Jewish Action Winter 2014 by Orthodox Union

WINTER 5775/2014

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ORTHODOX UNION

VOLUME 75, NO. 2 • $5.50

JEWISH ACTION

WINTER 5775/2014

48 REVIEW ESSAY

FEATURES 10 THE ARTS

Warning! Hollywood’s Coming for Your Home and Children! By Robert J. Avrech 16 RABBI’S DIARY

The Rabbi and His Board By Yamin Levy COVER STORY 20 Rekindling the Flame: “Neo-Chassidus” Brings the Inner Light of Torah to Modern Orthodoxy By Barbara Bensoussan 30 Embracing Chassidus: Q. & A.

with Rabbi Moshe Weinberger By Binyamin Ehrenkranz

6 CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

New Science, Same Torah New Heavens and a New Earth: The Jewish Reception of Copernican Thought By Jeremy Brown Torah, Chazal and Science By Moshe Meiselman Reviewed by Gil Student 50 Science and the Sages

Rabbi Hershel Schachter speaks with Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin about the conflict between Torah and science 56 JEWISH HISTORY

Brown v. Board of Education: An Orthodox Cause? By Zev Eleff 64 ISRAEL

NCSY Summer 2014: Not Your Typical Summer Experience By Bayla Sheva Brenner

SPECIAL SECTION: Torah and Technology 34 Internet Privacy in Halachah

By Asher Meir 36 Top Ten Online Torah Resources

70 TRIBUTE

Remembering Anne Samson By Batya Rosner

By Gil Student

DEPARTMENTS 40 GENEALOGY

Gerald M. Schreck 68 JUST BETWEEN US

Pray or Play? By Alan D. Krinsky 74 INSIDE THE OU 82 THE CHEF’S TABLE

Chanukah’s Coming: Ta’am to Make the Latkes! By Norene Gilletz 86 WELLNESS REPORT

Living the Sweet Life By Shira Isenberg BOOKS 88 Our New Special Baby

Written by Chaya Rosen Illustrated by Rivkie Braverman Reviewed by Dovid M. Cohen 89 Collected Essays, Vol. I

By Haym Soloveitchik Reviewed by Jeffrey R. Woolf 92 LEGAL-EASE

What’s the Truth About . . . Korbanot? By Ari Z. Zivotofsky 96 LASTING IMPRESSIONS

2 LETTERS

Jewish Genealogy: The Journey to Oneself By Bayla Sheva Brenner

VOL. 75, NO. 2

4 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The Blood Libels of the Twenty-First Century By Martin Nachimson

page 10

Sherlock Holmes, Rabbinic-Style By Reuven Spolter

page 20

page 40

About the cover: Pictured, Shlomo Gaisin, a neo-Chassidic student at Yeshiva University. Gaisin is also a singer for Zusha, a New York City-based band. Photo by Josh Weinberg.

Jewish Action seeks to provide a forum for a diversity of legitimate opinions within the spectrum of Orthodox Judaism. Therefore, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the policy or opinion of the Orthodox Union. Jewish Action is published by the Orthodox Union • 11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004 212.563.4000. Printed Quarterly—Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, plus Special Passover issue. ISSN No. 0447-7049. Subscription: $16.00 per year; Canadian, $20.00; Overseas, $60.00. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Jewish Action, 11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004.

Winter 5775/2014 JEWISH ACTION 1

Letters

Jewish Action

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ORTHODOX UNION www.ou.org/jewish_action

Editor Nechama Carmel carmeln@ou.org

Exercise for Torah g

Cardiologists Drs. Charles and Elie Traube write (“Becoming Heart Healthy” [fall 2014]) that far too many painful stories could have been avoided had patients exercised “selfcontrol.” They also write: “We’ve heard plenty of rabbis at the bimah speak about the importance of including more Torah study in one’s daily and weekly schedule . . . . However, shouldn’t our religious leaders also discuss maintaining a healthy lifestyle—specifically, the importance of exercise and moderation of food intake? . . . why is health not a rabbinic concern?” Of course the cardiologists are right on all counts. However, in addition to negative motivation, behavior change can perhaps be better effectuated by positive motivation. When one exercises and is disciplined in food intake, and thus has a healthier heart, one adds a spring to his step; one adds an hour or two a day of productivity; one has more energy, stamina and joie de vivre. Further, one can enjoy Shabbos more, for if one is disciplined in food intake all week long, he can allow himself to splurge a bit on Shabbos, whereupon Shabbos stands out from the rest of the week. If one is overeating all week long, Shabbos cannot be special. As for Torah study and health, I would say that the issue isn’t either/or—either Torah study or exercise—and the issue isn’t even both/and—exercise and study. Rather, when one is past the age when he can simply rely on youthful energy, then exercise and Torah study actually become one and the same in this sense: exercise enhances one’s capacity to focus on Torah study. Besides the

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health benefits of exercise, there are Torah study benefits as well. To work to maintain one’s health isn’t a separate mitzvah; it underlies all the rest. RABBI HILLEL GOLDBERG Executive editor, Intermountain Jewish News Denver, Colorado

In the Footsteps of Avraham Avinu g

I read with bemusement Rabbi Akiva Males’ article “A Yom Kippur Guest” (fall 2014). I am the volunteer hachnasat orchim coordinator for House of Jacob Mikveh Israel, a small but vibrant OU shul situated at the foothills of the majestic Rocky Mountains. Every year, a dedicated group of ten or so families provide meals and accommodations to well over 100 Jewish guests from all over the world, be they business travelers or tourists. What is impressive is that the hosts have never asked for their guests’ references (and the guests have never asked for their hosts’ references either). While it is not always easy to accommodate every request, we find that each guest adds something special to our Shabbat, and the hosts have formed many life-long bonds with strangers-turned-friends from around the Jewish globe.

MARINA SEGAL Calgary, Alberta g

How fortunate Rabbi Males and his community are to receive so many requests for Shabbat hospitality. How unfortunate that he seems to present this fact as a burden. Certainly, there should be some sort of screening process in place, but why is this idea such a revelation? After checking the reference for his Yom Kippur guest, Rabbi Males

Assistant Editor Rashel Zywica Literary Editor Emeritus Matis Greenblatt Book Editor Rabbi Gil Student Contributing Editors Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein • Dr. Judith Bleich Rabbi Emanuel Feldman • Rabbi Hillel Goldberg Rabbi Sol Roth • Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter Rabbi Berel Wein Editorial Committee Rabbi David Bashevkin • Rabbi Binyamin Ehrenkranz Mayer Fertig • David Olivestone • Gerald M. Schreck Rabbi Gil Student • Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb Advertising Sales Joseph Jacobs Advertising • 212.787.9400 arosenfeld@josephjacobs.org Advertising Coordinator Eli Lebowicz Subscriptions 212.613.8146 Design KZ Creative

ORTHODOX UNION Executive Vice President/Chief Professional Officer Allen I. Fagin Executive Vice President, Emeritus Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb Senior Managing Director Rabbi Steven Weil Chief Communications Officer Mayer Fertig Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer Shlomo Schwartz Chief Human Resources Officer Lenny Bessler Chief Information Officer Samuel Davidovics President Martin Nachimson Chairman of the Board Stephen J. Savitsky Chairman, Board of Governors Mark Bane Communications Commission Gerald M. Schreck, Chairman Joel M. Schreiber, Chairman Emeritus Barbara Lehmann Siegel; Dr. Herbert Schlager; Rabbi Gil Student; Michael C. Wimpfheimer © Copyright 2014 by the Orthodox Union. Eleven Broadway, New York, NY, 10004. Telephone 212.563.4000 • www.ou.org Periodicals Postage Paid, New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices.

PERFECTLY BALANCED.

NOT TOO SWEET, NOT TOO DRY.

writes, “He proved to be a charming and wonderful guest.” But what if he wasn’t charming? Suppose the guest was a little depressed or talked too much? Surely there are “shomrei Torah u’mitzvot” individuals who are quirky or have poor table manners. Would such guests be disqualified? More troubling was the rabbi’s mention of what constituted a “legitimate” request. He states: “I only seek Shabbat accommodations for those who have a good reason to spend Shabbat in our community.” While I can appreciate that there may be a limited number of families who can host, why not have a running list of families who are willing? Why not find creative solutions, such as one family hosting meals and another providing the sleeping arrangements? Over the years, my family and I have been guests in many homes, which has allowed us to attend semachot, visit colleges, participate in conferences and vacation. In return, I feel obligated to fulfill the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim by saying “yes” whenever possible to hosting meals or an overnight guest. It isn’t always easy or convenient, but I am always glad when I do. EVELYN KRIEGER Sharon, Massachusetts g

If the article by Rabbi Males truly represents the attitude of American Orthodoxy regarding the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim, then one can only reflect with sadness on the weakening of Jewish values such as trust and acceptance. And should this in fact be the prevailing communal perspective, then why unidirectional? Should not all guests seek references for their hosts, including (forgive me) the local rabbi? Perhaps Rabbi Males and his family, or some members of his community,

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have been the victims of egregious behavior on the part of guests in their homes. If so, then those stories should have been included in the article. For many years we have hosted literally hundreds of American yeshivot, michlalot, ulpanot, mechinot and university students during their time in Israel. We often do so on the basis of a brief phone call and we all know that this is what parents of these children expect of unknown families just like ours. So now what? Intensive screening? Reference letters for each of them? Background checks for the host families? Rabbi Males’ recommendation clearly comes from genuine concern, but the implications of his approach distance us from a tradition that has for centuries epitomized our interconnectedness. DAVID S. RIBNER, DSW Bar-Ilan University Ramat Gan, Israel g

As members of the Lincoln Square Synagogue Hospitality Committee, Rabbi Males’ article struck a resonant chord. Located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, our gracious hosts who are members of LSS provide Shabbat meals to hundreds of guests from all over the world each year. The space limitations in Manhattan apartments preclude us from providing lodging, so we have compiled a list of local hotels accommodating Shabbat observers. Our screening thus far has been to request potential guests to provide the name of their synagogue. We strongly recommend that other synagogues create hospitality committees so that more people can participate in this wonderful mitzvah.

LINCOLN SQUARE SYNAGOGUE HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE New York, New York

Rabbi Akiva Males Responds g

I commend Lincoln Square Synagogue’s Hospitality Committee for involving so many of their congregation’s families in the rewarding mitzvah of hachnasat orchim while simultaneously taking steps to ensure their safety. While I strongly applaud Ms. Segal, Ms. Krieger and Dr. Ribner for their enthusiastic embrace of the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim, I do hope they will consider exercising some reasonable degree of caution moving forward. Shouldn’t one performing the mitzvah of bikur cholim take precautions to safeguard his health? Hospital visitors are often asked to don a mask, gown and gloves when entering a patient’s room. Often, this is to protect the health of the visitor—not the patient. Exercising caution when engaging in bikur cholim in no way diminishes the mitzvah; it is simply the responsible way to fulfill God’s will. Rather than calling to end the cherished Jewish practice of hachnasat orchim, my article essentially asked people to treat hachnasat orchim in the same manner as bikur cholim: recognize the potential risks involved, and take reasonable precautions to avoid putting one’s self and family in harm’s way. Like the Kohanim of the mishnah I cited (Yoma 1:5), I “cry” over the fact that today’s unfortunate realities indicate that such precautions are necessary. Correction: A profile of Nechama Salfer in our fall 2014 issue incorrectly stated that she lives in Cleveland. Salfer actually lives in Miami, although her business is based in Cleveland.

President’sMessage

By Martin Nachimson

The Blood Libels of the Twenty-First Century Many believe blood libels ended with the acquittal of Mendel Beilis in the early part of the twentieth century. This is simply not the case.

n 1911, thirteen-year-old Andrei Yushchinsky, a Christian, was found murdered in a cave on the outskirts of Kiev, in what was then Russia. The child had been brutally and maliciously stabbed. Within days, rumors began to circulate that a local factory manager and Jew, Mendel Beilis, was behind the murder. The charge: he murdered the Christian child to use the blood for the baking of Passover matzah. Beilis was promptly imprisoned and suffered miserably for the next two years. The injustice of the case attracted worldwide attention. In 1913, the case went to trial. My father, who had grown up in White Russia (now Belarus) and arrived in the US after WWI, often spoke about the terror he and his family experienced in the aftermath of Beilis’ arrest; he had witnessed the saga unfold when he was a child. I remember him telling me how scared the Jews of Shereshev, the shtetl where he lived, were to walk the streets. Incredibly, Beilis was acquitted in the end, but his story of remarkable heroism and fortitude remained etched in the soul of the Jewish nation. Many believe that the blood libel— the medieval charge that Jews murder gentile children—ended with the acquittal of Beilis. But this is simply not the case. The blood libel is very much alive and well, as the war in Gaza this past summer clearly demonstrated. It is alive in the extreme Jew-hatred found in the many parts of the Muslim world. It is alive in the unabashedly anti-Semitic Arab media; it is alive in European countries with significant populations of radical Muslims, including France, England and Germany. This past summer, the blood libel was seen everywhere—from the violent rhetoric of the Hamas leadership to grotesque signs at pro-Palestinian rallies depicting Israeli Prime Minister

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Netanyahu drinking the blood of Palestinian children. But the blood libels of the twentyfirst century are not rooted in antiZionism; they are rooted in anti-Semitism. Indeed, Jews are once again afraid to go out in the streets. In France, synagogues were attacked and Jewish-owned businesses were looted. Roger Cukierman, president of France’s CRIF, the umbrella group for France’s Jewish organizations, was quoted as saying: “The [protestors] are not screaming ‘Death to the Israelis’ on the streets of Paris. They are screaming ‘Death to Jews.’” So what are we—American Jews— supposed to do? Firstly, we cannot afford to remain idle. We must speak out forcefully against anti-Semitism and rally support for our cause among our political friends and allies. In July, I met with key US senators along with Allen Fagin, OU executive vice president, and Nathan Diament, executive director of the OU Advocacy Center, to discuss global anti-Semitism. We also met with White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough for an off-the-record conversation about the topic; McDonough promised to discuss the matter with State Department Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Ira

Forman. This meeting resulted in the State Department Conference on Global Anti-Semitism. Held in September, the meeting, which we attended, included leaders of the Jewish communities of Belgium, the Netherlands and Turkey. The State Department ensured us that it is monitoring the situation and pursuing diplomatic efforts to combat the rising levels of anti-Semitism. We anticipate continuing the dialogue with political leaders to ensure the security of Jewish communities around the world. Secondly, we have been in touch with the Orthodox rabbinate in Paris and with other Jewish organizations throughout Europe to offer assistance in whatever way we can. Thirdly, even while working to assist our brothers and sisters in Europe, we are not taking our own safety for granted. We must take every precaution to protect our shuls, our schools and our communities. At our recent Executive Directors Conference, geared for executive directors of OU shuls across the US, experts delivered detailed presentations on shul security. Will the blood libel ever become obsolete? Most likely not. Jewish history has shown that anti-Semitism is the most persistent hatred. It changes with time—yesterday it was the Christians, today it’s the Muslims. But it never completely fades. As Orthodox Jews, what should our approach be? I think we need to be vigilant, to take precautions. We need to maintain political relationships, to keep our governmental leaders updated and informed. We cannot afford to succumb to denial. At the same time, we need to remember the words we recite each and every day in Shacharit: “Al tivtechu binidivim, beven adam she’ein lo teshuah, do not rely on nobles, nor on a human being, for he holds no salvation.” Our national salvation will not come from the prime ministers or the heads of state. It will come from He Who protected the Jewish people from the blood libels of the Middle Ages and Who continues to protect us from the blood libels of the twentyfirst century. g

Chairman’sMessage

By Gerald M. Schreck

rowing up in Williamsburg in the fifties and sixties, I had something most of my friends could only dream of having: grandparents. I even had both sets. My friends, most of whom were children of Holocaust survivors, had no relatives to speak of—certainly not grandparents. My mother’s parents had traveled to the United States from White Russia in the early 1900s and were thus spared the horrors that were unleashed across Europe a few decades later. My father’s parents immigrated to the US in the 1920s from Galicia. My grandparents were the lucky ones. But while I was fortunate to know my grandparents and develop strong bonds with them, once I got older and they were no longer around, I realized I knew little, if next to nothing, about my great-grandparents. Why had I never thought to ask my grandparents about their parents, and their parents before them? I thought to myself. Why didn’t it dawn on me to find out who I am and where I come from? Bayla Sheva Brenner’s deeply moving article in this issue, “Jewish Genealogy: The Journey to Oneself,” reminded me of my own quest into my familial past, which I began not too long ago and which remains one of the most amazing journeys I have been privileged to take. The Torah charges us to remember our past—“zechor yemos olam binu shenos dor vador, remember the days of old, understand the years of generation after generation”—and it’s clear to me only now why this is so. Digging into one’s past connects one to his roots, reinforces one’s Jewish identity and gives one a strong spiritual anchor. Gerald M. Schreck is the chairman of the OU Communications Commission.

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In her sensitive and well-researched article, Bayla Sheva, quoting Eviatar Zerubavel, professor of sociology at Rutgers University, writes, “Individuals who are busy reconstructing their family’s past are not merely keeping track of their ancestral history; they’re refining their identity.” I discovered the truth of Professor Zerubavel’s statement when I first launched into genealogical research. How did I begin this arduous but most rewarding journey? Eight years ago, on the day of the bris of one of my grandsons, I received a surprising e-mail. It was from a professor at the University of Idaho College of Law named Myron Schreck. Dashing out to the bris, I had little time to contemplate the contents of the e-mail. It was only later in the day, when I re-read the message, that I realized how truly fascinated I was by his simple question: are we related? Turns out, Myron is the grandson of my grandfather’s brother. Subsequently, he sent me lists of dozens of aunts and uncles, opening up a whole new world for me—the world of my past. In the years since, I have engaged in extensive research about my new and ever-expanding family, bonded with Myron as true cousins should and met new relatives I never knew existed though we live in the same city, not far from one another.

Most recently, I experienced the greatest thrill yet of my pilgrimage to my past. My son Mordechai discovered an actual photograph of the two individuals responsible for connecting the array of relatives I have managed to uncover: my great-grandparents. I gaze with a sense of awe and disbelief at the regal images of Mordechai Tzvi Schreck, my great-grandfather, and standing beside him, my greatgrandmother, Raizel Leah Schreck. Bits of information have become available to me about their lives—when they were born, when they died, how and where they lived. I’m immersed in an ocean of self-discovery, with each day bringing new and inspiring revelations. Who were my great-grandparents? I now have the beginning of an answer. But this question is one that will continue to echo in my head until the day comes when I can, with confidence and certainty, say to my own grandchildren: “Come, sit, let me tell you about your great-great-great-grandparents.” In addition to the article on genealogy, this issue is packed with relevant, timely articles including a revealing piece by Rabbi Yamin Levy about the often-contentious relationship between a rabbi and the shul board; a review essay on Rabbi Moshe Meiselman’s new book, Torah, Chazal and Science and a special section on Torah and technology. Finally, our cover story delves into a phenomenon that, while growing in popularity, has not been covered much in the Jewish media: the rise of the neo-Chassidus movement and how it’s starting to change the face of the Modern Orthodox community. I hope you enjoy the wonderful array of articles, and, as always, feel free to e-mail us with your comments and suggestions. Best wishes for a happy Chanukah! g

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Winter 5775/2014 JEWISH ACTION 9

THE ARTS

BY ROBERT J. AVRECH

Robert J. Avrech’s numerous credits include A Stranger Among Us, directed by Sidney Lumet, and The Devil’s Arithmetic, starring Kirsten Dunst and Brittany Murphy, for which he won the Emmy Award for best script. Avrech is the author of How I Married Karen, an e-book memoir that received a rave review from Kirkus, the bible of the publishing industry. He writes at his award-winning blog, Seraphic Secret.

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SCREENWRITER CLASHES WITH SCARY HOLLYWOOD EXECUTIVE, PART I

The studio executive hated me. Or at least, she hated a critical exchange in my script, A Stranger Among Us. The scene is between Leah (Mia Sara), the seventeen-year-old daughter of a Chassidic rebbe, and Emily Eden (Melanie Griffith), a hardened New York City detective who sees herself as a happy, liberated woman. Here’s the dialogue as it appears in the script: Emily: And what do you want to be when you grow up, little Leah? Leah: A wife, a mother. Emily looks at Leah in shock. Emily: That’s it? Leah: But Emily, what could be more important? Of course, the point of the scene is to make Emily Eden, a super-feminist who claims to be “independent and spectacularly happy,” start to question the values underlying her life. The scene—and the entire narrative— suggest that Leah, a frum Jewish woman, is the one who is living a genuinely happy and fulfilled life. At its core, A Stranger Among Us sets forth the idea that postmodern feminism is a false religion, another in the long line of social and psychological cults that have afflicted the Jewish people since ancient times. To my studio executive, the exchange between Emily and Leah was downright heretical. By this time, my script had a green light. Fully financed by the powerhouse Walt Disney Studios, it had already attracted the legendary Sidney Lumet, one of Hollywood’s most important directors. Melanie Griffith, a huge star at the time, had been signed to play Emily Eden, the hard-as-nails but emotionally vulnerable detective who goes undercover in the Chassidic community. The Scary Studio Executive said: “Look, I know we’re set to go into production in three weeks and the script is locked. But I wonder, is this really the message we want to send to our audience?” I could have told her that the script had been approved by our director and by her bosses, the powerful moguls Jeffrey Katzenberg and Michael Eisner. I could have said that if she was trying to get me to rewrite my script, she might want to ask those formidable guys first. That response would have put an end to the issue immediately. But it also would have made her my mortal enemy, and it’s better not to make enemies of powerful Hollywood executives. And this woman—smart, witty and singularly well-connected—was on a fast trajectory to the top of the Hollywood elite. “What exactly are you worried about?” I asked. “Look, Robert, I like your script. But this scene undermines women and our fight for equal rights. With all due respect, I am Jewish and I happen to know that Orthodox men say a prayer every morning in which they thank God for not having made them women. Your whole scene endorses the patriarchal family structure that is totally regressive—with all due respect.” (Note: In Hollywood, when someone says “with all due respect,” what they really mean is “with utter contempt.” Also, when someone uses words such as “patriarchal” and “regressive” in the same sentence, it’s a dead giveaway that he or she took courses in feminist theory and gender studies in college and has been—with all due respect—completely brainwashed.) This Ivy League-educated young woman—whose father was one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood, who spent summers on her father’s yacht in the south of France, who flashed a solid gold Rolex on her wrist, who elegantly dressed in Armani blouses and skirts, who strutted about in nose-bleed Louboutin heels, who zoomed around Tinseltown in a Porsche that cost more than the average home in America and who was, natch, Jewish—was playing (goodness gracious!) the victim card.

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SURPRISE! HOLLYWOOD HAS COLONIZED YOUR MIND “The sanctity of the institution of marriage and the home shall be upheld.” — The Motion Picture Production Code, 1934 In its early years, Hollywood told great stories and entertained millions of people, but it also influenced culture in an unprecedented manner. In just a few short years, Hollywood—which had been founded by impoverished immigrant Jews—had become the most powerful instrument of propaganda on the world stage. It was well aware of its power. Louis B. Mayer, head of MGM, the most powerful and profitable Hollywood stu-

In movie after movie, Hollywood made the case for the nuclear family as the bedrock of civilization. Yes, there were gangsters, and yes, sometimes the American dream went terribly awry. But the Hollywood narratives always resolved the tortuous plot twists in a conclusion where marriage, home and family were the goals. Ultimately, it was the family that restored order and purpose to an often cruel and chaotic universe.

SCREENWRITER CLASHES WITH SCARY HOLLYWOOD EXECUTIVE, PART II

To the Scary Studio Executive, I said: “Listen, I understand why you’re uncomfortable with the dialogue, with the message of the scene. It’s a world far from your consciousness. But imagine if this dialogue were set in an Amish community. Would you have the same objection? I think you’d be, y’know, culturally sensitive.” “Robert, are you saying that I’m exercising a double standard because I’m Jewish?” “Are you?” She said nothing for a long moment. Then: “I hear you’re, like, seriously Orthodox.” I nodded. “So this story, these people, represent your world view.” “True. But Emily Eden also represents my world view. I identify with her just as much as I identify with the Jewish characters. Look, this film has a very simple spine. It says that Emily Eden becomes a better woman because of her contact with the Chassidim. And the Chassidim The Robertson family in Duck Dynasty is one family on reality TV that functions become better Jews because of the time within a traditional framework and whose members are, not surprisingly, devoted and they spent with Emily.” charitable Christians. Photo: James Patterson/The New York Times/Redux The scene was shot just as I wrote it. dio, was committed to producing uplifting films that advocated for American greatness and traditional family values. During the silent era, Hollywood produced hundreds of movies that explored the everyday drama of family life. Many of them were about the experiences of Eastern European Jews who had immigrated to America and the profound effects of assimilation.

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JOHN WAYNE IS DEAD; LONG LIVE TONY SOPRANO It was the sixties; Vietnam and the rise of the so-called Youth Culture had turned Hollywood from a vocal and influential advocate for Americanism and the traditional family into a cynical detractor of family values. In Easy Rider

(1969), a hate song to the American heartland, the only family ever seen is a bunch of grimy hippies who live on a commune, take vast amounts of drugs and engage in promiscuous activities. In Coming Home (1978), starring Jane Fonda and Jon Voight, an honorable Vietnam War veteran is demonized and his marriage viewed as politically illegitimate. Such attitudes increasingly became the norm in the new Hollywood, where classical liberalism gave way to poisonous leftism. In the 1970s, the center of gravity and cultural influence shifted from film to television. TV still produced entertaining, traditional family shows such as Happy Days, The Partridge Family, Family Ties, Growing Pains and Little House on the Prairie. But with cable’s growing influence, the moral inversions that the liberal elite and the news media were promoting on American campuses roared to life on the TV screen. Hour-long dramas such as The Sopranos, Mad Men and Breaking Bad portray the family as a unit held together by a Gordian knot of crime, drugs, violence and infidelity. The protagonists of such grim dramas are known as anti-heroes. But the cult audience that is devoted to these shows does not see them as anti-heroes. They see them as surrogates for their darkest desires. John Wayne is dead. Long live Tony Soprano. The single luminous exception to this revisionist morality was the NBC series Friday Night Lights. Exquisitely written, produced and cast, Friday Night Lights is ostensibly the story of the football-mad town of Dillon, Texas. But the true subject of this superb and riveting series is the marriage of Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler), the coach of the high-school football team, and his wife, Tami (Connie Britton). There has never been a more honest and loving portrayal of marriage and family life in the history of film and television. On top of the family’s constant money woes, Eric, a man of few words, must deal with the insane parents and town boosters who constantly pressure him to win at any cost. He and Tami, who is more social and outgoing, have a daughter in the throes of teenage rebellion and an infant who always needs a diaper change. Their house is too small, their mortgage too large. But they are in this marriage together and, like true Texans, they will endure whatever life throws at them. Friday Night Lights—now cancelled—is about how marriage works and doesn’t work. It’s about love and loyalty, how a decent family endures the endless challenges that are the stuff of life. Perhaps what sets the Taylors’ marriage apart from all the nihilism that passes for entertainment is their faith. Eric and Tami are churchgoing Christians who take their religion seriously. An awareness of God’s presence, says this series, makes a difference in how we live our lives. Sadly, most series on the air and in development are

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unsubtle messages formulated by postmodern Hollywood family, redefining deviance as something to be celebrated. writers, producers and executives. This is no longer mere Identity politics are what drive this trend away from propaganda, but a clarion call for a new national morality. the traditional family. In the new, progressive Hollywood, It is a world where women do not need husbands to raise Judeo-Christian morals are empty vessels and marriage is children, as in Playing House, where the most anticipated redefined according to the whims of the loudest grievmarriage on TV is between two men, as in Modern Family ance group. Today it is militant homosexuals who drive and where the ties that hold the agenda. Tomorrow it will a family together are murbe sharia-yearning Islamists der, rape and plunder, as in demanding sitcoms about Vikings. The protagonists of happy-go-lucky polygamists, The Americans, a Cold War with child brides thrown into drama, are a ruthless but atthe wacky but lovable mix. tractive Soviet couple workPostmodern Hollywood is ing as spies against a landscape of shifting moralAmerica. In the hit Netflix ity where the traditional famseries House of Cards, a ily is seen as a hateful, Washington D.C. power antiquated institution comcouple, played to silkily sinparable to Jim Crow. Gender ister perfection by Kevin is fluid. Numbers are arbiSpacey and Robin Wright, trary. In this new moral callie, cheat and murder their culus of Hollywood’s way into the White House. overeducated, overbred Blessedly, these repugnant elites, family is whatever any American Borgias have chonumber of consenting adults sen not to have children. says it is. But the show’s writers The problem is obvious: if would have us believe that everything is family, nothing theirs is a glorious union. is family. In the new Hollywood lexicon, the family is a unit AND FINALLY: SCREENheld together not by tradiWRITER CLASHES WITH tional family values, but by In the 1970s, TV still produced entertaining, traditional family SCARY HOLLYWOOD gangster ethics. EXECUTIVE, PART III shows such as Happy Days. Photo: Getty Images And of course, the rise of A few years later, I ran so-called reality television into the Scary Executive at a (spoiler alert: the shows are studio screening. She was married, and heavily pregnant. plotted and scripted) has given us The Real Housewives, a Much to my surprise, she was delighted to see me. franchise that celebrates dysfunctional families and revels She said, “I don’t know if you heard, but I married a in stupidity, ignorance and vulgarity. The children of man who converted to Judaism for me.” these narcissistic harridans and their emasculated hus“That’s great,” I said. bands seem doomed. “The thing is, he’s getting serious. Really Jewy. Much It is a relief to note that one family on reality TV funcmore than me. In fact, he’s putting on those little boxy tions within a traditional framework. This is the Robertthingies every morning.” son family in Duck Dynasty, whose members are, not “Tefillin.” surprisingly, devoted and charitable Christians. Naturally, “Whatever. The thing is, he’s also saying . . . it.” the far left has demonized Phil Robertson, the family pa“It?” triarch, as a homophobe because he supports traditional “You know—that prayer thanking God for not making marriage. But Duck Dynasty has such high ratings that him a woman.” A&E has resisted enormous pressure from homosexual I laughed. So did she, a scary studio executive no radicals to cancel it. longer. Sadly, what we find too often in postmodern Holly“Can you believe it? My husband is, like, totally regreswood is a tangle of social, religious and sexual pathologies sive and patriarchal.” being passed off as sophisticated entertainment. I said, “Welcome to Hollywood.” There are several shows in development about marFADE TO BLACK ried lesbians and married gays, plus a sitcom about an adorable soldier who just happens to be transgendered. Listen to Robert Avrech discuss Hollywood’s portrayal of Each of these shows is designed to condition a young genthe family at www.ou.org/life/arts-media/savitsky-avrech. eration of viewers, Skinner-box style, to a new version of 14

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Rabbi'sDiary

By Yamin Levy

THE

RABBI AND HIS

BOARD Ironically, as we went to press, the issue of the relationship between a shul rabbi and his board was thrown into sharper focus. We thank Rabbi Yamin Levy for his perceptive article on this very relevant and timely topic.

In addition to consulting, Rabbi Yamin Levy is the rabbi of Beth Hadassah Synagogue in Great Neck/Kings Point, New York, and head of the Long Island Hebrew Academy. He is the founder and director of the Maimonides Heritage Center in Tiberias, Israel.

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t’s been a quarter of a century since I joined the rabbinate. I’ve earned my battle stripes, and I still believe that a good pulpit rabbi can accomplish more for the Jewish people in the rabbinate than in any other career. And yet, even in the best of circumstances—in synagogues where the rabbi is well-trained and conscientious and the lay leadership is engaged in a professional manner—oftentimes, the relationship between the clergy and board of directors ruptures, causing pain to both the rabbi and his family and splintering the community. And nothing can describe the torment a rabbi experiences when his contract is being negotiated and ratified by a community vote, often giving a platform to every dissatisfied critic. Today a rabbi is expected to be a teacher and a posek as well as a social worker, lifecycle coordinator, mediator, writer and master of ceremonies. [See “The Changing American Rabbinate,” Jewish Action, fall 2013.] He must be a great public speaker, creative darshan and captivating storyteller; being funny is a plus. He must be able to deliver a shiur in Gemara for yeshivah-trained ba’alei batim, a seminar in Tanach for congregants with a literary bent and a lecture on philosophy or Jewish history for those with an academic orientation. Besides mastering halachah, he needs to be an expert in politics, but he can’t be a Democrat or Republican, hawk or dove. He needs to be charismatic with the adults and charming with the youth. He is expected to be a caring husband, father, son, friend and overall role model to the entire congregation. He needs to pursue his own studies and personal growth, always seeking to make himself a better person. The rabbi is expected to be wise like Shlomo Hamelech, but he must stay out of shul politics. I know many rabbis who are all of this and more, so why is it that we hear so often about soured relationships between rabbis and congregations? Recently, a young

rabbi who served a prominent community for more than ten years was told, “We are moving in a different direction; we need a different kind of rabbi.” He was crushed, his family was baffled. He wondered what happened to all the human capital he had accumulated over the years. As many rabbis who have been told “We are moving in a different direction” know, succeeding as a rabbi is complicated. In order to understand the unique challenges a rabbi faces, let us analyze the structure of “healthy” organizations and see how the synagogue organization fits in. In a healthy organization, there are generally three spheres of operation. The recognized leader or founder, whose vision is the raison d’etre of the organization, assumes the first sphere. He is the leader or CEO not only because of his academic credentials and work experience, but because he can articulate the organization’s vision and depict its future most lucidly. His role is to point the way. In fact, he epitomizes, in the way he lives and the choices he makes, the very ideals and core values of the organization. His role is to answer why—why is this organization in existence and why should people invest in it? By passionately articulating the vision and purpose, he becomes a magnet for the organization. The second sphere constitutes people who figure out how the vision is to be implemented. Generally known as “management,” these individuals answer the question how: How are we going to realize this vision with the resources we have? Those in this sphere set goals, prepare budgets, plan programs and hire staff. They research feasibility of programs, identify needs, advertise, publicize and implement. While the leader points the way, management navigates the ship. The third sphere consists of the employees who respond to the what question: What do we do next? Their success is defined by how well they follow directions. They are told what to do and when to do it by the management. The fundamental question is, in which sphere do we place the rabbi? Most synagogues in North

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The fundamental question is, in which sphere do we place the rabbi?

Photos: Erica Berger

America place the rabbi in sphere number three. The board of directors assumes the role of visionary. It creates committees to set policy (management) and it instructs the rabbi regarding what he is expected to do. Blessed is the community whose rabbi and board are completely in sync. When they are not, some rabbis have red lines that they won’t cross, but sometimes if enough pressure is placed on the rabbi, even the reddest of lines don’t help. In some congregations, the rabbi might be in sphere number two, working alongside committees, assuming the role of manager whose purpose is to execute the vision of the board. In this scenario, the rabbi presumably shares the synagogue staff with the president and committee members. Recently, I conducted an unscientific survey and asked ten shul secretaries, “Whom do you work for?” Each said she works for the board of directors or the president—not one said she works for the rabbi. 18

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If this analysis is correct, the breakdown between rabbi and the board makes sense. When a company hires a new CEO, it is the CEO and not the board of directors who dictates the future direction of the company. The CEO was hired because of his or her credentials, experience, understanding of the company’s past and ability to articulate a successful future for the company. Once he is hired, the board hands over the reins to the hired professional. From here on, the board’s task is to assess the CEO’s performance and, in many cases, to raise money. But the rabbi is not a CEO. CEOs justify their means with a bottom line while the rabbi’s is speckled with intangibles. I have heard many capable rabbis wonder if they attended rabbinical school to make flyers, write newsletters and plan dinners. Let us assume a board of directors is necessary for a shul and needs to be active in order to comply with not-forprofit laws and regulations. If this is in-

deed the case, then which sphere is most appropriate for the rabbi? Who sets budgetary priorities? Who determines how the congregation interacts with various local, national and international causes? Can a woman be president? How high is an appropriate mechitzah? The manner in which these and other such matters are decided reflects the deepest values of the synagogue. Should it be the rabbi who decides or the board of directors? Is the rabbi an independent entity or a reflection of the popular vote? Are core issues decided democratically or does the organization’s spiritual leader represent the congregation? When the rabbi teaches Torah, he teaches in the spirit that reflects his deepest beliefs. If he espouses college education, he will introduce secular sources in his shiurim; if he is a Zionist, he will make sure to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut; if he is a mystic, he will weave kabbalistic material into his derashot and if he is a rationalist, he will sidestep superstitious practices. Does the board dictate how and what the rabbi teaches? If not, shouldn’t core institutional issues reflect the rabbi’s teachings? Regretfully, I don’t have any good answers. Ba’alei batim build synagogues for many good reasons and rightfully don’t want to give up control of its direction, flavor and policy. Our most talented rabbis are visionaries whose visions might not always be in sync with that of the synagogues’ founders. It’s a shame so many talented, competent rabbis feel burned out and disappointed by their profession. g

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S T O R Y

Neo-Chassidus Brings the Inner Light of Torah to Modern Orthodoxy BY BARBARA BENSOUSSAN

Photos by Josh Weinberg, unless indicated otherwise.

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Photo: Dov Lenchevsky

C O V E R

A prince once lay dying, and seeing that the doctors could do no more for him, the frantic king sent for a tzaddik known to be a master of medicine. The tzaddik told the king, “There is one cure that might help him. There is a rare precious gem that, if crushed and mixed into a potion, might cure your son. The gem can be found on a faraway island, but there is also one in the center of your crown.” “What good does my kingship serve me if my only child dies?” cried the king. “Take the gem from my crown and cure him!” Barbara Bensoussan, M.A., is a contributing editor of Mishpacha magazine and writes for Jewish Action and other media outlets. She is the author of the young adult novel A New Song (New York, 2006) and the cooking memoir The WellSpiced Life (Lakewood, NJ, 2014), has worked as a university instructor and social worker, and currently writes for Jewish newspapers and magazines.

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his mashal (parable), which comes from the Ba’al HaTanya, the first Lubavitch Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, was offered in response to those who opposed teaching the peninim of Torah in the open. The dying prince represents Am Yisrael, languishing from lack of inspiration; the gem represents the inner light of Torah that can revive him. “From the middle of the eighteenth century, gedolim like the Ramchal [Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto] and the Ba’al Shem Tov began bringing forth the deeper secrets of the Torah,” says Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, mashpia at Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) and the rav of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, New York. “Halachah constitutes the physical life of the Jew, but the soul of the Torah is the potion we need to infuse it with life. Hashem saw that the Jewish people were suffocating, so He sent the Besht [the Ba’al Shem Tov] to revive them and give them a taste of the light of Mashiach.” Despite the fact that the Orthodox world brims with minyan factories, glatt kosher vacation packages, yeshivot and kollelim and a thriving print media, Rabbi Weinberger is concerned. One thing is missing, he says: “the soul.” As he wrote in an essay that appeared in the online journal Klal Perspectives in 2012, “Our communities—spanning the en-

tire spectrum of Orthodoxy—are swarming with Jews of all ages and backgrounds who have little, if any, connection to Hakadosh Baruch Hu.” Many of the off-the-derech youth, he says, are not running away from authentic Yiddishkeit; they simply “never met it.” “There are many out there who may have been shown or taught a version of Yiddishkeit that is dry, that is cold,” agrees Josh Weinberg, a YU musmach who considers himself a neo-Chassid, and is one of many who look to Rabbi Weinberger for inspiration. “They may practice Judaism in their communities [due to societal pressure], but inside, there’s a lot of apathy and [it’s done by] rote. Chances are they were never exposed to this deeper and joyous side of religious observance,” says Josh, who lives in Riverdale, New York, and works as a photographer and videographer for NCSY. Rabbi Weinberger’s outspoken encouragement of a deeper engagement with what he calls “the inner light of Torah” has caused others to describe him as the captain of a growing trend among the Modern Orthodox to reconnect with the spiritual vision of the Ba’al Shem Tov and his disciples and others who delved into this dimension of Torah. Some of the more popular Chassidic texts that appeal to this group include Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk’s Noam Elim-

Editor’s Note: This magazine’s policy has always been to use Sephardic pronunciation, unless an author is known to use Ashkenazic pronunciation. Because in the neo-Chassidic movement Chassidus is referred to as Chassidus, not Chassidut, we felt it was important to spell the word as the movement does. Additionally, please note that many of those interviewed for this article use Ashkenazic pronunciation.

Rabbi Moshe Weinberger’s appointment as mashpia at YU indicates just how deeply the neo-Chassidus movement has impacted the Modern Orthodox world. Photo courtesy of Yeshiva University

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elech, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev’s Kedushat Levi, Rabbi Nachman of Breslov’s Likutei Moharan, the seforim of Chabad Chassidus, including the Tanya, the seforim of Rav Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin and those of the rebbes of Ger—the Chiddushei HaRim (Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Rothenberg Alter), the Sefat Emet (Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter) and the Imrei Emet (Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter), as well as the writings of Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner and Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook. Some adherents take on hitbodedut (meditation), attend tisches and farbrengen (Torah gatherings), immerse in the mikvah, engage in Carlebach-style davening and visit tzaddikim or kivrei tzaddikim (such as Rabbi Nachman of Breslov’s kever in Uman). The Influence Spreads Rabbi Weinberger’s appointment as mashpia at YU last year indicates just how deeply the neo-Chassidus movement has impacted the Modern Orthodox world. “I myself went to YU forty years ago,” Rabbi Weinberger says. “Today, it’s a different world. There’s still the same strong learning, but so many of the boys are thirsting for the life of inner Torah; in Eretz Yisrael, there’s a real sense of excitement in the hesder yeshivos, where the influence of Rav Kook is still felt.” Rabbi Judah Mischel, a former rebbe at Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim and a popular teacher of Chassidus in Israel, maintains that the rediscovery of Chassidic teachings in the Modern Orthodox world is “changing the face of the community.” YU traditionally embraced a more intellectual or Litvish approach to Torah study. Now YU offers weekly shiurim in Chassidic thought, monthly farbrengen with Rabbi Weinberger as well as a Rosh Chodesh musical minyan, all of which represent a dramatic shift for YU. Rebbeim at YU noted the popularity of neo-Chassidus in Eretz Yisrael, where 85 to 90 percent of YU students study before attending the university. “The administration said that if this moves many of our students, let’s give it a try,” stated Rabbi Yosef Blau, senior mashgiach ruchani at YU, in a February 2013 article in Commentator, the YU student newspaper. Rabbi Mischel, a resident of Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel, who is a current student of Chassidic master Rabbi Avraham Tzvi Kluger, defines neo-Chassidus as “people trying to live Yiddishkeit from the inside out, to live more deeply and fully . . . . People today are refusing to be put into boxes. God is One, and His truth can be refracted in many different ways.” Rabbi Weinberger may be the movement’s senior spokesman, but most of the followers are young. “The majority of the people involved with neo-Chassidus are under thirty,” says Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin, an avid follower of the movement who lives in Teaneck, New Jersey. Rabbi Bashevkin, who currently serves as the director of education for NCSY, earned semichah from YU where he completed a master’s degree in Polish Hassidut focusing on the thought of Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin.

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Noting the trend, some Modern Orthodox high schools have begun offering courses on Chassidus. Torah Academy of Bergen County in New Jersey offers an elective called “Introduction to Chassidut.” This past year, the Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston, New Jersey, held a school-wide day-long program on Chassidus which stimulated so much interest in the subject the school decided to offer an ongoing course on Chassidic thought. The popular elective, open to eleventh and twelfth graders and called “Chassidic Thought on Ahavat Hashem,” focuses on studying works from some of the greatest Chassidic personalities, including the Ba’al Shem Tov, the Ba’al HaTanya, Sefat Emet, Kedushat HaLevi, the Piaseczna Rebbe (Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira) and others. While Rabbi Eliezer Rubin, Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School head of school, does not see a mass movement of high schoolers becoming neo-Chassids, he does see a marked interest in Chassidic thought. He attributes this to the impact of the digital revolution. “Everything is individualized nowadays,” he says. “Even religion is individualized. We select our own music, our own games, our own TV shows through Netflix.” Now, he says, you can select your own style of Judaism. Nor is this surge of interest in Chassidus limited to Modern Orthodox Jews in the New York tri-state area. Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn, dean of Yeshiva Yavneh in Los Angeles, says that every few months, a few shuls in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood, a solidly Modern Orthodox part of town, coordinate a tisch. Similarly, classes on Chassidic thought are sprouting all over, such as a class on the Tanya and Netivot Shalom, the work of the Slonimer Rebbe, offered in the Boca Raton Synagogue.

An All-Encompassing Approach Joey Rosenfeld, a twenty-six-year-old enthusiast who used to give shiurim in Chassidus in New York (he recently moved to St. Louis), says that many of his friends found spiritual support in Chassidus when they returned from a year or two of learning in Israel and transitioned back into American life. “They come back after a year of inspiration

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and increased piety, which was easy to maintain in the bubble of the beit midrash, and find themselves among an affluent, modern lifestyle,” he says. “It creates cognitive dissonance: Either you go back to your old lifestyle, or you find new ways to cling to authentic Judaism. Chassidus offers an all-encompassing approach to Jewish life. It includes not only life in the beit midrash, but prayer, dealing with struggles and failures and connecting to God even through mundane activities.” Rosenfeld adds that Chassidus also offers an alternative to the Litvish yeshivah tradition which emphasizes intense learning above all else. “Chassidus encourages people to connect to God in their own unique ways, in ways that make them feel good,” he says. “It’s less elitist. People don’t have to feel guilty about learning bekiut instead of b’iyun, or Tanach instead of Talmud or for picking up a sefer [with an English translation].” Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Weinberg, who teaches and serves as mashgiach ruchani at YU’s Irving I. Stone Beit Midrash program (SBMP), agrees that the Chassidic approach promotes a balance sometimes missing in the yeshivah world. “For most people, it’s not realistic to hear that their only acceptable outlet is sitting in a beit midrash,” he says. “It’s liberating for them to find other means of connecting to Hashem that are authentic and not bedieved. The Litvish and the mussar approaches emphasize yirah and [the] Shulchan Aruch, but that can be [damaging]. The Chassidic approach is softer, more positive. It emphasizes simchah—simchah shel mitzvos, simchah shel chaim. It’s a different vision of what it means to be an ideal Jew.” Rabbi Weinberg came to Chassidus through his brother Josh, mentioned earlier in this article, who studied in Israel about a decade ago under Rabbi Mischel. Through Rabbi Mischel, Josh and another brother became exposed to Chassidic ideas; upon their return, they passed along their enthusiasm to their oldest brother, Moshe Tzvi. “Chassidus has an energy I haven’t seen elsewhere,” Rabbi Weinberg says. “I had no connection to Chassidism as a child in Philadelphia beyond an image of peyos and shtreimels; I had no idea it could be a language of spirituality, of communication with Hashem.”

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Rabbi Moshe Weinberger says that even those raised in Chassidic homes are coming to his shiurim, seeking to reconnect. “For some of them, Chassidus became a way of life, not a fire. Now they’re seeking a new spirit of Chassidism, a rekindling of the fire of the Besht. There are quite a few old-school Chassidim who regularly attend my shiurim.” Roots of a Revival Some credit Reb Shlomo Carlebach as being the first to bring Chassidic-style song and tefillah to the Modern Orthodox world; the first Carlebach minyanim introduced a certain Chassidic spirit and warmth into tefillah. “Many shuls had been having trouble getting a minyan when Carlebach started out,” says Dr. Chaim Waxman, professor emeritus of sociology and Jewish studies at Rutgers University. “His style of davening attracted a lot of people.” Today, neo-Chassidic musicians such as brothers Eitan and Shlomo Katz follow in the Carlebach tradition by offering audiences folksy, often inspirational music and teachings. At YU’s neo-Chassidic Rosh Chodesh minyan, some of the participants bring instruments. Providing sociological context to the neo-Chassidic trend, Dr. Waxman notes that many hesder/Dati Leumi yeshivot in Eretz Yisrael emphasize Chassidic thought, particularly the teachings of Rav Kook, and American students who study there bring home these ideas. American culture, he says, is particularly receptive to them. “American Jews are brought up around the particularly American idea that religion is something that should be meaningful,” he says. “Spiritual seeking is something that has always been a part of the broader American culture. In the past couple of decades, there has been an increased emphasis on the question, ‘What does religion do for me?’” Dr. Waxman says that Lubavitch Chassidism, which he claims is the fastest-growing movement within American Judaism, resonates particularly well among the Modern Orthodox because it has traditionally encouraged participation in the wider world, the pursuit of higher education, and reaching out to less-affiliated Jews. “Today, you have well-regarded intellectuals like Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz and Rabbi Joseph Telushkin producing biographies of the Lubavitcher Rebbe,” he points out. In general, the Modern Orthodox as well as unaffiliated Jews are more likely to connect with more outward-focused Chassidic groups such as Lubavitch and Breslov than with more insular groups. Some young people are aware that their own family trees include Chassidic branches, which generates curiosity about Chassidism that leads to involvement. Those who were inspired by Chassidus in Israel may take on external signs like peyot or a gartel when they return home as a means of distinguishing themselves, as a way of marking the spiritual transformation they felt while in Israel. “The people involved [in neo-Chassidus] are a little unconventional, in the sense that they grew up in the Modern Orthodox world, then come home with peyos and a beard,” says Josh. “The YU world of Rav Soloveitchik and Brisk is very intellectual, and by comparison we may seem hippie-ish; some parents see it as a rejection. But most aren’t rejecting anything.

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They’re seekers who are looking for a deeper connection.” “People are moved by sports and movies,” explains Rabbi Einhorn. “They want to be moved emotionally by religion too.” Thus, it should come as no surprise that women also find neo-Chassidus appealing. One indication of this is the rise in women-only trips to Uman, led by female teachers such as Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky of Jerusalem. These trips do not take place during the intense High Holiday season, when thousands of men flock to Uman; instead, the women tend to go on Rosh Chodesh, seen as a women’s holiday, and especially on Rosh Chodesh Kislev, which has significance for women since the ancient heroine Yehudis helped bring about the Chanukah miracle. Rebbetzin Golshevsky, herself a product of a Modern Orthodox home who considers herself Breslov today, has been teaching Chassidic Torah for nearly twenty years in Israel. Her popular classes attract women from across the religious spectrum. Why do they come? “Oxygen,” she says. “The Jewish world is in serious need of oxygen . . . . There is nothing sadder to me than Jews going through the motions of observance without feeling the passion. Chassidus instills in a lot of people that passion, that fire, for serving God. It’s not that you can’t have the fire without Chassidus, but it sure is harder.” An Unofficial Movement When did this trend first take root? Some date it back about five years ago, when a small group of YU students who recently returned from studying in yeshivot in Israel decided to set up a chaburah to study Chassidic texts during winter break in the basement of a home in Teaneck. Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Weinberg was among those who delivered the shiurim. “That group snowballed into a lot of what’s happening now,” he says. “It became known as The Stollel, which now runs a Twitter feed and maintains continuous learning. Today the minyan [in Teaneck], which meets for chagim and special occasions, attracts hundreds of people—we had to move it from a home to a shul.” “It developed into a sort of underground movement,” says Josh. “Some have even taken to calling its followers ‘neo-Chassidic Warriors.’” But the neo-Chassids from non-Chassidic backgrounds aren’t for the most part moving to Williamsburg or taking on the full Chassidic garb or minhagim. “Neo-Chassidus is turning back the clock 250 years on Chassidism,” Rabbi Bashevkin says. “That was before Chassidic minhagim even existed!” Some neo-Chassids dabble in Chassidic thought and practices, while others engage deeply with them. “Neo-Chassidus is more about a consciousness, not a style of dress,” says Yitzchak, who maintains a blog for the movement and prefers to be identified by his first name only. “The social [aspect] is also an important part of the avodas Hashem—the cohesion of people sitting around a table together at a farbrengen, traveling together to Uman.” According to Rabbi Bashevkin, there’s also a lighthearted side in the movement determined to put the gesh-

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mack [enthusiasm] back into Jewish practice. “There’s a sweetness and a rich sense of humor in the movement, a component which goes back to Rabbi Nachman of Breslov,” he says. “You have The Stollel’s Twitter feed, and another called #UofPurim— Purim happens to be a holiday that resonates well with this movement.” Josh notes that this exuberance has a broad appeal. “A Jew is looking to be connected and the soul needs to be filled with something,” he says. “In a world where there’s so much excitement in nonkosher venues, the movement gives one the ability to fill the soul with holy things, giving young people an exciting way to connect to Judaism.” Proceed with Caution Not everyone is wholly enamored of neo-Chassidus. Rabbi Blau admits that the singing and dancing aspect of neo-Chassidus serves a need for people looking for ways to connect to Judaism in an immediate and emotional way, and allows young men not cut out for intensive study to find alternative outlets. But he worries that all this feel-good activity may be too easy a substitute for rigorous Torah study, especially among a generation with a low tolerance for delayed gratification. “I represent, to a degree, a more rationalist tradition,” he says. “When I was in yeshivah, the ‘best’ students were those who were either the smartest or most willing to persist for long hours in the beit midrash. How do you judge a ‘top’ student of neo-Chassidus? It’s impossible to know at this point if this trend will produce talmidei chachamim.”

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On Chassidus Excerpted from Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Faces and Facets (Brooklyn, 1993), 141.

n the darkest days of Jewish history, Chassidism brought a new hope, a new happiness to millions of people. It brought Judaism to life again, making it meaningful to the masses. The radiance that illuminated two centuries of Jewry may yet have another great purpose to serve. I was once at a conference where it was discussed what kind of Judaism we will have in America 100 years from now. Some people said the trend would be toward Reform. Others said it would be toward the middle, conservative movements. The pessimists said that there would be no problem, given the current rise in intermarriage, for in 100 years, there would be no Judaism at all in America. But one person suggested that 100 years from now, Chassidic Judaism would dominate the American Jewish scene. I would agree. The Chassidic spirit, the Chassidic philosophy, is certainly the up-and-coming thing. Perhaps this is our answer, the missing ingredient which will provide our coming generation with a new kind of Judaism, a turned-on Judaism . . . Maybe we have to get involved in this love affair of the Chassidim, this love affair with God.

Rabbi Moshe Weinberger has his own concerns; he cautions against leaping into the fire of inner Torah without taking certain precautions. “If people jump in too quickly, without proper teachers, it can lead to imbalance and confusion,” he says. “There are many broken people out there looking for a fix. This is a less expensive

high than drugs, but if it’s not grounded in halachah and connected to a living master, it won’t succeed.” Without guidance, the mix of youthful high energy and Chassidic practice can be volatile. “Young people are still finding themselves,” says Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Weinberg. “If there’s nothing grounding [Chassidic practice], it can degenerate into trendy, even silly New Age-style practices.” Activities such as going to Uman or meditation shouldn’t replace traditional learning, but rather add a deeper dimension to it. Rabbi Weinberg illustrates this idea with an image taken from a Chassidic sefer, which describes a father dancing at a wedding with his young son on his shoulders. The fact that the father has

an obligation to be careful about his precious cargo doesn’t detract at all from the joy of his dance. Rosenfeld similarly believes that it’s easy for some to pervert Chassidic concepts of joy, prayer and tikkun olam to the detriment of halachic observance. “As much as it’s a problem to be a vessel with no light, you can’t be light with no vessel,” he cautions. Another adherent, Yitzchak, adds that it’s simplistic to view Chassidic practice as all about prayer and kabbalah, and not about serious learning. “Parts of the Zohar are very dry and technical!” he points out. “Tanya is very complicated—it requires tremendous zitzfleisch [patience]. While on the one hand you have these Chassidic stories about people sitting and reciting the Aleph Bet to show that it’s possible to connect to Hashem on a simple level, the intellectual tradition of Chassidus is very deep and sophisticated.” He adds that it can be just as challenging to be matzliach (successful) in prayer as it is to succeed in learning. Many of the movement’s adherents mention that Chassidic writings predict that in the days before Mashiach there

will be an explosion of meaning in the Jewish world. “Rav Kook, who came from one Chabad and one Litvish parent, wrote that at the end of days there will be a conversation between the followers of the Vilna Gaon and the followers of the Ba’al Shem Tov,” Rosenfeld says. “He said that the students of the Besht will herald the coming of Mashiach.” Rabbi Mischel likewise tells a story that the Besht interacted with Mashiach in the upper chambers of Shamayim (Heaven), and was told that Mashiach will come when the wellsprings of inner Torah spread to the outside. “Rav Kook wrote that ours would be a ‘wondrous generation,’ in which many things will begin happening all at once,” he says. “Ours is a postmodern reality in which there are many options, and many spiritual options.” Until Mashiach comes, we can look to this generation’s revival of Chassidus as a way to comfort and warm the Jewish soul in the trying times before his arrival. Rabbi Weinberger relates that a Mitnaged once challenged the Chassidic master, the Tzemach Tzedek (Rabbi Menachem

Mendel Schneersohn, the third Lubavitcher Rebbe): “What’s the difference between you and me? We study the same Torah and observe the same mitzvos.” “It’s like two chicken soups,” the Tzemach Tzedek replied. “The ingredients are exactly the same. But one is cold— and one is hot.” g

Chassidic Jews dancing at Medzhibozh, Ukraine, on erev Rosh Hashanah. Photo: Andrei Riskin

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Q. & A. with Rabbi Moshe Weinberger

Writer Binyamin Ehrenkranz speaks with Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, the founding rav of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, New York, and mashpia at Yeshiva University, about the rising popularity of neo-Chassidism and the power of the Chassidic worldview.

Binyamin Ehrenkranz: Aish Kodesh was started more than twenty years ago, before Chassidus was as popular as it is today among the Modern Orthodox. What made you think it would be successful? Rabbi Weinberger: The shul was built upon the world of the Ba’al Shem Tov, about which I had been teaching for some years before and which these particular families were interested in. Slowly but surely, more people began to come. It was not that I had a strategy for success. Besides, of course, [learning] Gemara and halachah and all of the basics of Yiddishkeit, this was my personal journey to try to bring myself closer to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and when I met other Jews who wanted to join me on the journey, we fell in love with each other, and then it grew into something bigger than that little group. BE: Were there challenges in the group’s embracing a Chassidic approach to davening and avodas Hashem? RW: I remember the first Friday night. We were renting space from a school . . . . After davening, I said a little

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devar Torah. Then I began to sing. I’m not really very good at that, and it was very hard for me. By nature, I’m very shy. I began to sing, and then I grabbed the closest guys’ hands—both sides—and they looked at me like I was from outer space. And I began that first Friday night dance after davening. This was something that they had never seen before. But I’d say within three weeks there were forty to fifty people pushing to be part of the circle. I find that the Jewish heart very easily melts in the face of divrei Elokim chayim, when it confronts the teachings of Chassidus. As far as [challenges in] implementing more of a Chassidish style of davening . . . . We had to find chazzanim and ba’alei tefillah who would be on board with that. We wanted davening that was filled with song and dance. And, of course, that’s a challenge in a community not accustomed to that. But the people met the challenge, and we’ve been having a ball ever since. BE: What has most likely triggered those who consider themselves Modern Orthodox to become interested in Chassidus today?

RW: I think it’s the same thing that brought the generation in the days of the Ba’al Shem Tov to cleave to him and his teachings. There was a general feeling that God was missing from Judaism, and that the Yiddishkeit that the old generation was serving the young generation was mostly defined by ritual and rote. There was a spiritual vacuum that that generation experienced. There’s a certain humility I’ve seen among the Modern Orthodox, especially the youth . . . they are prepared to acknowledge a sense of spiritual desolation that they’re experiencing. There was and still is a readiness to hear more about Hashem, to find out more about Hashem and develop a personal relationship with Him, as opposed to just keeping a finger on the place in the Gemara and, in a more robotic way, observing the rituals of Judaism; to seek a living relationship with God. This is not to say that’s only possible within Chassidus. But it certainly resonated hundreds of years ago, and it certainly resonates now, especially with young people. I find that people have heard thousands of sermons proving how one pasuk and another can [be reconciled], and explaining whether or not we can eat from disposable tin pans without toiveling them. These are all very important issues. I’m not, God forbid, making light of any of these things. Every detail of halachah is significant. However, there was a feeling that the broader picture of all of these details was not coming together. How do they coalesce? How do they come together to bring me to a greater, more effusive and more intense relationship with Hakadosh Baruch Hu? As Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook wrote many times, the last generation before Mashiach comes will no longer be satisfied with just the details, with just the trees. They will want to be able to see the forest. And whether it’s the teachings of Chassidus, or the teachings of the Ramchal or the Vilna Gaon, when a Jew gets a peek at the breathtaking panoramic view of what it means to be a Jew, he’s very excited and he wants to have a part of it. BE: In some places where Chassidus has been embraced, it seems there is less of an effort to limit materialism. Is that a contradiction to the teachings of Chassidus, or can the two coexist? RW: One of the fundamental principles of the teachings of the Ba’al Shem Tov and his students is avodas Hashem b’gashmi [serving Hashem through the physical], using everything that we have as a means of serving Hashem. Therefore, traditionally, it was not common that Chassidim would learn in yeshivah for extended periods of time—certainly not after they were married. And it was not, and still, to a large extent, is not seen as an embarrassment to have a Chassidic truck driver, plumber or carpenter. Work, and being part of this world, including wealth and all of the

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blessings of this world, are simply other ways that Hashem disguises Himself. And the essence of Chassidus is to dig deeply, and to uncover the Godliness in every single thing that we do. And therefore, [within Chassidus] there was never a contradiction between personal wealth and avodas Hashem. BE: But isn’t there a point at which it’s hard to grow spiritually while pursuing a lifestyle of comfort? RW: It’s all a question of what level a person is on. To delude oneself into thinking that “I’m finding God in the tennis court that I just put into my backyard, or in the indoor pool,” and that somehow “through my fourth Ferrari I’m getting closer to the Creator” is certainly not the intention of Chassidus, nor is it part of Judaism. Therefore, there are great challenges. Unless a person is on a very exalted level, it is extremely difficult to use prosperity as a way of drawing closer to the Creator. Some of the greatest Chassidic tzaddikim had tremendous wealth, such as Rebbe Yisroel of Ruzhin. He lived in a palace and traveled in a golden wagon drawn by white horses. He wore golden slippers, but when he passed away, inside the golden slippers [his followers] found pieces of crushed glass. On the outside he was living a luxurious lifestyle, but it was all a means of serving God. Very few people are capable of that nowadays. Today wealth is just as challenging to the Chassid as it is to any God-fearing Jew. BE: Perhaps the most common criticism of Chassidus is that the experiential overwhelms the intellectual. This seems pretty significant because everyone agrees that Torah knowledge and learning is critical to spiritual growth. How does one negotiate the two? RW: Some of the greatest talmidei chachamim of the past few hundred years were Chassidim, including the Ba’al HaTanya, the Avnei Neizer, the Sefas Emes, the Rogatchover Rav, Rabbi Yosef Engel, the Chiddushei HaRim and the Chassidus has an emotional appeal, infusing Judaism with joy and meaning. Photos: Yeshiva University

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Koznitzer Maggid . . . the list goes on and on. Torah learning was never something that was denigrated, chas v’shalom, among the Chassidim. It was always seen as a tremendous tool in the service of God. However, it was not seen as the only tool, or necessarily the ultimate tool in serving Hashem. Therefore, historically, there were complaints regarding certain groups of Chassidim that were not, perhaps, spending as much time learning as was traditional in other European communities. Nevertheless, in modern times that really, for the most part, is not an issue . . . BE: Isn’t it likely there are a number of people—especially young people—co-opting Chassidus as a shortcut or alternative to intensive learning and shemiras hamitzvos? RW: There’s no question that there’s a very strong emotional appeal in Chassidus. Therefore there are going to be individuals—and I have seen this increasingly taking place— some of whom are less emotionally stable than others, who will naturally be drawn to that part of Chassidus or to those teachings that resonate with the feeling of an emotional emptiness or a lack. This is something that has happened in the past and throughout the history of Chassidus. There is a stronger likelihood of that happening in the Chassidic world than in the non-Chassidic world. Is that a risk? In the non-Chassidic world there are many, many young people who are simply dying from the dryness and the emptiness. Are there going to be some outlandish, strange individuals who are going to latch on to some of the externals of Chassidus, and over-emotionalize and over-dramatize and focus on just small particular pieces of Chassidic teachings? Yes. It’s obvious that that has happened and will continue to happen. But overall, Hashem, through His hashgacha pratis, [ensured that] there has been a balancing over the years. And for the most part, those who are connected to Chassidic rebbes and to Chassidic teachings are as devoted to the study of Torah as anybody else.

BE: For someone who wants to work on growing in his or her spirituality through Chassidus, which sefer is the best place to start?

BE: But even though some people cultivate emunah and really believe in Hashem, they still struggle to connect to the siddur, the same text every time.

RW: Many people in our generation have found that the Nesivos Shalom of the Slonimer Rebbe is a very good starting point. It’s been said that Rav Shach, a”h, himself said that the Nesivos Shalom is the Mesillas Yesharim of our generation. The Slonimer Rebbe is able to give over teachings of Chassidus in a wrapping that is more digestible by those who are not accustomed to Chassidus or kabbalah. Another sefer that is very popular and that’s very [accessible] is the Shem MiShmuel. He quotes a lot from the Maharal and Kuzari, and [draws upon] machshavah [Jewish philosophy], which appeals to those who are more accustomed to yeshivah learning.

RW: The siddur is magnificent. The problem is within ourselves, in our lack of emunah. Certainly we could supplement our davening from the siddur with the practice of hisbodedus [prayerful meditation in which one talks to God in his own words], something the Chofetz Chaim encouraged. Everybody thinks hisbodedus was started by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov—it’s not true. That’s how Jews originally davened [before the siddur was canonized]. They spoke to Hashem in their own words. . . . So one should supplement the davening from the siddur with his own personal tefillos. If a person develops a relationship with Hashem and then revisits the siddur, it’s a whole different world. When you’re in that place, then those words have deep meaning for you. However, if there’s no sense of shivisi Hashem l’negdi tamid [continuous consciousness of God’s presence], then tefillah is meaningless. Unless a person believes deeply that “I’m standing here and God is listening to me,” then whatever new ideas he has about the siddur is just another form of learning. But if he believes with all of his heart shivisi Hashem l’negdi tamid, and he cultivates a relationship with God, then those very same old words become exceedingly beautiful in his eyes and take on the kind of meaning that they were meant to have.

BE: What’s the best way to begin working on bettering one’s davening? RW: I get a lot of calls from all over—not just from throughout the country but from different places all over the world—inviting me to seminars to speak, often for a yom iyun, to explain different concepts in the siddur or in tefillah. And while I’m happy to go, it’s not a matter of another peirush [commentary] on the siddur or explaining [the tefillah], though it’s very valuable to understand what you’re saying. But I believe the basic problem is that there is a huge disconnect between Jews and Hashem—and if you don’t believe that the Creator is a very real presence in your life, then whom are you going to talk to? There’s nobody there. And I think that emunah [belief ] is terribly lacking— basic emunah. To have tefillah that’s meaningful, there has to be emunah that’s meaningful. That’s why I believe there needs to be a widespread revolutionary teaching of emunah and hischazkus [reinforcement] and chizuk [strengthening] of emunah. A Jew who has strong emunah, who believes that Hashem is his father and that Hashem loves him more than it’s possible for any human being to love his child, that Jew is going to want to speak to his Father. But if you don’t believe that your Father loves you, if you don’t believe that He wants to hear from you, if you don’t believe in that relationship and connection, then the best you could do is to come up with some nice chiddushim [novel ideas] to explain the berachos in Shemoneh Esrei. But as far as having real, deep tefillah that’s meaningful, and wanting to daven, what kind of davening can there be? The Koznitzer Maggid said that when a person says “Baruch Atah Hashem,” those words should be k’daber ish el re’eihu, like a person is speaking to his most dear and beloved friend. If you don’t believe that God is your dear, beloved Friend, that He’s your Father and, like the Ba’al Shem Tov says, that He kisses the lips of a Jew as the words of tefillah come out of his mouth—then how are you motivated to speak to Him? You just lose your interest. You feel [as if ] it’s a one-way conversation, and it’s much more fun to go to the Kiddush Club.

BE: If someone wants on his own to begin cultivating that relationship but doesn’t feel he has the tools or even a rebbe, how might he, or even a community together, begin that work? RW: If the individuals are in range of such a person, I’ve often recommended that they seek a teacher who’s familiar with these teachings, who can come and guide them a little bit and learn with them during the week. And then, to begin to have a shalosh seudos together once a month, to get a chevra who want something more than just the old Mizmor l’Dovid and fighting over a schmaltz herring . . . or to replace shalosh seudos with a shiur, to be able to actually gather together and share deeper teachings of Torah, to sing and so on, under the guidance of a person who’s experienced. I’ve seen this happen and I’ve tried to make this happen in a number of communities, [establishing a time and setting] where individuals can go and be guided. Now, thank God, there are other ways of accessing these teachings, online and elsewhere. You’ll see that in every community, in every yeshivah— wherever Jews are—you’re going to find like-minded individuals thirsting for a deeper connection to Hashem. If these people seek each other out and begin to make different times to gather together—like a melavah malkah or shalosh seudos—without in any way challenging the institutions of the community, but just to have private gatherings in their homes, to get together with people who know how to sing and to give over teachings of Chassidus, in a relatively short time that community can be revolutionized. g

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Torah&Technology

By Asher Meir

BY ASHER MEIR

A GENERATION AGO, THE ONLY WAY TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT A PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS PARTNER, EMPLOYEE OR SHIDDUCH WAS TO INQUIRE AMONG ACQUAINTANCES. TORAH-EDUCATED JEWS HAD A STRONG AWARENESS THAT THE TORAH PUTS WELL-DEFINED LIMITATIONS ON THE KIND OF INQUIRIES THAT CAN BE MADE—LIMITATIONS DESCRIBED AT LENGTH IN THE SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM BY RAV YISRAEL MEIR HAKOHEN OF RADIN. TODAY, THE FIRST PLACE FROM WHERE WE ARE INCLINED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION IS THE INTERNET. THERE WE FIND A WEALTH OF INFORMATION—ARTICLES, SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, BLOGS, ET CETERA. ARE THESE SOURCES OF INFORMATION SUBJECT TO THE SAME HALACHOT AS PERSONAL INQUIRIES? THIS IS WHAT I HOPE TO EXPLORE IN THIS ARTICLE.

THE GOSSIP AND THE SPY The main prohibition against gossiping, as indicated in the Chofetz Chaim, is based on the following verse in Parashat Kedoshim (Vayikra 19:16): “Don’t go about as a rachil among your people; don’t stand idly by the blood of your fellow. I am Hashem.” According to Rashi, the word rachil is a variant of the root rigul, meaning “to spy.” Rigul is the same word used by Yosef when he accuses his brothers of being spies (Bereishit 42:9), by the spies sent by Moshe to scrutinize Yazer (Bamidbar 21:32) and by those sent to scout out Rabbi Asher Meir is a senior lecturer in economics at the Jerusalem College of Technology. He is the author of The Jewish Ethicist (New Jersey, 2003) and Meaning in Mitzvot (Jerusalem, 2005). He writes and lectures frequently on the application of Jewish law and ethics to contemporary ethical dilemmas in the marketplace.

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the Land of Canaan (Devarim 1:24). The relationship of rachil to rigul should come as no surprise. One who gossips is, in fact, spying on others. A gossip, though, goes one step further: he reports that which he has seen. Rambam seems to adopt the same approach (Deot 7:1): One who spies [meragel] on his fellow transgresses a negative commandment, as it is written: “Don’t go about as a rachil among your people.” In short, the Torah seems to liken gossiping to spying. The spy of yesteryear has evolved to a large degree into the cyberspy of today. The term cyberspy—computer spy—evokes someone like Edward Snowden, a computer expert involved in the ultra-secret National Security Agency program that collects computer metadata on hundreds of millions of people. But how does the Torah regard one who spreads private information about

a friend or neighbor on Facebook, Twitter or an instant messaging platform such as WhatsApp? With regard to the halachic issur of “spying,” the only real difference between now and the time of Matan Torah is that the potential for harm is multiplied when gossip reaches the Internet, where it can easily “go viral.” HALACHAH AND THE CYBERSPY It’s pretty obvious that spreading private information is equally forbidden whether it is over a cup of coffee or over a social network. A more interesting, and potentially controversial, question is: Can merely gathering information be considered forbidden “spying” from a Torah perspective? Consider the following scenario: An individual anonymously posts information that is quite private. He uses fictitious names and carefully omits or alters identifying information. But a

skilled cyber detective can use IP lookup, Google Analytics and other tools to, in many cases, unmask the blogger’s identity. Perhaps the same thing can even be achieved by piecing together scattered bits of information via intensive and tenacious use of an ordinary search engine. (To continue the espionage analogy, this approach is sometimes called the “mosaic” technique—numerous pieces of information, innocuous in and of themselves, provide new information when they are assembled into a larger picture, like a mosaic.) A classic example is the NSA’s use of “metadata” to identify possible wrongdoers. A single “metadatum” would be: John Doe telephoned Richard Roe at 3 PM on a certain day. This information is not particularly revealing. But detailed analysis of the entire pattern of a person’s phone calls or web visits can be extremely revealing. Intuitively, it seems obvious that trying to uncover an anonymous individual’s identity would be wrong. To see why, consider the following parallel. Everyone knows that reading someone’s diary is an invasion of privacy. But imagine you find an anonymous diary, with no identifying information, in some public place. You take interest in reading about the private details of a total stranger. As of now, you have not engaged in any spying since you have no idea who the person is. What happens if you now begin intensive detective work to determine the author? The location of the diary, the handwriting, the style, et cetera—with concerted effort, a skilled detective could discover the author. Discovering the author’s identity after reading the diary is hardly different from reading the diary after knowing who the author is. Likewise, disclosing the identity of an anonymous blogger is like disclosing the author of a diary. But does such “detective work” constitute a violation of the Torah? At first glance, it would seem that there is, in fact, no halachic problem. First, when one engages in such research, he is revealing information only to himself. Both Rashi and Rambam, when discussing the issur of gossiping, address the transgression of disclosing one’s findings to others. Neither mentions spying per se as a violation—the violation is revealing that which one

has discovered. Rashi writes of someone who “goes among the houses of their friends to spy what negative things they see or hear, in order to tell it in the marketplace.” Similarly, Rambam writes, “Who is a spy? One who hears words and goes from this one to that one, saying, ‘This is what so-and-so said, this is what I heard about so-andso.’” Thus, according to both Rashi and Rambam, the prohibition is not in finding out the information but in revealing it to others. Second, a web search only discloses publicly available information. In halachah, a gossip refers to one who intentionally goes into people’s houses to observe them and then reports what he has seen. Thus, seeking out information that is readily available to the public would not seem to constitute the halachically impermissible act of gossiping. Despite these arguments, I believe that engaging in a web search that discloses private information not available from a casual “Googling” is a halachically questionable activity. Why is this so? First, there are those who maintain that gossiping does not only apply to disclosing information to others, it also applies to disclosing information to oneself. When asked about reading someone else’s private letter (something prohibited to Ashkenazim under the ban of Rabbeinu Gershom), Rabbi Yaakov Hagiz, in his well-known responsum of the seventeenth century, writes that this would be a transgression of rechilut. “What difference does it make if he goes about as a spy to reveal something to someone else or to himself?” (Hilchot Ketanot 1:276). Rabbi Hagiz’s ruling relates to the outcome of the act: becoming cognizant of someone’s private information. According to Rabbi Hagiz, it is rechilut, as there is no difference between revealing something to others and revealing something to oneself. Second, the argument that the information is easily available to the public is refutable. For this, I draw from the laws of hezek reiah—damages through seeing. A protracted discussion in the first chapter of tractate Bava Batra concludes that hezek reiah—defined as being in a position to scrutinize the pri-

vate activities of a neighbor—is considered a kind of damage or tort, which the offending neighbor must take steps to prevent. The gemara (Bava Batra 6b) objects that an offending neighbor could claim that passersby are ultimately able to see the same kind of activities that he is required to take steps to avoid seeing. The gemara answers with the justification of the protected neighbor, among them: “Passersby see me only if they look carefully; you see me in any case.” On this basis, the halachic authorities draw a distinction between casual seeing—which is not considered harmful—and scrutinizing or actively looking. For example, the Rema (SA, Choshen Mishpat 144) writes explicitly that one must take precautions not to look (lehistakel) into his neighbor’s house; it is understood that occasionally he will see what goes on there. The hezek reiah approach focuses on the process—snooping around in someone’s private domain—irrespective of the outcome. Both of these sources can be applied to the case of the weblog. The case discussed by Rabbi Hagiz is essentially identical to that of reading someone’s diary, so clearly he would view it as forbidden. I think it is obvious that scrutinizing someone’s diary would likewise cross the line from casual “seeing” to “looking.” What about the cyberspying example cited above? According to Rabbi Hagiz, it is clear that the outcome is revealing a person’s private information and would therefore be forbidden. What about the process? I think it makes sense to distinguish between a routine Google search or visit to a person’s Facebook page and a determined, sophisticated use of powerful online tools which cross the line from casual “seeing” to “looking” online and would therefore be forbidden. The example I used is an extreme one of utilizing seemingly public information and powerful online tools to disclose the identity of a blogger who has taken pains to maintain his privacy. But my belief is that there are many lesser examples where legitimate curiosity can easily cross the line into unwitting cyber-transgression. g

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Torah&Technology/ By Gil Student

Top Ten Online Torah Resources I used to be a regular visitor to the New York Public Library’s Dorot Division, consulting its vast collection of rabbinic texts with the assistance of its expert librarians. While I treasure the memories of the many hours I spent there, I have not actually stepped foot into a library in ages. As long as I have a Wi-Fi connection, I don’t need to. Over the past twenty years, Torah visionaries have stealthily turned the Internet, considered by many parents, educators, rabbis and spouses to be the biggest danger to Orthodox Judaism into its biggest resource. These bold pioneers, generally volunteers or working for

YU Torah started in 2006 as a repository for lectures in RIETS, the yeshivah affiliate of Yeshiva University. Rabbi Marc Spivak put his large personal collection of lecture recordings online, joining YU’s Center for the Jewish Future to continue growing the selection. It was a modest project that over the years has vastly expanded into an enormous database of text and audio of anything Torah related from YU and beyond. Now maintained by Rabbi Robert Shur, under the guidance of Rabbi Kenneth Brander, YU Torah contains recordings of many of the daily Talmud classes at RIETS, special lectures and events and videos when available. It has a whole section of journals from the present going back in history and a number of innovative projects such as the holiday Torah-to-Go booklets. You can follow the daily classes of your favorite YU rosh yeshivah, read or hear the parashah insights of rabbis from around the world, keep up with any of a number of Daf Yomi classes or easily find material on the topic of your interest by top-notch scholars. I cannot emphasize enough how much information this resource provides. With a selection of over 90,000 classes, my main problem is finding the time to read and listen to everything I want.

The Marcos and Adina Katz YU Torah Online YUTorah.org

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not-for-proﬁt organizations, saw early on the potential of this global ﬁeld and seeded it well so that it now yields incredible harvest. Thanks to their efforts, and their benefactors, you can now access tens of thousands of Torah lectures and sefarim for free on your computer, tablet or phone. There are so many resources that everyone has his or her own list of favorites. What follows is my own brief list. I suggest readers log onto the Jewish Action web site (www.ou.org/jewish_action/) and add their favorite resources in the comments.

Hebrew Books, Ryzman Edition HebrewBooks.org

This is my primary library. In 1998, Chaim Rosenberg began scanning Hebrew books published in America and placing them online. Since then, Hebrew Books has expanded beyond American books and contains over 50,000 sefarim from a number of libraries, including the massive Lubavitch library in Crown Heights. Some authors even send their new sefarim for inclusion. Visitors can read a sefer page-by-page online or download the entire book as a single file. Browsing the selection is somewhat difficult, but if you know which sefer you want, Hebrew Books probably has it. Many sefarim have even undergone OCR, which means that they are not just images but words you can search, copy and paste. Responsa, commentaries, historical prayerbooks, different printings of the Talmud, Hebrew journals—these are just a sampling of some of the content available. There is also a section on Rambam, where you can choose a halachah and easily navigate a wide variety of commentators, and a Daf Yomi section, in which the daily Talmud page is accompanied by a large selection of commentators. Hebrew Books is a research library and a fully stocked beit midrash combined, all available for free download. Rabbi Gil Student is book editor of Jewish Action.

OU Torah Ou.org/torah/

The OU’s Torah web site is a forum for new material—text, audio and video—intended for students of all backgrounds. Popular teachers explore the weekly parashah and contemporary topics with expertise that is still accessible to a vast audience. The range of topics is quite broad, including Jewish ethics, the Daf in halachah, responsa of Rabbi Akiva Eiger and more. It is difficult to describe the variety of resources in generalities, so I will highlight three areas I personally find interesting. Every day, Rabbi Moshe Elefant, COO of OU Kosher, teaches a Daf Yomi class via webcast. This is an extremely popular class, with participants from varied backgrounds and locations. Where else can you find a leading expert in practical halachah teaching Daf Yomi across the globe? Several times throughout the year, OU Torah hosts the OU Kosher posekim for a question-and-answer webcast. This is a unique opportunity to hear questions across the spectrum of Jewish dietary practice directly from the leading experts on kashrut. There are always surprises in these webcasts. One of my favorite features is the writing of Rabbi Jack Abramowitz, editor of the site. Unassuming and humorous, Rabbi Abramowitz has a knack for simplifying the most complex topics without diluting the message. His series on Nach and on the 613 commandments were rip-roaringly funny while still replete with substantive insights. He recently started Moreh Nevuchim, and has been successful applying his unique perspective to one of the most obscure and complicated Jewish texts.

For over a decade, Rabbi Judah Diament has singlehandedly served as the conduit of origiTorahWeb nal Torah insights Torahweb.org by YU rabbis. Rabbi Diament assembled seven top rabbis to serve as his rotating columnists: Rabbi Tzvi Haber, Rabbi Yaakov Neuburger, Rabbi Hershel Schachter, Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky, Rabbi Mayer Twersky, Rabbi Mordechai Willig and Rabbi Benjamin Yudin. Every week, Torah Web publishes an original essay on the weekly parashah. Additionally, Torah Web organizes occasional lectures on relevant communal topics and then publishes the lectures as audio and videos. Torah Web also publishes special essays on important topics.

VBM—The Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash of Yeshivat Har Etzion Vbm-torah.org

In 1994, Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush) began email correspondence courses on a variety of Torah topics. Taught by experienced scholars, these free courses were serious and often innovative explorations of Tanach, Talmud, law and thought. VBM’s long-time director and editor-in-chief, Rabbi Ezra Bick and Rabbi Reuven Ziegler, respectively, have maintained the project’s quality and relevance. VBM was there from the beginning of the worldwide web, making the archives of these classes—currently numbering over 10,000—available to even nonsubscribers. Instructors include—but are not limited to—faculty of Gush and its affiliate, the Yaakov Herzog College, which has been the center of innovative Tanach study. Many other scholars are also on the site and a number of series have since been published as books. Particularly noteworthy are the translated lectures on special topics from Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein and Rabbi Yehuda Amital. What distinguishes VBM is its sophistication. Every controversial topic of the day, as well as many noncontroversial subjects, has been explored from multiple angles, utilizing the greatest Torah tools and contemporary thought. This web site is a treasure trove of Modern Orthodox halachah and hashkafah (thought).

Three things make Torah Web an essential resource. First is its knack for tackling head-on the most vexing communal problems. Whether tuition, shalom bayit, women’s role in religion, the annulling of marriages or any other issue that is on the communal radar, Torah Web addresses it in a timely fashion. The second is consistency. Torah Web has maintained a track record of substantial stamina, regularly exhibiting relevance for years. It has therefore accumulated an impressive library of Torah insights and important social commentary on our religious community. Third, and most important, is the stature of the contributors. They are among the leading halachic authorities and rashei yeshivah of the Modern Orthodox community. Their insights and statements have a special significance for our community. Torah Web is a long-standing reliable source of Torah guidance.

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Daat In 1997, Dr. Yehuda Eisenberg opened the Daat web site which quickly became one of the largest onDaat.ac.il line repositories of Hebrew texts. Now maintained by Herzog College, Daat is an Israeli library of Jewish tradition. Carefully categorized, the web site contains books and essays on Jewish subjects throughout history. Unlike similar web sites, Daat converts most of its material to web pages in text format, making usage—particularly searching, copying and pasting—much easier. Daat has obtained permission to post otherwise copyrighted translations of classic Arabic sefarim, such as Rabbi Yosef Kafach’s edition of Rambam’s Moreh Nevuchim. It also contains many recent Religious Zionist texts that are otherwise unavailable in most of the world, such as Heichal Shlomo’s annual synagogue calendar. It is a little difficult to navigate, but well worth the trouble.

In 1998, Mechon Mamre launched its web site. Technologically, it is fairly simple. It contains primarily Hebrew texts of the Bible, Mishnah, Mechon Mamre Talmud and Rambam. It also Mechon-Mamre.org has an English Bible translation and allows users to see Hebrew and English side-byside, which is what I prefer for my writing. Mechon Mamre was an Internet pioneer, coming onto the web scene relatively early with a classic Internet philosophy—give people something that they need in a simple way. With little budget, the web site maintains excellent quality of texts, using Yemenite editions and meticulously screening for errors. It is a wonderful example of a simple idea that is executed well and therefore serves as an important resource for online texts.

Wikitext He.Wikisource.org

Classic Jewish texts are not owned by anyone. In theory, you can put up the entire Shulchan Aruch online without violating copyright laws. While an individual alone may lack the time and stamina to enter all that text, hundreds of people can each type small amounts to complete the online version. Wikitext harnesses the power of the masses to increase Torah access. Classic texts are indexed and individuals are encouraged to type in the text. Other users can correct mistakes, thereby (hopefully) yielding an accurate text. So far, a wide variety of Biblical, Talmudic, halachic and commentarial texts have been completed with a number of others in progress. There is much more work to be done. But once completed, the text is online for all to use.

Sefaria takes the crowdsource idea much further. It is a bold attempt to create a multilingual, interlinked Torah library. I will attempt to describe it, but you can only fully understand the concept by seeing it. If you go to any chapter in the Bible, you can choose to Sefaria see it in Hebrew, English or both. In a side window Sefaria.org are commentaries. Verse by verse, every midrash or Talmudic text that quotes the Bible appears in that window along with every commentary and Medieval philosophical work that cites the text. When available, and based on the language setting, English translations of all these secondary texts will also appear. When Brett Lockspeiser and Joshua Foer started Sefaria, they envisioned it as more than just a vast encyclopedia of Jewish texts. The web site takes the library concept beyond anything a written text can provide. In theory, this can also be done for Talmud and commentaries, for halachic texts and responsa, for midrash and homiletics. I have a book called Gilyon HaShas HaShalem, which includes photocopies of every obscure text that Rabbi Akiva Eiger cites in his glosses to the Talmud. Sefaria can do this for every gloss anywhere in Jewish literature and interlink them all into one giant text. In 1988, Rabbi Meir David Ben-Shem published Torat HaRambam, a collection of every time Rambam quotes a verse from the Bible in any of his writings. Sefaria aims to provide this for every commentator and codifier. Sefaria is in its infancy. It is still acquiring texts and crowdsourcing English translations. Much work has yet to be done, but the initial results are very promising.

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Google Israel www.Google.co.il

Sometimes all you need is a good old-fashioned web search. Google Israel provides an online Hebrew keyboard so you can easily search the Internet for Hebrew terms. You can limit a search to a specific web site by including the following in your search: “site:ou.org” (replace “ou.org” with whatever web site you are searching). As with any general search, most of the results will be irrelevant. But among the myriad of hits will be exactly what you are looking for.

Bayla Sheva Brenner is senior writer in the OU Communications and Marketing Department.

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Michoel Jakubowicz, the author’s father, photographed at his bar mitzvah in Sieradz, Poland, 1930. From left to right: The bar mitzvah boy’s mother, Bayla Sheva (nee Kochman), for whom the author is named; the bar mitzvah boy; sister Chaya Sarah; brother David Leibish (standing); Chaya Sarah’s husband Gabriel Henechowicz; younger sister Ita Miriam and father, Hersh (Hersz) Yosef. Everyone except Michoel and David was murdered by the Nazis.

My mother’s death brought to life a disturbing realization. Although she will always be the precious woman I call “Mommy,” I never really knew her. During shivah, I spoke about how she survived the Lodz Ghetto, Auschwitz and a death march, broken and alone. But I lacked a sense of who my mother was as a person—her dreams, her hopes, what her family was like (her father, mother, sisters), the color of her life before the

The author’s great-grandparents, Yoel and Ita Miriam Kochman, who lived in Pabianice, Poland.

black, unspeakable horror. I carried the same longing about my father, also a survivor, who passed away eight years earlier. With parents who spoke little about their painful pasts, I had a skeletal knowledge of my ancestry. I had resigned myself to a constant undercurrent of disconnection. Until recently. In the deafening quiet that followed shivah, I felt a growing hunger to connect to my parents and to their families. I contacted anyone who had known my parents prior to and after the Holocaust, dredging up long-forgotten names. I searched the Israeli online directory and phoned anyone who had the same last names as my parents, asking if we are related. After several attempts, I found Cousin Judy. In 1937, my father’s uncle fled Europe with his wife and seven daughters; the eldest had an infant, named Judy. My excited phone call to Judy led to many other finds. I entered a wondrous new world of names and faces. I’ve called, e-mailed and Skyped cousins I never knew existed a short month ago, identifying faces in shared photos, traveling back and forth through generations. I felt my world expand. The whirlwind continues. I’ve joined the growing population of those hooked on genealogy. Most genealogy addicts start out curious about their family history. As they find the missing pieces to their ancestry puzzle, the hobby turns into an obsession. With the plethora of genealogy web sites offering data going back hundreds of years, and the availability of DNA testing kits, family researchers can conduct their detective work without having to leave the house. But what’s really pulling them back in time? According to Eviatar Zerubavel, professor of sociology at Rutgers University and author of Ancestors and Relatives:

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“. . . the entire experience of Jewish history is, in essence, an overview of family history. This is as personal as it gets.” Genealogy, Identity, and Community, individuals who are busy reconstructing their family’s past are not merely keeping track of their ancestral history; they’re refining their identity.

Coming Home to the Past Arthur Kurzweil, an original member of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS), and author of From Generation to Generation: How to Trace Your Jewish Genealogy and Family History (first published in 1980), concurs. “I didn’t only want to know my ancestors’ names; I wanted to know who they were,” says Kurzweil, who began his search in 1971. He not only discovered hundreds of relatives, he found his place in Yiddishkeit. Like much of the youth in the late sixties, Kurzweil The Kurzweil family in Dobromil, Poland (ca. 1925). Fourteen out of the twenty-one people in the photo were murdered during the Holocaust. Arthur Kurzweil’s great-grandfather, Avraham Abisch Kurzweil, is in the center; Arthur's father, Chaim Shaul (Saul) Kurzweil is sitting on the ground, second from right. Photo courtesy of Arthur Kurzweil.

aligned himself with the “counterculture,” the Beatles and Eastern religions. At one point, Theodore Bikel, a popular Jewish folk singer of that era, visited Kurzweil’s college campus, and surprised his audience when he urged the college students to look into their Judaism. Kurzweil took him up on it. He knew there had to be more to his heritage than what he had learned in Hebrew school. “I wanted to learn why my ancestors died for this,” he says. For the first time in his life, he entered the Dorot Jewish Division of the New York City Public Library. He combed the card catalogue for Dobromil, the Polish shtetl where his father was raised, about which he had heard

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dozens of captivating stories growing up. His initial search brought up genealogical gold in the form of a Memorial Book of Dobromil. (Memorial books or Yizkor books recollect Jewish communities from Eastern Europe, and were typically created after the Holocaust by societies of immigrants from the same town. They often include maps, photographs, narratives and lists of Holocaust victims.) Kurzweil’s doubts about finding a face he would recognize while perusing the book shattered as he sat stunned, staring at a group shot of Dobromil businessmen taken in 1925. In the second row from the bottom, fifth from the left, sat his greatgrandfather, Avraham Abisch; the ancestor he had been named for stared back at him. “I looked at his eyes and saw mine,” says Kurzweil. “‘You have a past,’ [the photo] said, ‘a past and a history, and you can discover it if you want.’ The discovery opened up the door to a search that has taken me many years and that, I am happy to say, offers no end in sight,” he says. He contacted every family member he knew; he made phone calls, wrote letters, paid visits—all the while asking questions, gathering information. He sent out questionnaires with return envelopes. He scoured phone directories as well as census and immigration records. After seven years of grueling detective work, he had built a substantial family tree including great-great-great-grandparents with close to 500 of their descendants. Kurzweil found himself steadily drawn into the world of his ancestors. He began dreaming about them. “I felt as if I was living in a different place and time,” he says. Newspapers interested him less than the historical accounts of Galicia. He collected old photographs of his ancestors in the shtetl, making their experiences his own. Behind many of the people posing in photographs, there were shelves of

books. When he learned that these books were the Talmud, the central text of the Jewish people, it struck a deep chord. The feeling only intensified while researching his mother’s family history. A childhood memory relayed by his mother’s Slovakian cousin forever transformed how Kurzweil would see himself. The cousin told him, “Every time I didn’t behave, the adults would yell, ‘This is no way for the einekel of the Stropkover Rebbe to act!’” Kurzweil asked him who this rebbe was. The cousin didn’t know. “I only know they said it every time.” He discovered that the rebbe, Rabbi Chaim Yosef Gottlieb of Stropkov, born in 1794, was his mother’s greatgreat-grandfather, and a descendant of the Shelah HaKadosh (Rabbi Yeshaya Horowitz), the revered sixteenth-century scholar of kabbalah. “Here’s an assimilated kid, growing up in East Meadow, New York, going to public schools and knowing more about Buddha than the Torah,” says Kurzweil. “I didn’t know it when I began my research, but . . . my search for information about my family history was really, at its core, a yearning for Jewish identity.” For ba’alei teshuvah like myself, the search for one’s ancestors offers a gratifying sense of connection and validation that we can’t experience with our living relatives who are secular. Learning about the challenges of assimilation in our families’ pasts also drives home how our return to Torah impacts Jewish history and the Jewish future.

“I found little bits and pieces that led me to people in the family I never knew. I don’t have a big close family; they became my family. For me, every little bit [of family] I discover is like a gem.” At the next family reunion in 1997 at a hotel in Skokie, Illinois, Silver asked relative after relative if he or she knew where her great-grandparents were buried. Her cousin Jack handed her a piece of paper; it included the name of the cemetery, the words “Shavel-Yanover” and her great-grandfather’s grave number. She shared her find with the Orthodox rabbi with whom she spent that Shabbat, who told her that Shavel and Yanover are names of Lithuanian towns. He offered to take her to the cemetery the following day. The next day, she stood before her great-grandfather’s gravestone in the Shavel-Yanover section of the cemetery and recited Tehillim. The rabbi recited Keil Malei Rachamim. “It was captivating,” she says. “We felt like we had a foot in another world.”

Salvaging Lost Links Jeanie Silver’s genealogical pursuit began in the late 1980s. Upon returning to the States after two years of study at Neve Yerushalayim, a women’s kiruv institution for Jewish studies in Jerusalem, Silver, who lives in Brooklyn, New York, received a photo from her cousin. The photo, which the cousin obtained after attending a family reunion, featured a very religious-looking couple: her great-great-grandparents. It spurred Silver to start investigating where she came from. Silver familiarized herself with public archives and records, finding clues to her great-grandparents’ countries of residence via their American descendants’ death and draft board records. “There was something very comforting to me in connecting to my roots,” says Silver.

Sieradz survivors in a DP camp in Landsberg, Germany, circa 194647. Note the memorial plaque in the background dedicated to those murdered in the Polish town of Sieradz. Seated second row, fourth from the left, is the author’s uncle, David Leibish Jakubowicz; his younger brother Michoel, the author’s father, is seated, same row, second from the right. Next to Michoel, third from the right, is his wife, Mala (Malka), the author’s mother. Photos courtesy of Bayla Sheva Brenner, unless indicated otherwise.

As with my search, Michael Salzbank’s interest in mining his family’s history began while sitting shivah for his mother. His journey to the past gleaned valuable life lessons from an ancestor he barely knew.

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Rummaging through old files and papers in his parents’ attic, Salzbank, from Queens, New York, unearthed a treasure trove of genealogical information left behind by his maternal grandfather, Joseph Freiman. Two suitcases, untouched for thirty-six years, held piles of old letters, invitations, mailing lists, newspaper clippings and a handwritten timeline of Freiman’s life, beginning with his birth in 1886. “He clearly wrote and saved all of this for this moment in time,” says Salzbank, “when a descendant would come and want to learn about his ancestry.” Salzbank found a letter dated 1919 that his grandfather had written to his relatives shortly after he arrived in the US from Russia, strongly urging them to keep in close touch with cousins and to help one another. He sifted through self-published newsletters from the 1940s, about and for the family. From yellowed newspaper clippings he read about his grandfather’s fight to help his son who had contracted polio. His grandfather gave up his profession in order to learn physiotherapy and opened up clinics to help others affected by the disease. Salzbank’s grandfather not only saved every letter he received, he also carbon-copied those he sent out. Names of aunts and uncles, dates of family yahrtzeits and locations of burial sites were written on scrap paper. The information-laden suitcase started him on his journey to creating a family tree that has grown to 2,800 names, with third cousins across the globe. He’s fulfilling his grandfather’s wish to keep in close touch with family, even if it means keeping them alive in memory.

A Father’s Plea I’m venturing into the lives of the family I never knew; with each photo and story told, I can feel them enter my own life. I’ve come to appreciate my ancestors’ daily struggles with poverty, anti-Semitism and the lure of assimilation. I find myself longing to let each of them know how deeply I care.

My sisters and I have begun emptying out our parents’ home. I’ve requested to keep an old postcard that my father had held onto until his death. It was written by his father sometime in the early 1940s in the midst of rising Nazi terror when he had lost contact with his son, my father, then twenty-three. At the urging of his parents, my father fled east from the Polish town of Sieradz, away from the approaching German troops. Unfortunately, my father was captured. The night before the Germans planned to execute him, he scaled a wall and ran toward Soviet-occupied Poland. The Russians arrested him and sent him to a Siberian labor camp. My grandfather’s postcard was a desperate plea to help find his son. Not long after sending it to an acquaintance, my grandfather, along with most of the Jews of Sieradz, was murdered by the Nazis. I asked one of my recently discovered cousins to translate my zaide’s German words on the postcard. He e-mailed the following: Dear Strykowski, I beg you to make inquiries concerning my son Mulush Jakubowicz as to where he is, because we don’t know what to think. We are going around like ??? from worry. I beg you ???? and when you find him tell him to write to me. I ask you again to employ all possible means because it is weighing on us very much as we have had no mail from him for the last six months. When it is possible, write to me his [address??] as we live not far away. With best regards, Hersz Josef Jakubowicz Kramergasse (??) #7 Sieradz My heart broke for my zaide; I wish I could have comforted him. Perhaps, all these years later, I am. I am keeping the Torah that he held onto so tightly, that he hoped would continue.

Uncovering Family Faces of past relatives lay before me on my desk. I stare at the photo of my greatgreat-bubby, the mother of my father’s mother, Bayla Sheva (my namesake). It’s the first time I’ve ever seen her face. My eyes meet hers, so penetrating and kind. Somewhere along the family line, sons and daughters cast off Yiddishkeit. I can no longer ask them why. I wonder if my alte bubby knows I’ve made my way back to her and to the life she cherished. The gemara in Masechet Berachot states that the departed are aware of what happens in this world, especially our good Postcard sent from Hersh (Hersz) Yosef Jakubowicz while searching for his son Michoel (Mulush), the author’s father.

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“I didn’t know it when I began my research, but . . . my search for information about my family history was really, at its core, a yearning for Jewish identity.”

Experienced tour guide and Yeshiva University Alumnus Yitzchak Schwartz walks students through the footsteps of their grandparents in the inspection halls of Ellis Island as part of YU's Family Discovery Club's first event. The Family Discovery Club is a club for students at YU interested in researching their personal family histories. Photo: David Kabinsky/Yeshiva University

deeds, my newfound second cousin in Yerushalayim, a fellow ba’al teshuvah, tells me. I’m sure my ancestors are pleased. I’m now speaking regularly to their great- and great-great eineklach (grandchildren) in America, England and Eretz Yisrael, and I hear there may be some in Wales and Berlin too! We got to wish each other, via phone, e-mail or Skype, a “shanah tovah” for the first time in our lives. It’s hard to describe the excitement one feels when uncovering family. Salzbank likens sharing one’s findings with friends to showing family movies—“it’s of limited interest to others.” Silver posits that there are two kinds of people in the world: “those who love genealogy and those who could care less.” Kurzweil says that although over the years his children humored his obsession, they’ve also learned to respect and appreciate his search. “If a teacher

mentioned the Shelah HaKadosh, they would say, ‘Abba, guess who[m] we talked about today?’ They feel a connection and great pride.”

From Microfilm to Mainframe Before the advent of high technology and the mass databasing of public records, tracing one’s ancestry took a lot more time, footwork and perseverance. Gary Mokotoff, one of Jewish genealogy’s pioneers, says the Internet has revolutionized how one goes about conducting family research. “What used to take a trip to Bayonne, New Jersey, to a branch of the National Archives, spending half a day cranking microfilm, is now available in minutes on your computer.” In 1995, Mokotoff, publisher of Avotaynu, the International Review of Jewish Genealogy, and author of an array of books and guides on

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Genealogy 101 How to Research Your Roots Document everything you know about your family—names of your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins; dates and places of births, marriages and deaths. Talk to relatives—the oldest ones first, in every branch of your family. The people in your family can offer you the most information. Books, archives and databases can wait; people cannot. Record every interview. Look through artifacts—such as ketubot, family photo albums, Kiddush cups, tefillin, candlesticks, as well as passports, citizenship papers, birth certificates, old letters and family documents. Artifacts often include engraved names and dates. Check phonebooks for relatives. The New York Public Library Research Library has every available telephone book in the world. Many foreign books have English editions. Research family records—such as birth, marriage, death, divorce and census records. The best guide to these records can be found in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services booklet Where to Write for Vital Records, available from the U.S. Government Printing Office or from its branch offices around the country (check locally). Often, parents’ names are included on marriage and death certificates. Check census records. The National Archives in Washington, D.C., and the regional archives branches of the National Archives have all of the Federal Census records from 1790 to 1920 on microfilm. Many local libraries have different parts of the federal census. Look through synagogue archives—including birth, circumcision, bar mitzvah, marriage and death records. Join a Jewish genealogical society. There are more than fifty in the United States; seventy worldwide. To find the one closest to you, go to www.iajgs.org/members/members.html Read—From Generation to Generation: How to Trace Your Jewish Genealogy and Family History by Arthur Kurzweil (San Francisco, CA, 2011) and Getting Started in Jewish Genealogy by Gary Mokotoff (New Haven, CT, 2014) provide the basics of how to do Jewish genealogical research. Make use of online resources—JewishGen is the largest presence of information and networking for Jewish genealogy on the Internet. The myriad discussion groups allow you to post questions about your ancestry and see announcements and answers to other questions that may help you in your research. Registration is required but there are no fees. JewishGen Family Finder at www.jewishgen.org/jgff/ will help you determine which other genealogists in the world are researching your family names and towns of ancestry. JewishGen’s Online Worldwide Burial Registry (JOWBR) provides a database of more than two million names and other identifying information from cemeteries and burial records worldwide. Geni or MyHeritage allow you to build a family tree at no charge. Yad Vashem’s database of Holocaust victims at db.yadvashem.org/names/search.html?language=en is also an excellent resource. Perseverance – your most important tool for your journey back. Based on information from genealogists Arthur Kurzweil and Gary Mokotoff

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the subject, took advantage of online databases to research his mother’s side of the family. He now has over 1,750 relatives on his family tree. Currently, thousands are accessing family histories on Internet databases every day. One of the most popular of these databases is JewishGen, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York. Starting out in 1987 as an online bulletin board, a place for people to network and share their research findings, JewishGen has grown to more than 700 volunteers throughout the world who actively contribute to its growing number of databases, resources and search tools. At this point, JewishGen boasts more than 20 million records and provides a myriad of resources and tools to assist those researching their Jewish ancestry. Unlike other such sites, JewishGen offers its services free of charge, stating that its mission is solely to encourage the preservation of Jewish heritage. “There’s a huge interest in what we do,” says Avraham Groll, director of business operations for JewishGen. “For some, it’s a hobby; for some, it is a hobby that has turned into something more meaningful. For others, it’s a way of preserving the memory of those killed. We believe this is something people should be able to access.” Thanks to the Web, the obsession has gone global, as individuals on several continents research their roots together, exchanging information about towns and surnames online. Some join JewishGen’s Special Interest Groups (SIG), designated by region or culture. The Jewish Genealogical Society, Inc. (JGS), founded in New York in 1977, has grown to over eighty societies worldwide. Many devotees get to meet face-to-face at the Annual International Conference on Jewish Geneology, coordinated by the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS), an umbrella organization launched in the 1980s. People have traveled to Paris, London and Jerusalem to attend. The thirty-fourth conference, held this past July in Salt Lake City, featured over a hundred concurrent lectures and welcomed close to 1,400 participants. “You could hold it in Anchorage, Alaska, and get people to come,” says Mokotoff, who has been to all but two throughout his long genealogical career.

Some are actually turning genealogy into a profession. Sarina Roffe is a member of Brooklyn’s Syrian Jewish community and the owner of Sephardic Genealogical Journeys, which specializes in helping members of her community research their family history. Currently working on a book about Rabbi Jacob S. Kassin, chief rabbi of the Syrian Sephardic community in Brooklyn, Roffe was able to trace his ancestry back twenty generations to before the Spanish Inquisition. “It’s like putting together a puzzle. You try to put all the pieces back to form a complete picture,” says Roffe, who is on the board of JewishGen, has spoken at Jewish genealogical conferences and writes extensively on Sephardic lineage. “People say to me, including my own family, ‘[Why] are you bothering with this, what do you need it for?’ But, as years pass, everyone thanks me for it. We go to a shivah [house] and the first thing they do is ask, ‘When was this person born? When was that person born?’ I just pull out the family tree and all the information is there. Knowing where you come from is one of the most important things.”

The New Generation Apparently, you’re never too young to start looking back. This past year, Yeshiva University welcomed the Family Discovery Club, a group of youthful, enthusiastic Jewish genealogists. Binyamin Lewis, twenty-two, of Woodmere, New York, founder and president of the club, began his family search at twelve, upon a dare. When questioning the validity of his grandfather’s assertion that they were descendants of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev, a revered Chassidic leader in eighteenthand nineteenth-century Poland, his zaide responded, “Okay, big shot, why don’t you go find the proof?” Lewis was off and running. He used online databases, exchanged e-mails with others researching the same family names and towns and read Arthur Kurzweil’s book on genealogy four times. After many personal discoveries, including research that “strongly suggests a family connection to the Berditchever Rebbe,” he found a cousin who traced his family back to the 1700s in Latvia. Ten years later, he’s still smitten with genealogical research and wants to share the excitement. “I realized that the entire experience of Jewish history is, in essence, an overview of family history. This is as personal as it gets,” says Lewis, who launched the club with Moshe Wasserman, whom Lewis calls, “the only other person at YU who is just as obsessed with Jewish family history as I am.” Thus far, the YU club, which includes students from Stern College for Women, has held well-attended events geared to teach students how to research one’s family history. The group visited Ellis Island and initiated a “Preserve a Shul Day” on the Lower East Side, where members photographed memorial plaques in the long-standing shuls for JewishGen.org to transcribe and feature as a search option. “You have to know who your family is,” says Lewis, who is still very active in his own search. “Students see

people denying the Holocaust and wondering about the role of Israel in the world. They’re realizing that they don’t really know about their Jewish past.” When speaking to YU’s Family Discovery Club at its inaugural event this past March, Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Weinberg, mashgiach ruchani in Yeshiva University’s Irving I. Stone Beit Midrash Program (SBMP), emphasized that knowing where one comes from is actually a mitzvah in the Torah. In Parashat Ha’azinu, the Torah tells us, “Zechor yemot olam binu shenot dor va’dor, she’al avicha v’yagedcha, zekeinechah v’yomru lach, Remember the days of yore, understand the years of generation after generation. Ask your father and he will relate it to you, and your elders and they will tell you” (32:7). The Ramban on Parashat Va’etchanan says our link to Hashem Himself is through the awe-inspiring chain that goes back to Har Sinai. As long as we preserve that chain and understand our place in it, it is a direct link to God Himself. As my mother reunites with the family she missed for a lifetime, I’m continuing to learn about the lives that led to mine. I’ve reclaimed bubbies, zaides, aunts, uncles and cousins. I feel them rooting for me; I’ve restored the broken link to Torah. I too am grateful—my newly discovered ancestors have given me a spiritual anchor. I miss you, Mom. g

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ReviewEssay

Reviewed by Gil Student

New Science, Same Torah New Heavens and a New Earth: The Jewish Reception of Copernican Thought By Jeremy Brown Oxford University Press New York, 2013 416 pages Torah, Chazal and Science By Moshe Meiselman Israel Bookshop Publications New Jersey, 2013 928 pages

ou might have thought,1 based on the plethora of Orthodox scientists and doctors, that the conflict between Judaism and science had been resolved decades ago and is no longer a source of controversy. I thought so, but I learned how wrong I was. Over the past decade, the controversy arose again from opposite corners. On one side, the 2004 ban placed on books addressing these issues, books that would otherwise have been interesting but hardly newsworthy, showed that the Chareidi community was engaged in an intense struggle over these issues.2 On the other, the brief takeover in subsequent years of general culture by militant atheists, now thankfully muted, placed all orthodox religions in the crosshairs of societal disparagement. It almost seems as if the centuries-old negotiation between reason and revelation will continue indefinitely. Heavenly Revolution Jeremy Brown’s New Heavens and a New Earth: The Jewish Reception of Copernican Thought documents one aspect of this ongoing discussion. In a groundRabbi Gil Student is book editor of Jewish Action.

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breaking 1543 book De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres), Nicolaus Copernicus proposed that the planets revolve around the sun (heliocentrism), rather than the dominant theory of Ptolemy, that the sun and other planets revolve around the Earth (geocentrism). Copernicus’ radical theory neatly explained various anomalies observed in the sky, but it lacked definitive proof and was subject to a number of questions that could not yet be answered. Copernicus’ theory was hotly debated in Christian Europe, both for scientific reasons and, particularly significant for our purposes, religious reasons: it seemed to contradict explicit verses such as “[A]nd the Earth

stands forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:4) and “Sun, stand still over Gibeon” (Joshua 10:12) and for Jews, numerous Talmudic passages. Later advocates, such as Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei, spread the theory widely, but no one conclusively proved it for centuries. In 1838, Friedrich Bessel resolved the big outstanding questions on Copernicus’ theory, and in 1853, Leon Foucault demonstrated the Earth’s motion with a simple pendulum experiment, now commonplace in museums. Yet for some rabbis, the matter was not settled by demonstration. In a sweeping review of Jewish literature, Brown presents the surprising argument that Jewish responses to the Copernican Revolution were not linear. Brown’s survey is careful and sober, comprehensive while allowing historical figures to speak independently, without being pigeonholed. Contrary to common wisdom, Jewish sages and scholars did not immediately accept Copernicus’ view, nor, as one might expect, slowly adopt it as evidence for it increased. History is not that simple. Rather, due to varying personalities and cultures, both adoption and rejection came quickly, continuing in tandem for centuries.

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Science and the Sages Rabbi Hershel Schachter, rosh yeshivah at Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and OU posek, speaks with Jewish Action about the conflict between Torah and science.

Jewish Action: Did the Tannaim and Amoraim learn science from the Torah or from the scientists of their generations? Rabbi Hershel Schachter: The Gemara says in the first chapter of Bechoros that just like the Sages had rules regarding how to derive halachah from the Torah (middos shehaTorah nidreshes bahen), they also had rules about deriving science from the Torah. We don’t even know how to use the rules for halachah, let alone for science. But the Tannaim did. However, this does not mean that they learned all their science from the Torah. They clearly also relied on the scientists of their time, as we all do. Sometimes this means that they relied on what was later discovered to be the scientific mistakes of their time. JA: If halachah is determined according to Talmudic science and contemporary science disagrees, should the halachah change? RHS: A great-grandson of the Chasam Sofer who was the rabbi of Klausenburg, Rabbi Moshe Shmuel Glasner, wrote a commentary on Chullin called Dor Revi’i. His introduction to this sefer is really an introduction to the entire Torah Shebe’al Peh, the Oral Torah. He discusses this issue, which the Ramban raises. The first mishnah in Horayos says that if the beis din hagadol, the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, rules incorrectly and you know it is wrong, you are not allowed to follow this ruling. However, Rashi on Chumash quotes the Sifrei who states that you have to follow the Sanhedrin even if they mistakenly say that right is left. How does one deal with this contradiction? The Dor Revi’i thinks that the answer is the following: If the rabbis make a mistake regarding scientific information but in their generation it was accepted as correct science, then the ruling is binding even though we live in a later generation and we know that the science is incorrect. But if even in their generation the science was known to be incor-

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rect, then the ruling is not accepted. I don’t think this approach makes sense. Wrong is wrong! I think that we have to follow the approach of the Tannaim and Amoraim. They followed the latest scientific developments of their time. Similarly, in every generation, we have an obligation to follow the scientific consensus. Rav [Yosef Dov] Soloveitchik once said at a Chag HaSemikhah that we shouldn’t rush to change the halachah because scientists can change their minds. Halachah needs to be around for a long time. But if many years pass and something is accepted as a scientific fact [which contradicts halachah], then we need to reconsider the halachah. Maybe the halachah was established even if that scientific reality is not correct. While the Talmud seems to say that one may kill lice on Shabbos because they do not reproduce but generate spontaneously, Rabbi Moshe Tendler frequently says that spontaneous generation is not an underlying principle of this halachah. Lice reproduce differently and that is what the Gemara means. That is why there is no prohibition to kill lice on Shabbos. Similarly, regarding worms in fish, the Gemara says they are kosher because they were generated in the fish. But we now know that they came from outside the fish. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach explains that this means that the worms were not visible to the naked eye until they grew in the fish. That is considered as if they were generated in the fish. But if there is a halachah that is clearly based on a [scientific] mistake, that you cannot interpret differently and is outright incorrect, how can you continue observing it? It’s based on a mistake. We believe in Torah min HaShamayim— it’s a Divine code. If there is a mistake, it’s a man-made mistake. HaKadosh Baruch Hu doesn’t make mistakes. Interview by Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin, the director of education for NCSY. Rabbi Bashevkin is completing a doctorate in public policy at The New School in New York.

Tradition and the Solar System Maharal, writing only a few decades after Copernicus’ publication, was the first Torah sage to even allude to this new approach to astronomy. He argued that Jewish tradition—something that science cannot overturn—affirms the old Ptolemaic approach; revelation trumps reason.3 However, you would be wrong to think that the Maharal argued without sophistication. He formulated an early version of what Brown calls fallibilism, the argument that scientific theories are unstable, subject to overturn by later scholars. To the Maharal, it would be irresponsible to reject a reliable tradition due to a scientific theory that is fundamentally unfixed. The Maharal lived in Prague where one of the leading astronomers, Tycho Brahe, practiced. Tycho, as he was called, rejected Copernicus’ Revolution and formulated his own theory to account for the data. The Maharal’s student, Rabbi David Gans, even spent extensive time in Tycho’s observatory. When Rabbi Gans also rejected Copernicus, he was following one of the leading scientists of the day, whom he knew personally.4 On the other hand, a few decades later, Rabbi Yosef Delmedigo (known as the Yashar from Candia) embraced Copernicus’ radical views. He also studied under a famous astronomer, but of a different bent. In university, Rabbi Delmedigo’s professor was none other than Galileo.5 And yet, Rabbi Tuviah Cohen, another disciple of Galileo, was virulently anti-Copernican.6 Throughout the years, we encounter rabbis on both sides of the Copernican question. Even after the convincing demonstrations in the mid-1800s, rabbis such as Rav Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin still adopted the Maharal’s idea of fallibilism, skeptically rejecting Copernicus’ heliocentric model.7 Yet, as Brown demonstrates, the consensus has clearly sided with Copernicus. Despite some holdouts, the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, most prominent among them, even Chareidi scholars adopted the heliocentric model.8 Whether it is the force of evidence or long-standing persistence, the Copernican model has prevailed and revelation has been reinterpreted. Today, few would contend that the Bible and Talmud prevent Jews from believing that the Earth revolves around the sun. Rather, we interpret those seemingly problematic passages differently or, aside from those in the Bible, reject their scientific assumptions. Science and Scholars The debate over science and tradition continues to this day. Rabbi Moshe Meiselman’s recent book, Torah, Chazal and Science, presents a comprehensive approach from the school of fallibilism. Like the Maharal, he argues that science changes; theories that were once considered proven are later displaced. If so, how can we base religious views on questionable science?

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Additionally, Rabbi Meiselman argues that any time the Talmudic Sages made an unqualified statement about nature, they were relaying a prophetic tradition. Certainly a Divinely revealed fact cannot be disputed by a human theory, subject to challenge and inevitable replacement. With this established, Rabbi Meiselman addresses a plethora of contemporary hot topics. Torah, Chazal and Science is a veritable encyclopedia of Torah-science debate, addressing a wide variety of primary sources, many of which the author quotes verbatim in footnotes. Rabbi Meiselman addresses issues such as evolution, the age of the universe and the Sages’ knowledge of science. He eloquently presents a conservative approach, denouncing as unacceptable a revisionist reading or a rejection of traditional texts. It includes comprehensive and informed arguments for rejecting science when it conflicts with religion. Rabbi Meiselman bases his approach on the responsa of the thirteenth-century Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet (Rashba) and the fourteenthcentury Rabbi Yitzchak ben Sheshet Prefet (Rivash). As already mentioned, there are also distinct parallels between the Maharal’s negative response to Copernicus and Rabbi Meiselman’s reaction to evolution, an ancient universe and more. Both adopt the approach of fallibilism and argue that the Sages silently based their views on a revealed tradition. Effectively, Rabbi Meiselman takes the Maharal’s approach and applies it broadly and methodically. Historical Debate If Rabbi Meiselman had only done that, he would already have accomplished a great deal and contributed significantly to the literature. However, he goes further, boldly arguing that no authority has ever disagreed with this approach. This leads him to make an assortment of difficult interpretations and questionable statements. For example, he argues at great length about the illegitimacy of a letter attributed to Rabbi Avraham ben HaRambam, known as “The Essay on the Sages’ Derashot,” in which he famously asserted that the Sages occasionally relied on

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their contemporary science which was sometimes incorrect.9 This approach is very different from Rabbi Meiselman’s, that unqualified statements of fact by the Sages are based on revelation. Rabbi Meiselman responds by carefully cataloguing the manuscript evidence for this letter which was first published in 1836, ultimately yielding little evidence of inauthenticity, and deducing positions from the letter which he claims contradict statements by Rambam. I found the entire exercise unconvincing.10 As a further challenge, Rabbi Meiselman points out that only one halachist, Rabbi Yitzchak Herzog, has quoted this letter as part of a halachic ruling.11 This may be true, but the standard is surprising. Because this is largely a theoretical issue, shouldn’t the question be whether halachic authorities have quoted it in a nonhalachic context? The answer to that question is yes.12 Rabbi Meir Leibush Weiser (the Malbim) was one of the great Torah scholars of the nineteenth century.13 On a few occasions in his groundbreaking and widely accepted Torah commentary, he reinterprets verses contrary to accepted tradition due to advances in scientific knowledge. For example, on Bereishit 1:6, Malbim rejects earlier explanations of the term “rakia” based on the scientific understanding of his time. Instead, he suggests the word means “atmosphere,” connecting it to the theory of ether that was current in his time.14 Earlier, on Bereishit 1:2, he rejects the ancient notion that fire is above all other elements and explains that fire is omitted from that verse because the sun had not yet been created. Rabbi Menachem Kasher castigates the Malbim for rejecting the Sages’ view based on scientific opinions.15 The Malbim serves an important precedent for those who would revise established understandings of the Torah based on contemporary science. Rabbi Meiselman dismisses such attempts, albeit without mentioning the Malbim, with the statement: “The explosion of scientific knowledge in the nineteenth century presented continual problems for the Torah scholars of the day . . . . In the face of these chal-

lenges, some may have felt compelled to concede the imperfectness of Chazal’s factual knowledge.”16 I find the Malbim’s stature and precedent more compelling than the dismissal. If this view is so theologically problematic, no amount of pressure could have forced such a sage to adopt it. Rambam is often quoted as a “religious rationalist,” someone who accepted the best science of his time rather than defer to Jewish tradition. As proof, many note Rambam’s omission of many Talmudic rulings that some would attribute to superstition or faulty science.17 These include laws referencing demons and amulets, which no rationalist can accept at face value. Rabbi Meiselman responds, in part, by discussing Rambam’s contradictory statements about amulets, in which sometimes Rambam implies they are effective and other times not. Rabbi Meiselman follows the Rashba’s approach but struggles with the Radbaz’s interpretation. Radbaz, the great sixteenth-century Egyptian halachic authority and commentator, contends that Rambam did not believe that amulets work, and explains the various passages in Rambam’s texts accordingly. Rabbi Meiselman dismisses Radbaz’s approach because “the rejection of his interpretation by virtually all other commentators casts serious doubts upon it.”18 Yet, a review of the literature reveals that Radbaz’s view is indeed cited throughout the ages.19 Rabbi Nissim Gerondi (the Ran) analyzes Talmudic passages in which questioning the Sages is denounced.20 Rabbi Meiselman sees in the Ran’s position support for his approach, declaring: “In his view questioning the Chachamim even in non-halachic areas is a form of kefirah [heresy]. It is the obligation of every Jew to accept everything Chazal have told us, regardless of the subject.”21 However, the Ran qualifies his discussion, specifying that only someone who questions a tradition, something revealed and transmitted throughout the ages, or doubts a Scriptural derivation has demonstrated a limited faith. This position is much narrower than that which Rabbi Meiselman advocates. Everyone involved in this discussion agrees that a revealed tradition is necessarily true.

The question remains whether all unqualified Talmudic statements of fact are based on tradition, as Rabbi Meiselman claims, or whether sometimes the Sages accepted their contemporary science as fact. There is much more to discuss in this rich volume but space restrictions force me to raise only a few examples. The next and last is quite important communally. Contemporary Debate Rabbi Meiselman is so strident in his view that he implies that his esteemed uncle, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (“the Rav”), would label anyone who disagrees a heretic. In a landmark lecture,22 the Rav asserted that anyone who questions the morality or personality of the Sages has denied the Oral Torah by rejecting its transmitters. Rabbi Meiselman suggests that this also applies to anyone who questions the Sages’ factual claims, including their scientific understandings. Rabbi Meiselman states about the Rav, “In his view, whoever denies the absolute accuracy of a statement of Chazal, whether of halachic, historical or other import, is a makchish maggideha [one who denies the authority of the Sages] and is considered a heretic.”23 With some effort, this could be interpreted to include Rabbi Avraham ben HaRambam’s view. However, if I understand the book properly, the context for Rabbi Meiselman raising the issue implies his belief that the Rav would consider a heretic anyone who accepts the view that the Sages sometimes relied on their flawed contemporary science for unqualified factual pronouncements. This is a bold claim, particularly since Rabbi Meiselman did not hear the Rav actually say it. Indeed, Rav Ovadia Yosef engaged this very question and concluded that such a person is not a heretic.24 Similarly, regarding Copernicus, two students of Rabbi Moshe Sofer (the Chatam Sofer) published books on the subject, one ardently against Copernicus and the other in favor. Yet the Chatam Sofer’s son and successor, Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer (the Ketav Sofer), gave approbations for both books. Apparently, he did not consider such an approach religiously problematic.25 I found this assertion about the Rav so surprising that I consulted close students of the Rav to see if they agreed with this judgment. Rabbi Dr. Aaron RakeffetRothkoff, rosh yeshivah and professor of rabbinic literature at Yeshiva University’s Caroline and Joseph S. Gruss Institute in Jerusalem, found Rabbi Meiselman’s suggestion implausible. He said: “I never spoke with the Rav about Torah and science, but based on all I know of his worldview I find it highly unlikely that he would consider someone makchish maggideha for believing that some factual statements by Chazal relied on their contemporary science.”26 While Rabbi Meiselman follows the Maharal, others side with those who were more accepting of Copernicus’ view. Rabbi Yehudah Levi, rector of the Jerusalem College of Technology (Machon Lev) and longtime writer on issues of Torah and science, serves as a prime example of this approach.27 In his book Torah and Science:

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Their Interplay in the World Scheme, Rabbi Levi quotes Rabbi Avraham ben HaRambam as well as other scholars whom he believes adopted the view that the Sages sometimes relied on contemporary science. He writes, “When making scientific statements, the Sages are usually speaking as scientists rather than transmitters of the Oral Torah.”28 In theory, the distance is fairly small between Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Meiselman. Both agree that revelation is more powerful testimony of truth than scientific proof. Both agree that the Sages were absolutely correct when they utilized revealed traditions. Additionally, both agree that the Sages sometimes relied on the limited science of their time. The disagreement lies in classifying the Sages’ unqualified statements. Rabbi Meiselman argues that they are traditions while Rabbi Levi believes they need not be. In application, though, the most hotly contested issues lie precisely in this disputed area. The age of the universe, the evolution of man and animals and the scientific statements in the Talmud all fall into this category. To Rabbi Meiselman, any conciliatory movement is religiously disastrous, while to Rabbi Levi, there is room for discussion.29 Both Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Meiselman present eloquently argued positions, supported by precedent. In Brown’s book, we see that this passionate debate has continued for centuries. Yet he leaves room for hope, a potential for reconciliation. Just as a consensus eventually emerged over Copernicus’ view, perhaps we may one day see agreement on other issues of Torah and science. g Notes

1. I thank Efraim Vaynman for his research assistance with this article. 2. I describe the ban and my role in opposing it in “The Slifkin Torah-Science Controversy: An Admittedly Biased Insider’s Perspective,” the Jewish Press, August 16, 2006. 3. Maharal, Netivot Olam (Warsaw, 1873), Netiv HaTorah, ch. 14; Jeremy Brown, New Heaven and a New Earth: The Jewish Reception of Copernican Thought (Oxford, 2013), 47-49.

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4. Rabbi David Gans, Nechmad VeNa’im (Jessnitz, Germany, 1743), ch. 305, 82b; Brown, 60. 5. Rabbi Yosef Delmedigo, Sefer Elim (Amsterdam, 1639); Brown, 69-73. 6. Rabbi Tuviah Cohen, Ma’aseh Tuviah (Venice, 1708); Brown, 89-96. 7. Zeh Sefer Zichronot (Warsaw, 1929), Meshiv HaTa’anach, 130; Brown, 211-212. 8. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson has a unique, sophisticated view. Among the Chareidi supporters of Copernicus are Rabbi Yonah Merzbach, “‘VeHa’aretz LeOlam Omedet KiPeshuto Shel Mikra O Rak LiPnim” in Ohr Yisrael (New York, 2010) 15:3 (59), 10-16; Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, Emunah VeTorah (Bnei Brak, 1979) on Yesodei HaTorah 3:4, 8. See also Brown, 256-259; 266-269. 9. Published in the introductory section of Ein Ya’akov (Vilna, 1877 and subsequent editions) and in Rabbi Reuven Margaliot ed., Milchamot Hashem (Jerusalem, 1959). 10. In his doctoral dissertation “A Comprehensive Analysis of Rabenu Abraham Maimuni’s Biblical Commentary” (Brandeis University, 2012), the late Rabbi Ezra Labaton shows how the letter fits well into the entire corpus of Rabbi Avraham’s writings. The dissertation is available online at RabbiLabaton.com. See pages 127-138, 247, 254, 267, 270, 286. Note, in particular, page 236, note 641, where he points out that Rabbi Avraham sometimes disagreed with his illustrious father. See page 1, note 1 for a lengthy bibliography of scholarship on Rabbi Avraham. It is significant that no scholar prior to Rabbi Meiselman has questioned the authenticity of this letter. On parallels within Rabbi Avraham’s writings, see also Rabbi Mordechai Menachem Hoenig in Ohr Yisrael (24), 248-249. 11. Rabbi Moshe Meiselman, Torah, Chazal and Science (New Jersey, 2013), 101. 12. Rabbi Shaul Yisraeli, Perakim BeMachshevet Yisrael, 5th edition (Jerusalem, 1996), 299ff; Rabbi Nachum Rabinovitch, Yad Peshutah, Madda (Jerusalem, 1990); Hilchot Dei’ot, ch. 4, introduction; Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, Halachah BeYameinu: Morashtah, Limudah Hora’atah VeYisumah (Jerusalem, 2010), 115; Rabbi

Shlomo Aviner, Piskei Shlomo (Beit El, 2013), vol. 2, 272-273; Id., Chayei Olam (Beit El, 2004), 166; Id., Chinuch BeAhavah (Beit El, 2004), 397; Rabbi Chaim David Halevy, Aseh Lecha Rav (Tel Aviv, 1975), vol. 5, no. 49; Rabbi Yitzchak Barda, Yitzchak Yeranen (Bnei Brak, 1981) 5:33; Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Weiss, VaYa’an David (Jerusalem, 1992), vol. 4; Yoreh De’ah 82:8; Rabbi Moshe Levi, Menuchat Ahavah, 3rd edition (Bnei Brak, 1992), vol. 3, addenda to part 3, 18:6; Rabbi Eliezer Ben-Porat, No’am Eliezer (Bnei Brak, 2002), 177 n. 9. Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach is quoted in Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Lerner’s Shemirat HaGuf VeHaNefesh, vol. 1 (Jerusalem, 1992), 94 as saying that Rabbi Avraham Ben HaRambam’s view is a “yesh omrim,” a minority view, which he certainly would not say about a view he considered heretical. Similarly, Rav Ovadia Yosef in Yabia Omer (vol. 10, Yoreh De’ah, no. 24) disagreed with Rabbi Avraham Ben HaRambam but accepted the authenticity of the view. Note also that Rabbi Moshe Levi writes that Rav Ovadia Yosef brought Rabbi Avraham’s essay to his attention. Rabbi Yosef Zechariah Stern, in his Tahaluchot HaAggadot (Warsaw, 1902), ch. 3, summarizes portions of Rabbi Avraham Ben HaRambam’s controversial essay, although in chapter 6 he seems to implicitly disagree regarding science. While not known as a halachist, Rabbi Yehudah Levi quotes the letter of Rabbi Avraham approvingly in Torah and Science: Their Interplay in the World Scheme, 2nd edition (Jerusalem, 2006), 223-224 and The Science in Torah: The Scientific Knowledge of the Talmudic Sages (Jerusalem, 2004), 93-94. Similarly, Rabbi Moshe Zuriel quotes the letter in his Otzrot Gedolei Yisrael (Jerusalem, 2000), vol. 1, 98 and Leket Perushei Aggadah (Bnei Brak, 2010), vol. 1, 11; see also his Otzrot Abarbanel (Bnei Brak, 2012), 295-296. 13. See Rabbi Nathan Kamenetsky, The Making of a Godol, improved edition (Jerusalem, 2005), 1115, in the name of Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik. 14. However, he attempts to read this view into rabbinic texts, thereby rejecting only Medieval commentary for scientific reasons.

15. Malbim, HaTorah VeHaMitzvah, Gen. 1:2, 6; Rabbi Menachem Kasher, Torah Sheleimah, vol. 1 (Jerusalem, 1926), n. 331. For more on the Malbim’s attitude toward science, see Rabbi David Berger, “Malbim’s Secular Knowledge and His Relationship to the Spirit of the Haskalah,” in Cultures in Collision and Conversation (Brighton, MA, 2011); Noah H. Rosenbloom, HaMalbim: Parshanut, Philosophiah, Mada Umistorin BeKitvei HaRav Meir Leibush Malbim (Jerusalem, 1988), ch. 4. 16. Meiselman, 359-360. Although elsewhere (p. 270) he praises theMalbim. 17. See Marc Shapiro, Studies in Maimonides and His Interpreters (Scranton, 2008), 95ff. 18. Meiselman, 85. 19. See Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai, Birkei Yosef, Orach Chaim 301:6; Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Braun, She’arim Metzuyanim BaHalachah 92:5 in Kuntres Acharon; and Rabbi Yosef Kafach, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Shabbat, ch. 19 n. 33. See also Bi’ur HaGra, Yoreh De’ah 179:13; and Rabbi Chaim Elazar Shapira, Nimukei Orach Chaim 301:3. 20. Derashot HaRan (Jerusalem, 1977), ch. 5 alternate version, 89. 21. Meiselman, 635. 22. Based on ideas previously published in the journal HaPardes 17 (5704): 10. 23. Meiselman, 655. See also 657-658. 24. Yabia Omer, ibid. 25. Rabbi Meiselman (p. 172) states that the issue of heliocentrism is different from the issues he addresses but provides no conceptual explanation. He merely states that great rabbis were on both sides of the debate. Interestingly, he cites Rabbi Yaakov Emden as being pro-Copernicus based on one passage in his writings. However, Brown (158-161) argues based on a comprehensive review of Rabbi Emden’s writings that he was generally anti-Copernicus, although midlife he equivocated somewhat. Be that as it may, there were certainly other great rabbis who were pro-Copernicus. 26. Correspondence dated May 28-29, 2014. 27. Surprisingly, Rabbi Meiselman heaps praise on Rabbi Levi, apparently unaware that they disagree fundamentally on these issues. Rabbi Meiselman (165-166) writes about Rabbi Levi: “It was his profound belief in the Torah’s wisdom and Chazal’s insight that prompted him to conceive of directions for further experimentation. . . .” 28. Yehudah Levi, Torah and Science: Their Interplay in the World Scheme, 2nd edition (Jerusalem, 2006), 222. Rabbi Levi follows the approach of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, who explicitly accepts that the Sages sometimes relied on mistaken science. See Collected Writings of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, vol. 9 (New York, 2012), 201-218. 29. I do not mean to imply that Rabbi Levi agrees with every theory that has been suggested to reconcile Judaism with science. In Facing Current Challenges (Jerusalem, 1998), chapter 45, he rejects evolution but explicitly states that this is for scientific and not religious reasons. See his various books for his own views on the different topics.

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HISTORY H S I W E J

: N O I T A C U D E F O D R A O B . V N BROW

? e s u a C x o d o h t r An O EFF

L BY ZEV E

RD OF A O B . V WRY E OWN J R B X O R E D T RTHO RS AF O A G E N Y I Y R T E SIX EMB M E R , MENT N E O I V T O A M C U S ED IGHT R L I V I C AND THE Children on the first day of desegregation in Fort Myer Elementary School in Fort Myer, Va,. in September, 1954. Photo: Corbis

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In December 1958, Rabbi Isadore Goodman of Memphis traveled up to Indianapolis to help celebrate the dedication of a new Orthodox synagogue building. In his remarks, the Southern rabbi spoke about Orthodox Jewry’s role in the raging Civil Rights Movement. His recommendation: they should not participate. Jews, Rabbi Goodman explained, “become more vulnerable when they dissipate their strength in other movements.”1 Rabbi Goodman recognized the weight of his words, especially coming from a Southern clergyman. He therefore stressed that he was not a racist and sympathized with “equalitarian movements.” Rabbi Goodman just did not believe that Orthodox Judaism was in a position to help. One historian surmised that Rabbi Goodman’s view was “typical of Orthodox Jews.”2 Certainly, Orthodoxy did not boast a freedom fighter like Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel of the Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative). Similarly, the Rabbinical Council of America did not offer the kind of financial and political support like the Central Conference of American Rabbis (Reform). However, leading exponents of Orthodox Judaism did, in fact, speak up. Rabbis Bernard Drachman, Leo Jung, Ahron Soloveichik and Pinchas Teitz all used their rhetorical powers to speak out for African-Americans. These leaders rooted their politics in Biblical language. For example, Rabbi Jung compared Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Moses while Rabbi Teitz envisaged desegregation to the “breaking down of the walls of Jericho.”3 Other congregational leaders marched in the Selma demonstration in 1962. Their courage to participate was promptly recognized by African-American leaders.4 Rabbinic elites were not the only ones who got involved. The National Council of Young Israel and the Orthodox Union passed resolutions that sought to mobilize their Orthodox constituencies. In the wake of race riots throughout the South, OU President Moses Feuerstein worked together with the American Jewish Congress in 1958 to pressure President Dwight Eisenhower to convene a conference that would “stress upon the uncommitted peoples of this globe the freedom, the equality and tolerance prevailing in the United States of America.”5 Some years later, the OU established a special committee to enable Orthodox Jews to better partner with African-American civil rights advocates.6 Young people played their parts as well. In 1940, Yeshiva College (which subsequently became Yeshiva Uni-

Rabbi Zev Eleff is a doctoral candidate at Brandeis University. He also teaches Judaic studies at Maimonides School in Brookline, Massachusetts.

A 1968 shul bulletin with a eulogy for Martin Luther King on the front page. The bulletin is from Congregation B’nai Torah of Philadelphia, an Orthodox shul.

versity) students wrote approvingly of a formation of a “Committee to End the Ban on Negroes in Major League Baseball.” The young men charged that fans “have not received a fair return for their money” and dreamed of a time when they might see Negro League stars like Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige compete against major league legends such as Hank Greenberg and Joe DiMaggio. “Yet, men of this caliber,” Yeshiva collegians lamented, “are barred from active participation in organized baseball because their skin is of a darker hue.”7 In April 1960, Yeshiva students traveled to Greensboro, North Carolina, to stand with other protestors against racial bigotry. They saw their mission in religious terms: “As Jews we have a moral and religious duty to uphold the rights of our fellow man,” the students preached. “As Jews we must be in the vanguard of any movement which seeks to break the bars of discrimination.”8 Notwithstanding these efforts, no one within the Orthodox camp formulated a position similar to Protestant advocates and Reform Jewish leaders. The closest was Rabbi Emanuel Rackman. For many within the Orthodox community, Rabbi Rackman was its “central figure” during the twentieth century.9 For others, due mostly to his

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EICHIK V O L O S RON H A , G N U LEO J , N A M H DRAC D AL R C I A R N O R T E E B EIR RH H RABBIS T D E S LL U A Z NS. T I A E C I T R S E A M H AN-A C I R F AND PINC A R UT FO O K A E P TO S POWERS liberal interpretation of Jewish law, Rabbi Rackman was the ultimate “gadfly.”10 In any case, Rabbi Rackman was an institutional force within American Orthodoxy. He served as vice president of YU and president of the RCA, and held pulpit positions at distinguished New York congregations. In 1948, he wrote about the “dastardly fashion in which Southern states have Rabbi Emanuel Rackman, who served as vice president of YU and president of the RCA and held pulpit positions at distinguished New York congregations, was a key figure in getting the Orthodox community involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Photo: Yeshiva University Archives, Public Relations Records

Yeshiva College students traveled to Greensboro, North Carolina to protest racial bigotry and addressed civil rights issues in the pages of The Commentator, the student newspaper. Photo: Yeshiva University Archives, Commentator, May 5, 1960

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subverted the language and intent of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments.”11 From his pulpit five years later, Rabbi Rackman wondered aloud whether whites and Blacks could ever “sit as brothers, even in the pews, to listen to the Sermon on the Mount.”12 In a sermon delivered in 1958, Rabbi Rackman linked the oppression felt by Blacks and Jews at the hands of white fraternal social lodges. “It is well known that in all of these fraternal orders there is an appalling lack of brotherhood,” lamented Rabbi Rackman. “Often, Jews and Negroes must organize lodges of their own.”13 But Rabbi Rackman was not just about rhetoric. He was deeply concerned that other Orthodox leaders understand the stakes of American civil rights. Consequently, Rabbi Rackman took full advance of his station when the Supreme Court decided Brown v. Board of Education sixty years ago, on May 17, 1954. The court’s unanimous ruling declared de jure racial segregation illegal. At that time, Rabbi Rackman was chairman of the RCA’s Convention Committee and slated to become the organization’s president at the upcoming gathering. The July convention in Detroit was to take place just two months after the landmark court case and Rabbi Rackman sought to sensitize the 600 Orthodox rabbis and leaders to the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement. A year earlier, the RCA had resolved to back school desegregation, but that was not enough for Rabbi Rackman. So he invited Maxwell M. Rabb, associate counsel to President

DYNAMITE AND DESEGREGATION

ur From O es Archiv

he wave of dynamite attacks upon Jewish institutions in several Southern states opens a new phase in the upheavals wrought by resistance to the Supreme Court ruling on desegregation of the public schools. The attacks, it is clear, are designed not merely to intimidate Jews against aiding efforts to secure justice for the Negro. Manifesting a planned pattern, they are meant to advertise the intent of their perpetrators to go to any length to achieve their ends. Responsible organs of Southern opinion, together with the rank and file of Southerners, have voiced their sense of burning shame and indignation at the outrages. The sincerity and force of these expressions give unmistakable assurance that the elements responsible for the outrages are abhorred by Southerners at large. It is to be hoped, therefore, that reaction to the attacks, opening the eyes of all to fatal dangers, will result in effective action. There can be no temporizing with forces of terror. In any event, the terrorist moves will surely not deter Jews from acting as conscience and judgment dictate. No Jew can rest easy while the belief that all men are children of one Father is mocked, while the concept that all men are created equal is violated, while the Supreme Court and the Constitution of the United States are defiled. All men of good will must extend to the South the fullest measure of understanding in its painful problem of adjustment to a change in the pattern upon which Southern society has been based for generations. But there lies at stake more than the Southern pattern of life, and more even than the rights of Negroes. A great moral principle, the very foundation stone of American democracy, is at stake, and the inexorable laws of history will permit no further compromise in its application.

rather for greater opportunities to apply that faith and those practices more fully and more meaningfully.”15 Rabb did exactly that. He connected the “question of equality of opportunity” to the “interest to all of us who are Jews.” Rabb reminded his rabbinic audience that it was singularly the Jewish people who cannot forget “for we have known the cruel injustice through the centuries of the yellow hat and the yellow badge—of the Pale and the Ghetto— that left us segregated, marked in body and in soul.” The Brown decision reflected those values, suggested Rabb. “The whole process,” said Rabb about what he believed to be an inherently Jewish mission, “will be greatly accelerated as a result of the decision rendered just two months ago by the Supreme Court of the United States that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional.”16 Rabb’s remarks were very well received by the RCA. Rabbi Rackman thanked the White House advisor for a “magnificent address” and for making himself available afterward to discuss political issues with convention attendees. “All of this,” wrote Rabbi Rackman, “made a terrific impact on the leaders of our organization.”17 Although the moment probably held a strong short-term influence, its impact probably weakened rather quickly.

Editorial from Jewish Life, the predecessor to Jewish Action, June 1958.

Eisenhower, to keynote the forthcoming conference. Rabbi Rackman asked Rabb to discuss President Eisenhower’s “approach to civil rights and social security in their broadest meanings.”14 Moreover, the rabbi hoped that Rabb’s presence might also offer Orthodox rabbinic leaders a much-needed example. “For a long time Orthodoxy was accused of failure to assimilate modernism with its point of view,” wrote Rabbi Rackman. To remedy this conception among Orthodox leaders, it was Rabbi Rackman’s hope that Rabb—the highest-ranking Jew in the Eisenhower administration—could demonstrate through his words that “the future lies with those who do not feel that America calls for the surrender of one’s religious faith and practices, but

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Correspondence between OU President Moses Feuerstein and US President Dwight Eisenhower in 1958 about convening a conference that would “stress upon the uncommitted peoples of this globe the freedom, the equality and tolerance prevailing in the United States of America.” Courtesy of Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum

Beyond “We Shall Overcome”

ur From O es Archiv

ehind Selma and the Freedom March, behind all the epochal struggles of our time, lies the search for self-definition. Within a brief span of history, man and society and the whole human environment have undergone metamorphosis. Amidst revolutionary change, with the universe emerging in new form before man’s startled gaze, with accustomed landmarks swept away, mankind stands at a loss, bereft of a sense of clear identity. Powers such as man never before has known are now at his disposal. But how—that is, in what terms of binding moral reference—these powers are to be used, must remain a disaster-fraught riddle unless and until man’s essence and purpose be freshly perceived. Pending such fresh perception, rights, right itself, become a provisional proposition, with status in the scheme of things governed factually by relation to command of modern power positions. The striving for better status, whether national, group, or individual, finds ideological expression which, for all its fluency, fails to give form or voice to the innermost quest. It is significant that the posuk “And G-d created man in His own image” is so often drawn upon in support of the civil rights movement. The Torah word rather than the contemporary idiom bespeaks what lies deepest in human motivation today. It is man’s vision of himself and of ultimate verities that is at stake in the turbulence of our times. This is not to be gained through “modern resources”; rather, it can well be lost by their blandishments. Only in opening our eyes to a timeless resource, the vision of man as bearer of the Divine Image, can man recognize himself and perceive the meaning and purpose of his life, and only so can he know and do what is right and what is just. Once, long ago, our own people was brought forth from bondage to be vouchsafed this vision and to cleave to it and bear it aloft to the world. We relive this cosmic happening now and know, with renewed understanding, what great task is entrusted to us. Editorial from Jewish Life, the predecessor to Jewish Action, spring 1965.

Before long, American Orthodoxy forgot about Rabbi Rackman or any other contributor to civil rights. As early as 1968, one Orthodox writer accused his community of “noninvolvement” and “disquieting silence.”18 That sort of historical amnesia had much to do with the Judeo-Christian ethic that captured American culture at midcentury. By the late 1960s, many Jews no longer considered themselves an ethnic minority. In addition, this period also witnessed increased support for Israel and Soviet Jewry, causes that no doubt replaced other righteous endeavors. In our time, the Orthodox community has reclaimed its voice in the fight for social justice.19 In particular, Orthodox 62

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students in colleges and day schools regularly volunteer to serve on activist missions in America and abroad. I recall my astonishment in 2006, as part of a 300-person YU delegation that traveled to a Save Darfur rally in Washington, D.C. To explain that return to activism, we might offer a whole new set of historical variables unrelated to the efforts of earlier Orthodox preachers and protestors. Still, we may nevertheless take stock and celebrate the work of those who labored before us. g Listen to Rabbi Zev Eleff discuss social justice and Orthodoxy at www.ou.org/life/community/savitsky_eleff.

Notes 1. “Says Rabbis Shouldn’t Lead Integration Fight,” The National Jewish Post and Opinion, December 19, 1958. 2. See Clive Webb, Fight Against Fear: Southern Jews and Black Civil Rights (Athens, Georgia, 2001), 170-71. 3. See Leo Jung, “The Emergence of Human Dignity,” The Jewish Center Bulletin 36 (1965): 1; and Martin Arnold, “Only 2,000 Attend Negroes’ Polo Grounds Rally,” New York Times, August 26, 1963. 4. See, for example, “Boston Rabbis Join Montgomery March,” Boston Jewish Advocate, March 25, 1965. 5. Moses I. Feuerstein to Dwight D. Eisenhower, October 15, 1958, Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Personnel Management Records, 1953-61, Box 43, FF “Civil Rights—White House Conference Proposal,” Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Abilene, Kansas. 6. Eugene Silkes, “A Conflict of Rights?,” Jewish Life 71 (1965). I thank Nechama Carmel and Rashel Zywica for pointing out this source. 7. “Color, Race or Creed,” The Commentator, April 10, 1940. 8. “Fight for Equality,” The Commentator, May 5, 1960. 9. See Charles S. Liebman, “Emanuel Rackman and Modern Orthodoxy,” in Studies in Halakha and Jewish Thought, ed. Moshe Beer (Ramat Gan, 1994), 23–31. 10. See David Singer, “Emanuel Rackman: Gadfly of Modern Orthodoxy,” Modern Judaism 28 (2008): 134-48. 11. Emanuel Rackman, “Legislating with Regard to Racial and Religious Discrimination,” Masmid (1948): 50. 12. Emanuel Rackman, A Modern Orthodox Life: Sermons and Columns of Rabbi Emanuel Rackman (Hoboken, New Jersey, 2008), 35. 13. Ibid, 55. 14. Some historians suggest that Eisenhower was unhappy with the Brown decision. See, for example, David A. Nichols, A Matter of Justice: Eisenhower and the Beginning of the Civil Rights Revolution (New York, 2007), 109-110. 15. Emanuel Rackman to Maxwell M. Rabb, June 22, 1954, Maxwell M. Rabb Papers, 1938-1989, Box 56, FF “Rabbinical Council of America (2),” Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library. 16. “Remarks by Mr. Maxwell M. Rabb Cabinet Operations Official and Associate Counsel to the President at the Annual Convention of the Rabbinical Council of America in Detroit, Michigan, July 20, 1954,” Box 56, FF “Rabbinical Council of America (2).” 17. Emanuel Rackman to Maxwell M. Rabb, August 2, 1954. Box 56, FF “Rabbinical Council of America (2).” 18. Bernard Weinberger, “The Negro and the (Orthodox) Jew,” Jewish Observer 5 (1968): 11-12. 19. See Dyonna Ginsburg, “Re-anchoring Universalism to Particularism: The Potential Contribution of Orthodoxy to the Pursuit of Tikkun Olam,” in The Next Generation of Modern Orthodoxy, ed. Shmuel Hain (New York, 2012), 3-22.

Israel

By Bayla Sheva Brenner

14: NCSY SUMMER 20

l a ic p y T r u o Y t No e c n ie r e p x E r e m Sum Photo: Getty Images News/Uriel Sinai

While Diaspora Jews spent this past summer glued to news from Israel, the nearly 600 teens and staff on NCSY Israel summer programs not only witnessed Israel’s fight for survival up close, they joined the war effort— raising the spirits of Israeli soldiers, citizens and one another, making summer 2014 one that will be imbedded in their hearts for life.

he rocket attacks in Israel, their rapid escalation and the far-reaching targets took everyone—including NCSY staff—by surprise. Rivka Yudin was at home in Ramat Beit Shemesh when she heard the dreaded wailing of the warning siren. She and her husband grabbed their kids and ran for the miklat (bomb shelter). Rivka made sure to take her cell phone. As director of Michlelet, NCSY’s girls’ summer program that combines chesed, Torah learning and trips across Israel, she had to let David Cutler, director of NCSY summer programs and finances, know that the Michlelet Beit Shemesh campus had just become vulnerable to attack. She texted: siren just went off here in Ramat Beit Shemesh . . . in the miklat . . . At that moment, a plane full of excited Michlelet participants was approaching Tel Aviv. Decisions had to be made, the itinerary changed. Bayla Sheva Brenner is senior writer in the OU Communications and Marketing Department.

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In the interest of safety, NCSY sent the 105 girls straight up north, to a hotel in Chispin in the Golan. NCSY Kollel, a learning program for boys based in Beit Meir, near Jerusalem, soon followed. Cutler, who oversees all twelve NCSY summer programs, eight of which were in Israel when the war broke out, spent this past summer with his ear attached to the phone and his eyes fixed on the computer. Talking, texting, e-mailing and updating, Cutler spent countless hours rearranging participants’ accommodations and daily schedules with NCSY’s tour provider. Taking brief breaks to shower, dress and pray, he was also busy communicating with summer program directors and concerned parents via e-mail. Due to the war, two of the ten programs that spend time in Israel each summer did not go to Israel this year. The Jerusalem Journey (TJJ), an Israel trip geared for public school kids, relocated to the West Coast and Euro ICE, a tour of Europe and Israel, remained in Europe, cancelling its visit to the Holy Land.

NCSY Kollel students made arm y-authorized camouflage green tzitzit, which were then distributed to those on the front lines immediately upon the ir completion.

Despite the precariousness of the situation, NCSY parents had complete faith that their teens were safe and having “the best summer ever.” And even though schedules had to be changed—at times on a daily basis—NCSY staff strove to provide a sense of comfort and normalcy. “Neither [my husband nor I] had the notion not to let them go,” says Shoshana Schechter of New Hempstead, New York, mother of Yoni, who attended NCSY Kollel this past summer, and Ayelet, who attended Michlelet. Lisa Berman of Toronto, whose daughter Leah attended Michlelet, concurs. “I was so impressed with everything that the OU and NCSY did to ensure the kids were safe; they were in close communication with the Cheder Matzav [the situation room] in Israel. If I had a question, and I did, [NCSY] e-mailed me back straight away. We knew [Leah] was in good hands.” Relocated to Chispin, a yishuv in the heart of the Golan, NCSY Kollel flourished in its new location, which accommodated its group of more than 250 and included an airconditioned beit midrash, spacious dining room and sports facilities. Despite the geographic disruption, the learning and chesed components of the programs continued—albeit with some differences. Much of the Kollel’s rabbinic staff, as well as the Michlelet lecturers, based in the middle of the country, couldn’t manage the three-and-a-half-hour commute to Chispin on a

daily basis (many of them did make the trip twice, leaving their families from early in the morning until late at night). Local teachers as well as rebbeim from the States, who came for the summer to teach at the Kollel and relocated with the group along with their families, promptly stepped up to the plate to fill in the gaps. Michlelet, which usually books lecturers months in advance, managed to procure an array of dynamic speakers, some from the local area and others who were willing to make the long drive from the center of the country. “Every day a different speaker worked out,” says Yudin. “We were blessed with siyata d’Shmaya to be able to sustain the program in such a way,” says Rabbi Moshe Benovitz, director of NCSY Kollel for more than a decade. The Divine help kept flowing, no doubt due to the teens’ nonstop efforts to help their beleaguered Israeli brethren. “We felt very much a part of what was going on,” says Rabbi Benovitz. “Our learning and davening were focused throughout the summer on the soldiers in Gaza. We felt a huge sense of responsibility knowing we were the recipients of their bravery and self-sacrifice.” Rabbi Hershel Schachter, a rosh yeshivah at Yeshiva University and posek for OU Kosher who spends the summer teaching at NCSY Kollel, urged the boys not to underestimate the impact of their tefillot and hasmadah. “The Gemara says that the sol-

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diers are successful in battle in the zechut of those who sit and learn.” “It was late Thursday night when we heard that they were starting a ground war,” says Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky, a rosh yeshivah at YU and rebbe at NCSY Kollel. “There was the feeling that the only place where we should be at that point was back in the beit midrash, back to our learning, our davening . . . . This was not your typical summer,” says Rabbi Sobolofsky. The Kollel also took part in a “hands-on” chesed. One of the rebbeim’s brothers-in-law is involved in delivering tzitzit to soldiers in wartime. Kollel students jumped at the chance to join in. “We had a full beit midrash of boys sitting and making tzitzit,” says Rabbi Benovitz. The army-authorized camouflage green garments were distributed to those on the front lines immediately upon their completion. Students at Michlelet contributed to the war effort as well by arranging a carnival for children whose fathers were called away on miluim (army reserve duty), giving the mothers much-needed respite. They also created beautifully decorated care packages for soldiers with items such as soap, shampoo, socks, candy and chocolates; each package featured a letter with words of chizuk and gratitude, which the girls personally delivered to the soldiers.

Yearning for Yerushalayim JOLT (Jewish Overseas Leadership Training program), NCSY’s five-week tour designed to introduce young men and women to their Jewish past, present and future, usually starts out in Europe—more specifically, Poland, Germany and Austria. The group learns of the once-thriving Jewish communities, they visit death camps and, on the final leg of their journey, they fly to Israel. This summer, the participants faced the possibility of not making it to the crucial crescendo of the trip. “When they canceled all flights to Israel, the kids were extremely distraught,” says Rabbi Eli Zians, director of JOLT. Participants on NCSY’s Anne Samson Jerusalem Journey Ambassadors Poland (TJJ AP), a leadership program for public school teens, shared their trepidation. “The entire time we were in Poland we didn’t know if we were going to be able to go to Israel,” says Marc Fein, director of TJJ Ambassadors Poland. “David Cutler sent us frequent updates on the security situation. The kids would ask on a daily basis if we were going to Israel. After we left Auschwitz/Birkenau, I read to our group the e-mail that David had sent, allowing us to go to Israel. The kids on the bus exploded in singing.” JOLT participants happened to arrive in Israel in the middle of a ceasefire; they went straight to the Kotel. It was erev Tishah B’Av. “There were a few participants who had never been to Israel before,” says Rabbi Zians. “We had them close their eyes and escorted them to the Kotel, telling them about what Yerushalayim represents, and how the entire Jewish nation used to come three times a year. We didn’t take being there for granted; we appreciated every single moment. Every moment was a gift.” “It was like 1967 all over again,” says Erin Stiebel, director of Girls Israel Volunteer Experience (GIVE), an NCSY summer program that was relocated to Israel’s north for three weeks. “When we made the announcement that we were able to visit Yerushalayim, there was an explosion of cheers, singing and dancing. It was incredible.” The GIVE program primarily focuses on volunteer Michlelet participants prepared packages with tea lights, the berachah for work and has teens helping hadlakat neirot and the tefillah for chayalim. They then distributed the Israelis in need, visiting soup packages in malls and shopping centers, encouraging women to light kitchens and nursing homes Shabbat candles in the zechut of the chayalim. and painting kindergartens in underprivileged communities. Although GIVE had to scratch its initial itinerary due to “The chayalim couldn’t get over the fact that American the war, participants on GIVE gave nonetheless. girls came to Israel during wartime when they could have The group ran tie-dye and jewelry making projects for easily stayed at home, and that they were so happy to be families who moved to the north after evacuating their there,” says Schechter. homes in Israel’s south. “Just being there showed our sup-

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port for the country,” says Stiebel. “People asked us, ‘Your program isn’t going back to America? You are actually staying here?’ In good times and bad, we’re a nation. “The girls were all so positive all summer,” she says. “They were willing to work with us, to be flexible with the changes. It was definitely not what they had signed up for. It wasn’t the mainstream GIVE summer experience, but it was way more special. It was a lifechanging summer. We realized what it means to not have Israel as we know it, and to yearn for it.” The parents agree. “They were connecting to Eretz Yisrael, Torat Yisrael and Am Yisrael in a deeper way than they would have had they gone on the program at another time,” says Schechter. “Israel is not just a place where NCSY Summer 2014 culminated with many of the programs gathering you go for fun and vacation,” says her at the Kotel for the NCSY signature post-Tishah B’Av kumzitz. husband, Yitzchak, a clinical psychologist who attended NCSY Kollel himself as a teen. “Chazal teach us that we have to also participate in the sorrow A D V E R T O R I A L of the Jewish people.” The Schechter children acquired first-hand knowledge of the kind of life balance one has to maintain when surrounded by violent enemies, say ou may never accidentally turn on their parents. “They’re banana boating on the or off a light switch on Shabbat or Kineret, saying Tehillim, going to waterparks and yom tov again. That’s the promise of a making shivah calls,” says Shechter. “They’re also revolutionary new switch developed creating stronger bonds with each other because of by Zman Technologies and endorsed the difficult situation.” by leading halachic experts at the OrAnd, they’re growing. “It was an eye-opening, thodox Union’s Kashruth Division. maturing experience,” says Berman. “Leah now The Zman Switch is an easily installooks at life differently, with a [heightened] sensitivlable light switch with an LED screen. ity to others. The little things are just not important It’s preprogrammed with the times of when you see how Israelis have to live.” Shabbat and yom tov in Jewish communities across the counDavid Hoffman of Staten Island, New York, try until the year 2050. whose two sons spent the summer at NCSY Kollel, The OU halachic experts who have endorsed the switch inalso noticed some changes. “I don’t have to wake clude Rabbi Yisroel Belsky, halachic advisor to OU Kosher; them up for minyan. I used to have to remind them Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of OU Kosher; and Rabbi that it’s time to go for Minchah or Maariv; now, Moshe Elefant, the COO. they say, ‘We know already.’” During the week the switch functions like any regular light “This summer differed qualitatively than sumswitch, but once the timer enters Shabbat mode, the light can’t mers past,” agrees Rabbi Benovitz. be switched on or off, save for an emergency bypass for first reNCSY Summer 2014 culminated with many of sponders. The Zman Switch can also be preset with desired the programs gathering at the Kotel for the NCSY times for lights to go on and off on Shabbat and yom tov. signature post-Tishah B’Av kumzitz. “The kumzitz “I believe Zman Technologies represents a perfect merger took on new meaning this year,” says Cutler, who of halachah and technology,” explains Rabbi Elefant. “There is came for the final three weeks of the programs. “It a real need to use electricity on Shabbat and real halachic conwas one of the most moving moments I have ever siderations. Zman Technologies has been very successful in experienced. I witnessed the growth, bonding and bringing together both. Hopefully, this is the first of many inspiration that had taken place over the summer. such applications.” The feeling that this is our home and we belong here was more evident than ever before.” g

No More Scotch Tape on Light Switches

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JustBetweenUs

By Alan D. Krinsky

magine that we treated communal prayer the way a football team treats a game. Aside from all of the training, consider the day of the game. Everyone suits up in the locker room, and the coach delivers an inspiring pep talk. Then the team members run from the locker room to the open air of the vast stadium to the cheers of the crowd. Just before the start of the game, the coach and players huddle together for a moment to settle into the proper frame of mind. The huddle breaks, and all shout out a rallying cry, as the starting players run together onto the field and assemble in position for the first play. Just like going to shul on Shabbat morning, right? Except shul unfolds a little differently. No locker room, of course, and not everyone suits up anyway. There is no pep talk. We do not run with enthusiasm into the sanctuary. And we do not enter it together, but rather we enter as individual stragglers, some of us in pairs. There is no rallying cry, and no assembling into team formation. If we were football players, we would be standing all over the field, many of us engaged in trivial conversation during the game itself. There would be a seemingly constant stream of people walking on and off the field. Some players would leave early, missing the end of the game. It is little wonder that many of us often find the shul experience so frustrating and lacking meaning. And if that’s for the “big game” on Shabbat morning, what can we say about the weekday prayers, which we approach as if the two-minute clock has started and there are no timeouts remaining? Alan D. Krinsky is a writer as well as a senior analyst in the field of healthcare quality improvement. His essays have appeared in the Jewish Press and the Providence Journal, as well as on a number of online sites. He lives with his family in Providence, Rhode Island. 68

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The question is, why plan something, set aside time and space for it, and then do whatever we can to sabotage it? Why commit ourselves to prayer, schedule it, erect buildings where we engage in it, and then show up unprepared and late, and go on to distract ourselves and others with chatter irrelevant to the ostensible purpose of our gathering together? Why assemble a team and act like anything but, and certainly not do our all to achieve success in what we have planned? To employ another metaphor, I have often considered the difference between how we attend movies and how we attend shul. No one would pay fifteen dollars and stroll in an hour late to a two-hour-long movie. There’s no pausing or rewinding, and we do not wander in and out at leisure. We do not leave early and miss the ending, save in the rare case of a truly atrocious movie. We generally adhere to the rule of not engaging in conversation during a movie, at least once the coming attractions are done and the main feature has begun. We glare at people who speak loudly or at great length, and perhaps ask them to stop, because we recognize that they are disturbing the cinematic experience for others. As far as shul goes, you can consider yourself fortunate if you attend one where there is not as much talking as there is in most shuls. It does not matter whether it is during the Torah reading or the reading of the haftarah or even during the recital of Kaddish; some people talk through all of it. I will not address the phenomenon of the Kiddush Club, and the terrible example it sets for our children. Who would dare leave in the middle of an audience with the president to drink alcohol, lehavdil? The contrasts listed here make our shul attendance seem absurd. Why do it at all if we are going to do it distractedly and impatiently? Why spend so much time in a

Why commit ourselves to prayer, schedule it, erect buildings where we engage in it, and then show up unprepared and late, and go on to distract ourselves and others with chatter irrelevant to the ostensible purpose of our gathering together? room devoted to prayer if we are going to approach it in such a way as to undermine its very purpose? If we need an outlet for social needs, for catching up with our friends, why can we not do so at another place and time? Why can’t we do what we say we intend to do with the time we have allocated to communal prayer? It seems we have forgotten that minyan is about engaging in a communal endeavor, to stand before God together, to join together in prayer, to make it meaningful and effective. One of the problems might be that most of us do not see ourselves as the players engaged on the field, but rather as the spectators in the stands. There is nothing particularly wrong with spectators arriving late to a game, talking with friends, drinking beer and leaving early. In the shul sanctuary, however, we should see ourselves as active players, not passive observers. What then can we do? We can start with simple things, like acknowledging the purpose of communal prayer; we can post signs to this effect to remind ourselves and visitors to our shuls. Maybe we should have classes in tefillah, so that we gain a better sense of the structure and flow of the service. This would help us understand that to enter in the middle of a

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prayer service is to miss something important, as with a game, lehavdil. We might enact a basic rule that if people need to engage in conversation, they do so in the lobby or some other place outside of the prayer hall, and not insist on holding their conversations inside. And gabbaim will have to take a leading role here and set an example, minimizing or taking outside the sanctuary even talk necessary for the proper flow and functioning of the service. No one is forcing us to attend shul. If we do so, we ought to at least submit to its stated purpose of standing before God in prayer. Finally, it might feel awkward and rather foolish, but maybe, just maybe, we should learn a lesson from our sports heroes and mimic how they approach a game. Imagine that even just once, we would arrive, dressed to pray, before the start of the service, and that we would start with a pep talk and a huddle. We would then break the huddle with a rallying cry and go charging into the sanctuary, assembling our team into position, with the quarterback, I mean the chazzan, at the bimah, and start talking with God. It sounds so silly that we might never try it, but I wonder that if we did, would it prove so effective that we would do it again and again? g

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Winter 5775/2014 JEWISH ACTION 69

Tribute

By Batya Rosner

R E MEMBERING

ANNE SAMSON

hen 175 teenagers ended up in the hospital with food poisoning at a West Coast NCSY event subsequently dubbed the “Malibu Malady Madness,” Anne Samson, a”h, stayed with them at the infirmary. She refused to have the event canceled. When the cook quit erev Shabbat at another NCSY event, Anne took over the kitchen and prepared to feed 250 campers and staff. Baby in tow, she recruited family members to help. When three feet of snow unexpectedly blanketed the area before a Lake Tahoe Regional Shabbaton, Anne was there to comfort anxious NCSYers while staff members hastily adjusted the program. A pillar of sanity. A big sister. A mentor. A teacher. A dreamer. A leader. Anne, in her role as wife to West Coast NCSY Regional Director Lee Samson, made sure the NCSY show would go on. Batya Rosner is a staff writer at the Orthodox Union.

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Although she appeared to be a quiet woman, Anne, who died unexpectedly in August 2013, was strong, supportive and always available for a positive word of advice—crucial elements in a teenager’s life. As the founding first lady of West Coast NCSY, Anne Samson was its neshamah. And in this role, she set the bar of excellence for all future spouses of NCSY directors across North America and inspired countless teenagers. Born in a displaced persons’ camp in Salzburg, Austria, in 1947, Anne Katz moved to Los Angeles with her parents in 1949. As the eldest of three siblings and only daughter of Holocaust survivors, Anne was strongly influenced by the solid Jewish values in her home. With a strong belief in the Jewish connection to Israel, members of the Katz family were proud Religious Zionists. Anne became involved in Bnei Akiva at a young age, attending its Camp Moshava in the summer. There she met Lee, whom she married when they were both nineteen years old.

Early in their marriage, Anne worked as a secretary at UCLA as Lee studied full time and took a part-time position as the youth advisor of Congregation Beth Jacob in Beverly Hills. “I knew he was a dreamer, that he had a vision, and that he was really a gogetter,” Anne reminisced in a tribute video shown at the 2014 Ben Zakkai Honor Society’s NCSY National Scholarship Dinner, where the OU and NCSY honored Anne’s legacy. In time, word spread of the successful Beth Jacob youth program and during a visit to California, Rabbi Pinchas Stolper, the then-national director of NCSY, approached Lee to join the NCSY family. Lee became the founder and the first full-time regional director of West Coast NCSY. Anne and Lee lived, breathed, traveled and dreamed NCSY. Together, the Samsons grew the region from its founding Shalom Tzion chapter of Beverly Hills to one that spanned a quarter of the North American continent, from Anchorage, Alaska to Phoenix, Arizona and from Edmonton, Alberta to San Diego, California. The Samsons lived modestly, and Anne worked tirelessly to raise their three children Dani, Aliza and Tali while helping to support the family with her salary. Somehow, she also found countless hours to mentor the teens that flocked to her for guidance and validation. She listened to them; she strengthened them. When NCSYers weren’t at a Shabbaton, half a dozen could be found spending Shabbat at the Samson home, known for its beautiful singing and Anne’s delicious home-cooked food. “In the Jewish home, the Jewish mother cooks,” she is quoted as saying in the video. “A Jewish mother has to make sure that her husband and children are well-fed; that’s just how we are.” Anne played much more than a supporting role to her husband. She was a full partner and a model of how one could be simultaneously cool, elegant, observant and fun.

“She was explaining to these young women that Judaism can be joyous— the warmth of Shabbat and the singing on Shabbat,” Lee recalled about his wife. “Opening our home and giving to other people is what made Anne Anne. Hachnasat orchim was a big part of our life.” Within two years, the new region was acclaimed “Region of the Year” at the NCSY National Convention. The first tentative summer seminar with Yeshiva University in 1969 in Tacoma, Washington, led to a sense of bigger and better events—climaxing in tenday programs over winter break in Malibu and Catalina in 1972 and 1973. When dozens of public school students began to consider a yeshivah education, Lee played a major role in creating two yeshivah high schools on the West Coast that catered to NCSY participants. The Samsons often used part of their salary to pay tuition for NCSYers. When finances were tight, it was Anne who insisted they continue, and was willing to take additional jobs to fund the tuitions.

When conventions and week-long winter seminars were not enough, Lee took the bold step of launching the first summer camp under NCSY auspices, Camp NCSY West. For five summers, Lee willed the camp into existence, providing hundreds of teens and preteens with a life-transforming experience. Anne provided the camp’s neshamah, the soothing touch, the contagious love for Am Yisrael, Torat Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael that turned a summer camp into a family. “The Samsons were pioneers and remarkable visionaries,” reflected Allen I. Fagin, executive vice president of the OU and former OU Youth Commission chairman. “While Lee and Anne Samson could have chosen many fields of endeavor, they made a choice, one that profoundly impacted the lives of countless teens from all over the West Coast and beyond. They were the first to accept professional leadership positions in NCSY and created a model that has served as a template for so much of NCSY’s subsequent activity.”

Lee and Anne moved on from their professional roles in NCSY in the early 1980s, yet remained involved with the OU and NCSY. Their roles in Jewish communities across North America and Israel expanded and they become benefactors of institutions and philanthropists. Yet the bonds Anne forged during those formative NCSY years continued to grow and the families she nurtured continued to reach out to her for advice. Many of her NCSYers went on to become leaders within the community; for some, she was their only link to Judaism. In 1995, Lee Samson was honored at the first Ben Zakkai Honor Society’s NCSY National Scholarship Dinner. Dr. David and Vivian Luchins, close friends of the Samsons who have chaired the event since its inception, felt that Anne should be included as an honoree that evening as well. “We called Anne to ask if we might add her and she quickly declined,” they remembered. “She told us, ‘It’s Lee’s night; I work behind the scenes.’”

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As the founding first lady of West Coast NCSY, Anne Samson was its neshamah.

Lee Samson launched the first summer camp under NCSY auspices, Camp NCSY West, with Anne providing the camp’s neshamah, the soothing touch, that turned a summer camp into a family. Lee is in the dark polo in the far left and Anne is next to him. Photo taken in 1975. Photo courtesy of West Coast NCSY

Anne’s death left a void in so many lives. Unaware of the full impact his wife had on the young women of NCSY, Lee was surprised to receive so many letters after the tragic accident that claimed Anne’s life. In the tribute video and journal at the dinner honoring Anne, many recalled Anne’s selflessness, including Melanie Rechnitz, who first met the Samsons in 1979. Upon Melanie’s marriage, Anne and Lee hosted one of her sheva berachot. “Anne was working full time and she stayed up the whole night cooking,” Melanie remembered. “And she cooked it all with love.” “She never said a bad word about anyone,” wrote Marilyn Sohacheski in the journal. “She listened without interrupting, loved without condition and was always ready to help anyone or any cause that required her effort.” At the dinner, the OU inaugurated the Anne Samson Memorial Scholarship, which will provide Jewish youth with little or no Jewish background life-changing experiences through NCSY programs. Additionally, NCSY renamed its most popular summer program for public school students in her memory, now The Anne Samson Jerusalem Journey. May her memory be a blessing. g

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InsideTheOU

Torah Dedicated in Memory of Anne Samson

Inside the OU

undreds filled the streets of Los Angeles this past August for a double Torah dedication by the Samson family in memory of Lee Samson’s late wife, Anne, a”h. The dedication coincided with Anne’s first yahrtzeit. A longtime pillar of the Orthodox community, Lee was the first director of West Coast NCSY and helped establish the West Coast branch of the Orthodox Union. Together with Anne, Lee created the first NCSY summer program: Camp NCSY. Even after Lee left NCSY to pursue a successful career in the business world, he and Anne continued to support and remain a vital part of the OU and NCSY. Lee Samson holding one of the sifrei Torah at the double Torah dedication by Last year, the Ben Zakkai Honor Socithe Samson family held in Los Angeles this past August in memory of his late ety’s NCSY National Scholarship Dinner wife, Anne, a”h. celebrated Anne’s legacy. In Anne’s memory, NCSY’s enormously popular Israel Also present at the Torah dedication ceremony were summer program for public school teenagers, The Martin Nachimson, president of the OU, and Dr. Steven Jerusalem Journey, was renamed The Anne Samson Tabak, president, OU West Coast. Lifelong friends of the Jerusalem Journey. Samsons, Dr. David and Vivian Luchins, chairs of the Ben Allen Fagin, executive vice president of the OU, who Zakkai Honor Society’s NCSY National Scholarship Dinwas present at the Torah dedication, explained: “Renaming ner, and Isabelle and David Novak participated as well. IsThe Jerusalem Journey as The Anne Samson Jerusalem abelle, who was an NCSYer under Lee and Anne, serves as Journey is truly a fitting and moving tribute, not only to the chair of the Ben Zakkai Honor Society. Anne’s memory, but to her enduring legacy of chesed and The two Torah scrolls were carried in a procession to ma’asim tovim.” the Young Israel of North Beverly Hills

Hundreds attended the Torah dedication, coinciding with Anne’s first yahrtzeit. Rabbi Steven Weil, senior managing director of the OU, is standing under the canopy, holding one of the sifrei Torah. Photos: David Michael Photography

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where one Torah scroll will be kept. (The second will be kept in the Samson home.) At the dedication ceremony in the synagogue and at the elegant reception that followed, each of the three Samson children—Dani, Aliza and Tali—spoke about their mother’s impact on them and on the Jewish community at large. “The day was filled with feelings of profound gratitude to the Samson family for all they have done for Los Angeles and world Jewry,” said Rabbi Steven Weil, senior managing director of the OU, who participated in the event. “The day was a magnificent tribute to Anne who was our role model. She embodied modesty, grace and a love of tefillah and Torah. Lee, Dani, Aliza and Tali’s tribute to Anne beautifully brought out the dignity, sensitivity and splendor of this eishet chayil.”

Southern Exposure By Steven Weil

vey their intense feelings through art and other mediums. Because Makom Balev has already been in these communities for years, the advisors have long-standing relationships in place with the children and their families and are therefore able to do much good. A special thank you to Rabbi Avi Berman, general director of OU Israel, and the all-star staff of Makom Balev and Mashiv Haruach, an educational program for soldiers run by OU Israel, for the outstanding jobs they do on a daily basis in building, educating and nurturing the spirit of the Jewish people. We subsequently met with soldiers and commanding officers from the Golani and Givati Brigades and Egoz Unit in the IDF, with the help of the Mashiv Haruach program. Through the generosity of our friend Neil Kugelman, we were able to procure at cost thousands of dollars’ worth of Leatherman tools, generators and high-beam lights for the soldiers to use in the tunnels. We also met with Rabbi Rafi Peretz, chief military rabbi of the IDF and a good friend of the OU, who gave us insight into the psychological and emotional strain the soldiers experience when on the battlefield. On two occasions I had the opportunity to meet with Colonel Bentzi Gruber of the IDF who oversees 20,000 miluim (reserves). He spoke about the protocols of Tohar HaNeshek (purity of arms), a concept of responsibility and restraint in the use of arms which the IDF demands of each and every unit. There were hundreds of times the IDF decided not to hit a target holding terrorists due to Hamas’ use of human shields to guard it. The IDF keeps this high ethical code for two reasons: firstly, to be moral and try to minimize casualties and secondly, for the psychological benefit of the Israeli soldiers, so they do not have to live with the guilt of harming innocents. At one point, we went to a grocery store and emptied its shelves; then we brought bags of food and supplies to an army base. Another day we visited two Iron Dome installations. At one of the installations, which protects Ashkelon, the soldiers, who are not religious, wanted to show us what they carried for shemirah, protection. They proceeded to pull out two objects: the first, a state-of-the-art Israeli bandage that will stop the bleeding if a soldier is shot or hit with shrapnel until they reach a hospital and the second, a sefer Tehilim. Even though they are not religious, they know that the Tehillim protects them. g

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Inside the OU

his past summer, I had the privilege to participate in two OU solidarity missions to Israel—the first with fellow members of OU communities and the second with rabbinic leaders from across America. Over the course of these missions, I was able to meet with families living in southern Israel who were subjected to a constant stream of rockets fired by Hamas, as well as with IDF soldiers and commanders who fought on the front lines in Gaza. While visiting these communities in southern Israel, we saw just how disruptive the rockets are to daily life. From the moment a warning siren goes off, one has a mere fifteen seconds to get to a bomb shelter. Mothers stopped buckling their children into car seats because they wouldn’t have enough time to bring them to safety. Parents with more than one young child were continually forced to make a “Sophie’s choice,” deciding which child to carry into the shelter first. While in Sderot, we made a shivah visit to the Tragerman family who lost their four-year-old son since he could not get to the cheder atum (sealed room) fast enough. Living under such conditions has understandably caused many Israelis to suffer from intense anxiety. The trauma is especially prevalent among children between the ages of six and eight, who are too young to verbalize their terror. We got to see firsthand the amazing work that Makom Balev, an OU Israel program, is doing in these communities to help both children and families affected by trauma. Long before Hamas took control of Gaza and started firing missiles, Makom Balev was working with the disadvantaged youth in the communities of Dimona, Ofakim, Sderot, Kiryat Malachi and other southern cities. Makom Balev provides centers where children and teens can relax and get a hot, delicious meal and help with homework. Instead of hanging out on the streets, youth are mentored by caring young men and women who give them a sense of self-worth while modeling Jewish values. After the war began, Makom Balev stepped up its efforts to cater to the needs of its youth, and turned bomb shelters into club houses, replete with pool tables and other recreational activities. Some of the kids painted murals on the walls of bomb shelters, reflecting Jewish themes of hope and peace. Makom Balev also brought in trauma specialists to help children cope with the tremendous stress of living in a veritable war zone. Debbie Gross, a leader of the Makom Balev trauma team in Kiryat Malachi, explained that therapists use play and art therapy so that children can con-

JLIC Expands to Twenty-One Colleges

ince its founding in 2001 by Rabbi Menachem Schrader, the Heshe and Harriet Seif Jewish Learning Initiative (JLIC) has placed Orthodox couples on colleges across the North American continent. Funded by the OU with support from donors and Hillel, the program is expanding to five more campuses this year, bringing the total number of colleges with JLIC educators to twenty-one. “We are excited to be expanding to so many new campuses,” says Rabbi Joshua Ross, associate director of JLIC. “This highlights how important JLIC’s mission is and the need that it fills in the Orthodox community.”

University and Barnard College in New York City. They join the JLIC family with their two-year-old daughter, Avital. “It’s exciting and a privilege to be a part of something so vibrant,” Rabbi Friedman says. Drexel University Ruthie Braffman, part of the University of Pennsylvania’s JLIC team, expanded her work to include the nearby Drexel University campus. Drexel, a research university, has recently seen an

Inside the OU

Ruthie Braffman

Rabbi Noam and Shiffy Friedman

for Columbia/Barnard Hillel. He and his wife, Shiffy, serve as the first official JLIC couple of Columbia

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Rabbi Akiva and Nataly Weiss

Shlomo and Ora Geller

Columbia University Rabbi Noam Friedman spent last year working as the Orthodox clergy intern

University of Wisconsin Shlomo and Ora Geller left the pleasant climate of Israel for the University of Wisconsin to be the college’s first-ever JLIC couple. Shlomo served as a sniper in the reserves of the

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uptick in the number of Jewish day school students attending the school. Braffman has a master’s degree in Talmud from Stern College and served as a congregational intern for the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale. Her husband is a student at Penn Law. “They’re very bright,” she says about the Drexel student body. “They’re not scared to take risks.”

Israeli Defense Forces. Last summer, Shlomo received permission from the IDF to leave the country because of the importance of JLIC’s work. Shlomo says that the mission of JLIC ties in with his service to the IDF. “Jewish identity is very important,” he says. “I believe that it gives strength to us as a nation and as a people. It gives us a foundation for what we do in the army and we need that.” They moved to Wisconsin with their one-year-old daughter, Hephzibah. Binghamton University Rabbi Akiva and Nataly Weiss moved from Rutgers

University in New Jersey, where they served as the JLIC educator couple for the last four years, to Binghamton, New York. Rabbi Weiss is Binghamton’s firstever JLIC Torah educator and Nataly serves as the executive director of the Binghamton Hillel. They have three children: Ezra Ariel, Eliora and Elianna. McGill University Rabbi Moshe and Dahlia Farkas serve as the JLIC couple at McGill University in Montreal. It’s a homecoming for Moshe who is a native of Montreal. g

Rabbi Moshe and Dahlia Farkas

Victory at the Polls: OU Mobilizes New Yorkers To Approve The Smart Schools Bond Act

or Election Day 2014, one question before Jewish New York voters was: Do you want New York Jewish day schools and yeshivahs to get tens of millions of dollars from the state for classroom technology? New Yorkers were presented with Proposal #3—the Smart Schools Bond Act, an initiative originally proposed by Governor Cuomo. If passed, the referendum would be funded with $2 billion for all schools to receive technology equipment and upgrades; of that amount, Jewish day schools and yeshivahs could receive up to $32 million.

With palm cards, posters, videos, social media and outreach to all of the schools in its network, OU AdvocacyTeach NYS, which focuses on advocating for the needs of the non-public school community, conducted a fullscale Get Out the Vote campaign to raise awareness about the benefits the Smart Schools Bond Act could provide to Jewish day schools and yeshivahs and urge the community to vote yes for the referendum. On Election Day, their efforts bore fruit: the Smart Schools Bond Act passed with more than 60 percent of the vote. The OU Advocacy-Teach NYS team worked with state legislators and Governor Cuomo’s office during the previous legislative session to ensure that nonpublic schools would be included in the bond funding. The team will continue to work with legislators to finalize details about how the

funding will be appropriated and allocated. “Our field directors worked tirelessly to ensure that the entire community understood the potential outcome this referendum could have for their schools,” says Jeff Leb, New York state director for OU Advocacy. “They helped get the Smart Schools Bond Act across the finish line.” Jake Adler, New York City director of political affairs, says, “Jewish day schools and yeshivahs are eager for any funding that helps them provide their students with state-of-the-art technology and keep pace with today’s environment. We are grateful to Governor Cuomo for developing this important initiative.” Arielle Frankston-Morris, director of field operations for OU AdvocacyTeach NYS, notes how important a strong turnout at the polls is for the Jewish community. “Legislators track where votes come from. They consider the issues of their constituents who show up at the polls. When the Jewish community has a strong presence at the polls, that demonstrates we care about who represents us and the issues that affect us,” she says. g

Yachad Trains Future Leaders

Inside the OU

or high school kids who want to be future leaders, the Annual Yachad High School Leadership Shabbaton is a must. This past fall, some 170 high school students from yeshivot and day schools from across the US and Canada came together to hone their leadership and advocacy skills while learning about and interacting with Jews with all kinds of disabilities. Attended by 70 Yachad members from every Yachad chapter from New York to Houston, from Los Angeles to Toronto, the Inclusive Shabbaton was a stunning success. Held in Stamford, Connecticut, the event featured interactive sessions on teambuilding and effective advocacy and encouraged the teens to bring the skills back to their schools and their communities. “I had an idea what Yachad did for people with disabilities, but I realized they do so much more than that,” said one participant. “I realize that the Jewish community is a community where everyone belongs—including those with special needs.” Dovid Fertig, fifteen, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, had never been on a Yachad Shabbaton before and didn’t quite know what to expect. “I met more people than I can count in the first hour of the Shabbaton,” he said. “Everyone was friendly. I met Yachad members and we were just hanging out as friends.” g

Students from yeshivahs and day schools attended the 12th Annual Yachad High School Leadership Shabbaton, where they honed their leadership and advocacy skills. Top row, from left: Harrison Kahn from Plainview, New York; Eytan Aryeh from Woodmere, New York; Jonah Ganchrow from Teaneck, New Jersey; Zev Jarashow from Fair Lawn, New Jersey, and Azi Fein from Riverdale, New York. Bottom row, from left: Yitzi Rothchild from Teaneck, New Jersey and Jacob Adler from Teaneck, New Jersey. Photo: Benji Weintraub

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OU Convention to Focus on Rising Global Anti-Semitism

Inside the OU

he quest for global Jewish unity amidst the rising tide of anti-Semitism will be the topic of the Orthodox Union’s biennial convention this winter. Hundreds of Jewish lay leaders and synagogue members will gather at the Tarrytown Hilton in Tarrytown, NY, on December 26-28 for a weekend complete with shiurim and sessions given by leading Orthodox rabbis and thinkers from across the globe. “We invite all of the members of the Orthodox Jewish community to the OU National Convention where they will be inspired by some of the great teachers and leaders of our community as we discuss the pressing issues that face us,” says Allen I. Fagin, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union. “These include the spiraling cost of yeshivah and day school tuition, our obligations to our unaffiliated brethren, focusing on the need for diversity across the spectrum of lay and communal endeavors and the unprecedented rise in anti-Semitism across the globe. During these trying times, the unity between Jews must be stronger than ever.” Speakers include Rabbi Hershel Schachter, rosh yeshivah at Yeshiva University’s RIETS; Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, chief rabbi of the United Kingdom; Rabbi Daniel Oppenheimer, chief Ashkenazic rabbi of Buenos Aires and Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. “In light of the Gaza War, it became very clear that there has been an increase in global anti-Semitism and Cantor Yaakov Lemmer we wanted to get a snapshot from the chief rabbis of some of those communities,” explains Rabbi Judah Isaacs, OU director of community engagement. There will be a plenary on day school affordability as well as a Sunday panel on bringing women to the Orthodox leadership table led by Anne Neuberger, chief risk officer at the National Security Agency and Rabbanit Chana Henkin, Anne Neuberger

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dean of Nishmat in Israel. Richard Joel, president of Yeshiva University; Dr. Alan Kadish, president and CEO of Touro; Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, OU executive vice president, emeritus, and Rachel Friedman, director of Lamdeinu in Teaneck, will also be speaking. Services and songs will be led by Cantor Yaakov Lemmer, the chazzan of Lincoln Square Synagogue on the Upper West Side in New York. g

Rabbi Hershel Schachter

Rabbi Daniel Oppenheimer

Malcolm Hoenlein

Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis

Rachel Friedman

Rabbanit Chana Henkin

NCSY’s TJJ AP: Creating Future Jewish Ambassadors

his past summer, sixteen-year-old Ilana Lazar visited the concentration camps her grandparents survived. “I was able to walk those roads and places where my family had been,” she wrote in a thank-you note to an anonymous donor. Na’ama Or, sixteen, was able to put up a matzeivah, memorial plaque, at a mass grave for a member of her extended family who was killed by the Nazis. Both Ilana and Na’ama were part of The Anne Samson Jerusalem Journey Ambassadors Poland (TJJ AP), an exclusive NCSY summer trip that takes public school teenagers to Poland for a week, followed by a three-week expedition across Israel. Marc Fein, director of TJJ AP, describes it as “shanah bet” for past participants of The Anne Samson Jerusalem Journey (TJJ), NCSY’s flagship summer program that takes public high school students to Israel for their first Israel experience. “TJJ is meant to inspire; TJJ AP is about translating that inspiration into reality,” Fein says. While the trip takes participants to sites such as Auschwitz and Treblinka—and includes making a Havdalah ceremony in the house of a Nazi commander—the focus isn’t solely about tragedies of the past. The trip itinerary includes learning Torah at the Yeshiva of Chachmei Lublin, where the Daf Yomi originated, and experiencing a tisch at the beit midrash of the great Chassidic master Rabbi Noam Elimelech of Lizhensk. The trip essentially brings participants face to face with both the darkest and brightest moments of Jewish history. “It’s not just about survival,” Fein explains. “Our goal is for teens to see themselves as part of a broader Jewish historical story.” The three weeks in Israel include hiking and chesed activities such as running a camp for children from Sderot.

The three-week program in Israel includes hiking and chesed activities such as running a camp for children from Sderot. Photo: Benji Cheirif

Applicants are accepted after a lengthy screening process, which includes submitting essays describing how they feel about their Jewish identity. Rabbi Steven Weil, senior managing director of the Orthodox Union, hosts a Shabbaton in his home in Teaneck for participants before they travel to Poland. “In terms of impact, it’s one of the most meaningful experiences we provide,” he says about TJJ AP. “What surprised me the most was our ability as a community to fill that emptiness and that void with a sense of vibrancy,” Fein recalls. “Every stop we made—whether it was a destroyed shul or Auschwitz—we found a way to bring life to those places. Instead of the trip being about death and what could have been, it became about life. Not about the lives that were lost, but the lives that were lived. Teens left the trip as ambassadors for the Jewish people.” g

Inside the OU

The Anne Samson Jerusalem Journey Ambassadors Poland (TJJ AP) is an exclusive NCSY summer trip that takes public school teenagers to Poland for a week, followed by a three-week expedition across Israel. Photo: Josh Weinberg

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Bringing Professional Leadership Development to the OU “The key to the success of any organization or business is its staff,” says Rabbi Ari Rockoff. “Investing in the growth and development of our staff must be a top priority.”

Inside the OU

Rabbi Rockoff, thirtynine, is the Orthodox Union’s director of leadership development, a newly created position designed Rabbi Rockoff, thirty-nine, is the specifically for Rabbi Rock- Orthodox Union’s director of leadoff who was recruited by ership development, a newly creAllen I. Fagin, executive ated position designed specifically for him. Photo: Josh Weinberg vice president of the OU, and Rabbi Micah Greenland, international director of NCSY, the OU’s international youth movement. Prior to joining the OU, Rabbi Rockoff spent more than a dozen years at Yeshiva University, where he was the founding director of the Center for the Jewish Future and one of the lead designers of ChampionsGate, a leadership conference that brought together hundreds of Jewish lay leaders and professionals from around the country. Rabbi Rockoff most recently served as the associate dean of institutional advancement at the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education & Administration and the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. In his new position, Rabbi Rockoff will work with OU staff members in designing career trajectories as well as building cross-functionality into the different departments of the organization. Rabbi Rockoff will be bringing his wide-ranging academic background to the task, a background that includes semichah from YU’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, a master’s in education from the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration and an MBA from Baruch College’s Zicklin School of Business. Rabbi Rockoff also aims to build what he calls a “culture of mentorship and membership” within the organization. “We’re looking to build an infrastructure with a leadership pipeline system that tracks talent and guides our professionals throughout their careers,” Rabbi Rockoff says. His first assignment will be working with NCSY, which boasts 200 staff members in twelve regions across North and South America as well as 400 volunteer college-age advisors. “One of my priorities is making certain that every member of the OU has appropriate opportunities to develop his or her skills,” says Mr. Fagin. “We’re beginning with NCSY and rolling out a robust program of professional develop-

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ment throughout the organization to make sure that our professionals are the most dedicated, mission-committed and highly trained professionals they can be.” “Most of our advisors will eventually move on to other jobs,” Rabbi Rockoff says. “Our goal at NCSY is to help them develop skills that will empower them to become accomplished and sought-after Jewish leaders both within the OU and in the broader Jewish community.” Rabbi Rockoff’s eventual goal is to expand the OU’s work to include a training platform for other boards and nonprofits servicing the Jewish community. “The OU is a resource with a global reach,” says Rabbi Rockoff. “Our motto is ‘Enhancing Jewish Life,’ and we’re positioned to extend that mandate.” g

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NEW BOOKS FROM Unlocking the Torah Text— Devarim: An In-depth Journey into the Weekly Parsha By Rabbi Shmuel Goldin OU Press/Gefen Publishing House

tract relevant practical lessons from unexpected sources. Rabbi Goldin explores basic philosophical issues that emerge from the most familiar passages in Devarim. Commenting on the first and second paragraphs of the Shema, for example, he raises a series of questions, including: Why are these paragraphs chosen above all others for the mitzvah of daily recitation? How can the Torah command the experience of an emotion, such as love of God? How can man be commanded to love an entity that he neither knows nor fully encounters? How can we correlate God’s promise of reward and punishment in the text with the injustices and tragedies that we regularly witness in the world around us? Stylistically, Rabbi Goldin’s works have earned a worldwide reputation for their accessible scholarship, challenging the seasoned student of the text even as they remain welcoming to the novice. He is consistent in his efforts to distinguish between peshat, the straightforward explanation of the text, and derash, rabbinic commentary which conveys lessons and ideas beyond the literal narrative. Each of these approaches is valuable, he argues, but each must be properly understood to achieve its value. The previous volumes of Unlocking the Torah Text have become the focus of numerous informal study groups, have been used by rabbis and educators in the preparation of sermons and classes and have served as the basis for countless hours of family discussion at the Shabbat table. Now that this series is complete, its popularity should increase even further. Whether a personal purchase to enhance one’s own journey into the text, or a gift to others, the five volumes of Unlocking the Torah Text are certain to make a fine addition to Torah libraries across the globe. g

Inside the OU

abbi Shmuel Goldin’s Unlocking the Torah Text—Devarim, the fifth and final volume of this popular series, is a welcome addition to the world of Torah commentary. Following the pattern of his earlier volumes, this new book presents numerous studies on each parashah in the Book of Devarim. After opening each study with questions that strike critical, fundamental issues in the text, Rabbi Goldin offers a variety of approaches to the questions raised, quoting and explaining a wide spectrum of rabbinic sources, from the classical to the modern. To these, he often adds original approaches as well. Finally, many of the studies close with a section of “Points to Ponder,” specifically designed to encourage continued thought, discussion and debate on connections between the Torah section under “Study” and relevant, current issues. Throughout this volume, Rabbi Goldin urges the reader to be mindful of the unique, multi-layered nature of the last book of the Torah. Devarim contains critical elements of God’s unfolding law, but as Rabbi Goldin explains from the outset, it also chronicles the poignant human drama of the final five weeks of Moshe’s life. Ever-present beneath the surface of the text are the roiling emotions of Moshe’s last days. Inviting the reader to consider the perspective of Moshe, Rabbi Goldin asks, “What does Moshe feel as he faces the harsh reality of his own impending demise on the very border of the Promised Land? How does he reconcile his personal disappointment with the pride, excitement and anxiety

that he feels for his people as he watches them ready themselves for the challenges ahead? How do his emotions shape and color his words and messages? What of the conflicting sentiments felt by the people as they prepare to realize their goals, enter an unknown land and simultaneously bid farewell to the only leader that they have known?” In addition, Rabbi Goldin examines the very nature of this last book of the Torah. How much of this text, written by Moshe almost entirely in the first person, is God’s and how much is his? What is the overall structure of the book? Why are some mitzvot repeated from earlier books of the Torah, while others are not? Why are additional mitzvot introduced in Devarim for the first time? What motivates Moshe to include specific historical events in his farewell addresses, yet omit others? How can we reconcile apparent discrepancies between Moshe’s recollections of events and the original records found in earlier texts? As in the past, Rabbi Goldin does not shy away from tackling difficult topics that many other works overlook. Included, for example, are studies on the perplexing sections of ben sorer u’moreh, the rebellious son; eishet yefat to’ar, the woman captured in battle and the institution of a court-appointed go’el hadam, blood avenger, to punish the perpetrator of accidental homicide. In each of these cases, Rabbi Goldin manages to make the perplexing more understandable and to ex-

Winter 5775/2014 JEWISH ACTION 81

TheChef’sTable

By Norene Gilletz Daniella Silver’s Parsnip Potato Latkes Photo: EyeCandyTo

I’ve never met a latke I didn’t like. Chanukah is still one of my favorite holidays, and to me, hot, crispy latkes taste best straight from the skillet. Latkes always bring back wonderful memories from my childhood, counting my Chanukah gelt and spinning the dreidel at family Chanukah celebrations. My mother always made traditional latkes from grated potatoes on a box grater. When she got her first food processor, latke making reached new levels—and new speeds. Today, almost anything goes. Latkes can be made from parsnips, broccoli, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, cottage cheese . . . the choice is yours. Big ones, small ones, baked ones, fried ones . . . and then there are the tantalizing toppings. Crisp, crunchy potato latkes are scrumptious topped with a dollop of creamy sour cream for a dairy meal, or nondairy sour cream or applesauce for a meat meal. Those watching

their fat intake often opt to top their latkes with thick, snowwhite Greek yogurt because of its higher protein and lower carb content. To lighten up those latkes, you can fry them in a nonstick skillet or bake them in a hot oven until crisp. Here is a collection of latkes from my personal recipe collection, plus some favorites from a few of my friends who are cookbook authors. Enjoy this “sneak peak” at one of the fabulous recipes from the exciting new cookbook that I’m collaborating on together with Daniella Silver of Toronto. The Silver Platter: Simple to Spectacular will be published by ArtScroll in the spring of 2015. These savory parsnip potato latkes are just a tiny taste of what’s to come. P.S. As soon as we finished shooting the photos of the latkes, the photography team devoured them in minutes. We all agreed that Daniella’s mouthwatering latkes are totally addictive!

DANIELLA’S PARSNIP POTATO LATKES

Latkes: 1 pound/500 grams parsnips, peeled (2-4 depending on size) 1 large potato, peeled (preferably Idaho/russet) 1 medium onion 2 eggs 1/3 cup flour (regular or gluten-free) 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon Kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill Oil for frying

Yields 12 to 15 large latkes Pareve/Dairy Option/Passover Option/Gluten-Free Festive enough for Chanukah, but casual enough for yearround meals, parsnip latkes are a wonderful way to enjoy a different spin on this traditional Jewish delicacy.

Norene Gilletz is the author of nine cookbooks and divides her time between work as a food writer, culinary consultant, spokesperson, cooking instructor, lecturer and editor. Norene lives in Toronto, Canada. For more information, visit her web site at www.gourmania.com or e-mail her at goodfood@gourmania.com.

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Preheat oven to 250º F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor fitted with a shredding disk, shred parsnips, potato and onion, using medium pressure. Transfer vegetables to a large strainer and press firmly to drain off excess liquid. Place veggies in a large bowl. Add eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and dill. Mix well. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, drop large spoonfuls of batter into hot oil to form pancakes, flattening them slightly with the back of the spoon. Do not crowd the skillet. Fry for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden. Drain well on paper towels. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Sour Cream Dill Topping: 1 1/2 cups sour cream (or nondairy sour cream) 1 tablespoon lemon juice (preferably fresh) 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill Freshly ground black pepper Additional dill for garnish Stir together sour cream, lemon juice, dill and pepper. Place in a serving bowl and garnish with dill. Serve with latkes. Note: Freezes well

Chef’s Secrets: Grating onions together with potatoes prevents them from turning black. Passover Option: Use 3 tablespoons potato starch instead of flour and use Passover baking powder. You can omit the baking powder, but the latkes won’t be quite as light.

DAHLIA’S TURKISH LEEK PATTIES (Keftes de Prassa) Adapted from Silk Road Vegetarian by Dahlia Abraham-Klein Yields 24 patties Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free Leeks originated in Egypt and traveled to the Ottoman Empire, becoming part of this traditional patty eaten by Jews on special holidays. It’s a variation on the Eastern European Jews’ potato latke, which is traditionally eaten on Chanukah; Sephardic Jews eat this as their Chanukah treat, since it is also fried in oil. Not much more than sautéed leeks (sautéing intensifies the flavor), potatoes and eggs create this deceptively delicious and addictive pancake. You must eat these

Lynn’s Latkes from Cooked Potatoes Photo: Nick Uliveri Photography

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when they are just cooked; otherwise they lose their perfect crispiness. While Ashkenazic Jews have the custom of eating potato latkes fried in oil because potatoes grew in abundance in Eastern Europe, Mizrachi Jews (Eastern or Asian origin) eat a variety of latkes—mainly, but not exclusively, consisting of any of the following: spinach, cauliflower, leeks or zucchini. It really depends on which country you originally came from and what grew indigenous there. 2 pounds leeks (about 10) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt 3 large potatoes, peeled Salt as needed 5 cloves garlic 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Grapeseed oil, for frying Lemon wedges, for garnish Prepare the leeks, which absorb large amounts of sand as they grow. Trim and discard the tough dark green outer leaves. Slice the leek lengthwise but leave the root intact. Hold it by the root to wash under cold running water. Sepa-

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rate the layers to get all the dirt out. When you are done, cut off and discard the root and chop the leeks. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and season with the salt. Sauté the leeks, stirring and shaking the pan, for 7 to 8 minutes, until quite wilted. Place the potatoes in a separate saucepan and add enough water to cover them by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Add 1 teaspoon of salt for each quart of water. Cover the pot and boil for about 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the leeks, cooked potatoes, garlic, eggs and black pepper. Pulse to form a paste. Use the same skillet that you used for the leeks and pour at least 1/2 inch of oil into it. Set it over medium-high heat. When the oil is sizzling hot, carefully drop large dollops of leek mixture into it. Lower the heat to medium, so as not to brown too quickly. Cook for 5 minutes on each side, then remove and drain on paper towel and serve warm. Arrange on large platter and garnish with lemon wedges.

LYNN’S LATKES FROM COOKED POTATOES (Chremslach) Taken from Food, Family and Tradition by Lynn Kirsche Shapiro Yields 8 to 10 /Pareve Here is a simple way to turn leftover cooked potatoes (either whole, boiled, baked or mashed) into a potato patty that is crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. 3 medium cooked skinless potatoes, whole, pieces or mashed 2 large eggs, beaten 1/2 small, finely shredded onion Salt and pepper, to taste (optional) Vegetable oil, as needed for frying Mash the cooked potatoes until smooth in a medium bowl using a potato masher. Add the eggs and onion and mix well. If potatoes have been cooked in salted water do not add seasonings. If potatoes have been baked, unseasoned, add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. In a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat 1/4-inch oil until hot. If a drop of water sizzles and evaporates immediately, pan is hot. Ladle potato mixture into pan by 1/4 cupful. Fry until golden and crisp on one side, 3 to 4 minutes, turn once and fry on the other side until golden, crisp and cooked through. Transfer cooked patties to paper towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining batter. Variation: If you are using unseasoned baking potatoes, you may replace salt and pepper (and onion) with sugar to taste

for a sweet pancake. Serve it with cinnamon and sugar or jam or applesauce for breakfast or dessert.

LYNN’S LATKES Yields 8 to 10 Lynn Kirsche Shapiro explains: “I prepare the latkes following my family’s simple recipe and my husband follows his own created recipe (see variation below), and we wait to see whose latke was the favorite. Every year, all the latkes—mine and his—are always gone.” 4 medium russet potatoes (see Note, below) 2 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1⁄8 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper (optional) Vegetable oil, as needed, for frying Grate the potatoes into a medium bowl using the second finest side of a box grater. Or use a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Chop potatoes into chunks; grate finely by pulsing, but do not purée. Transfer potatoes and their juices to a medium bowl. Add the eggs and salt. Mix very well. Add pepper if using. In a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat 1/4 inch of oil. Drop latke batter using a 1/4-cup ladle or a large spoon carefully into the frying pan. Fry on one side until edges are crispy and golden, about 3 minutes. Flip once and fry until cooked through and crispy on the other side. Transfer latkes to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat using remaining batter, adding more oil if necessary. Note: A medium russet potato is 2 1/4 by 3 1/4 inches. If the potatoes are very large, use 1 egg per potato.

Lynn’s Husband’s Latkes He does not finely grate the potatoes but shreds them manually or by using the shredding disk in a food processor, then squeezes out all of the liquid and discards it. Then he adds eggs and salt and mixes. The cooking procedure is the same. His latkes are more like hash brown patties, but they are also delicious and crispy.

NORENE’S BROCCOLI LATKES Yields about 18 small latkes This is a tasty way to eat your veggies. Be sure to try the variations below. 1 package (10 ounces/300 grams) frozen broccoli 1 medium onion, halved 3 eggs 1/2 cup matzah meal or cracker crumbs 3/4 teaspoon salt Dash of freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons canola oil

Cook frozen broccoli according to package directions. Drain well. Insert steel blade in food processor. Process onion until minced. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs and broccoli and process until finely chopped, about 20 seconds. Add matzah meal or cracker crumbs, salt and pepper. Process a few seconds longer, until smooth. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Drop tablespoons of mixture into hot oil to make small pancakes. Flatten slightly with the back of the spoon. Brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil as needed. Note: Keeps 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator; reheats and/or freezes well. Variations: Replace broccoli with green beans, cauliflower or spinach. Chef’s Secrets: Freezing and reheating latkes: To save space when freezing or reheating latkes, stand them upright in a loaf pan. Reheat, uncovered, in preheated 400°F oven for about 10 minutes.

NORENE’S CARROT LATKES Yields 16 to 18 latkes or 5 dozen hors d’oeuvres. Different and delicious! Minis make great appetizers. 4 to 6 medium carrots 1 medium onion, halved 3 eggs 3/4 teaspoon salt Dash freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons oil Insert grater in food processor. Cut carrots to fit feed tube. Grate, using medium pressure. Measure 2 cups. (Any leftovers can be added to soups or salads.) Insert steel blade in food processor. Process onion until fine. Add carrots along with remaining ingredients except oil. Process until blended, about 15 seconds. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Drop carrot mixture from a spoon into hot oil and flatten patties with the back of the spoon. Brown on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil if necessary. Drain well on paper towels. Note: Keeps 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator; reheats and/or freezes well. g

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WELLNESS REPORT

Living the

Sweet Life BY SHIRA ISENBERG

I’m a sugar addict, and I especially love those caramel sufganiyot around Chanukah time; I look forward to them all year. But as I’m getting older, I’m more worried about what I’m doing to my body. Is sugar really as evil as all the health nuts make it out to be?

Well, it depends which “health nut” you’re asking. Physician and public health advocate Dr. David Katz penned a response to Gary Taubes’ article “Is Sugar Toxic?” (New York Times, April 13, 2011) entitled “Sugar Isn’t Evil: A Rebuttal” (Huffington Post, April 18, 2011). But as we learn more about chronic diseases and the role sugar plays in their development, it becomes clear that sugar is far from an innocent victim of bad PR. Sugar, especially white sugar, is the Shira Isenberg is a registered dietitian and writer in Memphis, Tennessee. She has a master’s degree in public health nutrition from Hunter College in New York.

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new pariah, replacing carbs on the nutrition hit list, which had previously replaced fat. Today it’s not uncommon to find people eschewing soda—diet and regular—and sweetened cereals in favor of cheeses and nuts as snack foods. And for good reason. Eating too much sugar has been linked to chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, as well as to high levels of triglycerides. Sugar consists of what we call “empty calories”—calories that don’t come with any nutrients. Eating lots of empty calories is likely to lead to weight gain. A recent meta-analysis of thirty-two different studies shows that drinking sodas or other beverages sweetened with sugar is associated

with weight gain in both children and adults. But even if excess sugary foods don’t lead to weight gain, they displace other, better-for-you foods. The more added sugars you eat, the less wholesome items your diet is likely to contain. On the other hand, sugar is our most basic need. Glucose is what our bodies run on, and we’re hard-wired from birth to prefer sweet foods, starting with breastmilk. The problem is, we eat too much sugar, especially “added sugar”—those that aren’t found naturally in foods but are added in the manufacturing process to make the product more desirable. Sugar is showing up in foods you wouldn’t expect, like tomato sauce, bread or yogurt— foods that don’t even taste that sweet. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the average American consumes twenty-three teaspoons of added sugar every day—the equivalent of 368 extra calories, calories that provide no nutrients of value. Based on

The average American consumes twenty-three teaspoons of added sugar every day—the equivalent of 368 extra calories, calories that provide no nutrients of value. a typical 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, that’s almost 20 percent of calories that are basically worthless. People like to differentiate between sugar and high fructose corn syrup or any of a multitude of sweeteners, including honey, molasses, agave nectar, et cetera. While they vary in caloric content because of differences in weight—honey, for example, contains twenty-two calories per teaspoon while a teaspoon of white sugar has sixteen—they’re all equally devoid of nutrients. Sure, some people may react better to one sweetener over another; agave, for example, has a reputation for being “healthier,” for causing lower rises in blood sugar and for helping people feel satisfied with smaller quantities of sweetener. But agave is comprised mostly of fructose (88 percent), which may be tied to even more negative health effects than glucose. To answer your question, eating one jelly doughnut—or even caramel-filled doughnut—once a year isn’t going to do serious damage. But having one every night of Chanukah, on top of an already-high sugar diet, is a recipe for weight gain and increased risk of undesirable health conditions. The American Heart Association recommends limiting intake of added sugars to no more than six teaspoons per day for women and no more than nine per day for men.

To keep your sugar consumption under control, try the following: 1. Start reading food labels to become familiar with sugar content; it’s listed below “Total Carbohydrates” on the Nutrition Facts panel. 2. Check the ingredient list for sugar in any form (including cane syrup, dextrose, rice syrup, glucose and invert sugar, to name a few), and note where it appears on the list. The closer to the top of the list, the more sugar the product contains. It will probably be a challenge, at first, to cut down on your intake of added sugars. But as you persevere, you’ll notice your preference for very sweet things start to wane, and it will become easier and more natural with time. g

What about Fruit? While fruits are naturally high in sugar—a large apple, for example, contains upwards of twenty grams of sugar—they’re a far cry from foods with added sugars, say researchers like Dr. David Ludwig, director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children’s Hospital. Unlike most foods with added sugar, which tend to be highly processed, fruit contains fiber which helps slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. Instead of causing adverse effects, research shows that eating fruit is actually linked to healthier weights and decreased risk of chronic diseases. Include a variety of fruits in your diet, but be careful not to overdo it. Even though fruit is quite healthful, it still contains calories. A good goal is somewhere between two and four servings of fruit per day. And stick to whole fruit, versus juice, whenever possible.

What’s the Difference Between “No Added Sugar” and “Sugar-Free”? When a product is labeled with “no added sugar,” all it means is that no sugar was added during processing. It does not make any claim about the total sugar content of the product. For example, grape juice with “no added sugar” may still contain more than thirty-five grams of sugar per eight-ounce serving, since it’s a product that’s just naturally high in sugar. A “sugar-free” product, on the other hand, must contain less than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving. Sugar-free products, however, often contain sugar substitutes.

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Books

Our New Special Baby Written by Chaya Rosen Illustrated by Rivkie Braverman Feldheim Publishers Nanuet, New York, 2013 43 pages Reviewed by Dovid M. Cohen

ur New Special Baby, written by Chaya Rosen and illustrated by Rivkie Braverman, tells the poignant story of parents sharing with their young children the news of the birth of their “special” sibling. The book is dedicated to the author’s very special brother, Ezra, who profoundly impacted her life and changed her family for the better. This creative, beautifully illustrated children’s book portrays the children’s innocence and the delicateness with which the parents attempt to educate their young family as to the differences and uniqueness of their newest sibling. The parents take special care to present the situation in a positive but realistic way. The father invokes the message that their family has been “selected” by Hashem for this challenging task. “So Hashem looked at all the families and He said, ‘Which family can I give this baby to?’ Hashem looked at all those families, and He saw that our family was the only family special enough to get this beautiful baby.” The children learn about the various nuances and atypical features of a child with Down syndrome. Slowly, the father psychologically prepares his family to deal with the baby who will

Rabbi Dovid M. Cohen, Esq., MSc, is rabbi of the Young Israel of the West Side in Manhattan and a Yachad/National Jewish Council for Disabilities board member. He travels the country advocating for greater inclusion of individuals with special needs and is the father of Yedidya, a precious nine-year-old boy with Down syndrome.

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be arriving in their home. Throughout the discussion, he is compassionate and validates the children’s various questions and concerns. Unfortunately, the book does resort to stereotypes, stating that people with Down syndrome give “great hugs” and are more affectionate and loving than most people. No doubt, the author drew upon these stereotypes as a way to assuage young readers’ fears. Most impressive is the author’s ability to express profound ideas simply, so they can be easily grasped by young children. For example, the father explains that the new baby will be developmentally delayed. “That’s why every time he learns something new, it will be exciting, and we’ll make a party.” He includes the children as well, saying, “Mommy and I can count on you two to help us, right?” Aside from being exposed to penetrating ideas of Jewish faith, the children in the story are also left to contemplate what it means to accomplish a difficult task. The father inculcates the message that one should be proud when one goes beyond his natural limits. He also reinforces the idea that their sibling is a person with real feelings and that in essence they have much in common with him. Toward the end of the book, there is a lighter moment when the name of the syndrome is contemplated. The children find the name to be “funny,” and it is explained that it is named for

the founder of the disorder, Dr. John Langdon Down. I found the discussion ironic, as many in the special-needs world joke that the condition should have been named “up syndrome” because of the common perception that those with Down syndrome are always warm, funny and friendly. The book, as noted above, is informed by personal experience. One of the most difficult aspects of introducing a special-needs child into a family is sharing with those closest to the child how he will impact their lives and be integrated into society. Although my son with Down syndrome happened to be my first child, I recall the discomfort my wife and I felt when we shared the news with extended family and friends. Many families struggle with sharing such news with other children, grandparents, friends and community members. Chaya Rosen has done a tremendous service, particularly for the siblings of a child with special needs, by simply articulating and thereby normalizing the adjustment process. While this book is geared for young children, adults could also benefit from this very quick read. I remember the fear, sadness and vulnerability I initially experienced when I was told I had a special child. Receiving such news is initially a “mixed bag” at best and recipients often struggle to come to grips with their new reality. If “outsiders” have the benefit of the inside glimpse this book provides, they may be more sensitive in how they approach others in this situation. The book contains an appendix introducing and explaining Down syndrome as well as various related medical concerns. It is a comprehensive and helpful aid to anyone interested in learning more about the condition. Take a few minutes, read the book and open your eyes to a uniquely special world you might not have been privileged to previously enter. g

S T IL L J EW IS H FA M IL Y O W NED A N D I NDEPENDENT L Y O PERA T E D

Collected Essays, Vol. I By Haym Soloveitchik Littman Library of Jewish Civilization Oxford, 2013 352 pages

Levaya

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rofessor Haym Soloveitchik is the leading contemporary practitioner of the discipline of â&#x20AC;&#x153;History of Halachah,â&#x20AC;? which examines the interaction of halachic tradition with protean reality. Over the past four decades, he has enriched Jewish scholarship and historiography immeasurably with groundbreaking monographs and books on a broad range of topics. His work has set a (very high) standard for other scholars who labor in these fields. In this volumeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the first of a promised threeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the author has updated and significantly expanded his previously published articles. In addition, in the last two sections, he has added several new innovative studies alongside other material that was not previously available in English. Equally important, since the present volume is aimed at a wider audience, a number of essays have been rewritten to make them accessible to the thinking layperson. The book is divided into four sections. The first section, entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Overview of the Tosafist Movement,â&#x20AC;? discusses the character and genesis of the two great cornerstones of Talmudic study which have framed the Talmudic text since the turn of the sixteenth century: the commentaries of Rashi and the Tosafists. The author clearly and carefully traces the background and unique qualities of Rashiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commentary. He then explains the nature and origins of the Tosafist enterprise, its relationship with Rashiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commentary and its impact upon both Talmudic commentary and all subsequent halachah. Along the way, the reader encounters the great figures among the baâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;alei haTosafot: Rav Yaakov Tam and his key disciples, Rabbi Isaac of Dampierre and Rabbi Samson of Sens, and learns just how the Tosafot were created, composed and preserved. The authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discussions should be required reading for both traditional and academic students of the Talmud.

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The next two sections address two halachic issues that have been at the center of Dr. Soloveitchik’s research: “Usury” and “The Ban on Gentile Wine.” The author has reissued his essays on these topics in their original form (with updated bibliography throughout the footnotes). He follows each piece with new appendices in which he discusses, sometimes acerbically, various points at issue between himself and other historians. Here the reader has the unique opportunity of entering the historian of halachah’s carrel and see him at work. The subjects might appear somewhat daunting, but with the author’s careful guidance, the effort proves well worth it. Of the two sections, the essays dealing with the ban on Gentile wine (yayin nesech and stam yaynam) are the more accessible. Of particular note for the reader who seeks to understand both the topic and the author’s methodology is the essay “Can Halakhic Texts Talk History?” Here, one is invited to attend a seminar on the subject. After a brief introduction, from both a legal and historical perspective, a series of sources is carefully and meticulously presented and analyzed from the Talmud up until the end of the Tosafist era. Dr. Soloveitchik demonstrates in the case at hand that halachic change can derive as much from the theoretical study of the Talmud as from external forces

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and pressures (to which point, we will return). Along the way, the reader is treated to insights about such varied topics as the rate of wine consumption in medieval France and Germany, the character of pre-Crusade Ashkenazic piety, along with the genesis and development of Rashi’s Talmud commentary. The final section of the volume is entitled “Some General Conclusions.” At its center lies the author’s seminal article, “Religious Law and Change: The Medieval Ashkenazic Example.” As the title indicates, the original essay argued that because religious law is believed to be of Divine origin, the “unalignability,” the “non-adaptability,” if you wish, of religious law is a premise which must underlie all our investigations of the history of halachah. Certainly, no halachist of any integrity would consciously force halachah to bend to changing circumstances. Such behavior would have been viewed as nothing short of blasphemous. Nevertheless, Dr. Soloveitchik asserts that “at times the very intensity of religious conviction and observance can be conducive to a radical transformation of religious law.” He argues that for medieval Franco-German Jews, established popular practice (nohag) was deemed to be of such authority and sanctity that when it deviated from the apparent implications of the relevant Talmudic passages, halachists consciously (re)interpreted these in order to resolve the contradiction, much as one might resolve the apparent contradiction between recalcitrant Talmudic passages. The source of the authority of practice, Dr. Soloveitchik maintains, was the group’s unique self-image as a pious, Godfearing, sacred community. In this connection, he examines the flagrant disconnect between the modes of martyrdom practiced by Ashkenazic Jews during the First Crusade and the parameters laid down by the Talmud (Sanhedrin 74a). With this thesis, the author clears a middle ground between those who maintain that halachah is immutable and those who view it as an extremely plastic system that is bent in every generation by its practitioners. The author here, and in other essays in this volume, posits the religious integrity of the halachist and the constraints that Jewish legal literature places upon him. On the other hand, he does not deny that halachic changes do occur— consciously or unconsciously. The historian’s task, as he sees it, is not only to note those changes; he must determine whether they are the product of internal Talmudic interpretation, or the result of outside pressure. Even in the latter case, how did the halachist perceive the reality within which he worked, and the boundaries of movement allowed by the Jewish legal tradition? As the last point implies, these essays will be of great interest to all students of the Talmud, halachah and Jewish history. The questions with which the author grapples are germane to understanding both medieval and contemporary Jewish life. This volume (and those that follow) should find pride of place on many bookshelves. g

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Legal-Ease

By Ari Z. Zivotofsky

WHAT’S THE TRUTH ABOUT . . .

the Korbanot? Misconception: Leading authorities including Rambam and Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook maintain that korbanot, animal sacrifices, will be not be reinstated in the time of the Third Temple but will be replaced with grain offerings. Fact: Rambam and Rav Kook never assert that animal sacrifices will not be reinstated in the Third Temple. Background: Temple ritual and animal sacrifices comprise a large part of the Torah’s text and commandments. Their description features prominently in the Musaf prayer service of Shabbat and holidays, and the daily prayer service includes a request for the restoration of the sacrificial order. But animal sacrifices have not been practiced for approximately 1,900 years and many contemporary Jews have difficulty relating to the concept of animal sacrifice. Despite the centrality of korbanot in our liturgy and tradition, some claim that Rambam maintained that in the future there will be no animal sacrifices. This claim is based on Rambam’s rationale for why sacrifices were origiRabbi Dr. Ari Z. Zivotofsky is on the faculty of the Brain Science Program at Bar-Ilan University in Israel.

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nally instituted. In his philosophical work (Moreh Nevuchim 3:32), Rambam argues that because human nature is such that people cannot instantaneously abandon existing religious practices, God retained the practice of animal sacrifices. This ancient practice of the idolaters was redirected toward worshipping the true God.1 Rambam similarly explains (Moreh Nevuchim 3:46) why particular animal species are used for korbanot in specific contexts based upon sacrificial practices of the ancient world.2 In his other writings, Rambam sheds additional light on his vision of the future. In his halachic work, Mishneh Torah, also known as Yad HaChazakah, he describes (Hilchot Melachim 11:1) what Mashiach will accomplish, and it becomes quite clear that he believes there will be animal sacrifices in the future Temple. Rambam writes that Mashiach will build the Temple and gather in the dispersed Jews. Then the laws will “be in effect as in the days of yore,” such that sacrifices will be offered3 and shemittah and yovel will be fully observed as prescribed in the Torah. Elsewhere (Hilchot Meilah 8:8) Rambam approvingly quotes the rabbinic adage that the world exists due to the merit of the sacrificial service. Rambam’s Yad is not a history book and it only consists of laws that in his

opinion are or will be relevant; of the fourteen books that constitute the work, two (Avodah and Korbanot) are devoted entirely to sacrifices. In his third major work, the Commentary on the Mishnah, Rambam identifies Thirteen Principles of Faith (in the introduction to the tenth chapter of Sanhedrin). Based on these Principles, it seems unlikely Rambam believed that there will not be sacrifices in the future. The Ninth Principle is that the Torah and its laws are immutable. If the Torah’s laws can never change, then obviously, irrespective of the reason for sacrifices, once they were commanded, they remain in effect for all eternity. In his legal code as well (Yesodei HaTorah 9:1), Rambam is emphatic that nothing in the Torah can change and that no prophet can alter a jot of the law. Other authorities do not subscribe so rigorously to this tenet.4 Rambam, however, does. Thus, in his view, there certainly will be sacrifices in the future.5 The Meshech Chochmah (introduction to Sefer Vayikra) tries to reconcile the two explanations for sacrifices— that of Rambam (that korbanot are a concession to the idolatry of the ancient world) and that of the Ramban (that korbanot have inherent value). He suggests that sacrifices offered on bamot (“high places” – i.e., private al-

tars that were permissible prior to the construction of the Temple) were in response to idolatrous desires as explained by Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim. Because the people were weaned from such desires by the time the Temple was erected, the permissibility of that modality expired. However, korbanot in the Beit Hamikdash have an intrinsic value, as described in great detail in the Yad, and will never be abolished. Rabbi Baruch HaLevi Epstein (Tosefet Berachah, Leviticus 1:2) defends Rambam against attacks such as those by the Ramban. He demonstrates that Rambam’s position in Moreh Nevuchim is based on the words of Chazal in Vayikra Rabbah (on verse 17:3) and the Mechilta (to verse 12:21), and is even alluded to in the Torah (Vayikra 17:7). Moshe Narboni (thirteenth century) wrote a commentary on Moreh Nevuchim in which he explains that Rambam never viewed korbanot as a “concession.” Rather, he viewed animal sacrifice as an innate human need that was also practiced by idolaters. Abarbanel (introduction to Leviticus, chap. 4) cites and rejects this interpretation, preferring to accept Rambam’s thesis at face value—that sacrifices were instituted primarily as a means to wean Bnei Yisrael away from avodah zarah. Nevertheless, Abarbanel maintains that Rambam believed that important messages about man’s relationship to God are contained within the myriad laws pertaining to sacrifices. Abarbanel proceeds to cite examples of the profound symbolism contained within the intricate halachot concerning korbanot, as found in Rambam..6 Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (“Two Strains of Maimonidean Thought,” in The Halakhic Mind [New York, 1998], 91) contrasts Rambam’s approach in the Guide to the Perplexed and in the Yad and notes that the Jewish people have, in general, ignored most of Rambam’s rationalizations. In this context (see ibid., note 108) he opines that philosophically, Ramban’s interpretation of sacrifices is superior to Rambam’s, and in Al HaTeshuvah (p. 166-7 in Hebrew, 267-8 in English) Rav Soloveitchik refers to Ramban’s approach.

The claim that Rav Kook believed that animal sacrifices will not be reinstituted when the Temple is rebuilt7 is based on one sentence in his commentary to the siddur. Commenting on the “Yehi Ratzon” at the end of the Shemoneh Esrei, “v’arvah laHashem minchat Yehuda v’Yerushalayim kimei olam uch’shanim kadmoniyot—then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to the Lord as in the days of old and as in the ancient years” (Malachi 3:4; first line of the haftarah for Shabbat HaGadol), Rav Kook wrote: “In the future, the abundance of knowledge will spread to and penetrate even animals . . . and the sacrifices, which will then be from grain,8 will be as pleasing to God as in days of old in yesteryear [when there were animal sacrifices] . . . ” (Olat Reiyah, vol. 1 [Jerusalem, 1983], 292). This has led some to claim that Rav Kook believed that there will only be vegetarian sacrifices in the Third Beit Hamikdash. However, elsewhere, Rav Kook states his belief that there will be animal sacrifices in the Third Temple. He writes: “And regarding sacrifices, it is more correct to believe that everything will return to its place, and God willing, be fulfilled when the redemption comes, and prophecy and the Divine spirit return to Israel” (Iggrot HaReiyah, vol. 4 [Jerusalem, 1984], 235, letter 994; Rabbi Chaim Hirschensohn, Malki Bakodesh, vol. 4 [Jerusalem], letter 1, p. gimmel). It seems that Rav Kook believes that sacrifices will be reinstated, and also that at that time people will have a renewed understanding and appreciation of the role of sacrifices. Rav Kook thus maintains that in the Messianic Age there will be animal sacrifices. However, he also quotes Kabbalistic sources (see Otzerot HaReiyah, vol. 2 [2002], 101-103 and Kevatzim Mi’ktav Yad Kadsho, vol. 2 [5768], 15-16) that describe some other, far distant future, when the whole nature of the world will change, and animals will be on a human level. Then, of course, no sacrifices will be brought from these “intelligent” animals. It would seem that according to Rav Kook’s understanding, it is about this far-distant period that Malachi (3:4) prophesized. Rav Kook’s vision of an ideal world

with only vegetarian sacrifices will come much later in the Messianic period, and follow techiyat hameitim.9 It would be quite strange to posit that there will be no animal sacrifices in the Third Temple in light of the fact that Jews have prayed thrice daily in Shemoneh Esrei for nearly 2,000 years “v’hasheiv et ha’avodah lidvir veisecha, v’ishei Yisrael.” In the Musaf service, the sacrifices prescribed by the Torah for that day are clearly delineated, and we conclude with a prayer stating that we hope to merit to one day bring these sacrifices again. Similarly, at the Pesach Seder and in the Musaf of Yom Kippur, we conclude with the fervent prayer seeking the reinstatement of sacrifices in the Temple.10 Not only do we find the theme of the restoration of sacrifices repeated throughout the liturgy, there is an opinion that there will even be “make-up sacrifices” for all those that were missed during the last 1,900 years! In the standard Musaf prayer, we pray that the Temple be restored so that we can bring the “[Korban] Musaf of this

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very day [‘hazeh’].” That request might seem strange, given the fact that obviously we cannot offer the sacrifices meant to be offered on that very day. Sefer HaManhig (Hilchot Hallel [twelfth century], 263-4, 1978 ed.) explains that “hazeh” indicates that indeed all missed sacrifices over the generations will be brought, and one should not wonder where all the animals for those make-up sacrifices will come from (more than 25,000 missed Rosh Chodashim!) because the prophet has already guaranteed that the animals will gather together for that purpose (Isaiah 60:7). Taking a different position than that of the Sefer HaManhig, Rabbi Chaim Berlin11 states that all missed Rosh Chodesh korbanot will be offered, not as a Musaf, but as “voluntary offerings.” The notion of offering make-up sacrifices is found in the writings of one of the early Chassidic masters, Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Shapira of Dinov (1783?-1841). He states12 that with the building of the Beit Hamikdash, it will be mandatory to bring all past-due sinofferings.13 He also explains the perplexing use of the word “zeh”14 in Musaf by citing the opinion of Menahem Azariah da Fano (1548-1620), who states that in the future, all communal sacrifices that were missed over the centuries will be offered. Elaborating on this topic in his more famous work (Bnei Yissaschar, Ma’amar Rosh Chodesh, ma’amar 2:3,8, cf. 3:7), he explains that after the building of the Third Temple, when the first Rosh Chodesh Nissan comes along, all of the missed Rosh Chodesh Nissan Korbanot Musaf will be offered, and on Shabbat Parashat Naso, all the missed Korbanot Musaf of Shabbat Naso will be offered, et cetera. This explanation for the word “zeh” was referred to by Sephardic rabbinic authorities too. The Ben Ish Chai (year 2:Vayikra 19) quotes the explanation of the Bnei Yissaschar. Rabbi Yechia Tzalach, the leader of Yemenite Jewry in the eighteenth century, reports15 asking his teacher about the word “zeh,” who quoted the answer cited in Sefer HaManhig. Rabbi Shlomo Hakohen Rabinowicz of Radomsk (d. 1866; Tiferet Shlomo, Shabbat Kodesh, 63-4), based 94

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on “zeh,” says that one missed Korban Tamid and Korban Musaf, as well as individual sacrifices, will be offered in the soon-to-be-rebuilt Temple, as suggested in Joel 2:25. Some who support the claim that Rambam and Rav Kook believe animal sacrifice will have no place in the Third Temple attempt to argue that sacrifices were always a concession and that God actually disdains the practice. Examples of oft-cited verses from Tanach that they use are: “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” (Isaiah 1:11); “For I spoke not unto your fathers . . . concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifice. But this thing I commanded them: ‘Obey My voice and I will be your God’” (Jeremiah 7:21); “For I [God] desire mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burntofferings” (Hosea 6:6) and many others. But as is evident when reading the verses in context, the prophets are not railing against sacrifices per se, but rather against sacrifices that are not accompanied by compassion for others and knowledge of God. In fact, these very same prophets, Ezekiel in particular, prophesized about the renewal of the sacrificial order.16 It is clear that animal sacrifices have deep spiritual value. Each one of the Avot brought animal sacrifices. In numerous places throughout Nach, the prophets express their longing for the restoration of the Temple service. Finally, the Talmud takes it as a given that sacrifices will be reinstated. So will there be sacrifices in the Third Temple? The overwhelming majority opinion is that there will be. Rambam and Rav Kook seem to share this view. It should be noted that while Rav Kook envisioned the restoration of the sacrificial rite, in his view, that period would also include a return of prophecy and the Divine spirit to the nation. g Notes 1. The Ramban takes issue with this position of Rambam. He argues that animal sacrifices predated idolatry as evidenced from the fact that Hevel (Genesis 4:4) and Noach (Genesis 8:20) brought sacrifices that were pleasing to God. He writes (on Genesis 4:34) that “these should muzzle the mouth of those [i.e., Rambam] who utter vapor con-

cerning the reason for sacrifices.” He calls Rambam’s idea foolish, and he offers (on Leviticus 1:9) a different understanding of sacrifices, similar to that suggested by Ibn Ezra (on Leviticus 1:1), which emphasizes the idea that the sinner should be the one sacrificing himself to God, not the animal. The act of bringing a sacrifice should cause one to reflect on his own mortality and result in true teshuvah. On the debate between Rambam and the Ramban, see Roy Pinchot, “The Deeper Conflict Between Maimonides and Ramban Over the Sacrifices,” Tradition 33:3 (1999), available here: http://dailydaf.files.wordpress.com/2011/0 3/zevachim-rambam-and-ramban-sacrifices-roy-pinchot-tradition-33-31.pdf. Rabbi Yehudah Halevi (Kuzari, Ma’amar 2:25-26; 3:53) has his own understanding of sacrifices. 2. Rambam maintained that the reason for several mitzvot were because of idolatrous practices that existed at the time of Matan Torah. These include the negative commandments of kilayim (not to crossbreed seeds), not to cut one’s beard with a razor, the ban against tattoos, not to cook milk and meat together and orlah (not to eat the fruit of a tree during the first three years). 3. Technically, sacrifices can be offered even in the absence of the Temple structure (Zevachim 62a; Rambam, Hilchot Beit Habechirah 2:4). 4. See Marc Shapiro, The Limits of Orthodox Theology: Maimonides’ Thirteen Principles Reappraised (Oxford, 2004), 8:122-131. 5. One might think that other changes will be possible in the future, such as offering sacrifices from other animal species once they too will be domesticated, as per Isaiah 11:6-7. Based on Psalms 51:19-21, Eidut B’Yehosef (cited in Rabbi Alexander Zusia Friedman’s Ma’ayana shel Torah to Leviticus 1:2) derives that even in the future, Temple sacrifices will only be performed with animals specified in the Torah. 6. On the depth of Rambam’s approach, see Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler, Michtav M’Eliyahu, vol. 4 (1983), 173-5. 7. See, for example, www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/05-Worship/section-77.html where it says: “Rav Kook suggests that animal sacrifices would not be brought back . . . ” 8. The verse uses the word “Minchah,” which Rav Kook seems to take to mean “grain offering.” Former Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi Rabbi Chaim David HaLevi (d. 1998; Aseh Lecha Rav, vol. 9 [Tel Aviv, 1975], 1201), unaware of Rav Kook’s understanding of the verse in Malachi (he says in a note

that his son-in-law later pointed it out to him), says that “Minchah” in Tanach never means animal sacrifices. Thus, possibly, he wrote, Malachi was predicting a future without animal sacrifices. He says that he wrote it hesitatingly because it is an original idea stated neither by Bible commentators nor by Chazal. This is all quite surprising, because in Tanach, “Minchah” can simply mean “offering,” including animal sacrifices. The most obvious example is Bereishit 4:4, but see also I Samuel 2:17, 29 and Shoftim 6:18-19. In these contexts, Minchah clearly means animal sacrifices, and it seems that the commentaries to Malachi also understand Minchah as denoting “gift,” i.e., all sacrifices. 9. Rav Kook invested a great deal of time mastering the laws of the Temple and sacrifices, even studying in the Chofetz Chaim’s special group that trained Kohanim to serve in the rebuilt Temple. For a detailed analysis of his position, see David Sperber, “Korbanot L’atid Lavo” in Mishnat HaReiyah, in Rabbi Shmuel Sperber, Ra’ayot HaReiyah (Jerusalem, 1992), 9: 97-112. 10. Despite all that has been said, there are rabbinic authorities (none of whom were the stature of Rambam or Rav Kook) who suggest that animal sacrifices might not be reinstated in the days of the Third Temple. The Ashkenazic Rabbi Simcha Paltrovitch (d. 1926; Simchat Avot [New York, 1917], 7-8) says that while the Torah can never be changed, instead of actual sacrifices, those sections of the Torah dealing with korbanot will be interpreted via “remez” or “sod.” Alternatively, he suggests that in the seventh millennium there will be a Messianic period where animal sacrifice will be reinstated; however, in the eighth millennium there will be a more rarified period where animal sacrifice will not be practiced. As part of a long list of potential “changes” in halachah, the Moroccan Rabbi Yosef Messas (d. 1974; Otzar Hamichtavim, vol. 2, no. 1305, 249251) suggests, based on Rambam, that it is possible to say that in the future there won’t be animal sacrifices, or that there will only be the Korban Todah (an animal sacrifice). Rabbi Chaim Hirschensohn, from Bayonne, New Jersey, and a brother-inlaw of Rabbi Zvi Pesach Frank, also envisions a Third Temple without animal sacrifices (Malki Bakodesh, vol. 6 [Jerusalem, 1928], 96 and elsewhere). He has a novel explanation for the origin of sacrifices and it was to him that Rav Kook wrote the letter (cited in Iggrot HaReiyah) explicitly stating that there will be sacrifices. For more about Rabbi Hirschensohn’s position on sacrifices (Vayikra Rabbah 9:7), see Marc Shapiro, The Limits of Orthodox Theology (Oxford, 2011), 128-130 and online: http://seforim.blogspot.co.il/2010/04/marc-shapiro-r-kookon-sacrifices-other.html. 11. See note 77 in the Mossad Harav Kook edition of Sefer HaManhig (Jerusalem), 264. 12. Derech Pikudecha, introduction 5, section 7. 13. The Talmud records (Shabbat 12b) that Rav Yishmael once accidently violated Shabbat and wrote a note for himself that said, “I, Yishmael ben Elisha . . . when the Temple will be rebuilt, will bring a fat chatat offering.” Clearly, he believed and hoped that there would be a Third Temple in his time and that its service would include sin offerings. The Ben Ish Chai (Shu”t Torah Lishmah, 120) quotes this in a halachic discussion. 14. There is a discussion in the halachic literature whether the word “zeh” even belongs in the prayer. 15. Eitz Chaim commentary to Tichlael (siddur) on Shabbat Musaf (p. 630 in 5772 ed.). 16. See Jacob Chinitz, “Were the Prophets Opposed to Sacrifice?,” Jewish Bible Quarterly 36 (April-June 2008):2, available at http://jbq.jewishbible.org/assets/Uploads/362/362_Sacrifice.pdf.

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LastingImpressions Sherlock Holmes, Rabbinic-Style It began with a text message. Rav [Dovid] Stav* wants you to call him. I called. “There’s a young [secular] woman whose mother is originally from [a city in South America]. All we have is her parents’ ketubah, but we cannot identify the mesader Kiddushin [rabbi who performs the wedding ceremony]. They were members of Chabad of Toronto in the 1980s. Can we approve the ketubah for purposes of marriage?” Usually, you have more to go on. All I had was a seemingly Orthodox ketubah, with two names [of witnesses] I didn’t recognize, and a Chabad house. [In a classic ketubah, the name of the mesader Kiddushin does not generally appear. Names of witnesses on a ketubah are written as one is called to the Torah—for example, Chaim ben Zev.] I called the Chabad house. The rabbi, who has been there for more than thirty years, didn’t remember the couple. At that time, he said, weddings did not take place in the Chabad house but in wedding halls. Dead end. A quick Bezeq search helped me locate the kallah’s parents in Israel. The father told me there was no doubt about his wife’s Jewishness, and while he didn’t recall the name of the shul in Toronto where he had gotten married, he assured me that the rabbi was Orthodox. He seemed confused about all the fuss. After all, his wife came from a prominent Jewish family in South America. But there was no rabbi left in the community who could testify to the Jewishness of the family. The Chief Rabbinate of Israel requires the testimony of an Orthodox rabbi to confirm one’s Jewish status for the purpose of marriage. The rabbinate Rabbi Reuven Spolter is an instructor of Jewish studies at the Orot College of Education in Elkana and the overseas rabbinic coordinator of Tzohar Rabbinical Organization, the largest Religious Zionist rabbinic group in Israel. 96

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By Reuven Spolter will also accept a ketubah demonstrating that a wedding was performed under Orthodox auspices. In order to approve the ketubah, I needed to identify the mesader Kiddushin. While I believed that the mother was Jewish, I needed to prove it. Intuition would not suffice. I needed evidence. The father told me his wife had a sister in South America and a brother in [city in Europe]. “I want my daughter to marry according to Jewish tradition,” he said. “But if she can’t, she’ll just have a civil marriage. Her brothers will do the same. Help her and you’ll be helping her brothers as well.” I told him that I would try. I mentioned the uncle in [Europe] to Rav Stav. “Did he get married?” he asked. It was a great question. If the uncle had indeed married a Jewish woman, the beit din would have a record of the marriage, and the ketubah would be acceptable as evidence. Turns out, the uncle was married. I also discovered that the mother had a distant Orthodox cousin in Israel who could attest to their Jewishness. The cousin confirmed that the kallah’s maternal grandmother was indeed his great-grandmother’s cousin from his mother’s side. So if he himself is Jewish, so is she. But, he said, he would ask his grandmother if she remembered the family. I called a colleague who is acquainted with rabbis in South America, and asked him to find anyone who could attest to the family’s Jewishness. I contacted the beit din in [European city] for a record of the uncle’s marriage. Then I remembered I had a contact in the Toronto beit din. I e-mailed him the ketubah, telling him I had a funny feeling that the rabbi who was mesader Kiddushin also served as a witness—a common practice in small weddings. The signature on the ketubah looked similar to the handwriting used throughout the ketubah. I went to daven Ma’ariv.

When I returned, I saw that the cousin had called me. He had spoken to his grandmother, who confirmed that the family was indeed Jewish. I also received an e-mail from the rabbi in Toronto. It read: Your e-mail reminds me of the closing scene from “Fiddler on the Roof.” Tevya is leaving Anatevka and going to New York. Another man tells him that he is going to Chicago. They’re comforted by the realization that they will be neighbors. Toronto, even thirty-five years ago, was not a small community. That being said, I think I recognize one of the names [of the witnesses]. He thought that the witness was the rav of a prominent shul in Toronto. He wasn’t sure; he would check. Now I had a last name. A quick Google search revealed that the witness on the ketubah was no less than a widely recognized posek and the author of a number of halachic works. He also happened to conduct a wedding for a couple who subsequently moved to Israel, and whose daughter was now about to get married. In the course of three hours, I had contacted resources on four continents and obtained the information to approve the Jewish status of a family that otherwise would have abandoned hope of their children marrying in accordance with Jewish tradition. When everything came together, I felt that rush that results from solving a challenging puzzle. But I felt another rush as well—the rush of being part of something larger than myself, and knowing that I helped a young woman whom I would probably never meet build a Jewish home. With the Jewish status of her mother properly authenticated, the woman married not just in accordance with Israeli civil law, she married in accordance with halachah. Case closed. g *Rabbi Stav is head of the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization in Israel. Listen to Rabbi Reuven Spolter discuss marriage and the Israeli rabbinate at www.ou.org/life/community/savitsky_spolter.