QJL#92_low by Mike Kurov

January 18: January 25:

Light Candles: 4:38, Shabbos Ends: 5:42 Light Candles: 4:47, Shabbos Ends: 5:49

Connecting the Queens Jewish Community Vol. 2 No. 2

Candle lighting sponsored by:

see our oďŹ&#x20AC;ers expiring ex Feb. 28 on page 11

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January 17, 2013 - 6 Shevat, 5773

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First Yahrtzeit of R' Avraham Yaakov Ginzberg, zt'l

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The search for hidden S'forim

From Broadway To The Right Way From Broadway actress to Kollel wife, the amazing journey of Rachel Factor and the role our Queens community played in bringing her to Judaism SEE PAGE

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Open House

The Tzidons of Briarwood take Shabbos hospitality to a new level

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Your Say • Readers Write Fraud Alert

s the recent victim of a scam, I am alerting the Jewish community, hoping to prevent others from a similar fate. On December 28, 2012, Erev Shabbos afternoon, I was approached by a man in a 6th Avenue midtown Manhattan subway. He was roughly 5’-6,” Caucasian, with a short, rough beard, and a noticeably sky blue yarmulke. The original conversation was benign in his asking for directions to get to 11th Avenue, but he proceeded to explain that he lives in Westchester and his car is impounded at 11th Avenue and 38th Street. His “dilemma” concerned his need for $60-$80, an amount that would cover his shortage of funds to release the car. Furthermore, he claimed that his checkbook is in the glove compartment and his wife has the debit card. As a proposed solution, he invited me to join him in locating the 11th Avenue impound and would drive me back to the subway to save time to get home for Shabbos. Instinctually, I rejected his proposal, but gave him the money and an address to mail the reimbursement check. I learned a week later that a friend was confronted by the same individual with the same story (also on Erev Shabbos afternoon), but (thankfully) he did not allow himself to fall victim to the fraud. I succumbed to this fraud because I thought I was helping a fellow Jew out of a bind that would impose terrible inconvenience to anyone hours before Shabbos, compounded with such a long commute. I would propose that the risk of confrontation with this individual is highest on Erev Shabbos, as he is clearly tak-

ing advantage of the empathy a Jew would feel for another, hours before sundown. I hope that this warning assists in preventing any future incidents and helps to catch this perpetrator.

Please contact President Obama and urge him to free Jonathan Pollard. Also visit www.JonathanPollard.org for other ways to help.

David Labovitz

Anonymous

Urge Obama To Free Pollard A newly declassified 1987 CIA Damage Assessment bolsters calls for the immediate release of Jonathan Pollard, according to a recent Jerusalem Post editorial. In summarizing this CIA assessment, this editorial states the damage done by Pollard was “nothing more than short-term friction between the US and unnamed Arab countries, and not the permanent, irreversible, and overwhelming harm to US National security that some have claimed.” This CIA declassified document confirms what Jonathan personally wrote to me in 1988, that “no American agent, facility, or program was compromised as a result of my actions – not one.” It also helps explain why Jonathan was indicted in a court of law on only one charge: passing classified information to an ally, without intent to harm the United States. Historically, the median sentence for this offence has been 2 to 4 years, but now Jonathan is currently in his 28th year of imprisonment.

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January 17, 2013

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PUBLISHED BY Queens Jewish Link, LLC RABBINIC ADVISOR Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld MANAGING EDITOR

Forecast FRI • JAN 18

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Eliezer Szrolovits Yaniv Meirov Cynthia Zalisky Helen Hoffman

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ADVERTISING MANAGER Yaakov Serle COPY EDITOR

Contents

Your say . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Message from rabbinic consultant . . . . . . . . . . . .13 The shmuz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

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30°

A Shabbat thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

25° P/Cloudy Wind

21°

Shabbos inbox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

P/Cloudy

Stories of greatness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

WED • JAN 23

Parsha insights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

TUE • JAN 22

R’ Yisroel Benedek

21°

Frontlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

14° P/Cloudy Wind

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Never look back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

M/Cloudy

A healthy outlook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

R’ Yaakov Adler R’ David Algaze Manny Behar Adina Brizel Alti Bukalov Shira Diamond Dr. Joe Frager Shira Frager Abe Fuchs Susie Garber Gerald Harris Warren S. Hecht Asher Taub R’ Dovid Hoffman Avi Jacobs Eytan Kobre Simcha Loiterman Risselle Naimark Gedaliah & Sarah Newcomb Mordechai Schmutter R’ Benzion Shaﬁer R’ Yoel Schonfeld Dr. Shmuel Shields Adina Soclof Howard Spielman Cynthia Zalisky

THU • JAN 24

147-24 69th Road Flushing, New York 11367 QueensJewishLink@gmail.com 917.549.6145 www.QueensJewishLink.com Design by Design2pro.com • Design & Production MICHAEL KUROV • Art Director Distributed by Prime Media Distribution

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Shrinking it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 This week in history. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 For what it’s worth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 As I see it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 House & Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

IMPORTANT NUMBERS Mikvah Israel/ KGH Mikvah, Flushing

Penning political . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 R’ Ginzberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

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Rachel Factor feature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Hatzolah

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Community corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

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Community calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

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News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

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Financially forward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

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Parenting simply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

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Tu B’shevat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

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The fun side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Bedtime stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Business halacha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 Israel snow storm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 The Tzidons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 The informed woman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 THE QUEENS JEWISH LINK IS AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO ACCEPT OR REFUSE SUBMISSIONS AND EDIT FOR CONTENT AND LENGTH. WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ADVERTISING THAT IN OUR OPINION DOES NOT REFLECT THE STANDARDS OF THE NEWSPAPER. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED WITHIN, WHETHER BY PAID ADVERTISEMENT OR EDITORIAL CONTENT, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFL ECT THE VIEWS OF THIS NEWSPAPER. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KASHRUS OF ANY PRODUCT ADVERTISED IN THE QUEENS JEWISH LINK.

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Please have all submissions in for next issue by Thursday, January, 24h. If we have not received your submission by then, we cannot guarantee placement. January 17, 2013

6 Shevat, 5773

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January 17, 2013

Message From Our Rabbinic Consultant Charity Begins At Home by Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld

niyei ircha kodmin (i.e. the poor of your community have a priority to be helped over all others) is a well-known dictum of Chazal (Bava Metzia 71a). There are those who maintain that the poor of Eretz Yisrael are considered to be like the poor of your city and should be given the same priority (Chasam Sofer, Yoreh 233). In fact, the tz’dakah collectors from Israel are very quick to quote that opinion. There is also a halachah that one is obligated to uphold a person to the lifestyle to which he has become accustomed. For instance, if a wealthy person became accustomed to having an extra white horse at the head of the team of horses pulling his coach, and now he can no longer afford that horse, it is considered tz’dakah to give the man money to pay for that show horse. I recall that, when I was first married and living in Kollel, my wife and I took some of our wedding money and travelled to Israel to which she had never been. At the time, she had a friend in Yerushalayim who had a number of children and lived on a tight budget. But they did have an “ozeret,” a housemaid, who came regularly to clean the apartment. Upon my return to America, this friend’s brother asked me if I could commit to sending fifty dollars a month to his financially depressed brother in Yerushalayim. Fifty dollars a month is a lot of money now, and was an enor-

mous amount in those years, especially for one struggling in Kollel. When I remarked to the brother that I saw that his brother had an ozeret, which I could certainly not afford, he quoted the above halachah about the extra horse and said that for his brother a maid was a necessity, not a luxury. To my mind, however, if you cannot afford the ozeret, clean the

the same holds true. So much money is raised for worthy institutions outside the neighborhood. So often we are asked to attend parlor meetings and fundraisers for these causes. There is no doubt that these institutions and yeshivos do great work and need to be supported. But we do need to put greater focus on our own institutions.

This is a plea. Yes, it is crucial to support charities for the needy in Israel and across our city, state, and country. But let’s not forget our own house yourself rather than ask others of lesser means to support you. Feeling somewhat guilty, I asked a sheelah of my rav as to whether this friend’s need was indeed under the guideline of afilu sus lirkov l’fanav, helping the wealthy man to afford the extra horse. My rav told me that while technically it is correct, and the ozeret is something to which the friend has become accustomed, I still have to consider my own needs first, and if I could not easily afford to do so, I was under no obligation to support him. The rav explained that while the wealthy man missing his extra horse is considered a tz’dakah cause, nonetheless priority must be given to those who cannot afford the first horse. When it comes to the community,

It is true that our Young Israel, through the Herculean efforts of the indefatigable Robbie Neuman, helps channel untold thousands of dollars for the needy in Israel, but we still need not lose sight of our own needs in Queens. We have yeshivos in Queens that have trouble meeting payroll. We have parents that ﬁnd it almost impossible to pay the tuition demanded of them for their children’s Torah education. We have greatly under-appreciated organizations such as the Queens Jewish Community Council and Tomchei Shabbos. The QJCC provides legal, technical, and

ﬁnancial assistance for Jews, old and young alike. Many elderly are totally dependent on QJCC for delivery of their daily kosher meals. We so often count on QJCC to coordinate community events and supply us with the political leverage we need. Tomchei Shabbos is renowned in Queens for the indescribable chesed they do in supplying families with food for their Shabbos tables. Our local Masbia free restaurant is another outstanding local service. Hatzolah goes without saying. I know I can go on, and I certainly do not wish to overlook many of the other worthwhile local causes. Yet these organizations are not supported to the extent they should be. QJCC has undergone crippling budget cuts from the state and UJA-Federation. As a result, some of the vital services mentioned above are threatened. Tomchei Shabbos needs greater ﬁnancial support and is in desperate need of drivers to do the weekly deliveries. So this is a plea. Yes, it is crucial to support charities for the needy in Israel and across our city, state, and country. But let’s not forget our own. Giving next door may not be as glamorous as supporting projects around the globe, but it is home …. and that’s where charity begins.

Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld is the Rabbi of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, President of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, and the Rabbinic Consultant for the Queens Jewish Link.

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TheShmuz On The Parsha Respect For The Institution by R’ Benzion Shafier

unprecedented advance for the good of man – a regime run for the good of citizens of that land.

And all of your servants will come down to me and bow to me saying, “Go out – you, and your nation, and all that is with you,” and then I will leave. And they left Pharaoh in burning anger. Rashi: And all your servants will come – He gave honor to the monarchy because in the end, Pharaoh himself came down at night and said, “Get up and leave from amidst my people.” Yet Moshe didn’t mention this. (Bavli Z’vachim 102)

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Respect For The Institution, Not The Individual

This message is especially relevant in our times. Historically, kings viewed their populations as sources of taxes and foot soldiers – vehicles by which to ex-

To us as Jews, this should especially hit home. For almost 2,000 years, we have wandered from county to country, oppression to oppression, expulsion to expulsion. We now ﬁnd ourselves welcome members of the American society: citizens with all the rights of any other citizen. We are allowed to operate our own schools in the manner that we see ﬁt. We are allowed to worship in the way that we feel appropriate. We are allowed to conduct our lives in the way that we so choose. The only request made upon us is to abide by the laws of the land. We have never had it this good. And therefore, it is incumbent upon us to respect this land, obey its laws, pay homage to its leaders, and appreciate the great blessing that we enjoy living in this country.

It seems that the answer to this ques-

One of the obligations on any member of a society is to obey and respect its leaders. It is a correct and proper manner of behavior. Without it, society itself cannot function

Moshe Changes The Message Rashi is telling us that when Moshe spoke to Pharaoh, he modiﬁed the message. In the end, Pharaoh himself would come running to Moshe. However, since it wasn’t respectful to the king to mention that he would come running, Moshe changed the wording to, “Your servants will come running,” out of respect for the monarchy. Why should Moshe treat such a king with respect? Pharaoh was an enemy of Hashem and of the Jewish people. He wasn’t deserving of respect. This concept becomes difﬁcult to understand when we take into account what his government stood for and who he was as an individual.

A Wicked Government It would be difﬁcult to imagine a government more evil than Pharaoh’s. Ofﬁcial policy was enslavement and oppression of the Jews – not as a tolerated social ill, but as public policy and mandate of the government. State law denied Jews all rights – owning property, free speech, public assembly – all this was the furthest thing from the mind of the Jewish people. They were treated as chattel, owned by the Egyptians. Any Egyptian could at any time demand that a Jew work for him without pay.

Infanticide Becomes State Policy Jews didn’t even have the right to live. As the Jewish People continued to thrive, infanticide became state policy. Pharaoh issued four separate decrees to stem the “Jewish population problem,” eventually commanding the citizens of Mitzrayim to kill the Jewish newborns.

tion is the distinction between respecting the institution and respecting the individual. For the proper running of society, and therefore for the good of mankind, there needs to be a system of leadership and a hierarchy of authority – what we know as government. For government to be effective, it must wield power and its citizens must respect its authority. Without fear of government, a man will swallow his friend alive (Pirkei Avos). Anyone who has lived through a period of lawlessness can attest to the primal fear he felt as he helplessly watched rioting, looting, and mob behavior. Ask a recent émigré from South Africa what it is like when a group of thugs appears at his backyard picnic and begins indiscriminately shooting up his family. It’s a country where carjacking, muggings, and armed holdups are the norm – and there is no one to talk to – not because people there are different, but because the respect for authority has melted. One of the obligations on any member of a society is to obey and respect its leaders. It is a correct and proper manner of behavior. Without it, society itself cannot function. As the king occupies the position of leadership of the country, it is the obligation of all to respect him. That is basic to the good of society. It is the right way to act, and it is the way that Hashem wants us to act. This respect has nothing to do with the individual – it has to do with the position. I may recognize that a leader as an individual is a lout, but as long as he maintains his position, I am obligated to respect him.

pand their fame and fortune. Rare was the king who actually ruled for the good of his people. We ﬁnd ourselves in very different conditions – a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Whether we agree with every policy or not, it is an

Born and bred in Kew Gardens Hills, R’ Benzion Shafier joined the Choftez Chaim Yeshiva after high school. Shortly thereafter he got married and moved with his new family to Rochester, where he remained in for 12 years. R’ Shaﬁer then moved to Monsey, NY, where he was a Rebbe in the new Chofetz Chaim branch there for three years. Upon the Rosh Yeshiva’s request, he stopped teaching to devote his time to running Tiferes Bnei Torah. R” Shaﬁer, a happily married father of six children, currently resides in Monsey.

Bathing In Babies’ Blood But even more telling, Pharaoh himself was a butcher. When he contracted tzaraas, his wise men offered the cure: bathe in human blood. The Midrash tells us that, to do this, he would bathe in the blood of Jewish babies each day. However, he needed a bath in the evening as well, and heaven forefend to use stale blood, so each morning and evening he would have 150 innocent Jewish souls slaughtered – for his personal comfort. Why should Moshe treat such a king

6 Shevat, 5773

Moshe Rabbeinu Acted With Respect For The Institution Moshe Rabbeinu was acting in the way that was right and proper. Despite the fact that this individual was wicked, he held the position of king, and therefore, Moshe acted with respect for the institution of leadership. Even though that institution was now being used to pursue wicked ends, the institution itself was still worthy of respect, and therefore Moshe acted that way.

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January 17, 2013

A Shabbat Thought by R’ David Algaze

What Is Consolation? “But Joseph said to them, ‘Fear not, for am I in the place of G-d? Although you intended me harm, G-d intended it for good...I will sustain you and your young ones.’ Thus he comforted them and spoke to their heart.” (Bereshit 50:20-21)

ow do you comfort someone in pain? What words, gestures, or actions can bring some solace to the bereaved? Moreover, what is consolation itself? Simple people regard the act of comforting as merely saying soothing words, bringing some positive light to the sad experience. In Joseph’s comforting his brothers, we have a profoundly new insight into the concept of consolation. As Joseph speaks to his brothers, he does not merely utter sweet words; he recalls the entire incident of the sale by interpreting the tragic chain of events with a new perspective. “You meant to do evil; G-d meant it unto good, so as to bring to pass, as on this day, to give life to a numerous nation.” (ibid. 20) His message is that although their intention had been for evil, nevertheless G-d used these very acts to create the conditions in which Joseph would rise to greatness in Egypt and consequently being able to support and take care of his brothers. The consolation is actually a new version of what happened. This new reading of history is actually what makes the brothers feel comforted. Consolation is therefore the ability to see the same things as before but in a totally different light and perspective. This idea is precisely the etymology of the word nachem and n’chamah. The meaning of the verb nachem is “to change one’s mind,” as in the verse “G-d reconsidered (Va’yinachem) having made Man” (Genesis 6:6) when Man’s behavior violated G-d’s design and corrupted the Creation. A similar verb is used when G-d, after witnessing the unfaithfulness of the people as they built the Golden Calf, having decreed a severe punishment against them, alters His decision: “Hashem reconsidered (Va’yinachem) regarding the evil that He declared He would do to His people.” (Exodus 32:14) When referring to G-d, we cannot speak of G-d changing His mind, for He knows the future and cannot be said to be surprised by any chain of events. The concept of n’chamah used in both these instances must be interpreted as an anthropomorphic idea, as if G-d’s “new” plan resulted from the actions of people or other external circumstances. Only in this case, G-d is, so to speak, “forced” to change direction and alter His orig-

6 Shevat, 5773

inal designs. G-d does not change His mind and is constant on His promises and gifts: “G-d is not a human who lies or a man who changes his mind.” (Numbers 23:19) However, there is always a lesson to be learned in those

prehend why they happen. Just as Joseph comforts his brothers by turning around their conception of the events, so all modes of true consolation affect our interpretation of the experiences. Sometimes the truth is very opposite

Regret is feeling bad about something that, before, you were proud of. Consolation works in the opposite direction: what you thought was terrible turns out to have been good instances where, due to the actions of people, He “revises” His proposals and blueprints. We are left to wonder what would have been if we did not act this way, what could have been if G-d’s original thought would have remained. Thus, the idea of n’chamah, consolation, is etymologically linked to the idea of reconsideration and seeing things from a different vantage point. Consolation is ultimately regret and a complete change of feelings towards what until now was causing us pain and guilt. In the reverse case, regret is feeling bad about something that, before, you were proud of. You thought it was right, you even boasted about it, but now you feel ashamed of it. Consolation works in the opposite direction: what you thought was terrible turns out to have been good. The brothers had felt profound guilt about having exposed Joseph to such suffering and selling him to Egypt. Now, however, as they heard Joseph’s explanation of the events, they saw themselves as acting out G-d’s plan. They were the mere instruments of G-d’s plan to bring about their good fortune and beyond. The wrong concept of consolation is merely to have to accept what happened; “one must accept what cannot be avoided.” (Baba Kama 38a) This superﬁcial understanding of consolation is what the Talmud calls, derisively, the “Babylonian idea of consolation.” Knowing that the Rabbis did not have high regard for the intelligence of the Babylonians of their time, they obviously thought this understanding of consolation to be foolish. Mere resignation to whatever happens to us is not appropriate to the Jewish view of Man that assigns to humanity a high level of dignity and intelligence. On the contrary, a genuine source of consolation resides in the mind, in the intellect. Since life is complex, and we often suffer when we do not understand why certain things occur to us, true consolation follows when we understand things and when we com-

of what we perceive. On a deeper level, consolation actually transforms the trials and episodes of our life as actually being the necessary causes of the resulting good. Once we understand why matters developed the way they did, and appreciate the results of these conditions and proceedings, we see the whole picture and realize the link between them. This acceptance of the past events can

be so compelling and overwhelming that we would not want to change the way they happened, even if we could. This is the true consolation. Rabbi S. R. Hirsch (Frankfurt, 18081888) points out that, in the verse quoted above, Joseph ﬁrst comforts the brothers and then speaks to their heart. The second is an emotive approach, while the ﬁrst – the comfort – is an appeal to their intellect. The true consolation is always the acquisition of a new and more appropriate way of comprehension. This is then how we offer comfort: You are suffering now because you think that what has happened is bad, but the day may come when you will change your mind about this and see that this was the necessary cause to bring about some bliss and happiness that could never have happened in any other way. Once we see that this event that we interpreted as bad is actually the beginning of a blessing, we regret our own sadness and, analyzing all the events and results, would not want anything to have been different from the way it was.

Rabbi David Algaze is the founder and Rav of Havurat Yisrael, Forest Hills. He is a noted public speaker and author and is the President of the World Committee for the Land of Israel.

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Shabbos Inbox The Greasy Shield T by Eytan Kobre

he only thing perhaps more incredible than the Makos themselves is Paroh’s reaction, or non-reaction, to them. In the face of ten awe-inspiring, crushing plagues, Paroh remains defiant to the bitter end. There was no greater display of this unrepentant attitude than in the final plague, Makas B’choros, which Moshe Rabbeinu warned would strike “ka’chatzos ha’laila” – “at approximately midnight” (Sh’mos 11:4). Rashi famously explains that Moshe was intentionally vague, lest Paroh’s advisors err in their timekeeping and attribute their mistake to Moshe’s or Hashem’s imprecision. There were no atomic clocks back then, so time-telling was a game of estimation. And if Moshe Rabbeinu was off by a minute or two? Would Paroh’s advisors really say, “Gotcha. Moshe is a liar. It really happened at 12:02”? Moshe had already warned, precisely and correctly, of nine plagues. Would a two-minute delay make a liar of Moshe Rabbeinu? Would Paroh’s advisors call Moshe Rabbeinu a joker simply because every firstborn in Egypt died at 12:02 a.m. instead of at the stroke of midnight? That the answer is a resounding “Yes!” is a pitiful commentary on human nature. To a leitz (“scoffer,” “mocker,” “cynic”), nothing matters and nothing is impervious to nitpick and ridicule. So one can witness nine supernatural plagues that clearly bespeak Hashem’s supremacy, and still gripe, “But he said it would happen at midnight and it’s 12:02.” But there’s more. Paroh doesn’t merely quibble over Moshe’s words; he seems genuinely unaffected by the whole thing. Neither the plagues nor Hashem nor His people were of any consequence to Paroh. In fact, Paroh remained unshaken even when he, as a firstborn himself, was in Hashem’s crosshairs. The Torah tells us that, as the firstborn were dying, “Paroh got up at night,” to which Rashi adds one word – “mi’mitaso” (“from his bed”) (Sh’mos 12:30). Bothered by why Rashi would interject this apparent triviality, the Kotzk-

er Rebbe attempts to explain Paroh’s mindset. Was he crazy? What firstborn could sleep on a night like this? And yet, “he arose – from his bed.” Not only was Paroh able to sleep that night, he did so without concern, in the comfort of his bed, as on any other night. Only the dying screams of the other Egyptian firstborn roused him from his slumber. But he did not take any of this seriously. Paroh was the consummate leitz (see Rashi, Mishlei 19:25). This attitude actually started before the ninth plague, Makas Choshech (Darkness), when Hashem altered fundamental laws of nature to punish the Egyptians. Whereas each of the first eight plagues could be explained as a rare, but natural phenomenon, that changed with Choshech. This, says the Midrash, is because Paroh began to make a mockery of the Jewish people and the plagues (see Ma’ayan Beis HaSho’eva, Sh’mos 10:11, citing the Midrash HaGadol). Now Paroh had done something that Hashem would not tolerate: he was mocking Hashem and His people, and he treated Moshe Rabbeinu with disdain. So abhorrent is leitzanus that Hashem would change the very order of nature to punish Paroh for it. If you can’t tolerate my people, enslave them; don’t make a mockery of it all. Amalek was just the same (see Sh’mos Rabah 27:6; Mishlei 19:25). While all the nations of the world were awed by the miracles Hashem had performed in taking B’nei Yisrael out of Egypt, Amalek remained unmoved, unchanged. Amalek saw no significance in the plagues, the Exodus, the splitting of the Red Sea – they dismissed it all. That is the very essence of the leitz. Nothing is important, nothing is serious, and nothing matters. There are no genuine emotions: no fear, no concern, no inspiration. Moshe Rabbeinu was well aware of the chilling effect such leitzanus might have on the grandest of plagues. Rather than risk having its impact muted, Moshe Rabbeinu preferred to be vague about Makkas B’choros and simply said that it would occur at “ap-

proximately midnight.” It is difficult to define leitzanus, but, to quote US Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, “I know it when I see it.” It is not humor or light-heartedness; those are fine and even commendable. Leitzanus is mockery; it is cynicism; it takes something of value and, couched in “humor,” reduces it to a nullity, vaporized by a single snide remark. This sort of cynicism rings the death knell for contemplation and introspection. Above all else, leitzanus is corrosive. It brings punishment, and famine, and annihilation (Avodah Zarah 18b). Indeed, leitzim are counted among the categories of people who cannot receive the divine presence (Sotah 42a). The Ramchal likens leitzanus to a shield greased with oil: no matter how pointed the arrows of rebuke, they cannot stick (see Mesilas Yesharim, Chapter 5). “With the smallest joke, a person can deflect from himself the greatest amount of inspiration and enthusiasm. One joke pushes away 100 rebukes” (Id.). Leitzanus means taking nothing seriously. And any attempt to call out the scoffer’s absurd position is simply met with, “What? Can’t you take a joke?” Korach, too, harnessed the power of “divrei leitzanus” in mounting his rebellion against Moshe Rabbeinu (Rashi, BaMidbar 16:19). Korach resorted to leitzanus because he knew that he could not defeat Moshe in a battle based upon truth or logic. But by belittling Moshe and Aharon, he thought he could carry the day without having to logically justify his arguments. The power of leitzanus-cynicism, says R’ Leib Chasman zt”l, is that it stems from the animalistic part of man, rendering logic meaningless (Ohr Yael, Korach). Perhaps this is the reason that we are advised not to rebuke the leitz (Mishlei 9:8). The leitz is immune to logic and reason. The only way to defeat the scoffer is to “smite the scoffer” (Mishlei 19:25; see Avodah Zarah 18b). No amount of rebuke will succeed; the scoffer must be punished. This unfortunate human tendency is the source of an interesting halachah. In describing

the order in which the Kohen relates to the Sotah what will happen should she be found guilty? The Gemara notes that she must be told that “Her stomach will explode and her thigh will fall away” – in that order (Sotah 9b). If the Kohen were to reverse the order – that is, mention her thigh and then her stomach – people would attribute the woman’s gruesome, preternatural death to some other cause, not the Sotah water. Really? How many women die of stomach explosions after drinking some water? This was obviously a miraculous event. But if the Kohen describes the scene out of sequence, the cynics will pounce: “No miracle here. Just coincidence.” Sure. As with the example of the Sotah, cynics cannot just be ignored. Hashem made Yitzchak Avinu look precisely like Avraham Avinu because the “leitzanei ha-dor” – “the scoffers of the generation” – mocked Avraham and Sarah, saying that Avimelech was actually Yitzchak’s father. So much of our tradition hinged on the father-son transmission that began between Avraham and Yitzchak and continues to this

day. The scoffers could not simply be discounted. To counteract these cynics, Hashem made Yitzchak the spitting image of his father Avraham (Rashi, B’reishis 25:19; Pirkei Torah ad loc.). Likewise, we ﬁnd that when Moshe Rabbeinu built the Mishkan, he accounted for every nickel spent just so that the “leitzanei Yisrael” would not accuse him of stealing (see Sh’mos Rabah 51:6; Be’er Yosef, Sh’mos 38:1; Rambam Hilchos Tum’as Tzara’as 16:10). Paroh is gone, his advisors too. So is Korach. So are all the no-name scoffers who accomplished nothing of import, except perhaps in infamy. But not all leitzanus is off-limits. The Gemara teaches that “all leitzanus is forbidden, except that associated with avodah zarah” (Megilah 25b; Sanhedrin 63a). We are therefore permitted, as Hashem did, to mock the Egyptians – “so that you shall tell in the ears of your sons and grandsons that which I have made a mockery of Egypt” (Sh’mos 10:2). To quote an ancient Greek tragedian: “Isn’t it the sweetest mockery to mock our enemies?” I couldn’t agree more.

Eytan Kobre is a lecturer, writer, and attorney, residing in Kew Gardens Hills with his wife and children. He can be contacted at eakobre@gmail.com.

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January 17, 2013

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January 17, 2013

Stories Of Of Greatness by R’ Dovid Hoffman

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he following story has been printed in a number of articles in Israel and abroad, and has been attributed to one of the recent Israeli offensives in Lebanon. Menachem, an Israeli soldier on leave, hitched a ride from the North with a newly arrived American visitor to Israel, who just happened to be on his way to Har Nof, where Menachem and his family lived. In halting Hebrew, the American tried to make conversation, and Menachem did his best to make himself understood. The soldier shared the purpose of his visit to Har Nof. “Our sergeant informed us that tonight we are all to go home and spend time with our families. Tomorrow, we will become part of the ground offensive, our unit being the one that will enter deepest into Lebanon, and we will not know how long it will be before we see them again or even if, in fact, we ever will. So I am going home not just to spend time off with my family but to take leave of them and say good bye. Just in case….” These words had a subduing effect and they continued on in silence for some time. When they reached Har Nof, the soldier began to thank his new American friend and bid him farewell. But the American quickly said, “Wait! I have something for you.” Carefully drawing a beautiful Mezuzah encased in silver from his carry-on luggage, he unwrapped it and handed it to the soldier, whose eyes widened in wonder. “I was planning on giving it to my hosts here,” he said, “but I want you to have it. Do you know what it is?” Menachem responded, “Of course, that’s a Mezuzah! We used to have one on every door of our house.” He paused for moment reflecting. “That is, until my brother, an elite soldier in the army at the time, was killed during an ill-fated raid on a suspected terrorist stronghold. Shortly after, my parents decided to move us from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, not able to live with the ghost of my brother in every room. When I asked my father why he hadn’t put any m’zuzot up yet, he answered angrily, ‘Can’t you see? G-d had forsaken us. We believed in Him our entire lives – your mother and I – and what did we get in return? G-d took our first-born son away from us. Some day you too will be required to serve in the army and who knows what will be?’” The American handed him the Mezuzah and said, “Please, take this and place it in your shirt pocket. It is said that anyone on his way to perform a mitzvah will be provided with its special protection. Do not go into battle without it.” With a smile he added, “When you return from the war, you and I will put this up in your home together. Is that a deal?” The soldier smiled, nodded in agreement and thanked the American for the thoughtful gift. They embraced and Menachem turned one last time to wave before entering his home. For days there was no news. And then came the fateful report: Menachem’s name was one of those reported killed in heavy battle in Lebanon. Stunned and heartbroken, the American walked around in a daze for quite some time, until he decided that he must visit the family during the Shiv’ah and explain his recent but special connection with their son. Finding the home, he walked inside and was surprised to find smiling, happy faces all around. “You are a friend?” someone asked, pulling him along joyously. “You must come see him.”

6 Shevat, 5773

He was led into a room where he found a smiling Menachem propped up on a bed. “My friend,” called out the soldier, “you saved my life! How can I ever thank you? I owe you everything.” Menachem explained that he was shot twice and thought to have died, but miraculously the bullet meant for his heart did not penetrate. Silently, he took an object out from his shirt pocket. He opened his hand to reveal the silver Mezuzah his American friend had given him only days before. Embedded in it was a single bullet.

“Do you remember your promise?” Menachem asked. “Yes, of course,” said the awestruck American. Hobbling to the front of the house, Menachem opened the door and held the Mezuzah in place, as the American hammered the nails to afﬁx it to the doorpost. Then, he kissed it reverently as tears coursed down not only his cheeks, but those of his father’s, who stood beside him. The bullet meant for Menachem’s heart remains a part of this special Mezuzah that helped save a hero’s life, and there it remains as a monument until this very day.

Rabbi Dovid Hoffman is the author of the popular “Torah Tavlin” book series, ﬁlled with stories, wit and hundreds of divrei Torah, including the brand new “Torah Tavlin Yamim Noraim” in stores everywhere. You’ll love this popular series. Also look for his book, “Heroes of Spirit,” containing one hundred fascinating stories on the Holocaust. They are fantastic gifts, available in all Judaica bookstores and online at http:// israelbookshoppublications.com. To receive Rabbi Hoffman’s weekly “Torah Tavlin” sheet on the parsha, e-mail Torahtavlin@yahoo.com

d’’VE

We invite the community to join us

FOR AN EVENING OF REFLECTION & INSPIRATION In Memory of our Revered Founding President

Rabbi Dr. Bernard Lander

l’’xz

l’’xz UGQO GZG uU E Y\UXE EZG EUK

F E AT U R E D S P E A K E R

Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb

a’’I\OY

Leadership: Halachic and Historical Perspectives Renowned Scholar, Author and Rav Executive Vice President, Emeritus of the Orthodox Union

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013 25 SHEVAT 5773 8:00 PM YESHIVAS OHR HACHAIM 141-61 71ST AVE. FLUSHING, NEW YORK For further information, please contact the Yeshiva (718) 544-9462 Collation to follow lecture Touro College & University System, 43 W. 23rd St., New York, NY 10010

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Parsha Insights With The Korban Pesach, We Became B’nei Melech A by Adina Brizel

lthough in the year 2013/5773 the phrase “ben melech” (or “bas melech”) seems overused, during Shibud and Y’tzias Mitzrayim, this phrase seemed like a distant dream. B’nei Yisrael, as Pharaoh’s slaves at all hours of day or night, had no time of their own and no sense of personal dignity. Even when they were given minute pieces of food, they had very little time to eat it before returning to work. The miserable pieces of food came so infrequently to the point that every Jewish slave ate every piece of food, down to the smallest crumb and bone. When Hashem took B’nei Yisrael out of Mitzrayim, He knew that the purpose of leaving Mitzrayim was that they should be prepared to become Hashem’s true servants upon accepting the Torah. Unfortunately, in their enslaved state, B’nei Yisrael was nowhere near the elevated spiritual status that they needed in order to attain readiness to accept the Torah. According to the Ibn Ezra, Moshe had already reached this lofty spiritual and intellectual level, due to his rearing and education within Pharaoh’s palace. Moshe had never fallen to the spiritual

low that comes with the slave mentality of 210 years of servitude. What could Hashem do in order to bring B’nei Yisrael to the lofty status of being B’nei Melech Malchei HaM’lachim? According to a pair of Catalonian 13th century Rishonim, B’nei Yisrael needed a

purpose of Kiddush HaCHodesh was in order to instill that national pride and dignity in B’nei Yisrael. By having a calendar of their own and a way to declare a new month, they would be truly declaring their independence from the Egyptians. Once they were no longer slaves

The next time one receives a lecture on the importance of acting like a “ben or bas Melech,” this statement should not entirely be greeted with an eye roll

lot of mitzvos to reach that level. According to the Ramban, the ﬁrst mitzvah the newly emancipated slaves would need was one that would enable them to keep track of their own calendar. As slaves, at their masters’ beck and call at all hours of day or night, B’nei Yisrael lost track of all time. They had no sense of personal dignity that could give them the internal strength to say, “Today is my personal day. I have boundaries in time that I will not cross for anyone.” Therefore, the Ramban stated that the

in time to the Egyptians, they could begin to rise to the level of being servants solely to Hashem. The mitzvah had to be the ﬁrst one for B’nei Yisrael in order to instill in them a sense of empowerment that would only come from having been liberated from the tyranny of being slaves to slaves. It would be by Jewish witnesses in a Jewish court that would declare the beginning of a new month, and all of the Jewish People would be obligated to adjust their holiday observances accordingly.

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A second Barcelona Rishon, who offered his understanding about the royal nature of the mitzvos pertaining to the Korban Pesach, was the author of the Sefer HaChinuch. Although this sefer was written anonymously, scholars believe he was a contemporary of the Ramban, who also lived in Barcelona. The author of the Sefer HaChinuch was believed to be a Levi, who stated that the purpose of the sefer was to provide his son learning stimulation for long Shabbos afternoons. This stimulation would be provided via his detailed explanations and practical applications for every mitzvah in the Torah, as divided by parshah. The importance of offering philosophical as well as halachic explanations for every mitzvah is highly crucial for the halachos of the Korban Pesach. When one learns the halachos of the Korban Pesach, the amount of details are bewildering: no breaking bones, boiling, or leaving over from the korban Pesach. The meat of the Korban Pesach could not be brought outside the courtyard in which the families were eating, and only CONTINUED ON P. 24

January 17, 2013

Frontlines by Joseph Frager, MD

The Upcoming Israeli Elections

t wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always so easy to talk about an upcoming Israeli election, as it is, thank G-d, this time around. America should take a hint or two. Perhaps, 2016 in America will look a little more like 2013 is shaping up to be in Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu was smart to call for early elections to preserve a right wing government in Israel and act as a referendum on a strike on Iran. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think he thought that his former chief of staff and a man who has made a meteoric rise in Israeli politics, Naftali Bennett, would become nearly the power broker that he has become. Jewish Home, which is the religious Zionist party that Naftali now leads, appears to be the big winner in the upcoming election with 10-15 seats possibly coming his way. I take great pride in helping to get some of this in motion with Odeleya Jacobs and Dr. Paul Brody as well. Actually it was Odeleya Jacobs who invited Naftali Bennett to the USA in the early part of 2012 for a Chabad Dinner on Long Island. It was her connection to Hank Scheinkopf that got Naftali Bennett on Fox, CNN, and many other stations back

then. It established him as a man of reason and action. He did the rest. We expect great things from him. Bibi made the tactical mistake of taking Avigdor Lieberman as a partner. It remains to be seen how this will play out, but so far it appears to be hurting the number of seats Likud stands to get. Bibi, however, did not make the mistake this time of putting the cabash on Moshe Feiglin, which he foolishly did the last time around. Feiglin ďŹ nally is going to be rewarded for all of his hard work over the past 20 years. The Likud has been strengthened by high placements of a number of other Likud MKs including Gilad Erdan, Danny Danon, Tzipi Hotoveli, and MK Elkin. The Likud now is beginning to resemble the Likud of old, when Menachem Begin was running the party. If President Obama thinks he is going to push Israel into further concessions, he better think twice. The president still has done little to punish the PA, led by Mahmoud Abbas, for seeking non-member observer status at the UN in direct opposition and deďŹ ance of the president himself and Susan Rice. Hamas has yet to

Jewish Adults with Mental Health Issues are invited to participate in a monthly Peer Support Group to be held at The Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills 150-05 70th Road, Flushing NY

be punished for sending over 1000 missiles into Israel. By appointing Chuck Hagel as defense secretary, the president has actually only rewarded them. If President Obama continues down this path, it will only strengthen the Right in Israel, and I dare say the Republican opposition in America. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t count the Republicans out just yet. Yes, they got a heavy drubbing in the recent election in America. The blame can be spread around quite well. SufďŹ ce it to say that the Republicans did a better job of losing the election than Obama did of winning the election. I will elaborate on this in future articles. I maintain that had Mitt Romney chosen Marco Rubio as his running mate, he may well have won. Obviously, there were many factors. America should indeed take its cue from Bibi Netanyahu, who has shown the way a conservative leader can win in a very liberal media environment. Bibi will, G-d willing, continue to form a coalition with right-wing parties as he has done in the past. He has made over-

Naftali Bennett, leader of the religious Zionist party Jewish Home may the big winner in the upcoming Israeli election tures to Tzipi Livni and Tommy Lapid but, thank G-d, they seem to be backing away from any such coalition. One of the worst and most dysfunctional parts of Bibiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coalition in the past three years was Ehud Barak as his defense minister. Hopefully, this too will be rectiďŹ ed by choosing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Boogieâ&#x20AC;? Moshe Yaalon, who is the best man for the tough job ahead. In any case, American Jews have their work cut out to make sure Israel gets proper treatment from a second-term-emboldened President Obama. There is no choice! This might very well be the most critical four years that Israel and the world have ever faced. Time is running out fast as Iran closes in on the Bomb.

Joseph M. Frager is a physician and lifelong activist.

Galit Levi, MFT

Couples and Family Therapist

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Never Look Back by Alti Bukalov

Previously: Atara meets the boy she met in Dunkin’ Donuts, David, in the library. Shmuel talks to his friend, Yakov, about his hopes to propose to Raizy. Atara hands in her seminary applications, while thinking about the different things that failed her recently, including her school.

Part 16

different. Like I got all used to living by the Friedmans.” She paused and looked around before continuing. “I guess I have to ﬁgure my life out already.” “Look,” Kevin smiled, “You know I’m always there for you.” “Mhm,” Rebecca nodded. In the distance she saw another couple that caught her eye. She watched as the girl pushed a stroller, as she tucked back a strand of hair, that Rebecca knew must

Atara “You gave your applications in?” Shira asked as they sat down for lunch. “Yeah,” Atara answered. “I am really dreading those interviews.” “They’re going to be so tough!” Shira exclaimed. “I mean at least for me. I applied to some of the top seminaries.” “Yeah, so I told you how the school is sort of forcing me to apply to these

Rebecca Walking through the mall, she thought about what her mother had said. She somehow knew what was going on. She knew what she must be thinking of. How did her mother ﬁgure it out? She had assured her mother that it wasn’t what was bothering her. But her mother knew she was lying. Her mother could see straight through her. “How’s college?” Rebecca turned to Kevin, trying to think about something else. “It’s good,” he shrugged. “I mean some classes are harder than what we are used to, but whatever; it’s ﬁne.” Rebecca scanned the different stores they passed in the dimly-lit mall. “You’re thinking of registering too?” Kevin asked. “Well, Mom has been pressuring me to start doing something,” Rebecca explained. “That does make sense,” he agreed. “I mean you can’t just live at home all your life.” “I know,” she muttered. “I don’t know. It’s just all too soon. I can’t get used to the fact that Dad’s gone. And it’s just so

Shira took a breath and then looked into Atara’s hazel eyes. “What do you have against Bais Yaakov already?” Shira asked have been a wig. She noticed the girl’s thick, seamed stockings. Her skirt, hanging a few inches below her knees. Her black shirt, loosely hanging on her shoulders. Rebecca stared as the girl turned towards her husband, his long beard and pei’os visible from so far away. She watched as he smiled back at his young wife. She noticed how happy they looked. Happy in their way of life. Comfortable in their way of life. Stable in their paths. Her heart skipped a couple of beats as she was excited to see more Jewish people in this remote mall. She couldn’t help but smile as they approached, passing her and Kevin. “Look,” Rebecca pointed to Kevin. “There are other Jews here too.” Kevin frowned and murmured, “Not like us.” Then he pointed towards something in a store window, saying, “I’m sure that would look really cute on you.”

With The Korban Pesach, We Became B’nei Melech CONTINUED FROM P. 22

Jews were free to consume the korban. Why are all of the details so important? Why would the breaking of bones or boiling of the korban be considered a lowering the B’nei Yisrael’s aspirational status as B’nei Melech Malchei HaM’lachim? In his explanations of many of the prohibitions of the Korban Pesach, the author of the Sefer HaChinuch interprets these prohibitions as being in order to elevate B’nei Yisrael to the level of kings and princes. A king would not be in a rush to cook his food, and would have plenty of time to wait for his roast lamb to be fully roasted. A king could also savor every bite slowly, as his time was his own. The boiling of the Korban

Pesach would demonstrate that B’nei Yisrael was rushing to eat because they had somewhere else they needed to be after the meal’s consumption. On a similar note, a king does not need to hoard food after the completion of a meal. He can be conﬁdent that there would be another sumptuous meal within a few hours of the last one. The hoarding of food represents that the individual is fearful that he or she will not get another meal for a long time. Therefore, the prohibition against leaving over from the korban after the arrival of the next morning represents that the Jewish People were of a royal status, and believed that they would be provided by the Ultimate King’s royal kitchens at every meal.

really Bais Yaakov seminaries?” Atara asked. “Um, yeah!” Shira answered as she opened the sealed container and emptied her dressing into it. “Yeah, so I gave those in,” Atara sighed. “So I am really dreading those interviews. They’re going to ask why I want to go there and I don’t!” Shira stopped shaking her salad to mix the dressing in, and looked at her friend and bravely started, “Can I ask you a question?” “Um, sure.” Atara raised an eyebrow. Shira took a breath and then looked into Atara’s hazel eyes. “What do you have against Bais Yaakov already?” Shira asked. Atara swallowed her bite from her whole wheat bagel and looked away as if hurt. “You’re sticking up for them now?” she demanded. “I don’t hate this school the way you

The prohibition against removing the remains of the korban’s meat is also understood as being in order to elevate B’nei Yisrael to a sense of royalty in their daily lives. When a king is entertaining guests, he can invite his guests into the royal palace. They can eat in a group and will not run to bring leftovers to their friends. In contrast, when a poor person is given a good meal, he or she is more likely to bring out scraps for his or her friends who wait outside. They may not have had the opportunity to eat such savory fare, and the poor person is eager to give his or her friends scraps from the table. Therefore, when the halachos of the Korban Pesach require B’nei Yisrael to eat together in a group and to avoid bringing the scraps outside, Hashem is telling the Jews that they are true royalty and that on the night of Pesach, every Jew is part of Hashem’s “family”

do,” her friend admitted. “I don’t hate the whole system and bash it twentyfour/seven.” “So you’re saying that this place is good?” Atara asked, surprised. “I just don’t get what they did to you!” Shira insisted. “Okay,” Atara started. “I don’t get how I’m friends with you!” Shira bit her lip and looked away, her fears coming true. “I don’t get it,” Atara continued. “Have you been listening to me all along? The constant mussar speeches. Everything I do is wrong. I don’t know this school is just so close-minded. I can’t stand it anymore.” Atara thrust her Diet Coke down to the table as she kept going. “It’s just I can’t go to a school that doesn’t get what’s going on out there. They lock us up in this building and tell us what to do and how everything is so wrong.” She ﬁxed her friend with a glare. “And then my parents don’t even care that I hate this place. They’re both so caught up with their kiruv situation. Rebecca. It’s all about Rebecca whether she lives with us or not.” Shira was silent a moment and then looked around, hoping no one had noticed Atara’s outburst. “Hey, Atara, calm down.” “Calm down?!” Atara erupted. “I want to get out of this place already. I can’t stand this!” “Look, Atara,” Shira started. “I’m sure you’re just over-reacting.” Atara frowned down at her friend as she stood up and swept her bag up. Looking down at her friend she muttered, “What kind of friend are you?”

and will equally receive a rich meal of roasted lamb. The culminating halachah and summarizing halachah is in the prohibition against breaking bones. In this prohibition, the author states that breaking bones is unreﬁned for a king. Breaking the bones at the end of a meal is an act that should only be done by dogs. However, the author of the Sefer HaChinuch continues his explanation of the magnitude of Korban Pesach with a famous statement. This famous statement indicates that people are naturally passive, and that the purpose of so many halachic details is to constantly remind us of the presence of Hashem in our lives, and inspire us to elevate and deepen our relationship with Him at all hours of the day. This special relationship with Hashem is manifested in every detail of a Jew’s life, even to the point of not breaking bones when one eats the

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korban Pesach. By not breaking bones, we are demonstrating our connection to Hashem by acting like Him, in a royal way. In conclusion, the next time one receives a lecture on the importance of acting like a “ben or bas Melech,” this statement should not entirely be greeted with an eye roll. Although there is a potential for the abuse of this statement, we should realize from the explanations of the Ramban and the author of the Sefer HaChinuch that on Pesach, Hashem is setting a course of action for us to follow in order that we should be truly able to be worthy of receiving the Torah. The attention to time and details in preparing and eating the korban are in order to teach us to act like Hashem, in a royal and digniﬁed fashion. Only once we are in the mindset of royal behavior can we proceed to attaining a deeper connection to Hashem via Torah and mitzvos.

January 17, 2013

A Healthy Outlook

by Shmuel Shields, Ph.D., N.Y.S. Certified Nutritionist

Fish For Health

ecent studies have found ďŹ sh consumption to be associated with lower blood pressure and heart rate. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because ďŹ sh contains omega-3 essential fatty acids, the polyunsaturated fats critical for heart health. For optimum health beneďŹ ts, prepare fresh ďŹ sh by poaching, baking, or steaming rather than frying. Canned ďŹ sh has basically the same health beneďŹ ts as fresh, but it contains added salt. So choose fresh or frozen ďŹ sh over canned if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been advised to reduce your sodium intake. Finally, when it comes to salmon, wild is preferable to farmed. Wild salmon consume a natural diet, so they contain higher amounts of omega3s and lower levels of contaminants. What about geďŹ lte ďŹ sh? Tracing its origins to Eastern Europe, the translation of this Yiddish dish is â&#x20AC;&#x153;stuffed ďŹ sh.â&#x20AC;? Typically consisting of pike, perch, carp, and whiteďŹ sh, this traditional Shabbos delicacy also contains omega-3 ďŹ sh oil. The actual amount per serving varies based on the mixture of ďŹ sh used, but it definitely has health beneďŹ ts just like any other ďŹ sh. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like the taste of ďŹ sh, you can take ďŹ sh oil in liquid form or capsules. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently reported on a study that explored whether the body processes fatty acids from ďŹ sh oil capsules in the same way it does ďŹ sh. Dr. William Harris and his team found that ďŹ sh oil capsules and fatty ďŹ sh do an equally good job of enriching the blood and other body tissues with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Even still, the researchers encouraged people to eat fresh ďŹ sh whenever possible, since it contains proteins and minerals that are important for health that are not found in the capsules. Also, since ďŹ sh oil products have blood-thinning effects, individuals on blood-thinning medications should consult their physicians before using these products. When buying any ďŹ sh oil product, check the label to make sure it has been distilled for mercury and other contamiExcerpted fromÂ Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Chaim: 18 Chapters to Live By, which is now available online and at Jewish bookstores near you.Â In this unique book, Dr. ShieldsÂ gives clear, userfriendly guidelines for becoming healthier, stronger, and more energized while fulďŹ lling the mitzvah to â&#x20AC;&#x153;guard your healthâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; based on the latest ďŹ ndings, Torah wisdom, and true stories. To order online, visitÂ www. brandnamepublishing.comÂ and click onÂ Books.Â For more information or to order directly from the author, contact him atÂ rmshields62@verizon.netÂ or call (718) 544-4036.Â

6 Shevat, 5773

nants. Check the expiration date as well. How do you know how much you should take? Look for the amounts of EPA and DHA omega-3 ďŹ sh oils in each capsule. Together, they give you the amount of omega-3 oil per dose. You should be able to ďŹ nd this information on the label. For example, 280 milligrams of EPA and 220 milligrams of DHA per capsule means it contains half a gram (500 mg.) of omega-3

oil. Adjust your dosage accordingly with the assistance of a health care professional. Between food sources and supplements, aim for at least 1gram (1,000 mg.) of omega-3 oil daily. Therapeutic dosages may be higher, as recommended by a physician. Kosher certiďŹ ed ďŹ sh oil prod-

ucts in both liquid and capsule forms are easily available at health food stores and pharmacies.

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Acheinu Brings Another 1,400 Neshamos To Torah by Shimmy Blum

n a recent trip to Eretz Yisroel, I had the opportunity to visit Yeshivas Acheinu in Har Nof. None of the wealth of information that I had known about the Acheinu organization could have prepared me for the sight I was treated to. It was Friday afternoon, shortly before Shabbos. Immediately upon entering the Bais Medrash, I was hit by a resounding kol Torah reminiscent of what can be expected from much larger crowds of talmidim on the ﬁrst day of the zman. Wide smiles were plastered on the faces of both the Yeshiva bochurim and the rabbeim as they engaged in boisterous debate over the nuances of Rashi, Tosafos and Rishonim in the sugya of “Isho m’shum chetzyo.” I sat down with two bochurim and delved into the sugya, and was blown

R’ Chaim Goldberg with an Acheinu child at the Kosel away not only by their keen grasp of their limudim, but also by their distinctly reﬁned, respectful demeanor. This scene would be delightful in any context, but the fact that this was a Yeshivas Acheinu, whose talmidim were devoid of Torah and mitzvos not all that long ago, made it all the more special. As its Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Zev Hofstedter, shlita, explained, “You can literally write a book about every bochur in this Bais Medrash.” Indeed, books can be written about every single one of the over 10,000 boys and girls that have been brought under the wings of Torah through this organization over the past two decades. This year alone, Acheinu helped place 1,400 new stu-

One-on-one learning at Yeshivas Acheinu in Har Nof, Yerushalayim dents in the protective walls of various Yeshivos. We’d rather not think of where they’d be now without that effort...

Acheinu Boom With the stark divide between pious Torah Jews and rabid secularism permeating every aspect of Israeli society, its ramifications affect perhaps nothing greater than the educational scene for Israeli youth. Children and teenagers of any background who do not merit a solid Torah education can be expected to have virtually no knowledge of Hashem and His Torah, and are prone to the most decadent aspects of global secular society. Down in the trenches of the battle to have Hashem’s children acknowledge and serve their Father is Acheinu, the foremost kiruv organization for youth in Eretz Yisroel. Acheinu works at various levels to reach out to Israeli youth from secular or weak religious backgrounds and lead them to become full-fledged bnei Torah, firmly rooted in yiddishkeit. Over the years, Acheinu’s unique multi-tiered outreach system has, b’ezras Hashem, enabled the organization to have an over 90% success rate in developing lost youth into earnest Torah Jews. The premier gedolei hador – past and present – have actively supported Acheinu. The revered elder mechanech, Harav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz zt”l, served as the organization’s nasi until his passing. Shortly before Rosh Hashana, this writer spoke to Acheinu’s exuberant kiruv coordinator Rabbi Chaim Goldberg, who was immersed in opening yet another Yeshivas Acheinu, this

time in Rechovot. This is in addition to the network of approximately 30 independent Yeshivos and girls schools that are afﬁliated with Acheinu and are matched up with suitable boys and girls seeking to advance in yiddishkeit. As we spoke, Rabbi Goldberg was, in classic Acheinu fashion, making sure that the talmidim of the newest Acheinu Yeshiva are taken care of as best as possible, down to the last detail. Referring to the 1,400 neshamos that have been newly saved by the organization, Rabbi Goldberg commented, “Acheinu is like special operations commandos. They use sophisticated tactics to be effective in every situation.” Besides for the comprehensive, growing network of Yeshivos, Acheinu runs “Batei Chizuk” youth centers across Eretz Yisroel, where youth are offered a haven from the streets, where they can interact with loving kiruv professionals and get acquainted with Torah true yiddishkeit in a most pleasant way. Another secret to Acheinu’s success is its comprehensive mentoring program, where qualiﬁed frum mentors build close relationships with youth under the organization’s wings, and help lead them towards healthy, viable Torah lives for the long term – through their Yeshiva years, marriage and child rearing. One huge component in reaching the number 1,400 has been “Project Toronto,” an innovative program targeted towards children from secular or weaker religious backgrounds who attend Chinuch Atzmai or other religious elementary schools that do not continue into high school. Project Toronto reaches out to these

students during their upper elementary years and helps acquaint them with life in a Yeshiva high school through short and weekend visits to Yeshivos and other methods. Approximately 400 of the latest neshamos saved by Acheinu are elementary school graduates who are now blossoming in the walls of mainstream Yeshivos due to Project Toronto’s efforts. Yet another major catalyst for Acheinu’s increased reach, says Rabbi Goldberg, is its cutting edge use of modern day technology to spread the word of Hashem. Acheinu’s website offers youth in Eretz Yisroel a

umph. They struggled vigorously to abandon the freewheeling surroundings they were raised in and had to deal with parents who fought them at every step. The mother of one of the boys showed her son a bottle of prescription drugs and promised to overdose if he goes to Yeshiva. Upon consultation with gedolim, the boy went to Yeshiva; his mother is alive and well. One boy came to the Yeshiva, but later chose to leave its uplifting surroundings. His father, who had vehemently fought his enrollment in Yeshiva just a few months earlier, came pleading to the hanhala to try to get him back in. He

R’ Zev Hofstedter speaking dazzling treasure trove of information regarding their questions and struggles with yiddishkeit, and a convenient medium through which to connect with Acheinu’s kiruv resources.

Book of Life While trying to absorb the latest statistic, the words of Rav Zev Hofstedter, son of Rav Dovid Hofstedter, shlita, founder of Acheinu and Dirshu, during my recent visit to his Yeshiva continue to ring in my ears. You can write a book about every one of them. Though I had to rush out of the Yeshiva to make it back in time for Shabbos, Rav Hofstedter did manage to give a small taste of some of the stories behind the young, radiant bnei Torah around us, who appeared just like their peers in mainstream Yeshivos and were on track to move on to the most prestigious Yeshivos in Eretz Yisroel. Every one of them was a living tale of struggle and tri-

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realized what a positive impact the Yeshiva had. And so on. Multiply these precious neshamos and their offspring for generations by the thousands -1,400 for 5773 alone. May Hashem inscribe all of his returning children, their guides – indeed all of klal Yisroel- in the Book of Life. The upcoming Acheinu Lakewood Parlor Meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 8:30 pm. The event is being hosted by Reb Binyomin Heinemann at his home, located at 327 Carey Street. HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, shlita, the Rosh Yeshiva of Telshe, Mesivta D’Lakewood, will be the guest speaker. A delicious hot buffet will be served as well. 100% of proceeds from the event will go directly to Israel to help an Acheinu child. For dedication opportunities and more information related to the Acheinu Lakewood Parlor Meeting, please contact Acheinu’s Executive Director Rabbi Moshe Simcha Levine at 718-412-3540 or visit www. Acheinu.org.

January 17, 2013

Shrinking It by R’ Yaakov Adler

Border Control III

nterestingly, our column in the Queens Jewish Link has apparently had a broader impact than we anticipated. Since we began our discussion on boundaries, the Wall Street Journal has devoted two front-page articles to this topic. One discussed boundaries in marriage, and the other related to setting limits for relatives. This week, we will turn to a different application of the border control issue as presented below. One of our readers posed the following scenario. They are a young couple with three children, ages 2-6. She grew up in a small apartment with several siblings with the concept that what’s yours is mine and what’s mine is yours. In other words, it was tacitly expected that our belongings, although our own, are there to be used by other members of the family. Her husband has some concerns about this. In his family, he felt sharing was certainly encouraged, yet his parents made a strong effort to respect everyone’s property as if it belonged to a stranger. We can ask to borrow from one another, but we cannot take without permission. Who’s right? Well, not that we want to create any family disharmony, but in my opinion, the short answer is that the husband is right (obviously only this one time). The question in actuality is a very good one and deserves further analysis. The fundamental component at hand is where boundaries lie when it comes to family members living together, be they siblings, spouses, or parents and children. The import of this is not just a question of how to share, but it addresses the essence of respect for privacy and individual rights. Indeed, without going into a discourse,

our Chazal do not look kindly at the concept of what’s yours is mine and what’s mine is yours (Avos 5:10). The reasoning

lacking, but where their own material rights were not respected and possibly intruded upon. Furthermore, as referred to previously, this neediness may certainly pervade into emotional areas as well. Selﬁshness: Interestingly, but not surprisingly, this imposed selﬂessness as

Our Chazal do not look kindly at the concept of what’s yours is mine and what’s mine is yours for that appears to be that such an approach decries the concept of individual ownership. As many are well aware of, a substantial part of the Talmud is devoted to deﬁning, protecting, and delineating the role of ownership, referred to as Baalus (aka “Bailus”). There are many healthy messages that are conveyed in a setting that respects ownership and the ability to share at the same time. A few such messages include: Sharing does not mean abdication of our rights or depersonalization. If I am imbued with a sense of respect for another person’s property, it’s much easier to respect another person as an individual. Life is not a free-for-all. Especially within the family system, there are individual rights and they are meant to be respected. It reinforces our ability to be unique and express it by our individual belongings. Clinically, it is unfortunately rather common to see deﬁnitive pathological patterns that can emerge in an environment that does not encourage such individual proprietorship. Neediness: Often, individuals who feel that they should be entitled to more material items come from a background not necessarily where they are

children often swings in the other direction. As adults, some individuals, feeling that they gave up so much, often react to the world by becoming more self-focused and selﬁsh. Diffused sense of self: One’s self-concept, which is developmentally vital to feeling secure and conﬁdent about oneself, is often compromised. If the borders in my family are so weak, then who am I as an individual person? Value system: In addition to the self-

ishness referred to, the lack of being conditioned to clear-cut guidelines of the laws of possession can have profound moral implications. If what’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine, why can’t I take something that doesn’t belong to me? My experiences with children who have problems with taking things from others often are not exposed to sufficient boundaries in their family. Physical intrusions: Finally, and rather significantly, is the concept of how intrusion of property can relate to physical intrusion of the person. Without going into detail at this point, if parents are not overly cautious about protecting their child’s material possessions, the likelihood of a lack of respect of the person’s physical being is greater. This may manifest itself in less respect for modesty among family members, and at its worst, lends itself to more serious invasion, G-d forbid. In our next article, we will discuss specific guidelines and suggestions that parents can pragmatically introduce to assure a greater respect for individual boundaries in their families.

Rabbi Yaakov Adler, LCSW, is an internationally renowned psychotherapist and lecturer. He has treated a broad spectrum of the frum community for three decades. For information regarding consultations, appointments or upcoming workshops, please call the Queens ofﬁce at 718.575.0308 or the Lawrence ofﬁce at 516.239.3303.

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This Week In History in The Brinks Job, starring Peter Falk.

inutes after Ronald Reagan’s inauguration as the 40th president of the United States, the 52 U.S. captives held at the U.S. embassy in Teheran, Iran, are released, ending the 444-day Iran Hostage Crisis. On November 4, 1979, the crisis began when militant Iranian students, outraged that the U.S. government had al-

weeks after the storming of the embassy, the Ayatollah began to release all non-U.S. captives, and all female and minority Americans, citing these groups as among the people oppressed by the government of the United States. The remaining 52 captives remained at the mercy of the Ayatollah for the next 14 months. President Jimmy Carter was unable to diplomatically resolve the crisis, and on April 24, 1980, he ordered a disastrous rescue mission in which eight U.S. military personnel were killed and no hostages rescued. Three months later, the former shah died of cancer in Egypt, but the crisis continued. In November 1980, Carter lost the presidential election to Republican Ronald Reagan. Soon after, with the

lowed the ousted shah of Iran to travel to New York City for medical treatment, seized the U.S. embassy in Teheran. The Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran’s political and religious leader, took over the hostage situation, refusing all appeals to release the hostages, even after the U.N. Security Council demanded an end to the crisis in an unanimous vote. However, two

assistance of Algerian intermediaries, successful negotiations began between the United States and Iran. On the day of Reagan’s inauguration, the United States freed almost $8 billion in frozen Iranian assets, and the hostages were released after 444 days. The next day, Jimmy Carter ﬂew to West Germany to greet the Americans on their way home.

Week of January 20-26 Jan 20, 1981:

Iran Hostage Crisis ends

Week of January 13-19 Jan 17, 1950:

Boston thieves pull off historic robbery

n this day in 1950, 11 men steal more than $2 million from the Brinks Armored Car depot in Boston, Massachusetts. It was the perfect crime--almost--as the culprits weren’t caught until January 1956, just days before the statute of limitations for the theft expired. The robbery’s mastermind was Anthony “Fats” Pino, a career criminal who recruited a group of 10 other men to stake out the depot for 18 months to ﬁgure out when it held the most money. Pino’s men then managed to steal plans for the depot’s alarm system, returning them before anyone noticed they were gone. Wearing navy blue coats and chauffeur’s caps--similar to the Brinks employee uniforms--with rubber Halloween masks, the thieves entered the depot with copied keys, surprising and tying up several employees inside the company’s counting room. Filling 14 canvas bags with cash, coins, checks and money orders--for a total weight of more than

half a ton--the men were out and in their getaway car in about 30 minutes. Their haul? More than $2.7 million--the largest robbery in U.S. history up until that time. No one was hurt in the robbery, and the thieves left virtually no clues, aside from the rope used to tie the employees and one of the chauffeur’s caps. The gang promised to stay out of trouble and not touch the money for six years in order for the statute of limitations to run out. They might have made it, but for the fact that one man, Joseph “Specs” O’Keefe, left his share with another member in order to serve a prison sentence for another burglary. While in jail, O’Keefe wrote bitterly to his cohorts demanding money and hinting he might talk. The group sent a hit man to kill O’Keefe, but he was caught before completing his task. The wounded O’Keefe made a deal with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to testify against his fellow robbers. Eight of the Brinks robbers were caught, convicted and given life sentences. Two more died before they could go to trial. Only a small part of the money was ever recovered; the rest is fabled to be hidden in the hills north of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. In 1978, the famous robbery was immortalized on ﬁlm

This Week in Jewish History Week of 9-15 Shevat Shevat 9:

Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Eliezer Silver

abbi Eliezer Silver (1882-1968) served the Jewish community of Cincinnati for four decades, but is best known for spearheading efforts to rescue Jews from the Holocaust. As head of the “Agudas HaRabbanim,” he tirelessly raised millions of dollars. He used the funds to produce counterfeit documents and pay off smugglers -- in

the end directly saving at least 10,000 Jewish lives. In October 1943, Silver organized a rally of 200 rabbis in Washington; the effort prompted President Roosevelt to form the War Refugee Board, which rescued tens of thousands more from Hitler’s ‘’Final Solution.’’ After the war, Rabbi Silver traveled to DP camps to help Holocaust survivors start a new life. He also sought out hundreds of Jewish children who had been placed by their parents in Catholic orphanages, to spare them the horrors of the concentration camps. Often, the parents were killed during the war and there was no one to claim them. Rabbi Silver discov-

ered that the priests operating the orphanages were often unable (or refused) to identify which children came from Jewish families. So Rabbi Silver had a solution: He strode into the lunchroom, stood on a chair, and proclaimed in his loudest voice: “Shema Yisrael, the L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is One!” Suddenly, the orphanage was ﬁlled with children’s cries for their mother. Rabbi Silver looked at the priest, and said, “These children are mine.” One of Rabbi Silver’s obituaries also claimed he was a “personal friend of every United States president since Theodore Roosevelt.”

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January 17, 2013

For What It’s Worth by Warren Hecht

Protecting Our Parents W hen we were young, our parents took care of us and kept us out of harm’s way. Now our parents are older and many of us need to take care of them and keep them out of harm’s way. For example, parents reach a stage when they should no longer drive. It is hard for them to accept this reality. Sometimes we have to take action if they will not listen. Besides the obvious way, such as trying to convince the parent to sell the car or transfer the car to a family member, there are some other ways that are not as well known. For example, one should have the parent examined by a physician who then can write to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles stating that the person is not medically ﬁt to drive. Another area that needs constant observation is one’s parent’s mental and physical condition. For example, one should look for mood changes or other changes in personality or physical changes. It could be due to an onset of dementia and/or depression. Often the parent is totally unaware of the change. Seniors between the ages of eighty and eighty-four have double the rate of suicide of the general population. Seniors are also prone to falling. There are systems that they can use such as Lifeline. However, many seniors are not willing to use the system. There are two ways that their children can help. One is making sure that someone speaks with the parent at least once a day to make sure that everything is alright. The second is going to the parent’s house to remove the obstacles that would cause a parent to fall. Besides protecting one’s parents from themselves, there is a second group from which they need protection: strangers who take advantage of seniors to get them to make ﬁnancial transactions that are not in their best interest. They run the gamut from insurance brokers to

other financial planners who convince the elders to move funds so that they can receive commissions to outright scams. Therefore, it is important for one to speak with the parents about any expenditures and to check their mail. It would be a good idea to try to obtain a power of attorney in order to give the child the authority to speak with financial institutions or others if a problem develops. Home health care is necessary and helpful for seniors. However, there have been workers who have taken advantage of seniors by walking away with property or getting them to give them money. They may have physically abused the seniors. If a parent has bruises or other marks, an inquiry is necessary. It could be nothing, or it could be abuse by an aide or a spouse or the parent harming himself. Unfortunately, sometimes a third group that seniors need protection from is immediate family members who abuse their trust for financial gain. These unscrupulous family members will behave just as strangers might, such as convincing parents to sign documents and misleading them as to what they are signing. They will also engage in conduct that drives a wedge between their other siblings and their parents in order to convince the parents to give them the money. To cover their tracks, they will convince the parents to give them sole control over the parents’ money. Therefore, it is very difficult for the other children to find out about the misconduct. However, there are signs that one should watch for, such as significant transfers of funds by the parents to one child, changing of a beneficiary on an account, and transferring an account to a new company. Another red flag is when a parent all of a sudden acts out of character. The parent who always said nice things about

one child and the child’s spouse suddenly has nothing good to say about either of them. On the other hand, the parent has only nice things to say about another sibling and spouse and why only they need ﬁnancial help. Many families have been destroyed because of such behavior or because of false accusations. Therefore, one should tread lightly before making such allegations. It may be hard to accept, but sometimes parents make a rational decision to treat their children differently. Therefore, it is important to speak with an individual, such as a lawyer, who is

not emotionally involved and can properly gauge the situation. Ultimately, if there is improper conduct, one could go to court to have a guardian appointed and have the transfers set aside. However, this should be a last resort. It is costly and will cause a lot of turmoil. One could only daven and hope that in such a situation the greedy family members realize the ramiﬁcations of what they are doing and will try to work it out with their siblings. The bottom line is that one must be vigilant in making sure that their parents are protected in their old age.

Warren S. Hecht is President of the Queens Jewish Community Council and a local attorney. He can be reached at whecht@qjjc.org.

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‫ֹלעיֹלוי נשמת‬ ‫אישה הצִדֱקנית‬ ‫שרה בת ר׳ משה ֹלעביֱקור‬

January 17, 2013

As I See It Are We Truly Responsible For One Another? by Cynthia Zalisky

n a recent speech to a group of chareidi students, Tommy Lapid, leader of the Yesh Atid political party in Israel, commented that the frum community had won and the secular one had lost. He was referring to the fact that the demographics in Israel in recent years has changed in the frum community’s favor. Ordinarily, anything that Tommy Lapid would say wouldn’t give me a second thought. After all, his father, the late Yossi Lapid, was a self-hating Jew whose denigration of Orthodox Jews was anti-Semitic in its tone and intent. But Mr. Lapid posed questions that resonated with me not only with regard to Israel, but to our community in Queens, as well. He went on to say, “You have won not only in terms of numbers, but also in chareidi presence in politics, and in the settlement movement, and in the culture, and in the educational system; you won in all these places.” He continued to opine to this frum audience that “victory imposes responsibility. What responsibility does this victory place upon yourselves? Can you still tell yourselves that the only poor people you need to care about are the chareidim, and you don’t care if a secular person will die of hunger? Because taking responsibility means that you can’t automatically be only for chareidim because they are chareidi; you are no less Israeli than we are, and you must be concerned for us.” He then asked the sixty-fourthousand-dollar question: Are we taking that responsibility seriously? These comments hit me like a ton of bricks. He asks very good questions that deserve a great deal of thought and introspection. Unfortunately, some sectors of the frum community have given the elitist impression that Orthodox Jews are only concerned about those members of the community who are shomer Shabbos and shomer mitzvos (observant). While we empathize with the needs of our fellow community members and work tirelessly to help them, we cannot lose sight of the fact that we are obligated to care for all Jews, no matter their religious afﬁliation. Lapid’s observations are as true about the borough of Queens as they are about the State of Israel. Baruch

6 Shevat, 5773

Hashem, the Orthodox community is thriving. Other denominations have seen a sharp decline in synagogue membership and attendance. Their populations are aging with several synagogues consolidating just to stay aﬂoat. Some of the old neighborhoods have seen demographic changes, but the frum communities of Central Queens are bourgeoning. There is no question that the Orthodox com-

yus (responsibility) is to bring them closer to the warmth of Yiddishkeit. Goodness and decency should be our shining examples for the world to see through our actions and demeanor. We are all G-d’s children – no better than or more important. We have no right to make “divine” decisions as to whom we should help or not help. Our responsibility is to help any Jew in need of assistance.

Unfortunately, some sectors of the frum community have given the elitist impression that Orthodox Jews are only concerned about those members of the community who are shomer Shabbos and shomer mitzvos munity has the largest population in the borough. In Kew Gardens Hills, the minute a shul opens, it ﬁlls up. Just walk along Main Street and see the number of young mothers shopping with their babies and toddlers in carriages. It is heartwarming to see our future blossoming right before our eyes. But with these blessings is the stark reality that many Jewish residents in Queens are hurting. The recent UJAFederation Population Study indicated that Queens has 34,000 poor Jews living in the borough. 25% of the Jewish population is over the age of 65. We are the majority, and to quote Tommy Lapid, “We have won.” What is our obligation to the needy Jews, no matter what their level of observance? Do we turn our backs on our frail and homebound elderly who have sacriﬁced to eat kosher all their lives (but would not be considered shomer Shabbos) and not provide them with Meals-on-Wheels that they desperately need to live on? Do we not provide social services to individuals down on their luck because they do not daven in the same shuls that we do? Do we rebuff people who do not adhere to the same traditions that our parents lovingly brought down to us? I think not. These stark realities exist in Jewish Queens today. We, as a community of Torah-observant Jews, must recognize our responsibility to help our fellow Jews who are less fortunate than ourselves. Instead of pushing the secular Jews aside, our achra-

My father used to tell me that the anti-Semite hates us no matter what denomination we are part of. A Jew

is a Jew and that is all that matters. We, at the Queens Jewish Community Council, take this very seriously. We are committed to serve any Jew in need of our help. We don’t ask for one’s synagogue afﬁliation before we try to ease one’s burden. We do not refuse Meals-on-Wheels to seniors who are desperately hungry if they are not as frum as some of us profess to be. We do not deny someone much needed social services because he isn’t as “Jewish” as we are. It is kind of sad that a “trefniach” such as Tommy Lapid has to awaken our consciousness to do what should be very apparent to all Torah-observant Jews: that we are responsible for one another, and we should be more than willing to help whenever possible, with no agenda and no ifs, ands, or buts.

Cynthia Zalisky is the Executive Director of the Queens Jewish Community. She can be contacted at czalisky@qjc.org

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Tribute To Rabbi Dr. H. Joel Laks zt”l On The Occasion Of His Second Yahrzeit by the family of R’ Laks Î£ ´ ° ¨-¦ £ í ¥- Þ “And I will raise my hands to (do) Your commandments that I love, and I will discuss Your statutes.” (Psalms 119) Rabbi Dr. H. Joel Laks zt”l came with his youthful zeal in 1950 as a pioneer to the wilderness of Kew Gardens Hills, and served with love and devotion as Rabbi of the Jewish Center Torath Emeth for over 50 years. He ensured that the shul always had a minyan three times a day, from the coldest wintery days to the hottest of summer days. Rabbi Laks educated and inspired the congregation to lives of Torah and mitzvos with his eloquent and topical Shabbos sermons, which he conveyed with his warm sense of humor. His Shalosh Seudos d’rashos conveyed Chasidic and philosophical insight. He gave shiurim in Gemara, Mishnayos, Pirkei Avos, and Jewish Philos-

ophy. He established a thriving Talmud Torah, which in its prime educated more than 400 students. He promoted the performance of mitzvos by arranging for shul members to have sh’murah matzah on Pesach, and lulavim and esrogim on Sukkos, long before these items could be purchased on Main Street. In addition to arranging for the shul sukkah, Rabbi Laks and his wife Suri hosted the shul members in their family sukkah on Sukkos. Rabbi Laks was available to the congregants at all hours for comfort and problem solving. He visited the sick in their homes and in hospitals. On Rosh HaShanah, after services ended, he would go to blow shofar for those people unable

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to come to shul. When there were mourners, he arranged for a Shiv’ah minyan, for a sefer Torah, siddurim, and mourning chairs. As a community leader, Rabbi Laks galvanized the rabbanim to establish the Vaad Harabonim of Queens for kashrus and communal needs. The founding meeting took place at the Jewish Center of Torah Emeth on May 2, 1957. He also served as the ﬁrst chairman of the Chevrah Kadisha. He conducted weekly services for Shabbos and holidays at the Meadow Park Nursing Home. He also served as the Jewish chaplain at Booth Memorial Hospital for 30 years, inspiring the patients and staff on Erev Shabbos with his talks on the parshah over the hospital loudspeaker. The sukkah that he acquired for the hospital continues to be utilized.

¤ ² ²¥ £ £ May his memory be a blessing!

January 17, 2013

House & Home Competitive Pricing In Home Sales by R’ Gedaliah and Sarah Newcomb

here is a time-honored tradition of home sales fetching the highest prices based on the three “L”’s: location, location, location. As we’ve discussed in this column before, there are other reasons besides location where buyers will pay more for speciﬁc needs. Those may include but

days, since there has unfortunately been so much bank fraud and so many foreclosures and short-sales resulting in tremendous loss for the banks. The lenders send out a licensed real estate appraiser who, lately more often than not, is unfamiliar with our area. Kew Gardens Hills is often referred to as Flushing, and the

home sells faster, guess which will be left on the market with a worse problem than before? Why? Because now there will be another comparable sale of a very similar house, on the same block, very recently sold. That will be a huge obstacle for any potential buyer of that higher-priced home, especially one who requires ﬁnancing from a lender. If the buyer does not require ﬁnancing, he/ she will still likely secure the knowledge of the sales price of the other home and

not be willing to overpay anyhow. We are of the opinion that it is always right to price a property accordingly. Not only in the above situation, but particularly with respect to one like that above, careful guidance and consideration are warranted. We wish all the sellers and buyers out there hatzlachah in their endeavors. Remember to treat each other honestly and ethically. It pays off in the end, in this world and in the next.

Rabbi Gedaliah and Sarah Newcomb have been NY State Licensed Realtors for over 12 years. While specializing in Kew Gardens Hills, where they are long-time community members, they serve all areas in the ﬁve boroughs and Long Island. They hold several specialty certiﬁcations and are members of the Long Island Board of Realtors and the Multiple Listing Service of Queens and Long Island. Rabbi Newcomb is a beloved Rebbe at Yeshiva Tiferes Moshe. Sarah has won multiple awards from RE/MAX NY and RE/MAX International. They make their home in Kew Gardens Hills along with their three children, Yosef, Bracha and Chevy. They can be reached at sarahnewcomb@topproducer.com and Queensrealtorteam.com or at 917-459-7549

are not limited to: features needed for a specific family; a master bathroom for larger families or families that may host sleepover guests; a den for a playroom, guestroom, and/or office; and private backyard space for those who love the great outdoors and outdoor activities, such as barbecuing, swing sets, or who have a pet. Finished basements, whether “apartment-style/guest-suite style” or more family-room-like, can be very useful. Finished attics may serve as other living space (where permitted of course), as bedroom(s), guest area, office area, or even as a master-bedroom suite. We’d like to discuss the scenario of two (or more) homes being for sale on the same block. This may be either a more desirable or less desirable block due to location or any other reason. Practically speaking, those who seek financing from a bank/lender will be subject to “market comparables.” This means that a bank will keep careful records of “recent” sales of “similar” properties within a very short time and within just a few blocks radius. The banks are much more careful about “valuing” a property nowa-

comparable sales are often compared to what we in Kew Gardens Hills refer to as Downtown Flushing or even parts of Fresh Meadows. Appraised values are rarely debatable these days, and so if an appraised value comes in lower on a property than it is due to be sold for, there will be an issue. If an average buyer does not have a higher-than-average down payment available, he or she may not be able to secure the mortgage. The reason all of this matters to a seller with regard to pricing, aside from the fact that a seller obviously needs a buyer who will be able to obtain ﬁnancing, is that sellers must be brutally honest with themselves, and their licensed realtors should advise sellers accordingly with regard to a true value of a property and not an over-inﬂated price. So, let’s say there are two similar homes for sale on the same block. One is priced unreasonably high and the other is priced within reasonable range. Guess which one will sell faster? Guess which one will, in theory, help the other sell faster? And once that lower-priced

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Penning Political Israeli Versus American Elections: The Differences And Rami¿cations by Manny Behar

am in Israel, where Election Day is fast approaching. But here in Israel the jockeying for political power really begins on the day after the elections. The electoral systems in Israel and the United States are quite different from each other. In the United States, the president and the members of Congress are elected separately on the same day for ﬁxed terms: four years for the president, six years for senators, and two years for members of the House of Representatives. Members of the Senate are elected by voters in each state, and members of the House of Representatives by voters in each of 435 Congressional Districts. Voters in each state vote for slates of members of the Electoral College, whose only purpose is to elect the president and vice president. In Israel, elections are held for the Knesset. People vote for a particular political party. Seats in the Knesset are allocated by the number of votes received. All parties that reach the threshold of two percent of the vote are represented in the Knesset. Each party has a list of candidates. If a party wins 10 seats, the top 10 candidates on their list receive seats. After the election, the president consults with the various parties and chooses a member of the Knesset, by tradition the top candidate on the list of the top parties, to form a government. The prime minister-designate has sixty days to form a government and may request an additional sixty days. Considerable “horse trading” goes on over government policies and Cabinet positions as the prime minister-designate seeks to form a government that can win the support of a majority of the Knesset. The prime minister serves only as long as he has the support of a majority of the Knesset. The difference in electoral systems leads to differences in how the government works and how people are represented. In the United States, we frequently have a divided government in which one party controls the White House (the executive branch) while the other party controls one or both houses of Congress. We have had divided governments for 31 of the past 44 years, a situation that will continue for the next two years with Democrats holding the presidency and a majority in the Senate, while the Republicans hold a majority in the House of Representatives. At times, a divided government has worked well, as pres-

An Israeli ballot idents and members of Congress have reached principle compromises that have moved the country forward. At times, a divided government has led to gridlock with neither party able to implement its program. In Israel, the prime minister serves only as long as he has the support of the majority of the Knesset. Israel cannot have a divided government. The Knesset and the government are always controlled by the same coalition of parties. The kind of struggle we saw recently between President Obama and Congress over the fiscal cliff, and struggles we will likely see in the future, do not happen in Israel. Because the same coalition controls the government and the Knesset, the prime minister is almost always able to push his agenda through the Knesset. In the United States, members of Congress represent specific states or districts. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are our senators and, for most of the Jewish community in central Queens, Grace Meng is now our representative. We have specific people to go to when we have concerns over Federal government issues, and there are members of the Congress whose specific job it is to represent us. In Israel, members of the Knesset are elected on a nationwide basis. No Israelis can point to a single member of the Knesset as their representative. In the United States, the person who receives a majority of votes in the Electoral College becomes president, and the people who receive the most votes in their constituencies are elected to Congress. Since only the winners have a role in government, votes for candidates with no chance of winning the election are essentially wasted. The result is a strong two party system with

the Democrats and Republicans holding almost all offices. In Israel, a party needs only 2% of the vote to win a seat in the Knesset. Voters may support a party which has no chance to win the election in order to show support for a particular ideology or to increase that party’s representation in the Knesset and strengthen their hand in coalition negotiations. The result is a proliferation of parties with seats in the Knesset. In a two-party system, elections almost always result in a clear-cut result; there is a winner and a loser. In a multiparty system, it is difficult for any party to win a majority vote. In the sixtyfour-year history of the modern State of Israel, no party has ever won a majority of the seats in the Knesset. This means that any prime minister must build a coalition of several parties in order to form a government that will win the support of a majority of the Knesset. The fixed terms and strong two-party system in the United States leads to a more stable government. While President Obama and Congress will no doubt continue to squabble, we know that President Obama will remain in office for the next four years and the Democratic Senate and Republican House will be in place for the next two years. In the long history of the United States, several presidents have died in office but only one was forced to leave the White House before the end of his term. In Israel, the large number of parties, and the need to maintain a coalition with the support of a majority of the Knesset, leads to instability. Parties frequently threaten to leave the government in disputes over policy posi-

tions or funding. As a result, the prime minister is often forced to cater to the demands of a party representing only a small part of the public in order to maintain the coalition. In many cases, conflicting views result in the collapse of the coalition, the fall of the government, and sometimes new elections. In Israel, the prime minister rarely serves a full four-year term. On Election night in the United States, we went to sleep knowing the results. In Israel, the scramble for power will only begin when the results of the elections come in, as the prime minister will seek to form a coalition with parties competing for a piece of the pie of power. According to most polls, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party will win between 30 and 35 seats in the Knesset. The closest opponent, the Labor Party, led by Shelly Yachimovich, will win between 15 and 20 seats. A party with a 2-1 lead over its closest rival two weeks before the election would normally be expected to cruise to victory. But if the polls are accurate, the results will leave Prime Minister Netanyahu with slightly more than half the votes necessary to form a majority coalition. Getting the remaining votes may prove to be difficult. The moves that Prime Minister Netanyahu makes to win those remaining votes will go a long way towards determining what policies Israel will follow over the next few years. One possibility is to create a coalition with some of the center-left parties, such as Labor, the Yesh Atid Party led by Yair Lapid, the party led by former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, and Kadima led by Shaul Mofaz. Polls show that these parties between them could win more votes than Likud. Such a coalition would have widespread support of the Israeli public and would please the United States government. But it could give the center-left parties a majority of the seats in the coalition and place them in a strong position to make demands. Combined pressure from the Obama Administration and the centerleft parties in the Israeli coalition could force Prime Minister Netanyahu to make concessions in negotiations with the Palestinians. In any event, such a coalition would be difficult to build. Yachimovich has CONTINUED ON P. 35

Manny Behar is the former Executive Director of the Queens Jewish Community Council and was an aide to several elected ofﬁcials

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January 17, 2013

Penning Political Why Jews Have No InÀuence by Asher E. Taub, Esq.

espite the claims that Jews control the United States Government, the sad truth is that our influence has declined precipitously. Mayor “dictator” Bloomberg has declared war on Metzizah B’Peh. To attempt to outlaw a part of Bris Milah in the most populous Jewish city in the United States is preposterous, but a Jewish mayor has done just that. Sholom Rubashkin, despite whatever he might have done, did not deserve what could be effectively a life sentence. When I ran for Congress a number of years ago, I stated that if elected, I would haul Judge Linda Reade and the US Attorney who prosecuted the matter before a Congressional committee to explain their actions. Members of Congress constantly have hearings on numerous issues, most of them quite silly. One commentator laughed at my idea. I have been recently informed that before Anthony Weiner imploded, Nathan Lewin, Esq., Mr. Rubashkin’s constitutional attorney, asked Mr. Weiner to hold hearings on the House floor regarding the Rubashkin case. He believed, and rightly so, that if Congress were to hold investigative hearings into the matter, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals would be forced to overturn the lower court’s verdict. Mr. Weiner, who was then in the minority, could not get any of our many “friends” in Congress to bring the matter before the House Judiciary Committee for hearings. Our lack of influence in Congress has now likely condemned Sholom Rubashkin to die in prison. At present, the United States is pressuring the Israeli government to extradite Itzhak Sochat, a member of a Jewish civilian patrol, who beat a black civilian who he believed was commit-

ruled out Labor’s participation in a Netanyahu-led coalition, and Lapid said he would only join the coalition together with another center-left party. A recent meeting between Yachimovich, Lapid, and Livni to try to form a united front collapsed in recriminations with different versions of what happened in the meeting by the various participants. To be sure, statements that a party will not participate in a coalition are often political posturing meant to win votes in the election. Such promises are often forgotten when real power is

6 Shevat, 5773

down with Iran. Another obstacle to such a coalition is statements Bennett made, that while he would not encourage soldiers to refuse to follow orders, he personally might have refused orders to evacuate Jewish settlers from their homes at the time of the disengagement from Gaza. Likud has attacked Bennett for this position, which may make it difﬁcult to include him in the coalition. The religious parties would have to be an important part of any coalition. Shas, the party founded by Rav Ovadia Yosef shlita, is the strongest of the religious parties. But even with the religious parties, Netanyahu may face a difﬁcult challenge. The religious parties would almost certainly insist on exemption of yeshiva students from military service as a condition for joining the coalition. This would antago-

nize a large portion of the Israeli public and would conﬂict with recent Israeli Supreme Court decisions. Look for Prime Minister Netanyahu to negotiate on several different fronts, trying to build as broad a coalition as possible, while using the prospect of a coalition with some parties to pressure other parties to lower their demands. The real struggle for power in Israel will begin when the polls close. You can be sure that all of the parties will be looking out for their own best interests as well as what they consider the best interests of the people of Israel. The only one we can trust to really look out for the best interests of the people of Israel is Hashem. May He grant the leaders of all the parties the wisdom to do what is best for Klal Yisrael in the months and years ahead.

Given the enormous problems that we face as a people, voting is our most potent weapon to effect change ting a crime. The civilian, the son of a police ofﬁcer, suffered no serious injuries. The Brooklyn District Attorney’s ofﬁce is making the ludicrous claim that it was a hate crime and wants to place Mr. Sochat in Riker’s Island until the trial, which would amount to Mr. Sochat’s incarceration for approximately 14 months. Given the media sensationalism of this case, that would amount to a death sentence. A regular defendant who would have committed Mr. Sochat’s crime would get probation.

Israeli Versus American Elections: The Differences And RamiÀcations CONTINUED FROM P. 34

These are but a few of the warning signs of the dangers that face the Jewish people in the United States. Why has this happened? Once upon a time, the Jewish vote was considered reliable, powerful, and outsized. Now, we are apathetic, many of us don’t register to vote, and many of those who are registered rarely vote. I am shocked when I approach people, and they tell me they are not registered to vote. Of particular concern for Queens Jews is the Bucharian commu-

nity. They now make up one third of all Jewish voters in Queens. Estimates of non-registered voters in the Bucharian community range from thirty to ﬁfty thousand eligible voters. Of those who are registered, a minuscule 5% vote. Given the enormous problems that we face as a people, voting is our most potent weapon to effect change. In 2013, there will be elections for a new mayor and the City Council. It is imperative that every person registers and votes. City Councilmen who control the city budget are elected with an average total of 12,000 votes. If Jews would register, we could decide the fate of numerous council seats and further our goals. Apathy can no longer be tolerated.

at stake in the coalition negotiations. But for now, it looks like the center-left would prefer remaining in the opposition, biding its time until the next election, when they may have a better opportunity to win power. Another option for Netanyahu would be to form a coalition with the Bayit HaYehudi Party led by Naftali Bennett. Recent polls show Bayit HaYehudi gaining strength and perhaps even rivaling Labor for second place. Such a coalition would probably hang tough in any negotiations with the Palestinians, but could undermine Israel’s relationship with the United States at a time when US support may be critical in a show-

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Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Ginzberg zt”l by the Teichman family

s we approach the first Yahrzeit of HaRav Avraham Ginzberg zt”l, rather than feeling the easing of pain and sense of loss that usually comes with the passing of time, the acute sense of loss only seems to increase. Only with the passing of time is the contrast displayed more and more; what a precious gem we had but have no longer, and what an integral role he had played in so many people’s lives. His passing left a gaping void in many people’s hearts that can never be fully repaired or replaced. For a glimpse into the life of this adam ha’shalom, this man who lived a life of incredible accomplishment and achievement, yet totally disguised by an even more incredible anivus, we must first look into his youth – into the harsh labor camps of Siberia where he was sent at the age of 13, together with his younger siblings. He already showed tremendous responsibility and maturity as he took charge of his siblings, making sure that they were properly provided for and that they survived the frigid winters and crushing labor in the camps. Eventually making it out after the war, young Abie went searching across Europe for his father who had been drafted into the Russian army. He found him and reunited him with his family, then headed off to learn in Yeshiva. From there he traveled to America, and he shortly thereafter joined the Chofetz Chaim Yeshiva on South 9th Street in Williamsburg. He was one of the younger students there and soon became a very close talmid of its illustrious Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Henach Leibowitz zt”l. Despite learning full time in the yeshiva, he used every spare moment to earn money to bring the rest of his family over from Europe, which he was successful in doing, even managing to open a bakery for his parents to run to earn a parnasah. He went on to get S’michah from the yeshiva, and his bond with the Rosh HaYeshiva deepened, surpassing a rebbe-talmid relationship, as he became almost a close chaver of the Rosh HaYeshiva. When he wished to leave the yeshiva to go earn a parnasah, the Rosh HaYeshiva begged him to stay ”just two more months – over the summer” to run the shul attached to the Yeshiva, and help him run various programs in the Yeshiva. Those two months turned into 60 years as Rabbi Ginzberg became the virtual backbone of the Yeshiva, investing all of his strength and talents into the Yeshiva, enabling it to grow and flourish, and ultimately build it up to

be the magniﬁcent ediﬁce it is today, with branches, shuls, and day schools stretching all across America, and with dozens of musmachim coming out of the kollel every year. Primarily in his role as executive di-

agogue, located right next to the Yeshiva in Forest Hills, Queens. Under his capable leadership, the shul grew and became an important part of the Queens community. As many members described it, the shul atmosphere was

People remember Rav Ginzberg standing outside early one frigid morning shoveling snow in front of the shul (with a child’s plastic shovel – the only one he could find!) so that mispal’lim shouldn’t slip when they come in

rector, for many years he almost singlehandedly raised money, ran the office, and took care of any work that had to get done, no matter how trivial or demeaning. Talmidim from those days remember images of Rabbi Ginzberg drilling open a floor to fix broken pipes (which would otherwise cost a fortune to repair) or waxing the Beis Midrash floors to save money from hiring workers. He was even known to cook lunch for the boys when the cook didn’t show up. His personal kesher with the talmidim also became an integral part of Yeshiva, as his warm friendly attitude towards everyone, together with his legendary sense of humor, total humility, and ability to find the perfect words of chizuk or advice endeared him to everyone he met. Any kesher that he made was not shortlived. He genuinely cared and thus kept up with many talmidim years after they left Yeshiva to pursue careers in Harbatzas Torah or the workplace, continuing to give them chizuk, advice, and encouragement, which many testify is what kept them going even when things got tough. At the same time that he became executive director, he also took on the rabbanus of the Kessel Street Syn-

full of warmth and spirit. The loving relationship the Rav developed with every single congregant, and the sincerity and kindness that emanated from his very being, permeated every corner of the shul. Mispal’lim looked to him not just as a Rav, but as a father and a friend. They were totally dedicated to him, but he was more so for them. For over 60 years, he guided the many people who passed through the walls of the shul, giving chizuk to uplift and motivate them to strive for greater heights in avodas Hashem. Everyone who passed through the shul came away touched and inspired, as Rabbi Ginzberg accepted all, no matter their background or problems, and made sure they all felt at home. Even after the Yeshiva moved to Kew Gardens Hills and many people moved out of the Jewish neighborhood, Rabbi Ginzberg kept his shul because he felt the people needed it and indeed the small but staunch remaining crowd stood proudly behind their Rabbi until his last day. He took his job of running the shul very seriously, and did whatever was necessary to keep the shul running smoothly, no matter what that entailed. His own kavod was last in his mind. Stories abound of the Rav driv-

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ing around the neighborhood, personally picking up mispal’lim to come daven if they couldn’t – or wouldn’t – come on their own. People remember the Rav standing outside early one frigid morning shoveling snow in front of the shul (with a child’s plastic shovel – the only one he could find!) so that mispal’lim shouldn’t slip when they come in. The stories are endless. The sense of loss his congregants felt at his p’tirah was almost unimaginable: How could they go on without their beloved Rabbi? They could call any time of day or night for she’eilos or eitzos. The man who, despite a schedule that seemed to leave little, if any, spare time, could be found at an elderly woman’s bedside in the hospital talking to her for hours to cheer her up, as if he had nothing else to do. The man who could share a deep Torah thought, offer some profound advice, crack a joke to make one roll with laughter, and give some encouraging divrei chizuk, all in one short conversation! He is truly irreplaceable. Of course, his family did not lose out or feel like they were being put aside because of the Rav’s myriad responsibilities: whether it was the tremendous respect and concern he had for his Rebbetzin, she’tichye, never putting his needs or obligations in front of hers, or the incredible amount of love and attention he showered upon his children and grandchildren. You could just as easily find the Rav on the floor with grandchildren climbing on his head, as you’d find him sitting at the table learning up a shtickel Torah with a grandchild. Every child felt he or she was Zaide’s favorite. Every child knew that, despite his grueling schedule, he’d always have infinite patience to listen to problems or complaints and to offer help or advice, whenever he would call. Rabbi Ginzberg was a fighter. From early youth until his final day, he never rested. There was always something more he could do for someone else. His entire life was giving of himself to others in any way possible. Stories still come in from across the globe about the lives he impacted and changed. Whether the stories will ever stop coming, no one can know. But one thing we know: The products of these stories will live on generation after generation, carrying on the legacy this one lone man started many years ago. His many families: his yeshiva family, his shul family, and most of all his actual family, still miss him greatly. But we will all do our part to try to continue, even in some small way, this great tzadik’s legacy. Y’hi zichro baruch!

January 17, 2013

6 Shevat, 5773

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January 17, 2013

Fantasizing About An Emerald City In The Land Of Politics by Abe Fuchs

, former Assembly district candidate, was graciously sent a formal invitation to attend the Legislative Breakfast run by the Queens Jewish Community Council, headed by Council President Warren Hecht and Executive Director Cynthia Zalisky, held this year on January 13 in the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills. I had requested to be there and I was honored to be formally invited. The breakfast was sponsored by the Margaret Tietz Center, a rehabilitation center in Jamaica Hills. The spread was lavish, with fruit platters, mountains of fresh assorted bagels, cheeses, tuna fish, blintzes, and the time-honored lox with fresh orange juice and coffee. This wasn’t a fundraiser – just a chance to listen to our local politicians who are already in office and those who were already or about to be sworn in. Among those present were Congressmen Steve Israel of the 3rd District in Hauppauge (Long Island), Gregory Meeks of the 5th District in Jamaica, and Grace Meng of the 6th Congressional District in Queens. Among the Council members were, first and foremost, Councilwoman and Speaker of the Council Christine Quinn from District 3 in Manhattan, Dan Halloran of the 19th District in Whitestone, Peter Koo of the 20th District in Flushing, Peter Vallone, Jr. of the 22nd District in Astoria, James Gennaro of the 24th District in Fresh Meadows, Leroy Comrie of the 27th District in St. Albans, Karen Koslowitz of the 29th District in Forest Hills, David Weprin of the 24th District in Little Neck, Nily Rozic of the 25th District in Hillcrest, Ed Braunstein of the 26th District in Bayside, Michael Simanowitz of the 27th District in Fresh Meadows, and Ron Kim of the 40th District in Linden Hill. Among the State Senators were Tony Avella of the 11th District in Bayside, Jose Peralta of the 13th District in East Elmhurst, and (last but not least)

the iconic Toby Ann Stavisky of the 16th District in Whitestone. All of the normal topics were discussed: gun control (of which Congresswoman Grace Meng showed great initiative by sponsoring legislation on the very first day of service), mental health services for troubled youth, education policy (of which Toby Ann Stavisky talked about approving Pell Grants for those attending yeshiva), security for the State of Israel (discussed by none other than Congressman Steve Israel) vis-a-vis Iran. Dan Halloran, who seems to be speaking in softer tones, is still the messenger of school choice as a superior system. He also disputed the statistic that 59% of murders are carried out by handguns, which some other official had stated. Dan said that the correct figure of handgun murders is 87%, 13% with rifles, and 2% of the 13% were committed by assault style weapons. When a question was asked by an audience member as to which programs would be cut, there was an awkward silence from those on the dais. Then State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky said that more revenue could be gotten from the wealthy, a la the tax hikes that we saw from the Fiscal Cliff legislation. What was not discussed was how the US government failed to protect our consulate in Benghazi, when so many warnings were issued in advance, of the weakness of security there, how we didn’t do anything in real time when it was going on for seven hours and viewed on monitors, to try to save our personnel on the conspicuous day of 9/11 of 2012. What was not discussed on a state level was that we rate higher in unemployment, 8.3%, than the national average of 7.8%, and I quote here from a January GOP newsletter: And despite being the third most-highly populated state in the country, New York has experienced anemic population

growth of only 2.1% between 2000 and 2010, compared to the national average of 9.7%. Of the 50 states, New York ranks 24th in health and wellness, 26th in state debt, 13th in educational achievement and dead last in tax climate. Our poverty rate is also above the national average. Gov. Cuomo has acknowledged that New York “has no future as the tax capital of the nation.” We must strategically cut taxes, especially with a view to encouraging small business job creators. A reduction of the business tax rate and the elimination of the corporate tax on manufacturing companies will stimulate job growth. New York’s comparatively onerous estate tax incentivizes our seniors to spend their golden years elsewhere. What was not discussed was a new approach for New York to workforce training, such as it would be if vocational programs would be made available in community college job training programs. Promoting school choice – again, from the newsletter: Religious, charter, and independent public schools perform highly and demonstrate that inner city children can learn. We must encourage and support these schools with enhanced tax credits and workable standards and monitoring regimes. Beyond that, I say that mental health class, or put in more traditional terms for those on the right, character development education, would do much for the vast majority of children, and not only for those who end up doing harm to others or to themselves. What we see in these school shootings is just the tip of the iceberg. There is a lot of alienation and pain

experienced by many students, and it is manifested in the epidemic of bullying, drug use, dropout rates, and overall violence. Attempted suicides among the youth, according to a June 9, 2012, Daily News article, have risen in the last three years to 1 in 12. But when listening to all the speakers, it would seem that solutions that are being offered are comprehensive and cover all bases. They are the professionals, and it seems from listening to them that we can trust in their leadership the same way a passenger trusts that a bus driver will get the passenger to the destination without fail. Now we all know that elected offices are challenged because others want to be in power. That motivation applies to every challenger for political office. However, what’s not said is that sometimes challengers actually see a different course of action for the district, state, or country and feel compelled to fulfill such a mission. But wouldn’t it be nice not to have to second guess what the politicians are doing and rely on the ultimate wisdom and experience they bring to the office and all would be well and beautiful in the Emerald City where politics are made? This is a fantasy that I indulged in while temporarily suspending my skepticism amidst the splendor and hospitality of the Legislative Breakfast. On top of that, Assemblywoman-elect Nily Rozic sought me out to shake my hand after she finished speaking, while during the entire campaign she ignored me with the confidence of the big “D” label next to her candidacy. I was so impressed and thrown off by this gesture that for that moment I banished all thoughts of ever running against her again.

Abe Fuchs was born in Wash. D.C. and attended high school at the Mesivta of Forest Hills. He spent three years in yeshiva (Rabbinical Seminary, B’nei Torah and Sh’or Yashuv) in NY. He worked 25 years for the U.S Postal Service, retiring in 2009. In 2012, Abe ran against Nily Rozic for NY State Assembly District 25.

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Kol Koreh from R’ Malkiel Kotler shlit”a urging all to join Parnassah Expo Translation: “Your nation Israel requires parnassah...go and feed off each other” (Berachos 3b) In light of the difficult economic situation in our country, during which many of our brethren are in search of an occupation, the merit of finding them a suitable occupation to support their families is very great. The fruit of Rabbi Dovid Honig shlit”a's labor is the unification of various businesses and institutions, so that they partner on behalf of our brethren's quest to secure a livelihood within the cross spectrum of professions and fields, and exchange services, etc. This is a manifestation of “A man will help his friend and tell his brother 'strengthen yourself,'” each individual according to his profession and talents. This union, the “Parnassah Expo” in New Jersey on Tuesday, 2 Adar, is the appropriate path to accomplish significantly in this area. It is the public's duty at this crucial time to take part in this endeavor, a union of the community and its individual members, a union of holy communities throughout our land. It is particularly important to prioritize and support those who are struggling with their livelihood. I plead with you to heed this call, so that the public participates. All those who partner in and assist this endeavor should be blessed from the wellspring of blessing, and merit all the blessings the Torah promises for those who do chessed. In the merit of the great mitzvah of assisting others with their livelihood, may they only have to rely on Hashem's “holy, filled and open hand, so that we are never shamed.” In honor of this great mitzvah, I hereby undersign, Aryeh Malkiel Kotler Son of Hagaon Rav Yosef Chaim Shneur zt”l

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January 17, 2013

Touring In A Bullet-Proof Bus by Yeshaya and Rivkah Jacobs of Artzienu Tours

Part 1

here’s a bit of tension as the people are getting on the bus; most of them look around in anticipation of the armed guard. He showed up in time and everyone seems more relaxed now in the secure surroundings of the bulletproof vehicle. Where are we headed? I’m sure you’ve guessed by now: to Chevron. We are off to the burial place of our forefathers. The bus is totally full as there are many requests to visit Chevron. First stop is Gush Etzion. The audio-visual presentation at Kfar Etzion is so moving that although I’ve

dot the mountain slopes. Someone’s stomach growled a bit louder than mine, and we were told we could either get our packed lunches ready or grab a quick bite at the pizza shop. With our appetites satiated, we return with our armed guard, who follows us everywhere, to the bulletproof bus. We continue on to Chevron, where Avraham purchased the land for the burial of his wife Sarah in the Cave of Machpelah. In Hebrew, the cave is called M’arat HaMachpeila, which refers to the cave of the doubles – the pairs buried at this site: the Avos and Imahos (the Patriarchs and Matriarchs). The four couples interred include Adam and Chavah (Adam and Eve), Avraham and Sarah (Abraham and Sarah), Yitzchak and Rivkah (Isaac and Rebecca), and Yaakov and Leah (Jacob

First stop is Gush Etzion. The audiovisual presentation at Kfar Etzion is so moving that although I’ve seen it before, I cry along with everyone else!

seen it before, I cry along with everyone else! Yes, it’s true that the ﬁrst settlers were all killed by Arab attackers in 1948; however, their children grew up and returned with a burning fervor to rebuild the land. You can see the actual bunker that was used right up to the end! The museum is a review of all that’s taken place, and it is a memory for those who fell defending Etzion and Jerusalem. In the second room, you actually feel the happiness as you view the grandchildren who came to rebuild the homes. Boarding the bulletproof bus again, everyone checks to see that all seats are occupied and we’re off. This time we approach Efrat and see how a small hilltop community has been so beautifully transformed into a lovely town. Bright red roof houses, a community center, shopping malls, and schools

and Leah). Security checks prevent our immediate entry into the ancient building built over the cave. As I walk through the metal detector, the sound of the alarm rings out quite loud. To my dismay, I discover that my hat has a wire running through it. I answer the soldier that for religious reasons I am not permitted to remove my hat to reveal my hair. I therefore have to go with a female soldier to be checked privately. Finally, I catch up to the group in order to daven in one of the holiest places in the world. The words in the prayer stand out before my eyes as I say Hashem Elokeinu, v’Elokei Avoseinu, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov (G-d of our fathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). I am standing in their burial place, but they seem to come to life. Truly inspirational!

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6 Shevat, 5773

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From Broadway To The Right Way

From Broadway actress to Kollel wife, the amazing journey of Hawaiian-born Rachel Factor and the role our Queens community played in bringing her to Judaism by Shira Diamond

had heard about Rachel Factor, and what a great talent she is, so many times before, but actually hearing this modest, intelligent, and very spiritual woman speak was nothing I could have been prepared for. Her story is one that touches on a profound truth, one that speaks about Hashem having a speciﬁc plan for each and every one of us, as well as His orchestration of events so that we can get to where He intends us to be. Rachel’s story is one of incredible hashgachah pratis, and all the women present in Beth Gavriel on January 9th were listening to her on the edge of their seats as her story was told. Rachel grew up a gentile, born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. Even though it was a wonderful and beautiful place to grow up, and although her family was functional and supportive, Rachel remembers not being quite comfortable with who she was. She was always restless and knew that one day she wanted to leave Hawaii for bigger and better things. She experienced a lot of pain in her teenage years, despite all the factors for a happy life being present. One day she stumbled upon dance, and she liked it so much she kept at it, getting better and better as time went on. “Dance became a vehicle for me to express myself and have a conversation through my dancing,” she says. Rachel, who attended a college prep school for her high school years, decided that she didn’t want to go on to college; instead she wanted to pur-

sue a career in dance. So, she went to the mainland to become a dancer. At this point, the only thing she really knew about dancers was from what she saw on television, so she then went on to Los Angeles, got an agent, and began pursuing her dancing career. She got jobs working on shows and commercials. Dancing is a very competitive business, but Rachel did very well as she was extremely talented. When she got hired for jobs, she was very excited and performed well, but afterwards Rachel always felt unfulfilled. She felt disconnected from that great feeling she had when she first started dancing; she felt like she wasn’t connecting to something greater than herself. One time, she got a job traveling with a pop singer. Every night, they would stay in a different fancy hotel, all over the country. She shared a room with another dancer who would take all the free hotel toiletries. After that dancer would leave to go out, Rachel would go and relax, but all she felt was this great emptiness. She would think, “What am I doing? Where am I going? What’s next after this?” Rachel continued on her search for meaning in her life, next traveling to New York in the hopes that Broadway would make her feel fulfilled. She got a great gig in a Broadway show, but that particular show had a lot of negativity behind the scenes, and a lot of bad vibes among members of the set. It definitely didn’t live up to the dream; so when the show ended six months later, Rachel felt more relieved than

anything else. For ten years, Rachel went from job to job, on the rollercoaster of emotion, being happy but empty at the

to Judaism. Rachel was very upset. She had ﬁnally ﬁgured herself out, after all those years growing up not knowing who

Rachel Factor

“Life is difficult and amazing,” says Rachel. “I almost missed the boat, but Hashem got me on just in time.”

very same time. At this point in Rachel’s life, she met a nice Jewish boy, and they started dating. He grew up Conservative, and he was very serious about his future. He wanted to get married and start a family, but he told Rachel he wanted to have Jewish children. She grew up without a religion, and so raising her children Jewish was not an issue for her. Her boyfriend, however, made it clear that there was more to it than that. He told her that he wanted her to convert

she really was and what she wanted. She was comfortable in her own skin, and wasn’t interested in converting. Rachel told him no, and said that she didn’t want to hold him back from his dream, and suggested they break up and he ﬁnd a nice Jewish girl to marry. But he had such great qualities about him that Rachel found it difﬁcult for her to follow through with that. She began thinking that maybe he had such great qualities because he was raised Jewish. She bought a book on Juda-

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ism, mainly so she could give him reasons why she wouldn’t and couldn’t convert. But as Rachel read this book, she realized it described G-d in a way that really spoke to her. Everything she read led her to say to herself, “This is what I believe; this is what I knew all along.” But she still didn’t want to convert, so she called her mom, who would “bring her back down to earth” and tell her she was crazy. However, when she now called her mother, her mother said, “I was just thinking this morning that you should either marry a nice Chinese boy or Jewish boy!” Rachel hung up with her soon after, not exactly getting the push she was looking for. She signed up for some classes on Judaism - Conservative classes that were really very basic. She would ask her boyfriend about things she had learned in class, but he didn’t know the answers. He decided to start coming to classes with her, so that he too could learn about a religion he knew little about. They learned about a lot of concepts but no real halachos and practical steps on keeping religious observances. They learned about Shabbos and decided to try to keep their ﬁrst Shabbos. They would light candles, sing some songs, and have a meal. Rachel went all out, setting a white tablecloth on the table and cooking a delicious meal. She looked in the paper to check what time sundown was. But her ﬁancé was late, and much to her dismay, he missed sundown. She kept waiting for him but it got later and later, and she got angrier and angrier. She thought, “If he

January 17, 2013

doesn’t care, then who am I doing this for?” Rachel lit the candles by herself for the first time ever. When her fiancé walked in, she yelled at him. But afterwards, she calmed down and they began to talk. They had a great conversation, and felt something different, like G-d was in the room with them. They couldn’t describe the feeling, but something amazing was happening. It was then that Rachel decided she wanted to become Jewish. She finished her class and underwent a Conservative conversion, and the two of them got married. Afterwards, they both got back to their daily routine and Rachel began working on a television show and commercial she was very happy about. One day, a crew member told her that he heard a plane had crashed into the twin towers. They turned on a television, and witnessed the second plane crash into the towers. Two of her high school classmates were killed that day. At the funeral of one of the victims, a friend told Rachel that this man had recently told him that he was disillusioned with his job and all the long hours, and wanted to be there for his son more. He never got that chance. On her way to the funeral of the other victim, Rachel got a call from her agent, asking her to come to an audition. In the dancing business, one does not tell an agent no, and has to always be available in order to be successful. But Rachel felt she was justified because she was going to a funeral and told her agent she couldn’t go. Her agent got very angry, and at that moment Rachel realized that there was something really wrong with her life. About a year after this incident, their first son was born. The couple had moved out of Manhattan to Forest Hills, and they were living there when the baby arrived. Rachel’s husband used to wrap Tefillin with a Chabad rabbi at his office and really enjoyed it, so for his birthday she asked a religious man who managed their apartment building if he knew where she could get a pair of Tefillin. He got her a pair to give him. She also asked him who she should use for a mohel for her son. This man didn’t know what to say, because he knew that she really wasn’t Jewish. He gave her Rabbi Paysach Krohn’s number and she called. He agreed to do the Bris (In certain specific situations where a Jewish man is married to a non-Jewish woman, he had a psak to do the Bris in the hopes that the family would accept authentic Judaism by way of conversion). He told them all about Orthodox conversion and asked them to call a certain rabbi. Rachel’s husband started going to this rabbi for minyan at 6 a.m. every morning, and liked it so much he continued every day. Then they got invited to Rabbi Zakutinsky of Hashevaynu in Kew Gardens Hills, for a meal on Sukkos. They went and the experience was something they will never forget. The food was amazing and in abundance. There were so many people there, including people who had been complete strang-

6 Shevat, 5773

Influential Queens personalities had a great impact on Rachel’s life, including Rabbi Yehuda Zakutinsky of Hashevaynu (left) and renowned author and mohel, Rabbi Paysach Krohn ers before. They sat there completely overwhelmed with the sense of family and community in that sukkah, just because everyone was Jewish. They were treated like family. The Zakutinsky family had an open home, and the Factors saw everything they had been missing. Rachel asked Rabbi Zakutinsky if she could still be a dancer if she wanted to take on this lifestyle. He answered, “We don’t need to talk about that now; just come for Shabbos.” Soon after, they came for Shabbos, sleeping at the home of a different frum family in the neighborhood. That family asked them if they could follow some basic rules concerning Shabbos. Rachel and her husband agreed, but thought it very strange that they couldn’t turn lights on and off and couldn’t tear toilet paper. They did, however, follow these rules out of respect for their hosts. At the end of that Shabbos, Rachel and her husband agreed that they had never felt happier than they did that Shabbos. Her husband started learning with a frum guy, and Rachel began learning with Rebbetzin Zakutinsky. They slowly took on things, like keeping kosher and not working on Shabbos. At this point, Rachel realized she had to stop working in theaters and doing dance. She looked at her son and knew it would be all right. Tz’nius was a struggle for her; she understood the concept but found it difficult to accept the technicalities of it. But the Emes was so powerful; Rachel decided to take it on slowly. One day, she was walking in the street, and stopped in her tracks. She felt her insides, she felt dignified, and she knew it was because she was dressed modestly that day. In her dancing career, she only felt worth if she got the good jobs and was wanted as a dancer; now she felt self-worth because of who she was. She took on Tz’nius and wanted to do the rest. Rachel was ready to convert. She met with Rabbi Peretz Steinberg and he headed the Beis Din that was to oversee her conversion. Rachel was to convert before Pesach and realized she only had a few days to tell her three agents (all of them unaffiliated

Jews) she was no longer working with them as she was converting to Judaism. She was very nervous about that and pushed it off until she couldn’t any longer. But it all went well. Her ﬁrst agent told her that she used to have an Orthodox Hebrew school teacher, and loved her so much she would say she wanted to be just like her when she grew up. The second one told her that her family members become more religious as they get older. The third one told her that her Hebrew name is Ariella. Everyone took it well and had tried to connect with her as a Jew. Rachel had ﬁnal-

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ly found peace and meaning in her life. Rachel, her husband, and their five children now live in Eretz Yisrael, where her husband learns in a kollel. “Life is difficult and amazing,” says Rachel. “I almost missed the boat, but Hashem got me on just in time.” Rachel’s message is inspiring and simple at the same time. “It is so important and powerful to be a Jew. Everything we do is significant. My husband is one of three boys. All of them married non-Jews. The chain could have ended there, but Hashem had different plans for us. And now the chain continues.”

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January 17, 2013

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...ONE World-Class Caterer

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January 17, 2013

Community Recent Happenings Saving The Seforim by Susie Garber

f you attend a bazaar, flea market, or estate sale, you may meet Mrs. Debbi Portnoy there. She’ll be there for one express purpose, searching for hidden s’farim. This is a passion and a mission for Mrs. Portnoy. At a flea market in Manhattan, she saw a little silver siddur amongst a pile of National Geographic issues. This find was the spark that ignited the idea of this foundation. Mrs. Portnoy has sent many leather-bound siddurim to the women’s section at the Kosel. Her organization has also redeemed six sifrei Torah. Save the Seforim started small in 2006, and it grew to finding the right place for the right sefer. One year, she received five sifrei Torah donated to her organization. They were about 150 years old, sitting in boxes wrapped in plastic bags. Mrs. Portnoy wrapped them in talisos and placed them on her dining room table. Her husband was shoel eitzah of HaRav Reuven Feinstein about what to do with any Torahs that are pasul. The Rav responded that the sifrei Torah that are pasul could be used for kibudim on Simchas Torah. Once

they found out which Torahs were pasul, they donated one to HaRav Reuven’s yeshiva in Staten Island. Rabbi Pesach Lerner took two for the Israel Defense Forces. Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim in Queens uses one of them on Simchas Torah. At one point, the president of a conservative synagogue, which rents their building to a church, contacted Mrs. Portnoy to help clean out the closets, as they wanted to donate some Gemaras. She recounts that she will never forget the astounding discovery of two Torah scrolls in an out-of-the-way spot in the janitor’s closet. Two Torah scrolls had been placed there after a ﬁre at an Orthodox shul in Astoria, Queens, 30 years ago, and they were forgotten. It took two years to procure permission from the board of directors to remove one of them from that location. Mrs. Portnoy covered the scroll in a blanket and carried it out. A sofer checked and repaired it, and then it was donated to the Jewish Heritage Center of Queens, a well-known Kiruv outreach organization located in Queens and Long Island. It was used for the ﬁrst time on a Shavuos Jewish Heritage

Rescued sifrei Torah retreat. Save the Seforim Foundation has recently expanded its mission statement after Hurricane Sandy to include funds to purchase new s’farim in collaboration with a large importer/distributor of s’farim. The organization was able to orchestrate replacing the s’farim that Yeshiva Zichron Aryeh, Rabbi Shaya Cohen’s yeshiva in Bayswater, lost during Hurricane Sandy. Labels were printed and placed in the s’farim. All donators were able to add a l’ilui nishmas,

a r’fuah sh’leimah wish, or a dedication in honor of someone to the label. If anyone has any unused s’farim to donate to the organization, the organization will pick them up and ﬁnd new homes for them. Mrs. Portnoy can be reached at dp147@verizon.net. Mrs. Portnoy notes, “The organization is not looking for funds or Sheimos at this time. We are in need of unused, good condition, s’farim to donate to those who have lost their s’farim in the Hurricane.”

Celebrating A New Year With Divrei Torah by Susie Garber

abbi Shmuel Marcus, Mara D’Asra of Congregation Ishei Yisrael, welcomed the standingroom-only crowd at the shul on Monday evening, December 31. He pointed out that this is what B’nei Yisrael does: we gather for divrei Torah. This is our focus: Torah learning. The event was sponsored by CHAZAQ and Torah Anytime. It included music with Yisro-

el Juskowitz and a Chinese buffet. The evening’s learning was dedicated for a R’fuah Sh’leimah for Yosef Shlomo ben Rivkah. Rabbi Marcus led everyone in reciting a perek of T’hilim. Rabbi Jonathan Rietti spoke ﬁrst. He shared a question of the Manchester Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Segal. What moment in Mitzrayim did the status switch from slavery to freedom? The Chasam Sofer’s answer was: when Hashem said, “And I also have heard

Ely Singer (L) and Eli Dollman (2nd L) enjoy the complimetary buffet

6 Shevat, 5773

Rabbi Jonathan Rietti

Rabbi Y.Y. Rubenstein

the pain of the Jewish people….” At that point, Hashem states the four languages of g’ulah. Rabbi Rietti pointed out that when Hashem says, “I also hear,” this means the pain is so great that everyone cried for each other. In other words, the point of the pain is for us to feel each others’ pain. This is the turning point when others cried for each other. He then spoke of how to teach Yid-

dishkeit properly to our children by being role models, demonstrating our devotion and enthusiasm for learning and davening. He then stressed the strong survival ability built into the Jewish people. Mr. Noah Fried was credited for the idea for this event. He shared that TorahAnytime.com started in Queens. Next, Rabbi Y. Y. Rubinstein spoke. Everyone left inspired by the shiurim.

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Community Recent Happenings

Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaum A Featured Speaker At Agudath Israel Of Florida Shabbos Of Chizuk

R’ Zamir Cohen Inspires Hundreds In Queens For CHAZAQ On Wednesday night, December 26, the CHAZAQ organization hosted world-renowned lecturer and author Rabbi Zamir Cohen at Yeshiva Ohel Simcha in Queens. The lecture focused on future prophesies from the Torah. Rabbi Zamir Cohen is the founder and director of the Hidabroot organization and the producer of the ﬁrst Jewish television channel in Israel. For all upcoming events and programs, visit www.CHAZAQ.org

A Congressman Gregory Meeks Honored By QJCC At Annual Breakfast Congressman Gregory Meeks receiving a plaque from the Queens Jewish Community Council during their annual Legislative Breakfast for his work in Congress to commemorate the 100th birthday of Raoul Wallenberg, who is credited with having saved the lives of 100,000 Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust

gudath Israel of Florida hosted its annual Shabbos of Chizuk this past Shabbos, Parshas Sh’mos. Sponsored by the Irwin Saks Irrevocable Trust in memory of R’ Yitzchak ben Avraham z”l, the theme was “Rekindling Idealism in a World of Apathy.” The opening session featured remarks by Rabbi Yaakov Tzvi Blejer, Rosh Kollel of the North Miami Beach Community Kollel, and a riveting keynote address on the topic “Asleep at the Wheel: Navigating in a World Full of Twists and Turns” by Rabbi Shmuel Dishon, Menahel of Yeshiva Karlin Stolin of Brooklyn, NY. During Shabbos, the communities of Miami Beach and North Miami Beach had the opportunity to hear d’rashos from Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaum (Mara D’Asra of Khal Nachlas Yitzchok in Queens), Rabbi Shmuel Dishon, and Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel (executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America). More than 200 people in the two communities attended their respective Friday night Oneg Shabbos gatherings, addressing “Passing the Stress

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Test: Principles for Coping with EveryDay Challenges.” The Motza’ei Shabbos Keynote Session at the Melave Malka was ﬁlled to capacity. Participants heard powerful

remarks, exhorting them to strive to live up to the standards of previous doros, from Rabbi Moshe Matz (executive director of Agudath Israel of Florida), Rabbi Shmuel Dishon, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, and Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaum. It was a stirring end to a truly inspirational Shabbos.

January 17, 2013

Community Recent Happenings Bnos Malka Academy Mitzvah Fund Makes The Most Of A Teachable Moment by Simcha Loiterman, Director of Student Affairs at Bnos Malka Academy

he saying goes that if you give a man a ﬁsh you feed him for a day; teach a man to ﬁsh and you feed him for a lifetime. When it comes to charity, could the same be true? Perhaps, if you make a man give, he gives that day, but if you taught him how to give, he could give for a lifetime. A new program at Bnos Malka Academy called the Bnos Malka Academy Mitzvah Fund is testing that theory. In the wake of the destruction left behind by Hurricane Sandy, one caring, thoughtful morah from the Bnos Malka Academy wanted to do something for those suffering in the aftermath. As collections and drives erupted everywhere, donating felt like the only noble, responsible thing to do. A more holistic inspection of the matter led to the realization that teachers and their classrooms were

in a position to accomplish much more than giving alone. Bnos Malka Academy could teach their students how to give. Students would learn to give not just for a day but for a lifetime. This idea blossomed into what is now an educational initiative teaching students about important lessons in charity, good citizenship, and communal responsibility. The concept is simple: Each classroom features its own pushka for collecting money for worthy causes in the local Jewish community. Students are encouraged to bring in small amounts of money each day to help these worthy causes. When a class has ﬁlled its pushka, it receives a new one and starts collecting again for a different charity. The program is school-wide and offers a scope broad enough to leave an indelible mark on every student, and does little to interfere with the ﬂow of the daily learning. The program is currently collecting money for Hatzalah, Masbia, Hurricane

Sandy relief, Tomchei Shabbos, and Yad Eliezer. Students learn that charity can be a joy, not a hassle. As they give, they learn about the different needs of the community, and they grasp the causeand-effect relationship their generosity has when they are open-handed. Bnos Malka Academy hopes to host representatives from each charity to brieﬂy explain the importance of their organizations to help the students understand where the money they collected is going. Charities have been selected based mainly on communal relevance and are not limited to those being used currently. These ever-present pushkas serve as constant reminders to Bnos Malka Academy students of the various hardships that affect the community, and they show them that any action, large or small, can be quite meaningful. Any expert educator will agree that even the smallest actions or gestures can make a profound difference. A few seconds a day demonstrate the importance of

awareness, concern, and being proactive. Rabbi Noson Berman, executive director of Bnos Malka Academy, is an instrumental part of the The Mitzvah Fund and feels very strongly about the positive impact the program is making. “The Bnos Malka Academy Mitzvah Fund is an all-encompassing, proactive, educational initiative, not just another tz’dakah drive. The numbers, in terms of dollars and cents collected here, are not as important as the life lessons being taught about what it means to be part of a community.” Bnos Malka Academy strives to educate the whole child with the Torah as its moral authority, and has always striven to educate its students to be concerned for and empathetic towards the needs of others. The Bnos Malka Academy Mitzvah Fund is not only another way to meet this goal, but is also a wonderful opportunity to teach students to be open-handed, responsible, and compassionate tz’dakah givers who know how to give for a lifetime.

Inaugural Dinner For Yeshiva Ohr HaTzafon Of Yerushalaim Held At Khal Nachlas Yitzchok

f you are among those who had the opportunity to attend the Inaugural dinner for Yeshiva Ohr HaTzafon of Yerushalayim on Sunday, January 6, you were a part of something special. The dinner was held at Khal Nachlas Yitzchok, Rabbi Noach Oelbaum’s shul in Kew Gardens Hills. Now in its fifth successful year, Ohr HaTzafon is making an indelible impression on the yeshiva landscape in Eretz Yisrael. The yeshiva has distinguished itself as a place that is committed to the “whole talmid.” Acutely aware of the sensitive balance that one needs to cultivate for the optimum growth of a recent high school graduate, the rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Dovid Blumberg, has constructed a program that offers excellence in personal development. At the dinner, the yeshiva paid tribute to two special families: Mr. and Mrs. Shlomo (Bomo) and Dina Silber were the Guests of Honor, and Rabbi and Mrs. Matis and Esther Apel were honored as Parents of the Year. Rabbi Blumberg opened the program by briefly describing the yeshiva’s core mission statement: to cultivate advanced learning skills in the talmidim and position them to achieve excellence and expertise in learning, while simultaneously facilitating a fluid integration of

6 Shevat, 5773

high levels of ruchniyus into their personalities. Following that, he introduced his rebbi, Rabbi Shaya Cohen, to address the crowd. Rabbi Cohen spoke fondly of the honorees and highlighted their Bakashas HaEmes as powerful driving forces behind their success. After being treated to a sumptuous ﬁrst course, courtesy of Spencer’s Catering, Rabbi Blumberg continued the program with the award presentation to the Parents of the Year. Rabbi and Mrs. Matis Apel accepted the beautiful award, and then the guests were treated to a special video message prepared by their son Shmuel. Seated comfortably within the yeshiva in Israel, Shmuel eloquently described his experiences at Ohr HaTzafon over the last three years. He painted the picture of a yeshiva that is ideal for a post-high school yeshiva student looking to dedicate himself to serious learning at his own pace. He concluded with heartfelt Hakaras HaTov to his rebbeim and parents for all of their nurturing and guidance. After a short break, Rabbi Blumberg presented the guests of honor with their award. Shlomo Silber is a long-time friend of Rabbi Blumberg’s, and that friendship was certainly evident at the dinner. Rabbi Blumberg related how “Bomo” is an in-

dividual with some very special qualities. Describing him as someone who can always be called on to “get the job done,” Rabbi Blumberg related that Bomo possesses great integrity and willingness to help in any way he possibly can, a true friend. After accepting the award, Bomo went on to address the crowd. He spoke from the heart, and those who were present had the opportunity to observe ﬁrsthand the very special friendship between two special individuals. Bomo praised the yeshiva for its appreciation of the true needs of the talmidim and the proper methods to address those needs. He concluded by saying that he could think of no one better than his long-time friend, Rabbi Blumberg, to run the yeshiva.a Ohr HaTzafon is named after the famous compilation of the profound thought of the Alter of Slabodka, HaRav Naftali Tzvi Finkel, zt”l. Any student of the Alter’s (and many of our previous g’dolim were in fact students of his) recognizes that people are very complex and that the “business “of developing them is no simple matter. A yeshiva administration today must be in touch with this reality in order for their students to thrive. On the one hand, it’s not just about a “blatt Gemara” – one can learn a vast amount of

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Shlomo Silber (Guest Of Honor) accepting award from Rabbi Blumberg information but remain largely unaffected in his pnimiyus. Therefore, it is essential to have a rebbi who is sensitive to his talmid’s struggles and challenges, as well as a rebbi who appreciates that his talmid must enjoy the learning experience. On the other hand, without the intense focus on the truth of Torah and the primacy of Torah study in daily life, the focus on character development lacks a proper context in which to thrive. This is a sensitive balance. It is a balance that Ohr HaTzafon understands and strives to maintain. For more information about Yeshiva Ohr HaTzafon, call Rabbi Blumberg at 516394-6151.

Community Recent Happenings Choreographing A Dance of Emunah by Susie Garber

wirl, spin, leap, tour jete, arabesque, ﬂy. Dance was the ﬁrst step for Mrs. Rachel Factor in her journey to Judaism. Mrs. Factor’s uplifting story inspired the large group of women gathered at Beth Gavriel on Wednesday evening, January 9, as she shared her moving story in words and song of her life in Hollywood and Broadway and her slow journey towards becoming Jewish. Her story increased everyone’s appreciation of the beauty and depth of Yiddishkeit as she recounted her

amazement, joy, and gratitude when she witnessed the caring and sense of community and sensitivity to one another in the Jewish community in Queens. Mrs. Factor trained as a professional dancer. She explained how dance brought her the spiritual stirrings to realize she needed to connect to a higher being. Her tremendous emunah and her love for Yiddishkeit permeated the air as she spoke. She shared many poignant ideas. One idea that struck a chord was the way she described the empty ache she experienced after reaching the pinnacle of success ﬁnancially and career-wise

in her ﬁeld. It was like eating a whole bag of potato chips and feeling sick and still not nourished, she explained. She knew she needed something more in life. As she traced her incredible story, it was clear to everyone how the hand of Hashem guided her to where she is today. She and her husband and children live in Israel and her husband learns in kollel. It was heartwarming to hear Mrs. Factor recount the overwhelming generosity she experienced at the beginning of her spiritual journey when the Queens community embraced her and the amount of chesed she saw and sense of family and

community was so awe-inspiring to her and her husband. They both realized this was what they wanted and this was what they lacked. She concluded that Judaism has taught her to embrace so much in her life. She noted that challenge bring growth. She feels blessed and fortunate that she found this way of life. She reminded the audience to remember how each mitzvah we do can make such a cosmic difference. Her message resonated with everyone. As Jewish women, we need to remember how valuable each one of us is.

Starting The New Year Right by Susie Garber

n January 1, when many people were off from work, the Queensbased Jewish Heritage Center, a well-known kiruv organization, joined with EMET, a college outreach program, to host its annual all-day learning program for women at the JHC. In the past, the Center has offered this type of learning on legal holidays and often for a whole week. EMET, which is based in Queens, maintains an active presence in eight regional colleges: Queens Col-

lege, St. John’s University, LIU (Brooklyn campus), Baruch College, Hunter College, Queensboro Community College, York College, and LaGuardia Community College. EMET is the only organization that primarily targets young, unaffiliated Bukharian Jews. In the five years since its establishment, EMET defines itself as a multifaceted educational and outreach organization whose mission is to spread the beauty and relevance of Judaism and Torah to young adults yearning to discover and connect to their heritage.

The Jewish Heritage Center of Queens, under the direction of Rabbi Naftali Portnoy and Rabbi Moshe Turk, began as a vision in 1987, to do something to curb the assimilation of Jews. Baruch Hashem, the center has done and continues to do tremendous outreach programs that reach thousands of our unafﬁliated brothers and sisters. The teachers this year of the all-day learning program included Rabbi Kraft (Director of EMET), Rabbi Aryeh Sokoloff, Rabbi Dovid Schwartz, Rabbi Reuven Kiegel, and Mrs. Rivka Muscat. This

was the fourth year of the all-day women’s learning program. Some of the classes taught included Timeless Torah, a textual based Chumash shiur, and Carrying Your Friend’s Burden. One attendee said, “The seminary was refreshing, inspiring, and rewarding. I would love it if EMET and JHC had them more frequently! Thank you!” The day of learning offered women a unique opportunity to devote a full day to learning Torah. College students, young married women, and professionals attended.

Congresswoman Meng Seeks To Attach Amendment To Hurricane Sandy Aid Bill U

Measure would allow houses of worship affected by storm to receive FEMA aid for rebuilding

S Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) announced last Friday that she will attempt to attach an amendment to the upcoming Hurricane Sandy relief bill that would allow houses of worship to receive disaster aid from FEMA. In the aftermath of the Hurricane, many local churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples that were destroyed or damaged sought grants from FEMA to rebuild their properties. But their applications were denied because the federal government does not include houses of worship on its list of private nonproﬁt organizations that qualify for disaster assistance. The list does include facilities such as zoos, museums, libraries, schools, and performing arts centers. “Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc upon our region and severely damaged many houses of worship that are now

in desperate need of repair or are struggling to reopen,” said Meng. “Not allowing them to collect FEMA aid in the wake of one of the nation’s worst natural disasters – but permitting other nonproﬁts to do so – is unfair and wrong. Many of the affected churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples are pillars of their communities that help people in need and provide essential social services to the areas they serve. Some are major employers in their communities as well. Their failure to fully recover from the storm would have devastating effects on the many neighborhoods that depend on them for things such as child care, food pantries, and other crucial programs. It is critical that houses of worship be provided with the same treatment that is afforded to other nonproﬁt entities.” Under Meng’s provision, houses of

worship would be added to the federal government’s list of private nonproﬁt organizations that are eligible for FEMA assistance. She intends to propose the amendment on Monday. The $51 billion Hurricane Sandy re-

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lief package, of which Meng is also a cosponsor, is scheduled to be voted on by the House of Representatives by January 15. Last week, the chamber approved an initial $9.7 billion. The Congresswoman was a cosponsor of that measure as well.

January 17, 2013

Community Recent Happenings YCQ 72nd Anniversary Scholarship Dinner To Be Held March 10 At The Sands D r. and Mrs. Dovid Hurwitz; Yvette and Sam Sturm; Rabbi Aloni Russek To Be Honored The Yeshiva of Central Queens will hold its annual Scholarship Dinner on Sunday, March 10, at The Sands, Atlantic Beach, it was announced by YCQ’s President Dr. Joel Cohen. This year, the Yeshiva will mark its seventy-second anniversary by paying tribute to an outstanding group of people who have served the yeshiva and the

vice and counsel. Barbara, his eishes chayil, is supportive of his involvement in all activities on behalf of the yeshiva and the community. Yvette and Sam Sturm will be honored as Parents of the Year. They are role models to their three children through their active involvement in their education. They enthusiastically participate in the YCQ PA, their shul, Congregation Etz Chaim, and other tz’dakah organizations. Their friendly disposition towards each

person with whom they come in contact have made them cherished parents at YCQ. Rabbi Aloni Russek has been designated to receive the yeshiva’s Educator Award. Every student at YCQ, who has had him as a Rebbe, will fondly remember the warmth and friendship he showered on his talmidim. His caring continued even when they were no longer in CONTINUED ON P. 53

Educator Award Rabbi Aloni Russek

Guests of Honor Dr. and Mrs. Dovid Hurwitz community with much dedication and devotion. This year’s Guests of Honor will be Dr. and Mrs. Dovid Hurwitz. Dr. Hurwitz is one of the most popular pediatricians in

Parents of the Year Yvette and Sam Sturm Kew Gardens Hills and an accomplished talmid chacham. He has served with distinction on the board of trustees of the yeshiva and on the executive committee as Executive Vice President for many years, where he used his inﬂuence to help guide the yeshiva on its successful path. His wisdom and sensitivity to the needs of others has resulted in many people gravitating to him to seek his ad-

6 Shevat, 5773

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Community What’s New In School Yeshiva Sha’arei Zion

Mrs. Yakubova’s Sixth Grade Class Become Pushcart Owners

or their second novel, the sixth graders read “The Pushcart War,” which was about pushcart peddlers who sell products but get into a conﬂict with truck drivers. With this novel, the class worked on main idea, details, inferences, predictions, and comparing and contrasting. After ﬁnishing the novel, all the students worked on a project where they had to make their own pushcart. Each student had to design the pushcart using any shoebox, showing what they would sell and why

they would sell the products they want, and explain their design. The project assignment was a smashing success, and the students had a wonderful time presenting each one.

Students Teach And Learn For Pitgam HaShavua

fter learning about this Pitgam, the boys division began a new and exciting program called

Yeshiva Tifereth Moshe

5th Grade Class Donates To Achiezer

“Sha’arei Zion B’Achdut.” The older boys, grades 5-8, act as the Rav and teach the younger boys, grades 1-4, an exciting piece of lashon tov once a week. The Bet Midrash schedule is posted up in the hallways so that the boys know when their time to learn is. The ﬁrst week of this program kicked off nicely. On Monday, the 7th and 3rd grade boys came together to learn beautifully. The learn-

ing continued through the 6th and 2nd graders on Tuesday, 5th and 1st graders on Wednesday, and ﬁnally the 8th and 4th graders on Thursday. The boys were excited about the program and really felt that they were teaching, learning, and making a difference. Congratulations to the 2nd grade boys for ﬁnishing Parshat Lech Lecha! The boys worked hard to learn this parshah with their class. There will be a Siyum, details to follow.

One month ago, Mrs. Siegel’s 5th Grade class at Yeshiva Tifereth Moshe held a fair to raise money for Achiezer to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy. This past Thursday, Rabbi Bender of Achiezer visited the class at school and accepted the class’ donation: $1455.36. Upon entering the fair, the YTM students in grades 1-8 viewed Yaakov Shapiro and Yehuda Davidson’s video presentation on the effects of Hurricane Sandy. Yaakov Shapiro and Yehuda Zlotnick designed balloon animals, while Avraham Tzvi Keehn and Avromie Feldstein maintained a basketball booth. Hillel Englard alternated between face painting and selling pickles. Other food items included donuts donated by Sweet Glaze and sold by Yosef Chaim Gottesman. Yosef Chaim also helped serve sorbets and slushies, sold by Yoni Braverman and Eli Brody. Fair-goers also bought cold drinks from Avi Maslansky and Gedalya Aeder and popcorn from Shmuel Kanowitz and Akiva Tropper. The popular candy table was staffed by Oryan Gavrielov, Yossi Aghbashoff, and Dovid Greenberg. Shmuel Barg and Uriel Sussman operated the “antique tables,” four long tables loaded with donated toys and games. Shimmie Schwarcz, Moshe Fendrich, and Hillel Englard served as ushers, wearing usher stickers prepared by Shimmie, while Daniel Shahkoohi circulated throughout the room collecting money and giving change. The boys prepared for Rabbi Bender’s visit by writing cards to go along with the gift. “I was pained to hear about what happened to your community during Hurricane Sandy,” “I am sorry that you were affected by the storm and hope that you will overcome it soon,” “We know it is not much, but we hope it will help,” “We hope the money will help your lives get back to normal quickly,” were some lines from the heartfelt notes. The class was gratiﬁed that despite his hectic schedule, Rabbi Bender came in person to accept the donation. The boys listened attentively as Rabbi Bender described the devastation he had witnessed, and assured the boys that although a lot of them felt that the money they had raised seemed like an inadequate amount, it would be extremely

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useful and “could not have come at a better time.” Rabbi Bender told the students that there were still children their age who did not have knapsacks, toys, and enough clothing. The money from YTM’s 5th Grade Sandy Fair would be used for those children, and they would be informed about where the money was from.

Anuual Parent Appreciation & Grand Raffle Melave Malka Yeshiva Tifereth Moshe held its annual Parent Appreciation & Grand Rafﬂe Melave Malka this past Saturday night at the Utopia Jewish Center. All members of the YTM family enjoyed the delightful buffet, entertaining magic show and wine tasting by Hakerem Wine and Liquor. Congratulations to the winners of a trip to anywhere in the US, diamond

ring, dinner for two, Seasons, Gap, and Macy’s gift certiﬁcates, spirits, and silver. Special congratulations to the winner of the $10,000 rafﬂe! Thank you to all who participated, supporting the Torah and General Studies education at YTM. (PICYTM melave malka)

HANC

Student Leaders Plan Benefit Evening For The Koby Mandell Foundation Students from the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County Brookdale High School are always on the verge of helping their community. The student leaders, through NCSY’s Project JUMP Program will be organizing a fun and interactive trivia evening in the school’s auditorium on Motza’ei Shabbos, February 9, at 8:30 PM. All funds raised will beneﬁt the Koby Mandell Foundation, which provides free therapeutic programs to child victims of terror who have lost family members to terrorist attacks in Israel. To register for this event, visit www.tinyurl. com/JUMPTRIVIA.

January 17, 2013

Community Recent Happenings YCQ 72nd Anniversary Scholarship Dinner To Be Held March 10 At The Sands

CONTINUED FROM P. 51

his class. Rabbi Russek’s encouragement has helped many of his students succeed in their lives. The dinner program will feature the dedication of a beautiful new aron kodesh in memory of the recently departed Dr. Alvin Lashinsky a”h. Dr. Lashinsky was instrumental in the growth and development of the Jewish community of Queens and was one of the most devoted members of YCQ’s board of trustees for several decades. The dedication will be made by Mrs. Francine Lashinsky and Dr. Alexander and Meryl Weingarten and family. The Alumni Class of 1968 will be recognized for its numerous accomplishments in conjunction with a gala class reunion that will take place at the din-

Jewish Delegation Goes To Washington, D.C. To Participate In Congresswoman Grace Meng Swearing-In Ceremony

ner. YCQ Board Chairman, Israel Glaser, noted that “although we may have seen the beginning of an economic recovery during the past year, many YCQ families remain in dire ﬁnancial situations. All funds from the Dinner campaign will be allocated to the YCQ Scholarship Fund.” A Scroll of Honor listing the contributors will be published for the occasion. Mrs. Reize Sipzner and Mrs. Pearl Cohen, Dinner Co-Chairs, asked alumni, alumni parents, and friends to sponsor as many weeks of tuition as possible and make dinner reservations immediately so that “we can all enjoy a special evening of friendship in the spirit of hachzakas HaTorah.” For more information, please call 718793-8500, ext. 300 or 302.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

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Sunday Wednesday Sunday

3 6

Saturday

6 Shevat, 5773

FEBRUARY 2013

Hampton Synagogue), and Lt. Col. Shai Abramson (Chief Cantor of the Israeli Defense Forces). The concert is sponsored by the Hollis Hills Jewish Center, The Lesh Family in association with the Kupferberg Center for the Arts, the Center for Jewish Studies at Queens College, Temple Israel of Great Neck, the Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center, and Council Member Mark Weprin. For further information (including ticket prices), please contact the Hollis Hills Jewish Center at 718-776-3500, Temple Israel of Great Neck at 516-482-7800, or the Kupferberg Center Box Ofﬁce at 718-793-8080. At 7:45 p.m., Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim’s Kollel Ner Dovid will hold its annual Chinese Auction at The Palace Ballroom at Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing.

MARCH 2013

Yeshiva of Central Queens will hold its 72nd Anniversary Scholarship Dinner at The Sands, honoring Dr. and Mrs. Dovid Hurwitz, Yvette and Sam Sturm, and Rabbi Aloni Russek. The Dinner program will feature the dedication of a beautiful new aron kodesh in memory of Dr. Alvin Lashinsky a”h. For more information, please call 718-793-8500, ext. 300 or 302.

Sunday

Eshel Avraham invites the community to a Ta’anit Dibur beginning with Shacharit at 6:20 am and including breakfast and lunch, at Congregation Shaare Tova, 82-33 Lefferts Boulevard, Kew Gardens. To reserve a place or sponsor the event, please contact Doar@EshelAvraham.com or call 917-733-4441. At 8:00 p.m., the Nissanian family is holding an inspirational evening in memory of R’ Netzer Nissanian and Yaeer Netzer Nissanian, featuring Rabbi Menachem Nissel on “Love and Sacriﬁce: Loving Hashem in Turbulent Times,” at Congregation Shaare Tova, 82-33 Lefferts Boulevard, Kew Gardens. For more information, please contact Doar@eshelavraham.com or call 917- 733-4441. At 7:00 p.m., a Salute to Israel Concert will take place at the Lefrak Concert Hall at Queens College, featuring Sol Zim (Cantor of the Hollis Hills Jewish Center), Netanel Herstik (Cantor of the

Saturday

At 8:00 p.m., Mesivta Tiferet Torah and CHAZAQ will host “Extraordinary Acts by Ordinary People,” an event featuring a lecture by Rav Dovid Goldwasser, as well as the drawing of their sweepstakes rafﬂe, at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, 150-05 70th Road, Kew Gardens Hills. Men and women are invited. Admission is free. From 9:30-10:30 a.m., Young Israel of Queens Valley –141-55 77th Avenue, Kew Garden Hills – will hold a workshop on How to Talk to Your Health Care Provider. Nurse Sarah Gnecco, RN, will discuss ways you can better communicate with your doctor or doctors. RSVP to: (718) 224-0566 or rmushell@ sfy.org. From 6:30-7:45 p.m., there will be a peer support group for Jewish Adults with Mental Health Issues in the Library of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, 150-05 70th Road, Kew Gardens Hills. Topics to be discussed are vocational and educational issues, relationships, importance of staying in treatment, eliminating stigma and discrimination, and getting back to Judaism. Please reply to Linda Katz at 718-261-3772 if planning to attend the group. At 8:15-9:30 p.m., Congregation Ahavas Yisroel, in con-

Sunday

JANUARY 2013

junction with Irgun Shiurei Torah, presents the last of a three-part review of Taharas HaMishpachah for women by Mrs. Adina Mandel at the shul, 147-02 73rd Avenue, Kew Gardens Hills.

Agudath Israel – 30 Anniversary th

by Rabbi Aharon B. Shurin Translated and edited by Rabbi Chaim Fuhrer (PART 4) May-June 1943 The Assembly Of Israel If, at the founding of Zionism, the goals of political Zionism had been somewhat ambiguous, certainly by the end of the Second Congress, the mission of the Zionist leaders became abundantly clear. Through the verbal and written Zionist propaganda, it became apparent that this “extreme nationalism” seeks to gradually divest itself of the burden of Torah and religion, and that the objective of Zionism is not only the rebuilding of Eretz Yisrael, but concurrently the refashioning of Judaism. Those rabbanim who had initially supported the Chovevei Tzion movement because it was interested only in colonization would certainly have fully supported political Zionism as well, had it not been for the new approach adopted at the Second Zionist Congress. Although in non-Jewish society, the idea of a Russian Catholic, a German Lutheran, or an American Protestant, all of whom are loyal patriotic citizens of their homeland, is fathomable, the idea of a Jewish Catholic, a Jewish Protestant, or even a Jewish nationalist devoid of Judaism is absolutely incomprehensible. Jewish nationalism is inextricably tied to Torah and tradition, and a Jew who lacks Torah and tradition cannot be labeled a Jewish nationalist. This is why the point in the Basel (Zionist Congress) program, that openly declared “that Zionism has no association with the Jewish religion,” evoked a great storm of protest in the rabbinical world. The greatest sages of that time openly cautioned the Jewish masses of the destruction that Zionism would bring to the spirit of the Jewish nation. In the year 5660 (1900), the greatest rabbis of that time came out with a public call to all Jews to beware of Zionism’s false ideas regarding Judaism. Among the protesters were: Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim Meizel z”l, Lodzer Rav, who writes: “Whoever has fear of G-d in his heart should distance himself from them, refrain from walking with them, and restrain his foot from their path, for they have donned the cloak of Zion in order to fool the soft-hearted and trap them…” Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik z”l, Brisker Rav, writes: “Among them are those who are known in their places for their wickedness. And they have already informed and publicized that their purpose is to uproot the foundations of (our) religion, etc. … let them guard their souls not to join a cause which destroys religion and

is a stumbling-block for the House of Israel.” Rabbi Dovid Friedman z”l, Karliner Rav, writes: “This philosophy (of Zionism)…tramples all holiness underfoot.” Rabbi Yosef Rosen z”l, known as the Rogatchover Gaon, writes: “The stubborn group that call themselves Zionists, it is not for naught, rather as Rashi (Yoma 77b) writes that Tzion is outside Yerushalayim, etc., meaning that only through Torah and worship (of G-d) can the verse: ‘…and say to Tzion: You are my people’ be fulfilled. (See Sanhedrin 99b regarding “only through Torah”.) And it is clear that this group has no part of it (Torah). The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Sholom Duber Schneerson z”l writes: “Since the major activists are completely opposed to G-d and His Torah, and their only desire and purpose is to throw off the yoke of Torah and (its) commandments and to keep only their nationalism, the (G-d-)fearing should not partner with them for they will not heed the words of the (G-d-)fearing in matters regarding religion and education. And at the meetings in Warsaw, when the Rabbanim requested a rabbinical committee to supervise the executive committee, they absolutely refused, etc.” And many more rabbanim and admorim (Chasidic rebbes) expressed the sharpest protest against the new leaning that Zionism had adopted by appending “culture” to political Zionism. Soon the rabbanim saw that protest alone would accomplish nothing, and they decided that all Torah-true Jews must be united under the banner of Torah. And for that purpose, the great sages of that time called a meeting in Vilna in 5666 (1906) that included Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim of Lodz, Rabbi Eliezer of Telz, Rabbi Chaim of Brisk, Rabbi Hirsch Rabinowitz – Rabbi of Kovno, Rabbi Dovid of Karlin, and Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski. These sages turned with a call to the Jewish nation regarding the organizing of Orthodoxy under the name “Knesses Yisroel.” The new organization generated a storm within the Jewish world, as Jews from all over Russia joined the Knesses Yisroel movement whose function it was to strengthen Judaism among the Jews. The Russian regime, fearing the notion of an organized nation, and perceiving the organization as the precursor of the creation of a “state within a state,” and fearing the spread of Jewish influence beyond the borders of the Russian Empire – which could well have interfered with their pogrom agenda that they had inflicted upon the Jews – one fine day issued an order closing the new organization, “Knesses Yisroel.”

The Pre-Conference In Hamburg Although the Russian government

had closed Knesses Yisroel, the concept of a strong, vigilant folk-party was not abandoned. Secret gatherings and conferences were held in many places at various times in order to work out plans for organizing. These gatherings were the material from which the mighty apparatus known as Agudath Israel later emerged. One of the main gatherings, which in fact laid the cornerstone for the Kattowitz gathering, was the pre-conference that took place in 5669 (1909) in the quiet summer resort in Hamburg, near Frankfurt. It was in the tranquil, modest house of the great Jewish researcher and scholar, Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac HaLevi, author of Doros HaRishonim (The First Generations), that the Jewish leaders, including the greatest sages of Russia as well as the most famous rabbis of Germany and Hungary, assembled. Rabbi Shlomo Breuer, Rav of Frankfurt, stood at the head of the German-Hungarian delegation, while the Russian delegates included Rav Chaim Brisker, Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzenski, Rav Eliezer Rabinowitz, Minsker Rav, as well as representatives from Lubavitch and Ger. At the conference, it again became clear that the uniﬁcation of Orthodoxy in one organization that would fortify the ranks of the broad Jewish masses is an absolutely vital necessity. Much was said regarding the strengthening of Torah and educational institutions, as well as the publication of books and newspapers intended to introduce the love of genuine Judaism and tradition into the hearts of Jewish youth. In general, the organization would be deeply engaged in all contemporary colonial problems, and the development of settlement in Eretz Yisrael – both the old settlement and the new one – would be strongly supported. In addition, the many unsolved economic, social, and cultural problems would be assessed. At the Hamburg conference, a larger committee was elected, in which representatives of all participating countries participated. This committee developed both the program and the constitution for the new organization, which would somewhat later hold its general conference in Kattowitz. The program and the constitution were sent out to all rabbanim and activists for their approval. When the endorsement of the rabbanim and activists was received, it was decided to call a large conference, with the participation of the generation’s rabbinical leaders at the head, to take place 11-12 Sivan 5672, May 27-28, 1912, in Kattowitz.

The Split In Mizrachi At the Mizrachi convention, which took place on the 17th of Elul 5671 (1911) in Berlin, the focus was on the position of Mizrachi vis-à-vis Zionism. The Frankfurt Mizrachi members proposed that Mizrachi drop out of the Zionist Organization because of its negative

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attitude to Torah and Jewish tradition that had been displayed at the tenth Congress. The Berlin Mizrachi members (except Herman Struck), on the other hand, believed that they should not abandon Zionism. A turbulent discussion ensued. Dr. Feuchtwanger, president of Mizrachi, then proposed that a memorandum be sent to the executive administration in Berlin, requesting permission to send an agent to Eretz Yisrael in order to investigate the situation regarding the issue of culture. Furthermore, a religious Jew should be designated Commissioner of Religion so that he can deal with both cultural and religious issues in Eretz Yisrael. If the administration refuses, then Mizrachi would leave the Zionist Organization. When the delegation returned empty-handed, Mizrachi President, Dr. Feuchtwanger announced in his own name, as well as in the names of presidium members Professor Dr. Saltzbach, Professor Weil, and Mr. Stern, that they are resigning from Mizrachi and Zionism. The delegates from Hungary, France, and Switzerland, as well as those from Frankfurt, Nürnberg, and Halberstadt, also submitted their resignations. In addition, Dr. Grinhaut (Yerushalayim), Ze’ev Yaavetz, author of Toldos Yisroel (Berlin), Dr. Bamberger (Nürnberg), Lebovitz (Budapest), Dr. Abramson (Sharbargard), Gross (Tafaltshoi), Chaim Yisroel Eis (Zurich), Herman Struck, and Mr. Hollander all resigned from the Mizrachi central advisory committee. Dr. Yaakov Feuchtwanger and many other former Mizrachi members were among those who later joined in the effort to establish Agudath Israel. And Dr. Feuchtwanger himself was a member of the “committee” that laid the groundwork for the meeting in Kattowitz. And R’ Chaim Yisroel Eis, From Zurich, is known in the Jewish world as one of the greatest veterans of Agudath Israel, who accomplished a great deal for the Agudah cause. He is one of the very best writers, one who enriched the awareness of Agudah thinking in many languages. Even now, living in the free country of Switzerland, he does much life-saving and rescue work. He is truly a legendary ﬁgure in the Jewish nation who deserves much attention and recognition. However, this is neither the time nor the place to report on his accomplishments for Agudah. The news, which spread quickly throughout Europe, that there would soon be an international conference with the participation of delegates from all countries, brought joy and hope to the broad Orthodox masses. Everyone waited impatiently for the day when Orthodoxy would free itself from “exile among Jews,” becoming an independent organization that would also build Eretz Yisrael in the spirit of Torah and tradition. Orthodoxy’s hope became a reality on the 11th and 12th of Sivan 5672 (1912) in Kattowitz.

January 17, 2013

News How come there is so much testosterone in the Obama Cabinet and so little estrogen?’” the former Arkansas governor said on his radio show. Obama beat Romney 55 percent to 43 percent among women, according to Reuters/Ipsos exit polling on Election Day. He also won large majorities of the African-American and Hispanic vote.

Obama Criticized For White Male Cabinet

he ﬁrst black U.S. president is coming under ﬁre from some of his own Democratic Party for naming a stream of white men to key cabinet and leadership posts in his second administration. President Barack Obama last Thursday named Jack Lew as his Treasury Secretary, the fourth white male he has named to the most prized cabinet posts in recent weeks.

Lew’s nomination follows Obama’s pick of Senator John Kerry to replace Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. He has also named former Senator Chuck Hagel to be defense Secretary and John Brennan to head the Central Intelligence Agency. Against this, he lost the ﬁrst Hispanic woman in the cabinet when Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced her resignation last Wednesday. And last month Lisa Jackson, who is black, announced she was stepping down as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. “It’s embarrassing,” New York Democrat Charles Rangel, one of the most senior black members of Congress, said of the Obama appointments. New Hampshire Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, whose state has the only all-female delegation in Congress, described the appointments as “disappointing.” Republicans joined in the criticism with former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee accusing Obama of waging a “war on women,” using the same words Democrats coined to criticize Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney during the election campaign last year. “Now a lot of those females who supported Barack Obama are scratching their heads, and they’re saying, ‘Whoa!

6 Shevat, 5773

Don’t Count On That Early Tax Refund This Year

ax filing season hasn’t even started yet, and we have already fallen behind. The Internal Revenue Service made good on its threat to delay some tax forms if Congress went over the so-called fiscal cliff. The tax agency said that because of last-minute and retroactive tax law changes, it would not be able to process any returns filed before January 30. Furthermore, a slew of late-changing forms would delay many more returns (perhaps as many as 20 million of them) until the end of February or the beginning of March. That’s going to hurt those early filers. Some 18 million returns typically get filed during the month of January, and 98 percent of those get refunds, according to H&R Block. Roughly 60 percent of those early filers really need the money, and use it to pay off holiday bills or meet January expenses, according to Intuit Inc.‘s TurboTax. Furthermore, there’s plenty of speculation that the IRS may drag its feet on those refunds if Congress delays approving an increase in the federal debt borrowing limit. An independent think tank, the Bipartisan Policy Center, said in a report that if the federal government keeps up with other key spending, including food stamps, federal salaries, Social Security benefits and Pell Grants for education, it may not have the cash to pay an expected $85.5 billion in tax refunds to individual filers throughout the tax season. For its part, the IRS is managing expectations on refunds. It has said that last year it paid out 90 percent of refunds in fewer than 21 days and it expects to do that this year too. But it has reserved the right to take longer on some refunds to do fraud checks and for other reasons. “Don’t count on getting your refund by a certain date to make major purchases or pay other financial obligations,” it says in guidance aimed at tax preparers. The biggest logjams might not be at the IRS, which has demonstrated its capacity to process millions of returns, but in the offices of some tax preparers - as the more complex forms coming later in the season could squeeze a lot of

Roundup those returns into a six-week period. Nervous yet? Here’s how to negotiate tax season 2012. - If you were Sandy-afflicted, don’t wait, suggests Kathy Pickering, executive director of The Tax Institute, a research group within H&R Block. People who suffered casualty losses because of the big storm, and who are in federallydeclared disaster areas can go back and file an amended 2011 return and take your losses for that year. You can do that today, and it might make sense to get ahead of the January 30 crush at the IRS. - Check to see if you’re in the late list. The IRS has published a list of 30 forms that will be delayed. Most of them are arcane and will only affect less than 1 percent of tax filers. But a couple could hold up millions of forms. Most notable is the form that businesses use to claim depreciation. That form is used by many sole proprietors and other small business owners. Another popular but delayed form is required for folks who claim residential energy credits. The form for qualified adoption expenses is also on the late list. If you need a form on the list, accept that you won’t be able to file until late in the season, though you can probably get most of your paperwork done early. If you’re concerned about your tax prepar-

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er not having enough time to squeeze you in between March 1 and April 15, consider filing for an extension of your time to file. You will still have to come close to paying your taxes due by April 15. - Budget for winter. If you are a typical early filer with a simple return and a need for a quick refund, you can still get your return ready early, through Block or TurboTax or another preparer. Both of those megafirms are ready to deluge the IRS on January 30, and that means your refund should be in your bank account before the end of February. - Live lean, delay paying off the credit cards for an extra month if you have to, and make sure you give the IRS a bank account number so it can direct deposit your refund as soon as it’s ready. (Reuters)

News 2012 Was Hottest Year On Record In U.S., Climate Agency Says

he year 2012 was the warmest on record for the contiguous United States, beating the previous record by a full degree in temperature, a government climate agency said last week. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the average temperature in 2012 in the contiguous United States was 55.3 degrees Fahrenheit, 3.2 degrees above the average recorded during the 20th century and 1.0 degree above 1998, until now the hottest on record. The contiguous United States excludes Alaska and Hawaii.

The agency also conﬁrmed what many farmers in the nation’s midsection and many residents of the western part of the country already knew: 2012 was drier than average. The year was 15th driest year on record, it said. At the peak of the heat in July 2012, 61 percent of the country was in drought, NOAA said, including the nation’s breadbasket of the Midwest, as well as the Southwest and Mountain West, where wildﬁres charred 9.2 million acres. The agency’s U.S. Climate Extremes Index, which tracks volatility in temperature and precipitation as well as the number of tropical cyclones making landfall, was twice as active as normal in 2012, the agency said. Only 1998 had more extreme weather, NOAA said. There were 11 weather-related disasters in the continental United States during 2012, with losses topping $1 billion, including Hurricanes Sandy and Isaac and a series of tornadoes in the Great Plains, Texas and the Ohio Valley, it said.

Among the other findings released last week: • Every state in the contiguous U.S. experienced above-average annual temperatures in 2012. Nineteen had a record warm year and an additional 26 had one of their 10 warmest. • The temperature during the spring was 5.2 degrees Fahrenheit above average, making it the warmest spring on record, surpassing the previous record by 2.0 degrees, the agency said. • The above-average temperatures during the spring continued into sum-

mer. The heat peaked in July with an average temperature of 76.9 degrees Fahrenheit, 3.6 degrees above average, making it the hottest month ever observed in the continental United States. • An estimated 99.1 million people nearly one-third of the nation’s population - experienced 10 or more days during the summer when temperatures exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the agency said.

U.S. Lawyer: Images Of A Dead Bin Laden Still Dangerous

wenty months after U.S. Special Forces killed Osama bin Laden, the United States told a court on last week it is not ready to release images taken after the al Qaeda leader’s death because they still might lead to violence. A federal appeals court heard arguments in a lawsuit over whether the government must release the images under the Freedom of Information Act, a 1966 law that guarantees public access to some government records. President Barack Obama’s administration points to an exception in the law that covers documents classiﬁed in the interest of national defense. “They’ll be used to inﬂame tensions. They’ll be used to inspire retaliatory attacks,” Justice Department lawyer Robert Loeb told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Riots or other forms of violence could threaten American soldiers as well as civilians in Afghanistan, Loeb said. The government has 52 photographs or videos - the medium has not been revealed - from the May 2011 raid in which U.S. Special Forces killed bin Laden after more than a decade of searching. The images show a dead bin Laden at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, the transportation of his body to a U.S. ship and his burial at sea, the government has said. Some of the photographs were taken so the CIA could conduct facial recognition analysis to conﬁrm the body’s identity, according to court papers. Two of the court’s three judges, Merrick Garland and Judith Rogers, asked questions indicating they were inclined

Roundup to defer to the judgment of officials in sworn court affidavits advising against release. “They’re telling us that could result in death - not just the release of secret information, but death,” Garland said. “Is that not something we should defer to?” Michael Bekesha, a lawyer for Judicial Watch, a government watchdog group suing for the images, said the government failed to show the danger of releasing the less-graphic burial images. Judicial Watch also claims that CIA officials might not have followed procedures when they classified the images as secret. A decision from the appeals court is likely in the next few months. A lower court judge sided with the government in April.

designed to space your forkfuls so that you have time to chew each one properly. It’s like having your mom in a utensil! The fork has no clue about the nutritional content of your food or how big your forkfuls are. It can’t tell if you’re shoveling lard or stabbing peas individually. The company is launching a fundraising campaign for the fork in March on the group-fundraising site Kickstarter.com. Participants need to put down $99 for a fork, which is expected to ship around April or May. Those forks will connect to computers through USB cables.

Electronic Fork Nags You On Eating

f you’ve always wanted a fork that spies on your eating habits, you’re in luck: A company has developed a utensil that records when you lift it to the mouth. The electronic fork is one of the gadgets getting attention last week at the International CES in Las Vegas, an annual showcase of the latest TVs, computers and other consumer-electronic devices. The HAPIfork is a fork with a fat handle containing electronics and a battery. It’s made by HapiIabs, which is based in the land of slow, languorous meals — France. The fork contains a motion sensor, so it can ﬁgure out when it’s being lifted to the mouth. If it senses that you’re eating too fast, it warns with you with a vibration and a blinking light. The company believes that using the fork 60 to 75 times during meals lasting from 20 to 30 minutes is ideal. Between meals, you can connect the fork to a computer or phone and upload data on how fast you’re eating, for longterm tracking. The electronics are waterproof, so you can wash the fork in the sink. If you want to put it in the dishwasher, you have to remove the electronics ﬁrst. Nutritional experts recommend eating slowly because it takes about 20 minutes to start feeling full. If you eat fast, you may eat too much. The fork is also

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Man Mauled By Tiger At Bronx Zoo: “Everyone Makes Choices”

man who jumped into a tiger den at the Bronx Zoo and was mauled by a 400-pound animal told police, “Everyone makes choices,” a court complaint says.

David Villalobos, 25, of Mahopac, was arraigned Friday in a Bronx courthouse and pleaded not guilty to trespassing charges. He returns to court March 12. On Sept. 21, Villalobos jumped from a monorail train that tours the zoo’s Wild Asia exhibit. He cleared a 16-foot-high fence and was attacked and dragged by a Siberian tiger named Bashuta. Villalobos suffered bites on his arms, legs, shoulders and back. He also had a broken right shoulder, right rib, right ankle and pelvis and a collapsed lung. In the complaint, police Sgt. Peter Monopoli says that when Villalobos was asked why he jumped, he said, “Everyone makes choices and we have our reasons in life why we do things.” He told another investigator, “I was testing my natural fear, you would not understand,” the complaint says. “It is a spiritual thing, I wanted to be at one

January 17, 2013

News with the tiger.” Villalobos was alone with the tiger for about 10 minutes before he was rescued by workers who used a ﬁre extinguisher to chase the animal away. Zoo director Jim Breheny said at the time: “The tiger did nothing wrong. ... somebody was deliberately trying to endanger themselves.”

Investigators Looking Into HighSpeed Ferry Crash

high-speed commuter ferry that crashed into a lower Manhattan dock, injuring dozens of people, had recently undergone a major overhaul that gave it new engines and a new propulsion system, and officials were looking into whether they played any role in the morning rush hour accident. The catamaran Seastreak Wall Street had slowed following a routine trip across New York Bay and past the Statue of Liberty last Wednesday morning when the impact took place, hurling scores of people to the deck or into the walls. Around 70 were hurt, 11 seriously. The naval architecture firm that designed the reconfiguration, Incat Crowther, said in an August news release that the ferry’s water-jet propulsion system had been replaced with a new system of propellers and rudders to save fuel costs and cut carbon dioxide pollution in half. James Barker, the chairman of the ferry’s owner, Seastreak LLC, said the overhaul made it “the greenest ferry in America.” The hull was reworked, and the boat was made 15 metric tons lighter. At top speed, the ferry, built in 2003, travels at around 35 knots, or 40 mph. Dee Wertz, who was on shore waiting for the ferry, saw the impact. She said that just moments before the ferry hit, she had been having a conversation with a ferry employee about how the boat’s captains had been complaining lately about its maneuverability. “He was telling me that none of these guys like this boat,” she said. “It was coming in a little wobbly. It hit the right side of the boat on the dock hard, like a bomb.” About 330 passengers and crewmembers were aboard the ferry, which had ar-

6 Shevat, 5773

rived from Atlantic Highlands, a part of the Jersey Shore still struggling to recover from Superstorm Sandy. Some passengers were bloodied when they banged into walls and toppled to the New York City’s transportation commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, said the ferry was coming in at 10 to 12 knots, or about 12 to 14 mph, when it struck one slip and then hit a second. After the impact, the boat was able to dock normally. Police said the boat’s crew passed alcohol breath tests given after the crash. The Seastreak Wall Street has been in minor accidents before. Coast Guard records said the ferry hit a cluster of fender piles while docking in 2010, punching a small hole in the ship’s skin. In 2009, it suffered another tear on the bow after another minor docking collision. No one was injured in either of those mishaps. Such ferry accidents happen every few years in New York. In 2003, 11 people were killed when a Staten Island Ferry crashed into a pier on Staten Island after its pilot passed out at the wheel. Three people were badly hurt and about 40 were injured when the same ferry hit the same pier in 2010 because of a mechanical problem.

Roundup Hudson Falls Police Chief Randy Diamond said items recovered so far link Suddard to 24 burglaries, though there could be many more. The suspect pretty much stole “anything somebody would throw in their jewelry box,” Winchell said, and then some. Along with jewelry, police found cash, coins, a handgun and game tokens. “One of the bags I went through actually had an adult molar,” Winchell said, “right down to the roots.” The duffel bags were found on the property of Suddard’s brother-in-law, who is cooperating with the investigation. Police believe most of the items were stolen since his last release from prison in 2007. Diamond said it appears that Suddard pawned the most expensive items and may have held on to the remaining booty to sell later. Of the items recovered, a small number have inscriptions linking them to victims. The display at Hudson Falls High School last week is for the items that can’t be identiﬁed. The viewing is restricted to people who reported a burglary and have a police report. Victims will not be allowed to take identiﬁed items home just yet, because they are still potential evidence.

Diamond said the department has been inundated with calls from as far away as New Jersey and New Hampshire, some from callers missing cars, boats and other items clearly not involved in this case. With interest so heavy, police plan to do at least one more display. “We’ve caught this guy; we need to link him to what we can and return the property that we can,” Diamond said.

More Anti-Muslim Ads Go Up In NYC Subways

he group that equated Muslim radicals with savages in advertisements last year has put up another set of provocative ads in dozens of New York City subway stations.

Police Seek Owners Of 30,000 Pieces Of Jewelry

or five years, someone prowled rural counties in upstate New York, pilfering pearl necklaces, gold chains, bracelets, coins, silverware and other valuables from an untold number of homes. Now authorities face the daunting task of finding owners of the roughly 30,000 items discovered in 31 duffel bags after John Suddard’s recent arrest. So police in the village of Hudson Falls, near the Vermont border, are taking the novel step of displaying the items at the local high school last Wednesday night. Burglary victims will be invited in, and an officer will escort them around tables set up in the cafeteria to see if any of the items are theirs. “I’m hoping,” said Francesco Venturiello, whose Schenectady home was burglarized in May. He lost cash and roughly $75,000 worth his wife’s jewelry, including irreplaceable pieces bought in Italy. “I swear to G-d, if we find anything in there, I’m going to have to call an ambulance. My wife will faint.” Suddard, who has served three prisons terms for burglary since he was 19, was arrested Dec. 21 as he attempted to pawn jewelry and coins at an Albany-area coin shop stolen the day before an hour north in Hudson Falls.

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The American Freedom Defense Initiative purchased space next to 228 clocks in 39 stations for ads with an image of the burning World Trade Center and a quote attributed to the Quran saying: “Soon shall we cast terror into the hearts of the unbelievers.” The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said the ads went up last Monday and will run for a month. The same group paid for ads to be displayed in 10 stations in September. Those ads implied enemies of Israel are “savages.” The MTA also sold space last year to competing advertisements that urged tolerance.

New Parking Signs Aim To Make Rules Easier To Understand

ew York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and City Council Member Daniel R. Garodnick recently unveiled newly designed and simpliﬁed parking regulation signs in Midtown’s commercial parking areas, making it easier to see and read signs while reducing their size. The initial rollout replaces 6,300 parking regulation signs of varying colors, typefaces, font sizes and sometimes confusing phrasing with streamlined

and standardized two-color signs that are phrased and formatted for easier readability. Council Member Garodnick first proposed simplifying the City’s parking regulation signs in 2011. Working collaboratively with the City Council, DOT developed the new, easy to read signs, which will be installed in Midtown’s paid commercial parking areas through the spring and installation will follow in other parts of the city. “You shouldn’t need a Ph.D in parking signage to understand where you are allowed to leave your car in New York,” said Garodnick, a longtime supporter of syntactic clarity. “The days of puzzled parkers trying to make sense of our midtown signs are over.” The simplified signs will be located throughout Manhattan’s paid commercial parking areas, running generally from 60th Street downtown to 14th Street and from Second to Ninth Avenues, with additional areas in the Upper East Side, Lower Manhattan and the Financial District. The 6,300 signs that DOT will replace in Midtown and Lower Manhattan include 3,300 commercial parking signs and 3,000 other signs for nighttime and weekend parking for the general public, hotel and taxi stands, street cleaning and no standing areas. The new signs reduce the number of characters needed to explain the rules from 250 to about 140, making the sign appear less visually cluttered while reducing five-foot-high signs by about a foot. The new design also places the day of the regulation before the hours of the regulation, eliminating abbreviations and retaining all necessary parking information while making it easier to read. (NYC DOT)

Charedi Soldiers Rescue Palestinians From River

ifesaving cooperation occurred last Tuesday between charedi IDF troops and Palestinians who were trapped in a stream growing violent due to the stormy weather. Soldiers of the IDF’s charedi battal-

Roundup ion Netzach Yehuda managed to rescue three Palestinian men before the fierce currents washed over them. The IDF troops were called to an area near the Nablus River, where, they were told, cars were stranded with their drivers trapped in a constantly intensifying current. The storm was too severe for helicopters to arrive at the scene, and the battalion commander resorted to utilizing a Palestinian’s tractor that was passing by. The commander mounted the tractor, as he and the owner drove toward the trapped cars, rescuing three men. A fourth man is known to have also been trapped in the river, but he was not found and was reported missing. The tractor exited the flooded area just before the asphalt started collapsing. The soldiers gave the rescued men initial medical care at the scene. Throughout last Wednesday, Netzach Yehuda rescued some 33 people, of whom 30 who were trapped in a bus. In many of the rescues, the troops worked in cooperation with the Palestinian Authority’s rescue forces. The Air Force’s special search and rescue division, Unit 669, involved in last week’s rescues resulting from the stormy weather, also faced a challenging rescue mission on Wednesday, when it was called in to help a family trapped on the roof of a Tayibe house, surrounded by water. “As we flew closer,” recounted the helicopter pilot called to the scene, “we noticed high voltage lines.” Guided by ground forces, the helicopter hovered over the roof, and “When we were just above the family, soldiers slid down ropes to the roof.” Working in between the power lines in the harsh weather conditions, the 669 helicopter eventually managed to rescue all the trapped family members. “The soldiers reached the family and reported via radio that they were with eight people, including children. One by one we cast down more ropes and started pulling people up into the helicopter. It took us an hour and 15 minutes to get everyone into the helicopter. From there we flew directly to Beilinson (Rabin Medical Center in Petach Tikva),” the helicopter pilot said. (Ynet News)

foe Israel. Gaza’s Hamas rulers say they want to produce qualified teachers as the government gradually introduces Hebrew studies in its high schools. The aim is simple: It wants Palestinians in Gaza to learn their enemy’s language. “As Jews are occupying our lands, we have to understand their language,” said Education Ministry official Somayia Nakhala. There are 19 students enrolled in the first one-year Hebrew diploma course offered at the Islamic University in Gaza City, a stronghold of Hamas, the Islamic militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007. Officials hope graduates will become Hebrew teachers. Hamas has already begun offering Hebrew studies as an elective to ninth graders in 16 schools, and plans to expand the program to dozens of other schools in the coming months. Instructor Jamal al-Hadad, 60, railed against what he called linguistic theft, noting the many Arabic words that have been incorporated into modern Hebrew. “Like they stole Palestine, they also stole our words,” al-Hadad said. But he also proudly showed off a collection of poems he had written in Hebrew, a mix of pro-Palestinian rhymes and odes to love. And he said he objected to the idea he was merely teaching the language of his foes. “It is the language of our enemies,” he said. “But it is also the language of our neighbors.” Mixed attitudes are common on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide. Arabic is supposed to be mandatory in Israeli high schools from 7th to 10th grade, but only about half of them teach it. In most cases, students take it for two years, according to the coexistence group Abraham Fund. Regardless of Hamas’ intentions, teaching Hebrew could open doors of understanding, said Gershon Baskin, an Israeli peace activist. “It has the potential to change world views,” said Baskin. “Facebook, email, chatting, the whole world is open. You can’t prevent contact if people want contact.” (AP)

Hamas Flagship University Grooms Hebrew Teachers

amas’ ﬂagship university in Gaza has a new diploma on offer — Hebrew, the ofﬁcial language of its arch-

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January 17, 2013

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Dramatic Photos Show Australian Family Huddling Under Pier To Escape Wildfire

family escaped Australian wildďŹ res sweeping Tasmania by huddling in the sea under a pier for three hours. Tim Holmes ďŹ&#x201A;ed his burning home near Dunalley last Friday with his wife Tammy and ďŹ ve grandchildren, aged 2 to 11, and took shelter in the sea beneath a wooden jetty. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The difďŹ culty was there was so much

Roundup smoke and embers and there was probably 200 millimeters to 300 millimeters (8 to 12 inches) of air above the water,â&#x20AC;? Holmes told Australian Broadcasting Corp. television last Monday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So we were all just heads; water up to our chins just trying to breathe because it was just â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the atmosphere was so incredibly toxic,â&#x20AC;? he added. The ďŹ res have been most devastating in Tasmania, where at least 128 homes have been destroyed since Friday and more than 80,000 hectares (198,000 acres) burned. Hundreds of people remain at two evacuation centers in the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s south.

Killer Whales Trapped In Quebec Sea Ice

dian government last week to send an icebreaker as soon as possible to crack open the ice and help them ďŹ nd open water. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans said it is sending ofďŹ cials to assess the situation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fisheries and Oceans Canada is assessing the situation and are exploring every possible option, but will only be in a position to determine what â&#x20AC;&#x201D; if anything â&#x20AC;&#x201D; can be done once our specialists arrive on site,â&#x20AC;? spokesman Frank Stanek said in a statement. A hunter ďŹ rst spotted the pod of about a dozen trapped whales Tuesday at the hole, which is on the eastern shore of the Hudson Bay. Inukjuak is about 900 miles north of Montreal. Dozens of villagers made the onehour snowmobile ride to see the unusual spectacle. They snapped photos and shot video footage of the killer whales

community in Quebecâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Far North is calling for outside help to free about a dozen killer whales trapped under a vast stretch of sea ice. Locals in Inukjuak said the mammals have gathered around a single hole in the ice â&#x20AC;&#x201D; slightly bigger than a pickup truck â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in a desperate bid to get oxygen. Mayor Peter Inukpuk urged the Cana-

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Roundup Abedin said marriage in Islam must be based on mutual consent and the girl’s behavior indicates she was not satisﬁed with the arrangement. The teen’s parents-- a Saudi mother and Yemeni father – should also be held responsible for marrying their daughter to such an old man, Abedin noted. (Fox News)

surfacing in the opening — and even thrusting themselves skyward while gasping for air. One woman who made the journey to the gap in the ice said even a curious polar bear approached the hole amid the commotion. Siasie Kasudluak said the bear was shot by a local hunter for its meat. The trapped orcas appeared to be in distress, but locals were ill-equipped to help out. Kasudluak said the hole appeared to be shrinking in the freezing temperatures. Inukpuk believes the sudden drop in temperature recently caught the orcas off guard, leaving them boxed in under the ice.

Bulgaria, Hungary Soccer Teams Sanctioned For Anti Semitism

IFA fined Bulgaria and Hungary around $40,000 each last Tuesday and ordered them to play a World Cup qualifier in an empty stadium after fans aimed racist and anti-Semitic abuse at opposing teams. The punishments were announced as players and anti-discrimination groups demand a tougher response to fan actions at stadiums, including in Italy and Serbia. “FIFA strongly condemns all forms of racism in football, and any form of discrimination will not be tolerated and will receive a strong response by the relevant FIFA authorities,” world football’s governing body said in a statement. FIFA fined Bulgaria $38,000 and Hungary $43,400. Bulgaria fans made monkey chants at Denmark defender Patrick Mtiliga, who is black, during a World Cup qualifier in Sofia on Oct. 12. Bulgaria, which is in the same group as Italy, will play in an empty stadium on March 22 when it hosts Malta. Hungary fans directed anti-Semitic slogans and reportedly displayed Iran flags to insult Israel at an Aug. 15 exhibition in Budapest. Hungary’s punishment applies when neighboring Romania visits on March 22. FIFA was helped by the European fans’

network FARE, which sends anti-discrimination monitors to high-risk matches. However, FIFA declined to take World Cup qualifying points from either team as its disciplinary code allows. It could have hampered the teams’ chances of advancing to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. FIFA President Sepp Blatter said last week that “sanctions must be a deduction of points or something similar” to uphold the governing body’s zero-tolerance stance on racism and discrimination. Blatter spoke out during the weekend after AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng led teammates to protest at racial abuse by opposing fans by walking off the field with teammates in an exhibition against fourth-tier Italian club Pro Patria last Friday. The game did not resume. At the FIFA player of the year awards on Monday, Blatter said Boateng was “strong and courageous” but that players leaving the field “cannot be the solution in the long term.”

Marriage Of 90-YearOld Saudi Man, 15-Year-Old Girl Sparks Controversy

hile it’s not unusual for an older man to marry a younger wife in Saudi culture, the recent marriage of a 90-year-old Saudi man to a 15-year-old girl is raising human rights questions. In an interview with the Al Arabiya news channel, the elderly groom said his marriage was “legal and correct” and noted he paid the girl’s parents a $17,500 dowry. But the man told the station that on the couple’s ﬁrst night together, his new bride locked him out of their bedroom. Family friends said the teen was scared on her wedding night and locked herself in the room for two straight days before ﬂeeing to her parents’ home. The groom said he would sue the girl’s parents if they didn’t return the dowry or send his bride back. Saudi National Association for Human Rights member Suhaila Zein al-Abedin urged authorities to get involved, according to Al Arabiya.

“I tell people he’s a Lab-a-lion,” Painter told the paper. “And half the people believe that.”

Voters Prefer Cockroaches To Congress

W Dog Shaved To Look Like Lion Prompts 911 Call

dog shaved to look like a lion prompted someone to call police in Norfolk, Va., earlier last week. On Tuesday morning, a 911 caller reported seeing a baby lion “walking down Colley Avenue, possibly looking for food.” Police then called the Virginia Zoo, which reported both of its lions were accounted for. Police ofﬁcials say it’s not the ﬁrst time Charles, a 3-year-old labradoodle, has been mistaken for a baby lion. The dog’s owner, Daniel Painter, said Charles was groomed to look like the mascot for Norfolk’s Old Dominion University. Charles is known to neighbors, who often see the friendly pooch at University Pizza. He even has a Facebook page. Nonetheless, Painter said police have told him several times that his dog has been mistaken for a lion. He said he’s taken his dog from his Riverview home to Lafayette Park near the zoo and seen people run to their cars in shock.

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ith approval ratings for Congress languishing in the single digits, a new poll suggests calling a lawmaker subhuman might be an insult -- to cockroaches. Public Policy Polling asked Americans a series of either-or questions between Congress and some traditionally unpleasant alternatives. As it turns out, Congress lost out to root canals, the rock band Nickelback, colonoscopies, trafﬁc jams, Donald Trump, France, the warlord Genghis Kahn and cockroaches. On the plus-side, Congress was preferred to North Korea, the ebola virus, Fidel Castro, meth labs, and communism. The overall approval rating for Congress stands at 9 percent, with 85 percent saying they disapprove of lawmakers’ job performance. “We all know Congress is unpopular,” said Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling. “But the fact that voters like it even less than cockroaches, lice, and Genghis Khan really shows how far its esteem has fallen with the American public over the last few weeks.”

Snake Hitches A Ride On Qantas Flight

snake hitched a ride in the wing of a Qantas flight to Papua New Guinea on Thursday morning. Passengers captured video of the distressed snake as it fought to stay attached to the wing amid freezing temperatures and brutal winds. The snake, later identified as a scrub python, apparently began the flight inside the small plane’s wing. Sometime after takeoff, its body began to emerge, perhaps due to the plane’s vibrations. An astute passenger noticed and told the crew. The snake put up a valiant effort, but the wind and cold temperatures might have been too much. A witness, Robert Weber, spoke to the Sydney Morning Herald about the real life «Snakes on a Plane» encounter: “I felt quite sad for it, really. For the remainder of the flight, he was trying to pull himself back into the plane, even though he was fighting against 400km/h winds. The cabin crew told us that at cruising altitude, it was minus-12 degrees outside—but not even that was able to finish him.” Later, the wind whipped the snake’s body against the wing, causing blood

January 17, 2013

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to spray across the engine. According to Weber, the pilot, who had been watching the snake’s struggle, said, “He should be dead.” Not so fast, cap’n. The snake continued to fight the good fight until the plane touched ground. Based on the report from the Sydney Morning Herald, it’s unclear if it’s still alive, but it seems unlikely. While the snake was nowhere near passengers, there was a case last year of a snake showing up in the cockpit of a different plane. That flight’s captain, Braden Blennerhassett, was forced to make an emergency landing. “Look, you’re not going to believe this,” Blennerhassett said during the call to the control tower. “I’ve got snakes on a plane.”

Dog Found 5 Months Later, 350 Miles Away

arlene Bolivar of Rosemead said Lucky, a 4-year-old Pomeranian, ran out of her family’s back yard in August and they received a call a few weeks later from a woman who asked how much they would be willing to pay for the canine’s return. “I don’t really have a lot of money, so I didn’t offer a big amount,” Bolivar said. “The lady told me let me see what my friends say, and I’ll give you a call back.” The woman never called back and the family eventually lost hope of seeing the dog again. However, Bolivar said she received a call five months later from Animal Control officers in Sacramento, more than 350 miles from her home, saying Lucky had been found wandering the streets and identified using his implanted microchip. Authorities said they do not know how the dog made the trip or where he has been since August. “He’s not talking. I’ve asked him repeatedly how he got here, and he’s not talking,” Sacramento Animal Control Officer Gina Knepp joked. The dog is now on his way back home to Bolivar’s family, Animal Control said.

Odd Hotel Amenities: Worth The Price?

Boston website said the most extravagant hotel amenities include one in Oman where visi-

6 Shevat, 5773

tors have the option of arriving by Jeep, speedboat or paraglider. Tingo released its list of “nine of the most over-the-top hotel amenities” on its website, including the Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman’s unique threepronged approach to hotel arrival. The website’s picks included the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., which offers complimentary trips in its chauffeured Rolls-Royce Phantom. The Loews Coronado Bay hotel in San Diego includes a “Su’Ruff Camp,” teaching dogs to surf and serving the canines salmon and beef tenderloin during their stay. Montreal’s Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth takes advantage of its famous past with a “Bed-In for Peace Package” -- customers with $810 to burn can stay in the room where John Lennon and Yoko Ono held their “Bed-In for Peace.” The package includes breakfast in bed and a Lennon CD. “Some of these amenities are truly useful, but most of them are dreamed up purely to put ‘heads in beds.’ I’m still waiting for more hotels to add what I consider the ultimate perk: offering minibar items at ‘street’ prices rather than the exorbitant charges that most hotels charge,” travel watchdog George Hobica said.

Robbers Mistakenly Break Into KFC, Expecting A Jewelry Store

omebody took a wrong turn at the deep fryer. A pair of crooks in Australia found themselves in an unusual spot when they attempted to tunnel into a jewelry store but ended up in a KFC restaurant on New Year’s Eve. The mishap took place near Brisbane, Australia. Fortunately nobody was hurt. When they saw where they were, the two alleged thieves, Peter Welsh and Dwayne Doolan, decided to hold up the customers. They left with about $2,700. But they didn’t escape for long. Welsh and Doolan were arrested a short time later. According to a report, the pair “smashed their way through a wall in a communal toilet block tunnel, hoping to enter Wrights Jewellers.” Instead, they found themselves in a land of herbs and spices. This was not their ﬁrst attempt to break into the jewelry store. Before the KFC ﬁasco, the pair mistakenly broke into an Animal Welfare League Opportunity Shop, where they stole about $50 from a charity plate. Earlier that evening, Welsh and Doolan also threw spark plugs at the window of the jewelry store, thinking they

Roundup might break the glass. Alas, it was not their night. When police confronted Welsh, he made a “full and frank” admission. He is charged with armed robbery, stealing, burglary and attempted burglary (that would be the jewelry store). Doolan, his partner in crime, was charted with robbery and stealing.

honest person,” Larry Calufetti, president of Sunshine Cleaning Systems, said in a statement. “What he did speaks volumes about his personality.” Morgan was reportedly brought to tears during last Wednesday’s ceremony: “It’s just a good feeling to know that I returned it and that’s the bottom line. I wasn’t looking for anything.” (MSNBC)

Act Of Kindness Turns Into Free Coffee For Hundreds Of Customers Airport Cleaner Turns In Lost iPad With $13,000 In Case, Gives Away Reward

cleaning service worker at a Florida airport found an iPad – with $13,000 stuffed in its case – and turned it in. He then gave away the small reward he got from the owner to two people in need. But that honesty and kindness paid off for Patrick Morgan, who was honored in a recognition ceremony last Wednesday. Back in December, Morgan had spotted the lost iPad and hefty sum of cash when he was working an early shift at Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. “I opened it ﬁrst, and I saw all the money, and I quickly closed it back up,” said Morgan, of Patrick’s Cleaning Service. Just minutes after Morgan alerted authorities about his discovery, the panicked iPad owner returned and gave Morgan $60 as a reward. Morgan then gave away some of the $60 to a homeless woman at the airport and the rest to a struggling cleaning employee. To honor that honesty, the Broward County Aviation Department in Florida presented Morgan with a gift and plaque on Wednesday. His employer, Sunshine Cleaning Systems, also gave him $625, equivalent to a week of paid vacation. This time, he said he’ll keep the money. “Patrick is such an outstanding and

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ne coffeehouse customer’s random act of kindness went viral— resulting in hours of free beverages for hundreds of fellow patrons who couldn’t resist the urge to pass along the generosity. On the morning of Dec. 21, a customer at a Tim Hortons in Winnipeg, Canada, decided to pay for the order of the person behind them in line. The customer on the receiving end was so moved they, in turn, decided to pay for the customer behind them in line. The trend continued for three hours and exactly 228 customers. “It isn’t uncommon for Tim Hortons customers to pay for the next person in line, but this was a real gift,” Michelle Robichaud, a spokeswoman for the company said. “It was a boost of goodness, especially with everything happening in the world. ... We don’t know who started it, but that’s the beauty of this act of generosity. It was the start of something wonderful.” The rest of us will likely have to wait until September for a shot at receiving a free espresso or other caffeinated beverage. On National Coffee Day (September 29), several chains, including Tim Hortons, McDonald’s and Starbucks, offer free or discounted cups of coffee. Of course, you can’t help but wonder who ﬁnally broke the chain of free coffee goodness. Hopefully it didn’t trigger a downturn of emotional responses from the next person in line, who must have experienced some degree of letdown after learning they were the ﬁrst person stuck with paying their own bill after literally hundreds of other customers had treated each other to a caffeinated gift. Still, the Tim Hortons’ manager says those who did receive the free coffee shared in a moment of generosity that was infectious in the best possible way. “There was a lot of energy in the store,” manager Tony Thompson noted. “Our team was really excited and shouting out the number of pay it forwards all morning.”

Financially Forward

What The Super Rich Really Think About The Economy

by Gerald Harris

ave you ever met any of the super rich? If so, you may have noticed that in many ways they are amazingly similar to you and me. Yet, there also are some very noticeable differences, and not just in the price of their suits. From the questions they ask, a visitor quickly realizes that they are amazingly perceptive. Also, it becomes apparent very soon that their simple chatting is not just their way of being polite, but actually a means to determine if the visitor has any ideas, contacts, or information that they can use to make a proﬁt. Clearly the super rich think in a unique way. Wilbur Ross is a billionaire several times over, which means he qualiﬁes as one of the super rich. The soft-spoken Ross, who is best known for restructuring failed companies, recently spoke about some of the economic issues and problems in the news today and shared some comments and insights about them. They are well worth considering. The New Year’s deal that extended most – but not all – of the expiring Bush

tax cuts is projected to raise some $600 billion in revenues in the next decade. That’s a huge amount of money, but not enough to make a signiﬁcant dent in the projected deﬁcit, which is expected to grow by $6.8 trillion over the same time. As a result of this increase in taxes, legislators recently agreed to raise taxes. Since January 1, most people have been receiving smaller paychecks. Of course, there’s not much they can do except grin and bear it.

Danger: New Fiscal Cliff Ahead? Despite all the deal-making, a new ﬁscal crisis is brewing! Unfortunately, the latest projections show that the US will hit its debt limit earlier than expected – only a few weeks from now. In an effort to solve this upcoming crisis, Democrats are eying additional tax increases and proposing to limit some popular tax deductions. Ross believes that’s a mistake. Instead of focusing on a real and lasting solution, Washington is simply pursuing a tax-the-wealthy policy, which he believes is not the answer to the nation’s economic woes.

Billionaire Wilbur Ross has some insights on the economic problems that are worth considering According to Ross, the approaching crisis means that the US could soon be facing its own Greek-style debt problems. Because of overspending and other mistakes, Greece has been forced to cut back very sharply on basic services it had been providing. At the same time, it has an ofﬁcial unemployment rate of over 26% and is trying to cope with widespread rioting. “The problem we have is not so much too little tax; the problem is too much spending,” Ross explained. “The other thing that I think people don’t focus on is... cutting the total amount of spending. All they are really talking about is reducing the rate of increase in spending. And that’s what makes this situation so dangerous.” “You can’t just keep borrowing more and more and keep spending more and more without eventually having a day of reckoning,” Ross warned. So unless the spending side is addressed, debt is going to balloon and we’ll eventually end up in a Greek-type situation.

Finger-Pointing Ross says that the Federal Reserve is a key factor in sustaining our debt problem. “The Fed has itself financed the deficit,” he said. “This approach means that eventually inflation will be a problem.” And an even worse scenario may be the future of the bond market if interest rates rise. “If Treasury rates would go back up to the 10-year average, the Federal Reserve Board would lose 23% of the face value of its portfolio and would be technically insolvent.”

The Sick Man Of Europe Many people point to Greece or Spain as the example of a country whose economic policies have been out of control and the consequences this has brought

about. Ross believes otherwise. “At the end of the day, the real sick man of Europe is liable to turn out to be France,” he said. According to Ross, the French economy is not competitive on a global scale. “And the measures that [French President] Hollande has been putting in place have been very, very negative from the point of view of economic growth.” The French economy, which is the world’s ﬁfth largest, was recently downgraded by Moody’s. Under former President Sarkozy, Hollande’s predecessor, middle class workers who wanted to work more than 35 hours a week received tax breaks for doing so, in an effort to boost the economy and help the middle class. But under Hollande, not only were those incentives eliminated, but taxes were raised on middle class workers. “That’s not the way to make France succeed,” explains Ross. And in an even more controversial move, the country recently imposed a punishing 75% tax on the rich. In response, many of France’s very wealthy expressed their objection to this tax by announcing plans to leave the country.

Bright Spot There are a few bright spots in the US economy, and among those are the recent discoveries and new technologies that enable natural gas and oil to be extracted from shale rock. The US has been blessed with tremendous deposits of shale and utilizing this resource will strengthen the economy by creating many new jobs and will help improve the country’s balance of payments. “We are very keen on shale gas and have been for quite some time,” says Ross. “It’s the one thing that could CONTINUED ON P. 63

Gerald Harris is a ﬁnancial and feature writer. Gerald can be reached at geraldhrs@yahoo.com

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January 17, 2013

Parenting Simply Why Is There Always A Problem Right When It’s Time To Go? by Adina Soclof

Does your child always seem to have some sort of problem every time you try to leave? Does your child come home from school in a bad mood? Do you battle with your child to get his coat on? Your child probably has issues with transitions. Adaptability is the ability to make smooth transitions. Some children, and even adults, have a hard time moving from one activity to another. These children don’t like being rushed and balk at new and unexpected plans. Change is difﬁcult; they have trouble shifting gears. They don’t like surprises, even good ones. Parents can become exhausted when dealing with a child who has issues with adaptability. We can do three simple things to help ourselves help our children who

have difﬁculties with transitions:

1. Give them words to describe themselves:

• “You don’t like change.” • “You like to be organized.” • “You need to know what to expect.” • “You like routines and plans.”

2. Identify transitions. Use the word “transition” to describe to your children what is happening. Train them to look for transition times: “We are leaving to the doctor in a few minutes. We are going to stop playing with our dolls, so get our coat on and then get into the car. That will be three transitions, stop playing with dolls, getting on our coat, and getting into the car.”

3. Affirm their feelings while they are moving through a transition: “Rushing is stressful for you.” “You weren’t expecting that.” “Surprises are too much.” “It is hard to leave.”

Teaching children how to manage transitions will give them the conﬁdence needed to manage their personality and temperament. It will also give you the relief you need when transitioning with your children.

Adina Soclof, a certiﬁed Speech Pathologist, worked as a Speech Pathologist in preschools for the developmentally disabled in the New York area. She then worked as a Parent Educator for Bellefaire Jewish Children’s Bureau facilitating workshops. She has been featured at numerous non-proﬁt organizations and private schools in Cleveland. Adina developed TEAM Communication Ventures and conducts parenting and teacher workshops via telephone nationwide. For more information, visit parentingsimply.com.

Financially Forward What The Super Rich Really Think About The Economy CONTINUED FROM P. 62

transform the economy, and the great thing about it is that it doesn’t need any federal money. All it needs is the federal people not to over-regulate and let it

flourish.” Because of the development of this industry, companies both big and small, US and foreign, have taken notice and are positioning themselves to benefit from this. Among those firms:

BASF, a major German chemical company, has built a plant in Louisiana. And Dow Chemical, for the ﬁrst time in many years, has built a plant in the US because of the availability of shale gas and oil, which are feedstock for chemicals, plastics, and related items that Dow produces. “Shale gas, if left to ﬂourish, could create several hundred thousand more

jobs,” said Ross. And it offers another beneﬁt, too. “It could also pump billions of dollars into the US economy by reducing dependency on imports from the Middle East and elsewhere by perhaps 4.5 million barrels per day.” All that’s needed is for politicians to start thinking along the lines of the super rich.

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Just send us your E-mail address and we’ll subscribe you to the QJL E-mail list. Queensjewishlink@gmail.com 6 Shevat, 5773

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Tu B’shevat Fruit And The Essence Of Mankind

Fruit And Human Beings Share A Similar Essence: They Both Reveal Only A Fraction Of Their Hidden Potential

by Rabbi Nosson Slifkin

sess great potential that can be used for creative spiritual expression. It therefore subsists on a diet of crops and vegetables, which likewise have no potential for further development. In the same way, Adam’s capacity for spiritual development was greatly reduced.

u B’Shvat, the New Year for trees, is a time of great festivity. But why? We do not find such celebration on the New Year for vegetables or crops. What is so special about fruit? A distinction between fruit and crops is found at the beginning of the Torah. In the utopia of the Garden of Eden, Adam was instructed that his diet would consist of fruit: “And the L-rd, G-d, commanded man, saying, You shall eat from any tree in the garden.” (Genesis, 2:16) When Adam sinned and fell from his lofty spiritual stature, his diet was also reduced to a lower status: “And to Adam He said... The land is cursed because of you; you shall eat in suffering all your life. It shall sprout thorns and thistles for you, and you shall eat the grasses of the field.” (Genesis, 3:17-18) No longer would the fruits of the trees sustain man. Now he was to live off the grasses of the field -- wheat, barley and other grains and vegetables. Upon hearing this, Adam became greatly distressed: “”When G-d said to Adam, It shall sprout thorns and thistles for you… his eyes streamed with tears; he said, Master of the Universe! I and my donkey shall eat from a single trough!” (Talmud, Pesachim 118a) In the transition from a diet of fruit to one of crops, Adam perceived that he had fallen to a status approaching that of an animal. Let us look a little deeper at this difference.

More Than Meets the Eye Man is called “adam,” because he was formed from adamah, the Hebrew word for “earth.” This sounds straightforward enough, until we consider that cats and dogs and duckbilled platypuses were also formed from the earth! Every creature was formed from adamah -why is it only man who receives the name Adam?

From Earth to Heaven

The Maharal explains that there is a conceptual similarity between man and earth. Consider a patch of bare earth. It appears to be featureless, lifeless. One can dig, and one will still ﬁnd nothing more exciting than soil. But if one waits and watches, one will witness an incredible phenomenon. Plants and ﬂowers will grow seemingly out of nothing. Even huge trees can develop -- and where does their bulk come from? The earth has a tremendous hidden potential within it; there is so much more than meets the eye. Let us now consider animals. An animal is referred to in the Torah as behemah. This word is comprised of the words “bah mah,” which mean “what is it?” or “what it is, is in it,” - in other words, “what you see is what you get.” What you see in an animal -- its skin, eyes, limbs, and fur -- is all there is to it. There are no hidden depths to a hippopotamus. But man has the ability to develop his intellect and to perform acts of a genuinely altruistic nature. He can engage in spiritual growth, transforming himself into an ever-superior being. There is so much more to man than meets the eye. That is why he is named after earth. Man and earth are similar in that both contain tremen-

dous hidden potential. If we contrast fruit with crops and vegetables, we can see the same essential differ-

The conceptual difference between fruits and vegetables is also expressed in their contrasting appearances. Fruit trees stand tall, reaching upwards from the earth toward the heavens. They represent a striving for spiritual growth and a potential that desires expression. Crops and vegetables, on the other hand, lie low to the ground; they represent lowly physicality and no desire for elevation. “Adam reached from earth to

A fruit tree is different. What you see is only a tiny fraction of what you get. For even when all the fruit have been consumed, there remains vast potential in the tree. It has the ability to produce more fruit, and more, for many generations ence. When grains and vegetables are grown, the entire plant is cut and consumed. What you see is what you get. Once it is consumed, there is nothing left. There is never any further possibility of produce from this plant. A fruit tree is different. What you see is only a tiny fraction of what you get. For even when all the fruit have been consumed, there remains vast potential in the tree. It has the ability to produce more fruit, and more, for many generations. Adam was originally on the level of eating fruit. He was a vast reserve of potential which was waiting to be actualized. But when he sinned, he dropped to little more than the level of an animal. An animal has nothing more to it than meets the eye. It does not pos-

Heaven...but when he sinned, G-d laid His hand upon him and diminished him...” (Talmud, Sanhedrin 38b) This Talmud is speaking in metaphorical terms which we can now understand. Adam originally reached up toward the heavens like the fruit trees, expressing a tremendous potential for growth. But after the snake led him to sin, this potential became severely limited. The snake itself, which masterminded the sin, changed from being a creature that walked upright, paralleling the tree, to one that slithers in the dust, paralleling the crops and vegetables. Man, unlike other animals, still walks upright. Though man’s greatness was reduced, he was still left with the potential to grow and, even reclaim his original stature.

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The Egyptian Donkey In Adam’s cry of despair, he laments that he must eat the same food as his donkey. The donkey is called in Hebrew chamor, which is based on the word chomer, “material.” The donkey is the most “materialistic” creature. A simple-minded beast, it is drawn solely after its physical desires. Adam realized that his altered diet demonstrated a fall to such a level. Interestingly, the donkey is linked with a particular nation: “In the land of Egypt...whose flesh is as that of donkeys...” (Yechezkel 23:19-20) Egypt was a nation steeped in materialistic drives and is therefore represented by the donkey. It lacked any capacity for spiritual growth, and it is not surprising that the Jewish people remembered Egypt as a land of vegetables: “We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for nothing; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic...” (Numbers, 11:5) Vegetables, possessing none of the vast potential of fruit trees, express the essence of Egypt. And thus it is described when it is contrasted with the Land of Israel: “For the land which you are entering to possess is not like the land of Egypt which you left, where you sow your seeds and water it by walking [to bring water from the Nile], like a vegetable garden.” (Deut. 11:10-12) The very name for Egypt, Mitzrayim, is based on the word meitzar, “restriction,” referring to its limited capacity for growth and lack of spiritual potential. Winter is the “exile” period of the year. But this section of winter is particularly connected to the exile in Egypt. This is signified by the weekly Torah readings at this time, which discuss our exile in Egypt. Conceptually, then, we are at a “vegetable” stage, one that restricts spiritual growth. That is why the new year of the fruit trees, with all its spiritual significance, is a cause of great celebration.

January 17, 2013

Feelin’ Funny Snow Problem! M by Mordechai Schmutter

y kids had another snow day today. And by “another,” I mean that they just had one yesterday. Now I’m not trying to be mean or anything, but when you’re an adult, the world doesn’t stop moving just because it’s snowing. Even if everything around you seems like it’s closed, at the end of the month everyone’s going to forget that it snowed, and you’re still going to get the same size bills for everything, including your property taxes. The government isn’t going to say, “Well, for two days there you couldn’t actually see your property, so we’ll deduct that.” My point is that, while for kids, snow is the best thing since sliced bread, as far as adults are concerned, snow is kind of a hassle, and we are not that thrilled that our kids have the day off, because we have to either stay home or make arrangements for someone else who is “staying home anyway” to basically take in all the kids in the neighborhood or at least remind them when they’ve been outside too long. And in fact, the only adults that don’t have to go to work or count it as a sick day are the teachers, and those are the people who usually watch our kids. “But, Mordechai,” you’re saying, “Aren’t you a teacher?” Maybe. But only in the late afternoons. The rest of the day I work. (I’m also a writer.) But I work from home, so I don’t get much done when the kids are around, and it’s not made better by the fact that my desk is exactly eight feet from the front door of our house. That means that I get to spend all day screaming, “Close the door! It’s freezing! In or out; let’s go! Stamp your feet!” and then sitting in a mess of drippy, salty boots and coats and scarves and snow pants and trying to think of a topic. (“Snow days? Nah.”) “Okay, stop stamping your feet! I can’t hear myself think!” My kids have been going in and out for the past two days. We found out two nights ago that there wouldn’t be school yesterday, and by six o’clock yesterday morning, they were all running around in coats and boots and waiting for us to wake up and come downstairs so they could go outside. Of course, their coats were open, they weren’t wearing scarves or mittens, and some of them, under their coats, were still in pajamas. But they were very excited. They’ve wanted to play outside since it started snowing the day before, and they actually went out for a few minutes then, even though there was no snow on the street and we could still see most of the grass. They didn’t care. My ﬁve-year-old went right outside, lay down on the ground, and tried to make a grass angel. So now they’ve been going in and

6 Shevat, 5773

out all day long. Literally. Between the gloves and boots and hats and scarves and snow pants, it takes them like an hour to get ready to go outside. And it’s been a cycle. An hour to get ready to go out, ten minutes of playing outside until someone wants to come inside because he got his gloves wet, ten minutes of holding the door open for no reason, “In or out! Close the door!” and then drippy, salty clothes in my peripheral vision until they decide to go out again, and of course they need a new pair of gloves, because for some reason it takes gloves about a week to dry. And then there’s a knock on the door, and it’s a group of teenagers. “Can we shovel for you?” “No, we already shoveled. Didn’t you notice that when you were walking up to our front door?” Of course they noticed. They don’t want to do an entire shoveling job either. I think they were hoping that we’d forgotten that we shoveled. Why aren’t these kids in school? Oh yeah. So my point is that snow is maybe not as much fun for adults as it is for kids. But then, if adults are pretty much in charge of picking where any given family lives, why do so many of us choose to live where there’s snow? I’ve posed this question to various people. For example, I asked my wife, “Why don’t we just move down to Florida or something?” I’m one of those people who deep down would not mind moving to Florida, because every time I’ve been there, I’ve had a good time. “You want to move to Florida?” my wife asked. “With all the hurricanes? Or would you rather move to California for the earthquakes and mudslides?” So apparently some people live with snow because, all things considered, it’s probably the easiest thing to shovel. But my wife is from Massachusetts. We don’t even have as much snow as she would like us to have. So I asked one of my friends what he likes about snow. “I like that, when I look outside in the morning, everything’s all white and clean.”

Yeah. So basically, he likes that, for ﬁve minutes, his lawn looks as good as his neighbor’s. I also asked some other people, who said that, even though they personally no longer like snow, they don’t want to move away from the snow, because they want their kids to experience it. That’s why, even though it’s annoying that kids have off on snow days, we put up with it anyway, because when are kids supposed to play in the snow? During summer vacation? I think that’s why, at some point, we take the baby outside – because we’re eager to start teaching him. “Yeah, let’s take the baby out in the snow, that’ll be cute.” The poor kid has been wondering all day long why, everywhere he crawled, he encountered cold, wet footprints. “Let’s take him outside!” We never learn: Babies don’t like snow. They’re all confused. If there’s one thing they thought would never change, it was the whole entire world. And now the world is a different color, and no one is really explaining why. “Where is everything? Did we move?” “Snow,” everyone is saying over and over. “Snow!” “Stop saying that! What does that

mean? Are you saying, “No”? I just barely learned that word! What did I do this time?” So you take him out there, and he’s sitting on a slant in his “special” pants that don’t let him move, and his boots even though he can’t walk, and his mittens and hat and hood and scarf, and all you can see of him is a bundle of confused clothing with a little nose sticking out, and that nose is running all over the scarf. “Where is all the grass I’ve been eating all summer? Can I eat this?” And of course he cries, because he can’t see, doesn’t recognize anything, and is surrounded by people who, like him, are all covered up so he has no idea who they are. But my point is that ultimately, there is still something that every adult likes about snow. I like that, for one day, it keeps all the weirdos off the streets. Everything is peaceful. Deﬁnitely more peaceful than sitting inside at my drippy desk with kids who have been home for three days in a row. In other words, I like snow because being outside in the snow is better than being inside during the snow. ‘Snow joke.

Mordechai Schmutter is a weekly humor columnist for Hamodia, a monthly humor columnist for The Jewish Press, and has written three books, all published by Israel Book Shop. He also does freelance writing for hire. You can send any questions, comments, or ideas to MSchmutter@gmail.com

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The Accidental Clergy A rabbi and a priest are driving one day and, by a freak accident, have a head-on collision. Both cars are totally demolished, but amazingly, neither of the clerics has a scratch on him. After they crawl out of their cars, the rabbi sees the priest’s collar and says, “So you’re a priest. I’m a rabbi. Just look at our cars. There is nothing left, yet we are here, unhurt. This must be a sign from G-d!” Pointing to the sky, the rabbi continues, “G-d must have meant that we should meet and share our lives in peace and friendship for the rest of our days on earth.” The priest replies, “I agree with you completely. This must surely be a sign from G-d!” The rabbi is looking at his car and exclaims, “And look at this! Here’s another miracle! My car is completely demolished, but this bottle of Mogen David wine did not break. Sure-

ly, G-d wants us to drink this wine and to celebrate our good fortune.” The priest nods in agreement. The rabbi hands the bottle to the priest, who drinks half the bottle and hands the bottle back to the rabbi. The rabbi takes the bottle and immediately puts the cap on, then hands it back to the priest. The priest, bafﬂed, asks, “Aren’t you having any, Rabbi?” The rabbi replies, “Nah... I think I’ll wait for the police.”

Side-Splitting Stand-Up “This week Congress approved some version of the ﬁscal tax bill, which raises taxes on rich Americans. President Obama was determined to do this right away – while there are still some rich Americans left.”

“Tomorrow is the start of the NFL playoffs. The Bengals are playing the Texans at Houston; the Vikings are playing the Packers at Green Bay; and the Jets are playing the Giants at Scrabble.”

– Jay Leno

“A team of scientists in Scotland has developed a computer that writes jokes. The good thing about a computer that writes jokes is that the jokes may not be that funny, but at least it doesn’t take off Jewish holidays.”

“Congress has approved some version of this ﬁscal cliff bill thing. Well, taxes are going up, and now, they’re looking to make cuts just about everywhere. In fact, oil companies today had to lay off 15 senators.”

“That’s right, the NFL playoffs start this weekend. Yep, I can’t wait to just plant myself on the couch and watch all the games — or as that’s also known, ‘Tebowing.’”

“Americans from all sides of the political spectrum seem to be upset about this ﬁscal cliff deal. Imagine how the Chinese must feel. It’s their money.”

– Jay Leno

– Jay Leno “‘Star Wars’ creator George Lucas’s ﬁancé is 25 years younger than him. Or as his lawyer put it, “May the pre-nup be with you.”

– Jimmy Fallon

“Has anyone seen Al Gore’s Current TV? I don’t mean by mistake. I mean, who’s actually watched it?”

– Conan O’Brien

has a unique solution that can be reached logically. Enter numbers into the blank spaces so that each row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.

– David Letterman

“Today the Senate swore in a record 20 female senators. Yep, the women said they’re very excited, and look forward to proving they can accomplish just as little as male senators.” “Tickets to President Obama’s inauguration have sold out. At least that’s what the president is telling Joe Biden.”

Sudoku

- Jay Leno

“Two beloved institutions have returned. Yesterday the NHL agreed to end their strike. On the same day, “Downton Abbey” began season three on PBS. Hockey and “Downton Abbey” are very different, of course. One’s a vicious game played by scary people with bad teeth. The other one’s hockey.”

– Jimmy Fallon

– David Letterman “On Monday night, thieves broke into the Apple store in Paris and stole one million dollars worth of iPhones and iPads. That’s right — they took four iPhones and two iPads.”

– Jimmy Fallon “You’re looking at a very happy man. I made $500. You know how I did that? Betting against the Mayans.”

– Craig Ferguson

– David Letterman

“Joe Biden and his wife left D.C. this weekend for a ﬁve-day vacation in the Caribbean. Of course, most of that time will be spent telling him that Margaritaville isn’t a real place.”

“According to Forbes magazine, the Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable team in the NFL. They are worth $2 billion. So I guess that old adage, ‘winning isn’t everything,’ is true.”

– Jimmy Fallon

– Jay Leno

Solutions to last issue’s puzzles

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January 17, 2013

Easy Magic

TRUE OR FALSE CROSSWORD

In this easy magic trick, a rubber band mysteriously jumps from your pinkie and ring fingers to the first and middle fingers of the same hand and then back again. Materials: A rubberband. If you like, you can also use a hair band. Hold your hand naturally and wrap the rubberband around your pinkie and ring fingers. Let the rubber band rest at the base of your fingers. The back of your hand should be facing your audience. With your other hand, stretch the rubber band and insert the tips of your pinky, ring, middle and first fingers into it. Rest your fingers in the rubber band against the palm of your hand. Notice how all of the fingers are resting inside of the rubber band and how the band is held against the fingertips. At this point, you should be able to simply open (straighten) all of your fingers to make the rubber band “jump” to your index and middle fingers. If the rubber band doesn’t jump, please review the instructions. Note that by reversing the direction, you can make the rubber band jump back to the original fingers.

6 Shevat, 5773

Solution will appear in next issue.

THE JUMPING RUBBERBAND

silly sign

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In this crossword there are two clues for each word. Can you work out which is true and which is false?

Across 1. Commanded / Obeyed (7) 5. Rough terrain vehicle / Boat (4) 8. Wise / Foolish (5) 9. Inept / Diplomatic (7) 10. The conscious mind / The unconscious mind (3) 11. Main course / Relish (5) 12. Deep sleep / Short sleep (3) 13. Snakes / Fish (6) 15. Move up / Move down (6) 18. Confident / Diffident (3) 20. Genus prunus / Genus malus (5) 22. Mammal / Insect (3) 24. Lie back / Sit up (7) 25. Coarse fabric / Smooth fabric (5) 26. Go / Remain (4) 27. Makes smaller / Makes larger (7)

Down 1. Fruit / Vegetable (5) 2. Precious object / Worthless object (7) 3. Stately dances / Lively dances (5) 4. Direct route / Indirect route (6) 5. Horses / Riders (7) 6. Small and fragile / Big and strong (5) 7. Inclined / Level (6) 13. Sensible / Ludicrous (6) 14. Fantasy / Fact (7) 16. Flexible / Rigid (7) 17. Come into view / Disappear from view (6) 19. Sailing vessel / Motor vehicle (5) 21. Comforted / Aggravated (5) 23. Melodies / Musical instruments (5)

Previously: The farmer grows old, and before passing, tells his sons to divide the farm equally. After he dies, though, the brothers fight bitterly over the property.

Double Trouble

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ISSUE #141 / PARSHAS BO FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 7 SHEVAT 5773

BUSINESS W E E K LY under the auspices of HaRav Chaim Kohn, shlita

STORY LINE

Restoring the Primacy of Choshen Mishpat

by Rabbi Meir Orlian

director@businesshalacha.com

Kesubah Correction

Halacha Writer for the Business Halacha Institute

Rabbi Dayan received a phone call from his nephew, Rabbi Federberg. “In two weeks I’ll be officiating as mesader kiddushin for the first time,” said Rabbi Federberg. “I’d like to review the order of the wedding ceremony with you.” “I’d be happy to,” replied Rabbi Dayan. “Officiating at the wedding is a big honor but also a big responsibility.” The following evening, Rabbi Dayan reviewed with Rabbi Federberg each step of the wedding ceremony and the chuppah. “We’re also invited to that wedding,” Rabbi Dayan added. “I’ll be there in any case, but I’m confident that you’ll do a fine job!” “What if I make a mistake in filling out the kesubah?” asked Rabbi Federberg. “That depends on the nature of the mistake and when it’s caught,” answered Rabbi Dayan. “I don’t want to confuse you now,

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though. The best thing is to avoid the problem in the first place, especially if it’s an artistic kesubah. Verify the names and other information beforehand and fill out the kesubah carefully!” “Will do; thank you for your time,” said Rabbi Federberg. “I’m looking forward to seeing you at the simchah!” Two weeks later, Rabbi Federberg sat in the middle of the table at the chassan’s tisch. He filled out the kesubah based on a draft he had prepared, made a kinyan sudar with the chassan, and called on the two witnesses to read and sign the kesubah. After the witnesses had signed, when Rabbi Federberg checked it one final time before proceeding with the wedding ceremony, his jaw dropped. He noticed a mistake in the date! “Just what I was afraid of,” he thought to

himself in dismay. “My uncle warned me to make sure that the kesubah was filled out carefully!” Rabbi Federberg instructed the people to continue singing for a few minutes. He stepped aside with Rabbi Dayan and showed him the kesubah. “I prepared all the information, as you said, but miscopied the date,” apologized Rabbi Federberg. “Can I cross it out and write the correct date?” “As you know, the kesubah is a legal document that sets forth the husband’s financial obligations to his wife, particularly in the event of death or divorce,” explained Rabbi Dayan. “As such, it cannot have emendations — erasures, additions, or corrections — without validating them. Emendations that are not validated can sometimes disqualify the document (C.M. 44:5).” continued on reverse side

Documenting a Loan Submitted by E. B. D. I lent my friend some money and, trusting him, we did not draft a loan document. The loan is overdue and my friend claims that he does not have the funds to repay the loan. Q: May I demand that we now draft a promissory note to have a written record of the loan? If the document were to state that he will repay me “when he will

FROM THE BHI HOTLINE be financially stable,” what would be the halachic meaning of such a statement? A: There is a general dispute whether a lender can force a borrower to write a promissory note subsequent to the loan. One school of thought maintains that once the lender agreed to loan money without even a handwritten documentation by the borrower, he cannot later demand such documentation to be written (Sema 73:5). Others maintain that

since the lender stands to lose if he cannot substantiate his claim (C.M. 70:1) and the borrower does not lose by documenting the loan, the lender can demand that the borrower write a note containing the basic outline of their agreement (Urim 73:5). When a borrower does not have the funds to repay a loan and there is a realistic concern that the loan will be forgotten, all opinions agree that the lender can demand documentation of the loan (Kisei Eliyahu cited in Divrei continued on reverse side

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STORYLINE

FROM THE BHI HOTLINE

CONTINUED

“How does one validate an emendation?” asked Rabbi Federberg. “Toward the end of the kesubah, before writing ‘hakol sharir v’kayam’ (everything is correct and valid), the witnesses write that the word or phrase in question was crossed out or added,” answered Rabbi Dayan. “Thus, their signatures attest to the emendation, as well. Nowadays, when ‘hakol sharir v’kayam’ is printed already at the end of the kesubah, this is problematic, as one should avoid writing ‘hakol sharir v’kayam’ twice before the signatures (C.M. 44:9).” “What can be done, then,” asked Rabbi Federberg, “especially now that the witnesses have already signed the kesubah?” “It is still possible to write the validation following the signatures,” replied Rabbi Dayan. “Conclude the validation with ‘hakol sharir v’kayam again’ and have the same witnesses

sign a second time. Ideally, the validation should be in the same writing as the rest of the document (C.M. 44:7, 11; see Pischei Choshen, Ishus, p. 517).” “You mentioned that sometimes an emendation can disqualify the document if not validated,” noted Rabbi Federberg. “When is that?” “If the emendation is in one of the essential parts of the document, such as the names of the groom or bride, it would disqualify the document if not validated,” answered Rabbi Dayan. “If it was in the date, it would be considered a document without a date, and some disqualify the document (see Pischei Teshuvah 44:1). In these cases it is preferable to write a new kesubah. If this is difficult, though, or if the kesubah is a specially prepared artistic one, it is possible to rely on the validation and second signature (Hanisuim K’hilchasam 11:186188).”

Geonim 102:23). This is based on the principle that a lender may be empowered by beis din to put a lien on a potential delinquent borrower’s property (C.M. 73:10), so therefore, he may certainly demand documentation of the loan (see also Pischei Teshuvah 53:1). Certainly in your case, when the loan is already past due and the borrower claims that he does not currently have the funds to repay the loan, you may demand that he write a promissory note (see also C.M. 39:10 relating to summoning the borrower to beis din to receive a psak from beis din that will document the loan). The answer to your inquiry concerning the meaning of the wording “when he will be

A: The Yerushalmi (B.M. 5:3) writes that in a case of mevatel kiso shel chaveiro - a person restrained his friend’s money and prevented him from earning profit - the friend has only a complaint against him (Pischei Choshen, Nezikin 3:29). Many authorities consider me-

financially stable” is that its meaning is subject to the time and place of the parties involved in the loan, and it is up to beis din to determine when a borrower is considered to be financially stable (Noda BiYehudah, C.M. 11:14). The only issue subject to discussion is whether the heirs of the borrower are obligated to repay their father’s debt. One might argue that if the borrower did not reach financial stability during his lifetime, his heirs are not obligated to repay their father’s debt. However, according to halacha, heirs are obligated to repay their father’s debt even if the wording of the promissory note was “when he will be financially stable” (Amudei Or 102 cited in Pischei Teshuvah, C.M. 73:4).

For questions on monetary matters, arbitrations, legal documents, wills, ribbis, & Shabbos, please contact our confidential hotline at 877.845.8455 :: ASK@BUSINESSHALACHA.COM

Damages #11 Q: I broke someone’s professional tools, rendering him unable to work for a week. Must I compensate him for his lost earnings?

CONTINUED

MONEY MATTERS vatel kiso shel chaveiro a form of grama. As such, there remains a moral obligation. However, since there is no loss of capital, some maintain that there is not even a moral obligation, only a “complaint” (see Shach 61:10, 292:15; Responsa Imrei Binah #1). If there is a definite loss of profit or regular earnings, some maintain that there is a legal liability of garmi. However, others maintain that preventing clear profit also remains

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grama (see Aruch Hashulchan 61:11; P.C., Nezikin 3:[72-73]). Even one who withheld another’s money and earned profit from it does not have to share the profit with the owner. However, if the owner demanded the money back in order to invest it, but the recipient continued to withhold it, some maintain that he must share his profits from the money with the owner (Rema, C.M. 292:7).

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January 17, 2013

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Mazal Tov to Mr. and Mrs. BenMordechai on the engagement of their son Rebbe Avichai BenMordechai to Rivka Zavurov. We would also like to congratulate her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Zavurov. Wishing you lots of nachas and yehi ratzon that you should build a bayit ne’eman b’yisroel l’shem u’letiferet. Rabbi Zalmen Deutscher, faculty and student body of Yeshiva Primary School 76

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January 17, 2013

Rare Snowstorm In Israel: The Photos

he worst snowstorm in 20 years shut public transport, roads and schools in Jerusalem last Thursday and a along the northern Israeli region bordering on Lebanon. d Elisha Peleg, an ofﬁcial in charge of eemergencies with Israel’s municipality for JJerusalem, urged the city’s residents to remain at home and stay off the streets, tellm iing Israel Army Radio the area had overnight n g seen its greatest snowfall since 1992. He said 4 to 6 inches of snow had piled H up in the city center and more than that u iin outlying areas. “The downtown area is bathed in white,” Peleg said. ba ““The elders of Jerusalem don’t remember be such a snowstorm in years,” Peleg also said. sai Public transport had ground to a halt, P and many vehicles that ventured onto an

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roads were stuck, he added, urging citizens to remain at home. “Make it a family day. In the afternoon, the temperatures are supposed to rise and you will be able to head out for some shopping,” Peleg added. Israel Radio said a highway linking Jerusalem to Tel Aviv was blocked, and that much of the northern Galilee region was paralysed by snow, with 12 inches said to have accumulated in the city of Safed. Eitan El Hadez, an Israeli from the coastal town of Netanya, poses as an active skier on the plaza before the Western Wall. Eitan, who does not know how to ski at all, traveled four hours on public bus in the storm to get to Jerusalem in order to take pictures of himself in a sportsman’s pose

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January 17, 2013

Open House

The Tzidons of Briarwood take Shabbos hospitality to a new level by Shira Frager

t is common for newlyweds to settle down after their wedding – either by taking a honeymoon in some foreign country, or simply enjoying a renewed sense of peace at home, alone with their signiﬁcant other. But following their Sheva B’rachos celebrations, Tzvi and Meital Tzidon opened their doors to hungry guests looking for a heimish Shabbos experience. The Israeli couple began hosting seven years ago upon their move to America, and their marriage soon afterwards. Tzvi, a resident of Hod HaSharon, a city near Raanana, and Meital, from Givatayim, were inspired by Rabbi Shraga Zalmanov, who runs the Chabad House in Flushing. “In the beginning [we started hosting] friends. They brought close friends, who brought their friends,” said Meital. Starting with a group of six people, the Tzidon household quickly grew, currently hosting between 15 and 30 people every Shabbat, and more during the warmer seasons. “In the summer we sometimes have up to 50 or 60 people, and also during the holidays,” said Tzvi. He noted that several individuals have become Shomer Shabbos through their experiences at the Tzidons, and believes that it’s “the light of the Shabbos” that inﬂuences them to become observant. Ironically, it is their participation in Shabbos at the Tzidons that enables the couple to continue their generous services. “This is the power that gives me the energy for the week, like refueling my engine,” said Tzvi. Shabbos hospitality is a “side job” for the Tzidons, with Tzvi working full-time as a Webmaster and Meital as a travel agent. According to the hosts, most of the guests are singles, with some meeting their shiduchim at the Shabbos table. “There have been three to four weddings,” said Tzvi, noting that he has witnessed individuals in their various stages of their lives, having been single, married, and raising children during their time with the Tzidons. Although most of the guests reside in Queens, visitors have come from as far as Connecticut and New Jer-

6 Shevat, 5773

sey, with an occasional guest visiting from Israel. Most individuals, however, come from Israeli families. The Tzidons reserve a portion of their three-story house for guests who are Shomer Shabbos and live outside the area. According to Tzvi, this makes up just over thirty percent of the crowd. Although most of the individuals have some ounce of Israeli blood, Tzvi says they attempt to bring in a variety of people from different backgrounds and professions. “We have a guy who works in the circus. We have students, pilots, doctors, dancers, actors, journalists,” Tzvi and Meital recalled, noting the diversity among the individuals they have in their home. “We like to have only one ‘meshuganeh’ at the tables,” said Tzvi jokingly. “Sometimes we have two, but usually they clash, so one is enough.” According to Tzvi, he screens the guests before they come. The Tzidons use various methods of traditional communication as well as social media to spread the word about their Shabbos services. “We have publicity in big forums in Israel and New York. Ynet is the biggest Israel forum,” said Tzvi. “We also use Shabbat.com, [we have] friends bring friends, and [use] Facebook. We have a fan page.” The Tzidons used to live in a small house, limiting their number of guests. Before the couple moved, they

Tzvi and Meital Tzidon tempted to rent out their basement that would provide them sufﬁcient funds to buy the food required for Shabbat meals. However, as much as they posted online, made phone calls, and put out ads, nobody was interested in renting the basement and they lacked the ﬁnancial means to continue their traditional Shabbos meals. That Erev Shabbos, an interested

“Someone knocked on our door at 8 a.m. and gave us a deposit to rent the basement,” said Tzvi. “It was the exact amount we needed to finance Shabbos dinner.” searched for a place with a large living room that would enable them to host a decent number of guests for Shabbos. “We chose this based on how many we needed and how many we can afford, how many we can ﬁt in our budget,” said Meital. “Now, [in the house we live in] we can ﬁt 30 seats.” Tzvi recalled an occurrence that strengthened their belief in the services they render to the community. Four years ago, the Tzidons had at-

candidate came to their house. “Someone knocked on our door at 8 a.m. and gave us a deposit to rent the basement,” said Tzvi. “It was the exact amount we needed to ﬁnance Shabbos dinner.” The amount of work the Tzidons put into preparing meals and providing a comfortable atmosphere for guests does not go unnoticed. “I love the atmosphere; [there are] a lot of diverse people from all different ethnicities, from Israel, from

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Chabad,” said Nechemia Murray from Brooklyn, who has spent Shabbos with the Tzidons for the last few weeks. “It’s overall very heimish.” Queens resident Esther Schiffman ﬁnds her experiences at the Tzidons “comfortable” and “fun.” “It’s very refreshing, especially because I lived in Israel. I like being in the Israeli environment,” said Schiffman, who has been spending frequent Shabbasos at the Tzidons since August of last year. Recalling a recent memorable weekend, she said, “Last Shabbos really stuck out, because I stayed up until four in the morning just talking to people that I just met.” According to Schiffman, the accepting personality of the hosts and the general atmosphere provide a good break from a stressful week. “It was fun, it was a real Shabbos atmosphere,” she said. The Tzidons open their strictly kosher home to guests looking for hospitality or a Shabbos meal. Interested candidates can make reservations by calling 718-813-7939. It’s “the light of the Shabbos” that brings people back, said Tzvi.

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The Informed Woman by Risselle Naimark

Body Moisturizers – The Perfect Formula

here are fewer sebaceous glands on the surface of your body than on your face, so your body is naturally drier. Since breakouts aren’t usually a concern on arms and legs, you can usually use the heaviest and most occlusive creams. Look for ingredients like mineral oil, petrolatum, and shea butter that hydrate and create a barrier, so water cannot escape the skin’s surface. To trap in extra moisture, it is best to apply to damp skin immediately after you shower. It is also beneﬁcial to use an exfoliant once a week (such as lactic acid), since skin on body has a slower rate of cell turnover. Below is a list of lotions that deliver various beneﬁts. Daily Moisturizer – Look for moisturebinding humectants, i.e. hyaluronic acid and glycerin, and occlusive emollients like mineral oil and petrolatum, to seal in the moisture (St. Ives 24-hour Body Moisture). Itch Relieving – These formulas mix emollients with cooling ingredients like menthol to calm irritated skin. Some also contain topical analgesics like lidocaine (Eucerin Itch Relief Moisturizing Spray). For Ashy Skin – Dark skin can look gray and dull, when dead skin cells build up. Formulas like Jergens Ash Relief slough them off, helping emollients penetrate, so skin looks less ashy. Shave Minimizer – Most of these contain soy, which inhibits the growth cycle

of hair, so you can stretch the time between shaves. Aveeno Positively Smooth is a great product. Exfoliating – Formulas with lactic and or glycolic acid help remove dead skin cells, thus allowing moisturizers to better penetrate. Use once or twice a week only, since they can make skin more fragile. Tinted – These lotions have shimmery

particles and bronze tint, and are like wearing cosmetic hosiery (Du Wop Revolution 866-613-8967). Hand Creams – There is no problem

applying regular body lotion to hands and feet; however, you might achieve better results with speciﬁc formulas for each. The skin on your hand is thinner than on the rest of your body. It is also exposed to the outdoor elements, UV radiation, and harsh cleansers. Many hand lotions contain SPF and are best used when exposed to sun. Others, like Eucerin Intensive Repair, without SPF, are very effective. Foot Moisturizers – The skin on feet is usually thicker and drier than elsewhere, and requires more potent formulas such as Barielle, with heavy emollients and higher concentrations of exfoliates, like glycolic acid, to combat calluses and cracked heels. Winters are usually tough on skin. Between the indoor heating systems, which are very drying, and the cold outdoor air and winds, which can exacerbate eczema, and other skin conditions, your skin needs some extra help. Although many women take care to moisturize their face, they manage to neglect the skin on the rest of their body. By keeping the skin on your body moist and supple, you will also help avoid cuts in the skin, which will also protect you from an infection.

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Rainbow Trout

by Avi Jacobs

ust last week, while away on summer vacation, I took the family cherry-picking and, while on the property, I saw a sign for trout fishing. As it was already Thursday, I thought, “What a great opportunity! I will catch some fish and cook it for Shabbos so we can have some delicious fresh homemade fish.” Within two minutes, I caught four good-size rainbow trout. I do have to admit, though, that it’s not much fun fishing when it is so easy. I had the guy cut and clean them, and took them home. After scrounging around our holiday fridge, I made use with what I had, and it turned out to be the best trout I have ever tasted. I am going to share with you what I now call:

Holiday Rainbow Trout Ingredients • 4 rainbow trout (individual size approx. 14oz each)

• • • • • • •

4 bulbs of fennel 3 lemons Spring onion Parsley 1/4 cup dry white wine 1/4 cup olive oil Salt and pepper to season

Method 1) Chop the fennel finely, and layer a sheet of baking paper where you are going to lay the fish down. 2) Slice the lemons, and place the slices inside the fish. Then place the fish on top of the fennel. 3) Chop the spring onions and place on top of the fish. Then pour the oil

and wine over the ﬁsh evenly. Cover or wrap with baking paper and bake it for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

When ready to serve, sprinkle the parsley on top and enjoy!

A native Australian, Avi Jacobs studied hospitality and tourism in University before graduating with degrees in hospitality management and events management. Combining his studies, he has found a passion in creating events- from grand concepts down to the particular food types that suit the event. Having worked in events and hospitality and having the travel experience behind him allows Avi to keep varying his foods and offer different tastes and flavours. He enjoys creating and finding unique recipes that offer a different flavour and style, as well as creations that define something in particular, such as a culture, country, origin or style. Avi has worked with numerous catering companies offering his designs and concepts. He now runs an events coordinating business and truly enjoys working with the people and food that come with the job. Avi lives in Melbourne with his wife Rina and son Naftali.

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January 17, 2013

At long last there's a Jewish newspaper that serves the Queens Jewish community. From Forest Hills to Kew Gardens Hills, from Kew Gardens to Jamaica Estates and beyond, if it impacts Queens Jewry, we keep you informed. Plus columns that will inform, amuse and delight you and advertisers that are just around the corner.

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EIGHT F W A SE

917.549.6145

. MEDICAL SUPERVISED . NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING . KOSHER FOOD & SUPPLEMENTS . MOST INSURANCE ACCEPTED Doctor's Diet Medical Center BORO PARK QUEENS

6 Shevat, 5773

917.549.6145 â&#x20AC;˘ QueensJewishLink@gmail.com

LESLIE BENNETT MD. MEDICAL DIRECTOR 718.380.8500

Sponsored by KGSEP, Main Street, Kew Gardens Hills PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHIES Perri Hecht, M.S., CCC-SLP/A,Cert. AVT, LSLS is founder and director of Perri Hecht Speech and Auditory Services, specializing in social skills intervention, aural (re)habilitation and auditory processing disorders. She presents at conferences both nationally and internationally, and publishes in professional journals. She also consults for schools and school districts in New York and New Jersey, and has taught as an adjunct professor at Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York. Perri Hecht has no relevant financial financial relationships to disclose.

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Mindy Rosenthal, M.S.-BCBA is an adjunct professor at Daemon College and learning specialist for Ilan High School. Her private practice, Behavior and Educational Consulting, specializes in the remediation of social skill deficits in children, adolescents and adults with ASD and nonverbal learning disabilities. She serves as consultant to various New York and New Jersey schools, devising and implementing social skill and behavioral programs, as well as training parents and teachers. Mindy Rosenthal has no relevant financial or non financial relationships to disclose.

WORKSHOP SUMMARY This intermediate level workshop is geared for speech-language pathologists, special educators, teachers, social workers, psychologists and parents. Workshop will focus on identifying the different types of social skills necessary, including non verbal and conversational skills, for competent communication. It will also include assessment and remediation techniques to address common deficits of typically developing children as well as children with ASD in the area of social and behavioral functioning.

Registration Form PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED Registration fee Early Bird received 2 weeks prior to conference....$169.00 Registration within 2 weeks of conference.........$189.00 Group Discounts Available Parent Discounts Available

Name: ________________________________ Address: ______________________________

TIME-ORDERED AGENDA 8:30-9:00 a.m.

REGISTRATION (COFFEE UNDERSTANDING THEORY

OF MIND, PERSPECTIVE TAKING, AND EFFECTS ON SOCIAL LANGUAGE .Operational definitions .Strategies to enhance perspective taking knowledge and skills .Assessment techniques

10:30-10:45 a.m.

City: ______________ State: _____ Zip:______ Telephone: ___________________ Affiliation: _____________________________ Email: ________________________________

BREAK

10:45-12:15 p.m.

SELF-AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONS .ABC’s of social awareness .Mindfulness .Social categories .Teaching strategies and activities

Method of Payment:

12:15-1:00 p.m.

HOT BUFFET LUNCH (KOSHER)

___Check ____ Visa _____MC Amount:___________________ Card #: ______________________________

1:00-2:15 p.m.

PRE-REQUISITE LANGUAGE SKILLS FOR SOCIAL COMPETENCE .Skill acquisition vs. skill performance Initia .Methods to facilitate new social behaviors Frien ting .Essential components of conversation dship s

Exp. Date:____________________________

2:15-2:30 p.m. BREAK

Signature:____________________________ Mail Registration to: Perri Hecht Speech and Auditory Services 995 East 21 Street Brooklyn, New York, 11210 Fax Registration to: 718-377-5659 Attention: Dina, Conference Coordinator

AND CAKE WILL BE SERVED)

9:00-10:30 a.m.

METHODS

SOLVING TO MODIFY CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS AND SOCIAL DIFFICULTIES .Adult’s role in student conflicts .Overview of several problem solving programs; ICPS (M. Shure), Collaborative Problem-solving (R. Green), Effective Problem-solving (T. Gordon) .Remediating challenging behaviors via social instruction OF

PROBLEM-

2:30- 3:45 p.m.

3:45- 4:15 p.m. QUESTIONS AND ANSWER PERIOD

Learning Outcomes 1. Participants will be able to define Theory of Mind and implement three techniques to improve perspective taking skills.

This course is offered for .6 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level, Professional area)

2. Participants will be able to identify the components needed to develop a social skills program for typically developing children and children with ASD. 3. Participants will identify three strategies to remediate challenging behaviors using problem solving techniques.

For more information call: 718-377-3783 732-606-7700

Hours accumulated at this conference can be applied toward individual states Continuing Competency Requirements.

917.549.6145 • QueensJewishLink@gmail.com

Registration open to the public

January 17, 2013

6 Shevat, 5773

917.549.6145 â&#x20AC;˘ QueensJewishLink@gmail.com

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MARGARET TIETZ Nursing & Rehabilitation Center,

164-11 Chapin Parkway, Jamaica Hills, NY 11432 718-298-7800 • www.tietzjewish.com

Centrally located near the Queens communities of Kew Gardens Hills, Hillcrest & Jamaica Estates. Only 20 minutes from Brooklyn, Manhattan & the Five Towns.

917.549.6145 • QueensJewishLink@gmail.com

January 17, 2013