Five Towns Jewish Home 02.13.25

Dear Readers,

It’s hard to imagine that it’s Tu B’Shvat when there is snow on the ground.

The snow signifies that winter is still here – in fact, it almost feels that winter is here to stay. But the fruits on our tables in honor of Tu B’Shvat are a reminder that spring is about to peek through.

I was thinking about that phenomenon this week – but not when it comes to nature.

In the winter, the snows fall and the rains pour, and we’re left in a cold, dismal world. But Hashem, in His divine wisdom, has orchestrated the rebirth of the world in such a way that the rain and snow are the very items that are needed for the growth that comes in the spring. Now, living in the winter, we may not be able to understand that those very things that are perhaps causing us to feel cold and sad and claustrophobic are the very things needed for the sap to rise and the buds to begin to blossom.

This week, we were horrified seeing our brothers, Ohad, Eli and Or, being released from captivity after 491 days in the Gehennom called Gaza. Their emaciated forms and their haunted looks shocked so many of us, reminding us of the horrors our people experienced more than

eighty years ago. We hope and pray that the rest of those being held captive will be brought home to their families today.

Nowadays, as we look into the haunted eyes of those who were taken captive just because they are Jewish, we experience a feeling of heaviness, a weight that pulls us down and reminds us that we are still in galus. That feeling may threaten us, it may hide all hope we have that the geulah is on the way. But that weight also galvanizes us. It spurs to become better people and to reach out to our fellow Jews. It helps us to say Tehillim and have more kavana and feel more achdus with one another.

In the winter, in the darkest of times, Hashem is preparing the geulah. It’s those small acts that we do – the chessed, the thoughtfulness, the tefillos – that are the very things that will help to bring about our salvation. Each prayer, each kindness, each mitzvah is the sap that continues to rise from within. They are the life-giving force that will help to bring about the yeshuah for our nation.

May it come soon.

Wishing you a wonderful week, Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern, PUBLISHER publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

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Dear Editor,

The Midrash says that every plague was middah k’neged middah against the Egyptians. My opinion has always been that the present immigration problem is a form of “plague” on America and Europe. Their gates were closed to the desperate Jews until around 1948. The Jews had nowhere to go. So Hashem has finally opened their gates during the last few years. The results are not good. Hopefully, things will now improve.

Headlines often match words from the parsha of the week. The magicians are not able to create lice. They said, “This is the finger of Hashem.” Today a conservative talk show host said that the inauguration of Trump is “the hand of G-d.” Psalm 146 says, “Don’t rely on nobles, on human beings. Hashem is the guardian of truth forever, Who does justice for the exploited, and releases the bound, (hostages), loves the righteous, and contorts the wicked.” There is a concept that Hashem sends messengers in the form of weather, teachers, doctors and leaders. We can only pray that Trump proves to be a good messenger.

Elli Epstein Ocean, NJ

Dear Editor,

To all the people who persistently criticized and vilified Rabbi Meir Kahane, perhaps some serious soul searching is now in order.

Rabbi Kahane suggested a compensated emigration of all Arabs who refused to sign a pledge of allegiance to Israel in the 1980s, in a desperate attempt to stop the bloodshed. As in most wars, a transfer of population ultimately occurs. After

World War II, millions of people were transferred across borders to help establish peace.

Unfortunately, no such policy materialized, and Rabbi Kahane was tragically assassinated in Manhattan in 1990 by an Arab.

Today, the United States is advocating a variant of his policy, for Gaza, as publicly stated last week by President Trump. Transfer is not a racist policy but a lifesaving one.

May Rabbi Kahane’s assassinated memory and that of all the thousands of Arabs and Jews needlessly killed during the past 40 years serve as blessings to help finally ensure peace in the Middle East.

Never Again,

Henry Moscovic Flushing, NY

Dear Editor,

The main function of a government is to protect and promote the interests of its citizens; when policy-makers fail, an understanding of what went wrong must be established to allow officials to learn from their mistakes. Policy is a response to a need that exists in a country. Still, as governments are not all-knowing, it’s understandable for them to rely on news organizations for information on ongoing events to be able to implement good policies. If news sources can’t be trusted, however, a government trying to promote the interests of its citizens shouldn’t rely on such inferior sources. When in the event, a nation’s leaders rely on such propagandic outlets, a serious examination of the efficiency of government is necessary to root out the evil inhibiting the

Continued on page 14

government.

Last week, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) discovered that agencies throughout the government are spending $8 million on a publication called Politico Pro., an outlet that claims to report exclusive stories and “non-partisan” analysis to their subscribers. A subscription to the “news” outlet costs between $12,000 and $15,000 a year, according to the Washington Times. In response to the news, many have been in uproar about the close link established between the government and Politico. Some have defended this report since the government isn’t giving a subsidy to Politico because the money is for a service, which provides exclusive reporting and other useful tools to subscribers like the government. However, what is scandalous is the fact that the government is getting information from a biased “news” site such as Politico. Multiple online sites including allsides.com, which measure outlets on their bias, have rated Politico as “left-leaning” due to their pattern of framing a leftist narrative on Republicans.

It is a good thing to have a wide variety of views informing the government on events, but is it fair to have sites like Politico, known for their political bias, informing policymakers on what they should be focused on? Why have taxpayers never been informed of this subscription until a week ago? Do people in the government only subscribe to places that align with their worldwide view, instead of news outlets that provide more balance? It is not wrong to seek input from opposing sides, but shouldn’t our policy-makers be a little more mature than acting like some political analysts?

$8 million might only be a dent in the federal budget, but in order to balance the budget, the government will need to empower serious people, like those working at DOGE, to do a forensic analysis of the actions of partisan hacks that have pillared taxpayers money for decades. While Democrats lecture Elon Musk and his team on government spending, it is vital that the new Trump administration not give an inch to these establishment monsters who are directly responsible for the rot. Our government should be spending money on gaining insight into world events through first-hand experience, not some left-wing partisan hack with an agenda!

DOGE’s main role is to investigate the core of our government’s corruption. As of yet, the actions taken by DOGE have caused the most havoc from the Democrats; that’s not a coincidence, it’s instead revealing that they are more concerned with foreigners receiving taxpayers’ hardearned money than a new government effort that for the first time in decades is trying to make a difference for the future of our nation. Policy makes a bigger impact than money, but money has the potential to fund good and bad things, it is thus a moral imperative that President Trump and DOGE continue to investigate and take action against the rot that for too long has existed in our government.

Sincerely,

Donny Simcha Guttman

Dear Editor,

There is a problematic phenomenon that I have noticed after it snows. The village does a great job plowing, but a lot of the snow gets piled up at the end of streets or at the side of the sidewalks or by bus stops. It creates a huge hazard for people – of all ages. It’s impossible to get through with a carriage. Older people don’t have traction when trying to navigate around these huge mounds. And people with bags and packages need to do with these treacherous conditions while balancing all that they’re carrying. There must be a better way. I have seen people slipping and almost breaking their necks. Please, for the sake of the community, do not pile snow onto the corners of the streets! And if you have a corner house, good for you. Please make sure that people have a walkway to get from your sidewalk onto the street. Unless you want a lot of people slipping in front of your house.

Sincerely, R. Feldman

Dear Editor,

To the letter writer Shlomo Klein who said that only men should run for president because America only wants male presidents:

Please know that I don’t care if the president of the United States wears pants or a skirt. All I care about is if they’re competent. And Kamala Harris was not. So for you to say that Americans didn’t vote for her because she’s a woman, that is completely ignorant of you. Yoni Fleischman

Romanian Pres. Resigns

On Monday, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced his resignation amidst mounting pressure from populist opposition groups. His announcement came two months after a top court annulled a presidential election in the European Union country.

“To spare Romania from this crisis, I am resigning as president of Romania,” Iohannis said, adding that he will leave office on February 12.

The 65-year-old had been president since 2014 and served the maximum of two five-year terms. His presidency was extended in December after the Constitutional Court canceled the presidential race two days before a December 8 runoff. The extension came after the far-right populist Calin Georgescu unexpectedly won the first round as allegations emerged of Russian interference and electoral violations.

Several opposition parties, including the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), the nationalist S.O.S party, the Party of Young People, and some members of the reformist Save Romania Union party (USR) sought Iohannis’ ouster through a motion filed to Parliament.

“This is a useless endeavor because, in any case, I will leave office in a few months after the election of the new president,” Iohannis said. “It is an unfounded move because I have never — I repeat, never — violated the constitution. And it is a harmful endeavor because ... everyone loses, and no one gains.”

He added, “None of our partners will understand why Romania is dismissing its president when the process for electing a new president has already begun.”

Romania has been part of the EU since 2007 and has been a member of

NATO since 2004.

New dates have been set to rerun the presidential vote with the first round scheduled for May 4. If no candidate obtains more than 50% of the ballot, a runoff would be held two weeks later, on May 18.

Georgescu called Ioahnnis’ resignation a “victory for the people of Romania” and urged a resumption of the presidential election from the second round.

Elena Lasconi of the USR, who was due to face Georgescu in the runoff, said in a statement that Iohannis’ resignation came “far too late to be considered honorable.”

“I’m glad that the pressure USR applied in Parliament woke Iohannis from his slumber, and we won’t stop here,” she said. “We need to realign the state institutions so that they work for the citizens, not for temporary figures perched in power.”

She added, “We need truth, justice, and an authentic leader who can keep us firmly oriented toward the West!”

George Simion, the leader of the AUR party, wrote in a post on X: “The usurper is finally gone,” adding that “if he had not resigned, he would have been impeached by (Romania’s) Parliament and thrown out.”

China, Thailand Combat Scams

On Thursday, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the prime minister of Thailand, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, and together both leaders pledged to combat scammers wreaking havoc in the Southeast Asian neighbors of China and Thailand.

Recently, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos have become hubs for dangerous online scams that promise well-paying jobs to people all around the world. When individuals fall for these scams, they’re brought to secretive compounds and then enslaved by the criminal organizations that run the operations.

The scams have hit Thailand hard. Thai scammers have coaxed many Chinese citizens, including an actor named Wang Xing, into accepting fake jobs in

Bangkok, from which they’re forced into a Myanmar scam compound.

Chinese Vice Minister of Public Security Liu Zhongyi has said that China and Thailand have taken several measures to combat the problem, including visiting the borders that Thailand shares with the Southeast Asian countries.

“China appreciates Thailand’s strong measures to combat online gambling fraud. Both sides should continue to strengthen law enforcement, security, and judicial cooperation,” Xi was quoted to have said.

“Thailand is willing to strengthen law enforcement cooperation with China and other neighboring countries and take resolute and effective measures to combat cross-border crimes such as online gambling and fraud,” added Paetongtarn.

Before Paetongtarn’s visit to China, Thailand, in an effort to crack down on the scams, shut down electricity in some locations in Myanmar near the border.

This was the first time Paetongtarn has visited China since she became her country’s prime minister. Her visit coincided with the 50th anniversary since Beijing and Bangkok established diplomatic relations.

During the same meeting, Xi declared that China would be open to constructing

a new railway linking the two nations.

Earlier that week, a $10 billion railway project that would link Bangkok to the Laos-China high-speed railway was approved in Thailand.

Colombian Pres.: “Legalize Cocaine”

President Gustavo Petro of Colombia declared last week that “cocaine is no worse than whiskey” and that the drug is illegal, not because of its lethality or addictiveness, but “because it is made in Latin America.”

Petro became president in 2022 after campaigning to combat drug trafficking. Since then, cocaine production in Colombia has grown substantially. From 2022 to 2023, coca leaves cultivation rose 10% in Colombia, with potential cocaine pro-

duction increasing by a record 53%. Now, Petro is proposing an almost paradoxical way to end cocaine trafficking: to legalize the drug.

Petro, during the meeting on Tuesday, compared cocaine to alcohol, which survived failed attempts at prohibition.

“If you want peace, you have to dismantle the business (of drug trafficking),” Petro declared. “It could easily be dismantled if they legalize cocaine in the world. It would be sold like wine.”

Petro compared cocaine to fentanyl, a drug responsible for the United States’ opioid epidemic. He noted that “fentanyl was created as a pharmacy drug by North American multinationals” and makes users into addicts. “It is killing Americans, but it’s not made in Colombia,” Petro noted.

Colombia exports more cocaine to the world than any other country—mostly to the United States and Europe. Most countries consider cocaine, the fourth most consumed drug in the world, to be illegal. A few countries have legalized the drug in small amounts.

Though Petro declared that science supports his claims, cocaine is shown to cause serious medical complications, including addiction, overdose, and death.

Brazil: No Smartphones in School

In January, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a bill limiting smartphone access at schools, in line with a trend seen in the U.S. and Europe. The new law went into effect last week and applies to public and private schools, in classrooms and the halls.

When needed for classroom use with a teacher’s permission, the students are able to access their smartphones. Additionally, if they are needed for a student’s health, they have permission to use them. Schools are able to set their own guidelines, such as whether students can keep phones in backpacks or store them in lockers or designated baskets.

Before the federal law, most of Brazil’s 26 states — including Rio de Janeiro, Maranhao and Goias — had already applied

some restrictions to phone use in schools. As of 2023, nearly two-thirds of Brazilian schools had some limitations, with 28% banning them entirely, according to a survey last year by the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee.

Brazil’s Ministry of Education said in a statement on Monday that the restriction aims to protect students’ mental and physical health while promoting more rational use of technology.

In May, Fundacao Getulio Vargas, a leading think-tank and university, said Brazil had more smartphones than people, with 258 million devices for a population of 203 million Brazilians. Local market researchers said last year that Brazilians spend 9 hours and 13 minutes per day on screens, which is among one of the world’s highest rates of use.

L’Oreal Heiress to Retire

Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, worth around $77 billion, recently announced that she will retire from L’Oreal’s board later this year.

The move, announced Thursday alongside L’Oreal’s annual results, comes after Bettencourt Meyers spent 28 years on the board of the company her grandfather founded. She served the last five years as the board’s vice chairwoman and owns a third of L’Oreal.

The heiress will pass on her vice-chair position to her son Jean-Victor Meyers, a director on L’Oreal’s board alongside his brother Nicolas Meyers.

The 71-year-old L’Oreal heiress also chairs the family’s investment company, Téthys, the largest shareholder in the cosmetics company. Her husband, JeanPierre Meyers, is the CEO.

L’Oreal owns brands like Garnier, Maybelline, and Aesop.

Bettencourt Meyers has also proposed that Alexandre Benais, the deputy CEO of Téthys, take her spot on L’Oreal’s board to represent the family holding company. The decision will be up for a vote at the company’s annual general meeting.

Bettencourt Meyers was once the world’s richest woman, with her wealth

26

briefly soaring past $100 billion in 2023 amid strong stock performance by L’Oreal. But L’Oreal’s shares have struggled since then amid weaker demand for skin care and cosmetics, particularly in China. The company’s shares are down 25% in the last year. Alice Walton, heiress of the Walmart empire, is now the world’s richest woman.

Unlike many other billionaires, Bettencourt Meyers keeps her life private. She has written two books, one on the Bible and another on Greek gods, and is known to be an avid piano player, Bloomberg reported in December 2023.

Islamization in New Syrian Textbooks

The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se) has reported that Syria, now controlled by the rebels who overthrew Bashar al-Assad, is implementing several changes to the country’s educational system, modifying textbooks and curriculums.

Among the many changes, the title of a science chapter for first graders will be

changed from “The Gifts(s) of Nature” to “The Gift(s) from Allah.” In emphasizing Islam, the ministry of education will also be removing an eighth grade biology textbook chapter called “The Origin of Life and its Development on Earth.”

Lessons will become more pro-Turkey, changing mentions of the “Ottoman occupation” of Syria to the “Ottoman regime” and removing passages from a third grade textbook that detail Ottoman “injustice and oppression” against Arabs.

To distance the new regime from Assad, the education ministry will be removing pro-Assad lessons and images, including a picture in a first grade chemistry textbook of Assad’s Syrian flag at the Olympics and an exercise in a second grade textbook about “Defenders of the Lands,” the former national anthem.

Some parts of the educational system have been carried over from the previ-

ous regime, however. Anti-Western and antisemitic sentiment remains in the modified Syrian textbooks, including the notions that Westerners are heartless colonizers, Judaism is “ethnically exclusive,” and Zionism is “racist and expansionist” and is in pursuit of world domination. Fifth grade textbooks will still praise Dalal al-Mughrabi, a Palestinian terrorist who murdered 38 Israelis in the 1978 Coastal Road bus massacre, as a hero.

Also notable is the new regime’s crack-down on female representation in the curriculums. Syria has removed mentions of women relevant to Arab history, including Nazik al-Abid, Queen Zenobia, and Khawla bint al-Azwar. Images of women without hijabs will also be removed.

“The dramatic fall of the murderous Assad regime heralds the opportunity for a new beginning in Syria. Education plays a pivotal role in shaping this path. However, the textbook reforms introduced by the new regime less than a month after assuming power demonstrate an increasing Islamization,” said Marcus Sheff, the CEO of IMPACT-se. “These textbook revisions are concerning. We will be presenting policy recommendations to the international community so they can advocate for a Syrian curriculum, which em-

braces international standards of peace and tolerance.”

“Father of Namibia” Dies

President Nangolo Mbumba on Sunday announced the death of Sam Nujoma, the first president of Namibia and a freedom fighter who helped secure the country’s independence from South Africa in 1990.

Nujoma, who was 95, passed away on Saturday night following his hospitalization in Windhoek, the capital of the country. He was Namibia’s president for 15 years.

“The foundations of the Republic of Namibia have been shaken,” Mbumba, the current president, stated. “Over the past three weeks, the Founding President of the Republic of Namibia and Founding

Namibian

28 Father of the Namibian Nation was hospitalized for medical treatment and medical observation due to ill health.”

Mbumba declared that Nujoma “marshalled the Namibian people during the darkest hours of our liberation struggle.”

Nujoma, known as the father of the nation, is widely seen as the most prominent figure in the country’s history. The beloved leader led Namibia’s fight against colonialism and South African control, serving a similar role as other African leaders of the time who combated apartheid and white minority rule, including Nelson Mandela of South Africa; Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe; Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia; Julius Nyerere of Tanzania; and Samora Machel of Mozambique.

Nujoma, during his time as independence leader, spent almost 30 years in exile in Tanzania following his 1959 arrest for protesting. While in exile, he formed the South West People’s Organization (SWAP), which has been Namibia’s ruling party since 1990. He returned to the country in 1989 for Namibia’s first democratic vote. In 1990, lawmakers elected him president, following the confirmation of Namibia’s independence.

Cyril Ramaphosa, the president of South Africa, praised Nujoma as an inspiration whose leadership in attaining

Namibian independence led South Africa to eventually ending apartheid.

In 1993, when Nujoma became the first African leader to visit then-U.S. President Bill Clinton’s White House, Clinton branded Nujoma “the George Washington of his country” and “a genuine hero of the world’s movement toward democracy.”

Though he was universally praised for cultivating democracy in Namibia and for not excluding whites from government after independence was achieved, Nujoma was no stranger to controversy. He sometimes made outlandish anti-Western claims, once banned all foreign television programs, and established ties with U.S. adversaries including North Korea, Cuba, Russia, and China.

Nujoma, the oldest of 11 children, was raised in a rural, poverty-stricken family.

China’s Retaliatory Tariffs on the U.S.

In response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of 10% tariffs on all Chinese exports, China unveiled a suite of retaliatory 10% to 15% tariffs against American liquefied natural gas, coal,

crude oil, and farm equipment.

The tariff exchange risks escalating into a full-blown trade war. But China’s targeted tariffs, unlike the U.S.’s broader ones, suggest that negotiations might be possible.

Last week, China launched an antitrust investigation into Google and Illumina, a biotechnology company based in the United States. Beijing also blacklisted the holding company of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, two U.S. clothing brands.

The tariffs were expected to come into effect on Sunday, unlike the ones that Trump threatened Canada and Mexico with. The U.S. president agreed to a onemonth delay in tariffs on Canadian and Mexican exports after the two countries committed to boosting efforts to stop illegal immigration and drug trafficking into the United States.

Trump said he would speak with Xi Jinping, the president of China, regarding China’s tariffs. However, the U.S. president added that he was in “no rush” to talk to the Chinese leader. Trump has alleged that China has, like Canada and Mexico, also fueled the U.S.’s fentanyl epidemic. Along with the tariffs, Trump also ordered the U.S. Trade Representative to probe whether China complied with the first phase of Beijing’s 2020 trade deal with the U.S., wherein China promised to purchase more products from the United States.

“If there was only a 10 percent tariff on China and we left it at that, I think many investors would sleep more comfortably,” said Frederic Neumann, HSBC’s chief Asia economist. “The big worry, of course, is this is a prelude to potentially larger trade restrictions.”

Modi’s Party Wins in Delhi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party won elections in the city of Delhi for the first time in 27 years on Saturday.

Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 48 seats in the capital territory’s 70-member assembly.

“Development wins, good governance triumphs,” said Modi in a post on X. “I bow to my dear sisters and brothers of Delhi for this resounding and historic mandate.”

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of Arvind Kejriwal, one of Modi’s most prominent opponents and former chief minister of the capital, won just 22 seats.

“We accept the mandate of the people with great humility. I congratulate the BJP for this victory, and I hope they will fulfil all the promises for which people have voted them,” Kejriwal said in a video statement.

Delhi is home to more than 20 million people and grapples with substantial issues when it comes to housing and high levels of air pollution. The city is blanketed by toxic smog for months each year.

The capital has long been a stumbling block for the BJP electoral juggernaut, which has rolled across much of India over the past decade, with the party last holding power there in 1998. The AAP, which grew out of a popular anti-corruption movement, has governed the capital – home to India’s parliament and government buildings – since 2015.

Modi won a third term in last year’s general elections, becoming the first leader since India’s founding prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to secure such a feat. Despite his victory, his party’s control was diminished in parliament and now governs the country of 1.4 billion people as part of a coalition.

Bus Falls Off Bridge in Guatemala

30 the deaths of at least 51 people. Survivors were trapped in the wreckage.

The densely packed bus was traveling into the capital from the town of San Agustin Acasaguastlan on a busy route into the city when it plunged approximately 20 meters from Puente Belice, a highway bridge that crosses over a road and creek. Parts of the bus became submerged in the water.

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo declared three days of national mourning and deployed the country’s army and disaster agency to assist response efforts.

“I stand in solidarity with the families of the victims who today woke up to heartbreaking news. Their pain is my pain,” Arevalo said on social media.

he was able to shower. For the entirety of the 491 days he was in captivity, Levy didn’t have shoes. Until he came home, he didn’t know that his wife died on October 7. Since the tragic day of October 7, his 3-year-old son Almog has been living with his grandparents.

Levy lost around 44 pounds over the past 16 months. According to Channel 12, shortly before being freed, the hostages were fed more to make them look healthier upon release. As the terror group gave the three men over to the Red Cross, Levy, Sharabi, 52, and Ben Ami, 56, appeared very thin and unsteady on their feet.

Another hostage released during the ongoing ceasefire agreement said, “The terrorists kept me in chains inside a tunnel. The tunnel was dark and airless… I could not walk or stand… Only close to my release did the terrorists remove the chains, and I learned to walk again.”

On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the three men who were released on Saturday looked like “Holocaust survivors.”

Hamas Starving Hostages

Or Levy, Ohad Ben Ami, and Eli Sharabi were freed on Saturday from Gaza after 491 days of Hamas captivity.

According to health officials, the three are suffering physically and mentally from their time in Gaza and are in far worse condition than hostages previously released or rescued. Some are plagued with heart problems and infections. Ben Ami was treated at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, while Levy and Sharabi went to Sheba Medical Center.

Images of the three men surfaced, showing them very gaunt and frail from starvation. The pictures triggered Israeli outrage, with thousands protesting and many noting the similarities between images of the three released men and pictures of Jews in Holocaust concentration camps.

Channel 12 reported that the former hostages could only eat a quarter of a pita a day. At times, the abductees could only use the bathroom twice a day at certain set times. For much of his captivity, Levy, 34, was kept in terror tunnels with other hostages. Every few months,

condition is poor. This is the fourth time in the current framework that we have received returnees, and the situation is more serious this time,” Sheba Medical Center director Yael Frenkel Nir said of Levy and Sharabi.

Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, the head of the General Medicine Division at the Health Ministry, said that the freed hostages and their families would receive a variety of physical and emotional therapies.

NYT

Downplays Israeli Losses

“They were in horrible condition, they were emaciated…and I don’t know how much longer we can take that,” Trump said.

He went on to say the trio “look like they haven’t had a meal in a month” and that they are “people that were healthy people a reasonably short number of years ago, and you look at them today, they look like they’ve aged 25 years, they literally look like the old pictures of Holocaust survivors, the same thing. No reason for that.”

Trump added, “They are in really bad shape, they have been treated brutally, horribly. Even the ones that came out earlier, they were in a little bit better shape, but mentally they were treated so badly. Who could take that?

“You know, at some point, we’re gonna lose our patience.”

Since the current ceasefire deal started, Hamas freed four female civilians, five female IDF soldiers, seven male civilians, and five Thai men.

Sourasky Medical Center’s Deputy Director Prof. Gil Fire said Ben Ami was suffering from severe malnourishment and had lost a “significant amount of his body weight.” Fire added that Ben Ami was nevertheless “strong spirited and inspiring, and accompanied by a strong family.” Ayelet Hakim, the sister in-law of Ben Ami, said he was unrecognizable. Ben Ami’s wife Raz was also taken hostage and was subsequently freed during the ceasefire in November 2023.

“The consequences of 491 long days in captivity are evident on the two returnees who arrived today, and their medical

According to an analysis by Yale School of Management deputy dean and professor Edieal Pinker of 1,561 news articles published in The New York Times, the Times has been promoting a “special narrative” on the war in Gaza.

The research, which was published last month, examined articles published from October 7, 2023, to June 7, 2024, and found that The New York Times has been promoting the distorted narrative that Hamas conducted a “brutal assault” on Israelis, most of whom were civilians, but that after October 7, Israel became the “sole aggressor” in the conflict, losing very little from the war.

The Times’ reporting mainly detailed the plight of Palestinian civilians, whom the paper described as “passive victims whose suffering grows daily.” And while the paper extensively covered Israeli attacks and alleged Palestinian civilian casualties, it failed to give the same focus to the Israeli hostages, violence perpetrated by Palestinians, Hamas casualties, Israeli casualties post-October 7, and non-war related Israeli suffering.

The research was published in SSRN, a platform for research papers that are waiting to undergo the peer-review process. Yale did not sponsor the study. Pinker, a Jewish professor and U.S.-Israeli citizen, conducted the analysis because he found a major discrepancy between American and Israeli coverage of the war—namely, that U.S. coverage downplays Israeli losses and exaggerates the suffering of Palestinians.

“People who were only getting a diet of the non-Israeli press were not getting a

clear understanding of how Israelis were experiencing the war,” Pinker found. “I think that if you want to really understand what’s going on in the war, you have to understand how the main parties are experiencing it.”

According to the research, 895 articles out of 1,561, or 70%, fit the “special narrative.” Just half made reference to the 251 hostages Hamas took captive from southern Israel on October 7. Forty-one percent of the articles made no mention of Israel’s death toll on October 7. In 234 articles about the conflict, the October 7 massacre wasn’t referenced at all, while just 28 articles didn’t discuss violence supposedly perpetrated by the Jewish state.

The analysis also showed that 1,424 out of 1,561 articles left out details about Israeli deaths post-October 7, or Hamas deaths. In the analyzed time period, 364 Israeli soldiers died, thousands were injured, and Israel and Judea and Samaria saw 794 terror attacks, killing 34 civilians.

“The reporting does not give the reader a full understanding of how the war is being experienced by Israelis,” the study concluded.

On average, every two out of three days, the Times mentioned Palestinian or Lebanese individuals’ personal stories of suffering, while the paper, for nine consecutive weeks, failed to make any reference to Israeli casualties following October 7.

The Times also downplayed Hamas’s role in starting and continuing the war, with just 10% of articles on the conflict noting Hamas deaths. For ten consecutive weeks, the paper failed to reference terrorist deaths, perhaps suggesting to readers that only civilians were among the Gazan death tolls published by Hamas’s health ministry. Meanwhile, only 18% of the articles discussed acts of violence carried out by Palestinians since October 7.

The death tolls provided by the terror group do not differentiate between Palestinian civilians and terrorists. The Jewish state believes that thousands of terrorists were eliminated in the war.

Additionally, the Times made little mention of Palestinian and Hezbollah rocket fire.

“From The New York Times perspective, Israeli soldiers are mainly fighting civilians or shadows,” Pinker’s study explained.

The articles, in all, mentioned Israel 27,205 times and Hamas only 8,499 times. In articles about Israel’s war in Lebanon, the paper mentioned Israel 6,222 times, while only mentioning Hezbollah 878 times.

“This imbalance in mentions diminishes the responsibility of Hamas for the

war and the situation. It supports the view that all agency is in the hands of Israel,” added the study.

The study also found that little mention has been made of Israelis who lost loved ones in Gaza or Jews who are struggling economically because of October 7.

Last month, Antony Blinken, the former U.S. Secretary of State, was interviewed by the Times. During the interview, he noted that “you hear virtually nothing from anyone since October 7 about Hamas.”

Blinken asked, “Why hasn’t there been a unanimous chorus around the world for Hamas to put down its weapons, to give up the hostages, to surrender?”

The New York Times slammed the study, insisting that the paper provided readers with “rich context, confronting truths, and horrific human stories as we followed the facts.” The paper claims that it covered the conflict from all sides and has been careful to ensure minimal bias.

Hamas Delays Hostage Release

On Monday, Hamas said it would indefinitely postpone the release of further Israeli hostages, alleging that Israel has

violated the ceasefire agreement.

“The release of the prisoners, which was scheduled for next Saturday, February 15, 2025, will be postponed until further notice, pending the occupation’s compliance and retroactive fulfillment of the past weeks’ obligations,” said a spokesman for the terror group, referring to the hostages Hamas kidnapped on October 7 as prisoners. “We reaffirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement as long as the occupation adheres to them.”

Hamas claimed that Israel delayed the return of displaced Gazans to the north, shot at civilians, and blocked humanitarian aid from coming into the Gaza Strip.

The terror group added that it announced the delay five days before the next release “to give the mediators sufficient opportunity to pressure the occupation to implement its obligations, and to keep the door open to implement the exchange on

time if the occupation adheres to its obligations.”

From Saturday night to Sunday, Israel left the Netzarim Corridor, as per the terms of the truce. On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces shot at Palestinians who were walking towards the soldiers. Before shooting at them, the IDF fired warning shots. Additionally, Hamas’s claims about humanitarian aid are untrue.

In light of the delay, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting with leaders from the defense establishment. On Monday, negotiators from Israel went to Doha to talk about the ceasefire’s ongoing first phase.

In response to Hamas’s announcement, Israel Katz, the defense minister of Israel, slammed the delay as an “outright violation of the ceasefire.” Katz said he ordered the military to “prepare at the highest level of alert for any possible scenario in Gaza and to protect the [border] communities,” adding that “we will not return to the reality of October 7.”

U.S. President Donald Trump recently proposed a plan for the United States to take over Gaza and relocate the enclave’s civilians. Hamas, arguing that Trump’s comments prevent the U.S. from being a reliable mediator, has taken issue with the proposal.

Many people have called on Netanyahu to ensure the hostage release deal is continued. Others, including Itamar Ben Gvir, have urged the government to continue fighting.

Ben Gvir, who resigned as national security minister in protest of the ceasefire deal, proposed that Israel should conduct “a massive assault on Gaza, from the air and land, alongside a complete halt to humanitarian aid to the Strip, including electricity, fuel, and water, and including the bombing of aid packages that have already been brought in and are in the hands of Hamas.”

Seventy-three hostages remain in Gaza, at least 34 of whom have passed away in captivity.

Shlomo Mantzur, Hy”d

Shlomo Mantzur was taken to Gaza on October 7, 2023. The oldest hostage still in Gaza, this week it was confirmed that Shlomo, 85, was killed on October 7. His body was taken by terrorists on that horrific day.

Shlomo was in Kibbutz Kissufim when he was taken hostage.

“The IDF has been operating throughout the war with a wide range of methods

to collect information about the hostages in the Gaza Strip. The IDF and other security agencies will continue to accompany the families of the hostages as long as needed,” the military said.

“This is one of the most difficult days in the history of our kibbutz,” Kissufim said in a statement. “Shlomo was much more than a community member to us — he was a father, a grandfather, a true friend and the beating heart of Kissufim.”

The kibbutz statement added that “his smile, modesty and human warmth were an inspiration to us all. Our hearts are broken that we were unable to bring him back to us alive. The entire community grieves his loss and is united in grief and pain.”

When he was younger, Shlomo lived in Baghdad, Iraq, and survived the Farhud pogrom in 1941. He moved to Israel when he was 13 and was one of the founders of Kissufim. On the kibbutz, he worked in the chicken coop as well as at an eyewear factory and learned carpentry as a hobby.

His wife, Mazal, survived the October 7 massacre. She said she last saw him being taken away in handcuffs by terrorists after terrorists opened fire on their safe room. He was 85 when he was abducted and would have turned 87 next month.

Mazal and Shlomo have five children and 12 grandchildren.

In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed condolences to Shlomo’s family, adding that “we will not rest or be silent until his return for burial in Israel. We will continue to act determinedly and tirelessly until we return all our hostages — both the living and the fallen.”

Shlomo was on the list of the 33 hostages slated to be freed in the current first stage of the ceasefire deal. Of the 33, Hamas has said that eight are no longer alive but did not identify them.

Relatives this week of twins Ziv and Gali Berman were finally given signs of life of the two brothers who had been taken hostage on October 7. This is the first sign that the 27-year-old boys are still alive.

Their aunt, Maccabit Mayer, told the Kan public radio on Tuesday that they received word of the brothers’ status from

34 hostages who were freed in the past three weeks. The twins are not on the list of those slated to be released in the deal’s first stage.

“There’s a sigh of relief, but at the same time there’s also great fear,” Mayer said, adding that the brothers “are not being held together, but they’re alive and they are in life-threatening danger.”

Just before he was kidnapped, Gali Berman told his mother that he had to go and be with his neighbor, Emily Damari, who was afraid. Emily was also kidnapped on October 7; she was freed last month on the first day of the ceasefire, January 19.

“We don’t want another sign of life; we want them back home,” said Mayer. “Gali and Ziv need to come home — quickly.”

Abbas “Ends” Payto-Slay

On Monday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas signed a decree canceling legislation that pays stipends to families of terrorists who were killed while carrying out terror attacks and that pays prisoners depending on how long their sentences are in Israeli jails.

The decree states that families of prisoners and slain attackers who require welfare assistance will be eligible for stipends based solely on their financial needs, as is the case with other Palestinians.

Israel and other countries have long denounced the stipends that Jerusalem said actively encouraged terror, with critics dubbing it the “pay-to-slay” system.

Supposedly, the decree to eliminate pay-to-slay payments had been in the works for years, and was even launched softly at the end of the Biden administration, seeking to bring the PA into compliance with the Taylor Force Act — 2018 congressional legislation that suspended U.S. aid to the PA as long as it continued granting the stipends.

The Taylor Force Act requires the U.S. government to review the PA’s compliance every six months.

The Netanyahu government is sup-

posedly skeptical of Abbas’ desire to back out of pay-to-slay. The Foreign Ministry issued a statement Monday night dismissing the decree “as a new fraudulent exercise by the PA, which intends to continue making payments to terrorists and their families through other channels.”

According to the text of the decree posted on the official PA news agency WAFA, the program to allocate welfare funds will be transferred from the Social Development Ministry to a new fund called the Palestinian National Foundation for Economic Empowerment. The fund will be headed by current PA Social Welfare Minister Ahmad Majdalani, according to the second source.

Many families of prisoners and slain attackers who were receiving government stipends will continue to receive financial aid, given the high poverty rate in Judea and Samaria among Palestinians.

Palestinian leaders have long defended the pay-to-slay payments, describing them as a form of social welfare and necessary compensation for victims of what they said is Israel’s callous military justice system in Judea and Samaria.

The decree on Monday is Ramallah’s latest effort to improve ties with Washington and amounts to a major victory for President Trump, who managed to secure

a concession from the PA that repeated U.S. administrations had worked to actualize.

Blagojevich Pardoned

Rod Blagojevich, the former governor of Illinois who had been sentenced to 14 years in prison, was pardoned this week by President Donald Trump. Blagojevich’s sentence was commuted by Trump in 2020.

“It’s my honor to do it,” Trump said on Monday. “He was set up.”

Trump called the Democratic former governor a “very fine person.”

Over the past few months, Blagojevich

38 has been active on X, using the platform to express his support for Trump and reposting content from Trump’s allies, including Elon Musk and Kash Patel.

“Trump freed me & Obama sold me out so I’m biased, but I believe Trump has done more as President in his whirlwind first 8 days than Obama did in his entire 8 years. What do you think?” Balgojevich wrote on X last month.

In 2011, Blagojevich was convicted on 17 counts of corruption, including an attempt to sell the U.S. Senate seat that former President Barack Obama vacated after being elected to the White House in 2008.

During his first term, Trump called Blagojevich’s 14-year sentence a “tremendously powerful, ridiculous” sentence.

The former governor was expected to be released in 2024, factoring in two years of credit for good behavior. He began serving time in 2012. Trump commuted his sentence in 2020.

Upon release, Blagojevich expressed his “profound and everlasting gratitude for President Trump,” calling this an “act of kindness” that represented the “beginning of the process to actually turn an injustice into a justice.”

“He didn’t have to do this, he’s a Republican president, I was a Democratic governor,” Blagojevich said at the time.

In 2009, Blagojevich made a celebrity appearance on NBC’s “The Apprentice,” a reality TV show hosted by Trump, where he can be seen getting “fired.”

Pennies Don’t Make Sense

On Sunday, President Donald Trump targeted pennies, as he ordered his administration to cease production of the one-cent coin.

Trump cited the penny’s high production cost and limited utility when announcing the measure. According to the U.S. Mint, it costs almost 4 cents for the government to produce one penny. The nickel, in comparison, costs almost 14 cents to produce.

“Let’s rip the waste out of our great nation’s budget, even if it’s a penny at a time,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

U.S. code gives the Treasury Secretary the authority to mint and issue coins “in amounts the secretary decides are necessary to meet the needs of the United States.”

Congress, which dictates currency specifications like the size and metal content of coins, could make Trump’s order permanent through law. But past congressional efforts to ditch the penny have failed.

Pennies are mostly made of zinc, and the American zinc lobby has been a major opponent to suggestions that the penny be eliminated.

Pennies are the most popular coins made by the U.S. Mint, which reported making 3.2 billion of them last year. That’s more than half of all the new coins it made last year.

Other nations, including Canada and Australia, have stopped producing pennies. Canada stopped producing the small coins in 2012. Australia withdrew its one- and two-cent coins from circulation

in 1992, citing inflation and production costs. Countries like Sweden and New Zealand stopped minting their one-cent coins even before then.

Tariffs on Foreign Steel

President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum on Monday, reupping a policy from his first term that pleased domestic metal makers but hurt other U.S. industries and ignited trade wars on multiple fronts.

The president signed two official proclamations that would impose a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum from all countries. Trump called the moves “a big deal — making America rich again.”

A White House official who was not authorized to speak publicly told reporters on Monday that the move was evidence of Trump’s commitment to use tariffs to put the United States on equal footing with other nations. In contrast to Trump’s first term, the official said, no exclusions to the tariffs for U.S. companies that rely on foreign steel and aluminum will be allowed.

The measures were welcomed by domestic steelmakers, who have been lobbying the Trump administration for protection against cheap foreign metals.

But the tariffs are likely to rankle America’s allies like Canada and Mexico, which supply the bulk of U.S. metal imports. They could also elicit retaliation on U.S. exports, as well as pushback from U.S. industries that use metals to make cars, food packaging and other products. Those sectors will face significantly higher prices after the tariffs go into effect.

That is what happened in Trump’s first term, when the president levied 25% tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum. While Trump and former President Joe Biden eventually rolled back those tariffs on most major metal suppliers, the levies were often replaced with other trade barriers.

Studies have shown that while Trump’s first round of metal tariffs helped U.S. steel and aluminum producers, they ended up hurting the broader economy

because they raised prices for many other industries, including the auto sector.

In a statement Sunday, Kevin Dempsey, president of the American Iron and Steel Institute, said the group welcomed Trump’s “continued commitment to a strong American steel industry, which is essential to America’s national security and economic prosperity.”

But industries that use metals to make other products said overly broad protections would hurt them.

“Tariffs and other broad trade tools can make America great again, but there are unintended consequences for our nation’s food security when a tariff is placed on tin-plate steel,” said Robert Budway, president of the Can Manufacturers Institute. (© The New York Times)

Eric Adams’

Charged to be Dropped

This week, the Justice Department ordered federal prosecutors to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove told prosecutors in New York in a memo that they were “directed to dismiss” the bribery charges against Adams immediately.

“The pending prosecution has unduly restricted Mayor Adams’ ability to devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime,” Bove wrote.

The memo also ordered prosecutors in New York not to take “additional investigative steps” against the Democrat mayor until after November’s mayoral election, seeming to leave open the possibility that charges could be refiled after that following a review.

Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro, said the Justice Department’s order had vindicated the mayor’s claim of innocence. “Now, thankfully, the mayor and New York can put this unfortunate and misguided prosecution behind them,” Spiro said.

Adams has been noticeably moving more toward conservative ideas. Recently, Adams expressed a willingness to roll back the city’s so-called sanctuary policies and pledged not to publicly criticize

40 a president whose policies he once described as “abusive.”

Several of the mayor’s opponents in the Democratic mayoral primary claimed this week that Adams had agreed to do Trump’s bidding because he hoped for leniency.

“Instead of standing up for New Yorkers, Adams is standing up for precisely one person,” said Brad Lander, the city’s comptroller and a mayoral challenger.

Zohran Mamdani, a state assemblymember who is also running for mayor, called for an investigation into whether Adams “cut any kind of deal with the Trump administration that involves breaking city law.”

Trump had hinted at a pardon for Adams in December, telling reporters that the mayor had been “treated pretty unfairly.”

“I know what it’s like to be persecuted by the DOJ, for speaking out against open borders,” Trump said in October at a Manhattan event attended by Adams. “We were persecuted, Eric. I was persecuted, and so are you, Eric.”

The criminal case against Adams involves allegations that he accepted illegal campaign contributions and lavish travel perks worth more than $100,000 — including expensive flight upgrades, luxury hotel stays and even a trip to a bathhouse — while serving in his previous job as Brooklyn Borough President. A Turkish official who supposedly helped facilitate the trips then leaned on Adams for favors, at one point asking him to lobby the Fire Department to allow a newly constructed, 36-story diplomatic building to open in time for a planned visit by Turkey’s president.

Federal agents had also been investigating other senior Adams aides. Prior to the mayor’s indictment, federal authorities seized phones from a police com-

missioner, schools chancellor, multiple deputy mayors and the mayor’s director of Asian Affairs. Each of those officials denied wrongdoing but have since resigned.

In December, Adams’ chief adviser and closest confidant, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, was indicted by a state prosecutor — the Manhattan district attorney — on charges that she and her son accepted $100,000 in bribes related to real estate construction projects.

Trump Orders ICC Sanctions

On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order sanctioning the International Criminal Court for engaging “in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”

According to the order, the ICC illegitimately “asserted jurisdiction over and opened preliminary investigations concerning personnel of the United States and certain of its allies,” with the court abusing its authority last November by issuing arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on war crime charges.

A day later, the ICC criticized Trump’s order, asserting that the sanctions hurt the court’s “independent and impartial judicial work.”

“The Court stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world,” said the ICC.

“Neither country [the U.S. or Israel] has ever recognized the ICC’s jurisdiction, and both nations are thriving democracies with militaries that strictly adhere to the laws of war,” states the executive order signed by Trump. “The ICC’s recent actions against Israel and the United States set a dangerous precedent, directly endangering current and former United States personnel, including active service members of the Armed Forces, by exposing them to harassment, abuse, and possible arrest.”

As a result of the sanctions, individuals linked to the ICC, including employees and agents, may be banned from traveling to the U.S., and property and assets may also be blocked. The order specifically penalizes those who have directly assisted the ICC’s attempts to “investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute…protected persons,” including U.S. citizens, military and government officials, and officials from Israel and other countries that don’t recognize the ICC.

The Senate last week attempted to pass a bill that would sanction the ICC for issuing “illegitimate and baseless” arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. The legislation, however, did not pass.

Trump’s executive order coincided with Netanyahu’s visit to the White House, during which the president declared the U.S. would “own” and rebuild the Gaza Strip after relocating all Gazans to nearby countries, such as Jordan and Egypt.

the plane’s position got lost. As it flew over the Norton Sound at around 3:18 p.m. on Thursday, a currently unknown phenomenon caused the plane to quickly fall and slow down, confirmed Lt. Benjamin McIntyre-Coble with the U.S. Coast Guard.

Every passenger on the flight was an adult. All the victims’ families were told of the tragic news.

Before the plane went missing, the pilot notified Anchorage Air Traffic Control that “he intended to enter a holding pattern while waiting for the runway to be cleared,” said the Nome Volunteer Fire Department. McIntyre-Coble noted that the plane didn’t send out an Emergency Locator Transmitter distress signal, as would have been typical in cases of a crash.

The plane, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX with tail number N321BA, was flying Bering Air.

This is the third fatal U.S. plane crash in just a month. In January, 67 people died after a military helicopter crashed into a passenger plane in Washington, D.C., and seven others died in plane crash in Philadelphia just a few days later.

Several other incidents have occurred since then. Last Saturday, a passenger plane hit a tug at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport, critically injuring an airport employee. A day later, an engine issue was reported on a United Airlines flight from Houston to New York City, prompting an evacuation. On Wednesday, a taxiing Japan Airlines plane hit a parked Delta Air Lines plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, although no injuries have been reported thus far.

Alaska Plane Crash

All 10 people aboard an Alaskan commuter flight are believed to have perished in a tragic plane crash 34 miles southeast of Nome, Alaska. The news was announced on Friday after authorities spotted the plane, which had been missing since Thursday afternoon, in ice.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the plane, which had nine passengers and a pilot, had been flying from Unalakleet, Alaska, to Nome. Twelve miles offshore,

Baseball legend Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was sentenced last week to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after embezzling nearly $17 million from the baseball star’s bank account. The sentencing took place in federal court in Santa Ana, where Mizuhara received four years and

Shohei Ohtani’s Interpreter

nine months in prison after pleading guilty last year.

In addition to his prison term, Mizuhara was ordered to pay $18 million in restitution—nearly $17 million to Ohtani and the rest to the IRS. He will also serve three years of supervised release and must surrender to authorities by March 24.

U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb called the theft “shockingly high,” noting that most people never see that amount of money in their lifetime. Holcomb expressed doubt about Mizuhara’s ability to repay the stolen funds.

Mizuhara publicly apologized to Ohtani, the Dodgers, the government, and his family, acknowledging his actions. “I am truly, deeply sorry for what I have done,” he said. “I am prepared to be punished for it.”

Prosecutors revealed that Mizuhara used the stolen funds to cover gambling debts with an illegal bookmaker, purchase $325,000 worth of baseball cards, and even pay for personal dental expenses. His attorney, Michael Freedman, requested a lighter sentence, arguing that Mizuhara’s gambling addiction was exacerbated by easy access to large lines of credit due to his association with Ohtani.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally emphasized that Ohtani, who is Japanese and does not speak English, was a victim, stating, “Mr. Mizuhara lied, cheated, and stole. His behavior was shameless.” Prosecutor Jeff Mitchell added that the scandal damaged Ohtani’s reputation, an impact that may never fully heal.

The case originated from a broader investigation into illegal sports betting operations in Southern California and money laundering through Las Vegas casinos. Mizuhara began accessing Ohtani’s account in 2021, altering security settings to impersonate the athlete and authorize wire transfers. By 2024, he had placed millions in unauthorized bets on international soccer, the NBA, NFL, and college football—though never on baseball.

Once Ohtani’s close friend and trusted interpreter, Mizuhara had been by his side for major career milestones, including his record-breaking $700 million contract with the Dodgers. Now, his betrayal marks a stunning fall from grace in the world of professional sports.

Ohtani is known for his exceptional dual-role abilities as both a pitcher and a hitter. He has won multiple MVP awards and made history with his unprecedented contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Plastic Straws are Back

Iced coffees will now be able to be enjoyed once again, as President Donald Trump banned the federal use of paper straws, saying that they “don’t work” and don’t last very long. The commander-in-chief said he wants the federal government to use plastic straws instead.

“It’s a ridiculous situation. We’re going back to plastic straws,” Trump said as he signed an executive order to reverse federal purchasing policies that encourage paper straws and restrict plastic ones. The order directs federal agencies to stop buying paper straws “and otherwise ensure that paper straws are no longer provided within agency buildings.”

The move by Trump — who has long railed against paper straws and whose 2019 reelection campaign sold

Trump-branded reusable plastic straws for $15 per pack of 10 — targets a Biden administration policy to phase out federal purchases of single-use plastics, including straws, from food service operations, events and packaging by 2027, and from all federal operations by 2035.

Proponents of paper straws say that marine life is harmed by plastic.

“I don’t think that plastic is going to affect the shark very much as they’re

eating, as they’re munching their way through the ocean,” Trump said.

Several U.S. states and cities have banned plastic straws, and some restaurants no longer automatically give them to customers.

Trump’s order is “more about messaging than finding solutions,″ said Christy Leavitt, plastics campaign director for the environmental group Oceana, noting that most U.S. voters support requiring companies to reduce single-use plastic packaging and foodware.

“President Trump is moving in the wrong direction on single-use plastics,” Leavitt said. “The world is facing a plastic pollution crisis, and we can no longer ignore one of the biggest environmental threats facing our oceans and our planet today.”

But many are applauding Trump’s measure.

“Straws are just the beginning,” Matt Seaholm, president and CEO of the Plastics Industry Association, said in a statement. “‘Back to Plastic’ is a movement we should all get behind.”

More than 390 million straws are used every day in the United States, mostly for 30 minutes or less.

U.S. Marine Crashes in Philippines

A plane contracted by the U.S. military crashed in a rice field in the Philippines last week. All four people onboard were killed.

Sgt. Jacob M. Durham, 22, a U.S. marine from Long Beach, California, died on Thursday in the crash of an aircraft that was conducting a routine mission “providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support at the request of

our Philippine allies,” officials at Camp Pendleton, Calif., said in a statement. Officials said the cause of the crash was under investigation.

Three defense contractors also were killed in the crash. All the bodies were retrieved from the wreckage.

U.S. forces have been deployed in a Philippine military camp in the country’s south for decades to help provide training and advice to Filipino forces battling Muslim militants. The region is home to minority Muslims in the largely Roman Catholic nation.

Durham was trained as an electronic intelligence/electromagnetic warfare analyst assigned to 1st Radio Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, officials said. He joined the Marines in January 2021 and was promoted to his current rank February 1.

Durham’s awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, a Meritorious Mast, and Naval Aircrew Insignia.

“Sgt. Durham embodied the highest traditions of the Marine Corps — exemplifying composure, intelligence, and selfless leadership,” Lt. Col. Mabel B. Annunziata, commanding officer of 1st Radio Battalion, said in a statement. “He was deeply respected and loved by his fellow Marines.”

Egg Thieves on the Run

A shocking theft in Pennsylvania is leaving police scrambling to find the perpetrators.

Around 100,000 eggs were nabbed from Pete & Gerry’s Organic Eggs warehouse, one of the largest free-range egg producers in the country, last week. So far, police are having trouble cracking the case.

As egg prices soar, people are getting desperate for the breakfast food – no yolk.

Trooper Megan Frazer for the Pennsylvania State Police said the value of

the theft is around $40,000, making the crime a felony.

“We’re relying on leads from people from the community. So, we’re hoping that somebody knows something, and they’ll call us and give us some tips,” Frazer said. “In my career, I’ve never heard of a hundred thousand eggs being stolen. This is definitely unique.”

Pete & Gerry’s CEO Tom Flocco said he’s disappointed the eggs were stolen, but his company will work quickly to put all the pieces back together again – Humpty Dumpty-style – starting with increasing its security measures.

“I’ve worked in other industries before where things get stolen from factories. It happens. It’s terrible. I’m not happy about it, but it does happen,” he said. “It could happen once; it could happen again. We are putting additional measures in place. We are working with local authorities in Pennsylvania, and we’re giving them our full cooperation.”

Thieves on the other side of the country made off with more than just eggs. In Seattle, robbers reportedly stole over 500 eggs, bacon, ground beef, blueberries, and “other egg products.”

An employee of Luna Park Café had reported seeing the activity live on the business’s security cameras. When the café owner ran over to try to stop the thieves, he saw two men loading food from his walk-in refrigerator into their van.

“Luckily, I arrived soon enough and they left two cases of eggs; they couldn’t steal everything.”

Still, he was left shellshocked.

Snack Attack

Authorities at Los Angeles International Airport found 37 giant live beetles in the most unusual of places – snack bags.

The insects were found in multiple packages of Japanese snacks, potato chips and chocolate by agriculture specialists assigned to LAX during a physical examination of a shipment arriving from Japan via air cargo last month.

But these were not just ordinary pests. The beetles were worth an estimated $1,480.

“They may look harmless but in real-

ity, smuggled beetles pose a significant threat to our vital agriculture resources,” said Cheryl M. Davies, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles. “Beetles can become a serious pest by eating plants, leaves, and roots and by laying eggs on tree bark which damages our forests.”

So who wants these beetles and why are they hiding them in packages of chips? Turns out that these insects are sought after by collectors and enthusiasts and are often sold online and underground.

“The illegal trade of exotic insects bring hefty profits for those willing to take the risk of circumventing U.S. laws and regulations,” CBP said.

The seized beetles were turned over to USDA officials, who will determine the final destination of the insects. Most likely they will be donated to local zoos that have permits for live insects or be preserved in a local insect collection.

Sss-ounds good.

Speakerphone Fine

Want to speak on the phone? Make sure you’re not on speaker if you’re in France.

David was on the phone with his sister at a train station in Nantes, France, when an official asked him to turn the speakerphone off.

Thinking that the intervention was just a joke, David continued his conversation on the phone until he was issued a hefty fine by the official. “I think the person was offended. She took out her notebook and fined me,” he said.

According to authorities, David was fined by security staff for disturbing the peace in the quiet area of the station. Police also say that David fought with the security officer before he received the fine.

The fine, originally around $150, was raised to $200 due to late payment. Now, David is hiring a lawyer to dispute the penalty. While using a mobile phone on a loudspeaker in a public setting is not illegal in France, there are noise control regulations in place to govern volume levels.

In other words, be considerate of others, David.

Around the Community

TAG’s Midwinter Trip: A Day to Remember

On Tuesday, February 4, about 400 girls from Torah Academy for Girls enjoyed an incredible day of fun and bonding during the much-anticipated Midwinter Trip. With the support from generous sponsorships from parents and teachers as well as the tireless efforts of TAG’s dedicated staff and volunteers, the day was a resounding success.

The girls were welcomed to the school building where a delicious fresh pastry was handed to them by our very own Machon Sarah High School girls. Then, the adventure began with excitement as bus-

es whisked the girls away to the renowned Area 53 Ferox Ninja Park. The park, the largest of its kind on the East Coast, provided an exhilarating mix of trampolines, foam pits, and ninja gym activities, ensuring that every participant found something to enjoy. The laughter and energy in the air were infectious as the girls explored the park’s attractions. A delicious pizza lunch from Mendelsohn’s pizza at Ferox gave everyone a chance to refuel before the fun continued.

Just when it looked like things were winding down, the girls returned to TAG for an exciting magic show in the audi-

torium, capping off the day with entertainment that left the students beaming with joy. A heartfelt thank you goes to the MSHS Chessed team and the Machon Sarah TAG High School girls who graciously chaperoned and ensured the event ran smoothly. About 30 girls throughout our High School voluntarily chose to spend their last day of midwinter vacation chaperoning younger TAG students.

At TAG, we recognize that the varied vacation schedules can create challenges for parents, whether in the form of disrupted routines, additional childcare

needs, or lost workdays. By organizing this trip on the final day of midwinter break, we not only provided our students with a day of excitement and connection but also gave parents the ability to transition back to their responsibilities with peace of mind. TAG’s Midwinter Trip exemplified the school’s commitment to both our students and their families. It was a day of camaraderie, excitement, and cherished memories that the girls will undoubtedly treasure.

Rambam Mesivta Hosts Second Annual Alumni 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament

This past Motzei Shabbos, alumni and friends gathered at Rambam Mesivta to play in their 2nd Annual Alumni 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament continuing the tradition of the school’s iconic “February Madness” High School Tournament, only now, for alumni!

The atmosphere was electric, with fast-paced and high-intensity games.

Four games went on at a time, with the “regular season” seeing each team play three games with the top eight teams qualifying for the playoffs. Graduates from as recently as 2022, and as far back as 2000, were represented, with over 60 participants fleshing out the years.

Prior to the playoffs, alumni were treated to Snapple and donuts, an au-

thentic and nostalgic classic Rambam treat, providing a chance for players to recharge and get ready for the second half of the night. Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman gave a brief but heartfelt talk, reflecting on the alumni’s formative years at Rambam as well as world events specifically referencing Israel.

Shoutout to Coach Aaron Azose (Class

Chagigot HaSiddur at Yeshiva Har Torah

Yeshiva Har Torah’s first graders joyfully celebrated their Chagigot HaSiddur this past week. The students eagerly and diligently prepared for a meaningful performance in honor of receiving their first siddur.

The entire performance was conducted in Hebrew and featured dialogue and songs highlighting the themes of Torah, Tefillah, Am Yisrael, and Eretz Yisrael. One particularly poignant song reflected on the rebuilding of the Third Beit Ha-

mikdash, with the powerful lyrics: “The Third Beit Hamikdash will not be built from bricks, but rather from tears.”

To accompany the song, students created an art project that was displayed during the performance. Each child wrote a personal tefillah on a tear, which was then hung on a backdrop of the Kotel, symbolizing their heartfelt prayers.

Mazal tov, Kitah Aleph, on this momentous occasion, and kol hakavod on a truly beautiful performance!

of 2019) for all his hard work running the tournament and to alum Avrumi Weinberger (Class of 2019) for setting everything up. Special thank you to Mrs. Tami Tsadik, Rambam’s Chief Development Officer, for organizing the night! Everyone is already looking forward to next year’s tournament!

Another amazing week at The Special Children’s Center of the Five Towns

Five Towns Executive Directors – including Rabbi Joel Kaplan of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, Rabbi Moshe Zimberg of TAG, Rabbi Ari Ginian of Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island, and Rabbi Dovid Kramer of Yeshiva of South Shore – spent the day in Albany advocating for increased funding from state senators and assemblymen for programs for yeshivas.

Rav Yerachmiel Scheiner, Rosh Yeshiva, Mesivta Shaarei Chaim, delivering a hesped at the shloshim for his father, Rav Dovid Scheiner, zt”l, at Yeshiva Darchei Torah. Rav Scheiner, zt”l, a pioneer parent of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, was a senior member of the Yeshiva’s Kollel Mechanchim for nearly 25 years.

YOSS innovators performed incredible science experiments, creating exothermic reactions from the combination of chloride crystals, aluminum, and water forming solid copper metal

Yeshiva Darchei Torah third graders making constellations out of marshmallows in the Yeshiva’s CIJE Science Laboratory

New York College of Podiatric Medicine Joins Touro University

New York College of Podiatric Medicine (NYCPM) is now officially part of Touro University and New York Medical College, the institutions announced last week.

Founded in 1911, the New York College of Podiatric Medicine (NYCPM) was the nation’s first medical college devoted to educating and training doctors of podiatric medicine. It combines outstanding classroom instruction with clinical training in one of the world’s largest foot care clinics.

New York State has long declared a diabetes epidemic and NYCPM and its graduates are on the front lines.

“As healthcare moves towards a team-based approach, podiatrists will become increasingly important. Touro healthcare educational systems and their

clinical healthcare delivery systems will integrate New York College of Podiatric Medicine in a way that improves patient care and transforms the experience for students and faculty,” said Dr. Michael Trepal, Dean of New York College of Podiatric Medicine.

Touro serves over 19,000 students across 35 campuses and locations. Touro’s highly regarded health sciences, dental, pharmacy as well as osteopathic and allopathic medical schools make it a national leader in comprehensive health education and care.

“Touro is known for its ability and willingness to innovate rapidly, and we are adept at finding the best educational techniques and solutions to meet the needs we identify. Some of the best job opportunities currently exist in the health-

care field, and our goal is to offer an array of choices and prime our students for success. Educating approximately 8,000 students annually in the health sciences, Touro is fast becoming one of the largest healthcare educational systems in the U.S. Adding podiatric medicine to our existing network of medical and health

science schools and programs will serve to augment and strengthen our academic offerings,” said Dr. Alan Kadish, Touro University president.

For more information visit nycpm.touro.edu.

HALB Students Volunteer at the Israel Chessed Center

TTorah Comes to Life at Lev Chana

Room 11 at Lev

created two Yam Suf walls down their hallway. Then they invited all the other classes in school to join them and

DRS Melava Malka

Texperience Kriat Yam Suf together! Everyone walked through cheering, dancing and singing songs!

he joyous sounds of lively music filled the air at DRS Yeshiva High School’s Annual Parent-Son Melava Malka this past Motzei Shabbos. In an email to the DRS family, Menahel Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky described the event’s purpose as a celebration of “the joy, fulfillment, and meaning of being a Jew,” emphasizing the “positive Jewish energy that the yeshiva strives to instill in its talmidim through song, divrei Torah, food, and dancing.” The Melava Malka serves as a unique occasion where the entire DRS family – rabbeim, parents, and talmidim – comes together to celebrate these core values of the yeshiva. The evening began with a delicious dairy buffet in the cafeteria. Following the meal, attendees made their way into the gym, which had been beautifully transformed into an elegant and beautifully lit tisch setting. The atmosphere was electric as rising jewish music sensation Duvid’l Ziff and his band played uplifting melodies, filling the room with spirited singing. Parents and sons joined together in heartfelt harmony, singing DRS favorites. A cherished tradition of the Melava Malka is recognizing a distinguished faculty

member for their dedication to the yeshiva. This year, DRS honored Mrs. Susan Weinberg, a beloved administrative assistant, for her more than 20 years of devoted service. A moving tribute video was shown in her honor, followed by the presentation of an award acknowledging her unwavering commitment to the yeshiva. Adding to the evening’s ruach, the DRS Wildchords, the school’s a cappella group, took the stage for a special performance. The group recently released their latest recording, Shiviti, now available on all streaming platforms under the name DRS Yeshiva.

The yeshiva also presented two sets of awards to students. The Torah Growth Award was given to one talmid from each Gemara shiur in recognition of his outstanding dedication to learning. Additionally, the Grade-Wide Middot Award, determined by peer vote, was awarded to a student in each grade who exemplified exceptional middot and character. The evening concluded with energetic dancing led by Duvid’l, as rabbeim, parents, and students joined together in a lively display of achdus, capping off a night filled with inspiration, connection, and simcha.

Some of the students in the HANC Middle School and High School got together and learned Mishnayot as part of the Siyum Mishnayot in memory of Rav Fendel, which will be held at the school dinner

he sixth and seventh grade girls at HALB visited the Israel Chessed Center last week. They learned a little bit about how we can help the com-

munity and Israel and then quickly got to work packing duffle bags filled with supplies for our chayalim.

Chana

Central Heads to Israel Yeshiva Ateres Eitz Chaim

From January 2 to January 27, a group of students from the Yeshiva University High School for Girls (Central) traveled to the south of Israel and joined Ulpanat Bnei Akiva Lachish to attend school and experience life as an Israeli student as a part of the Central Ba’aretz Program. Sophomores Maya Goykadosh, Aden Muskat, Bailey Rosenstock, and Orly Spinner traveled as part of the group this year, as did juniors Hannah Austin, Kayla Brukner, Shira Canter, Atara Feldman, Tamar Frankel, Malka Lavner, Meira Levine, and Gila Moskowitz.

The group was accompanied by YUHSG Programming Director and Judaic Studies faculty member, Ms. Sydney Daitch.

“The Central Ba’aretz Program is a chance for our students to get to know kids their own age in Israel, and to step into their lives,” Ms. Daitch said. “This experience is different from going on a summer trip, or touring around – the students attend an Israeli school, live in the school’s dorms. So much is different, in terms of lifestyle, and yet so much is the same. The kids are still kids. To see our students connect with students from our sister school, even though their lives are so different, is really powerful.”

As a part of the program, YUHSG students lived with local families, attended classes at Ulpanat Lachish, and studied Limudei Kodesh with their new classmates. For these students, the experience was formative.

“I feel that I grew in many different ways,” said junior Eliana Goldman. “One of these ways that I grew was my Hebrew skills. This was the first time I was ‘forced’ to use my Hebrew, and I really

saw a difference in my ability to speak the language. I also created bonds and was immersed in Israeli culture, which is so different from American culture. Families are huge, and everyone is one big Jewish community– it was incredibly inspiring to see.”

Junior Tamar Frankel agreed that the trip fostered a new ease with conversational Hebrew, among other things. “I made new friends, experienced Israeli culture, and learned a lot of Hebrew,” she reflected. “Some days we went to their classes, while other days we went on trips. Every single day added to the experience, creating memories that I will look back on forever.”

The students walked away from this year’s program with broadened horizons and a deepened worldview.

“I’ve seen a lot of the students come out of their shells – overcoming the language barrier might have something to do with it,” Ms. Daitch continued. “And interacting with girls whose lives are so different might have something to do with it, too. Through this program, there is a strengthening in the students’ connection to the land and the people and everything happening in Israel.”

Highlights included a visit to the Har Hertzel military cemetery, a tour of the Knesset and a meeting with a local MP, a trip to a local archeological site, and a concert and meet-and-greet with Israeli musician Yishay Ribo.

Next week, YUHSG’s beloved sister school will return the favor: two sophomores and two juniors from Ulpanat Bnei Akiva Lachish will arrive in New York to experience life as a New Yorker and as a YUHSG student. We cannot wait to host them!

Completes Hilchos Yayin Nesech

Talmidim of Yeshiva Ateres Eitz Chaim have spent weeks immersed in the halachos of Yayin Nesech, delving into the intricate sugyos in the Gemara Avodah Zarah, tracing the Rishonim and Acharonim, and carefully dissecting the rulings of the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De’ah 123-138). Every day, the talmidim engaged in fiery debates, striving to clarify the differences between stam yeinam and true yayin nesech, analyzing the halachic implications of a nonJew merely touching an open bottle versus actively pouring the wine, and even delving into the stringent view, of even looking at the wine, as well as exploring

the modern applications of these laws in contemporary wine production.

Finally, after weeks of rigorous learning, the moment arrived. The rebbi, Rabbi Hararr, excitedly announced to the talmidim, “Rabbosai, we are zocheh today to be mesayem the halachos of Yayin Nesech!” His voice carried both pride and humility.

A special hakaras haTov to HaRav Shraga Kallus and Rabbi Avraham Chaim Slansky for their extraordinary sefer “Wine, Whisky & Halacha.”

Thank you to Pizza’le for sponsoring the siym!

Mrs. Tamar Nussbaum Inspires

HAFTR Girls

HAFTR Middle School girls had the privilege of welcoming Mrs. Tamar Nussbaum, founder of the Ani Tefillah program, for an inspiring and uplifting visit. Mrs. Nussbaum’s program is dedicated to strengthening students’ connection to tefillah, helping them understand the power and meaning behind their prayers.

During her visit, she shared personal insights and practical tools to enhance kavanah, encouraging students to view davening as a meaningful conversation with Hashem. Her warm and engaging approach resonated deeply, leaving students motivated to approach tefillah with renewed focus and purpose.

We are so grateful to Mrs. Nussbaum for her time, wisdom, and inspiration. Her visit reinforced the importance of heartfelt tefillah and provided our students with valuable guidance on deepening their connection to Hashem. Thank you for making a lasting impact on our school community!

HANC Middle School Shabbaton

HANC Middle School’s Shabbaton 2025 was truly an unforgettable experience. The journey began with students eagerly boarding the buses, anticipating an exciting weekend ahead. Our first stop was a bowling alley, where students were warmly welcomed by Ms. Ponton, Mr. Potok, and Mr. Puccio. In addition to bowling, students enjoyed various arcade games, showcasing their impressive skills.

The next destination was the Sheraton in Edison, NJ, where students checked into their rooms after enjoying a pre-Shabbat snack featuring kugel, cake,

fruit, and assorted drinks. The evening commenced with candle lighting, followed by Mincha led by Rabbi Harris and a spirited Carlebach-style Kabbalat Shabbat led by Rabbi Tessler. The energy and enthusiasm displayed by students and staff were truly inspiring.

The Friday night meal was a highlight, featuring grape juice, challah, soup, and a delicious buffet-style main course. Following dinner, students participated in engaging activities and an uplifting oneg, setting the stage for a meaningful and joyous Shabbat.

Shabbat morning began with a beau-

tiful Tefilah, with Pesukei D’Zimra led by Rafi Calm and Shacharit led by Sammy Edelstein. The Torah reading was shared by Rabbi Hecht, Max Goldberg, Netanel Rothberger, Hunter Zeitlin, and Jake Lefkovich, all of whom read with excellence. Jacob Schoenfeld then read the Haftarah. Afterward, students gathered for Kiddush before completing the Davening with Caleb Ofer leading Mussaf.

The afternoon continued with lunch, followed by an engaging activity, Mincha, and a period of free time. One of the most anticipated events of the Shabbaton, HANC Family Feud, brought students together for a lively competition. Participants answered fun and creative questions, such as favorite school lunch items, Rabbi Hecht’s most well-known sayings, and even trivia about which teachers attended HANC. The game also

featured a special staff round focused on texting abbreviations, adding to the enjoyment. A beautiful Shalosh Seudot followed, leading into Maariv and a heartfelt, musical Havdalah. Special thanks to Coby Schwartz for playing guitar and to Rabbi Hecht for his exceptional singing, which made the moment even more special.

Motzei Shabbat featured an exciting lineup of activities, including “Games People Play” and the thrilling Crazy Olympics. The evening concluded with a delicious Melave Malka.

On Sunday morning, the Shabbaton came to an emotional close. Following Shacharit and breakfast, students departed with lasting memories of an incredible weekend filled with friendship, learning, and meaningful experiences.

HALB at the Prizmah Conference

Rabbi Englander, Head of School at HALB, and Mr. David Marks, Director of Blended Learning and Analytics, attended the Prizmah conference in Boston along with 1,500 other Jewish educators from across North America. Prizmah is a large organiza-

tional network serving Jewish schools. Always looking for ways to grow and improve, Rabbi Englander and Mr. Marks are excited to take some of the things they heard and learned and bring them back to HALB.

Pajama Day at Gesher

During the weeks of Parshas Vaeira and Parshas Bo, the Gesher students learned all about Yitziyas Mitzrayim. The students had a

blast acting out the Jewish people leaving Mitzrayim in a hurry, in their pajamas! We all had delicious hot cocoa and marshmallows in honor of Pajama Day!

HAFTR Students Bring Stories to Life

The halls of HAFTR Lower School buzzed with excitement as students gathered to celebrate National Read Aloud Day. Older students stepped into younger classrooms, books in hand, ready to share stories, laughter, and a love of reading.

From silly voices to dramatic pauses, every page turned into an adventure. Younger students listened eagerly, eyes wide with curiosity, while older students beamed with pride as they brought characters to life. It was more than just reading—it was about connection, confidence, and the joy of storytelling.

Seeing our students inspire one another through books was a reminder of the magic of reading.

HAFTR Wraps Up Amazing Bracha Week

HAFTR Lower School students just wrapped up an incredible Bracha Week—five days filled with excitement, learning, and spirited competition! Designed to strengthen both knowledge and practice of reciting brachot, students engaged in hands-on activities, daily challenges, and interactive games, all leading up to the thrilling grand finale: the Bracha Bowl!

In this spirited competition, first and second graders, as well as third through

fifth graders, showcased their bracha knowledge in head-to-head matchups.

Guided by Lower School Mashgiach Ruchani, Rabbi Asher Klein, students were challenged to identify the appropriate brachot rishonot and acharonot for a variety of foods, ranging from everyday snacks like cookies to more unique items like mushrooms.

The Bracha Bowl was not only a platform for friendly competition but also an opportunity for students to cheer on

BACH Jewish Center Partners With Yachad

LONG BEACH, New York – The Bach Jewish Center recently partnered with the Orthodox Union’s Yachad to host its annual Shabbaton filled with social, educational and spiritual activities in honor of Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM).

JDAIM was first inaugurated in 2009 to serve as the Jewish community’s organized celebration of North American Inclusion Month (NAIM), focused on celebrating each individual’s unique abilities and strengths within the framework of Jewish faith and tradition. The weekend retreat illustrates the BACH Jewish Center’s ongoing commitment to recognizing each person’s unique contribution to the broader Jewish community.

The event took place over the Shabbos before Tu B’Shvat, February 7-8, 2025, offering community members and participants a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the holiday together at shul. The Shabbaton kicked off with an inspiring Kabbalas Shabbos, filled with uplifting ruach and special Tu B’Shvat tunes, followed by a delicious dinner and an Oneg that offered both physical and spiritual nourishment. Along with refreshments, including a spread of dried fruits and Israeli delicacies, there was a Tu B’Shvatthemed trivia game and a Bracha Bee.

Rabbi Benny Berlin of BACH also joined the festivities, sharing meaning-

their peers and deepen their appreciation for this fundamental aspect of Judaism. Throughout the week, students gained a profound understanding of brachot, and the excitement and camaraderie felt throughout the building made it a memorable experience. Bracha Week successfully enriched the students’ connection to the mitzvah of saying brachot, leaving a lasting impact on the entire HAFTR community.

Ezra Academy Explores Sports Careers at Barclays Center

ful divrei Torah with the group.

“Celebrating each fruit and each flavor, both individually and together, is at the heart of Tu B’Shvat, a time when we honor the mystical new year for the trees by enjoying their fruits and giving thanks for each unique taste,” said Rabbi Benny Berlin during the Friday night Oneg. “In the same way, each person brings their own unique strengths and flavor to their service of Hashem. That is what celebrating our unity is all about. We are so grateful to once again celebrate JDAIM with our friends from Yachad, continuing what has now become BACH’s cherished annual tradition.”

On Shabbos morning, the group joined in the BACH’s minyan, followed by a delicious lunch. Shabbos concluded with a musical Havdalah in the shul led by Rabbi Berlin and the synagogue’s musically talented congregants, with the Yachad members singing and dancing.

The Orthodox Union’s (OU) Yachad is the leading inclusion organization for individuals with disabilities in the Orthodox Jewish community.

Founded in 1946, Bachurei Chemed –BACH Jewish Center is one of Long Island’s most prestigious and oldest synagogues. Members hail from Long Beach, Lido, Atlantic Beach and Island Park. For more information, please visit https://www.bachlongbeach.com/.

At Ezra Academy, we believe that education extends far beyond the walls of the classroom. That’s why we are constantly seeking innovative ways to engage our students, helping them explore new career opportunities and broaden their horizons. Recently, our ninth grade students had the incredible opportunity to participate in a Sports Career Education Day at the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets.

Ezra Academy was joined by dozens of other high schools from across the tri-state area in this unique program, designed to expose students to the inner workings of a professional sports organization. Throughout the day, our students learned firsthand from Brooklyn Nets staff about various aspects of the industry, including marketing, advertising, finance, and graphic design. These interactive sessions gave students valuable insights into the behind-the-scenes roles that keep a major sports franchise running smoothly.

Following an engaging Q&A session with the Nets’ staff, students were treated to a private tour of the Barclays Cen-

ter. Walking through the iconic arena, they gained an appreciation for the hard work and dedication it takes to create an unforgettable game-day experience for fans. It was an eye-opening experience that left many students inspired to explore career paths they had never before considered.

A special thank you goes out to Mr. Harel for accompanying our students on this memorable trip and for his unwavering commitment to their growth and success.

The day concluded on an exciting note as many Ezra students received free tickets to watch the Brooklyn Nets take on the Washington Wizards that evening. Over 15 of our students enjoyed a well-deserved night of relaxation and bonding after a day spent focusing on their futures and career aspirations. Ezra Academy remains committed to inspiring and motivating our students beyond the classroom, always searching for new and exciting opportunities to help them harness their talents and explore the limitless possibilities that await them.

Sivan Rahav Meir Speaks at Shulamith

Shulamith had the immense honor of hosting Sivan Rahav Meir as a guest speaker! She shared her in-

JSL Week 4 Recap

Dynamic matchups set the tone as teams battled for key wins across every division in another thrilling week of JSL action, brought to you by FM Home Loans. From dramatic comebacks to defensive stands and last-second heroics, this week had it all. Here are the highlights from an unforgettable week of competition!

K/P Hockey

Smash House fell short against Growtha in a 6-4 battle, as Max Margulies led the way with a hat trick for Growtha. SR Whee edged Posh Home + Bath 8-6 in a fast-paced matchup, with Yaakov Rosenberg scoring an impressive four goals to power his team to victory. 5 Towns Landscaping picked up a hard-fought 5-3 win over 5 Towns Central, with MVP Yaakov Gross leading the charge with a hat trick.

K/P Soccer

Future Care Consultants secured a tight 1-0 victory over Maidenbaum, as Yitzi Lazar delivered a stellar performance to earn game MVP honors. Hewlett Auto Body overcame a tough start to defeat Doma 7-4. Pinchas Mizrachi set the tone early for Doma, contributing to a 4-0 lead, but Asher Brill responded with four of Hewlett’s seven unanswered goals to complete an incredible comeback.

Hockey

1st Grade

Anju rolled past Town Appliance 134, with both Yaakov Jeidel and Izzy Knobel recording hat tricks in the victory. Simcha Day Camp pulled off a 9-6 win over Seasons Express, as Yaakov

spiring journey as a baalas teshuva and how her career as a journalist in Israel shaped her experiences. Sivan spoke pas-

sionately about the influential women who impacted her path to becoming frum and emphasized the significance of two power-

Kret netted five goals, while Avrumi Sinensky impressed in goal and Avi Eisenreich added three more to finish the game strong. John’s Auto battled past Eden Gardens 11-8, with Asher Rosenbaum contributing a key third-period goal in an offensive explosion.

2nd/3rd Grade

Ecom Beyond shut out PIP Printing 4-0, as Ezra Gruen recorded a hat trick and Zecharya Koegel stood tall in net for the shutout. Built by Nate took an 8-2 win over Smash House, with Yehuda Sebag delivering an outstanding goaltending performance, turning away shot after shot. Maidenbaum edged Newman Dental 7-5, with Rafi Jeger completing a hat trick, including a beautiful half-court goal. SR Whee defeated Better Image Contracting 7-2, led by Menachem Samuels, who anchored the defense and took away multiple scoring chances. Sushi Tokyo picked up a 9-6 win over Town Appliance, with Shimmy Greenspan contributing a pair of key goals.

4th/5th Grade

Seasons handled Smash House 9-3, with MVP Daniel Treuhaft dominating in goal. Wieder Orthodontics outpaced Marciano Pediatric Dentistry 11-5, as MVP Binyamin Beiss knocked in a laser shot from the corner. Town Appliance topped Russo’s Pharmacy 9-4, with Nesanel Teitelbaum locking down the defensive end in a stellar performance. Gerber Bedding took a 7-4 win over Target Exterminating, with MVP Shua Greenberg controlling the pace, while Daniel Nematnejad added two goals and Gavriel Chafetz led the

scoring with four.

6th/8th Grade

Extreme Vent Cleaning defeated Sdei Chemed 6-3, with MVP Menachem Fishbein playing a two-way game, scoring once and locking in on defense. Bluebird Insurance secured a 5-3 win over Growtha, led by Eliyahu Zachter, who recorded a goal and two assists, and Shaya Kohn, who dished out three assists and made a game-saving block on an Abie Kreisler slapshot. 925 Sterling pulled away late to defeat Kosher Skinny Shot 7-2. Dovid Balter cut the lead to 3-2 midway through the third period, but Gavriel Abittan and Zevi Silverman put the game away with four unanswered goals.

Basketball

1st/2nd Grade

Tikva Fire shut out Premier Assist 8-0, with Shimmy Glaser leading the way with four points. Smash House grabbed a 14-8 win over Newman Dental, with Meir Feuer pacing the offense with eight points. Tiffany Dry Cleaners beat Eden Gardens 20-0, as MVP Dani Grabie took over the game with 15 points and 12 steals.

3rd/4th Grade

Marciano Pediatric Dentistry defeated John’s Auto 18-6, with Tzvi Kesherim recording eight steals and ten points to lead his team. Wieder Orthodontics edged Posh Home + Bath 1815, with Yaakov Berokhim earning game MVP honors for his outstanding play. Better Image Contracting earned a 14-9 win over Russo’s Pharmacy, as Shua Basch dropped ten points and facilitated the offense throughout the game.

and

deep meaning in her life. Her words left a lasting impression on all of us!

5th/7th Grade

Sdei Chemed secured a 30-26 win over Emporio, with game MVP Naftali Lipshitz stepping up in crunch time. Binyamin Weissman Photography rolled past Sperling Productions 47-25, as Avrohom Olshan took control, scoring most of his team’s points and assisting on the rest.

Game of the Week

Yeled LI and New York State Chaplain Group delivered a thrilling matchup that had fans on the edge of their seats. Yeled LI came out on fire, storming to a 7-1 first half lead, but New York State Chaplain Group, led by Yehuda Cohen, refused to go down without a fight. They answered with six unanswered goals, completing a furious comeback to force overtime. With everything on the line, Eliyahu Samuel came through in the clutch, knocking in the game-winner to lift Yeled LI to a dramatic 8-7 overtime victory in an instant classic.

ful words—Todah

Amen—which hold

Why Putting Your Home In a Trust is the Smart Thing To Do

By Monet Binder, Esq.

If you are like many homeowners, your home is likely your family’s most valuable and treasured asset. To ensure your home will pass to your heirs in the most efficient and safe manner possible, you want to plan wisely.

Proper estate planning is as much a part of responsible homeownership as having homeowners’ insurance or keeping your home’s roof well maintained. When it comes to including your home in your estate plan, while you have different planning options to choose from, for a variety of different reasons, putting your home in a Trust is often the smartest and most beneficial choice.

What Is a Trust?

In simplest terms, a Trust is an agreement between the “Grantor” (the person who puts assets into the trust) and the “Trustee” (the person who agrees to hold and manage those Trust assets) for the benefit of the “Beneficiary” (the person(s)

who receive what comes out of the Trust).

Types of Trusts

While there are numerous different types of Trusts available, when it comes to passing your home to your heirs, the two most commonly used Trusts are a Revocable Living Trust and an Irrevocable Trust.

Revocable Living Trust

When the Trust is a Revocable Living Trust, this agreement is typically made between you as the Grantor, and you as the Trustee, for the benefit of you as the beneficiary. The reason to make an agreement with yourself, to hold title to assets for yourself, for the benefit of yourself is because you’re removing those assets from the jurisdiction of the court, in the event you lose capacity or pass away. You’re in control while you’re alive and well, then you give the power over Trust assets to your successor Trustee to handle without government or court intervention. Instead of public court procedures that would be necessary without

Trust planning, with good Trust planning, you can keep it all totally private, and easily and efficiently manage and distribute assets. This saves your family significant time, money, and aggravation.

Irrevocable Trust

Unlike a Revocable Living Trust, an Irrevocable Trust is (as the name implies) irrevocable. This means that the terms of the Trust cannot be changed, and the Trust cannot be terminated once it’s been properly signed. When you transfer assets into an Irrevocable Trust, you relinquish all ownership of the assets, and the Trustee you have named takes total control of the assets transferred into the name of the Trust. Because you no longer own the assets held by the Trust, those assets are no longer considered part of your estate, and they eventually will not be vulnerable to creditors (for instance, Medicaid is a creditor) or lawsuits, as long as the Trust is properly constructed.

For a trust to function properly, it’s not enough to simply list the assets you

want the Trust to hold. When you create your Trust, you must also transfer the legal title of your home and any other assets you want held by the Trust from your name into the name of the Trust. Retitling assets in this manner is known as “funding” your Trust.

Call 732-333-1854 today to learn more about which Trust is appropriate for your family. We’ll review your assets –including your home – and discuss the options you have to protect them for generations to come.

Monet Binder, esq., has a practice in Queens, Brooklyn and Lakewood areas, dedicated to protecting families, their legacies and values. All halachic documents are approved by the Bais Havaad Halacha Center in Lakewood, under the direction of Rabbi Dovid Grossman and the guidance of Harav Shmuel Kaminetsky, shlita, as well as other leading halachic authorities.

HAFTR Explores the Wonders of the Solar System

HAFTR’s second graders embarked on an out-of-this-world journey as they researched and explored the wonders of the solar system. Each student selected a planet, moon, or celestial body to study, diving deep into fascinating facts about space. They showcased their discoveries in colorful, creative posters that transformed their classrooms into a vibrant walk-around gallery. As students moved from one display to another, they eagerly learned from each other, sparking excitement and curiosity about the universe.

Adding to the fun, the students designed and wore custom t-shirts featuring planets, rockets, and stars, fully immersing themselves in the space theme. The project culminated in a thrilling visit to a planetarium, where they marveled at the vastness of space and saw their research come to life.

This hands-on, engaging project made learning about the solar system an unforgettable experience, fostering a love for science and discovery.

Around the Community

YCQ Annual Scholarship Dinner

On Sunday, March 2, the Yeshiva of Central Queens (YCQ) will host its 84th Annual Scholarship Dinner at Da Mikele Illagio. This prestigious occasion seeks to pay tribute to individuals whose steadfast commitment and remarkable contributions have left a profound impact on both the yeshiva and wider community. This year, YCQ proudly recognizes five remarkable honorees: Guests of Honor – Aliza & Leon Yehuda Peled; Distinguished Educator – Morah Reut Berkowitz; and Parents of the Year – Daniela & Ariel Shamayev.

Aliza & Leon Yehuda Peled –Guests of Honor

Aliza & Leon Yehuda Peled, this year’s guests of honor, epitomize unwavering dedication to YCQ and the broader community. Their leadership and support have had a profound impact on the school.

Aliza’s connection to YCQ dates back to her own elementary school years, having attended the yeshiva for a few years before her family moved. Years later, when choosing a school for their children, Aliza and Leon weren’t just looking for a kindergarten—they were seeking a long-term educational partner, a place that would provide a strong foundation in both Torah and academic excellence. They found that in YCQ, where they now proudly send their three children: Chaim (grade 8) Shalom, (grade 7), and Leah (grade 1).

Aliza quickly became an integral force in YCQ’s leadership. As a member of the Board of Trustees, she began as PTO liaison, later joining the Executive Committee and taking on key roles in marketing, admissions, student life, and strategic planning. She has chaired search committees for major leadership positions, ensuring that the right people were in place to uphold and enhance the school’s mission. Her work extended to shaping YCQ’s Mission, Vision, and Values committee, helping articulate the yeshiva’s guiding principles.

As a seasoned professional at Yeshiva University, where she serves as AVP for Events and Special Projects, Aliza brings invaluable expertise in branding, communications, and event management to YCQ. Her strategic approach to storytelling and communications ensures that YCQ is recognized as the thriving, dynamic institution it is known to be.

Leon is equally committed to YCQ and the broader Queens community. His

behind-the-scenes support has helped ensure the success of countless school events. The school has greatly benefited from LYP Designs, one of his business ventures, that produces promotional items and apparel.

Leon’s deep involvement in local chesed and Torah initiatives reflect the values YCQ instills in its students. He is an active volunteer for Misaskim and Chaverim and also serves as a Chaplain. He davens at Neitz each morning followed by Daf Yomi and spends his evenings learning in the Tov Beit Midrash.

Whether through marketing and school spirit, logistics and event planning, or direct chesed work, their contributions have helped shape the school into a vibrant, welcoming home for so many families. At the dinner, YCQ is honored to celebrate Aliza and Leon Yehuda Peled, whose passion for education, leadership, and chesed continues to elevate the experience for students, faculty, and families alike.

Daniela & Ariel Shamayev –Parents of the Year

Daniela and Ariel Shamayev are this year’s Parents of the Year, recognizing their unwavering dedication to the YCQ community and countless chesed initiatives. Their commitment to fostering a nurturing educational environment and passion for giving back serve as an inspiration to all.

Both Daniela and Ariel grew up in Forest Hills, where they continue to raise their four children—Matthew (grade 7), Tiffany (grade 5), Lauren (grade 3), and Ashley (enrolled for kindergarten in September). Daniela’s deep-rooted connection to YCQ began as a student herself, graduating in 2006. She recalls her years at the Yeshiva as an experience filled with warmth, excellence in chinuch and a community that felt like family. It was only natural that she and Ariel chose YCQ for their own children, ensuring they receive the same strong Torah values and exceptional education.

From an early age, Daniela and Ariel were instilled with the values of chessed and community service, a legacy passed down from their parents. Their commitment to giving back is evident in their extensive involvement in YCQ and beyond. They have spearheaded bake sales, Shabbat meal initiatives, and toy drives, raising tens of thousands of dollars for organizations such as Chai Lifeline, One Family Fund, B’lev Echad, and the Richie Rich Wish Foundation. Inspired by the

memory of their nephew, Binyamin Natanel ben Bracha Tova, a”h, they have dedicated themselves to projects that elevate his neshama, including hospital deliveries and community-wide chessed initiatives.

Daniela’s leadership within YCQ’s Parent-Teacher Organization has been instrumental in strengthening the Yeshiva’s fundraising and community-building efforts. Since 2022, she has helped coordinate annual dinners, teacher appreciation events, school-wide campaigns, and fundraising initiatives that have significantly enhanced the YCQ experience. In 2024, she assumed the role of PTO President, working alongside Natalie Rakhminov to further YCQ’s mission.

The Shamayev’s dedication to YCQ is driven by their belief in leading by example—demonstrating to their children and the community the importance of selflessness, involvement, and giving back. Their contributions have left an indelible mark on YCQ, ensuring that it continues to flourish as a place of Torah, learning, and kindness.

YCQ proudly celebrates Daniela and Ariel Shamayev, whose steadfast devotion to education, chesed, and community makes them truly deserving of this prestigious honor.

Morah Reut Berkowitz – Educator of the Year

YCQ is proud to recognize Morah Reut Berkowitz as this year’s Educator of the Year, honoring her dedication, passion for teaching, and deep commitment to her students. Since joining the yeshiva in 2006, Morah Reut has been a guiding force in the classroom, inspiring young minds with her warmth, kindness, and unwavering belief in each child’s potential.

Originally from Israel, Morah Reut dedicated two years to Sherut Leumi, National Service, before moving to the United States. During that time, she worked with deaf children in Israel, helping them develop communication skills and navigate daily life with confidence. She then continued her service in Los Angeles, where she worked with Bnei Akiva, strengthening Jewish identity and connection to Eretz Yisrael for young members of the community. These formative experiences instilled in her a deep passion for education, mentorship, and personal growth, which she carries into her classroom every day.

After moving to the United States at

the age of 20, Morah Reut earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Queens College. However, her path took an unexpected turn thanks to Rabbi Landsman, who saw in her the makings of a remarkable educator. While taking afternoon classes, she looked for a way to stay busy in the mornings and decided to inquire about substitute teaching at YCQ. She began working with fourth graders, and just a few months later, when a second-grade teacher had to leave unexpectedly, Rabbi Landsman encouraged her to step in full-time. She has been an integral part of the YCQ family ever since.

Over the years, Morah Reut has touched the lives of countless students, fostering a love for learning while emphasizing the values of kindness, inclusivity, and warmth that make YCQ so special. She particularly appreciates the diversity of the school community, where students from different backgrounds come together in a welcoming and supportive environment. The natural compassion and camaraderie of her students inspire her daily, making teaching at YCQ a truly fulfilling experience.

Beyond the classroom, Morah Reut and her husband, Michael, are proud parents to four children, Eitan (grade 8), Dani (grade 6), Eli (grade 4), and Maya (grade 1), who proudly attend YCQ. Choosing YCQ for their own family was an easy decision, as they were drawn to its strong academic foundation, exceptional faculty, and warm parent body. Teaching at YCQ allows Morah Reut the unique privilege of seeing her children throughout the school day, building relationships with their teachers, and sharing in their educational journey.

Morah Reut is also an active member of Beis Knesses of North Woodmere, where she and her family contribute to the community in any way they can. Whether in the classroom or at home, she is dedicated to fostering a love of Torah, learning, and kindness in both her students and her own children.

Morah Reut Berkowitz’s dedication, expertise, and love for her students continue to make an everlasting impact on YCQ, and her honor is well deserved.

We eagerly anticipate your presence at the year’s dinner on Sunday, March 2. To make a reservation and place an ad in the journal, please visit YCQDinner.com or call the business office at 718-7938500 (ext. 300).

Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato Defends Yeshiva Students & Families

New York State Assemblywoman

Stacey Pheffer Amato participated in a 10-hour-long legislative hearing in Albany to discuss State education. During the hearing, the Assemblywoman questioned New York State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa as to why she and the Board of Regents thought it was appropriate to attempt to block parents, especially nonpublic school parents, from obtaining IESP-mandated services that the school district is unable to provide. Pheffer Amato’s line of questioning was geared towards a problem that started over the summer when the Board of Regents made an amendment to the rules that in the event a school district can’t provide services, and the school district then refuses to hire a private provider, a parent can have a fair hearing. That right to due process became

jeopardized when the Board of Regents looked to strip parents of that right. A judge blocked the amendment from taking place, but there is an ongoing court case.

Pheffer Amato called out the Commissioner and asked point blank, “How can denying a child service be helpful?” The Commissioner, clearly flummoxed, cited financing and alleged corruption, along with rampant misuse of funds. However, she provided no physical evidence to corroborate that statement at the hearing.

Pheffer Amato responded with “under the umbrella of corruption you are denying children services and making parents pay out of their own pocket. Your actions are looking to force a parent to pick between buying eggs or ensuring their kid has services, your action is not a solution. I need a solution now!”

Towards the end of the hearing Beatrice Weber, a member of YAFFED, testified. During the 2024 hearing, Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato called out YAFFED for promoting antisemitism by claiming kids who attend yeshivas can’t read. In her opening statement this year, Weber cited that “most Jewish schools are good” with Pheffer Amato instantly saying, “I appreciate that you finally recognize there are good and successful yeshivas.” The Assemblywoman went on to challenge where YAFEED’s data came from which indicated 65,000 students are not getting a proper education. Weber claimed that they had “gathered data from across the State” and came to the conclusion that the number is 65,000. The Assemblywoman responded with “but those are your numbers, I haven’t received numbers or evidence like

MAY Rabbeim Visit Talmidim in Eretz Yisroel

Last week, Mesivta Ateres Yaakov’s rabbeim embarked on their annual visit to Eretz Yisroel to “check up on their investments” — the talmidim learning in post-high school yeshivos. Rabbi Yonason Sprung and Rabbi Tsvi Greenfield, 12th Grade rabbeim and Eretz Yisroel Advisors, set out on an action-packed journey, reconnecting with and offering chizuk to MAY alumni.

The week was a whirlwind of visits, spanning over 20 yeshivos and more than 100 talmidim. From early morning Shacharis alongside various yeshivos to late-night meetings well past midnight, the rabbeim dedicated their time to meeting each talmid individually. They also consulted with roshei yeshiva, mashgi-

chim, and current rabbeim to ensure that every student’s needs were being met and that their unique strengths were being properly nurtured. Additionally, this trip provided an opportunity to assess yeshivos for current and future MAY talmidim, as new institutions emerge each year and existing programs continuously evolve.

The highlight of the trip was the unforgettable Shabbos spent with nearly 100 talmidim at Yeshivas Aderes HaTorah, Rabbi Senter’s Yeshiva. MAY alumni gathered for a Shabbos of inspiration, which many described as “the best Shabbos they’ve ever had.” The weekend was filled with uplifting tefilos, lively seudos, heartfelt divrei Torah, and intense learning—creating the perfect balance of ruch-

that from the Department of Education, so I have no idea if that testimony, or your numbers, are true.”

Rabbi Yeruchum Silber of Agudath Israel was in attendance and praised Pheffer Amato for being a strong defender of yeshiva education. “She [Pheffer Amato] is the best ally we have, and the increase in funding yeshivas receive for STEM education and security each year is because of her. The Assemblywoman is our yeshivas’ most effective advocate in Albany!”

niyus and gashmiyus. Reflecting on the experience, Rabbi Greenfield shared, “We were truly inspired to see that the deep-rooted camaraderie among the bochurim has remained strong. Not only did they listen attentively to one another’s words of chizuk and divrei Torah, but they also referenced and built upon each other’s insights. Rabbi Sprung and I are incredibly proud of their continued growth.”

The Shabbos experience left a lasting impact, reinforcing the talmidim’s focus on their goals in ruchniyus and strengthening their confidence in overcoming challenges. It served as a powerful reminder of the solid foundation that unites them—one built during their formative years at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov, where they were nurtured, guided, and prepared for the journey ahead.

HANC High School Boys’ Retreat – A Shabbos of Ruach and Inspiration

The HANC High School Boys’ Retreat took place on Shabbat Shira Parshat Beshalach, February 7-8, at the Heritage Hotel in Southbury, CT. The Retreat will definitely go in the books as a highlight of the 2024-2025 academic year. Students bonded with peers and rebbeim and felt an enhanced sense of closeness and connection that the Shabbat experience brings. The achdut and spirit that the boys exuded was palpable throughout Shabbat and will definitely carry into school.

The retreat began with the boys participating in sports activities at Chelsea Piers in Stamford followed by a pizza lunch. They then arrived at the hotel and were greeted with an Erev Shabbat “toameha” with cho-

lent, kugel and other treats. After checking into the hotel rooms, the boys enjoyed the pool, gym and recreational activities in the hotel. Pre-Shabbat ruach and shiur was provided by Rabbi Friedler and then Shabbat was welcomed with the most beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat, singing and dancing together, and a heartfelt welcome and dvar Torah by Menahel Rabbi Eli Slomnicki.

Sitting with the rebbeim at the seudot allowed the students to connect with their rebbeim in a completely different way than usual. Having the zechut to hear their rebbi, Rabbi Rudansky, and student Jonathan Eshagian give divrei Torah truly uplifted the meals and ruach of Friday night. After the seudah, the boys took part in a fun game

and learning session followed by the spirited tish.

Shabbat morning was obviously a continuation of the already awesome Shabbaton with a beautiful shacharit, grade kiddushim and a brilliant game facilitated by Rabbi Slomnicki which preceded the seudah. The Seudah Shlishit with Rabbi Alpert was extremely touching. He spoke deeply and particularly about family legacies and the responsibility to create a wonderful Torah filled future. The Melava Malka on Motzei Shabbat was very lively and quite delicious. The musician was amazed by the dancing and ruach that came from the boys.

Boys’ Retreat 5785 only strengthened the relationship between rabbeim and stu-

dents and the relationship between students themselves. Going to school knowing that they are surrounded by a second family couldn’t be a better feeling. Thank you to Rabbi Mezei and Rabbi Hulkower for organizing such a memorable Retreat which will have a long-lasting impact on all who joined.

Congressman Ritchie Torres Talks Antisemitism and Rising Above with Touro Students

Congressman Ritchie Torres, a rising star in the Democratic Party and a stalwart supporter of Israel, spoke to students and alumni of Touro University in an interview with Touro President, Dr. Alan Kadish. The Bronx native spoke candidly about growing up in public housing, his struggles with mental health, his journey into politics, his support of Israel and confronting his colleagues who seem to take every opportunity to speak out against the Jewish state.

Addressing an audience composed primarily of undergraduate students, Torres shared the pivotal moments that shaped his life, his political career, and his vision for the future.

“I was raised by a single mother who had to raise three of us on minimum wage, which in the 1990s was $4.25 an hour,” Torres, 36, said and credited his mother for instilling the virtues that have guided his career. “When I won my Democratic primary in June of 2020... I publicly said that before I’m a congressman or councilman, I’m first and foremost the son of my mother.”

An Early Start in Politics

Torres’ first job in politics was as an intern when he was 16. Almost a decade later he took a “leap of faith” and ran for a seat in the New York City Council, winning and, at 25, becoming the youngest elected official in New York City by age 25. He told Dr. Kadish about the uphill battle of that first campaign, which was fueled entirely by grassroots door-todoor engagement.

“I spent a whole year doing nothing but knocking on doors,” Torres said. “I went into people’s homes, I heard their stories, and I won my first campaign on the strength of face-to-face campaigning.”

But his rise to political prominence

wasn’t without personal struggles. In his early twenties, he said he battled depression and substance abuse after dropping out of college, and he was only able to overcome his problems after seeking help.

“I would not be in Congress and alive today were it not for the power of mental health treatment,” Torres said.

In 2020, Torres was elected to represent New York’s 15th congressional district in the House of Representatives.

“I never thought, by the grace of G-d, I would have a fighting chance to rebuild my life, and then seven years later, become the youngest elected official in America’s largest city, and then seven years later, become a member of the United States Congress,” Torres said. “And so for me, the lesson learned is, even in your moment of greatest darkness, never lose hope. And I feel like only in America is a story like mine possible.”

Connecting with Israel

Though Torres has established a reputation a close friend of Israel, a sharp break from many young politicians in his party who veer to the left, he said that for most of his life he had almost no knowledge of Israel or the Jewish community.

That all changed in 2014 when, after joining the City Council, he was invited on a trip to Israel by the Jewish Community

Relations Council. It was transformative, he said.

“I came away from that first trip with a profound empathy, not only for the plight of the Jewish people, but for the complex security situation that Israel faces,” said Torres, who visited several historical sites, as well as Yad Vashem and the Gaza border. “Here you have Israel, a tiny democracy the size of New Jersey, surrounded by enemies that want to wipe it off the map.”

Dr. Kadish asked him how he addresses his colleagues in the Democratic Party who are critical of his pro-Israel stance “I tell them, before you rush to judge Israel, you should actually go there.” Moreover, he said, he instructs them speak with Israeli Jews, Israeli Arabs, and Palestinians, and says “If you have an open heart and open mind, I guarantee you that you will come to a view of Israel that’s far more nuanced than the caricature that percolates on social media platforms and on college campuses.”

A Message That Resonates with Students

The interview ended with Torres urging those in attendance to remain engaged in politics and civic life. Afterward, several students introduced themselves to the congressman, and he took a few moments to speak to them individually

before leaving campus.

Zippy Cywiak, who is in her last year at Touro’s Lander College for Women, said she particularly appreciated Torres’ spirited support of Israel. “I’m not sure exactly how the Democratic party feels about it, but it’s striking to see someone like the Congressman take a strong stance for Israel,” said Cywiak, a history major and political science minor living in Teaneck. “It takes a lot of courage. I don’t necessarily know if all Democrats have such courage, especially on such a public platform, to be pro-Israel in tumultuous times like these.”

Philadelphia native Simcha Kaplun, a poly sci major in his second semester at Touro’s Lander College for Men, echoed Cywiak’s praise of Torres’ willingness to break with his party.

“I’m a Republican, and it was incredible to see a Democrat who shared so many of our values,” he said. “I really appreciated hearing his thoughts, especially since he’s such a strong supporter of the Jewish community and the State of Israel. My mother’s from the Bronx so I was interested in hearing what he had to say, and it was great to have a representative of the Bronx speak on matters pertaining to so many of us. I thought it was really powerful.”

Congressman Torres and Touro President Kadish with Touro students and faculty

HALB Middle School students have been such role models for how to daven. What better way to celebrate than with delicious Rita’s ices!

Exploring Wood at Gan Chamesh

In celebration of Tu B’Shvat, the children of Gan Chamesh engaged in a hands-on and in-depth exploration of wood. They created murals and sculptures using wooden loose parts and highlighted wooden objects and toys around the classrooms. The focus on wood-based play served to emphasize the wonders and beauty of Hashem’s natural world and helped the children internalize the message of Tu B’Shvat.

Mercaz Academy Pajama Night

Pete the Cat, the feline literary icon from the series by James and Kimberly Dean, made his presence felt at Mercaz Academy’s second Pajama Night of the school year. Once again, students from the Toddler class through Nursery Bet came back to school in their pajamas to check out Mercaz Academy after dark. Children and their parents gathered for a Perfect Pizza dinner, delightedly waving various iterations of Pete the Cat mounted on popsicle sticks. As they ate, parents chatted and children compared pajamas and played with friends old and new.

The group split into three groups and rotated through ECC classrooms, where they enjoyed listening to three bedtime stories that were perfectly themed for

the evening: Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza Party, Pete the Cat: Snow Daze, and Pete the Cat and the Bedtime Blues

The stories were read by ECC Director Joanne Mlotok and the two Nursery Aleph teachers, Morah Esther Vaknin and Morah Alyssa Silberman. Meanwhile, older siblings enjoyed a little physical activity in the gymnasium under the direction of kindergarten assistant Mrs. Monica Cohen.

The evening finished with the traditional chocolate chip cookies and milk–and a certain amount of reluctance to head home to bed. However, once assured that there would be another Pajama Night in March, the attendees allowed the night to proceed to a restful close.

Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick Secures Funds To Build a Better Lawrence

Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, along with Assemblyman Ari Brown, County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Lawrence Village Mayor Samuel Nahmias, announced $150,000 in state funding to assist the Village of Lawrence with a critical lighting rehabilitation project to restore and enhance roadway illumination along the Nassau Expressway (Route 878) in the vicinity of the Atlantic Beach Bridge.

“I have heard from countless residents about their safety concerns as a result of inadequate lighting on a stretch of the Expressway leading to the Atlantic Beach Bridge. I am proud to have delivered these funds by working with partners across multiple layers of government to ensure the Village has the resources they need to complete this critical work,” said Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick

“We are grateful to Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick for securing this grant. It highlights the importance of collaboration between local and state governments to address critical infrastructure challenges. The 878 lighting issue has been a top priority of mine during my tenure with the Nassau County Bridge Authority (NCBA), which oversees the Atlantic Beach Bridge. Today, as Mayor of the Village of Lawrence, we are fulfilling a promise to our residents and the thousands of daily commuters who are impacted by this issue,” said Mayor Nahmias

L-R: County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Deputy Mayor Tammy Roz, Assemblyman Ari Brown, Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Village of Lawrence Mayor Samuel Nahmias and Village Trustees Aaron Parnes, Aaron Felder and Steven Gottesman

“As the ranking member of the Local Government Committee, I understand the role that well-maintained infrastructure plays in the safety and wellbeing of our communities. This lighting rehabilitation project is not just an investment in our streets, it’s an investment in the safety of our residents. By securing this $150,000 state grant, we’re ensuring that the Village of Lawrence can improve this major roadway, which leads to the Atlantic Beach Bridge. I will continue to prioritize infrastructure and advocate for the resources our communities need,” said Assemblyman Brown.

Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick office’s book drive collected over 1,000 books to be distributed to communities in the 9th Senate District

Around the Community

HANC Bas Mitzvah Program

The sixth grade girls in HANC Elementary School in West Hempstead are delving into the world of chessed as they prepare for their Bat Mitzvah Brunch on March 2. A highlight of their final year in Elementary School, the brunch marks the culmination of many months of learning and provides the students with meaningful opportunities not just to learn valuable lessons from Torah but to present what they have learned and utilize their knowledge in creative and beautiful ways.

During the first half of the school year, the students focused on finding the good in other people, as well as tapping into their own inner beauty and goodness within themselves to help other people in need.

“We have been working since the beginning of the year on inclusion and our interpersonal relationships,” explained Limudei Kodesh teacher Morah Daniella Guterman.“The girls took the concepts

they had learned and empathetically applied them to an auction that was held for grades four through six which raised money for Bonei Olam and Puah, since we had learned about Shirat Chana and utilizing our gifts to best serve Hashem and others. By donating their talents to the auction, the girls were able to help those struggling with challenges like Chana’s.

The topic of chessed drove home the importance of what we have been working on all these months–tapping into our inner beauty to do kind things for others with empathy. The theme of Olam Chessed Yibaneh shows the girls that their acts of kindness have the ability to repair what feels like a broken world.”

Based on this theme, the girls began learning about different types of chessed that they can perform in order to create a more compassionate world.

The children were split into six groups, with each group focusing on a different chessed. Study packets were prepared in

advance by their Limudei Kodesh teachers, Morah Guterman and Morah Aviva Sadigh. To facilitate learning in small groups, the classes were joined by Mrs. Devora Loike, Director of Student Life, and Mrs. Daniella Hirt, Director of Student Activities, who helped guide the students through the learning materials. The topics that they explored included visiting the sick, welcoming guests, uplifting others, giving Tzedakah, honoring elders, and celebrating a bride.

Upon completing their learning, each group was presented with a canvas upon which they are creating an artistic representation of the chessed they learned about. They also received a cube, representing a building block of the world of chessed they can help create together, upon which they will illustrate their special chessed. In addition, each student will create a slide presentation with their personal reflections on their learning and why it was so significant for them.

Common Mistakes In Estate Planning – Part II

Creating an Estate Plan that includes a Revocable Trust, pourover Will, Property Power of Attorney, Health Care Power of Attorney, Living Will, and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Authorization provides benefits both during life and at death. During life, the plan provides directions to your family regarding your medical care and finances if you become incapacitated or are otherwise unable to articulate your wishes. At death, the plan acts as a set of instructions to your fiduciaries regarding the distribution of your assets. Unfortunately, as many practitioners understand, signing the documents alone does not solve every problem or guarantee that everything will work as intended. Sometimes, even a properly executed Estate Plan contains mistakes. The first part in this five-part series (Common Mistakes in Estate Planning – Part I) focused on the common blunders made by individuals seeking to shortcut the process of estate planning by failing to create a proper Estate Plan. This second part of the series will continue to explore the most common mistakes in an Estate Plan by focusing on the failure to plan properly for the intended beneficiaries.

Let’s start with what seems like an obvious mistake: leaving assets outright to a minor beneficiary. Any Estate Plan that gives assets outright to a minor beneficia-

ry has disastrous consequences. Although most states have statutes that prevent a minor beneficiary from inheriting money or assets directly, some permit the minor to hold title to certain assets, such as real estate. Of course, even if the state allows minors to hold title to real estate, minors cannot contract and therefore cannot alone exercise the bundle of rights associated with property ownership. Other states have statutes that let a parent take the property on the minor’s behalf if the assets do not exceed a modest amount, but inheritances often exceed that amount. If the Estate Plan does not properly address minor beneficiaries, the fiduciary distributing the assets will need to ensure that he or she distributes the assets to the appropriate party, which could require petitioning the court for the appointment of a guardian or conservator to take title to the assets on the minor’s behalf. Guardianship proceedings involve significant time, trouble, and expense, and often mean continuing court oversight. If, instead, the Estate Plan contains provisions for the establishment of a trust along with the appointment of a trustee or a custodian for the property going to the minor, that can save the fiduciary, the estate, and by extension, the beneficiaries, tremendous time and effort while giving the minor immediate access to the assets.

Even if all the beneficiaries in a plan

All of these creations will be on display for their special guests at the Bat Mitzvah Brunch.

Reflecting on the preparations for the Brunch, sixth grader Mazi Yizhaky remarked, “It is a fun and exciting project to do. I like creating songs about chessed and making posters about Rambam’s order of giving tzedakah. The projects make the learning even more interesting and meaningful!”

have attained the age of majority, other life factors may require the implementation of a plan that leaves assets in trust rather than outright to the beneficiaries. For example, beneficiaries known for spending money, battling addiction, facing legal woes, or dealing with creditors need the benefit of a trust holding their inheritance, rather than outright distribution. Implementation of a trust structure for beneficiaries with certain problems protects the inheritance and by extension, the beneficiaries from those problems. Savvy practitioners will encourage long-term thinking and planning for these issues while achieving the client’s goals and protecting their legacy.

Finally, if a beneficiary receives government benefits, then that, too, deserves special consideration. Failing to plan for a special needs beneficiary may cause a disaster in an Estate Plan, usually including loss of benefits for a beneficiary receiving public assistance. If a client wants to leave money or property to a special needs beneficiary, then it’s important that the assets pass through a Special Needs Trust to the beneficiary to preserve that beneficiary’s benefits. The trust needs to meet certain requirements to qualify as a Special Needs Trust and if it does, then the beneficiary will maintain his or her benefits. In addition to provisions for any beneficiaries currently receiving benefits, it’s import-

ant that the plan include provisions that authorize the creation of a Special Needs Trust for any beneficiary receiving government benefits at the time of distribution, not just upon the creation of the plan. Estate Plans need to have flexible provisions that allow evolution of the plan to meet changing needs and circumstances.

As this article has demonstrated, certain categories of beneficiaries require special provisions to protect them in an Estate Plan. Although folks undertaking Estate Planning think about which assets should go to whom, a qualified Trusts and Estates attorney understands that the intended beneficiaries impact the plan tremendously. An experienced Estate Planning attorney includes proper provisions in the plan to address the age and situation of the beneficiaries and to account for the inevitable changes that will occur in the beneficiary’s circumstances over time. Any plan that fails to address these matters ultimately fails the creator of the plan and their loved ones, at a time when they are least equipped to deal with it. Next week’s blog will continue to explore common mistakes in an Estate Plan and how to avoid them.

To learn how to protect you and your family visit www.haaszaltz.com or call 516-979-1060. You can also email them at info@haaszaltz.com.

Congregation Aish Kodesh of Woodmere Annual Tu b’Shvat Kumzitz

Henya Storch

Motzei Shabbos, February 8, 2025, Congregation Aish Kodesh of Woodmere hosted its annual ladies’ Melave Malka Tu b’Shvat Kumzitz at the home of Ruchi Frei. Rebbetzin Myrna Weinberger gave a riveting d’var Torah, accompanied by brachos on the vast array of fruits and salads. It was a beautiful, cozy evening on a snowy night with fifty women in attendance.

The singing for Shabbat Shira was led by guest entertainers from Philadelphia: internationally renowned celebrity podcast host, singer, guitarist, and composer Franciska (who has released nine albums), accompanied by violinist Sarah Rosner and drummer Suri Weingot. It

Did you know?

was a spiritually uplifting and meaningful event enjoyed by all.

Franciska said, “We started with havdalah. Then, I shared my Miriam songs related to Shabbat Shira. (Melody of Miriam being on my new Women in Tanach album). We sang some classics of Eitan Katz, Yosef Karduner, Shir Lamaalot for the situation in Eretz Israel. I taught them my originals Ani Maamin and Tov Lehodot. We sang some Oder niggunim, and we ended it with Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu.”

As an aside, Suri is the daughter of Rebbetzin Weinberger, who has gone to Moscow as a camp counselor 20 years ago. As it turns out, she was Franciska’s camp counselor when she was a little girl. We discovered that tidbit at the event!

Older eggs float and newer eggs sink when placed in water.

Israel Chesed Center Welcomes Survivor Ron Segev

TBy Tammy Mark

his past Monday night, the Israel Chesed Center had the privilege of hosting Ron Segev, a survivor of the Nova Music Festival, who shared his moving story of bravery and miracles of the horrific day of October 7. It was a week of meaningful events at the Chesed Center, including a noteworthy milestone – the packing of the 10,000th duffle bag of gear being sent from the ICC to Israel!

The Hewlett-based ICC, founded and run by Moshe Bodner and Jeff Eisenberg, has been serving as a hub for charity and chesed since the war broke out, offering a range of opportunities for the local community to support its brothers and sisters in Israel.

Cedarhurst Mayor Benjamin Weinstock, Lawrence Mayor Samuel Nahmias and other notable supporters were in attendance, including Michael Fragin, representing County Executive Bruce Blakeman. Mayor Weinstock led the crowd in the recitation of Tehillim, followed by Cantor Shalom Jacobs singing the Mi Shebeirach for Chayalim and leading a communal singing of Acheinu

Ron Segev has told his story of survival hundreds of times before, and he admits it never gets easy. He says he hopes to be remembered as more than just a survivor. He shares that he was a professional bridge playing champion at age 22, having played from the age 13 until 30.

Segev recounts all the maneuvers and the life and death decisions his group made in efforts to dodge the terror on October 7 at the Nova festival – hiding here, running there – escaping death several times. “Miracles and miracles happened that day.”

At one point, with Hamas terrorists looming nearby, Segev had closed his eyes, feeling as if he was about to die. As his life flashed before him, one strong memory overcame him – he vividly recalled his bar mitzvah. When he opened his eyes, the threat was gone; he had survived another encounter.

After previously abandoning his own car, Segev jumped in another car that was left running. He and his brother began driving, filling the car with as many people as can fit. When they thought it was completely full at 11, they squeezed in a 12th person.

Terror and chaos surrounded them. Nobody knew which direction would be safe to go, but when his brother Dan said he felt like he was having a heart attack, Segev knew that he had to somehow drive him to safety. He sped out, passing every checkpoint, until eventually making it to Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva by 10:30 AM. Thankfully, it was a combination of an asthma attack and a panic attack that had simulated a heart attack. The brothers returned safely to their parents’ home the next day.

Segev referred back to his experience as a world champion bridge player to give

a powerful message. He reminded everyone to feel like they are exceptional, like they are champions. He says this mentality is what helped him be brave in those moments of fear, and could help others feel strong in the face of their challenges.

Surviving the attack of 10/7 was a tremendous miracle, but surviving the subsequent trauma was the next huge challenge for Segev. Every time Segev would blink, he would envision his escape. He had two major flashbacks while he was awake. He suffered severe depression for almost five months, and he had trouble sleeping which led to other problems, such as memory loss and lack of concentration. He says he made it through that dark period through the support of family and friends; his uncle came to visit every day until he agreed to go outside. Segev recommends to others the tools he used to help him out of his depression – getting out of the house, therapy and volunteering. He also began sharing his story.

“We say we will dance again, but first of all we need to live again,” says Segev.

The Tribe of Nova immediately founded a support group for the survivors, providing food, therapy and comfort for three full months. Programming currently runs once a week at a location in the center of Israel, offering activities, mentorship programs and the like, in hopes of helping everyone return to normal life.

There have been four suicides among the Nova Festival survivors community. “Our battle just began – even if the war

ends right now, trauma is something that stays with you for a long time,” Segev cautions.

Segev shares that he has personally become closer to his Judaism since October 7. He describes how he felt like someone was protecting him, “Like an invisible shield around my body,” amongst the thousands of bullets that rained around him.

The strong flash of memories he had while hiding on October 7, particularly recalling his bar mitzvah speech as a 13-year-old boy, made a big impact on Segev. He also found out that his friends Adir and Sarah were expecting a baby –adding up to 13 souls together in the car that day. He took it all in as a message and now puts on tefillin almost every day.

As difficult as it is, Segev aims to keep speaking with others and sharing his story until he doesn’t think it will help anymore. With a full room of people sitting amongst mountains of full duffle bags prepared to be sent out to Israel, and pictures of the hostages lining the walls, Segev’s story definitely made an impact that night.

In the spirit of going “from strength to strength,” the 10,000th bag was immediately followed by number 10,001. The evening wrapped up with the signing of the Israel-bound duffel bags with messages of love and support from the Five Towns community.

Ron Segev, survivor of the Nova Festival

Moshe Bodner, Mayor Sam Nahmias, Jeff Eisenberg, Mayor Ben Weinstock, and Trustees Aaron Felder and Shlomo Gottesman

1st Place Rambam Student at All Day Model Congress

By Daniel Stein

This past Sunday, the Rambam Rhetoric Ravens participated in an all-day Model Congress Competition hosted by the Citron Online District. Students discussed everything from Grants for Tree Planting Initiatives to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, along with many bills submitted by Rambam students (including one on vote incentivization and another on buying Greenland or turning it “red, white, and blue”).

The competition was divided into

pre-elimination rounds and the final elimination round. All Rambam students qualified for the final round, a feat unmatched by most schools. In addition to that, Daniel Stein (Rambam senior) served as a presiding officer, managing decorum and speech times in both rounds, while also competing and writing speeches. In the end, Daniel came in 1st Place in the entire competition. Now, the Rhetoric Ravens turn towards preparing for the qualifying competition for the National Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa.

Days of Gratitude, Days of Triumph

By Rabbi Yaakov Feitman

The long, dark nights of Teves eventually give way to the glimmers of hope that radiate from the month of Shevat, whose name can be interpreted as an acronym for shenisbaser besuros tovos, may we hear good news. Rav Hutner often taught us that for the Jew there are no minor matters. Every moment is important, every second a new opportunity. And so, Shevat, which seems to contain only one, seemingly minor yom tov, actually offers profound potential for personal growth and spiritual advancement. Let us turn to the master of the months, the Bnei Yissaschar of Dinov (Maamarei Shevat 1), to put us on the right road.

The great Dinover Rav reveals a cryptic fact about the upcoming month. Every chodesh has a mazal, or physical representation that identifies the essence of the month. The mazal of Shevat is d’li, meaning pail or bucket. Yet the Bnei Yissaschar informs us that the chiddush is that, far from the d’li being a minor symbol, the bucket also represents the mazal of Klal Yisrael itself. This synonymity indicates

ECC made

and

that the month of Shevat has a basic affinity with Am Yisrael, to the point that this can be a time of aliyah for anyone seeking to attain a higher level in one’s Yiddishkeit.

The Bnei Yissaschar explains that d’li is the emblem of Klal Yisrael itself because the d’li is the venue for drawing forth water, and “water is the metaphor for Torah” (Bava Kamma 17a). Therefore, since the essence of our nation is drinking and benefiting from Torah, our mazal is d’li. The Bnei Yissaschar also references the well-known pasuk, “Hoy kol tzamei lechu lamayim — Ho, everyone who is thirsty, go to the water” (Yeshayah 55:1). We may add that the halacha is that when it comes to drinking water, one recites a berachah only if he is thirsty. All other beverages require a blessing even if one is only drinking to swallow a pill or upon doctor’s orders; water alone depends upon one’s need to quench his thirst (Shulchan Aruch 204:14). Torah, too, will be granted only to one who is thirsty for its teachings. As the Bnei Yissaschar continues, the Torah testifies that

Moshe Rabbeinu began teaching the Torah afresh, to the generation who would enter Eretz Yisrael, on Rosh Chodesh Shevat (Devarim 1:3-5). This is the day when Moshe lowered the d’li to a nation thirsty to hear the word of Hashem directly from Moshe Rabbeinu.

It is still winter, and the trees are yet bare and forbidding. But down deep, the sap begins to run, just as the pail goes deep to bring up Torah and Divine wisdom. As the Rebbes of Rizhin, known for their dedication to the celebration of Tu B’Shevat, used to add, “The pail indeed goes deep but it is not meant to stay down there. It is meant to ascend with the precious and life-giving water. Klal Yisrael, too, sometimes lowers itself to bring up the sparks of holiness that have been lost and must be retrieved.” This is perhaps one reason why Moshe Rabbeinu began teaching Torah to the new generation on Rosh Chodesh Shevat. As the nation looked toward exciting but difficult times, perhaps a long winter of galus, Moshe Rabbeinu taught them the great lesson of Shevat. You must lower the pail and dig

deep inside your personal well of emunah and bitachon, of kedushah and taharah, no matter what the trees look like. Spring is coming and the geulah is not far behind.

Reprinted from Days of Gratitude, Days of Triumph by Rabbi Yaakov Feitman with permission from the copyright holder, ArtScroll Mesorah Publications.

Principal Dr. Hillel Goldman, senior Daniel Stein, and Rosh Mesivta Rabbi Avi Herschman

Shulamith

unique tree artwork

wood collages in honor of Tu B’Shvat

Isaw the screw deeply embedded in my tire. All alone on the rooftop of the parking garage of Mount Sinai hospital in Manhattan, I stared and started to feel the stress rising in my chest. The single purpose of my trip lay in a hospital bed in serious condition post-surgery. When life throws you into “crisis mode,” devoting time to worrying about flat tires was too much. Worrying about how I would travel home safely was extra too much. Luckily, the air with which I filled my tire on the side of the highway was enough to get me there safely but would not get me home.

In a panic, I called Chaverim and hoped someone would come to my rescue. Meanwhile, I started googling nearby garages from the hospital room and uttered a quiet prayer for help. A short while later, a young angel from Chaverim met me back on the rooftop, plugged my tire, and even gave me his cell number when he saw the nervous look on my face. “Call me if your need anything on the way home.” Instead of spending time with a mechanic, I was able to return to the hospital.

Voice N tes

Recovering with Angels An Open Letter of Gratitude

By Naomi Ross

Over the course of six weeks of hospitalizations and a roller coaster of complications, I got used to witnessing daily events of hashgacha and chessed such as this. It is hard to fully understand the power of chessed until your world is turned upside down, and you find yourself cradled by a support system made up of people ready and willing to be G-d’s messengers wherever and whenever they can.

“Mi K’amcha Yisrael” Moments Days and nights blur at a hospital, as if staff’s shift changes signal the sun and moon. Family members of patients stumble into the bikur cholim room in search of a quiet respite and some form of nourishment to refuel for the next set of hours worrying. A sympathetic smile or a head nod from a fellow Jew is a reminder that you’re not alone. Gratitude fills your cup of coffee with awareness: an organization cares not only about visiting patients but also about the well-being of their families.

I would often notice the angels from Satmar Bikur Cholim in the elevators, along with their “bubby carts” loaded

with newly-packed containers, discreetly en route to restock the kitchen supply. At Mount Sinai South Nassau, Achiezer volunteers did this ahead of multiple 3-day yom tovs. They even included simanim and honey for Rosh Hashanah and left a set of arba minim for Sukkos – anything to make it feel like a yom tov in a less-than-ideal holiday environment. There were bikur cholim visits from Chesed 24/7 (thank you for “Shabbos in a box” – all the items needed for a Shabbos stay in the hospital like electric candles and grape juice!).

“What can I do to make your stay here more comfortable? Is there anything you need?” were certainly words that would never be offered by anyone from the hospital, as good as the care was. The disparity between this and the countless patients I noticed all alone and largely ignored was confounding. Even on Shabbos – a quieter time with less distractions – I witnessed angels walking across Central Park from the Upper West Side to visit any Jewish patients found in the hospital. All of it made a difference in the life of a patient

(and their family) who wished they were home.

Unexpected complications and infections brought us back to the hospital the day before Rosh Hashana. Hatzolah is a selfless holy brotherhood, a band of givers who get out of bed at ridiculous hours of the night and show up brighteyed and dedicated to help in emergent situations (when most of us would rather be sleeping). No one ever wishes to call but how grateful we should be to have that number (and if you haven’t already, that is a number you should commit to memory!). More angels smoothing the way on what is a scary ride to the Emergency Room… Once admitted in the hospital, I exited an elevator on the wrong floor, and a “chance” meeting introduced me to an observant doctor who asked if I needed anything (and who I found out was already on his way to see my loved one!). By the end of the day, he had connected me with the Maidenbaum South Nassau Sabbath House which enabled me to stay near the hospital for yom tov and the name of someone who would be

blowing shofar for anyone who needed. The volunteer coordinator from the Sabbath House subsequently checked in with me each week to see if I needed a space in the house for Shabbos/ yom tov – a super organized angel! The ba’al tokea was there for his own father in the hospital over yom tov. With a list in hand, we made rounds to all the patients who requested to hear the shofar. Despite being tethered to IVs and/or oxygen, an ecstatic relief seemed to roll over the patients’ faces upon hearing the first tekiah, melting away their discomfort perhaps greater than any pain killer they were receiving.

“Do You see how much Your children care about Your mitzvot?!” I quietly uttered Heavenwards.

Individuals on a Mission

Beyond the organizations, there were daily shluchim, messengers from whom I witnessed and learned much about the art of caregiving. A nurse who cares and is compassionate is the lifeline of any patient and can make or break a recovery. Physical therapists and home health aides who can walk the balance between respecting autonomy and accomplishing what is in the

patient’s best interest, who can push towards steady progress and yet facilitate a return to safe independence, are able to free someone from a “patient mentality” and restore their physical and mental strength.

“Hello, my name is Charles, and it

of him. He viewed his role as a crucial agent of healing medical support and regarded that service as a privilege to provide. How often did I view difficult or unpleasant physical personal care as an honor, I asked myself? Could I shift my paradigm and regard cleaning up

Hashem is found in between the pages of bedside Tehillim, amidst the inter-curtain conversations of unlikely hospital roommates, and even on the rooftops of parking garages.

is my honor to take care of your loved one” was how one energetic nurse would introduce himself every time he entered a new patient’s room. Charles had gone into nursing after his own adolescent trials with illness made him appreciative of one of the nurses who took care

unmentionables with greater respect and humility? His example was a reminder that without proper esteem for the care we are giving, something big was at stake: the patient’s dignity. The hospital is the last place anyone wants to be. Medicinal, astringent

smells cover up other unpleasantly unctuous ones. The constant hum and sobering dinging of monitors are background noises that never become normal in your ears. Life-saving treatments not achievable or safe at home is what necessitates getting admitted, or as one doctor aptly put it, “the hospital is the best place to be when you need it, but as soon as you don’t…get out.” If you have to be there, open your eyes with gratitude to see all the miracles – revealed and unrevealed – before you. Hashem is found in between the pages of bedside Tehillim, amidst the inter-curtain conversations of unlikely hospital roommates, and even on the rooftops of parking garages.

Naomi Ross is a cooking instructor and food writer based in Woodmere, NY. She teaches classes throughout the country and writes articles connecting good cooking and Jewish inspiration. Her first cookbook, The Giving Table, was released in December 2022. Follow her at @naomirosscooks on Instagram/FB/TikTok or visit her website: www.naomirosscooks.com

TJH Centerfold

10 Results of Eggflation

Puns hit an all-time low – no more egg-cellent puns...it’s a yolk-free wasteland out here.

Egg cartons sold on eBay as luxury items – “Vintage 12-egg carton, 2023 model, mint condition. Bids starting at $500.”

Without eggs, we can’t even crack a joke anymore.

Sunday morning breakfast/shiurim are now BYOE.

The term “nest egg” becomes literal – forget retirement savings; people are now stashing real eggs in their safes.

Eggfluencers on social media are flexing their stash of eggs along with their car and handbag collections.

Gym bros mourn the loss of their favorite protein – “Bro, how am I supposed to hit my macros without a dozen boiled eggs a day?!?”

Eggs are making so much money that they no longer have to be bald – they are all going to Turkey for hair transplants.

You Gotta Be Kidding Me!

Why does a chicken coop have two doors? Because if it had four doors it would be a chicken sedan.

To save money, people are making steak sandwiches for breakfast.

Chickens are hiring agents to represent them… “Supply and demand, baby. Wanna talk egg prices? Call my agent.”

How Much Do You Know Egg-xactly?

1. Iowa is the highest egg producing state in the U.S. Approximately how many eggs per year does it produce?

a. 14 million

b. 62 million

c. 198 million

d. 15 billion

2. How long does it take for a chicken to produce an egg?

a. 7 minutes

b. 2 hours and 16 minutes

c. Approximately 4 hours

d. Approximately 25 hours

3. Why does a hen turn her egg nearly 50 times a day?

a. To keep the yolk from sticking to the side

b. To help the egg get a better oval shape

Riddle Me This

c. To thicken the shell

d. To make the egg bigger

4. Which vitamin is NOT present in eggs?

a. Vitamin D

b. Vitamin A

c. Vitamin E

d. Vitamin C

5. Which country consumes the most eggs per capita?

a. United States

b. Japan

c. Germany

d. China

6. What is a common practice to test if an egg is fresh?

a. Shake it

b. Place it in water to see if it sinks

c. Crack it open

d. Smell the shell

Wisdom Key:

5-6 correct: Eggcellent!

3-4 correct: Eggaxtly down the middle!

0-2 correct: You must be eggshausted. After all, you laid it all out there!

You want to boil a two-minute egg. If you only have a three-minute timer (hourglass), a four-minute timer, and a five-minute timer, how can you boil the egg for only two minutes?

Answer: Once the water is boiling, turn the three-minute timer and five-minute timer over. When the three-minute timer runs out, put the egg in the boiling water. When the five-minute timer runs out, two minutes have elapsed, and it is time to take the egg out of the water. You don’t need to use the 4-minute timer at all.

At the revelation at Sinai, the L-rd set the goal for the Jewish people – “to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” These noble goals, like all great ideas and lofty ideals, require definition. What is meant by a kingdom of priests? In Jewish life, the priests, the descendants of Aharon, were people who were freed from the daily mundane chores of life and were supported by the masses of Israel who sustained them physically and financially.

Now, if the entire nation was to be a kingdom of priests, in those terms of support and life, it obviously was an impossibility to maintain such a kingdom. Therefore, the idea of the kingdom of priests must mean a broader reality. It is the challenge of being a kingdom of teachers of others – “for the lips of the priest shall guard knowledge and Torah will be asked to be taught from his mouth.”

We are all teachers by example if not by profession. How we act influences our children, our neighbors, our customers and our coworkers. A priest

Torah Thought

Parshas Yisro

By Rabbi Berel Wein

in the service of the Jewish people was someone who served the public and private needs of Jews. He was someone who was on call to answer the needs of the community, whether in the required Temple service or in the private endeav-

A holy nation is also a phrase that requires definition and detail. Holiness in its Hebrew root means dedication, loyalty, and an ability to break down the barriers of society that oftentimes prevent us from achieving spiritual sat-

Holiness requires the ability to care for everyone while remaining apart from everyone at one and the same time.

ors meant to enhance the status of the community or of help to other individuals. The priest was the social worker, the peacemaker, the cement that binds a community together and gives it its necessary sense of unity and cohesion. Every Jew is obligated to attempt to be such a priest.

isfaction and nobility of purpose. A holy nation must therefore mean a nation that is able to retain its unique identity. It cannot be swallowed up by the prevailing and ever-changing majority cultures that will always surround it. Holiness requires the ability to care for everyone while remaining apart

from everyone at one and the same time. Holiness refers to the body and not just to the soul and the spirit. It speaks to discipline and order, self-control and resisting impulse. The great challenge here is to instill these virtues and traits of character and behavior in an entire nation and not only in a few special chosen, extraordinary individuals.

These goals of probity and correct behavior are to be the national goals of the Jewish people and the hallmark of its society. Other societies look for greatness and morality from the few. Not so the society of the Jewish people, where these demands and goals are laid upon all who are part of the household of Israel.

A holy nation is not restricted to being so only in the house of worship and study. It is to be a holy nation in every walk of life, at home and in the marketplace, in the halls of government – and certainly in its treatment of others. That is the blueprint of Sinai that was set before us millennia ago and still binds us to this very day.

Shabbat shalom.

From the Fire

Parshas Yisro Mending Our Vessels

By Rav Moshe Weinberger

Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

When Hashem gave us the Torah on Har Sinai, He was our Rebbe, our Melamed, and He brought us into His “yeshiva” in order to give us the Torah. Every morning, we refer to Hashem as “HaMelamed Torah l’amo Yisroel, the Teacher of Torah to His people, Israel.” As the pasuk (Devarim 4:5) says, “Re’eh lamaditi eschem chukim u’mishpatim , see, I have taught you ordinances and statutes.” We learn many of the principles of chinuch, educating our children and ourselves, from how Hashem gave us the Torah. For example, the Torah teaches that the manner in which Hashem gave the Torah was (Devarim 5:4) “Hashem spoke with you face to face...” From this we learn that a rebbe or morah must engage directly with his or her students and not in a backhanded way which is not truly directed at who the students are and what they need.

Rav Yaakov Galinsky, zt”l, one of the last great magidim, quoted a fascinating Midrash from Koheles Raba 3:15:

The Jewish people were fit to be given the Torah as soon as they left Egypt. But Hashem said, “The radiance of their health has not yet returned to my children. They have just left the slavery, mortar, and bricks and they cannot receive the Torah immediately.” This is comparable to a king whose son has just survived a serious illness and people begin to say, “Your son should go back to school.” [The king answers,] “The radiance of my son’s health has not yet returned, and you say that he should go back to his school?! Instead, let him take it easy for two or three months with food and drink in order to recover and afterward, he can go back to his school.” So, too, Hashem said, “The radiant health of my children

has not yet returned from the slavery, mortar, and bricks from which they just left. Shall I give them the Torah?! Instead, let them take it easy for two or three months with the maan, the well, and quail, and afterward, I will give them the Torah. When? In the third month[, Sivan].

We learn a fundamental principle of education from this Midrash. One can only act as a vessel to receive the Torah if he feels like a mensch, with a sense of dignity and wholeness. Otherwise, he is a broken vessel, and a broken vessel cannot contain the light of Torah.

We can see this principle illustrated through several stories. Rav Galinsky relates that although he was never in a concentration camp, he lived in a displaced persons camp in Berlin immediately after the War. At that time, once the War was over, the enormity of what everyone had been through and what they had lost began to sink in. The camp was in a constant state of mourning. The sounds

of crying, groaning, and weeping came from all directions at all hours of the day and night: “Everything is lost!” “Everyone was killed!” “There is no point in living!” The brokenness of our people at that time stood out in stark relief when, one day, a young man came to Rav Galinsky and asked him to officiate at his marriage to young woman in the camp. It is known that a number of weddings took place at that time in the camps, but this was the first one, and Rav Galinsky was taken aback. When he asked the young man if his kallah, his bride, would cover her hair, he responded that he thought so but that he did not even have a little piece of cloth to use as a tichel, a hair covering. This was the state of the brokenness of our people at that time. They managed to find a piece of cloth and they held the chasunah, although everyone in attendance had only the torn clothing on their backs to wear for the occasion. Reporters even came to cover the “crazy” Jews who were trying to build a new life

after losing everything.

Our people were broken after the War. When I was little, I would look at an album of pictures taken shortly after the war in America of my parents and the family members who had survived the concentration camps and managed to come to America. I was taken aback by the fact that none of them wore yarmulkes and that the women did not dress in an Orthodox manner. I asked my father to explain this. Sighing, he tried to explain to me that it was very difficult after the war to rebuild a life of Shabbos, kashrus, yarmulkes, and the like. It wasn’t that they lacked faith or had any great theological questions because of the Holocaust. Really, it was a case of “they have just left the slavery, mortar, and bricks and they cannot receive the Torah immediately.” Everything and everyone they had, including their sense humanity, had been taken from them. They were broken vessels and needed time to come back to themselves in order to regain their ability to receive the Torah. The “radiance” of life never returned to them.

As a child, I was once at a friend’s house and his non-frum uncle, who was a survivor, was visiting. He asked me what we were learning in yeshiva. I told him that we were learning Bava Metzia. He asked what page were on, and when I responded, he put his arm over his head to cover it, since he had no yarmulke, and began to recite the page of Gemara I was learning by heart. My friend asked why he didn’t just wear a yarmulke, and he responded vaguely that we simply did not understand. Some people were so broken that they were never able to heal and re-receive the Torah.

Dovid Hamelech summed this up when he said (Tehillim 116:7-8), “Re -

turn, my soul, to your rest because Hashem has dealt generously with you for You have rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.” One’s soul can rest only after it has been rescued from death, tears, and stumbling. We can only receive the Torah after Hashem’s children have returned to a state of health.

It is well-known that when the Satmar Rav first came to Williamsburg after the War, there were very few survivors from Hungary who were able to join him. He began giving a Gemara shiur, and at that time, there were only four or five people in attendance. They were learning Chullin, and as soon as he began giving the shiur the first day, he started telling stories of tzaddikim and giving chizuk. The second day of the shiur, he again started the Gemara but continued telling more stories. The third day, after telling a few stories, he started asking people how they were doing, whether they were able to find jobs, and the like. Finally, on about the fourth day of the shiur, one of the men asked him, “Nu, Rebbe, the Gemara?”

The Rebbe answered him, “Does your Gemara have a daf alef, a page ‘one’?”

“No,” the man answered, “no Gemara has a daf alef.”

The Satmar Rav then explained, “Do you know what daf alef of the Gemara is? Feeling like a mensch. Having a little chizuk. Having someone ask, ‘How are you doing?,’ ‘Did you get that job interview?’ That is daf alef of the Gemara.” These broken Jews around the table needed to begin with daf alef.

This is a great principle in educating our children, other people’s children, and even ourselves. It is brought in Chayei Moharan (432) that Rebbe Nachman taught not to push children too much because you don’t know what a boy or girl is going through in life. Many children grow up in difficult environments. It is very hard to push a child to do his or her homework if there is a divorce, some sort of abuse, or a serious illness at home. Rebbe Nachman continued, “It is impossible to explain this matter properly but it is clear to those who are wise and is extremely important for teachers and so too in many other areas. This is a great principle: Do not push yourself more than is appropriate in any matter, rather it should be gradually and patiently.”

We see that Rebbe Nachman teaches that even with our own growth, we must not force ourselves to grow until we fulfill our own basic human needs. I know a morah in a girls’ high school who told me that the school keeps a very private file of

issues that girls are dealing with at home so that their teachers can keep this in mind in school. They will know if a girl’s home has some serious sickness, divorce, abuse, or any other serious disruption in her life so they can take this into account when working with the girls.

Rav Galinsky related another story from shortly after the War. Many of the survivors who made their way to Eretz Yisroel settled in Bnei Brak. The residents there found two apartments for a group of orphan girls in one apartment building. Because all of these girls had lost their entire families, the apartments were constantly filled with sadness, mourning, and tears. Finally, one of the girls became a kallah and got engaged. She was the first girl in the group to get engaged, and the Shabbos before her chasuna, during her Shabbos Kallah, the girls broke out into song and began singing zemiros together for the first time. One of the neighbors ran down to the Chazon Ish, zt”l, complaining, “It’s Kol Isha, a woman is singing! We should protest!” The Chazon Ish asked him who was singing, and the man answered that it was the orphan girls in the apartment. The Chazon Ish answered, “They’re singing!? They’re finally singing! Let them have a little joy! You can take a Shabbos walk in order to avoid hearing them, but the girls must continue singing.” Their “radiance” was finally returning after all the years of misery.

When teaching other people or even trying to learn and grow ourselves, we must realize that a person must be a “mensch,” must heal and have human dignity in order to become a solid vessel to contain the Torah. Torah which is poured into broken vessels will only spill out. We must build our children and ourselves up so that we will be able to receive and hold onto the Torah. That is why Chazal (Avos 3:20) say, “Im ein derech eretz, ein Torah, without the way of the earth, there is no Torah.” People must have their basic human needs met, must be able to smile, must have the “radiance of their good health” back before they can truly receive the Torah.

May Hashem fill all of our needs and make us proper keilim, vessels, so that we may fulfill our ultimate purpose of receiving, learning, and fulfilling the Torah.

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

Sparks of Light

The Self-Tending Orchard

Tu B’Shvat

and the Wisdom of Gardening

Tu B’Shvat is often misunderstood. Set in the midwinter orchard, frozen in stillness, bare branches against crisp air, Tu B’Shvat is colloquially famous as the Rosh Hashanah for trees. The Mishna outlines the chosen date in Rosh Hashana (2b): “Beis Shammai says that Rosh Hashana for trees is the first of Shevat. Bais Hillel says the 15th.”

It’s natural to assume that Tu B’Shvat functions as a day of divine judgment. But this assumption is mistaken. There is a judgement for trees; it just isn’t on Tu B’Shvat! The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 16a) states that trees are judged on Shavuos. Tu B’Shvat, by contrast, does not mark an external reckoning, but an inflection point within the tree’s growth cycle.

Tu B’Shvat marks a transition. After this date, new fruit that begins to bud belongs to the upcoming year for the purposes of maasros. Since maaser follows a strict annual cycle, halacha requires a clear boundary. But why set this boundary in the dead of winter amid dormant trees? The answer lies in a striking phenomenon. The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 14a) explains that by this point of the winter, most of the rain that will nourish the tree in the coming growth season has fallen and seeped into the ground. Subtly, the process of renewal is already underway.

There is a critical perspective embedded in the choice of Tu B’Shvat. There is a seasonality to growth, which needn’t and perhaps cannot be linear. As Shlomo HaMelech writes there is “a time to plant, and a time to uproot the planted” (Koheles 3:2). More mildly, there is a time to absorb and a time to produce. A phase of internal preparation transforms, often with astonishing speed, into verdant foliage and edible fruit.

The Sfas Emes (Tu B’Shvat 5644) captures this dynamic:

In the winter, growth is not visible, but that is when the tree absorbs and col-

By Rabbi Benny Berlin

lects all of its vitality from the rain. Then, in the summer, what was gathered in the fall and winter is revealed outwardly.

This seasonal rhythm extends beyond nature. The laws of maasros (as outlined

Nowhere is this truer than in the most delicate and profound cycle of growth we nurture: the development of our children.

In Mishlei (22:6 ), Shlomo Hamlech instructs us, “Chanoch l’naar al pi dar-

Education is not an act of rigid molding but of creating an environment –gardening, not sculpting.

in Maasros 1:1) apply specifically to cultivated produce reinforcing that the Tu B’Shvat model is not about wild, unbounded growth. It is about growth within the world we shape. Adam HaRishon is charged to the world “l’avdah u’l’shomrah,” to cultivate and preserve, and we, too, are called to embrace the seasonality of development in the domains we tend.

ko,” to educate our children on their individual path. This directive acknowledges that even within the ordered world of human cultivation, growth does not follow an immutable trajectory. Education is not an act of rigid molding but of creating an environment – gardening, not sculpting. We should wisely attend to phases and seasons providing soil, water and light

but otherwise watching the growth season. The exquisite bonsai tree is a beautiful curiosity whose fragility doesn’t permit exposure to the great outdoors.

In conjunction with the culmination of the rainy season, according to Rashi (Rosh Hashana 14a), a fascinating process begins; under pressure from water in the roots, sap pushes sugars to the heights of towering trees. Effort and investment in education can feel like tending an orchard in winter, but as gardeners we should be reassured: the child’s season changes imperceptibly, with lessons and values taking root long before they surface. A child thrives when allowed to explore knowledge and develop understanding in a structured yet self-directed way. There is something remarkable about Chazal’s choice of Tu B’Shvat. In understanding the significance of this date, we must also contrast it with a more intuitive choice. A later point in the season, when blossoms appear and fruit begins to form, would seem a more natural candidate (Rashi on Rosh Hashana 14a). Yet, Chazal chose a moment not of visible flourishing but of accumulated potential. Tu B’Shvat does not celebrate what is seen, but what is becoming. Unless we want to formulaically determine results, we must hallow the gift of potential and relax our grip on the process.

In an age obsessed with constant assessment and quantifiable outcomes, Tu B’Shvat offers an antidote. It calls on parents and educators to cultivate patience, trust in unseen processes, and recognize that our role is not to mold growth but to nourish it. The fruit will come, in its season.

visit: https://www. bachlongbeach.com/.

Rabbi Benny Berlin is the rabbi of BACH Jewish Center located in Long Baeach, New York. For more information,

Delving into the Daf

Once in a Blue Moon

By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

The photograph accompanying this text captures a moment in the life of Rav Dovid Feinstein, zt”l. Standing solemnly over the East River, he is not simply admiring the view but is engaged in a spiritual act. He is waiting for the opportune moment to recite kiddush levana.

This image was taken Motzei Tzom Gedalia. This timing is significant, as it is the earliest opportunity for reciting kiddush levana. Kiddush levana is preferably recited outdoors, under the open sky, allowing the reciter to view the moon they are reciting the blessing on directly. Rav Feinstein chose the East River as his location due to its unobstructed view of the eastern horizon, where the new moon would be visible. Kiddush levana is a monthly prayer recited by men upon seeing the new moon. Commentators offer various reasons for women not customarily reciting this prayer. Some argue that it’s a time-bound mitzvah, from which women are exempt. Although women fulfill some time-bound mitzvos, they haven’t adopted kiddush levana. The most intriguing explanation is that righteous women, concerned that the customary joyous dancing after kiddush levana might lead to mixed dancing, chose not to adopt this mitzvah.

The Rema MiPano writes that kiddush levana should not be recited until seven days have passed since the appearance of the new moon. His logic is that it is a hiddur mitzvah to thank Hashem over a bigger visible moon. Further, there are kabbalistic reasons for this practice. The Bach says that the Gemara in Sanhedrin (41b) implies that this is not the halacha. Rav Yehuda says that kiddush levana may be recited until seven days have passed from the new moon. The men of Nehardai say one may recite kiddush levana until sixteen days have passed. There is no reason to assume that they disagree about the start time for kiddush levana. Perforce,

according to Rebbe Yehuda, the start time must be before seven days since seven days is the end time. Indeed, Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, explained that the Rambam is of the opinion that there is a special mitzvah to recite kiddush levana at the earliest possible moment. According to the Rambam, one should not wait even three days.

The Shulchan Aruch (426:4) rules that one should wait seven days after the appearance of the new moon before reciting kiddush levana. The Mishna Berura writes that most Acharonim disagree with the Shulchan Aruch and permit kiddush levana to be recited after three days. Regardless of the start time, there is another issue. Kiddush Levana is such a joyous and holy prayer that the Shulchan Aruch writes it should preferably only be recited on Motzei Shabbos when one is well-groomed and wearing Shabbos clothing. The Rema warns that those who wish to fulfill this halacha should certainly not wait for Motzei Shabbos if it is the eleventh day after the new moon. They risk missing kid-

dush levana altogether due to possible inclement weather.

A third issue is the appropriateness of reciting kiddush levana during the Aseres Yimei Teshuva. The Rema (426:2) quotes the Maharil that one should not recite kiddush levana during the Nine Days because it is impossible to recite the prayer with the requisite joy. Similarly, one should not recite kiddush levana during the Aseres Yimei Teshuva because one has the awe and dread of the Day of Judgment hanging over him. The Mishna Berura (602:10) notes that many Acharonim disagree. They reason that during the Aseres Yimei Teshuva, when our life hangs in the balance, we should grab every possible mitzvah to try to tilt the scale in our favor. The mitzva of kiddush levana can serve as emergency first-aid and shouldn’t be pushed off. Indeed, the Levush finds this argument so persuasive that he suggests there is only one reason to disagree. The individual knows that his life hangs in the balance. He knows he desperately needs every mitzvah. However, for the sake of

Hashem, he pushes off the mitzvah to perform it more beautifully later. This “self-sacrifice” is itself a merit that will hopefully tilt the scale in his favor.

The Gra writes that the proper custom is to not wait until after Yom Kippur to recite kiddush levana. The Dirshu cites that the Chazon Ish, the Steipler, and Rav Shlomo Zalman, zt”l, followed the Gra’s opinion. However, the custom of Rav Elyashiv, zt”l, was to wait until after Yom Kippur, and he says that was the minhag of the yeshivos in Europe. Likewise, the Gra held that one should not wait until seven days have passed or even wait until Motzei Shabbos to recite kiddush levana. Instead, one should recite kiddush levana at the first possible moment. Practically, this is after three days have passed. The Mishna Berura implies that he prefers that one wait until Motzei Shabbos to recite kiddush levana unless there is fear of missing out on the mitzvah entirely due to weather.

The Dirshu notes that the Chazon Ish, the Steipler, and Rav Shlomo Zalman, zt”l, followed the Gra’s opinion on this as well. They recited kiddush levana all year at the first opportunity and did not wait until Motzei Shabbos.

This picture demonstrates what Rav Dovid Feinstein’s standard practice was. He likewise followed the Gra’s opinion. He did not wait until after Yom Kippur, Motzei Shabbos, or seven days had passed. Instead, he recited kiddush levana at his first opportunity, which was after Tzom Gedalia. Indeed, although it is not clear from the picture, he recited kiddush levana at the earliest opportunity even without a minyan.

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

Rav Dovid Feinstein, zt"l, performing kiddush levana

Headlines Halacha

Paying Babysitters on Time

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

They watch our children while we go out to a wedding or to a restaurant to eat. They will often agree to come on a moment’s notice. And yet, at times, we will violate Torah commandments in how we treat them financially.

“Sorry, I did not get a chance to go to the bank. Can I get you next time?”

“Oh no! It seems that I don’t have change for a hundred. Do you mind coming by tomorrow, and I will pay you then?”

Often, the ninth or tenth grade young lady who is babysitting will just answer, “Sure, no problem.” Deep down, however, she is not too pleased about not being paid when it was expected.

It is a Torah prohibition not to pay a worker on time – or on the day in which the service was performed.

Making a blessing on the lulav and esrog on Sukkos from day two and onward is a rabbinic mitzvah. But paying a babysitter or other worker on time is actually a Torah commandment. In fact, there are no less than five commandments that are violated. These laws are found in Choshein Mishpat section of Shluchan Aruch (339:1).

So what are these five prohibitions?

1) Lo sigzol – do not steal; 2) lo saashok s’char sachir – do not oppress the wages of a worker; 3) lo saashok es rayacha – do not oppress your peer; 4) lo salin pe’ulas sachir – do not leave over the wages of a worker; and 5) lo savoh alav hashemesh – do not let the sun pass over him.

The Shulchan Aruch adds the words, “It is as if he has taken his soul.” This is based on the Gemara in Bava Metziah 111a. It is quite a serious statement.

Even when the employees are minors – the prohibitions are still violated (See Ahavas Chessed 9:5 written by the Chofetz Chaim). The prohibition is violated whether or not the employee is Jewish (See CM 359:1, 9 and Shach 359:3). In contemporary times, this applies quite appropriately to young babysitters.

Other Aspects

• Accuracy about when it ends: Sometimes, the end time of when the babysitting job is over is underestimated by the parents. There are some parents that are consistently late coming home. One father was actually overheard saying, “If I don’t say 11:00 PMish, the babysitter would never agree to come in the first place.” Purposefully misrepresenting the timing is a violation of midvar sheker tirchak – distancing oneself from a false matter.

There are horror stories about lateness, too. One babysitter was told that the parents would return by 10 PM. When this didn’t happen, she texted the parents at midnight. The parents said that it would be a while longer. At 2:00 AM, she texted again. Clearly, it is always very important to communicate or make another arrangement when one sees that they will be late. It could be that the babysitter had plans to do homework together with a friend or something else to do. It is also true the other way as well. One junior high school babysitter complained, “It is annoying when they first tell you that they will be three hours, and they come back after 45 minutes. They pay you for an hour, but you actually changed your plans and wanted to get paid for three hours. Of course, you’re not going to

say anything.”

• Lack of full disclosure: “When the child that the babysitter is watching has some psycho-social issues, the parent should really warn the babysitter about it. One child was actually pulling out clumps of his own hair. The babysitter was traumatized. That is really not fair.”

• Last minute switches : “One time I was supposed to babysit a twoyear-old. When I got there, the mother said, ‘You know what? You watch the newborn, and I will take the two-yearold. She didn’t give me a choice! I had never even held a newborn baby. She left, and the baby woke up. I so did not know what to do. I called my mother, and she texted me pictures about how to hold a newborn baby.”

• Chessed?!: There was also a case in Brooklyn where the parent told the babysitter, “Well, don’t you have chessed hours? Why don’t we call it even then.”

This is out and out genaivah , theft.

• Food in Payment: “One parent actually paid me with food and not money. What was I supposed to say?” This may actually be a form of gezel , theft. The reason is that although we do say “shaveh kesef k’kesef, the value of money is like money,” when it comes to betrothing a bride – the same is not said regarding paying someone. The

value of the food is not readily marketable. Simply because the babysitter acquiesced is not an indication that they are “okay” with it.

The V’ahavta L’rayacha Kamocha Component

• There is another section of babysitting and how we treat them that involves the mitzvah of v’ahavta l’rayacha kamocha, loving your neighbor as yourself. Some of us may not be aware of how things look like from the perspective of the babysitter. Below is a list of pet peeves culled from the experiences of a number of babysitters.

• Feeling awkward. Sometimes, the parents are unaware of feelings of awkwardness that the babysitter may be feeling. One babysitter remarked, “It is annoying when you come on time and then they take a long while to leave. It is very awkward to hang around the parents.” If possible, we should be sensitive to ensuring that people do not feel out of place.

• A younger babysitter remarked, “When you are little, they don’t treat you like an adult and they just give you an amount of money that they just made up, and you expected and wanted much more.” If it is less than the going rate that may be a halachic problem as well. On the other hand, there may be different rates for different ages.

• And then there is the fact that a number of parents rush out with no pre-written instructions. The babysitter must often find the wipies and diapers herself – but there is more. “They tell you that you can take any food –but they don’t tell you where the cups are. Then you open up every cabinet and then you notice that there is a nanny-cam in the kitchen that you didn’t even know about.” One might have thought that not telling about a nanny-cam may be a form of hezek riya –intrusive damage. Poskim consulted for this article thus far have ruled that although it is allowed, one should, out of

menschlechkeit, tell the babysitter that they are there.

Other pet peeves expressed by the babysitters are:

• “When they say that the baby will be sleeping, and the baby is not sleeping. You should get paid more for daytime hours when the kids are up.”

• “Dirty diapers should be paid more.” One babysitter makes the parents come home if there is a dirty diaper (but only if they are the neighborhood).

• “Once I was asked to give the kids supper and also to do baths.”

• “After 12 midnight, a babysitter should be paid more.”

• “I hate it when the homes do not have house phones. What if there is an emergency, and for some reason my phone isn’t charged or stops working?: Also, some of the babysitters share a phone with a sister, or don’t even have their own phones. What are they supposed to do?

• I hate it when they don’t have Wi-Fi or they don’t give you the code.”

• “I hate it when they pay you by check – “So annoying. A kid like me wants cash.”

• “I dislike it when a parent is cheap and tries teaching you a lesson when you are late. One parent took off a dollar because I was two minutes late. And they didn’t leave until much later!”

• “Once they had me babysit for a whole weekend and I had to stay there. At the end, they only gave $100 for 48

the last time we hid them in the garbage can. There were two of us. But the fact that he had brought it up was very embarrassing.”

• “We should get leeway on the bedtime. Sometimes, the kid just doesn’t listen, and I end up feeling so guilty when he stays up later.”

fathers drive you back. You don’t know here to sit – in the back or not. Once I thought that the father was not such a yeshivish person and then he said that I should sit in the back. I felt really awkward and then I saw that he just likes to put his arm on the seat thing.”

• “I hate it when they don’t tell you that they have pets. It can be scary.”

Some of us may not be aware of how things look like from the perspective of the babysitter.

hours – when they took me for a whole Shabbos.”

• “Once the parents didn’t tell me how to work the light and it was a complicated lighting situation, so I sat in the dark – for hours!”

• “Another parent instructed us that we don’t have to hide the wrappers of the snacks that we would eat. We had actually done so on a previous occasion when they had told us that we could eat whatever we wanted. We felt a little bad that we had SO MANY wrappers. So

• “I didn’t know what to say when the kid tried to call her mother from my phone. ‘When are you coming home, mommy?’”

• One mother said to me, ‘Oh, she’s an easy baby.’ Well, maybe for the mother –but not for a stranger. She was crying the whole time. I asked another babysitter, and she said the same thing happened.”

• “One time, the grandmother walked down and gave me dirty looks when I was looking in the fridge and snack drawer.”

• “It is also very awkward when the

• “I babysat at one home that had a secret staircase. The father kept going one way and then appearing from a completely other direction. This was all happening when they were getting ready to leave.”

• “One family leaves all the medications on the windowsill. The kids would eat it. Once, I got up the gumption to tell the father that he shouldn’t leave it there. That was very awkward.”

Many of these situations could be minimized if we apply the idea of v’ahavta l’rayacha kamocha with a little more thought.

This article should be viewed as a halachic discussion and not practical advice. The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@ gmail.com.

School of Thought

Coming Back

By Barbara Deutsch

We went to see our old Cedarhurst house.

In the Five Towns, we call the fancier slices of the neighborhood the “back” because the stately homes sit on large plots of land: Back Lawrence, Back Woodmere, and, as a joke, Back Cedarhurst. Cedarhurst is the business hub of the Towns, and the taxes garnered from the stores helps to lower the taxes on the individual houses.

That is how we were able to afford our house on our teacher salaries.

When we bought our house 30 years ago, we were enchanted by the majestic blue fir that filled the front yard. In the back, there was a huge backyard for which we had big garden plans. Our former house was a charmingly small century-old center hall colonial on what used to be a lush tree-lined block before Sandy knocked down so many of the trees. The magnificent fir grew old gracefully, surviving all hurricanes, storms and acts of nature. It was surrounded by lush shrubbery and the “Dov” and the “Shmuli” trees.

The garden never happened.

Upon acquisition, the investors, with an eye on turning the house into a McMansion, tore it and its surrounding greenery down.

On the West Broadway corner, diagonally across the street, sits another beautiful old home on a large, lush plot of land. In front of the house is a big sign advertising the building of 3 brand-new big houses to replace the one that is currently there.

Our once graceful little colonial vulnerability stands waiting for its future.

Change is often difficult and sad.

With so much positive to say about the Israeli medical system and the efficiency of the kupot, why do we have multiple appointments with the orthopedist, dermatologist, radiologist, cardiologist, ophthalmologist and dentist?

We have so many appointments planned.

When we moved to Israel, we determined that we would accrue a baseline medical history that included all of our issues and medications. Should there be a medical emergency where one of us needed a doctor, to hop onto a plane to consult with one of our former American physicians every time we needed medical support was not going to be possible.

It’s been just a few days back in New York, but we already long to be back hanging out in our small cozy Jerusalem home. If only we could just gather our loved ones onto the plane with us – we really don’t need much else from America.

Anyone reading my aliyah musings is well caught up on our journey and post-retirement life. By returning to life as it once used to be, the differences between what once was in America and now happens in Israel becomes more glaring.

Walking in the early mornings, it’s weird for me to see school buses picking up kids heading to school, but for me, there is no more of that. It’s kind of nice not to feel that hard pit in my stomach in anticipation of a tough parent conversation. It’s grand that I now have all of the hours in the day to do whatever pleases my fancy.

When we are in Israel, the days seem richer and filled with the future and not ruminations about days gone by.

In Israel, the system errs on the side of super caution; every time we scheduled one of our doctor’s appointments, we were inundated with batteries of tests on that body part with always an updated blood test mandated.

In the last six months, we have had at least six different specimens taken.

As we are still in our first year of aliyah, we decided that for our annual examinations, we would stick with our tried and true American doctors. Bob, I, and many of our new olim friends are doing the same; no one is really interested in having a stranger who is not familiar with the complexities of our health

to “discover” something “new.”

To find yourself suddenly “old” with decaying body parts is shocking. It is especially hard to believe that this is who you have become.

How many of us are caught surprised at the sight of ourselves when we walk by a showroom window? Better yet, when you look at a screen FaceTiming a family member and you look at your reflection, you wonder when you got that face?

Who is that person I see in my reflection?

So much harder still is meeting up with longtime friends, after time away, and being taken aback by their physical appearance. Aren’t we the same age? Do I look so old, too?

When did my “branches” start falling away?

Here we are visiting in America; we have seven appointments crammed into less than two weeks. Is life in your 70s and 80s mostly about going to multiple doctor visits?

As we age, we become more and more aware of the nature of time. I strongly believe that it is all about your perspective and what we do to give our lives value. For me, I hope that there will always be somewhere interesting to go to and something new to see and learn.

Life speeds by; for those of you who have always dreamed of aliyah, do it. It’s

not simple, but we have come to know that nothing of value ever really is. I have spent most of my life living in my head – overthinking and worrying about what I will do next. I choose to view this new longed-for tekufah in Israel through the lens of opportunity, be available to take advantage of the privilege of living in this land.

I loved that tree and the old little grey house that stood next to it. The “Back Cedarhurst” block is not as stately without it. Before you cut down trees, savor the great beauty to be found in the old.

Our family has moved on. It’s not simple to navigate all of the bureaucracy, and we very much miss our family and friends. We are very happy that we did!

The late comedian George Carlin would riff that for Jews, the holidays were either late or early, never on time. As we get older, we must stop waiting for the right time to pursue our dreams.

Just do it.

Barbara Deutsch is the former associate principal at HANC, middle school principal at Kushner, and Dean of Students at Yeshiva of Flatbush. A not-retired educator, she is trying to figure out life in Israel through reflections on navigating the dream of aliyah as a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.

The Wandering Jew Trips and Outings with the Kids

Part II

By Hershel Lieber

We have traveled with our children many times over the years. Part I of this article covered a few of our journeys. The current article I will devote to other destinations that we visited.

Hyde Park, Newburgh & Milton NY October 1982

This trip, as well as many others, can be labeled as a Chol Hamoed excursion. My brother Yossi, his wife Idii and their

children also came on this Chol Hamoed trip, and our first duty was to give all the kids lunch. Our first stop was Hyde Park, where we toured the Franklin D. Roosevelt Home and Library. It has a lot of historical interest, especially concerning America’s entry into World War II after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Itty and Faigy were especially fascinated when we were told about Eleanor Roosevelt and her legacy.

Our next stop was the nearby Vanderbilt Mansion. Of course, the mansion is a stately classic edifice and the interior furnishings were beautiful, nevertheless, the mansions in Newport Rhode Island were much more majestic and the decorations far more opulent. After Yossi and his family went home, we stayed overnight in Newburgh, NY. We ate in the shul’s sukkah, and I davened there as well.

The next morning after Shacharis, we drove to Milton, NY, and took a tour of the Kedem Winery to see the process that brings the final product to our table for kiddush. Then we took the kids to pick apples at a neighboring orchard for an hour. Pesi would turn the apples into her delicious compote, a Shabbos treat that has become as traditional as challah. We then went back to Newburgh to explore Washington’s Headquarters; that was followed by watching a parade of the Army cadets in nearby West Point.

Niagara Falls, Canada & Buffalo, NY – October 1986

This trip was another Chol Hamoed excursion but with a twist. We had told our kids that we were going for a two-day trip by car. They were also told that the destination would be a surprise. When we turned into the road leading to the airport, pandemonium broke out in the car. The screaming and jumping was exuberant; they could barely contain their emotions. At the time, there were very cheap flights on no-frills airlines ($19 round trip), and we took advantage of this bargain.

We flew to Buffalo, NY, where I rented a car, and we left our baggage in the hotel room. We went to the Young Israel of Buffalo to daven and eat in their sukkah. Then we drove to the Canadian Falls in the province of Ontario. It was somewhat misty and quite dark, but the falls were lit up. They were awesome but somewhat scary at night.

The next day, we started out early after I davened and ate in the sukkah. We took the Maid of the Mist boat ride at the bottom of the Falls. We were given plastic raincoats with hoods but got drenched from the heavy mist that the Falls sprayed on us anyway. It was a lot of fun for all! Then we took a view-mobile to Goat Island on the New York side of the Falls. It made many stops with great views of the rushing waters of the largest

Falls in North America.

We then ate a picnic lunch and headed off to the Canadian side. There, we took in a number of attractions, including the gorge and whirlpool areas, the daredevil gallery and the botanical clock. I was able to go to the Chabad shul there and eat in their sukkah. Then we walked through the honky-tonky tourist area, which is always a turnoff for us.

The final day of our journey was spent in Toronto where we went to see the Toronto Museum of Science. The kids loved the different exhibits, many of them hands-on. Then we relaxed in Prince Edward Park, where the kids ran around to expend their excess energy. We went to the Bathurst area of the area, which has a large Orthodox community. There, I went to shul and we ate a delicious, but not dietetic, fleishig dinner at the sukkah of the Malkat Peking restaurant. We then had a two-hour drive back to Buffalo.

In the morning, we all overslept, and I missed davening in shul. We went to see the Knox Art Museum and walked around downtown Buffalo before we flew back home. For a four-day Chol Hamoed trip, it was truly great, and our kids really enjoyed everything.

Miami Beach, Florida February 1997

I do not remember how we arranged for Chavi, 10, to leave school for an entire

At the site of the Battle of Newburgh, NY, 1982

Our family at Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park, NY ,1982 Our family at Franklin D. Roosevelt Home in Hyde Park, NY, 1982

Kedem Winery Tour in Milton, NY, 1982

week, but she did join us with Mechel, 4, for a week’s trip to Miami Beach, Florida, in February 1987. Part of the reason we went in the first place was to spend some time with Pesi’s parents, Ezriel and Baila Kroen. My in-laws rarely went to Florida for winter vacation. They had a grocery store originally in Crown Heights from the early ‘50s and then in Boro Park, and they worked long hours to make a living. They only took two weeks off in the summer and went to Zucker’s Hotel and later on to The Lake House Hotel. It was only in recent years that they started to take off a couple of weeks in the winter to go to Miami and that lasted only for three or four years. By coming to Miami, we thought we would add to their enjoyment just by being there and taking them to some places with their grandchildren. Without going into a day-by-day account, our presence added pleasure to my in-laws’ stay in Florida, while our children enjoyed Miami’s most notable attractions. The beach and the ocean are undoubtedly the city’s greatest assets, and we were able to find many isolated areas where we could be together as a family. The kids frolicked in the ocean even though it was not very warm. They

loved the waves and built sand castles surrounded by moats filled with seawater. On our first trip to the beach, we all got burnt to a crisp which taught us a lesson in the importance of sunscreen.

Pesi’s parents joined us for an outing to Parrot Jungle and were captivated by the different species of birds and small animals. The shows were entertaining for the entire family, as was the opportunity to pose for photos with parrots on one’s shoulders. On our last day, we took the kids to Planet Ocean, a science museum. We also took them shopping at Lincoln Mall and ate out in restaurants a few times.

On Shabbos, we ate together in my inlaws’ cramped apartment, but it did not matter to us as they were so happy that we were there and together. Our children got to meet three of my father-in-law’s sisters and their spouses and some family from Detroit. I had an extra bonus when I joined my father-in-law for Shabbos Shalosh Seudos at HaRav Mendel Kravitz, a”h, the former Rosh Yeshiva of RJJ. He was the father-in-law of HaRav Hillel David, shlita, with whom I learned together for nearly fifty years.

During that trip, we also met a few friends who we went out with. All in all, it was a great trip for us, our children, and of course, for my in-laws.

Hartford, Connecticut – April 1989

Hartford does not sound like a very

exciting destination, and it isn’t, yet our Chol Hamoed trip was a success. Our first stop was the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. The castle-like building has a noteworthy collection European Baroque Art, Egyptian and Classical bronzes, French and American Impressionist paintings, and much more. We understand that art museums are not a favorite form of entertainment for children, but we developed a method of educating them while turning the museum experience into a “fun” activity. We took the kids to Bushnell Park where we played ball. I still find it hard to believe that I played ball as I have no inclination for any sports! In the evening, the kids went swimming in the empty hotel pool.

The next day, we took a tour of downtown Hartford, which included the Prudential Tower and the State Capitol. It was an overnight trip, but we packed in a lot.

Poconos, Allentown

& Pottsville October 1990

On another Chol Hamoed trip, we took

Faigy, Chavi and Mechel to the Pocono Mountains, where we went mule riding. I rode the mule, though I felt sorry that he had to carry so much weight. The kids loved the whole experience. We stayed in Allentown, where there was a shul and a sukkah. Our daughter Itty and Levi Yitzchok joined us. Our kids went swimming at night in the hotel.

The next day, we drove to Pottsville and took a tour of the Yuengling Beer Brewery, which was interesting and educational. Then, we went to Roadside America, which recreated a village with a railroad in miniature form in an indoor building covering 8,000-square-feet in Shartlesville, PA. The kids loved it, especially the moving trains and the interactive animations. Again, a short trip but long on entertainment.

Over the years, we have done many more day trips with our children, The ones I chose to write about are just a sampling of our outings. Writing about them has been very nostalgic and brought back many fond memories.

Hershel Lieber has been involved in kiruv activities for over 30 years. As a founding member of the Vaad L’Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel he has traveled with his wife, Pesi, to the Soviet Union during the harsh years of the Communist regimes to advance Yiddishkeit. He has spearheaded a yeshiva in the city of Kishinev that had 12 successful years with many students making Torah their way of life. In Poland, he lectured in the summers at the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation camp for nearly 30 years. He still travels to Warsaw every year – since 1979 – to be the chazzan for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur for the Jews there. Together with Pesi, he organized and led trips to Europe on behalf of Gateways and Aish Hatorah for college students finding their paths to Jewish identity. His passion for travel has taken them to many interesting places and afforded them unique experiences. Their open home gave them opportunities to meet and develop relationships with a variety of people. Hershel’s column will appear in The Jewish Home on a bi-weekly basis.

At the State Capitol in Hartford, 1989

Niagara Falls, 1986

Mechel survives the Falls, 1986

Fall foliage in Buffalo, NY, 1986

Chavi & Mechel in Miami Beach, 1987

Chavi & Mechel in Parrot Jungle, 1987

Nation

WDavid Sacks From Hollywood to Hashem

By Eliyahu RosEnBERg

hen David Sacks got into Harvard, he thought the toughest obstacle of his college career was behind him. He was a government major with vague dreams of going to law school. He got good grades. He was smart, funny, and kind-hearted. What more can you want from an 18-year-old?

In His Words…

But while David was a successful student and a great kid, he wasn’t exactly the kind of person you’d expect to see roaming the halls of Harvard University. You see, he didn’t carry himself with that token “Ivy League” prestige. Like colors clashing in a painting, David didn’t seem to mesh well with Harvard’s socially aristocratic

all of our souls are connected. a nd you have to feel another person’s pain like it’s your own––not to depress you, but to uplift others.

Even if you’re doing a small part of a mitzvah, that in itself is infinite. a nd that’s good to know because the yetzer hara, the evil inclination, wants to trick us into thinking that everything is all or nothing: that if you’re not doing the entire thing, then you’re doing nothing. a nd that’s just a lie.

i think all of us feel deep down that something is missing... a nd a lot of us don’t know what to do with that sense. We try to fill it with different things: food, career, money, drugs, relationships, pleasure, entertainment. a nd nothing fits. a nd the reason nothing fits is because it’s a g-d-shaped hole. The only thing that fits is g-d.

sometimes, people ask, ‘What’s it’s like to be in the hollywood world and the frum world?’ a nd i don’t understand the question. it’s all g-d’s world. The only thing going on 24/7 is hashem.

atmosphere. The boy’s humbleness—his authenticity and approachability—was unique, to say the least, in a college as grand as Harvard, with its tall, majestic ceilings, polished stone floors, and ivy-decorated halls.

One experience, in particular, brought that fact—that he wasn’t as prestigious as his peers—to David’s attention. It was at the end of his freshman year that he overheard a conversation that, in his words, changed everything.

“What are you doing this summer?” David heard one student ask another.

“Oh, I’m going trekking in Asia!” they boasted. “And you?”

“I’m doing a banking internship at JP Morgan,” the other student casually replied.

As the two discussed their fancy summer plans, David flew into a confused frenzy. No one told him he needed to do something special during his vacation. He had no summer plans! What was he going to do?

“I remember thinking, ‘I thought you just had to get into this place! I didn’t know you had to do something fancy on your summer vacation.’ So, I called my mother,” David Sacks recalls. “I said, ‘Mom, what should I do?’ And she said, ‘Well, I could talk to the superintendent, and you could be the elevator man in our building.’ I grew up on 79th in Broadway. I said, ‘Make the call.’ And she called me right back and said, ‘You got the job.’”

Did David care that spending a summer in his building’s elevator wasn’t quite on par with his classmates’ experiences? Not at all. He was just happy to have a plan for the summer.

“I felt bad because even though I got

high grades, I wasn’t a good student. I’m probably the least studious person you could imagine. My wife calls me the world’s laziest workaholic!” David quips. “Anyway, I imagined all my classmates had read all these great fancy books— and I hadn’t read any of them. So, to keep myself sane on the elevator, I decided I would start trying to read as many of the great books as I could. And that was a life-changing experience.

“I really experienced a calling to become a writer. So, being an elevator man changed my life and led to my career… At the time, it was very natural. My mom got me a job, so I became an elevator man. And I didn’t think twice about it. I imagine I could have said, ‘An elevator man? Are you kidding me? That’s beneath my dignity.’ But that didn’t even occur to me,” he continues. “The reason I’m bringing this up is that you don’t know how G-d runs the world, and you don’t know what thing another thing leads to. And so, if you get an opportunity, whatever it may be, take the opportunity. It will lead to something else. Don’t be a big shot.”

David fell in love with reading, writing, and creativity. His new-found interests led him to the highly-competitive Harvard Lampoon, the oldest humor magazine in the country. Unlike most clubs at Harvard, the Lampoon, despite its extreme selectiveness, didn’t carry an air of prestige or pretentiousness. On the contrary, the writing team was, as David jokes, a “conglomeration of weirdos”—a group of off-beat, interesting college students who happened to be hilarious.

David made the cut for the Lampoon And, as was the case with many comedy greats, the Lampoon’s writing room

served as David’s training grounds for professional TV comedy writing. “I was being given an education without even realizing it,” David points out. “The repartee, the back and forth, the conversation was so quick and clever that if you were able to keep up with those people and even top them, that basically mimicked the dynamic of a professional Hollywood comedy writing room.”

Though writing began as a hobby, David soon realized he had a deep passion for creativity—so deep that he wanted to make creative writing his career. Specifically, he dreamed of working as a writer for television. And so, as soon as he graduated from Harvard, David Sacks embarked on an ambitious job search, scouring Hollywood for a writing position.

A month and a half later, David got the call he’d been waiting for. It was his first big break: HBO hired him as a writer for a comedy news program. From there, he went on to write for several other shows. And with time, David became an incredible writing success.

Before he knew it, he had won an Emmy for his work on a TV show called “The Simpsons” and a Golden Globe Award for the comedy TV hit, “3rd Rock from the Sun.”

“When I was 24 years old, I realized I’d been blessed with so many things in my life. I had set high goals for myself, and I was granted the opportunity to do different things that I really wanted to do. And I wanted to say thank you to G-d,” David shares. “For me, I felt like the best way that I could say thank you to Hashem was by keeping Shabbos.”

David was grateful for his great career success. But he’d seen enough of life to know that something was missing. There was a void in his life that he couldn’t fill with worldly possessions or transient accomplishments. He wanted to be connected to something eternal.

dilemma: “All of us are created with a G-dshaped hole inside of us.”

“We’ve all done jigsaw puzzles. Imagine you have a space where a piece is missing. If you put the wrong piece in, you can bang on it and bang on it, but it’s not going to fit. It’s got to be the right piece,” he explains. “I think all of us feel deep down that something is missing. The more sensitive we are as human beings, the more we’re in touch with that aspect that we feel is missing. And a lot of us don’t know what to do with that sense. We try to fill it with different things: food, career, money, drugs, relationships, pleasure, entertainment. And nothing fits. And the reason nothing fits is because it’s a G-d-shaped hole. The only thing that fits is G-d.” * * *

David Sacks was six years old when he had what he calls his “first memory of G-d.”

“Someone told me, ‘When you burp, you’re supposed to say excuse me.’ And I remember one night, I was sitting alone in my kitchen, and I burped. And I had this very philosophical question,” David recalls. “There’s no one here. Am I supposed to say, ‘Excuse me?’ And then I thought, ‘G-d is here.’ And so I said, ‘Excuse me.’ And I wonder: How did I know to do that?”

Though David’s family growing up wasn’t frum, they were proudly Jewish. Every night, David’s mother would sit on his bed and say Shema with him. His childhood summers were marked by fond memories of going to a camp with a daily Torah shiur. And he and his family members were regulars at the shul of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, who was like a father to him and whose influence later inspired David’s passion for chassidus.

It took around ten years for David to become fully frum. But from the ages 15 to 24, he stayed connected to Judaism in various ways. For example, he committed to putting on his shoes and socks in accordance with the Torah: first put on your right sock, then your left sock, then your right shoe, then your left shoe, then tie your left shoe, and then tie your right shoe.

“I remember thinking during that period, ‘Well, at least I’m doing this.’ But, I’ll tell you, there was a big point in doing that. Because each mitzvah is infinite. Each mitzvah contains all the other mitzvos. And each mitzvah itself is infinite, which means that if you take a part of infinity, that part is also infinite,” explains David. “Ideally, we get to the point where we’re keeping the full mitzvah. But even if you’re doing a small part of a mitzvah, that in itself is infinite. And that’s good to know because the yetzer hara, the evil inclination, wants to trick us into thinking that everything is all or nothing: that if you’re not doing the entire thing, then you’re doing nothing. And that’s just a lie.

on the LIRR from Manhattan to the Five Towns. The train was empty. Not a yarmulke was in sight. And so, he decided to use the quiet commute time to immerse himself in Torah learning, delving into the Ropshitzer Rebbe’s great chassidic sefer Zera Kodesh.

Suddenly, David looked up to see a chassid standing on the LIRR—with peyos, a beard, a hat, and a long black coat—staring at him and the sefer in David’s hands.

“You’re learning Zera Kodesh, right?” the chassid asked David.

“Yeah,” David responded.

“Why?”

David’s response required no thought whatsoever.

“Because I’m a Jew, and this is Torah,” David declared.

Torah is at the center of David Sacks’ life. For the past 33 years, David has been learning with his rebbi every morning five days a week. He particularly loves learning Bereishis, his birth parsha.

David once heard a quote that really summed up his

Although he didn’t have a religious upbringing, David, from a young age, was raised to love G-d and Judaism. David recalls going to shul on Simchas Torah when he was 15 years old. “I remember dancing with the Torah,” he recounts. “And I remember holding the Torah and having this feeling that this is my entire life—that this is all I wanted in my life.”

“I once thought of an example of that. Imagine you’re walking down the street. And sadly, there’s a homeless person lying across the sidewalk. You see that person and you say to yourself, ‘When’s the last time that person had a good meal? Like a steak dinner? I would like to buy that person a steak dinner,’” David continues. “And you reach into your pocket, and you pull out a $10 bill. And you say, ‘That’s not going to buy him a steak dinner.’ And you keep on walking past the man. Now, meanwhile, he would have loved that $10! So, our soul is like that homeless person, so to speak. Our soul wants any Torah, any piece of a mitzvah. And we have to be kind to it, we have to be charitable and not be fooled into this black and white kind of thinking.”

At age 24, David finally felt ready to make the leap to frumkeit. He became Shomer Shabbos, and he hasn’t looked back since.

* * *

David Sacks was recently traveling

David teaches Torah, as well. He’s working on a book with chassidic wisdom about building a personal relationship with Hashem. And he also has a biweekly podcast called “Spiritual Tools for an Outrageous World,” where he discusses the parsha and Torah wisdom.

His love of Torah runs in his family, too. Recently, David’s youngest son spearheaded the creation of an Artscroll sefer about the life of the Kotzker Rebbe, a great Chassidic master.

As a teacher of Torah, David Sacks also serves as the spiritual leader and senior lecturer of the “Happy Minyan,” a beloved Los Angeles minyan run in the tradition of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.

But David’s favorite mitzvah, above all else, is the most important one of all: loving and believing in Hashem.

David Sacks declares, “Sometimes, people ask, ‘What’s it’s like to be in the Hollywood world and the frum world?’ And I don’t understand the question. It’s all G-d’s world. The only thing going on 24/7 is Hashem.”

Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…

Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

Dear Navidaters,

I appreciate reading your column every week. I’m writing in regard to a hard situation I find myself in. I am a 34-year-old guy who has been told many times that I have everything going for me. The problem is, without giving too much detail, I’ve been told that my interesting job, which requires a lot of travel, as well as all of my plethora of volunteering dubs me as “a little bit out there” or “too much” for your typical frum girl.

I am looking for a solid frum girl, not necessarily a run-of-the-mill type but someone basically solid frum, modern machmir type. The type of girl I am looking for does not usually say yes to me, and when they do, it doesn’t last more than a couple of dates. There are some girls that would be interested but I am not interested in them – either they are not my type or too nerdy or I’m not attracted (attraction is very important to me).

I’m starting to wonder if marriage will ever happen for me. Is there anything I can do to make things turn around?

Please advise.

Thanks, Danny*

The Panel

Dear Readers,

We want to offer YOU an opportunity to be part of the discussion! Please email us at MichelleMondShadchan@gmail.com, subject line “reader’s response,” if you would like to participate in the new “A Reader’s Response” columnist spot. We will send you a question and publish your answer in an upcoming Navidaters edition.

If you have a question you would like the Navidaters to answer, please reach out to this email as well.

Looking forward!

Michelle, the “Shadchan”

The Rebbetzin

Rebbetzin Lisa Babich

Hi and thank you for your question. I had two separate thoughts when I read your question, and I will share them each separately.

Firstly, I find the premise of your question to be based on where you live. For example, I live in Manhattan where there are many colorful frum singles with interesting jobs and hobbies. I don’t think someone would be quickly dismissed just because their work is “out of the box.” It could be in a neighborhood that is less eclectic, these things tend to stick out more.

Perhaps you are looking in the wrong circles. There are many frum girls who would appreciate someone with an interesting lifestyle as long as it’s compatible with also building a home. You did mention that you travel a lot, and I can imagine that a girl would want some reassurance that her husband will be home and present and part of the family. However, many jobs require people to travel, and as a couple, you can usually figure out a happy medium together.

The second point I was thinking is that I wonder if some of the girls who are in a more “cookie cutter” background are not interested because of your job or because of your personality? What do I mean? Sometimes people who are attracted to more eclectic work are people who also have more eclectic personalities. I am saying this in a good way but also in a way that promotes self-awareness. It could be you need a girl who is a little out-of-the-box herself. Perhaps someone very frum but not the exact Bais Yaakov mold in every way. It’s important that you are being honest with yourself and who you are when you are looking for a certain type. It is very possible

that a girl with a more quirky personality would appreciate your interests, hobbies, and out-of-the-box lifestyle as you would appreciate her spunk and open-mindedness to life.

There are many wonderful and frum girls out there who are open-minded and would even be excited to date someone with such an interesting job and lifestyle. I do believe if you are open to going a bit outside your community and stereotypical image you can find her!

The Shadchan

Michelle Mond

Your situation is undoubtedly disheartening, and I can imagine it feels very frustrating. I would like to pose a possibility that might help you beginning with a comparison.

There is a man named Ben who has an item that he would like to purchase. This item is high quality, however Ben has rigid price requirements and only wants a specific brand of this item (no off-brands, similar items, different packaging, or dupes). He goes into store after store but with no success. Some stores carry the item, but it is not within his price requirement. Some stores carry items that are very similar but a bit different. Ben has been looking for this item for years, and as the years go on, this item becomes even more expensive and hard to attain. Ben starts to panic, and suddenly he comes to a conclusion about what the real problem is: HIS CAR. The car he is driving is the wrong type of car to drive him to the stores to buy the item he is looking for. He does not have money to buy a new car but goes around sadly blaming his old car on the fact that he cannot buy this item he desperately wants and needs. As you have probably surmised by now,

the car has nothing to do with Ben not being able to purchase the item. Similarly, your comment about your job and profession, I feel is a red herring. It is a distraction from the real issue. If Ben would like to finally purchase this item, he has to make a cognitive choice. Ben must come to the realization that to finally get the item he wants, he has to purchase a different brand of this same item.

I see this so many times with the singles that I set up as they get older. The exact “make and model” they are looking for does not match the person looking for it. Of course, the single can pursue whomever he/she wants, but that does not mean this person will find someone in this category who will accept and want them. This leads to years and years of frustration, confusion and loneliness.

You must work on your self-awareness, possibly with a dating coach (I work on this, too, with my coaching clients, and it does wonders). Discuss the issues at hand to come to a nice conclusion regarding what kind of woman is the most likely to appreciate, respect, and want to spend a life with you. That will ultimately be the avenue you will take that will lead you to finally settle down with your bashert.

The Zaidy

Dr. Jeffrey Galler

This is what I gather from your letter:

You are a 34-year-old guy with an important job that requires some travelling. Besides your job, you do a lot of volunteering. You are looking for a solid, frum, modern machmir, attractive girl but are having trouble finding the right one.

My initial reaction was, “Why is this great guy having a problem?!” There are, unfortunately, so many, many wonderful, qualified young women who fit your criteria, who are almost DESPERATELY looking for someone like you.

So, there is something wrong here. I am wondering if there is something in your past that has given you a bad reputation? Or, perhaps, you are, somehow, not presenting yourself properly on dates. Do you get any helpful feedback from the shadchanim you have spoken with?

In this column, I like to emphasize a common sense solution to problems, because, sadly, common sense is often very uncommon. I hardly ever recommend ther-

apists or counselors, but you, personally, could benefit from seeing a dating counselor, who might help you discover why you’re having difficulty.

I asked a good friend of mine, who is a very successful shadchan, if she had any advice for you. This is what she wrote:

“I think he should read an excellent book that I just read, called ‘How Not to Die Alone,’ by Logan Yuri. In the author’s opinion, falling in love is more a decision than an emotion, and categorizes people as either Maximizers or Satisficers.

“A maximizer constantly seeks the absolute best option, meticulously evaluating every potential partner, leading to decision paralysis and feelings of dissatisfaction, even when choosing a good match.

“By contrast, satisficers are folks who settle for a ‘good enough’ option, make decisions more quickly, and generally feel happier with their choices, even if it’s not technically the ‘perfect’ one.

“Essentially then, maximizers strive for perfection while satisficers prioritize contentment with a reasonable choice.

“These are her key points about maximizers and satisficers:

• Decision-making: Maximizers overthink and compare options endlessly, while satisficers make decisions more readily once they find a satisfactory option.

• Happiness: Satisficers tend to be happier with their decisions because they focus on the positive aspects of their choice rather than constantly questioning if there was a ‘better’ option.

• Dating context: A maximizer might constantly swipe left on dating apps, always searching for the ‘perfect’ partner, while a satisficer might be more open to forming a connection with someone who meets their basic needs and is willing to invest in the relationship.

“The author’s premise is that you need to change your mindset in order to become a satisficer. It might be a good read for this 34-year-old guy.”

Reader’s Response

Isaiah Cox

The Curmudgeon

Let’s start with a simple choice: either you change your tastes (and marry a nice but nerdier girl) or you change your behavior. Because I am a hopeless romantic, I am going to assume that you would

prefer to embrace the challenge of changing your behavior rather than “settling” for a girl you find less attractive. Here goes!

While the type of girl you are interested in does not usually accept a date, it is clear that you are achieving at least some dates, which means that you do occasionally get the opportunity to make it work. All of this suggests that the problem is not your job, travel or volunteering. The problem is your behavior.

It may well be that you sim-

ply are going about the sales process the wrong way. I am sure your work is fantastic and interesting. I am equally confident that everyone you talk to thinks it is equally great. But is it possible that the way in which you present yourself is, as you say, “too much”?

In the animal kingdom, females gravitate to the Alpha. The Alpha can be as self-absorbed as he likes, because females gravitate toward power. And although most of humanity are guided by similar

Pulling It All Together

The Navidaters

Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

Dear Danny,

Thanks for writing in. First off, I just want to say that I really hear you. You’re not just venting; you’re genuinely trying to understand what’s going on and why things aren’t clicking. That kind of self-awareness is huge, and it tells me you’re the type of guy who is willing to do the inner work, which is half the battle.

It sounds like you’re in a frustrating loop; the women you want don’t seem to go for you and the ones who do aren’t a match for you, whether because of attraction, personality, or just a lack of chemistry. That’s a tough spot to be in, especially when people keep telling you that you “have everything going for you.” It must be frustrating wondering why this isn’t translating into a lasting relationship.

Here’s what stands out to me:

1. How Are You Being Perceived?

You describe yourself as someone with an interesting job, a lot of travel, and a big passion for volunteering. That’s incredible, but is it possible that the way you present it makes women feel like you’re more of a “free spirit” than a guy who’s ready to build a stable home? I’m not saying you should

instincts, Jewish women are generally not that weak-minded. Instead, they want to be fully involved in their relationships, not merely ancillary to their husbands. No wife wants to be allocated a slice of her husband’s time and energies; she wants to be part of your life!

Have you ever challenged yourself to try to see yourself through the eyes of the young ladies? That can be uncomfortable, to be sure, but it is also necessary for deep and strong relationships.

Guys who like to talk about themselves are not Grade A material in the frum world. So ask yourself: when you go on a date, who does most of the talking?

Yes, women might be impressed by a guy who has a cool profession. But more than that: they want a great guy who thinks that they are remarkable and interesting and special. Are you asking real and serious questions about her, who

she is, and what she is looking for in life? After three dates, you should know more about her than you know about the organizations you volunteer for.

If you take a real interest in the young lady across the table, then you can make the sale much more easily: she needs to see that you are the kind of man who makes a good living, who cares about other people (through your volunteer work), but who will, absolutely, prioritize your wife and family above all else. That means understanding that, for example, trade-offs will have to be made (certainly on the volunteering, and possibly even on the job) to ensure that you are in fact the kind of man to whom she wants to commit the rest of her life.

After all, marriage should not be about merely changing your status – it is about having a life.

Good hunting!

change who you are, but I do wonder if small shifts in how you frame things could change how you’re being received.

For example, instead of “I travel a lot and do a ton of volunteering,” it might be, “I have a job I love, I’m very passionate about chessed, and I’m looking for someone who shares my values and wants to build a warm, solid home with me.” Same facts, different vibe.

2. Are You Open to Attraction Developing?

You said attraction is very important to you—and you are absolutely right. It matters. You shouldn’t be with someone you aren’t drawn to. But you also mentioned that the women who are interested in you tend to feel “too nerdy” or “not your type.” It makes me wonder—are you leaving room for attraction to grow over time? Sometimes, attraction isn’t immediate, but chemistry builds when there’s depth, shared values, and real emotional connection.

I’m not suggesting you force yourself

to be into someone. But I am wondering if your “type” is filtering out women who could actually be a great match for your personality and lifestyle. Just something to sit with.

3. Are You Looking in the Right Places?

It sounds like you’re looking for a solid, frum woman who isn’t totally conventional—someone with depth but also a little bit of an adventurous streak. That’s a very specific balance. Have you considered widening your search? The shidduch system tends to favor predictability, and you’re not necessarily a predictable guy. Maybe the kind of woman you’d connect with is out there, but she’s just not in the usual dating circles.

Would you be open to meeting people in different ways—through professional networks, volunteering, mutual friends, or even just social events where you get to know people without the pressure of dating right away? Sometimes, the right person is in the room, but you won’t know unless you step out of the usual formula.

4. Marriage Will Happen for You— But Not on Anyone Else’s Timeline

You asked if marriage will ever happen for you. I feel the weight of that question, and I get it. It’s hard to watch other people pair up while you feel like you’re spinning your wheels. But people who are a little different—who have big personalities, big dreams, and a strong sense of self—often take longer to find their person. Not because they’re “too much,” but because their match is just as unique as they are.

I truly believe you’ll find your person. It just might require looking at things from a new angle—whether that’s tweaking how you present yourself, being open to chemistry building over time, or expanding where you meet people.

I know the waiting is hard. But when it happens, it’ll be with someone who sees you, who loves your energy and your passion, and who is just as excited to build something real with you.

Hang in there, Danny. You’re not doing anything wrong; you’re just looking for something rare. And that takes time.

Wishing you clarity and the right person at the right time.

Warmly, Jennifer

School of Thought

By Etti Siegel

Q:

Dear Etti,

My lower elementary school-age child seems clumsier than my other children. We all are klutzes at some point, but I have been noticing that family members are always calling him out as he bumps into things. I am worried about school and his social life.

Any ideas?

-Worried Mom

A:Dear Worried Mom, It can be hard to watch a child who doesn’t seem to have a great sense of spatiality.

Some children naturally develop motor skills at a different pace, but when a child is significantly more uncoordinated than their peers, it is time to investigate.

In preschool it becomes obvious when children have trouble making the hand gestures for songs like “The Wheels on the Bus” and other circle-time songs. They have trouble holding crayons or a paintbrush. As they grow older, it can show up in social circles and learning time.

Children who frequently drop things, struggle with buttons, or avoid physical activities may have Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia. (Until it was studied, this was called clumsy child syndrome.)

DCD is not a problem with muscle strength; rather, it’s a disconnect between the brain and the body, making it hard for a child to execute movements smoothly.

Occupational therapist Lindsey Biel, MA, OTR/L, explains that “everything works – they just can’t pull it together.” Some children struggle with fine motor skills like handwriting or using utensils, while others have difficulty with gross motor skills, such as catching a ball or riding a bike.

Dr. Matthew Cruger, a senior neuropsychologist at the Child Mind Institute, emphasizes that DCD only becomes a concern when it significantly interferes with daily tasks like dressing, grooming, playing, or schoolwork. Children with this condition may struggle with motor planning, meaning they have difficulty learning and repeating movements efficiently. This can make everyday tasks, such as tying shoes, feel overwhelming.

The good news is that with occupational therapy, children with DCD can improve their coordination

through structured practice. Biel highlights that while a typically developing child might learn a new motor skill quickly, children with DCD need significantly more practice, sometimes with hand-overhand assistance or visual cues. With support and patience, they can develop their skills over time.

It’s also important to recognize that every child has strengths. Biel shares an inspiring example of a child who struggled to ride a bike but became an excellent dancer. Some children may never master certain tasks, and that’s okay! Practical solutions, like using Velcro shoes instead of tying laces, can help reduce frustration.

Praise their persistence and creativity as they figure out how to overcome challenging situations.

Dr. Cruger encourages parents and educators to take more time to teach skills in a structured way, rather than assuming children will pick them up naturally. This not only helps children with DCD but also boosts their confidence and reduces the risk of social isolation.

Your child may or may not have DCD. But if he is clumsy, you can help!

The ways you can help your child include having more fun time together. Encourage all your children, not just your struggling child, to build with blocks of all kinds, knead playdough, thread beads or popcorn, do puzzles, and play with many other toys and activities that increase coordination. Play Simon Says, hopscotch, and encourage chalk drawing. Bake challah and cookies! When it is done as a family, motivation trumps frustration, especially when you are all having fun!

If you can sign your child up for swimming, dance, or martial arts, these are very positive places for a child to become more aware of their body without the com-

petition that might lead to bullying from peers.

Practice an activity with your child and do hand-over-hand guidance so they have your hands doing the activity on top of their hands while they do the activity the first time.

Remember not to rush your child or show impatience. And definitely don’t swoop in to “do it correctly.” Celebrate effort instead of the end result, and watch the end result improve.

Offer Velcro shoes, pencil grips (they have such cute ones available now!), and adaptive scissors to make life easier for your child when you can, without making your child too different. Most importantly, be your child’s biggest supporter. Focus on what they CAN do, not just what they struggle with. Praise their persistence and creativity as they figure out how to overcome challenging situations. Help them see that they are capable and unique, just like every other child.

Your child’s challenges are real, but with patience, encouragement, and possibly the support of an occupational therapist, they can build on their strengths and develop the skills they need.

If you’d like to explore this further, consulting with a professional, such as an occupational therapist or a pediatrician, could help you determine the best support for your child.

You’re doing the right thing by seeking guidance, and your support will make all the difference in helping him thrive!

Hatzlacha, - Etti

be answering

Parenting Pearls Anger Management

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

It happens even though we try so hard to prevent it. We get frustrated or angry, and we say or do things we shouldn’t. We may yell or speak sarcastically. Perhaps we gave an excessively harsh punishment. While there are many ways an angry person can act, none of them are pretty.

It’s often surprising how even the gentlest parent can respond when angry. I’ve seen outwardly calm and controlled adults turn into shrieking monsters when confronting a toddler. Anger is painful, both to the one personally experiencing it and to the recipient of the response. It is extra damaging for a child to be on the receiving end of an angry parent. As we’re not malachim, it’s almost inevitable that we will become upset, but it’s still important to minimize the frequency and level of our response.

By working to control our negative emotions we can model for our children the importance of working on one’s middos. Expressing beautiful lofty ideas about good middos isn’t as powerful as demonstrating for our children how much we take our own behavior seriously.

This article is assuming the general situations when a parent gets upset and may yell or say something regretful. Unfortunately, there are times that anger leads to abuse – physical or emotional. Such painful and dangerous situations need to be immediately referred to pro -

fessionals who can help the family. We can’t let our discomfort in speaking out stop us from saving a child.

Tips and Techniques

There are many techniques parents can use to calm down. Different techniques work for different people, and it’s important to find what works for that individual. I’d like to mention a few of the available options, and parents can try each out to see what works best for them. Many individuals will benefit from having more than one to use when the need arises.

There are different reasons these techniques can help calm a person down. One way is they distract the person from their current feelings and redirect their attention elsewhere. They also create a delay which gives time for the anger to dissipate. Some of the techniques work to actively change the person’s feelings, producing sensations of calm or love instead of the current emotion.

Delaying your response is a simple way to not do something regretful. Most of the time, we don’t need to respond immediately, even if our anger tells us to do so. Unless a child is in danger or hurting another, you can usually wait a bit before responding. Discussing the issue later is especially helpful with older children and teens. It’s important to note that very young children have limited atten-

tion spans and are unlikely to remember something if it’s discussed later.

Counting is a simple way to refocus yourself and calm down. You can count up or down, whichever is preferred. Many like the number ten, but some parents may need higher or lower numbers. To be most effective, the counting should be done slowly, at an even pace and tone. The counting provides an opportunity to refocus and calm down, which is only possible with a slow, even count.

Keeping your tone even and lowering your volume is surprisingly effective at helping soothe an angry adult. We assume our actions must follow our emotions, but often, our actions can actually control our feelings. Speaking in a low and even voice requires concentration, and it naturally tones down the body’s response.

It’s helpful to remember the child’s age and development. A two-year-old can cause a serious ruckus, but we can remind ourselves that the child is still in diapers. A teen may be speaking disrespectfully but remembering the many physical changes they’re going through can help us have compassion before responding.

It can also be helpful to remember how much we love them. Even when we’re angry we can usually tap into how much we love and adore that child. Thinking about all the times they are sweet and acting innocent can also work.

Switching your breathing into a calm and even pattern is incredibly effective at soothing the mind and relaxing the body. There are many ways to do this, but they usually involve breathing in slowly to a count (for example, counting to five) in order to elongate the length of the inhale. The same is done when exhaling. You can consciously relax your body while doing this, if that’s helpful. Many mothers may be familiar with this technique as it’s often taught in childbirth classes. Relaxing breathing is one of my personal favorites because it’s also good when experiencing stress or having trouble sleeping – it’s incredibly universal.

Putting on music or moving your body can be helpful for calming down and letting out steam. Music speaks to us in a way that goes beyond words, and body movement brings out emotions when healthy verbalizing is a challenge. There are times that a parent is unable to calm themselves down and is at risk of taking out their anger. In these situations, the best response may be for the adult to remove themselves from the area until they calm down. Ensure the children are safe first and step away to use one of the techniques above.

It’s my suggestion to practice these techniques when you’re calm. Many of them can only be used effectively if you’re already proficient in them. For example, it’s very hard to first learn to

breathe calmly when you’re furious and ready to explode. If you’re experienced at it then not only will you be able to access it when you need to, but your body will already be trained to calm itself just from the motion.

It’s important to remember that you can have every trick, but they only work if you use them. Sometimes, parents erroneously think that just knowing information will help, but with anger management, the techniques only work if you put them into practice.

It’s very hard to control our emotions – especially anger. There are some people who are unable to control their anger no matter how many tips and tricks they learn. Some individuals will find inspiration from a sefer or the teachings of Chazal on the dangers of anger, but for many, it may be necessary to work with a professional when they find the standard techniques are insufficient. A professional will have more tips and tricks and can help guide you in correctly implementing the ones you already have. For some adults, their high level of anger is related to a different emotional issue and a professional can help address whatever is the root cause of their strong emotions. Many adults may be embarrassed to

seek help for anger issues. It can help to remember that professionals who work in this field know not to judge the many individuals who come to them for this issue. It can also be motivating remembering how dangerous an angry parent can be to a child – and we owe them the best we can be.

place, but we still want to do whatever damage control we can afterwards. Some may be afraid it diminishes their kavod to admit their mistakes to a child, but I think the way we misbehaved was the bigger risk to our kavod.

Even parents can apologize to children. Apologies need to be sincere and

By working to control our negative emotions, we can model for our children the importance of working on one’s middos.

Even a generally calm parent may struggle with anger management when under major stress or other life changes. These individuals should reach out for the support they need to help them get through their current challenges. Ignoring it and hoping it goes away is not very effective.

Fixing the Mess

It’s ideal to not get angry in the first

not accusatory or shifting the blame. “I’m sorry I yelled, but if you hadn’t done that I wouldn’t have gotten angry” is a fake apology and blaming the child for the adult’s behavior. As the big people in this relationship, we are certainly responsible for our own actions.

A child may act up, but they don’t “force” the parent to misbehave. Our incorrect actions, such as becoming overly angry, are not a natural consequence to

their behavior. This is different from a parent responding appropriately to misbehavior which can be considered a natural consequence. For example, the natural consequence for a child who didn’t come home in time may involve a serious discussion or losing the privilege of going to a friend’s house after school. Losing control and shrieking angrily would not be a natural consequence.

We can still use this opportunity to properly guide the child in a way we didn’t before. “I was wrong for yelling, but now that I’m calm, we still need to discuss your responsibility to come home when you say you’re going to.”

Children test our middos, but it’s through this that we get the chance to grow. It is very hard to control one’s anger – much harder than an article can describe – but with persistence and tefillos we can do more than we thought possible. Any improvement is a big success and will yield brachos.

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

Health & F tness

Hugging Your Teenager

By Hylton I. Lightman, MD, DCH (SA), FAAP

Here’s a loaded question: when’s the last time you hugged your tween or teenager?

It’s easy to hug babies. To a newborn, a parent’s love may be as important as food. They want to be hugged from the first moment of life. They’re cute and so vulnerable that you have to restrain yourself not to hug them. A parent’s affectionate touch has a long arm, from boosting a newborn’s healthy development to shaping the child’s brain later on.

A study published in the August 2016 issue of Cerebral Cortex demonstrated that school-age children who were touched often by their mothers have greater brain activity across the part of the brain controlling social behavior. In other words, it affects things so a person treats a peer differently than a rock.

Affectionate, loving parental touch matters. It matters in many ways, especially with boosting children’s brain development.

Let’s now focus on tweens and teens.

Sometime between the ages of 9 and 13, a child (we know they hate to be called by that word) begins the journey called “adolescence.” It’s an important journey because it transitions one from childhood into adulthood. It isn’t easy, either for them or for us parents.

During this time, young people reject what they deem are childish ways, interests and likes, in order to act more

grown up. One of the possible “casualties” along the way is electing to give up the expressing and the accepting of physical affection with parents. Sometimes, they might just be expressing. Other times, it might be just the accepting. And at other times, it might be both. The child does this to show they no longer want to be treated and defined as a child.

When the adolescent-in-process gives up the accepting and/or expressing of physical affection with a parent, he can create a loss that he may never quite get over – the letting go of a powerful non-verbal intimacy with parents. You may find this child to be more standoffish and physically unresponsive, shying away from the old contact because he now believes it is inappropriate, embarrassing and even diminishing the status he is seeking.

Between you and me, you can tell when your child – oops, I mean young adult-in-the-making – misses the parental touch. Watch what happens when they see Mom or Dad cuddling a much younger child. There are comments like, “Why don’t you stop hugging on her?” Or, “You’re going to spoil him!” Don’t be surprised when a little while later, the teenager engages in some age teasing of the much younger sibling . That same teenager could possibly come in the kitchen late at night and want to dance

with you. My advice: grab the opportunity and dance the night away.

Why does he behave this way? Because although he gave up the physical affection, it’s still painful to witness it. In reality, he misses it. But woe to the parent who would dare verbalize this. Growing up requires giving up, and ceasing physical affection with parents can create a hard loss.

So what’s a parent to do?

First, remember your own adolescence. Even if it’s scores of years behind you now, it’s pretty hard to forget such a confusing time. You did the same thing. Promise.

It’s important to remember that the adolescent who is making mincemeat from your kishkes and is taking your heart and dribbling it like a basketball without a care in the world is the same adorable child whom you loved to pieces not so long ago. This is hard. You still love him. But he knows how to make it difficult for you to love him.

There are lesser forms of physical affection. Pat your teenager on the back. Give them a side hug. “Little” acts of physical affection are ways of staying connected when your child erects that Berlin Wall of refusal of seeking the exact primal touch that he craves. If you can keep some level of physical contact in place, then as your teenager grows older and becomes more confident in

growing older, the acceptance, expression and reciprocation of physical affection can once again open up. Don’t underestimate verbal contact between you and your adolescent. Using words to convey sensitivity, empathy, support, interest, attention, approval, and appreciation can all communicate the emotional warmth that physical affection so efficiently conveys. The power of a friendly smile to warm a beleaguered teenager’s heavy heart, as well as laughing with each other and making time to have fun together, is immeasurable. Dance briefly with your adolescent(s) around the kitchen. They always come back for more.

Adolescent boys more than girls are particularly susceptible to giving up physical affection from parents. Physical affection can make them feel childish. It can also make your son feel unmanly as he might think that to be a man means jettisoning his “childish” need for parental touch. The best response for parents in such a situation? Back off to respect the more physically aloof definition he is after. Fortunately, there are teenagers, males included, who keep the door to physical affection with parents open all through their growing up. They somehow understand that forsaking this primal connection is not some adolescent obligation – nor do they treat it as a necessary loss. However, this is the

exception and not the rule. Most others intermittently grant their parents a loving touch, or hug, or kiss or allow themselves to receive such from their parents. Mood and circumstances are usually the mitigating factors here. For example, your adolescent might give out more “physically available” vibes during family simchas. It will almost never happen in the presence of friends. Promise on that one.

Let’s say a parent reads this article and then commits the faux pas of trying to express physical affection to their adolescent. Oh no. What happens?

The parent might strike gold, and the child accepts it. A great day for all.

In all likelihood, the adolescent will make it clear that he believes his parent has a case of the “koodies.” It’s painful, Mom and Dad, but he’s not rejecting you. Just reframe it as the time or circumstance or mood wasn’t right. Try again. But not right away.

I sincerely hope that “I love you” and “I’m proud of you” are two phrases that are part of every parent’s lexicon. You can never say them too often. They are powerful words that can carry your adolescent through a lot.

Part of parenting is understanding

that when our children are little, we need to be physically connected to them as much as possible. When they get older, it’s not that we parents physically disconnect from them. Rather, it’s about finding new, creative ways of connecting with them.

I read somewhere a long time ago that a child needs four hugs daily for survival, eight for maintenance, and twelve for

home from school and then another at bedtime. That’s four hugs to reach the “survival rate.”

These moments of physical connection should ideally be coupled with emotional components as well. It shouldn’t be a hug alone but start with, “How did you sleep?” “How was math class today?” Focus on the moment.

You can discover different ways to

The power of a friendly smile to warm a beleaguered teenager’s heavy heart, as well as laughing with each other and making time to have fun together, is immeasurable.

growth. How do you give your teenager twelve hugs a day?

Start each day with hugging your children, teenagers included. Who care if all parties are grumpy? Then hug your children before they leave for school. Intercept them as they traipsing out the door. Another hug when they come

hug your teenager. Find little excuses to kiss them, like kissing them on the top of the head or holding hands at the Shabbos table. Dance together while singing Shalom Aleichem. Rotate sitting next to each teen, using the opportunity to put your arm around one individually. If you grew up in a home where physical affec -

tion wasn’t common, this may be difficult for you, so start slow. It can even be a small gesture, like putting a hand on a child’s arm or caressing his cheek. Many boys dislike making eye contact so talk to your son while driving. He’s captive, and you’re in control. Imagine here the emoji for “wink.”

Although some teens, especially girls, will be physically affectionate with friends, it doesn’t make up for a lack of physical affection from their parents. Parental touch is both safe and irreplaceable. If teenagers don’t get the parental touch, they may go looking for love in all the wrong places.

Adolescents are not necessarily easy nor is it always easy to love them. Feeling awkward, adolescents will push away parents. Yet in reality, adolescents feel vulnerable. It’s a time when they need their parents’ affection the most.

As always, daven.

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

Health & F tness

Household Chores & Keeping Score

By Michal Goldman, LCSW

Dear Therapist,

My wife and I are struggling with household chores. I do my best to help—cooking, cleaning, managing the kids—but it never seems to be enough. She continues to say that she feels overwhelmed, and at the end of the day, it all falls on her, no matter how much I do. It also feels like we’re keeping score—who did what and who did more. I’m frustrated, and I want us to be a team like we used to be. How do we break out of this cycle?

The Therapist Responds

Ah, the blessings and challenges of running a busy household. I presume that there are many different areas in both of your lives that you are trying to juggle. I also presume that unless you are in business together, this is probably the main shared responsibility. It makes sense that it can lead to tension.

I will divide up your question into two parts: first, that despite your efforts, your wife feels an imbalance; and second, that you are stuck in the cycle of keeping score where no one wins.

In regard to the first part, couples often come into relationships with expectations about how things should run because of what they grew up with. However, one person’s family of origin may have focused strongly on one area, while another person’s family prioritized something completely different. These expectations lead to frustration when they remain unnoticed. If either of you notice any feelings coming up when your spouse does something around the house in a different way than you’d like, use that as an alert to check in with yourself and identify if you have any expectations that may differ from your partner.

There are two parts of household chores: one is completing tasks, and one is the mental aspects of remembering to do it, asking for help with it, and planning when and how often it needs to be done. It can be that you are doing more physical chores but less of the mental labor. If that is the case, I’d recommend you sitting down and having a conversation with your

spouse where you divide up household responsibilities – not by tasks, but by who is responsible for ensuring that the chores get completed. One great resource for having this conversation is Fair Play, which is a deck of cards that gamifies this discussion. If despite trying the ideas mentioned above you find that this issues continue to come up, it may be that your emotional needs are getting tied up in the conversations about the chores. If that is the case, it is helpful to understand what is happening under the surface as well.

ings verbally or non-verbally? Or simply shut down?

Similarly with your wife, what makes her feel like it falls on her? Overwhelm (like all feelings) ebbs and flows. What increases the overwhelming feeling for her? How does your help and frustration about it not being enough impact her? And how does she respond in those moments?

This leads me to the second part of your question, the fact that you both keep score. Keeping score is usually a symptom of feeling imbalance in the relationship, unac -

Keeping score is usually a symptom of feeling imbalance in the relationship, unacknowledged effort, or unmet expectations.

I can imagine that it wouldn’t feel good to try and exert yourself to help and feel like no matter how much you try, it isn’t enough. What comes up for you when you see that your wife is still overwhelmed despite your best efforts? How does it land internally when you help out while you have the feeling that it never seems to be enough? Equally importantly, what do you do when those thoughts or feelings come up for you? Do you work extra hard? Slow down in your efforts? Express those feel-

knowledged effort, or unmet expectations. From what you shared, all of those things seem to be playing a role in your situation. Like you said in your question, when couples start to keep score, it can feel like one person is the “judge” and the other is the “defendant,” which creates distance instead of connection.

If you look at my list of questions to understand what is going on for each of you in the moment, you can see a theme – the chores are on the surface, and below

it there can be a whole slew of emotions and needs. The goal in acknowledging and verbalizing the emotions is separating the emotions from the chores. There can and should be conversations around dividing up tasks, but it gets very hard to have productive conversations when tasks and emotional needs are conflated.

In addition to this, there are several other mindset shifts that can help you as a couple move away from keeping score. Firstly, training your mind to move from defensive to curious will lower the intensity of tit-for-tat behavior. When you can remind yourself that you both care about each other and have each other’s best intentions in mind, you can start to be curious about your wife’s behavior instead of being put on the defense.

It can also be helpful to remember that a goal in running a house is teamwork, not fairness. The goal is not 50/50; the goal is for each of you to work to your strengths and support each other.

Last, and most important, is gratitude!

Noticing the ways your partner enhances your life on a regular basis (I believe partners should keep private journals where they regularly write small things that their spouse did that brought them joy) automatically takes the energy out of scorekeeping.

As you have experienced, navigating household responsibilities can be tricky. Through reminders that you both want the best for each other and having conversations with openness, curiosity, and appreciation, this challenge can be an opportunity to build greater connection and cultivate a stronger sense of teamwork.

Michal Goldman is a licensed clinical social worker in Queens specializing in helping individuals and couples navigate relationship challenges. She can be reached through her website at www.michalgoldmanlcsw.org, via email at michalgoldmanlcsw@gmail.com, or by phone at 917-590-0258. If you have questions that you would like answered here, you can submit them to the email provided. This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a replacement for therapy.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and acid reflux are common digestive conditions that cause discomfort and potential long-term health complications if left untreated. While occasional acid reflux is normal, GERD is a chronic and more severe form that requires medical attention.

Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus, the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach. This happens when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a ring of muscle at the bottom of the esophagus, weakens or relaxes inappropriately. Normally, the LES functions as a valve, opening to allow food and liquids to enter the stomach and closing tightly to prevent stomach contents from moving back up. When the LES fails to close properly, stomach acid escapes into the esophagus, causing irritation and the burning sensation known as heartburn.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic and more severe form of acid reflux that occurs frequently, typically at least twice a week. Unlike occasional acid reflux, GERD is persistent and can lead to long-term damage if untreated. The repeated exposure of the esophageal lining to stomach acid can cause inflammation, known as esophagitis, which may result in pain, swelling, and difficulty swallowing. Over time, chronic acid exposure can lead to complications such as esophageal ulcers, strictures (narrowing of the esophagus due to scar tissue), and Barrett’s esophagus, a condition where the lining of the esophagus changes and increases the risk of esophageal cancer.

Causes

Several factors can contribute to the development of acid reflux and GERD, ranging from physiological weaknesses to lifestyle choices and medical conditions. One of the primary causes is a weak-

Health & F tness

GERD and the Gut Rethinking Reflux

By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

ened or dysfunctional lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach. Normally, the LES acts as a one-way valve, allowing food and liquids to enter the stomach while preventing stomach acid from flowing back up into the esophagus. However, if the LES becomes weak, relaxes too often, or fails to close properly, stomach acid can escape into the esophagus, leading to irritation and inflammation. Over time, repeated exposure to stomach acid can damage the esophageal lining, increasing the risk of more severe conditions like esophagitis or Barrett’s esophagus.

Obesity is another significant risk factor for GERD. Excess body weight, particularly around the abdomen, increases intra-abdominal pressure, which can force stomach contents back into the esophagus. This pressure is even greater when lying down, which is why many people experience worse reflux symptoms at night. Additionally, fat tissue may contribute to inflammation and hormonal changes that can further weaken the LES.

Dietary choices also play a major role in acid reflux. Certain foods and beverages are known to relax the LES or stim-

ulate excessive acid production. Spicy foods, citrus fruits, caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, carbonated drinks, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and high-fat or fried foods can all trigger reflux episodes. These foods either irritate the esophagus directly, slow digestion, or reduce LES pressure, making it easier for acid to escape. Eating large meals or lying down immediately after eating can further exacerbate the problem by increasing pressure on the stomach and allowing acid to flow back into the esophagus.

Smoking is another key contributor to acid reflux and GERD. Nicotine weakens the LES, increases stomach acid production, and reduces saliva production, which is important for neutralizing acid in the esophagus. Smoking also slows the healing of damaged esophageal tissue, making GERD symptoms worse over time.

Pregnancy can also lead to acid reflux, especially in the later stages. As the uterus expands, it puts pressure on the stomach, forcing acid upward. Additionally, pregnancy hormones, such as progesterone, relax smooth muscle tissues throughout the body, including the LES, increasing the likelihood of reflux. While

symptoms often subside after childbirth, some women continue to experience GERD postpartum.

A hiatal hernia is another potential cause of GERD. This condition occurs when a portion of the stomach pushes through the diaphragm and into the chest cavity. The diaphragm normally helps reinforce the LES, but a hiatal hernia weakens this support, making it easier for stomach acid to travel up into the esophagus. While not everyone with a hernia develops GERD, it significantly increases the risk, particularly in individuals with other contributing factors.

Certain medications can also contribute to acid reflux by relaxing the LES or irritating the esophageal lining. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and aspirin, calcium channel blockers used for high blood pressure, certain antidepressants, sedatives, and some asthma medications can all worsen reflux symptoms. Additionally, some medications slow down digestion, increasing the risk of acid buildup in the stomach and reflux.

Lastly, lifestyle habits such as excessive alcohol consumption, poor posture, and chronic stress can contribute to GERD. Alcohol weakens the LES, increases stomach acid production, and slows digestion. Poor posture, especially slouching, can put extra pressure on the abdomen, pushing acid into the esophagus. Stress and anxiety don’t directly cause acid reflux, but they can worsen symptoms by increasing stomach acid production and making the digestive system more sensitive.

Because GERD is often caused by a combination of these factors, addressing the underlying causes through lifestyle modifications, dietary adjustments, and medical treatment can help manage symptoms and prevent long-term complications.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of GERD include heartburn, regurgitation of food or sour liquid, difficulty swallowing, chronic cough, sore throat, and hoarseness. Some people may also experience a sensation of a lump in the throat or worsening symptoms at night when lying down.

Treatment Options

Fortunately, there are various treatment options for managing GERD and acid reflux. Lifestyle changes are often the first on the list. Maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding trigger foods, eating smaller meals, and staying upright for at least two to three hours after eating can help reduce symptoms. Elevating the head of the bed and quitting smoking are also effective strategies.

In addition to lifestyle adjustments, medications can provide relief. Antacids neutralize stomach acid and offer quick but temporary relief, while H2 receptor blockers (such as famotidine) and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (such as omeprazole) help reduce acid production.

In cases where lifestyle changes and medications are not effective, surgical options like fundoplication or the LINX device may be considered to strengthen

the LES and prevent acid reflux.

Foods to Eat

For individuals with acid reflux or GERD, choosing the right foods can help manage symptoms and prevent flare-ups. Low-acid fruits such as bananas, apples, melons, and pears are excellent choices because they provide essential nutrients without irritating the esophagus. Vegetables, particularly non-citrus options like leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, carrots, and zucchini, are also beneficial as they are low in fat and acid while being rich in fiber and vitamins. Whole grains, including oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat bread, can help absorb stomach acid and promote digestive health.

Lean proteins such as skinless poultry, lean fish, tofu, and egg whites are easier to digest and less likely to trigger reflux compared to high-fat meats. While excessive fat intake can worsen GERD, incorporating healthy fats like avocados, olive oil, flaxseeds, and small amounts of nuts can be beneficial. Dairy products can sometimes aggravate acid reflux, so opting for low-fat dairy or plant-based alternatives like almond milk, oat milk, or plain, unsweetened yogurt may be a better choice.

Foods to Avoid

Just as certain foods can help manage GERD symptoms, others can trigger or worsen acid reflux. Highly acidic foods like citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits) and tomatoes (including tomato-based products like pasta sauce, ketchup, and salsa) can increase stomach acid and irritate the esophagus. Spicy foods, fried or greasy meals, and heavily processed snacks should also be limited as they can relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), allowing stomach acid to flow back up.

Caffeinated drinks, including coffee, energy drinks, and certain teas, can stimulate acid production and worsen symptoms. Instead of regular coffee, individuals can alternate with decaf coffee or herbal teas such as chamomile or ginger tea. Warm water with honey is a great option as well, as it can provide a mild, natural remedy for acid reflux. Carbonated and alcoholic beverages, including soda, beer, wine, and spirits, can cause bloating and acid reflux. A good alternative is flavored water infused with fresh fruits like cucumber, strawberries, mint, or coconut water, which is naturally low in acid.

Avoiding large meals and eating smaller, more frequent portions can help prevent

excessive stomach acid production. Additionally, staying upright for at least two to three hours after eating and drinking plenty of water can aid digestion.

By focusing on a diet rich in gentle, nourishing foods and avoiding common triggers, individuals with GERD can better manage their symptoms and support longterm digestive health.

Seeking Medical Attention

If acid reflux occurs frequently, disrupts daily life, or is accompanied by symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, difficulty swallowing, or persistent chest pain, it is essential to seek medical attention.

With the right combination of lifestyle changes, medications, and, in some cases, medical procedures, most people with GERD can manage their symptoms effectively and prevent long-term complications.

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

In The K tchen

Challah Kugel

Yield: 9×13-inch pan I recently had Raizy Fried on my show Sunny Side Up on Kosher.com, and she made her famous Challah Kugel. It is a great way to use leftover challah, but if you don’t have leftover challah, it’s worth buying a bakery challah to try it!

By Naomi Nachman

Ingredients

◦ 1 large heimishe challah

◦ 5 eggs

◦ 1 cup oil

◦ 1 cup sugar

◦ 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar

◦ 1 teaspoon cinnamon

◦ 4 Granny Smith green apples, peeled and finely sliced

◦ Sugar, for sprinkling

◦ Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Soak the challah in water and squeeze it out. Use only the soft part of the challah; discard the crust.

3. In a large bowl, mash the challah. Using an electric mixer, mix the mashed challah with the rest of the ingredients.

4. Place the mixture in a lined or greased 9×13-inch pan. Sprinkle some sugar on top.

5. Bake at 350°F for one hour and 45 minutes.

6. Best served warm.

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.

Notable Quotes

“Say What?!”

Certain items we needed…were held up for six, seven or eight months. This can’t be explained just by a slow bureaucracy. There were [bureaucrats] who simply stopped these things, and there were legal officials who leaned very hard on the top brass of the State Department, including on Secretary [of State Antony] Blinken, not to authorize weapons transfers.

- Former Israel Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog in an interview with The Times of Israel, talking about the Biden administration holding up key military aid during the Gaza conflict

The truth is, the woke world took over the Democratic Party. So common sense was for the taking, and Trump took it. Now the Dems are on the outside looking in like Joe Biden at a mausoleum.

- Gret Gutfeld, Fox

On occasion, they break, they explode... I don’t think that plastic is going to affect a shark very much as they’re munching their way through the ocean.

- President Trump explaining why he reversed the Biden plastic straw ban

I don’t want to do that. I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.

- President Trump when asked whether he will deport Prince Harry, who is married to Meghan Markle

A lot of people forget that Gaza was once a place inhabited by both Jews and Palestinians, until 2005 when [former Israeli prime minister] Ariel Sharon decided to give it all away. He did. They militarily marched 10,000 Jewish people out of Gaza, turned it into a complete Palestinian state, and the result we saw was Oct. 7.

- U.S. ambassador-designate to Israel Mike Huckabee on Fox News Sunday

Gaza could have been Singapore. Instead, Hamas turned it into Haiti.

-ibid.

Look, let me tell you something. I’ll take a bit of umbrage here. I’ll speak on behalf of my colleagues. I think I can say we are all willing to work with anyone who’s serious about doing the work of censoring the American people and advancing progress.

- Squad member Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) saying the quiet part out loud at a Democrat rally against Trump

True, the Chiefs lost by 18 points and did not score at all in the first half, or as CNN put it, “too close to call.”

-Greg Gutfeld

We’re telling Ukraine, they have very valuable rare earth. We want what we put up to go in terms of a guarantee. We want a guarantee.

- President Trump telling reporters that the U.S. wants Ukraine to give it rare earth minerals (that we currently get from China) in return for the billions in aide that the U.S. is giving them

This will be a congressional fight, a constitutional fight, a legal fight. And on days like this: a street fight!

- Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD) at a rally calling for violence against the Trump administration because they are shutting down wasteful spending

In order to best ensure we are in compliance with the President’s executive order around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, we have closed our DEI office. The staff members who served in that office are leaving PBS.

– Statement by PBS, which had to shut its DEI office in order to continue to get public funding, as per Pres. Trump’s recent executive order

I got to deal with it. It is what it is. It [stinks]. I wish I could walk in and grab that gold jacket. It’s painful, it really is. You got to get back on the plane. People say it’s not failure, but it is. It’s not in my control, but I feel like it’s failure.

– Dallas Cowboys legendary defensive player Darren Woodson after he was once again not selected for the Hall of Fame, 17 years after his retirement

Mr. Chairman, would it be possible to get some therapy dogs in here for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle?

- Rep. James Comer (R-KY) at a hearing during which Democrats had a meltdown about DOGE exposing federal waste

I’m worried about their mental stability.

- ibid.

I find it incredibly ironic that the individuals who are loudly criticizing President Trump’s decision to audit federal spending are the same ones who wanted to hire 80,000 new armed IRS agents to audit the American people.

– Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA)

Bro, I’m Marcus Jordan. I’m Michael Jordan’s son.

- Michael Jordan’s son to police upon being arrested for driving while intoxicated

The Pope ought to fix the Catholic Church. I’m saying this as a lifelong Catholic, baptized Catholic. He should concentrate on his work and leave border enforcement to us.

- Border Czar Tom Homan responding to the Pope’s criticism of Trump’s border polices

He wants to attack us from securing our border? He’s got a wall around the Vatican, does he not? So he’s got a wall around to protect his people and himself, but we can’t have a wall around the United States?

- ibid.

Look at this humiliation they put them through before they’re released, where they do these big public displays of force. Do any of those Hamas fighters look like they’ve been skipping meals? Do any of those Hamas fighters that you see look like they’ve been suffering over the last year and a half?

- Secretary of Defense Marco Rubio

Hamas is evil. It’s pure evil. These are monsters. These are savages. That’s a group that needs to be eradicated.

- ibid.

I hope people can see who these people actually are, in the condition of these hostages – not just the conditions that they’re in when they’re released, but what they have to endure on the way out.

- ibid.

We have to bring religion back. We have to bring it back much stronger. It’s one of the biggest problems that we’ve had over the last fairly long period of time. We have to bring it back.

- President Donald Trump at the National Prayer Breakfast

Never give up. Never ever give up. You can’t. How about me? If I would have given up, I would not be here right now. Who … knows where I’d be? It might not be a good place. If it was up to the Democrats, it would not be a good place at all.

-ibid.

And if I was a little more than that 90-degree angle, it would be no good. And if I was a little less, it would be no good. It had to be perfect. The thing went “shhh” right along the edge. It didn’t affect my hair. Can you believe that? It might’ve touched it. Might have touched it, but not where it counts, not the skin part. But it changed something in me, I feel. I feel even stronger. I believed in G-d, but I feel much more strongly about it.

-ibid., recalling the assassination attempt in Butler, PA

I mean it’s really — and he’s jealous of everybody. Now he’s getting rid of the penny; he’s even jealous of Lincoln. He’s so small, so petty.

- The View’s Joy Behar’s—one of the TDS holdouts, who was not a math major—giving her brilliant analysis of why Trump is stopping the production of the penny…which costs two cents to make

Political Crossfire A Move So MAGA It Was Championed By... Bill Clinton’s Secretary of State?

By Marc A. Thiessen

Democrats are in an uproar over President Donald Trump’s plan to abolish the U.S. Agency for International Development and move its functions into the State Department. At a rally in front of the shuttered agency, Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minnesota) declared that “this is what the beginning of dictatorship looks like,” while Rep. Jamie Raskin (Maryland) said Trump “is threatening lives all over the world.” Please. Shuttering USAID is not some evil MAGA plot. In fact, it was first proposed by a Democrat – Secretary of State Warren Christopher – who tried to close the foreign aid agency during the Clinton administration.

In 1995, Christopher proposed a plan to eliminate three independent foreign policy agencies – USAID, the

U.S. Information Agency (USIA), the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) – and merge them into a “super State Department.” In a 15-page single-spaced memo, his State Department declared “the current organizational structures and activities of the department and other foreign affairs agencies … are increasingly redundant, bloated and unresponsive to policy makers.” It even produced an organizational chart showing the three abolished agencies absorbed into a new “Consolidated Department of International Relations.”

This would have restored President John F. Kennedy’s original vision for USAID, which he established in 1961 by executive order as “an agency in the Department of State” – but has since grown into an massive, entrenched bu-

reaucratic behemoth.

Then, as now, the consolidation plan encountered fierce opposition from the foreign aid bureaucracy – USAID Director J. Brian Atwood told Christopher he would resign if his proposal went through – which managed to persuade Vice President Al Gore and his “reinventing government” team to torpedo the plan.

But not before my then-boss, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms (R-North Carolina), got involved. In a Feb. 14, 1995, Washington Post op-ed headlined “Christopher Is Right,” Helms declared he would not allow the Clinton administration to shelve “the most thoughtful reorganization of U.S. foreign affairs institutions since World War II.” USAID, Helms wrote,

had become “an entrenched bureaucracy” that was “not functioning as part of a coherent, coordinated approach, maximizing the benefit of every dollar spent” and adding, “It is my intent to support Secretary Christopher against the bureaucrats who feel threatened by his long-overdue reorganization of Foggy Bottom.”

Helms put forward a plan of his own to merge the three agencies into the State Department. Atwood went on the attack, declaring Helms an “neo-isolationist” who wanted to gut foreign aid. Big mistake. It turned out that many within USAID supported Helms’s reorganization, and some began leaking internal memos to Helms’s staff detailing waste, fraud and abuse inside the agency – which we released to the press

as “Captured Enemy Documents.” Noting how Helms had famously blocked a National Endowment for the Arts grant for a performance artist who smeared her … body with chocolate syrup, a Post article said the pugnacious senator was now “smearing AID’s … body with chocolate syrup … pointing out AID’s supposed miscues in a series of press releases.”

Among the captured documents was a cable from the U.S. ambassador to Chad complaining to the State Department about USAID’s attempt to fund a bizarre study on the “Viability of the Chadian State,” asking: “What exactly would we have done if they concluded that it wasn’t?” USAID projects, the ambassador said, deepened “the culture of dependency,” resulted in “little direct contact with poor people” and had “gestation periods longer than that of an African elephant.”

Helms refused to allow a Senate vote on the Chemical Weapons Convention or payment of U.N. arrears until Clinton agreed to his reorganization plan. After a long standoff, they compromised: Congress passed, and Clinton signed, the

Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998, which eliminated two of the three agencies (USIA and ACDA) and allowed USAID to remain a distinct entity but took away its independence, putting its administrator “under

legal authority over USAID – including the power to serve as acting director, delegate his authority to a subordinate in the State Department, pause foreign aid spending, direct staff not to report to work and move USAID functions into

It turned out that many within USAID supported Helms’s reorganization, and some began leaking internal memos to Helms’s staff detailing waste, fraud and abuse inside the agency.

the direct authority and foreign policy guidance of the Secretary of State.” The bill was supported by none other than … wait for it … Sen. Joe Biden, then the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Thanks to the Helms-Biden law, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has full

the State Department – all of which he has done. To permanently dismantle USAID requires an act of Congress, but short of that Rubio has broad authority over its operations.

He is right to exercise that authority. The fact is, none of the good things USAID does cannot be done from the

State Department. But too many foreign aid bureaucrats don’t like the president’s team ensuring that their work keeps with Trump’s foreign policy objectives. As Rubio correctly put it during his visit to Central America, “In many cases, USAID is involved in programs that run counter to what we’re trying to do in our national strategy with that country or with that region. That cannot continue. USAID is not an independent nongovernmental entity. It is an entity that spends taxpayer dollars, and it needs to spend it, as the statute says, in alignment with the policy directives that they get from the secretary of state, the National Security Council and the president.”

Trump, Elon Musk, and Rubio are finally making sure, as Helms insisted three decades ago, that “every dollar spent on the conduct of U.S. foreign policy is spent wisely, efficiently and in support of our national interest.”

Somewhere, Helms – and Christopher – are smiling.

© 2024, Washington Post Writers Group

Israel Today

If Hostages are Being Abused, Their Captors Shouldn’t Be Rewarded

By Jonathan S. Tobin

It’s been more than 16 months since Israel was invaded and its citizens, including men, women and children, were subjected to mass murder, torture, rape and kidnapping. But while anyone who visits the Jewish state can readily see that life goes on there, the national trauma continues.

On no day was that made clearer than on Saturday, February 8, when three Israeli men, who have been held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas for 491 days, were released

Or Levy, 34, Eli Sharabi, 52, and Ohad Ben Ami, 56, emerged from captivity in an especially egregious ceremony staged by Hamas. They were forced at gunpoint to make short speeches thanking the terror group that killed their friends and family members and kept them hostage for 16 months. They were then handed to a complicit International Red Cross that transported them to Israeli forces.

While the world has now seen previous hostage-release “ceremonies”—accompanied by armed and masked Hamas terrorists, in addition to mobs of jeering Palestinians—what made this so hard to watch was the condition of the three men. All of them looked emaciated and gaunt, much like images of Nazi death-camp survivors. Their plight demonstrated that male Israeli prisoners may well have been treated as

badly as or even worse than female ones. It also reminded Israelis and Jews around the world who were watching of the direct connection between the Holocaust and the intentions of Hamas and other Palestinians toward the Jewish people.

The brazen thuggery on display was shocking. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke for most observers, who don’t share the genocidal views of Hamas toward Jews, that the people responsible for this brutal show were “monsters.”

Among Israelis, anger and horror at the latest attempt by Hamas to demonstrate that they are the victors of the war they started on Oct. 7, 2023, seems universal. But the question remains: What should the response of both Israel’s government and the civilized world be to these vile terrorists?

That’s an issue that obsesses Israelis and one Americans cannot ignore. Far from being remote to U.S. interests, the administration of President Donald Trump is quickly realizing that its stand on the future of Hamas is going to be crucial as to whether it can successfully conduct a foreign policy that defends American interests.

1,000 demonstrators who turned out for the weekly pro-hostage/anti-Netanyahu Saturday-night rally in front of Tel Aviv’s Museum of Art now called “Hostages Square,” the answer was clear. Family members who spoke believe that the only thing to do is to give Hamas whatever it wants in order to obtain the release of all the remaining 76 captives, many of whom may already be dead. Indeed, they blame Netanyahu—as they have since the start of the war—for not immediately giving in to terrorist demands, often speaking as if he was the one who took them captive and that he alone is the reason why they are still in dire straits.

They are not focused on the implications of a hostage negotiation that would lead to Hamas remaining in power in Gaza and able to make good on its vows to perpetrate more Oct. 7-style massacres of Israelis. Nor do they seem to care that Hamas has made it equally clear that it never had any intention of agreeing to a sweeping deal that would see all living hostages and the bodies of those that they have slain exchanged at any price. The terror group is always going to hold back some individuals to retain leverage over Israel.

No one should blame the families for thinking that way, even if their suffering

has been hijacked by Netanyahu’s political opponents to bolster efforts to oust him from office. It’s understandable; imagine if it were our loved ones. Most people would trade their country’s best interests—or that of the entire world, for that matter—if it meant a child, spouse, parent or sibling being ransomed. The harrowing images of the newly released hostages only exacerbate their agony.

Yet Trump, who has involved himself in this question by pushing for the current ceasefire/hostage-release deal, and Netanyahu must balance their compassion for the families with the security and best interests of their respective nations. By essentially endorsing terms that the administration of his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, had been seeking to impose on Israel in the negotiations with Hamas, Trump had seemed to put himself on the side of those who were prepared to let Hamas emerge triumphant from the war. Though the deal spoke of Hamas being disarmed and replaced by some other entity that would govern Gaza, any agreement that forces Israel to completely withdraw means that the Strip will remain in the hands of the terrorists.

Hamas’s Message

What happened this weekend made it

obvious that Hamas has no intention of giving up power. In Arabic and Hebrew, as well as what appeared to be a mangled English translation, the terrorists were proclaiming that they were “the Al-Aqsa flood”—a reference to jihad to capture Jerusalem and all of Israel. It also said that they were “the next day”—a reference to the oft-asked question about who would run Gaza after the war ends. As such, it also stood as a riposte to Trump, whose plan for removing not just Hamas, but the Palestinian population from Gaza, in order for it to be rebuilt seemed to threaten doom for the terrorist group and its dreams of eradicating Israel.

An article about the release published by The New York Times seemed to insist that, despite all of Israel’s efforts to wipe them out during the war, the ceremony was a declaration to the world that Hamas had won.

Hamas could draw comfort from the liberal outlet’s conclusion, as it could from much of the coverage in the international media covering the hostage release. Story after story seemed to analogize the plight of the Israeli captives with that of the 550 Palestinian terrorists who have been released in the last month as part of the deal, many of whom were serving life sentences for the murder of Israelis, many of them civilians. These murderers were given a hero’s welcome in Ramallah, the headquarters of the supposedly moderate Palestinian Authority, which has rewarded them via its “pay-for-slay ” program with generous salaries and pensions as a reward for their criminal acts.

A Nation with PTSD

Whatever their opinions about how to move forward on Hamas—and despite their heroism and resilience during the course of the war—Israelis are exhibiting all the classic signs of post-traumatic stress disorder as this agonizing drama continues to unfold.

As any visitor to the country can see, people go about their ordinary day-to-day tasks as if there were no war going on, with commerce and the arts thriving. But they’ve seen their fellow citizens subjected to barbarous atrocities on Oct. 7, the reserves mobilized and hundreds of soldiers (whose lives are as precious as that of the hostages) killed battling Hamas and Hezbollah, with thousands more wounded. They’ve been terrorized by the thousands of rocket and missile attacks on their homes by Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iran.

They are also aware that much of the world has regarded their suffering and

danger with little or no sympathy, with most concern focused on the condition of the Palestinians who applauded the Oct. 7 bloodthirsty murder of 1,200 people, as well as support both Hamas and its goals. They know that their efforts to defend themselves against Hamas have been libelously described as “genocide” by an international anti-Zionist movement of people who believe that one Jewish state on the planet is simply one too many.

That’s a lot to process. It’s also mixed in with the Jewish state’s volatile domestic politics. Those arguments hinge more on opinions about Netanyahu than the across-the-board policy consensus that rejects the creation of a Palestinian state. Still, that is the solution preferred by the international community, even though the Palestinians have made it clear that they don’t want one if it means peace alongside Israel.

An American Dilemma

But while Israelis struggle with the impossible decision between trying to save the lives of the hostages and ensuring that Hamas can’t go on murdering, [assaulting] and kidnapping Jews, this is also an American problem.

Trump wants to bring peace to the region, and above all, guarantee that Iran and its terrorist network that started the Oct. 7 war cannot possess the ability to threaten a vital part of the globe. He is no expert on the Middle East, which has enabled him to throw off misguided preconceptions about the need to weaken Israel to appease Islamists who will never accept peace. The 2020 Abraham Accords, which achieved normalization between Israel and four Arab and Muslim nations, was an accomplishment made possible by his rejection of the conventional wisdom peddled by the foreign-policy establishment.

Now, however, Trump faces a choice that he probably would rather avoid.

It is one thing to take credit for a ceasefire/hostage-release deal that enabled him to play the peacemaker and gave him some good imagery in time for his second inauguration last month. But Hamas’s brutality and its determination to hold onto both power in Gaza, coupled with its war goals of Israel’s destruction and Jewish genocide, has forced him into a difficult decision.

He can insist on the continuation of the ceasefire and allow the negotiations with Hamas about the second and third phases of the deal to drag on. That will not bring peace or the release of all the hostages while also making Israel’s emotional suffering worse.

It’s what former Vice President Kamala Harris would be doing if she had won the presidential election last November rather than Trump. The Biden-Harris priority was to end the war at all costs, even if that meant granting a victory to Hamas, which would have elevated it to a position of dominance among Palestinians as well as threaten moderate Arab regimes in the region as much as its sponsor in Tehran.

Or Trump can do as he appeared to intimate this past week in his meetings with Netanyahu—stating that Israel had the backing of the United States to do whatever is necessary to finally eradicate Hamas and ensure that it will never again hold power in Gaza.

He correctly perceives it to be his job to guard America’s interests “first.” But unlike many of his critics on the left, Trump appears instinctively to realize that the only way to do that is to back Israel against Islamists who hate the United States and the West as much as they do the Jewish state.

Hamas continues to show the world exactly what it stands for. If the appearance of the last three released hostages dredges up memories of those Jews liberated 80 years ago from concentration camps, which the world just marked on Jan. 27 as

part of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, it is no accident or misunderstanding. Their monstrous behavior and desire for another Holocaust is no secret. And the proper response to such behavior is not appeasement but resolute resistance. That was as true eight decades ago as it is today.

We should all pray for the safety of the remaining hostages and hope that they will be saved. I understand why some Israelis are so horrified by the imagery of the Hamas propaganda that they worry more about the hostages than whether actions undertaken by Netanyahu or Trump to help them will lead to more terrorism, death and bloodshed for both sides.

And yet, the prime minister must think of the safety of the rest of Israel and those who might suffer if he gives in to pressure. And Trump, too, must ponder what a triumphant Hamas and Iran will mean for America in the coming years as Islamist terror escalates and spreads. Regardless of our fears or attitudes toward either leader, that is not a world in which any of us should wish to live.

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor-in-chief of JNS (Jewish News Syndicate).

Political Crossfire

Trump Promised Peace Between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He Can Start Here

By David Ignatius

With so much suffering in the world, individual cases can get lost. But I want to explain the plight of a man named Ruben Vardanyan, who is a political prisoner on trial in Azerbaijan and is facing a life sentence – and whose case deserves greater attention.

Vardanyan’s crime, if you can call it that, is that he championed Armenian resistance in Nagorno-Karabakh, a remote region in the Caucasus that is legally part of Azerbaijan but whose population was once largely Armenian and self-governing. Not anymore: The region’s 120,000 Armenians fled in September 2023 when Azerbaijani troops invaded. Vardanyan was arrested as he tried to cross the border into Armenia. Vardanyan is an unlikely martyr. He is a businessman who made money as

an investment banker in the wild early days of post-Soviet Russia – and then began giving it away to good causes. In 2014, he founded an international school in Dilijan, Armenia, to connect his small and fragile country with the world. And in 2015, he co-founded a human rights group called the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, whose supporters include such luminaries as George Clooney, former U.N. high commissioner Mary Robinson, and several Nobel laureates.

Aurora’s motto is “Gratitude in action.” Vardanyan’s idea was to honor people around the world who are selflessly helping others in our time – just as decent people had saved his great-grandfather Hamayak Vardanyan during the Armenian genocide in 1915. Rather than looking back in anger on

that terrible event, Vardanyan wanted to look forward in hope, by celebrating what’s best in the human spirit.

I should make clear that I’m not a neutral observer of Vardanyan’s case. He has been my friend for a decade, and I’ve served as unpaid master of ceremonies for Aurora’s annual awards ceremony since 2016. It’s personal: My father’s family is Armenian, and, by helping Aurora, I wanted to share my own gratitude for those who saved my ancestors in Ottoman times.

To give you a sense of Aurora’s work, here’s a quick sketch of the people it has honored since 2016: a Tutsi woman in Burundi who rescued Hutu victims there; an American physician in the Nuba mountains in Sudan who treated patients in that remote killing ground; a Rohingya Muslim lawyer who pro -

tected his people during the slaughter in Myanmar; a Yazidi activist who rescued kinsmen being murdered by the Islamic State; two Somali women who saved victims of violence in Mogadishu, and a woman activist and a doctor, both Congolese, who saved [assault] victims. I can remember each of these people as they took the stage at the Aurora awards ceremony. They were often awkward, with little experience speaking in public, unaccustomed to taking credit for their work. Each year, I would come away from these ceremonies grateful for the enduring, inexplicable goodness in the human spirit that produces heroes like these. Vardanyan and the other two Aurora co-founders, the late Carnegie Corp. president Vartan Gregorian and Moderna co-founder Noubar Afeyan, were always humble in the presence of

Vardanyan’s trial began a week ago in Baku. Azerbaijan has brought 46 charges against him, ranging from terrorism to organized crime. But his troubles really stem from his decision to move to Karabakh in 2022 and become a senior minister in the breakaway government there, as well as an outspoken defender of the Armenian population. Throwing himself into this vortex was dangerous. But Vardanyan told his daughter that he couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t try to help fellow Armenians who have suffered so many tragedies in their history. It was gratitude in action.

Disaster followed. Azerbaijan imposed a blockade in December 2022, starving Karabakh of medicine, fuel and other essentials. Armenians tried to protect their homes, families and churches. But when Azerbaijan’s military invaded in September 2023 they fled, leaving the region ethnically “cleansed.” Vardanyan has been in an Azerbaijani prison cell ever since, along with three former presidents of Karabakh.

“Ruben was obsessed about saving

Karabakh’s Armenian character, and he paid with his freedom for that dedication,” says his friend Vahan Zanoyan, an Armenian American energy consultant who now lives in Armenia. Ten days before Azerbaijan’s invasion, Zanoyan phoned and urged Vardanyan to leave.

ment in detention, being coerced to sign falsified case materials and denied the opportunity to prepare his defense.”

The statement by Marie Struthers, the group’s director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, urged: “The international community must closely monitor this

Vardanyan told his daughter that he couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t try to help fellow Armenians who have suffered so many tragedies in their history.

He refused. Zanoyan texted him again as troops entered Karabakh’s capital. By then, it was too late.

An Amnesty International official said last month that Vardanyan’s case “has raised serious allegations of human rights violations which include ill-treat-

high-profile case, to ensure Ruben Vardanyan’s fair trial rights and justice.”

Jared Genser, a prominent American human rights lawyer who is representing Vardanyan, hasn’t been allowed to visit his client in prison. “This is a political show trial,” he told me. “It’s a result

of his advocacy for the political rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Most Americans don’t know much about Armenia, let alone the Karabakh conflict. But here’s a central fact: Armenia was the first nation in the world to adopt Christianity, and it has paid dearly for its faith in a predominantly Muslim region. Vardanyan himself is a faithful Armenian Orthodox Christian, but he has always been ecumenical in spirit. Indeed, many of the humanitarians who received the Aurora prize have been Muslims.

As Vardanyan’s trial moves forward, perhaps he will have a friend in Washington. President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Oct. 23: “When I am President, I will protect persecuted Christians, I will work to stop the violence and ethnic cleansing, and we will restore PEACE between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”

Here’s your chance to deliver on that promise, Mr. President, by helping a decent man escape persecution.

© 2024, Washington Post Writers Group

Political Crossfire The Imperative Remains End Hamas’ Control of Gaza

By Bret Stephens

On Saturday, Hamas gunmen paraded three skeletally thin Israeli hostages for a propaganda video in which they were forced to thank their captors before their handover to the Red Cross. One of the hostages, Eli Sharabi, returned to Israel to learn that his wife, Lianne, and their teenage daughters, Noiya and Yahel, had been murdered on Oct. 7.

It was heartbreaking and grotesque. Other hostages are reported by The New York Times to have spent their captivity bound, tortured, deprived of food and denied medical care for shrapnel wounds and other injuries. Some have barely seen sunlight in nearly 500 days.

By Monday, Hamas had declared that it was postponing the release of additional hostages “until further notice,” claiming Israeli violations of a six-week truce agreement. Hours later, President Donald Trump warned that “all [heck] is going to break out” if Hamas didn’t release all remaining hostages by noon Saturday. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel warned that Israel would resume “intense fighting” if hostages were not released by that time. Trump also warned Jordan and Egypt that he would cut off American aid if they refused to accept Gaza refugees, adding that those refugees may not have the right to return to the Gaza Strip.

The president’s threats are long overdue. Anyone who thinks that Hamas can be allowed to continue to torture Israelis, tyrannize Palestinians and remain the ruling power in Gaza, free to someday set fire to the region again, needs to be disabused of the idea. That goes especially for Arab states like Qatar and Egypt that depend on U.S. protection and largesse even as they have harbored Hamas leaders or failed to stop the group from arming itself to the teeth before Oct. 7.

Where do we go from here?

The administration should give the region a choice between two possible options. One is that Gaza civilians leave the territory, principally to neighboring Egypt, so that Hamas and its labyrinth of tunnels can more thoroughly be destroyed by a renewed Israeli offensive without risk to innocent life. Israel should not reoccupy the Strip, and the return of those civilians to Gaza must never be closed off. But it should also depend on those civilians forswearing allegiance to Hamas, along with a de-Hamasification program for Gaza that bars former Hamas members from any positions of power and that publicly exposes their apparatus of repression against ordinary Gaza residents.

The second option is that Hamas’ chieftains be pressured by their patrons into exile, so that Gaza residents might rebuild their lives under better leadership. This is what happened in 1982 when Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat and his minions were forced out of Lebanon to exile in Tunis, Tunisia. Exile is much better than Hamas’ cruel rulers deserve, but it’s an option that spares a lot of bloodshed.

The choice ought to be clarifying. Governments that are firmly opposed to the first option on practical or ethical grounds should work that much harder to achieve the second. What they can’t do is accept a status quo in which Gaza remains indefinitely under Hamas’ thumb and Israel remains perpetually at risk.

Something similar unfolded five years ago. In January 2020, during his first term, Trump unveiled a Middle East peace plan that was treated with almost universal disdain. In exchange for a geographically diminished Palestinian state with limited sovereignty, the plan gave Israel control over a unified Jerusalem and the Jordan River Valley and required that it relinquish none of its settlements in the West Bank. Palestinian leaders immediately rejected the offer. Others dismissed it as “a political document by a president in the middle of an impeachment trial,” as the Times reported that month.

Netanyahu pocketed the deal and went a step further: He threatened to annex the parts of the West Bank that the deal envisioned remaining in Israel’s

hands, irrespective of what the Palestinians did. It caused a crisis — and created an opening. By the summer, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain had agreed to normalize ties with the Jewish state in exchange for dropping annexation.

If the tragedy of Gaza is ever resolved, it will probably happen through the same combination of potent threats, loud bluster and diplomatic indirection — but much faster. Little Qatar, which hosts a vast U.S. air base and depends on the United States for its security, can exert pressure on Hamas by imprisoning the group’s leaders, who currently live in splendor in the sheikhdom, and cutting off their funds. Egypt, whose external debts have ballooned in recent years, can pressure Hamas by letting Gaza residents in and otherwise cutting Gaza off. Both countries may balk, but they are vulnerable to being squeezed by the administration.

Then there is Iran, Hamas’ principal patron, which suddenly seems interested in diplomacy with the United States thanks to its proxies’ military losses in Lebanon and Syria and the near-collapse of its economy. It, too, can be pushed to pressure Hamas to release the hostages and leave the territory — provided the U.S. pressure is credible, acute and immediate.

Will it work? Nothing is for sure. The hostages are in grave danger whether the six-week truce continues or the war restarts. Gaza civilians, treated for too long as human shields by Hamas, remain at risk no matter what happens.

But what hasn’t worked, and what can’t, is expecting Hamas to behave as anything other than the barbaric terror group that it is. Trump may be wrong about many things, but he’s right about this: This horror show of Hamas must end now.

The process to be awarded a military medal or citation can vary depending on the circumstances and the type of award. For standard medals, it can take weeks, but for combat awards, it is often months before the process is complete. Witnesses have to be examined, and there is a review process that often has to go through a board before the award is given out. The higher the honor generally means that the process will probably take longer; in the case of the Medal of Honor, it can take well over a year. However, this timeline is not always followed, and soldiers from wars in the past are often overlooked. Here are two stories of long-awaited medals, including one recipient who was re-awarded a medal due to extraordinary circumstances.

During the 1970s, cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, knew their janitor as Mr. Crawford. One day, one of the cadets was reading about the Allied advance in Italy during World War II and stumbled across the story of a William Crawford who had been awarded the Medal of Honor. When asked if he was indeed a Medal of Honor recipient, the shy janitor humbly replied, “Yep, that’s me.” Cadets started treating him with much more respect and cleaned up after themselves to make Crawford’s job easier.

Private William Crawford was born in Pueblo, Colorado, and joined the army in 1942. In September 1943, he was with the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division as they were slowly making their up through southern Italy. Crawford’s company was attacking German positions on Hill 424, and as squad scout, he went ahead to the crest of the hill. Machine gun and small arms fire pinned down the platoon. Without orders and under enemy fire, Crawford crawled over to one of the machines, took it out and killed three German soldiers. The American platoon was then able to advance to the crest but soon was stopped by two more machine guns. Again, Crawford moved towards one of the guns and took it out, this time with a grenade. After killing the German machine

Forgotten Her es Forgotten Medals

By Avi Heiligman

gunners, Crawford then turned his attention to the third machine gun. Another grenade from the private took it out along with one of the Germans. The rest of the enemy was forced to flee, and Crawford’s actions allowed his unit to advance.

After the battle, Crawford was captured by the Germans, and the American high command presumed that he had been killed. The Medal of Honor was presented to his father as a posthumous award, but to the surprise of everyone, William turned up alive in late 1944 after a group of American POWs were rescued. He stayed in the army until 1967 and retired as a master sergeant.

After taking the job as the janitor at the Air Force Academy, it took until 1976 for the cadets to learn his story. The cadets then found out that he was never awarded the medal personally, so a surprise was organized for their esteemed janitor. During the 1984 graduation ceremony, President Ronald Regan awarded Crawford the Medal of Honor in front of the graduating class.

Master Sergeant Roderick “Roddie” Edmonds was from Knoxville, Tennessee, and joined the army in 1941 before the U.S. entered the war. He was with the 422 nd Infantry Regiment, 106th Division, but many soldiers in the division previously had been transferred to other units Their replacements were men who weren’t from front line combat units.

They were sent into combat for the first time on December 11, 1944 and were responsible for a front covering four times the distance that a regular infantry division should have been responsible for maintaining. Five days later, on the morning of December 16, they were right in the path of the German offensive that soon became known as the Battle of the Bulge. The green troops (meaning they hadn’t seen battle before) were facing battle-hardened Germans, and they didn’t stand much of a chance. By December 19, the 422nd and 423rd Regiments had been surrounded, and around 6,000 American soldiers were forced to surrender.

Edmonds was taken as a POW and arrived at Stalag IX-A on January 27, 1945, together with 1,292 American enlisted soldiers. Since he was the highest-ranking non-commissioned officer, he was responsible for the protection of all the Americans at the camp. On the day they arrived at the camp, the commandant ordered Edmonds to have all of the Jewish POWs present themselves the next morning. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Edmonds ordered all of the men – Jews and non-Jews – to gather together near the barracks. The furious commandant then put his pistol to Edmond’s head and told him again to identify all of the Jewish soldiers. Instead, Edmonds replied, “We all Jews here,” and said that if the German killed any of the Jewish prisoners, he would have to kill them all. Edmonds

then proceeded to tell the commandant that under the Geneva Convention they all had to provide their rank, name and serial number but not their religion. The Nazi then backed down after Edmonds told him that if he shot them, he would be tried as a war criminal after the war.

For the rest of the time he spent in captivity, Edmonds protected the soldiers in the camp and is credited with saving the lives of over 200 Jewish soldiers. He never revealed the religious backgrounds of any of his men and remained with them until they were liberated.

After World War II, Edmonds stayed in the army to serve during the Korean War before returning to civilian life. He never talked about his POW experiences and only after his death in 1985 did his heroics start to come to light. His son, Chris, a Baptist minister, was looking through his father’s papers when he came across the story about the saved Jewish soldiers. He then found some of the POWs who were there to corroborate the story that he found, and the true bravery of his father became known to the public.

In 2015, Yad Vashem honored Roddie Edmonds as one of the Righteous Among the Nations. He became the first American soldiers to be recognized with the prestigious honor. The U.S. Army has denied the Medal of Honor thus far for Edmonds since the actions took place while he was in captivity and not in combat. Strong efforts have been made in Congress to give him the Congressional Gold Medal, but it has yet to have been awarded.

Both Crawford and Edmonds have incredible stories from their time in Europe during World War II. These Forgotten Heroes finally had their heroic actions come to light and the public is now aware of their extraordinary bravery that saved many lives.

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.

Roddie Edmonds

President Ronald Reagan awarding William Crawford his Medal of Honor

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Red Light, Green Light, Purple Lines

By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS

The GPS system has all those lines displayed on the map. Do we really need to know that there are 50 roads converging in the direction we are heading?!

This roadwork art exhibit is more like viewing an abstract painting than one that reproduces any reality.

There you are, trying to watch the road, look out for other cars, and look for an exit. How would a driver actually have time to study purple lines – converging everywhere – and then simultaneously figure out which one they are being directed to stay on?!

Wouldn’t it be better if the GPS reflected a little laser light to the road that you’re actually supposed to be getting on rather than having an arrow display that you are now on the wrong one? Whoops –and too late to choose the correct purple line anyway.

These GPS systems! What have they done?

They take us on new roads never traveled before, except by a few people heading home who want to be on their own quiet road. Well, that got messed up for them! And this inconvenience to them only saved endless drivers 30 seconds. Why not just suggest the detour with the time-saving info and let the driver then

decide if all the twisting and turning is worth it.

The GPS also takes you on new highways, that take you on new highways, that take you on new highways – just to find out that those highways are now lagging behind the highway you were originally traveling on. Well, of course, because they just rerouted everyone over to the new one!

The GPS fills your head with useless information you would totally ignore

turn on a side street to continue in the original path, as a human would. It recalibrates instead and takes you in a whole new direction, which further confounds your ability to get familiar with directions. Believe it or not, it’s a useful tool from days gone by, knowing where you’re going!

I’m not saying GPS is not useful. It helps people get places without landmarks and written instructions to look out for or read.

However, it has made most people into

Believe it or not, it’s a useful tool from days gone by, knowing where you’re going!

looking at on an exit sign if you read it yourself. Instead of just telling you what’s significant, it adds, “Blah, blah, blah.”

Can’t it figure out to be more selective and helpful?!

Let’s say you set out to return from somewhere the same way you came –which is smart because then you start to get familiar with the directions. But let’s say you then make a wrong turn setting out. Your GPS rarely suggests making a

automatons. If the GPS turns off, many find it impossible to move. They have learned to just follow instructions without knowing where they are going at all on their own.

And that’s a little concerning.

Shouldn’t we all have an idea of where we are heading? Wait. I take that back, I guess most drivers know where they want to end up. The concern is that we totally relinquish any knowledge of how we are

going to get there to a satellite. I think we need to remember that we still have the ability to tune in and figure things out.

But first, now at least, if we are going to depend on a system outside of ourselves, I’m hoping they keep making it better. It would be helpful to get some broad overview and information on the path we are traveling. We are still capable of holding onto some facts! And this way, we are less dependent on their updates and notifications.

We need way more notice before an exit. Cars don’t fly over other cars, at least just yet! And we don’t need to know there are a million roads around us. We just need clarity as to which one we should get on.

Purple seems to be the new green. But we just want the green light to move forward with clarity!

Rivki Rosenwald is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist working with both couples and individuals and is a certified relationship counselor. Rivki is a co-founder and creator of an effective Parent Management of Adolescent Years Program. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or at rivkirosenwald@gmail.com.