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Pesach • March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778 • Torah columns pages 24–25 • Luach page 24 • Vol 17, No 14

These Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway girls are set for their families’ Seders this Friday and Saturday nights — but they will certainly have questions! The talmidot from the classes of Morahs

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Suri Galler and Orly BarZvi are (from left): Emily Reich, Samantha Strenger, Mia Shilian, Heather Schwartz, Kaylee Cohen, Shir Dana, and Olivia Berkowitz. See Pesach food (pages 18–21) and Torah (pages 24–25).

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The Jewish Star will not publish during Pesach. Look for our next issue, b’ezrat Hashem, on Wednesday, April 11. We wish everyone a Chag Kasher V’Sameach!

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Where to bring, and burn, your chametz It’s time to burn the chametz! And in the Five Towns, it’s both easy and safe. Here’s the plan from Sanitation District 1: •Trash may be left at the cub in a securely tied bag (not in a can!) for pickup on Friday. •To request a last-minute pickup, call from 7 am to noon on erev Pesach only: 516-239-5600. Sanitation trucks also will be at the following drop-off locations to accept your remaining chametz, from 7 am to noon: •Cedarhurst and Lawrence LIRR stations •YI of Woodmere, 859 Peninsulana Blvd.

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By Shiryn Solny, JNS As many as 500 evangelical Christians and Jews from around the world gathered on Sunday night at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. for a one-of-a-kind event celebrating Israel’s upcoming 70th anniversary, as well as the unity of Christians and Jews supporting the Jewish state. Hosted by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, the gala raised $1.67 million that will be put towards two causes: a new educational campaign for the next generation of Christians and Jews to help deepen their bonds with Israel and the Jewish people; and helping elderly Holocaust survivors living in poverty by providing them with food, medi-

cine, heating fuel and personal visits they desperately need in their final years. “It’s a great honor to have everybody at Mar-a-Lago, a special place for a special group of people,” Trump told the gathering in a video message recorded shortly before the event. Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon received the Fellowship’s Defender of Israel Award. He said his late father taught him about “standing strong” in support of Israel. “Nowhere have I felt the importance of my father’s words more than at the U.N.,” he said. “But let me tell you … we are bringing a new future for Israel at the U.N. A new era where Israel wins.”

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TASTE THE FREEDOM On Passover, we open our table to all and are reminded of those still enslaved by modern-day afflictions. And every day, we work to create a community where no one goes hungry or is left out. This year, more than ever, we’re committed to supporting people who are struggling with poverty, illness, isolation, and challenges they can’t bear alone. Because we can’t fully savor freedom until all are free. Join us.

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2 arrested for Paris murder of Shoah survivor has not been discounted as police investigate Combined Sources A Paris rally was set for Wednesday in memo- further.” “The barbarity of this murder sends us back ry of Mireille Knoll, an 85-year-old Jewish Shoah surivor who was brutally murdered in her apart- to that of Sarah Halimi just one year ago,” said ment. Two men, one of them a neighbor, were Francis Kalifat, president of Crif. He urged “the fullest transparency” by the auarrested. thorities investigating the killing, As a child in 1942, Knoll had “so that the motive of this barbamanaged to evade the Velodrome rous crime is known as quickly as d’Hiver roundup of Jews by French possible.” police for their deportation to Nazi Joel Mergui, president of the death camps. French Foreign Minister JeanJewish Consistory, said he doesn’t Yves Le Drian said on Monday in want “to allow to reproduce the Israel, where he was on an official silence that followed the assassivisit, that France needs to “continnation of Sarah Halimi a year ago ue fighting against anti-Semitism.” in the same district.” He said he learned of the murHalimi, a 66-year-old Jewish der as he concluded a visit to Yad teacher and physician, was slaim Mireille Knoll Vashem. by a Muslim neighbor. Knoll, who lived alone, was found after her apartment was set ablaze, police said. An autopsy showed her charred body had at least 11 stab wounds. A granddaughter of Knoll, Noa Goldfarb, wrote on Facebook that the arrested neighbor was a 35-year-old Muslim whom the murdered woman had known since he was a child. “Twenty years ago, I left Paris knowing that neither my future nor that of the Jewish People is to be found there,” wrote Goldfarb, who lives An aide to Brooklyn’s longtime Republican in Herzliya, Israel. “But who would’ve thought state senator, Marty Golden, compared a Parkthat I was leaving my relatives where terror- land, Florida, high school student protesting ism and cruelty would lead to such a tragedy. against gun violence to Adolf Hitler. Grandmother was stabbed to death 11 times by a Anthony Testaverde posted to Facebook phoMuslim neighbor she knew well, who made sure tos of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to set fire to her home and left us not even one student activist David Hogg juxtaposed with object, a letter, a photograph, to remember her photos of Hitler. One set of photos shows Hogg by. All we have are our tears and each other.” raising his right arm in the air and pumping his The Paris prosecutor said, “We do not dis- fist alongside a photo of Hitler raising his right miss any hypothesis. A preliminary examination hand in the Nazi leader’s ubiquitous salute. In of the elements of the crime does not reveal an a second set, Hogg is wearing a black mourning anti-Semitic characteristic, but this possibility band on his upper arm and is next to a photo of

Hitler with a swastika armband. A caption reads: “I knew something was off about this kid.” The images and an accompanying threat have since been removed from Facebook, but can be found in screen grabs on some websites. Testaverde also shared a post that read, “The Democrats are doing exactly what Hitler did … he used the Youth to disarm and control the People. This is scary!” Golden in a statement called the Facebook posts “as wrong and offensive as they are misguided,” and said they had been deleted at his direction. He did not comment further on the future employment of Testaverde. A Jewish Democrat running against Golden, Ross Barkan, called on him to fire his aide. —JTA

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Students and alumni at a Quaker-run private school in Manhattan are rallying around a teacher who was let go after making a joking Nazi salute in his 11th grade mathematics classroom. Ben Frisch, a teacher at Friends Seminary, was fired for saying “Heil Hitler!” while raising his arm to illustrate what in basic geometry is known as an obtuse angle. “Our students know that words and signs of hate and fear have no place at Friends,’’ Principal Robert Lauder wrote to the school community. But a petition circulated among the upper school’s 279 students drew 190 signatures voicing support for Frisch, who has been a teacher at Friends for 34 years. Alumni also launched a petition, which has drawn 469 signers, and students and some faculty joined a walkout to protest his firing The New York Times, which first reported his firing, noted that Frisch, while himself a practic-

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ing Quaker, is the son of an Austrian Jewish man whose grandparents were killed in the Holocaust. The school’s enrollment is about one-third Jewish, the Jewish Week reported in 2012. —JTA

Jews can’t dance, Gov. Cuomo says George Gershwin may have written “I Got Rhythm” and Ethel Merman may have popularized the tune, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo says Jews don’t have it. Cuomo offered his views on the Jews’ alleged shortcoming during a speech Sunday at a predominately black church in Harlem. “I want you to know as a matter of full disclosure, I am a Catholic. Catholics basically believe the same teachings that Baptists believe. We just do it without the rhythm. But we try,” Cuomo said at the Mount Neboh Baptist Church, the New York Post reported Monday, under the front page headline, “Rhythm & Jews.” “We are not as without rhythm as some of our Jewish brothers and sisters,” Cuomo said. He singled out Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf, a former campaign adviser ordained as an Orthodox rabbi in 2011. Sheinkopf was at the church because he works for its pastor, the Rev. Johnnie Green, and his Mobilizing Preachers and Communities advocacy group. “I was watching Mr. Sheinkopf here in the front row moving to the music,” Cuomo said. “It was ugly, I’ll tell you the truth.” Sheinkopf told the Post that not many congregants laughed at the governor’s joke and added that he “didn’t feel humiliated.” Cuomo spokeswoman Dani Lever told the newspaper: “He was clearly poking fun at himself and one longtime friend who was in the audience.” —JTA

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What Israel’s gun policies can teach Americans By Israel Kasnett, JNS While school shootings seem to be a uniquely American phenomenon, Israel is no stranger to violence. Anyone who has visited the Jewish state quickly becomes accustomed to seeing security guards in nearly every public venue, including schools, with Israeli soldiers carrying M16s slung over their shoulders. Many supporters of gun rights have pointed to Israel as a potential model for the United States. “Just waking up in Israel to news of heartbreaking school shooting in FL; Reminded that Israel pretty much eliminated it by placing highly trained people strategically to spot the one common thread—not the weapon, but a person with intent,” tweeted former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee following the Parkland tragedy. Similarly, Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, has praised Israel for placing armed guards at schools, saying in December 2012 following the school shooting Newtown, Conn.—which left 20 children ages 6 and 7 dead, along with six staff members—that “the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” While some may point to Israel as an exemplar of how a society with widespread gun ownership can still prevent school shootings and gun violence in general, several key differences exist between the United States and Israel. A 2012 study by Janet E. Rosenbaum, an epidemiologist at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, examined the perception of many gun-rights advocates that Israel and Switzerland are “gun utopias” with permissive gun ownership laws. “Swiss and Israeli gun ownership is rare [and] regulated stringently, such as by putting the burden of proof on permit applicants to demonstrate a specific need for a gun,” she reported, concluding that neither country promotes gun ownership. Unlike America, where gun rights are protected by the Second Amendment, there is no parallel in Israel’s legal framework. Instead, like most of the developed world, Israel has strict gun-control laws, where gun ownership is considered a privilege granted by the Ministry of Public Security, not a right. As such, only a small percentage of Israelis — about 135,000 citizens out of some 8.5 million people — are licensed to carry guns. In the United States there’s an estimated 300 million firearms, nearly one for every man, woman and child. “People who refer to Israel as an example of successful gun control see a lot of weapons on the street, but these are soldiers on

Israeli security guard at Bat Ain, Gush Etzion.

not about courage. It’s a state of mind. We test our security system on a daily basis. People have to be alert, aware and constantly checking. It’s important to understand how to keep people prepared for this type of instance. Training is not enough.” Perry listed two major elements that define criminal behavior: motivation and opportunity. “If you prevent a criminal from obtaining a weapon, you remove the opportunity. You need to build systems that will prevent people like this from purchasing such weapons. You need to build the system that actively deals with finding these people and have someone who deals with it exclusively, working on it full-time” in order to prevent similar such tragedies. American law enforcement is already considering these suggestions. The Broward County Sheriff’s Department, led by Sheriff Scott Israel, told JNS that “there is no simple solution for this very difficult problem,” but pointed to several measures that it believes could help prevent future attacks. “First, and most importantly,” it noted, “is creating Violent Threat Restraining Orders because they will empower the justice system to prohibit the sale or possession of guns to violent or individuals deemed to be mentally ill.” The department added that “another reform is to strengthen the Baker Act, so that those who are involuntarily committed to mental-health institutions have their firearms temporarily removed from their possession and not permit them to reacquire those weapons until a court approves.” Additionally, “threats of violence made online are not always arrestable offenses. Sheriff Israel supports the efforts of law-enforcement leaders around the state to urge legislators to close a loophole in Florida law so that police can make an arrest when broader online threats are made.” The Sheriff’s Department concluded that “more can be done and should be done. … A uniform national system of mandatory background checks should be implemented to stop criminals and the mentally ill from acquiring guns. This will take bipartisan consensus in Washington to make this a reality.” Asked if police support a ban on AR-15 types of assault rifles, the department said: “Sheriff Israel supports common-sense gun reform, including reinstating the federal ban on assault rifles, and banning the sale and possession of modifiers such as bump stocks.” The department did not comment on allegations against it that its officers acted improperly during the shooting.

Nati Shohat/Flash90

the way to or from base, not ordinary civilians,” explained Simon Perry, professor at Hebrew University’s Institute of Criminology in Jerusalem and co-director of the Program in Policing and Homeland Security. Two major differences between Israel and America, according to Perry: “One, in the U.S., it is easy to obtain a weapon. In Israel, it is very difficult. If you want one, you need to have a very good reason why. At most, you can get a small caliber pistol, not an automatic or semi-automatic rifle. The process makes it very complicated to obtain a weapon. And two, the fact is that most Israelis undergo some type of training in the military. Even in lower-level basic training, they treat you how to respect the weapon. Israelis know how to handle weapons. The gun culture you see in America is not accepted by Jews or Arabs in Israeli culture.” He added that “we don’t have a lot of school shootings because we have security in schools to protect against terror attacks.” For American law enforcement, the best lesson from Israel may not be the fact that a security guard is armed, but that a greater focus is placed on that guard’s training and state of mind. Shortly after the Parkland shooting, President Donald Trump blamed Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School resource officer Scot Peterson, saying he “didn’t have the courage” to run inside and confront teen shooter Nikolas Cruz. But Perry retorted: “It’s

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Why Lauder’s 2-state support may actually matter Analysis by Ron Kampeas, JTA WASHINGTON — Twice in 20 years Ronald Lauder made noise by breaking with what is supposed to be a sacrosanct rule of the establishment American Jewish leadership: Don’t hector Israel’s elected government on life and death issues. In 2001, Lauder, then the chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, appeared at an anti-government rally in Jerusalem. Organizers opposed concessions to the Palestinians proposed by then-prime minister Ehud Barak in a bid for a final status deal with the Palestinians that would culminate in a two-state solution. “All the world should know that you are not alone,” Lauder told the protesters. Last week, Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, took to the Op-Ed pages of the New York Times to warn Benjamin Netanyahu’s government that it risked losing the support of diaspora Jews — in part because its policy of building homes in Judea and Samaria is seen as endangering the two-state solution. “The specter of a one-state solution and the growing rift between Israel and the diaspora are endangering the future of the country I love so dearly,” he wrote. The Jewish philanthropist, with ties both to Netanyahu and President Trump, has been able to inject himself into diplomatic wrangling at the highest levels. The World Jewish Congress is not the Conference of Presidents Lauder, now 74, raised eyebrows in 2001, but as leader of the World Jewish Congress his critique is less remarkable. The WJC historically stakes out a more nuanced position than the Presidents Conference when it comes to Israel, spoking out against Israeli policies if they felt the policies could harm diaspora Jewish communities. Things have gone south with Bibi Netanyahu was out of politics in 2001 when Lauder spoke out against the Barak government’s peace proposals. But Netanyahu was very much active behind the scenes, and still in touch with the American benefactors who backed him during his first term as prime minister, from 1996 to 1999. Among these was Lauder, who did not fund Netanyahu directly, but who steered funds to Israeli institutions that advanced Netanyahu’s hawkish agenda. Alleged favors Lauder delivered to Netanyahu over the years led police to interrogate Lauder last year as part of an ongoing corrruption probe. That can’t be a good feeling for any man who

Then President-elect Trump with Ronald Lauder at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Dec. 28, 2016. Ricky Carioti/Washington Post via Getty

hopes to leave his mark on Israel. Lauder, in Jerusalem last week to attend the Global Forum for Combating Antisemitism, was also present at the inauguration of a plaque bearing his name on the Israeli Chief Rabbinate’s building. Netanyahu and Lauder also had a falling out in 2011: Lauder had a part ownership stake in an Israeli television channel, and refused to block a report it broadcast that was unflattering to Netanyahu and his wife, Sara. Lauder, someone close to him confided to JTA, has also realized in recent years that attaching oneself to a single leader (Netanyahu), a single party (Likud) and a single outlook (conservative) will not get him the attention he seeks to burnish his credentials as an original thinker. Mixing it up helps Lauder accrue influence, this thinking goes. It’s been 17 years, and things have changed, maybe not for the better When Lauder spoke out against the Barak proposals — particularly, against sharing Jerusalem with the Palestinians — the consensus was that there may be a deal to be done with the Palestinians, but it needed the right leader to do it. There was a Nixonto-China logic in thinking a hard-liner was likelier to forge a lasting peace with the Palestinians.

That’s what helped propel Ariel Sharon (who had replaced Netanyahu as Likud Party leader) to the prime ministership within weeks of the Jerusalem protest. It’s also why the Presidents Conference, four years later, backed Sharon’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank, despite opposition from its hawkish members. In 2018, Netanyahu and his government are making clear that a peace deal with the Palestinians is no longer a priority. Netanyahu suggested when he was in Washington earlier this month that a deal with the Palestinians may never be forthcoming, and that it made more sense to forge peace agreements with Israel’s neighbors first. That alarms some mainstream U.S. Jewish groups. AIPAC this month for the first time got out ahead of both the Israeli and the American governments and emphatically embraced a two-state outcome. Naftali Bennett, the education minister and the leading Israeli Cabinet official opposed to the two-state solution, rebuked Lauder publicly at the anti-Semitism conference. “I read your piece in the New York Times, not a great piece, I very much respect you – but I disagree,” he said. “I also do not see moral equivalence of settlement building, what I call building communities in our homeland, and Palestinian incitement. It is not the same thing.” It’s the Donald, stupid Lauder has been friendly with Donald Trump since they were both second-generation moguls in the 1980s — Lauder, running the cosmetics empire founded by his mother Estee and Trump, a real estate business founded by his father Fred. No other established Jewish leader appears to be as close to Trump. When even Trump’s most ardent defenders in the Jewish community criticized the president for leaving Jews out of a statement marking International Holocaust Day in 2017, Lauder rose to Trump’s defense. Trump officially is agnostic on the two-state solution, and little is known about the peace proposal he plans to unveil soon, drafted by his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The likelihood, however, is that it will advance the two-state solution, even if not in explicit terms. Trump’s top negotiator, Jason Greenblatt, has called on the parties to adhere to previous precepts, including President George W. Bush’s 2003 Road Map — a plan that culminates in two states. Lauder’s Op-Ed could be a signal to Netanyahu not to scuttle the Trump-Kushner-Greenblatt initiative even before it is born. It’s noteworthy that Lauder made his warning not in an Israeli newspaper, or in a speech delivered in Israel, but in the New York Times — a newspaper that Trump is known to obsessively read, however much he says he reviles it.

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Palestinians, Corbyn also acknowledged that some criticism of Israel veers into anti-Semitism. “Comparing Israel or the actions of Israeli governments to the Nazis, attributing criticisms of Israel to Jewish characteristics or to Jewish people in general and using abusive phraseology about supporters of Israel such as ‘Zio’ all constitute aspects of contemporary anti-Semitism,” Corbyn wrote. —JTA

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Approximately 2,000 people gathered outside the houses of Parliament in London on Monday to protest anti-Semitism in the British Labour Party. The protest also criticized Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, whom British Jewish leaders have charged with enabling anti-Semitism in the party. Corbyn published a written apology ahead of the protest. The protest attracted a few members of Parliament from Corbyn’s party. One was Luciana Berger, who is Jewish and told the crowd that “the anti-Semitism issue is real,” according to Haaretz. She added: “I want to be able to address Jewish audiences with my head held high.” Labour lawmaker John Mann said that “the very existence of my Labour Party is at stake. It is time for Jeremy Corbyn to act,” BBC reported. The protest came one day after British Jewish leaders sent an open letter condemning Corbyn for associating with anti-Semites and not doing enough to combat anti-Jewish discrimination in his party’s ranks. Corbyn, long a virulent critic of Israel, was elected party leader in 2015. Since then, his critics say, Labour has tolerated anti-Semitism among its members. Corbyn has also faced criticism for associating with anti-Semites and Holocaust deniers, and for some statements he has made. In 2009, he described the terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah as “friends,” and was also a member of Facebook groups that included anti-Semitic statements. The issue flared anew this week when a 2012 Facebook post by Corbyn resurfaced in which he supported the creator of an anti-Semitic mural. “Today, leaders of British Jewry tell Jeremy Corbyn that enough is enough,” said the letter sent Monday to John Cryer, the chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party. “He is repeatedly found alongside people with blatantly anti-Semitic views, but claims never to hear or read them… He issues empty statements about opposing anti-Semitism, but does nothing to understand or address it. We conclude that he cannot seriously contemplate anti-Semitism, because he is so ideologically fixed within a far left worldview that is instinctively hostile to mainstream Jewish communities.” Corbyn condemned anti-Semitism in a statement Sunday, and sent a letter apologizing to the Jewish community ahead of the protest. He called for an “urgent meeting” with British Jewish leadership. He also has apologized separately for the 2012 Facebook post, as well as for his 2009 comments about Hamas and Hezbollah. “I recognise that anti-Semitism has surfaced within the Labour Party, and has too often been dismissed as simply a matter of a few bad apples,” the Monday letter said. “This has caused pain and hurt to Jewish members of our party and to the wider Jewish community in Britain. I am sincerely sorry for the pain which has been caused, and pledge to redouble my efforts to bring this anxiety to an end.” While condemning Israel’s treatment of the

9 THE JEWISH STAR March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778

Thousands in London J protest anti-Semitism in the Labour Party

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March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778 THE JEWISH STAR

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11 THE JEWISH STAR March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778

Rendering of Young Israel of Woodmere’s new multi-purpose building, at right.

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YIW OKs new building said. “We filed a few years ago for an extension and had approval, but we scaled it back a little.” Based on the new plans, the shul’s gymnasium will remain in the existing building. The Young Israel submitted an application in 2011, which went to the Board of Appeals, according to Susan Trenkle Pokalsky, a town spokeswoman. “The zoning application was approved with conditions in 2012 and none of the required documents have been filed with the building department since that time,” she said, adding that Young Israel of Woodmere’s new plans have yet to be submitted to the building department. A new, larger space will help the synagogue as it plans for its future. “Definitely an exciting thing, we are the largest Orthodox shul on the South Shore,” Zuller said, “and for us to continue to flourish having the proper amenities is best.”

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By Jeffery Bessen, Herald Community News Despite the snowstorm that engulfed the Five Towns and Long Island on March 21, the Young Israel of Woodmere held a planned meeting last Wednesday concerning plans to construct a new 10,000-square-foot multi-purpose building on its campus along Peninsula Boulevard in Woodmere. A good portion of the Orthodox synagogue’s members — it’s the largest such shul on the South Shore — attended the gathering, addressed the plans, asked questions and received responses. Both the membership and the board of trustees approved the new proposal overwhelmingly. The plans will next proceed through the Town of Hempstead’s zoning process, said Steven Zuller, chairman of Young Israel of Woodmere’s board. “The multi-purpose building will house a social hall and room for some small events,” Zuller

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March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778 THE JEWISH STAR

Please join as we pay tribute to the legacy of Rav Binyamin Kamenetzky, zt”l.

Yeshiva of South Shore Rav Binyamin Kamenetzky

MEMORIAL DINNER

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This special evening will mark the re-dedication and re-naming of the Yeshiva that he founded and led for over six decades, as:

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Senior planning forum on April 19 in Lawrence

Ronald Fatoullah & Associates has scheduled a free forum on “Using Trusts in Estate and Medicaid Planning,” at the Coffee Bar in Lawrence on Thursday, April 19, at 9:30 am. The event will feature an interactive discussion on protecting assets and preparing for the future, and a complimentary kosher breakfast will be served. For more information or to register, contact 516-466-4422 or JGoodbinder@fatoullahlaw.com.

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By Ronald A. Fatoullah. Esq. and Elizabeth Forspan, Esq. As our loved ones age, they may begin thinking about the eventuality of requiring long-term care such as a home health aide, assisted living care or nursing home care. Unfortunately, there is a great deal of misinformation about Medicaid and long-term care, as well as the available ways to pay for it. In this article we will endeavor to clarify some important facts about the Medicaid program and how to become eligible for services. Medicare and long-term care When an individual is admitted to a nursing home for rehabilitation after a hospitalization and within 30 days of a hospital stay — and he was admitted to the hospital for at least three days — Medicare may pay a portion of the individual’s expenses in the rehabilitation facility. Medicare may cover up to 100 days of skilled nursing care per period of illness. The patient must start paying a co-pay from the 21st to the 100th day unless he or she has supplemental insurance that will cover the copayment. Once the patient no longer needs the “skilled nursing care” and his or her condition requires “custodial” care, Medicare will stop paying. This can happen well in advance of the 100-day mark. Thus, it is very important to note that Medicare does not pay for longterm care. Who is eligible for Medicaid? Medicaid is a means-tested program. As of 2018, an individual is permitted to “keep” $15,150 in non-exempt resources in order to qualify for Medicaid. In addition, retirement accounts of any amount will be exempt if they are in a periodic payout status. These distributions from retirement accounts will be counted as part of the applicant’s income for Medicaid purposes. “Community-Based Medicaid” covers home care services and “Institutional Medicaid” covers nursing home services. The rules differ for each of these types of Medicaid. In addition, it is important to note that, if an individual is married, there are specific eligibility and income regulations which may allow the “well” spouse of the applicant to retain additional assets, which protects the well spouse from becoming financially destitute. Prenuptial agreements Spouses are considered by Medicaid to be legally responsible for their Medicaid applicant spouses. Thus, Medicaid will not recognize a prenuptial agreement which states that each spouse will not be financially responsible for the other spouse vis-à-vis Medicaid eligibility. Divesting oneself of assets Medicaid planning is certainly important and beneficial, especially when done well in advance of a long-term care need. However, under the Medicaid rules, a gift of any significant amount within a five-year period prior to a nursing home Medicaid application may trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid will not cover the nursing home stay. For example, on Long Island, every $13,053 “gifted” during that five-year period will create one month of ineligibility. However, it is important to note that Community Medicaid (Home Care) does not have a look back period. These are just some of the important facts about becoming eligible for Medicaid. Of course, one should consult with an experienced attorney before engaging in a Medicaid Plan. Ronald A. Fatoullah, Esq. is the principal of Ronald Fatoullah & Associates, a law firm that concentrates in elder law, estate planning, Medicaid planning, guardianships, estate administration, trusts, wills, and real estate. Elizabeth Forspan is managing attorney of the firm. The law firm can be reached at 516-466-4422. Ronald A. Fatoullah is also a partner with Advice Period, a wealth management firm, where he can be reached at 424-256-7273.

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THE JEWISH STAR March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778

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March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778 THE JEWISH STAR

Carter talk at bastion of pro-Israel Christians is called worrisome

THE JEWISH STAR March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778

tians, a segment in American society whose By Alex Traiman, JNS Just days after America’s embassy in Israel adult members exhibit the greatest support for is set to open in Jerusalem on May 14 at the the Jewish state nationwide, raising concern direction of President Trump, a former presi- for the support of Israel in years to come. According to Cardoza-Moore, students at an dent with a less than stellar record of support for Israel is set to deliver a commencement ad- evangelical Christian university should be fully dress at Liberty University, America’s premier connected to their faith and be receiving a fully evangelical college. The speech by President Jimmy Carter to future evangelical leaders is noteworthy due to his controversial accusations that Israel is an apartheid state, coupled with a longstanding feud between Carter and the late Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr., Liberty University’s founder and first president. The school is now run by Falwell’s son, Rev. Jerry Falwell Jr. “This invitation is a slap in the face to Reverend Jerry Falwell Sr. and to all the evangelical Christians who support Israel,” said President Carter during a visit with the organization Elders at a checkLaurie Cardoza-Moore, point near the village of Bilin near Ramallah in 2009 Mohamar Awad/Flash90 host of the Focus on Israel television program on Daystar, and founder pro-Israel education. “Why should Christian and president of Proclaiming Justice to the Na- parents send their children to a Christian unitions, an organization that urges Christians “to versity when they can get the same anti-Israel stand with their Jewish brethren and all Israel rhetoric at universities like Berkeley?” posed Cardoza-Moore. “We are now seeing Christian against the rise of anti-Semitism.” In a letter sent to Falwell Jr. urging the uni- colleges following the dangerous trends of secversity to cancel the lecture, Cardoza-Moore ular universities.” wrote: “Over and over, [Carter] has proven In a statement announcing Carter’s upcomhimself to be anti-Semitic and anti-Israel, and ing address, Falwell Jr. wrote: “While Chrisis not worthy to speak to the distinguished tians may disagree about what role governgraduates of Liberty University, or their fami- ment should play in serving those in need, the lies. What kind of message does this send our Liberty University community, along with all future Christian leaders?” Christians worldwide, are united in the belief While polls have indicated that support for that we, as individuals, should provide food Israel remains high across the United States as and shelter to the poor.” He commended Carter a whole, it’s waning among certain key seg- for “serving the poor and loving his neighbors,” ments, including millennials. As a group, they and said “I am thrilled that he will be sharing tend to be less connected to faith and see Israel the story of his life of faith in action to our only through the lens of the Oslo peace pro- graduates and their families.” cess, which for 25 years has failed to bring a ne“They are not choosing him because of his gotiated peace settlement between Israelis and views on Israel, so I think it’s a non-issue rePalestinians. Many millennials blame Israel for garding the impact on the next generation,” not creating a state for the Palestinians. Their Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder and president parents remember Israel’s struggle just to sur- of the International Fellowship of Christians vive—the wars of 1956, 1967 and 1973—and and Jews, told JNS. “Now if Carter makes outview Israel in a very different light. rageous anti-Israel comments in his speech— The declining support among millennials which I seriously doubt—then it would be an is equally prevalent among evangelical Chris- issue.”

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By Josefin Dolsten, JTA Israeli doctors performed surgeries to fix severe spinal deformities as part of a weeklong medical mission to Ethiopia. Eight doctors, two nurses and one physical therapist from the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem traveled on the mission last week to the city of Mekelle, in the African country’s north. The Israeli medical team performed five surgeries at the Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, which serves some 8 million patients but does not have a spine surgeon, according to Dr. Josh Schroeder, a spine surgeon at Hadassah who led the mission with Dr. Allon Moses, the chairman of Hadassah’s Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease. The patients, all aged 18 and under, had spine deformities so severe that they were causing potentially lethal complications, including pressure on internal organs and lung Medical personnel from Hadassah Medical Center in infections, Schroeder told JTA on Monday. Israel and the Ayder Comprehensive Specialized HosThe surgeries were complex, with some tak- pital in Mekelle, Ethiopia, confer during a Hadassah ing eight hours. team’s mission this month in Ethiopia. “The problem with pediatric cases is if “We’re working in a really privileged society, you don’t treat them in time, they progress,” he said, “and these cases were so bad that if we both in Israel and the United States, and things wouldn’t have operated on these children, at that we have at our fingertips don’t exist over there,” he said. “These people, you can really least half of them would be dead by next year.” In addition to performing the five surger- change their lives with a reasonably short interies, the Israelis also provided medical training vention.” The Hadassah and Ayder hospitals have a to Ayder staff. The medical device company Medtronic donated the equipment necessary for partnership dating back five years, with Israeli medical students doing rotations in Mekelle, and the surgeries. Schroeder said he was happy to have coordi- Ayder physicans receiving training and supplies from Hadassah. nated and participated in the mission.

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March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778 THE JEWISH STAR

The JEWISH STAR

Wine & Dine

Matzah ball-makers’ dilemma: Sink or float ’em? JONI SCHOCKETT KOSHER KITCHEN

inkers or floaters? That was the question always asked about Grandma Minnie’s kneidels at the first Seder. Would her always delicious matzah balls sink to the bottom of her deep, cup-like bowls of wonderfully rich chicken soup, or would they float gently on the surface. The answer was never certain; some years they sank and had a satisfying, slightly chewy texture; other years they floated with a melt-in-yourmouth lightness. This debate has raged through the ages and may be close in importance to the other great debates of our culture, giving rise to more questions: Should we bend, just this once, and use — dare I even think it! — REAL chicken schmaltz for flavoring? Should we cheat and use the mix from a box? So what makes the difference between chewy and dense kneidlach, as they were originally called, and fluffy soft ones? The scientific answer comes from the amount of fat in the mix, the ratio of eggs to matzah meal, and the amount of air whipped into those eggs. Too little oil and eggs and not enough air will make them sink, as will removing the cover while they cook. Some of you may like “floaters” and others may like “sinkers” — that debate will continue forever — but what is certain is that there is still nothing more deliciously Pesadich (as long as you eat gebrokts) and iconically Jewish, than a fabulous matzah ball. What else is certain is that there are probably almost as many recipes for matzah balls as there are Seders being celebrated in America! Whatever your pleasure, this tradition is so much a part of Passover that matzah balls are made differently all over the world. Enjoy this holiday and may the great debate continue for generations to come as we pass on our favorite matzah ball recipes from generation to generation. Simple, Delicious Matzah Balls That (Usually) Float (Pareve) 4 egg yolks (extra-large or jumbo) 1 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. grated onion 3 Tbsp. chicken fat or vegetable oil 4 egg whites 1/4 cup club soda at room temperature 1 cup matzah meal 1 tsp. parsley (optional)

Beat together the egg yolks, onion, salt, chicken fat or oil and parsley. Add the club soda and mix well. Add the matzah meal, mix completely and set aside. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the matzah meal mixture. Cover and chill for at least an hour. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Using wet or oiled hands make walnut sized balls. Place them on a plate and then quickly drop them into the water one by one. Cover and boil for 30- 40 minutes. Let cool, covered, for about 15 to 20 minutes and then serve. (Usually) Sinking Chewy-Good Matzah Balls (Pareve) 6 extra-large eggs 2 tsp. any mixture of dried herbs like parsley, chives, dill, tarragon, grated garlic, etc. 2 tsp. grated onion, drained of liquid (more if you like) tiny pinch cayenne pepper 1 tsp. (scant) salt white pepper, to taste 1/4 cup cold seltzer or ice water 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1-1/2 cups matzah meal Beat the eggs well. Add the oil and mix thoroughly. Add the herbs and spices and mix well. Add the seltzer and mix. Add the matzah meal and mix with a fork until well-blended. Cover and chill for at least an hour. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Form walnut sized matzah balls, place on plate and then add to the water one at a time. Cover partially so that the steam can escape and cook for 30 to 40 minutes. Melt -In-Your- Mouth Garlicy Matzah Balls (Meat) These matzah balls are delicate and will barely hold their shape — so make them small and treat them gently. 5 Tbsp. chicken soup (use the fattier top part of the soup) 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking powder (Kosher for Pesach)

1 cup matzah meal 4 extra-large eggs 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, finely minced 2/3 cup (scant) vegetable oil or chicken fat 1 large head mashed roasted garlic NOTE: To roast garlic, take a small head of garlic and cut off the tips pf each clove. Place on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Fold up the foil and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until golden and the cloves start to protrude from the skins. Let cool and remove the cloves with a fork. Add about 1 or 2 tablespoons of the vegetable or olive oil and mix well. Mix the oil and the eggs with a whisk until light and foamy. Don’t overmix or you will end up with mayonnaise! Add the broth, salt and mashed garlic. Mix the baking powder with the matzah meal and add that in thirds, mixing well after each addition. Let the mixture stand for about 10 minutes. The batter should be soft not firm. If it is too stiff, add some more chicken soup, aiming for the fattier soup that has risen to the top. Cover and refrigerate. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Make walnut sized balls with the matzah mixture. Oiled hands may help. If the matzah balls do not hold their shape, use two teaspoons for free-formed matzah balls. Cover the pot and simmer – don’t peek - for 40 minutes. Remember, these are delicate matzah balls, so handle them carefully. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water. Potato-Leek Matzah Balls with Fresh Herbs (Pareve) These are delicious — almost like gnocchi — in soup or as a side dish with chicken or brisket. 1-1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 4 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only) 1-1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth or homemade chicken soup 2 cups matzah meal

1/3 cup olive or safflower oil 3/4 teaspoon white pepper 6 extra-large or jumbo eggs 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley finely minced 1 Tbsp. fresh chives, finely minced 1 small clove garlic, finely minced 1 Tbsp. salt Boil the potatoes until very soft. Drain well and mash very well. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and then into thin slices. Combine two cups of the leeks with the minced garlic and the chicken soup in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over medium heat until the leeks are soft, about 5-10 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer, reducing to about 1-1/4 cups. Remove from heat and transfer to a food processor. Process until very smooth and then add to the potatoes. Add matzah meal, pepper, and oil and blend thoroughly. Scrape into a large bowl. Set aside. Break the eggs into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until thick and creamy, about 8 minutes. Fold the egg mixture into potato mixture in 3 additions. Add the remaining 2 cups of leeks, the parsley, 2 tbsp. olive oil and snipped chives. Brush 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish generously with olive oil and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to rolling boil. Place a piece of aluminum foil near the pot and spray some oil or brush some oil on the foil. Using wet hands, form 1 tablespoon of the mixture into a ball and set it on the foil. Continue until you have 18 matzah balls. (Cover bowl and remaining mixture with foil.) Drop them gently, but quickly into the boiling water. Cover tightly, reduce heat to a medium simmer, and cook for 35-40 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to the prepared dish. Add more water to the pot if needed, return to a boil and repeat the process with the remaining mixture. Place in the prepared pan, cover, and refrigerate for up to two days. (Can be made 2 days ahead.) Re-warm, covered tightly with foil, in a 350 degree oven for about 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 36 generous matzah balls.

Our new Seder tradition: Keeping healthy in mind JONI SCHOCKETT KOSHER KITCHEN I am thrilled that so many relatives and friends will be able to come to my house for the Seders this year. I am blessed with many cousins and many close friends and feel honored that they will all gather at my home and take part in our Seders. As I plan my menu, I realize that I have to be cognizant of many dietary issues. Food allergies and restrictive diets are a very real part of the landscape these days and a large group is bound to include people who need special attention. This year, I have several friends and relatives with dietary constraints, so I have to be very careful. One guest is gluten-sensitive and one is allergic to carrots and parsnips. One cannot eat mushrooms and another is allergic to all nightshade vegetables which include tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and peppers. One is allergic to nuts and one to chocolate. So, I have to be conscious and thoughtful about what I make and still

have enough dishes so that everyone can have safe choices and feel comfortable. Creating new recipes is a bit more challenging as I look at what I must avoid and what I can avoid in some dishes. In other words, I can make my stuffing casserole and leave the mushrooms out of a small individual sized one that I can put in a single use aluminum tray. Any leftover can go home with the guest for another safe meal. The side dishes are the most flexible and often the most difficult to adapt. Potato kugel is fine, but not for someone allergic to nightshade veggies. A farfel kugel is fine, but not for a friend with Celiac. It does take planning and thought. I also try to make the side dishes at Passover that are as healthful as possible. While my grandmother’s potato kugel with gribenes and schmaltz was amazingly delicious, I won’t make that anymore. So I caramelize a lot of onions and shallot instead of the gribenes, and use olive oil for the fat. The flavor comes from the onions, shallots, and herbs and spices. No one misses the chicken fat (and more), and this version is delicious and not nearly as deadly as what my grandmother made. Even without rice and lentils, you can make lots of vegan-friendly, GF, healthful and delicious

side dishes that will make guests feel comfortable and included. Making and adapting side dishes to accommodate guests can frequently change your tried and true recipes into new and delicious ones. So experiment and include! Asparagus, Onion, Leek, Farfel and More Souffle (Meat or Pareve) 1 pound asparagus, cut into thirds, partially cooked 1 box matzah farfel or GF Matzah farfel or 2-3 boxes crackers, crushed 3 to 4 cups chicken soup or broth or vegetable broth, heated to simmering 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided 3 to 4 large onions, diced 6 to 8 medium leeks, rinsed well and thinly sliced 2 to 10 cloves garlic, to taste, finely minced 2 bunches scallions, finely chopped 2 to 4 tbsp. freshly snipped chives 8 to 10 extra-large eggs Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste OPTIONAL: other veggies to your liking such as celery, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, spinach or kale, etc. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place 1/4 cup

of vegetable oil in the bottom of each of 2 (9×13) pans. Brush the oil over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Set aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the cut-up asparagus. Blanch until bright green. Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl of cold water. Drain and set aside. Place the matzah farfel in a large bowl and pour the hot broth over it. Cover the bowl with foil and set aside. Heat a large skillet and add the remaining olive oil. Add the onions and sauté until golden, adding more oil if needed. Add the leeks and heat until the leeks are softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and mix well. Immediately, add the artichokes and heat through, about 3-4 minutes. Add the scallions and chives and mix well. Remove from the heat, add the asparagus, mix and set aside. Break 8 of the eggs into a large bowl and whisk until uniformly blended. Pour into the matzah farfel and mix well. If the mixture is still very stiff, add the remaining eggs. Add the vegetables and mix well. Season generously with salt and pepper and pour into the prepared pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown on top. Each pan serves 8-12. See Seder tradition on page 20

THE JEWISH STAR March 30, 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ 14 Nisan, 5778

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March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778 THE JEWISH STAR

Next year in Jerusalem … or on the moon? Judy JOSzeF

who’s in the kitchen

s I write this article, the Monday before the start of Pesach, I am in the throws of “shopping for those last minute items we might have forgotten.” Take note that I didn’t say “shopping for those last minute items that we need.” You know what I’m talking about, admit it! Three weeks or so before Pesach, we start buying the dry goods. We load our wagons with soda, cake meal, matzah meal, matzah farfel, matzah crackers, matzah bread crumbs and matzah cereal (for those of you who actually think it tastes like cereal). Little by little over the next two weeks we add chocolates, candies, marshmallows, nuts and, for those who don’t bake from scratch, the cake mixes, muffin mixes, etc. Then comes the eggs, meats and poultry and all dairy products, ice cream, sorbet (which I don’t even buy during that year, but for some reason I find myself buying it for Pesach). So now, this being Monday, four days before the holiday starts, I find myself going through my list checking off everything and making sure I have them all. I then start thinking that

I definitely left some items off my list. But then another voice goes off in my head, which says, “Judy Joszef, you do not need anything else! You don’t even need half the things that you already have in the pantry, refrigerators and freezers.” But then I find myself in a supermarket, thinking I should I buy a box of pancake mix just in case, another box of cake meal, even though I already have six, sugar (do I have enough sugar, what about confectionery sugar — I know I bought one box but do I need another one)? And again that voice in my head answers, “You have 20 pounds of sugar, you have enough to bake at least 100 cakes, you never make pancakes, you don’t need that box and confectionery sugar, have you ever made anything on Pesach with confectionery sugar? Seriously Judy Joszef, I think the only thing that you aren’t thinking of buying are those boxes of half moon sugar coated awful jelly things!” hat can I say? Even though I’ve been making Pesach now for 35 years each year I go through the same things. Maybe subconsciously I do it over and over again, the way we have to keep telling the story of B’nei

Yisroel’s Exodus from Egypt, over and over again to our children. In seven years of writing this column, I’m not sure what I haven’t said about Passover. I’ve made fun of the men and how they need a pillow to lean on during the Seder, and have the water and washing cup brought to them so that they don’t have to stand up when washing. Are they tired from taking a nap in the afternoon and putting on their kittel? Seriously? I’ve written about all the new fangled foods that come out every year that look exactly like the real thing but taste nothing like it. The fact that we don’t even use half of those items during the year, yet we find the need to buy all the Passover “copies.” And lastly, I’ve definitely poked fun at all the people who fly all over the world, so that they can ditch the cleaning, the koshering and the cooking for eight days in the sun. I’ve written about how I hear them lamenting about how torturous it is to shop for clothes and pack, and how I had to hold myself back from basically attacking them for their complaining. I can still remember the teenager speaking to her friend, and the shock on her face when her friend said she wasn’t going anywhere

Maybe the Jews zip lined out of Egypt and had to deal with sharks in the Red Sea!

that Passover. “Seriously, you’re not going anywhere, not even to Miami?” Oh, but wait. This year I can speak about the newest exotic locales. There are programs in Morocco, Australia, Monaco, Brazil, Croatia, and South Africa. At Arabella, in South Africa, in addition to the usual staples of golf, tennis and swimming pools, swimming with dolphins, massages and all-terrain vehicles, this hotel offers shark-diving, safaris into the bush where lions, hyenas and elephants await, a crocodile farm and a zip line — because, that my friends, must be what the great sages had in mind when they said that we must teach our children about the Exodus. Then again maybe I’m wrong, maybe the Jews zip lined out of Egypt, and maybe they had to deal with sharks in the Red Sea. Do I sound jealous of all of you going away? You bet your Matzhas I am! Wishing all of you staying home, or going away, a wonderful Zissin Pesach with your family and friends.

Recipe correction The recipe in the previous Who’s In The Kitchen (March 16), “Plight of a Dashing Judy and her misplaced fob,” omitted this ingredient: 2 large egg whites, room temperature.

Cooking Gurwin seniors share matzah memories Residents at Gurwin Jewish Fay J. Lindner Residences in Commack recently donned aprons and stepped back into the kitchen, reprising their roles as holiday hostesses to prepare their favorite Passover foods, with some assistance from Gurwin’s executive chef, Corinne Ramos. Residents Esther Kaplan, 94, and Anita Schoenbart, 86, savored memories in the assisted living facility’s craft kitchen. As the wife of an Orthodox rabbi, Esther recalls the large holiday gatherings of family and congregants. “Our refrigerator was always wellstocked for impromptu entertaining,” she said. “Whenever there was a knock at the door, I knew I had enough homemade chicken soup and sweet and sour meatballs on hand to make guests feel welcome and well-fed.” Anita is particularly proud of the family recipes she prepared for their celebrations. Famous for her Passover matzah stuffing, Anita confides “the stuffing recipe actually belonged to my husband’s grandmother and was handed down to me. In turn, I’ve passed it on to my children and am hopeful they will do the same with theirs.” Anita and Esther are happy to share their favorite Passover recipes: esther’s Apple Gems Ingredients:

Esther, 94, and Anita, 86, recently served up their favorite Passover foods to friends at the assisted living residences, with Gurwin’s executive chef, Corinne Ramos.

1/2 cup oil 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 1/2 cup cake meal 1/4 cup potato starch 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, mixed with ½ tsp. sugar Pinch of salt

2 apples, diced Preparation: Combine sugar, oil and eggs. Beat well. Mix in dry ingredients, then diced apples. Pour into paper-lined muffin tins until 3/4 full. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake 40 to 50 minutes at 325 degrees. esther’s Passover Sweet and Sour Meatballs Ingredients: Meatballs: 2 lbs. ground beef 1 large onion, chopped 2 eggs 1 Tbsp. oil 1 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 1/2 cup matzah meal Sautee onion in oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Combine with meat, eggs, salt, pepper and matzah meal. Form into 1 inch meatballs. Sauce: 1 14 oz. can crushed pineapples 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 8 oz. can tomato juice 1/3 cup sugar 1 onion, chopped Simmer all sauce ingredients for at least 15

minutes. Broil meatballs on both sides. Add to sauce and simmer together. For a more sweet/ sour taste, add a bit more lemon juice or sugar. Anita’s Passover Matzah Stuffing Ingredients: 1 box matzah 6 large onions, chopped 4 extra-large eggs Dash of salt and pepper Cooking oil Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Serves 10 people. 1. Saute onions in cooking oil until browned. Use enough oil to cover the onions. 2. Break the contents of one box matzah into pieces and soak in water, in a large mixing bowl, until soft. 3. Drain the water from the matzah. 4. In a small mixing bowl, beat eggs with a dash of salt and pepper. 5. Add the eggs to the matzah in a large mixing bowl, then pour in onions. Combine. 6. Coat the bottom and sides of the baking dish with oil and pour the mixture into the baking dish. 7. Bake, covered, for one hour. 8. Stir immediately upon removing from the oven. Serve hot.

and drizzle a bit of oil on top. Place in the oven and bake until deep golden, 45 to 70 minutes. Serves 10+. Fiery Sweet Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Pareve) 3 pounds garnet yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 to 2/3 cup pure maple syrup, not artificial

pancake syrup 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, to taste 1 red onion, diced 1 fresh cranberries 1/2 cup dried cranberries OPTIONAL: 1 cup pecan halves Line a large rimmed baking sheet with heavyduty foil. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes. Place in a large bowl. Toss with the olive oil to coat. Place the maple syrup. Vanilla and brown sugar in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Add the cayenne and mix to blend. Pour over the potatoes and toss to coat. Add the onions and both kinds of cranberries and toss to mix. Add the pecans and mix well. Pour onto the prepared pan and scrape out the syrup with a spatula evenly over the potatoes. Place in the oven and roast until softened and golden, about 30 to 45 minutes. Rotate the pan once or twice while cooking. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to serve. Serves 10+

Seder tradition... Continued from page 18 Potato Kugel with Caramelized Onions (Pareve or Meat) 3 to 4 pounds onion, thinly sliced 3 to 6 large shallots, thinly sliced 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 pounds Russet potatoes peeled and shredded with a medium shredding disc 1 large or 2 medium onion(s), processed with a medium shredding disc 1/2 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth 4 extra-large eggs or 5 large eggs Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil (additional) OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup freshly snipped chives Thinly slice the onions and shallots. Set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1/2 cup of the oil. When shimmery, add the onions and shallots and toss to coat. Reduce the heat

to medium-low and cook the onions, tossing often as they turn golden. As they shrink in volume and turn soft, stir with a wooden spoon or silicon spatula. If the onions begin to stick, add a tablespoon of water and deglaze the pan with a silicon or wooden spoon. Cook the onions and shallots until they are a deep mahogany color. This may take 40 to 55 minutes and can be done a day ahead and refrigerated. When cooked, set aside. Peel the potatoes and process using a medium shredding disc. Place in a large bowl. Process one onion and add to the potato, tossing to mix well. Add the vegetable broth or chicken broth and the eggs and mix well. Add the caramelized onions and mix to evenly distribute them. If using, add the chives. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add the remaining oil to a 9x13 or 11x15 pan and brush to evenly coat. Add the potato mixture

tehilla r. goldberg

view from central park

feel like I never eat so well, or at least so creatively, as the weeks leading to Pesach. Between cleaning out the pantry, the fridge and the freezer, there are many permutations of meals to prepare with the random ingredients found on hand. Growing up, my mom always had a stash of “just in case” foods prepared in the freezer. A cheesecake, a deli roll, soups, meatballs, and really anything she might have set aside as a way of being organized should an unexpected guest show up. Come the weeks before Pesach, one by one, my mom would take them out of the freezer. More than anything, what we looked forward to was her famous plum torte. There was always at least one of those — our favorite cake my mother prepared each late August and September when those special purple plums are fleetingly in season. Sometimes we lucked out with a few of those left over. Those delicious prepared freezer foods were usually served for Shabbat ha-Gadol, along with

new freshly baked yeasty pastries and challahs in an effort to use up whatever flour was left. During the week, however, it was a random mash-up of let’s invent a new recipe based on the ingredients we need to use up prior to Pesach. You never knew what was coming, and it was fun. In that spirit, I’ve been running a gingerbread cake bakery and pasta factory here these past couple of weeks. hat snowflake-shaped pasta I thought was so adorable and was thrilled to spy a hashgacha on? I can now vouch that they are tasty with a variety of sauces, be it tomato garlic sauce, salsa rosa, olive oil, lemon and herbs. And that papardelle I was so excited to find in the supermarket? I combined it with a variety of open cheeses I have on hand that need to be used before the sell-by date and before Pesach. It was my version of Quattro Formaggi, because instead of four cheeses it was more like Cinque (that’s five in Italian) Formaggi. It was delicious. You should try it sometime. You might not fit into your Seder dress, but that’s a different story.

Although beans are not chametz, but only kitniyot, I incorporate them into the rotation too, because it’s also about clearing the pantry and making space for the incoming Pesach groceries. Why I had a 29-ounce can of black beans, instead of the usual 14.5 ounce, your guess is as good as mine. In a Manhattan studio pantry closet a can that size is taking up serious real estate space. What to do? I search around and come up with some tortillas plus an open bag of frozen corn. There’s a half a container of sour cream. I still have a drop of cheese left because I wanted to keep the papardelle at Cinque Formaggi (somehow Sei Formaggi just wouldn’t have the same ring to it) and viola! Quesadillas for dinner. I roasted the corn, combined it with the beans and cheese and sandwiched it between the crisped-up tortillas that I wrapped in foil, served it with fresh lime and the sour cream. And then found an avocado that was just on the cusp of going bad, but still good, at the bottom of the fruit bowl. I was even able to salvage a few sprigs of cilantro from a bunch of herbs that was also already on its way out. When was the last time I made quesadillas? Maybe once or twice in my life? And maybe 10 years ago? But here I am with a full on prePesach quesadilla dinner, condiments included. I won’t bore you with the details of my stockpiling. Let’s just say, my friends know that if a blizzard hits, a real blizzard, that is, not these New York City snowfalls with which the weather forecasters keep toying with my emotions that don’t turn out to be the blizzards as promised, they know where to go.

It feels good to get rid of chametz, that puffy excess in our lives.

The JEWISH STAR School News The best school news for Jewish Long Island returns after Passover

nstead of thinking of myself as a food hoarder, I prefer to tell myself how organized I am with highly evolved planning skills. All joking aside, I like doing major grocery shoppings for non-perishables only a few times a year, leaving me with more limited perishables to pick up on an as needed basis. When you live in a Manhattan apartment you have to allocate your space! What makes me laugh with this pre-Pesach food situation is when I find a minor ingredient I need to use up, then that leads me to cooking an elaborate meal; kind of defeating the purpose, but it’s all part of the fun. For example, I needed to get rid of those canned crunchy onions. The next thing I know I am buying a small brisket for pulled beef over mashed potatoes, with the garnish being those crunchy onions! Or, take the baguettes I found in the freezer. What will I do with them? Of course now I am buying mozzarella for a caprese salad. While normally I am happy with my simple default dinners of a hot piping pizza or spaghetti, come the weeks leading to Pesach and the culinary variety on my dinner plate is endless. I live in a tight-knit apartment building, so there are always neighbors and friends to come by or to send over the overflow food to. This is all part of the irony, of course, as Pesach commemorates the leave-taking of the Jews from Egypt while in a hurry, symbolized by the matzah we eat. Meanwhile in some way or another we prepare for this holiday, whose essence is speed, for maybe a month. But it feels good to get rid of chametz, that puffy excess in our lives. It feels good to streamline and purge. Honestly, it does. Whatever is left unused I hope to donate to a food pantry. I still ought to pause and think twice before I buy that snowflake pasta again next year. Copyright Intermountain Jewish News

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Israel’s deportation of African migrants will be delayed until after Passover. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court agreed to a government request for an extension on the court’s order for a brief to outline the state’s deportation policy and related issues to April 9. The original deadline was March 26. The state said it needed more time to respond to the court’s request for clarification of the policy and said it will submit classified documents as part of its filing, which are believed to include information on the African nation that Israel is deporting them to. The state also said it likely will grant refugee status to Sudanese migrants from the Nuba area, as well as 300 refugees from Darfur. The Supreme Court froze the deportations in mid-March in response to a petition. In January, the Israeli Cabinet approved a plan and the budget to deport thousands of migrants from Sudan and Eritrea. Prior to that, the Population and Immigration Authority notified the migrants that as of Jan. 1, they must return to their own countries or to a third nation, or be sent to jail until they are deported. According to the government plan, migrants who choose to leave by March 31 will receive a payment of $3,500 as well as free airfare and other incentives, according to reports. They are believed to be sent to Rwanda, and possibly Uganda, according to reports, which also say that the migrants’ rights have been violated in the third country. For now, deportation notices will not be issued to women, children, fathers of children, anyone recognized as a victim of slavery or human trafficking, and those who had requested asylum by the end of 2017 but have not received a response, Haaretz reported. There are up to 40,000 Eritreans and Sudanese in Israel, including 5,000 children. —JTA

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Showing our guests why the Seder is important Rabbi avi biLLet

Parsha of the week

ne of the bigger challenges we face on Pesach evening is keeping everyone around the table engaged throughout the Seder. Whether we read the Haggadah straight (boring to some), have many Torah thoughts (too much for some), try to do it in both English and Hebrew (trying to the impatient), or really discuss the Exodus (we’re pulling teeth here), it is a Herculean task to be able to appeal to everyone all at the same time. Kids are bouncing off the walls, some young parents are as well; people who are used to a little more quiet might get shaky at the noise, and every other combination of factors can give us a sense that the challenges are insurmountable. But I think that the Seder is actually called Seder (order) because, with a little preparation, order can be maintained almost to its end. I recall a friend of mine, a rebbe in a yeshiva, telling me some years ago that he and his colleagues can be wonderful at what they do, but the real litmus test of their teaching is at the Seder. If the kids are prepared, the rebbe or mo-

rah is great. If the kids don’t know what’s flying, the teachers are terrible, and why are we paying so much for tuition! While I certainly hear that view and feel his pain, I partially disagree with him for two reasons. The first is because the Seder is supposed to be a dialogue between parents and children. If the kids know everything (or certainly if they know more than the parents) before they get to the table, then the Mah Nishtana becomes a joke, a recitation that is meaningless — not only because they know the answers, but because they don’t really need their parents’ information. The whole point of the Mah Nishtana is for the child to ask a question hoping for the parent to shine a little light on the situation! The second reason is that if each child is going to grandstand on his or her divrei Torah, others around the table might also lose patience with the proceedings. So I believe our challenge is two-fold. First to find a meaningful balance between sharing planned divrei Torah and being spontaneous.

This means finding a way to keep those around the table engaged. The second challenge we have is how to transmit a legacy in the precious few hours of the Seder. The Passover Seder is one of the few times throughout the year that full families or near-entire families gather together. Of course our Seder consists of all the mitzvoth of the evening, the telling of the story of the Exodus and the eating of matzah, marror and the four cups of wine. But wouldn’t it be fascinating to open a slightly different conversation about why we continue to do this? here are incredible stories of sacrifice and dedication demonstrated by people, in recent history, who did what they could even under the most trying of circumstances, to observe Pesach properly. During the Holocaust some people went to great lengths to make matzahs when possible. A few years ago a document was released to the public, written in Bergen Belsen 1944 by Rabbi Yissachar-Bernard Davids, stating that before eating chametz, which was absolutely neces-

Wouldn’t it be fascinating to open a slightly different conversation about why we continue to do this?

sary for survival, people should say, “Our father in heaven: It is known to you that our desire is to fulfill Your will and to celebrate the holiday of Pesach through the eating of matzah and the observance of the prohibition of chametz. However this is what is causing our hearts distress for the slavery is preventing us and our souls are in peril. We are ready and willing to fulfill your commandment to ‘live with them, and not die with them’ and to be punctilious of your warning to ‘be very careful and guard your life very much.’ Therefore we pay that you should keep us alive and redeem us soon so we may observe your laws (properly) yet again, and fulfill Your will, and serve You with a complete heart.” As the tale goes, after making this declaration, he made the appropriate blessings (including Shehechiyanu) and passed bread around to those who were at the “Seder” in that hell. Who does this? Would we have the strength to even issue such a prayer? Or would we just eat the bread, because we know we need to in order to survive? If we can prompt questions from children, and if we can get them to listen to our tales of what brought us to this table, of why we value Pesach, the Seder, Judaism, being part of this People, perhaps our Seder will become the most valuable conversation of the year. And hopefully, one which no one will want to walk away from for any reason.

As we reach Pesach, it is time to take a stand Rabbi binny FReedman

the heart of jerusalem

The details of this story have been changed to protect the identity of the commander involved. enin during the first intifada was a nasty place, especially for a month of reserve duty, but we were all trying to make the best of it. One evening at dusk, we got an urgent call over the radio that terrorists were throwing Molotov cocktails at civilian cars on the road not far from where we were on patrol. As we arrived on the scene, we saw two masked Arab men about a 100 yards down the road — one was holding a bottle filled with flammable liquid and a rag sticking out the top while the second lit it up, and we could see an Israeli civilian car headed in our direction about to become a target. Orders allowed us to open fire under such circumstances, which we did, causing the terrorists to hurl their bottles which ended up exploding harmlessly on the road. They took off, and as we gave chase two more jeeps, including the area company commander’s jeep, closed in and helped us corner the terrorists who ran into a house which we quickly surrounded. The conventional wisdom in such circumstances is that the first men on the scene should immediately break in, before the terrorists have a chance to think; most terrorist incidents are over in three minutes or less, so waiting for bettertrained can often get people killed. As we waited for the CO’s orders to break through the door, suddenly we heard from inside the house the unmistakable sound of a baby crying. Everyone froze. We could hear the battalion commander on the radio demanding to know why he was not hearing the order to breach the house. For what seemed an eternity but was probably only a couple of moments we waited in silence, listening to that baby cry, and I could see on the CO’s face the dilemma he was struggling with.

After a couple of minutes the battalion commander arrived, took in the situation and immediately gave the order to breach the house. (I personally did not end up inside the house; I was commanding the men surrounding the house and making sure the perimeter was secure.) One of the terrorists was killed and the second apprehended, and I remember how good the sound of that baby still crying after the house was taken sounded. But there was one act left to this story: when all was secure, in full view (and listening distance) of us all, the battalion commander took the CO to task and basically ripped him to shreds, demanding to know why he waited for two whole minutes, an eternity in a situation like that. And I can still recall his words: “Ein Tov ve’Ein ra; ve ein zman; yesh rak hachlata; tzarich le’hachlit!” (“There is no good or bad and there is no time; there are just decagons which need to happen immediately!”) Too often, when decisions need to be made, people cannot seem to commit, which often means disastrous results. here is a fascinating idea that relates to Pesach which would seem to illustrate this point. Why do we call this holiday Pesach (Passover); it’s such a strange name for a holiday. The Torah tells us: “I will see the blood on your doorposts and pass over you” (Shemot 12:13). Indeed, this seems to be the basis, in the famous verse quoted in the Haggadah, for the Paschal lamb being so called: “And you shall say it is a Pesach feast offering to Hashem (Ve’amartem Zevach Pesach) who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt.” The first use of the word Pesach is actually (v.11) in describing the lamb-sacrifice, before describing G-d’s passing over the Jewish houses: “And thus shall you eat it: your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; you shall eat it in haste: it is a Pesach offering to G-d.” Only in the next verse (v. 12) does describe how he will pass over the Jewish homes, which

is strange; shouldn’t the Torah first tell us G-d will pass over our homes and then explain we thus will offer the Paschal lamb? Indeed, we are enjoined to finish eating the paschal lamb by midnight, which was the exact time (v. 29) G-d visited the plague of the first born on the Egyptians and passed over the Jewish homes. But if the Paschal lamb is so named because G-d passed over our homes, shouldn’t we be eating it after the plague occurs? here is another well-known story where we find use of the term Pesach and that is in tea tory of Eliahu on the Mountain of Carmel. (Melachim I; chap. 18) Eliahu (Elijah) has challenged the prophets of Baal to a duel and in the course of the story, when it is clear there will be no miraculous fire from the heavens to support the priests of Baal who have been beseeching their false god all day, Eliahu finally has his moment. But instead of exhorting the Jewish people to believe or thundering against their worship of idols, he castigates them for straddling the fence: “Ad matai atem poschim al sh’nei ha’se’ifim?” (“How long will you straddle the fence? If it is G-d who [you believe] is G-d, then follow Him! And if the Baal, then follow him!”) (Melachim I 18:21) Here too Torah uses the word Pesach and the issue Eliahu has with the Jewish people is not that they worship idolatry, it is that despite knowing G-d to be the true G-d, they cannot let go of their idols; Eliahu tells them it is time to take a stand. At least a person who worships the Baal believes in something; he has a truth, it’s just the wrong truth. But show a person that his truth is mistaken and he yet may find the real truth. But a person who already knows G-d to be true yet cannot let go of the Baal, does not really believe in anything; he is really only in it for himself. He is missing the most important thing in life: a higher purpose; a sense of mission. And this, indeed, may be the reason we celebrate our festival as Passover; because on this night, the Jewish people had to take a stand. And that is why the first time we find the name Pesach

is when we are enjoined to eat the sacrifice with our shoes on, and with walking stick in hand. Because this means we are ready to go. Deep in the darkest night of Egypt, the Jewish people take the lamb, the god of the Egyptians, and paint their doors with its blood as if to say: ‘In this home Egyptian idolatry is no longer welcome.’ They take a stand and choose to identify as Jews, rather than as Egyptians, and in so doing, begin the long journey of forging the identity of the new Jewish nation. And that is why this festival is called Passover, because on this night we took a pass on Egypt and elected to join Hashem in creating a people that would change the world. We ceased to be slaves because we reacquired the ability to choose, and to make our own decisions. And when we passed on Egypt, G-d passed on viewing us as Egyptians. Today, more than ever, the world needs us to remind them of the choices and decisions we should all be making, in ensuring a better future. Best wishes for a chag sameach, a wonderful Passover, from Jerusalem.

Luach

Fri March 30 • 14 Nisan Friday is Taanis Bechoros First Seder Friday night Friday candlelighting: 6:59 pm

Saturday candlelighting: 8:00 pm Sunday Havdalah: 8:10 pm

Thurs April 5 • 20 Nisan Thursday candlelighting: 7:05 pm

Friday candlelighting: 7:06 pm Saturday Havdalah: 8:16 pm

Five Towns times from the White Shul

Pesach is here. Are you ready? Kosher BooKworm

The Festival of the Child

ere we are, on the cusp of the holiday of Pesach that in every manner of theme and observance surely defines us as a people. With that in mind, I bring to your attention two books that deserve your atten‑ tion in these hours of last min‑ ute preparation and study. Rabbi Eliezer Melamed is one of the most widely read To‑ rah studies educators in Israel. His “Peninei Halacha” series has sold over 300,000 copies and is used as a text in many schools in Israel. Among his most popular both in Hebrew and English is “Laws of Pesah” (Maggid Books, 2014). In a new English edition, we get to better appreciate Rab‑ bi Melamed’s clear, and concise presentment of some of the most difficult and complicated laws of our faith. This volume features a com‑ prehensive, yet very practical guide, to the Pesach holiday. It brings together the halacha from its theoretical base to its practical detail, including rules about eating egg matzah, a guide to the proper and digni‑ fied observance of the Seder rit‑ uals, and questions concerning extenuating circumstances. The author’s rulings relate to both Ashkenazic and Sephardic practice which chart a mainstream course to ritual observance. This method is em‑ ployed while presenting other variant positions, whether lenient or stringent, treating them with the proper respect they deserve. Finally, I am happy to present excerpts from Rabbi Yanki Tauber of Woodmere’s “The Inside Story — Exodus” (Meaningful Life Center, 2017), which relate to the response of youth to the Exo‑ dus experience.

And you shall tell your son on that day: “This is done because of what G‑d did for me, when I came out of Egypt.” (Exodus 13:8) When did you last experience freedom? For many of us, burdened by our jobs, our familial and social responsibilities, and the other entanglements of the human conditions, freedom seems as rare as it is essential, as elusive as it desirable. We want it, we need it, yet how do we achieve it? But look at the child. Observe him at play, immersed in a book, asleep and smiling at his dreams. Assured that father and mother will feed her, pro‑ tect her and worry about all that needs worrying about, the child is free. Free to revel in his or her inner self, free to grow and de‑ velop, open to the joys and pos‑ sibilities of life. This is why Passover, the festival of freedom, is so much the festival of the child. For it is the child who evokes in us the realization that we, too, are children of G‑d, and are thus inherently and eternally free. It is the child who opens our eyes to the ultimate significance of Passover: that in taking us out of Egypt to make us His chosen people, G‑d has liberated us of all enslavement and subjugation for all time. The child is thus the most important participant at the Passover Seder [whose] customs are specifi‑ cally designed to mystify the child, to stimulate her curiosity, to compel him to ask: “Mah nishta‑ nah halailah hazeh” (“Why is this night different from all other nights?”) For the entire Haggadah — the “telling” of the story of our redemption from Egypt at the Seder — is built around the concept of “When your child shall ask you … you shall tell your child.” …

How many Jewish children are mired in bizarre ‘Egypts’? Devote your heart to them and illuminate their way back to their holy source.

As different as they may be, the “four chil‑ dren” of the Haggadah have one thing in com‑ mon: whether involved, challenging, inept, or indifferent, they are all present at the Seder ta‑ ble. They are all relating, Rabbi Eliezer albeit in vastly differing Melamed ways, to our annual re‑ living of the Exodus and our birth as a nation. The line of communication is open; the potential “wise child” that resides within every Jewish child is approachable. Today, however, in our era of spiritual dis‑ placement, there also exists a fifth child: the Jew who is absent from the Seder table. He or she asks no questions, poses no challenges, dis‑ plays no interest. For she knows nothing of the Seder, nothing of the significance of the Exodus, nothing of the revelation at Sinai at which we assumed our mission and role as Jews. To these children of G‑d we must devote ourselves long before the first night of Passover. We must not forget a single Jewish child; we must invest all our energies and resources to bringing every last “fifth child” to the Seder table of Jewish life.

Tomorrow’s Child

“It shall come to pass that your child will ask you, tomorrow, to say: ‘What is this?’ You shall say to him: ‘With a mighty hand, G‑d took us out of Egypt’.” On the most basic level, Rashi explains the plain meaning of the verse [“there is a tomorrow that is immediate, and there is a tomorrow that is a long way off”]. The child who will observe the Passover ritu‑ als and asks, “What is this?” is obviously not the child of an immediate tomorrow. Such a child would have witnessed the miracles of the Exodus themselves, and would have firsthand knowledge of the significance of these mitzvot. So the “to‑ morrow” of which the Torah speaks is of a more distant time and generation — a generation for whom the liberation from Egyptian slavery is a long‑ago “historical event,” and who need to be educated on its relevance to their lives. But there is also a deeper significance to Rashi’s words. The statement, “There is a tomorrow that is immedi‑

The wise son’s question and answer RABBi dAvid eTenGoFF

he narrative of the Four Sons is one of the highlights of the Maggid (Telling) section of the Haggadah. Contemporary versions of this work formulate the first two questions in this manner: “What does the wise [son] say? ‘What are these testimonies, statutes and judgments that the L‑rd our G‑d commanded you (etchem)?’ … What does the wicked [son] say? ‘What is this worship to you (lachem)?’ To you and not to him. And since he excluded himself from the collective, he denied a principle [of the Jewish faith].” An endless sea of ink has been spilt in an at‑ tempt to elucidate the differences between the wise son’s use of “etchem” and the wicked son’s use of “lachem,” since both terms may readily be translated as “you.” While the examination of the distinctions that obtain between these two questions is surely a significant endeavor, it takes focus away from the meaning of the wise son’s inquiry — which deserves to be studied in its own right. One of the major thinkers to focus upon the singular import of the wise son’s question was the great Chasidic master, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of

Berdichev zatzal, known as both “the Berdichev‑ er” after his location, and “the Kedushat Levi” af‑ ter the name of his most famous work. He main‑ tains that in order to fully comprehend the wise son’s question, we must first understand the de‑ fining characteristics of matzah and chametz. To achieve this goal, he conceptually contrasts the nature of these substances: “Behold, the word ‘matzah’ and its essence teaches us about the creation of the world, that it was created completely new, out of absolute nothingness, and brought forth from total emp‑ tiness. … The intrinsic nature of chametz is that of something that is old, in stark contrast to matzah, which, by definition, represents that which is new. (Kedushat Levi, Sefer Vayikra, Drasha on Pesach) The Berdichever deepens his analysis of the inner meaning of matzah by emphasizing Hashem’s roles as Cre‑ ator of the Universe and Redeemer of our nation from Egyptian bondage: “Our Creator is teaching us through the mitzvah of matzah that there is a Creator of the Universe, and that each day, and each moment, He creates the world anew as is His desire. This is just like what He did in the Exodus from Egypt when He acted in an amaz‑ ing manner that defied the laws of nature, since

each one of the Ten Plagues violated the laws of nature.” ext, the Berdichever teaches us that the recognition of Hashem as the Creator and Redeemer leads us to profoundly spiritual heights: “When we know all of this with crystal clarity, then we will never move our hands and legs to do anything other than that which leads to the honor of His Name may He be blessed and exalted. Moreover, we will then be drawn to hold Him in awe and achieve the highest level of awe in His re‑ gard, ‘on account that He is the Master and the Ruler’.” (Zohar, Volume I, 11:2) Based on this trenchant analysis, the Berdichever expli‑ cates the deepest depths of the wise son’s question: “This, then is the [meaning inherent in] the wise son’s question, ‘What are these testimonies, statutes and judgments that the L‑rd our G‑d commanded you?’ Is it not enough [the wise son might add] that we have the mitzvah of matzah? Behold, from it alone we learn to fear and love the honored, great and awesome Name of Hashem! Therefore, of what need are the testimonies, statutes and judgments [when our ultimate spiri‑ tual goals have already been achieved through

Spiritual heights must be built on the heartfelt performance of actionbased mitzvot.

ate, and there is a tomorrow that is a long way off,” can also be understood as referring to two types of future generations, dif‑ ferentiated not by time but by mindset and at‑ titude. There are children who are of an immediate tomorrow: children who are of the same epoch as our own; children who are the continuum tomorrow to our today. They ask, as children are wont to ask, questioning the what, how, and why of the truths we convey to them. But we both inhabit the same world, and our dia‑ logue with them is predicated on the same set of axioms. Doubtless we will answer this child, relate to them the origins of our heritage, and explain to them the significance of our obser‑ vances. But there are also children who are of a far‑ off tomorrow. Children who inhabit a distant world, who speak a distant language and relate to distant values. Children for whom a vast gulf separates their tomorrow from our today. Chil‑ dren whose questions are of a different nature entirely: challenging, alien, hostile. What is one to do with such a child, with such a questioner? Speak with them, says the Torah, answer them, for they are your children. He or she is a child of your people, and a child of your mak‑ ing — for perhaps, just perhaps, you share in the responsibility for the fact that this child is wandering in the time‑warp of a disconnected tomorrow? In our own day, this “far off tomorrow” has become a painful reality. How many Jewish chil‑ dren inhabit such alien tomorrows? How many Jewish children are mired in bizarre “Egypts,” receding, with horrifying speed, to tomorrows of increasing distance and disconnection? When such a Jewish child comes with their questions — the apathetic‑bitter questions of a rootless generation — remember, he or she is your child. Devote your heart, soul, and life to them, and illuminate their way back to their holy source.

the mitzvah of matzah]?” We are now in a better position to understand the Haggadah’s answer to the wise son: “Accord‑ ingly, you will say to him, as per the laws of the Pesach offering, ‘We may not eat an afikoman [a dessert or other foods eaten after the meal] after [we are finished eating] the Pesach offer‑ ing’.” At first glance, this seems to have little to do with the wise son’s question. Based upon the Berdichever’s analysis of the mitzvah of matzah, however, we can recognize that it is the perfect response. According to the Berdichever, when the wise son asserts, “from it [the mitzvah of matzah] alone we learn to fear and love the honored, great and awesome Name of Hashem,” we must inform him that while this is surely necessary, it is insufficient. Judaism is far more than the pursuit of such ideals, since their inner meaning must be concretized in practical actions in order to bring kedushah into the world. How is this achieved? Precisely through the performance of “the testimonies, statutes and judgments” that the L‑rd our G‑d commanded us — including, the law of not eating an afikoman after we have eaten the korban Pesach. In sum, the wise son needs to know that as crucial as the attainment of spiritual heights may be, they must be built on the heartfelt performance of action‑based mitzvot. This Pesach, may we be zocheh to redouble our efforts to strengthen our relationship with Hashem through the performance of His mitzvot. Then may we be deserving to be true sons and daughters of Hashem; as the Torah states in Se‑ fer Devarim: “You are children of the L‑rd, your G‑d…” V’chane yihi ratzon.

THE JEWISH STAR March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778

I hope that you, my dear readers, have, to‑ gether with all your loved ones, a most kosher, joyous, and meaningful Pesach holiday. By Rabbi Yanki Tauber

AlAn JAY GeRBeR

March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778 THE JEWISH STAR

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Calm down. Bolton will be good for the country Jeff Dunetz politics to go

h-oh, the liberals are having a conniption. They’ve decided that President Trump ousted General McMaster and brought in Ambassador John Bolton because he is assembling a war cabinet. After all, Bolton has a reputation as a saber-rattler and there were stories (sadly on the conservative side) that McMaster fought against Trump’s pro-Israel policies, supports the Iran deal, thinks Trump was too hard on North Korea and not hard enough on Russia. Allow me to start with the McMaster rumors. NONSENSE! We’ve has twice addressed McMaster’s strong relationship with Israel in these columns. He was one of the authors of the president’s strategy announced in October that he

was not going to recertify the Iran deal and giving the lousy deal’s supporters in Congress and in Europe six months to make it better before the U.S. pulled out. A Wall Street Journal editorial after the president announced the personnel switch, praised McMaster for helping the Trump maneuver through the North Korean crisis. As far as Russia goes, McMaster’s policy before the 2016 election was to rethink the way the U.S. military approached Russian aggression without getting the nation into World War II, -but he did not eliminate the possibility of talks. So why is McMaster out and Bolton in? It isn’t ideology, because McMaster’s take on most issues is probably closer to the president’s than Bolton’s. It’s really a matter of style. McMaster is an incredibly talented strategist; however, his style is too verbose for this president. As the Washington Post suggested, “The president has complained that McMaster is too rigid and that his briefings go on too long and seem irrelevant.”

As for Bolton, he was chosen for a few reasons. Bolton’s style is very direct and bottomline. Trump knew that if he was going to

replace McMaster it would be best if he did it with a well-known name, to calm down the claims of chaos. And finally, while it’s true that the ambassador is more “hawkish” than the general, despite what the liberal media claims President Trump likes to be challenged with differing positions (just as long as the challenger understands that once the president makes his decision it’s time to fall in line). n a Wall Street Journal op-ed last month, Bolton outlined a legal case for attacking North Korea before it can develop the capability of a first strike against the U.S. His argument wasn’t far removed from that of the president, who promised that rocket-man would not be allowed the ability to put a nuclear weapon atop a missile that can reach American territory or the territory of our allies. Over the past year, Bolton has periodically visited the White House to advise the POTUS. Those visits built a relationship. Harry Kazianis, director of defense studSee Bolton on page 27

John Bolton at the National Republican Leadership Summit in Nashua, N.H., April 17, 2015. Darren McCollester/Getty Images

Putin an anti-Semite? It really doesn’t matter Ben Cohen Viewpoint

mong Sephardic Jews of my grandmother’s generation, there was a popular, if unproven, belief that Gen. Francisco Franco, the military dictator who ruled Spain from 1939 until his death in 1975, was of Jewish parentage, and that this explained why he granted refuge to several thousand Jews fleeing the Nazis. I’ve heard tales of a similar belief about Russia’s present republican tsar, Vladimir Putin, along with a similar explanation that his largely benevolent attitude towards the more than one million Jews under his rule stems from his supposedly Jewish ancestry. In an interview this week with the Jerusalem Post, Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar didn’t go as far as to claim Putin for the Jewish people, but he did laud him as the first leader in Russia’s long history “to say that Jews had the same rights as anyone else.” The rabbi also related the story of an elderly Jewish woman who told him that Putin’s attendance at a synagogue dedication left her feeling that she could now hold her head up after a lifetime of looking down. Lazar’s comments were situated in a broader defense of Putin from the charge of anti-Semitism, the product of a recent NBC interview in

From left: Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Environmental Protection Minister Ze’ev Elkin, and Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, at the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center in Moscow on Jan. 29, 2018. Kobi Gideon/GPO

which the Russian leader suggested that ethnic minorities with Russian citizenship — he named “Jews,” “Tatars” and “Ukrainians,” specifically — were responsible for Moscow’s interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. But while Jewish leaders in the United States and Europe condemned Putin’s apparent invocation of shadowy Jewish power, Rabbi Lazar countered that Putin was implacably opposed to anti-Semitism, having presided over an unprecedented rebirth of Jewish identity and community in Russia in the past two decades. hose who maintain that Rabbi Lazar speaks the truth and those who argue that he is compelled to say such things are, paradoxically,

both correct. Perhaps the most important task of a Jewish leader in a country like Russia — with its authoritarian and violently anti-Semitic traditions — is to ensure that the existence of a secure, vibrant Jewish community remains an important national interest, as Putin evidently believes it to be. Yet Putin’s cultivation of warm relations with Russia’s Jews, along with his regime’s respectful relations with the State of Israel, serve as a reminder that the transnational ties that bind the Jewish people aren’t immune from the pressures of geopolitics. A century ago, that reality manifested on the battlefield, with more than 500,000 Jewish soldiers serving in the ranks of rival national armies during World War I. These days, the stakes are less (or we at least believe they are), but the fact remains that the Vladimir Putin lionized by Rabbi Lazar is the same Vladimir Putin who is regarded by most Jews outside of Russia as a transparently nasty threat to the democracies in which they live as free citizens. Putin is certainly a historical oddity. He is a ruthless dictator with philo-Semitic leanings, who is nonetheless sophisticated enough to grasp the crucial political role that anti-Semitism has played, and may still play, in Russia’s national development. But there is a more immediate, overriding point: for the time being, none of this history really matters. et the welcome absence of anti-Semitism as an organizing principle of Russia’s present regime does not mean that the country itself should be regarded as more trustworthy or

reasonable on the international stage. The incoming national security adviser, John Bolton, explained the challenge well in a television interview discussing Russia’s use of a chemical weapons agent in the attempted assassination of a former KGB officer and his daughter in the United Kingdom. The violation of British sovereignty for the purposes of assassination, explained Bolton, was part of a larger pattern of aggression that also included Russia’s tactical embrace of certain international agreements, like the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, as a cover for its broader ambitions. Any arrangement that rested on the faith that Putin’s regime — or other authoritarian regimes — would honor their commitments to an agreement was “doomed to failure,” argued Bolton. The basic insight that dictators cannot be trusted has been out of fashion in the White House for more than a decade. Now that it has apparently returned, it remains to be seen whether its application in the case of Russia will become a point tension in the relationship between Bolton and President Trump. In the meantime, what is certain is that Russia will continue its efforts to confound Western public opinion, including, when it makes sense to do so, with accounts of the rekindling of Jewish life in a country excoriated by the West for its alleged intolerance. Such a story would doubtless be a magnificent example of how a kernel of truth can be spun into a web of falsehoods, a craft excelled at throughout the course of the Putin regime, but none of us should be fooled.

scott brinton

’m thankful for the March 21–22 nor’easter that blew across Long Island and dropped a foot of snow in Nassau County. No, really, I am. Early last Thursday, I was shoveling snow at home in Merrick, feeling grumpy because I was at it yet again, when a friendly, relatively new neighbor wheeled his snowblower over and, in minutes, cleared my apron. This was after he had cleaned the sidewalks on both sides of the block. Suddenly, I was feeling less morose. Later, my wife brought our neighbor a box of chocolates to thank him for his kindness. At first he didn’t want to accept, but she insisted, explaining that it’s customary in her homeland of Bulgaria to give chocolates when someone does a favor for you. As it turns out, our neighbor, who is from Israel, is half Bulgarian. His grandmother is from the Balkan nation. What are the odds? We quickly got to talking about how Bulgaria saved its roughly 50,000 Jewish citizens from extermination during the Holocaust. Impossibly, the tiny nation actually defied the Third Reich, never allowing a train to leave for an extermination or concentration camp. The

story of how Bulgaria, which was enslaved by the Ottoman Empire from the late 14th century through 1878, stood up to a regime as powerful and ruthless as Nazi Germany should serve as an object lesson for us all. During the Second World War, Bulgaria allied with Germany. Watching Nazi forces roll across Eastern Europe virtually unchecked, and hoping to regain territories lost during World War I, the Bulgarian government signed a pact with Germany in 1941, following two years of neutrality. Bulgaria was not, however, one of Adolf Hitler’s puppets. It did not, for example, participate when Germany invaded neighboring Yugoslavia or Greece that year. As was the case in France, Bulgarians organized a resistance. My father-in-law, who died in 2000 at age 74, joined it when he turned 19. He was soon captured and imprisoned, but he survived. After the war, he signed up for the Bulgarian Air Force, rising to the rank of colonel. The secret to Bulgarians’ ability to thwart Hitler was at once simple, yet profound: They said no Jews would leave the country. Period. They did so under the threat of death, but they were unafraid and undeterred. Bulgaria’s

Orthodox Christians had lived under the “Ottoman Yoke” for five centuries, together with Jews and Armenian Christians. They were old friends. hen the Bulgarian government ratified an undisclosed agreement with Germany in 1943 to send 8,500 Jews to the Treblinka extermination camp in Poland, where 700,000 to 900,000 Jews were killed, word of the plan leaked out, and Bulgarians assembled in demonstrations at points around the country, according to the Orthodox Peace Fellowship. On March 10, 1943, Metropolitan Kiril, a bishop of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church who later became its patriarch, and 300 of his congregants stood in front of a train that was to transport 1,500 Jews from Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second-largest city, saying he would not allow it to leave. Armed SS officers surrounded them. Miraculously, the guards did not shoot. Kiril sent a telegram to Metropolitan Stephan, the bishop of Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital, according to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem. Stephan, a staunch supporter of Bulgaria’s Jews, and 42 members of Parliament fired off a letter of

In Jaffa, a monument stands in tribute to Bulgaria’s heroism and humanity.

protest to the Bulgarian king, Boris III, the Orthodox Peace Fellowship states. Jews held for transport were soon released and permitted to go home. No death trains ever left Bulgaria, according to Yad Vashem. In 1939, Bulgarian Jews numbered 48,000. By 1945, they reached more than 50,000. Most of them immigrated to Israel in the years after the war. Bulgaria and Israel established diplomatic relations in 1948, the year of Israel’s founding, and they remain allies today. In Jaffa, a picturesque Israeli city on the Mediterranean Sea, a white-stone monument stands in the Garden of the Bulgarian People as a tribute to a nation’s heroism, its humanity. Jacky Comforty directed the 2001 documentary “The Optimists,” about how Bulgaria foiled Hitler’s extermination plans. “We have an example of the power of the common man to stop genocide,” Comforty told The Washington Post in 2013, on the 70th anniversary of Bulgarians’ mass protests. In 2017, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for its role in saving Jews during World War II. “Everyone is entitled to his own faith,” Bulgarian Orthodox Bishop Boris Kharalampiev said in “The Optimists.” “No one should violate the intimate spiritual life of another.” Truer words have never been spoken. Scott Brinton is senior editor of Herald Community Newspapers where his column appears regularly.

Ben-Gurion and Bolton vs. the United Nations rafael Medoff

resumably, David Ben-Gurion would have disagreed with John Bolton on a number of issues. But the Israeli founding father likely would have appreciated the incoming national security adviser’s strong skepticism regarding the United Nations. Bolton, who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 2005–06, once remarked: “The [U.N. headquarters] in New York has 38 stories. If it lost 10 stories, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference.” (“Fifteen might be better,” New York Times columnist Bret Stephens quipped this week.) Ben-Gurion’s famous assessment of the world body came in the form of a remark he made at an Israeli cabinet meeting in 1955. He was responding to a suggestion that the United Nations’ 1947 plan for partitioning Palestine brought about the creation of the State of Israel. “No, no, no!” Ben-Gurion shouted. “Only the daring of the Jews created the state, and not any oom-shmoom resolution.” “Oom” is the Hebrew acronym for “United Nations,” and the use of “shm” as a prefix is, of course, a well-known Yiddishism indicating contempt for the subject. The phrase “oom-shmoom” became a fixed part of the Israel political lexicon and has been invoked by other Israeli leaders over the years.

Bolton... Continued from page 26 ies at the Center for the National Interest, a think tank founded by former President Nixon, said he believed that Trump and Bolton have “jelled” through conversations over the past year and predicted Bolton could be a forceful presence in the West Wing. “Trump likes someone who will tell him straight how it is,” Kazianis said. “I don’t think Trump would have brought him in as national

When the United Nations in 1997 condemned Israel for building homes in the Har Homa section of Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remarked (in Hebrew), “If this is all the ‘Oom’ is good for, then truly it is ‘Shmoom’.” Every Israeli adult instantly understood his reference to the unforgettable words of the country’s first premier. merican Jewish organizations had high hopes for the United Nations and actively promoted its establishment in 1945. It was not long, however, before its limitations and biases began to emerge. In a landmark address in 1956, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt”l declared that aside from the 1947 Palestine partition plan, “one cannot point to any other concrete accomplishment on the part of the United Nations.” In fact, even the 1947 plan was a just a recommendation, not a concrete achievement. The world body took no action to bring about the implementation of the plan, nor did it intervene when five Arab armies invaded the newborn State of Israel in defiance of that resolution. Not six months after the Rav’s remark, the U.N. General Assembly held its first emergency special session—in order to rebuke Israel for taking action in response to Egypt’s massive military buildup and sponsorship of terrorist attacks from Gaza. That led to the creation of the

first U.N. peacekeeping force, which was stationed in the Sinai; its mission was to prevent Egyptian aggression against Israel and ensure that the Suez Canal remained open to Israeli shipping. The hope that those U.N. “peacekeepers” would actually keep the peace soon proved illusory. When Egyptian dictator Gamal Abdel Nasser began preparing for war against Israel in the spring of 1967, he demanded the withdrawal of the U.N. troops from Sinai — and they meekly complied. The United Nations’ abdication of its responsibility “destroyed the most central hopes and expectations on which we had relied on withdrawing from Sinai in 1957,” Israeli statesman Abba Eban later wrote in his autobiography. “What had for 10 years appeared to be a stable international reality turned out, within two hours, to be as unsubstantial as a spider’s web.” Subsequent Israeli experiences with U.N. peacekeepers, especially the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, likewise proved to be profoundly disappointing. UNIFIL has become notorious for its failure to prevent Palestinian and Hezbollah terrorists from operating under its nose in southern Lebanon. or decades, U.N. agencies have been competing with each other over which one can adopt the most vitriolic anti-Israel resolu-

tions. Absurdly extreme declarations against Israel are issued with such regularity that you can practically set your watch to them. Last week alone, the U.N. Human Rights Council passed five separate anti-Israel resolutions. And the votes were not exactly close. A resolution calling on all U.N. member-states to refuse to sell weapons to Israel was adopted by a vote of 25 to 4. Even a resolution calling on Israel to surrender the Golan Heights to the maniacal regime in Syria passed, 25 to 14. All of which makes you wonder about the decision by some Jewish or Zionist organizations to spend so much of their time wringing their hands about the fact that Israel is excluded from various U.N. committees and the U.N. Security Council. Even if Israel were to somehow gain membership on one of those bodies, the Jewish state inevitably will find itself overwhelmed by a large majority of hostile Arab, Marxist and Third World member-states. Rather than seeking to change the culture of an organization whose culture will never change, Jewish officials could put their time and resources to better use by concentrating on matters of greater consequence. As indicated by last week’s five resolutions—and the many hundreds that preceded them—some biases are simply too deeply entrenched to be dislodged. Acknowledging that fact may be uncomfortable. But it’s a reality that has been apparent since Ben-Gurion’s time. Dr. Rafael Medoff is author or editor of 19 books about Jewish history and Zionism.

security adviser if he didn’t think it would work out. It could be a very strong marriage, where Bolton serves out the whole tenure of the administration.” Bolton certainly has the credentials for the position, having served as undersecretary of state for arms control and United Nations ambassador during the Bush administration. The only issue where he diverges from the president is that he was an early advocate for the Iraq war, which Trump has severely criticized. Like his domestic policy, Trump’s foreign policy is based on the idea of “America first.” That doesn’t mean he doesn’t believe in military intervention to promote democracy and

nation building, but that will he will only commit new forces when America or our close allies are is in danger. The liberals need to calm down because the bottom line is no matter who the national security advisor this president is not going to be bullied into a military action that isn’t crucial to protect America and her allies. Bolton is not the shoot first ask questions later type that has been portrayed in the liberal media. He does hate the Iran deal (as does the president), but in a detailed National Review essay in August 2017, Bolton advocated for dumping the JCPOA but only after an extended diplomatic effort It’s been much easier for Bolton to rattle

sabers as Fox commentator with two minutes to be controversial and make an impression, than it will be as a national security adviser who makes recommendations that could be the difference between war and peace, life and death. Bolton is a smart man who understands his role. I was and remain a big fan of McMaster, who served this country honorably for 34 years. But if he was going to be replaced, John Bolton, who was described by Rep. Lee Zeldin of Long Island as “ridiculously knowledgeable,” is a perfect choice. He will be an asset to the administration, and more importantly, to the security of the United States.

Some biases are simply too deeply entrenched to be dislodged.

THE JEWISH STAR March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778

How tiny Bulgaria saved 50,000 Jews in WWII

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for the text is key to our identity. Artifacts help us realize that ‘oh wow, these were real people’.” “It was very interesting to see actual artifacts, representations of words we see in the Torah,” said Lori Leifer, 37, a Yiddish singer and computer database programmer who describes herself as Conservadox. Everyone else on the tour appeared to be Orthodox, including several haredim. The Exodus tour is one of five Jewish tours Selavan offers at the Met through his company, Torah Intermedia. Another focuses on artifacts from the time of the Maccabee revolt and is oriented toward Chanukah. More Passover-themed tours are planned for chol ha’moed. Selavan grew up the son of a rabbi/ tour guide/archaeologist in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City, and was educated at yeshivas. He discusses references from Mishna comfortably with a Satmar Hasid on his tour but dresses more like a Brooklyn hipster. Asked how he identifies religiously, Selavan replied, “I’m on the Orthodox spectrum but not sure where I fit.” In his second year teaching Torah at Netivot Montessori Yeshiva in East Brunswick, he took fourth-graders to see the Met’s exhibit “From Assyria to Iberia.” Another visitor, overhearing him, asked if he read Aramaic and led him to the Tel Dan stele, a 2,800-yearold inscribed stone on loan from the Israel Museum. Reading what turned out to be paleo-Hebrew, Selavan was struck by the power of seeing the earliest known reference to “Beit David,” the seat of the Davidic dynasty, which is his hometown. “Then people started asking me questions,” Selavan said. At the start of the 2016– 17 school year, he started networking with other Orthodox yeshivas to lead tours and quickly expanded into leading adults. Last summer he took about 20 groups through the Met, he said, and now leads synagogue and Hillel groups as well. He gave a Jewish tour of Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts to members of an Orthodox synagogue in suburban Newton, and is planning to do the same with area day school groups. Selavan lives in Crown Heights and is finishing up a long-distance master’s degree program in Jewish education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and enrolling in a Jewish history master’s program at Yeshiva University. On the Passover tour, as the group approached the Temple of Dendur, the massive sandstone shrine set in a grand sunlit interior plaza, Selavan pointed out a replica crocodile in the surrounding moat. He noted that the Hebrew term “taneen,” found in Ezekiel and Exodus, is generally translated as “serpent,” but more likely meant crocodile, as they infested the Nile. “My dream is to do things like this with museums around the world,” he later told JTA. “In Spain, London, France and so on. And to live in Jerusalem.”

The Jewish Star will not publish during Pesach. Our next edition will be distributed, b’ezrat Hashem, on Wednesday, April 11. If it is neecessary to reach The Jewish Star during Chol Hamoed, please call 718-908-5555.

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By Debra Nussbaum Cohen, JTA I have roamed the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Egyptian wing many times, marveling at sarcophagi, statues of Horus and Ra, and portraits of young men on ancient panels who gaze back at visitors, looking shockingly familiar and contemporary. But on a Sunday just before Passover, I viewed the artifacts as I’d never before seen them: through the lens of the Exodus story, which we retell each year in reading the Haggadah. Nachliel Selavan, a Jewish educator and self-taught museum guide whose specialty is looking at Jewish texts and history through ancient artifacts, guided about 20 through the Egypt section, pausing at statues, carvings and the Book of the Dead scroll. Before setting off he distributed source sheets with canonical Jewish texts in Hebrew and English. For more than two hours Selavan connected items and ideas mentioned in the texts with the artifacts on view. Selavan had us look at a passage from Deuteronomy in which Moses details what will befall the Israelites if they don’t live up to their end of the covenant. The Israelites are told they will be flattened by insufferable ailments and curses, and that the L-rd will “will bring you back in boats to Egypt.” Selavan pointed inside an ancient diorama to show what those boats would have looked like. “The Jewish people and Tanach do not exist in a vacuum,” Selavan said after the tour. “Understanding the context

THE JEWISH STAR March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778

Tour guide views Pesach at Met

March 30, 2018 • 14 Nisan, 5778 THE JEWISH STAR

The JEWISH STAR

CAlendar of Events

Send your events to Calendar@TheJewishStar.com • Deadline noon Friday • Compiled by Zachary Schechter Thursday March 29

Parsha Shiur: [Weekly] Join Michal Horowitz at the YI of Woodmere for a special shiur on the parsha. 9:30 am. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. 516-295-0950. Iyun Tefilah: [Weekly] Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum at the Young Israel of Lawrence Cedarhurst. 9:45 am. 8 Spruce St, Cedarhurst. Learn Maseches Brachos: [Weekly] Join Rabbi Eliyahu Wolf at the YI of Woodmere for a shiur on Maseches Brachos. 5:15 pm. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. 516-295-0950. Halacha Shiur: [Weekly] Join Rabbi Yoni Levin at Aish Kodesh for a halacha shiur. 9:30 pm. 894 Woodmere Pl, Woodmere.

Friday March 30 Passover Seder: Join Chabad of the Five Towns for an uplifting Passover Seder. Adult: $40. Child: $25. 8 pm. 74 Maple Ave, Cedarhurst.

Monday April 2

Women’s Shiur: [Weekly] Dr. Anette Labovitz’s women shiur will continue at Aish Kodesh. 10 am. 894 Woodmere Pl, Woodmere. Seeing Things Clearly: [Weekly] Join Rabbi Shalom Yona Weis at Aish Kodesh for a shiur for women and high school girls titled “Seeing Things Clearly- Learning to View Our World and Our Lives Through Positive Lenses. 8:45 pm. 894 Woodmere Pl, Woodmere.

Tuesday April 3

Women’s Shiur: [Weekly] Rebbetzin Weinberger of Aish Kodesh will give a shiur on the “Midah of Seder in our Avodas Hashem.” 11 am. 894 Woodmere Pl, Woodmere.

Torah Tots: YCQ will be hosting a special Chol Hamoed show with Torah Tots. $7. 12 pm. 718285-9132. Jewish History: [Weekly] Join Rabbi Evan Hoffman at the YI of Woodmere for a talk on Jewish History. 8:15 pm. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. 516-295-0950. Halacha Shiur: [Weekly] Join Rabbi Moshe Sokoloff at the YI of Woodmere for a halacha shiur. 8:40 pm. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. 516-295-0950. Gemara Shiur: [Weekly] Join Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt at the YI of Woodmere for a gemara shiu. 9:15 pm. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. 516295-0950.

Wednesday March April 4 Magic Show: Chazaq presents a special Chol Hamoed magic show at Beth Gavriel Center. $7. 12 pm. 66-35 108th St, Forest Hills. Timely Tanach: [Weekly] Join Rabbi Ya’akov Trump of the Young Israel of Lawrence Cedarhurst for a shiur on Sefer Shoftim. 8 pm. 8 Spruce St, Cedarhurst. Chumash and Halacha Shiur: [Weekly] Shiur with Rabbi Yosef Richtman at Aish Kodesh. 8 pm. 894 Woodmere Pl, Woodmere. Shiur and Tehillim Group: [Weekly] Join the women of YI of Woodmere at the home of Devorah Schochet. 9:15 pm. 559 Saddle Ridge Rd.

Tuesday April 10 Breakfast Connect: [Weekly] Breakfast Connect is a business and networking group that meets for breakfast at Riesterer’s Bakery and to discuss business and networking opportunities. 7:30-8:30 am. 282 Hempstead Ave, West Hempstead. 516-662-7712.

Exploring Sefer Tehillim: Join Michal Horowitz for a seres of lectures on Sefer Tehillim at the Gural JCC. $15. 11:30 am. 207 Grove Ave, Cedarhurst. 516-569-6733 ext. 222.

Wedensday April 11

Yom Hashoah: The Greater Five Towns Community Yom Hashoah annual commemoration will be held at Beth Shalom featuring keynote speaker Israel Starck. 7:30 pm. 390 Broadway, Lawrence.

Thursday April 12

Yom Hashoah: Congregation Shaaray Shalom will be hosting a Yom Hashoah program featuring Abraham H. Foxman, director of the Anti-Defamation League. 7 pm. 711 Dogwood Ave, West Hempstead.

Friday April 13

Come Hear the Music: The Friday-Woodmere Music Club presents a live musical performance followed by coffee and refreshments. 1 pm. 1125 Broadway, Hewlett.

Sunday April 15

Immigration Forum: Join Congressmen Peter King and Thomas Suozzi for an important forum on federal immigration policies at the Mid Island I JCC. 3 pm. 45 Manetto Hill Rd, Plainview. 516433-0433. From Ashes to Hope: The Friedberg JCC in Oceanside is hosting a Yom Hashoah program. Free. 7 pm. 15 Neil Ct, Oceanside. 516-634-4010. Yeshiva of South Shore RBK Memorial Dinner: Yeshiva of South Shore will be holding a memorial dinner for Rav Binyamin Kamenetzky at The Sands. 1395 Beech St, Atlan tic Beech. 516374-7363.

Emuna: Chazaq and Beth Gavriel Community Center invite women of all ages to hear Rebbetzin Orit Esher Riter on “Emuna Boost Your Mind, Body, & Soul.” Free admission. 8 pm. 6635 108th St, Forest Hills.

Monday April 16

Parenting Then and Now: Join Rabbi Berel Wein and Dr. David Pelcovitz at Beth Shalom for a community wide parenting event titled “Parenting Then and Now: What’s Changed?” 8 pm. 390 Broadway, Lawrence. 516-371-3250 x107.

Wednesday April 18

Rebbetzin Orit Riter: Rebbetzin Orit Esther Riter author of the book Turnaround will be speaking at Shaare Emunah. Free admission, women only. 539 Oakland Ave, Cedarhurst. 718285-9132. Community Yom Haatzmaut Festivities: The Queens Jewish Center invites everyone to their Yom Haatzmaut festivities featuring refreshments and speaker Kenneth Jacobson, deputy national director of the Anti-Defamtion League. 7 pm. 66-05 108th St, Forest Hills. 718-459-8432.

Sunday April 22

Helen’s Run/Walk: People of all ages are invited to come to the Sands Point Preserve for Helen’s Run/Walk 2018 to support the Helen Keller National Center for Dead-Blind Youths and Adults. 718-522-2122.

Wednesday April 25

Healthcare Cocktail Reception: UJA invites Long Island Healthcare Professionals to a cocktail reception at Shelter Rock Jewish Center. Couvert: $180. 6:30 pm. 272 Shelter Rock Rd, Roslyn.

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