December 28, 2012 by The Jewish Star

Cohen, security professional: lessons for yeshivas Page 2 Kosher Bookworm: Lithuanian Rabbis Page 5 Who’s in the kitchen: accidental cookies Page 7 From Argentina to Far Rockaway Page 14

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VOL 11, NO 50 ■ DECEMBER 28, 2012 / 15 TEVET 5773

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North Woodmere student keeps his full plate kosher By Karen C. Green Most would agree that the rigors of college life, course work and all, would constitute a full plate, so to speak. Jeremy Rosenberg, 20, of North Woodmere has taken it to a different level. The 2011 North Shore Hebrew Academy graduate, who spent his post high year studying at Yeshiva Eretz HaTzvi in Jerusalem, serves as a mashgiach at Cornell University, where he is in the midst of his first year. Cornell University’s expansive campus boasts its own full-service kosher dining room, 104 West, under the strict supervision of a resident mashgiach, or rabbinical supervisor, of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations. The kosher dining program, which is multicultural, serves the entire Cornell community and additionally accommodates Halal, Muslim, vegetarian, vegan, Seventh-day Adventist, and other diets for those who prefer or require specially prepared foods for religious, cultural, or health reasons. The expansion of the program has created satellite locations, such as the one on North Campus, which is serviced by a dozen students, male and female, including Rosenberg. “It’s a meat only station, with all the food prepared at the kosher dining hall and transported over. I go to the food station, unlock the fridge and cold box, turn on the ovens, heater plates and steamers. I assist with putting the food out with the help of a student worker.” Rosenberg likes his job, which is a four-hour, once a week shift. “It happens to be the highest paying job on campus, and you get a free meal out of it.” Rosenberg, whose family is one of the founding members of the Young Israel of North Woodmere, has always been active in Jewish communal life, with parents Ben and Jessica as role models. It’s no surprise to Rabbi Septimus of Young Israel of North Woodmere that Jeremy has taken his commitment along with him to college. “In the shul, he was a youth leader for many years. He was one of number of go to guys for minyan help, a baal tefillah (prayer leader), a

baal crea (Torah reader)--excellent at both. He took on a leadership role in a very natural, unaffected, modest, practical manner. I had a conversation with Jeremy two to three to weeks into his college experience. I am impressed about how not only Jeremy filled existing Jewish infrastructure, but how he proactively created new Jewish infrastructure where he saw a particular need for it.” Photo by Penny Frondelli

JCRC’s David Pollack, Rabbi Shaul Praver, of Newtown, CT and Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinrib.

G.N. reflects on Sandy Hook By Karen C. Green On Tuesday night, Great Neck Synagogue held an evening of reflection in response to the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Rabbis Dale Polakoff and Rabbi Avraham Bronstein hosted congregants at what keynote speaker Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinrib, Orthodox Union Executive Vice President, Emeritus noted was

the “only synagogue community to convene in response to this unspeakable tragedy. This tragedy calls for the Jewish community to come together to grapple with this. In his address entitled, “Creating a Culture of Peace: Political and Spiritual Lessons of the Newtown Attacks, ” Rabbi Weinrib emphasized the message of the evening. “The tendency we have is to distance ourselves from the tsuContinued on page 14

Five towns represented at StandWithUs program By Malka Eisenberg

Photo courtesy of Jeremy Rosenberg

Jeremy Rosenberg, 20, of North Woodmere at the Cornell University dining station.

The goal of Jewish education is not only to educate for life, but also to arm Jewish students with the knowledge to grow themselves, protect themselves, and have a positive influence on the world around us. A new program in its pilot year is tackling a part of this education: the “need to begin Israel education and advocacy training at an

earlier age,” stressed Tahli Hanuka, the East Coast High School Programs Coordinator for the Stand With Us MZ Teens Internship. The program is part of StandWithUs, an international, non-profit organization founded in 2001 to inform the public about Israel and to fight extremism and anti-Semitism “that often distorts the issues.” The internship is

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December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773 THE JEWISH STAR

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The need for school security is prevelant following the tragedy in Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut

The Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Attack

Lessons to Learn for Yeshivas By Neil Cohen, CPP, CFE As details emerge about the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting attack, it becomes painfully clear that law enforcement personnel may not be able to respond quickly enough to prevent a massacre once a heavily armed gunman, intent on dying, has initiated an attack. According to published reports, Newtown police and state troopers had already entered the school to begin an active shooter search within about five minutes of the start of the rampage. The Sandy Hook attack is the nation’s second deadliest school shooting following the 2007 Virginia Tech attack. Like the Sandy Hook assault, the police response at Virginia Tech was quick. The Virginia Tech massacre was actually comprised of two separate shooting attacks on the campus which occurred that morning. In the first attack, a Virginia Tech student shot and killed two students in a dorm room. Consequently, a heavy police presence was already on campus investigating the dorm room murders before the onset of the attack on the classrooms. Soon after the initial attack, the same gunman headed to a classroom building armed with two semi-automatic handguns and about 400 rounds of ammunition. Neverthe-

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the door as he braced his body against it in an effort to protect his students. Professor Librescu’s heroic actions gave ten students precious time to jump to safety from the second floor classroom. In another instance, about twenty students survived unharmed after they were ushered by a professor into an office where the door was then locked. These attacks underscore the need to fit classroom doors with locks on the inside. One simple recommendation is to have interior locks that require the use of a key which faculty members possess or have quick access to. It was only after the 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred that the cockpits of domestic airlines were fitted with doors and locks that prevent cockpit intrusion. Let’s not wait for another school massacre to implement the necessary security measures. Neil Cohen is president of the Mogen Safety Council, a non-profit organization specializing in improving the safety and security of schools and houses of worship. Mr. Cohen is a federal law enforcement officer, a Certified Protection Professional (CPP), and a designated emergency responder. Mr. Cohen can be reached at MogenSafetyCouncil@ Yahoo.Com. For more information about the Mogen Safety Council, please go to WWW. MogenSafetyCouncil.Org.

Security addendum

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less, despite the large police presence already on campus, he shot another 47 people, killing 25 students and five faculty members. A statement made by the lead member of the Virginia Tech Shooting Review Panel emphasizes this point. He was quoted as saying that despite the swift response by the police “it was game over by that time.” These attacks demonstrate how important it is for yeshivas to be able to effectively delay the actions of an active shooter until police can respond. One effective measure is for faculty members to have the ability to lock the door against an attacker. This is not merely necessary for the classrooms, but also for such multi-purpose rooms as the lunchroom, auditorium and gym, where large groups of students are often gathered. In the Sandy Hook attack, a faculty member was reportedly shot through the door as she used her body to barricade it. In the Virginia Tech attack, faculty members and students, holed up in different classrooms, valiantly attempted to barricade themselves from inside. According to the Virginia Tech Shooting Review Panel, the shooter forced his way into one classroom where students attempted in vain to barricade the door. In another instance, Professor Liviu Librescu, a Holocaust survivor, was fatally shot through

By Malka Eisenberg Even before the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, other schools have taken steps to ensure the safety of their students. Both Rambam Mesivta and their sister school Midreshet Shalhevet have been using Global Operations, a security company whose president and members are former Israeli secret service agents from the “Shin Bet” and specialize in facility security operations. In an email issued to the students and parents, president Shay Amir noted

that their method “is to be proactive…90% of security is prevention….For the past two years we have been significantly and noticeably improving our security and plan to continue to do so. We are doing all we can in order to make sure that our school is secure by investing in technology, physical security equipment, continuous training, and testing our security protocols and reaction to assure the preparedness of our school. As active shooters become more frequent, we have also focused on setting up best practices for responding to this type of scenario as well as others, and have already

practiced Emergency Response Exercises with our students, faculty and staff.” Mrs. Esther Eisenman, Menahelet, and Mrs. Shaindy Lisker, Assistant Principal, added that they will continue security drills, and stress that when students and staff enter the building they make sure that only they, students and faculty they recognize be allowed to enter with them. They added that staff and students should report anything suspicious and only enter and exit through the front door. They stressed that other exits are only for fire or emergency evacuation.

Continued from page 1 made possible by a grant from the MZ Foundation, whose stated mission is to “combat anti-Semitism in the United States and across the globe.” “During the three-day, all expenses paid September conference in Los Angeles, StandWithUs MZ Teens were trained to become leaders in Israel advocacy,” explained Avi Posnick, New York Regional Coordinator of SWU, a former resident of Oceanside, and Rambam Mesivta alumnus. “They received basic education about Israel, the challenges her supporters face on college campuses and how to respond to them, and learned the difference between anti-Semitism and legitimate criticism of Israel. The 48 students - one from Long Island - completed their training and are now educating about Israel at their high schools by forming Israel clubs, bringing in speakers and programs, and conducting Israel 101 seminars. Another conference will be held in the Spring.” Hanuka was the StandWithUs Emerson Fellow at University of Illinois-ChampaignUrbana. The MZ Teens Internship has Midwest and West Coast coordinators with LAbased Miri Kornfeld as director. “The two most successful interns will each receive a certificate of $1,000 toward their next trip to Israel,” Posnick added. “The StandWithUs MZ Teen Advocacy program is similar to the SWU Emerson Fellowship. In its sixth year, the Fellowship selects and trains 50 student leaders on college campuses across the U.S. and Canada to educate about Israel and combat anti-Israel rhetoric. Roz Rothstein, SWU CEO explains that high school students face anti-Semitic challenges ‘not as clearly and overtly’ as college students do, but need to prepare for what college holds in store—and for how they might be able to educate others.“ The group of 48 students currently in the program is made up of half boys, half girls, half high school juniors, half seniors and range from secular to orthodox and attend public and private Jewish schools, explained Hanuka. She said that they have “been able to share their love of Israel through education with their peers in school, their youth groups and in their communitites.” She said that they have been able to reach “over a thousand teens thus far” through these 48 MZ Teens. The teens are taught Israeli history, culture, Israeli innovations, geography, and advocacy skills and are assisted in the development of new programs tailored to each student’s school or venue. Some topics covered include the U.S.-Israel relationship, morals in the IDF, and discussions on the Israeli-Arab conflict. They use interactive programs, Powerpoint presentations and texts, continued Hanuka. “We explain to the students that the facts are on our side and, as long as they are educated, they will be able to effectively advocate for Israel. Education is the road to peace.” She noted that the students selected have leadership skills and are motivated to learn and share the information with their peers. Mentors check in “around every three weeks” for a “mini online video conference so everyone can meet together” via Skype or Google Hangout, pointed out Posnick. He said that each high school coordinator travels to the different schools in their regions. “The goal of the program is to create and educate the Israel advocates of tomorrow,” said Hanuka. “Whether students use what they have learned on their future college campus or sometime else in the future, we are providing our teens with the tools they will need to be leaders and advocates for Is-

Photo courtesy of Avi Posnick

MZ teens conference members, representing a wide range of Jewish student life, are proud leaders in Israel advocacy. rael in the future.As always, with education, there is always more to achieve and more to learn. We have taught them how to channel their passion in a productive way to effectively educate about and advocate for Israel. These teens have, in turn, excited their peers to do the same, which furthers the domino effect of passing on the education. “Throughout the year and in years to come we want to continue educating teens before they arrive on their college campuses so that they will be prepared for what antiIsrael sentiment they will face and they will have the tools to become leaders in their Israel groups on campus, or create Israel groups where there are none. We would like the program to expand, so eventually, the entire Jewish and non-Jewish communities of the world will start to realize how important Israel education really is and that it must start at an earlier age. “The students will become part of the StandWithUs family and know that even after their year in the program has ended, they will have a lifetime of support from SWU around the world. The students will gain the tools they need to take their passion for Israel and turn it into action. Students will have met and networked with other likeminded teens around the country who are also participating in the program, expanding their network of Israel advocates who can and will support them forever. Students will feel empowered to continue their education and pass on the education to others. Students will realize that they can make a difference!” One student from the program, Arianna Zarka, of North Shore Hebrew Academy High School, noted that she “wanted to become an ‘Israel expert’ and I knew that I only had one year left before graduating high school. I was surrounded by Jews similar to myself and never heard any anti-Israel remarks…. On campus, there will be much more diversity and with diversity comes the possibility of anti-Israel sentiment.” She approached a

teacher and together they formed Chovevei Zion, currently a six student Israel advocacy group. They read “The Case for Israel” by Alan Dershowitz and learned about Israel but, said Zarka, “I didn’t want to just read books about Israel. I wanted to be formally taught how to advocate for Israel, to gain leadership and communication skills and to teach other students how to do the same.” The teacher from the group suggested the MZ Teens group. Zarka joined the program, learning about Israel’s history “from the earliest Jewish presence in the land, to the situation that led to the formation of the state of Israel to the present conflict.” She said that the discussions are open and confortable and a forum to communicate effectively. Her group of nine students fron the northeast created iCare “a video campaign to raise awareness about the threat of Iran obtaining nuclear capability.” “Before becoming a StandWithUs MZ Teen Intern,” said Zarka, “I found it unfathomable that there were people who strongly condemn Israel. I knew that there are antiIsrael activists, but when I thought about them, I pictured someone like Ahmadinejad; I did not think of college students who look and act just like me. Throughout the conference, we watched videos showing antiIsrael activity on campus, and what really transpires outside of my Yeshiva “bubble.” It made me realize that there are people who are as enthusiastic about condemning Israel as I am about protecting it. I learned that the majority of people either do not know or do not care about the Arab-Israeli conflict. They do not have enough facts about the Middle East to formulate an opinion. That’s my duty – to present the facts and let them decide for themselves.” Overall, Zarka said that she learned much more about Israel, how to counter negative comments about Israel, how to speak with confidence and to think on her feet, and to analyze the media. She said that she is prepared to respond and is ready. She added

North Shore Hebrew Academy High School MZ intern Arianna Zarka. that she is continuing to learn and grow on her own and with her teachers’ and mentors’ help. The program is important for every supporter of Israel, she stressed, but especially high school seniors who will need to be Israel advocates on college campuses. Also, she added, articulate teens make a positive impression in the media. Zarka wants to be a lawyer, pointing out that this program sharpened her skills, making her “more articulate and focused.” Said Hanuka, “Our students are going to be the leaders of tomorrow. They were already on the path to becoming great leaders before we chose them and we are proud to be part of their journey.One teen really can change the world.” Teenagers interested in applying should email MiriK@standwithus.com.

THE JEWISH STAR December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773

StandWithUs MZ teen advocacy program

December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773 THE JEWISH STAR

Opinion We escaped the Mayan Apocalypse, but we won’t escape the fiscal cliff

o most of us, it was not surprising that when we woke up this past Friday, we woke up. The doomsayers were wrong—there was no Mayan apocalypse at midnight on December 20th. While the Mayan myth turned out to be nothing to worry about-- fasten your seat belts--the fiscal cliff, an economic apocalypse predicted for midnight December 3l, is very likely to happen. Many point to the defeat of Speaker of the House John Boehner’s “Plan B” as the final straw sending us over the cliff. But that claim is as much of a myth as the misreading of the Mayan calendar POLITICO that led many people TO GO to fear a late December end of the world. Boehner’s “Plan B” maintained and made permanent the socalled Bush tax cuts for everyone making less than $1,000,000, and let them expire for those making a million dollars or more. It was what Obama bloviated about during the campaign, tax hikes Jeff Dunetz for millionaires and billionaires and a bill Nancy Pelosi suggested this past summer. Once the Senate announced they would not bring the bill up for a vote, and the President said he would veto the bill if passed, conservative Republicans withdrew their support for the bill, as they did not want to go out on the ledge for something that had no chance of being enacted. Over two-thirds of the House GOP caucus was ready to vote for “Plan B,” but my House sources tell me they were 10-13 short of enough votes to pass on the House floor because no Democrats would dare to vote for the bill. So the bill was withdrawn. The day after Boehner withdrew “Plan B,” he held a 58-second-long press conference reminding all that the House of Representatives passed a budget in July and a bill extending the Bush tax cuts in August, neither one of which was voted on by the Senate, therefore, as far as he was concerned, the next move was up to Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats. With that, the speaker sent the House home for Christmas (the Senate quickly followed) and the President left for his annual Christmas trip to Hawaii, leaving the White House and Congressional Staffs in Washington, try-

ing to come up with a compromise. How did we end up at this point—where we are likely to go over the fiscal cliff of higher taxes and major budget cuts? During the lame duck session in December 2010, Congress passed a bill that extended the Bush tax cuts for an additional two years and “patched” the exemptions to the Alternative Minimum for tax year 2011. This act also authorized a one-year reduction in the Social Security employee payroll tax. Congress extended this for an additional year in 2012, with a bill that also extended federal unemployment benefits and the freeze on Medicare physician payments. In August 2011, Congress passed the Budget Control Act of 2011 that resolved the debt-ceiling crisis. The Act provided for a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (the “super committee”) to produce legislation by late November that would decrease the deficit by $1.2 trillion over ten years. When the super committee failed to act, another part of the Budget Control Acts went into effect. This directed automatic acrossthe-board cuts split evenly between defense and domestic spending, beginning on January 2, 2013. Also, part of the cliff not mentioned, the Obamacare bill imposes new taxes on families making more than $250,000 a year ($200,000 for individuals) starting at the same time. At the end of 2011, the patch to the Alternative Minimum Tax exemptions expired. Technically, the AMT thresholds immediately reverted to their 2000 tax year levels, a drop of 26% for single people and 40% for married couples. Anyone over these reduced thresholds at the end of 2012 would be subject to the AMT. Therefore; more taxpayers would pay more unless some legislation was passed that affects the exemptions retroactively. Since the election, both sides have been furiously trying to find a compromise and at the same time sabotage the other side. John Boehner has between a rock and another rock. Part of the President’s reelection victory was based on his call for higher taxes on millionaires and billionaires. But at the same time, many house Republicans can point to their promise not to raise taxes as the reason they won their districts. The day after the election, Boehner agreed to put revenues on the table and, according to the Wall Street Journal, Obama refused to budge At one point, according to notes taken by a participant, Mr. Boehner told the President, “I put $800 billion [in tax revenue] on the table. What do I get for that?”

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

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“You get nothing,” the President said. “I get that for free.” Boehner upped his offer; the Monday before the aborted “Plan B” vote, the speaker offered a deal which also included a total of one trillion dollars worth of new taxes if the President accepts one trillion dollars worth of entitlement cuts. Although the White House did not accept Boehner’s gambit, many thought it could push negotiations away from entrenched, ideological positions. “Boehner has now accepted the premise of higher rates. So now we’re just arguing over details. I think it’s a significant step,” said Greg Valliere, chief political strategist at Potomac Research Group. But that’s where the compromise is stalled; Obama wants approximately $200 billion more in taxes than Boehner has offered, Boehner wants approximately $200 billion more in cuts than Obama is willing to commit. According to the Wall Street Journal, as the

talks broke down last week, Obama told Boehner that he is holding all the political cards. “If the sides didn’t reach agreement, he would use his inaugural address and his State of the Union speech to tell the country the Republicans were at fault.” There is great pessimism in Washington, as most within the Beltway no longer believe that a fiscal cliff compromise is possible. On one hand, you have a President refusing to budge because he correctly views America will believe him when he puts all the blame on the GOP. On the other hand, you have a GOP Congress that are unwilling to break the campaign promises that convinced people to elect them. In the end, the blame for going off the cliff is the American people, who voted for the status quo this past November and expected things to be different. Jeff Dunetz is the Editor/Publisher of the political blog “The Lid” (www.jeffdunetz.com).

Letters to the editor Kudos Dear Editor: As our community, both near and far, has gone through very traumatic events these past few months, there is always one source that I turn to for inspiration and uplifting words – your newspaper. Though I read many newspapers and publications, there are none that I can say that I read from cover-to-cover – with the exception of your wonderful paper. The regular weekly Torah thoughts (by Rabbis Binny Freedman and Avi Billet) are not only meaningful and brilliant – they always deliver a timely message that is indeed motivating and enriching. Your news stories are also relevant and important to each of us, and I cannot omit the Kosher Bookworm who always introduces us to new wonderful Torah books. I have always believed that quality always trumps quantity – and your paper is the best proof of that! I want to express my appreciation to you and to all the wonderful authors/writers of your paper, and my best wishes for continued success and growth to you and your exceptional newspaper. All the best, Dov Barry Bronstein, Esq.

Unkosher and unsocial Dear Editor On December 19th, Zechariah Mehler used Twitter to protest an article by Rabbi Marc Katz in Tablet Magazine entitled ‘The Jewish View on Weapons: As we debate gun policy in the wake of Newtown, we should heed the wisdom of the Jewish sages.’ Mehler disagreed with Rabbi Katz’s message so much that Mehler tweeted from his @TheKosherCritic account that the piece was “opportunistic sensationalism.” Soon after, senior members of the Jewish community, including Rabbi Matt Soffer of Temple Israel of Boston and Rabbi Joshua Strom of Temple Shaaray Tefila, rushed to Rabbi Katz’s defense on Twitter. Mehler reacted by tweeting, “Do you guys even know how to be rabbis anymore?” As a Presbyterian in the Christian faith, the argument only caught my attention be-

cause I follow Rabbi Strom on Twitter. Rabbi Strom and I were fraternity brothers in college, and I noticed when Mehler tweeted to Rabbi Strom, “You however, are in fact an idiot.” As Mehler himself realized, albeit unremorsefully, “Addressing my distaste for an article seems to have started a war with ever[y] assistant rabbi in the [R]eform movement. #uppity.” Mehler’s self-administered Twitter biography and LinkedIn profile both claim his employment as a Culinary Journalist for The Jewish Star. When I reached out to its publisher Karen Green to demand Mehler’s resignation, Ms. Green replied that Mehler “hasn’t worked for me in months.” At the time of this writing, Mehler continues to list The Jewish Star on his social media pages, likely in the hopes of leveraging its good name and brand to achieve greater legitimacy in whatever crusade Mehler might be fighting. Religious intolerance is a terrible problem in today’s society, but it strikes an even more horrifying chord when public infighting occurs within a given faith. Despite being a 2004 graduate of Yeshiva University, Mehler openly and profanely criticized good, decent shepherds of the Jewish faith at the height of the holiday season. As an onlooker, I am saddened by Mehler’s shameful ignorance, and can only offer my prayers for greater judgment, understanding, and acceptance for all of God’s people. Jeff Smidt Charlottesville, VA @smidtty

An open letter- from the depths of my heart Dear Editor: As the horrific news from the Sandy Hook School in Newtown, CT massacre unfolded, I became uncontrollably emotional, which left me speechless. All I could do at that moment was lift my crying heart to Hashem and beseech the Almighty to spread his grace upon the ravaged families in Connecticut and to heal the world that is suffering so much at this moment. In evaluating this disaster, I could begin a Continued on page 10

The legacy of the great Lithuanian Rabbis: another Berel Wein classic Koren, 2012]. Brought to my attention by my friend Chaim of Cedarhurst’s Judaica Plus, this work, by two exceptionally talented scholars, will surely give the reader a clear and comprehensive picture of what the Lithuanian Jewish legacy was all about, and why its impact upon our people has had such an everlasting influence upon us all. From the book’s introduction we learn of the educational backgrounds of these two gentlemen in their own words. “In this book, we have sought to construct a virtual ‘letter’ to this generation according to the teachings and worldview of the remarkable Torah sages of Lithuanian Jewry, as we received these teachings from our own rebbeim and mentors, zt”l, who were the disciples of these sages. “Rabbi Berel Wein was a student of Rabbi Chaim Zvi Rubenstein, a student of Volozhin; Rabbi Zev Wein, a student of Rav Shimon Shkop; Rabbi Yisrael Mendel Kaplan, a student of Yeshivos Mir and Baranovitch; Rabbi Mordechai Rogow, a student of Mir; and Rabbi Chaim Kreisworth, a student of Slabodka. “Rabbi Warren Goldstein was a student of his late Rosh Yeshiva and rebbe, Rabbi Azriel Chaim Goldstein, who was a student of Rabbi Mordechai Gifter, who himself had learned from Rav Avraham Yitzchak Bloch, who was a student of Rav Yosef Yehudah Lev

Bloch, a student of Rabbi Eliezer Gordon, the founder of Telz, who in turn, was a student of Rav Yisrael Salanter, a student of Rav Zundel Salant, who was a student of Rav Chaim Volozhiner, who was a student of the great Vilna Gaon himself.” We learn from Rabbi Goldstein’s essay “Being a Mensch,” of the following teachings of the Vilna Gaon, as gleaned from his famous letter and ethical will: “Much of the letter discusses middos tovos, emphasizing the severity of speech-related sins, such as lashon hara. Consistent with his view that middos ‘encompass the entire Torah,’ the Vilna Gaon connects the rules against lashon hara with the building of good character. Although these laws are part of the actual mitzvos of the Torah, they are also rooted in a person’s character. The Gaon broadens the concept of sinful speech beyond lashon hara to include scoffing, breaking vows and oaths, and conflictladen speech, all of which constitute bad middos.” This work is studded with a panorama of great historical figures who were each destined to set the stage for Jewish religious scholarship, organizational life, and discipline for the next two centuries. Their legacy was destined to survive life spans, as well as persecutions, that enabled our faith to enjoy a high quality spiritual longevity, both here in America and in Israel, in the quality of learn-

ing and numbers far exceeding their European antecedents. Some of these personalities include Rav Aharon Kotler, Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky, and Rav Mordechai Gifter, z”l. Each in their own way, derech, and geographic clime, contributed mightily to the survival of our faith on these blessed shores.

FOR FURTHER STUDY I am happy to note the publication of volume 14, Winter 2012, Hakira: The Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought. Among the over dozen excellent scholarly works are two in particular that I wish to draw your attention to. The first is entitled, “A Chapter in American Orthodoxy: The Eruvin in Brooklyn” by Rabbi Adam Mintz, and “The Exodus: Convergence of Science, History and Jewish Tradition” by Dr. Judah Landa. Each of these studies will surely give you a different perspective on subjects that warrant greater study by you. Hakira can be obtained locally at Zundel Berman’s on Central Avenue, in Cedarhurst. Also, please note the publication of volume three of Dialogue, Fall 2012. I am pleased to note that its new managing editor is Eytan Kobre of Bayswater. The subject matter found in Dialogue ranges from such issues involving homosexuality, metzizah bepeh, as well as several scholarly pieces on polemics, halachah, and scripture analysis. Among the gifted writers in this issue are Rabbi Benjamin Blech, formerly the rav of the Young Israel of Oceanside, and Rabbi Hillel Goldberg, our country’s premier journalist of Jewish opinion.

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he word “legacy” should bring to mind all the greatness and grandeur that any human being would desire in anyone of spiritual authority. Legacy bespeaks of the bequeathing of knowledge, a code of conduct, honesty, and integrity to a posterity that we wish for ourselves and our progeny. Mindful of this is what makes one’s history, whether personal or collective, so attractive to study and to learn from. Thus we find such a legacy in the subject matter to be reviewed in this week’s essay. In 1994, Rabbi Berel Wein wrote the following about a work entitled, “The Hasidic Movement and The Gaon of Vilna” by Rabbi Dr. Elijah Judah Schochet, himself a descendent of the Vilna Gaon: “Anyone interested in understanding the stormy events that led Alan Jay Gerber to the major changes in Jewish life over the past two centuries will find this book of great aid and value. It is obvious that only knowledge of the past can help us understand the present.” Such an accolade by Rabbi Wein can now be extended to his own recent cognate work written in collaboration with South African Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein entitled, “The Legacy: Teachings for Life from the Great Lithuanian Rabbis” [Maggid Books,

THE JEWISH STAR December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773

The Kosher Bookworm

December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773 THE JEWISH STAR

Parshat Shimon

Hebrew only please!

A view of a flawed (member of the) tribe By and large, the tribe of Shimon does not fare well in the Biblical story. The second of Yaakov’s sons is completely bypassed for any leadership role. The Yalkut Shimoni notes (Shoftim 42) that the tribe of Shimon, “Never had a judge or a king, on account of the sin of Zimri.” In our parsha, Shimon and Levi are grouped together in Yaakov’s blessing – though theirs is hardly a blessing – when he says, “Shimon and Levi are a pair… they have killed men with anger, Rabbi Avi Billet maimed bulls with will. Cursed be their rage, for it is fierce, and their fury, for it is cruel. I will disperse them in Jacob, scatter them in Israel.” Their having killed men with anger refers to their decimation of the city of Shechem. Otherwise the blessing is cryptic until the end, which predicts their portions in the Land of Israel: Levi gets none – only cities, while Shimon’s portion is within that of the tribe of Yehuda. At the end of the Torah (Devarim 33), Shimon is the only tribe not blessed by Moshe, which Ibn Ezra blames on the Baal Pe’or incident (Bamidbar 25). Ramban rejects this, suggesting it is disgraceful to think Moshe did not bless a tribe. It is only because Moshe mentioned Yosef as Ephraim and Menashe, and achieved the number of 12 tribes. The smallest tribe (Shimon) was thus left out of the Torah’s account of the blessings – more for practical reasons than as punishment. Looking at Shimon – the man and the tribe – in the Torah and Midrash, the picture is quite reproving, in fact. His role in wiping out the city of Shechem (along with Levi) is criticized. He and Levi are credited with having the discussion to kill Yosef (37:19-20 – many midrashim and Targum Yonatan), while Shimon is identified as the one who threw Yosef in the pit (Bereshit Raba 84:16). We know Levi is exonerated, on account of the status Shevet Levi carries until today – having Moshe and Aharon and all those who did not participate in the Golden Calf as their forebears establish Levi’s status as the tribe of holiness forever. Like Cham, son of Noach, who is eternally linked with his son Canaan (and cursed in this manner by his father) Shimon is also linked with Canaan in his lineage. Of all the descendants of Yaakov who descended to Egypt, only one has a depiction of his mother attached to his name: Shaul ben HaCanaanit, apparent son of Shimon. Why was he singled out in this way? Ramban learns from his name that the sons of Yaakov did not marry Canaanites. The Midrash (Rabati) presents three options: Shimon was the only one of the brothers to marry a Canaanite (according to Ramban, they married Egyptians, Amonites, Moabites, Yishmaelites, and Bnei Keturah); ‘The Canaanite’ refers to Dinah, on account of her encounter with Shechem – Shimon had one child with her (as an accession to her concern that she’d never marry), and then ended their union; Shaul was later Zimri.

With reference to his being Zimri (or the ancestor of Zimri), the Talmud in Sanhedrin 82b explains the name Shaul (lend) meaning “because he lent himself [easily] to commit a sin,” and Ben HaCanaanit to mean, “because he engaged in a Canaanite act of licentiousness.” (How he lived for 250 years is a different question.) According to those who suggest he was the son of Dinah, either Shimon was the father (see above), or Shechem was the father (Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch). [Some say Yosef’s wife was the product of Dinah and Shechem – Targum Yonatan 41:45] Rav Hirsch credits Shimon with raising Shaul, noting a precedent that a Jewish mother establishes her child’s acceptance into her family. That Shimon is listed as his father, must then follow the Talmudic ruling (Sanhedrin 19b) that one who raises a child in his home is as if he fathered him. The Tzror Hamor (R. Abraham ben Jacob Saba) presents a fascinating insight to Shimon, from the moment he was born. Leah saw all that would transpire with Shimon in a prophetic vision – the Zimri/Kozbi story, the union with a Canaanite that would produce Shaul, and therefore the proclivity Shimon has for “zimah.” (licentiousness). This is why when she names him she says, “G-d heard I am hated,” as if to say, “G-d heard, and got angry.” He gave me “this,” meaning “If only he hadn’t given me ‘this’ because he is destined for sin…” His name can be read “Sham Avon” - sin is on him. The natural proclivity for sin was punished when most of those who died at Baal Peor were of the tribe of Shimon. The Malbim explains (Bamidbar 26:12) that the entire family of Ohad (son of Shimon) was wiped out, and that Yemuel and Zochar changed their tribal family names to Nemuel and Zerach to avoid a similar fate – all results of the Baal Peor story. This portrayal of the destiny of the tribe of Shimon is very depressing. When we consider that the sons of Yaakov are all considered holy, how do we reconcile Shimon’s unenviable status of being the worst of the lot? We see that no one is perfect. Some people have devils in them from the moment they are born. For some people it comes out in spurts, for some it lays dormant, and for some it comes out in later generations – it seems to be embedded in the genetic code. For those who are preprogrammed this way, their challenge is to overcome their proclivities as best as possible. It’s not easy – it never is – but with recognition of the problem, and properly seeking help and guidance, a person has a fighting chance of living a productive life. For those on the outside, we need to be as helpful as we can, reserve judgment until judgment is fairly warranted, and give the benefit of the doubt as much as possible. Those who say Shimon did a kindness in taking Dinah, when she thought no one ever would, are clearly judging Shimon favorably. Living amongst flawed people is a challenge. But we dare not play G-d with their destiny – some will do bad and will always be bad, some will challenge their nature and be amazing people, and some will recognize their errors and do teshuvah. How we choose to view and accept or reject them is our challenge, to be fair and honest with all the information we can gather.

The Babylonian siege and Yom HaKadish HaKlali This week we marked the 10th of Tevet. On that day, the Babylonians laid siege to Jerusalem, and this day, as well, was designated by the Israeli Rabbinate as Yom HaKadish HaKlali, a day to say Kaddish for those murdered in the Holocaust for whom we have no definite date of death. The common denominator between the two might be that, at first, the significance of what was happening wasn`t realized; after all, perhaps no Jew even died on the day that the siege began, and the defenders might have thought that they would overcome the siege. And certainly many people never imagined what Hitler’s ascent to power would eventually mean for the Jews. Our obligation is to learn this lesson....

By Rabbi Noam Himelstein

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.

Some accidents are actually good A

t some point over lunch on Shabbat, the story of my husband Jerryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first car accident came up. My sister-in-law, Shirley, while trying to catch her breath, because she was laughing so hard, turned to me and said â&#x20AC;&#x153;this is youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re article for next weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paper.â&#x20AC;? And so it is.... As soon as Jerry got his license, he and his friends jumped into his dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s car to take it for a spin. Before even making it fully out of the driveway he was smashed by a car driving down the street. He wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure he could pull out in enough time to clear the car, but at the last second his friends said he had plenty of timeâ&#x20AC;Ś.not! His first time officially driving and he was in an accident with two wheels still in the driveway. Judy Joszef Fast forward two years. Jerryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dad surprised him and his brother by agreeing to buy them a red souped-up Camaro, complete with mag wheels. One night, his friend Benjy, who had borrowed his car, called him and said â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have good news and bad news; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m ok, but your car is totaled.â&#x20AC;? Jerry shouted back kiddingly, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why is that the good news?â&#x20AC;? At the body shop the mechanic said the only part intact was the battery. So there was Jerry carrying the battery back to his dorm, a small me-

mento. Now you and I would probably put it on a shelf and tell our kids about it one day, but that wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the case. He and his roommate Normie set their alarm each morning, woke up and actually moved the battery from one side of the room to the other based on â&#x20AC;&#x153;alternate side parking,â&#x20AC;? usually arguing over whose turn it was to move it. Seems like interesting accidents run in his family. His daughter smashed into a parked car on a quiet street in Teaneck. â&#x20AC;&#x153;How did you manage that?â&#x20AC;? the police officer asked her. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well,â&#x20AC;? she said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was hard to drive with my coffee in one hand and cell phone in the other.â&#x20AC;? Sigh. And my very favorite: Jerryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents were in a terrible accident on the highway. A huge truck hit an overpass and toppled onto their car, crushing it, the bulk on Jerryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side. He was unconscious, and his mom thought the worst. Then his eyes fluttered and, in a whisper, he said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mottel, please pick the truck up off my head, the truck is sitting on my head.â&#x20AC;? Thankfully, he was only 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;4â&#x20AC;?, luckily emerging with just a bad concussion. You must be thinking, how am I going to tie in accidents with this weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recipe? Simple....Some of the best recipes around today are the product of accidental discoveries. In the 1850s, George Crum was a grouchy cook known for sabotaging dishes that were returned to the kitchen. When a customer complained that his fried potatoes were not sufficiently crisp, he is said to have sliced potatoes thinner and thinner and salted them so thoroughly as to make them inedible. But the customer loved them, and the potato chip

was born. John Harvey and Will Keith Kellogg werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t about to waste the stale, boiled wheat Will had left sitting out at their Battle Creek Sanitarium. They attempted to make long sheets of dough, but the process resulted in flakes, which they then toasted. Patients loved the new dish, and they experimented with various grains, including corn. The Kelloggâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s company was formed in 1906, but John refused to take part, as he felt the addition of sugar to the corn flakes decreased their health benefit. Thousands of years ago, Mesopotamians abandoned their nomadic ways and became the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first agrarian society. Stored grains for bread became wet, and began to naturally ferment. Some hardy soul dared to drink the frothing mess, thus knocking back the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very first brewski. The truth of this one is a bit murky, but the Legend of Kaldi maintains that an Abyssinian or Ethiopian goat herder noticed that his flock was acting especially frisky after eating some bright red berries. After sampling some for himself and verifying the mood shift, he brought the berries to a local imam who studied them, eventually roasting and boiling a batch in water, thus brewing up the original cup oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Joe. A Johns Hopkins University researcher spilled a chemical on his hands, but neglected to wash it off before sitting down to lunch. The chemical transferred an incredibly sweet taste to the bread he was eating, and in 1884, he obtained a patent for saccharin. In the 1930s, baker Ruth Wakefield was

trying to make a favorite chocolate cookie recipe but was out of baking chocolate. She had a bar of bittersweet chocolate, which she cut into bits and incorporated into the dough. Wakefield expected the chocolate to melt while baking, but the morsels kept their shape and tasted great...and the first chocolate chip cookie was devoured.

The First Ever Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ingredients â&#x20AC;˘2 Âź cups flour â&#x20AC;˘1 teaspoon salt â&#x20AC;˘1 cup unsalted butter â&#x20AC;˘Âž cup brown sugar â&#x20AC;˘Âž cup white sugar â&#x20AC;˘2 eggs, beaten â&#x20AC;˘1 teaspoon baking soda â&#x20AC;˘1 teaspoon hot water â&#x20AC;˘1 teaspoon vanilla â&#x20AC;˘18 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips Sift flour together with salt and set aside. Cream together butter and sugars. Add the eggs, mixing until combined. Dissolve baking soda in hot water and add alternately with flour mixture. Add vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 36 to 48 hours. Preheat oven to 375Â°F. Scoop out rounded tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into a ball. Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet and press ball down to flatten. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until golden brown. Cool cookies on the pan for two minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

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THE JEWISH STAR December 28, 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ 15 TEVET 5773

Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the kitchen

December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773 THE JEWISH STAR

THE JEWISH STAR December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773

December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773 THE JEWISH STAR

Yeshiva Har Torah 8th grade girls with Yachad members at the Motzaei Shabbat Melava Malka

Joint Har Torah-Yachad 8th grade Shabbaton On Shabbat Parshat VaYigash, the 8th graders at Yeshiva Har Torah joined together with members of Yachad from around the tri-state area for an uplifting and exciting Shabbat together. The Shabbaton took place in Holliswood, Queens, and both the communities of Holliswood and Jamaica Estates opened their doors to all the many YHT students and Yachad Members participating in the annual Shabbaton. Joining together with the Young Israel of Holliswood, the Shabbaton began with heartfelt Tefilah, followed by a Seudat Shabbat in the Shul’s ballroom. It was a wonderful opportunity for the 8th graders to join with the Yachad members, singing Zemirot, laughing and dancing arm in arm together. Shabbat morning the Holliswood community joined the Shabbaton for a Kiddush, followed by another uplifting and inspiring lunch, at which YHT and Yachad participants shared Divrei Torah and sang Zemirot. The Shabbat concluded with a community wide Seudah Shlishit, where once again the Holliswood community had a chance to join in the Achdut and energy of this unique Shabbaton. Motzaei Shabbat, the Shabbaton concluded with the YHT 8th graders and Yachad members having a blast playing Coke and Pepsi while enjoying a pizza Melava Malka. The 8th graders look forward to their annual YHT/Yachad Shabbaton each year, and it truly was a special, inspiring and transformational weekend.

Har Torah Assistant Principal Rabbi Yisrael Silverman, left, and Rabbi Ahron Rosenthal, Director of Student Activities, right with 8th grade boys at Yachad shabbaton.

Letters to the editor Continued from page 1 diatribe about the lack of true gun control in our country and why was it necessary to have an AR-15 .223 semiautomatic rifle in one’s home, or are we treating the mentally ill in the best way possible, and do we have proper security in our schools and in our places of worship, but that was not in my thoughts at that moment. The more I learned of the tragedy, I realize, as a rabbi, my aim must be to think of the best way to ameliorate the pain that parents, siblings, grandparents and friends are going through at this moment. I remember well when Aaron the Kohen Gadol, brother of Moshe, was faced with the death of his beloved sons. The Torah describes his reaction;”Vayidom Aharon”

Aaron was silent. When words are not able to express our pain and despair, it is best to remain silent and to try to be one with ourselves and find a way to move on with life as difficult as it may seem, and to pour our love and embraces on those around us and tell them how much they mean to us and to find the solace in greater brotherhood and greater understanding amongst all of us. In this vein we need to educate our youth to pursue hobbies and interests that are less involved in the latest craze of watching movies where zombies eat people and video games that are based upon how many people they can kill and maim as a success in wining the game. Our children must be educated in more ways and means towards refining char-

acter and in refining society in general. As a Rabbi, I must encourage people that they have choices in life and those choices should be made to bring about a more Godly society that is advocating kindness, understanding, and peaceful solutions to our problems and to learn to tone down the rhetoric of hatred and violence. I penned a letter to the families who are suffering and said simply; “I want to express my extreme sadness and the sadness of our Lido Beach Synagogue family to the community of Newtown, and particularly the families of the victims. As a father myself, I know that this tragedy is a parent’s worst nightmare. This is a moment for America to come together and do what we do best—support

one another as we try to recover from this inexplicable horror. May God console you in your hour of bereavement and may the Souls of your beloved children and mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives repose in peace in the heavenly abode.“ To our Lido Beach Synagogue our lesson is simple but extremely important; This is our time for more expressions of love, understanding and compassion to our families and friends and pray to Hashem to bring about a more peaceful world where all mankind can live in peace and tranquility. With faith in a better world and in mankind and love in my heart, Rabbi Daniel H. Mehlman Lido Beach Synagogue, Lido Beach, N.Y.

“Am I instead of G-d?” By Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam and Moshe Reuven ben Chaya. This week’s parasha (Torah portion) contains a verse that seems to defy all manner of understanding: “Now Joseph’s brothers saw that their father had died…” (Sefer Bereishit 50:15, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach). What can the Torah possibly mean when it tells us this? After all, the preceding two verses unequivocally state: And his [Yaakov’s] sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and they buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which field Abraham had bought for burial property from Ephron the Hittite before Mamre. And Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers, and all who had gone up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father. (Ibid. 13-14) Rashi (1040-1105) answers our question by quoting a Midrashic explanation that suggests that the brothers perceived Yosef’s behavior as being different from what it had been when their father was alive: Now Joseph’s brothers saw that their father had died: What does it mean that they saw? They recognized his (Jacob’s) death in Joseph, for they were accustomed to dine at Joseph’s table, and he was friendly toward

them out of respect for his father, but as soon as Jacob died, he was no longer friendly toward them. — [From Targum Jonathan ben Uzziel; Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Sefer Shemot 2] Another statement, this time from the standard edition of the Midrash Tanchuma, seems to indicate that the brothers began to worry about how Yosef would treat them almost immediately after they buried their beloved father: Now Joseph’s brothers saw that their father had died: What did they see now that caused them to have such visceral fear? But in fact, they saw at the time that they returned from their father’s burial that Yosef went to make a blessing [for his salvation] over the very same pit into which his brothers had tossed him…. Once they saw this, they said: “Now that our father has died, perhaps Yosef will bear a grudge and surely repay us in kind for all the evil that we did to him.” (Vayechi 17) When the above-stated Midrashim are viewed in tandem, it becomes clear that Yosef’s brothers had legitimate reasons to fear a potential outpouring of pent-up anger and rage. Yet, Yosef did no such thing. The reason, I believe, is that Yosef had conquered his desire for revenge because he had reached a high level of moral rectitude. This notion is encapsulated in the honorific title by which he has been known throughout Jewish history: “Yosef Hatzaddik” (“Yosef the Righteous”). It appears, however, that the brothers did not fully comprehend Yosef’s true moral stature and judged him, perhaps, in the same manner in which they would have judged them-

selves. In fact, they so misunderstood Yosef’s nature that they offered themselves to him to be his slaves: “His brothers also went and fell before him, and they said, ‘Behold, we are your slaves.’” (Sefer Bereishit 50:18) Yosef, of course, desired no such debasement of his brothers. Moreover, he did everything in his power to assuage their fears, and to assure them of his continuing protection and physical support: But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for am I instead of G-d? Indeed, you intended evil against me, [but] G-d designed it for good in order to bring about what is at present to keep a great populace alive. So now do not fear. I will sustain you and your small children.” And he comforted them and spoke to their hearts. (Ibid. 19-21) This passage contains the particularly fascinating phrase of “for am I instead of G-d?” This is not the first time we encounter this expression in Sefer Bereishit. It also appears in the midst of the heartbreaking dialogue that ensued between Yosef’s then-barren mother Rachel, and his father Yaakov: And Rachel saw that she had not borne [any children] to Jacob, and Rachel envied her sister, and she said to Jacob, “Give me children, and if not, I am dead.” And Jacob became angry with Rachel, and he said, “Am I instead of G-d, Who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” (Ibid. 30:1-2) Even a cursory reading of the two passages reveals that although Yaakov and Yosef used the same words, they meant something quite different. Yaakov angrily and insensitively berated Rachel with the words “Am I instead of G-d?” whereas Yosef used them

to comfort and reassure his frightened and trembling brothers. Chazal (our Sages of Blessed Memory) alluded to this fundamental difference in Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Parashat Vayatze 19: Rachel said to Yaakov: “Give me children, and if not, I am dead.” And Jacob became angry with Rachel. And the Holy Spirit (Ruach Hakodesh) then said: “Shall a wise man raise his voice with opinions of wind…” [i.e. meaningless words and causeless anger (Rashi) Sefer Iyov 15:2] Yaakov then said to Rachel: “Am I the vice-regent (antikyasar) of the Holy One Blessed be He? Am I instead of G-d?” [In response to Yaakov’s gross insensitivity to Rachel] Hakadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One Blessed be He) took an oath and swore: “In the same language that you [Yaakov] angrily said, ‘Am I instead of G-d?’ shall her [Rachel’s] son arise [and state from a position of strength and sensitivity] to your other sons: “Am I instead of G-d?” The noted Israeli Bible scholar, Professor Nechama Leibowitz, z”l, (1905-1997) presented the crystal clear difference between Yaakov and Yosef in their use of the same phraseology, in the following insightful analysis: Jacob had shirked responsibility in these words, rejecting his wife’s Rachel’s request to pray for her in time of trouble and share her distress, on the grounds of man’s incompetence and his limitations in the matter concerned. He had adopted this pose of humbleness and inadequacy in order to absolve himself of all responsibility. Joseph, on the other hand, uttered this expression of inadContinued on page 13

Celebrating Our 25th Anniversary Serving the Five Towns & Surrounding Areas

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Lenny Koegel

THE JEWISH STAR December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773

Parashat Vayechi

December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773 THE JEWISH STAR

Dec 29 Concert Backstage Lounge, Woodmere RETROFEST 33, Paying Tribute to the Bands that Played the Fillmore West in the Late 60’s - Early 70’s To Benefit Respond and Rebuild’s efforts to Help the Rockaways after Hurricane Sandy, One Family at a Time. Sponsored by Long Island Builders, LLC Organized by Avi ( Allan) Spielman of Retrofestival.Org Retrofest 33 will celebrate the music that made the Fillmore West famous in the late 60’s early 70’s $10 donation at the door. Every dollar raised will benefit the cleanup efforts of Respond & Rebuild in the Rockaways as they assist the victims of hurricane Sand.y Donation checks should be made out to Respond & Rebuild. Respond & Rebuild is a group of disaster response volunteers who came together to help in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. They use their experience as relief workers and skills in the construction trades to coordinate immediate and effective response to disaster and aid in the long term rebuilding process. They have partnered with Occupy Sandy to share skills and resources as well. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, they have been pumping out, cleaning out, gutting out, and removing/preventing mold in hurricaneaffected communities. They also coordinate training sessions so a larger number of people can provide fast and effective relief, while they build our capacity to assist in long-term recovery efforts. About the Headliner: Godfrey Townsend is a New York based musician who has worked with many of rock music’s most influential names. In the past decade alone, he has performed nationwide with: John Entwistle, bass guitarist of The Who ; Jack Bruce, bass guitarist/vocalist of Cream; Dave Mason, guitarist/vocalist of Traffic; Alan Parsons, producer/engineer/ recording artist For additional information on Retrofest 33, please visit www.retrofestival.org, or respondandrebuild.org www.facebook.com/events/ 100439263458842/ Contact: Avi Spielman 917-583-2505 Show is from 7 p.m. – 1 a.m. Backstage Lounge is located at Woodmere Lanes at 948 Broadway, Woodmere.

Dec 30 Guest Speaker and Breakfast Lawrence Congregation Beth Sholom Elana Stein Hain Community Scholar, Lincoln Square Synagogue. Adjunct Professor at NYU & has served on the Wexner Institute Faculty. Currently completing her doctorate in re-

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Calendar Submit your shul or organization’s events or shiurim to jscalendar@thejewishstar.com. Deadline is Wednesday of the week prior to publication.

Jan 5 Comedy Night Cedarhurst

HANC STUDENT WINS THE SILVER Estee Ackerman, a sixth grader at the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County in West Hempstead won the silver medal at the 2012 US Nationals Table Tennis Championships in the under 1700 rating event held on December 16-22 at the Las Vegas convention center. In the very exciting back and forth semi-finals at 2 games all, she trailed 2-5 in the pivotal fifth game, when her coach and international star Biba Golic called a very timely time out.She seemed to calm Estee and got her focus back, as she then won the game 11-7 and match 3-2. However in the finals she lost 3-1 to Benjamin Lam of CA. In the under 1600 rating event she advanced to the round of 16, when she had a “Shabbos over Sports” moment, as the next match was to take place friday night.Instead of playing, she had to withdraw from the event as tournament officials would not reschedule it for after shabbos. In the under 1800’s she lost 3 games to 2, 11-9 in the fifth in the round of 16 in a very close match.Ackerman is sponsored by the Killerspin Table Tennis Company who provided her with support and encouragement during the events. Her brother Akiva, a ninth grader at DRS high school in Woodmere, NY also competed in eight events, with his best results coming in the under 4200 rating doubles event, where he and partner Sharon Alguetti(#1 ranked 10 year old in Israel) now living in New Jersey, lost 3-2 in the quarterfinals.The Ackerman’s were the only orthodox players out of the over 800 who came from all over the country for the event.They were hosted by Rabbi Mendy Levine of the Ahavas Torah Center in Henderson,Nevada. ligion at Columbia University. “Honoring Parents: (Re)reading the Ten Commandments” Sponsored by the Hiller Family in memory of Susie & Leonard Hiller k”z & Sonia Hiller k”z

Dec 31

Laugh” in the New Year with Kosher Komedy New Year’s Eve 2013 @ Backstage Please join us for an evening of great food, drinks and laughs featuring an All Star Lineup of the funniest & cleanest comedians as seen on The Tonight Show, Letterman,

Seforim For Sandy The Seforim Sale is the world’s largest Jewish book sale, completely run by Yeshiva University students for four weeks beginning February 3, 2013. This year, the Sale is focused on helping out Shuls and schools that were affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Craig Ferguson, VH1, E! and Comedy Central at the ONLY Comedy Club where the food and the comics are both KOSHER! Doors open for Dinner and Drinks at 7:30 p.m. Showtime at 9:30 p.m. Backstage is located at 948 Broadway, Woodmere, NY 11598 Reservations Required. Dinner & Show Package $85.00 pp includes: Glatt Kosher Dinner, Comedy Show, 2 Drinks plus Champagne Toast at Midnight, DJ and Dancing after Show. Proceeds from the show to benefit several local charities for victims of hurricane Sandy. “Split The Pot” Raffle tickets available the night of the event! For reservations or more information please call 516.983.7654 Email: KosherKomedy@Yahoo.com For a chance to win free tix! Follow us on Twitter @KosherKomedy Like Kosher Komedy on Facebook

Our goal is to help replenish libraries lost or damaged during the storm. To nominate your Shul for a chance receive a donation of up to $10,000 worth of Seforim, simply post a message on our Facebook wall with your Shul’s name and contact info @ face-

book.com/seforim Follow us on Twitter @SeforimSale and follow the project #Seforim4Sandy If you have any questions, feel free to email Sara, our Marketing Director, at sshabtai@theseforimsale.com

Need a good laugh? Don’t settle for another boring Motzaei Shabbos. Chabad of the Five Towns Comedy night will feature the brilliant comedy of Joel Chasnoff. Joel’s comedy with a mix of personal anecdotes and keen observational humor, ere centered around the theme of the absurdity of modern American life. Joel is not your grandfather’s Jewish comedian. With humor that’s clever, sharp, and never degrading, Joel’s comedy is a one hundred-eighty-degree turn from the Borscht Belt comics of old. Audiences across the spectrum, from U.S. Marines stationed at Okinawa to the Rebbes of Lubavitch Yeshivahs find Joel’s comedy smart, witty, and— most importantly—hilarious. The night, which starts at 8 p.m. will also features delicious dairy pasta, salads and sushi bar. The chairpersons for the evening are Josh & Naomi Abehsera, Victor and Chana Braverman, Ranon and Rachel Bruckenstein, Adam and Sarit Kramer and Moti and Elke Probkevitz. There is a $30 admission fee and RSVP is appreciated. Please call 516-2952478 or visit www.chabad5towns.com to reserve your spot. Chabad of The Five Towns is located at 74 Maple Avenue, Cedarhurst.

Jan 19 Singles Event Orthodox Union The Orthodox Union Singles Connection invites singles of all ages to a Beatles Extravaganza featuring “Come Together,” a Beatles tribute band, for a fun and exciting opportunity to meet new people. The recreations of the visual, vocal and instrumental experience of what was known as Beatlemania will take place on Saturday night, January 19 at the Fifth Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan, 5 East 62nd Street. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. The OU Singles Connection is a division of the OU Department of Community Engagement. Pre-registration is $20 online at www.oucommunity.org or calling 212.613.8300. Admittance will be $25 at the door. For further information, contact OU Community Services at www.oucommunity.org or call 212.613.8300.

f all the unexpected visitors I have ever received, none even come close to the surprise I got in the summer of ‘94. I was teaching a course on Jewish values deep in the mountains of Pennsylvania, at a camp called Moshava, near Indian Orchard. We were in the middle of an intense discussion on Jewish ethics, when I noticed three fellows standing at the entrance to the lodge. Their features were FROM THE HEART far- eastern; Chinese, it OF JERUSALEM seemed, and they were standing patiently at the door, taking it all in. You must understand, we were really in the middle of nowhere. The group of teenagers sitting before me was part of a very special group of kids who had been chosen to join a Jewish experience away from all Rabbi Binny the hustle of computFreedman ers and cell-phones, television and stereos. I couldn’t imagine how these three fellows had ended up here, especially as they looked like tourists. “Where are you from?” I asked. “We come from Tibet, though we are living in Nepal right now.” But what really shocked me was their next question: “Are you Rabbi Freedman?” I was amazed. They were actually looking for me, in the wilderness, having arrived all the way from Tibet! It transpired that they were followers of the Dalai Lama, who, along with 80,000 followers, had been forced to flee Tibet in the early 1950s, when the Chinese had taken over their country and destroyed the infrastructure of their Tibetan religion. Recently, they had begun coming to terms with a new challenge. Having lived in exile for nearly fifty years, a new generation was now coming of age, who had grown up in India and never even seen the ‘old country’ of Tibet. So they were trying to figure out how to keep the dream of Tibet alive in the hearts of their children who had never seen, much less experienced, the homeland they still longed for. So the Dalai Lama decided to consult the experts, and sent over 300 students all over the world to every major Jewish Organization to ask for help in learning how to respond to this dilemma. Who better to explain how to stay connected to a land in exile than a people that had managed to retain a dream over 2000 years, finally realizing their goal and coming home after nearly fifty generations?

Nearly sixty-five years ago, against all the odds, the State of Israel was born. After 2000 years of dreaming and wandering, the Jewish people were finally coming home. So unlikely an event as was this, it shocked the world. In the aftermath of the Holocaust, with nearly seven million Jews dead and the major institutions of Judaism across Europe destroyed, the world-famous historian, Arnold Toynbee, wrote an article, entitled “the fossil,” explaining how the Jews, so long an aberration to all normal historical patterns, were finally falling prey to the normal course of human events. Throughout history, whenever a nation was conquered, it gradually disappeared as a separate entity, assimilating into the culture of the conquerors, or destroyed entirely against an unbending and mighty foe. Only the Jews, hounded and targeted by every major power in the history of the western world, refused to go quietly into the night…. Five years later, after the end of the War of Independence in Israel, Chaim Herzog, who would later become the President of the State of Israel, wrote a response entitled: “The Fossil Lives.” Toynbee, to be fair, was not wrong. If you had told a Jew in the barracks of Buchenwald in 1945 that three years later he would be dancing in the streets of a new State of Israel, he would have said you were mad. But there we were, dancing…. What is, in the end, the secret of our survival? How is it, after so long, that we can walk once again the ancient cobblestones of the Old City of Jerusalem, or climb the fortress of Masada, still hearing the echoes of prayers offered so long ago, while the Roman Empire has been dust for fifteen centuries? There is an exchange in this week’s portion Va’Yechi, which is as powerful as it is puzzling, and which may contain the secret of Jewish survival. “Yisrael (Yaakov)’s days were numbered, and he begins his preparations for death.” Interestingly, this is the first instance we have in the Torah of someone sensing they are near death. And what is Yaakov’s wish prior to his death? He wants a promise from his beloved son Joseph, that he will not be buried in Egypt, but rather, that his body will be returned for burial in the land of his fathers. But if the essence in Judaism is not the body, but the soul, what does it matter where the body is buried when it is, in the end, only temporary, and survived by the spirit? This request of Yaakov makes such an impression on Joseph that he, too, in the final words of the book of Genesis (50:24), swears his brothers to perform the same kindness for him, and to one day not forget his bones in Egypt when they return home. Why this pre-occupation with death and burial? And why is this so important that it is actually the concluding topic of the entire

book of Genesis? What really, is burial? And why must burial be in the ground, in the land itself? Indeed, in the beginning of everything (Genesis 3:19), the last words G-d tells Adam before exiling him from the Garden of Eden, are: “Me’Afar Atah, Ve’El Afar Tashuv”; “You are from the earth, and you will return to the earth” Why this pre-occupation with earth, with land? Interestingly, the first challenge G-d ever gives a Jew is his exhortation to Abraham: ‘Go… to the Land that I will show you…’ (12:1) Why, in order for Abraham to achieve his mission, did it matter where he was? One would have expected that what was really important was who he was? Indeed, G-d promises Abraham: “All of the land that you see will I give to you and your offspring, forever. And I will make your seed like the dirt of the land…” (13:15-16) What a strange blessing! Your children will be like dirt? The Jewish story really does begin with Abraham. Four thousand years ago, one man, alone in a morass of pagan idolatry, believed it could be different. Life didn’t have to be idols and child sacrifice and the worship of the cruelty of nature. The world could learn to change. And it could begin with one man and one dream. Perhaps one person could teach the world, not by preaching, but by example. G-d tells Abraham that if he wants to be His partner, to be a model for what the world could be like, he needs to let go of where he is. If “through you will be blessed all the families on the face of the earth,” then you need to be separate. People have often misunderstood the essence of what Judaism is all about, because although Judaism is a religion, it is also a nation. And to be a nation, you need to have a home. To be a role model, you need to be seen, to be visible. Judaism dreams of creating an entire society based on ethics and love; based on Torah. And that can only begin in our own land. Only in our own place can we stand apart enough so that we can be seen. And being apart isn’t just about how the world sees us; it is also about how we see ourselves. When you are in a separate place, it forces you to consider who you really are. Further, Yaakov wants to be buried in the land of his Fathers, because if I don’t know where I am from, I don’t really know who I am. Abraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel & Leah, are not just part of my past; they are a part of who I am today. For the last fifty years, the Jewish people, especially in the land of Israel, have been go-

ing through an identity crisis. Who are we? Are we a Jewish people, or are we Israelis? Joseph, in these last few portions, represents the first Jew to experience exile, in a strange land, constantly reminded that he is not really home. His children, Menashe & Ephraim, are the first Jewish children born in exile. Ephraim & Menashe have never seen the land of Israel. They have grown up in Egypt, as Egyptians. Do they know their heritage? Do they understand their great legacy? That they are the great-great grandchildren of Abraham? That a dream the world so desperately needs will, ultimately, depend on them? Are they, in the end, Egyptian Jews, or Jewish Egyptians? When I was a boy, my grandmother, z”l, would always end her letters to us (she lived in England) with the enjoinder: “remember who you are.” When Yaakov commands Joseph, indeed swears him, to take him home to the land of Israel, he is making a statement not of where we are, but of who we are. Our place, in the end, is at home, in the land of Israel. And we are buried in the earth, which represents potential. Left alone, it is a barren field, where only weeds will grow. But when sown and ploughed, reaped, threshed and winnowed, it will feed the world, and become a vehicle for our partnership with G-d. We come from the earth and will ultimately return to the earth; the question is only whether we succeed in making a difference in-between. The blessing of being ‘like the dirt,’ given to Abraham, reflects the fact that, no matter what one does to the earth, it can never be destroyed. Earth, in the end, is eternal, and our desire to be interred in that earth, reflects our belief that life is eternal, and does not end with the physical. Burial represents the belief in eternity; where I choose to be buried represents where I really want to be, and, therefore, who I really am. At the end of the book of Genesis, the family of Yaakov is about to become the nation of Israel. Becoming more and more entangled in the culture and land of Egypt, Yaakov, and then Joseph, reminds them that, one day, they will return home. And that will depend not on where their bodies are enslaved, but where their hearts and souls freely yearn to be. Shabbat Shalom R. 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

Rabbi Etengoff on Parshat Vayechi Continued from page 11 equacy and self-abasement in order to save his brothers’ feelings and reassure them. It was not for him to judge them; the judgment was G-d’s. (Studies in the Book of Genesis: In the Context of Ancient and Modern Jewish Bible Commentary, translated by Aryeh Newman, p.560) Based on these sources, it appears to me that we can learn something essential from both Yaakov’s and Yosef’s reactions and subsequent actions. Yaakov taught us precisely how we ought not to behave. Rather than

demonstrating insensitivity and abnegating responsibility to our spouses, we need to recognize their pain and take on their emotional burdens as if they are truly our own. After all, according to the Midrash, G-d Himself soundly rejected Yaakov’s behavior toward his suffering wife in no uncertain terms. In stark contrast, I believe that Yosef taught us how to “take the high road,” to protect another’s feelings at his/her moment of greatest weakness. Perhaps most importantly, we must remember that it is not our role to judge another. Thus, each of us should try

to emulate Yosef and declare in heartfelt humility: “Am I instead of G-d?” May Hashem grant us the wisdom and understanding to walk humbly before Him, and before all mankind. V’chane yihi ratzon. Past drashot may be found at my blogwebsite: http://reparashathashavuah.org The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me

via email rdbe718@gmail.com. My new audio shiurim for Women on Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn. Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613. Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my new blog: http://21stcenturyje wisheducation.org

THE JEWISH STAR December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773

Our homeland is our heritage and legacy

December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773 THE JEWISH STAR

Santiago Pollarsky, his eyes on the stars By Malka Eisenberg He came from a small town in Argentina to New York, the big city, in 1961, with dreams of meeting and promoting, becoming a press agent, for Hollywood stars, the glitterati, and through hard work and perseverance, succeeded. Now a resident of the JASA houses in Far Rockaway, Santiago Pollarsky, 81, still dresses with panache, his scarf tossed casually around his neck, his hat stylishly askew, his spoken English fluid and colorfully accented. He traces his life’s path from the small, northeast Argentinean village of Ubajay, population 300, the youngest child of five siblings born to Samuel Pollarsky and Paulina Luschancoff, Russian immigrants. At the age of 10, he and his family moved to Entre Rios, Concordia. He completed his education and started working as a 6th grade teacher, “all subjects except music,” in different schools and later in Buenos Aires. Pollarsky visited the United States a few times, ultimately staying in 1961. “I had a mishigaas (craziness),” he said. “I wanted to interview celebrities. I couldn’t tell anybody; they would think I was crazy. My relatives did not know that I wanted to do these things.” When he came to New York, he received a teaching diploma and taught Spanish at the Educational Alliance, an organization founded in 1889 to help Jewish immigrants to the U.S., and to priests, nuns and social workers in a program of the New York and Brooklyn Archdioceses. Pollarsky is fluent in Spanish, English, Yiddish, French and Portuguese. A highlight of his life has been his work as a freelance journalist for Latin American magazines and newspapers, focusing on personal interviews with celebrities from the 1960s through the 1990s. “It was not easy,” he stressed. “It is a tough job. You see the photograph and think it’s glamorous but it’s a tough job.” Pollarsky has a DVD power point playing a woman singing “New York, New York,” with black and white photographs of himself interviewing well known personalities: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Bette Davis, Rock Hudson, Salvador Dali, Edward G. Robinson, the Beatles, Josephine Baker, and many others. He is much younger and dressed nattily, focused and self-assured. Pollarsky developed contacts in the show business industry, then a complicated puzzle of agents, public relations professionals, and lawyers. “I researched the show business

Photo courtesy of Santiago Pollarsky

Santiago Pollarsky, 81, of Far Rockaway discusses many of his life’s experiences newspapers, found the name of the agent, the star, where they stay. They don’t like to give the phone numbers of other stars, but they gave them to me because they trusted me. I called agents, lawyers, secretaries, the actors themselves. I had no problem communicating. I would get their biography, ask a

few questions at the interview and develop friendships with the celebrities. I wanted to be a press agent; I read a lot about it in Argentina, but I didn’t know what it was but wanted to be it. I thought the only way was interviewing celebrities. It was challenging. It is not easy to do it in any country. I would

interview in English and write in Spanish.” He wrote for publications in Spain and Venezuela: Ecos, Temas, El Mirador. He also arranged for celebrities to visit Spain and some Latin American countries for charities or for interviews on Spanish language television. He worked as a press agent for television stations in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela and Spain, working in public relations and writing press releases. During the early 1970s, Pollarsky was director of a senior citizens center with over 700 seniors, in the Bronx, arranging activities including trips and a fashion show with the seniors, aged 60 to 89, modeling the clothing. He was profiled in the New York Post for this work. In the 1980s, he worked for the New York State Division of Human Rights, interviewing and investigating complaints, negotiating arbitration hearings. He investigated claims of discrimination for Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act at the Department of Health and Human Services office for Civil Rights, checking compliance of organizations receiving federal grants. He helped prepare legal cases as well. Through his work, he received an Investigation Certificate signed by current Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas. Yeshaya ben Shmuel and Perel, Pollarsky’s Hebrew name, is the last of his siblings still alive. Although he has no family of his own he is very proud of his siblings’ “magnificent” children in Israel and in Argentina. He recounted that he did have an education in Hebrew and went to a Hebrew school when he was younger, in Argentina. “In my mind I was thinking that Yiddish was more important,” he said regretfully. “I learned davening (prayers in Hebrew) but forgot my Hebrew completely. I was speaking Yiddish so I didn’t forget the Yiddish.” He said that he davens sometimes in Darchei Torah, reading the prayers in English, and speaks with the rabbi in the JASA houses. He has lived in JASA for almost three years, after having lived in Manhattan, on 58th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, for more than 30 years. Pollarsky has lived a multifaceted life and continues to give of himself, volunteering to make phone calls for the Jewish Coalition, a Jewish republican group based in Washington, D.C. He noted that he received a thank you notice from them. He is very aware of and concerned with current events, and notes that he is “proud to be a Jew.” Pollarsky is currently working on his autobiography and hopes to continue to interview celebrities.

Great Neck synagogue reflects on CT tragedy Continued from page 1 nami, for example, that happened over there. Philosophers use the term, ‘the other.’ Tragedies happen to ‘the other.’ In our minds we can make it far. By coming together tonight we are sending a message, we are saying, it’s not ‘the other.’ This happened to us.” Rabbi Weinrib offered practical suggestions as to what can be told to a child, following the first and initial stage of grief, which should incorporate silence. In the first stage, Rabbi Weinrib noted, “There are no words, we must stand by in silence.” Rabbi Weinrib’s staged approach includes: (1) Get a clear picture: Gauge what stage your child or grandchild is in. Wait for him or her to ask about it. (2) Listen. Don’t talk; just listen. (3) Adjust your response to your child’s needs.

(4) Assure your child that he or she is safe. (5) Gun Control – expanding on point 4, the way to do that is not arming other people with guns. In a reference to the Talmud, Rabbi Weinrib stated, “It’s not the mouse that steals the cheese, it’s the hole in the wall that steals the cheese. If the person does not have the where with all to be a murderer, he can’t murder. We need rational, sensitive, thorough gun control.” Rabbi Weinrib emphasized that trust in society has been eroded. “Lessons of trust must be re-taught. To begin healing means to go on with life, not immediately, but eventually. As Jews, we are a light unto the nations. We need to teach people how to appreciate life, each in our own way. We can change the world. We have to recognize that we are all one.”

David Pollack, Associate Executive Director of the JCRC of New York, suggested that “there are no perfect solutions regarding school safety; our goals are to make our children and teachers safer. Sandy Hook needs to be a wake up call. The goal is to keep an unauthorized person out of the building as long as possible to give more time for the cavalry to come.” Rabbi Shaul Praver, of Congregation Adath Israel in Newtown, concluded the evening by sharing his personal thoughts with members of the Great Neck Jewish Community.

“The Jewish way is not revenge but thriving. After the Holocaust, Jews did not blow up churches. My understanding as a Jew is that families of victims need to do something very extraordinary in the world so that their child will not have died in vain.” Rabbi Praver sharply criticized the NRA’s late response to the tragedy and suggested that gun control, attention to bullying in school (linked to Adam Lanza’s past), and the general culture of violence in video games, needs to be thoroughly addressed.

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Congregation Beth Sholom Youth Department, under its new Youth Director, Moshe Cohen held a unique interactive Chanukah event as they said their final goodbyes to an Amazing Chanukah. First the kids had the opportunity to fill and decorate their own sufganiot. Of course the kids came up with some amazing & delicious combinations, which would make any dentist very proud. Musical IQ then treated them to a unique interactive drum experience, where the kids participated in Drum Tales, an interactive musical story of

Chankuah. Each child had their own drum, which they were taught how to play and add in their own feelings and emotions into the story. The program ended with raffles for various prizes including Nets tickets and gift certificates to our favorite stores on Central Ave. One boy, Matthew Jedwab, a 5th grader at Haftr, won one of the gift certificates. In one of the more touching acts of kindness, Matthew decided he wanted his prize to be sent to the children from Sandy Hook Elementary School.

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THE JEWISH STAR December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773

CBS welcomes new director

Liquor & Wine WAREHOUSE

y p p a H ! r a e Y w e N

FREE WINE TASTING Every Friday Kosher Wines Plus A Wide Array Of SPIRITS

Pa tro n

B elu ga R u ssia n Vo dka $

26.99

21.99

32.99

35.99 $62.99

375M L

w /coupon.Exp.11/ 25/12. TC 1/7/13

B la ck L a bel

750 M L

Jo hnnie W a lker

S ilver

w /coupon.Exp.11/ 25/12. TC 1/7/13

$ 00

5 OFF

A N Y W IN E PU R C H A S E O F $50 O R M O R E LIQ U O R & W IN E W A R EH O U S E M ust present coupon.1 coupon per person/visit.N o photocopies.Excludes B artenura. TC C annot be com bined w ith any other offer or sale item .Offer expires 11/25/12. 1/7/13 JS

750 M L 1/7/13 w /coupon.Exp.11/ 25/12. TC

10 O F F A N Y W IN E PU R C H A S E O F $100 O R M O R E LIQ U O R & W IN E W A R EH O U S E

M ust present coupon.1 coupon per person/visit.N o photocopies.Excludes B artenura. 1/7/13 JS TC C annot be com bined w ith any other offer or sale item .Offer expires 11/25/12.

1.75L

20 O F F A N Y W IN E PU R C H A S E O F $200 O R M O R E LIQ U O R & W IN E W A R EH O U S E

M ust present coupon.1 coupon per person/visit.N o photocopies.Excludes B artenura. 1/7/13 JS TC C annot be com bined w ith any other offer or sale item .Offer expires 11/25/12.

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343 Rockaway Tpke. • Lawrence, NY 11559 Tel: (516) 371-1133 Hours: Mon-Wed 10am-8pm • Thurs-Sat 10am-9pm Sun 12pm-7pm NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL OR PRICING ERRORS.

December 28, 2012 • 15 TEVET 5773 THE JEWISH STAR