February 21, 2014

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Day School confab 3 Torah 4 Bookworm 5 NY Times’ latest Jew slap 8 Expanded Calendar 12

THE JEWISH VOL 13, NO 8 Q FEBRUARY 21, 2014 / 21 ADAR I 5774

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Iron Cross to Jewish Star: How a Nazi’s son became a Jew

North Woodmere’s Midreshet Shalhevet NCSY JUMP team ran an Israel education night at the Temple Hillel Hebrew School. The children were taught about their Jewish homeland and history through stories, games and crafts. They learned about and tasted the seven species and decorated and ate blue and white cookies.

Fusing Torah, martial arts in fight against bullying By Malka Eisenberg After years of training in various forms of self defense, Eilon Even-Esh found his calling two years ago when he targeted the needs of students who had been bullied. He deconstructed the incidents, giving them emotional

Eilon Even Esh teaches defense against a knife attack in one of his classes.

and tactical tools and answers to their abuse. Even-Esh is teaching Krav Maga twice a week in Woodmere for men to learn fitness and self defense skills. Benjamin Wolf arranged the class and explained why with a dvar Torah. “A person must be a whole human being, a mensch, before he can be a proper vessel for Torah. That’s why the parshios of Bereishis and the beginning of Shmos, which teach midos and derech eretz, how to be a mensch, a whole person, precede the mitzvos between man and Hashem in the Torah. I am therefore working on no longer neglecting my health and fitness. Hopefully, that will make me a healthier ‘vessel’ for Torah.” Wolf learns from 6 to 7 am, davens Shacharit at 7 at Aish Kodesh and participates in the Krav Maga class there from 7:45 to 8:45, then catches the 9:06 train to the city. “I tried to set it up at a time and location that’s so convenient to remove any excuse not to do it!” he told The Jewish Star. For the last two years, Even-Esh has been teaching his unique martial arts classes, stressing the importance of fitness, tied to

Jewish Wollschlaeger holding a Torah, and a picture of his Nazi father, on cover of his book.

‘Casablanca’ warned U.S. Hitler would get you next

Torah values and focusing on the individual needs of the client. He has taught Krav Maga as an after school club sport at DRS Yeshiva High School in

Continued on page 9

Shabbat Candlelighting: 5:25 p.m. Shabbat ends: 6:30 p.m. 72 minute zman: 6:52 p.m. Torah Reading: Vayakhel

By Robert Gluck, JNS.org On Feb. 14, many Americans view screenings of “Casablanca.” As time goes by, the Jewish influences on the Oscar-winning 1940s romantic film become more apparent. Jews involved in the production of “Casablanca” include Murray Burnett, the

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By Malka Eisenberg He had sealed his past years before and never spoke of it — not to his peers in the Israeli Defense Forces, not to his colleagues, not to his wife, not to his children. But when his 14 year old son asked, “Who is my grandfather?” he knew that he had to answer. He told his Jewish, tefillin-wearing son that his grandfather was a decorated World War II tank commander and Nazi officer. When his son raised his hand on heritage day at school to relay this information, the school’s principal called home for confirmation. The principal encouraged Dr. Bernd Wollschlaeger to tell his story and the importance of conveying it. Wollschlaeger spoke to rapt audiences at the Young Israel of Woodmere on Shabbat after musaf and again after mincha. After Shabbat, YIW screened the movie, “The Ghosts of the Third Reich,” that documents the anguished stories of descendants of Nazis who confronted their family’s past and their feelings of guilt. Wollschlaeger, a board-certified family physician in private practice in Aventura, FlorContinued on page 14

author of the play on which the movie was based, director Michael Curtiz, screenwriters Philip and Julius Epstein and Howard Koch, producer Hal Wallis, composer Max Steiner, and actor Peter Lorre (born László Löwenstein). “Burnett wrote the play Continued on page 13

February 21, 2014 • 21 ADAR I 5774 THE JEWISH STAR

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By Cindy Mindell Connecticut Jewish Ledger, JNS.org STAMFORD, Conn.—The United Nations is in session. Sam Collins, Croatian delegate to the World Intellectual Property Organization, rises to address the debate on a topic currently occupying the Global Access to Knowledge Movement (A2K): Should free or low-cost smartphones be distributed to populations of developing countries? He suggests, “Instead of giving them information, let us give them data; instead of giving them the halacha (Jewish law), we would give them the entire Gemara (Talmud).” Collins bolsters his argument further with a more pedestrian example: “Instead of giving them one ready-made slice of pizza, we give them all of the pizza ingredients and see what they create.” Welcome to the 24th annual Yeshiva University National Model United Nations (YUNMUN) conference. Collins, 17, was one of seven delegates from Robert M. Beren Academy, a modern Orthodox day school in Houston and one of 46 participating Jewish day schools from North America, Brazil, and South Africa. From Feb. 9-11, the Stamford Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Stamford, Conn., was home to some 450 teen delegates, who debated and untangled the world’s most crushing problems, breaking only for regular mandatory minyanim, optional study sessions, and kosher mealtimes. “The Gemara comparison fits into the context of YUNMUN by bringing a complicated intellectual subject and putting it into terms that can be understood by all,” says Laura Mitzner Paletz, a Beren alumna who has coached the Beren delegation with her husband, Steven Paletz, for three years. The Paletzes’ involvement in YUNMUN goes back to their high-school days, when Steven was a member of the Yeshiva University of Los Angeles High School delegation in 2010 and

At the 24th annual Yeshiva University National Model United Nations, Natan Kelsey holds Latvia’s sign while Liechtenstein is represented by Isaac Soltz. Yeshiva University

2011. Theirs is not an unusual story at this student-run conference. Many committee chairs, all YU students, first came to the event as highschool delegates. Schools prepare for six months, applying in September and receive country assignments in November. The committees and debate topics are posted online in December, and each delegation must submit a position paper for each committee their members will serve on, before YUNMUN opens. For the four delegates from Colégio Iavne in Sao Paolo, Brazil, the selection process began with a high score on the Bechina Yerushalmit, an international Judaic and Hebrew course of study designed by the Jewish Agency for Israel and Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The students work with teachers on writing their position papers and presenting their points in English, and are coached by former YUNMUN participants. This is the fourth year Iavne has fielded a delegation, after hosting a group of YU stu-

dents who gave a presentation on the university at the day school. “We want our students to get exposure to the environment of YU and to other modern Orthodox Jews around America,” says Rabbi Saul Paves, Iavne’s principal of Jewish studies and the delegation’s faculty advisor. As a recruitment tool for YU, YUNMUN is run by the university’s admissions department and is heavily underwritten by the school. “These kinds of events are meant to entice kids to seek admission to these universities,” says Kathy Sklar, a 23-year veteran faculty advisor from Akiva Hebrew Day School in Detroit. “We are one of YU’s feeder schools; all my senior applicants get admitted and a percentage always goes. YUNMUN offers so much intensity and value to these students—learning to understand and debate issues, being part of a political process, and there’s a strong social aspect as well. They have a great time and they take this very seriously.” Indeed, Zharnest says that YU sets up the

event to reflect the university’s “Torah U-Madda (Torah and secular knowledge) flavor,” from the decorations to the optional shiurim (Torah lessons) to the kosher food, to the committee chairs’ conduct. YUNMUN is the largest Orthodox Model UN, even though not all participating schools are Orthodox. “Everybody gets along, nobody is disrespectful, the students look at each other as the countries they’re representing and are friendly to each other,” Zharnest says. “We don’t force religion, but we don’t want anybody to feel uncomfortable—as long as they follow the basic dress code.” On Sunday evening, as the teens prepared for two days as Croatian, Pakistani or Swedish diplomats, Secretary General Adena Kleiner (YU ’14) sent them off with an adult agenda. “Walk into your committee sessions knowing that what you gain can be used to change the world,” she said. “Recognize that your words and arguments have resonance beyond these walls. Most importantly, I challenge you not to underestimate yourselves. Begin to improve the world today.” Kleiner’s words followed those of keynote speaker Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of the United Kingdom, who holds a dual professorship at YU and New York University. “I hope I will not be too controversial if I say that the UN has some room for improvement,” Sacks said. After a lifetime of forging multi-faith friendships both personal and political, Sacks can also tell the story of cooperation across differences. Less than 48 hours later, each committee chair bestowed certificates for Best Delegate, and First and Second Honorable Mention. Three schools took home the top prizes for Best Delegation: SAR Academy in Riverdale, NY; Maimonides School in Brookline, Mass.; and Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy in Baltimore.

‘Moving the Needle’: Day schools eye relevance By Edmon J. Rodman, JNS.org More than 500 leaders of 110 Jewish day schools and other educational institutions, attended “Moving the Needle: Galvanizing Change in Our Day Schools,” a three-day conference organized by RAVSAK: The Jewish Community Day School Network. “Leadership requires a constant sharpening of the sword,” said RAVSAK founder Marc Kramer. Divergent views on how to move the needle were on display in the conference’s vendor area, which included companies selling computer programs to help organize and manage administrative offices; an author, Rosemary Zibart, promoting her novels about the Holocaust; and a company selling Jewish art that could be used for fundraising. “There’s been a lot of talk here about the tuition crisis, but there’s a meaning crisis,” said Rivky Stern, production manager for the AlephBeta Academy Jewish education technology non-profit founded by Rabbi David Fohman, who leads the nusach Sefard minyan at the Young Israel of Woodmere. While conference attendees were finishing their kosher dinners and having dessert, Stern and David Block, curriculum developer for Freedman’s company, were fishing for customers. “We’re trying to make bible and Jewish studies relatable,” said Stern, who herself had attended a Jewish day school. “Kids need to find personal meaning and relevance in Judaism,” said Block, who formerly was a tenor in the Maccabeats — the

Dan Perla discusses “Middle Income Affordability Programs: Can you afford NOT to have one?” at the “Moving the Needle: Galvanizing Change in Our Day Schools.” RAVSAK

Jewish a capella group whose songs have received tens of millions of hits on YouTube. Their solution was a series of 8-10 minute animated videos, which Block said he viewed as “making the texts relevant.” Created with Rabbi Fohman, one video was titled “Exodus, What Does it Mean to be Chosen?” Another, “Joseph: Coats, Dreams and Jealousy,” delves into a story that “is darker than the one we might remember learning as a child,” according to the video’s description. In Jewish education’s search for relevance, “videos are springboards,” said Block. Amanda Pogany, head of school at the Luria Academy in Brooklyn, said attending the conference presented an opportunity to “re-energize.”

“The work can be stressful, and coming to the conference grounds you and reminds you why we are here,” said Pogany, whose school has 137 students and covers preschool through seventh grade in a setting she described as “open Orthodox.” “School administration is a lonely profession; it’s a great opportunity to meet colleagues, and be validated,” said Rabbi Eli Mandel, vice principal of Jewish studies at the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto, a private high school with 1,300 students that is considered Canada’s largest, with ice hockey, golf and swim teams, and a theater program that produces plays in Hebrew. Rabbi Jeremy Winaker, head of school at the Albert Einstein Academy in Wilmington,

Del., whose school has 56 students, had attended an all-day intensive session called a “Deep Dive” for small schools. “Thirty percent of the day schools have 150 students or less,” said Winaker, who was interested in “sustainability” and sought to connect with others working in similar settings. Others like Barbara Gereboff, head of School at the Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School in Foster City, Calif., were there to help others move the needle. The teachers from her school presented on integrating technology into the classroom. In light of last fall’s Pew Survey on American Jewry, reporting that one in five Jews say they have “no religion,” one of the issues at play is the dearth of Jewish literacy, an area that Isaak-Shapiro, head of school at the Agnon School in Beachwood, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, felt a Jewish day school education can address. But he also felt day school is “not a silver bullet” to the literacy problem. “Camps, in-Israel programs, and nonformal youth movements can be profoundly influential,” he said. When asked about bullying in schools, a subject that has received national attention, Isaak-Shapiro thought that problem was far less frequent in Jewish day schools. “The culture doesn’t support such behavior,” he said. “We speak about how to be a mensch in the world.” In 2008, during the economic recession, Jewish day schools experienced a “declining enrollment,” said RAVSAK’s Kramer. In 2012, enrollment began to re-stabilize, and now many schools are growing, he said.

THE JEWISH STAR February 21, 2014 • 21 ADAR I 5774

Teens tackle global issues at YU model UN

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February 21, 2014 • 21 ADAR I 5774 THE JEWISH STAR

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‘Va’yakhel Moshe’: Creating one congregation R

av Shlomo said: If you love someone, never ignore him. When you love someone and ignore him, it means they don’t exist. And that really hurts.” “Va’yakhel Moshe et kol adat B’nei Yisrael, vayomer aleihem: Eileh ha’devarim asher tzivah Hashem la’asot otam.” (“And Moshe gathered together the Rabbi Binny entire congregation Freedman of Israel, and said to them: these are the things that G-d commanded us to do.”) Va’yakhel is an unusual word. Why does the Torah tell me that Moshe gathered the entire Jewish people together to tell them something? Why not just use the normal phrase va’yedaber Moshe -and Moshe spoke? Furthermore, Moshe refers to these words that Hashem (G-d) gave us. So what are these words that are so all important, that everything stops, and Moshe gathers together the entire Jewish people to hear? Six days shall labor be done, and on the seventh day, it will be for you holy, a Shabbat of rest for Hashem. Shabbat? Why are we discussing Shabbat again? We already received the mitzvah of Shabbat in the Ten Commandments just a few weeks (and two portions) ago. (Not to mention the verses exhorting us to celebrate Shabbat in last week’s portion as well.) Rashi (Exodus 35:1), points out that this gathering of the Jewish people occurs on the day after Yom Kippur. Jewish tradition teaches us that it was on Yom Kippur that we were given a second set of tablets, to replace the first set broken by Moshe in response to the Golden Calf. Perhaps we need to see this week’s portion against the backdrop of the sin of the Golden Calf, in the previous portion, Ki TisFROM THE HEART OF JERUSALEM

sah. Somehow, it seems, after the sin of the Golden Calf, the Jewish people needed to be gathered together, and they needed to hear, once again, about Shabbat. How is Shabbat the antidote for the sin of the Golden Calf? How, after such a horrible mistake, do you start over? What was the Golden Calf all about? Judaism teaches that the essence of everything is that Hashem is One. Indeed, Maimonides, in his Thirteen principles of faith, points out that it is inconceivable, from a Jewish perspective, for Hashem to be physical, because if something is physical it is by definition limited. It is here, and not there. But Hashem has no limits; He is everywhere. The minute I worship anything in this world that is physical, and finite, I am trying to limit G-d. Idolatry is all about trying to limit G-d. Perhaps it stems from people’s subconscious fear that if G-d is everywhere, then there is no room for me. Idolatry and paganism, the worship of nature, is wrapped up in the physical world. The ancient pagans worshipped the power of nature as well as its beauty, which is why the higher up in the natural order something was, the more it was to be worshipped. The Egyptians worshipped the animals they found to be life-giving and powerful, and the Nile River. The Greeks worshipped the human body. Ultimately, a physical experience is about self-gratification. We become a little too focused on ourselves, in the process forgetting everyone else, including G-d. And we make ourselves the goal, instead of recognizing that we are really here as vehicles to serve a higher purpose. What is the difference between a physical experience and a spiritual one? In a physical experience, if I give something away, then I don’t have it. But in a spiritual experience,

it is only when I give it away that I ever really have it. Idolatry in all its forms limits us. It allows us to live in the illusion that I am limited, and am my own separate island. The Kotzker Rebbe said: “If I am I because I am I, and you are you because you are you, then I am not I, and you are not you. But if I am I because you are you, and you are you because I am I, then I am truly I and you are truly you.” If each of us thinks that we can exist totally separate of the other, then we will never become all that we can be. The disease that the Golden Calf spread amongst the Jewish people was the idea that we can all exist separately and completely apart from anyone else. That is what lust is all about; the same lust for idolatry, or sex, or any physical experience, which is allowed to remain a purely physical experience. Love, you see, is all about giving. Lust, is all about taking. It is the epitome of self-focus, where I become the goal of all that I do. Taken in this context, it is very obvious that we have all sorts of idols today: money, power, self. In fact, anything can be an idol, when what is meant to be a means to a noble end, becomes the end or the goal. Sixty years ago, America’s policy of isolationism wasn’t just wrong because it was mistaken. It was wrong because it simply isn’t true. We are not and can never be separate islands in the world staying out of each other’s affairs. We are all parts of one world. So what then, is the solution to this notion that we can limit and separate ourselves from each other and from G-d? “And Moshe gathered together the entire congregation of Israel.” The message of this gathering was that we needed to re-discover the true meaning of Jewish unity. Kehillah represents the idea

Spiritually, it is only when I give something away that I ever really have it.

that we are a community, with, ultimately, the same purpose, and the same goals. This explains the connection to Shabbat. The theme of Shabbat is bringing G-d’s oneness into the world. In fact, the pinnacle of the Shabbat prayers occurs on Shabbat afternoon, at minchah, the last prayers of Shabbat. What is the essence of this prayer? “Atah Echad, ve’Shimcha Echad, U’Mi ke’Amcha Yisrael, Goy Echad Ba’ Aretz” (“You are One, we say to G-d, and Your Name is One, and our goal is to try to experience that one-ness in this world, and who is like Israel, the nation of One-ness”). If Hashem is truly one, and there is a little piece of Hashem (the image of G-d in which we are all created) inside each of us, then we must realize that we are all really one as well. We have the potential to bring to the world the beauty of One-ness. But that isn’t something you learn in a book. One-ness is something that has to be experienced. And Shabbat is meant to be that experience. That’s why, on Friday afternoon, we light Shabbat candles with two separate candles, but on Saturday night, at the end of Shabbat we light the havdallah candle, which is one flame. Because that is what Shabbat is all about, it is about making all the different flames into one great light. Incidentally, that is the connection to Yom Kippur being the day before this new beginning. The secret of Yom Kippur and the power of the day, is that there is no other day where more Jews are all together, in synagogues all over the world, all trying to tap into that Oneness. Such a day has enormous potential. Our enemies would love nothing more than for us to be separate Jews, in separate synagogues and political parties, worshipping our own little calves. This week’s portion teaches us that the real response was what Moshe did. May Hashem bless us with the strength and wisdom to become as we are meant to be: one entire congregation of Israel. Shabbat Shalom. Columnist@TheJewishStar.com

Parsha Va’yakhel: The model, dedicated women “

T

he washbasin and its stand were made of copper from the mirrors of the dedicated women who congregated at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (Shmot 28:8). There is much credit given to the women who donated their mirrors for the sake of the creation of the kiyor (washbasin). Who Rabbi Avi Billet were these women? Why were they so special to the point of their being enumerated in such a fashion? According to Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan’s wellresearched commentary, the word tzavu, translated above as “congregated,” can also be translated as “to worship,” “celebrated,” “exiled themselves,” or as those who worked as “craftswomen.” The Ibn Ezra, in his “Peirush Hakatzar,” brings another possibility, that the women who donated their mirrors “came regularly (tamid) to the place of the tent to pray, and they rejected all worldy desires. This is why they donated their mirrors! Because (generally) all that women do is beautify their facPARSHA OF THE WEEK

es.” These women broke that mold. Before we get all hung up on the Ibn Ezra’s sexism, let us recall first that he was writing in the 12th century. Additionally, he was certainly reflecting one of the Talmudic sentiments recorded in Taanit 31a about women’s purpose — all of which were purportedly stated by different women describing themselves to potential suitors. More importantly, we must focus on how Ibn Ezra is crediting these uniquely spiritual women who dedicated so much of their time to regularly (always?) pray, to the point that they had no need for their mirrors. Ramban adds that not only did they come to pray, but they wanted to hear all about the mitzvot — in other words, they came to learn Torah as well. Their donations were completely pure. The copper of their mirrors was particularly burnished, making it extremely high quality. This is why, Ramban claims, Moshe dedicated their copper for this specific vessel, meant to help the kohanim achieve purity. Ramban, however, suggests that they also had in mind the Sotah waters, which were gathered from this very same washbasin. It seems, that as much as some women

are devout and G-d-fearing, these same women are aware that the possibility of the Sotah, the adulteress woman, existed. They may have felt that the Sotah waters would always declare the innocence of the accused, but they surely understood that not only innocent people are accused of crimes. Every group of people, no matter how divided, has its share of stellar, wonderful, model citizens as well as its share of bad apples. There are people who are sincere, humble and dedicated, while some of the similarly dedicated people are arrogant egotists. There are groups of philanthropists who are magnanimous in their gifting and in their personalities. And there are those who gift and let the whole world know about it. There are men who are absolute givers, who donate their time, their experience, their advice, their money, their mentoring qualities to those who are lower on the totem pole, to those who need to pay their proverbial dues to climb the ladder. And there are those who look down upon any underling, treat them like trash and make them feel like

Are we G-d-fearing people, humble before G-d? Or are we insincere, focusing on mundane issues?

nobodies on account of their youth, inexperience, naiveté, etc. There are women who are sincere about their dedication to G-d and holiness. There are also women who prefer to make sure that they look not just good, but super amazing when they walk away from a mirror in front of which they’ve been looking for hours. Some care about their Torah knowledge and mitzvah observance. Some focus on their being up to date with the latest fashion trends in all manners of clothing, gear, and sheitels. Which were the ones whose donations were accepted? According to Ibn Ezra and Ramban, it was the former. And only the former. We can all learn from these dedicated women, in the times of the Israelites’ journey through the desert, as well as today, to maintain a proper focus on what is most important. No one is perfect. No one gets it right every time. But what drives us is the real question. Are we G-d-fearing people, humble before G-d? Or are we insincere people, focusing on mundane issues that only get in the way of our properly serving the Master of the World? The righteous women who donated their mirrors to make the Washbasin had pure clarity. May their example serve as a model for all men and women for how to serve G-d. Columnist@TheJewishStar.com

KOSHER BOOKWORM

Alan Jay Gerber

R

abbi Moshe Walter’s modest book of 231 pages, “The Making of a Halachic Decision, is subtitled, “A comprehensive analysis and guide to halachic rulings,� and indeed this is so. The use of the word “analysis� serves as the major motif of the methodology employed by Rabbi Walter to serve as the touchstone of what Jewish law is all about: analysis of the halachic

method. To better understand where Rabbi Walter is leading us to, we have to refer briey to his introduction: “The word halachah is used by our Sages, of blessed memory, and halachic authorities in many different contexts. The root of this word is halach, which means ‘to go.’ This helps us to understand the nature of halachah. Halachah is a process; just as one walks from point A to point B, so too, halachah is a process that begins at point A and ďŹ nishes at point B.â€? This book is a trip through logical legal sequences and descriptions of the various personalities and their works who have inhabited the Jewish legal landscape for most of Jewish history. The clear and lucid language employed by the author enables you, the reader

and student, to comprehend and thus best appreciate the genius of the Jewish legal system. This work is divided into three sections: part one focuses on the methodology utilized by halachic authorities; part two explains the laws of ruling on halachic queries; part three expounds on the guidelines set out by halachic authorities for proper use of these works. Rabbi Walter goes into great detail explaining how to use this work, which is both an introduction to the halachic process and a guide for veteran scholars who are already immersed in the study of Jewish law. Ever-present and valuable source materials and footnotes enable you to continue your studies in greater depth. Glossaries of both names and terms that appear in this work serve as another vital resource to further enhance the quality of your studies. Another resource is a detailed appendix that includes the following works in the original Hebrew, obviating the need to consult the original: The Rambam’s introduction to the Mishne Torah; Rabbeinu Yaakov’s introduction to the Tur Orach Chayim; Rav Yosef Karo’s introductions to both his Beit Yoseif and the Shulchan Aruch; Rav Moshe Isserle’s introduction to the Hagahos HaRama; The Vilna Gaon son’s introduction to the Biur HaGra; Rav Chayim Volozhin’s introduction to the

Biur HaGra; Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan’s introduction to the Mishnah Berurah. The last work referenced above, the Mishnah Berurah, the last major commentary on Jewish law, is given major treatment in this work. In my opinion, this is due not only to its legal value, but also to its great popularity among observant Jews today from all denominations, from both left to right. Dating from the beginning of the 20th century and making it just about the last major halachic work to be authored on the European continent before the Holocaust, this work deals exclusively with Orach Chayim, laws of practical use such as holiday observance both at home and at shul. The Chofetz Chayim was a very popular commentator among our people from that era, and his practical style of writing and teachings helps to explain the longevity of his work in both the original Hebrew and now going into a second English version/translation. No other poseik (Jewish legal decisor) enjoys this reputation and recognition and Rabbi Walter’s recognition of this is one of the strengths of this book. Here is just one take by Rabbi Walter on the legacy and halachic greatness of the

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Chofetz Chayim: “The Chofetz Chayim, who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, noted the lack of clarity and proper practice in all areas of Orech Chayim, which covers dayto-day halachos. He wrote his sefer in order to crystallize this section of the Shulchan Aruch for future generations, effectively ending the period of the acharonim. The sefer incorporates the many halachic opinions of all the commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch in the generations that preceded the Mishnah Berurah and is therefore considered a work that closes a time period, thus giving the Mishnah Berurah its status as the poseik acharon for Orach Chayim.� Today the popularity of the Mishnah Berurah can be seen in the “update� of that work by Dirshu to include current poskim, and the re-translation into English by the Ohr Olam Institute [ohr-olam.org] that includes extensive footnotes and halachic synopses as well as fully vocalized texts to the basic Shulchan Aruch, the Rama, the Mishnah Berurah, the Beiur Halachah, and the Sha’ar Tzion. Also, it should be noted that a Mishnah Berurah with a Sephardic component is in development, entitled “Mishnah Berurah Tiferet.� It is originated by Yaakov Rachimi, together now with Rabbi Gad Yazdi, who currently is seeing to the day to day progress of this historic work, making his religious heritage relevant to the mainstream and recognized within the context of the Jewish halachic decision making and observance process. All these help make Rabbi Walter’s work all the more relevant as a vital introduction to a newly revitalized study of Jewish law and ritual for our time. Columnist@TheJewishStar.com

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Rabbi Walter is visiting the Five Towns this Shabbat. See page 13 for locations. This Bookworm column is continued from last week.

THE JEWISH STAR February 21, 2014 • 21 ADAR I 5774

Rabbi Moshe Walter: ‘The Making of a Halachic Decision’

5

February 21, 2014 • 21 ADAR I 5774 THE JEWISH STAR

6

THE JEWISH

STAR

Independent and original reporting from the Orthodox communities of Long Island and New York City All opinions expressed are solely those of The Jewish Star’s editorial staff or contributing writers Published weekly by The Jewish Star LLC, 2 Endo Boulevard, Garden City, NY 11530 Phone: 516-622-7461 ■ Fax: 516-569-4942 News releases: Newsroom@TheJewishStar.com ■ Calendar listings: Calendar@TheJewishStar.com Letters for publication: Letters@TheJewishStar.com ■ Ads: Advertising@TheJewishStar.com Publisher Ed Weintrob Editor Malka Eisenberg Editorial Designers Stacey Simmons Matthew Stammel Photo Editor Christina Daly

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Responding to J Street’s challenge Since its founding in 2008, J Street, the liberal Jewish advocacy group, has expended a great deal of energy trying to convince American Jews that it is a credible and more ethical alternative to traditional pro-Israel organizations like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Ben Cohen, JNS J Street believes, not unreasonably, that there is a constituency for its work among American Jews who are generally supportive of Israel but queasy over certain of its policies, such as sustaining Jewish communities in the West Bank. For the foreseeable future, J Street will remain a part of American Jewry’s political landscape, a reality acknowledged in “The J Street Challenge,” a critical documentary film about the organization that has just been released by Americans for Peace and Tolerance, a Boston-based group run by the wellknown anti-slavery activist Charles Jacobs. The film asks what it means to be “proIsrael” (or, as Harvard Professor Ruth Wisse says in the film, “the Arab conflict with Israel”). And when you examine J Street’s record, it becomes very hard to dispute Professor Alan Dershowitz’s assertion that the organization, despite its much-vaunted tagline, is “neither pro-Israel nor pro-peace.” To begin with, there are J Street’s funders. As the film documents, ferocious critics of Israel like the hedge-fund billionaire George Soros and Genevieve Lynch, a board member of the pro-Iranian regime National IranianAmerican Council, have donated significant sums to the organization. And although it says it is opposed to the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel, J Street maintains close ties with those who advocate collaboration with the BDS movement in targeting West Bank settlements, like the writer Peter Beinart and the corporate lawyer Kathleen Peratis. This milieu is hardly conducive to J Street’s “proIsrael” self-image. Then there are J Street’s statements. As Dershowitz points out, you “rarely” hear J Street praising Israel. A far more familiar refrain consists of slamming Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as an obstacle to peace, VIEWPOINT

or opposing tougher sanctions on the Iranian regime—positions that don’t raise an eyebrow when articulated by anti-Israel groups, but which sound rather discordant coming from a group that claims to support Israel. In that regard, much of the J Street documentary studies why the organization’s analysis of Israel’s situation is wrong. Its emphasis on Israel’s land policies in the West Bank, its tin ear when it comes to Palestinian and Arab incitement, its embrace of a strategy that would result in the U.S. pushing Israel to make decisions contrary to its basic security interests—these moral and strategic errors are all familiar to anyone who has followed the debate about J Street’s contribution. More enlightening is the film’s examination of why J Street exercises such an attraction to a particular kind of American Jew. Many of the interviewees argue persuasively that affiliation with J Street is more of a lifestyle choice than a political statement, in that it allows liberal Jews to equate their identity with their fealty to the “progressive” values they see Israel as betraying. But is that how the J Streeters view it? Since no J Street representative appears in the film, it’s hard to say. According to the end credits, Jeremy Ben-Ami, J Street’s executive director, “declined” to be interviewed, leaving the producers to use existing footage of Ben-Ami speaking to other audiences. J Street told me that Ben-Ami was not interviewed because he was not available at the time the producers suggested. Either way, the absence of a direct interview with Ben-Ami, in which he answers the points raised by J Street’s critics, slightly blunts the film’s impact. The most heartening aspect of the film consists of young, pro-Israel activists eloquently expressing why they distrust J Street. Through their words, the viewer gets an insight into the courage and intelligence required to defend Israel on campus these days. Indeed, one of them, Samantha Mandeles, who currently works as campus coordinator for media watchdog Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA), is so impressive that I found myself wondering whether she’ll apply for the post-Abe Foxman national director’s job at the Anti-Defamation League—she certainly deserves serious consideration. In any case, seeing and hearing the next generation of genuinely pro-Israel Jewish leaders is reason enough to give “The J Street Challenge” an hour of your time.

J Street is neither pro-Israel nor propeace.

Happy Birthday Stimulus Bill: When does recovery begin? O

n Feb. 17, 2009, President Obama signed the $787 billion “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” (“the stimulus”) into law, declaring: “Today does not mark the end of our economic troubles, But it does mark the beginning of the end the beginning of what we need to do to create jobs for Americans Jeff Dunetz scrambling in the wake of layoffs; to provide relief for families worried they won’t be able to pay next month’s bills; and to set our economy on a firmer foundation.” Sadly that promise was never realized. When the stimulus was signed, Obama’s economic advisors predicted that the unemployment rate would be around five percent by the end of 2013. According to the Labor Department, the unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in December 2013, and 6.6 percent In January 2014. And that’s the good news. Since the stimulus bill was signed, the Labor Force Participation Rate has fallen to 63 percent, meaning many Americans are so frustrated at the lack of jobs, they stopped looking for work altogether. Today’s workforce participation levels haven’t been seen since the bad old days of the Jimmy Carter presidency 36 years ago. Despite the stimulus promise of shovelready jobs, construction employment declined by 524,000 workers. And all the wasted funds, for example: •$3 Million Turtles. “A report due to be released today by a Republican senator contends the Obama administration’s stimulus program is fraught with waste and incompetence — evidenced by a turtle crossing in northern Florida that will cost more than $3 million.” (LA Times) •$2.5 Million For Clinton Bridge. “A historic bridge at Bill Clinton’s presidential center in Little Rock is slated to get $2.5 million of federal stimulus money from Arkansas’s share of the funds. … Members of the Arkansas congressional delegation sought an $8 million legislative earmark for the bridge this year, without success. But after Congress authorized the $787 billion stimulus package in February, representatives of the William J. Clinton Foundation contacted Mr. Beebe’s office, according to Matt DeCample, the governor’s spokesman, and spoke with Mr. Beebe’s recovery director and ombudsman to suggest the bridge project receive funds from Arkansas’s share.” (WSJ) •More than a half billion dollars to Solyndra. In August 2011, Solyndra Announced It Would File For Bankruptcy And Laid Off Workers. “On the day it closed, Solyndra said it was laying off 1,100 full-time and temporary employees. But 1,861 workers lost their jobs as the solar panel manufacturer shut its doors, according to U.S. Labor Department documents provided to The Bay Citizen under the Freedom of Information Act… By the time it closed last August, Solyndra had an unsold inventory of more than 23 megawatts POLITICS TO GO

- enough solar panels to power about 23,000 homes.” (Bay Citizen) •In October 2012, Taxpayer-Backed A123 Systems, Filed For Bankruptcy. “A123 Systems Inc. (AONE), a maker of rechargeable lithiumion batteries for electric cars, filed for bankruptcy after failing to make a debt payment that was due yesterday. The company listed assets of $459.8 million and debt of $376 million as of Aug. 31 in Chapter 11 documents filed today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware. Chapter 11 is the section of the Bankruptcy Code used by companies to reorganize.” (Bloomberg) Cronyism didn’t help the stimulus either: •$3.9 Billion In Department Of Energy Stimulus Grants. “During the next three years, the department provided $2.4 billion in public funding to clean-energy companies in which Wagle’s former firm, Vantage Point Venture Partners, had invested, a Washington Post analysis found. Overall, the Post found that $3.9 billion in federal grants and financing flowed to 21 companies backed by firms with connections to five Obama administration staffers and advisers.” (Washington Post) Rasmussen reports only 29 percent of voting Americans believe the country is heading in the right direction. Though technically the recession ended before most of the stimulus was spent (June 2009), a Fox News poll reports that 74 percent of registered voters believe we are still in a recession. Five years after President Obama and the Democratic Party pushed through the stimulus plan without reading what was in it, all America really has to show for the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” are — a few turtle jokes, failed green projects, a mounting debt, and people leaving the workforce. Speaking of the debt, the actual cost was $830 billion. Since the money was spent in 2009 and George Bush was the president at the beginning of the 2009 fiscal year, that $830 billion got added to Bush’s debt. In other words, President Obama is a bigger spendthrift than for which he is given credit. Columnist@TheJewishStar.com

The ‘stimulus’ is a whole handful of nothing — a few turtle jokes, failed green projects, a mounting debt, and people leaving the workforce.

7

you have to contribute Jewishly, eat Jewishly, think Jewishly, part your hair Jewishly… Gosh I’m sick!” On another occasion, Sulzberger was horrified to see the AJC and other Jewish groups listed as affiliates of the United Jewish Appeal in an advertisement in the Times. “The only thing I miss is the Jewish Chiropractors’ Society,” he complained. “In other words, J E W is to be the common denominator for everything we do. G-d help us!” In his final years, Sulzberger’s anti-Zionism never eased. He resigned from one of the Reform synagogues to which he belonged after it introduced the singing of Hatikvah along with the Star-Spangled Banner. He apparently considered visiting Israel on one

occasion, but changed his mind after Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion made a speech that he disliked. Ironically, however, after Sulzberger passed away in 1961, his widow established a scholarship in his name at Hebrew University. It seems unlikely he would have approved. Dr. Rafael Medoff is director of The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, in Washington, D.C., and author of 15 books about Jewish history and the Holocaust. The latest is “FDR and the Holocaust: A Breach of Faith.” Arthur Hays Sulzberger, publisher of the New York Times from 1935-1961. David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies

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By Rafael Medoff, JNS.org The New York Times raised some eyebrows in the Jewish community over the weekend, with a lengthy feature about four self-described religious Jews who oppose Israel. The article appeared as the newspaper’s “Belifs” column in the print edition circulated on Shabbat. In an apparent attempt to legitimize Jewish anti-Zionism, the article stressed that Zionism “was not always the norm among American Jews” and that it was only “the persecution of European Jews [which] turned many American Jews into Zionists.” Interestingly, one of the most famous “religious Jews” who opposed Zionism did not change his mind even after the Holocaust. That was the Times’s own publisher from 1935 to 1961, Arthur Hays Sulzberger. Sulzberger was a devout adherent of classical Reform Judaism. In his view, Jewish identity should consist only of religious beliefs, not any sense of peoplehood, nationalism, or ethnic affiliation. He even rejected the existence of Jewish war veterans organizations on the grounds that they were examples of “Ghetto living.” As Prof. Laurel Leff explains in her critically acclaimed book, “Buried by The Times: The Holocaust and America’s Most Important Newspaper,” Sulzberger instructed Times editors to bury news of the Nazi genocide on the back pages, and to tone down or eliminate references to the fact that the victims were Jews. Sulzberger worried that if the Times reported what was happening to the Jews in Europe, someone might accuse it of being a “Jewish newspaper.” As news of the Nazi atrocities moved many formerly anti-Zionist Reform rabbis and leaders to recognize the need for a Jewish state, Sulzberger pushed back. He was one of the earliest and most enthusiastic supporters of the American Council for Judaism, a group created by a handful of Reform rabbis in 1942 to oppose Zionism. The Times gave frequent and generous coverage to the activities of the tiny Council. Even a visit to former Nazi concentration camps in 1945 did not alter Sulzberger’s antiZionist convictions. In a speech the following year, Sulzberger said that while he felt sorry for the Jewish survivors living in Displaced Persons camps in Europe, they were “but a minor percentage of the total of displaced persons” and therefore should not be receiving so much attention. The Times publisher even went so far as to claim that Zionism was to blame for some of the Jewish deaths in the Holocaust. He alleged, in that 1946 speech, that the refugee crisis during the war had been “a manageable, social and economic problem” until “the clamor for statehood introduced an insolvable political element” into the issue. “It is my judgment that thousands dead might now be alive” if “the Zionists” had put “less emphasis on statehood,” Sulzberger asserted. One of the Jewish anti-Zionists profiled in last week’s New York Times article described himself as a fan of the late Judah Magnes, who advocated a binational Arab-Jewish Palestine instead of a Jewish state. Sulzberger, too, thought highly of Magnes. In June 1946, Sulzberger tried to organize a dinner at Manhattan’s Hotel Pierre to raise funds for Magnes’s work. The Times publisher invited 23 of his associates. Only three accepted. The dinner was canceled. The increasingly isolated Sulzberger grew more and more frustrated. A pro-Zionist statement by the formerly anti-Zionist president of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) in early 1947 prompted Sulzberger to write to a friend, “Apparently if you are a Jew

THE JEWISH STAR February 21, 2014 • 21 ADAR I 5774

NYTimes article reprises past

February 21, 2014 • 21 ADAR I 5774 THE JEWISH STAR

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When he returned to the U.S., he participated in a boxing club while at Columbia University, joined the Marines and learned the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) and studied Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He left the Marines after 9/11 when he was asked if the U.S. would ďŹ ght against Israel would he join against Israel and said no. He then taught Mauy Thai, boxing and Kick Boxing, worked for seven years in ďŹ nancial services, then returned to teaching martial arts. His religious journey began at a Gateways Shabbaton while in college and grew when he visited the Chabad in San Diego, eventually becoming shomer Shabbat. He met his wife Yael, through a Jewish dating website; they currently live in Kew Gardens Hills with their three children. Even-Esh said “people are more apt to respondâ€? because of his life history and “speaks their language. I want the Jewish community to be stronger, physically more healthy and able to defend themselves. Mentally they are fairly strong, the physical component seems to be lacking.â€? He pointed out that some yeshivot don’t allow their students to study martial arts. Even Esh offers that he can teach it in the home and privately and keep it in the Torah framework. He began teaching it because “thank G-d we have enough doctors, lawyers, CPAs, even Nobel prize winners in the Jewish world. But Jews and especially frum Jews, who can teach self defense are a very rare breed. It’s an important skill.â€? He said that halacha obligates one to defend oneself from an attack. He noted that Krav Maga initially came out of a military need, with hand to hand combat as a last resort, that it is violent but has been toned down for civilian use, nothing like the original though there are similarities. He does not teach to hit, but assesses the boy and teaches skills through games, techniques that won’t hurt the attacker. He said that in the frum community physical activity is lacking in general and self-defense in particular. “It’s not just a skill but renewal for Jewish life. If you sit all day, you can expect to be a good husband and father, but need some sort of break. Physical activity is critical to live longer and do mitzvoth.â€?

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Woodmere, at Camp Mogen Avraham, bungalow colonies, hotel programs and in private lessons. “Everyone learns differently and has a different personal history,â€? he said. “I try to teach exactly where the student wants or needs to go. Sometimes a person just wants to get in shape. Sometimes a person was bullied or mugged or even sexually assaulted. I teach ďŹ rst whatever is most relevant to a student. I tend to shun curriculum and traditional teaching pathways. Many relevant black belt techniques can be taught on day one, depending on the natural temperament and capabilities of the student.â€? “A student who is being bullied may be attacked with ‘situation A’ one week and ‘situation B’ the next. I deconstruct those situations and show how to solve each instance.â€? He teaches techniques ‘relevant to their situationâ€? then “big primary motor skills followed by the smaller details and reinforced with repetition.â€? He said that, “a working knowledge can be taught in one classâ€? but stressed that it is not “mastery. This is a working knowledge of very simple and effective techniques.â€? Crucial to his teaching is his integration of martial arts with Torah and midot. “First and foremost, I try to be an example. I try to show that a frum person can be cool, understanding and very physically competent. Midot are often times best taught by example. I also never give primacy to martial arts. Martial arts are at best a secondary or tertiary addendum to a Torah observant life. It is a way to enhance ones appreciation of Torah. To recharge one’s spiritual batteries by engaging in a healthy physical outlet.â€? He said that he tries to merge spirituality of Judaism and the physicality of martial arts. Martial arts without Judaism is empty as is everything else in the world, he said. Even-Esh was born in Haifa, his parents are Israeli, and they came to the U.S. when he was three. He studied Shukoki Karate in high school. After a year of college, he went in search of “meaningâ€? in his life and returned to Israel and joined the army. He served in Duvdevan and Oketz and learned Krav Maga in the LOTAR base in Mitkan Adam.

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Continued from page 1

THE JEWISH STAR February 21, 2014 • 21 ADAR I 5774

Fusing Torah, martial arts

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree W

hen I met my husband Jerry, I knew a lot of his good friends from years back, but every now and then he would say, “Look, there’s a close friend of mine.� Then, usually, he would have a conversation with the guy, and not introduce me. He would, though, always profusely WHO’S IN THE apologize afterwards, KITCHEN for not introducing me, as he forgot his friend’s name. “You’re really good friends with the guy and you don’t know his name?� Weird, I thought. Then there were the times I would ask if he knew someone and he would say, “No, doesn’t ring a bell.� A few weeks later I would be with Jerry Judy Joszef when I would bump into that same person and Jerry would give the guy a bear hug. “You know him?� I would ask. “Know him? I love the guy, we go way back, “Jerry would say. “Really, because that’s the guy you said you didn’t know a few weeks ago.� Jerry on the other hand, never called me any name other than Judy and sweetie. I, though, unfortunately called him David (my ex husband’s name) pretty often. The crazy thing was, that I didn’t even realize I was doing it. First time I did it he laughed and said, “Did I do something wrong?� After a while he didn’t even mention it. He was a good sport. And as bad as he was with names, he never once called me his ex wife’s name (who by the way I happen to really like and get along with).

In all fairness to Jerry, when speaking to my ex husband, I very often call him Jerry. I was once out with my good friends, Lynn, Lisa, Henny and Fay, when I was telling them that my mother-in-law was coming for Shabbos. They looked at me like I was crazy and said, “She is ??â€? “Yesâ€? I replied, “she comes every other Shabbos.â€? They said, “She comes every other Shabbos?!? “Yes, and she cooks a ton of stuff and always brings it along,â€? I added. “She whatâ€?? they said in unison. “She comes to you and cooks as well—that’s so strange.â€? “What’s so strange, she’s my mother in law, I don’t understand why you’re all so aghast,â€? I stammered. “Judy, you said David’s mother, not Jerry’s mother,â€? they replied in unison. That is when I started to worry about my memory. I never realized that I was even doing it. I would call my neighbor by her husband’s ex wife’s name and do the same with my current sister-in-law. Most people would say that because I speak very quickly and tend to be doing lots of things at the same time I would just get confused. Jerry agreed. I must say Jerry was a really good sport. Seemed like I wasn’t the only one who confused the names. Once we were married we got mail addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Pollack, Mr. and Mrs. Judy Pollack and my favorites: Mr. and Mrs. Joszef Pollack and Mr. Jerry Pollack. Last week, when news broke that YU was ďŹ ring their long time devoted coach, Johnny Halpert, Jerry wrote a heartfelt response to a group email that the coach sent out. I was asked by a friend of mine if Jerry could be quoted. Jerry agreed. A few days later Jerry got an email from his friend Michael Rosenbloom, containing the article in which he was quoted, along with a note that read, “Didn’t realize you changed your name Jerry.

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Sure enough, Jerry was quoted as Jerry Pollack. The email became an instant classic as Jerry appeared to now have a maiden name. Rabbi Billet who was included in the email said “Jerry, we can see who wears the pants in your family.â€? Even my ex shared a laugh with Jerry when Jerry relayed the story to him. I guess I owe my mom an apology as well. Sometimes she would call me by my sister’s name, then my brother’s name and ďŹ nally my name. I used to say, “Mom, you only have three kids, how hard is it to remember each one of our names?â€? Now my daughter tells me that I call her Jerry most of the time. Guess the apple doesn’t fall from the tree. This week’s recipe‌

3 tablespoons all-purpose our 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 8 Granny Smith apples 6 8 ounce ramekins Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F •Peel, core and slice the apples thinly. •Dust ramekins with our. •Place the apples almost all the way up to the top of the ramekins. •In a saucepan over a medium ame, melt butter and add our to make a paste. •Mix in white and brown sugar and water, and boil. •Reduce the ame and let the mixture simmer, making sure it does not stick to the bottom. •Pour the butter and our mixture over the apples. •Slightly roll out the piecrusts and cut circles so that they ďŹ t over the top of the apple mixture and tucked into the ramekin. •Using a knife make small slits on the upper crust. •Brush the top with butter. •Place the ramekins in the oven to bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F. •Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees F and bake for another 20-30 minutes. •Top crust should be puffed and should reach the top of the ramekin. •Remove from oven and let cool. •I like to add a small scoop of ice cream or parve ice cream on top, sprinkle with candied pecan pieces (which can be purchased) and then dust with confectioner’s sugar for a ďŹ nishing touch. I’ve served it as is out of the oven as well. Either way is a treat to the taste buds. Enjoy.

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February 21, 2014 • 21 ADAR I 5774 THE JEWISH STAR

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11 THE JEWISH STAR February 21, 2014 • 21 ADAR I 5774

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12

Jewish Star Calendar •Send events to Calendar@TheJewishStar.com •Events MUST include a contact number or email •Deadline is Thursday 5 pm, 8 days before cover date. 7+856'$< )(% /81&+ /($51 with Rabbi Shalom Axelrod of YI Woodmere. Traditions Restaurant, 302 Central Ave., Lawrence. 12:30-1:30 pm. $12 lunch. Alan Stern 516-398-3094. %$.( 6$/( to beneďŹ t i-Shine’s Children. 4 to 9 pm, home of Bonnie and Heshie Schertz, 88 Margaret Ave., Lawrence. (Baked goods can be dropped off and purchases at any time during these hours, also see Wednesday, Feb. 19.) For info call Any Lauber, 917-763-1109, alauber@ishinechai.org

6$785'$< )(% ,') +(52 Aharon Karov speaks during 9 am Shacharit service. White Shul Kenneseth Israel, 728 Empire Ave., Far Rockaway. Also, Motsai Shabbat Karov will speak at 8:30 pm at the Young Israel of Woodmere, 859 Peninsula Blvd. 516-295-0950.

021'$< )(% %(5($9(0(17 *5283 Coping with loss of a spouse? Join JCC support group for guidance, information and friendship. 1:15 to 2:15 pm, 207 Grove Ave., Cedarhurst.

78(6'$< )(% +20( $&&(6625< '(6,*1 with Ofra Levin. Create a beautiful, one-of-a-kind beaded tabletop accessory for yourself or for a gift in a relaxed and enjoyable setting with an accomplished jewelry designer. 7 to 9 pm. JCC of Greater Five Towns, 207 Grove Ave., Cedarhurst. 516-569-6733 x222.

:('1(6'$< )(% ,65$(/, '$1&( Learn with Danny Uziel and be comfortable dancing with the very best. Intermediate to advanced levels. Every Wednesday, 10 am to noon. $10. JCC of Greater Five Towns, 207 Grove Ave., Cedarhurst. 516-569-6733 x222. 68&&(66)8/ ,17(59,(:,1* This workshop provides a step-by-step guide to navigating the interview process, from researching the company before you arrive to writing a stand-out thank you note once you leave. 11 am to 1 pm. Sid Jacobson JCC, 300 Forest Dr., East Hills. 516-484-1545 x212. 6$1'< 5(&29(5< )$,5 NY Rising event for residents and businesses to meet with representatives of various agencies working to further recovery from the storm and its aftermath. 5 to 9 pm. Meet with NY Risingapproved contractors and architects. Lindel School, 601 Lindell Boulevard, Long Beach. Contact Michael Raab, 516-572-1395. 0< )$925,7( 6()(5 series presents the Malbim on Tanach, with Mrs. Leah Feinberg Talmud department chair at SKA. Fourth of ďŹ ve shiurim by outstanding educators from our local yeshivot. 8:15 to 9:15 pm, Young Israel of Woodmere, 859 Peninsula Blvd., Woodmere. 516-295-0950.

7+856'$< )(% @<8 -2% )$,5 6 to 9 pm, Yeshiva University Wilf Campus, 500 W. 185 St., Manhattan. 212-960-5292

6$785'$< 0$5&+ 1257+ :22'0(5( 6+$%%$7 A community-wide event dedicated to the North Woodmere Chevra Kaddisha, hosting Rabbi Elchanan Zohn, head of the Queens Chevra Kaddisha and one of the world’s top authorities on halakhic and practical issues related to the work of the chevra kaddisha. Rabbi Zohn

HALB’s 59th dinner March 8 in Woodmere The Hebrew Academy of Long Beach concludes its 59th dinner campaign on March 8, with a motzi Shabbat gala on HALB’s Woodmere campus. Freda and Scott Englander of Woodmere (left), with three children in the elementary school (and a fourth, 20 months old, a future enrollee), will receive the Rabbi Dr. will be speaking numerous times over the course of the Shabbos at a number of shuls, and there will be a joint Seudah Shelishis at the Young Israel of North Woodmere, where BKNW’s Chevra Mishnayos will also be holding its siyyum on Seder Kodshim. Those who are interested in learning toward that siyyum are encouraged to contact Joseph Etra at bknwmishnayos@gmail.com. For more information and sponsorships contact Eli Dworetsky at tiredcpa@aol.com. $,6+ .2'(6+ 0(/$9( 0$/.$+ 21st annual event honors Yocheved and Yehuda Daphna. Melaveh Malkah, 8:30 pm. Congregation Kneseth Israel, 728 Empire Ave., Far Rockaway. aishkodesh

78(6'$< 0$5&+ :20(1 $1' -(:,6+ +2/,'$<6 with Michal Horowitz. Gain special insights through fascinating facts and beautiful stories. Today’s session, covering Purim, is ďŹ rst of a series. $15 ($15, or $50 for four classes). 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. JCC of the Greater Five Towns, 207 Grove Ave., Cedarhurst. 516569-6733 x222. &$5(*,9(56 6833257 *5283 Meets ďŹ rst Tuesday of every month, or people who are caring for an elderly loved one and who may ďŹ nd yourself trying to meet the demands of work, family and care-giving, all at the same time; meeting everyone else’s needs but your own. Share your experiences with others. JCC of Greater Five Towns, side door, 207 Grove Ave., Cedarhurst. Judy Goldberg, LCSW, 516-569-6733 x224 or judy. goldberg@ďŹ vetownsjcc.org.

:('1(6'$< 0$5&+ ,65$(/, '$1&( Learn with Danny Uziel and be comfortable dancing with the very best. Intermediate to advanced levels. Every Wednesday, 10 am to noon. $10. JCC of Greater Five Towns, 207 Grove Ave., Cedarhurst. 516-569-6733 x222.

Armin H. Friedman Young Leadership Award, named in honor of HALB’s dean emeritus and founding principal. Esther and Baruch Weinstein of Cedarhurst (right), with four HALB graduates and a ďŹ fth slated to graduate DRS in 2017, will be the Guests of Honor. For information and reservations, call 516-791-8200 ext 107.

0< )$925,7( 6()(5 series presents Mesilas Yesharim by Rav Moshe Chaim Luzatto, with Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe, menahel of Mesivta Ateres Yaakov. Fifth of ďŹ ve shiurim by outstanding educators from our local yeshivot. 8:15 to 9:15 pm, Young Israel of Woodmere, 859 Peninsula Blvd., Woodmere. 516-295-0950.

7+856'$< 0$5&+ 6$1'< 5(&29(5< )$,5 NY Rising event for residents and businesses to meet with representatives of various agencies working to further recovery from the storm and its aftermath. 4 to 8 pm. Meet with NY Risingapproved contractors and architechts. Lawrence HS, 2 Reilly Rd, Cedarhurst. For info contact Michael Raab, 516-572-1395.

681'$< 0$5&+ %/22' '5,9( ualWith the 15th snowstorm of the 2013-2014 winter season pummeling New York-area blood supplies, New York Blood Center is urgently asking donors to roll up their sleeves to replenish our community blood and platelet supply. 8:30 am - 2:30 pm. Congregation Eitz Chaim, 661 Dogwood Avenue, West Hempstead. Pamglassman@aol. com or call 516.238.1849. 0(*,//$+ 2877$.(6¡ Annual Zayin Adar Breakfast. Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz tells “the rest of the story.â€? 9 am. Free. Beis Haknesses of North Woodmere and DRS Faculty, XXX ADDRESS XXX, 000-000-0000. 1,*+7 2) :,1(6 6&27&+(6 Featuring wines by Royal Wine, Happy Hearts, C&R International, River and Allied Importers; Scotches by Tomintoul & Glengoyne, Balvenie & GlenďŹ ddich, Glenrothes & Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, Ardbeg, Oban, Lagavulin, Cardhu, and Johnny Walker. 7:30 to 10:30 pm. $18 single, $25 couple (includes $10 off purchase of $20 or more). 21+. Young Israel of Long Beach, 120 Long Beach Blvd, Long Beach, NY 11561 (516) 431-2404.

Âś7+( *5($7 ',&7$725¡ Screening and discussion of the Charlie Chaplin 1940 ďŹ lm that mocked Hitler. It was Chaplin’s ďŹ rst talking picture and the highest-grossing of his career, but created much difďŹ culty for him and eventually led to his long exile from the United States, albeit indirectly. The ďŹ lm will be shown in its entirety and the discussion afterwards be facilitated by Dylan Skolnick, co-director Cinema Arts Centre in. Light refreshments. 12:30 pm. $10, $5 students and seniors. Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center, 100 Crescent Beach Rd., Glen Cove, 516-571-8040. 516-571-8040 x100. $/,<$+ )$,5 12 to 5:15 pm, Crowne Plaza Times Square, 1605 Broadway, Manhattan. 866-4-ALIYAH

78(6'$< 0$5&+ 63$ )25 %2'< $1' 628/ Each of us have an inner connection with G-d: Can we ďŹ nd it? Arbonne international consultant Mrs. Mushky Sandhaus will treat participates to “an ultimate facialâ€? and share some tips for a naturally wholesome makeup experience. 7:30 pm. $18. Chabad of Roslyn, 75 Powerhouse Rd, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 RSVP to Chabad at 516-484-3500 or Chaya at 845-642-7401. Arbonne products available for sale but no obligation to buy.

:('1(6'$< 0$5&+ ,65$(/, '$1&( Learn with Danny Uziel and be comfortable dancing with the very best. Intermediate to advanced levels. Every Wednesday, 10 am to noon. $10. JCC of Greater Five Towns, 207 Grove Ave., Cedarhurst. 516-569-6733 x222.

7+856'$< 0$5&+ /81&+ /($51 with Rabbi Shalom Axelrod of YI Woodmere.Traditions Restaurant, 302 Central Ave., Lawrence. 12:30-1:30 pm. $12 lunch. Alan Stern 516-398-3094.

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before World War II began,” James Pontuso, author of the book “Political Philosophy Comes to Rick’s: Casablanca and American Civic Culture,” tells JNS.org. “This was a warning to Americans about what was happening. America was an isolationist country. We didn’t want to get involved in Europe, especially after World War I. In October 1941, in response to the Nazi invasion of France, the U.S. House of Representatives came within one vote of disbanding the U.S. army. That was our response to World War II. Burnett was warning people. He was saying, ‘Look, you Americans need to get ready. This guy (Hitler) is after you too.’” According to Hollywood journalist and film historian Aljean Harmetz, Burnett as a 27-yearold English teacher at a New York vocational high school went to German-occupied Vienna in the summer of 1938 to help Jewish relatives smuggle out money. He returned to the United States with the idea for an anti-Nazi play in which an embittered saloonkeeper helps a crusading Czech newspaper editor escape from Casablanca, Morocco, with the woman the saloonkeeper loves. When Burnett could not find a Broadway producer for ”Everybody Comes to Rick’s,” which he co-wrote with Joan Alison, “the play was sold to Warner Brothers for $20,000 and the title was changed to ‘Casablanca,’” Harmetz wrote in the New York Times. Starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, “Casablanca” won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1943, and Curtiz won the Oscar for best director. “Casablanca was meant to be a warning, but it also ended up being a film that captured the American character,” Pontuso told JNS. “It was saying America has to be responsible for what is going on in the world, and we didn’t want to do that.” “We were above European politics,” he said. “Take Bogart’s Rick character. At the beginning he is self-centered and then at the end he is an idealist. If you threaten natural rights, if you threaten my ability to live as I want, you better be careful of Americans, like Rick at the end.” In the movie industry’s early days, major cor-

CAHAL

Announcing three Shiurim by Rabbi Moshe Walter Weekend of February 22/23—the entire 5 Towns and Far Rockaway community is invited The Propriety of Asking & Providing a Second Halachic Opinion YI Lawrence Cedarhurst 8 Spruce St., Cedarhurst Shabbos Feb. 22nd, 9:15-9:45am (after 7:30 Shachris Minyan)

An Analysis of ©© (creating factions) in Halacha & Shmiras Ha’Mitzvos Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi (The Red Shul) 391 Oakland Ave., Cedarhurst Shabbos Feb. 22nd, 4:30-5:15pm

The Role of the Rov & Importance of The Shoel in Psak Halacha Cong. Knesset Israel (The White Shul) 728 Empire Ave., Far Rockaway Sunday Feb. 23rd, 8:15-9:00pm Rabbi Walter is the Rav of Woodside Synagogue Ahavas Torah in Silver Spring, MD and the director of the Vaad HaRabbanim of Greater Washington. He is the author of the recently published book, The Making of a Halachic Decision and has published articles in Hakira and the Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society. Rabbi Walter is the founder and editor of the Halachah Bulletin of the Vaad HaRabbanim of Greater Washington.

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13 THE JEWISH STAR February 21, 2014 • 21 ADAR I 5774

Casablanca

porations “didn’t want to get involved,” but Jews “had visions that this film thing was going to be huge,” according to broadcast pioneer Eliot Stein. “They got involved in the business and creative ends, and it has stayed that way. There is a strong Jewish influence and agenda in ‘Casablanca.’” One of the driving forces behind “Casablanca,” Stein added, was its producer, Hal Wallis. Born in 1898 in Chicago to Eva and Jacob Walinsky, Eastern European Jews who changed their surname. “Hal Wallis’s work was influenced by his Jewish background. He went through anti-Semitism in his life and discrimination. He had a driving desire that this film was going to be made and be great,” Stein says. One author claims that even the leading lady in “Casablanca,” Ingrid Bergman, may have had Jewish family ties. According to Charlotte Chandler, author of “Ingrid: Ingrid Bergman, A Personal Biography,” after her father’s death, Ingrid was sent to live with an aunt, who died of heart disease only six months later. “She then moved in with her Aunt Hulda and Uncle Otto, who had five children,” Chandler writes. “Another aunt she visited, Elsa Adler, first told Ingrid, when she was 11, that her mother may have ‘some Jewish blood’.” The ending of “Casablanca”—when Bogart urges Bergman to get on the plane—continues to be a subject of debate. Most critics agree that the ending implies what course should be taken in the difficult times that were coming. Stein says the producers wanted audiences to walk away believing that there is a greater cause than personal satisfaction. What accounts for the continuing popularity of “Casablanca?” “It captures the American character in many ways,” Pontuso tells JNS.org. “We don’t like being a world power. But who else is going to do it? Because of Hitler we had to take on world responsibilities. We do it, but only because we have to. It’s the greatest American film. It shows we’re willing to fight for the right reasons.” Stein says that while viewers enjoy the romance of “Casablanca,” standing up against evil—of the past or present—remains an important message conveyed by the film. “They wanted audiences to feel that we must pull together to defeat evil, meaning the Nazis,” Stein says. “It’s an inspiring movie.

Jewish son of Nazi....

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Dr. Bernd Wollschlaeger (Dov Ben Avraham)

appalled by my father’s behavior, his callousness, coldness, his criminal behavior.â€? Bernd’s approach to Judaism aggravated the conict he had with his father who said to him, “if you become one of them you are not one of us.â€? “I didn’t become a Jew because of him but because of me,â€? explained Bernd. He went from “interested bystanderâ€? to “supporter to attracted to Judaism to a group feeling.â€? He said that he felt comfortable, part of the family. “I felt so connected that I wanted to cross the line.â€? He said that initially his interest was from guilt and shame. He wanted to know “what makes those people so different that my father was ready to kill them and did kill them.â€? He wanted to understand the world of Judaism. It seemed logical, he observed their culture, their language, their cohesiveness, their ethnicity, they come from all over the world and yet are together as a group, and survived over so many millennia, “I felt myself sliding in.â€? He said that for a young man, for the question of who and what is G-d, they had an answer. “My religion was strange and cold. This was dynamic and applied religion in daily life; it was much more pragmatic than the religion I came from.â€? He separated from his people and culture and found himself in “no man’s land. It was frightening,â€? he recalled. “I wanted to belong. I felt more welcome and accepted in the Jewish faith; I didn’t want to dwell in no man’s land.â€? “I had to give up a lot to be the man I wanted to be.â€? He sees himself as a Jew, as an Israeli, as a man who lives according to “moral and ethical standards so my children can see me as someone to look up to, as someone who accomplished, a proud father of Jewish children and I don’t have to be ashamed of what I did and don’t ever regret what I didn’t do.â€? He moved to Florida when his wife wanted to return to the U.S. during the ďŹ rst Gulf War since her mother lived in Florida. He had to retrain and redo his residency. He and his ďŹ rst wife divorced but he has since remarried and they remain friendly and raised their three children together. The oldest son is in law school, the middle daughter ďŹ nishing college and the youngest daughter in junior high. He sees himself as an Israeli afďŹ liated with the Sephardic culture, seeking out Sephardi minyanim and maintains a connection with Israel in medical affairs, hoping to eventually work part of each year there. Bernd stresses his belief that “individuals can change the world, and by making choices can create a better life. Bad experiences can make you a better person. I am a perpetual optimist, believing that individuals can make a difference.â€? His son “in a weird way considers (his past) a badge of honor, exotic, cool and very proudâ€? of Bernd’s past “deďŹ nitely not ashamed of it.â€? Bernd chose to “live the life of a Jew, chose to live it for his life, his heart and his mind.â€?

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Continued from page 1 ida, was educated in Germany and Israel and completed his residency training in Miami. Bernd was born in 1958, in Bamberg, the second child and only son of a German mother who was a refugee from the Sudetenland as a result of World War II and a Nazi tank commander, who had fought for the Nazis throughout the war and personally received the Iron Cross from Adolf Hitler. His father reverently called Hitler his Furhrer and felt that their cause was just, never admitting to or seeing the evil that had been done, especially to the Jews during the war. Bernd grew up learning the history of Germany but was aware of a gap in that history, where the most recent events were not discussed. He had glimpsed a six-pointed star on the door of a building when he was a young boy and his mother, a religious Catholic, silenced his questions. But the ďŹ rst crack in his seemingly uniďŹ ed world came at age 14 during the Munich Olympics of 1972. Again he saw the star as the Israeli athletes triumphantly paraded with their ag on the family TV and a cold silence descended on his parents and their invited friends as they watched. The crack opened to a ďŹ ssure when the Israelis were later slaughtered by Arab terrorists amid the horriďŹ c mishandling of the attack by the German authorities. His teachers decried a repeat of Jewish deaths on German soil and his father not only denied the history of German atrocities against the Jews during WWII but blamed the victims. Bernd began to study about the Jews and the war. A Jesuit priest introduced him to some visiting Israelis, one of whom invited him to visit her in Israel. He scraped together some money, got a passport and hitchhiked to Italy and crossed to Haifa via ferry. Once there, the girl’s family welcomed him. Her father showed him the number on his arm from Auschwitz explaining where he learned to speak German and took him to Yad Vashem. Back in Bamberg, Bernd apprenticed himself as a Shabbos goy to the Jewish community there for ďŹ ve years and endeared himself to one silent member, Aharon. When Aharon died, Bernd was asked to participate in the Chevra Kadisha and to join in the reciting of Kadish at Aharon’s grave. Initially demurring that he was not a Jew, the group insisted that he was one of them. He then realized that he wanted to be one of them and embarked on a conversion process, learning with a rabbi in Frankfurt for two years and ultimately having a brit and submerging in a mikveh. He was brought before a Jewish court and was ofďŹ cially converted. He went back to say goodbye to the Jews of Bamberg who convinced him to say goodbye to his parents, from whom he was already estranged. His mother cried and his father refused to see him. Bernd had already ďŹ nished his medical training, made aliyah and was drafted into the medical corps of the IDF as an ofďŹ cer. It was then that he determined to keep his identity as the son of a Nazi a secret. He went to Israel as a Jew intent on leaving his old life behind and to forge a new life. Once his secret was out, after he had married and had children, at the urging of his son’s principal, he began to speak about his past in an effort to purge the anguish and reconcile the contrasts of his life. He has written books and participated in the movie that was screened at the YIW. He found a sense of belonging to a people and their beliefs in his connection with Judaism. In a phone interview a few days after his talk, Wollschlager described his tipping point, pointing out that the Jews he approached to learn about Judaism tried very hard to turn him away, to convince him not to become a Jew. He said that it was not a form of rebellion against his father, since that rebellion came ďŹ rst. “I was

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