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The JEWISH STAR LIers go all in with Israel TheJewishStar.com

Parsha Pinchas • July 14, 2017 • 20 Tamuz, 5777 • Five Towns Candlelighting 8:07 pm, Havdalah 9:15 • Luach page 19 • Vol 16, No 25

The Newspaper of our Orthodox communities

Join 201 olim on Nefesh B’Nefesh’s 56th charter

Here are some of the smiling Long Islanders who flew Nefesh B’Nefesh’s magic carpet ride on July 3, going “all in” and making aliyah to the promised land. Jonathan Yehoshua of Kew Gardens Hills (left) said he’s waited long enough to fulfill the dream — he retired from teaching on July 1 and was boarding the first flight

By Ed Weintrob For Chani Newman of Far Rockaway, making aliyah with her husband and children, the answer to the question, “Why now?” was obvious. “We’re Jewish!” she said. Thirteen-year-old Elishevah Feinberg of Woodmere, joining 201 other olim on board Nefesh B’Nefesh’s July 3rd magic

out. Thirteen-year-old Elishevah Feinberg of Woodmere (with mom Leah in second photo) had been a student at the Shulamith School for Girls in Cedarhurst. “Part of my love for Eretz Yisroel came from there,” she said. More photos on page 16. The Jewish Star / Ed Weintrob

carpet to the promised land, said she’s wanted to do this for a long time. Her love of Israel emerged through family, friends, community, repeated visits to the holy land, and her school, Shulamith in Cedarhurst, she said. Danit Tayri of Kew Gardens Hills said “we’ve always wanted to go, but now it’s finally time.”

Her parents left Israel “on a 30 year-long trip” and now it’s time, through her family’s journey as olim, to come home. “Hopefully, everyone will follow,” she said. While the excitement of boarding NBN’s El Al’s charter was palpable for many of the olim, for others the move to Israel See. 201 olim on page 16

He’s 93, and we can’t forget $10M ER rehab ups St. John’s 5T role

By Jeffrey Bessen, Herald Community News When Peninsula Hospital closed five years ago and St. John’s Episcopal Hospital became the hospital on the Rockaway Peninsula, the Far Rockaway medical center experienced a 35 percent jump in patients using its emergency services. St. John’s officials last week celebrated obtaining a $10.15 million grant from the New York State Department of Health to help complete emergency services renovations that will also include creating primary care space in a building right across the street. The 111-year-old hospital also operates an off-site ambulatory center at 275 Rockaway Turnpike in Lawrence and similar sites on the peninsula. See St. John’s on page 14

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Jack Rybsztajn holds his great-grandson, Isaac. Years earlier, in inset below, he holds his grandson, Marc, who is Isaac’s father.

Last March, The Jewish Star reported on the 70th wedding anniversary of Woodmere residents and Shoah survivors Bonnie and Jack Rybsztajn. On the occasion of Jack Rybsztajn’s 93rd birthday on July 12, his story continues. By Celia Weintrob After the war ended, Jack Rybsztajn was desperate to get from Stuttgart to Brussels, where a few relatives were located. Through two daring voyages on cargo trains, during which he was discovered and arrested, then ultimately given legal residence in Brussels, the couple and their future sister-in-law finally completed the journey. They had headed to Brussels to meet Jack’s sister Cyla, who to their dismay had left for Palestine one day before they arrived. While in Brussels, the Rybsztajns ate at a kosher restaurant, where they saw a placard on the wall stating that a Mr. Jacobs, with a Brooklyn address, was looking for anyone named RYBSZTAJN who survived. Rybsztajn wrote to this man, saying he is the son of Yechiel Rybsztajn, who had been Mr. Jacobs’ nephew. Not long afterwards, a package containing a tallis and a pair of tefillin was received in Brussels, plus papers authorizing his travel to the United States. However, “we stayed in Belgium for five years,” Rybsztajn recalled. “The gentile people of Brussels were so nice, which was such a relief after what we went through in Poland. So we stalled coming to America.” He mentioned the Shaydels, a well-to-do couple who welcomed the Rybsztajns into their See Shoah on page 7

Israeli rabbinate ‘blacklists’ Orthodox rabbis With Ben Sales, JTA Orthodox rabbis are among 160 spiritual leaders on a list of rabbis that Israel’s chief rabbinate does not trust to confirm the Jewish identities of immigrants. A critic of the chief rabbinate referred to the roster as a “blacklist.” Rabbis from 24 countries, including the United States and Canada, are on the list. In addition to Reform and Conservative spiritual leaders, the list includes such Orthodox luminaries as Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, co-founder and executive director of Nefesh B’Nefesh, and Rabbi Avi Weiss, the liberal Orthodox rabbi from Riverdale. The chief rabbinate controls all Jewish marriage in Israel, and immigrants who wish to wed there must first prove to its satisfaction that they are halachically Jewish.

The chief rabbinate’s antipathy to Reform and Conservative spiritual leaders is well documented. Its distrust of some Orthodox rabbis abroad was seen last year when it omitted several prominent Orthodox figures from a list of rabbis it trusts to confirm the authenticity of Jewish conversions. The rabbinate list released last week comprises rabbis whose letters it rejected during 2016. In addition to rabbis Weiss and Fass, the list includes Rabbi Joshua Blass of Kehillas Beis Yehudah in Rockland County and student adviser at Yeshiva University’s rabbinical seminary; Rabbi Adam Scheier, of Canada’s oldest traditional Ashkenazi synagogue and a past president of the Montreal Board of Rabbis; and Rabbi Daniel Kraus, director of education at Kehilath Jeshurun on the Upper East Side.

The rabbinate sent the list to Itim, a nonprofit that guides Israelis through the country’s religious bureaucracy, as a result of an Itimfiled 2015 freedom-of-information request in a Jerusalem municipal court demanding a list of approved foreign rabbis. Rabbi Seth Farber, Itim’s executive director, has called repeatedly for greater transparency in the rabbinate’s evaluation of rabbis, and said the way it is being handled is a “stain on the state of Israel.” “They’re effectively creating a blacklist,” Farber told JTA. “The dimensions are greater than we could have ever imagined, and the disregard with which they treat rabbis from around the world is astounding.” Israel’s Ashkenazi chief rabbi, David Lau, said in a public letter on Sunday that he was

shocked that the list was released. “This was done without the rabbi’s knowledge or his agreement. How can a list like this be publicized without the rabbi being made aware of the list itself or of its publication?” read the letter written by an aide on behalf of Lau and issued Sunday. “The results of this are very serious,” the letter continued. “First of all, an employee in the chief rabbinate cannot decide on his own to publicize who the Rabbinate approves or not. Secondly, the damage this does to certain rabbis cannot be exaggerated — including to the chief rabbinate.” According to a JTA tally of the 66 U.S. rabbis on the list, at least one-fifth are Orthodox. “The way they’re conducting themselves is so painful, so unfortunate,” Rabbi Weiss told JTA on Friday. “The pain that I feel is not personal. It’s that this rabbinate is an arm of the State of Israel, and that we have reached this point is nothing less than a tragedy.” In 2013, the rabbinate rejected a proof-ofJudaism letter from Rabbi Weiss, then reversed course and accepted it following complaints from American Jewish leaders. Last year, the rabbinate rejected a similar letter from Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, Kehilath Jeshurun’s former rabbi and the rabbi who oversaw the conversion of Ivanka Trump. It also rejected conversions overseen by Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz, chief presiding judge of the National Beth Din of the Rabbinical Council of America, the main modern Orthodox rabbinical court in the United States. These rejections have caused consternation among American Orthodox leaders who are invested in maintaining a good relationship with the chief rabbinate. But following Rabbi Weiss’ initial rejection in 2013, former rabbinate spokesman Ziv Maor told JTA that examining the credentials of Orthodox rabbis is crucial to the integrity of the evaluation process. “The testimony needs to be according to Jewish law and the witness needs to have the fear of heaven,” Maor told JTA. Regarding Rabbi Weiss, he added, “We’re talking about someone on the fringes of Orthodoxy.” Rabbi Baruch Goodman, who runs the Chabad-Lubavitch center at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said he was surprised to find out he was on the list. Goodman, who declined to be quoted, told JTA he has been writing proofof-Judaism letters for nearly two decades without incident.

Chief rabbinate to Rabbi Fass: Sorry Workers at Clare Rose, the Anheuser-Busch distributor for Long Island, have been on strike since April 23rd. The company illegally cut drivers’ wages by 30% and ended its workers pension, and permanently replaced workers when they went on strike in protest. Long Island is speaking out against attacks on our working families and calling on Clare Rose to bring back these good jobs.

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The office of the chief rabbinate apologized on Tuesday for the inclusion of Rabbi Fass’s name on the chief rabbinate’s “blacklist” (story above). The office said that Chief Rabbi David Lau reiterated that he was not aware of the existence of such a list and did authorize its release. “I regret that this incident may have called your reputation into question,” he statement said. “The chief rabbinate recognizes and appreciates you as a rabbi and all that you have done for the Jewish people.” Rabbi Fass, who co-founded Nefesh B’ Nefesh, which has assisted over 50,000 olim to Israel over the past 15 years, said after the meeting: “The rabbinate should serve as a shining example of unity and connectivity within Judaism and promote its positive values in order to bridge any divides and prevent sinat chinam (baseless hatred).” “I know I’m in good company on the list,” he told JTA on Friday. “There are wonderful, honest, unparalleled rabbis that have been blacklisted by the State of Israel. “No one who knows me or knows my community or knows my rabbinate could question my capacity to attest to the Jewish identity of the members of my congregation.”

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Jewish Star by Susan Griec

Cedarhurst Mayor Andrew J. Parise high fives Akiva Shemesh (held by mom Dena) at Jewish night in the summer series of concerts under the Gazebo at Andrew J. Parise Park. More photos on page 14.

Non-kosher Anatomy of ‘mom’ quits a ceasefire Mother Kelly’s, one of the last remaining treif restaurants in Cedarhurst, is closing following the sale of its building, the Nassau Herald reported this week. Mother Kelly’s will end 45 years of service at its prominent location opposite the Cedarhurst train station on Sunday, Aug. 31, said Glenn Gobetz, who runs the establishment with his brother Mark and sister Lisa. “Over the years the local community has become an Orthodox town,” Glenn said. “Our father was Jewish, but our mother isn’t. We would have to keep kosher to run this restaurant.” In 1969, Marvin Gobetz and his wife, Dorothy, took over the restaurant, originally located on Columbia Avenue. Its previous owners named it Mother Kelly’s, and Dorothy decided to retain the name. Marvin died in 1984. Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department Commissioner Joe Fitzgerald praised Mother Kelly’s philanthropic efforts. “I have never known them to turn down anyone’s requests to donate to charities,” he said.

By Dmitriy Shapiro, JNS.org Washington Jewish Week After at least 11 failed attempts at achieving a lasting ceasefire between the Hamas terrorist group and Israel, negotiators in Cairo on Tuesday announced that they reached an indefinite ceasefire deal. But will the agreement, whose parameters are not yet fully apparent, hold up this time around? Some experts are skeptical because the talks leading up to the deal lacked the three major elements they believe are required for a successful ceasefire: negative leverage, positive leverage, and a credible third-party broker. Before Tuesday, a delegation of Israeli officials had shuttled between Israel and Egypt for weeks to participate in indirect talks with Palestinian Authority officials representing Fatah, Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, with Continued on page 3

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The Hebrew Academy of Long Beach (HALB) has filed a tentative plan with the Town of Hempstead’s Zoning Board of Appeals for its use of the Number Six School in Woodmere. HALB is purchasing the 6.67-acre site, which includes a 80,170-square-foot school building, for $8.5 million plus $2.7 million that will be held as a guarantee that Lawrence Board of Education realizes at least $565,000 in annual savings on what the district now spends on transportation and special education for HALB students. “I actually believe that the annual savings will far exceed that estimate — if [HALB’s] student enrollment stays close to what it is today, the numbers will be higher,” said HALB President Lance Hirt. In two years, HALB is expected to move its Long Beach-based elementary school — which houses kindergarten through eighth grade, currently 800 students — from a beachfront building on West Broadway to the Church Avenue site, officials previously said. HALB expects to sell its Long Beach building. “We know that our initial plan will be rejected given the fact that we are making some minor changes to the current layout and use of the site,” Hirt said.

Future campus of the HALB elementary school.

Having the initial plan rejected is part of the process, he said. The zoning board reviews proposed changes, and then either denies them or grants approval. Previously HALB said that renovations to the building are needed to make better use of classroom space and public areas, install a new roof and windows to improve energy efficiency, put in a state-of-the-art heating and air conditioning system, along with new electrical and plumbing systems that comply with current building codes. Lawrence board president Murray Forman did not return calls for comment. A version of this report by Jeffrey Bessen first appeared in this week’s Nassau Herald.

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ast week, my son Jeremy got engaged. To say I was thrilled is an understatement. I could not have picked a more perfect girl for him. Darya is charming, delightful, intelligent, fun loving, beautiful, caring and sweet. As soon as I got the call that they were engaged, memories started dancing in my mind: Judy Joszef when he was born, his first birthday, his first day of school, first day of camp and his first tooth. I attended every one of his basketball, hockey, baseball and soccer games. I sat in the stands cheering as if he were starring on the Rangers playing at The Garden. Continued on page 17

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By Andrew Tobin, JTA Glick had petitioned the High Court of Justice JERUSALEM — While liberal American Jews against the ban, which Netanyahu implemented may be invested in their years-long campaign to in 2015 amid Palestinian violence. establish egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall, In November, Dorshei Zion, an annual event another group has been gained traction by set- that brings together Temple Mount activist ting their sights a bit higher — on the plaza groups, was held for the first time at the Knesset above the Kotel, where the ancient Temple once and attracted hundreds of attendees, more than stood. ever before. Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein and Often led by Orthodox American olim, the Glick used the forum to announce a new Temple movement to gain greater access for Jews to the Temple Mount, site of the Dome of the Rock Muslim shrine and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, has moved from the margins nearly to the mainstream. “Our movement is growing for sure,” said Yehuda Glick, a Brooklyn-born Israeli lawmaker and longtime Temple Mount activist. “The number of people ascending to the mount has doubled, and you see there’s a lot more activity, a lot more public support.” Yaacov Hayman, a whitebearded Orthodox native of Southern California, recently took the helm of a new government body called the Temple Mount Heritage Foun- Temple Mount activist Yehuda Glick, in 2013, displays a diagram of dation, which is charged with the Temple that stood where the Dome of the Rock stands today in Christa Case Bryant/The Christian Science Monitor/Getty Images preserving the holy site and Jerusalem. educating about its Jewish history. He cited the American civil rights move- Mount Knesset lobby. ment as an inspiration for his activism, which Months later, in March, Culture Minister Miri ultimately aims to rebuild the Temple and usher Regev and Jerusalem Minister Zeev Elkin spearin the messianic era. headed the creation of the Temple Mount Heri“When I first went to the mount, I was tage Foundation. Modeled on the Western Wall shocked. This is a Jewish and democratic state, Heritage Foundation, which oversees that site, and I can’t pray here? What’s going on?” Hyman the Temple Mount foundation was allocated an said. “I thought back to being a kid, 6 years old, annual budget of more than $500,000. watching on TV when that little black girl walked Tom Nisani, a secular student at the Hebrew into an all-white school. It made me proud of my University of Jerusalem and the chair of Students country.” for the Temple Mount, and his fiancee, Sara Lu, “In a society that believes in human rights and made headlines on June 29 by covertly marrying liberal rights, the fact that you’re not allowing a on the mount in violation of the ban on Jewish person to pray just because he doesn’t belong to rituals. His group of Jewish students from across your religion, that’s something that’s unaccept- the religious spectrum has promoted awareness able,” Glick said. “If you support freedom of of Jewish claims to the mount, and ultimately the speech, how can you support prayer for just one rebuilding of the Temple. people?” “We certainly do not need to receive permits Since Israel captured the Temple Mount from from the world regarding our right to the Temple Jordan in the 1967 Six-Day War, the site has oc- Mount,” he said. “Every Israeli and Jew has a casionally been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Pales- place on the Temple Mount, and accordingly, the tinian conflict. Although Israel insists it has no support we receive is extensive and varied.” plans to change the status quo, Palestinian suspiStern doubts the Israeli mainstream would cions to the contrary helped fuel the first and sec- embrace the Temple Mount movement’s radical ond intifadas and the wave of stabbings and car- long-term aims and the likely costs of pursuing ramming attacks that started in October 2015. them. In 2014, a Palestinian terrorist shot and seri“From a symbolic point of view, everyone says ously wounded Glick for his Temple Mount activ- the Temple Mount is ours. It should be ours. You ism. can hear that from almost everyone here,” he In recent years, the Temple Mount movement said. “But does it really mean we have to do anyhas surged as “many Jews have looked to revive thing about it? I’m not sure the majority wants to the messianic dream on the Temple Mount,” said push forward this agenda.” Yedidia Stern, who researches religion, state and Hayman acknowledged that force would likeOrthodoxy at the Israel Democracy Institute. ly be required to establish Jewish prayer on the Right-wing rabbis have also issued rulings Temple Mount, just as the U.S. National Guard that permit Jews to visit and pray on the Temple had to be sent in to enforce school desegregation. Mount, despite a tradition that says Jews should “They sent National Guardsmen to line the not walk on the mount out of fears that they streets. That’s what it took to end segregation,” might step on the site of the Holy of Holies, the he said. “The same thing needs to happen here. inner sanctum of the Temple. By one count, just Let the Arabs riot over the Temple Mount, and let a few years ago only a few thousand Jews vis- them get shot. If you ignore the monster, it just ited the Temple Mount every year; by contrast, gets bigger.” more than 14,000 Jews and their supporters have However, he predicted, when it came time come since October. to build the Temple, even the Arab world would Temple Mount activists have not just grown in welcome it. number, but also moved closer to power in Jeru“We have to realize we’re not alone in this salem. Glick in May 2016 entered the Knesset as whole thing. G-d is our senior partner,” Hayman a member of the ruling Likud party. He claimed said. “When G-d wants the temple to be rebuilt, credit for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s he’ll get involved. We’ll get to a point in time recent decision on lifting the ban on Israeli law- when the entire world will come say to us, ‘build makers visiting the mount, albeit on a trial basis. your temple’.

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Beyond Kotel, Jews eye Temple Mount prayer

Hebron site of new anti-Israel ‘narrative warfare’ By Alex Traiman, JNS.org The United Nations cultural body UNESCO last week passed a resolution declaring Hebron’s Cave of the Patriarchs as an endangered Palestinian heritage site, in the latest example of what legal experts are calling “narrative warfare” against Israel and Jews. As part of an ongoing Palestinian-engineered diplomatic campaign, an “emergency resolution” UNESCO presented to its World Heritage Committee claimed Israel is causing “irreversible negative effect on the integrity, authenticity and/or the distinctive character of the property,” which the resolution refers to not as the Cave of the Patriarchs, but as the Ibrahimi Mosque. The site is where the Jewish patriarchs and matriarchs are believed to be buried. The measure was approved Friday in a 12–3 vote, with six abstentions, during UNESCO’s summit in Krakow, Poland. “This is a badge of shame for UNESCO, who time after time chooses to stand on the side of lies,” Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said, adding, “In another thousand years, the Cave of the Patriarchs will remain under Jewish sovereignty and UNESCO will cease to exist as a heritage organization.” Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon said, “This attempt to sever the ties between Israel and Hebron is shameful and offensive, and eliminates UNESCO’s last remaining shred of credibility. To disassociate Israel from the burial grounds of the patriarchs and matriarchs of our nation is an ugly display of discrimination, and an act of aggression against the Jewish people.” Yishai Fleisher, international spokesman for the Jewish community of Hebron, noted in an interview before the vote that the holy site’s largest room is reserved almost exclusively for

At Mearat Hamachpelah (Cave of the Patriarchs) in Hebron last week, tourists stop at what is believed to be Avraham Avinu’s resting place (left). The sites attributed to the other patriarchs and matriarchs can be accessed only on the Muslim side of the divided building; Avraham’s site can be viewed on both sides. The Jewish Star / Ed Weintrob On the Muslim side (right), a strict dress code was enforced.

use as a mosque by local Arabs. “Anyone who comes to the Cave of the Patriarchs can see that the building is well-maintained, and open for members of all faiths to pray,” Fleisher told JNS.org. Further, Fleisher explained that like the Western Wall, “the Cave of the Patriarchs monument was built by a Jewish king,” King Herod, more than 2,000 years ago. “Suggesting first, that the site of the burial of the Jewish patriarchs and matriarchs is a Palestinian heritage site, and then suggesting that the site is in danger, is a fraudulent interpretation of history. It is a classic case of the narrative warfare the Palestinians are waging

on the Jewish people,” said Fleisher, a trained lawyer. In May, UNESCO’s Executive Board passed a resolution denying Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem. Last October, UNESCO passed two separate resolutions ignoring Jewish ties to Jerusalem’s holy sites. According to Eugene Kontorovich, a senior researcher at the Kohelet Policy Forum think tank and a professor of law at Northwestern University, the Palestinians are “essentially turning the U.N. specialized agencies into an echo chamber for the most extreme, deranged anti-science claims, and making a laughingstock of the U.N.”

“It is particularly ironic that the U.N.’s economic, science and culture organization is taking as anti-science a measure as one can get, because there is no debate amongst historians about the Jewish connection to the Cave of the Patriarchs,” Kontorovich told JNS.org before Friday’s vote. “As a matter of historical science, that is not disputed.” “The Cave of the Patriarchs has been there for over 3,500 ya” he added. “The place where Jews were killed without a burial in Europe is the place where the Palestinians are going to deny the very first Jewish burial place.” Fleisher called the vote a “pogrom on Jewish history taking place in Krakow.” While the Oslo Accords call for neither Israelis nor Palestinians to take unilateral actions, the Palestinians “feel that they can do whatever they want unilaterally within the international diplomatic and political scene, without fearing any consequence,” Kontorovich said. “The question is whether there will be any consequences, and what is the Israeli government going to do?” In May, Israel deducted $1 million from its annual funding to the U.N. following the resolution on sovereignty in Jerusalem. Israel also withheld $2 million from the world body following the passage of anti-Israel resolutions at the U.N. Human Rights Council in March, and cut $6 million in U.N. funding in the aftermath of last December’s U.N. Security Council Resolution that described eastern Jerusalem’s Jewish holy sites as “occupied Palestinian territory.” Kontorovich said Israel should go further and “cut the last penny to UNESCO,” particularly because the U.S. already no longer funds the cultural body. He asked, “How can it be that Israel is contributing to UNESCO, and the U.S. is not?”

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Continued from page 1 home and gifted them with nice clothing for their wedding day. This was especially meaningful, as they had no belongings or family. “Before the wedding, Mr. Shaydel placed a pocket handkerchief in my jacket. To this day I wear one, in honor of that man,” Rybsztajn said. Amid whispers and rumors of a new war, the couple traveled to Brooklyn in 1950, with the papers that Mr. Jacobs, had provided. The Rybsztajns moved to Woodmere about 40 years ago. Rybsztajn’s retelling of his experiences — before a videographer sent to his home from Wagner College’s Holocaust Education and Programming Center, run by Dr. Lori Weintrob — was punctuated with periodic sobs of horror and moans of sorrow. Yet at other times, this resilient man was able to smile as he recalled events from his past, as well as affirming his belief in Hashem’s guiding hand. The following are excerpts from our interview. Do you remember your bar mitzvah? Of course, I was a religious boy. I remember a present I got — individual volumes of the five books of Moses, with my name engraved in gold letters on the covers, although I don’t remember who gave them to me. Were your grandparents there? Yes. Our families lived close together in nearby towns. We lived in Sosnowiec, which the Soviets renamed Sosnovitz. It was 18 kilometers away from Auschwitz. Who were your parents? Yechiel and Yittele. In my town everyone spoke with endearments — I was Yankele, my mother was Yittele, my sister Esther was Estushka. Everyone’s name was an endearment. We lived with my grandparents on my mother’s side, David and Gittele Fiszel (pronounced Fischel), the address was Ciasna #9. The families of my eight uncles and two aunts lived together in my grandparents’ 14-family house. But anti-Semitism was so big in Poland. Every Friday morning at dawn, my father, who was the president of our synagogue (it was a later burned), took me to the mikvah. Back then not all homes had electricity, many used a liquid called nafta as fuel for their lamps. As we walked to the mikvah, a Pole threw some of this nafta on the beard of a Jew and ignited him with a match. His whole head was on fire. You know what happened to that Pole? They took him in the front door of the police station and let him out the back door. That’s how it was. Ze’ev Jabotinsky worked with my father to organize Jewish youth to go to Israel. He was a big Zionist, had a lot of influence on the kids. He inspired his brother-in-law, my uncle Ephraim Fiszel, to go, among several hundred other chalutzim, to create the state of Israel on the Exodus boat, which was detained at Cyprus. What else do you remember about your childhood? My mother was a real balabusta. I liked everything she cooked; in fact all my four sisters became the best cooks! And my sister Mila, she was so pretty. You know Miss America? Mila would have been Miss Poland if she wasn’t Jewish, so pretty. There was a gentile family that lived in our building as a concierge; we grew up playing with their children and they helped us on Shabbos by adding coal to the fire. That lady, the concierge’s wife, was still living in our house when my sister Fela went back to Sosnowiec after the war, to liquidate our property. This lady looked out the window and

Gittele and David Fiszel, Jack Rybsztajn’s maternal grandparents.

saw my sister coming down the street, and came out of the house so Fela wouldn’t come inside. She crossed her arms and says to her, “So, Felushka, you’re still alive?” My sister just walked away from her. Tell me about the school you went to. I went to public school with Jewish children; our town was about 70 percent Jews. And in the afternoons we had yeshiva where we wore yiddishe headloch, special caps with a brim that religious boys wore. I remember how my uncle used to take me to soccer matches; we called it football. The year the HaKoach Jewish team won the championship match, the Poles were so furious that the Polish team lost to the Jewish team that they dismantled the wooden seats and beams of the stadium, just destroyed it, and ran after all the Jews in the town, beating and hitting them with the wooden pieces from the stadium. What do you remember from the year before the Nazis invaded Poland? Smaller families ran away out of Poland, but a large one like ours, six children, was not so easy to move. Poland had a Jewish governance, the Yudenraad, the Germans called it, which kept track of Jewish births, marriages, deaths, etc. It was a great disaster when the Germans came. They took over the governance and had every bit of information on every Jew — addresses, ages, names. The entrance to the cellar of my grandparents’ house was through the kitchen, it was the place to keep potatoes and things for the winter. My grandfather told the concierge who lived in our house, “I’m going down to the cellar with my wife to hide. After I close the door, put a rug over the door” (to conceal it). We heard the boots marching in and heard “Weisen die Juden?” The concierge, who had lived off the Jews, says in Polish, ”Here they are!” They took my grandparents, the Fiszels, from their cellar to Auschwitz that very first day. After Poland was occupied, Jews had to walk on our own sidewalk. There was a German police station, not the same place as the Polish police station. I remember walking down Demblinska Street near the German police and one of them calls me, “You there! Come here.” It was easy to see I was a Jew from the yellow star I wore. They made me come every day and shine the boots of the German police and clean the floors of the station.

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We had to survive somehow, so my father decided to make a soap factory in the house, and we sold soap. Somebody must have told on us, the Nazis found out and came to the house. I quickly put my father in his bed and covered him with a blanket. When they came in I took the blame for the illegal soap factory and I showed them my father was asleep in his bed. They took me and not my father. But he was a wealthy man, so they stole me for two to three months, and kept me in the jail of the next town while my father paid them. It cost my father everything but he managed to keep me safe. I was released and went home from the Benjing jail but soon after we had to leave our home and go to the ghetto they created on the outskirts of the town, a suburb of the city called Shrodula (you spell it with a dot over the S). It was very crowded there; we had one room for the eight of us. There was an ordinance that every boy by the age of 15 must report to the gymnasium, a school which had become a place where they shipped off people to Auschwitz. Leaflets were passed out reading “boys of this age must report” but I didn’t go. I’m not giving myself up, I said to myself. I went into hiding for a few days. They came and took my 7-yearold brother Kalmon [Karolik] instead of me! Then I went to give myself up so they would let him go, I wanted a clear conscience, but they had already sent him off. We never saw him again. I was tattooed in Auschwitz, so I didn’t have a name anymore, only a number. [Rybsztajn had the tattoo removed years later; documentation he obtained years later showed his number was 124551, and that he arrived at the Langenstein-Zwieberge Concentration Camp, a sub-camp of Buchenwald, in February 1945]. I was a nice husky boy of 15 in 1939, so instead of one bag of cement to carry on my shoulders, they gave me two bags. My father had advised me to tell them I was a tischler, a carpenter, when they took me. He said to be outside was slavery, better to be working inside at a trade. But they didn’t believe I was a carpenter. I was in so many camps. At one there was a long fence of barbed wire that we marched by every day, and on the other side of the fence were the English prisoners of war, who waved at us. One day some of the POWs threw packages over the fence to us. We moved to pick them up but then we heard bullets and a warning, “stay still.” They arrested us six who had packages in our hands, took our numbers for indentification, and beat us up. I recuperated. When Yom Kippur came along, we were looking forward to the fast; even with little food, people still fasted. At the end of the day, instead of letting us into the barracks, they made us all go to behind them, where three gallows were erected and facing us. “Remain standing,” was the order, and keep our eyes on the gallows. Three Germans came out and read out three numbers from a file; I was among the first three called. “This and this number committed the crime of obtaining a package of food from English soldiers.” The penalty is to lie on a bench and be whipped, like in a circus. We were bleeding badly, flogged for a piece of bread we never even ate. But the other three numbers committed a capital crime: picking up cigarettes instead of food, and those three were hung on the gallows while we watched. Capital crime. Could easily have been me who picked up the cigarettes instead of the food. G-d wanted me to live! Continued in next week’s Star.

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THE JEWISH STAR July 14, 2017 • 20 Tamuz, 5777

Woodmere man recounts his Shoah memories…

July 14, 2017 • 20 Tamuz, 5777 THE JEWISH STAR

Sale Dates: July 16th - 21st 2017

Weekly Crystal Geyser Sports Cap Water 8 Pack

Skippy Peanut Butter Creamy, Chunky, Reduced Fat 16.3 oz

2/$

299

...................................................... Bounty Giant Roll Paper Towels Regular or Select-a-Size - 8 Pack

2/$

...................................................... Canada Dry, 7-Up, A&W, Sunkist 2 Liter

Sea Salt, Multigrain, Corn 3.1 oz

99¢

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799

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Assorted - 14.5 oz

Assorted - 24 oz

Stems & Pieces - 8 oz

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Wacky Mac Mac & Cheese 5.5 oz

...................................................... Kellogg’s 23.5 oz Raisin Bran; 19 oz Frosted Flakes; 18 oz Rice Krispies

Lieber’s Rice Cakes

Canola, Corn, Vegetable Gallon

.................................................

Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes

3/$

Wesson Oil

Original or Cinnamon - 13 oz

.................................................

5/$

...................................................... Snapple Iced Teas Assorted - 64 oz

Quaker Life Cereal

5/$

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Gourmet Glatt Laffy Taffy Assorted - 20 oz

Vlasic Pickles

Gefen Mushrooms

3/$

2/$

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Duncan Hines Mug Cakes for 1 Assorted 8.47 oz - 10.44 oz

2/$

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100 Count

26 oz

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Nabisco Oreos

Assorted - 10.1 oz - 15.25 oz

299

2/$

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120 Count

79¢

499

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2/$

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Scottie Tissues

70.5 oz

4/$

ice cream party!

Dairy Star Whipped Topping

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Dairy or Parve - 56 oz $ 99

6 oz $ 79

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Imperial Ice Cream Cups 1.75 oz

99¢

Norman’s Greek IQ Squeeze Yogurt

Assorted - 6 oz

3/$

Assorted - 3.5 oz

......................................................

10/$

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Mehadrin Cottage Cheese Assorted - 16 oz

Assorted - 13 oz - 15 oz

279

Assorted - 8 oz

Except Orange Muenster 6 oz

Assorted 59 oz

Assorted 32 oz

2/$

Miller’s Sliced Edam, Tropicana Orange Mozzarella, Muenster Juice

3/$

Popsicle Ice Pops

Assorted - 18 - 20 Pack

399

2/$

299

.......................................

Assorted - 6 Pack

Solomon’s Beef Cigars Pardes Broccoli or Cauliflower Florets 10 Pack

......................................................

Assorted - 16 oz $ 99

449

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499

Original Only - 20 oz $ 99

Whole Fruit Bars

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Kineret Onion Rings Eggo Family Pack 20 oz Waffles

......................................................

Sharon’s Sorbet

2/$

.......................................

799

Assorted - 14.5 oz - 15.5 oz

.......................................

Zevi’s Gefilte Fish

Jello Pudding

.......................................

Philadelphia Cream Cheese Bar

Assorted - 32 oz

Assorted - 17 oz

Smart Balance Spreads

.......................................

Meal Mart Wings

Assorted - 32 oz $ 99

Sonny & Joe’s Hummus

89¢

Of Tov Chicken Nuggets

11 oz $ 49

Crunch Bar; Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups; Hershey’s Cookies & Cream; Kit Kat 1.5 oz/1.55 oz

2/$

Chocolate or Fudge - 7.25 oz $ 99

Lieber’s Rainbow Sprinkles

4/$

Chobani Flips Assorted - 5.3 oz

Smucker’s Magic Shell

24 oz

499

.......................................

Broadway’s J2 Pizza Original Only - 40 oz

799

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SUN - THURS: 7 AM-9 PM FRIDAY 7 AM UNTIL 2 HRS. BEFORE CANDLE LIGHTING

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(Chuck Eye Roast) ...................

Beef Neck Bones

Shoulder Lamb Chops

849 lb.

...................

Green Squash

4/$3

89¢ lb.

Gala Apples

lb.

749 lb. 2

2 Pack - Cut in 1/4s or 1.8s

Jumbo Red Peppers

Whole or Cut-Up Pullets

99¢ lb.

Chicken Bones

Super Select Cucumbers

Chicken Cubes

White Meat ...................

649 lb.

Turkey Roast

Super Family Pack ...................

949 lb.

Solomon’s Navel Pastrami

lb.

Chicken Cutlets

..................

lb.

Untrimmed

1299 lb.

Shoulder London Broil

499 lb.

Family Pack

...................

lb.

meat

Family Pack

GROUND WHITE CHICKEN

BABY BACK RIBS $ 99 lb.

White Meat

seasoned ready to grill or broil!

Seasoned Beef, Veal or Chicken Patties

699 lb. $ 49 7 lb. $ 99 7 lb.

...................

All Seasoned Sliders

lb.

...................

Honey Mustard Cutlets White or Dark Meat

Cello Carrots

Idaho Potaotes

4/$2

59¢ lb.

Romaine Lettuce

Sweet Onions

Slicing Tomatoes

Sliced Mushrooms

99¢ ea.

79¢ lb.

2/$3

Bartlett Pears

Green Grapes

Red Grapes

String Beans

Red Potatoes

99¢ lb.

1 lb Bag

Head

99¢ lb.

199 lb.

Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken $ 99 lb. 2 Pastrami Eggrolls with 1 lb Fried Rice $ 99

Breaded Flounder $ 49 lb.

Baked Ziti

Boca Salad $ 99

Salmon Stuffed with Seafood $ 99 lb.

99 & up

99 ea.

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order your shabbos platters early! Cooked $ 50 $ 95 Salmon 6 4 Roll

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595

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650

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1095

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1295

order your fish & salad platter for shalosh suda! Salt & Pepper Kugel

Flat Onion Rolls Pumpernickel 4 Pack $ 49 Bread $ 49 ea. 2 lb ea.

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Chicken Meatballs Marinara with Side Dishes $ 99

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199 lb.

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399ea.

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649lb.

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Light Cauliflower Salad

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549ea.

We reserve the right to limit quantities. No rain checks. Not responsible for typographical errors.

THE JEWISH STAR July 14, 2017 • 20 Tamuz, 5777

Sale Dates: July 16th - 21st 2017

Israeli couscous mac and cheese By Shannon Sarna, Nosher via JTA Mac and cheese is one of those comfort food dishes that is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. So when my co-workers suggested I try a mac and cheese made with Israeli couscous instead of traditionally larger pasta like elbows or shells or cavatappi, I happily accepted the challenge and decided to combine a more American-style pasta dish with some Israeli flavors, like cottage cheese and feta. This baked dish is cheesy and familiar enough to feed the kids, but just different enough to grab

the attention of adults. You can make it ahead, serve it for a weeknight dinner or serve it alongside some baked fish. Ingredients: 2-1/2 cups uncooked Israeli couscous (also called Middle Eastern couscous or pearl couscous) 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup whole milk or half & half 8 oz 4-percent cottage cheese (around 1 cup) 1 1/2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For the topping: 1/3 cup unseasoned bread crumbs 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted 1/4 teaspoon paprika pinch salt Directions: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cook couscous 5 minutes. Drain in a large mesh sieve. While couscous is cooking, combine 4 tablespoons butter and all the cheeses, milk, salt and pepper in large bowl. Grease an 8-by-8 or 9-by-9inch square pan.

Meatballs with tahini and tomatoes By Liz Rueven, The Nosher via JTA Tahini is a remarkably versatile ingredient. Its rich, nutty flavor adds unique character to everything from cookies to roasted veggies, raw veggie salads and simmer sauces. It’s not uncommon to find meatballs or fish fillets simmered in tahini when dining in Israel. For tahini newbies, be patient when you’re mixing tahini with water and lemon. Go for the right texture first, adding more water and lemon until the sauce is pourable. The paste will turn from beige to whitish, letting you know that you are heading in the right direction. Season with fresh minced garlic and whichever green herb you like best. This tahini sauce can be stored in a sealed container for three to four days in the refrigerator. Add more water or lemon juice if it thickens up. To avoid having the sauce seize up, I’ve cooked these meatballs on the stovetop and layered them with tahini in an oven-to-table casserole. Stick the casserole under the broiler just long enough to relax the tomatoes and reheat the meatballs. Be sure to garnish generously, as

this dish needs a pop of color to brighten the creamy sauce. Ingredients: Meatballs 2 pounds chopped beef or combination of beef and veal or beef and lamb 2 eggs, whisked 1 medium onion, minced or grated 1/2 cup fresh parsley, stems removed and chopped (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish) 1 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon salt 6-8 twists of black pepper (ground)

8 cloves garlic, minced (reserve 1 teaspoon for tehina; see recipe below) 1/2 cup breadcrumbs 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or chopped tomato 3 tablespoons canola oil (for frying) Tahini Sauce 1-1/2 cups tahini paste 4 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed (save some zest for garnish) 1 cup cold water 1 tablespoon (reserved) fresh garlic Salt and pepper to taste Garnish for serving Lemon zest Parsley Chopped tomatoes

Directions: First, make the meatballs: Place chopped beef in a large bowl. Add grated onion, eggs, parsley, garlic, all dried seasonings and breadcrumbs. Mix meat gently until well integrated; do not over-mix. (Grated onion integrates better into meatballs than chopped onion. Be sure to use the juice that collects when grating, as the extra liquid helps to keep meatballs soft.)

Drain couscous and add to bowl with cheeses. Mix well. Add to couscous mixture to greased pan. Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon melted butter, paprika and pinch of salt. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over couscous. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before cutting and serving. Form into meatballs, rolling between your palms and dampening your hands if the meat sticks. Flatten meatballs with the back of a tablespoon to facilitate more even cooking. Heat oil to medium-high in large cast iron or nonstick pan. Fry meatballs 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn and brown other side. Do not crowd meatballs in pan. Fry in 2-3 batches as needed. Remove meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate. Next, make the tahini sauce: Whisk all the ingredients together in a large bowl until well blended. The texture should be very loose, almost watery. Next, preheat the broiler. In an ovenproof casserole (Pyrex 10-by-16 or 2 casseroles), pour 1 cup blended tahini into bottom of pan (or pans) and nestle meatballs into pans. Meatballs should be in one layer. Pour remaining tahini over the meatballs. Place chopped tomatoes on top of the meatballs and scatter into the tahini (this doesn’t have to be perfect). Place under broiler for 3-4 minutes until tomatoes begin to sizzle. Serve meatballs directly from the oven sprinkled with remaining parsley and lemon zest. Serving suggestions: Tahini will turn a bit golden and appear thickened after being exposed to the broiler. Fear not! Once you spoon the sauce, it will be deliciously runny. Serve these meatballs over brown rice or couscous and enjoy the broiled tomatoes. For a complete meal, serve with chopped Israeli style salad or wok your favorite green veggie (broccoli, bok choy or spinach) and serve alongside these delicious meatballs.

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July 14, 2017 • 20 Tamuz, 5777 THE JEWISH STAR

A researcher working at the Ets Haim Jewish library in Amsterdam.

Israel. “But we still need to do our part to ensure this exquisite Jewish library is preserved for centuries to come.” The library is housed in a two-story wooden building with a steep, spiral staircase and two octagonal sky windows that provide defused light. It is open to the public only a handful of times each year during guided tours that typically need to be booked in advance. (Accredited scholars may access the library year-round.) Warncke said the restrictive policy is meant to protect the books, at risk of being damaged by humidity and changes in temperature. The Ets Haim collection, which in 2003 was added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage items, owes its richness to its genesis from Iberian Jews, she added. These Jewish immigrants were pioneers in philosophy, innovation, trade and medicine, she said. When they fled the Inquisition, they brought knowledge to the Netherlands on theology, astronomy (as evidenced in Ets Haim’s Hebrew-language book from the 17th century titled “Collection of Astronomical Treatises”) and medicine. One decidedly modern volume, the “Dictionary of Maritime Terms,” was published in 1780 by the translator David Franco Mendes in Amsterdam, offering entries in Dutch, French, Portuguese and Spanish alongside fine sketches of ship parts. Though his book is secular in essence, Mendes was a prominent member of the Jewish congregation as well as an insurance broker. Other Sephardic Jews used the relative tolerance encountered in the Netherlands to resume the study of Jewish texts that had been

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largely stunted throughout Europe following the Inquisition. “The people who founded Ets Haim and helped it grow had been living under persecution for decades,” said Ruth Peeters, a senior cataloger at the library. “You can see in the books their enthusiasm about being able to reconnect with their Jewish traditions openly and resume the study of it. Ets Haim is a testament to the cultural revival they led.” At times, this enthusiasm for theological debate tested the borders of acceptability even in the Netherlands, which despite being a relatively tolerant nation was also a deeply religious Christian one. One such publication was the benignly titled book “Selected Works by Various Authors.” Written in Spanish in the 17th century by Saul Levi Mortera, it contains “refutation of the gospels, acts, epistles” according to Ets Haim, and “arguments against Christianity,” according to the Israeli library. Such explosive publications were kept at Ets Haim as manuscripts and were printed rarely, Warncke said, so as to limit their distribution and avoid angering Dutch society. This culture of debate among the Jewish community, as well as its exposure to different religions and ideas that an international trading hub provided, produced heretics like the philosophers Baruch Spinoza — who was excommunicated by Jews for his atheist musings, possibly because they also offended Christians and Uriel da Costa. There is no way of knowing for sure, but both men (who died in 1632 and 1640, respectively) may well have frequented Ets Haim to conduct their research, Warncke confirmed. “It was, after all, the largest collection around of Jewish writings,” she said. And while there is no record of Spinoza’s activity at the library, his father had enrolled him in the Ets Haim seminary, which was Amsterdam’s first Portuguese Jewish seminary, of which the library was a part. Another controversial figure did leave an indelible mark on the library: Shabbetai Zevi, the Turkey-born eccentric Jewish luminary who divided the Jewish world with his claim that he was the Messiah. Under duress, he converted to Islam in 1666. One of Ets Haim’s most remarkable documents is a letter sent that year to Zevi by 24 Dutch Jews who left the community over their support for Zevi’s messianic claim. In the three-page Hebrewlanguage document, they ask for word from their messiah and recount the story of Shabtai Raphael, who was banned from the city over his support for Shabbetai Zevi. The letter never reached the self-proclaimed messiah, probably because he had already converted to Islam when the envoy sent with it reached the Ottoman Empire.

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By Cnaan Liphshiz, JTA AMSTERDAM — Livraria Ets Haim is the world’s oldest functioning Jewish library. As such, it is no stranger to the prospect of imminent destruction. Founded in 1616 by Jews who fled Catholic persecution in Spain and Portugal, the three-room library is adjacent to Amsterdam’s majestic Portuguese Synagogue in the Dutch capital’s center. The 30,000-volume collection mostly contains manuscripts written by people who fled the Inquisition on the Iberian Peninsula or their descendants. The oldest document is a copy of the Mishneh Torah, the code of Jewish law authored by Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, or Maimonides, that dates to 1282. Ets Haim’s volume is pristine but for the scars left behind by an Inquisition censor, a Jew who had converted to Christianity and singed away entire passages of the book. Ets Haim as a whole faced a similar fate — or worse — in 1940, when the Nazis invaded the Netherlands and had 75 percent of its Jews murdered. Yet the Nazis left the Portuguese Synagogue intact, and instead of burning the library’s collection, they shipped the books to Germany. The collection was discovered there, with light damage, after the war. After the war, the books were returned to Amsterdam. But the Dutch Jewish community lacked the resources to preserve the collection. Library curators determined that the Ets Haim building would need to be renovated thoroughly to ensure the proper conditions, so in 1979 the books were sent to Israel. Following extensive renovations to the building, which dates to 1675, the collection returned home in 2000. And now, relying upon 21st-century technology, its custodians are determined to make the library’s works accessible to interested parties around the world. The aim, according to Ets Haim’s curator, Heide Warncke, is to ensure that the knowledge stored between its pages is never lost again. In 2014, using advanced imaging equipment, the National Library of Israel has partnered with Ets Haim to digitize its entire catalog. And now the partners will make everything available online — and for free. The Jerusalem library will include Ets Haim’s books in Ktiv, a vast international collection of digitized Hebrew manuscripts that is set to launch in August. The scans — from centuries-old stores like Ets Haim’s — are ultra high-resolution files that are resistant to digital decay. For added security, they are stored on several servers worldwide. “Like many Holocaust survivors have in their lives, the books of Ets Haim have demonstrated a remarkable ability to cheat death,” said Aviad Stollman, head of collections at the National Library of

THE JEWISH STAR July 14, 2017 • 20 Tamuz, 5777

400-year-old library survived Hitler, Inquisition

Wanna Play?

Staycation

Plenty of summer fun around Long Island If Long Island trumps travel on your summer itinerary, don’t dispair: There are plenty of activities in and around our home base that promise an enjoyable vacation experience. This is a Staycation sampler; if you have venues to suggest for a future list, send them to Publisher@TheJewishStar.com Adventureland 2245 Broad Hollow Road (Route 110) Famingdale, 631-694-6868 •adventureland.us

Lots of Fun

American Airpower Museum 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale. 631-293-6398 •americanairpowermuseum.com Fun 4 All 200 Wilson St., Port Jefferson Station, 631-331-9000 •fun4allpark.com Fun Station USA 431 E. Main St., Riverhead, 631-208-9200 •funstationusa.com Harold H. Malkmes Wildlife Education and Ecology Center 249 Buckley Rd., Holtsville, 631-758-9664 •abt.cm/29wFmko Kaler’s Pond Nature Center Montauk Highway, Center Moriches, 631-878-5576 •kalerspondauduboncenter

Close to Home

For some, Long Island means Nassau and Suffolk. Period. Others consider that parts of Queens merit the Long Island moniker. But in fact, Long Island extends through all of Queens (and Brooklyn too), and if you add those boroughs to your Staycation menu, there’s so much more to do! And lets’ not leave NJ out...

New Jersey Land of Make Believe 354 Great Meadows Rd., Hope, NJ 905-459-9000 •lomb.com

Brooklyn Brooklyn Bridge Park Just below the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, this new 1.3-mile-long multi-use park provides a thrilling view of Lower Manhattan across New York harbor. Enter from Old Fulton Street in DUMBO or Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights. 718-222-9939 •brooklynbridgepark.org

LI Children’s Museum 11 Davis Ave., Garden City, 516-224-5800 •licm.org

Brooklyn Childrens Museum 145 Brooklyn Ave., 718-735-4400 •brooklynkids.org

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Living Torah Museum 1601 41 St., Boro Park, 877-PLAN-A-TOUR •torahmuseum.com Luna Park 1000 Surf Ave., Coney Island, 718-373-LUNA •lunaparknyc.com New York Aquarium Surf Ave. at W. 8 St., Coney Island., 718-265-FISH •nyquarium.com

Serpentarium-Reptile Museum 213 E. Main St., Riverhead, 631-722-5488 •snakemuseum.com

New York Transit Museum Boerum Pl. at Schermerhorn St., Brooklyn 718-694-5100 •mta.info/mta/museum/

Sweetbriar Nature Center 62 Eckernkamp Dr., Smithtown, 631-979-6344 •sweetbriarnc.org

Queens New York Hall of Science 47-01 111 St., Corona, 718-699-0005 •nysci.org

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$10M for St. John’s… Continued from page 1 The emergency department reconstruction will expand its space from 12,500-square-feet to 23,000. The original emergency department, built in 1950, was designed to treat 15,000 patients per year — not the more than 40,000 it is now serving now. The new space will include 19 main private treatment rooms, 21 internal disposition areas, six fast-track cubicles and 14 psychiatric treatment areas. The expansion will allow the hospital to accommodate 50,000 patient visits a year. St. John’s has 257-beds and is typically 85 percent occupied, officials said. A bevy of elected officials and other community leaders joined together in the hospital’s lobby on July 6, to praise the work of all involved, especially a group called the 1199 Coalition made up of local politicians, hospital representatives, members of the United

Healthcare Workers union and residents, who campaigned to obtain the state money. “This community needs health care services and we can provide the services this community needs,” said Gerald Walsh, who has been St. John’s chief executive officer for the past two years. Christopher Parker, the hospital’s chief operating officer, said that phase one is 80 percent completed. That was paid for with $4 million from another state grant obtained three years ago. Phases two and three are expected to take 12 months each. The emergency department is projected to be done by this time next year, and the primary care space in what is known as the BOCES building is anticipated to be finished in 2019, he said. For Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer-Amato, being at St. John’s is a homecoming. “I was born in this hospital,” she said, and her

line “22 years ago” generated much laughter and patients will enter on the opposite end. from the audience. She is 51. “We have always Ambulance-area walls will include a bumper had this hospital. In to protect against damage. The good times and in refurbished emergency departbad times. I love my ment will have state-of-the-art roots. Our toughequipment, including two imness, our grit.” aging areas and a CT scanner. . Rep. Gregory “This is a great day,” said Meeks, whose disstate Sen. James Sanders Jr., a trict includes InDemocrat who also represents wood, noted that the area. the 1977 Berger re“I take it personally as a port on health care resident of the Rockaways that in New York called has used the emergency room. for only one hosI think we have to do better, pital in the Rockaand we have done better [with ways. “Now there this project].” is only one hospital Bishop Lawrence Provenzhere so the emer- State Senator James Sanders Jr., hospital ano, head of the Episcopal gency room servic- CEO Gerald Walsh, and Assembly Member Diocese on Long Island for the Stacey Pheffer-Amato. Photo by Celia Weintrob past eight years, called receives are needed. During a tour of ing the money a “milestone.” the construction area, Facilities Manager Tom “This is not a culmination of a lot of good Farzetta explained what used to be the patient work, it is the beginning of a lot of good work walk-in area will become the ambulance bay for the mission of this hospital.”

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The Jewish Star / Ed Weintrob

Rena Safer, 80, who together with husband Fred 82, are Hadassah activists from Wisconsin, tells reporters at Ben Gurion that she was born in British mandate Palestine and although she left at 6 months, she’s

NBN / Sasson Tiram

The Jewish Star / Ed Weintrob

been back often (“I stopped counting at 30”). Center, dancing at Ben Gurion. Right, NBN’s Rabbi Fass embraces Rabbi Dov Lipman, himself an oleh from America, who was on scene to greet the newest Israelis.

201 olim on latest NBN charter…

The Bienenfeld family of Plainview were among the first to disembark at Ben Gurion airport. NBN / Sasson Tiram

Continued from page 1 was so preordained as to seem just a bit anticlimactic. “We sometimes lose the enormity of the moment,” NBN co-founder and Executive Director Rabbi Yehoshua Fass told the olim and their families and friends at JFK. “You can’t remain indifferent to this scene, even after 50,000 immigrants and 55 planes. Aliyah empowers Israel.” “We need to show Israel what unity really is,” said NBN co-founder and Chairman Tony Gelbart. “Religious, nonreligious, right-wing, left-wing — who cares.” A very enthusiastic oleh, 19-year-old Gabriella Katz of Southfield, Michigan, said that her making aliyah closes a circle. “Seventy years ago, on the Fourth of July, my grandfather, who was a Holocaust survivor, became an American citizen, and I am immigrating to Israel on the same day,” she said, adding that “my grandfather was running away and I’m running toward [something], I’m coming home.” Although Katz, an only child, is making aliyah on her own, her parents, Steven and Pia Katz, were beaming with enthusiasm at JFK. They left open the possibility that they might eventually join their daughter in Israel. “I was excited already,” Katz said. “And when I came here [to JFK], I was overwhelmed in the best way.” Chani Newman of Far Rockaway said that she wanted to make aliyah during the 10 years she’s been married. “Emotionally and financially — even if everything’s not in place we

took a jump.” “Hashem will help,” she said. As passengers walked down a ramp and onto the tarmac at Ben Gurion airport, they were greeted by Rabbi Fass and Minister of Aliyah and Integration Sofa Landver. Rabbi Dov Lipman, himself an oleh from the United States and a former member of the Knesset, greeted Israel’s newest citizens as they entered the cite of a post-flight celebration. The El Al Boeing 777 was chartered by Nefesh B’Nefesh, in cooperation with the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth Le’Israel-Jewish National Fund and JNF-USA. Rabbi Fass said that NBN alumni had raised around $200,000 to cover costs associated with the flight. Passengers included 34 families, 78 children, five sets of twins, and 51 singles, working in a range of professions. The oldest is 82 years old, and the youngest a month and a half. Forty-seven of the immigrants are moving to Israel’s periphery, as part of Keren Kayemeth Le’Israel-Jewish National Fund’s Go South and Go North programs. While a second NBN charter lift is scheduled for August, NBN facilitates aliyah throughout the year, with thousands of olim traveling on regular flights. Rabbi Fass said NBN would assist more than 2,000 people making aliyah this summer from North America. “Immigrants from the United States come with a desire and excitement to take part in the national project of the Jewish people, through which their identity is strengthened,” said Natan Sharansky of the Jewish Agency for Israel,

Gabriella Kate (center) couldn’t contain her enthusiasm as she prepared to board Nefesh B’Nefesh’s Israel-bound El Al charter. Sending their daughter off, Gabriella’s parents were filled with joy. At left: Speaking to olim and their families and friends at JFK, NBN co-founder and Executive Director Rabbi Yeshoshua Fass (top) and

Oleh Gila Rosenweig, 22, of Woodmere is flanked by her father and sister before she set out from JFK. Her mother flew ahead and was waiting to greet her in Israel. The Jewish Star / Ed Weintrob

in a statement. “We must ensure that the state of Israel remains a place in which every Jew may feel at home and in which the immigrants may confidently connect to the history, roots, and national identity of the Jewish people.” Said Rabbi Fass: “These modern-day pioneers are not only fulfilling their personal dreams, but the dreams of the Jewish nation as a whole. It has been remarkable, these last 15 years, to have assisted thousands of olim in making an impact on the state of Israel and we hope to continue to do so for today’s olim.”

co-founder and Chairman Tony Gelbart. The Apter sisters — Shana, 5; Tova, 7; and Eliana, 2, can almost taste their sweet future in eretz Yisroel. And, at right, Orthodox Union Executive Vice President Allen Fagin and Judith Fagin were among Jewish leaders who accompanied the olim on NBN’s magic carpet. The Jewish Star / Ed Weintrob

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Avi Gabbay at a press conference after winning the Labor Party primary in Tel Aviv on Tuesday. Miriam Alster/Flash90

which won the 2006 election. “Macron knew the center is the best place to be, because most voters are there. That’s how you get political control,” said Diskin. “Or look at [Prime Minister David] Ben-Gurion. He tried to rule from the center and leave leftist parties out of his government. One of Labor’s biggest problems is that it has forgotten this lesson.” After leading Israel to independence in 1948 and then dominating Israeli politics for three decades, Labor has fallen on hard times. The party’s most recent national election win was 18 years ago, and opinion polls have showed it ranked just fourth or fifth in size among major parties. Gabbay, 40, is expected to give a much needed popularity boost to his party, at least in the short term. But his wider effect on Israeli politics is less clear. A stronger Labor could actually solidify Netanyahu’s grip on power by siphoning votes from Yesh Atid, the only party polls have shown challenging Likud. Alternatively, some hope Gabbay — whose parents immigrated from Morocco — will help Labor overcome its longstanding image as a bastion of well-to-do Israelis of Ashkenazi, or European Jewish, descent and attract some of the working-class Mizrahi, or Middle Eastern Jewish, voters who vote for Likud or Kulanu. In that way, he could expand the center left. Gideon Rahat, a political scientist at Hebrew University and a researcher at the Israel Democracy Institute, said Gabbay appeared to have the tools to rebrand his party. “Israeli politics is highly personalized. So Gabbay’s personality and his character are huge assets,” said Rahat. “Maybe more significantly, he’s Mizrahi. He may be able to take some Mizrahi votes not just from Lapid, but also from Kahlon and Netanyahu.” Gabbay grew up in a Jerusalem transit camp, one of eight children, and, after serving in the Intelligence Corps, went on to make millions as the chief executive of Bezeq, Israel’s telecommunications monopoly. In 2015, he helped launch Kulanu and became the en-

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vironmental protection minister. But a year later, he quit in protest after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu replaced Defense Minister Moshe Kahlon with the hawkish Avigdor Liberman as part of a political deal. He joined Labor about six months ago. Amid a crowded field, Gabbay made it to the party’s two-man runoff by coming in second to Amir Peretz, 65, a former Labor head and defense minister, who is also Mizrahi. Incumbent Labor chairman Isaac Herzog got the third most votes and threw his support behind Peretz along with most of the Labor establishment. Nevertheless, Gabbay prevailed by winning the hearts of the party’s rank and file. He appeared likablee and nonchalant in his many

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TV appearances and made savvy use of social media. On Sunday, he shared Peretz’s Facebook post asking the public for helping finding his son’s lost dog. The comradely gesture earned critical last minute coverage and buzz. After Gabbay’s victory, Labor leaders quickly threw their support behind him. Ehud Barak, the party’s most recent prime minister, called it a revolution in Labor and said Netanyahu and his allies would be “sweating tonight, with good reason.” For his part, Diskin predicted Gabbay would do little to redraw the political map. But with some political skill, he said, the newly elected Labor leader might be able to form a government with the two other centrist parties. Then, he said, Israel could have its Macron moment.

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By Andrew Tobin, JTA TEL AVIV — He’s charismatic. He’s an outsider. And he’s a political centrist. Some have hailed Avi Gabbay, the telecom exec who was elected on Monday to lead the center-left Labor Party, as Israel’s version of French President Emmanuel Macron, the banker who recently swept to power with an outsider campaign. “Like Macron, Gabbay brings hope,“ said Abraham Diskin, a political science professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “People are again saying: Here is a new medicine. The old medicine didn’t cure us.” But Israel already has two charismatic, outsider centrists in national politics. Both Yair Lapid and Moshe Kahlon in recent years led new moderate parties to electoral success, though not rule. So what does one more Macron mean for the country? Gabbay (pronounced gab-BYE) successfully courted Labor’s left wing to win the primary. But he is widely viewed as a moderate. He entered politics as a founding member of Kahlon’s center-right Kulanu party, and joined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government in 2015. During the campaign, Gabbay was even forced to retract a televised denial that he had previously voted for the ruling Likud party. Labor, like much of the historic Israeli left, is a shell of itself. According to Diskin, Gabbay would now be wise to embrace the centrist label. It is no accident, he said, that Kahlon and Lapid — who led his studiously middle-of-theroad Yesh Atid into the government in 2013 — found success far from either political pole. Israel has a long history of successful centrist parties, most notably Ariel Sharon’s Kadima,

THE JEWISH STAR July 14, 2017 • 20 Tamuz, 5777

Gabbay wants to lead Labor party from center

July 14, 2017 • 20 Tamuz, 5777 THE JEWISH STAR

The aggadah and tefillah AlAn JAy Gerber Kosher BooKworm

or many of us when we read the word aggadah, we assume that the subject deals with legend. However, after you read the book under review this week, the very concept of aggadah will take on a new, more truthful and realistic meaning. Rabbi Immanuel Bernstein, a London-born scholar who now resides in Jerusalem and is the son of the distinguished Rabbi Isaac Bernstein, zt”l, late rabbi of the famed Jewish Center on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, has published a learned and informative book entitled “Aggadah: Sages, Stories, and Secrets” (Mosaica Press, 2015). Within this work can be found a full-blown definition of the essence of what constitutes aggadah, embodying such concepts as free will, basic belief, divine tests, evil speech, the art of gratitude, truth, Torah study, mitzvos and prayer. It is to this last subject, prayer, that I

will devote the focus of my essay this week. But, first a little background. In my interview with the author, he informed me of the following: “I was motivated to write this sefer for a number of reasons. Firstly, the subject of aggadah is one which is very close to my heart. I have given shiurim on various aggadot over the course of a number of years and found that students really resonated with the method and ideas inherent in their content. “More specifically, my goal was two-fold. On one hand, I found the subject of aggadah to be significantly under-appreciated by many among our people. It is frequently misunderstood, if not completely misrepresented. This is not a new phenomenon, it was discussed by the Rambam in his time and the Maharal in his era. “Secondly, the topics I chose to discuss through aggadah are key areas and ideas of Judaism, which themselves are often approached superficially or by rote, without insight or inspiration. There is always the hazard that Jewish living may, barring a conscious decision to the contrary, become performed by rote. Although the actual performance of mitzvos is critical

and non-negotiable, added insight and innerness makes a world of difference.” Rabbi Bernstein elaborated on the purpose and theme of this work: Rabbi Immanuel “There was a furBernstein ther goal — that being that the discussion within the text accesses a broad range of classic works, many of which are now unfamiliar to most contemporary scholars. They are to be found within this work. To name but a few: Binah Le’itim, Afikei Yehuda, and Ma’aseh Hashem, the latter a standard commentary on Chumash only a few generations ago. “I had the privilege of being initiated into these works by my father, Rabbi Isaac Bernstein, zt”l, who managed to impart his love and reverence for each and every classic Torah source, old and new. I take distinct pleasure in being able to share these gems with you.” The author begins his work with the following definition of what is aggadah: “The term ‘aggadah’ defies a one-word

English translation or definition. Any suggestion such as ‘stories,’ ‘legends’ or the like will invariably fall short of describing what aggadah really is, and will thereby serve only to detract from its [real] meaning.” “The best definition of aggadah is perhaps a negative one, i.e., all the teachings of the sages which are not halachic in nature. In other words, aggadah deals with the aspects of Judaism that go beyond the specifics and parameters of the commandments, and instead focuses on areas such as Torah outlook, philosophy, values and ethical conduct.” Please remember this: “Aggadah teaches how a Jew should view G-d, life, mitzvos, the world, people around him, and ultimately, himself.” The author sums up his definition by stating that aggadah is what we call Yiddishkeit, and See Aggadah on page 19

What happened happened. What do we do now? rAbbi Avi billet Parsha of the weeK

amidbar Chapter 26 is largely dedicated to another census of the Israelites, this time counting the people in the final months before they enter the land of Israel. Owing to the midrash in Eichah Rabba (introductions, paragraph 33) which explains how the people would dig graves every Tisha B’Av eve, allowing for those who would die to pass in the night while the survivors arise in the morning, cover the dead and move on, we know that no one else was going to die from this point until the land is entered. This census comes in the wake of a devastating plague, one from which the people would hopefully learn to avoid idolatry (such

as Baal Pe’or) and immorality (as demonstrated by Zimri and Kozbi, who were put to death by Pinchas). This census usually follows a very simple formula: the name of the tribe is mentioned, followed by its sons, sometimes grandsons as well, each of which is then defined as a family unit subgroup in the tribe. Then the tally of their army age men is recorded. One exception to this formula is when the daughters of Tzlafchad are mentioned, an obvious preview to their tale in the coming chapter. More glaring, however, is the exit from the formula that takes place in the tribe of

Reuven. 26:5-7 actually follow the formula exactly, including the concluding census of the tribe! However, before moving on to Shimon, we are told the following: “The sons of Falu — Eliav. And the sons of Eliav — Nemuel and Datan and Aviram. Datan and Aviram were the communal leaders who led a revolution against Moshe and Aharon as part of Korach’s rebellion against G-d. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and Korach when the [rebellious] group died and fire annihilated 250 men. This involved a divine miracle. The sons of Korach, however, did not die.” (26:9-11) suppose it is interesting that in the Falu family there was one son, Eliav, and of Eliav’s sons only Nemuel survived. Wheth-

We don’t hide the past, but need to look at the current situation for what it is.

er that should translate to the Falu family becoming known as the Nemuel family is a semantic question which is probably irrelevant. But those are the breaks. Datan and Aviram brought about their own demise, and they brought upon their families the same fate. Does the Torah really need to recall them in the census when, at this point, they’re a tiny memory, and they don’t even have descendants? And why break from the formula of the census just to recall them? On a simple level, their story is briefly mentioned, and post the census, because they are obviously not to be included in the census — their whole families died. But on a deeper level, perhaps the Torah is reminding us that sometimes history is unkind or contains inconvenient truths. Just because Datan and Aviram left behind no family doesn’t mean that their story was insignificant. While there were many complainSee Bamidar on page 19

Why was Joshua chosen as Moses’ successor? rAbbi dAvid etenGoff

great tragedy unfolded when Moses sinned at the Waters of Dispute (Mei Merivah). As the Torah states in our parasha, Pinchas: “You [Moses] disobeyed My command in the desert of Zin when the congregation quarreled, [when you were] to sanctify Me through the water before their [the Jewish people’s] eyes; these were the waters of dispute at Kadesh, in the desert of Zin.” (Bamidbar 27:14) What exactly took place? Moses violated Hashem’s direct command to speak to the rock and bring forth water (20:8), and instead “raised his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, when an abundance of water gushed forth, and the congregation and their livestock drank.” (20:11) As such, Hashem stated, “therefore you shall not bring this assembly to the Land which I have given them.” (20:12) In sum, the Almighty punished Moses by denying him the possibility of leading the Jewish people into Eretz Yisrael. A number of years ago, while attending a rab-

binic conference, I heard the well-known rabbi and psychotherapist, Rabbi Dr. Reuven Bulka of Ottawa, describe Moses’ sin as a classic case of psychological burnout. In his view, Moses was overwhelmed by the unceasing trials and tribulations of leading the nascent Jewish nation, and proclaimed in a moment of abject despair: “Now listen, you rebels (hamorim), can we draw water for you from this rock?” (20:10) Whether we follow Rashi’s interpretation of hamorim as “obstinate ones” or as “fools,” one thing is clear: Moses no longer had the ability to distance himself emotionally from the people’s slavementality-induced behaviors. On measure, their ceaseless complaints and constant murmurings against the Creator and himself were more than he could bear. Hashem knew that this lack of objectivity would prevent him from rendering the crucial kinds of decisions that are the hallmark of a successful leader and, therefore, declared; “you shall not bring this assembly to the Land which I have given them.” (20:12) Moses’ life’s dream was shattered, for not only was he prohibited from bringing his beloved nation to Eretz Yisrael, he was also personally barred from entering the Land. This idea is underscored in our parasha: “The L-rd said to Moses, ‘Go up to this mount Abarim and look at the

land that I have given to the children of Israel. And when you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people [and disallowed from entering; see Rashi’s gloss], just as Aaron your brother was gathered.’” (27:12-13) eyond a doubt, a lesser man would have been brought to his knees in self-pity and remorse. Yet, this was by no means Moses’ response to his poignant existential anguish. Instead, based on his unceasing love for his people, he immediately asked Hashem: “Let the L-rd, the G-d of spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who will go forth before them and come before them, who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the L-rd will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” (27:1617) According to the midrash Tanchuma, Moses initially wanted his sons to inherit his leadership role. The Almighty, however, responded with a

different choice: “Take for yourself Joshua the son of Nun, a man of spirit, and you shall lay your hand upon him. And you shall present him before Eleazar the kohen and before the entire congregation, and you shall command him in their presence.” (27:18-19) At first glance, Hashem’s choice of Joshua as the next leader of the Jewish people seems perfectly apropos. After all, as depicted at the end of Parashat Beshalach, he was a consummate military leader (“Joshua weakened Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword” — Shemot 17:13) Perhaps more significantly in the overall view of Jewish history, following the Sin of the Golden Calf we are explicitly informed of the special relationship that obtained between Moses and Joshua, and that the latter never left his teacher’s tent of Torah learning (Rashi). But at least two passages in Rabbinic literaSee Joshua on page 19

Joshua absorbed Moses’ values and way of life until he was able to emulate his rebbe’s very essence.

Rabbi binny FReedman

The hearT of jerusalem

his week we commemorated the breaching of the Old City walls of Jerusalem by the Roman Tenth Legion on the 17th day of Tammuz in the year 70 C.E., heralding the beginning of the end of the Jewish Second Commonwealth and the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. As we gaze upon the ruins of those walls, we will fast, and some of us will cry, remembering how 2,000 years ago, peaceful streets were filled with the triumphant cheers of Roman legionnaires bent on our destruction. But there is another wall in Jerusalem that is worth thinking about, and that wall pre-dates the Roman destruction by almost 1,000 years. It is covered with moss, and seeped with history. Most tourists don’t see it. Twenty-seven-hundred years ago, the neighborhood bully was Assyria, known in the Bible as Ashur. Sargon, the Assyrian general, had been waging a campaign of terror over the entire Middle East and had mustered the largest army the world had ever seen: 185,000 men, known in the Talmud as Sancheirev, which comes from the word churban (destruction). After destroying the 10 northern tribes in a violent military campaign, Sancheirev set his sights on the pearl of the Middle East: Jerusalem. At that time, the southern kingdom of Judea was not much to speak of. Encompassing just 20 to 30 square miles around Jerusalem,

with little in the way of a standing army, and no natural barriers to rely on, the Jews who managed to stay ahead of the advancing Assyrian army escaped into the old city walls of Jerusalem. oon the city was overflowing with 30,000 Jews, desperate to survive the coming onslaught. The king at the time was Chizkiahu (Hezekiah), who was also a prophet, and the Tanakh tells us how he set about fortifying the walls of the city, which had fallen into disrepair. Especially, how he built a broad wall to encompass all the homes that had sprouted up in the northwestern corner of the city outside the walls. Indeed, in their haste to build this wall ahead of the advancing Assyrians, they built up two outer walls, throwing stone and mud inside to achieve a thick wall against the Assyrian battering rams. One has the sense the last stones were set in place just in time. What must it have felt like, to see 185,000 men bent on your destruction coming up through the valley and surrounding your home? There were 30,000 Jews trapped inside the city, and things soon went from bad to worse. There was no food, and the Jews were starving to death. They could not run, nor did they have an army with which to fight, and not for the first time and certainly not for the last, they were not given the option of surrender. So Chizkiyahu did what Jews have always done: he called the city together in prayer. These Jerusalemites represented the entire Jewish people; there was no one else left. The northern tribes had been completely lost, and there were as yet no Jews living in a Western

We mourn what we lost, yet feel blessed for what we have merited to rebuild.

Aggadah... Joshua... Continued from page 18 tefillah is real Yiddishkeit coming alive from your heart. I leave this to you, my dear reader to further explore. The most fascinating section of this work, to my estimation, is how the author relates aggadah to tefillah. Please consider the following teaching entitled, “The Most Important Word in Prayer”: “Although there is infinite depth to prayer and innumerable commentaries to the various individual prayers, these should not serve to take away from the simple profundity of the meeting that is taking place. Indeed, it has been said that without a doubt, the most important word we utter during our prayers is the word, ‘You.’ This is the word which marks the fact that we are currently not talking about Hashem, as we may tend to do at other times during the day, but that we are talking to him.” Rabbi Bernstein concludes with the following teaching: “A day that is ‘prayer empowered’ should have a higher quality to it, which should filter down to the daily things that we do, and raise them up to become building blocks of Torah growth.” These excerpts of teachings themed to tefillah are concepts that, when read completely in context, will give you a new perspective as to what you are really holding in your siddur. These brief segments are meant to give you but a taste of what to expect from Rabbi Bernstein’s teachings. I trust and hope that you will find it possible to share that with others, too. Originally published Jan. 26, 2016

Continued from page 18 ture paint a different picture of Joshua’s worthiness to succeed his rebbe. In sefer Mishle 21:20 we find: “Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of the wise man (chacham), but man’s foolishness (uchsile) will swallow it up.” The midrash Yalkut Shimoni on this verse presents a startling interpretation, suggesting that chacham refers to Moses while uchsile refers to Joshua for Joshua was not a Torah scholar and “ therefore, the Jewish people called him a fool!” So why did Hashem choose Joshua as the next leader of the Jewish people? The midrash Yalkut Shimoni provides us with the underlying rationale: “Because he [Joshua] was Moses’ attendant he merited the appointment as leader of the people (literally, zacha l’yerushato).” What did he actually do? The midrash teaches us that “he [Joshua] honored him [Moses], and arranged the covers on the benches [so the classes could be held]. Moreover, he sat at his [master’s] feet.” hy did these behaviors qualify him to be the next leader of our people? My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (the Rav) provides us with an insightful answer: “Often, a leader’s successor was chosen not only because of his intellectual prowess but also because of his devoted service to his teacher. When the Baal Shem Tov passed away, the mantle of leadership was not given to Rav Yaakov Yosef, a Torah giant and the author of Toldot Yaakov Yosef. Rather, it passed to the Maggid of Mezeritch, who had served the Baal Shem Tov with great devotion and loyalty. Similarly, Rav Chaim of Volozhin became the successor to his teacher, the Vilna Gaon, partly because he was

Diaspora. And 185,000 men, the mightiest army the world had ever known, surrounded them. It should have all ended there — with a final solution to the Jewish problem. But the people prayed, and Hashem performed a miracle. In the middle of the night, the entire Assyrian army fell dead before the angel of the Lord. (Amazingly, this story which is told partly in the 19th chapter of the second book of Kings is also described in the ancient writings of Herodotus, the historian of Alexander the Great, who reports that the 200,000 strong Assyrian army was wiped out by a mysterious plague outside the walls of Jerusalem.) oday, you can see this wall, discovered courtesy of Jordanian mortar fire in the Six Day War. You can see how the wall is built as a broad wall, rising on top of ancient homes and built exactly as the Bible describes. There are no words to describe what it feels like to stand above such a wall, listening to the wind and the silence. It is almost too much to take in. So you look at one stone, and you wonder where these ancient Jews found the faith to build such a wall and believe they would survive. Right above this ancient broad wall sits a playground, where the Jewish children of the Old City of Jerusalem come to play and laugh in the sunshine. Twenty-five-hundred years ago, amidst the flames of the destruction of the Temple, the prophet Zechariah (8:4-5) issued an amazing prophesy: “There will come a time, so says the Lord of Hosts, when the old will yet sit in the streets of Jerusalem, leaning on their walking sticks from length of days, and the city streets of Jerusalem will be filled with the sounds of the children, playing in her alleyways.” These children, playing in that playground, above that wall, are the fulfillment of a centuries old dream. The Jewish dream has never

Fri. July 14 • 20 Tamuz Parsha Pinchas Candlelighting: 8:07 pm Havdalah: 9:15 pm

Fri. July 21 • 27 Tamuz Parsha Matos-Masei Shabbos Mevarchim Candlelighting: 8:02 pm Havdalah: 9:10 pm

not only his student but his confidant. The Rav continues his assessment of Joshua’s candidacy: “Joshua was not a greater scholar than Phineas or Eleazar, but the service of Torah [scholars] is greater than its study (Talmud Bavli, Berachot 7b). Service does not merely signify physical toil; it also represents a special closeness and friendship between the teacher and disciple, a type of partnership. The chosen disciple not only receives information from his rebbe, but absorbs a way of life, until they are practically identical in their essence. Moses knew that through his student-colleague, the Torah would be transmitted to future generations.” We are now in a position to answer our question, “Why did Hashem choose Joshua as the next leader of the Jewish people?” Based upon the Rav’s trenchant analysis, it is clear that Joshua, and not Phineas, Elazar or even Moses’ sons, was the only person who had completely absorbed Moses’ values and way of life until he was able to emulate his rebbe’s very essence. Little wonder, then, that the midrash Sifrei famously declares: “The face of Moshe was like the face of the sun, and the face of Joshua was like the face of the moon.” In other words, Joshua’s very being ultimately reflected Moses’ knowledge and persona. Therefore, he was the one disciple truly fitting to lead the Jewish people into Eretz Yisrael.

Bamidar... Continued from page 18 ers through the wilderness, none challenged Moshe and Aharon, and G-d, in the manner that Datan, Aviram, and Korach did. And so even though they’re not in the census, and in their placement in the verse they are an af-

Fri. July 28 • 5 Av

Parsha Devarim Shabbos Hazan Candlelighting: 7:56 pm Havdalah: 9:04 pm Five Towns times from the White Shul been about armies marching in; it has been that one day the children will come back to play. After 2,000 years of wandering, we are home. And despite everything, for the price of an El Al ticket, anyone can become a part of this journey begun so long ago in the midst of Egyptian bondage. And if you come this summer, and walk through the alleys of Jerusalem, you can see it too, this incredible other old wall, waiting for so long for all of her children to come home to play. And while we mourn what we lost, we feel blessed for what we have merited to rebuild. Originally published in July 2011.

terthought, we can’t whitewash them out of history. istory is what it is. What happened happened, and no amount of handwringing can take back ills of the past. The question is, what do we do now? In contemporary society, there are people who make demands that certain abuses in history need to be corrected, no matter how long ago they took place. For instance: Columbus stole land, the United States stole land, Africans were enslaved, there was a Confederacy, Japanese were placed in internment camps, WWII. But the real question is what is to be done today? While I have no sympathy for Nazis, even 95-year-old Nazis, do their grandchildren, especially their Philo-Semitic ones (some grandchildren of Nazis serve in the IDF!) need to pay for the crimes of yesteryear? Do families who emigrated to the United States after slavery ended need to pay for the crime of slavery? Do the great great grandchildren of slaveowners need to pay the great great grandchildren of their ancestors’ slaves? What is the statute of limitations? Mentioning Datan and Aviram here shows us that we don’t hide the past to say it never happened. But they’re not part of the census either, which looks to the future. Sometimes after acknowledging the past, we need to look at the current situation for what it is and be able to work together to say, “OK. That was then. We can’t undo that. What we can do is realize that we don’t want to go back to those ways, we want to work together to build a better tomorrow. How can we do that together?” A shared forward-thinking attitude can mend animus stemming from the past, as long as descendants of both sides share a vision for a peaceful future.

THE JEWISH STAR July 14, 2017 • 20 Tamuz, 5777

The broad wall, 17 Tammuz and a time to play Luach

July 14, 2017 • 20 Tamuz, 5777 THE JEWISH STAR

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In Hebron, the UN’s latest anti-Semitic action Jeff Dunetz politics to go

n Friday, UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) doubled-down on its hatred of Israel and the Jewish people by denying their biblical connection to the old City of Hebron. Hebron is home to the Tomb of the Patriarchs, purchased nearly four millennia ago by Abraham as a burial place for his wife Sarah. Twelve countries voted in favor of the Palestinian request to name Hebron a Palestinian heritage site, while only three voted against it. Six countries abstained. This resolution, like last year’s UNESCO action regarding Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, has only one purpose: to delegitimize

Israel by denying the Jewish connection to the Holy Land. At its heart, this resolution is not simply directed at Israel, but at all Jews everywhere. Next to Jerusalem, Hebron is the holiest city in the Jewish faith. Israel will reject Friday’s anti-Semitic resolution, as they did the one last year which named the Temple Mount a Palestinian heritage site. “Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely described the vote as a ‘badge of shame for UNESCO, which time after time prefers to stand with the side of lies’,” the Jerusalem Post reports. “Israel’s Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman reacted to the vote by describing UNESCO as a ‘politically-biased, embarrassing and anti-Semitic organization’.” The Post continued: “Education Minister Naftali Bennett also criticized the vote. ‘It is disappointing and disgraceful that, time and again, UNESCO denies history and distorts reality, knowingly serving those attempting to erase the Jewish state,’ said

Bennett. ‘Israel will not resume its cooperation with UNESCO so long as it remains a political tool, rather than a professional organization.” “Chairperson of Israeli party Yesh Atid Yair Lapid also responded, saying, ‘UNESCO’s decision to recognize the Cave of Patriarchs as a Palestinian heritage site is a despicable falsification of history. Does UNESCO not believe that the Bible is heritage? It’s a decision that, at best, stems from utter ignorance and, at worst, from hypocrisy and anti-Semitism’.” Christians across the world should realize the UNESCO resolution not only rejects Jewish heritage, but the heritage of everyone who

believes in what they call the “Old Testament.” As described in B’reisheet chapter 23, before Abraham purchased the land that became the Cave of the Patriarchs, he rejected the Hittites’ offer to receive the land as a gift. Eventually he overpaid for the land so there would never be a doubt or a complaint that it is Jewish-owned territory. Eventually Abraham, his son Isaac and his wife Rebekah, Jacob and one of his wives Leah, and Esau’s head (long story) were also buried in the cave. ebron’s been a Jewish city since biblical times, for 38 centuries, with a break only following the massacre of Hebron’s Jews See Hebron on page 21

Why did local Arabs slaughter hebron’s Jews in 1929? there was no Jewish state then, only Jews.

Jewish spin fighting irrational intersectionality Ben Cohen Viewpoint

hatever else is said these days about anti-Semitism, it remains the case that being accused of it is a surefire way of gaining name recognition among thousands, if not mil-lions, of people who would otherwise never have heard of you. Had a group of Jewish women waving gay pride rainbow flags embossed with the Star of David not been ejected from a recent LGBT parade in Chicago, I doubt the “Chicago Dyke Collective” would have made headlines. All the condemnation this group of fanatics justifiably received was internalized in the only way that makes sense to them: by lashing out once again at Zionism as a form of “racism,” and by justifying a nasty instance of racist exclusion as an act of “resistance”— in much the same way that racial segregation was trumpeted in the Old South as a defense of “civilized” values.

Inevitably, the scandal of anti-Semitism on display at the LGBT parade in Chicago has generated a slew of articles about “intersectionality”—the idea that all forms of social oppression are linked, but with the caveat that what counts as “oppression” can only be determined by those who are “oppressed.” Therein lies the trick. Among the evangelists of intersectionality—whose tone, to my mind, has more in common with scientology than with a rationalist politics of left or right—the idea that Jews can be oppressed even in theory is dismissed with contempt, because Jews are regarded as bearers of racial and social “privilege.” If someone is accused of “antiSemitism,” the logic proceeds, it’s because that person has dared to criticize expressions of Jewish privilege—for example, by visibly identifying with a state built upon the cardinal sin of “Zionism.”

n my view, arguing with someone who sees the world through the prism of intersectionality is a waste of time, because intersectionality is a device to prevent authentic debate from occurring the first place. Here’s a good example: During a meeting at Dartmouth College in May, Palestinian-American BDS activist Linda Sarsour refused to answer a question about her stance on female genital mutilation, on the grounds that the questioner was a “young white man” whose perspective was by definition offensive to her. This sort of dumbeddown totalitarianism isn’t amenable to reasoned exchange. But there’s a more important point: For the intersectionality folks, argument is besides the point. Leon Trotsky, the Communist leader exiled from the Soviet Union by Josef Stalin, was once asked why he had been defeated in their epic political struggle, when Stalin was clearly

Intersectionality is a device to prevent authentic debate from occurring.

Trotsky’s intellectual inferior. Trotsky gave a proper Marxist answer. “A political struggle is in its essence a struggle of interests and forces,” he wrote, “not of arguments.” Even though Trotsky—who was fond of good cognac and hunting—would have had very little in common with the safe spaces and trigger warnings of intersectionality, his observation would probably resonate with the more thoughtful of its advocates. Arguments, this strongly materialist view holds, are simply reflections of the political forces advancing them; hence, an activist who is committed to the liberation of “Palestine” will not hear in a counter-argument from a Zionist merely an argument, but rather a dishonest rationalization of “Zionism” and “racism” that is paid for by the “apartheid regime” in “occupied Palestine.” ow, then, to respond to this freeze on thought? One answer is to ignore it, or to at least put it in perspective by recognizing that certain things—like booting Jewish women out of a parade—infuriate us precisely because they are not the norm. Another response is to take on the whole edifice of interSee Jewish on page 21

tehilla r. goldberg view from central park

hen headlines started pouring in about Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu rejecting the American Conservative and Reform communities by denying them a place to pray at the Kotel, I was upset. I didn’t quite understand the details in the compromise that was scrapped in the Knesset. Years ago when the compromise was struck — a designated, egalitarian prayer section at the Kotel’s Southern Wall — I supported it. (Full disclosure: For me, this was a leap of openness. Others were and remain unhappy with this compromise. They felt that allegiance to centuries of traditional prayer was dishonored and that this was not a compromise but a capitulation.) At best, for anyone who clings to a path of strict Jewish tradition, the Southern Wall deal was a compromise. The argument that Conservative and Reform Jews were unwelcome at the Kotel never resonated for me. Every Jew has always been welcome at the Kotel. No questions asked. No one monitors what someone’s observance or beliefs

Hebron... Continued from page 20 in 1929 until the city’s liberation in 1967. Hebron’s Arab occupation began on a Friday evening in August 88 years ago when Arab terrorists massacred the city’s Jews while the British, who then ruled the Holy Land, knew what was happening but didn’t act to prevent the carnage. Sensing the coming riot, on that Friday night, the son of Sephardic Rabbi Ya’acov Slonim invited fearful Jews to stay in the rabbi’s house. The rabbi was highly regarded in the community and had good relations with many Muslims, and he had a gun. Most of the Jews who took him up on this offer were murdered in his home.

Jewish... Continued from page 20 sectionality by highlighting the almost violent way that it shuts down independent, critical thinking, and by challenging its academic and media advocates to speak in propositions, not declarations. A third approach—and the one I find most intriguing—is the suggestion that Jews, particularly those in progressive circles, should develop their own version of intersectionality. There are many peoples around the world with whom we share common links and mutual experiences of persecution: Roma gypsies in Eastern Europe, Kurds and Yazidis in Iraq and Syria, and pretty much every religious minority—from Christians to Baha’is—that live under some form of Islamic rule. The advantages of this kind of advocacy should be obvious. Jews, who often feel alone in these contexts, will realize that they are not. The largely ignored struggles around the world against genocide and tyranny—all those examples we invoke when we talk about “double standards”—will start getting the attention they deserve. This combined force can begin the task of speaking truth to the growing power of intersectionality in our schools and universities. Practically speaking, I can think of one great organization—UN Watch—that already works along these lines. Theirs is an example worth studying, because this problem is not going away.

are, who they are praying to, nor for what. In fact, many times I’ve been at the Kotel with people of other faiths, who were praying there peacefully. I stood in the women’s section, side by side with a nun in full regalia. I understood that what didn’t resonate for me did not necessarily reflect other Jewish people’s experiences. Still, in Temple times, there was a prescribed way to approach service of G-d. No one could approach the Temple on his or her own terms. There is an art to holiness. In a way, the Kotel represents that. Traditionally, Temple worship was never egalitarian. Only a subset of the tribe of Levi — the kohanim — were able to serve in ways most other Jews could not. And within the kohanim, only one person, and only once a year, was permitted to enter the one innermost sanctum of the Temple. hile the Kotel does not retain all of the Temple’s inherent holiness (it was the Temple’s outermost structure, and Jewish service of G-d always traveled in concentric

circles of closeness, toward the center), services there approximate the Temple as much as possible. So, while the egalitarian argument didn’t resonate for me personally, I felt for that for sha‑ lom bayit, you make compromises. Don’t human beings, fellow Jews, matter more than a wall, no matter how cherished? A Kotel of contentiousness becomes hollow, not hallowed. But when I started reading more about this latest law that didn’t pass, I understood how misleading the headlines were. No one is removing the Southern Wall egalitarian prayer section. The compromise remains in place. The place for egalitarian prayer at the Southern Wall is not changing (possibly, it’s being expanded). The status quo of Ezrat Yisrael remains. What was stymied was an effort to add autonomy in management, as well as to relocate its entrance. Photos of a bygone time have been circulating of men and women standing at the Kotel, as if they prove past egalitarian prayer at the Kotel. However this wasn’t the case at all. Jews were

On Saturday morning, before the slaughter resumed, Hebron’s rabbis appealed to the British governor for protection. They received assurances of safety. They also turned to the British officer in charge of the police who gave similiar assurances. Early on Saturday, Arabs began to gather en masse. Mobs were armed with clubs, knives and axes. While their wives and children threw stones, Arab men ransacked Jewish houses and destroyed Jewish property. With only a single police officer in Hebron and the promised help absent, the Arabs entered Jewish courtyards with no opposition. Rabbi Slonim, who was sheltering Jews in his home, was approached by the rioters and offered a deal. If all the Ashkenazi yeshiva students were given over to the Arabs, the rioters would spare the lives of the Sephardi community. Rabbi Slonim refused to turn over the students and was killed on the spot. “On hearing screams in a room I went up a sort of tunnel passage and saw an Arab in the act of cutting off a child’s head with a sword. He had already hit him and was having another cut, but on seeing me he tried to aim the stroke at me, but missed; he was practically on the muzzle of my rifle. I shot him low in the groin. Behind him was a Jewish woman smothered in blood with a man I recognized as a[n Arab] police constable named Issa Sherif from Jaffa in mufti. “He was standing over the woman with a dagger in his hand. He saw me and bolted into a room close by and tried to shut me out —shouting in Arabic, ‘Your Honor, I am a policeman.’ I got into the room and shot him.” —Bernard Wasserstein, The British in Palestine: The Mandatory Government and the Arab-Jewish Conflict 19171929, Oxford England, Basil Blackwell, 1991 “Now let me tell you about the massacre. Right after eight o’clock in the morning we heard screams. Arabs had begun breaking into Jewish homes. The screams pierced the heart of the heav‑ ens. We didn’t know what to do. Our house had two floors. We were downstairs and a doctor lived on the second floor. We figured that we would be safe in the doctor’s apartment, but how could we get up there? “The stairs were on the outside of the build‑ ing, but it wasn’t safe to go out. So we chopped through the ceiling and that way we climbed up to the doctor’s house. Well, after being there only a little while, we realized that we were still in dan‑ ger because by that time the Arabs had almost reached our house. “They were going from door to door, slaugh‑ tering everyone who was inside. The screams and the moans were terrible. People were crying Help! Help! But what could we do? There were

thirty‑three of us. Soon, soon, all of us would be lost.” —Letter From a Survivor of the Hebron massacre When the massacre finally ended, the surviving Jews resettled in Jerusalem. Some Jewish families tried to move back to Hebron, but were removed by the British authorities in 1936 at the start of the Arab revolt. In 1948, the War of Independence granted Israel statehood, but further cut the Jews off from Hebron, as the city was captured and officially occupied by King Abdullah’s Arab Legion and ultimately annexed to Jordan. hy did the local Arabs slaughter Hebron’s Jews in 1929? There was no Jewish state of Israel to hate back then, only Jews. Why does the United Nations refuse to recognize the 38 centuries of Jewish heritage in Hebron? For the same reason as the 1929 slaughter — the victims are only Jews. The Memorial of the Jews of Hebron, as submitted to the High Commissioner of Palestine, includes these accusations: “The [British Mandatory] Government … did not fulfill its duty and provide protection for its peaceful and defenseless charges. The Governor, Abdullah Kardos, and the Commander, Cafferata, who deprived us of the means of appealing for help and defense, betrayed us with empty promises and gave the murderers and robbers their opportunity. The police … did not fulfill its duty, and behaved with contemptible baseness.” On that Shabbat in 1929, the very first Jewish city became occupied territory. And the Jews of eretz Israel and throughout the world learned that they cannot rely on anyone else for protection — lessons that was reinforced during the Holocaust by FDR and Churchill. Now, 88 years later, that memorial still rings true. The United Nations, which was formed in the wake of WWII and the Nazi genocide of Europe’s Jews, now commits anti-Semitism in its own name, with Friday’s Hebron vote only the latest example. In recent years there have been Jewish stabbing victims, and other Jews crushed by cars and trucks, left bleeding in the streets of Israel courtesy of Palestinian terrorists. And just like the 1929 Hebron massacre, just like the murder of six million Jews in Nazi Germany, the world watches and does nothing. Even today when terrorists are captured and put in jail, the supposedly moderate Palestinian Authority pays them and/or their families for murderous service. But just as the British did in 1929, the world body sits back and watches the violence, and then encourages even more with resolutions like the UNESCO vote about Hebron, denying centuries of Jewish heritage in eretz Yisroel.

No one could approach the temple on his or her own terms. there is an art to holiness.

21 THE JEWISH STAR July 14, 2017 • 20 Tamuz, 5777

Misleading headlines about Kotel

under Ottoman and British rule in these photos. They did not enjoy religious freedom. They could hardly pray or worship as they liked without having their lives endangered. This was not egalitarianism by choice. It makes me sad to see the Kotel, symbol of centuries of Jewish prayer, become a political pawn. Clearly this issue has yet again exposed the complexity of the Israel and Diaspora relationship. Which brings to mind Natan Alterman’s The New Pumpedita, a poem that speaks of the tension of having Judaism develop in different directions in different locales. The poem hints at the Reform Movement when it mentions Cincinnati, home to Hebrew Union College, and Reform luminary Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, who played an important role in the birth of the State of Israel. There’s another photo that’s circulating — an old Reform siddur, or perhaps an item in the Pittsburgh Platform from the 1885, that reflected the Reform movement’s formal distancing from Israel, from the Temple and from Jerusalem. With respect to Israel and Jerusalem, much has change in the Reform community since the Pittsburgh Platform. I am very glad that the Reform movement has reconnected with our roots as a people, supports Israel with love and now even considers praying at the Kotel important and symbolic enough to lead to the current conundrum. But this photo reminds us that not everyone remained faithful guardians of Judaism’s tenets and holy sites, such as the Kotel, regardless of Western trends. eanwhile, the Ezrat Yisrael section at the Southern Wall mostly sits empty. That is more telling than anything. There is dissonance in petitioning for Ezrat Yisrael’s expansion when it is mostly empty. The Israeli government’s political choices reflect Kotel realities. If the Conservative and Reform communities want to see changes made at the Kotel, then tefil‑ lah needs to become a thrice daily commitment, organically flooding the Ezrat Yisrael daily with praying Jews. That said, I admit that I have not been thrilled with some of the changes at the Kotel. It started when I was still living in Jerusalem. First the chain loops separating the Kotel from the plaza were replaced by an impenetrable wall. It felt like an unnecessary separation. Then the separation of the women’s section was raised, requiring women to stand on chairs anytime there is a simcha, when they would like to see their child or relative or friend becoming Bar Mitzvah, for example. Slowly, the Kotel plaza took on a different character than what it had been for most of my life. While change is inevitable, and thankfully, the Kotel still holds its holy transcendent pull, I wouldn’t mind seeing some leadership changes at the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. Shavuot arrived a few days after the Old City was captured. On June 14, 1967, it seemed that almost every Jew had the same idea. Unplanned, a quarter of a million Jews walked the war-torn streets of Jerusalem to pray Shacharit services at daybreak at the Kotel. The pull was magnetic. Intuitively, the meaning of the Kotel was understood. It was the place of centuries of prayer and pilgrimage and now it was ours. It was a place to lean on and feel close to G-d — again. Time and again, Jerusalem was destroyed, but the Wall remained. The everlasting remnant, built in blood, sweat and tears, and because of this devotion, it is a Wall that, tradition has it, will never be destroyed. The Kotel: a Wall everlasting. If there is a promise of the Kotel never being destroyed, then it is up to us not to destroy its essence as a place for all Jewish people. Thank G-d the Kotel has become such a normal part of our modern Israeli life to the point of arguing. Yet, I sometimes wish we could all still approach the Kotel with the innocence and pure hearts as we did back on that Shavuot in ’67, when the Kotel was filthy and barely accessible, yet somehow fresh and majestic. We were just one big Jewish family walking back to a point of contact so dear throughout our history, and just grateful to be home in it once again. Copyright Intermountain Jewish News

JEWISH

STAR CALENDAR

Send your events to Calendar@TheJewishStar.com • Deadline Friday noon • Include price of admission and phone number • Hi-res photos welcomed • Compiled by Zachary Schechter

Wednesday July 12

BBQ and Wine Tasting: The One Israel Fund’s Five Towns eighth annual BBQ and Fine Israeli Wine Tasting will be held at the home of Naomi and Asher Cohen. Rabbi Ya’akov Trump of the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst will speak. 8 pm. $200 per couple. 105 Ocean Ave, Lawrence. 516-239-9202. Celebrating Life: An evening in support of Bonei Olam will be held at the home of Eytan and Tamar Rosenbaum. Rabbi Shlomo Bochner, founder of Bonei Olam, and Rabbi YY Rubinstein will speak. 8 pm. 137-22 75th Rd, Flushing. 718252-1212 ext. 243. Kosher Comedy: Come to the sunny Atlantic for a program in which both comics and food are kosher. Dinner and drinks, 7 pm; showtime, 8:30. Dinner package $55 in advance and $65 at door. Show only $35. 2035 Ocean Blvd, Atlantic Beach. 516-983-7654.

Sunday July 16

Timely Torah: [Weekly] Join Rabbi Ya’akov, assistant rabbi of the Young Israel of LawrenceCedarhust, for a shiur on relevant Halachic and philosophical topics related to Parsha Moadim and contemporary issues. Coffee and pastries. 8 am. 8 Spruce St, Cedarhust. Life and Times of Great Torah Personalities: [Weekly] Join Rabbi Shay Schachter for a men and women shiur. 9:30 to10 am. 516-2950950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. Gemarah Shiur: [Weekly] Join Rabbi Moshe Sokoloff for a gemarah shiur at the Young Israel of Woodmere. 9:15 am. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. Practical Kashrus Seminar: Join Rabbi Zvi Nussbaum of the Orthodox Union for a talk dealing with the Most Common Questions with Kitchen Appliances. 10:15 to 11:15 am. 516-2950950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere.

Monday July 17

Women’s Halacha Shiur [Weekly] with Rabbi Ephraim Polakoff on The Laws of Cooking and Reheating on Shabbos. Young Israel of Woodmere. 9:30 to 10:30 am. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. Study Maseches Brachos: [Weekly] Join Rabbi Eliyahu Wolf at the Young Israel of Woodmere. 3 to 4 pm. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. Contemporary Issues in Kashrus: [Weekly] Shiur with Rabbi Ephraim Polakoff at the Beis Tefillah of Woodmere. 9 pm. 516-3745523. 409 Edward Ave, Woodmere.

Tuesday July 18 Women’s Halacha Shiur [Weekly] with Rabbi Shay Schachter on Laws of Muktza on Shabbos. Young Israel of Woodmere. 9:30 to 10:30 am. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere.

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Talking Torah Café Europa: Join Congregation of Beth Shalom in partnership with the Marion & Aaron Gural JCC for exercise, a light lunch and a lecture. This week’s topic: What Happens When We Make Money More Important than Anything Else, with Irwin Pfeffer. 12:30 to 2:30 pm. 516-569-6733. 390 Broadway, Lawrence. Business Women: This month’s Five Towns Far Rockaway chapter of JWE (Jewish Women Entrepreneurs) event features a discussion by Dr. Sara Malagold on overcoming business fears. 8 pm. $10. At home of Beth Honig. 323-314-8773. Men’s Halacha Shiur [Weekly] with Rabbi Moshe Sokoloff. 8:10 pm. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. Gemarah Shiur: [Weekly] Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt. Young Israel of Woodmere. 9:15 pm. 516295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere.

Wednesday July 19

Women’s Halacha Shiur [Weekly] with Mrs. Gitta Neufeld on Exploring and Appreciating Megillas Eicha. YI of Woodmere. 9:30 to 10:30 am. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. Study Maseches Brachos: [Weekly] Rabbi Eliyahu Wolf at the Young Israel of Woodmere. 3 to 4 pm. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. Women’s Shiur & Tehillim Group: [Weekly] Join the women of Young Israel of Woodmere at the home of Devorah Schochet. 8 pm. 559 Saddle Ridge Road. Timely Tanach: [Weekly] Join Rabbi Ya’akov Trump of the Young Israel of Lawrence Cedarhurst for a shiur on Sefer Shoftim. 8 pm. 8 Spruce St, Cedarhust. Gemarah Shiur: Join Rabbi Shay Schachter for a Gemarah Shiur at the Young Israel of Woodmere. 9:15 pm. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere.

Thursday July 20

Iyun Tefilah: [Weekly] Rabbi Moshe Teitel-

GOTTA GETTA BAGEL CAFE

Check The Jewish Star Calendar for a schedule of shiurim and other talks. Among those featured this week (from left): Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt, Michal Horowitz, Rabbi Ephraim Polakoff, and Rabbi Shay Schachter.

baum at the Young Israel of Lawrence Cedarhust. 9:45 am. 8 Spruce St, Cedarhust.

mere. 8 pm. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere.

Esther Wein: [Weekly] Join Esther Wein, renowned lecturer and speaker, at the Young Israel of Lawrence Cedarhurst as she offers words of Torah and spiritual insight. 10 am. 8 Spruce St, Cedarhust.

Monday July 24

Women’s Halacha Shiur [Weekly] with Mrs. Michal Horowitz for a parsha class at the Young Israel of Woodmere. 9:30-10:30 am. 516-2950950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. Halachos of Coffee: [Weekly] Join Jonah Steinmetz for at the Young Israel of Woodmere for a shiur for men and women on the topic: All You Need to Know About Your Cup of Joe. 8 pm. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. Sfas Emes on the Parsha: [Weekly] Join Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum at the Young Israel of Lawrence Cedarhurst for a shiur on the parsha with thoughts and insights from the great rebbe and thinker, Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leb of Gur. Following Mincha-Ma’ariv. 8 Spruce St, Cedarhust.

Friday July 21

Dinner on the Boardwalk: The BACH hosts an uplifting rooftop Shabbos service and simultaneous children’s program followed by Friday night dinner under the stars on the Long Beach boardwalk. Registration closes July 16 with tickets starting at $50 for adults and $20 for children under 14 years. 7 pm. 10 Franklin Blvd., Long Beach. 516-897-2473.

Sunday July 23

Siyum: The community I invited to breakfast siyum at the Agudath Israel of the Five Towns to celebrate Daf Yomi’s completion of Baba Basra. Following 8:30 Shacharis. 508 Peninsula blvd, Cedarhurst. RSVP to BabaBasraSiyum@gmail. com or call 855-275-7231. East Meadow Blood Drive: Walk-ins are welcome between 9 am and 2 pm, but to make an appointment visit RedCrossBlood.org and use sponsor code SPJC. Suburban Park Jewish Center, 400 Old Westbury Rd., East Meadow. HIT 4 HASC: Join HASC for an upstate baseball tournament with a siyum in memory of Chaim (Lobo) Silber z”l. 9:45 am. Free to register, sponsorships starting at $180. 39 Breakey Ave, Monticello. 917-709-1164.

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Thursday July 13

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July 14, 2017 • 20 Tamuz, 5777 THE JEWISH STAR

Joel Baruch 1039 Broadway Woodmere

516-569-6628

Practical Kashrus Seminar: Join Rabbi Moshe Elefant of the OU for an overview of the laws of Tevilas Keilim. 10:15 to 11:15 am. 516295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. Sisterhood Book Club: Beth Shalom Sisterhood invites you to an evening with Tuiva Tennenbaum, author of Lies They Tell (About America). Free. 7:30 pm. 516-353-3254. 390 Broadway, Lawrence. Guest Lecturer Rabbi Menachem Penner of Yeshiva University at the Young Israel of Wood-

Package From Home Walk-a-Thon: A Package From Home, an organization that raises money for Israeli Lone Soldiers, annual walk-a-thon at the Sunny Atlantic Beach Club. 9:30 am line up, walk begins 10 am. 2035 Ocean Blvd, Atlantic Beach. 917-560-9234. The Essence of the Soul: Join Rabbi Ari Bergman for a four-part discussion on the Neshamah titled “The Essence of the Soul & the Five Parts of the Neshama,” at the Young Israel of Woodmere. 9:15 pm. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. Holocaust Education Confab: Hosted by Project Witness, this three-day Holocaust education conference will feature panels on topics ranging from faith, halacha and hashkafa during the Holocaust to the role of artifacts in the commemorative process. Opening evening $50. Full program $100. 5:30 to 9 pm. 718-948-6377

Tuesday July 25

Café Europa: Join Congregation of Beth Shalom in partnership with the Marion & Aaron Gural JCC for some exercise a light lunch and a lecture. This week’s topic: Positivity as a Way of Life, with Harriet Cabelly. 12:30 to 2:30 pm. 516569-6733. 390 Broadway, Lawrence. Holocaust Education Conference: See Monday. 10 am to 5:30 pm.

Wednesday July 26 Holocaust Education Conference: See Monday. 10 am to 5:30 pm.

Sunday July 30

Practical Kashrus Seminar: Join Rabbi Dov Schreier of the RCA for a talk on the ABC’s of Eating Out. 10:15 to 11:15 am. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere. Guest Lecturer Professor Smadar Rosensweig of Stern College for Women, at the Young Israel of Woodmere. 8 pm. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere.

Tuesday August 1

Guest Lecturer Rabbi Efrem Goldberg, senior rabbi of the Boca Raton Synagogue, at the Young Israel of Woodmere. 8 pm. 516-295-0950. 859 Peninsula Blvd, Woodmere.

Wednesday Aug 2 Queens Hatzolah: Men’s event in the New York Hall of Science includes a BBQ, a Mordechai Ben David concert, a wine tasting, a raffle, and more. 6:30 pm. 47-01 111 St., Corona. Queenshatzolah.org/BBQ.

23 THE JEWISH STAR July 14, 2017 • 20 Tamuz, 5777

Long Island

Barbeque Dinner July 25, 2017 Reception 7:00PM Siyum 7:30PM

Lawrence Yacht and Country Club 101 Causeway Road, Lawrence, NY Please join the Genack, Lippman, Sohn and Weissman families as they commemorate the 40th Yahrzeit of

Sheila Sohn A”H Thank you to Chem RX for underwriting the event.

To RSVP or to become a sponsor, visit www.sharsheret.org/libbq Seats are limited, reservations required.

HOST COMMITTEE

Reva Borgen Faygie Morgenstern Sharon Shtern Shari Kaufman Mimi Samter Hillary Storch Naomi Levinson Dorit Schwartz Esther Zeidman

EVENT SPONSORS

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Melodie and Marty Scharf Ari and Ruthy Jungreis Debbie and Michael Alpert Marjorie and Dr. Steven Kellner Lumerman, Sternberg, and The Americare Companies Vogel Families Carol Lippman Joyce and Eric Austein Iris and Shalom Maidenbaum Linda and Steven Weissman Sura and Bert Fried Esther and Dr. Dov Zeidman Meridian Capital Sharon and Dr. Sheldon Genack Elisa and Alan Pines Dr. Rivkie and Lance Hirt

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July 14, 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ 20 Tamuz, 5777 THE JEWISH STAR