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THE JEWISH October 23, 2015 • 10 Cheshvan 5776
Parshas Lech Lecha • Candlelighting 5:45 pm • Luach page 6
Vol 14, No. 40 • TheJewishStar.com
THE NEWSPAPER OF OUR ORTHODOX COMMUNITIES
5 Towns for Israel: Chizuk and Tehillim
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The Jewish Star The Five Towns and Far Rockaway communities ďŹ lled the White Shul on motzei Shabbos to hear words of chizuk and recite tehillim, as everyone’s thoughts focused on our brothers and sisters in Israel. The Urgent Asifa was coordinated by Achiezer and Congregation Kneseth Israel. After words of chizuk by Rabbi Eytan Feiner of the White Shul and Rabbi Uri Orlian of Congregation Shaaray TeďŹ la, extended remarks were delivered by Rabbi Moshe Tuvia, Morah D’asrah of Agudas Yisroel Bais Binyomin, and tehilliam were led by several rabbonim and roshei yeshiva. “This is a community that understands,â€? Rabbi Tuvia said. “We recognize that it’s our blood that’s owing in the streets
like water.‌ If one yid is killed, an entire nation has been lost.â€? Referencing Noach, he added, “As long as we have that teva (ark) we are going to survive.â€? He called for prayer and unity, “not to bash klal Yisroel, not to look at the length of the dress — which can always use improvement all over the world — but look at their hearts, look at how they take care of each other, look at how they daven.â€?
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Lawrence mayor visits victims Lawrence Mayor Martin Oliner met with victims of Arab terror in Israel this week, describing the steadfastness of their faith in the face of injuries that are far more serious than media coverage suggests. “I was extremely impressed
by the emunah and the bitachon (conďŹ dence) that these people have,â€? Oliner told Arutz Sheva. “One was literally axed and he’s smiling and saying ‘baruch shem kavod malchuto leolam vaed’ (‘blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom
for all eternity’).� “These are not ‘injuries’ — these people have been maimed for life. It’s extraordinary to have that kind of outlook,� Oliner said. “This is the spirit of Israel, the strength of Israel.�
Woodmere man recalls good life in Czechoslovakia D JUDY JOSZEF
WHO’S IN THE KITCHEN into a raging river near their home. A nonJewish neighbor leapt into the river, risking his life to save his Jewish neighbor’s son. He ran to the boy’s house with the limp body in his arms and helped revive him there. My friend Debbie Shafran excitedly told us that her parents, residents of Woodmere, were also from that region. Her dad, as well, always spoke about the good treatment of Jews in Czechoslovakia. He attributed this remarkable phenomena to the country’s ďŹ rst president, TomĂĄĹĄ Masaryk.
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Her dad referred to Masaryk as the Czech George Washington. Under his countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s democratic constitution, Jews were granted all of the legal, civil and all other rights and privileges that Czech citizens were entitled to. His government-funded Jewish parochial schools were freely available to each Jewish child. Most importantly, every Czech Jew knew that Masaryk had staunchly supported and defended a Jew who was wrongly convicted of a ritual murder charge. Not only did Masaryk defend and exonerate him, he secretly supported him for over ten years, until he died. Debbie thought it would be a great idea for Jerry to meet her dad and hear his story ďŹ rsthand. A few weeks later, on Erev Sukkot, Jerry and I met Debbie at her parentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home. We were greeted by her dad, Harry Engelman, a dynamic, intellectual and articulate 91 year old. Her mom, Etta Itzkovic Engelman, a beautiful woman (I immediately saw where Debbie got her Grace Kelly good looks from) welcomed us with warm hospitality as well. Continued on page 4
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uring a recent Shabbat lunch at our home with friends, my husband Jerry said that he would never visit any place in Europe that either expelled its Jews, or whose people were notoriously anti-Semitic. He went on to say that the one country he aspired to visit was Czechoslovakia, in particular the Carpathian Rusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mountain region, where his mom lived. His mother regularly spoke about the warm and respectful relationship between the Jewish and non-Jewish community in her hometown. One story that particularly touched her involved their non-Jewish neighbors coming by their chasdishe home to sing Christmas carols outside; her parents reciprocated by serving them drinks and snacks in the spirit of neighborly congeniality. And then there was the time that her brother Shoima was swept
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