February 17, 2012

Soaring like an eagle...scout’s honor Page 3 Kosher Bookworm: Aleppo and the Jewish connection Page 5 Who’s in the kitchen: Apples compute Page 11 Miriam’s musings: Reading, writing, history Page 15

THE JEWISH

STAR

VOL 11, NO 7 ■ FEBRUARY 16, 2012 / 24 SHEVAT 5772

A watched pot is boiling over

Senate candidate: ‘Don’t second guess Israel’

and all the cooks are stirring the pot

By Juda Engelmayer Disturbing video images from Syria show civilians being used as shields for Syrian troops.

They are first seen standing, then seemingly lying dead having served the purpose of the advancing Syrian guards. This, as documents leaked from President Bashar Al-Assad’s office reveal that Iran has been helping Syria circumvent sanctions by handing over $1 billion to continue slaughtering its civilians.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Kimoon condemned the ferocity of the Syrian assault, saying “I fear that the appalling brutality we are witnessing in Homs, with heavy weapons firing into civilJuda Engelmayer ian neighborhoods, is a grim harbinger of things to come.” He sees the inevitable end to this too.

The U.N. is frozen, unable to do anything about the slaughter of some 6000 people. Security Council mainstays like China and Russia have vetoed any attempts at intervention. Notwithstanding how easy it is for both to act fast when condemning the State of Israel for defending itself – even when it first drops leaflets warning civilians of its intent to strike, the Syrian government has little to worry about from the world body.

While the war against the Syrian people rages on, Iran’s fingerprints were found in some failed attempts to kill Israeli diplomats around the world; in India, Thailand and Georgia. Although they deny it, the Iranian plot was exposed when the terrorists were caught in Thailand with Iranian passports in hand. That one blew his leg off trying to lob a grenade at Thai police only proves incompetence, not detachment.

Now there are heightened threats of Iranian Continued on page 3

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By Malka Eisenberg and Karen C. Green Even in his home region, George Maragos is not yet a household name.

But the Nassau County Comptroller, a Republican, is confident he can mount a strong campaign against Democratic incumbent U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and that he can make a difference in the “dysfunctional” atmosphere of Washington, DC. Maybe he gets his confidence from the fact that he has already succeeded in every field he has worked in — from telecommunications, to defense, to banking and finance and, ultimately, to politics.

Declaring that he “came into politics to do the right thing,” Maragos presented his policy points to The Jewish Star staff this week as he prepared to take on his first hurdle in the Senate race — the Republican primary in March.

“The Jewish community is very supportive,” he said. “It’s very difficult Continued on page 10 Photo by Christine Daly

George Maragos says he wants to be the ‘common sense’ Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate.

Shabbat Candlelighting: 5:13 p.m. Shabbat ends 6:14 p.m. 72 minute zman 6:43 p.m. Torah Reading Parshat Mishpatim. This Shabbos is Shabbos Mevorchim HaChodesh Adar.

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Watched pot Continued from page 1 attacks on Jewish and Israeli interests in the U.S. It would seem that Iran is provoking Israeli or American action to create a worldwide calamity. Controlled by the promise of power, oil and financial interests and not the mandate of actually bridging the world of nations, the U.N. remains powerless.

Once again, Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz to block a passageway for a fifth of the world’s oil supply. If Iran does this, it would also make countries that are holding up action in the U.N. against Syria more dependent on Iran’s oil and more prone to do its bidding.

Oil plays a critical role in setting policy and policing human rights or abuses around the world, and it begs the question as to why the United States does not act faster to develop better alternative energy solutions, or why we allow politics to interfere with matters like the Keystone pipeline that could replace a significant quantity of Middle East oil with Canadian crude. We allow issues like electioneering and foreign threats to oppose one another and defeat rational thinking.

The Iranian threat has been brewing for a long time. As it is a very dangerous and difficult situation to manage, leaders of rational countries quietly hope that someone else will strike at the problem first and remove their burden.

Some are actually being less quiet while trying to play down their encouragement of a preemptive strike.

Leon Panetta, the U.S. Defense Secretary made no secret in his declaration that he believed Israel would strike Iran. Washington Post columnist David Ignatius wrote on February 2, “Panetta believes there is a strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June - before Iran enters what Israelis described as a ‘zone of immunity’ to commence building a nuclear bomb.” This week, however, Panetta backed off and refused to confirm that he said it at all.

Then on February 9th, after Iranian state television reported on evidence that the U.S. was behind the assassinations of its scientists, NBC News cited Obama administration insiders suggesting that Israel’s Mossad had trained the People’s Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) to assassinate Iran’s nuclear scientists.

If true, why would it benefit the U.S. to reveal this and possibly provoke Iranian action, which it may have done with the attempts on the lives of Israel’s diplomats this week?

For a nation like the U.S. to pawn off the responsibility of Iran to Israel, through implied acceptance of an inevitable action as Panetta did, or through actual provocation, as the unnamed White House sources did, is confrontational.

Yet, it creates enough mayhem should an Israeli first strike occur, and enables U.S. actions under the guise of protecting an ally or an interest rather than the more frowned upon act of actually launching a first strike.

This is a public relations strategy for America to insulate itself from blame of a strike on Iran.

Partly for the sake of ultimate anemic approval from the inept U.N., but more to quell the opposition stemming from the American left who does not support military activity.

Syria’s boiling over with Iran’s money, and Iran itself is reaching a standoff with Israel and the west - which is facing a global economic crisis that cannot withstand any oil flow interruptions - something’s got to give. The groundwork is being laid for action. Whether or not the U.S. is making Israel a scapegoat for preemptive action is more about domestic policy and electioneering than real objection to that action.

As President Obama has been buttressing Israel’s military arsenal lately, we would be naïve to assume that Israel and United States are not lockstep on the final course. The posturing is for constituency consumption and not critically indicative of true foreign policy.

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February 17, 2012 • 24 SHEVAT 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

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Continued from page 1 for a Republican to win a Senate seat in New York but no one expected me to win comptroller. I’m resourceful enough to find a way to get the job done. I wouldn’t do it unless I believed in my heart of hearts that I would be successful.”

He’s running for the upper house, he said, because so many State issues have to be dealt with at the Federal level and he wants to “apply my energies where I can have the greatest impact.”

“That’s my only motivation,” he said.

“We’ve stabilized the local government. We had a deficit of $135 million, cut expenses and turned a surplus. We haven’t raised property taxes in three years and have done what we can. The taxpayers can’t pay anymore.”

With extensive experience in finance and management, Maragos speaks intelligently and comprehensively and yet to the point on a range of issues from health care, job growth, government spending, education, and Israel.

At our interview, the candidate — who came to North America as an eight-year-old — sat straight, his gray hair combed back, and spoke articulately with a slight accent, as he gazed intently through rimless wire glasses.

Don’t ‘second guess’ Israel Emphasizing that he is “completely supportive” of Israel Maragos said that “the policies of this administration served to isolate Israel and weaken its security. They set forces in control to the detriment of Israel’s and our national security. We are losing control of the Mideast to Islamic extremists. Disputed issues should not be debated and fought in public. Israel is in the middle of the Mideast and we should defer to their judgment and not second guess them from far away. It is insincere, inappropriate and counterproductive to make comments; Israel is fighting for

its security, they live or die on a daily basis, we should be completely supportive.”

Obamacare must go He noted that the objective of health care reform is insurance for all and controlled costs but costs have “accelerated upwards, with health insurance premiums up 30 percent and small companies electing to drop coverage because it is so prohibitively expensive, so more are losing health coverage.

“All agree that affordable healthcare for all is good but none of the controls are in place,” he added.

He insisted the Health Care Reform act must be repealed, calling it a “jobs killer as it stands.” He’s also a strong supporter of tort reform, aggressive attacks on Medicare and Medicaid fraud, interstate health insurance competition, and free and open pharmaceutical and medical markets.

Regulation stifles job growth “It’s the government’s responsibility to put people back to work,” he explained.

“There are regulations in place that the financial industry can’t comply with,” he said, noting that businesses have moved overseas.

“We need to align regulatory and tax policies to create incentives to bring manufacturing back to New York State,” he said, “We are naïve, we are not fighting back and are allowing the export of jobs. We need to make it attractive for jobs to be here.”

He pointed out that in 2010, federal and state regulations added $10,000 per worker to the overall cost to a small business.

“GE had $5 billion in profits and Goldman Sachs had $6 billion in profits and neither paid corporate tax,” according to Maragos.

“Some businesses in Manhattan had 20year property tax abatements,” he said, “On

the other hand, small companies will pay 30 percent in taxes and workman’s compensation went up 20 percent last year.”

If elected, he would call for a policy of tax breaks and other incentives to bring businesses back and keep them here.

The education monolith “I think the education system has failed us,” Maragos said, noting that it costs $29,000 a year to educate students in grades K through 12 in the Great Neck public schools and it costs $70,000 for a student at New York University.

In the middle class, he said, both parents have to work and pay taxes. He supports vouchers, “we have to break down the monolithic educational system,” he added.

Where’s the leadership?

He questions the authenticity of recently released unemployment figures and statistics and sees “dysfunction” in Washington.

“What is the vision of the country? Where is it heading? There is no leadership.” Maragos has campaigned in counties up- and downstate and has been endorsed by Nassau County Conservative Party Chairman Dan Donovan and Nassau County Republican Committee Chairman Joseph Mondello.

The candidate said that Senator Kirsten Gillibrand “has offended many people in her change from conservative to liberal” and called her a “rubber stamper to Senator Schumer and President Obama.”

A striving immigrant Maragos was born in Greece in 1949, and immigrated with his family to Montreal, Canada when he was eight. After graduating from McGill University, he married Angela and went to work for Bell Canada/Bell

Northern Research. He was rapidly promoted to a management position there.

He was recruited by a New York consulting firm and got security clearance from the U.S. government to work on U.S. Military Defense Command and Control Systems.

He later joined Chase Manhattan Bank working on international data and money transfers, becoming a vice president while earning an MBA from Pace University. He became a U.S. citizen in 1985. After a term as Vice President at Citibank, Maragos founded SDS Financial Technologies in 1989.

Railroaded into politics?

He decided to enter politics when, he recounted, “on a train ride into the city I was asked if I would be interested in running for public office.” He considered running for State Comptroller but was persuaded to run for County comptroller first and “see how that goes. The time was right to do something different,” he added, “my son was in the company (SDS) for seven years, so I could just retire or retire into politics. I enjoy bringing my expertise and experience to a new environment.”

Counting on common sense He said that he is currently self-funding his campaign and is — as of now — running unopposed, but will start fundraising if he gets 25% of the vote in the Republican primary. There is a lot of money and family sacrifice. Everybody is interested in a more secure and better future. Around the state, [New Yorkers] fear the job situation, increases in costs, and more jobs moving overseas.”

“I have common sense experience,” stressed Maragos. “I have leadership skills that rely on building consensus to get things done to work towards big ideas.”

He’s ready to soar like an eagle... scout’s honor

By Karen C. Green What started as a brief two week stint at a Massachusetts summer camp seven years ago, has turned into a commitment for Andrew Mermelstein, 17, of Woodmere. Just a week shy of his 18th birthday, Mermelstein, a senior at DRS yeshiva, has the unique distinction of being the first Eagle Scout of Troop 613 to have been recognized with a Court of Honor ceremony.

On March 4, 2012, Young Israel of Woodmere will host the ceremony followed by a breakfast to mark the auspicious occasion of receiving the coveted Eagle Scout award.

Officials from the Theodore Roosevelt Council of the Boy Scouts of America, along with prominent elected officials, shul and community members will be in attendance to honor Andrew for his achievement.

Fewer than 4 percent of all Scouts in the United States ever earn the prestigious Eagle Scout Award which is a testament to its high standards. All the skills mastered, wisdom gained, and experiences enjoyed, on the trail to Eagle last a lifetime. They also strongly support —and enhance the achievement of— the goals of the home, the school, and the synagogue.

Andrew’s cousin, Dr. Howard Spielman, who initially got Andrew involved in Boy Scouts is not only the Scoutmaster to an orthodox troop in Sharon, Massachusetts, he is also an enthusiastic mentor for frum scouts.

At age 11, Andrew started his summer off by attending the two week Orthodox Scout camp in Massachusetts.

There, Andrew got to experience life with

the bare essentials, a far cry from life at home in The Five Towns. He slept in a lean-to in a sleeping bag on a cot without a mattress, he was covered with mosquito bites, used a latrine, showered in primitive stalls, took turns serving and cleaning up after meals and loved it.

He returned to the camp year after year, in addition to attending a mainstream Jewish camp for the second session of the summer. Andrew loved the Scouting experience from day one and officially entered Scouting that same first year by joining a troop in Massachusetts. Participation in scouting activities was obviously difficult for a boy living in Woodmere, New York but Andrew was intent in his commitment to the troop. He completed task after task to go up the ranks.

After two years of being a long distance scout, Andrew’s father, Dr. Steve Mermelstein, decided to become involved. With the approval of Rabbi Billet of the Young Israel of Woodmere, troop 613 was born four years ago. The creation of Troop 613 was an accommodation for frum boys who wanted to participate in the activities that scouting offers while adhering to their religious principles.

“It eliminates all barriers to entry, while allowing full access to the spectacular Scouting program”, as noted in Troop 613’s membership literature.

Included in the reading material is a tweaked version of the 12th point of the Scout law, A Scout is Reverant. Troop 613’s version includes observance of the four requirements: kashruth, Shabbat, tefilah, and limudei kodesh, as noted in Troop 613’s

Andrew Mermelstein membership literature.

Through scouting, which was the catalyst for Andrew’s participation in a plethora of activities such as fishing, hiking, first aid, computer skills, health class, Andrew gained valuable leadership experience. Driven by a merit-oriented framework, scouts choose from a smorgasboard of activities, leading to their mastery and ultimate badge reward.

Of the 130 badges that can be attained, Andrew earned 28, beyond the minimum of 21 required to become an Eagle Scout. Scouts

can pitch a tent, build a fire, cook a meal together and be part of a minyan. This is in addition to all the recreational activities such as fishing, hiking, boating, swimming, riflery, repelling that Andrew and his fellow scouts engage in. Each activity is supervised by pros and taught with safety-first as a rule.

Andrew’s exposure to different disciplines has made him a very well rounded high school student. He has explored electronics with a professor from MIT, discussed a robotics project with a professor from Columbia and learned first aid with his doctor dad who is also a volunteer.

Andrew speaks with enthusiasm about using skills derived in scouting year next year in Israel and hopefully beyond that in Yeshiva University, where is leaning towards a major in engineering. He’s also especially proud of how Troop 613 acclimates well in the larger Boy Scout organization.

Over the years he has fielded many questions from members of secular troops in regard to Judaism and his observance. “ I feel proud to represent Orthodox Jews in secular circles.”

Tantamount to the principles of Scouting is the importance of engaging in community service. As a yeshiva student, his commitment to chesed makes him a natural fit in this regard. Andrew not only met the requirements but exceeded them.

Andrew put in hundreds of hours to complete his Eagle project; the redoing and organization of the Young Israel of Woodmere library. He facilitated the entire project for the shul and engaged support from members who were anxious to get involved.

THE JEWISH STAR February 17, 2012 • 24 SHEVAT 5772

Senate candidate: ‘Don’t second guess Israel’

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February 17, 2012 • 24 SHEVAT 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

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CPAC 2012 Wrap-Up: It was all about the ‘Vision Thing’ Last Wednesday I drove to our nation’s capital to cover the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). CPAC is more than a gathering of conservative-minded people; it is part educational, part salesmanship, part pep rally.

Many of the highlights of the event were covered incorrectly by the mainstream media or not covered at all. What they missed most was the difference in tone. While there were certainly disagreements on who was the best person to get them there, this confab was unified in purpose and seemed to concentrate on the “big picture” more than ever POLITICO before.

TO GO Below are some highlights of the event:

The Straw-Poll Nothing about the media coverage of CPAC astounds me more than the coverage of the straw-poll. The straw-poll is as real as unicorns, monsters under the bed and of course the tooth fairy.

The last time Mitt Jeff Dunetz Romney won the CPAC straw poll was four years ago. That victory was legitimate; Romney was being thanked for almost denying John McCain the 2008 nomination. In 2010 and 2011 Ron Paul won the poll by busing in and paying admission for hundreds of his supporters from area college campuses. This year Mitt Romney did the same thing.

Romney probably would have won anyway, albeit by a smaller margin. But he could take no chances. Romney needed to win an endorsement from the country’s largest conservative organization to help prove his right-wing “street-cred.”

For the media to treat it as anything but an inaccurate “beauty contest” was absurd, and they should know better.

The Vision Thing Part 1 One timely issue that became a huge part of CPAC was the Obamacare ruling made by Health and Human Services Director Kathleen Sibelius and approved by President Obama. The ruling forces Catholic schools, hospitals and charities to purchase health insurance that covers birth control, abortionproducing drugs, and sterilization, which is

against their religious beliefs. This order by the executive branch was vilified by almost every speaker who covered domestic issues, and the President’s “compromise” announced on Friday didn’t seem to calm people down.

Rather than position the controversy as a “pro-life” issue the speakers framed it as a first amendment issue. One attendee I questioned said:The vision of the First Amendment wasn’t of a wall between church and state; it was of a guarantee of freedom of religious worship and practice. The amendment was not designed to protect government from the influence of religion, but religion from the bully tactics of the government. Obama is just trying to bully Catholics into submission.

A Catholic priest I spoke to wanted to thank the Jewish people for all the support they have given his church on the issue.

If the Catholic Church fails to overturn the ruling, the next ruling may try to force you to eat pork or to abandon other parts of your beliefs.

The Father’s warning is not too farfetched. Last year a community in San Francisco tried to ban circumcision of children less than eighteen.

The Vision Thing Part 2 Speakers who spoke of repealing Obama policies such as Obamacare, Dodd-Frank and the oppressive EPA regulations were popular.

But the “big-picture” speeches, about restoring freedom and shrinking the size of government, were remembered.

The speeches garnering the most attention were those of Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jim DeMint (R-SC) as well as Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) along with the always electrifying (and entertaining) Andrew Breitbart.

The Vision Thing Part 3 All three conservative presidential candidates addressed the CPAC Conference (Ron Paul is a libertarian not a conservative) and were well received. Santorum’s was received best and generated the most after-speech buzz--Gingrich’s generated the least.

Santorum was first up and immediately drew a standing ovation. Standing in front of his wife and kids he went right after Mitt Romney, saying the GOP should not sacrifice its conservative principles (a reference to the perception that Mitt Romney is not a true conservative). Over and over and in different ways he said that Romney did not present a big enough contrast to Barack Obama to de-

feat the sitting president.

The bulk of Santorum’s speech was about this election not being about individual polices, but about returning to the individual rights granted by God, outlined in the Declaration of Independence and protected by the Constitution.

Despite the fact that at times he tried too hard, Mitt Romney’s speech was his best in a long time. There were, however, weak points.

It’s understandable (especially in front of this forum) that he needed to prove that he was conservative. But 25 times during the speech he felt the need to tell the crowd he is a conservative including using the phase “I was a severely conservative Republican governor,” which was a severely poor choice of words.

On the other hand Romney finally displayed flashes of the vision needed to win the presidency.

I believe this is a moment that demands we return to our basic values and first principles. This is our moment. This is why we are conservatives. The task before us now is to reaffirm the convictions that unite us and go forward shoulder to shoulder to secure the victory America deserves.

It’s a tepid start but if he gets the nomination (and wants to beat President Obama) Mitt Romney needs to take that paragraph and expand it. He needs to start his speeches by explaining his vision and principles and how all of his policies must flow from those values, not the other way around.

The Newt Gingrich speech was very “policy heavy.” He repeated the rapid-fire proclamation of what he would do during the first 40 days of his presidency which was very popular with some of the crowd. It was also forgotten soon after it was given. Newt delivered his regular stump speech. And that first 40-days scenario was outlined in at least one of the debates. While others were talking vision, Gingrich was presenting rehashed “trees” at a conference to an audience looking for brand new “forest.”

The Vision Thing Part 4 The 2012 Keynote Address was delivered by former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin, a polarizing figure even within conservative circles. I am still not sure why so many conservatives speak derisively about her. All she has done for the past three years is support conservative causes, campaign for conservative candidates and speak at conservative events.

Palin’s keynote was the perfect way to end a conference that expounded the “vision thing.” It had a Knute Rockne “Win one for the Gipper” feel to it (except it was more like win one for your children).

When a group of occupy protesters were able to sneak their way into the hotel and interrupted Sarah Palin’s speech they were quickly drowned out by the over-flow audience shouting “USA! USA!” “See, you just won. You see how easy that is?” Palin told the adoring crowd.

Palin rallied the crowd not just by attacking Obama but by lashing out at the cronyism in both parties in Washington.

But this Washington is a place where politicians, men and women arrive as men and women of modest means and they become Plutocrats. The money-making opportunities for DC politicians are really endless, but they don’t just enrich themselves off of you, for themselves, they spread the wealth around to their pals, and this has a name: crony capitalism.

I said in a speech this summer, this isn’t the capitalism of free men and free markets, of risk and sacrifice, of innovation and hard work. No, it’s the capitalism of connections, and of government bailouts and handouts and waste, and corporate welfare and corruption. This is the capitalism of Barack Obama and the Permanent Political Class.

It’s why I say to the Occupy Protesters, you are occupying the wrong place. You are protesting the wrong thing. This crony capitalism is the root of our economic problems.

It has spurred the expansion of government which diminishes freedom and opportunity for all to rise and to succeed. See, some politicians get elected just by promising more programs, and new freebies and new favors, and then government grows to accommodate their promises. It never shrinks, and that crowds out the liberating individual initiative and the equal opportunity that America was built upon. It swallows up the work ethic that we try to teach our children and it extinguishes that independent, pioneering American spirit.

Palin delivered one of the best articulations of the “Vision Thing” I had ever heard.

It was the perfect exclamation point to CPAC, a big picture rallying cry designed to motivate the convention to spend the next nine months working hard to achieve CPAC’s political agenda, replacing this president and shrinking the government.

Dear YIW members I have tried to clarify the status of the Kashrut at Morrell Caterers in both Woodbury and Lawrence. Many of our members have booked parties there and therefore it

is important to try to clarify matters regarding the Kosher supervision at both places ASAP. Of course, if there are further developments that change the conclusions

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of this email, I will keep you posted as soon as I can.

The Lawrence operation has both a Glatt and non Glatt operation. Only the Glatt operation is supervised by the Vaad Hakashrut of Flatbush. The Glatt ovens as well as Glatt utensils are all stored under lock and key with secured hasps when not being used. All stove tops and sinks are kashered before each Glatt job. There is also a video camera system which monitors the kitchen at all times. The Vaad of Flatbush assures us that that it is impossible for anything other than reliably Kosher food to be cooked on their utensils in Lawrence.

In Woodbury the caterer is exclusively Glatt Kosher under the Vaad Hakashrut of Flatbush with the exact same locking system and video system.

It is impossible to use the kitchen in Woodbury unless there is a Vaad supervised Glatt Kosher job being done.

There are a series of permanent Mash-

gichim always present when cooking is done in each place.

I then checked with independent trustworthy sources in Flatbush not connected to the Vaad of Flatbush who acknowledged that with such safeguards, there is no reason to be concerned about the reliability of the Kashrut for Glatt Kosher Vaad supervised affairs in Lawrence or any food shipped out of the Lawrence commissary under Vaad supervision. No food can enter Woodbury or can be prepared in Woodbury unless it is reliably Kosher.

Therefore, at present, it is my opinion that the Vaad Hakashrut of Flatbush hashgacha in both Lawrence and Woodbury is trustworthy and you need not be concerned about using either place from a Kashrut point of view.

Respectfully yours, Rabbi Hershel Billet

5

Aleppo, Syria, and the Jewish Religious Connection The Reuters dateline for February 10th headlined, “Explosions kill 17 in Syrian city of Aleppo.” By Saturday, February 11, 2012, the numbers of fatalities increased and the reports in that day’s New York Times and Wall Street Journal reflected even more ominous numbers of incidents in Aleppo, an otherwise peaceful and calm city. The implications of these events for the future merit our serious attention and concern.

Since the advent of the Arab Spring, I have always contended that the events in Syria, especially in Aleppo, should be given added attention given its location and past history both within the Arab world and with the Jewish people.

With events changing from day to day, Alan Jay Gerber especially in Aleppo, I decided to devote this column to a singular literary chapter of the Jewish historical background of that part of the Arab world. Hopefully, this will help you better understand the importance of this region both to our own history and to appreciate the religious significance that Aleppo and Syria mean to us both yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Twelve years ago, Hebrew University in Jerusalem published “Keter Yerushalayim, The Jerusalem Crown: The Bible of the He-

brew University of Jerusalem.” This book is based upon the text and mesorah of the Aleppo Codex and related manuscripts, following the methods of Rabbi Mordechai Breuer and funded by the Karger Family Fund of Basil, Switzerland.

Two years later a companion volume of scholarly essays was published that for the first time gave the Aleppo Codex its first serious treatment from both religious and academic points of view. Within these essays are to be found a history of the Aleppo Codex, and the making and production of the Jerusalem Crown.

While I will leave it to the reader to further research the historical background to the Aleppo legacy, let it first be noted that the Aleppo Codex, while still in Eretz Yisrael, was regarded by the Rambam as the most reliable mesorah of the Tanach.

Over the next centuries, the Aleppo Codex was safeguarded by Aleppan Jewry until the outbreak of violence in 1947 when all Jewish sacred scripts were subjected to the looting and arson that became commonplace after the UN partition of Palestine vote.

Subsequent to this, most of the Jews of Aleppo left Syria and ultimately what remained of the Aleppo Codex found its way to Israel. Much restoration was done and it is now housed in the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book together with the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Another literary source of information on the Aleppo Codex, which will be the subject of a future review, can be found in “Crown of Aleppo” [The Jewish Publication Society, 2010] by Dr. Hayim Tawil of Yeshiva Univer-

sity, and Bernard Schneider.

Aside from all the cloak and dagger aspects to the history of this sacred manuscript and the mesirat nefesh that so many Syrian Jews gave to the preservation of this Tanach, what fascinated me most was the epilogue to this companion volume by Dr. Mordechai Glatzer. He notes the following regarding the kind of letters used in this edition – the font of the Jerusalem Crown.

I quote him in full text below: “This edition of the Bible is the third among the Hebrew Bibles published in Israel with a new letter font – the ‘Koren’ Tanach [Jerusalem 1959-62] , the ‘Horev’ Tanach [Jerusalem 1996-98] , and the Jerusalem Crown. The late Eliyahu Koren designed the ‘Koren’ letters for his edition of the Tanach in the style of the Sephardi square script of the Middle Ages. The letters of the ‘Horev’ Tanach were designed by Zvi Narkiss following the square script used in Ashkenazi manuscripts.

The Jerusalem Crown letters were also created by Zvi Narkiss.

For the first time in the history of Hebrew printing we now have a letter font designed in the style of the calligraphic square script employed in the monumental Bibles in the Land of Israel and in other eastern Mediterranean lands, from the 10th century onwards.

This, the eastern script, is the script in which the Aleppo Codex was written; it is the script that the Sephardi script eventually developed.”

This peeked my interest since I find that a better comprehension in the reading of Hebrew comes wit h the variation of the letter font utilized in our sacred texts. It was not for naught that our ancestors used these fonts, fonts that are first now being revisited and utilized in our Bible and prayer book texts to much public acclaim in Israel, and hopefully here soon, to an increasingly more aware and educated public.

As events unfold in the Middle East in the days, months, and years to come, please take note of the geography and keep in mind the religious history that these territories have represented in our people’s past, present and future. These lands, towns and cities are suffused with our people’s blood and bone.

Never forget that.

And further, never forget the creativity that our people gave to the spiritual enrichment in these lands both to ourselves and to those of other faiths who benefited from our voluminous contributions to their civilizations.

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The Kosher Bookworm

Parshat Mishpatim

Mentoring 1A: Sit Among the Dust of Their Feet C

hapter 24 describes the immediate events preceding Moshe’s trek to the mountain for forty days and nights.

Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and the seventy elders accompany Moshe as he is about to commence his hike up the mountain. “God said to Moshe, ‘Come up to Me, to the mountain, and remain there. I will give you the stone tablets, the Torah and the commandment that I have written for [the people’s] instruction.’ Moshe and his aid Yehoshua set out. Moshe went up on God’s Mountain. He said to the elders, ‘Wait for us here until we return to you. Aaron and Chur will remain with you.

Whoever has a problem can go to them.’�

(24:12-14) Rashi says “I don’t Rabbi Avi Billet know why Yehoshua is here, but maybe he is serving the role of “student who accompanies teacher.� This answer leaves much unsaid.

Where did Yehoshua come from, and what was his role in all of this?

Explaining Yehoshua’s sudden presence, Ramban says he was one of the elders. When Moshe leaves Aharon and Chur in charge, he does so because Yehoshua alone is accompanying him. How far is Yehoshua allowed to go?

When Moshe emerges in chapter 32, the first person he meets is Yehoshua, who is similarly unaware of the Golden Calf fiasco.

This leaves open the suggestion that Yehoshua is somewhere on the mountain – a point which can easily be read into the verses quoted above.

How did they survive if they did not bring supplies? Ibn Ezra maintains Yehoshua was close enough to where the manna fell that he could easily sustain himself.

As for Moshe, the question of food becomes a little more complicated. In Devarim 9, Moshe recounts to the second generation his multiple trips up the mountain (chapters 24 and 32-34) – and how “I did not eat bread and I did not drink water� during the 40-day periods that he was up there.

Could he really have gone 40 days without any food?

But we know Moshe is, above all, a human being. Special – yes. But also human.

The Talmud (Yoma 4b) says the food that had been in Moshe’s intestines were purged during the seven day waiting period (before he entered the cloud), until he was ready to become sustained by spiritual food. (The Alshikh calls this being sustained from the “ziv haShechinah.�)

We should recall that in lieu of saying “I did not eat anything,� he singled out bread and water as things he did not eat – while allowing that he may have still eaten something. The Talmud (Sukkah 5a) says Moshe never entered the realm of God, and God never rested in the realm of Man. If so, Moshe

was always in the physical realm – and yet he never ate physical food. Physical food, as we know, has good qualities, as well as negative parts which our digestive system rejects.

The gemara Yoma (75b) discusses what the people ate in the wilderness: Abirim bread (based on Tehillim 78:25) – which is bread that ministering Angels eat. It is called Abirim because it is absorbed in Eivarim, the limbs of the body, and does not produce waste.

The Maharsha therefore suggests that Moshe ate manna on the mountain because it is a spiritual food, and it was only “bread� (specifically) that Moshe said he did not eat, as opposed to saying he did not eat at all.

How did Moshe get the food?

There is a debate as to how Moshe entered the mountain. One approach has a path opening for him to walk upon (Yoma 4b).

The other side has him entering a cloud that brought him to the top, in a Mary-Poppinsinspired move.

If he went up using the latter method, we have to assume God provided for him. But if he walked up on the path, is there room to suggest he did so to leave the line open back to Yehoshua?

The opening Mishnah in Avos says Moshe transmitted the Torah to Yehoshua. Rashi contradicts this in Shmot 34:32, when he leaves Yehoshua out of the chain of the heritage transmission. When did Yehoshua learn directly from Moshe, to the point that he is the top on the list in Avos?

The Shakh quotes the Medrash Tanchuma who says that while on the mountain, Moshe

LOVE &

the human forgot everything he learned on a daily basis until God gave him all the knowledge as a gift. The change happened when his own physical matter became spiritual.

The Talmud (Baba Batra 75a) records how Yehoshua was like the moon to Moshe’s sun.

Yehoshua, as the leadership heir-apparent, is slated to reflect the light of the teachings of Moshe, just as the moon reflects the light of the sun. Yehoshua’s accompanying Moshe serves the purpose of demonstrating the connection they’ll carry as the links in the mesorah (heritage) that they bear to this day.

Is it such a stretch to suggest that Moshe communicated with Yehoshua on a daily basis while he was on the mountain? If there was a path from Moshe to Yehoshua, perhaps there was a transfer of manna (which the Talmud Yoma 76a says also fell in Yehoshua’s merit), and a transmission of information that Moshe soon forgot afterwards.

If Yehoshua was the first link in the chain of mesorah, his presence on the mountain served a purpose. He could provide food for and help his mentor in a fitting manner, and he could be a sounding board for Moshe to practice teaching as quickly as Moshe learned the information.

This is the best way to learn, says a different mishnah in Avos (1:4), lay at the dust of the feet of the scholars.

We learn from Yehoshua how to get close to a teacher, how to play the role of facilitator and learner, and to have the patience to wait until it is your turn to shine.

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Rabbi Ephraim Kanarfogel Family Dynamics and Relationships as Reflected in Comments on the Torah by the Ba’alei ha-Tosafot Rabbi Ezra Frazer Father Knows Best? Towards Understanding Yitzchak’s Love of Esav

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For more information about this event or other Yeshiva University opportunities please contact YU’s Long Island Director, Julie Schreier at Julie.Schreier@yu.edu

Professor Smadar Rosensweig What is the meaning of Love in Tanach?

Dr. Shira Weiss Can We Truly Love God?: An Analysis of the Trials of Abraham and Job

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February 17, 2012 • 24 SHEVAT 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

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THE JEWISH STAR February 17, 2012 • 24 SHEVAT 5772

526342

9

Want a tech job in Israel? Call the ladies at RYB

By Malka Eisenberg Two West Hempstead natives who made aliyah have joined forces to found a technology recruiting company, run from their homes in Beit Shemesh, helping English speaking programmers and web designers find jobs with companies in Israel, the U.S. and throughout the world.

The company, RYB Technologies, provides outsourcing coverage for U.S. based companies and provides workers for Israeli companies that are based in Israel but are in the international marketplace. The company can place workers and assist companies in other areas of technology as well.

Mia Weiss and Miriam Schwartz made aliyah a few years ago with their families.

Weiss had ties to AMIT and the Young Israel of West Hempstead and Schwartz was a teacher for many years at the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County. Weiss was a pre-school teacher before being a stay-at home mom for ten years.

When the Weiss family home burnt down in January 2008 they saw it as a message from G-d, said Weiss. “It was time to make a big change in life,” she said. “Everyone was on board.” She currently has six children; her oldest finished SKA then studied in MMY, served in sherut leumi and is now a student at Bar Ilan.

Weiss explained that Schwartz saw the need for a technology recruitment company.

Her husband was in technology and while working in Israel for a U.S. based company found he did not have time for the additional freelance work that was offered to him and

Mia Weiss

Miriam Schwartz

offered to find someone else to do the job.

He explained to his wife Miriam what questions to ask and advised her on how to do research to find the right candidate for the position. She placed two people, noted Weiss, “and that’s how it got started.”

They work from their own homes; Weiss in Sheinfeld, Schwartz in Ramat Shilo. “Most of the work is done on the phone and the Internet,” explained Weiss.

“We rarely need to meet clients face to face.

If we do, we set up a meeting.” She said that neither of them has experience in technology but Schwartz’s husband is their advisor.

“The premise,” said Weiss, “is that we help companies across the world to find programmers and computer experts to fill their business needs.”

RYB Tech has been recruiting Englishspeaking tech workers since November 2010 and has placed 15 to date. Their clients are men and women from Haifa, Bat Yam, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Efrat, Modiin and Beit Shemesh. Their service benefits companies, helping them find highly trained, educated, skilled, low-cost English speaking tech support, and benefits Anglo’s looking for jobs, who may have difficulty finding work in Israel if they’ve come from the U.S. and have limited Hebrew.

One of the companies they work with, 3BASE, is a ground breaking operation founded by two men, a secular Israeli and a national religious Israeli, who saw a need to find employment and set up conditions suitable for Charedi women.

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

They currently employ 90 Charedi women and draw women from charedi communities in Israel to their base in Rosh HaAyin. Women who are graduated from the Bais Yaakov system with a degree in computers are tested to be sure that they meet the standards of 3BASE when they apply there. They work in an open space, meeting rooms have large glass windows for everyone to see and they work from 6:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. so they can return in time for their husbands to get to night seder.

Weiss emphasized that they are not aware of their clients’ religious leanings and, in spite of all the negative press in Beit Shemesh, things are quiet. “Since the whole hoopla, and I’m right up the block, it’s been quiet.

People took a stand that this can’t continue.

They were a small group of people. They can’t behave this way; it’s not acceptable.

There were protests and since then it’s been quiet. The girls have been able to go to school and there is no more of that activity.”

As far as their ties to West Hempstead, Weiss pointed out that, “I really truly feel that we are people’s home away from home.

Many come to visit us and their kids come to visit us on their summer programs and their year in Israel.

More of them come all the time and we love it. It helps us feel connected to our old stomping ground. We miss everyone and love the community. We still feel connected.

Just come, we’re waiting for everybody. If anyone is interested in Aliyah just give us a call.”

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11

Apples compute no matter how you slice it I’ve always wanted to compare apples to apples, and figured, since the recipe I’m sharing with you this week is an apple cake, what better time than now? apples to Apples China produces 44% of the world’s apples, and 100% of the world’s Apples.

In 2009, 71,000,000 tons of apples were grown, and 138,000,000 tons of Apples were produced.

The average apple orchard is 50 acres, while the average Apple store is .1 acre.

The first apples were cultivated in Mesopotamia around 8,000 Judy Joszef B.C.E. Before this, apples were sour, seedy, and inedible.

The first Apple was built in 1976 by Steve Wosniak. Before this, computers were ugly, clunky and undesirable.

There are over 7,500 varieties of apples and 400 varieties of Apples.

Of the 7,500 varieties of apples, a few are standouts for those of us who like to bake and cook with them.

McIntosh apples are sweet, slightly tart, juicy and have tender flesh. They are good eaten raw, made into applesauce, or baked in a pie. Like the Apple Mac computer, they are versatile, can be found in a student’s knap-

sack and are the most popular apple in New York.

Honey Crisp was introduced fairly recently. They are sweet, slightly tart, and very juicy. They make a wonderful eating apple and are perfect for baking and sauces.

Granny Smith is one of the most popular tart apples. They’re crisp, quite tart, and perfect for baking and cooking.

Golden Delicious are sweet with rich, mellow flavor. They are best for all around cooking as they maintain their shape after baking.

Mutsu (Crispin) are juicy and super crisp with a sweet refreshing flavor. They’re great for baking, eating, salads, freezing, and sauces.

Empire are firm textured and slightly tart.

They are good for eating, pies, salads, sauces, freezing, and baking.

Cortland are juicy, and slightly tart, but terrific for baking and are a welcome addition to fruit and cheese plates, as the flesh doesn’t brown quickly.

When people hear the word apple, so many images come to mind.

Adam and Eve and eating the forbidden apple.

Sir Isaac Newton, sitting under an apple tree and observing the law of gravity, as he watched an apple fall ( or so the story goes).

■ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

■ An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

■ Apple Records ■ Adam’s apple ■ The Big Apple ■ Bad apple

■ William Tell ■ Don’t upset the ■ Applesauce ■ Apple cider ■ Apple vinegar

apple cart

And let’s not forget Johnny Appleseed, whose real name was John Chapman. He spent 49 years of his life in the American wilderness, planting apple trees.

It was his dream to have blossoming apple trees, everywhere, so that no one would go hungry.

Of course, when I hear the word apple, I conjure up images of my apple cookie crumble pie or my moist apple cake that melts in your mouth. This week I’d like to share that apple cake recipe with you.

Ingredients: ■ 8 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced thin ■ 8 teaspoons sugar ■ 3 teaspoons cinnamon ■ 2 cups sugar ■ 1 cup oil ■ 4 eggs ■ 3 cups flour ■ 1 teaspoon salt ■ 3 teaspoons baking powder ■ ¼ cup orange juice ■ 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla Directions: Mix together first three ingredients, and set aside Beat together the sugar, oil and eggs until

smooth Mix together the dry ingredients in another bowl, and add to the egg mixture, alternating with the orange juice and vanilla.

Beat until smooth In a 10” 2 piece greased tub pan, pour a little less than half the batter. Top with half the apples, cover with the rest of the batter, and add the rest of the apples Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 75 minutes Remove from oven and let cool completely. Run a sharp knife around the sides of the cake and around the center tube, lift up the center portion of the pan with the cake Slide the knife under the cake and lift the cake off the tube section of the pan. Place on a serving platter and enjoy!

Oh, and a special thanks to Johnny Appleseed.

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.

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THE JEWISH STAR February 17, 2012 • 24 SHEVAT 5772

Who’s in the kitchen

February 17, 2012 • 24 SHEVAT 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

12

Feb 17 - 23 Yeshiva University Ring Family Film Festival “A Lens on Israel: A Society through its Cinema.”

The four-part festival will be supplemented by a variety of lectures, workshops and open forums with leading Israeli actors, writers, producers and directors. The highlight of the event is the Feb. 16 screening of “Footnote”—winner of “Best Screenplay” at Cannes and “Best Picture” at the Israeli Ophir Awards, and a nominee for “Best Foreign Language Film” at this year’s Academy Awards. Following the screening, director Joseph Cedar, an observant Jew who won “Best Director” at this year’s Ophir Awards, and actor Lior Ashkenazi will take questions from the audience.

ON THE

Calendar Submit your shul or organization’s events or shiurim to jscalendar@thejewishstar.com.

Deadline is Wednesday of the week prior to publication.

Feb 17 – 18 Music, Meaning and Spirituality Oceanside Jewish Center Scholar in Residence, Rabbi Dr. Elie Holzer, Professor at Bar Ilan University and Founder of Shira Hadasha Friday, Feb 17 at 5:30 p.m. Singing, Kabbalat Shabbat, Dinner with an Asian flair, dessert, discussion. $18 per adult, children 12 years and under $13. Advance reservations. Saturday, Feb.18, 9 a.m. Shacharit, Torah, Musaf Services. Oceanside Jewish Center is located at 2860 Brower Avenue.

For more information and to RSVP, please call the synagogue office at 516-536-6112.

Feb 19 Blood Drive The Young Israel of Woodmere will be holding a blood drive in the Saul Kaufmann Social Hall on Sunday, February 19th, from 7:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Please help to make this drive a success by coming down to donate blood. Please email yiwoodmere@aol.com with your name and phone number to indicate if you will be donating.

Please do not forget to eat and drink plenty of fluids and to bring your ID. Type O donors are especially needed at this time.

Feb 20 Discussion: History of

NCSY’s Jewish Yeshiva Mentoring Program (JUMP) offers yeshiva day school students the opportunity to gain leadership skills helping them to make positive changes in their communities. . Five organization, Kulanu, Yachad, Friendship Circle of West Hempstead, Ohel Bais Ezra of Woodmere, and Cahal, participated in this special event. Pictured are left to right Joyce Lieberman, the Maccabeats’ Daniel Albert, Rabbi Mezei , and Max Kahn. Bottom are left to right Rebecca Grossman, Zoe Stern, Tamar Ossip, Reut Baer, Jordana Moldovan, Sydney Daitch, Michelle Teitelbaum, and Devorah Schwartzman.

Shilo-From Yeshoshua Bin Nun to Mark Twain Young Israel of Kew Garden Hills and Congregation “Nof Harim” Eli Mrs Eliana Passentin, spokeswoman for the Town of Eli will speak. She will be joined by Mr. Koby Elraz, Mayor of the town of Eli and reserve officer in the Golani Brigade, who will speak about political and military strategy of the State of Israel.

Presentations, short movies and refreshments will follow. The Young Israel of Kew Garden Hills is located at 7011 150th Street Flushing, NY 11367.

Feb 21 – Mar 27 Torah-based Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism Free weekly introductory class: Free six-week class meets every Tuesday evening at 8:30 pm.

Learn about Kabbalistic concepts from a Torah perspective. The class will include a survey of

HAFTR pays tribute the Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Beth Shalom at annual dinner Rabbi Dr. Gilbert Klaperman, Esq, became the first rabbi of Congregation Beth Shalom in 1950 after moving to Lawrence and was involved in establishing the shul’s building as it stands today. Realizing the need for a modern Orthodox yeshiva in the Five Towns, Rabbi Klaperman, along with other community leaders, then established Hillel Day School, the precursor to HAFTR. He also initiated the acquisition of the site of the current campus of HAFTR Elementary School.

Klaperman received smicha from Dr. Samuel Belkin and Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. Until recently he practiced law, was a professor of Law at Hofstra School of Law, a professor of religion at the Univ. of Iowa and YU. He has also authored a number of books, including, with his late wife Libby, a four-volume history of the Jews. In addition

to his local community service, Rabbi Klaperman was very active in Jewish affairs world wide, including his his leadership role with the New York Conference on Soviet Jewry in 1956, and on various organizations including the Rabbinical Council of America, the Rabbinic Alumni and the College Alumni of Yeshiva University and the National Rabbinic ORT Committee. He also was a chaplain in the Canadian Army in World War II. Rabbi Klaperman is married to Susan Alter and has three children, four grandchildren and is a recent great-grandfather.

HAFTR is also honoring Michelle and Scott Sulzberger, the guests of honor, and Miriam and Avi Kestenbaum, the Yachad awardees. The Dinner will take place Saturday night, February 25,at The Sands of Atlantic Beach.

the Jewish mystical tradition from the Biblical era through the Talmudic era, to the classic texts published in the last thousand years and into the modern era. All welcome! Class conducted at the Young Israel of North Bellmore, 2428 Hamilton Road, 11710. Visit yinb.org or call 516-826-0048 for more information.

Feb 21 If you’re in Israel One Israel Fund Depart Jerusalem via route 443 through an area that in ancient times was heavily populated by thriving Jewish communities. Visit Modi’in, Kfar Haoranim, Givat Hayekavim, Biblical Tzreda, Yakir, Rechelim and winery. Moshe Ben Baruch, a renowned English speaking guide and teacher of tour guides, will lead this fascinating tour in a new armored bus. The bus will leave promptly at 8:30 am from the parking lot at the bottom of the Liberty Bell Park, located next to the Sonol Gas Station, and return at approximately 6:30 pm. There is an adjacent bus stop for the 4, 18, and 21 bus lines. Cost per day including lunch: $75 adult, $65 children under 12. For reservations and further information:In the US: Ruthie

Kohn 516.239.9202 x10·In ISRAEL: Irwin Borvick 054.570.1548 Email to daytrips@oneisraelfund. org or register online at www.oneisraelfund.org/ daytrips

Feb 22 HAFTR 5th Annual Interschool Girls’ Choir competition to benefit Panim el Panim.

The choirs of Central, HAFTR, HANC, Shalhevet and SKA will sing for Israel. The event will be held at HAFTR H.S. located at 635 Central Ave. in Cedarhurst at 7:30 p.m.. Proceeds from ticket sales will support American Friends of Panim el Panim, an organization that teaches members of the IDF and other young Israelis more about their Jewish Identity and helps to bridge the gap between the secular and religious in Israel. Tickets are on sale in the participating high schools. Ticket prices are $10 for students in advance $12 in advance, $15 V.I.P. For information contact Mrs. Rachel Gerstley at HAFTR 516-569-3807 extension 722

Feb 25 HAFTR 34th Annual Dinner The Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway will be holding its 34th annual dinner at the Sands at Atlantic Beach, Saturday evening, February 25, at 8 p.m. Michelle and Scott Sulzberger are the Guests of Honor, Miriam and Avi Kestenbaum are the Yachad Awardees, and Rabbi Dr. Gilbert Klaperman, Esq. will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. For more information, please contact the business office at 569-3370.

Feb 26 Young Israel of Woodmere NY Giants victory celebration breakfast The Fourth official Sol Rybstein Giants victory breakfast will take place iy”h on Sunday morning February 26th at Young Israel of Woodmere, following the 8:30 minyan. Sponsorships appreciated. Please contact Sol at:516 244 4866 for information.

Remembering Gush Katif

By Malka Eisenberg Friends of the Gush Katif Museum in Jerusalem is extending a community wide invitation to its first annual dinner to be held at the Razag Ballroom, 739 East New York Avenue, in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, on Wednesday, February 22, at 6 p.m.

The goal of the dinner is to commemorate the tragic destruction and expulsion of 21 established Jewish communities in Gaza and four in the northern Shomron in August of 2005 and to mobilize to prevent similar attempts in Judea and Samaria.

The Gush Katif Museum, at 5 Shaarei Tzedek Street in Jerusalem, opened in 2008 to educate the public about the dire conditions of those expelled from the communities and to thwart any future attempts at disman-

tling any other Jewish towns in Israel. Over 100,000 people have visited the museum so far, including members of Knesset and congressmen.

John Bolton, U.S. Ambassador to the UN from 2005-2006 wil be the keynote speaker.

He will be joined by noted talk show host Glenn Beck, and comedian and commentator Jackie Mason who will address the dinner via Skype. Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpo with his organization SOS-Israel will be joining forces in this effort with Americans For a Safe Israel (AFSI) and the Executive Committee of The World Committee of the Land of Israel.

To RSVP call 718-989-2767, go to GushKatifMuseum@hotmail.co.il or www.sosisrael. AFSI is offering subsidized rates to members if needed(www.afsi.org) as is The World Committee for the Land of Israel.

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wald concentration camp and began administering to the survivors, Rabbi Herschel Schachter, then chaplain of the U.S. Eighth army, stayed in the camp to attempt to create a Jewish experience for them.

Rabbi Schechter requisitioned one of the barracks and set it up as a synagogue. Noticing one of the survivors standing on the side watching the prayers, Rabbi Schechter invited him to join. The man refused.

Realizing he had seen this fellow there before, Rabbi Schechter approached him again, offering him a siddur (prayer book). He refused again, and said: FROM THE HEART “One day, one of the OF JERUSALEM men in our barracks succeeded in smuggling a siddur into the camp. I was amazed that someone was willing to risk torture and certain death simply for the opportunity to pray. That a Jew, even in this hell, was willing to defy the Germans, and continue to believe in G-d, was a testament to the power of the huRabbi Binny man spirit, and to the Freedman Jewish people’s survival, against all odds.

And I resolved that if a Jew could continue to pray under such circumstances, then maybe G-d was still out there, hidden in the indomitable spirit of the human soul, and I, too, would pray.

“I was in awe of this fellow, until I discovered what he was doing with the prayer book he had smuggled in: he refused to lend the siddur to anyone unless they first handed over their meager daily food ration. He was renting the prayer book out for rations, and Jews in the barracks, desperate to hold a siddur in their hands after all this time, were forced to give up their only food for a few minutes with the prayer book.

“At that moment I decided that if a human being could sink that low, then there was no G-d, and I resolved never to pray again.”

Rabbi Schechter responded with a simple question: “Instead of looking at the fellow who refused to give away his siddur without first taking the food of his fellow prisoners, why don’t you look at all the Jews who were willing to give up the only food they had for a chance to pray with a siddur?”

There was a moment of silence between the two, and something glimmered in those vacant eyes. And then, quietly, Simon Wiesenthal, took a siddur, and began to pray.

What does it mean to be a slave, and are we ever truly free?This week’s portion, Mishpatim, begins with a very challenging and almost incomprehensible concept: the idea of a Jewish slave, serving his Jewish master.

“And these are the judgments (or rules) that you must set before them (the Jewish people): If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years, but in the seventh year, he is to be set free… And if the slave declares, “I love my master, my wife and my children; I do not want to go free,” his master must bring him to the courts… and the slave shall then serve his master forever.” (Exodus, 21:1-6) Is this the reason we left Egypt behind us,

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hen the U.S. Army liberated Buchen-

What if a person stole, but has long since disposed of what he stole or spent the money and can’t repay his victim?

In Judaism, when a person has nothing, the Jewish court evaluates this person’s worth and sells his services to someone to enable him to repay what he stole.

When a person has hit bottom and feels he is worthless, the judges effectively say to him: ‘We will show you that you have value; you are worth much more than you think you are.’ He goes into service, and discovers all that he can contribute. He is part of a family, very different from convicts of our era who are shunned by society and hidden away.

Now it is easy to understand why a person would want to stay in such a reality. No bills or worries, a sense of purpose and belonging.

But the purpose of his experience is to teach him that he has only one master. We are put in this world to make a difference; G-d never wanted slaves. We are meant to be partners with G-d in building the world.

Our challenge is to embrace our freedom and decide what to do with it, and how best to use it to serve the world, by making this world a better place. Like those Jews in Buchenwald, whether we are free or living as slaves is really up to us. Ultimately, we all serve something; and the only freedom we really have is the ability to choose what we wish to serve: the pot of soup at the end of the day, or the higher purpose we are willing sometimes to give it up for.

Shabbat Shalom, Binny Freedman

THE JEWISH STAR February 17, 2012 • 24 SHEVAT 5772

Freedom is what you make of it

to create our own system of slavery? Three thousand years before the American Declaration of Independence, in a world steeped in paganism and the belief that might makes right, the Jewish people came forward with the belief that all men are created equal.

How can the Torah now be telling us about Jewish slaves, in a Jewish slave system? Perhaps a closer look will help us understand.

A slave remains a slave for only six years.

When he is set free, he only takes with him what he had when he came in. If he marries a woman who is a fellow slave, she doesn’t go with him when he leaves; she is the property of her master, and remains enslaved!

What sort of a slave loves his master?

(And what sort of a husband loves his master more than his wife?) The Talmud tells us: “Kanah Eved Kanah Rav”; “He who acquires a slave, has really acquired a master.” The laws regarding slaves are incredible: If one has a Jewish slave, and there is only one pillow in the house, or if there is only enough food for one meal or if there is only one bed in the house, the slave gets them! If the master hits his slave, and injures him in any way, the slave immediately goes free! (See 21:26) The term slave, with all of its negative connotations, should probably be replaced by ‘indentured servant.’ To understand this, we need to learn how a Jew becomes an indentured servant in the first place.

A Jewish ‘slave’ is someone who was, for example, caught stealing. Today, a thief is imprisoned. In Judaism punishment never involves prison. Judaism has a simpler system: If a person makes a mistake, there is a consequence, and that is the responsibility of the person who made the mistake.

First a person must repay what he took.

He has to then try to again become the person he was before he stole. This is why Judaism’s word for this process is not ‘repentance’ but Teshuvah, from the root Shuv, to return.

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S

ometime soon, I’m going to get yelled at for invading a stranger’s privacy as I look over his shoulder on the train, inch closer to her beach chair, or spy from under dark glasses in a doctor’s waiting room. I simply want to see the title of the book she’s holding.

I am fascinated by what people choose to read and wish I could just go up to them and ask if they like it, Sometimes I get up the courage to do it, striking up a conversation with the person next to me, which can be great for a few moMIRIAM’S MUSINGS ments, until it becomes awkward. That’s what book groups are for!

I belong to a few local book groups. We have a moderator with the tough job of controlling the flow of the discussion, allowing an opportunity for all to speak. There are varied personalities in attendance, ranging from the quiet listener to the acMiriam Bradman tive participant. Our faAbrahams cilitator makes sure each member has a few moments to voice her opinion, give a “thumbs up or down” and back that up with some relevant facts or feelings. We heartily discuss future book picks for the group. Some people want current bestsellers, others want to revisit romantic classics. Some desire indulging in trashy “summer books,” while others prefer challenging themselves to a more intellectual read. Some only want to delve into Jewish subjects, while others enjoy strictly secular books. We choose a few promising titles, have an informal vote,

and eventually get around to reading all genres anyway.

Mira Rosenfeld Sennett, my brilliant, literary friend, educator and book discussion facilitator, recently surprised me with her comment that there are enough books written by Jewish authors covering the gamut of human experience and emotion to afford one a lifetime of reading.

She said she simply didn’t have time anymore to read anything else and now keeps exclusively to “Jewish books.” Through my association with the Jewish Book Council I have been finding her sentiment to be absolutely true.

As a volunteer book reviewer for the quarterly Jewish Book World and as Hadassah Nassau Region’s scout to find and book interesting authors to enhance our programs, I’m experiencing firsthand the vast scope of Jewish writers and their subject matter. Whether you fancy history, mystery, memoir, biography, poetry, philosophy, humor, a novel, children’s tales, recipes, and the entire range of excellent Israeli literature in English translation, it’s all readily available, written by a member of our tribe, the “people of the book.”

I do indulge in great reads which have absolutely nothing to do with Jewish life; it gives me a break and helps me vicariously experience the “outside” world. Reading the Sunday New York Times Book Review and attending the Javits Center Book Expo keeps me up to date on wonderful bestselling titles like The Help, Room and The Paris Wife.

Lately I’ve noticed that my editor at Jewish Book World is sending me more and more Holocaust memoirs and fiction related to the Shoah to review. Just in the past twelve months I read these new titles: Displaced Persons by Ghita Schwarz, Pictures at an Exhibition by Sara Houghteling, The Final Reckoning by Sam

Bourne, The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson, The Price of Escape by David Ungar, The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer, The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman, Children and Fire by Ursula Hegi, Blood in the Promised Land by Eliot Sefrin,The Rescuer by Dara Horn and All That I Am by Anna Funder. Some are award winning publications translated into multiple languages. Each is unique in geographical location and varies by the narrator’s age, gender and point of view. They are tragic, horrifying, heartbreakingly sad, but also personal, uplifting and awe-inspiring. All are incredibly important to read and know.

The JBC must be receiving a glut of manuscripts on this subject. Writers may be feeling a sense of urgency to get their families’ stories out “now or never” as the Holocaust generation is tragically disappearing. First hand accounts will soon no longer be available; it’s the last opportunity for survivors to be interviewed, for their testimonies to be recorded and for the true story to be published. Future generations will learn about their own history through these detailed retellings. Hopefully the Holocaust deniers will be thwarted.

I had trouble completing a recent reading assignment. It could be due to the writing style narrators and time frames switching from chapter to chapter confuses me. I slogged through this otherwise fascinating account of the lives of Jewish anti-war activists in Berlin and London before and during WWII. When offered yet another story about Eastern Europe in the 1930s and 1940s, I hesitate for a moment and sigh, sensing the emotional and physical toll it will exact from me. I always say yes, though the books cause me nightmares and knots in my stomach. I feel a deep sense of responsibility to continue reading and promoting these manu-

scripts about our people’s recent past. We can always find time for a light book, but time is running out for these recountings of the era our parents and grandparents lived through.

Memoirs about the Russian Jewish immigrant experience are steadily rising as the children feel the freedom to tell their tales; perhaps the next group to “come out” will be Cuban. As a child of refugee parents, I’m in awe of these accomplished memoirists as I barely scratch the surface researching my father’s history. I delay, not because it’s boring or irrelevant, quite the opposite – it’s a story worth telling. It’s about circumstance and choices, overcoming hardship through effort and luck and achieving success.

It’s tough for me to be unsentimental and objective since it’s my grandparents’, parents’, and my children’s tale. It’s difficult to record the past objectively while keeping it personal and heartfelt. However, I’m realistic about having to self-publish and about the result being simply a legacy for my kids.

In the meantime, I’m happily learning about writing by reading. I’ve been reassured by my author friends that this is totally legitimate. Instead of working on editing and adding to my 70 pages, I feel justified spending time devouring real author’s works. I’m delaying writing in favor of delving into everyone else’s, procrastinating until inspiration or a sense of urgency appears. So if you happen to notice me coming up behind you, just show me the book you’re reading and I’ll smile and move along.

For Hadassah’s author event dates call the Nassau Region office 516-766-2725. For Jewish book and author info go to www.jewishbookcouncil.org Miriam Bradman Abrahams is Cuban born, Brooklyn bred and lives in Woodmere. She can be reached at mimiyoga27@gmail.com

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THE JEWISH STAR February 17, 2012 • 24 SHEVAT 5772

Reading, Writing, History

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February 17, 2012 • 24 SHEVAT 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

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