DR. ZEV ZELENKO: From Medicine to Morality THE CAVE: A New Restaurant Experience BACK TO SCHOOL SECTION MIAMI ARAK IS MAKING WAVES INTERVIEW WITH YES! MARKET: AN ALL ENCOMPASSIN G KOSHER SUPERMARKE T B” H SEPTEMBER 2022 P.8 P.22 P.36 P.26
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CONTENTS table of Popsicles, Creamsicles and More P. 14 The Cave: A New ExperienceRestaurant P. 22 From Medicine To Morality P. 8 Impact United Hosts Jewish Business Expo P. 18 Interview with Yes! Kosher Market P. 30 Kids Corner P. 42 Miami Arak Is Making Waves P. 26 Back To School P. 36
T E F I L L A N U M B E R S C I R C L E T I M E A B C L E T T E R S H O L I D A Y S S T O R I E S C O L O R S A R T S & C R A F T S F O R M E R L Y G A N S A B R A A G E S 0 - 4 W a r m L o v i n g E n v i r o n m e n t + F u n a n d M o r e ! ! G a Gn a n S h i n e S! h i n e ! E M A I L Ganshinepreschool@gmail.com T E L E P H O N E (954) 297 2120 (954) 865 4360 A D D R E S S 280 Griffin Road
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Coming home with a beard, Vladimir returned to medical school, at one point sleeping in a local yeshiva where he would wake students up each morning saying, “Attention future of world Jewry – it’s time to go learn.” His own trajectory in yiddishkeit continued Zelenko style – at an extremely rapid pace – and he ignored the advice of rabbis who suggested he move ahead slowly, taking another year off to learn in Yeshiva Hadar Hatorah after graduating medical school.
There were many stops along the way for Zelenko in his journey from his birth in Kyiv to his final moments in a Dallas hospital some 48 years later. His parents, Larisa and Alex, left Ukraine when he was four, the small family stopping in Austria and Italy as they waited for their citizenship to come through. The Zelenkos settled in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn, establishing a home that wasn’t religiously observant but still had an element of Jewish pride, with Vladimir, as he was known then, finally given the bris that he had been unable to receive in Ukraine. Having virtually no background in Jewish studies, an attempt to place the young Vladimir in a local cheder proved unsuccessful and he excelled in public school where it was clear that he was academically gifted. As a student at Hofstra University, he chose a path in the sciences, graduating with a 3.9 GPA, emerging from college as a self-proclaimed atheist and the ultimate intellectual. Vladimir took pride in being a self-made man and he attended State University of New York at Buffalo’s medical school on a full scholarship, meeting up with Rabbi Heschel Greenberg who inspired him to take a Birthright Israel trip, a move that forever changed his life.
By Sandy Eller
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“It was a completely new experience of Judaism than what he had grown up with and he decided he wanted to stay in yeshiva,” son Yitzi Zelenko told Community Voice. “His parents were disappointed, but he spent a year studying in Kfar Chabad where his mentor, Rabbi Schneur Zalman Gafni, told him to continue pursuing a degree in medicine, saying that there were already enough rabbis in the world.”
From there, the now-Dr. Zelenko began his career as a family physician, starting out first on Long Island and then moving to Monroe where he eventually built an incredibly successful practice. A second office followed in time, this one in Monsey, with Zelenko, his wife Sima and their six children settling down in Monsey. Despite the MEDICINE TO MORALITY, THE LIFELONG MISSION OF DR. ZEV ZELENKO
FROM
Like so many others, he came to South Florida seeking a calmer existence, finding refuge in a place where serenity prevails and palm trees sway in the breeze. But while most people move to the Sunshine State to enjoy its temperate winters, not to mention its lower taxes, Florida was a safe haven for Dr. Zev Zelenko after finding himself in the center of a raging controversy sparked by then-President Donald Trump’s endorsement of his COVID treatment regimen in the early days of the pandemic.
SEPTEMBER 2022 / P9 tremendous pressures of running two offices as well as being a Hatzalah member, Zelenko made time for his children, with Yitzi remembering learning with his father early in the morning, in addition to going jet skiing and shooting off fireworks. His intellectual curiosity extended to his hobbies as well, and Zelenko enjoyed collecting newly minted coins, dabbled for a while in art and cars and would often go out “Possessionsshooting.werelike toys to him,” recalled Yitzi Zelenko. “He would always say that the difference between a man and a boy was the size of their toys.” On one very memorable occasion, Zelenko went out shooting the day before the Kinus Hashluchim was scheduled to take place in Manhattan, loading several guns including a highpowered hunting rifle into his trunk, along with rounds of armorpiercing ammunition that he had gotten from a friend. Zelenko drove to Manhattan for the Kinus Hashluchim the next day without realizing that he had a veritable arsenal of weaponry in his trunk. Passing a visual inspection at the first checkpoint was a simple matter, but things took a very different tone at the next checkpoint when a security team opened up Zelenko’s “Policetrunk. swarmed his car, their hands on their weapons and he somehow managed to convince them to confiscate his weapons and let him go,” said Yitzi Zelenko. “Things could have gone very differently, but he was charismatic enough to talk himself into a situation where they gave everything back after the Kinus.” Zelenko and his wife divorced in 2016, with both remarrying eventually. Zelenko made a significant effort to stay close with his children, and in the days just before the birth of the first of the two daughters that he had with his second wife Rinat, he began experiencing health issues and was diagnosed with an aggressive case of lung cancer. Faced with a terminal prognosis, Zelenko threw himself into research over the next several years, hoping to cure cancer completely, and it was that same single-minded determination that spurred his efforts to find a COVID treatment when the pandemic struck in 2020. Zelenko was delighted to have developed an experimental protocol that halted the virus in its tracks in many of his patients, and he made a nowfamous YouTube clip addressed to President Trump explaining how the combination of hydroxychloroquine, zinc and azithromycin treated the virus at the cellular level before it could evolve into a full-blown case of COVID. Both Yitzi Zelenko, who filmed the clip on his iPhone and uploaded it to YouTube, and his father were shocked the next day when they got a call from the president’s chief of staff and were even more surprised when Trump publicly acknowledged that he was taking hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure. That revelation created tremendous backlash for Zelenko, with the anti-Trump mob pouncing on the opportunity to undermine the president by discrediting Zelenko and his protocol. Hoping for a quieter existence, Zelenko picked up his family and moved to Coral Springs, Florida where he befriended Rabbi Yankie Denburg and the two began learning together on a weekly basis. As they delved deeply into complex kabalistic concepts and oceans of Chasidic philosophy, Zelenko shared that his COVID protocol was both his biggest success and his biggest curse, making him famous and branding him as an enemy, all at the same time. Intent on rising above the fray, Zelenko chose to reframe the narrative of COVID, vaccines and government into a discussion of good versus evil and truth versus lies, casting himself into the spotlight once again. Zelenko became a highly sought-after speaker, lecturing around the country to thousands of people about being moral and ethical, a concept that appealed to G-d fearing people of multiple religions.
“He would always say that the difference between a man and a boy was the size of their toys.”
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“I told the doctors that my father was a doctor until the moment he died,” explained Yitzi Zelenko. “He wasn’t even conscious during that final procedure and yet he was still saving lives.”
“He truly felt that G-d had chosen him for a mission that no one else could do and he felt humbled to be a spokesperson for Judaism to the entire universe.”
Sandy Eller is a freelance writer who writes for print and web media outlets and private clients. She can be contacted at sandyeller1@gmail.com
“He felt a tremendous sense of responsibility that G-d put him in the position of being a light unto the world,” said Rabbi Denburg. “In the Christian world he was a hero, a regular community doctor who became an icon for standing up for the truth and he could speak in front of tens of thousands of people about Judaism, the Messianic era and the final fight of good versus evil and they just ate it up.” The family moved to Boca Raton in the last few months of Zelenko’s life and he continued doing interviews even as his cancer progressed, despite being in tremendous pain. “He happened to be a doctor who found a cure for COVID but he didn’t see himself that way,” explained Rabbi Denburg. “He truly felt that G-d had chosen him for a mission that no one else could do and he felt humbled to be a spokesperson for Judaism to the entire universe.” He underwent a highly risky treatment in Dallas as he continued to decline rapidly, a last-ditch effort to save his life. Doctors gave Zelenko a 50 percent chance of surviving the experimental procedure and he made it clear to his loved ones that fear doesn’t exist for those who believe in G-d. Zelenko never awoke from the procedure, but doctors reassured his family that the cutting-edge medicine they had been using in an to attempt to extend his life would save other patients, a fitting end for an individual who left no stone unturned in his effort to cure the sick.
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By Sybil Kaplan
POPSICLES, CREAMSICLES AND MORE
The original “Eppsicle” was invented in 1905 by Francis William “Frank” Epperson of Oakland, California, when he was just 11 years old. The accidental founder of the “ice lolly,” Epperson began selling them as “Popsicles” commercially in 1922. The Creamsicle came along later, after Epperson sold the rights to the Popsicle brand to the Joe Lowe Company in 1925. The product was described as a new variety of Popsicle with an ice cream center. More than 15 years later, the company introduced their new Creamsicle brand to the World. While they may have been seen as interchangeable at the time, the Creamsicle and Dreamsicle are actually quite different. The Creamsicle uses frozen ice cream as its center, while the Dreamsicle used frozen ice-milk.
2. In blender, place fruit until smooth, then gradually add the syrup and vanilla or lemon zest.
DIRECTIONS: 1. Place 2 scoops ice cream in each of 10 tall glasses.
2. Arrange 9 graham crackers in a square baking pan.
INGREDIENTS: • 2-3 cups fruit (strawberries, apricots or other berries) • 1 cup water • ½ cup sugar • 1 t. vanilla extract or lemon zest
3. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 6-7 hours. To release from molds, carefully run water over the molds and remove carefully.
2. Add about ¼ cup tangelo or orange juice. Serve right away.
TANGELO CREAMSICLES (Makes 10 servings)
3. Stir orange juice concentrate into ice cream, fold in chocolate chips ,and spoon evenly over crackers.
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DIRECTIONS: 1. Place water and sugar in a saucepan and cook until you have a syrup.
INGREDIENTS: • 2 quarts vanilla ice cream • 3 cups fresh tangelo or orange juice
INGREDIENTS: • 1 quart vanilla ice cream • 18 graham cracker squares • 1 6-ounce can undiluted, partially thawed frozen concentrated orange juice
This is from Pascale’s Kitchen in the Jerusalem Post, August 28, 2020.
LIKETY SPLIT ICE CREAM SANDWICHES (Makes 9 servings)
4. Top with remaining crackers, cover with foil and freeze until firm, about 2 hours. Cut into 9 3-inch square sandwiches. ISRAELI FRUIT POPSICLES (Makes 8 ice pops)
This came from a Food & Wine feature in 2003.
DIRECTIONS: 1. Spoon ice cream into a bowl and let stand until soft enough to stir.
Sybil Kaplan is a journalist, author, compiler/contributor/ editor of 9 kosher cookbooks (working on a 10th) and food writer for North American Jewish publications. She lives in Jerusalem, where she has led weekly walks of the Jewish food market, Machaneh Yehudah, in English since 2009. She wrote the kosher Jerusalem restaurant features for Janglo. net, the oldest, largest website for English speakers, from 2014 to 2020.
I found this recipe in my file, taken from a food magazine a long time ago.
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate mini chips
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“To see them meet and get along and talk business was really cool,” Gewirtz continued. “And since there were younger professionals at the event, I hope it can serve as a confidence boost to show that their goals can be
Nine companies presented at the expo, and over fifty people attended. For the duration of the event, Club Vault bustled with people networking and giving demos of their products and services. Gewirtz says it was a real sight to behold. “We had some really great presenters,” Gewirtz continued. “One of the guys who came is an inventor and the owner of a company that has ATMs all over Florida for bitcoin. It’s crazy to even think about. Another cool company that fullandVRworkedpresentedincontent,hehadarecreation of the Beit Hamikdash that people could check out with the headsets. The best part was how receptive people were to it all. It was just a really great vibe, and everyone seemed to be really enjoying Goingthemselves.”intothe event, Gewirtz and Rose made a conscious decision that they wanted the event to be family-friendly. Gewirtz and Rose are both young guys themselves–Gewirtz is twenty four and Rose is twenty five–and they both are really passionate about supporting entrepreneurs that are young and just getting started. This is something they intend to continue supporting with their future “Movingevents.forward, we want to focus on more localized events for young professionals,” Gewirtz continued. “We want to give these kids the opportunity to see what an entrepreneurial mind can accomplish, and hopefully inspire them to try new things. There are a lot of great minds out there, and we want to give them a push to really explore their creativity. After all, who knows what they’ll come up with?”
When it comes to Gewirtz’s favorite part of the event, he says it was seeing people who would have otherwise never met networking with each other.
IMPACT UNITED HOSTS JEWISH BUSINESS EXPO
“We wanted to do something that would allow us to bring Jewish professionals together,” Gewritz shared with the South Florida Community Voice. “When Aaron and I were thinking about what we wanted our company to really focus on, we knew that one of the things would be showcasing Jewish products and ideas with the world. Smaller Jewish companies often get shafted, and we wanted to show that a lot of them are doing really cool stuff. We’re really glad we got the opportunity to do so with the expo.”
By Adam Samuel
On August 9th, Club Vault in Hollywood came alive with the Jewish Business Expo. The event, which was hosted by Impact United, featured professionals from across South Florida showing off their services and products. The event was family-friendly, attracting attendees both young and old, and some of the companies with booths included Nivra, Archangel, Jbrick, and Truffleberry. Impact United is a new company created and founded by Pesach Gewirtz and Aaron Rose. The two met during Covid, and quickly became friends due to their shared interest in entrepreneurship. Another thing they shared was a vision of promoting companies within the Jewish world, and they quickly went to work crafting ways to do so. The Jewish Business Expos was only their second event.
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viaquestions,Additionally,@impactunited_events.orfacebook.com/Impactunitedevents,atfollowthemonInstagramatifyouhaveanyyoucanreachouttothememailatimpact4ullc@gmail.com.
If you would like to learn more about Impact United and keep up to date on their upcoming events, you can check them out on Facebook
Sure, you might fail, but you’ll also learn something from it. And another piece of advice I have is don’t get impatient. Great things take a long time to build, and you shouldn’t get discouraged by the rate of progress. If you’re committed, stick with it, and if the product or service is good, you will see results. It just takes time.”
As for Gewirtz’s advice to the other young professionals out there, he had the following words to say: “The best advice I could give is don’t be afraid to take a risk,” Gewritz continued. “No one ever got anywhere playing it safe, and I personally don’t like to think in terms of ‘what if?’
“I strongly feel that Jews shouldn’t keep their ideas within the Jewish world. I think they need to be shared with the outside world, and I hope that the event was the beginning of some people actually doing that.”
Adam Samuel is a journalist from New Jersey. He blogs at www.adamssoapbox.com. realized, too. And on a personal note, I also just found it great that this was an opportunity to highlight Jewish businesses. I strongly feel that Jews shouldn’t keep their ideas within the Jewish world. I think they need to be shared with the outside world, and I hope that the event was the beginning of some people actually doing that.”
Adam Samuel is a journalist from New Jersey. He blogs at www.adamssoapbox.com
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THE CAVE: A EXPERIENCERESTAURANTNEW
By Adam Samuel Going to a restaurant can be pretty mundane. You sit down, you order food, and you might come away having a pleasant, if not all-together memorable experience. The Cave, a new restaurant in Hollywood, Florida, hopes to change that. The Cave is a glatt-kosher restaurant and bar that merges incredible food with an equally incredible experience. Every night they offer a different specialty event, including but not limited to dining in the dark, live performers, and trivia night. They’re open late hours and boast an eclectic tex-mex and steakhouse menu. With even more events on the horizon, there’s always something to be excited about at The Cave. Betzalel Lehrfeld, The Cave’s owner, has worked in the food business most of his life. His father was in the business and ingrained a deep love for food and hospitality in his son. After managing restaurants in New York, Lehrfeld moved to Florida, where he worked for a time as a musician and entertainer. There he encountered all different types of performers, which made him think about the restaurants he had worked with. He began to consider the possibility of a new restaurant that would incorporate an experience into it. “I just felt that every restaurant I went to was having the same thing happen,” Lehrfeld said. “The food would be good, but I would come away not really remembering much else. That’s what got me thinking, and gave me the idea to flip the restaurant experience on its head. I wanted to create something where the food is half the fun, where there can be another half that’s all about entertainment, ambiance, and Andenergy.”sohe decided to run with the idea and launched The Cave earlier this year. Since then, the restaurant has become a favorite of local patrons–and patrons from out of town. The space, which is available to rent out for private events, has hosted bar mitzvahs, birthdays, and singles “We’veevents.beenopen a couple of months now and it’s been booming,” Lehrfeld continued. “For Pesach we had special kosher-for-Pesach food and it was packed. Every night there’s a concert, and it’s just a great vibe. On Thursdays we do a cholent and kugel night, and we sell out every week and just have to keep making more and more.”
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Everything at The Cave is kosher under the ORB, and a mashgiach is in the restaurant at all times. As for the menu itself, it includes an assortment of tacos, unique signature burgers, and steaks. Other favorites include pasta dishes, burritos, and signature salads. Lehrfeld describes himself as a foodie, and he says he purposefully filled the menu with things that he personally loves.
“We’re always trying to up our game by coming up with new fun ideas, and you should keep an eye on our website and social media for the stuff coming up. There’s constantly something going Lookingon.”forward, Lehrfeld has nothing but high hopes for the future.
The Cave is located at 5650 Stirling Rd #28 in Hollywood. If you would like to learn more about their upcoming events or would just like to see their menu, you can visit their website, thecavefl.com. Additionally, you can check them out on Instagram at @thecavefl.
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The Cave is open until 2 AM every day except for Friday, when they are closed. Outside of the regular events, they also offer promotional deals. Right now, The Cave is running a promotional event offering 5% off for new guests who provide the code “TheCave123” at the restaurant. For birthdays, The Cave offers guests the opportunity to choose the entertainment options, including but not limited to karaoke, live music, and themed activities. “I’ve received great feedback from the community,” Lehrfeld continued.
“I’ve always been a big taco and burrito guy, so we have a lot of those on our menu,” Lehrfeld continued. “The appetizers and desserts are great, and we also have a lot of drink options. The one that everyone seems to talk about is The Fishbowl. It’s sixty ounces, and we put all different kinds of candy around the glass. It’s a tropical drink, with different straws and umbrellas. It’s pretty popular.”
“There’s really just no place like The Cave in the Jewish world,” Lerhfeld went on to say. “A place where you can have a show or a band playing. It’s not meant to be a regular restaurant, it’s supposed to be something that will leave a mark on you, a memory you can create with a loved one. It’s what I set out to do when I started the restaurant, and I am so excited for the upcoming events and specialty nights we have planned.”
Lehrfeld can be reached by phone for private inquiries at (954) 888-8112.
Adam Samuel is a journalist from New Jersey. He blogs at www.adamssoapbox.com
P24 / TSFCOMMUNITYVOICE.COM T h e g o a l o f I m p a c t U n i t e d i s t o e m p o w e r i n d i v i d u a l s t o r e a c h t h e i r f u l l p o t e n t i a l b y p r o v i d i n g a n e v e r e x p a n d i n g p l a t f o r m a n d s u p p o r t n e t w o r k N e t w o r k i n g E v e n t s A r t s h o w c a s e s T a l e n t m a n a g e m e n t M a r k e t i n g , p r o m o t i o n , a n d h e l p i n g b u s i n e s s e s s c a l e u p R e a c h o u t b y e m a i l t o h e a r a b o u t u p c o m i n g e v e n t s , o r t o p r o m o t e y o u r b u s i n e s s f o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , y o u c a n v i s i t o u r F a c e b o o k o r I n s t a g r a m i m p a c t 4 u L L C @ g m a i l c o m F a c e b o o k : I m p a c t U n i t e d I n s t a g r a m : I m p a c t u n i t e d e v e n t s W H A T W E D O : J O I N O U R C O M M U N I T Y : M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T IMPACTCOTOUNITED"BRINGINGGETHERTHEBESTOFOURMMUNITIES"
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Appreciating that there had to be a way to get Americans to embrace arak, Badash joined forces with Josh and Shlomo Yashar to found Miami Arak in 2020. Their goal was to create an authentic liquor that respected arak’s old world history, while also catering to a more contemporary palate with a smoother drink that would have a broader appeal. The partners took a two-pronged approach as they delved into the world of arak, creating an original arak with a 40 percent alcohol content and five flavored versions with a considerably mellower alcohol content of just 16 percent.
By Eli Aksaf
“We listened to our customers,” said Badash. “We saw the need for lower alcohol content liquor for people who didn’t want to be left out when other people were drinking socially.”
NEW
Miami Arak’s products, which are under the kashrus supervision of Rabbi Yechiel Babad of Bes Din of Tartikov, habe been well received by focus groups and consumers.
According to Wine Enthusiast, arak was first introduced in the Arabic world in the 12th century and it may hold the distinction of being the world’s first flavored spirit. Made from just two ingredients - anise seed and grapes - arak has a strong taste and is most often consumed on the rocks or diluted with water because of its high alcohol content. Traditionally served at meals and at social gatherings, arak is a staple in Middle Eastern culture, but despite its popularity overseas, it is a liquor that never really found its place in America.
You may know it as aguardiente, raki or ouzo, but if Miami entrepreneur Ofir Badash has his way, you soon may find yourself seeing arak, a Middle Eastern liquor that dates back hundreds of years, in a completely new light.
“I saw how people actually stash a Miami Arak espresso bottle below their car seat and in the morning when they have their coffee from Starbucks or wherever, they pour some in,” said Badash. “I don’t recommend doing that FLAVOR AND LOWER ALCOHOL PROFILES HAVE MIAMI ARAK MAKING WAVES
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Those who are leery of arak’s reputation for its licoricey flavor may just find themselves seeing the drink in a very different way, with Miami Arak’s original spirit sharing shelf space with lemon-lime, lychee, bubble gum, toasted marshmallow and espresso flavors. The company’s signature labeling can also be found on its hard seltzer line which includes pineapple coconut, watermelon, mango and grapefruit beverages, all of which contain five percent alcohol by volume.
and I say drink responsibly, but I am just saying what I saw.” Badash and his partners are equally excited about having introduced legions of women to the unique taste of arak, which had been previously been considered a men’s drink. With women constituting a solid 55 percent of Miami Arak’s buyers, the company has chosen to give back to the community through its I Drink Pink campaign, allocating a portion of its profits to fighting breast cancer. An Israeli attorney who became an expert in the project world before moving to the United States to pursue real estate, Badash is a skydiving jumpmaster who believes strongly in dreaming big and following through.
“A lot of people have ideas, but very few actually execute them,” noted Badash. “If you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, you have to fly with those ideas.” Badash is confident that Miami Arak is very much in tune with today’s trends.
“All three of us came to Miami Arak from different angles in life,” said Badash. “We put all of our experience, knowledge and ‘thinking out of the box’ into our bottles so that the audience can enjoy a great product.”
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The difference between the two approaches is astronomical. In the past months consumer prices have gone up as much as 40%. You heard me correctly. 40%!! Now more MARKET
Your other store owners buy a product and ask themselves, “How much profit can I make on this item?” Then, they price it accordingly. We look at that same item and ask ourselves, “How cheap can we sell this item and still make a profit?”
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Rabbi J: Okay. Basically, YES! Market is an all encompassing Kosher supermarket. When I say all encompassing what I mean is that we carry more than just Kosher food products. We also sell a full variety of household products, paper goods, foils, soaps, detergents, some Judaica, and so on. Our goal is to provide a ONE STOP shopping experience that not just carries what you need for your kosher home, but that does so for a lot less money than you are accustomed to paying. SFCV: Okay, let me stop you right there. What are you guys, magicians? How can you provide the same items for significantly less?
Rabbi J: There are stores in Florida that sacrificed a lot to service the Jewish community when it was nowhere near as large as it is today. They truly deserve a very large Yasher Koach!! The community was smaller, transporting Kosher food to Florida was expensive, and they had to make a nice profit to make it worthwhile.
South Florida Community Voice (SFCV): Good morning Rabbi J. Firstly, let me introduce you to my readers as the manager and head Mashgiach at the YES! Kosher Market in North Miami Beach, and thank you for doing this interview.
Things are different now. There are many communities, many more people, more suppliers and more business. So, now it’s about fair trade.
Rabbi J: Please, the honor is mine. Thank YOU!! The Community Voice already has such a good reputation and your articles are honest, and filled with much needed information. How could I possibly have said anything but, YES! SFCV: Thank you. Nice play on words. Okay, Let’s get down to business. Why don’t you give me a quick summary of what YES! Market is all about, and then I’ll ask you some specific questions.
Rabbi J: There is no magic involved. It’s just good business and fair trade. SFCV: Please explain yourself. Rabbi J: Sure. When I say good business I mean two things. Firstly, let’s face it. Florida is not YET New York, and we don’t have locations where there are thousands and thousands of customers who can patronize every supermarket. So, the first thing is to provide enough essential non-food items. Or, even food items, but the kind that does not necessarily require a Kosher market. Items such as pastas, quality fruits and vegetables, even cleaning supplies and the like. Items that will allow you the luxury of not having to go shop at the non-Jewish chain stores afterwards. And the best part is that these items are not more expensive than at those chain stores. Many times, we are even significantly less. SFCV: So, how does that help?
Rabbi J: If people buy these other items here as well, then the overall sales ticket is higher. That allows us to continue offering the lower prices on the Kosher items that the kosher consumer has no choice but to buy at a Kosher market. SFCV: Okay, that explains the good business part. What did you mean by fair trade?
Everyone is entitled to a profit. People can charge as much as they want to. However, at YES! Market our directive is to make a fair, yet smaller profit margin, allowing the consumer to buy at close to, if not the same as, New York prices. Can I get really specific with you for a moment? SFCV: Sure. Please do. Rabbi J: Okay. This is how our approach differs from any other market.
Interview witH YES! KOSHER
Rabbi J: Thank you, I tried to be clear. SFCV: So, if I were to simplify what you are saying into a few words I would say, “Your prices are cheaper because you work on a smaller margin.”
Rabbi J: Of course. Our costs went up tremendously as well.
Rabbi J: And sad at the same time. This is what I meant when I said Fair Trade! Just what it sounds like. We make a reasonable profit, not exorbitant, and everyone benefits. SFCV: WOW! You just said a mouthful, yet easy enough to understand.
SFCV: Is that it? Rabbi J: No way! That’s just the tip of the iceberg. I did say before that we want to be a One Stop shopping experience. We are well aware that an in-house bakery, a proper wine selection and a full take-out deli counter are all part of the one stop shopping experience.
SEPTEMBER 2022 / P31 than ever every consumer needs to save as much as they can wherever they can.
But it sounds to me like there is really a bit more to it than that.
HOWEVER, because of that we are going out of our way to price every item as low as possible. We have close to 18,000 items in the store. Nobody comes close to what we Othercarry.markets have already dropped some of their prices as much as 15% to try and keep up with us. SFCV: So now they are equal to you?
Rabbi J: NO WAY!! If you shop a full shopping cart at Yes! Market and the same items at ANY other supermarket, you will see that you are saving hundreds of dollars at YES! They may try to drop one or two prices really low to be able to point to those two items and scream.. “Look!! We are cheaper!” But it’s all showmanship. It doesn’t last past the next Instagram post. Now, while it’s true that sometimes other stores will run occasional specials, even their specials are nothing like ours. We actually lose money on many of our Special items. We have to limit the amount you can buy at the special price because other stores are buying items from us on special and reselling it in their store at full price. Limiting the amount someone can buy somewhat prevents that from happening. There was a local store that was advertising an item on special. I promise you that when I saw it I laughed out loud. Our REGULAR price was cheaper than their SPECIAL price. SFCV: That’s funny.
SFCV: So, where are they?
Rabbi J: You want a sneak preview? That’s a fair request. Where should I Sushi!start?Our sushi counter should IY”H be opened mid September. We are continuing our relationship with SushiAl-A-Cart, who are already making amazing delicious sushi for us at our Miami Beach store.
SFCV: Fine, good strategy. So when is the rest coming?
Rabbi, am I detecting an element of Chesed to the community in your approach to pricing.
SFCV: So your prices went up recently as well?
Rabbi J: Please understand that anyone else would have waited another year before opening, and only then open with everything at once. That’s not the way we think. Our approach was simple. Get the store open! Allow people to save money on their groceries while we finish the rest.
Rabbi J: The foundation of the YES! Market was based on making everyday needed food items available to people at prices that will help them make their dollar go further. There are those who NEED this assistance, but everyone can surely benefit from it as well. In these difficult times, I don’t know anyone that doesn’t appreciate a few hundred extra dollars in their pocket after a weekly shopping spree. SFCV: I’ll second that. Let’s move on to something else. It’s clear to see that you are not yet done with the store. Can you share with us what we can expect to see and when?
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CHK, Star K, Montreal Kosher and more. We have both original packaging and repackaged in our meat room with a Mashgiach Temidi on premises at all times. And, to top it off, ALL of our meats are Beit Yosef.
SFCV: Rabbi, I think that I have taken enough of your time. Is there anything else that needs to be said?
Rabbi J: Can I give you our phone number and address? SFCV: Of course you can. Rabbi J: Great. Thank you.
SFCV: Is there anywhere that you don’t go? Is there a minimum order? What do you charge for delivery?
Rabbi J: Of course. Pizza, shawarma and more. SFCV: Understood. Do you have any plans to open another store further north?
Followyesmarketmiami@gmail.com786-406-6244usonfacebook@Yes_market_miami
Rabbi J: It’s all done online. When someone wants to place an order for delivery they would simply go to: WhenYesmarketmiami.comyouenteryourzip code, you will be told what days we deliver to that area. You will also automatically be notified what the minimum purchase amount is for your area to receive delivery. The minimum ranges from $100 to $350, depending on your location.
SFCV: What?? Rabbi J: You heard me correctly. All of our meats are Beit Yosef. If for some reason something were to make it into our inventory that is not Beit Yosef, it will be clearly marked as such.
SFCV: Rabbi J, you really covered a lot of interesting information. Is there anything else my readers need to know?
Rabbi J: Yes, there actually is a very important piece of information that I need to share. It is really important that everyone knows that we cater to EVERYONE. We carry KJ meats as well as Alle, Agri, Rababi Weismandl, YES! Market 555 Arthur Godfrey Rd Miami Beach, Fl 33140 555 NE 167th St N. Miami Beach, FL 33162
Rabbi J: Right now, that is really not necessary. We deliver as far north as Palm Beach, Miami Beach, N. Miami Beach, Aventura, Ft Lauderdale, Hollywood, Deerfield Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, and more.
Rabbi J: Our bakery is already designed and ready to go. It will IY”H be open before Rosh Hashana, active and selling delicious challah, kokosh, rugelach, muffins and much more. Our application for our wine license is being processed, and the store section is being designed as we speak. We are still finalizing our plans for an amazing Deli counter. We will not open that department until we are 100% satisfied with the quality of the food that will be produced. We would rather open a bit later but do it right the first time around. That being said, there should be take out for Rosh Hashana as well. SFCV: Any other surprises?
Rabbi J: We NEVER charge for delivery. But realistically we can’t deliver one challah to Palm Beach either. SFCV: So how will our readers know where and what you will or won’t do?
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ANY NEW HIRES YOU WANT TO MENTION?
WHAT’S NEW IN YOUR SCHOOL FOR THE COMING YEAR?
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MTA has hired incredible new Rabbeim, Moros and Teachers to meet our increased enrollment. Amongst them are Rabbi Avi Friedman, Rabbi Avraham Richmond and Rabbi Dovid Waxman who are joining our already amazing team of Rabbeim. Mrs. Oshra Raskas will be our new Girls Middle School Mechaneches. Our general studies department welcomes Mr. Heller, Mr. Engel, Mrs. Rockwerk, Mr. Florczak, and Ms. Wilkinson.
Q&A with Rabbi Yisroel Hecht
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BACK TO SCHOOL AT MTA MIZRACHI TORAH ACADEMY!
Mizrahi Torah Academy is excited to welcome 124 students this school year, a near 50% increase from last year’s student body. Our expanded enrollment has enabled us to now have two independent classes in both our Boys Middle School and Girls Middle School. We are taking over an additional floor in our boys building to meet the growth of our boys division. Every class at MTA is full with waiting lists now forming. The Boys Middle School will now have a Minyan at school every day, complete with our very own Sefer Torah! If you’d like to join the 8:15am Minyan in Plantation (just 12 minutes from Hollywood), please call our office at 954-526-5253. New enrichment classes are being added to our already dazzling array of options! With our new lease of the JCC’s children’s museum building to be used for enrichment classes, we now have the space and facility to add more enrichments to enhance our program. We are excited to have a full year of the swimming elective, in which our older students will swim at our campus’ beautiful pool once a week!
Want to have your yeshiva featured in our next edition? Email info@tsfcommunityvoice.com or call 848.298.0302
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Being a part of the MTA Magic, experiencing the genuine warmth of our environment is a tremendous Zchus. It is an honor to be a part of a Yeshiva that is promoting a unique path of Chinuch and academic excellence, and B”H seeing tremendous Hatzlacha with it. Seeing smiles on students’ faces every day as their passion for learning and growth blossoms from within by removing the typical stress associated with tests and long nights of homework, is a great feeling. I especially appreciate hearing from community members about how impressed they are with the MTA students that they meet and the amazing things they hear about what goes on at school every day!
WHAT MAKES YOUR SCHOOL DIFFERENT OR SPECIAL?
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB?
Mizrahi Torah Academy is known for our intentionally small-class sizes (max of 10 per class) designed to help every individual student unlock their very best through personal attention from their teachers. Along with our stress-free approach to education limiting the use of homework and formalized testing, we have seen what “The Power of 10” can accomplish. Students are excelling in their academic strengths while also being given the attention and assistance needed to support their academic challenges. With our unique focus on Middos growth under the leadership of our Menahel Ruchni Rabbi Avrohom Yachnes, every MTA Talmid and Talmidah are infused with a passion for Torah, learning and personal growth. Both the Limudei Kodesh and Limudei Chol departments are given the proper attention to help ensure every student receives the very best dual-curriculum education that a Yeshiva can offer.
Teachers eagerly await the arrival of their students. Never did we think the STEM room light wall would turn into the only light source. Kudos to our staff who stuck out the short power outage due to a local car accident. The teachers came ignited with the passion for educating and had their emergency flashlights in tow.
SPARKS WERE FLYING. New school. New staff. New year. New campus. After tremendous effort, the time has arrived. Our Yeshiva, Yeshivat Torat Yosef, is a stateof-the-art campus equipped with vast outdoor spaces and fields, modern classrooms, a therapy room, and a STEM Lab.
YESHIVAT TORAT YOSEF:
A New Year In More Ways Than One No better way to become a Jewish family than over a candle-lit “stem-lit” lunch in only the light of our light wall and flashlights. The darkness made a great way to shine a little light. The Yeshiva looks forward to speaking the Light of Torah and love this year.
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Want to have your yeshiva featured in our next edition? Email info@tsfcommunityvoice.com or call 848.298.0302
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Entries must be recieved by Sunday, September 18th Winners will be announced in the next edition (October 2022) Email your artwork to info@tsfcommunityvoice.com Make sure to include your name, age, and city Create a drawing or a piece of art to show your favorite part of Rosh Hashanah! What is Your Favorite part of Rosh Hashanah? First and Second Place will win a $50 gift card! Third Place will win a $25 gift card!
HIZ R C N O How many common words of 5 or more letters can you spell using the letters in the hive? Every answer must use the center letter at least once. Letters may be reused in a word. At least one Jewish word will use all 7 letters. Proper names and hyphenated words are not allowed. Score 1 point for each answer, and 3 points for a Jewish word that uses all 7 letters ANSWERS ON PAGE 47 Rating: 6=Good; 8= Excellent; 10= Genius JEWISH SPELLING BEE DO KNOWYOUYOUR SOUTH FLORIDA LANDMARKS? ARE YOU ABLE TO IDENTIFY THIS PHOTO? Email your answer to info@tsfcommunityvoice.com Answer will appear in our next edition.
SEE YOU THERE! Sunday, September 18th 2022 The Jewish Center 8:00 PM 3391 Griffin Rd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 With Rochel Goldbaum
Rochel Goldbaum is a highly sought after international speaker who has taught in the Jewish community for over 20 years Her effervescent joy and engaging style has drawn many to her classes and lectures focusing on topics of parenting, self development, marital harmony and intimacy in the Jewish home. In addition to her teaching, Rochel is a dating and relationships coach and mentor of other pro fessionals
Originally from New Jersey, Rochel now lives in Denver, Colorado and is the proud mother of seven children
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