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Expanded Sukkos Photo Gallery Starting On Page 44

The Most Read Frum News in the World 12 TISHREI 5773 | PARSHAS HA’AZINU / SUKKOS EDITION | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

VOL. 1 NO. 3

Netanyahu Draws “Clear Red Line” On Iranian Nuke Program By: Joshua Bains

esterday, in f ront o f t he U.N. G eneral A ssembly, Israeli Prime M inister B enjamin N etanyahu ask ed w hen I ran should be stopped from developing a nuclear weapon. He held up a w hite board with a b omb drawn on it. Inside the bomb were horizontal lines that represented the amounts of uranium enrichment necessary to construct a nuclear weapon. The first stage was dra wn o ver half way u p, a t 70%. The s econd st age rose t oward t he t op o f t he b omb, st anding a t 90%. H e s aid crossing that line would mean Iran had finished with uranium and entered the final stage – engineering a firing mechanism. This, explained Netanyahu, is a clandestine procedure and easily hidden. Letting Iran finish its enrichment and reach the final st age co uld mak e t he r egime’s nuclear p rogram impervious. Netanyahu ci ted p ublic I nternational A tomic Ener gy Agency data, and said the Iranian regime is well past the 70% mark. He said that by next year they will enter the third stage. He rhetorically asked the General Assembly where a r ed line should be drawn. Then he revealed a r ed, felt tipped marker and drew a line just below the 90% cut off. Netanyahu s aid a n uclear w eapon ca n b e co mpared t o

Continued on p. 4

Germany Outlines New Law Allowing Bris Milah ermany’s J ustice M inistry has o utlined a p lanned ne w law that will allow the Bris Milah of infant boys and end months o f l egal uncer tainty a fter a lo cal co urt ba nned t he practice. The ruling in June by a district court in Cologne outraged Muslims a nd J ews a nd spa rked a n emo tional deba te in t he

Continued on p. 16

Ahmadinejad: Israel Must Be ‘Eliminated’

YWN Presents Largest Year In Review Available See page 60

By: Joshua Bains

n M onday, t he U .N. S ecretary G eneral B an K i-moon warned I ranian P resident M ahmoud Ahmadinejad against remaining a provocateur during his U.N. visit. The same day, Ahmadinejad told reporters: “Iran has been

Continued on p. 1

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WHAT’S INSIDE YWN NEWS: Netanyahu Draws “Clear Red Line” On Iranian Nuke Program . . . . . . . . 1 Ahmadinejad Says Israel Should Be Eliminated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Ahmadinejad Calls For New World Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Germany Outlines New Law Allowing Bris Milah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Abbas Accuses Israel Of “Ethnic Cleansing” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Remarks of President Obama at UN General Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 YWN Jewish News Roundup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 11 Presidential News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 15 YWN Israel News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 19, 20, 21 New York News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24, 25, 26, 28 Backroom Deals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Health News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50, 51, 52, 53 US & World News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

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Netanyahu Draws “Clear Red Line” On Iranian Nuke Program Continued from p. 1

gunpowder and a fuse. The gunpowder is the enriched uranium. The fuse is t he detonator. To enrich enough uranium to make a w eapon takes many years and a lot of factory space. This is e asily s een. M anufacturing t he det onator ca n b e do ne q uickly, hidden wi thin a workshop t he size o f a c lassroom. Ther efore, he said Iran must b e stopped during the enrichment phase. “These n uclear in stallations a re t he o nly ones we can see and target.” He said sanctions haven’t slowed the progress of enrichment, rather bought the regime time. “ The I ranian n uclear calenda r do esn’t take time out for anyone or anything…Everyone should have a sense of urgency.” He compared a n uclear Iran to a n uclear Al Q aeda, s aying b oth w ould b e eq ually destructive. T o t hose co ncerned a bout dra wing lines a nd le ading t he region into war, he claimed that historically regimes only retreat when faced with unequivocal demands, while a fa ilure t o cr eate r ed lines allo ws t hem t o move forward. He quoted Middle East historian Bernard Lewis, who said that to those in power in Iran, mutually assured destruction is not a deterrent - it’s an inducement. Netanyahu la uded t he w ords sp oken a t the U .N. o n T uesday b y P resident B arack Obama: “Make no mist ake: a n uclear-armed Iran is no t a c hallenge that can be contained. It would threaten the elimination of Israel, the security o f G ulf na tions, a nd t he st ability o f the g lobal economy. It r isks tr iggering a n u-

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

clear-arms race in the region, and the unraveling of the non-proliferation treaty. That ’s why a coalition of countries is holding the Iranian government accountable. And t hat’s why the United States will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.” Still, while having approximately 24 working hours in America, a meeting with Netanyahu is no t o n Oba ma’s calenda r. The president rebuffed a request to meet with the Israeli Prime Minister, citing undisclosed campaign duties. What ma ny co nsider a sn ub b y Oba ma may b e t he r esult o f a r ift oc curring be hind the s cenes. N etanyahu has b een o utspoken over Israeli concern about a n uclear Iran. At the b eginning of S eptember he s aid international sanctions are failing to curb Iran’s uranium enrichment and that red lines m ust be drawn b y t he U.S., s omething Oba ma hasn’t done. Netanyahu’s talk of red lines has b een interpreted in s ome cir cles as e vidence t he Prime Minister is staking a claim in the American presidential race , undercutting Oba ma’s record o n I ran. It is a c laim t hat Netanyahu denies. He told the Israel Hayom daily: “ The issue that guides me is not the elections in the United States but the centrifuges in Iran.” In a written response to Obama, over 100 republican signa tories dema nded t hat t he President meet with the Prime Minister: “We are astounded by your refusal to grant this request to one of our closest allies at such a critical time for that region…The rejection of this request r epresents dist urbing tr eatment o f a vital pa rtner a nd ill ustrates a lac k o f r egard for the indispensable relationship between the United S tates a nd Israel a nd t he c urrent d y-

namics in the region which are essential to our national security.” This y ear ma rks t he 67t h s ession o f t he United N ations G eneral A ssembly. The session began on Tuesday, bringing world leaders to speak on changes and settlements to international disputes. Before Netanyahu spoke, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the assembly. He said, “The establishment of a free and independent st ate o f P alestine is a s acred

Abbas Accuses Israel Of “Ethnic Cleansing” nited N ations (AP) - P alestinian P resident Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of ethnic cleansing Thursday for building settlements in east Jerusalem. “It is a ca mpaign o f et hnic c leansing against the Palestinian people via the demolition of their homes,” Abbas said in his speech to the U.N. General Assembly. Shortly after, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rebuked Abbas in his own address to the assembly. “We won’t solve our conflict with libelous speeches at the U.N.,” Netanyahu said. Israel conquered the eastern part of Jerusalem f rom Jordan d uring t he 1967 M ideast War. It later annexed it but the move has no t been internationally recognized. The Palestinians want east Jerusalem to the capital of their future state in the West Bank. Abbas also said he has o pened talks on a new b id f or in ternational r ecognition a t t he U.N., but didn’t specify exactly when he will ask the General Assembly to vote. “Intensive consultations with t he va rious regional o rganizations a nd t he st ate members” were underway, he said. The Palestinians will apply to the General Assembly for nonmember state status. That stands in sha rp contrast to last y ear, when they asked the Security Council to admit them as a f ull member state, but the bid failed. Abbas insisted that the new quest for recognition was “ not seeking to delegitimize Israel, but rather establish a state that should be established: Palestine.” Palestinian officials said their bid is likely to be submitted on Nov. 29. Abbas s aid in a sp eech t o t he ass embly that e fforts t o win P alestine st atus as a n observer st ate — a lo wer le vel t han last y ear’s

failed bid for recognition as a full state — were not intended to pose any threat to Israel. “We are not seeking to delegitimize Israel, but rather establish a st ate that should be established: Palestine,” Abbas said. However, Abbas said he was “speaking on behalf of an angry people,” who believed they were not winning t heir r ights despite adopting a “culture of peace and international resolutions, “Israel gets rewarded while continues the policies o f wa r, o ccupation a nd s ettlements,” he said. Abbas als o acc used I srael o f s eeking t o

“continue i ts o ccupation o f E ast J erusalem, and annex vast pa rts of West Bank ... a nd refuses to discuss seriously the Palestinian refugees issue.” He claimed that Israeli actions threatened to undermine the Palestinian Authority to the point “which could lead to its collapse.” Palestinian officials said that their bid for recognition will lik ely b e sub mitted t o t he General A ssembly o n Nov. 29, a fter t he U.S. presidential elec tion. A bbas has s ought t o avoid entangling the Palestinian statehood bid in U.S. presidential politics. Appealing to other nations for their sup-

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right.” Abbas received a st anding ovation after he called o n the Security Council to support t he est ablishment of a P alestinian st ate. “The Israeli occupation remains the only obstacle,” he said. “We are not trying to delegitimize them; they are trying to delegitimize us.” Netanyahu said he would recognize “a demilitarized P alestinian st ate t hat r ecognizes the one and only Jewish state.”

port, Abbas asked world leaders to help avoid a new “catastrophe” in Palestine. “Support the establishment o f t he f ree st ate o f P alestine now, and let peace win before it’s too late,” he said. “We ha ve st arted in tensive co nsultations with t he va rious r egional o rganizations a nd the st ate mem bers in o rder f or t he G eneral Assembly to take a decision granting the state of P alestine t he st atus o f no nmember st ate during this U.N. session,” he said. At last y ear’s G eneral A ssembly, A bbas took center stage with his attempt to win full membership to the world body. However, that application fa iled t o win eno ugh su pport in the U.N. Security Council. Palestinians did win membership last year of UNESC O, t he P aris-based U .N. c ultural agency — despite the objections of Israel and the U.S. Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

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YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

YWN COFFEE ROOM Letters from Our Readers Letters@TheYeshivaWorld.com

Dear Editor,

After reading the article in last week’s paper r egarding t he r ules o f a cer tain t eacher’s c lassroom, I was left disma yed a nd a ppalled th at a t eacher ca n h ave th at kin d o f attitude towards her st udents. As t he article pointed out, these students are in elemen tary school, and still very impressionable and vulnerable. For a t eacher to create a list lik e that a s th ough th e ki ds a re pa rt o f a boo t camp a nd need t o b e dr illed a nd p unished is completely unacceptable. Any daughter of mine that would bring home a note like that to be signed will b e yanked out of the classroom until the principal has a word with that teacher. This p erson do es no t e ven des erve the ti tle ed ucator. I n a c lassroom, st udents should pay attention and participate because learning is f un a nd t hey a re in terested, no t because they are being forced to. This teacher has no idea what the fundamentals of teaching are all about. All I can say is, if this list reflects the way all other teachers feel about education, then our next g eneration is in deep trouble indeed. Meir C. (Flatbush)

Dear Editor,

I’m wr iting t his a rticle b ecause I w ould like t o b ring t o t he a ttention o f y our r eaders a v ery nice r estaurant located on 18 th av enue in B oro P ark called H adar G eulah. It’s not every day that you walk into a restaurant and you are treated so well, with kindness and warmth. This restaurant not only has delicious food full of flavor and taste, but the staff who works there are so gracious and happy to serve you. When I went there on a Thur sday night, the r estaurant was cr owded wi th la te nig ht customers, co ming t o g et a p late o f c holent or overnight potato kugel. The owner behind the counter was co urteous and welcoming to each cu stomer, gr eeting ev eryone b y n ame and with a friendly word. The atmosphere was very heimish and warm, and the food was just simply delicio us. C ustomers le ave s atisfied and happy. Surale Ovay (Boro Park)

Dear Editor,

Firstly, I would like to thank you, yeshivaworldnews, f or t he a mazing pa per y ou p ut out. That being said, I especially want to thank you f or t he s ection a bout ka paros t hat was in last w eek’s paper. I f ound it to be informative and helpful, and I t hink e very ne wspaper should use Yeshiva World as a n example and put something like that in t heir newspaper as w ell. Keep up the good work that you are doing! Yaakov S. (Flatbush)

Dear Editor,

I am writing because I wa nt to bring the attention one of the articles which you wrote, about traffic s afety for our children. This is a very important a rticle w hich a bsolutely ca nnot b e o verlooked. T raffic Sa fety is s o important for every single person, and it is no t enough to talk about it but we need to actively t ake st eps a nd promote awareness s o pa rents and children make this a priority. It is not only traffic safety that I am talking about here, but safety in t he classroom awareness of bullies, mistr eatment a nd e verything t hat falls under t hat ca tegory. I t hink s chools sho uld make some of workshop or speech for the students where they can ask questions and interact with each other in order to learn these vital concepts. Ple ase help to ensure t hat our students are living in a safe world. Raﬁ H. (Boro Park)

Dear Editor,

Obama has i t in f or the Jewish people. If it is not enough to keep saying this, the proof is the world events unfolding under our very noses. Obama does not care for our suffering, he doesn’t care to help. He cares about himself and how he ca n get ahead. In the world which w e li ve in, i t is s o c lear t hat t he Jewish p eople have b een oppressed since da y 1, and we are slated to wander t he ends o f t he earth un til mashiac h co mes, ha ted a nd p ersecuted. We can tr y and pretend t hat t hings are okay in the golus that we live in, but then Hashem will send a wakeup call for us and the anti-semitism will rise up to show us that our non jewish neighbors are not our friends, and we only have our fellow brothers and sisters to depend on. May this year be the year that brings Mashiach, and ends all o f our suffering. Anonymous

Dear Editor,

I have a p roblem. I a m a 21 y ear old girl on the scene of shidduchim, and I have some major issues with the system. I ha ve a problem with the whole idea of “Shidduchim” and “resumes” and “shidduch market.” The whole thing s ounds p retentious a nd fak e t o me . When my mother says to me “hurry up, go get dressed, y ou a re meetin g a shadc han” I j ust get a pit in my stomach because I don’t believe that it will accomplish anything for me to get all dressed up and drive to the shadchan and meet her. To go and sit in a waiting room with a bunch of other girls all dressed up, all looking for the same kind o f boy that I a m, after all, it’s the “type” this shadchan specializes in. What is t here to separate me f rom the twenty o ther girls t hat she meets e very da y w ho are looking for the exact same boy that I am? What separates me f rom them? What is p riority? Looks? Money? Yichus? How superficial is t hat? So I’ll walk in to a r oom and this woman will look at me, size me up, and stick me into a ca tegory in her he ad based on the five minutes of meeting me and her own preconceived notions? And now you are going to tell me t hat t his wo man is go ing to find me my soul mate? And then you wonder why we have a “ crisis.” No t hank y ou, t his is no t f or me. I w ould ra ther a g ood f riend, s omeone who kno ws me a nd w hose h usband kno ws the boy, or just a good friend who knows me well, sets me up. I propose that everyone take upon t hemselves t o t hink f or j ust o ne minute of all the friends they have who are looking to find the right person and get married, and think if they know of anyone they can set them up with. Then at le ast, i t’s no t co ming from something legitimate, not some system that doesn’t make any sense. Rochelle Reiss (Boro Park)

and I smiled back at you. We came on time for Tekias Shofar and Musaf, and you were already there. We were all anticipating a quiet Shmoneh Esrei filled with Kavanah on one of the holiest days of the year. This cr ucial Tefila is in tended f or us t o daven to Hashem quietly and to concentrate on our relationship with our Creator. Needless t o s ay, i t is im possible t o f ocus properly when one is continually bombarded with disruptive sounds. And s o, w hile y ou w ere b usy p raying t o Hashem in t he lo udest “ whisper,” m y girls and I could not daven. Instead, we we re pre occupied w ith you r sanctimonious en unciation o f e very sy llable in the entire tefilah. I n fact, your expressive performance of “V’c-h-e-i-n T-e-i-n P-a-c-hd-e-c-h-a” still reverberates in our ears! If you want to daven loudly, please go to the back of t he Shul w here no o ne can he ar you but Hashem. Better yet, you should consider davening be-yechidus. Thankfully, you did not show up the second day and we hope you will find a different Shul for Yom Kippur. Have a li ttle co mpassion f or y our f ellow mispallelim. Wishing everyone a Gut Yahr, and may all our tefilos be answered le-tova. Signed, Really Annoyed

Dear Editor,

I want to thank the yeshiva world news for the outstanding job they do with their famous

website, a nd no w w hat t hey a re do ing wi th the newspaper. It is a great pleasure to receive the newspaper and have such interesting and informative Shabbos reading material. I especially wanted to write in to say that I think the Organization Spotlight is a gr eat ide a, and I very much enjoyed reading last week’s article on Chaveirim. They are an incredible organization that helps their fellow Jews and can always b e counted on. I ca nt wait to s ee w hat next week’s newspaper will bring.. Please keep up the amazing work that you do! A Dedicated Reader and Fan (Flatbush)

Dear Editor,

As a y oung mo ther, I wa nted t o wr ite about s ome issues t hat I a m ha ving as S uccos draws closer, and see if anyone else shares the s ame issues as I do . B aruch H ahem, I am ma rried t o a w onderful ma n a nd I ha ve a b eautiful he althy c harismatic li ttle girl o f three years old. Things can get hard in a good way, t he str uggles o f ra ising m y fa mily a nd studying t o b e a n urse o n t he side . H owever, each year, I am finding it harder and harder to prepare myself the way I w ould like to before Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Succos. When I s ay prepare myself, I me an in a spiritual way. Things always get s o busy and so hectic, and I find myself not davening the way t hat I w ould lik e t o, no t in t he men tal state o f mind w hen t he Yom Tov a pproaches that I yearn to be. When I was single, everything was s o m uch mo re stra ightforward and simple; it was s o much easier to get myContinued on p. 85

Dear Editor,

I wa nt t o st art o ff b y sa ying th at y our newspaper is r eally a mazing. Thank y ou f or bringing y our w ebsite t o ink, a nd s ending us S habbos r eading ma terial t hat is in sightful and interesting. I also would like to thank COJO f or t he w onderful job t hey do in t he community f or t he co mmunity. I p ersonally know a f ew stories w hich I ca nnot repeat where COJO has helped out and saved certain families and family members f rom all kinds of situations. Thank you for all that you do. J. Brickman (Flatbush)

Dear YWN,

You sat behind me and my girls in Shul on Rosh Hashana. You are not a regular. You smiled; my girls 5

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12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

around for the last seven, ten thousand years. They [the Israelis] have been occupying those territories f or t he last 60 t o 70 y ears…They have no r oots there in hist ory. We do b elieve that they have found themselves at a dead end and they are seeking new adventures in order to escape this dead end. Iran will not be damaged with foreign bombs. We don’t even count them as a ny pa rt o f a ny eq uation f or I ran. During a hist orical p hase, t hey [t he I sraelis] represent minimal dist urbances t hat co me into the picture and are then eliminated.” White H ouse sp okesman Tommy V ietor condemned his w ords, calling them “disgusting, offensive and outrageous.” He said, “they underscore again why America’s commitment to the security of Israel must be unshakeable, and why the world must hold Iran accountable for its utter failure to meet its obligations.” Israeli P resident S himon P eres s aid, “ It was a n em barrassing sp eech, w hich sho wed a deep historical ignorance with regard to the deep hist orical connection b etween t he Jewish people and the land of Israel.” He intends to write a history of Persia and Israel, and send it to the U.N. Secretary General. On Y om K ippur, t he I ranian P resident,

Ahmadinejad said Iran is under co nstant threat of “uncivilized Zionists,” and the country’s nuclear program is b eing used as a n excuse t o in vade. H e ob liquely r eferred t o t he U.S. Presidential race: “Are we to believe that those who spend hundreds of millions of dollars on election campaigns have the interest of the p eople o f t he w orld a t t heir he arts? ” He called for a r estructuring of the U.N. Security C ouncil, a nd s aid t he West is “ in no wa y bound to moral values.” He then called for a new world order. “The current abysmal situation of the world and the bitter inciden ts o f hist ory a re d ue ma inly t o the wrong management of the world and the self-proclaimed cen ters o f p ower w ho ha ve entrusted themselves to the devil.” This was Ahmadinejad ’s eighth speech to the S ecurity C ouncil. It was lik ely his last as President; he is a t the end of his second term of office and elections are scheduled for next year. In past U.N. addresses he questioned the validity of b oth 9/11 a nd the holocaust. This week o ne E uropean di plomat t old Reu ters: “Ahmadinejad gave a long, rambling speech... Previously we’ve walked out because of his anti-Semitism, t hreats aga inst I srael a nd 9/11 conspiracies. This year his only crime was incoherence.”

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sp oke a t t he U .N. Security Council. His Wednesday speech was comparatively de void o f in vective t hat last year caused a significant walk-out. This year the United States, Israel and Canada failed to attend. A mem ber of the U.S. mission to the U.N. said that Ahmadinejad, known for scurrilous a nti-Jewish r emarks, sho uld no t ha ve been scheduled to speak on the holiest day of the Jewish year.

But, p rior t o Ahmadinejad ’s p ublic speech, d uring a hig h le vel s ession o n international law, t he U.N. Am bassador o f Israel, Ron Prosor, abruptly left when Ahmadinejad took the dais to speak. Prosor loudly told his aide: “ There is no j ustice and no j udge here. The leader of an outlaw state that flouts international law on a regular basis and violates the fundamental principles of the rule of law has no place here.”

Continued from p. 1

President Peres Says Ahmadinejad Needs History Lesson ERUSALEM, S ept 27 (Reu ters) - I sraeli President Shimon Peres offered his I ranian co unterpart, M ahmoud Ahmadinejad, a history lesson on Thursday, saying his lac k o f kno wledge a bout t he region was an embarrassment. The o utspoken I ranian le ader ra ised hackles in Israel on Monday when he said Israelis had been occupying their territory for no more than 70 years. “They have no roots there in history,” he added d uring a visit to New York. Meeting a gr oup of c hildren in J erusalem, 89-year-old Peres said Ahmadinejad should have known better. “It was an embarrassing speech which showed a deep hist orical ignorance with regard t o t he deep hist orical co nnection b etween t he J ewish p eople a nd t he

land o f I srael,” he s aid, addin g t hat Ahmadinejad did not even know the history of his Persian ancestors. The name Israel first appeared at the end o f t he la te B ronze A ge a nd Israelite tribes w ere li ving in t he a rea mo re t han 3,000 years ago, archaeologists say. Shortly a fter 600 B .C., B abylonian f orces sw ept t hrough t he la nds a nd forced J ews in to exile a nd ca ptivity. B ut in 538 B .C. t he P ersians in t urn co nquered B abylon a nd K ing C yrus let t he Jews return to their old homeland. “Around 2,500 y ears ago King Cyrus, the K ing o f P ersia, gra nted t he J ewish people led b y Ezra a nd N echamia t he right t o r eturn t o I srael a nd t o r ebuild their home. The Jews lived on the land of Israel for thousands of years and there is no lie or leader that can remove chapters of history,” Peres said. The J ewish r ulers o f J erusalem w ere crushed by the Roman empire and modern-day I srael was f ounded in 1948 as imperial B ritain wi thdrew f rom P alestine. Peres s aid he w ould wr ite t o U .N.

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Prosor told the Jewish Week, “ Thi s serial Holocaust denier has the audacity to stand up and talk about the rule of law. It’s like having an arsonist command the fire department in New York. It’s an outrage…” While Ahmadinejad sp oke a t t he U .N., about 100 p eople st aged a p rotest across t he street. A ctivists als o p rotested o utside Ahmadinejad’s mid town ho tel, t he W arwick, which was b ounded wi th co ncrete ba rriers and mo nitored b y p olice sni pers d uring his stay. Warwick suites cost u p to $1,600 nig htly. Ahmadinejad booked two floors and hired three chefs. The New York Post tried to deliver a care package t o Ahmadinejad ’s r oom. I nside t he basket was gefilte fish, bagels, lox, a $125 ticket p urchased in Ahmadinejad ’s na me t o t he off-Broadway sho w called “ Old J ews Telling Jokes”, a 9/11 p icture b ook, a nd a ho locaust museum brochure. Cynthia Fagen and Kevin Fasick reported that when a Post reporter and camera person entered the lobby to offer the package, a horrified Iranian aide said: “You’re going to endanger my life!” According to the Daily Mail, Ahmadinejad’s staff went shopping at Costco and Duane Reade f or co mmodities t hat ca n’t b e g otten easily in I ran; necessi ties lik e sha mpoo a nd vitamins. Western g overnments have c urbed the flow of such goods to Iran through sanctions meant to halt the regime’s nuclear program. A D aily Mail reporter wrote t hat “one Iranian bought a $40 pair of children’s shoes at the Payless store on Fifth Avenue but the purchase ne arly wi ped o ut his sp ending mo ney for the trip.” Concerning a n I sraeli a ttack aga inst Iranian n uclear facili ties, Ahmadinejad

told reporters, “Fundamentally we do no t take s eriously t he t hreats o f t he Z ionists ... w e have all t he def ensive me ans at o ur disposal a nd w e a re r eady t o def end o urselves.” His st atement ec hoes D eputy C ommander o f t he I ranian Re volutionary Guard, B ri. G en. H ossein Sala mi, w ho last S unday t old t he IR GC’s S epah N ews: “Today, w e ha ve cr ossed t he b oundary o f concern a bout t he t hreats o f t he Z ionist regime.” Apparently, Iran considers its military ca pabilities eno ugh t o neu tralize a ny attack by Israel, w hich Sala mi s ays will b e followed b y I srael’s a nnihilation. “ Only a single infa ntry ba ttalion o f o urs w ould b e able to break the back of this regime, which only has a wid th of 24 kilo meters in s ome areas, in a day.” These st atements ca me a fter reportedly successf ul missile t ests last w eek in I ran, fired by t he R aad def ense syst em. G en. Ami Ali Hajizadeh said: “This system is b uilt with the aim to confront American warplanes.” Despite that, in New York, Ahmadinejad told reporters, “ I b elieve t he p eople o f t he U.S. a re not a war-seeking people.” According t o Sala mi, “ Iran has r eached such a zeni th that an attack on it is no lo nger p ut o n t he p olitical ag enda o f t he su perpowers. The le vel o f det errence has r isen t o the extent that the idea of starting and imposing another war no lo nger exists in t he mind and belief of all the major powers, and Islamic Iran is a known great power.” However, at the same time t he R aad was test firing, t he la rgest e ver U .S. na vy minesweeping exercises were underway in the Persian Gulf, 250 miles from Iran.

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and ask him to pass o n a wr itten history of Isra-

el and Persia, adding the two nations had known “great friendship”.

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12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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Comparing the Missions – Eichmann & Osama fiberboard do or, i ts un-p lastered walls. They observed the habits of a balding, bespectacled man who lived there with his family. They felt certain that he must be Eichmann. The proof came when this man celebrated with his family on the day that the Mossad knew was Eichman’s 50th anniversary, March 21st, 1960. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency rented a home in Abbottabad, from which a team staked out and observed the compound over a number of months. The CIA team used informants and other techniques to gather intelligence on the compound. The stakeout team nicknamed the tall figure that always used the north door, “the Pacer.”

OVERSEEING EVENTS

By Yerachmiel Caine

dolf Eic hmann was t he cen tral p erson responsible for much of the logistics b ehind t he Holocaust - w here six millio n Jews were tragically murdered. His was the task of facilitating and managing the logistics of mass deportation of Jews to ghettos and extermination camps in G erman-occupied Eastern Europe. He remained proud of his work until the end. He pa rticipated in t he de aths o f o ver 6 million people, and only wished he had exterminated more. Osama Bin Laden was the person responsible for the planning of the tragedy that was 9/11, w here 2977 inno cent vic tims were callously m urdered. The a ttacks, co nducted b y the o rganization he had f ounded, Al Q aida, involved t he hi jacking o f f our co mmercial passenger a ircraft and flying t hem in to t he World Trade C enter in N ew York Ci ty, New York a nd The Pentagon in Arlin gton, Virginia, destroying t he f ormer, a nd s everely da maging the latter. Both Eic hmann a nd O sama B in L aden yimach sh’mam w ere t he sub jects o f in tense manhunts. Eichmann was ca ptured b y t he I sraelis, and O sama was killed b y t he Amer icans, in carefully p lanned missio ns. Thes e missions, though o ver a half cen tury a part, ha ve r emarkable similarities and a number of differences. The following article compares the two missions.

ESCAPING JUSTICE

Both sub jects t emporarily eluded j ustice. Other Nazi war criminals were brought to trial a t Nuremberg. Eic hmann es caped. B y t he same t oken o ther p lanners o f 9/11 suc h as Khalid M ohammed w ere b rought t o j ustice. Bin Laden eluded justice for ten years.

cially b uilt f or him in a n u pscale neig hborhood in Pakistan. Built in 2005, it was a three story compound that was eight times the size of the nearby houses.

HOW DISCOVERED

In t he a utumn o f 1957, W alter E ytan a n employee at t he Israeli Foreign Ministry, got a call from Fritz Bauer, a public prosecutor in Hesse, Germany who told him that Eichmann was li ving in Ar gentina. E ytan immedia tely alerted Isser Harel, the head of the Mossad. Harel ask ed B en-Gurion f or t he g o-ahead. Ben-Gurion gave it. In regard to Bin Laden, the order to search began b efore t here was a ny indica tion o f where he mig ht be found. In 2001, P resident Bush authorized the CIA to capture Bin Laden Dead or Alive. Nine years later, in 2010, t he US g overnment in tercepted a call f rom Ahmed al-K uwaiti, who used to work with Osama Bin Laden. When a fa mily member ask ed him w hat he was do ing f or w ork he a nswered, “doing what I used to do.” The CIA began to track alKuwaiti and traced his white truck with a rhinoceros picture on the spare tire cover to the compound in Abbottabad.

FOLLOWING THE SUBJECT

The M ossad t eam f ollowed Eic hmann’s son’s tra il a nd was led t o Ga ribaldi S treet in the Sa n F ernando s ection o f B uenos Air es. They sur veyed t he ho use co nstantly, p hotographing it from every angle with a telephoto lens, making notes about its lack of a fence, its

SENDING FOR WIVES AND KIDS

All trace o f Eic hmann was lost in M ay 1945. All trace of Bin Laden was lost in 2001. In 1950, Eichmann escaped to Argentina and sent f or his wif e a nd c hildren in 1952. B in Laden es caped t o Pakistan a nd als o s ent f or three o f his wi ves (#3, #4, a nd #5) a nd five children. Eichmann b ought wa terlogged p roperty in the Bancalan district of Buenos Aires and built a house along with his sons on the property. It became 14 Geribaldi Street. Bin Laden eventually had a p roperty spe8

Isser H arel decided t o g o t o Ar gentina to p ersonally su pervise t he ca pture o f Eic hmann. The American high ups didn’t have to leave Washington. They w ere a ble t o wa tch the events as they unfolded by transmission of cameras on the teams helmets. Each man was ha ndpicked by Isser Harel for his o r her sp ecial qualities developed and proven over years of undercover intelligence work. The team that killed O sama was made up of an elite Navy Seal group called D EVGRU. Altogether, there were over 30 members of the t eam t hat captured Eic hmann. The team that killed Osama Bin Laden was made u p of 24 men. M any of them had w orked together for more than ten years.

DEVISING THE PLAN

The Mossad team devised a plan for “capturing Eichmann and flying him out of Argentina with forged documents. They entered Argentina t o celebrate Ar gentina’s 150 th ye ar of independence. The plan was to capture him as he got off his bus from work in the early evening and then bring him t o a s afehouse. They had organized an El-Al plane to leave Buenos Aires on May 20. I ts departure could not b e advanced f or f ear o f a rousing t he susp icions of the Argentinian authorities. The b road str okes o f t he p lan t o ca pture Bin L aden was ini tially cr eated in W ashington months b efore t he mission but t he ac tual members of DEVGRU helped iron out the kinks in la ter st ages o f p lanning. One t eam was to be dropped in the compound and clear the b uilding floor by floor s tarting fr om th e first floor a nd p roceeding u pward. Ano ther team was to be dropped off north of the compound and would be in charge of external security. A t hird team was t o land on t he roof and start with the third floor.

THE TEAMS ARRIVALS

The members of t he Mossad team b egan to fly in on commercial airlines from all over the globe ostensibly for Argentina’s 150th anniversary celebrations, but in r eality for capturing Eic hmann. N o tw o ca me f rom t he same city. The members of the Navy Seal team flew in directly t o t he ass ault site on tw o MH-60 Black H awk helico pters f rom t he Amer ican base in Jalalabad. Argentina is 7600 miles from Tel Aviv. Abbottabad, Pakistan is only 214 miles f rom the American base in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG

Eichman YM”S On Trial

On May 11, Mossad operatives were ready to implement the plan. They knew Eichmann generally came home from work on the 7:40 PM b us. They w ere t here at 7:35. Eic hmann did not show up on the next tw o buses. The Mossad team almost scrapped the plan to try again a different night. Eichmann did no t a rrive un til tw o b uses later at 8:05 PM. A ma n began walking to-

wards Ga ribaldi S treet. The M ossad ma n in the first ca r r ecognized Eic hmann immediately; in the other car, they recognized him 15 seconds later. In t he B in L aden missio n, o ne o f t he Blackhawk helico pters crashed unexp ectedly. The team members survived unscathed but the Blackhawk needed to be destroyed so the Pakistanis would not get hold of the top secret electronics. The p lan co ntinued, however, wi th s ome adjustments.

THE ACTUAL EVENT

Eichmann a pproached t he ca r. One o f the Mossad team members said to him, “ Just a moment,” and then pounced on him. Eic hmann let out a terrible yell, described by those present “like a wild beast caught in a trap as he fell to the ground.” Then the others pulled the panic-stricken Eichmann into one of the cars. They st arted dr iving o ff. Eic hmann’s he ad was pressed below the view of a pass erby. He showed no r esistance. They gagged him, tied his hands and feet, put a pa ir of goggles that blocked his visio n a nd lo wered him t o t he floor. During the whole operation, Eichmann didn’t utter a sound. The Mossad team limited their verbal contact with him to a terse, “If you don’t keep still, you’ll b e sho t.” They dr ove o ff t owards t heir safe house without a hitch. The two cars were let into the garage by another member of the Mossad team. Eichmann was taken out. It was 8:55 - 50 minutes after the bus had arrived. They drove the first car back to the city in case it had b een noticed. They then shackled one of Eichmann’s legs t o a b ed f rame. They took off his c lothes and put pajamas on him. They checked in his mo uth for p oison. They kept him for a week in a room in a safe house, never letting him out of their sight. On May 2nd, 2011, the SEAL team entered the first floor and was sho t at by Ahmed AlKuwaiti. They returned fire and killed him. At the s econd floor o ne o f t he S EAL mem bers called o ut K halid, t he na me o f B in L aden’s son w hom t hey susp ected li ved o n t he s econd floor. He answered and was killed . They went up the stairwell and the point man leading t he t eam s aw a ma n p eeking o ut o f t he door on the right side of the hallway above the stairs. He sho t twice . As t he S EALS entered, the man that was sho t was l ying on the floor at the foot of his bed, twitching. Two different SEALS fired several rounds into him. O sama Bin Laden was dead.

IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECT

All members of the SS had a t attoo under their left armpit. The Mossad team looked for Eichman’s tattoo but it was gone. After initially trying to hide his identity, he explained that, “when he was b riefly in Amer ican hands after the war he had tr ied to remove the number with a blade.” The Mossad team found all of his o ther distin guishing f eatures t hey had on record. The N avy S EALS did ha ve a c hecklist. Bin L aden was a pproximately six f eet f our inches. The team did not bring a tape measure s o o ne S EAL lay do wn b eside him a nd the difference between their two heights was approximated e asily. The de ad p erson was six foot four. He was also the one adult male on the third floor of the compound. And the other tw o co uriers w ere exac tly w here t he CIA in telligence men had t old t he S EALs where they would be. The SEALS took photos a nd D NA s amples. The S EALs mo ved Bin Laden’s body out of the compound onto one of the bigger helicopters that was t o fly the team back to Jalalabad. Continued on p. 88

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Remarks of President Barack Obama at the United Nations General Assembly r. President, Mr. Secretary-General, fellow delega tes, ladies a nd g entleman: I would like to begin today by telling you about an American named Chris Stevens. Chris was born in a town called Grass Valley, California, the son of a lawyer and a musician. As a young man, Chris joined the Peace Corps, a nd t aught En glish in M orocco. H e came to love and respect the people of North Africa and the Middle East, and he would carry t hat co mmitment t hroughout his lif e. A s a di plomat, he w orked f rom E gypt t o S yria; from Sa udi Ara bia t o L ibya. H e was kno wn for walking the streets of the cities where he worked – t asting t he lo cal f ood, meetin g as many people as he could, speaking Arabic and listening with a broad smile. Chris went to B enghazi in t he early days of the Libyan revolution, arriving on a ca rgo ship. A s Amer ica’s r epresentative, he hel ped the Libyan people as t hey coped with violent conflict, ca red f or t he w ounded, a nd cra fted a vision for a future in which the rights of all Libyans would be respected. After the revolution, he supported the birth of a new democracy, as L ibyans held elec tions, built ne w institutions, a nd b egan t o mo ve f orward a fter decades of dictatorship. Chris S tevens lo ved his w ork. H e t ook pride in t he country he s erved, and saw dignity in t he people he met. Two weeks ago, he travelled t o B enghazi t o r eview p lans t o establish a ne w c ultural cen ter a nd mo dernize a hosp ital. That’s w hen Amer ica’s co mpound came under attack. Along with three of his colleagues, Chris was killed in t he city he helped to save. He was 52 years old. I tell you this story because Chris Stevens embodied t he b est o f Amer ica. L ike his f ellow F oreign S ervice o fficers, he b uilt b ridges across oceans and cultures, and was deeply invested in the international cooperation that the United Nations represents. He acted with humility, but stood up for a set of principles – a belief that individuals should be free to determine their own destiny, and live with liberty, dignity, justice, and opportunity. The a ttacks o n o ur ci vilians in B enghazi were attacks on America. We are grateful for the assist ance w e r eceived f rom t he L ibyan government and the Libyan people. And there should b e no do ubt t hat w e will b e r elentless in tracking down the killers and bringing them to justice. I also appreciate that in recent days, the leaders of other countries in t he region – including Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen – have taken steps to secure our diplomatic facilities, and called f or calm. So have religious authorities around the globe. But t he attacks o f t he last tw o w eeks a re not sim ply a n ass ault o n Amer ica. They are also an assault on the very ideals upon which the U nited N ations was f ounded – t he notion t hat p eople can resolve t heir differences peacefully; that diplomacy can take the place of war; and that in a n interdependent world, all of us have a stake in working towards greater opportunity and security for our citizens. If w e a re s erious a bout u pholding t hese ideals, i t will no t b e eno ugh t o p ut mo re guards in f ront of an Embassy; or to put out statements o f r egret, a nd wa it f or t he o utrage to pass. If we are serious about those ideals, we must speak honestly about the deeper causes of this crisis. Because we face a c hoice between the forces that would drive us apart, and the hopes we hold in common. Today, we must affirm that our future will be det ermined b y p eople lik e Chr is S tevens, and not by his killers. Today, we must declare that this violence and intolerance has no place

among our United Nations. It has b een less t han tw o y ears since a vendor in T unisia s et himself on fire t o pro test the oppressive corruption in his co untry, and sparked what became known as the Arab Spring. S ince t hen, t he w orld has b een ca ptivated b y t he tra nsformation t hat has t aken place, and the United States has supported the forces of change. We were inspired by the Tunisian protests that toppled a dictator, because we recognized our own beliefs in the aspirations of men and women who took to the streets. We insisted on change in E gypt, b ecause our support for democracy put us on the side of the people. We su pported a tra nsition o f le adership in Yemen, because the interests of the people were not being served by a corrupt status quo. We intervened in Libya alongside a broad coalition, a nd wi th t he ma ndate o f t he U.N. Security C ouncil, b ecause w e had t he a bility to stop the slaughter of innocents; and because we b elieved t hat t he aspirations of t he people were more powerful than a tyrant. And as w e meet her e, w e aga in dec lare that the regime of Bashar al-Assad must come to an end s o t hat t he suffering of t he Syrian people can stop, and a new dawn can begin. We have taken these positions because we believe t hat f reedom a nd s elf-determination are not unique to one c ulture. These are not simply American values or Western values – they a re uni versal val ues. And e ven as t here will be huge challenges that come with a transition to democracy, I am convinced that ultimately government of the people, by the people and for the people is mo re likely to bring about the stability, prosperity, and individual opportunity that serve as a basis f or peace in our world. So let us r emember t hat t his is a s eason of progress. For the first time in decades, Tunisians, Egyptians, and Libyans voted for new leaders in elec tions t hat w ere cr edible, co mpetitive, a nd fa ir. This demo cratic sp irit has not b een restricted to t he Arab World. O ver the past y ear, w e ha ve s een p eaceful tra nsitions of power in M alawi and Senegal, and a new President in Somalia. In Burma, a President has freed political prisoners and opened a c losed s ociety; a co urageous dissiden t has been elec ted t o P arliament; a nd p eople lo ok forward to further reform. Around the globe, people are making t heir voices he ard, insist-

ing on their innate dignity, and the right to determine their future. And y et t he t urmoil o f r ecent w eeks r eminds us that the path to democracy does not end with the casting of a ballot. Nelson Mandela once said: “to be free is not merely to cast off one’s c hains, but t o li ve in a wa y t hat respects a nd enha nces t he f reedom o f o thers.” True democracy demands that citizens cannot be thrown in jail because of what they believe,

and businesses can be opened without paying a bribe. It depends on the freedom of citizens to sp eak t heir minds a nd ass emble wi thout fear; on the rule of law and due process that guarantees the rights of all people. In o ther w ords, tr ue demo cracy – r eal freedom – is hard work. Those in power have to resist the temptation to crack down on dissent. In hard economic times, co untries may be t empted t o rall y t he p eople a round p erceived enemies, a t ho me a nd a broad, ra ther than focusing on the painstaking work of reform. Moreover, there will al ways be those that reject human progress – dictators who cling to power, corrupt interests that depend upon the status quo; and extremists who fan the flames of hate and division. From Northern Ireland to S outh A sia; f rom Af rica t o t he Amer icas; from t he B alkans t o t he P acific Rim, w e’ve witnessed co nvulsions t hat ca n acco mpany transitions to a ne w political order. At times, the conflicts arise along the fault lines of faith, race o r tr ibe; a nd o ften t hey a rise f rom t he difficulties o f r econciling tradi tion a nd fa ith with t he di versity a nd in terdependence o f the mo dern w orld. I n e very co untry, t here are t hose w ho find different religious beliefs threatening; in e very culture, those who love freedom for t hemselves must ask ho w much they are willing to tolerate freedom for others. That is w hat we saw play out the last tw o weeks, as a crude and disgusting video sparked outrage throughout the Muslim world. I have Continued on p. 78

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YWN JEWISH NEWS ROUNDUP Rav Elyashiv’s Shtender is Returned

led in p rayer by many R abbonim, representing nearly every Jewish community. Misaskim r epresentatives w ent t o gr eat lengths to coordinate this momentous asifah. Volunteers f rom t he o rganization, w ho co nsider t he t ehillim asifah t heir o wn p ersonal “spiritual cr isis-prevention tool,” worked until late into the night to ensure that every detail was attended to properly. Many o f t he pa rticipants a ttested t o t he purity and intensity that permeated the event. “I have no tears left,” commented one participant. “It should be a z’chus for all of Klal Yisroel.”

ispallalim a rriving in s hul er ev Ros h Hashanah w ere s urprised a nd p leased to see that the shtender which was taken from the b eis medrash sho rtly f ollowing t he p etira of Maran Rav Elyashiv ZT”L had b een returned. It was t he sh tender t he p osek hado r used during the years prior to his p etira and it simply disappeared shortly after his petira.

According to a BaKehilla report, R’ Aryeh Elyashiv, a grandson, began probing what occurred and how the shtender disappeared and the evidence led in t he direction of a cer tain person, who was quite remorseful but was not sure j ust ho w t o g et i t bac k t o t he b eis medrash, unwilling to be revealed as t he person who took it. Rav Aryeh arranged for a person involved to get the shtender back from the person holding it and the middleman would give it to R’ Aryeh, t hereby protecting t he identity of t he person in p ossession of it -- a nd that is w hat occurred. The la te p osek hado r’s s on R av M oshe Elyashiv us ed t he sh tender d uring Rosh Hashanah. Learning from the experience, a decisio n was made t hat t he sh tender w ould no lo nger simply remain in t he b eis medrash, b ut it would be kept in a s afe location and brought out for davening and shiurim only.

lim and respond rapidly to any emergency. The co mmanders o f t he o peration met on motzei Tzom Gedalya to evaluate the performance o f t he c linic a nd co mmand cen ter, holding a cr itique and strategy s ession to exchange ideas and information towards improving the operation in the future. Zaka’s Yehuda M eshi-Zahav st ated he is pleased wi th t he o peration, a nd e ven mo re so b ecause t here w ere no tr ue lif e-threatening situations. He added that he hopes to continue working with World Breslov Center officials towards maintaining a p resence at t he tziyun year round.

Tens Of Thousands Of Children Participate In Misaskim’s Annual Tehillim Asifa

Sefer Torah Stolen & Returned From Erlau Bais Medrash;– As New Torah Is Given

ens o f t housands o f c hildren ass embled for a uniq ue gathering that marked their pa rticipation in M isaskim’s 19t h a nnual Tehillim Asifah, Thur sday afternoon. Misaskim r epresentatives co ordinate t his p oign-

Ichud & Zaka Wrap Up Uman Operation

chud Hatzalah and Z aka officials in Uman report the closure of their emergency room/ first a id st ation f ollowing Rosh H ashanah. They report treating about 2,000 p eople during yomtov and the days preceding it. Both o rganizations p raised t he co operation w hich led t o a successf ul jo int effort, providing medical ca re and assist ance to t he 35,000 mispallalim that arrived ahead of Rosh Hashanah. (The o rganizations r eported t he number o f mi spallalim in U man o n Ros h Hashanah) The emer gency c linic was st affed with physicians, n urses, pa ramedics a nd EMT s, and it contained beds, surgical equipment and a p harmacy, p ermitting t he p rofessionals t o address many medical emergencies. In addition, the two organizations operated a command center manned by dozens of EMTs, permitting them to mingle with the mispalla-

Maran Rav Shteinman Visits the Kosel; First Time In Years

ant e vent d uring A seres Yemei Teshuvah t o infuse strength and hope into all those in urgent need of a yeshuah. The ma in lo cation o f t he asifah was a t the B obov S hul in B oro P ark w here c hildren f rom more t han 35 lo cal y eshivas w ere bused in. Thousands mo re jo ined via s atellite ho okup across t he nation and across t he globe. The sweet and innocent voices of children in L ondon, Manchester, Israel, Toronto, Montreal, Panama, and Mexico City blended with the voices of children in the United States to cr y o ut in uni ty; “Shlach Ref uah S hleima L’Cholei Amecha!” The massive audience was

aran H aGaon H aRav A aron L eib Shteinman S hlita has no t b een t o t he Kosel f or a n umber o f y ears, un til Thur sday night the eve of 5 Tishrei 5773. The Rosh Yeshiva visited the Kosel after delivering a “Mussar S chmooze” a t t he M irrer Yeshiva in Y erushalayim, as he does every year before Yom Kippur.

n Erev Rosh H ashanah a ne w Sefer Torah was b rought t o t he Erla u B eis M edrash marking two years since “the recovery”, referring t o th e r ebbe. The S efer Torah was donated by Rav Yaakov Sholom Fischer. The “recovery” refers to the rebbe taking ill suddenly while resting in Switzerland, and then “suddenly”, without any explanation, he was well again. Participants r eport t he hac hnasas S efer Torah was very modest, but nonetheless emotional and meaningful, as the rebbe expressed his gra titude t o HKBH, ci ting ho w HKBH controls t he world and one’s he aling can o ccur “in the blink of an eye”. Meanwhile, a n “ expensive” S efer T orah was stolen from the Erlau Beis Medrash in Ye-

rushalayim’s K atamon neig hborhood o n t he night b etween t he first a nd s econd da ys o f Rosh Hashanah. The S efer Torah was o n the street level of the beis medrash, where a minyan was b eing held o n yomtov for the youth, towards alleviating some of the overcrowded conditions in the main beis medrash. The gabbaim filed a report with police and decided to publicize t he t heft in t he hope of alerting people should the thief try to sell it. Sure eno ugh, o n M onday mo rning, t he Sefer Torah was returned. The da ily H aMevaser r eports t hat w hat has b een le arned is a da y a fter t he decisio n was made t o publicize t he t heft, a ma n contacted t he ga bbai, iden tifying him self as a middle man who deals with the Arab thieves. A deal was made by which an unspecified ransom was to be paid towards getting the Torah back. The gabbai went to meet with the intermediary and as the deal was about to go down, a police patrol saw the man with a Torah, and realizing what had occurred in the community, they stopped him. After checking the Sefer Torah p olice le arned i t was t he o ne st olen from the beis medrash. The investigation continues.

French Leader: Ban Yarmulkas From Being Worn in Public rench fa r-right le ader M arine L e P en called Friday for a ba n on the wearing of Muslim veils and Yarmulkas in public, adding to r eligious t ensions spa rked b y ca rtoons o f the Prophet Mohammed. In a n in terview wi th t he ne wspaper L e

Monde, Le Pen called f or religious headwear to b e ba nned “ in st ores, o n p ublic tra nsport and on the streets.” Asked w hether t he ba n sho uld a pply t o the Yarmulka, as well as Muslim headwear, she said: “It is ob vious t hat if t he veil is ba nned, the kippah is banned in public as well.” Le Pen, w ho sho cked t he French elite by winning almost 18 p ercent in t he first round of t his y ear’s p residential v ote, als o r epeated calls f or ba ns o n p ublic p rayers, k osher a nd halal f oods in s chools a nd f oreign g overnment financing of mosques in France. President F rancois H ollande deno unced her comments, saying: “Everything that tears people apart, opposes them and divides them is inappropriate, and we must apply the rules, the only rules that we know, the rules of the Republic and secularism.” Jean-Francois Cope, who leads the right-

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YWN JEWISH NEWS ROUNDUP wing U MP pa rty o f f ormer p resident N icolas Sarkozy, said Le Pen showed little understanding o f F rance’s m uch-vaunted s ecular traditions. “Marine Le Pen wants to ban any signs of religion o n t he str eet, st arting wi th t he v eil and the kippah. By doing this, she sho ws she understands no thing o f s ecularism. S ecularism is no t the eradication of all r eligious expressions in society.”

R’ Nachman and Esther Kletzky Celebrate Birth of Baby Girl ’ Nachman and Est her K letzky are celebrating the birth of a baby. The pa rents o f L eiby K letzky z ”l w ere adopted as fa mily by all o f K lal Yisroel after the tragic Petira of their son on July 11, 2011. It is now with great joy that Yidden learn of the news of a ne w addition to the Kletzky mishpacha, a he althy baby girl b orn on Erev Shabbos Parshas Vayeilech.

sponded that one must question if such a person is e ven co unted a mong Y idden ca tegorized as shomrei Torah. The ra v made no disp ensation f or t hose requiring internet for employment, including women working with computers, warning all to distance themselves from this danger.

Chacham Ovadia Delivers Schmooze at Yeshiva Merkaz HaRav aGaon H aRav O vadia Y osef S hlita o n Sunday nig ht t he e ve o f 8 T ishrei 5773 visited Yeshiva Merkaz HaRav, w here he delivered Di vrei Chizuk j ust 48 ho urs b efore Yom Kippur.

HaRav Nissim Karelitz On Dangers Of the Internet ddressing the tzibur on motzei Shabbos Shuva, H aGaon H aRav N issim K arelitz Shlita explained there are those among us who are confident they will not fall prey to the pitfalls of t he internet, aware of t he dangers, while the internet poses great challenges and one must be extremely cautious. He added that our nature is that we influence o ne a nother a nd as suc h, w e m ust distance o urselves f rom suc h a p erson, na mely one who is connected to the internet. Such a p erson’s lif estyle is co ntrary t o a Torah lifestyle, he added, and these people do influence t hose a round t hem a nd t herefore, we must remain distant. Adding t o t he f erocity o f t he ra v’s st atements, he was ask ed t o co mment o n p iskei halacha in w hich ra bbonim r uled t hat o ne who has in ternet co nnectivity ma y no t b e a ‫ עקות לעב‬o n R osh H ashanah. The ra v r e-

Azerbaijan - 3 Jailed for Jewish School Murder Plot

hree people have been convicted of plotting to kill teachers at a Jewish school in Azerbaijan. A court in t he capital B aku on Thur sday found plot r ingleader R asim Aliyev and two other Azerba ijani ci tizens guil ty o f p lotting the ass assination of public officials and gunsmuggling. Ali yev was gi ven a 14-y ear s entence w hile t he others received 13 a nd eig ht years. Investigators said Aliyev was hired to carry o ut t he killin gs in B aku b y a n indi vidual link ed t o s ecurity s ervices in neig hboring Iran. Aliyev s aid in a t elevised confession t hat the attack was to be a reprisal against Israel for

the assassination of an Iranian nuclear physicist. Ties between Azerbaijan - which has good relations with Western governments - and Iran have soured substantially over the past year amid mutual accusations of espionage.

Chilul Kevarim S. of Prague ozens of tombstones were vandalized and destroyed in a J ewish cemetery south of Prague. P olice made t he a nnouncement o n Yom K ippur, addin g i t do es no t a ppear t he attack i tself o ccurred o n Y om K ippur, b ut most likely the damage was do ne leading up to yomtov. According to a L adaat.net report, there a re 150 ma tzeivos in t he b eis hac haim that was attacked.

Thousands o f ra bbonim a nd t almidim were o n ha nd t o pa rticipate in t he uniq ue privilege of hearing the gadol in person. Rav O vadia made r eference t o t he la te rosh yeshiva and former chief rabbi, HaGaon HaRav Avrohom Shapira zt”l, who was niftar Sukkos 5768, stating he was “a gadol hador”. The former rosh yeshiva was the father of the current rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Yaakov Shapira Shlita. The baby was b orn in t he morning hours at Maimonides Medical Center in B oro Park and was named Bas Sheva Rivka during krias haTorah on Shabbos.

The o ne-page let ter r eleased T uesday is signed b y 34 D emocrats, nine Rep ublicans and indep endent J oseph L ieberman. I t s ays that t he det ention o f Ala n G ross is a ma jor obstacle to improving relations between Cuba and the United States. Gross was w orking as a U .S. government contractor when he was arrested in 2009. The 63-year-old was s entenced to a 15-y ear prison t erm f or cr imes aga inst t he st ate a fter he brought r estricted co mmunications eq uipment t o t he co mmunist isla nd na tion w hile on a democracy-building program. Among the letter’s signatories are both of Maryland’s s enators, D emocrats B en C ardin and Barbara Mikulski.

The cemetery is no lo nger used for kvura since it is full and this is why the time of the attack cannot be pinpointed, but it does appear authorities are confident the incident did no t occur on Yom Kippur.

44 Senators Write Cuban President About Jew Imprisoned In Cuba orty-four senators have written to Cuba’s president to call f or the release of a M aryland ma n im prisoned in C uba f or almost three years.

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PRESIDENTIAL NEWS

Ads Flood last Weeks Of Campaign – And So Does Negativity ASHINGTON, S ept 26 (Reuters) - The 2012 p residential race, now entering its most intense phase, has already set records for the number of ads and their negativity, according to experts. Among the reasons: more money t han e ver t o sp end b y a la rger number o f sp enders, lik e “ Super PACs,” w hich a re o utside gr oups formally una ffiliated with campaigns. Put t ogether, t he Rep ublican and D emocratic presidential campaigns a nd a bout a do zen gr oups backstopping t hem ha ve in vested almost $600 millio n in ad vertising, heavily concentrated on just a handful o f co mpetitive st ates t hat hold t he k ey t o vic tory t his y ear, including I owa, Ohio , C olorado, Florida, Virginia, Nevada and, lately, Wisconsin. The barrage is just getting started. As of early September 2012, TV viewers in lo cal ma rkets had s een 1.3 million political ads, according to a S ept. 13 a rticle in A dvertising Age magazine by Elizabeth Wilner, who tracks political ad spending at Kantar Media’s CMAG. By her calc ulation, there could be a nother 2.3 millio n b efore t he Nov. 6 election. Campaigns and backers of both President Barack Obama, a Democrat, and Mitt Romney, a Rep ublican, are introducing close to a video a da y -- s ome for T V, some for the web. They are able to react almost in stantly t o t he racin g ne ws cycle, and their ads reflect an overall f eel of a co ntest ma rked by incessant a ttacks a nd f ew co nstructive policy proposals. In t he past tw o w eeks alo ne,

Obama a nd Ro mney ca mpaigns each in troduced a t le ast a do zen new ads. B y co mparison, Ro nald Reagan a ired 27 ads in his en tire 1984 campaign, according to John Geer, p olitical s cience professor at Vanderbilt University and a top expert on negative advertising. “If y ou t alk a bout t he T V era, since 1952 f orward, I t hink 2012 will go down at t his p oint in time as the most negative on the record,” Geer said. “You’ve got an incumbent with a mixed record, you’ve got a c hallenger wi th a mix ed r ecord, t he parties t hat a re hig hly p olarized, and you have a lot of money -- the combination offers a p erfect cocktail for negativity.” The ads a re no t a bove g etting personal. One Oba ma sp ot, defending his r ecord o n trade wi th China, asks: “ How can Mitt Romney take on the cheaters, when he’s taking their side?” In a Ro mney ad r eleased last

week, a woman welcomes her newborn daughter to the world, where her “share of Obama’s debt is o ver $50,000” and women struggle with high ra tes o f p overty a nd unemployment. “We dislik e ca ndidates no w,” said M ichael F ranz, w ho st udies political ad vertising a t B owdoin College in Maine. Instead of being a “struggle of ideas,” he said, “elections a re no w a bout co nvincing people t hat t he o ther gu y is da ngerous for America.” Negativity in p olitical ads is nothing new, as research continues to p rove i t do es no t det er v oters and, G eer s aid, o ften y ields mo re substantial ads t hat p rovide co ntext o r ho ld p oliticians acco untable. What’s fa nning t he flames this year i s t he amou nt of c ash a vailable, t hanks in pa rt t o b oth ca mpaigns f oregoing p ublic financing with i ts sp ending limi ts a nd unlimited spending by outside groups

such as “ super” p olitical ac tion committees or tax-exempt advocacy organizations. It is t he costliest campaign c ycle in history, with presidential and congressional races widely forecast to attract some $6 billion in spending. GOING FOR THE KILL Academic W esleyan M edia Project, co-c haired b y F ranz, e arlier t his mo nth r eported t hat t he 2012 ca mpaign was mo re negative than the presidential contest of 2008 and that more ads were solely attack ads, those that mention only the o pponent a nd no t t he ca ndidate on whose behalf the ad aired. Pro-Romney spots, fed by conservative S uper P ACs a nd no nprofit gr oups, w ere “ overwhelmingly nega tive,” acco rding t o t he research. I t f ound 72 p ercent o f them f ocusing s olely o n Oba ma and 13 percent contrasting the two candidates. With pro-Obama spots, 46 percent were pure attacks on Romney and a quarter offered a contrast. Romney has honed in on Obama’s record on economic recovery, trying t o link lag ging job gr owth with anti-business attitudes, excessive regulation and a timid attitude toward China. One r ecent ad ca mpaign accused Oba ma o f under mining t he coal ind ustry, im portant t o t he swing state of Ohio, for example. American Cr ossroads, t he S uper PAC run by a veteran Republican operative Karl Rove, echoes the message in an ad. “Obama has made a lo t of bad decisions. He treats us lik e w e a re his enemy,” says Bill Schams, introduced in the Crossroads ad as run-

ning a b usiness t hat’s b een in t he family since 1949. The a nti-Romney ads f ocus largely on his wealth and his background as a p rivate eq uity ex ecutive, seeking to portray him as no t caring a bout no r under standing ordinary people. Many of Obama’s latest ads f ocus o n t he he althcare p lan p roposed b y Ro mney’s vice p residential r unning mate, Paul Ryan, t hat would r evamp t he M edicare p rogram for seniors. Priorities USA A ction, t he Super P AC r un b y f ormer Oba ma aides, is responsible for perhaps the most memorable ad of the race: the spot that insinuated that Bain Capital, t he p rivate eq uity firm Romney used to run, had something to do with the death of a woman from cancer. The sug gestion was bas ed entirely on the fact that the woman’s husband, J oe S optic, had lost his job at a st eel p lant c losed b y B ain five years before her death. The p ower of negative ads was showcased in North Carolina earlier this year when Republican presidential ho peful N ewt G ingrich won the state’s vote for his nomination after a m ultimillion-dollar ad campaign by the Super PAC backing him pounced against Romney. Even mo re r ecently, Oba ma’s allies at P riorities USA t ook credit for s ome of O bama’s re surgence in polls after its string of anti-Bain ads. Negative ads use “scare tactics,” said M ichael O ’Brien, vice p resident o f b roadcast s ales a t E.W . Scripps C ompany, “ and i t w orks. The people who are undecided a re impacted by it.”

Obama Uses Verbal Slip To Hit Romney resident Obama misspoke during a campaign speech in Ohio, then used the accidental comment to criticize Mitt Romney. Speaking at Ke nt St ate U niversity o n Wednesday Obama mistakenly said he wanted more outsourcing. Obama quickly realized what he s aid and recovered by saying he was just drawing on Mitt Romney. “I want to see us exp ort more jobs —export mo re p roducts,” Oba ma s aid, r ealizing what he j ust s aid. “ Excuse me . I was c hanneling my opponent there for a second.” The comments came during a pa rt of his speech in w hich Obama was a ttacking Romney on his policies toward China. Both presidential candidates have recently traded barbs over p olicies t oward t he co untry wi th Obama saying Romney has a lo ng record in p rivate b usiness o f moving jobs o ut o f t he U.S. to co untries lik e China a nd Ro mney s aying the Oba ma administra tion has allo wed China to take advantage of the United States on

trade. Romney has said in his administra tion he would properly treat China as a “ currency manipulator.”    Obama reiterated that criticism during his Wednesday evening speech. “Now, I ’ve g otta admi t t hat t he mess age he’s delivering now is b etter t han t he one he was delivering all those years he was profiting shipping all those jobs to China,” Obama said. The president also attacked Romney for saying t hat, unlike Obama, he w ould transform Washington f rom t he “ inside o ut.” Rep ublicans have recently cr iticized Obama for s aying that his biggest mistake in his term was to think he co uld change Washington f rom the inside. “My opponent got real excited about this,” Obama said. “And I’m thinking what kind o f inside job is he t alking a bout? I s he t alking about an inside job o f rubber stamping a t op down agenda from this Republican Congress because if he is we don’t want it.”

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PRESIDENTIAL NEWS

Slipping In Polls, Romney Assures Voters ‘I Care’ AP

lipping in st ates t hat co uld sink his presidential bid, Republican Mitt Romney declared Wednesday that “I care about the p eople o f Amer ica” a nd ca n do mo re than P resident B arack Oba ma t o im prove their lives. In an all-day Ohio duel, Obama scoffed that a c hallenger who calls half t he nation “victims” was unlikely to be of much help. Romney’s approach reflected what he is up against: a widening Obama lead in polls in k ey st ates suc h as Ohio , t he bac klash from a leaked video in which he disparages Obama supporters as government-dependent vic tims, and a ca mpaign imperative to make his policy plans more plain. With under six weeks to go, and just one week b efore t he first b ig deba te, Oba ma’s campaign reveled in the latest public polling — but tried to crush any sense of overconfidence. “If we need to pass out horse blinders to all of our staff, we will do that,” said campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki. The day’s setting was Ohio, where Obama’s momentum has seemed to be growing. It’s also a st ate no Rep ublican has w on the White House without carrying. Romney w ent a fter w orking-class v oters o utside C olumbus a nd Cle veland b efore rolling to Toledo. Obama rallied college crowds at Bowling Green and Kent State, reminding Ohioans their state allows them to start cast ballots next week. Early voting has already begun in more than two dozen other states. For Romney, in his a ppearances and in a new TV ad in which he appeals straight to the camera, it was time for plain talk to contrast himself with Obama. “There are so many people in our country w ho a re h urting r ight no w. I wa nt t o help t hem. I kno w w hat it t akes,” Romney told the crowd in Westerville. “I care about the p eople o f Amer ica, a nd t he difference between me a nd B arack Obama is I kno w what to do.” That message so late in the campaign — a p residential no minee dec laring his co ncern for all the people of the country — was part of his widening effort to rebound from his ca ught-on-video co mments a t a f undraiser. In those comments, made last M ay but only r ecently r evealed, Ro mney s aid “47 percent o f t he p eople” pa y no f ederal income t ax, will v ote f or Oba ma no ma tter what, a re vic tims, t hink t he g overnment must ca re f or t hem a nd do no t “take p ersonal responsibility and care for their lives.” New opinion polls, conducted after the video b ecame p ublic, sho w Oba ma o pening up apparent leads over Romney in battleground st ates, inc luding Ohio a nd V irginia. And ma jorities o f v oters in Flo rida, Ohio a nd Pennsylvania s ay Romney’s p olicies would favor t he r ich over t he middle class or the poor. Specifically in Ohio , two sur veys show the president crossing the 50 p ercent mark among likely voters. A Washington Post poll found Obama ahead 52 p ercent to 44 p ercent a mong t hose most lik ely t o t urn o ut, and a Quinni piac U niversity/CBS N ews/ New York T imes p oll sho wed a 10-p oint Obama lead among definite voters. Noting a new t he Ro mney video co m-

ments, Oba ma s aid Wednesday: “ We under stand t hat Amer ica is no t about w hat ca n b e do ne for us. I t’s about w hat can be done by us t ogether, as one nation, as one people.” And he added: “ You can’t make it happen if you write off half t he na tion before you take office.” Romney was sho wing signs of picking up his pace. He s cheduled a b lizzard o f in terviews wi th ABC, CBS a nd NB C, his second r ound o f b roadcast netw ork a ppearances in three days after weeks of ignoring their requests. He also did interviews Tuesday with Fox News and CNN. The ne w Ro mney T V ad, at 60 seconds, is a longer and softer approach in w hich he sp eaks about people struggling to pay for food and gas with falling incomes. At o ne p oint o n W ednesday, t he tw o candidates spoke from different sections of northern Ohio at the same time, their scenery as different as their message. At a fac tory in B edford Heights, Romney a ppeared o n a st age sur rounded by visual e vidence o f Ohio’s ma nufacturing base — gia nt coils of steel wire, metal beams, yellow “caution” signs — and spoke as mac hines whirred in t he background. H e a ppeared wi th M ike Rowe, a n e veryman T V p ersonality and pitchman. Obama a ppeared a t tw o pac ked college basketball arenas, delivering his message first t o a b oisterous cr owd o f more than 5,000 at Bowling Green State University and then to 6,000 screaming supporters at Kent State University. He s aid a st udent w ho in troduced him broke his wrist during a game of ultimate Frisbee. Exhorting the crowd to vote, he s aid, “You got to play through injuries.” The campaigns tried, too, for footholds on other fronts. Both sides k ept u p t heir a ttempts to pa int e ach o ther as w eak in de aling with China, efforts a imed at w ooing support f rom working-class voters whose jobs mig ht suffer f rom imports from China. The Ro mney ca mpaign has st arted s etting u p flat-screen T V mo nitors at i ts e vents t o s creen a video a bout his personal and business story. It was first a ired a t t he Rep ublican N ational Convention as a wa y to introduce him to Amer ica b ut w ent un seen b y most viewers b ecause i t did no t r un d uring prime-time coverage. Romney als o f ocused W ednesday on in terest pa id o n t he na tional deb t, a sub ject he hasn ’t r egularly dis cussed in his st andard ca mpaign sp eech. H is comments ca me a fter a W ashington Post p oll showed t he f ederal deb t a nd deficit a re t he o ne s et o f issues w here he has a n advantage over Obama with likely voters.

Romney’s r unning ma te, P aul R yan, took a sharper approach. He told radio host Sean Hannity that Obama was using hollow tactics to paint his opponents as evil. “He’s basically trying to say ‘If you want any security in your life stick with me. If you go with these Republicans they’re going to feed you to the wolves. It’s going to be a dog-

eat-dog society,’” Ryan said. In r ecent w eeks, Ro mney has lost his p olling edg e o n the eco nomy g enerally, wi th more people saying they now trust Obama to fix the nation’s economic woes. Fighting bac k, ne w Republican-leaning independent groups jumped in Wednesday with advertising aimed at voters who supported Obama in 2008 b ut a re undecided no w. The co mmercials jo in t hose from the campaigns and outside gr oups swa mping a na rrow a nd p ossibly shr inking map of competitive states. “I will sa y th at a s tim e progresses, the field is looking like i t’s na rrowing f or t hem,” said P saki, t he Oba ma ca mpaign sp okeswoman. “In t hat sense, w e’d ra ther b e us t han them.” The president, though, did have his own ups and downs. Air Force One aborted its approach into Toledo because of bad w eather, forcing the commander of the presidential plane to circle the airfield. The s econd tr y was a success wi thout incident.

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Egypt: No Need To Amend Treaty With Israel AIRO (AP) - A sp okesman f or E gypt’s President M ohammed M orsi s aid Wednesday t hat t here is c urrently no need

to amend the peace treaty with Israel, despite calls in Cairo to revise the 1979 accord to allow the country to beef up its presence in the

Sinai Peninsula to combat militants there, the state news agency reported. For y ears, ma ny E gyptians ha ve co nsidered t he limi tations o n tr oop dep loyments to impinge on national sovereignty. Egyptian political groups including the Muslim Brotherhood, from which Morsi hails, have called for revising the treaty, particularly as lawlessness in the peninsula has increased since the uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak in F ebruary 2011. Israel has allo wed E gypt t o t emporarily str engthen i ts f orces in t he S inai t o fight Islamist mili tants w ho ha ve a ttacked t argets both in Egypt and across the border in Israel. But it is opposed to formalizing any changes to the treaty, Israel’s first with an Arab country. The tr eaty r estored S inai, w hich I srael captured in t he 1967 M ideast wa r, t o E gyptian control. Areas near the border were demilitarized, ho wever. The co untry’s ha rdline foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman said Sunday t here was “ no c hance” I srael w ould reevaluate the terms of the peace deal. Yasser Ali , sp eaking f rom N ew Y ork where M orsi is a ttending t he U .N. G eneral A ssembly, s aid E gypt no w has t he tr oops

it needs in t he S inai t o r estore s ecurity. The military has been conducting a sweep against Islamist mili tants t here f ollowing a n August assault o n a n o utpost t hat killed 16 E gyptian soldiers, the worst attack on the army in peacetime. Ali s aid t he o peration is “ unhindered” and will co ntinue un til i t is successf ul. H is comments ca me in r esponse t o p ublished comments b y o ne o f M orsi’s ad visers, w ho said he will s oon present the president with a p roposal t o a mend t he 1979 tr eaty. M ohammed S eif el-D awla was q uoted b y t he independent Dostor daily as saying the proposed changes, not described, were based on “popular demand and a stra tegic and s ecurity need.” “With all d ue respect to all p olitical and intellectual l uminaries o n t he p residential advisory pa nel, o nly t he p resident a nd his spokesman speak for the presidency,” Ali said, according to the state news agency MENA. Israel had w elcomed t he crac kdown b y Egypt, w hich dep loyed a rmored p ersonnel carriers and attack helicopters to root out militants in the Sinai this summer. But it balked once Egypt sent in tanks, some of which were removed after Israel complained.

Iranian Diplomat Attacked By Angry Mob Near UN n Arkansas man landed a b low for democracy Wednesday — right to the gut of an Iranian official. Gregory N elson r eceived c heers a nd handshakes f rom a nti-Iran p rotesters a fter slugging Foreign Ministry mouthpiece Ramin M ehmanparast o n 48t h S t. ne ar S econd Ave. “It felt really good,” s aid Nelson, 50, a fter delivering his shot to the Iranian bigwig’s stomach. “It wasn’t that hard, but he felt it.” Nelson was flanked b y a ho rde o f p rotesters, ma ny o f t hem I ranian immigra nts demanding demo cracy in t heir ho meland, when Mehmanparast walked past after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s United Nations speech. The former Army National Guard member, doing his b est Mike Tyson impression,

Germany Outlines New Law Allowing Bris Milah Continued from p. 1

country, leaving an embarrassed government to promise legislation by the autumn protecting the right to circumcise. Although the ban applied only to the Cologne r egion, do ctors acr oss t he co untry r efused to carry out operations because of what they saw as a risk of legal action. The outline draft of a ne w bill states that the o peration sho uld t ake p lace “ with t he most effective pa in r elief p ossible” a nd o nly if parents have been fully informed about the nature o f t he p rocedure, a ministr y sp okesman said. Generally do ctors w ould ca rry o ut cir cumcisions but if the baby boy is less than six months old than it can also performed by another qualified person, such as a mohel, a Jewish individual sp ecially trained in cir cumcising. The ministry’s outline bill, a first but critical st ep t owards cr eating t he ne w la w, has 16

saw a n o pening a nd swun g a t t he sp okesman’s midsection before he could escape. “We don’t usually conduct ourselves like that, but he’s a m urderer,” said the bearded, ponytailed Nelson. “That whole regime, everybody is responsible for the murders that go on.” The widower came up from his F ayetteville, Ark., ho me to join thousands of boisterous demo nstrators ga thered o utside t he UN as Ahmadinejad sp oke in side t o t he General Assembly. Ahmadinejad flew bac k Wednesday a fternoon. been s ent t o G ermany’s f ederal st ates ahe ad of a co nsultation wi th exp erts d ue la ter t his week. According to the spokesman the outlines were ba sed o n pa rents’ co nstitutional righ t to b ring u p th eir c hildren a nd decide o n all matters concerning them. The state, however, has a r esponsibility as wa tchdog to protect a child’s wellbeing. The speed with which national lawmakers agreed in July to pass a ne w law underscored sensitivity to charges of intolerance in a country haunted by its Nazi past. G erman Chancellor An gela M erkel s aid G ermany r isked becoming a laughing stock if Jews were not allowed to practice their rituals. About 120,000 J ews are registered as li ving in G ermany along with around 4 millio n Muslims, many of whom are from Turkey. The Cologne court, ruling in the case of a Muslim b oy w ho suffered b leeding a fter circumcision, s aid t he p ractice inflicted bodily harm and should not be carried out on young boys, although it could be practiced on older males with consent. (Reuters)

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YWN ISRAEL NEWS Levaya Held for IDF Soldier Netanel Yahalomi HY”D

n Motzoei Shabbos Shuva, a Levaya was held for Netanel Yahalomi HY”D, an IDF soldier who was killed when terrorists in Sinai opened fire on IDF soldiers on the Israeli-Egyptian border on Erev Shabbos. A second soldier was wounded, before the gunmen were killed in return fire.

political co mmunity. The co urt det ailed t he s everity o f t he guilty verdict on “breach of trust”, betraying his oath of office, but ultimately, the sentence handed down in the harsh 67-page decision was quite light according to most legal experts. As the court read excerpts of the verdict most believed Mr. Olmert would at the very least be hit with community service and a moral turpitude conviction but this did not occur. The court ruled the former prime minister must pay a fine of 75,300 NIS a nd he is o n probation for one year. He is no t compelled to sit in jail or even to serve in community service. Olmert ma y r eturn t o t he p ublic a rena immedia tely, signaling the threatening cases that were mounting against him have been reduced to far less than most anticipated when his trials got underway. What is relevant is that this leaves the door open for Olmert to run for a slo t in t he next K nesset but regarding a ministerial p ost, he w ould most lik ely have t o co ntend wi th p etitions t o t he H igh C ourt o f Justice t hat ci te a f ormer co urt ruling that states even without a moral turpitude conviction, a cabinet post demands a clean past, addressing moral and ethical issues. The state has the right to appeal for 45 days following the verdict.

Another Carjacking – This Time on Hwy 443 According to the preliminary investigation into the fatal attack, the terrorists followed a group of 15 infiltrators from Africa making their way to the Israeli border. A n umber of soldiers left their armored sentry post and approached the fence to give the infiltrators water. When the soldiers were out in the open, exposed, the terrorists opened fire. The three terrorists opened fire at the soldiers from a distance of about 100 meters. The second soldier was wounded when a suicide bomb belt around one of the terrorists went off. After the incident, IDF sappers recovered a machine gun, three rocket-propelled grenade launchers, Kalashnikovs, grenades, a nd a s econd suicide b omb b elt. The t errorists w ere dressed in ci vilian clothing. IDF sp okesman Brig.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai said, “The IDF stopped a very big terrorist attack.” IDF soldier Moti Yalovsky, 22, who was wounded in the attack, has improved significantly following surgery. On S unday, ID F S outhern Distr ict C ommander M ajorGeneral Tal Russo visited with Yalovsky in Beersheva’s Soroka Medical Center. Yalovsky, a resident of Nachalim told the senior co mmander t hat Yahalomi ac ted her oically. He added “ I hope I am out of here by Yom Kippur. The first thing I want to do is to be menachem aveil at the Yahalomi home.”

Olmert Verdict Handed Down: A Fine and Suspended Sentence

hatever o ne’s f eelings, t he v erdict ha nded do wn o n Monday, 8 Tishrei 5773 by the Jerusalem District Court against former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is the talk of the

taxi dr iver b ecame t he la test vic tim t o ca rjackers o n Highway 443 d uring t he nig ht, t he J erusalem-Modi’in Highway. The dr iver was b eaten a nd t hrown f rom his v ehicle a nd the Arab assailants made off with his car. Carjackers generally head to the closet PA (Palestinian Authority) autonomous area, which have become Cities of Refuge. In most cases, even if an expensive vehicle is equipped with a GPS tracking system, the IDF will not permit one to enter the autonomous area to recover the vehicle, a reality that has led to a sharp increase in insurance rates throughout Israel since insurance companies are compelled to payout instead of recovering a vehicle. The incident occurred during the predawn hours of Thur sday, 4 Tishrei 5773. The driver’s injuries were not reported to be serious.

deputy brigade commander and he will decide o n a cas e-tocase basis. The colonel adds that he will personally recommend that the deputy commander does not permit anyone to remain bearded, adding that anyone wishing to appear before the deputy commander for such a hearing must appear clean shaven. Some of the parents that spoke with Arutz-7 are quoted as drawing a comparison to the government removing the peyos of the Yemenite Jews in 1948 u pon their arrival in t he country. They point out how they want the chareidim in t he military yet they make religious life difficult on the dati leumi soldiers already serving. The IDF Spokesman’s Office confirms the regulations, that a frum soldier may indeed ha ve a b eard, as w ell as s omeone with a special medical dispensation. The response adds that a soldier may not cut or modify the length of the beard.

IDF Chief Pleased With Exercise – Artillery Forces are Ready

DF Chief o f S taff L t.-Gen. B enny Ga ntz o n W ednesday morning o rdered a sur prise mili tary ex ercise in volving troops from the Northern and Central Commands. Responding reservists were airlifted to the Golan Heights area, where a live-fire training event was held during the evening hours, all towards evaluating the preparedness of the forces and the mil-

Givati Soldiers Ordered to Shave he commander of the IDF’s Givati Brigade, Colonel Ofir Levy, has o rdered his sub ordinates to instruct soldiers to shave, exp laining t hey ma y no t ha ve a b eard in his b rigade, Arutz-7 r eports. F amily mem bers o f s oldiers a nd ra bbonim have filed complaints on behalf of frum soldiers serving in the infantry brigade. According to the information available on the IDF Personnel Branch website, one of the justifications for a s oldier having a b eard is a “ religious lifestyle”. It adds t he beard must be neat and kempt and if a s oldier in compulsory service shaves his beard, he will not be permitted to let it grow again. Despite the clearly stated rules by the military, officers have already pass ed along t he colonel’s order, instructing t hem to remove their beards. In addition, Colonel Levy stated that anyone insisting on keeping a beard will have to appear before the

itary in t he shadow of mounting verbal threats from Hizbullah leaders and the worrisome situation in Syria. The surprise exercise also permitted evaluating the preparedness of the air force and other units. The call-u p b egan d uring t he p redawn ho urs as a rtillery and other reservists were summoned to respond. Overseeing the exercise was Chief Artillery Officer, Brig.-Gen. Ro’i Riftin. Officials’ stress the drill was planned in advance and in no way signaled a heightened alert status by the military. Following the exercise, IDF Chief o f Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz expressed satisfaction with the outcome. The operation was labeled a “success” and the commanders got a genuine reading regarding an emergency call-up scenario of combat reserve duty forces and officers.

Meretz Promises Bus Services in Yerushalayim on Shabbos

eretz Party officials remain determined in creating a new reality in I srael, one that includes public transportation on sha bbos. The party continues f unding bus s ervices in a reas o f H od H aSharon, Cho lon, K far Sa ba a nd R a’anana o n shabbos towards achieving this goal. This past week, activists announced that on Shabbos Shuva, buses would also be operating in Yerushalayim. The bus route advertised as follows. The bus will b egin in Kiryat Yovel t owards B eit H aKerem, t o Rec havia, endin g a t the Ben-Yehuda area. Meretz leader MK Z ahava Gal-On a nd Meretz Jerusalem official Pepe Alou will be o n hand to greet the bus passengers when it arrives at Ben-Yehuda along with other chilul shabbos activists. Gal-On accuses the chareidi politicians of “taking over” the bus system and forcing their views on the majority which wants shabbos bus service.

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Hearing o f t he p lanned b us s ervice in the ca pital, J erusalem D eputy M ayor Y ossi Deutsch expressed pain and sorrow over “the Meretz provocation” in the holy city. “We are aware the party lacks the funds to pay for the chilul shabbos buses and we also know most residents of the capital don’t want it. B ut d uring a n elec tion y ear, w hat w on’t a party do” added Deutsch. The deputy mayor added that if this is not a onetime occurrence and the buses continue running in the coming weeks, the frum councilmen will have to decide a p lan of action as how to address t he alarming reality. “It’s not just a chareidi issue, but most of the residents of the capital don’t want to see buses running on shabbos” Deutsch concluded.

Jerusalem: 5.8 Million NIS Allocated to Build Shuls erusalem City Hall has approved 5.8 million NIS t owards t he co mpletion o f 47 shuls in various stages of construction. R’ Asher M ishaeli a nd R’ Yitzchak Hanau, w ho a re responsible for religious structures in the city, are credited with pushing the budget through. Mishaeli told the committee that there was an ur gent need f or sh uls a nd ba tei medrash for Har Choma, and area that has gr own but lacks these buildings. All the requests for that neighborhood were approved and it was decided that construction in t hat community is a priority.

Directors of the organization expressed pleasure o f i ts co ntinued gr owth a nd i ts “modest role” in p roviding he alth support s ervices in Eretz Yisrael. There a re o ver 13,400 v olunteers (men and women) nationwide playing a role in the distribution of 650,000 meals and other activities in 5772. The meals were distributed to the sick and elderly. The organization’s bone marrow database co ntains t he na mes o f 631,757 names, the third largest in the world and as a result, B’chasdei Hashem, 1,077 bone marrow transplants were conducted during the year. 80,000 pieces of medical eq uipment were loaned during the year and 76,000 passengers were driven in one of the organization’s vehicles for the elderly and infirmed. 2,536 special needs children were treated and 60,000 medical r eferrals w ere p rocessed. 800 p eople r equiring psy chiatric co unseling w ere tr eated and cared for in the mental illness unit.

Iranian General: There Will Be A War With Israel

eneral Mohammad Ali Jafari, who heads Iran’s R evolutionary G uards r eleased a statement last S habbos, t hat a wa r with Israel will “eventually occur”. He b lames I srael f or “ seeking t he wa r” with I ran, admi tting t hat w hile i t is ine vitable, he cannot say when it will occur. The Fars news agency stated that Iran will destroy Israel in this war when it occurs, highlighting ongoing efforts to improve Iranian defenses and boasting that nation’s military might.

Walla News reports that city officials admit t here is a nother reason, explaining most of t he visi tors co me f rom M odi’in Illi t a nd they “shove aside” t he lo cal residents during the holiday season. The co mmunities a re hir ing a s ecurity firm and guards will be posted to ensure only community r esidents a nd t heir guests en ter the park. Walla adds Modi’in Illit officials responded saying “We don’t need their favors. It is better that our pure children are spared the pritzus seen in the park and its surroundings. It is simply a sign from the Heavens for us.”

In Israel, Even Moving the Clock is Viewed as ‘Capitulation to the Frum’ hen the disdain for Yiddishkheit is what it is among some Israelis, anything that one views as ob jectionable is ca tegorized under “religious coercion” and that is exactly the case in I srael for many, including t hose w ho decided to hold a p rotest on motzei shabbos against t he move f rom daylight s avings time to standard time. The move is done on the last motzei sha bbos b efore Yom K ippur t owards facilitating the fast but for the secular protestors, they feel “there is still plenty of summertime left so why give in to the frum”.

Hundreds of prot estors we re on h and motzei sha bbos t he e ve o f 7 T ishrei 5773, placing candles on the street to form a c lock shouting “ We a re her e t o r emove t he da rkness”. Ot hers, in Y erushalayim, w ere o utside Minister o f t he I nterior E li Yishai’s H ar N of apartment to protest since he is t he man that has made t he a rrangement t o acco mmodate Yom Kippur fasters. The Meretz activists outside the minister’s home carried alarm clocks to mak e t heir p oint a fter wa iting a t B en-Yehuda S treet o n sha bbos a fternoon to me et the party-sponsored shabbos bus that they financed in t he hope of compelling the city to operate public transportation in the capital on shabbos. Another o pponent t o t he c hangeover t o standard time was Yair Lapid, who on his Facebook page called th e move “abusive to the majority of Israelis opposed to the move”, calling it a “ cruel plan” w hich he b lames on t he frum parties. Prime M inister B inyamin N etanyahu o n Continued on p. 20

The Annual Dispute in Modi’in Anabe Park

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t’s an annual event, occurring on Pesach and on Chol Hamoed Sukkos, the conflict surrounding the chareidi presence in t he Anabe

Some New Year Stats from Ezer Mizion

Wishing all of klal yisroel a happy, healthy and sweet

zer Mizion has r eleased some interesting statistics coinciding with Rosh Hashanah.

new year! Park in the city of Modi’in. Many Modi’in residents exp lain t hat t hey a re no t b othered b y the fac t c hareidim f rom ne arby M odi’in Illit visi t t heir co mmunity, b ut t hey a re b othered w hen t he visitors are inconsiderate and at times, try to impose their lifestyle on community r esidents wishin g t o enjoy t he pa rk’s facilities. Seeking to preempt a dispute, the officials of the communities of Modi’in and neighboring Maccabim-Reut have announced that entry to the park over the yomim tovim will b e restricted t o r esidents. They exp lain t hat t he influx of t he t housands of visitors creates an untenable situation since t here simply is no t sufficient space.

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YWN ISRAEL NEWS Continued from p. 19

Sunday instructed coalition chairman Ze’ev Elkin to look into extending DST, an effort that has b een held up in committee. Likud Minister Limor Livnat released a statement “I don’t understand why we are changing over to standard time. It is the middle of the summer. It is a waste of money”.

Israel Arranging More Assistance for the PA n response to the PA (Palestinian Authority) fiscal crisis, Israel has a pproved a n umber o f me asures t o assist t owards strengthening the PA economy. This includes approving tens of p rojects b eing f unded b y t he in ternational co mmunity t o refurbish schools, medical clinics, as well as the infrastructure in PA autonomous areas in Yehuda, Shomron and Hamas-controlled Gaza. Israel will be permitting more PA laborers to en-

ter into Israel to earn a livelihood to boost the PA economy and for a first time since 2007, furniture and textiles manufactured in Gaza will be permitted to be exported to Yehuda and Shomron. There is no mention of any stipulation pertaining to halting rocket attacks into southern Israel.

The official Israeli announcement will b e made at the donor nations conference taking place in New York as Jerusalem fears the collapse of the PA economy would have a disastrous regional impact.

the young students, explaining each parent received a copy of the closure order in addition to sending an inspector and policeman to the school and the latter handed each child a copy as well. The rav states the children were frightened to see a policeman handing out papers.

Ministry Orders Closing of New Beit Shemesh Chinuch Atzmai’s Darkei Road in Jeopardy Noam School in Jerusalem eit Shemesh officials are quite concerned after learning the ccording to a HaMevaser report, Jerusalem City Hall has requested f rom t he M inistry o f Ed ucation t o o rder t he closure of the Chinuch Atzmai affiliated Darkei Noam Yeshiva located in the Katamon area of the city, adding it is a school that serves the entire southern area of the capital. School director R av Shlomo Bukshpein explains t hat t he school has b een t he t arget o f o pponents o ver r ecent y ears, some due to jealousy and others for their own reasons leading t o Ci ty Hall callin g f or i ts c losure. He p oints o ut t hat i t began w hen t he s chool was in structed t o gi ve a n umber o f classrooms to students of a S tate Religious public school. He explains that this in spite of the fact that the nearby non religious public schools are literally half empty. This was followed by instructions to forfeit the areas where the daily meals were warmed and served. R’ Bukshpein adds that the next move was an unprecedented demand that does not exist anywhere else, compelling students to receive authorization from City Hall before they could register to the school. Despite the efforts to deter parents, this year, 5773, t here are 50 first grader s and 250 c hildren registered in the preschool and kindergarten. The rav p oints out that the city then b egan targeting the school with legal issues, leading to the ministry issuing the closure order, citing safety violations as the official reason. The rav adds there are literally hundreds of schools in t he city in t he exact situation yet they are not ordered to shut down. The rabbis feels the city is trying to intimidate parents and

Finance M inistry p lans t o ca ncel a p lanned 800 millio n NIS allocation to redo Route 38, t he main access r oad to the city since the road is no longer capable of handling the volume of traffic, being one lane in each direction. When the road was built Beit Shemesh was not on the map and today, it is a growing city that is plagued with chronic traffic delays on the roadway.

R’ Moshe Muntag, who heads the local building committee in B eit S hemesh s ent a n ur gent let ter t o s enior

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YWN ISRAEL NEWS treasury officials explaining why it is absolutely essential to permit the construction of the new roadway. HaMevaser reports the letter was also sent to Finance Minister Dr. Yuval Shteinitz, Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz and MK Rav Moshe Gafne, who chairs the Knesset Finance Committee. Muntag explains that officials have been working with Gafne and others for years to find the budget, adding that if the project is not funded, it will halt expansion plans for the city. He explains the current road, Route 38 is among the most o vercrowded in t he nation and it presents a s erious hazard, serving as the main road to enter and leave the ci ty f or 100,000 r esidents, wi th o ne la ne in e ach direction. He adds the road also serves tens of thousands of residents and workers of the adjacent Matte Yehuda Regional C ouncil as w ell as t he ma ny sho ppers a rriving in t he area and trucks heading to and from the Har Tuv industrial area. Officials add t hat 6,000 uni ts a re b eing s old as w e speak and another 15,000 are in various stages of building and warns halting the renovation project for the roadway will lead to an untenable situation.

New Birthing Record at Bnei Brak’s Mayanei HaYeshua Hospital

reaking a birthing record in Bnei Brak’s Mayanei HaYeshua Hospital is no small feat. Baruch Hashem, the hospital is now boasting a new 24-hour birthing record, 190 babies delivered in the course of a single day. The babies were born during Shabbos Shuva 5773. Needless to say delivery room staff is quite exhausted and despite the hospital’s usual personal touch, some of the mothers were compelled to remain in hallways as they simply ran out of room.

Knesset to Assess Threat to Jews in the Diaspora

Jerusalem City Halls Agrees to Allocate Geniza Funding

ikud MK Danny Danon, who chairs the Knesset Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Committee, is calling for a special urgent session during the summer recess following t he a ttack aga inst a F rench k osher su permarket last week.

n response to mounting requests to place geniza (shaimos) bins in chareidi areas of the capital and provide funding to deal with the growing volume of geniza, Jerusalem City Hall has agreed to allocate funding. Working with chareidi city councilmen, a city’s Religious Affairs unit has formulated guidelines to deal with geniza. 100,000 NIS was allocated to assist in addressing the geniza in the city. A request was made to place the geniza bins in a number of neighborhoods but it is unclear if this request will be accommodated. In t he past, t here w ere b ins a round t he ci ty b ut t he s ervice was halted due to the mounting volume of papers, much from the growing number of shabbos handouts. The large drop off bins at Shamgar were also removed, leaving many with no means of removing geniza. Some areas have paid bins, charging people a sum based on the size of the bag.

DFM Ayalon: Israel & US Defining ‘Red Lines’ Regarding Iran

Danon hopes to discuss a n umber of items during the special s ession, including an ass essment of t he t hreat le vel resulting from the YouTube film perceived as anti-Islam, and the threat level to Jews living in t he Diaspora in g eneral. Danon released a st atement that he feels the State of Israel must concern itself with the safety of Jews around the world and the current situation demands making decisions as how to react and just what the current threat level is to Jews in different countries.

peaking t o Israel R adio f rom N ew York City, w here he is attending the United Nations General Assembly, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon stated on Thursday that he sees Israel and the United States are working to set ‘red lines’ in place regarding Iran’s nuclear program, explaining these defined limits are not being publicized to the world at present. Ayalon also tried to play down tensions that exist between Jerusalem a nd t he W hite H ouse, addin g he exp ects t hat in Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s address to the General Assembly, he will a nnounces Israel’s red lines regarding Iran’s nuclear program, at least to some degree.

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‘Rabbanei Tzohar’ Seeking To Enter Race For Israel’s Chief Rabbi dents. He holds seminars for secular teachers to educate them as how one arranges a shabbos table, hoping they will pa ss this along to students. This past year he traveled with pupils to Poland, speaking about the Holocaust and t he co ncentration ca mps f rom a J ewish perspective a nd e vents le ading t o t he est ablishment of the State of Israel. The rabbi works hard on maintaining his connection with the city’s schools, seeking to infuse a taste of Jewish character wherever possible. While he is no t a r egular in t he community sh uls y ear r ound, his success is visib le and just to see kindergarten children singing ‫ שדקמה תיב הנביש‬, a nd t he pa rents p leased and not complaining, is a big thing in itself.

By: Yechiel Spira

he race for Israel’s Chief Rabbinate is rapidly approaching as t he ten-year term of the current chief rabbis winds do wn and the Rabbanei Tzohar organization may enter the race, feeling that it is time to retake the Chief Rabbinate and to elect a ra v who is no t only suited f or t he p osition, b ut o ne w ho f eels a connection with the State of Israel, namely not a chareidi rav. Tzohar ra bbis ha ve made gr eat b reakthroughs in many areas as they work tirelessly to bridge the gap, to bring Yiddishkheit to the unaffiliated. They p rovide ra bbonim t o p erform chupah & k edushin, bris milah, as w ell as sponsoring minyanim for Rosh H ashanah and Yom K ippur in a reas t hat mig ht o therwise not have minyan. They are the dati leumi equivalent of Chabad shluchim, reaching out to anyone and everyone wishing to hear their message, s eeking t o pa int Israel’s Chief R abbinate in a different light as s o many secular Israelis ha ve b ecome dis enchanted wi th t he frightening st ories ass ociated wi th de alings with the Chief Rabbinate. Rabbonim affiliated with Rabbanei Tzohar do not charge for their services, co mmitted t o sim ply sp reading t he word and working to bring the lost souls back home, one at a time. The head of R abbanei Tzohar, R abbi David Stav is co nsidering entering t he race. He is not a no vice and as suc h he do es not plan to just announce his candidacy, but he and his colleagues a re ca refully mo nitoring t he si tuation. If they b elieve R abbi Stav has a r ealistic chance of becoming Israel’s next Ashkenazi Chief R abbi they will g o for it. If the odds appear stacked against him, he will no t enter the race. The weekly Esnachta Magazine of B’Sheva interviewed Rabbi Stav. Following is portions of that interview.

A Plan That is Good for Chareidim Too

Rabbi Stav is no t naïve, and he r ealizes if he enters the race f or Chief R abbi, it will immediately tr igger a n ala rm wi th t he c hareidi tzibur due his strong dati leumi Zionist affiliation. The ra v exp lains t hat t he pa mphlet distributed in sh uls nationwide entitled ‘ The 3 Elul Plan’, tens of thousands of copies, supports his c laim t hat t he ag enda o f R abbanei Tzohar is good for everyone, including chareidim. The pamphlet outlines the organization’s vision f or r evamping t he Chief R abbinate in Israel in line with the hashkafa of Rabbi Avraham Y itzchak H aCohen K ook ZT ”L. They stress that every dati leumi household in Israel today must realize the call o f the hour, the need to build a new Chief Rabbinate, and this is not only a necessity, but an attainable goal. Rav S tav admi ts t hat t o da te he a nd his colleagues ha ve no t ac tively w orked t o p romote da ti leumi ca ndidates f or ra bbinical posts or dayanim. “From my perspective, this is not what it is about” he explains, adding “It is no t a bout t he co lor o f o ne’s ki ppa, b ut i t’s about finding the people with a hashkafa that encompasses e veryone, p eople wi th a s ensitively to Am Yisrael, with any kippa and with or without a hat. It can be someone who says Tachnun on Yom HaAtzma’ut too and he can nevertheless ha ve a ma rvelous o utlook t owards converts and new immigrants. The plan does no t p oint t o a R abbanei Tzohar ca ndidate, rather an agenda for the Chief R abbinate”. While you a re no t conce rned w ith the color of a k ippa, your pla n does no t appear 22

Shoham’s Kashrus

Rabbi David Stav

to have taken the chareidi tzibur into consideration as is the case with your organization’s operations. It appears that you have the secular population in your s ights, which at times may represent a ‘red flag’ by chareidim. This by the w ay i s not cha racteristic of the pa th taken by Rav Kook. “I w ould dis agree. I a m cer tain t hat o ur plan is g ood for chareidim as w ell” the rabbi explains. He uses kashrus as a n example. We are in favor of as hig h a st andard as p ossible. “What is ha ppening today” he asks. “ Most of the chief rabbis [of cities and townships] don’t even r ely o n t heir own hec hsher. The mashgichim don’t eat in the restaurants. They don’t trust their own kashrus.” The ra bbi exp lains T zohar wishes t o introduce a p lan t hat will mak e i t sim ple a nd that anyone will understand exactly what level of kashrus is maintained, whether it’s chalav akum or other kashrus concerns. The kashrus will r emain in p rivate ha nds o f t he va rious hechsherim a nd t heir will b e a co mpetitive marketplace. “I don’t want to be meikel (lenient) but we want the highest possible level of kashrus.” “Even f or o ne s eeking t he most mehadrin [kashrus], he will find a p lace that is als o under the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.” The rabbi goes on to cite an example in his effort to show j ust ho w a bsurd t he existin g syst em is. He speaks of a ci ty in I srael that does not grant kashrus year round to stores selling kitnios on Pesach. He questions t he wis dom of such a decision, for such a policy has left many stores without hashgacha year round. He feels the Chief R abbinate sho uld gi ve hash gacha on Pesach to stores selling kitnios too, and of course this will be clearly stated for those who are machmir. He explains this is what Rabbanei Tzohar is about, reaching everyone. He f eels t here will b e co operation wi th chareidim in o ther sp heres as w ell, inc luding H alacha r esearch in stitutes. “ The Chief Rabbinate will assist t he chareidi institutes as well, f or exa mple r egarding M itzvos T ’luyos Ba’aretz.” He adds the institute cannot do it all and t he Chief R abbinate will b e t here t o assist, str essing t he p lan is no t in a ny way a nti-chareidi and t he Tzohar rabbonim are not trying to eradicate the chareidi way of doing things. “ If b urial s ervices a re im proved, t he chareidim will also not cry over such a reality” he exp lains, repeating t he p oint t here w ould be much benefit for the chareidi tzibur if Tzohar gained control of the Chief R abbinate of Israel. At present, it does not appear your candidate would e njoy chareidi s upport. What i s the chance of your candidate being elected? “I don’t involve myself with political mat-

ters but the Jewish future of the State of Israel is c lose to t he he arts of all t he Jewish and Zionist p olitical pa rties. The co nnection b etween Am Y israel a nd Toras Y israel has t he prime minister and members of Knesset constantly occupied. I b elieve that once they understand what is at stake, they will realize they must su pport t he p lan as w ell as t he ca ndidates representing that plan. The future of the State of Israel is a t t he center of t his p lan. If the rabbinate is not patriotic (‫)תיתכלממ‬, then there will b e separation between government and religion, resulting in intermarriage. It will not be the collapse of the two chief rabbis, but the collapse of all r elations between the State of Israel and Yiddishkheit.”

Rabbi Stav Fears the Loss of Jewish Identity in Israel

Rabbi Stav li ves with a co nstant fear, t he fear t hat t hose w ho do no t live a da y-to-day Jewish lif estyle will los e t heir J ewish iden tity. He feels this is a cr itical issue that must be addressed in Israel today. “The bond to being Jewish is cr itical a nd i t m ust b e r elevant f or all, not only those striving to lead a Torah lifestyle” he states authoritatively. Rabbi Stav is t he rabbi of t he municipality of Shoham, a co mmunity that is p rimarily not frum, composed of upper middle c lass and wealthy residents by and large. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2009, Shoham’s population was 18,200. Rabbi S tav a rrived in t he ci ty as ra v d ue to the efforts of Rabbi Micha Levy, with Rabbi Stav crediting him with the “blessing” as he sees his w ork in t he co mmunity t oday. The two were both rebbes in Yeshivat Ohr Etzion. Rabbi Stav was t he rav of t he community of Moshav Bnei Darom for many years, at least until Rabbi Levy approached him on that day. “How lo ng a re y ou g oing t o co ntinue b eing rav in t hat small mosha v? You need t o move out of that framework. I he ard they are looking for a ra v in S hoham. It would b e p erfect for you. Go check it out.” Well, Rabbi Stav did j ust that and he was appointed the rabbi of the secular community and for the past 14 years, he remains in a small office with an aide, without a r eligious council, without clerks, no st aff t o speak of but he has his small office, a desk, and lots of seforim, as well as thank you letters which are proudly displayed on his wall. When asked what he has done in the community he exp lains t he basics; t hat t he r esidents must understand t he rav is “ everyone’s rav” a nd no t j ust t he ra v o f a s ector o f t he community. He travels t o s chools and meets with t eachers a nd c hildren alik e. H e is o ut there ac tively tr ying t o co nnect t o t he r esi-

Rabbi S tav is q uite b usy do ing w hat he can t owards im proving kashr us in t he co mmunity. He admits there are no hidd urim or mehadrin status, but there is kosher for those seeking simply basic kosher. “In Shoham, all of t he st ores a re k osher” he exp lains wi th a measure of pride, for w hen he a rrived, none of the stores had a hashgacha. Amazingly, in a community in which 80% of residents are not frum none of the stores are open on shabbos, all the result of one man’s efforts. The rav explains “this was no t a ba ttle. I sim ply us ed a tactic, teaching store owners t hat it do es not pay to open on shabbos”. If a store wished to open on shabbos Rabbi S tav s ent a let ter t o his k ehila exp laining that he do es not believe in compelling someone t o c lose. He exp lains t hat he is no t providing a hash gacha f or t he st ore, a nd t herefore, o ne may no t b uy t here all w eek, as t he store is mechalel shabbos and has no hash gacha. He points out that the dishes may even be treif and anyone supporting such a store supports chilul shabbos. The dati community got the mess age, as did t he st ore owners, opting to close a sho rt time la ter. They willingly did what was required to obtain a hashgacha from the local rabbinate. “This is a ci ty that has e arned the trust of its r esidents, a tr ust t owards ra bbonim a nd Halacha, a nd as a r esult, no ne o f t he en tertainment centers operate on shabbos” he adds proudly. The rav’s job is no t an easy one and simple ob jections ca n e asily es calate in to ma jor issues. There is o nly one dati school and one Bnei Akiva branch so when parents complain it is “too frum” or “not frum enough” he has to work to find the balance since there are no alternatives. He feels that after 14 years he has cr eated a cohesive community “and not just a b unch of shteibelach”.

A Chavrusa of the Chevron Rosh Yeshiva

Many r eaders will b e sur prised p erhaps t o le arn o f t he ra bbi’s bac kground. The dati leumi t orani ra v a nd fa ther o f nine b egan his der ech in a c hareidi a tmosphere, in a home of Belzer Chassidim. N ot just chassidish, but with yichus. His father attended Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin and he co unts himself among the talmidim of Rav Meir Shapira ZT”L. His mother is a daughter of the Admor of Zvill. He explains how the Belzer Rebbe attended his bar mitzvah, after all they are related, a second cousin. Despite t he deep c hassidic roots his pa rents s ent him t o Yeshivat Chorev and Yeshivat N etiv M eir H igh S chool, “and f or t hem, Continued on p. 85

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NEW YORK NEWS The postponement could give prosecutors additional time to build a case. “The purpose of the adjournment is to allow all parties to continue with their investigations in a me asured and fair manner,” said the district attorney’s chief spokeswoman, Erin Duggan, echoing a statement she made when the hearing was first postponed in June. Hernandez’s confession may have to serve as the linchpin of a potential prosecution; police said at the time of the arrest in May that they had no physical evidence to tie Hernandez to the crime, and Patz’s body has never been found. Hernandez, a New Jersey man, told police he put the boy in a bag and dumped it in the trash. During his ini tial appearance, his co urt-appointed lawyer, Harvey Fishbein, said Hernandez had a hist ory of mental illness, in cluding hallucinations. Hernandez was held in a hospital for obs ervation and e valuation b efore b eing transferred t his summer t o a det ention facility. Fishbein declined to comment on the adjournment. The confession came only weeks after police and FBI agents dug up a basement on Patz’s block used by a handyman, who was questioned but not charged. According to police, the excavation prompted a tip from a relative of Hernandez. Another man, Jose Antonio Ramos, was long considered the prime suspect in t he killing and was found civilly responsible for Patz’s death in 2004. He is incarcerated in Pennsylvania on an unrelated molestation charge and is expected to be released in early November, days before Hernandez’s court date.

NYC Hearing For Etan Patz Murder Suspect Postponed Again EW YORK, Sept 24 (Reuters) - A hearing for the man who confessed to the 1979 strangling of 6-year-old Etan Patz, a killin g t hat transformed t he way U.S. authorities approach missing children cases, has been postponed for a second time, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said Monday. The court appearance for Pedro Hernandez, 51, was s cheduled for Oct. 1 b ut will now take place on Nov. 15, when prosecutors could file a grand jury murder indictment. The results of a psychiatric evaluation of Hernandez will also need to be analyzed at some point to determine whether he is mentally competent to face charges. Hernandez was arraigned on a second-degree murder charge on May 25, 33 years to the day after Patz, who became one of the first missing children to appear on a milk carton, disappeared two blocks from his home in downtown Manhattan.

NYC Effort Put Rats On The Run HURSDAY, Sept. 20 (HealthDay News) -- A rat control strategy launched in the Bronx, N.Y., led to a 54 percent reduction in the number of properties with signs of rat activity, a new federal report says.

The New York City Department of Health conducted repeat inspections of nearly 30,000 properties from 2007 to 2009. Active rat signs were found at 9.75 percent of the properties at the start of the program, compared with 4.51 percent after the final round of inspections. This ne w met hod f eatured b lock-by-block in spections t o find a nd co rrect co nditions that foster rat infestations in neighborhoods. Inspectors used handheld computers to record signs of rats -- such as droppings, gnaw marks and burrows -- as well as property conditions that provide rats with ready sources of food and shelter, according to the report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The inspectors created a community-wide record of rat activity by uploading their findings into a central database. All the findings were published on the online “rat information portal.” Property owners were sent detailed notices if t heir properties had sign s of rat activity, along with instructions on how to deal with the problem. If property owners failed to take action, the city inspectors deployed staff members licensed as p est control professionals to re-inspect and, if necessary, apply poisoned rat bait. In some cases, health department staffers cleaned properties to remove large amounts of garbage or to eliminate conditions that encouraged rats. If a single property owner takes steps to eliminate rats, the rodents are often driven to adjoining properties. But when a neighborhood takes action to eliminate sources of food and shelter, the rat population declines, noted Caroline Bragdon and colleagues at the NYC Department of Health’s Division of Environmental Health. The findings are published in t he Sept. 21 issue o f the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved

NYPD To Videotape All Interrogations he New York City Police Department is p lanning to expand a p rogram for videotaping interrogations to all 76 precincts in the city. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says the

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NEW YORK NEWS department wants to outfit all interrogation rooms and s ome sp ecialized uni ts wi th r ecording eq uipment. The p ilot p rogram b egan in 2010 in B rooklyn and the Bronx and was limited to suspects charged with felony assault. The first p hase o f t he expa nsion will inc lude suspects facing murder and sex crimes charges. Kelly says he wants to make sure the department stays ahead of the curve as technology evolves, and says the taped interrogations help all sides in the legal system. The depa rtment, ho wever, has a n issue wi th funding f or t he expa nsion a nd is askin g t he N ew

York City Police Foundation for help. The first phase alone is expected to cost $3 million.

Shelly Silver Seen Losing Clout With Gov Cuomo ew York Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver likely will survive ethics probes of the settlement of harassment charges against a fellow Democratic assemblyman, but

Schumer pointed to data from the Federal Trade Commission showing the number of complaints filed over telemarketing calls has r isen from 65,000 in O ctober 2010 to 212,000 in April 2012. Under his new legislation, violating the do not call laws would be upgraded from a misdemeanor to a felony and telemarketers would be fined $20,000 p er violation every time a cell phone or home phone number already on the do not call list was dialed.

Fed Judge Rules In Favor Of Attack Ads At MTA Stations Targeting Radical Muslims

(AP) A legal fight over freedom of speech is spilling into New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s subway tunnels. A sign about â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jihadâ&#x20AC;? is set to debut next week. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says it crosses the line, but a judge disagrees. On the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s subways and buses, most ads w e see donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get much attention. But that may change with a pro-Israel ad that will soon grace MTA property which reads: â&#x20AC;&#x153;In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat jihad.â&#x20AC;? The ad is a clear swipe against radical Muslims. At a Manhattan Mosque, not all were pleased with the fact the ad will soon go public. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is negative, not positive,â&#x20AC;? Harlemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Abdus Khan said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think it is something stupid. For somebody they are very ignorant,â&#x20AC;? El Ghazzawi said. For almost a year, the MTA fought the running of the ad, saying the words â&#x20AC;&#x153;savageâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;jihadâ&#x20AC;? demean a group, but in the lawsuit a federal judge ruled that barring the ad violated the First Amendment and the â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Ś.fundamental importance of the free flow of ideasâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;What the court said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;no demeaningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is too general a phrase,â&#x20AC;? said Leon Friedman, a constitutional law expert at Hofstra University. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Government just canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I like this ad, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like that ad.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; They just canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do that.â&#x20AC;? While the MTA said its hands are tied, the adâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sponsor celebrated the victory. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Political speech is the most protected speech,â&#x20AC;? said Pamela Geller of the American Freedom Defense Initiative. Geller said the ad isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t anti-Muslim, but a response to an anti-Israeli ad the MTA ran last year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Honestly anyone that disagrees with me, I would take a bullet for their right to disagree with me. This is the beauty of America, the free exchange of ideas,â&#x20AC;? Geller said. Continued on p. 26

Silver could lose some of his clout in dealing with Governor Andrew Cuomo on difficult issues, including the budget, political consultants and academics said. Silver, who represents lower Manhattan, has b een a f orceful advocate for students, unions, tenants and the poor since he was elected speaker in 1994. The 68-year old is known for his ability to come out ahead in backroom deals reached by the three most powerful state politicians - the governor, the speaker and the senate majority leader. The secret decisions taken by these so-called â&#x20AC;&#x153;three men in a roomâ&#x20AC;? have prompted much criticism from civic advocates. But Shelly, as fans and rivals call Silver, has been hurt by his agreement to keep confidential a $103,000 s ettlement - most ly paid with public funds - o f harassment charges against Assemblyman Vito Lopez, a Brooklyn Democrat. Lopez is now facing new accusations. None of the half a dozen experts interviewed expect Silver to lose his position as speaker - unless the ethics probes uncover criminal wrongdoing or lead to sanctions. Such a development would be a shock, because the speaker is a lawyer known for his caution and scrupulous attention to detail. But Governor Andrew Cuomo, a D emocrat who eclipsed Silverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position as t he stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top Democrat after winning election in 2010, stands to gain further traction. Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, a Republican, has less t o gain because he controls the Senate with only a two-seat majority - and faces a possible upset in Novemberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s election.

Schumer Calling For Stiffer Fines For Companies That Violate â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Do Not Callâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; List

If you have noticed an increase in the number of robo-calls and calls from telemarketers you have been receiving, you are not alone, said Sen. Charles Schumer. The New York Democrat unveiled new legislation on Sunday that would increase the fines for companies that violate the National Do Not Call Registry. Sen. Schumer said the current fines are so low that companies are willing to pay the penalty in exchange for illegally contacting thousands of homes.

Haskama: Rav Moshe Heinemann

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NEW YORK NEWS Continued from p. 25

On the subways, some said they understand the court’s wisdom. “I don’t necessarily agree with what the ad says, but you shouldn’t be suppressing free speech,” said Doug Quayle of Darien, Conn. While others said the ad should be derailed. “I feel like it’s disrespectful to other cultures,” said Ayana Sanchez of Union City, N.J. The MTA said it may revise its advertising standards. In the meantime, the ads will be seen on subway platforms beginning next week. The ads will be seen in 10 Manhattan subways stations and will run for a month.

Staten Islanders Furious As MTA Considers A $15 Toll To Cross Verrazano Bridge

esidents on Staten Island rallied Sa turday against a p roposal to raise the toll on the Verrazano Bridge by $2 next year. Rep. Michael Grimm led the rally in Fort Wadsworth. According to multiple reports, the MTA may increase cash tolls on bridges and tunnels by 15 percent to raise revenue. That would raise the toll on the Verrazano Bridge from $13 to $15 for anyone paying cash and not EZPass. “The straw that broke the camel’s back already happened,” Grimm said. “There is no back to break. We are broken as a co mmunity from these tolls and we’re not going to lie down anymore. We’ll do whatever we have to do to make sure the MTA does not ruin this community any further.” The MTA has not released any official proposals about toll hikes. MTA officials we spoke with would not comment on whether there will be any. Grimm, though, is proposing legislation that would disqualify the MTA and Port Authority for federal funds unless they guaranteed tolls would not rise by more than 10 percent over five years.

Thefts Of iPhones, Other Apple Gadgets Spike In NY (AP) Apple’s iPhones and other products are so popular in New York City they’re flying off shelves - and into the hands of thieves. Continued on p. 28

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YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

dis is Hersch Boruch Ben Esther Yehu

a c i r e m A n i the only Jew h penalty t a e d e h t g n i fac I need your help urgently! As a teenager Hersh fell in with a bad crowd and made some bad decisions. Despite currently serving a 30 year sentence in a Federal facility, the state of California is trying to implicate Hersh in a 1994 murder incident. At the time of the murder, which took place in California, Hersh was in Florida. What’s more, one of the actual killers, turned down an oﬀer to testify in the case in exchange for a lighter ruling, claiming that to do so would not be correct as Hersh was not involved in the murder.

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But the prosecutor doesn’t care. He wants to charge Hersch with murder... and have him executed. Today, Hersh is Shomer Torah Umitzvos. Hersh’s parents, who are respected members of the Florida Jewish community, have wiped out all their assets paying for their only son’s legal defense until now. In less than 5 weeks, Hersh’s case will begin. We need your immediate help and involvement! There is no time to waste.

To stay off death row, Hersch needs Dror, and Dror needs you. Hersch is serving a 30 year sentence for other crimes. Don’t let prosecutors execute him for a murder he didn’t commit.

PLEASE DONATE generously to save Hersch Baruch Ben Esther Yehudis

This is a matter of Pikuach Nefesh!!! Hersh fell into the wrong crowd as teen (more than 30 years ago), and made many poor choices. But, today he is a Shomer Torah U’mitzvos and on the right track . . . he needs your help!

Send your Donations by Mail to: Dror 5308 New Utrecht Ave Suite #8 Brooklyn, NY 11219

Call Dror: 718-280-1510

Donate Online: www. Drorfree.org/savelife

Full story appeared in the September 7 issue of the Yeshiva World News

Case # 684329 27

YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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NEW YORK NEWS Continued from p. 26

New York Police Department statistics show more than 11,400 Apple products have been ripped off this year, up 40 percent from last year. The thefts make up most of the overall increase in burglaries, thefts and grand larcenies in the nation’s biggest city. NYPD officials portray the thefts as an aberration in an otherwise low-crime year: Murders are on track to reach record lows. The NYPD set up booths outside Apple stores last weekend to help iPhone buyers activate tracking technology to recover lost or stolen phones. Subway warnings tell passengers to remain alert and keep devices out of sight. Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple Inc. says the recently released iPhone 5 topped 2 million sales the first day.

NYC Hospitals Cracking Down On Junk Food (AP) People nervously waiting around in New York City hospitals for loved ones to come out of surgery can’t smoke. In a few months from now, they can’t have a supersized fast-food soda. And soon, they won’t even be able to get a candy bar out of the vending machine or a piece of fried chicken from the cafeteria. In one of his latest health campaigns, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is aiming to banish sugary and fatty foods from both public and private hospitals. In recent years, the city’s 15 p ublic hospitals have cut calories in pa tients’ meals and restricted the sale of sugary drinks and unhealthy snacks at vending machines. But no w t he ci ty is t ackling hosp ital ca feteria f ood, t oo. And t he H ealthy H ospital Food Initiative is expa nding its reach: In the past y ear, 16 p rivate hospitals have signed on. Earlier this month, the city moved to ban the sale of big sodas and other sugary drinks at fast-food restaurants and theaters, beginning in March. Critics say the hospital ini tiative is y et a nother sign t hat B loomberg is r unning a “ nanny st ate,” e ven though the guidelines are voluntary and other cities - including Boston - have undertaken similar efforts. Hospitals say it would be hypocritical of them to serve unhealthy food to patients who are often suffering from obesity and other health problems. “If there’s any place that should not allow smoking or try to make you eat healthy, you w ould t hink i t’d b e t he hosp itals,” B loomberg s aid Monday. “ We’re do ing w hat we should do and you’ll see, I think, most of the private hospitals go along with it.”

The cafeteria crackdown will ban deep fryers, make leafy green salads a mandatory option and allow only healthy snacks to be stocked near the cafeteria entrance and at cash r egisters. At least half o f all s andwiches and salads must b e made o r s erved with whole grains. Half-size sandwich portions must be available for sale. “People sometimes right now don’t have healthy options,” said Christine Curtis, the city Health Department’s director of nutrition strategy. “So you are there at 2 in the morning and maybe your only choice is soda and chips.” Most hospitals have already overhauled their vending machines by allowing only two typ es o f 12-o unce hig h-calorie b everages a t e ach v ending mac hine - a nd t hey must be featured on the lowest rack. Hospital vending machines have also swapped out most baked goods for snacks like granola bars and nuts.

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YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

NEW YORK NEWS

Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tallest Ferris Wheel Coming to Staten Island ew York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to unveil plans Thursday to build the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tallest Ferris wheel on Staten Island, providing an iconic destination to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so-called â&#x20AC;&#x153;forgotten borough.â&#x20AC;?

And the city has long been searching for a destination for the two million-plus tourists who ride the Staten Island Ferry every year. Officials anticipate b oth projects will p ump nearly $500 millio n in p rivate investment into the Staten Island waterfront.

JFK Workers Say Security Searches Are Rushed FK Airport security workers charge theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re often rushed to complete searches of planes for items left behind by passengers.

The project would also bring a retail and hotel complex to the Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s North Shore, and use the Staten Island Ferry to get shoppers there. It is planned for 14 acres just north of the Richmond County Bank Ballpark, home to the minor-league Staten Island Yankees. The New York Wheel would cost $230 million and carry 4.5 million riders a year. At 625 feet, it would be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tallest observation wheel, exceeding the height of the Singapore Flyer. It would also be taller than the London Eye and a â&#x20AC;&#x153;High Rollerâ&#x20AC;? planned for the Las Vegas Strip. The wheel would offer plush, enclosed passenger capsules to offer riders a w orld-class view of the Manhattan skyline. Officials hope construction on t he obs ervation w heel would st art in 2014 a nd b e finished in 2015. An adjacent outlet mall w ould be the administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest attempt to keep cost co nscious shoppers from streaming out of the city.

The allegations are contained in a formal complaint set to be filed with the Transportation Security Administration on Thursday, according to The New York Times. The complaint is being filed by 30 of the 120 workers employed at Kennedy by a contractor, Global Elite Group of Garden City, Long Island. Their duties inc lude lo oking for items left b ehind, inc luding weapons, explosives and drugs. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re supposed to open every overhead bin, flip down each tray table and search all back seat pockets. They say if a plane arrives behind schedule they are pushed to rush through the searches. Global Elite said â&#x20AC;&#x153;We would never put the flying public at risk, ever, ever.â&#x20AC;?

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YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

HALACHICALLY SPEAKING Rabbi Moshe Dovid Lebovits, Rabbinical Administrator of KOF-K Kosher Supervision

Showering On Yom Tov The posuk in the Torah1 says that melacha is generally forbidden on Yom Tov, although melacha which is needed t o prepare food to eat is permitted.2 Once these melachos (cooking, and baking) were p ermitted for t he preparation of food t hey a re als o p ermitted f or o ther melachos.3 Accordingly, cooking4 and heating up water on Yom Tov is permitted. However, melachos f or o ther p urposes a re only permitted if t hey are shoveh lechol nefesh5 - s omething w hich is im portant t o most p eople.6 Therefore, one may only heat up water on Yom Tov if it will be used for a purpose which is shoveh lechol nefesh.7

Washing the Body

The Shulchan A ruch8 r ules t hat o ne may no t he at u p wa ter o n Yom T ov in o rder t o wash his en tire b ody, since do ing s o is no t shoveh l echol n efesh. H eating u p water to wash one’s hands, face, and feet is permitted, since do ing s o is co nsidered shoveh lechol ne fesh. Since washing t he w hole b ody is not shoveh lechol nefesh, one may not take a shower on Yom T ov.9 This p rohibition applies even if t he water was he ated up before Yom Tov since one may come to heat up water on Yom Tov. 10

Washing part of the body

One ma y us e wa ter w hich was he ated u p before Yom Tov to wash one limb at a time, even if he will end u p washing all of his b ody.11 Additionally, some poskim permit one to use water w hich was he ated up on Yom T ov to w ash one limb at a time, as long as one does not end up washin g most o f t he b ody, since washin g most o f t he b ody will b e co nsidered as if o ne washed t he w hole b ody (w hich is no t shoveh lechol nefesh).12 However, if the water was heat1 Sefer Shemos 12:16. 2 Refer to Rambam Hilchos Yom Tov 1:5, Shulchan Aruch 495:1, Rama, Pri Megadim Eishel Avraham 511:4, Shita Mekubetzes Kesubos 7a, Aruch Ha’shulchan 511:12, Encyclopedia Talmudis 1:27:footnote 12, Birchos Avraham Beitzah page 58. 3 Mesechtas Kesubos 7a. 4 Refer to Tosfas Mesechtas Beitzah 21b “lo,” Ran, Rambam Hilchos Yom Tov 1:16, Tur 511, Shulchan Aruch 511:2, Levush 2, Mishnah Berurah 9-10, Kaf Ha’chaim 12, Shulchan Shlomo 511:2:4, Shevet Ha’kehusi 1:159:4, see Mesechtas Beitzah 21a. Refer to Moadim V’zemanim 1:45 who explains the opinions in this inyun. 5 Refer to Mesechtas Kesubos 7a, Tosfas “m’toch,” Pri Megadim introduction to Hilchos Yom Tov 1:1, Shulchan Aruch Harav 511:2 (kuntres achron), Tosefta Chazzon Yecheskel Beitzah 2:7:page 76. See Chinuch mitzvah 298. 6 Pri Megadim Eishel Avraham 511:4. Refer to Bais Meir Y.D. 197:3. 7 Refer to footnote 4. 8 O.C. 511:2, see Mesechtas Beitzah 21b. 9 Tosfas ibid, Rambam ibid, Prisha 2, Shulchan Aruch 511:2, Levush 2, Magen Avraham 4, Taz 2, Sharei Teshuva 511, Sdei Chemed Yom Tov 7:page 213, Mishnah Berurah 10. Refer to Betzel Hachuchma 2:31:pages 61-63. 10 Rama 511:2, Levush 2, Kaf Ha’chaim 30, Aruch Ha’shulchan 4, Be’er Moshe 8:158. Refer to Shibuley Haleket 243:page 224, Shulchan Aruch 511:2. The Rambam ibid says washing ones whole body is forbidden because of a gezeirah. (Refer to Taz 4, Levush 1, Kaf Ha’chaim 13). The Mechaber ibid is lenient if the water was cooked up before Yom Tov. 511:30. 11 Mishnah Berurah 18, Kaf Ha’chaim 28, Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 14:7, Avnei Yushfei 3:55:3. 12 Rashba Mesechtas Shabbos 39b, Biur Halacha “avol,” Kaf Ha’chaim 14, Be’er Moshe 8:169. See Pri Megadim M.Z. 511:4. One may heat up hot water to make the cold water warmer since that

ed fr om bef ore Yom T ov, w e do no t co nsider washing most of the body as washing the whole body.

Does Shoveh Lechol Nefesh Change?

The poskim dis cuss w hether or not shoveh lechol nefesh can change with time.13 In earlier times when houses did not have indoor plumbing, people generally did no t shower on a da ily basis. Therefore, washin g t he w hole b ody was no t co nsidered sh oveh l echol n efesh. The question is since most p eople today wash their whole bodies (i.e. take a sho wer on a da ily basis) is do ing s o considered to b e shoveh l echol nefesh,14 o r a re t he r ules s et do wn b y chazal regarding shoveh l echol n efesh u nchangeable? L’maseh, the opinion of the poskim is t hat despite all this the gezeirah of chazal is still in effect and unchanged.15

Face, Hands, and Feet

As men tioned a bove, o ne is p ermitted t o heat up water even on Yom Tov to wash his face, hands, and feet. S ome say one may only wash the face and not the entire head.16 When washing t he ha nds, o ne may wash un til t he elb ow, and when washing the feet, one may wash until the ankle.17 One may not walk into a shower (even if he only intends to wash part of his body) since we are concerned that he will come to wash his entire body.18 Therefore, if t he limbs of the body which he is no t allo wed t o wash a re co vered with a garment, one may walk into a shower to wash the uncovered limbs.19 Alternatively, one may stand outside the shower and stick his face, hands, and feet into the shower to be washed.

Very Dirty

There is an uncertainty if a person who is very dirty may shower his entire body on Yom Tov.20 Modern W ater H eaters (B oilers) o n Yom Tov Our modern water heaters work in the following ma nner.21 Water is he ated up t o a cer tain temperature at which it is ma intained automatically. When one uses hot water, new cold water enters the boiler causing the hot water in the tank to cool that is detected by the thermois shoveh lechol nefesh (Shar Ha’tzyion 511:25). 13 Refer to Biur Halacha 511 “yudov.” 14 Refer to Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 14:footnote 21, 19:footnote 3 quoting the opinion of Horav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zt”l, Rivevos Ephraim 6:265, 8:248:1:page 276, Shulchan Shlomo 511:2:3. Some say even a shower once a week may be considered equal to all (Shulchan Shlomo 511:footnote 3). Parenthetically a ﬁve minute shower uses about 15-25 gallons of water. 15 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 14:footnote 21, Rivevos Ephraim ibid, Be’er Moshe 8:158-159, Tzitz Eliezer 6:20, 11:64, Opinion of Horav Elyashiv Shlita quoted in Avnei Yushfei 3:55. 16 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. 17 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. Refer to Shulchan Shlomo 511:2:3:2. 18 Mishnah Berurah 9, Piskei Teshuvos 511:footnote 25, The Laws of Yom Tov page 201. 19 Natei Gavriel Yom Tov 31:2. 20 Refer to Shulchan Shlomo 511:2:3. 21 In regard to using boilers on Yom Tov or Shabbos see Be’er Moshe 1:44, 8:135, Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 2:7, Rivevos Ephraim 6:265:page 302, Ohr L’tyzion 3:21:footnote 1:page 212, Avnei Yushfei 3:55:2, Shraga Hameir 1:41. The concern would be the fact that when one takes hot water from the tap etc he is making cold water get heated up since cold water enters when the hot water leaves the water heater. Refer to Avnei Yushfei ibid if water cooked in a dud-shemesh common in Eretz Yisroel is considered cooked on Yom Tov or before Yom Tov.

stat, which then causes the flame to re-heat the water. A ccordingly, a nytime o ne r emoves ho t water on Yom Tov one causes new water to be heated up in i ts place. Therefore, all ho t water in our modern day boilers is considered to have been cooked on Yom Tov, since one uses water on Yom Tov new water is g etting cooked up in its place.22 Therefore, one would not be able to use a ny water f rom a mo dern water he ater t o shower or wash most of the body on Yom Tov.

“I Need a Shower”

Many times p eople say they need to shower on Yom Tov because t hey “can’t do wi thout one” or they are a “istinus” for whom showering is permitted. Such statements have no basis in halacha.23 The whole reason why it is forbidden to cook up hot water for a shower on Yom Tov is because it not shoveh lechol nefesh since only an istinus needs one everyday. How then can such reasoning be used to permit a shower? This argument will refute such statements even during a three-day Yom Tov.24

Children

Giving a child a bath or shower is only permitted where the water has been heated on Yom Tov for a permitted purpose. One is then permitted to use such water to wash his child.25 However, placing the child into a ba th or shower with water that is he ated up on Yom Tov specifically for the child is f orbidden.26 One sho uld consult his local halachic authority whether water taken from a mo dern-day water he ater is co nsidered as having been heated specifically for the child. In any case, washing a child in the permitted manner may only b e done if t he c hild receives a bath on a daily basis.27 When washin g a c hild in t he p ermitted manner one is allo wed to place a t owel under the child’s body even if it will get wet.28

Cold Shower

One who is v ery hot is p ermitted to take a cold shower on Yom Tov.29 One should not take a lukewarm shower on Yom Tov since one has to turn on the hot water for this purpose, which is not permitted when one would be washing his whole body.30

Using Soap/Shampoo

One is no t allowed to us e a ba r of s oap on Shabbos or Yom Tov because do ing s o in volves the melacha o f smo othing ( me’machek).31 Mo st poskim maintain that one is permitted to use liq22 23 24 25

Based on a discussion with an expert in the ﬁeld. Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. Bais Yosef 511, Rama 511:2, Elya Rabbah 2, Mishnah Berurah 12, Aruch Ha’shulchan 5, Kaf Ha’chaim 17, Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 14:8, Natei Gavriel ibid: 31:5. 26 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see Mishnah Berurah 9. 27 Refer to Rama, Magen Avraham 511:5, Shulchan Aruch Harav 1, Mishnah Berurah 12, 18, Kaf Ha’chaim 17. Refer to Ohr L’tzyion 2:page 252 if one may give a child a bath if he is very dirty. The Avnei Yushfei 3:55 is lenient. 28 Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 14:18. Refer to Biur Halacha 302:10 “d’lo.” 29 Refer to Rav Akiva Eiger 326:4, Mishnah Berurah 326:24, Igros Moshe O.C. 4:74:rechitza 3, 4:75:1, Be’er Moshe 6:73, Divrei Chachumim page 152:432, Nishmas Shabbos 5:186, Ohr L’tzyion 3:21:1. 30 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 14:11 who permits it. Refer to Sharei Teshuva 326:1, Biur Halacha 260 “poshrin.” 31 Refer to Mishnah Berurah 326:30, Kaf Ha’chaim 326:43, Yabea Omer O.C. 4:28, see 4:27:4-7, Ohr L’tzyion 2:35:5, Shoneh Halachos 326:15.

uid soap on Shabbos or Yom Tov.32 However, Horav Moshe Feinstein zt”l33 was stringent. One is not allowed to use a sp onge when washing his b ody on Yom Tov because of the problem of sechita. 34

Drying Hair

When hair is washed on Yom Tov (i.e. when one w ent t o a mikvah), o ne m ust b e ca reful not t o p erform sechita on his ha ir35 by d rying it vig orously wi th a t owel.36 S ome s ay dr ying hair with a t owel is p ermitted because it is b eing done k’lacher yad, and the sechita is only a d’rabbanan37 since t he water is no t b eing us ed but is g oing t o wast e.38 S ome p eople a re co ncerned e ven w hen dr ying t he ha ir in a slo w manner beca use i t s till m ay ca use o ne t o do sechita.39 It w ould s eem t hat acco rding t o t his opinion one may only let his ha ir dr y by dr ip drying wi thout usin g a t owel a t all .40 L’maseh, those w ho dr y t heir ha ir wi th a t owel ha ve whom t o re ly on .41 A ccording t o t he o pinion that permits using a t owel, one may also use a paper towel even if it will get ruined and ripped during the drying process.42 According to some poskim, sechita does not apply to the hair on one’s hands, arms, feet or eyelids.43 32 Ben Ish Chai Yisro 2:15, Aruch Ha’shulchan 326:11, Kaf Ha’chaim 326:43, Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 14:16, Nishmas Shabbos 4:374, 5:191, Migdal Dovid 3:page 679-680, Bris Olom memachek 5, Oz Nedberu 10:16, Yabea Omer ibid, Yalkut Yosef 326:12:footntote 23, Meor Ha’SHabbos 1:page 534 quoting the opinion of Horav Fisher zt”l, Shalmei Yehuda 9:page 158:footnote 9 in depth, Be’er Moshe 5:87:pages 133-136, 8:247, Kitzur Hilchos Shabbos 32:4:footnote 17, Ohr L’tzyion 2:35:5, Am Mekadshei She’vei 2:page 13:footnote 31, Kovetz Teshuvos 1:27:2. The Shabbos Kitchen 19:footnote 17 says Horav Moshe Feinstein zt”l would admit liquid soap is permitted to use if one would mix the soap with water. Refer to Chut Shuni 1:page 117. (Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita maintains that one should mix the water with the soap before Shabbos and then using the soap is permitted). This is the eitzah of the Aruch Ha’shulchan 321:11, 326:12. See Kaf Ha’chaim 326:43, Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 14:16, Oz Nedberu 10:16. 33 Igros Moshe O.C. 1:113. Refer to Be’er Moshe 6:132, Shraga Hameir 1:28. 34 Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 14:13, Chut Shuni Shabbos 2:page 62. 35 Refer to Mesechtas Shabbos 128b, Rambam Hilchos Shabbos 9:11, Sefer Chasidim 827:page 479. Refer to Pri Megadim M.Z. 326, Chai Adom Shabbos 22:12, Yalkut Yosef 326:page 60, Shevet Ha’Levi 1:97:3, 5:45. See Taharas Ha’Shabbos K’hilchoso 2:pages 312-372 in depth on this inyun. 36 Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 14:20:footnote 64, Nishmas Shabbos to 320:260, Ohr L’tyzion 2:35:2, Am Mekadshei She’vei 2:page 106:footnote 22. 37 Rambam Hilchos Shabbos 9:11, Magen Avraham 320:23, Shulchan Aruch Harav 326:6. Refer to Minchas Shabbos 86:6. 38 Ben Ish Chai Pekudei 2:8, Kaf Ha’chaim 320:111, 326:31. Refer to Orchos Shabbos 13:footnote 89 quoting Horav Elyashiv Shlita as permitting this as well. The Eishel Avraham Butchatch 320:17 also permits it because it is a pesik reisha d’lo nicha ley. Refer to Be’er Moshe 1:31 who say one can not be lenient even in the above situation. 39 Ben Ish Chai ibid, Am Mekadshei She’vei 2:page 106:footnote 25, Nishmas Shabbos 5:188. Refer to Oz Nedberu 1:55. 40 Oz Nedberu 1:55. Refer to Yesodo Yeshurin 5:page 153. One may not dry his hair with an electric dryer that was left one from before Shabbos (Rivevos Ephraim 6:192:3, Yalkut Yosef 4:page 65). 41 Emek Teshuva 1:36. 42 Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 14:21:footnote 68. 43 Ketzos Ha’shulchan 33:badi 8, Emek Teshuva 1:36, Opinions of Horav Chaim Kanievesky Shlita and Horav Korelitz Shlita quoted in Am Mekadshei She’vei 2:page 106:23. Refer to Shulchan Shlomo 326:9:10:2.

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PARSHA

Parsha Potpourri Sukkos By Rabbi Ozer Alport

‫משיב הרוח ומוריד הגשם‬ The G emora in T aanis (4b) r ules t hat although Sukkos corresponds to the time when we b egin t o need ra in f or t he success o f t he crops, we don’t begin to pray for rain on Sukkos itself because rain on the holiday is co nsidered a c urse. We m ust wa it a n addi tional two weeks after the end of Sukkos to allow sufficient time for those who ascended to the Temple f or S ukkos t o r eturn ho me wi thout getting wet. According t o t his logic, w e sho uld similarly stop praying for rain two weeks b efore Pesach to allow people to ascend in dr y travel conditions. Why do we continue praying for rain u p un til P esach, p raying f or s omething which if answered would significantly impede the ability of people to ascend to the Beis HaMikdash with their Pesach sacrifices? Rav Yosef S halom E lyashiv sug gests t hat this is due to the power of inertia. The issue of those traveling to Yerushalayim is o ne which must be taken into account, but it is not compelling. Therefore, when Sukkos comes at the end o f t he summer , w hen w e ha ven’t b een praying f or ra in, t his co nsideration is sufficient to delay the change in our prayers to begin petitioning Hashem for rain. On the other hand, when Pesach arrives at the end of the winter, when we are currently asking for rain, this argument isn’t strong enough to cause us to alter t he st atus quo and ce ase our prayers prematurely. Rav S hlomo Z alman A uerbach exp lains

the difference wi th a p ractical obs ervation. When p eople g o t o t he Temple f or S ukkos, they haven’t yet taken out their winter wardrobes and travel in c lothes which are ill-suited to protect them from the rains on their return journey, so we must give them sufficient time to return home before we begin to ask for rain. On the other hand, when people ascend to Yerushalayim for Pesach, they are properly outfitted in t heir winter gear which will b e able to stand up to any inclement weather they encounter, and we are therefore permitted to continue our prayers for rain. Finally, Rav Chaim Kanievsky posits that the answer lies in a psy chological difference. The verse in Tehillim (55:15) st ates ‫־לא תיבב‬ ‫ – שגרב ךלהנ םיק‬in the House of Hashem (the Temple) we will walk with feeling. It is pointed out that the letters in the word ‫ שגרב‬are short for ‫דרב‬, ‫חור‬, ‫םשג‬, ‫ – גלש‬hail, wind, rain, and snow. This hints that when one merits traveling t o t he B eis H aMikdash, his ex citement and enthusiasm is so great as to allow him to overcome the greatest of hurdles and to travel in even the most inc lement weather. As a r esult, we are permitted to continue praying for rain in the weeks before Pesach because those ascending to Yerushalayim won’t be deterred by the rains. After Sukkos, on the other hand, people a re r eturning t o t heir ho mes wi thout the emotional charge and would find the rains tremendously b urdensome, s o w e ha ve no choice but to delay our petitions! Parsha P oints t o P onder (a nd s ources which discuss them): Is rain always considered a c urse on Suk-

kos, and if no t, under w hat circumstances is it deemed so? (Peirush Mishnayos L’Rambam Sukkah 2:9, Ritva and Meiri Taanis 2a-b, Bikkurei Y aakov 639:39, Ar uch H aShulchan 639:20, Piskei Teshuvos 639:18) The G emora in S habbos (151b) r ules that it is f orbidden and spiritually dangerous to sleep alo ne in a ho use. Does this prohibition also apply to sleeping alone in a sukkah? (Shu”t D oveiv M eishorim 1:79, D aas T orah Orach Chaim 639:1, Ma’adanei Asher Parshas Emor 5770) Answers to Points to Ponder: 1) The R ambam, Ri tva, a nd M eiri wr ite that rain is only considered a curse on the first night of Sukkos, when there is a specific mitzvah to eat in the sukkah that we cannot fulfill due to the rain. On t he other hand, the Bikkurei Yaakov argues that the first night of Sukkos is t he only time w hen rain is no t considered a curse, as it increases the reward we will receive for persevering and eating in the sukkah in sp ite o f t he inc lement w eather. The Aruch HaShulchan cites an opinion that rain is only considered a curse in the land of Israel. The Chemdas HaYamim posits that rain is only considered a c urse if i t was no t raining prior to Sukkos, but not if the rains began before Sukkos and continue during the festival. 2) The Tchebiner Rav rules that it is p er-

missible to sleep alone in a sukkah. He ingeniously proves this from a dispute between Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel (Sukkah 28a). In order for a suk kah to be kosher, Beis Shammai requires t hat it b e large enough t o contain a person’s he ad, most o f his b ody, and a t able, while Beis Hillel rules that it is sufficient if it merely fits his he ad and most o f his b ody. A sukkah which is only large enough to contain a p erson’s he ad and most o f his b ody would only be able to sleep o ne person, yet according to Beis Hillel, it is kosher. The Rema rules (Orach Chaim 640:4) t hat a suk kah in w hich a person is unable to sleep is in valid even for eating. A ccording t o t his, if i t w ere f orbidden to sleep in a sukkah alone, the small sukkah p ermitted b y B eis H illel w ould b e invalid because it would be unsuitable for sleeping and therefore not kosher even for eating. Although t he M a’adanei A sher no tes t hat t his proof is not ironclad, as perhaps Beis Hillel is referring to a case in which the sukkah opens up into a ho use where others are sleeping, in which cas e t he p erson in t he suk kah is no t considered to be sleeping alone, nevertheless the Vilna Gaon also rules that it is p ermissible to sleep alone in a sukkah, explaining that the merit of the mitzvah will protect a person from spiritual harm.

Originally from Kansas City, Rabbi Ozer Alport graduated from Harvard, learned in Mir Yerushalayim for ﬁve years, and now lives in Brooklyn, where he learns in Yeshivas Beis Yosef, is the author of the soon-to-be-published sefer Parsha Potpourri, and gives weekly shiurim. To send comments to the author or to receive his Divrei Torah weekly, please email oalport@optonline.net.

HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Vezos Haberachah The Blessing of Self-Knowledge

. . Each according to his own blessing (Bereishis 49 28).

Chazal tell us that Yaakov Avinu wished to reveal the keitz, the time of the final redemption, t o his s ons, b ut i t was co ncealed f rom him. So instead he blessed them. If Yaakov had intended to reveal the keitz, how was he a ble t o immedia tely b egin wi th blessings, wi thout a ny p revious p reparation? Secondly, did Yaakov in fact bless all his c hildren? The Torah s eems t o s ay t hat e ach o ne got his uniq ue b lessing— E ach acco rding t o his o wn b lessing (B ereishis 49:z8)—y et Reuven, S himon a nd L evi w ere castiga ted a nd many o f t he o thers wer e mer ely li kened to various animals. The Midrash says that the letters ches and tes do not appear in the names of the various tribes. No c heit i .e. no sin o r deficiency —is to be found in their names. That is why Yaakov thought to reveal the end of days to them. But he also saw that the letters kuf and tziddie —forming the word ketz—also do not appear in their names. And therefore, he changed his mind. Does this imply, God forbid, that the final redemption is not inherent in Klal Yisrael? Another Midrash gives the following analogy. A co nfidant o f t he kin g was d ying a nd called his c hildren t o his b edside t o r eveal the r oyal s ecrets t hat t he kin g had co nfided to him. Before he began, however, he saw that 32

the king was als o standing at his b edside. He immediately substituted an exhortation to his children to be careful to honor the king properly instead of his intended message. Similarly, Yaakov wished to reveal the secrets of Mashiach, but saw the Shechinah at his bedside and out o f em barrassment substituted t he b lessings. This Midrash, as well as the previous one, seems to imply that the keitz was not forgotten by Yaakov Avinu, but suppressed out of embarrassment. A further difficulty with the second Midrash is the analogy to the king’s confidant. H ow do Y aakov’s b lessings co mpare to an exhortation to obey the king and honor him? The M idrash r elates t hat in t he mer it o f “the na mes o f t he s ons o f I srael” t he en tire hosts of heaven and earth exist. W hat is in a name? The holy books tell us that the name of a person or object expresses its essence. Thus Adam exhibited his g enius by naming all t he created b eings, a nd t hereby iden tifying e ach one’s essence. Before t he construction of t he Tabernacle, Hashem told Moshe to inform Klal Yisrael: “Contemplate the fact that I have called [him by the name of Betzalel.” Hashem stressed that by conferring a name on Betzalel, He had imbued him wi th all his p henomenal skills. We learn from Betzalel that each and every one of us, without exception, is blessed with various unique talents and abilities. All these gifts are

bestowed o n us f rom A bove a nd gi ven wi th the express intention that they be utilized for the furtherance of Torah and Klal Yisrael, just as B etzalel’s talents were obviously conferred upon him to enable him to build the Mishkan. The Midrash relates that every person has various na mes: t he o ne H ashem gi ves him, that w hich his pa rents gi ve him, t he na me he is called b y his f riends, a nd a bove all t he one t hat he e arns f or him self. E veryone is endowed wi th a va riety o f t alents a nd skills. Some are directly endowed by Heaven. Some are t he r esult o f her edity a nd en vironment. But t he most significant are t hose t hat come by vir tue of de veloping and ac tualizing one’s potential. In t his vein, t he Midrash s ays t hat the a ngel called o ut, “ Avraham, A vraham!” at the culmination of the Akeidah “Avraham above, Avraham b elow.” At t hat p oint, Avraham’s Heavenly name, which reflected his true potential, was realized and matched by his actual stature here on earth. The G emara (Yoma 20b) s ays t hat p rior to death, the neshamah gives a scream that is heard from one end of the world to the other. Reb Cha im o f Volozhin exp lains t hat b efore one pass es f rom t his w orld, H ashem sho ws him a picture of what he could have been had he developed all his p otential and contrasts it to w hat he ac tually ac hieved. W hen t he neshamah sees the chasm between these two images, it screams. Why is t hat s cream des cribed as g oing

“from one end of the world to the other end” and not “from the beginning of the world to the end?” Perhaps we can explain this with the following preface. There is a disp ute between Rav a nd S hmuel in M egillah a s t o wh ether Hodu and Kush were at opposite ends o f the world o r r ight next t o e ach o ther. The Vilna Gaon explains that both are true, for any two points on a g lobe that are next t o each other when traveling eastward are at opposite ends of the world when traveling westward. Hence if a p oint on the globe is only seen as a p oint it is insignificant, but if it is seen as the beginning of a far-off end, it encompasses an entire world. Talents, abilities and capabilities are points of p otential. B ut if t hey r emain a n end in themselves, they are insignificant points. The neshamah cries for the failure of these points to grow and traverse entire worlds. The de velopment a nd p erfection o f t his world depends on the realization of each Jew’s individual p otential. I t is in t his p erspective that t he w orld was cr eated f or t he na mes o f the J ewish p eople. The M idrash t ells us t hat the final redemption is alluded to in the names of the tribes for they contain the potential for bringing the world to its final redemption. Mashiach can come at two possible times: at t he p reordained de adline o r p rior t o t hat deadline if w e mer it i t. Yaakov obs erved t he Continued on p. 90

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12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

PARSHA

Mimamakim Insights on Sukkos These divrei Torah are dedicated ‫לזכות רפואה שלימה להחולים‬ ‫אברהם יצחק בן שרה ליבא‬ ‫יוסף יצחק בן שיינדל חסיא‬ ‫משה בצלאל בן חיה אסתר‬ ‫דבורה בת רחל‬ ‫בתוך שאר חולי ישראל‬ Rabbi Yosef Levinson Lakewood, NJ 2012 © Copyright 2012, by Yosef Levinson 1693 New Central Avenue Lakewood, NJ 0801 lev_inson21@juno.com Sukkos - Basking In the Clouds

Simcha is a k ey element of Sukkos, which is referred to, in our tefillos, as z’man simchaseinu, t he s eason o f o ur r ejoicing. We celebrate S ukkos a t t he most jo yous time o f t he year, the completion of the agricultural cycle, and we rejoice over our successes of the past year. The holiday serves to remind us that we must thank Hashem for the prosperity that He has bestowed upon us and to channel our joy into H is s ervice. We a re f urther ela ted since He has j ust forgiven us a fter we repented on Yom K ippur f or o ur mis deeds. A s t he na me of this festival indicates, the mitzvah of dwelling in a sukkah for the duration of the holiday, in commemoration of the ananei hakavod, the clouds of g lory, w hich sur rounded B nei Yisroel during their forty year sojourn in the Desert, is also integral to our observance of Sukkos. It w ould s eem, ho wever, t hat t hese tw o central themes are unrelated; one does not associate the mitzvah of dwelling in t he sukkah with the joyous mood so prevalent during the festival. On the contrary, after toiling an entire year, one’s natural tendency is to celebrate his good fortune in the comfort of his own home, where he can relax and enjoy the fruits of his labor. It goes against human nature for one to leave his home in order to camp out in a flimsy h ut, w here he is exp osed t o t he elemen ts (see Meshech Ch ochma to Vayikra 23:42). Nevertheless, t he f ollowing inciden t, r ecorded in Nechemia (8:14-17), r eveals that fulfilling t he mitzvah of d welling in a sukkah can also bring us great joy. After t he B abylonian exiles r eturned t o Eretz Yisroel, Ezra, the leader of that era, proclaimed that everyone should build a sukkah in o rder t o p roperly obs erve t he mitzvah of dwelling in i t d uring t he u pcoming S ukkos festival. S cripture des cribes ho w t he en tire community co mplied wi th his dir ective a nd concludes i ts acco unt wi th t he f ollowing incredible testimony. “And they dwelt in sukkos, for Bnei Yisroel had not done so from the days of Yehoshua1 the son of Nun, and there was very great joy” (v.17). The passuk’s revelation demands an explanation; are we to believe that for a period of almost one thousand years, including the eras of David, Shlomo and Chizkiyahu, proud times in our history, the Jewish people did no t observe the mitzvah of sukkah? Why would they neglect thi s mitzvah in pa rticular? Ano ther q uestion a rises. Were t he r eturnees f rom Bavel elated because they had revived the observance of a neg lected mitzvah, or was t heir happiness related specifically to the mitzvah of 1

The verse actually reads “Yeishua”, but refers to Yehoshua, the disciple of Moshe who led the Jewish Nation into Eretz Yisrael. See Arachin 32b, which discusses the reason for this unusual spelling.

dwelling in a sukkah?

The Gemara (Arachin 32b) co ncedes that it definitely cannot be said that the Jews failed to obs erve S ukkos f or s o ma ny cen turies. Rather, t he passuk r efers met aphorically t o an incident recorded in Sanhedrin (64a). The Gemara t here r elates t hat Ezra a nd t he Anshei K’neses HaGedola, Men of the Great Assembly, pr ayed t hat Hashem a bolish t he yetzer h ara for avoda z ara, t he e vil inc lination for idolatry. Hashem heeded their request and handed over this yetzer hara to them. Thus for the first time in our history, there was no longer a concern that Jews would succumb to this strong t emptation.2 The passuk in Nechemia refers to the successful elimination of this yetzer hara as a sukkah, because the merit of Ezra and the Anshei K’nesses HaGedola’s prayers to eliminate this temptation afforded the Jewish people the same protection that one earns by fulfilling the mitzvah of sukkah. Nevertheless, t here is a p rinciple t hat ein mikra yo tzei m idei p ’shuto - e ven w hen t he Sages exp ound a B iblical p hrase, t he passuk retains its plain meaning. An exp osition cannot supplant the verse’s simple intent; rather, it complements t he literal explanation of t he verse.3 M oreover, t he pass age i tself mak es i t clear that the verse is referring to the festival of Sukkos.4 Consequently, although it cannot be said that for almost a millennia t he Jewish people neg lected t he mitzvah of sukkah, t he verse does suggest that until the times of Ezra, the N ation’s S ukkos obs ervance was f ound wanting. In what way was it lacking? Furthermore, i t ma y b e p resumed t hat if t he Torah chose t his passuk, w hich des cribes ho w t he Babylonian Exiles fulfilled the mitzvah of sukkah, to allude to t he fac t t hat t hey abolished the yetzer hara to worship avoda zara, the two incidents must b e related? 5 We may a lso ask - what protection does the mitzvah of sukkah extend more than any other mitzvah?

III

Let’s begin by citing the the Tur’s famous question: since t he Bnei Y israel first enjoyed the protection of the ananei hakavod when Hashem redeemed them from Egypt, should w e no t b e r equired t o d well in t he sukkah in Nissan, the month in which they left Egypt.6 The Gra (t o Shir H ashirim 1:4) offers a r emarkable r esolution t o t his q uestion. He co ntends t hat S ukkos do es no t co mmemorate t he ananei h akavod with w hich Hashem p rotected us w hen w e left Egypt. Those clouds shielded us o nly temporarily, 2 The temptation for idolatry in the times of Tanach was very powerful and many found it too difficult to overcome (see Sanhedrin 102b). 3 Shabbos 63a; Yevamos 24a; see there for an exception to this rule. Scripture is layered with meaning; the first level is the simple approach, the exegetical interpretation is a higher level (see Maharal, Chidushei Aggados, Shabbos ibid.; Yevamos ibid.). 4 In fact, the Gemara Sukka 12a; 37a cites this episode in order to clarify the laws of the sukka. 5 See Pachad Yitzchok, Yom HaKippurim §7. 6 Orach Chaim §625. His well known answer is that were we to celebrate Sukkos during Nissan which falls at the beginning of the summer season, when many people anyway leave their homes to live in sukka-like structures, it would not be noticeable that we were sitting in the sukka for the sake of a mitzva. Instead, we wait until Tishrei, when the summer is over and most people have already left their cottages to return to their homes. By leaving our homes specifically at this time to dwell in the sukka, it is clear that our intention is solely to fulfill the mitzva.

until the Jewish people made the eigei hazahav, t he g olden calf, a t w hich time t hey were removed by Hashem.7 Even after pardoning t he N ation, Hashem wa s s till di spleased: t he luchos, w hich M oshe b roke, were not replaced and the ananei hakavod did no t r eappear. On S ukkos w e d well in the sukkah to recall the return of t he ananei haka vod, w hich marked Bnei Y israel’s co mplete f orgiveness f or t he sin o f t he golden calf. And , as the Gra demonstrates, the c louds r eappeared o n th e fifteenth of Tishrei. M oshe Rabbeinu des cended f rom the Heavens, w here he had p rayed o n b ehalf of his flock, on Yom Kippur, the tenth day o f T ishrei, ho lding t he s econd pa ir o f Luchos. The next morning, the eleventh, he assembled t he J ewish P eople, co mmanding them to donate the various items needed f or t he co nstruction o f t he Mishkan,8 where t he Shechina would r est, t hus demonstrating that He had completely forgiven them for the sin o f the eigel hazahav.9 The passuk states (Shemos 36:3) ‘and they (Bnei Yisroel) brought additional donations in the morning, in the morning’, i.e., they brought these gifts on the following two mornings, the tw elfth a nd t hirteenth o f T ishrei. B etzalel and the wise men collected these items the next day, the fourteenth, and on the following day, the fifteenth of Tishrei, they began to construct the Mishkan.10 It was at this time that Hashem chose to envelope t hem again with the ananei hakavod, highlighting that the Jewish nation was once again in His good graces. We can now understand the passuk in Nechemia; The J ewish P eople had al ways celebrated S ukkos, str ictly adher ing t o all t he halachos, la ws, p ertaining t o er ecting a nd dwelling in t he sukkah, th us ful filling their halachic d uty. N onetheless, since S ukkos r ecalls the return of the ananei hakavod, which signified Hashem’s co mplete f orgiveness o f His P eople f or t heir sin o f t he eigel, t hen as long as t here was a slig ht trace o f avoda zara or even the possibility that one could stumble and worship avoda zara, the sukkos the Jews had erected could not b e considered a co mmemoration of the ananei hakavod in the fullest s ense. S cripture t herefore r egards t he r eturnees from Bavel as the first to observe this mitzvah. Since they dwelt in t he sukkah after Ezra and the Anshei K’nesses HaGedola abolished the temptation for avoda zara, their sukkos met all t he halac hic r equirements, a nd embodied the essence of this mitzvah as well.

We may ask, however, why in fact did the ananei h akavod depart a fter t he sin o f t he eigel? After all, Hashem had pardoned the Nation. Why then did they no longer deserve the protection of the clouds?11 See Targum, Shir Hashirim , 2:17; 3:1. Thus after the eigel the Torah states “ki farua hu, that it (the nation) was uncovered” (Shemos 32:25), implying that the people were no longer surrounded by the ananei hakavod, but could be seen by all (Nachal Kedumim). 8 See Shemos 35:1 with Rashi. 9 See Rashi, Shemos 38:21; Vayikra 9:23. 10 See Imrei Chein , al Ha Torah II, Kuntres A nanei hakavod, where he discusses how they were allowed to build on that day even though it was yom tov. 11 In contrast, the sin of the meraglim, the spies, whose derogatory report about Eretz Yisroel the Jewish people accepted, was a much graver sin than that of the golden calf. This is evident from the fact that Hashem accepted Moshe Rabbeinu’s prayers after the transgression of the eigel; the nation was still eligible to enter the Land. However, although he also prayed that they be forgiven for believing the meraglim, Hashem vowed that they would all perish in the desert and would never see Eretz Yisroel. He agreed only not to eliminate them immediately. Yet, the ananei hak avod did 7

When Hashem s elected t he J ewish N ation f rom all t he na tions o f t he w orld t o b e His c herished p eople a nd H is s ervants a nd He gave us His Torah, we became, so to speak, wedded to Hashem. It is wr itten “Torah tziva lanu Moshe morasha kehilas Yaakov, The Torah t hat M oshe co mmanded us is a n inher itance to t he C ongregation o f Yaakov” ( Devarim 33:4). The H ebrew w ord morasha is similar t o m’orasa, w hich me ans betrothed, i.e., when the Bnei Yisroel received the Torah, they were considered Hashem’s bride.12 When a couple marries, the groom brings his b ride t o his ho me w here t hey will sha re their lives and develop a r elationship together. If B nei Yisroel w ere co nsidered Hashem’s bride, then it can be said that the ananei hakavod represent the home, in which they dwelled with Him and Hashem revealed His love for Bnei Yisroel, as it states “the king has brought me in to his c hambers” ( Shir HaShirim 1:4) . Rashi exp lains t hat t his passuk refers to t he ananei hakavod, in w hich H e en veloped t he Bnei Yisroel in the Midbar. These clouds completely sur rounded t hem, p rotecting t hem from enemy attack and shielding the Bnei Yisroel f rom t he ha rsh des ert c limate; t he extreme heat during the day and the bitter cold at night. In addition, it killed any predators or deadly snakes lying in wait as well as any enemy a ttackers.13 M oreover, t hey w ere spa red the hardships of travel; the Shach14 compares the ananei hakavod to a huge ship, where one sits or stays in his b erth, while the boat takes him t o his destina tion. F urthermore, t heir journey was a smooth one, for there was a special cloud that leveled any bumps and raised any pot holes that were in their path. But t he an anei h akavod afforded us with more than mere physical protection and comfort. Derech Hashem (IV, 8:2) explains that besides the material benefits the clouds of glory provided, they also created the optimum environment f or sp iritual gr owth a nd d’veikus, closeness with G-d. The ananei hakavod lifted the Bnei Yisroel off the ground and shielded us from the non-Jewish nations, blocking out their nega tive influences. Thus t hese c louds served as a v ehicle, t hrough w hich Hashem removed the Bnei Yisroel from this ephemeral world. As such, Hashem revealed more of His shechina, t o t hem. S imilarly, since t here was nothing distrac ting t hem, t hey w ere a ble t o cling totally to Him, and completely immerse themselves in His kedusha.15

There a re ma ny wa ys, in w hich a h usband can hurt or anger his wif e, as t here are many ways, in which she can hurt or anger her husband, but it is p ossible t hat t hey can forgive one another and continue their relationship. There is, however, one unforgivable deed which destroys the marital bond: adultery. A wife who commits adultery is f orbidden forever t o her h usband; her sho w o f dislo yalty ca nnot be pa rdoned. The Torah des cribes the h usband’s f eelings o f b eing b etrayed b y his wif e’s dislo yal ac t as kinna, o r jealo usy (Bamidbar 5:14). I n t his co ntext, kinna denotes his outrage at being betrayed by the one person he expects to exemplify fidelity. We find that Hashem, kaviyachol, as i t Continued on p. 90 not depart after this unpardonable sin (see Devarim 8:4 with Rashi). 12 Klei Yakar, Bamidbar, 1:1; see Ramban, below; see Gur Aryeh, Shemos 38:21 s.v. sheviteir; Yalkut § 684; cf. Sanhedrin 59a; Pesachim 49b. 13 See Berachos 54a-b; Rashi to Bamidbar 10:34. 14 As quoted by Meam Loaz, Shemos 13:21. 15 The eirev rav were not allowed into these clouds; Meshech Chochma, Bamidbar 11:1; Zayis Ra’anan to Yalkut §729; see, however, Tzaphnas Paneach, Bamidbar 5:4).

YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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FOR THE CHILDREN Jonathan Pollard Still In Jail

onathan P ollard, a J ewish man w ho was co nvicted o f spying on America for the country of Israel, has spent the past 27 years in p rison. Al though I srael and America are f riendly with each other, there are military secrets w hich t hey do no t sha re. Many p eople f eel t hat M r. P ollard has r eceived a v ery s evere sentence f or sp ying f or a co untry t hat is no t e ven a n enemy o f the U.S. After sp ending s o ma ny years in p rison, Jonathan Pollard is ill. His wife, who currently lives in I srael, was su pposed t o co me to visit him for Rosh Hashana, but she cancelled her trip since Mr. Pollard is too sick for visitors. An Amer ican president may issue pa rdons to people and have them released from prison. Mrs. Pollard was very upset with Israeli President Shimon Peres for not asking very strongly that President Obama pardon her h usband. She said, “It is t he duty of the prime minister to do so, loudly, clearly and with all due urgency. And it is my heartfelt request to the American president to please respond positively, and generously at this time of our High Holy Days by sending Jonathan home without further delay.” There have been rumors that President Obama will pardon Mr. Pollard, however, many feel t hat t hese are just r umors spread in order to make some Jewish people more likely to vote for Obama.

Thousands Of Children Gather To Say Tehillim

Eretz Yisroel Changes Their Clocks uring the spring time, we move our clocks one hour ahead, and then in the fall , w e mo ve t hem o ne ho ur bac k. During t he summer mo nths it is called Daylight Sa vings T ime a nd ma ny p eople f eel t hat since i t is lig ht un til la ter at night, it saves energy. In fact, during W orld W ar T wo, t he g overnment kept Daylight Savings Time throughout the entire winter in order to save energy which was needed f or the war. In America, our time will c hange back to Standard Time on Sunday, November 4 th. In Eretz Yisroel, however, the clock has b een moved back this past Motzei Shabbos. This was done so that Yom Kippur will end one hour earlier making it easier to fast. There are some non-religious people in Israel who complain t hat t heir pleasant, long days are b eing shortened too e arly, but for now the clock continues to be moved back the week before Yom Kippur.

Israeli Soldier Killed In Terror Attack ast Friday, an Israeli soldier, Corporal Netanel Yahalomi was killed in a t errorist a ttack ne ar t he E gyptian b order. I sraeli s oldiers no ticed a group of Af rican migrants approaching the border and C orporal Yahalo-

n Thur sday, ‫ ירשת ’ד‬a massive gathering for Tefilla and Tehillim was held in Boro Park. This was the 19th Annual Asifa which gathers sixth,

seventh a nd eig hth grader s d uring Aseres Yemei Teshuva. The huge Bobover B ais M edrash was filled t o capacity wi th c hildren f rom va rious New Y ork a rea y eshivas. The event was tra nsmitted li ve t o o ver 150 locations on five continents. Ther e were tens of t housands of c hildren united 34

in tefillah, begging the Ribbono Shel Olam to send refuos and yeshuos to klal yisroel. The awe inspiring Tehillim was led by the renowned Mashgiach, Rav Don Segal, shlita. Listening to the sweet voices of such a tremendous crowd of students davening together was a very powerful experience. Let us hope that their tefillos will bring the long awaited yeshuah!

mi went out to bring them a drink of water and was attacked by a group of Arab terrorists who were hiding nearby. When the Israeli soldiers saw what happened t hey a ttacked t he gr oup o f Ara b t errorists a nd killed t hree o f them. Investigators have said that the terrorists were carrying many weapons and wanted to enter Israel and had planned a major attack which was prevented, Baruch Hashem.

Will Supreme Court Hear Rubashkin Case?

n 2009, h undreds o f g overnment ag ents st ormed in to t he k osher me at factory in P ostville, I owa. They a rrested ma ny w orkers a nd t he o wner

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FOR THE CHILDREN

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

By Mrs. Blimi Kornstone

of the factory Shalom Mordechai Rubashkin. Although t hey tr ied t o acc use him o f ma ny crimes, he was found not guilty of all but one count o f ba nk f raud. E veryone t hought he would r eceive a v ery lig ht s entence, however, t his no n-violent, first t ime o ffender was sentenced t o 27 y ears in p rison. The United S tates S upreme C ourt, t he hig hest co urt in the land listens to some of the most difficult cases each year. This week, the Supreme Court will announce which cases it will hear over the next few months. Many people are working hard to get the Supreme Court to review the Rubashkin case. Hopefully they will agree to hear the case and will decide that the Judge who sentenced Mr. Rubashkin acted improperly.

No Lulav Shortage In Eretz Yisroel

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s the festive Yomtov of Sukkos approaches, everyone is busy purchasing their Arba Minim. Lulavim, which are the branches of palm trees

are grown in warm locations throughout the world. Usually, many lulavim are imported f rom Egypt. L ast year, Egypt refused to s end lulavim to Is-

rael, claiming t hat t hey were dis eased. This year, t hey once again refused saying t hat t he s ecurity crac kdown in t he S inai is makin g i t difficult for them to send the palm branches. Everyone was concerned that there would be a shortage of lulavim and that the prices would rise drastically. Boruch Hashem, there are enough lulavim and prices have not risen too much. Israel has p roduced mo re l ulavim t han usual , a nd s ome will b e im ported from Morocco, Spain and California.

What Are Chazon Ish Esrogim? any p eople purchase esrogim called “Chazon I sh Esr ogim”. Where do t hese esr ogim co me from? F ollowing o ne S ukkos, t he Chazon Ish handed R av Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz zt”l some seeds taken f rom t he esr og he had us ed f or Sukkos and instructed him t o plant them in his ya rd. The Chazo n I sh said t hat t hese s eeds w ere definitely from a kosher esrog. Rav Lefkow itz, who had no farming experience, followed his Rebb e’s instructions to plant and water it and the tree grew and bore fruit. Every year the Chazon Ish came to select his esrog from this tree, as did his brother-in-law, the Steipler Gaon and other Gedolei Yisroel. Rabbi Lefkowitz also allowed esrog growers to take cuttings from the tree which they planted and grew entire orchards of esrogim certified as kosher by the Chazon Ish. The tree itself defied natural laws, as esrog trees usually produce good fruit for only five to s even years, whereas R abbi L efkowitz’s tree produced hundreds of clean, high quality esrogim for over half a cen tury. Mysteriously, the tree withered and died a few months after Rabbi Lefkowitz was niftar.

The suspect that the Israeli agents were trying to capture has mysteriously disappeared...

To be continued... 35

YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

FOR THE CHILDREN

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By Mrs. Blimi Kornstone

Sukkos Fruit Punch Ingredients: • 10 strawberries • 1/2 cup orange juice • 2 slices of pineapple • 1 tablespoon sugar • 2 tablespoons coconut milk • 4 ice cubes Directions: • Beat all the ingredients, exept for the ice, in a blender for 4 minutes. Pour it into cups with ice. Serve it right away. • Optional: Dip the rim of the cup in a bowl with water and then in a bowl with sugar, before pouring in the punch. Decorate the the rim with a slice of an orange.

Sudoku for Kids!

Every row, column and minigrid must contain the numbers 1 through 4. Don’t guess - use logic!

Simchas Torah Crackers Ingredients: 125 g chocolate 100 g shortening 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions: Break the chocolate and put in the microwave for 5 minutes in medium heat. In a mixer, beat shortening, sugar and vanilla extract. Add egg and b eat more. Pour in t he melted chocolate. In a s eparate b owl mix flour and • • • •

• 1 egg • 2 cups flour • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 2 tablespoons whipped topping salt and add it to the mixture alternating with the whipped topping. Mix well. Form the letters and put them in pan to bake in a pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. It can also be baked in the microwave for 40 seconds on high power.

Sukkah Decorations

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YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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Do You Take Your Retzuos Black? Rabbi Yerachmiel Askotzky

I’ve h eard o f r etzuos t hat a re c alled a ll black, black on black, black on both sides, double black and black through and through. I’m confused by all these terms. What ty pe of retzuos are these and is there reason to use them? In addition to the typical black on top retzuos, t he mak ers o f avodas yad (ha ndmade) retzuos p roduced, f or a limi ted c lientele, a small q uantity of do ubled sided b lack retzuos and/or retzuos that were black on the sides. Why? According t o t he R ambam a nd t he Or Zarua the back side o f the retzuos should be black as w ell. W hile t his is no t t he accep ted halachah t here have al ways b een indi viduals who ha ve w orn suc h r etzuos. Thes e retzuos have long been referred to as double black or black on both sides. According to the Keses Hasofer (author of the K itzur S hulchan Ar uch) t he sides o f t he retzuos sho uld b e b lack as w ell. A gain, e ven though this is not the accepted halachah there has always been some demand for them. Around ten years ago, after some experimentation, the makers of avodas yad r etzuos started producing retzuos which, in addi tion to t he r egular pa inted t ops, w ere s aturated in b lack d ye p roducing a b lack t hrough a nd through retzuah. The tanned hides are soaked in a ba th of black dye until t he entire t hickness is t otally black. Just like the regular retzuos, the top surfaces are then painted and finally cut into strips, creating a retzuah that is black both on the top, back, sides and within. The top surface has a glossy, smooth black finish while the sides and back are a matte black and maintain their natural leather finish.

These new straps obviated the need for the double black and black on the sides retzuos. What’s t he p urpose o f t he i nside o f t he leather being black? The t op sur face o f t he r etzuos m ust b e black acco rding t o halac ha lemoshe misinai. This is no t t he f orum t o g o in to det ail but t he fac t is t hat a no n b lack sp ot o n t he top sur face makes t he retzuah and t hus t he tefillin b edieved at b est. Since t he le ather is completely saturated with the black dye, the area below the painted surface is als o black. Hence, if pa int w ears o r crac ks o ff th e t op surface it remains black, preventing the retzuos from every becoming bedieved or passul for lack of black. I’ve se en so me o f t hese r etzuos t hat loo k more g ray o r c harcoal co lor o n the bac kside. Is this just because it is m atte while the top is glossy or is it in fact not black? Bear in mind t hat for the all b lack retzuos t o f unction as in tended, t he d yed le ather must, in fact, be b lack. However, it is still somewhat co mmon f or t he d yed le ather t o come o ut c harcoal o r gra y. There is no difference between the single black sided r etzuos with natural color leather and the all black retzuos with dyed leather that is not a halachic shade of black. A dark charcoal shade might be deemed accep table but gray is no t. When in doubt consult a posek. The machshirim don’t consider it their jurisdiction to verify that the color of the back, sides o r in side o f t he le ather is halac hically black since t his is not a kashr us or hiddur issue. Unfortunately, rather than redying them until they turn black, some of the makers are marketing them as is. This author finds it inexcusable since co nsumers a re misle ad in to

thinking t hat t hey ne ver ha ve t o t ouch u p these typ e o f r etzuos. I n fac t, t hough, un beknownst to the wearer, the leather underneath is not halachically black causing the retzuos to become b edieved o r passul w hen t he u pper layer o f pa int w ears o r crac ks. Ret ailers a nd consumers must refuse such retzuos and they certainly ha ve t he r ight t o dema nd a r efund or exchange. This i s a n a mazing i nnovation. H owever, it begs the question – If it’s seemingly such an obvious solution why didn’t earlier generations make s uch r etzuos? A re t hese r etzuos a gainst the mesorah? This is a fa ir co ncern a nd va rious p lausible r easons ha ve b een p roposed as t o w hy these retzuos were not made in e arlier generations. While some have expressed apprehension wi th g oing aga inst t he mes orah, ma ny feel t hat t he ad vantage outweighs t his p ossible concern. Even so , b ut I ’ve h eard t hat t he ge dolim aren’t us ing t hese r etzuos. A re t hey a gainst them? The fact that a gado l may not be wearing these r etzuos do esn’t necess arily me an t hat he do esn’t co ndone t hem. G edolim a re w ell aware that their actions are precedent setting. They may very likely choose not to wear them in order not to give the impression that these retzuos are more mehudar yet may agree that they s erve a n im portant r ole. F urthermore, a gadol who doesn’t wear them may feel that they do n’t s erve him a ny p ractical p urpose since he is ca reful to check and maintain the

blackness of his retzuos. However, this doesn’t mean that they are not recommended for others. Rav M ordechai F riedlander S hlit’a, a r enowned posek in STaM, member of the Edah Charedis a nd w ho was v ery c lose wi th R av Elyashiv Zt”l, said that the Rav Zt”l, who himself didn ’t w ear t hese r etzuos, had no issue with t hose wa nting t o us e t hem f or t he preventative advantage they provide. Let’s also bear in mind that leading poskim and S TaM exp erts a re p roviding a hec hsher lemehadr in o n t hese r etzuos s o t hey do garner t he support of HaRav Moshe S hternbuch Shlit”a, at t he he ad of t he Edah Cha redis, HaRav Moshe Landau Shlit”a and HaRav Moshe Shaul Klein Shlit”a. Tachlis, what is your recommendation? It is this author’s conclusion, based on the above and the firsthand knowledge that a considerable ma jority wi th st andard r etzuos are fulfilling t he mi tzvah a t a b edieved le vel, a t best, due to cracked or missing paint on their retzuos, that those who properly care for their retzuos have no need for the all black retzuos. However, for those (most?) who don’t properly care for their retzuos, the advantage of these retzuos strongly outweighs the concerns and are recommended. This do esn’t me an t hat o ne sho uld r eplace their retzuos just to get these all b lack ones. Rather, when purchasing new tefillin or when in need o f ne w retzuos, many recommend them for those who fit into this latter category.

Rabbi Askotzky is a certiﬁed sofer, examiner and batim expert and author of Teﬁllin & Mezuzos, Targum Press 2003. He can be reached at sofer@stam.net or in Israel via 718.874.8220

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12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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ORGANIZATIONAL SPOTLIGHT

The Sukkah Shadchan – Because Every Sukkah Deserves a Second Chance By: Malky Lowinger

here’s a suk kah in m y garage t hat hasn’t been used in years. It’s been sitting there collecting dust, season after season. W hat it needs, of course, is a new home, but we are reluctant to advertise it in t he papers. I nstead, we call the Sukkah Shadchan. Mrs. Rifkie W eiss e agerly p icks u p t he phone b efore t he a nswering mac hine b egins t o r ecord m y mess age. S he is delig hted to he ar f rom me. She tel ls me she has a list of two hundred families who are interested in acquiring a sukkah, many of whom live in my area. She is determined to make a sukkah shidduch. I des cribe o ur suk kah a nd she p romises to have s omeone c all me sho rtly. B arely fifteen minutes later I get a call from Mr. H, but he decides that our sukkah is not appropriate for him. Ten minutes after that, Mrs. M calls. Her fa mily had b een li ving in a n a partment building for years and has finally moved into a private home where they can put up a sukkah of their own. Can her husband stop by in the morning to see our sukkah? Mr. M takes a quick morning look, and by early afternoon he is pa rked in t he dr iveway and filling up a mini-van with the various bits and pieces of our sukkah. He is t hrilled, and so are we. The entire process is pa inless and takes less than twenty four hours from beginning to end. A shidduch was made. Every suk kah des erves t o b e us ed f or i ts intended p urpose. And e ach suk kah has its own uniq ue st ory t o t ell. Our s was b uilt of wooden panels, and was pa instakingly reconstructed year after year by the men in our family. This y ear i t will co ntinue i ts legac y about a mile a way from our home. Ano ther family will no w have t he zechus of building this sukkah and enjoying their Yom tov within its deep brown mahogany walls. Thanks to the Sukkah Shadchan, fifty to eighty fa milies w ho need a suk kah a re p rivileged t o b e ‘ matched’ wi th do nor fa milies like o urs e very y ear. M rs. Weiss, w ho li ves in Flatbush, tells me that the concept of making sukkah shidduchim began nine years ago. That’s when her family decided to upgrade to a larger sukkah but were reluctant, like us, to throw t he o ld o ne a way. They p laced a n ad and were overwhelmed with inquiries. They

gave t heir suk kah t o t he first caller , b ut r ealized at th e ti me th at th ey h ad stumbled upon something big. “ I wi sh,” said Rifkie ’s husband A vi,“that I had twenty to give away.” Thus was the concept of Sukkah Shadchan born. The W eisses a re ca reful not to call their service a g emach, b ecause t hey don’t ac tually st ore t he sukkahs on their premises. What they do is ma tch up families. Or, as Rifkie puts it, “ We mak e t he co nnection.” This may seem simple, but in fact it is a co mplex a nd time co nsuming task. All t he work is done by t he Weisses, t heir c hildren a nd gra ndchildren (together wi th ass orted friends) a nd i t is all do ne in t heir own home. Rifkie says her phone rings off the hook from the start of Elul and her dinin g room table turns into a hub of intense activity in t he evenings. There a re no f unds in volved, no o verhead costs, a nd no pa id em ployees. I t’s j ust o ne

family doing a sim ple yet vital chesed on behalf of the klal. And therein lies its beauty. Rifkie is esp ecially p roud o f her t eenage grandchildren, who are now actively involved in the process. One grandson, fifteen year old Aaron, has en thusiastically stepped up to the plate and is now “running the show.” She says there is he avy phone work involved in co ordinating t he program, esp ecially considering that they service areas as far away as Monsey, New Square, Monroe, and Union City. Every so often there are pleasant surprises. A Monsey family calls askin g whether there may be a suk kah available in t heir a rea. A s i t t urns out, their very own neighbor has a suk kah to give away! Then there is the story of the Russian immigrant boy who begged his pa rents to celebrate Yom Tov for the first time. They weren’t keen o n t he ide a, b ut p romised him t hat if he could get hold of a sukkah, they would go along with his request. Because of the Sukkah Shadchan, that family was zoche to enjoy simchas Yom Tov for the very first time. You n ever kn ow wh ere th e n ext call will come from. Rifkie remembers being contacted by an individual in Long Island a few years

back. Apparently he had built a giant sukkah for a yahrzeit seudah, and didn’t need it again. So he offered it to the Sukkah Shadchan. “ It was so big,” says Rifkie, “that at least ten families were able to use the panels to build their own sukkahs that year.” Rifkie’s en thusiasm f or t he p roject hasn’t dimmed over t he y ears. I f a nything, it continues to grow. She encourages people in out of t own a reas t o consider o pening a S ukkah Shadchan service of their own. S he even offers to help them get started. “A woman once called f rom Er etz Y isroel s aying she w ould love to start a simila r project there and dedicate it l’iluy nishmas her father. It would be a tremendous zechus.” A s f or t he Weisses, t hey ne ver ce ase t o be a mazed a t t he s ense o f ac hdus t heir p roject sets into motion. “Who would ever think of making a shidd uch,” says Rifkie , “between a Klausenberger family in Union City and an American family in P assaic?” Onl y the Sukkah Shadchan could successfully pull that off. With S ukkos a pproaching, Rifkie juggles her ‘ shadchan’ d uties wi th her r egular pre-Yom T ov co oking and cleaning routine. I t can get overwhelming at times, she says, especially wi th gr oups o f t eens invading her p ersonal space e very e vening. But she ma nages w ell and has le arned to multi-task all her r esponsibilities. I ask Rifkie ho w i t feels t o si t do wn in t he Weiss fa mily suk kah a fter a hectic pre-Yom Tov season o f S ukkah shidduchim. What’s it like to know that you have been instrumental in p roviding simchas hachag to so many others? She says it’s a wonderful feeling. In fact, the Weisses have their very own family ritual associated with it. They created a sukkah decoration which records the number of sukkahs they have successfully shadchaned off that year, and it hangs proudly on their own sukkah’s wall . I t’s so rt o f lik e a sco reboard, only in this case everyone comes out a winner. Over the past two years alone, the Sukkah Shadchan successfully orchestrated the transfer o f o ne h undred a nd t hirty five sukkahs. This y ear’s n umbers a ren’t in y et, a nd t he Weisses are still hoping that potential donors will come forward even as the clock is ticking away. “Those who need it,” she explains, “will wait till the last minute if they have to.” The story of the Sukkah Shadchan is heartwarming, and not just because of the tremendous service it provides to the community. It also illustrates that chesed comes in all shapes and sizes. S ometimes it’s a h uge organization with many branches all o ver the world. And sometimes it’s a Flatbush family sitting at their dining room table. The common denominator is ahavas yisroel and a heart of gold. The S ukkah Shadcha n ca n be r eached a t 718-998-6596.

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THE POWER OF AMEIN! The NEW English version of

!‫אמן ואמן‬ aad Morah Mikdash presents a beautiful English musical production 10 ti tles wr itten a nd s ang b y r enowned writers and singers An A aron Teitelbum a nd Y isroel L amm musical production In time for Rosh Hashana – let’s proclaim His Name with Amein! For t he past tw o y ears t housands ha ve been ca ptivated b y t he p opular m usical album “Amein V ’Amein/‫ןמאו ןמא‬. Due t o the overwhelming successf ul r esponse o f t he album; its inspiring and beautiful lyrics as w ell as its powerful message, Vaad Morah Mikdash felt compelled to produce the all new English Version of Amein V ’Amein – “ The Power of Amein!” just in time for Rosh Hashana. Vaad Morah Mikdash’s goal is t o inspire every sin gle J ew acr oss t he g lobe. Throu gh their remarkable activities such as distributing leaflets and their initial Amein V’Amein album they built awareness on the importance of answering Amein a nd reciting out-loud in shul -Amein YeHei Shemeih Rabba during Kaddish. The English version of “ Amein V ’Amein” will en sure th at ev ery J ewish h ome will be knowledgeable o n t he im portance a nd gr eat merits earned in a nswering Amein and reciting Amein YeHei Shemeih Rabba. In order to produce an album with such potency and charisma, Vaad Morah Mikdash pooled together the most talented professionals in the musical industry to produce this Jewish musical masterpiece. Serving as dir ector, Yossi R ubin st eered the production to its successful completion together with Duvid Weber; a long time devout activist for the cause. The musical production was led b y Aaron Teitelbaum of Aron Teitelbaum Productions & Orchestra. To Aaron the concept of Amein and Amein YeHei Shemeih Rabba stands close to heart as he himself gave out a sp ecial s efer “ Shiru L amelach” o n t his topic, and therefore felt privileged to lead this musical p roduction t ogether wi th his lo ng time partner – the renowned R’ Yisroal Laam to arrange the music. Gershy M oskowitz a nd Y ossi T yberg o f Teem P roduction co-p roduced t he alb um. Their experience in the Jewish music industry brought together the most prestigious singers and c hoirs t o sin g t he b eautiful l yrics w hich were written by none other than the revered Abie Rottenberg. Abie’s nostalgic songs of the past ha ve made him t he most b eloved J ewish s ongwriter b y all . The l yrics p enned b y Abie (s ome with t he assist ance of his t alented daughter Mrs. Bella Levitan) on this album will enthrall its listeners. A few of the featured songs were superbly written by Mrs. Yehudis Rivky F riedman – a p rolific s ongwriter w ho was eager to share her expertise. Shloime Taussig opens the album with his beautiful rendition of “Amein V’Amein”, de-

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12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

picting t he significance o f a nswering Amein and AYS’’R a nd no t t o f orfeit a n o pportunity. The s econd s ong “ Golden Nuggets” is a noted parable on not losing an opportunity to acquire merits. Shragee Gestetner along with Yossi G reen mo vingly in tone t he met aphor. In listing the advantages and merits gained by answering Amein and AYS”R through “Let us Relay”, S himon Cra imer’s v oice r esonates i ts magnitude. Abie Rottenberg’s dramatic recital of “Kiddush Hashem” truly evokes the listener to make a Kiddush Hashem! “A S pecial A dvocate” p oignantly sun g by Shragee Gestetner is a fa mous tale which depicts the advantages and the great rewards. To be successful in everything you do is simple – s ay Amein and AYS”R and one will b e “Matzliach” – w hich Yumi L owy was sur ely Matzliach to relay! “The Power of Amein” featuring no ne o ther t han S hloma S imcha is a p owerful story of a y oung girl’s sacrifice to ha ve s omeone a nswer Amein to her bracha. S hloime K aufman skillf ully a rranged “B’zman”, a s ong o ffering the b est insurance during tr ying times. “ Sha! Sha!” n o talkin g in sh ul, D ovid Ga bay b rings o ut t hese vi tal points with his melodic recital. Yosef Chaim Shwekey pleasantly wraps up the album with “Don’t Rush” – no t to hurry out of shul for you ne ver kno w w hat o pportunity y ou ca n forfeit. All s ongs w ere acco mpanied b y t alented choirs led b y Z evi F ried a nd S hloime K aufman. Chaim Yitzchok Goldman gave hours of his time, patience and musical flair in mixing the songs, music and choirs, compiling them together to formulate this grand musical production. Behind the scenes, Mrs. Shenky Teitelbaum was the driving force to what is said is done –Amein recited by everyone! How appropriate it is for this album to be released just in time for Rosh Hashana. Rosh Hashana is a time w hen we prepare ourselves to proclaim that Hashem is our King and there is no better way to proclaim that than by saying Amein and Amein YeHei Shemeih Rabba. May it be His will that in the merit of crowning His glory may all decrees be annulled and we sho uld b e w orthy t o mer it a H appy a nd Healthy N ew Year. A nd in th e m erit o f all answering Amein and Amein YeHei S hemeih Rabba may we be worthy to soon proclaim together with Moshiach: “Yiskadal V’Yiskadash Shemeih Rabba!” This alb um was p roduced wi th t he s ole intention t o cr eate a p ublic a wareness o n the im portance o f Amein a nd Amein Y eHei Shemeih Rabba. Thousands of dollars was invested t o cr eate t his p rofessional alb um a nd proceeds a re t owards exp enses a nd hel ping Vaad Morah Mikdash continue its vital cause. The CD is a vailable a t all lo cal J udaica a nd Music st ores. F or o rganizations, mos dos o r large quantities, please contact 718-305-6886.

¹¸±¶° É¶½È´

May there always be Simcha …Amein! Make this Yom Tov more meaningful and JOYful! With the newly released English version of

which D C t the ottes The h ns around e fa h awed ting it: “T le ra b world incredi

g t mos inspirin in and h album ’s is ic Engl ish mus Jew istory!” h

Hear it! Reap it! And above all... Enjoy it! Available at your local Judaica and Music Store. For wholesale distribution call: Nigun Distributers 718.977.5700

Call: 718.305.6886

For Comments or to get our monthly Publications Email: Umein.Vumein@gmail.com Visit www.UmeinVumein.org

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AJ’s GIVEAWAYS Book Pick Of The Week

THE WINERS OF LAST WEEKS BOOK RAFLE ARE: Winner 1: Estie Reichman (Boro Park) Winner 2: Sara Weiss (Flatbush) Winner 3: R. Herbst (Boro Park) (To enter into a free raffle, see details)

Mazel Tov! It’s a Bubby! ukkos is j ust around the b end, and f or ma ny l ucky fa milies, t hat me ans pac king e veryone up, lo cking u p t he a partment, a nd heading over with t he crew to Hotel B ubby a nd Z aidy f or Yom Tov! And each Yom Tov, without fail, the dilemma begins anew for you: what should you bring for your motherin-law? Now, do n’t g et me wr ong—no one’s t hrowing o ut a ny asp ersions here. We know you happen to have a great relationship with your mother-in-law. Yes, she’s warm and sweet and g enerous, a nd a fa ntastic bubby to your kids…but let’s face it: you can’t exactly get away with bringing your mo ther-in-law a co uple ne w potato peelers for Yom Tov, the way you could for your mother—even if you happen to know t hat t hat’s exactly what she could use… So…back t o y our dilemma. What gift could you bring for her? A ne w t ablecloth? She has loads o f those. A cr ystal vase? What, so that your tw o-year-old sho uld b reak i t the first da y y ou’re t here? ! N apkin rings? You got that for her last time. A book? Well, she lo ves to read, so we’re getting warmer… And t hen y ou dis cover IT —IT being the perfect gift for any mother-in-law a nd bubby: a b ook called Mazel Tov! It’s a Bubby! And y ou kno w y our s earch is over (for this Yom Tov, anyway!)... Written b y p opular co lumnist Miriam Hendeles, Mazel Tov! It’s a

Bubby! is all a bout t he author’s experiences as a mo ther-in-law a nd grandmother. I t’s wr itten wi th h umor and candor, light enough to enjoy w hile si tting a nd r elaxing (i t’s not easy chasing after two-year-old grandsons, you know!), yet thoughtprovoking enough to initiate lots of good dis cussions, esp ecially wi th one’s fellow m-i-l’s and bubbies! The c hapter “ Shanah R ishonah—An I n-Law’s P erspective” contains t he “ Ten C ommandments of I n-Laws (‘ to b e p racticed a nd obeyed in the first year after marrying o ff a c hild’),” w hile t he c hapter “Nu? Is it a Boy or a Girl?” discusses how to deal with the “pins and needles” caused by calling an expectant married c hild a nd wa iting f or t he phone to be answered (Did they go the hospital yet? Is that why no one is picking up?). There’s a c hapter in t he b ook about na ming t he ne w gra ndparents ( Bubby an d Z aidy? Gr andma and G randpa? S avta a nd S aba? Or maybe a mix-n-match version to better suit each grandparent’s personality, something like Oma and Zaidy?); about ba bysitting f or a s creaming baby gra ndchild w hen y ou’ve b een out o f t his p laying field f or q uite some tim e alr eady ( Why is h e cr ying? I do n’t k now—did yo u c heck it up in What t o Exp ect t he Fir st Year? ); a bout ha ving gra nd sl umber pa rties wi th li ttle gra ndchildren over Shabbos; and about many, many other topics related to young

mother-in-law/grandmother-hood. So, let y ourself b e a warded “Daughter-in-law o f t he S eason”! When y ou b uy t his b ook f or y our shvigger, you ca n’t g o wr ong—you can o nly s core b rownie p oints f or yourself! At Y WN, we k now t hat boo ks and literature are an important part of o ur a udience’s l ives. The Jewish book wo rld is Ba ruch H ashem expanding by l eaps an d b ounds, w ith multiple new titles appearing on the shelves of bookstores weekly. The rapid growth of this industry has brought more quality reading material to the Orthodox J ewish r eadership t han ever before, and with it, many more choices to make. As an added benefit to our readers, we have hooked up with “AJ,” a w riter f or I srael Boo kshop’s The Next Page book blog (thenextpage-israelbookshop.com), to give us a gl impse into some of their new and c lassic boo ks o ut t here, a nd t o help us wa de o ur wa y t hrough t he bookstores without getting too lost in the m aze o f boo ks, boo ks a nd m ore books! PLUS – here’s the best part – we will be g iving away three copies of whichever book i s featured, to our readers, a bsolutely f ree! Wi nners will be announced in the next week’s issue, s o make sur e to check b ack weekly to see if you’ve won! HAPPY READING! No purchase, payment, or opt-in of a ny k ind is n ecessary t o en ter o r win this sweepstakes.

Simply e mail B ookGiveaway@ theyeshivaworld.com a long w ith your full name, address and phone numbers. You may also fax the r equired info to 718-243-1120 Purchase w ill not i mprove odd s of winning. Sweepstakes is sponsored by YWN, 5809 Foster Ave, Brooklyn NY 11203. Open to legal residents of the U.S. (except Puerto Rico) who are age 18 o r older at the time of entry. Only o ne en try per h ousehold. E n-

tries must be received by the Tuesday night following the publication of the paper, by 11:59 PM. Winners will be randomly se lected a nd t heir n ames published in a subsequent week’s article. Void where prohibited. Winners are responsible for all applicable federal, s tate a nd loc al t axes. O dds o f winning depend on the number of eligible en tries r eceived. E mployees o f Israel Boo kshop o r Y WN a nd t heir families are not eligible.

Department of Homeland Security Hosts Community Outreach Roundtable community o utreach meetin g held in M anhattan on September 19t h ga ve co mmunity le aders and heads of different organizations an o pportunity t o sha re t heir co ncerns wi th p olicy ad visors, a t b oth the Department of Homeland Security a nd United S tates I mmigration and Customs Enforcement. Opening up the meeting, which took p lace a t 26 F ederal Plaza, was Kareem W. Shora, Senior P olicy A dvisor t o D epartment o f H omeland S ecurity, who came in f rom Washington D C in order to listen to communal concerns, and make community leaders aware of the many strides b eing t aken b y t he D HS t o co ntinuously improve community outreach and better under stand a ny co ncerns a nd p roblems related t o immigra tion, t he T ransportation

Security A dministration a nd C ustoms B order Patrol. This meetin g is pa rt o f a n o ngoing nationwide effort by Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to help citizen’s better de al wi th T SA a nd immigra tion issues,

which can often be fraught with bureaucracy and difficult to navigate. B y giving community le aders a nd he ads o f o rganizations t he opportunity t o meet dir ectly with DHS and ICE personnel, both departments will b etter understand the varying issues faced by differ-

ent community groups, and be better equipped to deal with any issues that may arise. Rabbi A be F riedman, a co mmunity liaison thanked DHS’s continued efforts on behalf of the Jewish community, particularly in lig ht of t he u pcoming Succos ho liday as TSA personnel have been extremely sensitive over the years to the needs of l ulav a nd esr og ca rrying tra velers. Rabbi Friedman also discussed other DHS and Customs Border Patrol issues and expressed his wish of having a lo ng t erm, o ngoing r elationship with personnel at both of these departments. Also in a ttendance was D avid P ollock of t he J ewish C ommunity Rela tions C ouncil who has worked closely with the DHS for many years.

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Satmar Rov (Divrei Yoel)

Bobover Rebe

Bobover Rebbe

Lelover Rebbe

Bobover Rebbe

Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz

Rav Shach

Vishnitzer Rebbe

Bobover Rebbe (Râ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Naftuli)

Rav Elyashiv

Rav Shmuel Berenbaum

Photos by JDN & YWN Archives 44

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12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Kretchnif Rebbe

Zvhill Rebbe

Tosher Rebbe

Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg

Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Yoel

Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg

Vishnitzer Rebbe

Belzer Rebbe

Bobover Rebbe

Sadigur Rebbe

Photos by JDN 45

YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

Building the Munkach Sukkah in Boro Park. (JDN)

Kapparos in Lakewood (JDN)

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Building a Sukkah in Boro Park (JDN)

Kaparos in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (JDN)

Sukkos Shopping at Boro Park Lumber (JDN)

Tashlich in Lakewood

Tashlich at Caesars Bay. (Hillel Engel)

Thousands of children daven in Boro Park

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Tashlich in Melbourne, Australia. (JDN)

Kaparos in Moscow, Russia. (JDN)

Checking out a Esrog in Lakewood. (JDN)

Esrog Shopping in Lakewood

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At Kaporos in Boro Park. (JDN)

YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

At Tashlich in Williamsburg. (JDN)

Building a Sukkah in Lakewood. (JDN)

At Kaporos in Williamsburg. (JDN)

Succos preparations in Yerushalayim. (JDN)

Succos preparations in Bnei Brak. (JDN) 47

YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

Hagaon Rav Chaim Kanievsky at Kaporos

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Hagoan Rav Aron Leib Shteinman speaking in Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim.

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The Pevshorske Rebbe of Williamsburg at Kaporos.

The Skver Rebbe.

Rabbi Berel Lazer Chief Rabbi of Russia at Kaporos.

The Skvere Rebbe on Motzei Yom Kippur.

The Rachmastrivka Rebbe at the Motzei Yom Kippur Tisch.

The Gaavad of Eida Hachreidis checks the knives of Shochtim for Yom Tov.

The Kavunas Halev Rebbe at Kaporos.

Rav Lipa Geldwirth on Motzei Yom Kippur.

Rav Moshe Zilber Motzei Yom Kippur Tisch.

The Bobov Rebbe Erev Yom Kippur Tisch.

The Bobov Rebbe Motzei Yom Kippur.

The Burstein Rebbe at Tashlich.

The Chernobel Rebbe of Boro Park at the Motzei Yom Kippur Tisch.

Photos by JDN 48

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12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

The Kossov Rebbe Erev Yom Kippur Tisch.

The Lelov Rebbe on Erev Yom Kippur.

The Mezibuz Rav at Tashlich.

The Modzitz Rebbe at Kaporos.

The Pupa Rebbe on Motzei Yom Kippur.

The Sanz-Zimigrod Rebbe at Kaporos.

The Vishnitz Rebbe.

The Vishnitz Rebbe at the Motzei Yom Kippur Tisch.

The Skulen Rebbe at Kaporos.

The Tarnipol Rav at Kaporos.

The Skulya Rebbe on Erev Yom Kippur.

The Stichin Rebbe at Kaporos.

The Spinka Rebbe at Kaporos.

The Skvere Rebbe of Boro Park on Erev Yom Kippur.

Photos by JDN 49

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12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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HEALTH

Prison Without Walls: Understanding Asperger’s Syndrome They ma y disp lay a n in tense p reoccupation with an unusual focus of interest, as well as repetitive behaviors such as rhythmic rocking or flapping of the hands.

By Rifka Schonfeld, Director S.O.S. (Strategies For Optimum Success)

sther ca me acr oss a cr umpled u p-paper o n t he floor o f t he den. C urious, she straightened it out. It was a p oem, in her daughter S hana’s ha ndwriting. “ If Y ou B ut Dared,” the title read.

The Young Child

A preschool aged child might demonstrate complete unawareness of the basics o f s ocial interaction—how to join a game or share toys or belongings. He or she ma y be oblivious to basic social cues—like waving hello and goodbye, smiling one’s pleasure, frowning or glaring t o show disp leasure—and may us e t hese non-verbal messages totally inappropriately.

i was a child/who was hurting no escape except through yearning nursing wounds no one could see anesthetized by fantasies Tears o f w onderment ca me t o Est her’s eyes as she s canned the lines her 16-y ear old had written. Wounds no one could see… Thos e must ha ve b een t he w ounds o f lo neliness…. Shana had b een a lo ner all t hough elementary school, and now in high school, the pattern was continuing. The jokes, camaraderie and easy conversation characteristic of young teens eluded her. She was mo ody and remote, absorbed in her b ooks. She did w ell in s chool with barely any effort but her social skills lagged far behind her academic ac hievement. S he denied being unhappy and refused to talk about her feelings. But misery cried out from the page. memories bring back the ache pain that ebbed once more awake the years roll back the sense of loss once more a child waits to cross a deserted corner far from home in the dark she lingers alone a traffic light that never changes and so she waits and waits for ages to all of you who passed her by noticed not her haunted eyes all of you who might have cared reached out a hand if you but dared unlock the prison without walls find the captive sad and small no voice to call no words to share no brush to paint the deep despair you never saw you never asked what lay behind the child’s mask my heart still hurts from that neglect despite the years I can’t forget Esther’s e yes b lurred wi th t ears. S hana’s description of a f orlorn little girl in a n invisible jail rang so true. But it shocked her t hat her daughter perceived herself as a bandoned by everyone. You never saw you never asked…. How t hey had str uggled t o under stand her and hel p her! B ut she ne ver allo wed a nyone inside her “cell.” Like the captive in the poem, she seemed to “have no voice to call, no words to share.” Over the years, the family had gotten used to S hana’s idiosyncrasies. S he was pa infully shy and inhibited around people. Feelings easily overwhelmed her. She broke down in tears over any degree of dis appointment, stress or frustration and couldn’t communicate to others what the trouble was. Advanced s cholastically, she ne vertheless had no ide a how to engage in t he simple 50

Elementary School-Aged Child

amenities of routine conversation. It made her appear slow-witted, immature or as c hildren labeled it, “weird.”

First Grade Blues

It had all started out so differently. “She was so cute and endearing when she was li ttle--she had a n a mazing v ocabulary, far b eyond her ag e level,” Shana’s mother recalled. “When she piped up, you couldn’t help but smile. But trouble st arted as s oon as she hit first grade.” As t alkative a nd sp irited as t he li ttle girl was at home with her parents and siblings, at school she s eemed wi thdrawn a nd wra pped up in her o wn w orld. S he da ydreamed a nd doodled in c lass. At recess she wa ndered o ff by herself, gazing wistfully at the games others were playing. “At first w e a ttributed her a partness t o boredom,” her mo ther exp lained. “ But t hat didn’t exp lain t he o ther ‘ oddities’—the extraordinary shyness, a stiff, awkward gait, not swinging her a rms like most kids w hen they walk… and her difficulty in maintaining eye contact. She was al ways shy but this odd behavior s eemed t o ha ve de veloped w hen she first stared mixing socially with other kids.” Shana r esisted her pa rents efforts t o a rrange co unseling f or her. I t wasn’t un til she was in t enth grade t hat her pa rents ind uced her to cooperate with an evaluation. The child psychologist w ho e valuated S hana called in her parents to discuss his findings. Shana suffered from a neurological disorder called Asperger’s S yndrome, he s aid. They b linked a t him in shock. What was Asperger’s Syndrome?

Wanting Emotional Connection

Until 1994, no o ne, inc luding psy chologists a nd b ehavior sp ecialists, kne w m uch about A sperger’s S yndrome. The disorder went unr ecognized, a nd c hildren w ho had it w ere sim ply la beled “ weird,” “ off-beat” or “emotionally disturbed.” Named for H ans A sperger, an A ustrian physician who first identified it in t he 1940’s, Asperger’s was first defined as a mild va riant of autism, but that designation has been contested by many scientists who feel it is not part of the autism spectrum. “While some Asperger’s Syndrome symp-

toms seem similar to symptoms of classic autism,” psychologist Michelle Ver Ploeg writes in Asperger’s S yndrome I n Y oung Ch ildren, there a re im portant differences. Asperger’s chidren and adults, unlike those afflicted with autism, often show true emotional connectedness, including an ability to empathize that is uncharacteristic of autism. The difficulties t hat students with Asperger’s S yndrome face r eflect problems with nonverbal co mmunication a nd t he a bility t o draw social inferences, she explained. The social cues that guide most people through dayto-day interactions are a f oreign language t o them. Put sim ply, t hese c hildren desp erately want friends, but don’t know how to make or keep a friend. By contrast, those with autistic symptoms are emotionally remote and disconnected, for the most part incapable of a mutual, two-way relationship.

Newly Diagnosed In 1994

It wasn’t un til 1994 t hat A sperger’s S yndrome finally became an official diagnosis in standard American and British medical lexicons. Awareness of how this disorder impacted children began to filter down to educational channels. S chools finally h ad an approach to under standing t hose ‘odd’ st udents t hey’d been diagnosing with ADD, learning disabilities and bipolar disorder—all of which come with va rious symptoms t hat may mimic A sperger’s. Even to day, A sperger’s S yndrome is no t widely recognized by the public or by health care p roviders in t his co untry. An estima ted one out of every 1,000 people suffers from the syndrome. Much progress has been made in identifying children with the disorder, but there r emain t housands o f ad ults w ho w ere never correctly diagnosed. Asperger’s or “Aspies” as some humorously refer to themselves, generally have average to superior intelligence and—like Shana—advanced e arly la nguage acq uisition. H owever, they often seem to be “mind-blind” when it co mes t o s ocial in teractions—failing t o perceive w hat is ob vious to e veryone els e by “reading” body language, eye-gaze and facial expression.

One o ften he ars t he p hrase, “ poor p ragmatic language skills” in r elation to children with Asperger’s. This means that the individual cannot hit on the right tone and volume of speech. Their voices are often flat and expressionless, t oo lo ud, o r t oo hig h-pitched. The person may stand too close, avoid eye contact, or stare at people. Many are clumsy and have visual-perceptual difficulties. Non-verbal le arning difficulties, subtle or s evere, a re co mmon, esp ecially in r eading co mprehension a nd ma th w ork t hat demands imaginative problem-solving and critical thinking. The c hild ma y b ecome fixated o n a pa rticular t opic a nd b ore o thers wi th incess ant talk even when other children have given clear signals that they are not interested. Some have difficulties t olerating c hanges in t heir da ily routine and become agitated when faced with an abrupt change in schedule. Change must be introduced gradually. The Adolescent: I n ado lescence, s ocial demands b ecome mo re co mplex a nd s ocial nuances, more subtle. This may be the most difficult time f or indi viduals wi th A sperger’s Disorder. They are so obviously “not with the program” that their behavior evokes ridicule, dismissal o r a nnoyance f rom p eers. B ecause of his s ocial na iveté, a t eenager wi th A sperger’s may not realize when someone is tr ying to take advantage of him. He can be especially vulnerable to manipulation and peer pressure. As individuals with Asperger’s enter adolescence, t hey b ecome ac utely aware of t heir differences a nd k eenly s ensitive t o r ejection. This may lead to depression and anxiety. The depression, if no t tr eated, ma y p ersist in to adulthood.

Treatment For Asperger’s Syndrome Social Skills Training

This is o ne of the most vi tal components of treatment for all age groups with the disorder. According to experts in the field, the individual needs to learn body language with the thoroughness and consistency t hat one must learn a foreign language to cope with living in a foreign land. The individual with Asperger’s must learn concrete rules for eye contact, social distance and mo re no rmal b ody la nguage, inc luding posture and gait. Since many people with this disorder are clumsy and have terrible table etiquette, they must be taught how to conduct themselves at mealtimes without evoking dis-

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HEALTH Prison Without Walls: Understanding Asperger’s Syndrome Continued from p. 50

taste in those near them. Since t hey lac k s elf-awareness a nd ha ve trouble reading other people, “Aspies” do not realize that watching someone wolf down his food, eat noisily, or take second or third helpings when not everyone has had a first portion, can be upsetting. They need concrete lessons in identifying emotions (their own and others’); in practicing g ood h ygiene, p hone skills, ca r a nd b us decorum and how to win and lose. They need careful instruction on how to take care of personal attire; how to respect other’s ownership of b elongings; ho w t o mak e a n a ppropriate gesture of affection, how to know when it’s inappropriate to give a hug or a pat on the back. They need a great deal of practice and roleplay regarding how to build a f riendship; how to make conversation, how to share and to wait with patience; how to handle being upset; what constitutes lying; how to win and lose; how to be part of a discussion group or project.

Avoid Criticizing, Ridiculing It’s easy (but a tra p!) to turn social skill goals into a nega tive c hecklist of b ehaviors to be corrected. Don’t fall for this, warn experts. The idea is NOT to make life easier for the parent or teacher, the idea is to make life easier for the child. That is why the emphasis should be on explaining, teaching, and practicing, no t cr iticizing, r idiculing o r b lindly correcting. It’s im portant t o mak e t he less ons f un, helpful, a nd no n-threatening. U se ga mes, charades, jo kes, ca rtoons, mo vies, st ory books, field trips, or whatever else works, so that the child will grow while feeling successful (as opposed to incompetent). Asperger’s co vers a wide ra nge o f a bility levels. Many children with Asperger’s can be inc luded in ma instream c lassrooms. B ut those with a more severe case of the disorder will need to be in small, self-contained classrooms or special schools. Research shows t hat most c hildren with Asperger’s learn intellectually rather than intuitively. I nstead o f r ole mo deling o r sub tle hints, they need concrete information, explanations and practice.

Shana first ca me t o tr eatment in hig h school, a fter exp eriencing un told o rdeals o f social is olation a nd lo neliness. S he was f ortunate in having a relatively mild form of Asperger’s and having t he gift of b eing able to use the medium of writing to overcome her impairment in s ocial skills a nd communication. On pa per, she ca me ali ve—almost as a different p erson. E ven her pa rents w ere astonished to discover what a vib rant life Shana led in her p rivate writings. We helped her tap into this talent and convert it into a t ool for becoming more in sync with those around her. We t aught her t o dig deep in to her self and discover the emotions behind the “child’s mask” she had written about in her poem “If You But Dared.” We t aught her t o g eneralize t hese emo-

tions to others. We helped her le arn how to “read” facial exp ression a nd t o interpret s ocial si tuations t hrough facial exp ression, tone o f v oice a nd b ody la nguage. A r igorous p rogram o f s ocial-skills tra ining o ver many months concentrated on helping Shana maintain eye contact and learning how to initiate conversation with others. Perhaps the most heartening sign of Shana’s growth and progress came with a beautiful poem she wr ote as she p repared to graduate hig h s chool. This p oem had t he s ame rhythmic cadence as her e arlier o ne, b ut i t couldn’t have been more different. Thi s poem celebrated f riendship. You felt t he wind a nd sun a nd la ughter in t his p oem. The t ears i t evoked were tears of happiness for the child who at last felt a part of humanity.

An acclaimed educator and education consultant, Mrs. Rifka Schonfeld has served the Jewish community for close to thirty years. She founded and directs the widely acclaimed educational program, SOS, servicing all grade levels in secular as well as Hebrew studies. A kriah and reading specialist, she has given dynamic workshops and has set up reading labs in many schools. In addition, she oﬀers evaluations G.E.D. preparation,, social skills training and shidduch coaching, focusing on building self-esteem and self-awareness. She can be reached at 718-382-5437 or at rifkaschonfeld@verizon.net.You can view the web at rifkaschonfeldsos.com.

Oneg Shabbos? e all lo ve S habbos. The da y t hat t he world keeps going, but we Jews step off and indulge in acts that bring a special kedushah to the day. There a re ma ny asp ects o f that kedusha including special davening, not engaging in melac ha (39 ca tagories o f w ork prohibited on Shabbos), a da y w hen we can spend quality time with our families and that we may not have during a busy week. One of the aspects of keeping Shabbos to keep it holy is to eat 3 festive meals. Aside from these obligatory meals, we know t hat fo od itself is a part o f Oneg S habbos (delig ht). The Rambam states in Hilchos Shabbos 30:10 that eating me at a nd dr inking wine o n S habbos is considered Oneg S habbos. I n the very first chapter of Shulchan Aruch in Hilchos Shabbos t he M ishna B rura st ates “that t o ho nor Shabbos, i t is g ood t o b e metic ulous a bout having at least two co oked dishes. S imilarly, it is good to eat fish at each of the three meals unless they do not agree with one due to his nature or one has a distaste for them– for Shabbat was given for enjoyment, not for misery…It is als o stated such a la w will no t result in an omission of the mitzvah of Oneg, since t he S habbos ma y b e made en joyable with other foods.” Food a nd Oneg a re definitely intertwined, but t here is a fine line b etween enjoying sp ecial f oods f or S habbos, a nd e ven eating a little bit more; and ending up feeling overfull and not well after Shabbos and putting on weight, w hich is detr imental to our health. Lose It! nutritionist Elisheva Rosenberg has sp ent a lo t of time wi th the rest of the Lose It! staff coming up with reasonable ways to b e able to e at well on Shabbos, enjoy your food and still keep your food intake under control. Here are some of her recommendations:

• PLAN, PL AN, PL AN……with Y OU in mind. • Don’t buy ‘Shabbos Treats’ too early in the week. • Use lo w calo rie v ersions o f ‘ must ha ve’ dishes. • Make sur e y ou ha ve p lenty o f n utritious side dishes, a he althy a nd le an ma in course, and a dessert if you would like. • Watch your challah intake and tr y to use whole gra ins. C onsider makin g/buying smaller challas and/or individual rolls. • Move the Challah basket to the middle of the table—out of your reach. • If you eat out, consider eating lightly before hand or having healthy food available to eat when you come home. • Go to a kiddush mentally prepared. Make Kiddush a nd e at s omething lig ht b efore you g o o r w hen y ou g et ho me. Sa y M azel Tov a nd le ave if i t is t oo c hallenging to stay. • Exercise b efore a nd/or a fter S habbos t o help yourself both physically and mentally. G oing f or a walk a fter e ach me al o n Shabbos is very helpful for digestion. • Emphasize other aspects of Shabbos rather than just the food. • Don’t let a beautiful gift like Shabbos ruin your health goals In addi tion t o t hese ti ps, i t is v ery important not to come into any Shabbos meal too hungry. In the summer on a long Friday, be sur e t o e at l unch a nd e ven ha ve a small snack later in t he day, a f ruit and hand f ull of nuts might do the trick. When you wake up Shabbos morning, dr ink sufficient water before Shul so you can hold out until lunch without getting overly hungry. Many times it is t hirst t hat we mist ake for hunger. I n t he winter mo nths, t here is no need t o snac k

between l unch a nd S hale S hudes (t he t hird meal), and you will s till b e able to eat after Shabbos without using more than your allotted daily calories. Even though most of us live close to where we daven and we don’t have to be overly active o ver S habbos, o ne t hing w hich is v ery helpful i s m aking s ure w e all g o f or a walk, even a sho rt walk, a fter e ach me al. F alling asleep on a full stomach in not a good idea! Another val uable ti p d uring me als is t o fill your plate without taking seconds. If you must t ake s omething els e, t ake a co oked or raw vegetable or salad. S itting at the Shabbos table for a long time will eventually have you give in and take more food. D on’t rush your meals, but they don’t have to be drawn out either. There is no thing wrong with retiring to the living room afterwards and continuing conversation there without the food in front of you. Oneg is a n important aspect of Shabbos, but overeating is not only unhealthy, it is pos-

sibly a prohibited act. Oneg is to enhance our Shabbos, not to make us sick. Yes, Shabbos is a time f or special foods, but overindulgence isn’t a mitzvah. Enjoy Shabbos, feel well during and after Shabbos, and don’t make Shabbos the day that undoes your health. Keeping your food under control, even on Shabbos is another way “add hours to your day, days to your year and years to your life.” Alan F reishtat is a n A.C.E. CER TIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER a nd a LIFES TYLE FITNESS COACH with over 16 years of professional experience. He is the co-director of the J erusalem-based w eight loss a nd str ess reduction cen ter Lose I t! al ong wi th Li nda Holtz M.Sc. and is available for private consultations, ass essments a nd p ersonalized workout p rograms. Ala n als o lec tures a nd gives seminars a nd workshops. He ca n b e reached at 02-651-8502 or 050-555-7175, or by email at alan@loseit.co.il Ch eck out the Lose It! web site - www.loseit.co.il US Line: 516-568-5027 51

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HEALTH

Comparison of Obesity Surgeries Turns Up Surprising Results ONDAY, Sept. 17 (H ealthDay News) -Researchers w ho co mpared tw o typ es of w eight-loss sur gery f ound t he less p opular met hod -- called t he d uodenal swi tch -results in b etter maintained weight loss t han gastric bypass. Gastric bypass, considered the gold standard o f ob esity o perations, in volves r educing the size of the stomach and bypassing the pyloric valve, which separates the stomach from the small intestine. In a duodenal switch, surgeons leave the pyloric valve intact. This prevents s ome co mplications ass ociated wi th gastric bypass and allows for more normal digestion, w hich p reserves vi tal n utrients, t he researchers said. “Surgeons are seeing ... a significant number of patients with weight gain after gastric bypass,” said Dr. Alec B eekley, associate professor of surgery at Tho mas Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia and author of an editorial accompanying the study, which was published in t he September issue of the journal Archives of Surgery. B eekley was no t involved in the study. Maintaining w eight loss a fter gastr ic b ypass surgery is a c hallenge, and over time the weight loss is no t ne arly as dra matic as a fter the initial operation, he said. “Duodenal switch has superior weight loss and may be more appropriate as t he primary bariatric o peration in ca refully s elected pa-

tients,” Beekley said. Risks early on are higher with the duodenal switch, but the absolute risk of complications is lo w, the study authors said. Surgeons also ha ve b een r eluctant t o us e d uodenal switch b ecause t he n utritional r equirements and need for follow-up are much higher with this procedure, he said. “Yet, given t he clear outcome advantages in terms of weight loss, perhaps it is time more U.S. sur geons co nsidered t his o ption,” B eekley said. For t he st udy, a t eam led b y Dr . D aniel N elson o f M adigan Ar my M edical C enter in F ort Lewis, Wash., compared outcomes of more than 77,000 pa tients who had a traditional gastric bypass and an average b odymass index o f 48 wi th mo re t han 1,500 patients who had a duodenal switch and average body-mass index o f 52. B ody-mass index (BMI) is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight. A BMI o ver 40 is co nsidered mo rbidly ob ese. More t han t hree-quarters of the patients were women, and their average age was 45. The d uodenal swi tch p rocedure t akes more t han 20 min utes longer t o p erform on average a nd is ass ociated wi th mo re b lood loss a nd lo nger hosp ital st ays -- 4.4 da ys vs. 2.2 days. Nearly all o f t he gastr ic bypass patients had la paroscopic surgery, while half o f the duodenal switch patients underwent open

surgery, which poses a longer recovery time. The duodenal switch, however, resulted in greater sustained weight loss, t he researchers found. This r esult was esp ecially no ticeable among the most obese patients, called the superobese, the researchers said. Two years after surgery, 79 p ercent of those who had a d uodenal switch still had a significant weight loss compared with 67 percent who had gastric bypass. In addition, almost 20 p ercent of patients

who had a gastric bypass failed to lose at least 50 percent of their body mass at the two-year follow-up, compared with 6 p ercent who underwent a duodenal switch, they noted. Moreover, pa tients w ho had a d uodenal swi tch had gr eater improvement in ob esity-related conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and sleep apnea, the researchers found. Dr. M itchell Roslin, c hief o f ob esity sur gery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said patients gain weight after a gastric bypass because they suffer from low sugar and get instantly hungry. “We do not see that in the duodenal switch nearly as m uch, b ecause t he p yloric val ve is preserved,” he said. “It is far better to preserve the pyloric valve and do y our bypass underneath i t, al though i t’s t echnically mo re c hallenging than to do the gastric bypass.” “Challenge y our do ctor; do n’t b elieve in old wives’ tales,” Roslin added. “I can’t think of a biologic reason why a bypass above the pyloric valve is better than a bypass beneath it.” Both p rocedures cost a bout t he s ame -between $25,000 a nd $40,000, dep ending on the co ntract a hosp ital has wi th in surance companies, Roslin said. The authors said further research is needed to determine the ideal candidate for the duodenal switch and to assess long-term results. Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved

A New Year, a New Attitude to Mental Illness By: David Mandel

hen I jo ined O HEL Childr en’s H ome and Family S ervices 17 y ears ago, one of my first meetings was with a group of parents w hose c hildren had a range of disabilities. Al though t he c linical t erms ma y b e depression, b ipolar dis order, p ersonality disorder o r de velopmental dis abilities, t o these parents, they are life-altering states. I asked them only one question: “What can b e do ne t o mak e y our c hildren’s li ves better than they are now? Their answer was powerful: “We want our children to have a good home, a good job, a social life. Just as p owerful is w hat they didn’t say. They didn’t talk about therapy, medication, or access to better mental health. The y conceptualized a lif e for their children beyond treatment and talked about life as you and I want to live it. These pa rents’ g estalt was a lif e f or their c hildren as typ ical as a ny c hild. L ike an atom breaking into infinite particles, as natural as t he e volution o f lif e, t heirs was not to deny any opportunities to the atypical person, one who happens to have a disability. It is not enough for people with a chronic men tal illness t o ha ve a n a partment, a job, a date or a s oul mate. It is als o the understanding that their illness will occasionally in terfere wi th t heir lif e a nd m ust b e attended to. This may be daily with medica-

tion, w eekly wi th t herapy o r e ven t hrough episodic hospitalization. My r ecent enco unter wi th M ark is a good exa mple o f t he wa y in w hich t hese parents hope to turn stigma on its head. Mark is in his 50s. H e st ops b y my o ffice every few months to say hello. He lives on his own and has a steady hourly job with which he is s atisfied. We talk about music, his passio n, p olitics a nd t he o rder o f t he day. We o ccasionally ha ve l unch t ogether. For a ma n with a p ersistent mental illness, he s eems r elatively co ntent. I n fac t, “ it’s OK” is a term he’s fond of using. During the many times I have met with Mark, most p ronounced is his tr embling hand a nd co nstant p ursing o f his li ps t o catch t he dr ool f rom no t fallin g o nto his striking r ed b eard. These a re all-t oo-common side effects from long-term use of certain medications to manage mental illness.

On his last visi t, Mark looked different. It took me a min ute t o s ee i t. K nowing I ha ve a g ood r elationship wi th him, I co nveyed t o Mark that he looked terrific and that I noticed that his ha nd wasn ’t shakin g a nd he wasn ’t drooling. I found myself looking at him a nd listening to him without the usual distractions that had been so much a part of him. With a satisfied, self-confident grin he said he was tired of seeing himself in that way too. He felt himself identified b y a tr embling ha nd a nd t he co nstant dabbing of a tissue a t his b eard. He was

tired of this look — the stigma. He sought out a psy chiatrist w ho was usin g a ne w medication to treat these side effects. Mark exuded a newfound self-confidence. He spoke about his job a nd even a potential raise. We spent time reminiscing, all without his ever mentioning his disability — a first. A r ecent st udy co nducted b y S t. Patrick’s Hospital in Dub lin, I reland, mo nitored a ttitudes toward mental illness in the country. Results sho wed a str ong b elief t hat t hose with mental illness w ere less in telligent. Forty-two percent agreed that being treated for a mental he alth problem was a sign o f p ersonal failure. Such misinf ormed a ttitudes a re endemic t hroughout all co untries a nd co mmunities, and the more insular the community, the more pronounced the prejudice. An a nonymous ass essment o f 2,500 p hysicians in En gland iden tified o nly 13% w ho would choose to seek help from a physician or other health professional for personal depression, citing fear for their own career prospects and professional integrity. Findings such as these are telling and most alarming — especially when those amongst us who a re w ell inf ormed a bout men tal illness are s till so r eluctant t o be o pen a bout th eir condition. Stigma is our perception of a problem with

David Mandel the other person we meet, see or hear. Thou gh we may not wish to acknowledge it, we attach a label to that person. He is sick. He has a disability. H e is unem ployed. S he has a n e ating disorder. He is an addict. He is obese. The P arkinsonian side effect o f a tr embling hand can be manifested countless ways. That it appears to us so evidently, albeit silently, is the essence of stigma. We may be careful not to let the words pass through our lips, but our internal brain chatter is sufficient. The parents with whom I met were essentially saying, “Look beyond what our children require today. Consider your own life in helping to shape theirs.” Everyday s olutions f or co mmon h uman problems p resuppose t hat all p eople, typ ical and atypical, seek meaning in their lives. Our collective work is to help find the meaning.

David Mandel is Chief Executive Oﬃcer of OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services in New York

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HEALTH

Obesity Surgery Seems to Reduce Heart Risks, Study Says UESDAY, S ept. 18 (H ealthDay News) -- Along with the promise o f significant w eight loss, gastric bypass surgery may reverse diabetes in s ome people and improve risks fac tors for he art dis ease, such as hig h b lood pressure and c holesterol, according to new research. “Individuals w ho ha ve gastr ic bypass sur gery los e a significant amount o f w eight. A t tw o y ears, they had lost 35 p ercent of their initial b ody w eight. A t six y ears, i t was about 28 p ercent, which shows a p retty d urable w eight loss,” s aid study le ad a uthor T ed A dams, a n adjunct ass ociate p rofessor in t he division o f ca rdiovascular g enetics at the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City. “At six y ears, in t hose pa tients who had typ e 2 dia betes p rior t o surgery, 62 p ercent no longer had a diagnosis of diabetes. There was also significant remission in hig h blood pressure, hig h cholesterol and hig h triglycerides,” said Adams. The results are published in t he Sept. 19 issue o f t he Journal of t he American Medical Association. Dr. Ani ta C ourcoulas, c hief o f minimally in vasive ba riatric a nd general surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical C enter a nd author o f a n acco mpanying edi torial, also pointed out that many cases

of type 2 diabetes were prevented in the weight loss surgery group. “Only 2 percent of people in the gastric bypass group developed type 2 dia betes,” she said, whereas in the study’s control groups, the rate of type 2 diabetes de velopment was as hig h as 17 percent. Adams’ st udy inc luded mo re than 1,150 s everely ob ese p eople who under went gastr ic bypass surgery b etween 2000 a nd 2011. The average body mass index, a measure of b ody fat, was 46. An ything over 40 is considered morbidly obese. Courcoulas said weight loss surgery generally is co nsidered only if someone has a BMI of at least 40, or a BMI between 35 and 40 along with a serious medical condition, such as type 2 dia betes or high blood pressure. The st udy als o inc luded tw o control gr oups. One co ntrol gr oup had 417 people who had considered surgery, but didn’t have it. The other control group had 321 ra ndomly selected s everely ob ese p eople w ho hadn’t co nsidered w eight loss sur gery. In gastr ic b ypass sur gery, do ctors di vide t he st omach in to tw o sections and connect t he small t op section, o r p ouch, t o t he small intestine. Because the pouch can only hold a small a mount o f f ood, t he

body absorbs fewer calories. In the United States, where onethird of adults are obese and at risk of s erious w eight-related he alth problems, weight loss surgery is becoming increasingly common. “The st udy sho wed t hat gastr ic bypass led t o d urable w eight loss and a durable impact on health conditions,” said Courcoulas. Surgery ma y no t b e f or e veryone, however. “Patients should talk to their physicians and focus on the risks o f t heir c urrent he alth p roblems, as w ell as f uture he alth r isks and w eigh t hose wi th t he r isks o f surgery,” s aid A dams. L ifestyle adjustments, suc h as diet mo dification and physical activity, should be a foundation for any change people want to make. Two o ther st udies, als o in t he current issue o f J AMA, lo oked a t different aspects of weight loss sur gery, inc luding gastr ic b ypass a nd banding p rocedures. One st udy, conducted in S weden, co mpared long-term he alth costs o f slig htly more than 2,000 ob ese people who underwent ba riatric sur gery a nd a simila r n umber o f ag e-matched obese people who did not have surgery (the control group). After 20 y ears, t he sur gical group had a n a verage w eight loss of 18 p ercent of b ody weight com-

pared to just 1 percent in the control group. In terms of ac tual weight, it was a difference of about 44 pounds. The researchers found that in the six years f ollowing sur gery, t he sur gical patients used more inpatient and outpatient ca re. B ut, d uring y ears seven through 20, those who underwent sur gery had f ewer dr ug a nd cardiovascular disease costs. “The S wedish st udy f ound t hat health ca re needs eq ualize o ver time, but what is really needed is a formal cost-effectiveness analysis,” said Courcoulas. The o ther st udy, co nducted in Australia, compared 30 w eight loss surgery pa tients t o 30 p eople o n a very lo w-calorie diet t o s ee w hich group had a mo re significant im-

provement in sleep a pnea sym ptoms. The sur gery pa tients under went a gastr ic ba nding p rocedure and lost a n a verage o f 61 p ounds, while those on the diet lost about 11 pounds. B oth gr oups exp erienced fewer sleep a pnea episodes, but the difference b etween t he tw o gr oups wasn’t significant. Courcoulas said this finding was “a little puzzling. It’s hard to explain why t here wasn’t a r elationship b etween weight loss a nd sleep apnea,” given that the sleep disorder is associated with overweight and obesity. She added t hat “ more w ork needs to b e do ne her e t o under stand t he mechanism.” Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved

Secondhand Smoke Takes Big Illness, Expense Toll HURSDAY, S ept. 20 (H ealthDay News) -- S econdhand smoke has a subst antial he alth and economic impact, esp ecially among b lack Americans, a new study shows. Researchers analyzed data from more than 12,000 adults to assess the number of deaths, the years of potential life lost and the value of lost productivity caused by secondhand smoke in 2006. That year, more than 41,000 American adults and nearly 900 infants died of secondhand smoke-related diseases, according to a journal news release. The study found that blacks had significantly higher levels of exposure to secondhand smoke than whites. The highest exposure was among black men aged 45 to 64 (nearly 64 percent), followed by black men aged 20 to 44 (nearly 63 percent). Black women aged 20 to 44 had a higher exposure rate (nearly 63 percent) than any other women. In 2006, b lack infa nts acco unted f or 24 p ercent t o 36 p ercent o f deaths caused by mothers smoking during pregnancy, even though they accounted for only 13 percent of the infant population. The toll from just two adult and four infant conditions linked to secondhand smo ke in 2006 was 42,000 de aths, 600,000 y ears o f p otential life lost and $6.6 billon in lost productivity. Blacks and Hispanics had the highest value of lost productivity per death. “With t he hig h rates of smoking prevalence and t he resulting hig h rates of [secondhand smoke] exposure in the United States and in many parts of the world, interventions need to be designed that target particularly vulnerable groups and that reduce the health and economic burden of smoking on smokers and nonsmokers alike,” wrote Wendy Max, of the Institute for Health & Aging in San Francisco, and colleagues. Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved

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Jamie Stiehm: White House Calling Chicago City Hall, Please - a Transcript Every so often, things get tough enough that President Oba ma h as t o ge t h is h ands we t i n the sludgy drudgery of governing. Today, he had to call his former chief of staff, the confrontational Rahm Emanuel, about the public school teachers strike in Chicago. This is a transcript of that conversation, as imagined by the author. It’s B arack in t he si tuation r oom, w here I’m spending my life lately. Really, do we have to do t his now in t he streets of Chicago? You know what I’m talking about. Foreign p olicy is under fire, a blaze. You know the ambassador to Libya got murdered by a mob , a nd I srael w on’t gi ve a p resident any peace about whether to go to war. The last thing I need now is you staring down a schoolteacher strike in Chicago, my hometown, Mr. Mayor, with all due respect. Are we clear? Scott Walker, don’t talk to me a bout him. The Wisconsin governor’s model of breaking the public employee unions — that’s what Republicans do. That’s not who we are. We Dem-

ocrats empower working middle-class people, right? D on’t b ust t he unio n’s c hops j ust b ecause you can. Schoolteachers are our friends, Rahm, especially in September before an election. The notion w e’re g oing t o deba te a nd s ettle t he whole t est s core str uggle a nd str ife in Chicago w hile t he nation’s e yes are watching — well, that’s as likely as the White Sox winning the World Series again in my lifetime. Teachers do n’t lik e t he ide a o f b eing graded f or a living. Those a re m y p eeps ma rching in t he streets, from my days as a co mmunity organizer. I can’t be out flying on Air Force One doing my delicate dance of diplomacy if my own city’s tearing apart. Can’t you and the teachers union le ader j ust g et alo ng? K aren L ewis — tell her I’ll be glad to call. Glad t o ha ve her visi t t he W hite H ouse and t alk a bout a rt a nd m usic ed ucation s o sorely lacking in the school day. Sure, you can

come, t oo. We miss t he s ound of y our v oice down t hese West Wing halls. N obody co uld take the place of you. I know, I know we’re supposed to support the charter school movement, but they’re getting too cool for school. They don’t treat public s chools wi th a ny r espect. I t’s lik e a r ich man’s cool charity — but they don’t send their own children to those schools. Nor do I s end my daughters to public school, for that matter, which I don’t want to defend out on the campaign trail in states like Ohio and Iowa. The M idwest is t he la nd o f t he li ttle r ed schoolhouse, b ut e ven in t hose s chools t he teachers w ere s ometimes b ullied b y t he “b ig boys.” Public teachers have always had a hard time getting a fa ir shake and pay in a f emale field. S o call me crazy , far f rom my own administration p olicy w onks, b ut t hat’s w hose side I’m on, the working woman’s. This is one of t hose p residential mo ments M ichelle s ays reveals my character.

Charlotte seems like a sweet, distant memory. But last I looked at the party platform, we are co unting o n la bor a nd t he w omen’s v ote to win this thing. And I’m no Al G ore, if you know what I’m saying, looking to lose my own state. Look, co oler he ads do no t p revail o ut there in L ibya, E gypt a nd all t he r est o f t he world’s unrest. That I ca n’t control. B ut Chicago can be controlled. Chicago must be controlled. Mayor Daley knew how to do i t in a bad way. S o did M ayor D aley two in a g ood way. And now you’ve got to do it, Rahm. It’s a law of political nature: Chicago mayors are the rule of law, but also the bells of change. Rahm, I need you to be both. The guy with the big shoulders. You are the change I want to see in Chicago. To find out more about Jamie Stiehm, and read f eatures b y o ther Cr eators wr iters a nd cartoonists, visit www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

Lawrence Kudlow: Obamanomics Has Failed Dismally

bout 30 years ago, Paul Volcker launched a monumental monetary effort to br ing down inflation. A s F ed c hairman, he s old bonds, removed cash f rom the economy and cared not one wit about r ising interest rates. And i t w orked. G old p lunged, K ing D ollar

soared, and the drop-off in bank reserves and money extinguished high inflation — and actually launched a multi-decade period of very low inflation. This week, current Fed chairman Ben Bernanke em barked o n a n a bsolute r eversal o f Volcker’s policy. He is launching a monumental effort to buy bonds and inject new money into the economy in order to reignite economic growth and job cr eation. It’s like history is repeating itself, but in reverse. Gold is soaring, the do llar is fallin g. S omething’s wrong with this picture. Bernanke’s QE3 is an unlimited Fed effort to b uy mo rtgage b onds wi th ne w cash. The

plan — which starts immediately — envisions $40 billion of bond purchases and money-creation per month, coming to $480 billion over the next year. And there are no limits to these purchases. These operations are open-ended. This could last for years — maybe in perpetuity — until job creation shoots way up and unemployment comes way down. Nothing like this has ever been used by our nation’s central bank. The Fed’s balance sheet, which has ballooned from around $800 billion to $2.5 tr illion under B ernanke, will g o to $3 trillion, or $4 trillion, or who knows how high. But her e’s t he r ub: M ore mo ney do esn’t necessarily me an mo re g rowth. M ore F ed

money w on’t incr ease a fter-tax rewards for risk, en trepreneurship, b usiness hir ing a nd hard work. Keeping more of what you earn after-tax is t he true spark of economic growth. Not the Fed. In t he su pply-side mo del, t he co mbination o f lo wer ma rginal t ax rates, lig hter r egulation a nd a do wnsized g overnment in r elation t o t he eco nomy is t he gr owth-igniter. Money, o n t he o ther ha nd, det ermines t he value o f t he do llar ex change rate a nd subs equently the overall inflation rate. A falling dollar (1970s) generates higher inflation; a rising dollar (1980s and beyond) generates lower inflation.

Oliver North: Useful Idiots

ASHINGTON — Ever since the attacks of S ept. 11, 2012, t he Oba ma W hite House has sought to lay blame for deadly and destructive a nti-American a ttacks in E gypt, Tunisia, L ibya, L ebanon, P akistan, I raq, Afghanistan a nd mo re t han tw o do zen o ther countries o n s omeone els e. The O-Team — and the perpetrators — have had a lot of help from t he “ useful idio ts” in t he ma instream media. The disinf ormation ca mpaign b eing waged b y t he Oba ma administra tion o ver the cause of t his vio lence would b e comedic

but for the fact that six Amer icans have been killed and dozens have been injured. From t he p erspective o f ma ny “covering this story,” the global jihad we’re witnessing is mostly the fault of an incompetent “filmmaker,” a nd t he “spontaneous o utrage” is o ver a “provocative video.” Notably, t he s ame is b eing said about protests against French diplomatic p osts in t he M iddle E ast b ecause “obscene ca rtoons o f t he P rophet M uhammad” were published in a F rench magazine. What’s really obscene is t he way all o f this has b een covered by the potentates of the press — particularly the events in Cairo, Benghazi and Afghanistan. The U.S. Em bassy in C airo was first off the b lock — issuin g a n apology f or a p oorly made I nternet video ti tled “ Innocence o f Muslims.” Though the video was shot in 2011 — no t b y a n I sraeli as first r eported b ut b y an Egyptian — i t attracted almost no a tten-

tion w hen b rief s egments first a ppeared o n the Internet in July 2012. The Obama administration co ntinues t o t ell us t hat t he M uslim Brotherhood and a host o f other Islamic radical groups in 30 countries just happened to come across the “offensive videos” on the 11th anniversary of t he de vastating 9/11 alQaida a ttacks, w hich killed ne arly 3,000 o f our countrymen. That alone requires a willful suspension of disbelief by anyone at all familiar with reality. Only a tiny fraction of the young men assaulting our diplomatic posts, our military installations and U.S. businesses and killing Americans have seen what the White House and our State D epartment ha ve des cribed as a “ disgusting,” “ insulting” a nd “distasteful” mo vie. Yet major networks and print outlets continue to parrot the administration’s propaganda. If a Republican were in the Oval Office, the press would be calling it a cover-up.

The failure of the media elites to ask questions and demand answers is particularly egregious in two specific cases: the “spontaneous” attack on our consulate in Benghazi, in which four Amer icans w ere killed o n t he nig ht o f Sept. 11-12, a nd the attack in Afg hanistan in which two U.S. Marines were killed d uring a ground assault at Camp Leatherneck/Bastion. Both of these events warrant questions — and answers — as to how they could happen. For nine days, the Obama administration — inc luding S usan Rice , o ur a mbassador t o the United Nations — refused even to describe what happened at our Benghazi consulate as a terror attack. The White House and State Department insisted that Ambassador Chris Stevens, S ean S mith, Glen D oherty a nd Tyrone Woods were killed d uring an “unplanned attack” during a protest prompted by the offenContinued on p. 57

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OPINION

Mark Shields: “Those Who Know Him Best”

n 1976, wi th v oters s till fumin g o ver th e Watergate scandals and Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon, President Ford faced a tough uphill fight against a newcomer with anti-Washington cr edentials, f ormer G eorgia Gov. Jimmy Carter. I remember a T V ad the Ford c ampaign’s brilliant m edia t eam of Doug B ailey a nd t he la te J ohn D eardourff crafted t o p lant do ubts a bout t he no t-wellknown Democratic nominee: “Those who know Jimmy Carter best are from G eorgia. That’s wh y w e th ought y ou ought to know ...” And what followed was the viewers seeing on-screen and hearing a voice read a s croll of Georgia newspapers such as the Savannah News, the Augusta Herald and the M arietta J ournal, wi th t he a nnouncer adding for each, ‘... endorses President Ford.”

The argument was unco mplicated. If the candidate’s neig hbors and f riends w ho have know him t he lo ngest ha ve do ubts a bout him, then maybe I, as a voter, ought to have a few second thoughts. That Ford ad, not surprisingly, had no influence on G eorgia v oters, s ome 67 p ercent of w hom v oted t hat N ovember f or fa vorite son C arter. In fact, most p residential nominees, perhaps aided by hometown pride, do carry their home states — or at the very least run better there than they do nationally. In 2008, John McCain won Arizona, just as Barack Obama carried Illinois and Hawaii. In 1984, Democrat Walter Mondale, who lost 49 states to Ronald Reagan, still won Minnesota, his home state. Two ex ceptions do co me t o mind . I n 1972, Democrat George McGovern won just over 37 p ercent of t he national vote against Richard Nixon and also lost 49 states, including his ho me st ate o f S outh D akota, w here the Democrat ran eight points better than he did nationally. In 2000, Al Gore by 4 percent of t he vote lost his ho me st ate of Tennessee — and, with it, the White House — to George W. B ush.

The last ca ndidate t o win t he W hite House while losing his home state was President Woodrow Wilson, who despite being reelected, fa iled t o ca rry N ew J ersey. W hy all this could be relevant in 2012 is contained in the most r ecent S uffolk University p oll (t he same poll that in 2010 accurately forecast Republican Scott Brown’s upset win t o succeed Ted Kennedy in the Senate) of voters in Massachusetts, where Mitt Romney has lived for 40 y ears a nd w here he s erved as g overnor from 2003 until 2007. True, Massachusetts is a deep b lue state, but Romney, according to the survey, trails Barack Obama among likely voters by a landslide 64 percent to 31 percent. Democratic partisanship cannot fully explain why, when asked to rate Mitt Romney personally, just 32 p ercent of his ho me state electorate judges him favorably and some 60 percent of voters judge Romney unfavorably. No presidential nominee in U .S. hist ory has ever risked receiving such a co ld shoulder on Election Day from, to paraphrase the 1976 Ford campaign, “those who know him best.” Mitt Ro mney is sma rt, successf ul a nd exceptionally well-educated. He is b y all r e-

ports a r eally g ood h usband, fa ther, gra ndfather and friend. He is handsome and wellspoken, not completely unimportant factors. Yet in the most recent Pew Research national survey, when voters were asked “which presidential ca ndidate co nnects w ell wi th o rdinary Americans,” 66 p ercent named Obama and just 23 percent said Romney. One p ossible exp lanation co mes f rom a Republican f riend w ho co mpares t he c urrent ca mpaign t o a n o ld ad vertising st ory. In an effort to corner the U.S. dog food market, a pet food CEO assembled a team of the world’s b est ca nine n utritionists t o de velop the new dish and deployed the most brilliant packaging p eople t o p resent t he ne w p roduct. He hired a crack advertising team, which created a dog food jingle half the nation was humming, and using the best sales force, got the new dog food the best shelf placement in U.S. supermarkets. Sales of the new dog food were a bysmal. N obody co uld exp lain w hy. The a ngry ma nufacturer was disb elieving, until his secretary leveled with him: “The dogs don’t like the dog food.” That may be one explanation. COPYRIGHT 2012 MARK SHEILDS

Lawrence Kudlow: Mitt’s Take-Home-Pay Message

ne o f t he r easons M itt Ro mney a nd t he GOP fa iled t o g et a co nvention b ounce was t heir ina bility t o t alk t ax c uts, eco nomic growth and jobs. I n his 45-min ute convention speech, Romney spent 200 words on the economy, with no mention of tax cuts. It was the same for his running mate, Paul Ryan: no mention of tax cuts at the convention. In fac t, Ro mney a nd R yan didn’t t alk t ax cuts le ading u p t o t he co nvention, a nd t hey didn’t in the weeks that followed. This has hurt them in t he polls. They haven’t connected the dots between President Obama’s anemic economy and the Romney-Ryan solution to improve it. But, all of a sudden, there may have been an “aha” moment. In a “60 Minutes” interview this past Sunday, Romney did mention tax cuts, and take-home pay, too. Whoa. “Take-home pay” is an old Reagan line. The Gipper a ppealed t o middle-c lass v oters w ho

Oliver North: Useful Idiots Continued from p. 56

sive video and that there “was no intelligence about a ny t hreat in L ibya.” Of co urse, t hat narrative exonerates the administration from a failure to plan for radical Islamic “anniversary attacks” on Sept. 11. We now know that’s not what happened. As C atherine Herridge at Fox News dis covered, t here was in telligence about a p ossible terror a ttack in L ibya tw o da ys p rior t o t he event, a nd it was unr elated t o t he infa mous

clearly under stood t hat if y ou k eep mo re o f what you e arn, and your t ake-home pay goes up, that’s the benefit of a tax cut. Democrats lik e t o ha nd o ut g oodies b y spending mo re a nd p roviding mo re g overnment benefits. That’s the Obama story. But Republicans w ho win elec tions o ffer benefits to people through lower taxes. In supply-side terms, rising take-home pay is an incentive for more work, investment and risk-taking, since these activities pay more after tax and because the free market will distr ibute the mo ney, no t t he g overnment cen tral p lanners. And Mitt Romney may be coming around to t his vie w. Maybe i t’s pa rt o f his stra tegy t o “beef up” his message. On the side of his campaign b us, i t s ays “ take-home pa y a nd jobs.” Right on. And if Romney actually uses this language, he ca n put more meat on the bones by being more specific. Basically, his 20 percent tax-reduction plan takes the top rate down from 35 to 28 percent. These are the big investors who help fund new businesses and job creation. And yes, as liberals always p oint out, t heir t ake-home pay will g o up the most, by roughly $70,000 yearly. But politically, Romney can speak directly to the middle c lass and show them how much their take-home pay will go up, too.

For exa mple, a $70,000 middle-c lass fa mily w hose t ax bracket falls f rom 15 t o 12 p ercent will see a roughly $2,100 increase in takehome pay. That’s not nothing. Mortgage. Tuition. Car payments. A married couple earning $143,000 w hose tax ra te under Ro mney dr ops f rom 25 t o 20 percent will keep roughly $7,100 more in takehome pay. That’s good money. Or, to use Obama’s middle-class benchmark, a married couple earning $220,000 a year whose rate drops from 28 to 22 percent will save over $12,000. That ’s a big number. That very term, “take-home pay,” has a middle-class f eel t o i t. I t’s s omething f olks si tting around the kitchen table understand. Middleclass folks know what take-home pay means to their families. So w hat I ’m sug gesting is t hat Ro mney puts together specific examples of lower family tax rates and higher take-home pay. Specific exa mples. Pu t all t hose H arvard Ph.D .s in the Boston headquarters to work. They can do it to the penny. I’m just roughing it out here in broad strokes, using work from my friends Jim Pethokoukis and Douglas Holtz-Eakin. It’s really that simple. Talk up tax cuts, and connect them to Main Street families in t erms of t he after-tax do llars a nd cen ts t hey under -

stand. H igher t ake-home pa y. M ore financial security. More jobs. Repeat these over and over. And then add meat to the bones. For exa mple, t ell middle-c lass e arners t hat their t ax ded uctions will no t b e elimina ted o r even limi ted. Re assure t hem. Take t he Oba ma argument a way: mo re t ake-home pa y a nd no end to the child tax credit or other significant deductions. And then circle back to the top tax rates, the Obama class-warfare tax rates, and say, “Look, in return for marginal tax-rate reduction, which will add investment and small-business incentives, we are going to limit and then eliminate a variety of tax deductions that you won’t need at the ultra-low 28 p ercent top rate.” Were I G ov. Romney, I would mention a few, like the mortgage deduction, or the deductions for state and local taxes or interest-free municipal bonds. And if Romney doesn’t want to go that far, he can state that all tax deductions are on the table in return for your lower tax rate. This is pro growth. It’s fair. And i t’s something most f olks can understand. The moral of this story is nice a nd simple: middle-class t ax c uts, hig her t ake-home pa y, more prosperity, more jobs. Reagan made it that clear. Romney can do the same. COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

video. The House Permanent S elect C ommittee o n I ntelligence is in vestigating t he “discrepancies” b etween t he O-Team’s st oryline and the events on the ground. Ther e are a n umber o f addi tional q uestions t hat should be asked and answered: —Why was our ambassador to Tripoli in Benghazi on the eve of the 9/11 anniversary? —Who decided to delay placing U.S. Marine em bassy s ecurity gua rds a t o ur L ibyan diplomatic missions? —Who made t he decisio n t o ha ve o ur ambassador acco mpanied b y s uch a sm all personal security detail on the trip to Beng-

hazi, and when was it made? —Other than the Americans at the consulate, who else knew about the ambassador’s visit to Benghazi? If t he va unted Oba ma “ national s ecurity t eam” didn’t p repare adeq uately f or t he Sept. 11, 2012, a ttacks, the Congress and the American p eople des erve to know. But they can’t use “we just didn’t know” or the “spontaneous outrage” excuses for what happened on the night of Sept. 13-14 at Camp Leatherneck/Bastion. Nobody is s aying t hat t he w ell-executed assault that killed tw o U.S. Marines was a ny-

thing but well-planned. The enemy employed well-aimed indir ect fire, a utomatic w eapons and a suicide ass ault aga inst t he 1,600-acr e U.S.-British bas e in H elmand p rovince. The number of aircraft da maged and destroyed is staggering. We w ere t old t hat t he Ara b S pring was going to make things better. The Obama Nobel Prize said as much. But for all of what has transpired since S ept. 11, 2012, t here is o ne overriding q uestion t hat needs t o b e ask ed and answered: How could this happen? Even useful idiots should want to know. COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM 57

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Dropsmoke Helps People ‘KickThe-Habit’ here is no den ying t he p ernicious influence of cigarette smoking in our communities. The p ressures o f in tensive s chedules, lead t o a n ino rdinate n umber o f indi viduals to adopt this habit. Its pervasiveness tends to continually increase, as, desp ite their best efforts, a significant number of smokers remain unable t o kic k t he ha bit, e ven as neo phytes take it up. Attempts to combat the addiction with gum s a nd pa tches a re o nly minimall y successful, as t hey addr ess t he p hysiological component somewhat, but mostly ignore the

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YOM TOV PACKAGE!

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psychological elemen ts. The m yriad he alth risks, and even the lingering odor - is there to be no end to this vice? A r ecent s olution is t he b urgeoning industry of “e-cigarettes”; devices equipped with an atomizer, w hich vaporizes t he “ juice”, liquid f ormulas co ntaining nico tine, a nd o ften flavors, which mimic both the action and the effect o f smo king. The va riety a mong t hese e-cigs is vast, wi th b oth disp osable a nd r echargeable mo dels, ass orted flavors a nd nicotine le vels, a nd n umerous o ther va riables. Since the “smoke” is water vapor, the smell is faint, and dissipates quickly, rather than clinging t o c lothes, u pholstery a nd skin, lik e r eal cigarettes. Their success is ma rkedly gr eater than other quitting aids, although they are

Desert e Encampment PHOTO PULLOUT U

Simchas Beis HaShoeva 12 THINGS ABOUT…

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5772 In Review TISHREI: Rav Gedalia Eisman ZATZAL

The petira of the famed mashgiach of Kol Torah, H aGaon H aRav G edalia Eisma n Z ATZAL at the age of 101. B orn in Warsaw, he learned in Yeshivas Knesses B eis Yitzchok in the ci ty o f K aminetz under H aGaon H aRav B aruch D ov L eibowitz Z ATZAL. F rom there he learned for a period in Kletzk under HaGaon H aRav Aha ron K otler Z ATZAL. I t was there that he met HaGaon HaRav Eliezer Menachem Mann Shach ZATZAL, who was a rebbi in the yeshiva at the time.

Rav Velvel Eisenbach ZATZAL

HaRav Velvel Eisenbach was niftar on the second day of Rosh Hashanah 5772 at the age of 102. H e was a mong t he v eteran members of the neitz minyan at the Kosel over the past decades, a nd r egularly had hagba ’a o n Mondays a nd Thursdays. R’ Velvel is sur vived by over 1,200 descendants! Five of his sons were niftar during his lifetime. R’ V elvel co nducted him self r espectfully, a nd exhib ited a der ech er etz f or all w ho crossed his pa th. He always has a kind w ord for t hose w ho a pproached him, ep itomizing the old Yerushalmim. His levaya was held on erev Shabbos, second da y Rosh H ashanah a nd a small tzib ur was on hand, dressed in yomtov garb, escorting R’ Velvel to his final menucha.

Biden Foils Pollard Release

According t o r eports f rom W ashington, P resident B arak Oba ma was giving s erious co nsideration t o r eleasing Jonathan Pollard. Vice President Joe Biden p ut a n end t o t hat p rocess, adamantly o pposed t o gra nting P ollard clemency. It appears the VP met wi th a group of 15 rabbis in Florida towards increasing su pport in t he J ewish co mmunity. W hen t he vice p resident was ask ed why P ollard r emains in p rison, he r eplied “ President Oba ma was co nsidering clemency, but I t old him, ‘Over my dead body are we going to let him o ut before his time is u p,’” Biden reportedly told the group. “If it were up to me, he would stay in jail for life.”

MBD Announces His Last Album Jewish m usic leg end MBD a nnounces his last alb um, Kissufim, telling his a udience a round t he w orld t hat he is no t g oing t o p roduce addi tional alb ums in t he

future, b ut he will co ntinue t o p erform. He also announced plans to move to Eretz Yisrael after purchasing a ho me, which is under construction.

MBD’s f irst alb um was r eleased in 1973. When asked to what he contributes his success, he r esponded “ Siyata Dishmaya”.

MBD, who is referred to as the “undisputed king of Jewish music”, has r eleased thirty six albums. He also starred on more than 30 other albums. 61

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5772 In Review TISHREI:

Rebbitzen Batsheva Kanievsky A”H Rebbitzen B atsheva Kanievsky, t he wife of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita was suddenly niftar on Shabbos Chol HaMoed Sukkos 5772, while reciting tehillim. She was 79 y ear o ld. The nifteres was a da ugh-

ter to t he Posek HaDor, Maran Hagon R av Elyashiv. The L evaya was held o n M otzei Shabbos a t t he sh ul next t o t he K anievsky home on R ashbam Street, known as t he Lederman S hul. The kvura was in Z ichron Meir in Bnei Brak. Because of chol hamoed, there were no hespeidim. After her c hasnah t o R av Cha im Kanievsky, as the many visitors would come

to their home for brochos and advice, they began to realize t he sp ecial qualities of t he Rebbitzen, w ho p rovided a list ening e ar t o those in need, willing to listen and give brochos for those seeking comfort. Tens of t housands of wom en f rom around the world made the trip to Bnei Brak to meet wi th t he Rebb itzen, t o r eceive advice a nd b rochos. There a re t housands o f

miracle st ories a ttributed t o t he Rebb itzen as well. The Rebbitzen was in Yerushalayim just a few days before her sudden Petira, for what became her final visi t wi th her fa ther, M aran Rav Elyashiv. This took place on motzei Yom-tov Risho n. S he als o visi ted a b rother who was in a n ursing home, and together with Rav Chaim, they visited the Kosel.

Gilad Shalit Prisoner Release Deal a Reality IDF s oldier G ilad S halit is r eleased from H amas c ustody a fter o ver five years o f im prisonment in Gaza. The controversial de al b rought G ilad ho me alive, but not without having to release hundreds o f heino us t errorists, inc luding many with ‘blood on their hands’. Cheering cr owds gr eet S halit wh en he finally returns to his fa mily home in Mitzpe H ila a fter five y ears in ca ptivity. Less than a week after the Shalit deal, Egypt agrees to release dual AmericanIsraeli ci tizen Ila n G rapel in ex change for 25 Egyptians, and he reunites with his mother. Gilad has since disappeared from the spotlight, and has rarely been seen in public. Despite the public hungry for information, details of his five years of imprisonment have never been released to the public.

Jerusalem Light Rail Service is Underway After months of driver training, Jerusalem’s light rail became a reality, culminating years of disruptions caused by the construction project signed during the Olmert administration in Jerusalem City Hall. The first stage of the electric light rail service goes from Pisgat Ze’ev to the Kiryat Yovel area of the city. 62

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5772 In Review CHESHVAN: HaGaon HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel ZATZAL

Klal Yisroel was sho cked t o he ar o f t he sudden P etira o f H aGaon H aRav N osson Tzvi Fink el Z ATZAL, t he fa med M ir Rosh Yeshiva. R av N osson Tzvi suffered a ca rdiac arrest in his ho me, in t he e arly morning hours. The Rosh Yeshiva was b orn in Chicag o, Illinois o n M arch 12, 1943 t o E liyahu Meir Finkel. H e ma rried t he da ughter o f R abbi Beinish Finkel, who was t he son of Rabbi Eliezer Yehudah Finkel, and Sara Greineman. Rav Finkel himself was a direct great-grandson of the Alter of Slabodka. The levaya was extremely large as exp ected, compelling police to shut light rail service as participants in the levaya filled the Cords Bridge. Gedolei H ador inc luding M aran R â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Elyashiv attended the Levaya. Following t he S hiva, a n un precedented fundraising effort was la unched t o p ull t he worlds largest yeshiva out of serious debt. Despite s uffering f rom P arkinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s f or many y ears, t he Rosh Y eshiva tra veled t he world with extreme Misiras Nefesh, to f undraise on behalf of the Yeshiva.

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5772 In Review CHESHVAN: Tragic Petira Of Dani King Z”L & Eli Schonbrun Z”L

Petira Of Hagon HaRav Don Ungarisher ZATZAL

The Brooklyn community was shocked to learn of the tragic Petira of two Bochurim from the Waterbury Yeshiva, who were R”L killed in a car accident. They boys were returning from an off Shabbos in New York when the crash happened. Dani King Z”L, and Eli Schonbrun Z”L were R”L killed in the crash.

Klal Yisroel was once again shocked upon hearing of the sudden Petira of HaRav Don Ungarisher ZATZAL, the Rosh Yeshiva of Bais Medrash Elyon in Monsey. The Rosh Yeshiva had suffered a massive heart attack, and was rushed to the hospital by Hatzolah. He was Niftar shortly after. Rav Ungarisher was t he son-in-law of Hagon Rav Reuven Grozovsky ZATZAL, who was the founder of Yeshiva Bais Medrash Elyon. A massive Levaya was held at his Yeshiva in Monsey, followed by a large Levaya in JFK Airport. A third Levaya was held in Yerushalayim.

Hate Crimes Strike NY & NJ

of anti-Semitic incidents in New York. Not long after, the home of a New Jersey Rabbi was firebombed during the night. Bichasdei Hashem, there was no one injured in the attack. Tha nks to the good work of numerous police agencies, two suspects were arrested in t he New Jersey incidents.

Three ca rs a re s et a blaze in a he avily J ewish neig hborhood o f B rooklyn a nd a nti-Semitic graffiti is found painted on nearby sidewalks and benches. The incident is the first in a string

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5772 In Review TEVES: Violence Spirals Out Of Control In Beit Shemesh Thousands rally in the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh after a report that 8-year-old Na’ama Margolis was spat on by Charedim on her way to school for supposedly wearing immodest dress. The incident sets off a broad campaign to rein in religious extremism in Israel. Charedim rioters remove signs calling for the separation of men and women on city streets and clash with police. The media uproar intensified when Tanya Rosenblat, a young secular student, provocatively rode on a Charedi bus route and sat in the area designated for men. When one man asked her to go to the back of the bus, she acted as if she had b een stung by a bee, threatening to sing on the bus, and arousing uproar among the other passengers. The witch-hunt continued relentlessly with a Charedi father of 12, R’ Shlomo Fuchs, being thrown into jail for allegedly cursing a female soldier. The charge of harassment seemed utterly absurd, especially when the soldier, almost immediately afterwards, used her newfound publicity to launch a career in modeling, not the most modest of professions. Even the secular media divided this opportunism, stating that if any woman wants publicity she should get on a 49 bus, and sit in the front… The fiasco continued, with a protest endorsed by the Eida Chareidis held in Kikar Shabbos, against the growing discrimination against the chareidi tzibur at large. Many of the participants have a yellow star pinned to their outer garment.

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5772 In Review SHVAT: Greece Economic Crisis Despite a usterity me asures c hampioned b y G ermany, S tandard a nd P oor’s r eviewed t he credit rating of 15 European countries and reduced nine of them, impinging their ability to borrow. The countries clipped were France, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Cyprus, Austria, Malta, Slovenia and Slovakia. The untouched were Luxembourg, Finland, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands and Estonia. Greece, one of the instigators of the monetary catastrophe in Europe, faced extreme domestic cuts that brought 80,000 out in street protests. The government was narrowly able to negotiate viable debt restructuring.

ADAR: In Texas, Shabbos Trumps the ‘Semifinals’ Former After t hreatening a la wsuit a nd ma king na tion- President Katsav al he adlines, a J ewish hig h school in T exas is p ermitted Sentenced to r eschedule a st ate bask etball t ournament ga me th at to 7 Years conflicts wi th S habbat. The Robert M. B eren A cademy Imprisonment team goes on to prevail in its semifinal t ournament ga me before losing in the final. The tournament’s o rganizer, t he Texas A ssociation o f P rivate and P arochial s chools, had denied Beren’s requests to reschedule.

Following his convictions for violent assaults, former Israeli President Moshe Katsav was sentenced to seven years imprisonment f or his cr imes, b ecoming the first president in Israel’s history to be convicted and sentenced of such crimes while serving in office.

Obama AIPAC / IRAN

Petira Of Nadvona Rebbe ZATZAL

President Obama tells the annual gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that there is still time to use diplomatic means to prevent an Iranian nuclear weapon. Obama adds that that the military option remains on the table.

The Nadvorna Rebbe, Rav Yaakov Yissacher Ber Rosenbaum ZATZAL, was niftar on 7 Adar 5772, in Beilinson Hospital at the age of 82. The rebbe had suffered from a serious illness the last few months of his life. The Kevura was on Har HaZeisim aside the rebbe’s father, Rav Chaim Mordechai ZY”A.

Nadvorna Rebbe last Sukkos

Toulouse Terror Attack A gunma n o n a mo torcycle o pens fire o n a J ewish s chool in T oulouse, France, killing four p eople: R abbi Jonathan Sandler, his tw o young sons and the young daughter of the school’s principal. The shooter, Mohammed Merah, later dies in a st andoff with French police. The mass acre sho cks t he F rench community a nd t housands ma rch in memory. Two months later, t hree Jews are attacked in s outheast France, and a report by the French Jewish community’s p rotection s ervice co mes o ut s aying that the massacre encouraged more French anti-Semitic attacks. 66

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5772 In Review ADAR: Petirah of the Vishnitzer Rebbe ZATZAL The V ishnitzer Rebb e ZT ”L o f Bnei Brak was born on the 13th of Nissan 5676. H is father zt”l was t he Admor R av Cha im M eir kno wn as t he ‘Imrei Chaim’ who rebuilt the Vishnitz dynasty a fter t he c hurban o f W orld War II. The r ebbe’s a bilities b ecame e vident to his fa ther and others when he was a c hild. He regularly opted to remain a wake a t nig ht t o st udy Torah, unlike the other children. Upon his arrival in Er etz Yisrael he was a ppointed by his uncle the Damesek Eliezer to head the Yeshivas Vishnitz in Tel Aviv where t he r ebbe was in strumental in building t he Torah in stitution as w ell as t he b uilding o f K iryas V ishnitz in Bnei Brak. In those days people reported that the early risers on Sunday mornings in Bnei Brak would see the rebbe heading home, still adorned in his Bigdei Shabbos after sp ending the nig ht engulfed in limud at the Ponevezh Yeshiva. After t he p etira o f his fa ther t he r ebbe assumed t he ma ntle o f le adership, in 5732. S ince that time, tens of thousands s ought his b rochos, ad vice a nd warmth. He was a s ource of strength, encouragement a nd guida nce f or many of Klal Yisrael in addition to his chassidim. The rebbe became the head of t he M oetzas G edolei H aTorah o f Agudas Yisrael. The Rebbe is survived by his brother, t he V ishnitzer Rebb e o f M onsey and his sons Rav Yisroel, Rav Mendel, and daughters who are married to Rav Menachem Er nster (Rosh Y eshiva o f the Vishnitzer Yeshiva in B nei B rak), the Sa tmar Rebb e (K iryas Yoel), t he Belzer Rebbe, and the Rebitzen of the Skverer Rebbe (New Square). Known for his gadl us in b oth t he nigla a nd t he nist ar, t he Rebb e’s t efilos w ere sp ecial. S eeing him da vening, en gulfed in t he ac t o f co mmunicating with and beseeching HaKadosh Baruch Hu was a sig ht that many visited V ishnitz t o exp erience. S habbos with the Rebbe was an elevating reality for the Rebbe’s special love for Shabbos and Yomim Tovim was truly unique. Those close to the rebbe also stress how he held time in hig h r egard, always co ncerned wi th e ach mo ment, never chas v’sholom wasting any time. The rebbe was very active in kiruv, always placing the mission of returning lost neshamas to t he fold as a p rimary objective for him and his chassidim. Despite o f t he fac t t hat t he r ebbe returned t o T el A viv, he ne ver co mpromised shmiras einayim and despite being physically present in the city, he distanced himself f rom t he unwanted secularism that at times dominates the city. W hen his ga bbaim w ould es cort him t he r ebbe’s e yes w ere f requently closed, not wishing to s ee many of the painful realities that have become modern day Israel. 67

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5772 In Review IYAR: Petira of Hagon HaRav Chaim Pinchos Scheinberg ZATZAL Rabbi Scheinberg was born in 1910 in Ostrov, Poland, the second son of Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Scheinberg and Yuspa (Yosefa) Tamback. At age 9 t he R av Scheinberg moved with his family into a small apartment on the Lower E ast S ide, w here his mo ther gave birth t o twins, S hmuel a nd Cha na B aila. After briefly attending public school, he enr olled in t he Rabbi J acob J oseph S chool (RJJ), w here he studied until age 14. A t that time, R av Yaakov Y osef H erman, w ho influenced promising y oung J ewish men in N ew York Ci ty t o advance in t heir Torah le arning, encouraged him to transfer to R abbi Yehuda Levenberg’s Beis M edrash L eRabbonim y eshiva in N ew Haven, C onnecticut, w here no s ecular subjects w ere t aught. R av H erman als o decided that t he y outh w ould mak e a g ood h usband for his t hird daughter, B essie, w ho was t hen only 12 years old. By the time Rav Scheinberg left the yeshiva at the age of sixteen and a half, he was r egarded as a masmid a nd had alr eady made a siyum on Shas. At ag e 17 R av S cheinberg p rogressed t o Yeshiva U niversity’s R abbi I saac E lchanan Theological S eminary. There he le arned un-

der R abbis S hlomo P olachek (kno wn as t he “Meitcheter Il ui”), R av M oshe S oloveichik, and Rav Shimon Shkop. His Cha vrusas inc luded R av A vigdor M iller, R av Moshe B ick, R av Mordechai Gifter, and Rav Nosson Meir Wachtfogel, future Gedolei Yisroel of American Torah Jewry. When R av S cheinberg was 19, R av H erman suggested the Shidduch with his 17-yearold daughter and the Scheinbergs agreed. Hagon HaRav Boruch Ber Leibowitz ZATZAL, who was a guest a t the Herman home at that time, wrote out the tenaim. With the encouragement of his father-inlaw, Rabbi Scheinberg and his new wife spent their first five years of marriage in the town of Mir, B elarus (t hen Poland). They lived nextdoor to the yeshiva, where he immersed himself in le arning while his wife coped with the impoverished lifestyle. There was no r unning water, the only source of heat was an oven in the center of their apartment, and the unpaved streets w ere al ways m uddy. B essie, ho wever, encouraged her husband to grow in learning, and he de veloped a r eputation as o ne of t he yeshiva’s biggest masmidim. While in E urope, R abbi S cheinberg als o

learned at the Kaminetz yeshiva and received semicha from Rav Boruch Ber Leibowitz. In 1935 t he S cheinbergs r eturned t o America b ecause his Amer ican ci tizenship would have expired after more than five years abroad. Soon after his r eturn, he was o ffered the position of mashgiach ruchani of the Yeshiva Cho fetz Cha im in Queen s f ounded b y Rabbi Dovid Leibowitz. He served in that position f or 25 y ears, un til le aving t o o pen his own yeshiva, Torah Ore. Rabbi Scheinberg also became the Rav of Congregation Bakash Shalom Anshei Ostrov on the Lower East Side, where he gave shiurim to working men. With t he help and encouragement of his brother, R abbi S hmuel S cheinberg, a nd his son-in-law, R abbi Cha im D ov Al tusky, R av Scheinberg opened the Torah Ore yeshiva in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn in 1960. The y eshiva o pened wi th six st udents a nd grew st eadily, enr olling ma ny lo cal S ephardi boys w ho were attracted by S cheinberg’s Torah knowledge and warmth. The Scheinbergs treated t heir st udents as t heir o wn c hildren, raising money to marry them off and even pay their dentist bills.

In 1963 B essie’s sist er R uchoma visi ted their father in Israel and toured a planned Charedi housing development in northern Jerusalem called Kiryat Mattersdorf, which was being developed by the Mattersdorfer Rebbe, who was R uchoma’s neig hbor in N ew York. Upon her return, she told Bessie about her desire to buy an apartment there, and Bessie also expressed in terest in b uying a n a partment. Though Rabbi Scheinberg was skeptical about relocating his family and his American yeshiva t o Israel, he made a p ilot tr ip t o t our t he development and decided that it could work. The S cheinbergs, t heir da ughter F ruma Rochel and her fa mily, their son Simcha and his family, and over 20 of his Talmidim moved into their new homes in M ay 1965, a nd built a Makom Torah, and Yeshiva which has been the h ome t o th ousands u pon th ousands o f Talmidim over the years. Rabbi Scheinberg was famous for wearing many la yers o f Tzitzis. I n t he past he w ould wear about 150 pa irs, but recently, due to his fragile health, he only wore about 70 pairs. Although there is much speculation as to why he did this, it does not appear that anyone knows the reason.

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5772 In Review IYAR:

Petira of Hagon Harav Simcha Schustal ZATZAL The Ola m H aTorah was s addened t o learn o f t he Petirah o f H agon H arav S imcha S chustal Z ATZAL, t he Rosh Y eshivah of Beis Binyomin in Stamford, who was Niftar a t t he ag e o f 89. R av S chustal was Niftar at Kimball Medical Center in L akewood, NJ. Thousands o f p eople a ttended t he t hree Levayos held for Rav Schustal in the Tri-State area. The first was held in L akewood, where an estimated 10,000 t urned o ut f or t he L evaya. Maspidim w ere H aRav M alkiel K otler, Rosh Yeshiva BM G, H aRav S hmuel K amenetsky, Rosh Y eshiva Philadel phia Y eshiva, H aRav

Yeruchem Olshin, Rosh Y eshiva BMG, HaRav D ovid S chustal, Rosh Y eshiva BM G, a nd HaRav Y itzchok P erman, R”M in t he Philadelphia Yeshiva. The L evaya t hen p roceeded t o S tamford Connecticut, w here a n estima ted 3-5 t housand people attended. Maspidim were HaRav Meir Hershkowitz, Rosh Y eshivas B ais B inyomin o f S tamford, t he M attersdorfer Ro v (brother-in-law of the Niftar), HaRav Moshe Green, Rosh Yeshiva Yeshiva D’Monsey, HaRav Chaim Epstein, Rosh Yeshiva Zichron Melech, H aRav L ipa M argulies, Rosh Y eshiva Torah Temimah, HaRav Yeruchem Z eilberger, Rosh Y eshiva B ais Hatalmud, a nd HaRav

Shlomo F eivel S chustal, R osh Yeshiva Torah Temimah. The L evaya t hen p roceeded t o JFK Air port, w here M isaskim had a rranged f or t he massive crowd to gather at the parking lot of the o ld R amada Hotel. A H esped was deli vered by t he Novaminsker Rebb e. Ther e were approximately 3,000 p eople a t t he L evaya in the airport. The Levaya in Er etz Yisroel took place at Yeshiva Bais Shmuel, on Rechov Ponim Meiros in Yerushalayim. The Kevura was o n Har HaZeisim. Rav Schustal is sur vived by his rebbetzin, a daughter of the previous Mattesdorfer Rov

ZATZAL, as well as a large family of roshei yeshiva, ma rbitzei Torah a nd t almidei c hachomim. Rav S imcha has t hree s ons: R av D ovid Schustal, Rosh Y eshiva BM G, R av S hlomo Feivel S chustal, Rosh Y eshiva T orah T emimah, and R av Tovia S chustal, R”M in Yeshiva Ateret Torah. His daughters are married to Rav Yerachmiel Ungarischer, Rosh Yeshiva Nachlas Yisroel in L akewood, R av Binyomin Halpern, a Morah D ’asra in L akewood, R av Yeruchem Zeilberger, Rosh Y eshiva a t B ais H atalmud and R av M ichoel B ender, R”M in t he S tamford Yeshiva.

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5772 In Review SIVAN: Internet Asifa At CitiField A cr owd o f 40,000 Cha redim men ga thered a t Ci tiField (A N ew York Ci ty ba seball stadium) to hear Gedolim decry the corrosive impact of the Internet. In speeches in English and Yiddish, the Rabbonim des cribe the Internet as im pure, a t hreat t o mo desty a nd a distraction from Torah study. Organizer had t o q uickly r ent t he ne arby Ar thur Ash Stadium, to s eat an additional 10,000 people. Since t he A sifa, t here ha ve b een simila r gatherings in j ust a bout e very sin gle F rum community around the globe. Thousands o f p eople ha ve since signed up for proper Internet filters, and have taken extreme me asures t o p rotect t heir s ouls a nd homes from the dangers of the Internet.

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5772 In Review SIVAN: Shechita Under Attack in Europe

Supreme Court Rules On Immigration

On May 10, 2011 the European Parliament ruled to outlaw shechita. This impacts both kosher ritual slaughter and the Muslim halal. Animal rights activists insist shechita is inhumane and animals must be stunned or some other measure taken so the process may be seen as humane. The ruling also demands that meat labeling include the method of slaughter of the animal. The new labeling regulation will also demand listing the country of origin of animal, where it was raised and slaughtered and if it was stunned prior to shechita. A major problem is t hat this will r esult in t he loss o f the non-kosher market buying the hindquarters, and the options remaining is to perform shechita outside of the EU or to dump the hindquarters, which would make the meat unaffordable. The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe took the position in 2002 t hat “the practice of slaughtering animals without prior stunning is unacceptable under any circumstances” and the issue has gradually become more central for animal welfare campaigners, and for politicians. Shechita is ba nned in a n umber of countries including Sweden, Norway, Switzerland and Iceland. Interestingly Jewish and Muslim leaders seem to find themselves on the same side, concerned with the possibility of a new global trend.

The Supreme Court struck down an Arizona provision that would have forced immigrants to carry registration documents with them at all times. It nullified the state’s bid for prison sentences for illegal immigra nts who seek employment, as f ederal law only penalizes employers from hiring them. The court also refused to grant leeway for state police to arrest immigrants suspected of a crime. However, it did allow the status check. Police can now ask those they stop for an unrelated crime if they are legal residents or not.

Supreme Court Upholds ObamaCare

Egypt Elects New President Mohamed Morsi Isa El-Ayyat became the fifth President of Egypt. First elected to the Egyptian Parliament in 2000, he had been one of the leaders of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood. His party had stood in opposition to the ruling majority for years, and suddenly became the dominant stream in 2011 w hen the group found legal s anction after the successful revolution that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak. Morsi holds less p ower than his p redecessor. He is said to be the public relations arm of Mohamed Tantawi, who is the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, and true Egyptian arbiter. According to the LA Times, “Morsi is determined to herald an era of political Islam, which the generals view as a threat to Egypt’s international stature as well as to their personal and business interests.”

The S upreme co urt u pheld Oba maCare, the Affordable Care Act, in a 5-4 v ote. Justices decided the primary concept within the bill is a tax, which places it within powers constitutionally gra nted t o co ngress. According t o Forbes, t he most exp ensive me asures in t he bill will ac tivate in 2014. This includes rising premiums t o hel p finance incr eased he alth coverage, heightened state Medicaid covering those with incomes reaching 133% of the federal poverty level, and a new surtax on incomes over $200,000, plus a 3.8% tax on unearned income, such as stocks.

Report Confirms Israel & U.S. Created Stuxnet A New York Times report confirms long-held suspicions that Israel and the United States collaborated to develop a computer virus to derail Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The Stuxnet virus was jointly developed by the Israeli military and the U.S. National Security Agency, according to the Times.

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5772 In Review TAMUUZ: Petira Of Maran Rav Elyashiv ZATZAL Klal Yisroel suffered a s erious blow with the passing of the Gadol HaDor, Maran Hagon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv ZATZAL. Rav Elyashiv was 102 years old at the time of his Petira. More than 300,000 yidden ga thered for the Levaya in Yerushalayim - t he la rgest L evaya e ver r ecorded in history. The Gadol HaDor has been hospitalized for 6 months, and had been placed on a respirator. Rav Elyashiv, the leader of Torah Jewry, upon whose frail shoulders rested the most intricate of Halachic decisions and rulings, was niftar in Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center, surrounded by family members and rabbonim who were close to the posek hador. Rav Elyashiv was b orn according to most r ecords on April 10, 1910, a ma ternal grandson of Mekubal Rav Shlomo Elyashiv, known as the Leshem. His father was Rav Avraham E lyashiv, c hief ra bbi o f Homel, a nd his mo ther was Chaya Musha. The posek hador was an only child, born to his parents after 17 years of marriage. Interestingly, the shidduch for the rav was arranged by Israel’s first chief rabbi, HaRav Yitzchak HaCohen Kook zt”l, and the rav was married to the daughter of the Tzaddik of Yerushalayim, Sheina Chaya Levine, a daughter of Rav Aryeh Levine zt”l in 1929. They had five sons and seven daughters. One son died of an illness at a young age. His daughters all married prominent Rabbinic scholars. The eldest da ughter, B at S heva A”H was ma rried t o HaGaon HaRav Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky. The second, Sarah, is t he wife of the late Rav Yisroel Yosef Yisroelson, head of the “Bar Shaul” Kollel in Rechovot. The third, Ettil, is t he wife of Rabbi Elchanan Berlin, Rabbi of the “Achvah” shul. The f ourth, S hoshana, is ma rried t o R abbi Yitzchok Zilberstein, Chief Rabbi of Ramat Elchanan in Bnei Brak. The fifth, Leah, is the wife of Rav Azriel Aurbach, the son of Hagon HaRav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach ZATZAL. The sixth, Gittel, is ma rried to Rabbi Binyamin Rimmer, Rosh y eshiva at the Tshebiner Yeshiva in J erusalem and at the Kiryat Melech Yeshiva in Bnei Brak. A s eventh da ughter, Ri vkah, was tragicall y killed b y Jordanian shelling in 1948. As a y oung man, R av E lyashiv s erved as a da yan on the Chief R abbinate S upreme C ourt, r esigning in 1972. That was his last position connected to a state institution. After H aGaon H aRav S hach ZT ”L was niftar, Rav Elyashiv assumed the mantle of leadership as the Manhig and Posek HaDador. The rav’s more popular seforim include “Kovetz Teshuvos” and “Divrei Aggadah”. His Halachic r ulings ha ve im pacted t he g eneration, a nd a re t he guiding light for many issues that were yet uncharted territory in a mo dern high tech world that presented questions demanding his unique expertise, his profound grasp and understanding of Torah and Halacha, t he nig la and nistar, that only he possessed, along with the Siyata Dishmaya that enabled him t o serve Am Y israel for so many decades. Those a round R av E lyashiv r eport t hat his r igorous daily s chedule of davening and le arning rarely changed, and this left a mere 4-6 hours daily for sleeping and other matters. Despite his advanced age and illness, the rav continued responding to Halachic inquiries f rom rabbonim around t he world, e ven giving shiurim and maintaining his position as the leader of world Jewry. He never passed up the opportunity to be a s andek when conditions permitted, even in his last weeks, in a significantly weakened state, he would not pass up this cherished mitzvah. As is the way of gedolim in Eretz Yisrael, the rav maintained a modest lifestyle to put it mildly, far removed from the comforts of this physical world. He lived in his humble home at 10 Chanan Street in Meah Shearim, and this is where he met wi th leading rabbonim from around the world w ho s ought his ad vice o n H alacha a nd hashka fa matters. 72

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5772 In Review TAMUUZ: Bris Mila Under attack in Germany

Tal Law Expires; Chareidim May be Drafted Into IDF The “Tal Law” was the law formulated by the state-appointed committee headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Tzvi Tal in 1999. The law was the basis for granting draft deferments to bnei yeshiva, permitting them to continue learning in yeshiva gedola and kollel rather than enter into the IDF. The law also served as the basis for the Hesder Yeshivot and for Israeli Arabs avoiding military service. This law was passed in July 2002, a temporary law, one that had to be renewed every five years. Petitions were filed with the high court in 2005 c laiming the Tal Law defies laws demanding equality for all citizens. The law was renewed again in 2007 for an addition 5 years, but on February 21, 2012, the High Court of Justice responded to mounting petitions, declaring the Tal Law illegal as o f the end of July 2012. Since August 1, 2012 t here is no la w providing a framework for the 60,000 avreichim, hesder yeshivot students, and Israeli Arabs.

In J uly 2012, a G erman co urt in C ologne ruled t hat pa rents ma y not ha ve t heir s ons cir cumcised o n r eligious grounds – sim ply st ated, ba nning b ris milah. As a r esult, a mo hel performing b ris milah may face cr iminal p rosecution and civil ac tion. One of these mohelim is Rabbi D avid G oldberg, originally from Israel, he moved t o G ermany t o become the mohel to the growing Jewish community, alb eit ma ny no nfrum. Rabbi G oldberg, t oday facin g cr iminal a nd civil suits remains undeterred, vowing to continue with his shlic hus. He explains t hat is w hy he arrived in G ermany and he remains committed to giving any Jewish child a bris at the behest of parents. The co urt’s decisio n appears t o have led t o a mixed r esponse, a n increase in a nti-Semitism in addi tion t o a n o utpouring of support from the local non-Jewish community, including a protest in w hich thousands of non-Jews wore yarmulkes in a sign of solidarity with their Jewish neighbors. Israeli government officials have become involved as well, including Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yonah Metzger but unfortunately, it appears a visit by the latter and his statements to the media had an adverse effect on the situation.

Bulgaria Terror Attack On Wednesday July 18, 2012 (28 T ammuz 5772), a suicide bomber blew himself up in an Israeli tourist bus in Sa rafovo Airport in B urgess. O ver 30 p eople were injured, some seriously. The location of the attack was about 400km (240 miles) e ast of t he Bu lgarian c apital of S ofia. Burgess has b ecome a p opular Israeli vacation site during the summer mo nths. MD A, Z AKA, IDF a nd I srael P olice o fficials, physicians and other professionals and crime scene experts were flown to Bulgaria to assist in t he investigation a s w ell a s wi th patient care. Their b odies o f t hose m urdered were flown to Eretz Yisroel for Kvura. Israelis m urdered in t he a ttack HY”D: Kochava Shriki, 44, of Rishon L’Tzion Elior Preis, 26, of Akko Amir M enashe, 27, o f P etah Tikvah Yitzchak K olangi, 28, o f P etah Tikvah Maor Harush, 26, of Akko Said Fashapshe, 36, of Haifa 73

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12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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5772 In Review AV:

Siyum HaShas Nearly 100,000 Jews pack New Jerseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MetLife Stadium for the largest Siyum HaShas celebration in Jewish history. This was the 12th Siyum HaShas of the Daf HaYomi. Hundreds of Siyumei HaShas were held around the globe as well.

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5772 In Review AV:

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5772 In Review Elul: Petirah of Shomrei Emunim Rebbe ZATZAL

Romney & Ryan Receive GOP Nomination

The Shomrei Emunim Rebbe had suffered a cardiac arrest on Isru Chag Shavuos 5772, from which he never fully recovered. His condition deteriorated until his Petira at the age of 89. The Rebbe led his unique brand of Avodas Hasehm for the last 65 years in Bnei Brak and Yerushalayim. The Levaya was held first in Bnei Brak, followed by a Levaya in Meah Shearim. He was buried alongside his father the Bal Shomrei Emunim.

Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, announced his race for the White House on June 2, 2011. On Aug. 11, 2012 he announced his running mate to be Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan. At the National Republican Convention held in Tampa Bay, Florida, Romney accepted the Republican nomination for U.S. President against incumbent Barak Obama. At the Republican National Convention, Romney warns that President Obama’s approach to the Iranian nuclear issue has left Americans “less secure.” Romney accuses Obama of having “thrown allies like Israel under the bus.” Rabbi Meir Soloveichik delivers the opening invocation.

Last Bochur Imprisoned in Japan, Released

Yarmulka Mob In Berlin

Yaakov Yosef G reenwald, t he last o f t he 3 B ochrim w ho w ere im prisoned in J apan was Boruch Hashem released from prison, to serve the remainder of his sentence in an Israeli jail. Back in J une 2012, Yaakov Yosef signed t he papers that cleared the way for his r eturn to Eretz Yisrael, to hopefully bring his ordeal to an end. The good news, came as a surprise to many who had been praying each day for Yakov Yosef ben Raizel. Yaakov Yosef was brought to the airport and handed over to two Israeli police officers who were waiting by the entrance of the plane. Yaakov Yosef is the third of the three Israeli bochurim who were arrested back in the spring of 2008 for carrying drugs in the false bottom of suitcases. The bochurim had been duped by a member of their own community. Two leading Askonim on the case told YWN, that Yakov Yosef has with great mesirus nefesh continued his shiurei torah diligently, and had in fact completed Masechta Shabbos just one day before his release. Reb Aron Nezri (London) and Reb Meilech Bindinger (Antwerp) were on the phone with Yakov Yosef ’s father (Bnei Brak), monitoring in r eal-time Yakov Yosef ’s release f rom his ja il compound and transfer to the immigration center where procedures for his tra nsfer to Eretz Yisroel are carried out. During the conference call while Yakov Yosef was at the immigration center, they were alerted that Yakov Yosef now had the opportunity to speak to his father for just half a minute. For the first time in four and a half years, Yakov Yosef held a telephone to his ear, and with fervor said “Boruch Matir Asurim” to which his father emotionally answered “Amen”! The multitudes of concerned yiden across the globe who davened for Yakov Yosef and never ceased to forget his suffering; the thousands of Yidden who contributed towards the efforts to gain Yakov Yosef ’s release, wrote letters of chizuk to Yakov Yosef, accepted upon themselves resolutions in Yakov Yosef ’s merit, now rejoice alongside his dear family.

Young Jews, Christians and Muslims, including lo cal celebrities and p oliticians, don yarmulkes to participate in a flash mob on the streets of Berlin in response to an attack on a local rabbi, Rabbi Daniel Alter. The Rabbi sustained a fractured mandible, requiring surgery. The attack occurred in front of his young daughter, who escaped physical injuries B”H. The Rabbi told local police his attackers appeared Arab. The attack was also denounced by Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit, calling on residents to join him at the rally at the location of the attack in a showing of solidarity.

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12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

5772 In Review Elul: Canada Pulls Out Of Iran

NYC Regulates Bris Mila

Canada closes its embassy in Tehran, lists Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism, and expels all Iranian diplomats from the country.

For the first time in t he Unites States, New York City’s Department of Health voted in favor of a governmental regulation on the process of Bris Milah. While the Department of Health did not issue a ban on the practice of metizitzah b’peh, it certainly coincides with moves in European countries who have already taken the steps toward restricting or banning the mitzvah of Milah. The city is expected to implement a regulation that would require parents to sign a ‘consent form’ indicating that they are aware of the risk of herpes transmission and the potential risk it may cause to the infant as a result of metzitzah b’peh.

YWN Launches Newspaper!

expanded Israel news and insight from our team of reporters around the world. Yeshiva World News is c urrently being distributed to the entire Flatbush and Boro Park communities, with plans to rapidly expand. We have exciting ideas which we hope to implement in the next few weeks, and we look forward to receiving your feedback. Please note that per our Das Torah the editorial board at YWN will not be publishing a weekly editorial column. Rather,

YWN makes history by expanding from Internet to print! Since our inception almost eight years ago, Yeshiva World News (YWN) has become a household name among hundreds of t housands o f f rum yidden a round t he g lobe w ho r ely o n us for breaking news, free of loshon hara and adhering to the highest st andards o f mo desty. The YWN THE LATEST ON NEXT WEEKS POLITICAL RACES - PG 8 web pag e has b een loaded a n ast ounding 760 MILLI ON times since w e la unched. The si te a verages a pproximately 7 million page views each month, and, Boruch Hashem, co ntinues gr owing by le aps a nd The Most Read Frum News in the World bounds. 27 E 5772 | P N |S 14, 2012 V .1N .2 You ma y b e askin g: wi th a successFirst Time In USA’s Jewish Mayor Disrespects Torah ful website, why start a w eekly newspaper History: Bris Milah Now Judaism On Eve Of Rosh Hashanah when there are so many other Jewish pubRegulated by Government lications? M While we have long wished to provide everyone with access to YWN in print, following t he hig hly successf ul I nternet A sifa a t Ci tiField, le ading G edolim w hom we co nsult wi th enco uraged us t o ena ble those who do no t have Internet – o r have removed I nternet f rom t heir ho mes - t o read YWN. They also feel that in addition to adults, there are many children who will Legalized Gambling Is Jacob Ostreicher Being No Lulav Shortage Expected Coming to a Neighborhood Used As Political Pawn? This Year in Israel be protected from the dangers of the InterNear You! net if they can read YWN on paper as opI D posed to online. C We value bringing you the latest news, and ha ve c hosen t o p ublish o ur ne wspaper as la te in t he w eek as p ossible t o ensure f resh st ories b efore S habbos. As y ou will s ee, o ur p rint edi tion is m uch mo re expansive t hen o ur o nline edi tion, a nd WIN As a father of Yeshiva will continue YWN’s tradition of breaking 2 students Tuition TICKETS relief is a personal news, in-depth political reporting and fasTO issue for Ben. GET RESULTS FLORIDA cinating co mmunity in terest st ories. A dChasidus Chazzanus haz azza zanu za nuss nu ADVERTISE WITH YWN! VOTE ditionally, we will h ave sections for weekADS@THEYESHIVAWORLD.COM CALL 718-305-6020 ly halac ha & pa rsha, a c hildren’s s ection, LUL

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we will be publishing your letters and feedback, so feel free to send them to us. Finally, we’re starting a new feature. If there is a story that you would like reported, tell us about it! If it meets our editorial standards we will g ladly write about stories that are of interest to the community. Thank you for being such loyal readers. We look forward to many years of sharing news and simchas together. - The Editors

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The Most Read Frum News in the World 20 ELUL 5772 | PSRSHAS KI SAVO | SEPTEMBER 7, 2012

VOL. 1 NO. 1

Last Bochur Released From Japan Prison

!§£² « ²£´¨ ¤ ²

By Jacob Kornbluh

By: Eliezer Stern

ayor Bloomberg’s latest assault and infringement of religious freedom, is being verbalized by great outrage and further disappointment of the Jewish Mayor our community supported in three election cycles, and worrisome of what is next. For the first time in the Unites States, New York City’s Department of Health voted on Thursday in favor of a governmental regulation on the process of Bris Milah. While the Department of Health did not issue a ban on the practice of metizitzah b’peh, it certainly coincides with moves in European countries who have already taken the steps toward restricting or banning the mitzvah of Milah. The city is exp ected to implement a regulation that would require parents to sign a ‘consent form’ indicating that they are aware of the risk of herpes transmission and the potential risk it may cause to the infant as a result of metzitzah b’peh. On Wednesday morning, a n umber of Ultra-Orthodox and Chasidic leaders including Harav Asher Anshi Katz of Vien, Harav Yisroel Belsky of Torah Vodaath, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel of Agudas Yisroel and R abbi Moshe D ovid Niederman of Satmar met wi th Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs, Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson and Health Commissioner Tho mas Farley.

Yaakov Yosef G reenwald, t he last o f t he t hree B ochrim w ho w ere im prisoned in J apan, has B oruch Hashem been released from prison, to serve the remainder of his sentence in an Israeli jail. Back in J une 2012, Y aakov Yosef signed t he pa pers that c leared t he wa y f or his r eturn t o Er etz Y israel, t o hopefully bring his ordeal to an end. The good ne ws, w hich came as a sur prise t o many, began spreading on Wednesday morning. The b oy t hat thousands had b een praying for each day - Yakov Yosef ben R aizel - was finally placed onto a flight he ading to Eretz Yisroel. At the time that he signed t he papers, YWN had reported that due to the complexities of the case and dealing wi th t he J apanese g overnment, his a rrival was no t likely to be announced ahead of time, but rather it was to be announced after the fact to avoid, chas v’sholom, doing anything that might prevent the transfer. This appeared to be the case, and the apparent reason that his transfer was kept so quiet.

Continued on p. 6

By Jacob Kornbluh

By: Yechiel Spira

asinos may be coming to Brooklyn to a neighborhood near you.

n a race that didn’t seem to become a race, 20 year old assembly candidate Moshe Tischler, did the unexpected – he got his opponent 62 year old Assemblyman Dov Hikind to recognize his existence. Tischler, who has b een alive for 10

espite the cessation of imports from Egypt, a lulav shortage is not expected in Israel this ye ar. Nevertheless, the chareidi me dia has alr eady begun the h ype, w ith headlines such as: “ No im ports fr om el-A rish – Sho rtage E xpected!”

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Thursday, September 13

ISSUE 87 SEPTEMBER 12, 2012 25 ELUL, 5772

AMI AT THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION

THE TALMUD IN DUTCH

UMAN SAVED A DEAD MAN

CALLING PEOPLE NAZIS

RAV ZEV LEFF ON SEGULOS

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Jew Could Face Death Row

By: Avraham Schwartz

By: Joshua Bains

New York City has mo re Jews than any other city in t he world. Ironically, it’s New York’s Jewish Mayor, Mike Bloomb-

To us, the age of 98 might seem a bit old to begin a new job – that is, unless that new job is the spiritual leadership of Klal Yisroel, a p osition now occupied by Hagaon Rav Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman shlit”a of Bnei-Brak.

Howard Bloomgarden, 44, is believed to be the only frum Jew facing capital murder charges in the United States today. Rabbi Joe Labin of Dror, a p risoner aid group, is le ading a campaign for Howard’s defense. Rabbi Labin says that good

Continued on p. 30

Continued on p. 31

Continued on p. 33

By Jacob Kornbluh

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Remarks of President Barack Obama at the United Nations General Assembly Continued from p. 9

made i t c lear t hat t he United S tates g overnment had nothing to do with this video, and I believe its message must be rejected by all who respect our common humanity. It is an insult not only to Muslims, but to America as well – for as the city outside these walls makes clear, we a re a co untry t hat has w elcomed p eople of e very race a nd r eligion. We a re ho me t o Muslims who worship across our country. We not only respect the freedom of religion – we have la ws t hat p rotect indi viduals f rom b eing harmed because of how they look or what they believe. We understand why people take offense to this video b ecause millions of our citizens are among them. I kno w t here a re s ome w ho ask w hy w e don’t just ban such a video. The answer is enshrined in our laws: our Constitution protects the right to practice free speech. Here in t he United States, countless publications provoke offense. L ike me , t he majority of Amer icans are Christian, and yet we do not ban blasphemy against our most sacred beliefs. Moreover, as President of our country, and Commander-in-Chief of our military, I accept that people a re g oing t o call me a wful t hings e very day, and I will always defend their right to do so. Amer icans have f ought a nd died a round the globe to protect the right of all p eople to express their views – e ven views that we disagree with. We do s o no t b ecause w e su pport ha teful speech, but because our Founders understood t hat wi thout suc h p rotections, t he capacity of each individual to express their own views, a nd p ractice t heir o wn fa ith, ma y b e threatened. We do so because in a diverse society, efforts to restrict speech can become a tool t o silence cr itics, or o ppress minorities. We do so because given the power of faith in our li ves, a nd t he passio n t hat r eligious differences ca n inflame, t he st rongest we apon against hateful sp eech is no t repression, it is more speech – the voices of tolerance that rally against bigotry and blasphemy, and lift up the val ues o f under standing a nd m utual r espect. I know that not all countries in this body share this understanding of the protection of free sp eech. Yet in 2012, a t a time w hen anyone wi th a cell p hone ca n sp read o ffensive views a round t he w orld wi th t he c lick o f a button, t he no tion t hat w e ca n co ntrol t he flow of information is obsolete. The question, then, is how we respond. And on this we must agree: there is no sp eech that justifies mindless violence. There are no words that excuse the killing of inno cents. There is no video t hat justifies an attack on an Embassy. There is no sla nder that provides an excuse for people to burn a restaurant in Lebanon, or destroy a school in Tunis, or cause death and destruction in P akistan. More b roadly, t he e vents o f t he last tw o weeks speak to the need for all of us to address honestly t he t ensions b etween t he West a nd an Arab World moving to democracy. Just as we cannot solve every problem in t he world, the United States has not, and will not, seek to dictate the outcome of democratic transitions abroad, a nd w e do no t exp ect o ther nations to agree with us on every issue. Nor do we assume t hat t he violence of t he past w eeks, or the hateful speech by some individuals, represents the views of the overwhelming majority of Muslims– any more t han t he vie ws of the people who produced this video represent those of Americans. However, I do b elieve t hat i t is t he ob ligation of all leaders, in all countries, to speak out f orcefully aga inst vio lence a nd extr emism. I t is time t o ma rginalize t hose w ho – 78

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

even w hen no t r esorting t o vio lence – us e hatred o f Amer ica, o r t he West, o r I srael as a cen tral p rinciple o f p olitics. F or t hat o nly gives co ver, a nd s ometimes mak es ex cuses, for those who resort to violence. That brand of politics – one that pits East against W est; S outh aga inst N orth; M uslim against Chr istian, H indu, a nd J ew – ca nnot deliver the promise of freedom. To the youth, it offers o nly fals e ho pe. B urning a n Amer ican flag will do no thing t o ed ucate a c hild. Smashing a part a r estaurant will no t fill an empty stomach. Attacking an Embassy won’t create a single job. That brand of politics only makes it harder to achieve what we must do together: ed ucating o ur c hildren a nd cr eating t he o pportunities t hey des erve; p rotecting h uman r ights, a nd ext ending demo cracy’s promise. Understand t hat Amer ica will ne ver r etreat from the world. We will bring justice to those who harm our citizens and our friends. We will st and with our allies a nd are willing to pa rtner wi th co untries t o deep en ties o f trade and investment; science and technology; energy and development – efforts that can spark economic growth for all of our people, and stabilize democratic change. But such efforts depend upon a sp irit of mutual interest and mutual respect. No government or company; no s chool o r N GO will b e co nfident working in a country where its people are endangered. For partnership to be effective, our citizens must be secure and our efforts must be welcomed. A politics based only on anger –one based on dividing t he world b etween us a nd t hem – no t o nly s ets bac k in ternational co operation, it ultimately undermines those who tolerate it. All of us have an interest in standing up to these forces. Let us remember that Muslims have suffered the most at the hands of extremism. On the same day our civilians were killed in B enghazi, a T urkish p olice o fficer was murdered in Istanbul only days before his wedding; more than ten Yemenis were killed in a ca r b omb in Sa na’a; and s everal Afg han children were mourned by their parents just days after they were killed by a suicide bomber in Kabul. The impulse towards intolerance and violence may initially be focused on the West, but o ver time i t ca nnot b e co ntained. The same impulses toward extremism are used to justify war between Sunnis and Shia, between tribes and clans. It leads not to strength and prosperity but to chaos. In less than two years, we ha ve s een la rgely p eaceful p rotests b ring more c hange t o M uslim-majority co untries than a decade o f violence. Extremists understand this. And because they have nothing to offer to improve the lives of people, violence is their only way to stay relevant. They do not build, they only destroy. It is time t o leave the call of violence and the p olitics o f di vision b ehind. On s o ma ny issues, we face a c hoice between the promise of t he f uture, or t he prisons of t he past. W e cannot afford to get it wrong. We must seize this mo ment. And Amer ica st ands r eady t o work wi th all w ho a re willin g t o em brace a better future. The future must not belong to those who target C optic Chr istians in E gypt – i t m ust be c laimed b y t hose in T ahrir S quare w ho chanted “ Muslims, Chr istians, w e a re o ne.” The future must not belong to those who bully w omen – i t m ust b e sha ped b y girls w ho go to school, and those who stand for a world where o ur da ughters ca n li ve t heir dr eams just like our sons. The future must not belong to those corrupt few who steal a country’s resources – it must be won by the students and entrepreneurs; workers and business owners who seek a broader prosperity for all p eople. Those are the men and women that America stands with; t heirs is t he vision we will su pport. The future must not belong to those who

slander the prophet of Islam. Yet to be credible, t hose w ho co ndemn t hat sla nder m ust also condemn the hate we see when the image o f J esus Chr ist is des ecrated, c hurches are destroyed, or the Holocaust is denied . Let us condemn incitement against Sufi Muslims, and Shiite pilgrims. It is time to heed the words of Gandhi: “Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.” Together, we must work towards a world where we are strengthened b y o ur differences, a nd no t defined by them. That is w hat Amer ica em bodies, a nd that is the vision we will support. Among I sraelis a nd P alestinians, t he f uture must not belong to those who turn their backs on t he prospect of p eace. L et us le ave behind t hose w ho t hrive o n co nflict, and those w ho r eject t he r ight o f I srael t o exist. The road is ha rd but t he destination is c lear – a secure, Jewish state of Israel; and an independent, p rosperous P alestine. U nderstanding t hat suc h a p eace m ust co me t hrough a just agr eement b etween t he pa rties, Amer ica will walk alongside all who are prepared to make that journey. In Syria, the future must not belong to a dictator who massacres his people. If there is a cause that cries out for protest in the world today, it is a regime that tortures children and shoots r ockets a t a partment b uildings. And we must remain engaged to assure that what began wi th ci tizens dema nding t heir r ights does not end in a cycle of sectarian violence. Together, we must stand with those Syrians who believe in a different vision – a S yria that is united and inclusive; where children don’t need t o f ear t heir o wn g overnment, and all S yrians ha ve a s ay in ho w t hey a re governed – S unnis a nd Alawites; Kurds a nd Christians. That is w hat Amer ica st ands for; that is the outcome that we will work for – with s anctions a nd co nsequences f or t hose who p ersecute; a nd assist ance a nd su pport for t hose w ho w ork f or t his co mmon g ood. Because we believe that the Syrians who embrace this vision will have the strength and legitimacy to lead. In Iran, we see where the path of a violent and unaccountable ideology leads. The Iranian people have a remarkable and ancient history, and many Iranians wish t o enjoy peace and prosperity alongside their neighbors. But just as it restricts the rights of its own people, the I ranian g overnment p rops u p a dic tator in D amascus a nd su pports t errorist gr oups abroad. Time and again, it has fa iled to take the opportunity to demonstrate that its nuclear program is peaceful, and to meet its obligations to the United Nations. Let me b e c lear: Amer ica wa nts t o r esolve t his issue t hrough di plomacy, a nd w e believe th at th ere i s s till tim e a nd s pace t o do so. But that time is no t unlimited. We respect t he r ight o f na tions t o access p eaceful nuclear power, but one of the purposes of the United Nations is to see that we harness that power for p eace. Make no mist ake: a n uclear-armed Iran is no t a c hallenge that can b e contained. It would threaten the elimination of Israel, the security of Gulf nations, and the stability of t he g lobal economy. It r isks tr iggering a nuclear-arms race in the region, and the unraveling of the non-proliferation treaty. That is why a coalition of countries is holding the Iranian government accountable. And that is why the United States will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. We kno w f rom pa inful exp erience t hat the path to security and prosperity does not lie o utside t he b oundaries o f in ternational law and respect for human rights. That is why this institution was established from the rubble of conflict; that is w hy liberty triumphed over tyranny in the Cold War; and that is the lesson of the last two decades as well. History shows that peace and progress come to those who make the right choices.

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Nations in e very pa rt o f t he w orld ha ve travelled this hard path. Europe - the bloodiest battlefield of the 20th century – is united, free and at peace. From Brazil to South Africa; from Turkey to South Korea; from India to Indonesia; people of different races, religions, and traditions have lifted millions out of poverty, while respecting the rights of their citizens and meeting their responsibilities as nations. And it is because of the progress I’ve witnessed t hat after ne arly f our y ears as P resident, I am hopeful about the world we live in. The war in I raq is o ver, and our troops have come ho me. We ha ve b egun a tra nsition in Afghanistan, and America and our allies will end o ur wa r o n s chedule in 2014. Al Q aeda has b een w eakened a nd O sama bin L aden is no mo re. N ations ha ve co me t ogether to lo ck down nuclear materials, and Amer ica and Russia are reducing our arsenals. I’ve seen hard choices made – from Naypyidaw to Cairo to Abidjan – to put more power in t he hands of citizens. At a time o f eco nomic c hallenge, t he world has co me t ogether t o b roaden p rosperity. Through the G-20, we have partnered with emerging countries to keep the world on the path of recovery. America has p ursued a development ag enda t hat f uels gr owth a nd breaks dep endency, a nd w orked wi th Af rican le aders t o hel p t hem f eed t heir na tions. New partnerships have b een forged to combat c orruption an d prom ote gove rnment that is o pen a nd tra nsparent. N ew co mmitments have been made through the Equal Futures Partnership to ensure that women and girls can fully participate in politics and pursue o pportunity. And la ter t oday, I will discuss our efforts to combat the scourge of human trafficking. But w hat g ives me t he most ho pe is no t the ac tions o f le aders – i t is t he p eople I ’ve seen. The Amer ican troops w ho have r isked their lives and sacrificed their limbs for strangers half a w orld a way. The st udents in J akarta a nd S eoul w ho a re e ager t o us e t heir knowledge t o b enefit h umankind. The faces in a square in Prague or a parliament in Ghana w ho s ee demo cracy gi ving v oice t o t heir aspirations. The y oung p eople in t he fa velas of Rio and the schools of Mumbai whose eyes shine with promise. These men, w omen and children of every race and every faith remind me that for every angry mob that gets shown on t elevision, t here a re b illions a round t he globe w ho sha re simila r ho pes a nd dr eams. They tell us that there is a common heartbeat to humanity. So much attention in o ur world turns to what di vides us. That’s w hat w e s ee o n t he news, a nd t hat co nsumes o ur p olitical debates. But when you strip that all a way, people e verywhere lo ng f or t he f reedom t o determine their destiny; the dignity that comes with work; the comfort that comes from faith; and the justice that exists when governments serve t heir p eople – a nd no t t he o ther wa y around. The United States of America will al ways stand u p f or t hese asp irations, f or o ur o wn people, and all across the world. Tha t was our founding p urpose. That is w hat o ur hist ory shows. And that is what Chris Stevens worked for throughout his life. And today I promise you this – long after these killers are brought to justice, Chris Stevens’ legacy will live on in the lives he touched. In the tens of thousands who marched against violence t hrough t he str eets o f B enghazi; in the L ibyans w ho c hanged t heir F acebook photo to one of Chris; in t he sign t hat read, simply, “Chris Stevens was a friend to all Libyans.” They should give us hope. They should remind us that so long as we work for it justice will be done; that history is o n our side; a nd that a r ising tide o f lib erty will ne ver b e reversed. Than k you.

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YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

ĖĎēč ĦēĚĥđ

EAST MEETS WEST

Debuting the new MBC hit

ÂĘĐģĐÃ

ADAR & NOCHI KROHN BAND Performing Evenings Only

I KROHN

H THE NOC

BAND

@ the state of the art - millennium theatre 1029 brighton beach ave - Brooklyn

INTROD

UCING M

ENDY J

chol hamoed succos - wed oct 3 7:30pm & thurs oct 4 - 2pm & 7:30pm

Jewishtickets.com tix: vip $36, $30, $25, $18 Outlets: Eichler’s Flat. Hi-Tech BP Torah Treasures Lkwd Judaica Plus 5 Towns groups: 718-809-9744

Be a part of it! Live showing Thurs. eve. via Satellite to these major locations

NY-NJ satellite showings $12 in advance, $18 door / Listen online worldwide $8 BORO PARK

MONSEY

LAKEWOOD

MONTREAL Bais Yaakov Seminary Sep. showings men & women

MIAMI

Cong. Ohr Chaim & Cong. Sha’arei Ezra Lakewood H.S. RCC Auditorium Rieger Auditorium CHICAGO 855 Somerset ave. 145 College Rd. Bnos Zion 14th & 50th Cong. Sha’arei Tzedek TORONTO For women & girls only For women & girls only For women & girls only ATLANTA Clanton Park Synagogue Cong. Beth Jacob Thornhill Comm. Shul

this show will not be released on dvd

DETROIT Young Isr. of Oak Park CLEVELAND Hebrew Academy BALTIMORE Bnos Yisroel

PROVIDENCE Prov. Heb. Day School

DALLAS Ohr Hatorah RICHMOND Kenseth Beth Israel MINNEAPOLIS Pirchei 4221sunset blvd

TAMPA Young Israel of Tampa MEMPHIS Anshai Sphard SOUTH BEND Heb. Orthodox Cong. NORFOLK

420 Spotdwood ave.

Voting by phone / to see all locations & info or to listen live go to shirainu.org/917-200-2994

YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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A Look at Israel’s Economy & Chareidim in the Coming Decade By: Yechiel Spira

he Glob es sp onsored Chief Fina ncial Officers co nference in Eila t was host t o many p rominent figures in I srael’s b usiness community. One o f t he guest sp eakers was Sharon Kedmi, w ho s erves a dir ector-general of the Ministry of Industry & Trade. He is serving in the position since 2009. Kedmi f ocused his addr ess o n t he fac t that in the coming years, children in the chareidi a nd Ara b co mmunities will co mprise fifty p ercent o f t he na tion’s first grader s. I n his apolitical address he cr unched t he numbers based on the cold facts and figures of today’s co mplex hig h-tech w orld, a nd la ments the fac t t hat if t he c hareidi a nd Ara b p opulations continue to grow at the current rates, and the education of the children in these sectors remains what it is today, the situation will have deteriorated significantly for the nation’s economy as well as regarding Israel’s standing based on OECD nations. Some of the highlights of his remarks: In five y ears f rom t oday, o ne-half o f t he nation’s first grader s will b e either and Arab or chareidi. This is no t prophecy or speculation, but fact based on Interior Ministry data. Why does this interest us? Simply because 12 years later, some of them will b e entering the workplace but if w e continue with “business as usual ”, not only will I srael’s economy not be in the 21st or 22nd place (depends on rating o r Portugal), w e ca n c lose t he O ECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) rating entirely. Kedmi reminds us t hat prime minister’s goal is t o b e among the le ading 15 eco nomies by t he end o f t his decade. He is co nfident that this is a r ealistic goal, surprising as it may sound to many. Acceptance to t he OECD was in i ts own right a major accomplishment, and it was accompanied by two reports, a b lue and a y ellow. The b lue is t he o ne q uoted a nd usuall y viewed in photo ops with national leaders for it sings the praises of our economy. The s econd r eport, t he t hicker [y ellow] one followed the probe by 11 OECD committees, a p rocess t hat p receded I srael’s accep tance. It addressed different aspects of Israel’s economy. “This r eport ca rries ma jor significance, pointing to two economies in the country and in essence, two sectors. If this problem is not solved, we are headed for a bad place. The gap between the sectors is growing” warns Kedmi. Kedmi o pts t o dra w a n a nalogy f rom a funnel with t he b ottom narrow p ortion rep-

resenting t he w orkplace. A s t his co mponent is he althier, incr easingly hig h-tech a nd successful, it will sp read to all a reas. This is t he area the government is addressing. “I am not getting into the discussion of compelling ‘core subjects’ in s chools or not, but I a m addressing t he e ve o f o ne’s en tering t he w orkplace, and one having the tools to do so successfully. It does not matter is one has trained to be a programming engineer, a CPA or has studied philosophy. He must have the basic t ools to enter.” When Kedmi refers to ‘core subjects’ he is referring to the ongoing dispute between the Ministry of Education and the rabbonim shlita r esponsible f or c hareidi mos dos. W hile the secular state is pushing to compel chareidi mosdos which receive government funding to teach mathematics, science, and English on a level that will permit the students to pass state achievement exams, the chareidim remain tenaciously o pposed. This r efers to cl asses af ter ba r mi tzvah, w hen t he b oys in c hareidi schools in Er etz Yisrael drop all s ecular subject ma tter a nd f ocus s olely o n lim ud T orah. P roponents o f t he ministr y’s p lan in sist that a re in no wa y s eeking t o introduce f oreign subject matter into the chareidi schools, but t hey a re co ncerned r egarding t he a bility of young chareidi adult males to one day possess the tools to enter the workplace and they are willing to use government funding as t he leverage t o co mpel t his c urriculum. The directors of the mosdos however are unwilling to permit any state influence in their schools, determined to continue on the current path,

reportedly the path selected by gedolei yisrael shlita. Simply stated, the breakdown in any form of dialogue b etween t he in sulated c hareidi world and the secular government representatives has det eriorated to the point that even

with the threat of withholding budgetary assistance ha nging in t he bala nce, t here is no room f or co mpromise in t he e yes o f c hareidi leadership and therefore, the latter will not accept introducing the core subjects into the curriculum, a move they feel will be at the expense of limud Torah. Kedmi co ntinues b y st ating t hat a t p resent, this is not the case and core subjects are simply ignored. He is referring to the 50% of the first graders in five years, t he Arabs and chareidim. “If w e wish t o ma intain o ur c urrent eco nomic st atus, t he g overnment m ust create 700,000 jobs b y the end of the decade. This translates roughly to 100,000 jobs annually f or t he co ming s even y ears…In t he last decade, wi th t he hig h-tech b oom, w e ma naged t o cr eate 700,000 jobs. That m eans t o maintain t oday’s st atus; w e must add a n additional 700,000 jobs in t he co ming s even years.” He continues by explaining: • This entails 300,000 Arabs (ages 20-64), including 200,000 in the north. • 100,000 chareidim (ages 25-64) in the Jerusalem and Central areas. • 250,000 no n Ara b o r c hareidi em ployers (ages 25-64) throughout the country. • 50,000 additional employed based on predictions for those retiring and leaving the work-

place annually. (based on retirement at age 67) We must understand that in t he past, t he government invested 4.5% of R & D (Research and D evelopment) in to f uture de velopment, high-tech. We are known as the “start-up nation”. Kedmi feels that while this was true, it is no longer true today and the rate of government investment has dropped. China he points out, once mocked, has increased its R & D investment from 1.5% to 3% in the past five years and it continues to climb. One only needs to do the math, 3% of 10 trillion. The numbers are astonishing. “We are not a supermarket that can draw on all i ts contents, a nd t herefore, w e ca nnot compete wi th China, G ermany, India o r t he United States. We are a b outique nation, and there is the high-end where we compete well, but if w e do no t s afeguard t his, we will find ourselves in an unwanted position.” Kedmi f ears t hat t he gr owing n umbers of untrained and unskilled individuals is g oing to suffocate the successes of the past. This is without even addressing the alarming rate of students in the state public schools who do not ac hieve a ma triculation hig h s chool diploma. They are ne vertheless more educated than t he c hareidim a nd Ara bs acco rding t o

his findings. “If one takes a look as the NASDAQ, the blue-chip stocks, we are in a pretty good place today, but I am speaking about down the line. If one looks at the largest corporations in the world, most ha ve a de velopment center here in Israel. Most companies opted to open their second de velopment cen ter her e a fter establishing their main center in their native country. This is true of Google, Microsoft and dozens o f o thers. They under stand o ur a bilities and p otential in addi tion to t he government incentives” he adds. He feels that if we return to the 50% number again, w e must under stand t hat at s ome point in t he f uture, t hese y oung ad ults will want a part of the R & D b ut that requires an infrastructure and this will not exist. A n umber o f y ears ag o, t he g overnment invested in R & D, in the days it was an absolute priority. Kedmi feels there were a number of contributory factors, citing the wave of aliyah in t he 1990s, w hich he f eels s aved Israel’s economy. “One cannot deny the fact that the 1 millio n [hig hly ed ucated] ne w immigrants from the former Soviet Union, the immigrants with t heir advanced degrees, s aved our n ational eco nomy. Today’s ali yah i s n ot Continued on p. 88

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YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

BACKROOM DEALS Political Winners & Losers - Primary Edition by Dov Gordon

ehind t he s cenes d uring e ach elec tion there is another race – for power, privilege and b ragging r ights b y p oliticians a nd co mmunity leaders who do their best to influence votes in their respective communities for their favored candidates. It’s become something of a tradition for YWN’s political columnist to declare the winners and losers of this very inside game. Below is a list o f winners & losers from this past Primary Election.

Winners Rabbi David Niederman

After the fall of Vito Lopez there were some who were questioning whether the head of the Zali social-service empire still has it. He clearly does. In a hard-fought race R abbi Niederman delivered some 63% o f the vote for the irrelevant post of district leader. Irrelevant, that is, to the rest of the world but very important to Neiderman who proves that in a post-Vito world he is still a force to be reckoned with. Chris Olec howski, N iederman’s gu y, is holding on to a thin lead over Lincoln Restler. Restler even spun the loss by saying the he won every area except for one – Rabbi Niederman’s. This victory and his control over Councilman Steven Levin means Neiderman lives on to see another year as a major political player.

Far Rockaway’s Jewish Community

This community got a twofer: their ineffectual Council Member moved on to higher office and as a r esult there will no w be an open seat. Quashing t he sp eculation o ver w ho t he community w ould su pport f or NY C C oun-

cil, no w t hat C ouncilman James Sa nders has defeated S enator S hirley H untley, A ssemblyman Phil G oldfeder has made i t clear that he is uni ting Far Ro ckaway’s Jewish co mmunity behind his protege and staffer – Pesach Osina. Sources tell us t hat Goldfeder himself wanted to run for the seat but promised county leaders he would not. Sanders has endo rsed his o wn Chief of Staff, Donovan Richards, for the job setting u p a n ep ic battle b etween t he f utureSenator Sanders and Assemblyman Goldfeder.

Sephardic Community Federation

It’s not easy to win every race that you endorse in, but that’s exactly what the Sephardic Jewish community did. The united community went all out for Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz in his race f or r e-election. E very S ephardic ne wspaper a nd magazine endo rsed Cymbrowitz and the community mobilized a massive Get Out The Vote effort on Cymbrowitz’s behalf. Insider say that while the community genuinely likes Cymbrowitz, they went all-out at the b ehest of Speaker Sheldon Silver, making their victory all t hat more important. If there was a ny q uestion as t o ho w im portant t heir support was, C ymbrowitz’s margin of vic tory was 244 votes. There’s no question that without Cymbrowitz’s Sephardic support Ben Askelrod would be the Assemblyman-elect.

Councilman David Greenfield

Greenfield has emerged as one of the most important J ewish p olitical p layers in N ew York. I f t here was a ny do ubt t hat G reenfield was the man, that doubt was erased when less than 30 da ys ag o G reenfield decided t o su p-

port S hlomo M ostofsky aga ins D ov H ikind’s candidate, Charles Finkelstein for Civil Court Judge. In less t han a mo nth, Greenfield delivered a r esounding victory for Mostofsky who won nearly 50% in a t hree-way race a nd beat his closest competitor by 17 points. Even more impressive, Mostofsky won the Orthodox J ewish neig hborhoods o f t he Ci vil Court seat by a 4-1 ma rgin against Hikind’s candidate. Leave it to Greenfield to not let the success get to his head. Greenfield actually endorsed Hikind in the Democratic Primary telling his su pporters t hat H ikind was c learly a better choice t han his o pponent. Way to st ay classy, Greenfield!

Losers Dov Hikind

Sure, Dov won a r esounding victory over his 20 y ear o ld o pponent, M oshe T ischler. However, in the process he had to stoop to the level of his opponent’s banter and actually engage Tischler in bewildering conversation. What’s w orse, is t hat in t he ma in fight

that Dov had on Primary Day, for Civil Court Judge, his ca ndidate lost b y a la ndslide. D ov did everything in his power to help Civil Court candidate Cha rles Fink elstein inc luding gi ving him air time on Hikind’s popular Saturday night show for weeks before the election. That Finkelstein came in last place was bad enough, that he lost the Orthodox Jewish areas by a 4-1 margin t o G reenfield’s ca ndidate was sho cking.

Gregory Davidzon

Facing his second consecutive loss, Davidzon, the Russian media mogul, has to be reassessing the influence of his political operation. He was una ble to deliver the votes for his favored Assembly ca ndidate B en Aks elrod j ust as how he couldn’t deliver the Russians for Lew Fidler in his March Senate race. We’re told that at the largest Russian polling site, turnout was half o f what was D avidzon exp ected. The o nly co nsolation? G regory can redeem himself next y ear. We’re told Continued on p. 85

ohnh ,gca uca, ,fuxc Kimball Medical Center

600 River Ave. Lakewood N.J. 08701 732-363-1900

SUKKAH LOCATION: Ground Ńoor, next to Shabbos doors

HOSPITAL SUKKAH GUIDE

SUKKAH LOCATION:

St. Peters Medical Center 254 Easton Ave.

425 Jack Martin Blvd. Brick N.J. 08724 732-840-2200

SUKKAH LOCATION: Next to parking garage

Jersey Shore Medical Center

sponsored by St. Peters on Chol Hamoed Wed. Oct. 3 from 1 - 2pm

34th St. & Civic Center Philadelphia PA 19104 215-590-1000

SUKKAH LOCATION:

B Wing Physicians entrance

Will have sukkah

Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center

Monmouth Medical Center

1 Robert Wood Johnson Pl. New Brunswick, N.J. 08901 732-828-3000

Outside Childerns Hospital Library

1945 N.J. 33 Neptune N.J. 07753 732-775-5500

Brennen Povilion Outdoor Garden

Valley Hospital

Holy Name Hospital

732-745-8600

SUKKAH LOCATION:

Childerns Hospital of Pennsylvania

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Chol Hamoed Event

Ocean Medical Center

Burn Center 94 Old Short Hills Rd. Livingston N.J. 0703 973-322-5000

A project of

300 2nd Ave. Long Branch N.J. 07740 732-222-5200

SUKKAH LOCATION: Main Parking lot next to elevator

718 Teaneck Road Teaneck, NJ 07666 201-883-3000

SUKKAH LOCATION:

223 North Van Dien Ave. Ridgewood N.J. 07450 201-447-8000

Will have sukkah

Hackensack Hospital

Englewood Hospital

SUKKAH LOCATION:

Community Medical Center

SUKKAH LOCATION:

Will have sukkah

30 Prospect Ave. Hackensack N.J. 201-996-2000

Jewish Federation of West Orange: 750 Northłeld Ave. West Orange N.J. 07052 973-731-2020 1.1 mile walk from hospital, Sukkah is on the deck of Building #4, by car - park in JCC visitors parking. It will be the last building on the right. If walking - 1st building on left

99 Highway 37 West, Toms River N.J. 08755 732-557-8000

SUKKAH LOCATION:

Chabad of Toms River - 2001 Church Rd. (Mt. Carmel trafłc light) Toms River N.J. 08753, 6.6 miles from hospital. Sukkah is at end of driveway

350 Engle St. Englewood N.J. 07631 201-984-3000

SUKKAH LOCATION:

WFAN Pediatric Building ground Ńoor porch

Please feel free to copy and distribute this listings. For suggestions, corrections,additional copies or to volunteer your time to shake Lulav and Esrog with patients in the hospital please contact Chesed of Lakewood.

732-901-0482 or info@chesedoŃakewood.org

Beth Israel

Sukkah in the garden near the auditoriom

201 Lyons Ave. Newark N.J. 07112 973-926-7000

SUKKAH LOCATION:

Dr. Zemel 60 Vasar Ave. Newark N.J. 0.5 mile walk from hospital Sukkah on rear porch

YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE SAFETY FOR THE SUKKOT/SUKKOS CELEBRATION Sukkot/Sukkos is a time of family gatherings with special foods, songs, and customs. However, when hot water and candles are used, there is an increased risk for fires and fire related injuries. KEEP YOUR SUKKOT/SUKKOS HOLIDAY JOYFUL AND SAFE BY TAKING PRECAUTIONS. . CANDLE SAFETY CHECK LIST

PREPARING FOR SUKKOT/SUKKOS

Keep candles at least 4 feet away from curtains, draperies, decorations, blinds and bedding.

While cooking,

Never place candles under any cabinets – whether in the kitchen or dining room. Use sturdy candleholders. Use candles with flame protective noncombustible shades or globes. Place candles out of reach of small children and pets. Never leaving burning candles unattended. PREPARING THE KITCHEN

stay in the kitchen, don’t leave cooking food unattended. wear short or tight fitting sleeves. (Long loose sleeves are more likely to catch on fire or get caught on pot handles.) don’t become distracted. maintain the “kid-free zone” of 3 feet around your stove. Turn pot handles inward facing the wall to prevent burns caused by overturning or spills. keep the area around the stove clear of towels, papers, pot holders or anything that could burn.

Do not leave your oven unattended while the oven is on or in the self-cleaning cycle.

have a pot lid handy to smother a pan fire. Do not attempt to pick up the pot or pan. Shut off the heat and cover the fire with a lid.

Take precautions when handling hot and boiling water. Use oven mitts or potholders.

DO NOT USE WATER! It will cause splashing and spread the fire.

Create a “kid-free safety zone” of at least 3-feet from the front of the stove and away from the Blech. .

Treat burns immediately with cool running water and seek medical attention.

FDNY TOP THREE FIRE SAFETY TIPS

➊ INSTALL SMOKE ALARMS & CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS ➋ HAVE A HOME FIRE ESCAPE PLAN ➌ CONDUCT A SAFETY INSPECTION FIRE DEPARTMENT, CITY OF NEW YORK Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor 82

FDNY OFFICE OF FIRE SAFETY EDUCATION Nicholas Scoppetta, Commissioner

www.nyc.gov/fdny

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YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

!!ʹʴʰ ʧʥʷʩʴ ʭʫʩʺʥʹʴʰʬ ʣʥʠʮ ʭʺʸʮʹʰʥ ʡʥʨ ʭʥʩʥ ʺʡʹ ʸʠʴ ʺʥʸʤʦʠ ʨʰʲʮʨʸʠʴʲʣ ʸʲʩʩʴ ʸʲʷʸʠʩ ʥʩʰ ʩʣ ʯʥʴ ʺʥʸʥʹ ʲʣʰʲʢʬʠʴ ʩʣ ʯʲʰʩʩʬ ʪʸʥʣʠ ʨʥʢ ʲʨʩʡ ʺʥʹʴʰ ʺʥʰʫʱ ʯʥʠ ʺʥʷʦʩʤ ,ʺʥʴʩʸʹ ʯʩʩʦ ʥʶ ʲʰʥʮ ʩʣʫ ʡʥʨ ʭʥʩʥ ʺʡʹ ʺʥʸʰ .ʨʹʩʰ ʪʩʦ ʯʲʬʷʠʥʥ ʱʠʥʥ ʸʲʨʫʩʩʬ ʲʸʲʥʥʹ ʯʲʶʥʰ ʥʶ ʸʠʰ ʯʡʲʢ ʢʰʥʨʫʠ ʬʠʦ ʯʲʮ ʯʥʴ ʯʥʠ ʣʰʠʥʥʲʢʨʲʡ ʯʥʠ ʸʲʫʲʬʩʩʬ ,ʯʢʰʠʤʸʥʴ ʯʥʴ ʷʲʥʥʠ ʱʥʴ ʸʤʩʴ ʺʥʧʴʤ ʬʫʬ ,ʨʫʩʬ ʩʣ ʨʩʮ ʸʲʨʫʩʩʬ ʩʣ ʯʨʬʠʤ ʥʶ ʯʡʲʢ ʢʰʥʨʫʠ ʬʠʦ ʯʲʮ .ʯʲʣʰʩʶʰʠ ʪʩʦ ʯʲʷ ʱʠʥʥ ʪʠʦ ʸʲʣʲʩ ʯʥʠ ʹʩʨ ʯʨʩʮʰʩʠ ʯʢʩʬ ʨʫʩʬ ʩʣ ʡʩʥʠ ʸʲʱʲʡ ʦʩʠ ʸʲʡʩʸʲʣ .ʨʫʩʬ ʩʣ ʥʶ ʯʲʮʥʷʥʶ ʨʹʩʰ ʯʲʰʲʷ ʸʲʣʰʩʷ ʩʣ ʦʠ ʯʫʠʮ ʸʲʫʩʦ ʷʸʠʨʹ ʸʤʠʢ ʬʠʦ ʯʲʮ .ʷʲ ʯʴʩʥʠ ʨʹʩʰ .ʤʧʢʹʤ ʯʩʩʷ ʯʤʠ ʡʥʨʹ ʯʩʠ ʯʩʩʬʠ ʨʫʩʬ ʩʣ ʯʦʠʬ ʨʹʩʰ .ʤʴʩʸʹ ʠ ʯʩʩʦ ʥʶ ʲʰʥʮ ʩʣʫ ,ʵʠʨ ʯ'ʱʩʥʸʢ ʠ ʳʩʥʠ ʸʠʰ ʯʲʣʰʩʶʰʠ ʪʩʦ ʯʲʷ ʱʠʥʥ ʱʲʴʲ ʳʩʥʠ ʸʲʣʠ ʹʩʨ ʯ'ʴʩʥʠ ʸʲʨʫʩʩʬ ʩʣ ʯʨʬʠʤ ʨʹʩʰ

ʤʣʥʲʱʤ ʩʫʸʶ - ʪʠʷ ʩʣ ʯʩʠ ʺʲʹʡ ʯʩʩʬʠ ʯʲʥʥʩʥʠ ʩʣ ʯʦʠʬ ʥʶ ʨʹʩʰ ʯʡʲʢ ʢʰʥʨʫʠ ʯʲʮ ʬʠʦ ʪʩʥʠ ʩʥʦʠ .ʨʫʩʦʴʩʥʠ ʯʩʩʷ ʯʤʠ ʯʲʥʥʩʥʠ ʭʲʰʩʠ ʸʲʣʠ ʸʲʩʩʴ ʯ'ʴʩʥʠ ʴʲʨ ʩʣ ʯʦʠʬ ʨʹʩʰ .Self-cleaning cycle ʩʣ ʨʫʠʮ ʯʲʮ ʯʡʲʢ ʢʰʥʨʫʠ ʷʸʠʨʹ ʯʲʮ ʬʠʦ ʪʩʥʠ ʩʥʦʠ .ʸʲʩʩʴ ʭʲʰʩʠ ʯʴʠʫʰʠ ʨʹʩʰ ʪʩʦ ʬʠʦ ,ʨʢʠʸʨ ʯʲʮ ʱʠʥʥ ʭʩʣʢʡ ʩʣ ʦʠ ʯʡʲʢ ʢʰʥʨʫʠ ʯʲʮ ʬʠʦ ʯʫʠʷ ʺʲʹʡ .ʴʲʨ ʩʣ ʯʥʴ ʪʲʬʨʰʲʤ ʩʣ ʯʩʠ ʯʴʠʫʸʠʴ ʨʹʩʰ ʪʩʦ ʬʠʦ ʬʲʡʸʠ ʩʣ ʦʠ .ʹʨʰʲʸ-ʦʲʢ ʭʲʰʥʴ ʯʷʲʨʹ ʱʩʥʸʠ ʨʹʩʰ ʪʩʦ ʯʬʠʦ ʴʲʨ ʩʣ ʯʥʴ ʪʲʬʨʰʲʤ ʩʣ ʦʠ ʯʫʠʮ ʥʶ ʸʲʫʩʦ ʢʩʨʫʩʥʥ ʸʤʠʢ ʦʩʠ ʱʲ ʱʩʩʤ ʭʲʰʥʴ ʯʥʠ (ʪʲʬʡ ʺʡʹ ʸʲʣʠ) ʹʨʰʲʸ-ʦʲʢ ʭʲʰʥʴ ʷʲʥʥʠ ʱʥʴ 3 ʩʥʥ ʸʲʨʰʲʰ ʯʲʮʥʷʥʶ ʨʹʩʰ ʯʬʠʦ ʸʲʣʰʩʷ ʩʣ ʦʠ ʯʡʲʢ ʢʰʥʨʫʠ ʬʠʦ ʯʲʮ . (perculator) ʹʠʬʴ ʸʲʱʠʥʥ (ʯʲʣʰʩʶʰʠ ʪʩʦ ʯʲʷ ʱʠʥʥ ʪʠʦ ʸʲʣʲʩ ʸʲʣʠ) Paper Towels ʸʲʣʠ ,ʱʲʨʠʮʹ ,ʸʲʫʥʨʰʠʤ ʯʩʩʷ ʯʲʰʩʴʲʢ ʨʹʩʰ ʪʩʦ ʬʠʦ ʱʲ ʦʠ ʯʡʲʢ ʢʰʥʨʫʠ ʨʥʢ .ʹʨʰʲʸ-ʦʲʢ ʭʲʰʥʴ ʸʲʩʩʴ ʩʣ ʯʡʲʰ ʩʣʫ ʴʠʨ ʠ ʯʥʴ ʬʷʲʣ ʠ ʨʩʩʸʢ ʯʡʠʤ ʯʥʠ ,ʹʨʰʲʸ-ʦʲʢ ʩʣ ʯʹʲʬʱʩʥʠ ʯʲʮ ʬʠʦ ʯʲʰʲʸʡ ʥʶ ʯʤʠ ʨʡʩʩʤ ʴʠʨ ʭʲʰʩʠ ʢʸʠʥʥʰʱʲ ʩʣ ʡʩʥʠ .ʸʲʩʩʴ ʱʠʣ ʯʷʲʣʥʶ ʯʲʰʲʷ ʬʠʦ ʯʲʮ

.ʴʠʨ ʱʠʣ ʯʲʸʩʸ ʩʶ ʯʸʩʡʥʸʴ ʨʹʩʰ" "ʸʲʩʩʴ ʱʠʣ ʯ'ʨʩʩʸʴʹʥʶ ʯʥʠ ʯʫʠʮ ʸʲʢʸʲ ʸʠʰ ʱʲ ʨʲʥʥ ʸʲʱʠʥʥ ʱʠʣ ,ʸʲʱʠʥʥ ʨʩʮ ʸʲʩʩʴ ʱʠʣ ʯʹʲʬ ʥʶ ʱʩʥʠ ʯ'ʸʩʡʥʸʴ ʨʹʩʰ ʯʥʠ .ʳʬʩʤ-ʲʨʹʸʲ ʪʠʰ ʯʲʴʥʸ ʯʥʠ ʸʲʱʠʥʥ ʨʬʠʷ ʨʩʮ ʯʲʱʩʢʰʠ ʣʩʮʥ ʳʫʩʺ ʱʠʣ ʯʲʮ ʬʠʦ ʨʤʩʸʡʲʢʰʠ ʨʸʲʥʥ ʯʲʮ ʡʩʥʠ ʡʥʨ ʭʥʩʥ ʺʡʹ ʯʲʫʩʬʩʩʸʴ ʠ .ʨʴʲʣ ʸʲʩʩʴ ʸʲʷʸʠʩ ʥʩʰ

Special Burn & Scald Prevention Tips for: Sukkas/Sukkot ¾ Extension cords – should be new and specifically designed to be used outdoors. Do not overload the wall circuit or the extension cord. Tape extension cords down so that no one trips over them. ¾ Heaters – be cautious about using them. Children and animals can tip them over easily. ¾ Candles in the Sukkah – When they are lit, do not leave alone, even for “just a moment.” The wind, animals, or small children can easily knock them over. ¾ Electric Lights – do not place high wattage lights next to Shach or anything else flammable. Be extremely careful when bringing hot food and beverages into and out of the Sukkah. It is easy to trip and get scalded.

Chagim and Three Day Yuntifs/Yomim Tovim: Two and three day Yuntifs/Yomim Tovim are high risk times for burns and scalds. There is more hot food and hot water around the house. There are many more Shabbas, Yom Tov, and Yahrzeit candles than normal. Often there are guests in the house, including children. Teach them about the No Zone. 83

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YWN SIMCHA SECTION “TO HAVE YOUR SIMCHAS ADDED TO THIS PAAGE, PLEASE EMIL THEM TO SIMCHAS@THEYESHIVWORLD.COM OR FAX THEM TO 718-444-1977

ENGAGEMENTS: Shmiel Duvid Schmeltzer to Miriam Lea Mermelstein (Boro Park) • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Chaim Dov Bokchin to Esty Weinstock (Boro Park) Esther Chana Kahan & Chaim Pesach Kovalenko (Boro Park) Yosef Niremberg to Leah Haimson (Flatbush) Freidy Spiegel & Yitzchok Muller (Flatbush) Yakov Saposh & Edel Minkus (chicago) (Flatbush) Mordechai Goldberg (Detroit)& Esti Japha (Passaic) Elimelech Possick to Rivki Rovner (Queens) Yitzi Morgenstern & Tziry Strasser (Queens) Uri Kunstlinger [Monsey] & Avigael Zahgi {Clifton - Passaic] Mattis Herzka & Ruth Leshinsky (Brooklyn) Shana Semah & Yaakov Gemal (Brooklyn) Layla Pruzansky & Yehuda Gittelson (Brooklyn) Tuvia Hagler & Shoshi Gabin (Brooklyn) SURI KAR & MOISHE KORN (Brooklyn) Aviva Greenspon & Avi Englehart (Brooklyn) Simcha Silverstein & Adina Palmer (Brooklyn) SINAI BERGSTROM & SHIRA ZEINES (Brooklyn) Shua Feintuch & Elisheva Ambush (Brooklyn) Brocha Zuckerman & Moshe Chaim Oretz (Brooklyn) Hadassah Beyman & Yitzy Kaufman (Brooklyn)

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Rabbi & Mrs.Gil Attar Mazal Tov on the Birth of A Boy Moshe Chaim!! (Flatbush) Baby Boy to Dassy (Siff ) & Ben Litchman (Brooklyn) Baby Boy to Baila and Chaim Baranker (Brooklyn) Baby Boy to Mordechai & Malky Freedman (Brooklyn) Meir Tzvi and Leah Obstfeld- baby boy Baby Girl to Avrami & Dina (Tendler) Groll (Brooklyn) Baby B oy t o M ordechai a nd Yael S yma (B erman) Z akutinsky (Brooklyn) • Babyboy to Ari and Reena Gasner (Brooklyn)

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‘Rabbanei Tzohar’ Seeking To Enter Race For Israel’s Chief Rabbi Continued from p. 22

this was not a contradiction” he adds. H e explains that his unc le, the Zvill Rebbe studied in Merkaz HaRav and that his father’s grandfather was a staunch supporter of Rav Herzog, even when the latter opposed the Chazon Ish. The ra bbi exp lains t hat d uring t he wa r years, his gra ndfather w ould no t e at a cer tain shechitah because they turned over people to the British so for him, t here is no co ntradiction b etween his past a nd p resent. I n his y outh, he le arned c havrusa wi th H aRav S hlomo K atz, t oday Rosh Y eshivas Che vron. Nevertheless, his ho me is M erkaz HaRav. He fondly recollects his days with the late rosh y eshiva, R av A vrohom K ahane S hapira ZT ”L. He als o merited b eing in t he shadow of R av Tzvi Yehuda Kook ZT ”L, at times during a s eudas shlishis o r a mo tzei shabbos schmooze. F rom Yeshivat M erkaz H aRav he moved to Yeshivat Har Etzion, and he explains how he acq uired s o m uch Y iras S homayim from Rav Aaron Lichtenstein Shlita, and how he was s o moved by the rav’s modesty, not to mention his met hodological Torah study. He admits that it was Rav Lichtenstein who really taught him how to dissect a sugya and really get into the Gemara until achieving a deep understanding. F rom t here he mo ved bac k to Merkaz, and then learned with other rabbonim as well. He s erved in t he IDF Tank C orps in t he hesder f ramework. After marrying Aviva, he left M erkaz a nd mo ved t o P sagot, w here he began his st udies in da yanus. Together wi th Rabbi Yuval Sherlow, they established the Petach Tikvah Hesder Yeshiva. He credits Rabbanei T zohar f or b ringing T orah st udy t o many major cities in Israel.

YWN Coffee Room Continued from p. 5

self in the right frame of mind. It really bothers me that I have this issue, and I am hoping that s ome o f t he Yeshiva w orld News r eaders might have some tips or solutions for me. Thank you for printing this.. Wishing everyone a Gmar Chasima Tova! Rochel Plonka (Flatbush)

Political Winners & Losers - Primary Edition Continued from p. 81

that Gregory’s ne wly min ted distr ict le ader, Ari Kagan, is sure to run as the “Russian” candidate t o succeed t erm-limited C ouncil Member Mike Nelson in the New York City Council.

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

After the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Rabbi Stav sat home and contemplated, seeking to understand just how the entire nation pointed a finger of blame at every r eligious J ew. H e ca me t o t he co nclusion that the only contact between mainstream Israelis and the Chief Rabbinate was when they wanted to get married, and for most, t he experience was a horror, hence the deep rooted hate for religion and what it stood for. He felt this left a stigma r egarding the shomer shabbos tzib ur a nd he decided t o b egin ac ting, and he did , first at w eddings. He w orked t o form a gr oup of rabbonim interested in dialogue towards turning the secular community around, at least those willing to hear their message.

We Must Act Now to Save Am Yisrael

With t he n umber o f I sraelis tra veling t o Cyprus t o g et ma rried in a ci vil cer emony, Rabbi Stav feels the time to act is now. He fears Am Yisrael is going to be split into two, those who a re definitely J ewish a nd t hose w hose Jewishness is in do ubt t ogether wi th t hose who are not halachically Jewish. He feels the Chief Rabbinate must focus a great deal of attention to this matter, to ensure Jews in Eretz Yisrael are married in co mpliance with halacha. He explains that today, there are over 1.25 million residents o f t he st ate w hose st atus is questionable. When they will want to get married the Chief Rabbinate will insist they prove their J ewishness a nd t hat is w hen t he p roblem begins. A good portion of this group will be un willing t o g o t hrough t his len gthy a nd difficult p rocess o f do cumenting t heir lineage. They will n ot be m arried ‘Kedas Moshe V’Yisrael’, a nd in stead, t hey will s ettle f or a civil ceremony in Cyprus or elsewhere. If this is so, they will no lo nger have to prove their heritage and as times passes, finding these genealogy documents will b ecome increasingly

Dear Editor,

It pa ins me gr eatly t o wr ite t his let ter. I am a y oung man who got married about two years ago. I learn in a kollell all day and my wif e is a t eacher. W hile o ur inco me is not m uch, i t is eno ugh t o co ver o ur needs and baruch hashem w e are not lacking. My issue is as f ollows. I was ne ver t he “le arning” kind of guy, my brain was always more in t he “business.” When I met m y kallah, I was p lanning t o le arn f or ma ybe a nother

Councilman Steve Levin

So, S teve’s ca ndidate f or Distr ict L eader, Chr is Olechowski, appears to have eked out a victory why should he be on a our loser list? Here’s w hy: in siders t ell us t hat L incoln Restler offered many times to cut a deal where Steve L evin w ould su pport him f or Distr ict Leader a nd Rest ler w ould su pport him f or City C ouncil. I f y ou a re g oing a fter t he p o-

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difficult. “And w hat a bout t heir c hildren” he asks rhetorically, warning this is an existential threat to the country’s future as a J ewish nation. Rabbi S tav p resents t he f ollowing st atistics. Of 47,000 couples married in Israel in the past year, 9,300 o pted for a ci vilian wedding. “That me ans a n addi tion 9,000 mix ed ma rriages. They may be goyim or we just cannot establish their Jewishness. The bottom line is assimilation and the destruction of the Jewish People” the rabbi warns, explaining this is why Tzohar was created, to address these and other critical issues. Today, c lose t o 20 yea rs s ince the es tablishment of Ra bbanei T zohar, y ou ha ven’t succeeded in stopping the trend. “Truth b e s aid w e a re una ble t o k eep up with t he mounting requests t o p erform c hasenahs and assist in proofing one’s Jewishness. We ha ve gr own t o t he p oint t hat w e ma rry close to 5,000 couples annually. It’s simply not enough. We don’t have enough rabbonim. We don’t have enough teachers for the kallahs.” “One of the areas in which Rabbanei Tzohar have been most successful is the writing of prenuptial agreements. This is v iewed as libertarian in I srael and not widely accepted by the Torani co mmunity. Many y oung co uples fear being married by the R abbinate because of t he di vorce p rocess t here, lo ng a nd difficult. Therefore, we dedicated a wealth of time and resources to a p renuptial that is accep table to the majority of rabbonim and dayanim. President of Tzohar Rabbi Yaakov Ariel and I have met with many rabbonim and dayanim. We want this introduced to all Beis Yisrael, including the Orthodox, because they too have higher p ercentages o f di vorce t oday alo ng with the ugly cases of a refusal to give a get. If a couple does not use our prenuptial and opt for another, the others are far more problematic from a Halachic point of view – for example those that call for dissolving the marriage

and other methods.” You appear to be buildin g an e ntire sy stem tha t addr esses a s ecular lif estyle. Wh y not just get involved in bringing them back to tshuva instead of addressing a non-frum lifestyle as an alternative? “I don’t accept where this question is coming from. I turn to HaKadosh Baruch Hu and not t o t he c hilonim (no n-frum). HKBH instructs us t o be moser nefesh towards saving every Jew. How do I co mply with this directive? Those involved in kiruv should be blessed but we cannot bring e veryone back. It’s a process. I do n’t co mpromise a nd do n’t gi ve up b ut I co ntinue wi th t he tradi tion o f g edolei yisrael lik e R av H erzog w ho w orked t o keep people connected to their Yiddishkheit. I don’t give up but I continue trying until the Torah finds a wa y t o p ierce t he b ubble a nd spread to every corner because if i t does not, that Jew will become a goy and then they will ask us in Beis Din Shel Ma’alah ‘What did you do to save my lost c hildren? ’ What will I r espond – that he didn’t want to return to tshuva and therefore, he traveled to Cyprus to get married?” To date you have been pushing embracing religion but neg lect the m inefield of s eparation of religion and state the Chief Rabbinate has to contend w ith. H ow w ill you addr ess these less sy mpathetic issues if you ga in control of the Chief Rabbinate? “This is t he q uestion t hat t he le aders o f Rabbanei Tzohar have been pondering for the past t hree y ears. W hy g et in to i t a t all? L et’s remain b eloved a nd p opular a nd a void t his. Its commendable to address embracing one’s faith but if we do not attempt to have an influence on the State of Israel there will be a dual nationality na tion. All o ur efforts will h ave been f or na ught. Therefore, w e ha ve accep ted the difficult decision to engage in trying to mold the character of the Kingdom known as the Chief Rabbinate.”

six months, and then I was going to start to work. My wife keeps pressuring me t o stay in kollel, telling me that my learning makes her happy and there is no thing more beautiful in t he w orld a nd no thing mo re t hat she co uld e ver wa nt f rom me . H ence, tw o years later, I am writing this letter while still learning. Now, I don’t want to say I am bitter, but it is definitely hard for me t o go in every day and learn, and the whole chayshek of le arning f or me is definitely lo ng g one.

What should I do? Do I go in every day because it is what my wife wants from me and “Mitoch S helo L ishma B ah L ishma,” o r do I put my foot down and tell her how I feel? But if I do t hat, she will b e very unhappy… Can I le arn to love learning the way I us ed to five years ago? She keeps telling me I can and she will be so unhappy if I leave Kollel.. I a m a t a loss her e.. An y ad vice will hel p.. Tha nk you! Binyamin L (Flatbush)

litical b east y ou b etter c ut i t’s p olitical he ad off. Steve took out Lincoln’s political eye but kept him very much alive to run against him next y ear f or Ci ty C ouncil. You ca n r est assured that Lincoln and his band of reformers will give Steve Levin the race o f his lif e next year. And this time, he won’t have Vito Lopez to protect him.

ty’s preferred candidate to replace Rory Lancman in t he Assembly. In a ma jor upset, Nily Rozic ha ndily b eat co unty-backed J erry I annece. Another county stalwart, Senator Shirley Huntley, w ent do wn in flames t o a p erennial thorn in county’s side – C ouncilman James Sanders. The moral of these stories is t hat it’s good to be leader, but the days of county leaders simply anointing their victorious candidate are gone.

Brooklyn & Queens County Leaders

Frank S eddio is t he ne w B rooklyn D emocratic county leader. However, before he was even sworn in to the job last w eek he couldn’t deliver the votes. Frank’s favored candidate for Civil Court Judge, Lara Genovesi, daughter of Frank’s famed mentor, was defeated by the “reformers” desp ite wra ngling t he endo rsement of the New York Times. It remains to be seen whether Frank can turn his personal popularity into a coalition that brings “county” victories in the future. Over in Queens, County Leader Joe Crowley saw some victories but also the loss of coun-

Tischler Brothers

Neither o ne o f t hem co uld e ven b reak 20% in Thursday’s p rimary desp ite r unning very nega tive races aga inst t heir r espective opponents – Simcha Felder and Dov Hikind. Despite this, we’re told that the Tischlers are still p lanning o n r unning o n th e “ schoolchoice” line in November dreaming that they can win. One has t o w onder if t hese kids skipped P olitical S cience 101 in co llege, as even an amateur should know that you can’t win a race in New York without a major party line.

Dov Gordon is a political maven with unrivaled sources in the New York political world. Have a tip for Dov? Email him at dovgordon@theyeshivaworld.com. As you can see from his column, he guarantees all his sources confidentiality. Please note, this column is an opinion piece. The views reflected here are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YWN. 85

YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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SERIAL NOVEL “Without a Trace” by Esther Rapaport. She is the author of “Diamond in the Rough” and “Divided Attention” published by Israel Bookshop Publications Shoshi is concerned about Zevi’s poor eating habits. The friendship between Zevi and Yehuda continues to blossom. Shevi and Gavriel Auerbach check out an apartment in Bnei Brak which is right above the Dresnicks’ apartment. Shevi does not know anyone in the city and is dreading the move. Shevi and Gavriel buy the apartment. Chasida meets her new neighbors the day they come to sign on it, and is dismayed to discover that their lawyer is Koby Frankel, of whom she does not have pleasant memories.

Chapter Three

“Excellent,” Ilana Auerbach, Shevi’s mother-in-law said, when she heard that Shevi’s father had found a reliable renovations contractor for them. “A friend of your father’s, Shevi? Then let’s hope that that will move things, and within two weeks, give or take, you’ll be able to move in already.” “Yes,” Shevi said. “Let’s hope. Yes.” Ilana smiled wi th satisfaction. “I’m really happy you bought this apartment. It’s a gr eat apartment a nd t he lo cation is als o g ood. It’s not too Chareidi there, right, Gabi?” “Right,” Ga vriel s aid wi th a slig ht smile , looking at the package of cookies in f ront of him without reaching for it. “But don’t worry, Ima, we’ll get there, too, eventually.” “You and your jokes. And w hy aren’t you eating? S oon you’ll tell m e th e hechsher isn’t good. It’s made wi th flour from after Pesach, did you know that?” She held li ttle Miri and tried t o p icture her t en y ears do wn t he line with tights and long braids. She shuddered at the thought. “The hechsher is perfect,” Gavriel said, and quickly r eached f or t he pac kage, kno cking into Shevi’s coffee cup on the way and splattering light brown drops all around it. “Sorry, Shevi. I’m just not that hungry, Ima.” “You do n’t e at co okies b ecause y ou’re hungry.” H is mo ther sniffed. “ When y ou’re hungry, y ou e at no rmal f ood, b ut w hen y ou come to Ima and don’t e at anything b ecause you’re sure her kitchen is treif, then you have no choice and you eat cookies.” Gavriel t ook a co okie q uietly, a nd S hevi took a lo ng sip of t he coffee his mo ther had prepared for her. She looked around over the rim of her c up a nd w ondered w hat she’d do when t he co ffee was finished a nd t here’d b e no more excuses to remain silent. She hated the arguments between her h usband and his mother, and hated it even more when she was inevitably drawn into them. Why was lif e so complicated? And why were there people who just liked to make things more complicated? She q uietly p laced her c up o n t he t able, hoping that her mother-in-law would emerge from her co nfrontational mo od, al though she knew the chances of that happening were slim. That’s j ust t he wa y t hings w ere. I t had been very hard for Ilana Auerbach to witness her only s on c hange direction s o drasticall y. No y eshivah hig h s chool, w here he had b egun his studies, no army, no university. Nothing. Just a Chareidi yeshivah, a black yarmulke t hat r eplaced t he kni tted o ne, a nd a sui t and hat that had suddenl y appeared without warning. S o different f rom t he dr eams she had had for him. Or rather, for herself. “The irony of fate,” Ilana would remark to Shevi from time to time. Shevi didn’t know if she’d forgotten that she’d said it at least three times in the year and a half they’d known each other, or if she remembered very well but said it anyway. “Literally, the irony of fate. For years and years my son grew up here in Bnei Brak, went t o s chool in S egulah, walk ed o n S habbos and weekday to Ezra, s aw so many Chareidim around him, but remained my normal Gabi. And t hen, w hen he g ot to Tel Aviv, to high school, that’s when all this started.” Shevi would no d p olitely, unsure of how to respond. After all, she was also part of “all this.” 86

***

Another p hone call f rom t he T el A viv home t o t he y eshivah in B nei B rak. E liyahu had lost trac k o f how ma ny calls he ’d made , yet h e s till h adn’t g otten th e inf ormation he was s eeking. “ Yes, t hat’s w ho I ’m askin g about,” he said. “He’s a good student, right?” “Very good,” came the reply, with a laugh. “Are you sure, sir, that we’re talking about the same person? He’s very young.” “Young f or w hat? ” E liyahu ask ed in his low voice. “For what people usually call to ask questions about,” the boy responded. “I’m asking for a different reason,” Eliyahu said, and raised his voice slightly. “Can you tell me a bit more about him?” The bachur wondered if t he younger boy from th e first shiur was a ware a bout t hese strange inquiries. Perhaps he sho uld let him know, e ven if i t w ould b e v ery unco mfortable. M aybe he co uld find a r oundabout wa y to do so. “Okay, so he learns well, and is pretty capable as far as I can see. A bit shy.” What else would someone be asking about if not for shidduchim? “How does he look?” The bachur who had answered the public phone murmured something to himself, and then said, “Dunno. Regular.” “Tall?” “I think he’s considered average.” The boy on the phone had no idea that at that moment, Chavi had en tered t he room in T el Aviv. He only heard the person on the other end mumble a hasty g ood b ye, a nd he was suddenl y left listening to a dial t one. With a sigh of relief, the bachur hung up the phone and turned around. Why had it been his luck to have had to a nswer t his stra nge call? C alling a p ublic phone in a y eshivah and asking questions to whoever answered sure was an odd way of obtaining information. What would the caller have done if Zevi Bloch himself would have answered the phone? Chavi lo oked a t her h usband. S he didn’t like these calls and hoped Eliyahu knew what he was doing. “Nu?” she asked. “Nothing. I didn’t manage to speak about that sub ject, a nd t hey do n’t lik e a nswering random questions.” “I can understand why.” Eliyahu sig hed. “ Maybe y ou ca n under stand them, but you can also plotz. Can’t they be a bit more open with me?” “With an anonymous person, who is asking questions about a seventeen-year-old boy and not providing sufficient reasons as to why he’s doing this? I w ouldn’t answer you either in such a case! I’m telling you…” “That t his isn ’t t he wa y t o do i t. Yes, I know already.” Chavi fell silent. “I’ll try calling another one or two times, and if it doesn’t work, then I’ll have to think of something else.”

***

“Really strange,” Yehuda said, standing in the do rmitory co rridor a nd g lancing a t t he telephone as t hough the answers would suddenly emer ge f rom i t. “About him? Ar e y ou sure?” “One hundred percent. I think you should try and probe, you know, as a r oommate, to

see if he knows something about a guy asking questions about him.” Tzvi Jacobowitz paused for a min ute. “I w ould sp eak t o him m yself, but I really have nothing to do with him and I’m sure it will really put him on the spot.” “I j ust ho pe he ’s no t in volved in s omething.” Yehuda Levy glanced down the empty hallway. It was dinner time. “One minute, before I speak to Zevi himself, maybe we can try and get back to the caller?” “How?” “Using star 69.” Tzvi was do ubtful. “ I’m sur e he b locked the number.” “We can try,” Yehuda said, picking up the phone.

***

The delicate ringing made Chavi jump as she r ocked t he cradle . “ Eliyahu? ” she ask ed quietly. “Can you get it?” Her husband came into t he room, wearing his suit already. “I hope it won’t take long,” he said, glancing at his watch. “Gadi’s waiting for me. Yes?” he said into the phone. “Hello, did y ou call b efore t o find out about Zevi Bloch?” Eliyahu’s muscles tensed. “That’s right,” he said guardedly. “Who are you?” “I’m one of his r oommates,” Yehuda said in me asured t ones. “ You sp oke t o s omeone in m y shiur b efore w ho do esn’t r eally kno w Bloch v ery w ell. I t hought p erhaps I co uld help you more.” Eliyahu was ner vous. The fac t t hat Gadi was waiting flew out of his mind . What was the mo tivation b ehind t his call? A tr ue interest in hel ping him, o r suspicions that had grown o ver t he time he had b een makin g calls? P erhaps Cha vi was r ight. Ano nymous phone calls were not the most efficient way to find out about Zevi. “What’s your name?” he asked. Yehuda hesitated. “Perhaps I may ask first who I am speaking to,” he said courteously. “I prefer not to identify myself right now,” Eliyahu s aid. “ I’d ra ther r emain a nonymous for the time being. Perhaps later on…” “The s ame g oes f or me ,” Yehuda r eplied politely. “ I als o wa nt t o r emain a nonymous right now.” Silence h ummed alo ng t he p hone lines. Yehuda didn’t know if he was do ing the right thing. B ut his in tuition t old him t hat he should also maintain his anonymity as long as he did no t know w ho he was sp eaking to. It was his right, wasn’t it? The man he was talking to was acting the same way. Yes, b ut t his g uy h as o ne c lear a dvantage over me. He knows why he’s doing what he’s doing. I don’t. “Well,” Eliyahu said, breaking the silence first. “ So w e’ll k eep o ur na mes t o o urselves, and b efore y ou g et a ny deep susp icions, I can assure you that I’m not planning to kidnap Zevi or harm him in any way.” Yehuda remained silen t. “ So w hat do y ou ha ve t o s ay about him?” “In which area?” “How is he…socially?” Once again, these questions t hat didn’t le ad him a nywhere. He hadn’t yet found a sin gle bachur with whom he f elt co mfortable eno ugh t o ask t he o nly question that truly interested him. Truth to be told, he didn ’t really dare. But maybe with a

roommate it would work. If there was s omeone in t he y eshivah w ho w ould kno w, he probably was t he one. The question was if he would want to tell him, of course. “He g ets alo ng v ery w ell wi th e veryone,” Yehuda replied calmly. “His friends like him, and he has ver y go od middos. W hat els e do you want to know?” “How is his le arning? ” E liyahu’s fingers tightened on the receiver. “He comes on time to all the sedarim and takes his learning seriously. He’s always from the first o nes u p in t he mo rning.” Or m ore accurately, he hurries to get out of the room before we wake up. For some reason, he likes to ge t r eady q uickly a nd q uietly, wh ile we’re still g rasping on to thos e l ast sh reds of sl eepiness. “Is he t alented? ” The man didn’t react to the answers, and just jumped f rom question to question, which Yehuda found strange. “Seems to be.” Eliyahu’s kn uckles w ere almost w hite from t he p ressure he was ex erting o n t he black receiver, and he knew that he would ask the question right now. And the bachur on the other end o f t he line? P erhaps he w ould b e surprised; he mig ht even hang up the phone, or opt not to answer. Or he mig ht a nswer. H e t ook a deep breath. “Tell me, have you ever seen his legs?”

***

Shevi Auerbach didn’t even take one step forward. “The dust,” she said. “I can’t stand it. Maybe I’ll wait here, Gavriel, until they finish with that drill or whatever it is. Oka y? I j ust hope i t will g o q uickly t oday. D o y ou t hink your mother is managing with Miri?” “Whatever you want,” Gavriel said, without a nswering her q uestion. H e lo oked around worriedly. “Is there a normal place for you to wait here?” “I’ll find s omething,” she s aid, and w hen she saw his back turn toward the staircase and he began climbing the stairs himself, she said in an appeasing tone, “When they finish, call me, okay? I want to see how far they’ve gotten in the kitchen.” “No p roblem.” Ga vriel co ntinued c limbing at a faster pace, leaving Shevi in the small yard sur rounded b y da rk gr een shr ubbery. She quickly examined t he bushes, and kne w that she had to find herself a shadier spot. She slowly circled the house, heading for the back yard. I f t hey w ere finally g oing t o co me li ve here, she sho uld b ecome more familiar with it, shouldn’t she? The other half o f the yard was much bigger than the front part and didn’t give the impression of being particularly well-kept. Shevi grimaced at the old, doorless cupboard standing ne ar t he wall , a nd ca refully skir ted tw o broken c hairs t hat r eminded her str ongly o f the lone chair that had graced Miriam’s kitchen table. She was sur prised to find a na rrow, gray, asphalt path in t he yard, which led t o a wide glass door. The door was open, and Shevi assumed this was t he neighbors’ store. She approached curiously and saw someone standing in side, a rranging b ottles o n a shelf ne ar the do or. W hen t he p erson stra ightened u p, Shevi r ecognized her . I t was t he neig hbors’

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YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

SERIAL NOVEL daughter, the one who had co me over with a pot for Miriam the day they’d signed the contract. Shevi could not recall her name. “Hello,” t he w oman s aid w hen she s aw Shevi st anding o utside. “ You’re o ur ne w neighbor, right? Nice to see you. I’m Chasida.” “Nice t o s ee y ou, t oo,” S hevi s aid t ersely and smiled. “Auerbach, if I remember correctly, right?” The younger woman nodded. “What’s your first name?” “Shevi,” Shevi replied, and then wondered if perhaps she should have introduced herself

as E lisheva. After all , t he w oman facin g her was at least fifteen or twenty years her senior, if not more! “You ca n co me in if y ou wa nt,” Chasida invited, and picked up the empty carton from the floor. “And if you’re interested, you can get to know our store a little.” Shevi hesitated for a moment. Something about the girl-woman was very friendly, much more than she’d expected after their first chilly encounter. “I don’t think I ha ve what to look for in a natural products store,” she remarked. “I don’t really believe in all this stuff.”

“Neither do I, ” Chasida smiled , “at le ast not in e verything, in a ny cas e. But what can I do if p eople lo ok for cer tain products t hat they claim help them?” “Imagination? ” She vi su ggested, t aking another st ep in side. The st ore was a ir co nditioned. “ Don’t y ou t hink i t’s lik e p lacebo drugs that they give to people who don’t know they’re not real, and then they claim that they work?” “It’s possible,” Chasida agreed and turned toward t he r egister desk. “ But t hat’s als o a way to help people, isn’t it?” She sat down on

the u pholstered c hair b ehind t he r egister. “ I would offer you the chair next to me, but you look like you’re in a hurry.” “The tr uth is t hat I ’m no t in a pa rticular h urry,” S hevi s aid, shifting uncomfortably. “I’m just worried that…” She meant to say, “that my husband won’t know where I w ent.” But she had no ide a if she could say the word “husband” to a single girl who was about forty. She had to get to know her first. “So come on in,” Chasida said simply, and Shevi complied. To be continued… to 1 hour or until tender. Remove brisket to a cutting board and let rest at least 15 minutes before slicing against the grain. Return Dutch oven to stove top and bring remaining liquid to a simmer. Whisk in flour and simmer 3 t o 5 min utes, until thickened. Pour over sliced brisket and serve.

• • • • • •

1 tablespoon lemon juice ½ teaspoon red chili flakes ½ teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon kosher salt fresh ground pepper 1 brisket (4-pound)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil • ½ teaspoon all-purpose flour Directions: Combine ho ney, mustard, ga rlic, o range juice, lemo n j uice, c hili flakes, thyme, salt and p epper in a medi um b owl, w hisking to blend well. Place the brisket in a sealable plastic bag. Add the marinade, seal, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Remove brisket from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Remove brisket from marinade (reserve marinade) and sear brisket, 5 min utes per side or until nicely browned. Pour marinade from plastic bag over brisket, cover and place in the oven for 2 hours. Remove lid and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes

• • • • • • •

1 large onion, quartered 1 apple, quartered 1 orange, quartered 4 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieces 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup red Burgundy wine

Garlic Honey Brisket By: Jamie Geller

Times:

• Prep time: 10 + 24 hours chill time • Cook time: 195 • Ready time: 3 hour, 25 min

Servings: • 8 to 10

Ingredients: • • • •

1 cup honey ½ cup mustard 8 cloves garlic, minced 4 tablespoons orange juice

Duck With Rich Burgundy Wine By Emuna Braverman and Elizabeth Kurtz, of www.gourmetkoshercooking.com

A sp ecial elega nt Yom Tov r ecipe – f or those who aren’t having a lot of guests!!

Ingredients:

• 2 whole ducks • Salt and pepper • Ga rlic powder • P oultry seasoning

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Clean t he d ucks w ell a nd r ub t he b ody cavities lightly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning. Stuff the cavities with pieces of onion, apple, orange and celery. Rub the ducks with the soy sauce and oil. Place in a bakin g pan and roast, uncovered,

basting often with Burgundy wine, about every 10 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes baking time per pound of duck. Remove the stuffing before serving. Yield: 4 servings

www.gourmetkoshercooking.com is a new and exciting site where you will ﬁnd over 900 great kosher recipes – with particular emphasis on ideas for Shabbos and holidays, the best new kosher products, gorgeous table top decor, articles on kosher wine and healthy eating, featured giveaways, travel, cooking with kids and much more. Content is updated weekly so visit us often. Your family will be glad you did!

Smoked Turkey Pate In Puff Pastry

Chicken Ratatouille

By Emuna Braverman and Elizabeth Kurtz, of www.gourmetkoshercooking.com

By: Jamie Geller

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • •

1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms 1 tablespoon margarine, melted 1 teaspoon minced garlic ¾ pound smoked turkey, cut into chunks ½ cup mayonnaise ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ cup minced scallions 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted 1 egg yolk, beaten and mixed with 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Sauté mushrooms in margarine until liquid evaporates. Combine with garlic, turkey, mayonnaise, cayenne, scallions and soy sauce and purée in a f ood processor. Spoon into a 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pan lined with plastic wrap. Cover and chill – for at least 8 hours.

Jamie Geller is the best selling author of the Quick & Kosher cookbook series (Quick & Kosher Recipes From The Bride Who Knew Nothing and Quick & Kosher Meals in Minutes From The Bride Who Knew Nothing, Feldheim Publishers). She is also a “mompreneur” and cofounder of the Kosher Media Network, which recently launched a social network for foodies called www.JoyofKosher.com as well as the print magazine Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller.

• • • •

1/2 cup sliced black olives 1 can stewed tomatoes (15-ounce) 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Times: Preheat o ven t o 400 degr ees. U nmold turkey mixt ure a nd p lace in cen ter o f p uff pastry. Fold pastr y over and s eal edges and sides – with water and your finger tips. Place seam side do wn on a lig htly greased baking sheet. Roll out scraps of dough and cut out decorative shapes – leaves are nice. Place on top of pastry and brush with yolk-water mixture. Bake for about ½ hour. www.gourmetkoshercooking.com is a new and exciting site where you will ﬁnd over 900 great kosher recipes – with particular emphasis on ideas for Shabbos and holidays, the best new kosher products, gorgeous table top decor, articles on kosher wine and healthy eating, featured giveaways, travel, cooking with kids and much more. Content is updated weekly so visit us often. Your family will be glad you did!

• Prep time: 5 • Cook time: 30 • Ready time: 35 min

Servings: •2

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1-pound • 2 medi um zucc hini, c ut in to 1/4-inc h pieces • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 375° F. In a la rge sauté pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook about 3 to 5 min utes per side o r until browned. Remove from pan and place in a lightly greased baking dish. Add zucchini and garlic to sauté pan and cook 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in olives, tomatoes a nd s alt. Pour s auce over c hicken in baking dish and bake about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and sauce is bubbling. Season t o t aste wi th p epper. T o s erve, place o ne c hicken b reast o n e ach p late a nd spoon sauce over chicken.

Jamie Geller is the best selling author of the Quick & Kosher cookbook series (Quick & Kosher Recipes From The Bride Who Knew Nothing and Quick & Kosher Meals in Minutes From The Bride Who Knew Nothing, Feldheim Publishers). She is also a “mompreneur” and co-founder of the Kosher Media Network, which recently launched a social network for foodies called www. JoyofKosher.com as well as the print magazine Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller. 87

YESHIVA WORLD NEWS

Comparing the Missions – Eichmann & Osama Continued from p. 8

ACTS OF REVENGE

Several ac ts o f r evenge w ere p lotted b y Nazi sym pathizers in Ar gentina f ollowing Eichmann’s a bduction, inc luding kidnapping the Israeli ambassador and bombing the Israeli Em bassy, t hough neither ca me t o f ruition, according to researcher and author Uki Goni. On August 17, 1960, a young group of Argentine N azis called t he “ Huaraches” a ttached Jewish st udents in t he L egions N ational P imientos. They fired several shots and wounded a 15-year-old student named Edgardo Vilnius. On May 12 th, 2011, a do uble bomb attack on a military training centre in north-west Pakistan has killed a t least 80 people in the first militant r iposte since US tr oops killed O sama b in L aden o n 2 M ay. The P akistan Taliban c laimed r esponsibility f or t he b ombing, which r ipped t hrough a cr owd of recruits at the gates of a Frontier Corps base in Shabqadar, Charsadda district, 22 miles no rth of Peshawar. “ This is t he retaliation for the killing of Osama bin L aden. Pakistani and US f orces should be ready for more attacks,” a Taliban spokesman told CNN. It has also been theorized that the murder of the American ambassador to Libya this past week was a f urther act of revenge by al Q aida, for the killing of their founder, Osama Bin Laden.

TAKING OUT THE SUBJECT

The Mossad still had to plan the taking of Eichmann out of the country without arousing t he susp icions o f Ar gentina’s a uthorities. They s ent one of t heir own agents into a local hospital with a c laim that he had suffered brain damage from an accident. On May 20th, the patient felt better, and Mossad agents substituted a ne w na me a nd Eic hmann’s p hotograph on the hospital release form. Eichmann was t hen dr ugged w hen brought to the plane. He would still be able to walk, if supported by a man on either side of him. They dr essed him in a n E l-Al unif orm

A Look at Israel’s Economy & Chareidim in the Coming Decade Continued from p. 80

the same, not qualitatively and not quantitatively.” If t he g overnment in vested 200 millio n a n umber o f y ears ag o, t oday t hat figure is 130 millio n. This r esults in f ewer st art-ups and less R & D , and these number then follow through and we are left with today’s reality. Kedmi laments the fact that today’s leaders a re r esting o n y esterday’s success es a nd we may find ourselves slipping down the ladder of success among OECD nations. If t hings r emain as t hey a re t oday, o nly 46.8% o f c hareidi males will jo in t he w orkforce in five years as compared to 76% in the non-chareidi s ector. On a p ositive no te, t oday’s n umber r epresents a n incr ease f rom three years ago, when the number of chareidi males in the workplace was 37%. 28.5% o f c hareidi w omen will jo in t he workforce in five years, as co mpared to 20% three years ago, once again an increase, modest as it may be. It is clear there is an upward trend to enter t he w orkforce, a nd w e m ust do o ur u tmost t o ma intain t his mo mentum K edmi f eels. One ca nnot den y t he co nnection to t he gr owing number o f c hareidim entering the IDF’s Nachal Chareidi and Israel Air Force S hachar p rogram, b oth p rograms de88

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

and b rought him a board. The N azi p risoner cooperated so fully that at one stage he reminded his ca ptors t hat t hey had f orgotten to put on his a irline jacket. “That will a rouse suspicion for I will be conspicuously different from the other members of the squad who are fully dressed,’ lectured Eichmann.” The Mossad men drove in a group of three cars, with Eichmann in the second, to the airport. T wo M ossad mem bers t ook t he halfconscious Eichmann aboard the El Al plane. Osama Bin Laden’s body was buried at sea in a n undis closed lo cation sho rtly a fter the mission.

TECHNOLOGY

In terms of technology, of course, the Navy SEAL t eam was eq uipped wi th nig ht visio n glasses, las ers, a nd t he most ad vanced firepower in exist ence. A H eckler and Koch 416 with a ten inch barrel, infra-red laser and clipon t hermal sig ht, a n MP7 sub machine gun and a st andard issue S EAL S ig Sa uer P226, all wi th su ppressors, was t he typ ical a rsenal of members of t he Amer ican team. They arrived on specially modified HL-60 Blackhawk stealth helicopters equipped with the most sophisticated and secret technologies known to man. They entered Pakistani airspace without being detected. The Israeli team had rifles and some handguns. They flew in on commercial airlines and mostly us ed a different typ e o f w eapon, t he human brain.

AFTERMATH

The Eic hmann capture was celeb rated in Israel. Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion was revered as a hero in the Jewish community in Buenos Aires, amidst official condemnations made b y t he Ar gentine g overnment a t t he United N ations. B ut ma ny in t he West co ndemned Israel’s actions. The Washington Post ran an editorial that “anything co nnected wi th t he indic tment o f Eichmann is t ainted wi th la wlessness” (M ay 27, 1960) a nd p rotested t he tr ial. The New York T imes wr ote t hat “ No immo ral o r illegal act justifies another...the rule of law must protect t he most dep raved cr iminals.” ( June 18,1960). Ot hers, ho wever, r ealized t hat t his signed to cater to a c hareidi lifestyle – b oth designed t owards ma instreaming c hareidim and opening the door of the national workplace t o t hem w hile b ringing t hem in a nd thereby ha ving t hem ‘ share in t he b urden’ of the nation’s security. Torah study or army service is t he question, but t his is t o b e addressed in depth in another article. Whatever one’s opinion may be, it is statistically proven that the chareidim who served in the IDF are significantly more likely to find a comfortable place in the workforce, but for those committed to fulltime Torah study, this noble goal is not enticing and it is most unwanted. MK (Y ahadut H aTorah) R av M oshe Gafne addr essed t he CFO f orum a nd i t is clear t hat t his u pward tr end is no t t he r esult of his efforts alone, Kedmi explains. “It is coming from above, from the rabbonim and when this is t he case, we can hope it signals a paradigm change”. (Gafne is a M ember of Knesset and chair of the powerful Knesset Finance Committee). When t his co mes f rom t he he ad o f a “court, regardless if w e are speaking of Ashkenazim o r S ephardim, t hen i t has a n impact”. For those unfamiliar, the recent chareidi job fair held in J erusalem’s Binyanei Ha’uma (Jerusalem C onvention C enter) dr ew o ver 4,000 people seeking employment. This was an un precedented n umber a nd K edmi a nd many others feel this is proof that many chareidim are lo oking for a job a nd want to or must join the workforce, incapable or unwill-

was the correct move to deal with such a vile evil. Bin L aden’s de ath was a pproved o f throughout the western world. In the Palestinian world there was a mix ed reaction. Salam Fayyad, the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, told reporters in Ramallah that he viewed the killing of Bin Laden as “a major, mega landmark event, ending the life of a person who was involved in egregious acts of terror and destruction.” M r. F ayyad s aid he ho ped t his w ould “mark t he b eginning o f t he end o f a vio lent era.” Ismail Haniya, t he le ader of t he Hamas government, o n t he o ther ha nd, deno unced the killin g o f B in L aden callin g i t a “ continuation of the United States policy of destruction.” One o f t he r epercussions o f t he missio n taking out Bin L aden was t hat America’s enemies a re no w a ware o f t he exist ence o f t he United S tates mili tary’s st ealth t echnology which can avoid radar and satellite detection. The Pakistani military has been examining the parts of the downed helicopter. Even though it was blown up, apparently, they have been able to glean some information. What about their homes? B oth the Eichmann ho me o n 14 G eribaldi S treet a nd t he Bin Laden compound in Abbottabad no longer exist. Eic hmann’s f ormer ho me is no w a n empty lot. Bin Laden’s compound which was specially b uilt f or him was destr oyed b y t he Pakistani government. Adolf Eichmann stood trial before an Israeli court in 1961. He was hung on May 31st, 1962. He was 56 y ears old. Bin Laden was 54 years old when was killed. The g overnment o f Ar gentina did s ever diplomatic ties with Israel initially, and the Israel A mbassador A rie L evant wa s in deed expelled f or a b rief time . Onl y a sho rt f our months later, tensions between the two countries simmer ed do wn a nd r elations r eturned to normal. Pakistan, as w ell, was ra ther li vid a t t he United States for violating its airspace.

ACKNOWLEDGING ROLES

The Mossad only officially acknowledged their involvement in Eichmann’s abduction in ing of continuing to live in poverty or working illegally as t heir st atus vis-à-vis t he IDF and declaring fulltime Torah study does not permit them to work. “Yes, they must get out and work but we as CFOs must do our part, and we must provide employment for this sector. We, the employers are a major stumbling block preventing Ara bs a nd c hareidim f rom en tering t he workplace. I vie w t his as a c hallenge f or if we wish to hire chareidim, then we are compelled to adapt the workplace to create a suitable en vironment. This is r eality. A c hareidi will no t si t alo ngside a f emale. L’havdil, wouldn’t we do what we have to towards hiring a ha ndicapped w orker? Of co urse w e would so in ess ence; it is all a minds et from our perspective as well and why not make the necessary changes to hire a chareidi or Arab female” Kedmi questions. The average participation in the OECD is 76.2%, and Israel is lo cated about 10% lo wer do wn f rom t hat a verage. I f w e do s omething that we may not do, that is t o say take the Ara bs a nd c hareidim o ut o f t he p icture that number will incr ease to 80% s o we s ee the impact th ey h ave on th e n ational eco nomy. We are however a het erogeneous society s o w e a re cer tainly no t g oing t o do a ny such t hing, b ut Kedmi exp lains t hese numbers simply to drive the point home. The Ministry of Industry & Trade and the government are on the same track and they are w orking t o incr ease t hese n umbers, t o bring addi tional c hareidim a nd Ara bs in to

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February 2005, in r esponse to an article published in the Israeli daily newspaper, Ma’ariv. President Oba ma ac knowledged t he US military r ole almost immedia tely a fter the mission t ook p lace. “ Tonight I ca n report t o the Amer ican p eople and t he w orld t hat t he United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden,” Obama said during brief remarks at the White House. “Justice has been done,” he said.

CONCLUSIONS

There w ere s ome in teresting pa rallels in both o f t hese missio ns. And o f co urse t here are s ome st ark co ntrasts. The I sraelis w ere bent o n t aking Eic hmann ali ve b ecause t he very trial itself was to be a catharsis of source for a suffering nation. Many of the team members had lost c lose r elatives in t he Nazi ho locaust. The Americans were more concerned for the safety of the team members than in the importance of bringing Bin Laden to trial. It might even be argued that had Bin laden been captured alive and brought to trial, more innocent people would have been hurt in the interim, on account of massive protests. While t his, o f co urse, is co njecture, i t is not a n unr easonable p ossibility. Rega rdless, as t o w hether o r no t t he U nited S tates e ver did plan to bring him in ali ve, both missions helped the world find some solace and closure in that the people responsible for such depravity were finally brought to justice in one form or another. The author can be reached at yerachmielcaine@gmail.com

Bibliography

• Mark Owen, No Easy Day, 2012 • Ian Black and Benny Morris - Israel’s Secret Wars: A History of Israel’s Intelligence Services • Dennis Eis enberg, U ri D an, D ennis Eisenenberg - The M ossad-Inside S tories: Israel’s Secret Intelligence Service • Isser Harel - The House on Garibaldi Street • Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman - Every Spy a Prince: The Complete History of Israel’s Intelligence • Diego Melamed - Dubious Refuge (The Jerusalem Report - August 6, 2007) the national workplace. Kedmi continues, turning to unemployment figures. “I do no t wish t o address unemployment. That is t o say it is no t relevant for t oday’s dis cussion since i t sim ply sho ws us w here w e a re t oday, now. I a m tr ying t o project ahe ad a nd o f la te w e ha ve s een t he media r eports sur rounding unem ployment but in r eality, we can all p lay with the numbers to suit our agenda so we are not going to speak of unemployment today. “What w e a re co ncerned wi th a re t he trends a nd t he last y ear has b een p ositive, since t here is a n incr ease in t he n umber o f people seeking to enter the job ma rket, and in this case, primarily from the Arab and chareidi sectors. “We ca n lo ok a t t he U nited S tates wi th unemployment of over 10%, no t to mention Detroit w here t hat n umber is o ver 25%, o r Spain where it is over 20%, while here we are holding at 6.5% unemployment. One can say ‘wait a min ute’ but what about all t hose not counted in the unemployment statistics. Yes, but this is true in every country so the numbers speak for themselves. We all kno w that in reality, the actual unemployment is larger.” There are 450,000 small and medium size businesses in Israel, making up 98.5% of the workplace. We m ust under stand t hat if w e g et t his right, there is potential for significant growth. Kedmi feels that at the end o f the day, these Continued on p. 90

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12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

U.S. New Home Sales Dip, But Prices Scale 5-Year High

quarter of growth. While r esidential construction acco unts for only about 2.5 percent of GDP, economists estimate t hat f or e very ne w house built, at least three new jobs are created. In addi tion, eco nomists s aid r ising ho me values co uld su pport consumer spending. “The turn in home prices is important, not only because the housing ind ustry is a n im portant employer, b ut als o t he w ealth effect

WASHINGTON, S ept 26 (Reuters) - N ew U.S. ho me s ales held near two-year hig hs in A ugust and prices va ulted t o t heir hig hest le vel in more than five years, adding to signs of a broadening housing market recovery. The C ommerce D epartment said o n W ednesday s ales sli pped 0.3 p ercent t o a s easonally ad justed 373,000-unit annual rate, but the decrease was f rom an upwardly revised 374,000-uni t J uly pace t hat was the fastest since April 2010. From a y ear ag o, s ales w ere u p 27.7 percent last month. At t he s ame time , t he median p rice o f a ne w ho me incr eased a r ecord 11.2 p ercent in A ugust t o $256,900 -- t he hig hest le vel since March 2007. C ompared t o A ugust last y ear, t he media n s ales p rice jumped 17 p ercent, t he la rgest r ise since December 2004. The report was in k eeping with other da ta t hat ha ve sug gested a turn-around in t he ho using ma rket, which collapsed in 2006, igni ting the 2007-09 recession. Home resales surged last month, homebuilder s entiment j umped t o a six-y ear hig h in S eptember a nd home p rices in 20 ma jor metr opolitan areas rose in July for a sixth straight month, recent reports have shown. Still, th e h ousing m arket lac ks sufficient str ength t o t ake t he baton f rom t he faltering manufacturing sector as t he main driver of the U.S. economic recovery. “There a re incr eased sign s t hat the ho using r ecovery is no w o n a more sust ainable pa th, t hough i ts impact o n o verall eco nomic ac tivity will r emain relatively mo dest at best o ver t he ne ar-term,” s aid M illan Mulraine, a senior economist at TD Securities in New York. U.S. financial ma rkets w ere li ttle moved by the data amid worries Spain’s r eluctance t o ask f or a f ullblown ba ilout w ould p rolong E urope’s debt crisis. However, an index of housing-related stocks fell as t he pace of home sales was not as strong as expected. MISSING PISTON The F ederal Res erve t argeted housing this month as a c hannel to spur faster economic growth. Fed C hairman B en B ernanke said ho using was t he “missing p iston” in the recovery and the central bank a nnounced i t w ould b uy $40 billion in mo rtgage-backed s ecurities per month until the outlook for employment improved significantly. Those me asures ha ve p ushed mortgage rates to record lows, and led t o a r ebound in dema nd f or loans to purchase homes last w eek, a s econd r eport sho wed. Fix ed 30year mo rtgage rates hi t a n all-time average lo w o f 3.63 p ercent last week. Home b uilding is exp ected to add t o gr oss do mestic p roduct growth th is y ear f or th e first time since 2005.

Home b uilder L ennar C orp o n Monday reported a 44 percent jump in o rders f or ne w ho mes d uring the t hird quarter, t he sixt h straight

created b y r ising ho me p rices ca n lift co nsumer sp ending o n o ther big-ticket i tems,” s aid S teven Ricchiuto, c hief eco nomist a t M izuho Securities in New York. The ho using r ecovery is b eing dr iven b y d windling su pplies of ho mes o n t he ma rket, esp ecially distr essed p roperties t hat t end to sell well below their cost o f construction. Home builders are also keeping inventories lean. The inventory of new homes on the ma rket held ne ar r ecord lo ws last month. At August’s sales pace it

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would take 4.5 mo nths to clear the houses o n t he ma rket, unc hanged from July. “For ye ars after t he co llapse in housing, ho me b uilders ha ve k ept very lean inventories of new homes so any marginal pickup in s ales activity le ads t o a no table p ickup in building,” said Ellen Zentner, a senior economist at Nomura Securities International in New York. New ho me s ales w ere u p in three of the four regions, surging 20 percent t o a ne ar tw o-year hig h in the Northeast. Sales in the South fell 4.9 percent.

WE MIGHT BE CRAZY BUT NO ONE BEATS OUR PRICES AND SERVICES

with the lowest prices in town 89

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Mimamakim Continued from p. 33

were, als o exp eriences the emotion of kinna, as it is written ‘E-l kana,’ Hashem’s vengeance or jealousy (Shemos 20:4). Ramban16 observes that this phrase is found only regarding the sin of avoda zara – and then only when it is committed by the Jewish nation. Ramban explains that since Hashem has s elected the Bnei Yisroel f rom all t he nations of t he world as H is cherished p eople a nd s ervants, if t hey a bandon Him and turn to idolatry that is an act of betrayal akin to a wife who has an affair with another man. Hence t he Torah refers t o t his as kinaas Hashem. Hashem, do es no t exp ect such allegiance from the other nations of the world.17 Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner zt”l (Pachad Yitzchok, Ch anuka, §1, milu’im; Shavuos §14) elaborates o n t his t heme: no t o nly is a n adulteress guil ty o f ‘ sinning’ aga inst G od, but she is als o c ulpable f or b etraying her husband.18 Similarly, avoda z ara differs from the other prohibitions of the Torah. The only reason any sin is in fact considered a sin is because Hashem recorded in the Torah that it is prohibited; one who willfully violates any act or b ehavior p roscribed b y t he T orah tra nsgresses H is will . B ut o ne w ho did no t kno w that the Torah prohibited this deed is not considered as ha ving r ebelled aga inst Hashem. However, t he v ery ac t o f w orshipping a f oreign g od, e ven if no sin w ould b e in volved, is a b etrayal o f G-d , w hich ca uses ir repara16 Shemos 20:3; see Moreh Nevuchim 1:36. 17 Nonetheless, we ﬁnd that He does become angered when the other nations worship avoda zara; see Berachos 7a. 18 Thus, according to Maharik (§167), if a married woman would have an aﬀair because she thought that it is permissible to have relations with another man, she is prohibited to return to her husband. In contrast, if one does not know that a particular act is a sin and as a result performs this deed, it is regarded as an unintentional act. She might not have known that it is a sin to commit adultery, but she was fully aware that she was rebelling against her husband.

HaRav Zev Leff: Parshas Vezos Haberachah Continued from p. 32

perfection inherent in t he names of his c hildren. There was no c heit, no deficiency in their p otential a bilities. H ence t here was no need for Mashiach to tarry until the keitz, the preordained deadline. Yaakov saw that if they perfected t heir p otential, M ashiach w ould come b efore t he k eitz. Thus t he let ters enda tzikkie and kuf did not appear in their names.

A Look at Israel’s Economy & Chareidim in the Coming Decade

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

ble da mage t o o ne’s r elationship wi th H im. Hence, it may be said that through one’s association with an idolatrous act, even though he personally did no t transgress the prohibition against worshipping avoda zara, nevertheless, he has still betrayed his Maker. Ramban (Shemos 32:1) explains that when the B nei Y isroel f ormed t he eigel, t hey had no intention of creating a g od – a b eing that has co ntrol o ver lif e a nd de ath. R ather, t hey sought a n in termediary b etween t hemselves and Hashem. Moshe Rabbeinu, Hashem’s shaliach, ag ent, had led t hem o ut o f E gypt a nd guided them along the way. But now that the time for Moshe’s return from the Heavens had apparently passed, they sought a new leader to direct them in their service of Hashem. Nonetheless, e ven t his is p rohibited by Torah law, and from the catastrophe that ensued, one can readily see why. Most o f t he J ews did no t w orship t he eigel. There w ere s ome, ho wever, w ho did deify t he eigel – alas, wi th tr emendous enthusiasm. The o nes guil ty o f tr ue ido l w orship wer e a ll p unished.19 H owever, t he ot hers, t he ma jority, w ere f orgiven f or a ny sin they might have transgressed, since t hey had not ac tually w orshipped t he eigel. N onetheless, they were involved in f orming the golden calf, which evolved into an idol worshipped by a few thousand of their brethren. Furthermore, once they saw what had occurred, they should ha ve p rotested t his disgracef ul deed; they should not have tolerated this abomination in their midst. This incident caused terrible damage to the relationship between them and G-d; they were not worthy of being called His ‘bride’ nor were they worthy of dwelling together wi th H im en veloped b y t he ananei hakavod. After Moshe came down from the Heav-

Ramchal (Derech Hashem, ibid.) explains that one does not observe the mitzvah of sukkah only to recall the ananei hakavod of over three th ousand y ears a go. R ather, ea ch y ear when one d wells in t he sukkah, one ac tually experiences the spiritual benefits of the clouds of g lory. We ma y b e una ble t o tr uly s ee t he ananei hakavod, b ut b y en tering t he sukkah, one merits a measure of the Divine protection afforded to the Jews in the Desert. While one is sitting in the sukkah, Hashem lifts him above the physical world, thereby removing the desires and distractions that one must normally overcome. One ca n then cling to Him and grow closer to Him. Thus every Sukkos we return t o th e ‘ home’ th at Hashem p rovided t o His young ‘bride’ in the wilderness.21 Let us no w r eturn t o t he passuk in Nechemiah. W hen t he r eturnees f rom B avel dwelled in t he sukkos that t hey had er ected, they experienced the Divine closeness of the ananei hakavod and understood that He had removed them from this temporal world; they realized t hat t hey w ere in H is ‘home.’ More-

19 The Gemara (Yoma 66b) explains that if there were witnesses who forewarned the idolater, he was killed by the sword of the Levi’im; if the witnesses did not forewarn the idolater, he would have died during the plague following the sin; those who worshipped the eigel privately perished after they drank the mixture of water and the eigel’s remains.

20 Klei Yakar, Bamidbar 1:1; see Rashi to Bamidbar 7:1 with Gur Aryeh. 21 This follows the concept that the spiritual inﬂuence which was revealed to our forefathers at the time of the event for which each particular yom tov commemorates is renewed each year when we observe that holiday along with its unique mitzvos; see Derech Hashem IV 7:5.

22 Derech Hashem explains further that whereas most Jews merit the protection of the ananei hakavod only while they fulﬁll the mitzva of sukka, the tzaddikim enjoy the beneﬁts of these clouds the entire year, even as they live amongst man (see Imrei Chein, who quotes R’ Shneur Kotler zt”l, Rosh Yeshiva of Beth Medash Govoha, Lakewood).

In light of this let us re-examine the Midrash of the king’s confidant. The confidant reflected t hat if he t old his c hildren t he kin g’s mysteries, they would know this information only secondhand. But if he could inspire them to be careful in honoring the king, they would merit to become confidants of the king themselves and hear his secrets firsthand. Similarly, Y aakov wi shed t o r eveal th e keitz to his children. But after realizing the potential inherent in them, he chose to impart to them that which would obviate the keitz and bring the redemption closer.

The gr eatest b lessing o ne ca n b estow is to enlig hten a nother a nd acquaint him wi th himself. The Mishnah (Avos 318) s ays “Man is precious, having been created in God’s image, a nd e ven mo re s o f or ha ving b een informed t hat he was cr eated in G od’s image.” Self-knowledge o f o ne’s a bilities a nd t alents, as well as o ne’s shortcoming and limitations, is t he gr eatest b lessing; i t is t he me ans enabling one to realize his Divine mission in this world. Yaakov r ealized t hat t he ul timate g enlah depended on the development of his sons’ po-

tential, the potential inherent in t heir names. Rather t han reveal t he de adline f or redemption, he o pted to bless them with self-knowledge that could help them bring the redemption a t a m uch e arlier da te. I n t his v ein, knowledge o f t he capabilities t hey p ossessed was itself a blessing. As we close the Torah, may we strengthen ourselves to develop the unique potential inherent in o ur names for the furtherance and enhancement o f Torah a nd K lal Yisrael, a nd thereby b ring t he g eulah sheleimah sp eedily in our days.

nity have been working to infuse capital towards enco uraging gr owth, wi th s ome success, a nd t he defa ult ra te is accep table. Yes, there is a risk.”

Today, our reality has c hanged dramatically. We have no promise that it will not return in the f uture. F or t his t o ha ppen, w e m ust r eturn t o t he b eginning a nd addr ess t he basics, that same 50% group, namely education. These sectors must be educated if t here is to by a ny ho pe o f ma instreaming in to t he national workforce. “If there is education, then they enter the workplace and then there is t he competitive edge. We will no t s ee ind ustry as was s een in the past sim ply because today we are not capable. We sim ply ca nnot co mpete wi th a $100 monthly wage in Cambodia. We cannot establish operations as seen in India.” Take the textile industry in t hat country, India. I srael has signed a n agr eement wi th them. Israel succeeded in reaching an agreement by which that textile industry benefits from Blue & W hite R & D . That i ndustry i s advanced; high-tech and we placed the hightech asp ect in to I ndia. The t extile ind ustry

today is a far cry from that seen in the United States post WWII. I srael is p laying a significant role in t hat hig h-tech field in I ndia today. Until t hree y ears ag o, t he U nited S tates and the European Union were without question I srael’s ma jor trade pa rtners, a mounting t o a co mbined 60%. A sia was 15%, t oday amounting to 20%, a nd China is I srael’s number tw o pa rtner, t aking a bac k s eat t o Germany. The ministry’s next project is to focus on Africa. Kedmi is confident of the vast potential in Af rica. There is no inf rastructure and there is almost unlimi ted potential for establishing this infrastructure. In the future, it will represent a major workforce, “the next potential”. “There are s ome firms t hat already understand t his a nd w e as t he g overnment I hope will begin marching in this direction. I believe we are speaking in the right direction but now we must translate this into actions.”

Continued from p. 88

sectors must be encouraged to join the workforce a nd w e, t he CFO s m ust do t heir pa rt to create a suitable environment. The government must also do its part, for the small businesses face ma jor im pediments t o gr owth and success, primarily credit and regulation. Kedmi explains that doing business in Israel is no thing sho rt o f ca tastrophe, “something between Zimbabwe and Tanzim”. “In all ho nesty, the situation as i t exists today f or small b usiness is un tenable. Dur ing the course of a day several inspectors representing various agencies may pop in, e ach with ano ther mess age, o ften contradicting one another. “The government and financial commu90

SOME NUMBERS

Ø Exports stand at $89.7 billion (36.9% of GDP), accounting for 69.5% of total exports. Ø Imports st and at $91.8 b illion (37.8% of GDP) accounting for 68% of total imports, excluding diamonds. While w e do no t ha ve dia mond mines, this industry plays a major role in our economy as t he stones are brought, cut and polished a nd shi pped o ut – a ma jor ind ustry. Each tra nsaction b rings r evenue. I nternational trade is an integral portion of our economy.

START-UP NATION, A LIGHT ONTO THE NATIONS

“This is all tr ue, a nd i t was, past t ense.

ens and exhorted them to donate towards the Mishkan, the people responded by giving generously, thus showing their deep desir e to be close with Him once more. Furthermore, the Mishkan was to serve as a chuppah, where the marriage b ond b etween Hashem and B nei Yisroel would become complete.20 Thus when they st arted t o co nstruct t his str ucture, t he clouds returned and once again they were welcome in Hashem’s ‘home’, where they were the recipients o f H is p rotection. I t is t hese ananei hakavod, which represent our forgiveness from straying after avoda zara and our reunification with Hashem that we are commanded to remember while we live in the sukkah.

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over, the B abylonian exiles r emembered that the sukkah r ecalls t he return of t he ananei hakavod, ma rking o ur f orgiveness f rom t he eigel, the one thing that has t he ability to remove us from His home. Surely, this is reason to rejoice! At the same time, however, the returnees felt t hey could no lo nger tolerate t he p owerful desire for idolatry, which could have such a dis astrous effect o n t heir r elationship wi th Hashem. They therefore prayed for the demise of t his yetzer h ara. S cripture t herefore co nsiders them to be the first to make sukkos, for they w ere th e first o nes t o t ake t he mess age of the sukkah to heart, to the extent that they felt compelled to rid themselves of this terrible malady. Not only did Hashem heed t heir prayers, and deli ver t he e vil inc lination t o t hem, b ut He ena bled t he B abylonian exiles t o f eel t he Divine protection of the ananei hakavod and the closeness to Hashem even after the holiday of Sukkos. Since they appreciated the attachment to Hashem and were moved to act and destroy a ny r emaining avoda z ara, t hey deserved to remain in Hashem’s house even after the festival. They thus had tw o reasons to rejoice: one, for having fulfilled the mitzvah of sukkah properly, in law and in spirit, and two, for eradicating the temptation for avoda zara, which enabled them to continue to experience the sukkah’s spiritual protection.22

VII

This y ear as w e e at in t he sukkah, let us bask in t he Di vine p rotection a nd sp iritual shelter it provides. And let us r ejoice in the knowledge that we are His beloved, who is allowed in His home. If we take this message to heart, w e t oo ca n dra w co me c loser t o H im and His ways.

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U.S. Postal Service Prepares for Second Default in Two Months The U.S. Postal S ervice will default this week on a $5.6 billion congressionally ma ndated ob ligation to p re-fund r etiree he alth b enefits, marking t he s econd time in tw o months t he cash-stra pped ag ency has done this. The P ostal S ervice last mo nth failed to pay $5.5 billion for its fiscal 2011 prepayment obligation, which originally was d ue in S eptember

12 TISHREI 5773 | SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Gas has r emained st ubbornly hig h al though eco nomic gr owth is tepid and demand for gasoline is lower than a year ago. Oil rose about 25 p ercent f rom la te J une t hrough late A ugust. M ore r ecently, r efinery issues ha ve tig htened t he su pply of gas on both coasts. And there are lin gering effects f rom H urricane Isaac, which disrupted refineries and imported oil deliveries along the Gulf Coast. Prices are at or above $4 per gallon in Alaska, C alifornia, Connecticut, Hawaii, New York a nd Washington, acco rding t o AAA, W right

Express a nd t he Oil P rice I nformation S ervice. The lo west p rices, which range from $3.546 per gallon to $3.656 p er gallo n, a re in T exas, the lower Midwest and the South. It probably will be a few more weeks before supplies build back up in certain markets and lead to a noticeable decline in pump prices, said Tom K loza, c hief o il a nalyst a t Oil Price Information Service. He p redicted t hat gas w ould drop in to a ra nge b etween $3.25 per gallo n t o $3.50 p er gallo n b y Tha nksgiving. The hig hest p rice voters e ver pa id w hile he ading t o

the polls falls in that range: $3.41 on Nov. 8, 2011. I n 2008, w hen Obama defeated John McCain, gas had dropped to $2.41 by Election Day as the economy slid deeper into recession.

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Oil last c losed b elow $90 p er barrel on Aug. 2. Wednesday’s drop came as p rotests in G reece a nd Spain offered visible reminders that Europe still is struggling to resolve its deb t cr isis. The p rotests a re o ccurring ahead of spending cuts and tax hik es designed t o hel p t hose countries control debt. Such austerity measures crimp the need f or oil and oil byproducts like gasoline and diesel. Brent cr ude, w hich is us ed t o price in ternational va rieties o f o il, fell 41 cents to $110.04 per barrel in London.

2011 but was def erred by Congress until Aug. 1. That was the first time it ever defaulted on a payment to the Treasury Department. The $5.6 b illion due this week, on Sept. 30, represents this fiscal year’s obligation. Before t his ye ar, C ongress helped USPS defer pre-funding payments required by a 2006 co ngressional ma ndate. P ostal r eform has challenged this Congress. Lawmakers warn that when they revisit the issue a fter t he N ovember elec tion they likely won’t reach agreement on as major an overhaul as some deem necessary. USPS lost $5.2 b illion in the third quarter of fiscal 2012, $2.1 billion m ore th an d uring th e sa me time period in 2011. (Source: National Journal)

Gas Prices Unlikely To Fall As fast As Oil (AP) Not so fast. That’s the message f or dr ivers ho ping a r ecent drop in oil prices will soon show up at the gas station. Oil has dropped $9 per barrel, or 9.1 percent, in less t han two weeks. Gas prices tend to lag changes in oil, but experts don’t expect a significant move lower until the middle of October. Oil ended at $89.98 on Wednesday, down $1.39, or 1.5 percent. The national a verage p rice f or gas was $3.805 per gallon, a record high for this time o f y ear, a nd u p 31 cen ts from the same date last year. Gas p rices sho uld b e a t a r ecord for early October when President Barack Obama debates Republican c hallenger M itt Ro mney next week in Denver. The focus of the debate will be on the economy and domestic p olicy. High gas p rices usually c ut in to co nsumer sp ending, which accounts for about 70 percent of economic activity. 91

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U.S. & WORLD NEWS Assad Plans to Use Chemical Weapons as a Last Resort ccording S yrian g eneral M ajor-General Adnan Sillu, who defected during the ongoing civil war, Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad plans to move his chemical weapons to Hizbullah hands, the Times of London reports. The former senior Syrian officer was interviewed by the Times of London, telling t he ne wspaper t hat as a last r esort, Assad planned to use the chemical weapons against his people. Sillu was in charge of the chemical weaponry prior to his defection. “We were in a serious discussion about the us e o f c hemical w eapons, inc luding how we would use them and in what areas,” Sillu told the Times. “ We dis cussed t his as a last r esort -such as if the regime lost control of an important area such as Aleppo,” said the General. Earlier in the week, a report in the German weekly Der Spiegel claimed that Syria tested delivery systems for chemical weapons at the end of August, the daily Haaretz reports. Israeli military and intelligence officials continue to carefully monitor events in S yria, predicting the downfall of Assad will occur in the not-too-distant future.

Iranian Hackers Target Bank Of America, JPMorgan hen workers at JPMorgan-Chase and Bank of America logged on last w eek, all t hey saw were messages that said denial-of-service. U.S. security officials told NBC News the reason was an Iranian government bug; the cyber-response to a YouTube movie poking fun at the Prophet Mohammed. Over the last two weeks some Muslim leaders have used the video to spark protests and murder throughout the Middle East and North Africa. A claim on Pastebin.com says: “We, Cyber fighters of Izz ad-din Al qassam will attack the Bank of America and New York Stock Exchange for the first step. These Targets are properties of American-Zionist Capitalists…This attack will continue till th e Erasing of that nasty movie.” U.S. security personnel say this claim is a cover for the Iranian government. So far, there is no word of attack from the NYSE. Each bank’s system was filled with incoming data until it became inoperable. According to Frank Cilluffo, a former U.S. official involved in online security, Iran and its terrorist agents pose real threats in c yberspace. He testified in f ront of the House Committee on Homeland Security: “They do not need highly sophisticated capabilities - just intent and cash - as there exists an arms bazaar of cyber weapons, allowing Iran to buy or rent the tools they need or seek.” Hackers have also reportedly exploited vulnerability in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, according to the website of Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center. The

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FS-ISAC collaborates on security threats facing the world of finance. The group has a threat level indicator that last week was raised from elevated to high. A s ecurity contractor s ource told Reuters t hat “massive” denial o f s ervice disr uptions were felling the systems at multiple banks. The FBI published a “fraud alert” notifying financial institutions of the increased likelihood of attacks. It is unknown if this alert is connected to the Iranian cyber threat.

Iran Commander Says Could Launch Pre-emptive Strike On Israel (Reuters) - Iran could launch a pre-emptive strike on Israel if it was sure the Jewish state were preparing to attack it, a senior commander of its elite Revolutionary Guards was quot-

ed as saying on Sunday. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, a brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, made the comments to Iran’s state-run Arabic language Al-Alam television, according to a report on the network’s website. “Iran will no t start any war but it could launch a p re-emptive attack if i t was sur e that the enemies are putting the final touches to attack it,” Al-Alam said, paraphrasing the military commander. Hajizadeh said any attack on Iranian soil could trigger “World War Thre e”. “We can not imagine the Zionist regime starting a war without America’s support. Ther efore, in case of a war, we will get into a war with both of them and we will certainly get into a conflict with American bases,” he said “In that case, unpredictable and unmanageable things would happen and it could turn into a World War Thre e.”

Ahmadinejad’s Aide In prison As Iranian President Addresses U.N.

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DUBAI, S ept 26 (Reu ters) - A c lose a ide t o I ranian P resident M ahmoud Ahmadinejad and head of the country’s state news agency (IRNA) started a six-month prison term on Wednesday, an apparent sign o f t he continuing feud b etween t he president and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Ali Akbar Javanfekr was one of several Ahmadinejad aides targeted by hardline rivals last year who accused the president of being in the grip of a “deviant current” of advisers seeking to undermine the role of clergy in the Islamic establishment. The sentence relates to his conviction last November for publishing an article about Islamic dress that was deemed offensive to public decency, IRNA reported. Three months later he was also convicted of insulting Khamenei on his personal website. It is not clear how or when this happened.

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U.S. & WORLD NEWS Javanfekr, who is Ahmadinejad’s press adviser, was arrested and taken to Evin prison just as the president was addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the report added. The feud between the Iran’s elected and unelected leaders erupted in public last year after Khamenei reinstated intelligence minister Heydar Moslehi, who Ahmadinejad had sacked. Earlier this year, the 56-year-old ultra conservative became the first president in the history of the Islamic republic to be summoned to parliament to face a grilling by hostile MPs. Speculation that he faced impeachment has proven unfounded and Ahmadinejad is expected to see out his last year in office.

UK Court Issues Injunction In Radical Cleric Case (AP) A British court issued an interim injunction Wednesday blocking the extradition of a radical cleric to the United States on terror charges, granting a court hearing for an appeal. Mustafa Kamal Mustafa - who is better known as Abu Hamza al-Masri - challenged his extradition on charges t hat include helping s et up a t errorist training camp in r ural Oregon. The appeal marked yet another legal twist in a case that has wound its way through the courts for eight years. Khaled Al-Fawwaz, a s econd terror suspect, has als o mounted a legal c hallenge before Britain’s High Court. Britain’s Home Office immediately challenged the appeals. Judicial authorities said in a statement that a hearing would be held Tuesday to consider the two men’s applications. Sonn Macmillan Walker, a London law firm representing al-Masri, declined to provide details “given the sensitive nature of this matter.” The grounds of al-Masri’s appeal were not immediately clear, but it was certain to stoke an ongoing debate in Britain about extradition laws. Critics have charged that the country’s laws allow litigants to drag out their cases for years. Lawyer Karen Todner, an extradition specialist, said the men w ould have to show the judge evidence of a new argument that had not been previously considered. “They could only have gone back to court on a new matter that wasn’t apparent before, such as a new health situation,” she said. The appeals follow a European court decision Monday that was believed to have cleared the way for the cleric’s extradition and that of four other suspects after an eight-year legal battle. The Egyptian-born former nightclub bouncer, who claimed he lost his e ye and hands fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan, used north London’s Finsbury Park Mosque as a base to

persuade young Muslims to take up the cause of holy war. The mosque was once attended by Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui and “shoe bomber” Richard Reid. After the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the cleric praised Osama bin Laden and declared “many people will b e happy, jumping up and down at this moment.” He is wa nted in t he U.S. on multiple terrorism-related charges, including assisting in the taking of 16 hostages - including two American tourists - in Yemen in 1998 a nd conspiring to set up a terrorist training camp in Bly, Oregon, between 2000 and 2001. He is serving a jail sentence in Britain on separate charges of inciting hatred.

Hillary Drops Strong Hint That Al Qaeda Was Behind Libya Attack ecretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday suggested a link b etween Al Qaeda and the Sept. 11 a ttack on the US co nsulate in B enghazi, Libya, going further

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U.S. & WORLD NEWS Continued from p. 93

than other Obama administration officials have previously in ass erting that the deadly attack involved terrorists. Speaking at a special United Nations meeting on instability in the Sahel – the African region that includes Mali, where Islamist extremists control the north of the country – Secretary Clinton cited the Libya attack as an example of the kind of action the region’s growing extremist groups are carrying out. “What is happening inside Mali is augmented by the rising threat from violent extremism across the region,” Clinton said, adding that groups including Al Q aeda in t he Islamic Maghreb have launched attacks from northern Mali into neighboring countries. Thes e same groups, she added, “are working with other violent extremists to undermine the democratic transitions underway in North Africa, as we tragically saw in Benghazi.” The White House last week said it was “self-evident” that the Benghazi attack was “terrorism,” but Republican critics have said the administration for too long attributed the attack to a spontaneous and unorganized mob. The firebombing of the poorly secured consulate resulted in the death of four US diplomats, including the US ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens. The head of the US National Counterterrorism Center, Matthew Olsen, also said in congressional testimony last w eek that the attack was “ terrorism,” and he ci ted Al Q aeda. But he said only that information suggested individuals involved in t he attack might have had some level of contact with Al Qaeda and its affiliates – in particular, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). In his speech to the UN General Assembly Tuesday, President Obama said the attack on Benghazi was a n attack “on America,” and he s aid the US w ould be “relentless in trac king down the killers and bringing them to justice,” but he provided no insight into who the killers were. In her comments Wednesday, Clinton said the US is working with a number of countries including Libya to find the perpetrators of the attack, while also “stepping up our counterterrorism efforts across the Maghreb and Sahel.” Some intelligence specialists have suggested that the attack could have been the work of Ansar al-Sharia, a Libyan jihadist group. During the chaotic period following Libya’s revolution, the group could have had access to the heavier arms used in the consulate attack. Libya’s president, Mohamed Magariaf, has insisted that the attack was the work of AQIM. The Al Qaeda affiliate originated in Algeria, but intelligence officials say it has been expanding eastward and southward as instability has seized North Africa and the Sahel.

Accident Victim Flown to Eretz Yisrael from the Ukraine number of mispallalim heading to the tziyun of the Bal Shem Tov were involved in an accident on erev Yom Kippur. The driver, a resident of Netanya, 26, sustained a head injury and listed in serious condition. A Hatzalah Ukraine ambulance under the command of Rav Hillel Cohen of Kiev responded. Chadrei Chareidim reports Nosson Goldman headed the medical t eam that evacuated the injured man to an Uman hospital. Apparently, due to that hospital’s lack of trauma capabilities the victim was escorted by a paramedic team which included Azriel Schnitzer to the Kiev Public Hospital. The victim was placed in an ICU with head, back, pelvic and others injures. After consulting with medical professionals it was decided to move the victim to a hospital in Eretz Yisrael now that his condition is listed as moderate-to-serious. A private aerial ambulance service was contracted and ‫ תידוהי ןב דעלא‬was flown to Ben-Gurion International Airport and then transported to Tel Hashomer Hospital. The tzibur is asked to be mispallel for ‫ תידוהי ןב דעלא‬.

Egyptian Leader Concerned with “Occupied Jerusalem” hile not specifically mentioning the Camp David peace treaty with Israel by name, in his address before the United Nations last week Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi reiterated his government’s commitment to all agreements signed by previous governments. Morsi added that he is the first democratically elected president of his country.

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The Islamic Brotherhood-affiliated leader did dedicate a good portion of the beginning of his address to Islam and Mohammad, moving on to other issues, including “occupied Jerusalem” and the need to resolve the status of the capital of the State of Palestine. “It is a shame that the world continues to ignore the rights of the Palestinians. All forms of occupation of the Arab nation must end. I promise that Egypt will support any Palestinian maneuver in the UN to obtain their legitimate right to a state.” Morsi’s attacks against Israel came in other forms as well, including a call f or a nuclear free Middle East “without exceptions”.

Putin Condemns Bloody Regime Change in Middle East (AP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a strong warning Wednesday against inciting violent regime change in the Middle East - an apparent rebuke to Western calls for an

end to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s rule. Putin said the international community should operate as a uni ted front to soothe the tensions in t he Mideast and claimed that a b loody regime change would only fuel further unrest. “Violence only begets violence,” Putin said in a speech to foreign diplomats in Moscow. The statement appeared to again pit Putin against President Barack Obama, who used his speech at the U.N. General Assembly this week to call for an end to the Assad regime over its violent crackdown on an uprising that began in March 2011. Speaking about the rising violence in Syria, Obama said Tuesday that “the future must not belong to a dictator who massacres his people.” “Together, we must stand with those Syrians who believe in a different vision,” Obama said. As frustration deepens at the ongoing failure of U.N.-led measures to reach a s olution on Syria, officials from a coalition including the United States, the European Union and the Arab League met in the Netherlands last week to devise new ways of isolating the Assad regime. But Putin said Wednesday that attempts to circumvent U.N.-led diplomatic efforts would prove destructive. “Such action is fraught with potential for destabilization and chaos,” Putin said. “Life has recently given us proof that this is correct. It is time for us to draw lessons from what is happening.” Activists estimate that at least 30,000 people have been killed since the Syrian revolt began and hundreds of thousands have been displaced, many fleeing to neighboring countries such as Turkey and Jordan. In his speech, Putin also called for joint international efforts to counter terrorist threats across a number of Middle East nations, including Libya, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Egypt, and Afghanistan. “There can be no room for double standards. Terrorists should be given a hard and unanimous rebuff,” he said.

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Air-Force One Aborts Landing KENT, Ohio , S ept 26 (Reu ters) - The presidential jet Air F orce One was f orced Wednesday to abort an initial landing in Toledo, Ohio, due to fog and rain, and passengers inc luding t he p resident had a b umpy ride.

The plane ferrying President Barack Obama to election campaign events in Ohio t ook two attempts to land while those aboard were shaken by turbulence. White House Press S ecretary Jay C arney, after co nsulting wi th t he p lane’s cr ew, t old journalists tra veling wi th t he p resident t hat weather was the cause. The plane landed safely on the second attempt and there were no injuries.

Another 400 West Nile Cases Reported in U.S. In Past Week

ported in Texas. Other states with large number o f cas es inc lude M ississippi, M ichigan, South Dakota, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and California. A total of 147 people have now died from the disease, compared with 134 r eported one week ago.

(Reuters) More than 400 new U.S. cases of West Nile vir us emerged in t he last w eek, in an outbreak that remains one of the worst of record but has b egun to show signs of slowing down. So far this year, 3,545 cases have been reported to federal he alth officials as o f S ept. 25, up from 3,142 reported the week before, the C enters f or Dis ease C ontrol a nd P revention (CD C) said in i ts weekly update of outbreak da ta. That marked a rise of nearly 13 p ercent, down considerably from a 30 percent w eekly j ump wi tnessed e arlier t his month. About 38 percent of all cases have been re95

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