Five Towns Jewish Home - 10-15-15

137 SPRUCE STREET

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Pages 11, 12, 13, 15 & 135

Rally for Israel in Times Square

A PUBLICATION OF THE FIVE TOWNS & QUEENS COMMUNITY OCTOBER 15 – OCTOBER 21, 2015 | DISTRIBUTED WEEKLY IN THE FIVE TOWNS, QUEENS & BROOKLYN

ISRAEL GRIPPED

BY TERROR

Around the COMMUNITY

Gourmet Glatt Opens NEW Woodmere Location

THEJEWISHHOME Is it the Third Intifada?

41

44

A Conversation with Yoni Z A Rising Star of Jewish Music Discusses His Budding Career, Forthcoming Debut Album and His Dreams for Jewish Music

Ferris Wheels and Fun at Chai4ever’s Sukkos Event 34 – See pages 3 & 39

SEASONS LAWRENCE

330 Central Avenue, Lawrence, NY 11559 – See page 30

See page 114

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

October 15—October 21, 2015

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

Your Favorite Five Towns Family Newspaper

Israel Gripped by Terror see our ads on pages 11,12 & 13

Is it the Third Intifada? pg72

Gourmet Glatt Opens NEW Woodmere Location pg 61

Rally for Israel in Times Square pg 57

A Conversation with Yoni Z

A Rising Star of Jewish Music Discusses His Budding Career, Forthcoming Debut Album and His Dreams for Jewish Music Ferris Wheels and Fun at Chai4ever’s Sukkos Event pg 38

SEASONS LAWRENCE

330 Central Avenue, Lawrence, NY 11559 see page 5 & 33

see page 24

pg84 see page ##

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Dear Readers, Change.

Change is good.

I

n fact, we’ve spent the past few weeks working on ourselves, changing old habits, forming new ones. It took a lot of time and effort, but it was well worth it. We came out of Tishrei new people.

At this time of year, change is in the air. Step outside, see the bright autumnal hues adorning the trees and the sidewalks. The days are getting shorter and cooler. Soon we’ll be spending more time indoors, cozily surrounded by our family.

Change is also here at The Jewish Home and we’re excited to share it with you. Working with the top designers, speaking with many of our readers, and doing countless hours of research led us to our new design which we know will give you the best reader experience. We’ve kept what you’ve grown to know and love but we’re now fully color and have a clearer, more beautiful layout. Reading TJH will be more thrilling, more enjoyable, and even more exciting.

Spend some time with us over the weekend. You’ll be happy to meet the new TJH. The past few weeks in Israel have been harrowing. I’ve been scared to open my computer to read the news and breathe a sigh of relief when the

headlines are about attacks that have been thwarted. Truly, it strikes me as ironic. How can that be a relief?

Should I be happy that someone set out to kill us and then was prevented from doing so? Am I happy that we are surrounded—and infiltrated—by those who wish for our demise but are stopped from perpetrating their terror? We need it to stop. We need the terror to end. Our brothers and sisters can’t be scared to head out in the morning to work, to send their kids to school, or to go on with their daily lives never knowing if a car or a knife will end their tranquil day.

Living in America, we wish we can help but can’t be there physically for our siblings abroad. What we could do—and what we have been doing—is fight the terror with our words and storm the gates of Heaven as one. Together—and only together—can we win this fight. When we come together in love we can combat the hate that threatens to hurt us.

Last week, our community joined together to help a member of our community. We worked together physically searching for him and then prayed together for his safety. He was not just a friend. He was our brother and every one of us felt the urgency

as we came together to assist.

Once again, we became one, and we were able to experience the yeshua we most desperately needed.

Let us continue to show Hashem our connection and our love for our fellow brothers and sisters as we implore Him to send tranquility to our homeland. Our unity and concern for each other will compel our Maker to send harmony to the Holy Land.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend and a more wonderful reading experience,

— Shoshana

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Dear Editor,

Contents Letters to the Editor....................... 10 COMMUNITY Readers’ Poll........................................8 Community Happenings............36 NEWS Global ................................................. 14 National ............................................22 Odd-but-True Stories ..................32

87

ISRAEL Israel News........................................ 18 Israel Gripped by Terror: Is it the Third Intifada

by Nachum Soroka.......................72 On Bravery by Rafi Sackville.......83 PEOPLE A Conversation with Yoni Z

by Susan Schwamm.....................84 Danny Matt, a Hero Dedicated to the State by Avi Heiligman..........92

100

PARSHA Rabbi Wein ....................................... 77 The Shmuz........................................78 JEWISH THOUGHT In Your Face by Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz ..............................................80 The Secret of Jewish Immortality

by Rabbi Naphtali Hoff ................82 JEWISH HISTORY The Jarring Episode of Shabbetai Tzvi, Infamous Messianic Deceiver, Part I by Rabbi Pini Dunner.........90 HEALTH & FITNESS Healthy Lifestyle Tips to Start Off a Healthy New Year by Cindy Weinberger, MS, RD, CDN..........87 Benefit of the Doubt, Revisited by Deb Hirschhorn, PhD...................88 FOOD & LEISURE The Aussie Gourmet: Homemade Pizza with Pesto Sauce, Blue Marble Cheese & Caramelized Pears...................... 100

LIFESTYLES Full Weeks are Back by Rivki Rosenwald, Esq., CLC.........................110 HUMOR Centerfold ........................................68 Rocky’s Rant: The Name Game.........................102 Uncle Moishy Fun Page.............104 POLITICAL CROSSFIRE Notable Quotes .............................94 Another Massacre, Another Charade

by Charles Krauthammer............98 CLASSIFIEDS Classifieds .......................................106

YITZY HALPERN Publisher | publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

YOSEF FEINERMAN Managing Editor | ads@fivetownsjewishhome.com

SHOSHANA SOROKA Editor | editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com

The article about the Rebbe brought me back to the glory days. As a talmid of Rabbi Freifeld, I miss him every day and the article made me feel for a few minutes that I had my Rebbe with me again. The article did a nice job at expressing what the Rebbe’s message to his talmidim was and it’s a message that I try to remind myself every day.

I will never forget the first time I walked into the Rebbe’s house and saw him sitting at the dining room table. I was so intimidated that I couldn’t even get the word “hello” out. But the Rebbe quickly put me at ease. Three hours later, I felt like this man whom I just met understood me better than any teacher or friend that I ever had. It wasn’t just that he had wisdom, it was that he truly cared for every single neshama that he came into contact with.

May we be zoche to emulate his middos and may Klal Yisroel have yeshuos and nechamos.

—A Talmid of the Rebbe

We walked into our sukkahs just a few weeks ago, full of joy, feeling content and calm. We had just finished Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and we were excited to start the next chag full of happiness. But unfortunately, we left our sukkahs in midst of turmoil...our brothers in Israel had woken up in middle of a nightmare.

At first, we all hoped it was just a few isolated incidents, but with each passing day, it seems to be getting worse. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be scared to leave your home in fear of not making it back alive. My heart is so broken.

I feel guilty doing regular, mundane life activities or enjoying the beautiful weather when I know that people in Israel would do anything to just have one day of normalcy—to not be terrified of their children leaving the house, to not have to carry a weapon just to go to the grocery store, to not be petrified that the person next to them will pull out a knife and start stabbing. Every time I

CLASSIFIEDS classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com text 443-929-4003 Nate Davis Editorial Assistant Nechama Wein Copy Editor Gabe Solomon Distribution & Logistics Rachel Bergida, Berish Edelman, Mati Jacobovits Design & Production

head to a store or park my car on Central Ave, I pause and think to myself what this would be like in Israel—Arabs lurking at the corners, waiting like animals for any passerby to pounce on like prey. What paralyzing fear they are living with! To have Israelis wish for the time they had a warning to run to the bomb shelters shows how much more terrifying it must be because they don’t have those 15 seconds to try to run for their lives, there is no warning whatsoever before their lives could be taken.

There have been many times Israel has been under attack but this is the first time I have such a connection there. My husband’s entire family lives there—his brothers, sisters, my little nieces and nephews, are all living in horrific terror every single day. Childhoods stolen because it’s too scary even to just go out and play. The fear is intensifying with each passing day and my heart is breaking into more and more pieces.

My mother-in-law is the only woman on Hatzalah in Israel. She was a first responder at the Har Nof attacks and has been called to the countless stabbings and terror attacks these past few weeks. She is my role model. Afraid of nothing, she stares terror in the face and finds strength to help anyone in need. Her resilience is astounding, her heart so big, an indescribable amount of strength. I would be so frightened, I’d never even be able to go outside, but she jumps from one terror attack to the next. I’m privileged to be her daughterin-law, and as proud as I am of her, I hope she stops being so busy. It’s been too much.

Here in America, our hearts are crying. I just want all the horror to end!

Too many people have died, too many lives have been shattered, too many hearts have been broken. I will daven and I will keep davening, our family in our Holy Land needs to be safe, protected and we need Moshiach.

My heart is with my family...

Libi B’mizrach.

—Rivka Plaut

The Jewish Home is an independent weekly newspaper.

Opinions expressed by writers are not neces­sarily the opinions of the publisher or editor. The Jewish Home is not responsible for typographical errors or for the kashrus of any product or business advertised within.

The Jewish Home contains words of Torah. Please treat accordingly.

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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The Week In News

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Iran’s nuclear energy program in exchange for crippling sanctions being lifted. Iran insists its nuclear activity is wholly peaceful.

S

Funny Iran Tests Medicine in Missile Capable Argentina of Reaching Israel

Iran defied a United Nations ban this week when it tested a new precision-guided ballistic missile. The test signaled an apparent advance in Iranian attempts to improve the accuracy of its missile arsenal.

The Islamic Republic has one of the largest missile programs in the Middle East, but its potential effectiveness has been limited by poor accuracy. State television showed what appeared to be a successful launch of the new missile, named Emad, which will be Iran’s first precision-guided weapon with the range to strike Israel. “The Emad missile is able to strike targets with a high level of precision and completely destroy them ... This greatly increases Iran’s strategic deterrence capability,” Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan boasted at a news conference.

The U.N. Security Council prohibits foreign powers from assisting Iran in developing its ballistic missile program in any way, a ban that will remain in place under the terms of the July 14 nuclear deal that will see other sanctions lifted. The United Nations also prohibits Iran from undertaking any activity related to ballistic missiles that could deliver a nuclear warhead, which applies to the Emad, but Iranian officials have pledged to ignore the ban. “We don’t ask permission from anyone to strengthen our defense and missile capabilities,” Dehghan bragged.

The Islamic Republic is wary of a potential pre-emptive strike on its nuclear sites by Israel. In turn, Israel fears that a nuclear agreement Iran sealed with world powers in July may be insufficient to stop Tehran from developing an atomic bomb. The accord curbs proliferation-prone aspects of

Hold onto your multicolored hats and round red noses. Argentina has a new law for treating children in hospitals that requires doctors to literally send in the clowns.

The groundbreaking law — the first in the world — for Argentina’s largest province, Buenos Aires, was inspired by the “laughter therapy” of American physician Hunter “Patch” Adams and was implemented in August. All public hospitals in the province that have pediatric services are required to work jointly with specially trained clowns. The project aims to provide “complementary medicine to bring joy to sick children in hospitals, their families and the medical and non-medical personnel,” according to the Argentine Senate.

One child who knows the benefits is Ezequiel Belsu, 12, who was crippled by pain from a pulmonary disease in intensive care at Hospital Piñero. He needs an oxygen mask and IV line and was not moving in his bed.

But his eyes suddenly widened and he smiled when three enthusiastic clowns stepped slowly into his room and asked if he wanted to make a wish.

José Pellucchi, a physician who is director of Payamedicos, an organization of medical clowns, said professional clowns have already been working in more than 150 hospitals in Argentina and neighboring Chile since 2002. When the clowns arrive at Hospital Piñero, they first write down each child’s name, age and disease who they will visit. They also consult with the pediatricians to know which patients they can entertain without disturbing them — or getting exposed to a disease.

“We do an activity with everyone in the hospital, from the cleaning employees to the security officers and the doctors, to … generate well-being in the workplace,” said Gustavo Iribarne,

another Puente Clown professional and an anthropologist.

The doctors believe the clowns benefit the patients. “The fact that someone comes in with a white medical coat and a red nose saying the same things [as a doctor] but with a distinct language changes everything,” explained Daniel Rivero, a physician who heads the pediatrics department at Hospital Piñero. “Health issues are not just related to our body. Determining factors include our sensations and human contact, which can change how our body works … called the placebo effect,” he said.

Fukushima Radiation Linked to Cancer in Children

Thyroid cancer rates in children living near the Fukushima nuclear meltdowns are 20 to 50 times than that of children elsewhere, a new study has found. Most of the 370,000 children in Fukushima state have been given ultrasound checkups since the March 2011 meltdowns at the tsunami-ravaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. The most recent statistics, released in August, show that thyroid cancer is suspected or confirmed in 137 of those children, a number that rose by 25 from a year earlier.

Elsewhere, the disease occurs in only about one or two of every million children per year by some estimates.

“This is more than expected and emerging faster than expected,” lead author Toshihide Tsuda told reporters during a visit to Tokyo.

The study was released this week and is being published in the November issue of Epidemiology. The data comes from tests overseen by Fukushima Medical University.

Making sense of the relationship between radiation and cancer is tricky: it’s scientifically impossible to link an individual cancer case to radiation.

Looking harder with routine checkups, like the one in Fukushima, leads to quicker discovery of tumors, inflating the tallies in a so-called “screening

effect.”

Right after the disaster, the lead doctor brought into Fukushima, Shunichi Yamashita, repeatedly ruled out the possibility of radiation-induced illnesses. The thyroid checks were being ordered just to play it safe, according to the government. But Tsuda, a professor at Okayama University, said the latest results from the ultrasound checkups, which continue to be conducted, raise doubts about the government’s view.

Thyroid cancer among children is one sickness the medical world has definitively linked to radiation after the 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe. If treated, it is rarely fatal, and early detection is a plus, but patients are on medication for the rest of their lives.

Russia Captures ISIS Members before Attack

Russian security services have foiled a terrorist attack on Moscow’s public transport system by a group of Islamist terrorists. A statement by the federal security service (FSB) said they had detained a group of people in Moscow and seized bomb-making materials they were planning to use in an attack on the capital’s busy transport system.

Some of those captured were reportedly trained by ISIS in Syria.

“During questioning of two of the detained men, it became known that they were planning a terrorist attack on the Moscow public transit system,” said the statement which was carried

by Russian news agencies this week.

Russian security forces had arrested at least three people in a raid on an apartment block in central Moscow where security forces also found an explosive device, with dozens of people evacuated from the area.

The raid came after the security services identified a Moscow address “where six to 11 people periodically lived, some of whom went through combat training in Islamic State camps in Syria,” it said. The FSB said the suspects arrived back in Russia long before Moscow launched a bombing campaign in Syria late last

The Week In News

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

month.

Footage of the raid shows police officers carrying sacks of evidence out of the building, including a washing machine that “could have been used as a hiding place.” Officers found a device consisting of a plastic bucket with ammonia and aluminum powder, complete with a phone-activated detonator, the report said.

Moscow commenced airstrikes in war-torn Syria in late September following a request from its long-standing ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Moscow claims it is targeting ISIS and other terrorist groups, but in practice the Russian air force is mostly bombing more moderate rebels battling Assad’s forces and ISIS alike.

Russia, which has battled its own Islamist insurgency in the volatile North Caucasus, says that some 2,000 of its citizens are fighting in the ranks of ISIS. Moscow suffered the last in a string of bloody attacks in January 2011 when Islamist insurgents killed some 37 people in a bomb blast at Domodedovo Airport.

Washington Post Reporter Convicted by Iranian Court

day’s vague statement on a purported verdict, while certainly disappointing to our family, is not surprising.”

Rezaian was arrested along with his wife, Iranian journalist Yeganeh Salehi, when security forces raided their home last year. He went on trial in May. “While the status of any verdict in his case remains unclear, there is much about Jason we know for certain,” Ali Rezaian continued. “Jason was simply a journalist doing his job and following all the rules when he was wrongly arrested and imprisoned in Tehran’s infamous Evin prison. He is an innocent man that has been kept under harsh conditions to the detriment of his health and well-being for nearly 450 days. There is worldwide condemnation for the Iranian government’s unlawful detention of Jason and calls from across the globe for his immediate release. We remain hopeful that Jason will soon be released and reunited with this family.”

Martin Baron, executive editor of the Post, called the verdict an “outrageous injustice.” The proceedings unfolded in secret and there was no evidence of any wrongdoing.

John Hughes, president of the National Press Club, called Rezaian’s trial a sham and said he “must be set free.” Journalists around the globe condemned the outrageous decision by the Iranian court.

RussianMade Missile Downed Flight MH17 The verdict was almost predictable, but when it became public, there was a rallying cry.

Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian was convicted in an Iranian court over the weekend of charges that included espionage.

“Today’s announcement by the Iranian government that a ruling has been issued regarding the case of my brother, Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, is unfortunately just another sad chapter in his 14-month illegal imprisonment and opaque trial process,” Jason’s brother, Ali Rezaian, said in a statement. “It follows an unconscionable pattern by Iranian authorities of silence, obfuscation, delay and a total lack of adherence to international law, as well as Iranian law. The Iranian government has never provided any proof of the trumped up espionage and other charges against Jason, so to-

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718 851 3300 ext 157 On Tuesday it was revealed that Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down by a Russian-made BUK missile fired from war-torn eastern Ukraine last year killing all 298 people on board.

Even though air crash investigators in the Dutch-led inquiry did not say who pulled the trigger, Russian officials were scrambling to dispute the findings.

“Flight MH17 crashed as a result of the detonation of a warhead outside the airplane against the left-hand

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The Week In News

side of the cockpit,” the chairman of the Dutch Safety Board, Tjibbe Joustra, said. “This warhead fits the kind of missile that is installed in the BUK surface-to-air missile system.”

Sadly, the report also revealed that it was possible that some on board the Boeing 777 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur may have been conscious during the 90 seconds it took to crash on July 17 last year.

Malaysia vowed it would seek the prosecution of the “trigger happy criminals” who downed the flight, the second aviation tragedy for the country after the mysterious disappearance of flight MH370 in March 2014.

“The wreckage was spread over several sites” near the villages of Grabove, Rozsypne and Ptropavlivka in Ukraine, most of which were in rebel territory, the Dutch report said.

It could not say, though, whether the missile came from an area under control of Russian-backed separatists. Some, though, have speculated that former Russian military officials were involved as it would have been difficult for rebels to operate the device that was developed and used in Russia.

The report also criticized Ukraine for allowing civilian aircraft to fly over the eastern part of the country despite the tumultuous conflicts that were raging. On the day of the tragedy, at least 160 commercial flights flew over the area. “There was sufficient reason for the Ukrainian authorities to close the air space above the eastern part of their country,” Joustra said.

Doctors Without Borders Mourn their Loss, Demand Investigation

Doctors Without Borders is comprised of selfless, brave individuals who want to help the world. The charity group provides medical care in the some of the world’s most dangerous places.

Last week, an aid group was stationed in the Afghan city of Kunduz

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

when it was hit by a deadly U.S. airstrike. The attack on Saturday killed 12 medical staff members and at least 10 patients, three of them children. It was “the biggest loss of life for our organization in an airstrike,” Dr. Joanne Liu, International President of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders, said. Another 37 people were wounded.

Obama has apologized for the fatal mistake but Doctors Without Borders are saying it is too little and too late.

“President Obama expressed regret over the tragic incident and offered his thoughts and prayers on behalf of the American people to the victims, their families, and loved ones,” the White House statement said.

But an apology is not sufficient, the organization said.

“We reiterate our [request] that the U.S. government consent to an independent investigation led by the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission to establish what happened in Kunduz, how it happened, and why it happened,” Liu said after the attack.

The charity group is calling the strike an “attack on the Geneva Conventions” and urging an independent investigation by a never-before-used international commission.

Gen. John Campbell, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, has said the hospital was hit accidentally during an American airstrike. The Pentagon is carrying out an investigation, as are NATO and Afghanistan.

“If errors were committed, we will acknowledge them,” Campbell said.

“We will hold those responsible accountable, and we will take steps to ensure mistakes are not repeated.”

Russian Embassy in Syria Attacked

It was supposed to be a rally thanking Russia for its interference in the Syrian conflict, but it ended up as an attack.

On Tuesday, insurgents fired two shells at the Russian embassy in central Damascus as hundreds of pro-government supporters gathered outside the compound to thank Moscow for

its intervention in Syria.

The first shell slammed into the compound and people started to flee as smoke billowed from within. A second shell then hit the area. No one was injured in the blasts.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov condemned the attack, saying, “This is obviously a terrorist act intended to, probably, frighten supporters of the war against terror and to not allow them to prevail in the fight with extremism.”

Before the shelling, the demonstrators had gathered outside the embassy carrying posters showing Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin and waved the two countries’ flags.

Some held placards that read: “Thanks Russia” and “Syria and Russia are together to fight terrorism.”

“President Putin’s stances were absolutely positive for Syria,” said 39-year-old civil servant Nizar Maqsoud.

“All the West stood against us. Only Russia backed us; we are all here to thank Russia and President Putin,” said Osama Salal, an 18-year-old student, at the rally.

Rebels in the capital’s suburbs have targeted the embassy in the past, and it was not clear if Tuesday’s attack targeted the rally.

Insurgents have vowed to fight

Russian forces after Moscow began launching airstrikes in Syria late last month. Russia has been one of Assad’s strongest supporters since the start of the uprising in 2011. The civil war has killed more than 250,000 people and displaced half of Syria’s population.

Russia began launching airstrikes in Syria on Sept. 30, allowing Syrian government forces to launch a multipronged ground assault. Moscow insists it is mainly targeting the Islamic State group and other “terrorists,” but the ground and air offensive is being waged in areas controlled by U.S.backed rebels as well as other insurgents, including the al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front.

Earlier Tuesday, the Nusra Front released an audio message from its leader, Abu Muhammed al-Golani, describing the Russian military intervention as a new “Crusader campaign” aiming to save Assad’s rule. He called on Syrian militant and rebel groups to unite and intensify shelling of villages inhabited by members of Assad’s minority Alawite sect.

Al-Golani also called on Muslims in the former Soviet Union to attack Russian civilians if Russians target civilians in Syria.

“The Russian intervention came to declare a new eastern Crusader war after the western Crusader war

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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failed in Syria,” al-Golani said, in an apparent reference to airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition that began last year.

Al-Golani said the Russians are not targeting the IS group, but are instead striking at militants who are fighting the government.

The jihadi leader promised to pay 3 million euros ($3.42 million) to whomever kills Assad and 2 million euros ($2.28 million) to whomever kills Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, whose men are fighting alongside Assad’s forces.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

A recent outbreak of stabbing and stoning attacks all across the country, along with noisy rioting, have increased fears of an official third intifada.

Tuesday’s Terror

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Hamas Leader Declares Intifada

The last few weeks in Israel have been horrific, as Israel has been hit with attacks almost daily.

Hamas’s chief in Gaza is calling the violence that has hit Israel and the West Bank in recent days an “intifada” and urged further unrest. “We are calling for the strengthening and increasing of the intifada… It is the only path that will lead to liberation,” Ismail Haniyeh declared during a sermon for weekly Muslim prayers at a mosque in Gaza City.

“Gaza will fulfill its role in the Jerusalem intifada and it is more than ready for confrontation,” Haniyeh proclaimed. The Islamic terror movement Hamas rules Gaza, the Palestinian area between Egypt and Israel and separated from the West Bank. Gaza has been the site of three wars with Israel since 2008, but it has remained mainly calm amid the recent unrest in Israel and the West Bank. However, a march of about 300 people last week near the border with Israel in the northern Gaza Strip saw youths throw stones toward Israeli soldiers on the other side of the frontier, who responded, causing two injuries, Gazan rescue services said. Other reports put that number at five wounded, with some reports saying a Palestinian had been killed.

The attacks don’t seem to be abating.

On Tuesday morning, two separate attacks hit Jerusalem within just a few minutes, when two Arab men stabbed passengers on a bus and a car rammed into a group of people in the center of the capital.

One person was killed and another wounded as a driver rammed into a crowd on Malchei Israel Street in the Makor Baruch neighborhood in the center of Jerusalem. The attacker, Alaa Abu Jamal, an East Jerusalem resident and an employee of the Bezeq phone company, stepped out of the crashed vehicle and attempted to stab the wounded. He was related to Uday and Ghassan Abu Jamal who killed four men and a policeman in a shul in Har Nof last November. He was killed by police after the attack.

Rabbi Yeshayahu Kirshavski, 59, the victim in the car ramming attack, was buried that day in Har HaMenuchot cemetery. Rabbi Krishevsky was a renowned scholar, compiling the sefer, “Pearls of Yeshayahu.” He learned all day and was asked to speak regularly because of his extensive Torah knowledge. He had just finished davening on Tuesday morning and went to the bus station to meet with his regular chavrusa when he was killed by the terrorist.

His son, Shneor, eulogized his father at the funeral. “He was a Jew who was all heart and kindness, he loved all Jews.

Those poor people who no one wants to go near them, he would come to them, help them, without thinking at all.”

In a separate incident minutes earlier, two male passengers were killed — a 60-year-old who died at the scene, and a 45-year-old who died in the hospital — and three others suffered gunshot wounds in a combined shooting and stabbing attack on Egged bus 78 in the neighborhood of Armon Hanatziv in southern Jerusalem.

Two assailants were involved in the Armon Hanatziv attack and were shot and subdued by police. One ter-

rorist was said to have been killed, and the other was caught by police.

Some 15 people were injured in the attack.

In Ra’anana, a man stabbed four people with a knife on Jerusalem Boulevard. One was in serious condition with stab wounds to the upper body.

The three other victims were lightly injured. The attacker was arrested.

The attacks follow just hours after another stabbing attack in Ra’anana, in which a man was lightly injured when stabbed while standing at a bus stop on the central Ahuza thoroughfare in the city. Passersby held the attacker and beat him to stop the attack until police came to take him into custody.

Netanyahu: Terrorists Must Pay

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that terrorists will pay the price for their actions.

The Israeli leader gave a speech in the Knesset special session in memory of Minister Rehavam Ze’evi, who was killed by a Palestinian Arab terrorist in 2001, and made it clear that significant decisions will be made.

“Today we decide on a series of bold steps to further our war against incitement and terrorism,” he began. “They will be applied in the field as quickly as possible.”

“Israel will come to settle accounts with the murderers, those who try to murder, and anyone who helps them,” he continued. “Not only will we take away rights, but they will pay the full price.

“All whoever raises a hand to hurt us – his hand will be cut off,” he warned. “We will use every means at our disposal, and I do not hesitate to use them, in order to restore peace to the cities of Israel.”

Netanyahu spoke in the midst of an unprecedented wave of terror attacks against Jews in Israel, with no fewer than 20 stabbings in ten days – as well as shootings, rock-throwing and firebomb attacks, and car attacks nationwide.

“Do not turn murderers into heroes,” Netanyahu thundered, referring

The Week In News

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Tel Aviv in Top Twenty-Five

According to Qatar Financial Center, Tel Aviv has been chosen as one of the world’s top 25 leading financial centers. The distance from the top three – London, New York, and Hong Kong – is still great, however, the White City nonetheless precedes dozens of other very important financial centers.

According to the study, Tel Aviv is ranked 25th, and advances, among others, Abu Dhabi (28), Beijing (29), São Paulo (31), Stockholm (32), Rio de Janeiro (35), Amsterdam (36), Paris (37), Oslo (67), Moscow (78), and Madrid (79).

The list, which has been published since 2007, is released every six months and ranks the 84 leading financial world centers. The ranking is based on five central competitive categories analyzed by experts from various fields such as banking, investments, security and governance and on an analysis of rankings and financial parameters of various sources.

Hila Oren, head of Tel Aviv Global City of the Mayor’s office, said that this is the latest in a series of achievements. “Tel Aviv was ranked 32nd in 2013, and since then we have risen to 25th,” she pointed out. “The ranking reflects the city’s hard work as a world financial center and the hub of Israel’s economy.”

The flattering ranking joins a list of other commendable accolades and titles given to Tel Aviv. Newsweek called it one of the 21st century’s most thriving cities, and the Wall Street Journal

says it is the leading technological center of Europe.

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In the latest loathsome Palestinian Authority revelation, official Palestinian government documents have been published showing hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments to prisoners convicted in some of the deadliest attacks on Israelis.

The report came after days of violent clashes and repeated Israeli accusations of Palestinian incitement to violence. Hefty sums have been given to murderers serving out multiple life sentences in Israeli prisons. Individuals who received funds from the Palestinian Authority include members of the PA security forces who were implicated in terrorist attacks against Israelis during the Second Intifada, as well as senior Hamas members serving time in Israeli prisons.

Abdullah Barghouti, a Hamas commander and bomb-maker serving 67 life terms for his involvement in several terror attacks, including the bombing of the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem in August 2001 that killed 15 Israelis and wounded some 130, has received over NIS 250,000 ($64,000) from the Palestinian Authority. Palestinians have long acknowledged paying support to the families of prisoners held by Israel, but payments made personally to prisoners convicted in deadly attacks have never been made public.

Ashraf al-Ajrami, a former Palestinian minister for prisoners’ affairs, confirmed the report, saying the prisoners are “heroes” and the money is for their families.

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to the Hamas, Palestinian Authority and Islamic Movement. “If there is deterioration due to the provocations of Hamas, the Palestinian Authority and the Islamic Movement – it’s on your shoulders.”

He urged Israeli Arabs to choose the right path and not head down the path of terror.

“Do not be misled by agitators,” he said. “It’s easy to unravel the threads that bind us to one another. Do not be tempted to do so.” He added, “There is a large group among Israeli Arabs who understand things, and their leadership must act boldly, and face agitators.”

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The PLO showed more of its true colors this week. The Palestinian Liberation Organization’s executive committee has been advocating accelerating internal Palestinian reconciliation and convening a Palestinian National Council including the participation of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The PLO also urged UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to apply the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and force Israel to comply with “international law” and withdraw from Judea-Samaria and eastern Jerusalem.

Another major decision recently made by the committee was “the need to implement the objectives included in the President’s [Mahmoud Abbas] speech to the UN General Assembly, including the immediate transition from the status of an authority to the status of a state.” In his speech before the UN on September 30, Abbas renounced the Oslo Accords, claiming the Jewish state had effectively “destroyed” the agreements, “negating” them and freeing the Palestinian Authority of its own commitment.

In a statement released at the end of a PLO meeting chaired by Abbas, the PLO said it would continue to fight against Israel’s “aggression” and planned to “undermine the two-state solution and establish an apartheid state” separating Gaza from Judea-Samaria.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Interview with Israel’s Top IQ

Yaron Mirelman is thought to be the smartest Israeli in the world. With an IQ of 183— that’s 20 points higher than Albert Einstein is believed to have had—Mirelman is among the 33 most intelligent people in the world.

Life with that brain capacity is not always easy. In a recent interview, Mirelman discussed the challenges he faces as a result of his intellectual prowess and recounted that as a child he shied away from his gift in an effort to ward off bullying and unwanted attention from his peers. “During my childhood I began to downplay my ‘otherness’ and gifts because I hated the reactions it aroused,” he related.

“I wasn’t always accepted or understood,” Mirelman added, recalling

being frustratingly bored for the majority of his school years. As a result, Mirelman said he retreated and slowly stopped interacting with his peers and teachers, which ultimately damaged his self-confidence.

“The more my self-confidence went down, the harder it was for me to interact in social settings,” he said.

Mirelman now works as a business consultant and claims dozens of clients from a wide variety of spheres.

“At the end of the day, all of these companies manage people, money and procedures. And that is something I’m good at doing,” he said. Mirelman is often recruited to problem solve for his clients, and he works to streamline production or operational procedures.

Owning his own consulting company allows Mirelman to work a short workday of between 2-3 hours, giving him ample time to pursue his hobbies.

In his free time, Mirelman hangs out at the beach or at a martial arts studio where he trains in Thai boxing.

Towards the end of the interview, Mirelman was asked why he chose not to utilize his gift for the good of humanity, such as trying to make life-saving advances in the field of medical research. Mirelman said he is unable to concentrate or function in any longterm initiatives and dedicating his life

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Netanyahu’s Passionate U.N. Address

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rebuked world powers on October 1 for failing to challenge Iran over its threats to destroy Israel. The emotional address was given before the United Nations General Assembly. “Last month, [Iranian Supreme Leader Ali] Khamenei made his genocidal intentions clear. Before Iran’s top clerical body, the assembly of ex-

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to scientific research wasn’t for him.

He also countered that he feels like he is “doing something good for humanity, because companies who earn more provide greater stability for their employees.”

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

perts, he spoke about Israel, home to over six million Jews. He pledged, quote, ‘There will be no Israel in 25 years,’” Netanyahu said in the UN. “Seventy years after the murder of six million Jews, Iran’s rulers promise to destroy my country, to murder my people, and the response from this body, the response from nearly every one of the governments represented here, has been absolutely nothing.

Utter silence. Deafening silence,” he added.

Netanyahu then stood in silence for 44 seconds, staring reproachfully at the crowd.

“Perhaps you can now understand why Israel is not joining you in celebrating this deal,” he said. “If Iran’s rulers were working to destroy your country, perhaps you’d be less enthusiastic about the deal.”

While Iran deployed terror groups and weapons to multiple Mideast nations, Netanyahu said, world powers, including Western governments, were rushing to embrace the regime in Tehran. “We see a world celebrating this bad deal, rushing to embrace and do business with a regime openly committed to our destruction,” he said, referring to the nuclear deal, signed between Iran and six world powers in Vienna in July, that Israel has vociferously opposed.

“Check your enthusiasm at the door,” he said. “For those of you who believe that the deal in Vienna will bring a change in Iran’s policy, just listen to what Khamenei said five days after the deal was reached: ‘Our policies toward the arrogant government of the United States will not change.

The United States,’ he vowed, ‘will continue to be our enemy.’ Giving the mullahs more money will fuel repression inside Iran. As the leader of a country defending itself every day against Iran’s growing aggression, I wish I could take comfort in the claims that this deal” will prevent an Iranian nuclear weapon.

Netanyahu offered an explicit warning to the international community. Israel “will not allow Iran to break in, to sneak in, or to walk into the nuclear weapons club,” he asserted. “I know that preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons remains the official policy of the international community,” he added dismissively, “but no one should question Israel’s commitment to defend ourselves against those who seek our destruction.

“So here’s my message to the rulers of Iran: Your plans to destroy Israel will fail. Israel will not permit any force on Earth to threaten its future. And here’s my message to all the

countries represented here: Whatever resolutions you may adopt here, whatever decisions you take in your capitals, Israel will do whatever it must do to defend our state and to defend our people.”

Netanyahu concluded his speech by turning to the Palestinian arena, reiterating his past insistence that Israel under his stewardship “remains committed to achieving peace with the Palestinians as well.”

“Israelis know the price of war. I know the price of war. I was nearly killed in battle. I lost many friends. I lost my beloved brother Yoni… I am prepared to immediately [begin] direct peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority without any preconditions whatsoever.”

Where are the World’s Jews?

According to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, the number of Jews in the

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world is still lower than the number of Jews before the Holocaust. The CBS’s annual statistical report shows that in 1939 there were 16.6 million Jews living around the world; today there are 14.31 million.

According to the data, the world had 7.8 million Jews in 1882, 24,000 of them in the Land of Israel. In other words, less than 1 percent of the Jews were living in Israel when the First Aliyah began. When World War I broke out in 1914, the number of Jews in the world had already reached 13.5 million, 50,000 of them in the Land of Israel.

In 1939, just before the Holocaust, there were 16.6 million Jews in the world, 449,000 of them (3 percent) in Israel. When the State of Israel was established in 1948, the number of Jews in the world was 11.5 million, and 650,000 of them (6 percent) were living in Israel.

The next 32 years saw a moderate increase in the number of Jews in the world, which reached 12.84 million in 1980, 3.283 million of them in Israel— one in four Jews was living in Israel at the time. Thirty years later, while the number of Jews in the world went up very moderately to 13.925 million, 42 percent (5.803 million) of them lived in Israel.

According to the figures for 2015,

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there are 14.31 million Jews in the world, 6.219 million, or 43 percent, live in Israel.

The number of Jews outside Israel is gradually decreasing due to the immigration to the Jewish state and assimilation. In 1975, for example, there were 9.781 million Jews living outside Israel, while today there are only 8.1 million. Essentially, while the Jewish population in Israel more than doubled itself, the Jewish population in the world dropped some 20 percent.

According to the CBS figures, there are currently 5.7 million Jews living in the United States, 467,000 in France, 386,000 in Canada, 290,000 in Britain, 183,000 in Russia, 181,000 in Argentina, 118,000 in Germany and 113,000 in Australia.

The annual report also includes the number of new immigrants in Israel. A total of 24,112 people made aliyah in 2014 – the highest number since 2003. A total of 3,149,728 people immigrated to Israel since the State’s establishment.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

One thing is certain: The Donald is popular. He has about 4.4M Twitter followers, over 450K Instagram followers, and close to 4M Facebook fans. Now for those that aren’t media savvy, trust us, that’s popular. Just for a frame of reference, Ben Carson, who is polling second, has 723K Twitter followers, 110K Instagram followers, and over 4M Facebook fans.

Among the other candidates, Ben Carson, the retired neurosurgeon, came in second with 21%, with Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas at 9%, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida at 8% and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Carly Fiorina, the former head of Hewlett-Packard, tied at 6% in the polls.

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Trump’s Current Poll Status

Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, pro-Trump or anti-Trump, there is no denying that everyone cares where he is holding in the polls. A new poll from CBS News reveals that Trump is still leading the race for the Republican Party’s nomination with a 27% backing.

However, when asked what they would do if Trump won the nomination, 19% of Republican primary voters said they would not support him.

More than 4 in 10 said they would “support him with reservations,” and 29% said they would back him “enthusiastically.”

Discussion focusing on legal and practical issues to be aware of when buying an apartment in Israel

Plus: A look at Tayelet Gardens, a unique Jerusalem property Motzei Shabbat, October 24 Presentation will begin at 8:30 pm Young Israel of West Hempstead 630 Hempstead Ave, West Hempstead

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There are seven Dunkin’ Donuts within 50 miles of Arkansas’ capital Little Rock, and in Denver, the capital of Colorado, there are 14 branches within 50 miles. But it seems that in Arkansas, donuts must be the bestselling item and in Colorado it is probably black coffee with no sugar or milk. Arkansas boasts the highest obesity rate in the country while Colorado has the lowest.

In fact, many Southern states have high obesity rates; West Virginia, North Dakota, and Indiana all have a high percentage of people who classify as obese, according to a new report by the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation and Trust for America’s Health.

According to a recent study conducted at Harvard, being surrounded by people who are obese increases personal risk as well. Your family and friends can dramatically impact your health and fitness. In fact, just having a close friend who becomes obese raises your own risk by 57 percent. Surprisingly, having a sibling or spouse who’s obese also increases your risk, but to a lesser degree. The logic is simple: if you are around high caloric food, you are more likely to eat it, and if your friends either encourage or discourage exercise it will affect your decisions.

Twenty-two states now have obe-

RSVP: Optional - gborvick@gmail.com | www.myisraelhome.com sity rates that top 30 percent, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey. Overall, the nation’s obesity rates have plateaued but obesity rates are growing in five states: Ohio, Minnesota, Kansas, New Mexico and Utah.

The editors at Eat This, Not That! magazine ranked all 50 states and Washington, D.C., according to obesity rates. The top ten states for obesity include: Arkansas (35.9% obese); West Virginia (35.7% obese); Mississippi (35.5% obese); Louisiana (34.9% obese); Alabama (33.5% obese); Oklahoma (33.0% obese); Indiana (32.7% obese); Ohio (32.6% obese); North Dakota (32.2% obese); and South Carolina (32.1% obese).

The states with the lowest obesity levels include: New York (27.0% obese) (tie) and Rhode Island (27.0% obese) (tie); New Jersey (26.9% obese); Montana (26.4% obese); Connecticut (26.3% obese); Florida (26.2% obese); Utah (25.7% obese); Vermont (24.8% obese); California (24.7% obese); Massachusetts (23.3% obese); Hawaii (22.1% obese); District of Columbia (21.7% obese); and Colorado (21.3% obese).

Record High Cubans Retiring to Florida

Florida is a hotspot for retirement, and not just for American senior citizens. Many Cubans are retiring in the Sunshine State and receive government assistance from the U.S. despite never living or working in the country and not paying a single dollar in taxes.

Since 2010, the number of Cubans over 60 immigrating to Florida has increased fivefold.

Cubans’ special status allows a growing number the elderly to retire

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

to the U.S. with taxpayer support. Unlike most other immigrants, Cubans qualify immediately for food stamps and Medicaid. If they are over 65 with little or no income, they also can collect a monthly check of up to $733 in Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Congress created Supplemental Security Income in 1972 as a safety net for disabled adults and children and poor seniors.

“They’re getting cheap apartments, food stamps,” said Cuban-born attorney Pedro Fuentes-Cid of Tampa. “They tell their friends in Cuba, and they come over.”

This is all made possible under a humanitarian policy of treating Cubans who arrive as refugees.

Cubans are eligible for government assistance for up to seven years after arriving and longer if they go through the process of becoming citizens.

Miami-Dade is top in the nation among large counties in the percentage of people over 65 collecting SSI. In 2013, Miami-Dade County had more seniors living on SSI than all other Florida counties combined.

About two-thirds of Miami’s elderly SSI recipients are Cuba natives.

Legality of Iran Deal Being Questioned

It turns out that the Iran nuclear deal struck by the Obama administration may not have exactly been legal. Senior U.S. officials involved in the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal say that part of the deal, namely a concession that gives Iran access to tens of billions of dollars in U.S.-backed commerce, conflicts with existing federal statutes.

At issue is a passage tucked away in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, as the Iran nuclear deal is formally known. Specifically, Section 5.1.2 says that in exchange for Iranian compliance with the terms

of the deal, the U.S. “shall…license non-U.S. entities that are owned or controlled by a U.S. person to engage in activities with Iran that are consistent with this JCPOA.” In short, this means that foreign subsidiaries of U.S. parent companies will, under certain conditions, be allowed to do business with Iran.

The problem is that the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act (ITRA), signed into law by President Obama in August 2012, was explicit in closing the so-called “foreign sub” loophole. ITRA says that when it comes to doing business with Iran, foreign subsidiaries of U.S. firms shall in all cases be treated exactly the same as U.S. firms. So, what is prohibited for U.S. parent firms has to be prohibited for foreign subsidiaries, and what is allowed for foreign subsidiaries has to be allowed for U.S. parent firms.

Additionally, ITRA contains language requiring that the terms spelled out in Section 218 shall remain in effect until the president of the United States certifies two things to Congress: first, that Iran has been removed from the State Department’s list of nations that sponsor terrorism, and second, that Iran has ceased the pursuit, acquisition, and development of weap-

25

ons of mass destruction.

Administration sources say that it is the intention of Secretary of State John Kerry, who negotiated the nuclear deal with Iran’s foreign minister and five other world powers, that the re-opening of the “foreign sub” loophole by the JCPOA is to be construed as broadly as possible by lawyers for the State Department, the Treasury Department and other agencies involved in the deal’s implementation.

But the apparent conflict between the re-opening of the loophole and existing U.S. law leaves the Obama administration with only two options going forward. The first option is to violate ITRA and allow foreign subsidiaries to be treated differently than U.S. parent firms. The second option is to treat both categories the same, as ITRA mandated – but still violate the section of ITRA that requires Iran’s removal from the State Department terror list as a pre-condition.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the G.O.P. presidential candidate who is a Harvard-trained lawyer and an outspoken critic of the Iran deal, said the reopening of the loophole fits a pattern of the Obama administration enforcing federal laws selectively. “It’s a problem that the president doesn’t have the B”H

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The Week In News

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

ability wave a magic wand and make it away,” Cruz said in an interview. “Any U.S. company that follows through on this, that allows their foreign-owned subsidiaries to do business with Iran, will very likely face substantial civil liability, litigation and potentially even criminal prosecution. The obligation to follow federal law doesn’t go away simply because we have a lawless president who refuses to acknowledge or follow federal law.”

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A new book by Bob Woodward reveals that former President Richard Nixon believed that years of aerial bombing in Southeast Asia to pressure North Vietnam achieved “zilch.” This disclosure is shocking only because Nixon publicly declared the bombings were effective and ordered more bombs while running for reelection in 1972.

Nixon’s private thoughts were revealed in a handwritten note.

Nixon’s note to Henry Kissinger, then his national security adviser, on January 3, 1972, was written sideways across a top-secret memo updating the president on war developments.

Nixon wrote: “K. We have had 10 years of total control of the air in Laos and V.Nam. The result = Zilch. There is something wrong with the strategy or the Air Force.”

The day before he wrote the “zilch” note, Nixon was asked about the military effectiveness of the bombing by Dan Rather of CBS News in an hourlong, primetime television interview.

“The results have been very, very effective,” Nixon declared.

Nixon’s private assessment was correct, Woodward writes: The bombings were not working, but Nixon defended and intensified it in order to advance his reelection prospects. The claim that the bombing was militarily effective “was a lie, and here Nixon made clear that he knew it,” Woodward writes.

Nixon’s note, which had not previously been disclosed, was found in a trove of thousands of documents taken from the White House by Alexander P. Butterfield, deputy to H.R. Haldeman, Nixon’s chief of staff, and not made public until now.

Obama Admits to Failing in Syria

Despite President Obama’s repeated attempts to resolve the Syria crisis, all has failed.

“I didn’t say it was going to be done in a year,” Obama declared in a CBS “60 Minutes” interview on Sunday.

“Syria has been a difficult problem for the entire world community. … What we have not been able to do so far – and I’m the first to acknowledge this – is to change the dynamic inside of Syria.”

The White House spent $500 million to train and equip a moderate opposition to fight the Islamic State, but the administration ended the program last week following a report by the U.S. military that efforts to train as many as 5,000 rebels had only done so for about 50 and now only four or five remain.

“There’s no doubt that it did not work,” said Obama, while acknowledging that he was “skeptical” about the plan from the beginning and that he was willing to try several options.

Obama admitted that training Syrians to defeat the Islamic State will be nearly impossible as long as the regime of President Bashar Assad remains in power.

On the other hand—and across the world—Russian President Vladimir Putin is confident in his strategy regarding Syria. In an interview on Tuesday with CNBC, the Russian leader declared, “Let me be clear, we are not going to get into leadership [debates about Syria]. There is only one leader in Syria which is the Syria people.” He continued, “What we’re trying to achieve is to contribute to the fight against terrorism which is a threat both to the U.S., to Russia, to European countries and the whole world,” he said.

“They [the western alliance] don’t have a clear understanding of what’s happening on the ground.”

Russia began a bombing campaign in Syria last month, ostensibly joining the Western countries in fighting ISIS. But it is clear to all that Putin has become involved in the conflict to bolster the regime of Syrian leader

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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The Week In News

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Bashar Al-Assad, much to the concern of Western powers who view Assad as a major cause of the country’s civil war.

When asked to defend himself against President Obama’s recent remarks against the Russian bombing campaign, Putin insisted, “All our actions fully comply with the United Nations charter and international law, contrary to the actions of our colleagues from the so-called U.S.-led international coalition which is acting without any UN Security Council resolution and invitation of the Syrian authorities.”

their relatives, and eventually apply for citizenship and voting rights. According to estimates, about 91.4% of Middle Eastern immigrants receive food stamps.

Clinton Leads Democratic Party Despite Scandal

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What’s the most common foreign language you hear on the streets? The fastest growing household language in the U.S. may surprise you…

The Census Bureau’s 2014 American Community Survey (ACS) discloses that Arabic and Urdu, Pakistan’s national language, are growing the most rapidly in percentage terms from all other foreign languages spoken in people’s home in the U.S., according to a new report by the Center for Immigration Studies.

After a half century of high quantities of immigrants, a record 63.2 million U.S. residents speak a language other than English at home. That’s about one out of every five homes.

Between 2010 and 2014, there was a 29 percent increase in Arabic, a 23 percent increase in Urdu, and a 9 percent jump in Persian, which is spoken in Iran.

This survey supports recent studies that claim that Muslim immigration is the fastest growing bloc of immigrants. Each year the United States voluntarily imports more than a quarter of a million, about 280,000, Muslim migrants. This figure includes permanently resettled immigrants, guest workers, refugees and foreign students. All of these immigrants are invited into the U.S. on visas and therefore have the opportunity to collect welfare, resettle

Hillary Clinton has come a long way since serving as First Lady in the White House in the early 2000s. She intends to spend more time in the White House next year—hopefully in the Oval Office.

Despite the scandal and controversy surrounding her, Clinton remains the leader in the Democratic polls. She has received more money, endorsements, and numbers on the polls than any other declared candidate, making it highly possible that she will secure the party’s nomination.

This week Clinton released her proposal for the college affordability plan, a policy prescription driven in large part by the party’s progressives. However, before long, discussions returned to the ongoing investigation regarding Clinton using her private email account while secretary of state.

On Monday, Clinton shook hands with hundreds of supporters who turned up at a ski resort in New Hampshire to hear her speak.

Her challenger, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, packed a sports arena in Los Angeles with more than 15,000 people.

Earlier this week, Clinton announced she would hand over her personal email server to investigators after months of fighting a government investigation, yet she stilled polled high. The only state that Clinton isn’t leading in is New Hampshire, where more voters say they’d vote for Bernie Sanders.

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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The Week In News

Best Cities for Living

With the costs of living in New York City and many other major cities getting higher and higher, many families are looking for alternative communities that offer more affordable living.

Livability.com, a division of Journal Communications, has released its third annual list of the Best Places to Live, which lists the U.S.’s finest cities. The ranking is based on results of a survey of 2,000 American adults and what they feel affects the quality of a community. The company also pulled data from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Affairs and Education, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Cities throughout the U.S. with populations between 20,000 and 350,000 were then ranked across eight categories: amenities, demographics, economy, education, health care, housing, social and civic capital, and transportation and infrastructure.

All cities on the list have good education, low crime rates, and respectable amenities such as parks, natural and built environments, and arts and culture. These cities are also affordable; racially, ethnically and economically diverse; and conducive to residents’ flexibility in choosing a hospital, school, park and manner of commuting.

The following 10 cities are home to places that may be sweeter than your current “home sweet home”: 1.

Rochester, Minnesota Population: 108,179 Median Household Income: $62,575 Median Home Price: $163,700 2.

Bellevue, Washington Population: 129,209 Median Household Income: $90,333 Median Home Price: $525,000 3.

Madison, Wisconsin Population: 237,395 Median Household Income: $53,464

Median Home Price: $214,100 4.

Santa Barbara, California Population: 89,062 Median Household Income: $65,034 Median Home Price: $832,100 5.

Boulder, Colorado Population: 100,363 Median Household Income: $56,312 Median Home Price: $489,400

10.

Sioux Fall, South Dakota Population: 157,675 Median Household Income: $51,672 Median Home Price: $152,200

Deportation of Immigrants at New Low

6.

Palo Alto, California Population: 65,234 Median Household Income: $121,465 Median Home Price: $1,000,000 7.

Bismarck, North Dakota Population: 63,353 Median Household Income: $54,969 Median Home Price: $163,900 8.

Ann Arbor, Michigan Population: 115,331 Median Household Income: $55,003 Median Home Price: $230,700 9.

Iowa City, Iowa Population: 69,314 Median Household Income: $41,410 Median Home Price: $180,900

Many Republican candidates have made immigration the focus of their campaign and a recent study reinforces the fact that there is an issue. In the last 12 months, the Obama administration deported the fewest immigrants since 2006, according to internal figures obtained by The Associated Press. Total deportations dropped 42 percent since 2012.

Despite Obama’s pledge to focus on finding and deporting criminals living

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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in the country illegally, deportations of criminal immigrants have fallen to the lowest levels since he took office in 2009. Overall, a total of 231,000 deportations occurred in the last year; that figure generally does not include immigrants from Mexico who were caught at the border and quickly returned home by the U.S. Border Patrol. The figure does include roughly 136,700 convicted criminals deported in the last 12 months.

The percentage of criminal immigrants specifically deported increased slightly, from 56% to 59%.

In a statement last Tuesday evening, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Jennifer Elzea said the agency “has refined its priorities to improve the quality of its removals by focusing on the most serious public safety and national security threats as well as recent border crossers. As a result, overall removals may show a decline, consistent with a substantial drop in overall apprehension, among other factors,” Elzea said.

Ironically, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton recently accused Obama of implementing deportation policies that are too harsh. In an interview with Spanish-language TV network Telemundo, Clinton vowed to be “less harsh and aggressive” than Obama in enforcing immigration laws.

“The deportation laws were interpreted and enforced, you know, very aggressively, during the last six and a half years, which I think his administration did in part to try to get Republicans to support comprehensive immigration reform,” Clinton said.

Obama has overseen the removal of more than 2.4 million immigrants since taking office; roughly 11 million immigrants are thought to be living in the country illegally. About 52% of that figure are immigrants from Mexico.

That’s N

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dd W

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The Facebook Felons

Wearing a new outfit and want the world to know? Take a selfie and post

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

it on social media. How about a major party that you’ve attended?

Want everyone to know? Take a selfie and post it on social media. What about the perfect SAT score? That’s something to brag about. Take a selfie and post it on social media. But if you’ve just robbed a bank and are counting your loot, you may want to leave the iPhone at home.

Two brilliant crooks, John E. Mogan II, 28, and Ashley K. Duboe, 24, robbed Savings Bank Ashville North in Ohio in August. Mogan handed the teller a note, grabbed the cash and fled on foot.

But Mogan wasn’t satisfied with counting the cash in private. Instead, the two started taking selfies with the greenbacks and then uploaded the pictures to Facebook.

Their bragging online earned them great status—a ride in a police car two days later, with a minimum of four years in prison if convicted.

Some things (I say, most things) are best left private.

Can I Write Your Fortune?

I love to eat Chinese food. In fact, the best part of a meal out for me is the dessert—sliced pineapples, oranges, and yummy, crunchy fortune cookies.

Fortune cookies don’t just provide a great taste at the end of a meal of chow mein, Peking duck and fried wontons, they give great advice and amazing insight too!

“Too many cooks spoil the broth.”

Yes, the soup was a little salty today.

“If at first you don’t succeed, try try again.” OK, mom, I’ll study a little harder next time.

“Children should be seen and not heard.” Or maybe we should just leave them at home.

“Little strokes fell great oaks.” I’ll keep pushing for a raise.

So who writes these great strokes of genius? Believe it or not, it’s not philosophers or even a wise grandmother. The writers of fortune cookie intelligence are really

high school students and struggling writers.

There are around 40,000 Chinese restaurants in the U.S., and every year a mind-boggling 3 billion fortune cookies are manufactured and consumed. Each cookie needs a fortune line buried in its shell. That’s a lot of advice that needs to go around.

Kay Marshall Strom, 65, was a high school senior when she saw a little blurb in the local San Francisco newspaper asking for a fortune writer. Intrigued, she sent an inquiry – she had been contemplating becoming a writer when she grew up and figured, why not start small? She got the job.

Where do they get their nuggets of inspiration? Well, everywhere. Writers jot down ideas and then submit them to the companies. Some companies are more conservative, others enjoy creative lines.

“You will be hungry again in an hour” was written by Strom. Wise words indeed.

Russell Rowland, interestingly, doesn’t like fortune cookies. But that didn’t stop him from churning out 700 fortunes—at 75 cents apiece. He turned to literature and used famous quotations to get to his quota.

“Love is the secret to happiness”

was written by him.

And my secret to happiness is chowing down fortune cookies. I’ll leave the little scraps of paper to someone else, though.

Doing the Mumba

In Hong Kong, kids are exercising way too early. In fact, some of them are sweating it out even before they begin to walk. In “Mumba” classes in the busy city mothers are using cute accessories as weights in their workouts—their children.

Once the preserve of traditional communities, the art of wrapping a baby across a caregiver’s body so it can be carried during daily activities

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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The Week In News

is being taken up by modern parents.

Hong Kong’s busy and narrow streets make pushing a stroller too difficult and so many parents are wearing their children on their backs or across their bellies.

And when they head to the gym, they keep their favorite accessory on.

“Mumba” fitness, baby-wearing belly dance, ballet, yoga and pilates classes, and even suspension training (TRX) classes have sprung up in recent months – all allowing parents to exercise while their baby is strapped to them in a carrier.

“There is huge demand from mums who wanted to get back in shape and to get strong again after the challenges of labor, but who also didn’t want to leave their young babies behind while they spent time exercising,” explains Ifat Hindes, co-founder of Mumba Fitness.

“We have combined different types of exercise including yoga, dance, TRX, and pilates, and the bonus is that you are using your baby for weight training,” she says.

“There’s no need for expensive gadgets – it’s just you and your baby, with other parents, being guided by a professional. You know everyone is

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

in the same boat. Hong Kong can be a difficult and unwelcoming city for new mothers.”

Mey Jen, director of Oasis Dance Centre, says that the babies enjoy her belly dancing class. “The mothers want to belly dance and they want to be with their babies at the same time.

The little ones react very naturally to the beats and the movement. Often the babies become very calm and fall asleep.”

Yeah, it’s easy to sleep when mom is doing all the work.

Leaves for Sale

Remember back in the winter when we were surrounded by piles of snow

and people who were stuck (?!) in warm states were actually paying for the fluffy cold stuff? Well, the insanity didn’t stop when the snow melted. As October brings in cooler temperatures and the leaves start filling your yard, you may be able to make a couple of bucks.

Kyle Waring and his wife have been searching for the perfect leaves on their hikes and are now shipping the foliage to customers who live in states where their leaves stay green all year long. For just $19.99, customers can have the perfect bundle handpicked from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Vermont.

Once the Warings collect the perfect specimens, they “undergo a unique preservation process” that involves soaking them for 2-3 days and allowing them to dry for a few more.

This ensures that they’ll last long after the fall season is over—an estimated 5-7 years, according to their company’s site.

So far, Waring has seen the most demand from season-starved customers in California, Texas, and Florida.

“I guess there’s something about New England foliage,” he says.

Or maybe Americans living in those states are just more gullible.

Beards May Make You Healthier

It’s been a long yom tov and some men in the community have sported thicker beards over the holiday. And that’s a good thing. You see, according to researchers from the University of Southern Queensland, a thick beard may offer benefits to the person upon whose face it’s attached.

In their 2012 study, researchers left a group of mannequins, some bearded and some bare-faced, un-

The Week In News

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

der the harsh sun of the Australian outback. When they compared the amount of radiation absorbed by each subject, they found that the beards blocked 90 to 95 percent of the harmful UV rays from the faces of the mannequins. This level of built-in protection in human beard-owners should successfully slow the aging process and reduce the risk of one day developing skin cancer.

“Facial hair has an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of anywhere from 2 to 21,” one scientist on the study, Alfio Parisi, related. “The percentage of UV blocked to the skin depends on the thickness and angle of the sun.” Though the adequate thickness of a beard can be hard to quantify, Parisi said that “it has to be a thick bushy beard and not just stubble.”

Beards are also good at capturing dust and pollen, which sounds like bad news for people with asthma or hay fever. But they work like fuzzy fortresses, protecting your nose, eyes, and mouth from irritants.

What’s more, an impressive coat of facial hair retains moisture and acts as a barrier against harsh wind, keeping the skin underneath fresh

and youthful.

It’s also a great way to capture challah crumbs so you can enjoy the taste all week long.

The Phone that does ZERO

Do you suffer from hand-to-phone contact? Do you always need to have a slim, rectangular object in your hand?

Do you relish the feeling of heft in your back pocket?

Introducing the ZERO, the new “smartphone” from New York-based NoPhone. The ZERO is the same size as Apple’s iPhone 5, but it does way less. And I mean, way, way less. In

fact, it does nothing at all. Zip, zilch, ZERO. No, the ZERO does not make calls.

It does not take pictures. It does not record video or connect to the internet or let you play Solitaire. So why would someone buy this brick-like device?

“It’s a technology free-alternative to constant hand-to-phone contact,” says NoPhone Co-Founder Van Gould, facetiously. For Gould, the ZERO is a satirical comment on our device-obsessed culture. “We want to become the largest fake phone company in the world,” he says. “That’s kind of the goal.”

Meeting its Kickstarter fundraising goal in September, the ZERO offers fewer features than ever before.

Its designers have stripped it of the grooves previous models included to mimic an outlet, camera, and home button, thus removing even the illusion of distraction. All that’s left is a sturdy, thin rectangle, void of any purpose aside from helping you re-focus on your life.

It’s perfect for the person who needs a little time away from the constant pull of social media or connection to the outside world but can’t seem to go no-phone cold tur-

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key. You can hold the ZERO in your hand, fit it into your pocket or purse, or have it next to you as you prepare dinner.

The company’s website advertises the NoPhone as a way to “never again experience the unsettling feeling of flesh on flesh when closing your hand,” striking a tone just serious enough that it’s hard to tell if it’s a joke or serious experiment.

“The most amazing part of the NoPhone is that, in the future, it could be nothing at all,” Gould gushes.

The original NoPhone sells for $12, but the ZERO is debuting at $5, making it a more palatable purchase for the curious. For just $5 you too can experience life in the 19th century when people didn’t need to update their status every five minutes or take pictures of their cat—and pretend to like other people’s pets.

And then, of course, once you purchase the ZERO, you can turn back to your (real) phone and make sure to Facebook your new, inspired purchase to all your thousands of (real) friends.

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the

Community OHEL Residents Return to Cedarhurst Home, Three Years after Hurricane Sandy The Five Towns

community celebrated the reopening of OHEL Bais Ezra’s Arlington residence in the wake of the destruction wrought

by Hurricane Sandy.

Family, friends, community members, and OHEL donors came out to welcome OHEL residents as they returned to their home.

OHEL’s Arlington residence, which is home to five developmentally disabled young men, was completely destroyed during Hurricane Sandy. The residence sustained major damage to the first floor, and all furnishings, equipment, supplies, communication systems, and household and personal goods were lost.

It has been quite a journey home for these young men. Although they

were immediately safely relocated after the hurricane, they spent the last years living in temporary accommodation – housing that was not truly their own.

LAST MONTH, THE ARLINGTON RESIDENTS FINALLY CAME HOME!

OHEL is grateful for their long-time friendship and support of the residence including the sponsorship of computers and soon-to-be-completed custom built playground for adolescent adults with disabilities.

Several officials from Cedarhurst Village were also in attendance to support the reopening of the OHEL facility, including Cedarhurst Mayor Benjamin Weinstock, Deputy Mayor Ronald Lanzilotta Sr., Cedarhurst Trustees Ari Brown and Israel Wasser, Cedarhurst Superintendent Wayne Yarnell, and Administrator

Sal Evola and NY City Councilman Rory Lancman.

For more information about OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services and the many services which you can benefit from, please contact OHEL today at 1800-603-OHEL, access@ohelfamily.org or visit www.ohelfamily.org

MEL ZACHTER, OHEL CO-PRESIDENT; RABBI EPHRAIM POLAKOFF; AND NYS ASSEMBLYMAN TODD KAMINSKY

Residents, family, donors and not least neighbors – who have been witness to the building transformation – received first-hand tours of the start-of-the-art new beautiful home.

In attendance were Chairman of the Board Moshe Zakheim, Co-President Mel Zachter, Board members Danial Jacobson, Cindy Becker, and Ben Englander as well as longtime supporters of OHEL’s children Mendy and Kiki Haas who together with their children proudly hung a mezuzah inside the home.

Judy Lebovits of the Gruss Monument Fund joined the reopening and

A Central Sukkot Central’s building may have been closed for Sukkot, but our school spirit and sense of community are always in session!

On leil Hoshana Rabba, students and teachers gathered in the sukkah of Assistant Principal Bracha Rutner for a lively evening of Torah, food, and fun. The festivities began with a shiur delivered Ms. Miriam Borenstein on the topic “Comedy in the Torah: Does G-d Have a Sense of Humor?” As students listened to music and made their own pizza in an activity we dubbed “Pizza in the Hut,” they delivered divrei Torah and played a Sukkot-themed version of Telestrations. This event was not Central’s only Simchat Beit Hashoeva! Twenty-five alumnae studying in Eretz Yisrael for the year joined Ms. Laura Fruchter and Ms. Leah Moskovich for an evening of Torah, singing, and reflecting on their years together.

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Around the Community

Chai4ever Uses Rollercoasters and Ferris Wheels to Level the Ups & Downs of Parental Illness When children are facing parental illness, a little rain is not much of an obstacle.

B

ad weather certainly did not stop more than 750 children and their parents from having the time of their lives when Chai4ever took them to Hershey Park on October 1 for a Chol Hamoed Sukkot outing.

“They really thought of everything,” said Esther, mother of five from Long Island. “From transportation to a fleishig, kid-friendly meal in the sukkah, to t-shirts and a concert, my kids felt like a million bucks. It really made them feel like someone understands and cares about what they are going through.”

part of the in-crowd that gets to go to Hershey. Then, when we had lunch together with other kids in the same situation, it validated them and made them feel it was okay to be having fun.”

Families from Jewish communities all over the mid-Atlantic area (Baltimore, Lakewood, Monsey, Five Towns, Passaic and Brooklyn) and even one visiting family from Israel enjoyed the rides, games, activities, and, of course, chocolate at Hershey Park, sharing support and comradery at the group lunch and at a Simchas Bais Hashoeva that capped off the day with a concert by rising Jewish music stars Mendy J and Yossi Indig.

“The park closed at 7 and our concert was still going on at 7:45. Mendy J didn’t want to leave the stage and the boys didn’t want to stop dancing – even in the middle of the rain,” said Sam Zaks, executive vice president and founder.

“Nothing gave me a greater feeling than seeing a family who I wasn’t even sure a year ago would stay together under the stress of the father’s illness.

The kids were dancing up on stage and the parents were grinning from ear to ear. Their joy was palpable.”

Chai4ever has become the premier address for families undergoing the crisis of a parent with such catastrophic illnesses as cancer, heart and lung disease, and stroke victims. With

IN AN EXCERPT FROM A THANK YOU POEM, ROCHEL, WHOSE HUSBAND IS RECOVERING FROM A SERIOUS ILLNESS, WROTE: A few weeks ago we started a conversation About how to spend our chol hamoed vacation The kids started to fuss And Hershey Park they did discuss But to everyone’s dismay I had to say: “The expense is too great, the cost is too high It is not an amount that I can justify Let’s come up with a plan that won’t break the bank One that is fun and also can rank” Then came an email at close to midnight I shrieked so loud from sheer delight “You are invited to Hershey to spend the day If you are interested call without delay” The kids were sleeping, all awoke to this dream Chai4ever reads minds it does seem…

She also said, “They handled things in a very private way so nobody else knew why we were there. The kids haven’t told anybody about their father’s illness and my teenagers saw their friends and were happy to be

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

the goal of mitigating the long-term damage to the family, Chai4ever’s comprehensive year-round services include housekeeping aid, homework help, crisis and bereavement counseling, transportation, Big Brothers/

Big Sisters, meal preparation and delivery, insurance advocacy and navigation, family retreats and recreational events, holiday assistance and collaboration with schools.

Nancy Novak, a Passaic, NJ, special education teacher and mother of five, said when she was first diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer nine years ago, her children were little and they chose not to tell them. “There was no organization like Chai4ever and we got through it with community support. When we learned I was sick again, a little over a year ago, our children were older and we needed to tell them.

Chai4ever has been an amazing resource in every way. It make us feel like we are not alone, someone knows exactly what we are going through and anticipates our every need. It actually makes my kids feel special – that there is an organization devoted to kids like them.”

Her daughter, Rena, 17, concurs, “I couldn’t believe it. One day, when I was having a really bad day, I came home from finals and Chai4ever sent wraps from Delancey (a local kosher deli), which is my favorite food, and it totally put me in a much better mood.”

Mrs. Novack elaborates, “Having

cancer is expensive and puts tremendous financial constraints on a family. Things like food from restaurants and amusement parks are luxuries just when your kids need some TLC the most. But it doesn’t stop there; they also help with reducing medical expenses and practical support.”

Esther said Chai4ever stepped in almost as soon as her husband’s illness was diagnosed this summer, “They were there right away at the hospital with food and kept calling us to ask what they can do. Our family normally goes on vacation the week between camp and school. Obviously, that wasn’t going to happen this year, so Chai4ever stepped in with baseball tickets for the boys and a volunteer to take the girls on whatever outing they wanted.

It kept them occupied while we were running back and forth to doctors. We are trying to keep a positive attitude for the children and Chai4ever definitely helps us keep their morale up, along with our own.”

For more information, visit www.chai4ever. org, e-mail info@chai4ever.org or call (646) 519-2190.

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home SKA find your passion 9.375x11.75.pdf

1

9/18/15

11:41 AM

FIND YOUR PASSION! STELLA K. ABRAHAM HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS MRS. HELEN SPIRN, Head of School | MS. RAIZI CHECHIK, Principal, Grades 9-10 DR. TZIPORA MEIER, Principal, Grades 11-12 | MRS. DEENA KOBRE, Assistant Principal

LEARN SUSHI MAKING

Share your thoughts in a MACs discussion

Create a Women in Medicine club

Develop an o

Join a Coordinate Holocaust sunrise aJournal shacharit at the beach

Join the debate at AIPAC’s Policy Conference Participate in the Bronka Weintraub Talmud Competition

Write for an Inspire your peers with a Tefilla discussion award-winning Join a championship Write for an school newspaper basketball team award-winning Coordinate a Holocaust Journal Present an engineering project at the CIJE Fair

LOVE your Torah classes

Win a State Mock Trial meet

JOIN SKA. FIND YOUR PASSION.

Run a Yachad Participate in the Shabbaton Bronka Weintraub

Travel to Berlin on Talmud an outreach mission

Submit an INTEL SCIENCE RESEARCH project

Develop an online art journal

school newspaper

competition

Coordinate a Holocaust Journal ACE AP CALCULUS BC

LIVE YOUR

DREAM!

Save the Date! Open House: Sunday, October 18 th | 9am -12pm

291 Meadowview Avenue Hewlett Bay Park, NY 11557 | 516.374.7195 ext. 111 www. Halb.org | Email for info: admissions@skahalb.org

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH KNOW YOUR RISK:

GET SCREENED:

Family history: • Breast cancer • Ovarian cancer • BRCA gene carriers

Mammogram: • Annual beginning age 40 (for average risk) • Earlier for people with risk factors (consult your doctor)

Personal history: • Lifestyle habits • Breast or ovarian cancer • BRCA gene carrier

Clinical breast exams: • Every 3 years between 20-40 • Annual >40 years of age

DECREASE YOUR RISK:

KNOW YOUR BODY:

• Limit alcohol intake • Nutrition: more fruit/vegetables, less red/processed meats & fats • Weight loss/exercise • Breast feeding (if able)

• Monthly Self breast exams • Contact your doctor right away for any changes/abnormalities To schedule a mammogram at St. John’s, please call 718-869-7780.

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPA L HOSPITA L E P I S C O P A L H E A LT H S E R V I C E S I N C .

W W W. EH S .O RG

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL HOSPITAL E P I S C O PA L H E A LT H S E R V I C E S I N C .

The Development Board of St. John’s Episcopal Hospital cordially invites you to the

36TH ANNUAL CHRYSANTHEMUM BALL SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2015 • 7:30PM • THE SANDS AT ATLANTIC BEACH WELCOMING

Gerard M. Walsh, Chief Executive Officer

HONORING

Deputy Inspector Justin C. Lenz, Commanding Officer of the 101st Precinct NYPD Battalion Chief Michael McGrath , Commander of Battalion 47 FDNY Battalion Chief Joseph Viglietta, Chief of Battalion 47 FDNY

CELEBRATING OVER A CENTURY OF COMMUNITY CARE For further information, please call the Development Office at (718) 869-8383.

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Around the Community

AROUND 70 BOYS AND THEIR FATHERS JOINED IN THIS YEAR’S CHOL HAMOED PIRCHEI/KHAL NISEV HATORAH AVOS U’BUNIM PROGRAM IN FAR ROCKAWAY

Chol Hamoed Fun with Ashreinu

A

shreinu took a busload of boys from grades 7-9 from Far Rockaway, the Five Towns and Brooklyn to Philadelphia on Thursday of Chol Hamoed. The first stop was to Cherry Hill, NJ, where the boys ate lunch in the Young Israel of Cherry Hill’s sukkah. They then headed to Battleship NJ in Camden where they were able to see a real battleship that served in many wars, including WWII. The next stop was the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia where they viewed the Imax and saw Everest (the boys love climbing!).

The Nadvorna Rebbe of Philadelphia greeted them in his shul, Congregation Bais Shlomo, where the boys davened Mincha, ate a gourmet supper and davened Maariv. They heard divrei chiuk from rosh hakollel, Rav Chagi Preschel.

The trip ended with an exciting stop at Brunswick Zone for laser tag and arcades.

Ashreinu thanks the older bochurim who came and helped make this trip the success it was. This was just another great adventure in the Ashreinu tales.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Around the Community

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Five Towns Marriage Initiative

Concealing Embarrassment

T A Fresh Start at Central

T

he new year has been a frenzy of activity, especially for our newly inducted Class of 2019.

The annual Freshmen Retreat provides our “fresh” students with time away from the bustle of our building to connect with one another and gear up for the wonderful four years ahead of them. Bright and early in the morning, our freshmen and their senior “big sisters” traveled to Camp Kaylie for two days of fun and thought-provoking activities. Students met with one another in varying combinations through a series of icebreakers, and they further cemented those budding friendships as they enjoyed the camp’s facilities, playing various sports, swimming,

rock climbing, and even go-karting!

Interspersed throughout the Retreat were meaningful learning opportunities that asked students to look inward and consider the ways in which they hope to take advantage of their high school years as opportunities for personal and interpersonal growth.

The Retreat featured something for everyone as students got messy playing “paint wars,” rooted for each other in races run by Powerhouse Studios, and bonded at the bonfire and kumzitz. Thank you to our event organizers and all faculty chaperones for making Freshmen Retreat such a success. We can’t wait to see what the Class of 2019 has in store for us!

he Medrash tells us that Canaan, the grandson of Noach, saw how his grandfather had become drunk and was acting disrespectfully in his tent. Canaan ran to update his father, Cham, of the latest news. Cham then ran to tell Shem and Yafes, his brothers. The brothers walked into the the room backwards and respectfully covered their father, doing their utmost not to expose his disgrace.

We see from here how to behave when we see another person in an embarrassing situation. We can take the path of Canaan and publicize the “news,” even exaggerating and embellishing what we see, or we can take the path of Shem and Yafes. The two brothers took the approach of concealment and of looking for a respectful manner to cover up the humiliation of their father and we too can choose to look for a respectful way to obscure the humiliation that we may be witness to.

As a married person we very likely will come upon situations where our spouse is embarrassed or in a

tight corner. Her boss gets angry at her in front of you, his father gives him a tirade in your presence, her sister throws a gift back in her face and calls it junk, his friend says something mean and insulting, and the list goes on. In all these scenarios, our job as a spouse is to help our spouse save face, to not harp on the incident, and to give them the space they need as if we had not been a witness privy to the situation, unless we know for a fact that they specifically want our input.

We should never know or have to be witness to embarrassing situations, as we ask Hashem in Shacharis each day that we should be spared embarrassment and shame.

Five Towns Marriage Initiative provides educational programs, workshops and referrals to top marriage therapists. FTMI will help offset counseling costs when necessary and also runs an anonymous shalom bayis hotline for the entire community Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 9:3011p.m. For the hotline or more information, call 516-430-5280 or email dsgarry@msn. com.

HAFTR HIGH SCHOOL 635 Central Avenue Cedarhurst, NY 11516

516-569-3807

ER B M E NOV

WWW.HAFTR.ORG

792820

Ms. Naomi Lippman General Studies Principal Rabbi Gedaliah Oppen Judaic Studies Principal

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Shuvu’s New French

Olim Project With the current mass Aliya from France, a new challenge faced the Shuvu Network of Schools in Eretz Yisroel.

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years ago Shuvu was created by Harav Avrohom Pam zt”l to assist the mass Aliya at the time from Russia. Harav Pam feared that these Jews arriving in Israel would chas v’shalom be swallowed up in the secularism of Israel. The Shuvu Schools, which have grown to become a national network in Israel, provided these Russian children with a high level general education, coupled with a basic level of Yiddishkeit.

Shuvu gave these children a brighter future, transforming them into Torahdik Jews and productive members of Israeli society.

The same challenge now appeared before the heads of Shuvu. Thousands of French Olim have already arrived in Eretz Yisroel and thousands more are expected yet to come. The majority of these Olim are traditional, “making Kiddush and then going to the beach,” as described by Harav Eliyahu Lemel, one of the greatest kiruv forces in France today, in a speech delivered before the Shuvu principals last month. Although the children and parents might look frum, they are gravely lacking basics. If we would not step up to the plate, the children would chas v’shalom go to secular schools and within a mere two

weeks (according to the Jewish Agency’s data) most of the youth would remove their yarmulkes!

Rav Ariel Amoyelle, head of the “Otzar HaTorah” French Educational Network, visited Israel several months ago searching for a viable spiritual solution for the droves of French Olim. He met with Shuvu’s Director Rabbi Chaim Michoel Gutterman who took him to Shuvu schools around the country. After learning what Shuvu was all about and seeing it in action, Rabbi Amoyelle decided that Shuvu is indeed the most appropriate schooling system for the new French Olim. This decision of his was written up in a letter which he sent to the heads of Shuvu. Shuvu also received a letter from the famed Bnei Brak Dayan Harav Yehuda Silman Shlita (who was personally appointed by Harav Yehuda Leib Steinman shlita with regard to Shuvu matters), requesting urgent assistance for the hatzalah of the children of France by Shuvu.

Chodesh Tishrei at DRS During the month of Tishrei, we attempt to garner as many opportunities that we can for teshuva, performance of mitzvot, and moments of inspiration. In DRS, chodesh Tishrei was chockfull of such opportunities. At the beginning of the month, DRS Menahel Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky hosted a special “Shabbos Shuva Seudat Shlishit” for juniors and seniors at his home. Aside from delicious food, the Seudah was highlighted by uplifting singing and a special “Teshuva drasha” geared towards the high school students as preparation for the yomim noraim.

On the Sunday betwen Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, DRS held its annual Father-Son Kinus Teshuva program, where fathers and sons learned together, first hearing shiur from the DRS rabbeim, and then a keynote address from Rabbi Shay Schachter, Rosh Beis Medrash at the Young Israel of Woodmere. Another highlight of Chodesh Tishrei is the annual Tzedakah day in which each class spends a day trying to raise as much money as possible for poor families in Israel. The

We have now baruch Hashem taken up the challenge and have taken in great numbers of French Olim children to our schools, primarily in Netanya, with 150 French students in the Netanya Shuvu School! We also have taken in French children in Jerusalem, Ashdod, Hadera, Beit Shemesh, Bat Yam and Rishon Letzion. According to the Netanya Municipality, Shuvu is the school that has taken in the most French children in the entire city – and perhaps even in the entire country!

Despite the great challenge and the extremely high costs, Shuvu is rising to the occasion with excellence and with tremendous success.

To accommodate the 150 children in Shuvu Netanya (and more arriving on a daily basis), we have had to deal with adding classrooms, furniture and computers, and adding French speaking staff members to run Ulpans.

We have purchased several caravans

to serve as classrooms and have had them placed on the Netanya campus this week. In addition, we have had to fix up bomb shelters on the campus to allow them to serve as classrooms for the additional new students.

We have hired a French coordinator to serve as a contact person with the families and have begun Ulpans for the children. The families are well aware of their lack of understanding of Yiddishkeit and are simply begging for more hours for their children to fill the void.

We’ve already opened a junior high school for boys (7th and 8th grades) geared towards the French students. We plan to eventually also create a continuation school for girls and a high school continuation for both the boys and the girls.

Another challenge coming with the French making Aliya is their loss of a sense of a kehilla. They feel completely lost. To this end we are in need of hiring a School Kiruv Rabbi (as we already have in several of our Shuvu Schools) who will in essence serve as a Rav for the kehilla of the Shuvu families. The rav will be responsible to deliver shiurim to the parents, and tend to their daily needs regarding Jewish life (simchos and, lehavdil, aveilus, etc.)

It should be noted that Shuvu’s involvement in Netanya is a pilot for other places in the country where we are also taking in many French children in Shuvu schools located in Jerusalem, Ashdod, Hadera, Beit Shemesh, Bat Yam and Rishon Letzion. We expect the numbers to grow dramatically in the coming months.

Although Harav Pam zt”l is no longer with us, we know he is shepping great nachas in shamayim seeing his talmidim and supporters coming forth yet again.

Faced with a similar challenge to the one that originally prompted the Rosh Yeshiva to create Shuvu, it is our duty now to carry on his vision of “Vechol bonayich limudei Hashem.”

students raised over 1,000 dollars, fulfilling a key ingredient in being “ma’avirin es roah gezeirah” before Yom Kippur. Some of the senior shiurim also went out to help elderly members of the community build sukkahs and helped run a pre-sukkot chagigah at Kulanu.

The month was capped off by hakafot on Simchas Torah in DRS – one of the hallmark events of the ywear in DRS. Both during the night and day on Simchas Torah, the yeshiva hosted hundreds of students and many of the rabbeim in lively hakafot in DRS’s beautiful beis medrash. Commenting on the hakafot, one parent noted, “DRS hakafot has become the address in the Five Towns for people who want hakafot done the right way for their kids.”

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Dirshu Receives Guidance from Gedolei Yisrael as Daf HaYomi B’Halacha Embarks on Hilchos Birchas Hashachar and Davening

By Chaim Gold

“I

can’t believe I learned the entire hilchos tefillin with Mishnah Berurah! Even the difficult siman lamed beis and the Mishnas Sofrim about how to properly write the letters in tefillin, mezuzos and Sifrei Torah was not skipped. It was the first time in my life that I learned these halachos! The Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program has taught me not to be scared of any area, but rather to plunge into the learning, one day at a time, one se’if after another, and realize how, with a small daily investment I can slowly make huge strides in knowledge of halacha and mussar.” These were the excited sentiments expressed by a person who began the second machzor of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha just over six months ago and has not looked back since.

He continues, “Now we have started the halachos of birchas hashachar and the daily tefillos. I am so motivated!”

Guidance from Gedolim to Engender Success One of the underlying hashkafos of Dirshu is to constantly seek guidance from gedolei Yisrael, both with regard to existing programs and new programs in their planning stages, in keeping with the words of the Gemara that, “Anyone who takes advice and guidance from the elders will not stumble.”

Thus, last week, senior members of Dirshu’s hanhala went to the homes of several senior gedolim to receive their bracha and words of chizuk as Daf HaYomi B’Halacha embarks on the daily halachos of davening and in mussar on shmiras halashon. Among the gedolim visited were the senior Rosh Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, shlita, the Sar HaTorah, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, the senior Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh, HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein, shlita,

and the senior Sephardic Rosh Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Shimon Baadani, shlita.

The visits transpired this past Sunday, 28 Cheshvan/October 11, when Eretz Yisrael was in the throes of an unprecedented wave of terror attacks perpetrated by young Arabs against innocent Israeli civilians. Dirshu’s hanhala found the gedolei Yisrael very worried about the plight of am Yisrael and in tremendous pain over the loss of life and injury caused by the wave of attacks in multiple cities and especially in Yerushalayim where there have been numerous serious incidents resulting in death and serious injury.

Little did the hanhala of Dirshu realize that in the eyes of the gedolei Yisrael, the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha and mussar program can play an important role in arousing the rachamei shamayim needed to neutralize and stop these gezeiros from transpiring.

Rav Gershon Edelstein: Shmiras Halashon Can Lead to Hatzalas Nefashos The first gadol that Dirshu visited

was HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein, shlita. Rav Gershon, whose every word is measured in his public statements, told the Dirshu hanhala that “learning the concepts of shmiras halashon carries within it the power of hatzalas nefashos.” The senior Rosh Yeshiva added that learning hilchos tefillah in a comprehensive manner with cheishek, excitement and desire, has the power to transform a person’s tefillah. “[This enhanced adherence and devotion to] tefillah is a segulah that can help a person be saved from difficult occurrences.”

Rav Chaim Kanievsky: Halacha and Mussar, Shields for Salvation!

From the unassuming apartment on Rechov Rashbam in Bnei Brak where Rav Chaim Kanievsky lives, the light of Torah shines forth to the four corners of the world. Although it is well-known that Rav Chaim is extremely sparing with his words, he nevertheless has a special place in his heart for Dirshu and expresses his deep simcha and respect for the tremendous amount of Torah learning and Torah living that

Dirshu has facilitated among Yidden the world over. When Dirshu came to receive guidance and chizuk from Rav Chaim, Rav Chaim said, “It is obvious that chizuk in the learning of daily halacha with a program such as Daf HaYomi B’Halacha coupled with the words and ideals of mussar from the Chofetz Chaim can serve as a shield and a source of salvation during this difficult period [that am Yisrael is undergoing.]”

Rav Shimon Baadani: Daily Halacha Learning…An Antidote to Travail and Suffering HaGaon HaRav Shimon Baadani, shlita, member of the nesius of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha, was extremely distraught over the difficulties that Yidden across Eretz Yisrael are facing due to the outbreak of Arab terrorism in cities throughout the country. Rav Baadani bemoaned the fact that still, despite everything, people are often not careful in what they say about their fellow man. “Negative speech and lashon hara is so dangerous!” he reiterated. He then praised Dirshu for instituting a program where the halacha and mussar regarding lashon hara is learned because just as speaking lashon hara can r”l be the source of much difficulty and travail for Klal Yisrael.

Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman: Learning Daf HaYomi B’Halacha Can Change the Situation A visit to the humble abode of the venerated senior Rosh Yeshiva of our time, HaGaon HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, shlita, is always a deeply inspiring, instructive experience. The visit of Dirshu’s hanhala to his austere home this past Sunday was no different.

As always, Rav Shteinman greeted the hanhala of Dirshu who were accompanied by his close talmid, HaGaon HaRav Chizkiyahu Mishkovsky, shlita, Mashgiach of Yeshiva Orchos Torah, with great affection. After hearing a report about Dirshu’s latest accomplishments and plans, as well as the hisorerus engendered by the recent Dirshu mission to Radin, Rav Shteinman addressed the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program and the current wave of terror in Eretz Yisrael that is causing the Rosh Yeshiva such heartache. He spoke about the power of all limud haTorah and limud halacha to neutralize difficult gezeiros, saying, “It is simple and obvious that learning in a program like Daf HaYomi B’Halacha can help [Klal Yisrael] in the present difficult situation.” Later, he qualified his words with even greater emphasis saying, “It is clear that joining the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha can serve as a means to change the matzav…”

Rav Shteinman ended with warm, heartfelt bracha to Dirshu that “they should continue to accomplish only good things!”

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Team Beth Sholom Joins Team Lifeline

L

ongtime Team Lifeline runners Tova Plaut and Rabbi Elliot Schrier have decided to get their community involved in their shared passion. This year, they started Team Beth Sholom, inviting their fellow congregants to join them in Miami or Las Vegas to run a marathon or half-marathon this winter. Team Lifeline raises money and awareness for Chai Lifeline, the international children’s health support network.

Team Beth Sholom captains are working hard to build a strong team while having fun supporting an important community organization. “Team Lifeline offers individuals the opportunity to reach a personal goal, while helping make a seriously ill child smile,” Rabbi Elliot Schrier said.

Participants train for several weeks to prepare for the marathon, and crossing that finish line is incredibly rewarding. Joining Team Beth Sholom will provide a unique experience for the runner.

Special team events such as Sunday morning runs and assistance with training and raising money are offered.

“I’m especially pleased that we can offer such a great support system for new runners. This is going to be a great experience for all involved,” mentioned Team Captain Tova Plaut a longtime member of Beth Sholom who will be running for the eighth time this year with her kids. Running or biking for a cause brings that reward to a whole new level. Each individual participant is making a difference in the life of a sick child and their family.

Chai Lifeline’s mission is to bring joy to children with cancer and other serious illnesses. Chai Lifeline’s multitude of programs were creat-

ed to alleviate the emotional, social, and financial challenges facing families living with pediatric illness. Chai Lifeline provides fun and support to these children, their parents, and their siblings.

Team Lifeline participates in four amazing races each year, including the Miami Marathon, Las Vegas Marathon, NYC Marathon and Lake Tahoe Bike Ride. If you would like to learn more about Team Lifeline, visit us at www.teamlifeline.org. Register today and help us make a difference.

MAX, TOVA, & SAM PLAUT

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Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere Releases New Book Honoring the “Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto”

C

ongregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere is releasing a new book at its annual event honoring Reb Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, the Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto on October 17. Rav Shapira was one of the most prominent Polish Chassidic rebbes before World War II, where he was the Rebbe of Piaseczna and founded an innovative Chassidic school, Daas Moshe, to help combat the social dislocation and rampant assimilation prevalent after the first World War. Under the guidance of Rav Moshe Weinberger, rabbi of Congregation

Aish Kodesh and official Mashpia at Yeshiva University, the synagogue holds a major annual event, called a “Hilula,” to honor and perpetuate the teachings of the Piaseczner Rebbe on his yahrtzeit, now attended by approximately 1,000 people from around the tri-state area. All types of Jews come from far and wide to the Hilula to hear Rav Weinberger’s inspiring words and dance and sing with Chassidic musician Yosef Karduner, who will be joined this year by Gadi Pugatch on violin.

At this year’s Hilula, the shul will debut a newly published book of Rav

Bais Yaakov of Queens’s STEM Initiative, a Model of Excellence

S

pecial thanks to CIJE, Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education, whose newest initiative for 8th graders is to enhance interest in skills in STEM, to provide an initial exposure to engineering, and to experience simulations in a technology oriented product development team. As an introduction to the new STEM curriculum, BYQ’s 8th grade students built scale models of kosher sukkahs.

Mrs. Sarah Bergman, general studies principal, is thrilled with the initiative and the excitement it has already generated among the staff. “We feel privileged to be part of CIJE’s latest initiative and include engineering into our science curriculum.” Mrs. Bergman continued, “Our premiere science team spent extensive time during the summer in preparation of incorporating engineering into the science curriculum. We anticipate a dazzling year with Mrs. Sharon Erlbaum, Mrs. Rina Korman and Mrs. Diane Gruber who were trained during the summer and are working as a team on this.”

When Mrs. Karen Reisbaum, general studies assistant principal, asked teachers about relevant topics to the chagim, Mrs. Sharon Erlbaum created a lesson on building sukkahs.

The girls learned that halacha tells us how to build a kosher sukkah based on the specifications that it must be at least 10 tefachim high but no more than 20 amos

Weinberger’s talks delivered at previous years Hilulas. The book, distributed by Feldheim Publishers, was adapted by Binyomin Wolf and is also available at Jewish bookstores and Feldheim Publishers’ website.

Rav Weinberger named his Woodmere shul after the Piaseczner Rebbe’s book, Aish Kodesh, at its founding in 1992 and instituted an annual siyum to celebrate the completion of the entire oral and written Torah by the men and women of the shul in honor of the Rebbe.

Rav Weinberger dedicates himself to spreading the teachings of

and have at least 3 walls (2 and a half will work if you can design it that way). Its walls must be at least 7 tefachim in width. In addition, there must be at least enough s’chach so there is more shade than sunlight in the sukkah, but it cannot be too densely covered.

The s’chach must be made of things that have been cut from the ground.

Incorporating the halachic specifications, the groups of girls began building scale models of a kosher sukkah using the scale 1inch=1 tefach. The girls learned how to calculate and sketch scale models in math last year with Mrs. Erlbaum, who was their math teacher.

“We discussed the differences and similarities between scientific method and engineering design, that engineers must plan their designs because trial and error doesn’t work.” Mrs. Erlbaum added, “The task was introduced using whatever knowledge of engineering principles they know, learned through their own life experiences.

I thought sukkah building was the perfect opportunity for this!”

As engineers are given tasks with specifications—for example, a prosthetic hand must be able to have enough fine motor skill to pick up a dime—as well as constraints or limitations—the prosthetic hand must be light enough and on budget—students learned how to plan and complete a task based on given specifications and constraints.

The feedback from the students was very positive. With their principal, assistant principal and the teaching team looking on, it was obvious the girls were excited about their work. Each girl was engaged, involved, thinking, planning, discussing and producing, identical to the CIJE model of a community of learners.

the Piaseczner Rebbe because of the great thirst in our generation for the Rebbe’s teachings. What makes his teachings resonate with this generation more than those of other great rabbis? Rav Weinberger explains: “The Rebbe was far ahead of his time. When one opens up Chovas HaTalmidim [which discusses education], the methodology, the psychology were very, very modern… It speaks to modern man and it speaks very much to our generation… The Rebbe had his finger on the pulse of the generation.”

“With the release of the book, Warmed by the Fire of the Aish Kodesh – Torah from the Hilulas of Reb Kalonymus Kalman Shapira of Piaseczna, we expect an even larger crowd than usual because so many people feel connected with the Piaseczner Rebbe and Rav Weinberger,” said the adapter of the book, Binyomin Wolf. The Hilula will take place on Saturday night, October 17, at 8:30 p.m. at the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst, 8 Spruce Street in Cedarhurst (corner of Broadway).

Israel Bonds Breakfast

T

his Sunday, October 18, the Young Israel of Woodmere will be hosting an Israel Bonds Breakfast. The event will pay honor to Rabbi Hershel Billet for his unwavering and outspoken support of Israel.

The program will feature Sgt. Benjamin Anthony, a combat veteran and reservist in the IDF. Specializing as a heavy machine gunner, Sgt. Anthony has taken a front line role in several of Israel’s most recent campaigns to defend its citizens, both within and beyond its borders. Sgt. Anthony established Our Soldiers Speak, an organization to bring the proud truth of Israel’s soldiers to the English speaking world. A graduate of the University of Manchester, UK, Sgt. Anthony specializes in bringing his message to North American campuses, speaking to both pro and anti-Israel student groups.

Advocating investment and pride in Israel since 1951, Israel Bonds/Development Corporation for Israel ranks among Israel’s most valued and strategic resources. Praised for its dependability, the Bonds organization has helped build every sector of Israel’s economy. Proceeds from the sale of bonds have played an integral role in Israel’s rapid evolution into a global leader in high-tech, green-tech and biotech.

For more information, contact Steven Mark at Israel Bonds at 212-339-8838.

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WE ARE HANC

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

PROF. QUIN MURRELL

HARRISON KAHN ’16

Math Dept. Chairperson

Plainview

B.S. in Physics, M.I.T. Masters in Physics, CUNY Professor, Brooklyn & York Colleges

Gabbai Rishon YACHAD Chairperson

NAOMI LIVIEM ’16

Great Neck

Valedictorian, YCQ M.S. Co-President, National Honor Society Captain, Girls’ Torah Bowl

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OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1 | 9:00AM - 12:00PM 215 OAK STREET, UNIONDALE, NY 11553 For more information contact hsadmissions@hanc.org

ARI LEVINE ’16

West Hempstead

Valedictorian, HANC MS Co-President, National Honor Society Captain, Varsity Basketball Captain, Boys’ Torah Bowl

RABBI YAKOV GRUN ’04

Scholar In Residence

Semicha, Yeshiva University, Wexner Kollel Elyon Honors Program Masters in Jewish Education, Azrieli

MRS. ADINA WALDMAN ’02

Morah & Mechanechet

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JULIA SKORSKI ’19

West Hempstead

Rabbi Shmuel Auman Award, HANC MS

COURTNEY ISLER ’19

Cedarhurst

High Honors Award, YCQ MS

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21st Annual NY Commemoration of Yahrtzeit of Rachel Imeinu

T ASSEMBLYMAN PHIL GOLDFEDER joined Governor Andrew Cuomo and former Vice President Al Gore at an historic environmental conference at Columbia University this week. The former vice president praised Goldfeder and his fellow state legislators for fighting in Albany to improve the environment for New York families.

STANDING LEFT TO RIGHT: COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT LEE BOLLINGER, ASSEMBLYMAN STEVE ENGLEBRIGHT, ASSEMBLYMAN GUILLERMO LINARES, ASSEMBLYMAN PHIL GOLDFEDER, ASSEMBLYMAN KEITH L.T. WRIGHT, AND ASSEMBLYWOMAN MICHAELLE SOLAGES. SEATED: GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO AND FORMER VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE

he theme of the 21st annual NY citywide commemoration of the yahrtzeit of Rachel Imeinu at the Rachel’s Children Reclamation Foundation, to be held on Sunday, October 25, the 11th of MarCheshvan at the Manhattan Beach Jewish Center, is “Not by Rachel’s Tears Alone.” RCRF, under the leadership of Evelyn Haies, Founder and President of RCRF and Bnei Rachel Inc., has introduced this theme because the Jewish people are suffering too many stone, gun, bomb and rocket attacks coupled with hate campaigns, such as the BDS movement and world-wide anti-Semitism. We need more than tears. We need to pray, present our ideology and achievements, and attack the big lie and the hate and war that has moved from Gaza to Jerusalem to greater Israel.

The Keynote Speaker is Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a professor at Bar Ilan University, an authority on Islam and an academic expert on the Israeli-Arab population who has many major media presentations. He will be introduced

by Rubin Margules, President of the ZOA’s Brooklyn Region and a member of ZOA’s National Board, Dr. Paul and Drora Brody will receive the Rachel Imeinu Bonei Yisrael Award. From chair-

ing the Israel Day Concert in Central Park, the Concert With A Message, for the past decade, to bringing dignitaries to Israel, they are building and presenting a proud image of a vibrant Eretz Yisrael. They will be introduced by Shani Hikind, Executive Vice President of Ateret Cohanim/Jerusalem Chai.

The Rachel Imeinu Actualist Awardee is Esther Sarah Shleifstein whose dream to have her Bas Mitzvah in Kever Rachel was realized in a very successful event. The Rachel Imeinu Young Leadership Awardee is Tiferet Levi who unites young groups for shidduchim and leadership activities. Michael Chenkin will receive The Breaking the Silence Award for his spreading the truth by mouth and foot. He will be introduced by Richard Allen of JCC Watch.

Robert Sidi, Esq. is the Rachel Imeinu Community Chessed Awardee. The Rachel Imeinu Young Leadership Awardees is Tiferet Levi who unites young groups for shidduchim and leadership activities.

Caring, sharing, working, striving, persistency and endurance were some of the traits of biblical Mother Rochel, who is still remembered 3,600 years later for her exemplary deeds.

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

HANC Celebrates Hakhel

O

n Thursday, September 24, students, teachers, administrators and staff at HANC’s Samuel & Elizabeth Bass Golding Elementary School in West Hempstead celebrated hakhel. In the times of the Beit HaMikdash, at the end of the 7th year of each shemittah cycle, during Sukkot all Jews would gather together at the Beit HaMikdash to hear the king of Israel read from the Sefer Torah. “Because this year was the 7th year of the shemittah cycle, we wanted to reenact hakhel so that students could learn about and experience hakhel, most importantly that they could experience the achdut that Bnei Yisrael felt when they all came together and everyone was there. This was an example of experiential learning at its best,” explained Rabbi Michael Merrill, Director of Student Programs.

Students in kindergarten-sixth grade dressed up in hats and costumes to represent different segments of the Jewish people as they all walked across the street from HANC 609 to the Young Israel of West Hempstead. As the students walked across the street, the 6th grade boys blew trumpets to hail their arrival, reenacting the Kohanim (High Priests) who blew trumpets at every gate of Yerushalayim as the Jews arrived.

After all the students arrived at the Young Israel, the students, led by Rabbi Mordechai Shapiro, sang together and then watched as Rabbi Yehuda Kelemer, Rav of the Young Israel of West Hempstead, opened the Aron Kodesh and passed a Torah to the honored guests who were dressed as the caretaker of the Beit HaMikdash, the Assistant Kohen Gadol (High Priest), the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) and the melech (king). The “melech” then read Torah selections from Sefer Devarim and then the whole school recited

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the chapters of Shema and V’Ahavta together.

On the way back to school the students enjoyed treats given out by 6th grade girls who were dressed as shopkeepers from the shuk (marketplace) who were responsible to feed all the visitors to Yerushalyaim who came for hakhel.

Students and teachers were incredibly moved by this amazing event. “This was one of the most remark-

able school events I have ever been part of! There was such a sense of enthusiasm, passion and achdut amongst all the students and faculty.

It was truly inspiring,” expressed Rabbi Yaakov Sadigh, principal.

A huge “thank you” to Rabbi Merrill for spearheading this incredible program which all the participants will remember forever.

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THE SUN WAS SHINING AND NOT A DROP OF RAIN COULD BE FOUND, BUT NOACH AND HIS TEVA CAME TO VISIT THE PRESCHOOL AND FIRST GRADERS AT YESHIVA HAR TORAH. THE CHILDREN ENJOYED PETTING LLAMAS, GOATS AND SHEEP AS WELL AS SEEING MODELS OF THE TEVA AND “MEETING” NOACH HIMSELF. LEARNING IS FUN AT Y.H.T.!

MESIVTA SHAAREI CHAIM’S SIMCHAS BEIS HASHOEVAH PHOTO CREDIT: AKP PHOTOS

EIGHTH GRADERS AT HAFTR SIGNED UP AT THE SHMIRA PROJECT, PLEDGING TO LEARN FOR THE WHOLE WEEK AS A FORM OF SHMIRA (STANDING GUARD) FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL

YU Students Enliven Holiday Celebrations

IN PALO ALTO, CA

UNCLE MOISHY AT THE CHAZAQ CHOL HAMOED CONCERT PHOTO CREDIT: AHRON KATZ STUDIOS

This Simchat Torah, more than 250 Yeshiva University undergraduates traveled to synagogues across the United States and Canada to enrich holiday celebrations by sharing divrei Torah, youth programming and their passion for Judaism as part of the annual Aaron and Blanche Shreiber Torah Tours Program.

Now in its fourth decade, Torah Tours sends small teams of young men and women to communities as close as East Windsor, New Jersey,

and as far as Montreal, Quebec, for Simchat Torah and Shavuot, where they teach classes, lead singing and dancing, meet with synagogue youth and create a fun and spirited yom tov [holiday] experience.

“It’s an incredible opportunity for our students to visit and learn about communities outside of those where they grew up,” said Aliza Abrams Konig, director of YU’s Office of Student Life and Jewish Service Learning.

“They get to take a leadership role, they get to enhance the atmosphere on yom tov, and they get to share their Torah and ideas with community members and teens. The students are proudly representing Yeshiva University and have the opportunity to interact with high school students who one day themselves end up at YU and participating on Torah Tours.”

She added, “The communities and our students look forward to Torah Tours all year-round—it’s really a win-win for everyone who participates.”

Stern College for Women students Sarah Nagar, Talia Molotsky and Stephanie Gold joined celebrations at Congregation Emek Beracha in Palo Alto, California, one of nearly Continues on page 57

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Kollel Tirtza Devorah of Yeshiva Darchei Torah is pleased to announce the start of a new sugya in its

Community Shiur    Given by

Rav Dovid Bender  Rosh Kollel, Kollel Tirtza Devorah of Yeshiva Darchei Torah

Every Sunday and Wednesday evening, Beginning This Sunday, Oct. 18 Schedule Sunday: 8:05 – 8:50 p.m.

Wednesday: 9:15 – 10:00 p.m.

(Maariv 8:50) Location: The conference room off the main Beis Hamedrash at Mesivta Chaim Shlomo 211 Beach 17th Street, Far Rockaway, New York Ample on-street parking available.

For dedication opportunities or other information, please call 718.868.2300 ext. 317 or email news@darchei.org

Around the Community

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Times Square Rally for Israel

On Sunday evening, October 11, over five hundred Israel supporters gathered in Times Square to show their solidarity with the Jewish State in the wake of the recent wave of terror.

By Larry Domnitch

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s people approached the rally location at the “red steps” on West 47th Street, a participant stood before the growing crowd and shouted, “We must let the world know that terror cannot be permitted to happen, that Jewish blood is not cheap and it’s unacceptable to attack Jews!”

That message was vigorously expressed with chants, singing, dancing, and prayers, all in the middle of Times Square.

According to one of the event organizers, Nofar Avigdor, the rally was organized just three days earlier with the creation of a Facebook event, which drew an enthusiastic response. By planning the event, Avigdor hoped “to bring a message of encouragement to the people of Israel that we too, here in the United States, are deeply concerned about what is going on.”

Signs held aloft captured the themes of the rally, “Stop the Terror in Israel,” “Jewish Blood is Not Cheap,” and “End the Silence.”

Slogans were chanted, “We stand for Israel!” “Never give up!” and “Never surrender!”

The tunes of songs such as “Am Yisrael Chai” (The people of Israel Lives), “Mi SheMaamin lo Mephached,” (Whoever Believes is Not Afraid), and “David Melech Yisrael” (David the King of Israel lives Forever) were sung as the crowd enthusiastically danced in separate circles.

Some passersby joined, others

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50 synagogues that hosted a delegation of Torah Tours participants.

“A highlight for us was participating in a large women’s learning program in the sukkah during the second half of Hakafot,” said Nagar. “Organized

posed for photos next to signs or Israeli flags out of support, and others looked on in curiosity.

Enormous circles were soon formed, Psalms were recited and short speeches of encouragement were delivered. Another event organizer, Ido Siman Tov, posed the question, “Why are we here?”

He continued, “We are here to support the Israel Defense Forces, we are here to speak

entirely by members of the community, we were able to take part in an event that is a highlight of the year to the women there.”

“We arrived in Palo Alto a little early, so we got to spend extra time with the community members be-

for those who cannot, for those who walk the streets of Israel’s cities in fear. We are their voice.”

Participants expressed their views about their participation in the event.

Michal from Fort Lee, New Jersey, emphasized the importance of recognizing that the threat of terror Israel is facing threatens all societies, “The world has to wake up.

Israel’s problems are even-

fore Simchat Torah, which enhanced our experience greatly, too,” added Molotsky.

Ultimately, the group felt that their experience enriched not only the synagogue’s connection to the holiday, but their own as well: “Torah

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tually the world’s problems.

Just look at Europe today. If we don’t wake up it will be too late.”

Tomer from Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, expressing disappointment that too often the Israelis are falsely portrayed as the instigators of violence, said, “Israelis don’t want war but Israel must fight to end terrorism.” Citing the responsibility of the media to report accurately, Tomer added, “In America, we must also call to end media bias against Israel.”

Michelle, from Washington Heights, Manhattan, echoed that theme of media coverage. “It’s important to get the word out about what’s going on in Israel, since the media so often misrepresents what happens by accusing Israel of violence without mentioning that Israelis are the ones being attacked.”

Goldie, from the Lower East Side, Manhattan, stated, “We must raise our voices louder so the world knows that Jewish blood is not cheap.”

“It’s sad,” reflected Arthur from Flushing, Queens, on the virtual silence of the world community to the daily attacks upon Israelis, “that the world turning a blind eye to Jewish suffering is nothing new.”

Avigdor stated that more rallies will be held in the near future.

The event, which began at 7:00 p.m., continued until after 11:00 p.m.

Tours was an opportunity for us to take part as students in creating a bond with a small Jewish community, strengthening our bonds with each other and spreading the ruach of YU to communities around North America,” said Gold.

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G

HAFTR Student Gabriel Shore to Be Honored

by American Committee for Shaare Zedek Medical Center

abriel Shore, a senior at the Hebrew Academy of Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR), will be presented with the Chesed Leadership Award at the American Committee for Shaare Zedek Medical Center Heart of Jerusalem Dinner on Wednesday, November 18, in New York City.

Gabriel lives in Lawrence with his parents, Sam and Tracie Shore, and siblings Amanda and Ryan. He has been involved with Shaare Zedek since his Bar Mitzvah, when he and his friend Sammy Mandel organized a 5K run and dedicated a defibrillator for Shaare Zedek’s Wilf Children’s Hospital. The following year, Gabriel and his family visited the Children’s Hospital when they were in Jerusalem and Gabriel distributed gifts to many young patients there. Last year, with the assistance of Director of Student Activities Rabbi Jordan Nadelbach, Gabriel organized the inaugural (and very successful) High School Bowl-A-Thon at HAFTR. The event raised more than $9,000 for the Hospital and Gabriel is now planning HAFTR’s second High School Bowl-A-Thon for 2016.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Over 100 families joined in HAFTR’s annual Falafel Under the Star’s Event with pizza, ice cream, falafel, bounce houses and face painting. HAFTR’s very own AJ Mandel, 5th grade student, entertained the crowd with his phenomenal magic.

TORAH LIVES

HERE JOIN US ON

NOVEMBER 8, 2015

FOR OUR OPEN HOUSE

Ellen Tobin, Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky, and Melissa Leonard, Director of Development for Israel Children’s Cancer Foundation, at the Five Towns Community Chest Fair held on Sunday at Andrew J. Parise Cedarhurst Park

Around the Community

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

New Yorkers Hold Rally against Terror

By Larry Domnitch

O

n October 7, hundreds attended an anti-terror rally in New York City in support of Israel at the Israeli Consulate on East 42nd Street. In the words of activist Jeremy Dery, “We are here to say no more Jewish blood. Enough is enough.” Signs were held calling for Israel to remain strong. One sign read, “Jews are in Israel to stay”; another, “We will not be deterred by terror.” The event was a grassroots effort, organized by members of the Crown Heights Jewish community. Organizer Yossi Hershkopf noted that even on the Shabbos it is an obligation to take actions to prevent terror. Hershkopf encouraged support for the Israeli government to take the actions necessary to stop the terrorists.

The spirited crowd chanted Psalms, offered prayers, sang, danced, and repeated chants of “Am Yisrael Chai” (the People of Israel lives) and “Jewish blood is not cheap.”

New York State Assemblyman

Dov Hikind recalled that recent terror victim, Adele Bennett, was spat upon by Arab witnesses as she cried out for help while seriously injured with stab wounds as her husband lay on the ground mortally wounded. Nearby on the ground, their two-year-old child lay wounded. Hikind stated that PA leader Abbas “is no different from Hamas. He is responsible for what’s happened the last few weeks. He’s a terrorist, period!”

To resounding applause, Hikind called upon the Israeli government to intensify its anti-terror operations, “The Prime Minister of Israel should not give a darn about what President Obama or the leaders in Europe say when they call for restraint. He must protect the citizens of Israel.”

Crown Heights resident Tamar Edelstein, who hosts a local Jewish radio show, quoted the Lubavitcher Rebbe, “When Jews stand strong, they emerge victorious.”

WHERE ELSE CAN YOU GET THAT ?

AT MTA, TORAH STUDY IS NOT SIMPLY ANOTHER SUBJECT. IT IS THE ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF OUR CURRICULUM. The Shulchan Aruch opens with the phrase, ‫ יתגבר כארי לעמוד בבוקר לעבודת בוראו‬- One should be strong like a lion to rise in the morning for the service of one’s Creator. In that spirit, our students spend the substantial portion of their morning involved in the study of Torah.

Spending a significant amount of time each day with a Rebbe allows each student to forge a close connection with a wonderful role model. At the same time, the student will develop and refine his skill set and broaden his Torah knowledge.

Additionally, MTA students have the unique opportunity to learn with a variety of world renowned Roshei Yeshiva from Yeshiva University on a regular basis, as well as to be influenced by dynamic college and semicha students who are assigned as mentors and chavrusos to our students. www.facebook.com/YUHSB www.twitter.com/YUHSB www.yuhsb.org

REGISTER AT WWW.YUHSB.ORG/OPENHOUSE

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Gourmet Glatt Opens NEW Woodmere Location

Bnos Bais Yaakov

Introducing the Schoolwide Theme

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very year, to enhance the BBY students’ academic schedule, a school-wide theme is introduced at the first Rosh Chodesh assembly and is creatively disseminated throughout the year. Morah Shulamis Feldberger, BBY’s innovative extracurricular coordinator, plans each tiny detail of the games, contests, songs, presentations, and projects that will bring home the message of the year’s theme in meaningful ways. But irrespective of the theme or the particular chodesh, every gathering begins with the BBY girls joining together to sing the BBY alma mater. The entire school sings in unison and with heart about their beloved BBY. It is a soul-stirring event. Staff and students alike are emotionally affected and it sets the stage for greater absorption of the material to follow.

For this year, the theme is “Ashreinu ma tov chalkeinu – We are fortunate; how good is our portion.”

On Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, the 8th grade Rosh Chodesh heads launched the theme and focused on the first subtopic: Shabbos. The vignettes that the girls performed on video highlighted the benefits that Shabbos provides for us – physical relaxation, mental and emotional rest, and a heightened connection with family and friends. For grades 1-4, Rabbi Z. Soroka, charismatic and beloved Rebbe in Yeshiva Darchei Torah, was the keynote speaker. Rabbi Soroka addressed the theme by reminding his young audience how lucky we all are to be part of klal Yisroel. Rabbi So-

Staff and students alike are emotionally affected and it sets the stage for greater absorption of the material to follow. roka told of a tollbooth operator who knew that a Yid racing to the hospital would definitely pay the missed toll on the return trip—because that is what Yidden do. He related the story of a non-religious Jew waiting for roadside assistance with tzitzis very visible. He knew that the religious fringes would flag down a member of our caring nation—because that is how Yidden act. These, among many other stories, showed the girls that indeed we are fortunate to be members of klal Yisroel.

Grades 5-8 were treated to the erudition and passion of Rabbi Eitan Feiner, deeply respected Rav of the White Shul. Rabbi Feiner compared the love that Hashem bears for us to the unconditional love that a parent

has for a child. Due to that overwhelming love, our tefillos are always heard by Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Even when it seems as though we have not received an answer to our tefillos, we must know that those tefillos are never ignored. Rabbi Feiner related an incredible story of a young boy named Tzvi who joined in tefillos with his friend, Dovid. The two were davening for Dovid’s mother to have a baby boy because, in their youthful opinion, Dovid already had too many sisters. Much to Tzvi’s dismay, his tefillos on behalf of his friend were not answered. Dovid’s mother had a baby girl, and Tzvi was even more devastated than Dovid that his bakashos “did not work”. But twenty years later Tzvi married that baby girl – Dovid’s little sister! Most definitely his tefillos were answered, just differently than he imagined. The story brought home the message to the girls that we are always heard and always loved by Hashem.

The most educationally significant aspect of the annual theme is that Morah Feldberger works in tandem with the existing yahadus curriculum.

This makes the thematic element eminently teachable in the classroom.

Between the lessons in class, the injections of excitement every Rosh Chodesh, and Morah Feldberger’s weekly mini-lessons over the loudspeaker, every BBY girl will, iy”H, come to understand and live the precept of “Ashreinu ma tov chelkeinu.”

A NUMBER OF DISTINGUISHED COMMUNITY RABBONIM STOPPED BY GOURMET GLATT-WOODMERE ON TUESDAY MORNING TO PARTICIPATE IN A MEZUZAHAFFIXING CEREMONY AND OFFER BRACHOS FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE NEW STORE. IN ADDITION TO RABBI BINYOMIN KAMENETZKY – PICTURED PUTTING UP A MEZUZAH AT THE STORE’S ENTRANCE – OTHER RABBONIM ON HAND FOR THE EVENT INCLUDED RABBI HESHY BILLET; RABBI YOSEF EISEN, HEAD OF THE FIVE TOWNS VAAD HAKASHRUS; RABBI BINYOMIN FORST; RABBI ELISHA HOROWITZ; RABBI MORDECHAI KAMENETSKY, WHO DELIVERED BEAUTIFUL AND INSPIRING DIVREI BRACHA; RABBI YITZCHOK NOBEL; RABBI DANIEL OVADIA; RABBI TZVI RALBAG; RABBI YAAKOV REISMAN; RABBI MOSHE TEITELBAUM; RABBI SHMUEL WITKIN; AND RABBI ZALMAN WOLOWIK. THE STORE OFFICIALLY OPENED FOR BUSINESS ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Mazel Tov to SKA Semi-Finalist and Commendees The Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls is proud to announce that Ayliana Teitelbaum, a member of the Class of 2016, has been named a Semi-Finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Competition.

I

n her junior year, Ayliana tied for 5th Place in the Jerusalem Science Contest – Chidon Hamada HaYerushalmi – and earned an all expense paid trip to Jerusalem. A very talented musician who plays piano, flute and violin, Ayliana was captain of both SKA’s Mock Trial Team and College Bowl Team, last year’s peer elected Keter Torah awardee, and 3rd place Amud winner in Yeshiva University’s Bronka Weintraub Talmudic Competition in addition to participating in SKA’s Pre-Start Science Program.

Mazel tov also to SKA’s National Merit Scholarship Commendees: Tova Goldberg, Rebecca Lipsky, Atara Paul,

Yohana Weiss and Gaby Yusupov! The National Merit Scholarship Program is a national academic scholarship competition for recognition and college scholarships administered by the National Merit Scholarship Competition, a privately funded nonprofit organization. Each year, approximately 10,500 scholarships, representing less than 1% of the initial pool of entrants, are awarded through NMSC programs.

Mazel Tov! May you all continue to grow mei’chayil l’chayil. Your teachers and classmates applaud your prestigious accomplishments.

L-R: YOHANA WEISS, ATARA PAUL, REBECCA LIPSKY, GABY YUSUPOV, AND TOVA GOLDBERG

AYLIANA TEITELBAUM, SEMI-FINALIST IN THE NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP

COMPETITION.

Mesivta Ateres Yaakov Ruth & Hyman Simon High School

131 Washington Ave, Lawrence New York 11559 | Phone: 516.374.6465 | Fax: 516.374.1834

Open House Sunday, November 1st at 1:30 PM Pursue your interests and broaden your horizons!

Active Student Government and many clubs

Varsity & Intramural sports and competitions Model Bais Din| Torah Bowl | Literary Journals and Newspapers|ARISTA Extensive chesed program Torah and other student publications Call us at 516.374.6465 or visit us on the web at www.AteresYaakov.com

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Friday Night

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9:30 P.M. Panel Discussion

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“Confronting the Challenges and Issues of Our Times�

There will be a seuda Friday night with our Rabbeim at the Lawrence Country Club.

If you are interested in participating, please email rsvp@nirc.edu or call 410-522-8739

Shabbos Day

Our Rabbeim will be davening and giving shiurim in various Shuls in the neighborhood. Details to follow.

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Around the Community ny where it had been buried underground just prior to the outbreak of Kristallnacht, “The Night of Broken Glass,” on November 9, 1938. The Torah had been in storage at the International Synagogue at John F. Kennedy International Airport until the boys raised the money to have it restored.

77 years after Kristallnacht, the Torah will be reintroduced to the Jewish community. Survivors are encouraged to attend.Admission is free but RSVP is requested. Photo ID required for admittance. To RSVP and for more information visit torahrp.org or call (516) 232-5946.

Event generously underwritten by Farrell Fritz, P.C.

170 Year Old Torah to be Restored

The Torah Restoration Project in cooperation with the International Synagogue at JFK, the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County (HMTC), and the Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre, presents a Kristallnacht commemoration and re-dedication of a Holocaust Torah Scroll, Monday, November 9, 2015, at 6:30 p.m. at the Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre, 295 Main Street, East Rockaway, NY 11518.

Two Bar Mitzvah boys raised funds to restore a 170-year old Torah scroll that was rescued from Germa-

Locks of Love

Kayla Brukner, a second grade stu-

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

dent at HANC, with her mother, Aviva Brukner, from Oceanside, NY, donating their long locks to create wigs for children with cancer who are undergoing treatments

Rabbi Tzvi Flaum

Addresses the Students of Shevach High School In preparation for the Yomim Noraim, the faculty and the students of Shevach High School were addressed

by Rabbi Tzvi Flaum, the Mashgiach Ruchani of Lander College for Women, the posek for Hatzolah of Far Rockaway and the Five Towns, and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Shaarei Tzion Rochel Miriam.

Rabbi Flaum began his address with the halacha that women are obligated to recite Birchos HaTorah. By reciting these brochos, not only are we asking Hashem for permission to learn Torah, but also to assist us in applying the Torah values to our lives. He then pointed out that there is a Ge-

mara in Nedarim that states that the reason Hashem brought about the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash was because Birchos HaTorah were not recited. However, we know that the Destruction of the Bais HaMikdash occurred because we committed the three cardinal sins: murder, idolatry and adultery. Is it possible that Chazal was equating the lack of recitation of Birchos HaTorah with the three cardinal sins? Rabbi Flaum passionately explained that the Torah is a Divine Power Source. It has the ability to sanctify us, to shield us from obstacles and to foster a relationship with Hashem. There is one caveat: If we learn Torah for Torah’s sake then it will protect us, but if we learn Torah as an intellectual pursuit or view it as a cultural gift, then it will not shield us from corruption, causing us to sin.

Rabbi Flaum charged the faculty and students alike with the responsibility of keeping the Torah as our spiritual barometer, and asked us, “Do you think like a Jew? Do you act like a Jew? And do you internalize the Torah?” If one can answer these questions in the affirmative, then she is mikadash shem Shmayim, which is our purpose in life.

When one recites Birchos HaTorah, it is not to give license to learn Torah as

Mesivta Ateres Yaakov Ruth & Hyman Simon High School

131 Washington Ave, Lawrence New York 11559 | Phone: 516.374.6465 | Fax: 516.374.1834

Open House Sunday, November 1st at 1:30 PM

Prepare yourself for College and a career!

Challenging honors and advanced placement track School-wide program to hone each student’s writing skills SAT Preparation in all grades Individually tailored college guidance beginning in 9th grade College program for seniors

Call us at 516.374.6465 or visit us on the web at www.AteresYaakov.com

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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an intellectual pursuit, but rather to internalize and integrate Torah into our daily lives. The best way to be mikadesh shem Shomayim is by living as a Torah Jew. This will ultimately lead to the rebuilding of the Third Bais HaMikdash speedily in our days.

The message was a powerful one, leaving the girls and faculty with a sense of purpose and focus as they entered the Y’mei HaDin.

to the Rambam talmidim for multiple Simchas Beis Hashoavas. Rambam’s Rosh Mesivta hosted a number of talmidim in his sukkah, as did Assistant Principal, Rabbi Avrum Haar.

Meaningful fun was had by all and the boys and rebbeim rejoiced in sharing the chag as one. Additionally, prior to the chag, Rambam students welcomed a sukkah at OHEL Bais Ezra. They sang and danced with members of the OHEL community and helped put the finishing touches on the sukkah.

Achdus, chesed, kesher...all part of the Rambam Sukkos experience.

Rambam Keeps the Kesher over Sukkos Welcome to Shalhevet

Singing, dancing, and divrei Torah were the order of the day, as the Rambam rebbeim opened their sukkahs

Midreshet Shalhevet is so excited to welcome the class of 2019! The students started the year off with

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

an exciting orientation where they met their teachers, became acquainted with the administration, and partook in an Owl ceramics activity. The girls also bonded with their senior class “big sisters” on a trip to Adventure Park in Long Island. There the students participated in numerous obstacle and ropes courses with varying degrees of elevation and difficulty.

The “sisters” connected as they swung from ladder to ladder and daringly walked across thin ropes.

Some of the seniors encouraged the freshmen to participate, while some of the ninth graders had to push the seniors to scale the ropes. Freshmen Sarah Spielman and Maayan Sandowski both remarked how fun the trip was and how it provided them the opportunity to meet the seniors. Senior Meira Nussbaum shared how nice it was to get to know her “little sister” and was excited about becoming friends with many of the new students. The seniors and freshmen bonded tremendously and it was an excellent commencement to what promises to be a fantastic school year!

A New Approach to STEM In MYHT

Some of the most sought after skills that companies such as Google and Apple are looking for include how well applicants think and work with others to collaborate in nontraditional process-oriented problem solving.

One of the newest and fastest growing pedagogical approaches in education is STEM, a relatively new field integrating Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

The new STEM class at Mesivta Yam HaTorah develops these important skills by combining rigorous instruction in math and science with

Mesivta Ateres Yaakov Ruth & Hyman Simon High School

131 Washington Ave, Lawrence New York 11559 | Phone: 516.374.6465 | Fax: 516.374.1834

Open House Sunday, November 1st at 1:30 PM

Become the Ben Torah you want to be!

Molding Bnei Torah in a superior learning environment which is becoming a true Kol Torah for the entire community.

Give your son the opportunity to be part of a dynamic yeshiva with challenging Limudei Kodesh & Limudei Chol academic programs.

Call us at 516.374.6465 or visit us on the web at www.AteresYaakov.com

Around the Community

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

the approach of design thinking to help the students develop and engineer real world solutions to various problems. Students are taught to value the input of all the members of their group as they decide together on the best solutions before beginning to prototype their ideas.

Each week, the students are presented with a problem to which they must create a unique solution. Each challenge has its own set of constraints: design and build a bridge – using only certain materials that can hold a specific amount of cars; design and build a roller coaster that must take its metal marble down several stories with curves and loops and stop the marble in a way that would be practical and safe if it contained people.

Along with their weekly lessons, research and challenges (some can actually last several weeks), this year’s major project is to design and build a full size working peddle car with PVC piping. The car must carry two people and twenty pounds of groceries, be able to start, stop and turn, and be light yet sturdy enough to be lifted and carried. The students are currently working their way through the research and information gathering stage before they begin designing and prototyping.

Shnaim Mikrah Program at Mesivta Yam Hatorah This past week the students of Mesivta Yam Hatorah began their trek to become experts in Torah. Over 75% of the student body committed to join the Mesivta’s Shnaim Mikrah program. The program kicked off with an inspirational speech by the Menahel Rabbi Eli Zoldan. Rabbi Zoldan explained to the students that the obligation of Shnaim Mikrah was instituted by Moshe Rabbeinu for the purpose of being proficient in Torah knowledge. He explained that through doing Shnaim Mikrah one can develop a routine that will allow them to always be connected to the parsha of the week as well as feeling the accomplishment of finishing each parsha. Students were then given time to start Bereishis and get a head start to finish the weekly parsha. We wish the boys much hatzlacha on their journey.

Rambam Mesivta Earns Blue Ribbon Distinction Students at Rambam returned to school from Chag HaSukkos to learn that the Mesivta was named a Blue Ribbon school by the U.S. Department of Education.

Rambam qualified as an “Exemplary High-Performing” school as a result of its consistent track record of producing scores on SAT and other standardized exams which are “the highest in the United States.” The National Blue Ribbon flag is a “widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.”

Out of the possible 133,000 public, private, and parochial schools that could apply for the award, only 39 Jewish, Yeshivos, or community schools have qualified to date. Of the 335 schools awarded Blue Ribbon status this year, Rambam was the only school on Long Island and the only yeshiva in the country who was so named. Traditionally, the Department of Education confers this coveted status to a limited number of schools each year and it “celebrates some of the most skilled and effective educators in the country.”

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program was commissioned in 1981 by then-secretary Terrell H. Bell to “bring exemplary US schools the public attention and to recognize those schools whose students thrived and excelled.”

“The award is an objective testimony as to the wonderful, motivated group of talmidim that comprise the Mesivta and the success of our amazing, dedicated staff of rebbeim and college preparatory teachers who consistently inspire and challenge our boys. It is a kiddush Hashem to have Torah-based institutions join the ranks of this elite group,” said Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, Rambam’s Rosh Mesivta.

In speaking about the award, Principal Rabbi Yotav Eliach, said, “It is a tribute to our outstanding teaching staff and student body who work together to produce such fantastic results. We have resisted the tide of inflating grades, and lowering standards in order to have students feel good about themselves. Our educational philosophy of maintaining grade integrity and challenging our students has borne fruit not only in terms of student achievement, as this award indicates, but also in terms of producing positive, true self-esteem, the

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students feel legitimately proud when they know they’ve earned the grades they received.”

Mr. Hillel Goldman, Assistant Principal, remarked, “To be selected as a Blue Ribbon School is truly an honor. To be the one Long Island yeshiva high school in almost three decades to earn this award is a testament to the partnership we have with the students, parents, and faculty. To be recognized as an elite academic institution, one that sends almost half of their graduating students to Hesder Yeshivos, it is clear the school’s namesake would be proud.”

New Hasmoda Program at Yeshiva of Far Rockaway This Elul, Rabbi Aaron Brafman and Rabbi Chaim Shlomo Metz instituted a new Hasmoda program from mid Elul to Erev Yom Kippur to give incentives to bochurim, who either hadn’t started Yeshiva yet or who did not start mishmar yet, to learn at night. This program is in addition to

Fran HirMeS Chairman of the Board

the Hasmoda program held between Pesach and Shavuos.

The program is held l’ilui nishmas Rabbi Menachem Mendel Perr, Rav Shmuel Zalman Brafman, Rav Moshe Gefen and Rav Yosef Schwarz, all of whom were niftar between Rosh Hashana and Sukkos.

All participants received an Artscroll 1st night selichos at the start of the program. Before Rosh Hashana everyone received an Artscroll Tashlich book and 6 shofars were raffled off during the first two weeks.

At the grand raffle held on Erev Yom Kippur, everyone received a Hoshanos booklet with translation from Artscroll. Two Shasim, two bikes, a set of Mishnayos and a set of Mishna Berura were raffled off.

TJH Centerfold

You gotta be kidding Jim goes into a bar and shouts to the bartender, “Wanna hear a redneck joke?”

In a hushed voice, the guy next to him says, “Before you tell that joke, you sthould know something. Our bartender is a redneck, the bouncer is a redneck. I’m a 6’ tall, 200 lb. black belt. The guy sitting next to me is 6’2”, weighs 225, and he’s a rugby player. The fella to your right is 6’5”, pushing 300 and he’s a wrestler. Each one of us is a redneck. Think about it, mister. Do you still wanna tell that joke?”

Jim says, “Nah, not if I’m gonna have to explain it five times.”

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Riddle me

this?

A man is trapped in a room. The room has only two possible exits: two doors. Through the first door there is a room constructed from magnifying glass. The blazing hot sun instantly fries anything or anyone who enters. Through the second door there is a fire-breathing dragon. How does the man escape?

Answer below.

What Corporate Slogans Should Really Be

Answer: He waits until nighttime and then goes through the first door.

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TJH Centerfold

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Remembering

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

A

s Sukkos has just finished, our family has completed a year of kaddish and aveilus for one of the pillars of the Far Rockaway-Five Towns community, our father Rabbi Yechiel Hecht, zt”l. As we start the Torah anew we also celebrate his birthday. Interestingly, due to the war, he never really knew when his birthday was so he chose Parshas Bereishis as his beginning as well.

Last year, on the first day of Sukkos, at shkiya, while the sun was setting, this community lost one of its treasures.

With grandsons singing Hallel and favorite niggunim at his bedside mere minutes before his petira, with Rabbi Feiner’s divrei Torah in his ears, Zaidy left this world surrounded by kedusha in his bed at home.

Our father, R’ Yechiel Hecht, was born in Poland, the son of R’ Yisroel Hecht who was the shochet in Sanz.

During the war the family was banished to a work camp in Siberia and remained there for the duration. It was only after the war that they discovered after years of struggle that they actually were better off than those left behind in Poland.

As Rabbi Feiner mentioned at the levaya, Hashem also wants a sweet smelling esrog so He took this tzaddik on Sukkos. As grandson HaRav Yitzchok Menachem Hecht said at the levaya, “Zaidy was 100% European and 0% American.” To see Zaidy was to see the shtetel. He was a simple man, steeped in Torah and kedusha, whose only desire was to serve Hashem and klal Yisroel. He had a booming voice, was an exemplary baal koreh and baal tefillah. His Torah knowledge was vast and he was happiest at home or in shul, sitting at the table, with a sefer in hand.

Almost thirty years ago our parents moved to Far Rockaway where our father became the shammes of his beloved White Shul. Prior to moving to Far Rockaway he served as the shammes in the Talmud Torah of Flatbush. Although he had tried a number of professions he ultimately was the quintessential shammes and was happiest serving the klal.

During shiva we heard

R E M E M B E R I N G

R’ Yechiel Hecht z”l

By Yoel & Shany Hecht and Sara & Chaim Liechtung over and over again, “Your father loved everyone, but he loved me the most—I was special!” He made everyone feel special and really connected to every Jew, those who were observant and those who were not yet observant. It really didn’t matter. When he asked how you were, he really wanted to know. He felt your joy and shared your pain.

He had the zechus of serving under three rabbanim, all gedolei Torah for whom he had the utmost respect and admiration. Each rav had much to say at the funeral and/or the shloshim.

Rabbi Pelcovitz emphasized his total dedication to the tzibbur which took priority over his personal needs.

Rabbi Pelcovitz’s feelings can perhaps best be summed up in his one statement: “The White Shul has lost its neshama.”

Rabbi Flaum emphasized his middah of chessed and love for every Jew which was the ultimate purpose of creation and the way to connect with Hashem.

Rabbi Feiner recalled his amazement at how our father had amazing patience and empathy for each person while at the same time carrying the ol malchus Shamayim and ol hatzibbur, 24/7/365.

He believed in yashrus. Do what’s right and what Hashem expects of you. After every meal Zaidy would brush the crumbs from the table and pop them in his mouth.

“Zaidy what are you doing?

We will clean up.” And he would say, “What I would have done for a handful of crumbs in Siberia.” These lessons he taught were lived, not just taught. How lucky we were to live near Zaidy so our children could grow up in his shadow and learn from his actions.

To see Zaidy was to see the shtetel. He was a simple man, steeped in Torah and kedusha, whose only desire was to serve Hashem and klal Yisroel.

We recall as soon as the yomim noraim were upon us, he enlisted the help of his grandsons to change the Torah mantlach and tie lulavim and eventually to change the mantlach again after Simchas Torah. These are life lessons and skills that they will never forget. They learned about kedushas bais haknesses from a very young age and have fond memories of standing with him on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur when their father was away in various communities serving as shaliach tzibbur. They learned from his example and each one is serving the klal.

Zaidy always had a sim-

chas ha’chaim. He had a bounce in his step and a twinkle in his eye no matter what was happening in his life.

Throughout his nisyonos he never asked why me, even after his debilitating stroke five and a half years ago.

Our father wanted to be at home—he would say, “Ashrei yoshvei veysecha” and until his last breath we fulfilled his wishes, as difficult as it was.

We could not have done it without the help of his many doctors who came when we called, day or night. Words are not enough to thank those who helped us including the wonderful Hatzalah volunteers who always, always treated him with great care and respect.

Special hakoras hatov to Rabbi Feiner, Mr. Fred Shulman, and Mrs. Gitty Neufeld who helped us throughout yom tov to deal with the many halachos and arrangements, particularly complicated over a three day yom tov. A special thank you to Rabbi Boruch Ber Bender of Achiezer for all his help navigating the system. You knew just what to do and we will be forever indebted. We are so lucky to have community resources like no other. To the wonderful neighbors on Dorian Court: we will never forget the sight of you standing outside on yom tov waiting silently in front of your houses to be melava our father. Thank you.

Needless to say, this has been a humbling experience and we have learned a few lessons that we would like to share. We should all realize that we have so many lonely, elderly and infirm people in our community. Find out who they are and go visit. When a person is bedridden they spend their days looking at the same walls day after day, hour after hour. Visitors help

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to pass the time. The mitzvah of bikur cholim is for the patient, not the visitor. Even if it’s uncomfortable and the conversation may only flow one way since the patient may not be able to speak or does not want to speak, know that they are listening and value the time you take to brighten their day. Thank you to his handful of regular visitors. You gave us chizuk and brightened his day. He always knew you came even though at times you may have thought that maybe he wasn’t aware you were there.

If you know of a shiva house that needs a minyan, make it your business to go.

Often in the morning the aveilim are the only ones in the house and have to scramble for help to put together a minyan. When we had trouble completing the minyanim during shiva we said, who can we call? Who doesn’t remember seeing Rabbi Hecht zt”l sometimes in tallis and tefillin, standin g outside the White Shul to divert mispallelim to a shiva house.

Zaidy needed little, but he had one dream. He always wanted to write a sefer Torah.

After the stroke he expressed this wish to us. We arranged for a sofer to come to the hospital to meet with him but he decided to wait until he was better so he could dance with his Torah. Imagine our joy when Rabbi Finer informed us that the White Shul wanted to partner with us to write a sefer Torah in his memory to be used every Shabbos. They had no idea that this was his ultimate wish. What a fitting tribute.

To participate in the sefer Torah campaign in memory of our parents, please contact the White Shul. There is a link on the main page at whiteshul.com or call the shul at 718-327-0500.

May R’ Yechiel Ben Yisroel be a melitz yosher for us, his family, including his newest great-grandson, Yechiel ben Yisroel Hecht, his beloved community and all of klal Yisroel.

We live in very difficult times, Zaidy. As you always said: Mir vartin far Mashiach.

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Israel Gripped by Terror Is it the Third Intifada?

By Nachum Soroka

If you’re the Western media, you can call it unrest; if you’re Hamas, you can call it Intifada; if you’re an Israeli, you know that it’s terror at its worst.

T

he Palestinians have taken to officially terrorizing innocents again, this time mostly with knives, though, as opposed to ball bearings and BBs. Why? No one really knows, even the attackers themselves, some of whom are too young to actually hold an occupation, let alone know what the “Occupation” is. And they are certainly too young to remember the last intifada and whatever consequences it had on their territories.

The ongoing uprising contrasts with the First and Second Intifadas in its complete disorganization. The First Intifada, which began in 1987 and lasted all the way to 1993, consisted mainly of Arab mobs blocking roadways and hurling Molotov cocktails. The unofficial prime mover of the riots was the PLO, led by Yasser Arafat, who adopted the practice of murdering Arab collaborators with Israel.

The Second Intifada, which is infamous for its images of blown out buses and restaurants, claimed the lives

“Our will to live trumps our enemies’ desire for death.” of over 1,000 innocent Israelis and was again instigated by Arafat, with the help of many Arab MKs, as well. It began in September 2000 after Arafat rejected then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s offer to hand over 96% of the West Bank to the PA, causing much frustration for the Palestinians.

During that time, crowded civilian areas were the prime targets for suicide

bombers, and the killings only ended with the building of the Israeli security fence around the West Bank.

THIS TIME AROUND, Israelis find themselves attacked from all sides. No longer can one avoid busy streets or crowded buses in Jerusalem to feel secure: On Rosh Hashana, a 64-year-old man was killed after his car was attacked by angry Arab teenagers in East Jerusalem. On Sukkos, a young girl was shot in her sukkah while celebrating with her family, the same night a shooting into a sukkah in Lod sent a five-year-old boy to the ICU. Odel and Aharon Benita, young parents of two, were attacked on Sukkos by a 19-year-old terrorist in the Armenian shuk, a popular route from the Kotel. The attack, which left Aharon dead and Odel running through the market’s alleys with a knife in her neck, was casually captured by an Arab storekeeper on his cellphone. “I screamed, I begged for aid” from the Arabs, she told the New York

Times. “They stood chatting and laughing — they spat at me.” That stabbing preceded another stabbing of a fifteenyear-old in the Old City by just a few hours.

But the terror in Jerusalem is not limited to Arab sections: this past Shabbos’ stabbings occurred not only

by Shaar Shechem, the entrance to the Muslim Quarter, but also by Kikar Hadavidka, a central Jerusalem street that is as quiet at 10 o’clock on a Shabbos morning as much as any Chareidi neighborhood.

Two teenagers were nearly stabbed to death by thirteenyear-old and sixteen-year-old Arab terrorists while walking in Pisgat Zeev on Monday.

One can attempt to steer clear of the Number 2 Bus and opt to walk to the Kotel, but how can one avoid venturing to his neighborhood shul altogether? Must he forego his daily pre-sunrise walk to vasikin, which doubles as his time for introspection, because there is no one else out at that hour to make the trek safe? Must a soccer fan avoid attending

TJH Feature

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Teddy Stadium, the home of the Beitar Yerushalayim club, because of planned Arab attacks on fans going to and returning from a soccer match?

On Tuesday of this week, thousands gathered to attend the funeral of Rabbi Yeshayahu Kirshavski, 59, who was killed by a terrorist who

“We call for escalating and deepening the intifada... We are proud of you, the heroes of knives.” rammed his car into him as he was standing at a bus stop in central Jerusalem after davening Shacharis. The Arab was not satisfied with the car attack; he exited his car

and then commenced to stab Rabbi Kirshavski numerous times. Another person was injured in the attack.

Rabbi Kirshavski was killed just minutes after two male passengers were killed and others were wounded when terrorists stabbed and shot at riders on a bus in Jerusalem. And on that same day, in Ra’anana four people were stabbed with a knife just hours after another man was stabbed in the city.

The attacks are coming in all shapes and sizes and in all areas of the country. In West Bank areas like Chevron, where living with roadside ambushes and infiltration into yishuvim are, unfortunately, the norm, such occurrences are becoming more frequent. Last week saw numerous stabbings in the areas surrounding Kiryat Arba and Chevron, including three in Kiryat Arba on Thursday. On Shabbos alone, an attempted infiltration on the Negahot yishuv near Chevron was thwarted by the IDF and a homemade roadside bomb

was immobilized just outside of Kiryat Arba on Motzei Shabbos. Then, on Sunday, an alert border policeman stopped a female suicide car bomber near the Ma’ale Adumim checkpoint, and Kever Rochel was put on lockdown because of Arab rioting there.

The weekend violence in the West Bank came days after the murder of Naama Henkin and her husband Eitam, Hy”d, a noted talmid chacham and American citizen. The couple was shot to death in their car by Hamas gunmen while their four young children watched from the backseat.

Rock-throwing by Arab teens in these areas has intensified at border checkpoints. On Sunday, twenty rock-throwing teen-

agers were injured by rubber bullets as police endeavored to stop the violence.

In other areas of Israel which have been less contentious in the past, Palestinians are still trying to carry out terror. A viral video from last week shows an Arab knife-wielding woman being shot in the legs in the Afula bus station in the North.

(Russian media posted a link to the video with the headline, “Videos emerge online showing Israeli police shooting Palestinian woman ‘execution-style.’”)

In the North and South of the country, the rockets continue to fall. In the Golan, Israel is the unhappy recipient of stray rockets from the Syrian conflict. In retaliation, the IDF fired on Syrian military positions in that country. “Israel will not tolerate violation of its sovereignty,” IDF spokesman Peter Lerner tweeted. “Syrian military is responsible and accountable for any aggression emanating from Syria.”

In the South, Hamas has been firing mortars from Gaza for the past few weeks and most recently over the weekend as an alleged retaliation for IDF troops killing protesters along the Gaza border.

It was as part of the border

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riots that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh announced a new intifada on Friday. “Gaza will fulfill its role in the Jerusalem intifada and it is more than ready for confrontation. We are calling for the strengthening and increasing of the intifada… It is the only path that will lead to liberation” was the message the “cleric” delivered in his sermon. Whether the Palestinians consider themselves involved in an intifada or just enjoy throwing rocks, ramming cars and stabbing innocent citizens is not clear, but Hamas certainly wants the violence to escalate to an uprising on the level of an intifada.

The incidents have become so frequent and so ubiquitous throughout the country that a non-forprofit startup has created an app which features a real-time interactive map of all the attacks in the country over the past few weeks.

The MappingTerror app by StandWithUs is built on the MapMe platform which in lighter times was used to map the hummus “ecosystem” of Israel. Instead of displaying the concentrations of falafel joints along the highway from Jerusalem to Chevron, MappingTerror has icons along the route which provide information of an attack which occurred

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TJH Feature

there. As of Tuesday evening, there are seven icons there. In Jerusalem, there are forty six.

SO WHO IS BEHIND THESE RECENT ATTACKS? It seems as if the leaders of the Palestinian world are igniting the flames.

Clearly Hamas leader Haniyeh is inciting the terrorists with his calls for an intifada. “We will liberate Al-Aqsa and we as Gazans intend to join” the current upheaval, he declared at Friday prayers.

“We call for escalating and deepening the intifada... We are proud of you, the heroes of knives,” he cheered.

In a surprising about-face, though, the Palestinian instigator-in-chief, Mahmoud Abbas, is publicly disapproving any escalation of violence and is outwardly urging calm. The EU claims that the PA president told an EU official over the weekend that he intends to keep the situation “under control.” According to the Shin Bet, Abbas is indeed not behind the recent events, which were carried out mostly by individuals. But there is no denying that declarations like “The dirty feet of the Jews must not be allowed to desecrate Al-Aqsa,” and “Every drop of blood that has been spilled in Jerusalem is holy blood as long as it was for Allah” – which Abbas stated just before Rosh Hashana – and his “clairvoyant” comment about how Israel’s “attack” on the mosque is leading the country into “another intifada” – which he made at that time – were enough provocation in and of themselves.

Even if Abbas is not to be blamed, there is still much incitement coming from within Israel, from the Arab leadership in the Knesset. Many Arab MKs consider themselves part of the Islamic Movement, an offshoot of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and the leading group, along with Hamas, in the current wave of the “defense” of Al-Aqsa. Netanyahu recently quoted an interview from the Hamas newspaper in which MK Haneen Zoabi said, “Hundreds of thousands of worshipers should go to the Al-Aqsa Mosque to stand up against Israel’s conspiracy to condone violence against East Jerusalem residents. If individual attacks will continue without popular support they will die out in a matter of days – thousands of people going out will turn these events into a true intifada.”

Arab MK Bassel Ghattas justified the cold blooded murder of the Henkin family because, after all, “they were settlers.”

The prime minister had strong words for the Arab MKs when he addressed the Knesset earlier this week, “You cannot...enjoy all the rights and at the same time undermine the state.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

I ask you to choose the right way,” he said. Netanyahu has called for an immediate criminal investigation into Zoabi for her incitement of terror against civilians. Zoabi’s response was to call on Netanyahu to resign.

Ironically, the Arab MKs who have fomented the incitement for the recent attacks do not seem to have their constituents’ better interest in mind.

A recent poll revealed that 80% of Israeli Arabs do not support the newfound unrest. They are tired of the destruction the rioting has wrought on their personal property and the tensions it has caused between them and the Jews. In Nazareth, the Arab mayor yelled at the lead Arab MK, Ayman Odeh, who was conducting an interview on TV, “Ayman, you need to go elsewhere; you’ve destroyed our city!”

Netanyahu is also contemplating banning the Islamic Movement from the country, a move that may be almost impossible to carry out. One needs to only look as far south as Egypt to see the struggle the current Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has had in trying to disable the Islamic Movement’s cousin, the Muslim Brotherhood, imprisoning its leaders and supporters, and banning its preachers from mosques. Still, the movement is strong there.

LIKE SO MANY TIMES before in its short history, Israel continues to be under siege from all sides and by many elements. The threat of ISIS looms larger to Israel than most other countries, the libelous BDS movement is gaining steam throughout Europe, and the U.S. is in the middle of inking a treaty which would allow Israel’s most vocal enemy, Iran, to have the weapons it needs to act on its most nefarious desires.

Yet, like before, Israel has proven resilient. The country’s startup economy is second largest in the world (with over $47 billion invested in the year 2014), it ranks as the eleventh happiest country in the world (the United States is 15), and it just announced that it will be the first nation to have privately funded rockets sent to the moon.

As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Knesset on Monday, “After 100 years of terrorism and 100 years of attempts to destroy the Zionist enterprise, our enemies still have not learned. Suicide terrorism was not victorious over us in the ‘90s and ‘00s, and the terrorism of knives will not be victorious over us now. What always wins is the recognition that this is our home and our homeland.

“Our will to live trumps our enemies’ desire for death.”

Israel is a nation that truly means it when it says, “Am Yisrael chai.”

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Torah Thought

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Torah Thought

Parshas Noach

By Rabbi Berel Wein The events described in this week’s parsha only serve to confirm the diagnosis of human behavior already recorded for us in last week’s parsha – that the nature of human beings, if left alone, will invariably turn to evil behavior. Not only that but the recounting of the behavior of the family of Noach, even after experiencing the flood and the destruction of much of humankind, instructs us as to how difficult it is to really change human nature.

The long history of the Jewish people particularly, and of civilization generally, indicates clearly that miracles, disasters, proven failures and generational events have little effect on individual or even communal human behavior. Since everyone believes that he or she is the exception

to human mortality and to the effects of one’s own behavior and actions, it is very difficult to convince one’s own self that changes in lifestyle and attitudes are necessary.

The evil nature within us is the part of our persona and mental makeup that is most resistant to allowing lessons of life to be learned and effective change to be generated. Rabbi Yisrael Lipkin of Salant stated that “the loudest noise made in the physical world is that of the breaking of a habit.” Most evil that is perpetrated in this world is simply a product of habitually bad behavior.

I think that habit alone is sufficient to help us understand how the world could believe in paganism for millennia on end, no matter what the consequences and results of such a

pernicious belief were. Even the great flood would not prevent most of the descendants of Noach from sinking back into the quagmire of paganism. It was not so much a matter of belief as it was a matter of habit.

From this introduction to the nature of humanity, as related in the first two portions of the Torah, the rest of the Torah becomes more understandable and we gain greater perspective into it. The main purpose of the Torah, in its simplest and most sublime sense, is to break us of our bad habits, ultimately to replace them with better ways of doing and behaving.

That is why the commandments of the Torah are so insistently repetitive in our daily lives because only by repetition is habitual behavior established. All athletes are aware that only by constant and daily training will their muscular and physical abilities become enhanced and of second nature. It is this regimen of training that allows for excellence in competition.

Leaving one’s spiritual side to apathy and inaction will automatically guarantee that the habits of evil behavior will dominate.

Thus, most of the Torah is simply counterintuitive. It speaks against the

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YEARS Rambam Mesivta

perpetuation of bad habits and demands of us the necessary changes in outlook and behavior that will make us better people. Naturally, the definition of good and evil is based upon G-d’s judgment. But over the many millennia of human existence that definition of good and evil has stayed the test of

Rabbi Yisrael Lipkin of Salant stated that “the loudest noise made in the physical world is that of the breaking of a habit.” time and remains the fulcrum of civilization. The righteousness of Noach lay with his ability to change for the better and rise above his society. That challenge remains for all of us as well.

Shabbat shalom.

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Pre-Register at: www.Rambam.org

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Torah Shmuz

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Torah Shmuz

Parshas Noach Hashem Hates Thievery

By R’ Ben Tzion Shafier

And Hashem said to Noach, “The end of all flesh has come before me since the land is filled with robbery through them, and I will now destroy the land.”

– Bereishis 6:13

I

n this posuk, Hashem appears to Noach, telling him that the world has turned to evil and He will now destroy all of life. Noach, his family, and the animals that remained pure will be the core of a new world. The reason for this destruction is stealing, “since the land is filled with robbery.”

Rashi is troubled that thievery is being treated as the pivotal point of the world’s existence. There are many sins that are worse. Rashi seems to answer this by saying that stealing was the crime that sealed their fate.

Granted they were involved in other iniquities, but this was the one that actually demanded justice.

This Rashi is difficult to understand, as we know that stealing is not one of the most severe sins.

There are three cardinal sins that a Jew is obligated to give up his life not to commit: idol worship, adultery, and murder. While stealing is certainly a serious crime, it isn’t amongst these.

In fact, it isn’t even in their league. If so, why would this be the reason that spelled the doom of that generation?

And even more to the point, in a previous posuk, Rashi told us that the main crimes then were idol worship and illicit relations. The Torah tells us “all flesh was corrupted.” Rashi explains that (because of man’s immorality) “even the animals changed their ways and were mating outside of their own species.” It is

clear that these more serious sins were rampant. How then can we understand Rashi’s statement that stealing was the crime that caused their destruction?

This question can best be answered with a mashal.

DIFFERENT SCALES OF MEASURE Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries on the planet; the average working man there earns about 180 dollars a year. Imagine that I walk into a Savings and Loan Company in the United States and say, “I am looking to take out a mortgage on a new home.”

The loan officer will ask me, “What is your income? What assets do you have?”

The great test of life is not earning a living, but how you earn your living.

I respond, “My friend, no need to worry. Why, I earn as much as ten men in Bangladesh. In fact, I don’t like to brag, but actually, I earn as much as hundred men there!”

Needless to say, I wouldn’t secure a loan. Because earning 1,800 dollars a year or even 18,000 dollars a year in our economy is below poverty level.

This is an example of different scales of measure. In a third world country where much of the population is starving, earning your daily bread and water might qualify you as well off, whereas in a more affluent world, it would be considered quite poor.

More than objective wealth being the determinant of your status, it is the standard against which you are being measured. When the bar is raised, it becomes much more difficult to be considered acceptable.

So too, in the system of Hashem’s judgment, there are different standards of measure. There is din – strict judgment – and there is rachamim – the mercy system. Strict din demands perfection. There is no room for shortcomings and no place for excuses; you are responsible. You did an act, that act that brought about a result, so you are accountable – utterly, completely and totally. No mitigating factors, no extenuating circumstances, you are guilty as charged.

Rachamim is very different. This system introduces understanding: “there were compelling factors.” “It was a difficult situation.” “There are few people in this generation who would have done much better…”

In the Heavenly system of judgment, there is a balance between rachamim and din. At one point, the balance may be 60% rachamim, 40% din. At another point it might be 80/20. If strict din would be in place, no mortal could stand. Even the Avos, the greatest humans who ever lived, would not have passed.

Certain times and actions change the balance between rachamim and din. Much of our davening focuses on asking Hashem to judge us more favorably, to introduce mercy into the deliberation. On the flip side, there are certain actions that strengthen the middah of din, moving the balance over to more strict judgment.

WHEN DIN IS IN FORCE This seems to be the answer to Rashi.

It isn’t that stealing is a more severe crime than immorality — it is less severe. However, there is an element to stealing that awakens din. Stealing from a person demonstrates a total disregard of his rights — it as if he isn’t a person.

I can take away his property, even his very sustenance. Chazal tell us, “As a person acts towards others, Hashem acts towards him.” Because robbery is an abrogation of a person’s rights, it causes a change in the way that Hashem judges. It is as if Hashem says, “If you act that way towards others, then I will act accordingly to you.” Therefore, stealing changes the way that Hashem

judges because it causes the middah of din to react more strongly.

The other sins that the generation were involved in had much more serious consequences, but they didn’t include a lack of respect for others and therefore didn’t carry this element of changing the system of judgment. It was stealing alone that sealed their fate because it changed the system of judgment.

LIVING IN THE 21ST CENTURY This concept is especially applicable in our times. Never before in the history of humanity has so much wealth been accessible to so many.

Kings of yesteryear could not envision or imagine the luxuries that the common man today takes for granted.

Yet it seems to be more difficult than ever to earn a living. The great test of life is not earning a living, but how you earn your living. Are you honest?

Are you scrupulous? Do you have standards and immutable rules?

While the primary motivation for honesty in business is that it is the right way to act, this Chazal demonstrates to us another reason: it changes the way that Hashem acts towards us. It would be difficult to imagine the man who can say to Hashem, “I am entitled to earn a living! Based on my calculations of what You have given me and what I have done for You, You owe me.”

Therefore, it is ill-advised for a person to enter into “calculations with Hashem,” demanding his needs. Far wiser is the man who recognizes that we exist because of mercy. Before Hashem creates us, we do nothing to deserve being created, and after Hashem creates us, we aren’t any different. We depend upon Hashem’s mercy.

If we wish to gain favor in Hashem’s eyes, then we need to utilize the systems that He has created. By respecting other people and being scrupulously honest in our business dealings, we make it far more likely for Him to judge us with mercy and take care of us, His beloved people.

Rabbi Shafier is the founder of the Shmuz. com. The Shmuz is an engaging, motivating shiur that deals with real life issues. All of the Shmuzin are available free of charge at the www.theShmuz.com or on the Shmuz app for iPhone or Android.

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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a Wholesome Mesivta education The Talmidim of Yeshiva of Far Rockaway thrive in a stimulating, growth oriented environment under the watchful eye of dynamic Rebbeim who are not only Talmidei Chachomim and Lomdim of the highest caliber but are knowledgeable in all areas, highly approachable, and deeply involved in Yeshiva life.

Rabbi Yechiel Perr Rosh Hayeshiva

amidst a vibrant Bais Medrash and Kollel Proper Bein Adam L’Chaveiro is inculcated along with Bein Adam LaMakom.

The unique atmosphere fosters peer motivation; Bais Medrash bochurim and Kollel Yungerleit directly impact the high school Talmidim.

On a Magnificent Campus

Rabbi Aaron Brafman Menahel

Rabbi Eli Goldgrab General Studies Principal

Rabbi Chaim Shlomo Metz 9th Grade Rebbi

Rabbi Aharon Perr 10th Grade Rebbi

Rabbi Avi Weller 10th Grade Rebbi

Rabbi Eli Braunstein 11th Grade Rebbi

Rabbi Yehoshua Kalish 11th Grade Rebbi

Rabbi Yoel Genuth 12th Grade Rebbi

The Yeshiva is housed in an attractive, well-maintained, aesthetically pleasing campus that is conducive to focused achievement in all areas.

a Rich Heritage For 45 years, Yeshiva of Far Rockaway has been graduating alumni who are mature, well-rounded individuals, renowned for their dedication to Limud HaTorah and Midos Tovos.

For more information please contact our office at: (718) 327-7600 | info@yofr.org

Rabbi Moshe Perr 12th Grade Rebbi

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The Observant Jew

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

The Observant Jew

In Your Face

By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz

There is a quote often misattributed to Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. In fact, the quote likely came from a temperance advocate (those in favor of prohibition of alcohol, which became the 18th Amendment to the Constitution).

Through the years it was used by other temperance advocates to indicate that one had no right to drink when it interfered with family and community.

T

he expression morphed over the years but the most familiar version is: “The right to swing your fist ends at the tip of the other man’s nose.” The meaning, basically, is that though you are allowed to do certain things, you may only do them if they do not impinge on the rights of others. The meaning in the temperance world was a bit broader—that people had a responsibility to think beyond themselves.

This phrase jumped to mind as I sat on an airplane and the fellow seated in front of me suddenly, with a thump, leaned his seat all the way back as far as it would go. I was lucky I was sitting upright and didn’t get my face turned into mashed potatoes!

I was shocked that he would simply thrust the seat back like that, without even looking behind him or at least doing it slowly.

While it is accepted that he has a “right” to lean his seat back, I couldn’t believe that he seemed oblivious to the fact that someone was behind him. When I want to lean my seat back I’ll check

behind me, do it slowly, and usually only recline a bit because I know that when people want to get out, a reclined seat in their path makes it more difficult and either way, it detracts from their experience. On top of that, if I plan to sleep without being disturbed, I’ll choose a window

It means that before I worry about myself, I have to consider others. seat, not an aisle like this man.

Alas, this fellow had not been trained to think of others so he acted as he did.

At the end of the flight, my shock came back in spades as the man put on his yarmulke and got his lulav holder out of the overhead bin! This was a “frum” man, yet he wasn’t ob-

servant enough to realize that there are others out there of whom he should be thinking.

R’ Yisrael Salanter z”l famously said, “Let another man’s physical worries be your spiritual worries.” That means that before I swing the tzitzis as I don my talis, I have to make sure I’m not going to whip someone in the face with them. It means that before I worry about myself, I have to consider others. It means that the fellow in front of me had a mitzvah, a holy obligation, to make sure I was comfortable before he was; and, like the temperance folk maintained, we all have to make sure our behavior doesn’t negatively affect others either in their body, property, or enjoyment of life.

I remember seeing two boys fighting over who would get to cover the sefer Torah in shul between aliyos. Wanting to do a mitzvah is great, but at the expense of another person? That’s just wrong! In fact, it’s a bigger mitzvah to be kind and forgiving when it comes to others.

Sadly, we’ve forgotten what that’s about. We are

supposed to be rachmonim, bayshanim, and gomlei chassadim—merciful, bashful, and kind to others—yet now we most often are critical, unashamed, and less likely to be kind. Maybe it’s society, maybe it’s golus, but it needs to change. We can no longer be “in your face” with our agendas.

When we tell our children that people who dress differently are crazy, we’re forgetting about where our priorities should be. When we don’t say hello to someone because they look different, or because they have different perspectives than we, it’s we who are being shortsighted.

Of course, we should never publicly berate someone for not being respectful of our feelings, because then we’d be no better than them. I didn’t say a word to that man and if he ever reads this article and recognizes himself he should buy a lottery ticket because the odds of that are pretty slim.

There’s a story by Mark Twain in which two boys are dividing a piece of cake.

They halve it as best they

can, then one gets to choose his piece. To the chagrin of the other boy, he has taken the larger piece. Sensing the indignation, he asks, “Which piece would you have chosen if you went first?” Following our lead about thinking of others first, he replied, “I would have taken the smaller one, of course!” “So what are you complaining about?” asked his (former?) friend.

“You got it!”

Clearly, this isn’t how it’s supposed to be. We’re better than that. We don’t need the bigger piece of cake or the better nap on a plane. We need to no longer be “in your face,” and start seeing eye to eye.

Jonathan Gewirtz is an inspirational writer and speaker whose work has appeared in publications around the world. You can find him at www.facebook.com/ RabbiGewirtz and follow him on Twitter @RabbiJGewirtz. He also operates JewishSpeechWriter. com, where you can order a custom-made speech for your next special occasion. Sign up for the Migdal Ohr, his weekly PDF Dvar Torah in English. E-mail info@ JewishSpeechWriter.com and put Subscribe in the subject.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

#soooooogood

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A Fulfilled Life

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

A Fulfilled L fe

F

or most people, their birthday is a primary annual highlight. They look forward to that day for days, if not weeks, and enjoy the attention, good wishes, gifts and even jabs that accompany it. However, while every birthday is special, some are a bit less exciting than others.

For example, summer birthdays can be a drag for kids who are away at camp and can’t celebrate with family and classmates. After all, there are few presents, those camp-ordered birthday cakes never seem to be all that good, and who really knows if the camp provided the right candles? They also make bnei mitzvah celebrations a challenge, as fewer friends and family members are typically around.

Hebrew birthdays that fall on fast days can also be tough, for all of the obvious reasons.

And then there are other calendar details that can impact personal celebrations, even if only in a subtle fashion. For instance, my Hebrew birthday, 2 Cheshvan, marks the day that we begin to recite Tachanun again after a three-week hiatus, marking the end of period that began with Yom Kippur and ended with Rosh Chodesh. While that may not seem like a big deal (and it truthfully isn’t), it does give me reason to think about the shift that transitions us out of perhaps the calendar’s most special and anticipated month in the entire Jewish year into the month that is the most uneventful and underappreciated.

As you know, Cheshvan is the only month in the Jewish calendar that boasts no significant dates (my birthdate notwithstanding, of course).

In fact, it even carries the unusual and unflattering designation of “mar,” as in “Mar Cheshvan.” (Even the

A Month Quite Like No Other

By Rabbi Naphtali Hoff

mournful month of Av, in which we commemorate the destruction of both Jerusalem Temples, is not known as “mar” because it offers us a scheduled period of introspection and repentance.)

Adding insult to injury, the name Cheshvan derives from “chashu,” which means silence (or low significance).

Cheshvan also marks numerous calamities. Consider that in this month…

son Rechavam and split the Jewish nation into two kingdoms: the Northern (Yeravam’s, called Israel, which was comprised of 9½ tribes) and Southern (Rechavam’s, known as Judah, which included 2½ shevatim) Moreover, the weather is not all that uplifting. It is in Cheshvan that the rain season begins in earnest. The temperatures start to dip and the leaves start falling from

thirty days?

As a coach, I would argue that the answer is a resounding yes. While Cheshvan cannot lay claim to much in terms of excitement, it does give us something that no other month can offer: a protracted period without interruption during which we can begin to gain some traction. During the quiet, more private time of Cheshvan we begin to become more introspective.

For most of us, the delicious harvest of newfound connection must first be preceded by an extended period of watering and other efforts.

The great flood in the days of Noach began.

We commemorate the passing of our matriarch Rachel on the road to Beit Lechem.

The wicked Yeravam led a rebellion against Shlomo’s

the trees. It is a time of deterioration, as the leaves wither and the earth begins to enter a state of deep hibernation.

So is there anything for us “Cheshvanites” and the rest of Klal Yisrael to celebrate or at least focus on over the next

With less to distract us, we can now focus on making the many improvements that we spoke of so often during Elul and Tishrei. As nature becomes less inviting there are less things to sidetrack us and more motivation to read, to

learn, to think, to reflect and to take action.

In Israel (and to a large degree in the U.S. and other countries as well), Cheshvan ushers in the rainy season. It is at this time that the nourishing rains fall that will provide the basis for future growth. Though no evidence of that growth will be seen for months, there is no question that this period is vital for the success of future crops.

The same holds true with our spiritual and behavioral realms. Rare are those who “acquire their world in one moment.” For most of us, the delicious harvest of newfound connection must first be preceded by an extended period of watering and other efforts. Now is just the time to start to make these happen.

We noted above that one seminal historic event that occurred in Cheshvan was the onset of the Flood. In fact, a precursor to the name Cheshvan was “Bul.” And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it.

So was he seven years in building it. (I Kings 6:38) Malbim explains that the name Bul comes from “mabul,” the Hebrew for flood.

However, the term mabul really derives from a root that means (amongst other things) to turn things over.

Just as G-d “turned things over” in order to establish a new world order, a farmer must turn things over in order to plant a new crop. We, too, should use this time to overturn past obstacles and roadblocks and set ourselves along a new path of success.

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

Israel Today

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Israel Today

On Bravery

By Rafi Sackville

T

who occupy the lowest floor. If civilians he unimpeded view of Lebaare interested they can use the upper non from Misgav Am is both stories, but their occupation is condimagnificent and unnerving. tional on helping the terrorists if and The kibbutz sits on the border at the when any skirmishes begin. They are top of the Northern Galil. Nabatiya, expected to bring the weaponry stocked Tyre and the villages in between are in the basement upstairs from where visible. Directly below us is a village it’s fired towards us. The that appears to have irony is that Israel is imbeen built with little mediately condemned planning. There are for firing on civilians no stores nor malls, no when they do. offices blocks nor evOnce Bezalel had idence of civic intent. finished, Kobi relucInstead the constructantly got up to tell tion—some of them litus some war stories, erally a stone’s throw particularly the war away—are peppered in 2006—the second with what appear to be Lebanese war. I say half-built villas.

LIEUTENANT COLONEL reluctantly because From where we AND HISTORY TEACHER Kobi always gives the stood to the east we KOBI YERUSHALMI impression that more could see MetulWITH RAFI done and less said is la, whose red shinbetter. I’m glad he spoke: the story he gled roofs looked interlocked like a told was both chilling and uplifting. well-designed puzzle. The contrast couldn’t have been more glaring.

My principal, Sofi, is from Metulla.

THE STORY IS ABOUT techSo is Kobi, one of our history teachnical staff sergeant Dima Kamishlin, ers. Kobi is still a lieutenant colonel in who was a member of the Eshet the army reserves and is occasionally battalion in the second war in Lebacalled up for exercises on the border. non. Dima was awarded the Chief of He’s thin, and well-kept for a man in Staff’s highest medal of honor for his his early 50s. He has a ready smile and selfless act of bravery. I’ve quoted as walks with the slow swagger of a man best I can from what I heard. with lots of time and few worries.

“A few months earlier Dima came We were 45 teachers and adminto me from the 162 division. As the istrators enjoying our last day before overseeing officer it was my responsithe start of the school year. We had bility to assign him to a position in the gathered in Misgav Am’s reception battalion. center where we had listened to Be“During those first few moments zalel, a resident who had given us an I noticed the sparkle in his eyes and informal, almost comical talk about the will to make a meaningful conthe view we were looking at. tribution. Throughout the interview It was easy to understand his easyhe demonstrated outstanding motigoing, even familial manner. He has vation. He persuaded me to integrate known Kobi and Sofi for years, the forhim in the battalion’s battle unit. Even mer who has crossed the border more before the outbreak of the war Dima than once no more than a few hundred displayed incredible motivation. He yards from where we were sitting. would help out wherever and whenAt one point he said, “Ma’alot? ever it was needed.

You’re neighbors. Only an hour away.

“I clearly remember the discusBut in our opinion, you are probably a sions I had with my troops as we were lot safer from Hezbollah than the peopreparing the tanks before we went ple living in the center of the country. into battle. It was a very trying time.

The rockets they are using today are far Dima accompanied the convoy of more powerful and have a far greater tanks when we crossed the border at range than those used in 2006.” the Sloki Stream.

Those half-finished villas, he ex“Soon after we moved into Lebanon plained, were all owned by Hezbollah, on August 12th, 2006; we came under

heavy anti-tank fire. Some of the tanks took direct hits and caught fire.

“When Dima saw what was happening he went from burning tank to tank to rescue those who were trapped inside. He continued this under a continuous artillery barrage. Some of our soldiers died. Dima found one badly wounded and unconscious soldier. He initially thought he was dead. His head was resting on the wheel of the tank.

“He instinctively attempted to drag him out of the tank, but his leg was

“With strength he didn’t know he had, he dragged the soldier out of the burning tank, thus saving his life.” stuck among the twisted tank metal. On the third attempt Dima pulled with as much force as he could. The soldier opened his eyes and began to move. It was as if Dima had been given greater purpose. With strength he didn’t know he had, he dragged the soldier out of the burning tank, thus

saving his life.

“The citation he received mentioned his ‘spirit of combat, his initiative, his bravery under fire, his determination and his dedication to his fellow comrades in arms.’ He was given the award in September 2007.”

Kobi delivered the rendition of the story in his matter-of-fact delivery.

There was no enhancement, nothing to embellish the facts like a good storyteller would. Just the facts, which is exactly what made me enjoy Kobi’s story all the more.

From Kibbutz Misgav Am we drove down the hill to Kfar Blum where we went water rafting and finished the day at a great fish restaurant outside Kiryat Shmona.

The attachment I have begun to feel for the North is not something I experienced in the previous 20 years we spent in Israel. Then the focus was Yerushalayim, Tel Aviv and the surrounding areas. Despite its distance from the places and people we love, the pastoral quality of life not far from the border fence at Misgav Am has given me a better understanding of the entire country. And I have been privileged to meet and work with people like my principal Sofi and Kobi Yerushalmi.

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

TJH Feature

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Chatting with Yoni Z A Rising Star of Jewish Music Discusses His Budding Career, Forthcoming Debut Album and His Dreams for Jewish Music

By Susan Schwamm Susan: Hi Yoni, how are you? It’s Susan from TJH. Yoni: Hi Susan. I would love to sit down and talk. When are you available?

Susan: You tell me. I’m available any night.

Yoni: Cool. Give me a second, let me look at my calendar…OK, hmmm…I have weddings and two concerts between Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Susan: How about next week?

Yoni: I’m booked for events every night, but I’ll be free on Thursday evening in two weeks. Does that work for you?

Susan: Sure, that works. I’ll see you then.

When I finally sat down with Yoni I was expecting to have a conversation about his budding career, widely seen videos and highly anticipated debut album. And we did. But the conversation also touched upon broader topics such as how Yoni focuses on honing his craft, what his mission is and what keeps him grounded. In a sense, our conversation was about life itself. It was worth the wait.

A

s a child growing up in Crown Heights, Yoni always loved music. He freely admits he was obsessed with music. He was also blessed with an incredible voice. Even so, he never imagined that he would eventually be the man under the stage lights exciting Jewish audiences across the globe.

All he knew was, “I always felt in my heart that I wanted to do something that had to do with alleviating people’s pain and elevating their energy. For me, that is everything.”

And now is when you—the reader—are supposed to connect the dots and conclude that there is no better way to alleviate people’s pain than to sing to them.

Well, maybe, but that was not Yoni’s plan.

“I very much believed that

I would wind up in the medical field. I didn’t know if it would be in medicine or mental health. But that is what I was aiming for.”

So how did he end up being a singer?

“When I was fifteen years old, someone called me up and said, ‘I heard you singing to yourself in yeshiva a bunch of times and I want you to come sing at a wedding in Toronto.’ I said, ‘I appreciate it very much, but I just don’t think I’m your guy.’ But he insisted and eventually I agreed to sing. So I got on a Greyhound and went to Toronto and sang at the wedding. I got $50. It was my first gig. I was terrified. I really, really didn’t feel like I was the guy who was meant to be on the stage.

I felt like everyone was looking at me and saying, ‘What is

he doing here?’ I was a child.”

That led to more phone calls to sing at weddings, and within a few months, Yoni was given a fixed fee to be the lead vocalist for a band.

“That’s when I realized that this was my shlichus,” he recalls. “This is my calling.

What are you missing? You are on stage and sing and you see people dance, you make them laugh, you see them being happy!”

He doesn’t just use the word “shlichus” colloquially; it’s an ever-present driving force in his career and life.

“Every single person has a purpose why we were placed on this earth,” he explains.

“There’s a reason that Hashem woke me up this morning.

And by waking me up He was telling me that He needs me here today to do something, otherwise, it could have been someone else. So every day we have to ask ourselves, ‘What’s my shlichus?’ When you look at a company or corporation, as much as they know what they are out there to do, there’s constantly rebranding, regrouping, they are constantly asking, ‘What’s our focus?’ If you look at Coca

Cola and you ask them why they still spend so much on branding, the answer is because they are still very dedicated and focused on what their goals are and how they deliver what they are delivering to the world.”

MOST SINGERS ARE willing to discuss their successes on stage but are hesitant to give you a glimpse into the preparation and hard work that they do when they are not under the bright lights. Yoni willingly shares his exhaustive routine with me. But before doing so, he delicately reaches into his pocket and takes out a tethered yellow sticky note. It has undergone several rounds of Scotch Tape therapy and looks like its residency in Yoni’s pocket has been hard on its folds.

For a moment, I am lost but then Yoni explains: “This has been in my wallet for quite a few years—it’s my daily schedule,” he explains.

“So here’s what it looks like: There’s one hour of learning Torah; that’s right off the bat.

One hour of vocalizing, which means I study with my voice

teacher. If I am traveling abroad then I record my lessons and practice wherever I may be. One hour of actual piano practice. One hour of listening to professional singers and learning from them. That also includes watching great performances.”

And then, of course, it’s off to a wedding or another singing engagement.

IT IS NO WONDER then that Yoni’s golden voice combined with his hard work has resulted in his upcoming debut album being one of the most anticipated albums in years.

Although it is tentatively scheduled for an early 2016 release, it is already creating a buzz in the Jewish music world due to the first-of-itskind Hollywood produced music video for the single “Odeh,” snippets of which were just dropped on social media and quickly went viral. (“Odeh” is due out next week.) Yoni wrote the single two years ago while reflecting on where his career path had gone. “Odeh Hashem me’od b’fi u’besoch rabim a’halilenu…I will sing Hash-

TJH Feature

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

em’s praises with my mouth and in the masses I will sing His gratitude.” The music video was shot over four days in Los Angeles with Hollywood producers and features multiple sets and a storyline which leave a profound impression on viewers.

As for the debut album, it will feature an eclectic mix of Hebrew and English compositions mostly written

by Yoni. “What I am trying to achieve with my music is to not fall under a certain genre or category but to encompass whatever I am inspired by,” he says.

When I ask Yoni what type of events inspire him to write a song, he replies, “Sometimes it can be a joyous occasion that fills my heart with joy which grips me for hours. Sometimes it could be the saddest thing. And sometimes it can be like a sudden rush of creative energy where you just get a sense that you could write something right now.”

Although there are many songwriters who are eager to hear someone with a voice like Yoni’s sing their songs, writing most of his own songs is an important aspect of his craft.

“When you can write your own music, that’s a powerful thing. If you look at all of the great Jewish singers, they have always written their own music because it best delivers their own emotions, feelings and messages,” he points out.

ONE TUNE which has recently become associated with Yoni—although he certainly did not write it— is “Nessun Dorma.” Anyone who has visited some of the frum news and entertainment websites or even secular Israeli media undoubtedly has seen Yoni’s version of the opera classic, accompanied by Yisroel Lamm. So, how did that come about? I ask.

Yoni explains: “My producer Yanky Katina – who believed in me from the very beginning and had the vision to see a bright future for me – and I are very close to Sheya Mendlowitz. Several months back when Sheya was in the hospital, we went to visit him one Sunday morning. So, we were sitting around cracking jokes, writing funny music and lyrics, and trying to have a good time and be light about everything that was going on. And then at one point, Sheya turns to me out of the blue and says, ‘How’s your opera repertoire?’

“I said, ‘Half decent.’ He says, ‘Do you know ‘Nessun Dorma’?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ So he says, ‘Sing it!’

“So I stood up and started belting it out right there. At first Yanky and I were laughing— here we are in a hospital room and I’m singing an opera. But Sheya wasn’t joking. He says, ‘You know that big wedding we have coming up in March? You’re singing it there.’

“I said, ‘What? It’s a big piece, and I’m not an opera singer.’

“He says, ‘Well, prepare.’ He had Yisroel Lamm write the arrangements, we rehearsed it a few times, and we did it.”

Having watched that video several times, I know that Yoni’s feat was amazing, but I wonder how opera plays to Yoni’s concert crowds. “Usually I’ll give

“There’s a reason that Hashem woke me up this morning. And by waking me up He was telling me that He needs me here today to do something, otherwise, it could have been someone else.”

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TJH Feature

them a warning and say, ‘We are going to change route for a second.’ Since many people saw the ‘Nessun Dorma’ video and enjoyed it, they are eager to hear one or two opera tunes at some point in the course of the show.”

WHEN I ASK Yoni what his dreams are for his career, he sheepishly quips that he would love to one day sing at the Met – which I would bet on happening – but then gets to his real goal: “What I want to do in the long term, be’ezras Hashem, is bring Jewish music to the world at large. The world has so much music out there, and I think that the Jewish people deserve that the music which we sing – praising Hashem, at times pleading with Hashem – should be heard.”

Yoni has already started making that dream come true. Over the past eight years, he has thrilled Jewish audiences in forty-five of the fifty continental states, as well as Israel, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Ukraine and Switzerland.

Although Yoni has memorable experiences from across the globe, when I ask him to share one with me, he takes me to a small community center in New Jersey.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

“I once did a show in New Jersey for a small audience and an old man who had been in the front row came up to me after the concert. He was a 94-year-old Holocaust survivor and he said to me in Yiddish, ‘Du bist a nekama tzu Hitler! [You are revenge on Hitler!]’ I was obviously very moved and took it very much to heart. He told me that it is my achrayus to continue

and says, ‘So, can you play basketball?’

I said, ‘Not really, I’m just here to do my thing.’ He laughed, pumped his fists, and said, ‘You’ve got skills with ‘Z.’ Good luck…go Jewish Heritage night!”

WITH THE VIRAL VIDEOS, the highly anticipated debut album, and concerts around the globe I won-

“He was a 94-year-old Holocaust survivor and he said to me in Yiddish, ‘Du bist a nekama tzu Hitler! [You are revenge on Hitler!]’” to do what I do and to be mesamayach Yidden and continue to bring light to the world.”

On a more comical note, he also received encouragement from Miami Heat’s center, Chris Bosch.

“I opened for Jewish Heritage night at the Miami Heat game. Before the game I was on the court rehearsing and Chris Bosch comes up to me

der how a rising star stays grounded.

Yoni’s comfort with the question evidences a person who has given much thought to the topic.

He starts with a story: “When I was seventeen-years-old, Avremi G (a noted Jewish music arranger) called me.

We were doing a wedding the next night at 7 o’clock. He told me, ‘I want you to come tomorrow at 6.’ I said,

‘OK.’ He sat me down when I arrived the next night and said, ‘I see people like your singing. If you want to last in this business, I have two pieces of advice for you: Take voice lessons because every time you get on stage you have to sound better than you did the time before. The second thing is, when someone compliments you, take it in and appreciate it for a moment.

But, take it in one ear and let it out the other ear. And that’s how you’ll last.’”

He adds, “On a macro level, I have to remember that this is nothing other than a gift from Hashem. I am not just saying that—every time I sing and my voice doesn’t go out on me, it’s a gift. The dictionary definition of the word gift is ‘something you were given, not something you earned.’ If Hashem gave it to you, it’s because He wants you to do something with it. It’s nothing that you have gotten on your own right on your own merit. Of course, we try to take it and polish it and bring it to the best possible level, but ultimately it’s a gift.”

As our conversation comes to an end, I can confirm that the lyrics “Odeh Hashem me’od b’fi” are a perfect fit for Yoni’s first single.

Health & Fitness

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

to Start Off a Healthy New Year

By Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN

Now that all the yomim tovim are over, everybody is eager to shed those unwanted pounds that we gained in the past month from all those constant festive meals. Here are some tips to help you make small, simple changes to your diet and daily routine in order to drop those pounds.

1. Start the day off with a balanced breakfast high in protein to help curb your cravings for the day.

For example, try a low fat yogurt with fruit, a high fiber cereal with skim milk, an egg white omelet, or oatmeal.

• Make sure to pay attention to the portion size when eating cereal.

Most serving sizes are ¾ cup, so be mindful when pouring.

2. Once you finish your healthy, balanced breakfast, do not leave the house in the morning without having a plan for dinner. Once you walk through that door hungry after a long, exhausting day, it all goes downhill from there. Spontaneous

eating often results in poor food choices.

• Make sure your dinner is planned and will be ready to eat within an hour of getting home. If not possible, make sure you have a healthy snack option planned to fill you up long enough to hold out until dinner.

3. Find ways to keep moving, especially if you have a sedentary job. Try standing instead of sitting if you can’t fit any physical activity into your schedule. Try to do at least 20-30 minutes of physical activity 2-3 times a week.

• Walking briskly, jogging or biking outside is a great option to enjoy the beautiful fresh air before the cold weather comes

our way.

4. A im to have 8-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

Vegetables can be eaten fresh, roasted, grilled or steamed. Fruits are healthiest when eaten fresh, since dried fruits are high in sugar. Fruits and vegetables are low in calories and packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight off free radicals in our cells that can cause damage to our bodies. These beneficial antioxidants help protect our body from heart disease and other illnesses.

•T ry to incorporate vegetables into each meal.

Vegetables are also a great snack in between meals since they are low

Once you finish your healthy, balanced breakfast, do not leave the house in the morning without having a plan for dinner. in calories. Fruits can be eaten as snacks, as part of a meal, thrown into a salad or for dessert!

5. Increase your fiber. Most Americans don’t get nearly enough fiber. The American Heart Association recommends 25-35g/day.

Fiber promotes satiety and prolongs hunger by making you feel fuller for longer.

Fiber also promotes regular bowel activity and helps lower cholesterol levels thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Include whole grains into your diet in order to get adequate amounts of fiber.

• I ncreasing your daily fruit and vegetable intake will also help you meet the daily fiber recommendations.

6. C onsume 2-3 servings of fatty fish per week in order to get adequate amounts of

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omega-3 fatty acids. EPA and DHA are omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish and have been shown to reduce triglyceride levels which in turn lower one’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Omega-3 also serves as an anti-inflammatory agent. Furthermore, research has shown omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

• If you don’t eat fish, omega-3 fatty acids can also be found in flaxseeds. Ground flaxseeds can be mixed into a yogurt, a smoothie or cereal.

7. Drink water. Water will fill you up and prevent you from overeating.

Hopefully these healthy lifestyle tips will start you off on a healthy new year.

Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College in 2013 receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. Her Dietetic Internship was completed under Brooklyn College primarily in Ditmas Park Care Center and Boro Park Center where she developed clinical and education skills to treat patients with comprehensive nutrition care. She is currently a dietitian at Boro Park Center and a private nutrition consultant. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@ gmail.com.

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Dr. Deb

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Dr. Deb

Benefit of the Doubt, Revisited

By Dr. Deb Hirschhorn

I changed my mind.

Do you remember I wrote that maybe sometimes there is such a thing as too much dan l’chaf zchus (roughly, giving the benefit of the doubt)?

I

n making my case, I referred to Governor Gedaliah for whom we fast a week before Yom Kippur.

He gave so much benefit of the doubt to people that – against his advisors’ advice – he let in enemies who killed him. And for that, we fast. We fast that Jews should do such a horrible thing to one another.

But we wouldn’t have to fast if Gedaliah had regarded the emissaries from his enemy with a more jaundiced eye. I made the case that it behooves us not to be naïve. And I had held that position for well over a year.

But something interesting happened and I think I’m reverting back to my original – pre-cynical – position.

First of all, being cynical is not to be found anywhere in Torah. True, there were people who were. And there were people who might have benefited from being more so. But where is Hashem ever cynical? If we are supposed to emulate Him, to walk in His ways, and He has never been cynical, then what justification do we have for it?

To the first murderer (before he kills Hevel), Kayin, Hashem lovingly says, “Try harder and you can improve yourself.” From beginning to end, Hashem believes in every one of us.

Which brings me to my second reason for being willing to discard my skepticism: HaKadosh Baruch Hu actually believes that we are good at bottom. In spite of our many flaws we are, in His eyes, Good. In fact, we are Very Good.

So how do we explain the pain we inflict on our own families? It is the result of misguided thinking, one’s own pain, or poor judgment, but it doesn’t negate the possibility that underneath

the bad behavior may be a fundamentally good person. Here is how I returned to that possibility: Marsha was terribly hurt and frustrated by David. David kept up a hurtful attitude that would only push Marsha away. Marsha screamed and that (of course) didn’t help. She used language she regretted and that not only didn’t help but gave David smug satisfaction that he wasn’t acting so badly. She was out of her mind with rage when David would say a certain thing that triggered her. She wanted to beat him up.

She was scared of her own potential for violence and started doing deep breathing while visualizing pleasant scenes. But that only worked some of the time, not when David said those dreaded words that she could not tolerate.

And then a lightbulb went on in Marsha’s brain. She realized that in the decades of their marriage, she had never set boundaries on David. True, you wouldn’t think you would need to

Sometimes we are motivated by what we want to acquire and other times we are motivated by discomfort we would prefer to avoid. do that with a husband. A husband, after all, is supposed to be a friend and a friend is respectful of natural boundaries. But David was not respectful and Marsha should have put boundaries in place a long time ago.

Marsha started living her own life, going and coming as she

pleased without David. When David tried to engage her in conversation, she told him she would not be able to talk to him. When he asked her why, she honestly told him that she didn’t want to be hurt anymore. It bothered David greatly that after so many years of marriage, it seemed as if he’d lost his wife. “How can I get my old wife back?” he asked her.

“I’m not letting you hurt me anymore,” Marsha said. “I will give you two months and we will see if you can be decent that long.” David’s behavior slowly began to change. He stopped torturing her with that one thing that drove her mad. He started to be helpful in the house. He asked if she wanted the last of some food in the refrigerator before eating it himself.

He took out the garbage. He stopped asking her to be his slave; i.e., to do everything for him.

Basically, Marsha did what all parenting experts suggest we do with children: Give them consequences.

Sometimes we are motivated by what we want to acquire and other times we are motivated by discomfort we would prefer to avoid. David’s case was the latter.

Now, here is the thing. If David would change then he couldn’t be “evil.” An evil person doesn’t care about your suffering. In fact, he wants to hurt. When he hurts, he’s making a statement. That statement is: I want you to suffer. We can put Hitler ym”sh and terrorists in that category. We can add mass murderers as well.

David responded well to motivation. He wanted the relationship with his wife. He didn’t want to remain hurtful. So maybe David therefore does deserve the benefit of the doubt after all.

I’ve been so bothered by Schnarch’s findings that I reported in my last article. Those people actually did want to hurt their spouse. How do I see them? Are they evil? Then half of everyone is married to someone evil!

The truth is that I have heard people admit they hurt their loved ones

“because I wanted them to know how it feels.” Are they evil for doing that?

Possibly. Cruelty is evil. But it is not coming from a place of cruelty for its own sake. It’s coming from a place of pain. Perhaps we can cut such people – yes, even such people – slack and give them the benefit of the doubt to the extent of recognizing that they were suffering and didn’t know how else to stop the pain.

That leaves me with the problem of Gedaliah. Was he naïve? Should that have been a moment for him to abandon the benefit of the doubt? Had he done so, it most likely would have saved him – and us – from one more sad day in our calendar (don’t we have enough of them?).

But that’s not the way we’re supposed to be. We’re not supposed to be reduced to the level of our enemies.

In fact, I have a theory about who Hashem has chosen to be victims of terror and tragedy. Do you notice how strong, sweet, eloquent, spiritual, faithful, and good they and their surviving families are? Last summer mothers spoke before the UN so beautifully. Do you remember?

And not only in Eretz Yisroel. Recently, in a shiur, Vivienne Frank emphasized how much we will benefit from listening to Rabbi Gavriel Sassoon speak.

I think G-d’s message is: be like these people in their leadership, their faith, their goodness. This is the right way to react: with love, strength, and connection to Me. That seems to take care of the benefit of the doubt question, doesn’t it?

Dr. Deb Hirschhorn is a Marriage & Family Therapist and best-selling author of The Healing Is Mutual: Marriage Empowerment Tools to Rebuild Trust and Respect—Together. Attend the Food For Thought lectures at Traditions Restaurant in Lawrence on Tuesdays at 12:30 PM. (There is a lovely optional lunch menu for $12 cash.) Any questions, call 646-54-DRDEB or check out her website at http://drdeb.com. All stories in Dr. Deb’s articles are fabricated. See Dr. Deb on TorahAnytime.com.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Jewish History

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

By Rabbi Pini Dunner

Jewish History

The Jarring Episode of Shabbetai Tzvi, Infamous Messianic Deceiver Part I

T

hree hundred and fifty years ago this year, in 1665, a young Sephardic rabbi called Shabbetai Tzvi claimed that he was the long awaited Messiah, redeemer of the Jews. The announcement bounced around the Jewish world and was widely welcomed. It was not too long before he was exposed as a fraud, although – sadly – not in time to prevent hundreds of Jewish communities from being thrown into turmoil.

Who was this Messianic pretender? How was he ever taken seriously? And how is it possible that even his conversion to Islam failed to convince people that he was a charlatan?

To understand this jarring episode one must understand its origins in Kabbalah, or the Jewish mystical tradition.

For centuries, Kabbalah did not have a history of being interested in Messianism or in the process of Jewish redemption from exile. Rather, it had mainly focused on the mystical and symbolic view of the universe and its creation, on understanding G-d and on how one could connect to G-d through the performance of His commandments.

To the early Kabbalists,

who were small and secretive groups of Jewish mystics, the concept of Messiah and the redemption process was seen in the same way as non-Kabbalists: a firm belief in an ultimate moment when a Messiah chosen by G-d would lead the Jews back to the Holy Land and the Temple would be rebuilt. It was very much part of the belief system, but neither urgent nor particularly mystical.

After the dramatic expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492, this paradigm shifted.

The upheaval of the Spanish expulsion, and the Inquisition that followed in its wake, shook the Jewish world to its foundations, probably more than any other event since the destruction of the Jerusalem temple by Titus 1,400 years earlier. During the sixteenth century Tsfat emerged as the spiritual and Kabbalistic headquarters of Judaism. Its emergence proved to be pivotal, particularly as the Kabbalah espoused by the Kabbalists of Tsfat was mainly eschatological in theme and content. Eschatology is the branch of theology concerned with the end of time.

Some of Judaism’s greatest minds and souls found their home in Tsfat, and to this day some of the most studied mystical and legal texts of Judaism can be traced

to sixteenth century Tsfat.

The greatest of the Kabbalists of Tsfat, and the one with the most far-reaching influence, was Rabbi Isaac Luria Ashkenazi (1534-1572), known as The Arizal or The Ari. The Arizal had a close circle of disciples who recorded all his teachings. He wrote

withdrawal. The calibration of “withdrawal” and “G-d” within creation is the balance between spiritual and unspiritual, or physical, in the universe.

The sin of Adam and Eve created a state of imbalance, in need of tikkun, or correction. The exile of the Jewish

To his enemies his behavior demonstrated that he was an evil madman. To his supporters and devotees his behavior proved that he was special, divine and holy. nothing himself, and everything we know of him and his teachings emanates from these disciples, principally a man called Rabbi Chaim Vital. The Arizal’s Kabbalistic system – known as Lurianic Kabbalah – revolved almost exclusively around this previously overlooked topic of exile and redemption.

In the most basic of terms, it posited that the whole of creation was directly tied into the exile and redemption process of the Jewish nation. In summary, G-d can only allow for the existence of a physical world through an act of

people in the physical world is a reflection of this imbalance. If the Jewish nation achieves ultimate perfection, as reflected through Messianic redemption, then all of creation can at last be in balance, and G-d will have realized His original purpose for creation.

It is noteworthy that the Arizal did not devote much attention the Messiah himself. Who he would be, or what he might do or say, and how he might reveal himself seemed of little relevance.

Among the few scattered references within Lurianic

mysticism that discuss the Messiah figure, one is worth noting. The Arizal predicted that he would possess an “Evil Side,” and in the course of his activities the Messiah would perform actions or be involved in events that might seem antithetical to his Messianic mission.

One fascinating example of this idea can be found in a text from the 1550’s by an anonymous author of the Tsfat school. He discusses the frequency of Biblical heroes who were somehow connected with “inappropriate” women: Yehudah and Tamar, Yosef and the wife of Potiphar, Moshe and Tziporah, Shimshon and Delilah, Boaz and Ruth, Yehoshua and Rahab. The text offers a number of explanations and interpretations, one of them: the need for a male – representing good – to effect “tikkun” on a female – representing evil; or another one: by uniting two disparate elements from opposite ends of the spectrum G-d can realize the purpose of creation. In time these ideas would be used by Shabbetai Tzvi’s apologists as justification for his peculiar behavior and public desecration of Jewish law.

Lurianic Kabbalah’s interest in the redemption created a Messianic excitement and expectation in the Jewish

Jewish History

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

world that had not been seen since Bar Kochba’s devastating defeat by the Romans at Betar in 135 C.E. Groups devoted to bringing about the redemption proliferated, and between 1630 and 1660 the sense of an imminent redemption was heightened, promoted and discussed in many communities.

LET US TURN NOW TO the protagonist himself: the Messianic pretender, Shabbetai Tzvi. Shabbetai Tzvi’s biography is unsurprisingly full of contradictions. Glorified by acolytes, and vilified by detractors, the truth about him is hard to pin down.

But some of the facts are incontrovertible. He was born on August 1, 1626, which that year was also the 9th of Av – Tisha B’Av, when we fast, and mourn the destruction of the two Jerusalem temples. But there was no fast that day, as it was a Shabbat. Mystical literature is insistent that the Messiah will be born on Tisha B’Av, which will mean that redemption emerges out of the ashes. It was in honor of the day of his birth that his parents named their baby son Shabbetai.

Shabbetai Tzvi was born in Izmir, Turkey, known in those days as Smyrna. His family was originally from Greece, but his father, Mordechai, had moved his family to the coastal city to more easily and profitably conduct his trading business. It is possible that the family were originally Ashkenazi – Tzvi is not a typical Sephardic family name. Mordechai was a trading agent, acting on behalf of English traders living in Izmir. This was a common arrangement: Western European traders would hire Jews to act for them, as they spoke many languages and were extremely well connected.

Shabbetai was the second of three sons, and his family was wealthy, prosperous and prominent. Both his parents died before the Messiah saga – his father in 1663, and his mother many years earlier. Shabbetai’s main teacher was a man called Rabbi Yosef Escapa, author of the halachic work Rosh Yosef. As a student, Shabbetai was earnest and competent, and he mastered Talmud and Jewish law at an early age. At just 18, he received his rabbinic ordination.

No one knows when he started studying Kabbalah, but it was certainly at a young age. Crucially, he studied it on his own – a practice that was highly unusual. Aspiring Kabbalists were expected to master their subject only with guidance from a mentor – hence the term “kabbalah,” or “received” teachings.

At 20, Shabbetai Tzvi married for the first time, but the marriage was never consummated and a few months after the wedding, following a complaint to the local rabbis by his

wife’s father, the young couple divorced. Almost immediately he married again, but again the marriage was not consummated and ended in divorce. At around the time of his marriages it became evident that his behavior was erratic and unpredictable.

Many of the accounts written about this period were written much later, and mostly by his detractors, but even those written by his supporters and defenders reveal an extremely strange young man.

At times Shabbetai Tzvi was enthusiastically joyful, exuberant and ecstatic; at other times he was depressed, anxious, paranoid and passive. Today we recognize these symptoms as those of someone suffering from acute manic depression, or bi-polar syndrome.

In the 1600’s such symptoms were interpreted somewhat differently.

To his enemies his behavior demonstrated that he was an evil madman.

To his supporters and devotees his behavior proved that he was special, divine and holy. He claimed to experience visions, and he was able to stay awake for days at a time without food.

Or he would disappear for days, or even weeks. His supporters claimed he needed time alone so that he could atone for the world’s sins.

One of the most unusual aspects of his manic episodes was his transformation from a meticulously observant orthodox Jew into a flagrant violator of Jewish law. His supporters would later refer to these antinomian acts as maasim zarim – strange or paradoxical acts. His weird behavior eventually grabbed the attention of the senior Jewish leadership in Izmir, and they decided to expel him from the city before his malign influence could cause problems for the insular and fairly unsophisticated Jewish community.

Next Time: Shabbetai Tzvi’s nomadic travels as he battles detractors and descends into ever stranger behavior, and his fateful meeting with a brilliant rabbinic scholar in Gaza called Nathan Azati that changed his life and began his journey towards Messianic revelation.

Rabbi Pini Dunner is the Rav of Young Israel North Beverly Hills in California.

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Forgotten Heroes

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Forgotten Her es C U S T O M F A U X L E AT H E R TA B L E C L O T H S A N D CHALLAH COVERS

Danny Matt A Hero Dedicated to the State

By Avi Heiligman

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any early members of the Israeli Defense Forces had prior military experience.

American servicemen and women from WWII came with survivors of the Holocaust to serve the new Jewish country. Soldiers from the Jewish Brigade that was created by the British Army were from Palestine (the name of Israel before 1948) and knew the terrain better than anyone else. This proved vital experience and many of these soldiers became top commanders in the IDF. Danny Matt was a Jewish Brigade veteran who led many daring exploits including a paratroop assault across the Suez Canal during the Yom Kippur War. Danny Matt was born in Germany in 1927 and was seven years old when his family immigrated to Palestine. He joined the British Mandatory Coastal Police in 1943 as a cover to assist the Palyam. The Palyam was the Palmach’s naval unit that tried to circumvent British attempts to block Jewish immigrants from entering the mandate. After several months of service, he tried joining the Jewish Brigade but was turned away because he was too young. He falsified his age on his second attempt to join and was accepted. Matt served with the brigade until 1946 and saw action in Egypt, Italy and the Netherlands. After leaving the British Army he joined the Palmach two years before Israel was founded.

During the Israeli War of Indepen-

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dence he manned a machinegun post at the entrance of Gush Etzion. Local Arabs joined Jordanian soldiers in attacking his position. The fighting was so intense that Matt was firing the gun with one hand and throwing grenades with his other hand. The Israelis soon were outnumbered, and many, including Matt, were captured. He escaped into the forest and changed his appearance before returning home.

After a short stint as a civilian he returned to the army and became an officer. Matt’s unit was responsible for eliminating threats from Arab infiltrations in southern Israel. Future Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was impressed and invited Matt to join the new paratrooper unit that he was forming. Battalion 890, as it was called, was Israel’s main unit to curb Arab insurgency.

Matt was a company commander in the battalion when in February 1955 it was sent on a retaliatory raid—an Israeli boy was murdered by the Arabs— to an Egyptian encampment in Gaza.

The raid was a success. A year later he was severely wounded during the Battle for Mitla Pass which was part of the 1956 Suez Crisis.

Matt commanded a brigade in Sharon’s division during the Six Day War and saw actions on both the Egyptian and Golan fronts. His brigade was dropped deep into Egyptian territory and marched to ambush enemy machinegun positions from the rear.

They also destroyed artillery field pieces that could have devastated advancing IDF troops. On the last day of the war they were transported to the Golan Heights and took part of the fighting in that region.

Between the Six Day War of 1967 and the 1973 Yom Kippur War there was a period of fighting called the War of Attrition. It mainly involved Special Forces units from both Israel and Egypt conducting raids in enemy territory.

Some of the fighting was against Palestinian guerilla units that were popping up in the West Bank. Matt’s unit took part in two of these raids—once against Egypt and the other in a Palestinian guerrilla camp at Karameh.

The Yom Kippur War took Israel by surprise and paratroopers were amongst the first units ready to be sent into battle. However, Sharon held them back until the main IDF thrust had reached deep into the Sinai Peninsula. The tide had turned, and the Israelis were routing the Egyptians in the desert. The Egyptians had lost a major tank battle (one of the largest tank battles in history also took place during the Yom Kippur War between the IDF and Syria on the Golan Heights) and had pulled back to defensive positions on the east side of the Suez Canal. The 55th Brigade, led

by Matt, crossed the Suez on the night of October 15, 1973. They established a bridgehead on the east side but had to endure a ferocious artillery barrage that killed dozens of Israeli paratroopers. Eventually they were able to surround the Egyptian 3rd Army and forced them to surrender.

In the twenty years following the war, Matt was given various commands in the IDF before retiring in 1992 after attaining the rank of major general. He had served close to 50 years in the army and had fought in every war since before the creation of the State. He passed away in 2013 at the age 85.

Danny Matt left behind a legacy of a soldier that refused to quit and even though he was fairly unknown outside top IDF circles, his dedication to Israel makes him a forgotten hero. Defense Minister Danny Ya’alon summed up Matt’s service: “Danny was always there, leading the soldiers and playing a significant role in Israel’s wars, in operations and in continuous security, placing another brick in the state of Israel’s wall of defense.”

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.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Notable Quotes

Palestinian shot dead after Jerusalem attack kills two.

- HOW THE BBC REPORTED LAST WEEK’S TERRORIST ATTACK WHEN TWO ISRAELIS WERE MURDERED BY A TERRORIST WHO WAS THEN SHOT AND KILLED •••••••••••••••••••

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

The race for president is really starting to get competitive, and Donald Trump recently said that he’s actually getting ready to air his first campaign ads.

Even the Geico lizard was like, “I think we already see enough of you on TV, mate.” –

•••••••••••••••••••

I have had a gun held on me when I was in a Popeyes… Guy comes in, put the gun in my ribs. And I just said, “I believe that you want the guy behind the counter.”

– BEN CARSON RECALLING ONCE BEING HELD UP AND WHAT HIS LAISSEZ-FAIRE RESPONSE WAS

JIMMY FALLON

•••••••••••••••••••

•••••••••••••••••••

The CDC is accusing Big Tobacco of using different flavors of e-cigarettes to try and lure in young people.

They’re especially concerned about the newest flavor, Cheerios in a Ziploc Bag. – SETH MYERS •••••••••••••••••••

Whole Foods announced yesterday that it is cutting 1,500 jobs, although Whole Foods doesn’t want to call them “unemployed.”

They’re calling them “free range employees.” – JIMMY FALLON

What’s the secret of my popularity? Honestly, it’s my looks. I’m very handsome.

That’s the only thing I can think of right now.

ABOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA’S IRAN DEAL

Today is National Coffee Day. For those who don’t know, coffee is an ingredient in the milkshakes they serve at Starbucks. – JIMMY KIMMEL

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

•••••••••••••••••••

You know, the NRA’s position reminds me of negotiating with the Iranians or the Communists. There’s no possible discussion. And it’s for political purposes.

– HILLARY CLINTON DISCUSSING GUN LAWS IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE OREGON SHOOTING AND HASTILY USING AN ANALOGY WHICH UNCOVERS HER TRUE BELIEFS

– DONALD TRUMP, RESPONDING TO A QUESTIONER AT A TOWN HALL MEETING •••••••••••••••••••

I think that it was a mistake.

- PRESIDENT OBAMA, WHEN ASKED ON 60 MINUTES ABOUT HILLARY’S USE OF A PRIVATE EMAIL SERVER •••••••••••••••••••

Notable Quotes

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Vladimir Putin celebrated his 63rd birthday today. He had a nice party, but it got awkward when two of his friends got him the same country.

– JIMMY FALLON •••••••••••••••••••

Despite claiming last week that he would have rushed the Oregon shooter to save lives, Dr. Ben Carson yesterday recounted how he was once held up at gunpoint in a Popeyes Chicken and told the gunman, “I believe you want the guy behind the counter.” So we know at least one guy who’s definitely not voting for Ben Carson. – SETH MYERS •••••••••••••••••••

U.S. officials have been wondering why, according to photos, ISIS seems to have so many Toyotas.

One clue seems to be ISIS’s credo, “Fanatical about Islam, sensible about gas mileage.” – CONAN O’BRIEN •••••••••••••••••••

If Bernie Sanders wins, he will be the first socialist elected since 2008. - JAY LENO, DURING A GUEST APPEARANCE ON THE TONIGHT SHOW, DURING WHICH HE DELIVERED A PART OF THE OPENING MONOLOGUE

.............................................................................................

And Hillary Clinton is not the only Democrat running.

Martin O’Malley, ex-governor of Maryland, you know him?

He’s running for president. See, look, nobody knows him.

He’s two percent in the polls. Two percent. He’s been in the race for eight months and he’s only tied with low fat milk.

That’s not good. That’s not good. – IBID.

In an interview with Al Sharpton, Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump just says whatever he needs in order to “stir up the passions of people.” Then Al Sharpton was like, “You know you’re talking to me, right?” –

Hundreds of thousands of worshipers should be ascending to Al-Aqsa in order to fend off an Israeli plot to spill their blood. Lone terror must be turned into a real intifada.

- ARAB MEMBER OF ISRAEL’S KNESSET, MK HANEEN ZOABI, IN AN INTERVIEW WITH A HAMAS NEWSPAPER •••••••••••••••••••

Crop experts in Illinois are reportedly concerned that there will not be a strong enough pumpkin crop to fill the demands of both Halloween and Thanksgiving.

But don’t worry, your pumpkin spice lattes will be fine because the chemical harvest was plentiful.

JIMMY FALLON

– SETH MYERS

•••••••••••••••••••

•••••••••••••••••••

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And what Dr. King said, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, has implications for us as we stand beside our Palestinian brothers and sisters, who have been done one of the most egregious injustices in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Apartheid is going on in Palestine.

– PRESIDENT OBAMA’S PASTOR, JEREMIAH WRIGHT, AT A MARCH IN WASHINGTON LAST WEEKEND

As we sit here, there is an apartheid wall being built twice the size of the Berlin Wall in height keeping Palestinians off of illegally occupied territories, where the Europeans have claimed that land as their own. We are grateful to G-d to be able to be here and to speak a word on behalf of Palestinian justice. Palestinians are saying, “Palestinian lives matter.” We stand with you, we support you, we say G-d bless you.- IBID.

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Notable Quotes

There’s almost no measure by which we’re not better off than when I took office and when we started this process for change.

But it does kind of make you wonder. Why are so many Republican politicians so down on America? Why are they

so grumpy?

- PRESIDENT OBAMA AT A FUNDRAISER IN SAN FRANCISCO •••••••••••••••••••

Today is World Vegetarian Day. So if you’re a vegetarian … we know. You already told us.

– SETH MYERS •••••••••••••••••••

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Researchers in Singapore are trying to develop a robot that can put together Ikea furniture, but so far it’s been unsuccessful because the robot hasn’t been able to find its way out of the store yet.

– SETH MYERS

I’m undead.

- GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE ON MSNBC, DECLARING THAT HE IS RISING IN THE POLLS •••••••••••••••••••

#BlueLivesMatter- POSTING

BEING PLACED ON HUNDREDS OF BILLBOARDS ACROSS AMERICA BY A PRO-POLICE OFFICER ORGANIZATION •••••••••••••••••••

- STEPHEN COLBERT •••••••••••••••••••

Important engineers? They have hired people we’ve fired. We always jokingly call Apple the “Tesla Graveyard.” If you don’t make it at Tesla, you go work at Apple. I’m not kidding.- OUTSPOKEN TESLA CEO ELON MUSK, WHEN ASKED AT A FORUM IF IT IS TRUE THAT HE IS LOSING ENGINEERS TO APPLE

On Friday, despite our trade wars, tension in the South China Sea, and Chinese hacking attacks, President Obama gave President Xi Jinping a full South Lawn welcome, where the Chinese president greeted every White House staffer by name and bank account.

•••••••••••••••••••

It’s good that Apple is moving and investing in this direction.

But cars are very complex compared to phones or smartwatches.

You can’t just go to a supplier like Foxconn and say, “Build me a car.” But for Apple, the car is the next logical thing to finally offer a significant innovation. A new pencil or a bigger iPad alone were not relevant enough. – IBID, WHEN ASKED ABOUT APPLE GETTING INTO THE AUTOMATED CAR BUSINESS

Notable Quotes

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Governor Bobby Jindal’s presidential campaign is angrily insisting that the “Duck Dynasty” cast supports him and not Donald Trump. And that is the current report on the state of the Bobby Jindal campaign.

– CONAN O’BRIEN •••••••••••••••••••

Congrats to the Toronto Blue Jays for making the playoffs for the first time in 22 years. Nothing says “America’s pastime” more than a bunch of guys from the Dominican Republic playing for a team in Canada.

– JIMMY FALLON •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Forbes Magazine released their annual list of the “Forbes 400,” ranking the wealthiest people in America. Bill Gates, 22nd year in a row he’s number one, $76 billion. Yet, he still has an $11 haircut. – JIMMY KIMMEL .............................................................................................

Donald Trump finished 121 on the list and he’s not happy about that. Forbes says he has a net worth of $4.5 billion, but he says that’s wrong, “I’m worth $11.5 billion.” This is what makes him relatable to voters. -IBID. .............................................................................................

I like Donald Trump’s way of thinking. It’s not how much money you have, it’s how much money you feel you have.

– IBID.

Facebook went down for the second time this week. For 42 long minutes nobody knew if it was anyone’s birthday. When Facebook goes down it makes you realize, “Wow, this is what life must have been like in 2003.” – JIMMY KIMMEL .............................................................................................

Facebook went down yesterday for the second time in a week.

In fact, it’s gotten so bad, people are holding up their babies to strangers and shouting, “Do you ‘Like’ this?” “Do you ‘Like’ this?” ... 4 Likes!!!”– JIMMY FALLON

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Political Crossfire

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Political Crossfire

Another Massacre, Another Charade

By Charles Krauthammer

T

here’s the cycle of poverty.

There’s the cycle of violence.

And then there’s the cycle of gun talk. It starts with a mass shooting. Gun-control advocates blame the deaths on gun-control opponents, who argue, in turn, that none of the proposed restrictions would have had any effect on the incident in question.

The debate goes nowhere. The media move on.

Until the next incident, when the cycle begins again.

So with the Roseburg massacre in Oregon. Within hours, President Obama takes to the microphones to furiously denounce the NRA and its ilk for resisting “commonsense gun-safety laws.” His harangue is totally sincere, totally knee-jerk and totally pointless. At the time he delivers it, he – and we – know practically nothing about the shooter, nothing about the weapons, nothing about how they were obtained.

Nor does Obama propose any legislation. He knows none would pass.

But the deeper truth is that it would have made no difference. Does anyone really believe that the (alleged) gunshow loophole had anything to do with Roseburg? Universal background checks sound wonderful. But Oregon already has one. The Roseburg shooter and his mother obtained every one of their guns legally.

The reason the debate is so muddled, indeed surreal – notice, by the way, how “gun control” has been cleverly rechristened “commonsense gun-safety laws,” as if we’re talking about accident proofing – is that both sides know that the only measure that might actually prevent mass killings has absolutely no chance of ever being enacted.

Mere “commonsense” regulation, like the assault weapons ban of 1994 that was allowed to lapse 10 years later, does little more than make us feel good. A Justice Department study found “no discernible reduction in the lethality and injurious-

ness of gun violence.”

As for the only remotely plausible solution, Obama dare not speak its name. He made an oblique reference to Australia, never mentioning that its gun-control innovation was confiscation, by means of a mandatory buyback. There’s a reason he didn’t bring up confiscation (apart from the debate about its actual efficacy in reducing gun violence in Australia). In this country, with its traditions, public sentiment and, most importantly, Second Amendment, them’s fightin’ words.

Obama didn’t say them. Nor did he seriously address the other approach that could make a difference: more aggressive psychiatric intervention.

These massacres are almost invariably perpetrated by severely disturbed, isolated, often delusional young men.

Yet even here, our reach is limited. In some cases, yes, involuntary commitment would have made a difference. Jared Loughner, the Tucson shooter, was so unstable, so menacing, that fellow students at his community

earlier in a hotel room, psychotic and paranoid. They advised him to get psychiatric help. Advised. Predictably, he fell through the mental health cracks. A month later, he killed 12 and was killed himself, another casualty of a mental health system that lets the severely psychiatrically ill – you see them sleeping on grates – live and die wretchedly abandoned.

The problem is that these

Both sides know that the only measure that might actually prevent mass killings has absolutely no chance of ever being enacted. college feared, said one, that he would “come into class with an automatic weapon.” Under our crazy laws, however, he had to kill before he could be locked up.

Similarly, the Navy Yard shooter had been found by police a few weeks

mass-murder cases are fairly unusual. Take Roseburg. That young man had no criminal history, no psychiatric diagnosis beyond Asperger’s, no involvement in public disturbances.

How do you find, let alone lock up, someone like that?

There are 320 million Americans.

Schizophrenia affects about 1 percent of the population. That’s about 3 million people. Only a tiny fraction are ever violent – and predicting which ones will be is almost impossible.

Loner, socially isolated, often immersed in a fantasy world of violent video games. There are myriad such young men out there, but with different ages of onset, in different stages of derangement. Only a handful will ever harm anyone. What to do? Forcibly apprehend them, treat them, put them on perpetual preventive parole?

By the tens of thousands?

Committing the Jared Loughners would have an effect. But even they are the exception among the shooters. Yet “commonsense” gun control would do even less. Unless you’re willing to go all the way.

In the final quarter of his presidency, Obama can very well say what he wants. If he believes in Australian-style confiscation – i.e., abolishing the Second Amendment – why not spell it out? Until he does, he should stop demonizing people for not doing what he won’t even propose. (c) 2015, The Washington Post Writers Group

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Steps Towards Growth In Memory of Mrs. Rose Edelman

A seminary near home which every girl can call home

Develop your inner potential while enhancing your interpersonal relationships

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For Registration and More Information, Please Contact 516.362.5000 ~ MBRSeminary@gmail.com

In The Kitchen

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

In The

K tchen

THIS RECIPE MAKES ONE 12-INCH PIE, WHICH USUALLY COMES OUT TO FOUR SERVINGS.

By Naomi Nachman

I

find it hard to keep our kids entertained and family time in the kitchen is always a crowd pleaser. Homemade pizza is my kids’ number one choice, especially with so many toppings to play with! This recipe is really easy and my kids really love to make and eat their own creations.

Each child can make their own dough by hand then use a wide variety of toppings, such as peppers, tomatoes, onions, olives, mushrooms, and even pineapple (a favorite in Australia). We also use tomato sauce or even pesto sauce and a choice of different spices.

As a family that loves cheese, I bought out a selection of cheeses from Sincerely Brigitte for the kids to choose from and I got very creative with mine. I recently tried the Sincerely Brigitte Marble Blue Cheese, and I thought this would be a perfect choice for pizza. To balance out the strong flavor of the blue cheese, I caramelized pears in butter and placed them on the pizza with some fresh baby spinach and pesto. The results were incredible and my kids kept on stealing my slices!

PHOTO CREDIT: MELINDA STRAUSS

Homemade Pizza with Pesto Sauce, Blue Marble Cheese & Caramelized Pears Quick and Easy Pizza Dough

Caramelized Pears

Pizza Toppings

Ingredients

Ingredients

2 tsp. dry yeast 1 tsp. sugar ¾ cup very warm water (120-130 degrees) 2 cups flour 1 tsp. salt

4 TBS unsalted butter ½ cup sugar 3-4 red Anjou pears, cut into ½-inch-thick wedges (or ¼-inch-thick wedges if pears are firm)

Caramelized pears (see previous recipe) ¼ cup store-bought pesto 3 cups baby spinach 1 cup grated blue marble cheese

by Sincerely Brigitte

Preparation

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Soak yeast in warm water and sugar for 5 minutes. Add flour, then add salt.

Continue to knead for 2-3 minutes until flour is well blended and a dough ball forms. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes. Roll dough to fit a 12inch disposable pizza pan sprayed with cooking spray or rubbed with olive oil.

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat until melted. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add pears and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just golden, 12 to 20 minutes.

Pizza Assembly Once the dough is fitted into the pan, spread pesto sauce over the dough, leaving a border around the circumference of the dough. Place the spinach around the center of the dough. Sprinkle grated blue cheese, scatter the pear pieces around the pie.

Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F or until cheese melts.

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.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Rocky’s Rant

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Rocky’s Rant

The Esrog with My Name on It

By Rocky Zweig

T

his has been an unusual week for me.

Normally I wander around until an idea for an article pops into my head, kind of like an anvil falling out of a third floor window.

This week, however, I had a veritable traffic jam of material clogging the ol’ synapses, begging for release. There was the story about my trip up to Warwick, New York, for Shmini Atzeres and Simchas Torah. If you’ve been paying attention, you know that I’ve spent the last three or four years in the Connecticut Berkshires during the second days of yom tov, but this year that place wasn’t available, so the group I go with went elsewhere.

It’s a veritable UN of commerce: the Russians are handling with the Persians, the Bukharians are schmoozing with the Indians, and the Israelis are yelling at… well, anybody.

I could easily have squeezed 1,500 words out of the place, the food, the crowd, Mildred, or any combination thereof. There was the couple at my table who

was there with their seven kids. They had three sets of twins (boy/boy, boy/boy, and boy/girl) and another boy, and they were all fairly close in age (that mom had had

seven children in the span of about seven years —wow!)

And then, of course, there’s Mildred.

Mildred was a cow with whom I became acquainted while I was driving up to the place on erev yom tov. Right before I got to the retreat, I passed a farm and got out for a chat with the local fauna. Turns out Mildred was a very pleasant conversationalist indeed, with a breadth of knowledge about world affairs I frankly found quite remarkable for someone in the bovine community. Yes, she was a liberal, but hey, she was a cow, after all; they are not a species revered for their intellect.

We did actually find some common ground vis-a-vis the Iran deal, where, to her credit, she actually did agree with me (how could any thinking being not?!). We discussed childrearing (we both have three progeny) and our sleeping preferences (she likes standing, while I prefer a bed). Time flew by and I soon had to bid my new friend a fond adieu.

Motzei yom tov, I stopped at the farm to say goodbye and found my buddy out-ofsorts. I sidled up to the fence and asked what the matter was.

“You ate Kevin,” she said, rather stiffly.

“Excuse me?”

“Remember that burger you had at lunch today after kiddush? That was my nephew, Kevin.”

“But how could you know...”

“There’s a grapevine,” she said. “It’s complicated.”

As you might imagine, I was quite taken aback.

“Gosh,” I said, “I’m sor…”

“Don’t sweat it,” said Mildred, “Kevin was kind of a jerk.”

“Well, nice seeing you again,” I said weakly, not

knowing what else to say. As I was getting back in my car, she looked me square in the eye, and I could have sworn she smiled.

“By the way?” she said.

“He was a Republican.”

On my way home I was suddenly seized with truly horrific heartburn, inexplicably all isolated on the right side of my chest.

But I’ve decided to shelve those incidents for now, because I have these two truly awesome hashgacha pratis stories I simply must share with you. The one where I turn out to be an absolute hero should come first, because it would dovetail so beautifully with the last piece about my Dad z”l and his delayed diploma; I could even call it “The second best thing I’ve ever done,” although in this case, I hardly did anything; it was the Ribbono Shel Olam that did all the heavy lifting. But I’ve decided to save that for next time, because this one has a Sukkos-y theme, and since we’re just a week or two removed from the chag, it seems more appropriate. So let’s get down to business.

I’ve been buying my esrogim from the same person for as long as I can remember. Of course we all know that may not a be particularly long time, but I get a postcard from him every year before yom tov, so I think it’s been a while. His name is Rabbi Dov Shapiro and he’s a really great guy.

I have never needed more than two esrogim, just for my son and me. And for years now, I’ve only needed one. No matter… Dov has always treated me the same way he treats everyone else: he’s totally ignored me (Relax, I’m just kidding…I only wrote that in because I promised I’d let him read

Rocky’s Rant

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

this before submission). He really has been phenomenal.

Dov is a mohel and he sells esrogim. As a mohel, I assume he’s available year ‘round. The esrogim thing he only does around Sukkos time; he’s very clever that way. Reminds me of the shadchan who calls the mother and says, “I have a really wonderful boy for your daughter; he makes $500 a day.” “$500 a day?!” exclaims the mom, “What does he do?”

“He sells hoshanas.”

So like I said, Dov and I go way back. I worked in the Forty-Seventh Street Diamond District area of the city for about thirty-five years.

There are three times a year when 47th Street becomes even more insane than usual: Columbus Day (bad), St. Patrick’s Day (waaay worse), and the week before Sukkos. The two parades turn the entire Fifth Avenue area into one huge human parking lot, and on St. Patty’s Day, it’s one huge drunk human parking lot.

It’s an absolute nightmare, unless you have the time and/or inclination to spend the afternoon tossin’ back warm Guinnesses at The Blarney Stone with Sean and Casey and the lads. Most of us with the “chhh” sound in our names, however, are generally not well received at those establishments.

But the week before Sukkos, The Block becomes a maze of folding tables stacked with esrogim, generally manned by freshly-scrubbed high school bochurim trying to make a few bucks, and kol hakavod to them. But as a salesman it was my job to navigate that block from end to end sometimes ten or twelve times a day, and it was never a picnic.

There are countless “puller-inners” standing in front of almost every store or exchange, trying to get you to step into their parlor. Buying today? They’ll whisper conspiratorially, as if they’re about to conduct some covert spy operation, or maybe a drug deal. Don’t ever answer those guys, not even to say no! Trust me: they’re very persuasive — you might just be on your way to Kosher Deluxe around the corner and you’ll wind up buying a new bracelet for Tante Kayla’s birthday, and you don’t even like Tanta Kayla!

And then there are always these knots of people strewn every few yards like human Stonehenges, and just as immobile. It’s a veritable UN of commerce: the Russians are handling with the Persians, the Bukharians are schmoozing with the Indians, and the Israelis are yelling at…well, anybody.

So when you throw the esrogim tables into the mix, you’re talking about

really having to run a crazy gauntlet from one end of The Block to the other. I usually didn’t pay much attention to the wares being offered except for a passing glance, and I was generally not impressed. Every so often I’d stop for a minute or two, and indeed, most of the s’choirah looked pretty lame. The prices were low, but so was the quality. And besides, I had to go to Dov, right? Right? tThen about eight or nine years ago I was walking down The Block and one specific table caught my eye. Even from a distance, the esrogim looked more interesting. They looked fresher, cleaner, bumpier and somehow generally healthier than a lot of the other, more questionable merchandise. Even the young man minding the store seemed more impressive. He was helping a prospective customer and was polite, courteous and knowledgeable.

This little thought started percolating in my brain: why don’t I just skip a year with Dov and ahleydik everything right now? I mean, come on: rather than having to come home, eat dinner, go out again, face the madding crowds and look through 4,012 esrogim with and without pitumim (pitumot? pitums?), probably dozens of lulav shpitzen with my jeweler’s loupe, tons of hadassim to find three that are completely meshulosh (I had aravos growing in my yard back then), couldn’t I just pick a nice esrog from this nice table being run by this nice boy, have him pick out everything else and save myself the hassle?

I did feel somewhat guilty about abandoning Dov, but apparently not guilty enough, because just as I was about to walk away, my eyes fell on one particular esrog, and it was a beauty: large, bumpy, just a little green around the edges—it kind of reminded me of someone I was dating at the time. Still feeling a bit traitor-ish, I approached the vendor and picked it up.

“Beautiful esrog, “I said.

“Yes,” he said, “it is.”

Okay, Rocky, either ask the question or walk away…

“How much is it?”

He told me.

Please understand: Not handling on 47th Street is a serious offense.

It is grounds for dismissal from the jewelry industry, and any and all discounts accorded members of the Diamond Dealers’ Club on shtreimlach and/or beckeshehs are automatically forfeited. I had worked on The Block forever; I knew what my next five words had to be: “Can you do any better?”

The guy said he had to call his boss, and pulled out his phone. The first two words of his conversation caused my jaw to drop down to the well-traveled

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OUR AVOS AND IMAHOS –

(And You THOUGHT You Knew Them)

RABBI MOSHE TAUB

AMI MAGAZINE Columnist, Rav of Young Israel of Holliswood

Sunday, October 18th, 2015 the 5th of Cheshvan at 10 A.M. at The White Shul 728 Empire Avenue , Far Rockaway This month’s lecture is sponsored by:

The Feigenbaum Family li”n Harav Avrohom Elimelech ben Harav Pinchas Shlomo, a”h The Bergman Family li”n Reb Klonimus Kalman ben Reb Yeshaya, a”h To sponsor a lecture contact jgulkowitz@yahoo.com or call 516-239-0494

B’H in our 26th year unifying the women of our community!

pavement of 47th Street: “Hello, Dov?” When I finally recovered enough to speak, I asked him to give me the phone.

“Hi, Dov, it’s Rocky.”

“Rocky! What’s goin’on?”

“Listen, about that esrog…”

“What esr…hey, wait a minute; you mean it was you…: “Uh huh.”

“Dude…you got some ‘splainin to do!”

It’s sometimes rare to see yad Hashem so very clearly in everyday life. This little exhibition of hashgacha pratis absolutely blew me away.

I have gone to Rabbi Dov Shapiro before Sukkos religiously ever since, and every year I repeat the story to the folks milling around searching for their own precious arbah minim.

Wow…of all the tables on The Block!

Absolutely amazing. But I now know unequivocally that Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants Dov to have my esrog money, and you know what? That’s absolutely good enough for me. Im Yirtzah Hashem till one hundred twenty — for both of us!

Rabbi Shapiro’s website iseastcoastmohel.com.

Rocky Zweig has been writing since he

was sixteen and was the Editor-in-Chief of the late and decidedly unlamented Modieinu, the mimeographed (remember mimeographs?) newspaper of the Tenth Avenue Pirchei of Boro Park, where he wrote everything from stories to news articles to hashkafa articles to... yes (now it can be told!)...letters to the editor. Rocky was sixteen a very long time ago. He is the proud father of three marginally neurotic children. He has been married three — count ‘em — three times and has finally determined that he’s probably not very good at matrimonial bliss. He lives in his Fortress of Solitude in Flatbush with a small menagerie: Clarice, a European Starling; Rabbi Horatio LeZard, a Bearded Dragon; an aquarium filled with Lake Malawi African Cichlids; and a ten gallon tank that functions as a Home for Unwanted Goldfish, or H.U.G., collected over the years by his grandkids and great nieces and nephews at myriad street fairs and carnivals (rather than face the unpleasant task of flushing these unfortunate piscine creatures when they are eventually, inevitably ignored by their own obnoxious progeny, the parents simply call Uncle Rocky who then feeds them and cares for them until their ultimate natural demise three or four or even ten years down the pike). So apparently Rocky seems to get along better with animals than with his fellow homo sapiens. Or sapienses. Or whatever. Rocky’s column will be appearing every other week in The Jewish Home.

Rocky can be reached at anidaati@aol. com.

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Fun Page

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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Classifieds

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Partial basement and attic, CAC, IG sprinklers, lovely yard. Low taxes.

Walk to Worship. Walk to transportati Asking price $699K Contact Mike 516-509-7489

Commercial RE Cedarhurst: 500-3000 +/- SF Professional Office Space Available in the Heart of Cedarhurst, For Lease...Call For More Details (516) 295-3000 www. pugatch.com

Oceanside: 2,000 +/- SF Retail/Office Space On Long Beach Rd with On-Site Parking, Great Location, Only $2,500/ Month. For Lease…Call Randy for More Details (516) 295-3000 www. pugatch.com Rockville Centre: 3,000 +/- SF Professional Co-Op, Exam Rooms, Reception, Waiting Room, Private Offices & More. Handicap Accessible, For Sale…Call Randy for More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com Woodmere: Follow the Leader to Woodmere, Now Is The Time To Act!!! No Metered Parking, Various Spaces Available, For Sale/Lease...

Call For More Details (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com Warehouse Space in Inwood.

25K-40K of Beautiful Warehouse space. 25’ ceilings, 10 interior drive in Loading Docks, drive-in Ramp. Adjacent Office Space Available, Plenty of Truck & car Parking available. Call 516-567-0100

Inwood office space LOWEST PRICES IN TOWN! 500-7000 Square feet gorgeous office space with WATERVIEW in Inwood! Lots of options. Tons of parking. WIll divide and customize space for your needs! Call 516-5670100 Cedarhurst Office Space LOWEST RICES IN TOWN! 500-5000 square feet very nice office space with cool conference room & Kitchen. Onsite parking Great Location. Lots of options! Will divide and customize space for your needs!

Call 516-567-0100 Hewlett Harbor: Waterfront Property, Great Location, Best Waterfront Lot, Deep Waters, Macy’s Channel, For Sale…Call For More Details (516) 295-3000 www. pugatch.com INVESTMENT Property for Sale INWOOD Commercial mixed use building + Lot. Private parking, corner property, high traffic area 1st floor offices, 2nd floor: 2 Apts. Asking 849k.

Call 212-470-3856 Yochi @ WinZone Re

Real Estate for Rent *House Rental – WOODMERE: HOUSE RENTAL – Lovely 5BR Exp-Ranch, Lr, Formal DR, Eik, Den, Lovely Property in “Academy Area”, SD#14...$3,200/mo Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www. pugatch.com

Far Rockaway B. 9th St. area Above ground light and airy 2 bedroom 1 bathroom basement apt 25 ft l/r d/r. Eat in kitchen, tile and vinyl floor W/d hookup Own thermostat 917 495 0623 WOODMERE: HOUSE RENTAL Lovely 5BR Exp-Ranch, Lr, Formal DR, Eik, Den, Lovely Property In “Academy Area”, SD#14...$3,200/mo Call Carol Braunstein (516) 295-3000 www.pugatch.com Cedarhurst 500-3,500 +/- SF Beautiful, newly renovated space for rent. Ideal for Retail or Executive offices. Prime location. Convenient Parking. Call Sam @ 516-612-2433 or 718-747-8080 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom single family condo $2,400 / month.

Newly renovated, newly refinished hardwood floors throughout entire house, living room, dining room, large eat in kitchen with pantry, lots of windows, new porcelain flooring, laundry room with washer / dryer, garage, backyard with space for sukkah, access to communal pool, Central Air/heat, parking space, Near Darchei and beach. Call / txt 323-314-8773 or email rivkalock@ gmail.com On Seagirt Avenue 2 & 3 bedroom. Newly renovated.

Washer and dryer hook up. Granite countertops.More info call or text 917-602-2914

950 Broadway

Woodmere, NY 11598 www.pugatch.com

BARRY PUGATCH

Help Wanted Ad. Executive Assistant Full-time Great job opportunity available in a beautiful Shomer Shabbos office, located in Cedarhurst for Executive Assistant to President of Company Qualifications: • Strong organization and time management skills • ability to multi task with attention to detail • good written and verbal communication skills • ability to be self-motivated, flexible and to deal with unexpected situations • excellent customer service/inter-personal skills • exceptional follow-up and follow-through skills • ability to maintain highly confidential and sensitive information is crucial • professional and positive demeanor Please email your resume to FTSadresponse@gmail.com Ad. Clerical Full-time and Part-time Great job opportunity available in a beautiful Shomer Shabbos office, located in Cedarhurst for Claims Assistant – no experience necessary. Capable, reliable person with computer skills needed for data entry, scanning, filing, project coordination and follow-up. Helping out where needed with opportunity to grow. Please email your resume to FTSadresponse@gmail.com

Carol Braunstein

(516) 2 9 5 - 3 0 0 0 www.pugatch.com

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Call or Text

(516) 592-2206

cbraunstein@pugatch.com

Lovely 5BR Exp-Ranch Set On O/S Ppty, Great Location!!! 2 Bedroom Ranch, Eik, FDR, Den, Many Updates…$479K LR/DR, 2 Dens, Finished Attic...$425K

New Construction 4,600 +/- SF Office Bldg With 19 Car Parking Finish To Suit

S t a t e O f T h e A r t C o n v i e n i e n t T o A l l Now Ready To Deal!!!  Call Lori For More Details!!!

If You Are Interested In Buying, Selling Or Leasing Call The Local Commercial EXPERTS 516-295-3000

Bright & Open 5BR, 3BA Hi-Ranch, Eik, Completely Renovated Ranch, 3BR, 2BA, FDR, IG-Pool, Deck... $999,995K Updtd Kitch, MBR Suite, SD#14…$625K

CALL ME FOR A FREE M A R K E T A N A LY S I S F O R YOUR HOME!!!

LO OKI NG T O B U Y OR SE LL? C ALL M E T O DAY! !!

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Classifieds

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Graphic Designer wanted Must be experianced and know how to use a Mac. Must know well: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign.

For A Part-Time Position Monday & Tuesday. References Mandatory. Please Call Mr. Schwartz (718) 377-8016 or E-mail your Resume to GRAPHICDESIGNER613@GMAIL. COM or Fax (718) 258-2149

Seeking a warm, capable Preschool Teacher for Preschool in Port Washington (near Great Neck) Good pay, beautiful facility and atmosphere. Please email your resume sara@chabadpw.org High School Brooklyn Boys Earth Science and Chemistry teacher Email resume jobsatyeshiva@gmail.com

Seeking teacher assistants for special education pre-school in Far Rockaway.Email resume to scohen@ onourwaylc.org

Misc.

Free lots to giveaway in Honeapath SC Buildable or storage. Only pay transfer fees. $750. Lots valued at $10,000 718-974-9428

Physical Therapist Assistants (PTA’s) & Occupational Therapists Assistants (COTA’s)For 200+ bed Nursing Home in Queens. Must have Hospital or Nursing Home experience. Please email resume to promrehab@aol. com

Found stroller on Central Avenue.

If anyone has lost their stroller or knows someone who has, please contact me at SL11691@yahoo.com

Part Time Male Aid Sales Position $1000/week (based on exp) Unlimited commission potential. 3 positions available Call: Fidelity Payment 516-262-3134 Or apply online: www.fidelitypayment.com/salescareer

Senior Jewish looking to rent a garage for storage in or near Far Rockaway ASAP 646-657-3131 Donate your car, truck or van.

Get a tax deduction and $1200 in gift cards. We pay cash for old cars too 718-974-9428

CATAPULT LEARNING Teachers for Title I in Boro Park andWilliamsburg Chassidic boys schools *College/Yeshiva Degree Required *Strong desire to help children learn *Excellent organizational skills *Small group instruction *Competitive salary Email resume: nyteachers@catapultlearning.com.

Fax (718) 381-3493

ELTER AVENUE

Yehalomim Shelanu Special Programming Presents An after school program for the special children of our neighborhood! Every Monday afternoon from 4:45- 6:15 Fun and educational run by talented and experienced staff Call 516-7322949 for more information or to register...

TJH Classifieds Post your Real Estate, Help Wanted, Services, Miscellaneous Ads here.

Weekly Classifed Ads Up to 5 lines and/or 25 words 1 week ................ $20 $10 2 weeks .............. $35 $17.50 4 weeks .............. $60 $30 Email ads to: classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com Include valid credit card info Deadline Monday 5:00pm

355 Central Avenue, Lawrence NY 11559 (Across the street from Seasons)

P: 516.791.6100 | F: 516.374.7059

www.WeissmanRealty.com CEDARHURST

Only

1 Left!

4 Houses. Brnd New Const. 4 rs. 5BR, 3 full bths + 2 half bths.

EIK, LR/DR, den area off kit. Lndry on 2nd r. Full bsmnt w/ half bth. 4th r has prvte brs and bth. Prvte drvwy. Call Chaya Moller for a showing. 516-506-3347 $625K

HEWLETT

Lovely 2 bdrm 1 full bth co-op with washer/dryer. Light and bright apt comes with an underground parking spot and a storage unit.

Call Sherri 516-297-7995

FAR ROCKAWAY APARTMENT RENTALS

Newly renovated colonial 5/6 Bdrm, 3 Bth split. Hi-end nishings & xtures. Granite kosher kitchen, Full nished basement & attic $899K

INWOOD

Clean and kept 4 bdrm, large kitchen, LR, Den, enclosed porch, beautiful backyard, bsmnt with laundry. Over 2,000 square ft.

Great for a family. Asking Call Moshe 516-697-2504 $550K

5 TOWNS & CEDARHURST OFFICES 1-2 Rm executive offices available all utilities & internet included. Varied conference room.

Locations & pricing. Call Sherri 516-297-7995 Large 4 room suite 2,250 Sq. Ft. 4 private offices, kitchen and reception, Cedarhurst location.

Call Sherri 516-297-7995

#1 Far Rockaway and 5 Towns Rental Specialists

WANTED:

EXPERIENCED GRAPHIC DESIGNER

THAT KNOWS HOW TO USE A MAC & IS KNOWLEDGEABLE IN ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR, INDESIGN, AND PHOTOSHOP PART TIME: MONDAYS & TUESDAYS

FOR INFO PLEASE CALL: 718 377-8016 OR EMAIL YOUR RESUME TO: graphicdesigner613@gmail.com

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

WE ARE GLAD TO CONTINUE WITH OUR BETTER SERVICE AND GREAT PRICES

Super Weekly Specials

Grocery Section Taanug

Honey Nut Toasted Oats

Produce

Glicks

Liebers

Galil

15 Oz.

12 Oz.

23 Oz.

Tomato Sauce

Abc Cookies

Cucumbers In Brine

Limes

12.25 Oz.

$

2.99

0.79

Bissli 2.5 Oz.

0.79

Glicks

2/$3.00

Bloom

Liebers

Manamit

¾ Oz.

32 Oz.

0.59

Wafers

Osem

Gefen

Gefen

4 Pack

4 Pack

14.1 Oz.

1.99

1.99

Fruit Punch

1.29

$

3.99

Strawberry Kiwi

$

Gefen

Gevina

Golden Taste

Golden Taste

4 Pack

Greek Yogurt

7 Oz.

7.5 Oz.

Assorted Reg/Lite

$

1.99

0.99

$

White Fish Salad

$

3.99

$

Mac Apples

.79 Lb.

$

Large Zucchini

1.29

$

Apple Juice

4/$1.00

40 Pack

$

Croutons

26 Oz.

Lemon Juice

4/$1.00 Mini

Table Salt

$

2/$3.00

Potato Chips

Assorted Flavors

$

$

Olive Spread

$

.89 Lb.

$2.49

Bakery Beigels

Chicken Legs

Produce Family Pack

Meat

$

Chicken Fingers

Short Rib

Flanken

Family Pack

13.99 Lb.

$

2.49 Lb.

$

5.99 Lb.

Cutlets

Family Pack

Ground Beef Family Pack

Marble Cake 15oz

$

4.49 Lb.

Minute Steaks

Family Pack

$

7.49 Lb.

3.99 Lb.

$

2nd Cut

Brisket

7.99 Lb.

$

$

3.99

Beigels

Rainbow Cookies 15oz

3.99

$

Sale valid 10/15/15 thru 110/22/15. Cash & Carry only. With $10 min. purchase, sale items & cases excluded. Not responsible for typographical errors. While supplies last. May limit quantities

Full Line of Kosher Vitamins

1913 Cornaga Avenue • Far Rockaway • T. 718.471.7555 • F. 718.471.9102

FREE PARKING • FREE DELIVERY • FRIENDLY SERVICE

Store hours: Sun 8-8 • Mon. - Tue. 7-8 • Wed. 7-10 • Thu. 7-11:30 • Fri. 7-1 ½ hour before shabbos

We accept WIC checks & Food Stamps

110

Life Coach

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

Life C ach

Now embrace your week and find the good in your challenges.

Full Weeks are Back

By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., CLC, SDS

Welcome back to seven day weeks.

Amazing, isn’t it? Six regular days before Shabbos shows up. Seems like a while since we experienced that!

So what’s so good about that? School? Work?

What exactly is the joy of ending all those holidays? Homework again? A commute?

O

kay, here’s the bottom line. In every situation there is good and bad. It’s what you focus on that influences your mindset.

So what are you focusing on this week?

I have to make dinner or I have people in my life to make dinner for. I have to schlep to work through all that traffic

or I have a job to go to. I have to be in school or I get to hang out with my friends all day.

What’s your negative?

Now try to find a positive in it or a view to counter it!

You know each day in our prayers we say, “Thank you for giving me all I need.” Seriously, does everyone think they have all they need?!

Well, maybe just maybe, what we really think is we don’t have all we want? And that could be true! But, maybe we just don’t know what it is

that we need! Maybe we need certain experiences and challenges to define and refine us as difficult as they are. It could be that these experiences are what we need to become who we need to be.

So as rough as some experiences may be, see if you can find a way to go through them and grow and improve yourself. That’s a challenge right there! I bet with that kind of challenge thrown at you, you’d rather go back to getting through all those yom

tovim. Or are you one of those really blessed people who saw all the good in them...the gift of renewal and all!

If you saw it, then keep going with it. And if you forgot that that was what they were all about... this is your reminder! Now embrace your week and find the good in your challenges. And luckily now you’ve got seven full days again to work on it!

Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivki@rosenwalds.com.

OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home

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OCTOBER 15, 2015 | The Jewish Home