A PUBLICATION OF THE LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY Jan. 3 - Jan. 16 Distributed Bi-Weekly in Los Angeles SEE PAGE 3
Emek Hebrew Academy 21st Century Yeshiva Education
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Chaverim of LA in Action
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Simon Wiesenthal Center Issues Travel Advisory for Copenhagen: “European Union Must Act”
I Froze in My Dreams… What’s That Supposed to Mean? Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn 18
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Shalhevet Debate Star,
Daniel Schwartz First Shomer Shabbos Presidential Candidate at Penn Model Congress
Of Rachmonus and Redemption Rabbi Asher Brander 20
Believe in Your Children Rabbi Aharon Wilk 21
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2012 Year in Review People, Places, Things 37
THE JEWISH HOME
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CONTENTS PEOPLE Shalhevet Debate Star, Daniel Schwartz, is First Shomer Shabbos Presidential Candidate at Penn Model Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
COMMUNITY
THE JEWISH HOME
Community Happenings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
JEWISH THOUGHT I Froze in My Dreams… What’s that Supposed to Mean? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
PARSHA
Dear Readers, Welcome to the inaugural issue of The Jewish Home – a new publication geared to the Religious Jewish community in the Greater Los Angeles area. Many people have long wondered about the lack of a regular publication reporting the news and content of this vibrant community, and it’s time that this community should have a voice of it’s own. Especially considering all the unique and special things that it has to offer: superb schools, strong synagogues, dynamic rabbis and community leaders, creative and talented professionals, innovative businesses and recreational opportunities, magnanimous tzedakah and chesed activities, some of the best kosher restaurants in the country & the list goes on and on! We are very excited about our partnership with The Jewish Home of the Five Towns, a successful and growing paper in the New York area, in bringing The Jewish Home to Los Angeles. We have an amazing staff of Los Angeles-based writers and designers, and a strong network of schools, businesses and synagogues that are excited about the opportunity to get out their messages and promote their activities.
Of Rachmonus and Redemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
PARENTING & EDUCATION Let them go - Watch them grow!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
COVER STORY LA Community Raises Nearly $2 Million for Hurricane Sandy Victims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
HUMOR & ENTERTAINMENT Centerfold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Quotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
LIFESTYLES New Year’s Resolutions: Why They Come and Go and How to Keep Them This Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Travel - Athens, Greece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
NEWS
The LA community should have an intelligent, entertaining, informative publication with content that can be read on Shabbos as well as during the week. Our wide array of content – both local and global, coupled with our apolitical yet comprehensive coverage, will have something for everyone. Our goal is for this to be an interactive and collaborative publication – we welcome and ask for community participation, and hope to include LA’s finest in submitting columns, divrei Torah, community news, article ideas, letters to the editor and much more. If you would like to be involved or have ideas to share, we would love to hear from you! Please contact me at editor@thejewishhomela.com. I look forward to partnering with you and providing content for the amazing community here in Los Angeles.
Sincerely,
Shalom Shalom Rubashkin
Yitzy Halpern
David Haridim
PUBLISHER & EDITOR
MANAGING EDITOR
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
editor@jewishhomela.com
yitzy@jewishhomela.com
david@jewishhomela.com
Global News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Year in Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
ISRAEL Israel news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 The A-4 Skyhawk – Making the Israeli Air Force One of the Best in the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
HOMEMAKING Recipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Rachel Wizenfeld Please submit ads to ads@jewishhomela.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Sara Dubrawsky COPY EDITOR
118 S ORANGE DR, LOS ANGELES 90036 PHONE 323-932-1106 FAX 323-843-9391
Esther Heller Berish Edelman DESIGN & PRODUCTION
SHABBOS Z’MANIM Friday, January 4 Parshas Sh’mos CANDLE LIGHTING 4:39 SHABBOS ENDS 5:40 RABBEINU TAM 6:10
Friday, January 11 Parshas Va’eira CANDLE LIGHTING 4:45 SHABBOS ENDS 5:45 RABBEINU TAM 6:16
The Jewish Home is an independent bi-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.
5 THE JEWISH HOME
Our children and families had a brighter Chanukah thanks to the hundreds of individuals, schools, retailers and community groups that worked so hard to make the 2012/5713 Honey Engel Toy Drive our best yet. yet Volunteers collected, sorted, and distributed more than 25,000 toys to 3,180 children and families across North America.
Thank you for bringing Chanukah joy to our children.
NEW YORK REGION BENEFACTORS Double Play Kosher Krafts Lot-Less Closeout Menucha Publishers Rite Lite Totally Toys VOLUNTEERS Aidel Malka Mintz Avrumi Heimowitz Bracha Stern Chaim Traube Chana Esther Milworm Chaya Beylus Dassy Bloom Eli and Nina Rosengarten Esty Rosenbaum Faigy Gelbendorf Hershy Muller Israel Luria Joan Wanamaker Leah Einhorn Leah Itzkowitz Leiby Greenstein Malky Zeilingold Melnicke Family Mendy Rub Miriam Krausz Miriam Pilicer Moshe A Cohen 0RVKH *UHHQĂ€HOG Moshe Traube Nechy Enden Perele and Hindy Frand Richard Haumptman Ruchie Guttman Sara Lang Shaindy Schwartz Shani Justman Shevy Haas Shiffy Shtierman Shifra Schorr Tova Plaut Tzippy and Sara Rockach Yitzy Gluck Yosef Hersh Rubenfeld Yumi Rubenfeld
FAMILY TOY DRIVES Adina Fand Altman Family Ariella Horowitz Babad Family Bency Tyberg Brach Family Eileen Cohen Hollender Family Hollender Family Jamie Abramova Joseph Abadi Lichtenstein Family Markowitz Family Miller Family Rachel Tabash Rubinfeld Family Sammy Braha Weiss Family SCHOOLS Ahi Ezer Yeshiva Arthur Schneier Park East Day School Ateres Bais Yaakov Bais Brocha Stolin Karlin Elementry School Bais Brocho Stolin Karlin High School Bais Chana Bais Chinuch Bas Melech Bais Dovid Bais Esther Bais Esther Bais Fruma Bais Isaac Zvi Bais Malka Belz Bais Rivka Bais Sarah Bais Sarah Girls School Bais Shifra Miriam Bais Trany Bais Tziporah Bais Yaakov Academy Bais Yaakov Academy Elementary School Bais Yaakov Academy High School Bais Yaakov Academy of Queens
NEW JERSEY REGION Bais Yaakov Adas Yereim Bais Yaakov Adas Yereim Bais Yaakov Avir Yaakov Bais Yaakov Ayeles Hashachar Bais Yaakov Chofetz Chaim Bais Yaakov D’Rav Hirsch Bais Yaakov D’Chasidei Gur Elementary School Bais Yaakov D’Rav Meir Elementary School Bais Yaakov D’Rav Meir High School Bais Yaakov Midwood Bais Yaakov of Adas Yereim Bais Yaakov of Eighteenth Avenue Bais Yaakov of Ramapo Barkai Yeshiva Bas Mikroh Beikvei Hatzoin Belz Girls School Bet Yaakov Ateret Torah Beth Chana School Beth Jacob of Boro Park Beth Rochel School for Girls Bnos Menachem Bnos Shulamith of Long Island Bnos Yaakov - Pupa Bnos Yaakov Educational Kindervelt Bnos Yisroel Bnos Yisroel High School Bnos Yisroel School for Girls Bnos Yisroel Viznitz School Bnos Zion of Bobov Bobover Yeshiva Bnei Zion Bobover Yeshiva Bnei Zion Brandeis School Chabad of Binghamton Chabad of the Upper East Side Chabad Serving NYU Cheder Chabad of Monsey Derech HaTorah East Meadow Jewish Day School East Midwood Hebrew Day School
SOUTHEAST REGION SCHOOLS Chabad of Emerald Hills Jewish Cooperative School Yeshiva Elementary School Toras Emes Maimondadies University of Maryland Hebrew Academy of Miami Beach
East Midwood Jewish Center Talmud Torah Elementary and High School Edmund J. Safra Synagogue Fifth Avenue Synagogue/ Creative Play School Gene Dunn’s Shotokan Karate Dojo Gesher Yehuda Great Neck Synagogue Ha’or Beacon School Hebrew Academy of Five Towns and Rockaway Hebrew Academy of Nassau County, Plainview Huntington Jewish Center JCC of Grenchich CT Jewish Heritage Day School Machon Bais Yaakov Hilda Birn High School Manhattan Day School Masores Bais Yaakov Me’orot Beit Yaakov Mesivta Tiferes Yisroel Mikdash Melech Girls’ Elementary School Mirrer Yeshiva K’Tana Mosdos Shafran Mount Sinai Jewish Center NCSY Jewish Culture Club/ FDR High School Nesivos Bais Yaakov Ohel Blima Ruchel Bobov Park East Synagogue Prospect Park High School Rambam Mesivta Sanz Klausenberg Sanz Klausenberg Shevach High School Shulamith Shulamith Pre School Stella K. Abraham H.S. for Girls Talmud Torah Siach Yitzchok Talmud Torah Tiferes Bunim Munkacs Temple Beth Torah Temple Or Elohim The Ramaz Lower School
Tomer Dvora School for Girls Touro College Viener Girls HS Westchester Jewish Center Yeshiva Bais Hachinuch Yeshiva Bais Hillel Yeshiva Boyan - Rizhin Tiferes Mordechai Shlomo Yeshiva Chasam Sofer Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim Preschool Yeshiva Darchei Torah Yeshiva Degel Hatorah Yeshiva Derech Hatora Yeshiva Derech HaTorah Yeshiva Karlin Stolin Yeshiva Mesivta Arugath Habosem Yeshiva Mesivta Karlin Stolin Yeshiva Mesivta Torah Vodaath Yeshiva of Brooklyn Yeshiva of Flatbush Joel Braverman H.S. Yeshiva of Kings Bay Yeshiva of Spring Valley Yeshiva Ohel Moshe Yeshiva Ohr Eliezer Yeshiva Ohr Hatorah Yeshiva Ohr Shraga D’Veretzky Yeshiva Ohr Torah Yeshiva Shaare Torah Yeshiva Shaare Torah High School Yeshiva Tiferes Elimelech Yeshiva Tiferes Yisroel Yeshiva Toras Emes Kaminetz Yeshiva University Chesed Club Yeshiva Yesode Hatorah Adas Yereim Yeshivah Chaim Berlin Elementary Yeshivah of Flatbush Elementary School Yeshivat Ohr Haiim
TORONTO, CANADA
Bais Yackov Baltimore Bais Yackov of Silver Springs Sharei Bina Girls Academy Bais Chana Girls School Lul Cafe Social club at L’hermitage condominium Bais Yackov Miami
Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School Bais Yaakov Elementary School Netivot Hatorah Day School Bialik Jewish Day School Tiferes Bais Yaakov High Yeshivat Or Chaim
Ulpana Orot High School Or Haemet Day School Leo Baeck Day School Associated Day School Kamin Campus Eitz Chaim Day Schools Adath Israel Preschool Ahavat Israel Sunday School
Beth Torah Synagogue Bayt Avraham Yosef Synagogue Kensington Place Retirement Home What- A –Bagel Kaplan Family Pillemer Family
COORDINATORS Bobby Engel Yitty Pluchenik Nechama Jakobovits Dina Fried VOLUNTEERS Chumi Fried Esti Eisenberg Jodi Frank Heather Leibowitz Gitty Elkon Atara Shechter Gitti Neiss Bashie Hisiger Basya Stahl Batya Nissenbaum Chana Roiza Brustowsky Chanie Friedland Chavie Chase Chaya Steinfeld Chayala Grunwald Devora Greenwald Dovid Amsel Dovid Egert Dovid Elefant Elana Patchen Esther Malka Sher Faigy Schonbrun Gavi Cohen Gitty Rosenblatt Honey Freundlich Jacklyn Gammal Junie Dayon Leah Bergman Leah Steinberg Malky Jakobovits Meir Kolko Nachman Rosenfeld Natalie Bibi Natalie Malachi Nechama Kleinkaufman Pauline Cohen Rivky Dembinsky Rochel Silberberg Ruchie Reisz Sandi Schuk Sarah Cohen Shainy Jaffe Sherrie Shweckey Shloimy Milworm Sivan Cohen Sruly Mendlowitz Tova Pepose
ENTERTAINERS: Mark Maxwell-Smith Anthony Serra Brad Schachter
DONATIONS: Breakaway Bakery CHANUKAH ANGEL COMMUNITY COORDINATOR: Esther Magna CHANUKAH ANGELS Adina Family Axelrod Family Banafsheha Family Birnbaum Family Bouramand Family Brown Family Carmi Family Cosgrove Family Daneshrad Family
Dolgin Family Dworkin Family Edwards Family Enayati Labib Family Epstein Family Fitterman Family Friedman Family Gabbaian Family Ghodsian Family Green and Dayan Families Greenberg Family Harouni Family Hayempour Family Hoffman Family Hyman Family Kashani Family Kekst Family Kerkis Family
Kleinman Family Lainer Familyu Lamishaw Family Lavine Family Lawrence Family Leifer Family Mandel Family Mansoury Family Meyer Family Moskowitz Family Nehmadi Family Nussen Family Pompan Family Raiss Family Reifkind Family Remeny Family Rodef Family Rollman Family
SCHOOLS Albert Einstein Academy Ateres Tziporah Bais Bracha Bais Faiga Bais Rivka Rochel Bais Rochel Bais Tova Bais Yaakov Scranton Bet Yakov of the Jersey Shore Bnos Bracha Bnos Devorah Bnos Esther Malka Bnos Rivka Bnos Yaakov Bnot Yisroel Chabad of Delaware Chabad of New Brunswick Congregation Beth Shalom Congregation Sons of Israel Deal Yeshiva High School East Brunswick Chabad Girl Scouts Troop 82118 Hillel Yeshiva Ilan High School Jack Barrack Hebrew Academy JCC Bridgewater Jewish Educational Center JFCS of Southern Jersey Kellman Brown Academy Kesser Bais Yaakov Kohelet Yeshiva High School Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy- Sulam Program
Morris Namias Shalom Torah Academy Netivot Ohev Shalom Politz Hebrew Academy Rabbi David L. Silver Yeshiva Academy Rabbi Pesach Raymon Yeshiva Shalom Torah Academy Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Monmouth Country Talmud Torah Bais Avraham The Moriah School Tiferes Bais Yaakov Tiferes Chaya Torah Academy of Greater Philadelphia Yeshiva Nesivos Ohr Yeshiva Shaarei Tzion Boys’ Division Yeshiva Shaarei Tzion Girls’ Division Yeshiva Shaarei Tzion Pre-school Yeshiva Tiferes Torah SPECIAL THANKS TO Gary Bloom of Dalgar Caterers Chris and Jodi Fields in Memory of Ella Ruth Fields Star Pediatric Rabbi Yisroel Braunstein Chavie Chase of Pret-A-Partee Mr. and Mrs. Chaim Parnes Benny’s Educational Toys Bubbleblastte Dovid Gabay Judaica Plaza Judy Singer Heimishe Bake Shoppe Mattel Sameach Music Shapiro’s Bakery The Balloon Shop Toys For Thought Truly Devine WSS Uncle Moishy
MIDWEST REGION
WEST COAST REGION TOY DRIVES The Gannot Family in memory of their daughter Danielle The Hirschmann Family Maimonides Academy The Faculty of Pressman Hebrew Academy The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles The Polsky Family NCSY - East Bay Chapter
Tzipora Jakobovits Tzippy Holland Tzirel Rina Krystal Yehudis Adest Yehudis Adler Yehudis Hershberg Yehudis Hershkowitz Yitzy Patchen Yocheved Lubin Yosef Percal Yossi Green Zissy Friedman Zohara Wittels
Rosenthal Family Rostamiam Family Rothman Family Samuels-Brown Family Schutzer Family Sherr Family Shpall Family Smith Family Spero-Schneider Family Strom Family Wallack Family Weiner Family Weiser Family Wohlberg Family Wolfe Family Yadegari Family Yedidsion Family Zarabi Family
TOY DRIVE BENEFACTORS Leon Korol Co.
Yeshivas Shearis Yisroel-Veitzener Cheder Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov-Yeshivas DONATED SERVICES: Tiferes Tzvi Golan Movers and Storage The Eye Site of Illinois SCHOOLS/ VOLUNTEERS SYNAGOGUES Ariella Azaraf Akiba-Schechter Jewish Robin Azaraf Day School Nina Bagramovich Anshe Emet Synagogue Ron Ben-Joseph Arie Crown Hebrew Aviva Blaustein Day School Batsheva Blaustein Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Joel Brooks Day School Yisroel Brools Congregation Beth Am Ruth Copeland Eliana Crandall Philip and Rebecca Odeya Crandall Esformes Cheder Karen DeLee Lubavitch Girls Rafi Domsky Seymour J. Abrams Baila Friedman Cheder Lubavitch Boys Yehudis Friedman School Akiva Frishman Chicagoland Jewish Eli Frishman Day School Donna Fohrman Bernard Wenger JCC Lena Goizman
Deedee Gold Natalie Goldman Polina Imas Daniel Kanter Ido Karavani Ari Kaye Akiva Kirschner Racheli Klausner Randi Klawans Mera Levin Becky Levinson Debby Levinson Joyce Leviton-Asher Larry Magill Rafi Margolies Nechama Maslovsky Heather Ordan Samantha Pearl Rena Peikes Yosef Rubenstein Lee Schwartz Yehuda Segal Milena Spencer Alla Stavnitser Josh Steinberg Chana Steinfeld Ezra Suss
Helping the child, the family, and the community *OUFSOBUJPOBM 0GĂĽDF 8 UI 4U /FX :PSL /: t $)"* -*'& t 3FHJPOBM 0GĂĽDFT $BMJGPSOJB t 'MPSJEB t *MMJOPJT t /FX +FSTFZ t $BOBEB t &OHMBOE t *TSBFM t #FMHJVN H www.chailifeline.org facebook.com/chailifelinepage twitter.com/chai_lifeline youtube.com/chailifelinechannel
gplus.to/chailifeline
JANUARY 3, 2013
Our Toy Drive could not happen without the dedication and untold hours of work of Chani Traube & family, Celia Gindi and the Melnicke Family. Once again, we are indebted to Rabbi Menny and Basya Schwab, the Cohen and Dweck Families of Lot for Less Closeout, Binghamton University, and Marla Friedman and the Bergen County.
Happenings
THE JEWISH HOME
JANUARY 3, 2013
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INTERVIEW Shalhevet Debate Star is First Shomer Shabbos Presidential Candidate at Penn Model Congress An interview with Daniel Schwartz, Shalhevet senior and debate superstar, conducted by Rachel Wizenfeld Can you explain what Model Congress is? It’s a high school debate conference held at four schools (Princeton, Yale, Harvard and Penn.) Students serve as senators and congressmen, Supreme Court justices, press corps, and the executive branch: president, vice president, chief of staff and cabinet members. The conference is held from a Thursday to a Sunday. We debate
at the conference, along with 44 other schools, including four Modern Orthodox schools - Ramaz, Haftr, Frisch and North Shore, but we don’t debate on Shabbat. When you’re a senator or congressman 950 of students are senators and congressmen - you’re in a committee, you debate with one another, bring bills to the table, bring resolutions, and attempt to solve the nation’s most pressing issues. There’s only one executive branch - we debate the bills that are passed in Congress. If I’m elected president, I can either sign that bill into law or veto the bill. There’s also
a national security crisis where they wake us up at around 3:00 a.m. and we have to solve the crisis. What made you want to participate in the presidential election? I’ve been competing at this conference for years and have been pretty successful, I’ve won six awards, and I kind of wanted to step it up. The executive branch is the highest level of debate: seniors - veterans
from the conference. When you apply to the presidency, if you don’t get in, you either become a cabinet member or are not accepted into the executive branch. Why I applied to the presidency and not a specific cabinet? Well, if you’re secretary of defense you’re only responsible for one issue: foreign policy; or economic and monetary policy if you’re secretary of treasury. If you’re the president, you get to contribute on all issues and, ultimately, you’re the deciding factor, which is pretty cool. Why do you think the judges selected your application? I think they accepted my application
because I love politics and I’m pretty knowledgeable about issues – foreign policy, environment, the economy. And they liked my idea of choosing a VP who doesn’t go to the same school. Today, when Washington D.C. is in gridlock because republicans and democrats can’t work together, well here the president and VP have different religions, different schooling - if we can come together and set an example, we can really model how Washington is supposed to work. About 25-30% of the conference is on Shabbat, so it’s big that I got the presidential nomination. We’ve always applied, but because we’ve never been able to get around the Shabbat issue, no one has gotten the nomination. Presidential elections take place the first day we get there on February 7. We get there in the morning, they have opening ceremonies, the two presidential candidates debate, everyone gets to vote, and an hour later they announce the winners who will serve as president and vice president for the rest of the conference. The losing candidate will assume the role of chief of staff. How do you plan to run your campaign? The good thing is that two schools are definitely backing us 100% - The Key School (where Schwartz’s VP candidate is from) and my school – it’s an advantage. I’m only allowed to begin campaigning at around 4 p.m, so I plan on making campaign posters and I need to come up with a slogan. I’ll give a good speech, be prepared, and with the help of G-d we’ll win the election. Is it a challenge to keep Shabbos while at the conference?
During Shabbat we go to the Penn Hillel for Friday night and Shabbos morning. We have dinner with the four other Jewish schools that go to the conference, then we go back to the hotel, chill, shmuz and have a tisch. Have you been involved in this congress for a long time? I’ve been doing this since my sophomore year. Shalhevet sends a big delegation, 24-25 students, every year. This year Shalhevet won second best delegation (2nd place) at Princeton Model Congress; the school that won first place is the number one private school in the nation, Trinity in NYC. Do you feel an extra responsibility to perform well considering the unique circumstances? Most people get to compete at 100% of the conference, so when I’m there I better be on my A game. But as a Jew, everyone should and is treated equally – I don’t feel more responsibility in that regard. Because we wear kippas at the conference, we’re careful to always maintain a level of decorum to avoid Chillul Hashem, but you also don’t want to be frightened to voice your opinion – we’re not scared to be Jewish, we are proud to be Jewish! Do you have any interest in going into politics? I don’t think I want to go into politics immediately, but if I live a successful life, I definitely want to contribute to the community in some way, and if I can do that through politics then I would definitely consider that route.
Good luck Daniel!!
Shalhevet debate team Keeping Shabbos actually helps us out because on Saturday night and Sunday we’ve had the rest to really kick some tuchus – otherwise we only get 4-5 hours of sleep a night at the conference. Our school was debating at one point whether or not to allow us to compete on Shabbos. While some might be of the opinion that debating technically falls under “Shamor Ve Zachor,” it violates the essence of Shabbos.
Daniel Schwartz, a West LA-resident and senior at Shalhevet High School, was recently chosen from 45 candidates nationwide to be one of two presidential nominees at Penn Model Congress, coming up in February 2013. Despite being forced to miss a significant part of the conference due to Shabbos, the committee selected Schwartz because of his strong debating skills and Model Congress experience – as well as his unique application which included a VP candidate from a different school.
Happenings
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800 meters, (approximately 1/2 a mile radius). It was too large of an area for the
CHAVERIM OF LOS ANGELES went live on September 1, 2011. Chaverim’s has three levels of response. Emergency, Non-Emergency, and Missing Person Searches. Emergency Response: A child locked or stuck inside of a car or room of the house. Chaverim members are equipped and trained with sophisticated equipment in order to gain entry to a vehicle or a home within seconds.
Hatzalah and Chaverim searching for missing person
Non-Emergency Response: Among the variety of auto related problems, the most common are: jump-starts, gas outages, flat tire, and keys-locked-inthe-car (auto lockout). Chaverim is also equipped to gain entry into a home when the keys are locked in the house. Missing Person Searches: A critical facet Chaverim has embarked upon is “assisting in a missing persons search”. Hatzolah of Los Angeles remains the designated community resource when it comes to a missing person. On a number of occasions, Hatzolah and Chaverim have teamed up on a missing person incident. Most recently, on March 11, 2012 Hatzolah was contacted regarding a missing community member. Hatzolah contacted Chaverim and the two organizations worked hand in hand as a “unified command”. Chaverim sent several volunteers to search designated areas. Additionally, Chaverim resources spread the word to the community for the immediate need of community volunteers. Chaverim was able to round up dozens of volunteers in a short time. The subject went missing on a Friday morning. Ultimately, it was due to the collaborative effort that the missing person’s car was found on Sunday night after he was lost and disoriented due to a head injury. The victim’s life was spared as a direct result of this collaborative effort, and of course the mercy of Hashem. Only two days later, Chaverim Founder, Arye Friedman, received a chilling phone call from Shomrim in Brooklyn, NY. The call was received at 6:15pm on March 13, 2012. The caller stated that his family member was in immediate danger. She had gone unconscious either during a phone call or shortly thereafter. The family member was unable to locate the subject. The police were called and they were able to “ping” a cell phone location to within
police to investigate. Chaverim was in immediate contact with Hatzolah. Chaverim and Hatzolah once again setup a joint command. LA County Sheriff insiders were called and volunteers from Chaverim’s “Missing Person Search Group” were called up. Hatzolah brought their Mobile Command Center RV as well as their disaster Supply Truck which was used to generate light at the “command post”. Over two dozen Hatzolah and Chaverim members/volunteers began searching assigned grids. At approximately 11pm, the subject’s car was located. The unified command immediately notified the police. They responded within a few minutes. The local Fire Department arrived as well. Shortly thereafter the subject was found in the motel room where the car was parked. She was alive but in serious condition. Again, Chaverim and Hatzolah saved this persons life. One of the most common questions that a Chaverim member may face: “Why would I call Chaverim if I have AAA?” To start, Chaverim offers a number of services that AAA doesn’t offer, for example, “home lockout”. Also, in the “emergency” setting Chaverim will typically have a response in under five minutes, and in most cases under three minutes. Call AAA during “rush-hour” (4-7pm), and see how long it takes for them to arrive. Chaverim is not in competition with AAA. Additional questions and answers about Chaverim:
Q: How long will it take for a Chaverim member to respond in a “non-emergency” call, such as a jump-start? A: Chaverim has members situated in the Pico and Hancock-Park/La Brea areas. 95% of the time, at least one Chaverim member is in your neighborhood and will be there within 5 minutes. However, in the rare event that a member would have to respond from another area, it could take up to 15-20 minutes. Q: How is Chaverim funded? A: Chaverim services are 100% free. At the end of the “service” we will hand you a self-addressed envelope. Certain volunteers are also equipped with credit card processing on their smartphones, if you choose to use a credit card to donate. Chaverim also accepts donations via our website, ChaverimLA.org. Our equipment and operating costs are funded solely by your generous donations. Chaverim’s nonprofit status is pending with the IRS. Once approved, our status will be retroactive and any donations made will be tax-deductible from the date of our application, at the end of 2011.
Q: How many calls does Chaverim go on?
a room as well as missing person searches (that have been classified as a critical missing) are docheh Shabbos. In the event of a “Chaverim Emergency” on Shabbos, we recommend calling Hatzolah. Hatzolah will be able to communicate with Chaverim on Shabbos, should the need arise. How can I help? •Chaverim is currently looking for several volunteers in the Valley Village. Additionally, as our call volume is steadily increasing, we are looking to fill two volunteer spots in the Hancock-Park and Pico areas. •Please fill out our application to volunteer in “missing person” searches. The application is available on our website at ChaverimLA.org. •Another project we are working on is to locate as many resources as we can for utilization in a missing person search. For example, if you have access to a: boat, helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft, ATV, horse(s), or other valuable asset that can assist the community in a missing person situation, please contact us. •Donate to Chaverim! Although Chaverim member’s pay for their auto expenses. We are still in need of purchasing additional equipment. Your donation will go directly to this worthy cause.
Chaverim trunk
A: Some days Chaverim will get as little as one call and other days as much as 8 or 9. The average call volume is about 2 calls per day, using statistics through March 20, 2012. Q: Does Chaverim operate on Shabbos? A: Although other Chaverim chapters, such as Baltimore, operates on Shabbos, Chaverim of LA currently shuts its lines at candle lighting Friday and starts back up after the Motzei Shabbos zman (Shabbos out time). Baltimore Chaverim operates on the premise that a high percentage of their call volume is emergency related. Their Rabbonim have held that a child locked in
•Finally, Chaverim has launched a disaster awareness campaign. Our current fundraiser enables you to donate $180.00 to Chaverim. Your donation will entitle you to a set of five (5) LED lanters that last 150 hours on one set of batteries. That’s over two weeks of night time usage! More information is on our website. Visit ChaverimLA.org and click on Disaster Kits >> LED Lanterns. •Follow Chaverim on Facebook and Twitter: www.Facebook.com/ChaverimLosAngeles
www.Twitter.com/ChaverimLA Chaverim often posts breaking community news as an incident is unfolding.
JANUARY 3, 2013
Chaverim was originally started in Brooklyn, New York in 2001. Today, there are over two dozen cities that have a Chaverim chapter. Although the mission of most Chaverim organizations in the United States remains mostly the same, each branch is independently run.
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Chaverim of Los Angeles in Action
Happenings
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Emek Hebrew Academy - 21st Century Yeshiva Education
BlueStar Baseball
By: Rae Shagalov
Begins its 25th Season
Walking into this Orthodox Day School Yeshiva, you might think it’s utter chaos. In a 6th grade classroom, scraps of colored paper litter the floor around teams of students who are busily designing flags, creating mosaics, inventing currency, and using computers to research ancient Greece. In the first grade classroom the boys are flying paper airplanes. In the library, six boys are standing on chairs while holding a marble roller coaster, shouting and arguing about the right angle to build it for the marble to successfully bounce off the trampoline and back on the track. On the playground, one boy pushes another boy down while two others video them on an Ipad. What’s going on in this yeshiva?
Emek Hebrew Academy Teichman Family Torah Center is experimenting with a variety of 21st century education practices to make learning come alive. Gradually the teacher’s role is shifting to a coach who is facilitating learning and helping students integrate the knowledge they are gathering into practical wisdom. Yeshivas are realizing that “one size does not fit all,” and all students need to be educated according to their unique learning styles. Emek is taking this one step further by encouraging students to explore their interests and talents and use them as the core of passion-based, lifelong learning. In vice principal Michelle Andron’s 6th grade math classroom, students briefly receive group instruction, then work independently at their own pace on Edmodo, an interactive Web 2.0 tool, where they implement what they’ve learned with guided practice, slide shows, videos, and extended learning activities selected by Mrs. Andron. In Dr. Eliezer Jones’ Advanced Judaics Lab, 6th graders deepen their learning of the 39 malachos using Ipads to compare commentaries. In this “blended learning,” model, the teacher’s role changes to that of coach, allowing more time to focus on one-to-one individualized instruction. In Sharon Bolkin’s 5th grade classroom, students choose an interest or talent to explore and develop their research, writing, and communication skills by designing a project that integrates and communicates what they’ve learned. This might take the form of a movie, a dance, an information display, or a class that the student teaches to peers or to a lower grade. In Christine Watrous’ first grade classroom, the boys are studying flight by engineering paper airplanes. Rabbi Zucker’s 5th
grade class play games on the electronic “Smart Board” to demonstrate their mastery of Torah topics. Next week, they will be creating comics that illustrate what they are learning about the Parsha. Emek’s 4th – 8th grade students also have a weekly elective in which they can explore movie making, woodworking, dance, digital storytelling, book illustration, or music. When you walk into Emek’s 21st century library, the first thing you realize is that “you’re not in Kansas anymore” as Dorothy said when she entered the exciting, new world of Oz. There are over 10,000 books to choose from, but, although reading is celebrated, it is not the only focus of Emek’s library. The books support an extensive talent-based education program called, “The Talent Center.” Emek’s students are free to use the library’s Arts & Crafts studio to design and invent whatever they can dream up. They can use a library of hands-on kits to engineer electronic devices, build structures, design roller coasters, and learn science concepts. They create animated videos of the Parsha, and teach classes, lead clubs, or do any kind of independent project that Emek’s librarian, Rae Shagalov, calls “Extra Challenge Projects.” These projects form the core of the Talent Center program and are based on a 13 word curriculum: “Create something that’s needed for someone who needs it, doing what you enjoy.” Twenty-first Century education integrates technology with learning. Instead of the traditional weekly computer class, Emek has moved to the technology integration model. Emek’s educational technology specialist, Natalina Parker works with the teachers to implement correlating apps and software to enhance and extend learning opportunities using technology as a tool. Emek also deploys an Ipad cart with a classroom set of the versatile tablets. Apps like Puppet Pals make stories come alive with multi-sensory learning.
But 21st century education is not just about using technology. Emek’s “groundbreaking” (pun intended) Shalom Garden and Science Center won first prize for school gardens in a national contest by Mel Bartholomew, the founder of the Square Foot Gardening Method. Under the direction of Rae Shagalov, School Librarian and Talent Center Director, the children built 33 garden frames next to their basketball court. All of the children at Emek now
have their own square foot of rich soil to plant with anything they like and can work in their gardens at any recess time. Gardening is a great example of project-based, low-tech, 21st century education. Square foot gardening, developed by Mel Bartholomew, is a method that sets plants in a grid pattern rather than in rows. When a square is harvested, new seeds or transplants can be planted immediately. This allows for steady harvesting throughout the season, and lots of learning opportunities for children. Students tend to learn and retain more when they are actively involved in the learning process. “We get to learn and have fun. Now we know how to plant, and I can make my own garden myself, in my backyard.” Elisheva Cooper, Grade 3. “I learned that
I have to be patient,” says second grader Alexis Maya. “My daughter came home so excited about the sprouts in her little garden. I’m so glad my children are learning how to nurture.” says Emek Parent, Judy Winegard. “Teaching our students planting and farming techniques gives us a hands-on opportunity to integrate the agricultural laws of the Torah with science study. We encourage self-sufficiency, leadership, creative science, problem-solving, selfesteem, and pride in seeing life grow from seed to fruition.” says Emek’s Head of School, Rabbi Mordechai Shifman. And what about those boys who were mentioned in the beginning of this article, pushing each other on the playground while being filmed on the Ipad? They are part of a larger team of students at Emek who are addressing the problem of bullying with a series of videos they are proactively researching for an international audience. To find out more about how you can integrate 21st century education in your yeshiva and to receive a free handbook for starting a Talent Center program at your school, contact Rae Shagalov, Library Talent Center Director at rshagalov@emek. org Rae Shagalov is Director of the Finder Family Library & Talent Center at the Emek Hebrew Academy Teichman Family Torah Center. She is the author of, “The Talent Center Handbook,” and is an artist and blogger at www.holysparks.org. © 2013
Tryouts this Sunday, January 6
Blue Star Baseball begins another exciting season with tryouts scheduled for Sunday, January 6 at the East Valley Baseball Fields on the corner of Strathern and Whitsett Avenues in North Hollywood. Blue Star Baseball is a little league open to all Jewish boys from the ages of 5 – 14 and girls from 5-7. Games are held on Sundays, with occasional practices during the week. There are teams that play afternoon games in every division to accommodate those boys that have school Sunday morning. Kosher food is available either via a kosher food truck or the new kosher onsite concession store supervised by the RCC. Blue Star Baseball is a well organized, well developed league that offers competitive baseball in a spirit of friendships and good sportsmanship – Ahavas Yisrael. Little league rules are followed and there are little league certified umpires at every game. Every boy gets a uniform, including a team hat and jersey. Managers and coaches, as well as division heads and commissioners, are volunteer dads and friends from the Jewish community. Boys from many diverse Jewish day schools, Hebrew schools and public schools participate. It is a great opportunity for the boys to get to know boys from other schools and other Jewish backgrounds. Coaches are available to help the kids develop their skills and everyone gets to play, regardless of skill level. Sign up information is available at www.bluestarbaseball.com, as well as gen-
eral information about the league, FAQs, etc. There is still space available for this season, which starts February 6, but hurry as space fills up quickly at the last minute. If you are not sure you want to sign up and would like to check it out, you can bring your kids to tryouts on Sunday as walk ons and see for yourself. Check the website for tryout times. Hope to see you all on Sunday!
Happenings At Valley Torah High School
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BASKETBALL JAMBOREE 2012
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Happenings
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Simon Wiesenthal Center Issues Travel Advisory for Copenhagen: “European Union Must Act” The Simon Wiesenthal Center has issued a travel advisory for Copenhagen and Denmark in wake of warnings by Israel’s ambassador to Denmark advising Israelis not to wear yarmulkes, jewelry with religious symbols, or to speak Hebrew on the streets of the capital. “It is intolerable that any Jew should have to hide his or her identity on the streets of Copenhagen. The Simon Wiesenthal Center rejects this as the ‘new normal’ for any Jew in Europe,” said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a leading Jewish Human Rights organization. “World Jewry remains deeply grateful to the people of Denmark, who throughout Nazi occupation during WWII treated their fellow Jewish citizens as equals. And in unparalleled acts of courage and humanity, Danes saved all 7,500 Jews from certain death at the hands of the Nazis by spiriting them out to neutral Sweden.” “In coming weeks, we plan to meet with Danish authorities to urge them to do more to take all necessary measures to secure the safety and security of Jews, citizens and visitors.”
In 2012, the Simon Wiesenthal Center issued a travel advisory on Malmö, Sweden, after multiple attacks against the local rabbi and other Jews went unanswered by the police and political leadership of Sweden’s third largest city. It remains in effect. For further information, contact the Center’s Public Relations department at 310.553.9036, join the Center on Facebook, www.facebook.com/simonwiesenthalcenter, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent direct to your Twitter page or mobile device. The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).
A wall that surrounds the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen spray-painted with the words “Bਞrne dræbere” (Child killers) during last month’s conflict with Hamas
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In recent days, the honorable directors at “Kollel Chatzos” have been paying visits to the venerable Rebbes and Rosh Yeshivas in Monsey, who have responded warmly and have welcomed the big day, Tu B’Shvat, a date established for the start of the new branch of “Kollel Chatzos-Monsey”. It will be located in the beautiful and spacious “Toshnod Shul”, from which it will serve as a source of light for all of Monsey I”H!
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Cheder Menachem Events
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Rabbi Zalmy Hecht & fifth grade of Cheder Menachem bringing the Chanukah Spirit to a local home for the aged
New Years Day Father & Son Learning at Cheder Menachem
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Judaism Alive
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Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn
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I Froze in My Dreams…What’s that Supposed to Mean?
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t’s officially called “Static State Experience.” SSE is a dream state where you feel as though everybody is moving forward and you are frozen in your place. You can’t call for help. You can’t move your body. And you can’t catch up to your group. Most people have a dream of that variation at least once in their lives. What does it mean? SSE is labeled as a nightmare because the sensation you feel that the people you know and love are moving forward while you are going to be left behind is quite frightening. You are helpless and lost. Will you ever find your piers again?
Step deeper into the dream sequence for a moment. Let us analyze this experience. You are frozen but you want your friends to wait. Something else is bothering you here. You notice as they progress forward, they’re smiling, even laughing. But how could they – you’re not with them? They don’t even seem to notice that anybody is gone from their group. This dream is a projection of a fear that we all have. Others who we have shared so many experiences with, eventually may move on, find greater success and leave us behind as though we were never part of
you when she falls, she has him. Our emotions are affected by many things. For some of us, our body language impacts our emotion. For others, the syntax or words we use can shift our emotions. But for all of us – what we choose to focus on – directly manipulates our emotional state. What makes this a nightmare is that we are primarily looking at our loved one’s moving away. But this doesn’t need to be a nightmare. Shift your perspective for a moment, close your eyes, see this dream and ignore those moving away. Instead, watch
YOU ARE FROZEN, BUT YOU WANT TO MOVE. their lives. That is scary. The guy you spent every day of your childhood with; playing Baseball, watching movies, sharing hopes, has now taken some corporate position on Wall Street. He hasn’t called you in years. Or perhaps the daughter you raised settled down and found a great guy. They moved to Akron, Ohio, miles away from you, states away from you. She doesn’t need
only yourself. What should bother you – is not their movement, but only yours. Isolate your situation from the others. You are frozen, but you want to move. When you take the other pieces of your fears/nightmares out of the equation you are better able to deal with task at hand. How do I unfreeze and progress? If you spend your time worrying about those moving ahead of you, you focus you energy on a process that you can’t alter in a healthy way. If somebody you care about is destined to grow, if they are passionate about taking a position of great influence you can’t stand in their way. They’re doing what they feel they need to do. You may try to sabotage, lay guilt, or buy into the idea that you’re trying to protect them but in the end you are still frozen in the same space. Now back to you, the frozen you. Once you’ve isolated your situation from the rest of the image you can now tackle your challenging situation. New Age philosopher Eckhart Tolle in “A New Earth” uses the analogy is a person falling into a mud pit. If he or she spends their time worry about how they could have been so stupid to fall in, or if he or she spends their time worrying about what will people say when they seem them like this – they have neutralized their ability to deal with the situation. The past has happened already and the future is not relevant at this given point in time. All that matters is right now. Right now I am somebody stuck in the mud, this is the situation accept it. Now what can we do to emerge. Back to the dream. You are frozen. Don’t ask yourself – how you got here, or what will life be like without the others who have moved forward. Instead, ask: how does one unfreeze? How does one find their unique voice? What can I do differently that I have not done before? What skill set can I learn that I have never learned before? And in the more difficult
and trying circumstances, what beautiful memories and thoughts can I think of until G-d decides to send help or until G-d decides to reveal to me the power within that can solve my circumstance? Gradually the ice begins to melt away. A whisper begins to emerge from your lips. You can feel your feet on the ground. The Talmud (Avos D’Rebbe Nosson) teaches us the story of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva thought he was frozen. He thought that he had a soul that was impenetrable. He thought that he had a mind that was not teachable. Once, while shepherding his flocks, he gazed into a brook. He saw a hollowed-out rock resting under a gentle waterfall. He wondered how the rock, one of Nature’s hardest substances, had been hollowed out. When he was told that the water had, over a long period of time, made this hole in the rock, he reasoned as follows: “If a rock, so apparently impenetrable, can be hollowed out by water, how much more so can Torah study, which is compared to water, change my heart and mind.” At the age of 40 he became the great Rabbi Akiva. According to the Talmud, Moses thought Rabbi Akiva was a greater man than he to give the Torah to the Israelites. There was once a young scholar who went with his troubles to Rav Wolbe, a 20th Century Jewish mater ethicist and teacher. He said “Rav Wolbe, I keep waiting for G-d to shine a light and let me know where I should go with my life, what I should do with life, but no light seems to come.” Rav Wolbe responded to the young man – “G-d is shining a light on your path, but the problem is that your busy looking at everybody else’s path. (Alei Shor, Vol.2)” In the dream sequence, instead of focusing on our circumstance we are busy looking at everybody else. Seeing the people you love move on is not easy. Seeing those that were your piers excel can also be challenging. But you know what, certainly in the case of family and often in the case of friends, some value you posses or some vision you have shared has touched, ignited, inspired a reason for the people you love to grow and look for success in life. This means that a part of you is with them no matter where they are. When you can accept their achievements, swell with pride for them, and use those leaps as inspiration for your own circumstances then you have truly turned a nightmare into a fantasy. Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn is currently the Rav and Dean of Yeshivat Yavneh in Los Angeles. He is the creator of WINGS; a synagogue consulting group for the Orhodox Union. He is also the author of 3 sefarim. For any comments, thoughts, or observations email the Rabbi at rabbieinhorn@gmail.com
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Reflections
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Rabbi Asher Brander
SHEMOS: Of Rachmonus and Redemption
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In honor of the LA Jewish Home – a much needed voice of Torah Judaism in a wonderfully vibrant Los Angeles Jewish community. May you be successful beyond your wildest dreams! deliciously ironic and remarkable way as Paroh’s daughter, Batyah finds the basket as she goes out to bathe. She saw the basket among the reeds …She opened it and saw him, the child, and behold! a youth (na’ar) was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This one is from the Hebrew boys.” (miyaldei haivrim zeh). [The infant’s] sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call to you a nursing [mother] from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” “Go,” said Pharaoh’s daughter to her. The young girl went and called the child’s mother. In this quietly dramatic scene, much is left between the lines. Consider: Princess Batyah apparently doesn’t know right away that Moshe is Jewish. Something then happens that leads her to exclaim his Jewishness. We are not sure what it is. The descriptive term for Moshe switch-
es from yeled (child) to na’ar (youth); the latter implying a lad, not a babe – a strange term for a three month old child. When identifying the child she exclaims “this one is from the Hebrew boys”, a somewhat oblique (and yinglish) way of saying – he is a Hebrew child First, a few classic answers to our first two questions: a. How does Batyah know that baby Moshe is Jewish? 1. Ibn Ezra, Rashbam – She saw that he was circumcised. 2. Ramban (1st explanation) – logic
.. the incredible chesed of the Satmar community, whose bikur cholim in New York is legendary and blind to religious ideology; .. the shalom on the street one receives from the virtually unidentifiable Jew These stories happen all the time. When it matters, our kinship and deep existential connection binds us so very tight. Simply put, Jewish chesed is simply without peer; we produce philanthropy, generosity of spirit and kindness that is incredibly disproportionate to our statistical presence. Some are embarrassed by these words, when in fact, (with humility), we must teach our children and the world, the outstanding and unique attributes of Jewish chesed and rachmonus (mercy)– the very essence of our definition. So how does Paroh’s daughter know Moshe is Jewish ? Through rachmonus of course. Chizkuni and Da’as Zekeinim teach that the na’ar (lad) is not Moshe, but rather Aharon, Moshe’s slightly older brother. Consider this scenario: As Batyah picks up the baby, she hears weeping behind the bushes. [Aharon is trying his best to not make a sound]. She sees Moshe, hears Aharon’s cries, and then proceeds to turn and instantly identify the family as Jewish – for this is a family where rachmonus is so real that the 3 year old brother simply can’t stop himself from feeling his brother’s pain. Moved by Aharon’s cries, Batyah proclaims that one (Moshe) is most certainly from the Jewish people. Remarkably, Batyah protects the redeemer of Israel, and ultimately joins the nation marrying Kalev, the head of Yehuda Moshe, saved by rachmonus -- passes it forward as he exhibits the same heroic mercy in feeling the plight of his brethren. It is for this reason, says the midrash that he is chosen to be the redeemer. A bad Jewish joke proclaims that by the Jews, the fetus become viable when it graduates medical school. As we plod through an the exile of “me”-pods, “me”phones and sundry narcissistic paraphernalia, we might remind ourselves and our children of our legacy as rachamonim b’nei rechamonim, merciful ones the children of merciful ones, – for within that formulation is found our redemption.
THERE ARE TWO OF THEM, AND WE’RE ALONE.
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or about three months, Moshe had a normal childhood. Then, under Paroh’s decree, mother Yocheved weepingly sets him afloat upon the Nile river. A most traumatic beginning manifests itself in a
- the boy was sent afloat to escape Paroh’s decree – ergo he must be Jewish. 3. Rashi – She saw the presence of the shechina. A special light emanated from his basket. (The phrase mentioned earlier that Moshe’s mother saw “he was good” (ki tov) hearkens back to Creation, about which the Torah states that God saw that the light was good. 4. Ohr HaChaim - Moshe refused to nurse from the non-Jewish midwives b. Why the term na’ar, implying a lad? 1. Rashi – His voice sounded like that of a lad – not of a baby 2. Rabbeinu Bechayei – His mother bedecked the the basket with a chupas neurim, a canopy of youth 3. Ramban – the word na’ar does not only imply lad, refers to one’s whole period of childhood. Chizkuni/Da’as Zekeinim offer a novel approach that moves me greatly. A cute prelude: Yankel and Berel were walking down a dark street when they heard footsteps behind them. They turned around and saw that they were being followed by two hoodlums. Yankel said to Berel, “Oy vey, we’re in trouble now. There are two of them, and we’re alone.” Jews are one. Yes, Jews occasionally argue - but for all the many wing tip labels of contemporary Judaism, our essential unity is absolute truth. Consider among thousands of real life examples: .. the consistent sacrifice that tens of thousands of Jewish and not-yet-religious soldiers manifest for their religious brethren.
Rabbi Asher Brander is the Founder of the LINK Kollel and Shul, located on 1453 S. Robertson Blvd and is a Rebbe at the wonderful Bnos Devorah Girls High School.
Parenting
Rabbi Aharon Wilk
THE JEWISH HOME
BELIEVE IN YOUR CHILDREN
For Yosef, the abundance of love and affection he received from Yaakov created a tension among the brothers that proved to be untenable. As we know, this ultimately led to them selling him to Arab merchants. However, things would get even worse for Yosef! Within a short few chapters, Yosef is falsely accused of a crime in Egypt, resulting in his imprisonment. Execution would not be far behind. We are left wondering: Is it even possible for Yosef to recover from this? For Yehuda, he has lost his position as “leader” of the brothers on account of his involvement in the sale of Yosef. Things would only get worse for Yehuda. Yehuda enters into a relationship with a woman who, unbeknownst to him, is the widowed wife of his two sons. The subsequent public revelation of this relationship is the source of unimaginable shame and embarrassment to Yehuda. Here too, one is left wondering: Will it be possible for Yehuda to recover from this? Of course, the beauty of this story is that Yehuda and Yosef do not simply recover and survive - they thrive. It is in the tension filled environment of the Egyptian palace that Yosef discovers his true greatness, and it is in the aftermath of Yehuda’s shame, that he merits the eventual kingdom of the Jewish people - the kingdom of the house of David. Over the next month, we will read about the events leading up to our exodus from Egypt. Our sages teach us that our redemption from Egypt would not have been possi-
This is a fascinating point to think about when we consider that the leader chosen to take us out of Egypt most likely did not share these same character traits. Moshe who was raised in the house of Pharoh dressed like an Egyptian (as is evident by the way he is described by Tziporah –Ish Mitzri - to her father Yitro) and quite possibly did not retain a Jewish name - the name Meshe according to some interpretations means child in the Egyptian language.
Are we doing our children’s homework because they are too tired, or “don’t quite get it” and we want to take that stress away from them? Are we helping them out of situations that might be out of their comfort zone because we don’t want to see them struggle? At the university level, professors are warning parents against writing their children’s papers and a New York Time’s article reported that parents are calling their children’s bosses when they feel they have been treated
WE ARE LEFT WONDERING; IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE FOR YOSEF TO RECOVER FROM THIS?
Greatness in the Torah is most often unpredictable. A brief look at the ancestry of Moshiach Ben David would point to a variety of unions including Lot and his daughter, Yehuda and Tamar, Ruth and Boaz and David and Batsheva – a background of turmoil and tension to say the least!
It is also the reason why a study of the early practice courts of some of the greatest tennis players would end up being a tour of some of the most rundown facilities in Russia. Once again, the great ones discover themselves in the tension that surrounds them. Of course, as parents, we don’t wish for our children to be in tension-filled situations or environments. However, are we over-in-
As with everything, success needs to be found in that perfect balance, our children need to learn not only to survive in uncomfortable or stressful situations, but to thrive. Our Sages tell us that the juxtaposition of Yosef’s descent to Egypt is purposely connected to Yehuda’s descent from his position of leadership - it foretells that both men acted “for the sake of heaven” and never lost faith; not only in Ha-Shem, but in their own potential. I would like to suggest that faith is a bigger piece of this puzzle. I believe that what our children need more than anything is our enduring and eternal belief in them and their ability to succeed.
Rabbi Aharon Wilk is the Principal of Maimonides Academy in Los Angeles.
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Daniel Coyle, renowned author of The Talent Code and The Little Book of Talent, has spent years studying how talent is cultivated and surmises that greatness is often found in the places where you least expect it. He states that greatness and true excellence are cultivated in how we thrive amidst the tension that life throws our way. Coyle suggests that this is the reason an incredibly high percentage of Hall of Fame running backs in the NFL come from either broken homes or are the third sibling. The extra push needed for the third child to catch up to his older siblings was all the tension these athletes needed to not only catch up, but also surpass them.
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ver the last month we read the Torah portions about Yosef and Yehuda and the events that led up to each of them hitting “rock bottom.”
dulging our children emotionally to the point we are robbing them of the tension seemingly necessary for them to discover their true greatness?
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O
ble had we become completely assimilated. We were fortunate to have kept parts of our identity as our names, clothing and speech remained true to our Jewish heritage.
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LA Community Raises Nearly $2 Million for Hurricane Sandy Victims Millions More Needed to Rebuild, Say Local Rabbis, as FEMA and Insurance Payouts Prove Minimal by Rachel Wizenfeld
W
hen the hurricane hit two months ago, many of us on the West Coast watched the news wide-eyed, constantly refreshing out browsers for the latest updates and staying in close contact with friends and relatives in danger areas. Though we felt safe in our calm, warm weather climate, it was impossible to ignore what was happening in communities that many of us know so well – from the blackouts and felled trees across New Jersey to the destroyed homes and shuls in Brooklyn and Long Island. Faced with unbelievable photos and tales of destruction, many of us opened our pockets and donated to relief efforts, about $2 million total so far from the LA Jewish community to help suffering Jewish households in NY and NJ. That aid was and still is instrumental, say community leaders in some of the hardest hit areas of Long Island and Brooklyn. But now, as most of the affected areas have moved out of the emergency mode when heat, food and shelter were paramount, the more major expenses of repairing homes and replacing household possessions like furniture are becoming apparent. In the early days after the hurricane, a major LA funding boost came from Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz, a well-known philanthropist
(CAF) to help with emergency needs in the hardest-hit communities, and $700,000 went to help various schools and yeshivas in Long Island, Far Rockaway and New Jersey. “[Mr. Rechnitz] saw all the im-
Faige Brecher, a woman who lives in the Hancock Park/La Brea area, organized a massive relief effort to send thousands of dollars worth of household appliances, furniture, toys, clothing and more in a 40-foot-truck across the coun-
THE SITUATION IS STILL DIRE FOR SO MANY FAMILIES
ages, he heard from people that were dealing with the issues, and he felt that he needed to step up to the plate and hopefully other people would give as well,” said Rabbi Bloom.
try. Dubbed Super Storm Benny in honor of her two-year-old son, Mrs. Brecher hoped that the campaign should serve as a merit that her son, who is ill, should have a complete recovery. (Readers can
find out more about the effort and her son’s condition on her website, TeamBenny.net.) The truck arrived packed and at a critical time, said Rabbi Boruch Bender, head of the organization Achiezer, which is directing the relief efforts in Far Rockaway, Bayswater, Five Towns, Long Beach, Oceanside and Bell Harbor, areas in which he estimates 90% of the impact on the frum community was felt. (The two neighborhoods in Brooklyn that suffered the most damage, Seagate and Manhattan Beach, are being aided by local organizations, he said.) However while immediately after the hurricane people needed basic necessities, now the needs have evolved. “People are requiring money to rebuild their homes. The community
LA philanthropist Shlomo Rechnitz
and community supporter. Mr. Rechnitz donated $1 million almost immediately, according to Rabbi Zvi Bloom from Torah Umesorah, which coordinated the grant. About $300,000 went to the Five Townsbased Community Assistance Fund
A shul in Bayswater giving out free food to people of all faiths
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JANUARY 3, 2013
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needs millions of dollars,” he said. Already the Community Assistance Fund, which is administered by Achiezer, has distributed five million dollars to households in
not rebuilding their houses in any way, but it has allowed families to move back home,” Rabbi Bender said. While families move back to
IN ADDITION TO INDIVIDUAL HOMES, SYNAGOGUES ARE STRUGGLING TO RECOUP FROM THE STORM need. They are also providing free radiators, boilers, hot water heaters, and services like sheetrock removal and mold removal. “These are basic items that cost an average of $10,000-12,000. It’s
their homes, often with bare or damaged walls, ceilings and flooring, they are still waiting for FEMA and their insurance companies to process their claims. Due the thousands of claims being filed, people
Flood damage with a Yeshiva in the background
Supplies came from many different sources, here the National guard delivers water
are waiting weeks to get answers on coverage, which often means they have to delay repairs, he said. The maximum that FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) will pay is $31,900, and the more expensive the claim, the slower and harder it is to get processed. Early on after the hurricane hit, families filing small claims received FEMA compensation relatively quickly, but the larger the claim the longer the wait. For renters, or for people who didn’t have flood insurance, the costs can be staggering. Many people were partially insured – especially young families struggling with mortgage payments. “They
A shul full of donated clothing
couldn’t afford the most expensive premiums, so they got what they are required to get,” said Rabbi Bender. “Almost nobody has sufficient coverage. People are struggling mightily…young families, renters were badly exposed, contents-wise they were wiped out. Clothing, furniture, appliances…” And even families who are confident that they have sufficient insurance are waiting for confirmation and processing of their claims. “Families are still waiting, people are displaced. It takes a toll on families - living in basements, living by friends and neighbors,” Rabbi Bender said. The Young Israel of Century
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needed to rebuild, said Rabbi Billet in an email. “People have hundreds of thousands of dollars of loss,” he wrote, when you combine the cost of rebuilding and new equipment and repairing the foundations of homes.
dath Israel of America, said he’s still hoping for more donations to trickle in from the Los Angeles synagogue appeal, coordinated by Rabbi Meyer May and the RCC. The appeal, which went to nearly all synagogues in the LA area, has
THE FRUM COMMUNITIES IN N.Y. NEED IN THE AREA OF $50 MILLION TO RECOVER COMPLETELY
A gym full of donated clothing at Sh'or Yoshuv in Lawrence, NY
City, located on Pico Blvd., spearheaded its own fundraising campaign together with synagogues B’nai David Judea and Beth Jacob. The approximately $65,000 that was raised went to Rabbi Hershel Billet, rabbi of the Young Israel of
Woodmere, to help with people’s repairs, including boilers, hot water tanks, washers and dryers, mold remediation, new electric panels and more. However, the money is just scratching the surface of what is
“Some people had flood insurance. Some are getting very little even with that. It only covers some contents – no basements. Many had no flood insurance and got zero,” he said. “The greater community (including Woodmere) needs hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild.” Yechiel Kalish, National Director of Government Affairs at Agu-
raised about $500,000 so far, he said. In a letter sent to LA synagogues, Rabbi May wrote: “While the scope of the damage remains unimaginable to us here in Los Angeles, we realize that HaKadosh Baruch Hu demands of us that we do try to imagine the feelings of hundreds of people who saw their homes, possessions, and memories
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swept out to sea.” All of the money raised was turned over to Achiezer’s Community Assistance Fund, which is distributing 100% of hurricane donations to families in need – no administrative costs taken. “The situation is still dire for so many families,” said Kalish, who added that he’s seeing some couples beginning to contemplate divorce from the financial stress. “We really need the appeals and fundraising to keep going…either through ‘adopting’ a family or a shul.” The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles organized their own fundraising drive, raising $93,000 from 211 donors, according to a Federation spokesperson. While the Federation often organizes a second-line campaign to respond to an emergency situation, Jay Sanderson, Federation president, said that in this particular case the federations in NJ, NY and CT are on top of the situation and he wasn’t asked to respond in a more significant way. The Federation money went for mostly emergency needs, including food cards and cash grants to seniors, especially Russian-speaking elderly and Holocaust survivors, and to help coordinate and dispatch volunteers to deliver food, water, flashlights and prescriptions to
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Hundreds of generators were donated, here one gets connected to a home
holed-up Jewish seniors in the aftermath of the hurricane. In addition to individual homes, synagogues are struggling to recoup from the storm. “A lot of shuls were destroyed: five to six in the immediate area,” said Achiezer’s Rabbi Bender. Just like households, synagogues are struggling to see what they can get from FEMA and insurance pay-
Donated supplies being delivered
outs, and many are running individual fundraising campaigns. In the meantime, people are gathering to daven in temporary trailers or homes. Overall, Rabbi Bender estimates that approximately 15,000 frum homes were seriously affected from Hurricane Sandy. Based on data collected from volunteers, shul representatives and Achiezer’s Community Assistance Fund, he estimates that the frum communities in NY need “in the area of $50 million to recover completely – Seagate [a waterfront community in Brooklyn which suffered serious damage] alone needs $10-15 million!” Of course this number “could rise or change,” he said.
biggest thing you can do is to write a check. Every dollar that can be sent - it will be used.”
What can the LA community do to help?
Seagate: A fund dedicated to Seagate families administered by Cong. Yereim of Seagate (www.SeagateHurricaneEmergencyFund.blogspot.com or mail checks to Congregation Yereim of Seagate, 1303 53rd Street, #258 Brooklyn, NY 11219)
“People like to donate direct items – whether they’re calling up the office to see if we need household items or furniture,” said Rabbi Bender, “but what people really need is to rebuild their homes. The
Three ways you can donate to help Jewish families in need from Hurricane Sandy: Brooklyn: The Emergency Sandy Chesed Fund (www.duvys.com/simple/ emergencychesedfund or mail checks to 1340 East 9th Street, Brooklyn, New York 11230 c/o Chevra Hatzalah) Five Towns/Long Island: Achiezer’s Community Assistance Fund (www.Achiezer.org or mail checks to Achiezer, 334 Central Ave., Lawrence, NY 11559)
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JANUARY 3, 2013
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You Gotta be
Kidding! Submitted by Naftali Reiss -LPER FRPHV UXQQLQJ KRPH IURP VFKRRO RQH GD\ Âł'DGG\ 'DGG\ ´ KH \HOOV “we was counting today in school and I was the only one that was able to count all the way until 10. Want to see? 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10.â€? The proud dad lifts his head from under the tractor’s engine and says, “Jimbo, ,ÂśP SURXG RI \DÂś VRQ ´ -LPER VD\V Âł'DG LWÂśV EHFDXVH JURZLQÂś XS RQ WKLV IDUP made me smart, right?â€? “Yes, sure son,â€? says the proud dad. 7KH QH[W GD\ -LPER FRPHV UXQQLQJ KRPH DJDLQ Âł'DGG\ 'DGG\ ZH ZDV GRing the alphabet in school today and I was the only one that knew the whole thing, from A to Z!â€? “That’s my boy!â€? says the proud dad. Âł'DGG\ ´ VD\V -LPER ÂłLWÂśV EHFDXVH JURZLQÂś XS RQ WKLV IDUP PDGH PH VPDUW ´ 7KH QH[W GD\ -LPER FRPHV UXQQLQJ KRPH DJDLQ Âł'DGG\ 'DGG\ ZH PHDVXUHG everyone in my class today and I am the tallest by 2 inches.â€? “That’s because we are big and strong on this farm, right?â€? “No,â€? says the dad. “It’s because you are 24-years-old, Jimbo.â€?
Riddle Submitted by Reuven Chaim Knobler %DUXFK &KDLP 'RYLG DQG (OL ZKR DUH DFUREDWV XVH GLIIHUHQW NLQGV RI HTXLSPHQW À\LQJ ULQJV KRUL]RQWDO EDUV SDUDOOHO EDUV WUDPSROLQH 0DWFK WKHP XS XVing the clues below: 1) The boy who uses the trampoline is younger than Baruch and the person who uses the horizontal bars. (OL LV \RXQJHU WKDQ &KDLP DQG WKH SHUVRQ ZKR XVHV WKH À\LQJ ULQJV Answer on next page
t 5P TQFOE NPSF UJNF UFYUJOH FTQFDJBMMZ XIFO * BN XJUI PUIFS QFPQMF 4P for example, when I am with friends in the restaurant and waiting for my food, I won’t waste my time by talking with them. I will instead spend my time valuably by sending out texts and catching up with...friends.
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t 5P QPTUQPOF NBLJOH BOZ New Year’s Resolutions until Memorial Day Weekend. -FU T TFF EPFT JU NBLF TFOTF to talk about going on a diet, stopping to spend money and stopping all bad habits when it is EFHSFFT BOE EBSL PVUTJEF PS XIFO JU JT EFHSFFT BOE CBMNZ When are you in a better mood?)
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t 5P CVZ DMPUIJOH UIBU BDUVBMMZ mUT NF SBUIFS UIBO DMPUIJOH UIBU * UIJOL XJMM ďŹ t me in 2 weeks because I am going to lose weight. t 5P CF CFUUFS BU UISFF UIJOHT * XJMM NBLF TVSF UP TQFM LPSSFLUMFF BOE EP better at math. t 5P CFDPNF CFUUFS BU TIBSJOH DSFEJU XJUI PUIFS QFPQMF *G ZPV EPO U UIJOL this resolution is funny, don’t blame me. It was sent in by a reader.) t 5P TUPQ QMBZJOH SFWFSTF QTZDIPMPHZ XJUI NZTFMG :FBI SJHIU * CFU * XPO U be able to accomplish that one.) t /PU UP CMBNF PUIFST XIFO * EP TPNFUIJOH XSPOH "MUIPVHI * OFWFS SFBMMZ do anything wrong and when you think I did something wrong it is just your skewed interpretation of events.)
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3. Which Amendment of the Constitution made slavery illegal? a. Second b. Fourth c. Tenth d. Thirteenth 4. Approximately how many black people served in the Union army during the Civil War? a. None, they were not allowed to serve b. 50,000 c. 100,000 d. 200,000 5. How many words was Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address? a. 269 b. 864 c. 1,305 d. 2,045
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“Now there are more overweight people in America than average-weight people. So overweight people are now average‌ which means, you have met your New Year’s resolution.â€? - Jay Leno “May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions!â€? - Joey Adams “Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account.â€? - Oscar Wilde “He who breaks a resolution is a weakling; he who makes one is a fool.â€? - F.M. Knowles
GOT FUNNY? Let the Commissioner decide. Send yourtostuff to editor@jewishhomela.com Send your stu centerfold@fivetownsjewishhome.com
Answer to riddle: Baruch - Flying Rings; Chaim - Trampoline; 'RYLG +RUL]RQWDO %DUV (OL 3DUDOOHO %DUV
2. What did the Emancipation Proclamation say? a. That All Confederate States should be boycotted. b. That all slaves within the States rebelling against the union should be freed. c. That all slaves anywhere in the U.S should be freed. d. That all slaves who want to be freed may purchase their freedom.
JANUARY 3, 2013
1. Which President issued the Emancipation Proclamation? a. Ulysses S. Grant b. James Buchanan c. Abraham Lincoln d. George Washington
whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great EDWWOH ¿HOG RI WKDW ZDU :H KDYH FRPH WR GHGLFDWH D SRUWLRQ RI WKDW ¿HOG DV D ¿QDO UHVWLQJ SODFH IRU WKRVH who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It LV DOWRJHWKHU ¿WWLQJ DQG SURSHU WKDW ZH VKRXOG GR WKLV But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate -- we cannot hallow -- this ground. Th The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dediFDWHG KHUH KHUH WR WKH XQ¿QLVKHG ZRUN ZKLFK WKH\ who fought here have thus far so nobly aadvanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here m highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under G-d, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
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Test your knowledge of this historical Presidential Order and the circumstances surrounding it, 150 years after its issuance on January 1, 1863.
Answer: 1. C 2. B- It applied only to states that had h seceded from the Union, leaving sslavery untouched in the slave-holding s states of Missouri, Kentucky, MaryODQG DQG 'HODZDUH ' 7KH WK $PHQGPHQW which came into effect on w 'HFHPEHU ZDV WKH ÂżUVW RI WKH WKUHH 5HFRQ5HFRQstruction Amendments adopted after er the American Civil War. It outlawed slavery lavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. ' %ODFNV ZHUH RULJLQDOO\ QRW DODOlowed to serve as combat troops. But that changed throughout the course of the Civil War. Robert Smalls, while still a slave, won fame by defecting from the Confederacy, and bringing a Confederate transport ship which he was piloting to battle. He later met with Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War, to argue for including blacks in combat units. This led to the forPDWLRQ RI WKH ÂżUVW FRPEDW XQLW IRU EODFN VROGLHUV WKH 1st South Carolina Volunteers. Regiments for black soldiers were eventually referred to as United States Colored Troops. 5. A- 269 words. Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 19, 1963, Gettysburg, PA: Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing
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JANUARY 3, 2013
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Notable
Quotes Compiled by Nate Davis
“Say What?” “As the nation teeters at the edge of fiscal chaos, observers are reaching the conclusion that the American system of government is broken. But almost no one blames the culprit: our insistence on obedience to the Constitution, with all its archaic, idiosyncratic and downright evil provisions.” - Opening paragraph of NYT Op-ed by Georgetown Law School professor, Louis Michael Seidman, titled, “Let’s Give Up on the Constitution” “There won’t be a thing called Israel anymore; only Palestine, and it’ll contain Jews, Muslims, Christians and Druze, and all of the people who lived there to begin with. Anyone who wants to stay will stay as a Palestinian citizen.” - Essam al-Erian, the deputy head of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party and advisor to Egyptian President Morsi, discussing what he predicts to be Israel’s status in 10 years “The sector of defense industry should develop in larger numbers sophisticated military hardware of our own style that can contribute to implementing the Party’s military strategy. Only when it builds up its military might in every way can it develop into a thriving country and defend the security and happiness of its people.” - North Korean “leader” Kim Jong Un in a New Year’s Day address “Many of the confrontations occur because of [coalition] ignorance of, or lack of empathy for, Muslim and/or Afghan cultural norms, resulting in a violent reaction from the [Afghan security force] member.” - From the new Army handbook for US troops in Afghanistan “Come together.” - What Starbucks employees are writing by hand on every cup of coffee served in Washington, D.C. “We just made your day very exciting.” - What a Southwest Airlines pilot radioed to the control tower as the plane veered off a taxiway at MacArthur Airport in Long Island last week “I am funnier than people think. I am.” - President Obama in an interview with Barbara Walters, discussing his private life “It is somewhat like taking your child hostage and saying to somebody else, ‘I’m going to shoot
my child unless you do what I want done.’ You don’t want to shoot your child.” - House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., criticizing Republicans’ position on the fiscal cliff negotiations
balanced and responsible way. And if we’re serious about deficit reduction and debt reduction, then it’s going to have to be a matter of shared sacrifice. At least as long as I’m President. And I’m going to be President for the next four years, I hope. So...
Excerpts from President Obama’s December 31 remarks at the White House about a possible fiscal cliff agreement, with hours left to the deadline: I have to say that ever since I took office, throughout the campaign, and over the last couple of months, my preference would have been to solve all these problems in the context of a larger agreement, a bigger deal, a grand bargain, whatever you want to call it, that solves our deficit problems in a balanced and responsible way, that doesn’t just deal with the taxes, but deals with the spending in a balanced way so that we can put all this behind us and just focus on growing our economy.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUSE)
But with this Congress, that was obviously a little too much to hope for at this time. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) The agreement being worked on right now would further reduce the deficit by asking the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans to pay higher taxes for the first time in two decades...Keep in mind that just last month, Republicans in Congress said they would never agree to raise tax rates on the wealthiest Americans. Obviously, the agreement that’s currently discussed would raise those rates, and raise them permanently. Now... (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) Now, if Republicans think that I will finish the job of deficit reduction through spending cuts alone – and you hear that sometimes coming from them, that sort of after today we’re just going to try to shove only spending cuts down, you know, well – shove spending – shove spending cuts at us... (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) ... that will hurt seniors, or hurt students, or hurt middle- class families without asking also equivalent sacrifice from millionaires or companies with a lot of lobbyists, etc. If they think that’s going to be the formula for how we solve this thing, then they’ve another thing coming. That’s not how it’s going to work. We’ve got to do this in a
“I found it astonishing. Here [President Obama] is coming out to speak to the nation at a crucial moment – in very delicate negotiations and he comes out there with incredible arrogance. He ridicules the Congress, he spikes the football on the Republicans. He rubs in the fact that they were resisting a raise in rates and he made them do it. And of course, as always, he places himself hovering benignly at an Olympian level above the fray, where the children are playing in the sandbox and he’s asking that everybody be reasonable as if he just arrived in Washington on a tourist visa. ” - Charles Krauthammer “All newsrooms prepare obituaries for selected figures. The fact that the one for Bush Senior went live was a technical mistake. Sorry!” - Germany newspaper, Der Spiegel, after mistakenly publishing an obituary on Sunday for former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, who is recovering in the hospital “Is there not an appreciation for the Jewish holidays? The X-mas holiday? Kwanzaa? All the other things that families come together around? Bonding rituals important to the strength of our society? Do we not care about that? Well, the American people do. And they want to shop for it.” - House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on the house floor, complaining about having to stay in Washington to deal with fiscal matters “The beginning of a new year is often a time to look forward and look back. The way the future looks, I prefer to look back – and depend on my advanced age to spare me from having to deal with too much of the future.” - Thomas Sowell, in an Investor’s Business Daily article, bemoaning the state of his Republican party “There was just some sloppiness, not intentional.” - President Obama on Meet the Press, explaining what went wrong in Benghazi
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Susan Schwamm
New Year’s Resolutions:
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Lifestyles Why They Come and Go and How to Keep Them This Year
1.
Be SpeciďŹ c. You may want to lose 50 pounds this year, but it won’t help to write that on your “Things UP %P JO w MJTU *OTUFBE XSJUF TNBMM TQFDJmD SFTPlutions along with a deďŹ nitive outcome. “I want to CF IFBMUIZ JO BOE SFTPMWF UP MPTF QPVOET CZ EJFUJOH FYFSDJTJOH BOE HPJOH UP B OVUSJUJPOJTUw PS i* XBOU UP QVU BO FYUSB , JO NZ TBWJOHT BDDPVOU this year and resolve to stop buying my daily java BU 4UBSCVDLT BOE TFU BTJEF B XFFLw BSF NPSF speciďŹ c goals along with tangible steps to achieve them.
2. 3. Popular New Year’s Resolutions for 2013 SPEND MORE TIME WITH FAMILY "/% '3*&/%4 t &"5 )&"-5)*&3 (&5 '*5 t -04& 8&*()5 t %3*/, -&44 "-$0)0- t 26*5 4.0,*/( t '*/% " #&55&3 +0# t (&5 " #&55&3 &%6$"5*0/ t (&5 065 0' %&#5 t 4"7& .03& .0/&: t ."/"(& 453&44 t 3&%6$& 3&64& 3&$:$-& t 5",& " 53*1 t &/+0: -*'& .03& t -&"3/ 40.&5)*/( /&8 t 70-6/5&&3 t (&5 03("/*;&%
4.
Dream the Dream. Once you know what you’re aiming for, it helps to actually visualize what you will be accomplishing—saving the money or losing the weight. Create a mantra for yourself. You can say to yourself, “I am saving $250 so I can have an extra , BU ZFBS T FOE BOE CVZ NZTFMG UIF NPUPSDZDMF * WF CFFO ESFBNJOH PG w &WFSZ UJNF ZPV TBZ UIJT UP yourself, it will reinforce your dream and highlight the enthusiasm that you felt for it on New Year’s day.
Put Pen to Paper. * IBQQFO UP CF B iMJTU QFSTPO w I love writing lists and crossing things o. It helps me organize my thoughts and helps me achieve my goals. Writing a list with step-by-step instructions on how to achieve your resolutions is vital if you’re looking for results. If you set a big goal, it can seem overwhelming and ultimately frustrating when things don’t happen as quickly as you’d like them to happen. Make sure to plan and work on accomplishing one small thing at a time. This way, you’ll stay on track, feel good about what you achieved, and have a plan on how to reach your ultimate goal. You know what Bob always says—it’s all about the baby steps!
Give Yourself the Time. Every one of us has busy schedules. Every day is packed with work, family life and commitments. But if you really want to accomplish what you set out to do, you must give yourself the time to do just that. Set aside blocks of time during the week or day that are dedicated to achieving your goals. If you want to get more organized, give yourself a half hour on Monday and Thursday nights to go over what has to get done. If you want to learn Spanish this year, make sure to set BTJEF NJOVUFT FWFSZ EBZ UP SFWJFX WPDBCVMBSZ JO
addition to listening to language tapes. Your resoluUJPOT XPO U KVTU HFU EPOF PO UIFJS PXO +VTU MJLF ZPV OFFE UP TFU BTJEF UJNF UP EP ZPVS iSFHVMBSw DIPSFT you have to set aside time to get these dreams accomplished as well.
5.
You Can Do It! Thoughts of self-doubt will sabotage your enthusiasm for setting and achieving your goals. Don’t let your thoughts run away without you—when you aren’t excited to go to the gym on a cold, rainy February morning, don’t think, “I’ll OFWFS MPTF UIF XFJHIU BOZXBZ w *OTUFBE UIJOL UIBU you may miss the gym today but you can still exercise more tomorrow—and make sure that you do! It’s OK to be fearful or worry about not being able to accomplish what you set out to do. But don’t let negative thoughts cloud your mind and manipulate your goals.
6.
Strength in Numbers. Having someone work with you towards your goals is encouraging. Your partner can hold you accountable, provide encouragement, and oer help and advice. Perhaps you’d like to work on your resolutions with a friend who has similar goals. Or perhaps a professional, such as a trainer, life coach, nutritionist or business manager, can help you move along throughout the year. Whoever it is, make sure that they are supportive and positive people—those traits are most important if they will be helping you in this endeavor.
7. 8.
Calm Down. 5IFSF BSF EBZT JO UIF ZFBS That’s a lot of days to accomplish what you set out to do. So no matter what slip-ups you may encounter, there will be time to get back up again and start anew. Don’t get stressed or overwhelmed. Spend time every day reconnecting with yourself. Going for a walk, saying Tehillim, doing breathing exercises or going to a yoga class are all ways to help you TUBZ DBMN BOE GPDVTFE JO Reward Yourself—You Deserve It! Small victories are a great motivation to keep working towards your goal. So when you accomplish one or more PG ZPVS iCBCZ TUFQT w NBLF TVSF UP SFXBSE ZPVSTFMG for your achievement. Get a massage, buy yourself a perfume, eat a small chocolate and make sure to celebrate the small successes!
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'PS NBOZ PG VT +BOVBSZ st symbolizes a fresh slate, a time to start anew. And of course, it is time for many of us to take out that tattered sheet of paper from a year ago to see what was accomplished over the past year. Interestingly, it seems that although many of us are conďŹ dent in what we can accomplish over a year’s time, only few of us actually succeed. Richard Wiseman, an author and psychologist, found that 52% of resolution-makers were conďŹ dent that they would achieve UIFJS HPBMT POMZ BDUVBMMZ TVDDFFEFE #VU UIJT ZFBS ZPV UPP DBO CFDPNF QBSU PG UIF MVDLZ XIP BDUVBMMZ BJN GPS UIF TUBST BOE SFBDI UIFN 5IF USJDL JT UP set attainable goals and make a determined eort to reach your aspirations. )FSF BSF TPNF TUFQT UP IFMQ ZPV BDUVBMMZ TUJDL UP UIF EJFU JO
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Global The Republic of “Banistan”
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JANUARY 3, 2013
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The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is home to 180 million people and is the sixth most populous country in the world. Years ago, it was considered a democratic haven for India’s minority Muslim population. Now, the country is dangerously religious. The state has found ways to ban almost anything that it sees as a threat to itself or to Islam. Some have even begun to refer to the country as “Banistan.” Babar Sattar, a Harvard-educated lawyer, is one of “Zia’s Children” — the generation that grew up during the 1970s and 1980s when the culture of forbiddance took root through ironclad legislation passed by the country’s Islamist dictator of the time, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. He explained the pervasive culture found in Pakistan. “The proclivity to ban is the continuing manifestation of expanding religion-driven morality at the expense of personal liberty. We don’t even recognize that there exists a need not to allow collective outrage or shame to pillage individual rights.” Over the years, much has been banned and we take you on a journey through items that may seem mundane but have been considered offensive in this Muslim country. Alcohol has been banned since the 1970’s; a true Muslim does not drink. Booze, though, is still available for the well-connected and the rich. Blackberry services have been banned since May of 2010 when hundreds of websites were banned for blasphemous content that appeared on social network sites. Youtube has been banned, although its competitor Vimeo is not listed under the ban. Cellphones have been banned as well, although this was done more as a safety measure; officials wished to prevent handsets being used to detonate suicide bombs. In the same vein, coats and shawls were at one point banned to help officials detect suicide bombers. Some foods have been banned as well. Pork products, which Muslims do not eat, are prohibited. Products such as Pepsi, which are seen as being “Jewish,” are banned as well. Hair has become a subject of conflict. At one point, rock bands with long hair were banned. In the 2000s, the Taliban would bomb and fine barber shops for shaving men. India and Pakistan have been long-time
foes and all things “Indian”—including news channels, newspapers, and media— are banned. India has a reciprocal ban in its country as well. Marriages are placed under control as well. Only one entrée is allowed at a wedding feast now—the country was once home to elaborate and extravagant weddings. Certain parties are not allowed in one’s home including “Marriages Ceremony” and “Dance Party.” Thankfully, you can still celebrate your birthday at home. Birthday parties are not listed under the ban. Some movies have been banned including The Da Vinci Code and Zero Dark Thirty which tells the tale of the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound. Just recently, the Taliban banned vaccinations against polio. Even though Pakistan is one of only three countries in the world to still have this fatal disease, the Taliban has claimed that the inoculations are a cover for U.S. espionage. I guess Mayor Bloomberg’s ban on soda seems trivial compared to what some are faced across the globe.
Sheps said. Vodka is the drink of choice in Russia. The beverage accounts for almost 50 percent of the alcohol sales; beer only accounts for 32 percent of alcohol purchases. L’chaim!
Bush 41 Alive and Kicking Because of the last-minute, hectic pace of the newspaper industry, there are times when newspapers make mistakes. Some are trivial, some are significant, and some are humorous. But last week, Germany’s respected news weekly Der Spiegel mistakenly published an obituary that made readers pause. An unfinished obituary of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush appeared on its website for a few minutes before eagle-eyed readers caught the error. The former president has been hospitalized recently and was moved from intensive care to a regular hospital room when his condition improved. The 88-year-old is still alive and hopefully will be around for a few more years.
Russia Declares Beer to be Alcohol Beer is no longer a food. Yes, you heard right. Russia has declared that starting in 2013, beer is now considered an alcohol and not a food. This means that it can only be served in licensed outlets—not in street kiosks or bus stations. For years, Russians have been able to buy their beer almost anywhere stores sold food. Now, regulations will make it harder to find a place to purchase the beer and they won’t be able to purchase it from shops between 11pm and 8am. Beer commercials will be prohibited as well. This measure is the government’s effort at reducing alcohol abuse in Russia, where one in five male deaths is linked to booze. Former President Dmitri Medvedev has called the Russian lifestyle a “national calamity.” “We are used to smoking, drinking, eating a poor diet and doing little sport and then falling ill, and expect to be operated on or take pills to get better,” Nikolai Gerasimenko, deputy head of the lower house of parliament’s health committee, has said. “That’s got to stop.” Some have said that the new regulation can promote even unhealthier habits. “It will be tougher if you want to buy a beer on the way home from work, or pop down from your apartment,” Isaac Sheps, chairman of the Union of Russian Brewers, said. “So you have to stock at home. And stocking beer is more problematic than stocking vodka. It’s bulky, it’s big and there’s no room for it in small homes. It’s much easier to buy two bottles of vodka and manage for your instant need for alcohol. So it’s quite ironic that this attempt to improve health and lower alcoholism could have the opposite effect and cause people to drink more harmful spirits,”
practical skills because they spend too much time in front of screens. The 75-year-old said he fears that the next generation of inventors is being lost, with young people often unable to make anything with their hands. Mr. Baylis feels, “Children have got to be taught hands-on, and not to become mobile phone or computer dependent. They should use computers as and when, but there are so many people playing with their computers nowadays that spend all their time sitting there with a stomach.” He says that internet searches are less beneficial than we think. “They are dependent on Google searches. A lot of kids will become fairly brain-dead if they become so dependent on the Internet, because they will not be able to do things the old-fashioned way,” he states. How do you play with Lego again?
“I’m Older!” “NO! I AM!”
The paper does not hold the former leader of the free world in high regard. The magazine’s New York correspondent called Bush a “colorless politician” whose image only improved when compared to his son’s presidency years later. It’s true that Bush Sr. did not win reelection, but he was a war hero whose plane was hit over shark-infested waters during World War II and was miraculously saved by a lifeguard submarine. He was the Ambassador to the United Nations, the Chairman of the Republican National Committee, the Envoy to China, the Director of the Central Intelligence, and the Vice President for eight years before winning the presidency in 1988. Always someone who loves to be on the move, Bush 41 famously skydived on his 80th and 85th birthdays.
Inventor Worries about “Google Generation” One of Britain’s leading inventors has warned that a “Google generation” that relies on the Internet for everything is in danger of becoming “brain-dead.” Trevor Baylis, who invented the wind-up radio, said children are losing creativity and
China and Japan are constantly struggling over territory, politics and economic dominance – but now it appears the two Asian giants could have found another topic to fight about. Earlier this month, a Japanese man was officially declared the world’s oldest living person at 115, but China is fielding an alternative candidate for the title. This week, an official news agency reported claims that a Chinese woman named Luo Meizhen is 127-years-old, which would make her the record-holder by a large margin. Ms. Luo lives in Guangxi region’s Bama County, an area famous for the longevity of its residents. Her ID card claims she was born in 1885, but she does not have a birth certificate to prove this. She lives with her son, whom she says she gave birth to when she was 61. If Ms. Luo is truly 127, that would make her the oldest person ever to have lived, beating Frenchwoman Jeanne
News
A statue of Adolph Hitler kneeling in prayer was erected in a courtyard in the former Warsaw Ghetto. This is an audacious act as in this very spot hundreds of thousands of Jews were forced by Nazis to live in inhumane conditions during the Holocaust. Obviously, many are extremely angered by the statue’s placement and find it disgustingly offensive. The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish Advocacy group, described the decision to place the statue in the former ghetto as “a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazi’s Jewish victims.” Organizers make a pathetic argument claiming that the statue is intended to be thought-provoking. The exhibition’s catalogue says art “can force us to face the evil of the world.” The statue was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan in 2001 and is titled, “HIM.” It has attracted thousands of viewers since it was installed in Warsaw in November. The statue depicts a schoolboy kneeling in prayer. The head is made to indiscreetly resemble Hitler’s. Before being installed in Poland, the statue was shown in galleries, usually at the end of a long hallway with its back to viewers. Viewers were only able to recognize Hitler’s face when they were in close proximity to the sculpture. Reportedly, Poland’s chief rabbi, Rabbi Michael Schudrich, was consulted about the installation, and said he believes it has educational value. Rather than support Hitler, Schudrich felt it shows that evil even lurks in the shape of a “sweet praying child.” I find it to be repulsive.
Sweaters Raise $123K for Myanmar’s Opposition Party Myanmar’s cash-strapped opposition party is tapping into the prestige of its leader. Two sweaters hand-knit by Aung San Suu Kyi have been auctioned for $123,000. A green-and-white sweater with a floral design sold at a Friday night auc-
multicolored V-neck raised another $49,000. Both sweaters were knitted by Suu Kyi at least 25 years ago when she was living in England and raising her two children. “She made them when she was busy working, studying and taking care of her children,” close aide Ko Ni said. “She wants to send the message that people should not stay idle but be diligent.” Suu Kyi has not publicly reacted to the success of her party’s two-day fundraiser, but sources say she was delighted with the results. “Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is satisfied with the auction and the donations received,” Ko Ni said. “She needs a lot of cash to carry out projects for the welfare of the people.” Daw is a term of respect in Myanmar. The auction was part of a fundraising event organized by Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party to raise money for education of poor children and health projects in Myanmar, an impoverished Southeast Asian nation also known as Burma. Suu Kyi, a 67-year-old former political prisoner and winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, has become Myanmar’s biggest celebrity as the country transitions from a half-century of military rule. The proud new owner of the $49,000 red, green and blue V-neck said, “It is priceless because the sweater was made my ‘Amay’ herself,” said Daw Nan Mauk Lao Sai, chairwoman of Shwe FM radio station. “I bought the sweater because I value the warmth and security it will give,” she said, adding that she plans to hang it up in the station’s office for the whole staff to see.
Eggs Are Flying in Spain
Pictures are worth a thousand words… and words can’t begin to depict the hilariousness of this situation. Citizens of Ibi, Spain, annually celebrate the Els Enfarinats festival with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers. The fight takes place between two groups: a group of married men called
“Els Enfarinats” which take the control of the village for one day, pronouncing ridiculous laws and fining the citizens that infringe them, and a group called “La Oposicio” which tries to restore order. At the end of the day, the money collected from the fines is donated to charitable causes in the village. The town of Ibi recovered the 200-year-old tradition in 1981 and has been celebrating since. Family game night has gone to a whole new level…
U. S. Closes Embassy in Central African Republic The State Department has decided to shut the embassy in the Central African Republic. The ambassador and his diplomatic team were ordered to leave the country. The decision is due to the escalation of rebel violence. Lt. Col. Todd Breasseale, a Pentagon spokesman, said that at the State Department’s request, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had directed U.S. Africa Command to evacuate U.S. citizens and designated foreign nationals from the U.S. Embassy in Bangui “to safe havens in the region.” About 40 people were evacuated on an U.S. Air Force plane bound for Kenya. State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said the U.S. Embassy had temporarily suspended operations, but not diplomatic relations with the country. “This decision is solely due to concerns about the security of our personnel and has no relation to our continuing and long-standing diplomatic relations” with the Central African Republic, Ventrell said in a statement. The State Department also warned U.S. citizens against traveling to the Central African Republic, saying it could not “provide protection or routine consular services to U.S. citizens.” The departure of Ambassador Laurence Wohlers and his staff comes as the president of the Central African Republic on Thursday urgently called on France and other foreign powers to help his government fend off rebels who are quickly seizing territory and approaching the capital city, but French officials declined to offer any more military assistance. There are about 200 French soldiers already in the region, providing technical support and helping to train the local army. Rebels have seized at least 10 towns across the sparsely populated north, and residents in the capital of 600,000 people fear insurgents could attack at any time.
Mothers Beaten After Giving Birth for Not Paying Bills The director of the Pumwani Materni-
ty Hospital, located in downtown Nairobi, Kenya, openly acknowledges that he detains mothers who are unable to pay their medical bills. Lazarus Omondi claims it’s the only way he can keep his medical ce
nter running. A New York-based human rights group filed a lawsuit this month in the hopes of forcing Pumwani to stop the practice. Two mothers who live in a mud-wall and tin-roof slum near the maternity hospital said Pumwani wouldn’t let them leave after delivering their babies. The mothers owed $60 and $160 each. Allegedly, guards with sticks beat the mothers who tried to leave without paying their bills, one of the women said. Omondi says one solution to the problem would be a national health insurance program.
Russian Plane Splits into Three Pieces
A Russian airliner split into three pieces after it slid off the runway and crashed onto a highway outside Moscow on December 29. At least four of the 12 crew onboard were killed and another four were hospitalized. There were no passengers on the aircraft. The chunks of aircraft were smoking on the icy road. Media footage showed the Tupolev 204 jet, broken into pieces, with smoke billowing from the tail end and the cockpit broken clean off the front. Rubble from the crash was scattered across the highway and the plane’s wings were torn from the fuselage. “We saw how the plane skidded off the runway ... The nose, where business class is, broke off and a man fell out,” said a witness, who gave his name as Alexei. “We helped him get into a mini-bus to take him to the hospital.” The mid-range Tu-204 was operated by the Russian airline Red Wings and was traveling from the Czech Republic. The Russian-built Tu-204, which is comparable in size to a Boeing 757 or Airbus A321, is a Soviet-era design that was produced
JANUARY 3, 2013
Statue of Hitler in Warsaw Ghetto
tion to an anonymous bidder for 63 million kyat, or $74,120.On Thursday, a
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Calment, who died in 1997 at the age of 122. It is unclear how aggressively China intends to pursue the centenarian’s record claim, but it has the potential to become another bone of contention between the country and its rival power. Even if Ms. Luo does not manage to wrest the title from Mr. Kimura, interest in her home county will undoubtedly continue as it draws thousands of visitors seeking to discover the secret behind the long lives of its 74 residents aged more than 100.
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News
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34 in the mid-1990s but is no longer being made. There have been no major accidents previously reported with Tu-204s. Russian investigators said preliminary findings pointed to pilot error as the cause of the crash. Russia and other former Soviet republics had some of the world’s worst air-traffic safety records last year, with a total accident rate almost three times the world average, the International Air Transport Association said.
Israel Muslim Brotherhood Invites Jews Back to Egypt Essam al-Erian, the deputy head of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, called on Egyptian Jews to leave Israel to the Palestinians and return to their own homeland. The message is one of a mixed attitude towards Jews. On the one hand, Erian welcomes Jews to live in his country. On the other, Jews in Israel are still viewed as illegal occupiers and there is a prevailing f
Research among a sampling of Palestinian Arabs and Israeli Jews.
eeling of anti-Semitism found in Egypt. “Their presence in Palestine contributes to the Zionist occupation of Arab lands, and every Egyptian has the right to live in his country — nobody can deny that,” Erian said during an interview on a privately operated television station on Thursday. “Egyptian Jews should refuse to live under a brutal, bloody and racist occupation stained with war crimes against humanity,” Erian said.
Palestinian Survey Shows True Feelings For all the talk of an alleged Israeli-perpetrated “holocaust” against the Arabs of the region, a recent survey demonstrated that the vast majority of Palestinians know full well that Israelis don’t want to kill them. The survey was conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey
Israeli respondents were asked what they believed the long-term goals of the Palestinians to be. Forty-two percent said they believe the Palestinians, or at least those groups that hold power, want to ultimately conquer all of the Land of Israel and destroy the Jewish population. Conversely, Palestinian respondents were not given an option that included Israel killing all local Arabs. Instead, the worst option Palestinian respondents could choose was that Israel wants to annex the so-called West Bank and either expel or deny political rights to its Arab population. That discrepancy was curious to Israeli media analyst Dr. Aaron Lerner, who wrote to the PCPSR for an explanation. Waleed Ladadweh, a researcher at the PCPSR, responded that after years of asking both sides about “their perceptions of the other party’s ambitions,” the survey group had been able to more tightly focus the questions and ignore irrelevant options. In other words, according to the PCPSR, there simply aren’t enough Palestinian Arabs who truly believe Israel wants to annihilate them to bother including such an option in its surveys.
Israel Allows Goods Into Gaza Israel is definitely the nice guy in this conflict…. On Sunday, Israel allowed 20 truckloads carrying building materials into Gaza for use by the private sector. This permit was granted as part of the cease-fire deal agreed upon in November. Israeli officials said that construction materials would now be allowed in on a daily basis via the Kerem Shalom crossing with Gaza. The easing of restrictions on imports is a result of continuing talks in Cairo meant to anchor the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. In return for Israel being more lax about the importation of goods, Egypt is supposed to help prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza. Israeli officials claim that the goal of easing restrictions is to ensure the longevity of the cease-fire. Experts feel that the discussions will breed open communication with the new Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi who is believed to be crucial in order to preserve the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.
Terrorists Get Big Visitor in Jail The evil man who orchestrated the 2002 suicide bombing of a Pesach Seder at a hotel in Netanya that killed 35 people got a visit in prison on Thursday, December 27 from Ibrahm Sarsur. Sarsur is the Chairman of one of Israel’s largest Arab political parties, United Arab List. Abbas Al-Sayyid is serving 35 life sentences at the Hadarim Detention Center. Sarsur told Israeli media that he met with the terrorist to discuss Palestinian national unity and to observe prison conditions following a hunger strike earlier in the month by Al-Sayyid. This isn’t the first time Al-Sayyid went on hunger strikes to get attention. In March, he went on strike to protest his treatment by Israeli prison staff. Earlier this month, he said his objective for a hunger strike was to show solidarity for two prisoners released in last year’s Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal, who were then rearrested (for valid reasons). Sarsur also visited another murderer, Kareem Younis. Younis is serving a life sentence for his participation in the 1981 murder of Israeli Corporal Avraham Bromberg. Wonder what Sarsur’s true agenda is…
Infant Almost Killed By Palestinian Stone-Thrower An Israeli Jewish infant was nearly killed on Sunday morning when a Palestinian youth hurled a large stone through the windshield of the car in which the baby was traveling. The baby’s father reported the incident, saying that the whole family was in the car driving through Samaria when the attack occurred. The stone smashed through the front windshield and landed just inches from the child. “I do not even want to think what would happen if the rock had hit the baby,” the distressed father said. Two other young children were also in the car. Israeli soldiers stationed nearby initially closed the road and launched a manhunt for the perpetrator, but were forced by Israeli police to abandon the search. They often complain of misbehavior by a police department that is unsympathetic to the dangers they face while living in an area claimed by the Palestinian Arabs. In other words, the police hierarchy leans to the left, and is generally “anti-settler.” Perhaps even more frustrating is the complete lack of mainstream media coverage of such attacks, which have been happening with much greater frequency of late. Unless someone is killed or badly injured, roadside stone-throwing attacks against Jewish motorists are ignored.
35 THE JEWISH HOME JANUARY 3, 2013 www.bartenura.com @bartenurablue Imported by Royal Wine Corp., Bayonne, NJ. Enjoy responsibly.
Schedule of Classes
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Daily Classes Gemara in Your Kup Sun. 7AM, Mon. - Fri. 6AM* Rabbi Weinstock Plumb the depths of Talmudic analysis while deepening your skills Intermediate Level (must first email danhw79@gmail.com to attend) Daf Yomi: Mornings & Evenings Sun 7:30AM; Mon, Th 6AM; T, W, F 6:15AM; Shabbos 8AM*
Mr. Robbie Wizenfeld
Sun-Fri. Nights 9-10pm; Sat. Night – Right After Havdalah. Rabbi Neydavoud
Complete the entire Talmud in 7 ½ years by studying one doublesided page a day! YeshivaNite Mon- Thurs. 8-9:30pm* Rabbi Heimowitz
Recapture the excitement of your yeshiva days by joining our advanced level Beis Medrash program, with directed chavrusas and shiurim. This z’man, we will learning the 7th perek of Bava Kama {Meruba}, exploring the laws of stealing. Amud Yomi Sun 7:30AM; Mon, Th 6AM; Tues, Wed, Fri 6:15AM*
Rabbi Brander
Explore all of Shas from the beginning (Tractate Brachos) at a more leisurely pace, covering one side of a page a day. Mishna Berura on Hilchos Shabbos Sun-Th 9:45-11pm* Rabbi Rashti In-depth study of the laws of Shabbos with the elucidation of the Chofetz Chaim.
Sunday Kollel Yom Rishon: Torah Bazaar 9:15 – 10:30AM (Includes Breakfast) -Choose From:
Inner Journey Rabbi Weinstock
Explore the classic Mussar Text “Duties of the Heart”, focusing on strengthening one’s belief in “G-d the Creator”. Orchos Tzaddikim - The Ways of the Righteous Rabbi Stern
Explore the classic text that delineates refined Jewish character traits. Journey Into Talmud I* Rabbi Brander
A fascinating look at Talmudic logic from a master Gemara teacher (all levels)
The Halachic Mind* Rabbi Haber
Discover the creative yet rigorous halachic logic in Rabbi Moshe Feinstein’s halachic resoonsa (textual skills needed). Practical Judaism*
Rabbi Heimowitz
Learn how to learn the classic halachic text “Mishna Berurah”, focusing on the laws of davening. Ein Yaakov*
Rabbi Ovadia
Plumb the depths of the homiletic writings of the Talmud (Aggada) and discover the hidden meanings of these allegorical teachings.
Monday A Taste of Talmud 8:00-9:00PM* also Thursday Rabbi Neydavoud
If you always dreamt of cracking the impenetrable code of Gemara, this class is for you (introductory level).
Fall-Winter 2012-13
Monday (cont.)
Thursday A Taste of Talmud 8:00-9:00PM*
Not Just Chumash and Rashi 8:05-9:30 PM
Rabbi Neydavoud
Rabbi Brander
Join the most popular and exhilarating Chumash shiur in LA as Rabbi Brander brings the weekly portion alive – an experience for the mind and the soul!
Tuesday Torah Learning For Collegiates (TLC) Women 18-25; 6:30-9:30PM Mrs. Gertel, Mrs. Bloom**
The most popular program of its kind in LA, for young women of all backgrounds, featuring guests speakers from around the world on a plethora of topics that enlighten, challenge and inspire. For more details, please e-mail srbloom@hotmail.com Mastering the Mishnah 8:30-9:30PM* also Thursday Rabbi Ovadia
If you always dreamt of cracking the impenetrable code of Gemara, this class is for you (introductory level). Successful Relationships: Love, Jewish-Style 8:00-9:00PM Rabbi Stern Topics include the unique nature of Jewish love, purpose of marriage, strategies for dating, rules of engagement, integrated functioning in marriage, gender roles, Shalom Bayis tips & control avoidance. (for singles & marrieds).
Not Just for Collegiates Night 8-9:30PM* Rabbi Heimowitz
What do you get when you mix together: challenging UCLA students, provocative Parsha insights and scintillating Talmudic study (with more than a dash of cholent thrown in)?
Acquire a broad overview of Talmudic law by studying the Mishnah at a brisk but comprehensible pace. Special emphasis on the practical halacha as well. Practical Halacha for Women 8:15-9:15PM**
Hands-On Talmud 8:15-9:30PM* Rabbi Brander
An In-depth study of tractate Brachos, including Tosefos; directed chavrusa study from 8:15-9pm,followed by shiur
Rabbi Stern
Mastering the Mishnah 8:30-9:30PM*
Master the laws of the Shabbos home - including cosmetics, writing/erasing, fixing mechanical things and the “medicine cabinet”. Hands-On Talmud 8:15-9:30PM* also Thursday Rabbi Brander
Rabbi Ovadia
Acquire a broad overview of Talmudic law by studying the Mishnah at a brisk but comprehensible pace. Special emphasis on the practical halacha as well. Talmudic Encryptions 8:45-9:30PM*
An In-depth study of tractate Brachos, including Tosefos; directed chavrusa study from 8:15-9pm,followed by shiur Kosher Money 8:30-9:30PM* Rabbi Amar
Rabbi Amar
A look behind the veil of the Aggada of the Gemara to the lessons the Sages wanted to subtly impart (utilizing the commentary of the Ben Ish Chai).
Explore the laws of business dealings, with an emphasis on practical integrity. Sefer Tehillim: From the Depths, In-Depth 8:45-9:30PM* Rabbi Heimowitz
Alei Shur on Chumash 8:50-9:30PM* Rabbi Weinstock
The unique perspective on Chumash/Rashi of Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, one of the great Mussar teachers of our time. Starting with Bereishis and going verse by verse.
A verse by verse analysis of King David’s Magnum Opus – with the classic commentators.
Parsha and Cholent 9:45 –10:30PM*
Wednesday A Matter of Interest 8-8:50PM*
R’ Brander
Get a head start on Shabbos with inspiring Torah and delicious cholent, spiced by occasional guitar-led singing.
Rabbi Weinstock
Friday
A thorough study of the Shulchan Aruch’s laws of forbidden interest. David, King of Israel 8-8:50PM Rabbi Haber
A textual study of Sefer Shmuel I, focusing on the ascension & struggles of Dovid HaMelech. Tehillim in Depth 8:30-9:30PM** Mrs. Geulah Dickerman
A textual analysis of the Book of Psalms, King David’s spiritual autobiography. Taking It Personally 8:50-9:30PM* Rabbi Weinstock
Absorbing the lessons of the Mussar masters on the weekly Parsha.
Living Torah 8:30-9:30pm
Rotating LINK Rabbis.
Inspirational insights into the Parsha followed by Oneg Shabbos/ food Davening Times
Shacharis Sunday- 8:15AM; Monday & Thursday- 6:45AM; Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday- 7AM; Shabbos- 8:45AM Mincha Sun.- 1PM; Mon.-Thur.- 12:30PM & 15 min. before sunset; Fri.- at candle lighting time; Shabbos 30 min. before sunset Maariv Sunday-Thursday 9:30PM & sunset
1453 S. Robertson Blvd. LA, CA 90035 (310) 470-LINK l www.linkla.org **= Women Only
*= Men Only
esthermalkaheller@gmail.com
2012 Year in Review
37 THE JEWISH HOME JANUARY 3, 2013
PEOPLE Hall of Shame
General David Petraeus
Joe Paterno
Lance Armstrong
37: Years he was in the army. 50 push-ups: What he did to convince doctors to release him early after he was shot in the chest during a training exercise in 1991.
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20% FKDQFH WKDW GRFWRUV JDYH $UPVWURQJ WR UHFRYHU from advanced testicular cancer in 1996. Âł7ZR WKLQJV VFDUH PH 7KH ÂżUVW LV JHWWLQJ KXUW %XW that’s not nearly as scary as the second, which is losingâ€? /DQFH $UPVWURQJ 7 7RXU GH )UDQFH WLWOHV $UPVWURQJ HDUQHG IRU KLV FRQVHFXWLYH YLFWRULHV IURP WKURXJK 7 7RXU GH )UDQFH WLWOHV VWULSSHG IURP $UPVWURQJ IRU KLV LPSOLFDWLRQ LQ D PDVVLYH GRSLQJ VFDQGDO ZKLFK uncovered his regular use of steroids. $1,029,754.31 0RQH\ SDLG E\ /DQFH $UPVWURQJ WR DQ ,WDOLDQ GRFWRU VXVSHFWHG RI KHOSLQJ F\FOLVWV GRSH “The most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seenâ€? +RZ WKH 8 6 $QWL 'RSLQJ $JHQF\ GHVFULEHG $UPVWURQJÂśV DFWLRQV “Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling; he deserves to be forgotten in cyclingâ€?: Pat 0F4XDLG KHDG RI WKH ,QWHUQDWLRQDO &\FOLQJ 8QLRQ RQ 2FWREHU DQQRXQFLQJ WKDW $UPVWURQJ ZDV EDQQHG IURP SURIHVVLRQDO F\FOLQJ FRPSHWLWLRQ for life. “Witch-huntâ€?: $UPVWURQJÂśV FKDUDFWHUL]DWLRQ RI WKH GRSLQJ LQYHVWLJDWLRQ DQG ÂżQGLQJV
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2012 Year in Review
JANUARY 3, 2013
38
THE JEWISH HOME
$hakers and Baker$
Mark Zuckerberg: Takes Facebook Public
Lin-Sanity: From Lowly Harvard Graduate to NBA Star
$38 ,32 SULFH SHU )DFHERRN VKDUH RQ 0D\ $19 SULFH SHU )DFHERRN VKDUH RQ $XJXVW $27 $SSUR[LPDWH FXUUHQW VKDUH SULFH 3: 1XPEHU RI GD\V DIWHU WDNLQJ )DFHERRN SXEOLF WKDW =XFNHUEHUJ VKDUHV WKH ZHDOWK² KH JHWV PDUULHG Sept. 4, 2012 =XFNHUEHUJ SURPLVHV QRW WR VHOO KLV VWRFN LQ )DFHERRN IRU DW OHDVW D \HDU D PRYH meant to reassure investors spooked that shares ZLOO ÀRRG WKH PDUNHW ZKHQ ORFNXS SHULRGV WKDW allow insiders to sell stock expire.
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57 /LQ LV WKH ÂżUVW +DUYDUG 8QLYHUVLW\ JUDGXDWH WR PDNH WKH 1%$ LQ WKDW PDQ\ \HDUV DOWKRXJK KH went undrafted. “Every time I try to get into Madison Square Garden, the security guards ask me if I’m a trainer LOLâ€?: /LQ SRVWLQJ RQ KLV )DFHERRN SDJH RQ -DQXDU\ Couch in brother’s apartment: Where Lin slept ZKHQ ÂżUVW MRLQLQJ WKH .QLFNV XQWLO /LQVDQLW\ ZDV ZHOO XQGHU ZD\ 7DONLQJ DERXW EHLQJ /LQ IUXJDO 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists /LQÂśV )HEUXDU\ 4th SHUIRUPDQFH LQ KLV ÂżUVW JDPH SOD\LQJ IRU WKH .QLFNV 20 $PRXQW RI SRLQWV VFRUHG E\ /LQ LQ HDFK RI KLV ÂżUVW VWDUWV PDNLQJ KLP WKH RQO\ 1%$ SOD\HU LQ history to have that accomplishment. “He got lucky because we were playing so badâ€?: .QLFNV IRUPHU FRDFK 0LNH 'Âś$QWRQL H[SODLQLQJ why he let Lin play. 3,000% $PRXQW RI LQFUHDVH LQ WUDIÂżF WR WKH .QLFNVÂś RQOLQH VWRUH LQ WKH ÂżUVW GD\V RI /LQ 6DQLW\ 11%: ,QFUHDVH LQ SULFH IRU VKDUHV LQ 06- VWRFN GXULQJ WKH ÂżUVW ZHHNV RI /LQ VDQLW\ $25 million: /LQFUHGLEOH FRQWUDFW /LQ VLJQHG ZLWK WKH 5RFNHWV DIWHU WKH .QLFNV OHW KLP ZDON DW WKH end of the season.
Jamie Dimon: Talking About a Bad Bet “I think you’re wrong!â€?: :KDW 'LPRQ VKRXWHG RXW WR an iconic Harvard Professor when he arrived for his ÂżUVW FODVV DQG WKH SURIHVVRU SRVWHG DQ LOOXVWUDWLRQ RQ WKH EODFNERDUG 'LPRQ ZDV ULJKW “No Whinersâ€? 6LJQ SRVWHG LQ KLV RIÂżFH “You deserve thisâ€?: What he said to his wife on WKHLU th wedding anniversary when he gave her a FHUWLÂżFDWH RIÂżFLDOO\ KDQGOLQJ RYHU WR KHU D WKLUG RI his wealth. “Citigroupâ€?: 7 VKLUWV 'LPRQ ZHDUV GHVSLWH KDYLQJ EHHQ ÂżUHG IURP WKDW EDQN LQ DQG EHLQJ &(2 RI -3 0RUJDQ VLQFH 1: The amount of towels his daughters are allowed WR XVH SHU ZHHN LQ RUGHU WR UHGXFH WKH DPRXQW RI ODXQGU\ WKDW QHHGV WR EH GRQH DW KRPH “It takes too much timeâ€? :K\ KH GRHVQÂśW SOD\ JROI XQOLNH PRVW EDQNHUV $27.5 million $QQXDO VDODU\ DV &(2 DQG FKDLUPDQ RI -30RUJDQ &KDVH &R %HVW NQRZQ IRU $YRLGLQJ ORVVHV GXULQJ WKH FUDVK E\ NHHSLQJ -3 0RUJDQ &KDVH DZD\ IURP ULVN\ WUDQVDFWLRQV VXFK DV FUHGLW GHIDXOW VZDSV &'6 $5.8 billion $PRXQW -3 0RUJDQ &KDVH ORVW DV RI -XO\ LQ D VHULHV RI GHULYDWLYH WUDQVDFWLRQV LQYROYLQJ FUHGLW GHIDXOW VZDSV &'6 $7 billion: Potential additional losses due to the trade. “Flawed, complex, poorly conceived, poorly vetted and poorly executed...This should never have happened...I can’t justify itâ€?: 'LPRQ DW -3 0RUJDQÂśV DQQXDO PHHWLQJ RQ 0D\ GLVFXVVLQJ WKH EDG WUDGH
Dictator Watch Vladimir Putin (Russia) 2Q 0DUFK 9ODGLPLU 3XWLQ LV HOHFWHG WR D third term as president of Russia in an election that is ULGGOHG ZLWK IUDXG LQWLPLGDWLRQ DQG EDOORW ER[ VWXIIing. ProtÊgÊ and former President Vladimir MedveGHY ZKR VHUYHG RQH \HDU WHUP VR WKDW 3XWLQ ZRXOG EH LQ FRPSOLDQFH ZLWK 5XVVLDœV &RQVWLWXWLRQ ZKLFK GRHVQœW DOORZ PRUH WKDQ ³WZR FRQVHFXWLYH WHUPV ´ SDYHG WKH ZD\ IRU 3XWLQœV H[WHQGHG WKLUG WHUP E\ amending the constitution to lengthen presidential WHUPV WR \HDUV 3XWLQ FRXOG EH UH HOHFWHG DQG VHUYH XQWLO ORQJHU WKDQ DQ\ 6RYLHW OHDGHU EXW -RVHI 6WDOLQ 6LQFH VWDUWLQJ KLV WHUP 3XWLQ KDV deployed tax collectors and health inspectors to shut down dissident groups and monopoOL]HG DOO PDMRU PHGLD DV IHDUV PRXQW WKDW KH LV GHWHUPLQHG WR UXOH 5XVVLD ZLWK DQ LURQ ¿VW
Hugo Chavez (Venezuela) 2Q 2FWREHU +XJR &KDYH] is elected to his third 6 year term as 3UHVLGHQW RI 9HQH]XHOD &KDYH] ZKR KDG EHHQ EDWWOLQJ FDQFHU DQG ZKR DW D SXEOLF UDOO\ SUD\HG ³, KDYH PRUH WR GR IRU WKLV FRXQWU\ DQG WKHVH SHRSOH GR QRW WDNH PH \HW ´ GHFODUHG KLPVHOI IXOO\ UHFRYHUHG IURP FDQFHU VKRUWO\ EHIRUH WKH HOHFWLRQ +RZHYHU DOO LQGLFDWLRQV DUH WKDW &KDYH] KDV UHDFKHG WKH HQG RI WKH OLQH +H KDV UHWXUQHG WR &XED IRU DGGLWLRQDO VXUJHU\ DIWHU KLV FDQFHU UHWXUQHG IRU WKH WKLUG WLPH 3ULRU WR GHSDUWLQJ WR &XED KH WROG KLV VXSSRUWHUV ³7KDQNIXOO\ WKLV UHYROXWLRQ GRHVQœW MXVW GHSHQG RQ RQH SHUVRQ ´
2012 Year in Review
39
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Kim Jong-Un (North Korea)
Hafez al-Assad (Syria)
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Politics WINNERS
President Obama Wins Presidential election.
LOSERS
Mitt Romney Loses Presidential election.
UP & COMERS
Marco Rubio Thorough conservative FUHGHQWLDOV $V D /DWLQR FDQ ZLQ enough of the increasingly important FRQVWLWXHQF\ 6HULRXV *23 contender.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
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Takes on unions and enacts reform. Handedly wins UHFDOO HOHFWLRQ EHDWLQJ XQLRQV DJDLQ
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House Speaker John Boehner
UN Ambassador Susan Rice
Unions
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Lose Wisconsin recall election. 8QDEOH WR SUHYHQW Michigan from enacting union EXVWLQJ ³5LJKW WR :RUN´ ODZ 0DQ\ 5HSXEOLFDQ JRYHUQRUV DUH HQJDJLQJ LQ VLPLODU XQLRQ EXVWLQJ PHDVXUHV
Gov. Cuomo
NY City Council Speaker Christine Quinn
San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro
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JANUARY 3, 2013
Mohammed Morsi (Egypt)
THE JEWISH HOME
Fidel Castro (Cuba)
2012 Year in Review
THE JEWISH HOME
JANUARY 3, 2013
40
PL ACES Benghazi: Timeline of a Cover Up September 11, 2012 86 $PEDVVDGRU WR /LE\D &KULV 6WHYHQV DQG WKUHH RWKHU $PHULFDQ RI¿FLDOV DUH NLOOHG LQ DQ DWWDFN RQ WKH 86 FRQVXODWH LQ %HQJKD]L /LE\D $V WKH DWWDFN WDNHV SODFH 2EDPD DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ RI¿FLDOV UHFHLYH UHDO WLPH LQIRUPDWLRQ IURP DQ XQPDQQHG VXUYHLOODQFH GURQH DERYH WKH FRQVXODWH ,Q KHU LQLWLDO VWDWHPHQWV DERXW WKH DWWDFN 6HFUHWDU\ RI 6WDWH +LOODU\ &OLQWRQ LQVLQXDWHV WKDW WKH DWWDFN ZDV FDXVHG E\ DQ DQJU\ PRE ZKR ZHUH DQJHUHG E\ DQ DQWL 0XVOLP YLGHR ZKLFK ZDV DQ LQWHQWLRQDO HIIRUW WR GHQLJUDWH WKH UHOLJLRXV EHOLHIV RI RWKHUV ´
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128,100 Feet Above the Earth on October 14, 2012
Sept 19 1DWLRQDO &RXQWHUWHUURULVP &HQWHU 'LUHFWRU 0DWW 2OVHQ WHOOV D 6HQDWH VXEFRPPLWWHH WKDW WKH $PHULFDQ RI¿FLDOV LQ %HQJKD]L ³ZHUH killed in the course of a terrorist attack on our HPEDVV\ ´
Oct 9 6HQLRU 6WDWH 'HSDUWPHQW RI¿FLDOV UHYHDO there were no protests prior to the terrorist DWWDFN RQ WKH 8 6 FRQVXODWH LQ %HQJKD]L ² FRQWUDU\ WR ZKDW DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ RI¿FLDOV KDYH EHHQ VD\LQJ IRU ZHHNV
Sept 21 +LOODU\ &OLQWRQ FDOOV WKH %HQJKD]L LQFLGHQW D ³WHUURULVW DWWDFN´ IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH
Oct 15 &OLQWRQ WDNHV UHVSRQVLELOLW\ IRU WKH DWWDFNV DQG EODPHV WKH PLV LQIRUPDWLRQ RQ WKH ÂłIRJ RI war.â&#x20AC;?
Sept 20 )RU WKH ÂżUVW WLPH :KLWH +RXVH 6SRNHVPDQ -RH &DUQH\ FDOOV LW D ÂłWHUURULVW DWWDFN ´ :KHQ DVNHG DERXW &DUQH\ÂśV FRPPHQWV 3UHVLGHQW 2EDPD ZKR ZDV RQ WKH FDPSDLJQ WUDLO maintains that the attack was a result of â&#x20AC;&#x153;natural protestsâ&#x20AC;? that arose from the antiMuslim video. Sept 27 3DQHWWD WHOOV UHSRUWHUV WKDW %HQJKD]L ÂłZDV a terrorist attackâ&#x20AC;? and that it â&#x20AC;&#x153;took a while to UHDOO\ JHW VRPH RI WKH IHHGEDFN IURP ZKDW exactly happened at that location.â&#x20AC;? $UP\ *HQ 0DUWLQ ( 'HPSVH\ FKDLUPDQ RI WKH -RLQW &KLHIV RI 6WDII VD\V WKDW WKH 8 6 knew in advance that a terrorist attack was EHLQJ SODQQHG IRU %HQJKD]L &DUQH\ WHOOV UHSRUWHUV Âł7KH 3UHVLGHQWÂśV position [is] that this was a terrorist attack.â&#x20AC;?
2 Hours, 21 Minutes: Time it took Felix %DXPJDUWQHU WR Ă&#x20AC;RDW IHHW DERYH WKH JURXQG +H ZDV VHDWHG LQ D VSHFLDOL]HG FDSVXOH DWWDFKHG WR D VWRU\ KHOLXP EDOORRQ 833.9 mph (Mach 1.24): 6SHHG UHDFKHG E\ )HOL[ Baumgartner during his death-defying plunge from PRUH WKDQ PLOHV DERYH HDUWK 5 <HDUV %DXPJDUWQHU WUDLQHG IRU KLV MXPS IURP VSDFH 4:20 seconds: Time it took â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fearless Felixâ&#x20AC;? to freeIDOO feet. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes we have to get really high to see how small we are´ %DXPJDUWQHU DIWHU WKH MXPS Panic attacks: Baumgartner started suffering from
Oct 24 5HXWHUV UHSRUWV WKH :KLWH +RXVH 3HQWDJRQ DQG RWKHU JRYHUQPHQW DJHQFLHV OHDUQHG MXVW WZR KRXUV LQWR WKH %HQJKD]L DWWDFN WKDW $QVDU DO 6KDULD DQ ,VODPLF PLOLWDQW JURXS KDG ÂłFODLPHG FUHGLW´ IRU LW +LOODU\ &OLQWRQ ZDUQV QRW WR GUDZ FRQFOXVLRQV EHFDXVH ÂłFKHUU\ SLFNLQJ RQH VWRU\ KHUH RU RQH GRFXPHQW WKHUH´ FDQ EH PLVOHDGLQJ Nov 15 7KH +RXVH DQG 6HQDWH ,QWHOOLJHQFH &RPPLWWHHV EHJLQ KROGLQJ KHDULQJV RQ WKH %HQJKD]L DWWDFN Dec 20 &OLQWRQ VFKHGXOHG WR WHVWLI\ LQ IURQW RI &RQJUHVV EXW KDV D VWRPDFK Ă&#x20AC;X DQG IDLQWLQJ VSHOO DQG LQIRUPV &RQJUHVV WKDW DW WKH DGYLFH RI KHU GRFWRUV VKH ZRXOG EH XQDEOH WR WHVWLI\ at this time. Her testimony is expected to take SODFH PLG -DQXDU\
them when he had to spend hours locked inside WKH VWLII SUHVVXUL]HG VXLW DQG KHOPHW QHFHVVDU\ IRU survival at the edge of space.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;All of my life I have been looking for unique goals, things no one has accomplishedâ&#x20AC;? - Baumgartner explaining why he did the jump
2012 Year in Review
ArcelorMittal Orbit, a 377-foot sculpture and observation tower in the Olympic Park. It is Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest piece of public art.
Gaza: Operation Pillar of Defense Nov. 14 ,Q UHVSRQVH WR LQFHVVDQW URFNHW DWWDFNV IURP WKH *D]D 6WULS ,VUDHO EHJLQV 2SHUDWLRQ 3LOODU RI 'HIHQVH ZLWK D SUHFLVLRQ PLVVLOH VWULNH LQ EURDG GD\OLJKW LQ WKH KHDUW RI WKH *D]D VWULS NLOOLQJ $KPHG DO -DEDUL WKH FRPPDQGHU RI +DPDVœV PLOLWDU\ ZLQJ ,VUDHO SRVWHG WKH ³SHUIHFW KLW´ RQ <RXWXEH
Nov. 15 7ZR )DMU rockets land LQ WKH VXEXUEV RI 7HO $YLY
Nov. 17 ,VUDHOL reserves FDOOHG XS LQ anticipation of a ground invasion LQWR *D]D
Nov. 16 7KH SULPH PLQLVWHU RI (J\SW +LVKDP 4DQGLO YLVLWV WKH *D]D 6WULS +LV RIÂżFLDO SXUSRVH RI WKH YLVLW ZDV to â&#x20AC;&#x153;show solidarity with the Palestinian people.â&#x20AC;? He DUUDQJHG IRU D KRXU FHDVHÂżUH WR DFFRPPRGDWH KLV YLVLW EXW DSSUR[LPDWHO\ URFNHWV ZHUH ÂżUHG IURP WKH *D]D 6WULS GXULQJ WKH WHPSRUDU\ FHDVHÂżUH
1,500: Terror cells targeted during the GD\ RSHUDWLRQ 1,506 7RWDO QXPEHU RI URFNHWV ÂżUHG IURP *D]D GXULQJ WKH RSHUDWLRQ 421 1XPEHU RI URFNHWV LQWHUFHSWHG E\ WKH ,URQ 'RPH GHIHQVH V\VWHP HTXDOLQJ DQ VXFFHVV UDWH ,URQ 'RPH QRW \HW SUHVHQW LQ DOO DUHDV 152: 1XPEHU RI URFNHWV ÂżUHG IURP *D]D ZKLFK FUDVKHG EDFN LQWR *D]D 5 1XPEHU RI ,VUDHOL FLYLOLDQV NLOOHG E\ URFNHWV Hashem yinkom dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;amam. 50 miles 'LVWDQFH EHWZHHQ <HUXVKDOD\LP DQG *D]D 2QH ORQJ range rocket landed in the outskirts of Yerushalayim. Pamphlets distributed by the IDF as part of its media campaign
Nov. 18 3UHVLGHQW 2EDPD VXSSRUWV ,VUDHO DQG VD\V â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is no country on earth that would WROHUDWH PLVVLOHV UDLQLQJ GRZQ RQ LWV FLWL]HQV IURP RXWVLGH LWV ERUGHUV 6R ZH DUH IXOO\ VXSSRUWLYH RI ,VUDHOÂśV ULJKW WR GHIHQG LWVHOI from missiles landing on peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homes.â&#x20AC;?
Nov. 20 Two rockets land LQ *XVK (W]LRQ QHDU <HUXVKDOD\LP DV +LOODU\ &OLQWRQ DUULYHV LQ ,VUDHO WR EURNHU D FHDVHÂżUH
Nov. 21 $ EXV ERPE LQ 7HO $YLY LQMXUHV Nov. 21 &HDVHÂżUH EHJLQV at 9 PM.
JANUARY 3, 2013
205: 1XPEHU RI nations that participated in the Olympic games. 104 7RWDO PHGDOV ZRQ E\ WKH 8 6 $ 87 7RWDO PHGDOV ZRQ E\ VHFRQG SODFH &KLQD 6 1XPEHU RI PHGDOV ZRQ E\ 0LFKDHO 3KHOSV LQ 2O\PSLFV WR PDNH KLP WKH PRVW GHFRUDWHG 2O\PSLDQ RI DOO WLPH ZLWK D WRWDO RI PHGDOV RI WKHP DUH JROG 219.4 million 1XPEHU RI $PHULFDQV ZKR ZDWFKHG VRPH RI WKH JDPHV 71 $JH RI -DSDQHVH 2O\PSLDQ +LURVKL +RNHWVX D GUHVVDJH ULGHU ZKR ZDV WKH ROGHVW DWKOHWH DW WKH *DPHV 1,500 1XPEHU RI VHDWV LQ D 0F'RQDOGV ZKLFK ZDV EXLOW LQ 2O\PSLF 9LOODJH VSHFLÂżFDOO\ IRU WKH JDPHV /LJKWQLQJ %ROW -DPDLFDQ VSULQWHU 8VDLQ %ROW VHW ZRUOG UHFRUGV IRU WKH
PHWHUV DQG PHWHUV GDVKHV OHDGLQJ WR KLV VHOI GHFODUDWLRQ Âł,ÂśP QRZ D OHJHQG ,ÂśP DOVR WKH JUHDWHVW DWKOHWH WR OLYH ´ Female Power /RQGRQ ZDV WKH ÂżUVW 2O\PSLFV ZKHUH HYHU\ FRXQWU\ KDG DW least 1 female athlete. Did you know: While the Olympics generates over D ELOOLRQ LQ VSRQVRUVKLS WKHUHÂśV QR YLVLELOLW\ IRU sponsors. Olympic venues have no signage and Olympic athletes compete in the colors of their FRXQWU\ QRW WKHLU VSRQVRUV 7KH ÂłFOHDQ ÂżHOG RI playâ&#x20AC;? policy also applies to the areas immediately surrounding the Olympic venues. Nice or Ugly: The Olympics left London with its ODUJHVW SLHFH RI SXEOLF DUW $ IRRW REVHUYDWLRQ WRZHU WKDW ZDV EXLOW LQ WKH 2O\PSLF SDUN DQG LV VXSSRVHG WR EH D SHUPDQHQW Âż[WXUH RI /RQGRQ
THE JEWISH HOME
London 2012
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2012 Year in Review
THINGS Skittles/Hoodies
Costa Concordia
Memorable Election Gaffes
LQWR D OLIHERDW ´ &RDVWJXDUG UHFRUGLQJV FDSWXUHG WKH FRDVWJXDUG RQ GXW\ FRPPDQGLQJ KLP â&#x20AC;&#x153;You get back on board! That is an order!â&#x20AC;? DQG Âł/LVWHQ 6FKHWWLQR SHUKDSV \RX KDYH VDYHG \RXUVHOI IURP WKH VHD EXW , ZLOO PDNH \RX ORRN YHU\ EDG , ZLOO PDNH \RX SD\ IRU WKLV JR EDFN RQ ERDUG ´
- President Obama on July 13th in Roanoke, Virginia
â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was SHRSOH GLH ZKHQ WKH &RVWD a great teacher somewhere in your &RQFRUGLD VDQN life. Somebody helped to create this off the Tuscan isunbelievable American system that we ODQG RI *LJOLR LQ have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody ,WDO\ DIWHU &DStain Francesco invested in roads and bridges. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve 6FKHWWLQR DOOHJHGO\ SLORWHG WKH OLQHU WRR FORVH WR VKRUH got a business â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t build that. DV D VDOXWH 6FKHWWLQR ZKR KDV EHHQ GXEEHG Âł&DSWDLQ &RZDUG ´ FODLPV WKDW KH GLG QRW MXPS VKLS EXW ÂłIHOO Somebody else made that happen.â&#x20AC;?
THE JEWISH HOME
JANUARY 3, 2013
42
â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the President no matter what ... who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims. ... These are people who pay no income tax. ... and US Elections so my job is not to worry about those $IWHU 0LWW 5RPQH\ UHYLYHG KLV FKDQFHV E\ VFRULQJ people. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never convince them that they D UHVRXQGLQJ YLFWRU\ LQ WKH ÂżUVW 3UHVLGHQWLDO 'HEDWH should take personal responsibility and 7ZR WULYLDO LWHPV ZKLFK EHFDPH SDUW RI WKH WUDJLF the race stayed neck-and-neck down to the wire. But care for their lives.â&#x20AC;?
VWRU\ RI WKH 7UD\YRQ 0DUWLQ VKRRWLQJ ZKLFK WRRN SODFH RQ )HEUXDU\ ZKHQ QHLJKERUKRRG ZDWFKPDQ *HRUJH =LPPHUPDQ VKRW 0DUWLQ ZKR ZDV ZHDULQJ D KRRGLH DQG UHWXUQLQJ IURP (OHYHQ ZKHUH KH ERXJKW 6NLWWOHV =LPPHUPDQ UHPDLQV WR EH WULHG
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2Q )HEUXDU\ 4XHHQ (OL]DEHWK ,, EHFDPH RQO\ WKH VHFRQG %ULWLVK PRQDUFK WR FHOHEUDWH \HDUV RQ WKH WKURQH RIÂżFLDO 'LDPRQG -XELOHH PHGDOV ZHUH DZDUGHG WR $UPHG )RUFHV PHPEHUV DQG RWKHUV 7KHUH ZHUH URDG FORVXUHV IRU 'LDPRQG -XELOHH VWUHHW SDUWLHV DQG DQ HVWLPDWHG PLOOLRQ SHRSOH LQ WKH 8. WRRN SDUW LQ %LJ -XELOHH /XQFKHV 'HVSLWH MRLQLQJ LQ WKH RIÂżFLDO FHOHEUDWLRQV WKH KHLU WR WKH WKURQH 3ULQFH &KDUOHV PD\ KDYH EHHQ OHVV WKDQ H[FLWHG ,Q UHFHQW FDQGLG FRPPHQWV KH H[SUHVVHG WKDW KH LV JHWWLQJ ÂłLPSDWLHQW´ ZLWK KLV \HDU ZDLW WR DVsume the throne. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll run out of time soon,â&#x20AC;? this poor man â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whose mother just wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t die â&#x20AC;&#x201C; said.
that is not the picture that emerged on election night ZKHQ 3UHVLGHQW 2EDPD UHVRXQGLQJO\ GHIHDWHG 0LWW 5RPQH\ E\ WDNLQJ RI WKH SRSXODU YRWH DQG HOHFWRUDO YRWHV FRPSDUHG WR 5RPQH\ÂśV DQG HOHFWRUDO YRWHV 'HVSLWH DQ DSSUR[LPDWH ELOOLRQ KDYLQJ EHHQ VSHQW RQ WKH HOHFWLRQ WKH HOHFWRUDO PDS DQG WKH ODQGVFDSH LQ &RQJUHVV HIIHFWLYHO\ VWD\HG WKH VDPH DV LW ZDV LQ ,Q WKH DIWHUPDWK RI WKH UDFH WKHUH KDYH EHHQ QXmerous theories as to why Romney lost. Romney KLPVHOI VXJJHVWHG WKDW 3UHVLGHQW 2EDPDÂśV HQWLWOHPHQW SURJUDPV ZHUH ÂłJLIWV´ WR NH\ FRQVWLWXHQFLHV 6RPH VD\ WKDW 5RPQH\ GLGQÂśW ÂżJKW OLNH KH ZDQWHG LW ,Q IDFW KLV VRQ 7DJJ UHFHQWO\ VWDWHG â&#x20AC;&#x153;He wanted to be President less than anyone Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve met in my life. He had no desire ... to run. If he could have found someone else to take his place ... he would have been ecstatic to step aside.â&#x20AC;? $OO WKHRULHV DVLGH 3UHVLGHQW 2EDPD VLPSO\ KDG D superior ground game with thousands of paid workHUV RQ WKH JURXQGV LQ NH\ EDWWOHJURXQG DUHDV WR JHW out the vote. Romneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campaign relied on a software program for their get-out-the-vote effort. The program, which had not been stress-tested, crashed on Election Day.
- Mitt Romney on May 17th in Boca Raton, Fla.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would do away with the Education, the, uh, Commerce, and, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s see. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. The third one I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Sorry. Oops.â&#x20AC;? - Rick Perry in a cringe-worthy, campaign-ending moment during a Republican primary debate
Biden-isms â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to put yâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;all back in chains.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; VP Biden on Aug. 14th in Danville, Va., talking to a largely African-American audience
â&#x20AC;&#x153;My mother believed and my father believed that if I wanted to be President of the United States, I could be, I could be Vice President!â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; VP Biden on May 16th in Youngstown, Ohio
â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is deadly earnest, how they can justify â&#x20AC;&#x201C; how they can justify raising taxes on the middle class thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been buried the last four years. How in the L-rdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name can they justify raising their taxes with these tax cuts?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; VP Biden on Oct. 3rd in Charlotte, N.C.
2012 Year in Review
43
Fiscal Cliff
$IWHU 6XSUHPH &RXUW RUDO DUJXPHQWV LQ 0DUFK PRVW SXQGLWV DVVXPHG WKDW 2EDPDFDUH ZRXOG EH effectively overturned. But in a stunning turn of events RQ -XQH WK IRUPHU FRQVHUYDWLYH GDUOLQJ &KLHI Justice John * 5REHUWV switched his position â&#x20AC;&#x201C; supposedly in the eleventh hour â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and in an act of legal MXMLWVX YRWHG WR XSKROG 2EDPDFDUH SURYLGLQJ D WK YRWH President Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature WR WKH OLEHUDO on the healthcare bill side of the EHQFK Some speculate that Robertsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; actions were based on his desire to protect the Court he leads from being criticized as merely another partisan branch of government and to prevent Democrats from campaigning on an antiSupreme Court agenda. 2WKHUV EHOLHYH WKDW 5REHUWV IRUHVDZ WKDW LQ the next few years there ZLOO EH NH\ VRFLDO LVVXHV EURXJKW EHIRUH WKH FRXUW including same-gender PDUULDJH DQG KH VRXJKW to show that the court is LPSDUWLDO LQ RUGHU WR EH DEOH WR GHOLYHU &RQVHUvative decisions on these &KLHI -XVWLFH -RKQ * 5REHUWV former right-wing pride matters. A more cynical turned â&#x20AC;&#x153;Benedict Arnoldâ&#x20AC;? view of Robertsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; deci(at least for now). sion is that he has been corrupted by the Washington D.C. cocktail circuit and sought to be in the good graces of the liberal majority which currently controls D.C..
Many homes were destroyed and thousands lived LQ WKH GDUN IRU ZHHNV RQ HQG EXW WKH VLOYHU OLQLQJ LQ DOO the hardship was how the community came together and did all that they could to help those who were affected the most.
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16 ounce sodas
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Newsweek The printing presses grind to a halt as Newsweek prints its last print edition. Circulation plunged over SHUFHQW LQ ÂżYH \HDUV DQG WKH FRPSDQ\ LV UHSRUWedly losing about $40 million a year. 6XSSRUWHUV RI ,VUDHO ZLOO QRW PRXUQ WKH ORVV RI 1HZVZHHN ZKLFK KDG FRQVLVWHQWO\ VKRZQ DQ DQWL ,VUDHO ELDV
Shootings Newtown Connecticut FKLOGUHQ DQG RI WKHLU WHDFKHUV WUDJLFDOO\ JXQQHG GRZQ LQ 6DQG\ +RRN (OHPHQWDU\ 6FKRRO E\ GHUDQJHG PDGPDQ $GDP /DQ]D RQ 'HFHPEHU WK Aurora, Colorado NLOOHG DQG LQMXUHG ZKHQ -DPHV (DJDQ +ROPHV VHW RII WHDU JDV JUHQDGHV and shot into the audience at a midnight showing of a PRYLH RQ -XO\ Oak Creek, Wisconsin - 6 killed when white suSUHPDFLVW :DGH 0LFKDHO 3DJH VKRW XS D 6LNK 7HPSOH RQ $XJXVW Malala Yousafzai - 14-year-old Pakistani girl shot E\ WKH 7DOLEDQ ZKLOH UHWXUQLQJ IURP VFKRRO LQ 3DNLVWDQ +HU VLQ ZDV EHLQJ DQ DGYRFDWH IRU IHPDOH HGXFDWLRQ 6KH PLUDFXORXVO\ VXUYLYHG DQG LV UHFRYHULQJ LQ (QJODQG
Notable issues
First issue: February 17, 1933
Last Print issue: December 31, 2012
JANUARY 3, 2013
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THE JEWISH HOME
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g Avi Heiligman
The A-4 Skyhawk Making the Israeli Air Force One of the Best in the World
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WWDFN DLUFUDIW DUH VSHFLÂżFDOO\ XVHG for air-to-ground purposes like infantry support. For example, during the recent war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US Air Force found that they had only one aircraft capable of performing vital infantry support duties and that was the A-10 Warthog (A is the class designation for attack aircraft). Sometimes an attack DLUFUDIW LV RXWÂżWWHG ZLWK ERPEV DQG DW WLPHV ZLWK PLVVLOHV WR DFW OLNH D ÂżJKWHU The A-4 Skyhawk, which was sold to the Israeli Air Force, performed beautifully in all of these roles. The MacDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was created in the 1950â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as a small, fast, maneuverable, cheap jet capable of carrying a fair amount of munitions that was able to take off from aircraft carriers. It was 40 feet in
length, 26 feet from wingtip to wingtip, and had a maximum speed of 650 mph (fast for the 1950s but was soon outĂ&#x20AC;RZQ E\ ODUJHU jets such as the F-4 Phantom). The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps were the primary users as the Skyhawk was the aircraft of preference on WWII-era aircraft carriers that had less deck space than nuclear carriers. The plane was made famous as it was the one that future Senator and presidential candidate John McCain ZDV Ă&#x20AC;\LQJ ZKHQ KH ZDV VKRW GRZQ RYHU Vietnam. The Skyhawk was replaced
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by newer attack aircraft in the 1980s, and by 1994 it was retired from frontline combat in American units in 1994 and from training in 2003. As with most Americanmade military aircraft, the Skyhawk was made available to the international PDUNHW DQG ,VUDHO ZDV WKH ÂżUVW IRUHLJQ country to receive the jet. Called the $\LW LQ +HEUHZ WKH ÂżUVW GHOLYHULHV ZHUH made after the Six Day War in 1967. These planes made up for the losses of other planes in the war and were heavily XVHG GXULQJ WKH FRQĂ&#x20AC;LFWV ZLWK KHU $UDE neighbors in the next few Middle East FRQĂ&#x20AC;LFWV On May 12, 1970, history was made when Colonel Ezra Dotan, nicknamed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mr. Skyhawk,â&#x20AC;? shot down a pair of MiG-17 over Lebanon during the War RI $WWULWLRQ +H GHVFULEHV WKH GRJÂżJKW â&#x20AC;&#x153;I completed my descent towards the 0L*V MXVW DV WKH\ ÂżQLVKHG WKHLU WXUQ , was now behind them. At this stage in the chase, when I was sitting on their 1XPEHU 7ZR , GHFLGHG WR XWLOL]H WKH ÂżUH power of the (unguided) anti-tank rockHWV , ZDV FDUU\LQJ ÂżYH SRGV HDFK ZLWK nineteen rockets. I was very close to the MiG, about 130 meters. I hung onto him DV ZHOO DV , FRXOG SUHVVHG WKH ÂżULQJ EXWton, and let loose two pods, thirty-eight rockets at the same time. The pilot didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t HYHQ IHHO PH ÂżULQJ DW KLP WKH URFNHWV which were very heavy, passed underneath and struck the slopes of Mount Herman. The two MiGs continued on, VWLOO XQDZDUH WKDW , KDG ÂżUHG RQ WKHP so I raised my sights a bit and gave him another salvo of two pods. This time the MiG disappeared in a tremendous explosion.â&#x20AC;? He then chased down the second MiG. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We continued northward, and at a certain point I discovered the MiG. I found him exiting one of the wadis with a sharp bank. I was going at about 570 knots, and in order not to pass by him, I turned off everything I could turn off to slow the plane down. I would have spread my ears out to the
sides, too, if that could have slowed the plane some more...I pulled up so close to him that I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even point the nose down at him. He got some distance between us and we started playing cat and mouse: He banks right, I turn to follow. He banks hard to the left - I do the same. At a certain point I shot a burst >RI PP FDQQRQ ÂżUH@ at him. The bullets ripped off the left wing and the MiG rolled right and rammed into the ground.â&#x20AC;? Most aircraft shot down by jets use air-to-air missiles or rockets; JXQÂżUH ZDV UDUHO\ XVHG GXH WR LWV LQDFcuracy but Dotan got in close enough to shoot it down with his cannon. A newer version of the A-4 was sold to Israel before the Yom Kippur War, and it played a vital role in bombing and air support missions during the war. Due to the new Russianmade surface-to-air missiles, 52 Skyhawks were shot down during the war. The Israeli Skyhawk last major action took place during the 1982 Lebanon War when an A-4 shot down another MiG. However, a plane piloted by Aharon Ahiaz was shot down over the Beqaa Valley. The IAF (Israeli Air Force) started looking for a replacement for the A-4 and chose the F-16 Falcon in the early 1980s. The Skyhawk still remained in the service as an advanced trainer. In the 2000s, some of the Skyhawks were sold, and earlier this year, the IDF decided to replace them entirely with the new Italian M-346 Master as its primary advanced trainer. Military aircraft phase in and out but some remain as legends. The A-4 Skyhawk was one of those few planes that will be remembered by citizens, the Israeli people who were protected by it. It was also beloved by pilots because QRW RQO\ ZDV HDV\ DQG IXQ WR Ă&#x20AC;\ EXW LW was an airplane that was able to make the IAF one of the premier air forces in the world.
Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions.for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@ gmail.com.
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G
reece has been in the news a lot lately as it is a major contributor to the economic downward spiral in Europe. But putting economics aside, Greece holds a lot of history, and, particularly around Chanukah time, played a large role in our Jewish history and exile. Athens is the capital and largest city in Greece. In its Golden Age, Athens
was seen as the cradle of philosophy and art. The Hellenists and Epicureans viewed life as a purely physical, pleasurable medium devoid of G-d and afterlife. Modern-day Athens pays homage to its culture yet brings contemporary vibrancy to its core. Athenians are laidback and easy going. The city seems to come to life after dark, with nightclubs and entertainment lighting up the town.
Shaitels By
Deena Hebron,AND the ultimate WASH SETS 29.99 familyONLY experience in Israel! Isn’t it about time you took your children to visit your great-grandparents in Overnight Hebron? New armored buses, inspiring guides like Rabbi Simcha Hochbaum, Service David Wilder and Dan Rosenstein, Hebron’s historic sites and our pioneering Available spirit - all come together to make this tour your most moving day in Israel! REPAIR AND DYE YOUR OLD SHAITEL FOR LESS
Celebrate Jewish History with those who keep writing it!
CENTRALLY LOCATED If you can’t be there yourself, please give generously to the Jewish Community of Hebron. Tax deductible donations should be made payable to: ON CORNAGA AVENUEThe Hebron Fund 1760 Ocean Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11230
718 327 0224
For tour and other information, please contact: In the US: 718-677-6886 info@hebronfund.org In Israel: 052-431-7055 tour@hebron.com www.hebronfund.org
Things You Won’t Want to Miss The Acropolis Known as the “High City,” the Acropolis refers to the ancient city of upper Athens. It takes around 4 hours to climb the table-top hill. Spending time there allows visitors to enjoy the views and see how the changing lights dance on the hill. On the top of the Acropolis rests the Parthenon, a temple built in honor of goddess Athena. Visitors cannot enter the Parthenon, but can admire its grandeur and proportions. During the summer months, the heat can be stiÀing here. It is best to visit the Acropolis in the evening during the summer season when there are less visitors and it is much cooler. Be sure to visit the Acropolis Museum located here which houses over 4,000 pieces and works of art and history. Jewish Museum Greek’s Jewish community was virtually wiped out during the Holocaust. This small museum holds remnants of Jewish life in Greece. It also contains an impressive reconstruction of the Patras synagogue. Hadrian’s Arch Hadrian’s Arch is many times seen as the symbolic entrance to the city. Hadrian erected this enormous triumphal arch during his reign. He had the inscription written on one side of the arch, “This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus.” On the other side of the arch, he inscribed, “This is the city of Hadrian, not of Theseus.” Central Market This open-air, open-stall market runs along Athinas. Visitors can mix with the locals and sample delicious fruits and vegetables, cheeses and olives. Shops sell live poultry and ¿sh, whose smell permeates the air on hot days. Flea Market For a little bit of fun and a taste of what really goes on in this city, take a stroll through the Àea market on Sunday morning. Everything is
sold here, from old matchboxes to army uniforms and sewing machines. The scene is exciting and slightly chaotic— remember to bring along your bargaining skills and never pay for anything “as marked.”
Kolonaki Square This is the place to see and be seen. Locals gather here for coffee, a place to read a newspaper and for chatting with friends. Celebrities and stars can be spotted at the cafés around the perimeter of the square. National Gardens When you are tired and looking for a respite of the action, take time to visit the National Gardens. The gardens are home to meandering paths and foliage. Ponds with ducks and peacocks and a small zoo will delight younger travelers.
JANUARY 3, 2013
THE JEWISH HOME
Athens, Greece
THE JEWISH HOME
DEC. 15, 2
Travel & Leisure
THE JEWISH HOME
JANUARY 3, 2013
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47 THE JEWISH HOME JANUARY 3, 2013
A Musical Tribute to the Lubavitcher Rebbe OB”M A journey of original songs and stories to uplift and inspire with
Rabbi Ruvi New Thursday, January 17 at 8 PM at Chabad of North Hollywood 13079 Chandler Blvd ıIJŀŀIJĿŁ įłijijIJŁ t Ļļ ijIJIJ For more information or reservations, please call 818-989-9539 or visit us online www.ChabadNH.com