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THE JEWISH
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VOL 10, NO 7 ■ FEBRUARY 18, 2011 / 14 ADAR I, 5771
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The settlements according to Gorenberg
Still illegal By Sergey Kadinsky With his wild hair, bushy beard and American background, journalist and author Gershom Gorenberg could be mistaken for a West Bank settler. He has written numerous news stories and books on the territories. “Israel needed greater territorial width, but as Levi Eshkol said, with the dowry came the bride. The bride was the Palestinian people,” said Gorenberg, quoting the Israeli Prime Minister at that time. “But this was not the Israeli goal, it was an accidental empire from an accidental war.” Gorenberg, who opposes settlements, spoke on their disputed legality at Touro Law School on Feb. 10, invited by the school’s Jewish Programs Committee. “I heard him speak a couple of years ago and it was informative,” said Eileen Kaufman, who teaches constitutional law and tort law. “There are a host of human rights and legal issues involved in this.” Kaufman picked up Gorenberg’s book “Accidental Empire,” published in 2006, on the background and growth of the settler movement. The book connects the hilltop outposts to the kibbutzim of British Palestine, where claims to land were established with “facts on the ground.” “Where you settled is what you got. If the border got in your way, you move it,” said Gorenberg, describing kibbutzim that influenced the design of borders for the future Jewish state. In his career as a reporter and author, Gorenberg dug up documents from the Six Day War demonstrating an unclear government policy towards its newly acquired territories. “In the lack of an agreed policy, things started to happen because politics isn’t static,” said Gorenberg. He explains that peering across the vanished border, young secular kibbutzniks wanted to continue an earlier Continued on page 2
Courtesy of the Israel Consulate
Israel’s media man One on one with Joel Lion By David F. Nesenoff David F. Nesenoff: You are the Israel Consul for Media Affairs for the tri-state area. So how is Israel doing? Joel Lion: Baruch Hashem. From an economic point of view we are doing quite well. We achieved membership in the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.) If you
try to think that 62 years ago the State of Israel was a third world state with refugee camps, with programs for food and water there. And now from the first of January we became a member of one of the 33 most developed countries in the world. Ben Gurion once said that the one who does not believe in miracles is not a realist in Israel. So I think this proves Ben Gurion true. Right now Israel is export-
ing flowers to Holland, beer to Germany, and vodka to Poland. So that’s how the State of Israel is doing. There is no state in the world with such a number of companies that trade in the NASDAQ in New York. It’s Baruch Hashem. DFN: You’re involved in public relations, publicity, hasbara, and a lot of times people say that Israel is brilContinued on page 3
Shabbat Candlelighting: 5:15 p.m. Shabbat ends 6:17 p.m. 72 minute zman 6:45 p.m. Torah Reading Parshat Ki Tisa
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Gershom Gorenberg
According to Gorenberg Continued from page 1 generation’s legacy of settling the land, and religious Zionists were attracted to locations mentioned in the Torah. “When Levi Eshkol decided to rebuild Kfar Etzion, he went to Theodore Meron, the top expert in the Israeli government on international law,” said Gorenberg. In a secret memo, Meron argued that reestablishing the pre-1948 West Bank community was in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention. “When I interviewed him in 2000, he said it was not difficult to write, it was clear in international law,” said Gorenberg. The Israeli government disagrees. “Israel has valid claims to title in this territory based not only on its historic and religious connection to the land, and its recognized security needs, but also on the fact that the territory was not under the sovereignty of any state and came under Israeli control in a war of self-defense, imposed upon Israel,” according to a May 2001 statement by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Shomron Regional Council spokesman David Ha’Ivri blasted Gorenberg’s reliance on Merom’s memo. “A memo is not international law. The area was not captured from a country that had legal standing on it,” said Ha’Ivri, referring to Jordan. Raised in Far Rockaway, Ha’Ivri lives in Kfar Tapuach, a community of some 170 families deep inside Samaria. Aside from legal issues, Gorenberg, an oleh from California who made aliyah in 1977, also argues that the demographics of the territories do not favor Israel. “It is in Israel’s interest to leave the West Bank as an end in itself. The Talmudic lesson is that if you try to take too much, you will end up with nothing,” said Gorenberg. Dan Subotnik, who teaches estate law at Touro expressed fears in the cost of evacuating 300 thousand settlers. “After Yamit, I said that it would be a scandal. Everybody expelled would expect a pot of gold. How much would it cost?” Gorenberg said that most settlers he has spoken to understood that there is a presumption that their homes may not be permanent. But he also conceded that he has no solution of his own, and that peace will not be achieved overnight. “Politics doesn’t deal with solutions, it deals with arrangements to make issues more manageable.”
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Continued from page 1 liant in so many things but when it comes to putting forth its message of how great they are, everybody’s kvetching about a lack of hasbara. JL: It’s always easy to criticize and say how bad you are than to say how good you are. Look how many good articles are about Israel in all the newspapers every day. Anyone who wishes to know about Israel can do it. Today it’s not only to watch TV or radio. There is huge media consumption. People are looking at their iPads and Blackberries. The news cycle is so quick and so different than it was 10 years ago. You don’t need to watch World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer in order to know what’s happening in the world today. You don’t need Brian Williams to tell you about the Middle East or Ann Curry or Katie Couric to tell you about Egypt. Everyone knows it when it happens. Look how many people were searching for the story about the 1500 year old church that was discovered in Israel. Even our biggest opponents know that Israel is number one in combating cancer and so forth. But you can always look at the Monty Python quote, “Look at the bright side of life.” DFN: Like any place, Israel has external relationships and internal problems. There are different groups of people. It’s one big synagogue, when you look at it.
Is there a way to quantify the difficulties? JL: The culture of Israel can only be understood if you understand Jewish history. Jewish history for centuries was Jews sitting in the beit medrash and studying gemara. One was saying this and the other was saying the opposite and the third one was jumping about why they were saying these two things. And that’s what we have. That’s what they say about two Jews and three opinions. That’s genuine democracy. Every 4 years, there are elections, and even less sometimes; it’s the time in a democracy to judge what your representatives have done or not done. It does seem to be like a huge synagogue, but that’s exactly what it is. It’s this tradition of discussion of openness, and to take everything and put it on its head and what’s inside of it. So perhaps from the outside it seems terrifying, but it’s terrific. It’s great. DFN: What’s the status with regard to people going to Israel, either moving there or visiting? JL: For tourism I know that we hit 3 million tourists this year. The number 3 millionth tourist was a priest from Brazil; he received a nice basket with fruit for being number 3 million. This is great when you consider that the State of Israel has only 7 million inhabitants and 3 million tourists; it’s not bad for a state that began with nothing …only deserts and war. I think it was Chaim
Photo by Sergey Kadinsky
The hustle and bustle of Allenby Street in Tel Aviv. Israeli tourism hit the 3 million mark this year. Weizmann who wanted the Jews to come to Israel not because they have to, but because economically it’s better to live in Israel than somewhere abroad. I think today we see this; Jewish people are coming to Israel because it’s better to live in Israel. And the majority of those coming are from the U.S. DFN: How did you become the Israel Consul for Media Affairs? Is it a nice way to spend your life? JL: I was 18 years old when I made aliyah to kibbutz Sdeh Eliyahu and then we went to the army and then the Lebanon war and then the Intifada. It’s a way to serve your country. Zionism is not giving money to a second person to go to Israel. Zionism is to do it yourself to serve your country. To quote Kennedy, it’s not what your country can do
for you it’s what you can do for your country. There’s still the feeling that we can do something for our country and that’s why I chose to be here. Not only here in New York, but in my long career. Joel Lion was born in France and raised in Luxembourg. Consul Lion made aliyah at age 18, settling in kibbutz Sdeh Eliyahu. He served as Sergeant Major in the artillery corps during the First Lebanon War, and as a reservist during the First Intifada. Within the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lion represented Israel in various European states before embarking on his current assignment in New York. During the 2008 Operation Cast Lead, Lion worked as director of the MFA Press Center in Sderot. An ordained Orthodox rabbi, he is the proud father of eight children.
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. If you would like to write a story in Hebrew, please submit to: newsroom@thejewishstar.com
My cow is sick ! By Rabbi Noam Himelstein
Rabbi Noam Himelstein studied in Yshivat 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 Ettzion.
THE JEWISH STAR February 18, 2011 14 Adar I 5771
Israel’s local media man
Parshat Ki Tisa
Gap-Year Yeshiva Students Beware
A veil of light How did Nathaniel Hawthorne dream it up? How did he come up with his short story “The Minister’s Black Veil?” The Puritan minister of an old New England town one day inexplicably covers his face with a black veil that casts a shadow of gloom between him and his community to the day of his death. Hawthorne read this week’s parshah, no doubt. After Moshe received the second Luchot, all the way at the end of the parshah, we are told that Moshe’s face beamed forth with Divine light (“karan or panav”), a light so strong he needed to cover his face with a masveh, a veil, to shield his Rabbi Yehuda frightened people Septimus from that light. Let’s perform a thought experiment. Imagine an everyday interaction between Moshe and the people, on a typical day during their forty years in the wilderness. Now, in that picture was Moshe wearing a veil? He should have been. Because our parshah depicts Moshe’s beaming face and the veil it required as a permanent reality. Indeed Rav Saadya Gaon and Ibn Ezra confirm what is implicit in the passage itself – that the veil was necessary for the entire forty years from the day he donned it to the day of his death. Didn’t Moshe’s veil get in the way of his teaching the People Torah and facilitating
their relationship with HaKadosh Baruch Hu? Did such a major barrier really exist between Moshe and the Jewish People? Is it possible that Moshe’s light-blocking veil had the same impact as the minister’s black veil? The answer to these questions is a resounding “no!” Because the veil, that hid the face of the giver of the Torah – and by extension HaKadosh Baruch Hu Himself – did not symbolize darkness; it symbolized light. How different was Moshe’s light-hiding veil from the minister’s veil of darkness! So long as Moshe wore the veil the people knew that behind it was hidden an immensely powerful Divine light. While the veil’s presence was consistent, it was not constant. In fact the Torah informs us that on two regular occasions the veil was consistently lifted. Firstly, when Moshe spoke to God, receiving the light from Him, and then when he spoke to Bnei Yisrael, transmitting that light to the People! “Peliah daat mimeni, nisgava lo ukhal lah”; “The Torah’s wisdom is wondrously far from me, exalted out of reach.” Thus says David HaMelech, whose own Torah wisdom, the Gemara tells us, was indeed exalted beyond the reach of any normal human being. The more of God’s light we see, the more we realize is hidden behind that veil. The veil and the light become inextricably bound to each other. May our hard work to see the light be rewarded with moments of Divine illumination. At the same time, may we take inspiration rather than frustration from the more common moments of seeing only the veil. Indeed, may we recognize the veil for what it truly represents – the luminous treasure that lies behind it.
T
hey call it “Hitting the Wall.” Three or four months after arriving in Israel many first-year Yeshiva students feel morose, anxious, even depressed. I hit the wall back in December. Each day I would spend eleven hours in the Beit Midrash pouring through texts, analyzing intricate argumentations, and discussing volatile issues in my life. Each night I would go to bed with strained eyes, my mind yearning for a respite, FROM THE HEART from the study and debate. OF JERUSALEM And in this state of utter fatigue I would lie awake and wonder what I had done that day. In the midst of rigorous activity, I would feel listless, aimless, and purposeless. Let’s backtrack to high school for a moment. Maimonides School was no joke. The nine-hour school day was a mere overture to the long night of restless toil. Stuffed in between were hours of extra-curricular activity. ExSamuel Fisher haustion was a constant cloud in my mind. Also weighing on my mind was the perpetual stress imposed by the report card, a stress that permeated my entire day. But as tired as I was, I was full of some inner energy that gave me tremendous momentum. I felt direction and purpose driving me on. I was never depressed. I was filled with a sense that all my endeavors were deeply worthwhile. Now I’ve come to see that tests and deadlines were actually the source of these positive feelings. High school life was deadline-oriented. You work, you finish, you repeat. Every step of the way my goals were concrete and definite. I wanted a high grade; the formula to success was fairly straightforward—I needed
to study and complete my homework. Yeshiva was a culture shock. The tests were gone, sleep was plentiful and I was free to study as I pleased. It was a dream come true. But without the deadlines my life was left with a gaping hole. Sure I had my greater goals for the year—to develop a lasting relation with Judaism and sharpen my skills. But these targets were far more abstract. I didn’t know how to achieve my goals and certainly didn’t feel concretely closer to success at the end of each day. Without regular, numeric evaluations, smallscale progress was indiscernible. And therein lay the crisis. I worked arduously and felt immobile. So I hit the wall. But all it took was one fundamental shift in mindset to hurdle the wall. Torah study has no deadline. Until the day the scholar dies he is infinitely far from the finish line. The value of the learning rests in the journey itself. If you’ll pardon the analogy—on the trip up an endless staircase, each step brings you no closer to the top but nonetheless lifts you farther from the bottom. Torah study brings the learner no closer to the ideal but still elevates him far above the person he used to be. Understanding and internalizing this mindset is the key to a meaningful Yeshiva experience. The year of learning doesn’t culminate in any final exam but instead represents the very tip of a lifelong process that never ends. The process itself must become the ultimate purpose. The most life-changing aspect of the gap-year experience is this shift. I’ve changed from goal-oriented living to growthoriented living. Enjoying this endless process itself is the key to endless fulfillment. While ambitions with deadlines are terminal and fleeting, life’s journey contains infinite opportunities. Samuel Fisher grew up in Newton, Massachusetts and graduated from Maimonides School in 2010. He is spending the year studying in Yeshivat Orayta in the Old City of Jerusalem after which he will attend Harvard College.
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date of Moshe’s death?” The Mechilta (Beshalach, Vayisa 5) raises three possible answers to this question: Rabbi Yehoshua confirms the Talmudic approach that Moshe’s death took place in Adar of a regular non-leap year. Rabbi Eliezer Hamodai says Moshe died in the first Adar of a leap year. Rabbi Elazar raises the suggestion that Moshe died on the 7th day of Shvat in a regular year. With the addition of the 7th day of Shvat only one possible date remains that no one suggests. Moshe may have died on the 7th of Adar II in a leap year. Rabbis Eliezer and Elazar are working with the premise that Moshe’s death preceded the entering of the land of Israel by 63 days (Midrash Sechel Tov Shmot 15:35), while the straightforward Talmudic position is that Moshe’s death took place 33 days before crossing the Jordan River on the 10th of Nissan. The difference between these opinions lays the groundwork for establishing the answer. Rabbi Elazar’s opinion is not really accepted, so we confine the remainder of our answer to the 7th of Adar opinions. There is a debate between Rabbi Yosef Karo and Rabbi Moshe Isserles in the Shulchan Arukh 568:7 as to observing a yartzeit during the leap year, in the event that the death took place during a regular year. Rabbi Karo believes it should take place in Adar II, while Rabbi Isserles calls for it to be observed in Adar I in order to observe the day as soon as possible. He also notes the practice that some observe the yartzeit in both Adars. While others argue that when a birthday or yartzeit takes place in a leap year, the proper date to observe the event in a different leap
year is the exact date – an Adar I date in Adar I, and an Adar II date in Adar II (Mishneh Brurah 55:43). The Magen Avraham disagrees with this idea, arguing that one ought to count year by year, instead of paying attention to a leap-year birth date. It is his opinion that all bar mitzvah birthdays, for example, will only be observed in Adar II, regardless of whether one was born in Adar I. Rabbi Jacob Emden was asked this very same question regarding Moshe’s yartzeit in Adar I or Adar II (She’eilat Yaabetz 1:117), and he explained that it all depends on how one views Moshe’s yartzeit. Haman rejoiced that his lottery fell in Adar
because he knew of Moshe’s death in Adar and felt it was a bad month for the Jews. As such, the miracle of Purim is inextricably linked to the yartzeit of Moshe. With this logic, the month in which we observe Purim is the month when Moshe’s yartzeit should be observed. In the final analysis, the jury is still out on the exact month of Moshe’s death – Adar I of a leap year, or Adar of a regular year. Those who want to follow the practice of the Shulchan Arukh (580:2) to fast are encouraged to do so. If you want to fast twice, like the Rema suggests in 568:7, kudos to you. But if you’re looking to get out of tachanun twice, I’m pretty sure that’s not what Rabbi Isserles was suggesting.
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Mendele Mokher Seforim, the nineteenth century Yiddish writer, famously wrote, “Among Jews, a birthday is no holiday. But the anniversary of a death; that a Jew remembers.” Last Friday’s (2/11) Hebrew date was the 7th of Adar I, the date of the death of Moshe Rabbeinu, as well as the date of his birth. (Kiddushin 38a) One of the recurring debates is how to best observe the anniversary of the death of the ultimate Jewish leader. There are those who try very hard to avoid saying tachanun on the 7th of Adar. I will not pass judgment on these individuals, but I will say there is no real precedent in halakha to do this. There are those who might fast on a yartzeit Rabbi Avi Billet – any yartzeit. This is highly appropriate – the Talmud (Nedarim 12a) and Shulchan Arukh (Orach Chaim 580:1-2) recommend this for many dated events, or for one’s parent or deceased rebbe. The question that comes up in a leap year is “Which Adar is the one in which we mark the date of Moshe’s death?” While one approach to the question could be answered through the choice we might make of which Adar is the real month, versus which one is the additional month (most people believe the first Adar is the extra month), a more pressing question is “What is the actual
THE JEWISH STAR February 18, 2011 14 Adar I 5771
Observing Moses’ Yartzeit in a Leap Year
February 18, 2011 14 Adar I 5771 THE JEWISH STAR
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Opinion Letters to the editor
Editorial
It was leprosy for a reason
W
e all know that Lashon Harah is “gossip” and the “evil tongue.” And we all know that the Torah actually, and almost uniquely, assigns a specific punishment for Lashon Harah; it is leprosy. And we all know that you don’t see much leprosy around anymore even though Lashon Harah exists. The question begs as to why if it still exists don’t we see the boils and lesions on those who speak Lashon Harah? The only reasonable answer is that Hashem, out of His great compassion and love, chooses not to condemn the Lashon Harah sinner with this skin affliction. And why does Hashem make that choice to abstain from planting these grotesque abnormalities of the derma on those who deserve it? The answer lies in understanding the guidelines of Lashon Harah. It is Lashon Hara even if it is factual, even if the listener strongly requests the speaker or writer to tell, even if the actual names and places are not mentioned, even if it is about the teller’s own family, even if the speaker or writer reveals that he or she is not in the best light. It is Lashon Hara even if it is an opinion about someone that cannot be verified. It is Lashon Hara even when details are left out and implications are pronounced. And listening to the Lashon
Harah makes one a conspirator to the sin. This is by no means a complete compilation or an authoritative presentation of law regarding Lashon Hara but rather a common knowledge offering of which we are already aware. In fact we are even aware of the exception to the rule of when Lashon Harah is permitted, and that is during very specific circumstances when there is an emergency and a constructive outcome is needed. Some will unilaterally hang their hat on that exception, although it should be highly recommended that as with most cases of halacha, especially those dealing with human interaction and ones stemming from the Torah with grave punishment, an individual should speak to their rabbinic authority before making any drastic move with their mouth, pen or keyboard. It becomes quite clear as to why Hashem offers such compassion of forgiveness with regard to one speaking Lashon Harah with the penalty of leprosy. If He didn’t, it would be a very ugly world. The Jewish Star abhors Lashon Harah and will go about our job to deliver original journalism while endeavoring to not write or listen to such highly punishable and offensive words.
Letter to the editor IDF YouTube To the Editor: I read with great curiosity Ari Fleischer’s suggestion that Israel use “the power of video” to better influence world opinion (Jewish Star 2/11). The Israel Defense Forces YouTube channel, “idfnadesk,” debuted its first video clips a day after Israel began Operation Cast Lead in December 2008. The images included precision fighter jet attacks by the IDF, aborted bombings when civilian - or possible civilian vehicles - entered the target areas. Additionally, the content displayed enemy weapons being fired from mosques and schools at Israeli civilian targets.
While the Israeli “hasbara” effort should have more effectively harnessed video content and social media at a much earlier stage, the IDF YouTube channel was viewed by hundreds of thousands during the war and continues to post information that relates to IDF activities in Israel and also abroad (e.g. Haiti relief mission). Although the Operation Cast Lead videos clips are often too short and heavily edited, making then less convincing, with bad audio, still, to the IDF’s credit effectively inform and affect public opinion. Judah S. Harris Photographer, Filmmaker, Writer www.judahsharris.com
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Brain dead debate still alive To the Editor: Rabbi Jeremy Rosen’s piece about organ transplants (“Brain dead about brain death,” Jan. 28) demonstrates how this subject has been transported from the sphere of halachic discourse to the sphere of public opinion. Rabbi Rosen derides opponents of the brain-stem-death criterion as “extremists” who oppose “change and progress.” He lacks comprehension of the core issue. The question of whether death can occur while the heart still beats is not a scientific one but a halachic one. If one errs in this matter, he is committing murder! Thus, the “extremists” actually are those who refuse to endorse the possible taking of a life. Rabbi Rosen writes confidently that Rabbi Moshe Feinstein supported brain-stem death as halachic death, in fact Rabbi Feinstein wrote (Igros Moshe, Yoreh De’ah 2:174, reaffirmed in Choshen Mishpat 2:72) that removing the heart from a transplant donor is murder. There are two legitimate views regarding brain death. When someone is faced with the overwhelming ques-
tion of how to act, the only recourse is to consult a world-class halachic authority. Avi Goldstein Far Rockaway To the Editor: I take great exception to Rabbi Jeremy Rosen’s Opinion piece about brain death. It is very clear that there are serious Halachic questions at stake namely murder, according to those Halachic authorities that death does not occur with “brain death” anyone removing the heart of such patient commits murder. Rabbi Tendler’s view is not universally accepted, fact is that as far back as 1991 the Agudath Israel of America challenged Rabbi Tendler’s assertion that Rabbi Feinstein agreed with his view. Rabbi Rosen has no Halachic or moral authority to call Dayanim “moral cowards”. All the relevant opinions have been rendered by Dayanim and Talmidei Hachamim. Steven Weisz Lawrence
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Liberals Anonymous
“H
i, my name is Heshy; I’m a liberalholic.� Everyone in the synagogue basement room, sitting on folding chairs, responds, “Hi Heshy!� Heshy speaks, “I’m a little bit nervous to share my story. I guess I’ve always been a liberal-holic. Ever since I was a kid I can remember not really caring about anyone but wanting to make it look like I cared.� Moans of understanding emanate from the crowded room. Heshy shares, “It became so easy as a teenager to promote such DAVID’S HARP irresponsible thinking as I had no responsibilities and never read the paper or intelligent political writings or had any concept of fiscal stability or global insurgent threats. What made it worse was that everyone around me encouraged such behavior. It was the thing to do. Peer pressure dominated over sensibility. David F. Nesenoff And then as I got older I learned to binge on the catch phrases ‘social justice this’ and ‘environmental that.’ Any sobering thought of reality and common sense was immediately tossed out of my head for fear that I would be either shunned by the welcoming liberal community around me, by my parents and their friends or by teachers and professors who I so much wanted acceptance
from. “The television and radio broadcasted over and over again images and stories and concepts that made me drunk with self satiated aloof feelings of correctness and a dreamy false sense of security and elitism over my fellow citizens. The media became my gateway drug fostered by my peers. I couldn’t get enough of liberalism; and one useless futile liberal cause led to another. I would sometimes have blackouts and not even remember what the purpose of a solidarity boycott stood for and what a liberal political candidate was even talking about. I would wake up on a street curb with a ‘Save the Dolphins’ brochure in my torn jeans’ pocket and lipstick stains on my collar left by Ralph Nader. Children would pass by and taunt me about how I was the cause of their grandchildren’s monetary deficit. I learned to hide my anti-social behavior and counterproductive mindset by labeling everything I did as “human rights.� My liberalism got so bad that even if it would impoverish an entire community, I would support all types of programs and entitlements just to maintain my feel-good high. I was not a substance abuser; I was a form abuser. Yes, now that I am socially sober and on a road of recovery, I can see everything more clearly. I had been living a life of form over substance.� Some in the room applaud, while others wipe the tears from their sympathetic once government co-dependant eyes. Heshy continues, “It was so difficult to try to go against or separate from the seemingly happy go lucky group who filled their bottles with terms like “open mindedness� and poured out the words
“free thinkingâ€? into their mugs and steins. I certainly didn’t want to be close-minded and obstinate. Who wants to be a downer? Who wants to be the killjoy of the (liberal) party? I didn’t want to be accused of attacking and standing in the way of races and genders and ovaries and sperms and cells and unwanted fetuses and bi, tri, and trans lifestyles. I didn’t want to be a right wing religious nut. I just wanted to fit in and be liked, and that meant always being anti-war, anti-guns and anti-military; and blindly support any and all underdog global regimes. I thirsted for the ‘saccharinated’ feigned sugary liberal Kool-Aid. I couldn’t give it up. I needed it. I was too weak to even try going dry. Do you know what it takes to not support UNICEF? Children, children, children was the magic mushroom that brought hallucinations of immediate self-satisfaction to my mind. Worry about the welfare of the children of terrorists, legalize drugs for our children, open the Arizona border for their children‌ as long as I put the word children in the serum I could stick the justification needle in my liberal arm and get high. “I really believed at that time that the only way to stand up for justice, social issues and the civil rights of all citizens and humanity was to smoke the liberal pipe. I didn’t know at the time that I could support real social justice issues and care about all races, religions, genders and lifestyles and still breathe within a different political community. I so much wanted to be compassionate and caring and fair. That form over substance mantra kept gnawing at my gut. Did I care about the perception and the reception, or the consequences and the cost? And then finally I hit rock bottom. There I was, smiling, holding hands with an entire community singing Kum Ba Ya while chew-
ing gum that was manufactured without the harming of baby seals; I was living the dream. “And then something happened. I noticed that I was holding hands and singing at a party that didn’t understand that Iran has nuclear weapons a breath away from destroying Israel. I didn’t mind hugging trees but I was nauseous with the thought of embracing any faction or entity that did not understand the moral integrity of Israel and its right for security and a life without constant terror and fear. I was incensed with any group that didn’t comprehend that Jews are indeed indigenous to the land of Israel. I was awakened with a cold wind of knowledge that I was standing with uncompassionate cold-hearted stoners who had no care for the fright of the citizens of Sederot and who rationalize and validate the murderous actions of Palestinian terrorism. How could I hold hands with those who, for their own liberal political and religious agendas, would hijack Israel, threaten Israel, and extort Israel? How could these people who supposedly stand for justice, civil rights, and social welfare try to suffocate the living breathing existing paradigm of justice - modern day Israel? “How could the liberal president travel all over the world and visit every dictator, monarch and despot without running to the very nation of social political democratic justice, Israel? Israel, the place where all genders, lifestyles and social issues and causes are part of the fabric of its society. Israel, where debate and ethical discussion live in democratic security, while being surrounded by a geography of lands that blatantly obstruct the downtrodden fight, the feminist plight, and the human right. I am shaking from such treatment; but I am in recovery, sober, and clear-headed.� “My name is Heshy, I am a liberal-holic.�
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THE JEWISH STAR February 18, 2011 14 Adar I 5771
Opinion
8 February 18, 2011 14 Adar I 5771 THE JEWISH STAR
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By Sandy Eller His first creative works were classroom caricatures. His latest works can be heard in concert and read in published books. Yisroel Juskowicz takes on all talents at once. The debut album “The Narrow Bridge” was released this past November and his Juskowicz’s book, “The Hidden Path,” is due out in the spring. But despite his busy schedule, Juskowicz’s music, paintings and his entire demeanor embody peaceful serenity. Juskowicz, 33, began his career as an artist drawing caricatures during class at Talmudical Academy in Baltimore and selling them during recess in seventh grade. As Juskowicz matured, his drawings did as well. Not only did art become a means of getting closer to G-d, but the online shiurim that Juskowicz listened to, while he painted, sparked the thoughts and ideas that would eventually evolve into the full fledged chapters of his book. Juskowicz took his writings to Rabbi Shimon Apisdorf, a well-known Baltimore author and publisher, who liked what he read and he agreed to publish the book. Juskowicz describes his upcoming book as “very eclectic and a little like Reb Aryeh Kaplan, with lots of Jewish spirituality and outreach and a lot of stories.” Additionally, Juskowicz asked a guitarplaying friend to teach him the basics and then he added that instrument to his list of talents. As the songs kept coming to his mind, Juskowicz wanted to record an album and he started saving up money to finance the project. “It was just amazing; I probably have two or three albums worth of songs, each one different than the next,” said Juskowicz. “I took them to C. Lanzbom, the most incredible guitar player on earth. I was flattered that someone like him, who had spent so much time accompanying Shlomo Carlebach, thought my songs were like Reb Shlomo’s songs.” It took two years to record the twelve songs on “The Narrow Bridge,” eight of the
pieces are Juskowicz’s own compositions. Aside from Lanzbom’s contributions, Juskowicz is joined on the album by singers Eitan Katz and Nochi Krohn, adding to the songs tranquil, heartfelt and beautiful simplicity. Yoshi Fruchter who did harmonies on the album in addition to playing bass guitar and ukulele describes the songs on “The Narrow Bridge” as “incredibly heartfelt.” “Yisroel really puts himself into his singing and playing and in comes through in his music,” said Fruchter. While it is hard for a relative unknown to get noticed in the Jewish music world, the well-known names involved in the project piqued the interest of Sameach Music’s Benny Taubenfeld. Between concerts, Juskowicz is creating paintings inspired by the songs on the album. “Painting is so therapeutic for me,” said Juskowicz. “Not only does it take my mind off the stress that is part of life, it allows me the opportunity to create beautiful things about what I am most passionate about – namely Judaism.” As he puts the finishing touches on his book, Juskowicz, who has also organized several concerts, including at the YU Book Sale, a venue that helped launch the careers of Blue Fringe and The Maccabeats. When he is not drawing, singing, composing and writing, Juskowicz pays his bills as a physical therapist working with developmentally delayed children. He admits it isn’t always easy to juggle a full time job with so many projects, some of which are quite costly. “I get very flustered and overwhelmed a lot and I keep taking breaks from painting because I am busy with the other things. I have to take it one project at a time; I try to keep the main focus in my life right now finding the right girl and settling down.” What is next for this versatile and talented artist? Juskowicz has a few other surprises up his sleeve and if they are anything like his previous work they are sure to be both heartwarming and inspiring.
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9 THE JEWISH STAR February 18, 2011 14 Adar I 5771
Mensch on the street What good advice would you give your children (or granchildren)? “Frame your lives based on not what you can take from situations, but what you can give to situations.” RABBI ARYEH LIGHTSTONE NCSY “Stay in school.”
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“Derech Eretz and Kibood Av v’Aym; kids should grow up with respect for their elders, especially their parents.”
“Act like a mensch at all times.”
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Happy 103rd Birthday
Photo of the Week
Local survivor celebrates
Photo by David Ha’Ivri
Looking north from Mount Gerizim towards Mount Ebal. In ancient times this valley was the site of Shechem, where the Hebrew tribes gathered to hear the blessings and curses. If you have a photograph with a description, from local or afar, please submit to: newsroom@thejewishstar.com
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The Jewish Star staff wishes Far Rockaway resident Ruth Blumenthal Meyberg a happy 103rd birthday. Mayberg survived 6 and a half years in various Nazi concentration camps, including Bergen-Belsen. Her daughter Marion Blumenthal Lazan of Hewlett keeps her story alive through the memoir “Four Perfect Pebbles.” Meyberg continues to tell her story of survival at local schools, and she was honored by Germany last November, with a school named in her honor in her prewar hometown of Hoya (as reported by The Jewish Star.) Having told her story to more than a million students over the past 20 years, she is showing no signs of stopping. Meyberg will be speaking to the students of the Rambam Mesivta High School on May 1. We extend wishes of ad meah esrim to Ruth and her family!
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February 18, 2011 14 Adar I 5771 THE JEWISH STAR
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11 THE JEWISH STAR February 18, 2011 14 Adar I 5771
Gourmet home cooking
Deceptively simple & amazingly complex caviar; fennel salad with celery, cucumber, lemon and pomegranate; and the stuffed breast of veal with parsley and onions. What I found really tremendous about these in particular is how gourmet they sound and yet when prepared and eaten they taste like home cooking and have the distinct feel of comfort food. Special notice need to be given to the chocolate truffles that originated in the kitchen of Francoise Tenenbaum, deputy mayor of Dijon. These truffles, which are parve and kosher for Passover, are one of the most delicious, chocolatiest, and simple recipes I have ever made. I presented them with desert to a number of friends one Friday night and before I could blink they had disappeared. Despite how much I enjoyed using this cookbook there were a few problems that I had with it as well. Mostly I felt that the instructions were less then clear. For me this wasn’t that much of a problem but I can see it being tedious for a beginner cook or someone who doesn’t have much desire to patshkie. At times I also found the stories to be superfluous. Without a doubt Joan has collected some of the best kosher recipes from France, not all recipes come with an intriguing background story. When this occurs the paragraph explaining the history of the dish feels a bit forced. Lastly I felt that certain dishes didn’t really belong. A good example of this is the recipe for cholent. To me, cholent is one of those foods that are best made using a concept of ingredients rather then a set list. This
is compounded by the fact that the immediately proceeding the chulent instruction is adafina, which is a meat stew made with chickpeas and rice that seems comparatively
a little too close to its antecedent recipe. These complaints however are mostly nitpicky as overall “Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous” is an excellent cookbook.
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anting to experiment more with French cuisine, I recently began cooking using recipes from Joan Nathan’s cookbook “Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous.” The book contains an interesting compilation of recipes and the stories behind them. For each of the 200 recipes, Joan, who is the wife of esteemed chef and restaurateur Jeff Nathan, has written a brief paragraph that THE KOSHER explains their history CRITIC and often has a picture of the family or chef from which the recipe originated. Sharing how food is made with others is quintessential to the experience of cooking and is why so many people keep notebooks filled with collected recipes. With her book Joan Nathan takes the concept of passZechariah Mehler ing down recipes and takes it a step further by traveling to France and gathering some of the best family recipes from a country that is known for its phenomenal cooking. I tried making a number of dishes in “Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous,” finding them to be deceptively simple in their construction and amazingly complex in their flavor. I particularly enjoyed the eggplant
February 18, 2011 14 Adar I 5771 THE JEWISH STAR
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Opinion What the Mainstream Media Didn’t Report: CPAC 2011
I
was among some 80 bloggers invited to cover the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington DC last week. CPAC is more than an opportunity to interview political figures and report on politics. It’s like a Star Trek Convention for political geeks. Instead of carrying phasers and putting on pointy ears, we carried laptops and wore fedoras. Our “blogger’s lounge” had a balcony that allowed us to observe the main events. The mainstream media had the same setup on the other side of the auditorium. But their room must have had POLITICO some sort of filter beTO GO cause they left out so much of the real story. Here are some examples:
Sarah Palin Did Not “Pull Out” Of Giving The Final Speech At CPAC. The prize speaking spot at CPAC is the final speech. Two years ago the final speaker was Rush Limbaugh, last Jeff Dunetz year it was Glenn Beck. This year CPAC again tried to arrange for a conservative mega-star to give the final address. The press incorrectly reported that Sarah Palin had agreed to give the speech but pulled out because the gay conservative group GOProud, was participating in the event. The truth is Sarah Palin never accepted the invite to appear at CPAC and she supported GOProud’s participation in the conference. She told CBN: “Well, I’ve never attended a CPAC conference ever, so I was a little taken aback this go around when I couldn’t make it to this one either and then there was a speculation well I either agree or disagree with some of the groups or issues that CPAC is discussing.”
NY Times Columnist Maureen Dowd May Be Suffering From Dementia. The blogger’s lounge was very crowded and writers without credentials were not allowed in the room. On the second day of CPAC, Dowd tried
The truth is Sarah Palin never accepted the invite to appear at CPAC and she supported GOPROUD’s participation in the conference
to get into the lounge, lacking credentials she was not allowed to enter. She indignantly asked the person who blocked her entry, “Do you have any idea who I am?” What a sad picture; here was a woman who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1999 and only 12 years later she was wandering a hotel asking strangers if they knew who she was.
Ron Paul Supporters’ Hate Was UnderReported, Their Size Was Over-Reported. Paul’s supporters don’t represent more than 15-20% of CPAC attendees. Their major contribution to CPAC is their passionate, sometimes unruly behavior, giving mainstream media its ammo to use against the “normal” part of the conservative movement. When former VP, Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld rose to speak, the press correctly reported some Paulocks were calling Cheney and Rumsfeld war criminals, but omitted they were also screaming “shekels,” a reference to Ron Paul’s claim that Israel controls US foreign policy.
Ron Paul Purchased the Straw-Poll Victory. Texas Rep. Paul’s second straight victory in the CPAC straw poll was top radio news. Sadly, no one talked about how Paul’s political action committee Campaign For Liberty
e l a S
Interestingly, rookie Florida Rep. West delivered a traditional conservative speech. It was the strong dignity of the man and his believability that made the retired Lt. Colonel’s speech special. The black Republican shot back at the charge that conservatives were racist saying, “Perhaps they should see who is standing up as your keynote speaker.” He laid out the foreign policy differences
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.
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purchased the victory. Paul doesn’t have enough supporters to win real primaries or caucuses; he usually gets about 2% of the vote. As they do at every CPAC, Paul’s Campaign for Liberty reserved blocks of tickets for CPAC and urged supporters to come out and support Paul. Many of these unruly supporters were college students who volunteered (and some say paid) to make sure that Paul wins. They even bused in 700 kids for the effort.
between him and the Obama administration. “Peace begins with courageous leaders who are willing to identify and defy our enemies and their objectives,” he said, “Political correctness has no place in our national security agenda.” Perhaps West’s biggest ovation was when he pledged that he would never allow America to abandon Israel. Allen West’s speech during the last night of CPAC made him a political superstar. While the media’s story for the end of CPAC was a skewed version of Ron Paul’s straw poll victory, the real story of the last day of the convention was not the meaningless victory of a man who would never be president, but the rise of a man who one day may very well be the Republican standard-bearer in the presidential race.
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THE JEWISH STAR February 18, 2011 14 Adar I 5771
ON THE
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Submit your shul or organization’s events or shiurim to jscalendar@thejewishstar.com. Deadline is Wednesday of the week prior to publication.
YOUNG ISRAEL OF LAWRENCE-CEDARHURST is holding its 30th Annual Dinner at The Sands, located at 1395 Beech Street in Atlantic Beach. The event will begin at 8 p.m. The event will honor longtime members Elizabeth and Bezalel Mayer. For more information, call 516-569-3324
NSHA vs. Har Torah Hockey Game YESHIVAH HAR TORAH, located at 250-10 Grand Central Parkway in Bellerose is hosting a hockey game between the school’s Hat Trix team, coached by Rabbi Tuvia Fried, and its cross-town rivals, the Lions of North Shore Hebrew Academy, coached by Dan Horowitz and Isaac Greszes. The game will benefit OHEL, with 8 young OHEL clients participating in a min-clinic and hockey shootout. Admission is free. (See photo below)
February 20 Kollel Yom Rishon CONGREGATION SHAARAY TEFILA, located at 25 Central Avenue in Lawrence is hosting Yeshiva University’s Kollel Yom Rishon special winter series. Rabbi Yonason Sacks is speaking to men and women at 9:30 a.m. on “Lifnei Iver: Enabling a Jew to Sin” followed by Rebbetzin Abby Lerner speaking to women only on “A Gadol for all Seasons: the Teachings and Wisdom of the Sridei Eish”. Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Julie Schreier at julie. schreier@yu.edu or 516-972-2920.
February 24 Jewish Job Fair YESHIVA UNIVERSITY is holding its annual fair promoting jobs in Jewish communal organizations. YU students and alumni are given first en-
February 26 HAFTR Annual Dinner HAFTR is holding its 33rd Annual Dinner at The Sands, located at 1395 Beech Street in Atlantic Beach. The event will begin at 8:30 p.m. and will honor parents Leslie and Joshua Wanderer as the guests of honor, and Alissa and Jonathan Nierenberg as the Yachad Awardees. To donate and make reservations, email shfried@haftr.org or call 516-569-3370, ext. 101.
March 4 Shabbat Across America SUBURBAN PARK JEWISH CENTER, located at 400 Old Westbury Road in East Meadow, will participate in National Jewish Outreach Program’s Shabbat Across America with an explanatory Friday night service at 6 p.m. led by Cantor David Krasner, followed by a traditional Shabbat dinner. The donation for adults is $9. Reservations are requested by March 2. For more information, call 516-796-8833 or 516-520-5733.
For Generations A Symbol Of Jewish Tradition.
DAVID M. RUBIN 55 North Station Plaza Great Neck, New York 11021 (516) 487-9600 Continuing to maintain the high service standards of the Rosenthal, Grossberg and Alpert families.
Riverside Memorial Chapel is a participating member of The PRE Plan, TM an FDIC insured fund for pre-paid funeral arrangements.
450210
YILC Annual Dinner
try to the event at 6 p.m. The public is welcome after 7 p.m.
PRE-NEED COUNSELING AVAILABLE
March 6 Yeshiva Science Olympiad LANDER COLLEGE FOR MEN, located at 75-31 150th Street in Kew Gardens Hills will be hosting the Yeshiva Science Olympiad, a contest that measures high school students’ abilities in science, technology, and engineering. The event is co-sponsored by Jewish Education Project. Participating local schools include Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, DRS Yeshiva High School for Boys; North Shore Hebrew Academy High, Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls, Samuel H. Wang Yeshiva University High School of Girls, and Yeshivah of Flatbush.
North Shore Hebrew Academy Middle School Lions Hockey Team prepares to face off against their rivals Har Torah Hat Trix for the benefit of OHEl on February 19th.
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February 18, 2011 14 Adar I 5771 THE JEWISH STAR
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Ask Aviva
Smoking husband, fuming wife keep going. Tomorrow is a new day.” Here, a wife who supports her husband is a sponsor that is around 24/7. So your job is to calm down, and tell your husband how much you love him. Tell him that you understand that this is not an easy thing for him. Say that you are his partner and will not judge him anymore. And that’s all you will say. Now you have to show him that you are serious. Don’t sniff, don’t confront and don’t dart your eyes to his pockets. Once he feels safe (say about 2 weeks), you can gently ask, “How’s the smoking going?” And if he feels safe with you, he will open up. And you will say, “Wow, that’s so hard,” or “I’m really proud of you for trying.” Another thing that may be worth looking into are the stress factors in his life and the way he relieves stress. Think of healthy outlets that would be good for you as a couple and present it as “couple time” as opposed to “your new, healthy, constructive ventilation system.” Bike riding season is starting soon, and jogging is always in season. If he already has something in place (like the gym or basketball with buddies), make sure to encourage him. But don’t say, “Hey, it’s 8:00! You’re going to be late to basketball! C’mon, get up and leave!” No. Instead make side comments that he can overhear like, “Sorry Chani, but I never go out at 8 on Wednesdays. That’s hubby’s basketball time.” Will he stop lighting up? Don’t hold your breath. But at least you’ll fire up his heart in your direction.
Dear Aviva, My husband quit smoking before we ever met, and when we dated I made it very clear that I will not tolerate him picking up the habit again. We’re married about 4 years and I’ve recently been noticing signs that he has gotten into it again. I confronted him, and he fessed up right away, but I am so mad at him! I’m worried that my kids will grow up with a bad role model while they’re inhaling second-hand smoke—which is way worse than regular smoking! How do I get him to stop? -Not Breathing Easy
Dear Not Breathing Easy, There is only one person on earth who can get him to stop. And that is him. Here’s how I see it: he is doing something that he is ashamed of (henceforth he did not tell you. You had to discover it and confront him). Now you are enlightened and you both know full well that his Achilles’ heel is injured. You can either pinch the injury by frantically sniffing him every time he walks in the door. You can follow him out to the porch like a mother hen. Or you can randomly use his car to see if there’s a lighter or Febreze stashed away. These are all good suggestions to keep you feeling involved while keeping your husband from ever telling you what is actually going on. Ready for one of the hardest things you’ve ever done for your marriage? Accept the possibility that your husband may never quit. Be gentle. If you’re not playing principal, he will be more likely to open up to you when he fails. Make it ok for him to fail. Then he will only be fighting his temptation and not his parole officer as well. I’ll give you an example of another difficult temptation. Men who have pornography
addictions can’t shake it so easily. But according to Barry Horowitz, men whose wives are on board with them and support them actually soar in overcoming their struggles. In Alcoholics Anonymous, they suggest having
The Jerusalem Post Crossword Puzzle
a sponsor—someone whom you are comfortable with, who you can check in with to let them know how you are doing. You say when it’s a good day; you say when you mess up. And they are there to tell you, “It’s ok, let’s By David Benkof
Across
1. Wheelchair access 5. Colorful artist Yaacov 9. Claude Lanzmann’s ninehour Holocaust film 14. Cousin of a bassoon 15. Actor Mostel (“Fiddler on the Roof”) 16. Release 17. Portuguese-Jewish statesman and philosopher 19. Canadian Histadrut backer Albert 20. “IQ Society” that’s 9 percent Jewish 21. Book of Yiddish Bible stories for women 23. Temple grp. 25. “In ___ age a hero or sage comes to our aid” (Chanukah lyric) 26. “Father of the Hydrogen Bomb” 32. Good ___ 33. Residents 34. Yitchak Rabin’s granddaughter 37. Where baby Moses was discovered 38. The Brisker ___ 39. Fate 40. “Maus” creator Spiegelman 41. Provided with fuel 44. Greek liqueur 45. “Parks and Recreation”
-Aviva Aviva Rizel is a Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice who can be reached at AvivaRizel.MFT@gmail.com.
actress 47. Like the writing in a mezuzah 49. Hebrew letter (literally, “hand”) 50. Kyra Sedgwick’s show 54. Barack’s Jewish choice for the Supreme Court 58. Where to hear Dennis Prager 59. Art Garfunkel’s onetime partner 61. Shalom, in a way 62. Rhodes, e.g. 63. ___ Days of Av (mourning period) 64. Some fruits 65. Those in ___ (the poor) 66. Chanukah candles do this
Down
1. Wander 2. Nightclub singer Lane 3. Haunted house sound 4. Convince 5. BBYO’s male branch 6. Sir 7. Greek war god 8. Dermatologist’s concern 9. They’re rolled up for laying tefillin 10. One who listens 11. Cousin of the ferret 12. Torment 13. Sharpen 18. Comedienne Roseanne 22. “Gimme a Break” actress
Carter 24. Org. founded by Rabbi Meir Kahane 26. Author Ferber (“So Big”) 27. 1948 site ___ Yassin 28. “Yiddishe ___” (NYC Jewish daily) 29. Literally, “teaching” 30. Rod-shaped germ 31. Washed, as for bread 34. “Jew,” e.g. 35. Gooey stuff 36. Israeli writer Elon 39. Sketching absentmindedly 41. Unfeeling 42. Site of 1993’s accords with the PLO 43. Unit of Creation 45. Bluer 46. Lieberman and Shuster 47. Cool place 48. The Jews have been accused of controlling it 50. Catch-22 51. “___ City” (Richard Kind TV Show) 52. Alleviate 53. Emulate King David 55. Theologian Fackenheim 56. Pork, to kosher-keeping Jews 57. One more time 60. Emulated King David
Answers will appear next week
15 THE JEWISH STAR February 18, 2011 14 Adar I 5771
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