November 30, 2012

Woman prevents Itamar-style attack Page 2 Kansas City donates Torah to Cedarhurst shul Page 3 Kosher Bookworm: Inside Chanukah Page 11 Who’s in the kitchen: Blackened tuna Page 7

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VOL 11, NO 46 ■ NOVEMBER 30, 2012 / 16 KISLEV 5773

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Five Towns residents and shuls join to support Israel Hoenlein: Iran and other empire wannabes pose major world threat

By Malka Eisenberg Over 200 residents and community leaders came to Congregation Beth Sholom in Lawrence Monday night to show support for Israel in a rally that had been called before the November 21st cease-fire halted the rocket barrage from Gaza into Israel and Israel’s

return surgical strikes.

Following prayers for the State of Israel, the welfare of the U.S. and forthe Israeli army, led by community rabbis, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy spoke briefly, lauding Israel’s Iron Dome defensive system for “saving many lives” and the newer David’s Sling for longer range missiles. “We will be there for Israel,” she declared to applause, noting the bipartisan support in most of Congress, working to “make sure that Israel will stay strong and have the equipment that it will need.” She also said that she would be visiting Israel in the next few weeks.

Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chair- determination and attempts to not only destroy Israel but all Jews, and the man of the Conference of Presithreats to world stability emanating dents of Major American Jewish from Iran and other Islamist counOrganizations, was the principle tries and movements in the Middle speaker. He reported that he had East and world-wide. just returned from Israel with a Citing this week’s Parsha and brief stop at the UN in anticipation Yaakov’s fear of being killed and his of the Palestinian Authority’s bid distress at having to kill to save himthis Thursday to upgrade their staself and his family, he extrapolated tus to that of a non-member state.

In a wide ranging talk to a riveted MALCOLM HOENLEIN that to the current situation in Israel, stressing that “Israel could have audience, Hoenlein praised Israel’s careful defense, and pointed out the world’s carpet bombed Gaza and ended it” but only indifference to Jews under attack, Hamas’ Continued on page 3

Shining stars

By Karen C. Green

photo credit to Yissachar Ruas

“DOUGH FOR DONUTS” Elie Klein of Bet Shemesh, Israel is donating his stomach, eating sufganiyot (Chanukah donuts) for charity. Between Rosh Chodesh Kislev and the end of Chanukah, he will be pushing the limits, EATING 125 SUFGANIYOT – a feat of gastric proportions. Friends (and strangers) around the world are donating to their favorite charities for each donut Elie eats. In this, the final year of Klein’s popular “Dough for Donuts” campaign, he hopes to raise NIS 65,000 in order to reach a three-year total of NIS 150,000. You can join this FUN-raising event by visiting the official Facebook event page: http://tinyurl.com/doughfordonuts3.

The number three in Judaism has a special meaning. It is said that while one symbolizes unity, and two tension and duality, three symbolizes harmony. Three also represents Chazaka, strength.

No truer words can be spoken about the three founders of I-Shine, who will be honored at the Chai Lifeline’s Annual Gala to be held on Sunday, December 4th at the Marriott Marquis.

Deena Intrator, Annette Kaufman and Stacey Zrihen will be the recipients of the I-Shine Founders award. They will be celebrated as part of the annual gala that recognizes devotion to a larger cause which provides crucial emotional, social and financial assistance to the seriously ill child and their family.

I-Shine, an after-school program that provides homework help, supervised recreational activities, specialty learning programs, and play centers, was created to meet the needs of elementary and middle school children living with illness or loss in their family.

The birth child of three dynamic Five Towns women, each with their own unique skill set and attachment to the program, IShine is now entering its seventh year.

“The program runs from 3:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Monday and Wednesdays. It services Continued on page 10

Photo courtesy i-Shine

i-Shine founders Stacey Zhiren, Annette Kaufman and Deena Intrator.

Shabbat Candlelighting: 4:11 p.m. Shabbat ends 5:14 p.m. 72 minute zman 5:41 p.m. Torah Reading Parshat Vayishlach

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Israeli woman fends off Itamar style attack A resident of an Israeli moshav on the Egyptian border had the presence of mind to save her children and fend off a terrorist attack in her home this past Tuesday.

A Gaza terrorist evaded detection crossing the border into Israel and may have entered through a breach in the fence left from last Friday’s Palestinian Arab riot near Khan Younis.

The intended victim, Yael Ram-Matzpun, 39, was asleep near two of her four children when the kaffiyah-clad terrorist entered her room wielding a knife and a crowbar. His heavy footsteps entering the house--the door was unlocked--woke her and he turned on the bedroom light and told her to get up.

She asked him what he wanted, she refused his order to lie down and he leaned against her, slashing her face and neck. She pushed him aside, a scuffle ensued, and she reached for and began ringing a large old fashioned school bell to make noise, to scare the attacker and alert neighbors. She told one child to run to a sibling in an adjoining room and managed to push the youngest child into a nearby safe room. The attacker ran into the shower room and she wedged a bed against the door and alerted the army. The attacker squeezed out the bathroom window and was apprehended by the IDF. When he attacked them they shot and killed him.

The circumstances of the breach and attack are being investigated.

It was noted that Yael, a resident of Sde Avraham, was trained in Krav Maga, Israeli self-defense. She said that her first thought upon seeing the intruder was that he was

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a terrorist not a burglar and that she didn’t want an Itamar situation, recalling the murders of the Fogel family in that town last year.

Local self-defense instructor, Sensei John Capobianco, owner of the Nijiuroku Jiu Jitsu School of Self Defense in Hewlett, analyzed the mother’s behavior. “Self defense training is supposed to give you training to withstand an attack to your system,” he explained.

“Training in knife defense lets you know that you are going to get cut and not freeze up.

The conditioning is a stressful enough experience to enable you continue if cut. It also teaches you to take advantage of anything you can use around you as a weapon, distraction or to call attention to an attacker—like a bell. She did all the right things; she kept the attacker off balance. Putting the child in the safe room was really good, but you don’t leave the (house) door unlocked; she was feeling in her safe zone. We really don’t have a safe zone anymore.”

The School of Self Defense is located inside the 5 Towns Fencers’ Club at 15 Prospect Avenue.

in Will appear in our Dec. 7th issue Wish your customers, family and friends a

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Yael Ram-Matzpunbravely fended off terrorist attacker at her home in Israel.

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Continued from page 1 killed 100 in Gaza of whom Hamas acknowledged that 80% were terrorists (Hoenlein said that meant 90%) in 1,000 sorties and that all hit their targets. One reporter criticized a surgical strike that took out one building, leaving the adjoining buildings intact and their laundry still hanging on the line.

Throughout the briefing sessions, Hoenlein said that lawyers were ever-present in the room with the Defense and Prime Ministers with each decision. Noting that the conflict was not about land, territory or occupation, since Israel pulled out of Gaza, leaving not one Jew behind, seven years ago, it was only about Hamas’ rejecting Israel’s right to exist. “And they (the Israelis) don’t want to go back,” he said.

“The most amazing aspect of the coverage we witnessed,” he said, “ is that you can’t believe what you read, hear and see.” He described a photo, distributed by the UN, on the front page of the New York Times, of a father carrying a bloody child that was actually a seven year old photo of a car accident victim, and other photos of the conflict in Syria being passed off as from Gaza. Thousands of bombs were fired from civilian sites in Gaza into civilian centers in Israel, children sleep in air raid shelters, suffering severe and constant psychological trauma and many have been injured in rocket attacks with “not one session of the human rights council,” he said.

He recounted that Christians are murdered throughout the Arab world but “where is the outrage?” Hoenlein often meets with leaders from Arab countries who tell him that they know that “Israel is a source of stability in the region, Iran is a common enemy and Israel is a common ally” but they will still condemn Israel. Israel supplies Gaza’s electricity, fuel, and water, and medical care in Israeli hospitals, and throughout the eight days of the conflic,t kept the borders open providing those in Gaza with tons of food.

Egypt, “a real country,” said Hoenlein, is in turmoil related to its failed economy, Syria is a colonial state held together with ”gum and spit and no common identity,” and Libya

Photo by Donovan Berthoud

Participants listen raptly to Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, and Malcolm Hoenlein. is a conglomeration of 147 tribes with various languages and extreme cultural differences. Arab countries are pushing for empire status attempting to reconstitute the past, the Ottoman, the Persian, the Sunni Crescent, a Wahabi Empire and the Moslem Brotherhood who already has an empire, said Hoenlein.

“One little country, one little sliver of land” is blocking their aspiration, he said, “the values that Israel stands for is the enemy.” He said that Israel is the only place where America can leave military equipment and conduct military exercises in safety and share technology and intelligence for the mutual benefit of the U.S. and Israel. He noted that Israel is the one stable country in the middle east, with Egypt and Iran jockeying to divide Syria, Iraq a “stooge” of Iran and Jordan “teetering.” He emphasized the silence of most of the Arab world during this conflict, that they fear the Moslem Brotherhood and Iran more than Israel. They have to “stop the influx of weapons into Gaza. The people in the south have suffered too long. The U.S.

didn’t pressure Israel into the agreement, the limited action achieved the goals that Israel wanted.” He noted that “Manhattan is more densely populated than Gaza and Karachi is eight times more densely populated than Gaza,” and no one is fighting for them.

“Iran is the fulcrum,” stressed Hoenlein, noting that Syria and Gaza were diversions and Iran has ramped up its goal to build a nuclear weapon and that it will now take only three months to get weapons grade uranium; “They have created a new reality and are closing the window.” It will change the Middle East, he said, with 14 Arab countries seeking to go nuclear. “As long as we say we will engage with them, it buys time to negotiate, it’s not serious. We have to weaken them from within, enforce sanctions without giving exemptions to countries; they are supporting terrorists worldwide. The U.S. has to set a clear deadline. We have to mean what we say.” They need to see a strong West.

“The Arab countries are looking for the U.S. to lead.” He said Iran’s influence is spreading

to South America, Africa, Europe and North America, with patrols finding uniforms and Korans along the Texas border. “There is not a single month that Islamists are not arrested in the U.S.,” he said.

Hoenlein said that the largest stockpiles of chemical weapons are now in Syria, that the U.S. should “leverage” the aid to Egypt to reign them in and that Congress should cut off aid to the PA. Abbas is guilty of “continued incitement and knows that he never has to pay the price for it, the aid doesn’t get to the people, and his kids are multimillionaires. We always let him off the hook.”

He highlighted the media’s double standard with Israel and their hiring local Arabs as stringers to report the news in Arab areas.

He praised Israel’s public relations efforts, with pictures “in real time, utilizing twitter, facebook, showing the truth.”

UNESCO, he said, was busy renaming thousands of years old Jewish sites as mosques and Moslem sites. “You would think they have something more important to worry about than denying the Judeo-Christian heritage, but they understand that if they take away our past they take away our future.” He pointed out recent archeological discoveries in Israel. “G-d is telling us that we have the privilege of a state, technology and a friend in the U.S. as an ally.” He recounted a speech he gave to a large gathering of Christians in San Antonio. He asked if anyone remembered the ten spies who spoke against Israel and no one could, but when asked to name those who defended Israel, loudly cheered “Caleb and Joshua” over and over. “The lesson of history is that those who stand with Israel stand forever,” he declared.

He concluded by stressing the importance of being involved and “how much of a difference we can make” that “Jewish power is a myth but we should make it a legend” and “live up to the responsibility we all have.” He stressed the importance of signing up for dailyalert.org and leadershipactionnetwork.org that presents “talking points “ and “action recommendations,” to enable concerned individuals to be articulate defenders of Israel.

Kansas City shul donates Torah to Kehilas Ahavas Yisrael

By Malka Eisenberg A Kansas City synagogue is donating a Sefer Torah to a Cedarhurst synagogue that was devastated by Hurricane Sandy.

Kehilath Israel Synagogue, an Orthodox shul in Overland Park in Kansas City, Kansas, will be donating one of their 15 Sifrei Torah (Torah scrolls) to Congregation Ahavas Yisroel in Cedarhurst.

Ahavas Yisroel, located at the corner of Peninsula and Branch Boulevard, was in a “heavily flooded area,” said Abel Feldhamer, a board member of the shul. He said that “three feet of water” from the storm damaged the structure, the walls, seforim (books) on the lower shelves of the bookcases, the kitchen and furniture, as well as the shul’s four Sifrei Torah. They were in a safe that was not watertight. “They have to be fixed, they need a lot of work,” said Rabbi Yissachar Blinder, the rav of Ahavas Yisrael. “They were loaned from people in the community. We didn’t think the water would get that high either.”

“The shul has been mostly restored over the last few weeks,” said Feldhamer, funded by “contributions from in and out of the community. We are still seeking contributions to cover the costs of the restoration.”

“The shul was totally destroyed,” said

Photo courtesy of Ahavas Yisroel

Storm ravaged shul will soon be the recipient of a new Torah from Kansas.

Rabbi Blinder. “Boruch Hashem the guys took the initiative and got it done. It’s nicer than it was before.” He said that when he saw the destruction, “I started crying; it was scary. It looked like a pogrom with water. It was very sad.”

He mentioned two members of the shul,

Mendy Reich and Jeff Leb who “made the shidduch” connecting them through the Orthodox Union to the Kansas City shul and the Torah donation. “It’s a present to the shul that we can keep. It’s a silver lining; they are very kind. It shows that yidden care about each other, that a shul in Kansas City can

reach out to the Five Towns. It’s a larger picture of Am Yisrael, that we take care of each other. It’s very meaningful, very moving.”

The Torah dedication will take place in Ahavas Yisrael, Tuesday night, at 8 p.m. For more information and to donate, go to: congahavasyisrael@gmail.com.

THE JEWISH STAR November 30, 2012 • 16 KISLEV 5773

Five Towns residents and shuls join to support Israel

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November 30, 2012 • 16 KISLEV 5773 THE JEWISH STAR

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Opinion The New York Daily News progressive bigotry, misogyny and racism The NY Daily News began its week with a nasty opinion column by Jazz critic and progressive bigot Stanly Crouch. In only 605 words he manages to bash every conservative as some sort of liar and or nut job.

He begins by describing African-American Representative Allen West, an imposing and muscular Tea Party hawk (a phrase which if used by a conservative would be considered racist). He then went on to call West a shrill descendant of Joe McCarthy who is falsely claiming voter irregularities in his reelection defeat (perhaps I missed it, but I don’t remember the POLITICO Crouch column throwTO GO ing names at his fellow progressives who still claim the 2000 presidential election was stolen).

The syndicated columnist believes voter fraud is a fiction made up by Fox News (please don’t tell Mr. Crouch about ACORN’s many convictions for voter fraud or the real exJeff Dunetz amples of voter fraud exposed by people such as Project Veritas’ James O’Keefe and others). Rather than attack the evidence Crouch just attacks the people with name-calling.

“The big waste of GOP money on candidates like West, Todd Akin of Missouri and Richard Mourdock of Indiana (not to mention good old Mitt Romney himself) rose into a mushroom cloud of massive disaster.

Unlike the cloud predicted by Condoleezza Rice if we did not wage war in Iraq, this destructive cloud came up in a very illuminating way.”

Crouch closes with: “Things keep getting bad for our national liars. The rednecks of all colors may end up being asked to leave the party, and then we might have a real political debate that engages in ideas, not factoids.”

In the Soviet Union ,some of the people who disagreed with the governing regime were placed in insane asylums as punishment. Their rationale was anyone who disagreed with the “perfect government system” had to be crazy.

The progressives in the mainstream me-

dia like Crouch take a similar tact. If you disagree with, or try to blunt their agenda, you are crazy, racist, getting paid off by either the Koch Brothers or (if you believe columnists at the Huffington Post or Daily Kos) the worldwide Jewish conspiracy, which controls the government, banks and/or media. There is even less tolerance given to people who belong to traditional Democratic party skewing minorities such as African-Americans, Latinos, Jews and women (women are actually a majority, but I will include them here).

Examples of the above include the attacks directed toward Sarah Palin, who dared to be a feminist and a Conservative, or Michelle Bachmann. It’s not that the media and politicians attacked their policies or ideas, that would be OK, but these women were attacked personally as were their families (something off-limits when talking about the President).

The Huffington Post runs columns by MJ Rosenberg, who repeatedly has suggested that the Jews control Congress and the media and American Jews who are conservative politically, are not loyal to the United States.

When Joe Lieberman dared to run as an independent against a progressive challenger, he was attacked with anti-Semitic slurs, leading former counsel to President Clinton, Lanny Davis, to write in the Wall Street Journal: “I came to believe that we liberals couldn’t possibly be so intolerant and hateful, because our ideology was famous for ACLU-type commitments to free speech, dissent and, especially, tolerance for those who differed with us. No,w in the closing days of the Lieberman primary campaign, I have reluctantly concluded that I was wrong.”

I have been personally attacked by Media Matters for America as a “Jew-Basher” for writing commentary with which they did not agree.

Marco Rubio made the mistake of having Cuban parents and being proud of his heritage, so he was attacked as being an idiot or a religious freak because of this interview question in GQ’s December issue, which came albruptly, not as part of a conversation:

GQ: How old do you think the Earth is?

Marco Rubio: I’m not a scientist, man. I can tell you what recorded history says, I can tell you what the Bible says, but I think that’s a dispute amongst theologians and I think it has nothing to do with the gross domestic product or economic growth of the United States. I think the age of the universe has zero to do with how our economy is going

THE JEWISH

to grow. I’m not a scientist. I don’t think I’m qualified to answer a question like that. At the end of the day, I think there are multiple theories out there on how the universe was created and I think this is a country where people should have the opportunity to teach them all. I think parents should be able to teach their kids what their faith says, what science says. Whether the Earth was created in 7 days, or 7 actual eras, I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to answer that. It’s one of the great mysteries.

Rubio did a great job of answering the question, but it was an obvious attempt to saddle the Florida Senator with the “right wing extremist, anti-science” tag. After all, the Senator is a progressive’s worst nightmare, young, smart, Latino and Conservative.

People who disagree with Obama are racists, or accused of using racist code words such as “Chicago,” which was recently claimed to be a racist buzz word by MSNBC talking head Chris Matthews as was the words, Chair, Juan and, of course, the term “food stamp president,” because Matthews assumes that everyone on food stamps is black.

A chant we heard during the election is that GOP-sponsored voter ID laws were all racist, designed to suppress the minority vote, even though they are designed to protect the voting power of all Americans, not just the Caucasian ones.

Rep. West is attacked as a crazy rightwinger because he has the nerve to be an African American who is conservative on the issues.

The progressives never complained about West’s conservatism during the 21 years the Lt. Colonel was in the Army protecting their families from harm. They thought Allen West was sane when he was earning the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, and other medals of recognition defending this country.

These same progressives have been attacking conservatives as racist for calling Susan Rice a liar for going on TV and misleading the country, but none of them bothered to condemn the liberal politicians who called Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell liars about Iraq (and their excuses were exactly the same--they relied on the intelligence).

And to the progressive name-callers such as Crouch, people of all colors are misogynists if they are pro-life.

STAR

Independent and original reporting from the Orthodox communities of Long Island and New York City All opinions expressed are solely those of The Jewish Star’s editorial staff or contributing writers Publisher and Editor Assistant Editor Account Executives Contributors

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Karen C. Green Malka Eisenberg Helene Parsons Charles Slamowitz Rabbi Avi Billet Jeff Dunetz Juda Engelmayer Rabbi Binny Freedman Alan Jay Gerber Rabbi Noam Himelstein Judy Joszef Kristen Edelman Alyson Goodman Christina Daly

2 Endo Boulevard, Garden City, NY 11530 Phone: 516-622-7461, Fax: 516-569-4942 E-mail: newsroom@thejewishstar.com The Jewish Star is published weekly by The Jewish Star LLC, 2 Endo Boulevard, Garden City, NY 11530.

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If the left ever wants to have a real debate on issues and policies, it’s time for them to attack our positions with facts, not with names.

Richard Murdock was not a big waste of time because of his position on abortion (which was twisted by the MSM) and neither was Todd Akin. And Lt. Col. Allen West who is not only a war hero but also an incredibly decent person certainly was not a waste of money. West is a very smart man, not a stereotypical muscular African-American and a McCarthy-ite.

Conservatives are not liars because they believe the United States doesn’t have a revenue problem--we have a spending problem.

They aren’t trying to suppress minority voting with voter ID laws, but are trying to suppress voting by people who have no right to vote and to make sure everyone else votes just once. That goes for both Republicans and Democrats.

As for Stanley Crouch, he is just a typical progressive, attacking people with names and nastiness, instead of debating the merits of individual policy. Sadly, there are more people like Crouch in the mainstream media than honest policy defenders. It is those progressives who rule the media causing the great political divide in this country.

Jeff Dunetz is the Editor/Publisher of the political blog “The Lid” (www.jeffdunetz.com).

Jeff contributes to some of the largest political sites on the internet including American Thinker, Big Government, Big Journalism, NewsReal and Pajama’s Media, and has been a guest on national radio shows including G. Gordon Liddy, Tammy Bruce and Glenn Beck.

Jeff lives in Long Island.

Letter to the editor

Kitchen Humor To the Editor, I just wanted to make mention, how much I enjoy a little nostalgic humor in reading the Who’s in the kitchen cooking article, weekly. It’s nice when there is a break from all the bleak news that is reported.

Keep up the fun.

Thank you, Sylvia Edelson Cedarhurst

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Parashat Vayishlach: How to encounter Eisav

By Rabbi David Etengoff Jacob sent angels ahead of him to his brother Esau, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, “So shall you say to my master to Esau, ‘Thus said your servant Jacob, I have sojourned with Laban, and I have tarried until now. And I have acquired oxen and donkeys, flocks, man-servants, and maidservants, and I have sent to tell [this] to my master, to find favor in your eyes.’” The angels returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother, to Esau, and he is also coming toward you, and four hundred men are with him.” (Sefer Bereishit 32:4-7, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) These four verses begin our parasha. Yaakov had just spent 20 years with his reprehensible and duplicitous father-in-law, Lavan.

The Haggadah clearly tells us that Lavan was more than a liar and a cheat--he sought the destruction of our nascent nation: Go and learn what Lavan the Aramean sought to do to our father Yaakov. Pharaoh issued a decree [of death] solely against the males. Lavan, however, desired to totally destroy everything [i.e. Yaakov’s entire family].

As it is stated: “The Aramean desired to destroy my father…”(Translation my own) Thus, when Lavan declared in Sefer Bereishit 31:43: “The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons, and the animals are my animals, and all that you see is mine…” it was more than a review of relationships and livestock ownership:, he was denying the independent spiritual and physical existence of

B’naiYaakov.

Now, in our parasha, Yaakov is about to meet his great and formidable nemesis – his brother, Eisav. Yaakov keenly felt the famous words of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: “It is a well-known fact that Esau hated Jacob…” (Sifrei Bamidbar 69) The Torah tells us: “Jacob became very frightened and was distressed.”

(Sefer Bereishit 32:8) Indeed, Rashi (10401105) notes that Yaakov’s fear was clear and direct: “He [Yaakov] was frightened lest he be killed [Bereishit Rabbah 75:2, Midrash Tanchuma, Vayishlach 4]…” Yaakov split his family into two camps, with the hope that at least one would survive. Once again, Rashi gives us “the story behind the story”: the remaining camp will escape: Against his [Eisav] will, for I will wage war with him. He (Jacob) prepared himself for three things: for a gift, for war, and for prayer. For a gift, (verse 22): “So the gift passed on before him.” For prayer, (verse 10): “G-d of my father Abraham…” For war,: “the remaining camp will escape.” - [from Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Vayishlach 6] Rashi’s midrashically-based comment contains the essence of Yaakov’s three-part strategy for confronting Eisav: “doron, milchamah, and tefilah” (“gift, war, and prayer”). At first, he tried to propitiate Eisav through gifts of tribute. At the same time, Yaakov called upon Hashem in heartfelt, soul-wrenching prayer.

He also prepared himself to physically wage war against Eisav, in case these first two were ineffective.

Our Sages note that the Yaakov-Eisav encounter is a theme of every Galut (Diaspora)

encounter between the Jewish people and the non-Jewish world. This has particularly been the case whenever “Eisav” has stood as a physical, spiritual, and existential threat to our people. As our Sages stated: “Maaseh Avot siman l’banim”-the actions of the forefathers foreshadow those of future generations. We survive because we have learned from Yaakov how to confront and overpower the countless “Eisavs” that have attempted to destroy us. As my rebbi and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, z”tl (1903-1993), stated so beautifully: [In the case of Yaakov and Eisav] The impossible and absurd had triumphed over the possible and logical: heroism, not logic, won the day. Is this merely the story of one individual’s experience? Is it not in fact the story of Knesset Israel [the Congregation of Israel], an entity which is engaged in an “absurd” struggle for survival thousands of years? (“Catharsis,” Tradition, Volume 17, Spring 1978, page 41) Rabbi Isaiah ben Avraham Ha-Levi Horowitz z”tl (1565-1630), the Shlah Hakodesh from the name of one of his major works, notes that doron, milchamah, and tefilah are essential elements in our relationship to Hashem – particularly when we call upon Him to save us from “Eisav’s” swift sword. He reinterprets doron (gift) as tzedaka (charity), and milchamah (war) as doing teshuvah (returning to the proper path of observing the Torah), whereas tefilah (prayer) maintains its normative meaning: Just like he [Yaakov] occupied himself with gifts, prayer, and war, so, too, should we comport ourselves with the sons of Eisav…In addition, in order to ensure

a powerful foundation and the continued existence of Diaspora Jewry, we need to prepare ourselves via gifts, prayer, and war in the service of the Creator – May He be Blessed – so that He will save us. [In our time,] these three things represent teshuvah, tefilah, and tzedaka. Doron refers to tzedaka, tefilah is understood in the standard manner, and milchamah is teshuvah…

The Shlah Hakodesh views tzedaka, tefilah, and teshuvah as being the derech hachaim (the most efficacious method) to deal with the “sons of Eisav” in the pre-Messianic era, so that our meritorious actions may bring Mashiach: These approaches will remain in place until the verse “Now, let my master go ahead before his servant, and I will move [at] my own slow pace, according to the pace of the work that is before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my master, to Seir.” [33:14] This will be in the time of the Messiah as it says: “And saviors shall ascend Mt. Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the L-rd shall have the kingdom.”

[Sefer Ovadiah 1:21] The coming of the Messiah is the direct result of the merits that will accrue on behalf of these three actions [i.e. tzedaka, tefilah, and teshuvah].

With G-d’s help, may we have the courage, wisdom, and understanding to wrestle with the “Eisavs” of our time by employing the time-tested approaches of teshuvah, tefilah, and tzedaka. May we ever have the spiritual strength and power to employ this derech hachaim to successfully navigate the many challenges of Galut, so that we may witness the arrival of the Mashiach soon and in our days.

Third annual global day of Jewish learning

By Avi Sandler An Extraordinary Day Of Unity For Over 330 Communities In More Than 50 Countries The third annual Global Day of Jewish Learning, held on Sunday, November 18th, was an overwhelming international success and inspiration for thousands of Jews throughout the world. An initiative of the Aleph Society and world-renowned scholar Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz, the Global Day of Jewish Learning unites Jews from all backgrounds to celebrate and study foundational Jewish texts.

This year’s theme of “Blessings and Gratitude” coincided with the beginning of the “Page-A-Day” (Daf Yomi) seven year cycle of studying the Talmud. The first tractate (volume) is ‘Berakhot’ (Blessings) of which Rabbi Steinsaltz has recently completed his English translation and commentary. The themes were especially poignant in reflecting on the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

“The structure of giving thanks on a regular basis, even in hard times, encourages us to focus on the positive side of life. It does not mean we forget the dark side, just that we keep a true perspective, giving the positive side its due,” said Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz.

“In doing so, we find an inner strength that carries us through difficult times, all the while allowing us space to feel warmed by expressing feelings of gratitude.”

Individuals in more than 330 communities in over 50 countries – and across 6 continents –collaborated in a day of celebration and learning. Hundreds of events took place in communities across the United States from New York to California, Texas to Florida - in South America, Europe, Canada and Israel, as well as in the Middle East, Africa, Australia and the Former Soviet Union.

Utilizing workshops, family educational programs, seminars and breakout sessions, parents and children alike across the interdenominational spectrum joined in these community-wide events. Furthermore, this year’s use of virtual class rooms developed an online community of individuals joining together from every corner of the world.

“In Judaism, when an act is repeated three times, it is known as a chazaka, a reinforced behavior that may even become tradition,” said Karen Sponder, Global Day Director, “which is what makes this third annual Global Day even more fulfilling. Our interest for this event was to spark and nourish a love for Jewish learning and to unify communities worldwide. I found it so heartening to see these Jewish communities join together yet again as they rejoiced in learning the texts and sharing the precepts of the day’s central themes.”

Curriculum Centered on the theme of “Blessings and Gratitude”, the Global Day Curriculum Guide offered topics, source materials and questions for conversation to facilitators managing study groups or cultural events, who adapted them to suit the educational backgrounds and interests of their groups.

The Global Day Curriculum, published with the generous support of author, educator and Holocaust survivor Fanya Gottesfeld Heller, was developed by highly experienced educators for students at all stages. The curriculum can be downloaded in its entirety or by topic at www.TheGlobalDay.com.

Partners The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) was a key international partner with the Aleph Society. Organiz-

ing partners included the Jewish Education Service of North America (JESNA), Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, and the Shefa Institute in Israel. The Jewish Agency for Israel joined this year’s Global Day activities as a Community Partner.

Visit www.TheGlobalDay.com for the full list of partners and participating communities.

The Global Day of Jewish Learning’s supporting partners include the governing bodies, leadership and ordaining institutions of the Reform, Conservative and Orthodox movements of Judaism.

Highlights of Global Day 2012 include NY, New York – 250 people representing a wide range of Jewish Life and observance, from Reform to Orthodox, attended Global Day events co-hosted by Mechon Hadar and Drisha Institute. The day consisted of a series of sessions sponsored by Institutions from across the city with 27 different speakers. For a complete list of classes visit: mechonhadar. org/globalday or drisha.org/globalday.php.

P2G – Partnership 2gether, sponsored by the Jewish Agency of Israel, is a program partnering global Jewish communities directly with Israeli communities. November 18th turned out to be the single harshest

day of “Pillar of Defense”. Of the 25 Partnerships 21 went ahead with their P2G Global Day of Jewish Learning joint activity – some have sent videos and photos from their activity. FL, Hollywood – Children from Temple Solel learned about the Talmud and the importance of creating Blessings of Gratitude through five unique programs.

Ukraine, Cherkassy – Hosted by the Jewish Charitable Fund “Hesed Dorot”, children and adults participated in events surrounding the theme of Blessings and Gratitude.

Ukraine, Donetsk – Participants in Global Day expressed their gratitude to G-d by writing messages on stickers affixed to balloons.

Together as a collective group the balloons were released into the sky at the conclusion of the program.

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz is a world renowned distinguished scholar, teacher, mystic and social critic. He has written over 60 books and hundreds of articles on the Talmud, Kabbalah and Chasidut. His work has been translated into English, Russian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Italian, Chinese and Japanese. His translations of the Talmud into Hebrew, French and Russian have sold more than a million copies. The first volume of the new Koren Talmud Bavli with Rabbi Steinsaltz’s English translation and commentary was launched in May 2012.

Blackened Tuna delights on any day Thom Blischok, a chief retail strategist, was waiting on line with one woman in Phoenix, who was shopping for a refrigerator. Using her mobile device, she found the appliance online for the same price and left the store without. She intended to buy it online instead.

For shoppers, Black Thursday-Friday is that time of year when it’s OK to look incredibly ridiculous while you’re battling a 75-year-old for a plasma TV. It’s a time which captures the essence of consumerism (or perhaps Darwinism--survival of the fittest) as young and old, women and men, rich and poor laugh, joke, are helpful to the others on line, can get extremely angry or even injure the shopper next to them, to grab the last Barbie left on sale, which when given to their child, they will explain that she has to be kind to fellow children and share. Hmmmm.

For my husband and myself, there was no frenzy shopping and bargain hunting.

For those who know us, we tend to find the bargains all year. I’d like to think that I just buy what I like and need and I’m not in it just because it is a bargain, though I’ve been known to enter a dollar store and come out with five huge bags of items, all amazing and useful, but not ever thinking before entering the store that I needed any one of them. I will admit, I have a weakness for shoes. While in the store, those black heels are just what I was looking for, but on returning home, it seems the other dozen heels I already have,

look just like them, but hey, they’re in my closet already....My husband Jerry, on the other hand, can’t pass up a bargain, ever.

Doesn’t matter if he needs it, if it’s made well and on sale, he has to have it. He will keep it in his closet and every now and then, say, “Hey Judy, what do you think about these shirts I bought?� Now, I could be nice as it’s too late to return them, but I can’t help myself and respond, �They’re nice if you’re a flamenco dancer. Tangerine, fire engine red, and pistachio green are really not “in “ colors this year. Of course they’re on sale, Jerry, you know why? Because NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO BUY THEM!!!!�

And we’re not just talking shirts. Jerry has boots for snowshoeing (a hobby of the past as this wife decided it’s not on the list of her vacation choices.), boots when the temperature is 25 degrees below zero (he bought his and hers), and, if those weren’t good enough, he bought boots when the temps are 45 below. He returned mine as I said, “If my -25 degree boots aren’t warm enough for wherever we’re going, I ain’t going there, do I make myself clear?� His latest bargain was an oil finished field jacket. What, you haven’t heard of it? Really? Let me explain, it’s designed for general field use: hunting or fishing. Double pockets are expandable to carry more gear, and the icing on the cake--it has a full width game bag in the back that is reachable through a side pocket that is

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s I write this column, on Cyber Monday, people are at home, work, in cars or public transportation, on their desk tops, laptops, smart phones or tablets checking out amazing deals on things they can’t live without, have to replace, want to buy as gifts, for the thrill of a bargain or just simply want.

When my kids were little, I remember stores opening at 6 a.m., Friday morning after Thanksgiving, and friends standing on line to buy birthday gifts for their kids to bring to parties all year long. As the years progressed, stores started opening at midnight on Thanksgiving. With bellies full of turkey and stuffing, hordes lined up to be first on line for the door buster sales. Ahhh, but that Judy Joszef was so yesterday.

Suddenly, Black Friday is now anticlimactic. The era of Black Thursday is here. As night falls on a day set aside to be thankful for all we have, Americans jostle each other to get more. Instead of standing on line after dinner, people are on line Thanksgiving morning so they are first on line for the 4 p.m. store openings.

Last Thursday and Black Friday, shoppers used their smart phones and tablets as they hit stores, a mobile phenomenon that started recently.

7 THE JEWISH STAR November 30, 2012 • 16 KISLEV 5773

Who’s in the kitchen

lined with blood-proof nylon. For what, you may ask? Simple, for the small animals or fish you hunt, or catch and need to store till you return home. Of course those wonderful purchases are usually revealed to me when we have guests over. Hmmm, can that be for your protection, Jerry?

Chances are, most of Jerry‘s bargains will never get to be used, but he will definitely be set if he decides to hunt in 45 degree below zero temps.

Here’s a recipe you can try without the line waiting, pushing or shoving:

November 30, 2012 • 16 KISLEV 5773 THE JEWISH STAR

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THE JEWISH STAR November 30, 2012 • 16 KISLEV 5773

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November 30, 2012 • 16 KISLEV 5773 THE JEWISH STAR

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An opportunity for everyone to shine Continued from page 1 all and any Jewish kids from the Five Towns, West Hempstead and Far Rockaway. Volunteers pick up kids in their own cars from 15 different schools in the area, all different denominations, from public school to Darchei Torah. The nicest part is that there are kids from all different backgrounds; the element of Achdus is amazing. It’s not about being like everyone else, it’s about being with everyone else,” explained Stacey Zhiren.

I-Shine kids are brought to the HAFTR kindergarten building, paired up with a volunteer, often HAFTR, DRS, AND SKA high school students, sometimes an adult, and have a snack, homework help, and a special activity ranging from karate, cupcake decorating, making your own pizza, etc. That is followed by a hot dinner, catered by any one of eight local vendors, (Wok Tov, Seasons, Mom’s pastries, Carlos and Gabby’s, Cucumbers, Var-i-eat-ities, Shulas and Delicious dishes), and a raffle to win a prize.

Individual volunteer drivers bring the child home following the program.

“I-Shine is the largest growing part of Chai Lifeline as we service the broadest base,” noted Zhiren. Over 100 women and men drive and roughly 100 volunteers participate to provide homework help and activities. This is a collective effort of people doing what they do best.

“I was working with a child with cancer.

The child had an older sister who would come home from school at the same time I arrived. When I arrived the mother would run out to do errands. There was no one home to help the older sibling, “ explained Annette Kaufman, an NYU trained occupational therapist. “I understand homework help. It’s difficult enough with a functional family. I thought, ‘what happens when a mother is sick and vomiting.’ It’s something that people don’t think about. I started to do an informal survey of parents with a child who is sick. They said a program as I envisioned would be unbelievable. I realized there was a void that needed to be filled.

Kids from good families were falling through the cracks.”

At the same time, Deena Intrator, a seasoned public school teacher and a veteran sleep away camp division head, was in discussions with HALB and Chai Lifeline about doing a similar program.

Deena’s need spoke to two experiences in her life.

“It means very much to me for many reasons. I approached the I-Shine experience from a different angle. When I was 13 my mother had a stroke, so I was in a sense an IShine child back then. It was a very difficult time for me. I was going through puberty and didn’t have access to my mother. Family members stepped in, but I always felt different than other kids. As an adult I ended up having breast cancer and I didn’t want my kids to grow up feeling like me. I knew they needed an I-Shine. I worked in a sleep away camp even while going through serious chemotherapy. For me, it became that much more pronounced watching my kids go through it. There has to be something for kids experiencing illness so that they don’t fall through the cracks. All kids need a support system. Kids not experiencing illness need it. Add an illness, it adds more challenges, couple that with life and it complicates things.

“When I got better I said to myself that I have to start this with HALB. I spoke to then principal, Rabbi Glass. He advised contacting Chai Lifeline. Annette Kaufman called me.

Annette was already working with Stacey.

Rabbi Scholar, Executive Director of Chai Lifeline, suggested bringing Andy Lauber, a

social worker, on board. We were all on the same page.”

The skill set that Stacey, Annette and Deena bring to the program is unique and meshes well. “Annette and Deena felt compelled to do this through their own experiences. I saw this as a way to hone in on my skills and use it for the right purposes,” explained Zhiren.

Zhiren, a Wharton graduate, insisted on structure and a business plan. Stacey deals with transportation, Annette deals with activities and volunteers, and Deena deals with dinner and volunteers.

“They are trailblazers,” said Lauber. “Chai Lifeline’s motto is ‘Illness effects the whole family.’ We have had retreats and such, siblings have been under the radar until this program was formed. If you talk to people later in life who had a sibling that was ill, they will tell you that they had a tough time, and in many cases, felt overlooked.

“These women have taken their roles to a whole other level. The amount of time they devote to families outside the program is incredible. Getting quietly and heavily involved with families outside of the program and in many, been surrogate families to the children. They took an idea, brought it to fruition, and came back year after year.”

“The program is in the community, for the community, by the community. It’s a win–win for all involved. The model is so successful that we’ve mirrored it and started programs in other communities, including Teaneck, Antwerp, Canada, Chicago and two in Brooklyn,” noted Lauber.

The women are quick to point out the incredible commitment by Ms. Joy Hammer and the HAFTR community at large. “ HAFTR has been unbelievable. They give us use of the gym once a week and include us in their scheduling. Ms. Hammer has been amazing. Next week is HAFTR’s book fair and she will read to the kids. As an activity, the kids get to choose books,” expressed Zhiren. “Joy Hammer gives of her own time. She takes kids on a personal tour of the library,” noted Kaufman.

“When we started out we had only HAFTR, and then DRS and SKA followed.

DRS schedules the seniors schedules based on when they can volunteer for i-Shine. The whole community embraces it,” continued Kaufman.

When the women look back at the last six years, there are so many wonderful and meaningful moments, but one especially stands out: Long time volunteers Burry Klein and Danielle Schwartz got engaged at iShine.

Kaufman explains, “Danielle once said that the only place she wanted to be proposed to is i-Shine, because that is the place that means so much to her (she has volunteered since the start of i-Shine). Burry was also an i-Shine volunteer in high school. He got the i-Shine kids involved in the surprise proposal, and the engagement took place at i-Shine. It was post hurricane. We were so depressed and really beaten up by the ravages of that storm. In addition to dealing with illness, our i-Shine families had to deal with other physical devastation, that of their homes. Many of our i-Shine families’ houses were destroyed and they had to live at other people’s homes. Finding accommodations for these families at a moment’s notice was particularly challenging since they needed wheelchair accessible homes. Some of our families were forced to live apart from one another because the wheelchair accessible homes did not have enough room to house all the members of the family. Participating in the culmination of something as beautiful as

the pledge of true love was awe inspiring and infused joy and hope in all who witnessed it.

But by far, the greatest gift this young couple gave was to the young girl who reenacted the role of Danielle. I will refer to the child as D for confidentiality reasons. Her mother had passed away about a month ago. This young lady, who loves to act and sing, had to give up her part in the school production, because of the laws of mourning. D was so upset about that (you could see it in her eyes when she told us about it), but she did what was expected of her and did not complain. At i-Shine, in order for Burry’s proposal plot to be successful, he needed D to act out the role of Danielle, in this life altering play. Danielle had been her volunteer when she began iShine (when her mother was first diagnosed six years ago). Her mother’s entire being and purpose in life was to spread joy and love of all human beings. Mrs. B (her mother) would race from chemo wards to far away weddings to dance for the bride and groom. When she did this, you could almost see the soul of these young kids jumping out to smile with their every fiber. Having played the role of

Parshat Noach comes alive at i-Shine.

Danielle, D was able to continue her mother’s legacy of being “mesamach the chatan and kallah” even though D would never have been permitted to attend a wedding this year outside of i-Shine. I cry every time I think of that day and what it meant not only to Burry and Danielle, but to all of us.

I-Shine looks forward to an upcoming Chanukah Chagigah on 12/12/12 for families of kids, volunteers and their families and drivers and their families.

“Volunteers, drivers, vendors. I feel so great to see how much good there is in people. It’s such a gratifying feeling. It gives my whole cancer a purpose. I never asked why I had cancer. I guess I was waiting for the answer and I realize that i-Shine was the answer,” remarked Intrator.

“If the world ran like i-Shine then moshiach would come,” expressed Zhiren.

The i-Shine founders join other honorees being recognized for their commitment to the cause. For information about attending the 2012 Annual Gala please visit www. chaidinner.org.

Long time volunteers Burry Klein and Danielle Schwartz got engaged at the place that means so much to them.

Shmuli and Avi Glick are ferocious at i-Shine’s Chanukah Chagiga last year.

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Inside Chanukah - A complete historical presentation texts, and the historical context of the holiday.

Also to be found, are detailed descriptions of the laws and practices that give the holiday its unique flavor and image. All of this is presented with relevant historical background and geographic detail in plain and clear English, absent the technical jargon so common in other works. And there is much more.

One fascinating chapter is “section seven” wherein is found the answers to the following two pivotal questions: 1.“Why does Chanukah always coincide with the parashiyot that tell the story of Joseph [ Vayeshev, Mikeitz, and Vayigash] ?

2.“What is the underlying parallel between Chanukah and these three parashiyot, which, depending on the year, we read during Chanukah ?”

Each one of these three Torah portions are given detailed analytical treatment, in a question and answer format, that serves to further expand the reader’s knowledge of the basic themes and teachings of this holiday.

This chapter not only helps us to gain a better perspective of Chanukah’s importance, it also gives us a better and deeper appreciation of the whole story of Joseph in its theological, as well as historical, perspective, especially in light of the Chanukah episode.

Another unique feature that is presented in this work, is a detailed English commen-

tary of the famed piyut of praise, “Maoz Tzur,” which, in and of itself, serves as a history-based timeline of the Jewish people.

This most informative and learned commentary is based upon the interpretations found in Siddur Avodat Yisrael; Yalkut Ohr HaGanuz L’Yemei Chanukah; Rabbi Avraham Rosenwasser’s Sefer Pardes HaChanukah; and Rabbi Tzvi Cohen’s Chanukah: Halachot U’Minhagim.

Hopefully this commentary compilation of Maoz Tzur will eventually find its way into standard siddurim for the edification of all.

Note is made by the author of those whose scholarship was referenced in the compilation of this great work. Among those cited and acknowledged with grace are Rabbi Dr. Berel Wein of the Discovery Institute in Jerusalem, Dr. Shnayer Leiman of Brooklyn College, and the dean of American Jewish historians, Dr. Louis Feldman of Yeshiva University.

While otherwise not cited directly, the introductory essay, “Judaism vs. Hellenism,” seems to reflect collectively the work of these three outstanding scholars and surely deserves your attention. Further, as a tribute to Rabbi Strickoff’s meticulous scholarship, we find in his “Author’s Note” that follows this essay, a series of qualifications concerning some of the historical terms used in this

FOR FURTHER STUDY Recognizing that the City of Jerusalem is at the geographic center of the Chanukah study, two very important works concerning Ir Yerushalayim deserve your attention. Both are authored by Ahron Horowitz, the director of the City of David Institute for Jerusalem Studies [Megalim].These two works, “City of David: The Story of Ancient Jerusalem” and “Discovering the City of David: A Journey to the Source,” gives you a front row view of what ancient Jerusalem was like, based upon the work of Megalim and the archaeological discoveries that they are involved in. Their project site, located near the Kotel, is a must visit for anyone seriously interested in the history of Jerusalem.

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abbi Aryeh Pinchas Strickoff, author of the recently published work, “Inside Chanukah: Fascinating and Intriguing Insights on Chanukah, Its Miracles, and its History” [Feldheim 2012] perhaps said it best in his perceptive opening preface: “Jewish holidays serve a much loftier purpose than simply marking special moments in time or commemorating historical events, though those functions are no doubt important. The fundamental goal of celebrating the Jewish holidays is the internalization of the specific messages each respectively imparts, to help us grow spiritually and ultimately draw closer to G-d. The holiday of Chanukah is no different. During the cold and dark days of the month of Kislev, Chanukah comes with its message of hope and lights to inspire every Jew to recognize the enormous potential within his soul.”

Alan Jay Gerber Within the contents of this large and comprehensive 700 page work can be found just about every major topic and teaching related to the Chanukah story. From ritual practice to history, the author brings to the lay reader a fully annotated work of pure scholarship that includes 700 fully annotated footnotes, textual sources that include historical texts and their background, Talmudic and Rabbinic texts, a Torah perspective on the holiday’s historical

THE JEWISH STAR November 30, 2012 • 16 KISLEV 5773

The Kosher Bookworm

work. One in particular deserves mention in its entirety, as a crucial lesson for us to learn when studying the history of Chanukah.

“Unless otherwise noted, references in this sefer to ‘Yavan’ [literally, Greece] generally refers to the Syrian-Greek kingdom ruled

by Antiochus from his capital city Antioch in Syria that dominated the Land of Israel during the time of Chanukah.

After the demise of Alexander the Great, his great Greek kingdom was divided amongst his three generals, creating three separate and independent Greek kingdoms in Asia Minor, Egypt, and Syria respectively.

Thus, it is important to specify which kingdom one is referring to when using the term Yavan for the Greeks during that time period.

Alternatively, as it may apply in the context, Yavan may also refer to Greek culture and society in general.”

This carefully crafted qualification makes this entire work a must read this coming Chanukah. The intellectual integrity that is at the foundation of this work, makes it one of the best Chanukah books ever authored in English for the Jewish layperson.

November 30, 2012 • 16 KISLEV 5773 THE JEWISH STAR

12

Dec 2 Cedarhurst The Levi Yitzchak Family Center The innovative Jewish Library and Media Center. will be celebrating its 2nd Anniversary The Library’s anniversary coincides with what would have been the Bar Mitzvah of the Library’s namesake Levi Yitzchak Wolowik O”BM. Levi Yitzchak is the son of Rabbi Zalman and Chanie Wolowik, the Chabad Shluchim for the Five Towns.

To mark the occasion, the Library is planning a day of events, workshops and festivities for children of all ages. The theme of the day will relate to a Bar Mitzvah and will include activities that relate to 13 mitzvos that will be highlighted throughout the library. Children young and old will have the opportunity to perform Mitzvos such as Tefilah, Ahavas Yisrael and Simcha in the library. It’s sure to be an event you don’t want to miss.

ON THE

Calendar Submit your shul or organization’s events or shiurim to jscalendar@thejewishstar.com.

Deadline is Wednesday of the week prior to publication.

The library will be opened special this Motzei Shabbos from 8:00 p.m. – 11 p.m. For a creative Chanukah gift come in and buy a Library membership for your loved ones.

Visit www.lylibrary.org, call (516)374-2665 or stop by to learn more about membership, dedication and volunteer opportunities.

HOURS: Sunday: 11-5, Monday: Closed to the public, Open for class trips, Tuesday: 117, Wednesday: 11-5:30, Thursday: 11-7.

For more information or to learn about upcoming events please call: (516) 374-BOOK (2665) or email: info@lylibrary.org

Manhattan American Friends of Bet El 30th Annual Dinner Our heartland needs your help more than ever Featured Speaker Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann Marriott Marquis Broadway at 46th Street 5:00 p.m.

Call today (718) 482-4134 or (718) 2688291 or Fax:(718) 482-2750

Dec 3 Hewlett Hadassah Come and bring a friend to Devora group of Hewlett Hadassah’s pre-Chanuka shopping and chocolate evening at Breezy’s on Central Avenue, Cedarhurst. Enjoy a hands on chocolate making workshop and turn your holiday shopping into a mitzvah- all purchases benefit Hadassah! $36 couvert, 7 :30 p.m. RSVP Miriam mimihadassah@ gmail.com or 569-9343

Dec 4 Chai Lifeline Annual Gala Celebrating Hope Marriott Marquis Broadway at 46th Street Reception 6:00 p.m.

Dinner 7:15 p.m.

For more information please visit www. chaidinner.org

Dec 9-14, 2012 Cedarhurst The Chanukah Experience Come to the Chanukah Experience where you will have the opportunity to make Chanukah crafts, play games, fry Latkes, and decorate cookies and much more. Participate in the first 6 foot Friendship Menorah.

Fun for the whole family $5 per person for a 1½ hour time slot To Be Announced Sunday-Tuesday 12/9-12/11 opening at 10 am closing at 8 pm Wednesday 12/12 opening at 10 am closing at 4:45 pm Thursday 12/13 opening at 10 am closing at 8 pm Friday 12/14 opening at 10 am closing at 1:15 pm 516-295-2478 or www.chabad5towns.com

Cedarhurst Friendship Circle Holiday Program A Chanukah program for children with special needs. Come to the Chanukah Experience where you will have the opportunity to make Chanukah crafts, play games, fry Latkes, and decorate cookies and much more.

The Chanukah Experience 5:15-6:30 pm Call Batsheva at 516 295-2478*13 or email her at batsheva@chabadfivetowns.com

Long Beach may still be reeling from the thrashing of Hurricane Sandy, but the Young Israel of Long Beach, spared from serious water damage, was and is an island of aid in the midst of the devastation there. Hundreds of volunteers come to help L.B.

Dec 8 6th Annual Great Menorah Car Parade Chabad of Merrick, Bellmore, Wantagh Led by 2 limousines with rooftop Menorahs, leading to the lighting of the Merrick Chamber’s 12 FT Menorah!

Participants will spread the light of Chanukah as they travel in convoy from the Merrick Golf Course Parking Lot to the Merrick LIRR (on Sunrise Highway & Merrick Ave.) culminating in the kindling of the 12 foot Menorah. Dignitaries and community leaders will give their greetings at this special lighting ceremony. There will be music, hot latkes, and dancing! There is no cost for this event, and sponsorships are available.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Chana at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life, (516) 833-3057 or log on to: www.

ChabadJewishLife.org or e-mail programs@ chabadjewishlife.org

Dec 8-15, 2012 Cedarhurst Grand Menorah Lighting Community leaders and dignitaries light the largest Menorah in town. There will be

music, hot latkes and gifts for children Andrew J. Parise Park Nightly at 6:00 pm; Friday at 3:00 pm 516-295-2478 or www.chabad5towns.com

Dec 9 Chabad of Merrick, Bellmore, Wantagh Chabad’s 6th Annual Chanukah Wonderland All are invited to help fill the world’s largest Coin-Orah – that is, a Menorah filled to the brim with coins and bills. Proceeds to benefit Circle of Hope (a new center for Merrick-Bellmore-Wantagh which provides support for breast cancer patients, their families, and the community) 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

At the “Clubhouse at the Merrick Park Golf Course” at 2550 Clubhouse Rd, Merrick, young and old will have a blast filling the world’s largest Coin-Orah with coins and watching a Latka Making Demo too! They will also experience Chanukah through hands-on Chanukah arts & crafts, donut decorating, face painting, photo-op with the Coin-Orah and more. Suggested donation is $7 per child or $18 per family, and sponsorships are available. For more information or to RSVP, contact Chana at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life, (516) 833-3057 or log on to: www.ChabadJewishLife.org or e-mail programs@chabadjewishlife.org

Dec 12 Chabad of Merrick, Bellmore, Wantagh An Evening of Dreidels and Kindness, for women & girls At the ground floor of the Clubhouse at the Merrick Golf Course (2550 Clubhouse Rd, Merrick), Jewish women & girls will enjoy an evening of Dreidels, Latkes & Chanukah fun, while also thinking of others - by helping to wrap “We Care” blankets for pediatric cancer patients. Suggested donation is $10 per person. For more information or to RSVP, contact Chana at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life, (516) 833-3057 or log on to: www.ChabadJewishLife.org or e-mail programs@chabadjewishlife.org

HAVING AN EVENT? Submit your shul or organization’s events or shiurim to jscalendar@thejewishstar.com.

Deadline is Wednesday of the week prior to publication.

13

If your name was Zack Baumel, Tzvi Feldman, or Yehuda Katz, this could well be your daily routine; a routine you might still be living with, since the battle of Sultan Yaakov, in 1982.

These men, Israel’s MIAs, (along with Ron Arad and Guy Chever) represent the challenge of being alone. There is little in this world that is more challenging, more painful, and more overwhelming, than the feeling of being alone.

Indeed, the only thing ever described in the Torah as being ‘not good,’ is being alone.

“Lo Tov heyot Ha’Adam levado” (Genesis 2:18) “It is not good for man to be alone.”

All of which makes Yaakov’s experience in this week’s portion all the more challenging.

“Va’Yivater Ya’akov Levado, Va’yeavek Ish imo ad alot Hashachar” “And Yaakov remained all alone, and wrestled or struggled with a man until dawn.”

(Genesis 32:25)

Who was this man? And what was this struggle? And most of all, how came Yaakov to be left all alone in the middle of the night?

Yaakov, finally returning home to Israel after 22 long years of exile, is confronted with the imminent encounter with his brother Esav. The same Esav who, 22 years earlier, upon discovering Yaakov’s usurping of the birthright blessings, swore he would one day gloat over Yaakov’s corpse.

And Esav isn’t just ‘out there somewhere’ to be considered; he’s heading Yaakov’s way with four hundred fighting men. And it appears they mean business.

So Yaakov is terrified: “Vayira Yaakov me’od, vayetzer lo.”

“And Yaakov was very afraid, and a panic seized him.” (Genesis 32:8) Recognizing the need for action, Yaakov splits his camp in two, reasoning that if Esav and his men mean harm, they will confront one of the camps, and the other will be able to escape, ensuring that the Jewish people will survive this night.

So how and why is Yaakov then left all alone? Why is he not with at least one of the two camps, taking responsibility for the struggle and delegating the other camp to one of his sons?

And what is Yaakov so afraid of? How can Yaakov, having been promised by G-d that all will be well, and that he will father the Jewish people, be afraid? The same Yaakov promised by G-d “I will be with you” (“VeE’heyeh Imach”; Genesis 28:15) is ‘filled with fear’?

And who is he afraid of? Esav?

Rav Soleveitchik, z”l, suggests a fascinating answer. The identity of the ‘man’ Yaakov struggles with is so unclear, because that man is none other than Yaakov himself. Yaakov’s struggle here is with himself. When all is said and done, Yaakov realizes that he is alone.

After 22 years in the house of Lavan, perhaps Yaakov is struggling to figure out who he really is. Yaakov goes down to the house of Lavan dreaming of ladders with angels, but he leaves 22 years later dreaming of sheep and money. Has Yaakov the dweller of tents (which tradition teaches us refers to Yaakov’s spiritual nature) become Yaakov the ‘man of the field’?

This question is one Yaakov has been struggling with all his life.

Yaakov is described in the Torah as “a pure soul, a dweller of tents,” nearly the antithesis of his brother Esav, (the “hunter, and man of the field”; Genesis 25:27) And when Yitzchak their father wants to give the blessings to Esav, Yaakov’s mother, Rivkah, convinces Yaakov that he needs to ‘become’ Esav, to receive the blessings. One wonders how much of ‘Esav’ Yaakov has become; And how Yaakov must feel, knowing that his own mother wants him to ‘become’ his brother.

And then Yaakov, having found his true love Rachel, is forced by her father Lavan to marry her sister Leah instead. So for seven years Yaakov ends up being the husband he doesn’t want to be instead of the lover he wishes he were.

In fact, Yaakov is born trying to be someone he isn’t. The Torah tells us he is called Yaakov because he is born clutching the heel (‘Akev’ in Hebrew) of the first-born Esav (Genesis 25:26). Yaakov, even in birth, wants to be the first-born, the Bechor, but is relegated to being the younger. So who really is Yaakov? Perhaps Yaakov is struggling with who he is meant to be.

Maybe Yaakov is wondering: am I still that same Yaakov? Or have I become the Esav I ran from? Has Lavan, whose name means deception, ended up influencing me far more

than I had imagined?

Sometimes we look back at whom we thought we wanted to be, the model of who we dreamed we could become, and we wonder where that person got lost.

Maybe the reason being alone is the only thing the Torah describes as ‘no good’ is because if I think I am alone, then I just don’t get it.

When Hashem created the world he saw it ‘was good.’ Which is strange, because almost immediately, we started doing all sorts of things that weren’t so good. We ate from the wrong tree, Cain killed Abel, and pretty soon there is a flood that destroys the world.

G-d created an obviously imperfect world; He didn’t finish the job. So what was so good?

If everything was created perfect, if it was all already as good as it could get, then what purpose would we have in this world? That existence would have been terribly lonely.

And to be lonely is ‘no good.’

Very often, people think that they can do it all alone. Prior to World War Two, America pursued a policy of isolationism, believing each nation should be responsible for its own affairs. Imagine how different the world would be if America had realized the fallacy of this approach a mere three years earlier, standing up to Hitler in 1939, instead of 1942. Quite possibly, we would be 20 million lives richer.

Isolationism wasn’t invalid just because it was wrong; it was invalid because it just isn’t true. We are not and cannot be isolated nations.

We are really one world, all a part of, and affected by, everyone else. And the more we learn to discover who we are, and how we

can help and give to each other, the more we create the type of world we are meant to build. And that was both the struggle and the dream of Yaakov.

These past weeks, once again, as missiles fall on the cities of Israel, and children huddle in bomb shelters, Israel has had to remember once again, that we alone must take a stand and determine our destiny. And yet, we are not alone; both because G-d is always with us, as well as because there are many in the world who stand with us and that is a good thing. We dream of peace, and yet, we must once again be prepared for war. We long to live the life of Yaakov, dwelling in our tents, and yet we must be willing to take up the hands of Esav….

Twenty two years after Yaakov dreamed of ladders and angels, after a long bitter journey of deceit and exile, the man who has learned how to live in the field, gets back in touch with the dweller of tents he had once been. Struggling in the night, in the darkness of lonely introspection, Yaakov demonstrates that it is never too late to get back in touch with the ‘me’ we all once dreamed we could be.

May Hashem bless us all with the peace we so long for, soon….

Shabbat Shalom Binny Freedman Rav Binny Freedman, Rosh Yeshivat Orayta in Jerusalem’s Old City is a Company Commander in the IDF reserves, and lives in Efrat with his wife Doreet and their four children.

His weekly Internet ‘Parsha Bytes’ can be found at www.orayta.org

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old; so cold it cuts through the rags that were once clothes, straight to the bone.

There was a time this cold so occupied your very being, you could concentrate on nothing else. But that was long ago.

Darkness; so dark it sometimes seems more than the mere absence of light; it seems almost tangible. You vaguely recall a time when you were obsessed with determining exactly where you were, pacing in the FROM THE HEART darkness to examine OF JERUSALEM your environs. You figured out you were in some sort of a concrete cell, perhaps six feet square, but not much more than that. You used to wonder what color the walls were, never having been allowed to see them, but that curiosity has long ago been replaced with more basic needs.

Something scurries Rabbi Binny across the stone floor, Freedman running across your bare foot. There was a time your screams would then echo into the darkness, but you no longer have the energy to even react.

You don’t know what time it is, you don’t know what day it is; you’re not even sure what year it is. You used to try to figure out what season it was, and whether the cold damp on the walls and in the air was an indication of winter, but it seems to be cold here year round.

And even if you could figure out what season it was, or even what year; what difference would that make?

Does anyone know you are here? Does anyone still care? Could today be your birthday?

Is anyone still thinking of you? Do they remember you?

A sudden noise, the sound of metal on concrete, as a tray with some undistinguishable food substance slides through a slot in the cell door. You never figured out how they do that without making a sound, or letting in any light. You used to call out, screaming into the darkness, hoping for any response, any human voice…

Sudden panic; what if you are blind? What if they blinded you only it was so long ago, you just don’t remember? What if you are mad?

The panic begins to rise, threatening to overwhelm you, and not for the first or even the thousandth time, you manage to get a grip, and hang on. But for how long? And to what end?

THE JEWISH STAR November 30, 2012 • 16 KISLEV 5773

Struggling in the night

November 30, 2012 • 16 KISLEV 5773 THE JEWISH STAR

14

Parshat Vayishlach

Hebrew only please!

Coming of age properly I

recently overheard two fathers of teenagers comparing their approaches to their sons’ shul attendance on Sundays and other “days off.” One of them came to me afterwards to discuss his related concerns about “texting on Shabbos.”

With a little insight from Parshat Vayishlach, perhaps there is a simple answer to both questions. I accept that I may be hopelessly naïve. But the stand I propose at the end of this will not be, if followed, what turns your children away from Judaism. Much bigger issues bring about such a result. Having said that, let us see how we can find parentinginspiration from our forefather Yaakov.

One theme in Vayishlach is the comingRabbi Avi Billet of-age of Yaakov’s children.

Unlike in Vayetze, where they appear as backdrops in the narrative of events in Padam Aram, in Vayishlach, we see an entirely different story. Consider: Reuven and Bilhah, Shimon and Levi in Shechem, all the brothers dealing with the prince of Shechem, and Yosef being singled out as the last son to meet Eisav. Even Dinah’s experience in Shechem, while tragic, is arguably her initiation into the “real world.”

The brothers, collectively, plunder the city of Shechem and are later asked by their father to remove the idols that they have from their midst.

Yaakov’s role as parent is fascinating, at times very active, and at times quite passive.

Immediately after dividing into two camps, Yaakov prays to the G-d of his fathers (32:10-12). Through remembering his roots in front of his children, he is demonstrating his understanding of why he is in this situation and the expectation he has from the G-d Who promised to watch over him and his children.

Whether Yaakov was crippled (end of Ch. 32) in order that he may: experience the promise G-d made to him (Chizkuni), be shown he would not be defeated (Radak), or ultimately win in a confrontation (Yalkut Shimoni), all help Yaakov realize that you can’t run from your fears. In facing his brother with one unified camp, scrapping the twocamps plan, he models and teaches his children that if you boldly face what you think is your greatest fear, you may find that the only thing you really feared, if I may borrow from FDR, was fear itself. Facing one’s destiny is more important than running like a coward.

When his injured “gid hanasheh” prevented him from running, he became emboldened and confronted his brother in the open field. Abstaining from eating this nerve of an animal could be a reminder that cowardice is unbecoming of those who are G-d-fearing.

Yaakov takes the sidelines in allowing his sons to deal with Shechem. They speak “b’mirmah” – using tricks – (as did their fa-

ther to Yitzchak (see 27:35)) and they bring justice against those who defiled their sister (34:27). Their father is disappointed in their choices, but they literally get the final word (34:31). It seems that they took the teachings of their father – to use trickery, to stand up to those who oppress you or who want to make your life miserable – and they run with it.

In the final tale, when G-d tells Yaakov to go to Bet-El to make an altar to his G-d, Yaakov tells his sons to remove the idolatrous images they have (35:2). They listen! They give them to him, and he buries them under a tree!

Yaakov has modeled a line of behavior for his children. They learn from his example, they take his lead. They are not perfect, and they make choices he doesn’t like. But when he tells them to give him precious items because they conflict with the prayers he will soon engage in, or because they don’t fit in to the mood of the household, they acquiesce – no questions asked.

Parents of children who are coming of age certainly notice the changes they go through.

Hopefully, parents give children the freedom to make choices (and to make mistakes!), but hopefully both parents and children respect one another and have the ability to communicate with one another in general and about what is important to them.

Claiming you don’t want to make your child go to shul for a 9 a.m. (or later!) minyan on a Sunday because you’re afraid of losing your relationship with your son, seems silly to me. Your kid davens (or attends davening) in school every day of the week. Sunday is the day you show your kid that you daven, too! And that it isn’t a day off for him or for you!

Finally, if Yaakov could convince his sons to give up golden images and jewelry, which did not jive with the home he was building, I see no reason why the texting on Shabbos “problem” is a problem. Every home can have an “off-limits-on-Shabbos” box, and every cell phone, tablet, etc. in the house is placed there before Shabbos.

The same parents who pay their kids’ cellphone bills and give their kids credit cards should have every say as to when the phone is on and off-limits.

Yaakov buried objects that were far more precious, for the sake of preparing for serving the G-d that protected him and his family through the years. Shabbos is the day we serve the G-d that has protected and sustained our families through the years. If we are afraid of our children or can’t bring ourselves to put up simple guidelines that bring the family on the same page in terms of prayer and Shabbos, we are doing something very wrong as parents.

Despite all the problems, “Yaakov’s sons were twelve.” (35:12) With G-d’s help, and properly standing for what “our family believes in,” we should merit to raise children who not only follow our examples for the good, but who surpass our expectations in their observance of the Torah, their relationships with G-d, and their religious life.

The 29th of November The extreme Charedi opposition towards the Zionist movement and the State of Israel stems from the Gemara in Ketubot 111a, which relates three oaths, seemingly indicating that the Jewish people were sworn not to rebel against the nations, nor to force their way into the Land of Israel, which they claim the ZIonist movement did. There are many refutations of this argument; suffice for now to recall the Balfour Declaration of 1917, the San Remo conference of 1920, and the United Nations vote in November 1947, all calling for a National Home for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel.

By Rabbi Noam Himelstein

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK The Jewish Star newspaper (Long Island, NY)

Rabbi Noam Himelstein studied in Yeshivat Har Etzion and served in the Tanks Corps of the IDF. He has taught in yeshiva high schools, post-high school women’s seminaries, and headed the Torah MiTzion Kollel in Melbourne, Australia. He currently teaches at Yeshivat Orayta in Jerusalem, and lives with his wife and six children in Neve Daniel, Gush Etzion.

15

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This year Chai Lifeline will touch the lives of more than 4,300 children and families around the corner and across the globe.

Become a partner. See how much more we can do together.

Please join us for a very special evening that brings hope and help to Chai Lifeline’s children and families around the world.

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CHAI HERITAGE AWARD

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N E W YO R K C I T Y

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I-SHINE FOUNDERS AWARD

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MAIMONIDES LEGACY AWARD

CAMP SIMCHA APPRECIATION AWARD

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Regional Executive Director - Western Region Senior Vice President for Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Services North Shore - LIJ Health System

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DINNER CHAIRS

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DINNER CHAIRS

DINNER CHAIRS

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CAMPAIGN CHAIRS

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CHAIRMAN OF THE MEDICAL TRIBUTE COMMITTEE

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