December 23, 2011

Telethon highlights local talent Page 3 Dunetz: An ApPAULing candidate Page 5 Bookworm: Good reads for Chanukah Page 15 Chanukah illuminated Page 18

THE JEWISH

STAR

VOL 10, NO 49 ■ DECEMBER 23, 2011 / 27 KISLEV, 5772

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Opinion leaders offer their solutions to Israeli PR

An illuminated welcome Richner Communications, our parent company, recently hosted a Chanukah/Meet the New Publisher party at Traditions Restaurant in Lawrence, where Karen C. Green was welcomed by local community leaders, including Rabbi Heshy Blumstein of Young Israel of Hewlett. Story, more photos, page 3.

By Sergey Kadinsky When Israeli naval commandos intercepted the “Gaza Freedom Flotilla” in May 2010, worldwide condemnation was swift. Reacting to the news, 5WPR executive Ronn Torossian called his contacts at the Israeli Ministry of foreign affairs. “Public relations shakes minds and builds brands. It took two days for the IDF to release a video of the raid in a world of blogging and tweeting,” Torossian said. “Israel has to do more to help itself.”

Torossian spoke on the failings of Israeli public relations at a Dec. 15 forum coordinated by Algemeiner weekly newspaper and its parent, the Gershon Jacobson Jewish Continuity Foundation, at the Fifth Avenue Synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Wall Street Continued on page 17

Photo by Susan Grieco

Mayim Bialik’s journey

By Brigitte Fixler

Photo courtesy Baruch Ezagui

5WPR founder Ronn Torossian, Wall Street Journal opinion editor James Taranto, and prominent criminal defense attorney Benjamin Brafman.

Every last seat was occupied in the Young Israel of West Hempstead kiddush room on Dec. 18. The enraptured audience laughed and nodded their heads as they learned of one woman’s path to observant Judaism. Actress Mayim Bialik isn’t really a socially inept nerd… she only plays one on television.

Bialik, an actress on the hit show The Big Bang Theory, led the sold-out audience along her journey from 14-yearold Blossom star to religious wife and mother. The program was the first shul event of this magnitude to ever be completely sold out, according to organizers from the YIWH Sisterhood.

Bialik, who was raised in a Reform household, started acting as a child. At the age of 12, she auditioned for Beaches. Bialik got the part, and laughingly

told the audience that the film came out the week of her bat-mitzvah.

“If there’s a moment you can pinpoint where life will never be the same, that was it,” Bialik said. “The movie came out, and [afterwards] I was offered my own TV show [Blossom]. I didn’t picture I’d have my own show at 14.”

After finishing Blossom at the age of 19, Bialik went on to college at UCLA. She joined the Hillel to get involved socially, and it was there that she met a modern Orthodox rabbi for the first time. Bialik gradually started learning more about Judaism, and formed several chevrutas.

As a child, Bialik had gone to Hebrew school, and said she was “that kid who really liked it.” Yet, she didn’t learn much about her Jewish heritage Continued on page 8

Photo by Alyson Goodman

Mayim Bialik impressed the audience with her story of personal observance.

Shabbat Candlelighting: 4:13 p.m. Shabbat ends 5:18 p.m. 72 minute zman 5:45 p.m. Torah Reading Parshat Miketz This week is Chanukah

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Hatzalah, as always, there for us

Join the thousands of homeowners who have saved up to $700 on their annual home energy costs*

By Karen C. Green Fulfilling a desire to be there for people in their time of need, Lawrence resident Rabbi Elozer Kanner, has served as a volunteer for Hatzalah of the Rockaways and Nassau County for26 years,. Along with fellow coordinators Louis Wolcowitz and Mark Gross, Rabbi Kanner’s most recent campaign is aimed at delivering the message that “They (Hatzalah) were there for me when I called them, they’re there for me even when I don’t need them. Rabbi Kanner points out that the potential for need is greater than actuality in every circumstance.

Hatzalah recently raised $750,000 to replace three ambulances. Their most recent campaign was dedicated to raising an additional $750,000 to replace 30 Lifepak 12s with 30 Lifepak 15s.

Just about the size of a rollable suitcase, the Lifepak15 is a cardiac monitor that does a host of things that its predecessor could not . Rabbi Kanner is quick to make the point that many of us aren’t comfortable driving a car that is more than 5 years old, and we shouldn’t be complacent with a 15 year old piece of equipment that is crucial in saving a life. Paramedic Shlomo Katz appreciated the difference a cardiac monitor makes and undertook an initiative to raise the necessary funds. He went from shul to shul, lobbying for the need for funding and successfully raised the requisite amount.

At the May fundraiser, Woodmere resident Charlie Harary noted that Hatzalah services everyone, regardless of their financial contribution to the organization. “There is no connection between service and support,� Rabbi Kanner said.

He also makes special mention of the rule that if a responder takes money, or a donation at a call, it’s grounds for immediate dismissal. “We are supported in advance to be prepared in case the public needs us, there is no quid pro quo.�

In 2010, Hatzalah responded to 4600 calls.

Staffed with 100 trained responders, 23 of whom are paramedics or doctors, they are proud of their seven fully equipped ambulances, two housed in Woodmere, one in Belle Harbor and four in Far Rockaway.

Addressing a wide variety of medical concerns, some emergent in nature and some less acute, Hatzalah has responded to the latter concern by way of the Shabbos Taxi Voucher program. In conjunction with Towne Taxi of Lawrence, a person seeking medical attention but not acute may call this taxi service indicating that Hatzalah recommended them. Towne Taxi in turn bills Hatzalah. In many cases, a patient who gets brought in on Shabbat may have to go home. This program has cost Hatzalah upwards of $18,000 a year.

Looking ahead, Hatzalah’s latest undertaking is a two-year project to build a new building at its new location in Woodmere, at the intersection of West Broadway and Grant Avenue.

Having successfully battled in the courts against a NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) pushback, Hatzalah looks forward to begining construction, though no groundbreaking date has been set.

Rabbi Kanner is adamant about Hatzalah’s sensitivity to the neighbors at its existing locations. “We come and go as quietly as possible.�

Hatzalah aims to go to the nearest hospital. “We walk a narrow line between patient safety and accommodating patient’s choice,� Rabbi Kanner said. “When it’s medically feasible we try to accommodate a patient choice.�

Consistent with Chanukah, celebrating the festival of lights, Rabbi Kanner implores residents to have a well-lit and clearly visible home address sign or numbers. “We need to be able to find you in order to help you!� He also stresses the importance of checking the batteries on Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors. Lastly but very important, is the issue of unblocking caller IDs. When caller IDs are not blocked, Hatzalah’s Computer Dispatch System can be the difference in saving lives.

For more information about supporting Hatzalah, please go to their website www.hatzalahrl.org.

NYSERDA’S HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STARŽ PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE NATION’S LEADERS IN MAKING HOMES MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT. Most New Yorkers qualify for a free or reduced-cost comprehensive home assessment, also referred to as an energy audit, and low-interest loans.** Additionally, participants may be eligible for cash-back incentives. All our Home Performance contractors are accredited by the Building Performance Institute.

For complete information, go to nyserda.ny.gov/residential or call 1-877-NY-SMART. 524545

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* Actual savings may vary based upon efficiency measures selected, age of home, appliances, equipment and other factors.

A participating contractor can help evaluate potential savings. ** Financing, energy audits, and workforce development opportunities made available through the Green Jobs-Green NY Act of 2009.

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December 23, 2011 â&#x20AC;˘ 27 KISLEV, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

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The Jewish Star’s Meet the New Publisher Party hosted guests representing all facets of the community. Community leaders, Rebbeim, Village and elected officials, law enforcement and valued merchants enjoyed a festive evening at Traditions Restaurant in Lawrence.

Richner Communications Presidents Stuart and Cliff Richner joined all in attendance

in welcoming Karen Green to the paper.

Karen welcomed guests who came out in her honor and spoke of the importance of the local economy to Nassau County. Consistent with Chanukah, Green’s immediate vision for The Jewish Star is to illuminate the readership and serve as a beacon of light to our communities.

Photos by Susan Grieco

Stuart Richner, Cliff Richner, Karen Green enjoying the evening with Lawrence Mayor Martin Oliner, Village of Cedarhurst Trustee Myrna Zisman and District Court Judge Andrew Engel.

Rabbi Gedalia Oppen, Principal of HAFTR HS, welcomes Karen Green.

Jonathan Greenstein, of J. Greenstein Gallery in Cedarhurst talks antique menorahs with Rabbi Anchelle Perl, and Cliff Richner.

One Israel Fund Executive Director Scott Feltman discusses security issues with Nassau County Detectives Association past president Tom Willdigg.

The Green Mishpocha. Rachel, Rebecca, Benjamin and their father David express support for their mother, wife and new publisher.

Representing Merrick, Congregation Ohav Shalom members Hope and Adam Greenberg wish Karen mazel tov.

Cedarhurst Mayor Andrew J. Parise and Community Chest Executive Director Bob Block toast the new publisher.

Richner Communications Presidents Stuart and Cliff Richner host a lovely evening in honor of Karen.

Village of Cedarhurst Deputy Mayor Benjamin Weinstock and Stuart Richner enjoy the evening.

Victor Deutsch of Mister Promotions, JCRC Village Trustee LI rep David Neuman, Community leader Cedarhurst Israel Wasser and Det Lt. Gary Shapiro of the Myrna Zisman shares a proud moment with the new publisher.

NCPD’s Community Affairs unit.

Jerry and ‘Who’s In The Kitchen’ columnist Judy Joszef, Young Israel of North Woodmere executive board member Edy Blady, and West Hempstead residents Ilyce and Jerry Richter enjoying a great evening of laughter and celebration.

Friends David and Judy Lazaros of JGL Interiors in Cedarhurst enjoy the evening’s festivities.

Sister and niece of the new publisher, Eileen and Caroline Billinson were surprise guests, all the way from Virgina.

THE JEWISH STAR December 23, 2011 • 27 KISLEV, 5772

Meet the Publisher

December 23, 2011 • 27 KISLEV, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

4

Opinion Chanukah in Israel:

“There were no latkes!”

By Malka Eisenberg In a talk about the importance and symbolism of Chanukah and its ties to the Jewish home, Rabbi Zev Leff of Moshav Matityahu exhorted listeners to think, “I’m important because Hashem made me important and I have the responsibility to bring light outside to others. The Jewish home inspires us and inspires us to inspire others.”

On Dec. 7, Kehilas Bais Yehudah Tzvi in Cedarhurst hosted a Rabbi Leff in a lecture sponsored by Project inspire, speaking on the history and lessons of Chanukah and the importance and its connection with the Jewish home. He noted the strength of the Bait Yehudi in protecting and uniting the Jewish family and the importance of projecting that holiness outside to positively influence others.

“When I moved to Eretz Yisroel about 30 years ago,” he recounted, “One of the great culture shocks was Chanukah. There were no latkes, just jelly donuts; it was really disturbing. Until I passed an army base and saw a sign that said, in Hebrew, ‘latkes.’”

The Israeli driver noted that the sign said “to the ceremony” or “latekes” in Hebrew. “I’m sure that if you put a wick in a latke it will last for thirty days,” he continued but pointed out that the jelly donut is probably more significant because it’s “what’s inside that counts.”

Rabbi Leff pointed out that the threat of the Greeks was in their influence even before their decrees against Judaism, that they were not bent on physically destroying but rather spiritually destroying the Jews. Their emphasis was on the importance of the physical, the antithesis of Judaism, noting that yavan spelled backwards is noy or beauty. The laws enacted by the Greeks were against Shabbat “the neshama of the world,” brit milah, “the body’s connection to the Ribbono Shel Olam,” Rosh Chodesh since time is the “fourth dimension…we infuse time with holiness” and the purity and holiness of marriage, the foundation of kedushat Yisrael.

“When the Jews don’t appreciate what we have, Hashem has the goyim threaten to take it away so that we should appreciate it, “ said Rabbi Leff. “We were few and weak; they were many and strong. We had the spiritual edge; they had the physical edge.

The spiritual is more significant than the physical.

A little bit of pure oil can accomplish a lot; a lot of impure oil can’t accomplish anything. It is the spirit of Hashem that pervades everything that makes the difference.”

Rabbi Zev Leff grew up in Miami, and received his semicha at Telshe. He made aliyah in 1983, settling in Moshav Matityahu, just outside of Modi’in,

Photo courtesy of Project Inspire

Rabbi Zev Leff recently spoke in Cedarhurst on the significance of Chanukah. where the Chanukah revolt began. He serves as the rosh yeshiva and rosh kollel at the yeshiva gedolah and kollel of Matityahu.

On its website, kiruv.com, Project Inspire is described as “a grassroots movement to unify the Jewish People by providing easy and inspiring ways to share the beauty and wisdom of our heritage with our fellow Jews.”

“It was really a development,” explained PI’s founder and director, Rabbi Chaim Sampson. “It took off in terms of our ability to bring the message to the community about four years ago, but it started before with holiday outreach campaigns.

The catalyst was, while working for Aish New York on the Upper Westside that I realized, as a talmid of Rav Noach Weinberg, zt”l, of Aish HaTorah, as he said, that every Jew that you bring back is a whole world and at the same time we are not winning the battle against intermarriage. I realized that we would only be successful if we reach out to the frum community which is 10 percent of the Jewish population that the non-frum, the 90 percent, are our responsibility, our brothers and sisters, our family and share with them the beauty of Yiddishkeit.”

Over 6,000 people have attended Project Inspire’s kiruv training programs and many others are involved in their Shabbatons and holiday gift programs. For more information call 646 291-6191 or go to kiruv.com.

THE JEWISH

STAR

Letters to the editor if there might be more emphasis Solid Hebrew advice der placed in all of our regimens for inTo the Editor: Aviva Rizel assures one letter writer, a recent college-age oleh, that those educators and influences who preached to him aliyah - but still haven’t done it themselves - most likely still cherish their core values, but have legitimate concerns that are keeping them right here in the diaspora (Follow Me to Israel Dec. 16).

Finances, the ability to integrate into Israeli society, and the difficulties of being remote from family in the States are known factors that hinder aliyah plans, but so is language acquisition, which Aviva references briefly in her column.

But there’s an area we can work on. True, ability with a second language, and language ability in general, will vary from person to person, but shouldn’t we feel a bit sad that fluency in Hebrew, or at least a solid proficiency, has still eluded so many day school educated Jews.

Ivrit b’Ivrit curriculums, where they exist, have helped significantly, but without additional in-school opportunity to practice, and bereft of conversational opportunities for adults, it’s unrealistic to expect many to feel comfortable in a Hebrew speaking environment, even if they are regular shul-goers and can recite pages of liturgy by heart with total comprehension.

A post-high school year of study in Israel is a great place to improve one’s Hebrew skills, though it comes late in the educational trajectory. My year was spent at an Israeli yeshiva, Kerem B’Yavneh, and I was assigned to a Hebrew shiur for bnai chutz l’aretz (students from other countries), as opposed to the English one down the hall. Our teacher spoke using a level of Hebrew that we could for the most part grasp. But back in the dorm room, listening to news reports on the radio, I had trouble keeping up. Understanding the jokes was even harder. Fortunately, things got better during the year, and I achieved a fluency in Hebrew in the years that followed, through conversational use of the language and with reading involvement as part of regular Torah study.

I admit I had an edge: as the son of a linguist, I’ve inherited a knack with languages. Still, I won-

volvement with Hebrew? In school, at home, and in social groups (this paper, to its credit, has a Hebrew column - instituted by the former editor who has since made aliyah). Families considering aliyah can start augmenting Hebrew usage early on, but I also think that more immersion for everyone will partially remove one noted impediment to transitioning to Israel, and foster more consideration of aliyah as a comfortable and desirable life choice.

Judah S. Harris Photographer/Filmmaker Kew Gardens Hills

Enchanted by Obama?

To the Editor: I can acknowledge the fact that an invitation to the White House is an historic event and that a gathering of Jews there to celebrate Chanukah is significant. But we Jews have contributed a great deal to the good of this country and should be appreciated.

Mr. Ezra Friedlander seems to have been enchanted to be in the presence of Pres. Obama and his wife, and apparently the president’s liason to the Jewish community did his job well. As a “student of history,” Mr Friedlander, please remember the shameful disrespect shown to Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu in this same White House as well as Obama’s “I have to deal with him every day” disparaging statement to French President Sarkozy. And don’t forget Obama’s declaration that Israel’s ‘67 borders should be the basis of a peace agreement.

Had Obama seen fit to visit Israel when he was in the neighborhood, he might have seen first hand how unrealistic those borders would be!

Mr. Friedlander tends to hyperbole with his closing sentence “It was an evening to thank the President of the United States for recognizing our Jewish heritage and for that we have to be eternally grateful.” It sounds almost as if he is a member of Obama’s re-election campaign staff!

Fay Sladowsky Lawrence

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 Executive Contributors

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Karen C. Green Sergey Kadinsky Helene Parsons Rabbi Avi Billet Jeff Dunetz Rabbi David Etengoff Rabbi Binny Freedman Brigitte Fixler Rabbi Noam Himelstein Alan Jay Gerber Zechariah Mehler Aviva Rizel Ariel Rosenbloom Alyson Goodman Christina Daly

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Rep. Ron Paul, a publishing failure newsletter notes that a reporter for a gay magazine “Certainly had an axe to grind, and that’s not easy with a limp wrist. Homosexuals, not to speak of the rest of society, were far better off when social pressure forced them to hide their activities.”

In an undated solicitation letter for The Ron Paul Investment Letter, and the Ron Paul Political Report, the Congressman is generous with his bigotry. “I’ve been told not to talk, but these stooges don’t scare me.

Threats or no threats, I’ve laid bare the coming race war in our big cities. The federalhomosexual cover-up on AIDS (my training as a physician helps me see through this one)… The Israeli lobby, which plays Congress like a cheap harmonica.”

When Rep. Paul’s newsletters were republished by the New Republic in 2008, he strongly denied authorship. The Congressman said he had never even read the newsletters, which were published under his name, by his company. Case closed, say his supporters.

Here’s the problem with Paul’s denial: When the newsletters first became an issue during his congressional race in 1996, the Congressman didn’t deny them nor did he say he never read them. Back in 1996 Paul defended the articles saying they were taken out of context. But how could he know they were taken out of context if he never read

BEAUTY IN MOTION.

The Congressman said he had never even read the newsletters, which were published under his name, by his company. them?

This leads to the real question, the one that isn’t being asked. Is Ron Paul a bigot who is lying about not writing, or even reading the newsletters he defended just a few years earlier? Or was Ron Paul lying when he defended them as his writing even though he never read them? The two are mutually exclusive.

If one believes Ron Paul when he says he didn’t write and never read those newsletters, then that person must also accept that he was a failure as a newsletter publisher, failing to check what was printed in his name. And when first confronted about the hatred, responding by defending the newsletters he never read, foolishly making himself look like a racist. Are those the actions of a man who is competent enough to be the Commander in Chief? On the other hand is

the man who spewed such hatred the right person to be leader of the free world.

One thing is certain the vast majority of Republicans and conservatives would be horrified if Ron Paul won even one primary.

Polls issued earlier this week that had him winning Iowa were seriously flawed, about 30 percent of respondents did not vote in the 2008 caucuses. Iowans take their caucus very seriously and if someone avoided the caucuses last time, there is a very good chance they will avoid them this time and should not be counted as “likely caucus voters.”

Ron Paul has a small, but rabid group of supporters. He will always get those supporters but to most political conservatives, his bigotry is an embarrassment to the party.

Chances are when you see the results from Iowa on Jan. 3, Ron Paul will be a distant third.

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

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or those of you that can remember life before blogs, you may also remember that people used to publish newsletters on all topics. Forty years ago, Ron Paul launched a conservative newsletter. His newsletters were chock-filled with hateful slurs, some signed by Paul, all appearing in POLITICO his publication. What TO GO was written in those newsletters was nothing short of disgusting.

For example, his newsletter published a special issue of the Ron Paul Political Report on “racial terrorism” that analyzes the Los Angeles riots of 1992. “Order was only restored in L.A. when it came time for the blacks to pick up their welfare checks Jeff Dunetz three days after rioting began,” Paul wrote.

“What if the checks had never arrived? No doubt the blacks would have fully privatized the welfare state through continued looting. But they were paid off and the violence subsided.”

When defending gay-bashing comments by the late Andy Rooney of CBS, Paul’s 1990

THE JEWISH STAR December 23, 2011 • 27 KISLEV, 5772

Opinion

December 23, 2011 • 27 KISLEV, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

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Parshat Miketz

Hebrew only please!

At first sight T

here are a number of mitzvoth which appear in the Torah multiple times: Shabbat, holidays, kosher animals, Shmittah (Sabbatical year), Eved Ivri (Hebrew servant), not to “cook a kid in its mother’s milk.” Sometimes there are differences in the repetition, and the repetition usually serves a purpose.

When it comes to narrative, however, the Torah rarely repeats a story. Last week we read the story of Yosef and Potiphar’s wife, and when she told her husband the tale, we are told “She said, ‘This is what he did to me,’” (39:19) and as the text does not elaborate, we can assume she embellished the details. We need not know what she said, as all we need Rabbi Avi Billet to know is that Yosef ended up in prison.

After Moshe is given the signs of the snake, the whitened hand, and to pour water from the river to turn it to blood before the people, he does so – the Torah does not repeat the details (Shmot 4:30) But the two most blatant examples of repeated narrative are the story of Eliezer finding Rivkah (Chapter 24) and Pharaoh’s dream here in Chapter 41.

In Eliezer’s retelling of his own story, he changes some details to make the story and the setup more palatable to Rivkah’s family. He achieves his goal: he convinces them of the divine hand in his trip, they agree to let Rivkah go with him, and Rivkah the wife for Yitzchak whom Eliezer was appointed to find.

But in our narrative, Pharaoh’s dream is told to us, and then he repeats it to Yosef for interpretation with a few changes as well.

In his dream Pharaoh was standing “on the river,” the first cows were “y’fot mareh,” the second cows are “raot mareh v’dakot basar” and they stand next to the first cows.

The cows who were “raot mareh v’dakot basar” ate the cows that were “y’fot hamareh” In his retell Pharaoh stands “on the edge of the river,” the first cows are “y’fot toar,” the second cows are “dalot, v’raot toar m’od, v’rakot basar,” and Pharaoh adds “I have never seen such bad looking cows in Egypt”.

The cows who were “rakot and raot” ate the first cows. The cows were completely swallowed, but it was not detectable because they looked as they had before [this last sentence is entirely new and was unapparent from the dream itself.]

A Jewish newspaper should have a Hebrew column. So here it is.

We will try to maintain a level of vocabulary so that it will be easy enough for students to read and interesting enough for those more fluent to enjoy.

In the second dream, the stalks are “briyot v’tovot” (healthy and good). The second stalks are described as thin and scorched by the east wind. They consumed the “healthy and full” stalks In the retell they are “m’layot v’tovot” (full and good). The second stalks are described as thin and scorched by the east wind, but are also “tz’numot” (shriveled). They consumed the “good” stalks.

Why the differences? Unlike Eliezer, Pharaoh isn’t trying to convince Yosef of anything. Or is he?

The Midrash Sechel Tov suggests Pharaoh dreamt the interpretation to the dream along with the dream, but forgot it. How else could he know that Yosef’s interpretation was the correct one? Surely others tried interpreting it for him. Once he heard Yosef’s interpretations, however, it triggered the memory, and he knew it was correct.

This line of thinking makes a lot of sense when we consider that Yosef’s interpretation should have ended with verse 41:32 when he said “The reason that Pharaoh had the same dream twice is because the process has already been set in motion by God, and God is rushing to do it.” But Yosef continued and said, “Now Pharaoh must seek out a man with insight and wisdom, and place him in charge of Egypt.” How did he get away with this bold statement?

Because when Pharaoh first laid eyes on Yosef, a memory was triggered that told him “This is the man who will interpret, this is the man I must keep close to me.”

In other words, Pharaoh wanted Yosef to interpret correctly and to suggest a man be appointed, and Pharaoh presented the dreams with his own commentary in order to help Yosef produce the interpretation Pharaoh could not pull out of his subconscious mind.

First impressions are very powerful.

Sometimes you meet someone for the first time and feel kinship, or feel this person is a person you’d like to get to know better. And sometimes there’s a feeling you can’t put your finger on that tells you this person will be a lifelong friend. There are many married couples who will tell you “they knew” when they first met, even if they did not hear bells and whistles or experience what Hollywood calls “love at first sight” (a concept I don’t believe in).

Because Pharaoh wanted this encounter to work out (as he immediately set in motion in 41:38-35), he took the steps he needed to in order to give Yosef the chance to “earn” being close to him, the reward he carried for the rest of their days.

Chanukah: a celebration of the home!

By Rabbi Noam Himelstein

Find us on Facebook at The Jewish Star newspaper (Long Island, NY) Be part of the discussion on local issues

This week’s Hebrew column is on three levels of Chanukah lighting as written in the Gemara, and the importance of lighting the candles at home. Rabbi Himelstein is a Gemara instructor at Yeshivat Orayta in Jerusalem, and lives with his wife and six children in Neve Daniel, Gush Etzion.

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More board-certified physicians and nurses.

Less waiting time.

Our patients always have full access to all the resources of the North Shore-LIJ Health System When it’s an emergency you want to know the expert care you need is close to home.

Our Emergency Department is also a designated Stroke Center, recently we received the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus Award.

Franklin Hospital is a 305-bed community hospital that offers a comprehensive array of programs and services to patients from Nassau and Southeastern Queens Counties.

We have one of the most advanced Emergency Departments in the region. Providing excellent emergency care to our neighbors is at the core of Franklin Hospital’s mission. As new technologies come on board, we add them to our Emergency Department. We’re constantly growing and expanding so that we can continue to provide the best possible care.

Our Emergency Department is staffed with board-certified emergency physicians; our emergency department nurses are certified in emergency care, triage, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and Trauma Management. We are also focusing on rapid evaluation in our triage and fast track areas.

Franklin Hospital Part of the North Shore- Long Island Jewish Health System We’re redefining healthcare.

Franklin Hospital

To learn more, call (Emergency) In an emergency, call 911

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(516) 256-6353

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Chabad telethon touts local talent

By Sergey Kadinsky On an unusually cold night on Dec. 18, in the fields of Islip, a television production studio was rocking a mix of Yiddish classics, reggae and a bagpiper for Rabbi Anchelle Perl, highlighting the numerous causes in which he has sunk his efforts. “It’s an unbelievably huge undertaking,” said musical director Steve Bill. “It’s filling up four hours of broadcast time live and motivating people to pledge” Down the hall from the studio, Far Rockaway resident Rabbi Yitzy Bald practiced with his 14-member New York Boys Choir for their first-ever Telethon appearance. “Every motion interprets a word of the songs. Choreography is very extensive and theatrical,” Rabbi Bald said. Alongside his role as a coach for the choir, his songwriting resume includes top names including Dovid Gabay, Mordechai Ben Dovid and Avraham Fried.

In another room, a family band from Far Rockaway was practicing while recording their music onto a laptop. “There is nothing people want more than entertainment. This is why last year Rabbi Perl rode in to the

telethon on a motorcycle in a leather jacket,” said Yosaif Krohn He understands that people will tune into this.”

Rabbi Perl’s other past fundraising antics include piloting a hot air balloon, driving a racecar on Jones Beach, and holding a Jewish wedding ceremony on air for a couple wishing to renew their vows by the laws of Moses and Israel.

Broadcast on WLNY TV10/55, the preChanukah benefit raked in $498,205 for Chabad’s National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education and Chabad of Mineola, both of which are chaired by Rabbi Perl. Within his local Chabad House, programs include hospital and prison chaplaincy, holocaust education, and assistance for the unemployed. Rabbi Perl noted that funds going to Chabad benefit Jews and non-Jews, as exemplified in his annual Good Deed Awards, which are open to Long Island youths of all backgrounds.

The Telethon was not entirely entertainment; it highlighted beneficiaries of the funds, including domestic abuse survivors, two of whom testified on Rabbi Perl’s counseling as a member of the Nassau County

Photo by Sergey Kadinsky

Chabad Telethon emcees Kive Strickoff and David Weiss stand with Rabbi Anchelle Perl at the studio set for the annual televised fundraiser.

Coalition Against Domestic Abuse. Actors reenacted their ordeals in graphic short films.

Among the musicians, bagpiper Corey McCluskey was asked by emcee Mickey B whether he had a Bar Mitzvah. A Catholic, McCluskey was discovered by Rabbi Perl at a 9/11 ceremony, and asked to perform at the Telethon. His parents stood alongside younger Chabad rabbis, sharing in their joy at their son’s first telethon, which reaches an audience of 10 million.

Looking at posters of past telethons in the studio hallway, Rabbi Leibel Cohen pointed out that each year the set design is different. He has been a “dancing rabbi” at the show for 12 years, flying in from California to reconnect with his mentor. “He gives himself over to everything that he does,” Rabbi Cohen said. “Everyone feels that he is their personal rabbi.” On the poster from five

years ago, Rabbi Yossi Mendelson of Forest Hills dances with other rabbis. Rabib Cohen remembered him as a learning partner and camp counselor. “We’re like one big family,” Rabbi Cohen said.

East Meadow resident Joseph Rothkowitz, 25, remembered becoming childhood events with Rabbi Perl. “On his Matzah Factory, he transformed local supermarkets. We all knew him as kids.” Together with bandmates from Long Beach West Hempstead and Far Rocakway, Rothkowitz’s band RockaZion blends reggae with Jewish spiritual themes.

Among the emcees announcing the pledge results, Oceanside resident Kive Strickoff praised Rabbi Perl for his ability to reinvent the message of giving. “He brings everyone form all walks of life together, across the spectrum He identifies with the people of this island.”

Frum TV actress speaks Continued from page 1 at home. Like many American Jews, Bialik is the granddaughter of immigrants who came to the United States just before the Holocaust began. Bialik’s maternal grandmother had lost many family members in the violence and pogroms that characterized Europe at the time.

“The Judaism I grew up with was very complicated by the sadness that my mother’s parents experienced,” said Bialik. “[However,] there were remnants of [my mom’s] Orthodoxy. We had two sets of dishes, and I thought they were breakfast and dinner dishes. It was never explained.”

Bialik’s decision to start living a more observant way of life was particularly challenging, given her career. Hollywood is not known for being consonant with a Torah way of life. And yet, as fans of The Big Bang Theory will know, Bialik’s character is dressed in a modest skirt every week.

“Especially because of the industry I work in, tznius is something that really appealed to me initially and still does,” said Bialik. “[I always] had a sense of not feeling comfortable in a lot of ways women are expected to behave and be presented.”

Bialik is fortunate in that her character, a socially awkward scientist named Amy Farrah Fowler, can get away with wearing frumpy skirts and sweaters. The fact that Bialik holds a real-life PhD in neuroscience can’t have hurt her chances when it came to being cast as Fowler.

“When I auditioned for the character, I wore a long pencil skirt and nerdy cardigan.

Often with Big Bang, the way they see you [at the audition] is the way they [have you dress on the show],” said Bialik. “There’s kind of a “look” each character has that they don’t deviate from.”

As part of the event, the YIWH Sisterhood also launched a drive to donate children’s books to local hospitals. Event organizer Sari Kahn and fellow shul member Eve Baruch came up with the idea after Baruch had to take her son to the emergency room one eruv

Photos by Susan Grieco

Simeon, Baruch, and Cory Glaubach, recipients of the Amudei Chessed Award for demonstrating family efforts and commitment towards Kulanu.

Kulanu Annual Scholarship Dinner

Photo by Alyson Goodman

After her speech, Bialik met with fans to take photographs and answer questions.

Shabbat. When Shabbat started, and Baruch could no longer distract her son with the TV, she asked the nurse for some books. The nurse only had two books in the entire ER for children.

The Sisterhood decided to start a collection that will provide books to Mercy Medical Center, Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center at LIJ (Schneider’s), and Winthrop-University Hospital. There will be a drop box in the shul and at upcoming sisterhood events over the next month.

For more information about the book drive to support local pediatric emergency rooms, please contact Sari Kahn at kahn. sari@gmail.com or 516-662-6095.

Sunday evening’s Kulanu Scholarship Dinner at The Sands of Atlantic Beach attracted over 550 supporters who came out to honor The Glaubach Family, Jonathan Cooper, and Rachel Schreiber, recipients of the Amudei Chesed, Professional Achievement, and Volunteer Recognition awards, respectively. This year marked the first time that Kulanu presented both the Professional and Volunteer awards. Proceeds from the dinner are earmarked for tuition assistance for school, camp, holiday respite, Sunday respite and for all the social service programs Kulanu provides. “Literally every student is affected by the success of the dinner,” says Beth Raskin, Executive Director. Guests at the celebratory dinner were treated to the comedic entertainment of Elon Gold, famed televison personality.

Although the dinner has passed, it’s still possible to make a contribution to the Scholarship Fund. Please contact Denise Perciballi, Mindy Rosengarten or Beth Raskin at 516-569-3083.

Rachel Schreiber, 17, has been volunteering with Kulanu since age 7.

Beth Raskin shares a proud moment with colleague Jonathan Cooper.

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Brightening Sunrise Day Camp’s year Richner’s REACT helps JCC’s program for kids with cancer with more than 1,100 people participating.

Richner Communications, publisher of the Herald newspapers, The Riverdale unrise Day Camp, the Friedberg Press, the Oyster Bay Guardian, The JewJCC’s program for children with ish Star, PrimeTime Xpress, and other cancer and their siblings, is more products, through its REACT committee, than a summer activity; it’s a year- selected Sunrise Day Camp as the organilong labor of love for many individuals zation it would sponsor in 2011 and donate who are committed to helping make the its staff ’s time and talents to. REACT, or lives of young people happy.

Richner Employees Assisting CommuniFrom its inception in 2006 as a day ties Together, was formed in 2010 to seek camp with the special mission of helping out an organization doing great things that to brighten the lives of could benefit from donatsick children with sumed editorial coverage, CAMPER Kendall Curnuck, 8, of Rockville mer activities — all free printing and marketing OU CAN HELP of charge — Sunrise Day resources the Heralds enjoy their day at camp.

C a m p, l o c at e d at could provide. Richner’s this extraordinary institution that contribReaders will find a the 300-acre Henry REACT committee wantutes so much to Long Island,” said Stuart donation envelope in this Kaufmann campgrounds ed to make a positive difRichner, who co-publishes Herald Commuweek’s Herald in which to in Wheatley Heights, has ference in the lives of peonity Newspapers with his brother, Cliff make a contribution to evolved into a year-round ple in our coverage comRichner.

Sunrise Day Camp, or a effort to assist its campmunities.

“I’m glad that Richner Communicadisplay advertisement in ers and their families.

All of the space allocated tions created the opportunity for its next week’s issue with This year, Richner in our newspapers employees to help others in need by applydonation instructions.

Communications, Inc. throughout the year, all of ing our skills and the company’s resources Consider making a donated editorial coverthe stories written, all the in this way,” said John O’Connell, the Herdonation this holiday seaage, printing and marketefforts put into helping ald’s executive editor. “This gave us a son to help bring sunshine ing services, along with campers create a camp chance to tell readers of the great work into the lives of families publicity about Sunrise’s newspaper, all the fundraisSunrise Day Camp is doing, and to actualcoping with cancer. fundraising efforts to suping material design, crely help them continue the valuable service port the camp’s imporation, printing and inserthey perform. I feel we have been given a tant contributions to our tion were provided at no gift to be able to help.” communities. charge to Sunrise.

Throughout the year, we have provided Sunrise has quadrupled its enrollment “It has been a privilege to shed light on all Herald readers with in-depth coverage of — from the 96 who attended in its first year the good deeds that Sunrise does for its Sunrise Day Camp, through articles on to the 451 kids who participated in the 2011 campers and their families. As these stories Sunrise Day Camp’s enthusiastic campers summer camp season — and has extended have unfolded, readers have come to know and their brave battles with cancer, devotthe camp experience by hosting get-togethers throughout the year. These include Sunrise Sundays at the Friedberg JCC’s Oceanside facility, where campers reconnect with friends and counselors and participate in various activities, and school vacation programs.

And for those who are unable to participate in one of the camp programs due to treatments or hospitalization, Sunrise comes to them. Volunteers from Sunrise on Wheels, an in-hospital outreach program, visit four area hospitals several times during the week throughout the year. The supportive volunteers help young patients and their families endure treatments and doctor visits with enjoyable activities and positive reinforcement.

Sunrise Day Camp is a community effort that relies on the generosity of its volunteers and supporters to enable the camp and its related programming to continue.

The camp’s major fundraising events, the Friends of Sunrise Cocktail Party and Auction (scheduled for March 22, 2012) and the Samuel Levine Memorial Golf Classic (Aug. 13, 2012) take place annually, along with various gatherings in Manhattan and throughout Long Island during the year. In June, shortly before the start of camp each season, families and friends come out to the campgrounds for Sunrise’s annual Christina Daly/Herald Walk to Help the Sun Rise, a non-competiLOGAN BRANDT, 5, of Patchogue, shows off his flashy moves to fellow camper tive fundraising walk involving three different courses for all ages. This year’s walk- 9-year-old Saul Rockmore (seated), of Roslyn Heights, and staff member Tori athon recorded its largest attendance ever, Kroll.

By KAREN BLOOM

kbloom@liherald.com

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Y

Courtesy Sunrise Day Camp

Centre, and counselor Rachel Bernstein ed staff and dedicated volunteers, along with reports on Sunrise on Wheels and yearround activities. Sunrise’s fundraising campaigns have been highlighted in the Herald, including extensive coverage of the Walk to Help the Sun Rise. Other projects included the design, production, printing and distribution of this week’s holiday donation envelope, along with the publication of the camp’s first newspaper, the Sunrise Herald.

The Sunrise Herald was an intensive summer-long project in which Richner staff visited the camp weekly during July and August to introduce the campers to community journalism. Members of the Herald team spent one day a week at the campgrounds, introducing the children to the basics of producing a newspaper. The newspaper was written by the kids and produced and printed at Richner’s Garden City corporate offices and printing plant.

“Having the kids take ownership and get involved in something new to camp was exciting,” said Amy Pilott, assistant camp director and walkathon director.

“They really got into the whole process in a way we never expected them to embrace it. They were so proud of their work and really happy to have something to share with their families at home.”

The Richner staff was equally proud to have participated in the project.

“Working with REACT and Sunrise Day Camp has been an amazing experience for me,” said Photo Editor Christina Daly, a member of the REACT committee, who not only photographed the campers in action, but also instructed them on the basics of photography. “I was able to work one on one with some of the kids, helping them to take photos. To see the excitement on all their faces when they finally saw the newspaper they had worked so hard on was wonderful. We went there to teach them about newspapers, but I think they ended up teaching us something much more significant.”

Richner Communications’ REACT Committee is seeking suggestions of significant projects and organizations that are striving to do great good within the Herald coverage areas, so that they may be considered for such sponsorship in 2012.

Email joconnell@liherald.com.

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Earl Gray truffle, which is a fantastic amalgamation of dark chocolate and traditional English tea. The rich dark chocolate serves as a velvety base for the truffle, and the wonderfully earthy tea flavor mellows the bitterness that is present in all dark chocolates. I loved this truffle not just for it’s originality, but because of how well balanced the flavors were. It wasn’t overly sweet, and it hit a perfect note of sweet, earthy, bitter and rich.

A close second is the passion fruit-filled chocolates. While normally fruit-filled chocolates tend to be overly floral, Michel Cluizel’s dedication to using only the freshest ingredients has given them the ability to create a fruit cream that is fabulously decadent, and possess a bright vibrant fruity flavor. The cream’s flavor was as fresh as if I was eating an actual passion fruit surrounded by marvelous dark chocolate.

What makes Michel Cluizel a next level chocolate maker is that they don’t just manufacture chocolates. They apply their passion and skill to the production of some of the finest pastries I have ever eaten. What makes their offerings even more mind blowing is that all of their kosher pastries are parve, and yet in a blind taste test you would be unable to tell the difference between, say their non dairy chocolate ganache and one that was made with cream. This makes for simply decadent pastries that I would happily eat as the finishing note to any meal.

In particular, I found Michel Cluizel’s Napoleon to be out of this world. It was sensationally creamy with the kind of flaky crunch that I thought was unattainable without using butter as an ingredient. It was sweet without being overly so, and it paired per-

fectly with the expertly made espresso that they make at the chocolate shop.

Also of tremendous note is their three flavors of eclair, chocolate, vanilla and coffee.

The eclairs are just perfection. The dough is light and somehow buttery, and the cream is rich and flavorful. It’s one of the better eclairs that I have ever eaten, and even as I write this I can’t help but marvel at the fact that it was parve.

So if you have a holiday party to attend in the next few weeks, consider purchasing a box of Michel Cluizel’s amazing chocolates for your friends, loved ones or coworkers, and I guarantee that the reaction you see as they receive it will outdo that of any holiday chotchke you would otherwise buy.

Zechariah Mehler is a widely published food writer and expert in social marketing. Follow him on Twitter @thekoshercritic

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o one told me that when I entered into adulthood I would end up attending a large number of Chanukah/Holiday parties in which I was asked to bring a reasonably priced gift. This year I have decided to give the gift that everyone loves, chocolate. Now it is my humble opinion that if you are buying someone a present of chocolate, then you need to make sure that the chocolate you give is of a quality and stature that makes it worthy of beTHE KOSHER ing called a gift; and I CRITIC believe that no brand of gourmet chocolate that represents that ideal more then boutique chocolatier Michel Cluizel.

I have written about Michel Cluizel before in my latest Kosherfest review for their truly decadent chocolate truffles. So not long after the kosher food show, I found myself in Zechariah Mehler Michel Cluizel’s shop, located at Fifth Avenue at 47th Street in Midtown Manhattan, so that I could further sample their wares. The store is small but elegant, with a distinctly French feel. The granite counter is lined with chocolate delicacies, each of which are freshly made on site. I sampled a wide range of the company’s chocolates, each of which were so unique and singularly delicious, that it deserves a separate article of its own.

My favorite individual chocolate was the

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Chocolates for Chanukah

Bon Appétit!

I

’m obsessed with reading… a great book, an interesting magazine, my favorite newspapers, comics, emails, Facebook updates and tweets. When I was a kid I read cereal boxes, just to keep busy while enjoying breakfast.

There were puzzles on the back, things to send away for or even a pop single to cut out and play on the record player (does anyone remember that? I once got an Archies song). Lately I’ve gotten into reading food labels because I’m also obsessed with eating well.

As a mother running a kosher home, I’m used to reading cans, bottles and cartons. When I shop, I need to check for kosher symbols and study ingredients to identify a product as dairy or pareve. When I host a guest with food allergies or any restricted diet, I have to search for offending ingredients. Besides that, there is also a warning list of other items that may possibly have contaminated the cooking environment! And I won’t even attempt to go into the new moralistic food labeling, eco friendly, humane, etc…

I was always what my son calls “meat conscious”, not all-out vegetarian, but about 90 percent. To this day I haven’t been able to give up certain Cuban dishes I grew up eating, so I make an exception for MIRIAM’S MUSINGS those. I make a request to my mom to cook those for me on special occasions. I have been spotted succumbing to particularly delicious barbeque aromas though I usually settle for a veggie burger and grilled vegetables.

Shabbat meals in our home usually consist of dairy dishes and fish. I Miriam Bradman joke that we eat fish on Abrahams Friday like good Catholics. I have experimented with making a tasty pareve cholent using meaty mushrooms, soy or wheat gluten. But the best part of the cholent, in my view, is the potatoes. I’ve been tempted to try to trick a meat eating friend to see what they think, but I’m not sneaky enough. Some actually really like my cholent! The downside of a dairy shabbat is having to warn my guests to stay away from the meat Kiddush at shul, the upside is having real ice cream for dessert.

It used to be difficult to find decent vegetarian food on menus, now it’s much easier to go out to eat. A bit tougher is explaining my proclivity to carnivorous friends and family. Labeling myself vegetarian may make me sound like a “holier than thou” health nut, as if I only eat rice and beans and salad, but of course that’s ridiculous. Haagen Dazs and dark chocolate are my favorite treats. I tell myself I gain calcium from the first and antioxidants from the latter, but vegetarian, like kosher doesn’t necessarily imply healthy!

Despite my sweet tooth, I have long been cultivating the awareness to choose nutritious foods. Ever since our first child was born, I began scouring labels for preservatives, fluorescent colors and unnatural flavorings. When buying prepared foods, I eyeball ingredients for items I cannot pronounce which are usually the ones of which to be wary.

My oldest son and I joined a playgroup in Queens in the late 1980s with friends who decided to form our own mini food co-op. There was an alar scare at the time; a toxic ingredient found to be in apple juices our toddlers were drinking. Specialty food shops were rare then and even more expensive than now, due to lower demand. The only way we could afford organic apple juice was to buy in bulk from a supplier. We added on other healthy and organic products and felt good about our ingredients. We shared recipes and I began cooking

delicious dishes from the Moosewood cookbook, my vegetarian bible.

Today we have many more options. Grocery stores carry more “whole foods” and healthier products and produce departments carry organic and locally grown fruit and veggies. We have our own seasonal outdoor greenmarket in Grant Park, and others beyond in Rockville Centre, Long Beach and Union Square. It’s great to be able to eat what was picked and trucked in that very morning from the east end of Long Island. Cherry tomatoes, corn and beets have never tasted so good!

Although my middle son insists that everything in creation is “natural” because if you go back far enough all ingredients do actually originate from nature, I’m not so sure.

So I’m not just worried about what we ingest. I’ve extended my vigilance to products like shampoo, soap and detergents. We’ve all been warned to immediately remove the plastic off dry cleaned clothes to air out the toxic chemicals. I mostly buy clothes that don’t need dry cleaning. We’ve switched to an “organic dry cleaner” (an oxymoron since they still use chemicals) and our suits no longer get that unmistakable odor. I’m trying to cut out paraben and other poisons from our grooming products.

Each person’s diet is based on a very personal choice or need. Individual’s tastes are unique and can change. I’ve seen that in my own home when I keep preparing a specific dish I know a family member loves, until suddenly I’m told to stop making it. It has lost favor and flavor for that person. I’m learning not to take offense, though it’s hard for this Jewish mother to deal with food rejection. It’s quite disheartening to lovingly prepare what I believe is a delicious nutritious meal and then see someone look disgusted, or quietly refrain from eating. I try to remember it may have nothing to do with my cooking!

When my kids were younger and complained about something I served, I told them our kitchen isn’t a diner and I’m not a short order cook (though as a typical mom, I have catered to their specific tastes often enough to have been the cause of this problem!) I often urge them to try one taste of something new, since they may find they suddenly like it. They groan at me but sometimes (rarely) it’s actually true!

I gave plenty of trouble to my own mom as a child and teen. I was an extremely picky eater, shunning meat and fruit. But I was allowed to eat what I did like from the meal and could enjoy dessert no matter what. As I matured, I expanded my food choices. I remember “discovering” tomatoes, mangos, avocados and yogurt during a summer in Israel when I was 18 and being amazed at how delicious they were.

These foods had always been staples at home.

I could have never dreamt of eating Israeli salad for breakfast in Brooklyn. Somehow everything seemed more delicious in Israel, and that opened the door for me to become a more adventurous eater.

We can only try our best with food as with everything else. Diets are difficult and rejecting bad choices is challenging. We have been charged with taking care of our bodies, by our doctors and rabbis. The great Rambam himself gave us specific advice about healthy eating habits, in the days when food was more natural, so imagine how careful we must be today.

We should prepare our food as a labor of love, but no matter what we eat, let’s enjoy our food and partake together joyously; after all, eating is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Be’tayavon!

Miriam Bradman Abrahams is Cuban-born, Brooklyn-bred and lives in Woodmere. She organizes author events for Hadassah, reviews books for Jewish Book World and is very slowly writing her father’s immigrant memoirs. She is teaching yoga at Peaceful Presence Yoga Studio.

Ask Aviva

When you feel unloved Dear Aviva, I will not give out my age or my gender. I merely would like to put out there that I feel under-appreciated and unloved.

-Itty-Bitty

Dear Itty-Bitty, Man, you make it tough for me, leaving out all the details! (Or perhaps, “Lady”?) But that’s ok, I will use this as an opportunity to stretch my advice columnist abilities to see if I can meet this challenge that you set for me, oh friendly foe of mine…

And that’s exactly what life should look like for you—a friendly foe. It should be a challenge to meet goals and you should be meeting many of them. You should not be looking at life’s difficulties as a sign to throw in the towel. When the going gets tough, work harder!

Just wanted to make sure that you are productive and functional in general, because if you are not, it is likely that you are not appreciating yourself and that you are not loving yourself, even though you make it sound to me that you are under-appreciated by someone else. If you don’t have the selfappreciation thing going for you, no matter what others do for you, no matter how much people try to appreciate you, you will feel under-appreciated.

It’s like if I have a violin. This violin is my self-concept. I am not always bowing it or plucking it to make it sing, but it is always there. If someone comes over to my violin with a humming pitch-fork, one of my strings will resonate and vibrate. When the pitchfork leaves my earshot, I am still soothed from my resonating violin string.

But what if my violin strings snapped?

Maybe they were worn away, or maybe they were wound too tight. What happens when someone comes close to me with a humming pitch-fork? My ears perk up—Music! I am savoring every single sine and cosine of those sound waves. I am tingly all over. And then, it starts to fade, and the pitch-fork has left my surrounds. And what am I left with? Silence.

Dead silence. Silence that existed before, but that I was not aware of because I did not yet have the beautiful contrast of music. And it is quite a painful silence because now that I know what music is, I also know that I cannot make music—I don’t have strings.

Now the nimshal: The humming pitch fork is an outsider’s compliment or show of appreciation, or even an act of love. It makes an impact on you. When it is over, you either

are able to hold on to it and add to it using your own high sense of self-worth. Or, if you have no strings and cannot reenact that elusive sound, you are down and out, looking for some noise to replace it.

So ask yourself, does your violin have strings? If it does, that’s awesome! But now we have to figure out more.

Are you expressing to those who undervalue you the disappointment you feel? This should ideally be done soon after you felt neglected. If I were to ask the people close to you, “Does Itty-Bitty feel like you love and appreciate Itty-Bitty?” Would they say “Totally!”? If so, then you have to start learning how to recognize signs of feeling the disappointment (resentment is a sign that you’ve been disappointed for a few minutes). Once you know that you were let down and how you were let down, you need to assert yourself in a non-aggressive, non-attacking manner. If you don’t feel safe to, try telling the people close to you, “I want to tell you how I feel, but I don’t feel safe telling you.” That let’s a lion’s claws retract and will at least help the person be aware that you are more fragile than he/she thinks.

Make it clear that you need the person to say or do x. Clarifying your needs boosts the likelihood of having them met.

Finally, if you feel like you are constantly trying to accommodate and please a particular person, but you objectively do not get positive feedback, you may be in an unhealthy relationship with the person. If you can never do anything right, you’re being played.

So play your own music.

-Aviva Aviva Rizel is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in Lawrence.

She can be reached at 347-292-8482 or AvivaRizel.MFT@gmail.com.

Reporter/Assistant Editor or The Star reaches more than 10,000 Orthodox Jewish households ds in the Five Towns, Great Neck, and Brooklyn with breaking news, featured stories and more. Check out the website at www.TheJewishStar.com. You will seek out story ideas, write pieces, edit others’ work, oversee the website. Must be familiar with the Five Towns and neighboring Jewish communities, have an understanding of Torah Judaism, issues and current events within the larger Orthodox world.

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December 23, 2011 • 27 KISLEV, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

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15

Chanukah literature for inspiration and history

I

begin this essay with the following little known episode that is truly a Chanukah themed saga. Rabbi Elchanan Samet of Yeshivat Har Etzion in his study on the Book of Psalms writes, “In Natan Sharansky’s book, “Fear No Evil” [Public Affairs, 1998], the book of Tehillim plays an important role in the account of the difficult years of his imprisonment until his release.”

Further on in the narrative Rabbi Samet relates the following incident just prior to Sharansky’s final release by his communist captors. “On the flight from Moscow that was to bring Sharansky to East Berlin, the person in charge of the flight appeared suddenly from behind a curtain and announced in a solemn voice: ‘Sharansky, Anatoly Borisovich. I am authorized to declare to you that by order of the Presidium of the Supreme Alan Jay Gerber Soviet of the USSR, for conduct unworthy of a Soviet citizen, you have been stripped of Soviet citizenship and as an American spy you are being expelled from the Soviet Union.’”

“Sharansky responded with a counterdeclaration, in which he denied being an American spy. ‘I sat down with the sound of fanfare in my ears. I knew all along that this day had to come. And now I took the Psalm book and turned to Psalm 30, which I long

ago decided to recite at the moment of my release. ‘A Song of David at the dedication of a house.’ It began. Now I was reading these words en route to my own house in Jerusalem!”

Rabbi Samet concludes by stating that, “At this point in the book, Psalm 30 appears, transcribed in short lines as a poem of thanksgiving, the psalm that Sharansky deemed most appropriate for this exalted moment.”

Elaborating on this point further in his commentary Rabbi Samet states that, “The fact that Psalm 30 is a thanksgiving psalm of an individual did not interfere with its adoption as a national psalm of thanksgiving [as part of the Chanukah observance] On the other hand the Hasmoneans may have found in our psalm unique expression of the speed of the rescue from the jaws of death, of the changing of mourning into gladness and dancing. Thus they may have viewed this psalm as fitting for the feeling of their sudden rise from political and religious servitude to national and religious emancipation.”

As a footnote, Rabbi Samet adds the following caveat, ”Similar consideration on the individual level brought Natan Sharansky to adopt this psalm as a thanksgiving psalm for his sudden liberation.”

It should be understood that the recitation of Psalm 30 at the end of the daily Chanukah services has become a universal practice. According to Ezras Torah Luach, this psalm is recited every Chanukah morning after services, and according to the “Luach Hashanah” of the Conservative tradition, in addition to the

morning service, it is repeated at the conclusion of each evening service.

This liturgical tradition is further explained by numerous English language commentaries who detail both the theological and historical background of this tradition.

According to “The Bible / Psalms with The Jerusalem Commentary” [Mossad HaRav Kook, 2003]

by Amos Hakham, the tradition has been to recite this psalm as the psalm of the day since the destruction of the Second Temple, as cited in tractate Soferim and Pesikta Rabbati.

Further, according to this source, “If we assume that this psalm was recited on Hanukkah in the Temple, it would stand to reason that the Hasmoneans said it on Hanukkah because they interpreted the dedication, ‘a song of dedication of the house,’ as an allusion to their own rededication of the Temple.”

Accordingly, as time went on, with the exception of Chabad, this evolved into its adoption, with variations, as the established liturgy during the entire festival.

Rabbi Avi Baumol, in his commentary, “The Poetry of Prayer”, [Gefen Publishing, 2009] notes the following: “Originally there were certain traditions that included the recitation of Psalm 30 only during the eight days of the Chanukah fes-

tival. In fact, Rabbi Avraham Berliner, who discusses the late insertion of the psalm into the liturgy, writes that at first, starting with the Sephardic tradition, it became standard to Pesukei d’Zimra only on Chanukah……

“Berliner continues that the tradition of reciting it on Chanukah spread to other siddurim, but without the introduction informing people to recite the prayer only on Chanukah. As a result only in the last few hundred years has this psalm become standard for everyday prayers in all siddurim. While Berliner attributes this to faulty editing, perhaps there was another reason why this mizmor, at first regarded as a Chanukah mizmor, merited a place in the daily liturgy.”

Further on Rabbi Baumol notes that the theme of Psalm 30 is a natural to the themes of Chanukah. “It is therefore quite appropriate that Psalm 30 which illustrates the struggle in King David’s life, should be recited during Chanukah. At a time in history when there is a surge of effort to rededicate the physical house of G-d, we delve deeper, realizing that the true triumph was the rededication of the metaphorical houses guarding the people’s souls, Chanukah thus celebrates body and soul working in tandem to live a life of godliness and eternal praise of G-d.”

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THE JEWISH STAR December 23, 2011 • 27 KISLEV, 5772

The Kosher Bookworm

December 23, 2011 • 27 KISLEV, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

16

Dec. 24

Calendar

Singles Chanukah concert ORTHODOX UNION is holding a Chanukah concert for singles featuring C Lanzom, Nochi Krohn and Yisroel Juskowitz at Congregation Oheb Zedek, located at 118 W.95 Street in Manhattan.

The event is cosponsored by the matchmaking website Saw You At Sinai. The concert costs $25 at the door, $20 online, and $15 with student ID. To register, visit www.oucommunity.org or call 212 613 8300

Dec. 28

ON THE

If you are in Israel

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

Deadline is Wednesday of the week prior to publication.

Dec. 25

Ongoing

Founders of the Church CONGREGATION BETH SHOLOM, located at 390 Broadway in Lawrence, is hosting Shuli Taubes, who teaches bible and Jewish philosophy & comparative religion at SAR. Taubes will be speaking on the topic “The Founders of the Church: Rabbinic Double Agents?” Taubes holds an MA from Harvard School of Divinity and she received her BA in history and religion from Barnard College.

The event begins at 9:15 a.m. for more information, contact 516-569-3600 ext. 21.

Uncle Moishy concert YOUNG ISRAEL OF WOODMERE is hosting a concert for children by Uncle Moishy and his Mitzvah Men. The event begins at 10:30. Advance tickets costing $13 may be purchased at local retailers Judaica Plus, Seasons, Kitov and Oh Nuts! Tickets at the door cost $20. For more information, contact 516-295-0950

Dec. 26 Chanukah on Ice CHABAD OF HEWLETT is holding a first-ever ice

ONE ISRAEL FUND is conducting an excursion of sites in Israel integral to the Chanukah story. Led

by Shilo founder and tour guide Era Rapaport, sites include Psagot, Maale Levona and Modiin.

The trip costs $75 for adults and $65 for children.

Era Rapaport, who was among the founders of the present Shilo community, will serve as the tour guide. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. at Liberty Bell Park in Jerusalem, returning at 8:30 p.m. For more information, contact 516-239-9202 or visit www.oneisraelfund.org/daytrips/chanukahtrip.asp

Calling all Senior Song Birds Photo by Susan Grieco

Rabbi Zalman Wolowik greeted visitors at the Levi Yitzchak Library in Cedarhurst on the one-year anniversary since its opening. Right, Caroline Malihi of West Hempstead and her children Re’i, 3 and Lizyat, nine months, enjoy the Jewish online resources and books that the library offers. menorah for Hewlett, at Grant Park Ice Skating Rink, off Sheridan Avenue. The event begins at 2 p.m. with the ice menorah to be lit at 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.JewishHewlett.com or contact 516-295-3413.

Dec. 27 Lander Chanukah lecture LANDER COLLEGE FOR MEN, located at 75-31 150

A king without his crown?

By Yaakov Hawk It has been just over a week since Orthodox Jewish reggae star Matisyahu, tweeted a photo of his newly-shaved face, bare of his trademark beard and peyos along with a message that he is changing his image.

When Matisyahu Miller started becoming more connected to his Jewish roots 10 years ago, he started growing a beard and peyos, both integral parts of Chassidic Judaism. Now, he has decided to shave away his facial hair, but his decision does not come as an attempt to cut himself off from his Judaism. In a blog statement following the shave, he wrote, “I felt that in order to become a good person I needed rules — lots of them — or else I would somehow fall apart. I am reclaiming myself” now it seems that he is breaking free, trying to live and be a good person without necessarily requiring stringent rules that do not inherently make you a better person.

As avid fan Shira Jason pointed out “A beard does not define a person, it is a physical not spiritual thing” not having an outer feature does not mean you are lacking on the inside.

As Matisyahu rose to the forefront of the reggae scene, his facial hair became less his religion and more his identity, causing many to question if this is the real Matisyahu. As critic Daniel Seriadski wrote in HEEB magazine, Matisyahu’s “iconic hasidically - garbed appearance was oft stated to have had more to do with his rise to stardom than his talent alone”. Many others believed as well, that it was not the real Matisyahu performing on stage. After shaving his beard he showed the world indeed it was not the full him, and admitted to his fans, “Sorry folks, all you get is me…no alias”.

After this radical change, many people are skeptical about Matisyahu’s future as a successful artist and his ability to inspire other Jews. Many critics considered his beard a novelty and are now doubtful about the prospects of future success, but Matisyahu assured his fans that this will be “an amazing year filled with music of rebirth”. A testament to his continued success with his new look is evident in his nearly sold out “Festival of Lights” concert series, that has been illuminating Chanukah for thousands of fans across the country.

Street in Kew Gardens Hills is holding a Chanukah lecture featuring its Beis Medrash L’Talmud Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Ephraim Tanenbaum, who will be speaking on the topic “Chanukah in Halacha.” He will be followed by Beis Medrash L’Talmud Mashgiach Ruchani Rabbi Moshe Bamberger who will be speaking on the topic “Chanukah in Hashkafa: Your Money or Your Life.” The event is cosponsored by Chazaq and Queens Jewish Community Council. Open to men and women and begins at 7 p.m. For more information, contact 718-285-9132 .

HAFTR highlights

By Michael Sosnick This past week at HAFTR has been very energetic. From college acceptances to the Panim El Panim trip, to the Chanukah holiday, the hallways have been brimming with excitement.

This week a group of students acting as school representatives went on a trip called Panim El Panim to Washington, DC. Panim El Panim literally means Face to Face, but it’s really a trip for Jewish students to learn how to lobby for what they believe in. Sydney Hecht, an 11th grader who went on the trip said, “On Panim el Panim I was able to come face to face with many Jewish teens from all different states. We were taught how to advocate for what we believe in. I even got the opportunity to meet with my representative in Congress, Carolyn McCarthy, about issues that I believe are important.”

The trip was split up into three main parts: service, talking with your representative, and learning groups. The students went to an animal shelter and the Wider Circle, which gives furniture to the less fortunate. The students sat down with

DRS Happenings

By Natan Farber

Four Receive full YU Scholarships It was a banner year for DRS applicants planning to attend Yeshiva University’s Honors College Program. In recognition of their excellent academic performance and leadership abilities, four students recieved full tuition scholarships.

David Beer, Eli Lonner, Yonatan Mehlman, and Dani Scheinman will attend the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Honors Program within Yeshiva College with full tuition 4-year scholarships, where they will be exposed to an intense cur-

THE JCC OF THE GREATER FIVE TOWNS, located at 270 Grove Avenue in Cedarhurst, hosts a choir for seniors every Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. for a joyful hour of singing with choir master Zvi Klein.

We sing songs in all languages and we perform for local venues. There is a $5.00 optional contribution requested per session. For information please call Sheryl at 516-569-6733 ext. 222.

Parkinson’s Support Group THE JCC OF THE GREATER FIVE TOWNS, located at 207 Grove Avenue in Cedarhurst, hosts every Tuesday a Parkinson’s Support Group from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The purpose of this group is to bring together Parkinsonians, spouses and their families in order to help them better understand the nature of the condition, gain confidence and join in community activities. For further information, please contact Cathy Byrne at 516-569-6733 ext.

220.

Carolyn McCarthy to talk about issues that are taking place right now. The students also went to learning groups and learned about Occupy Wall Street and other events in our country. It’s really important that Jewish students learn how to advocate; because of our small size we need more people to make a difference. I think that this trip was a really excellent opportunity and a great step in the right direction of informing the new Jewish generation of the problems it will inevitably face.

Getting back an acceptance or a rejection from a college is a scary and momentous occasion. So, it’s not hard to believe that it caused quite the commotion at HAFTR this week.

Students were anxiously waiting to receive their letters or waiting to hear the news from a friend. However, there are still people who haven’t heard back yet, so we will just have to wait and see what happens next.

Lastly, it’s Chanukah, a creative holiday for HAFTR. The student treasurer Justin Merkin, an 11th grader, said that “We came up with some really interesting ideas and we hope everyone will love them. I can’t give anything away because it’s a surprise.” One can only imagine how they’re going to top off last year’s amazing Chanukah. Chanukah is an amazing time of year where families get together to light candles, eat jelly doughnuts, and spin dreidels for snacks. riculum that focuses on extensive writing, research, and analysis, and provides opportunities for unique academic experiences, including courses abroad, research positions, and internships. We congratulate our students and are proud of their accomplishments.

Rabbi Yehoshua Hartman addresses Junior Class Last Sunday, our 11th graders had the tremendous zechus of hearing from a huge Talmud Chacham, Rabbi Yehoshua Hartman. Rabbi Hartman is a renowned scholar most famous for his commentary on the teachings of Maharal of Prague. Rabbi Hartman has written over 10 volumes on the writings of the Maharal, and has made the often difficult teachings of the Maharal more clear and accessible for all to learn; he also heads the Hasmonean Beis Hamedrash in Hendon, London. Rav Hartman spoke to the boys about making their Chanukah holiday more meaningful.

17

consul’s office was doing a good job.”

On presidential candidates, Torossian said that while New Gingrich’s now-famous statement on the Palestinian people was “wonderful” for Israel, he could not be more Zionist that the Israeli leadership, which declared its support for an eventual Palestinian state. “You can’t be more catholic than the pope, but there’s no question that on any serious republican candidate, for Israel, is better than Obama,” Torossian said.

Countering established views of Israel in the mainstream press requires events to happen, educating reporters, and financial muscle, the panelists said. When Roger Cohen of New York Times praised the loyalty of Iranian Jews to their government, it took anti-regime protests in Iran to change Cohen’s views, but Taranto noted that for the most part, opinion columnists such as Nicholas Kristof and Tom Friedman as “pretty set in their opinions.” Torossian said that the reporter’s desire for objectivity means that for Reuters, the Hamas fighter will always be a militant and never a terrorist. Brafman said that where libel lawsuits are ineffective, withholding advertising could make the difference.

Algemeiner Director Dovid Efune concluded the discussion, noting that today’s news in online and instant, with Huffington Post as its biggest example of success.

“We need a multitude of voices online and then we will have a powerful impact on the Google News search engine track,” bumping stories supportive of Israel to the top of the list.

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Continued from page 1 Journal opinion page editor James Taranto and prominent Lawrence-based attorney Benjamin Brafman joined Torossian at the dais. “You have a naval blockade of Gaza,” Brafman said. “But how many people knew about the blockade before the flotilla?” As a solution, Brafman compared Israel’s handling of the affair to the Cuban missile Crisis of 1962, where President John F. Kennedy provided advance warning to Soviet ships that they would be intercepted if they attempted to reach Cuba. The ships turned back.

Taranto was equally brash in his account of Israeli reactions to attacks, recounting the 2003 death of pro-Palestinian activist Rachel Corrie, who was killed by an Israeli bulldozer when she attempted to prevent a demolition of a terrorist hideout in Gaza.

“Corrie was this dopey 23-year-old and I wrote ‘terror advocate dies in accident,’” Taranto said. “I described her in condescending terms as foolish.” Taranto wondered out loud whether it would be possible for Israeli spokespeople to be as blunt in their accounts of the country’s enemies.

Brafman agreed with Taranto that Israel’s handling of military topics is poor, in light of its stellar reputation worldwide on technology and medicine. “Most anti-Semites are comfortable having a Jewish doctor, but Israel needs help condemning the bad guys.”

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THE JEWISH STAR December 23, 2011 • 27 KISLEV, 5772

PR voices on Israel

December 23, 2011 • 27 KISLEV, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

18

Chanukah lights up the South Shore

Photo by Monica Rzewski

Dubi, 12, and Aaron Fischman with Rabbi Zalman Wolowik and Cedarhurst Mayor Andrew J. Parise.

Photo by Ron Manfredi

Chabad of Mineola’s Rabbi Anchelle Perl lit the six-foot tall menorah he donated to Eisenhower Park at a Chanukah celebration on Tuesday.

Photo by Monica Rzewski

Chaya 10, Avigayil 19, Shani 8 Roth showed off their dreidels while enjoyed some doughnuts at the Hewlett lighting.

Photo by Jon Premosch

Rabbi Yitzchak Goldshmid of the Chabad Outreach Center lit the menorah at Valley Stream Station Plaza at sundown on Tuesday.

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w/coupon exp. 12/31/11 not to be combined w/other offers

Glenrothes 1991

Peraj Petita 750ML

750ML $

750ML

Capcanes

Glenrothes

750ml

17.99

$

*

69.99*

$

14.99 by the Case

$ *limit 2 bottles

w/coupon exp. 12/31/11 not to be combined w/other offers

Glenlivet

1.75L

750 ml

16.99

w/coupon exp. 12/31/11 not to be combined w/other offers

Ruskova Vodka

Alba Reserve

$

7.99

$

w/coupon exp. 12/31/11 not to be combined w/other offers

750ML

$

Sparkling Moscato 750ML

$

$

Absolut Vodka

Teal Lake

.375ML

1.75L

by the Case w/coupon exp. 12/31/11 not to be combined w/other offers

Patron

w/coupon exp. 12/31/11 not to be combined w/other offers

*limit 2 bottles

w/coupon exp. 12/31/11 not to be combined w/other offers

w/coupon exp.12/31/11 not to be combined w/other offers

New York’s Finest and Largest Selection of Kosher Wines & Spirits SSA UE

XP

RES

RD. BY RUG

KING

ST.

RD. GH OU OR RLB MA

RD.

PRICE

HAM

Hours: Mon-Wed 10 am-8 pm • Thurs-Sat 10 am-9 pm • Sun 12 pm-7 pm

RD.

RD. YLE ARG

D FOR OX

D. BLV BAY

BUC

343 Rockaway Tpke. Lawrence, NY 11559 Tel: (516) 371-1133

BLV

RD. TER INS STM WE

PIKE URN AY T KAW ROC

Prices Valid Thru 12/31/11

SW AY

D.

ULA

INS

PEN

522094

CHANUKAH SPECIALS

NA

December 23, 2011 • 27 KISLEV, 5772 THE JEWISH STAR

20