Baltimore Jewish Home 7-10-25

Dear Readers,

This week’s parsha introduces us to a most perplexing figure – Bilaam. A man who, on the surface, appears deeply religious. He insists repeatedly that he can only speak the words that Hashem puts in his mouth. He offers karbonos. He converses with Hashem. He even delivers brachos instead of the curses he was hired to give. And yet, Chazal paint him as morally corrupt and spiritually bankrupt. How can someone who has such clear access to ruach hakodesh fall so far? The answer is painfully simple: his heart and his actions never aligned with the truth he was privileged to see. He may have had prophecy, but he lacked integrity. He had vision, but no values.

Chazal explain that Bilaam was given the power of nevuah so that the umos ha’olam could never say, “If only we had a prophet like the Jews, we too would have been righteous.” Bilaam represents that test case: what happens when a non-Jewish nation is given direct access to divine truth? And the answer, tragically, is that it can be squandered. But on a deeper level, the very fact that Bilaam existed reminds us that Hashem communicates not only with us, but also through the nations of the world. Sometimes, Hashem sends messages not through a nevuah we lain on Shabbos, but through a headline we read in the news. Not through a pasuk – but through a storm.

Over the past week, we have watched in horror as catastrophic floods swept through parts of Texas,

taking hundreds of lives; many of them young, vibrant campers in the middle of their summer. It is a tragedy that defies comprehension. And while we cannot pretend to understand the reasons behind such devastation, we can’t afford to ignore the message either. These are not our children, not our camps, not our people – yet they are. Because when Hashem speaks through world events, He is not addressing only a group of people. He is calling to the conscience of all of humanity. And certainly to us, His nation of listeners. If Bilaam could hear Hashem through a donkey, can we not hear Him through a disaster?

The world is not random. Nature is not detached from the heavens. When tragedy strikes, especially on such a sweeping, painful scale, we are meant to pause, reflect, and recalibrate. Not with answers or pious blame, but with honest introspection. Are we, like Bilaam, saying the right things but failing to be the right people? And how can we use our clarity, not to curse, but to give bracha; not to destroy, but to uplift? With the Three Weeks upon us, a time marked by the consequences of senseless hatred and destructive speech, there is no better moment to consider the power of our words. Let us take the messages Hashem sends us – however they come – and channel them toward becoming the people we are meant to be.

Wishing you a peaceful Shabbos, Aaron M. Friedman

& photos, and mazal tovs to editor@baltimorejewishhome.com to be featured in coming editions!

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Around the Community

From Baltimore To Yehuda V’Shomron: A Sisterhood Of Support Across Continents

By: Donna Wach

When I was growing up, the women’s group at our shul was simply called The Sisterhood. I never gave much thought to the name. They were a group of kind, committed women— my mother among them—who took care of everything from kiddush prep to event logistics. Donning aprons when needed, they made our synagogue feel like an extension of home.

Today, many synagogues have updated that name to N’shei, meaning “women.” But on January 26th, at the Shomrei Emunah N’shei event in Baltimore, it wasn’t just about women coming together. It was about true sisterhood—supporting not only our own community, but also the women of N’shei Chayil, over 6,000 miles away in Israel.

The “N’shei to N’shei: Brunch and Paint” was a special fundraiser designed to support the wives of Israeli soldiers, specifically in the towns of Neriah and Keren Reim. A former Shomrei member, Ahuva Klein Davis, reached out to ask if our shul could help sponsor uplifting events for these heroic women and with the encouragement and support of our Rav, Rabbi Binyamin Marwick a committee was formed and the planning began. Since October 7th, many of their husbands have been serving in the IDF, some for more than 300 days. These women, left to manage their homes alone, have done so with extraordinary strength and faith, proud that their husbands are protecting Am Yisrael.

In response to the emotional and logistical burden these women have carried, Ahuva and her husband, Yaackov, founded Yam Chemlah—“Sea of Compassion”—a nonprofit named in memory of Ahuva’s grandparents, Marsha and Milton Fried, z”l. Yam Chemlah organizes date nights, babysitting, and therapeutic events to help couples reconnect after long separations among other events.

Our fundraiser began with a light breakfast, Tehillim, and inspiring words from our Rebbetzin, Miriam Marwick. More than 50 women participated in a hands-on art project creating mini Birchas HaBayis canvases guided by a video tutorial from talented Israeli artist Jen Wise. Each canvas carried a personal message of support on the back, transforming them into heartfelt gifts for the army wives.

A video presentation introduced us to the women of Neriah and Keren Reim, bringing their reality closer to ours. The finished canvases were delivered from Baltimore to Yehuda V’Shomron by volunteers. Altogether, the event raised nearly $12,000 through admissions, sponsorships, and a small auction of donated items.

Ahuva shared that many women in the Shomron had never met anyone from America, and they were deeply moved by this show of support. What felt like a small gesture on our end was profoundly meaningful on theirs. One recipient placed the canvas on her bookshelf so her children could see that Am Yisrael truly is one family.

To date, the funds raised sponsored two evenings of rejuvenation, complete with Moroccan feasts and a unique form of entertainment: Play-back drama therapy. Through storytelling, music, and improv, professional performers reenacted the women’s experiences, helping them process their emotions in a therapeutic and often humorous way.

The feedback from these army wives has been nothing short of beautiful. Malka Elitzur, a Kerem Reim resident with family ties to Baltimore, described the event in her community as “beyond amazing.”

This event proved that sisterhood isn’t just a name or a group—it’s a living bond between women who support each other through action, compassion, and shared faith.

If you’d like more information about this initiative or guidance on organizing a similar event for your shul or organization, feel free to reach out to me at donnacwach@gmail.com

To donate to Yam Chemlah, visit: donorbox.org/yam-chemlah

Post 167 Jewish War Veterans Participate In Towson July 4th Parade

By: BJLife Newsroom

JWV 167 members of the Jewish War Veterans (JWV) from the local area participated in the Towson Independence Day Parade. “It literally seemed like thousands came out to cheer on the veterans, “ said Dan Berkovitz, Commander of JWV Post 167.

It is especially important for those of us who serve or who have served our great country to show that Jewish servicemembers and veterans do serve in the military.

Thanks go to the Berkovitz family, the Goff family, Andrew Altman, Stanley Fishman, Mike Zippert, Seth

Philips, Alan Cohen, Michael Denise and family, and most importantly Chaya Berkovitz. Thanks go to the

community as well for your support. Happy Independence Day!

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Around the Community

Agra D’Pirka Baltimore Celebrates Its Second Siyum

The joy of Baltimore’s Agra D’Pirka participants and their wives was palpable on Sunday, June 29, at the gala siyum held at Khal Ahavas Yisroel Tzemach Tzedek (KAYTT) to celebrate the completion of Masechta Avodah Zarah after four years. Reb Ezra Klein, who founded the national learning program l’zecher nishmas his mother, Pesi Rochel, a”h, with the mission of spreading morning limud haTorah across the U.S., was the guest speaker.

Rabbi Yankel Herskovitz, Agra D’Pirka Baltimore’s Maggid Shiur, taught the Masechta in depth with meforshim, and reviewed it several times for comprehension. The group began learning this Masechta four years ago, immediately after its siyum on Masechta Sukkah, which it began learning at the inception of the local group, on September 1, 2018. The participants just started learning Masechta Sanhedrin, which is estimated to take 8-9 years to complete.

As Reb Ezra Klein notes, “Rabbi Hershkowitz, has been a long-standing Maggid Shuir for Daf Yomi, and now the Yerushalmi. He is particularly suited to teach and plumb the depths of our Torah Sh’Baal Peh with a wide variety of members from all walks of life.”

Agra D’Pirka Baltimore’s shiur participation is ever-growing. Currently, 30-40 people attend the two shiurim given Monday through Thursday. The 9:30 a.m. shiur is always given by Rabbi Herskovitz; the 10:30 a.m. shiur is given by a veritable treasure trove of local Rabbonim from Ner Yisroel, the Chassidishe Kollel, and many other great local institutions.

Rabbi Eli Sofer, director of Agra D’Pirka Baltimore, ably leads and manages the rotation of these great Rabbonim, as well as any other issue that arises regarding the ruchnius and gashmius of the Baltimore branch.

Rabbi Sofer mentions, “I wear many hats throughout the day, but the one I wear with the greatest pride is my Agra D’Pirka hat. It’s a true zchus to be part of orchestrating such high-level limud haTorah. I know how much everyone who attends appreciates it — and

anyone who gives it a try is sure to be inspired and hooked for life!”

I had the honor of speaking to just some of the already inspired and hooked participants, and some of their n’shei chayil – who were highly praised for their encouragement -- by all the speakers at the siyum.

Harold Rosinsky notes, “Rabbi Herskovitz has opened new vistas for us to absorb with his encyclopedic knowledge.”

Rochel Mandel shares, “When my husband was thinking of retiring, people would tell him that it’s better to work as long as you can; retirement is no good. Agra D’Pirka is a fabulous opportunity for learning and friendship…I want to give a tremendous thank you to Rabbi Klein for making this possible and to Rabbi Eli Sofer for making sure that everything is in place day-to-day and on schedule. It is all greatly appreciated.”

Her husband, Dovid Mandel, concurs. “Agra D’Pirka is such a wonderful program. From the day I retired seven years ago, I started to come here, and I felt like I was at home with everybody. It’s such a nice crowd of people and Rabbi Herskovitz is unbelievable. It gives structure to every single day that we are learning and growing. Boruch Hashem it should continue!”

Chava Esther Tenenbaum’s husband started learning in Agra D’Pirka when he retired during Covid, 4-1/2 years ago. “Agra D’Pirka has given him such a wealth of Torah, and I feel proud and happy being part of it.”

Her husband, Avi Tenenbaum, feels, “This is an incredibly inspiring program. It’s a perfect zeman to learn. Before the program came about, people didn’t have a formalized seder to learn in the morning and this program captures that time. I don’t understand why anybody who is retired and might have the mornings free doesn’t join this program -- they should.”

Chana Retter mentioned, “After my father, Mr. Jack Boehm, z’l, retired from Jack’s, all he wanted to do was sit and learn. The Daf Yomi he went to was Yankel Herskovitz’s

By: Margie Pensak | Photos: Reuven Miller

Daf Yomi that was held in Machzekei HaTorah shul. He went every morning until he was too sick to attend. Now, fast forward, when my husband retired, he is learning in Agra D’Pirka with Rav Yankel Herskovitz!

Her husband, Simcha Retter, remarks, “It’s an honor to continue learning with the same Maggid Shiur that my father-in-law did, and to continue benefitting from his chochma.”

Reb Ezra concludes, “If you want to start your day the right way, then please join Agra D’Pirka. What could be better than starting each day with learning from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.? It will change your lives forever… We want to thank Rabbi Heber and his balabatim for having the foresight to allow the Agra D’Pirka Kollel to take place in KAYTT since September 1, 2018. We hope to partner together with KAYTT until b’yas Moshiach Tzidkeinu, bimheira b’yameinu, Amen!”

Rabbi Dovid Heber adds, “Our kehilla has been honored to host - for close to seven years -Reb Yankel Hershkowitz’s phenomenal daily pilpul shiur followed by excellent magidei

shiur on an array of topics - b’halacha v’agada - and looks forward to many more years of Agra D’Pirka in our shul, bez”H.”

“We had a beautiful event celebrating four years of effort in completing Maseches Avodah Zorah in depth,” concludes Rabbi Herskovitz. “Mazel Tov to all the devoted dedicated attendees and, a special thanks to the founder and supporter of Agra D’Pirka, Mr. Ezra Klein.”

As the great woman behind the great Maggid Shiur, Pesi Herskovitz explains, “My job is to keep the coffee coming! Actually, my husband starts his morning several hours before I’m up, so he makes his own! But I do make sure he has no distractions so he can fully immerse himself in the sugya. Seeing how much he enjoys giving the shiur to his eager participants is a huge nachas for me.”

For further information on Agra D’Pirka Baltimore, please contact Rabbi Eli Sofer at agradpirkabaltimore@gmail.com or 917-755-1572.

SUMMER SAFETY CLASS FOR KIDS...

To the delight of school children everywhere, summer is finally upon us! Nice weather and more down-time for kids to be outside, means lots more riding of bikes, scooters and Segways. This also means that children need to be more aware than ever of how to keep safe when enjoying these fun activities.

In response to this need, the Northwest Citizens Patrol (NWCP) is pleased to offer a class on “vehicle” safety which is open to boys and girls ages 7- 12. Debbi Baer, president of the Maryland Child Passenger Association, and the NWCP Police Officer, will present many helpful and practical safety instructions and tips to assist kids in staying safe. These guidelines will also include accident prevention, how to avoid common errors on their vehicles and near cars, as well as the proper use of protective gear.

Even if your children attended last year’s session, we urge you to send them again.

After all, our kids can never be too safe.

Boys & Girls Ages 7-12

Send your child with his/her bike and your driver’s license number.

We will engrave the number on the bike, and for easy identification if stolen, we will mark the bike with NWCP colored tape.*

Classes FREE to attendees

Size of classes is limited.

Please register in advance: 410-664-6927 (NWCP), ext. 8.

AGUDATH ISRAEL

6200 Park Heights Ave. (downstairs) Monday, July 28 • 4:30-6:00 PM

SHOMREI EMUNAH

6221 Greenspring Ave. (classroom 3) Wednesday, July 30 • 4:30-6:00 PM Call NWCP

All children who attend will receive a coupon for a personal size bag of POPCORN FROM THE CANDY STORE INFO: Call NWCP at 410-664-6927, ext. 8.

*In case of inclement weather, there will be no bicycle engraving at Shomrei.

Students From Immanuel College, London, Visit Sterling Care Assisted Living

About 35 students from Immanuel College in London visited Sterling Care Assisted Living. Their goal was to brighten the day of the seniors while on their Year 9 America Trip. They spent time getting to know the residents, and entertained with lively singing and dancing. Although from very different cultures and age brackets, there was an instant connection that was felt in the room. There was laughing, hugging, and even an occasional tear of joy. The Jewish people are one- no matter where we live, how we look, or what our age might be. This visit demonstrated the achdus of klal Yisroel.

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Orshan Legal Group 47 Advanced Security 35

Green Scoring, Strong Team Defense Leads Orshan Legal to Win

Heshey Green scored a game high 21 points while he and his teammates locked down Advanced Security star Yisroel Luchansky with ferocious defense, leading Orshan Legal Group to a 47-35 victory and their second consecutive win.

Green at times seemed unstoppable, scoring his 21 points on just 13 attempts. Isaac Beletskiy added 15 points and 8 rebounds, while Yoseph Orshan only took 3 shots but chipped in 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.

Advanced had no player score in double figures, although Moshe Gholian led the way with 8. Luchansky and Yaakov Rosenblum added 7 apiece, while Chemi Lefkovitz had 6. Luchansky and Gholian each did grab 11 rebounds in the loss, which dropped their team to 1-3 on the season.

Councilman Schleifer 44 Fired Up Promotions 35

Vintage Hariri Performance Powers Schleifer to Bounceback W

After a slow start left his team trailing by 4 late in the first half, Eitan Hariri turned into the Hulk, scoring 22 of his team’s final 33 points on his way to a 25 point, 14 rebound performance as Councilman Schleifer avenged their only loss in a rematch with Fired up Promotions.

Hariri often looked unstoppable in the paint, repeatedly finishing over multiple defenders. His teammates didn’t need to help much, but Yali Rothenberg and Yeshayahu Schwartz each chipped in 7 points (Schwartz added 7 rebounds) while Avner Shotz made his presence felt in his return after missing the teams’ first meeting.

Chesky Lewin paced Fired Up with 17 points and 10 rebounds, doing much of his damage at the foul line where he was 8-9. Avromi Gartenhaus grabbed 7 rebounds and

dished out 4 assists in the loss. Fired Up had done an excellent job against Hariri in their first matchup but seemed to have no answer for him in this one.

Both teams are now 4-1, having traded wins each of the last two weeks. They both look like strong championship contenders and a playoff rubber match is likely looming in September.

N’SHEI AGUDATH ISRAEL OF BALTIMORE

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Mrs. Bracha Goetz

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Living With Joy

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Rabbi Moshe Heinemann

Rav of Agudath Israel of Baltimore

The Three Weeks

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8:30 PM | ALSO ZOOM/PHONE*

TUESDAY, JULY 22ND

Rabbi Moshe Matz

Director of Agudath Israel of Florida & Rav of Aventura, Florida

Reaching for the Stars: Achieving Our Maximum Potential

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3402 LABYRINTH ROAD

8:00 PM | ALSO ZOOM/PHONE*

TUESDAY, JULY 29TH

Rabbi Sholom Tendler

Kashrus Administrator at Star-K

Latest Updates f rom the World of Kashrus with Live Audio-Visual Presentation

HOME OF CHAYA & TZVI FRIEDMAN

6201 GREEN MEADOW WAY

8:00 PM | ALSO ZOOM/PHONE*

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6TH

Director of Technology at WITS & Popular Lecturer

Saying Shema with Meaning

8:00 PM | ZOOM/PHONE* Mrs. Shira Hochheimer

TUESDAY, AUGUST 12TH

Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld

Lecturer & Co-Author of Body and Soul

Preparing for a Heal thy and Holy New Year

8:00 PM | ZOOM/PHONE*

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19TH

Rabbi Boruch Leff

Rebbi & Noted Author

Nothing New, But Improving What We Already Do

8:00 PM | ZOOM/PHONE*

TUESDAY, AUGUST 26TH

Mrs. Chaya Kruk

Popular Lecturer & Teacher

A Meaningful Way to Star t Off Elul

8:00 PM | ZOOM/PHONE*

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ALL SHIURIM ARE FREE OF CHARGE.

Please support N’shei by donating, sponsoring a shiur, and/or becoming a member for only $25 a year. Dues and contributions can be made at the shiurim, or by mailing a check to Mrs. Sandy Cohen, 6314 Cross Country Boulevard, Bal timore, MD 21215, or by emailing nsheibal timore@gmail.com to receive the link for online payments.

JCSL by MDSC – Week 7 Recap: Playoff Picture Remains Unclear with One Week Remaining

As the 2025 JCSL by MDSC regular season nears its conclusion, the playoff race has reached a fever pitch. With only one week remaining, the battle for a spot in the RenoSafe Homes Postseason — and a chance to hoist the coveted Premier Financial Trophy — is wide open.

While much of the early-season buzz was about the league’s stylish, Stutman Chiropractic-sponsored jerseys, all eyes have now shifted to the standings, where the competition remains fierce and the margins razor-thin. The JCSL Committee may find itself consulting the Ashley Custom Homes rulebook to resolve what could be a tiebreak-heavy finish to the season.

Current Standings (as of Week 7): Team

kelstein played unselfishly, drawing two walks, while team captain Chaim Finkelstein led with his trademark heart and hustle, notching two doubles and two walks.

Lazar Real Estate appears to be peaking at the right time — and the league is taking notice.

Web Interactive Technologies 17, Clothier 8

Web Interactive Technologies (WIT) continued their resurgence with a dominant offensive performance. The game’s early momentum came from Shulie Hochman, who tripled in the first inning before being intentionally walked a record five times on the day. Clothier, looking to snap a four-game skid, showed life with a four-run inning to tie the game at 7-7 in the sixth.

But WIT pulled away late, with strong contributions from Aron “Meisty” Meister, Aron “Lefky” Lefkovitz, and Shalom “Rybie” Ryback. The turning point came in the 7th and 8th innings when outfielders Eli Dollman and Yaakov Meister each threw out Clothier runners at home, with star catcher Yitzchok Sheen applying game-saving tags.

GB Homes 9, Ambush Law 8

In a “win-and-in” showdown, GB Homes punched their ticket to the playoffs in thrilling fashion. The game began with a solo home run from Ezra Bregin, but Ambush Law fought back with a four-run 8th inning to take an 8–5 lead.

Week 7 Game Recaps

Lazar Real Estate 11, The Friendship Circle 1

Lazar Real Estate wasted no time, plating six runs in the top of the first inning and never looking back. A scorching leadoff triple by DY Green set the tone, and he finished the day with four hits. First baseman Shlomo Rosenstein was stellar both at the plate and in the field, flashing the leather on several key plays and contributing an opposite-field triple.

Pitcher Aharon Adler delivered a masterclass on the mound, keeping The Friendship Circle off balance throughout the game. Sub Yoni Fin-

its faint playoff hopes, while Donny Ankri Architects was positioned to be a playoff contender with a win. On a day when the bases wouldn’t stay anchored, both teams steadied the ship but would ultimately go home disappointed with the result.

Both teams have reasons to be proud of their performance. For the Architects, it was some strong late game pitching and defense, while withstanding two 6+ run comebacks by the Ambulance Chasers. For the Legal Group, it was the fortitude to come back from an early 6-run deficit and then a late 7-run deficit, overcoming some mental and physical mistakes, and putting together a well-rounded game. Additionally, the top of the lineup put together its best performance of the season, with OF Yoseph Orshan and 3B Hillel Stutman sparkling in the field and the plate, SS Zelig Glazer displaying his prodigious power and collecting half of OLG’s RBIs, and 2B Shlomo Rosenfeld providing much appreciated chizzuk and steady glovework in the field, along with emerging hitting prowess at the plate.

race for the postseason remains tight, and the final week promises to deliver more of the high drama that has defined this year’s JCSL by MDSC season.

Will the standings hold, or are more surprises in store? Stay tuned as the league barrels toward an epic finish.

GB Homes responded with a game-tying triple by Motti Bendet in the bottom of the 8th, setting the stage for late-inning drama. In the 9th, Ben Storch and Bregin got on base before a deep fly from Shua Novograd moved the lead runner to third. What happened next will go down in JCSL lore — in a savvy, heads-up play dubbed “The Vlassic Classic,” Bregin initiated a deliberate rundown between first and second, allowing Storch to sprint home for the walk-off win.

Orshan Legal Group 14, Donny Ankri Architects 14

Coming into a pivotal matchup in the penultimate week of the season, Orshan Legal Group was clinging to

With the other 3 games finishing before this instant classic, the players and fans alike watched with bated breath as star Chiropractor and P Mark Stutman rebounded from a and rocky start and uneven game to hold DAA scoreless in the 8th and 9th innings. In the bottom of the 9th, the stage was set for a storybook ending, as the bottom of the OLG lineup would come up to the plate with the chance to win the game. OLG had the potential game-winning run on 3rd with 2 outs. Leadoff Litigator Yoseph Orshan strode to the plate with a chance for glory (and a 5-5 day). It was not to be as DAA deployed a gimmick outfield and LC fielder playing RCF Koby Leder impressed his father Scott (Orshan’s Towson University Hillel mate) enough to look up from his B2B Mobile device with a diving catch on a hard-hit line drive to end the game and preserve the tie.

Looking Ahead

With just one week left in the regular season, every at-bat, every pitch, and every play will count. The

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613 Seconds with Kol Torah of Baltimore

Q: What is happening at Kol Torah of Baltimore this week?

A: We are thrilled to launch our Annual Campaign: “Shaping the Future,” running for just 48 hours, July 14–16, 2025. This is a crucial time for our kehilla as we raise the funds needed to support and sustain our shul. More than just a fundraiser, this campaign is a celebration of the vibrant makom Torah, tefillah and chesed that Kol Torah is—and an opportunity for supporters across Baltimore and beyond to partner with us.

Q: What’s behind the name “Shaping the Future”?

A: It perfectly captures what Kol Torah stands for. Every shiur, every tefillah, every moment of sincere avodah contributes to the shaping of

stronger individuals, families, and community. Under the leadership of Harav Yosef Berger, Kol Torah is focused not only on Torah learning, but on shaping the next generation of bnei Torah and dedicated community members. This campaign allows us to build on that momentum and ensure that the next stage of growth continues.

Q: Can you tell us more about the leadership of Harav Yosef Berger?

A: Rabbi Berger’s impact on Baltimore is truly remarkable. Through his clarity in halacha, thoughtful hashkafic guidance, and deep personal relationships, he has become a central figure not only in our shul but throughout the community. Whether he’s giving a shiur, answering a complex sheilah, or simply offering a word of encouragement, Rabbi Berger embodies what it means to be a leader rooted in Torah, warmth, and humility. His influence reaches hundreds across the city every week.

Q: This year’s campaign includes special honorees. Who are they?

A: Yes, and we’re proud to highlight three extraordinary couples

whose lives reflect the values of our kehilla:

Mr. and Mrs. Yissachar Shapiro, recipients of the Amud Ha’Avodah Award

Mr. and Mrs. Menachem Zomber, recipients of the Kesser Shem Tov Award

Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Pransky, recipients of the Avodas HaKodesh Award

Each of these couples plays a vital role in the strength and character of our community.

Q: Why is this 48-hour campaign so critical?

A: Like any growing kehilla, Kol Torah depends on the generosity of those who believe in its mission. This campaign helps ensure that our infrastructure and operations can keep pace with the demand. These funds help support everything from youth programming and shiurim to utilities and security. Without this campaign, much of what we offer simply wouldn’t be possible.

Q: How can people participate and contribute?

A: It’s very simple, visit KT25.org any time between July 14 and July

16 to make your donation. Every gift, large or small, helps strengthen the kehilla and allows us to continue shaping the spiritual future of Baltimore. We also encourage you to share the campaign with friends and family, post on social media, and show support for our honorees.

Q: What message would you like to leave with the Baltimore community?

A: Kol Torah belongs to the community—and this campaign is an opportunity for everyone to be part of our growth. Whether you’re a regular mispallel, a neighbor who’s attended a shiur, or a community member who has benefited from the shul or the Rav—this is your moment to shape the future. Together, we can ensure that Kol Torah continues to be a beacon of Torah, tefillah, and community for generations to come.

Partner with Kol Torah. Shape the future.

Donate now at KT25.org –July 14–16, 2025.

The Week In News

The Week In News

U.K. Jet Stuck in India

A $110 million F-35B stealth fighter jet owned by the United Kingdom has been stuck at Thiruvananthapuram airport in Kerala, India, since June 14.

The technologically advanced jet had been flying over the Indian Ocean on its way to the Royal Navy’s flagship carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, when it was forced to land in India due to bad weather. It then got stranded in India

because of a technical issue. British engineers have tried fixing the problem but have thus far been unsuccessful.

“The UK has accepted an offer to move the aircraft to the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facility at the airport. It will be moved to the hangar once UK engineering teams arrive with specialist equipment, thereby ensuring there is minimal disruption to scheduled maintenance of other aircraft,” the British High Commission announced Thursday. “The aircraft will return to active service once repairs and safety checks have been completed… Ground teams continue to work closely with Indian authorities to ensure safety and security precautions are observed.”

Six RAF officers were tasked with watching the jet.

On Monday, over three weeks after the plane got stranded in India, Britain’s High Commission in India announced that British engineers arrived at the Indian airport and had begun repairing the craft.

According to Dr. Sameer Patil, director for the Centre for Security,

Strategy and Technology at the Observer Research Foundation in Mumbai, the Royal Navy can either fix the jet or transport it back to Britain on a larger cargo plane.

Last Monday, Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, a member of the opposition in the House of Commons, reportedly requested more information about the situation from the government.

“What steps are the government taking to recover the plane, how much longer will that take, and how will the government ensure the security of protected technologies on the jet while it is in the hangar and out of view?” he reportedly asked.

“We continue to work with our Indian friends who provided first-class support when the F-35B was unable to return to the carrier,” said Luke Pollard, the British armed forces minister, adding that the U.K. has full control of the jet. “I am certain that the security of the jet is in good hands because Royal Air Force crew are with it at all times.”

The situation has prompted jokes

and memes, with many social media users noting how absurd it is for a highly advanced jet to remain stuck in a foreign country for over three weeks. The incident has also sparked security concerns, though British officials claim they are not worried.

No Swimming in Seine River

Just one day after opening the Seine River to swimming for the first time in more than a century, French officials shut down the river due to concerns about pollution following heavy rainfall.

Swimming in the Seine has largely been illegal since 1923 due to pollution and other safety risks. The river was opened for public swimming on Satur-

physical activity—it is about about unity, compassion, and showing up for one another. When you walk into a local grocery store or wait in a car pool line, you likely pass families who are privately carrying the burden of serious illness. The Jewish Caring Network steps in during those dark times to offer love, support, and real help. That’s what these races are about—making sure JCN can continue to do that.

Q: What kinds of support does JCN provide?

Keren Traub: We truly care for the whole family. JCN provides meals, transportation, counseling, laundry help, mentoring programs, educational support, retreats, holiday gifts, Sunday fun days—you name it. We even host social nights for parents, grocery deliveries, and birthday celebrations. And then there’s the

BENEFITING THE JEWISH CARING

community energy. Afterward, we’ll have a Glow Party—dancing, music, light, and joy. Enjoy the Kona Ice truck There’s also a shorter walking course and stroller-friendly options. Everyone can join.

Q: What makes these races different from other charity runs?

Keren Traub: They represent achdus—true unity. As we run or walk together, we’re not just fund-

this year?

CORPORATE & FAMILY SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE! Contact Sherri: srzaslow@gmail com

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO REGISTER AND FOR MORE INFO: runsignup com/jcn5kglowrun

Keren Traub: There are so many ways to help:

• Register to walk or run in the Glow Run:Walk

• Volunteer your time to help on race day. Volunteer registration is also on the race site

• Donate & support the Jewish Caring Network

• Sponsor the event as a family

The need is real. And the impact we can make— together—is enormous.

Sherri Zaslow: We invite everyone to support our families and run, walk, dance, or sponsor. Let’s light up the night—and light up lives.

Let’s run. Let’s glow. Let’s care.

See you August 5th at the Maryland Zoo!

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day in three designated areas. But just one day later, access to swimmers was prohibited.

The flip-flop follows a nearly 1.4 billion-euro project to clean up the river in the lead-up to last year’s Olympics. The river hosted several open-water events, including the swimming leg of the triathlon. It was also the site of the games’ opening ceremonies, with boats filled with athletes sailing through the city.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo even took a swim prior to the Olympics to demonstrate the water’s cleanliness to a skeptical public.

Officials had first aimed in the 1990s to clean up the river. The plan that eventually got it done was proposed in 2015 and involved upgrading Paris’s 19th-century sewer system so that households were no longer dumping wastewater directly into the river. The city also built a reservoir to conserve rainwater and prevent waste from flowing into the river.

Still, the system is vulnerable on rainy days, a French official told Le Monde Sunday’s heavy rainfall caused concerns about pollution, forcing the river’s closure. Heavy rain also caused a spike in bacteria during the Olympics, causing the triathlon to be postponed a day.

The river is tested daily for E. coli and other harmful bacteria.

Last week, Russia became the first country to formally recognize the Taliban’s government in Afghanistan since it seized power in 2021. Moscow had removed the group from its list of outlawed organizations.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it had received credentials from Afghanistan’s newly appointed Ambassador Gul Hassan Hassan. The official recognition of the Afghan government will foster “productive bilateral cooperation,” the ministry said in a statement.

Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry called it a historic step, and quoted Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi as welcoming the decision as “a good example for other countries.”

After U.S. and NATO forces withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban took over and has enforced their strict interpretation of Islamic law.

While no country had formally recognized the Taliban administration until now, the group had engaged in high-level talks with many nations and established some diplomatic ties with countries including China and the United Arab Emirates.

Still, the Taliban government has been relatively isolated on the world stage, largely over its restrictions on

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emphasizing the need to engage with the Taliban to help stabilize Afghanistan and lifted a ban on the Taliban in April.

UK Marks 20 Years Since 7/7

On July 7, 2005, 52 people were killed and more than 770 others were wounded when four al-Qaeda terrorists blew themselves up on three subway trains and a bus during the morning rush hour in London.

It was the first suicide bombing on European soil and the deadliest attack in London since World War II.

This week, King Charles III, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and countless ordinary Londoners marked the 20th anniversary of the horrific 2005 London transit bombings.

Two weeks after those bombings, four other bombers attempted a similar attack, but their devices failed to explode. No one was hurt.

The bombings on 7/7 remain seared into London’s collective memory. The anniversary was marked with events including a ceremony at the 7/7 memorial in Hyde Park and a service of commemoration at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

wreaths at the Hyde Park monument, a group of 52 steel columns commemorating the people who were killed. At subway stations near where the explosions hit, staff and commuters paused for a minute’s silence.

Dan Biddle, who lost both legs in the blast on a Tube train near Edgware Road station, said the day brought mixed emotions.

“You’re thankful you’ve survived it, you feel immense sadness and grief, but still this overwhelming sense of injustice that there wasn’t the public inquiry that was suggested and the scrutiny of what went wrong,” he told the BBC.

Biddle also recalled the “phenomenal act of bravery” of an injured fellow passenger who crawled along the tunnel, administered emergency first aid and helped save his life.

King Charles III said that his “heartfelt thoughts and special prayers remain with all those whose lives were forever changed on that terrible summer’s day.”

He added that the country could take heart from the bravery of the emergency services and others who responded to the attack, and “the countless stories of extraordinary courage and compassion that emerged from the darkness of that day.”

King Charles also hailed the “spirit of unity that has helped London, and our nation, to heal.”

At 8:50 a.m., the moment the first bomb exploded 20 years ago, Starmer and London Mayor Sadiq Khan laid

“As we remember those we lost, let us, therefore, use this 20th anniversary to reaffirm our commitment to building a society where people of all faiths and backgrounds can live together with mutual respect and understanding, always standing firm against those who would seek to divide us,” he said.

In a separate message, the prime

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minister said that “those who tried to divide us failed. We stood together then, and we stand together now.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said July 7, 2005, was one of Britain’s “darkest days.”

She said that 20 years after the attacks, “Islamist extremist terrorism remains the greatest threat” to national security, followed by extreme right-wing terrorism and new “hybrid threats” from hostile states, organized crime and cyberattacks.

She assured that the government would “relentlessly confront and counter threats to our national security.”

On Monday night, five Israeli soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb attack in Beit Hanoun in Gaza. Fourteen other soldiers were injured in the attack.

The five slain heroes were named as: Staff Sgt. Meir Shimon Amar, 20, from Jerusalem; Sgt. Moshe Nissim Frech, 20, from Jerusalem; Staff Sgt. Noam Aharon Musgadian, 20, from Jerusalem; Staff Sgt. Moshe Shmuel Noll, 21, from Beit Shemesh; and Sgt. First Class (res.) Benyamin Asulin, 28, from Haifa.

All of the soldiers served in the Kfir Brigade’s Netzah Yehuda Battalion except for Asulin, who served in the Gaza Division’s Northern Brigade.

So Much Pain

According to an initial IDF probe, the infantry soldiers were hit by a bomb planted by terror operatives on the side of a road shortly after 10 p.m. during ground operations in Beit Hanoun. The soldiers were operating on foot and were not inside a vehicle.

During attempts to extract the casualties, the forces came under fire in the area. Two of the injured soldiers are listed in serious condition.

The Netzah Yehuda soldiers were

operating under the Gaza Division’s Northern Brigade as part of a fresh offensive with the 646th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade in Beit Hanoun, which began on Saturday, aimed at clearing the area of terror operatives who remain holed up there.

The IDF has operated in Beit Hanoun — located on the northern edge of Gaza, just across from the border city of Sderot — numerous times since the start of the war, capturing the town but withdrawing each time after several weeks.

Israeli officials have said the latest offensive in Gaza would see the IDF holding onto the territory. Currently, the military is in control of around 70 percent of the Strip’s territory, according to the army.

Netzah Yehuda is made up mostly of charedi soldiers and was set up in 1999 to accommodate the religious lifestyle of charedim and other national-religious recruits in the army.

After the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “On this difficult morning, the entire people of Israel bow their heads and mourn the deaths of our heroic fighters, who sac-

rificed their lives in the campaign to defeat Hamas and free all of our hostages. We embrace the families who lost their loved ones and pray for the full recovery of those wounded in the incident.”

Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with the Strip stands at 449.

Terror groups in the Gaza Strip are still holding 50 hostages, including 49 of the 251 people abducted by Hamasled terrorists on October 7, 2023. They include the bodies of at least 28 confirmed dead by the IDF. Twenty are believed to be alive and there are grave concerns for the well-being of two others, Israeli officials have said. Hamas is also holding the body of an IDF soldier killed in Gaza in 2014.

Israel Strikes the Houthis

In response to repeated strikes by the Houthis, Israel launched a series of strikes at Houthi targets in Yemen, including at several ports, late Sunday night going into early Monday Want

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morning. Before the strikes, Israel issued evacuation orders for locals. The Houthis, in response, fired two ballistic missiles at the Jewish state.

Israel also hit the “Galaxy Leader” ship, which the Houthis seized in November 2023, taking the 25 people on board hostage. They were later freed in January 2025, and the Houthis have since been using the ship, now equipped with a radar system and a way to track international vessels, for operational planning and surveillance.

According to the IDF, around 20 fighter jets from Israel dropped over 50 munitions on Houthi targets, including the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa, and Salif, and the Ras Khatib power station.

The Houthis’ response strike triggered sirens in a number of communities in Judea and Samaria. There were no reported injuries or damage, though the IDF has yet to confirm whether the interceptions were successful.

Another Houthi strike triggered alarms throughout Jerusalem and at Ben Gurion Airport, Modiin, Rishon Lezion, and certain communities in Judea and Samaria.

Early Monday, Defense Minister

Israel Katz said, “Yemen will be treated like Tehran.”

“Anyone who tries to harm Israel will be harmed, anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have it cut off,” Katz said. “The Houthis will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions.”

Israel launched strikes at Yemen shortly after a ship near Hodeidah, a Red Sea port city, was attacked, forcing the craft’s crew to leave the ship behind. No group has taken responsibility for the attack, though experts suspect the strike came from the Houthis.

Israel’s strikes on Hodeidah knocked out the city’s main power station. However, no fatalities were immediately reported.

On Thursday, the House of Representatives, in a 218-214 vote, passed an 869-page tax and spending bill to help President Donald Trump fulfill his campaign promises. The House vote came after the Senate passed the bill on Tuesday in a vote so narrow that Vice President JD Vance had to break the tie.

Big, Beautiful Bill Passes

During an Independence Day ceremony, as a B-2 stealth bomber and jet fighters flew above the White House, Trump signed the bill into law, declaring its passing “a triumph of democracy” that would significantly boost the U.S.’s economy.

All Democrats voted against the bill, while every House Republican voted in favor of it, except for two. Before the vote, Hakeem Jeffries, the

House minority leader, spoke for eight hours and 46 minutes straight, a record for the House of Representatives, slamming the bill. Jeffries argued that “the focus of this bill, the justification for all of the cuts that will hurt everyday Americans, is to provide massive tax breaks for billionaires.”

Trump urged lawmakers to pass the bill by July 4, leading Republicans to pull all-nighters to meet the president’s deadline.

“The Big, Beautiful Bill,” as the president calls it, will make Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent and add tax breaks for tips, overtime, seniors, and auto loans, as the president promised during his 2024 campaign. “No tax on tips” has a cap of $25,000 per person, while “no tax on overtime” applies for up to $12,500 for individuals and $25,000 for married couples. Seniors will also get a tax deduction of $6,000 per person.

According to Republicans, the bill targets wasteful government spending. However, Democrats have raised concerns about the bill’s heavy cuts to Medicaid. The legislation will establish work requirements and crack down on

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a state-led funding mechanism that increases federal payments. However, as part of the bill, Republicans allotted $50 billion to help rural health providers handle those cuts.

The Congressional Budget Office has said the bill will increase the United States’ $36.2 trillion debt by $3.4 trillion. According to the CBO, 12 million individuals will no longer be eligible for Medicaid after the bill goes into effect. Over a decade, the bill will cause tax revenues to drop by $4.5 trillion and spending will decrease by $1.1 trillion, the CBO added. The bill also sets aside $157 billion in funding for the military and does away with “clean-energy” incentives.

Compared to an earlier draft of the bill, which the House approved in May, this legislation’s tax and healthcare cuts are larger. Senate Republicans also removed state-level artificial intelligence regulations, as well as a “retaliatory tax” on foreign investments from the bill.

According to Virginia Foxx, a North Carolina Republican Representative, the bill brings “historic tax relief for working families. Massive

investment to secure our nation’s borders. Capturing generational savings. Slashing waste, fraud and abuse in government programs so that they may run more efficiently.”

Fatal Floods in Texas

Violent floods in Central Texas killed at least 104 people as of Monday. At least 84 of the casualties, including 56 adults and 28 children, occurred in Kerr County, which was hit the hardest by the floods. Of those, the remains of 22 adults and 10 kids have yet to be identified.

Another seven people died in Tra-

vis County, six in Kendall County, four in Burnet, two in Williamson, and one in Tom Green.

In less than an hour, heavy rain caused the Guadalupe River to rise almost 30 feet. In Hunt, Texas, the river rose to 37.52 feet, a record, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

In Kerr County, the floods killed 27 or more campers and counselors at Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp with about 700 children. According to county Sheriff Larry Leither, 10 campers and one counselor were missing as of Monday. The camp director died while trying to save campers from the rushing waters.

According to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, emergency warnings were issued by the National Weather Service after 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. Tragically, many victims were sleeping when the warnings were issued, Cruz said.

“Texas is grieving right now. The pain, the shock of what has transpired these last few days has broken the heart of our state,” Cruz said. “If we can go back and do it again, we would evacuate particularly those in the most vulnerable areas – the young children in the cabins closest to the water ... the people in RVs,” he lamented.

More than 850 people were rescued, according to Cruz. Search-andrescue operations in Central Texas are currently being aided by volunteers from the Mexican border town of Acuna, who are assisting in the city of Kerrville, as well as teams sent by other states.

Gov. Ron Desantis of Florida, through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), is sending three swift water rescue teams; Gov. Jeff Landry of Louisiana sent 14 state swift water rescue officials; Gov. Gavin Newsom of California said he would be deploying search-and-rescue teams to help Texas; and Gov. Jim Pillen of Nebraska said Monday he would be sending a search-and-rescue team of 45 for up to two weeks, including two canine teams, boats, and vehicles. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said over 20 state agencies are responding to the disaster, adding that locals should “remain weather aware.”

In response to the disaster, President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, thus giving the area access to assistance from FEMA. On Sunday, the president announced he would visit

Texas later in the week.

The flooding may continue halfway into the week.

“There is a concern we have into Wednesday; there are additional flareups or clusters of thunderstorms in parts of central and eastern Texas,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno noted.

Democrats have alleged that cuts made by the Trump administration to the National Weather Service’s staffing prevented the agency from responding effectively.

“Unfortunately, in the wake of this once-in-a-generation natural disaster, we have seen many falsehoods pushed by Democrats such as Sen. Chuck Schumer and some members of the media,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday at a press briefing. “Blaming President Trump for these floods is a depraved lie, and it serves no purpose during this time of national mourning.

“The National Weather Service did its job,” she added. “They gave out timely flash flood alerts. There were record-breaking lead times in the lead-up to this catastrophe. There is ongoing flood monitoring. And these offices were staffed. In fact, one of the offices was actually overstaffed.”

Increase in U.S. Measles Cases

Since the beginning of the year, there have been at least 1,277 measles cases recorded in 38 states and Washington, D.C., the highest the United States has seen since 1992, the year the U.S. saw over 2,100 cases of the disease.

Measles complications have killed three people — two Texas children and a man in New Mexico — and hospitalized at least 155 others this year, according to officials. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this year, around 92% of people infected with measles did not receive the vaccination, or it is unclear

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if they did. The three people who died of measles in 2025 were all unvaccinated. From 2001 to 2024, just three people died from measles.

West Texas has thus far seen the most cases this year, with over 750 infections. Though the disease isn’t spreading as quickly, measles has since spread to other states.

The U.S. officially defeated measles in 2000. However, if the cases continue, measles may eventually lose its elimination status. Measles typically spreads in small communities that have many unvaccinated individuals.

Measles, a highly contagious disease, is prevented with the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. In 2019, over 95% of kindergartners in the U.S. received the vaccination, while in 2025, less than 93% were vaccinated. Millions may be infected over the next quarter-century if the number of vaccinations continues to drop, according to a study released recently.

Andrew Nixon, the Health and Human Services spokesman, said that

most effective way to prevent measles.”

“At the same time, we recognize that some individuals and communities across the U.S. may choose not to vaccinate. Our commitment is to support all families — regardless of their vaccination status — in avoiding hospitalization and serious complications from measles, including death,” Nixon said, adding that the CDC has created a regularly updated measles toolkit.

In late January, measles struck the Mennonite community of Gaines County, Texas, where many members of the community do not vaccinate. Only around 82% of kindergarteners are vaccinated in the county. From there, measles spread to 36 counties in Texas. This past spring, over the span of a month, the number of measles cases in El Paso, Texas, jumped from five to 53, according to the city’s director and county health authority, Hector Ocaranza. Though the Texas Health Department recently said that the spread has since slowed, new cases

Keep Your Shoes On

Passengers at some airports across the U.S. no longer have to remove their shoes during regular TSA security checks.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the change was “big news.”

Not all airports have changed their guidelines. The first airports where the no-shoes requirement is expiring include Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Fort Lauderdale International Airport, Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport, Portland International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport and Piedmont Triad International

Airport in North Carolina.

Some people at Los Angeles International Airport and New York City’s LaGuardia Airport reported on Monday night that they and other passengers didn’t have to take off their shoes.

Eventually, other airports will implement the new policy.

Travelers with TSA PreCheck already didn›t have to remove their footwear. In order to have PreCheck, travelers must submit an application and go through a clearance process with the Transportation Security Administration.

TSA said the agency and the Department of Homeland Security “are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture.”

The no-shoes rule was implemented by TSA nationwide in 2006. The official adoption of the rule came several years after Richard Reid, a British man who would come to be known as the “shoe bomber,” attempted to blow up an American Airlines flight

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from Paris to Miami with explosives hidden in his shoe in December 2001. Reid failed to detonate the explosives, and the plane landed safely in Boston after passengers jumped in to subdue him.

Elon’s America Party

The world’s richest man, Tesla, X, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, has vowed to create a new political party called the “America Party,” marking what appears to be a major escalation in his feud with his one-time ally, President Donald Trump.

Musk played a major role in Trump’s 2024 campaign, donating

at least $250 million in the process. After winning the election, Trump appointed Musk head of the Department of Government Efficiency, an agency meant to cut government spending waste. Musk held onto that role until May. In June, Trump and Musk’s relationship exploded into a public social media feud. Soon thereafter, Musk backed down, apologizing for provocative posts he made about the president.

Now, the fight is back on.

Musk has strongly condemned Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Before Congress passed the bill, Musk warned that he would start a third party if “this insane spending bill passes.” After Trump signed the bill into law on Friday, Musk doubled down on his threat.

“When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,” Musk said in a Saturday post to X. “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”

In June, Musk said he would work tirelessly to ensure all members

of Congress who voted for the bill do not win re-election. He has called the legislation a “disgusting abomination.”

“Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame!” Musk said in a post on June 30. “And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.

“The Republican Party has a clean sweep of the executive, legislative and judicial branches and STILL had the nerve to massively increase the size of government, expanding the national debt by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS,” Musk posted on Sunday.

Musk has indicated he intends to use his party to help the U.S. gain “independence from the two-party system,” simply by being “laser-focus[ed] on just two or three Senate seats and eight to 10 House districts.”

“Given the razor-thin legislative margins, that would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on conten-

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tious laws, ensuring that they serve the true will of the people,” Musk added.

In response, Trump said Sunday that he was “saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely off the rails.”

“The Democrats have lost their way, but it’s always been a two-party system,” Trump said. “And I think starting a third party just adds to confusion. It really seems to have been developed for two parties.”

Trump has suggested he may consider deporting Musk, who is a citizen of the U.S. and South Africa, or use DOGE to stop funding Musk’s companies.

It is unclear when Musk will formally launch the party. The party’s exact policies are also unclear, though Musk has indicated on X that the America Party’s platform would include debt reduction, responsible spending, the military’s modernization, free speech, less regulation, and the like.

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Torah Thought Calm Your Liver!

By Rabbi Zvi Teichman

Each day we pray for understanding. In the blessing of Daas-Wisdom, in the Shemona Esrei, we beseech G-d to grant us wisdom and understanding.

There is an anomaly in this blessing when compared to the other blessings of requests. Most blessings begin with a request and then assert G-d as the One who is capable of bestowing that request. As an example in the blessing of Forgiveness we first appeal, Forgive us our Father for we have made mistakes, Pardon us our King for we have sinned intentionally, and then we affirm, for You are the One that pardons and forgives.

In the blessing of Wisdom we reverse this order. We first establish G-d as the provider of wisdom, You generously give man wisdom, and teach insight to human beings, and only after that declaration we ask, grant us generously from Your wisdom, insight and understanding.

What is behind this subtle distinction?

Bilaam arrogantly professes that he is a one who is, ‘עדי — perceives, ןוילע תעד — the thoughts of the Most High’ (זט דכ רבדמב).

The Talmud questions this proclamation. Bilaam couldn’t even read the mind of his donkey how could he possibly fathom the depth of G-d’s thoughts? The Talmud goes on to explain that Bilaam merely knew the fleeting moment that G-d gets incensed each day and hoped to provoke His ire against the Jews at that opportune moment.

We are taught that the length of that instant is the amount of time it takes to say the three letter Hebrew word for ‘moment’, עגר — Rega

Tosafos wonders what effective words could Bilaam have possibly uttered during that very brief time that could have stoked G-d’s wrath. He answers that he would use a two syllable word consisting of three Hebrew letters like the length of the word עגר, the word, םֵלּכַּ — kaleim, which means, destroy them.

Tosafos adds that indeed Bilaam at-

tempted exactly that but was foiled by G-d when He intentionally reversed those same three letters ם-ל-כ, transforming it into the word ך-ל-מ — meaning ‘king’, alluding to the verse that attests to our special bond with the King, תעורתו — the friendship, ךלמ — of the King, וב — he has (אכ גכ םש).

The Holy Rizhiner reveals that inherent in these words lay the secret to accurately grasping G-d’s understanding and wisdom.

There are three components in the progression from intellect to reaction. חומ — is the seat of wisdom, the brain, בל — the center of emotion, our heart, and דבכ — the liver, which in mystical tradition is the source of reactive anger and frustration.

The key is to define our emotions through true understanding and accurate knowledge. From there one may then emote healthily and react, either by stifling misplaced anger, or at times cautiously display appropriate anger.

The problem with Bilaam and his disciples, is that they operate in the reverse. Their frustrations fuel their emotions, disallowing for any clear and unbiased thinking, resulting in disdainful actions.

That is the difference between :ך-ל-מ חומ — ordered ‘thought’, that provides a healthy בל — emotion, resulting in a calm liver —דבכ, and ם-ל-כ where in- : stinctive rage [דבכ] provokes a spite filled heart [בל] toward wicked plots [חומ].

There is a famous Midrash where Abba Kohen Bardela exclaims, “Woe is to us from the day of judgment. Woe is to us from the day of reproach. Bilaam, the wisest of the gentiles, could not stand before the rebuke of his donkey. Yosef was the youngest of the tribes. Yet, his brothers could not stand before him. How much more so, when Hashem will come and reproach everyone according to what he is, will we not be able to tolerate this rebuke.”

Abba Kohen Bardela, focusing on these two specific episodes, is seeking to open our eyes to the follies we often

succumb to in making mistaken assumptions.

As Bilaam, we too, frequently think we know better and ‘understand’ people, their situations, their motivations, judging them through bias and a misguided sense of intellectual supremacy.

As in the case of Yosef we overreact to those who in our own mind are inexperienced and naïve, and yet we refuse to give them the extra leeway they deserve before being judged.

Bilaam the ‘wisest’, and Yosef the ‘youngest’, epitomize these two vulnerabilities that so often delude us into unfair judgments.

The great Gaon and Rav of Brisk, and subsequently of Jerusalem, Harav Yehoshua Leib Diskin, popularly known as the Maharil Diskin, reveals a most fascinating insight in explaining how a prophet like Bilaam could distort the message of G-d.

A prophet is not simply a receptor of a message from G-d. The prophet must interpret the prophecy through the lens of his own soul. Upon reaching a level of intense devotion and heightened awareness the prophet comprehends that what he sees in light of the ‘clarity’ of his own soul. The Talmud teaches us that no two prophets’ prophecy identically, for each prophet is unique to the level of his own personal spiritual development. He compares the comprehension of prophecy to viewing an item through colored glass. If the hue is blue everything observed through it will have a blue tinge. In the same vein, depending on the degree of personal perfection will a prophet see things with accuracy. Based on the prophet’s perception will the prophecy be realized and fulfilled. The prophet in fact determines the outcome of his unique ‘vision’. This he explains is the meaning of the distinguishing between the prophecy of Moshe and all other prophets in terms of a

— a clear unfiltered glass, and

— a dimmed lens. Moshe possessed a level of selflessness that upon seeing the ‘word of G-d’ saw it clear and unclouded, as through clear glass, exactly as G-d depicted and expressed it, without deviation whatsoever. The other Prophets however had a ‘tinted’ and subjective perception that was limited in its accuracy but nevertheless valid and implemented accordingly. It was with this knowledge that Balak sought to tempt Bilaam into view-

ing the words of G-d through his sullied and selfish soul, thereby allowing for his skewed interpretation to ‘hopefully’ result in a curse upon the Jewish nation. G-d however stifled this feeble attempt by permitting Bilaam, undeservedly, to see the word of G-d through the אירלקפסא הריאמה — the pristine lens, disallowing him from the ability to translate the message other than the clear blessings that they represented and were intended as.

Our entire world and the interactions and events we experience are all messages from G-d that are laden with opportunity if we read them correctly. How we perceive them determines how healthily we live our spiritual lives. How we interpret them determines the implementation of our goals.

When looking at life through colored windows, the darker the color of the glass the more obscured is that which stands behind the glass. In proportion to the opaqueness of the glass is how much more likely it is that we will see our own reflection in the glass, thus blotting out the person or situation which awaits us beyond the partition, leaving us engrossed in our own ‘image’. Bilaam saw the world through a lens of selfishness, thus crippling himself from utilizing the magnificent talents he was endowed with for the betterment of humanity.

When we view the world and the people around us and see only ourselves we are guilty of being the disciples of Bilaam who lived by the narcissistic credo of the evil eye, an arrogant spirit and a greedy soul.

Our ability to read our responsibilities correctly is contingent on purifying ourselves, enabling us to see those around us through a pristine and unadulterated lens.

We therefore begin all requests with an affirmation that all wisdom, perception, and insight stem from Him. We must shed at first any notion of ‘self’ so that we may see others as well as our own needs without taint or bias. Before we beseech G-d for our personal needs we declare: You generously give man wisdom — we submit that His wisdom shall be the sole determinant of one’s needs.

May we be blessed to see the world around us with the visual acuity that will enable us to fulfill His will, wholly untainted by our personal biases and predilections.

You may reach the author at: Ravzt@ ohelmoshebaltimore.com

OVERVIEW

The wicked Balak seeks help from Bilam to try and curse the Jewish people Bilam travels to Balak and experiences the talking donkey. He delivers a few parables and foretells the End of Days In an act of great heroism, Pinchas kills Kozbi and Zimri which stops the plague.

orah TSparks

GEMATRIA

QUICK VORT

PARSHA

ThoughtsChassidus in

At the beginning of his commentary on Parshas Balak, the Meor V’Shemesh teaches us:

The MAIN THING is Jewish unity, that there should be brotherly love between them. This will result in wondrous salvation and will remove all negative forces.

s

“To be a Jew is to join the journey of our people ” Rabbi Ori Strum is the author of “Ready. Set. Grow.” “Dove Tales,” and “Karpas: The Big Dipper.”

His shiurim and other Jewish content can be found on Torah Anytime and Meaningful Minute. He may be reached at 443-938-0822 or rabbistrumo@gmail.com

h e K l i Y a k a r a c t u a l l y o f f e r s a n o t h e r t a k e o n t h i s v e r s e . T h e w o r d ל א

י h e r e i s a c t u a l l y r e f e r r i n g t o t h e pe r s o n na m e d

א ר ש י , i e , Y a a k o v A v i n u !

H e e x pl a i n s t h a t t h e k i n g s h a d bo o k s

w i t h h i s t o r i c a l w r i t i n g s o f d i f f e r e n t

h a ppe n i n g s B a l a k s a w i n t h i s bo o k h o w

Y a a k o v A v i n u u s e d “ t h e s t r e n g t h o f h i s

m o u t h ” – pr a y e r – t o o v e r c o m e t h e

E m o r i t e s m a n y y e a r s be f o r e , a n d h e

be c a m e f r i g h t e n e d t h a t n o w pe r h a ps t h e

J e w i s h pe o pl e w o u l d d o t h e s a m e

F a s c i n a t i n g i n i t s o w n r i g h t , w e s e e t h a t

i n d e e d t h e s t r e n g t h o f t h e J e w i s h pe o pl e

Did You

Know?!

Bilam tried to curse the Jewish people, but instead (without even meaning to) he said several beautiful blessings regarding the Jewish people.

There is a profound lesson here. What we think may be a “curse” may after all be a great blessing!

l i es i n o u r m o u t h s W h e t h e r i t be t h r o u g h

a d e e p pr a y e r t o G - d o r a g o o d w o r d t o a

f e l l o w J e w , i

M

PointsPonder to

Every parsha is given a name. There is always great depth of meaning and holiness contained in the names of the parshios.

Parshas Balak is named after one of the most wicked people to ever live. What is going on here? Why would one of the parshios in the Torah be given a name after such a wicked person?

Rabbi Lord J Sacks zt”l

Parshas Balak on

Havdalah Zmanim

Baltimore Weekday Minyanim Guide

Shacharis Mincha

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah: EVERY 15 MINUTES

M-F: 6:15 AM, S-F: 6:30 AM, 6:45 AM, 7:00 AM, 7:15 AM, 7:30 AM, 7:45 AM, 8:00 AM, 8:15 AM, 8:30 AM, 8:45 AM, 9:00AM, 9:15AM, 9:30AM, 9:45AM, 10:00AM

Neitz Beit Yaakov [Sefaradi] M-F

Ohel Yakov S-F

6:00 AM Shomrei Emunah Congregation M-F

6:10 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore M, Th

6:15 AM Kol Torah M, TH

Shearith Israel Congregation M, TH

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel M, TH

6:20 AM Agudah of Greenspring M, TH

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S, T, W, F

Arugas HaBosem (Rabbi Taub's) S-F

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation M-F

Kehilath B'nai Torah M, TH

Pikesville Jewish Congregation M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S, M, TH

6:25 AM The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel T, W, F

6:30 AM Agudah of Greenspring T, W, F

Chabad of Park Heights M-F

Darchei Tzedek M-F

Kehilath B'nai Torah T, W, F

Khal Bais Nosson M-F

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek M-F

Kol Torah T, W, F

Ohr Yisroel M-F

Pikesville Jewish Congregation T, W, F

Shearith Israel Congregation T, W, F

Shomrei Emunah Congregation T, W, F

6:35 AM Aish Kodesh (downstairs Minyan) M, TH

Ohel Moshe M, TH

6:40 AM Aish Kodesh (downstairs Minyan) T, W, F

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation M, TH

6:45 AM B”H and Mesivta of Baltimore (Dirshu Minyan) S-F

Beth Abraham M, TH

Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue M-F

Ner Tamid M-F

Ohel Moshe T, W, F

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim M-F

6:50 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore M, TH

Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi] M, TH

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh M, TH

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation T, W, F

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh M, TH

Derech Chaim M-F

Kol Torah M-F

Ohel Moshe S

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation M, TH

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center M, TH

6:55 AM Beth Abraham T, W, F

Kol Torah M, TH

7:00 AM Aish Kodesh (upstairs Minyan) M-F

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S, T, W, F

Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi] T, W, F

Arugas HaBosem (Rabbi Taub's) S

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh T, W, F

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh T, W, F Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue S Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek S Kol Torah T, W, F

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah M-F

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] S, T, W, F

Shearith Israel Congregation S, M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation T, W, F

Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh M-F

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center T, W, F Tiferes Yisroel M-F

7:05 AM Machzikei Torah (Sternhill's) M, TH

7:15 AM Kedushas Yisrael S Kol Torah S

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill's) S, T, W, F Ner Israel Rabbinical College S-F

Shearith Israel Congregation T, W, F

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim S

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel S

Tzeirei Anash M-F

7:20 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore M, TH

Beth Tfiloh Congregation M-F

Kol Torah M-F

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] M, TH

Shomrei Emunah Congregation M, TH

7:30 AM Agudah of Greenspring S

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S, T, W, F

Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi] S

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim S-F

Bais Hamedrash and Mesivta of Baltimore S-F

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh S

Beit Yaakov [Sefaradi] S

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation S

Chabad of Park Heights S

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh S-F

Darchei Tzedek S

Kedushas Yisrael S-F

Khal Bais Nosson S

Ner Israel Rabbinical College (Mechina) S-F

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] S, T, W, F

Shomrei Emunah Congregation T, W, F

7:45 AM Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation M-F

Talmudical Academy S-F

Darchei Tzedek M-F

Mesivta Kesser Torah S-F

Mesivta Shaarei Chaim S-F

7:50 AM Derech Chaim S

Ner Tamid S

Ohel Moshe M-F

8:00 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore S-F

Beth Abraham S

Chabad Israeli Center M-F

Darchei Tzedek S

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek S

Kehillas Meor HaTorah S

Ohr Yisroel S

Pikesville Jewish Congregation S

Shearith Israel Congregation S

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S-F

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center S

Tiferes Yisroel S Tzeirei Anash S

Yeshiva Tiferes Hatorah S-F

8:15 AM Kehilath B'nai Torah S Kol Torah S

8:20 AM Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim S-F

8:25 AM Ohr Chadash Academy (School Days Only) S-F

8:30 AM Agudath Israel of Baltimore S-F

Chabad Israeli Center S

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill's) S-F

Ohel Moshe S

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] S

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S-F

Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh S

9:00 AM Aish Kodesh S

Agudath Israel of Baltimore S-F

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim S

Beth Tfiloh Congregation S

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation S

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah S

Shomrei Emunah Congregation S-F

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim S-F

Mincha

Mincha Gedolah Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/Tzemach Tzedek

1:50 PM Ohel Moshe

1 South Street, 27th Floor.

2:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore (S-F)

Big Al @ The Knish Shop Party Room

Reischer Minyan - 23 Walker Ave 2nd Floor

10055 Red Run Blvd Suite 295

2:15 PM Pikesville Beis Medrash - 15 Walker Ave

2:30 PM Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh

Tov Pizza Mincha Minyan

Ner Israel Rabbinical College

Mesivta Shaarei Chaim (Community Kollel)

Shearith Israel Congregation

2:45 PM Kollel of Greenspring

Shearith Israel Congregation (S-Th)

3:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore (S-F)

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

3:05 PM Kedushas Yisrael

3:15 PM Hat Box

3:22 PM Ohr Chadash Academy (School Days Only, Call to Confirm)

3:30 PM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

4:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore (S-Th) Mercaz Torah U'Tefillah

4:30 PM Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

5:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore (S-F) Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

5:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore (S-Th)

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

6:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore (S-F) Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

Shearith Israel Congregation (S-Th)

6:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore (S-Th)

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

10 Min Before ShkiAh Chabad Israeli Center

14 Min Before ShkiAh Kol Torah

Mincha/Maariv

Ohel Yaakov

Shomrei Emunah Congregation

Plag

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim

Mincha/Maariv

Before Shkiah

Aish Kodesh

Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Agudah of Greenspring

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Beth Abraham

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation

Darchei Tzedek

Kehillas Meor HaTorah

Kehilath B’nai Torah

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill’s)

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah

Ner Tamid

Ohel Moshe

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi]

Ohr Yisroel

Pikesville Jewish Congregation

Shearith Israel Congregation

Shomrei Emunah Congregation

Shomrei Mishmeres

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center

Tiferes Yisroel

Maariv

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah: EVERY 15 MINUTES 8:15

8:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

8:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

8:45 PM Darchei Tzedek

Ner Israel Rabbinical College (Mechina) Ohr Yisroel

Maariv

continued

9:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Arugas Habosem

Shomrei Emunah Congregation

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim

9:20 PM Kol Torah

9:30 PM Agudah of Greenspring

Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Kedushas Yisrael

9:40 PM Ahavat Shalom [Sefaradi]

9:45 PM Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim

Kollel Erev Birchas Yitzchok (Luries)

Kollel of Greenspring

Machzikei Torah (Sternhill's)

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi]

Yeshiva Tiferes Hatorah

9:50 PM Aish Kodesh

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh

Ohel Moshe

10:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Darchei Tzedek

Kehilath B'nai Torah

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek

Shearith Israel Congregation

Shomrei Emunah Congregation

10:05 PM Kol Torah

10:10 PM Ner Israel Rabbinical College

10:15 PM Derech Chaim

Khal Bais Nosson

10:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

11:00 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

11:30 PM Agudath Israel of Baltimore

Agudah of Greenspring - 6107 Greenspring Ave

Agudath Israel of Baltimore - 6200 Park Heights Ave

Ahavat Shalom - 3009 Northbrook Rd

Aish Kodesh - 6207 Ivymount Rd

Arugas HaBosem - 3509 Clarks Ln

Bais Dovid-Bais Medrash of Summit Park- 6800 Sylvale Ct

Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim - 3120 Clarks Ln

Bais Hamedrash and Mesivta of Baltimore - 6823 Old Pimlico Rd

Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh - 6618 Deancroft Rd

Beit Yaakov - 3615 Seven Mile Ln

Beth Abraham - 6208 Wallis Ave

Beth Tfiloh Congregation - 3300 Old Court Rd

Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation - 6602 Park Heights Ave

Chabad Israeli Center - 7807 Seven Mile Ln

Chabad of Park Heights - 3402 Clarks Ln

Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh - 3800 Labyrinth Rd

Darchei Tzedek - 3201 Seven Mile Ln

Derech Chaim - 6603 Pimlico Road

Greenspring Sephardic Synagogue 6611 Greenspring Ave.

Kedushas Yisrael - 6004 Park Heights Ave

Kehilath B’nai Torah - 6301 Green Meadow Pkwy

Kehillas Meor HaTorah - 6539 Pebble Brooke Rd

Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek - 6811 Park Heights Ave

Khal Bais Nosson - 2901 Taney Rd

Kol Torah - 2929 Fallstaff Rd

Kollel of Greenspring - 6504 Greenspring Ave.

Machzikei Torah - 6216 Biltmore Ave

Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah - 6500 Baythorne Rd

Mesivta Kesser Torah - 8400 Park Heights Ave

Mesivta Shaarei Chaim - 3800 Labyrinth Rd

Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah - 7000 Rockland Hills Dr

Neuberger, Quinn, Gielen, Rubin & Gibber One South Street, 27th Floor

Ner Israel Rabbinical College - 400 Mt Wilson Ln

Ner Tamid - 6214 Pimlico Road

Ohel Moshe - 2808 Smith Ave

Ohel Yakov - 3200 Glen Ave

Ohr Chadash Academy - 7310 Park Heights Avenue

Ohr Hamizrach [Sefaradi] - 6813 Park Heights Ave

Ohr Yisroel - 2429 Lightfoot Dr

Pikesville Jewish Congregation - 7644 Carla Rd

Shearith Israel Congregation - 5835 Park Heights Ave

Shomrei Emunah Congregation - 6221 Greenspring Ave

Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh - 2821 W Strathmore Ave

Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim - 7504 Seven Mile Ln

Talmudical Academy - 4445 Old Court Rd

The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel - 5915 Park Heights Ave

The Shul at the Lubavitch Center - 6701 Old Pimlico Rd

Tiferes Yisroel - 6201 Park Heights Ave

Tzeirei Anash - 6706 Cross County Blvd

8:50 PM Mesivta Shaarei Chaim (Etz Chaim Building)

Kol Torah

Market Maven

8:55 PM Community Kollel Tiferes Moshe Aryeh

Wealcatch Insurance - 37 Walker Ave 2nd floor

Yeshiva Tiferes Hatorah - 6819 Williamson Ave

Mazel Tov Klal Yisrael! Multitudes Across the World to Complete Amud

HaYomi Masechta Eruvin Journey Through Pesachim Begins 25 Tammuz

By Chaim Gold

When HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau, shlita, wrote a historic letter this past Rosh Chodesh Kislev encouraging Klal Yisrael to begin learning Masechta Eruvin with the Amud HaYomi Program, the idea of completing the long, difficult masechta seemed like a pipe dream for many.

Eruvin is considered one of the three most difficult masechtos, thus, many of those who started did not know if they would be able to persevere and complete the masechta. Now, some eight months later, thousands upon thousands of Amud HaYomi learners are gearing up to successfully complete the masechta! Not only that, but they haven’t completed it in a superficial way, in a “just trying to keep up” way. Rather, they have managed to acquire a deep havana, a deep understanding of the concepts and halachos contained in the masechta. How? By following the advice of the Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Landau, as written in his letter,

How important, how vitally necessary it is to learn the entire Masechta Eruvin, page by page, with the Amud HaYomi program. It is even important for those who have already learned and been deeply engaged in this masechta to join and learn the Amud HaYomi together with Klal Yisrael.

Learning the Gemara combined with [learning] the specially published booklets [Iyun HaAmud] containing chiddushim from the mefarshim and many important halachos related to the Gemara [learned in the Amud HaYomi] is a very worthy undertaking….

Yes, that is one of the unique aspects of the fifteen-year journey through Shas with the Amud HaYomi. It does not mean going at breakneck speed where one does not have the time to review and look into some of the basic mefarshim so that he can get a better understanding of the material.

Gaining a Kinyan in Torah is Exhilirating!

Moshe S, an Amud HaYomi learner from Lakewood, put it succinctly, “With the Amud HaYomi, I have the opportunity to cover ground to complete masechtos while simultaneously having the time to properly learn and

analyze each amud. The exhilarating feeling that I have now as we are about to complete Masechta Eruvin is the feeling one gets when one feels that he has a kinyan in the Torah, not just superficial knowledge.”

Indeed, HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Chevron Yeshiva, explained that the limud established by Rav Meir Shapiro for Klal Yisrael is extremely necessary because by nature, every person needs a mechayev and a framework that obligates him and enables him to learn with a plan, in an orderly fashion. Otherwise, one’s daily obligations get in the way and rob him of learning time. In Rav Meir Shapiro’s generation, people had more time for learning. They would spend hours every day in the shteibel and the Daf HaYomi was therefore an ideal limud. Today, people are much busier with the overwhelming obligations of everyday life and need a limud with more geshmak to engage them. Even bnei Torah need a certain geshmak to enable them to sustain their goals in bekiyus. The Amud HaYomi program, which gives a person more time to cultivate a real geshmak in learning, addresses all these needs. “That is why I encourage it,” Rav Cohen explained.

Rav Cohen continued by saying that it is for this reason that he is not surprised by the way the relatively new Amud HaYomi limud has conquered the hearts and minds of Klal Yisrael in such a short time! “This is just the beginning,” he said, “In the future, how many more people will upgrade their limud haTorah by joining the program and it will literally take over Klal Yisrael.”

“The great Gaon and Posek Hador, HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, zt”l, told me that learning without understanding is worth very little. It is better to learn less but to really understand. Thus, if the Amud HaYomi will ensure that a person can learn less but understand, then it is not minimizing the daf!” Rav Cohen thundered, “It is strengthening the entire purpose of the Daf HaYomi!”

Amud Hayomi Is Contagious

That is why the Amud HaYomi lomdim deserve the heartiest of Mazel

Tovs for completing this unbelievable milestone. Completing Eruvin is not an easy task, but the rewards are infinite!

R’ Simcha, an Amud HaYomi learner from Brooklyn, related, “I joined the Amud HaYomi program a few months ago, when they began Masechta Eruvin. At first, I wondered whether I would be able to persevere, but the slower pace of only an amud per day and the ability that it gave me to think about what I am learning and to look up difficulties that I encountered in the mefarshim has been a game changer for me and my chavrusah. I am looking forward with great anticipation to beginning Masechta Pesachim on 25 Tammuz.”

In all truth, however, the Amud HaYomi is contagious. The point made by R’ Simcha about anticipating the start of Masechta Pesachim was highlighted a few months ago by HaGaon HaRav Nissan Kaplan, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Daas Aharon. He shared a personal story. “I have a talmid who learned by me in Mir Yerushalayim and currently lives in chutz la’aretz. After his marriage, he was learning difficult areas of Choshen Mishpat in kollel. Eventually, he returned to his city of origin in chutz la’aretz, and baruch Hashem is successful in parnassah. You know what happened to him? He has been

‘bitten’ by the ‘Dirshu bug’. Despite running a large business, he is engaged in Torah learning for eight hours per day! Yes, he is constantly learning and reviewing so that he can take his Dirshu test every month.

A Journey that Spans the World! That is the power of Amud HaYomi! To be a Dirshu Amud HaYomi Yid, you cannot suffice with a perfunctory, one hour shiur each day. You must learn, review and review some more. It is a constant fight, a battle and that is why it is so dear in the eyes of Hashem.

Indeed, since its inception with the start of Masechta Brachos in Cheshvan, 5784, the Amud HaYomi has conquered Klal Yisrael. From Brooklyn to Bnei Brak, from London to Lakewood, from Buenos Aires to Beitar, and from Monsey to Melbourne, Amud HaYomi shiurim and chaburos have opened everywhere!

As we wish mazel tov to lomdei Amud HaYomi on their completing Masechta Eruvin, and wish them hatzlacha as they embark on Masechta Pesachim, perhaps it is time for you to join them on their journey!

To get a real kinyan in Torah, join the Amud HaYomi by contacting Dirshu at info@dirshunj.org or at 1-888-5Dirshu.

HaRav Dovid Cohen discussing the Dirshu Amud HaYomi Program with Hanhalas Dirshu

Hanhalas Dirshu at a meeting with HaRav Dov Landau in his home

A Huge Neshama, Bursting With Music

Remembering Avi Piamenta, z”l

By Naftali Halper N

So many memories from our youth become less poignant with time. The park that once felt enormous now seems small. The rabbi who seemed ancient was actually quite young. And the music we thought was brilliant? Probably just mediocre.

That’s true for most of my childhood memories.

But there’s one memory that I have that grows more significant in meaning.

It was around forty years ago at my uncle’s wedding. I was a young child standing in front of the stage mesmerized by Avi and Yosi Piamenta playing incredible flute and guitar.

My grandfather, Reb Shlomo Freifeld, was immobile due to illness. But in the middle of the wedding, Yosi put down his guitar and went over to dance with him. Even as a child –perhaps because of the emotion in the room – I understood that something extraordinary had just happened. That moment seared into me that the Piamenta brothers were more than just brilliant musicians – they were a deeper concept than that. Yosi was probably one of the best guitarists in the

world, and Avi was certainly the finest flute player I’ve ever heard (yes, better than Ian Anderson). They grew up non-religious in Israel, but their lives took a turn when a famous jazz musician discovered them and brought them on tour with him in the U.S. What was supposed to be a rock-and-roll adventure turned into a spiritual journey – they became religious and joined Chabad.

With their newfound love for Yiddishkeit, they unleashed their creativity and brilliance by writing songs that were unheard of in the Jewish music world up until that time. In 1984, they released Mitzvah, an album of psychedelic rock infused with deeply meaningful lyrics, most taken from Midrash. The album is so raw, you can practically smell the smoke-filled studio while listening. (Musicians, if you want a challenge, check out “Shlichei Mitzvah” which has insane chord changes and complex time signatures.)

One of the remarkable things about the Piamentas is how they worked together. Usually, when two artists are masters of their craft, ego gets in the way…even when they are brothers. After all, ego is, unfortunately, sometimes thicker than blood. Many legendary bands have

broken up for this reason. But Yosi and Avi were each other’s biggest cheerleaders. Before a wild solo, you’d often hear one shout the other’s name with pure joy.

“Yosssssiiiiii,” Avi would yell before Yosi would rip into a Mediterranean-infused Purple Haze-style solo. I think that was a subliminal aspect of their music that added to the joy and feeling of it.

I once saw a video of someone asking Yosi about his relationship with other musicians. The interviewer ended by asking about Avi. Yosi was silent for a moment, then placed his hand over his heart and simply said: “Avi? Zeh ha’lev sheli ” (that is my heart).

Their energy was contagious. After joining Chabad, they became the unofficial house band of Crown Heights.

The Rebbe was a master communicator – his Chassidim always knew exactly what he wanted from them and how to carry it out. Yosi and Avi used their musical creativity to spread that message. Among the many genres they played, perhaps the most moving was their blend of obscure Chabad niggunim and their own heartfelt compositions, all woven together with the Rebbe’s words. It wasn’t just music; it was a

continuation of the Rebbe’s voice, expressed with joy, longing for Moshiach, and complete dedication to the mission.

Throughout their lives, they lived that mission. The Rebbe understood that Yosi and Avi were incredible musicians who could reach wayward souls through their music, and he encouraged them to do that. And they were true to that shlichus. On some of the famous bootleg tapes from various music venues, you can hear Yosi announcing, “If anyone did not daven Maariv yet, please come to pray!”

They weren’t only shluchim in their music. Although Avi was constantly flying all over the world to play, when he was back home in Israel, one of his jobs was putting tefillin on people at Ben Gurion Airport.

They lived by the commands of the Rebbe.

One year, the Rebbe declared that the simcha of Sukkos was so great that the chassidim should dance in the streets all night. Yosi and Avi took that as a directive and set up shop on Kingston Avenue and played until sunrise.

Those Simchas Beis Hashoeivas became iconic, and until today, on every night of Chol Hamoed Sukkos, thousands of Chabad chassidim dance in the street until sunrise.

Once Avi moved to Kfar Chabad, those years when he was back in Crown Heights for Sukkos became all the more special as the brothers would reunite on a high stage on Kingston Avenue with thousands dancing below them.

I would become a child again, watching Yosi peer over his glasses while strumming and Avi jumping and singing, flute in one hand, the other hand swinging in that classic Chabad bring-everything-you’ve-got motion.

As the years went by, those scenes became less frequent. But every year, we would go back to Crown Heights hoping that this year, they would be there, and we could experience our childhood just one more time.

I remember one particular year when I was in my twenties when we went out to Crown Heights and found a parking spot several blocks from where the Simchas Bais Hashoeva was happening. As soon as we exited the car, my brother and I were overjoyed to hear the Piamentas playing.

One of our friends was incredulous and declared that there is no way to know from this distance that

the faint music that we were hearing was the Piamentas. We bet him shwarma on it.

Complete shakedown…because if you know, you know…even from a mile away.

Once Yosi passed away in 2015, it was certainly the end of an era. d espite Avi’s sadness, he continued his shlichus with strength and continued to play.

Two years ago, on Chol Hamoed Sukkos, my phone rang at 3 a.m. I picked up the phone on the first ring and had perhaps the quickest conversation ever.

It was my teenage son.

He said, “Abba! Avi’s here!”

I responded, “I’m coming right now.”

Click.

(I still joke with my son that I am so proud that he knows what to wake me up for at 3 a.m.)

I called my brother and woke him up on the first ring.

I said, “Yitzy! Avi’s playing in Crown Heights!”

Within five minutes, we were in the car, coffees in hand, driving up an empty early morning nassau Expressway with Songs of the Rebbes playing on an early morning volume.

What is Songs of the Rebbes?

A better question might be – what isn’t it? Songs of the Rebbes changed Jewish music, even though most people don’t realize it. Released in the 1990s, when there was still a major cultural divide between the Chassidish and Litvish communities, the Piamentas bridged that gap. They put together four sets of around 40 chassidic niggunim, backed by mind-blowing electric guitar and flute. Many of the songs are wellknown now, but this was the album that introduced them to the broader Jewish world.

When the album came out, it was so unique that Yochi Briskman (who was the drummer on the album) ran with the concept and started putting out similar types of albums called Project X. That kind of led to the new-age concept of good Jewish music featuring chassidishe choirs. (With respect to Yochi Briskman, I think he would be the first to agree that none of those subsequent albums came close to Songs of the Rebbes

With my son in Crown Heights

Aside from the whole album being groundbreaking, the first 90 seconds of it is the boldest high-energy start to any album I ever heard in my life. Having listened to it thousands of times, I still feel a rush every time I put it on. (If you check it out, do me one favor – don’t listen on your phone speaker; listen in your car or on a good stereo.)

Avi and Yosi were more than just good musicians, though. They were even better people, and I am thankful that several years ago I had a beautiful interaction with Avi. When my oldest son was young, he began playing flute because he wanted to be like Avi Piamenta. OK, full disclosure: I wanted him to be like Avi Piamenta. (When people say, “My

It wasn’t just music; it was a continuation of the Rebbe’s voice, expressed with joy, longing for Moshiach, and complete dedication to the mission.

kid loves Bach,” it’s usually the parent who loves that their kid loves Bach…total Build-a-Bear situation.) But my son really bought in and loved the Piamentas. Before my son’s bar mitzvah, I sent Avi a clip of my son playing one of his songs and asked if he would record a short video of himself wishing my son mazal tov. A few days later, we received the most beautiful seven-minute video from him. He played the Chabad Anim Zemiros and said the following:

“Shmuel Chaim, I very much enjoyed the video that your father sent me of you playing our songs… I want you to know, you should always use your

A photo of Yosi and Avi in 770 from a book about Tishrei

talents to make a kiddush Hashem. Be proud of your Yiddishkeit and then there will be blessing in all that you do, especially in your flute playing…” Receiving that video from Avi and being able to surprise my son with it in his bar mitzvah video still fills my heart with so much gratitude. It was everything that I thought about Avi –he wasn’t just a musician with a good heart; he was a massive neshama…bursting with music. That message of positive, beautiful, happy Yiddishkeit, coming from someone with worldclass talent who was empowered by the Rebbe to spread joy through music, is one that I am so grateful that I was fortunate to give to my son.

and warm. He kept telling my son how happy he was to see him and that he looked like a good yeshiva bachur who loved Chabad music. “You must come visit me in Kfar Chabad,” he said.

We left in awe – not of Avi the Flutist, but of Avi the Chassid, on fire with Yiddishkeit and ahavas Yisrael.

After that, I stayed in touch with Avi a bit. A few years later, on one winter night, we heard he was playing at an event in Crown Heights. My son and I rushed over. After the music ended, we introduced ourselves to Avi. He was so gracious

That’s the Avi I’ll always remember.

That’s the soul we lost.

But his spirit lives on – in the joy, purity, and simcha of the music he created during his shlichus on this earth.

with the Rebbe

Yosi and Avi on the cover of their Big Time album

The album cover of Songs of the Rebbes

To Raise a Laugh

Overnight Oversight

As someone who’s gone on 3 overnights with my sons’ day camp (5th and 6th grade), I’ve learned that a responsible chaperone is one who makes a checklist. Not just of things to remember to bring (first-aid kit, food, boys) and things to remember to bring home (first-aid kit, random towels, boys), but also of things that apparently have to happen. On every trip.

 Something bad will happen to the van(s)

The first time I went, the camp sent a series of vans, which was the main reason we had chaperones. There was me, the head counselor, and another father who was also a hatzalah guy. (In an emergency situation, you want to have a hatzalah guy, a head counselor, and whatever it is that I am.)

So we were going to the JCC for a night swim, and it was raining, and I was circling the block in a van I could barely maneuver, trying to find the entrance to the parking lot, but all I could find was the exit, and I could see kids getting out of the other vans because Mr. Hatzalah Guy had somehow gotten his van to every single destination on the itinerary before us, so I went for it. But what I didn’t see was that there were spikes on the ground in front of the exit. I don’t know why a JCC in Pennsylvania is so paranoid about people coming in the wrong way that they have to put down spikes, but I popped a tire. I don’t know how I managed to pop only 1.

Then the next morning, the other chaperone was backing into a parking spot near the shul, and he had his bike rack on the back of his van, propped up against his window, and he misjudged the amount of space between his van and the wall of the shul, and baruch Hashem his window gave way and he didn’t just back straight into the shul.

In short, no damage the kids caused on any of the trips was as bad as the damage the chaperones caused. I had to drive home on a donut, and the other guy had to drive home with a garbage bag over the window so he wouldn’t lose yarmulkes. Which bring us to #2:

 You will lose yarmulkes.

On my most recent trip, one kid lost a yarmulke on the bus and spent most of the way there trying to find it. He lost it because the windows were open, because every school bus in existence was built before the invention of air conditioning.

But at least I found it after everyone left the bus. Someone else lost a yarmulke later, and I didn’t notice until the next morning when we were getting into the bus after Shacharis. In Lakewood.

I’m like, “You’re not wearing a yarmulke? In Lakewood?”

And yes, we took a bus this time. But when you take buses,

 The driver will keep threatening to pull over.

And every time the driver threatened to pull over, we had to turn around and tell the kid to stop. And by “we” I mean “the counselors,” because I don’t know anyone’s names. I can just say, “Sit down,” but the kid standing would say, “I didn’t know you were talking to me.”

“I was talking to everyone. I’m not picking on one guy. Also, I don’t know your name.”

“My name’s on my yarmulke.”

“You’re not wearing your yarmulke.”

“I know. I’m looking for it.”

This is not to say I didn’t have responsibilities.

 You will have responsibilities.

When you sign up to be a chaperone, you’re thinking you’ll go boating, swimming, night swimming, tire replacing… And then, right before you leave, you’re handed a list: Two guys are gluten free, one is celiac, one is hypoglycemic, and one might have seizures.

So I should spend the whole trip davening?

This isn’t something I had to think about the first time I chaperoned, when there was a hatzalah guy present. But this time, I outranked every other adult by at least 15 years.

By Mordechai Schmutter

And apparently, someone in the office had a bright idea to send out a form before the overnight, asking the parents what kinds of medical issues their child has.

And there was a bag of medications I had to administer at very specific times, even though I didn’t know anyone’s names.

But some kids have serious allergies. One mother wrote that her son is allergic to kiwi, apples, pineapples, and sesame. How healthy do you think we’re going to be feeding them? We’re having Slurpees for breakfast.

 The food will be kid friendly.

And by “kid friendly”, I mean things that an adult should not be eating. In general, if you want anything that’s a little more healthy, you have to bring it yourself. For example, on my second trip, the counselors decided to have a secret barbecue after the kids were down and the head counselor was stuck in the gym tripping over kids and saying, “Sh,” for 3 hours. And that reminds me…

 Sleeping on the floor is not for adults.

Especially those of us with bad backs.

So for my last trip, I decided to buy an air mattress. And I learned a valuable lesson: Don’t inflate your bed in the dark. #1, the pump is noisy, and #2, I had the pump going for ten minutes before someone figured out that I had the mattress plugged into the “deflate” side. Why is there even a “deflate” side? I can deflate it just by sleeping.

But anyway

 The kids don’t go to sleep.

I don’t know if it’s the excitement or the diet or the fact that they’re sleeping in a room full of echoes, but no one sleeps. I’m not sure why we bother packing sleeping bags. They just make the bus more crowded, and the only people who sleep on the bus are the counselors.

Mordechai Schmutter is a freelance writer and a humor columnist for Hamodia and other magazines. He has also published eight books and does stand-up comedy. You can contact him at MSchmutter@gmail.com.

SINAI HOSPITAL

1st floor, off the Blaustein

Lobby

JOHNS HOPKINS

1st Floor, Blalock Room 175

GBMC

New Building, Main Entrance,

Adjacent to the Spiritual Care offices – Room 3281

UNIVERSITY OF MD

MEDICAL CENTER

6th Floor, Gudelsky Conference room

UNION MEMORIAL

First floor, Johnson Professional Building across from the Zen Meditation Garden

Mental Health Corner

Dating 2.0

By Rabbi Azriel Hauptman

This was Shimon’s first meet- there be chemistry? Will this be feel comfortable and natural?

Shimon’s parents also shared his concerns. They strongly believed that Shimon was at a stage in his life where starting with someone was the right thing to do. They guided Shimon every step of the way, and did a lot of research before the first meeting. They also told Shimon that you do not always find the right one on the first try. As much as the match makes sense on paper, the two of them just might not click in a real-life encounter.

When Shimon came home after the first meeting, he looked relaxed and calm. He reported that the conversation flowed smoothly, and he felt very comfortable. Their conversations were not that deep, but since it was their first meeting, this would be very normal. Shimon and his parents were cautiously optimistic that things were moving in the right direction.

You might be reading this account, and imagine in your mind that this is a tale of Shimon’s first date with Devorah. Actually, it is an account of his first session with his therapist named Yehuda. This is because finding the right therapist is very similar to dating.

on the mark, as the cornerstone of successful psychotherapy is the therapeutic relationship between the therapist and the client.

There are many elements that contribute to a positive therapeutic relationship. Three of the main ones are empathy, genuineness, and trust. The client must feel that the therapist relates to what he or she is going through. The client also must feel that the therapist is presenting their genuine self to the client. Finally, the client must feel that they can trust the therapist.

Last but not least, even if the therapist has all of the qualities that one would want, sometimes they just don’t click, and the therapy falls flat. Does any of this sound familiar?

One of the main points that one should take from this article is to not despair just because an attempt at therapy did not work out as expected. Achieving mental wellness can sometimes be an arduous journey, and part of that journey is finding the right therapist. An appropriate referral, such as one provided by Relief, makes the likelihood of a good match exponentially greater, but there is still no guarantee.

Just like dating, before you set up the first session, you have to make sure that the therapist has the qualities that you are looking for. Every therapist has their own unique blend of training, experience, and expertise. Then, you have to determine if their personality is a good fit for you.

After all of this, you must actually meet the therapist, and here is where the rubber hits the road. Here too, the analogy to dating is

Oh, we forgot to mention that there is one major difference between dating and therapy. Although in both cases someone has to foot the bill, in the case of therapy one party actually pays the bill to the other!

This is a service of Relief Resources. Relief is an organization that provides mental health referrals, education, and support to the frum community. Rabbi Yisrael Slansky is director of the Baltimore branch of Relief. He can be contacted at 410-448-8356 or at yslansky@reliefhelp.org

OIsrael Today

The Impact of the War on Mental Health

How Gila Tolub is Building Israel’s National Playbook for Mental Health Recovery

By Jill Lewenstein

n the morning of October 11, 2023, just four days after the deadliest terror attack in Israel’s history, Gila Tolub stood in her kitchen with her 15-year-old son, baking challah to help the soldiers. The dough needed 45 minutes to rise. Learning that it would take so long, her son became impatient and walked off. She was exhausted and had not braided challah in 20 years. It was at that moment that she turned to her husband and said, “We are going to lose the war.”

She wasn’t talking about tanks or missiles. She was talking about mental health.

“The staffing model does not work,” she said of her braiding challah instead of using the skills she developed in her 12 years as a management consultant at the leading firm McKinsey & Company, a role she had left just three months earlier. That moment, flour still on her hands, became her turning point. She realized the war for Israel’s emotional survival required something it did not yet have: coordination, strategy and innovation. But most of all, it needed a plan.

“Israel needed to manage the trauma instead of allowing the trauma to manage us,” she said.

Almost two years later, that realization has become ICAR Collective, Israel’s Collective Action for Resilience, and Tolub is its tireless co-founder and executive director. With a vision that fuses her healthcare expertise and systems thinking with deep empathy for human suffering, Tolub spearheads what may be one of the most ambitious mental health undertakings in the country’s – and the world’s – history.

A Nation Without a Playbook

When Hamas attacked on October 7, massacring more than 1,200 people, including hundreds of young Israelis at the Nova Music Festival, the psychological damage extended far beyond the battlefield.

“Even people who were not directly impacted were deeply affected,” Tolub said. “The entire country was in a state of trauma. And we did not have a blueprint.”

For the first few months after the attacks, Tolub led The Healing Space (Merhav Marpe), a sanctuary formed overnight to support Nova survivors and their families. What was meant to

be a small gathering space quickly drew hundreds of survivors, too broken to talk, too traumatized to sit still.

“No one wanted to sit in circles and speak,” she remembered. “So we just let them be. Sit together. Move. Play. Cry. Reconnect. And above all, reclaim their power to make choices.

“You cannot force healing,” Tolub insisted. “But you can create the conditions for it.”

That philosophy now fuels ICAR Collective.

From Emergency to Strategy ICAR Collective was born not only

out of compassion but out of need. Israel’s mental health response, though passionate, incredible and quick, was deeply fragmented. Over 400 organizations mobilized, but all too often, each operated in its own vacuum, serving specific groups of survivors and others impacted by the attack and ensuing war. There was no single source for data, shared strategy or common standards.

As a veteran consultant who co-led McKinsey’s global vaccine practice and helped shape health equity policy with the World Health Organization, Tolub saw the problem through a public health and management lens.

“After COVID, we had the global infrastructure to get vaccines out at unprecedented speed. Why? Because we coordinated,” she said. “Mental health deserves the same urgency. It is not a soft issue. It impacts security, productivity, physical health, the economy and every sector of society.”

ICAR Collective is building that infrastructure. It is not a frontline service provider. Rather, it is what Tolub calls “the backbone organization,” coordinating across government, NGOs, academia, and tech to design a scalable model for trauma recovery. It is working together with and building upon the impact of each of its partners, each member of its scientific advisory board and each philanthropic funder, from the largest foundations to individuals, are already making in Israel’s recovery and resilience.

“Our Scientific Advisory Board has been indispensable,” Tolub said. “They ensure that everything we do is grounded in evidence-based methods, clinical integrity and or promising innovation.

Gila and her daughter lighting memorial candles at Merhav Marpe

Their expertise gives us the confidence to act boldly, knowing we’re aligned with what actually works.”

At the heart of the effort are eight strategic imperatives, including a national resilience education campaign, a trauma-first aid curriculum, and a real-time mental health data dashboard. Two of these, the education campaign and dashboard, have been prioritized by ICAR Collective, and their development is already underway.

“If we do not understand what is happening in real-time – who is suffering, where the gaps are – we cannot act effectively,” she explained.

Healing at Scale

To understand ICAR Collective’s impact, consider its recent summit in February 2025, which brought together 300 leaders from all sectors to align on trauma response. It was not just a conference but a collective act of hope.

Tolub’s approach to healing is both radically pragmatic and profoundly human. She talked about “triage models” and “capacity constraints” but also told the story of a Nova survivor who became paralyzed, not by bullets, but by terror. “She pretended to be dead for seven

hours,” Tolub said. “Her nervous system did what it had to do to survive. That is brilliance, not weakness.”

ICAR Collective’s model acknowledges that trauma is not just emotional. It manifests in autoimmune disorders, sleep disruption, job loss, school failure and even childhood shingles.

stage, this wouldn’t be possible. And we are working to align this with government partnerships going forward.”

A National Crisis, A Global Model

Tolub envisions ICAR Collective’s work as more than a national solution.

“You cannot force healing. But you can create the conditions for it.”

“My own four-year-old got shingles after hearing a red alert siren,” Tolub said quietly. “This is not abstract. It is in our homes.”

“Philanthropic partners have stepped in (in these first 20 months) with a kind of courage that matches the urgency of this crisis,” she added. “They’ve enabled the field to move quickly, to train therapists, to fund groundbreaking research and build infrastructure where the public system simply couldn’t run with this on its own. Without that private capital at this

It could become a template for global trauma recovery.

“What we are trying to do here is not just for Israel,” she said. “It is for every society dealing with war, disaster, mass violence. Everyone is going to need this kind of infrastructure someday.”

Part of that vision involves using technology to expand reach; from AI tools translated into Hebrew to neurofeedback that can deliver relief in minutes rather than hours. ICAR Collective is also pushing for non-clinical caregiver

training to address the massive shortfall in mental health professionals.

“Israel’s largest healthcare provider, Clalit Health Services’, latest estimates suggest over half a million new PTSD cases. We simply do not have enough therapists,” Tolub said. “We need to think differently: about triage, prevention and scaling healing.”

“The field itself—the therapists, educators, volunteers and caregivers—are the heart of this work,” Tolub emphasized. “They’re the ones delivering the healing touch. ICAR’s role is to make their job easier, faster and more effective by ensuring they’re not doing it alone.”

A

Different Kind of War

As Israel continues to navigate its physical and psychological war zones, Tolub and ICAR Collective are fighting on a different front. One that does not make headlines. One that takes place in quiet conversations, in community circles, in therapy rooms and in schoolyards.

She does not promise miracles. But she believes in resilience.

“When they try to destroy us,” she said, “We survive, we heal, we rebuild. That is who we are. Am Yisrael chai!”

Israel Drives the World Crazy Living Kiddush Hashem

WBy Rabbi Shraga Freedman

e are witnessing one of the greatest expressions of Kiddush Hashem in our times: the continued miraculous existence of the Jewish people.

Below are two brief glimpses of the hashgacha we see daily, followed by an excerpt adapted from an article in the Daily Telegraph

True Iron Dome Protection

A kollel yungerman was about to pay for his order when a chayal behind him stepped forward and swiped his own credit card.

“I’m paying for that,” the soldier said.

“Why?” the kollel fellow asked.

The chayal explained, “I work on the Iron Dome. I was sent to Ukraine to help train their teams. They use the same system, with the same technology — but

their success rate is only 45%. Here in Israel, ours is 95%. That extra 50%? It’s because of you guys.”

“Every Single Pilot Came Home”

A barbecue was arranged for an Air Force team that operates surveillance drones. They had just completed an exhausting 12day mission searching for threats in Iran.

One pilot, who hadn’t put on Tefillin since his Bar Mitzvah, felt compelled to do so now, to thank Hashem for the miracles he’d seen. Another, a veteran of 30 years, expressed deep awe that every single pilot came home safely — after flying 1,200 sorties over a country with one of the strongest air defense systems in the region.

(Bruria Efune – Updates from Israel)

Israel Drives the World Crazy

There’s something about Israel that

makes the world uneasy, and it’s not what they say it is. People point to politics, borders, and wars — but beneath the outrage is a deeper discomfort. Not with what Israel does, but with what Israel is.

They are surrounded by enemies — yet they thrive. They survive wars meant to wipe them out — and win.

The world sees this and can’t explain it. So they say it must be cheating. It must be American aid, foreign lobbying, oppression, theft — anything but real. Anything but earned. Anything but destined.

The Jewish people were supposed to disappear long ago. But they didn’t.

That’s not normal. It’s not political. It’s biblical.

Israel doesn’t make sense — unless you believe in something beyond the numbers.

That’s what drives people crazy: If Israel’s survival is real — maybe G-d isn’t a myth. Maybe history isn’t random. Maybe evil doesn’t have the last word. Maybe the Jews are not just a people — but a living testimony.

So they deny it, smear it, and rage against it. Because it’s easier to call a mir-

acle “cheating” than to admit that Hashem keeps His promises.

And He still does.

Adjusted from an article, attributed to Alister Heath of the Daily Telegraph (source unverified)

Rabbi Shraga Freedman is the author of Sefer Mekadshei Shemecha, Living Kiddush Hashem, and A Life Worth Living.

Email LivingKiddushHashem@ gmail.com for a free sefer. Visit LivingKiddushHashem.org for more resources

Living Kiddush Hashem was founded with the goal of imbuing every Jew with a powerful sense of mission — the mission to be mekadeish Sheim Shamayim in his or her own unique way. We strive to accomplish this by raising awareness of the paramount importance of the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem and its centrality in everything we do.

Israel Today When a Shabbos Meal is the Perfect Medicine

By Rafi Sackville

Our family recently spent a week at Shaarei Zedek Hospital in Yerushalayim over both Shavuot and the preceding Shabbat. Few people look forward to a hospital stay – the long, weary hours, the anxious wait for fleeting visits from doctors and nurses, and the dull monotony of ward life can all be draining and disheartening. Though we were fortunate to have access to a doctor’s office where we could rest over Shabbat and chag, it did little to ease our underlying worry.

Admitted just before Shabbat, we had barely thought about food. In our rush out of the house, we brought little more than the clothes on our backs. After three hours in the emergency department, once it became clear we weren’t going home, I asked a nurse about food for Shabbat. “Oh, you have nothing to worry about. Just go to the tent outside,” she replied as if it weren’t the first time she’d been asked that question. When I asked where exactly, she simply gestured and said, “Just follow the crowd by the main entrance.”

After Kabbalat Shabbat, I made my way down from the 8th to the 4th floor. People passed me, heading back into the hospital carrying plastic bags full of food. To the left of the main doors, a path led to a canvas-covered area with a makeshift floor.

We were warmly greeted and seated at a table, where we were served a generous four-course meal. “Warmly greeted” is not an understatement. The young volunteers were eager to help us. When we told them we weren’t taking the food out but pre -

ferred to sit, we were ushered to a table.

It may not have been a gourmet meal, but to someone unexpectedly spending Shabbat in a hospital, it was nothing short of manna from heaven.

The operation is run by Yad Tova, a chessed organization whose scale of kindness is astonishing. The quantity of food they prepare for Shabbatot runs to well over 700 meals.

Providentially, our hospital room was on the same floor as the synagogue. Each prayer service hosted multiple minyanim. On Shabbat morning, I witnessed something extraordinary: every Aliyah – including maftir, hagbah, gelilah, plus three additional mi sheberachs – was given to new fathers.

After Mincha the next day, I mentioned this to a young man. He told me he had davened in that same minyan but had hesitated to ask the gabbai for yet another mi sheberach for his wife, who had also just given birth.

Later, I discussed the flood of smachot with the shul rabbi. He smiled knowingly and said, “Yes, it happens often. That’s why we don’t sing after blessing the new mothers. If we did, we’d be here for hours.”

Just outside the shul on the 8th floor is a corridor that leads to an outdoor tent and a large porch overlooking the hospital entrance. After each minyan, all three areas were packed with people. Tables and counters were covered with cakes, fruits, kugels, snacks, and drinks. No matter how much was taken, everything was swiftly replenished.

It was only by Mincha on Shabbat

that I realized I had mistakenly assumed that all that food—the cakes, the drinks, the overflowing platters—was provided by the same organization that served the meals downstairs. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I noticed a man, probably in his mid50s, wandering around outside the shul directing the operation. He wore kneelength shorts, long white socks, sandals, a scruffy beard, and a bright purple kippah. He was aided by a young woman pulling a wagon laden with food. She was requesting people wait until she had restocked. If you’ve ever been to a shul kiddush, you’ll guess whether they listened to her or not.

“That’s Yaron Chen,” the rabbi informed me, when I asked the name of the organizer. “He’s been doing this for the past 15 years or so.” I asked who funded such a massive operation, which surely cost thousands of shekels each week. “Funded? No one. He does it all himself.”

I approached Yaron as he was directing a volunteer carrying a huge plate of kugel as another was slicing and plating another. The trestled tables never appeared empty.

With his unruly grey hair, beach-style

attire, and sandals, Yaron looked entirely out of place among the crowd of Yerushalmi chassidim in camel-colored bekishes and towering shtreimels. And yet, he fit in perfectly. He moved comfortably among everyone, clearly at home in the diversity of Am Yisrael.

He pointed out his children who were helping him. “It’s a family enterprise,” he explained proudly. “It’s a major operation. We start shopping early in the week. Then we transport everything, refrigerate it, and haul it up here every Shabbat.”

It would have been superfluous to ask why he does it. The answer was written plainly on his face. There was a quiet contentment in his eyes that said it all: the joy he brought to others was reward enough.

I later learned that Yaron is a local businessman who runs a large hardware store not far from our neighborhood. On Shabbat, he’s the heart behind a weekly feast of kindness, serving hundreds with food, dignity, and love.

Rafi Sackville, formerly from Cedarhurst, teaches in a prominent yeshiva in Yerushalayim.

Centerfold

Summer Invention Trivia

1. What popular summer treat was originally invented as a mistake by an 11-yearold boy in 1905?

a. Cotton candy

b. Ice cream sandwich

c. Popsicle

d. Root beer float

it would be a great thing to have a catch with.

2. How did the Super Soaker water gun come to be?

a. It was a NASA experiment

b. It was invented by a nuclear engineer

c. It was reverse-engineered from firefighting equipment

d. It was a plumbing mistake

3. Who invented the pool noodle?

a. A Canadian swim coach

b. A plumbing supply company

c. A lifeguard at Coney Island

d. The person who invented the hula-hoop

4. How did Walter Frederick Morrison invent the frisbee in the late 1930s?

a. He was tossing popcorn tin lids with his wife and realized that something with that shape flies well.

b. He was in a college class that examined ancient weapons and when he threw one of them, he realized that

c. He had a ball that melted in the sun and became flat. The next day he realized that although he couldn’t throw it like a ball, it was a good projectile.

d. He studied physics and created it from scratch.

5. Which iconic summer treat was first sold by accident at the 1904 World’s Fair?

a. Snow cones

b. Ice cream cones

c. Cotton candy

d. Lemonade

Answers:

C: Popsicles were invented by Frank Epperson, who left a cup of powdered soda, water, and a stirring stick outside overnight. It froze. He tasted it and showed it to his friends. More than 18 years later, in 1923, Epperson patented his “frozen ice on a stick.” He decided to call the novelty the “Eppsicle” ice pop.

Soaker while experimenting with a heat pump in his bathroom. The accidental blast of water inspired a billion-dollar toy.

B: The pool noodle started out as a piece of polyethylene foam insulation for pipes. People realized it floated...and fun ensued.

A: Morrison later created a plastic version of the disc in 1948, which they initially called the “Flying Saucer.” In 1957, a toy company bought the rights to the flying disc and renamed it “Frisbee” after the Frisbie Pie Company, whose pie tins were famously used for tossing games by students.

B: At the St. Louis World’s Fair, an ice cream vendor ran out of dishes. Another vendor who was selling warm waffles wanted to help out the out-of-luck ice cream vendor so he rolled his waffles into cones to hold the ice cream.

Wisdom Key:

4-5 correct: Beeeeach bum!!

2-3 correct: More of a spring person.

B: Lonnie Johnson, a former NASA engineer, invented the Super

0-1 correct: “So, how’s your summer going?” “What do you mean? It’s no different than the winter.” Stop! You party-pooper!

Things That Only Seem Normal in Summer

Paying $6 for frozen water (aka “Italian Ice”) that is waaaay too sweet!

Eating dinner at 9 p.m. because “it’s still light out.”

Wearing sunglasses on your head and squinting the entire time.

Letting kids eat dinner that’s 80% popsicle.

Telling yourself sunscreen is optional after the first hour.

Burning your legs on car seats like it’s an ancient rite of passage.

Driving to get ice cream in a car that could poach eggs on the dashboard.

Convincing yourself that your sunburn doesn’t really hurt.

You Gotta Be Kidding Me

At a neighborhood barbecue, everything was going fine until the grill started smoking like it had a grudge.

One dad, wearing socks with sandals and holding tongs like a weapon, announced, “Don’t worry—I’ve watched a YouTube video about this.”

Telling yourself bug bites build character.

Grilling everything— including pineapple and pizza.

Always having a beach towel over your shoulder.

Accepting the smell of citronella as “ambiance.”

Buying $3.50 lemonade from a child with sticky change.

Vacationing somewhere hotter than where you live.

Bringing a coat to shul because it’s 62°F inside.

He flipped a burger directly into the bushes, set a hot dog on fire, and somehow melted a plastic fork onto the corn.

Meanwhile, a toddler stole a watermelon, a grandma mistook bug spray for whipped cream, and the dog was eating straight off the grill.

In the end, they ordered pizza.

It was unanimously declared the best barbecue of the summer.

Notable Quotes “Say What?!”

Mamdani comes from a culture that lies about everything. It’s literally a virtue to lie if it advances his Islamist agenda. The West will learn this lesson the hard way.

– Tweet by Shaun Maguire, a partner at Silicon Valley venture capital firm Sequoia Capital

Let’s unpack what’s actually happening here. There are groups that hate me: Marxists, because I’m pro-capitalism; the pro-Palestine crowd, because I’m pro-Israel; Leftists, because I’m pro-Trump. All of these groups want me cancelled because I’m a loud and effective voice.

- ibid., after facing intense backlash

To the Haters and Losers, You cannot imagine how much Love and Support I’ve received over the last 48 hours. We have cancelled cancel culture. Your Hate and Ignorance only fuels me.

- ibid.

Coming from you in particular, this is very meaningful. Thank you very much, Bibi.

– President Trump when Prime Minister Netanyahu presented him with the letter that he sent to the Nobel Prize committee nominating Pres. Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize

I said, “Andrew, are you that level of arrogance?’ I’m the sitting mayor, the sitting mayor of the City of New York, and you expect me to step aside when you just lost to Zohran by 12 points?

- Mayor Eric Adams revealing to CNBC what his response was in a private conversation when Andrew Cuomo urged him to drop out of the New York mayoral race

Yeah, but Trump does it all the time. He immediately, he immediately, starts the blame game.

– The View’s Joy Behar defending herself when in a rare moment of sanity one of her co-hosts argued with her and said that it is utterly ridiculous to blame Pres. Trump for the once-in-a century flood in Texas

-

May all visitors, children, non-MAGA voters and pets be safe and dry. Kerr County MAGA voted to gut FEMA. They deny climate change. May they get what they voted for. Bless their hearts.

- Pediatrician Dr. Christina B. Propst on Facebook, suggesting that the more than 100 people killed in the horrific Texas floods — including dozens of kids — were President Trump supporters who got “what they voted for” (she has since been fired by her employer)

This is a 911 moment for the Democratic Party, in the sense that he’s an antisemitic socialist.

Zohran Mamdani ID’d himself as Asian and African American on his Columbia University application. I guess there was no box for Trust-FundCommunist-[garbage] bag

- Greg Gutfeld, Fox

But it raises the often ignored question: How can you claim to be oppressed when you know the claim gets preferential treatment. I mean, why would anyone choose an identity that supposedly holds you back, unless you knew that it can move you forward. So he saw the grift—using the false disadvantage to get ahead. He was lying to get what he wanted.

– ibid.

Why didn’t he just say the truth, that he is of Indian heritage? Because being of the Indian heritage isn’t a resume builder when you are auditioning for the Oppression Olympics.

– ibid.

Do you notice that it’s always the lefties that pull this [stuff]. Their thinking is— we created this game, might as well take advantage of it.

- ibid.

Unlike the Democrat leader, I’m gonna honor my colleagues’ time and be a little more brief. It takes a lot longer to build a lie than to tell the simple truth.

- Speaker Mike Johnson’s opening remarks after House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) spoke on the House floor for 8 hours and 33 minutes, just to delay a vote on the Big Beautiful Bill

Former Clinton pollster Mark Penn on Fox News talking about Zohran Mamdani

I think President Trump had a brilliant vision. It’s called free choice. You know, if people want to stay, they can stay. But if they want to leave, they should be able to leave. It shouldn’t be a prison, it should be an open place and give people a free choice.

- Prime Minister Netanyahu talking to reporters at the White House

We’re working with the United States very closely about finding countries that will seek to realize what they always say they want—to give the Palestinians a better future. And I think we’re getting close to finding several countries. And I think this will do, again, the freedom to choose. Palestinians should have it.

- ibid.

Don’t worry. It’s only fireworks...famous last words...I didn’t like that sound either.

- Pres. Trump at a July 4th rally when fireworks were ignited

I think this is one of the saddest days in modern American history. I don’t think anyone is prepared for what they just did with ICE. This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion – making ICE bigger than the FBI, U.S. Bureau of Prisons, DEA, & others combined. It is setting up to make what’s happening now look like child’s play. And people are disappearing.

- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) fear-mongering after Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill was passed by Congress

I got to say, no one puts a deal together like President Trump – he’s a master. But I think one of the other persuasive things was just looking at the Democrats’ reaction to it. Maybe the bill is better than I thought. Democrats’ reaction helped me persuade that, wow, maybe this bill does do some really good things.

- Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), who originally opposed the Big Beautiful Bill, explaining to the press why he ended up voting for it

When [Iranians] say, “Death to the United States,” they don’t mean “death for the people of the United States, or even to the officials of the U.S.” They mean death, to crimes, death to killing and carnage, death to supporting killing others

- Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran, pulling a fast one on Tucker Carlson in their recent “hardhitting” interview

Again? This is the second time I’ve died. It already happened last year. But I’m alive.

- Austrian Nobel Prize winner Elfriede Jelinek after German-speaking media reported that she had died

Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…

Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

Dear Navidaters,

My niece is starting shidduchim this summer. She is a lovely girl who has a lot of chein and an amazing personality. They put us on their resume as a reference, and I’m excited about helping her as a reference. The problem is I’ve heard from many of my friends that the topic of support comes up during these calls. Their family is unable to support a couple, so when the topic comes up, I will either have to hem and haw or say the reality, which won’t lead to the best outcome I assume. It is for this reason I am tempted to ask not to be on the resume at all as it will be very uncomfortable for me.

I don’t know what to do. Should I ask to be taken off as a reference? Should I stay on and tell the truth about support? What is the best way to move forward with this?

Disclaimer: This column is not intended to diagnose or otherwise conclude resolutions to any questions. Our intention is not to offer any definitive conclusions to any particular question, rather offer areas of exploration for the author and reader. Due to the nature of the column receiving only a short snapshot of an issue, without the benefit of an actual discussion, the panel’s role is to offer a range of possibilities. We hope to open up meaningful dialogue and individual exploration.

The Panel

Dear Readers,

We want to offer YOU an opportunity to be part of the discussion!

Please email us at MichelleMondShadchan@gmail.com, subject line “reader’s response,” if you would like to participate in the new “A Reader’s Response” columnist spot. We will send you a question and publish your answer in an upcoming Navidaters edition.

If you have a question you would like the Navidaters to answer, please reach out to this email as well.

Looking forward!

Michelle, the “Shadchan”

The Rebbetzin

Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S.

Be honest. Be honest with your family first. Discuss the honor and trust they have accorded you and make sure

they know how you will handle questions like this. Be honest with the callers who may ask the question about support for a learning boy. It is the healthiest way for all stakeholders.

You may frame it like this: this girl is like money in the bank. She will work, she will earn, and she will live by her values. She is mature, committed, and knows

what a modest lifestyle is all about. She has seen it lived and understands the effort involved. Say this only if it is true.

Currently, many young yeshiva students (and their parents) prefer young women who have professions and can be self-supporting during the early years of marriage. I know it, and I heard it just this week from the father of boy seriously learning in BMG who already has his degree. Being beholden to a wife’s family is not so popular for obvious reasons. Similarly, supported kollel life with designer clothing and meat boards is getting a bad rap these days. It is not an entitlement.

The Shadchan

Michelle Mond

Ithink that you might be overthinking this. Yes, some people will bring up

The more attention you draw to something, the bigger of a deal it becomes.

the topic of support before the first date, but it doesn’t sound like that’s the type of family your niece would want to marry into anyway. Usually, this is a topic that’s discussed once a couple has gone out, and there’s some sort of liking or connection between them. Your niece’s family must have some sort of plan lined up, as that’s the responsible thing to do.

Stay on the resume with confidence and focus on sharing your niece’s amazing attributes. If the topic of support

comes up, you can say that you don’t personally have the answer to that question and suggest they reach out to another reference.

Don’t make a big deal out of it. The more attention you draw to something, the bigger of a deal it becomes. Just keep your focus on being a warm, supportive reference and trust that the right people will see what matters most.

The Zaidy

Dr. Jeffrey Galler

It is deeply troubling that for some misguided parents how much money they can get out of a prospective match is more important than the qualities of the prospective life partner.

But, unfortunately, the sad reality is that some folks will be asking about financial support before even getting to know about the girl.

So, how should someone, like you, who is listed as a reference on a resumé, react?

My very strong advice is to simply remember what Shakespeare wrote: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances.”

In other words, in the staging involved in today’s shidduch production, you, as a reference, have a very specific role to play. It is your job, and your only job, to be your niece’s best advocate and extol her wonderful virtues.

You will discuss her charm, her middos, her integrity, her amazing attributes, and how her parents have raised her to be self-sufficient. You might add, if appropriate, that your niece is pursuing a career where she can contribute meaningfully. If they press the issue and insist on knowing exactly how much money the girl’s parents are willing to give, you have two choices:

Choice #1 – You can reply that it is very clear to you that you don’t want your niece to have anything to do with such obnoxious people. (My wife warned me, “Jeffrey, don’t you DARE write that!”)

Choice #2 – You can simply reply that you are not privy to someone else’s

Pulling It All Together

The Navidaters

Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

Dear Miriam, I just want to say you are not crazy for feeling uncomfortable. The truth is, it is uncomfortable!! You’re being asked to sign up for something that, frankly, makes very little sense. You love your niece. You want to support her. But being listed as a reference when you know there’s a financial situation that might come up, one you’re not aligned with or prepared to explain, puts you in an impossible position.

What are you supposed to do? Lie?

Evade? Freeze up mid-ques - tion like you’re on a wit- ness stand in a courtroom you never signed up for? It’s ridiculous that we’re even put in these positions! Who made up these ridiculous rules, anyway? Do any of us honestly believe that a reference isn’t going to glow? That we’re hearing the full truth or that anyone knows the full truth about another person? I’m not suggesting not to do research, but no one is ask-

finances, but you know that her parents are very loving and kind. Period.

Of course, you, as a loving relative, should agree to be listed as a reference. In today’s shidduch world, our young women need all the help they can get.

Reader’s response

Chava Cohen

Hi, I think it is great that you are excited about being listed on your niece’s resume as a reference. I am wondering about the accuracy of your belief that the discussion regarding support often comes up during these calls. I think it can go either way – not everyone listed as a reference is privy to this information. A teacher from seminary, for example, may not know to what degree her student’s family is able to support and may not be asked during a call. Generally close family will have more familiarity with a relative’s financial situation, but I still think it is appropriate to say you genuinely are not sure what support they are able to offer.

We don’t need more polite martyrs.

You write that you will either “have to hem and haw or say the reality, which won’t lead to the best outcome.” They are not getting married based on one call to a reference. Is it possible people will say no to your niece if you communicate that they cannot offer support? Sure. Is possible they will say no for other reasons outside of your communication? Also yes. You have a lot of positive regard for your niece, and it seems that you are confident you can convey her many attributes to those who ask. There will always be things that can be uncomfortable during calls for information, especially regarding finances (or lack thereof).

It seems that if you are able to convey the positive aspects of your niece, while accepting that parts of the call may be uncomfortable, it is worthwhile to stay on the resume and be the best advocate you can be for your niece.

ing someone who knows all his/her parts (history, secrets, stories) to be on the resume, if you know what I mean… I think this comes down to two things. One, can you stay on the resume and tell the truth in a way that’s kind and clear? Something like, “That’s really a question for the parents. I don’t have that information,” and then speak glowingly about her character and strengths. Or two, do you feel that even being asked to speak could put you in a situation that feels too sticky? And if so, can you step back gently and say, “I care about her so much, but I think I may not be the right person to serve as a reference here. I don’t want to be asked things I don’t feel comfortable answering.”

There’s no wrong answer, but there is a wrong move. And that’s pretending you’re fine when you’re not. We don’t need more polite martyrs. We need people who listen to that tiny voice inside that says, “This doesn’t sit right,” and who trust that honoring their gut isn’t selfish, it’s wise. So whether you show up with boundaries or lovingly bow out, let it come from your truth. That’s how we stay in integrity with ourselves and with the people we care about.

And if you needed someone to say it; yes, this whole setup is absurd. You’re not the problem. The system is.

Sincerely, Jennifer

Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and certified trauma healing life coach, as well as a dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in private practice at 123 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, NY. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 718-908-0512. Visit www.thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email JenniferMannLCSW@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.

Common Cents

By Elliot Pepper, CPA, CFP®, MST

Donor Advised Funds 101: Using the Tax Code to Maximize Charity and Lower Your Bill to Uncle Sam

You want to be generous. You want to support causes that matter to you. But you also wouldn’t mind saving a little on taxes while you’re at it.

Enter the Donor Advised Fund, or DAF for short.

DAFs are one of the most powerful, but often misunderstood, tools in the charitable giving toolkit. They allow you to be strategic about your philanthropy while giving you flexibility, control, and significant tax advantages.

Let’s break down how they work, who they’re for, and why they might just be the most tax-savvy way to give.

What Is a Donor Advised Fund?

Think of a Donor Advised Fund as a “charitable investment account.”

You put money in. You get an immediate tax deduction. The money grows tax-free. And later, you recommend grants from that account to support the nonprofits of your choice.

It’s a three-step process:

1. Contribute: You donate cash, stocks, or other assets to the DAF.

2. Deduct: You receive an immediate tax deduction in the year of the contribution.

3. Distribute: Over time, you recommend grants to IRS-qualified charities—on your own schedule.

You’re not required to give the money away right away. That’s part of what makes DAFs so powerful: they separate the act of giving from the act of deciding

Why Use a Donor Advised Fund?

Let’s say you had a high-income year. A business sale, large bonus, or stock windfall pushed you into a higher tax bracket. You want to reduce your tax liability and be charitable, but you’re not sure exactly where to give yet.

That’s where a DAF comes in.

You can front-load your giving into the DAF this year to get the tax deduction now, and then take your time distributing the funds to charities over the coming months or years.

Here’s what you get:

• Immediate tax deduction (up to 60% of AGI for cash; 30% for appreciated securities)

• No capital gains tax on donated appreciated assets

• Tax-free growth while funds are invested

• Simplified record-keeping – one donation, many grants

• Legacy-building – some DAFs allow family involvement or naming successors

Real-Life Example: Bunching Deductions with a DAF

Let’s say you normally give $10,000 to charity each year. But with the standard deduction now over $29,000 for married couples filing jointly (as of 2025), your giving doesn’t move the needle for itemizing.

Here’s the move: “bunch” three years of donations ($30,000) into a DAF this year. That may push you over the standard deduction and allow you to itemize for the current year, giving you a bigger tax break.

Then, you can distribute $10,000/year from the DAF to your favorite causes, just like you always do.

Same giving, better tax outcome.

Giving Appreciated Assets

One of the biggest tax advantages of DAFs is the ability to donate appreciated stock, ETFs, or mutual funds.

Let’s say you bought stock years ago for $5,000 and it’s now worth $25,000. If you sold it, you’d owe capital gains tax on the $20,000 gain.

But if you donate the stock to a DAF:

• You avoid paying the capital gains tax entirely

• You get a charitable deduction for the full $25,000

• The full amount is available for granting to charities

It’s a win-win-win.

And for those sitting on concentrated stock positions (think: tech employees or long-time holders of a family business), this is a powerful way to diversify while doing good.

What About the Fees?

Like any financial vehicle, DAFs come with some costs.

Most sponsoring organizations (like Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, or your local Jewish Community Foundation) charge:

• Administrative fees: Typically ~0.60% annually

• Investment fees: Vary based on fund choices

In exchange, you get professional management, investment options, and the convenience of streamlined giving.

For larger balances (think: $250,000+), fees often drop or can be negotiated, and advisors may offer custom investment strategies for DAF portfolios.

Leaving a Legacy with a DAF

Donor Advised Funds can also be a powerful tool for multi-generational giving

You can involve your children in recommending grants, pass on values alongside assets, and name successor advisors so the fund continues after you’re gone.

For families who want to instill tzedakah as part of their legacy, a DAF provides a flexible, accessible alternative to a private foundation—with far fewer headaches.

DAF vs. Direct Giving

*See chart below

When a DAF Doesn’t Make Sense

Donor Advised Funds are great, but they’re not for everyone.

A DAF may not be ideal if:

• You’re not itemizing your deductions

• You prefer hands-on, immediate giving

• You need full control over how and when the charity uses the funds (DAFs give recommendations, but final approval lies with the sponsoring org)

Getting Started

You can open a DAF through:

• National providers like Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, or Schwab Charitable

• Local Jewish federations or community foundations

• Your financial advisor or wealth management firm (like us!)

Setup typically takes a few days, and once funded, you can start recommending grants at your convenience.

The Takeaway

Donor Advised Funds aren’t just for billionaires and private foundations. They’re a smart, strategic tool for anyone who wants to give generously and wisely

By combining tax benefits with philanthropic intent, a DAF helps you do more good, while doing well for yourself and your family.

Because when generosity and strategy work together, everybody wins.

Subscribe to Common Cents digitally on LinkedIn.

The decision to start saving and investing is yours, but the “how” can be hard. Email commoncents@northbrookfinancial.com to schedule a financial planning consultation with our team.

Elliot Pepper, CPA, CFP®, MST is Co-Founder of Northbrook Financial, a Financial Planning, Tax, and Investment Management Firm. He has developed and continues to teach a popular Financial Literacy course for high school students.

Timing of tax break Immediate (upon contribution) Year of donation

Flexibility Donate now, give later Donate and give at the same time Recordkeeping

(through provider)

W E D D I N G P A C K A G E

Headlines Halacha

Tipping the Waiter: Is it a Halachic Obligation?

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

It was the young lady’s third date. He had taken her to a restaurant to eat out. The conversation went well, and he seemed to be a “super guy.” But, shockingly, he did not leave a tip. Aside from the question of what the young lady should do, another question arises. Is there a halachic obligation to leave the waiter a tip? What about tipping a taxi driver? What about tipping an Uber driver?

History of Tipping

From a historical perspective, tipping began as an aristocratic practice in England and then among the upper classes of Europe. After the Civil War in the United States, wealthy Americans started visiting Europe in record numbers and brought back the custom to the United States to show off their worldliness. Interestingly enough The New York Times in 1897 described the spread of tipping like “evil insects and weeds.” Indeed, in 1916, William Scott wrote an entire tract against tipping and called it “the Itching Palm.” There he writes, “Tipping, and the aristocratic idea it exemplifies, is what we left Europe to escape.”

Since then, however, tipping has become nearly universal in this country. This has, it seems, some halachic repercussions. In other words, in less than a century, the halacha might have changed.

The Halacha

Let’s start with the last one first, but set down some principles that may apply to all of our three questions.

The Rashba in a responsa (Volume II #168) writes that a minhag negates the halacha even in regard to monetary matters. This is true even if the issue was not specifically discussed either in written or oral communications prior to the contract. This is also the position of the Rivash (responsum #171 and 474) and others as well. Indeed, it is norma-

tive halacha. It is this author’s view that in the United States, the custom has already developed to tip a taxi driver, but the custom has not (yet) developed to tip an Uber driver.

This statement is being made because it seems that the Uber drivers in New York City got together and formed a group called the Independent Drivers Guild. In April 2016, this group successfully petitioned the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission to create a rule that would require ride-hailing services such as Uber to add tipping into their phone apps. According to an article in USA Today at the time, Uber had argued “since its inception that not allowing in-app tipping was one of the things its riders liked best about it.”

Indeed, the founder of that organization, Jim Conigliaro, Jr., said then, “New York City’s professional drivers have traditionally depended on gratuities for a substantial portion of their income. Cuts to driver pay across the ride-hail industry has made tipping income more important than ever.”

In fact, Uber’s major competitor, Lyft, had been attracting Uber drivers to come to their company because their app allowed for tipping! This too was proof that the custom had not developed yet that tipping an Uber driver had not developed into the universal custom that the Rashba refers to.

It should be noted that since 2016, both Uber and Lyft have integrated tipping features into their apps, and tipping ride-share drivers has become increasingly common. The halachic implications of this change would require contemporary rabbinic analysis.

Regarding tipping taxis, the Debreciner Rav, z”l, Rav Moshe Stern, Be’er Moshe (Vol. III #117) writes that if a chassidish-looking individual doesn’t tip the taxi driver, it will cause taxis to avoid

chassidish-looking people. Interestingly enough, he does not deal with the issue of universal custom – which would indicate either that he does not hold that it has become a universal custom in the United States or that he disagrees with the underlying application of the idea. But the fact that he writes that the taxi drivers would not come indicates that the concept of tipping truly has become universal. What do the modern seforim and poskim have to say?

The author of Ein Lamo Michshal (Vol. IX 16:8) writes that not tipping in a restaurant involves a “chshash issur gezel – a concern for the prohibition of theft.”

However, that author’s brother-in-law takes issue with this position (See Asher Chanan Vol. VII # 151) and writes that the former’s position may be a chshash issur gezel on the rabbi’s part for writing that there is an obligation to tip! Not to get into a possible family squabble here, it would seem that the real issue is how evolved the custom has become.

In the Tammuz 5760 edition of the Mevakshei Torah Journal, Rav Elyashiv, zt”l, is quoted as saying that indeed there is a concern for theft if one does not tip at a restaurant (or at a wedding hall – where apparently the minhag has developed to customarily tip there as well). He is quoted as saying that one must give a minimal tip.

Lest the reader think that this is merely a quote of Rav Elyashiv in a journal, Rav Elyashiv’s own son-in-law, Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, shlita, writes (Tuvcha Yabiu Vol. II page 107) that this was

Rav Elyashiv’s view.

It should be noted that in Israel there is no minhag to tip taxi drivers, as opposed to here in the United States.

To this author, it would seem that regarding taxis in the United States, there is a halachic obligation to tip. Taxis in Israel: there is no obligation. Uber drivers: no obligation to tip. Regarding waiters and waitresses in the United States, there is an obligation. According to the author of Asher Chanan, however, matters have not reached the state where there would be any concern of halachic theft. Of course, as in all matters of halacha, one should consult their own rav or posek.

What Should the Young Lady On the Date Have Done?

Now let’s get back to the awkward position of the young lady on the date. Saying something might cause the date to feel badly, and she might violate the prohibition of onaas dvarim . However, there is also the issue of the other’s halachic obligation. It would seem that she should delicately bring up the idea as a halachic discussion. If this is uncomfortable, she could feasibly rely on the poskim that permit not leaving the tip – especially if the issue was not mentioned by the Debreciner Rav in his responsa on taxis.

This article should be viewed as a halachic discussion and not practical advice. The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@gmail.com.

Forgotten Her es Flying Undetected

By Avi Heiligman

Before radar was invented, armies used different tactics to prevent their aircraft from being detected by the enemy. Both camouflage and night flyers were used, but when radar was deployed in the years leading up to World War II, a different tactic was needed. Radar detection systems for aircraft use radio waves to determine an object’s direction, distance and altitude. During World War II, counter-measures were deployed to try and fool radar systems, and these worked for a while. However, radar systems kept on improving so in the years following the war, companies began experimenting with a new type of aircraft. Designed to avoid radar, stealth aircraft like the Northrop B-2 Spirit bomber were introduced.

Airplane manufacturers during World War II tried many methods for planes to avoid radar with wooden aircraft being thought to avoid some detection. The British de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito, often called the Wooden Wonder or Termite’s Dream, was a twin engine World War II plane used in multi-role situations. Over 7,700 were built and were very difficult for German radar systems to pick up incoming aircraft. The Mosquito did have some metal components, but its design gave it a small radar cross-section. The fact that the Germans had a difficult time detecting incoming Mosquitos made the plane a popular choice for pilots.

While the Mosquito was being used by the Allies, it wasn’t a true stealth aircraft. German designers built three Horton Ho 229 jets that would have been invisible on Allied radar had they been introduced in combat. They were among the first of the “flying wing” tailless designs that became an essential part of many future stealth aircraft.

While it took decades to develop true stealth aircraft – meaning that they would be completely invisible to current radar systems – several planes were introduced that had some stealth capabilities. The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird used a combination of high speed, high altitude and design features to avoid the enemy. Its

first flight was in 1964 and had radar-absorbing materials built into its coating of a special black paint. It was also shaped to avoid a radar cross-section and had electronic counter-measures to disrupt radar detectors and confuse enemy missile systems. Many of its stealth features were used in designing modern stealth aircraft. Currently, there are several stealth aircraft flying in air forces around the world .The United States developed and operates the majority of these aircraft which range from bombers to helicopters to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Many of these aircraft remain classified, although some details are publicly known. This includes MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters used in the 2011 Navy Seal raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. These particular helicopters were modified to reduce noise and its radar detection. Sometimes called the Silent Hawk, one of the helicopters crashed on the compound grounds during the raid, but all of the occupants safely exited the aircraft and continued with the mission.

The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was a subsonic (flew at less than the speed of sound) aircraft that began operations in 1983. Its unique shape, radar absorbent materials and other stealth features made it very difficult to be detected by radar. It flew its first combat mission in Panama in 1989 and flew 1,300 sorties in the Persian Gulf War. Lt. Col. Dale Zelko, call sign Vega 31, was flying an F-117 stealth fighter that went down over Yugoslavia in 1999. It was shot down by a Yugoslavian Air Defense Missile Brigade, and enemy soldiers soon began looking for the downed pilot. A rescue team was formed, and it took several hours for an elite team a parajumpers to successfully rescue the downed pilot. This was the only time the stealth aircraft was shot down before being retired from active service in 2008.

The plane that has been dominating headlines for the past month for blasting the Iranian nuclear sites is the Northrop B-2 Spirit heavy strategic bomber. It is a flying wing design and uses its unique shape, modified engine exhaust, lower noise profile and other technological ad-

vances to avoid radar and other detection devices. The B-2 is known for its high altitude flying, ability to deliver very large payloads, and its long range especially when it’s refueled midair.

There are currently 19 B-2 Spirits in use by the United States. They first saw combat in 1999 over Kosovo. In 2001, they flew nonstop from Whitman Air Force Base in Missouri to drop bombs in Afghanistan and back to Missouri. These long flights were made capable by midair refueling from tanker aircraft. Two years later, they dropped 1.5 million pounds of bombs and munitions over targets in Iraq with their longest mission being over 44 hours from takeoff to landing. In 2017, B-2s dropped precision-guided bombs on ISIS training camps in Libya. The Houthis were next on the receiving end of the B-2 as underground weapons facilities were struck in Yemen in 2024. The Iranians didn’t take heed of the warning as seven B-2s dropped a total of fourteen GBU-57 bunker busters on the nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz.

The B-2s are scheduled to be retired in the coming decade in favor of the recently introduced B-21 Raider. There are other stealth aircraft in the U.S. military’s arsenal, including the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II fighters. While there may be performance limitations on stealth aircraft, there are many countries looking to fly these planes due to their distinctive capabilities. Israel has used F-35s extensively in the current war and possibly may try to obtain a stealth bomber in the future. In fact, a news story that broke while this article was being written that stated

that the United States could arm Israel with B-2 bombers and bunker busters if Iran continues their path towards a nuclear bomb. The future for many new aircraft is trending towards utilizing stealth technology which would allow air forces greater flexibility in their missions.

Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.

The Black Hawk Helicopter

B-2 Spirit heavy strategic bomber

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

The Mosquito fighter bomber

Note:

Eliana Kushner, 5

Racheli Kupferstein, 4

Miri F.

Sara Schwartz, 9

Zahaha Ament, 5 & Momo Ament, 9

Shana Chazan, 8

Liat Kovacs, 11 Yaakov S., 5

Sarena Bloch, 6

Ruti Tuchman, 5

Note: Not all submission have been published. Keep sending in your artwork for another chance to be featured!

Naava Rosenblum, 8

Miri Gross, 11

Chana Devora Benyowitz, 4

Chani Gross, 7

Chevy Goldberger, 6

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Aaron Katz, 6 & Gabey Denise, 7

Bracha Wainer

Abigail Hollander, 5

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Nili Rosenblum, 4

Tzipora Feigenbaum, 11

Atara Rosenberg, 8

Aviva Rosenblum, 6

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Adina Bechhofer, 6

Moshe Sheynman, 7

Ariella S., 5

Miriam, 5

Miri, 9 & Dovid, 5 & Yonatan Zaslow, 4

Orli R., 7

Eliana Khoshkeraman, 4

Malky B., 6

Elisheva Schwartz, 7

In The K tchen

Nicoise Salad

By Naomi Nachman

The first time I tried this salad was when I was in seminary at Café Rimon in the late 1980s, and I always remembered how much I enjoyed it. They had used canned tuna back then, but fast forward to 2025 and we love to eat fresh (almost raw) tuna instead. When I started developing recipes, I wanted to try to recreate this delicious salad, and my version was featured a few years back for Mishpacha Magazine.

Ingredients

◦ 6 cups arugula or mixed greens

◦ Oil, for searing

◦ Fresh pepper-crusted tuna

◦ 3 radishes, sliced

◦ 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

◦ Spiralized carrots, for garnish

◦ Spiralized beets, for garnish

◦ Spiralized yellow squash, for garnish

Dressing

◦ ½ cup sour cream

◦ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

◦ ¼ cup balsamic vinegar

◦ 1 tablespoon

◦ ¼ cup olive oil

◦ 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until combined.

2. Preheat a skillet over high heat; add oil, then sear tuna for one to two minutes on each side. Once cooled, slice into 1/2-inch thick slices.

3. Toss all salad ingredients together. Lay tuna slices over salad. Dress salad immediately before serving.

Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.

DOUBLETREE BY HILTON – PIKESVILLE 1726 REISTERSTOWN ROAD Commemorating the Yartzait of Advance RSVP is appreciated at www.MiriamsLegacy.org · Separate seating for men and women

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 30 | 8:00 PM

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Bais Yaakov