January 20, 2012 by The Jewish Star

Hadassah celebrates a milestone Page 3 Kosher Bookworm: the legacy of Rabbi Mordechai Gifter Page 5 Who’s in the kitchen: Low fat but high on taste Page 7 Kosher Critic: Comfort food thats easy on the wallet Page 11

THE JEWISH

STAR

VOL 11, NO 3 ■ JANUARY 20, 2012 / 25 TEVET, 5772

WWW.THEJEWISHSTAR.COM

Israel’s Challenges as 2012 is already filling up its plate 2012 has thus far brought a lot of activity to Israel that could be indicative of the year it is expected to have. The growing internal strife that has become very public between the religious right and most others to the left of them is threatening the foundation of Israel’s society. In addition to the social difficulties it poses, the squeeze of the widening financial burden on those who produce income and those who rely on the State for services is taking its toll on the patience of the general society. Adam Kaufman, of Adam B. Kaufman & Associates, PLLC and longtime Woodmere resident said, “What’s been happening between the religious and secular communities is disheartening. Israel and Jews have enough people wishing harm without us wanting to harm one another. Sadly, at times we can be our own worst enemies.” To Mr. Kaufman’s Juda Engelmayer point, the internal conflict would be enough to keep such a small society busy. Yet, that could be viewed as a minor bump in the road when looking at it in the context of the world it exists in. This week brought news that Egypt’s leading presidential contender, former Arab League Chief Amr Moussa said that he would maintain the peace treaty with Israel, but in a modified version. He would seek to increase troop deployment in the Sinai, but what’s possibly more troubling is that he would reconsidContinued on page 2

Photos by Isabel Slepoy

Col Geva Rapp talks with supporters such as Yaackov Saﬁer of Far Rockaway (right) at the Panim El Panim breakfast held at Congregation Kneseth Israel this past Sunday.

Warm welcome for IDF Colonel that serves up Torah By Karen C. Green This past weekend, several Five Towns and Far Rockaway area shuls played host to several speaking engagements sponsored by Panim el Panim. The Israeli education organization, which effective September 2011, became the official provider of Torah education for the Israel Defense Forces, is proud to have connected tens of thousands of secular Israelis with their Jewish roots. Under the direction of IDF Colonel (Res) Geva Rapp, a 26 year officer, Panim el Panim provides social, educational and informative programs in 55 secular high schools, IDF bases and installations and on 60 kibbutzim throughout Israel. “The importance of Jewish awareness among our soldiers cannot be overstated, not just for the religious soldiers, but for every soldier in the IDF,” says Rapp. “It gives us the answer to the question, ‘Why am I here, what is the significance of the daily work I am doing?’ Rapp considers the work of Panim el Panim to be an essential

Rabbi Kenneth Hain of Congregation Beth Sholom praises the organization’s work and added motivator for many IDF soldiers. “A simple soldier that everyday works hard and has difficulty to regain his motivation needs this kind of gas to refuel his engine.” “They are unbelievable,” says Rabbi Hes-

hy Blumstein of the Young Israel of Hewlett who’s shul featured a presentation by Col Rapp at their melave malka this past Motzei Shabbos. “The video presentation was very powerful and moving, and it’s refreshing to see soldiers themselves who care.” Eugene Liebovitz, who spoke at the melave malka and at the Sunday breakfast held at Congregation Knesseth Israel, the white shul, is a child Holocaust survivor, and was a chayal boded, a lonely soldier. Liebovitz was a commander in the IDF in the Haifa region from 1947- 1949. “Geva is me thirty years ago, it’s a joy to see someone like Geva continue what I started, ” says Liebovitz. Liebovitz who splits his time between residences in Jerusalem and Aventura in Florida is deeply committed to the organization. “Panim El Panim is the future of Israel. They are really the ones that teach the kids what they weren’t taught in school.” Five town and Far Rockaway residents, Jay Kestenbaum, and Yaakov Safier were two Continued on page 3

Shabbat Candlelighting: 4:39 p.m. Shabbat ends 5:42 p.m. 72 minute zman 6:10 p.m. Torah Reading Parshat Vaeirah

Stay up to date with The Jewish Star Receive our weekly newsletter. Sign up at newsroom@ thejewishstar.com

Like us on Facebook The Jewish Star newspaper (Long Island, NY)

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID GARDEN CITY, NY 11530 PERMIT NO 301

Visit us on the web at www. thejewishstar.com

The Jewish Star Ask Aviva Classified Ads From the Heart of Jerusalem Hebrew Only Please! Kosher Bookworm Kosher Critic Letters to the Editor Miriam’s Musings On the Calendar Parsha Politico to Go Schools

13 15 6 14 5 11 4 13 12 6 4 15

How to reach us: Our offices at 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530 are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday, with early closing as necessary on Erev Shabbat. Contact us via e-mail or telephone as listed below.

Advertising newsroom@thejewishstar.com Nassau County hparsons@thejewishstar.com 516-569-4000 extension 290 Manhattan & Queens rglickman@thejewishstar.com 516-569-4000 extension 250 Classified ereynolds@thejewishstar.com Community Calendar items jscalendar@thejewishstar.com Letters to the Editor letters@thejewishstar.com News and Sports items newsroom@thejewishstar.com Press Releases pressreleases@thejewishstar.com Publisher and Editor in Chief kgreen@thejewishstar.com 516-632-5205 extension 4

Facsimile: The Star prefers e-mail, but we are equipped to accept your letters, releases, etc. by FAX. Please dial 516-569-4942.

To subscribe: The Star is available free of charge in many kosher food establishments, other stores, synagogues and street-side news boxes in Nassau County and New York City. To have The Star mailed to your home or office each week call our circulation department at 516-622-7461, extension 7. You may charge your subscription to VISA, Mastercard or American Express. Subscriptions in Nassau County or Far Rockaway are $9 per quarter, charged to your credit card, or $48 per year by cash or check. Elsewhere in New York, New Jersey or around the United States, they are $15 per quarter on your credit card or $72 per year. Please allow four weeks to begin delivery.

To place a display ad: Reservations, art and copy for display advertising in the general news sections of The Star must be in our office by Tuesday at 1 p.m. for publication that week. An advertising representative will gladly assist you in preparing your message. Please e-mail or call for an appointment.

To place a classified ad: Please call 516-622-7461 during regular business hours and ask for The Star classified department. All classified ads are payable in advance. We accept all major credit cards.

News and Calendar Items: News releases of general interest must be in our office by Friday at noon to be considered for publication the following week. Releases for our On the Calendar section must be in our office by Wednesday at 5 p.m. to be considered for publication the following week. To report a breaking news story or for further information call 516-622-7461 ext. 291 or e-mail newsroom@thejewishstar.com.

Letters to the editor: The Star provides an open forum for opinions and welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be e-mailed, must be signed, and should be accompanied by an address and daytime phone number for verification. You may offer longer submissions for inclusion on our Opinion pages. Letters and Opinion articles must be in our office by noon Friday to be considered for publication the following week. They are subject to editing for length and clarity.

Israel, one month into 2012 Continued from page 1 er supplying Israel with natural gas. Moussa would do this to appease the naysayers within Egypt who are opposed to Egypt’s assistance to Israel in any practical way. Cutting off the gas supply would be a hard hit for Israel and would affect the lives of its citizens in a real way. “It’s for exactly reasons like Egypt’s gas supply to Israel why Jews need to act as a unified people inside the state,” Mr. Kaufman said. Then there is the issue of Gaza. The December 2008 “Cast Lead” campaign did not yield the results Israel needed. In fact, a member of the IDF General Staff said that “Gaza is possibly Israel’s most volatile front today... It is a front that can explode at any given moment.” According to the Jerusalem Post, the IDF’s Southern Command was just directed to prepare for a possible large Gaza incursion in coming months. It could be a major battle which would likely raise the ire of its tentative peace partner in Egypt and possibly effect looming decisions there, but it will also draw more unneeded attention from Iran, which is seemingly the looming issue for many western nations. So nervous about Iran is the United States that it sent a delegation of U.S. defense and military leaders to Israel this week lead by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey. Dempsey, on his first official trip to Israel since his September appointment will be meeting the Israeli army chief, Benny Gantz, defense minister Ehud Barak and other military leaders. The point of this trip seems intended to stave off a possible Israeli military strike on Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Already the trip is having its effect on circumstances. With Tehran’s threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, the conduit for 20% of the world’s energy resources, a scheduled joint military exercise between Israel and the United States was postponed. Whether it was the Obama Administration’s doing or as reports suggests, the request of Ehud Barak, it is evident that tensions are high and no one seems to want to provoke a dangerous action. On the Jordanian front, the unrest brewing within the Hashemite Kingdom is weighing on Kind Abdullah. Not wanting to see his country fall into the chasm Syria is in, Abdullah dismissed his cabinet, claims to have increased government subsidies to the needy and is pushing for corruption investigations and trials to appease the angry protestors. Not as rocky as Syria, but it is something Israel is paying attention to as well. Syria’s civil unrest, and president Bashar alAssad’s attempt to grasp power in the face of growing demands from Arab nations for him to step aside and stop the killings of civilians, Israel is watching the front, hoping it does not boil over its borders. Rounding Israel’s full plate are the slow moving peace talks with a Palestinian delegation. King Abdullah commented this week that “the intent, I believe, is there from both sides,” but admits it is in infancy stages. Hanan Ashrawi is not as optimistic saying that Israel is “not going to cooperate with the Jordanians.” Israelis must contend with every front being busy and unsure, including the internal strife among its own citizens. Mr. Kaufman said, “January has not yet ended and it already looks as if it will be a long year for the Jewish nation. We hope and pray it will all be good, but we all must work to come together as a people and prepare for whatever comes our way”. Juda is an executive with the New York PR firm, 5W Public relations. He can be reached at Juda.engelmayer@gmail.com

530762

Inside

• A Modern Orthodox Ivrit B’Ivrit Limudei Kodesh Program • An outstanding General Studies Curriculum with Great Neck schools educational standards for learners at all levels • Dedicated and caring faculty Our 1st grad ers receive their first Siddur

Technologically

Equipped Clas

srooms

REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2012/2013 SCHOOL YEAR For information and/or an application call Eva Nisanov (516) 487-8687 (ext. 121) To arrange for a personal tour, please call For grades 1-5 Rabbi Yeshayahu E. Greenfeld, Dean at (516) 487-8687 ext. 136.

For grades 6, 7, & 8 Rabbi Jeffrey Kobrin, Middle School Principal at (516) 487-9163 ext. 156

529430

January 20, 2012 • 25 TEVET, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

Mr. Randolph Ross, General Studies Principal • Mrs. Elana Helfgott, Director of Early Childhood • Mr. Arnie Flatow, Executive Director

Local women celebrating milestone By Karen C. Green In commemoration of Hadassah’s upcoming centennial milestone, Long Beach’s Tziporah chapter held a “ Stories to Share, Recipes to Savor” event on Thursday, January 12. Coordinated by Program Vice President Carole Pearlman, and Co-Chair Maxine Klein, six women, who were born and raised in foreign countries spoke about the trials and tribulations in their native lands. These Hadassah members representative of Paraguay, Greece, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Scotland, and Cuba conveyed their stories in a group discussion and through recipes shared in a cookbook that was compiled and distributed as part of the centennial program. Hadassah, a volunteer women’s Zionist organization, which was founded in 1912, is the largest of its kind, committed to it’s mission to strengthen their partnership with Israel and ensure Jewish continuity through a plethora of programs they spearhead in Israel and in the U.S. In Israel, Hadassah initiates and supports pace-setting health care, education and youth institutions, and land development to meet the country’s changing needs. In the United States, Hadassah enhances the quality of American and Jewish life through its education and Zionist youth programs, which promotes health awareness, and provides personal enrichment and growth for its members. On its comprehensive agenda, Hadassah advocates for women’s issues spanning all streams of Judaism. The Five Towns is well represented, with two chapters, Hewlett and Woodmere. The Devora group, a subset of the Hewlett chapter, meets monthly, and is comprised of “an eclectic group of women of different ages and different levels of observance,” says Miriam Abrahams of Woodmere. Abrahams, a 15 year member, and past president of the chapter, currently serves as liason between Hadassah and the Jewish Book Council. With their meetings hosted in member’s kosher homes, the Devora group, under the leader-

Photos by Penny Frondelli Photo by Miriam Abhrams

Devora group at it’s November jewish book month program...Kenneth Wishnia author of The Fifth Servant was the speaker, Mira Rosenfeld Sennett, education vp and moderator. ship of co-presidents Susan Kaye and Mindy Steinberg is welcoming of all new members and hopes to attract modern orthodox women to their mix. Miriam is proud to be part of the group of women that is so committed to the cause that has Israel as their main concern. “Hadassah means Israel. My zionism is expressed through the work of Hadassah”, says Abrahams. It started in response to a need for an evening group with the idea that women who work outside the home or unavailable during the day could still have a connection to the organization, “says Cedarhurst resident and former chapter president, Karen Weinberg. Weinberg, who in May is due to assume the presidency of the Hewlett chapter originally was introduced to the organization as a guest at a paid-up membership function, roughly twenty five years ago. She is quick to make the point that although Hadassah avoids any political affiliation, it does in fact take a strong stance on controversial topical issues, such as stem cell research and often

challenges politicians on their stances. As part of the larger Nassau territory, which claims the distinction of being recognized as one of the top fundraising regions, Weinberg is setting her focus specifically on raising funds for the Sarah Wetsman Davidson Tower of Hadassah Hospital. Plans for the state of the art addition to include 500 beds, 20 operating rooms, and 60 intensive care beds and a heart institute will have five floors below ground and fourteen above. The below ground area will be a safe haven in the unfortunate event of an attack. Carole Pearlman of Long Beach considers her affiliation with Hadassah as her expression of support for Israel. She just returned from her first trip to Israel with a contingency of twenty family members. “I’m especially proud of Hadassah Medical Organization and it’s hospitals which have top notch doctors and are on the cutting edge of discovering new medical procedures and cures, ” says Pearlman. Members throughout the entire organi-

Co-Chairs Carole Pearlman, Woman ot the year, and Maxine Klein, Fundraiser of the year celebrate the milestone.

Anna Mattathias at Long Beach Chapter breakfast displaying her recipe. zation are looking forward to Hadassah’s Centennial convention which is scheduled to take place in Jerusalem on October 15 through October 18, 2012. If you’re interested in joining Hadassah, please contact the Nassau region, at 516 7662725.

Warm welcome for IDF Colonel who bridges religious-secular divide in Israel

Photos by Isabel Slepoy

Five Towns residents and Panim el Panim supporters Jay Kestenbaum, and Eric Austein, with Col Rapp at breakfast

Continued from page 1 of the many in attendance to hear Col Geva Rapp speak, watch the inspiring video, and support the organization. “They do amazing work all throughout Israel, and on the bases,” remarked Kestenbaum. Yaakov Safier described witnessing IDF soldiers in Israel celebrating Shabbat for the first time ,as a result of Panim el Panim’s programming, as a “goosebump experience.” “Anything that we can do for the IDF soldiers while they are in the army is so positive, and lends itself to a more committed soldiers… they learn what they are protecting, what they are fighting for.” Rabbi Kenneth Hain, of Congregation Beth Sholom , where Col Rapp spoke on Shabbos was also in attendance at Sunday’s breakfast and praised the organization’s work. “They do incredible groundbreaking work in bridging the worlds that need to be brought together. Geva is incredibly effective, and should be encouraged, especially now in light of current tensions. Their work sends the message that the army, the one entity that brings most of Israel together can be the one place where a deeper connection for Israel to connect with Judaism.” American Friends of Panim el Panim

Eugene Liebovitz, Commander in the IDF, Haifa region, 1947 - 1949 founder Dov Goldman encourages people to get involved to help spread the good news from Israel that Panim el Panim uniquely represents. “we want everyone to know that Israelis of all stripes, religious and ‘secular’, are coming together and sharing their ancient Jewish heritage. Dov Goldman can be reached at 646-4505991 or at Dgoldman@panimelpanim.org

THE JEWISH STAR January 20, 2012 • 25 TEVET, 5772

Vibrant and going strong at 100!

January 20, 2012 • 25 TEVET, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

Opinion The ‘Fat Lady’ must have taken a nap because Romney isn’t so inevitable In a rambling speech as unclear as the rest of his campaign, former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman began his Monday morning press conference attacking the rest of the field. He admonished his colleagues for running nasty campaigns (true but people in glass houses…). When he was done playing campaign police Huntsman announced his withdrawal from the primary race. He then endorsed one of the people he had just finished trashing, Mitt Romney. According to the mainstream media the Huntsman endorsement helped the inevitable Romney nomination became even more inevitable. After all, they claimed, Romney had the momentum of the first two contests and he lead in the next two contests, South Carolina and Florida. If you believed the reports, it was all over except for the vote count. The media didn’t consider the voting in South Carolina and Florida hadn’t started as of yet. In this crazy POLITICO political season anything can TO GO (and probably will) happen. They also ignored the fact that Huntsman will add very little (if anything) to Romney’s support. Even in New Hampshire where Huntsman received almost 17% of the vote, most of his support came from independent voters who considered themselves liberal or Democrats. In other words, yes the endorsement will help but not until the general election (if Romney gets that far). Jeff Dunetz A few hours after the Huntsman announcement, the remaining candidates gathered in Myrtle Beach for what turned out to be one of the hardest fought debates this season. When all was said and done, Mitt Romney left with a big chink in his inevitability armor and Newt Gingrich may have started a come-back. Romney’s effort wasn’t his best, but it wasn’t disastrously bad either. It was more that Gingrich, Perry and Santorum were excellent, and Newt Gingrich’s performance was head and shoulders above the rest. As for Ron Paul, he provided comic relief as most of his answers left observers scratching their heads wondering what the heck he was trying to say. Gingrich started out horrible. When asked about his attack on Romney and Bain Capital Gingrich did a tap dance around the issue worthy of Gene Kelly. But as the debate moved to other topics, the former speaker dropped the attacks and returned to the blunt straight talk which had given him success prior to Iowa. The turning point for Gingrich was his exchange with Fox News’ Juan Williams. Williams seemed to

come to his panel duties with the express purpose of trying to prove that the GOP candidate’s positions were racist. Williams asked Gingrich about his identification of President Obama as the “Food Stamp President.” The Fox News liberal suggested Gingrich was being racist or at the very least insensitive. That’s when Newt let him have it: “ Juan, the fact is that more people have been put on food stamps by Barack Obama than any President in American history. I know among the politically correct you are not supposed to use facts that are uncomfortable. Second, you are the one who earlier raised the key point. There’s an area on I-73 that was called by Barack Obama as an area of shame because of unemployment. Has it improved? No. They haven’t built a road, they haven’t helped the people, and they haven’t done anything. One last thing. So here’s my point. I believe every American of every background has been endowed by their creator with the right to pursue happiness, and if that makes liberals unhappy, I’m going to continue to find ways to help poor people learn how to get a job, learn to get a better job and learn some day to own the job.” A contact of mine told me after the debate, that Gingrich’s answer drew a standing ovation from supporters of all candidates in the crowd. Gingrich addressed the frustration of many Americans who believe that political correctness was stifling the necessary debate about issues and the search for real solutions in the country. He also was pointing out the double standard of the media, as a Democrat saying the same thing as Gingrich would not be attacked as racist. Romney some good moments one was his exchange with Ron Paul on foreign policy. Paul continued with his isolationist stance position that just about everything the US has ever done overseas has been bad (he sounds like the guy he is trying to replace as president). Paul started, “If another country does to us what we do others, we’re not going to like it very much. So I would say that maybe we ought to consider a golden rule in -- in foreign policy,” he said. “Don’t do to other nations what we don’t want to have them do to us. So we -- we endlessly bomb these countries and then we wonder why they get upset with us?” Romney shot back, “Of course you take out our enemies, wherever they are,” he said. “These people declared war on us. They’ve killed Americans. We go anywhere they are, and we kill them. And the right thing for Usama bin Laden was the bullet in the head that he received. That’s the right thing for people who kill American citizens.” Santorum and Perry also had some good mo-

THE JEWISH

STAR

Independent and original reporting from the Orthodox communities of Long Island and New York City All opinions expressed are solely those of The Jewish Star’s editorial staff or contributing writers Publisher and Editor Account Executive Contributors

Editorial Designer Photo Editor

Karen C. Green Helene Parsons Miriam Bradman Abrahams Rabbi Avi Billet Jeff Dunetz Juda Engelmayer Rabbi David Etengoff Rabbi Binny Freedman Alan Jay Gerber Jonathan Greenstein Rabbi Noam Himelstein Judy Josefz Zechariah Mehler Aviva Rizel Alyson Goodman Christina Daly

2 Endo Boulevard, Garden City, NY 11530 Phone: 516-622-7461, Fax: 516-569-4942 E-mail: newsroom@thejewishstar.com The Jewish Star is published weekly by The Jewish Star LLC, 2 Endo Boulevard, Garden City, NY 11530. Subscription rates: $9 per quarter on a credit card in Nassau and Far Rockaway, or $48 a year. Elsewhere in the US, $15 per quarter or $72 a year. Newsstand Price: $1. Copyright © 2012 The Jewish Star LLC. All rights reserved.

ments, but in the end what will be remembered from the debate will be the Gingrich/Juan Williams exchange. His answer was so powerful it will be played over during the next week, which is bound to help Gingrich regain some of the momentum he lost in Iowa. With the South Carolina vote on Saturday followed by the Florida vote the week after, as of today candidacy does not look so inevitable. The prediction here is that Romney will still win South Carolina but Gingrich will have turned things around and close the gap. After New Hampshire it looked as if the proverbial fat lady was warming up, last night however, Newt Gingrich made her sit down and take a nap. There is a long way to go before anyone becomes the presumptive nominee. Jeff Dunetz is the Editor/Publisher of the political blog “The Lid” (www.jeffdunetz.com). Jeff contributes to some of the largest political sites on the internet including American Thinker, Big Government, Big Journalism, NewsReal and Pajama’s Media, and has been a guest on national radio shows including G. Gordon Liddy, Tammy Bruce and Glenn Beck. Jeff lives in Long Island.

Letter to the editor Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Stating the facts Bush were not anti-Israel? AccordTo the Editor: Asher Matathias’s Jan. 6 letter, “Gingrich’s Palestinian comment is true. But is he just pandering?” was replete with inconsistencies and inaccuracies, but as I reply, I promise not to use the senseless name calling you used in your argument with my Dec. 15 column. Your letter seemed to object to Gingrich’s point about the Palestinians being an invented people, a point I agreed with. It was interesting that your objection was not because you questioned the accuracy of the history presented in my column, but because it would “humiliate the Palestinian people.” Sadly the Jewish State has had to face decades of politicians and commentators putting political correctness before truth. Relationships between countries are the same as interpersonal relationships, if they are not firmly planted in truthfulness, the relationship cannot succeed. Truthfulness has never been a strong point of the Palestinian leadership. They have been known to say one thing in Arabic to their own people, and something totally different in English. This week the Palestinian Authority once again made public declarations asserting that there was never a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Following your logic, we should never object to those declarations. You stated I am on the verge of becoming “a dunce with his groundless claim that recent Presidential candidates — Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, and most egregiously Barack H. Obama — feign friendship for Israel, with Jews voting for the present occupant of the White House on the assurances given by former NYC Mayor Ed Koch and ADL’s Abe Foxman,” yet you provide no evidence. The contention in my piece is that many candidates of both parties are friends of Israel when they are running for office, but after they are elected the policy does not match the rhetoric. We can discuss Obama in a minute, but is it your contention that

ing to Ken Stein, a longtime associate of Carter (and former director of the Carter Center), Carter had an obsessive hatred of Menachem Begin which led to an intense dislike of the Jewish State. (My Problem with Jimmy Carter’s Book by Kenneth W. Stein, Middle East Quarterly Spring 2007, pp. 3-15). Do you really believe that Bush senior’s administration was pro-Israel? Do you remember the Senate hearing at which Secretary of State James Baker was asked if he consulted with Israel about setting up the Madrid Middle East “Peace” Conference? Baker’s dismissive answer was, “They have my number.” How about Baker’s famous statement about how the George H.W. Bush Administration’s anti-Israel policies would hurt Bush’s share of the Jewish vote in his reelection bid? Baker’s statement was “F--- the Jews, they won’t vote for us anyway.” Moving on with your points: yes, it is my contention that the ADL’s Abe Foxman puts his desire to become a player in progressive politics ahead of the ADL’s mission to prevent bigotry. My factual case was presented in the Oct. 26 issue of this paper in an article entitled, “ADL and AJC put progressive politics before Israel.” Finally your letter states that my piece is, “denigrating our President, painting him with a broad brush with a fictitious ‘anti-Israel policy.’ ” The only proof you offer to the contrary is a citation of Leon Panetta’s actions in protecting the Israeli Embassy. I assume you mean the same Leon Panetta who on Dec. 2 of the past year opined that it was time for Israel to finally make some bold steps toward peace (which they have), while ignoring the fact that the other side has done nothing, not even taking the most elementary step of recognizing Israel as the Jewish State. You may not agree with my conclusions but each of the facts in all of my columns is thoroughly researched. Jeff Dunetz

From Portsmouth Virginia to Telz The Legacy of Rabbi Mordechai Gifter

n 1916, in Portsmouth, Virginia, a little boy named Max was born. In two years his family, the Gifters, moved to Baltimore and when little Max was old enough he was sent to receive a full public school education. What was to follow in Max’s, now Mordechai’s, life was the legacy of one of America’s first native born sages who was to help redefine the status of Jewish religious learning both here in the United States and the world. Earlier this year a 400 page book was published, titled, “Rav Gifter: The Vision, Fire, and Impact of an American-born Gadol” [Mesorah, 2011] by Rabbi Yechiel Spero. Within its pages are detailed the life and times, the teachings and communal achievements of Rabbi Mordechai Gifter, zt’’l, whose yahrtzeit was commemorated this Alan Jay Gerber past Wednesday, the 23rd of Teves. From his humble beginnings, young Mordechai was to get his first real taste of Torah learning at Yeshiva College where he came under the influence of its rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Moshe Aharon Poleyeff, zt’’l. From this auspicious start evolved the development of a gadol hador whose legacy was to influence generations of American Jewish youth for the rest of the 20th century.

Rabbi Spero goes into great detail in describing Rabbi Gifter’s achievements with a comprehensive index and numerous pictures to further assist readers in their journey into Rabbi Gifter’s biography. This week’s review will focus on those aspects of Rabbi Gifter’s life that impacted upon several South Shore personalities, family members and friends, who witnessed first hand the greatness of this Torah giant. I will briefly begin with his son-in-law, the long time rabbi of the Agudath Israel of Long Island, Rabbi Yaakov Reisman. Rabbi Gifter came to Far Rockaway for Shabbos to participate in the installation of Rabbi Reisman as rabbi of his new shul. During that visit over three decades ago Rabbi Gifter spoke to the children at Yeshiva Toras Chaim of South Shore in Hewlett on a Sunday morning. “Rabbi Gifter shared an experience that he had together with Rabbi Binyomin Kamenetzky when they learned in Telz in Europe before the war,” recounted Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky, the current dean of the yeshiva and son of the founding dean, Rabbi Binyomin Kamenetzky. ‘ I used to eat on Shabbos with Rabbi Kamenetzky. I was served p’tcha. I was an American boy and I did not like p’tcha. I did not know what it was.’ The yeshiva boys listened intently for here was an adult, no less a great rabbi, who admitted that he didn’t like a particular food. Rabbi Gifter then continued. ‘But I had to eat it. I did not want to embarrass my host. They served it again next week, and I ate

it again. And you know what, boys, I began liking it!’” Rabbi Kamenetzky concluded with the following observation made by Rabbi Gifter. “He told the children that once they started learning they will find that what they thought was difficult or even distasteful would soon be found to be delicious.” According to Rabbi Kamenetzky, these words were to resonate with these boys for many years to come, a living memory to the greatness of a simple message by a great man. The warmth, humility and respect that Rabbi Gifter demonstrated toward “amcha” was further illustrated below by Rabbi Yaakov Feitman, now of Cedarhurst, who served for over seventeen years as rabbi of the Young Israel of Cleveland and who came to know and work with Rabbi Gifter on numerous communal projects. “A glimpse into greatness.” “Rabbi Gifter is about to leave the house of mourning. The mourners are mostly not Telzers. Some are even antagonistic toward the yeshiva…. The rosh yeshiva begins to recite the time-honored words, indeed for most others just words. He says, ‘HaMakom yenachem eschem besoch’ – and his voice begins to break. ‘She’ar aveilei’… tears begin to flow. ‘Tzion viYerushalayim’….and he is sobbing uncontrollably. He leaves, I stay behind, and it is obvious that something important has happened. An attitude has changed. People have witnessed emes, truth. True emotion, true yearning, true sadness. Truth itself. They may not yet be Telzers, but, they will

never again be anti-Telzers.” One name that comes up several times in this biography is that of Rabbi Gifter’s beloved grandson, Rabbi Eliezer Feuer. As fate would have it, this grandson, who was so devoted to his zeide is now the distinguished rav at the Young Israel of Bayswater here on the South Shore and is a leading teacher of our tradition for a whole new generation of our youth. I conclude this week’s essay with a heartfelt tribute written by Rabbi Feuer for this week’s yahrtzeit tribute to his beloved zeide of blessed memory: “When I think of my grandfather, Rabbi Gifter, the words of the Ohr Hachaim come to mind. The Ohr Hachaim asks how is it possible for words which one individual speaks to make an impression on another when, after all, we are all so different ? “It must be, says the Ohr Hachaim , that words that make an impression come from the heart. Although in body we may be different, in soul we are one. Indeed, words that are spoken from the heart enter into the hearts of others. “Indeed, this is what our rabbis teach us: d’vorim ha’yotzim min ha’lev nichnosin el ha’lev. Rabbi Gifter was not just a fantastic orator, rather he spoke truth and always from the heart. Yes, he was a lion who was a guardian of the Torah and Judaism. However, he was both kind and gentle, always aware of the emotional needs of both his family and his students. “For this we will remember our great zeide forever.”

Celebrating Our 24th Year

Save Energy in

Sale

Vignette® Modern Roman Shades

Serving the Five Towns & Surrounding Areas

Lenny Koegel 516-594-6010 Select Duette® Architella® Honeycomb Shades can reduce energy loss by up to 40%.

BUY 2 OR MORE OF ANY COMBINATION OF

SAVE*

Vignette® Tiered™ Architella® Shades

$50 $40

Duette® Architella® Honeycomb Shades

Save on stylish window fashions that help insulate your home, now through March 31.

per unit

BUY 4 OR MORE OF ANY COMBINATION OF

SAVE*

Duette® Architella® Honeycomb Shades

$25 $20

Duette® Honeycomb Shades

WE DO REPAIRS

per unit per unit

* Manufacturer’s rebate offer valid for qualifying purchases made 1/16/2012 – 3/31/2012. A qualifying purchase is deﬁned as a purchase of any of the product models set forth above in the quantities set forth above. If you purchase less than the speciﬁed quantity, you will not be entitled to a rebate. Rebate offers may not be combined. All rebates will be issued in U.S. dollars, in the form of an American Express® Prepaid Reward Card. ©2011 Hunter Douglas. All rights reserved. All trademarks used herein are the property of Hunter Douglas, Inc.

www.distinctivewindowfashions.com

529379

Vignette® Modern Roman Shades

per unit

THE JEWISH STAR January 20, 2012 • 25 TEVET, 5772

The Kosher Bookworm

January 20, 2012 • 25 TEVET, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

Parshat Vaeirah

Nominated for Best Supporting Actor… I

have a hard time understanding the role of Aharon, Moshe’s brother, in the exodus story. When he is first appointed to be the leader/redeemer of Israel, Moshe presents a number of arguments as to why he is not the best man for the job. He may even hint to the idea that Aharon would be a more worthy choice. God’s response in 4:14 is a display of anger, followed by “Is not Aharon the Levite your brother? I know that he knows how to speak! He is setting out to meet you, and when he sees you, his heart will be glad.” In other words, if you Moshe are nervous about speaking to Pharaoh, Aharon will take care of this for you. In fact, the first time we see Aharon speaking on Moshe’s behalf is in 4:30, when he addresses the nation of Israel, convincing them that Moshe was sent by God: “Aaron related Rabbi Avi Billet all the words that God had told Moses, and he demonstrated the miraculous proofs before the people.” When they came to Pharaoh in chapter 5, we were told “Moshe and Aharon then went to Pharaoh and said, ‘This is what Hashem, God of the Hebrews, declares: ‘Let My people leave, so they can sacrifice to Me in the desert.’’” In this instance, the indications point to Aharon and Moshe sharing the limelight. But after this, the narrative presents a different story. In our parsha, “Moshe related this to the Israelites, but because of their disappointment and hard work, they would no longer listen to him.” (6:9) Note how Moshe is the speaker. A little while later, after twice claiming his unease with the prospect of speaking to Pharaoh after having being denied by his own people, we see “God said to Moses, ‘Observe! I will be making you like a god to Pharaoh, and your brother Aharon will be your prophet. You must announce all that I order you to, and your brother Aharon will relate it to Pharaoh. He will then let the Israelites leave his land.” As clear as it seems that Aharon is going

to be Moshe’s mouthpiece, we don’t really see that coming to fruition. Certainly not in the times they relate to Pharaoh. So why all the hype about Aharon? Why are they, in many respects, viewed as equals? Moshe is very clearly the leader, and while Aharon does speak once or twice in Moshe’s place, Moshe seems very capable of holding his own – with the people and with Pharaoh. Because Moshe needed to grow into his role. That he was chosen by God on account of the character and qualities he possessed is clear. But, like any human leader, the fact of being chosen (or elected) does not mean the person is completely ready for the job. A President or Prime Minister might be a great leader, but it does not mean the person is a great public speaker. This is why people like a press secretary and a public relations representative have jobs. Obviously a public speaking ability is a tremendous asset. But sometimes a person needs to grow into that comfort zone. Moshe cared for the underdogs in every fight he ever encountered. And Egyptian bondage, in that sense, was perfect for him to battle head-on. No one is as needy for an advocate as are slaves. But it’s a little different when one does his own private vigilantism versus when one has to play political hardball, and stand up against a despot in an arena that is not only very real, but carries the safety and future of an entire nation on its shoulders. Having lived in Egypt his whole life, and having been in the trenches with the people, Aharon was a great supporting character to wean Moshe into his new role. But Moshe adapted quickly (there are plenty of commentaries who explain that he did not have a speech impediment, but was very nervous about his assignment) and was quickly able to say, “Thanks for offering Aharon as my support staff. He will be a tremendous help in other ways. But I no longer need him to be my mouthpiece.” May we all be blessed to have such loyal mentors in our lives. Moshe was able to fill his roll with such ease and so quickly because he had his brother Aharon guiding him, with class, dignity, and with a sense of support which said, “I’m there if you need me, but I look forward to cutting the strings and removing the training wheels so you will be able to fly on your own.”

Visit us on the web Read the latest news, comment on stories and add your own photos, videos and calendar events.

www.thejewishstar.com

It was meant to be a routine jeep patrol on yet another stint of reserve duty

he three of us represented a standard cross-section of Israeli society: Kachlon, a bank-teller, Rami, an electrician, and me. It has always been my custom to say the special prayer for the journey (Tefillat Ha’Derech) before every patrol, and this one was no exception. Though both Rami and Kachlon did not describe themselves as religious, both instinctively covered their heads with their hands as I intoned the traditional prayer. We had been on patrol for about an hour when we suddenly heard a loud ‘bang!’ that sounded like a gunshot, coming from our left. In the movies, the soldiers always manage to immediately return heavy bursts of automatic fire in such situations, but in real life that would have been ridiculous. You don’t know exactly where the shots are coming from, you are not yet sure they are firing at you, and you are not even sure the noise is actually a gunshot. So, while craning my neck around to try and locate the source of the gunshots, I screamed “full gas!” at Rami (who was driving), and Kachlon started shouting: FROM THE HEART “Yorim Aleinu’! OF JERUSALEM Ra’iti Et HaKadur!” (“They’re shooting at us and I saw the bullet!”) He would later swear he actually saw the bullet pass between us…. Thank G-d, no one was hit, and after exiting the jeep 50 yards down,we began to advance towards the spot on the road where the Rabbi Binny shot had been fired, Freedman but by the time we got there, whoever had fired was long gone, at which point I began to wonder whether we had really been fired upon. We found neither shell casings, nor any bullet holes in any of the surrounding buildings on either side of the road, but Kachlon insisted he had actually seen the bullet pass through, and only when we got back to the jeep did we find a neat little bullet hole on both sides of the jeep tarp, indicating, indeed, that a bullet had miraculously passed through the jeep no more than six inches behind my head. From that day on, both Rami and Kachlon absolutely refused to go out on patrol with anyone else but me, and they would not leave the gates of the base until I had finished reciting the prayer for the journey (Tefillat Ha’Derech), which they insisted was the miraculous source of their salvation. So often, one wonders, are we making choices that put us in the right place at the right time? Are we spared (or given) the tragedies that are often but a hair’s breadth away, simply by virtue of making the right decisions, or is there some master plan, ordained by G-d long ago? Am I still here because I happened to hit the gas at the right time? Or does G-d orchestrate it all, with the end-result a foregone conclusion? This question, perhaps, is one of the challenges of this week’s portion, Va’era. The story of the Exodus from Egypt is a classic that we all grew up with. Back then, it seems, it was so much simpler: there were

the good guys and the bad guys, and when Moses and Aaron squared off against Pharaoh and the evil empire of Egypt, you never had any trouble with who you were supposed to be rooting for. After all, Pharaoh was the villain everyone loves to hate, right? And how could he refuse, in the face of one plague after another to let the Jewish people go? Except for one small detail: G-d has already told Moshe that he will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so the fact that Pharaoh refuses to let the Jews go free is completely irrelevant! “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and I will multiply my signs and miracles in the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh will not listen to you….” (Exodus 7:3-4) So, if Pharaoh’s heart is hardened by G-d, one wonders why he is held accountable for his refusal to free the Jewish people? The Ramban (Rav Moshe Ben Nachman, a 12th century Spanish Commentator) points out that in the Torah it does not say G-d hardened Pharaoh’s heart in the first five plagues. Rather, the text suggests that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. (See 7:13, 22; 8:15, 28 and 9:7) And this, suggests the Ramban, is the whole point. Everything we do is governed by the choices we make, and if we had no freedom of choice, then there would be no value to anything we do. However, the choices we make also remove our ability to choose. The best example of this is probably the scenario of addiction. The first time a person uses Heroin, he is clearly making a choice, and he is free to decide whether he wants to try Heroin, and ignore whatever warnings he has heard, or not. But every time he uses Heroin, he has a little less ability to resist it, until finally he is addicted and has completely removed his ability to choose not to use it. And this, as well, is the nature of evil. A person can sink so far down the path of evil, that he or she no longer has the ability to choose not to commit evil. Such a person has made choices that have removed their ability to choose. And this, suggests the Ramban, is exactly what happens in the case of Pharaoh. With each successive plague, Pharaoh’s choices actually remove his ability to choose, until eventually he has sunken so low and gone so far down the path of evil, that he can no longer choose good. Hence, in the first five plagues the Torah depicts Pharaoh as hardening his own heart, but in the last five plagues, the Torah describes Pharaoh’s heart as being hardened by G-d. One might suggest that G-d does not remove Pharaoh’s free choice; Pharaoh does that to himself. Perhaps one of the many messages of the story of the Exodus from Egypt is to be careful about the choices we make, because they will even affect what choices we have the ability to make in the future…. May we blessed with the wisdom to make the right choices in our lives, for the right reasons. Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem, Binny Freedman Rav Binny Freedman, Rosh Yeshivat Orayta in Jerusalem’s Old City is a Company Commander in the IDF reserves, and lives in Efrat with his wife Doreet and their four children. His weekly Internet ‘Parsha Bytes’ can be found at www.orayta.org

Low fat treat with a cup of Joe yields high flavor could be made low fat my answer was simple, NO! Certain desserts just don’t work as well with reduced fat, but as I’ve learned through the years, there are many recipes that do very well with lower fat content. Below are recipes for two relatively low fat, low calorie muffins. These just might do the trick for those yearning that special treat with their morning coffee.

Low fat blueberry muffins Ingredients: ■ 1 1/4 cups flour ■ 1/4 cup granulated sugar ■ 2 tsp baking powder ■ 2 eggs ■ 4 tbsp butter ■ 3/4 cup skimmed milk ■ 1 tsp vanilla extract ■ 1 tsp grated lemon rind ■ 1 cup fresh blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees 2. Place paper muffin cups into 12 cup muffin tin

a hospital that’s sensitive to your needs When choosing a hospital, you want not only the best medical care you can ﬁnd — but also sensitivity to your cultural and religious needs. That’s why Mercy Medical Center, with support from Chabad of the Five Towns and Bikur Cholim, provides special services and amenities for our observant Jewish patients, their families and other visitors. • Jewish Chapel with Mincha services Monday – Thursday • Glatt Kosher and Cholov Yisroel meals available to patients, and for purchase by visitors in our Dining Room and Patio Grill • Rabbinical services, prayer books and electric Sabbath candles on request • Many diagnostic tests available on Sundays • Two overnight hospitality rooms with twin beds, Shabbat lamps and prayer books, for visitors needing a short-term stay for Shabbat or during emergencies • Adjacent Kosher kitchenette with refrigerator, two microwaves and Glatt Kosher-stocked pantry

3. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl. 4. In another bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the melted butter, milk, vanilla and lemon rind and stir to combine. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture. With a large metal spoon, just stir until the flour is moistened, not smooth. 5. Fold in the blueberries. 6. Spoon the batter into the cups, leaving room for the muffins to rise. Bake 20 25 min. The muffin should be well risen and firm in the middle. Approximately 130 calories and 4 grams of fat.

Low fat dried cherry muffins Ingredients ■ 1 cup plain yogurt ■ 1 cup dried cherries ■ 1/2 cup butter ■ 1 cup super fine sugar ■ 2 eggs ■ 1 tsp vanilla ■ 1 2/3 cups flour ■ 2 tbsp baking powder

■ 1 tsp baking ■ 1/8 tsp salt

soda

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. Place paper cups into a 16 cup muffin tin (or two 8 muffin tins). 3. In a mixing bowl combine the yogurt and cherries. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. 4. Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. 5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. 6. Add the vanilla and the cherry mixture and stir to blend. Set aside. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder baking soda and salt. Fold in the cherry mixture. Don’t over mix. Fill the muffin cups two thirds full. Bake for 20 minutes. Muffins should be firm in center and well risen. Approximately 195 calories and 6.5 grams of fat So when you’re watching your fat intake, you might want to try these muffins, because “nothing tastes as good as being thin feels” Kate Moss Judy Joszef is a pastry and personal chef as well as a party planner. She spent 18 years as a pastry chef at Abigael’s, The Cedar Club, Centro and T42 in the Five Towns, before launching her current business. She may be contacted via email at kneadthedough@aol.com.

a hospital that provides rapid, expert & close by emergency care When immediate medical attention is needed, patients choose Mercy Medical Center’s Emergency Department 40,000 times a year. Mercy is staffed and equipped to provide swift, state-of-the-art care—no matter what the type or extent of the injury or illness. • 24-Hour Emergency and Trauma Care—For Both Children and Adults • Express Care Center—Prompt Attention for Minor Injuries and Illnesses • NY State-Designated Stroke Center—AHA/ASA Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award • Board-Certiﬁed Emergency Physicians—Specially Trained Emergency Nurses • Rapid, Expert, Compassionate Care—Close to Home, Any Time, Day or Night, Every Day

Physician Referrals:

516-62MERCY

Convenient Free Parking

1000 N. Village Ave., Rockville Centre • www.MercyMedicalCenter.info • A Safe Haven For Newborns — Legal Option To Abandonment

529377

et’s face it, how many of us would like to limit the amount of fat in our diet? How many of us actually do? Most of us groan at the thought of giving up the foods we love most, but the scale tells another story. Comedian Stephen Phillips said it best, “In the Middle Ages, they had guillotines, stretch racks, whips and chains. Nowadays, we have a much more effective torture device called the bathroom scale.” As Julia Child said, “The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.” As well as “If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.” Ellen DeGeneres once quipped “Buns of Steel? The only buns I’m interested in are buns of cinnamon.” Albert Einstein discovered that a tiny amount of mass is equal to a huge amount Judy Joszef of energy. Humorist Dave Barry reminds us of this statement that Einstein himself so eloquently put it in a famous 1939 speech to the Physics Department at Princeton, “You have to exercise for a week to work off the thigh fat from a single Snickers.” For years, when a client would ask me if my chocolate praline mousse cake or mile high lemon cloud “real whipped cream” cake

THE JEWISH STAR January 20, 2012 • 25 TEVET, 5772

Who’s in the kitchen

January 20, 2012 • 25 TEVET, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

9 THE JEWISH STAR January 20, 2012 • 25 TEVET, 5772

January 20, 2012 • 25 TEVET, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

Giants Sunday showdown

Grated the cheese, off to San Francisco, hoping not to leave our hearts there By Benjy Schreier A sports fan is nothing, if not superstitious. In addition to great defense, an unlikely Hail Mary, uncharacteristic Packer drops and turnovers, and of course Eli-te, my article in last week’s Jewish Star seems to have been one of the keys to the Giants’ stunning upset. As all veteran Giants fans remember, going to San Francisco provided some playoff heartbreak during the Joe Montana era. However, it was also the scene of one of the epic plays in Giants history. The Roger Craig fumble that miraculously flew right into Lawrence Taylor’s hands in January 1991 lives on as the most underrated season saving play that led to our second Super Bowl title. Although many of the pundits, who are able to objectively break down the upcoming game, feel that the Giants are the better team, it’s very important that our team not get caught up in that. I watched as the 49ers did us a huge favor by knocking Drew Brees and the Saints out of the playoffs. However, in the process it became clear that the 49ers have the fastest and hardest hitting defense I’ve seen all year. Vernon Davis, who starred for the Niners last week, had a big touchdown against us in our week 10 meeting. They beat us in spite of the fact that Frank Gore sat out almost the whole game. There is much to be concerned about. On the positive side, a closer examination of the circumstances surrounding the teams’ first meeting may give us some additional hope. Going into the game, the Giants were playing without their top running back, Ahmad Bradshaw, and at the time, their top defensive player, Justin Tuck. To make matters worse, perhaps the biggest season changing event happened during this game. Michael Boley was injured during the first half. It’s very rare when losing one player can have such a huge impact on the quality of an entire defense. However, when we look back to the string of disastrous defensive efforts that followed our trip to San Francisco, and combine that with the amazing defensive efforts we’ve seen over the last few weeks, we find a common thread. It seems Michael Boley is the glue that holds this defense together. This week, a healthy Michael Boley, combined with our consistently overpowering pass rush, and our newly dominant secondary, puts us in a position to shut down the opposing offense for the third straight playoff game. The prediction here is that Eli does not have to win this game for us. He needs to

Schreier kids carry on Dad’s Blg Blue tradition manage the game, limit the turnovers, and let the defense do their thing. GIANTS 20 49ERS 10. GO BIG BLUE!!! Being that I will be on the left coast on Sunday, if anyone has any tickets lying around, feel free to email me. My heart will spend the day in San Francisco, let’s hope I don’t leave it there. In honor of the Giants Playoff Run, Seasons of Lawrence is offering an amazing game day special. Get a 9 x 13 pan of Shiv’s famous Buffalo Wings for only $19.99! Call Shiv (516)295-3300 to place your order. Benjy Schreier lives in Woodmere with his wife, Penina, who is a co-founder of Gan Ami, a popular nursery program in Cedarhurst and children, Menashe, 21, Batya, 16, Dalia 15, and Hillel, 14 . The Schreier kids have kept up

Photos by Benjy Schreier

Benjy Schreier reveling in his glory at Giant’s victory parade in Manhattan, February 2008 the Big Blue tradition making Benjy one of the most recognized Giant fans in the area. Locally, Benjy has managed Supersol, and now Seasons for close to thirty years. His video presentation, “The Giants 2007 Playoff Run..the plays that no one talks about” is a staple in

every Giant fan’s video library. In addition, he was a semi finalist in the WFAN “Fantasy Phenom” contest this past year. Send any Big Blue questions or comments to bbsupersol@aol.com.

FIND A SUMMER CAMP

CAMP ferrals Freee Advice & Re

Y, LLC CHEMISndTinR g A Great Camp TThhee Solutition To Fi

Find The ill Work With You To W f af St rt pe Ex r Of... Ou ve Been Dreaming Ha u Yo p m Ca ay Sleepaw 526681

Benjy and brother Shabsi at Giants’ victory breakfast at Young Israel of Woodmere, 2008

www.CampChemistry.com • 203-588-9397

11 THE JEWISH STAR January 20, 2012 • 25 TEVET, 5772

Jonathan Greenstein

Antique Judaica collector’s corner Dear Mr. Greenstein:

Hi Marshall.

Attached is a photo of a menorah which has been in our family for a long time. I received it from my mom and dad and they told me that my grandmother had given it to them as a wedding gift in 1937 and that my grandmother had already had it for quite awhile. My grandfather immigrated here to Atlanta after a brief stay in Baltimore from Latvia in 1886 and my grandmother followed to marry him about 1892. I have been informed by an antique restoration tech that it is brass and probably hand-tooled with some simple machinery. If you could shed any light on its origins, age and/or value, it would be appreciated.

It’s a very pretty piece. It was made here in the United States some time in the first quarter of the 20th century based on earlier polish models. You can see from the size of the receptacles, they were crafted for candles and not oil. We have had this model many times as it was quite popular. That being said, it doesn’t have much of a retail value, maybe about $50 - 100 or so at the most. Had it been about 30 - 50 years earlier and from the other side of the Atlantic, it would be in the $1000 2,000 range. I would like to use your picture, story and name in my weekly column in the Jewish Star with your permission. Be well. Jonathan

Marshall Lichtenstein

Comfort foods sure to please taste buds and wallet Much of my writing centers on discussing the esotericism of food and as a result I tend to get labeled as a food snob. Not that I should expect any different after all when you use more than five words to describe what shade of purple a wine is or when you use the word umami without sarcasm or irony some of the natural fallout is that people will suspect that your tastes are expressly highfalutin. But in truth though I do love gourTHE KOSHER met food, I just love CRITIC food in general and if it’s good I don’t much care what it is or where it has come from. So I have decided to share with you some of the foods that I love in spite of myself. These are items you can find at a number of the kosher fast food (please read “moderately expeditious food”) restaurants that exist around Zechariah Mehler the New York area that are not only wonderful but also extremely affordable. They are as follows. Subsational Philly Steak Sandwich: During my time at YU there was a Subsational located in Washington Heights and I was one of their regulars. Though I debate the wisdom of the name Subsational, which to me sounds like they are flaunting being less than sational, I have to admit that I became mildly hooked on their sandwiches. My favorite was the Philly Steak a wonderful mélange of sliced steak, peppers, grilled onions and BBQ sauce. Today there is no Subsational left in Washington Heights but they can still be found in several areas of Brooklyn. Kosher Delight Buffalo Wings: I am not proud of this one but I love the chicken wings at KD. They have a distinctly light but crispy texture that no other kosher restaurant seems to be able to replicate. They also use a sauce with a higher sugar content so it sticks nicely to the wings and offsets the spice nicely. I

would never recommend that you make this a regular staple of your diet but if you find yourself in Midtown and craving the perfect after drinks food this is it. Dunkin Donuts Egg and Cheese Croissant: I love breakfast food at all hours of the day and as a result I eat one of these egg and cheese croissants way more often than I should. They are light and flakey and something about the egg and cheese in the center is addictive. My addictions to these sandwiches are made worse by the fact that there are kosher Dunkin Donuts all over the place the city, Long Island, Monsey and Teaneck. These are best accompanied by D&D’s hash browns, a Dunkachino, and a bearclaw pastry. Pizza Crave Mozzarella Stick: Usually when you order mozzarella sticks they give you a few of them but that is not the way Pizza Crave located on Central Ave in Teaneck operates. They give you one giant stick of fried mozzarella that is about as thick around as a half dollar. It is both ridiculous and amazing at the same time. Eating this behemoth is not easy, especially if you like dipping it in the tub of marinara they give you but it is definitely an experience worth having. If you happen to be passing through Teaneck I highly recommend making a stop. I love these foods not only because they are tasty and inexpensive but because there is something tremendously comforting about them. They remind me of when I was younger and they act as the perfect accent to watching football. These are foods that I would choose to eat instead of any number of “gourmet” items because when you get down to it, it’s really hard to lackadaisically eat Coq au Vin while relaxing on the couch watching TV. That is why I still have a special place in my heart for some of the simpler joys provided by fast food. That place is slowly developing into a blockage and will probably require me to get an angioplasty at some point but until then bring it on. Zechariah Mehler is a widely published food writer and expert in social marketing. Follow him on Twitter @thekoshercritic

Photos by Xx

Simple joys such as Subsational Philly Sandwich, above, and Kosher Delight Wings, below, are fast foods that are the perfect accent to watching football.

Jan. 21

ON THE

Calendar

Annual Melava Malka and Concert CONGREGATION MACHANE CHODOSH is featuring the talented Yoel Sharabi at 7:30 p.m. Admission in advance is $22 for members, $25 for non-members and $28 at the door. Admission includes concert ticket & dairy buffet. There will also be raffles for sale for a nominal fee. Congregation Machane Chodosh 6729 108 St. Forest Hills. 718793-5656.

Submit your shul or organization’s events or shiurim to jscalendar@thejewishstar.com. Deadline is Wednesday of the week prior to publication.

Jan. 22 Breakfast Reception QUEENS FRIENDS of Yeshiva & Mesivta Torah Vodaath is holding its annual breakfast reception at 9:00 a.m. at the Queens Jewish Center in Forest Hills, located at 6605 108th street. The Divrei Bracha at the reception is Rabbi Ben Geiger and the guest speaker is Rabbi Fishel Schachter.

Jan. 23 and Jan. 26 If you are in Israel ONE ISRAEL FUND is conducting two exciting Midwinter Day Trips. The trip on Monday, January 23 is entitled The Road To Jericho and the trip on Thursday, January 26 is entitled Choco-

HANC students, grades 4 – 6 learn about Internet Safety from Cindy Pierce of SCOPE educational services late, Culture and Wine. Eve Harow, a renowned English-speaking tour guide, will lead these fascinating tours. Touring on Monday will take place in a non-armored bus and Thursday on an armored bus. Cost per day including lunch: $75 adult, $65 children under 12 (Tour is not recommended for children under 10). For reservations and further information: In the U.S. call, Ruthie Kohn at 516-239-9202 x10. In Israel, call Irwin Borvick at 054-570-1548. Send an email to daytrips@ oneisraelfund.org or register online at www. oneisraelfund.org/daytrips.

Jan. 25 Reading of The Chosen THE NEW YORK PREMIERE of a staged reading of Chaim Potok’s 1967 novel, The Chosen, directed by Jonathan Solari will be held at 7 P.M. The reading will take place at The Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust at Edmond J. Safra Plaza, 36 Battery Place in Lower Manhattan. Tickets are $15 for the general public, $12 for students and seniors, and $10 for

David's Fabrics, Reupholstery & Drapery OPEN SUNDAYS

Custom Re-Upholstery • Drapery • Throw Pillows • Foam • Re-Stuffing • Slip Covers Wood Furnishings & Furniture Repair • Caning • Quilt Cotton • Vinyl • Tulle

IN-HOUSE REPAIR

MENTION THE JEWISH STAR & GET AN ADDITIONAL

5% OFF

ASK FOR SPECIAL DISCOUNTS ON CORNICES & DRAPES 1,000'S OF IN-STOCK FABRICS HUGE SELECTION OF INDOOR/ OUTDOOR FABRICS IN-HOUSE DECORATOR AVAILABLE EXPERT ANTIQUE REUPHOLSTERY Workshop Open To The Public Your Fabric or Ours

WE WILL BEAT ANY COMPETITIVE PRICE BELOW WHOLESALE PRICES EVERYDAY

EMUNAH OF AMERICA- 5 Towns Chapter Proudly presents the comedy event of year featuring the Comedy Sensation MODI at Backstage Night Club, 948 Broadway, Woodmere 8:00pm: Dairy Buffet & Desserts, 9:00p.m. Showtime $60 per person SPONSORSHIPS (includes one reservation)): $100 LENO $180 LETTERMAN $180 SEINFELD $250 CRYSTAL For more information, please contact Shari Shapiro:516-413-6927 JAGEALISHUS@aol. com or Elana Oved: 516-984-4799 ELANREP@aol. com

Lynbrook 393 Sunrise Hwy.

516-596-9205

Mon-Sat 10-6 • Sun 10-5 Huge Selection of Quilting Fabrics & Trims Alterations

4 00 $50 00

OFF OFF

ANY PURCHASE OF $20.00

ANY PURCHASE OF $500.00 OR MORE

OR MORE $ 00

OFF

Basic Upholstered Seat with

ANY PURCHASE OF $100.00 OR MORE

With this ad. Cannot be combined with any other offers or specials. Expires 3/20/12.

40 00

FREE

Fabric Included With this ad. Cannot be combined with any other offers or specials. Expires 3/20/12.

members of the museum. Tickets can be purchased online at www.mjhnyc.org or by calling 646-437-4202.

Jan. 29 Eating Disorders Among our Young People CONGREGATION AISH KODESH, Woodmere Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, radio personality, author, syndicated columnist and Director of the Center for Torah Initiatives and Assistant Professor of Judaic Studies at the Lander College for Women is keynote speaker at 8 p.m. Panel of experts including Dr. Ditza Berger, professor of Psychology at Lander College, Dr. Alan Perry, chair of the Department of Psychology at Lander College, and Rabbi Jonathan Morgenstern, the spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Scarsdale who holds a Master’s Degree in Addiction Counseling ,will respond following Rabbi Goldwasser Congregation Aish Kodesh is located at 894 Woodmere Place, Woodmere.

SCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE: RABBI NATAN SLIFKIN Friday 8p.m. - “One People, Two Worlds: Rationalists and Mystics”, Shabbat Morning 11:00 a.m. - “Battle for Beit Shemesh:The Evolution of Chareidim”, Shabbat Afternoon - 5:00 p.m. - “The Animal Kingdom in Jewish Thought: The Dynamics of Controversy” Rabbi Natan Slifkin has caused a stir in the Orthodox world with his brilliantly researched and articulated views on significant areas of Jewish thought i.e. creation of the universe, evolution & the development of life. Known as the “Zoo Rabbi”, Rabbi Slifkin now lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel, the site of much recent controversy, and teaches at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. He is the author of several books including “The Challenge of Creation” and “Mysterious Creatures”.

Feb. 8 Hadassah Devora Group’s Warm Winter Meeting TU B’SHVAT 7:45 pm Home of Mindy Steinblatt 584 June Place, North Woodmere Learn about packing for vacation from a travel-packing professional! Maggie, from Village Luggage in Rockville Centre will share her expertise with us. Tu B’Shvat snacks will be served! RSVP Miriam mabraha1@optonline.net or 569 9343

Dr. Sadowsky is pleased to announce that Sunday hours are now available. Please call for an appointment/consultation.

Dr. Golda Sadowsky, Psy.D. LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST INDIVIDUAL & FAMILY THERAPIST 529378

Monday - Thursday 11am - 5pm Friday 10am -12pm There will be a video presentation every day at 2pm Tuesday, January 24- Small Wonder Puppet Theater - 10:30am $10 for members, $12 for non-members Thursday, January 26 - Rabbi Yitzy Erps Master Storyteller- 5:30 $10 for members, $12 for non-members

Live from EMUNAH, IT’S SATURDAY NIGHT!

Congregation Beth Sholom

Jan 23 – Jan 27 The Levi Yitzchak Library Yeshiva Break Schedule

Feb 4

Feb 3 - 4

530801

January 20, 2012 • 25 TEVET, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

Central Avenue Woodmere, NY 11598

Ph: 516.521.8454 Email: goldsky1@juno.com

our breath is shallow. The breath is a gift from G-d and connects the mind and the body. Focusing on the breath brings your mind here and now and invites you to listen closely to the sensations youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re feeling. I learned a bunch of varied methods, both gentle and active, to control breathing. I was encouraged by each teacher to find my own â&#x20AC;&#x153;fullest expression of a poseâ&#x20AC;?, to explore my own edge but not go beyond it. I get the same benefit at my edge as you get at yours. Whether in a gentle or beginnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s class, intermediate or advanced, actively scanning your own body to discern between feeling discomfort or pain is crucial in determining if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just pushing enough to strengthen and lengthen your muscles or going too far. If you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t breathe in a pose youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gone too far! Although I love yoga, there are postures I dislike. They may be exactly the ones I need to be doing but are difficult or boring, like core strengtheners; and I try to get through them. Others, like crow, wheel or headstand are challenging and risky, and have prerequisites of core and upper body strength. I may not be ready for those and only do them with coaching and assistance or else back off. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned that the challenge is about finding which moves are right for me rather than about showing off. As in any sport, one needs appropriate equipment to practice yoga. Luckily I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need much! A quiet, warm, safe space, indoors or out, loose-fitting clothes, a mat, towel or carpeting, a pillow or blanket for support and some drinking water is all! Music, candles, straps, bolsters are nice extra touches, but unnecessary. Yoga is about going within, finding the breath and flowing with it. Moving quickly through a series of postures makes me sweat. Moving slowly allows me to fully and consciously engage my muscles. Twisting poses help release toxins from my body, standing or sitting with a tall spine makes me feel taller and lighter. Forward bends bring a healing calmness to my nervous system. Back bends open up the chest and heart allowing me to breathe easily and making me feel more generous and loving. Balancing poses force me to focus. The resting pose helps me quiet my body and mind. These are all wonderful benefits, even if I feel them only for an hour before returning to the outside world. Feeling good in an ideal situation like the yoga studio helps strengthen my resolve to try to keep that same sensation under more difficult circumstances! After reading the article, I got nervous. Am I doing the right thing by practicing yoga? Am I going to be a capable teacher? Will I give the right insights and advice? I have to trust my teachers, training and myself and answer yes. I was taught to ask about previous injuries and how a student is feeling. I was instructed that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ok to say â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t knowâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll look it upâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;consult your physicianâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do itâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;let up on that poseâ&#x20AC;? or to offer an alternative. I can tell a student how I feel holding a pose, but not how he feels. I offer a meditative centering before beginning the movements and a delicious guided relaxation after the exercises. I try to make a student feel good about herself during the class but hopefully it has a more lasting effect. There are many wonderful exercises and activities, each different in its approach. Whether super hot or cold, solo and meditative or social and group-oriented, slow and gentle or fast and extreme, take responsibility for yourself and be your own best advocate! Above all, your exercise regimen should make you happy!

Single and shifted Dear Aviva, I am single and happy. I date when I want to, and when I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, I enjoy the company of friends. I fit in well at work, and never had any major problems with any roommates. I come from a large family and am the only one who is not married. I used to be able to relate to my siblings and siblings-in-law without any problem. We used to hang out and have a lot of fun. But now when we get together at my parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; house, or when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m invited to them, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s totally overrun by kids. By the time the kids are sleeping, all they say is, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it so cute when this one said that?â&#x20AC;? and when they finally talk about me, they just ask me if I have any ladies in my life. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really hard not to be able to hang out and just be. I realized that my friends are more like my family these days. Does that mean that something is wrong? -Single Sib Dear Single Sib, Great news! You are normal! Woohoo! ...What now? Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re having trouble relating to your siblings and you are realizing things are shifting around. Guess what? Things have always shifted around in your family, but perhaps you never took too much note of it because you were all shifting together at a similar pace. As a family shifts, or finds themselves in transition, new unspoken family rules are formed, and everybody finds a way to acclimate themselves to it. What you are now experiencing is simply another shift. That part is normal and typical. How you interpret it is up to you. Is this major difference between you and your siblings something that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve noticed, but it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bother you much? If so, then keep things as is. Keep letting the knock-knock jokes interrupt your talk of office politics. Keep letting your nephewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nursing schedule dictate when the conversation with your sister starts and ends. Keep letting yourself guard your yarmulke every time you sense a pre-schooler lurking behind your chair. And keep sharing your life with your close friends who walk and talk at the same pace you do.

If, on the other hand, you feel a bit tired of being a brother, brother-in-law and uncle without being anything else, then you need to start rewriting your familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rules. How? By either subtly trying to redefine yourself, or by blatantly making it known. I suggest starting with the subtle. There is nothing wrong with politely smiling along with the story of how docile little Aliza yells at the mailman, and then contributing your own story of how your car stalled in the middle of nowhere just as you realized that your cellphone was still charging next to your toothbrush back in your apartment. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get your laughs, your time in the spotlight, and then it will shift to how your brother thinks that his wife should just splurge for the 8-seater minivan so that she can be part of a larger carpool. If you are fine with that sort of talk laced around your sort of talk, then youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re cool. You can easily continue that. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hog, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for them to pull things out of you either. If you feel overlooked and want them to make more of an effort, make statements that invite them to relate to you on your terms. Ask them to get a babysitter, and join you for dinner out. You will see that your old siblings are hiding somewhere under the mire of parenthood. Taking them into a family-unfriendly environment will help bring out the adult in them. What to do if the conversation is still laden with stories of booster seats and recitals? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to say it straight: Your kids are so cute. But I kinda miss you sometimes. Just as things have shifted and you have suddenly found your siblings around extra little people, things will continue to shift. Next stop is siblings with tweens and teens who would rather hang out with their own friends in the other room. And you will find yourself in a room with calm siblings. Siblings who can get a sentence out without much interruption. Siblings who are enjoying exchanging stories with their brother, their peer. -Aviva Aviva Rizel is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in Lawrence. She can be reached at 347-292-8482 or AvivaRizel.MFT@gmail.com.

$EUDPV )HQVWHUPDQ UHFRJQL]HV WKDW HDFK FOLHQW KDV XQLTXH SURIHVVLRQDO DQG SHUVRQDO OHJDO QHHGV WKDW FKDQJH RYHU WLPH DQG UHTXLUH WKH GHGLFDWHG SHUVRQDO DWWHQWLRQ RI H[SHULHQFHG DWWRUQH\V $V D IXOO VHUYLFH ODZ ILUP $EUDPV )HQVWHUPDQ LV FRPPLWWHG WR UHVXOWV IHDWXULQJ FOLHQW FHQWHUHG SUDFWLFH DUHDV VSHFLILFDOO\ GHVLJQHG WR DGGUHVV GLYHUVH DQG RYHUODSSLQJ OHJDO LVVXHV

The Power of Expertise

Â&#x2021; $66(7 3527(&7,21

Â&#x2021; *8$5',$16+,3 /$:

Â&#x2021; %$1.5837&< /$:

Â&#x2021; +($/7+ &$5( &2//(&7,21

Â&#x2021; &(0(7(5< /$:

Â&#x2021; +($/7+ /$:

Â&#x2021; &,9,/ /,7,*$7,21 $33($/6

Â&#x2021; +263,7$/6 1856,1* +20(6

Â&#x2021; &203/,$1&( 352*5$06

Â&#x2021; ,00,*5$7,21 1$7,21$/,7< /$:

Â&#x2021; &25325$7( 75$16$&7,21$/ /$:

Â&#x2021; ,1685$1&( $8',76

Â&#x2021; &5,0,1$/ /$:

Â&#x2021; ,17(//(&78$/ 3523(57<

Â&#x2021; ',925&( )$0,/< /$:

Â&#x2021; 0(',&$/ 0$/35$&7,&( '()(16(

Â&#x2021; (/'(5 /$:

Â&#x2021; 0(17$/ +($/7+ /$:

Â&#x2021; (03/2<0(17 /$:

Â&#x2021; 1(*/,*(1&( 3(5621$/ ,1-85<

Â&#x2021; (17(57$,10(17 /$:

Â&#x2021; 127 )25 352),7 &25325$7,216

Â&#x2021; (67$7( 3/$11,1* /,7,*$7,21

Â&#x2021; 352)(66,21$/ ',6&,3/,1(

Â&#x2021; )5$1&+,6( /$:

Â&#x2021; 5($/ (67$7( /$:

Â&#x2021; *29(510(17 ,19(67,*$7,216

Â&#x2021; 7(&+12/2*< $1' ,17(51(7 /$:

Â&#x2021; *29(510(17 5(/$7,216

Â&#x2021; :+,7( &2//$5 &5,0,1$/ /,7,*$7,21

1111 Marcus Avenue, Suite 107, Lake Success, New York 11042 Phone 516-328-2300 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax 516-328-6638 630 Third Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, New York 10017 Phone 212-279-9200 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax 212-279-0600 9306 Flatlands Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11236 Phone 718- 272-6040 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax 347-750-8344

Miriam Bradman Abrahams is Cuban born, Brooklyn bred and lives in Woodmere. She organizes author events for Hadassah, reviews books for Jewish Book World and is very slowly writing her fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immigration story. She is teaching yoga at Peaceful Presence Yoga Studio. mabraha1@optonline.net

500 Linden Oaks, Suite 110, Rochester, New York 14625 Phone 585-218-9999 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax 585-218-0562

Visit us on the web at www.abramslaw.com

526432

he NY Times Sunday magazine recently featured an article about the dangers of yoga, titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;All Bent out of Shape, the Problem with Yogaâ&#x20AC;?. The author goes into gruesome detail of various injuries sustained by both students and instructors in their intensive practice of yoga. After discussing the article at length with friends and teachers, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve decided itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s typical of sensationalist journalism, creating a provocative title and inserting some truths amid the extreme examples that prove the authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s point. The article, adapted from a book called â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Science of Yoga, The Risks and Rewardsâ&#x20AC;?, forgoes discussing rewards to explore the terrifying risks. It reminds me of TV ads for medications. They show you the wonderful benefits of taking a drug to cure or help a specific ailment, but then run through a litany of horrible side effects, finally including the possibility of death. We know every physical activity has risks of injury caused by pushing too hard or G-d forbid due to an accident. One can sustain severe injuMIRIAMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MUSINGS ries skiing, running and diving, and in any contact sport, but gentler activities like walking and bicycling may also cause pain. Being inactive is not an option. We need to exercise to keep up our mental and physical health. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best to find something enjoyable, so youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll actually want to â&#x20AC;&#x153;just do itâ&#x20AC;? enough to be healthful. My favorite Miriam Bradman exercise is walking on Abrahams the conveniently close Atlantic Beach boardwalk. It makes my day when I take the time to do it. I go when I can but some days are simply too freezing and I really needed a reliable year round activity. I â&#x20AC;&#x153;discoveredâ&#x20AC;? yoga years ago then got really immersed in it and recently completed the rigorous 200 hour teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s training course. My experience as a student and teacher is quite different from what was called â&#x20AC;&#x153;typicalâ&#x20AC;? in the Times article. I look at yoga as a kind of dance or series of movements with the breath and without the vanity. My yoga practice has no mirrors to make you feel inferior. Injuries can be caused by ego- wanting to attain an unreasonable goal or pushing yourself further to match what someone else is doing before your body is ready. As a certified yoga teacher, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned how to do all the basic and some more advanced movements by breaking them down and doing them in stages. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve studied related anatomy and how a posture can help contract and release muscles. I was taught correct body alignment and the contraindications and benefits of different poses. I was advised to be compassionate and to listen with full attention to myself and students. Yoga philosophy includes the concept of ahimsa â&#x20AC;&#x201C; non violence, both to oneself and to others. Nonviolence to yourself means developing a deep awareness of your own body. Your body is different from anyone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and may differ from itself from day to day, from the morning to the evening. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned that nobody can tell me how far I should push myself; only I can tell how comfortable or uncomfortable I am in any position. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m continuing to learn to respect the human body by listening to what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s saying. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned there is a wealth of information that includes way more than the postures. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m studying the importance of the breath. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to learn, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all experts since we breathe naturally from the moment weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re born, no? Yes, but somewhere along the line we stop breathing deeply so most of our waking hours

Ask Aviva

THE JEWISH STAR January 20, 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ 25 TEVET, 5772

Yes to Yoga

January 20, 2012 • 25 TEVET, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

Parashat Vaera 5772, 2012

How to Respond to Evil and Suffering By Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, my sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, and Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam. Rav Aryeh Kaplan zatztal translates some of the key verses in our parasha in the following manner: I have also heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are holding as slaves, and I have remembered My covenant. “Therefore say to the Israelites [in My name], ‘I am G-d. I will take you away from your forced labor in Egypt and free you from their slavery. I will liberate you with a demonstration of My power, and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to Myself as a nation, and I will be to you as a G-d. You will know that I am G-d your L-rd, the One who is bringing you out from under the Egyptian subjugation. I will bring you to the land regarding which I raised My hand, [swearing] that I would give it to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I will give it to you as an inheritance. I am G-d.’” Moses related this to the Israelites, but because of their disappointment and hard work, they would no longer listen to him. (This and all Torah translations, The Living Torah, Sefer Shemot 6:5-6:9) In contrast, Onkelos (second century CE) translates the final verse as: “And Moshe spoke in this way to the Jewish people, and they did not accept this from Moshe because of their depressed spirit and the hard work that was upon them.” Our ancestors were deeply depressed because of the evil and suffering they faced on an ongoing basis. They lived as slaves in squalid and unbearable conditions. Pharaoh, the megalomaniacal and heartless leader of Egypt, had given a death sentence to all of their newborn male children. Moreover, various Midrashim teach us that crying Jewish infants were thrust into the hardening walls that their parents were forced to construct. Clearly, anguish and travail were the order of the day. It seemed that the curses in Sefer Devarim 28:67 had been visited upon them: “In the morning, you will say, ‘If it were only night,’ and in the evening you will say, ‘If it were only morning.’ Such will be the internal terror that you will experience and the sights that you will see.” We are faced with an immediate question: “How can we, as 21st Century Jews, encounter these curses, especially in the light of the catastrophes that have befallen our people?” It is to this question we now turn. The spiritual challenge of theodicy, “the vindication of the divine attributes, particularly holiness and justice, in establishing or allowing the existence of physical and moral evil,” (Dictionary.com) is concisely summarized by the classic question: “If G-d is all good, how can He allow evil to exist?” This is a problem, if not the problem for the thinking and spiritually sensitive religious Jew. Unfortunately, however, it is a problem without a solution. As my rebbi and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatztal (19031993), known by his disciples as “the Rav,” formulated it: The acuteness of this problem has grown for the religious person in essence and dimensions. When a minister, rabbi, or priest attempts to solve the ancient question of Job’s suffering, through a sermon or a lec-

ture, he does not promote religious ends, but on the contrary, does them a disservice. The beauty of religion with its grandiose vistas reveals itself to men, not in solutions but in problems, not in harmony but in the constant conflict of diversified forces and trends. (“Sacred and Profane,” Gesher, Volume 3, No. 1, page 7) According to the Rav, we cannot ask the question: “Why is there suffering and evil? Instead, for the religious Jew, the question becomes: “What do I do with suffering and evil when I am forced to encounter them?” In an April 15, 1965 letter to Dr. Dan Vogel, then Dean of Stern College for Women, Yeshiva University, Rabbi Soloveitchik succinctly stated this approach to The Problem of Evil: Job was in error because he tried to grasp the nature of evil. Therefore, Judaism has recommended that the metaphysical inquiry be replaced by the halakhic ethical gesture. Man should not ask: Why evil? He should rather raise the question: What am I supposed to do if confronted by evil; how should I behave vis a vis evil? The latter is a powerful challenge to man and it is the duty of man to meet this challenge boldly and courageously. (Quoted in: Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Out of the Whirlwind: Essays on Mourning, Suffering and the Human Condition, page xxxvi) What, then, should be our approach to suffering? How do we integrate it into our overall world-view (hashkafa)? What constitutes a true halachic response to suffering? Talmud Bavli, Taanit 8a, suggests the following answer to these questions: “Amar Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi:’Kol hasameach b’yisurin sh’bayin aluv mavi yeshuah l’olam. Shenemar: “Bahem olam v’nivashayah.’” (“Rabbi Yehoshuah ben Levi said: ‘Anyone who rejoices in the suffering that comes upon him brings salvation to the world. As it says [Yeshiyahu 64:4] “We had always [relied] upon them and been saved’”) At first blush, one could not imagine a more counter-intuitive response to misery and suffering. The great Tunisian Talmudic scholar, Rabbeinu Chananel ben Chushiel (990-1053) explained what is meant by Rabbi Yehoshuah ben Levi’s statement and his use of the pasuk (verse) from Sefer Yeshiyahu: “We admit that this affliction has come upon us because of our sins and this acknowledgement, [in and of itself] is fitting to bring salvation to the world.” In a word, yisurin (acts of suffering) are to be viewed as opportunities for rededicating ourselves to Hashem. They are cathartic moments, which when viewed through the lens of discernment of the Torah offer us a chance for spiritual growth and renewal. As difficult as these painful periods may be, they are precious moments that should never be squandered. Yisurin, therefore, are a call to teshuvah (repentance). As the Rav states: Suffering, in the opinion of Judaism, must not be purposeless, wasted. Out of suffering must emerge the ethical norm, the call for repentance, for self-elevation. Judaism wants to convert the passional frustrating experience into an integrating, cleansing and redeeming factor. (Ibid.) Each month, in anticipation of Rosh Chodesh, we pray to the Holy One Blessed be He for long lives that will be filled with goodness, blessing, peace, sustenance, physical health, awe of Heaven, and fear of sin. We beseech Him for lives that will have neither

Hebrew only please! A Jewish newspaper should have a Hebrew column. So here it is. We will try to maintain a level of vocabulary so that it will be easy enough for students to read and interesting enough for those more fluent to enjoy.

For the loss of a jack ... Story of a stuck traveler in the desert, who on his way to hopefully borrow a jack to fix his car from a hut convinces himself that the hut owner wont lend

it to him, resulting in his yelling at the hut owner the minute the door is opened without the owner even knowing what`s going on.

By Rabbi Noam Himelstein

Rabbi Noam Himelstein studied in Yeshivat Har Etzion and served in the Tanks Corps of the IDF. He has taught in yeshiva high schools, post-high school women’s seminaries, and headed the Torah MiTzion Kollel in Melbourne, Australia. He currently teaches at Yeshivat Orayta in Jerusalem, and lives with his wife and six children in Neve Daniel, Gush Etzion. shame nor humiliation. We daven (pray), as well, for lives that will include honor and the love of Torah. With His Divine grace, may all of these berachot (blessings) be fulfilled for the entire Jewish people. If, however, G-d forbid, there are those amongst Hashem’s people upon whom He chooses to visit acts of suffering, may the recipients of these trials and tribulations respond to them with a renewed sense of purpose. May they, like Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi suggests, find the strength to use these yisurin as opportunities for spiritual growth and redemption, and thereby bring salvation to the world. As Yirmiyahu, the majestic prophet at the time of the destruction of the

First Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple), taught us so long ago: “Hasheveinu Hashem alecha v’nashuvah chadeish yameinu kekedem” (“Bring us back to You, Hashem, and we will return, renew our days as they were in the past”). V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot are at my website: http:// reparashathashavuah.org. Email rdbe718@ gmail.com so I can add you to my email list My audio shiurim on Tefilah and Haskafah may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/7sp5vt3 I have recently posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. available at http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn. my Twitter account: @theRavZatzal.

To Advertise In This Section, Call 516-632-5205 Land For Sale

Limited Availability!

Was $64,500

Almost 70% Off

Free Color Brochure

Call Now 1-800 800--343 343--9444

REAL ESTATE

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SELLING YOUR HOUSE?

PLACE YOUR AD

The Jewish Star

They join a list of six other alumni who have served in the Tzahal as well. Our thoughts and tefilos are with all of our alumni in Eretz Yisroel, and we are so proud of all of their accomplishments.

New Year’s Clean Up

Just Call Our Classified Department at 516-632-5205 Real Estate AT&T U-VERSE FOR just $29.99/mo!† SAVE when you bundle Internet+Phone+TV and get up to $300 BACK! (Select plans).† Limited Time Call NOW! 1-866-944-0810

*Good for

$ 59 ths rent. rst 3 mon

ires

the fi

Open 7Days

Some of our popular size units per

5 X 12 - $146 month Now Only $73* per 7 X 10 - $149 month Now Only $7450* per 8 X 10 - $165 month Now Only $8250* 526609

1 block south of Stewart Avenue, just off the Meadowbrook Parkway (Exit 3M) Adjacent to north campus of Nassau Community College

HAS YOUR BUILDING SHIFTED OR SETTLED? Contact Woodford Brothers Inc, for straightening, leveling, foundation and wood frame repairs at 1-800-OLDBARN. www.woodfordbros.com. Suffolk Cty~ License #41959-H Nassau Cty~ License #H18G7160000 READERS & MUSIC LOVERS. 100 Greatest Novels (audio books) ONLY $99.00 (plus s h.) Includes MP3 Player & Accessories. BONUS: 50 Classical Music Works & Money Back Guarantee. Call Today! 1-888-799-345

Wanted To Buy BUYING ALL GOLD & Silver COINS FOR CASH! Also Stamps & Paper Money, Entire Collections, Estates. Travel to your home. Call MarcÅNear NYC 1-800-959-3419 WANTED YOUR DIABETES TEST STRIPS. Unexpired .We buy Any Kind/Brand. Pay up to $22.00 per box.† Shipping Paid. Hablamos espanol. Call 1-800-267-9895† www.SellDiabeticstrips.com

Apartments For Rent Health & Fitness CEDARHURST NO FEE Modern 1BR, 2BR & 3BR. CAC, W/D, Storage, Private Entrance, Indoor Parking, Near All. Starting At $1450. (516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/ (516)582-9978

Offices For Rent

OFFICE SUITES FOR RENT All Utilities Included, Copy Center

Conference Rooms, Free wifi Reception, 24/ 7 Access

2 Endo Blvd., Garden City 516-227-0200 27 0200

MERCHANDISE MART

DISH NETWORK. STARTING at $19.99/month PLUS 30 Premium Movie Channels FREE for 3 Months! SAVE! & Ask About SAME DAY Installation! CALL 877-992-1237

NYS LAND WANTED Cash Buyer Looking for 2-3 farms or wood lots in your area. 25-1000 acres, cash deal, quick closing. No closing costs to you. Local NYS Forestry Company in business for over 20 years. Fully guaranteed. Call 800-229-7843

Offer exp

A LOVING alternative to unplanned pregnancy. You choose the family for your child. Receive pictures/info of waiting/ approved couples. Living expense assistance. 1-866-236-7638

GREAT RETAIL SPACES for rent. Greenlawn/ Huntington/ Bethpage. Ready for restaurant/ store. Anchors: 7-Eleven/ Dunkin Donuts, great visability, major roadways, excellent signage, flexible terms, free rent, CALL NOW! Owner: 516-650-6310

NY SPORTSMAN & OUTDOOR FAMILY LAND BUYS! This is the best time ever!! 6AC-along snowmobile trail WAS: $29,995. NOW: $13,995. 52AC-Near Salmon River WAS: $69,995. NOW $49,995. 5ACBeautiful woodlands & riverfront WAS: $69,995 NOW: $39,995. 97AC-Timber & trout stream WAS: $119,995 NOW: $99,995. Inhouse financing. Over 150 land bargains. Call 800-229-7843 Or visit www.LandandCamps.com

PER MO2/5N/1T2. H

Adoption

Miscellaneous For Sale

100 ACRE LAND SALE near Growing El Paso, Texas. Was $64,500, Now $19,500. Almost 70% Discount! $0 down, No Credit Checks! Beautiful views, owner financing. FREE color brochure. 1-800-343-9444

A R O T S as low as

Just Call Our Classified Department at 516-632-5205

Retail Space For Rent

Land For Sale

e l a 1/2 O F FS S T I N U GE

$195 per mo.

Near Growing El Paso, TX, Owner Financing, No Credit Checks, Money Back Guarantee.

Run Your Ad in

Menahel Rabbi Kaminetsky with DRS Alumni Ezra and Zev Grushko, who are currently serving in the Israeli Army.

Now $19,500

Central 5 Towns Location Near LIRR, Restaurants

Brokers Protected Call Azi/Leba 516-374-6080 x19

The Jewish Star a division of Richner Communicatons Inc., is looking for an advertising Consultant to Join our Team. Must Have Sales Experience, Strong Communication Skills, Be Creative, Energetic, Car Necessary, Attractive Compensation Package. Please submit your resume to: kgreen@thejewishstar.com Help Wanted ACCOUNTS PAYABLE/PAYROLL SPECIALIST Richner Communications, Inc., expanding Publisher and Commercial Printer with headquarters in Garden City, seeks an Accounts Payable/Payroll Specialist with five or more years AP/Payroll experience & general accounting. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: At least 5 years of prior A/P and Payroll experience Working knowledge of A/P, account analysis, journal entries & payroll Bank reconcilement experience required Strong PC skills including Windows, Internet Explorer, MS Word and Excel Experience with Accounts Payable; Peachtree experience a plus Organized, Dependable, and able to multi-task and handle daily deadline pressures Qualified candidates should send resume and cover letter INCLUDING SALARY REQUIREMENTS to hr@liherald.com. Only those resumes sent with salary requirements will be reviewed. AIRLINES ARE HIRING- Train for hands on Aviation Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified- Job Placement Assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance (866)296-7093 REPORTER/ ASSISTANT EDITOR The Star reaches more than 10,000 Orthodox Jewish households in the Five Towns, Great neck, and Brooklyn with breaking news, featured stories and more. Check out the website at www.TheJewishStar.com. You will seek out story ideas, write pieces, edit others' work, oversee the website. Must be familiar with the Five Towns and neighboring Jewish communities, have an understanding of Torah Judaism, issues and current events within the larger Orthodox world. Richner Communications offers a friendly informal environment in our state of the art offices in Garden City, salary, paid time off, excellent health plan and 401(K). Please send resume, cover letter and salary requirements to: KGreen@TheJewishstar.com

Employment/Information ALLIED HEALTH CAREER training- Attend college 100% online. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. SCHEV certified. Call 800-491-8370 www.CenturaOnline.com PAID IN ADVANCE!† Make $1000 Weekly Mailing Brochures from Home. Income is guaranteed! No experience required.† Enroll Today! www.national-mailers.net

Health & Fitness

Help for people with

Macular Degeneration

Find out if special glasses can help you see better. Call for a FREE phone consultation with Dr. Schoenbart, Optometrist. 5@ Z[H[L JLY[PÄLK PU SV^ ]PZPVU ZPUJL

(516) 794-0704

Dr. Steven Schoenbart

SchoenbartVisionCare.com

529696

$0 Down,

OUTSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE

529707

DRS Rabbeim visit Alumni in Eretz Yisroel

it 5x10 un8 reg $11 th per monly now on

EMPLOYMENT

100 ACRE LAND SALE

Rabbi Kaminetsky visits DRS alumni studying in Yeshivat Sha’alvim

Last week, DRS Menahel Rabbi Kaminetsky, and Assistant Menahel Rabbi Storch traveled to Eretz Yisroel to visit over 100 DRS graduates who are studying for a year in Eretz Yisroel. On this annual trip, the DRS graduates enjoy spending time with their Rabbeim, continuing the strong Rebbe-Talmid relationships that DRS is so famous for. However, it is the Rabbeim that get the most chizuk out of this trip, by seeing how wonderfully their Talmidim are doing, and how much they have grown in such little time. Rabbi Kaminetsky and Rabbi Storch also got a chance to see many of the DRS graduates who now serve in the Israeli Army. There are currently 10 DRS alumni who serve in the Tzahal: Yisroel Kalker (‘08), Mayer Shubowitz (‘05), Ari Weiss (‘08), Ezra Grushko (‘08), Josh Orenbuch (‘09), Yosef Ginsberg (‘09), Haysha Shatzman (‘09), Nechemia Kasnett (‘10), Zev Grushko (‘10), and Moshe Steinberg (‘10).

Land For Sale

THE JEWISH STAR January 20, 2012 • 25 TEVET, 5772

CLASSIFIEDS

January 20, 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ 25 TEVET, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

Stairway to your Community Join your neighbors online visit www.thejewishstar.com to get the latest in local community news, events, sports and more...

528934