRav Sariel Rosenberg, shlita, Av Beis Din at the Beis Din Tzedek of Bnei Brak and a Daf HaYomi B’Halacha Maggid Shiur; HaGaon HaRav Dovid Shlomo Zoldan, shlita, Dayan and Rosh Hakollelim of Seret-Vizhnitz, Haifa; HaGaon HaRav Shimon Galaei, shlita, Rav of Osem and Dayan in Bnei Brak; HaGaon HaRav Aryeh Dinkel, shlita, Rav of the Bayit U’Menucha neighborhood of Beit Shemesh; HaGaon HaRav Zishe Horowitz, shlita, Rav of Kehillas Hachassidm of Elad; HaGaon HaRav Boruch Yehuda Heimlech, shlita, Dayan in the Eidah Hachareidis and Toldos Aharon community; and HaGaon HaRav Binyomin Eckstein, shlita, Belzer Dayan in London. The Plea! The group of gedolim left Eretz Yisrael on a chartered plane late Monday night, 23 Elul/September 7. After landing in Minsk they journeyed to Radin. Throughout the airplane ride and bus trips, numerous gedolim gave powerful addresses about the nature and importance of this mission and the imperative to learn the Chofetz Chaim’s sefarim. After arriving in Radin, Selichos, Shacharis and a Daf HaYomi B’Halacha shuir – the daily Mishnah Berurah and Mussar program – was held in
the beis medrash of the Radin Yeshiva. In that holy place where the Chofetz Chaim left his indelible impact, where the walls were saturated with words of Torah and tefillah from the pre-Holocaust kedoshim, tefillos of gedolei Torah once more rose to the heavens. The Nasi of Dirshu, Rav Dovid Hofstedter remarked, “I don’t know if there was ever a time since the churban of Europe where the beis medrash of the Radin Yeshiva was so packed with great talmidei chachamim engaged in Torah and tefillah!” This was followed by tefillos at the kever of the great Kohein Gadol, the Chofetz Chaim. In the very same place where Rav Chizkiyahu Mishkovsky, zt”l, Rav of Krinik, delivered a hesped on the Chofetz Chaim at his levaya, 82 years later, his grandson, Rav Chizkiyahu Mishkovsky, shlita, delivered moving words of chizuk, calling on Jews the world over to connect with the Chofetz Chaim by undertaking to learn his Mishnah Berurah daily. “How can a person live as a Jew if he doesn’t know the halachos of daily living?” From Radin, the group went on to the town of Volozhin where they davened at the kever of Rav Chaim of Volozhin. In Radin, HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Kanievsky, shlita, son of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, and Rosh Yeshiva of Kiryas Melech and Tiferes Tzion, said, “Rav Chaim of Volozhin gave us the mesorah on how to learn Torah and the Chofetz Chaim gave us the gift of how to keep the Torah, halacha l’maaseh. We are learning your Torah, we are learning the Chofetz Chaim’s halachos, please, in that zechus may all of Klal Yisrael and especially the yeshivos hakedoshos and lomdei halacha be preserved and granted heavenly assistance and mercy.” Expanded coverage of this historic trip, the messages of the Gedolei Yisrael and other highlights will appear in the Sukkos edition of this paper.
An Open Letter to My Beautiful Daughter By Lisa RosenBLatt
THE JEWISH HOME
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
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On Rosh Hashana, Raizy (Rosenblatt) Felsman’s neshama entered the World to Come. Her mother, Lisa, penned these thoughts just days before her petira.
To my beautiful daughter Raizy, As you lay there on life support struggling to remain with us one more day, I can’t help but reflect on your short but fulfilling life. Your smile is contagious, your enthusiasm inspiring. You have been blessed from day one with a spirit that has been both troublesome and enthralling. Your spirituality has carried you, however spirituality is not enough for us mere mortals. As human beings, we must connect our body, mind, and soul. Raizy, I hope you don’t mind if I take your current circumstances as a means to educate and inspire others towards the lessons you’ve taught me. As we approach the High Holy Day of Rosh Hashana, I implore each and every one of us to take a lesson from the life of my beautiful daughter. Please be mindful to nurture yourself physically, spiritually, and emotionally. My beautiful daughter gave to others to a fault. Her ruach hachaim was filled with so much love and kindness for others, but she neglected to refill herself, which ultimately led to the position we currently find ourselves in. How can we take the lesson of Raizy’s challenge to make effective changes in our life? First and foremost I believe without the grace, loving kindness and guidance of a Higher Power we cannot succeed. What has been carrying my family through this most challenging time has been our deep faith in Hashem. With Rosh Hashana quickly approaching, we prepare of lists of requests to beseech Hashem. We daven for good health, parnassah, nachas and many other various blessings... I suggest we place on the top of our list the following request: “Hashem, help me to feel your presence with me at all times.” This has been my tefillah for many years and b’chasdei Hashem I can see the fruits of my labor. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I can assure you with Hashem’s help we can get through anything. Next, remember the importance of self-care. Life is about finding balance, which may be difficult for many of us. Giving until we drop is not beneficial. This was where my beautiful and gentle daughter went wrong. She had so much love to give, but forgot about the importance of giving to herself. She helps anyone in need but tends to neglects herself. Being selfless does not mean we don’t think about our needs; it means we think about our self—less. Raizy’s good and loving nature caused her to overexert herself in the hot sun. She failed to nurture herself which led to severe dehydration. Don’t think for a second she didn’t care for food, she loved to
eat, but it was not a priority. Consequently, she became severely dehydrated, went into cardiac arrest, and had a brain aneurism. As humans, we must remember to... Nurture our body, by providing it with nutritious food, exercise and air. Nurture our soul, through prayer and meditation Nurture our mind, by filling it with positive, inspiring and uplifting thoughts. Raizy called me last week and said, this is the last festival of the summer. Yom Tov is coming and I’m looking forward to spending more time with you. Sadly, that time may never come. My daughter’s spirit is bigger than life. Anyone who has ever spoken to her can attest to the purity of her soul. We never stop praying for a miracle and with the help of all of our tefillos and learning may we be zoche to the miracle of a yeshua. However, on a practical level, as you enter the yomim noraim, please utilize this time to reflect on your life.... Your relationship with Hashem... Your relationship with yourself.... And your relationship with others. Then ask yourself, what are you going to do different this year? May we all be zoche to a year filled with bracha, good health and nachas from our children. And may we be zoche to the coming of Moshiach b’mheira v’yamainu. -Lisa Rosenblatt May Raizy be a meilitz yosher for all of Klal Yisroel and may Hashem bring true comfort to her family, friends and our community.
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OpEd
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Will it Matter?
THE JEWISH HOME
Rabbi Sol Appleman
happen in this world will be whatever Hashem decides. However, I also believe that it is our duty to make a sincere effort to let our voices be heard. We can at least do that. When Hitler, yimach sh’mo, set out to destroy our people, he acted largely in secret and tried to the best of his ability to keep his actions secret from the world, even as he was in the process of his systematic murder of our people. I can understand how people living at that time could listen to accounts of expulsion and gas chambers and shootings and not believe it. Today, however, when the leaders of Iran publicly stand in front of the world, with TV, Internet, Twitter, Facebook, texts, etc. and proudly proclaim that they plan to wipe Israel off the map (which they have already done in their textbooks), I think it’s imperative that the world listens. And if the world isn’t listening, I believe it’s our obligation to make them listen and act. Now, while it is true that most of the world is not interested in the welfare of Israel, the United States, ostensibly, claims to be pro-Israel. So perhaps we will accomplish our mission. Wednesday, September 9, 2015. After an inspiring tefilah with over 100 rabbis, we proceeded to join over 1,200 concerned Americans for breakfast and our first meeting of the day. This included listening to Senator Bob Corker of Tennesee (R) and Staff Sergeant Robert Bartlett, (Ret.). Sergeant Bartlett was especially moving as he explained that every generation of his family has served this country in the military since the War of Independence. He was injured so severely in Iraq that when he was on the operating table he had technically died three times. He thanked us for coming from all over the United States and implored us to make Congress listen to what we had to say. We went to our first session to meet with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York). I would say over 100 people went to the meeting to express our disbelief that she is going to vote to approve the deal. However, when the meeting started, we were collectively shocked and dismayed that instead of Senator Gillibrand, we had to listen to one of her lackeys—a young man
who will one day be a great politician in his own right. That’s not a compliment. He proceeded to fend off questions from the crowd without actually saying anything for over a half hour. Some of the people raised some interesting points. For example, someone pointed out that to vote for the deal just in order to be politically safe with the members of her own party could end up being lethal in the end for her political career when she will have to justify her vote after Iran uses the billions they will receive to fund terror throughout the world. Someone else pointed out the folly of enabling Iran to fund terror through the lifting of the sanctions only having to send more aid to Israel and other countries in order to counteract the money going to Iran. Also, if the Iran deal is so good, why would it be necessary to help Israel defend itself? In any event, I, personally, felt cheated by Senator Gillibrand. By not showing up, she showed herself to be a coward. By voting to go along with her party leader she proved she’s a coward. Very disappointing. I also found it to be disrespectful to the more than one hundred of her constituents who took off many hours of their lives and went to great expense to meet with her, who traveled collectively thousands of miles to meet with her, and she didn’t have the decency to walk a few hundred feet to meet with us. I thought democracy meant to at least listen to ideas you might disagree with. Disgusting. And disappointing. At the other end of the spectrum is Representative Kathleen Rice (D-New York-4). Although Rep. Rice also did not attend her meeting with the dozen constituents who showed up to meet with her, we expressed our hakarat hatov to her Legislative Assistant, Elizabeth Amster. Here was a junior representative who had traveled to Israel three times just in this last year alone to find out firsthand what was going on there. Rabbi Billet explained to us how concerned and sincere she is and how
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
Tuesday, September 8, 2015. As I sit on the Amtrak train number 129 bound for Washington, D.C., I wonder if this trip will make any difference. The purpose of the trip is to gather as many rabbis and laymen as possible from all around the United States to try one last time to convince one or more of the 34 Democratic senators who have indicated that they will agree with the administration that the “deal” with Iran is a good thing for the United States, Israel and the world in general, to vote against it. Of course, anyone with a working grey cell in their brain knows it’s not a good deal for anyone except for Iran. One proof of that is that Congresswoman Debra Wasserman-Schultz has signed on in agreement with the deal. Another example is that Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt are all against the deal. One does not need those indicators to understand how terrible this agreement is. Forget the issue of allowing Iran to legally enrich uranium and plutonium and heavy water, among other components needed to create a nuclear weapon, Iran stands to get its hands on over $150 billion in unfrozen assets. You can bet that Iran will not use that money to build schools and hospitals. As the current major sponsor of terrorism worldwide, that money will be used to buy conventional weapons to be used against anyone Iran hates—which means primarily against Israel and the United States. So I’m on a train to join many others in our nation’s capital with real concerns about this “deal.” You see, if just 34 senators vote for the deal, President Obama will be able to veto the majority vote and the deal will go through. AIPAC and the OU have joined forces to bring all of us to Washington just days before Rosh HaShana in an effort to convince at least one senator to change his or her mind. I hope we will be successful. However, even if we don’t convince at least one senator to change, I believe the trip will be worthwhile. I think about what happened during World War II and wonder why so few people protested here to save European Jewry. If I had been alive then, would I have done anything? I believe ultimately what will
committed she is to getting her facts straight and to therefore be able to vote with intelligence. She intends to vote against the deal. She is someone we can admire and from whom we can draw inspiration. On the way out from that meeting we heard the end of Donald Trump’s speech at an anti-deal rally on the front lawn of the Capitol. Although I’m not a fan of his style, I must say it was refreshing to hear his way of putting things. “The people running this country now are losers. When I am president you will win so much you’ll be tired of winning.” I might not vote for him, but if he is up against Hillary, G-d forbid, I might not have a choice. I finished my day by walking into offices of random representatives, all of whom were too “busy” to see me and left messages to vote against the deal. Speaking of a bracha l’vatalah, I even left a note for Debbie Wasserman Shultz. I tried. The rest is up to Hashem. We all have to make an extra effort to daven with extra kavana to beseech Hashem to help us at this dire moment in world history. My wish to all of us is that our prayers will be heard and accepted. As far as Hillary is concerned, that’s a subject for a totally different article. Rabbi Appleman is an alumnus of HANC and Yeshiva University, from which he also received semicha. He is the author of The Jewish Woman in Judaism, Is There Life after the Bar/Bas Mitzva and A Guide to the Study of the Talmud. He has also published numerous articles in The Jewish Press, The Jewish Week, and The Jewish World. He is currently a rebbe at the Rambam Mesivta and lives in Woodmere.
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Special Yom Kippur Section Divrei Torah & Jewish Thought
The Power of Yom Kippur
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Yom Kippur by Rabbi Berel Wein The Shmuz by Rabbi Ben Zion Shafier Show Some Muscle by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz A Coach Approach to Teshuva by Rabbi Naphtali Hoff
72 78 116
“Hashem Loves You Most”: TJH Speaks with Rabbi Gavriel Sassoon
80 81
I Can’t Change by Deb Hirschhorn, PhD
How to Have an Easy Fast by Cindy Weinberger, MS, RD, CDN
On Rambam, Yom Kippur & the Time Machine by Mr. Joe Bobker
In the Kitchen
Charity Redeems from Death
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The Antidote by Rivki Rosenwald, Esq., CLC
Halacha
History
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Kneeling on a Stone Floor by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits
To Your Health
The Baal Neilah by Larry Domnitch
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Red Lentil Vegetable Soup and Whole Wheat Rolls by Naomi Nachman Kasha Bourbon and Peace Vodka: TJH Speaks with Monte Sachs, owner of one of the few kosher NY distilleries
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60 Nearly four decades
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“Hashem Loves You Most” TJH Speaks with Rabbi Gavriel Sassoon By Brendy J. Siev Less than a year ago, seven of Rabbi Gavriel Sassoon’s children died in a fire; his wife and one remaining child were badly burned. Rabbi Sassoon, seemingly alone, buried his children in Eretz Yisroel. Through it all, though, he has maintained his emotional and spiritual strength; he has become an inspiration for thousands struggling with pain and loss. We spoke with Rabbi Sassoon the week before Rosh Hashana for words of chizuk for our readership. Rabbi Sassoon is thoughtful and articulate. His message was in some ways reminiscent of that of Viktor Frankl, the famous Holocaust survivor, who noted, in understanding how people survived the concentration camps, “Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’” and that “The last of human freedoms [is] the ability to choose one’s attitude in a given set of circumstances.” Rabbi Sassoon, thank you for speaking with us. What should we consider as we prepare for Yom HaDin? On Rosh Hashana we stand before the King of Kings for a new din. Rosh Hashana is not about judgement, about payment for actions of year. It’s about the anniversary, rebirth, and creation of a new world. In order to create a new world, Hashem needs to find our place in it. In order to give us life, He needs to find a place for all of us. That’s why we have judgement. So He can know where to place us and what circumstances and challenges we need in this new world. He wants to do good. He wants to give us life. He’s Avinu. In order to merit this, we need to know what true life is. We can’t be distracted by the physical world. We have to think: what is my life about? Once we know, we must be prepared to live that life. Unfortunately, daily living sidetracks us, so we forget what life is all about. We go after the physical world. But we have to grow as people. Hashem challenges us to grow. We do this by choosing life at each moment. On Rosh Hashana, in order to make Hashem King, we must surrender ourselves to Him. We must surrender ourselves to life. Nothing but Hashem is in the world. If we live with that consciousness, we live with Hashem. We can handle more. Because we are greater, greater than ourselves.
People tell me that I’m strong. That’s not true. What I desire most are my children. But I gave up all for Hashem. If you give everything up, He holds your hand. With the new year, it’s everyone’s turn to think. To improve relationships. Can I love my spouse more? My kids more? Can I do more mitzvos? Everyone has a purpose. When we get depressed or bogged down, we need to recognize that our thinking process is off. Don’t feel bad about ourselves. There’s no reason for blame. Hashem is there to help us. This is where teshuva comes in. Teshuva is about letting go. It’s about changing our thinking process.
"Hashem challenges us to grow. We do this by choosing life at each moment." We have to want Hashem. We have to realize that negative thinking is an illusion. Don’t take ourselves and our thoughts so seriously. Go behind those thoughts. Surrender our ego, our thoughts, and our limited beliefs to Hashem. But Hashem can’t do this for us. We need to take the first step so we have a relationship with Him. He begs us to choose life. If we take life seriously, we can choose a beautiful, love-filled life. How do we keep our emunah through tough times? Realize that people don’t have emunah naturally. In our times, people believe that what you see is what you get. They believe only in the physical. But all physical things can crumble. The only things that are real are spiritual: love, Hashem, mitzvos. In order to have emunah, we have to build a relationship with Hashem. We do this by starting with gratitude. Thank Him. Share our lives with Him. Learn. The more we learn, the more we love Hashem, because we’re learning Hashem’s work. We see how great Hashem is. Look at the Creation. When we look at the Creation,
and we learn the Torah, we love Hashem. Once we have gratitude to Hashem, thank Him. Hashem is always there for us. Know that Hashem loves us. Hashem loves us. He wants to give. But we have to initiate the relationship. We have to express that gratitude for the beauty of the world and the beauty of the Torah. That turns into emunah. And when we have that relationship, we find a different way to look at life. If you have a negative outlook, change that. Look for the good. Then you can have emunah. If someone is going through a tza’ar, what role can the community play? The community helps by giving support. The community makes people feel loved and cared for. The community in this way reflects Hashem. People are social beings. It helps to know we’re not alone. Suffering comes because we’re resisting Hashem’s plan. No one knows our pain more than Hashem. We have to surrender to Hashem’s will. I want to hug and kiss my kids more. When I think this, I suffer. If I surrender to Hashem, I think they’re being mashpia on the world. There is no solution to dealing with pain if you want your way. You have to face the pain and then let go. Surrender yourself to what Hashem wants. Once you do that, the world expands. This is siyata dishmaya. It helps take you out of the problem and out of the tza’ar. You come out on top and face the challenge. Any final message to our readers? Hashem wants to give us life. He’s just waiting for us to turn to Him. He needs us to come to Him. I raised my kids that Hashem loves them most. I would ask them, who loves you most? And the answer was first Hashem. Then, their parents. If you teach your children that—that Hashem loves them and He will help them—then they will grow up and have emunah. They will grow up and become great. Thank you so much for your inspiring words. May we all be inscribed for a shana tova, filled with all that we can see is good.
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Torah Thought
Rabbi Berel Wein
Yom Kippur
T
staying healthy both physically and spiritually. There is no easy way or shortcut to accomplish this goal. The Talmud records for us an opinion, in the name of the great Rabi Meir, that merely passing through the day of Yom Kippur itself
he holiest day of the year is upon us. The time of atonement and forgiveness, of introspection and self-analysis has again arrived. The unique quality of the day of Yom Kippur is that it is a day of cleansing. Just as our refraining from food and drink on that day helps cleanse us physically, so too does our participation in prayer, serious thought, recognition of personal faults and a new commitment to do better in the future cleanse our souls. We are all well aware that the buildup of plaque in one’s arteries is dangerous to our health, and that surgical and medicinal intervention is often necessary. Unfortunately, during the year a great deal of plaque has built up in the mental, emotional and spiritual arteries of our being. Yom Kippur is an opportunity to remove or reduce that plaque buildup and to focus our attention on
Yom Kippur can cleanse us and create us anew. But it cannot do so unless we are willing to face our own failings. can accomplish this end without our active participation. However, Jewish law and tradition does not accept Rabi Meir’s opinion as binding. Instead, hu-
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man repentance is required in order for the cleansing process of Yom Kippur to be effective. Yom Kippur is not to be viewed as a passive day of restraint and refraining but rather as a day of active participation in the process of cleansing
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our souls and purifying our emotions. Because of this required conscious and active effort of repentance, Yom Kippur is transferred from being purely a day of rest into a day of wrenching emotional and spiritual activity. It is possible to sleep away the entire day and technically not violate any of the prohibitions. But it is unimaginable that if one does so that one has really experienced Yom Kippur. The most difficult part of the day is not, in my opinion, hunger, thirst or physical fatigue – it is the necessity to honestly confront ourselves and face up to our weaknesses. We are required to focus on those areas in our life and in our relations to others that need attention and improvement. We are all born with the gift of denial. Original man in the Garden of Eden, when confronted by G-d with the enormity of his sin, does not readily admit fault at all. He casts about to put the blame on others, and the others in turn lay their guilt upon still others. The ability to admit error is one of the most difficult psychological and emotional traits encountered in life. Yet, without that ability and by remaining in constant denial of one’s shortcomings, there is little hope for improvement and for achieving a more
balanced and productive life. Yom Kippur can cleanse us and create us anew. But it cannot do so unless we are willing to face our own failings. When the Temple stood in Jerusalem and the High Priest of Israel performed the public rituals of Yom Kippur, forgiveness, cleansing and personal improvement were somehow meant to be easier to obtain. However, even then under such optimal circumstances, the Jewish people did not truly exploit the opportunity of repentance. The result was that both Temples were destroyed. In a strange way, Yom Kippur, over the almost two millennia since the destruction of the Second Temple, has become even more of a spiritual and emotional day. Since we can no longer rely on the Temple services or on the intercession of the High Priest on our behalf, we have become well aware that much depends upon us – and only upon us. The removal of denial is the first step towards becoming a better person, building a stronger family, creating a more just and righteous community and strengthening our nascent state here in the Land of Israel. We should make a
great effort not to allow Yom Kippur to slip away from us merely as a day of rest and restraint. The gift of Yom Kippur is that for at least one day in the year we can be honest with ourselves and truly unite with our inner self and soul. Whether we do so or not is completely dependent upon each and every one of us – solely upon our attitude, thoughts, behavior and commitment on this holiest day of the year. Shabbat shalom and gmar chatima tova.
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Yom Kippur
The Sin of the Golden Calf With the entire nation gathered at the foot of Har Sinai, Moshe Rabbeinu went up to receive the Torah. When he came down forty days later, the Jewish People were in a very different state than when he had left them. Through the influence of the mixed multitude, they were engaged in a form of idol worship. While it’s true that the vast majority of the people didn’t actively engage in the act, for such a people so soon after hearing, “I am Hashem Your G-d,” directly from our Creator, this was so egregious that it was considered as if they had each participated. The only hope was for Moshe to beseech Hashem for mercy. After destroying the Golden Calf, Moshe went back up Har Sinai, spent another forty days with Hashem, and then He forgave the Jewish People. Then Hashem told Moshe to go back up a third time, now to reaccept the Torah and bring down a second set of luchos. This time, when Moshe came down his face was illuminated — literally shining from holiness. When the people saw him, they were awed and didn’t dare to look directly at him. From that point on, whenever Moshe went out in public, he wore a veil to hide his face. Rashi comments that earlier, when Hashem Himself appeared to the entire nation, everyone — man, woman and child — was able to look at Hashem. Now even just the reflection of the Hashem’s glory on the countenance of a man was more than they could handle. From here we see the damage of sin. This Rashi is difficult to understand. Moshe came down the final time on Yom Kippur. For generations, that day has been set aside as a day of forgiveness because Hashem forgave the sin of the Golden Calf. And even more, Moshe immediately command-
ed the Jewish People in the mitzvah of building the Mishkan (tabernacle). This was to be a permanent sign that Hashem forgave the Jewish nation. Clearly, the sin was forgiven, so why
paralyzed from the waist down. In this case, if he were to stand trial for drunk driving, the judge may forgive him, and his record may be clean, but the damage is still there.
This seems to be the answer to Rashi. The Jewish Nation did teshuva and were forgiven. But the world was still changed. At that pivotal moment in time, for the Exalted Nation to engage in something akin to idol worship changed the very spiritual dimensions of the world. Yes, they were forgiven for what they did, but they weren’t the same as they were before, and neither was the rest of Creation.
still more work to be done. I have to repair the damage done. If over the past year, I haven’t learned properly, I can ask Hashem to forgive me for my lack of diligence, but I still remain lacking. It’s up to me to now fill in what I have lost. If I have had words with relatives of friends, it’s not enough to ask forgiveness. That takes care of the actual sin. But the repair of the relationship still has to be done. And certainly in terms of the way that we treat our spouses, while we will ask forgiveness and can expect it to be granted, the real work is looking forward and asking ourselves, “What can I do to make my marriage better?” Teshuva can eliminate the sin and make it as if it never happened, but it can’t make up for the lost opportunity. That can only happen with progressive corrections, accomplished with careful analysis of how we spend our time and asking ourselves the critical question: am I happy with the direction of my life?
Teshuva Isn’t Enough This concept is very applicable to us. On Yom Kippur, we are charged with the mitzvah of teshuva. Teshuva involves four parts: separating from the sin, regret, confession, and a plan not to repeat the offense. But there is
Rabbi Shafier is the founder of the Shmuz. com. The Shmuz is an engaging, motivating shiur that deals with real life issues. All of the Shmuzin are available free of charge at the www.theShmuz.com or on the Shmuz App for iPhone or Android.
Yes, they were forgiven for what they did, but they weren’t the same as they were before, and neither was the rest of Creation. couldn’t the Jews look at Moshe’s face? The answer to this can best be understood with a mashal. The Judge Can Forgive Him Imagine a man who, after having a few too many drinks, gets into his car and begins driving. It takes a while before he is pulled over, but finally, the police arrest him, and he stands trial for driving while intoxicated. Understanding the gravity of the charges, he makes a heartfelt appeal to the judge. “Your honor, what I have done is wrong, and there is no excuse. I endangered the lives of others as well as myself, and there is no defending my conduct. I cannot express my shame and regret for my actions. However, it is a first offense, and I am a family man, and community-minded. I beg the court to have mercy.” If the man is convincing, and the circumstances support him, the judge may forgive him and waive the charges, in which case the offense is stricken from the record, and he is the same as he was before the fateful event happened. But what if when he got behind the wheel of his car instead of being pulled over by the police, he plowed into a telephone pole? By the time the paramedics get to the scene, it looks bleak. As a last measure, a helicopter flies him to the nearest hospital, but there is nothing that could be done. His spinal cord is severed, and he is
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“And Aharon and all of Bnei Yisrael saw Moshe, his face illuminated, and they feared approaching him.” — Shemos 34:30
Teshuva is Easy; Change is Difficult
THE JEWISH HOME
R’ Ben Tzion Shafier
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Riddle!
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You Gotta be
Your sukkah has a big round table which seats 10 people with chairs placed evenly around. It is your job to tell everyone where to sit. Like in all families, everyone has their preferences. You, of course, are the only mature one and couldn’t care less where you sit. Figure out how to seat everyone while accommodating each and every one of the requests listed below. -Adam and Ben want to sit across from each other. - Chaya wanted to sit opposite Dave, who insisted on sitting closer to Ben than to Adam. - Ella, Fay and Chaya always sit together, in that order, counterclockwise. - Dave only wants to sit between Gabby and Jay, who always sits with Rita. See answer on next page
Kidding!
Jimbo was sick and tired of his reputation as being not so bright. So he came up with a brilliant idea. He decided that he would memorize the capital of every state, and the next time someone would accuse him of being “thin between the ears,” he’d prove to his accuser that he is actually so bright that he even knows the capital of every state. Sure enough, the next day Jimbo was talking to Bobby who says, “You know Jimbo, they say you ain’t too bright.” To which Jimbo replied, “Really? I know the capital of every state in the United States. Try me.” Bobby says, “Okay, what is the capital of Nevada?” Without hesitating, Jimbo proudly says, “N.”
Facts of Life Laws Law of Lines: If you change lines, the one you have left will start to move faster than the one you are in now. Law of the Telephone: When you dial a wrong number, someone always picks up right away. Law of Mechanical Repair: After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch. Law of the Workshop: Any screw, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.
Law of Encounters: The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don’t want to be seen with. Law of the Results: When you try to prove to someone that a machine won’t work, it will. Law of Biomechanics: The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach. Law of Coffee: As soon as you sit down for a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.
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State Trivia
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
1. How many states are there in the U.s.A.? a. 48 + two sovereign territories b. 50 c. 52 d. 57
3. Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, and Mississippi all border which of these states? a. South Carolina b. Alabama c. Arkansas d. Missouri 4. Which U.s. state is the smallest? a. Wyoming b. Hawaii c. Rhode Island d. Delaware 5. Which state is the most densely populated? a. New Jersey b. New York c. California d. Alaska 6. if you drive from Jacksonville, FL, to Houston, TX, staying as close to the Gulf of Mexico as you can, how many states will you drive through? a. 2 b. 3 c. 4 d. 5
Answers: 1. B- We like to start off with the simple questions. Plus, in a recent presidential election, one of the candidates actually stated, “I’ve been to all 57 states.” So we just want to make sure we are all on board for the 50 state thing. 2. C- California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and Alaska. 3. B 4. C 5. A 6. D-Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas Wisdom Key: 5-6 Correct: How do you Harley drivers always all look the same (mustache, balding, white ponytail)? 3-4 Correct: No reason to feel bad—whether or not you know this information will never have any relevance to your life (unless, of course, you are driving from Florida to Texas and don’t realize you are lost when you see a sign welcoming you to Maine). 1-2 Correct: At least you Comm Let the ission know that the U.S. doesn’t er dec ide se nd have 57 states. (Or, did you your s tuff to get that one wrong also?) cent
Go funnt y?
fivetow erfold@ nsjewis hhome. com
AnsWER To RiddLE: Starting with you and going clockwise, there was Chaya on your left, Fay, Ella, Ben, Gabby, Dave, Jay, Rita, and then Adam on your right. How to do it: Number all the seats clockwise starting with Chaya = 1, then Fay = 2 and Ella = 3, etc. Dave is at 6 (because he is across from Chaya) That leaves only 4 and 9 or 5 and 10 for Ben and Adam (because
2. How many U.s. states border the Pacific ocean? a. 1 b. 3 c. 5 d. 7
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those are the only seats remaining which are directly across from one another). Since Dave wants to sit between Gabby and Jay, we know that the only combination for Ben and Adam could be 4 and 9. Since Dave wants to sit closer to Ben than Adam, put Ben at spot #4 and put Adam at spot #9. That leaves you no choice but to put Gabby in spot #5 because you need to put Jay and Rita together, with Jay sitting near David in spot #7 and Rita in spot #8. The only remaining spot is # 10, where you sit.
The Observant Jew
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Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
Show Some Muscle
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f you ever see two boys, perhaps twelve or thirteen years of age, and they’re playfully fighting, you might notice something. With smiles on their faces, they’re punching each other in the arm or leg, trying to make it hurt. Why, then, are they smiling? You see, at that early stage in their social and human development, they believe that by hurting the other person, they’ve shown superiority. Might makes right, and if they can make the other person flinch, he’s less of a man than they are. It’s not about hurting the other person at all; it’s just self-centered activity which uses the show of force to “uplift” the hitter. So, one day I noticed just such an interaction. One boy, who I’m assuming was thirteen, was standing in shul next to another boy who I assume was eleven or twelve. There I was, standing at Shacharis, and I noticed the older boy striking the younger one on the arm with the straps of his tefillin! The kid wasn’t bawling in pain so I guess it didn’t really hurt but it was astounding to me that someone would do something so sacrilegious and be smiling about it. Now, yes, he was likely only recently a bar mitzvah, or per-
haps not even yet, so I don’t fault him for not having the proper respect for the tefillin. However, the look on his face spoke volumes. It said, at least to me, “Ha! I’m better than you because I have tefillin so I have another way of attacking you and you can’t retaliate. You see? I’m stronger than you because I can do some-
parison? Let’s take the most analogous case to whipping someone with our tefillin – putting people down because of religious beliefs. Whether you’re more observant, strict, and rigid than others, or you think that they are fanatical and too obsessive about how they practice, religion is not a spade to be used to beat someone
Would you like someone to point out every failing you had? Every mistake, accident, and embarrassing moment? thing to you that you can’t do to me.” Dear readers, I’m sure this sounds most childish and preposterous to you. I’m sure you’re shaking your heads and clucking your tongues at this boy who thought it made him a bigshot to whip someone smaller than he with his leather straps. How awful! Didn’t his parents teach him better than that? The sad part, though, is that often we’re no better than the big bully. How often do we take the opportunity to put people down and feel higher in com-
with. You can’t go around thinking less of people because their clothing doesn’t match what you believe to be proper, because they eat things you would never dream of touching, or because they don’t have as much Torah knowledge as you. If you do, you’re no better than the kid in shul, making a mockery of the mitzvah. By the same token, if someone doesn’t want to look at certain magazines, enjoys a more Torah-based conversation than you, or wears clothes
you think look too dowdy, you need to respect that they have their own way of approaching life too. We should have learned it as children but in case we didn’t, here’s a refresher: We are all judged on our own merit, and not in relation to anyone else. We don’t show we’re better by putting people down; quite the contrary, in fact. Think about it. Would you like someone to point out every failing you had? Every mistake, accident, and embarrassing moment? Of course not. So why would you do it to someone else? When we argue with our spouses, are we careful to respect them, or do we look for their weak spots to needle them with? When an employee or child makes a mistake, are we understanding and reassuring or do we make sure we “put him in his place”? It wasn’t pretty when the boys in shul did it, it isn’t pretty when we do it, and it certainly wouldn’t be pretty if Hashem, Who knows and sees all, were to harp on our every failing. But thankfully He doesn’t, and He gives us chances to fix our mistakes. The story isn’t over just yet. The younger boy didn’t retaliate. He ignored the offense and focused on his davening. That’s when the name on his Yarmulka jumped out at me. GAVRIEL. The might of Hashem. What is Hashem’s strength? That He lets us go on and on without having to retaliate against us. Hashem gets badmouthed often, and certainly doesn’t get the respect He deserves. When others lash out at us and we’re silent, or when they attack us and we don’t seek revenge, we’re showing who the strong one really is. So the next time you have reason to attack someone, or you’re being attacked and want to fight back, show some muscle and hold yourself back. That’s a mighty fine way to behave. Jonathan Gewirtz is an inspirational writer and speaker whose work has appeared in publications around the world. You can find him at www.facebook.com/RabbiGewirtz and follow him on Twitter @RabbiJGewirtz. He also operates JewishSpeechWriter.com, where you can order a custom-made speech for your next special occasion. Sign up for the Migdal Ohr, his weekly PDF Dvar Torah in English. E-mail info@JewishSpeechWriter.com and put Subscribe in the subject.
A Fulfilled Life
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A Coach Approach to Teshuva
THE JEWISH HOME
Rabbi Naphtali Hoff
not always recognize the sinful nature of our actions, such as when we speak lashon hara thinking that our words are permitted or hurt someone’s feelings unwittingly. In addition, our sages tell us, “Ovar v’shana naaseh lo k’heter” (if
express our regret clearly and without condition. To do that, consider following these steps: • Apologize sincerely – Saying “I am sorry” must communicate genuine regret for your behavior and a wish
We often find ourselves slipping into a routine that we eventually come to justify. we sin repeatedly the actions become viewed in our minds as permitted). We often find ourselves slipping into a routine that we eventually come to justify. In such situations it can be easy for our yetzer hara to get ahold of us and say that we have no hope. We are too far along, he’ll argue, on our deviant pathway to ever turn things around.
that you had acted differently. • Take complete ownership – Avoid shifting the blame (“I apologize that you misunderstood me,” “I am sorry that you felt that way,” etc.). Doing so greatly diminishes the apologizer’s effectiveness. Stating that the other person was partly responsible for what occurred or for
In order to overcome such thinking we need to realize that error and sin are as central to the human condition as any other quality. We all make mistakes and will do so every day of our lives. We must be willing to accept them and have the self-confidence and integrity to admit it when we do. Our ability and willingness to do this, perhaps more than anything else, will allow us to take control of our teshuva process and our lives in general. Once we have come to terms with our sinful conduct, we typically begin to feel charata (regret). Whether the victim of our deeds is another person or Hashem (or both), we need to be able to
his hurt feelings places the listener on the defensive and causes them to consider you to be disingenuous and perhaps even accusatory. And that is no way to apologize. • Avoid excuses – State your error directly, without justification. To the listener’s ear, excuses not only feel like an attempt to validate the wrongdoing, they may even sound like an attack, as if the plaintiff was inconsiderate to hold him accountable in the first place. • State how you intend to fix things – Articulating your intent to correct matters, including restitution (pei’raon) where needed, will do
wonders to convince the listener of your sincerity. It should be simple, realistic and detailed. • Follow through – Few things damage a relationship more than when a person sets expectations for change and then does not follow through. In many ways, it is worse than not having apologized in the first place. When we do not act as promised, others question our will and our trustworthiness. The final component is kabbalah al he’asid (commitment to not repeat sinful conduct). Our “New Year’s Resolutions” need to be a serious undertaking, with a real commitment for change. One strategy that I use often with clients who seek to make change in their lives is to have them set S.M.A.R.T. goals. “S.M.A.R.T.” stands for specific, measurable, attainable/realistic and time-related. • Specific – well defined, you know exactly what you seek to achieve; • Measureable – quantifiable in a way that helps determine whether the goal has been achieved; • Attainable / Realistic – a goal that is within reach, largely because of your deep desire to attain it; • Time-related – set to a timeframe to ensure continued, focused efforts towards attainment. A person, for example, who seeks to daven with greater concentration, fervor and awareness, would be wise to apply this formula. Set specific goals of what you would like to work on that allow you to focus your energies. Determine how you will measure success, in terms of ability to translate more words, sustain concentration for extended periods, etc. Make sure that the goals that you set are attainable and not beyond the pale of what is presently realistic (this, of course, can and should change as you grow in this area). Then set a timeframe for your goal to keep you on task and moving in the right direction. Rabbi Naphtali Hoff is an executive coach and president of Impactful Coaching and Consulting (ImpactfulCoaching.com). He can be reached at 212.470.6139 or at president@impactfulcoaching.com.
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eshuva is on the forefront of our collective minds as we near Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. Our sages tell us that those who seek to engage in teshuva are actively assisted from above. (Shabbos 104a; Yoma 38b) Nothing can stand in the way of the remorseful soul that seeks to return, particularly on Yom Kippur, which offers a unique opportunity to break through our spiritual barriers and come clean. For many of us, the weeks spent reciting Selichos and engaged in introspection helped us approach this sacred Day of Atonement with a renewed sense of purpose and appetite for change. Such individuals are ready to seize the moment and use the incredible gift of Yom Kippur to the fullest degree possible. But many others do not feel quite ready and struggle with the fact that they have lost many “battles” along the way. What can we do to ensure that this year’s teshuva process will help us win the war by inspiring change that doesn’t fall flat and instead impacts our behavior for the long haul? As an executive coach, I would like to respond to this question by using what is often referred to as a “coach approach.” Coaches promote change by helping clients expand their awareness and develop their own approach to solving a problem. They believe that the answers to the most difficult questions lie within us and that we can identify solutions with proper guidance and support. In the paragraphs that follow I will share some coaching techniques that may help all of us make the most out of Yom Kippur. There are five basic elements of teshuva: hakaras hachet (recognition of one’s sins as sins), charata (remorse), azivas hachet (“abandoning” or desisting from sin), pei’raon (restitution, where possible), and vidui (confession). One final step to ensuring a positive, sustained outcome is to make a kabbalah al he’asid (commitment to not repeat sinful conduct). Let’s begin with the first element: hakaras hachet. In order to engage in repentance we have to acknowledge the folly of our ways. This is not as simple as it may seem. First of all, we do
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Joe BoBker on
rambam, Yom kippur & The Time Machine
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hat would the supra-rationalist Rambam say to the lyrics of Aquarius (“When the moon is in the Seventh House and Jupiter aligns with Mars then peace will guide the planets...”), or to the sight of a cackling witch flying on a broomstick in the Wizard of Oz or to the curricula of the Hogwart School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Actually, we don’t have to guess. In 1194, as the chief rabbi of Egypt and the leading Sephard Torah authority in the world, he sent a letter to the Tosefos rabbis in Marseilles, southern France, wherein, with uncharacteristic harshness, he dismisses astrology as an absurdity with zero validity, “a disease for charlatans and fools,” and recommends “flagellation” for those who believe that “certain times” are better than others. Sending the Rambam a crystal ball as a gift for yom tov would not have been a good idea. Jewish doctors in Babylon wouldn’t perform surgery on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursdays, nor during the even-numbered hours of the day because that was when the demons were on the prowl. The Rambam was outraged at these practices and reminded Jews that “there are fixed laws of nature” and that they must rely on “their own reasoning and
senses” as to how the world operates. The Rambam’s concern centered on the Torah’s concept of free-will, in that if subordinated to the perceived influence of stars and planets, witchcraft and voodoo, it would destroy G-d’s role as Controller of fate (hashgachah pratis; in Yiddish, bashert). Knowing tomorrow’s headlines or the future of elections or the stock market limits a Jews’ ability to choose freely, a character trait that is considered the entire basis for spiritual growth. Fast forward some 800 years. I can imagine the Rambam’s reaction to a recent full-page ad in the orthodox Jewish papers (this is true!) offering a pre-Elul segula. “Open the Gates of Heaven to get a year of good fortune, income, abundance and livelihood, by buying the magic kabbalistic knife shlissel [key]”. My chassidishe friend ran out and bought one. He needed parnassa. But after several weeks of cutting his Shabbas challah, nothing happened. He was now out of pocket. So he went to a pawn shop in Far Rockaway to see if he could recover some of his money and cut his losses. When he entered and pulled the knife out of his bekeshe pocket, the girl behind the counter thought she was being robbed and quickly handed him all the cash in the till. As he stood outside the store and counted $1,000 of sudden income he yelled, “It works! It works!” and
When the rambam was asked if teshuva was a form of time travel back to the past he scoffed at the idea. And yet, in his later years, he changed his mind despite its supernatural component.
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lul is the season of teshuva. Jewish mystics believe that it acts like Jacob’s ladder, bridging earthly Time to a higher Time where the past, present and future all co-exist, another unique Jewish form of time travel on Ezekiel-type chariots crisscrossing the seven spheres of Heaven. The Zohar takes all this in its stride. The entire Torah is one long scroll of Time. Even its physical “turning” on Simchas Torah is seen in metaphysical terms. As it is opened on its spindles counterclockwise, the left side, symbolic of tomorrow, gets smaller, while the right side, the history of yesterday, becomes larger. And the exposed open parchment? That is the link between past and future and represents the present. Remember: Chag (yom tov) has the same root as chug (“a circle”), a reminder that no matter how the Wheel of Life turns, from joy to sorry, from tragedy to triumph, from the peaks and the troughs, it was business as usual for the circle-and-cycle of the Jewish calendar in which Yom Kippur is the summit, the annual apex of spiritual consciousness. The aseret yemai teshuva are ten “in-between” days of going backwards (in penitence) to improve our grades on Yom Kippur, and be rewarded with a reprieve that we pray will last until the same time next year. I wonder if the supra-rationalist Rambam did kappora shlogging? This is the symbolic act of sin-cleansing that Babylonian Jews introduced to “wipe out” the past via a transfer of sins to another living creature. The men use a white rooster, the women a hen; swinging it over one’s head while saying a little prayer that asks (naturally) that the
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hen the Rambam was asked if teshuva was a form of time travel back to the past he scoffed at the idea. And yet, in his later years, he changed his mind despite its supernatural component. It wasn’t the idea of time travel that captured his attention. It was the idea that one could go “back to the future” this time of the year. In other words, teshuva allows a Jew to go backwards, identify a wrong, then return and do something about it armed with the three T’s (tefilla, teshuva, tzedaka) to mitigate its harm. The Midrash was no stranger to time machines. In a fascinating mystic travelogue titled, “When Moses met Akiva,” Moses is catapulted to the back of a classroom a few generations in the future to listen to Rabbi Akiva teaching the Laws of Moses. In 1895, H. G. Wells created a career out of Time fantasy by creating Theofiction, a new genre of literature which married SciFi to scriptural dogma, with his novel, The Time Machine. A person goes forward 30,000,000 years to stand on a beach only to discover that the sun had grown cold, the sea had frozen, and the highest form of life was a football-sized “thing” that hopped around the sand. A passenger in a mini-Time capsule was Rabbi Joseph Ber Soloveitchik of YU fame who would tell his students that when he sat down to learn a blatt, his chavrusas, who he literally felt by his side, came from the second century (R’ Hillel), the 11th century (Rashi), the 12th century (Rambam), and so on. When absorbed in learning, the past, present and future became inconsequential. “I was with my people when they were part of the exodus from Egypt,” writes Bernard S. Raskas. “I stood with them at Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. The pronouncements of Isaiah pound in my blood. The sayings of Akiva are sealed in the cells of my brain. The message of Maimonides is part of my mind. I experienced the Holocaust and shared in the agony of my people. I participated in the birth of modern Israel and the ecstasy of my people. As a member of the Jewish people, I am immortal.” Consider: R’ Elazar ben Asher Halevi, the 14th century author of Sefer Hazikhronos, traces his footsteps back to the beginning of Jewish time. Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, known as Yismach Moshe, could tell us exactly where he stood when the Torah was given at Sinai. His contemporary, Reb Levi Yitzhack of Berdichev, recalls walking in Rabbi Akiva’s shoes in Palestine sometime around 50 AD. This time of the year reminds us that the past is not yet past. We cannot separate from it. “Here and gone” is not a Jewish thing. Improving one’s middos is not a long-ago-and-far-away exercise but a present challenge; not just to recall but to experience and feel the harm our act may have caused another. These mistakes are still out there, floating in a metaphysical time capsule, waiting for us to find, remember, and identify them as spiritual failings. And there’s no statute of limitations! It’s a myth that we are restricted to only the past year. We are not. If we remember a misdeed from twenty years ago the door is still open for teshuva. A case in point: A few years ago I received a phone call from a rabbi in Monsey two hours before Rosh Hashana. He had been asked to call me on behalf of someone who wished to remain anonymous. Apparently this person used to come over to our house in LA and play with my sons some thirty years ago when he was around ten, eleven. On a few occasions he stole some baseball cards. He has regretted it ever since. The unidentified was now asking for forgiveness through
a messenger, a dan le-kaf zechus, acting as a pre-yom tov defense attorney (sanegoria) on behalf of another Jew who had act improperly. Nevertheless I demanded my pound of flesh! I wanted full reimbursement in today’s dollars for the value of our Roy Weatherly Cleveland Indians 1941 card (if we ever had one)! I wanted him burned in effigy! Hung from the Eiffel Tower! Actually I was quite serene, accepted his apology, then spent all Succos thinking of who it could be. It made his yom tov but ruined mine! I’m not sure if one can do teshuva anonymously or whether I was the right address for it (should have been directed to my sons) but it was sure impressive. To take responsibility for the past and do something about it is courageous. So, to pat myself on the undeserved back, is the ability to forgive. So I beg mechila but only anonymously for anybody or anything I upset in the past. Giving another Jew “the benefit of the doubt” eliminates enmity and grudge-bearing (Er hot a faribel of mir!), or if you prefer it in Torah terms: “B’tzedek tishpot amitecha,” “Judge your fellow righteously.” Even though the Rambam, unlike the Kabbalists, believed Time was linear and sequential, a single one-way street from the first Shabbos of Creation to the end goal of Redemption with no inherent spiritual powers, he recognized that the concept of Cyclical Time is inherent in the process of teshuva. That the future is anchored in the past is reflected by Hebrew: kever means both “womb” and “grave.” Meanwhile in his deep understand of human nature, King David teaches that there is a time for everything (“There is a season...”). Recognizing this is the time of the year for improvement, little Shimmy davens, “Hashem, if you can’t make me a better boy, don’t worry about it. I’m having a real good time just like I am.” Next to him is little Yanki who used to pray to G-d for a bicycle, gave up, stole one, and is now praying for forgiveness.
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made his way to the next pawn shop to try again.
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fowl be killed instead of the Jew. Many great rabbis abhorred this custom, concerned that it would undermine the seriousness of the whole idea of vows. The 13th century Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet, the wealthy banker and chief rabbi of Barceleno, Spain, prohibited it. The Ramban, who merged kabbalah with Torah, called its practitioners “idolworshippers.” Rabbi Yoseph Karo of Shulchan Aruch fame thought it was “a stupid custom.” But all to no avail. It was wildly popular, especially among Eastern European Polish Jews. In my home, at dawn on the day before Yom Kippur, my parents would each shlug kapporas by swinging a chicken three times over their heads, each time saying zeh chalifasi, zeh temurosi, zeh kaporosi, “This is my substitute, this is my exchange, this is my atonement.” I was young. I had a propensity for klotz kashers. Why a chicken? Why not a fish? Why can’t I swing my pet tortoise? The chicken comes from an old Polish superstition that when roosters crow in the early morning to announce the first lights of day, they scare away the evil spirits who shun daylight. Why “three” times? Why not a million, I wanted to know. This number is representative of something permanent, as the Yiddishists would say: a triple braid is not easily undone! The Teshuva Time machine recognizes that it is unfair to judge a Jew on one bad act here, one mistake there. It is the entire gestalt of a person that counts; the whole shebang and not just the parts. This does not mean that “everything is good” but that we must see “good in everything.” This is why the Torah does not “count” the first two sins but requires a pattern of past behavior (a chazaka) which comes into play if any “bad act” is
repeated three or more times, an indication of the person as a whole. And this is why the obligation to ask another for forgiveness must be done three times after which one has fulfilled the requirement (even if there is no response). I was too chicken to swing a live chicken around the kitchen. So my father would let my older sister and I “swing” money tied in a white cloth handkerchief instead while saying the same invocation. How much money? Any amount as long as it was in multiples of chai, “18,” for Life. We then donated the money (but not the handkerchief) to tzedaka, one of the three mitzvos that help lessen G-d’s decree. Sadie Cohen once went into a store erev yom tov and bought a parrot for a pet. But the parrot misbehaved constantly. It swore at her and insulted guests at the meal. Finally Sadie Cohen had enough. She threw the parrot into the freezer. After a few seconds of silence she had rachmonus on the bird and opened the door. “I’m so sorry,” the parrot said. “Please forgive me. I’ll do teshuva and never be bad again. Please, pretty please.” Sadie Cohen, in the spirit of the High Holidays, says, “I forgive you.” “Thank you,” replies the relieved parrot as she takes him out of the freezer. “Oh, by the way, what did the chicken do?” The Rambam’s eventual embrace of teshuva as a non-rational spiritual force was quite a concession. On the surface of reason and logic its act of going back through time to generate mercy and forgiveness today defies natural law. In summary: How man acts, G-d reacts! But it’s also helpful to spread lots of honey over your apples and challahs as you cut them with your new kabbalistic knife.
recognizing this is the time for improvement, little Shimmy davens, “Hashem, if you can’t make me a better boy, don’t worry about it. I’m having a real good time just like I am!”
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Halachically Speaking
Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits
Kneeling on a Stone Floor
O
n Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we kneel on the floor during davening at Aleinu and while saying v’kohanim. In addition, many times we wish to kneel on the ground to give a child a bath, exercise, or to put something away. Are the above permitted and if they are not what is the correct way to kneel?
Halachic Background In the time of the Bais Hamikdosh one would fall to the floor with his hands and feet spread out and daven to Hashem. This is not done today since we do not have a bais hamikdosh. The Torah tells us that one is not allowed to spread out his hands and feet on a stone floor. “And a stone covering you should not place on your land to prostrate yourself upon it.” (Vayikrah, 26: 1) Other Halachic Factors The Rabbonim enacted that one is not allowed to bow on one’s hands and feet (even without spreading) if one’s face is towards the floor. This issur is known as e’ven maskis. In order for there to be an issur d’oraisa it has to be both of the following: 1. Kneeling while spreading the hands and feet, 2. Stone floor. However, bowing on the floor without spreading of one’s hands and feet or spreading the hands and feet but not on a stone floor is forbidden d’rabannan. Kneeling without spreading one’s hands and feet on a non-stone floor is permitted. Women This issur applies to men and women alike. The custom of many is that women do not kneel to the ground at all on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Reasons Some say that the reason for the issur is because this is the way non-Jews bow to their gods. The Chinuch says the reason is that one who sees someone kneeling to the stone would think he is bowing to avodah zarah. Some say the reason is that the kneeling should not be like the bowing in the times of the Bais Hamikdosh. Davening Based on the above, one should spread something out between his face
and a stone floor when kneeling on the ground during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. If this is not possible then one should bow on his side so that his face does not touch the ground if it is not a stone floor. One is allowed to kneel towards a stone floor if his face is not near the stone floor. Type of Stone Some poskim say that marble has the same din as stone in this regard. Kneeling on bricks is not a concern. One should treat stone tiles which are placed on one’s floor as stone in regard to this halacha. Furthermore, even a floor
say that placing one hand under his head is not a good hefsek. A see-through material suffices for a separation between one’s hands and feet and the floor. A separation with holes in it is still considered a separation. An area rug which is removed to be cleaned from time to time is a good separation and no other separation is required. Aleinu – Rosh Hashanah The custom is to prostrate oneself on the floor by Aleinu on Rosh Hashanah. Some say that since by Aleinu on Rosh Hashanah we do not bow on the floor, no separation is needed; however, we
Placing Tallis on Floor When kneeling during davening on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur one usually uses his tallis as a separation between his face and the floor. Some say that doing so is a disgrace to the tallis. However, the custom is that doing so is permitted since one is not dragging it on the floor. In addition it is being done for a mitzvah in order to kneel down to Hashem. Giving a Bath etc. The above mentioned issur is only if one has intent to do so. Therefore, one is allowed to bend down on his knees in order to give his child a bath, or take something out from the refrigerator drawer. Exercise When doing push ups, etc. one places his entire body toward the floor. Doing so is not an issue since one does not have intent to kneel to the ground.
which is not made of stone should still have the same halacha as stone since there may be stone underneath the floor before the floor was put on. In addition, cement is viewed as stone in regard to this halacha. Some say that even if the stone is not attached to the ground it is ossur to bow on. Steps made from stone have the same status as regular stone in this regard. Asphalt has the same din as stone in regard to this halacha. Today the custom is that on all floors one should not kneel without a separation. Therefore, even if there is permanent carpet on the floor then one should still have a separation. Types of Separation As mentioned before, when kneeling with one’s hands and feet spread out one must place a separation between his face and the ground. This separation can be made with placing grass, a tallis or any other material between one’s face and the floor. However, one’s clothing that he is wearing is not a hefsek. Some
do have a separation since the custom is that the kneeling on Rosh Hashanah by Aleinu is the same as on Yom Kippur where we kneel on the ground. Kneeling on Yom Kippur Kneeling is done on Yom Kippur when saying “v’kohanim,” and Aleinu. Giving out Paper Towels on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur When looking around before the tzibbur prepares to kneel at Aleinu on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, paper towels are handed out and the tzibbur places it on their knees during the bowing process. This is not done because of any halachic reason; it is done in order to ensure that one does not dirty his pants. All sources say a separation is required between one’s face and the ground not a separation between the knees and the ground. Some say falling on one’s knees alone is going in the ways of the nonJews and one should avoid this.
Davening at Graves One is permitted to daven at a cemetery while looking at the gravestone and there is no concern that someone will see him davening to the stone itself. The reason is because it is well known that one is doing so for the honor of the deceased. Sitting on the Floor Some are of the opinion that based on kabbalah one should not sit directly on the ground without a separation between you and the ground. Some say this is only if one sits directly on the ground. Therefore, there are those of the opinion who say since our homes, etc. are covered with stone, wood, etc. there is no concern. However, others do not make this distinction. There are those who al pi kabbalah in a bungalow colony or camp, etc. would not sit directly on the dirt without a separation. Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits is a former chaver kollel of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath and a musmach of Harav Yisroel Belsky shlita. Rabbi Lebovits currently works as the Rabbinical Administrator for the KOF-K Kosher Supervision.
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The Baal Neilah by Larry Domnitch
indescribable—everyone present shed a river of tears as they pleaded for their lives in the face of the horrors of combat. Soon the fast was over, but no one rushed to eat. They sat contemplating the intensity of their prayers. Black bread and tea were finally brought in, and the soldiers broke their fast, yet the chazzan who had aroused them to repentance did not partake. With the fast and the day over, the soldiers lay down on the ground, exhausted, but they could not sleep as they were anxious about the battles that lay ahead. The following day a new battle erupted. The fighting was furious. The cannons began pounding and the bullets flew like hail. Men were falling all around; one never knew which moment might be his last. Eventually, the fighting stopped and the enemy retreated. The soldiers began to regroup and were horrified to see that Aronchik, the baal Neilah, had fallen. A grave was dug for him by his Jewish comrades,
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D
uring the First World War, fierce fighting took place between Russian forces and those of the Central Powers in the land of Galitzia. It was a scene of mass carnage. Hundreds of thousands of Jews fought for both sides. One Russian Jewish soldier related the following event. Yom Kippur was approaching and Jewish soldiers in a battalion asked their commander for permission to gather and pray. Their request was granted, and they gathered in an empty storehouse for prayers. They prayed with heightened emotion and shed bitter tears over their difficult plight as soldiers on the front. Also prominent on their minds was the welfare of their families in Poland and Russia facing untold dangers due to the war. When the time for the concluding prayer, Neilah, arrived, a young soldier named Arontzik was asked to serve as chazzan. It was a very special Neilah service. Aronchik’s prayers were powerful; his voice was melodic and piercing. The emotions emitted by his prayers were
giving him his final honor. On his gravestone they wrote, “Here lies Aronchik, the ‘Baal Neilah’; may his righteous soul rest in peace.” May his heartfelt prayers inspire us to pray with greater fervor. And in Aronchik’s merit and in the merit of the multitudes of Jewish soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice on the battlefields of the First World War, may all our prayers be answered.
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Charity Redeems from Death T
here are specialists even in the realm of the sacred. To be sure, the saintly Chassidic rebbes were scrupulous about fulfilling all the mitzvot with fervor, yet some were known for the distinctive attention they paid to particular religious deeds. One was renowned for raising funds for the poor, another for redeeming captive Jews, still others for their devotion to song, or prayer, or storytelling. At one time, the town of Ostrov had the honor of being home to two of the Ba’al Shem Tov’s most illustrious students, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polnoia and Reb Pinchas of Koretz. And each had his specialty. Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polnoia was famous across the Jewish world for his prodigious scholarship. After he joined the nascent Chassidic movement, he added a mastery of Kabbalah and the mystical tradition to his vast command of Talmud and Jewish law. Among the many virtues for which Reb Pinchas of Koretz was celebrated, particularly noteworthy was his devotion to halvoes ha’mes, the imperative to honor the dead by escorting them to their interment. The Koretzer Rebbe made sure to participate in the burial rites of all his townspeople, irrespective of whether the departed was pious or a sinner. It was the custom in Ostrov, as elsewhere throughout Eastern Europe, that when a member of the community passed away, the synagogue assistant, the beadle, would make his way across town carrying a charity box as he called out, “Charity redeems us from death, charity redeems us from death.” In this way, the townspeople were alerted a funeral would soon be taking place. One late afternoon, Mordecai the tailor died. Not that any of the Jews of Ostrov cared. Mordecai had no relatives in the vicinity, nor any Jewish friends. His clientele were local gentiles and his social circle consisted entirely of non-Jewish acquaintances with whom he’d share inebriated evenings, replete with ham sandwiches and vodka. Not that Mordecai the tailor cared a fig that the Jews considered him an outcast. And why should he? As far as he was concerned, he wasn’t one of them, anyway.
But Jewish law mandates all Jews receive proper burial rites, regardless of the deceased’s personal habits. So when the Angel of Death came to retrieve the sinful soul of Mordecai the tailor, a Jewish funeral was dutifully prepared, and the beadle began his trek through the streets proclaiming in his practiced drone, “Charity redeems us from death, charity redeems us from death.” Who would bother to attend this funeral? Why
All I saw was Mordecai’s
dead. “But who?” “Mordecai the tailor.” “Mordecai the tailor,” the rebbe repeated, his voice heavy. “Well, well.” The beadle turned to continue his rounds when the rebbe called to him. “Please be certain to inform me when the funeral will take place. It’s imperative I be there.” Soon, the stunned beadle was reporting to anyone who crossed his path how the Rebbe of Koretz was insisting on attending the funeral of Mordecai the tailor. But why? That was the question everyone asked and the beadle could not answer. That, too, was the question Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polnoia asked himself when he was told of his illustrious colleague’s interest in the deceased. Surely, something unusual was afoot. The Rebbe of Koretz must know more about this Mordecai the tailor than he was letting on. “Well, then,” Reb Yaakov Yosef decided, “if Reb Pinchas is so adamant about attending the funeral, so will I.” Curiosity spread across Ostrov like an untamed blaze. “Did you hear?” one townsperson asked breathlessly of the other. “Both our Chassidic giants plan to attend the funeral of that good-for-nothing. Perhaps we should attend as well.” Not since Ostrov had become a predominantly Jewish city many years earlier had the funeral hall been as packed as it was that morning. The elderly came. The women came. Even the children came, all with the same perplexed look on their faces. At the conclusion of the funeral, the Koretzer Rebbe led the procession to the nearby cemetery. The rebbe stood next to the gravesite as the burial was performed, in perfect accordance with Jewish law and custom. “All right, my friend, I give up,” said Reb Yaakov Yosef, placing his hand on the Koretzer’s shoulder. “I’ve been alongside you throughout the funeral and here during the burial, and I still have no clue. So tell
uncovered head and the bottle
of non-kosher wine on his table. make time for a reprobate who wanted nothing to do with his own people? At best, they’d manage to gather the bare minimum for a minyan, the quorum of ten men who’d recite the Kaddish prayer, hurry through the rites and be on their way. Surely, the Rebbe of Koretz need not be among them. True, the rebbe regularly attended the funerals of simple Jews, but Mordecai the tailor was no simple Jew. He was a contemptible boor who disdained his own heritage and was surely undeserving of the rebbe’s time. When the beadle arrived at the rebbe’s street, he hastened his pace and lowered his voice; better the rebbe should remain unaware of this particular funeral. The Rebbe of Koretz, however, happened to standing at his window precisely at the moment the beadle passed his home. Seeing the charity box in the man’s hand, the rebbe inquired who had died. “Trust me,” the beadle answered. “This is one funeral the rebbe can skip.” “Who passed away?” the rebbe persisted. “As I say, a coarse blasphemer.” The beadle struck his lips with his hand – one should not speak ill of the
No talis, no wedding.” once I’m married, you’re even more likely to renege on your pledges. Enough is enough. No talis, no wedding.” The guests stood waiting with increasing frustration. I among them. Finally, I had to speak. “Please,” I beseeched the groom, “Let’s continue with the ceremony.” This young man, however, was exceedingly clever, and proceeded to produce a proof-text from the Torah to justify his behavior. “The verses in Deuteronomy 22 that speak of a man taking a wife, immediately follow the passage enjoining a man to wear a talis. Thus, it is only right I receive a talis before I marry.” The groom, clearly, would not budge. In the meantime, at stake was the mitzvah of hachnosas kallah, facilitating a marriage and ensuring a bride’s joy. It was imperative the wedding take place. So I suggested to the groom that we hold off for an hour. I myself would go into town and try to raise the money for the talis. The groom agreed, but it was already late. When I stepped out into the street, I was greeted by a dark, moonless night. The lights were already extinguished in all the houses. Nevertheless, I kept walking, hoping to find a home whose inhabitants were still awake. And finally I did. It was the home of Mordecai the tailor. Finding the door open, I walked in to find the tailor hunched over a cloth, needle in hand. When Mordecai finally looked up, he was, naturally, startled to see me standing in his doorway. What would bring the rebbe, alone and so late in the evening, to his home, of all places? I explained the situation and asked Mordecai for his help. He listened to the request with disdain, but finally withdrew a few kopecks from his pocket. “As you are well aware,” the Koretzer noted to the
This story was excerpted from The Blind Angel: New Old Chassidic Tales, by Rabbi Tovia Halberstam, translated and retold by Joshua Halberstam. Reprinted with permission from The Toby Press. For twenty-five years, Rabbi Tovia Halberstam, a scion of leading Chassidic dynasties, told riveting Chassidic tales to an audience of thousands on the Yiddish radio in New York. These legends, as precious and rich as family heirlooms, were known to millions of Jews before the Holocaust. Today, Rabbi Halberstam’s son, award-winning scholar Joshua Halberstam, has beautifully translated these tales into English in The Blind Angel: New Old Chassidic Tales (The Toby Press), maintaining the full charm, rhythm, and authenticity of the original Yiddish stories.
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“Enough is enough.
assembled at the gravesite, “a genuine Turkish talis costs more than a few kopeks. So I turned to leave and continue on my mission, one that increasingly seemed hopeless. But as I reached the door, I heard footsteps behind me.” “Rebbe, please wait a moment. Suppose I gave you the money? The entire sum, all you need to purchase the very finest talis.” “That would be wonderful,” I began to answer. “The mitzvah of helping—” “Yes, yes, I know,” Mordecai interrupted. “But I want something in exchange. I want you to give me a guarantee.” “Guarantee? For what?” “That I will be admitted to heaven.” The Chassidim listening to the rebbe’s story clucked their tongues when they heard what Mordecai the tailor had asked for. “How could I secure heaven for this sinner?” the rebbe asked his audience. “How could I pledge eternal reward for a man who transgresses all the commandments? How could I do such a thing? “Then I recalled the Talmudic discussion that lists the few good deeds that yield rewards in both this world and the next. And even for these few mitzvot, the principal reward is reserved for the World to Come. “Among this select group,” Rabbi Yaakov Yosef suddenly interjected, “is the mitzvah of hachnosas kallah, assisting in the wedding of a bride.” “Precisely,” said the Koretzer. “And that’s what I thought about standing in the foyer considering Mordecai the tailor’s request. I looked around and didn’t see a single Hebrew book or even a mezuzah on the doorpost. Instead, all I saw was Mordecai’s uncovered head and the bottle of non-kosher wine on his table. Then I thought of the distressed bride waiting under the wedding canopy in her gown. So I agreed to the proposal. Mordecai the tailor excused himself and a minute later returned with enough money to purchase a fine Turkish talis. “When I heard Mordecai the tailor had died, I realized I’d have to attend his burial to remind the angels who’d come for his soul about his charity that saved a marriage. And a good thing too. Because those angels arrived expecting to bring Mordecai to the lower rungs, but now found it impossible to grab hold of his soul. You see, Mordecai the tailor’s soul was wrapped in a protective talis, the spiritual talis created for him the moment he performed the mitzvah of hachnosas kallah.” “I don’t understand,” came a voice from the crowd. “A life of constant, blatant sinning, and one good deed gets him into heaven?” “Indeed,” replied the Rebbe of Koretz. “This is the lesson we learn from the life of Mordecai the tailor. No one should assume he or she is precluded from the rewards of the afterlife. For with a single worthwhile deed, one can purchase eternity. But this too: we can never be sure who has made such a purchase.”
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few months ago, on a cold, wintry evening, Beril Shuster, Beril the shoemaker, as he’s known to some of you, knocked on my door. Beril apologized for his unscheduled visit, but said he had an important request. Would I officiate at his daughter’s wedding? His daughter Khaya, admittedly advanced in years, had finally been presented with a decent match. More gratifying, still, was the attitude of the groom, who didn’t demand a dowry. This was no small matter to Beril, a man of limited means, who could hardly afford to sustain the young couple for the first years of marriage, as many grooms expect of their fathers-in-law. When Beril informed me of the date of the wedding, I had to inform him that, alas, I’d already committed to meetings that day involving important communal affairs. Seeing the disappointment on his face, I suggested that if he wanted me to perform the ceremony, the wedding could be held in my house late in the evening after my work was completed. And so it was arranged. The Koretzer paused, tugged again on his beard and continued. On the night of the wedding, everything was in place. The families of the bride and groom had all arrived in their festive best. But then, right before the groom was to walk to the wedding canopy, a disturbance was heard in the back of the room. It
seemed Beril had promised his future son-in-law a Turkish wool prayer shawl and had failed to deliver. The son-in-law insisted Beril procure the talis then and there. Beril pleaded with the young man, explaining that he hadn’t had the money before the wedding to make this significant purchase, but would get it for him the following day. But the groom was obstinate. He would not stand under the canopy and allow the wedding to proceed unless he was presented with a Turkish talis as promised. “Please,” begged Beril. “Please don’t shame your bride. Tomorrow, I’ll have the talis for you. My word.” “Your word?” said the groom. “You’ve deceived me several times since I’ve been engaged to your daughter, promising gifts that never materialized. And
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me. What is the story with this Mordecai the tailor?” By then, a crowd had gathered around the two Chassidic masters, eager to learn the explanation for the rebbe’s baffling attention to the deceased. “Was he one of the lamed vovniks?” one of the assembled asked, referring to the thirty-six Jews of every generation who, according to tradition, live unnoticed lives of righteousness and whose secret merit upholds the world. “Hardly,” said the Koretzer Rebbe. “No, as far as I know, Mordecai the tailor was as much the sinner in private as he was in public.” “So why do you show him such respect?” asked Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, quieting the crowd. The Rabbi of Koretz offered a half smile to accompany a long tug at his beard. “Well, you see, I promised him a place in heaven and I wanted to be at his burial to make sure my promise was fulfilled.” Rabbi Yaakov Yosef leaned in toward the Koretzer, not needing to state the obvious question: Why promise a place in heaven to an unrepentant sinner? The Koretzer settled back on his heels, looked around at the crowd circled around him and then at Reb Yaakov Yosef. “Let me explain,” he said.
Dr. Deb
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Deb Hirschhorn, Ph.D.
I Can’t Change
I
f I hear another person sitting in my office saying, “I can’t change!” or “He (or she) will never change!” I am going to scream. No, I won’t scream. Don’t worry. But I do not get how people can make statements that are directly against Torah. This Holy Day is all about change. If you don’t plan to work on yourself, why are you fasting? Why are you sitting in shul all day? What for? What you really mean when you say that you can’t change is that you don’t want to. Fair enough. That is at least an honest statement. But then what are you doing in my office?! Oh, oh, I get it. You can’t (don’t want to) change, but you want to change HER! Ha. I see. No, I don’t see. People “can’t” change, so how can she? You are sighing. “You’re right, Dr. Deb. She can’t change either. I don’t know why I’m here. I guess I’m depressed about the whole thing.” Uh-uh. You’re not allowed to be depressed either; that’s a lack of bitachon. You know that Hashem runs the world and He gave you this partner for a reason. What is it you will learn from this mate of yours? What will you learn about yourself, your choices, your style, your attitude, the things you have taken for granted as true that may not be true? Is there something you’ve learned that may help you face tomorrow? Can you make a plan for doing things differently? You can?
Well, guess what? If you can do things differently or at least see them differently, that’s change. That is the very change you said you can’t do. “But it is so hard, Dr. Deb.” Yes, it is. I will be the first one to agree with that. It is extremely hard.
stuff your child is trying to tell you even though you would have thought of it as nonsense. Maybe the little change is not needing to “win” any more. Maybe it is being dan l’chaf zchus to your spouse. Maybe it is giving of yourself a little
I’ve seen amazing changes in people and those changes are small – yet their significance is huge. Hashem was not pulling any punches when He created the rules of how this difficult world works. But now we have gotten from you saying you can’t change to making a plan to do one small thing differently. That is super progress. Maybe it is saying “Good morning” to someone you are mad at so as to break the awful spell. Maybe it is focusing on the blessings in your life instead of the pain. Maybe it is spending a few minutes listening sympathetically to the
more than you used to without thinking you want something back. Maybe it is just holding your tongue before saying something hurtful. I’ve seen amazing changes in people and those changes are small – yet their significance is huge. There’s the person who was miffed because she was left out of something who a year later was more generous in her thinking. There’s the person who used to explode over mistreatment and now recognizes that the world is full of “characters” so he doesn’t have to let them bother him. There’s the couple that made a decision to just breathe when things got a bit too heated and learned to laugh instead of taking trivial things seriously. There’s the teen that went from feeling insecure to quite the opposite. So, yes, change can and does occur. We’re required to do it. In fact, there really would be no point in living if we were not so required. Think about it this way. We were purposely created imperfect. That means that at least a part of our job here is to correct ourselves. We were not meant to be satisfied with our imperfection. That would make no sense at all. Tikkun olam starts with us. Actually it starts within us.
That requires moving out of our comfort zone. And don’t make the mistake of thinking that your comfort zone is not comfortable so therefore you really would love to be out of it. Sure, you’d love to be out of it, but not if it takes a whole bunch of work. That is asking too much. Let’s take a typical example: Depression. No one could call it “comfortable.” Yet, it is, indeed, a familiar place. And that is what is meant by comfort zone: the place you know from dark corner to dark corner. A depressed person would not feel like himself if he were happy. So being happy is actually scary. Getting out of the familiarity of depression to focus on – and force one’s thoughts never to stray off of – the good in one’s life is difficult, strange, scary, and frustrating. But it is doable just the same. Hard, yes. But doable. This is what I think the Torah and the Yomim Noraim are teaching us about teshuvah. We are called upon to make changes. Usually small changes that mean a lot. I told a couple recently, “You are two very nice people who do a lot for one another, only neither of you realizes it. Work on your dan l’chaf zchus this yom tov.” Small changes. Think of how many nice things your partner did for you. Or make the assumption that they did not mean to hurt you. Or if they actually did mean to hurt you, it must mean that they were hurt very badly themselves (although this is a terrible way to deal with pain, but that’s for a different article). I do not want to hear you telling me you can’t change. You can. And you are supposed to. Be proud of your baby steps in the right direction. Have a meaningful fast. Dr. Deb Hirschhorn, is a Marriage & Family Therapist and best-selling author of The Healing Is Mutual: Marriage Empowerment Tools to Rebuild Trust and Respect—Together. Attend the Food For Thought lectures at Traditions Restaurant in Lawrence on Tuesdays at 12:30 PM. (There is a lovely optional lunch menu for $12 cash.) Any questions, call 646-54-DRDEB or check out her website at http://drdeb.com. All stories in Dr. Deb’s articles are fabricated. See Dr. Deb on TorahAnytime.com.
Health & Fitness
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How to Have an Easy Fast Stopping caffeine cold turkey can cause withdrawal symptoms and these symptoms are worsened when fasting. Therefore, try to cut out the caffeine a few days before a fast since the symptoms are not as noticeable while eating a normal diet. • Don’t overeat; eat normal-sized meals. Overeating and stuffing your face before a fast will not cause you t o
b e less hungry the next day. Additionally, large meals require more fluids to digest, so this won’t help the dehydration factor. • Eat carbohydrate-rich foods before a fast. The word carbohydrate literally means hydrated carbons which hold onto water and helps your body stay hydrated for a longer amount of time. Complex carbohydrates like those found in breads, pastas, fruits, and vegetables are the best for maintaining energy levels during a fast. Even more so, whole grain carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables which are rich in fiber help keep the body satiated for longer by slowing the progression of digestion. Therefore, the best foods to eat before a fast are wholegrain breads, pastas, cereals; starchy vegetables such as potatoes and sweet potatoes; vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots; fruits such as grapes, watermelon, bananas, apples, strawberries, and oranges. • After a fast, it is best to eat easily digestible foods that do not
cost the body too much energy. Raw fruits and vegetables are the number one choice after a fast due to their high water content to rehydrate the body and its easy digestion course. Hopefully with these helpful tips, you’ll have a smooth and easy fast! A guht g’bentsched yuhr and a gmar chasima tova to all. Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College in 2013 receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food
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made up of 60% fluid and every cell in our body needs proper hydration in order to function properly. Therefore, before a fast it’s very important to superhydrate yourself. • Pack in the water a few days before the fast. Don’t leave all the water for the last minute or you’ll be so full from water you won’t have any room for food. In addition, avoid dehydrating foods such as salty foods and fast food. • Limit caffeine intake. Caffeine causes mood changes and is considered an outright addiction.
H
ere it is. The day we’ve all been dreading; a day of fear, judgment, and fasting: Yom Kippur. Everyone’s number one concern is what to eat before the fast that will magically fill them up for the next 24 hours. The answer is—nothing will! The body is not meant to be starved and automatically adapts itself to survive during starvation mode. When the body feels hungry, a hormone called leptin is released to trigger an increase in one’s appetite. In addition, the body’s metabolism will hold onto calories by utilizing fewer. Despite the dreaded uncomfortable fast, here are a few tips to help your body fast as well as possible. • Hydrate yourself. To your surprise, your body is able to last for weeks or even months without any food. However, what causes the most discomfort during a fast is the lack of fluid. Our body is
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Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN
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. Please email questions or comments to CindyWeinberger1@gmail.com
EuropE’s Migrant Crisis
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While
American presidential hopefuls trade barbs over hypothetical border fences and the idea that Mexico may not be sending its best and brightest to sneak into the U.S., Europe has taken over the global center stage with its own migrant crisis. Whether Europe’s illegal immigrant issue is larger than that of America is debatable; whether it is more blatant is most definitely not. The refugees that seek to take advantage of the European Union’s liberal borders have succeeded in capturing the world’s attention and some of the world’s sympathy with images of drowned infants and video clips of crowded trains literally stuck in the middle of political standstill. Is the current migrant crisis any different than its predecessors? Just ten years ago the Sudanese region of Darfur was the latest area of Muslim-led ethnic cleansing and thousands of asylum seekers were turned away from Western countries. We are all unfortunately familiar with the story of the SS St. Louis and its ill-fated voyage to the U.S. in 1939, as well as many other tragic accounts that contributed to 6 million Jews’ deaths. Is the reluctance of many EU states to allow refugees safe harbor just another example of xenophobia or are their concerns valid and their detractors leaving out large parts of the story in their criticism of them?
The
current crisis may have begun only recently, but the reason why Western Europe is the coveted destination for many asylum seekers goes back thirty years. In 1985, five European states, including West Germany and the Netherlands, signed the Schengen Agreement to abolish internal borders within their regions, thereby allowing free movement among the states. Ultimately, the agreement received the signatures of 22 member states of the European Union and four other non-EU states.
By Nachum Soroka
Migrants fleeing war-torn areas who sought asylum in historically refugee-friendly countries such as Germany or Scandinavia needed just to enter into the Schengen region even through countries which are more hostile to their plights, such as Italy or Greece, and then move freely onto the welcoming arms of more caring nations. The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with the conflagrations brought about by the Arab Spring in Libya and Syria, have recently created an influx of Arab asylum seekers in the European area. According to UN estimates, by the end of 2014, over 60 million refugees had fled those areas; the last time there was that many was World War II. Arab refugees seek entry to the open EU area through the unfriendly Mediterranean border states of Greece and Italy and Eastern European countries of Hungary and Croatia. From there, they can then move onto generous benefit packages awaiting them in Germany or Sweden. The surge into Europe, however, is only recent: Until this past spring, Syrian refugees chose the neighboring countries of Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan as their flight destination; 500,000 have attempted to enter Europe this year alone. As expected, most of the receiving European countries have met the asylum seekers with hostility. Overloaded fishing boats filled with refugees capsizing off of the coasts of Italy and Greece and sinking have become commonplace in the Mediterranean region. In June, Hungary began the construction of a 13-foot-high razor wire fence along its border with Serbia and has recently ramped up its deportation efforts for those who entered the country illegally. In August, after 71 migrants were found dead in a supposed food truck near Vienna, the Austrian government instituted vehicle inspections at its border with Hungary. In June, France began dismantling refugee encampments in Calais, an area which serves as an entryway of sorts for illegals attempting access to
} Britain. One notable exception has been Germany. The country enjoys being the wealthiest and most stable of its European counterparts, and as such has been the ideal destination for migrants seeking asylum. That, along with its generous stance on accepting refugees—the country hands out cash stipends and free housing to qualified refugees—has been the reason why over 800,000 of them have settled in Germany. But Germany’s generosity has been the source of much angst in the rest of Europe, particularly in less wealthy EU member states. Germany may have one of the world’s strongest economies, but in Spain, for example, one in four adults is unemployed. Germany’s welcoming stance to refugees has only encouraged more to flood the continent, its EU sister states argue. Recent events in Hungary which have captured worldwide interest have caused Germany to escalate its threats to other EU states to welcome asylum seekers. Just as it was by the Greek debt crisis that captured the world’s attention at the beginning of the summer, Germany has found itself being the reluctant leader of a European Union comprised of states looking to extricate themselves from a very inconvenient alliance.
There
is no question that much of Europe’s reluctance to accept immigrants is for economic reasons. The estimated cost of taking care of Arab refugees this year for European governments is over 10 billion euros, an amount that even wealthy states like Germany will have trouble footing. Aside from the neediness that is inherent in anyone who seeks asylum, many of the refugees are unskilled workers and will contribute little to the economy of whatever country they end up settling in. This is especially true with migrants who come seeking economic safety, as opposed to physical safety.
Train stations were evacuated as migrants attempted to board trains in Hungary in their journey to other EU states
response of EU leaders towards the crisis has been divided, but much of their positions are rooted in the public sentiments in their respective countries. Recently,
migrant crisis, he said, “cannot be solved just by receiving them.” In keeping with that theme, Hollande has promised that airstrikes in Syria will be short in coming. In the more openly hostile countries like Hungary, Denmark and the Czech Republic, attacks on refugees are commonplace. A recent poll in the Czech Republic found that 94 percent of citizens there support the deportation of all immigrants from the EU, and the Danish government has placed ads in Arab newspapers which notify readers of the restrictions it has placed on immigration in the country. The EU, under pressure from Germany and the United States, has recently pledged to take in more refugees, in spite of many of its member states’ reluctance. Last week, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker pledged to allow 160,000 migrants permanent residence in the region. The plan must still be approved by EU member states, and the exact allocation of refugees for each country will most probably be reassigned. Juncker is very much aware that his plan will require a lot of negotiating and arm twisting. “It is 160,000 that Europe has to take into their arms; this has to be done in a compulsory way,” said Juncker. As Winston Churchill, and later Rahm Emanuel, so famously quipped, “Never let a crisis go to waste.” In keeping with its former Chief of Staff, the White House, too, has pledged to do its part to help ease the refugee burden from Europe. Secretary of State John Kerry has said that the United States would allow in another 5,000 Syrian refugees next year. The government is also looking into ways it can financially support the European countries which are housing refugees.
a recent report on channel m1 in
}
hungary, the country’s most watched TV channel, claimed, “Islamist
terrorists, disguised as refugees, have showed up in Europe…”
UK Prime Minister pledged to accept 20,000 Syrian refugees into his country by 2020. But that was only after protests in support of the migrants were staged throughout the UK following the released photographs of the drowned Syrian three-year-old. 430,000 people also signed a petition in England which calls for the allowance of asylum seekers there. But it was only two months earlier, in the summer, that many British government officials were claiming that most people seeking entry there were just “marauders” who seek economic assistance. In France, as well, growing public support for the migrants has led President Francois Hollande to join forces with the UK and offer asylum for 24,000 refugees, for a total of 44,000 between France and Britain. The French government has also grown insistent, though, that Migrants arriving in Munich, Germany, on September 12. Germany has been welcoming them with open arms the answer to the crisis is not just to allow haven to all those knocking received from the media—from video clips of Syrian at its borders; Prime Minister Christiane Amanpour refugees charging across open fields with Austrian told CNN, “These are very difficult subjects. And, of police in hot pursuit to physical altercations between course, in Syria, so long as we haven’t found a politimigrants and authorities at overflowing train stations. cal solution; so long as we haven’t destroyed this terA recent photograph of a drowned Syrian toddler rorist group, Islamic State; so long as we haven’t got while on their way to Europe from Turkey sparked a rid of Bashar Assad; we will not find a solution.” The
There
is no question that history is being written with the current migration of refugees into Europe. How the world in the future will judge its response today is something all can speculate. But an influx of thousands of migrants into the EU, the UK, and the United States will certainly change the world’s dynamic.
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The
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global outcry and has been called a catalyst for discussions among the EU states. To be fair, though, moving imagery and anecdotes may elicit sympathy worldwide, but they do not necessarily tell their own story. Aylan Kurdi, the drowned Syrian toddler, for example, was being smuggled into Europe not for any actual asylum purposes; his father was merely seeking free dental care. The boy’s family had been living in relative safety in Turkey for the past three years.
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Already, Germany has made the distinction between genuine asylum seekers, whom it will attempt to assist, and those who come looking for handouts, whom it will turn away. A recent statement released by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party announced, “Economic distress is no grounds for asylum. We don’t want migration into the social-welfare system.” There are also legitimate safety concerns for states to allow in an influx of Arab refugees. For now, many of the migrants seeking asylum seek just that: asylum; but there is no telling that a few years down the line the very people who were graciously welcomed into a country will establish or join already established radical groups there. The Tsarnaev brothers, masterminds of the Boston Marathon bombing, were themselves allowed into the United States on grounds of asylum. Further, many countries are concerned that by allowing large unbridled clusters of immigrants into Europe, actual terrorists will be able to infiltrate within the mix as well. ISIS has already learned to profit from the current crisis by controlling a large portion of the human trafficking operations through its strong foothold in Libya. And now, some rightwing European politicians are warning that ISIS will use the swaths of valid refugees as cover for operatives to enter into Europe. A recent report on channel M1 in Hungary, the country’s most watched TV channel, claimed, “Islamist terrorists, disguised as refugees, have showed up in Europe. Pictures were uploaded on various social networks to show that terrorists are now present in most European cities. Many, who are now illegal immigrants, fought alongside Islamic State before.” The migrant crisis is just the latest controversy among EU member states, but it would not be of such a scale if not for the overwhelming coverage it has
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1000 Rosedale Road North Woodmere, NY Pre-register online at www.midreshetshalhevet.org What if You Loved Your School?
Notable Quotes
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Compiled by Nate Davis
“Say What?”
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
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Just 100 days into his candidacy, Rick Perry has become the first Republican candidate to drop out of the race. Even more disappointing, it was just 10 days after the LensCrafters free return deadline. - Seth Myers
Donald Trump said he would replace Obamacare with something called Donaldcare. He claims it would save billions by denying coverage to preexisting Hispanics. - Conan O’Brien
I apologize for being dead. – Monty Python director Terry Gilliam after a newspaper accidentally published an obituary about him
Masses of young men in their 20s with beards singing “Allahu akbar” across Europe. It’s an invasion that threatens our prosperity, our security, our culture and identity. - Right-wing Dutch political leader Geert Wilders on waves of refugees entering Europe from Africa and the Middle East Ikea can’t keep up with the demand. - Christoph Hillenbrand, senior official of Germany’s Upper Bavaria district, on the difficulty of supplying bunk beds for all the refugees
In a recent interview, Sarah Palin supported Donald Trump’s immigration policies and said that when immigrants are in the U.S., they should “speak American.” Then immigrants were like, “You first.” – Jimmy Fallon
More quotes
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- Conan O’Brien
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I hope so. That would be great. There’d be a putting green on the White House lawn, I’m sure of that. - Tom Brady discussing the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency
Mark Zuckerberg announced that a dislike button is finally coming to Facebook. Finally a way to tell your friends how you really feel about their baby.
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Let’s say you are a human rights activist, and you want to express your positions but you don’t want to die for them. In this case, you’ll come to Israel, shout a little, they’ll interview you, you’ll give academic lectures, and you are successful, you will become a human rights celebrity in certain circles. If you try to do the same thing in Rabat, Morocco, that will be your last lecture. Israel is too soft on protesters and that makes them come here. - Professor Eugene Kontorovich, expert in constitutional and international law, who heads the department for international law at a Jerusalem-based non-profit
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Introducing himself: I’m Donald
Trump. I wrote the art of the deal. I say this not in a braggadocios way. I’ve made billions and billions of dollars. On himself: Believe me. My
temperament is very good, very calm.
On Ron Paul: I never attacked him on his looks, and believe me there’s plenty of subject matter right there. On George Pataki: He wouldn’t be elected dog-catcher right now.
Let’s not kid ourselves, there’s a lot of young Muslim men in European cities who even though they are newcomers to the land, really are not humble about adopting to the ways of the Western world… Free speech we see is not something they always agree with. And often their attitude is, “We’re biding our time until you will do things our way.” Can anyone really deny that element is there? I would be more sympathetic if there was a better track record in the Muslim world of moderates standing up to extremists. – Bill Maher I’ve mentioned on this show before – ISIS is about 30,000 guys. The countries surrounding ISIS who say they hate them have an army, if they put it together, of about 5 million. If 5 million can’t stand up to 30,000, I’m a little wary about this. - Ibid.
Congress was back in session after a five-week summer break. They have until September 30 to pass a budget to ensure that the government stays up and running, or else they will be forced to, well, I guess, go back on vacation. - Jimmy Kimmel
On his multiple bankruptcies:
People are very, very, impressed with what I’ve done. The business people. On what his Secret Service code name should be if elected:
Humble A left-handed compliment to Jeb Bush: More energy tonight. I
like that.
There has been a mix-up. – The spokesperson for Zimbabwe’s President Mugabe after Mugabe gave the same exact speech that he had given several weeks earlier I’ve accomplished everything in this sport; there’s nothing else to accomplish. – Floyd Mayweather Jr. “being modest” after winning his 49th straight boxing match
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said over the weekend that he’s not sure who he’ll vote for, but he loves Donald Trump. I guess Brady just loves anything that releases air. – Seth Myers
Today Trump is getting criticized. He made comments about one of his rivals in the race for the Republican nomination, Carly Fiorina. At this point Donald Trump has publicly attacked more women than he’s married. Which is a lot. - Jimmy Kimmel When your own face looks like an orange ate a lemon, maybe you shouldn’t criticize other faces. - Ibid.
Political insiders are saying that Donald Trump’s continued popularity is causing Mitt Romney to consider entering the GOP primary race. Wow, Mitt Romney. Just when you thought the GOP field couldn’t get any more interesting, you were right. – Seth Myers
The U.S. Surgeon General released a statement this week that said more Americans should start going on walks. You know we’re setting the bar a little low when the Surgeon General goes from saying, “We should exercise more” to “Just stand up for once.” - Jimmy Fallon
Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, is struggling in the polls. According to political analysts, Hillary Clinton is now trying to make herself seem more relatable to the average person. Today, she spent the day criticizing Hillary Clinton. - Conan O’Brien
Toyota filed a patent this weekend for a wing system that could be an attempt to make a flying Prius. As opposed to what usually creates a flying Prius: a strong gust of wind. – Jimmy Fallon Jews - The automatic Google response to the question of “Who runs Hollywood?” until it was changed last week
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Top “Trumpisms” from the second GOP debate
You have heard about the guys who stopped the attack in Paris. The young man who led the counterattack tackled a terrorist. He got slashed with a box cutter in his neck and hand, he saved another passenger’s life. Spencer Stone is with us tonight. He’s mainly here to make all of our summer vacation stories sound very lame by comparison. – Jimmy Kimmel
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A skydiver uploaded a video of himself yesterday jumping out of a plane and solving a Rubik’s cube during free fall. And to prove that he actually solved it, the funeral was open casket. – Seth Myers
A new report found that the U.S. economy created 173,000 jobs last month. The most common job created this summer was a teacher. The second most common? Republican presidential candidate. – Jimmy Fallon
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Political Crossfire
Charles Krauthammer
The Iran Charade on Capitol Hill
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ongress is finally having its say on the Iran deal. It will be an elaborate charade, however, because, having first gone to the U.N., President Obama has largely drained congressional action of relevance. At the Security Council, he pushed through a resolution ratifying the deal, thus officially committing the United States as a nation to its implementation – in advance of any congressional action. The resolution abolishes the entire legal framework, built over a decade, underlying the international sanctions against Iran. A few months from now, they will be gone. The script is already written: The International Atomic Energy Agency, relying on Iran’s self-inspection (!) of its most sensitive nuclear facility, will declare Iran in compliance. The agreement then goes into effect and Iran’s nuclear program is officially deemed peaceful.
Sanctions are lifted. The mullahs receive $100 billion of frozen assets as a signing bonus. Iran begins reaping the economic bonanza, tripling its oil exports and welcoming a stampede of foreign companies back into the country. It is all precooked. Last month, Britain’s foreign secretary traveled to Teh-
back in business. As a matter of constitutional decency, the president should have submitted the deal to Congress first. And submitted it as a treaty. Which it obviously is. No international agreement in a generation matches this one in strategic significance and geopolitical gravity.
To get around the Constitution, Obama negotiated a swindle that requires him to garner a mere one-third of one house of Congress. ran with an impressive delegation of British companies ready to deal. He was late, however. The Italian and French foreign ministers had already been there, accompanied by their own hungry businessmen and oil companies. Iran is
Obama did not submit it as a treaty because he knew he could never get the constitutionally required votes for ratification. He’s not close to getting twothirds of the Senate. He’s not close to getting a simple majority. No wonder: in the latest Pew Research Center poll, the American people oppose the deal by a staggering 28-point margin. To get around the Constitution, Obama negotiated a swindle that requires him to garner a mere one-third of one house of Congress. Indeed, on Thursday, with just 42 Senate supporters – remember, a treaty requires 67 – the Democrats filibustered and prevented, at least for now, the Senate from voting on the deal at all. But Obama two months ago enshrined the deal as international law at the U.N. Why should we care about the congressional vote? In order to highlight the illegitimacy of Obama’s constitutional runaround and thus make it easier for a future president to overturn the deal, especially if Iran is found to be cheating. As of now, however, it is done. Iran will be both unleashed – sanctions lifted, economy booming, with no treaty provisions regarding its growing regional aggression and support for terrorists – and welcomed as a good international citizen possessing a peaceful nuclear program. An astonishing trick. Iran’s legitimation will not have to wait a decade, after which, as the Iranian foreign minister boasts, the U.N. file on the Iranian nuclear program will be
closed, all restrictions will be dropped and, as Obama himself has admitted, the breakout time to an Iranian bomb will become essentially zero. On the contrary. The legitimation happens now. Early next year, Iran will be officially recognized as a peaceful nuclear nation. This is a revolution in Iran’s international standing, yet its consequences have been largely overlooked. The deal goes beyond merely leaving Iran’s nuclear infrastructure intact. Because the deal legitimizes that nuclear program as peaceful (unless proven otherwise – don’t hold your breath), it is entitled to international assistance. Hence the astonishing provision buried in Annex III, Section 10 committing Western experts to offering the Iranian program our nuclear expertise. Specifically “training courses and workshops.” On what? Among other things, on how to protect against “sabotage.” Imagine: We are now to protect Iran against, say, the very Stuxnet virus, developed by the NSA and Israel’s Unit 8200, that for years disrupted and de-
layed an Iranian bomb. Secretary of State John Kerry has darkly warned Israel to not even think about a military strike on the nuclear facilities of a regime whose leader said just Wednesday that Israel will be wiped out within 25 years. The Israelis are now being told additionally – Annex III, Section 10 – that if they attempt just a defensive, nonmilitary cyberattack (a Stuxnet II), the West will help Iran foil it. Ask those 42 senators if they even know about this provision. And how they can sign on to such a deal without shame and revulsion. (c) 2015, The Washington Post Writers Group
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Iran Thumbs its Nose at the U.S.
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Michael Gerson
Shoigu and President Vladimir Putin. In short order, Iranian and Russian military forces began arriving in Syria, apparently to prop up the faltering regime of President Bashar al-Assad. In addition to tanks and drones, the Russians have sent prefabricated housing and mobile air traffic control systems, all the signs of an extended stay. Several weeks after the deal’s announcement, Iran’s nuclear chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, revealed that Iran had found unexpectedly generous domestic reserves of uranium, which may come in handy someday. The Iranian military unveiled a new generation of
surface-to-surface ballistic missiles. And Iranian leaders continue to deny the legitimacy of all United Nations Security Council restrictions on the importation of weapons. “We will sell
term goal of Iranian public diplomacy. Their message to people across the Middle East: America won’t be here forever to protect you, so it is a mistake to side with them against us.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Twitter feed is a stream of provocative trolling, promising the end of Israel, posting an image that appears to be the silhouette of Obama with a gun to his head and threatening that in any military confrontation “the one who will emerge loser will be the aggressive and criminal U.S.” and buy weapons whenever and wherever we deem it necessary,” President Hassan Rouhani has said. “We will not wait for permission from anyone or any resolution.” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Twitter feed is a stream of provocative trolling, promising the end of Israel, posting an image that appears to be the silhouette of Obama with a gun to his head and threatening that in any military confrontation “the one who will emerge loser will be the aggressive and criminal U.S.” The Iranian supreme leader and Donald Trump have this much in common: They find their opponents to be losers. This is bound to be one of the reasons that a clear majority of Americans and a majority of the House and Senate oppose the Iranian nuclear deal –- because Iran has done everything possible to rub America’s face in Obama’s concessions. Obama was left to save the deal through a crude and partisan appeal. The Iranian regime’s motives in all this are evident. The demonstration of American impotence has been a long-
Iran is effectively announcing that it will be more aggressive in the region after the deal, not less. And it has an increased capacity to do so – flush with cash, released from constraints and basking in new legitimacy. “The dictator has been careful, all along,” says Michael Doran of the Hudson Institute, “to make sure that the deal appeared, at home and abroad, as the U.S. capitulating to Iran. We made it very easy for him to do that, because we conceded all our red lines and he conceded on none of his. He could depict it as a capitulation, because it was.” Russia’s motives are also transpar-
ent. Putin enjoys his role as a power broker in the Middle East – the most expansive Russian role in the region since Anwar Sadat threw the Soviets out of Egypt. Putin wants to defend his interests in the region (including a naval base) while strengthening his own proxy (Assad) before any possible Syrian settlement. But what is Obama’s motive in offering mild protests as a new Middle Eastern order, more favorable to Iran and Russia, emerges? The preservation of the nuclear deal is apparently so important that no Iranian provocations should be allowed to upset it. The Obama administration, according to deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, believes that implementing the deal is essential “precisely because we have such differences with this government that they cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.” In practice, this means that Iran can do whatever it [...] well pleases because it knows the Americans are too invested in the deal to blow it up. This may fit Obama’s conception of America as a tired nation, overcommitted in the Middle East. But in the process, he is making strategic concessions to Iran and Russia that future presidents may find impossible to accept and difficult to retract. (c) 2015, Washington Post Writers Group
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
S
ince the Iran nuclear deal was announced in mid-July, the world has been treated to an unusual historical spectacle. As President Obama was busy twisting congressional arms to prevent repudiation of the agreement, the Iranian regime has been systematically humiliating him. Almost immediately, bulldozers began sanitizing the Parchin nuclear complex, where Iran is suspected to have researched the weaponization of nuclear technology – a final taunt to mark the erasure of America’s “red line” demand that Iran account for the “possible military dimensions” of its nuclear program. Iran’s military and Revolutionary Guard leaders still publicly dispute there will be any inspections of military facilities. Ten days after the deal was announced, Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani flew to Moscow (in defiance of a U.N. travel ban) to meet with Russian Defense Minister Sergei
Hire Education
Rabbi Mordechai Kruger
Be a Troublemaker
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B
eing “stuck” is almost always something bad. The only story I’ve ever heard where being stuck was good was told by the renowned Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz. He told that once, years ago, he had been asked to accompany his Rebbe, the great Rosh Yeshiva Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, zt”l, as he attended an important meeting. When it was time to return to Yerushalayim, several self-appointed “escorts” piled into the car, leaving the elderly Rosh Yeshiva uncomfortably squeezed in the back seat. Embarrassed, a decision was quickly made to drive by the local bus station, where the uninvited “guests” would get out. When they pulled up at the station, the doors opened, yet no one got out of the car. The seemingly frail Rosh Yeshiva had figured out the plan, and as they neared the station, placed his arms around the shoulders of the extra passengers. With iron resolve, and despite his own discomfort, he wouldn’t let anyone get out of the car. He told the driver, “The boy can’t get out. He’s stuck.” Being stuck in the embrace of a great and caring Rebbe can be a wonderful memory to treasure. But I meet with too many people who are stuck in the clammy paws of a job where they dread going to work each day, they can’t move up, and they can’t move out. They are really stuck. And it’s really a bad situation. These are people who have done everything right. They have taken on responsible jobs, worked hard with loyalty and perseverance, and through no fault of their own, reached a dead end. Actually, to be more metaphorically correct, they’ve reached a cul-de-sac. That is, as long as they don’t want to go anywhere else, the job they’re in is just fine. But if they want to go somewhere else, or do something else, then things go from difficult to discouraging to depression pretty quickly. This problem is particularly acute among middle level managers. Most often, these fellows joined the company with little relevant experience, working in some aspect of operations. Whether it was fulfillment and shipping, the production line, troubleshooting for customers, or anything similar, the years have gone by. Now senior managers themselves, they have become
the backbone of the company. Day by day, everything works smoothly because of them. They see every problem when it is still way out on the horizon, and because of them, by the end of the day, everything gets done. They are the human equivalent of WD-40 and duct tape; everyone loves them and every-
blue-collar workers, keeps the old truck running, anticipates the inventory needed to cover an unanticipated order that will come in next week, who notices? How much attention do you give the radiator in your car? True, it would be pretty hot without it, but it never gives any trouble, because that’s the way it’s
They are the human equivalent of WD-40 and duct tape; everyone loves them and everyone is happy to have them around. But then they get stuck. one is happy to have them around. But then they get stuck. There was a guy who joined the company around the same time, all those years ago. But he went into sales. Year by year his commissions grew, and when he asked for a larger office, more time off, more money, he got it because his growing sales success meant growing revenues for the company. And when some fool in the front
supposed to be. So when our manager asks for a raise, he gets told, “Hey, times are tough, we’ve gotta keep costs down. Maybe next year.” After a while, our manager gets fed up, realizes that he will never get the respect he deserves, and wants to look for another job. And finds that he’s stuck. When an experienced worker looks for a new job, the key to his success lies in telling the story of how he created val-
office (probably the owner’s son) put his foot down and said, “No,” that guy picked up and moved on. Because sales grows revenue. The guy who reliably brings in dollars reliably has a job. But our fellow doesn’t get those perks. When it comes to operations, the goal is to lower costs and raise what gets called “productivity,” which means doing a job which is second rate or worse, just not so bad that the wrong person notices. The smooth way he handles the
ue in his previous jobs. How he made things grow, made things change. Our manager doesn’t have that kind of story. How exciting is it to tell about all the things that didn’t go wrong? Who is really interested in hearing about the radiator? I often tell job hunters like this that they have to carry out some guerilla warfare—become real troublemakers. Their problem stems from the fact that they are not expected to grow sales or
bring down costs in an entirely unanticipated way. Well, who said they can’t? And since getting forgiveness is easier than getting permission, why not start right away? The first step to constructive troublemaking is to find the members of your troublemaking tribe. In every business environment, there are workers, vendors, and customers who are more or less happily flowing along, who won’t have the energy or nerve to try something different. But often, there are a few subversives who want to see things change. Maybe it’s because they know that evolving workplaces are a lot more fun, or because they know that a stronger bottom line will help grow their paycheck, or because they know that a company that doesn’t innovate will wither and die—for whatever reason, they are willing to think about doing things differently. Often using their own time and resources, they make a change in marketing, or workflow, or something—and then there’s a change. An uptick in sales, a demonstrable reduction in costs, something measurable and real. Something that happened because of them. And by the time the boss finds out, he can’t or doesn’t get in the way. Our staid manager needs to join these troublemakers, maybe even lead them. It’s the only way to build a road to his next job, and it may even make his current job worth keeping. The manager types that come to me with this problem are not the troublemaking type. The kind of subversion I’m suggesting doesn’t come easily to them. But faced with stagnating wages in a dreary job, sometimes they surprise me—and themselves. So now I’ve got an even better idea. Don’t wait for the crisis to come. Stop keeping your head down. Take some risks and make some trouble. When you get yourself unstuck, your next opportunity will be waiting for you. Rabbi Mordechai Kruger is the Director of Pathways to Parnassa, an organization dedicated to educating our community in all aspects of career choice and job search. Individual coaching is available. He can be reached at myparnassa@gmail.com.
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history and luxury Meet at the Waldorf By Malky loWinger
hen you walk into Jerusalem’s Waldorf Astoria hotel at the Heritage Area entrance, there’s a short video playing on the left side of the stairs. Most guests will barely notice it, as there’s plenty of opulence and splendor on which to gaze once you’ve ventured through those hotel doors. Which is a shame, really. Because that little unassuming presentation adds a whole new dimension to this iconic landmark. It offers an overview of the structure’s history as well as of its contemporary re-design. There are many layers to the story of the Waldorf, and lots more to this super-luxury hotel than meets the eye. The hotel is located on the corner of Rechov Agron and King David Boulevard, directly across the Mamilla Mall. It sits at a point where the old and new sections of the city meet. The Waldorf, which opened its doors in April of 2014, boasts 226 guest rooms and suites, two world class restaurants, luxurious service, outstanding architecture and design, and much more. It’s become something of a status symbol to say, “I stayed at the Waldorf.” But it’s much more than just the newest trendy hotel in Jerusalem.
The Palace Back in 1929, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Hajj Amin-El Husseini, decided to build a luxury hotel on this exact spot. A notorious anti-Semite, he hoped it would advance the Muslim presence in the city. He called this project “The Palace.” It was intended to become the most luxurious hotel in the Middle East at the time, built in Ottoman style, and boasting private bathrooms adjacent to some of its guest rooms, a very rare commodity at the time. Five hundred workers were employed in the construction of the hotel, including both Arab and Jews. For the most part they worked in harmony, but when the Arab riots of 1929 erupted, chaos
dominated the streets of Jerusalem and construction had to be suspended for a short time. Once the Palace finally did open its doors to the public, international tycoons and noblemen were counted among its guests. But its success was short-lived, mostly because the celebrated King David Hotel soon opened for business nearby. In the mid-1930’s, Palestine was under the control of the British. Due to the Arab Uprising, the Mufti was eventually fired from his position and fled the area, settling in Lebanon and then Europe. While he met with the likes of Eichmann and Hitler, the British took over the hotel and used it as a headquarters. It was a difficult time for the Jewish residents of the area, but a heroic engineer working at the hotel was instrumental in assisting their cause.
an Unlikely hero
The Peel Commission was appointed in 1936 by British authorities to investigate the roots of the political unrest in Palestine and to offer possible solutions. Their sessions were crucially important to the leaders of the Jewish community, but they were held behind closed doors at The Palace hotel. No press or onlookers were permitted to attend. Yeshaya Feinsog was an electrical engineer who worked at the hotel. He was approached secretly by the Haganah. Was there some way he could plant hidden microphones in the conference rooms of the Commission? That way their meetings could be heard and appropriate measures could be taken. Feinsog readily agreed, even offering his services free of charge for the sake of the Jewish cause. His clandestine efforts were risky, but ultimately successful. The Jewish Agency and Haganah were indeed privy to the intelligence they desperately needed, all due to the work of one heroic engineer. The British were suspicious, but they never discovered how the Haganah obtained their vital information. Interestingly, even though the Mufti visited the site almost daily and most of the laborers were Arabs, within the Palace walls were two sliks, or hiding places for Jewish-held weapons. The Palace built by the Mufti of Jerusalem Because the Jews were forbidden by the British
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to bear arms, they were forced to prepare secret caches of weapons. Many of these hideaways were hidden around the country; the Palace had two and were designed by Haganah member Baruch Katinka. Fast forward a few decades, and the hotel, due to its central location, was transformed into a center of Israeli government ministries. Over time, it housed the offices of Ariel Sharon, Ehud Barak, Nathan Sharansky, Ehud Olmert, and many other prominent Israelis. The building was useful, but it was in disarray. Chances are that those who worked there were unfamiliar with its infamous past. But in 2005, the Reichman family of Toronto took notice. They envisioned the construction of a new, modern yet historic, luxury hotel on this very same property. The city municipality was eager to join them in this endeavor, so long as they agreed to conserve the historic elements of the building.
longesT resToraTion ProjecT Thus began a project that lasted many years, meticulous in its detail and grand in its vision at the very same time. How does one construct a building that is at once upscale and modern, elegant and luxurious, while still incorporating key elements of its past? Not an easy feat to be sure. According to the hotel’s General Manager Guy Klaiman, “This was probably the longest restoration project in Israel’s history.” Preservation Architect Amir Shoham was called in. The decision was made to preserve the public areas – the extraordinary façade of the building, with its majestic pillars, arched windows, and intricate stonework, as well as the opulent grand staircase and railings. Shoham worked alongside Turkish Designer Sinana Kafadar and Israeli architect Yehuda Feigin. It was a massive project with tremendous attention to detail. The staircase railings were painstakingly taken apart , cleaned and preserved, and then rebuilt. Master ironwork experts Yossi and Avi Lerer reconstructed the steel work for the staircase banisters. Skilled artisans did most of the work by hand. The result is breathtaking, a preFrom the facade of the former Palace served “Heritage” section of the hotel, three stories high, blends almost seamlessly with the majestic newer structure which is nine stories high.
sha’alU shaloM yerUshalayiM If there’s a theme to this hotel, it would be peace and unity. So much of the
design focuses on creating harmony and goodwill between nations. Every Waldorf Astoria hotel features a distinctive clock in its lobby, reflecting the culture of its host city. The Jerusalem hotel’s towering clock was designed by Avrohom Aborgil. It has four separate faces, each presenting the numbers in a different format – Hebrew, Arabic, Roman numerals and numbers. The clock is built of Jerusalem stone, glass, and bronze. Designers spared no effort in decorating. One could go on and on about the Czech chandeliers, the Turkish carpets, the paintings by celebrated Israeli artists. One could describe the TV screens embedded in bathroom mirrors, the personal concierge service for each guest, the soaring atrium with panels that open to become a huge sukkah. All that is certainly luxurious, a feast for the eyes and the senses. But let’s instead focus on the threestory glass sculpture located on the left side of the main entrance and cascading downwards to the lower level. One hundred and fifty hand-blown glass doves seem to soar in mid-air, their wings spread wide. Inscriptions along the sides are written in five languages: Russian French, Arabic, English and The Palestine Royal (Peel) Commission Hebrew. Their message? “Sha’alu shaset up offices at the Palace Hotel to consider partition of Palestine (1936) lom Yerushalayim.” A gurgling fountain at the lower level houses a steel globe which represents the world. Created by sculptor Jeremy Langford, it’s a work of art with a distinct message, a prayer for peace emanating from Jerusalem to the world – awesome and inspiring at the very same time.
I
t took seven years to build the Jerusalem Waldorf Astoria, a project that had to wait until the Arab Intifada quieted down. But it was certainly worth the wait and is currently enjoying tremendous success. Three hundred people are employed at the hotel, carefully selected for their friendly disposition. With all its soaring pillars, dazzling chandeliers, and opulent furnishings, the hotel has a heart and a soul that reflects the heart and soul of the holy city in which it stands – modern, ancient, a cultural center of so many nationalities, and ultimately yearning for peace. We are told that a stone located above the entranceway of the building’s Heritage Area bears an old Arabic inscription. Apparently commissioned by the Mufti, it reads, “With G-d’s help we will rebuild Jerusalem.” The Mufti’s message reverberates clearly in this wondrous city almost a century later. He may not have intended it as we understand it today. But it is prophetic nevertheless.
In the Kitchen
Naomi Nachman
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It’s
so hard trying to come up with
I make this delicious, hearty soup that is full
root vegetables in season. If you don’t like to
just the right meal before the fast.
of flavor and loaded with vegetables. As we
eat spices before a fast, you can leave them out
I always start off with soup and bread rolls.
head into fall, we have all these wonderful
and the soup will still pack a flavorful punch.
Red Lentil Vegetable Soup
Whole Wheat Crescent Rolls
Ingredients 1 cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed 4 cups water Bay leaf Salt 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 onions, diced 4 cloves minced garlic 2-inch piece ginger, minced 2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon curry 2 teaspoons ground coriander 2 cups butternut squash, cut into ½ inch dice 1 cup zucchini, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice 1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice 2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 bunch spinach Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Ingredients 2 cups warm water 4 tablespoons honey 2 pkg active dry yeast (about 5 teaspoons instant dried yeast) 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 tablespoon salt
Preparation Add lentils, water and bay leaf to a medium saucepan. Cover and boil on a simmer for 20 minutes until lentils are tender. Add 1 tablespoon salt and remove bay leaf. Puree lentils in a blender. Add onions to a skillet and sauté until onions are soft. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, and coriander and sauté for a few more minutes. Add butternut squash, parsnip, carrots, salt, and 1 ½ cups water. Simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Stir lemon juice and spinach into pureed lentils, then add the vegetables. Stir to combine. The heat will wilt the spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Preparation In a bowl, add 2 cups of water, sprinkle in the yeast, then add the honey. Let stand until foamy. After it has foamed, add in the flours and salt, then mix by hand until a dough ball forms. Turn onto a slightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Let stand and rise for 45 minutes. Cut ball of dough into half. Roll one half into a large pizza-like circle and cut up into “pizza” slices. Roll each “slice” up like rugalech. Bake for 25 minutes at 350° until slightly brown. Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com, or at (516) 295-9669.
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456 Central Ave., Cedarhurst, NY 11516 | (516) 791-1925 Sun: 11-6 | Mon-Thurs: 11-7 | Fri: 10:30-2:30
Kasha BourBon and Peace VodKa
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TJH Speaks with Monte Sachs, owner of one of the few kosher NY distilleries By Nachum Soroka
L
Monte in the distillery
ong before the likes of Google and Apple overtook the Bay Area and Burning Man was the festival to celebrate, there was the Haight-Ashbury intersection and the Summer of Love. Well before the occupations of financial districts, there were mass burnings of draft cards. And decades before anyone ever dreamed that Brooklyn, New York, would be the home to almost as many whiskey distilleries as Kentucky, Monte Sachs was brewing his own grappa in the mountains of Italy. Sachs is still making grappa, but this time around, his product is more drinkable—the Bosco Monte Vecchio Grappa was rated 91 at a recent spirits competition—and is made closer to home. After a 30 year hiatus during which Sachs—or more accurately, Dr. Sachs— tended to horses and other veterinary callings in upstate New York, he decided to re-explore his fermented passion and open the Catskill Distilling Company in Bethel, New York, which has been, until recently, more closely associated with cannabis and LSD than sour mash and pot stills. And in the spirit (no pun intended) of sticking to his roots, both groovy and Jewish, Sachs has entered into an agreement with OK-kosher to certify all the distillery’s products. The idea of being certified kosher had always been percolating in Sachs’s mind from the time the distillery opened four years ago. Until recently, onerous licensing fees held back micro-distillers from opening shop in New York. Until 2006, the most recent distillery indigenous to the state closed during Prohibition some eighty odd years ago. Finally, in 2007, the state signed into law the Farm Distillery Act, which allowed smaller distilleries to operate out of farms, thereby utilizing New York
State’s agricultural products while exempting these small distilleries from the licensing fees associated with full-on distilling. Since the passage of the act, more than seventy micro-distilleries have opened in New York State. One can now sample potato vodka from Long Island, Brooklynmade gin, and Catskills Distilling’s very own and very Jewish Kasha Bourbon, called The One and Only Buckwheat and rated four stars in the Spirit Journal. From the start, all of Catskill Distilling’s product has been kosher. Already in the second year of the distillery’s operations, Sachs began selling his chometz through the son of his childhood rabbi from his hometown in rural Connecticut, but the rigors of day-to-day distilling did not allow him the time to actually become kosher-certified. Only recently was he able to sit down with Rabbi Chanowitz of the OK in the Catskills region to discuss the certification process. In truth, transitioning the distillery to certified kosher is not a herculean feat; all of Sachs’s offerings are already inherently kosher, from the Peace Vodka to the Curious Gin. The only product that presents a kashrus issue is the grappa, which is made from pomace, or the grape skins that are the byproduct of the winemaking process. Sachs gets his pomace from major wineries, who are more than happy to unload their leftovers for free to any willing recipient. (Apparently, grappa is not a very popular product in this part of the world, otherwise one can be sure pomace would not be that easy to come by.) It is the pomace which needs to be under rabbinical supervision for an extended period that poses the largest kashrus concern. In fact, there appears to be only
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one other kosher grappa available worldwide; that became certified kosher only under one year ago and was made expressly with the kosher market in mind.
T
here is no doubt that we are experiencing the peak of the artisan, small batch craftsman revolution. In Brooklyn alone, home to the hipster enclaves of Williamsburg and Green Point, one can find over ten micro-distilleries; Kings County Distillery in the Brooklyn Navy Yard brews up its version of moonshine and the Cacao Prieto Distillery on Conover Street in Red Hook produces the widely distributed Widow Jane bourbon. But few of these distilleries’ master distillers can claim to have the whiskey-making education Monte Sachs has. Before embarking on Monte Sachs, Master Distiller 2.0, he enlisted the tutelage of the recently retired Lincoln Henderson, former master distiller of Brown and Forman, the company where Henderson helped create Woodford Reserve, Gentleman Jack and most recently, the highly acclaimed and sought Angel’s Envy. Henderson’s success in creating many of the popular American whiskeys was due in large part to his background as a chemist, and Sachs’s medical background allowed him to become an excellent pupil. Henderson died shortly after his consultancy at the Catskill Distilling Company, and Sachs believes he may have been the only person to have been taught by Henderson after his retirement. With Henderson, Sachs determined that many whiskies do not require many years of maturation. Mass-produced bourbons such as Jack Daniels are
aged for four years; other higher-end bourbons may be aged for longer periods in large part as marketing ploys. But in a smaller distillery, with a master distiller who is constantly checking on his product, the barrels can be rotated to adjust for the optimal temperature of the whiskey and a superior bourbon can be made in only two years. Sachs believes without a doubt that small batch whiskey is a by far better creation than its mass-produced counterparts. However, small batch whiskey that is made by inexperienced or uninterested distillers will be undrinkable swill. Then there are the socalled New York distilleries (who shall go nameless) which are involved in lawsuits because their products are merely relabeled goods from out of state distilleries. As any whiskey enthusiast will tell you, water plays a very important role in the flavor profile of the drink—a Highland Scotch will in no way taste similar to a Speyside—and the Catskill Distilling Company takes great pride in using Catskills region water as an ingredient just as much as the New York red winter wheat in its vodka. But water’s pedigree is only a factor when it comes to the water used in the grain mash of a whiskey at the front end of the distilling process. Some so-called small batch distillers buy mass produced product and then, in the “proofing” process, when all the whiskey is finished and needs to be diluted from the cask strength of 118 proof to a more drinkable level, use local water to dilute the whiskey. These distillers disingenuously refer to their whiskies as “local” and, according to Sachs, are also
involved in lawsuits.
e
ven without the koshering of the distillery looming large on Sachs’s mind, running the Catskill Distillery alone is proving not to be as easy a retirement lifestyle as golf in the South. Days at the distillery begin at 4:30 AM and last two full shifts. Sachs is currently working on Fearless Wheat Whiskey, what he refers to as “the really good stuff,” and has an amaro, or bitter herbal liqueur (think Jägermeister), in the works using local herbs. Then there is the distillery’s planned expansion. As an attestation to the superiority of Sachs’s products, the company recently entered into a deal with Southern Wine and Spirits, one of the country’s largest national distributors. Under the Southern deal, Sachs’s whiskies will be available across the Northeast and eventually nationwide. As part of the expansion, the distillery will add five new 15,000 gallon tanks and will have production of nearly 45,000 bottles. With all the anticipated changes and the success the distillery has had so far, there is one person who is more surprised than anyone else that this small retirement project has grown into something much larger than ever envisioned: Monte Sachs himself. And sure, Sachs can’t wait for the day when he can sit back and allow himself the time to enjoy what he has accomplished—perhaps with a snifter in hand—but for now he is forced to admit that becoming kosher certified is of utmost importance. The distillery and kosher are a natural match and, in the words of Sachs, “Rabbis love to drink!”
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Forgotten Heroes
101
The Story of the HMS Seraph
THE JEWISH HOME
Avi Heiligman
were put in place to stop the U-boats. Allied submarine commands also used them to sink enemy shipping, especially the Americans against Japanese merchants in the Pacific. The British found themselves in predicaments that were only solved by submarines on special missions. The HMS Seraph was a submarine that was sent on severThe HMS Seraph al of these top Navy during the Civil War gets the secret assignments and came back to credit for sinking the first ship with a tell her story. torpedo from a submarine. The CSS The Seraph was part of the S-class Hundley sank a frigate before sinking of submarines. A total of 62 S-class to the bottom herself. During WWI, British subs were built and after the the role of the submarine was ex- war several were sold to other counpanded greatly and the German Navy tries. Israel managed to obtain two of used submarines—called U-boats—to these subs and one, the HMS Springer a devastating effect. This continued (renamed the INS Tanin), was used in during WWII before countermeasures commando raids during the Six Day War in 1967. There were three groups of S-boats starting with the first four being built in the early 1930s. By 1939, the third group of boats was being built and was more heavily armed and had greater range than the first two classes. 50 group three boats were built with the ninth being the Seraph in 1940. All of them had names starting with “S” except one that was sunk before a name was given. The Seraph took a year to build and another year of trials before she was finally commissioned into the Royal Navy 1942. Her captain was Lieutenant Norman “Billy” Jewell who had a lot of experience in submarines since the beginning of the war. The 44 man crew began their first patrol on the submarine that would become one of the most famous of the war. Their first patrol was nothing to report home about except Seraph monument. This is the only place where the Royal Navy ensign is allowed to fly in the United States for thinking they had spotted ene-
my ships. These turned out to be whales. She was then called to Gibraltar to take on special cargo. Allied war planners had been planning an invasion of Axis-controlled North Africa. They really needed a commander onshore to meet with resistance leaders and French commanders who were of dubious loyalty. Lieutenant General Mark Clark, who was Jewish, needed a ride to Algeria, and the Seraph was chosen to provide transportation. Called Operation Flagpole, the Seraph landed Clark, two other generals, American Captain Jerauld Wright, more officers and some British commandos on the coast of Algiers the night of October 20, 1942. Five nights later, the Seraph
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ubmarines have a fascinating history that really go back to the first prototype during the American Revolutionary War in the late 18th century. The Confederate
The identity card on the body that was used to fool the Germans
picked them up and took them back to Gibraltar. The meetings were a vital to the landings in North Africa that made Operation Torch a success and forced the Germans out of North Africa. Continued on page 102
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Two days after arriving in Gibraltar, Jewell received a strange order. He was to take the Seraph off the coast of France and pick up a party of high-ranking Free French officers. General Henri Giraud and his staff were to meet General Eisenhower to plan the upcoming Operation Torch. However, Giraud refused to board a British boat so a ruse was concocted. The HMS Seraph became the USS Seraph flying an American flag. Captain Jerauld Wright, who had sailed on Operation Flagpole, would be the nominal commander and the crew would use their best American accents. Jewell took operational control of the submarine. The mission, called codenamed Kingpin, went according to plan except that Giraud wasn’t fooled. He and his party were taken to the Mediterranean where they were picked up by an American flying boat and flown to Gibraltar. After a couple of more war patrols in which she damaged an Italian merchant ship, the Seraph returned to England for repairs and an overhaul. She sustained damage to herself when she rammed a German U-boat submarine off the coast of Algeria. In April 1943, she took on another important mission, however, this time it was a dead body. The Seraph was to
take part in one of the most deceptive missions of the war. Operation Mincemeat, the brainchild of Jewish officer Ewen Montagu,
The background of the corpse was not what the Germans believed. The Seraph had a metal canister that Jewell told his men contained metrological
The officers of HMS Seraph on her return to Portsmouth after operations in the Mediterranean, December 1943. Lt. Jewell is in the center
was designed to fool the Germans as to where the next Allied landings were to take place. The real landings were to be in Sicily but the Germans were convinced that they were going to be in Greece. A British corpse that appeared to have died in an airplane crash was found off the coast of Spain where a Nazi sympathizer handed it over to the German authorities.
material. Nearing the coast of Spain, Jewell with a few other officers took the body that was packed with dry ice and said a prayer (from Psalms) before launching it off into the sea. The body of Major Martin, who really died of pneumonia, had secret documents from high ranking Allied commanders to fool the Germans. The ruse worked beyond all expectations. The Germans
moved man and material away from the coast of Sicily, a guarantee that the landings were to be a huge success. During the Sicilian landings, the Seraph was a guide ship for the landing forces. In the remaining months of 1943 she sank several small ships but always seemed to miss the larger targets. Finally, in December 1943, she returned for a major overhaul and then patrolled in the Atlantic. She served as a guide ship for the landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944. In addition to her special missions, the Seraph was attacked by depth charges but always escaped. She remained in service long after the war ended and was retired in 1962. Before she was sold for scrap, several key parts were removed and sent to a memorial in Charleston, South Carolina. The Seraph will be remembered for the “silent service,” as submarine missions and patrols were called, that saved countless lives at key points during World War II. 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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iDon’t Pad
jumping on me and accompanying his fun with what had apparently become his new favorite song. Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die… “Mo, that’s a terrible song. That’s not a song that good yeshiva boys should
ther Moshe or his big sister Ester (she’s 10) are on that miserable device, or fighting over it. They have a TV that’s even connected to a Wii (don’t let it get around — they might get tarred and feathered and run out of Flatbush on a rail), but they find that soooo boring.
I guess making yourself look old is fun when you’re ten, but it ain’t a bundle of laughs when you’re at a point in your life where the only time you look in the mirror on purpose is when you’re shaving. sing. Where did you learn that?” “I’ll show you, Zeidy!” With that, he ran into the kitchen and came back carrying a 7½ x 9½ yeitzer harah…an iPad! He punched an icon, scrolled through a few screens, worked the cursed thing like he was a Chinese hacker reading emails from the Pentagon, and soon I was watching adorable little mentchalach who had been hurt, cut in half, or bitten by a rattlesnake, all dancing and singing, dumb ways to die… A few months later, Feige and the family went to a hotel in Jersey for Pesach, and I visited them one day during Chol Hamoed. Around 4:00 I decided to leave and went to kiss and say goodbye to all the kids. Moshe was on the floor with the iPad. “Moshe, I’m leaving, come give Zeidy a hug and a kiss.” Didn’t even look up. I gave up on the hug-and-a-kiss stuff. “Moshe, say good-bye.” Nothing. “Moshe,” Feige said, “say good-bye to Zeidy right now!” This elicited a low grunt and a shoulder shrug. There was a day camp, a pool, an arcade, a room with candy and ice cream, and Mo was absolutely glued to that monstrosity. I should point out that Moshe is not a spoiled, obnoxious little brat. He’s a good kid. But that’s exactly the point. This thing has become a scourge. Over the past few months, virtually every time I’ve come to their house, ei-
Of course it’s boring! You can’t hold it in your hand and play zillions of games with it. You can’t take pictures with it. You can’t record your voice on it. It just sits there and tries to entertain you. How utterly Twentieth Century! Kol Hakavod to Feige and Yehuda; they have cut back on iPad time in the house significantly, and I actually see Moshe playing with his cars and trucks now once and a while. When I decided to write about this, I sat down to interview the little ones (Feige also has two older boys, b’li ayin harah). So tell me, kids, why do you like the iPad so much? Ester: ‘cause it’s so cool! Moshe: Yeah, it’s cool! Since when are four-year-olds concerned with what is and isn’t cool? Yeah, I know, he was just parroting his older sister, but still. Shouldn’t that malleable little brain be thinking about the alef bais, and not some angry birds somewhere, flinging each other at a bunch of pigs? The two of them then gave me a laundry list of stuff they like on the iPad: Subway Surfers, Jetpack Joyride, Fruit Ninja, Dubsmash (Dubsmash?), farshideneh different pirates, and Stick Hero; I actually have that last one on my
phone — I felt so young and hip and relevant for about eight seconds! Then Ester points the thing at me and tells me to smile. It takes pictures, too? Duh, Zeidy. Does it shoot videos? Check. Go online? Check. Watch TV? Watch videos? Listen to music? Check, check, and check. Cure cancer? Surprisingly, not yet. I’m convinced that if Apple had spent as much brain power working on cures for Ebola, Legionnaire’s disease or Dengue Fever, they would have been wiped off the face of the earth years ago. So Ester takes a picture of me, puts it in the “aging booth” and suddenly this sixty-four face looks like a red-headed, bleached prune. I guess making yourself look old is fun when you’re ten, but it ain’t a bundle of laughs when you’re at a point in your life where the only time you look in the mirror on purpose is when you’re shaving.
A
nd it’s not just the kids, either. We’re all addicted to the insipid devices. My other daughter has a five-year-old named Meira. I went to her Chanukah play. There were parents and grandparents who never got to see their actual kid in the flesh, not even once. Everything they saw was through the screen of their phone or their tablet. Come on, people! Your five-year-old is performing her little heart out as a jug of shemen or ner sh’lishi. They’re right there in front of you in HD! Parents were standing with those stupid iPads in Continued on page 104
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ome time ago I was babysitting for my daughter when my grandson Moshe wandered by. Obviously I love all my grandkids, but I have a special soft spot in my heart for Moshe because he’s named after my father, z”l. I also have a soft spot in my head, but that’s not dedicated to any of my aineklach; that’s reserved for my writing. So anyway, Moshe walks by in his PJs, all really for bed, and I notice he’s humming a cute little melody that I don’t recognize. That, of course, is not unusual, since it’s been a really long time since I’ve bought any music geared toward young’uns. At this point, my vastly encyclopedic knowledge of music for Jewish kids goes about as far as Uncle Moishy’s “Hey Dum, Diddle Dee Dum,” and “Hashem is here, Hashem is there,” and that’s about it. Oh, and then there’s Country Yossi’s “Seven Little Kids” song, but I always forget if it’s Asher Zelig who lost his kippa and Moshe Chaim who spilled his drink, or the other way around. I also never understood why the one referred to as “my biggest kid” (the one who reports all the chaos going on in the back seat) doesn’t get to have a name. But I digress. Moshe is humming this sweet little ditty, and I figure it’s something he learned in playgroup. So I ask him if he can sing me the words. He shakes his head. I cajole him a little bit more. “Come on, Mo. Don’t I always buy you cars and stuff?” He nods. “So? Can you just sing me a little of the song? Did you learn it from your morah?” Uh uh. “Come on, sing me just a few words. Then maybe we can sing it together. Okay?” Another nod. Hooray! I sit. I wait. Moshe takes a deep breath and this is what I hear issuing forth from his four-year-old mouth: Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die, Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die. Giggle, giggle. I think my mouth must have fallen open, because Moshe suddenly got his second wind. He started laughing and
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front of their faces like they were in the Witness Protection Program. Why are you shooting a video in the first place? You’re never going to watch it! When was the last time you actually sat down and enjoyed any of these little slices of life that you gave up actually experiencing so you could archive them for perpetuity? All you’re going to do with the dumb thing is post it on Facebook where
all your friends who you don’t really know and have never met will watch maybe thirty seconds of it, comment “adorable,” and then go back to watching the video about the turtle whose best friend is a chicken. Folks tend to mention Steve Jobs in the same sentence as Albert Einstein. They say they were both geniuses, innovators, and visionaries. And yet their
brilliance also produced a dark side: Einstein’s Theory of Relativity was a magnificent achievement, as long as you didn’t live in Hiroshima or Nagasaki. Jobs’* Mac OS and assorted and sundry iThings have without question made the world a much more efficient place and helped millions of people in millions of ways. But they have also robbed us of some really important stuff: some inge-
nuity, some priorities, and sadly, some humanity too. * GRAMMAR POLICE: I double-checked online if the possessive form of Steve Jobs should be Jobs’ or Jobs’s. Apparently there’s a machlokas haposkim. I couldn’t find a consensus, except that both are acceptable. PLEASE NOTE: My cousin has worked for the OU for many years in a supervisory capacity. He is a mumcha in the field of kashrus. I happened to run into him last Shabbos. He had read my last article, “It’s not easy eating green,” and asked me the name of the vegan restaurant I had gone to in the city. When I told him, he informed me in no uncertain terms that the kashrus is totally unreliable, even though they have a hechsher. He told me he was unaware of any vegan establishment where kashrus is not an issue. He also told me that the retreat I had attended in the Connecticut Berkshires is okay. I felt I had an achraiyus to share information this with you. Wishing you all a k’siva v’chasima tova, Rocky Rocky Zweig has been writing since he was sixteen and was the Editor-in-Chief of the late and decidedly unlamented Modieinu, the mimeographed (remember mimeographs?) newspaper of the Tenth Avenue Pirchei of Boro Park, where he wrote everything from stories to news articles to hashkafa articles to...yes (now it can be told!)...letters to the editor. Rocky was sixteen a very long time ago. He is the proud father of three marginally neurotic children. He has been married three — count ‘em — three times and has finally determined that he’s probably not very good at matrimonial bliss. He lives in his Fortress of Solitude in Flatbush with a small menagerie: Clarice, a European Starling; Rabbi Horatio LeZard, a Bearded Dragon; an aquarium filled with Lake Malawi African Cichlids; and a ten gallon tank that functions as a Home for Unwanted Goldfish, or H.U.G., collected over the years by his grandkids and great nieces and nephews at myriad street fairs and carnivals (rather than face the unpleasant task of flushing these unfortunate piscine creatures when they are eventually, inevitably ignored by their own obnoxious progeny, the parents simply call Uncle Rocky who then feeds them and cares for them until their ultimate natural demise three or four or even ten years down the pike). So apparently Rocky seems to get along better with animals than with his fellow homo sapiens. Or sapienses. Or whatever. Rocky’s column will be appearing every other week in The Jewish Home. Rocky can be reached at anidaati@aol.com.
105 THE JEWISH HOME
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SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
Sensory Smart Strategies
Room for Design
Naftali Landau
Creating a More Upscale Kitchen
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What items do you recommend to incorporate into my kitchen in order to give it more of a custom design and give it a designer feel?
W
hen it comes to kitchen cabinets, most of us crave custom design and custom design is all about the details. Adding a personal touch to your kitchen cabinets can dramatically affect the way your kitchen looks and feels. With these few ideas you can really bring that designer style to the heart of your home. • Decorative elements are the first place to start when trying to add a custom feel to your kitchen cabinets. Few things leave designer fingerprints like crown molding does. It can bridge the gap between your wall cabinets and the ceiling, allowing for a seamless transition. In traditional kitchens, it can cap off the design with one final touch of detail. Another great element is table legs which always catches the eye. Place them at the ends of your island or work them into your cabinet layout for a true furniture feel. In general, legs with detailing are better suited for traditional, designs and simple, straightforward legs work best with contemporary and modern designs. Additionally, you can incorporate ornate, oversized and even plain corbels which add traditional elegance to an island and kitchen cabinets. • Using a custom design on the cabinets as well can greatly impact the look of your kitchen. Instead of a flush skin, go with matching panels for your cabinet ends. Like decorative legs, they have a furniture-style look. Not to be confused with matching ends, wainscoat panels adorn the backs
of cabinets. They can dress up the back side of your island and make it look like an authentic furniture piece with the help of decorative legs and matching ends. Also, beadboard is perfect for rustic, farmhouse or beach-style kitchen designs. It also adds a smidgen of detail without compromising the simplicity of your design. Use it as the finishing touch for your cabinet ends or find a door style that has it built in. • Custom design elements are very important in your doors as well. Whether transparent, frosted or seeded, a glass door front sets the stage for a glimpse of fine dishware and dazzling decor, especially when there are lights installed inside to shine through. This type of display can make your kitchen design open and inviting. Using different door styles can lend a custom feel as well as using different colors in your kitchen design. Having a series of cabinets or focal points in a different color and door style creates a bright and bold effect that can add a serious custom feel to your overall look of the kitchen. Additionally using an antique finish can add charm, and a custom glaze brings unparalleled character to kitchen cabinets. There are many design elements that can be incorporated in your kitchen that can definitely give you that custom feel. Each one of the above examples are great ways to add to your cabinets that not only enhance the beauty of your kitchen but give it that extra effect that makes a huge difference. Naftali Landau is owner and chief designer of Exclusive Cabinetry and Design and has been designing kitchens for the past 13 years. He can be reached at 917-468-7693 or at naftalilandau@gmail.com and you can follow him on twitter @ExclusiveCAD.
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by Meshulam Ross Free Trial Session Only $30 per Session Learn by Ear/Note Reading “Loads of Fun!” Learn a new Jewish song each week! Over 100 students taught Call or Text Meshulam: 917-280-4545 Frum Babysitter Available with Long Hours Newborns and up Excellent references Far Rockaway, TLC Also available on weekends 718-327-1932 “Kosher” Yoga & Licensed Massage Therapy Peaceful Presence Studio 436 Central Avenue, Cedarhurst Separate men/women Group/private sessions, Martial Arts... Gift Cards Available www.peacefulpresence.com 516-371-3715
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LONG BEACH 5BR, 2 bth, large LR/DR, newly renovated huge granite kitchen all new appliances, incl. W/D 1 blk to beach. Close to Shuls Owner No Fee $3,250 516-297-4976
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High School Brooklyn Boys Earth Science and Chemistry teacher Email resume jobsatyeshiva@gmail.com
YNM/5towns Sheital Gemach is in desperate need of wig donations. Anyone who has wigs/falls they no longer need- There are many women who you can make very happy. Tizku l’mitzvos! Please contact 347-408-8354 for details.
2 & 3 bedroom. Newly renovated, Washer and dryer hook up. Granite countertops. On Seagirt Avenue More info call or text 917-602-2914
HELP WANTED ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, F/T Needed at Nursing Home in Queens with Must have prior A/P exper. NH exper a strong plus. Please fax resume to 718-868-1291.or Email mrt@queensnassaurehab.com Physical Therapist Assistants (PTA’s) & Occupational Therapists Assistants (COTA’s) For 200+ bed Nursing Home in Queens Must have Hospital or Nursing Home experience Please email resume to promrehab@aol.com Part Time Male Aid SALES POSITION $1000/week (based on exp) Unlimited commission potential 3 positions available Call: Fidelity Payment 516-262-3134 Or apply online: www.fidelitypayment.com/salescareer
CATAPULT LEARNING Teachers for Title I in Boro Park and Williamsburg Chassidic boys schools *College/Yeshiva Degree Required *Strong desire to help children learn *Excellent organizational skills *Small group instruction*Competitive salary Email resume: nyteachers@catapultlearning.com Fax# (718) 381-3493 Local 5towns school seeking asst teachers for the pm. Please send an email toyeshivalooking@gmail.com
MISC. For Sale: Toyota Avalon XLS 2007 only 58k miles!! Runs beautifully. Upgraded premium JBL audio, heated leather, 12 speakers. Premium wheels. PRICE REDUCED: $9,500 --$3,000 below KBB value! FCFS. Video of car and contact info at www.BuyMyAvalon.com Looking for donation of car or minivan in good running condition. Tax exempt receipt available for full market value. Please call 347-342-8196
ASSISTANT TEACHERS FOR ELEMENTARY AND PRESCHOOL NEEDED FOR A BAIS YAAKOV IN FAR ROCKAWAY Email teachingpositions1@gmail.com
Discounted tickets to Six Flags Great Adventure Theme Park And Safari Valid for any operating day for only $40 Contact Yehoshua @ 917- 923-0011
Seeking a warm, capable Preschool Teacher for Preschool in Port Washington (near Great Neck) Good pay, beautiful facility and atmosphere. Please email your resume sara@chabadpw.org
Script for Rent Serious Inquiries only Please call C.D. Urbach 718-755-7224
355 Central Avenue, Lawrence NY 11559 (Across the street from Seasons)
P: 516.791.6100 | F: 516.374.7059
www.WeissmanRealty.com
Why Pay Rent When You Can Own!
Luxury Condo in Far Rockaway 156 Beach 9th St. Steps from the beach and boardwalk. Gorgeous 2 bedroom, 2 bath with modern kosher kitchen, stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, washer/dryer hook up and terrace. Generous closets and living space. Elevator building with onsite maintenance staff.
Call Sherri Slochowsky 516-297-7995 to set up a showing.
Senior Jewish looking to rent a garage for storage in or near Far Rockaway ASAP 646-657-3131 DONATE YOUR CAR, TRUCK OR VAN Get a tax deduction and $1200 in gift cards We pay cash for old cars too 718-974-9428 Free lots to giveaway in Honeapath SC Buildable or storage Only pay transfer fees. $750 Lots valued at $10,000 718-974-9428 YEHALOMIM SHELANU SPECIAL PROGRAMMING Presents An after school program for the special children of our neighborhood! Every Monday afternoon from 4:45- 6:15 Fun and educational run by talented and experienced staff Call 516-732-2949 for more information or to register
115 Allan J. Rolnick, CPA
Vive le Tax!
(Go ahead, have an extra macaron, they’re delicious!) We’re not done yet. France levies an impôt de solidarité sur la fortune (wealth tax), starting at 0.55% on net worth over €790,000 and rising to 1.80% on fortunes over €16,540,000. The wealth tax only raises about two percent of the country’s revenue, but it’s quite controversial — some consider it a symbol of worker solidarity, while others object that it encourages the wealthy to leave the country. Last but not least, droits de succession et de donation (gift and estate taxes) climb as high as 60%, with no unlimited marital exclusion like we enjoy here in the U.S. Here in the States, we complain that our taxes are too high. But a quick look at the French tax system reveals that liberté, égalité and fraternité don’t come cheap, either! Fortunately, our tax code is stuffed like a crepe with all sorts of deductions, credits, loopholes, and strategies to cut your bill. Have a plan so you’re ready to pay less and see how much more you can put towards your dream vacation! 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.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
walk cafe or a late-night degustation of foie gras, escargot, and cheese. The good news is, the price you see on the menu is the price you actually pay. Value-added taxes (which take the place of our sales taxes) and even service charges are included in the marked price. It’s customary to leave a small amount of cash (5% or so) as a tip. But it’s reassuring to know that when the snooty waiter brings you l’addition and sneers at your American Express card, you won’t have to calculate the usual 15-20% that we tack on here.
T
his year, as usual, millions of American tourists took advantage of summer vacation to travel abroad. Favorable exchange rates made European destinations especially attractive. Seeing Old World cultures gives us perspective that we just can’t get when we load up the family truckster and head for Disney World. The sights, the sounds, and the great big smells we encounter abroad shed new light on our ordinary lives. New languages, new governments, and even new taxes can prompt us to reconsider our place in the world. Take Paris, for example. France is the most popular tourist destination in the world, and the City of Light sees almost 2 million American visitors per year. So what sort of tax system do visitors to Paris encounter? Income taxes are the first place to start. We don’t see them, of course, but our French hosts certainly do! Impôts sur le revenu start at 14% on taxable incomes over €9,691 (about $10,800) and rise to 45% on amounts over €151,956 ($169,400). There are also surcharges on incomes above €250,000, and again at €500,000. Income taxes are just the start. French taxpayers also shell out 7.5% for their version of Social Security, a 0.5% “social debt” tax, plus 3.4% in “additional sampling social contribution” and 1.1% in “solidarity labor” tax on investment income. And that’s all before they pay their local professional taxes, residence taxes, and land taxes! That may sound like a lot. But French employers have even more to grumble about. Employers pay 13.1% of their employees’ wages for medical and disability programs, 5.4% for parenting benefits, 4% for unemployment programs, and at least 18.2% for retirement benefits. Granted, that first 13.1% replaces much of what American employers pay for health and disability insurance. But you can certainly see why the Parisians think twice before deciding to hire someone new. Oh, and don’t forget the 33.1% corporate income tax! No visit to Paris would be complete without a pain au chocolat at a side-
THE JEWISH HOME
Your Money
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Life Coach
Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS
The Antidote
R
emember to tell people how good they are. Their flaws are something we exaggerate by far. You’ve got to let their strengths float before your eyes. Or it recedes so far back, in shadows it lies.
Then you and they live in pain of what’s missing, what’s not. A mirage of sadness is what You’ve got. How can they build from strengths if none can be tapped? Thus the flawed them grows larger and the good is sapped. Each day find positives and point them out. Let their virtues shine through, let these start to shout. It’s a great way to foster love, not have it sit on a shelf. It’s even quite important, to do this for yourself.
Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com
T he Smilow Family
Returns to a Private Island in the Florida Keys with a 5 Star Program
2015
SUCCOS Duck Key (Marathon), FL
C U S T O M F A U X L E AT H E R TA B L E C L O T H S A N D CHALLAH COVERS
Beautiful Warm Yom Tov Atmosphere Inspirational Simchas Torah Program Glatt Kosher & Cholov Yisroel Day Camp & Baby Sitting Activities Galore
Air Conditioned Succah!
Magnificent Pools Including One Exlusively for Seperate Swimming
L O C AT E D I N C E D A R H U R S T, N Y CALL/TEXT TO ORDER: (845)-323-6616 Located 90 Miles from MIA • 60 Miles North of Key West
SUNDAY, SEPT. 27 - WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 2015
Premier Kosher Events Inc. 323-275-1949 | info@smilowfamilytours.com | SmilowFamilyTours.com
@Table_scapes
117 THE JEWISH HOME
בס״ד
YOUR GIFT TO THE FUTURE. Make your mark on Five Towns history LIMITED DEDICATION OPPORTUNITIES STILL AVAILABLE AT GROVESTREETMIKVAH.ORG
RECOGNIZE NEED > PURCHASE PROPERTY > DRAW PLANS > POUR FOUNDATION > DRILL WATER WELLS > BOR FOUNDATIONS > STEEL STRUCTURE > POUR BORO
Completed August 2015
A magnificent Mikvah to fit the Five Towns community’s needs Construction underway at 134 Grove Avenue Contact: info@grovestreetmikvah.org | PO Box 485, Cedarhurst NY 11516 Grove Street Mikvah is a non for profit 501c3 organization
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
E
THE JEWISH HOME
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
118
aRba minim aRba minim ctIon alIty . large sele B e a u t I f u l , to p Q u perIence many years of ex
Esrogim large selectIon from chutz la’aretz as per the advice of rabbonim , due to the many kulos involved with otzar Beis din and in the spirit of Kedushas peiros shmita, we will be selling only esrogim from chutz la’aretz with reliable hechsheirim
lulavim IncludIng a large selectIon of derI lulavIm
hadasim & aravos muvcharIm
rabbi shayeh Kohn
917.597.5717 rabbi yecheskel Kaminsky
718.471.4209 707 Bolton road (garage - in back of house)
call for hours
Kitov
esrogim center
119 THE JEWISH HOME
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
FROM
J.SYNERGY
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