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Parsha Tzav • April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan, 5777 • Candlelighting 7:08 pm, Havdalah 8:09 • Luach page 23 • Vol 16, No 14

The Newspaper of our Orthodox communities

Chag Kasher V’Sameach

With Pesach starting Monday night, April 10, everyone’s getting in gear to relive the Exodus. You’ll find a 3-year-old matzah-maker on page 2, an elderly participant in Project Ezra on page 30, and here on page 1, Long Island’s Jewish schools are turning their youngsters on to the holiday’s beauty. Clockwise from top left: Talmidim at Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s Harriet Keilson Early Childhood Center in Far Rockaway consider karpas close up; children at HALB’s Lev Chana Early Childhood Center used their five senses to experience first-

hand the mitzvah and hard work involved in making Shmurah Matzah; in the HAFTR Lower School, students participated in a range of age-appropriate activities that allowed each of them to feel as though he or she personally left Mitzrayim; children at HAFTR’s early childhood center delight in practicing their mitzvot; and then there’s Long Island’s traveling matzah bakery, organized by Rabbi Dovid and Chumy Ezagui of Lake Success Chabad, a project that touched more than 3,000 children on the Island and elsewhere in the New York region.

The Jewish Star will not publish during Pesach. Look for our next issue on Thursday, April 20. We wish everyone a Chag Kasher V’Sameach!

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Gluten-free matzah: Here’s what you should know

By Gabe Friedman, JTA Gluten-free matzah might sound like a bad joke — after all, regular unleavened bread tastes pretty cardboard-like already. But for Jews with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that can damage one’s intestinal lining, or gluten intolerance, which involves icky reactions to that pesky protein found in wheat, finding the right matzah is not an easy task. Matzah in its normal form is made of wheat.

What are my options?

Thanks to the fact that up to a quarter of American consumers want gluten-free food, the market for gluten-free matzah increases every year, and now there are more options than ever.

Most are made chiefly from a combination of tapioca and potato starches (and might more accurately be labeled, as is done by Gefen, “matzo crackers”).

Can I use gluten-free matzah during the seder?

To fulfill the mitzvah of eating matzah during the seder, the matzah must be made from one of five varieties of grains that have the potential to leaven, or turn into bread: wheat, rye, barley, spelt or oats.

Among those choices, oats are the only completely gluten-free option. So while the tapioca and potato versions look like normal matzah, they cannot be used as a true substitute in a seder.

Daniel Gordon, a rabbi in the Kfar Chabad village in central Israel, helps distribute oat matzah made by the Tiv Hashibolet bakery in Jerusalem. He said there was an “unbelievable lack of knowledge” about the religious requirements for matzah among non-religious Jews. “[People] were mistakenly using a cracker given the name matzah,” Gordon said. “They didn’t really understand that they’re not fulfilling the mitzvah” of eating approved matzah.

How much does it cost?

Most iterations of the tapioca and potato gluten-free run $4 to $5 — approximately the same as a typical 10-ounce box of matzah. Maybe they’re a dollar or two more in some places.

Oat matzah, however, is a different ballgame. A box from the Lakewood Matzoh bakery, which ships its product to customers all over the world, usually costs more than $25 (including shipping). A 16-ounce box of the Kestenbaum’s brand sells for over $30 with shipping.

Tiv Hashibolet used to distribute 500 boxes of oat matzah to Israeli citizens for free with the help of a donor, but now has been forced to sell it for 85 shekels — more than $23 — per box.

Why is oat matzah so expensive?

As explained by Israel Davidowitz, a manager at Lakewood, oat matzah is “nearly impossible to make.”

Ephraim Kestenbaum, a London-based rabbi and chemist, first developed an oat matzah in the 1980s inspired by his daughter, who was diagnosed with celiac disease. He found a farm north of Edinburgh, Scotland, that produced oats he could completely separate from adjacent wheat crops and baked the first batches himself.

After a few years of perfecting the process and watching the demand for his product grow, Kestenbaum moved the operation to Israel, where it was produced until recently in the village of Atarot.

But getting oat flour to stick together — something it took Kestenbaum years to perfect — is arduous, since it’s gluten that acts as a binding agent in normal matzah and bread.

Davidowitz estimates that about half of the harvested oat flour gets lost in the baking process.

Lakewood sources its oats from Montana and Wyoming, and it needs to send mashgichim to monitor the oats from the time they are planted to the time they are harvested. The fields also need to be watched carefully and tested, so that traces of wheat don’t seep into the oats area.

Family’s matzah-baking tradition

Helen Hoffman of Kew Gardens Hills and four generations of her family (from Lakewood and Monsey as well as KGH) continued their 20-year-old tradition of baking their own Pesach matzah by hand, producing 30 pounds at the Charadim Matzah Bakery in Borough Park. The littlest family baker, 3-year-old Sholom, rolled out dough, which his older brothers carefully (and quickly!) brought to the oven. The custom of chaburah comes from Eastern Europe, where the men baked the matzah for their families. Because of the appetites they worked up from all that matzah baking, the family went out for dinner afterwards, to one of their favorite restaurants, Essen on Coney.

Workers at Tiv Hashibolet spend about nine hours cleaning the facility — down to the floors and up to the light bulbs in the ceiling — to make sure no traces of gluten linger in the air before baking its oat matzah. (It now makes a product with only about 5 parts of gluten per million, while the American gluten-free standard is 20 parts per million.)

How’s the taste?

While oat matzah is the successful result of years of difficult experimentation and a godsend for observant gluten-free Jews, its taste is — interesting.

To counter the bitterness of certain enzymes, oats are typically injected with steam just before

they are milled and made into gluten-free products. But this steaming technically makes them chametz. The world’s few oat matzah bakeries skip the steaming step, leaving the end product with a bitter aftertaste.

As for tapioca and potato starch matzah, veterans of the gluten-free diet will be used to the taste — light, grainy and not quite as scrumptious as its wheat-based counterpart.

Fortunately, gluten-free matzah works just as well as the regular kind as the base for all kinds of toppings. And while matzah is required for the seder, there’s an entire world of gluten-free food to be eaten during the Passover week, from chicken to vegetables to chocolate.

WHAT’S YOUR STORY? On Passover, we tell the age-old story. And every day, we work together to write a new story for our community — where no one goes hungry or is left out.

We all have our own stories. What’s yours?

Share your story. www.jewish.nyc For a limited time, every story submitted will be matched by an $18 donation — up to $1,800 — to help someone in need.

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Honoring my mom with 7 fabulous Yiddish words

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By Linda Pressman, Kveller via JTA It’s 1968, or 1978, basically anytime I’m with my mom in her lifetime and we’re out in public. Finicky about fabrics and proper attire, my mother always offered a choice opinion in Yiddish. If they don’t speak the language, no big deal, she just mutters her criticisms to me in that tongue under her breath, criticisms so precise that they take my breath away: someone’s dress is plotzing (too tight), or it’s ongepotchked (over-ornamented), or it’s just drek (junk).

We were an immigrant family, more immigrant in spirit when the first child was born and less so with each subsequent child until, by the time there were seven of us, my parents were forced to speak English to their Yiddish-illiterate children.

They tried to speak Yiddish to me but, as an American-born child of the 1960s, I wasn’t listening. I scorned Yiddish as the old country language used by my parents to keep secrets from me and as the language of a million uninteresting grown-up conversations. I couldn’t imagine why I’d be interested in Yiddish.

Of course, I changed my mind later, too late, long after my brain had frozen onto English. But I discovered something amazing and colorful, something I could not live without linguistically: Yiddish adjectives and exclamations, which describe characteristics and behaviors so well.

While English flails around, always somehow missing the mark, Yiddish nails it, just as my mother demonstrated so long ago. And, interestingly enough, this ability to get things “just right” has a Yiddish term – punkt.

In honor of my mom, and her under-thebreath comments, here are seven of my favorite Yiddish words.

1. Drek – Garbage or substandard junk.

You can eat something and pronounce it drek, or you can buy something shoddily made and declare it drek. This one comes in handy.

2. Potchke – Fussing with, or messing with inexpertly. After being served this drek, you try to potchke it into something delicious but just end up making a mess of it. [poch-key]* 3. Goniff – The jerk who sold you the drek — literally, a thief. A person who steals you blind. A pronouncement on his soul for being a thief. [gah-niff] 4. Ongeblozen – Full of him/herself, conceited. You try to get your money back from the ongeblozen goniff for the drek he sold you when you’re unable to potchke it into something edible. [ung-eh-bluh-zen] 5. Schlmozel – You for being a hopeless dupe who got swindled by the ongeblozen goniff who sold you the drek. [shl-mah-zle] 6. Schpilkes – How you feel inside now with your guts churning after you were such a schlmozel for buying such drek from that ongeblozen goniff. [shpill-kiss] 7. Meshuganah – Crazy, insane. How you feel when you think about the ongeblozen goniff who gave you such schpilkes when he sold you the drek and made you into such a schlmozel. [mesh-u-gah-nah] I can’t live without these Yiddish words.

I’ve taught them to my children and to my Americanish Jewish husband (his family speaks no Yiddish). I’ve taught them to my non-Jewish friends who are thrilled that they will never again have to futilely search English for a word that just doesn’t exist.

Search no more. The word exists. It’s in Yiddish.

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By Ron Kaplan, JTA In baseball, they say time begins on Opening Day. Everyone has a chance for a fresh start. Most of the old familiar names are back, although some have new addresses. If you count Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, there are nine Jews who begin the year on Major League rosters.

Ty Kelly, a 28-year-old utility player, was added to the Mets’ roster just before Monday’s opener against the Atlanta Braves won by the Mets, 6-0. Kelly, who has a Jewish mother and Catholic father, was a member of Israel’s surprisingly strong team in the World Baseball Classic and one of 11 American ballplayers to participate in a get-acquainted trip to Israel in January. He made his debut with the Mets last season, but without the fanfare usually afforded the rare Jewish athlete.

If the Milwaukee Brewers’ Ryan Braun has a decent season, he will become the third Jewish major leaguer to have more than 300 home runs and 1,000 runs batted in. The 33-year-old outfielder currently trails Hank Greenberg (331, 1,276) and Shawn Green (328, 1,070) on the all-time lists. He was hitless in four at-bats in the Brewers’ 7-5 Opening Day loss to the Colorado Rockies.

Many Jewish fans would probably tell you that Ian Kinsler of the Detroit Tigers was the hero of Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. His two-run homer in the finals against Puerto Rico gave the Americans the only runs they would need in an 8-0 victory. Kinsler, 34, cracked the 200-home run mark (212) last season with 28 round-trippers, the most he’s had since 2011. That put him fourth in the Jewish record book. The Tigers opener against the Chicago White Sox was postponed by rain.

Joc Pederson topped the Los Angeles Dodgers in spring training with six home runs. That power carried over into Opening Day when the lefty swinger blasted a grand slam to help his club to a 14-3 rout of the San Diego Padres.

Like Kinsler, Alex Bregman, the third baseman for the Houston Astros, decided to play with for the United States in the WBC rather than Israel. Unlike Kinsler, however, he had little impact, appearing in just two games. In the Astros’ 3-0 Opening Day victory over the Seattle Mariners, Bregman had a hit, scored a run and stole a base.

Danny Valencia, 32, begins 2017 as the starting first baseman for the Mariners, his seventh team in eight Major League seasons. Last year he saw action at five positions, including designated hitter, for the Oakland A’s. He went hitless in three at-bats with one walk in the loss to Houston.

Kevin Pillar had a strong spring for the Toronto Blue Jays as he worked on his approach to hitting, improving his bunting skills and exhibiting more patience at the plate.He was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in the Jays’ 11-inning, 3-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

Scott Feldman of the Cincinnati Reds made a most unlikely candidate for the coveted Opening Day starting assignment. He had more than his share of difficulties, giving up three runs on seven hits, including two home runs, in a 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. On the bright

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side, he struck out six. Feldman, 34, had declined to play for Team Israel because he wanted to focus on making the Reds, who signed him as a free agent in January.

Reliever Craig Breslow returns to the majors with the Minnesota Twins, his team in 2008-09.

The oldest of the Jewish major leaguers at 36, the Yale graduate has a lifetime record of 22-29 with eight saves over 11 seasons.

Ron Kaplan is author of the forthcoming book “Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War” and writes Kaplan’s Korner, a blog about Jews and sports.

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THE JEWISH STAR April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan

Baseball 2017: Jewish major leaguers to watch

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group of Palestinians tried to burn some Israeli Jews to death March 23. Just another day in the Middle East.

The four attackers drove up to the perimeter of the Jewish community of Beit El, north of Jerusalem, and began hurling firebombs toward homes there. A firebomb, also known as a Molotov cocktail, is of course a deadly weapon. It explodes on impact and unleashes a torrent of flames. We can all easily imagine what would happen if those firebombs had struck people or homes.

Fortunately, Israeli soldiers immediately fired at the would-be murderers, killing one and wounding three others. That should be the end of the story. But it won’t be. Here’s why.

To begin with, one of the terrorists was 17 years old. That means “human rights” groups will add him to their list of “Palestinian children killed by Israelis.” Even if a killer is just one day shy of his 18th birthday, that’s good enough to define him as a “child” in the eyes of those who want to smear Israel.

The fact that a Palestinian died, while no Israelis were burned to death as he had intended, meant that many news outlets portrayed the attacker as the victim. This is in accordance with the theory that whoever dies must be the victim and whoever killed him must be the aggressor.

(Good thing the media didn’t use that measuring stick during World War II!) Consider, for example, the story as presented by AFP, a major supplier of international news. Here’s how it began: “Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian teenager Thursday in the occupied West Bank and seriously wounded three

L'SHANA TOVA!

May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for a happy & healthy

May You And Your Family Have A Happy Passover

L'SHANA TOVA!

May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for a happy & healthy

New Year!

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Once again, the Woodmere Volunteer Fire Department will faciliate the last-minute disposal of chametz on erev Pesach, Monday, April 10, from 6:30 to 11:45 am. The department, at Central Avenue and Irving Place, will burn the community’s chometz safely, up until 11:45 am (zman). The time to stop eating chometz is 10:44 am.

Chometz will also be burned at the Lawrence LIRR Station, between 7 and 11 am.

Five Towns residents who are going away for the chag can drop off chometz to be burned at the Woodmere firehouse.

(Leave it in cans by the red garage door in the parking lot on Sunday.)

No silver foil and plastic bags (paper bags only) should be left to burn. (Plastic is toxic when it burns!)

Additionally, garbage trucks will be stationed at the Lawrence and Cedarhurst LIRR stations, and outside the Young Israel Woodmere and Temple Hillel, up until the proscribed time on Monday.

Before the burn, leftover chometz can be donated to the Rina Shkolnik Food Pantry of the JCC, at 1012 Central Ave. in Woodmere.

The Woodmere Volunteer Fire Department wishes everyone A Zissen Pesach, a Chag Kosher V’Sameach. The free service of the Woodmere Volunteer Fire Department is provided in partnership with the Rockaway-Nassau Safety Patrol and Chaverim of the Five Towns.

CHAG SAMEACH!

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stephen M. Flatow

other Palestinians, the Palestinian health ministry said in a statement.”

Since a significant number of readers don’t get past the first paragraph of a news article, the opening sentence is crucial. And the opening sentence here strongly suggests that the Israelis killed a Palestinian teenager, and injured three others, for no reason.

And here’s how the AFP story explained the broader context: “A wave of violence that broke out in October 2015 has claimed the lives of 257 Palestinians, 40 Israelis, two Americans, one Jordanian, an Eritrean, and a Sudanese national, according to an AFP count.” Notice how the violence just “broke out,” like a mysterious illness with no obvious culprit.

Here’s something else that few in the mainstream media will report: the Palestinian Authority’s immediate endorsement of the terrorists who tried to burn Jews alive.

According to the Palestinian news agency Ma’an, the governor of de facto PA capital Ramallah, Laila Ghanam, called the dead terrorist “a martyr.” She also tried to spread some fake news, declaring that the gang of four “had been driving peacefully” when cruel Israelis attacked them. “This is another crime,” the PA governor proclaimed. She also said “we wish a quick recovery” to the three wounded terrorists, presumably so they can resume trying to set Jews on fire.

You won’t read Ghanam’s remarks in The Washington Post or hear them quoted on CNN. That would remind the American public that Palestinian leaders support burning Jews to death, and publicly lie to cover for the wouldbe killers. And that would undermine the campaign to give the firebomb-throwers a sovereign state in Israel’s backyard.

Stephen M. Flatow, a vice president of Religious Zionists of America, is a New Jersey attorney and father of Alisa Flatow, murdered in an Iraniansponsored Palestinian terrorist attack in 1995.

THE JEWISH STAR April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan

11th hour Trying to burn Jews alive chametz in 5 Towns A

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Next stop, next world

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Chag Kasher V’ Sameach

Legislator Howard J. Kopel and Family

When you begin to read a book of essays about Jewish death and dying, the last thing you’d expect to see is one entitled, “The Joy of Burying my Mother-In-Law.” This is a serious tome, after all, not a comedy routine.

“From This World to The Next, Amazing True Stories about Jewish Burial and The Afterlife,” is a new book that hopes to overcome skepticism regarding the Next World and why it’s important to prepare to enter it with the proper respect and rituals, just as one would ordinarily prepare for a long-awaited journey.

The book, edited by Rosally Saltsman and Robin Meyerson, contains 40 first-person stories that show us that death is not the end — a loving son receives a text message from his departed father; an Israeli woman grieving the loss of her son in combat longs for a message and receives it in the form of a hug by a baby bearing his name; a son refuses to give his elderly mother a Jewish burial only to discover that she took care of the burial arrangements herself from The Next World; a daughter is comforted in a dream by a visit from her father (only was it really only a dream?); a man survives a fall crushing his skull and not only lives to tell about it, but relates what happened when he was clinically dead; a man gives a woman a large check to help pay off her debt and the check clearly bears his signature (the only glitch is that he died many years earlier); a daughter-in-law — Five Towns resident Henya Storch, founder of the Storch Agency International, whose family sponsored the printing of the Storch edition — has “joy” in burying her mother-in-law (spoiler alert: a cremation is avoided).

A cemetery in Hebrew has three names: Beit Kevarot (a house of graves), Beit Chaim (a house of the living) and Beit Almin (a house of worlds).

Although a cemetery is indeed a place of graves, it is also a place where people journey from this world to the next, with people living on in another world after their death.

That’s why Judaism puts such emphasis on respect and dignity for the dead through burial, mourning practices, recitation of Kaddish, and doing mitzvoth in the deceased’s memory.

According to co-editor Meyerson, “I wanted to create this book because there are so many Jews who either do not know, or do not believe, that the souls of our departed loved ones live on in what’s referred to as the World of Truth. This collection of true stories shows that there is another world.”

The recent spate of anti-Semitic violence resulting in the desecration of Jewish cemeteries in America shows that anti-Semites know how much we value the memory of our deceased and how we accord them the highest honor. And they, our departed loved ones, continue to watch over and even occasionally communicate with us from their place in Heaven.

From This World to the Next provides illumination into the Jewish afterlife, and the reality of the soul living eternally in the next world, as well as our obligations to accord respect to the human body, the vessel of our eternal souls. Its stories are soulful, spiritually uplifting and deathdefying in many ways.

Printed books are free to synagogues, outreach organizations, chaplains, and funeral homes to share; they can also be ordered through the National Association of Chevra Kadisha at 718-849-9700. Revenues from book sales will assist indigent burials and for educational materials on the importance of burial versus cremation.

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Warmest Wishes For a Sweet & Happy Passover Joel A. Block Executive Director

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Lee Levine, A Woman of Valor From her loving husband, The Hon. Samuel M. Levine, Esq.

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Chag Kasher V’Sameach Ed Weintrob, Publisher & Editor Celia Weintrob, Advertising Director Tova Richler, Advertising Sales

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Lee Levine followed in my footsteps by getting involved in many causes including Hadassah and Israel Support; Russian Jewry Committees and the Sisterhood in the four temples we belonged to.

She actually would have made a better politician than I was, because of her wonderful personality and ability to be friendly and engaging with everyone she met.

She was a woman of valor because she was of great value and importance to society and her family. She was a very brave individual in her battle with cancer.

She was also the proud daughter of Jean Miller. Lee cared for and helped her Mother survive to 100. Jean Miller had been a beautiful soprano singer who sang duets with her daughter Lee.

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Why G-d tests us: To believe in the impossible Rabbi binny FReedman The hearT of jerusalem

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om Kippur, the day of Atonement. We must have needed a lot of atonement that year, because over those dark days of October in 1973, over 2,000 of our boys would be the sacrifices the Jewish people offered to atone for … what, exactly?

The position on Mount Bental had a commanding view of the entire Northern Golan Heights, and the Syrian forces that overran the Israeli positions on Yom Kippur afternoon were well aware that capturing this position was critical to a successful advance in the Golan Heights. After an overwhelming Syrian artillery barrage forced a small contingent of Israeli soldiers manning the position to take cover deep in an underground bunker, the men in the bunker suddenly heard shouts and dialogue in Arabic above, and realized that their position had been captured. Seven men, including one who was seriously wounded from the artillery barrage, managed to barricade themselves inside an interior area of the bunker behind a thick iron shelter door they closed and locked from the inside.

Banking on the possibility that with so many Israeli bodies and wounded men up above, the Syrians might not realize they were there, they decided to maintain absolute silence and hope that eventually Israeli troops would rally and they would be rescued. With no supplies, they remained inside the bunker throughout the long night and into the wee hours of the morning.

I heard this story one year on a Memorial

Day television broadcast, and recall that as the camera focused on the face of the man telling the story, a tear formed in the corner of his eye.

After a while, the wounded soldier who had been terribly wounded and lost a lot of blood, began to moan and cry out. Terrified of being discovered (they all knew what it would mean to be an Israeli soldier captured by the Syrians), the ranking soldier (a sergeant) order one of them (the fellow now retelling the story) to silence the wounded man at all costs. Everyone understood what that meant.

With hundreds of tanks having overrun the Israeli positions and no reinforcements in sight the chances of this terribly wounded man making it through the night were next to impossible. But if his cries alerted the Syrians to their position, all seven of them would be tortured terribly and then most probably killed.

Faced with an impossible choice, the man lying next to the wounded soldier squeezed in on the same bunk bed, pleaded with him, hugged him, even tried to cover his mouth, begging him in a whispered voice to be quiet but to no avail; after a moment or two the sergeant said simply: use a pillow and make it quick … and all of them understood exactly what that meant.

But how do you let your brother, who served next to you, who you knew would have your back, die?

So instead, the soldier telling the story climbed on top of the body of the wounded soldier, pulling him further down the bed until his head was under the soldier on top’s stomach. And by arching his back he managed to create a small pocket that allowed the wounded man to breathe while nonetheless muffling his cries.

After an hour in this position the soldier’s back began to ache, and then to burn as if it was on fire. He desperately wanted to roll off, but each time he said to himself, “just ten more minutes,” what if we are saved in ten minutes?

Will I ever be able to look myself in the eye if we lose a human being, an Israeli soldier, for ten minutes?

How long he managed to stay like that he was not sure but it was certainly hours. Eventually, sometime in the morning they heard loud explosions and shooting; clearly there was a battle going on above.

Eventually the reinforced door they were hiding behind was blown open. Imagine the surprise on the faces of the Israeli soldiers who retook Bental upon finding seven live Israeli soldiers hiding right in the midst of a company of Syrian commandos.

As he told this last part of the story the camera began to pan out and the screen widened to include a fellow sitting next to the speaker and smiling; as the camera panned out further I became aware of several young adults sitting on the bench next to these two

in achieving the impossible we discover that Hashem is always with us, helping to make the impossible possible.

veterans, and then smaller children running around and the second fellow, who had been that wounded soldier, began to introduce his five children and many grandchildren.

It is hard to imagine the test of such a night on any human being, but easy to see the incredible results of its successful conclusion. hy does it seem that we are always being tested? Why does it seem to get worse before it gets better? This week, as we prepare for the Pesach festival and the larger than life story of the Exodus from Egypt, it is fascinating to take a closer look at Moshe’s own drama in attempting to free the Jews from Egypt. After all, G-d does not really need Moshe to get Pharaoh to let the Jewish people go free, and if Moshe is being tested, at first glance he seems to fail the test with great fanfare.

Initially Moshe and Aaron speak with the elders and the Jewish people, who seem to readily believe Moshe and accept that the time has come to leave their bondage. (4:2931) But when Moshe presents his mission to Pharaoh, things go from bad to worse. No longer given straw with which to make their bricks, the Jewish people anguish under the added burden and Moshe, seemingly confounded, beseeches G-d, trying to understand the purpose of his mission (5:22-23) if he is only causing the Jews more suffering.

What is the purpose of G-d sending Moshe to Pharaoh only to fail, again and again? For nigh on a year, G-d will bring plague after plague on the Egyptians only to meet disappointment again and again, as Pharaoh refuses to allow the Jews to go free.

At the end of the story of the Binding of Isaac, which is the first time the Torah mentions the concept of being tested, known as See Tests on page 23

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Killer gets standing O, victims get ‘last word’ Odeh’s star has been on the rise in leftwing political circles. In January, she shared a stage with Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) during an immigration travel ban protest at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. Last month, she was a co-organizer for the “Day Without a Woman” march.

When the pro-Israel education organization StandWithUs inquired with Hyatt about renting space to hold a multi-faith memorial service for Odeh’s victims, the hotel responded, “Your request has been denied,” claiming it needed permission from JVP. Refusing to take no for an answer, StandWithUs Midwest Director Peggy Shapiro took matters into her own hands.

“Sometimes things are just too important

to be easily dissuaded,” Shapiro told the Haym Salomon Center. “When something really matters, you don’t just give up. If you allow history and memory to be distorted or erased—and not just the story of these two boys, which is tragic enough — it dishonors the memory of all terror victims in the past and increases the threat to all terror victims in the future.”

After Hyatt refused to rent space, StandWithUs began exploring other options. Shapiro and her staff booked a suite at the hotel and began inviting clergy of different faiths as well as local supporters to attend. An exact location and room number would not be made available to attendees until two hours before the start.

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About 40 people attended the service— near capacity for the room. Attendees were greeted by private security professionals and StandWithUs staffers.

“Today we gather to remember Edward Joffe and Leon Kanner, their lives cut short and their futures denied,” Shapiro said. “We will hear from their siblings, who today are grandparents. Who knows what Edward and Leon would have been, who knows what gifts they and their children could have given to the world. They were robbed of their lives and futures by a killer who is speaking at this very moment and at this very venue.”

She continued, “Let me tell you a bit about Jewish Voice for Peace, whose conference is taking place next to us. This group, funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, is listed as one of the 10 most anti-Israel groups in the nation. They and the killer they are featuring are now trying to repress our memories of the victims. In fact, they tried to prevent this memorial. That is why we must remember them for their sake and for ours.

Simply put, there is too much at stake. This is not only about the memory of two young men, but about the memory of a people. In remembering Leon and Edward, we are defending memory itself.”

Letters from the families of Joffe and Kanner were read aloud. StandWithUs Midwest Campus Coordinator Sebastian Parra read a letter of gratitude and remembrance from Joffe’s brother. StandWithUs Midwest High School Coordinator Vida Velasco read words written by Kanner’s sister at a memorial held years earlier in Israel.

Clergy from various Christian denominations took part in the service.

Pentecostal Pastor Wesley Shaw recited Psalm 116 and declared, “Israel, we have your back. There are millions of Pentecostals worldwide, saying in unison, ‘Never again’!”

Evangelical Pastor Levi Velasco offered the Prayer for the Soul of the Departed. He affirmed, “I am solemnly behind the Jewish people and Israel.”

“I came out to show my support because these days, we see less and less support for Israel,” Rev. Jerry Caesar of Addison, Ill., told Haym Salomon Center. “I came out to support these two young men, whose lives were taken way before their time.”

Capturing the essence of the service in her final words, Shapiro said, “I thank you for being here today to help us remember, to remember and honor the stories of two beautiful young men and to hold dear memory itself—as memory is our ultimate vindication.

Let’s remember, so the executioner doesn’t get the last word. The last word belongs to the victims.”

JVP did not respond to requests for comment.

Last month, Odeh pled guilty to unlawful procurement of naturalization. She is being stripped of her U.S. citizenship and deported to Jordan.

Paul Miller is president and executive director of the Haym Salomon Center news and public policy group.

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By Paul Miller/JNS.org Anti-Israel activists gathered Sunday inside the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago to hear a discussion featuring convicted Palestinian terrorist Rasmeah Odeh.

Unbeknownst to Odeh and the attendees of the Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) conference, while she was receiving a standing ovation, a memorial service for her victims was in progress just a few floors above.

Being remembered were Edward Joffe and Leon Kanner, two friends who had been studying at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, until their lives ended in February 1969 in a Jerusalem supermarket bombing masterminded by Odeh for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terror group.

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15 THE JEWISH STAR April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan

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Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone, a longtime official in U.S. Orthodox Jewish organizations, will advise David Friedman, the just installed U.S. ambassador to Israel, the Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday.

The Post said that the State Department confirmed that Lightstone, currently the re-

gional director of the OU-affiliated National Council of Synagogue Youth, would have an advisory role at the embassy.

Lightstone also is a co-founder of Mekorot, an online Jewish education portal, and has served in a number of positions on Long Island.

According to his biography on the OU web- of Woodsburgh, in a mostly party-line vote. site, he has ties to Israeli Prime Minister BenFriedman was controversial in part because JANUARY 10, 2017 investment in the jamin Netanyahu and to Ivanka Trump, Presi- 14—APRIL of his deep philanthropic dent Donald Trump’s Jewish daughter who is development of communities in Judea and advising her father in an unpaid position.

Samaria and for his broadsides targeting leftThe Senate last month confirmed Fried- wing Jews who are critical of Israel, for which man, a Long Islander who resides in the Village he has offered regrets. with JTA

At AIPAC, Midreshet Shalhevet girls lobby Rice, S. Shore’s rep

Friedman sworn

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After honing their Israel advocacy skills at last week’s AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington, students from a number of New York area day schools spent Wednesday on Capitol Hill lobbying members of Congress on Israel’s behalf. Flanking the South Shore Rep. Kathleen Rice, are four girls from Midreshet Shalhevet in North Woodmere. From left: Sarit Perl, Rachel Fishbein, Samantha Fertig and Aviva Chait.

Village of Woodsburgh resident David Friedman was formally sworn in last Wednesday as U.S. ambassador to Israel, by Vice President Mike Pence, with Friedman’s wife, Tammy Sand, holding the book on which Friedman swore his oath. Among Long Islanders attending the memorable event, held in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, were Shalom and Iris Maidenbaum (at right).

Top photo by Getty

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Beyond the issue of punishment, the plagues were sent to remove the grotesque impurity that permeated all of Egypt due to the evil that was perpetrated there.

In considering the numbers of plagues, the sages were in fact debating how deep the impurity reached into the physical properties of Egypt. The deeper the impurity, the greater the number of plagues needed to cleanse.

Three sages, three insights The ten plagues suggest that R’ Yosi feels that only the observable physical properties of Egypt had become impure.

Four times 10 plagues mean that R’ Eliezer claims that even the four essential elements

of every physical object (fire, water, air, and sand) had become mutilated and impure.

Five times 10 plagues tell that R’ Akiva opines that even the dever hayuli, the preelemental factor from which everything was made during the six days of creation, in Egypt had become infected with impurity also.

Educationally, where does this all take us? As parents and/or educators, we interact with children and students daily, evaluating them in terms of their progress toward goals, and growth of personality and maturity. Is observing only their external behavior enough? When we look past the obvious, we will find that there are variations in learn-

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By Dr. Chavi Goldberg An educator writing an article about Pesach should be a simple task, as the entire Seder is designed in a question-and-answer format, to stimulate the interest and inquisitiveness of the children. Pesach is the ultimate role-model holiday for education.

For many years, I have wanted to explore the bewildering conversation between the scholars of the Mishna, who discuss how many plagues the Egyptians were stricken with in Egypt and at the Yam Suf. How could there be a difference of opinion on such a basic event? We know that the Egyptians were smitten with ten plagues — it says so in the Chumash, in Pirkei Avos! How can we reconcile this? Of what educational value is this?

The Sfas Emes writes that this debate really began earlier on in the Hagada: V’gam et Hagoy don Anochi. The Rambam and Ramban both explain that the plagues that Hashem brought on Egypt were not the result of a divine decree, but rather was a consequence of the evil that the Egyptians chose to bring on B’nei Yisroel.

Where is it found that a master throws the children of his slave in the river to be drowned?

They clearly went beyond the parameters of a master/slave relationship. That was punishable.

Rabbi Yosi Hagelili said: How do you know that the Egyptians were stricken by ten plagues in Egypt, and then were struck by fifty plagues at the sea?

In Egypt, it says of them, “The magicians said to Pharaoh ‘This is the finger of G d.’ At the sea, it says, “Israel saw the great hand that the L-rd laid against Egypt; and the people feared the L-rd, and they believed in the L-rd and in His servant Moses.”

With one finger, Hashem brought 10 plagues, and with a whole hand He brought 50 plagues. This is the foundation of the other opinions. Thus, one must conclude that in Egypt they were smitten by ten plagues, at the sea by fifty plagues!

“Rabbi Eliezer said: How do we know that each individual plague which the Holy One, blessed be He, brought upon the Egyptians in Egypt consisted of four plagues?” We must not think that the sages disagreed with each other. They did agree, and here is how.

R’ Eliezer agreed with R’ Yosi that in Egypt, the Egyptians were punished with 10 plagues, and were punished with 5 times that number in the Yam Suf. He adds that each plague in Egypt consisted of four plagues, based on the posuk in Tehillim.

“Rabbi Akiva said: How do we know that each individual plague which the Holy One, blessed be He, brought upon the Egyptians in Egypt consisted of five plagues?”

R’ Akiva also agreed with his friends, but had received in a tradition that there were five plagues within each plague and they joined together to make one single plague.

The unification of these five plagues stood for one number. This is how the sages came to their calculations— R’ Yossi: 10 plagues in Egypt and 50 plagues at the Yam Suf. R’ Eliezer: 40 plagues in Egypt and 200 plagues at the Yam Suf. R’ Akiva: 50 plagues in Egypt and 250 plagues at the Yam Suf. The more makot that are sent to Egypt, Hashem will not send to the Jewish people.

The sages looked to expand the number of plagues to relieve the Jews of extra suffering.

4/15/16 2:47 PM

THE JEWISH STAR April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan

Thoughts on plagues, redempton and education

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Hey, what’s up Doc? who’s in the kitchen The Jewish Star has rachmones for Judy, who catered an event last weekend and then faced the Task. So we gave her the week off and are reprinting a pre-Pesach column from 2013. might as well start getting ready for Shavuot. It seems Chanukah was just yesterday. How is it possible it’s almost Pesach?

Here we go again: the shopping, cleaning, preparing, cooking and serving.

Those first feelings of panic started about two weeks ago when I was shopping at Gourmet Glatt. Whatever I looked for was in another aisle, due to all the Pesach items arriving. Not that I was in any way ready to start shopping, but I decided to stroll through the aisles to have a look. Not expecting anything to shout out to me, as I thought I had seen everything possible last year … but there it was … how was it we were able to do without it in the past? There in front of me was marshmallow-filled chocolate-covered “locusts.”

Why is it no one ever thought of this before? What’s next, flavored ices in the shape of boils? Oy, I’m starting to sound like those people who think having anything except the basics, as we had 50 years ago, is sacrilegious! Truth is, with the influx of innovative Passover products in the market today, it’s safe to say that we don’t have to subsist on just matzah, gefilte fish, borsht, eggs, macaroons and potatoes, potatoes and more potatoes.

I do tend to make fun of all the newfan-

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gled products, but I have to admit, I also end up buying some of them in the end. When my kids were younger and the Pesach version of the cold breakfast cereals were unveiled, I thought, “I can’t believe they have this for Pesach! It’s ridiculous.” Then I proceeded to place seven boxes into my shopping cart (hey they only contained about five ounces of cereal each). Good thing, as that first year they were sold out the week before the yom tov even started. At $5.89 a box it killed me to throw out six boxes after the chag. They did look like the real thing — until the milk hit the bowl. So, you’d think I’d learned my lesson, right? Um, no. Every year I fall for some new enticing item, and every year I say to myself “not going to fall for this next year.”

And so it goes. nough about shopping. Let’s figure out a good soup to make for one of your dairy lunches. I decided to add a soup that’s different from the usual French onion or the trusty potato soup I usually make. This year carrot ginger soup made it onto my menu.

Besides being healthy and delicious, carrots have a rather amazing history.

In ancient times, the root part of the carrot plant that we eat today was not typically used. The carrot plant however was highly valued due to the medicinal value of its seeds and leaves.

The Romans believed carrots and their seeds were aphrodisiacs. As such, carrots were a common plant found in Roman gardens.

Before the 17th century, almost all carrots cultivated were purple. The modern day orange carrot wasn’t cultivated until Dutch growers in the late 16th century took mutant strains and gradually developed them into the sweet, plump, orange variety we have today.

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THE JEWISH STAR April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan

Judy Joszef

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English women in the 1600s often wore carrot leaves in their hats in place of flowers or feathers. The Anglo-Saxons included carrots as an ingredient in a medicinal drink against the devil and insanity. Researchers at the USDA found that study participants who consumed two carrots a day were able to lower their cholesterol levels about 20 percent.

The average person will eat 10,866 carrots in their lifetime.

Howard Hughes always measured every carrot he ate. Eating three carrots gives you the strength to walk three miles (actually seeing a picture of myself in a bathing suit gives me more strength to walk those miles).

Carrots are one of the rare vegetables that are more nutritious cooked than raw.

One person not thrilled with carrots was Mae West. She was known to say, “I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond.”

Oh, and wild rabbits don’t eat carrots — you’ve been watching too many Bugs Bunny cartoons.

Carrot and Ginger Soup Serves 12

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3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1-1/2 cup chopped sweet onion Kosher salt 1-1/2 T minced garlic 1-1/2 T minced peeled ginger 3 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped 9 cups parve chicken or vegetable stock, broth or flavor cubes and water to equal that amount A dollop of vanilla yogurt and a sprig of parsley or rosemary for each serving, optional.

Combine the olive oil and onion in heavy pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until just starting to caramelize.

Add the garlic and ginger, stirring, 2 more minutes. Stir in the carrots, potatoes and the parve chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the carrots and potato are very tender, approximately 20 minutes. Keep warm.

Puree the soup with an immersion blender until very smooth. Top with yogurt and garnish if you wish. Enjoy!

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April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan THE JEWISH STAR

22

Preparing for our seders with chosen Haggadahs AlAn JAy Gerber Kosher BooKworm At Alan Gerber’s request, we’re reprinting his reviews of two Haggadahs that he holds in high regard — one by Rabbi David Fohrman of Woodmere, the other by Rabbi Aharon Marcus, who was born in Far Rockaway. he names of our Jewish holidays are almost always listed and used in the Hebrew language, even those that have English equivalents. That is, all holidays except one, Pesach, which more often than not is listed as Passover.

In his latest work, Rabbi David Fohrman, one of America’s leading theologians, titled his book, “The Exodus You Almost Passed Over,” an amusing play on the holiday’s name and theme and an accurate title for the content of his new work.

This week’s essay will reference the author’s humorous take on a holiday’s name and quote the book’s introduction take to give you a taste of his talented pen; “In Hebrew, it is Pesach; in English, it is Passover. But, either way, it seems like an odd name for a holiday. Would you have named it that?

“Imagine it is 3,000 years ago. You are an angel in heaven, and you have been invited to join G-d’s Nominating Committee for the Naming of New Festivals. One day you and your fellow angels on the committee get word that the Master of the Universe would like to make a shiny new festival that celebrates His miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. You immediately get down to work with your colleagues to brainstorm some pos-

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sible names.”

Among the names mentioned are Freedom Day, and Independence Day. Nothing unusual there, but here is the catch.

“Imagine some angel in the back of the room raises his hand and says, ‘I have a great idea. Much better than those names.

Let us call it Passover.

Passover is a really wonderful name’.”

Rabbi Fohrman continues with this gag narrative: “See, it is a kind of a pun. … You know how G-d made all these plagues to let the Israelites go, and then there was this tenth plague, right?

And in the tenth plague, all the firstborn children of the Egyptians were killed. But the Israelites? They were saved. So you could say that G-d sort of ‘passed over’ their first-born children that night, when he didn’t kill them. You get it? He passed over their first-born? So let us call it Passover!”

A bit of give and take ensues but finally the name Passover wins. With this all as prologue, the author adds the following observation: “Perhaps the name suggests that we should adjust our sights somewhat. We tend to think of Passover the way I have just described it to you, as a holiday on which we got our freedom.

And yet, the Torah’s own name for the night we went free does not emphasize the ‘free’ part, it emphasizes ‘passed over.’ Could it be that, somehow, the essence of the holiday really does revolve around the mysterious salvation

that our firstborn experienced that night?”

I bet that you, my dear reader, never thought of the Passover name in this perspective. Neither did I, until now.

Further on in this work, we come across Rabbi David the following: Fohrman “Passover looks at the events of the Exodus as significant not in terms of history but in terms of destiny.”

As I look at this statement, as a student of both history and religion, I see that Rabbi Fohrman reflecting in these words the signposts of what Passover is all about, and of why it is so special a holiday that even an English nomenclature sounds respectable for use in the most spiritual contexts.

This, in part, is what makes Rabbi Fohrman’s teachings so special. Do read his preface very carefully, for within it you will glean the author’s intent and find the basis of his deep and sincere belief in our faith and its observances. esach commemorates events that clearly defined our people’s history and purpose.

So, when I happened upon a commentary on a Haggadah whose author’s name brings to mind events in my past, a personal comment is in order as preface to this review.

“From Despair to Destiny” (Halpern Center Press, 2015) by Rabbi Aharon Marcus is a unique and comprehensive commentary on the Pesach Haggadah. The author is the grandson

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Dayenu and expression of gratitude rAbbi Avi billet Parsha of the weeK

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ne of the highlights of many Seders is the recitation of Dayenu (“it would have been enough”). But would each stage of the Dayenu song really have been enough?

You brought us to the sea but didn’t bring us through it (we might have died!)? You brought us to Sinai but didn’t give us the Torah (then what was the purpose)?

Years ago, Rabbi Menachem Leibtag told me that Dayenu is only half a sentence. The rest, implied, is “for us to give thanks.” After all, once the Exodus is accomplished, everything else is icing on the delicious leavingbondage cake.

Based on the Talmud in Megillah (14a) we can infer that song is directed towards G-d when being freed from slavery and when being saved from death. The Talmud notes that we don’t say Hallel on Rosh Hashana because the books of life and death are open (Rosh Hashana 32b). It’s therefore also not a time to sing Shira (songs of praise). However, the Talmud recounts that when the sea was split, the angels were not allowed to sing while the Israelites did (Sanhedrin 39b). For the Egyptians, books of Life and Death lay open and the angels, advocating perhaps for one side, could not sing a song of thanks; the Israelites, however, were singing for their own salvation!

The splitting of the sea was so momentous that the Talmud tells us even fetuses in the womb sang praise that day. (Ketubot 7b) The people sang that day because of their great trust in G-d, a quality implanted in them by

their father Avraham (Shmot Raba Beshalach 23) The Midrash in Tehillim (119) notes that people who give thanks are “Temimei Derekh,” Chassidim, Yesharim — those whose ways are straight and pure (based on Tehilllim 33:1) So it behooves us, at this time of year, to ask ourselves what we are thankful for. When we don’t have football, turkey and stuffing (chametz gamur!) to distract us from our true Thanksgiving, let us consider what we can minimally be grateful for, even if this gratitude doesn’t push us to break out in song.

In no particular order, let us remember to be grateful, and when possible to express our gratitude to: Parents — for the gift of life. If they are alive, for being there for us, for never giving up on us. If they’re no longer alive, for all of See Dayenu on page 23

The mussar of chametz rAbbi dAvid etenGoff

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ccording to the Rambam’s list of Taryag Mitzvot (613 Commandments) found in his Sefer HaMitzvot, there are four distinct commandments that focus on the prohibition of chametz. The first two discuss the Torah’s ban on the ownership of chametz during Passover: • The 200th prohibition is that we are forbidden to have chametz be seen (lo yay’ra’eh)

in our dwellings all seven days [of Pesach]. The source of this commandment is G-d’s statement, “None of your chametz may be seen, and none of your s’or (that which facilitates leavening) may be seen in all your territories.” (Shemot 13:7) • The 201st prohibition is that we are forbidden to have chametz found (lo yimatzeh) in our dwellings, even if it is not visible, or if it is left as a deposit. The source of this commandment is the Torah’s statement, “For seven days, no chametz may be found in your homes.” (Shemot 12:19) The second set of mitzvot referring to chametz, as discussed in the Sefer HaMitzvot, emphasizes the proscription of eating this forbid-

den substance, and the positive commandment to remove it from our homes and storage places: • The 199th prohibition is that we are forbidden to eat chametz on the 14th [of Nissan] after noon. The source of this commandment is G-d’s statement, “Do not eat any chametz with it [the korban Pesach].” (Devarim 16:3) • The 156th mitzvah is that we are commanded to remove chametz [leaven] from our possession on the 14th of Nissan. This is the mitzvah of “removing the leaven.” The source of this commandment is G-d’s statement, “On the day before [Pesach] you must remove the leaven from your homes.” (Shemot 12:15) See Chametz on page 23

of Rabbi Joseph Marcus, z”l, a distinguished rabbi and a neighbor of ours on the Lower East Side, first on Tompkins Square, and then in Co-op Village, who was particularly skilled in teaching and lecturing to senior citizens.

Most memorable to me was the casual friendship he struck up with me, during my pre-teen years, an experience that influenced my later deep appreciation for Jewish liturgy and nusach, Jewish music and culture, and the importance of giving communal service to our senior citizens.

I began my email interview with Rabbi Aharon Marcus by asking him why did he decide to write a Haggadah commentary when there already are so many available.

“G-d has given me the opportunity to teach the Haggadah every year since the summer — yes the summer — of 1990, generally as intensive two-week-long information seminars. For nearly two decades, many of my students have impressed upon me to publish these shiurim, but my response had always been the same: there are many Haggadah commentaries; do we really need another one?”

“While teaching the Haggadah in 2014, though, I realized that many of the ideas of the shiurim were actually unavailable in English, and that I had often failed to give them over as comprehensively as I would have prepared.

It was then that I decided to take the time to more fully develop the ideas and publish them in book form.”

Rabbi Marcus explained: “The goal of this work is to help clarify the entire Haggadah, to explore ideas that are unique to Pesach — exile, redemption, freedom, the significance of the Exodus — and notions crucial to Judaism in general, such as the definition of holiness, the efficacy of prayer, and the love of G-d. This work was not intended as a book on Jewish law, nor, an anthology of divrei Torah to share at the seder. Rather, I see this intended to be a work on machshavah, Jewish thought. …

“I have tried to craft a commentary in which everyone could find his or her place in the depth and beauty of our rich tradition. All this was generated by the reality that different people find religious truths and meanings in different Torah thoughts and teachings.”

I asked Rabbi Marcus why, unlike most other English commentaries this Haggadah, his reads from left to right.

“The guiding principle for the layout of this work is one word: clarity. Since it is designed for English readers and the overwhelming majority of the text is in English, I thought that it would flow better, and more easily, if it read from left to right. To compensate for this, though, all the actual Haggadah text — both in Hebrew and English, is always to be easily found on the odd numbered pages, located on the readers’ right side.”

A personal note: As a teacher I was taken by Rabbi Marcus’ treatment of the segment dealing with the forth of the four sons. The author’s humane treatment of this ‘’son’’ is touching: “The first stage of education is pouring on chessed — warmth, love, and compassion.”

“Stimulate his interest so that he asks questions and actively participates.”

“An educator must believe in his students and their potential.”

“The silent son needs us to mend his tools, to make him whole.”

When one considers the title given to the forth son, “The One Not Knowing to Ask,” we come to better appreciate the humanity of the author of this gifted commentary, and of the well learned teachings that he learned from his gifted grandfather, Rabbi Joseph Marcus.

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Continued from page 22 the above plus — we thank them through quoting them, thinking about and remembering them, and honoring their legacy through being a positive merit to their presence in this world.

Spouses — for everything. For picking, for believing in me, for believing that I am the person you wanted to spend your life with, for convincing me that I was good enough for you (because heaven knows, I’ve always believed I got the better deal). If no longer with a first spouse, due to death or divorce — for the life we shared, for the children we have, for the good times we had, and even the rough things we went through together.

(Even those who are divorced might be grateful for being freed from a marriage that went sour, or for the get that was transferred, hopefully without incident.)

Siblings — For having my back, no matter what; for the close relationships we share that even a spouse doesn’t “get.”

Children — Be grateful to G-d for the ability to have children; so many suffer from infertility. Be grateful for the nachas they gave and continue to give; be grateful for what you learned from them, and continue to learn from them; be grateful that they think you’re the best mother or father in the world; and be grateful for every grandchild they give you.

Friends — Be grateful for friendships that span time and place, kasting 20, 30, 40, 70 or more years. Shooting the breeze, playing mahjongg, going out for dinner, vacations, cruises, seeing your children carry on the friendships you cherish. Be grateful for friends, to whom you can say anything, and they still love you, who say things to you, and you take it to heart and adjust. To whom you turn for advice. And it’s always free.

We must be able to recognize and express our gratitude to G-d often — not necessarily in the form of Hallel or a breakout in song, but in seeing Him in all the good and bad in our lives, and recognizing He has a plan for each of us. Had we only had one gift in our lives, it would have been enough to give thanks. The fact that we have so many should surely be a reason to express gratitude.

If we express gratitude to one another and to the people who matter most in our lives, we will train ourselves to carry a mantle of godliness, bringing good cheer to all who encounter us — our family, our friends, and G-d Himself.

Luach

Fri. April 7 • 11 Nisan Parsha Tzav Shabbos HaGadol

Candlelighting: 7:08 pm

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Continued from page 12 nisayon, just as Abraham is ready to fulfill this most horrible of commands, an angel calls out in a heavenly voice, “Don’t send out your hand to the lad … for now I know (Atah Yadati) that you are truly in awe of G-d (Yareh’ Elokim). (22:12) What does this mean? How can G-d now know something? Doesn’t G-d know everything, always? The Ramban (Nachmanides) suggests, in a play on words, “Al Tikri’ Ya’dati, Elah’ Ho’dati” (“Don’t read that G-d now knows, but rather, G-d has now made known”).

In other words, somehow, Avraham achieves something here that only G-d knew he was capable of. Until this moment, the Avraham who “passes” the test of the binding of Isaac existed only in potential; now, through this episode, that potential was transformed into reality. And there are many who suggest that this is the basis for the concept of trials and tribulations in the world — that through our struggles we live up to the potential of all that we can be.

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Continued from page 22 One is struck by the multiple mitzvot associated with the issur (prohibition) of chametz.

This is not the case in regard to many other issurim that the Torah enjoins. By way of illustration, the injunction against wearing a garment comprised of linen and wool threads (sha’atnez) is found but twice (Vayikra 19:19 and Devarim 22:11) – yet, it is the self-same forbidden act, rather than two distinct commandments. Why, then, does the Torah place such pronounced emphasis upon the prohibition of chametz?

One early source that informs our question is the Talmud Yerushalmi: • Rabbi Tanchum bar Isbalustika prayed in the following manner: “May it be Your will before You Hashem my G-d and the G-d of my fathers, that You destroy and remove the yoke of the evil inclination (yetzer hara) from our hearts. For You have created us to perform Your will, and we are obligated to perform Your will, You desire this, and we desire this. Who [what], however, prevents us from [doing so?] — the leavening agent in the dough (s’or she’b’isah).

(Berachot 4:2) he Talmud Yerushalmi clearly identifies the yetzer hara with the s’or she’b’isah — i.e., chametz. This conceptual nexus is even more explicit in a prayer found in Rav Amram Gaon’s (810-875) celebrated work, “Seder Rav Amram Gaon”— Master of the Cosmos, it is revealed and wellknown before You that I desire to perform your will — yet, the s’or she’b’isah is preventing me from doing so. May it be Your will before You Hashem, my G-d, that You will destroy, bring low and distance the yetzer hara from before me; and may You bring it low, humble it and distance it from the 148 limbs that are within me; moreover, may it not trip me and force me away from your good paths. Instead, place the yetzer tov (good inclination) within my heart, along with a good “friend” to keep Your precepts, to serve You and to perform Your will in a whole-hearted manner. (Nefilat Apayim v’Kedushah d’Sidra) Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher (1255-1340) builds upon our earlier cited sources and takes them to a new level of understanding. In his estimation, the prohibition of chametz “incorporates all of the commandments.” (Sefer Kad HaKemach, Pesach I) This notion is crucial, since “chametz metaphorically represents the yetzer hara. As such, we have the allusion of the idea that just as the Torah obligates us to nullify the chametz in our hearts, so, too, we are duty-bound to expunge the yetzer hara from our hearts (min halev) — in order that it should not rule over us.

This is what the Torah intimates when it commands us, “remove it [the chametz]” (‘tashbitu’).

[Little wonder] our Sages of blessed memory declared that tashbitu was [accomplished, even] b’lev (through a cognitive gesture).”

At this juncture, Rabbeinu Bachya presents us with an intellectual tour de force regarding the underlying spiritual and ethical meaning of chametz. In so doing, he answers our original question, “Why, does the Torah place such pronounced emphasis upon the prohibition of chametz?”

“And just as Rabbinic tradition teaches us that we must [physically] remove the chametz, and we must check our home in all of its crevices and cracks [to see if we can discover it], so, too, are we obligated to diligently search and check in the innermost portion of our being … and in our thoughts for all manner of evil opinions.

Moreover, just like the search for chametz may neither be conducted by the light of the sun, nor by the light of the moon — nor by a torch, but rather only by a candle, so, too, the search for the yetzer hara must only be done with the light of the soul. As we find in the text, “Man’s soul is Hashem’s light, which searches out the depths of his being.” (Sefer Mishle 20:27) May we be zocheh (merit) this Pesach to have souls that serve as Hashem’s light, so that we may search for, and remove, the chametz that may reside in the innermost recesses of our being. If we can accomplish this lofty goal, hopefully this will be our final Pesach in galut.

“Next in year in Jerusalem!” V’chane yihi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Kasher v’Sameach.

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23 THE JEWISH STAR April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan

Chametz... Dayenu...

eventy years ago, a small group of people were given just such a challenge, by the same G-d of the binding of Isaac.

And one can almost hear G-d’s command: “It’s time to come home. I want you to build a state to bring my people home.” They might as well have been hearing the voice out of a burning bush!

“You want us to build a what? In that desert? Surrounded by 200 million Arabs?”

The test of 1948 was completely impossible, as any historian of the day would have readily agreed. Outnumbered 15 to one at best, surrounded by seven Arab armies, with almost no tanks or airplanes to speak of, and just three years out of the ovens of Auschwitz, and with almost no money — that’s impossible!

“Yes, you’re right, it is impossible — now do it anyway,” G-d must have replied. And here we are. And in embracing that impossible dream, amidst one of the darkest periods in human history, we decided as a people to choose life, and we offered ourselves up on that altar of life, so that the world could become a better place.

And maybe that is the challenge the Passover story presents us with every day: believe in the impossible. Because in achieving the impossible we discover that Hashem is always with us, helping to make the impossible possible.

Every day, indeed every moment, has its own special challenge. And in choosing to live up to that moment, we discover, in what might seem to be the loneliness of total darkness that we are never alone, Hashem is always with us. And deep in the darkness is often the greatest of light.

What freedom and the Exodus from Egypt is all about is to remind each of us to live up to the miracle that is us, every single day.

Shabbat shalom, and best wishes for a wonderful Pesach, from Jerusalem.

Surviving political arguments at Trump era seder

GOTTA GETTA BAGEL Joel Baruch

CAFE

discussion and giving everyone a chance to participate. Worst case, a tense exchange can be ended by moving to the next page.

“The idea of having a shared text, that’s an incredible thing,” Feigelson said. “It makes it democratic. It means everyone has access.”

Medea, who has written extensively about conflict, suggested avoiding political conversation at the seder, using the text as an opportunity to recall moments of family resilience instead of debating the contemporary political implications of slavery and plagues.

“Having the adults get together and fight amongst themselves is a dreadful thing for kids,” Medea said. “Adults can at least agree on, ‘Grandma really had it together.’”

For Jeremy Saltan, an American-Israeli polit-

ical operative and commentator associated with Israel’s Jewish Home party, Passover is one time he hopes not to ply his trade. His seder will feature someone on the rightward fringe of Israeli politics as well as an activist who has gone to Gaza to support the Palestinian cause.

Saltan would prefer Jewish religious discussion to politics, but he quipped that he might take refuge in another component of the seder.

“Four cups of wine — that seems like the best way to get through that,” he said. “One of the things people need to understand is, when at the seder table or anything else, family is family. You’re still going to have to see these people. You have to have your own coping mechanism in terms of getting through.”

Feigelson said the best way to ensure a

healthy conversation is to agree on topics and rules ahead of time — and to stick to them when things get awkward.

His organization suggests avoiding conversations on complex topics that are likely to be dominated by one or two people. Instead, true to its name, the group advocates asking big questions everyone can answer, such as “When have you been free?”

Katz thinks it will work out. But even if it doesn’t, she knows she has no choice but to keep trying.

“I’m going to listen now and I’m going to be open enough this year to what my family has to say,” she said. “I won’t interrupt. It’s either to remove yourself from your family or continuing to engage.”

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Not everyone in the broader Jewish community agrees with the pro-Trump sentiments prevelent in Orthodox communities such as the Five Towns. When liberals family members — some Orthodox, some not — come home for Pesach, will American political angst cast an unwanted cloud over the seder?

By Ben Sales, JTA After Donald Trump won the presidential election, Sheila Katz wasn’t sure she wanted to come home for Thanksgiving.

As the politically liberal member of a conservative family, she had been comfortable sparring with her relatives during the Obama administration. But as Thanksgiving approached, she found it hard to get over the fact that her parents had voted for Trump. During one particularly painful phone call, a tearful Katz told her mother she wasn’t sure she would ever look at her the same way again.

The problem was particularly pointed for Katz, who co-founded Ask Big Questions, a Hillel International initiative that teaches how to have productive conversations about tough issues. She applied the organization’s lessons to her own family, which has gradually returned to talking politics after avoiding the topic over Thanksgiving dinner, which Katz attended.

Next week, Katz will be back for her family’s Passover seder — but this time she’s excited.

“I expect politics to come up at some point.

But … if we can each take a deep breath before we go into this and be ready to be open enough to really fully accept the viewpoints at the table without trying to change them right away, I think we can have a really wonderful Passover seder.”

Katz isn’t the only one whose family is riven by politics.

A Reuters/IPSOS poll in January showed that more than one-third of Americans have argued with a family member or close friend about the 2016 election, while one in six have stopped talking to a friend or family member entirely. With Passover among the most widely observed Jewish holidays, the seders will be rife with the risk of a political conflagration.

“We didn’t usually have campaigns that were so openly about putting the other candidate in jail or where hate talk, either open or veiled, was such a continuous thing,” said Andra Medea, author of “Conflict Unraveled: Fixing Problems at Work and in Families.”

“It isn’t just the usual cast of winners and losers. For the first time that I’ve seen in awhile, you have whole blocs of the population that actually feel afraid.”

Seders traditionally embrace disputation.

One of the meal’s most known segments is the Four Questions, and several of the Haggadah’s anecdotes retell rabbinic debates. Haggadah commentaries likewise nudge attendees to challenge the details of the hours-long Exodus narrative.

But debating the merits of Rabbi Yosi vs.

Rabbi Eliezer at the seder table — and in family time before and after — is one thing; debating current events is another.

Rabbi Josh Feigelson, executive director of Ask Big Questions, said the Haggadah can encourage healthy conversation, structuring the

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April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan THE JEWISH STAR

24

1039 Broadway Woodmere, NY 11598 Tel: (516) 569-6628 Fax: (516) 569-6589 gottagettabagel@gmail.com

To learn more about services at South Nassau’s Long Island Joint Replacement Institute, call 877-SOUTH-NASSAU or visit southnassau.org/jointreplacement.

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25 THE JEWISH STAR April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE JCCRP WOULD LIKE TO THANK

NATHAN KRASNOVSKY FOR ALL HIS HARD WORK AND DEDICATION AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND WISH HIM HATZLOCHA ON HIS NEWEST ENDEAVOR. UNDER NATHAN’S LEADERSHIP, THE JCCRP HAS GROWN INTO A SINGLE-STOP DESTINATION OFFERING THE FULL SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN CRISIS. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE JCCRP ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT

MOSHE BRANDSDORFER HAS ACCEPTED THE POSITION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BRINGING WITH HIM OVER A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE IN NON-PROFIT MANAGEMENT AND FUNDRAISING. THE JCCRP IS COMMITTED TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO GAP IN SERVICES DURING THIS TRANSITION AND LOOKS FORWARD TO EXPANDING OUR SERVICES IN THE FUTURE.

THE JCCRP OFFERS A HOST OF SERVICES INCLUDING CAREER COUNSELING, CRISIS INTERVENTION & DISASTER CASE MANAGEMENT/RECOVERY PLANNING, FINANCIAL COUNSELING, HOUSING & LANDLORD/TENANT MEDIATION, KOSHER CLIENT CHOICE FOOD PANTRY, LEGAL ASSISTANCE, MEDICAL INSURANCE ENROLLMENT AND MEDICARE ADVOCACY/ENROLLMENT, AND SNAP (FOOD STAMPS) .

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Uncured dogs: Quiche with veggie crust for Pesach Pesach kosher Abeles & Heymann reports that it is offering healthier new choices for Pesach — all-beef frankfurters that are uncured, contain no nitrates or fillers and are gluten-free. There is an option for lower sodium and fat content as well.

“Uncured hot dogs are a very hot trend in America and we are proud to make the best tasting Hot dogs with many options for our consumer,” says Abeles & Heymann CEO Seth Leavitt. “Years of development and refinement have made this into the best kosher uncured hot dog on the market today.”

Abeles & Heymann was founded in 1954, when Oscar Abeles and Leopold Heymann opened a butcher store in Washington Heights. In 1997, Leavitt and his attorney cousin David Flamholz bought out Heymann and his wife, Sophie, and continued making hot dogs, among other things, in their Bronx facility.

Since then the family-run company has moved to a state-of-the art facility in New Jersey, and has seen an over tenfold increase in sales. To grow the business even further, Abeles & Heymann partnered with the manufacturing arm of an Israeli Kibbutz (Maadany Yehiam, makers of the Hod Golan line of turkey products) and presently produces over 1,000 tons of quality glatt kosher deli a year.

Abeles & Heymann products are certified glatt kosher by the Orthodox Union, Kehillah Kashrus and Rabbi Yecheil Babad.

By Shannon Sarna, The Nosher via JTA Breakfast can be hard during Passover — no oatmeal, no toast and certainly no pancakes. (No, the boxed kind do not count.)

I like making eggs or matzah brei or even shakshuka. But I am always looking for something a little different to serve as a satisfying breakfast or portable lunch.

This veggie “kugel” crust is all those things: great for vegetarian lunch, it’s healthful, packed with tons of veggies and it’s a super satisfying breakfast. I use spinach in the filling, but you could just as easily use kale, broccoli, squash or any other quiche filling you like. Just make sure if you use a frozen vegetable to thaw completely and remove the excess water.

Make sure to grease your springform pans for easy baking.

This recipe yields two 8-inch quiches — ideal for eating all week, or serving for guests.

Ingredients: For the crust 1 large sweet potato 1 russet (Idaho) potato 1 medium zucchini 2 large eggs 1/2 cup matzah meal 1/2 teaspoon salt For the filling 6 large eggs, at room temperature 2 cups heavy cream or half and half 6 ounces (around 2 cups) frozen spinach, thawed and drained well 2 cups shredded cheddar or gruyere cheese plus extra 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Directions:

To make the crust, coarsely grate the potato, sweet potato and zucchini using a hand grater or in a food processor. Add to large bowl and mix with eggs, matzah meal, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease two 8-inch springform pans.

Spoon veggie mixture into bottom of pans and gently push all along the bottom of the pan and up the sides a little to form crust.

Place in fridge for 5-10 minutes.

Bake crusts for 10-15 minutes, until crust just starts to brown and crisp around the edges.

While crust is baking, prepare filling by

whisking eggs and heavy cream (or half and half) in a large bowl. Add spinach, cheese, salt and pepper.

Pour half the mixture into one prepared crust, the other half into other crust.

Top with a sprinkle of additional shredded cheese, a few dabs of butter and thick sea salt if desired.

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake another 25-30 minutes, or until the middle of the quiche has puffed slightly.

Allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature. Can be prepared 1-2 days ahead of time.

Shannon Sarna is editor of The Nosher.

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27 THE JEWISH STAR April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan

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Patients have the best chance of defeating lung cancer successfully when all the most advanced tools are available in one place. Winthrop-University Hospital offers the most comprehensive lung cancer treatment program in the region to lead the fight against this deadly disease.

Winthrop created Long Island’s first comprehensive low-dose CT screening program for early lung cancer detection. We offer state-of-the-art Navigational Bronchoscopy to find small tumors deep within the lungs. Winthrop is a national pioneer in immunotherapy trials, activating the body’s immune system to help fight cancer. We have the country’s most experienced CyberKnife center that ®

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By Hannah Grossman A chocolate and coffee shop in Cedarhurst was transformed to accommodate the launch of an online fashion business last week.

After store hours, the lights were dimmed, candles lit, and a smorgasbord of cult-favorites from the establishment, CafĂŠ Chocolat, at 556 Central Ave., were set out.

Shelves that typically displayed chocolate gifts now carried bags, sunglasses, and jewelry.

Founders of the online boutique, BaèChicly, are Orthodox women, busy mothers with their hands full who are seeking to exploit social media in their journey to become savvy entrepreneurs. One of them is Sorah Krohn, wife of CafĂŠ Chocolat owner Yosaif Krohn. “When you have a creative side you have to use it,â€? said Sorah Krohn, graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology. She assembled a fashion line post-graduation, but the demands of raising a family pressed her time and it was never launched. Now, as a mother of three, she has returned to the fashion and professional world. “People think that when you get married and have kids that life stops, but life doesn’t end it’s just the beginning,â€? she said. “We love being mothers and being creative, and social media has enabled us to do both,â€? added Krohn’s business partner, Gila Segal.

A close friend of the Krohns, Naomi Abehsera, commented that “a woman can have a family and a career — one does not contradict the other, in fact they complement each other.�

In the case of the Krohns, they have structured their lives to allow for both of their businesses to succeed. “We want to build an empire — with chocolate, music, and fashion,â€? Yosaif Krohn said. It all begins with the launch of BaèChicly at CafĂŠ Chocolat.

The Krohns recognized that the customer base at Cafe Chocolat is the same “target audienceâ€? for the eclectic and expressionistic style of BaèChicly. The Williamsburg-esque establishment’s clientele ranges from reserved coffee connoisseurs to hipsters looking for an “out of townâ€? experience in the busy center of town. “I want to make sure that when someone walks in, they not only receive a terrific product but become obsessed with the aromas, my employees, and what my business stands for,â€? Yosaif Krohn said.

A clientele created through social media has different expectations, he pointed out. “I want people to believe in my brand, and they’ll want to know who the person behind it,� Sorah Krohn said.

Guests were outspoken about the significance of startups like BaèChicly. Steven Wise, a music producer and long-time CafĂŠ Chocolat customer, said, “I think they’re expanding the horizon about how Orthodox women are perceived.â€?

Others discussed the importance of encouraging creative expression at any stage of one’s life. “People equate Orthodoxy with having a lot of kids and being boring, but it doesn’t have to be that way if you maintain your individuality,� Sorah Krohn said.

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At Rockawayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s JCCRP, new executive director The Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula (JCCRP) has announced that Moshe Brandsdorfer has accepted the position of Executive Director.

Brandsdorfer brings to the JCCRP more than a decade of experience in nonprofit management and fund-raising. He previously served as director of development at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov in Lawrence.

He is a long-time resident of the Fve Towns and resides in Woodmere with his family Brandsdorfer joins the JCCRP with a myriad of experience in communal affairs, social services, program management and development, an experiential base that will facilitate a smooth transition to his new role. After studying psychology at Brooklyn College, he began his career as a teacher at Yeshiva Bonim Lamokomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vocational program, a school for children with special needs located inside Yeshiva Torah Vodaath. At that position, he excelled in providing job training, mentoring and life skill classes to young adults with various disabilities.

He went on to become a program director at Harmony Services, an OPWDD-certified organization. For six years, he directed a dayhab program that serviced over 75 clients with special needs in a most caring fashion.

Of his major accomplishments at this position, he founded Camp Kinor Dovid, an inclusive summer camp located in Camp Ma Na Vu, in upstate Parksville. In addition to creating a summer time haven for special campers, the camp provided a much-needed respite to the families of these young men and women. In addition to establishing the camp, he also directed it for six summers.

Although extremely busy and devoted to providing top level quality care, Brandsdorfer continued to develop his professional training.

He received administrative and fundraising training at the National Society for Hebrew Day Schools (also known as Torah Umesorah), and at Boston University School of Continuing Education. At both programs he learned a vast amount about nonprofit strategy, while developing long lasting relationships with his classmates and professors.

Brandsdorfer will be replacing the JCCRPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current executive director, Nathan Krasnovsky.

Krasnovsky joined the JCCRP during a tumultuous time for the communities in and around Rockaway, with devastation brought

by Hurricane Sandy. He immediately took the reins and helped lead the community on the path of recovery.

His devotion, love for the community and affinity towards JCCRP clients is unrivaled.

Under his leadership, the the organization has experienced tremendous growth.

Krasnovsky transformed the JCCRP from a small organization offering a scattered array of services to a single-stop destination offering the full scope of services for community members in crisis. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My passion has always been to help elevate the quality of services to better meet the needs of our clients,â&#x20AC;?

Moshe Brandsdorfer Brandsdorfer said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through my work with the JCCRP and our member agencies, I look forward to continuing Nathanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission of improving peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moshe has a strong desire for success, along with a proven track record of creating long-lasting relationships with community partners in our area,â&#x20AC;? Krasnovsky said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was truly a pleasure working for the community and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very excited to see Moshe continue the JCCRPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission of providing quality services in a most respectful and dignified fashion.â&#x20AC;?

JCCRP Board President, MZ Dicker, added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is with great excitement that I can announce that Moshe Brandsdorfer has accepted the position of Executive Director of the JCCRP. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re confident in his abilities and with his leadership, look forward to making a great impact in our ability to serve all those in need in the Five Towns and Rockaways community.

We wish him tremendous hatzlacha.â&#x20AC;?

By Ben Sales, JTA White supremacists have a problem, and his name is Jared Kushner.

While many on the far right are hoping that President Donald Trump will help advance their separatist, racist agendas, figures like former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke and neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin are asking what to do about his Orthodox Jewish son-in-law with the ever-expanding White House profile.

Kushner, 36, became a senior adviser to Trump after helping manage his presidential campaign. A real estate mogul by trade, he is now handling a growing list of administration priorities. He has a hand in Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, addressing the opioid epidemic and reforming criminal justice. He is the point person on U.S.-China relations. He just traveled to Iraq on government business. And he is heading an initiative to streamline the executive branch.

For white supremacists who feel Trump is, intentionally or not, speaking their language, this religious Jew who attends a Chabad shul is an unwelcome twist. And they don’t really know how to react.

“I would be a whole lot happier if this was not happening, I can tell you that,” wrote Anglin, editor of the hate website The Daily Stormer, on Jan. 9, when Kushner’s White House appointment was announced.

“I think that Trump has an absolute infiltrator in the White House,” Duke said Monday on his daily podcast.

Anglin and other white supremacists have posted confused responses to Kushner’s ascent that reflect three theories: 1. Kushner is just a ruse to hide Trump’s white supremacism.

2. Kushner shows Trump isn’t actually the white supremacists’ guy.

3. Kushner is using Jewish nefariousness to manipulate Trump.

Some white supremacists take comfort in thinking Kushner is either a Trump frontman or an adviser with little actual influence compared to, say, chief strategist Stephen Bannon, a darling of the far right. Anglin in the January article suggested that Kushner serves Trump by obscuring his white supremacism until Trump wants to expose it, calling Kushner “a human shield, because Trump can’t immediately go all out against the Jews.”

But others, particularly on the white supremacist site Stormfront, point to Kushner as proof that Trump was never a white supremacist after all. They note that Kushner is far from Trump’s only Jewish adviser.

The Trump White House also includes Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Trump aide Stephen Miller and chief negotiator Jason Greenblatt.

“It is hard to believe that anyone with any knowledge of Jewish behavior and strategy really thinks that the Jews are so naive and trusting that they would let themselves be ‘used’ by someone whom they consider to be a loudmouth goy from New York — no matter how rich he is,” Stormfront blogger James Harting wrote on Dec. 12. “Or perhaps each side thinks that it is using the other. If that is true, Trump is in for a rude awakening, for the Jews are past masters at behind-the-scenes infighting and maneuvering.”

Jewish media and social networks are often quick to note the presence of Jews in high places, out of ethnic pride, and sometimes a sense that such figures can be advocates for Jewish communal issues. Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, in particular are objects of fascination among many Jews: Kushner was raised in an Orthodox Jewish family in New Jersey, Ivanka converted to Judaism under the auspices of an Orthodox rabbi, and the family attends an Orthodox shul in Washington.

But Jews sometimes play into anti-Semitic rhetoric by expecting Jews in power to serve parochial Jewish interests, said former Anti-Defamation League National Director Abe Foxman.

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Presidential historian Gil Troy, a professor at McGill University, also said ethnic pride can go too far.

“Jared Kushner is supposed to be judged not as a Jew but as Jared Kushner,” Troy said. “We should be proud enough, comfortable enough, American enough to say these guys have been appointed not because they’re Jewish, but because they’re tied to Donald Trump.”

Anti-Semites, of course, don’t make such distinctions. Some have remained Trump fans despite Kushner’s rising profile, and see him as a threat to the white nationalist hopes they hold for the

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Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner leaving President Donald Trump’s inauguration in Janauary.

administration. Duke, the former KKK grand wizard, spent much of his daily podcast Monday discussing why he sees Kushner as a “huge threat to the Trump revolution.” Repeating the anti-Semitic smears that are his stock and trade, Duke called Kushner a “Jewish supremacist” who seeks to nefariously steer Trump toward Jewish interests.

“We’re going to talk about Jewish radicalism, which Kushner absolutely represents,” Duke said in the podcast. “I think that Trump has an absolute infiltrator in the White House, and one totally dedicated to Jewish supremacism. It’s a real danger to the president.”

He added: “As soon as Trump was elected, Kushner decided to move to the White House and decided to have a very, very powerful role.”

On Tuesday, in an interview with the the far-right radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, former Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone accused Kushner of leaking talking points to MSNBC host Joe Scarborough and thus undermining Trump. While Stone did not mention or allude to Kushner’s religion, visitors to Jones’ InfoWars website did.

“Kushner was converted by the orthodox cult invented in the 1800s,” one wrote. “WORLD JEWERY IS ALIVE AND WELL!” wrote another, using the name “Follow the Shekels.”

Kushner seems to take a much smaller part in the rhetoric of another white supremacist leader, alt-right founder Richard Spencer. While Duke has dedicated two of his podcast episodes to Kushner, Kushner is all but absent from Spencer’s commentary on the Trump administration. In December, before Trump took office, Spencer told Haaretz that he isn’t bothered by Trump’s choices of advisers.

“I don’t have a strong position on this, that is his business,” hesaid. “Trump has been a positive thing. It is what it is. He can pick his own advisers and listen to whoever he chooses, that is his prerogative.”

THE JEWISH STAR April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan

Supremacists don’t know what to think about Jared

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April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan THE JEWISH STAR

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April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan 5777 • Every week in print and online at TheJewishStar.com • Send news and photos to: Schools@TheJewishStar.com • Next deadline: Sunday April 16 at noon

CAHAL brands its 7th concert a ‘huge success’

Shalhevet cash for FDNow Following months of preparation, posting flyers, getting sponsors, and coordinating logistics, the Midreshet Shalhevet Chesed Team ran an enormously successful dance party fitness event on Motzei Shabbos.

The fourth annual Fitness For A Cause fundraiser brought awareness and funds to the FDNow organization, which supports research and develops treatments for Familial Dysautonomia, a rare genetic disease. The event was founded after Philip Bach, brother

of Midreshet Shalhevet alumna Bayla Bach’s (Class of 2012), passed away from the disease four years ago.

Yakira Apfel of FIT Studio led a challenging dance fitness workout for the over 100 women in attendance. The fundraiser was directed by team captain Michal Beer, and team members Sarah Austin, Avigail Borah, Aviva Chait, Shifra Chait, Shayna Laya Frankel, Suri Lipsky, Haylie Leibowitz, Aviva Rubenstein, and Maayan Sandowski.

Project Ezra at HANC High HANC High School and its Jewish Poor Committee were privileged to host a Project Ezra Model Seder. This event provided a mock Pesach Seder experience to elderly Jews from the Lower East Side who might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in or celebrate the holiday.

Organized by Project Ezra, a nonprofit organization that serves the Jewish elderly of the Lower East Side, and HANC Director of Student Life Rabbi Daniel Mezei, and Chairpersons Keren Dayan and Jacob Kohanim, the model seder involved spirited singing, dancing, eating, and celebrating, as the seniors of Project Ezra were joined by HANC

students from all grades.

Students read aloud from the Hagaddah, educating and commemorating with the seniors on the basic aspects and practices of the seder, and connected with them through jovial conversation and laughter, taking the opportunity to learn from the seniors themselves on their personal histories and experiences.

The program concluded in high spirits with seniors and students hand in hand, singing and dancing to L’Shanah Habah B’Yerushalayim.

CAHAL’s seventh annual fundraising concert on March 26, was a sold-out success, with nearly 800 people filling the Lawrence High School auditorium.

Headliners Avraham Fried and Simcha Leiner, two of the Jewish world’s outstanding performers, were accompanied by Shloime Dachs and the Shloime Dachs Orchestra. YSTUDS, a popular A-Cappella group from Yeshiva University, opened the show.

CAHAL’s Executive Director Shimmie Ehrenreich thanked everyone for attending, especially the the event’s sponsors, and Directors of the Program Naomi Nadata and Alice Feltheimer for their years of dedication to the children and Shira Cohen and Noach Haller for coordinating the event.

CAHAL Founder and Vice President Richard Altabe spoke about how the program has helped hundreds of Jewish neshamos receive a yeshiva education in self-contained small classes with individualized attention. He proudly

proclaimed how CAHAL began, inspired by Dr. Norman Blumenthal and the principals of the founding yeshivas, and boasted about how CAHAL has been able to mainstream a large percentage of children from the program back into the yeshiva where their siblings and friends attend. The crowd cheered as he listed the 10 local yeshivas that participate in CAHAL. Shloime Dachs and Simcha Leiner joined Avraham Fried on stage for the big finale, during which dozens of children and adults, including members of the CAHAL board of directors, danced for 15 minutes. The event proved to be a huge success and raised muchneeded money for CAHAL’s Scholarship Fund.

A meet-the-performers event was held for sponsors before the concert, with the performers chatting and taking pictures with the attendees. Seasons sponsored the sushi and a display of delicious desserts and Bracha Silverstein, a local party planner, decorated the room.

HAFTR visits Whitney, High Line HAFTR’s second grade artists and observers visited the Whitney Museum of American Art and the High Line.

Students viewed contemporary works by artists such as Alexander Calder, Jasper Johns and Keith Haring.

Under the sunny skies, students walked part of the High Line and admired the hints of spring piercing out of

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the old park’s train tracks.

Pictured: Yardena Steinmetz, Philip Balsam, Sruli Stern,(not fully seen is Uriel Hillel) Rafi Sabri, Kayla Finkelman, Gigi Hersch, Sari Botnick, Amalie Heching, Sophia Grossman, Harel Maman, Adam Rosenberg, Yonah Abrahams, David Miller, Landon Glicksman Benny Kohn, E.J. Bodner.

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Steven Spielberg’s matzah brei recipe: Just add milk

Wanna Play?

By Gabe Friedman, JTA Why is this matzah brei different from all others?

It’s a favorite of Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg, that’s why.

The Academy Award-winning director — the force behind “Schindler’s List,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “E.T.” and scores of other popular films — has shared his family matzah brei recipe with Goop, an upscale food and lifestyle website.

“Uncle Morty’s Gourmet Matzos Brie,” as it’s called at Goop, calls for the slightly unusual method of soaking matzah pieces in milk instead of water. It also includes chopped onion — placing it definitively in the savory, not sweet, category.

It also specifies a specific brand of matzah: Streit’s, “in business since 1925,” the recipe notes. Streit’s made headlines when it closed its iconic Lower East Side factory in 2015 and moved production to New Jersey.

Goop also published Jewish food maven Joan Nathan’s matzah brie recipe in a special “Kosher For Passover” section. (By contrast, Nathan’s recipe uses water and schmaltz and calls for a sweet topping, such as cinnamon, honey or maple syrup.)

Matzah brei, which is essentially pieces of matzah fried with eggs, is having a bit of a moment: A specialty matzah brei stand popped up at a New York City market last fall, and a slew of new recipes have been published online.

“I think people are always looking for the next thing to modernize,” said Shannon SarnaGoldberg, editor of the Jewish food blog The Nosher, a sister site of JTA. “And matzah brei is

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both beloved and kind of bland, so takes well to flavors.”

One such “flavor” recommended by Spielberg: truffle salt (“if you’re feeling fancy,” as the recipe states).

10 Bnai Menashe couples ‘re-wed’ JERUSALEM (JTA) —Ten Indian-Jewish couples from the Bnei Menashe “lost tribe” were married in a Jewish ceremony at an absorption center in northern Israel on Sunday.

The group wedding remarriage in the Kfar Hasidim community was part of the couples’ formal conversion to Judaism. The couples, who immigrated from India, ranged in age from their 20s to their 70s. The couples were among 102 new immigrants who emigrated from Mizoram in late February.

The Bnei Menashe are believed to be descended from the biblical tribe of Manasseh, one of the Ten Lost Tribes exiled from the Land of Israel more than 2,700 years ago. In 2005, then-Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar endorsed the Bnei Menashe’s claim to Jewish ancestry, but required them to convert to Orthodox Judaism.

Some 3,000 Bnei Menashe have immigrated to Israel in recent years, with another 7,000 remaining in India.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) meets with Russian President Vladimir PuHaim Zach/GPO tin in Moscow on June 7, 2016.

tween Israel, Russia and Syria in the region. But what does it all mean?

The meeting between Israel’s Koren and Russia’s Bogdanov should not be seen in too dramatic a light, said Zvi Magen, the former Israeli ambassador to Russia and a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.

“Suddenly, Russia and Syria learned that Israel has good interception abilities. The Russians conducted a diplomatic maneuver, and went for the most minor of options. They called in our ambassador, and we do not know what was said. I attended these kinds of events. This is a way for a state to send a message,” Magen

told JNS.org, describing it as a “relatively modest” way to do so.

“It is clear that Moscow wanted to send a message, saying, ‘Take our interests into account,’” Magen added.

Soon after Koren was summoned, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Israel would continue to take action against threats to its security in Syria.

“We attack if we have information and the operational feasibility,” said Netanyahu.

“This is a diplomatic battle, and Israel is not compromising,” Magen said.

“Under the table, it is possible that messages are being exchanged about where each side’s red lines are. Rus-

sia is trying to be the central mediator, working with the Iranians, with the Israelis and with other regional powers.”

Since joining an Iranian-led coalition to rescue the Assad regime, mainly through air power, in September 2015, Russia’s Mideast role jumped up several notches in importance.

Although Russia is fighting on the same side as Israel’s worst enemies, Moscow and Jerusalem effectively communicate and consider one another’s interests, while ensuring military deconfliction in Syria’s skies.

“Russia is without doubt a very dominant element in the Middle East.

It is the only one that can simultaneously speak to all of the quarreling parties and it can certainly fulfill, if it wishes, a restraining role,” Prof. Uzi Rabi, director of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University, said.

“Israel must continue to take a decisive position—verbally and through actions—and to hold on to its two big no’s—no to the transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah, and no to the Iranian presence in the Syrian Golan….To that end, Israel must maintain a continuous dialogue with Russia, mainly to clarify what is and is not acceptable, so that the agreements in these issues will be formulated, rather than created through unfortunate accidents,” Rabi added.

Magen said it is impossible to separate Israel’s security interests in Syria from the full picture of actors active in the war-torn state.

By getting involved in Syria, Magen explained, Russia added a new

global power dimension to a situation already defined by multiple wars: the civil war between rebel organizations and the Assad regime, and the war in desert areas against Islamic State.

A third conflict involves heavyweight regional actors—Jordan, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, and Israel—each pursuing their interests in Syria, with a clear alignment of Israeli-Sunni-Gulf interests.

The Syrian Civil War, Magen said, is “approaching an end” thanks to Russia’s “smart use of limited power, which got the rebels to agree to negotiate. Separately, Islamic State is being pushed aside.”

Russia is now pushing to create a federal entity in Syria, and is trying to provide each regional power—including Israel—with a portion of influence designed to fulfill their key interests, Magen argued. For example, Russia is likely seeking to meet the Israeli and Jordanian interest in creating an Iranian-free zone in southern Syria, although Moscow cannot eject the Iranians from all of Syria.

At the same time, Russia is trying to meet the interests of Iran and Turkey, while keenly waiting for the Trump administration to formulate its own position on Syria, Magen said.

Israel’s regional military prowess means Russia has no choice but to take Israeli interests into account, Magen believes. Israel can act as “the great spoiler” of Russia’s plans if Jerusalem’s interests are not cared for, he said.

“Russia will continue to work hard to implement a solution,” said Magen, “and wait for the U.S. to clarify its position.”

Greetings from Israel

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By Yaakov Lappin, JNS.org Just a single day had passed since Gary Koren, Israel’s new ambassador to Russia, presented his credentials to President Vladimir Putin before the Israeli diplomat was called in by the Russian government for a “clarification” meeting.

The unusual diplomatic event occurred after the Israeli Air Force struck a target deep in northern Syria—likely a target involving weapons destined for Hezbollah in Lebanon. On their return flight, the jets were targeted by the Bashar al-Assad regime’s surfaceto-air SA-5 missiles, which missed their targets. But as the Syrian missiles fell back to the ground, they were picked up by Israeli air defense radars. One of the Syrian missiles was projected to fall on Israeli territory, and in the middle of the night March 17, residents of the Jordan Valley awoke to a sound they were not used to hearing: air raid sirens.

Israel fired an Arrow 2 interceptor missile to shoot down the threatening Syrian missile, the Arrow system’s first-ever operational use, and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman later issued a stern warning to the Assad regime, saying a repeat attempt to fire on Israeli jets would result in the destruction of Syria’s air defense batteries.

At this point, in Moscow, Koren was invited by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov for a meeting, during which Bogdanov reportedly expressed “concern” over recent developments.

Such is the convoluted, highstakes game of chess being played be-

Blessings for a happy and healthy Passover Councilman Bruce Blakeman

THE JEWISH STAR April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan

Adjusting to Russia’s role in Israel’s backyard

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34 April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan THE JEWISH STAR

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Approach France’s Marine Le Pen with caution Ben Cohen Viewpoint

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here was an illuminating report from Paris in the Wall Street Journal last week that related how Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, has been consulting a group of French bankers and captains of industry in a bid to continue the mainstreaming of her party as the country’s presidential election approaches.

Named “Les Horaces,” in honor of imperial Rome’s most illustrious and politically astute poet, this collection of dignitaries is preparing Le Pen, who represents what has up until now been a perennial party of opposition, for the challenges of government. If Le Pen’s first task was to shake off the legacy of her father JeanMarie—the spiteful, bigoted anti-Semite who founded the party—her second will be learning how to competently run France’s intensely complex state institutions and bureaucracies.

While Le Pen can point to President Donald Trump’s victory as an example of how polling predictions can fall spectacularly flat, she might also want to study his first two months in office, during which the White House has failed to manage both the legislative agenda and the president’s media image. It’s distinctly possible the same fate could befall her, in the event that she wins the electoral contest on April 23.

Depending on where you sit, a Le Pen victo-

ry would signal either the demise of fascism or its rebirth. The former view is held by National Front activists and their global echo chamber, who insist that Le Pen’s expulsion of her father from the very party he created—a move requiring courage and wiliness worthy of a Shakespeare plot—signals an irrevocable break with its Nazi-stained past.

From this perspective, Le Pen is not so much Marshal Petain, the collaborationist leader of German-occupied France, as she is Charles de Gaulle, the resistance leader who shaped postwar France and regarded international institutions like NATO with Gallic sniffiness. Le Pen’s Gaullist French nationalism resembles that, so her advocates say, of Trump in America—forthrightly opposed to immigration, contemptuous of multiculturalism, warning constantly of the dangers of Islamic radicalism, and aggressively seeking national control of trade and fiscal policy.

What this means first of all is the potential collapse of the European Union, should France abandon the euro single currency and then follow the U.K.’s example by leaving the EU itself.

Which fuels the opposite idea: that a Le Pen victory would mean the triumph of fascism at the polls in Europe for the first time since the end of World War II. Without the EU, the theory goes, Europe risks again becoming a system of competing nation-states. Add to that governmentsanctioned racist rhetoric and discriminatory policy, and all of a sudden, the 1930s don’t look so distant. o my mind, neither of these viewpoints captures the profound challenge that a Le Pen victory would represent. Even if fas-

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cism were to return to 21st-century Europe, it would look very different to its 20th-century incarnation—and were Le Pen intent on setting up a totalitarian state with racial laws against Jews, Muslims and other minorities, and an ever-present secret police, she would find the task much harder than did Hitler from the ashes of the Weimar Republic.

And yet, those who believe that Le Pen is a French version of Trump would do well to reconsider. Whereas in Trump’s case, much of the election campaign involved discussing whether he even had any deeply held beliefs, Le Pen comes from a recognizable and established tradition—post-fascism, if we are to call it that, still comes from fascism after all.

There’s another crucial difference. Trump has been unfairly portrayed as an anti-Semite with little evidence to show for the claim; one reason for that is simply that America, unlike France, has no established anti-Semitic tradition. Sure, we’ve had to deal with Father Coughlin, David Duke and Pat Buchanan, but there is no history here of anti-Semitic legislation and neither of the two main parties has ever incorporated anti-Semitic ideology into its program.

In France, anti-Semitism has been, and is, far more serious. As in Germany, French intellectuals in the 19th and 20th centuries played a pivotal role in developing anti-Semitism as a modern ideology distinct from its Christian forebear, proudly organizing themselves into political parties with names like the “League of Anti-Semites.” The Dreyfus trial, perhaps the key episode in the evolution of anti-Semitism as

a genocidal ideology, took place in France and defined an entire generation. Today, France is rife with anti-Semitic assaults, abuse and terror attacks, much of it emanating from the same Muslim migrant communities targeted by Le Pen—and the source, therefore, of the notion that she, unlike her father, will be “good for the Jews.”

It would, however, be foolish to reach that conclusion. If the last two decades have taught us anything, it’s that you don’t need anti-Semitic laws or policies, nor anti-Semitic government ministers, to have a major problem with anti-Semitism. The hostility to Jews that envelops large sections of the Muslim community, the far left and the nostalgists of the right will not disappear just because Le Pen becomes president—indeed, the phenomenon could get worse.

If Le Pen follows through on her campaign rhetoric by denying French Jews the right to hold dual Israeli citizenship, France’s perennial “Jewish question” will likely find itself in the national spotlight once more, echoing past smears about “dual loyalty” as well as present ones about the irritating “communalism”—a phrase from the pen of leading French journalist Christophe Barbier—displayed by French Jews during the rowdy anti-Semitic and antiZionist demonstrations that accompanied the Gaza war in 2014.

That is why I say, to those in America convinced that Le Pen will be a faithful partner in the anti-globalist crusade, be careful what you wish for.

Ben Cohen is senior editor of TheTower.org

FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): Musings on AIPAC tehilla r. goldBerg View from central park

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’ve been saddled with a major case of FOMO (fear of missing out). I watched as Facebook lit up with picture after picture of AIPAC’s Israel Village and its policy conference’s incredible speakers and sessions, plus the best part of all — the shmoozing and bonding with people from all walks of life united by a common passion and commitment to Israel.

Although I’m doing fine, I’m not quite back to a normal routine since the concussion I sustained, so I couldn’t go to AIPAC as planned.

It was wonderful to see all the Israel love and support pour out in full force. Friends from my current Upper West Side neighborhood — including Rabbi Mark Wildes of the Manhattan Jewish Experience, who met with Rep. Ellison, and Rabbi Avi Heller, originally from my hometown of Denver.

Denver!

Our little (compared to the bigger Jewishly populated cities, at least) Denver, you did me proud. As the Facebook updates kept increasing, so did my pride in our Denver Jewish community.

As a Jewish woman who is part of the Orthodox community, I am heartened at the unity we can share in support of the crucial issue of out time: Israel. Many of us may have different beliefs about the path we feel is best for our beloved Israel; but there is no conflict about Israel herself. We are all part of a pro-

Israel family.

By coming to AIPAC we demonstrate an understanding that we must fight for Israel, because on some level it comes down to “ein li eretz acheret” — knowing in our generation the cost of a world without Israel.

If I were not personally aware of the diversity of people I know who are part of AIPAC, then based on the usual distorted media spin, I would think AIPAC was an extremist rightwing think tank or lobbying group.

Hating Israel seems to be in vogue; it’s the group think of our time. We had J Street and (the misleadingly named) Jewish Voices for Peace; now there’s “If Not Now,” another anti-Israel group. These people have distorted reality so badly that aside from the ignorance, there is the added false arrogance and condescension, since in their indoctrinated minds their beliefs are in the name of moral clarity.

To dialogue with others in our community about different paths and possibilities for Israel and the dignity of the Palestinians is one thing — in fact, it’s a healthy and vital conversation. But for actual moral clarity, this year’s AIPAC assembly was worth it if only for the words of superstar Nikki Haley.

You want moral clarity in our time? You want courageous leadership in the face of corrupt despots? Look no further than Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, the Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Jean Kirkpatrick of our time.

Like many, I have been following her since her first press conference at the U.N. And I missed the chance to meet her at AIPAC! She is a force. I am in awe of her.

For missing Nikki Haley’s speech, my AIPAC FOMO is still raging.

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35 THE JEWISH STAR April 7, 2017 • 11 Nisan

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