Batter Coated Apples with Honey

Faith & Inspiration

ByRabbi Menashe Uhr, The Jacksonville Community Kollel

I heard an incredible story recently from Rabbi Elimelech Biderman of Jerusalem. A Jewish man went to the grocery store to buy food and noticed the grocery store sold some toys as well. Uncharacteristically, he decided to buy his 4-year-old son a toy police car. When he came home his son had already gone to bed for the night, so he put the toy next to his bed. He told his wife what he had done, and she was flabbergasted! She shared her side of the story.

When she put her son to sleep that night, she told her son a story about a sick woman who prayed to G-d to heal her and had a miraculous and complete recovery. Her 4-year-old innocently asked his mother if that could work for him as well. Could it work if he prayed to G-d? Her mother replied, “Certainly! You can ask Hashem for anything!” Her son responded, “If so, I pray for a toy police car.”

The boy's father had not known about this story when he made an impulse purchase that night to buy his son that very toy. The next morning, this Jewish boy woke up to find a toy police car next to his bed! This entire family learned a truly special lesson on the power of praying to G-d.

The take-away message for us is twofold. First, we should appreciate the power of innocent and sincere prayer, and internalize that G-d is always listening, even if He doesn’t always decide to grant our every request. And second, prayer is not only for our “big problems,” like a major illness or tragedy. We can also ask G-d for a toy police car or whatever else our hearts desire!

abbi Dov Kentof, resident of Jacksonville, Florida, died Monday, June 28 of liver and heart failure complications. He was 87. Rabbi Kentof was born in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1934 to Paul and Anna Kentof. Although he was an only child, his extended family includes thousands in the Jewish community. Rabbi Kentof studied at Jerusalem University and served in the Israeli Army prior to immigrating to the United States with his wife, Alina. His career was his life calling, working as the education and youth director and rabbi of communities first in Sharon, Massachusetts, then Charlotte, North Carolina, Orlando, Florida and Jacksonville, Florida. Over the span of his career, Rabbi Kentof served in his position in Jacksonville and was still actively involved in this community for 43 years. People were his passion. Rabbi Kentof was a lover of nature and camping, adventures, classical music, playing

Rharmonica, reading In Loving Memory and sharing Jewish stories. He is survived by his wife Alina Kentof, children Gil Kentof and Tali Kentof, grandchildren Zachary Whiteley (Lauren Whiteley) and Josh Kentof. Contributions in memory of Rabbi Kentof may be directed to the Rabbi Dov and Alina Kentof Hesed Fund, or any of the Youth Funds at the Jacksonville Jewish Center.