THE SYSTEM: guide to the medically perplexed
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VOL. 2, ISSUE NO. 21 September 2008
BET SHEMESH GUSH ETZION JERUSALEM MODI'IN TEL AVIV NEW YORK LONDON
Shoftim, Sept 5, 2008
Ki-Teitzei, Sept12
LIGHT
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THE ISRAEL MAGAZINE
SEPTEMBER 2008 THE ISRAEL MAGAZINE
September 2008 6 Navigating Healthcare in Israel by Joseph S. Pliskin, Ph.D.
8 Tidbits 10 Private Medical Care by Dr. Simcha Shapiro
12 Digging the Soul by Rav Adin Steinsaltz
14 Making Bones b y Tamar Schriger 16 Arts & Culture 18 E xclusive Interview: Dr. Professor Halevy, Shaare Zedek 20 The Dropping Dollar by Douglas Goldstein, CFP
22 Women in Science by Judith Sudilovsky, Israel 21C
24 Mental Illness
26 E xclusive Interview: Sara Siemaitycki, B’shvileych
39 “On the Face”
28 Revitalizing Religious Zionism in North America
40 Aliyah for You
by Frumie Horowitz
30 Golden Opportunities in the City of Gold 30 Dr. Maimonides by Rav Daviv Orbach
31 This Article Will Not Affect Your Life by Rabbi Aryeh Ben-David
32 Where Zionism Lives by Michael Dickson
34 Valley of the Tears
by Dr. Professor Jonathan Shapiro by Ilene Bloch-Levy
41 Superfoods by Miriam Braun
42 Classifieds 48 Spiritual Warriors by Moshe Katz
49 Simanim by Chana Rubin
50 Contributors
by Rabbi Mordechai Weiss
36 Pusing Off the Harshness by Rav Shlomo Aviner
38 Spinning Out of Control by Miriam Braun & Miriam Rubin
by Rav Guy Avihod Second Year, No. 21 September © 2008 by ShiurTimes, Inc., 1 Ben Yehuda Street. All rights reserved. To contact one of the staff with your questions, concerns, or subscription inquiries, please call (02)625-6225. For advertising needs, please call: (02)625-6227 or e-mail: staff.editors@shiurtimes.com. Managing Publisher & Editor-in Chief: Elie Rubin Editor: Yehudit Singer Marketing Manager: Hillie Roth Art Director: Deb Houben Classifieds & Marketing: David Hirschfield Interns: Miriam Braun, Miriam Rubin, Estee Wertentheil Studio Rubin & Co: (054)723-4520 Stock Photography: istockphoto.com, Flickr. Copyrighting laws apply to all articles, and nothing may be reprinted without express permission from the Publisher. ShiurTimes is not responsible for the content of the advertisements. The Opinions of the articles within the ShiurTimes rest solely upon the authors. Reproduction of any parts of the ShiurTimes is forbidden without permission. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM READING THE SHIURTIMES IN THE BEIT KNESSET DURING TIMES OF TEFILLAH. Please make sure to recycle your copy of ShiurTimes when you finish reading!
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the Healthcare System in Israel an expert’s guide to the medically perplexed. by joSeph S. pliSkin, ph.d israel has one of the most advanced public healthcare systems in the world. israeli citizens are provided with a very wide basket of health services in first-rate clinics and hospitals, and administered by highly-trained physicians, nurses, and technical staff. The health care system in israel is still characterized by being public, in both the financing and the delivery of health services. The distribution of the health services around the country is relatively equal, and there are very short queues for various procedures. Life expectancy is high, infant mortality is low, and the people’s satisfaction from the health system is high— all of that achieved with a relatively low rate of expenditure (7.8% of the GDP compared to 16% in US).
‘‘
The MOH plays a very unique and sometimes controversial role in the providing health care.” as of 1995, israel has had a national Health insurance Law (nHiL) that provides health coverage to all citizens of israel (there are no uninsured people in the country). The healthcare system in israel is based on four health plans called “sick funds” which are not-forprofit entities. These are comparable to the Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) found in the USa. as of 1995, contributions to the health plan of choice are compulsory, and are collected through the equivalent of a health tax. People are free to move from one health plan to another. all israeli citizens, irrespective of their age, income, or existing medical conditions, are entitled to full medical insurance with an identical
package of health benefits offered by all four health plans. This package is determined by the government through the Ministry of Health (MOH) and offers a uniform basket of services. in addition to the compulsory health insurance, individuals can purchase additional voluntary health coverage known as “complimentary insurance” offered through their health plan. about 70% of the population has this type of additional coverage. People may also purchase private health insurance from a variety of private insurance companies. Tourists and other non-citizens must arrange health insurance for their stay in israel as they are not covered under the nHiL. However, nobody will be denied needed medical care by hospitals. The four health plans are klalit Health Services which covers about 55% of the population, Maccabi Health Services (24%), Meuhedet Sick Fund (11%) and Leumit Sick Fund (10%). The MOH provides some services not offered by the health plans. They include preventive care such as immunizations, maternal and baby care, psychiatric care, long-term hospitalization and control of communicable diseases. The MOH plays a very unique and sometimes controversial role when providing health continued on page 47 | September 2008
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VOL. 2, ISSUE NO. 18 JUNE 2008
NASO, JUNE 6, 2008 LIGHT
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SHAVUOT, JUNE 8-9, 2008 LIGHT
END/SHENI
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BEHA’ALOTCHA JUNE 13, 2008 LIGHT END
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SHLACH, JUNE 20, 2008 LIGHT
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KORACH, JUNE 27, 2008 LIGHT
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AUSTRALIA . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5.00 CANADA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5.00 EUROPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€3.00 ISRAEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NIS 15 SOUTH AFRICA . . . . . . . . . . . R20 U.K. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £ 2.50 www.shiurtimes.com U.S.A.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3.00
VOL. 2, ISSUE NO. 19 JULY 2008
CHUKAT, JULY 4, 2008 LIGHT
BET SHEMESH GUSH ETZION JERUSALEM MODI'IN TEL AVIV NEW YORK LONDON
Rabbeinu Avraham: Time for Pious Heroes
Spotlight on Libyan Jews Safety in the Sun Real Estate Classifieds Inside END
7:31 PM 8:31 PM 7:31 PM 8:30 PM 7:08 PM 8:30 PM 7:32 PM 8:32 PM 7:29 PM 8:33 PM 8:12 PM 9:20 PM 9:01 PM 10:31 PM
BALAK, JULY 11, 2008 LIGHT
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PINCHAS, JULY 18, 2008 LIGHT
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AUSTRALIA . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5.00 CANADA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5.00 EUROPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€3.00 ISRAEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NIS 15 SOUTH AFRICA . . . . . . . . . . . R20 U.K. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £ 2.50 U.S.A.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3.00
VOL. 2, ISSUE NO. 20 AUGUST 2008
Superfoods: You are what you eat!
Aliyah for the Elderly Spotlight on Tunisian Jews Classifieds Inside
Tish’a B’Av: National Eulogy Masei, Aug 2, 2008 BET SHEMESH GUSH ETZION JERUSALEM MODI'IN TEL AVIV NEW YORK LONDON
LIGHT
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Dvarim, Aug 9, 2008 LIGHT
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Va’etchanan, Aug 16, 2008 LIGHT
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Ekev, Aug 23, 2008 LIGHT
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Re’eh, Aug 30, 2008 LIGHT
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Elul Z’man: ...what does that entail? AUSTRALIA . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5.00 CANADA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5.00 EUROPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€3.00 ISRAEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NIS 15 SOUTH AFRICA . . . . . . . . . . . R20 U.K. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £ 2.50 U.S.A.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3.00
VOL. 2, ISSUE NO. 21 SEPTEMBER 2008
Shoftim, Sept 5, 2008 LIGHT
BET SHEMESH GUSH ETZION JERUSALEM MODI'IN TEL AVIV NEW YORK LONDON
6:19 PM 6:36 PM 6:18 PM 6:29 PM 6:38 PM 7:03 PM 7:20 PM
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Ki-Teitzei, Sept12 LIGHT
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Ki-Tavo, Sep19 LIGHT
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7:16 PM 7:15 PM 7:15 PM 7:16 PM 7:17 PM 7:37 PM 7:53 PM
Netzavim, Sept 26 LIGHT
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Tidbits Rank Nation
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Total
1
China
51
21
28
100
2
USA
36
38
36
110
3
Russia
23
21
28
72
4
Great Britain
19
13
15
47
5
Germany
16
10
15
41
6
Australia
14
15
17
46
7
Korea
13
10
8
31
8
Japan
9
6
10
25
9
Italy
8
10
10
28
10
France
7
16
17
40
Pakistan’s Musharraf announces resignation: Pervez Musharraf announced his plans to resign as President of Pakistan. He has been facing impeachment on charges of violating the constitution and gross misconduct. He stated, “Whether I win or lose the impeachment, the dignity of the nation would be damaged, the office of the president harmed.” Microsoft study proves six degrees of separation: Researchers at Microsoft studied 30 billion instant messages sent by 240 million people in June 2006 and determined that, on average, any two could be linked in 6.6 steps.
War in Georgia: Russia quickly overwhelmed Georgian forces in a brief war over South Ossetia this month— the first time it has sent its forces abroad into combat since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Russian troops and tanks continue to occupy parts of Georgia included in buffer zones it set up around South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and has ignored Western demands to withdraw from them. The EU-brokered cease-fire requires both Russia and Georgia to withdraw to positions held before fighting broke out Aug. 7. (Reuters)
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| September 2008
tidbitS Bashar Assad in Moscow to Purchase Arms: Syrian president Assad traveled to Moscow in effort to persuade Russian officials to sell arms to his country. Russian President Dimitry Medvedev contacted Edur Olmert before Assad’s visit. According to Israel Radio, during their phone call, they discussed bilaterial ties in light of the conflict between Russia and Georgia. It was recently revealed that Israel supplied arms to Georgia. (JTA)
30
maximum weight that children’s glasses (age 3-6) should weigh (in grams).
79/82
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years).
23,500
Health Numbers
Number of people diagnosed with cancer in Israel (per year).
13,000
# of babies delivered at Soroka Hospital, be’er Sheva.
2,254
Casualties in road accidents in July 2008.
14,480
18%
of all cancer cases diagnosed with breast cancer (each year in Israel).
2007
year in which 291,839 diabetes patients were medicated in Israel.
$100,000
Cost of a kidney transplant.
415
# of AIDS patients in Israel (2006).
World Bank: More people living below poverty line - World Bank: The World Bank has said that more people are living in poverty in developing countries than previously thought, and adjusted the recognized yardstick for measuring global poverty to $1.25 a day from $1 a day. The data is based on 675 household surveys in 116 countries. (Reuters)
3,907
# of patients diagnosed with HIV in Israel (2006).
8,000
# of surgical procedures /year in Schneider’s medical Center.
www.shiurtimes.com
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(Source: World Health Statistics 2008; Schneider’s Hospital; Central Bureau of Statistics)
Margaret Thatcher suffering from dementia: Carol Thatcher’s memoirs, A sWiM-on pArT in The Goldfish boWl: Ah MeMoir, states that her mother, former Prime Minister of Britain Margaret Thatcher, has “a case of classic dementia, coupled with a series of mini-strokes.” Margaret Thatcher is currently 82. She served as the Prime Minister of the U.K. from 1979 to 1990. Carol Thatcher’s memoirs are slated to go on sale in September.
Child mortality rate for chronic persistent asthma (2007).
Health
Private Medical Care in a Socialized Medical System There are reasons to see a private doctor. by Dr. Simcha Shapiro
I
like to sum up Israel’s medical system by calling it “socialized medicine with a privatized option.” Everyone has basic medical coverage, and those who can afford it can get whatever they want— usually pretty quickly. Israel’s medical system is a socialized medical system. That means that everyone has their basic healthcare needs covered by one of the four national insurance companies— “Kuppot Cholim”: Klallit, Leumit, Maccabi, and Meuchedet. One can get appointments with one’s primary care doctor in most cases within the same day. Standard tests like blood tests and x-rays are fully covered with no co-pay and one can usually visit a specialist for a very small co-pay. When dealing with basic things, the system works very well.
‘‘
Why then would someone choose to go to a health care provider privately?”
Why then would someone choose to go to a health care provider privately? There are basically four reasons: Expensive or specialized procedures or tests— Expensive tests like CT scans and MRI’s are covered by the kuppot, but this means they are subject to the approval of the kuppot. It might prove so complex for a person to obtain the necessary approval that s/he might choose to pay privately rather than go through the approval process, if s/he would get the approval at all. The same is true of unusual or newly developed medical procedures and surgeries. Waiting time— Under basic health coverage, one is entitled to see a specialist. However, many times the wait is so long (often a month and a half or more), that people might choose to see someone privately, thereby limiting the wait to a matter of days. The same is true of tests like CT scans and MRI’s. Choice of your health care provider— Under the basic health coverage plans, doctors work in shifts. When a person is admitted to the hospital, s/he is treated by whichever doctor is on shift, regardless of personal practitioner. By paying privately for a specific surgeon or OB/ GYN, a person can make certain that s/he is cared for by someone with whom they have already built a relationship. In addition, someone may want to go to a healthcare provider who is not on his/her insurance plan, or whose hours with the kuppot are not convenient for him/her.
health care providers can often spend significantly more time with their patients. Natural medicine All of the kuppot have their own Natural Medicine programs, which offer treatments at subsidized prices. Patients may choose to pay privately for these practitioners for similar reasons. While natural treatments are more expensive with a private practitioner, patients will receive the treatment without a waiting list and will have more time with the specialist. Going for private medical treatments does not necessarily mean paying out of pocket. One can purchase supplemental insurance for a small price through one’s kuppah, which covers some private visits. If a specialist is a professor or head of a department, the kuppah will cover up to 80% of a private visit. Practitioners who practice privately have the ability to practice the way that they see best without having to conform to the bureaucracies of the system. While it may cost more, in many ways you get what you pay for. When you are not getting what you want through the system, or if are dealing with specialized issues, you may find that is worth your while to see someone privately.°
Amount of time spent with the health care provider— Without the pressure of needing to see endless lists of patients, private
10
| September 2008
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Digging the Soul: Time of Teshuvah Are we able to turn back the clock? by Rav Adin Steinsaltz
I
t should be stressed that the meaning of teshuvah is not entirely conveyed by the word “repentance.” Teshuvah is somewhat broader and deeper, and it is most important to notice that in a more general, accepted definition, teshuvah means “return.” Hence, the keystone of teshuvah essentially represents a lifelong journey back to unflagging soul-searching. It is a spiritual disquiet, much more than a guilty feeling, that makes us feel the urge to take a look back. Indeed, we feel we are no longer the right person in the right place; we feel we are becoming outsiders in a world whose scheme of things escapes us.
‘‘
Whenever you turn your attention to somebody’s life, to the history of a people or a religion, do not content yourself with asking forgiveness for the evil you may have done.” This is why we decide to turn around and go back. Naturally, the itinerary of the way back will depend on the person; the uniqueness of the personality logically ensures that each of us will follow his/her own personal route. Fortunately, the Gates of Heaven are numerous. Each of us may lay claim to our own gate, as long as our desire to go through the gate is really genuine. Witness the case of King Manasseh, whose name is high up among the worst kings of Judah. According to the Talmud, the angels closed the Gates of Repentance on him, and G-d created a new opening for him. To feel the need to repent means to realize that a change is imperative. There is no moaning about our past wrongdoings. When you come into contact with evil, you always get dirty, just as when you come in contact with dirt— even when you intend to remove it— you still get dirty. Some of
12
us, more or less prone to masochism, might take pleasure in arousing old memories, but when we say that we must avoid pondering the past, we mean that we should not rethink or relive our past as it happened, with its faults and mistakes. Instead, we should ponder our past as it ought to have been. The main thrust of teshuvah is indeed to show the definite intention to change the scheme of things. Someone who repents— someone who, as we would say, does teshuvah— is someone who feels the need not only to redeem, but to rebuild his past in the literal sense of the term. Naturally, an epistemological obstacle looms up, which we will have to bypass if we are to follow that strange principle of thermodynamics known as entropy. It becomes clearly established that time is strictly unidirectional, that any reversion to a former situation is unthinkable, and that as a result, doing teshuvah sounds like a paradox. But what should be remembered is that we are not expected to do teshuvah in a conventional universe. We do teshuvah in a universe that is quite unaware of physical laws; a universe in which the present, the future and the past merge into a timeless duration; a universe in which a lethal arrow is liable to fly back and be as free of all
suspicion as it had never left its quiver. In a word, through repentance, we penetrate into a sort of physical weightlessness, where we can reverse ourselves by replacing a plus sign with a minus sign, or vice versa (metaphorically, of course). To achieve this result, we have to know ourselves thoroughly; we have to sound our souls. And if we decide not only to repent, but also to execute an about-face, things will get even more complicated: we shall have to reach the inner-most depths of our being, the nadir of the abyss, if you will. For in this abysmal zone we are entitled to believe that our souls are not far from G-d. Unless we reach this zone, we cannot be convinced that a radical change has taken place deep down in our hearts. It is obvious, therefore, that to repent is not merely to recognize a misdemeanor. To repent is to dig down to the very bottom of one’s soul and to realize that the feelings we experience are quite beyond those we experienced when we committed the transgression to such an extent that the former soon cancels out the latter. This journey back is obviously a difficult achievement, and so it strives for a farreaching plan. Its ambition is indeed to supply a new scale of values to human existence, with the notion of increased profoundness being accorded particular attention. This is why it is no use ruminating over the faults committed in the past. Those faults ought to be regarded as the seeds of virtue, in that they represent the trigger mechanism of the journey back— which enables us to rebuild our personality and our past. In the main book of the Kabbalah, we read that those who are “the highest of all— those who can turn darkness into light and bitterness into sweetness— are those who enter by the higher gates.” No wonder. Achievements of this magnitude bear witness to a high degree of repentance: the transformation of the past is complete, the sign of inversion perfect. Consequently, whenever you turn your attention to somebody’s life, to the history of a people or a religion, do not content yourself with asking forgiveness for the evil you may have done. This is not repentance; this is not what is required of you. Instead, regard the faults as something constructive, like the beginning of a new and beautiful story. Put more succinctly, come to grips not with your failings but with your past that gave birth to it. °
| September 2008
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Health
Making Bones: Osteoporosis Prevention How food and vitamins can increase or decrease the health of your bones. by Tamar Schriger
O
steoporosis is a bone disease characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone structure. It may lead to hip, wrist or spinal fractures. According to the Ministry of Health’s Nutrition & Health survey reported in 2003, 7.5% of Jewish women and 0.7% of Jewish men questioned had been diagnosed with osteoporosis. The breakdown by age for women is 1.4% for 35-44 year olds. There is a sharp rise to 19.8% for 55-64 year old women. “D” whole story The “milk moustache” commercial notwithstanding, the integrity of bone is a complex story, involving a lot more than calcium. There seems to be a common misconception that increased calcium intake increases bone strength. Long-term studies carried out on large populations in the US and Europe actually did not indicate any significant decrease in risk of bone fractures with increased calcium intake. In fact, according to a study reported in The Journal of Nutrition, countries with the highest average calcium intake tend to have higher hip fracture rates. So, what’s “D” story? Bone is an intricate substance that contains several nutrients and requires many elements for its synthesis. The elements include vitamin-D, magnesium, phosphorous and weight-bearing exercise (such as walking and weight training). There is an epidemic worldwide in vitamin-D deficiency, and since vitamin-D helps bones absorb calcium, being vitamin-D deficient is a serious health risk. At risk for vitamin-D deficiency are overweight individuals (they store the vitamin in fat tissue), those who suffer from malabsorption of fats, or liver and kidney disease, people who wear long sleeves year-round and those residing in locales with less sunshine. In addition,
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overuse of sunscreen may result in underproduction of vitamin-D in the skin. Another player often overlooked is magnesium. In addition to its role in bone mineralization, magnesium is also involved in about 300 reactions in the body. Research on magnesium shows an inverse relationship between the intake of the mineral and the development of metabolic syndrome.
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‘Sticks and stones can break your bones,’ as the famous adage goes, but so can consuming too much protein, sodium and phosphorus.”
Only 1% of the body’s magnesium is in the blood, and so for this reason, a routine blood test will not inform you of your body’s magnesium status. One test which does indicate magnesium status was developed in Israel and calls for a combination of blood tests and 24-hour urine samples, carried out twice at an interval of two weeks.
it releases acid into the bloodstream and calcium gets drawn out of the bones to neutralize the acid. So too, studies have shown that the more protein we consume, the more calcium we excrete via urine. Sodium (salt) also causes calcium to be excreted in urine. It is no secret that our society consumes too much salt, with 80% of sodium in our diets coming from processed foods. Too much phosphorus can also deplete calcium stores, as the body works to maintain the proper calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, which is about 1.2-2:1. Soft drinks contain large amounts of phosphorus, so keep soft drink consumption at a minimum.
Phosphorus is the second-most abundant mineral in bone after calcium. It works with calcium to form bone and has other functions as well. It is abundant in our daily diets, since it is found in dairy products, poultry, nuts, seeds and grains.
Testing, testing… A bone density scan can reveal whether you have osteoporosis and to what degree. Some kupot cholim have begun checking vitamin-D status. If you are at risk for vitamin-D deficiency, ask to be tested.
A Kilometer of Prevention You can eat the recommended amounts of all of these minerals and vitamins, but without weight-bearing exercise several times per week, you will not build or maintain the integrity of your bones. In fact, studies on people who are bedridden show that with the passing of time, minerals actually start to leak out of the bones!
Risk factors for osteoporosis Examples of uncontrollable risk factors are gender, age and body size. Women are more likely to develop osteoporosis than men, and the older one gets, the more likely one is to lose bone mass. So too, small, thin-boned women are at greater risk, as well as those with a family history of the disease. There are also factors that we may be able to change, such as low estrogen or
“Sticks and stones can break your bones,” as the famous adage goes, but so can consuming too much protein, sodium and phosphorus. When protein is metabolized,
continued on page 20
| September 2008
Health
www.shiurtimes.com
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artS & culture
Facing Challenges: Soul Singer “Wanna Be a Star” finalist talks about the struggles that religious female singers encounter. by miriam braun & miriam rubin
Judith Gerzi, photo by Yonit Schiller
J
udith Gerzi’s music career is rapidly gaining momentum. The Englishborn singing success recently wowed the crowds in Jerusalem as a finalist in the Professional Women’s Theatre’s Wanna Be a Star competition. She then went on to England to dazzle the audiences back home with her deep, soul-style voice. Born to a religious family, Judith never envisioned that a future in singing would be possible. as a religious Jew she chose to follow the laws of Kol Isha, leaving her with no prospect to perform in London. She goes as far as to claim that keeping Kol Isha is “probably the hardest thing i have ever had to do.” Furthermore, she faced skepticism from a rabbi who once suggested that she should merely use
her talents to sing lullabies to her children. These types of obstacles could have easily hampered her aspirations; however, after making aliyah in 2004, Judith got offers to sing, which she grabbed with both hands. Soon after, she was approached with further offers; as she sounds like a professionally-trained performer.
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The otherwise-timid soul singer wows her audiences, since she gives off a full-range, deep sound in the true style of soul. She says, “i think it’s funny, because i am not a loud person, so when people i know hear me sing for the first time, they are shocked at how far i am able to project my voice!” The mesmerizing performer initially had stage fright, a nightmare many performers encounter. She describes how facing the intimidating, heaving crowds would make her heart pound vigorously, which she felt tainted her voice. But Judith has managed to overcome this obstacle, with the help of her husband Yehoshua. He uses his knowledge and experience as a rabbi to enable her to relax and reach a suitable mindset, so much so that Judith now describes performing as an “out of body experience.” Events have eventually come full circle, as she now finds herself aiding others in dealing with their nerves. With a complicated singing career path, Judith does not view her singing as mere entertainment. She sees her music as a vehicle for self expression; a way of voicing her views on hard-hitting issues. This is exemplified by her song Come On Board which is about the need for Jewish unity. Thus, her songs are thought-provoking and often gain emotional responses from the audience. She tells us of the first gig she had. She was very nervous and a woman approached her after the show sobbing, speaking in Hebrew. The woman had told her that for years she had found it very difficult to connect with G-d, since she had suffered deep tragedies. “after she heard me sing, she knew i meant what i was singing about, and she said my performance enabled her to open up to G-d again. at the end of the day, that’s why i do it,” she says. With the help of her family and her own self-determination, she has channeled her talents into delighting and educating others. For others facing similar predicaments, she has one simple message: “never give up.” °
“Solly’s Garden”
S
oLLY’s Garden, an original play, recently appeared on the stage at the Off-the-Wall C o m e d y Club in Jerusalem. The show is the brainchild of Jerusalemite Yehezkel Laing, originally from Montreal, Canada. Yehezkel studied acting under Shuli Rand at the Maaleh Film School, as well as at the nissan nativ acting Studio, both located in Jerusalem. also to his credit, he recently wrote and directed the half-hour dramatic film, The fuLL sTorY which was screened at the american Film Renaissance Festival in Hollywood, California. soLLY’s Garden was directed by Roger Mehl, a former actor on the London stage.
a one-man-show with minimal scenery, soLLY’s Garden addresses contemporary issues from a “traditional” Jewish perspective. Laing’s performance tells the story of two cousins who live on opposite sides of the atlantic. Manhattanite Shawn kaufman, is a successful businessman about to “make it big.” His reclusive cousin Solly is a newly observant Jew, who lives on a remote outpost in the Shomron (Samarian) Mountains. The two cousins are almost total opposites with nothing in common, but a twist of fate throws them together and what follows changes both of the cousins’ lives forever. The play will be performed at Jerusalem’s aspaklaria Theatre on September 3rd and at the Off-the-Wall Comedy Club in Jerusalem on September 7th. See www.freewebs.com/Sollysgarden for more info! ° | September 2008
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Exclusive Interview
Dr. Professor Halevy,
Director General Shaare Zedek Medical Center
ST
spoke with Dr. Professor J o n a t h a n Halevy, native of Tel Aviv and current Jerusalem resident, commander in the IDF, and summa cum laude graduate of Tel Aviv University’s Sackler School of Medicine. The seasoned doctor and professor shared some of his thoughts on Israel’s medical system.
J. Halevy, photo by Herbert Bishko
What would you say are the strongest aspects of the Israeli medical system? First of all, I think the National Health Insurance Law makes the Israeli medical system very unique. The fact that every Israeli citizen, no matter how long s/ he is in the country, can get health insurance with no waiting period is exemplary. You can step off the plane in Ben Gurion, go straight to the hospital, and you are entitled to a very wide range of services, free of charge. Even when you compare our health system to other highly-developed countries like France, Germany and the USA, Israel has the lead for public funding for health.
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Another strength of the system is Israel’s contribution to the clinical and research fields. Israel really has become one of the global leaders in this sense. This is evident by the contributions that Israel has made in bio-tech and medical research. The level of training for physicians in Israel is very high, and every year we see more and more progress. What are the disadvantages to the medical system here? There are weaker aspects to the system. As I said, there are constant developments in the medical fields, but from year to year, a socialized health system can finance less and less. There are new medications and new devices, but they are costly. The government must decide if it wants to dedicate more than 8% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to health. In Scandanavia for instance, 9% of the budget of the GDP is slated for public health. In the USA, it is 16%, but health benefits are less for the public there. As you know, in the USA, the sky is the limit for the rich, but the poor go uninsured. | September 2008
Exclusive Interview So with a lower percentage of the GDP legislated for public health care, do you see the Israeli public being underserved? No, I think overall, the Israeli public is much better served than in other countries. In Britain, for example, the system is much less efficient and there are very long waiting lists. However, even here, we see an evolving shortage of physicians. I estimate that this will be our #1 problem within next 10 years—that there simply won’t be enough doctors to service everyone efficiently. But the competition to get into medical school in Israel is so high! Are young people discouraged from becoming doctors because of this? The competition here is indeed very high. In Ben Gurion Medical School for example, there are approximately 1400 candidates and only 70 seats! So the problem is not attracting more people to apply, but accommodating the numbers. We have excellent candidates, but the main problem is that there just aren’t enough seats. There are about 200 medical students who are going abroad to study— mainly in Hungary. My own son is actually in medical school in Hungary right now. What can be done to encourage more people to study medicine here? I actually chaired a committee in the Council of Higher Education that is researching the need to open a new medical school. I estimate that within the next 1-2 years, there will be a new school. What kind of resources does the hospital offer for medical students? Shaare Zedek is the busiest teaching hospital in Israel. We have from two medical schools students and full affiliation with Hadssah Medical School, and we also have partnerships with Ben Gurion University. In our department of internal medicine, we teach students year-round in sessions of twelve weeks each.
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From your experience, what is the # 1 health risk affecting Israelis today? In terms of environmental health, the #1 killer is— unequivocally— smoking. The top nonenvironmental health risk is cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is actually on the decline in every Western country because we have been adopting preventative measures. In fact, we’re doing quite well to mitigate some of the effects, and there’s actually been a 30% decline in the last two decades. It’s still a #1 killer so we need more awareness and earlier detection of diabetes and hypertension. To prevent these I recommend avoiding a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. Because of the decline in cardiovascular risks, the #2 issue is cancer. In recent decades, we’ve seen an increase in cancer because of the higher life-expectancy of the population. The older you are, the higher the chances you’ll get cancer. Cancer is definitely climbing the ladder towards being the #1 health risk, so we’re trying to educate the population, regarding early detection, especially for colon and breast cancer. Early detection increases the chance for recovery. Lung cancer is a huge risk, in proportion to the smoker. It seems that Americans are sure that every Israeli smokes. In fact, 25% of the Israeli population smokes, and the risk for lung cancer increases the more the person smokes. What would you change in the medical system if you had the opportunity? Well, I wouldn’t change the National Insurance Law. As I explained, I’m very proud of it. I would change the way we decide on the basket of services, to involve more public debate and a cost/benefit ratio. I would also increase the budget allocation for prevention programs such as smoking, fighting pollution, etc. Anything
that would make our system more about risk prevention instead of curing. What kind of progress have you seen in healthcare promotion amongst the Israeli public in recent years? What about in the Charedi sector? There has been a lot of progress, but more is needed. For example, there is now a national campaign to encourage women to get mammograms. The Kupot Cholim have set up alerts for women over 50 years of age to make sure they get them.
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Cancer is definitely climbing the ladder towards being the #1 health risk, so we’re trying to educate the population regarding early detection, especially for colon and breast cancer.”
There are Anti-smoking campaigns, but more progress is needed. As for the Charedi sector, they are also learning. Many rabbis have been showing an interest in health education, and now there are a few centers in Geula and Meah Shearim specifically designed for healthcare within their community. There is a direct correlation between the socio-economic condition of a population and their health situation. The poor are often unable to take good care of themselves, and they are the ones who suffer from preventable diseases because they simply don’t have means to educate or prevent. The governments also invest the least into the poor sector of society. What would you say is the leading medical field in Israel? This is difficult to answer because we are in the forefront of most aspects of modern medicine. I would say that cardiac care is very developed. As for cancer, we don’t have the most developed resources in oncology, but there are lots of research projects in universities and hospitals which may lead to great breakthroughs in the near future. °
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finance
Is the Dollar Dropping Truly Dismal?
the ability for a country to solidify its export business. The neW YorK Times quoted new York University economist nouriel Roubini, stating that the Federal Reserve is, in fact, satisfied with the dollar’s drop: “They’ll never say they favor a weak dollar, but the benefits to the U.S. in terms of competitiveness are significant.”
a look into the advantages of a strong local currency.
Movement in currencies affects people differently. all people need to make sure that their income and expenses correspond in terms of currencies, lest they find they can’t pay their bills because of the market’s movement. it may be prudent to diversify your currency, along with the rest of your investment portfolio, in order to spread out risk. °
by douglaS goldStein, cfp
A
client told me recently, “My american social security check used to buy me 10,000 niS per month. now it brings in about 7,000 niS. The dollar is crushing me!” Later that day, i asked an israeli client if he’s going to the Golan again this year for vacation. “no way,” he responded, “i’m heading off to america. The strong shekel means i can take my whole family to Disney World!” Like any other investment, currencies fluctuate in value.
Over the past year, though, we’ve witnessed a seemingly unprecedented drop in the dollar. instead of despairing at the fewer shekels in your wallet, take a moment to consider the influences that affect a currency’s strength. What makes a “strong currency”? if a country’s central bank raises interest rates, world-wide investors may be tempted to invest in that currency in order to enjoy its attractive interest rates on bank deposits. Historically, when relatively high interest was paid on Euros, australian dollars, and Mexican pesos, the currencies have moved up compared to the U.S. dollar. Low inflation can also be attributed to strengthening currency. When an economy seems stable, international money will gravitate towards it. On the other hand, run-away pricing often leads to people to buy fewer goods. Workers demand higher salaries to compensate for their loss of buying power. Those on pensions and fixed incomes need to cut back spending. Both of these factors can make a currency less attractive. Political stability encourages investment. When a country’s leadership is a mystery, when war and terror loom, and when the sustainability of a vibrant democracy comes into question, people will reconsider whether they want to own that currency. if they sell the currency, it puts a downward pressure on the value of the money, causing its value to decline against other currencies. Is it all bad news? There are benefits to a weak currency: specifically,
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Bones... continued from page 14 intake, a sedentary lifestyle or extended bedrest, cigarette smoking, certain medications (ask your physician if you should switch meds) and depression. Food sources of calcium, vitamin-D and magnesium Recommended sources of calcium include low-fat dairy products, as well as sardines, canned salmon, sesame butter, tehina, almond butter, broccoli and legumes. Food sources of D include fatty fish, e.g. salmon, mackerel, sardines and egg yolk. if necessary, take a vitamin-D supplement. Western diets often lack magnesium, since they contain liberal amounts of processed foods. Good sources of magnesium include whole grains, leafy, green vegetables, legumes, almonds, peanuts, bananas, fish and tap water. The food industry has invested much time and money in developing calcium-fortified foods (sometimes adding vitamin-D as well). These items are more costly than their non-fortified sister products, but don’t automatically choose these products off the shelves. after reviewing the information here, every consumer must ask him/herself what may be lacking in their eating plan and lifestyle. On the basis of this, one can then form a wise decision about what products to purchase. °
| September 2008
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Contact Lior: 050-538-8705 (he’s hanging around waiting for your call...) www.shiurtimes.com 21
Science
Israeli Professor Receives Life’s Work Prize for Women in Science How bacteria became resistant to antibiotics. (article courtesy of Israel 21C)
F
rom trying to see if she could touch her tongue to the tip of her nose as a young child huddled in a Jerusalem bomb shelter during Israel’s War of Independence, to accidentally starting a fire while trying to see whether water moves faster than kerosene, award-winning Israeli scientist Ada Yonath has always been fascinated with how things work. “All my life there were experiments. It was just plain curiosity. Once I broke my arm when I fell into the garden trying to measure the height of our balcony,” says Yonath, 69, a molecular biologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science who recently became the first Israeli to receive the $100,000 Life’s Work Prize for women in science from L’Oreal and UNESCO.
Structure of the large ribosomal subunit from Deinococcus radiodurans (Image courtesy A. Yonath, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel).
Yonath, a professor of structural biology and the director of the Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly at the Weizmann Institute, won the award for her 25 years of research into the ribosome protein synthesizing system and the mode of action of antibiotics. Widely considered the pioneer of ribosome crystallography, Yonath has revealed the modes of action of over 20 different antibiotics that target bacterial ribosomes. Through this groundbreaking work, she has been able to identify how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, a problem that is
worrying the medical establishment and governments worldwide as the growth of antibiotic resistant super bugs like MRSA continues unabated. Yonath’s research lays the groundwork for scientists to start developing new bacteria-resistant antibiotics that better target the ribosomes of pathogens to avoid the problem of resistance. Yonath’s natural curiosity has been indulged since her youth, she tells us. Though her parents had little opportunity for education themselves, they were supportive and insightful enough to assure that their unconventional daughter was given a good academic education— even if it meant taking two buses to get her to a school in another Jerusalem neighborhood. “I never thought about me being a woman
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‘I think the population is losing half of the human brain power by not encouraging woman to go into the sciences.’” or not when I did science— I was just a human being born into an extremely poor family,” says Yonath, whose family moved to Tel Aviv after her father died. “We were so poor we didn’t even have books.” But one book she did manage to get her hands on and read was the story of Madame Marie Curie, the pioneer in the field of radioactivity, who was awarded two Nobel prizes in two different scientific fields. The story of the Polish-French scientist sparked a desire in Yonath to do more science. Another key to her successful pursuit of science was the backing and encouragement she received from some of her teachers. Her elementary school math teacher Zvi Vinitzky introduced her to the principal of the elite Tel Aviv high school, Tichon Hahadash, Tony Halle. Impressed by the young girl’s abilities, Halle admitted her
22
Ada Yonath
by Judith Sudilovsky
to the school although she was not able to pay for the tuition. In repayment, Yonath tutored young Bulgarian immigrants in math. In the past, Yonath says, the common wisdom has been that women are not good at math or science, and that their role as mothers precludes them from being good scientists because of the time and dedication the profession requires. “Women make up half the population,” she says. “I think the population is losing half of the human brain power by not encouraging woman to go into the sciences. Woman can do great things if they are encouraged to do so.” She herself has held a number of postdoctoral positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon University, among others. She has also won several other prizes for her work including the Israel Prize, the Wolf Prize and Columbia University’s Louis Gross Horwitz Prize; all the while balancing her work, her family life and raising her daughter. “If a woman is happy with what she is doing at home and at work then everybody is happy,” Yonath says. Today, plans to retire are a long way off and she is still working hard, welcoming organized groups into her lab through a program organized by a local high-tech company, El-Op. This program encourages young women to enter scientific fields by giving them a closer look at the scientific life. “I want them to decide for themselves if they want to study science,” she says. “I would like women to have the opportunity to do what is interesting to them, to go after their curiosity. And I would like the world to be open to that. I know in many places there is opposition to that.” ° | September 2008
FROM:
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TO:
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Halacha
Halachic Perspective:
Mental Illness
Traditional Jewish law creates a system that protects the mentally ill. by Rav Guy Avihod
M
ental illness is an issue that knows no boundaries. It does not discriminate based on Kippah material or lack thereof. Media coverage and public discourse are comprised of predominantly negative depictions full of incompetence, violence, or criminality; there is far less emphasis on positive aspects, such as social and/or educational accomplishments. Fear of people who suffer from mental illness is still very common, and the stigmas attached often hinder progress. Nonetheless, awareness is rising in the secular as well as the religious worlds. The Torah’s perspective on the subject, as demonstrated throughout halacha, is one of inclusion and understanding. Finally, the world is catching up.
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Whereas psychoanalysis seeks to find the cause of the illness, halacha is more concerned with the consequences.” The World Health Organization’s definition of mental disorders embodies a broad range of problems. These problems are generally characterized by some combination of abnormal thoughts, emotions, behavior and relationships with others. Examples range from schizophrenia and depression to disorders due to drug abuse. A recent Harvard Medical School study reported that 29% of U.S. adults have some form of mental illness or substance abuse problem, while 14% of the population suffer from moderate or severe mental illness. With the official numbers so massive and the
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diagnoses so wideranging, dealing with the topic is quite confusing. One of the outcomes is that the general population’s perception of mental illness is mostly shallow, leading to many misconceptions and fear. The Gemara’s reference to mental illness is generally ascribed to the “shoteh” (not to be confused with “sotah”). The definition of the shoteh clarified the question in Tractate Chagiga 3b, “Who is a shoteh?” is answered with three distinct criteria: 1) he who goes out alone at night; 2) he who spends the night in a cemetery, and 3) he who tears his clothes. Later, the Gemara adds a fourth distinction: he who destroys all that is given to him. Whereas psychoanalysis seeks to find the cause of the illness, halacha is more concerned with the consequences. Halacha does not look at mental illness in a static state, but recognizes it as a mostly dynamic one. The reason halacha does not seek to categorically classify a person as mentally ill, is based on viewing an individual’s role in society and his/her obligations vis-à-vis others. For example, someone suffering from depression is not defined as a shoteh unless the illness causes an extreme dysfunction in behavior. In Talmudic and halachic discussions, the shoteh is repeatedly grouped with the heresh (a deaf-mute) and the katan (a minor)— founded on their common legal standings, and based on their common lack of understanding. As such, a shoteh is temporarily exempt from mitzvot, both positive and negative. Still, while the shoteh is exempt when legally unreliable, he is again obligated when he exits this state.
In a particularly vivid example, the Gemara explains that if an emissary for a get (bill of divorce) is appointed when mentally competent, later becomes inept, and then reverts back to sense, he can complete his mission and the shtar is accepted by a beit din. There are also community obligations to protect and assist the mentally ill. Guardians are appointed by the beit din to protect their interests, transactions made by a shoteh are invalid, so that he will not be exploited while in an incapacitated state, and, if a wife becomes a shotah, her husband is not allowed to divorce her. Mainly, the Rabbis teacht us that people dealing with mental issues should not be cast out. With advancements in medicine, periods of stability are very common even for the very ill. In my experience, in our rehabilitative beit midrash Shef Yativ, students are able to learn Gemara on a high level, succeed in written tests, and acquire life tools. When given the chance, they too can excel. For information on Shaf Yativ, the rehabilitative beit midrash, see www.shafyativ.com °
| September 2008
excluSive interview
Comprehensive Preventative Health Care An Hour at a One-of-a-Kind Health Center for Women The Evelyne Barnett Women’s Well-Health Center
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shvilaych is a unique non-profit organization located in the heart of Jerusalem, offering preventative healthcare as well as self-care education in a woman-to-woman environment. Sara Siemiatycki, CEO of B’shvilaych, former medical lab director, and community activist, spoke with ST about the new initiative that is empowering thousands of women in israel to take care of themselves. How did b’shvilaych begin? as a religious medical professional, i have been listening to my patients for years, and i have heard some statistics regarding the health status of religious women— that twice as many more religious women in israel were dying than secular women. it just made no sense. My colleague and i discussed this, and we couldn’t figure out what the problem was. We came to the understanding that we needed to create a center focused on prevention, detection, and keeping people healthy. How would this help the statistic? Well, we have a system where every single person is insured in this country, but the reality doesn’t match the system. We talked about this for a long time until we came to the awareness that there
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is no time for prevention or detection in this country. We are conditioned in society to go to the doctor only when we are sick or in pain, but with prevention and early detection, we can turn time around. if a place exists where [religious] women feel comfortable, supported, and educated, they will come. That’s how we decided to create a center. We are really trying to teach people to do something about keeping themselves healthy— by going to the doctor for routine checkups, for example— we want them to be aware of their overall-health and of earlydetection measures for diseases, etc.
This means that we offer a caring, comprehensive, sensitive approach. Our doctors are all women, and the womanto-woman approach makes it more comfortable. When a woman comes here, she is given a comprehensive exam by one doctor. Each of our doctors specializes in internal medicine. The doctor touches upon emotional issues, as well, since a woman’s emotional/mental state affects her physical state, and vice versa. There needs to be a motivating factor to encourage them to care about themselves, and so we show her that she has an ally here.
When women come here, how does their experience differ? First of all, we look at the woman as a human being; a holy person. We’re treating a person; we’re not just treating a disease. We look at the woman as a woman, with a gender-specific medical approach. We look at her as a religious woman, with her cultural sensitivities and the issues that come with being a Jewish religious woman.
Do you see that the religious women you treat lack knowledge on health? not as much today as ten years ago. You can go down the supermarket aisles and see them looking at ingredients. They are aware of heart disease, cholesterol, breast cancer, but they don’t make themselves a priority. So they typically don’t take the time out to take care of themselves. They don’t prioritize the way that secular women prioritize. Will they give up their time to make sure they are healthy? no, they’ll take care | September 2008
excluSive interview tests. Two weeks after her visit, the nurse calls to see that she has done what she was supposed to do, and to follow up.
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We’re treating a person; we’re not just treating a disease.” of everyone else. They are also limited financially and time-wise, and so that’s why our center was created. take us through the process. The woman makes an appointment. She comes in for an initial appointment which is usually about two hours long. The nurse begins by taking a full family and medical history, vital signs, asks about lifestyle habits, nutrition, exercise, and allergies. Depending on age of the woman the meeting lasts between 30-45 minutes.
What would you say is the most common health problem that women come in with? a lot of women come in with fatigue. We teach them that fatigue is not synonymous with being a Jewish woman. if a woman wakes up after a good night’s sleep and still feels tired, this is a sign she should go to the doctor. We see a lot of vitamin-D deficiency and thyroid issues, blood pressure, cholesterol issues. it’s hard for me to give statistics because we have such a broad age group that i can’t say specifically what the most common problem is. i will say that 80% of women have never had a breast exam and 70% have never had a pap smear. and these are women who have been through the medical system. How old are the women who come here? We have women coming in whose ages range from 13 years old to over 80.
What about the fees? The initial fee is 250 niS which doesn’t even cover a quarter of the expenses. if they can’t afford that, we ask them to pay however much they can, and it is covered by donations. We don’t turn anyone away. What’s the most surprising misconception from the women you’ve treated? a lot of women think that if they are pregnant and nursing, that they won’t get breast cancer. a lot of people don’t know that heart disease is the #1 killer amongst women. Many people also don’t realize how important exercise is for wellness. in terms of diet, they don’t know how dangerous soda and junk food is for their health. What can women who don’t live in the Jerusalem area do? We have women who come from ashdod, Tsfat; all over the country. if they know they’re coming to Jerusalem, they’ll schedule an appointment. We also have volunteers who give lectures to women in their workplaces and neighborhoods on issues such as heart disease, breast cancer, menopause, osteoporosis, nutrition, exercise, etc. For more information on Bishvilaych, see www.bishvilaych.org. °
She then goes into the doctor and goes through a complete examination from head-to-toe, including a breast exam, which is not usually done at the family doctor, nor at most gynecologists. as she is getting examined, we give her a material, cloth robe to feel comfortable and secure, so that we are mechabdim (respecting) her as a person and as a woman. if a woman comes with a particular focus like a hereditary health issue, diabetes, fertility, etc., then we focus on that. But, we do make sure to still give her the basic preventative care and all the vitals: heart listened to, blood pressure, basic preventative care, etc. What happens if the woman requires more than a basic exam? We are a non-profit organization, and we don’t take the place of the established system. The woman should be using the system. For example, we will give her referrals, according to her needs. We make sure we get the results of all the www.shiurtimes.com
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Eretz
Revitalizing Religious Zionism in North America Bnei Akiva sets out to strengthen the connection between communities and Zionism. by Frumie Horowitz
T
his history of Bnei Akiva of North America is a history of ups and downs. In the early 1960’s and 1970’s, the movement was a strong social and educational force in the lives of modern-Orthodox teens. In fact, many North American olim who made aliyah during the 70’s and early 80’s were very active in their local branch and/or attended one of the Bnei Akiva ‘Moshava’ camps. While the correlation between active participation in Bnei Akiva programs and making aliyah attests to the success of the movement’s goals of cultivating a passion for the Land of Israel, the phenomenon created a leadership vacuum throughout North America. The vacuum resulted in the closing of many local chapters (“sniffim”), particularly in the New York Metro area. Some of the strongest branches in neighborhoods such as Boro Park, Flatbush and Riverdale, became a distant memory. Only a few sniffim stayed strong during these years,
such as Toronto, Chicago and Cleveland. New forces and personalities at the end of the 1990’s changed the trend. This first major change involved appointing a Rav Shaliach (head emissary/ rabbi) to run national Bnei Akiva. The new leadership of the movement felt that this change would attract more people, and add a more of a Torani (serious Torah element) to the educational activities. In addition, Mach Hach Ba’aretz, Bnei Akiva’s summer program for high school campers, gained in numbers and popularity, spreading Bnei Akiva’s name across the country. After almost thirty years of inactivity, Bnei Akiva of New York began to blossom under the auspices of the new Shaliach, Rav Shaul Feldman. This “galil” or region, currently runs fifteen branches throughout the New York area and dozens of activities for all ages, including college campus activities.
Another change which the movement has witnessed is the growth of branches in areas not traditionally strong in Religious Zionist informal education. Cities such as Boston, New York, Denver, Miami, Pittsburgh and many others now host “Young Shlichim,” men and women in their early to midtwenties, who both organize community activities and teach in various Jewish day schools. Their activities have allowed the development of Bnei Akiva in these areas to blossom once again. Zvika Klein, World Bnei Akiva Spokesman and former Bnei Akiva Shaliach to South Florida recalls, “I grew up hearing exciting stories that my parents and their friends experienced growing up with Bnei Akiva in Chicago. Hearing these stories, and seeing the impact BA had on my parents made me realize that I wanted to go on Shlichut to North America. Going on Shlichut, I tried to create the same type of Zionistic atmosphere that made my parents decide to make aliyah.” Nowadays Bnei Akiva shlichim are all over North America: New York, New Jersey, Boston, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Baltimore, Detroit, South Florida, Washington DC, Huston, LA, Milwaukee, San Francisco, Cleveland, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal and Hamilton (Canada). In the next few weeks, tens of Bnei Akiva Shlichim and Sherut Leumi girls will arrive in Modern Orthodox North American schools and communities. Their goal is to spread the message of Religious Zionism: Living a life of Torah and Avoda in Israel. °
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| September 2008
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Real Estate
Healthy Mesorah
Are there still Golden Opportunities Dr. Maimonides: The Secret in the City of Gold? Alternatives to high-priced Jerusalem neighborhoods.
A
s every investor knows, the real estate market is not only a cyclical market, but a volatile one as well. Trends, politics, fear, immigration and another ten factors at least, can influence the real estate market in every country, and even more so here in Israel. Savvy investors or even vacation-home buyers obviously want to buy when the market is at a low and “cash in” when the market goes up. The tricky element in all of this is knowing when the cycle is at its lowest and when it is at its peak. In Jerusalem, unlike other cities in the country, the unique diversity of the population is as colorful as the spectrum of a rainbow. Despite this diversity, clustering of communities is common and those who share ethnic and religious similarities tend to congregate in various neighborhoods. Religious neighborhoods, once established, cause real estate prices to rise. Reasons for this phenomenon are commonly high demand from growing families and limited supply of properties on the market. In Jerusalem, many of these established religious neighborhoods have already seen
and overpriced religious neighborhoods. Friedland recommends neighborhoods such as Nachlaot— adjacent to Shaarei Chesed and Rehavia, Arnona— adjacent to Baka, Kiryat Yovel— adjacent to Bayit Vegan, French Hill— adjacent to Ramat Eshkol and Katamonim— adjacent to Old Katamon. “Investors have been buying in these underpriced neighborhoods, making as much as 40%-60% appreciation in a 3-4 year period,” Friedland says. Many buyers rent out the property, amassing a 4-5% return while waiting for the property to appreciate. Although many of the abovementioned neighborhoods are generating relatively high prices right now, Friedland believes that there is still considerable room for appreciation. “When you compare the high-priced neighborhoods to their lower-priced neighboring areas, prices can still reach as much as a $100,000 variation for a similar property,” she says. This is especially the case in areas such as Ramat Eshkol and French Hill. Bargains may not be plentiful in the popular, more central neighborhoods, but there are still “golden opportunities” if one knows where to look for that “pot of gold.” °
of Longevity Sage insights. by Rav David Orbach
I
n our last article for the Hilulah of the Rambam, we saw that he is a lucid writer who makes suggestions both comprehensible and simple to carry out. In his fascinating work, known as The Preservation of Youth, he emphasizes the importance of eating whole grains, and he explicitly warns the young prince, son of sultan Saladin, to avoid consuming refined flour, meat, or dairy-rich foods. The Rambam was unrelenting in his condemnation of gluttony as a chief cause of illness. Certainly in America and in Israel today— when the average adult man or woman is overweight— this viewpoint is much needed! The Rambam advocated daily vigorous exercise to the prince who was very depressed. Absolutely central to the Rambam’s approach to wellness was his emphasis on the “right attitude.” He stressed that our emotions play a vital role in affecting our health. He identified chronic anger, worry and sadness as particularly destructive. In this light, he suggested that periodic soulsearching, meditation and inward “stocktaking” are crucial elements for health and longevity. °
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Religious neighborhoods, once established, cause real estate prices to rise.” a tremendous increase in prices and are thereby already priced beyond what young couples can afford. This factor is causing young families to move into and establish new religious neighborhoods in areas that were previously non-religious. When looking for investments, Alyssa Friedland, owner and broker at Remax Vision Real Estate, recommends buying property in neighborhoods that are “adjacent” to those that are already overcrowded
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| September 2008
Elul
This Article Will Not Affect Your Life Listening to yourself will bring the change that teshuvah is meant to bring. by Rabbi Aryeh Ben-David
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was asked to write an article about teshuva. It’s that time of year again— time for teshuva. My first thought is: does anybody really think that an article on teshuva will have any affect on anyone? Is this how the human personality works? We read or learn something and then change our behavior? The article or the idea is so profound and personally meaningful that we decide to alter our lives? Don’t think so. The mind is a wonderful thing, but incredibly overrated when it comes to the degree to which it affects our lives. The Aish Kodesh writes that it does not matter what books we are learning— they could be the most holy and powerful texts— simply studying them will not affect our lives. This is a bit difficult to take for people who love to learn; people who believe in the mitzvah to learn. It’s that time of year again— time for selichot. My first thought is: does anybody think that saying (or speed-racing, as is the common Ashkenazi practice) selichot will change our behavior? Is this how the human personality works? Reading something [quickly] will bring about a change in our behavior? An evening of recitation will be enough to make us actually alter ingrained patterns of behavior? Don’t think so. It’s that time of year again— time for hours upon hours in shul. My first thought is: does anyone think that saying all of those words of the machzor will change our behavior? Reading and singing and bowing will be enough to transform us? Don’t think so. Changing patterns of behavior, if that is the goal, is probably the most difficult undertaking in life. Ingrained habits and viewpoints are part of us like our bones and flesh. Perhaps even more so. www.shiurtimes.com
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To change and to grow, we need together people. We need to talk about what we need to change.” Change is not brought about through thinking or reading. Not through analyzing or even contemplating. Change is not a solo voyage. I can’t do it alone. On my own I can think about all of the serious and authentic reasons to change, but something just seems to happen on the way to actually change my life. To change and to grow, we need other people. We need to talk about what we need to change. We need to talk from a deeply personal place. We need to talk about what is holding us back from changing. We need a safe place to encounter the fearful spaces, to recognize our resistances and to articulate them. Unfortunately, reading this article by yourself won’t have any effect on your life,
but try reading it like this, and maybe some change will ensue: Read this article aloud with a friend, and see what comes up. Try asking each other the following questions: What do I want to change this year? What is holding me back from changing this thing? What is one small step I could take to move forward? Try talking in a safe environment, from a deeply personal place. Make sure you pick a friend who will protect the confidentiality of the conversation, who will listen deeply, and preferably not give you any advice. As you read this article aloud with a friend, take a pen and paper and write whatever comes to mind— and then read what you wrote to each other. Try doing these two options several times during Elul. One-off’s are also not going to engender changing a deep-rooted habit. Maybe these two approaches can help us wake up to the untapped spaces in our lives. Maybe listening to our own voice from our innermost being is what listening to the sounding of the shofar is really urging us to do. °
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eretz
Where Zionism Lives Two years after moving from London, executive immigrant trains top-caliber native israelis to become ambassadors. by michael dickSon, StandwithuS
t
he despondency that marks the two year anniversary of the recent war in Lebanon is, for me, mitigated by the happy anniversary of my aliyah, which coincides with it. Packing to move to israel from London, as rockets rained down on the north and the iDF was being tested by Hizbullah was a strange experience
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Zionism wasn’t a dirty word, it was a positive symbol, an aspiration and the touchstone to which most of the students referred.” indeed. So bizarre a lifestyle change was i apparently making, that at least two major newspapers interviewed me, asking why i would wish to immigrate to a war zone. Though neither i nor my wife questioned our decision, there was a collective sigh of relief amongst our family when the war came to a conclusion as we boarded the plane. “Zionism is dead,” a friend had told me before my aliyah. “it’s a dirty word.” He went on to describe how those bent on israel’s destruction had hijacked the word and that the israel organization he worked for was contemplating removing it from their materials. This was far from being the only downhearted comment that i heard in the summer of 2006, right up until we stepped off the plane into Ben Gurion airport and the officer at Passport Control greeted me with the question, “Why you come?” Zionism isn’t dead: My friend was dead wrong. i had moved to israel to work for StandWithUs, the israel education
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organization. One of my first assignments was to travel the country and interview hundreds of israeli students who had applied for our nationwide Fellowship Program. We were on the lookout for personable, educated and globally-minded young israelis who we could help train to be better representatives of their country. and that’s when it happened. One by one they entered the room, israelis in their midtwenties from every part of the country and from every background imaginable. They were as diverse a microcosm of the country as they could be; they came from across the political and religious spectrum, but one thing linked them together: their love of israel. Zionism wasn’t a dirty word, it was a positive symbol, an aspiration and the touchstone to which most of the students referred. and in those interviews, conducted a short time after the war had ended and many of these students had returned home from the frontline, they spoke of that experience, many of them weeping. They articulated, better than any spokesman i have heard, an israel relentless in its desire for peace and resolute in its need for security. in the years since, i have had the pleasure of seeing and interacting with hundreds of young israelis who have enlisted in the program. Sure, there is a deep pessimism with the israeli political system and a healthy skepticism of some of our less-than honest public servants. Yet at the same time, there is a will and desire to stand up and be counted and to step up to the challenge of representing their country. israel and her supporters should learn from these young Zionists of today, devoted to their cause and pioneering in their spirit, over a hundred years since the First Zionist Congress. These up-and-coming young israelis now form a Fellowship which is empowering them to be informed, active, articulate and globally-minded leaders. This is one of many signs that we can be confident in the next generation of Zionists.
israelis and israel’s supporters have changed. So have the challenges they face. arguably, israel is as under attack as ever, not just from the very real enemies from within and without, but by a creeping delegitamisation campaign being fought daily in the press and on the Web. For too long, we have allowed ourselves to be defined by those who mean israel harm. israel does need to be re-branded and in a way my friend was right, but rather than abandon Zionism— the legitimate right of Jews to self-determination in their historic homeland— we need to embrace it. These young israelis, many of them war-weary, wear their Zionism on their sleeves. if only more of us would do the same. °
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Travel
Har Bental and the Valley of the Tears The strategic outlook at the Israeli-Syrian border offers beautiful scenery and an appreciation for those who fought to guard the country. by Rabbi Mordechai Weiss
M
ount Bental, an inactive volcano, is located in the Golan Heights on Route 98, close to Kibbutz Merom Hagolan. A short but steep drive brings one to the parking lot and a brief stroll leads to the summit. There are remnants of the Six Day War on the summit with bunkers, trenches, and a free recorded vocal explanation relating to the ’67 war. Mt. Bental is a very good location to recall the events of the Six Day War— especially the last two days that precipitated the capture of the Golan and Mt. Hermon. The expansive panoramic view at the summit provides an excellent observation point overlooking valleys and parts of the Golan and Hermon, spreading from Israel into Syria. From here, one has a clear view of new and old towns of Kuneitra – located on the Syrian side of the border. Clearly visible is the disengagement strip that exists along the Syrian-Israeli border which is controlled and patrolled by UNDOF– the United Nations Disengagement Observation Force. As the name suggests, it is a purely observational force.
The border between Israel and Syria reflects the sensitivity of their political relations. Despite periods of heightened tension between Israel and Syria, this border has been mostly quiet (in terms of border-related incidents) since the Yom Kippur War of 1973. The conflict between Israel and Syria had its antecedents from the War of Independence in 1948, but today involves the development of agricultural areas and
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It is believed that if it were not for the strength of the brigades during the war, the Syrians would have infiltrated into the Golan, the Upper Galilee, Haifa.” water-related resources in the area. The primary conflict relates to the establishment of DMZ’s–the demilitarized zones along the mutual borders. Prior to 1967, numerous international incidents took place on both sides, which were generally followed by Syrian artillery barrages on Israeli civilian settlements, Israeli air responses or Israeli naval activity on the Kinneret, the Golan’s western border. Today, you can visit the bunkers at Tel Faher where during the Six Day War, an audacious breakthrough into Syria’s most fortified position in the Golan Heights sent shockwaves through the Syrian Army. The attack resulted in the routing of the Syrian presence along
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the Golan almost overnight. Until 1967, Kuneitra was the largest Syrian town in the Golan Heights, and had represented a strategic position for the Syrian Army command, serving as the Syrian administrative capital of the Golan. That too was captured by Israel in 1967. During the Yom Kippur War, Kuneitra was recaptured by the Syrian troops, and later retaken by the Israeli counterattack. Following the 1974-5 cease-fire agreement, Kuneitra was returned to Syria in exchange for Israeli prisoners of war from Damascus. Initially the Syrians maintained that they would rebuild old Kuneitra, and repopulate it. Instead, they developed a new town nearby— Kuneitra Jdeide (“new Kuneitra”)— and maintained the old Kuneitra as a ghost town. Many Syrian groups are taken there today for propaganda purposes to demonstrate how Israel had wreaked havoc and destruction upon the town. Another site worth visiting is the Valley of Tears which hosts the memorial for the seventy-six soldiers from the armored corps of the 77th Brigade, who sacrificed their lives thwarting the Syrian attack in the Yom Kippur War. It is believed that if it were not for the strength of the brigades during the war, the Syrians would have infiltrated into the Golan, the Upper Galilee and Haifa. The area was named “Valley of Tears” after the battles that took place during the war. The memorial is called “Oz 77” which is the Hebrew word for strength. On the eastern corner of the grove of trees, looking out towards the battleground is a free vocal recording of the events of the battle in both English and Hebrew. To reach the site, drive along Route 98 until Kibbutz El Rom, turn east at the sign and continue another 3 km, following the signs and following the curving road to the left. Park your vehicle near the cluster of trees and enter the memorial. °
| September 2008
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elul
Repentance, Prayer and Tzedakah:
Pushing Off the Harshness of the Decree Give tzedakah to combat poverty in israel. by rav Shlomo aviner
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fter experiencing a miracle like being saved through the kindness of Hashem, it is customary make an annual seudat hoda’ah— a meal of thanksgiving— to publicize the wonders of Hashem. But there is another possibility: use the money that would be spent on the meal, and give it to the poor so that they can eat, too. This will certainly bring joy to the Master of the Universe, who sustains everyone. if you complete a tractate of the Gemara or a holy book, it is certainly good to make a meal to celebrate the “siyum” (the achievement of completing the book), but there is no obligation to invite lots of people or even ten people to make up a minyan. You can have a celebratory meal with a few people, and give the money that you save to the poor. a “chanukat ha-bayit”— the dedication of a new house— is also customary. The first use of the house should be for a holy purpose, such as Torah learning or prayer. But there is no obligation to eat. Since one should begin with a holy act, it is better to give the money to the hungry than to the satiated. One should certainly make a “seudat mitzvah” (a festive meal) to celebrate a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, a pidyon ha-ben, or a brit milah. However, the meal should be modest, since your guests have respectable houses and most probably know where their next meal is coming from.
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Since one should begin with a holy act, it is better to give the money to the hungry than to the satiated.” 36
Today, there are approximately 1,700,000 people in the State of israel who live below the poverty line. The poverty line is defined by the government as a monthly salary of 2000 shekels for an individual and 3100 shekels for a couple. This is really not a lot of money. One should certainly rejoice at family and communal celebrations. This includes weddings, memorials for the deceased (azkarot or yahrzeit), or even the dedication of a Sefer Torah, but there is no reason to exaggerate. The principle is the same with a “hiddur mitzvah”— the glorification of a mitzvah. For example, we should certainly buy a beautiful etrog, but “hiddur mitzvah” also means an additional cost. i suggest that you give the saved money to someone who cannot buy the fruit of an etrog tree or any fruit at all. if this is the case for overt mitzvot, it is all the more so for acts which are not overt mitzvot per se, such as traveling to kivrei tzadikkim— the graves of the righteous, or things which are not mitzvot at all, such as amulets and all types of segulot (spiritual remedies). if you are looking for a real “segulah,” the greatest one is giving tzedakah.
poor person came to the door and because everyone else was busy with the meal, no one heard him. i took the portion you gave me, and gave it to him.’ Rabbi akiva said: ‘Tzedakah saves one from death.’” When i say “poor,” i do not mean people who ask for money in the street or who go from house to house. The Shulchan Aruch states that we do not give money to beggars until we clarify that they are truly poor, since most beggars are swindlers. (Yoreh De’ah 251:10) Today’s rabbis estimate that ninety percent of people who ask for money today are swindlers), so when i say “poor,” i mean real poor people, including the elderly and single mothers. if you know them personally, you can give them money in a sensitive way. alternatively, going through a social worker or through a known and trustworthy source, like a tzedakah organization or a community rabbi is also a good idea. While there is a great deal of governmental aid that combats poverty, there is still not enough. We should aid the poor as much as we can. One suggestion is creating work opportunities for them (as this is the highest level of tzedakah), which will enable them to get “back on their own two feet.” Especially with Elul approaching, it is incumbent upon us to help. °
Tractate Shabbat (156b) says that astrologers told Rabbi akiva that the day his daughter gets married, she would be bitten by a snake and die. He was obviously very worried. On the day of her wedding, “she took a decorative pin out of her hair, inserted it into the wall, and struck the snake in its eye. in the morning, when she removed it, the dead snake came out. Rabbi akiva asked her: ‘What good thing did you do?’ She said: ‘On the day of the wedding, a | September 2008
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Making a Diffrence
Spinning Out of Control A day in a unique addiction-treatment center for the Jewish community. by Miriam Braun & Miriam Rubin
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ardly any society discusses the subject of addiction openly. However, in the Jewish community worldwide, especially in the religious sectors, addiction is a constant problem which is regretfully swept under the carpet and largely ignored. Where there is help, there is hope, but first and foremost, the issue of addiction must be addressed. Retorno sits tucked away in the hills surrounding Beit Shemesh, a picturesque campus with lush flowers, rolling hills, exotic birds, and horses. Yet, Retorno is no ordinary place. As one client sums it up, “it’s the only dati rehab in the universe.” In fact, A. goes so far as to claim that “it would not be an understatement to call it the holiest place on earth.” A rehabilitation center for people who suffer from myriad addictions, Retorno saves lives— not only of the addicts themselves, but of their children, spouses, and entire families. “Retorno,” or “return” in Spanish, reflects the very essence of the institution’s philosophy. Rabbi Eitan Eckstein, founder of Retorno, believes bad people do not exist; only people who experience bad things in life. Established in Mexico fifteen years ago, Retorno helps people from all walks of life confront the pain behind their addictions, and turn their lives around. According to Eckstein, all addictions (whether alcohol, drugs, food, fire, internet, sexual, self-mutilation, or anything else under the sun,) are a way of self-medicating to escape an inner problem. Thus, an abuser arrives
thinking they already have the solution to their troubles. Part of the challenge at Retorno is merely getting users to realize that addictions are not the solution, but a bandaid. Thus, the main issue to tackle in the rehab center is deep-rooted trauma, not the addiction alone.
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Thus, the main issue to tackle in the rehab center is deep-rooted trauma, not the addiction alone.” Getting people to admit to their addictions is tough in any setting. However, the situation is even more aggravated when someone lives in the confines of a religious society. To allow progress with the way that the Jewish community deals with addiction, it is essential to really understand the mind of an addict. Escapism is at the root of addiction, and substances often actually prevent people from letting the pain take over, potentially causing them to commit suicide. Rabbi Eckstein spoke of a young client who had discovered that his friend had hanged himself. When asked if his friend was on drugs, the response was that had he been, he would still be alive. Through a unique combination of group and individual therapy in addition to spirituality, Retorno helps clients acknowledge the source of their problems and make peace with themselves. Daily activities include horseback riding, sports, Torah learning, trips, reflexology and massage therapy. A large portion of the day at Retorno is spent doing chores, in order to instill responsibility amongst the clients. By cleaning the stables, working in the kitchen or tidying the offices, clients understand that they are capable
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of being productive and integrating back into society. It is not just the daily schedule that helps the clients to progress. The bonds forged between the residents are just as important for recovery as the relationship with one’s therapist. Udel Bergman, head of Retorno’s English-speaking program explains, “There are limits to what professionals can do. It is the fellow addict sitting next to you at lunch who can truly empathize with you.” That is why they organize separate programs for different nationalities; it is easier to bond with someone who shares a similar cultural background. The success of Retorno’s unique approach to treating addictions is reflected by the fact that seventy percent of the clients who reside at the rehab center for more than three months stay clean. This appears to be particularly impressive when compared with the American rehab system, which has a fourteen percent success rate. Therefore, the Retorno system, both more affordable and more accommodating than most other rehab centers available, has become a viable option for many observant Jews around the world. It is important for the Jewish community-atlarge to confront that addictions of all sorts exist amongst “our own.” Moreover, it is essential that we encourage individuals with addictions to get the proper help— the help they deserve— in an effort to get their lives back on-track. Retorno was established in 1989 by Rabbi Eitan Eckstein in Mexico, and now has branches in Israel, Latin America, and North America. If you know someone who needs help, contact Retorno at www.retorno.org. °
| September 2008
Health
“On the Face” Facial asymmetry now linked to body aches and sensitivity to light, but don’t go running for an eye exam so quickly. by Dr. Professor Jonathan Shapiro
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f you thought optometry was about having your eyes tested for a new pair of glasses or contact lenses, you should know that things are changing, and they are changing first in Israel. We now think holistically about how vision integrates into the whole body, and not as a separate entity, dealing solely with how well one can see. A new approach to optometry, developed in Israel, investigates how the position of the eyes in the head affects the way the spine develops, the way tensions are caused in the muscles of the neck and lower back, and the damage done to the cartilage between the vertebrae. By carefully adjusting the prescription of the glasses, and through the use of two types of prisms (differential and yoked), we can relocate where the image is “seen” in the brain. Furthermore we can measure and affect how the two eyes integrate the images into a single image. Using instruments (also developed in Israel), we can re-align the spine, take pressure off the cartilage between the vertebrae and lessen back and neck pain.
but the person always refers back to the original map. When the person wants to concentrate on reading, television, driving etc. he tilts his head to level the eyes, based on the original map created as a baby. This creates a change in the centre of gravity of the body and the spine twists into an “S”-shaped bend to compensate. This puts pressure on the cartilage between the vertebrae, tenses
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If the head is held straight, it creates a neck ache, while if the head is positioned to bring comfort to the muscles, the vision is affected.” the muscles of the spine and neck and leads to other forms of discomfort.
The person in the first picture has an asymmetric face, not unusual as faces go. As a baby, the difference in height between the two
eyes was much less. The child built up a map of the world based on this tiny difference. As the head grew, the difference in the relative height of the two eyes increased www.shiurtimes.com
Another form of imbalance occurs when the mastoid process, a bony ridge behind the ears, is not symmetrical. This ridge is used for the attachment of muscles which direct the position of the head. A vertical asymmetrical imbalance causes the head to be pulled down to one side, distorting the face, while a front-to-back imbalance causes the head to twist to one side. If the head is held straight, it creates a neck ache, while if the head is positioned to bring comfort
to the muscles, the vision is affected. This leads to the state of one eye turning in, while the other turns out. The two instruments used to investigate these, and many more cases not mentioned in this article, are the Parallel-Testing Infinity Balance (PTIB) and the Visual Cortical Integration Chart. The tools used to correct these errors are prisms, both differential and yoked, which are integrated into the normal glasses at a small extra charge. They are almost not noticed as they do not create lines or distortion to the lens and hardly add extra weight or thickness to the lens. So can you run off to any optometrist or ophthalmologist if you have aches in your neck or back, excess light sensitivity, or eye strain because of facial asymmetry, and expect treatment? I am afraid, not yet. The knowledge of how to accurately examine the patient, and how to effectively treat the problem is still in its early years. The training the optometrist requires is complicated and demanding. It is beyond the scope of the standard degree in optometry. It is taught as part of the Masters program (M.Optom.) at the Department of Optometry, Hadassah College in Jerusalem. Though the course is only in its second year, in the near future graduates of the program will be able to offer their knowledge and skills to the general public. We, in Israel, are proud that we are in the vanguard of developing new methods and technologies to improve the welfare of our patients and further the boundaries of our knowledge…and all this in the heart of Jerusalem. °
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Aliyah
An Aliyah Program for YOU
have sparked great interest among other Anglo families already in Israel who have been unhappy with their first choice of communities. In total, the results have been encouraging. “There will be 15-20 new Anglo families by the end of 2008, most of whom who came on the Communal Aliyah & Absorption Program,” Zimmerman says.
Organizations are now creating programs to make aliyah-integration comfortable and easy for new immigrants from English-speaking countries. by Ilene Bloch-Levy
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or the past four years, the Jewish Agency has been working in conjunction with the Ministry of Absorption and several municipalities throughout Israel to encourage aliyah and ease the absorption process. Known as the “Communal Aliyah and Absorption Program,” this three-way partnership embraces one out of every five North American families who make aliyah. Since Israel’s earliest days, aliyah and klitah (absorption) have been on the national agenda. Moving from mass absorption and tent cities, to absorption centers, direct absorption, and now communal absorption, successive Israeli governments have tried varied formats for absorbing olim. Initially, the government placed emphasis on numbers, but greater thought is now given to accommodating the comfort and unique, individual needs of olim. The Communal Aliyah & Absorption Program provides qualified North American individuals and families incentives and financial benefits when they choose to live in any one of the five designated participant cities: Jerusalem, Modi’in, Ma’aleh Adumim, Ariel or the newest participant, Haifa. (These cities can change from year-to-year.) These benefits include rent subsidies, academic assistance, one-time grants for entrepreneurs, supplemental ulpan hours, and cultural-social activities. These are in addition to the absorption basket of benefits granted to new olim by the Ministry of Absorption. Each participant city employs a project director (funded by the Ministry of Absorption) whose sole job is to help program participants. Alan Green, Assistant Director of the North American Desk at the Jewish Agency’s Aliyah and Absorption Department shares some of the thinking behind the Communal Aliyah Program: “Being in contact with a representative from the municipality from the very earliest
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stages of your aliyah throughout the entire first year, makes one’s aliyah much easier and hopefully more successful.” “The project directors, all very good, have a delicate and important task at hand,” Alan explains. “Their job is to guide the immigrants not only through the local and national bureaucracy but also through the practical issues of everyday life.” These representatives begin to interact with olim while they are still in the US or Canada. They help them find housing, register kids in school, and sign up parents in ulpan. Once the olim arrive in Israel, the project directors intensively step up their help. They may find a tutor for a child experiencing difficulties in school, recommend a healthcare facility for the family, obtain a temporary refrigerator if someone’s lift has not yet arrived, provide advice for new entrepreneurs, and plan and coordinate trips, lectures and activities for all participants in the program. While technically the end of the first year signifies the official end of the new immigrant’s participation in the program, the project directors continue their involvement beyond this time. Elana Diner, Project Director in Jerusalem, explains, “Oh sure, a lot can be accomplished in the first year, but sometimes problems emerge later, and they still need to be resolved. I can’t say to my families, ‘sorry, this is the end of my involvement.’ They have my phone number, and they have my email address, and I have their best interests at heart.” The Ariel Foundation and Nefesh B’Nefesh have also gotten involved to sweeten the pot. NBN is giving an enhanced grant to olim who come to Ariel, and the Ariel Foundation is offering olim a small furnished apartment for a limited period of time while they look for housing. Avi Zimmerman, Project Director in Ariel (the city is completing their first year in the program), has also found that his efforts in getting Ariel’s name ‘out there’
The newest program participant is the city of Haifa, largely thanks to a very strong
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I can’t say to my families, ‘Sorry, this is the end of my involvement.’ They have my phone number, and they have my email address, and I have their best interests at heart.” grassroots effort. A group of active Anglo community members in the city pooled their resources to aggressively garner interest among new English-speaking olim. Tehilla and AACI have brought pilot trip groups to visit Haifa, and Jewish Agency and Nefesh B’Nefesh representatives have made several visits. Their efforts have paid off: Haifa was officially recognized as a Communal Aliyah & Absorption Program participant city for 2008-2009. “We’d like more cities and regional councils to approach us with a program,” Alan Green says, “and we’d seriously consider them for participation. The formula is simple: we need a good, solid English speaking community willing to help, a good project director who knows how to hand hold, and a municipality that genuinely wants new olim and sees them as essential to their growth and enrichment.” For more information on the Communal Aliyah & Absorption Program visit www. jewishagency.org/aliyah or contact the project directors: Modi’in Cheri Albucher: saolim@modiin.muni.il Ma’aleh Adummim Shelley Brinn: klita_ma@mam.org.il Jerusalem Elana Diner: elanad@moia.gov.il Ariel Avi Zimmerman: arielaliyah@gmail.com ° | September 2008
food
blueberries Contain high levels vitamin C and E and natural antioxidants. Researchers say they contain the highest antioxidant volume of most fruits and veggies.
Salmon Praised for its content of omega-3 fatty acids—a “good fat” necessary for the body. also a good source of vitamin D, vitamins B12 and B6, and an obvious source of protein.
SuperFoods: Sardines Full of omega-3’s and vitamin D, sardines are often a great, healthy food with a bad rep, but its rich contents should change our minds!
broccoli Our mothers were right after all: eating your greens proves all sorts of age old benefits like plenty of vitamin C and fiber.
turmeric an exotic and rich spice, turmeric is full of cancer fighting properties. it can be taken in a pill, but when used in a powder form, it can be used in endless ways in recipes.
Cinnamon One of the most commonly used spices and found in most kitchens, cinnamon also helps with a range of health problems from cholesterol, yeast infections to improving memory and cognition. www.shiurtimes.com
AntiOxidents
by miriam braun We all know that “we are what we eat.” in order to live a long life and to feel good, we must eat a diet that fills and sustains us. in addition, food provides us with the necessary nutrients that we need to be healthy inside and out. a new trend of “super-foods” has emerged from world experts in nutrition and health. While no one knows for sure if these eats are “miracle workers” or simply health food moneymakers, evidence has shown that some are worth a shot. They are packed with benefits such as lowering cholesterol, lowering the risk of cancer and heart disease, and having psychological benefits that put us in a better mood. The key benefit is the mysterious “antioxidant,” which is essentially a molecule that hinders problems caused by “free- radicals,” cells that are highly unstable in the body. The foods here all mostly rich with antioxidants, for they are the top 10 vitamin-packed foods that doctors and nutritionists say we lack in our diets.
pomegranates Have gained “super-food” superstardom, with its large content of polyphenol antioxidants. The health benefits of pomegranates have taken them from simple, ancient fruits to a trendy, modern fad.
beets The redder, the better! The color in the beets is a sign of its rich nutrient and disease-fighting power.
pumpkin along with vitamin C, they are loaded with potassium and beta-carotene. Pumpkin also has plenty of fiber which properly fills us.
Cabbage a simple vegetable that serves a variety of purposes, being that it contains a lot of vitamin E, an antioxidant. in addition, it aids digestion, the immune system and prevents cancer (particularly colon cancer).
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VOL. 2, ISSUE NO. 20 AUGUST 2008
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Va’etchanan, Aug 16, 2008 LIGHT
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Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il
Baka - 3 room apartment, renovated, 2nd floor. Alex Losky-David: 052-380-2860 02-623-5595
ALEX LOSKY
Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il
Baka- 1st floor, stone building, spacious 4 rooms, 110 meters, garden, 15sqm studio. Alex Losky-Moshe: 054-479-3384 02-623-5595
BeIT HAKeReM
ACTIVE MODEL YOSSI SPIELMAN
SPECIAL
ALIYAH 2008
Rabbeinu Avraham: Time for Pious Heroes
ALEX LOSKY
Ekev, Aug 23, 2008
Re’eh, Aug 30, 2008
LIGHT
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On Yafe Nof. 3 ½ spacious rooms, 1st floor, A/C, 3 open balconies pointing to beautiful view. Exclusive to Active Model Realty. Call Yossi at 02-561-9854 or 052-346-2990.
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ASK FOR US BY NAME, & LET US KNOW WHERE ELSE WE NEED TO BE!
Very special!! 4 rooms on Chaluts st. 2 floor, central location. Call Judith: 054-591-0348. Colony 02-561-1611.
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on Dgania st 4.5 rooms, 1 floor, full light, renovated, porches. Judith: 054-591-0348. Colony 02-561-1611.
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FReNCH HILL Great Investment! etzel St., 3 rooms, tenant in place, 1stth floor, elevator, quiet and pastoral. Only NIS 850,000. Contact Hadar 050-756-8666. RE/MAX Vision Exclusive 02673-1661 www.remax-capital.com.
Beautiful 6 room’s duplex apartment, private entrance, full of light, beautiful 80 sq.m garden, 20 sq.m. Terrace. Sonia: 050559-5773. Colony 02-561-1611. Beautiful 5 rooms 130 sq.m. In a central location, beautiful and large terrace to view. Yaniv: 052-802-8526. Colony 02-561-1611. HAR NoF Gem in Har Nof! Private 4-level villa (approx. 650 sqm.), quiet area, spectacular view. Exclusive: ANGLO-SAXON 02-625-1161, Arieh: 054-725-7701. HoLYLAND pARK 4 5 rooms (160 sqm), very high standing, shabbat elevator, terrace/sukkah, panoramic sight of the living room, parking“Hamishkenote” 052-320-2488 Michael.
7 room townhouse with a private entrance and a garden. Huge terrace. Needs light renovation. Contact Hadar 050-756-8666. RE/MAX Vision Exclusive 02-673-1661 www. remax-capital.com.
KATAMoN “Mercaz Tennis ” Cottage 4 rooms (120 sqm), terrace (30 sqm) + garden, private entrance, released sight. Hamishkenote 052320-2488 Michael.
GeRMAN CoLoNY Magnificent Duplex, 220 square meters, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, sukkah balcony, MUST SEE! $1,600,000. Contact Yona (054-2245121) RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www. remax-capital.com.
KIRYAT SHMUeL For investors: on Palmach st. 3 rooms ground floor + garden. Gil: 052-808-4312, Colony: 02-561-1611.
Near emek Refaim, 3 rooms, 2nd floor, renovated, $500,000. Contact Yona (054224-5121) RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com. GeULA Seven, fully renovated (180sq.m), can be divided, private entrance. ANGLO-SAXON 02625-1161, Arieh: 054-725-7701. GIVAT MASUA 5 beautiful rooms, 1 floor with elevator, extraordinary 40sq.m. Terrace to view. Colony 02-561-1611. New on the market!! 4 rooms, 2 floor; terrace and elevator prestige location. Colony 02-5611611. HAR HoMA Religious project - Beautiful 5 rooms (135 m2), invested, terrace/sukkah (80 m2), unique view, storage-room, parking. 1,360,000nis. Hamishkenote 052-678-7813 Manu. Good deal! 3 5 rooms, in religious project, 2 storage-room (1 near the apt with window), beautiful view - 990.000 shekels. Hamishkenote 052-320-2488 Michael.
on Nily St beautiful 3 rooms renovated by architect, + large garden. Gil: 052-808-4312. Colony 02-561-1611. MAKoR BARUCH Brand new! entire floor (approx. 300 sqm.) Fabulous view, 2-car garage. Exclusive: ANGLO-SAXON 02-625-1161, Arieh: 054-7257701. MeKoR HAIM Good Deal! 3 5 rooms, recent building, 2nd floor, nice and pleasant, balcony/sukkah, storage-room, covered carpark – 1,250,000 nis. Hamishkenote 052-320-2488 Michael. 5 luxurious rooms, new, elevator, terrace, view, parking. Hamishkenote 052-320-2488 Michael. NAYoT on Burla st 5 beautiful rooms nice view call Gil: 052-808-4312. Colony 02-561-1611. oLD CITY Incredible old City Home. Mamluke period 3 level house with private entrance,150 square meters, 6 rooms with a separate 2-room unit. Includes 60 sqm. balcony space with panoramic views of the Old City including Har HaBayit and a partial view of the Kotel. The property is in need of renovation. Contact | September 2008
CLASSIFIEDS Ilana 054-534-1403 RE/MAX Vision 02-6731661 www.remax-capital.com. OLD KATAMON Magnificent, modern 9 room home with garden and all amenities, 250 sqm. Ground floor 130 sqm with garden can be sold separately. Contact: Edna 050633-0850 RE/MAX VISION 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com.
ALEX LOSKY
Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il
Old Katamon - 5 rooms, 3rd floor, elevator, sukkah terrace, 4 exposures. Alex Losky Veronique: 054-202-0446 02-623-5595
4 rooms, 1st floor + elevator, spacious, balcony, high standing renovation, very bright, storage-room + parking. Hamishkenote 052320-2488 Michael.
SAXON 02-625-1161, Liora: 054-431-0015. RAMAT ESHKOL Beautifully renovated 4 rooms, lovely view, walk to buses & shopping. Call Miriam Drori 052-842-4083. RE/MAX Vision 02-6731661 www.remax-capital.com. RAMAT SHARETT 3 rooms, charming, high floor, breathtaking view. ANGLO-SAXON 02-625-1161, jerusalem@anglo-saxon.co.il. 4.5 rooms, 1st floor, terrace to breathtaking view, expansion possibilities, renovated. Hamishkenote 052-672-4003 Elisheva. REHAVIA Unique Penthouse, 309 square meters with over 100 square meters of balconies, Shabbat elevator, private parking. Contact Ilana (054-534-1403) or Dov (052553-3739) RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com.
Completely renovated designer vacation homes for sale. 3 rooms. Contact: Edna 050-633-0850 or Asaf 052-3290220 RE/MAX VISION 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com.
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Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il
Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il
Rehavia- Desired location, spacious 4 rooms (140 meters) , 3rd floor, elevator, large sukkah terrace, on quiet street. Alex Losky- Veronique: 054-202-0446
Rehavia - 4.5, (105 meters). Classic, gracious, well maintained, 1st floor, balcony, good exposures, good view! Alex Losky Vic : 054-804-0690
02-623-5595
02-623-5595
ALEX LOSKY
Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il
Old Katamon - Completely renovated 4.5 rooms, 120 meters, terrace, elevator and parking, 3 exposures! Alex Losky Moshe: 054-479-3384 />�Lˆi…
02-623-5595
Excellent location! Newly renovated apartments. 3 or 4.5 rooms. Contact: Edna 050-633-0850 or Asaf 052-329-0220 RE/ MAX VISION 02 673 1661 www.remax-capital. com.
RAMAT DANYA Gorgeous 5-room apartment featuring spacious master bedroom, large terrace to fantastic view. Possible to create 2 entrances and to build a separate unit-60 sq.m. ANGLOwww.shiurtimes.com
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Palatial 220 sqm garden apartment in Old Katamon. Private entrance, private garden, newly renovated to highest standard, unique design. Asking 8,750,000 NIS. Contact Ilana 0545-341-403 or Dov 052-553-3739 RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661www.remax-capital.com.
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CLASSIFIEDS Central Shaarei Chesed! 320 sqm. house on a corner lot, 6 rooms plus separate unit and courtyard. Needs renovation. Asking $2,500,000. Contact Ilana 054-534-1403 or Dov 052-553-3739 RE/MAX Vision 02-6731661 www.remax-capital.com. Stunning newly renovated 4 room apartment with sukkah balcony, covered parking, Shabbat elevator. Central location. Asking 2,650,000 NIS. Contact Ilana (0545-341-403) or Dov (052-5533739), RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com.
views, parking. Needs renovation. Asking $550,000. Contact Ilana 054-534-1403 OR Dov 052-553-3739. Balfour. Near Great Synagogue, 2.5, renovated, wood-flooring, air-conditioned. ANGLO-SAXON 02-625-1161, Danielle: 050495-1234.
ALEX LOSKY
Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il
Talbieh: 2 room apartment, 1st floor, bright and spacious, balcony,good condition,very quiet. 1,280,000 NIS -Alex Losky Veronique: 054-202-0446
Green and quiet in Rehavia. 1st floor, 80 sqm., 3 room apartment in need of renovation. Sukkah balcony. Option to purchase renovated. Contact Ilana (0545-341-403) or Dov (052553-3739), RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www.remax-capital.com.
02-623-5595
ALEX LOSKY
TALBIEH Pinsker St., 5 rooms, beautifully renovated, 3 full baths, double kitchen, all appliances, storage, parking. Only $670,000! Alyssa 054668-4111 RE/MAX Vision 02-673-1661 www. remax-capital.com.
ALEX LOSKY
Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il
King David St- Rental, lovely 3 rooms, fully furnished, 2nd floor with elevator 1950$ Alex Losky-Moshe: 054-479-3384 02-623-5595
ALEX LOSKY
Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il
Keren Hayesod - 4 rooms, completely renovated, 3rd floor, shabbat lift, close to Great Synagogue, walking distance to the Old City. Alex Losky Veronique: 054-202-0446 02-623-5595
YAFE NOF Spacious 5-room duplex, 4 balconies, fully renovated, huge living room, storage, airconditioned. Only 23 steps to climb! Quiet, central area. ANGLO-SAXON 02-625-1161, Liora: 054-431-0015. YEMIN MOSHE Stunning renovated home in Yemin Moshe, unique design, 3 bedrooms, separate formal dining room, spacious terrace with panoramic view of the Old City walls. Asking NIS 6,500,000 Contact Ilana (054-534-1403) or Dov (052-553-3739) RE/MAX Vision 02673-1661 www.remax-capital.com. MOSHAVIM House on 4 dunam lot, on moshav adjacent to Bet Shemesh. Miriam Anglo-Saxon Bet Shemesh 02-999-8422. Lots & Houses on Yeshivish Moshav between Bet Shemesh & Rechovot Ita Anglo-Saxon Bet Shemesh. (02) 999-8422.
Real Estate Group www.losky.co.il
Talbieh - Beautiful 6 rooms, newly renovated, 4 terraces, 2nd floor, storage room. Alex Losky-David: 052-380-2860
In beautiful Talbieh! 3 room apartment on Brenner street., 5th floor, sukkah balcony,
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| September 2008
Healthcare System... continued from page 6 care. On the one hand it regulates, plans, supervises, and licenses various activities , and on the other hand it owns and operates several government-funded hospitals, so in a sense it regulates and monitors itself. It owns about half the acute-care beds in Israel. The remaining acute beds are in other hospitals— many owned by Klalit Health Services— including public and private hospitals. The provision of primary-care varies by health plan. Klalit has a network of primary-care clinics to which members can come at will, or by making an appointment, to see a primary-care of pediatric physician. No co-payment is required for such visits. Other plans provide lists of physicians who are associated with the plan and patients see them in their private offices. Secondarycare (i.e. specialists) is provided either through specialty outpatient clinics, either in a hospital if owned by the health plan, or health plan-designated clinics. A small co-payment is required for most specialists and it covers visits through 3-month quarters. Prescription drugs also involve a nominal co-payment. Such drugs can be obtained either in health plan pharmacies or private pharmacies that have special arrangements with the health plan.
care clinics and in hospitals. Almost all primary care records in Israel and the vast majority of secondary care records are fully computerized. This facilitates electronic real-time documentation of all physician-patient encounters during a visit, selective context-based data retrieval during treatment monitoring, order entry for drugs, laboratory referrals, expert consultation and imaging, as well as a bi-directional interface with administrative computerized systems.
Unfortunately, in the last few years there has been a decrease in the government’s share of financing health services and a shift to more private use, raising problems of equity. Many people do go to private physicians as they want to make sure they have consulted the “best”. People do feel that if they see a physician privately, they will receive preferential treatment once they encounter this physician in the hospital. Unfortunately, this is sometimes true. °
The Israeli NHIL stipulates a National List of Health Services (NLHS) which all residents are entitled to receive from their health plans (HMOs). Every year, as part of the annual budgeting process, the government determines the additional budget that will be available to fund new technologies. Since the budget allocated is far from being sufficient to keep up with the pressures of the growing healthcare market, using a priority-setting process is inevitable. This list has been updated annually for almost a decade using a structured review and decision-making process. The Israeli-explicit prioritysetting experience is unique and may be considered groundbreaking. Israel is also the leading country in the world in the scope of computerization. Clinical information systems have been widely implemented in Israel since 1990. Electronic Patient Records (EPRs) have been installed and actually running among all primary-care physicians in Israel, as well as in many secondary www.shiurtimes.com
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Health
Spiritual Warriors Spiritual strength, mental dexterity, and physical martial expertise are skills from the ancients that are now making a comeback. by Moshe Katz
I
f you think of images of traditional Jewish leaders, a powerful warrior rarely comes to mind. Spiritual power and physical prowess are not seen as being fused into one person. However, the first Jewish martial arts instructor was actually the very first “Jew,” Abraham, as it is written “and he (Abraham) armed his three hundred and eighteen trained men, born in his house, and pursued [those who captured Lot] as far as the Land of Dan.” The great Biblical commentator, Ibn Ezra writes, “for he [Abraham] had trained them many times in the art of warfare, although it is not mentioned [in the text.]” (Bereshit Rabba 43) Then there was Jacob, man of Spirit, and Esau, man of War. Jacob was a man of Spirit, but he was also a warrior. In fact, the modern Hebrew word for wrestler, “mitabek,” comes from Jacob’s fight with Esau’s angel, who appeared to Jacob in the form of a man. Bereishit tells us, “And there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.” (Bereishit 32) Rashi explains that as they were wrestling, they kicked up dust with their feet. From the word dust (Avak), comes the word for wrestler.
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As a Krav Maga (contact fighting) instructor, I have the honor of being the only 4th degree black-belt certified by Itay Gil, former trainer of the Yamam, Israel’s Special Police Unit and author of Citizen’s Guide to Stopping Suicide Bombers. The main purpose of Krav Maga training is practical self defense. We do kickboxing
‘‘
We learn that to defend yourself on the street in combat, you need a quick burst of very aggressive energy.” fights, ground fighting and aggressive knife defense drills. We learn that to defend yourself on the street in combat, you need a quick burst of very aggressive energy. For example, in the middle of knife training we will drop to do a set of push-ups and then turn over and do sit ups. Real life selfdefense requires nohing less. Throughout Biblical history our leaders combined spiritual strength with physical martial prowess. Our judges Samson, and
Ehud ben Gerah, Deborah and Shmuel the prophets, were all warriors. Our kings, David and Saul were men of Spirit as well as master fighters. Our leaders were masters of the sword, the dagger, the sling shot, the bow and arrow and the spear. During our long and painful exile, some of our people have forgotten this part of the Torah. They have forgotten “to teach the sons of Yehuda the art of the bow.” (Samuel 2:18) The nation of Israel was born in a struggle, and continues to be in such. Modern Krav Maga uses natural body movements to create techniques that are easy for the body to learn and retain and use in high-stress situations. °
| September 2008
food
STEAMED LEEKS WITH MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE Small thin leeks are more tender than large ones and will cook faster. Plan on one or two leeks per serving.
8-16 fresh leeks 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil Freshly ground pepper to taste 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed (optional) Trim off the roots and the tough green ends of the leeks. Leaving the root end intact, slice each leek in half lengthwise and soak them in salt water to remove any dirt or insects. Bring a quart of water to boil in the bottom of a steamer. Place the leeks on the steamer rack and steam until soft, between 8 and 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the leeks. While the leeks are steaming, whisk together the vinegar, salt and mustard. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season with pepper to taste and stir in capers. Arrange the warm leeks on a serving platter and cover with the vinaigrette. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 8
BRAISED BEET GREENS OR SWISS CHARD
1 kilo Swiss chard or beet greens, washed and checked well 1 medium onion, minced 1 clove garlic, minced or 1 cube frozen minced garlic ½ teaspoon each ground cumin and coriander ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup water 1 teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper to taste Slice the greens (including the stems), into ribbons, about 2-3 cm/wide. Put them into a pan with the remaining ingredients. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the greens are very soft and silky. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary to prevent sticking. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 4-6
SEPHARDIC-STYLE BLACK-EYED PEAS 500 gm dried black-eyed peas, checked and rinsed * 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 large onions, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 small can (400 gm) diced tomatoes 1 small container (100 gm) tomato sauce 1 teaspoon salt ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar Freshly ground pepper to taste Cover the peas with cold water plus 5 cm and soak overnight. (Alternately, place them in a large saucepan and cover with water plus 5 cm. Bring to a boil and maintain heat for 2 minutes. Cover the pan and let them soak for 1 hour.) Rinse the soaked peas and add water to cover plus 5 cm. Bring to a boil and cook about 40 minutes, until almost tender. Drain the peas, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions until golden brown. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, sugar and pepper and bring to a boil. Add the peas. Thin the sauce with ½ to 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Cook for 1520 minutes, until the peas are soft. * If frozen (pre-cooked) black-eyed peas are available, prepare the tomato sauce and add the frozen peas to the sauce. Simmer for about 20 minutes to blend the flavors.
Serves 8
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Contributors Rabbi Guy Avihod is one of the founders of Shaf Yativ, rehabilitative yeshivah program for men in Jerusalem. He earned an M.A. in Political Science at CSUN and Rabbinical Smicha from Rabbi Mordechai Eliahu Shlita. Shaf Yativ uses the yeshivah setting as a tool for social and academic rehabilitation. For more information, call 054-790-9104, 052-226-2667 or see www. shafyativ.com. Rav Shlomo Aviner is the Rav of Beit El and Rosh Yeshiva of Ateret Cohanim in the Old City of Jerusalem. Rabbi Aryeh Ben-David is the Founder of Ayeka: Jewish Spiritual Education. He served as the Director of Spiritual Education at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem, the Rabbinical Educational Consultant for Hillel International from 2004 to 2007, and the Educational Director of the Jerusalem campus of Livnot U’Lehibanot from 1993 to 1998. He is the author of The Godfile: 10 Approaches to Personalizing Prayer and Around the Shabbat Table, A Guide to Fulfilling and Meaningful Shabbat Table Conversations. See www.ayeka.org.il for more info. Rabbi Ben David lives with his wife Sandra and their six children in Efrat, Israel. Ilene Bloch-Levy has been living in Israel for 22 years. She is a professional copywriter with an extra special interest in community life in Israel. She has helped hundreds of people throughout the years find their homes in Israel. She currently lives in Shaare Tikvah, Shomron.
Miriam Braun is currently a junior at Baruch College (CCNY) majoring in Marketing. She spent the summer as an Intern working at ShiurTimes.
Michael Dickson is the Director of StandWithUs, a non-profit organization that promotes Israel around the world, counters misinformation about Israel, creates informed young diplomats and training Israel’s future leaders. Originally from Mill Hill, London, Michael made aliyah with his wife in 2006. They currently live in Raanana, with their children, Dalia, Yoav and Yael. See www.standwithus.org Douglas Goldstein, CFP, is the director of Profile Investment Services. He is a licensed financial professional both in the U.S. and Israel. His book, Building Wealth in Israel: A Guide to International Investments and Financial Planning, can be ordered at: www.profilefinancial.com Frumie Horowitz made aliyah in 2006 from Brooklyn, NY. She currently lives in Jerusalem. She is an MA candidate in Urban Planning & Political Science. She is a former alumnus and National Coordinator of B’nei Akiva in North America. Moshe Katz is the founder of Mountain Spirit Warrior School of Martial Arts, and currently runs the Israeli headquarters of Israeli Krav International, based in Maale Adumim. He began his martial arts training when he was a yeshivah student in Jerusalem, and currently serves as the Director of International Combatives Self Defense Association (ICSDA). See http://www.your-kravmaga-expert.com for more info. Rav David Orbach is the child of parents who were born in Shanghai and met in a Japanese Concentration Camp. David was educated in the USA, Italy, and Belgium where he studied Law, Economics and Philosophy. After being seriously injured during the operation “Peace for Galilee”, he decided to be a Nurse specializing in music therapy. To read more articles and books of Medicine, Jewish Law and Ethics, go to www.wordpress. com search for David Orbach
We want to know! Tell us about it at staff.editors@shiurtimes.com 50
Professor Joseph Pliskin is the Sidney Liswood Professor of Health Care Management at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He is a member of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management and of the Department of Health Systems Management where he is the current Chair. He is co-author of Decision Making in Health and Medicine: Integrating Evidence and Values and Focused Operations Management for Health Services Organizations (JosseyBass, San-Francisco, 2006).
Chana Rubin is a registered dietitian and the author of Food for the Soul – Traditional Jewish Wisdom for Healthy Eating, Gefen Publishing House, 2008. See Chana’s blog at www. healthyjewisheating.com for more recipes and healthy eating ideas. Miriam Rubin is a history student at King’s College London. She worked this summer as an intern at the ShiurTimes. Tamar Schriger is a clinical dietitian and certified adult educator. She is the director of Venishmartem dietetic and nutrition consulting which offers workshops on basic nutrition for teens and adults, as well as medical nutrition therapy, including specializing in geriatric nutrition. She has also developed Active Lifestyle Concepts which is a food-coaching based system for weight and lifestyle management. She has made Israel her home for over 28 years and resides in Efrat with her family. Dr. Jonathan Shapiro is senior lecturer in Optometry at the Hadassah College in Jerusalem. He was born in South Africa and educated in London. He has been living in Israel since 1981 with his wife, Ruthie, four children, two married, and two grandsons. When not teaching in Jerusalem he practices in his private clinic in Pardes Hanna, as well as being a consultant in visual ergonomics for industry. Dr. Simcha Shapiro is a US trained physician and osteopath. He is the founder and director of the Listening Hands Institute, located in the Terem building of in the Romema section of Jerusalem. See www.listeninghands.co.il for more information. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz has devoted his life to making Jewish learning and the Talmud in particular accessible to every Jew. Forty two volumes of the Steinsaltz Talmud have been published thus far. Rabbi Steinsaltz is the founder of the Mekor Chaim Schools in Israel and since 1998 the educational network in the former Soviet Union. Rabbi Mordechai Weiss is originally from New Jersey and currently resides in Mitzpeh Yericho and can be reached at rabbiguide@ gmail.com. Estee Wertentheil was an intern at ShiurTimes this summer, and is studying graphic design as a senior at Stern College for Women. She has been running an art program for seniors at the Jewish Home for the Assisted Living in Riverdale, NJ for the past year, has worked with pottery over the last three years, and has just discovered that photography is the cat’s meow.
Special thanks to Judith Sudilovsky & Israel 21C for the article on Ada Yonath.
| September 2008
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