The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
ha s th e co st of je wi sh ed uc at ion be en ou t of yo ur re ac h? Free Jewish classes are now being offered in your area These classes are open to all Jewish children, ages 5-11, regardless of religious affiliation. The Nagel Jewish Academy is fully funding this program to ensure that no child is denied a Jewish education due to the high cost of tuition. Classes run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Now accepting applications for the 2016-2017 School year, tuition is free. Please contact Chana Leah Margolis for enrollment or further info at 310-867-5290 or Director@Nageljewishacademy.org
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in w o n s! n o i t lo c a Tarzana
Santa Monica Hosted by: Maohr Hatorah Synagogue
Beverlywood- Franklin Henry Menlo Campus
1537 Franklin Street Santa Monica, CA 90404
8850 W. Pico Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90035
Hosted by: Bais Bezalel
Beverly Hills
Hosted by: Beith David Educational Center
Hosted by: Chabad of North Beverly Hills
18648 Clark Street Tarzana, CA 91356
409 Foothill Rd Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Westwood - Franklin Henry Menlo Campus Hosted by: The Jewish Center 1651 Westwood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90024
TO REGISTER:
www.NagelJewishAcademy.org PHONE: 310-867-5290 E-MAIL: Admission@nageljewishacademy.org Your generous support will enable us to open many more such locations-providing an accesible, tuition-free Jewish education to children all across the greater Los Angeles County!
Help subsidize our efforts and Help Secure Our Jewish Future! Donate online: www.NagelJewishAcdemy.org Or by mail: Nagel Jewish Academy, 1807 South Fairfax, LA, CA 90019
*$25 a month to cover snack and supplies Nagel Jewish Academy is an approved 501-c3 non-profit organization, your donations are Tax- deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Tax ID: 47-1520327
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The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
The following is a partial location listings. Call 845-352-3505 ext. 101 for additional listings, or visit www. powerofspeech.org
Adas Torah
1135 S. Beverly Dr. 5:00 A 6:40 B
Anshe Emes
1490 S. Robertson Blvd. 3:00 A 5:30 B
Jewish Learning Exchange 512 North La Brea Ave. 11:30 & 3:30 A 1:30 & 5:30 B
Kehillas Yaakov
LINK Kollel
155 S. La Brea Ave. After Shacharis A After Mincha B
1453 S. Robertson Blvd. 3:30 B 5:20 A
Kehilat Mogen David
9717 N. Pico Blvd. TBA
7269 Beverly Blvd. 2:30 A 5:00 B
Ohr Haemet
The Westside Shul
1030 South Roberston 4:00 A 5:40 B
Shaarei Tefilah
9760 West Pico Blvd. 11:15 A 2:00 B
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The Week In News CONTENTS
COMMUNITY
Community Happenings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
JEWISH THOUGHT
The Other Side of the Cake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 With A Heart Full of Love. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Individual Versus State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Diary of a BT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
FEATURE
Life after Destruction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
ENTERTAINMENT Quotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
LIFESTYLES
Book Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Ask Dr. T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Travel Guide: Manchester. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
NEWS Israel News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 That's Odd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
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Dear Readers,
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
On the words in this week’s parshah (Devarim 1:17), “… for the judgement is upon the L-rd…” Rashi explains, “Whatever you unjustly take from one, you will oblige Me to return to him. Consequently you have perverted a judgment against me.” In the world of business or when dealing with others in general, especially when successful, we may begin to feel that we succeeded because we earned it. We think accomplishments are ours solely because of something we have done. In reality, however, just as rainfall is dependent on the will of the Creator, so too with success. Although G-d wants us to work hard and be productive, the results are in G-d’s hands. When living with this perspective, it is easier to forgive following a falling out with our fellow man. Even if we feel we were cheated out of monetary success, we know that if it were indeed ours, we will receive the blessing in another way “…you will oblige Me to return to him...” We will end up with it. Being mindful of the one above when interacting with others not only keeps us focused on the mutual benefit for all involved in a given transaction; it also allows us to let go of negative feeling if we were wronged. For we know that all that happens comes from above. Even when played out through a bad decision by someone else, G-d willed that it happen to us. Forgiving is the art of letting go, letting go of the image we have and seeing people for their deeper self. The Nine Days and Tisha B’Av is a great time to let go of any grudges, even the times we were indeed right! For just as the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed because of supra-rational hatred, so too will its rebuilding be connected to supra-rational love. We’ve marked Tisha B’Av for 2000+ years. It’s time we experienced the fulfillment of “Nachamu nachamu ami,” when the fast days shall turn into yomim tovim. Have a meaningful Shabbos Tisha B’Av,
Shalom
T H E P R E M I E R J E W I S H N E W S PA P E R H I G H L I G H T I N G L A’ S O R T H O D OX C O M M U N I T Y 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. FOR HOME DELIVERY, OR TO HAVE THE LATEST ISSUE EMAILED TO YOU FREE OF CHARGE, SEND A MESSAGE TO EDITOR@JEWISHHOMELA.COM
TheHappenings Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Camp Chaverim: Celebrating More Than 25 Years with Their Special Campers On July 31st, in White Lake in the Catskill Mountains, friends and former alumni of Camp Chaverim braved the rainy weather to get together for the first “alumni-funday” event and reunion since the camp’s inception more than 25 years ago. The event was graciously sponsored by PEYD. More than 150 staff members – families in tow – attended the beautiful event. They traveled from near and far to be part of the ceremonies. Camp Chaverim, a division of Yachad, operates on the grounds of Camp Mogen Avraham. It is one of the most renowned summer camps for the special needs community. Under the direction and leadership of Rabbis Yosi Wadler and Reuven Kamin, Chaverim provides families of children with special needs much needed respite while they provide their children with a wonderful summer. Throughout the summer, these children are given opportunities to enhance their life skills as they enjoy and relax in the beautiful mountains. The event was organized by the Friends of Chaverim Committee, the newly formed alumni organization of Camp Chaverim. This organization was created for alumni of Camp Chaverim so that former Chaverim staff could have an opportunity to reconnect, reminisce, and join together to support the individuals who have so greatly impacted their lives. It kicked off with a successful fundraiser last March to raise money for parents who wished to send their children to the camp but did not have the means to do so. “We are incredibly grateful to all the families who braved the weather to attend the event and for the generous support of those in attendance to launch the Shlomo Rindenow Scholarship fund, l’zecher nishmas Shlomo, a former Chaverim counselor and Israeli soldier who was niftar tragically very recently while serving in the IDF,” said Eli Schreiber, Executive Director of the Friends of Chaverim Committee. “Shlomo considered the time he spent in Camp Chaverim as an instrumental life experience that he had; so much so, that he included his time spent at Camp Chaverim on his application to the Israeli Army,” said Reuven Kamin, Co-Director of Camp Chaverim. “Shlomo’s thoughts and words mirror many of the same feelings our alumni had, of their time here in camp doing just as much for them as it does for the children with special needs that we are privileged to spend time with here in camp.” The focus of the Friends of Chaverim committee and its communal efforts will be to generate funds for scholarships, projects, enhancements, and advancements, and also to support the efforts of Yachad
to maintain the essential infrastructure and technical support which helps the camp stay in operation and continue its vital mission. “We are incredibly grateful and thankful to Yachad for all the support they provide our camp and for everything they do for our campers,” said Rabbi Yosi Wadler, Co-Director and founder of Camp Chaverim. “Our camp and program has seen many different variations over the year, and Dr. Jeffrey
Lichtman and his staff have been incredibly supportive of our campers and program since we partnered several years ago. We look forward to continued growth of Chaverim-B’Yachad for years to come.” For more information about Camp Chaverim and the Friends of Chaverim Committee, please email FreindsofChaverim@gmail.com.
Congregation Bais Naftoli welcomes you to join
Cantor
Shimmy Miller
Rabbi
With a
Yoel Gold
Choir
under the Leadership of Shlomo Frankel
Cosponsored by Bais Naftoli and Ira Frankel in memory of his parents
שלמה ורחל פרנקל ז׳׳ל
We welcome you to join with us and see what makes our shul so special! Bais Naftoli ~ 221 South La Brea Ave. ~ 323-931-2476
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TheHappenings Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Special Tefillah Session for Shidduchim Held at Amukah on 15th of Av Dov Levy On Thursday night, August 18th, a group of elite of talmidei chachamim will gather in Amukah to daven for Jewish singles around the world to find success in shidduchim soon. Amukah, home to the kever of the tanna Yonasan ben Uziel, is famed as a place where tefillos for shidduchim are readily accepted. While the origins of this tradition remain shrouded in mystery, thousands of eligible
young men and women make the pilgrimage there each year to ask Hashem to send them their basherte speedily. Thursday night’s tefillos are sponsored by Kollel Chatzos, the network of kollelim that supports the study of Torah through the night. This ensures that there is at least one place in major Jewish cities where Torah learning goes on around the clock. It also guarantees that the
Heavenly protection conferred in the merit of Torah learning will be shared all across our communities. Kollel Chatzos maintains three branches throughout the Greater New York area, as well as an exclusive fourth Torah Center in Meron at the kever of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. In his Zohar, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai repeatedly extols the practice of rising at midnight to learn Torah – in virtually every sedra of the sefer, in fact – and even records that it was his
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own habit as well. He further guarantees that anyone who gets up to learn Torah during the second half of the night will have his tefillos accepted graciously on high. But what does all this have to do with Thursday night? The answer is: a lot. The Talmud (Taanis 26b) teaches that the 15th of Av was celebrated as a tremendous yom tov, a date that was set aside for matching up Jewish couples. The eligible girls of Yerushalayim would gather in the fields on this day to be chosen by suitable young men. Building on this theme, later sefarim describe the 15th of Av as a day that bears a special segulah for finding one’s zivug. But the Talmud (Taanis 31a) has more to say about the 15th of Av. “דמוסיף יוסיף ודלא " מוסיף יאסףBy this date the summer solstice has passed and the short summer nights begin to grow longer. Since the nighttime is meant to be dedicated for Torah, as of the 15th of Av we are all obligated to extend our nighttime Torah study sessions. No one better appreciates the significance of learning Torah through the night than the elite group of men who occupy the network of battei medrashim of Kollel Chatzos at its four branches worldwide. If anyone’s prayer deserves special attention on the 15th of Av, it is that of the devoted scholars of Kollel Chatzos. And that is why they were chosen to represent klal yisroel in Amukah on Chamishah Asar B’Av. The significance of the occasion was not lost on the public. Young people from all over the world hoping to see themselves settled quickly, as well as parents of children in shidduchim, called the offices of Kollel Chatzos for weeks in advance to reserve their share in this special event. The representatives who showed up at Amukah came armed with long lists of names of those who are hoping to find their basherte speedily and easily. When they arrive they immediately open their hearts to Hashem, pouring out their souls in devotion on behalf of Jews around the world. It’s an intense session as they strive to unlock the Gates of Heaven and lighten the burden of so many singles. The shidduch problem has been called the bane of our generation, and it calls for the utmost efforts to solve it. In addition to this special event, Kollel Chatzos sends representatives to daven at Amukah all year round. The administrator reports that its tefillos at Amukah have proven highly successful in the past. One delighted father recently called in to share that he was frustrated in his efforts to locate a shidduch for his son. After asking Kollel Chatzos to begin davening for his son regularly at Amukah, a perfect shidduch turned up and his son became engaged in just weeks! Adding together the merit of the location in Amukah, the date on the 15th of Av and the nature of the representatives who offered the tefillos, the representatives of Kollel Chatzos; the sum is an unbelievably charged event whose efforts to storm the Heavens were undoubtedly successful. May we all hear besoros tovos b’karov!
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
The Week In News
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The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
The Week In News
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The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
The Week In News
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TheHappenings Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
New App Helps Kosher Consumers Shop Yehudis Litvak
KosherQuest, the website of the Kosher Information Bureau, has recently released its first app, available for both Android and iOS operating systems. The new app makes it easier for kosher consumers to identify kosher products on the go, right as they are shopping. Headed by a renowned kashrus expert, Rabbi Eliezer Eidlitz, KosherQuest is a
unique source of comprehensive information on all kashrus related matters. While other websites only maintain catalogs of products certified by a specific organization, KosherQuest presents information from different kashrus agencies in one place, explains Rabbi Yisroel Pollack, who contributes to the website. About a million people from all over the world use
the KosherQuest website every year to get kashrus information. The new app lists the reliable hechsherim that Rabbi Eidlitz recommends, along with the names of the kashrus agencies and their contact information. There are over 1000 agencies and individual certifiers in KosherQuest’s database, and they are located all over the world, including
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such remote places as Sri Lanka and Hong Kong. The app also offers a convenient list of all kosher Slurpee flavors in the U.S. and Canada, which the customers can consult while visiting stores like 7-Eleven. Latest kashrus updates can also be accessed through the app. In case the user doesn’t find the information sought, the app provides an easy way to contact Rabbi Eidlitz with kashrus questions. KosherQuest’s kosher product database is currently being updated with the most current information, and eventually will also be accessible through the app, as well as through the website. The goal is to make the database more user-friendly, says Rabbi Pollock. The app, like all the information available on the KosherQuest website, is free of cost. The Kosher Information Bureau, which was started in 1977, is non-profit. They never charge any company for listing their products, so that they can offer unbiased opinions on the products’ kashrus. As a matter of principle, KosherQuest never provides its own kashrus certification, to avoid conflict of interest. “I simply share my opinion,” says Rabbi Eidlitz, explaining that he leaves it up to the consumer to decide whether to listen to him or not. Rabbi Eidlitz conducts thorough research of a product or kashrus agency before recommending it on KosherQuest. “People often ask me to recommend their hashgachah,” he says. “I wouldn’t do so unless it’s something I would eat.” Passionate about kashrus, Rabbi Eidlitz considers the numerous hours he spends assisting kosher consumers a way to express his dedication to klal yisrael. With the new app, Rabbi Eidlitz is hoping to be able to assist even more people searching for reliably kosher food, whether at home or on the go.
TheHappenings Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Touro College Los Angeles Appoints Rabbi Dr. David Jacobson as Dean Yehudis Litvak
Last week, Touro College Los Angeles (TCLA) announced the appointment of Rabbi Dr. David Jacobson as its dean. Rabbi Dr. Jacobson, who has over thirty years of experience in Jewish education, held the position of Director of College Affairs at TCLA last year. He worked on community relations and building institutional ties, as well as recruiting new students. In his new position as Dean, Rabbi Dr. Jacobson hopes to continue expanding TCLA’s role in the greater Los Angeles Jewish community and entire Western United States, offering additional courses and degree options, as well as a proposed beis midrash program for young men who would like to continue their Torah education while pursuing college degrees. Rabbi Dr. Jacobson sees TCLA as an invaluable component of a vibrant Orthodox community. He explains that there is an increasingly greater demand for higher education, which is more and more necessary in this day and age in order to make a living. “However, the pitfalls of attending a secular university are doubly increasing,” he says, lamenting the deteriorating moral and cultural atmosphere on college campuses. “We as individuals and as a community have invested so much in our future by sending our children to Jewish schools through twelfth grade. It is a terrible loss when it all dissolves, for many students, within a few years of attending secular college.” He adds that it can also be viewed as a bad return on investment for the community. “Having a quality higher education available under Orthodox auspices is the keystone to the whole system,” Rabbi Dr. Jacobson notes. Currently, most of TCLA’s students are alumni of local Orthodox Jewish high schools, many of whom have returned home after spending a year or more overseas in yeshiva or seminary. Some students do come from other communities, taking apartments or boarding with local families, as TCLA does not currently have a dormitory. For those going to Israel and planning to return to continue their degrees at TCLA, the school offers its Israel Option program. By enrolling in TCLA before going to yeshiva or seminary, students can get a full year’s college credit for their studies abroad and are also eligi-
senior year in high school. The high school students take their own schools’ courses, but are concurrently enrolled at TCLA. The TCLA administration works with the schools to ensure that the instructors are sufficiently qualified and are following a college-level syllabus, aligned with Touro’s own courses. The students can take such courses in English, math, science, government, and psychology. Rabbi Dr. Jacobson is planning to expand the nationally popular program to involve more local high schools. While there are other Orthodox programs helping students earn college degrees, perhaps through testing or distance
ble for the same federal and state student aid they would receive while physically at TCLA, accelerating their bachelor’s degree and increasing its affordability. In its two separate men’s and women’s divisions, TCLA offers degrees in business, in Judaic studies, and in psychology, with several different areas of concentration, including one in health sciences, which has successfully prepared graduates for admission to medical, nursing, pharmacy, and PA schools, among other allied health fields. Rabbi Dr. Jacobson is hoping to expand the health science concentration into a full degree of its own. TCLA has also offered continuing education for teachers who are currently working in local Jewish schools. In fact, Rabbi Dr. Jacobson began his work at TCLA by teaching a summer course for Jewish educators. As the founder and executive director of Yeshiva Educational Services, Inc., Rabbi Dr. Jacobson is passionate about improving the quality of education in Jewish schools. In the future, he would like to expand TCLA’s course offerings to include a full certificate program in Jewish education, which could be earned part-time by teachers who already work in local schools. In addition to the courses offered on its own campus, TCLA works with several local Orthodox high schools, enabling students to earn college credits while in their
learning, TCLA is unique in California because its faculty teaches students in person here in L.A., and its courses are designed to provide the students with the skills they need to succeed in their career of choice. Touro offers its own regionally accredited courses and degrees under WASC, so it has the same accreditation as USC, UCLA, and Stanford. Moreover, TCLA is a division of Touro University Worldwide, which puts behind it the strength, resources, and further education opportunities of the Touro College and University System, which has nearly 18,000 students attending its undergraduate, professional, and graduate programs.
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TheHappenings Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
CCHF World-Wide Tisha B’Av Event: Bringing Healing and Shalom to Jews Across the Globe The son was so angry at his parents that he couldn’t forgive them. He was already an adult, living in a city far from his parents. He never spoke to them. The parents were so angry at their son. They were not going to be the ones to apologize. The grudge lived on, each day adding a little more bitterness to each of their lives. Tisha B’Av arrived. The parents decided to attend CCHF’s World-Wide Event. In a city far away, the son also decided to attend. The same words, spoken by Rabbi Ephraim Eliyohu Shapiro, entered their hearts: “The one who is mevater wins. Let bygones be bygones.” Over and over, Rabbi Shapiro hammered home his message. Not knowing that his son had heard the very same message, the father decided that the time had come. The estrangement was too costly, turning what should be a joyful bond into a dark abyss. He arrived home, picked up the phone, and called his son. The son could barely believe his ears when he picked up the phone and heard the long-lost but familiar voice of his father. His heart began racing and tears sprung to his eyes. “Let bygones be bygones,” he heard echoing in his mind. This was what he had silently prayed for as he heard Rabbi Shapiro’s words. “There’s been so much pain between us,” his father said softly. “We can’t undo
what’s done, but I can tell you that Mommy and I never wanted to cause you pain. And any pain we caused, we’re truly sorry for. We always love you and we just want to be a family again.” The son forgave with all his heart and asked forgiveness for his own mistakes and misdeeds. In two households, the burden of years of strife lifted like a boulder off the top of a well. Now, the refreshing life-giving spring of love could flow. As the father and son re-entered each other’s lives during that conversation, they both discovered the inspiration for their mutual move toward shalom. They had both heard Rabbi Shapiro’s words: Let bygones be bygones. Both had been where they needed to be, among thousands of fellow Jews at the Tisha B’Av Event, where inspiration and healing could finally hit home. The Tisha B’Av Event has become a powerful force in healing rifts and stopping feuds in communities throughout the world. It is not only the inspiration for people torn by estrangement and machlokes to make shalom, but the actual venue for many of these reconciliations as well. Gathering together with fellow Jews in 700 sites, in 16 countries around the world, gives special power to the speakers’ inspiring yet sensible words. People who have been harboring a little grudge have sought
each other out after the event. Sometimes they say “I’m sorry.” Sometimes they just give that extra-friendly smile that lets the other person know the air is clear between them. “Nowadays, on Tisha B’Av, you can sit all day on the computer and watch speeches,” says one attendee. “But nothing brings home a real feeling of ahavas yisrael like being together with other Jews and knowing that all over the world, Jews are hearing the same words. There’s a real sense of purpose people have when they leave the event.” This year, that sense of purpose is summarized by the event’s title: “Opening the Door: The Power of Ahavas Yisrael to Unlock the Geulah.” The message will be brought home in two different programs, each featuring world-renowned speakers. Both programs will begin with the heartfelt words of HaRav Shmuel Kamenetsky, the Philadelphia Rosh Yeshiva and Rabbinic Advisor of the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation, as well as the legendary Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Grossman, founder and dean of Migdal Ohr, an epicenter of ahavas yisrael located in Northern Israel. Program A presents Rabbi Pesach Krohn, whose Maggid series sets the standard for storytelling that highlights the beauty of klal yisrael and the depth of the Jew-
ish soul. His popular lectures, focusing on ethics and spiritual growth, attract large audiences world-wide. Rabbi Yissocher Frand, long-time maggid shiur at Yeshivas Ner Israel in Baltimore will follow Rabbi Krohn. His powerful speaking style goes straight to the heart, awakening the audience to new levels of self-awareness and commitment to change. Program B presents Rabbi Y.Y. Jacobson, one of America’s greatest communicators of Torah and Jewish mysticism to audiences of all backgrounds. He delivers his passionate, fascinating lectures across the globe and serves as a teacher and mentor to thousands. The second speaker on Program B will be Rabbi Warren Goldstein, The Chief Rabbi of the Union of Orthodox Synagogues in South Africa and the Chief Rabbi of South Africa. His groundbreaking kiruv work has brought a love of Torah and a positive Jewish identity to thousands of Jews in South Africa and beyond. Through words, warmth, and shining example, the programs are certain to open hearts and increase the flow of ahavas yisrael all around the world. But perhaps the most powerful inspiration is the feeling of being there, as part of a gathering of Jews whose very presence expresses the longing to come together and finally reclaim the ties that bind us together as one family.
World-Wide Event Provides Inspiration to Take Home: Participants to Receive Chofetz Chaim Portrait A portrait of the Chofetz Chaim will be given out to thousands of Jews around the world who attend this year’s Choftez Chaim Heritage Foundation World-Wide Tisha B’Av Event. The portrait reproduces a rare image of the esteemed rabbi, which emerged only two years ago upon the discovery of historic newsreel footage. The awe-inspiring glimpse of the humble, revered Torah figure stirred klal
yisrael’s collective heart. In the footage, the Chofetz Chaim walks among other gedolim of the era at the Agudas Yisroel convention of 1923. This beautiful image has been turned into an inspiring portrait, suitable for framing. “We hope that people will hang this portrait in a place where it will provide continuous encouragement in shmiras haloshon and ahavas yisrael,” said a CCHF
spokesman. “We want everyone who attends the Tisha B’Av Event to have this powerful inspiration to take home.” hora. not speak loshon ed that you do all harm provid " v"ce v rnt save you from cv Turm v kfn Tut can g I s: ofhk say Hashem khmv k kufh hbt yua nu ofT t ".tc jT iuak
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Torah Musings The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
The Other Side of the Cake Sarah Pachter
One afternoon I was making a bundt cake and, unfortunately, I botched it. Despite the fact that I used PAM for baking, it did not come out of the pan evenly. I was rather annoyed, but I resolved to figure out a way that it could be served regardless. I examined the cake to see what I could do with it. Perhaps crumble it up and serve it in a martini glass with whipped cream and strawberries? Or, should I slice off the top layer and attempt to even out the top? Unhappy with either solution, I decided to flip the cake over to see what the other side looked like. VIOLA! The other side was perfectly flat and aesthetically pleasing! (Though I did garnish it slightly by completely covering the top with a glaze and caramelized sliced apples.) As I looked at my beautiful cake all ready to be served, it hit me that sometimes we have to “flip things over” in our minds in order to see another side to something. If we view a situation from a different perspective, we will experience it in a completely different way. One powerful technique that can help turn something less than ideal into something we experience positively is “reframing.” While visiting my parents in Atlanta recently, I saw a beautiful piece of art hanging above the mantel. Although it was small, it looked like it had come from an expensive, chic gallery. I turned to my mother and asked, “Where did you get this beautiful piece from? It is an absolute masterpiece!” She laughed and said, “Oh that? I picked it up at a garage sale for five dollars! It had such an ugly frame so I just had it reframed. The frame cost a fortune, but the art cost practically nothing!” We may view a painting as cheap or ugly. However, if we can take the time and energy to approach it differently, the image can be transformed into a beautiful work of art. The key is in the frame: by looking at what surrounds the piece – understanding its circumstances – we can see it in a fresh way. So too, with life experiences. If we look at the overall context of the experience and consider all aspects of it, we can perhaps change how we feel about it. Think about the last time you were in line at the pharmacy waiting to pick up a prescription. You get in line behind ten people; you wait and wait. It turns out the
man behind the counter is at his first day on the job. If you want your medicine, it’s going to take a while. Situations like these can be incredibly frustrating. As the anger builds, the line that keeps repeating in your mind is, “I am wasting my time! I am wasting my time!” And as the minutes tick past, your anger level rises. This situation could look extremely different when reframed. By practicing mindfulness – empathizing and saying to yourself that everyone deserves some slack on their first day – and working through the impatience, using it as an opportunity to focus on something else, you can emerge from the situation with the satisfaction that you did not waste your time and you made strides in self-improvement. “I am wasting my time,” is the all too common refrain we think to ourselves sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic or waiting in line at the bank. But, what is our purpose in this world? We are here to become better people, to work on our faults, and to improve ourselves. So, if we get angry and tap our feet, and lose our cool and rudely ask for another clerk to open up another lane, then, yes, we are wasting our time. But if we reframe the situation and recognize it as an opportunity to work on our patience, then we did NOT waste our time. Instead of thinking, “I am wasting my time,” rather think, “This is exactly why I am here.” Spiritual growth can be obtained in the most mundane of moments. My dear friend Jen (name has been changed) tragically lost her mother at a very young age. She always kept a picture of her mother framed in her house. When her children would ask her, “Who is that lady, Mommy?” Jen would avoid answering, because she believed that her children were too young to understand such profound topics as death and loss. When her children grew up and were old enough to understand, Jen finally told them, “The woman in the photograph is my mommy.” One of her daughters responded, “But isn’t Susan (Jen’s stepmom) your mommy?” “Yes,” answered Jen. “Susan is also my mommy.” Her daughter pondered this deeply and replied, “But why did Hashem give you two mommies?” This is a difficult question for a young child, and Jen struggled with this for
years. She would constantly ask herself, “Why did G-d do this to me? Why?” Her response to herself had always been, “Because Hashem hates me.” Yet in that moment, Jen turned to her daughter, and with newfound clarity said, “Because Hashem loves me. Yes, Hashem loves me so much that he didn’t just give me one mommy, one person to love me the most in this world. He gave me two people to love me more than anyone else in the world!” Jen was able to reframe her situation to see that she was blessed with more maternal love, not less. In his book, The First Year of Marriage, Rabbi Abraham Twerski tells a story about the power of perspective. Two young boys walk into a stable. One boy immediately covers his nose, screeching, “EEEW! It stinks in here!” He looks at all the dirt and hay and complains, “Uch, it is so dirty. Get me out of here!” and runs out. Meanwhile, the second boy walks in, smells the same manure, sees the same dirt and hay, and excitedly exclaims, “Hooray! There must be a pony around here somewhere!” Our thoughts, machshavot, have the power to create joy. If we want to be besimcha (with happiness) we need to use machshavot (thoughts). These two words in Hebrew share the same letters. Our thoughts – our perspective – are the gateway to joy. In Parshas Bereishis, when Hashem created the world, it says, “He saw that it was good.” This phrase is repeated
seven times. Why couldn’t the Torah just sum up the creation by saying it once at the end? It is human nature to have a tendency to see the negative. We look at something and automatically think: What’s wrong with this picture? Therefore, the Torah reassures us after each day of creation that each day and each thing created truly was good – no exceptions. But there is a deeper explanation for the repetition of this phrase. Reframing our mindset is something we have to work at continuously. Happiness is similar to working out. You cannot get onto a treadmill for a half hour and think, “Okay! I’m done forever! Now I’m healthy!” Rather, one must exercise routinely to stay healthy. Likewise, every time we approach a situation we have to figure out how to see its positive side. I found myself using the “flip the cake” tactic when I was awoken at three a.m. to my toddler’s cry of, “Mommy!” As I rolled over, half asleep, and slowly crawled out of bed, I could not help but think, “Ughh… not again!” Yet, as I walked down the hall to her room, I stopped myself and thought, baruch Hashem I have a healthy child who needs my help. I can not say I was happy about having my sleep disturbed, but it certainly made the diaper change more pleasant. These small “flip the cake” moments can be practiced at any time. The more we rethink and reframe things to see the the good – the opportunities therein, and the potential for introspection – the happier we’ll be.
Beryl Tritel
LMSW
Individual, Marriage & Parent Counseling Specializing in Women’s Issues EMDR certified beryltritel@gmail.com www.beryltritel.com 058-705-9454
Office Locations: Ramat Beit Shemesh Jerusalem
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Living with In theNews Times The Week
By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz Publisher of the Yated Ne’eman
Parshas Devarim, which we read this week, represents Moshe Rabbeinu’s farewell message to his people. The parshah introduces us to the seder that describes the sojourn of Bnei Yisroel in the midbar and ends with prophetic words concerning their entry into Eretz Yisroel. The Jewish people went on to settle the land, erected the Mishkan in Shilo, built the Battei Mikdash, experienced two churbanos, and were then tragically evicted from the land promised to them. They were sent into golus, where we remain until this day. We will reach our desired state of shleimus when we are gathered from exile and permanently brought to Eretz Yisroel with the geulah. Rabbeinu Bechaya (Devarim 1:1 and 30:3) explains that the main role of Eretz Yisroel will only be realized after the final redemption. Our people lived in the land for a temporary, relatively short period. After Moshiach returns us to the Promised Land, the purpose for which the world was created will be realized. Thus, the final pesukim of the Torah connect to its beginning in Bereishis, for the permanent return to Eretz Yisroel is akin to the creation of the world, which will then begin realizing the purpose for which it was established. Similarly, Chazal teach, “Sofo na’utz b’sechilaso,” the end is tied to and rooted in the beginning. The paths, peaks, and valleys of our existence combine to lead to our destiny. Sefer Devarim begins with Moshe Rabbeinu rebuking his people, for in order to merit geulah and entry into Eretz Yisroel, they had to engage in teshuvah. As the Rambam says (Hilchos Teshuvah 7:5), “Ein Yisroel nigolin elah beseshuvah,” Klal yisroel will only be redeemed if we engage in proper and complete teshuvah. Since Moshe loved his nation and selflessly wanted them to be able to enter the land that Hashem promised to their forefathers, he admonished them with love and respect so that they would accept his tochachah. He spoke to them in a way that preserved their self-esteem (Rashi, Devarim 1:1), because he knew that for people to accept mussar, it is usually advantageous to maintain their dignity. It’s not as if Moshe wasn’t aware of their obstinate and disrespectful nature. Rashi (ibid.) explains that he spoke these words of mussar only after the entire nation had gathered in one place. Moshe knew the nature of these people and wanted to prevent loathsome characters from being able to proclaim that had they been there, they would have spoken back to and challenged Moshe. Therefore, he gathered them all together, indicating, “If you have
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
With A Heart Full of Love what to say, say it here to my face.” Despite his keen understanding of their displeasing behavior, his speech was laced with love and respect. The role of parents, teachers and leaders when reproaching is to do so without destroying the person, while providing clarity about the correct path, and conveying confidence for the future. It is commonly noted that we read this parshah before Tisha B’Av because it contains Moshe’s admonition beginning with the word “Eicha,” which we leyn in the same tune as Megillas Eicha on Tisha B’Av. Perhaps we can suggest that another
from Sinai, the harder it is to deal with them. Just like Noach in his day – Chazal say, “Noach hayah tzorich sa’ad letomcho.” – we all need help to make it and can’t do it on our own. To the degree that others recognize this, they can be sources of support and constructive chastisement. It is interesting that this month of Jewish tragedy is referred to as Chodesh Av, when av also means “father.” Perhaps we can say that it is a reminder to us to reprimand those whose sins prevent us from realizing the redemption with fatherly love; treating others as a father would and lending them a shoulder to lean on while they
He stood in front of the bais medrash like the lion of Torah he was, resplendent in his glory, epitomizing the greatness of Slabodka, personifying its message of gadlus ha’adam at his final shiur.
chizuk for the young bochur.
reason to teach how to Nochum give mussar Simchais Bunim took theustape to Rav and they listened to it together. they heard Ravnot Moshe and bring peopleAshome. It is by speak, detears streamed down Rav Nochum’s face. He was overmeaning them, yelling at them, or making whelmed and overcome as he listened; he couldn’t stop them useless. It is by crying.feel Whenutterly it was over, he explained howcarefully touched he was by thethe lovecorrective of the elderlymessage gadol hador for infusa young crafting and bochur thousands of miles away. ing with love, the demonstrating that it emTheitlove of Moshe, love of a leader for his flock, the anates a loving intelligent heart. love of afrom rebbi for a talmid, and ensuring that he would do the rightMan thing is andcreated feel goodwith aboutait.heart and a brain, A paradox appears in the words of Chazal: “Yehi beisimpulses, emotions, competing charcha posuach and l’revacha - May your home be open wide before traits, the masses.” we’re also taught, “Yehi beischa acter andYet, a complicated psychology beis va’ad lachachomim - MayInyour be a gathering and thinking process. hishome youth, he replace for talmidei chachomim.” quires and to set him on Which parents is the correct wayteachers to run a Jewish home? Ravproper Meir Chodosh that him the home should the path, answered and teach Torah, re-be open to all who need entry, but the mandate of the host sponsibility, and manners. He needs to be is to ensure that all who enter depart his dwelling a little shown how to think and how wiser thanand whentaught they entered. to act. Man has successes and failures as he goes through life. Due to his very nature, he often requires course corrections by those who care about him. Torah and mitzvos help him battle the ever-present yetzer hora, but that is not always sufficient. Every generation has unique temptations. The further we get
Unconditional love and acceptance, with a mission to contemplate their situation educate. And it is possible to do both. and a hand to Such them was theclimb legacyand of the mussar giant, Rav Meir help rise. Chodosh. His home in the Chevroner Yeshiva, breedIt is a reminder to act as Moshe did, ading ground for generations of talmidei chachomim, was monishing a way that could accepted marked by the in carton of cookies that satbe in the kitchen next to thethe steaming urn.would The treats wereexiting set up for the so that people merit their bochurim of the yeshiva, who were encouraged to enter golus andof entering thecookies land of geulah. and partake coffee, tea and 24/7. understanding of thelived name TheAnother ideals of the Chevroner mashgiach on can and were embodied by his son, Rav Moshe Mordechai Chobe gleaned from a story about the Divrei dosh, who passed away last week after a short illness. Chaim Sanz,andwho lost his a child. Through of example message, parents The raisedrebhim tobeappreciate that the highest is helping others. was overcome at thecalling Friday funeral, but As one of the he yeshiva’s respected and accomplished although was most clearly devastated, when bochurim, he was the first to offer shalom aleichem to a ShabbosHebegan, his ready facewith glowed its newcomer. was always a smilewith and kind word to lift sagging spirits. usual radiance and joy. He exuded sweetness and warmth, personifying the huHis chassidim asked the rebbe how he man touch. He was relatable and pleasant. His shiurim wasoutstanding able to find the strength to and risesparkling above were in their crystalline clarity
the pain. He offered a parable of a person walking along a street and suddenly felt a pat on his back. Startled, he turned around, only to see that what he felt was actually a loving pat from his father. “I felt the blow,” said the rebbe, “but then I saw who it was from: my beloved Father.”
The Torah teaches us to understand difficult moments by recognizing that “just as a father punishes his son, Hashem punishes klal yisroel” (Devarim 8:5). We are to understand that when we are hurt, it is an act of love, not anger. A parent disciplines because he wants to prod his child to growth and success. Even when the admonishment is painful, it is understood to be in context of parental love and hope. So, during Chodesh Av, we read this week’s parshah, in which Moshe Rabbeinu – the av lenevi’im, the most effective rebbi we have ever had and the eternal Jewish father figure –demonstrates how a loving father offers rebuke. In order to bring people to teshuvah, which will bring us to the ultimate geulah, we need to preach as Moshe preached, and rebuke and reprimand as he did. An examination of the posuk beginning with the word “Eicha,” reveals the state of the Jewish people at the time of Moshe Rabbeinu’s talk with them. Far from a great people simply lacking in refinement, they were actually rambunctious apikorsim, who would mock Moshe and incessantly quarrel among themselves (Rashi, Devarim 1:12). Yet, Moshe saw greatness in them and worked to bring them to the level that would allow Hashem to end their golus and bring them to Eretz Yisroel. So too, in our day, if we are mochiach with love, treating all Jews as brothers and sisters, and care about them, we can also help bring the nation out of golus and into geulah. Rav Simcha Bunim Cohen was a young bochur when he first met Rav Moshe Feinstein. A resident of the Lower East Side, he entered the MTJ bais medrash for the first time to daven minchah and approached Rav Moshe. The rosh yeshiva was engrossed in a sugya, so the bochur waited patiently for him to raise his head from the sefarim in front of him. Finally, Rav Moshe noticed the young boy standing there and extended his hand to him. He said, “Shalom aleichem,” and asked him his name. After some small talk, Rav Moshe rose from his seat and led the bochur by hand to the back of the bais medrash. “Come,” he said, “let me show you where the siddurim are. It’s your first time here, so you probably don’t know.” After showing him where the siddurim were kept, the elderly gaon began taking the boy down a set of stairs. “Where are we going?” Simcha Bunim asked. “I want to show you where the bais hakisei is,” said Rav Moshe. The bochur was overcome by the effusive love that the gaon hador showed him, a lesson he shall never forget. The love of a leader, a rebbi, a rosh yeshiva, for a young bochur he didn’t even know, like a father for his child. The boy went home to write in his diary how impressed he was and that he would make it his business to return to see Rav Moshe again. Within a few days, he was back. He went on to establish a special relationship with Rav Moshe.
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AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Several years later, he was learning at the Mir Yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel and felt that it was time to return home. His rebbi, Rav Nochum Partzovitz, suggested that he would benefit from remaining in the yeshiva for one more zeman. When Simcha Bunim demurred, Rav Nochum proposed that he address the question to Rav Moshe Feinstein. A few days later, Rav Moshe handed a tape with a recorded message to Rav Simcha Bunim’s father. Rav Moshe advised him to stay in the Mir for another zeman. “If Moshiach comes,” Rav Moshe said, “we will meet in Yerushalayim. If chas veshalom not, I guarantee you that I will be here when you return to New York.” Then he recorded on the cassette tape a 15-minute ma’amar of chizuk for the young bochur. Simcha Bunim took the tape to Rav Nochum and they listened to it together. As they heard Rav Moshe speak, tears streamed down Rav Nochum’s face. He was overwhelmed and overcome as he listened; he couldn’t stop crying. When it was over, he explained how touched he was by the love of the elderly gadol hador for a young bochur thousands of miles away. The love of Moshe, the love of a leader for his flock, the love of a rebbi for a talmid, ensuring that he would do the right thing and feel good about it. A paradox appears in the words of Chazal: “Yehi beischa posuach l’revacha May your home be open wide before the masses.” Yet, we’re also taught, “Yehi beischa beis va’ad lachachomim - May your home be a gathering place for talmidei chachomim.” Which is the correct way to run a Jewish home? Rav Meir Chodosh answered that the home should be open to all who need entry, but the mandate of the host is to ensure that all who enter depart his dwelling a little wiser than when they entered. Unconditional love and acceptance, with a mission to educate. And it is possible to do both. Such was the legacy of the mussar giant, Rav Meir Chodosh. His home in the Chevroner Yeshiva, breeding ground for generations of talmidei chachomim, was marked by the carton of cookies that sat in the kitchen next to the steaming urn. The treats were set up for the bochurim of the yeshiva, who were encouraged to enter and partake of coffee, tea, and cookies 24/7. The ideals of the Chevroner mashgiach lived on and were embodied by his son, Rav Moshe Mordechai Chodosh, who passed away last week after a short illness. Through example and message, his parents raised him to appreciate that the highest calling is helping others. As one of the yeshiva’s most respected and accomplished bochurim, he was the first to offer shalom aleichem to a newcomer. He was always ready with a smile and kind word to lift sagging spirits. He exuded sweetness and warmth, personifying the human touch. He was relatable and pleasant. His shiurim were outstanding in their crystalline clarity
and sparkling simplicity. The yeshivos he headed were not only for metzuyanim, nor for struggling teenagers, nor for those in between. They were for all of them. Bochurim. Bnei Torah. He welcomed them all and loved them all. I came to know him when I was learning in Brisk and living in the Ezras Torah neighborhood, where his nascent yeshiva was located. Decades later, after his yeshiva greatly expanded and he established and led many others, as a renowned rosh yeshiva with legions of talmidim, he had the same ever-present, warm smile and welcoming countenance. When he became ill and was told that he would be placed in isolation so that the advanced treatment would work, he first returned to his yeshiva to deliver a final, parting shiur. The sight was so amazing and awesome that we chronicled it in the Yated with a front page report. The image of that final shiur will live on for a long time. He stood in front of the bais medrash like the lion of Torah he was, resplendent in his glory, epitomizing the greatness of Slabodka, personifying its message of gadlus ha’adam, displaying the love of a great soul at its apex, enveloped in Torah, surrounded by beloved students. Seemingly oblivious to his physical condition, that image of the rosh yeshiva, smiling as he carefully dissected and laid out a sugya, transmitting the mesorah and beauty of Torah to the next generation, helping develop the minds and thinking of beloved talmidim for one last time, was similar to Moshe Rabbeinu’s parting from his flock on his last day. The image of that soft smile, brilliant mind, faithful soul, and hadras ponim radiating yiras Shomayim and Torah will embolden his many talmidim and others as they face challenges and seek motivation throughout their lives. When the shiur ended, the talmidim rose and lined up for a final encounter, to sear the image and message on their growing, maturing neshamos in a beautiful, heart-breaking, reflection of this week’s parshah. “Eileh hadevorim asher dibber Moshe.” His passing was itself a shiur, and those who hear the song of history can’t help but appreciate that this also was his mesorah. Misas tzaddikim is as difficult as the churban of the Bais Hamikdash. We cry for all of them, for rabbeim and their talmidim, for fathers and mothers and children, for rabbonim and their kehillos, for communities and their leaders, for the shopkeepers and scribes and beggars. So much Jewish blood has been shed. So much heartache has been felt throughout the centuries in exile. On Tisha B’Av, we sit on the floor and plaintively ask, “Lamah lanetzach tishkacheinu?” For how long will death endure? For how much longer will we linger in golus? When will You say that enough is enough, ad kan? Hashiveinu Hashem eilecha venoshuvah, chadeish yomeinu k’kedem.
In
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Torah Thought The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Individual Versus State Rabbi Pinchas Gruman In Bamidbar 35:32-33, we read, “Do not accept atonement compensation for one who has fled to his refuge city, to allow him to return to live in the land before the death of the kohen [gadol]. Do not flatter the land in which you live, for, the blood flatters the land, and for the land there can be no atonement for the blood that was spilled in it…” No English translators translate these verses as I just did – not one! Kaplan, in his Living Torah, translates 33 as, “Do not pollute the land where you live.” So does the Metzudah. Artscroll translates it as, “Do not bring guilt to the land in which you are.” The literal translation of “veloh tachnifu es ha’aretz asher atem bo,” which is “Do not flatter the land that you live in,” does not make sense, for how do you flatter the land? Because of this problem, all other translators do not translate the word chanifa – flattery – literally. They rather translate it with the words that denote the consequences of flattery, such
as “pollute” or “guilt.” My translation of “Do not flatter the land you live in,” is based on the unique understanding of Rav Moshe Feinstein in his Dorash Moshe. There he writes that the Torah requires that the murderer be judged on his merits or demerits only, without paying attention to the effect that this judgment may have on the society of the land. That is what the Torah means by “flattering” the land. Rav Moshe starts with a statement saying that no country tolerates murder. The difference is that the Torah judges an individual on his own guilt, per se; whereas sources other than the Torah basically protect the society from the murderer. Accordingly, the murderer is not necessarily judged based on his act, rather he is judged on the effect that his act may have on society. This type of judgment is what is considered “flattery” of the land, says Rav Moshe. Let’s cite two examples where people involved were not judged on their merits,
but rather on the possible effect their actions may have on the state. Both examples are from the Holocaust. In 1939, a boat by the name of St. Louis, carrying some nine hundred Jewish refugees from the dangers of Europe, was denied landing in New York. Allowing its passengers entry to this country did not follow the visa regulations of the United States at that time – so ruled President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. St. Louis attempted next to land in an alternative port: Havana, Cuba. The then-president, Fulgencio Batista, gave the permission required for its passengers’ entrance. The permission was eventually cancelled due to pressure from Roosevelt, who was concerned that once the Jews entered Cuba, they would likely find their way to the United States. This obscene “flattery” of the so-called “welfare” of the United States sent the nine hundred refugees back to Europe and to their deaths. Similarly, in 1942, a rickety boat – re-
ally a cattle barge – by the name of Struma, carried 769 Jews from Constanta, Romania. They were lucky to avoid the Romanian police, as Romania was allied with Germany at that time. This ship was headed to Istanbul, Turkey, which was neutral. The plan was to dock in Istanbul to refuel, and then proceed to Palestine. A captain in charge of security for the port of Istanbul, by the name of Achmet Erdoğan (yes, the father of today’s infamous president of Turkey, according to the Jerusalem Post) refused to allow Struma to dock. He was concerned that the British might refuse the Jews permission to enter Palestine, and the Turkish state would end up with these Jews. That, according to his opinion, would harm the state. The boat never returned to Romania; it was torpedoed by a Russian submarine that regarded the Struma as an enemy vessel. The Torah, argues Rav Moshe, rejects such “flattery” to the state.
Diary of a BT The Family of My Dreams Beryl Tritel, LMSW Family. Everyone has an opinion about this word. After all, we all come from one, and we hopefully will create a new one, as well. Whether you are part of a closeknit family, or one that likes to keep their distance, there “ain’t nothing like family” – for good or for bad. While we didn’t celebrate many holidays when I was growing up, Thanksgiving was sacrosanct. Nobody missed Thanksgiving. After all, here was the big chance for us to “be like everyone else.” This was my one opportunity a year to compare plans with my non-Jewish public school friends. How many relatives would be at our different houses? What was being made? It was great. Sitting at the Thanksgiving table, eating my mother’s turkey, my grandmother’s matzah stuffing (which I still make even today), and my aunt’s apple pie created a sense of togetherness as we ate and schmoozed. Often, long after the plates had been cleared and the coffee drunk, we would sit and talk about life. Sharing confidences with my cousins, spending time with aunts, uncles, and grandparents was a wonderful way for me to remember that I was part of a greater whole.
When I was becoming frum, I loved being at people’s Shabbos tables. The kids, the food, the conversations, the bickering, the chaos, the connection – I thought it was all great. Coming from a pretty small immediate family, with not a lot of extended family, the energy and camaraderie that was found in these homes was something so special that I wanted it too. It was like Thanksgiving every single week. Some of the more touching scenes that I remember are sitting at a yom tov table and seeing the grandparents shepping nachas from the grandchildren. Seeing the cousins play together. I couldn’t wait for my family to have it too. Once I became frum, Thanksgiving got a lot more complicated. No longer could I eat the turkey my mother prepared, or the stuffing or pies that went along with it. I tried making it all myself for a few years, but the comments about how “dry the kosher turkey is” made it hard to swallow (on all levels). But, I was determined not to let any of it get to me, and it did get a bit better once I got married, as everyone’s behavior shaped up in front of my new husband. When I started having children, I
couldn’t wait for those Shabbos scenes to be replayed in my own home. And, baruch Hashem, we have it all: the kids, the food, the conversations, the bickering, the chaos, and the connection that we all share. I love it. (Though, I have to say, I don’t remember thinking about how I was going to referee the bickering, or serving a meal while there is a temper tantrum going on. But, I digress…) However, there remains one yawning gap: There aren’t the grandparents. There aren’t the cousins. Don’t get me wrong. Our children have wonderful grandparents, and they love each other very much. And when we get together for a few days, and the visit includes a Shabbos, we are honored to have them at our table. But, there is a difference. The grandparents in those scenes were able to test their grandchildren on the parshah and shep real nachas over their learning. They could relate to their grandchildren in a way that is missing between our children and their grandparents. As for cousins? It may seem obvious, but, no one told me that just because I became frum didn’t mean that I would magically get Orthodox siblings who would
have Orthodox children. So, our children have each other. And for all of the hustle, bustle, fighting, laughing, and memories being made, the lack of cousins to share it with is palpable. They hear their friends talk about “Shabbos at Bubby’s” or “Going to see their cousins this chol hamoed.” And they look at me, and I look at them, and we both wish that it was different. In terms of extended family, we wish that we had some that shared our values and lifestyle. But we don’t. At least not yet. Baruch Hashem, our children are growing up. Our oldest just graduated from high school, and she is about to start her seminary year. We daven that as our family grows up and expands, we will soon merit to see the table of my memories. And of my dreams. Beryl Tritel, LMSW is an individual and marriage therapist, specializing in the full range of Women’s Life Issues. She has offices in Ramat Bet Shemesh and at The Place in Jerusalem. She also sees clients all over the world over via Skype. She can be reached at 011-972-58-9454 or at beryltritel@gmail.com.
The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Venue Sponsors: Yeshiva Aharon Yaakov/Ohr Eliyahu Yeshiva University of Los Angeles Girls High School
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To volunteer, donate or enroll your child for Fall 2016, contact Sheva Gralnik at 310.274.6331 or sgralnik@chailifeline.org.
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AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
The Nationwide Shabbo
September 9-10, 2016
Marking the Yahrtzeit of 5 Weeks To This Historic Event!
CITICOM! 718.692.0999
Details To Follow
Stop the Talking in Shul! A zechus for parnasah, shiduchim, refuos & yeshuos
A Project of the “Stop the T
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os of No Talking in Shul 6 - שבת פרשת שופטים
f the Tosfos Yom Tov zt”l
Talking in Shul” Movement
Stop the Talking in Shul! A zechus for parnasah, shiduchim, refuos & yeshuos
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The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Communicated The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
The Suit Lady is Moving West Located in Teaneck in an intimate home-office, the exclusive appointment-only Suit Lady has a tremendous following. Part of a family business with over 30 years of experience in fine men’s clothing, The Suit Lady is known to fit a suit perfectly to its owner. The Suit Lady has gained herself international attention with clients from South America, Latin America, Europe, Canada, and more. Her superbly fitting suits
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Book Review The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Book Review: Nehalel beChol Edited and translated by Michael Haruni, introduction by Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cordozo Reviewed by Rebecca Klempner
The new Nehalel beChol adds an unfamiliar twist to the prayer book: photos. Many readers may recall the outstanding Nevarech bentcher; loaded with color photographs connecting the verses of Birkat Hamazon to life in Israel, it has sold over half a million copies since its release nearly two decades ago. (Confession: my husband and I selected Nevarech to use for our wedding.) Now its creator, Michael Haruni, has created a set of siddurim (Nahalel beShabbat for Shabbos and Nehalel beChol for weekdays) that build on Nevarech’s unique appeal. When offered a free copy to review, I leaped at the chance. Firstly, any user of Nehalel will have to adjust to its weight. Due to the large, glossy pages and sturdy cover, Nehalel weighs more than most prayer books. Those who use it will be most comfortable if they pray at a shtender or table. Flipping Nehalel open, I immediately found a photo of the Kotel on the frontispiece; a photo of sunrise at Masada illustrates the title page. These images set the tone in two ways: by uplifting the soul to
connect to higher aspirations, and by setting Nehalel apart as a quintessentially Zionist siddur. The Zionist theme continues all the way to the end of the siddur, where Haruni includes special prayers for Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut. Well-known scholar Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cordozo wrote introduction. Although Rabbi Cordozo has a reputation for edginess, I found his words here simultaneously erudite, moving, and instructive. My favorite line: “The prayer book is meant to be a volume not of words, but of musical notes. When a great musician plays Mozart, he doesn’t actually play ‘Mozart;’ rather, he borrows Mozart’s notes and plays his own music on these notes. He releases Mozart’s musical notes from their confinement and carries them beyond themselves…The praying man plays his inner symphony on the musical notes of Israel’s great composers, its Sages (pp. xix-xx).” Haruni took particular care in choosing the photos for Shemoneh Esrei – where they are fewer, and show only the sky or
the landscapes of Eretz Yisrael – and in Shema – where he illustrated only the later paragraphs. Clearly, he wanted to avoid any direct conflict between the words of the prayers – directed to a bodiless and invisible Being – and concrete images. Elsewhere, we see not only photos of inspirational moments of Jewish history – the liberation of the Kotel in 1967, the release of prisoners following the Shoah, Operations Magic Carpet and Solomon – but Jews of all ages, colors, and levels of ability (a couple photos highlight Jews in wheelchairs or otherwise disabled). Opposite the conclusion of Birkat Hamazon, for example, we see a silver-haired, smiling woman who illustrates the words “Naar hayiti gam zakanti, v’lo ra’iti tzaddik ne’ezav, v’zaro mvakesh lachem – By the time my youth is passed and I have aged, I should never see a righteous person abandoned, his children begging bread.” That passage also highlights another quality of Nehalel: its translation. Haruni did the translations himself, and they definitely vary from what I’ve seen in other prayer books. According to the preface, he based his translation not only on the literal meaning, but on commentaries, and added a somewhat contemporary spin on certain parts of the text. Two examples: Since some opinions hold that the statement I quoted above from bentching is prophetic, not reflecting our current state of affairs, that’s how Haruni translated it. Similarly, in the blessings before Shema, he translated, “yotzer or u’voreh choshech, oseh shalom u’voreh et hakol,” as “Inventor of light and Creator of darkness, Producer of peace and Creator of everything,” in an attempt to distinguish between the three different words yotzer, voreh, and oseh, which is not usually apparent in other translations of this text. The font used by Haruni is clear, and neither too large nor too small, most similar to the Koren siddur. He provides useful explanations, written in blue type wherever necessary. How people respond to Nehalel beChol will depend on many factors. Some less Modern readers might find the images of women discomfiting, as well as the presence not only of Zionist prayers but of other additions, such as services for Yom HaShoah and Zeved HaBat. On the other
hand, these characteristics will add to the appeal for many in the Modern Orthodox/ Daati Leumi audience. Two of my children found the photos enhanced their kavanah, but the other two found the pictures very distracting. Personally, I found that even though I loved the images of skies and fields of grain and flowers, the depictions of people and historical events pulled my head out of my tefillos. I got a great deal of pleasure from the truly inclusive photos, but they also made me want to look up their context rather than pray! My suspicion is that Nehalel siddurim will have their lovers and their haters, filling a niche for many while being left by the wayside for others. To see more images from the Nehalel or to place an order, visit www.nehalel. com.
Parenting The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Proactive Parenting: Manipulation Sara Teichman, Psy.D.
I really don’t like the way my son goes about his business. When he wants something – a favor, a privilege, an item – he doesn’t come straight out and ask for it. Instead, he convinces the other person that it’s for their own good. Recently, he wanted his brother’s tie – a very expensive one, gifted to his brother by a family friend. He convinced his brother that it looked bad with his suit and that if he gave it to him their parents would have to buy him another one. Why does he do this and how do we get him to stop? Moshe (and Ahuva) Dear Moshe and Ahuva, What you are saying is that your son uses manipulation to get his wants and needs met. By this I mean that he twists events or situations to fit his needs. And the reason why he does this? Well, could it just be that it works? Younger children often use manipulation. They know when to throw a tantrum, or when to be just darling, in order to get their way. In the best case scenario, small children learn how to directly express their desires – and then can dispense with this behavior. They eventually get the drill: what is appropriate (asking) and what is not (carrying on). An effective parent will ignore the willful tantrum and illustrate for the child a more prosocial way to make a request. (Note: Tantrums that are an expression of the child’s pain are not to be ignored. A tantrumming child whose feel-
ings are hurt, or who is hungry, tired, or dysregulated must be attended to.) Unfortunately, some people never give up using manipulation as a means to get their way. They use manipulation to control – others, the situation, or the course of events. And power feels good – especially for the powerless. So, despite the parent’s best (or, possibly, inadequate) efforts, an unhealthy pattern develops and may even become second nature. How your son got here is not as important as how you help him develop a more appropriate way of behaving in the future. Though manipulation is typically “under the table” and hard to pin down, there is much you can do which would discourage its use. Here are some beginning strategies: Encourage direct communication. If necessary, give your child the words to
use. Tova holds the whole family hostage every night that she has homework. She yells at the littler ones to be quiet; she hogs the computer; and she makes myriad requests of her parents (a drink! my markers! I have to call my friend!). Academics are very important in the family, so Tova has a captive audience. After much too long, Tova’s mother has had it She has a (very lengthy) discussion with Tova who admits that she is frustrated and irritated by her workload. Mom encourages (at first) and insists (at the end) that Tova use her words to ask for help and express frustration. Mom also makes sure to ignore Tova when she is being difficult so that Tova learns that crime does not pay. Refuse to be drawn into the manipulation. State your position clearly. If necessary, “broken record” it. Whenever Mom goes out for the night, Yanky takes advantage of the situation. He refuses to go to sleep on time, or shower, or clean up his stuff. He is quite adamant in telling his father that “Mommy said I can stay up later, skip a shower etc.” Tatty ignores the noise and simply repeats the drill. When Yanky persists in playing one parent against the other, Tatty uses the broken record technique rather than give in. (Note: For those of my readers too young to have seen a record player, this technique refers to a defective record that gets stuck and the same word gets repeated over and over again. When a person uses this technique, he simply says the same word repeatedly until the other party – sick of it – just gives up.) Model what you want to see. Review your own interactions with your children. Mom is really overwhelmed and could use a hand from her family. But she sees how busy her kids are with school, ex-
tra-curricular activities, and chessed, and does not want to ask for their help and spoil their fun. Instead, she moans and complains about how hard she works and no one helps her, etc. In short, she makes her children feel so guilty that they reluctantly – and resentfully – help. When the guilt-complain-help cycle runs its course, Mom realizes it’s time for a change. She decides to straight-out ask her kids what each one feels comfortable contributing to the family load. Though one child makes a commitment smaller than Mom would have liked, Mom is pleased with the results – some help, free of any baggage. And, most importantly, Mom is proud that she showed her children that they could simply ask for what they need rather than finagle and plot. Dealing with a manipulator is unpleasant to say the least. It’s also crazy-making: it’s hard to tell exactly what is going on until it is too late. While occasional manipulation is fairly typical in a not-yet-mature child, a serious pattern is a cause for concern. If you continue to worry about this behavior in your child or adolescent, consider whether your child may benefit from professional intervention. The Book Nook: In The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, author Wendy Mogel, Ph.D. discusses what we really want to give our children in today’s overly materialistic world. She also talks about teaching them values like gratitude and respect. Check out her website and read her blog “Over-Parenting Anonymous.” Sara Teichman, Psy D. is a psychotherapist in private practice in Los Angeles and Clinical Director of ETTA, L.A.’s largest Jewish agency for adults with special needs. To submit a question or comment, email DrT@jewishhomela.com.
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AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
A Life after Destruction PHOTO CREDIT- YAD VASHEM
By Tammy Mark
Just
as the Jewish calendar transitions from the mourning of the destruction and exile of Tisha b’Av to the comfort and joy of Shabbat Nachamu and Tu b’Av, the Jewish people throughout history have found salvation after suffering. Two such examples are Holocaust survivors Trudy and Sol Englander, who came out of the ashes of World War II to recreate a beautiful rich Jewish life as the one they once knew. Sol, who survived the Hungarian labor camps, told his story in 2013 in a book titled, My Children Asked and I Answered. Tru-
dy endured Auschwitz and labor detail at the young age of 11. Sol says he survived due to luck and determination. After the war he resolved to rebuild his life, and together with Trudy, created a life that is dedicated to family, Yiddishkeit and the Jewish community.
Trudy
Mayer lived on the border town of Bratislava in Czechoslovakia. She was an only child with a large extended family, grandparents and great-grandparents and a wonderful group of friends. Her father was a businessman and her mother was a homemaker. It was a happy childhood with no outward anti-Semitism; her father walked to synagogue every Shabbat without incident. Trudy’s earliest memory of anything less than idyllic occurred when she was a little girl around the age of 4 playing at the park. A strange woman approached her and said, “Wait until Uncle Dolphy comes and kills you all.” Young Trudy had no idea what it meant – she didn’t have any uncles by that name and had not heard of Adolph Hitler or his sinister plans. Things were still relatively normal for Jews in her town for the next few years but evil was lurking.
Eventually there were signs displayed declaring, “No Jews Allowed.” Curfews were established and privileges like music and pets were forbidden to Jews. One day, without warning, somebody came to visit Trudy’s home and two weeks later the family was kicked out. Next, her father’s business was taken over. Trudy’s father was kept on as an employee, however, and considered himself very lucky. There were many other indignities to come; once the Jews were required to wear the yellow stars they became obvious targets. In 1942, the deportations started. In 1944, there was an unsuccessful uprising, and Germany took over. The day after Yom Kippur, Germans came to Trudy’s house. Her family was sent to a truck with the other families to be taken to the train station and then packed into cattle cars. Trudy vividly remembers the distinct scraping sound of metal against metal as the door was bolted. Children cried as they were packed tightly in the car with just two tiny windows on either side. Trudy’s father blessed her before the train doors opened in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Trudy was 11-years-old at the time, but tall for her age. As she disembarked from the train, the Jewish
prisoner that directed them told her she should say she was 18. As the men were sent to the right, it would be the last time Trudy saw her father. That was the first selection, and Trudy made it through with the stronger women. The women were told to undress, their heads were shaved, and they were shoved into the shower room. Rags and wooden clogs were distributed as they left and they were forced into the cold October weather and sent into the barracks. They then stood outside for the twice daily counting for 2 to 3 hours each time. The women were afraid for themselves but also for the men – the fear was the worst part. “You could smell the misery,” recalls Trudy. A few days later they were taken to the next train. The Nazis took the names and ages of the women, with Trudy listed as 18. They traveled to a factory in Saxony where she was assigned with her mother to file metal pieces. The women worked from 6 AM until 8 PM and cleaned after that, with maybe five hours to sleep. After four weeks Trudy started showing signs of fatigue and her youth. One day a guard took notice and separated her from the rest of the women. As her mother and the other women were ordered out of
Feature The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
the room, Trudy’s mother kissed her, fearing for what would happen. Miraculously, the guard took pity on Trudy and allowed her to work just nine hours – and sent her back to join the group. The women remained there until mid-April. They were marched out and this time placed in coal cars which were open on top to be taken to Mauthausen. There was barely any food and it rained on the women day and night for eight days; Trudy’s mother was weakened by this trip. Thankfully, it was one week lateer when they were liberated. ”God bless the United States Army,” declares Trudy. “They liberated us on May 5, 1945.” Many people died, unfortunately, even after the liberation from illness, but Trudy and her mother went home. They had lost their money and they did not feel welcome in their hometown, yet they were able to begin to rebuild their lives. Trudy’s mother remarried and gave Trudy a sister. The family eventually moved to Israel. “We all shook off the ashes,” says Trudy. She shares the mindset they maintained at each turn, “We can live with this as long as it doesn’t get worse. We bent like the proverbial stalk of wheat.”
Sol
Englander came from a large tight-knit family from the Orthodox Jewish community in the town of Nagyvarad, considered Hungary at the time but today part of Romania. Nagyvarad had the largest Jewish population outside of Budapest; amongst them were professionals in all fields. His father was a successful small business owner. Before World War II, the Englanders lived as a comfortable upper middle-class family. They lived in close proximity of aunts, uncles and cousins, and vacationed in the mountains during the summer where Sol and his brother fished, hiked and swam. One of four children, Sol and his brother went to cheder as children and went on to study in yeshi-
Hungarian Jews being rounded up into cattle cars
va. They enjoyed typical activities like attending soccer games. Sol’s father built a thriving button and buckle manufacturing business with the whole family pitching in to help. In 1939, the brothers joined their father’s business full-time, and Sol was trained in design and production of tools and dyes. While Hungarians had endured the anti-Jewish laws in 1941 and 1942, they welcomed a brief period of relative quiet until everything changed in March 1944 when Germany occupied Budapest. Listening
ghetto with many crowded into a small area, and strangers suddenly sleeping with them in their home. Homes and businesses were eventually taken from all. Each step was to dehumanize the Jews and break them down – in a few short months, they went from living as citizens to having fewer rights than animals. As the situation worsened, the Jews of Hungary pondered the best course of action. While previously they had tried to avoid being sent to the labor camps, they now wondered if that would be the safest option. Sol
“I was always focused on the day of freedom that I hoped would come. I held on, fiercely, to that hope.”
to the radio broadcasts out of Budapest, they began to hear the extreme anti-Semitic propaganda. Sol recalls listening to a BBC broadcast out of London and hearing President Roosevelt tell the world of the looming danger facing the Jews of Hungary, imploring the world to help overcome the Nazis’ savagery and criminal actions. Immediately, laws were tightened and new ones added. Yellow stars to identify them as Jews were required to be worn at all times, with failure to do so punishable by death. The section of Nagyvarad where the Englanders lived became the Jewish
had been given the task of accompanying his epileptic cousin to the recruiting center for labor details. The officer at the station was known to be saving lives by accepting Jews that applied for labor service and was later named one of the “Righteous Gentiles” at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Israel. This event determined Sol’s path, for labor service was where he ended up spending the remainder of the war. It was also the last time he saw his family members when he left Nagyvarad.
Sol
was on his own for the first time. He did not know
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what was happening to his family back at home. He did know that the war was soon coming to an end and kept hoping and praying for the best. He only later found out that the Jews from his town were being rounded up and transported to the concentration camps. After a few weeks in the barracks, Sol was selected to be part of a work detachment with the orders to move northward into the Carpathian Mountains, making the first leg of the journey by train and continuing by foot for several days to the spot where they were to work. Assigned to the task of building a fortification on top of the mountain to hold off the Russian army, the young men chopped down heavy trees and carried them up the mountain. This was physically demanding work with very little food and barely any sleep. They were infested with lice; many could not retain the morale to make it through. “I was an optimistic person – I think that was one of the main reasons I survived,” explains Sol. “I was always focused on the day of freedom that I hoped would come. I held on, fiercely, to that hope.” Soon the supervising Hungarian Army sent 100 men over to help the German unit nearby. Conditions there were actually better than they had been at the Hungarian worksite. When the work was complete, Sol was sent back to the Hungarian side with even less food available. After four weeks, both groups deemed the effort as futile. They packed up and were walking back down the mountain when Sol and his two companions saw the opportunity to escape. They hid under a bridge until they thought it was safe and slept on the side of the road. They continued walking the next day. They heard big cheers as soldiers in passing trucks screamed the war was over. But the men were not yet safe – they were noticed and redirected into a military building for reassignment to a new unit. The new unit continued marching to get away from the advancing Russian Army.
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One night, after being awakened by the sounds of cannons, they realized the Hungarian crew had vanished. Sol and his friends took cover in a nearby pigsty waiting for the fighting to stop. They stayed there until dark when they found a neighboring empty house and snuck into the attic for the night. The men were eventually forced to rejoin the previous Hungarian unit, travelling from village to village trying to stay ahead of the Russian tanks through the winter. Throughout his trials he held onto the simple mantra of “I will make it.”Over the next few months the unit moved from place to place, with Sol hoping all along for it to come to an end. Walking up to 30 kilometers daily – often in 10 inch deep snow – they were tired, cold and hungry. He was constantly thinking of his family. When the Hungarian Army heard the Russians were closing in, they fled the camp, and the three men did too. Sol and his friends began to walk. In a few days, they reached Budapest. One year after German troops marched into Hungary, Sol Englander was finally free.
From
Budapest, Sol traveled back to his hometown. His family was gone. His family’s business was intact, but taken over by Jews that had worked for them before the occupation. Sol took back the business from them and miraculously secured a loan as well. “I always had hope and optimism even after the devastation brought upon us by Nazi Germany. I knew I had no choice but to live my life as fully and as capably as I could,” he recalls. In 1946, Sol left for Palestine with approximately 1,800 other immigrants cramped into the ship’s lower decks, sleeping in wooden bunks stacked three high. After a brief detainment period, he finally reached relatives in Tel Aviv. He found employment based on his technical and managerial skills from his father’s company.
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Hungarian Jews arriving in Auschwitz
Sol fulfilled his burning desire to join Israel’s Jewish self-defense organization, the Hagana. His skills and expertise led him to manage the metal manufacturing company that made the precision aiming unit for antitank guns, making each part separately by hand and machine, and working 14 to 16 hours a day. He was later sent into the Navy to the port at Haifa with the rank of sergeant to repair the delicate instruments of warships. Sol remained there until the beginning of the summer of 1949, finally witnessing Israel’s independence. He was now ready to start establishing himself. He started his manufacturing business, first taking a space with another company and began building it up from there. From spring-loaded snap locks for furniture doors to stationery supplies, Sol proudly designed, created and produced whatever there was a need for. It was Sol’s cousin who suggested his friend Trudy Mayer as a good match for him. Trudy worked in a medical research lab. They dated a few weeks before getting engaged, and three months more before wedding that April. Trudy was fortunate to have her mother and stepfather with her, while Sol’s only surviving sister Klari and his extended family helped fill the void. Their wedding was a huge celebration for both families. The young couple landed in Brooklyn, New York, in July of 1959. Sol started at Swingline Stapler
company after his experience with stationery supplies in Israel. Trudy worked as a lab technician at Maimonides Hospital. Sol was set on establishing himself in manufacturing and mass production and took steps towards that goal, changing jobs frequently to find his path to success. Sol soon met with the owner of Rosco, an automotive accessories company, and was hired to manage and make improvements to the existing operation. Through his determination and expertise, Sol weathered the highs and lows of the business, and was on his way towards achieving his dream. In 1961, after working as a machinist and designer for several years, Sol purchased the company and over the next two decades transformed it into a prosperous business. Rosco went on to supply mirrors for customers such as the NYC Transit Authority as well as major automotive companies throughout the United States. Trudy and Sol settled in Sunnyside, Queens, where many young Jewish couples resided at the time and joined the Young Israel of Sunnyside. Trudy gave birth to their first child Daniel in June of 1960, on the yahrzheit of Sol’s father. Their baby boy was named after both of their beloved fathers. When their son Benjamin came along in July of 1965, the Englander family relocated to a home in Kew Gardens Hills and joined the Young Israel there. They were deeply committed to the Jewish community and
to Israel. Both boys attended yeshiva. Trudy and Sol became active members in the Young Israel and in the National Council of Young Israel as well. In 1973 the Englanders led the drive to raise funds for Israel through Israel Bonds during the Yom Kippur War. The Englanders established the Holocaust commemoration program in their synagogue, and Danny kept it going there even after Trudy and Sol relocated to the Five Towns. Ben helped establish the memorial program in the Temple Beth Sholom in Lawrence, where Trudy delivered her moving story of survival to a packed auditorium. Trudy also participated in Steven Spielberg’s 1996 documentary special, which recounts the atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust through the use of historical footage and interviews. Trudy is frequently invited to speak to students at the local schools.
One
particular story she feels strongly about sharing, especially to students, is a memory of a family she met when she was 9-years-old after being relocated from her childhood home. They had met a nice, high-society type gentleman with a dog. She had known that he had been Jewish and wondered why this man didn’t need to wear the yellow star and was allowed to own a pet. Trudy had learned that his family sadly had converted away from Judaism back in the 1920s and that his mother was an active participant in the local church. Trudy vividly remembers sitting near the window on the quiet summer night in early 1942 when she heard screaming. Trudy recognized the gentleman’s voice as he protested, “My mother is a Christian – why don’t you go ask the church?” and recalls hearing the jarring words that followed in German, “But she is still a Jewess!” The church-going woman was among the first group of people to be deported out of town. Another lesson that has stayed
The Jewish Home | OCTOBER 29, 2015
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AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
with Trudy is from the time she had been leaving home with the mandated yellow stars on both her dress and coat. She had stopped in the hallway and tried to arrange the fabric in a way that hid the stars when a neighbor took notice of what she was doing. He told her to change her perspective – to display the stars and be proud to be a Jew. Sol too has lessons he learned in business and life. Sol believes you need a strong will and strong drive in both. He quotes Chazal, saying, “Kol hatchalot kashot” – all beginnings are hard. “The sky’s the limit,” he believes, and he cautions not to second-guess yourself too much. He advises to always keep a positive attitude, and he feels it’s what helped keep him alive. Today Trudy and Sol now live in Lawrence, New York. Sons Ben-
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ny and Danny joined Rosco in the 1980s and serve as Vice President of Engineering and Vice President of Finance, respectively. Just as Sol and his brother helped their father in Hungary, his sons work alongside
loss of Trudy’s father and Sol’s parents made an immeasurable impact. While raising her children Trudy realized how truly fortunate her husband was to have survived – and succeeded – without parents
“As individuals we may feel weak, but as a group we are very strong.”
him. Just as Trudy and Sol enjoyed their extended families, they are now grateful to be living in the same community as their children and grandchildren. What the Nazis took from Trudy and Sol, and all survivors of the Holocaust, cannot be replaced. The
to guide him. Together Trudy and Sol created a family that is making a positive impact on the world. They watch as their sons, their daughters-in-law, Bina and Yael, and their grandchildren embrace community service. They tell their stories for perpetuity, reminding the world to
remember and never forget. Ben Englander says of his parents, “Throughout our lives, our parents have taught us by example. Growing up, our home was a place of love, kindness and warmth. The lessons of history were part of our upbringing, but always with an eye on a future of positive potential for us and the Jewish community at large.” Despite the losses and the devastation endured in their youth, despite living with the horrifying memories from the Holocaust, Trudy and Sol Englander have built a proudly observant Jewish home, a successful business and a tight-knit family. What their families had established before the war remains even stronger today. Trudy says of the Jewish people, “As individuals we may feel weak, but as a group we are very strong.”
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Travel Guide:
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gan in the early 1600s when it became a hotspot for the wool trade and exported cloth to London and mainland Europe. The town’s infrastructure was revamped, and the rise of the cotton industry transformed both Manchester and the wider Lancashire region. The 1760s onward marked the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in Manchester. Canals were built to easily ferry raw resources and link the city with other economic centers like Liverpool. Cotton caught on in the 1780s and was augmented by the invention of the steam mill in the early 1800s. The world’s first modern railway, linking Manchester and Liverpool, opened in 1830. Yet despite the city’s booming industry and population, it was still governed like a village by a manorial court. That changed in 1838, when Manchester was officially incorporated and
Manchester Aaron Feigenbaum One of England’s largest cities, Manchester is brimming with history and culture. Once a gritty industrial center, Manchester has been completely transformed in the past few decades into a vibrant metropolis full of engaging contemporary art galleries and museums, swanky living spaces, and increasingly sophisticated architecture. Manchester is the powerhouse of northern England but has a space on the international stage thanks to its massively popular Manchester United Football Club and rock bands like Oasis and The Smiths. Some of Manchester’s best attractions are its renowned concert venue, Bridgewater
Control Center at the York Cold War Bunker
Manchester Jewish Museum
Hall; the Imperial War Museum North; and the Museum of Science and Industry. Overall, Manchester is a living reminder of the English Industrial Revolution, one of the world’s most economically and technologically significant periods in history. However, it’s also a cosmopolitan, modern city that thrives on creativity and innovation. If you don’t mind the rain and are interested in visiting one of England’s most dynamic cities, then Manchester is the place for you. History Manchester started its life as a fort on the far edges of the Roman Empire. From a collection of wooden buildings and ditches in the 1st century AD sprang a bustling town of tradesmen and craftsmen several centuries later. Eventually, the only legacy of Roman occupation was the village’s name: Mamucium (“Place of the Breastlike Hill”). Manchester’s development languished for several centuries more until the late 13th century when the Norman barony made the village its home base and established Manchester as one of the region’s largest noble landholdings. Manchester’s rise to prominence be-
John Rylands Library
National Football Museum
was granted an elected local government. During the late 1800s, cotton’s importance waned as commerce, finance, and machine manufacturing dominated Manchester’s economy. The city became a major producer of steam engines, trains, weapons, and much more. Manchester was linked to the world via the Ship Canal, which opened in 1894. Prominent American companies such as Westinghouse and Ford, as well as local companies like Rolls-Royce, set up shop in Manchester and employed tens of thousands of local workers. At the same time Manchester became well-known for its intellectual and cultural life, especially in music, education, and leading the charge for political reform. Important public institutions such as the city’s libraries and university were established in Manchester during the Victorian era along with the beginnings of the modern Labor Party. Yet, the chaos of the Industrial Revolution left a sordid legacy of slums – something that wasn’t addressed until the city’s makeover in the 1960s. With its towering buildings and modernist cultural institutions, the Manchester of to-
day is vastly different than the one of half a century ago. Manchester is now known for its music, sports, student life, and richly diverse population. Attractions Museum of Science and Industry: This museum celebrates the incredible innovation and progress that happened during the Industrial Revolution and beyond. Located on the site of one of the world’s first passenger railway stations, the Museum of Science and Industry has interactive displays that present visitors with unique educational experiences. The museum’s permanent collection includes an original British Spitfire plane from WWII, the steam locomotive prototype Novelty from 1829, and a replica of the Manchester Small-Scale Experiment Machine from 1948 – one of the earliest computers ever developed. One of the most famous pieces in the aircraft collection is an original Avro Shackleton, which was
Jorvik Viking City Center
The Shambles, York
used during WWII for protecting British merchant ships against German U-boats. The “Making of Manchester” gallery tells the story of innovation and entrepreneurship in the city dating from Roman times to Ernest Rutherford’s splitting of the atom at the University of Manchester. The museum has a large collection of vintage industrial machines such as steam engines, hydraulic pumps, and weaving machines. On certain dates visitors can ride on the passenger trains located on the museum grounds. Kids will love the Experiment! section where they can do things like create a mini-tornado, measure their reactions against the speed of light, and see how the power of gears allows them to lift a car. Check out the flight simulator or the museum’s 4-D theatre, complete with moving seats, wind, and water sprays. Current special exhibits include exploring the weird properties of graphene and building a pop bottle microscope. Entry is free. John Rylands Library: A library might not be at the top of most travelers’ itinerary, but this one deserves a visit thanks to its stunning Victorian Gothic architecture and one of the largest spe-
cial collections in the U.K. Items in the collection include medieval illustrated manuscripts, some of the earliest pieces of European printing and the personal papers of figures such as Victorian novelist Elizabeth Gaskell and scientist John Dalton. But the most impressive artifacts are located in the Jewish Collection, which includes the masterfully illustrated 14th century Rylands Haggadah, the earliest known Italian illustrated megillah (1618), and the correspondence of Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann. Manchester Museum: Located at the University of Manchester, this museum showcases the best of the world’s natural and cultural history. The vast collections cover everything from archaeology to biology to botany. There are tons of artifacts from ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Rome, and Greece as well as thousands of fossils and an extensive archery collection from around the world. Virtually every culture is represented through artifacts from Japanese ivory carvings to Pacific Islander paddles. Inside the Vivarium, you’ll find many rare and exotic species of reptiles and amphibians from around the world. Additionally, the museum has one of the world’s largest insect collections. Manchester Art Gallery: One of the U.K.’s largest art institutions, the Manchester Art Gallery houses over 25,000 objects of art spanning millennia. The oldest item in the collection is an Egyptian jar dating back to 1100 BCE. From sculptures to paintings to armor and clothes, there’s pretty much no art form that’s off limits here. Perhaps one of their most notable sections is the one dedicated to the Dutch Golden Age of art, a period in the 17th century when Dutch artists were responsible for many innovations in landscape, seascape, and still life painting. The museum is also famous for its collection of Victorian paintings and interior decorations, as well as displaying works by Pierre Valette, a French painter who made many iconic landscape paintings of Manchester in the early 1900s. Some of the museum’s many current exhibits include the beautiful seascape paintings of Hondartza Fraga and an assortment of modern Japanese design. Manchester Jewish Museum: Located in the former Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, this beautiful Victorian/Moorish building tells the story of Manchester’s Jewish population and its many contributions to the city’s economy, culture, and politics. Manchester’s Jewish community originated with traders in the late 18th century with many more Jewish merchants arriving from Germany, Holland, and the Mediterranean in the next few decades. Manchester established itself as a place of tolerance by allowing in Jewish refugees from Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as well as from Nazi Germany and the Middle East. Some of the museum’s most important pieces from this highly diverse community include two Torah scrolls hidden during the Nazi occupation of Prague. The museum also has oral histories and an extensive research library containing hundreds of books, photos, pamphlet, and newspapers relating to Ju-
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AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
York city walls
daism, the Manchester Jewish community, Zionism, and more. Manchester Town Hall: The city’s seat of government is housed in a grand, Victorian building that looks like a smaller, but still very impressive, version of London’s Westminster Palace. It was designed in the late 1800s by noted architect Alfred Waterhouse and its complex exterior is dominated by its beautiful bell tower housing Great Abel, the Manchester equivalent of Big Ben. In fact, the building has been used as Westminster’s double in films and TV shows. It is the ceremonial headquarters of the Manchester City Council. Visitors can step inside to discover the lavishly decorated Great Hall, with murals depicting the Victorian ideals of science and industry, and the Sculpture Room. Imperial War Museum North: Located on a site overlooking the Manchester Ship Canal (which was heavily bombed in WWII during the little known Manchester Blitz), this museum has an impressive collection of military hardware. However, its main focus is on the personal effects of war. Among its many fascinating pieces are the artillery gun that fired Britain’s first shell in WWI, a 23-foot piece of steel recovered from Ground Zero after 9/11, a Soviet T-34 tank, and a U.S. Harrier jet. The museum’s main hall has a moving 360-degree film showing different personal experiences of war. People’s History Museum: Parliamentary democracy in the U.K. had a tumultuous start and this museum’s job is to tell the story of the movements and leaders who helped navigate the British political system down this bumpy road. The exhibits start with the birth of democratic ideas in the early 19th century. Learn about the struggle to improve working conditions during the Industrial Revolution and the battle with politicians and factory owners to form unions. The museum also discusses the formation of political parties, the Suffragette movement and the General Strike of 1926. Artifacts on display include political banners, badges, and posters. The second floor covers more recent struggles for social equality such as antiracism movements and the founding of the
National Health Service. National Football Museum: If you’re a football (soccer) fan then your visit to Manchester would not be complete without a visit to this celebration of England’s most famous pastime. Exhibits include profiles of the game’s most famous players and most popular stadiums, the first rule book from 1863, the history of football clubs and much more. Recently opened is the 1966 FIFA World Cup 50th anniversary exhibit. Day trips: Just a short train ride outside of Manchester is one of Northern England’s other biggest cities: Liverpool. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Beatles. Some of the most popular Beatles attractions include Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane, the members’ childhood homes, the Cavern Club, and The Beatles Story Museum. Another must-do day trip is the ancient city of York. Visit Clifford’s Tower, originally built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century. It is now seen as a proud symbol of England’s medieval kings. However, the tower also has a very dark past in which it was the site of a pogrom in 1150 and a debtor’s prison after that. The nearby York Castle Museum recreates some of cells in which famous prisoners such as Guy Fawkes and Dick Turpin were held. The York Dungeon further explores the darker side of York’s past with shows and exhibits that loosely mirror York’s 16th century history. The Jorvik Viking Center pays tribute to period from the late 9th-early 10th century when it was dominated by Norse warrior-kings from Denmark. The Yorkshire Air Museum has vintage WWII and pre-WWII planes, an original air base control tower, armored vehicles, a history of the development of airships and much more. Lastly, the York Cold War Bunker is a chilling reminder of the tensions between the USSR and the West. The bunker was intended for scientists who would monitor nuclear fallout in case of an attack on the U.K. Daven and Eat Manchester has an abundance of Orthodox shuls to choose from including Lubavitch of South Manchester (lubavitchsouthmanchester.org) and Stenecourt Syn-
agogue (stenecourt.org). For more listings, visit mavensearch. com/synagogues/C3382Y41310RX Manchester also has many great kosher food options to choose from. Two of the most popular are JS Restaurant, serving traditional Ashkenazi and British food, and Taam, for Israeli food. Getting There Flights to Manchester International, one of the world’s largest airports, currently start at around $820 per person round trip. You can also get there by train from
London and arrive at Manchester’s famous Piccadilly station, voted the most popular in the U.K. If you prefer to drive from London, it’ll take about 4 hours to get there. There are also bus routes to and from Manchester’s Chorlton Street Coach Station. Manchester has a highly efficient public transportation system that includes the free Metroshuttle program and the Metrolink tram system. Taxi and Uber fares are significantly cheaper there than in London.
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Election Propaganda Heats up in the Gaza Strip Mahmoud Abbas’s political party is using some unique bragging points to put them over the edge in the upcoming elections. According to their Facebook page, Fatah is listing having “killed 11,000 Israelis” as one of their major achievements. Palestinian Media Watch, a group that monitors anti-Israel and anti-Semitic statements in Arab media, translated the Facebook page. Fatah also claims to have “offered 170,000 martyrs.” The fact that it was written in Arabic is significant, as the Palestinian media has an extensive history of saying one thing in Arabic, and quite another in English. Mahmoud Abbas has long claimed in English media outlets that he supports peace, but in Arabic he has historically supported, and called for, violence against Israel. The upcoming elections in the Palestin-
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
ian areas are expected to be held on October 8. They are the first elections in ten years in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In 2006, the Islamist militant group Hamas defeated the long-standing Fatah in an embarrassing defeat. In 2007, Hamas seized control of the entire Gaza Strip, limiting Abbas’s influence – and Fatah’s – to the West Bank. Although Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the European Union and the United States, they are said to have good chances in the elections as Hamas is widely seen as the more efficient and less corrupt of the two poisons. This week, the campaigning took another turn when Hamas released a video of its “accomplishments.” The film, entitled “Thank you, Hamas,” depicts the Gaza Strip with lush lawns and gleaming high-rises. There are beaches, mosques, a functioning law enforcement, and many people smiling and waving, so happy they’re living there. The scenes seem idyllic and, of course, there’s no hint at the closed borders or terrible conditions Strip residents endure. Included in the video is an image of a metallic fist statue perched atop what appears to be an IDF armored vehicle. The fist clutches a replica of fallen soldier Oron Shaul’s dog tags. The tags bear Shaul’s army number — 6092065. Shaul was killed in action during the 2014 Gaza war, and Hamas initially claimed it had
captured him alive. He was subsequently pronounced dead by the IDF and Hamas has refused to return his body. In response to Hamas’ propaganda, rival Fatah showed a video depicting the hardships Gazans have under Hamas rule. Hamas spokesman Salah Bardaweel said on Tuesday that the group “is not telling people that we live in paradise,” – although it sure looks like that’s what they’re trying to do – but argues that it has governed well under tough circumstances.
Would-Be Bomber Used Rat Poison to Inflict Max Damage It was a close call in the Ben Yehuda section of Jerusalem last week. A suicide bombing on the Jerusalem light rail system was thwarted at the last minute thanks to a highly alert security guard. Shin Bet revealed that the bomb was constructed to cause the maximum damage; it contained nails dipped in rat poison. Ali Abu Hassan, a 21-year-old Palestinian civil engineering student at Hebron University, admitted that he planned to bomb a busy Jaffa Road restaurant at first, but then changed his mind. When he saw the throngs of Israelis boarding the
light rail he altered his evil plans. A welltrained security guard noticed the suspicious looking man and approached him to search his bags. When the man refused, the guard quickly alerted officials and the terrorist was apprehended. Hassan confessed to researching online how to build a bomb that would “cause the most, and most effective, damage” and “even carried out test explosions with a number of bombs in order to check them before entering Israel,” according Shin Bet. He is being charged with attempted murder, creating a weapon and conspiracy to commit a crime. Remember, if you see something, say something – you may be saving lives.
Nazi Flag Makes its Way to Yad Vashem A Nazi flag that was taken from Buchenwald by a French Jewish doctor on the day of the concentration camp’s liberation has been donated to Yad Vashem. After being liberated, Dr. Robert Jacques Lederer joined up with American forces to give medical attention to other survivors. When he entered Buchenwald on April 11, 1945, Lederer snatched the swastika flag as a to-
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The Week In News
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The Week In News
34 ken.
He kept it hidden for 71 years.
Lederer’s son recently found the flag, 15 years after his father’s death, and after much consideration decided that the only appropriate place for it to hang would be in Israel as a remembrance of what happened in the Holocaust. He contacted the Administrator General in the Ministry of Justice, who received the flag and transferred it to Yad Vashem. He also sent in other documents from his father’s “liberation days.” Miri Keidar, who is responsible for estates left to the state in the Administrator General, said the donor “explained that it was important to him to donate the flag to the State of Israel, and he didn’t ask for any financial consideration or set any conditions. He just asked that if the flag would be used, that his father’s name would be remembered.”
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Deputy Administrator General Sigal Ya’akovi stated, “The donation of the flag demonstrates the unbreakable link between world Jewry and the State of Israel. Many dozens of donations are received every year by the Administrator General from around the world, and the Administrator General is acting to fulfill the wishes of the testators to donate to Israeli society to preserve their memory.”
Australia Pulls Donations from Gaza
The Australian government has decided to stop funding World Visions, an international Christian charity, whose division in Gaza has been accused by Shin-Bet officials of giving tens of millions of dollars to Hamas. Mohamed el-Halabi has been fingered as the mastermind behind the non-for-profit
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group which had been creating fake receipts for humanitarian projects that have never happened. “Any diversion of the generous support of the Australian and international community for military or terrorist purposes by Hamas is to be deplored,” the Australian government said in a statement. Almost $4 million has been donated to the organization by the Australian government in the past three years. World Vision works in almost 100 countries and has an annual budget of $2.6 billion. The organization released a statement on its website saying that they are “shocked by the allegations,” and will “carefully review any evidence presented to us.” Australia had been warned by the Shurat HaDin Israel Law Center in 2012 and 2015 that Hamas was receiving the donated funds, but their warnings were brushed off. Yoav Mordechai, the Israeli Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories, explained that they told Australian officials that “Hamas stole this money and passed it to its military wing to build bases, provide salary bonuses and dig the tunnels of death that have brought destruction upon...the Gaza Strip.” Halabi, who is in his late 30s and from Jabaliya in the Gaza Strip, has admitted to cooking the books and diverting at least 60 percent of the donated funds to the Hamas terror network. He would create false construction projects and then
Attorney Andrew Friedman and his wife, Chanie, were received by Presidential Candidate Donald Trump a few weeks ago at a gathering for community leaders. Commissioner Friedman expressed his view that both Hungary and Israel would be pleased if Mr. Trump would become the 45th President of the United States.
list known Hamas operatives as workers on the projects. Building materials were purchased by the organization and then sent to build military bases and underground tunnel networks. Food and medications that were meant for civilians were diverted to the families of Hamas fighters. Halabi also indicated that other charity funds were being used as Hamas’s own piggybank instead of reaching their intended recipients. Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said on Israeli radio that “Israel will not permit this, and we will take action against these organizations and their activists,” he vowed. “We expect donor countries and international organizations to carefully check the destination of the money.”
Nazi Gas Mask Maker Supplying IDF Yad Vashem has discovered a disturbing fact. The company that sells gas masks and filters to the Israeli army is the same company that supplied the Nazis with gas masks in concentration camps during the Holocaust. Dräger and Auer, which are now both owned by American firm Mine Safety Appliances (MSA), started selling gas masks
The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
to the IDF during the Six Day War. They now supply other equipment as well to the Defense Ministry, the Firefighting and Rescue Commission, Israel Railways, Israel Police and the Israel Prisons Service. In response to the report, both Dräger and MSA put out statements. Dräger said that while they were ordered by the Nazis to produce and provide gas masks, they thought they were for civilian use. MSA said that their masks “kept firefighters, police officers, emergency teams, industrial workers and soldiers — including in the Israeli army — from harm. The American MSA did not provide the Germans with equipment during World War II, it acquired the Auergesellschaft factory in 1958, long after it was no longer providing gas masks to the German army.”
During the Gulf War, Israel began supplying civilians with gas masks in fear of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein using chemical weapons. Again, in 2013, during the United States military intervention in Syria, demand for the masks went up 400 percent, and the government was understocked. In January 2014, the Israeli government stopped distributing gas masks as Israeli officials felt there was a “drastic reduction” in the chemical weapon threat. In response to the Yad Vashem report, the Defense Ministry said it was “unfamiliar with claims about their past history,” and that the masks it buys are “among the best in the world.” How ironic: the same device can be used to both save a life and destroy a life.
Waze App Reminds Parents about Children in the Backseat
This summer, there have been numerous reported deaths after children were left in cars and overheated. Something needs to be done to prevent these trag-
edies and Waze thinks it has the answer. The GPS application has added a safety mechanism designed to prevent drivers from forgetting their children in the car by reminding them toward the end of a journey of the presence of a child. The driver will be given an option to activate the function which will provide a reminder by way of a large notification appearing on the screen which cannot be ignored. “We hope that the new feature will be used as a reminder for you to take your children who are unable to speak and remind you themselves, when it is time to alight your vehicle,” a statement from Waze said. Another Israeli application, the parking-assistance app, Pango, has also announced that it has integrated a banner into the home screen to stop the occurrence of this increasingly common phenomenon of children accidentally being abandoned in cars. The message on the application’s home screen appears next to a graphic of a baby: “Parents, turn around and make sure that you have not forgotten me in the car,” reads the reminder. The reminder appears once again after the user presses the button which activates the app’s parking meter. Hopefully these reminders will prevent more tragedies from occurring.
Getting Married on the Fly
Airplanes have great aisles to run down when flying with children for ten hours to Israel. But aisles are also meant for something else, which is what people on one flight to Athens realized. Nathaly Eiche was flying with Jurgen Bogner to Athens for vacation when she heard the strains of a song, “Marry You,” on the plane. That’s so cute, she thought, a proposal on a plane. But then Nathaly noticed Jurgen standing next to her. “That’s when I started crying,” Nathaly said. Jurgen got down on one knee and proposed, a most unusual proposal. But perhaps the proposal was the most conventional part of the day. Just
Revel.
Wood Grilled Rib Eye mustard demi | fried yukon gold potatoes sous vide abalone mushrooms | roasted pearl onions
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minutes later, a wedding dress appeared, along with two rings, a violinist, a master of ceremonies and several relatives who sneaked onto the flight early and hid before the proposal was performed. Nathaly’s father was also on the flight and he gave her a bouquet of flowers. Suddenly, it wasn’t just a plane carrying some vacationers abroad; the jet became a wedding hall and Nathaly was given away by her dad. “The perfect moment every girl waits for their whole life,” Eiche later wrote on Instagram. “He popped the question! And we got married on the same flight! Amazing day! Can’t find the right words for all the feelings right now … just crazy.” Proposal to married in just a few minutes. Hope it won’t be a rough landing.
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
The trouble all began in early July, when the Chinese man lost his wallet. Instead of reporting the incident to police, the man ended up in an office that presented him with an asylum application. He filled out the paperwork and was sent to a refugee home in Duelmen. Officials there noticed that “he was different from the others – very, very helpless.” Finally, after 12 days of being in a refugee home, with help from a translation app and a translator who worked at a Chinese restaurant, it became clear that the 31-yearold simply lost his wallet and wanted to travel on to France and Italy, not to seek asylum. Whoops. Lesson learned: do not go anywhere without Google Translate.
The Pizza ATM Lost and Found in the Wrong Place A Chinese tourist in Germany lost his wallet and ended up finding himself in the wrong place due to some funny paperwork.
Kids at Xavier University will no longer have to pick up the phone to order a pepperoni and cheese. The Ohio university recently unveiled the most popular thing on campus: a Pizza ATM that cooks and dispenses pizza on demand. Of course, the fare isn’t free but students can use credit cards to purchase the snack. Sure beats
getting dressed and heading to the local pizzeria. Hey, don’t college kids just wear PJs all day?
This is the first Pizza ATM in the country. The machine can hold up to 70 pies at a time. At $9 a pop, that’s a great way to fuel students’ cravings while they’re cramming in their studying. “I’ll tell you what,” a university spokesman said. “The pizza vending machine is hot.” Hasn’t anyone heard of a microwave?
Ice Cream Policing What’s the best way to tackle crime in Boston’s blistering heat? Well, how about handing out thousands of ice cream
cones? Sure beats handing out handcuffs. The Boston Police Department has unveiled an $89,000 ice cream truck as the newest addition to its patrol fleet. The truck, adorned with balloons and police decals, will be part of Operation Hoodsie Cup, a community policing initiative that has distributed roughly 120,000 free ice cream cups since 2010.
Commissioner William Evans says he would’ve called you crazy if you told him 30 years ago that the police department would have an ice cream truck as part of its fleet, but the goodwill it generates is “undeniable.” And that’s thanks to all the Good Humor.
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Quotes The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 |29, The Jewish OCTOBER 2015 | TheHome Jewish Home
Notable Quotes “Say What?!”
It’s the assessment of the Israeli military and intelligence community, the country that was most opposed to this deal that acknowledges this has been a game-changer that Iran has abided by the deal that they no longer have the sort of short term breakout capacity that would allow them to develop nuclear weapons. – President Obama, at the Pentagon, talking about the Iran deal
I want to wish a happy birthday to President Obama, who turned 55 today. Big celebration at the White House. The White House staff sang to him. Then the president blew out the candles on his vegan, wholegrain, carrot prune loaf.
The Israeli defense establishment believes that agreements have value only if they are based on the existing reality, but they have no value if the facts on the ground are the complete opposite of those the deal is based upon. - Statement by Israel’s Defense Ministry in response to President Obama’s contention
– Jimmy Kimmel
Donald Trump also offered birthday wishes on Twitter this week. He wrote, “President Obama will go down as perhaps the worst president in the history of the United States.” It’s sweet, though, because he said “perhaps,” and he wouldn’t do that on any other day. – Ibid.
Doctors are telling the Rio athletes competing in water sports not to put their heads underwater to avoid getting sick… Athletes asked how they were supposed to swim with their heads in the air, and doctors were like, “Oh, no, don’t — you don’t breathe in the air. That’s even worse.” – Jimmy Fallon
Top Republican fundraiser and Hewlett-Packard executive Meg Whitman released a statement saying that she will break with her party and support Hillary Clinton. She wanted to release the statement three days ago, but her printer kept jamming. – Seth Myers
There are so many lies now, that she lies about her lying. - Charles Krauthammer talking about Hillary Clinton, on Fox News
Apparently these people are here to protest Trump because Trump and his kids have killed a lot of animals. - Hillary Clinton’s response when she was heckled by animal rights activists
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AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
I’m very sorry, everyone. The last station was Elephant & Castle and I completely forgot to stop. - The very honest announcement that a London train operator made after, well, missing a stop
Welcome to the State Department. I think we have some interns in the back. Welcome. Good to see you in this exercise in transparency and democracy. - State Department spokesman Mark Toner at the beginning of his daily press conference last week
Sorry, I didn’t mean to break out laughing there. - Ibid., excusing himself for laughing uncontrollably immediately after making the above comment
Today Donald Trump came up with a new nickname for Hillary Clinton, “The Devil.” Calling your opponent the devil, that’s going to be tough to reel back in if he loses and has to make a concession speech. “Today I called the devil and congratulated her on her victory. I’m disappointed but we now unite behind our president the devil.” – Jimmy Kimmel
We can still compete clean and do well in the Olympic games and that’s how it should be. .- USA swimmer Lilly King after winning a gold medal, calling out Russian rival Yulia Efimova, who was allowed to compete even though she was recently busted for doping
The Week In News
AUGUST 11, 2016 | The Jewish Home
ב"ה ב"ה
There is nothing more powerful than all of us, united for one goal, one purpose. To take action and beseech Hashem-- our Creator, our constant Giver, on behalf of Sholom Mordechai Halevi ben Rivkah Rubashkin . Today, you have the opportunity to unite with Klal Yisroel, and become a partner in a new Sefer Torah that is being written in Zchus of brining Sholom Mordechai Halevi back to his family and Klal Yisroel. The Siyum Sefer Torah Iy"h will take place this coming 20th of Av.
LET’S SHAKE THE HEAVENS THROUGH TORAH, TEFILAH TZEDAKAH! .מי שעשה ניסים לאבותינו הוא יגאל את הרב שלום מרדכי הלוי בן רבקה בעבור שאנחנו נודבים צדקה לסיום ספר תורה חדש בעבורו ועומדים באחדות ובאהבה כאיש אחד בלב אחד לזכותו בשכר זה הקב"ה יוציאו מן המיצר למ־ .רחב ומאפילה לאור גדול ומשבעוד לגאולה He who made miracles for our fathers, may He redeem Harav Sholom Mordechai Halevi the son of Rivka. In his merit, we will donate a new, complete Sefer Torah and stand together in unity with love 'like one man with one heart.' In this merit, may the Blessed be He bring him out from a space of limitation to a wide expanse, from darkness to great light, and from enslavement to redemption.
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