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THE JEWISH Jan. 8, 2016 • 27 Tevet 5776

Parshas Va’era • Candlelighting 4:27 pm • Luach page 5

Vol 15, No. 2 • TheJewishStar.com

THE NEWSPAPER OF OUR ORTHODOX COMMUNITIES

Run, hide or ďŹ ght: 5T weighs what to do if terror strikes

By The Jewish Star The Five Towns will consider something of a worse-case scenario on Sunday, when a Cedarhurst shul hosts a community meeting on “surviving an active shooter event.�

The forum, open to the entire community, is set for 9:45 am at Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi, 395 Oakland Ave. “We’re talking because it’s happenedâ€? elsewhere, explained Rabbi Yaakov Feitman, Bais Yehudah Tzvi’s spiritual leader. He emphasized that Sunday’s meeting was not the result of any speciďŹ c threat against a local insititution. “We’re not trying to scare anybody,â€?

he said, but “given what’s happened around the world, every individual needs to know what to do.� “You don’t wait until there’s a particular threat against you,� Rabbi Feitman said. “Every Jew in particular needs to be prepared for such an eventuality.�

What to do as a terrorist action unfolds — run, hide or ďŹ ght? —will be discussed by Chris Zaberto, a retired NYPD Detective who is chief operating ofďŹ cer of the Ten91 security group. “In today’s current climate we must all be vigilant to ensure the safety of our children, friends and family,â€? states the public invitation to Sunday’s event.

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Jewish boy is ďŹ rst born as hospital drops Jewish name

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By The Jewish Star Long Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ rst baby of 2016 is a Jewish boy who was born at the precise moment that his hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s network ended its identiďŹ caiton with both Jewish and Long Island.

Daniella and Eli Malakovâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s baby was delivered at the stroke of midnight at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park. just as that hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corporate parent changed its name from North Shore LIJ to Northwell Health.

While the hospital corporation took a new name on Jan. 1, Baby Malakov, of Flushing, who weighed in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces, will have to wait: His bris, Bâ&#x20AC;?H, is later this week.

Northwell Healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second baby, Austin Sparacio, was delivered 31 seconds later at the same hospital. Action surrounding Austinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

birth, ďŹ lmed for use in a $12-million rebranding campaign, is featured in a TV commercial that debuted within hours of his delivery. The commercial includes emotional footage of mother and child embracing for the ďŹ rst time and concludes with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Happy Birthday, Austin. We have a new name too â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Northwell North.â&#x20AC;?

Northwell Health (formerly North Shore LIJ) system owns 18 hospitals, has three afďŹ liated hospitals (including Maimonides Medical CenContinued on page 13

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January 8, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ 27 Tevet 5776 THE JEWISH STAR

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blame for what happened. The truth is, I feel

By Israel Hayom Two days after Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deadly terrorist attack we are all guilty, just because we are Jews.â&#x20AC;?

Ruimi last spoke with her son on Thursday. on Tel Avivâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bustling Dizengoff Street, the father of 26-year-old Israeli Jewish victim Alon Bakal â&#x20AC;&#x153;He told me that he missed me and that he would try to come visit on Friday,â&#x20AC;? she said. wants the world to know about his late son. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There was a reason that I spoke to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Look what happened, why he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come.â&#x20AC;?

She went on to address the suspected Arab journalists right away,â&#x20AC;? said David Bakal at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wanted terroristâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family, saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Any mother who gives everyone to know who Alon was. I wanted to birth to a terrorist like that should have her famtell everyone how generous he was. When he ily home destroyed. The terrorist must be puncame with me to synagogue, he used to make ishedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. And donations in his brotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s names, his father should not feel that his conscience is not for himselfâ&#x20AC;Ś.He had a heart of gold and clear just because he turned in his son.â&#x20AC;?

Shimonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s friends and neighbors visited his the bullet pierced his heart of gold.â&#x20AC;?

Alon was a manager at the Simta bar, family home on Saturday. One neighbor, Edna where suspected Arab Israeli terrorist Nashat Milhem ďŹ rst opened ďŹ re with a submachine gun in a gruesome attack that also killed 30-year-old Shimon Ruimi and wounded seven others, two seriously. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My eldest son, Avi, had moved to Tel Aviv on Friday, and we had just helped him move. Then Alonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s girlfriend called to say there had been a terrorist attack at the pub Alon worked at,â&#x20AC;? David Bakal said.

Avi then ran to the pub and saw his brother lying on the ground.

David Bakal went straight to the hospital, hoping to meet his ,VUDHOLV OLJKW PHPRULDO FDQGOHV RXWVLGH WKH 6LPWD EDU RQ 'L]HQJRII son there. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I saw them 6WUHHW LQ 7HO $YLY RQ -DQ WZR GD\V DIWHU WZR ,VUDHOL -HZV ZHUH bring him in on a stretcher, I NLOOHG WKHUH

Ben Kelmer/Flash90 fainted. I knew in my heart that he was dead. After they treated me and gave Fahima, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve known him for many years. medication, they told me the news,â&#x20AC;? he said.

He was a sweet boy, and he stayed that way Alon grew up in the northern Israeli city as long as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve known him. I only have good of Carmiel. He moved to Tel Aviv only three things to say about him. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great shame that months ago. When he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t at work at the pub, his life ended this way.â&#x20AC;?

Shimon was the third of four siblingsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;two he volunteered with the Israeli charity Latet, which assists the needy. He was also a dedicated brothers and two sisters. He worked in Beersheba as a manager at HOT, a telecommunicafan of the Hapoel Jerusalem Basketball Club.

Yarden GoldďŹ nger, who volunteered with tions company.

Ofakim Mayor Itzik Danino said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The enAlon at Latet, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He had a big, amazing heart, and he loved to help and to give to any- tire Ofakim family is hurting and mourning one who needed it. He always arrived at our this great loss.â&#x20AC;?

Meanwhile, among the seven who were volunteer activities with a big smile on his face wounded in the attack but survived, four reand plenty of motivation.â&#x20AC;?

Alon served as a combat soldier in the Golani mained in the hospital as of Sunday. Ido Lazan Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces, and recently and one other injured victim are in serious but staďŹ nished studying law and business management. ble condition at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, He was set to begin his law apprenticeship at the where they remain in medically induced comas and on respirators in the intensive care unit. law ďŹ rm of attorney Dov Weissglass.

Israel Avitan is in stable condition with A few months ago, on Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism, light wounds and hospitalized at Sheba MediAlon wrote on Facebook, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have one coun- cal Center in Ramat Gan. Hadar Klein is also try, for good and for bad, a country with every in stable condition with light wounds, at Rabin type, religion and race â&#x20AC;Ś a country in which Medical Center in Petah Tikva.

Avitan, who came with Shimon to the Simpeople help the weak â&#x20AC;Ś a country in which people work day and night to make our lives ta pub to celebrate a friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday, said the better. â&#x20AC;Ś In the name of all these heroes, we terrorist sprayed bullets in every direction. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It will show up every time we are called for re- took maybe 20 seconds,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Only after seeing security footage of the atserve duty, even if it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the most convenient for us, so that we will be prepared and trained.â&#x20AC;? tack did Avitan realize exactly what had hapCarmiel Mayor Adi Eldar visited the Bakal pened. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the video, I saw how close he was home on Saturday and said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Carmiel is shocked to me. The bullet sliced through my back. It and weeping over the murder of Alon Bakal. All went in and out. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crazy. We made it through of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s residents are embracing his family.â&#x20AC;? Lebanon, through Gaza, and then of all places Tel Aviv attack victim Shimon Ruimiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fam- in Tel Aviv,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Ariel Nusbacher, the friend whose birthday ily, from the southern town of Ofakim, was similarly heartbroken. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I lost the most precious was being celebrated at the bar, told Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thing in the world. This is a very sad day for Channel 2, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shimi and I went outside to smoke a cigarette. We had barely managed to light us,â&#x20AC;? said Iris Ruimi, Shimonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand this disaster; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impos- our cigarettes when the gunďŹ re began. â&#x20AC;Ś A few minutes earlier, a friend has called me sible to grasp,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Iris said she met with the owner of the aside and pointed out the man who, we would Simta pub on Saturday, and he apologized for later ďŹ nd out, was the terrorist, saying he her sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I told him he has nothing to looked like someone we know. We were joking apologize for,â&#x20AC;? she went on to say. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t to around, we had no idea what would happen.â&#x20AC;?

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an incredible memory. That moment was so special for the two of us.”

He continued, “It is a beautiful thing to come here [to Israel] where his soul is, and grow roots here.”

Ruth Schwartz likened the moment to the poignant story of “The Lone Tree,” a centuriesold oak that sits at a strategic Judean road junction, which in the days of the British Mandate sat at the crossroads of the area’s four Jewish kibbutzim. The area was under freContinued on page 14

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South Nassau Communities Hospital Respite Room

A HAVEN FOR HOSPITAL PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES

SOUTH NASSAU AND ACHIEZER RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE LOCAL ORTHODOX JEWISH POPULATION AND ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE YOUR STAY MORE COMFORTABLE AND ENJOYABLE. We’re working with doctors, nurses and our entire hospital staff to raise awareness of the sensitivities and sensibilities of Orthodox Jews; and we are working closely with our Rabbinical consultants to anticipate our patients’ needs before they arise.

To highlight these efforts, we are pleased to provide the Kosher Pantry/Respite Room co-sponsored by South Nassau and Achiezer. This room offers a quiet haven for patients to relax, rejuvenate and enjoy a variety of kosher amenities provided exclusively for their use. Thanks to Gourmet Glatt, the pantry is fully stocked throughout the week and has hot meals for Shabbos and Yom Tov. And during the winter months (November-March), there is even a daily Mincha Minyan at 1:05 p.m. (Monday-Thursday).

For more information about the Respite Room or our other services, call 877-SOUTH-NASSAU, visit southnassau.org or call Achiezer at 516-791-4444.

South Nassau also offers a convenient Shabbos elevator, and comfortable overnight accommodations are available year-round at our kosher Shabbat Hospitality House, which is complete with beds, linen, durable kosher food items and a refrigerator. Electric Sabbath candles are available. Access to the Shabbat Hospitality House is arranged through South Nassau’s Spiritual Care Program.

When you find yourself in our hospital, visit the new Respite Room located on the Ground Floor G Wing adjacent to the Volunteer Office, and see for yourself why more and more Jewish families throughout the area are choosing South Nassau.

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By Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman Ezra Schwartz’s body was buried in the United States. But the way his family sees it, his soul remains in Israel.

“The goal was to come and see the places that Ezra was, where he hung out, what he enjoyed, how he spent his time with his friends, as a way to feel closer to him. He was here for two-and-a-half months and we weren’t with him,” said Ezra’s mother Ruth Schwartz on Dec. 30, just before she and her family members planted trees at Israel’s Yad Kennedy memorial in honor of their son and brother.

“Every time I write a speech or talk about Ezra, it is good for me—I feel good. If not, then I feel sad,” she said.

Ezra, 18, a U.S. citizen from Sharon, Mass., was murdered during his gap year in Israel in a terrorist attack on Nov. 19, when a Palestinian gunman shot at cars stuck in a traffic jam in Gush Etzion. Israeli educator Yaakov Don, 49, and a young Palestinian man from Hebron, Shadi Arafa, were also killed.

The Schwartz family arrived in Israel on Dec. 24 for a 10-day journey in commemoration of Ezra. That journey took them to Oz Ve’Gaon park, located near the Gush Etzion junction where Ezra was killed. There, the family helped finish a path that leads to a play area named in memory of Ezra by pouring buckets of white rocks onto the remaining dirt. Oz Ve’Gaon was built in memory of the three Jewish teenagers—Gilad Shaar, Naftali Frenkel, and Eyal Yifrach—who were kidnapped at the Gush Etzion junction in 2014 and murdered by Palestinian terrorists.

During that visit, Ruth Schwartz said she is still trying to make sense of the family tragedy.“I have decided there is no way to make sense of it.…It doesn’t help me to think ‘what ifs’ or ‘why him?’ Ezra was targeted because he was Jewish,” Schwartz said.

The family subsequently met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren, and Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein; took a tour of the Knesset with Israeli politician Dov Lipman; and visited with President Reuven Rivlin at his Jerusalem home.

On Dec. 29, the family convened for an Israeli baseball game at Baptist Village in Petah Tikva. Ezra’s younger brothers—Avi, Elon, and Hillel—threw the opening pitch at the event, which was organized by Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael - Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF). Ezra was a big baseball fan, and just days before he was murdered, he had contacted the Israel Association of Baseball to see about joining a team.

At the Dec. 30 the tree planting, Eric Michaelson, Chief Israel Officer for KKL-JNF, said a tree is a symbol of life, of continuity, and of oxygen to the world. But the symbol at Yad Kennedy is of a broken tree, cut down before its prime.

“Today, you will plant a tree in [Ezra’s] honor, to commemorate him—and all of you for paying the ultimate price on behalf of the Jewish people. We will continue to remember and remind all of Israel,” he said.

Barbara Goldstein, who serves on the board of KKL-JNF, said that more than 1,000 trees have already been donated and planted in Ezra’s honor.

Father Ari Schwartz told stories about his son’s love of nature, in particular of a time in Virginia when Ezra was riding his mountain bike among the bald cypress trees.

“He was pedaling with everything he had, just flying—he was smiling and laughing and we were just loving it,” Ari Schwartz said in between moments of silence and tears. “It’s

ZIVA’S TRAVEL

THE JEWISH STAR January 8, 2016 • 27 Tevet 5776

Ezra Schwartz family in Israel after murder

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4 January 8, 2016 • 27 Tevet 5776 THE JEWISH STAR

Rumors, false and true: a lashon hara primer ALAN JAY GERBER KOSHER BOOKWORM

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ast week, the Rosh Yeshiva of Netiv Aryeh in Jerusalem, Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl, shelita, published an inspiring essay titled, “The Servitude in Egypt as a Result of Lashon Hara,” Which begins by quoting Exodus 2:14: “Who appointed you as a dignitary, a ruler, and a judge over us? Do you propose to murder me, as you murdered the Egyptian?”

The Rosh yeshiva continues: “Moshe was frightened and he thought, ‘indeed the matter is known’.

What does the Torah mean when it states that ‘Moshe was frightened and he thought, indeed the matter is known’? On a simple level it would appear that Moshe feared that if this man knows that it was Moshe who killed the Egyptian, then he will spread the word and eventually Pharaoh will find out and punish him. Rashi, however cites an additional interpretation [in which] Moshe said to himself, ‘If you are to wonder why the Jews find themselves in a state of enslavement more than other people, I now understand.’ Moshe was referring to the lashon hara [evil talk] spoken by the Jewish people – they were sentenced to servitude by G-d for having spoken lashon hara.”

This timely and sad observation came to mind in planning a review of a newly published work, “False Facts and True Rumors: Lashon Hara in Contemporary Culture” (YU Press, Maggid Books, 2015) by Rabbi Daniel Feldman.

The author opens with the following observation: “The sheer weight of condemnation that Jewish tradition places on lashon hara is staggering.

It begins with several commandments in the Torah, along with at least one cautionary tale and one punitive disease, and extends through numerous harshly worded statements in rabbinic literature, continuing into the extensive codification and devoted attention of the past century” (in the works of the Chofetz Chayim).

Rabbi Feldman’s main contribution to the scholarship in this field in this work can be demonstrated in his extensive treatment of the Internet’s role in lashon hara, including the ease with which lashon hara is accepted, cloaked in anonymity, with cyber bullying, a lack of empathy, linking and forwarding, and online disinhibition as to effect and tone.

All of the above are given due recognition in their toxic relationship to the scourge of lashon hara. For this factor alone this work deserves your attention and an honored place on the bookshelves of every Jewish home, shul and school in our community.

Rabbi Feldman is a Rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva University and executive editor of YU Press. He is a graduate of Yeshivat Keren B’Yavneh and is the rabbi of Ohr Saadya in Teaneck.

As a personal aside, I was taken by the author’s dedication of this volume to the memory of his late father and dear friend of mine, Rabbi Dr. David Feldman, who, in the son’s tribute, “epitomized lashon tov in so many ways.” Back in the 1970s I had the honor to work together with Rabbi Feldman, senior, when he served as a major Jewish leader in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and I was at that same time a member of Community School Board 20 that included both Bay Ridge and Borough Park.

Also, it should be noted that he authored the classic “Birth Control In Jewish Law” that truly reflected the classic texts concerning these vital subjects. He led, together with his dear friend and neighbor, Monroe Seifer, in the raising of much needed funds for many charitable institutions, both here and in Israel.

This dedication by his son, Daniel, is a true honor, thus demonstrating his respect for a father as taught to us by our Torah and our sages.

I conclude this week’s essay with another valued teaching by Rav Nebenzahl: “May, with G-d’s help, we only see the positive side of people. If speaking negatively about others is such a terrible thing, imagine how great a mitzvah it is to say good things – to praise, to love each other. May we merit only saying good things about others and may G-d reward us with only good things.”

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RABBI AVI BILLET PARSHA OF THE WEEK

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hmot Chapter 6 contains within it a family tree that seems to plow through the families of Reuven and Shimon to go into great detail about the family of Levi. It is important to know, for example, that Moshe is a human being, born of human parents, and to see his yichus (genealogy) in the context of seeing how he descended from Yaakov.

But there is at least one verse which stands out because, while we tend to gloss over it, is a little odd: And Amram took Yochebed, his aunt, to be his wife (6:20).

How could Moshe record this fact (which was also mentioned, though not as clearly, in 2:1) in the same Torah in which heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d declare, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do not commit incest with your fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sister, since she is your fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blood relativeâ&#x20AC;?

(Vayikra 18:12)?

The Talmud tells us (Yevamot 54b) that it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter if she is a full sister or a halfsister of the father from the (grand)motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side or the (grand)fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side. (See Maimonides, Laws of Forbidden Relations 2:5).

(Torah law does allow for cousins to marry.)

However, a number of Midrashic works quickly explain the verse surrounding the marriage of Mosheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents, saying the following: â&#x20AC;&#x153;She was not his aunt from the (grand) motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side, only from the (grand)fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side. Levi had married two women â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from one wife he had Kehat [Amramâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father], and from the other wife he had Yocheved. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This afďŹ rms what the Talmud says in Mesekhes Shabbos, that a Noachide is allowed to marry relatives from his (grand) fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side, but not from his (grand)motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side.â&#x20AC;? (Pesikta Zutrasa) Since Kehat and Yocheved had different mothers, Amram, Kehatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son, was allowed to marry his aunt.

(Note: I could not ďŹ nd this discussion in Mesekhes Shabbos.)

The Talmud in Yevamot 98b compares this to Avraham, who made a similar argument regarding Sarah, declaring her to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;my sister (related) from my fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side, but not from my motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side.â&#x20AC;? (Bereshit 20:12) One of my favorites Bible riddles is, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Who was ďŹ rst cousin to his father? Answer: Moshe and Aharon.â&#x20AC;? But, it would seem from the information we have here that they were not â&#x20AC;&#x153;fullâ&#x20AC;? ďŹ rst cousins, because we have the halfsibling piece explaining how Kehat and Yocheved were related.

Regardless, we are left with a couple of questions. To what degree did our ancestors follow teachings of the Torah before the Torah was given? And, what was their status, in terms of being what we might deďŹ ne today as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jewish?â&#x20AC;?

We have a tradition that our Biblical an-

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cestors kept the Torah before it was given, but we do not know to what degree and to what extent. It is clear that Yaakov married two sisters at the same time, which is a Torah prohibition. Avraham seemed to serve his guests meat and milk together, another Torah (or, depending on how he did it, possibly Rabbinic) prohibition.

The Talmud in Sanhedrin would imply that those we call the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jewish people in Egyptâ&#x20AC;? were in fact Noachides, not subject to the Torah, which had not been given/ revealed yet. They were Israelites and may have been monotheists (at least at ďŹ rst) under the Abrahamic model, but they were not bound to Torah law.

All of this changed with the Sinaitic Revelation, of which we will read in several

weeks. At that point all the mitzvos become binding, and the rules given to the Jewish people must be followed.

This carries a very powerful lesson. While there are rules that we have about who is permitted to join the community of G-d, even some people born out of conditions that are contrary to Torah rules are capable of becoming the leaders of our people. Consider the story of Lotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughters, ancestors of Ruth. Or the strange episode of Yehuda and Tamar, which produced Peretz, ancestor of Boaz. And, of course, we know King David descended from their union.

Moshe, Aharon and Miriam came from a union that would have been forbidden by Torah law in due time, but was permitted because Torah law was not yet binding. And

yet, we revere Moshe, Aharon and Miriam to this day, despite the eyebrow-raising that the union of their parents might produce today.

Because somehow, we are able to look past that and see the people for who they were, and of course, their role, chosen by G-d, which put aside any questions in raising them to prominence.

No one who is morally upright should be judged by anything other than their deeds.

Circumstances of parentage might put some people outside the realm of what we call â&#x20AC;&#x153;Machane Yisraelâ&#x20AC;? (the camp of Israel), but that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean that a place shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be found for people who, on their own right or merit, belong within the camp.

Without Moshe, Aharon and Miriam, where would we be?

THE JEWISH STAR January 8, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ 27 Tevet 5776

Accepting leaders who have â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;forbiddenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; roots

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January 8, 2016 HEBREWDATE • 27 Tevet 5776

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Feckless Obama policy fans Saudi– Iran war, risk to Israel JEFF DUNETZ

POLITICS TO GO

I

t supposedly started with the Saudi Arabian government executing a Shia cleric who (they claim) was trying to overthrow the monarchy. That was followed by Iranian protesters (probably arranged by the Iranian government) attacking the Saudi embassy in Iran, which Saudi Arabia followed up by breaking off relations with Iran and ordering Iranian diplomats out of the country. Other Sunni countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, may join the Saudi Kingdom in tossing out Iran.

What’s up next may be a Shia and Sunni regional war which may have started 14 centuries ago but was fanned by recent impotent policies of the United States including the Iran nuclear deal.

This battle began after the death of the Prophet Mohammed 1,400 years ago, as a disagreement about who should succeed him. The Sunnis felt that Abu Bakr, a close friend of the prophet’s, ought to be the next Muslim leader, but the Shiites claimed that Mohammed had anointed his son-in-law, Ali, as his rightful successor.

The Sunnis won, but a rupture in Islam was created. The chasm was cemented when Ali’s son was later killed by the ruling Sunni’s troops, an event which the Shiites commemorate every year. Roughly 85 percent of the 1.6 billion Muslims across the world are Sunnis.

The word Sunni comes from “Ahl al-Sunna,” the people of the tradition — the tradition in this case refers to practices based on precedent or reports of the actions of the Prophet Muhammad and those close to him.

Sunnis venerate all the prophets mentioned in the Koran, but particularly Muhammad as the final prophet. All subsequent Muslim leaders are seen as temporal figures.

Sunnis and Shias have been hating each other for the past 1,400 years.

Saudi Arabia is the leader of the Sunni world and the holy cities of Mecca and Medina are in the Kingdom. Iran is the leader of the Shia world; they believe the Saudi monarchy should be overthrown and replaced by Shiites to control the holy cities.

Adding to the conflict, the terrorist group Hezbollah is Shia; ISIS and al Qaeda are Sunni. hile tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran have always existed because of the religious divide, it’s gotten much worse in recent months. There are ongoing proxy wars between the two countries in Shia-dominant Yemen and in the Sunnimajority country of Syria.

Adding to the tension is President Obama’s deal with Iran which upset the fragile Sunni/ Shia balance in the region and put the Saudi monarchy on edge.

The Saudis started losing trust in the U.S. when Obama drew the red-line in Sunni Syria and then punted. Syria is majority Sunni but its rulers are Alawites from a branch of Shia Islam. Then came the Iran deal which was seen by the Saudis as Obama choosing the Shias over the Sunnis. The kingdom was more low profile in its opposition than Israel, but its diplomats were quietly talking to the U.S. about the dangers posed by Iran.

As Reuters reported soon after the deal was announced: “Saudi officials fear an Iran released from international pressure and economic sanctions will have more freedom and money to back allies across the region who are opposed by Riyadh [capital of Saudi Arabia].

“A Saudi official told Reuters after the Iran agreement was announced that he feared the agreement would make the Middle East more dangerous if it gave too many conces-

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sions to an Iranian government that Riyadh blames for turmoil in Yemen, Syria and Iraq.”

Meanwhile, a Saudi official said Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers will make the Middle East a “more dangerous part of the world” if it comes with too many concessions, signaling Gulf Arabs’ deep unease at the agreement.

The lack of official responses from Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies reflected huge nervousness about a deal set to end the pariah status of Iran. One Saudi diplomat described the agreement as “extremely dangerous” and said it would give a green light to his own government to start a nuclear energy program.

Iran has taken the many U.S. concessions as a carte blanche to do whatever it wants — witness the fact they launched two ballistic missile tests in violation of U.N. sanctions. In fact, the Iranian parliament has rejected the formal, legal text of the deal, instead approving its own version of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, creating a situation in which the Iranian government hasn’t signed on to the accord that Obama and Democratic senators obligated the United States to uphold. And since throughout all of this Iran hasn’t been punished, Iran has reason to believe it can do whatever it wishes. This is message to Iran, that they can do whatever they wish, sends a message to the Saudis that are on their own.

Recent hints by the Obama administration that they will allow the Alawite (Shia) Bashar Hafez al-Assad to rule over the Sunni majority in Syria simply adds to the Saudi fear that they have been abandoned by the US. Unless someone finds a way to throw water on the fire growing between these two sides, we may witness the eruption of a regional war surrounding Israel, one which will give the radicals on both sides an excuse to attack the Jewish state.

Enjoying New York’s winter lights TEHILLA R. GOLDBERG VIEW FROM CENTRAL PARK

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he magic of fairytales is alive and well here in New York. Oh, how I have always loved looking at Manhattan’s wondrous, illuminated winter windows.

A friend and I met up on Fifth Avenue at Lord and Taylor, where this year’s window theme was “A Few Of Our Favorite Things.”

You never know what each opening window will give you a peek at.

It was late night by now. A good time to go, after most of the tourists had left the streets that just hours earlier were teeming with lines upon lines of people. It’s a beautiful cold New York night. Clean and wet after a recent rain shower.

I hadn’t worn the right shoes. Earlier in the day it was warm. The temperatures were plummeting, and fast. I was on the lookout for a store that might still be open in order to purchase some warm socks. We passed a homeless person on the street. My friend had a pair of gloves ready in her bag, to give to a homeless person. Rabbi Alan Schwartz, her shul rabbi at Congregation Ohab Zedek on the Upper West Side, makes a point of distributing them to his congregants, encouraging them to be sensitive to the plight of others, arming them with tangible help to be given on the spot.

I finally find a shop where I purchase two pairs of thick warm socks. The homeless per-

son is no longer there, though, and we continue up to Saks Fifth Avenue. Rather than passive, dressed-up holiday fashion, this was more like a mini Broadway show!

We cross the street toward Rockefeller Center to join the people huddling in the cold, cupping hot drinks, their phones above them to capture the magical theatrical scene.

We watch it one more time before turning to Rockefeller’s famous rounded skating rink. eandering up the Avenue as the night kept getting colder and colder, on my right is a charming reading tableau of sculpted-in-white characters in different poses coming into view. Oh, I guess Barnes and Noble is in on the windows, too. I had thought it was more a fashion department store “thing.”

A child cozily ensconced in a bunk bed within a tree house … dreamily reading, vintage balloon sticks topped, alternatively, by balloons or actual books, The Little Snow Plow and From Grit to Great.

Old records and books, a café scene, books and more books, all with characters embedded in the scenes conveying the joy of reading. The last window has a figure suspended horizontally high in the air, reading … and down below, directly in the space underneath her, is a woman wrapped in a plaid poncho, cuddling with a black dog, a book, “Those Who Save Us,” in her hands.

She is placed perfectly in the scene.

Now I notice all the filthy scrunched newspapers around her. The piles of junk. It’s like she is a live version of the silent inanimate objects displayed in the window. The live home-

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less person.

“She too,” a caption might well have read, “enjoys reading.”

She is integrated so seamlessly, it’s hard to tell the difference.

We get into a short conversation. She doesn’t want to go to a shelter. She doesn’t want the socks.

She recommends the books she is reading, a Holocaust book no less. “It’s a powerful book,” she says, then recommends a bookshop around the corner where books are sold at a dollar a piece. We wish one another a goodnight and I walk on.

Even with my new pair of socks, my shoed feet are practically frostbitten by now from the wet night. I really should have worn boots.

Now I eye yet another man on the ground, pushed against a wall. “I have been here since 1982,” shouted a homeless man I passed on Central Park West a few earlier, his words screeching in my ears again.

This man here on Fifth Ave, he is fast asleep. So used to the street, to the cold. He is unfazed. A torn cardboard box lies near him with a hand scribbled note and a smiley “Please Help” stuck to it. The box, since he has drifted off, is filled by strangers; a miniature rounded felt emoticon, a candle, a striped candy cane, a hat hanging at the corner.

Like the surprising and revealing windows of the snowy mansion in the Lord and Taylor display, New York’s Fifth Avenue revealed another window of New York tonight.

Copyright 2015 by the Intermountain Jewish News

RABBI BINNY FREEDMAN THE HEART OF JERUSALEM

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any years ago, I joined a small group visiting Poland to see firsthand what happened to our people during the Holocaust. One grey dreary morning we visited Auschwitz Birkenau.

These are actually two separate camps: Auschwitz, a former Russian POW camp, was a work camp; Birkenau on the other hand, was set up as a death camp, where Jews were taken to be murdered. I remember the shock I had when we entered Birkenau; we were taken up into the large guardhouse that sits atop its gates and there spread before us as far as the eyes could see, was an endless sea of barracks.

Constructed in the spring-summer of 1941, they would eventually hold over 100,000 prisoners waiting to die. I had never realized just how huge Auschwitz-Birkenau was, and what a major project it must have been to build it.

How many plans, how much slave labor, how organized a system must have been necessary to plan, build and maintain this enormous factory of extermination. How much must they have hated us, to undertake such a massive effort; how dark was the night of Jewish exile, in 1942, by which time 10,000 Jews were being murdered daily?

This week’s portion, Vaera, contains a somewhat confusing, if not startling passage: “And G-d spoke to Moses and said to him: I am G-d, and I appeared to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov as El Sha-dai, but by my name G-d I was not known to them.” (Shemot 6:2-3)

G-d introduces Himself by a new name which was not made known to the Patriarchs — something is now apparently different.

Yet a closer look reveals that this is not entirely accurate. The name Hashem (the four letter word Yud, heh vav Heh denoting G-d as the source of all reality) appears many times in the book of Bereishit and G-d even addresses both Avraham (Genesis 15:7) and Yaakov (28:13) by this very same name (“Ani Hashem” — “I am G-d”). Clearly, then, the name Hashem is not newly introduced here in the book of Exodus; so what is the Torah suggesting here?

Rashi, in his commentary on these verses points out that the verse does not say “lo hodati” which would mean “I did not make known,” but rather as “lo nodati,” which means “it was not known about Me.” In other words, according to Rashi there was an aspect of Hashem that was not yet reveled in the times of the Patriarchs which will only be realized now, in the Exodus from Egypt. o what is the difference between G-d being known as Sha-dai as opposed to G-d being known as Hashem (the four letter word Yud, heh vav Heh)? And why was the former fully experienced in the time of the Patriarchs, whereas the latter (Hashem) was only fully experienced at the beginning of the process which would lead to the Exodus from Egypt?

Rav Simcha Bunim of Pshischa suggests that the prefix she means that, and the word

dai means enough. Thus, the name Sha-dai means “G-d that said ‘enough’!” Until now, G-d limited our experience of him, because it was ‘enough; only now, with the advent of the Exodus from Egypt will the full extent of Hashem be revealed.

Indeed, the Ramban suggests that only now will Hashem introduce such great miracles that will accompany and facilitate the Jews’ departure from Egypt. In the times of Avraham the Torah does not share supernatural events; Avraham has to wage war against the four kings and Yitzchak is forced to move again and again because the Philistines keep stealing his wells. There are no open miracles that will save the day.

The Jewish people will now experience Hashem’s mercy (the name Hashem is associated by Jewish tradition with rachamim, or mercy) in the form of open miracles. But why does this only occur now? And why didn’t the Patriarchs merit a similar experience of Hashem?

Think about how different our experience of G-d would be were we to experience open miracles and supernatural events on a daily basis; we would have no choice but to accept G-d’s hand in the world. Judaism came into being because Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Sarah, Rivka, Rachel and Leah chose to see G-d in the world, and accept Hashem in their lives. They lived lives that led them to intuit the existence of Hashem as the source of reality, and they believed with all their hearts

Only Jews believed that G-d loves us, cares for us, and is directing history for the benefit of mankind.

S

and souls that the events that surrounded them were always the hand of Hashem. But the rest of the world looked at reality through a completely different set of lenses.

Even if pagans believed that the world was created, they did not necessarily accept the idea that the daily events that surrounded them were planned and guided by that same power. Greek mythology, for example, perceives the gods as totally unconcerned with, and even denigrating toward, paltry and insignificant human beings.

Only Jews believed that G-d loves us, cares for us, and is directing history for the benefit of mankind.

This was the idea that drove the covenant that Hashem made with Avraham: That one day He would take us out of Egypt, the mightiest empire on earth. G-d would change history for the benefit of humanity. But Avraham and the Patriarchs of the book of Bereishit would not live to see this reality; only now, with the emergence of the Jewish people, would Hashem demonstrate, through great miracles, that Hashem not only created history, but is actually involved in history.

Among the missions of the Jewish people is to share the idea of a G-d that loves us, and is involved in our lives and our world, in every moment. Do we look at the events that surround us and see Hashem’s hand? Or do we simply chalk them up to coincidence and the natural order of things? That is up to us, which of course is what makes it so powerful.

Seventy years ago the supposed most civilized nation in the world did everything to turn human beings into numbers. The Jewish people exist to make the point that every human being matters to no less than G-d Himself.

Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem.

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THE JEWISH STAR January 8, 2016 • 27 Tevet 5776

Is G-d a spectator or does He get involved?

7

On Black Monday, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Black Cod for Coughlin F

or those of us who love football there is Draft Day, Kickoff Weekend to Super Bowl Sunday, and, unfortunately, Black Monday, the day after the regular season ends, when a dozen teams prepare for the playoffs and some of the rest announce that they have ďŹ red their coaches or general managers or both.

The league doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t include Black Monday on its schedule, but to NFL insiders and fans around the country, Black Monday is a critical part of football culture.

In researching Black Monday, I at ďŹ rst could not ďŹ nd much information. It was difďŹ cult to determine who coined the phrase, which the NFL does not endorse. Some of the earliest references were in the late 1990s, including a story in the Chicago Tribune about several college coaches being ďŹ red at one time. In 1998, the Associated Press ran an article with the headline, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black Monday for NFL coaches,â&#x20AC;? which began: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The next time a group of NFL coaches gets together and someone says â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Black Monday,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; nobody should ask him what heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talking about.â&#x20AC;?

While the termâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s roots are uncertain â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Black Monday is known in England as the ďŹ rst Monday after a long vacation â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it is clear that a handful of coaches, assistants and front ofďŹ ce personnel are going to receive pink slips today, Monday, as I write this article. In fact, I just heard that a golden era in Giants football has come to an end as the

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Although there was Coughlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s instruction to Strahan â&#x20AC;&#x153;to be ďŹ ve minutes early to a meeting when the meeting starts at 8. Just tell me 7:55, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell me it starts at 8. That one I still donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get, I ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to lie to you.â&#x20AC;?

Seriously, Strahan, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re annoyed you were told to be there ďŹ ve minutes earlier? I always tell Jerry to be there an hour earlier and then still hold my breath till he shows up.

Jerry spent a good part of this giants season, screaming and cursing at the TV for the way his team played on the ďŹ eld, however his respect and gratitude to coach Coughlin never wavered. He will always remember

Ingredients: 1/4 cup sake 1/4 cup mirin 4 tablespoons white miso paste 3 tablespoons sugar 4 black cod ďŹ llets, about 1/2 pound each Two to 3 days beforehand, make the miso marinade.

Marinade Directions: Bring the sake and mirin to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil for 20 seconds to evaporate the alcohol. Lower the heat down to low, add the miso paste, and whisk. When the miso has dissolved, turn the heat up to high again and add the sugar, whisking constantly to ensure that the sugar doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t burn on the bottom of the pan.

Remove from heat once the sugar is fully dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Make sure cod is dry, then place in a glass dish, slather generously with the miso marinade and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

Cooking the Black Cod: Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat an ovenproof pan over high heat on the stovetop.

Brush the pan with a little oil, then place the ďŹ sh skin-side-up on the pan and cook until the bottom of the ďŹ sh browns and blackens in spots, about 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until the other side is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until ďŹ sh is opaque and ďŹ&#x201A;akes easily.

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Coughlin as an excellent coach and far more importantly, as an excellent role model and man who will be sorely missed.

So our dish for this week is BLACK Cod. What else could it be?

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bell tolled for a good man and the grim reaper claimed Giants coach Tom Coughlin.

Coughlin evolved from an old-school authoritarian coach, initially hated by many of his players, to a coach who was much loved. The former Giants centers Shaun Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Hara said â&#x20AC;&#x153;he was always very old-school about his approach â&#x20AC;Ś he had to be Scrooge.â&#x20AC;?

He was almost ďŹ red as Giants head coach in 2007. It was then, at age 60, that he decided to transform his approach. He began to spend considerable time to learn about the lives of his players and their families outside of football, evolving from being coercive, to becoming inspirational and personally committed to his players.

After wining his second Super Bowl, Coughlin said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whether you use the word fellowship or whatever word you want to use, there is a strong, strong feeling among this group. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a great source of pride for all us coaches.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no secret that Tom Coughlin and I did not see eye-to-eye when he came to New York, but we ďŹ nally realized we both had the same goal, and that was to win,â&#x20AC;? Michael Strahan said this week. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He taught me so many things about responsibility, accountability, how to be a better teammate â&#x20AC;Ś how to be a man. â&#x20AC;Ś I love you and I thank you.

Thank you for trusting me to be a leader on your team.â&#x20AC;?

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January 8, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ 27 Tevet 5776 THE JEWISH STAR

8

Chanukah menorah while voicing her opposition to guns, nuclear power, racism, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, and anti-Semitism, but supporting Black Lives Matter and “justice for Palestinians.” She closed affirming “In’shalla,” four times. At least it wasn’t “Allahu akbar!”

Speaking of anti-Semitism, coincident with “Agitprop!” (at the Brooklyn Museum up the block from the Brooklyn library) and the library’s display were anti-Semitic attacks in Manhattan and Brooklyn (as well as in Western Europe and on the streets of Israel).

In the Manhattan assault a “Middle Easternlooking” man reportedly struck a Hassidic Jew repeatedly in the face in the lobby of a Midtown office building. A witness told Algemeiner that a security guard and passers-by watched but did not intervene or call police. Of the Brooklyn attack, WABC TV reported that at Medgar Evers Community College, a black man punched a yarmulke -Jew in the face and stomach, said “I don’t like white and Jewish,” then fled. A Muslim woman reportedly came to the victim’s aid.

Jewish museums are numerous. But with the exception of an afternoon program at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, none apparently has featured a recent program on the psych-war re-ghettoization of the Jews and their state. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington has yet to stage an exposé of the genocidal roots and intentions of Jew-haters in Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and elsewhere.

On this score, Zionist “Agitprop!” and a secular tallit featuring lines from Theodore Herzl’s “Der Judenstsaat” would be quite the trick, and hardly stupid.

The writer is a Washington-based news media analyst. The opinions expressed are his own. Article distributed by JNS.org.

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Commentary by Eric Rozenman A recurrent feature of CBS television’s “The Late Show with David Letterman” was “stupid pet tricks.” These often spotlighted an owner more foolish than the pet.

Yet to air, “Stupid Jewish Tricks” accumulates examples.

On exhibit at the Brooklyn Public Library — a grand old building in need of refurbishing—late in December was a piece of white fabric with Hebrew characters woven across it line-by-line. Though fringe-less, it suggested a tallit.

According to the accompanying explanation, the artist had found among her grandfather’s books a Yiddish copy of Karl Marx’s “Das Kapital.”

In tribute to her ancestor, she stitched together found fabrics and inscribed onto the textile several pages of the work. The finished object could have been taken as a secular intimation of a tallit-asTorah-scroll. But shouldn’t have been.

“Das Kapital” was a powerful slurry of economic conflation. Yiddish was the German-Hebrew-Aramaic-Romance vernacular of pre-Holocaust Eastern European Jewry, whose beliefs and peoplehood Marx—a descendant of rabbis—abhorred. Enshrining a long fragment of “Das Kapital” in Yiddish figuratively blesses the toxic distillation.

New York’s Jewish Museum, dedicated to a people’s culture and identity over millennia, is housed in the former Felix M. Warburg mansion on the Upper East Side. Nevertheless, or perhaps in cosmic irony, a few years ago this writer was surprised by a prominently displayed quotation from Marx and with it a curatorial reference to his “contributions.” Other than 100 million or more dead sacrificed to a brutal dystopia proclaiming human perfectibility, what might they have been?

In early December, Susan Talve, who the White House described as a rabbi, lit the presidential

THE JEWISH STAR January 8, 2016 • 27 Tevet 5776

‘Stupid Jewish Tricks’ at museums in NYC

9

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Paterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tells of childlessness from male perspective

By Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman Dozens if not hundreds of books have been written about the childlessness of Jewish womenâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and the stories are told from their perspective. But in his recently released volume, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Pater: My Father, My Judaism, My Childlessness,â&#x20AC;?

Elliot Jager explores childlessness from the vantage point of Jewish men. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Paterâ&#x20AC;? is the Latin word for father. The author, a former editor at The Jerusalem Post, tackles his relationship with his father, as well as his own inability to become a father, in a way that critics describe as brave, poignant, and sentimental.

The very ďŹ rst Jewish commandment in the Torah is to â&#x20AC;&#x153;be fruitful and multiplyâ&#x20AC;? (Genesis 1:28).

The Jewish sages said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;A man who is childless is accounted as deadâ&#x20AC;? (Nedarim 64b), as the biblical verse states, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rachel realized that she was not bearing any children to Jacob. She was jealous of her sister and said to Jacob, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Give me children! If not, let me dieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;!â&#x20AC;? (Genesis 30:1). â&#x20AC;&#x153;If childlessness is seen as a negative or as a punishment in Judaism, if it is so closely identiďŹ ed with Jewish tradition, how do [the childless] see their position in Jewish tradition?â&#x20AC;? Jager asks.

To help answer that question in the 189-page book, published by Toby Press, Jager shares his own story of failed in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments and then embarks on a series of interviews with other childless men.

Dan Lobel (a pseudonym) takes the reader through his emotional journey with wife, Tzipi, who had â&#x20AC;&#x153;an unbearable fear of needles, and the IVF process requires that you inject yourself at the same time every day with hormones.â&#x20AC;?

Lobel talks about how he was angry at his wife, himself, and G-d for a brief period of time, but ultimately concludes that anger is unproductive. The couple decided to go down the adoption path instead.

But at the same time, as they were accepted into and approved by the adoption program, Lobel was diagnosed with cancer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were at the cusp of adoption, and G-d said no,â&#x20AC;? Lobel tells Jager.

Readers also learn to dispel a widely held myth

Dr. Zev Carrey has joined Mount Sinai Doctors Long IslandFive Towns

that IVF treatments are successful in the majority of cases. IVF is expensive, and as many as 75 percent of treatments fail, according to â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Pater.â&#x20AC;?

The bookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story of childlessness is interwoven with two additional storylines.

One is Jagerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal memoir of growing up Jewish on the Lower East Side; The other is Jagerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relationship with his own father, a Holocaust survivor. The relationship with his Hassidic father is overshadowed by the elderly manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire for Jager to have a son, and his refusal to accept that Jager and his wife Lisa feel they have done all they can.

He does not encourage his readers to be hard on Judaism. He calls his book â&#x20AC;&#x153;pro-children,â&#x20AC;? and infuses in his philosophical discussions with other childless men a message that even without children, Jewish life can be rich, beautiful, and meaningful. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am not here to give advice,â&#x20AC;? Jager tells JNS. org. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I will say that while Judaism places great emphasis on having children, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say

that if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have children you cannot have a meaningfulâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or even Jewishly meaningfulâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;life. â&#x20AC;Ś Men without kids have to work a little harder.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would say tikkun olam is deďŹ nitely a central goal,â&#x20AC;? Lobel observes, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but that it has to be done, or chieďŹ&#x201A;y done, through children? I can see why people who have children think that, because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really where all their energy and focus go for the best years of their lives. But I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s necessarily so.â&#x20AC;?

He continues, â&#x20AC;&#x153;So what is the meaning of life if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave anything behind biologically? â&#x20AC;Ś I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think leaving stuff behind biologically is the only way to leave a lasting legacy. â&#x20AC;Ś I would say everything we do canâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and shouldâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;be tikkun olam.â&#x20AC;?

Jager dedicated the book to his wife, from whom he said he had complete support in sharing their story. While Jager believes the book demonstrates that he is content and has come to terms with what life has given him, he says the loss of not having a child still hurts daily. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No matter how successful or fulďŹ lled you are,â&#x20AC;?

Jager says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;no matter how meaningful life is, if you lost a child because of an accident or because you wanted one and never had one, there is still an element of mourning.â&#x20AC;?

JNS.org

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January 8, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ 27 Tevet 5776 THE JEWISH STAR

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For the tenth consecutive year, South Nassau Communities Hospital Home Care has earned a spot in the prestigious HomeCare Elite listing of the top 25 percent of home health care providers in the United States. The listing is based on a collection of performance measures including quality of care, quality improvement, patient experience, process measure implementation, and ďŹ nancial performance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The families and patients we serve via home care should be assured that they are receiving the very best care, as recognized by this elite national ranking,â&#x20AC;? said President and CEO Richard J. Murphy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This prestigious award symbolizes South Nassauâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trademark commitment to teamwork and its mission to be standard-setting provider of quality healthcare services whenever and wherever they are needed.â&#x20AC;?

South Nassauâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CertiďŹ ed Home Health Agency offers short-term and acute care home care services that include skilled nursing, rehabilitation services, medical social services, home health aide services and nutritional counseling. Laboratory services, medical supplies and equipment and IV therapy services can be arranged through contracted vendors.

In addition, it offers specialty programs such as telehealth, medication management, and a fall prevention program. Advanced wound care treatment and negative pressure wound therapy can also be provided.

South Nassau Home Health Care is certiďŹ ed to participate in Medicare, Medicaid and Blue Cross, and is accredited by the Joint Commission.

For more information, call 516-377-5000.

Continued from page 1 Boro Park), and 450 hospital-afďŹ liated outpatient physician practices, most in Nassau and Queens counties. It expects to deliver more than 42,000 babies in its 21 hospitals in 2016.

Labor and Delivery Nurse Patricia Garofalo said that in her 28 years at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I never had a baby delivery exactly at 12 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock. â&#x20AC;Ś It took their breath away.â&#x20AC;?

With more than 61,000 employees, Northwell Health describes itself as New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest health provider and largest private employer, accounting for 17 percent of all births in the state and 1 percent nationwide, the hospital said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always been a lot of confusion around these health care networkâ&#x20AC;? names, said Terry Lynam, Northwell Healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chief public relations ofďŹ cer, explaining to The Jewish Star why North Shore/LIJ decided to change its corporate name.

He pointed out that the North Shore/LIJ name was put in place only in the 1990s, with the merger of those institutions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As the system evolved over time, the name reďŹ&#x201A;ected just two of the 21 hospitals,â&#x20AC;? Lynam said.

In the rebranding, each hospital will retain its individual name, with the addition of a reference to Northwell Health â&#x20AC;&#x201D; so, for instance, Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park will be known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Long Island Jewish Medical Center|Northwell Health,â&#x20AC;? North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset will be â&#x20AC;&#x153;North Shore University Hospital | Northwell Health,â&#x20AC;? and Franklin Hospital in Valley Stream will be â&#x20AC;&#x153;Franklin Hospital | Northwell Health.â&#x20AC;?

Northwell Healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adoption of a generic name reďŹ&#x201A;ects an industry trend, with health systems deemphasizing their hospitals as they open more outpatient and other facilities.

While most of Northwellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operations are

concentrated in the New York City area (Northwell has one afďŹ liated hospital in Boca Raton, Florida), â&#x20AC;&#x153;we are evolving into more of a regional systemâ&#x20AC;? and eventually there may be a larger geographic footprint, Lynam said. However, he added that there are â&#x20AC;&#x153;no imminent plans for expansion beyond the New Yorkâ&#x20AC;? area. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Look Northâ&#x20AC;? is Northwellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ rst brand campaign in ďŹ ve years and the biggest marketing push in systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history, the hospital said.

The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Happy Birthdayâ&#x20AC;? ad was to air on New York area television stations, with a print version running this week in daily newspapers in Manhattan and Melville. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no better way to symbolize Northwell Healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new beginning than to highlight the ďŹ rst of more than 42,000 babies who will be delivered at Northwell Health hospitals in the coming year,â&#x20AC;? said President and Chief Executive OfďŹ cer Michael Dowling.

The rebranding and marketing campaign, including the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Look Northâ&#x20AC;? tagline, was created with the J. Walter Thompson New York advertising agency. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As the largest healthcare provider in New York State, we are pursuing new and different ways of telling our story of innovation, providing consumers with a glimpse into the advanced care and individual attention that our patients receive,â&#x20AC;? Dowling said.

The advertising campaign â&#x20AC;&#x153;vividly captures how our health system is redeďŹ ning science and medicine while continuing to put the focus on the all-important human touch,â&#x20AC;? said Ramon Soto, Northwellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior vice president and chief marketing and communications ofďŹ cer. He said the campaign will also include a digital and social media initiative. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The birth of a new healthcare system dedicated to a new standard in care deserves more than just another hospital commercial,â&#x20AC;?

said J. Walter Thompson New York Executive Creative Director Eric Weisberg. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just advertising â&#x20AC;&#x201D; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s news.â&#x20AC;?

Northwell has a long history of doing things differently, beginning with its creation on Long Island in the 1990s, when it became the ďŹ rst health system in New York State. Now with $9.5 billion in annual revenue, it is a vast clinical, educational and research enterprise.

Its milestones over the past two decades, according to a statement by Northwell Health, include: â&#x20AC;˘The 1999 establishment of a biomedical research arm, now known as the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, which includes more than 1,500 scientists and other employees. â&#x20AC;˘The 2010 expansion into Manhattan with the addition of Lenox Hill Hospital and the 2014 opening of Manhattanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ rst freestanding emergency center, Lenox Health Greenwich Village. â&#x20AC;˘The 2010 founding of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ rst allopathic medical school in 40 years â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, which graduated its ďŹ rst class last May. â&#x20AC;˘A new nursing school in 2015 named the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. â&#x20AC;˘The 2013 creation of the health systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own health insurance company, CareConnect. â&#x20AC;˘A major ambulatory expansion that now includes hundreds of outpatient physician practices throughout the metropolitan area. â&#x20AC;˘The largest ambulance transport system on the East Coast and the New York areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ rst hospital-based helicopter emergency medical service. â&#x20AC;˘Strategic alliances with such internationally renowned institutions as the Cleveland Clinic, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.

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January 8, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ 27 Tevet 5776 THE JEWISH STAR

14

Chabadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campus touch making new strides

By Jeffrey F. Barken The Chabad-Lubavitch movementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s robust Internet presence, and its network of emissaries who foster Jewish life in communities ranging from the urban to the remote, are two of the most common elements associated with the Hassidic sect.

But at the start of 2016, Chabad might be poised to make its largest strides in the arena of the college campus.

In November, nearly 5,200 Chabad rabbis and community leaders from 86 countries gathered in Brooklyn for the International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries. The annual conference demonstrates the enthusiasm shared by Chabad emissaries as they seek to revive Jewish awareness and practices around the world.

In the wake of the conference, Chabad leaders are devoting renewed energy and resources to the Chabad on Campus program. Efforts to bring the Chabad movement to colleges and universities began in the 1940s. Today, the campus mission is seeing rapid growth. There are currently 230 Chabad campus centers serving Jewish students at 500 schools. Typically, a Chabad-Lubavitch couple staffs each center, with the initiative echoing the principles of openness and outreach that deďŹ ne Chabad in general. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many parents of current students forged relationships with emissaries years ago,â&#x20AC;? Rabbi Yossy Gordon, executive vice president of Chabad on Campus International, tells JNS. org. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeing their children at their alma maters doing the same thing. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s become generational, somewhat of a family tradition for young men and women to return not only to the school their parents went to, but to Shabbat tables and Torah classes at local Chabad centers as well.â&#x20AC;?

Rabbi Levi Slonim, head of programming and development at the Rohr Chabad Center for Jewish Student Life at Binghamton University, has witnessed ďŹ rsthand the exponential growth of Chabad on Campus. He is the son of Rabbi Aaron Slonim and his wife, Rivkah, the couple that founded the State University of New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Binghamton chapter 30 years ago. He now serves alongside his parents with his wife, Hadasa. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My parents [initially] rented a one-bedroom apartment.

Sometimes they would have 5 to 15 students over for Shabbat dinner. Today, we have a steady 300 to 400 students attending Shabbat dinners,â&#x20AC;? Rabbi Levi Slonim tells JNS.org.

The Binghamton Chabad center has grown alongside the university, which now attracts many students from Jewishly observant and Orthodox homes. The fact that married couples manage most Chabad houses establishes a home-like atmosphere characterized by a familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s devotion to the population and philosophy they serve.

Schwartzes in Israelâ&#x20AC;Ś Continued from page 3 quent siege by the Jordanian Legion and as the conďŹ&#x201A;ict escalated, the men sent their wives and children to Jerusalem, where they thought they would be safer. Three days before the war ended and the State of Israel was founded, 130 men and a handful of women who stayed behind to defend their land were overtaken by the better-armed Jordanian Legion and murdered; there were only four survivors. These individuals became known as the Gush Etzion defenders.

Ruth recalled how when Gush Etzion was under Jordanian controlâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;between 1948 and 1967â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the wives and children of the Gush Etzion defenders would gather on a hilltop in Jerusalem where they could see The Lone Tree from the mountain perch. That tree came to symbolize all that was lost and the living and breathing desire to return to Gush Etzion and rebuild. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They lost their fathers, their husbands, their homes, changing their lives forever. We lost Ezra and that has changed our lives forever. Yet these young children believed they could make their world right again and that dream was realized in 1967. I will follow their lead,â&#x20AC;? said Ruth. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now I feel it, I am forever connected to Gush Etzion, where my Ezra worked hard, prayed hard. I am happy Ezraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tree will overlook Gush Etzion.â&#x20AC;?

/DVW 2FWREHU PRUH WKDQ VWXGHQWV SDUWLFLSDWH LQ KDYGDODK DW WKH LQWHUQDWLRQDO 6KDEEDWRQ RI &KDEDG RQ &DPSXV Bentzi Sasson, Chabad.edu.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Typically, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lifetime commitment,â&#x20AC;? Levi Slonim explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We serve until we have fulďŹ lled the need, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s less of a profession and more of a commitment.â&#x20AC;?

Couples are therefore preferred over singles as Chabad emissaries, because â&#x20AC;&#x153;until youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re married you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really decided your lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work,â&#x20AC;? says Slonim, who adds that a Chabad centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hosts need to be able to address issues of both genders. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a real partnership,â&#x20AC;? he says.

As a result of the vast network established by his family during the past 30 years, Slonim now receives daily communications from former SUNY Binghamton students. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We do reunions once a year, and you get hundreds of people from all different years coming together,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are so many people impacted by our services [in ways] we will never know. Suddenly we hear years later â&#x20AC;Ś [how] the nature of our work is personal and touches people in different ways.â&#x20AC;?

The personal aspect, it seems, is the salient common thread underlying the Chabad experience both in person and online.

Websites scattered throughout the Internet provide multiple points of entry. Unlike books, movies, TV shows, and other traditional media, websites have no beginning, middle, or end. Instead, a keyword search directs visitors to speciďŹ c content of interest. Uniquely, Chabad.orgâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the website for the Chabad-Lubavitch philosophy, movement, and organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;mimics the real-world interaction that generations of Jews seeking refuge, instruction, and a deeper connection to their faith have found around the world when they encounter Chabad emissaries.

On Chabad.org, a busy three-columned website structure presents diverse subject headings. These links lead to rich content that merges illuminating storytelling with historical anecdotes and descriptions of Chabad services, while positing topics for discussion.

The websiteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aboutâ&#x20AC;? page states that the Chabad movementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;system of Jewish religious philosophyâ&#x20AC;? teaches â&#x20AC;&#x153;understanding and recognition of the Creator, the role and purpose of creation, and the importance and unique mission of each creature,â&#x20AC;? thereby inaugurating a lifelong process of self-reďŹ&#x201A;ection that guides an observant personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daily existence.

Elsewhere on Chabad.org, there is a portalâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ask the Rabbiâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201D;that answers questions about the Jewish religion. Similarly, visitors seeking guidance on brit milah, bar mitzvah, marriage, and other practices encounter a selection of resources ranging from articles, tutorials, and advice columns. The website, however, ultimately steers visitors toward direct involvement with their local Jewish communities through the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chabad Locatorâ&#x20AC;? search option for Chabad centers.

Jews â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from children, college students, adults to the elderly â&#x20AC;&#x201D; encounter Chabad emissaries when their curiosity about Judaism, or a longing for community, prompts a concerted exploration.

An individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s path forward is guided

by Chabad afďŹ liates, yet ultimately deďŹ ned by his or her independent discoveries. For that matter, the Binghamton college campus Chabadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Levi Slonim says the goal of â&#x20AC;&#x153;owning Judaismâ&#x20AC;? is a guiding principle behind his work. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every student has his own way,â&#x20AC;? he says. (]UD 6FKZDUW]ÂśV PRWKHU 5XWK IDWKHU $UL DQG EURWKHU +LOOHO SODQW D WUHH LQ KLV PHPRU\ LQ ,VUDHO JNF â&#x20AC;&#x153;For some students, it can be wearing the kipThe event was attended by more than 30 ing of support from the Jewish community in pah on campus, and gathering the strength to do that. For others, it can be defending Ispeople, including some of those students who Boston and across the U.S. were in the van with Ezra when he was murâ&#x20AC;&#x153;In the Modern Orthodox Jewish commu- rael publicly. For others, observing Shabbat, dered. Friend Adam Gorenstein said having the nity, the vast majority of kids come to Israel or wrapping teďŹ llin (prayer phylacteries).â&#x20AC;?

For many, no matter what door they enter Schwartz family in town has helped he and his right after high schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think classmates get through their personal pain. about it. This could have been any one of our through, discovering Chabad online or in perâ&#x20AC;&#x153;We talk about him a lot, listen to his favor- children,â&#x20AC;? said Spellman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think it son, on campus or in a different kind of communal setting, presents the ďŹ rst opportunity to ite songs,â&#x20AC;? said Gorenstein. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is not easy, but will be deterring anyone.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The family has been so strong,â&#x20AC;? added embark on a larger personal quest. The quest we are trying to get through this together.â&#x20AC;?

Marcia Spellman, who was visiting Israel family friend Beth Mor, who lives in Hash- itself has deďŹ ned, and will likely continue to defrom the Schwartzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home region in Boston, monaim, Israel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is amazing that they are ďŹ ne, a movement that many consider the most dynamic force in Judaism today.

JNS.org said the Schwartz family has seen outpour- able to stand with Israel through all of this.â&#x20AC;?

15

Madraigos explored social media and internet safety with students at HANC’s middle school, with students expressing how important and beneficial social media is to them while also being shown the value of taking time to be “disconnected.” Students were encouraged to periodically put their phones in designated “off” areas, and to use the “down time” to participate in and develop traditional social interaction skills with family and friends.

The program was led by Madraigos Clinical Director Chanie Delman, LCSW, along with Madraigos social work interns Tobi Goldfeder and Danielle Koppel.

Madraigos professionals also discussed the importance of being cyber safe. Students were informed about the potential risks posed by cyber criminals and predators who peruse popular social networking sites. Many students were surprised to hear the statistics and privacy policies of social networking sites. Specific guidance to implement safety measures while engaging in social media and the internet were discussed. The significance of taking time to consider the impact of sharing information before hitting the “send” button was stressed.

Several examples of the information shared with students: If you don’t know the person, don’t •Share personal information •Meet up in person •Send pictures

By Jeffrey Bessen Marijuana products made for medicinal purposes by Vireo Health of New York, in upstate Perth, will include the identifying label of the Orthodox Union.

Vireo is one of five companies that was approved to manufacture medicinal marijuana in New York state after the Compassionate Care Act, which was approved in June 2014, was signed into law that July. It went into effect on Tuesday. The law allows registered patients to use medical marijuana if they have been diagnosed with certain “severe debilitating or lifethreatening conditions.”

For people who need to use medicinal marijuana and keep kosher, this is important, said Rabbi Moshe Elefant, chief operating officer of OU Kosher. “A lot of people won’t eat or consume anything that is not kosher. … I have to tell you, we are getting a reaction from people telling us that, unfortunately, they have to have marijuana for their pain-management regimen.

We are happy we can help alleviate their pain.”

The OU will certify Viero’s vaporizers, cartridges, oils and capsules are kosher, he said.

Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt, chief of medicine at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside and assistant to the rabbi at the Young Israel of Woodmere, said Jewish law “strongly frowns on marijuana and cigarette usage” recreationally, but medicinal marijuana is in a different category.

“The Torah commands us to heal our selves, and people should do things that are safe,” he said. “If it is the appropriate usage, if the physician recommended it, if the rabbi recommended to follow the doctor’s orders, there is no

Before you post, ask yourself •Is this is good picture?

•Would my friend be okay with me posting this?

•Could it get a person into trouble now/ later?

•Is it going to cause drama?

•Am I aware that anyone can see this post/picture now/later? (principal, grandma, friend, parent) Madraigos’ goal is that students use their newly acquired information and skills to face the challenge of cyber addiction — for themselves, their families and their community. Most importantly, students need to develop greater vigilance in being cautious while online.

To arrange a Madraigos workshop on cyber addiction/safety, contact Mrs. Delman at cdelman@madraigos.org, 516-371-3250 x2.

transgression of Torah principals.”

Rabbi Elefant said that OU officials visited Viero’s manufacturing facility to ensure that all the ingredients used to make medical marijuana met the criteria to be considered kosher.

“Being certified kosher by the OU will not only help us serve the dietary needs of the largest Jewish community in the United States, but also combat unfortunate stigmas associated with medical cannabis,” said Ari Hoffman, Viero’s chief executive officer. “[This announcement] sends an important message to New Yorkers of all faiths and backgrounds that using medical cannabis to alleviate pain and suffering does not in any way represent an embrace of ‘pot’ culture. Patients should never feel guilty or ashamed for using a product recommended by their physicians.”

A medical marijuana dispensary is scheduled to open in Lake Success, but that appears to be one of the few signs that the new law has gone into effect. The state Department of Health does not have a count of how many doctors are certified (a four-hour course is needed) to write a recommendation so a patient can register for the program.

“I think that both the approval of the Lake Success dispensary and the Orthodox Union endorsement are encouraging indicators that cannabis is becoming more acceptable as a form of treatment,” said Paige Kumm, a spokeswoman for Compassionate Care New York. “The current program in New York is very restrictive in terms of patient access. We get dozens of calls every week from patients trying to find out more information about the program, because information is scarce.”

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THE JEWISH STAR January 8, 2016 • 27 Tevet 5776

Madraigos eyes social Here’s the word on media safety, addiction ‘kosher medical pot’

The tale of Sweta and a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Pick Purpleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; collection Pick Purple / Batya Girls In the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s section of Macyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lived a purple sweatshirt named Sweta. While her friends got picked one by one, she stayed on the shelf for a long time, folded and unable to move.

Manny the mannequin stood beside Swetaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s display. She encouraged Sweta, advising her to maintain her precise fold. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you look messy, a neater sweatshirt might get picked instead of you.â&#x20AC;? But without fail, Ricky the restock man, would come and place a new pile on top of her.

Sometimes Swetaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hopes were raised, like the time she got to the checkout line.

But that girl decided not bring Sweta home.

Sadly, Sweta waited and waited.

And then came Swetaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lucky day. A cute little girl patted Sweta, and cooed to her mother, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never felt a softer sweatshirt!

Please Mommy!â&#x20AC;? Little Jenny pulled Sweta over her head. She was a perfect ďŹ t and soon Sweta was in a bag held by Jenny, on the way home.

Life with Jenny was fast-paced. She wore Sweta everywhere, through many adventures that nearly scared the hood off her, and even during the summer!

But by their second winter together, Sweta started seeing more of Jennyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drawer than of her friend. Every few weeks, Jenny would pick up Sweta and put her on, and Sweta would sigh in relief at a chance to stretch and have fun again. But day after day, Sweta

The Jewish Star

watched the other clothes get picked.

Barbara, the button-down blouse, Zelda, the zip up hoodie, or even Carla, the colorful cardigan, all got picked to spend the day with Jenny, while Sweta shifted to the back of the drawer, in the company of the unmatched socks, worn out clothes and too-small shirts.

Sweta didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand why this was happening. She was sadder than sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d ever been. Sally, a single sock whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d lost her match, saw the tears on Swetaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soft face and said grufďŹ&#x201A;y, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Look, kid. Jenny simply outgrew you. When she lifts her arms, her belly button shows. We are here to stay and will never be picked again.â&#x20AC;?

Sweta brooded, almost losing hope. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What will Jenny do when her dresser is too

is your key to Orthodox LI

Take a Jewish Star home for Shabbos!

ďŹ lled up to hold all her clothes?â&#x20AC;? she wondered.

She had heard scary rumors about clothing that wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wanted being smashed in a bag and left outside on the curb, to be crushed by the teeth of the biggest, smelliest monster known to clothing-kind, then spit out into something called a landďŹ ll. Sweta had nightmares about this!

One Sunday, Jenny opened the drawer where Sweta and the other forgotten clothes lived. Jenny picked up Sweta and the others, and put them into the large bag labeled PICK PURPLE. As Jenny tossed the bag outside, Sweta trembled, wondering when the monster would come and chew her up.

In the morning, Jennyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father put the bag on the porch outside. Perplexed, Sweta thought, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is not how itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supposed to happen.â&#x20AC;? A van marked PICK PURPLE pulled up in Jennyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s driveway. The driver jumped out and took the bag and put it into the van. Inside were other bags just like Swetaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

Some were bigger, some were smaller, but they all had the same words on their outside: PICK PURPLE. The words ďŹ lled Sweta with hope, especially the work pick. Maybe she would be picked again?

The trip passed in a blur. By the end of Swetaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sojourn, she and the other forgotten clothing was sorted, folded, and neatly stacked. Sweta was astonished to ďŹ nd herself in a new home. A little girl named Gabby, with bright blue eyes and a faded t-shirt, picked Sweta to be her favorite purple sweatshirt. Once again, Sweta was worn, time and time again. The drawer Sweta lived in at Gabbyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house was so empty that she could stretch without touching many other t-shirts or sweaters. There was no lonely back of the drawer anymore. Gabby wore her few clothes very often.

Gabby needs me more than Jenny, Sweta realized. And she smiled happily; glad to have ďŹ nally been picked again, this time for good.

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January 8, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ 27 Tevet 5776 THE JEWISH STAR

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Pick Purple Clothing Drive (a project of Batya Girls) is convenient, reliable and free â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and it supports Jewish teenage girls.

Clothing and shoes in any condition are accepted and put to good use.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy: Pick Purple picks up from your doorstep. All proceeds directly beneďŹ t Batya Girls.

Batya aims to give these girls a safe and friendly environment. Batyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programs give teens meaningful and enjoyable Jewish experiences in learning, chesed and leadership. Members come from a variety of backgrounds, and in Batyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s warmth, they connect as Jews and friends, imbibing Torah values and developing relationships that last a lifetime.

Giving back to the community is a key theme of Batya. Through volunteer programs, Batya girls reach out to help others and discover the joy of giving.

The Pick Purple clothing drive is a result of the initiative of the girls of Batya in Marlboro, NJ. The group discussed how they wished they could pass their old clothing to people who would appreciate it. Pick Purple was conceived, and very quickly grew into a popular and reliable clothing redistributor.

In keeping with the Batya mission, Pick Purple discovers potential, makes the most of what we have, and assists people in need. All clothing is sorted carefully and reused in the best way possible.

For more information about Batya, visit batyagirls.org or call 732-835-BATYa. To become a part of the Pick Purple initiative, call 201-47-PURPLe or visit pickpurple.org.

17

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THE JEWISH STAR January 8, 2016 â&#x20AC;¢ 27 Tevet 5776

)T !LL #OMES 4OGETHER !T #!(!, iii

ENSURE SUCCESS FOR YOUR CHILDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FUTURE TODAY!

Participating schools: Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam / Bnos Bais Yaakov / HAFTR / HALB / HANC / MAY / Shulamith /

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Siach Yitzchak / Torah Academy for Girls / Yeshiva Darchei Torah / Yeshiva Ketana of LI / Yeshiva of South Shore

January 8, 2016 • 27 Tevet 5776 THE JEWISH STAR

18

JEWISH STAR Schools Rav Shorr talks ‘true happiness’ to HAFTR boys An eleventh grade HAFTR class met with HaGaon R’Shorr shlita in his private study in Flatbush last week, and listened intently as the Rav discussed the meaning of “true happiness.”

Rabbi Baruch Fogel’s gemara class had been anticipating their trip to meet one of the Gedolim of our time, as well as visiting the Living Torah Museum in Boro Park, famous for offering a hands-on experience that brings the Torah alive.

Rav Shorr discussed how to approach living in this world as a frum Jew. He brought in parables, told personal stories and added some original Torah insights.

Among the thought provoking concepts presented was an explanation of the phrase “true happiness.”

Why is the word “true” connected to the word “happiness?” Rav Shorr explained by asking another question: “Why is it that when you have eaten a great meal you do not feel good about that meal a few years later, but yet if you had performed an act of kindness like helping an old person cross the street, you would remember that positive feeling and still feel good about it even years later?”

He answered that the barometer of truth is its staying power, because the truth lasts forever. Therefore when someone does something

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that relates to Judaism which is, of course, true, then the feeling will exist years later!

Rav Shorr added that the computer program that alters pictures, Photoshop, is a great lesson in how to approach the world.

The fact that every thing we see can be manipulated, and that we can longer trust our

eyes to identify what’s real or not, is the greatest mussar lesson how to approach the pull of our yetzer hora. While it might seem to our senses as something desirable, we have to know that the enjoyment of gashmiyus is only photoshopped and that it is not real.

Chasing the yetzer hora is literaly chasing a

picture that is not real.

At the end of the meeting he gave each one a copy of one of his printed seforim, as well as an invitation to come speak to him whenever they are in Brooklyn.

After each student had a chance to get a brocha from Rav Shorr, it was time to head to the Living Torah Museum, to which a generous benefactor just donated the world’s smallest kosher Torah scroll — just 2-inches!

— and each student had a chance to hold and try to read from it.

The students viewed ancient coins and weapons and many articles mentioned and discussed in Tanach and the mishna.

Rabbi Deutch, owner and curator of the museum, explained how each item they saw relates to a pasuk, mishna or mamar Chazal.

The students passed around the coins of the Mishna, as well as one of Alexander the Great and Antiochos of the Chanukah story.

Rabbi Deutch showed the students artifacts from ancient Egypt that were over 3,000 years old, to bring to life Parshas Hashavua.

Lastly, the students visited the museum’s Animal World, where taxidermied animals are exhibited to develop an understanding of Hashem’s creations, as well as identifying all the animals that are mentioned in the Torah and Mishna.

Moms join in bat mitzvah challah bake at Shulamith Sixth graders at Shulamith School for Girls in Cedarhurst were joined by their mothers and faculty members for a bat mitzvah celebration challah baking event.

The evening began with an uplifting cantata, performed completely in Ivrit. Mothers and

daughters had the opportunity to participate in one of three different activities: Torah study with Morah Chana Schwartz, learning the mitzvah of challah and braiding challot with Morah Shoshana Fischman, and dancing joyously in the Shulamith gym with Sima Gefen.

CAHAL Paint Nite at TAG An overflow crowd of supportive women came together for a singular cause: Paint Nite for CAHAL, last Sunday at TAG. Participants were given the opportunity to create their own masterpieces in acrylic paint on canvas. Instructor Naomi Singer presented the picture and gave the talented amateurs direction. The ladies did the rest on their own. It was a relaxing evening for old and new friends channeling their creative abilities and having the ultimate ladies’ night out.

CAHAL, the only local yeshiva-based and sponsored community program for children with learning challenges, now in its 24th year, provided the underlying message.

Elisheva Trachtenberg told the audience about her experiences as a CAHAL parent, and the huge difference its dedicated administration and teachers made in her child’s life, and

how she has progressed and integrated as a CAHAL student at Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam, including attending the mainstream math class along with daily non-academic mainstream activities.

The event was coordinated by Shira Cohen, CAHAL’s special events coordinator and administrative liaison, and thanks were extended to the event committee, which included Adi Aryeh, Elisheva Biegeleisen, Ricki Genuth, Shir Hochman, Rivky Kaplan, Adina Klein, Rochel Lapidus, Darah Mandelbaum, Estie Mendlowitz, Shaindy Pollack, Devorah Salzman, Bracha Schoenblum, Mimi Schreiber, Shani Seif, Deena Soroka, Sharona Stone, Rivky Teitelbaum, Elisheva Trachtenberg, Deena Weinstein and Aliza Wielgus.

Dr. Suri Weinreb, CAHAL’s staff psychologist, was the evening’s emcee.

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The Hebrew Academy of Nassau County welcomed representatives from nine prestigious colleges and universities to its second biennial College Panel and Mini Fair. Organized by Director of College Guidance Karen Sheff and Assistant Director Marisa Gelb, the event provided attendees with an insiderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look at the college application process.

The program, which began with opening remarks by HANC Principal Rabbi Shlomo Adelman, featured representatives from the University of Chicago, Cooper Union, Hofstra University, Queens College, Baruch College, SUNY Albany, SUNYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Binghamton University, Touroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lander Colleges, and Yeshiva University.

THE JEWISH STAR January 8, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ 27 Tevet 5776

College fair at HANC

ShuLamith Library L day The Letter L brought the kindergarden cLass of ShuLamith SchooL for GirLs on a trip to the the Levi Yitzchak Library where they interacted with objects beginning with the letter L and enjoyed a storytime with the book â&#x20AC;&#x153;Labels for Laibel.â&#x20AC;?

The children then experienced being

young writers by publishing their very own L book for their class library!

The Levi Yitzchak Library is open on Mondays exclusively for school trips and group visits. To schedule a trip, call 516374-BOOK (2665) or email Bracha@lylibrary.com

Namesake school marks Honor and Torah at HANC Rambamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 795th yahrzeit Last Friday marked the yahrzeit of the Rambam who died 795 years ago on the 20th of Teves at the age of 69. At Rambam Mesivta in Lawrence, an assembly was held to commemorate the life and legacy of the Rambam. Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman spoke to the Talmidim and explained that while it is virtually impossible to truly understand the Rambamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatness, we can get glimpses through his writings.

The Rambam wrote many sefarim, among them Perush Mishnayos, Yad haChazakah, Moreh Nevuchim and Shemoneh Perakim.

Unfortunately, some of his writings have been lost to history. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These sefarim spanned the breadth of halachah and hashkafah,â&#x20AC;? shared Rabbi Friedman. who cited some examples of each. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are all familiar with the idea of eating shmurah matzoh on Pesach. A careful analysis of the Rambam leads us to the conclusion that there are two types of shmurah â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one watched from the time of harvest, the other which is infused with the intent that it is made speciďŹ cally for the purpose of the mitzvah of matzoh. Instead of writing this openly, the Rambam expressed it cryptically in a seeming contradiction, forcing us to delve into his teachings, and draw out conclusions using proper methodology,â&#x20AC;? said Rabbi Friedman.

On the topic of revenge, Rabbi Friedman explored how â&#x20AC;&#x153;when the Rambam speaks about the prohibition of taking revenge, he teaches us that it is wrong to do so because it reďŹ&#x201A;ects a distorted value system. We are overestimating and attributing great value to the physical world which is in reality mundane.â&#x20AC;?

He further stated that the Rambam says that it is best for a Torah scholar to be selfsufďŹ cient and not rely on the beneďŹ cence of the community. The Rambam teaches us that every aviera ben adam lechavero (violation of interpersonal relationships) is wrong because of the harm that was done to others

and is wrong and because about what it shows about the violatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s character.

The Rambam lived in times where Jewish survival faced many challenges, with both physical and spiritual threats to Jews worldwide. The Rambam received letters from farďŹ&#x201A;ung communities seeking his advice, guidance and halachic rulings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He truly had the weight of world Jewry on his shoulders,â&#x20AC;? said Rabbi Friedman, who summed up: â&#x20AC;&#x153;To be able to accomplish so much, under such difďŹ cult conditions appears to be superhuman and we are privileged to have named the mesivta after him.â&#x20AC;?

HANC sixth graders received a certiďŹ cate for completing an Hour of Code in Mrs. Natterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s computer class (photo left) The students canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to put their coding knowledge to good use when they start to program our new robots, Dot and Dash.

(Watch for more cutting edge tech news!)

Meanwhile, after completing Sefer Bereisheit in their parsha class, ďŹ rst grade students celebrated by creating dioramas relating to scenes in the chumash. The dioramas are now proudly on display in the lobby of HANC 609 in West Hempstead for all to see.

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811401

January 8, 2016 • 27 Tevet 5776 THE JEWISH STAR

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